Bitesize News

ZANE – Zimbabwe A National Emergency is a UK registered charity working to help the most destitute, vulnerable and impoverished people in Zimbabwe.  The lack of media reporting could lead one to think that the emergency in Zimbabwe is over. Sadly, this is far from the case. Zimbabwean society continues to implode with malnutrition, untreated illness, escalating unemployment and fractured families. 

Zimbabwe’s average per capita income in 2013 was less than £400 and 90% of the population is unemployed, making it the second poorest country in the world. Much of the population is surviving on under 35 pence a day. For a nation that was, just twenty years ago, the ‘bread basket of Africa’, this is a shocking statistic.

ZANE is the largest supplier of financial aid to elderly people in Zimbabwe, supporting over 2,600 impoverished pensioners.  It also funds a club foot correction programme for children living in the high density areas in extreme poverty.

A proactive response to the recent BBC 5 Live Radio show ‘5 Live Investigates’ regarding the backlog in Digital Forensic investigations.

Stratford Upon Avon, Warwickshire, UK : 26th November 2015 : CCL Solutions Group Ltd, parent for CCL Forensics, the UK’s largest digital forensics provider would like to offer a proactive solution to the a number of recent news reports emanating from the BBC 5 Live Radio show ‘5 Live Investigates’ regarding the backlog in digital forensic investigations.

The thrust of this programme, broadcast on 8th November, was the backlog of digital-crime investigations within the Police. It raised understandable concerns that this backlog was potentially leaving suspects and victims in a state of limbo, whereby victims may remain vulnerable and suspects are free to continue their pursuits.

Thursday 24th September 2015 marked the 15th anniversary of the Expert Witness Institute (EWI) Annual Conference. The conference returned once more to the superb venue at Church House Conference Centre in Westminster and was by general acclaim a great success.

As always the conference was very well attended by EWI members, representatives from the legal profession, practising expert witnesses and members of the press. Your Expert Witness were proud to have been one of the event sponsors. Over 190 delegates were in attendance throughout the day, a record for the EWI conference.

The conference, expertly chaired by EWI governor, Mrs Amanda Stevens, covered a wide range of topics aimed at educating and informing the delegates. The conference paid special attention to the anniversary of the Magna Carta with the opening panel session, chaired by Michael Napier CBE QC, addressing the question 'Was Runnymede 1215 the first hot-tub?'.

On 1 April the Legal Aid Agency issued updated guidance on payments for experts in specific areas such as transcripts and translation work. The new guidance clarifies when experts can apply for prior authority in those areas, which include transcripts of judgments, translation work, communicating with clients at court and experts on foreign law.

On transcription, for example, the new guidance clarifies the position on making an application after the case has concluded:

'In some cases it will be appropriate for the legally aided party to pay for a copy of a transcript of the judgment or to contribute with other parties to such a cost. This may be where the client requires it for a possible appeal, or where the judgment and any findings are to be provided to an expert to consider in the preparation of any report or there has been a finding of fact hearing and the judgement is required as evidence later in the case.'

However, in such cases: 'Where fees are incurred after the conclusion of the proceedings in other circumstances this would need to be justified as it may not be considered a reasonable expense. A copy of the court order requesting the transcription should be provided as well as reasons why it is necessary.'