A fingerprint expert who was sacked after making a mistake has won her unfair dismissal claim against the police. Fiona McBride was one of four specialists who said a fingerprint found at a crime scene was that of an investigating officer who had been told to stay away from the premises. This turned out to
House prices across the UK rose by 8.2% in the year to April, bringing the value of an average property to £209,054. On a monthly basis, prices rose by an average 0.6% between March and April. Looking at England alone, there was annual price increase of 9.1%, which takes the average property value to £224,731.
People are being urged to safeguard their future as the population ages by taking out a lasting power of attorney (LPA). The Law Society says that with people living longer, it’s vitally important that we plan ahead because there may come a time when we can no longer make vital decisions about our finances and
A businessman who earned all his wealth several years after divorcing his wife has agreed to pay her £300,000 in a belated settlement. Dale Vince and Kathleen Julie Wyatt separated in 1984 when they were both in their early 20s. They divorced in 1992. Mr Vince was penniless at the time but went on to
A mother has won her appeal to have contact with her daughter in the United States after agreeing to several safeguards to ensure the girl would be returned to the UK. The case involved a girl who was born in the US to a British father and a mother from the Caribbean. The girl had
The number of county court judgments (CCJ) against businesses has fallen to its lowest level since before the financial crisis, according to figures released by the Registry Trust. The Trust’s research shows that there were 21,860 CCJs recorded against businesses in England and Wales during the first three months of 2016, a 17% fall on
Changes to the shared ownership rules could help an extra 175,000 people on to the housing ladder, according to the government. Shared ownership allows people to ease their way into the property market by purchasing a share in their home rather than having to pay the full amount. They only have to a find a
A woman who devoted her life to her family while her husband concentrated on developing his business has been awarded £69m in a divorce settlement. The case involved a couple who began living together in 2002. They married in 2004 and the wife became a homemaker and a full-time mother to their two children. At
The Alzheimer’s Society and Alzheimer’s Research UK are each donating £50m to the new Dementia Research Institute (DRI). The investment is in addition to the £150m already pledged by the government. The DRI is expected to be up and running by 2020. It will have a central UK hub with a network of regional centres
A 91-year-old woman’s will leaving all her estate to her grandson has been declared invalid because she suffered from dementia and was unaware of the consequences of her actions. The case involved a woman who had six grandchildren who all stood to inherit when she died. Three months before her death, her grandson helped her