Crime and Policing

The City of London Law Society published a report on the future of the Serious Fraud Office (SFO) on 20 April, which calls for urgent and focused reform of the SFO in light of the setbacks faced by the SFO in recent years in delivering on its mission to prosecute complex fraud and bribery.

https://www.solicitorsjournal.com/sjarticle/city-of-london-law-society-recommends-urgent-reform-of-the-serious-fraud-office

A specialist new unit has been launched to lead the UK’s work on international crime.

The Joint International Crime Centre consolidates and enhances the UK’s capabilities around international law enforcement co-operation and co-ordination.

https://www.nationalcrimeagency.gov.uk/news/joint-international-crime-centre-launches

Niall Hearty of Rahman Ravelli summarises the key findings of an IEA report into the performance of the Serious Fraud Office.

https://www.rahmanravelli.co.uk/articles/the-sfo-an-assessment-by-the-institute-of-economic-affairs//

The “cultural difficulties” of the Serious Fraud Office (SFO), including “improper contacts” between officials and companies being investigated, necessitate “drastic change”, a report has argued.

https://www.legalfutures.co.uk/latest-news/sfos-cultural-difficulties-require-drastic-change

Primary school teachers, doctors, social workers, and even scout leaders will need to help tackle fraud if we are to get on top of the problem in the West Midlands.

That’s according to a Cardiff University report that’s just been published by the West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner, Simon Foster.

A woman who worked for West Mercia Police has appeared in court charged with fraud and drug offences in Gloucestershire. Lucy Tull pleaded guilty to fraud, supplying a class a drug, supplying a class b drug and supplying a psychoactive substance.

https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/world/former-police-worker-sentenced-for-fraud-and-drug-offences-in-gloucestershire/ar-AA18woM5

The UK’s Serious Fraud Office (SFO) will today face Kazakhstani mining company ENRC in London’s High Court, as it continues its fight against the British government agency almost 10 years after it first launched an investigation into the former FTSE 100 firm.

https://www.cityam.com/uks-serious-fraud-office-to-face-kazakh-miner-enrc-in-court-as-decade-long-legal-fight-continues/

Police forces are not doing enough in the fight against fraud, with just two per cent of funding spent on Britain's biggest crime, consumer advocates have warned.

https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/uknews/police-spend-just-2pc-of-funding-on-fraud-despite-representing-40pc-of-all-crime/ar-AA17VhaI

THE Serious Fraud Office is still investigating a Bournemouth-based investment scheme eight years after it collapsed owing scores of millions of pounds.

https://uk.news.yahoo.com/business-still-being-investigated-serious-050000138.html/

The value of SARs is wide-reaching. SARs intelligence has been instrumental in locating sex offenders, tracing murder suspects, identifying subjects suspected of being involved in watching indecent footage of children online and showing the movement of young women being trafficked into the UK to work in the sex industry.

https://www.nationalcrimeagency.gov.uk/what-we-do/crime-threats/money-laundering-and-illicit-finance/suspicious-activity-reports