Criminal Law Update 2025 - Live with Colin Beaumont

Introduction

2024 was a year full of significant developments in legislation, case law, Sentencing Council Guidelines, and new Guidelines on Disclosure. For criminal practitioners, staying on top of these changes is crucial - but how do you keep up to date with it?

This virtual classroom seminar is designed to help you navigate these important updates. We’ll walk you through the key legislative changes, important case law and the latest Sentencing Council Guidelines that have shaped the criminal law landscape in 2024. Plus, this seminar will continue to provide ongoing updates for 2025.

Whether you work for the Crown Prosecution Service, as a defence lawyer, legal adviser, or even a police station adviser, this live session is tailored to benefit anyone involved in criminal law. It’s a perfect way to ensure you stay current, informed and ready to apply the latest developments in your practice.

What You Will Learn

This live and interactive course will cover the following:

• The Pet Abduction Act 2024
• Amendments to the Home Detention Curfew Scheme (June 2024 and December 2024)
• Amendments to release from Determinate Sentences - down from 50% to 40% - September and October 2024
• Miscellaneous Amendments to Sentencing Guidelines - April 2024
• Special Procedures for Community and Suspended Sentence Orders - SI 2024 No. 654
• New crimes - zombie-style knives and zombie-style machetes - SI 2024 No. 583
• Domestic Abuse Protection Notices and Domestic Abuse Protection Orders - piloted in 2024
• The Attorney Generals Guidelines on Disclosure - 2024
• The increased powers of Magistrates for either-way offences - November 2024
• Rex v Garbutt - a 2024 Court of Appeal decision considering the powers of Magistrates to both send for trial and commit for sentence
• Thomson and the CPS - a 2024 High Court decision concerning zombie knives
• The Chief Constable of Cleveland Police and Jemmett - a 2024 High Court decision concerning Domestic Violence Protection Orders

Recording of live sessions: Soon after the Learn Live session has taken place you will be able to go back and access the recording - should you wish to revisit the material discussed.