Abuse experts at Blythe Liggins call for immediate action to be taken over reports that more than 1,400 children in Rotherham have been sexually exploited from 1997 to 2013.

In an independent investigation carried out by reviewer Alexis Jay OBE, the report suggests that children as young as 11 were subjected to ‘horrific’ acts of abuse.

He concluded that the council and other agencies should have done more to protect children at risk.

The personal injury team at Blythe Liggins who act on behalf of abuse survivors, have raised grave concerns at the appalling nature and sheer scale of abuse, which span over 16 years.

Claire Kirwan, Head of the personal injury department, said that “The failings of so many institutions who were responsible for the safety and wellbeing of these vulnerable children is unacceptable and those responsible should be held accountable for their diabolical failings. It is thought that many of the victims were already known to social services as being at a risk of neglect, highlighting an extensive systemic failing which must be resolved”.

CAPTION: Claire Kirwan, Head of the Personal Injury and Clinical Negligence Department

Patients who were given faulty hip replacements at Warwick Hospital could be eligible for up to £20,000 in compensation, according to a leading personal injury lawyer.

Claire Kirwan, head of personal injury at Leamington law firm Blythe Liggins, who has appeared on BBC TV’s Watchdog programme as an expert on personal injury law, represents patients who have since undergone corrective surgery after being fitted with faulty hip replacements.

She said that during the period 2005 to 2010 the South Warwickshire Hospitals Trust performed 1,500 hip replacement operations, 120 of which were at Warwick Hospital using the DePuy Johnson & Johnson ASR product, which has since been recalled from the market.

“Any patient who has undergone corrective surgery as a result of this faulty product being used could be entitled to up to £20,000 in compensation,” said Ms Kirwan, who is also being consulted by patients who have had problems with their Biomet and Corin hips.

“Clearly there has been enough evidence to suggest that some metal-on-metal (MOM) hip implants were not fit for purpose and were failing at a much higher rate than other types made from ceramic and/or polyethylene – and should have been banned. The warning signs had been there for some time but no one had acted.

“There should have been calls for a regulatory body to be set up to ensure that these devices were thoroughly tested and approved,” she said. “These patients’ lives had been blighted unnecessarily.”

Problems reportedly occurred when friction between the metal ball and the cup into which it fits caused tiny metal filings to break off, resulting in seepage into the bloodstream and inflammation causing damage to muscle and bone.

Although most of Ms Kirwan’s clients had undergone surgery at Warwick Hospital, and some at St Cross Hospital in Rugby and the University Hospital in Coventry, she is also representing patients as far afield as Cornwall.

Anyone concerned about their hip should contact their GP or hospital, Ms Kirwan advises.

CAPTION: Claire Kirwan, Head of the Personal Injury and Clinical Negligence Department

Issued by Newsline PR. Tel: 01926 888308

Holidaymakers who experience a holiday from hell need not suffer in silence, according to a Leamington lawyer.

Adam Lloyd, personal injury solicitor at Blythe Liggins on Rugby Road, said that the law protecting consumers meant that holidaymakers were entitled to claim for accidents and illness suffered abroad.

“It is only right that holidays have to live up to certain standards and Package Travel, Package Holiday and Package Tour regulations mean that tour operators can be sued rather than a claim having to be brought against a foreign hotel owner,” said Mr Lloyd.

Even if holidaymakers have not reached their destination they may be able to pursue a claim in this country if they were travelling by plane, ship or train.

“We have had cases where clients have been injured on the flight out to their dream holiday and have had cruises with outbreaks of gastric illness – all of which lead to misery at times when holidaymakers should be leaving their stresses behind.”

Incidents should be lodged with the tour representative on holiday and, if possible, names and addresses of any witnesses should be taken. It is also advisable to photograph and video evidence to support the claim and keep all of the travel documents.

Mr Lloyd also warned that holidaymakers would often spend the insurance premium in the airport bar rather then get fully covered if anything went wrong.

“Accidents abroad can be devastating with medical fees costing thousands of pounds, different laws and language barriers to struggle with and the support of friends and families far away. Transport home can also be expensive so I would urge holidaymakers to make adequate arrangements for insurance and use ABTA member travel agents,” said Mr Lloyd.

When holidaying in Europe – or just travelling through – Mr Lloyd also advised obtaining a free European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) which allows holidaymakers state healthcare at reduced fees or sometimes for free. It is valid in all European Economic Area (EEA) countries, including Switzerland but will not cover any private medical costs so it is vital to have adequate insurance.

CAPTION: Adam Lloyd at Blythe Liggins

Issued by Newsline PR. Tel: 01926 888308

21 years ago, on 5th April 1993, the Child Support Agency was launched. Since then it has attracted endless criticism and now that it is to be brought to an end debt of £3.8 billion will be written off.

Ah but we have a solution – we have a new government body called the Child Maintenance Service. Is it going to be any different?

We do know that applicants to the CMS from 30th June 2014 will be charged a one off application fee of £20 and that charges will be levied at the rate of 4% deducted from child maintenance payments received.

Existing CSA clients will receive a letter from the CSA telling them that the organisation is to be closed and that the CSA will no longer be responsible for current child maintenance payments. The letters are going to be written over a period of 3 years between now and 2017. Most clients will get 6 months notice.

Calamity? Is the CMS really going to be any better than the CSA that has failed so spectacularly? Already the rule book has been rewritten and the very basis for calculating child maintenance has changed from an assessment of net income to that of an assessment based on gross income. There are many other changes that are likely to be controversial.

But there is hope. You don’t have to use the CMS and parents who divorce or separate can agree maintenance payments between themselves. If they divorce they can agree what should be paid and that can be put in a Court Order so both sides know where they stand.

Better to agree than involve a government agency has to be the motto.

CAPTION: Andrew Brooks, Partner and Head of the Family Team

Leamington solicitors Blythe Liggins have entered three crews of rowers in the Stratford-upon-Avon Boat Club’s annual fun regatta on Saturday (July 12).

Twelve lawyers have been taking part in three one-hour training sessions organised by the club and will row in a number of heats and finals during the day.

Blythe Liggins partner and head of family law Andrew Brooks, who began rowing at Stratford with his brother David when they were boys, said the event was aimed at people who were completely new to rowing – or who had given it up some years ago. “Entrants don’t need to be fit, or skilled or even have rowed before, they just need to be enthusiastic and willing to try something different. Oh yes, and be able to swim at least 50 metres in light clothing!” he said.

Prizes will be awarded to all crew members of the winning boats and the runners-up in each section, plus the crew in the best fancy dress. For spectators there will be a BBQ, tea & cake, a Pimm’s bar and a variety of games in the Recreation Ground, on the opposite bank from the theatre.

Blythe Liggins, who sponsored the Two Castles run from Warwick to Kenilworth last month for the ninth time, and recently raised a further £2,500 for their chosen charity The Myton Hospice, are also a main sponsor of Warwick District Remembers, the First World War centenary concert at the Spa Centre in Leamington on October 31.

CAPTION: (Front to back) Katie Farrell, Paul England, Ruth Nutt and Linda Lewis.

Issued by Newsline PR: 01926 888308

Leamington solicitors Blythe Liggins, a main sponsor of Warwick District Remembers, the First World War centenary concert at the Spa Centre on October 31, has joined with the Leamington Courier to give away five signed copies of a new book commemorating the Great War by two local authors.
Stolen Lives – Individual Tragedies of the Great War is a collection of short biographies of 50 soldiers (and a nurse) who were tragically killed in the Great War. In a novel approach to honouring the centenary of WW1, Sir Andrew Hamilton and Alan Reed have compiled informative and compassionate tributes to personalities whose stories provide a detailed snapshot of society before the outbreak of war and the horrors of life at the front.

The subjects are from a wide cross-section of society, from Queen Victoria’s 40th grandchild to a Belfast shipbuilding apprentice who was ‘shot at dawn’ for desertion. Some had reached the pinnacle of their careers, such as an actor, a politician and several international sportsmen; others had yet to realise their aspirations – a poet, a painter and a composer; and a number found fame posthumously as a result of their actions during the fighting, including a double VC and a black footballer. The list includes the sons of Rudyard Kipling and of Prime Minister Asquith, PG Wodehouse’s butler, one of five brothers killed, the first and last Briton to die and a 16-year-old boy.

Britain could not have played such a pivotal role without support from the Empire: an Australian VC, a Canadian allegedly ‘crucified’ by the Germans and an Indian Sikh all considered it their duty to fight for the ‘mother country’ are featured in the book – which also takes readers on a guided tour of the cemeteries and memorials of northern France and Belgium to find where the subjects are buried or commemorated.

Richard Thornton, joint senior partner at Blythe Liggins Solicitors, said: “Famous or unknown, their personal stories offer an insight into the duty-inspired patriotism of August 1914, the horrors of life in the trenches, the humour and comradeship in adversity and the effects of death on comrades and loved ones. “Each individual’s background, their life before 1914 and their reasons for enlisting are examined. Their reactions to the effects of the war and the humour and comradeship in adversity are fascinating features of the book, a recurring theme of which is the impact on families who suffered the loss of loved ones.”

The five lucky winners will also receive a signed copy of Meet at Dawn, Unarmed. Written by the same authors, the book is about the Royal Warwickshire Regiment and the prominent part Sir Andrew’s grandfather Captain Robert Hamilton played in arranging the iconic Christmas Truce of 1914, which is said to have involved a football kick-about between the British and German troops in No Man’s Land at St. Yvon in Belgium.

The book is based on the diary of Captain Hamilton and depicts the humour, comradeship and loyalty of fellow soldiers in the face of constant danger; the rain, mud and discomforts of life in the trenches; the daily fight for survival and the constant danger from shelling and sniping; and life behind the lines – the billets, estaminets and local hospitality.

Both books are available at local bookshops – Stolen Lives – Individual Tragedies of the Great War (£25) and Meet at Dawn, Unarmed (£15) – but to win a signed copy of each title answer this simple question: In which year was the famous Christmas Day football match played?

CAPTION: Richard Thornton and Sir Andrew Hamilton

A Leamington law firm is doing its bit to keep the home fires burning – as the UK slowly edges away from recession – by helping local entrepreneurs with a flair for retro memorabilia create a flourishing emporium right in the heart of the town.

Patriotic bunting is proudly flying at ‘Blighty Bazaar’, a former bedding shop in Kenilworth Street, where business is booming in the vintage, retro and ‘all-our-yesteryear’ memorabilia trade, thanks to a lease agreement arranged through Blythe Liggins solicitors. Working with co-owners Les Sutton and his niece Amy Young, commercial solicitor Nick Watts devised a lease for Blighty that allowed them to move their vintage fair business to a settled site.

Mr Watts said: “At a time of improvement in the economy it is important to encourage small start-up businesses, many of whom may have tried to find jobs in a difficult employment market. This agreement helps these young entrepreneurs to turn their hobbies and craft skills into an enterprise with a place to trade.”

Co-owner Mr Sutton was full of praise for the agreement. “Nick has been so helpful in getting this agreement up and running and guiding us through it stage by stage. He has helped us to get our own piece of the town centre. As a result, we are trying to give others a helping hand and this will grow more businesses locally. “All of us involved in the business and the site have one thing in common – a love of ‘all our yesterdays’ and a desire to start our own cottage industry. We have had Chris White MP in here as well praising the enterprise and we regularly hold ‘Friends of Blighty’ meetings for those interested to discuss how it shapes up and looks.”

Mr Sutton, a social worker by training who is wheelchair bound through multiple sclerosis (MS), has a passion for ‘Mod’ music on vinyl and ran his record business through a series of vintage fairs organised by Amy, but in December the desire to bring various types of memorabilia together under one roof was realised when he was able to open Blighty Bazaar. “We have had great interest from local people as everyone remembers stuff from their childhoods. We also opened a cafe here so people can dwell longer if they choose. We had one lady in here for more than four hours and she bought loads of vintage merchandise. We thought she had gone, but she was just taking a break at the cafe in between browsing!”

Caption: Nick Watts of Blythe Liggins flies the bunting flag with Les Sutton, Fiona Sutherland and Lucy Williams

Issued by Newsline PR: 01926 888308

A leading national consumer champion who wants to build stronger relationships between the construction industry and house buyers has cemented his relationship with the sector by becoming the independent chairman of the newly-created Consumer Code for Homebuilders Ltd.

Noel Hunter OBE, the vice president of the national Trading Standards Institute and a former director of Warwickshire Trading Standards signed his appointment with Leamington-based law firm Blythe Liggins which advised him on the role and the scope and powers of the new organisation set up to instil consumer confidence in new home building across the UK.

The CCHB Ltd was launched by the house building industry working with the National House Building Council (NHBC) and MD Insurance Services to build upon the new home warranty protection provided to home owners to ensure that consumers are treated fairly throughout the process of what is the most expensive purchase they will ever make.

Noel, the vice chairman of Myton Hospice who lives in Lighthorne will oversee an organisation that puts the home buyer first in terms of making sure they are treated fairly at all times, are given all relevant and reliable information about their purchase, set the benchmarks on what services to expect and advise on dispute resolution between buyers and builders.

“Building upon the protection already provided to new home buyers by the two major home warranty organisations in the UK will instil even greater confidence in the whole home buying process, at a time when we need to build more houses across the UK because of the housing shortfall,” he said.

“Blythe Liggins has provided help and guidance on my part in the formation of the company and helped me to recognise the legal ramifications of the role. The body will play an important role in the industry, particularly the post-sales resolution process after the purchasers have complained to the builder but do not feel that they have received satisfaction,” he added.

Nick Watts of Blythe Liggins, said: “My role was to advise him as to the corporate law aspects of his role as chairman within the structure of the organisation and generally how he – and it – operates. The body monitors the behaviour of the house building sector to act as an independent watchdog that consumers can trust to resolve issues quickly and efficiently for all parties concerned.”

Richard Moon of Blythe Liggins, added: “It was vital that Noel was also advised of the legal implications of the scope of his role and the framework in which he can operate and I was delighted to provide that assistance.”

CAPTION: Building confidence in home buying – Richard Moon of Blythe Liggins with Noel Hunter of the Consumer Code for Housebuilders Ltd and Nick Watts of Blythe Liggins

Issued by Newsline PR: 01926 888308

The Two Castles Run between Warwick and Kenilworth castles – sponsored by Blythe Liggins for the 9th consecutive year – was a great success, say organisers Kenilworth Rotary Club.

Some 4,000 runners took part on Sunday June 8 with temperatures much higher than in recent years, providing wonderful sunshine for the spectators and quite a challenge for the competitors. Among the entrants was Warwick & Leamington MP Chris White and the High Sherriff of Warwickshire.

Richard Thornton, joint senior partner at Blythe Liggins, presented the prizes with Jeremy Wright, MP for Kenilworth & Southam and Under Secretary of State for Justice. Richard, whose firm also fielded a large team of runners and provided marshals and a water station, said: “It’s a wonderful event and the whole firm looks forward to taking part each year. I am always overwhelmed by the courage and determination of some of those running for charities; it’s a very exhilarating morning and we are extremely proud to have been supporting it for so many years.”

CAPTION: The Blythe Liggins team of runners celebrate with their families.

Court rules are seldom sexy and exciting, but they are really important if you want to get any sense of justice and the award that you are entitled to within divorce proceedings.

From the 22nd April 2014, a radical rewrite of Court rules has meant that the parties when preparing for Court hearings need to have their house in order, paperwork and documentation meticulously prepared.
Judges from high and low will be seeking to enforce the orders against divorcing couples and if the paperwork is not right one or other could pay the costs of the application – which in some instances could run into several thousands of pounds.

Careful and diligent preparation for Court hearings is more vital than ever before.

Even ‘size’ matters because the court rules are so prescriptive that the font must be size 12 and the spacing between the narrative at least 1.5 to 2.0.

CAPTION: Andrew Brooks. Partner, Family Team