Contempt of court
Turner and another v Coates [2025] EWCA Civ 782
The Court of Appeal, Civil Division, dismissed Mark Gary Coates’ appeal against a sentence of 448 days for contempt of court imposed by Judge Venn in the County Court at Hastings on 17 September 2024. The court ruled that the parallel civil and criminal proceedings relating to the same facts did not result in injustice or prejudice against Mr Coates, given the distinct purposes and nature of these proceedings. The court upheld the sentencing framework applied by the judge, including the imposition of consecutive sentences for distinct breaches, in line with the totality principle.
Costs
Personal Representatives of the Estate of Maurice Hutson (Deceased) and others v Tata Steel UK Ltd [2025] EWHC 1594 (SCCO)
The Senior Courts Costs Office ruled on four preliminary issues agreed by the parties regarding sample cases from the original 206 claimants who had been involved in group litigation known as the ‘British Steel Coke Oven Workers Litigation’. The issues concerned: (i) hourly rates; (ii) the recoverability of work done in respect
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