Wednesday 27 April 2016

Scotland: Drugs charges against Vietnamese men dropped after interpreter unavailable

http://www.fifetoday.co.uk/news/local-headlines/drugs-charges-against-vietnamese-men-dropped-after-interpreter-unavailable-1-4112787 
27 April 2016

Drugs charges against Vietnamese men dropped after interpreter unavailable
Three Vietnamese men accused of running a £185,000 cannabis factory at a self-storage unit in Auchtermuchty have walked free – after the unavailability of an interpreter led to a sheriff throwing out the charges against them just days after their arrest.
Police raided an industrial estate in the town on Friday after a report was received of a “strong smell of cannabis” coming from inside.
Officers who entered the unit at Bellview Self Storage in Station Road found a vast cannabis growing operation – with 600 mature plants and 240 seedlings recovered.
Officers say the street value of the cannabis recovered is as high as £185,000.
Ngoc Anh Duong (26), Minh My Ho (20), and Long Van Le (22), were due to appear on petition at Dundee Sheriff Court on Monday.
But instead, the case against them called on a summary complaint - used for prosecuting lesser crimes without the requirement for a jury trial and with a maximum jail term of one year.
That complaint was continued without plea until Tuesday - when prosecutors treated that case as not called and instead had the trio appear in private on petition, which would allow them to be tried by jury in the Sheriff or High Courts.
A conviction at that level could result in a prison term of up to 14 years.
However, lawyers representing the men are understood to have argued that there had been an abuse of process in the way the Crown had handled the case.
Because a Vietnamese interpreter was not available on Monday the lawyers could not take instructions from their clients - which could have seen them plead guilty to crimes at the lesser level.
That would have led to a maximum jail term of a year - most likely discounted to eight months for an early guilty plea at the first hearing, meaning only four months actually spent in jail taking into account early release provisions.
Sheriff Simon Collins QC ruled against a Crown argument to allow the petition to stand and dismissed the petitions.
The Crown declined the opportunity to recall the summary complaint and the trio were released from custody.
The Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service said they could still bring criminal proceedings in the future.
A spokesman for COPFS said: “The case could not go ahead as police were unable to provide an interpreter in the time available.
“The outcome does not prevent future criminal proceedings.”
It was alleged that all three produced cannabis at a storage unit at Bellview Self Storage, Station Road, Auchtermuchty, between January 19 and April 22 this year.
They were further alleged to have intentionally damaged electrical plant in that they bypassed the electrical supply line.
Long Van Le and Minh My Ho each faced charges of attempting to pervert the course of justice at Kirkcaldy Police Station on April 22 by allegedly giving false dates of birth.

"case was adjourned for an interpreter"

http://www.croydonadvertiser.co.uk/Dagenham-man-Marius-Adrian-Mirea-stole-parking/story-29186092-detail/story.html 
27 April 2016 

[…] Mirea, of Valence Circus, Dagenham, was convicted of nine counts of theft from a parking meter at Croydon Magistrates' Court on April 15 but the case was adjourned for an interpreter.
He is due to be sentenced at the same court on Thursday. […]

Monday 25 April 2016

CCS Framework - Contract awarded

https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/e8e9b16e-3692-4a3c-97b4-d56768fe0363

Language Services
CROWN COMMERCIAL SERVICE
Awarded opportunity - This means that the contract has been awarded to a supplier.

Contract summary
Industry
Computer and Related Services, Construction and Real Estate, Materials and Products, Printing and Publishing, Other Services, Technology and Equipment, Defence and security

Location of contract
Any region

Value of contract (£)
£140,000,000 - £250,000,000

Published date
25 April 2016

Closing date
26 November 2015

Contract start date
22 April 2016

Contract end date
21 April 2020

Description
Crown Commercial Service as the Authority has put in place a Pan Government Collaborative Framework Agreement for use by UK public sector bodies, which includes Central Government Departments and their Arm’s Length Bodies and Agencies, Non Departmental Public Bodies, NHS Bodies and Local Authorities. The Services within the scope of this Framework Agreement have been divided into 22 Lots: 
Lot 1 Managed Service Provision of Language Services 
Lot 2 Written Translation, Transcription And Ancillary Services 
Lot 3 Provision of Telephone Interpreting and Video Language Services
Lot 4a Provision of Non Spoken Face To Face and Video Language Services Greater London Including Overseas 
Lot 4b Provision of Non Spoken Face To Face and Video Language Services Southern England 
Lot 4c Provision of Non Spoken Face To Face and Video Language Services Midlands and East of England 
Lot 4d Provision of Non Spoken Face To Face and Video Language Services North of England Lot 4e Provision of Non Spoken Face To Face and Video Language Services Scotland and Northern Ireland 
Lot 5a Provision of Spoken Face To Face Interpreting Services Greater London 
Lot 5b Provision of Spoken Face To Face Interpreting Services South West England
Lot 5c Provision of Spoken Face To Face Interpreting Services South Central England
Lot 5d Provision of Spoken Face To Face Interpreting Services South East England
Lot 5e Provision of Spoken Face To Face Interpreting East of England Lot 5f Provision of Spoken Face To Face Interpreting Services East Midlands
Lot 5g Provision of Spoken Face To Face Interpreting Services West Midlands
Lot 5h Provision of Spoken Face To Face Interpreting Services Yorkshire & Humberside
Lot 5i Provision of Spoken Face To Face Interpreting Services North West England
Lot 5j Provision of Spoken Face To Face Interpreting Services North East England (Excluding Yorkshire and Humberside)
Lot 5k Provision of Spoken Face To Face Interpreting Services Scotland
Lot 5l Provision of Spoken Face To Face Interpreting Services South Wales Lot 5m Provision of Spoken Face To Face Interpreting Services Northern Ireland
Lot 5n Provision of Spoken Face To Face Interpreting Services Uk and Overseas Framework Agreements have been awarded for an initial term of three (3) years with an option to extend for one (1) further period of twelve (12) months. The extension will be exercised at the discretion of the Authority.

About the buyer
Contact name
Supplier Service Desk
Address
9th Floor, The Capital, Old Hall Street
Liverpool
L3 9PP
England
Telephone
+443450103503
Email
Website

Awarded information
Value of contract (£)
£140,000,000

Contract start date
22 April 2016

Contract end date
21 April 2020
This contract was awarded to 13 suppliers.

Other information

Attachments
REDACTED RM1092 Framework Agreement Cintra Translation Ltd

Redacted RM1092 Framework Agreement thebigword Ltd Lot 3 amended

Redacted RM1092 Framework Agreement thebigword LTD Lots, 1, 2, 4 and 5 Ltd

Additional Information
Redacted RM1092 Framework Agreement London Borough of Newham

Redacted RM1092 Framework Agreement K International (1)

REDACTED RM1092 Framework Agreement Global Connections Scotland Ltd (1)

Awarded Suppliers

Redacted RM1092 Framework Agreement Sign Solutions (SLIA) Ltd

REDACTED RM1092 Framework Agreement DA Languages Ltd

Redacted RM1092 Framework Agreement Prestige Network LTD docx (1)

Redacted Framework Agreement Capita Translation and Interpreting

Redacted RM1092 Framework Agreement Language Empire Ltd (1)

REDACTED RM1092 Framework Agreement Clarion Interpreting Ltd (1)

Redacted RM1092 Framework Agreement ITL North East Ltd

Redacted RM1092 Framework Agreement Worldwide (1)