Northern Ireland’s Public Prosecution Service (PPS) has announced that a former soldier is to be prosecuted for the murder of a teenage boy who was shot dead in 1972. The veteran, identified as ‘Soldier B’, will face the charge of murdering 15-year-old Daniel Hegarty. He was shot and killed by a member of an Army…
A huge funding disparity over legal representation at Inquests has been uncovered by a campaign charity. Figures released by the charity Inquest reveal that, in 2017, the Ministry of Justice spent £4.2m on legal representation for the prison and probation service. Families on the other hand received £92,000 through the Legal Aid Agency’s exceptional funding…
We will consider this judgment in detail before deciding on the best way forward for our client. Mr Bass, who was discharged from the army in 2014, remains in poor health as a result of the Q fever he contracted in Afghanistan. While considering Mr Bass’ options – including a potential appeal against this judgment…
The Mail on Sunday has reported that law firms behind a ‘witch-hunt’ probe into killings by British troops in Northern Ireland – including Bloody Sunday – are secretly receiving millions of pounds in legal aid. Solicitors are making huge sums by bringing cases on behalf of the families of IRA members killed or jailed during…
Hilary Meredith has won the coveted Lifetime Achievement Award at The Manchester Legal Awards 2019. Hilary was presented with her award at a glamorous black-tie dinner last night at The Midland Hotel. Now in their tenth year, the Manchester Legal Awards recognise and reward the wide range of skills and talent the region has to…
After much speculation and parliamentary debate, it has emerged that army veterans will be protected from prosecution for alleged historic abuses under plans to introduce a 10-year limit on new cases. Defence secretary, Gavin Williamson, is expected to bring forward the proposed legislation in this year’s Queen’s speech. It is believed that the legislation will…
This Friday, 8 March, is International Women’s Day, a global day celebrating the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women. The day also marks a call to action for accelerating gender parity. International Women’s Day (IWD) has occurred for well over a century, with the first IWD gathering in 1911 supported by over a…
Military solicitor Hilary Meredith has welcomed news that the Defence Secretary will propose legislation to protect the Military from historic charges in this year’s Queen’s speech. This comes as four Army Veterans are expected to be charged with murder over the death of Bloody Sunday protesters in 1972. Gavin Williamson has described cases against servicemen…
I fully support the introduction of a new ID card for armed forces veterans, which will help them access specialist support and services. Any personnel who have left the military since December 2018 will automatically be given one of the new ID cards, which will allow them to maintain a tangible link to their career…
The BBC is reporting that military charities are not coping with the increased demand for mental health support. Shockingly, campaigners estimate that last year, at least 58 veterans took their own lives. The Ministry of Defence spends £22 million pounds a year on mental health for veterans, while the NHS has dedicated around £6m annually…
I was disappointed to read that less than a quarter of British organisations have heard of the Armed Forces Covenant. According to a new report – Benefit not Burden, commissioned by the Forces in Mind Trust – twenty-four per cent of companies have heard of the Covenant, which is a pledge made by the government…
Hilary Meredith Solicitors is bringing the first case to test the MoD’s duty to protect against Q fever. The firm is acting for former soldier, Wayne Bass, who contracted Q fever in Afghanistan and says his life has been ruined by the Army’s failure to provide antibiotics which would have protected him from the disease….
There is an excellent column by Johnny Mercer, Conservative MP and member of the Defence Select Committee, in today’s Daily Mail. The statute of limitations – veterans protection inquiry is an “investigation into the question of how former service personnel can be protected from the spectre of investigation and re-investigation for events that happened many…
Hilary Meredith has repeated her call for new legislation to protect service personnel and veterans from prosecution in the line of duty after it emerged that British veterans could face allegations of wrongdoing from decades-old “end-of-Empire operations”. The MoD’s former legal chief has warned that claims against Britons who served in Malaysia and Cyprus more…
Hilary Meredith, Chair of Hilary Meredith Solicitors in Wilmslow, was last night named as Solicitor of the Year award at the Inspirational Women in Law Awards 2018. The Inspirational Women in Law Awards are run by First 100 Years, a ground-breaking project, supported by the Law Society and the Bar Council, charting the journey of…
Hilary Meredith, Chair of Hilary Meredith Solicitors, has been shortlisted for Solicitor of the Year at the Inspirational Women in Law Awards. The Inspirational Women in Law Awards are run by First 100 Years, a ground-breaking project, supported by the Law Society and the Bar Council, charting the journey of women in law since 1919….
Congratulations to the whole team at Hilary Meredith Solicitors for securing our highest ever ranking in this year’s Legal 500, the leading guide to law firms in the UK. The Legal 500 praises Hilary Meredith Solicitors for its personal injury and military expertise. It’s particularly satisfying to see our work on behalf of service personnel…
Hilary Meredith Solicitors has been officially recognised for its commitment to the armed forces community by the Ministry of Defence’s Employer Recognition Scheme. The Employer Recognition Scheme (ERS) encompasses bronze, silver and gold awards for employers that pledge, demonstrate or advocate support to defence and the armed forces community and align their values with the…
The Defence Secretary has said that women will be able to apply for any role in the military for the first time. Gavin Williamson announced that women serving in the Army are now able to transfer into infantry roles, including the special forces, such as the SAS. He said for the first time the “armed…
The Ministry of Defence is looking into suicide rates among veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan conflicts. Cases where former servicemen and women have taken their own lives will be the focus of the research. It will look into the causes of death among those who left the Armed Forces. It’s been reported that more…