Show Notes
What if someone uses AI to create a fake version of your voice for their own aims? Recently, the actor, broadcaster and writer Stephen Fry found that someone had recreated his voice to narrate a documentary without his knowledge. What does the law have to say about deepfakes? What are your rights, and in which circumstances could someone be sued, or prosecuted? Associate solicitor Oliver Lock of Farrer & Co explains what the law can, and can't do. Creating fakes with AI, and the software to detect them, is a growing field. The same is true of forensic speech recognition, which is done both by ear and machine and can help the police or a court identify whether a recording is the voice of a suspect, for example. Dr Anil Alexander of Oxford Wave Research Ltd plays some samples to presenter Joshua Rozenberg. Can he guess them right? And what other uses are there for this technology in law enforcement? Forensic scientists are often called upon to give evidence in court, as are doctors. These expert witnesses are crucial, but things can go wrong. Some find cross-examination so bruising that they don't want to repeat it. Others fear for their reputation, if they're pushed into saying something they hadn't meant to say. Baroness Professor Sue Black is a leading forensic anthropologist and shares her thoughts. Sometimes barristers and judges are out of their depth on the science of a case. One solution to this problem has been put forward by the independent scientific academy the Royal Society, with the Royal Society of Edinburgh: subject-specific primers on relevant topics. As Dame Dr Julie Maxton, executive director of the Royal Society explains, leading scientists write and peer-review the primers, such as on ballistics or DNA, and senior judges cross-check them from the legal perspective. The primers are online, aimed at judges but available for everyone. The hope is that if barristers fail to ask the right questions on the science, judges who've read the primers can then do so instead. Presenter: Joshua Rozenberg Producer: Arlene Gregorius Researcher: Diane Richardson Editor: Clare Fordham Sound engineers: James Beard and Rod Farquhar Production Coordinators: Maria Ogundele and Rosie Strawbridge
More from The Law Show
So-called blitz courts are being expanded across England and Wales. A number of courts across the two countries have been holding regular blitz hearings since April. Multiple cases are heard every day instead of just one, and are grouped by type. A set of plea hearings might be scheduled together in one blitz court, and sentencing hearings at another. Blitz courts increase efficiency by making sure that all the parties concerned are ready and prepared for their day in court. They are not a new idea. Rapid hearings are sometimes used to speed up justice in exceptional circumstances, such as after the 2011 summer riots in England, which saw large numbers of public disorder hearings. It's part of plans by the Ministry of Justice to try to cut court delays and backlogs in England and Wales, which have reached record levels. But will they help ease the crisis in the criminal courts? Presenter: Dr Joelle Grogan Producers: Ravi Naik and Ivana Davidovic Editor: Damon Rose Contributors BBC news correspondent Adina Campbell Riel Karmy-Jones, Chair of the Criminal Bar Association Joanne Edwards, a solicitor from Forsters who's on the National Committee of Resolution, the Family Lawyers Association.
The Representation of the People Bill 2026 is in the King’s Speech which means it’s on the Government’s legislative agenda and is going through Parliament. The Bill covers parliamentary ballots cross the UK, and contains sweeping changes, including giving 16 and 17 year-olds the right to vote in a general election and referendums. The Bill also aims to strengthen the rules around political donations. Giving money to a political party is completely legal, if you are on the UK electoral register, are a UK registered company or UK-registered organisation, but is there a limit on the size of your contribution? Can you be an anonymous donor or pay in cryptocurrency? How are the laws about political party funding being tightened up? And what about individual MPs? Are they allowed to receive personal donations, and do they have to declare them? Presenter: Dr Joelle Grogan Producers: Ravi Naik and Ivana Davidovic Editor: Damon Rose Contributors: Dr Sam Power, Lecturer at Bristol University, and an expert in political financing, electoral regulation and corruption. Hannah Perry, Interim Director of Demos Digital, a cross-party pro-democracy think tank Joanne Wheeler, Managing Partner at Alden legal, and a leading international expert in the field of satellite and space law.
Note: this episode contains frequent references to rape, sexual assault and physical assault. There's been public confusion and outrage over the sentences given to three teenage boys, who were convicted of rape. In November 2024 and January 2025, two girls, then aged 15 and 14, were attacked in separate incidents in Fordingbridge, Hampshire, by two 14-year-olds. Another boy, then 13, was also convicted for his involvement in the second rape. The teenage boys were given youth rehabilitation orders and walked out of court with 10 rape convictions between them. The Prime Minister says the case will be referred to the Court of Appeal. He described the case as distressing and said "there are questions about the sentence". One of the girls who was raped told the BBC that the judge's decision was like a "rock straight in my face". So what are the likely reasons why the three teenage boys were given non-custodial sentences? What is the guidance around youth sentencing, and what are youth rehabilitation orders? How do youth courts - and youth custody - work, and how does the system differ from the adult courts in England and Wales? And does the adversarial nature of our criminal justice system lead to vulnerable victims being re-traumatised? Presenter: Dr Joelle Grogan Producers: Ravi Naik and Ivana Davidovic Editor: Damon Rose Contributors: Kirsty Brimelow KC, Chair of the Bar Council of England and Wales Dr Charlotte Proudman, a barrister who specialises in family law and human rights Dr Kathy Hampson, Senior Lecturer in Criminology at Aberystwyth University
The Renter’s Rights Act came into force at the start of May, and it marked the biggest change to how private rentals work in England in a generation. There are a host of new protections and legal entitlements for renters, and many potential pitfalls for landlords to consider. Assured shorthold tenancies have been abolished, and have automatically been converted into rolling tenancies - sometimes known as ‘assured periodic tenancies’. It means that the tenancy has no automatic end date. Section 21 notices - also known as "no fault" evictions have been abolished, and Landlords are not allowed to ask for more than 1 months' rent as a deposit. Bidding wars for rental properties are now forbidden, and there are measures to limit rent increases. But it doesn't apply to all renters in all properties. What about students? They all rent, but only some students are covered by the Act. And if landlords don't follow the new laws carefully, they could face fines of thousands of pounds. So what are the details that property owners and their tenants need to know? Presenter: Dr Joelle Grogan Producer: Ravi Naik Editor: Damon Rose Contributors: Siobhan Taylor-Ward, a Housing Solicitor at Lawstop on the Wirral Nermin Suleman, an associate solicitor at Prosperity Law in Manchester Tim Wrigley a partner at Wrigley’s Solicitors in Leeds
The Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood’s Restoring Order and Control policy is underway. It's based - in part - on measures carried out in Denmark which cut asylum claims there to a 40 year low. From now on in the UK, people granted asylum - refugees - will face a review every two and a half years. If their country of origin is regarded as safe, they may be encouraged, or even forced, to go back. There are lots of other changes. If someone is refused asylum, they’ll only be allowed a single appeal. If an asylum seeker breaks the law, works illegally or can financially support themselves, they’ll lose their benefits or accommodation. Alongside the asylum reforms, there are also major changes to settlement in the UK, affecting both refugees and people on work and study visas. From now on, they will have to wait at least 10 years before they can obtain indefinite leave to remain, which means they can settle in the UK without restrictions. You may be forgiven for thinking -"these are pretty big changes, I don’t recall there being a big debate in parliament or any votes?" And you’d be correct. This was all done through secondary legislation, meaning that it’s a change to existing rules. But what are the possible legal battles for the government as it tries to introduce some of the toughest asylum laws in Europe? Presenter: Dr Joelle Grogan Editor: Tom Bigwood Producers: Ravi Naik and Charlotte Rowles Contributors: Dr Peter Walsh, Senior Researcher and lead on asylum at the Migration Observatory at the University of Oxford Catherine Barnard, Professor of European Law at the University of Cambridge Baroness Levitt, Family Justice Minister