From the casebook of Justice Marlowe Finch · Edition 1 · Free

The harbour treasurer

Today’s paper is on the right, and the law you need is under “The code”. Work through ten steps, as a lawyer would, from headline to a fair statement of the facts. Everything here is invented.

Step 1 of 10

Step 1

Which of today’s stories raise a legal question?

Read the four front-page stories. Tick every story that, on what is reported, raises a legal question.

Port treasurer faces questions over £2.4m paid to her brother’s firm

Mayor calls rival ‘a liar and a clown’ in heated council debate

Supermarket chain raises bread prices by 8%

Tenants say landlord ignored repair requests for eleven months

The Eastmark Wire

Port treasurer faces questions over £2.4m paid to her brother’s firm

Eastmark Wire · Kestrel Bay

An audit report published today says the Kestrel Port Authority paid £2.4m over three years to Halloran & Sons Marine Ltd, a dredging company. Company records show the firm is owned by Dario Halloran, brother of the Authority’s treasurer, Ingrid Halloran, who approved every payment.

The Authority’s own rules require any contract above £50,000 to be put out to tender. The auditor says none of the contracts with Halloran & Sons was tendered, and that at some of the sites named on the invoices it found ‘no evidence that dredging took place’.

In a statement, Ms Halloran said: ‘Every payment was for genuine work at a fair price. I have done nothing wrong and I will co-operate fully.’ Mr Halloran did not respond to requests for comment.

Opposition councillor Rhys Calder said: ‘This is the crime of the decade. She has robbed this town.’ An unnamed source told the Wire that Ms Halloran recently bought a villa abroad; the Wire has not seen documents confirming this.

A police spokesperson said officers are ‘examining the report’. The Public Prosecutor’s office said it had received no file and would make no comment.

The Eastmark Wire

Mayor calls rival ‘a liar and a clown’ in heated council debate

Eastmark Wire · Kestrel Bay

Tempers flared at last night’s council meeting when Mayor Odile Marsh described her challenger, Tobias Wren, as ‘a liar and a clown’ during a debate on the bus budget.

Mr Wren said he would not respond to ‘name-calling’. The council voted 9–6 to keep the bus budget unchanged.

The Eastmark Wire

Supermarket chain raises bread prices by 8%

Eastmark Wire · Kestrel Bay

Brightleaf Stores said on Monday that it would raise the price of its own-brand loaves by 8% from next month, citing higher flour and energy costs. A spokesperson said prices for other products would not change.

The Eastmark Wire

Tenants say landlord ignored repair requests for eleven months

Eastmark Wire · Ashford

Residents of Mill Court say the landlord, Penrose Lettings, has not fixed a broken heating system despite written requests sent every month since last winter. Penrose said it was ‘aware of the issue’ and was ‘arranging a contractor’.

The residents’ association says it will consider going to court if nothing is done by the end of the month.

The Eastmark Wire is an invented news service. Every person, place and law here is fictional. No real news organisation is depicted.

Professional skills training with fictional material. It is not legal advice and is not accredited by any court, regulator or professional body.

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