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Failing to Make Crime Pay

The government wants to do more to recover criminal assets. Joshua Rozenberg asks why, until now at least, it has proved so difficult to deprive villains of their loot.

The government wants to do more to recover criminal assets. Joshua Rozenberg asks why - till now, at least - it has proved so difficult to deprive villains of their loot.

The Public Accounts Committee has published a scathing report criticising the collective efforts of the CPS, National Crime Agency and the courts service to reclaim the proceeds of crime. The accounts committee chairperson, Margaret Hodge, summarised the collective performance as 'rubbish'.

Also, with news that Led Zeppelin are facing a legal challenge over the writing credits to Stairway to Heaven, we ask how such claims can be assessed in a court of law.

And after the European Union Court of Justice ruled Google must amend some search results at the request of ordinary people in a test of the so-called 'right to be forgotten', we find out what that might mean - and whether Google has any avenue to appeal.

CONTRIBUTORS

Richard Lorkin, former CPS paralegal
Alan McQuillan, former director of the Assets Recovery Agency
Peter Oxendale, musicologist
Dr Orla Lynskey, The London School of Economics and Political Science

Producer: Keith Moore
Series Producer: Richard Fenton-Smith.

Available now

28 minutes

Last on

Thu 5 Jun 2014 20:00

Chapters

  • Failing to Make Crime Pay

    Why have government agencies consistently failed to recover the proceeds of crime?

    Duration: 12:22

  • Stairway to Heaven

    As Led Zeppelin face legal challenge over writing credits, how are such claims assessed?

    Duration: 08:34

  • The 'Right to be Forgotten'

    What does the recent ruling mean for Google and is there an avenue to appeal?

    Duration: 06:03

Broadcasts

  • Tue 3 Jun 2014 16:00
  • Thu 5 Jun 2014 20:00

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