My Blog

At 17, I've already witnessed how the law can both protect and fail the most vulnerable in our society. From the injustices faced by Child Q to the ongoing fight for accountability after Grenfell, I've learned that law isn't just about rules in textbooks, it's about real people's lives, dignity, and rights.

In the UK, our laws come from two main sources. Legislation (also called statutes) is created by Parliament, hese are the formal laws passed by our elected representatives (MPs). Case law (or common law) is made by judges in courts when they interpret how existing laws should apply to real situations.

But here's what really matters: laws are meant to protect us, ensure fairness, and uphold our fundamental human rights. When they fail to do this,  or when they're applied unfairly, that's when we see the kind of injustices I write about on my blog.

Criminal law deals with actions that harm society as a whole. Break these laws, and you could face prison time or hefty fines. Think theft, assault, or dangerous driving. The state prosecutes these cases because they affect all of us.

Civil law handles disputes between individuals or organisations. This includes contract disputes, family matters like divorce, or when someone seeks compensation for harm caused by negligence. In civil cases, you typically pay damages rather than face imprisonment.

Understanding this distinction is crucial when examining cases like Grenfell. While criminal law looks at whether individuals or corporations committed criminal acts, civil law addresses compensation for survivors and families of victims.

Here's something that should shock you: in England and Wales, a child becomes criminally responsible at just 10 years old. Yes, you read that right. A 10-year-old can be arrested, charged, and convicted of criminal offences.

Yet that same child can't enter most legal contracts until they're 18, can't vote until they're 18, and society recognises they need protection in countless other ways. This contradiction highlights how our justice system often fails to understand child development and trauma.

The concept of doli incapax, the idea that young children cannot form criminal intent, has been weakened over the years. We're essentially saying a 10-year-old who might not fully understand consequences should face the full weight of criminal law. Cases like Child Q show us how this mindset leads to the traumatisation of children who should be receiving support, not punishment.

Everyone talks about equality but what we really need is equity and justice.

Equality means treating everyone the same. Equity means giving everyone what they need to succeed. Justice means addressing why the inequality exists in the first place.

Take reasonable adjustments, providing screen readers for blind students or ramps for wheelchair users. This isn't "special treatment"; it's recognising that true fairness means removing barriers that prevent people from accessing the same opportunities.

But justice goes deeper. It asks: why are these barriers there? Who benefits from maintaining them? How do we prevent them from existing in the first place?

Human rights aren't abstract ideas, they're fundamental protections that should be guaranteed to everyone. The right to life, liberty, security, privacy, and dignity aren't luxuries; they're necessities for a functioning democracy.

When we strip-search a 15-year-old girl at school without appropriate safeguards, we violate her right to dignity and privacy. When we fail to ensure safe housing standards that lead to tragedies like Grenfell, we fail in our duty to protect the right to life and adequate housing.

These aren't just 'unfortunate incidents', they're systemic failures that reveal how our legal system can perpetuate rather than prevent injustice.

Law isn't just about memorising statutes or winning arguments. It's about fighting for justice when the system fails people. It's about being the voice for those who aren't heard, challenging unfair practices and working to create a more equitable society.

Every time I research cases like Child Q or read about the ongoing fight for Grenfell accountability, I'm reminded that law should serve people, not the other way around. As a future lawyer, I want to be part of the solution, not just another person who accepts 'that's just how things are'.

The law should be a tool for justice, protection and progress. When it's not, it's our responsibility to demand better.

I'm continuing to document injustices, celebrate legal victories for human rights and explore how young people can engage with and influence our legal system. Law isn't something that happens to us, it's something we can shape, challenge, and improve.

Because at the end of the day, justice isn't just about following rules. It's about ensuring those rules create a society where everyone's rights and dignity are protected.