Latest news with #JanePoole-Wilson
BBC News
11-04-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
AI to be used to grade indecent images of children on Isle of Man
The Manx government is set to introduce a new system to categorise indecent images of children to enable the use of artificial Intelligence (AI).Under the change, sentencing guidelines will refer to categories used in England and Wales from 21 April instead of the existing Copine Scale (Combating Paedophile Information Networks in Europe). The government said that would mean the constabulary could use AI to "rapidly" grade material that matches verified entries in the UK's Child Abuse Image Database (CAID).Minister for Justice and Home Affairs, Jane Poole-Wilson, said the use of AI would reduce police officers' exposure to "distressing material" and speed up the process. The new system would see images categorised from A to C, with A being the most severe, in relation to the possession, distribution and production of indecent photographs and pseudo-photographs of children. 'Swift justice' The change will be applied to material that falls under the Sexual Offences and Obscene Publications Act the Copine scale (Combating Paedophile Information Networks in Europe), the material is graded from one to five, with five being the most the Isle of Man Constabulary already uses CAID, the grading of material is currently done manually by police officers and digital forensic investigators. This was due to the database's AI grading tool not aligning with the Copine Scale, currently set out in Manx government said the tool had been "positively received" by UK law enforcement agencies for "significantly reducing the time it takes to review and categorise images".Poole-Wilson said the move meant the police would be able to work "faster and more effectively" which would support work to safeguard the victims of sexual abuse and bring "swift justice" to offenders. Read more stories from the Isle of Man on the BBC, watch BBC North West Tonight on BBC iPlayer and follow BBC Isle of Man on Facebook and X.
BBC News
04-04-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
Views on Manx jury duty criteria sought to update Isle of Man laws
Feedback on who should be allowed to serve on a jury on the Isle of Man is being sought by the Department of Home Jury Eligibility Criteria Consultation seeks to update legislation last implemented under the Jury Act in 1980. It comes after a Tynwald select committee called for the criteria to be and Home Affairs Minister Jane Poole-Wilson said the consultation would "help shape how jury eligibility should work in the future". She said: "Jury service is a vital part of our justice system."It is important that the procedure for selecting jurors is fair, transparent, and results in juries that are representative of our community." Exemptions Any defendant in a criminal case heard by the higher court has the right to be tried by a jury of their peers, under the island's legal Jury Act 1980 allowed female jurors for the first time, and expanded the age range to between 18 and the current system several professions are automatically exempt from serving, including politicians, members of the clergy, medical practitioners, and members of the in England and Wales, with the exception of people with a mental disorder or those who have a recent criminal history, prospective jurors are approved on a case-by-case Manx consultation asks residents whether they believe the list of exemptions from jury duty should be updated and whether it should more closely align with England and Wales. It breaks down the occupations that are exempt and asks people if any or all of them should be automatically excluded or not. Anyone can respond to the consultation, which closes on 23 May. Read more stories from the Isle of Man on the BBC, watch BBC North West Tonight on BBC iPlayer and follow BBC Isle of Man on Facebook and X.
Yahoo
12-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Boost for island's fight against financial crime
The Manx government is set to bolster its defences against "evolving" threats to the island's financial and online gambling industries by international criminals. A spokeswoman said online gaming and gambling platforms were at the centre of an "increasingly complex and sophisticated criminal landscape in east and south-east Asia". Some of the Gambling Supervision Commission's (GSC) processes are set to be strengthened and new gaming licence applications will be subject to more scrutiny. Deputy Chief Minister Jane Poole-Wilson said the government would "not hesitate to act to disrupt and prosecute" anyone using the island for criminal activity. She said "illicit actions by transnational organised criminals to exploit the island's business environment and immigration security" were taken "extremely seriously" by the government and Manx authorities. In a statement, a spokeswoman said the risks presented by overseas criminal networks were now affecting jurisdictions worldwide and "increasing vigilance" was needed when conducting business linked to the region. As an international financial centre with links to the UK, the Isle of Man is "attractive for exploitation" by organised crime groups, she said. As part of the measures, the GSC - the e-gaming sector regulator - will review and strengthen it's framework and practices in market licencing, supervision and enforcement. Meanwhile, Manx authorities have committed to "continuing to enhance inter-agency working across the regulators and law enforcement". The government has also confirmed legislation would be updated to "enhance the effectiveness" of the island's anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing framework. Immigration security measures are set to be enhanced as part of this. Poole-Wilson said the actions aimed to identify vulnerabilities and ensure "urgent action" was taken to mitigate them, "thereby strengthening the island's countering financial crime regime for the future". Read more stories from the Isle of Man on the BBC, watch BBC North West Tonight on BBC iPlayer and follow BBC Isle of Man on Facebook and X. Scammers steal £2.2m as reports rise 50% in a year Views sought on updates to laws on financial crime Number plate checks to be rolled out at port Facial recognition part of port security plans China scam run from Isle of Man Isle of Man Government - Department of Home Affairs Isle of Man Gambling Supervision Commission
BBC News
27-02-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Views sought on plans to update Manx anti-money-laundering laws
Proposals have been put forward to modernise laws tackling financial crime on the Isle of Man to include technologies such as crypto and digital Department of Home Affairs has launched a consultation on its plans to update the Proceeds of Crime Act 2008 with three draft the proposed changes, it would also be made obligatory to report suspicions of money-laundering to the financial intelligence and Home Affairs Minister Jane Poole-Wilson said the updates would "play a pivotal role in providing the legislative basis for us to properly combat financial crime". Another proposed change would see civilian investigators referenced alongside police and customs officers to give law enforcement agencies the "full range of powers to combat financial crime". 'Future success' The changes also include plans to reduce the period of time for a confiscation order to be made after a defendant has failed to surrender assets, as well as increasing the threshold level for exemption from £250 to £1, would raise the value below which some transactions can be carried out by certain businesses in operating an account for a customer without committing an department said while the existing 2008 legislation was "vital" in tackling money laundering and countering the financing of terrorism, it needed "modernisation to meet changing international standards" and keep up with new said: "'The economic and fiscal stability of the island is key to its future success, as is our ability to continue to be part of the wider world of respected and responsible financial jurisdictions".The proposed changes would be covered in the Draft Proceeds of Crime (Miscellaneous Amendments) Bill 2025, Draft Proceeds of Crime (Amendment) (Forfeiture of Money held in Bank and Building Society Accounts) Bill 2025, and Draft Proceeds of Crime (Amendment) (Unexplained Wealth Orders) Bill consultation is available online until 27 March. Read more stories from the Isle of Man on the BBC, watch BBC North West Tonight on BBC iPlayer and follow BBC Isle of Man on Facebook and X.
Yahoo
12-02-2025
- Yahoo
Number plate checks to be rolled out at port
Number plate recognition technology is set to be introduced at a Manx port to enable the police to carry out "proactive and intelligence led security checks". Plans have been put in place for the Isle of Man Constabulary to join the UK's Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) database in March, at a cost of £32,000 per year. That would be followed cameras at the Sea Terminal in Douglas scanning vehicles arriving and leaving from May, with any system alerts immediately flagged up. The Department of Home Affairs (DHA) said the move was part of the Securing Our Island strategy launched in September to strengthen controls at the island's borders. The department it was currently creating regulations to allow the Manx police force to use the software to manually search for vehicles on the UK system and set alerts. Officers could then identify the movement of vehicles involved in criminal investigations before they arrived on the island, and share intelligence with neighbouring forces to "disrupt potential criminal offences in progress", the DHA said. The second phase would see cameras at the Manx port be connected with the UK database, allowing checks on vehicles travelling on and off the ferries. The Department of Infrastructure (DOI) has previously used similar mobile technology on public roads to identify those driving without tax, which was last used in 2022. The DHA has confirmed the system would not be used for that purpose again but would instead become a "useful tool for our enforcement agencies which will help tackle and track criminal activity" and enhance border security. When launching the strategy at the 2024 Government Conference, Home Affairs Minister Jane Poole-Wilson said organised crime, including drug trafficking, had become "an increasing threat". Other measures outlined for use included facial recognition of passengers at the island's ports and the scanning and monitoring of inbound and outbound post. The department said the moves would be "proactive measures" designed to "make it harder for criminals to exploit the island's position within the Common Travel Area". Read more stories from the Isle of Man on the BBC, watch BBC North West Tonight on BBC iPlayer and follow BBC Isle of Man on Facebook and X. Facial recognition part of port security plans Plans to stop criminals exploiting Manx borders ANPR not used for 18 months due to staff issues Isle of Man Government - Home Affairs Isle of Man Constabulary Isle of Man Government - ANPR
