Geoff Pearson
LightNews LightNews
banner
profgeoffpearson.bsky.social
Geoff Pearson
@profgeoffpearson.bsky.social
1.3K followers 350 following 190 posts

Prof of Law at Manchester University. Socio-legal research interests in human rights, policing, public order, crowd management, football "hooliganism", Ethnography, and sports law. Currently on research leave.

Videos
Political science 47%
Sociology 29%
Posts Replies Media Videos

profgeoffpearson.bsky.social
Geoff Pearson @profgeoffpearson.bsky.social · 59m
Sorry to be a bore David, but I try to avoid commenting publicly on active ops, given my current CoP role.

profgeoffpearson.bsky.social
Geoff Pearson @profgeoffpearson.bsky.social · 1d
Have had a productive and enjoyable writing retreat in lovely Hydra and a book will be forthcoming from it. However, any mistakes will be those of the many cats who have interfered with my efforts, rather than my own.

Reposted by Sanford F. Schram, Geoff Pearson, Andy Reisinger , and 1 more

atrupar.com
Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 8d
MBS claims the murder of Khashoggi was "a huge mistake and we're our doing our best that this doesn't happen again."

profgeoffpearson.bsky.social
Geoff Pearson @profgeoffpearson.bsky.social · 10d
The penny still hasn't dropped that no matter how right-wing your policies are, you will never go far enough to satisfy racists.

profgeoffpearson.bsky.social
Geoff Pearson @profgeoffpearson.bsky.social · 13d
I feared at the time that the introduction of PCCs would lead to a worrying politicisation of the police. I don't think that happened, but I'm not sure much else happened as a result of their introduction either.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Police and crime commissioners to be scrapped in England and Wales
The government says it will save £100m over this Parliament and less than 20% of voters can name their PCC.
www.bbc.co.uk

Reposted by Geoff Pearson

shubhamjain224.bsky.social
Shubham Jain @shubhamjain224.bsky.social · 13d
Delighted to announce the @routledgebooks.bsky.social Series on Sport & Human Rights that I will edit with @danihee.bsky.social @sportandrights.bsky.social

@idrottsforum.bsky.social @prof-mark-james.bsky.social @antoineduval.bsky.social @cambridgelaw.bsky.social
📌 www.routledge.com/Sport-and-Hu...

Reposted by Celia Kitzinger, Chris Hanretty, Geoff Pearson

giffordhead.co.uk
Jacob Gifford Head @giffordhead.co.uk · 14d
This is an appalling judgment to read. Two Chief Constables found in contempt of court for misleading the court about the existence of video footage. But this was only discovered when the matter made it to the Court of Appeal. Incredible perseverance.

www.bailii.org/ew/cases/EWC...
Judges set to decide fate of police chief constable guilty of contempt of court
Exclusive: Ivan Balhatchet, Northamptonshire’s chief constable, could face up to two years in jail or a fine for repeated failure to obey rulings
www.theguardian.com

profgeoffpearson.bsky.social
Geoff Pearson @profgeoffpearson.bsky.social · 15d
On the nose again. Not sure how, but David Squires manages it every week.

profgeoffpearson.bsky.social
Geoff Pearson @profgeoffpearson.bsky.social · 15d
I'll be on The Law Show this week on Radio 4 (and BBC Sounds), talking about football fan legislation. The other topics on the show are criminal court delays and protest cases.

Reposted by Geoff Pearson

davidsquires.bsky.social
David Squires @davidsquires.bsky.social · 15d
Here’s this week’s cartoon for @sport.theguardian.com

www.theguardian.com/football/pic...
David Squires on … Fifa’s peace prize and Donald Trump’s eligibility
Our cartoonist on how the US president’s actions in office may have put him in line for an award
www.theguardian.com

profgeoffpearson.bsky.social
Geoff Pearson @profgeoffpearson.bsky.social · 17d
You just knew that somehow they were going to mess up the new football regulator.
philippeauclair.bsky.social Philippe Auclair @philippeauclair.bsky.social · 17d
A reminder that David Kogan was *not* on the shortlist for the position of head of the football regulator service and that the candidates who *had* been shortlisted were then ignored in his favour. Kogan did not even apply for the position.
bbcnews-uk-rss.bsky.social Unofficial BBCNews (UK) Bot @bbcnews-uk-rss.bsky.social · 17d
Lisa Nandy apologises for breaking rules on football regulator job

Reposted by Geoff Pearson

philippeauclair.bsky.social
Philippe Auclair @philippeauclair.bsky.social · 17d
A reminder that David Kogan was *not* on the shortlist for the position of head of the football regulator service and that the candidates who *had* been shortlisted were then ignored in his favour. Kogan did not even apply for the position.

Reposted by Geoff Pearson

stefmowords.bsky.social
Stefan Mohamed @stefmowords.bsky.social · 20d
succubus - female demon that seduces men

incubus - male demon that seduces women

vengabus - non-binary demon that likes to party

Reposted by Geoff Pearson

uomlaw.bsky.social
uomlaw.bsky.social @uomlaw.bsky.social · 21d
Our lecturer, Dr Fiona Brimblecombe, has recently published her Open-Access monograph 'Defamation in the Digital Age and the "right to be forgotten"'. Check it out here: bristoluniversitypress.co.uk/defamation-i... @uomsoss.bsky.social

profgeoffpearson.bsky.social
Geoff Pearson @profgeoffpearson.bsky.social · 22d
In Birmingham today for the launch of the nine NPCC/UKRI Policing Academic Centres of Excellence.

Delighted to be one of the team representing Manchester-PACE, a collaboration between The University of Manchester and MMU @manmetuni.bsky.social

science.police.uk/delivery/res...
M-PACE – Manchester P-ACE, Manchester Metropolitan University with University of Manchester
M-PACE aims to support its policing partners in appreciating, developing and mobilising evidence and tools to successfully meet the challenges that they face.
science.police.uk

Reposted by Anna O. Law, Andrew Scott, Tim Bale , and 9 more

joshuajfriedman.com
Joshua J. Friedman @joshuajfriedman.com · 23d
You laugh, but this is how the exododus went extinct
New York Post headline: Nearly a million New Yorkers ready to flee NYC if Mamdani becomes mayor - possibly igniting largest exododus in history: poll

Reposted by Julie Cupples, Geoff Pearson, Colm O’Cinneíde , and 1 more

tom-clark.bsky.social
Tom Clark @tom-clark.bsky.social · 23d
Amid many a silly “free speech” panic, here is a genuinely chilling case …

Sheffield Hallam professor accuses the institution of negotiating “directly with a foreign intelligence service to trade my academic freedom for access to the Chinese student market”

www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
China intimidated UK university to ditch human rights research, documents show
Sheffield Hallam University apologises to Professor Laura Murphy for restricting her academic freedom.
www.bbc.co.uk

Reposted by Leigh Sparks, Charlie Beckett, Mary Corcoran , and 1 more

lizstokoe.bsky.social
Elizabeth Stokoe @lizstokoe.bsky.social · 24d
"it is striking how many of the key players we have looked into — the people who have gone out of their way to put up hundreds of flags — seem anything but ordinary."

manchestermill.co.uk/the-men-who-...
The men who raised the flags
Nigel Farage says this summer’s movement was led by ‘ordinary people’ expressing their patriotism. That’s not what we found
manchestermill.co.uk

Reposted by Joe R. Feagin, Arthur Geßler, Euan G. Ritchie , and 8 more

markhamillofficial.bsky.social
Mark Hamill @markhamillofficial.bsky.social · 25d
What he said: 💯 🎯

profgeoffpearson.bsky.social
Geoff Pearson @profgeoffpearson.bsky.social · 25d
The test for what is damage under the CDA is a really low bar, albeit subject to the AG Ref qualification. I'd be amazed if they wouldn't have been convicted of that.

profgeoffpearson.bsky.social
Geoff Pearson @profgeoffpearson.bsky.social · 26d
That's made my day.

profgeoffpearson.bsky.social
Geoff Pearson @profgeoffpearson.bsky.social · 26d
Presumably this is the "reasonable excuse" defence for public nuisance in action, following Ziegler? Anyone know why the CPS didn't pursue criminal damage?
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Just Stop Oil activists cleared over Stonehenge protest
The trio are cleared of all charges after citing human rights law in their defence.
www.bbc.co.uk

Reposted by Geoff Pearson

alangreene.bsky.social
Alan Greene @alangreene.bsky.social · 27d
I elaborate on allegation-picking here. It has the potential to act (in certain circumstances) as a vehicle for judicial avoidance but one that has avoided the same kind of scruinty as doctrines such as the margin of appreciation have been subjected to: strasbourgobservers.com/2025/02/25/a...
Allegation-Picking and the European Court of Human Rights: A Pervasive Court Practice Hiding in Plain Sight? - Strasbourg Observers
By Alan Greene It is now almost cliché to suggest that the European Court of Human Rights ‘missed an opportunity’ when handing down a judgment. Often, these laments highlight that the Court decided th...
strasbourgobservers.com

Reposted by Geoff Pearson, Andrew Geddis

seethingmead.bsky.social
David Mead @seethingmead.bsky.social · 29d
vacancies.uea.ac.uk/vacancies/18...

Come join me and my good chums in the Law School here…

This is where we work

You could even work with me, trying - sometimes succeeding - to convey the joys of Public Law to 1st years

Reposted by Geoff Pearson

tobyseddon.bsky.social
Toby Seddon @tobyseddon.bsky.social · 29d
Looking to build back up my group of PhD students. Primarily interested in supervising in the area of drug policy but open to other areas, too. Drop me an email if you have an idea. For more information about me and my work, take a look here: tobyseddon.com
Toby Seddon
Critical thinking on drugs, drug policy & drug law reform
tobyseddon.com

profgeoffpearson.bsky.social
Geoff Pearson @profgeoffpearson.bsky.social · Oct 26
New flagship policy of One Out, One In?

profgeoffpearson.bsky.social
Geoff Pearson @profgeoffpearson.bsky.social · Oct 21
If that is even a half accurate account of the intelligence received by the SAG, it's pretty embarrassing* for the senior politicians from all sides who spoke out about it.

*Well, those who still have any shame anyway.

Reposted by Will Jennings, Steve Peers, Geoff Pearson

sundersays.bsky.social
Sunder Katwala (sundersays) @sundersays.bsky.social · Oct 21
A Maccabi club source told the UK Jewish News that the intervention of far right political activist Tommy Robinson pledging to attend the game as a Maccabi fan was the "final straw" for their decision about the risks of accepting tickets amid this row
www.jewishnews.co.uk/exclusive-ma...

Reposted by Elizabeth Stokoe, Geoff Pearson

stheil.bsky.social
Stefan Theil @stheil.bsky.social · Oct 21
Please ciruclate: Looking for 1-2 RAs for a project on domestic court impact on outcomes at the ECtHR (200h total until end of Feb). Essential: undergraduate degree in law (or related subject) and resident in UK - suitable for grad students. Deadline: 31 October: www.law.cam.ac.uk/press/jobs/2...
Research Assistants
Dr Stefan Theil is looking for up to two research assistants to help with a project on the impact of UK court decisions on the ECHR.
www.law.cam.ac.uk