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Stop-and-search use ruled illegal Stop-and-search use ruled illegal
(21 minutes later)
The government's powers under the Terrorism Act to stop and search people without grounds for suspicion are illegal, a European court has ruled. The use by police of terror laws to stop and search people without grounds for suspicion are illegal, the European Court of Human Rights has ruled.
The European Court of Human Rights was giving its ruling in a case involving two people stopped near an arms fair in London in 2003. The Strasbourg court has been hearing a case involving two protesters stopped near an arms fair in London in 2003.
It said the pair's right to respect for a private and family life under human rights laws had been violated. It said Kevin Gillan and Pennie Quinton's right to respect for a private and family life had been violated.
It awarded them 33,850 euros (£30,399)in compensation. It awarded them 33,850 euros (£30,400) in compensation.
Section 44 of the Terrorism Act 2000 allows the home secretary to authorise police to make random searches in certain circumstances.
But the European Court of Human Rights said the protesters' rights under Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights had been violated.
The court said the stop and search powers were "not sufficiently circumscribed" and there were not "adequate legal safeguards against abuse".The court said the stop and search powers were "not sufficiently circumscribed" and there were not "adequate legal safeguards against abuse".