Tuesday 11th January 2005

By Maria Ahmed, Derren Hayes and Amy Taylor

Mother wrongly jailed over baby deaths is refused
payout

A mother who was wrongly jailed for killing two of her babies
has been refused compensation.

Angela Cannings spent 18 months in prison, but was cleared after
medical evidence against her was discredited.

She was separated from her surviving child for four years, but the
Home Office has decided she does not qualify for a payout.

Source:- The Daily Mail Tuesday January 11 2005 page
5

Cheaper than coffee

A line of cocaine costs less than a cappuccino in some parts of
the country, it emerged yesterday.

A survey by the Independent Drug Monitoring Unit found that a gram,
of the drug could be bought for as little as £39. The survey
found that there are 156,000 regular heroin users in the UK, plus
102,000 crack addicts and 76,000 Ecstasy users.

A separate study by Liverpool John Moores University claimed that
drug use among schoolchildren has almost doubled under Labour.

Source:- The Daily Mail Tuesday January 11 2005 page
29

Plea to reduced child inmates follows a spate of
suicides

Young offenders at serious risk of harming themselves are being
locked up even though they are too vulnerable for life behind bars,
the head of the Youth Justice Board admitted yesterday.

Rod Morgan, head of the YJB, appealed to the courts to jail fewer
youngsters and called for extra resources for children with mental
health problems following a spate of suicides in custody over
recent years.

Source:- The Independent Tuesday January 11 2005 page
4

Addiction breakers

‘Intervention therapy’ shows families how to force
addicts to confront their own destructive behaviour. It’s
tough, even heartbreaking, but it works.

Source:- The Independent Review Tuesday January 11 2005
pages 8-9

Inside the orange room – how pupils are tested on
drugs

Report on drug-testing in schools.

Source:- The Guardian Tuesday January 11 2005 page
3

24-hour drinking will create urban savages, says
judge

A judge attacked government plans to introduce 24-hour drinking
yesterday, saying it turned young people into “urban
savages” and town centres into “revolting and dangerous
places” at night.

Judge Charles Harris, QC, said the scheme, which could be
introduced this year under new licensing legislation, was helping
to create a climate of violence and fear.

Source- The Daily Telegraph Tuesday January 11 2005
page 9

Prisons plan fear

The chief inspector of prisons has said that Tony Blair’s
plan for a single criminal justice inspectorate threatens to
sideline inspections of the 139 jails in England and Wales.

Anne Owers fears that the plan to merge five inspectorates will
undermine the “robust” nature of prison
inspections.

Source:- The Times Tuesday January 11 2005 page 2

ASBO pigs review

The Crown Prosecution Service is to review the case of a farmer
given an antisocial behaviour orders because of his unruly
pigs.

Brian Hagan appeared before Cromer magistrates in a hearing to
decide whether to extend the ASBO. The case was delayed until the
end of criminal proceedings on January 26.

Source:- The Times Tuesday January 11 2005 page 4

Super cop targets teen drinkers

Under-age drinking must be tackled if police want to curb rising
levels of alcohol-related violence, a “super cop”
recruited to help but Britain’s crime rate said
yesterday.

Paul Evans, the former Boston police chief leading the fight to
clean up drunken violence, said that too many licensees were still
prepared to sell drinks to young people with no questions
asked.

Source:- The Times Tuesday January 11 2005 page 22

Scottish newspapers

Youth crime blitz fails to halt rise

The numbers of young people that commit offences has risen
despite a push by police to tackle the problem, new figures
reveal.

Source:- The Scotsman Tuesday 11 January

Tags boost to Reliance

Security firm Reliance are to have their electronic tagging
contract extended by a year in a deal worth up to £8.2million.
Their duties with convicted adult offenders will be widened to
include people on bail and a pilot scheme for under-16s.

Source:- The Daily Record Tuesday 11 January

Welsh newspapers

Did Blair have hand in Hutt sacking?

Rumours were circulating last night that Welsh Health Minister
Jane was sacked after pressure from Tony Blair as the general
election gets closer.

First minister Rhodri Morgan announced that Aberavon AM Dr Brian
Gibbons would replace Hutt yesterday.

Hutt had constantly been under attack for the long waiting list
figures in Wales. She has been made business minister.

Source:- Western Mail Tuesday 11 January

Sex pictures doctor can work again

A consultant radiologist who was found with over 1,500
paedophile pictures on his computer is allowed to take up
employment again.

The images were found on Charles Bartlett’s computer in
December 2002 and he was later convicted of 12 counts of making
indecent photos of children and five counts of having indecent
photographs of children.

He received a three-year community rehabilitation order and was put
on the sex offenders register. In April 2004 Barlett, who worked at
the West Wales General Hospital Carmarthen, was suspended from the
medical register for nine months but he has now reappeared before
the General Medical Council and is allowed to practice once
more.

Source:- Western Mail Tuesday 11 January

Worker accuses charity led by Ron Davies of unfair
dismissal

A former staff member has accused a charity headed by former
Welsh secretary Ron Davis of unfair dismissal.

Tariq Sarder, who was employed by Valleys Race Equality Council,
a small charity in Pontypridd, which Davies leads, has taken his
case to an employment tribunal.

Source:- Western Mail Tuesday 11 January