Thursday 5 May 2005

By Maria Ahmed, Simeon Brody, Derren Hayes and Amy
Taylor

Teacher jailed for firing airgun is freed on appeal

Teacher Linda Walker, who was jailed for firing an airgun during a
row with a gang of youths in Manchester, has been freed by the
Court of Appeal.

The court granted her a conditional discharge after hearing that
the 48-year-old’s family had been terrorised by
“yobs”. While stressing the seriousness of her crime
the judge said it was important to take into account her previous
good character.

Source:- The Independent Thursday 5 May 2005 page 15

School governor questioned over bodies of
babies

Police investigating the discovery of three dead babies found in
two separate homes in Merthyr Tydfil confirmed they were treating
the case as a murder inquiry.

Detectives have been granted an extension to further question
64-year-old governor Anne Mahoney, in whose home two of the corpses
were found.

Source:- The Independent Thursday 5 May 2005 page 15

Childminder keeps jail term

The appeal court yesterday refused to increase the three-year jail
sentence given the former childminder Rebecca Wilson, 34, convicted
of the manslaughter of five-month-old Anil Joshi, deciding it was
impossible to say the sentence was unduly lenient.

Source:- The Guardian Thursday 5 May 2005 page 11

Remedy elusive for repeat child abuse

Children who stay in the family home after abuse by their parents
are at high risk of suffering further neglect or abuse, research
have found.

The authors of the Canadian study said there is no intervention
proven to reduce risk when children who have been abused remain at
home.

Source:- The Guardian Thursday 5 May 2005 page 14

We’ll slow health spending, admits Brown

Gordon Brown admitted that Labour will slow NHS spending
dramatically in four years, saying the current 7.4 per cent
increase will be cut to 4 per cent in 2008.

Source:- Daily Mail Thursday 5 May 2005 page 6

Fears for the cotton-wool kids

Over-protective parents are raising a generation of cosseted
children who will be incapable of taking decisions when they grow
up, the leader of the Secondary Heads Association warned last
night.

Source:- Daily Mail Thursday 5 May 2005 page 11

The school meals cooked up in a real hell’s
kitchen

The biggest supplier of school meals, Scolarest, has been serving
out-of-date ingredients from dirty kitchens, according to council
inspectors.

Source:- Daily Mail Thursday 5 May 2005 page 24

Longest Asbos

The leaders of a gang that has terrorised parts of Gloucester have
been given the longest antisocial behaviour orders yet.

Kieron Clune, 16, and Michael Targett, 17, have been banned from
parts of the city until they are 24.

Scott Rigby, 18, was given an interim Asbo until June 16, when his
case will be reviewed.

Source:- The Times Thursday 5 May 2005 page 4

School ignorant of boy rapist’s violent
history

An investigation began yesterday into how a 15-year-old pupil who
was known to police as a potential danger to woman was free to rape
a teacher at his school.

The boy’s sexually aggressive behaviour came to the attention
of the authorities at least five years before the assault, but his
history was never relayed to staff at the Inner London school he
attended.

Source:- The Times Thursday 5 May 2005 page 15

Rape case boy on new charge

The youngest boy ever to be charged with rape admitted an unrelated
count of sexual activity with a child yesterday.

He was aged 10 when the alleged rape, involving a girl younger than
him, took place in 2001, an Inner London Crown Court heard.
Sentencing was adjourned until next month pending the preparation
of probation reports.

Source:- The Daily Telegraph Thursday 5 May 2005 page
2

Schoolboy ‘victim’ often left classroom

A 13-year-old schoolboy who claims he was the victim of an assault
by his teacher frequently walked out of class and refused to be
disciplined, a court heard yesterday.

Frederick Harding, 44, head of PE at the school is accused of
kicking the pupil’s chair out from under him after he refused
to stop playing with his mobile phone in class.

He denies common assault. The trial at Swindon, Wilts,
continues.

Source:- The Daily Telegraph Thursday 5 May 2005 page
4

Scottish news

Scotland pioneers mental health ‘first-aider’ scheme

Members of the public are to be trained across Scotland to offer
advice and counselling to sufferers of severe mental illness.

The national training programme, funded by the Scottish executive
and the NHS , will train at least 300 instructors over the next
three years.

Eventually it is hoped that thousands of people from all walks of
life will be able to practise “CPR for the mind”, as part of the
executive’s national programme to improve mental
health.

Source:- The Scotsman  Thursday 5 May 

Welsh news

Custody-battle mum on assault charge in NZ

A Swansea woman who is involved in an international custody battle
with her husband was due to face an assault charge in a New Zealand
court today.

Diane Jelicich left New Zealand three days ago with baby
Caitlin.

She is alleged to have been involved in a domestic incident last
December.

Source:- Western Mail Thursday 5 May

Police investigate unexplained death at a care home

Neath Port Talbot police are investigating the death of a patient
at care home on Tuesday.

Susan Cooke had lived at the Cedars House Home in Bryncoch, Neath
for four years. She had severe learning difficulties and needed
close support. Detectives say that the death is unexplained rather
than suspicious.

Source:- Western Mail Thursday 5 May