THURSDAY 13 APRIL 2006

Couple jailed for boy’s salt death demand justice after being freed
A couple jailed for killing a three-year-old boy by force feeding him with up to six teaspoons of salt had their convictions quashed by the Court of Appeal yesterday. But judges ordered they must return to court later in the year to face a retrial.
Source:- The Independent, Thursday 13 April 2006, page 12

Churches fail to guard against child abuse
Thousands of Christian churches have failed to introduce formal child protection policies despite the death of Victoria Climbie six years ago, according to research by the Churches Child Protection Advisory Service.
Source:- The Daily Telegraph, Thursday 13 April 2006, page 10

Clarke wins court battle to deport Zimbabweans
The enforced return of thousands of failed asylum seekers to Zimbabwe came a step closer after Charles Clarke won a crucial court victory. The Court of Appeal ruled that the Asylum and Immigration Tribunal had “erred in law” when it warned the government their safety would be under threat if they returned.
Source:- The Independent, Thursday 13 April 2006, page 15

Strike halted as unions agree to talks on pensions
A strike by council workers has been suspended after unions confirmed they had agreed a programme of negotiations on pension rights with local government employers.
Source:- The Financial Times, Thursday 13 April 2006, page 2

Teacher is jailed
Nigel Jackson, 48, a deputy head teacher from Seaford, East Sussex, who groomed a 14-year-old girl for sex after he posed as a schoolboy on the internet, was jailed for four years. Londonderry crown court was told the father of two travelled to Northern Ireland and attempted to lure the girl to a car park for sex.
Source:- The Times, Thursday 13 April 2006, page 9

Boy who admitted rape is freed
A boy aged 15 was given a custodial sentence after he admitted raping a 12-year-old girl was freed yesterday by the Appeal Court. The judge said the boy had already served five months behind bars and that was enough. The boy had pleaded guilty, the girl had consented and “misled” the boy into thinking she was 15 and he used a condom, the court was told.
Source:- The Times, Thursday 13 April 2006, page 29

Blair warned on effects of ‘biting’ health reforms
Frantic efforts to halt overspending by NHS trusts will take at least a year to eliminate a burgeoning £600 million plus deficit across the service, Tony Blair was warned yesterday. Thousands more jobs are likely to disappear in hospitals as trusts with big deficits try to slash costs by cutting use of agency workers and moving more work into the community.
Source:- The Financial Times, Thursday 13 April 2006, page 4

Unemployment up as economy falters
The number claiming unemployment benefit rose by 12,600 last month to 937,600 – the highest level in almost three years.
Source:- Daily Mirror, Thursday 13 April 2006, page 8

Town halls to take over ‘coasting’ state schools
Thousands of apparently successful schools will face the threat of being taken over by powers unveiled by the education secretary today. Schools that are “coasting” or failing to stretch pupils to their potential will be given just 15 days to make improvements spelt out in “warning notices” issued by councils.
Source:- The Times, Thursday 13 April 2006, page 1

Health message ‘too explicit’
A magazine aimed at telling primary schoolchildren about health issues has been shelved because it is too explicit for ten-year-olds. Explode, which uses cartoons to get its message across, was due to be handed out in Portsmouth this month.
Source:- The Times, Thursday 13 April 2006, page 14

Schools ‘covering up’ attacks on staff
Teachers say they are told to keep quiet about attacks by parents and pupils.
Source:- The Times, Thursday 13 April 2006, page 33

Scottish news

Rise in Scots unemployed
The number of jobless people in Scotland has risen by 3000, latest figures show. A total of 142,000 were out of work in the three months ending in February. That was 4000 less than the same period last year, with almost 2.5 million Scots in employment . But the number claiming benefits rose to 87,600 last month, up 1500 on last March.
Source:- The Record, Thursday 13 April 2006

Welsh news

Support for more cash for the disadvantaged
A leading welsh education union has supported the decision by assembly education minister Jane Davidson to provide extra money to disadvantaged schools.
Dr Philip Dixon, director of ATL Cymru, said that the union was pleased that the money was being allocated to those who needed it the most.
“This is the fairest way to spend it,” he said.
Source:- Western Mail, Thursday 13 April 2006