By Clare Jerrom and Reg McKay.
‘Legacy of child abuse led Martin to kill thief’
The farmer who shot dead a teenage burglar at his remote farmhouse suffers from a paranoid personality disorder because of childhood sexual abuse, the court of appeal heard yesterday.
On the opening day of Tony Martin's appeal against conviction for murder, Martin’s lawyers said the disorder made him see the burglary as a "violation" of the home he felt safe in. It affected his judgement and meant he was likely to react more extremely than a normal person.
The lawyers said Martin was let down by his defence team and that there was "compelling" evidence to show the farmer acted in self-defence under provocation.
The farmer has always insisted he acted in self-defence when he shot Fred Barras with a pump action shotgun at Bleak House in Norfolk in 1999. He was jailed for life at Norwich crown court and given a 10-year sentence for wounding Barras’ accomplice Brendon Fearon.
Yesterday Michael Wolkind QC said the legacy of child abuse was depression and a paranoid personality disorder that impaired his judgement and willpower on the night of the burglary.
Consultant forensic psychiatrist Dr Philip Joseph said Martin had a "lifelong fear of being molested" that left him unable to form intimate relationships.
The appeal resumes today.
Source:- The Independent Tuesday 16 October page 13
Immigrant trafficker jailed
A businessman was jailed yesterday for six years for his part in a human trafficking network.
Kashmir Singh Nanan admitted helping 21 illegal immigrants from India enter the country.
The court was told how he offered an undercover officer £10,000 to bring the men into Britain.
Source:- The Independent Tuesday 16 October page 15
Drinking by pupils ‘ignored’
A sharp rise in under-age drinking has been ignored by schools, as they have paid so much attention to fighting drugs, according to a study.
Children aged 11 to 15 drink twice as much alcohol as their counterparts 10 years ago, the department of health has estimated. On average, children consume more than five pints of beer a week, or the equivalent.
Four out of five children admit having tried alcohol and almost a third of those aged 15 to 16 have been on three drinking binges in the last month.
Young people aged 16 to 24 are the heaviest drinkers of any age group.
Vivienne Evans, head of Alcohol Concern’s education and prevention department, said: "A lot of schools have focused on illicit substances and have forgotten the one under their nose."
Alcohol Concern’s new guide aims to involve parents and the media in a campaign to reduce under age drinking.
Source:- The Times Tuesday 16 October page 14
Test case for foreign treatment on NHS
Plans to send NHS patients for treatment abroad will be tested by the government and Portsmouth, East Kent and West Kent/East Surrey health authorities.
Health secretary Alan Milburn said hundreds of patients from these areas would be sent abroad over the next few weeks for treatment in EU countries.
The authorities have been given the go-ahead to negotiate contracts for batches of operations involving relatively low risk procedures.
The department of health said no patient have yet gone abroad under the scheme.
Source:- The Guardian Tuesday 16 October page 16
Scottish newspapers
Changes demanded in handling child abuse cases
A leading forensic scientist has claimed that medical examination of children who have alleged abuse by adults is breaching Scottish executive guidelines, and is resulting in miscarriages of justice.
Anthony Busuttil, professor of forensic medicine at Edinburgh University, said that medical evidence should be videotaped with both a paediatrician and police surgeon carrying out examinations. Busuttil claims that often there is only one doctor present and no recording is made resulting in a high proportion of cases collapsing before they reach court. Busuttil, who also has 25 years' experience as a police surgeon, appears in a BBC documentary tonight focusing on the collapse of a high-profile child abuse trial involving an eight-year-old boy and an eleven-year-old girl at Edinburgh high court.
Source:- The Scotsman Tuesday 16 October page 10
Housing group withholds profit figures
The housing association bidding to takeover Glasgow Council’s stock of 82,000 houses has admitted withholding information on profits for private sector funders despite promising to put all its plans in the public domain.
Glasgow Housing Association (GHA) last night admitted that they have not revealed the full details of their 30-year cash flows because the figures were too sensitive to show future tenants. Critics have slammed the GHA as "dishonest", and said that new questions have emerged regarding the "fundability" of the housing stock transfer. Opposition councillors from all parties on Glasgow Council have been publicly critical saying the secrecy raises further questions on whether the proposals are robust enough or covers up massive profits for the private sector.
Linda Fleming, GHA finance director, said that the full picture could not be revealed as potential lenders would take advantage of such candour.
Source:- The Herald Tuesday 16 October page 1
