By Clare Jerrom, Nicola Barry and Alex Dobson.
Church pays hush money to sex victims
Thousands of pounds of "hush money" has been paid by the Roman Catholic Church to thousands of Britons who were sexually abused by priests.
It will come as a further embarrassment to the Archbishop of Westminster, Cardinal Cormac Murphy O’Connor, who has been accused of turning a blind eye to paedophilia when he was Bishop of Brighton and Arundel.
It emerged as Father Michael Hill, who was jailed in 1997 for a string of sex offences, admitted further charges on indecent assault. He will be sentenced tomorrow.
Several of the compensation payments, which were made on the condition that the victim did not talk about it, went to people abused by Hill, and O’Connor is said to have been aware of them.
Source:- The Times Wednesday 20 November page 1
Elderly miss out on £2bn a year
Almost £2 billion of benefits for older people goes unclaimed every year because many still fear the stigma of receiving them or do not know the extent of their entitlements.
There was widespread ignorance about the benefits system despite action by government and older people groups to encourage take-up, according to a National Audit office report.
Most older people regard the state retirement pension as an entitlement, but many see other payments to which they are entitled as charity and refuse to apply for them.
Source:- The Times Wednesday 20 November page 2
Blunkett sweeps away Victorian anti-gay sex laws
Home office proposals will scrap sex laws that discriminate against gay people.
Offences such as buggery, gross indecency and soliciting will be scrapped while protection from rapists and paedophiles will be strengthened.
Home secretary David Blunkett published proposals to reform "archaic, incoherent and discriminatory" sex laws with measures designed for the 21st not 19th century.
The 34-page white paper outlines changes to rape laws, tougher action to protect children from sex abuse and exploitation and the removal of gay sex laws.
Source:- The Times Wednesday 20 November page 4
Paedophile pair jailed for life
Two paedophiles were jailed for life yesterday after more than 40 videotapes of their abuse of boys was found by police.
Jeremy Wing and Brian Hogg were told by Judge Andrew Patience QC at Maidstone Crown Court: "You are evil and wicked men……committed, resourceful and unrepentant paedophiles."
Wing from Orpington in south London admitted 12 charges of indecency with a child, two of rape and four of taking indecent photographs.
Hogg, of Ellington in Cambridgeshire denied three charges of rape, one of indecency and one of indecent assault. He was convicted on all except one of rape, and admitted five charges of indecent assault and three of indecency.
Source:- The Times Wednesday 20 November page 4
Boy’s body found
Three people are being questioned in connection with the death of a boy whose remains were found in a canal, a street and playing fields.
The three were arrested last night, according to Leicestershire police, hours after a third set of child body parts were found in Loughborough.
Source:- The Times Wednesday 20 November page 4
Two in court over drug death
A man and a woman will appear in court tomorrow charged with killing 10-year-old Jade Slack, who died in July after taking ecstasy.
Wayne Wood and Rebecca Hodgson, both of Galgate, Lancashire, also face drug charges.
Source:- The Guardian Wednesday 20 November page 8
Bosnian refugees suffered trauma in UK, says study
Bosnian refugees suffered worse trauma after being resettled in Britain after the Balkan wars than those who stayed behind in their war-shattered homeland, according to a study by a British psychologist.
A lack of supportive social networks, and the unfamiliarity of life in a foreign country, are cited as reasons that may have made it more difficult for them to rebuild their lives and reinforced their sense of alienation or rejection.
Source:- The Guardian Wednesday 20 November page 10
From Body Shop to bag lady
Anita Roddick is uneasy about being a multi-millionaire – is that why she chose to become fat, old and homeless?
Source:- Daily Telegraph Wednesday 20 November page 23
Guardian Society
Ageism charge
Expert attacks diluted care standards
Source:- Guardian Society Wednesday 20 November page 4
Turning the tide
Charity regulator calls for ombudsman for the sector
Source:- Guardian Society Wednesday 20 November page 4
Equal to the challenge
Mencap appoints social services director to top job
Source:- Guardian Society Wednesday 20 November page 4
Living for kicks
Foleshill International FC looks more like the League of Nations than a Sunday League team. Chris Arnot on how it is helping asylum seekers to find their feet
Source:- Guardian Society Wednesday 20 November page 5
Vocal training
An international literacy project which aims to give a voice to Britain’s inner-city communities
Source:- Guardian Society Wednesday 20 November page 120-119
Stepping into the void
Charity that cares for carers of the mentally ill
Source:- Guardian Society Wednesday 20 November page 119
Scottish newspapers
Crackdown on paedophiles
Tough new laws will help to keep tabs on convicted paedophiles, it was revealed yesterday.
They will have to annually confirm their details in person, provide National Insurance details and notify police of any change of name or address within three days.
The move was announced by the Scottish executive following sweeping changes to England’s sex offence laws.
Source:- Daily Mail Wednesday 20 November page 2
Cornton Vale overcrowding ‘recipe for disaster’
The outgoing chief inspector of prisons yesterday described the overcrowding problems at Scotland’s only jail for women as "a recipe for disaster".
Clive Fairweather said the high number of women at Cornton Vale, near Stirling, was causing severe problems, including an increase in violence among inmates and soaring levels of stress among staff.
Source:- The Herald Wednesday 20 November page 6
Welsh newspapers
Archbishop: I can’t promise end to abuse
The new Archbishop of Canterbury warned yesterday that he could not guarantee that there would not be another child abuse scandal in the Church.
As another court case involving catholic priest Michael Hill hit the headlines, Archbishop Rowan Williams said that no system of checks would ever be foolproof.
He said all institutions tended to close ranks under pressure, and that had been part of the difficulty in the past. He added that none of the churches had been aware of the problem of abuse until a few years ago.
Source:- Western Mail Wednesday 20 November page 1
Four deny child sex abuse claims
Two men and two women have denied being involved in serious sex assaults on a girl and a boy both aged under 10.
The two men denied rape and indecent assault allegations while the two women denied knowingly allowing the abuse to continue.
At the opening of the case at Swansea crown court, Peter Rouch QC told the court that the police were alerted after the girl was seen to be displaying "over familiar" behaviour, and that there were a number of other signs that aroused their suspicions.
The court heard that an investigation by police followed and last December, Nigel Toms, and Stuart Watson and his ex-wife Karon, were all arrested on suspicion of involvement in sexually abusing children. The following month Jodie Preece, Tom’s partner was also arrested.
The girl at the centre of the allegations gave her evidence via a video link to the court. The case continues.
Sourc:- Western Mail Wednesday 20 November page 5
No forgiveness now for paedophile priests
A page feature examining some of the abuse scandals that have hit the Catholic Church in recent years.
In Wales, two priests have been sentenced to long prison sentences for abusing children and the former Archbishop of Cardiff, John Ward, left his job after allegations that he not acted promptly enough to prevent them abusing those in their care.
Source:- Western Mail Wednesday 20 November page 10
