By Amy Taylor, Nicola Barry and Alex Dobson.
Care home closure verdict will kill pensioners, says lawyer
A judge in the high court ruled that a group of older residents had not had their human rights breached by the decision to close a care home.
The residents argued that they would die if they were forced to move, but although the judge offered them his "greatest sympathy" he ruled that the closure could go ahead.
It was then revealed that one older female resident, Margaret Haggerty, had died the day after the first court hearing took place last month.
Source:- The Daily Telegraph Saturday 12 April page 20
Ministers reject children's home injustice claims
A damming report by MPs, which says that police investigations into allegations of abuse in children's homes decades ago had created "a new genre of miscarriages of justice", was rejected by ministers last week.
A government response rejected claims that the compensation on offer, early parole or the chance for improved prison conditions could have caused some complainants to make fake allegations.
Source:- The Daily Telegraph Saturday 12 April page 20
Youth hit hardest by wave of new laws
Over 300 new crimes have been created by Labour home secretaries since coming to power and many more will be introduced in bills currently going through parliament.
The latest anti-social behaviour bill will make it an offence to sell aerosol paint to children, and bring in fines for dropping litter, graffiti, fly-posting and riding a bike on the pavement. It also introduces a possible three-month prison sentence for groups of two or more youths to gather on a street corner in an intimidating fashion.
Source:- The Observer Monday 14 April page 12
Huntley and Carr in dock together
This week Ian Huntley, the school caretaker accused of murdering Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman, is to appear in court beside his girlfriend Maxine Carr for the first time.
The couple will stand together at the Old Bailey to be formally asked if they plead guilty or not.
The couple haven't seen each other since being arrested in August having previously appeared in court alone.
Source:- The Mail on Sunday 13 April page 43
Scottish newspapers
Mum killed daughter, 5, in bed with hammer
A mother bludgeoned her five-year-old daughter to death with a hammer and almost killed another child.
Erin Gilmour lay in agony for three hours with a smashed skull, at home in Stonehouse, Lanarkshire, before she died. Another child, not named for legal reasons, aged 10, later made a recovery after surgery.
At the high court in Glasgow, Judge Leeona Dorrian QC granted a hospital order which will allow Dunn’s condition to be monitored before she returns for sentencing on 1 May. During the hearing, Dunn was accompanied by a nurse from the State Hospital, Carstairs.
Source:- Daily Express Saturday 12 April page 11
McConnell’s war on disorder ‘unworkable’
Plans by Jack McConnell to target nuisance neighbours as part of a crackdown on crime have been dismissed as unworkable by Labour-run local authorities. The first minister pledged to extend the use of anti-social behaviour orders for under 16s.
A Sunday Times survey revealed that more than a third of councils have been unable to use the orders because they are so bureaucratic.
Source:- The Sunday Times 13 April page 16
Social workers to be offered ‘golden hellos’
The staffing crisis in Scotland’s social work departments has forced North Lanarkshire Council to offer £5,000 ‘golden hellos’ to new recruits.
Staff agreeing to stay for at least three years will also receive an extra £1,400 on their salary under the £1.5 million scheme.
Source:- Scotland on Sunday 13 April page 7
Landowner condemned for ‘offensive’ black ghetto speech
Race equality leaders and politicians last night heaped condemnation on Scottish landowner, Sir Iain Noble after the businessman told a conference he did not want to see black people “setting up ghettos” in Scotland.
Liberal Democrat leader and MP for Skye, Charles Kennedy, described Sir Iain’s remarks as “offensive” while a Racial Equality Commission spokesperson said the comments were “very unfortunate”.
Source: The Herald Monday 14 April page 8
Welsh newspapers
Red tape halts hunt for dangerous paedophile who fled to Ireland
A Welsh paedophile on the run in Ireland is escaping from justice because of bureaucratic red tape.
Roger Gardner fled to the Irish republic two years ago before he could stand trial for an alleged arson attack on his own home in south Wales. He is a registered sex offender following a conviction for indecent assault against two girls aged 12 and 13 for which he served 15 months.
Gwent police have now been waiting for three months for an extradition order to let them hunt for Gardner and a police spokesperson said that they were frustrated by the delay.
The police believe that he could have found work with a travelling fair.
Source:- Western Mail Monday 14 April page 3
You think you’re under pressure? Ask your children
A page feature looking at the pressures on children in modern Welsh society, including an examination of the effects of bullying and domestic violence that many young people have to endure as part of their daily lives.
There are also details of a web forum set up by the children’s commissioner for Wales, Peter Clarke, to give young people the chance to air their views on a range of issues.
Source:- Western Mail Monday 14 April page 7
