By Amy Taylor, Clare Jerrom and Amy Taylor.
Teenagers held over killing of traveller
Five teenage boys are being questioned by police about the murder of a 14-year-old boy who had previously been beaten up and called a "gypsy".
Johnny Delaney, a traveller who lived in a caravan park, was repeatedly punched and kicked by a gang in playing fields in Ellesmere Port, in Cheshire.
Residents tried to revive him but were unsuccessful.
Delaney was staying with friends on a caravan park nearby. He had previously been beaten with plank of wood to the head and called a "gypsy" while on a trip to local shops.
Source:- The Times Friday 30 May page 5
Curate is jailed for affair with girl, 13
A married 37-year-old vicar was jailed at Newcastle crown court yesterday for conducting a sexual relationship with a 13-year-old-girl who sought his help when she was being bullied.
The Rev Kevin Conway, a father of three who is curate-in-charge at St Wilfred's Sunderland, received three-and-a-half years in prison after admitting to having regular sex with the girl in the back of his car.
Source:- The Times Friday 30 May page 5
Refugee continues asylum process
An Iranian refugee who has sewed his eyes, lips and ears is continuing his protest although he has won the right to stay in this country.
The home office was refused permission to challenge a decision that Abas Amini was allowed to claim asylum yesterday, but he is still continuing his hunger strike in protest at the way the government deals with asylum appeals.
Source:- The Times Friday 30 May page 15
'Bridge bomb' girls are too young to charge
Two nine-year-old girls were spotted hurling large stones from a bridge onto the M25 yesterday, but the police are unable to take further action because the girls are below the criminal age of responsibility.
A motorist alerted police when he reported how his windscreen had been shattered by a falling object near junction eight of the M25 near Merstham in Surrey.
Source:- The Daily Telegraph Friday 30 May page 10
Scottish newspapers
Anger at executive plan to tag children
Human rights experts raised concerns last night as first minister
Jack McConnell confirmed that the executive was set to introduce
electronic tagging for persistent young offenders.
In a speech to the Association of Chief Police Officers Scotland annual conference in Perthshire, McConnell warned that there could be no turning back from the drive to reduce anti-social behaviour, including the electronic surveillance of children as young as 14.
John Scott from the Scottish Centre for Human Rights accused the measures of being “draconian” and “headline grabbing”. “There are compassionate ways to deal with this problem such as rehabilitation through the youth courts and restorative justice schemes.”
Source:- The Scotsman Friday 30 May page 6
Anger as strike hits special needs
children
Parents of children with learning difficulties said last night that
nursery nurses unions should have done more to protect their
children from the consequences of strikes for better pay and
conditions.
Scores of nurseries across the Lothians and the Borders have been forced to close as a result of the strike, but now the industrial action has disrupted classes for children with special needs.
Ian White, whose daughter has severe learning difficulties, said: “I support what the union are doing and I don’t have a problem with what the union are asking for, but I don’t think they should be targeting special schools, and they should stop that immediately.”
Unison said the crucial role played by nurses and auxiliaries in special education highlights the need for better pay and recognition.
Source:- The Scotsman Friday 30 May page 7
Asylum seeker faces jail for attack on fellow
Kurd
An asylum seeker faces jail after he attacked another refugee
outside a Glasgow supermarket.
Karwan Kadir repeatedly stabbed, punched and kicked Asu Ali during an unprovoked attack in February. But Kadir claimed he assaulted Ali because he beat him up in their former home in the Kurdish area of Turkey three years ago.
He was originally charged with attempted murder, but yesterday he pleaded guilty to a reduced charge of assault to severe injury and permanent disfigurement.
Sheriff John Baird remanded Kadir in custody and deferred sentencing until next month for reports.
Source:- The Scotsman Friday 30 May
Site for new £65m private prison
A 35-acre Brownfield site between Addiewell and West Calder in West
Lothian has been earmarked for a new 700-inmate high security jail
to be built as part of the Prisons Estates Review.
The Scottish Prison Service said yesterday that it had approached West Lothian Council over the purchase of the site but added that no decision had been made yet as to whether it would be run by a public or private operator.
At the review last year then justice minister Jim Wallace said the new £65m prison could be built within four years and be built and run privately.
Source:- The Herald Friday 30 May
Private bill aims to toughen charity law
A senior Labour backbencher last night challenged the Scottish
executive policy on charity law by presenting a private
member’s bill aimed at speeding up and toughening reforms
promised by ministers.
The move by Jackie Baillie is expected to win support from MSPs across all parties, many of whom were dismayed by communities minister Margaret Curran’s response to widespread concern over charity law in parliament this week.
Baillie’s bill will set out “defining principles” for the recognition of charities, along with proposals for regulation and monitoring of their compliance record.
Source:- The Herald Friday 30 May
Welsh newspapers
Rising Damp
Council houses in Monmouthshire are falling apart because the local authority has run out of money for repairs and maintenance.
Councillors have been told that £60.5 million is needed to bring housing stock up to Welsh Assembly standards by 2012, but with a reduced budget from last year the authority is unlikely to be able to make planned improvements to housing stock.
Source:- South Wales Argus Thursday 29 May page 1
Parents’ hopes make pupils feel failures
Middle class children can feel like failures if they do not achieve high grades at A’ level.
New research from the University of London reveals that for many children school life can be a painful and difficult process because of the pressures of achieving good results.
Children’s Commissioner for Wales Peter Clarke said that children were becoming victims of the academic aspirations of adults.
Source:- Western Mail Friday 30 May page 1
‘Hutt passed buck on cancer care’
Welsh Assembly health minister Jane Hutt has been accused of ‘washing her hands’ of cancer services in some parts of Wales.
The accusation was levelled at her by assembly member Peter Black, who said that services for cancer patients in Swansea did not meet those available in Cardiff.
A spokesperson for the assembly said that cancer services across Wales continue to be a priority.
Source:- Western Mail Friday 30 May page 6
