By Amy Taylor, Clare Jerrom and Alex Dobson.
Three migrant farmworkers were killed yesterday, victims of a train - and the demand for cheap food
Three men supplied to work on the land by human traffickers were involved in an accident involving the collision of their mini bus, containing nine Arab immigrants, and a train at an unmanned level crossing in Worcestershire.
The men, who were based in Birmingham, were instructed to work by their 'gangmaster', filling the gap left by British workers being unwilling to work for the minimum wage.
The problem of trafficked workers employed on farmland is rife according to a House of Commons rural affairs select committee report published last May.
Source:- The Times Tuesday 8 July page 3
No let-up in paramilitary gang attacks on children, says report
One child every three weeks is being shot in Northern Ireland in paramilitary punishment attacks, according to a new report.
Last year saw around 19 children aged between 13 and 17 being shot by republican and loyalist terrorists, the second worst year recorded.
They Shoot Children, Don't They? Has been produced by Liam Kennedy, Professor of Economic and Social History at Queen's University in Belfast.
Source:- The Times Tuesday 8 July page 4
Race against time to save abducted girl
Britain's first national child alert system was called into action last night when six-year-old Summer Haipule went missing.
Sussex police is the first force in Europe to form a child rescue alert, which aims to use the local media to maximise public awareness that police fear a child's life is at risk.
Source:- The Times Tuesday 8 July page 5
Second refugee protests by stitching up eyes
Another asylum seeker has gone on hunger strike by stitching up his lips, eyes and ears, it was revealed yesterday.
Shahin Portohfeh, an Iranian living in Coventry, decided to go ahead after being told by the home office that he was going to be deported.
Abas Amini, an Iranian Kurd living in Nottingham, sewed up his lips, eyes and ears in protest in May.
Source:- The Guardian Tuesday 8 July page 8
Brown seeks to nail child poverty with reforms
A Commons debate saw Gordon Brown announce a three-year programme of reform including a new drive to meet Labour's target of halving child poverty by 2010.
The detailed list of Treasury reviews announced by the Chancellor will take place as a part of the 2004 spending review and will be published next spring.
Brown said the government would publish a new definition of child poverty and an analysis of the spending review would re-examine whether the strategy of increased job opportunities and better public services was on track to meet the target to halve child poverty.
Source:- The Guardian Tuesday 8 July page 10
Crack cocaine addicts blamed for rise in street robbery
An increase in the use of crack cocaine is leading to an increase in street robberies, the police will state to a national conference tomorrow.
Concern over the rise of crack cocaine usage has caused ministers and police chiefs to discuss how to combat the problem at the conference in Blackpool.
Source:- The Independent Tuesday 08 July page 8
Scottish newspapers
Police recreate Jodi's last known movements
More than 50 motorists in Scotland were stopped and interviewed at roadblocks set up around a reconstruction of Jodi Jones' last known movements yesterday.
The 14-year-old girl was last seen leaving her house in Easterhouse, Midlothian, shortly before 5pm on 30 June before she set off to met her boyfriend Luke Mitchell.
Six hours later her body was found on a secluded woodland track known as Roman Dyke.
Source:- The Scotsman Tuesday 8 July
Ex-prisons chief settles dismissal claim
Former chief inspector of prisons, Clive Fairweather, has settled his claim for unfair dismissal against the Scottish executive.
Fairweather claimed he was the victim of political inteference when his application for a fourth term in the post was turned down in October 2002. He was due to take his case to an employment tribunal, but yesterday said he was pleased to have settled the issue with his former employer.
Source:- The Scotsman Tuesday 8 July
Baby recovering after ecstasy scare
A 10-month-old baby was recovering in hospital last night after he swallowed what is thought to be an ecstasy tablet.
The child, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was rushed to Aberdeen Children's Hospital on Sunday morning after it was feared he had swallowed the drug at a house in Banff, Aberdeenshire.
A 21-year-old man, believed to be related to the baby, has been reported to the procurator fiscal in connection with the incident, a spokesperson for Grampian police said. The child's condition was said to be "satisfactory" last night.
Source:- The Scotsman Tuesday 8 July
Health board identify sites for secure unit
Three sites have been shortlisted as possible locations for a secure centre for offenders with mental health disorders in the west of Scotland. The centre, which will house 36 patients from NHS board areas within greater Glasgow, could be positioned at Dykebar psychiatric hospital in Paisley, Kirklands hospital, Bothwell or the medical rehailitation unit in Bellshill Road, Uddingston.
There will be a public consultation until October.
Source:- The Herald Tuesday 8 July
Dungavel family granted time to petition Lords
The home secretary has been ordered not to deport the Ay family of Turkish Kurd asylum seekers, who are being held in Scotland, until they have had the chance to petition the House of Lords.
In the appeal court in London, lord chief justice Lord Woolf said Yudugal Ay and her four children, who are being detained at Dungavel centre in Lanarkshire, should lodge their petition against their removal from the UK before 31 July.
Source:- The Herald Tuesday 8 July
Welsh newspapers
Mum’s Horror
A mother is warning parents not to leave their children at council-run youth groups after her six-year-old son wandered out onto a busy road.
Daniel Cross left the children’s youth club in Plasneweydd Community centre in Cardiff and ended up on one of the city's major roads.
His mother Shirley Cross said she was shocked when she was told that the council ran an open door policy for children older than six at its recreation and leisure facilities.
A council spokesperson said that the policy would be reviewed in light of the concerns expressed by Daniel’s mother.
Source:- South Wales Echo Monday 7 July page 9
My Story
The father of four-year-old Esti Clayton has spoken of his ordeal in a Portuguese jail as he awaits extradition for allegedly abducting his daughter.
Simon Clayton has been in kept in what he describes as very poor conditions while in jail, and that he says that he is forced to share a small cell with three other men.
He says he is desperately missing his daughter and that he is finding it difficult to accept the custody arrangements currently in place.
Clayton disappeared with Esti for over three weeks and their disappearance sparked a major international search.
Source:- Western Mail Tuesday 8 July page 1
