In Today's Papers

By Amy Taylor, Shirley Kumar, Clare Jerrom and Alex Dobson

Deportation of the gala princess criticised as ‘deplorable’

A family, whose deportation was stopped by the government four weeks ago which enabled their daughter to be crowned as Liverpool’s gala princess, have been informed they must leave Britain.

Jugder and Shinee Narantsogt have had their appeal against the initial rejection of their asylum claim rejected and have been told they must return to Mongolia.

Source:- The Independent Tuesday 20 July page 9

Kennedy quits euthanasia society in row over Swiss suicide clinic

The veteran broadcaster Sir Ludovic Kennedy has resigned as president of the Voluntary Euthanasia Society following an argument over the direction the organisation should go in.

Kennedy resigned after the society board voted to expel its former chair, Michael Irwin, for helping terminally ill patients to get in contact with Dignitas, the assisted suicide clinic in Switzerland.

The society is split  over whether they should support organisation like Dignitas or continue to support “living wills” that state people’s wishes about stopping treatment in their last days.

Source:- The Independent Tuesday 20 July page 19

Father ‘slashed his baby’s neck in bakery’

A political asylum seeker who slashed his baby in the neck appeared to be sniggering while he did it, Carlisle Crown Court, heard yesterday.

Shahajan Kabir carried out the attack while the baby was with its mother at a bakery in the city.

Lorna Martin had tried to escape with the baby through the back of the shop but Kabir caught up with them.

Source:- The Times Tuesday 20 July page 5

Depression drugs little better than dummy pills

Commonly used antidepressants are only slightly more effective than fake pills when being prescribed by family doctors, according to a new study.

A review by the University of Dundee found that 15 studies of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), states that the drugs, such as Prozac, only have a small benefit when given out by GPs to treat depression.

Source:- The Times Tuesday 20 July page 6

Crime strategy focuses on delivering measures

New fixed penalty notices for low level criminality, more community-based officers and satellite tagging of offenders are just some of the measures unveiled yesterday by the government’s five-year anti-crime strategy.

The plan focuses more on delivering what is already in place rather than issuing further legislation.

Source:- The Financial Times Tuesday 20 July page 3

Charities ‘risk missing out on public service delivery’

Charities risk missing out on opportunities presented by the government’s use of voluntary organisations to deliver public services, according to the Royal National Institute for the Deaf.

Chair James Strachan said in a report that the sector needed to be better at explaining to potential partners what the added benefits are.

Source:- The Financial Times Tuesday 20 July page 5

Despair as gang fights Asbos in court

A five-year exclusion order issued against teenagers dubbed the Press Road gang have done nothing to improve the quality of residents lives, a high court was told.

The residents of Neasden Lane and Blackbird Hill in north London said other groups have replaced the gang with teenagers bragging about Asbos like a badge of honour.

Source:- The Guardian Tuesday 20 July page 4

Safeguard for rape victims ‘risks unfair trial’

Legislation introduced five-years ago to stop defence lawyers asking rape victims about their previous sexual experiences is too restrictive, according to a report.

The move risks denying defendants a fair trial, said the study which interviewed 70 judges.

Source:- The Guardian Tuesday 20 July page 9

Scientists find genetic link to bad behaviour

Researchers have found evidence that some people inherit a genetic make-up that makes them prone to aggression and violence.

However, the gene is activated only if people were neglected or abused as children, said the study.

Source:- The Daily Telegraph Tuesday 20 July page 5

Elderly couple killed protecting their home

An elderly couple, who set up a neighbourhood watch scheme to safeguard their village from crime, were murdered trying to protect their home.

James and Joan Britton, who led the scheme at Strensall, North Yorks, were stabbed to death.

Source:- The Daily Telegraph Tuesday 20 July page 6

WPC who dared to tell the truth on asylum

A policewoman has shocked councillors by telling them that there are five times more asylum seekers in Medway in Kent than they thought.


Speaking at a council sponsored meeting Caroline Pope also told councillors that illegal immigrants had been involved in street robberies.

Kent Police said that she would not face any disciplinary action.

Source:- Daily Mail Tuesday 20 July page 1

Brothers who could open a thousand new doors

Two brothers who sought asylum at the British consulate in Melbourne after escaping from a detention centre have started legal action against Jack Straw arguing that he breached their human rights.

The case began in the Court of Appeal yesterday. If successful, it could allow other refugees to make asylum claims in the UK consulates and embassies around the world.

Source:- Daily Mail Tuesday 20 July page 4

Scottish newspapers

Council should pay for abuse I suffered

A woman from Ayrshire has petitioned the Court of Session to sue Glasgow Council for £40,000 because it did not protect her from abuse while she was in care over 30 years ago.

Jackie, is the first woman in Scotland to use the “Lister” ruling by the House of Lords. At an appeal hearing two years ago, in the case of Lister and Others v Hesley Hall Ltd, the Lords found in favour of the appellants, who claimed that they had been sexually abused as children at an English school.

The defendants argued they knew nothing about the abuse and so were not liable, but the Lords ruled that ignorance was no defence.

Jackie suffered abuse during a four year period in the 1970s after she was placed in care in the city’s mixed-sex Urrdale children’s home. The abuse ended when her attacker was removed after one particularly violent assault.

Source:- The Scotsman  Tuesday 20 July

Reliance contract extended

Troubled security firm Reliance is to take over court and prison escort duties in south-west Scotland despite mistakenly releasing a number of prisoners.

Staff from the firm will start work in Dumfries and Galloway later this week, where they have been shadowing police and prison officers since the end of June.

Reliance has been under fire for releasing in error a number of prisoners since it took over escort duties at some courts in Strathclyde in April.

Source:- The Scotsman  Tuesday 20 July

Worker tells of race abuse hell

A black care manager, who won a six-figure settlement from Edinburgh Council, has spoken out about the racial abuse she suffered in her job.

Agnes Masters said she has been left “traumatised” by the actions of two female co-workers. She first raised her complaint just four months into her job in October 1996.

She was signed off work with depression and said she felt she had been bullied by two members of her team, at the social work office in Craigentinny because she was the only black manager.

It emerged in a Commission for Racial Equality report last week that Masters won a £50,000 pay-out from the council for her race discrimination case. She also received a large settlement injury personal injury claim for the stress she said the abuse caused her.

Source:- Evening News  Monday 19 July

Welsh newspapers

Legislation to bring vital support for unpaid carers

A new law to support unpaid carers will come into effect this week after passing through its final hurdle in the House of Lords.

The legislation, known as Sam’s Bill, was introduced by Aberavon MP Hywel Francis and will place a duty on local authorities to tell carers about education and training opportunities.

Source:- Western Mail Tuesday 20 July page 2

Couple sue NHS over disabled daughter

A couple faced with a lifetime of caring for their disabled daughter, due to alleged failures to spot abnormalities during pre-birth screening, are suing for substantial damages in the High Court.

Cheryl and Anthony Conway’s seven- year- old daughter, Lisa, has significant care needs and they are suing the Cardiff and Vale NHS Trust because the amniocentesis carried out during pregnancy did not reveal potential problems.

Source:- Western Mail Tuesday 20 July page 3