In Today's Papers

By Maria Ahmed, Derren Hayes and Amy Taylor

Mother wrongly jailed over baby deaths is refused payout

A mother who was wrongly jailed for killing two of her babies has been refused compensation.

Angela Cannings spent 18 months in prison, but was cleared after medical evidence against her was discredited.

She was separated from her surviving child for four years, but the Home Office has decided she does not qualify for a payout.

Source:- The Daily Mail Tuesday January 11 2005 page 5

Cheaper than coffee

A line of cocaine costs less than a cappuccino in some parts of the country, it emerged yesterday.

A survey by the Independent Drug Monitoring Unit found that a gram, of the drug could be bought for as little as £39. The survey found that there are 156,000 regular heroin users in the UK, plus 102,000 crack addicts and 76,000 Ecstasy users.

A separate study by Liverpool John Moores University claimed that drug use among schoolchildren has almost doubled under Labour.

Source:- The Daily Mail Tuesday January 11 2005 page 29

Plea to reduced child inmates follows a spate of suicides

Young offenders at serious risk of harming themselves are being locked up even though they are too vulnerable for life behind bars, the head of the Youth Justice Board admitted yesterday.

Rod Morgan, head of the YJB, appealed to the courts to jail fewer youngsters and called for extra resources for children with mental health problems following a spate of suicides in custody over recent years.

Source:- The Independent Tuesday January 11 2005 page 4

Addiction breakers

‘Intervention therapy’ shows families how to force addicts to confront their own destructive behaviour. It’s tough, even heartbreaking, but it works.

Source:- The Independent Review Tuesday January 11 2005 pages 8-9

Inside the orange room – how pupils are tested on drugs

Report on drug-testing in schools.

Source:- The Guardian Tuesday January 11 2005 page 3

24-hour drinking will create urban savages, says judge

A judge attacked government plans to introduce 24-hour drinking yesterday, saying it turned young people into “urban savages” and town centres into “revolting and dangerous places” at night.

Judge Charles Harris, QC, said the scheme, which could be introduced this year under new licensing legislation, was helping to create a climate of violence and fear.

Source- The Daily Telegraph Tuesday January 11 2005 page 9

Prisons plan fear

The chief inspector of prisons has said that Tony Blair’s plan for a single criminal justice inspectorate threatens to sideline inspections of the 139 jails in England and Wales.

Anne Owers fears that the plan to merge five inspectorates will undermine the “robust” nature of prison inspections.

Source:- The Times Tuesday January 11 2005 page 2

ASBO pigs review

The Crown Prosecution Service is to review the case of a farmer given an antisocial behaviour orders because of his unruly pigs.

Brian Hagan appeared before Cromer magistrates in a hearing to decide whether to extend the ASBO. The case was delayed until the end of criminal proceedings on January 26.

Source:- The Times Tuesday January 11 2005 page 4

Super cop targets teen drinkers

Under-age drinking must be tackled if police want to curb rising levels of alcohol-related violence, a “super cop” recruited to help but Britain’s crime rate said yesterday.

Paul Evans, the former Boston police chief leading the fight to clean up drunken violence, said that too many licensees were still prepared to sell drinks to young people with no questions asked.

Source:- The Times Tuesday January 11 2005 page 22

Scottish newspapers

Youth crime blitz fails to halt rise

The numbers of young people that commit offences has risen despite a push by police to tackle the problem, new figures reveal.

Source:- The Scotsman Tuesday 11 January

Tags boost to Reliance

Security firm Reliance are to have their electronic tagging contract extended by a year in a deal worth up to £8.2million. Their duties with convicted adult offenders will be widened to include people on bail and a pilot scheme for under-16s.

Source:- The Daily Record Tuesday 11 January

Welsh newspapers

Did Blair have hand in Hutt sacking?

Rumours were circulating last night that Welsh Health Minister Jane was sacked after pressure from Tony Blair as the general election gets closer.

First minister Rhodri Morgan announced that Aberavon AM Dr Brian Gibbons would replace Hutt yesterday.

Hutt had constantly been under attack for the long waiting list figures in Wales. She has been made business minister.

Source:- Western Mail Tuesday 11 January

Sex pictures doctor can work again

A consultant radiologist who was found with over 1,500 paedophile pictures on his computer is allowed to take up employment again.

The images were found on Charles Bartlett’s computer in December 2002 and he was later convicted of 12 counts of making indecent photos of children and five counts of having indecent photographs of children.

He received a three-year community rehabilitation order and was put on the sex offenders register. In April 2004 Barlett, who worked at the West Wales General Hospital Carmarthen, was suspended from the medical register for nine months but he has now reappeared before the General Medical Council and is allowed to practice once more.

Source:- Western Mail Tuesday 11 January

Worker accuses charity led by Ron Davies of unfair dismissal

A former staff member has accused a charity headed by former Welsh secretary Ron Davis of unfair dismissal.

Tariq Sarder, who was employed by Valleys Race Equality Council, a small charity in Pontypridd, which Davies leads, has taken his case to an employment tribunal.

Source:- Western Mail Tuesday 11 January