Tuesday 10 September 2002

By Clare Jerrom, Shona Main and Alex
Dobson.

‘Burnt, scalded and starved toddler, 2, died with
64 injuries’

A two-year-old child who was allegedly burnt, scalded and
starved by her parents, died of chronic abuse and neglect that
would have been blatantly obvious to any reasonable person, the Old
Bailey was told yesterday.

Pathologist David Rouse described to the jury 64 injuries on
Ainlee Walker’s emaciated body. Ainlee died in January
weighing 21lb and was covered in scars, scabs and bruises, many
caused by blows to the body and by being pinched and manhandled,
Rouse said.

Ainlee of Plaistow, east London had not been fed for two days
before her death.

Ainlee’s mother Leanna Labonte and her father Dennis Henry
deny manslaughter and child cruelty.

The hearing continues.

Source:- The Times Tuesday 10 September page 10

Judge calls for new law on airguns after death of
boy

The government was urged to tighten the laws on the ownership of
airguns yesterday after sentencing a teenage boy to two years in
youth custody for the fatal shooting of another boy.

Judge Peter Fox QC said that airguns should be regulated in the
same way as shotguns and other firearms, for which owners must hold
a licence and must store weapons in secure metal cases.

Darlyl Allison was 13 when “horseplay” with an air rifle ended
with 14-year-old Matthew Sheffield being shot in the head.

The parents of Matthew, Mark and Wendy Sheffield backed the call
for tighter laws, and urged campaigners to put pressure on the
government.

Source:- The Times Tuesday 10 September page 7

More old people ‘will lose homes to pay for
care’

Most long term care for older people will be funded by ‘seizing’
their savings and homes within a generation, the Tories said
yesterday.

Conservative leader Iain Duncan-Smith accused the government of
relying on the growth of home ownership to meet the rising cost of
care for older people.

The next generation of older people would be more likely to own
their homes, according to the report by the Tories. Given that
anyone with assets of more than £19,000 must pay their fees in
full in England, with no state support, far more people would be
drawn into this bracket.

“The proportion of people now aged 60 to 64 who own their own
homes is 40 per cent higher than among people over 80 today,” the
report said. “We estimate that this factor alone will increase the
proportion of self-pay residents’ care from 33 per cent now
to 45 per cent.”

Source:- Daily Telegraph Tuesday 10 September page
10

Citizen test for immigrants

Home secretary David Blunkett announced yesterday that Sir
Bernard Crick will head a committee charged with devising a
“Britishness” test for immigrants.

The test will become compulsory for new arrivals if they want to
take full British citizenship.

A new citizenship ceremony will be devised by the committee who
will also draw up a syllabus on “UK society and civic
structures”.

It will explore the possibility of providing mentors to help
immigrants integrate with their local communities.

Crick is the government’s leading adviser on
citizenship.

Source:- Daily Telegraph Tuesday 10 September page
10

Law chief cautions the media on Huntley court
reports

The media was urged to show restraint in its reporting of the
first court appearance of Ian Huntley, the man charged with the
murders of Jessica Chapman and Holly Wells.

Lord Goldsmith QC, attorney general, said reporters and their
editors should “exercise a great deal of care” to ensure they did
not prejudice any future trial of the former school caretaker.

Huntley will be driven from Rampton high security hospital to
appear before Peterborough magistrates’ court.

Lord Goldsmith made clear that any media reports overstepping
the mark would be dealt with firmly, and he confirmed that he was
looking at earlier articles on the case that might have already
breached the rules on contempt of court.

Source:- The
Independent Tuesday 10 September
page 5

Aids charity sounds alarm over rise in HIV

An Aids charity will warn the government next month that rates
of HIV could soar if ministers continue to let the disease slide
down the agenda.

The Terrence Higgins Trust says in a report that sexual
infections are on the increase and that new cases of HIV are up by
two thirds since 1997.

The charity is concerned that HIV has slipped down the
department of health’s agenda over the past few years, and
wants new public health minister Hazel Blears to show greater
commitment to tackling the problem.

Source:- The
Independent Tuesday 10 September
page 8

Scottish newspapers

Action urged on ‘quagmire’
halting housing transfers

Minister for social justice Margaret Curran will today hear how
housing stock transfers are being delayed due to a “bureaucratic
quagmire”.

The Scottish Federation of Housing Associations, which today
holds its annual meeting in Glasgow, will support the policy of
stock transfers, but believes tenants across Scotland have been
left disillusioned by the process.

The executive was recently asked by the Chartered Institute of
Housing to change its approach following difficulties in the
Borders, Shetland and Glasgow.

David Orr, the director of SFHA, said, “Tenants who voted
enthusiastically to move to new landlords must be bewildered at the
slow pace of change. They deserve better.”

An executive spokesperson said “As this policy evolves we will
draw lessons from the process.”

Source:- The Herald Monday 10 September page 8

Employers face jail for defying child safety
list

Employers could be sent to prison if they employ unsuitable
adults to work with children.

The Protection of Children Bill contains provisions for anyone
who poses a threat to a child’s safety to be listed on a register.
Employers will have to refer people to the list if they have been
sacked or moved on due to their behaviour towards children, even if
they have not committed an offence or been convicted of a
crime.

Anyone convicted of an offence deemed to make him or her
unsuitable will be placed on the list by a court.

Cathy Jamieson, the education minister, said: “This bill will
close a loophole which currently allows people who have lost their
job – paid or voluntary – because of clear concerns over their
conduct towards children to then find other work where they
continue to have contact with children.

“It is simply unacceptable that these people can have continued
access to children and the list of unsuitable persons will ensure
this is no longer allowed to happen.”

Children’s groups have broadly welcomed the move.

Maggie Mellon of NCH said that it would make the process of
screening prospective employees easier. “However, although it will
improve the care of children, it will not completely remove the
threat to them from adults who are a risk to their safety.”

The education, culture and sport committee is timetabled to hear
evidence on the bill during September and October, before a
preliminary report is published in November.

Source: – The Scotsman Monday 10th September page 2

Welsh newspapers

Time To Repay The Valleys Loyalty

Welsh Assembly members representing south Wales’ valley
communities, have unveiled a new agenda for social justice.

The group of Labour Ams, calling themselves ‘Valleys
First’, claim that the assembly is preoccupied with defining
‘Welshness’ and side issues rather than tackling
poverty and deprivation.

Huw Lewis said that social justice had been pushed down the
agenda when it should be at the top, and that a radical socialist
agenda should be put before the voters before next May’s
assembly elections.

He added: “We must create a minister for social justice in the
assembly cabinet. He or she will champion deprived communities and
ensure wealth distribution and social justice is at the core of
every assembly department, quango and manifesto.

Source:- Welsh Mirror Tuesday 10 September page 6

Salvation Army man accused of sex attacks

A Salvation Army leader allegedly carried out sex attacks on
teenage girls on an outdoor pursuits camp, a court was told
yesterday.

Mark Molden, of Bargoed in south Wales, is accused of a series
of indecent assaults on four girls aged between 13 and 17 at church
camps. Molden, who was a church leader on outdoor courses, has
admitted carrying out one indecent assault on a girl aged 15. He
denies nine further charges of indecent assault. The trial
continues.

Source:- Western Mail Tuesday 10 September page 7

Autistic boy leads call for research

An autistic Welsh schoolboy is to petition the Welsh Assembly
for immediate research into his condition.

Six-year-old Oliver Loch, who developed regressive autism soon
after he had the MMR jab, will present the assembly with his plea
at the same time as other children petition Westminster and the
Scottish Parliament.

Their parents want children diagnosed with autism after 1990 to
be clinically examined. The petition has been organised by the
Autism Research Campaign for Health (Arch), and the Scottish
equivalent, Action Against Autism.

All parents who belong to the two groups have autistic children
and believe the condition was caused by childhood vaccinations.

Source:- Western Mail Tuesday 10 September page 7