Friday 25 October 2002

By Clare Jerrom, Nicola Barry and Alex
Dobson.

Riot prison is retaken after eight-hour
battle

Two hundred prisoners were transferred from overcrowded Lincoln
prison following a serious riot in which inmates controlled the
building for three hours.

Within 30 minutes of the trouble erupting, the 25 prison
officers on duty in the jail holding 571 inmates were forced to
withdraw to the prison gates.

Prison reform groups and the Prison Officers’ Association
said there was a risk of more jail riots unless home secretary
David Blunkett took action to tackle overcrowding.

The prison population stands at 72,660 with a further 330
inmates being held in police cells.

Source:- The Times Friday 25 October page 12

Poverty blamed for increase in winter
deaths

The government has been blamed by charities for a large increase
in the number of deaths last winter, after they claim older people
were left with insufficient money to keep warm.

Last winter, 27,300 more people died than in the autumn quarter,
according to National Statistics, this number is known as the
“excess deaths” figure.

There is always an increased death rate in winter months, but
last year was a relatively mild winter with little influenza.

The number of excess deaths in England and Wales was 10 per cent
higher than in 2000-2001. Of those who died, 25,100 were aged over
65.

Gordon Lishman, director general of Age Concern, said: “A large
proportion of these deaths will be vulnerable older people who die
because of the cold.”

“While we welcome government initiatives to fight fuel poverty
among older people, many still cannot afford sufficient heating or
they live in housing with insufficient insulation,” he added.

Source:- The Times Friday 25 October page 15

Asylum family lose home fight

A high court ruled yesterday that the home secretary has no
legal obligation to take account of asylum seekers’
preferences on where they live while they appeal against refused
asylum claims.

Source:- The Guardian Friday 25 October page 12

Crime to dominate Queen’s speech

The Queen’s speech is to be dominated by another criminal
justice bill, it emerged yesterday.

The cabinet confirmed the main features of the
government’s programme for the next session of
parliament.

The legislation will be aimed at streamlining the courts. The
right to jury trial will be curtailed in some circumstances while
previous convictions may also be out before the court.

More courts will sit later, but there will be moves to encourage
courts to hand down more community service orders and fewer jail
sentences.

The Queen’s speech is expected on 13 November.

Source:- The Guardian Friday 25 October page 14

Reforms ‘will widen rich and poor
gap’

Conservatives and Liberal Democrats joined Labour MPs yesterday
by criticising government plans to reform council funding.

The proposals, out for consultation, would increase the gap
between rich and poor, they claim.

The government was accused of trying to switch money from rural
and well off areas to fund improvements in inner-city authorities
run by Labour.

Source:- Daily Telegraph Friday 25 October page 12

Man who murdered girlfriend’s son, 7, is jailed
for life

A 23-year-old man who murdered a seven-year-old boy and then
dumped his body on a golf course, was yesterday jailed for life at
Manchester crown court.

The trial was told that in February, Ronald Mariner stabbed his
girlfriend’s son, Ryan Mason, five times, battered him with a
hammer and strangled him at the boy’s home in Bolton. Mariner
had denied murder.

Source:- The
Independent Friday 25 October
page 7

Scottish newspapers

Being prisons chief was tougher than SAS

Scotland’s chief inspector of prisons will leave his post
today, following a turbulent eight-year career at the heart of
government.

Clive Fairweather, who was second-in-command of the SAS during
the Iranian embassy siege, said the job had been more demanding
than anything he had faced in the army.

Source:- The Scotsman Friday 25 October page 10

Probation for professor who indecently touched a
child

An Edinburgh University professor who indecently touched a
five-year-old girl he was caring for, was placed on probation
yesterday.

Source:- The Herald Friday 25 October page 12

Welsh newspapers

‘Give Wales its own Mental Health
Act’

A leading mental health campaigner in Wales has added her voice
to the growing demand for a separate Mental Health Act for
Wales.

Jean James, who is founder of the Manic Depression Trust in the
principality, said that there was strong opposition to the
compulsion element of the changes to the Mental Health Act proposed
by Westminster. She was speaking as campaigners from Wales gathered
in London to lobby the government over the planned changes.

Source:- South Wales Argus Thursday 24 October page
20

Smacking of children ban is called for

Health Minister Jane Hutt says that smacking children is
unacceptable.

She told Welsh Assembly members that hitting children was no
more acceptable than the physical punishment of adults.

Hutt also told members of her plans to issue a “parents code”
setting out appropriate ways of punishing children.

Source:- South Wales Echo Thursday 24 October page
3

‘We must not have another
Hazelcroft’

A Cardiff opposition councillor who raised concerns about how
older people were being cared for in a residential home, says she
has been vindicated by a report from the Social Services
Inspectorate for Wales (SSIW).

Jayne Cowan, a Conservative councillor, made extensive enquiries
following allegations of misconduct at the home, Hazelcroft in
Fairwater, Cardiff.

The report from the inspection team found that the means of
safeguarding residents’ wellbeing at the home “were not used,
ineffective or confused”.

Cowan said that the council now needed to look into how it dealt
with issues to ensure that the there was never another
Hazelcroft.

Source:- South Wales Echo Thursday 24 October page
25

Paedophile interview tape found on rubbish
tip

Police have begun an investigation to find out how a taped
interview with a paedophile was allegedly found on a rubbish
tip.

The tape includes sensitive material with a paedophile being
questioned over the abuse of two young sisters in a village near
Caernarfon. The abuse was said to have taken place in the 1970s,
but the interview took place in Bangor police station in January
1991.

The tape was found by a member of the public who handed it to a
local newspaper.

Clive Wolfendale, assistant chief constable of north Wales
police, said that the matter was being investigated as a matter of
urgency.

Source:- Western Mail Friday 25 October page 8