Tuesday 11 February 2003

By Amy Taylor, Nicola Barry and Alex
Dobson.

New rules ‘force asylum-seekers to sleep on
street’

The Government’s decision to remove the right to benefits from
immigrants who claim asylum late is forcing some new arrivals to
sleep on the streets the High Court heard yesterday.

Kier Starmer QC said that their lack of access to food and
shelter was damaging them physically and mentally and reducing
their ability to pursue their asylum claims.

He was representing five of six asylum-seekers bringing a test
case against new rules that came into effect on Saturday.

There are already 150 similar cases waiting to be heard.

Source:- The Times Tuesday 11 February page 2

Officials ready to send hundreds of Kurds back to
Iraq

Refugee groups have said there will be uproar if Home Office
plans to return hundreds of failed asylum-seekers to the Kurdish
region of Iraq go ahead while allied troops are being sent to the
Gulf.

The groups branded the region unsafe and Kurdish groups said
there are up to 3,000 Iraqi Kurds who have had their asylum claims
rejected and are sleeping in mosques or at friends’ houses.

Source:- The Independent Tuesday 11 February page 4

Judge challenges asylum cash curb

The judge presiding over the High Court challenge to the
Government’s new rules that prevent asylum seekers being entitled
to benefits unless they claim asylum as soon as they arrive in this
country has condemned certain aspects of the new regulations.

Mr Justice Collins said: “What lies behind this is the hope that
they (asylum seekers) will go away. If we starve them they will go
home, which in itself is a breach of Article 3 (of the European
Convention of Human Rights).”

The rules are preventing some asylum seekers being entitled to
shelter and food because they haven’t claimed asylum in time.

Source:- The Daily Mail Tuesday 11 February page 15

I will stem the tide, pledges Blair

Tony Blair has promised to take personal control over the asylum
issue to make sure his target of halving the numbers of asylum
seekers arriving in this country by September is reached.

His assurance goes against previous Home Office assertions that
the target was unobtainable.

Source:- The Daily Mail Tuesday 11 February page 15

Scottish news

Racism splits city more than religion

Intolerance of refugees and asylum seekers in Glasgow is far
greater than the city’s traditional religious divide,
according to a major new study.

While sectarianism emerged as a relatively small problem, racism
and homophobia were widespread.

The findings are revealed in the largest ever survey into
sectarian bigotry in Scotland, commissioned by Glasgow City
Council.

Source: The Herald Tuesday 11 February page 10

Parole for killer who shot abusive husband

A woman, who shot dead her policeman husband after claiming she
suffered years of abuse, left Cornton Vale Prison yesterday, having
served four years for the killing.

Kim Galbraith, 33, who killed her husband, Ian, as he slept, was
understood to be joining her daughter, Lauren, four, in
England.

Source: The Scotsman Tuesday 11th February page 7

Three year old girl had more than 50 injuries, murder
trial told

Pathologists found more than 50 injuries on three-year-old Chloe
Highley’s body, a murder trial heard yesterday.

The child, from Edinburgh, had sustained bruises as well as
burns from a cigarette lighter and had received multiple blows to
the head, body and genitals.

It is alleged the girl’s uncle, Mark Smith, 20, sexually
assaulted Chloe. He is accused of punching and kicking her and
throwing her against a wall. He denies murder.

Source: The Scotsman Tuesday 11th February page 7

Welsh news

Clywch: Crucial report had inaccuracies

A former director of education has told the Clywch inquiry that
a crucial report advising governors on the disciplinary action to
be taken against a teacher, contained factual inaccuracies.

The Clywch inquiry was set up by the Children’s
Commissioner for Wales to look into the activities of alleged
paedophile, John Owen, who taught at a school in south Wales.

Source: Western Mail Tuesday 11 F-February page 2

Gun pupil’s reinstatement criticised

Teaching unions have warned that allowing a child expelled for
shooting his teacher back into school, encourages a gun culture in
Welsh schools.

Two months after shooting a teacher in the neck with a ball
bearing, an independent panel have ruled that 11-year-old Geraint
Pilcher should be allowed back to Llantwit Major Comprehensive in
the Vale of Glamorgan, despite a decision by governors to
permanently exclude him.

Source: Western Mail Tuesday 11 February page 3

Rachel, 15, flying out for Turkey trial

Runaway schoolgirl Rachel Lloyd is due to fly back to Turkey
this week to give evidence in the trial of her boyfriend.

Source: Western Mail Tuesday 11 February page 9