Friday 7 March 2003

By Amy Taylor, Nicola Barry and Alex
Dobson.

Cardinal faces new sex case priest scandal

The Archbishop of Westminster yesterday said he was not trying
to deliberately mislead the public by saying last year that he had
been cleared by an independent assessor over his handling of
complaints about alleged paedophile priests in his then diocese of
Brighton.

He said that 10 complaints had been audited and the Church had
been said to have acted properly, and that he had forgotten about
an eleventh abuse case.

Source:- The Times March 7 Friday page 9

Mother is questioned over eight dead babies

A 60-year-old mother of eight babies, who all died before they
were 12-months-old in the 1960s and early 1970s, is being
questioned over their deaths.

At the time the deaths were put down to natural causes, but the
case has been reopened this week after the woman allegedly told a
psychiatrist that she had killed some of her babies.

The deaths took place in the Edinburgh and Lothians area and the
north of England. The woman now lives in Livingstone.

Source:- The Times March 7 Friday page 15

Fifth of blacks claim court bias

A survey from the Lord Chancellor’s Department has found that
one fifth of black defendants in the crown court believe they have
been treated unfairly because of racism.

The senior presiding judge in England and Wales said the
figure’s much better than expected.

Source:- The Daily Telegraph March 7 Friday page 7

Broadmoor rape claims

A senior NHS ‘whistleblower’ yesterday said female
patients at Broadmoor high-security hospital were raped, indecently
assaulted and sexually harassed during their stay at the
institution.

The attacks are alleged to have taken place on the wards, sports
field and even in the church pews.

Julie Wassall, who is claiming constructive dismissal says she
was forced out of her job as director of women’s services, alleges
that male patients would engulf a woman in a circle or distract
staff in order to allow sex to take place.

The case was settled out of court.

Source:- The Daily Telegraph March 7 Friday page 13

Woolf defends judge over rights ruling

The home secretary came under fire from Lord Woolf last night
for his claim that judges were using the Human Rights Act to
disrupt the will of parliament.

The comments come in a speech by Lord Woolf posted to David
Blunkett in relation to the recent ruling against the home
secretary in cases on asylum seekers’ rights to benefits.

Source:- The Guardian March 7 Friday page 11

Government to outlaw begging

Beggars are to be given criminal records and fixed penalty fines
are to be placed on anti-social children, under plans to be
announced in a white paper next week.

The paper also includes measures to tackle nuisance neighbours,
yobs, drunks and drug users.

It is set to be followed by an anti-social behaviour bill to be
put through parliament in the current session.

Source:- The Independent March 7 Friday page 1

Labour targets ‘violent minority’ to cut
crime

A new white paper on anti-social behaviour says that despite
falling crime figures the public still believes levels are
rising.

The document shows that the government holds a small amount of
high-profile violent crimes and anti-social behaviour as
responsible for the public’s perception.

Source:- The Independent March 7 Friday page 2

Scottish newspapers

Pensioners forced ‘to wait an age’ for free
personal care

Older people are being forced to wait up to a year for the free
personal care promised them by the executive.

A report published yesterday by Age Concern Scotland claimed
pensioners in some areas had been told it could take 12 months to
assess their eligibility for the scheme.

Source:- The Daily Mail Friday 7 March page 15

Welsh newspapers

Move to Wales, England tells its homeless

Homeless people from the south of England could be housed in
Wales.

But the proposals from the government-backed ‘Fresh Start
Scheme’ that homeless people should relocate to rural
communities in the principality, has been met by incredulity by
campaigners against the scheme.

Simon Brooks, from the pressure group Cymuned, said the proposal
meant that social problems were being exported.

Source:- Western Mail Friday 7 March page 1

Baby discarded like a rag doll, inquest
told

The death of a baby who was discarded “like a rag doll”, has
been described as one of the most distressing deaths that a south
Wales coroner has seen.

Gwent coroner David Brown recorded an open verdict on the death
of the baby who was discovered inside a holdall by the side of a
canal in south Wales, last October.

A question mark remains over whether the child was born alive or
was stillborn and despite widespread inquiries the mother of the
child has still not been traced.

Source:- Western Mail Friday 7 March page 13