Thursday 22 May 2003

By Amy Taylor, Clare Jerrom and Alex
Dobson.

Let us go home
The home office is preventing Iraqi refugees who want to
return home from doing so, even though they entered Britain
illegally.
The government will not let 69 Birmingham-based Iraqi Kurds who
have applied to return to Iraq make the journey even though Sadam
Hussein has been overthrown.
There are believed to be hundreds more living in Britain who want
to follow them.
Source:- Daily Mail Thursday 22 May page 30

Disabled goalie is up to play for Manchester
United
Manchester United is set to sign up a disabled goalkeeper.
American Tim Howard, who suffers from Tourette’s syndrome, is one
of the most popular choices for the position.
Tourette’s sufferers can experience nervous tics and an inability
to control speech causing uncontrollable outbursts, which often
involve swearing.
Source:- Daily Mail Thursday 22 May page 35

Minister ‘groomed teenage church girls for sexual
assaults’
A church minister was accused of grooming teenage girls and then
abusing them at the Old Bailey yesterday.
Pastor Douglas Goodman is accused of preying on teenage girls and
women in his congregation, showering them with gifts to gain their
trust.
The married father of four who works at a church in North London is
alleged to have raped one woman and indecently assaulted three
more.
Source:- Daily Mail Thursday 22 May page 43

How Britain is losing the drugs war
Today, the Guardian launches the biggest investigation of the
criminal justice system ever conducted by a British newspaper.
Beginning a series which will run throughout the year, Nick Davies
looks at the government’s attempt to deal with the most prolific of
offenders – the drug users who commit an estimated 7.5 million
crimes a year
Source:- The Guardian Thursday 22 May page 1

Employers ‘discriminate against the mentally
ill’
The new Mental Health Bill is expected to include measures making
it illegal for employers to discriminate against people with mental
health problems, after ministers launched a consultation yesterday
to discover the reasons behind the exclusion of people with mental
health problems.
Barbara Roche, the minister responsible for tacking social
exclusion, and Jacqui Smith, health minister, launched the
consultation after a preliminary inquiry found that people who
suffer or who have suffered mental health problems have experienced
lost job opportunities.
Source:- The Independent Thursday 22 May page 10

Scottish newspapers

‘No safe haven’ in Kirk for domestic abuse
victims
The Church of Scotland has failed victims of domestic
abuse, according to a Kirk report.
Kirk members had not done enough to tackle sexual abuse and
harassment, the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland heard
yesterday.
The report by he Kirk’s Church and nation committee also
criticised theologians for being “virtually silent” on
the issue and quoted cases in which members of the Church had
suppressed domestic violence.
Source:- The Scotsman  Thursday 22 May

Perv jailed for abuse 30 years ago
A man was jailed for 15 months yesterday for abusing
children 30 years ago.
Sidney McLagan carried out the offences after being placed on
probation in 1970 for child sex offences.
In addition to the jail sentence at Perth sheriff court, McLagan
was placed on the sex offenders register.
Source:- Daily Record  Thursday 22 May

Nursery strikes to go
Nursery nurses are set to go on strike again after hundreds of
nurseries were affected yesterday when 5,000 nurses staged the
walk-out.
Today protesters will take to the streets to highlight the nurses’
demands for better pay and conditions.
Source:- Daily Record  Thursday 22 May

Woman denies under-age sex
A 27-year-old woman is to stand trial accused of having sex with
three underage boys.
It is alleged that Lorraine Matthew had intercourse with a
14-year-old boy and two 15-year old boys. She is also accused of
indecency towards another 14-year-old on the same night.
The alleged incidents are said to have taken place in November 2001
in Perth, but Matthew denies the charges.
Source:- Daily Record  Thursday 22 May