Friday 30 May 2003

By Amy Taylor, Clare Jerrom and Amy Taylor.

Teenagers held over killing of traveller

Five teenage boys are being questioned by police about the
murder of a 14-year-old boy who had previously been beaten up and
called a “gypsy”.

Johnny Delaney, a traveller who lived in a caravan park, was
repeatedly punched and kicked by a gang in playing fields in
Ellesmere Port, in Cheshire.

Residents tried to revive him but were unsuccessful.

Delaney was staying with friends on a caravan park nearby. He
had previously been beaten with plank of wood to the head and
called a “gypsy” while on a trip to local shops.

Source:- The Times Friday 30 May page 5

Curate is jailed for affair with girl, 13

A married 37-year-old vicar was jailed at Newcastle crown court
yesterday for conducting a sexual relationship with a
13-year-old-girl who sought his help when she was being
bullied.

The Rev Kevin Conway, a father of three who is curate-in-charge
at St Wilfred’s Sunderland, received three-and-a-half years in
prison after admitting to having regular sex with the girl in the
back of his car.

Source:- The Times Friday 30 May page 5

Refugee continues asylum process

An Iranian refugee who has sewed his eyes, lips and ears is
continuing his protest although he has won the right to stay in
this country.

The home office was refused permission to challenge a decision
that Abas Amini was allowed to claim asylum yesterday, but he is
still continuing his hunger strike in protest at the way the
government deals with asylum appeals.

Source:- The Times Friday 30 May page 15

‘Bridge bomb’ girls are too young to charge

Two nine-year-old girls were spotted hurling large stones from a
bridge onto the M25 yesterday, but the police are unable to take
further action because the girls are below the criminal age of
responsibility.

A motorist alerted police when he reported how his windscreen
had been shattered by a falling object near junction eight of the
M25 near Merstham in Surrey.

Source:- The Daily Telegraph Friday 30 May page 10

Scottish newspapers

Anger at executive plan to tag children
Human rights experts raised concerns last night as first minister
Jack McConnell confirmed that the executive was set to introduce
electronic tagging for persistent young offenders.

In a speech to the Association of Chief Police Officers Scotland
annual conference in Perthshire, McConnell warned that there could
be no turning back from the drive to reduce anti-social behaviour,
including the electronic surveillance of children as young as
14.

John Scott from the Scottish Centre for Human Rights accused the
measures of being “draconian” and “headline
grabbing”. “There are compassionate ways to deal with
this problem such as rehabilitation through the youth courts and
restorative justice schemes.”

Source:- The Scotsman  Friday 30 May page 6

Anger as strike hits special needs
children
Parents of children with learning difficulties said last night that
nursery nurses unions should have done more to protect their
children from the consequences of strikes for better pay and
conditions.

Scores of nurseries across the Lothians and the Borders have
been forced to close as a result of the strike, but now the
industrial action has disrupted classes for children with special
needs.

Ian White, whose daughter has severe learning difficulties,
said: “I support what the union are doing and I don’t
have a problem with what the union are asking for, but I
don’t think they should be targeting special schools, and
they should stop that immediately.”

Unison said the crucial role played by nurses and auxiliaries in
special education highlights the need for better pay and
recognition.

Source:- The Scotsman  Friday 30 May page 7

Asylum seeker faces jail for attack on fellow
Kurd
An asylum seeker faces jail after he attacked another refugee
outside a Glasgow supermarket.

Karwan Kadir repeatedly stabbed, punched and kicked Asu Ali
during an unprovoked attack in February. But Kadir claimed he
assaulted Ali because he beat him up in their former home in the
Kurdish area of Turkey three years ago.

He was originally charged with attempted murder, but yesterday
he pleaded guilty to a reduced charge of assault to severe injury
and permanent disfigurement.

Sheriff John Baird remanded Kadir in custody and deferred
sentencing until next month for reports.

Source:- The Scotsman Friday 30 May

Site for new £65m private prison
A 35-acre Brownfield site between Addiewell and West Calder in West
Lothian has been earmarked for  a new 700-inmate high security jail
to be built as part of the Prisons Estates Review.

The Scottish Prison Service said yesterday that it had
approached West Lothian Council over the purchase of the site but
added that no decision had been made yet as to whether it would be
run by a public or private operator.

At the review last year then justice minister Jim Wallace said
the new £65m prison could be built within four years and be
built and run privately.

Source:- The Herald  Friday 30 May

Private bill aims to toughen charity law
A senior Labour backbencher last night challenged the Scottish
executive policy on charity law by presenting a private
member’s bill aimed at speeding up and toughening reforms
promised by ministers.

The move by Jackie Baillie is expected to win support from MSPs
across all parties, many of whom were dismayed by communities
minister Margaret Curran’s response to widespread concern
over charity law in parliament this week.

Baillie’s bill will set out “defining
principles” for the recognition of charities, along with
proposals for regulation and monitoring of their compliance
record.

Source:- The Herald  Friday 30 May

Welsh newspapers

Rising Damp

Council houses in Monmouthshire are falling apart because the
local authority has run out of money for repairs and
maintenance.

Councillors have been told that £60.5 million is needed to
bring housing stock up to Welsh Assembly standards by 2012, but
with a reduced budget from last year the authority is unlikely to
be able to make planned improvements to housing stock.

Source:- South Wales Argus Thursday 29 May page 1

Parents’ hopes make pupils feel
failures

Middle class children can feel like failures if they do not
achieve high grades at A’ level.

New research from the University of London reveals that for many
children school life can be a painful and difficult process because
of the pressures of achieving good results.

Children’s Commissioner for Wales Peter Clarke said that
children were becoming victims of the academic aspirations of
adults.

Source:- Western Mail Friday 30 May page 1

‘Hutt passed buck on cancer
care’

Welsh Assembly health minister Jane Hutt has been accused of
‘washing her hands’ of cancer services in some parts of
Wales.

The accusation was levelled at her by assembly member Peter
Black, who said that services for cancer patients in Swansea did
not meet those available in Cardiff.

A spokesperson for the assembly said that cancer services across
Wales continue to be a priority.

Source:- Western Mail Friday 30 May page 6