Thursday 20 November 2003

By Clare Jerrom and Alex Dobson.
Michael Jackson ‘to turn himself in’
Michael Jackson was expected to turn himself in to the Californian
authorities today in response to an arrest warrant for
“multiple counts” of child molestation.
The singer has been invited to surrender himself to the
sheriff’s department in Santa Barbara, 25 miles away from his
Neverland ranch. Bail has been set at $3 million and Jackson is
being asked to surrender his passport.
The warrant was issued after 70 police officers raided his ranch
earlier this week.
Source:- The Times Thursday 20 November page 1
Blair’s hospital bill could be lost after Commons
revolt
Tony Blair’s flagship hospital reforms scraped through the
House of Commons last night.
The Lords then swiftly rejected the plans and sent the Health and
Social Care Bill back to MPs for a midnight vote.
Health secretary John Reid declared last night that it was now a
straight fight between the Commons and the Lords to get the
proposals through before the end of the session today.
Source:- The Times Thursday 20 November page 2
Illegal arrival can stay for business
The owner of a pizza delivery business won a legal challenge that
could pave the way for illegal Turkish immigrants to stay in
Britain.
Mehmet Dari was found in Dover in 1998 and disappeared twice before
deportation. While at large he set up the business in Herne Bay in
Kent.
Mr Justice Davis ruled in the high court that Dari could benefit
from a deal signed between Turkey and the former EEC in 1963. It
offered concessions to Turkish citizens linked to the stability of
their businesses.
The judge granted the home secretary leave to appeal.
Source:- The Times Thursday 20 November page 10
Immigrant racket chief jailed
An immigrant who made millions from Britain’s largest
people-smuggling operation was jailed for seven-and-a-half years
yesterday at Harrow crown court.
The north London court was told that Sarwan Deo helped around 6,000
illegal immigrants to settle through a “highly
sophisticated” enterprise.
Four other men were imprisoned for between three and five years
after admitting conspiracy to smuggle illegal immigrants.
Source:- The Times Thursday 20 November page 13
Hodge under fire hours after apology
Tony Blair was forced to defend Margaret Hodge just an hour after
she issued a public apology to a child abuse victim she had
labelled “disturbed”.
Michael Howard, the Tory leader, accused the children’s
minister of smearing Demetrious Panton, who spent his childhood in
an Islington children’s home, in a bid to stop an
investigation into her role as leader of the council. Hodge had
hoped her apology and a donation of £10,000 to a charity of
Panton’s choice would draw a line under the affair.
During prime minister’s questions, Howard made clear that the
Conservatives were not going to let the matter drop. He said
Hodge’s behaviour matched a pattern in the government of
ministers bullying people who got in their way and made her unfit
for the job.
Source:- The Times Thursday 20 November page 14
Over-80s to get an extra £100
Over two million older people over 80 are set to receive an extra
£100 towards heating their homes this winter, in addition to
their winter fuel payment of £200.
Source:- The Guardian Thursday 20 November page 9
Hundreds with learning disabilities kept in
asylums
Hundreds of people with learning difficulties are stuck in
Victorian hospitals that ministers promised to close, according to
Turning Point.
The social care charity has identified 752 people in 16 long-stay
hospitals that the government regards as unsuitable.
Ministers claimed the hospitals would be closed by April 2004. But
the charity claims it has established that the last of the
establishments will remain open until 2006.
Source:- The Guardian Thursday 20 November page 11
Scottish newspapers
Mental care £15m boost
Mental health services in Scotland were given a £15 million
boost by Malcolm Chisholm, health minister yesterday.
The funding will be used to develop services for mental health laws
which come into force in April 2005.
Source:- Daily Record Thursday 20 November page 26
Jodi lad loses school battle
The boyfriend of murdered schoolgirl Jodi Jones has lost a fight to
be reinstated at the school they attended.
Luke Mitchell was banned from St David’s RC High School in
Dalkeith following a row with headteacher Marion Docherty.
The teenager was furious when he returned to school to find he had
been placed in isolation. A row ensued and Mitchell stormed out and
was later excluded. He has private lessons at a community centre
after rejecting a transfer to another school nearby.
Yesterday, it emerged that a Midlothian education panel heard
Mitchell’s appeal against the ban, but sided with the
headteacher.
Source:- Daily Record Thursday 20 November page 34
Sex beasts given cold showers
Sex offenders are outraged as they are forced to take cold
showers.
Offenders at Peterhead Prison have been without hot water in their
hall for a week as a result of a plumbing problem.
Source:- Daily Record Thursday 20 November page 36
Prison plan criticised
Plans to create a single correctional agency in Scotland were
criticised by COSLA yesterday.
The local authorities’ body said research by academics at
London University showed that the move would not cut
re-offending.
Source:- The Scotsman Thursday 20 November page 8
Welsh newspapers
Training unit may shut
Staff, who helped hundreds of disadvantaged people in south Wales,
could lose their jobs as part of a cost-cutting exercise.
The Bridge Training Centre in Newport is under threat as the
council struggles to save money. The centre is currently training
75 jobseekers in skills such as computing and vocational crafts.
But Newport Council has told the 23 staff that work there that
plans to axe the service by 2004 are likely to get the
go-ahead.
Source:- South Wales Argus Wednesday 19 November page 11
Free school breakfast ‘a dog’s
dinner’
Headteachers in Wales have described the Welsh assembly’s
plans to provide free breakfasts to all school children as a
“dog’s dinner of an idea that has been poorly thought
out”.
The National Association of Head Teachers in Wales (NAHT) has
criticised the assembly decision to go-ahead with free breakfasts
while funding has still not been made available for a workload
agreement. A spokesperson for NAHT Cymru said that it was not clear
where the funding for free breakfasts would come from, but that he
feared some schools would have to find the money from budgets
allocated for teachers or support staff.
Source:- Western Mail Thursday 20 November page 3
Babysitter jailed for nine years for attacking
boy
A babysitter has been jailed for nine years for a sex attack on an
eight-year-old boy.
Nigel Hallisey raped the boy while his mother went out for the
evening. Hallisey had previous convictions for child abuse, but had
convinced the boy’s mother that he was innocent.
A judge at Cardiff crown court ordered Hallisey to register as a
sex offender and banned him from working with children for life.
The judge said that he posed a high risk of harm to the
public.
Source:- Western Mail Thursday 20 November page 9