Thursday 24 June 2004

Psychiatric Hospital pays out over patient
death

A father was awarded £235,000 damages in the High Court
yesterday after his wife disappearing from a hospital’s psychiatric
ward and died. Julie Godbold, 38, had been admitted to the ward at
Greenwich District Hospital, South-East London, suffering from
post-natal depression after the birth of her fourth child. Two
weeks later in early December 2000 she left the hospital unnoticed
and days later was found drowned at the King George V Dock, East
Ham, London. Her family believe she killed herself. Oxleas NHS
Trust, which runs the hospital, admitted liability and agreed to
pay the compensation to Ronald Godbold and the couple’s four
daughters.

Source:- Daily Mail, 24 June, Thursday, page 33

Police chief blamed for Soham failings wins local
support

The argument between home secretary David Blunkett and
Humberside chief constable, David Westwood, who he wants to suspend
due to failings in the Soham murder trial, intensified as the
police chief refused to step down and claimed to have growing
support. Westwood is being backed by the chairman of his police
authority and he claims to have been contacted by other chief
constables offering their support.

His case is also given weight by a letter from Humberside’s high
sheriff accusing Blunkett of hypocrisy.

Source:- The Independent, 24 June, Thursday, page
18

Can’t cope culture’ bill hits £2bn and
rising

The cost of benefits to those claiming they have been disabled
by stress, depression and anxiety has risen to more than £2bn
a year.

Statistics contained in a written parliamentary answer from the
work and pensions minister Maria Eagle show incapacity benefit for
various forms of mental disorder suggests claims are souring
leaving the taxpayer with a hefty annual bill.

Around 700,000 people a quarter receive up to £84 per week
in incapacity benefit for poor mental health. Around 232,300 are
women, a 60 per cent increase than in 1997.

Source:- Telegraph, June 24, page 10

Barnardo’s pair guilty of child abuse

Two former Barnardo workers were found guilty of more than 70
offences of sexually abusing eight children in their care.

Margaret Hewitt, 69, was found guilty of 53 charges including
indecent assault and inciting children to gross indecency.

Belfast Crown court QC Gerald Simpson also found Robert
Anderson, 46, guilty of 17 assaults against five children,
including two rapes of teenage girls.

The pair were cleared of 28 other charges.

Source:- Telegraph, June 24, page 10

Boy, 15, murdered in ‘robbery that went
wrong’

Police are appealing for witnesses after a 15-year-old boy was
stabbed to death in what they say was a robbery that went
wrong.

Kieran Rodney-Davis of Fulham, London, was stabbed after
returning home from a trip to the shops for his mother.

Three youths, all aged around 15-years, were seen running away
from the scene. They were wearing balaclavas or bandana style
scarves over their faces.

Source:- The Guardian, June 24, page 9

Scottish papers

Tax payers money used to fund taxis for drug
addicts

A Scottish local authority is spending thousands of pounds of
tax payers money on taxis taking drug users to pick up their
Methadone prescriptions. West Dunbartonshire Council pays for taxis
to pick up drug users from Glasgow and Clydebank and take them to
pharmacies up to 30 miles away. This is alleged to happen a number
of times a week for some drug users. A council spokesperson said
that many pharmacies had limits on the number of Methadone
prescriptions they will have on their books that meant addicts may
have to travel long distances to get the drug.

Source:- The Scotsman, 24 June, Thursday

Welsh papers

Jailed sex offender faces new probe by
police

A former church worker who is serving a nine- month jail
sentence for sexually assaulting a 16-year-old boy could face more
charges following fresh allegations. Darren Jenkins worked as a lay
reader in Pontypool and the Church in Wales has confirmed that
following his conviction the parents of another boy has made a
complaint to child protection officers.

Source South Wales Argus Wednesday 23 June page 7

AMs vote to cut prescription charges by
£1

Assembly members have voted to cut prescription charges in Wales
from £6 to £5. The move, which is due to come into effect
in October, is part of a Labour manifesto pledge to abolish charges
altogether by 2007.

Source Western Mail Thursday 24 June page 5

‘We have to do more to tackle
poverty’

A deputy minister in the Welsh assembly says that more needs to
be done to tackle poverty in Wales. Huw Lewis, deputy social
justice minister says that there is bureaucratic resistance to
flagship assembly schemes like the anti-poverty Communities First
initiative. He called for action to prioritise help for the 100
most deprived communities in Wales.

Source Western Mail Thursday 24 June page 10