Wednesday 4 August 2004

By Amy Taylor, Shirley Kumar, Clare Jerrom and Alex
Dobson

‘Exhausted’ Jenkins says his name will
be cleared

Sion Jenkins proclaimed his innocence yesterday on his first day
out on bail awaiting a retrial for allegedly murdering his foster
daughter, Billie-Jo.

Jenkins, a former headteacher, spent six years in jail before an
appeal court ruled the evidence against him was unsafe.

Source:- The Independent Wednesday 4 August page 2

No-blame approach to bullies comes under attack

The no blame policy used in some schools for dealing with bullies
is leading to children being driven to anorexia, self-harm and
truancy, Kidscape told the government.

The no-blame policy is used by an estimated third of schools.

Source:- The Independent Wednesday 4 August page 16

Parents urged to run wild with their children

Almost three quarters of parents claim to play with their children
every day, although only a quarter of children say their parents
know how.

The survey, carried out by The Children’s Society and the
Children’s Play, was to mark the national celebration of
play, Playday.

Source:- The Times Wednesday 4 August page 10

Fascination with fire kills boy, 5 and sister

Philip Smith, a five-year-old boy who had a fascination with fire,
killed himself and his younger sister after starting a blaze in his
home in Leyton, East London, an inquest heard.

The Walthamstow coroner recorded a verdict of accidental
death.

Source:- The Times Wednesday 4 August page 10

Rachel died of heroin overdose – and alone

Rachel Whitear, a 21-year-old drug addict who used to publicise the
dangers of drugs, died of a heroin overdose and there was no foul
play, police concluded.

Whitear was found dead in her bedsit in Exmouth, Devon in May 2000
still clutching a syringe. Questions over the original police
investigation had resulted in a new inquiry.

Source:- The Times Wednesday 4 August page 11

Terror triplets run riot again

Two of the triplets who served anti-social behaviour orders
three-years ago have been terrorising shoppers again.

Sarah and Natalie Morris, 15, have had new orders placed on them
after running riot near their home in Strood, Kent. They made
headlines with their brother in February 2001.

Source:- The Daily Telegraph Wednesday 4 August page
9

‘Build homes for the elderly’

Junior health minister Stephen Ladyman said Britain’s towns
and houses must be designed to meet the demands of an increasingly
elderly population.

Building safety features would allow them to stay longer in their
homes and save billions on care costs.

Source:- The Daily Telegraph Wednesday 4 August page
10

Traveller’s Map of Britain

The idyllic sites being illegally developed…and blighting the
lives of countless villagers

Source:- Daily Mail Wednesday 4 August page 10

Fury as diplomatic immunity law frees envoy accused of
molesting girl, 11

A Saudi Arabian diplomat accused of molesting an 11-year-old girl
walked free due to diplomatic immunity laws last night.

The 41-year-old official, who has not been named, was arrested on
Sunday July 25 but he was released after London police got
confirmation of his diplomatic status.

He is accused of sexually assaulting the girl during a party at
another country’s embassy but the police have no power due to
the immunity laws.

Child protection experts have called for reform of the laws.

Source:- Daily Mail Wednesday August 4 page 25

Setting the pace

Brian Paddick is Britain’s highest ranking gay police
officer. He tells Alison Benjamin why he is now patron of a
counselling service for victims of homophobia and his new
‘non-job’

Source:- SocietyGuardian Wednesday4 August page 6

Teenage clicks

An online counselling service is proving to be a valuable safety
net for young people with mental health problems in Stockport

Source:- SocietyGuardian Wednesday4 August page 7

Token effort

The long holidays can be a dull time for deprived teenagers who
can’t afford to go away, but a voucher scheme in Cornwall
funds excursions that they organise for themselves

Source:- SocietyGuardian Wednesday4 August page 8

What can I do?

After five years as a sports development officer, 27-year-old
Louise wants to find a new job that will build on both her
experience and her degree

Source:-SocietyGuardian Wednesday 4 August page 80

Scottish newspapers

Feeding tube error led to boy’s death

A disabled teenager died after “obvious” mistakes were
made during routine treatment at a leading children’s
hospital.

Simon Dolan suffered blood poisoning after a feeding tube was
refitted wrongly into his stomach at the Royal Hospital for Sick
Children in Glasgow.

In his written findings, Sheriff John Baird said the hospital had
failed to take precautions whereby death could have been
avoided.

Source:- The Scotsman  Wednesday 4 August

Jodi’s uncle takes his own life

The uncle of murdered schoolgirl Jodi Jones has taken his own life,
Lothian and Borders police have confirmed.

A police source said the Jones family had been through a great deal
following the death of the 14-year-old girl.

There were no suspicious circumstances surrounding Edward
Jones’ death.

Source:- The Scotsman  Wednesday 4 August

Benefits staff in fear after slashing

Staff at a social security office fear for their safety following a
brutal knife attack on a man in the offices.

A man was left with a deep gash on his cheek after he was slashed
across his face with a craft knife at the benefits agency on Castle
Terrace yesterday.

No staff were injured during the attack but it has led to fresh
fears over the removal of screens which separate staff from the
public.

Source:- Evening News  Tuesday 3 August

Health chiefs told to abolish mixed wards

Mixed sex wards should be abolished by the end of the year, health
chiefs in the capital have been told.

Thirteen of the remaining 21 mixed-sex wards in Scotland are at the
Royal Edinburgh Hospital, according to the latest figures.

The Scottish executive has said these must be abolished by December
in order to improve the safety and privacy of patients at the
psychiatric facility.

Source:- Evening News  Tuesday 3 August

Extra £1/2m to help fight alcohol and drug abuse

Half a million pounds of funding has been awarded to a project to
improve the skills of professionals dealing with drug and alcohol
addicts.

Scottish Training on Drugs and Alcohol will receive almost
£500,000 over three years. The move should hep thousands of
social work and health professionals who provide drug and alcohol
services to develop their skills, knowledge and expertise.

Source:- Evening News  Tuesday 3 August

Teenage ‘stalker’ admits breaking ban
order

A teenager has admitted breaching an antisocial behaviour order
which banned him from large parts of a Lothian town.

Dale Walker pleaded guilty to two breaches of an asbo at Linlithgow
Sheriff Court yesterday. He was granted bail and sentencing has
been deferred until October.

Walker became the first person in Scotland to receive and asbo for
stalking after allegedly targeting a girl and her family.

Source:- Evening News  Tuesday 3 August

Residents call for the removal of prostitutes’
support unit

Residents in a part of Scotland where a prostitute has been banned
from working with a landmark antisocial behaviour order have called
for the removal of the support group providing health back up for
vice girls.

The Scottish Prostitutes Education Project has been accused by the
community of acting like “pimps” in the past in making
it easy for women to solicit in Leith.

Source:- The Herald  Wednesday 4 August

Welsh newspapers

Inmate death: Prison rapped

A coroner’s jury has called on staff at Bridgend’s
Parc Prison to make thorough searches to prevent inmates hoarding
drugs.

The warning came after 20-year-old Gary Jones died after taking a
number of tranquillisers he had been hoarding.

The jury found that Jones had not intended to take his own life and
recorded a verdict of misadventure.

Source:- South Wales Echo Tuesday 3 August page 11

Troubleshooter takes action

The woman brought in to help improve a troubled south Wales
social services department said that the situation will gradually
improve as restructuring takes place.

Dr Sue Ross, interim director of Blaenau Gwent, said that one of
the key problems in the department was gaps in the management
structure and this was now being addressed.

Source:- South Wales Argus Tuesday 3 August page 4

Welsh parents the most playful as childhood
relived

Four out of five parents in Wales play with their children every
day, more than anywhere else in the UK, according to a survey from
the Children’s Society. The report found that 82 per cent of
Welsh parents said they played with their children on a daily
basis.

Source:- Western Mail Wednesday 4 August page 9