Friday 10 September 2004

By Clare Jerrom and Alex Dobson

Man jailed over 1970’s sex attacks

A sex offender who attacked a girl more than 30 years ago was
jailed for three-and-a-half years yesterday.

Frank Newberry carried out a series of sex attacks on the
13-year-old after meeting her at riding stables, Wood Green Crown
Court in London was told.

The victim said she was raped on several occasions and sexually
assaulted during a 12-month period between 1972 and 1973. Newberry
pleaded guilty to four counts of indecent assault when he appeared
in court in July. Four counts of rape will lie on file.

Source:- The Times  Friday 10 September page 2

MMR link with autism is rejected

There is no evidence to support a link between the MMR
vaccination and autism, according to research.

A study, funded by the Medical Research Council, found no evidence
of a link between the triple vaccine for measles, mumps and rubella
and autism.

Source:- The Times  Friday 10 September page 5

Lincoln sickliest council in land

Employees at Lincoln Council took a total of 16,380 days off in
just 12 months it emerged yesterday.

The 900 staff at the council averaged 18.2 days a year each, which
is more than twice the national average.

The most commonly reported ailments were back problems, stress and
joint injuries.

Source:- The Times  Friday 10 September page 15

Hostels plan for high-risk paedophiles faces
storm

Attempts to build treatment hostels for 100 high risk paedophiles
in England and Wales could be countered by years of protests, the
government was warned yesterday.

The Home Office has started identifying sites for up to five
residential units for the most dangerous child sex offenders, it
emerged yesterday.

But expert Ray Wyre said it would be incredibly difficult for the
centres to be built, and claimed there would be huge opposition and
long-running judicial reviews.

Source:- The Guardian  Friday 10 September page 7

Parents back drug searches

Most parents would support random searches of pupils to detect
drugs and weapons, according to a poll carried out for the Times
Educational Supplement.

Only five per cent of parents opposed drug and weapons searches,
backed by the prime minister and now an option for schools.

Source:- The Guardian  Friday 10 September page 8

Two fingers to our ASBOs

Antisocial Behaviour Orders were hailed this week by Tony Blair as
the answer to Britain’s epidemic of yobbishness. But this
investigation reveals just how toothless they are.

Source:- Daily Mail  Friday 10 September page 33

Scottish newspapers

Ministers reject move to ban city beggars

Ministers have vetoed controversial plans to outlaw begging as they
claim the issue is already covered by existing legislation.

Aberdeen Council proposed a new bylaw to ban begging earlier this
week and the council’s community services committee will
discuss the planned bylaw, punishable by a fine or imprisonment,
next Tuesday.

But Scottish executive officials are not convinced of the need for
it because aggressive or nuisance beggars can be dealt with under
existing laws for breach of the peace.

Source:- The Herald  Friday 10 September

Door to Paralympics stays shut for learning disability
athletes

Fears were rekindled yesterday that the world’s largest group
of disables sportsmen and women will remain disenfranchised for
ever, just a week before the Paralympic Games open in Athens.

The International Paralympic Committee has excluded competitors
with learning difficulties from this month’s event and has
resisted attempts to reinstate them.

Mencap has branded the exclusion “blatant
discrimination”.

Source:- The Herald  Friday 10 September

Lib Dems in call for drug tsar job decision inquiry

Opposition leaders are calling for an external
investigation after it emerged that top officials did not tell
councillors had applied for the post of Edinburgh’s drugs
tsar.

They are demanding to know why councillors were not informed that
former Grampian Chief Constable Ian Oliver had applied for the
post.

The role was given to Tom Wood, the retired deputy chief constable
for Edinburgh and the Lothians after councillors were asked to
agree his appointment at a council meeting in June.

Source:- Evening News  Thursday 9 September

Cardinal back on attack over sex education

The leader of the Catholic Church in Scotland returned to the
attack on the Scottish executive over their plans for sex education
by demanding “clarification”.

Cardinal Keith O’Brien was set to tell a meeting of catholic
youth officers that he accepts assurances from firs minister Jack
McConnell but still requires “urgent
clarification”.

McConnell has rejected the cardinal’s claims that children in
nursery schools would be given sex education or that the
morning-after pill will be handed out in schools.

Source:- Evening News  Thursday 9 September

Welsh newspapers

Parents find Laura’s ‘gripping’
letter

The father of 13-year-old Laura Rhodes, who died following a
suicide pact with a friend, believes that his daughter will help
other victims of bullying from beyond her grave.

Michael Rhodes will release an open letter from Laura on the day of
her funeral that he claims will spell out the difficulties that his
daughter faced and which he hopes will help other young people
facing similar situations.

Source:- Western Mail Friday 10 September page 1

Bullying on the increase in schools

The parents of nearly half of all pupils in Wales said their
children have been bullied in school.

A study for the Times Educational Supplement shows that more
than a quarter of children in Wales have suffered physical
harassment and that the number of Welsh parents complaining of
bullying is higher than the national average.

Source:- Western Mail Friday 10 September page 5