Thursday 23 September 2004

By Clare Jerrom and Alex Dobson

Local justice plan to tackle petty criminals

Community panels made up of church leaders and senior community
representatives would set penalties for children arrested for
antisocial behaviour and petty crimes, the Liberal Democrat party
announced yesterday at its annual party conference.

Panels would have the authority to order young offenders to face
their victims or clean up graffiti in reparation for the damage
they have caused.

Source:- Independent  Thursday 23 September page 8

Parents reveal bullying torment of suicide girl

The parents of a 13-year-old girl who killed herself in a suicide
pact with her friend yesterday released a letter found in the
girl’s bedroom which revealed how she had been bullied.

Yvonne and Michael Rhodes made the letter public on the day of
their daughter Laura’s funeral in a bid to highlight the
anguish she suffered at the hands of bullies.

The couple said: “The reason we want people to read
Laura’s story is that we want them to understand how
demoralised, belittled and helpless a bullied child
feels.”

Source:- Independent  Thursday 23 September page 23

Howard faces dual attack over immigration limits

Michael Howard’s plans to slash immigration in Britain have
been criticised by members of the United Kingdom Independence Party
and leaders of refugee groups.

Howard has proposed putting an annual limit on the number of
immigrants allowed into Britain and said that a Conservative
government would pull Britain out of an international convention on
refugees.

The Joint Council for the Welfare of Immigrants said it was stunned
by Howard’s proposal and Robert Kilroy-Silk, member of UKIP,
accused the Tories of stealing his party’s line on
immigration.

Source:- Independent  Thursday 23 September page 24

Scottish newspapers

Police investigate death of care-home woman

Lothian and Borders police were last night investigating the case
of a 92-year-old woman who died hours after being rushed to
hospital from a nursing home in Edinburgh.

Isabella McGregor died in hospital last Friday, just 24 hours after
a district nurse first raised concerns about her health. The nurse
had been called to Ashley Court Nursing Home in Morningside to
treat McGregor for bedsores that covered her entire body.

Yesterday, managers and staff members at the care home, which is
owned by Randolph Hill Group, were being interviewed. The group
owns a number of care homes in the city.

Source:- The Scotsman Thursday 23 September

Golden moment for Paralympic champ

A swimmer from West Lothian has won his first Olympic Gold Medal
after winning a Paralympic title in Athens.

Jim Anderson won the gold medal in the 100m freestyle after winning
three silvers at Sydney four years ago.

Source:- Evening News  Wednesday 22 September

Welsh newspapers

‘I turned over and hoped I would never wake
again’

The parents of 13-year-old Laura Rhodes who killed herself after
allegedly being bullied at a south Wales school released a poignant
essay from their daughter, on the day of her funeral, which
described her anguish at the hands of bullies.

The 1,500-word essay paints a disturbing picture of the taunts that
she endured that led to her being made to feel “ugly and
worthless” and was released by her parents to help other
children facing the same ordeal.

Source:- Western Mail Thursday 23 September page 1