Friday 22 October 2004

By Amy Taylor and Clare Jerrom

Mother of sick baby weeps as court hears right to life
case

The mother of an ill baby cried in court yesterday as doctors
asked a judge for permission not to revive him if his heart stops
beating. Lawyers for Ruth Winston-Jones argued that should her
nine-month old son Luke’s condition deteriorate, he should be
placed on a ventilator.

Source:- Independent Friday 22 October

Inquiry into sex offender release

The council’s handling of a case of a teenager who tried to rape
a baby after being freed from prison will be investigated after
ministers last night ordered an inquiry. James Campbell snatched a
two year old from her home two months after his release on licence
halfway through a sentence for breaking into an older woman’s house
with intent to rape.

Source:- The Times Friday 22 October

Council fined over pool death

Blackpool Council has been fined for a “serious failure” in its
responsibility for making sure a group of children were safe after
a four-year-old girl with learning difficulties drowned during a
school swimming lesson. Emma Farrar died in a pool at Woodlands
School, Blackpool. She was found floating in the pool 15 minutes
after the rest of her classmates had left the water.

Source:- The Daily Telegraph Friday 22 October page
2

Mother held for jail protest

A mother whose daughter Sarah died in Styal prison has been
arrested during a demonstration outside New Hall prison, Wakefield.
Pauline Campbell was arrested after she attempted to prevent a van
containing prisoners from entering the prison. Since her
daughter’s death Campbell has demonstrated outside every
prison where a woman has died. Mandy Pearson, 37, died in New Hall
on October 12.

Source:- The Guardian Friday 22 October page 12

Scottish newspapers

£121,000 boost for refugees into work project in
Glasgow

Communities minister Malcolm Chisholm yesterday announced a
£121,000 boost for a new Glaswegian initiative to integrate
refugees into the city’s community. Chisholm unveiled the extra
money as part of the £600,000 Scottish Refugee Integration
Fund which will support projects across the country.

Source:- The Scotsman Friday 22 October

Alcohol curse ‘spans classes’

Children are living in fear of violent alcoholic parents,
according to a study. The research by Edinburgh university found
young people from affluent backgrounds were just as likely as those
from deprived backgrounds to live in fear of drink fuelled
violence.

Source:- Evening News Friday 22 October

Welsh newspapers

Dad wins right to clear his name

Judges have ruled that a man’s conviction for murdering
his baby son on the evidence of baby death expert Sir Roy Meadow is
unsafe and given him the right to appeal. The father, from
Caldicot, Monmouthshire says he is innocent. He has served two
years of a life sentence.

Source:- Western Mail Friday 22 October

Magician on sex charge walks free

A children’s magician accused of having sex with a
schoolgirl walked free from court due to a legal technicality. Eric
Blackledge was charged with four counts of indecent assault for
allegedly having sex with the girl, who is now 25. However, his
case at Cardiff Crown Court was stopped after the House of Lords
ruled that a person accused of having sex with a person under 16
could only be charged with unlawful sexual intercourse and not
indecent assault.

Source:- Western Mail Friday 22 October