Thursday 10 March 2005

By Maria Ahmed, Simeon Brody, Amy Taylor and Clare
Jerrom

Sexes equal at mixed prison – but women do the porridge

Peterborough prison is billed as Britain’s first
purpose-built mixed gender prison of modern times, with equal
provision for both sexes.
But prison chiefs say that there will be only one kitchen, and in
it only women will do the cooking.

Source:- The Guardian Thursday 10 March 2005 page 2

Children at centre of drive for fitter nation

Pedometers are to be supplied to schools for children to measure
how far they walk in an attempt to improve the health of the next
generation. Under government plans, pupils in more deprived areas
will also get help from a personal health trainer to write their
own lifestyle plans, setting out their hopes and ambitions for
better food and more exercise.

Source:- The Guardian Thursday 10 March 2005 page 2

Scheme for criminals ‘failing’

A government initiative to get criminals on drugs to kick the habit
was “more like a get out of jail free card” than a
rehabilitation programme, the Commons public accounts committee
says in a report released.

It says that only 25 per cent of those who accept drug treatment
orders ever complete them – with wide variations across the
country.

Source:- The Guardian Thursday 10 March 2005 page 6

Racism was ‘rife’ at Feltham

Judy Clement, the prison service’s first race equality
adviser told the inquiry into the killing of the Asian teenager
Zahid Mubarek yesterday that racism was rife at Feltham Young
Offender Institution.

Source:- The Guardian Thursday 10 March 2005 page 6

Gypsy groups report the Sun to the police

Gypsy groups reported the Sun to the police and the Press
Complaints Commission yesterday, claiming that its new campaign
against Traveller camps was an incitement to racial hatred.

Their leaders made formal complaints following the tabloid
declaring “war on gypsy free-for-all” under the
headline “Stamp on camps”.
One woman living on a site has asked for police protection while
others said their children were frightened by the headlines.

Source:- The Guardian Thursday 10 March 2005 page 8

Public sector faces spring of discontent from
unions

Local government unions are confident that they will receive a huge
yes vote today from their 1.2 million members for a strike on March
23, the day parliament goes on its Easter holidays.

Source:- The Guardian Thursday 10 March 2005 page 10

Easing of cannabis law ‘may need a
rethink’

Jack Straw has hinted that the government’s decision to
downgrade the status of cannabis as an illegal drugs may have been
a mistake.

Source:- The Daily Telegraph Thursday 10 March 2005 page
11

Gambling curb

Children should be banned from using fruit machines, a cross-bench
alliance of peers will say today as they attempt to amend the
Gambling Bill.

Source: – The Times Thursday 10 March page 9

Boy convicted of knife murder

A 15-year-old schoolboy was convicted yesterday of murdering an
A-level pupil who tried to stop him threatening another boy with a
knife. The boy, who cannot be named because of his age, killed
Robert Levy, 16, during the attack last September.

Source:- The Times Thursday 10 March 2005 page 22

Father who killed sick son “was
delusional”

A former SAS soldier who smothered his terminally ill son to death
at their home in Worthing last year was suffering from a condition
similar to post-traumatic stress, a court head yesterday.

Andrew Wragg, who admits manslaughter on the grounds of diminished
responsibility but denies murder, had just returned from Iraq and
was becoming increasingly concerned about the worsening condition
of his son, Lewes Crown Court was told.

Source:- The Independent Thursday 10 March 2005 page
7

Bullies killed boy who was terrified of water by throwing
him into river

Two 17-year-old boys have been convicted of manslaughter after
throwing 16-year-old David Berry, who had a phobia of water and
could not swim into the river Stour near Shaftesbury.

The killers were found to be 1.5 times over the drink-drive limit
at the time of the attack, Bournemouth Crown Court heard.

Source:- The Independent Thursday 10 March 2005 page
14

Appeal to help “hidden” rural poor

Nearly a quarter of all rural households have a low income, but
they way they are scattered across a wide area makes it more
difficult to help them find jobs and access services, according to
the Commission for Rural Communities.

Source:- Financial Times Thursday 10 March 2005 page
4

Thanks, Mr Prescott

Homeowners in Wickford, Essex spoke of their bitterness about John
Prescott’s pro-gypsy policies, complaining they live in a
cycle of fear and misery.

Source:- Daily Mail Thursday 10 March 2005 page 1

Girls of 15 binge drink even more than the boys

Binge drinking among teenage girls has soared to record levels, a
government survey has found.

Nearly half of all 15-year-old girls drink regularly and for the
first time more girls than boys are drinkers at that age.

Source:- Daily Mail Thursday 10 March 2005 page 9

“At risk” girl murdered with her mother

A girl of six who was on a social services “at risk”
register was strangled and her mother stabbed at their flat in
Camden, north London.

Social workers had been monitoring the Ukleigha
Batten-Froggatt’s care for months following allegations that
she was being neglected by her heavy-drinking mother.

Source:- Daily Mail Thursday 10 March 2005 page 19

Scottish news

Slopping-out damages to be paid

Prisoners whose health has suffered as a result of being forced to
slop-out in their cells will receive compensation from the Scottish
executive.

Offenders who have suffered physical injury or mental trauma
through slopping-out will receive settlements.

No details were given as to how many prisoners may receive
compensation or the potential total cost of damages.

Source:- The Scotsman  Thursday 10 March

Racism daily part of pupils’ lives in Scots schools,
find academics

Pupils from ethnic minority backgrounds experience racism every day
in schools in Scotland, according to a report published by the
Scottish executive.

The study also found that ethnic pupils felt teachers were not
doing enough to tackle the problem.

Source:- The Scotsman  Thursday 10 March

Welsh news

Former matron weeps in court

A former residential home matron was found not guilty of force
feeding a 95-year-old resident to death and assaulting other older
people she was looking after yesterday.

Avola Humphreys, who was matron at the Bodawen Residential Home, in
Tremadog, Gwynedd, was cleared of the manslaughter of William Henry
Pettener by causing him to choke to death. She was also cleared of
seven assault charges.

Source:- Western Mail Thursday 10 March

‘Lack of attention’ verdict in baby death

A baby who was delivered by his unqualified father at home only
lived to be 27 days old, an inquest heard yesterday.

Robert Duffill was ill when he was born in April 2002 Aberystwyth
Coroner’s Court was told. Ceredigion Coroner Peter Brunton
recorded a verdict of want of attention at birth.

Source:- Western Mail Thursday 10 March