Friday 15 April 2005

By Sally Gillen, Clare Jerrom, Lauren Revans and Amy
Taylor

Life for killer

A man who spent 40 years in a mental hospital after killing two
women in 1963 has been sentenced to life imprisonment at Hull Crown
Court.

In 2003, it was ruled that Victor Wilson was not suffering a
psychopathic disorder. He pleaded guilty to two counts of
manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility.

Source:- The Times  Friday 15 April page 4

Doctor will not be struck off for false murder claim

The paediatrician who accused Sally Clark’s husband of
killing the couple’s two sons has not been struck off.

David Southall made his comments after he saw a documentary about
the case in 2000. Clark’s wife was convicted of murdering the
two sons but the Court of Appeal threw out the verdict in 2004
ruling the conviction was unsafe.

A High Court judge yesterday said that Southall did not deserve to
be struck off but his punishment had been unduly lenient and
therefore the conditions should be tightened.

Source:- The Times  Friday 15 April page 16

Truancy penalty

Lisa Andrews was sent to Holloway prison for two weeks by Redbridge
magistrates on her third conviction for failing to ensure that her
daughter attended school in Ilford. The girl had only attended five
out of 77 lessons, the court was told.

Source:- The Times  Friday 15 April page 24

Missing man living rough on a mountain

A man who went missing from his Cornish home five months ago has
been found living on an Irish mountain.

Gareth Evans was malnourished and injured when police officers
found him in Leenane in Co Galway.

Source:- Daily Telegraph  Friday 15 April page 4

Conman read obituaries to find vulnerable victims

A man who used obituaries to find and befriend bereaved older
people before stealing cash and bank cards was jailed for eight
years yesterday.

Michael Booton won the confidence of vulnerable older people by
claiming to have known their dead partners.

Source:- Daily Telegraph  Friday 15 April

Care home nurse used dog lead to restrain patients

A registered nurse used a dog lead and curtain wire to restrain
patients in their chairs, a tribunal heard yesterday.

Former staff members at the Widey Grange residential home in
Plymouth gave evidence yesterday against co-home owner Yvonne
Thompson. They told a disciplinary hearing that mentally ill
residents were pinned down in their seats by Thompson. She denies
the allegations of malpractice at the home, which closed in 2002.
She is facing eight charges, dating from between 1997 and 2002 at
the Nursing and Midwifery Council.

Source:-Daily Mail 15 April 2005 page 19

Labour apologises for police murder

Labour has apologised for the death of a policeman killed by an
asylum seeker whose claim has failed.

Stephen Oake, a Special Branch officer, was killed by Kamel
Bourgass, who was behind a plot to poison and blow up members of
the public.

Source:- The Financial Times Friday 15 April page 4

Scottish news

Woman for court after baby found dead

A woman was due to appear in court today after the body of a
newborn baby was found at a house in Buckie, Banffshire.

Source:- The Herald Friday 15 April

Colleges set to retain charity status

Ministers are considering greater autonomy for new universities and
colleges across Scotland following earlier concerns that changes to
charity law could cost them up to £15 million a year in lost
tax breaks.

The move would allow the institutions to keep their charitable
status.

Source:- The Herald Friday 15 April

Disabled teenager wins an apology for pads cut

NHS Highland has apologised to the family of a teenager with
epilepsy and autism for cutting his supply of incontinence pads
without explanation of warning.

The health authority apologised and has now increased the
boy’s allowance of pads to seven per day.

Source:- The Herald Friday 15 April

Council staff with unfair sacking claim

Three supervisors at a Glasgow community education centre have won
their claim for unfair dismissal.

The three were sacked in December 2002 when their posts were
“deleted” as part of a council restructuring and they
refused to accept new jobs with lower salaries.

Source:- Evening Times Friday 15 April

800 Scottish civil service jobs go

The government has confirmed that almost 800 public sector jobs are
to go as part of the Scottish executive’s efficiency
drive.

The job losses, disclosed in executive papers, are part of a move
to save up to £900 million a year by streamlining the civil
service.

Source:- The Scotsman Friday 15 April

Lothian rape cases soar to record high

The number of reported rapes rose by a quarter to 234 in the
Lothians last year, police figures reveal.

Officers said the dramatic rise reflected women’s increasing
confidence in the way police handled such cases.

Source:- Edinburgh Evening News Friday 15 April

Welsh news

Family was accused

A Welsh mum claims Professor David Southall accused her and her
husband of harming their son Ben who was born with breathing
difficulties in 1985.

Davina Hollisey-Mclean says that in 1991 Southall also arranged to
have tests performed on Ben at the University Hospital of Wales,
Cardiff, without her and her husband knowing.

Source:- Western Mail Friday 15 April

Charity Appeal man is arrested

The partner of a woman who set up a charity to raise money for the
special care baby unit at Bronglais Hospital was arrested earlier
this week.

Craig Morris was arrested after volunteering to be interviewed over
allegations that the Little Sunbeams appeal has raised about
£13, 000 but only about £2, 500 has been given out.

Morris, who shared a house in Llanon with Angela Whitehead, the
charity’s founder, had not been seen locally since
February.

Source:- Western Mail Friday 15 April