Friday 29 April 2005

By Maria Ahmed, Simeon Brody, Derren Hayes and Amy
Taylor

Steep rise in jail terms sends prison population to a new
high

A record number of prisoners were in jails in England and Wales
yesterday after a surge in offenders being sent to prison by the
courts.

The record prison population came when the overall number in the
139 jails reached 75,550.

Prison numbers have risen by 600 since the beginning of April
despite hopes among senior Whitehall officials that numbers had
stabilised and were gradually falling.

Source:- The Times Friday 29 April 2005 page  4

Family condemns prison service over racist killing

An Asian family has launched a scathing attack on the Prison
Service as the inquiry into the murder of their son by a racist
cellmate drew to a close. Officials had shown little more remorse
than the psychopath who killed Zahid Mubarek and should be ashamed,
the

Mubarek’s family legal team told the chairman of the inquiry,
Mr Justice Keith.

Source:- The Independent Friday 29 April 2005 page
11

Obesity increases risk dementia in old age, study
finds

The obesity epidemic sweeping the Western world could usher in an
epidemic of dementia, doctors have warned. The incidence of
dementia is expected to increase five-fold over 20 years because of
the ageing population.

Source:- The Independent Friday 29 April 2005 page 
19

Man charged over hostel murder

A 24-year-old man was charged with murder last night after a mother
of five children was stabbed to death in a single parents’
hostel in Three Bridges, Crawley, West Sussex.

Source:- The Independent Friday 29 April 2005 page
25

Pensioners ‘will be worse off under
Labour’

Pensioners would lose out under Labour, compared with Conservative
or Liberal Democrat policies, according to think-tank the Institute
of Fiscal Studies.

Source:- The Independent Friday 29 April 2005 page
29

Nurses to fight for pensions

Delegates at the Royal College of Nursing annual congress
threatened industrial action yesterday over a government proposal
to increase the pension age from 60 to 65.

Source:- The Daily Telegraph Friday 29 April 2005 page
2

Rich-poor health gap “as bad as
Victorians”

The difference in life expectancy between the richest and poorest
areas is the most pronounced since Victorian times, research
published in the British Medical Journal says today.

Despite favourable economic circumstances and inroads made by
government initiatives more substantial redistributive policies are
needed, the report says.

Source:- The Daily Telegraph Friday 29 April 2005 page
4

Ex-wife “said Sion was more likely to kill
her”

The former wife of Sion Jenkins, the deputy headmaster alleged to
have bludgeoned his foster daughter to death with a tent peg, told
a friend that if her husband was to kill anyone it would be her,
the Old Bailey heard yesterday.

Jenkins denies murder.

Source:- The Daily Telegraph Friday 29 April 2005 page
13

Youths hunted as widow, 86, dies

An older widow who was attacked in her Stockton-on-Tees home by two
intruders died in hospital yesterday.

Kathleen Roberts, 86, was found on Tuesday and subsequently told
police: “There were two boys in my house. They hurt my
head.”

Source:- The Daily Telegraph Friday 29 April 2005 page
13

Hospital porters “left dead baby in box”

Two hospital porters at New Cross hospital in Wolverhampton, have
been suspended amid allegations that a dead baby was left in a box
in the building’s basement instead of being taken to the
mortuary.

Yesterday it emerged one of the porters involved was disciplined
over a similar incident two years ago.

Source:- The Daily Telegraph Friday 29 April 2005 page
14

Prison suicide scrutiny widened

A judge has ordered a public inquiry into a suicide attempt by a
vulnerable remand prisoner at Pentonville prison which left him
with permanent brain damage.

Mr Justice Munby said the attempted suicide raised “real and
very worrying doubts” about whether there was sufficient
protection in prison for those who posed serious suicide risks. The
ruling paves the way for public inquiries into suicide attempts by
other “at risk” prisoners.

Source:- The Guardian Friday 29 April 2005 page 12

For asylum seeker, read bogus student

The number of foreign students arriving to live in Britain has
increased 58 per cent in two years, according to government
figures.

The rise, which comes as the number of asylum seekers has been
reduced, brought warning that many may now be posing as
students.

Source:- Daily Mail Friday 29 April 2005 page 17

Ecstasy kills girl on first night out clubbing

An 18-year-old girl from Wilmslow, Cheshire is feared to have died
from an Ecstasy overdose after her first ever night out at a
club.

Source:- Daily Mail Friday 29 April 2005 page 21

Scottish news

Charity launches refuge for young runaways

Scottish children commissioner Kathleen Marshall launched the
country’s first refuge for young runaways in Glasgow.

The Running Other Choices (ROC) refuge will accommodate around 100
children, mainly between the ages of 12 and 15 years, who leave
home or care each year.

Up to three children can stay at any one time for up to seven days
or, in extremely exceptional circumstances, 14 days.

Source:- The Herald Friday 29 April

Cheers as sheriff sends sex offender to High Court

A paedophile who abducted a teenage girl while on bail accused of
abusing another young victim has been sent to the High Court to
face a stiffer sentence.

Simon Moore admitted unlawful sex with a 13-year-old from
Johnstone, Renfrewshire, after travelling from his home in Hackney,
east London.

She had been groomed in an internet homework chatroom. He is
already serving six-years for targeting another teenager while on
bail.

Source:- The Herald Friday 29 April

Lifespan gap worst since Victorians

Life expectancy for people in Glasgow is 11 years less than for
those in East Dorset, according to new figures published
today.

The difference is the largest since Victorian times and the
study’s authors say it highlights the widening health gap
between rich and poor.

Source:- The Scotsman Friday 29 April

Local authorities are a hotchpotch ready for revamp

Douglas Sinclair, chair of Cosla, looks at the arguments for and
against reorganisation of local government.

It follows comments by public service reform minister Tom McCabe
that there are too many council chief executives and that
reorganisation could happen after 2007.

Source:- The Scotsman Friday 29 April

Social work leave boy, 13, home alone

An investigation will be launched into claims that a 13-year-old
boy from Falkirk was left alone for two days after his mother was
rushed to hospital.

It is believed a social worker admitted that she knew the teenager
was at home unsupervised. But a lack of resources stopped a care
package being put in place immediately.

Source:- Daily Record Friday 29 April

Welsh news

Bullying victim’s second letter found

The second page of a letter written by a girl before she died in a
suspected suicide pact has been found by her parents.

Yvonne and Michael Rhodes feel that bullying is largely to blame
for Laura’s death.

The 13-year-old died of a suspected drug overdose after being found
unconscious at home last September.

Source:- IC Wales  Friday 29 April

Date set for baby’s inquest

A date for the inquest into the death of a terminally ill baby who
died after life saving treatment was withheld has been set.

Luke Winston-Jones from Holyhead, Anglesey, who had the genetic
disorder Edwards’ syndrome, was denied treatment following a
battle in the High Court between doctors and his mother.

Luke died at Alder-Hey children’s hospital in Liverpool last
November.

The inquest will take place at Liverpool coroners’ court in
May.

Source:- IC Wales Friday 29 April