Friday 10 June 2005

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

New hate law ‘could have stopped
riots’

Controversial laws banning the incitement of religious hared could
have prevented the riots which swept through northern English towns
in 2001, a government minister said yesterday. The disorder in
Oldham, Burnley and Bradford was sparked by the activities of
extreme rightwing groups which had sought to whip up
anti-Muslim.

Home Office minister Paul Goggins was speaking on the publication
of the racial and religious hatred bill, which extends protection
against incitement of hatred to faith groups.

Source:- The Guardian June 10 2005 page 8

Asbo chief rounds on liberal critics

Liberal critics of the government’s antisocial behaviour
orders are “not living in the real world”, according to
Louise Casey, head of the Home Office antisocial behaviour
unit.

Casey argues that critics including “youth workers, social
workers and the liberal intelligentsia” should accept there
is strong public support for the sanctions in addressing “a
culture of intimidation”.

Source:- The Guardian June 10 2005 page 9

Prison inmates to be denied free newspapers

The Prison Service is set to end a 50-year-old tradition of
distributing free newspapers to prisoners.

Reformers describe the move as penny pinching at a time when
illiteracy rates among prisoners are soaring.

Source:- The Guardian June 10 2005 page 10

Punish senior officials, say Victoria Climbie’s
parents

The parents of the child abuse victim Victoria Climbie called
yesterday for the punishment of senior officials and councillors
who were responsible for the chaotic administration that allowed
the girl’s murderer to torture and starve her to death.

Francis and Berthe Climbie welcomed a decision by the care
standards tribunal to overturn a ban imposed by Charles Clarke, the
former education secretary, stopping Victoria’s social worker
Lisa Arthurworrey from ever working again with children.

Source:- The Guardian June 10 2005 page 11

Nursery death charges

Three women have been charged with manslaughter after the death of
a seven-month-year-old boy whose head became wedged between the
seat and the hood of a baby bouncer at a nursery in Bromsgrove,
Worcestershire, in March last year.

Source:- The Guardian June 10 2005 page 12

Bang, bang you’re nicked

A boy was allegedly threatened with arrest by armed police officers
for using a cap gun – minus caps – in the street.

Carl Astley, 10, was stopped by the two officers while playing
cowboys and Indians with his younger brother during a family walk
in Salisbury.

Source:- The Daily Telegraph June 10 2005 page 3

Anger over booklet for children that advises on oral
sex

Children as young as 13 are being advised on oral sex, orgasms and
being good in bed in a booklet published by the fpa, formerly the
Family Planning Association.

Source:- The Daily Telegraph June 10 2005 page 9

Jewish cemetery desecrated in “planned
attack”

Vandals have attacked a Jewish cemetery, breaking up to 100
gravestones, some thought to be of concentration camp
survivors.

The attack on the Rainsbough Jewish Cemetery in Prestwich,
Manchester comes as Jewish leaders gave warnings that attacks on
their community were increasing.

Source:- The Times Friday 10 June 2005 page 4

Neglectful mother

A mother who took her three-month-old baby girl on a nine-hour pub
crawl and then collapsed, spilling her out on to the road, was
given an 18 months rehabilitation order by Yeovil magistrates
court.

Source:- The Times Friday 10 June 2005 page  24

Care-home killer, 82, mentally ill for decades

A psychopathic woman used an ornamental iron to bludgeon to death a
93-year-old fellow resident at a care home for older people, a
court was told yesterday.

It was later discovered that May Thrower, 82, had been suffering
from a psychopathic illness for many years but staff at the home
did not know of her background because the medical records had been
lost before she moved in.

Source:- The Times Friday 10 June 2005 page 
33                          

I’m not the only one to blame

In an interview, Victoria Climbie’s social worker Lisa
Arthurworrey describes the “near lunatic incompetence”
that was rife in Haringey social services.

Source:- Daily Mail Friday 10 June 2005 page 26

Scottish news

Row looms over plans to change adoption
rules

Gay and unmarried Scottish couples will be allowed to adopt
children under a new law to be put before the Scottish
Parliament.

The move, which will bring Scotland in line with English laws,
could spark opposition by religious groups, some have warned.

MSPs want a free vote, and several across different parties have
told whips they cannot support gay or unmarried adoption on moral
grounds.

Source:- The Herald Friday 10 June

Welsh news

‘Bus of shame’ plan for unruly pupils

A pink “bus of shame” is one of the ideas being
considered by a Welsh council in an effort to get children to
behave on school buses.

Denbighshire councillors are considering forcing pupils who
misbehave to travel in a bus painted pink in an attempt to make
them embarrassed and to stop causing problems.

Source:- Western Mail Friday 10 June

Paedophile’s victim forced to move home

A paedophile’s victim has been forced to move house due to
her attacker moving into the same street.

The child’s mother claims that the police had no powers to
stop the man moving in and has called for a change in the
law.

Source:- IcWales Friday 10 June