Thursday 14 July

By Amy Taylor, Maria Ahmed and Simeon
Brody

Boy, 14, charged with raping girls

A 14-year-old boy has been charged with seven counts of rape on two
eight-year-old girls, a seven-year-old girl and a ten-year-old
girl.
The girls had been playing on swings in Mandley Park in Salford,
Manchester, shortly before the attacks took place. The boy is due
to appear before Salford magistrates today.

Source:- The Times, Thursday 14 July 2005, page 15

BNP fans flames with ‘sick’ by-election
leaflet

Far right seen as real threat as voters go to polls in London with
leaflet featuring a large picture of Number 30 bus which was blown
apart by a bomb in Tavistock Square last week

Source:- The Times, Thursday 14 July 2005, page 29

Childcare still failing the most
vulnerable

Staff working with children are still being hired without proper
criminal record checks or references, a child protection
investigation has found. The Safeguarding Children report also
discovered that temporary agency and foreign workers are being
taken on without background checks.

Source:- The Times, Thursday 14 July 2005, page 33

Meadow failed in his duty was expert witness, GMC
rules
 
Professor Sir Roy Meadow gave “erroneous” and
“misleading” evidence in the trial of Sally Clark, who
was found guilty but later cleared of murdering her two sons, the
General Medical Council ruled.

Sir Roy failed in his duty as an expert witness to explain the
limited relevance of his findings, a GMC panel said yesterday but
it ruled he did not intend to mislead. A decision on whether his
actions amounted to serious professional misconduct is expected
today or tomorrow.
 
Source:- The Independent Thursday 14 July 2005 page
14

Scientists predict brave new world of brain
pills
 
An array of easily available and addiction-free drugs could be used
to improve memory or increase intelligence, according to a new
report by leading scientists.

Some drugs are being touted as “vaccinations” against
substances such as nicotine, alcohol and cocaine and others could
delete painful memories.
 
Source:- The Guardian Thursday 14 July 2005 page 7

Two prisoners found hanged
 
Two inmates have been found hanged in their cells at maximum
security Altcourse prison in Liverpool.
 
Source:- The Guardian Thursday 14 July 2005 page 10

Anger over new mental health bill
 
Mental health campaigners were disappointed by the
government’s decision to press ahead with legislation to
allow the compulsory treatment of people who might not benefit from
it.
 
Source:- The Guardian Thursday 14 July 2005 page 12

Outspoken “yob tsar” to keep her
job
 
Government antisocial behaviour adviser Louise Casey, who came
under fire after giving a raucous after-dinner speech is to keep
her job, it was announced yesterday.
 
Source:- The Guardian Thursday 14 July 2005 page 13 

Paedophile who abused four-year-old sues for unfair
dismissal
 
A paedophile sacked by a Christian publishing company after being
convicted of sexually abusing a four-year-old girl is suing his
employers for unfair dismissal. A children’s charity
described the claim as “absurd”.
 
Source:- The Daily Telegraph Thursday 14 July 2005 page
11

Teenager held in child murder case
 
An 18-year-old was arrested yesterday on suspicion of murdering
10-year-old Lauren Pilkington-Smith in Greater Manchester.
 
Source:- The Daily Telegraph Thursday 14 July 2005 page
14

Scottish newspapers

Six missing words let abuse accused go free

Victims of abuse in children’s homes have criticised the justice
system after a legal technicality allowed an alleged abuser to
escape trial. James Crawford who was accused of indecency offences
dating from the 1970s against girls in his care, walked away
because a formal legal phrase was not included in his indictment.
One campaigner said: “The gates of justice seem to be
closed.”

The Scotsman, 14 July

New job looks clear to Glasier

Professor Anna Glasier has been appointed by NHS Lothian to
implement new sexual health policies, integrate services and
improve staff training following a review of services. Glasier, who
has an international reputation for work in this field, is
currently the region’s director of Family Planning and Well Woman
Services, a role in which she will continue.

The Scotsman, 14 July

Inverclyde ‘a baby death blackspot’

Babies are twice as likely to die in their first year in
Inverclyde as in London. Research by premature baby care charity
Bliss suggests that cutbacks in staff and maternity care are
putting babies at risk. Chief executive Rob Williams said:
“The fact that a baby in Scotland doesn’t have access to the
same level of care as in other parts of the UK is
alarming.”

The Record, 14 July

Welsh Newspapers

Wristband that could keep your child safe

A new type of wristband designed to help prevent children from
loosing their parent was launched yesterday.

The Principality Building Society is handing out the bands to
children which display their parent’s contact number on the
inside. The bands will be given away in branches across
Wales.

Source:- Western Mail, 14 July, Thursday

Pupil sold porn at school

A pupil at a Catholic school in South Wales has been caught selling
pornographic DVDs in the playground.

Police visited St John Lloyd Comprehensive School in Llanelli after
being contacted by concerned parents.
The pupil has been suspended.

Source:- icWales, 14 July, Thursday