Friday 15 July

“Happy slap” arrest
 
A 15-year-old boy from Bolton has been arrested after a 13-year-old
was tied to a tree with masking tape, which was then set on fire,
in a “happy slapping” attack.

A gang of eight boys tied up the victim then recorded it on their
mobile phones, before he managed to escape unhurt.
 
Source:- The Times Friday 15 July 2005 page 17

Childcare places to be made available for all working
parents

Under a consultation paper on childcare published by
children’s minister Beverley Hughes town halls will be
required by law to ensure that there are enough childcare places to
meet the need of every working parent in their area.
 
Source:- The Times Friday 15 July 2005 page 27

Boy in court over 7 rapes
 
A 14-year-old boy appeared at Salford Magistrates Court charged
with seven counts of rape against four girls, aged between seven
and 10. No plea was entered and the teenager was remanded in
custody to appear in court on July 21.
 
Source:- The Times Friday 15 July 2005 page 30

Fire survivors
 
Three children left home alone by their mother, who is thought to
be on holiday in Greece, survived a house fire in Worcester. A girl
aged 16 and a boy aged 14 had apparently been left to fend for
themselves and to look after an 18-month-old sibling.
 
Source:- The Times Friday 15 July 2005 page 30 

Far right and football gangs plot
“revenge”
 
Plans by an alliance of rightwing extremists and football hooligans
to exact “revenge” on Muslims after last week’s
attacks are being monitored by police.
 
Source:- The Guardian Friday 15 July 2005 page 2

Ministers seek assurances on treatment of
deportees
 
The government is seeking legally binding assurances from several
north African countries that anyone expelled from Britain for
inciting terrorism will not face torture on their return.
 
Source:- The Guardian Friday 15 July 2005 page 2

Youths to be given leisure smartcard
 
A green paper out on Monday aims to end “quasi
anarchic” funding of youth services that has left many
teenagers without appropriate after-school activities.

Ministers propose a national organisation for youth volunteering as
well as a framework for youth leisure provision along the lines of
Sure Start.
 
Source:- The Guardian Friday 15 July 2005 page 10

Home Office halts Zimbabwe deportations
 
The Home Office has suspended the deportation of failed Zimbabwean
asylum seekers until a series of test cases to establish the
legality of sending people back are heard on August 4.
 
Source:- The Guardian Friday 15 July 2005 page 12

Prescott’s plans for new homes scaled
down
 
John Prescott’s plans for 720,000 new homes in the South East
over the next 20 years have been scaled down by the South East
regional assembly to 578,000 after a campaign highlighting the
environmental consequences.
 
Source:- The Daily Telegraph Friday 15 July 2005 page
12
 

The benefit that was overpaid by £730m
 
The government paid out £730m too much in Disability Living
Allowance last year, nearly 10 per cent of the total spent on the
benefit.
An official study found a combination of fraud, changes in the
circumstances of claimants and staff errors.
 
Source:- Daily Mail Friday 15 July 2005 page 17

“Happy slap” rape is filmed
 
The rape of a teenage girl in Devon was filmed by her
attacker’s friends on their mobile phones before being
circulated around other youths in the latest example of
“happy slapping”. A man of 19 has been arrested and
interviewed for alleged rape.
 
Source:- The Daily Mail Friday 15 July 2005 page 19

Scottish newspapers

£100m fails to curb the rise in child
crime

The number of persistent young offenders committing crimes in
Scotland has increased again. The number of children, mainly under
16, committing five or more offences in the six-month period to
March jumped 5 per cent, the second 5 per cent rise in a row. The
target is for a 10 per cent cut by March 2006. Cathy Jamieson,
justice minister, blamed councils and called on them to “raise
their game”.

The Herald and Scotsman, 15 July

Scotland’s NHS ‘badly needs extra 3,000
nurses’

Scotland is suffering a shortfall of more than 3,000 nurses, the
highest in six years. Figures from the Scottish executive on NHS
employment levels revealed an increase across the board, with more
consultants, more doctors in training and more allied health
professionals. But the increase in nurses was not enough to meet
the need of Scottish patients, who are often cared for by
over-worked, exhausted staff, according to the Royal College of
Nursing.

The Scotsman, 15 July

Welsh newspapers

Pupils’ special needs appeal

Children are putting up a fight to prevent the closure of their
school which they say would cause major issues for disabled
pupils.

They argue that the children rely on the facilities at Dylan Thomas
Community School and would not be as well catered for at another
facility.

Swansea council says that the move is due to falling numbers.

Source:- Thisissouthwales, Friday, 15 July