Friday 12 August 2005

By Mithran Samuel, Simeon Brody, Derren Hayes and Amy
Taylor

Kids: cigs and drugs easy to get

Children have little difficulty getting hold of alcohol and
cigarettes, while many have easy access to cannabis, according to
research released today.

The study by NHS Health Scotland said the most effective way to
tackle underage drinking and smoking was by increasing
prices.

Source:- Daily Mirror Friday 12 August 2005 page 2

Happy slap gang ‘hang’ boy aged 7

A seven-year-old boy was left hanging from a climbing frame by his
hood by teenagers who filmed the attack on a mobile phone in a
variant of the happy slapping craze.

The boy had been playing with his brother and two friends in a park
in Dormanstown, North Yorkshire.

Source:-  Daily Mirror Friday 12 August 2005 page 15

Ministers dismiss doubts over shared equity plans

Doubts emerged about the future of the government’s
“shared equity” proposals, which would require mortgage
lenders to subsidise the cost of a house after two lenders withdrew
from discussions.

But the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister tried to shrug off
concerns, saying constructive discussions were taking place.

Source:- Financial Times Friday 12 August 2005 page
2

NHS deficits could cause hiring freeze

Some NHS trusts could resort to freezing staff recruitment in
efforts to balance their books.

At the end of the financial year many trusts found they had hefty
deficits.

Source:- Financial Times Friday 12 August 2005 page
2

Mother of all scroungers

Britain’s top scrounger is today revealed to be a mother of
fifteen children – who claims £49,000 a year in
benefits.

Source:- The Sun Friday 12 August 2005 page 4

Tramp tragedy

A homeless man killed himself after two bin bags with all his
belongings were carried away as rubbish, an inquest in Gloucester
heard.

Source:- The Sun Friday 12 August 2005 page 35

Belfast boy, 15, knifed to death as he went to buy
sweets

Police were last night questioning two men and a teenager after a
15-year-old boy in north Belfast was knifed to death while walking
to a garage to buy sweets.

Source:- The Guardian Friday 12 August 2005 page 4

Britain’s only prison ship ends up on the beach

The prison ship Weare closes for business today, pleasing prison
campaigners who argued that it never provided suitable
facilities.

Source:- The Guardian Friday 12 August 2005 page 8

Drug victims aged 11

Children as young as 11 are suffering personality changes caused by
cannabis abuse, doctors warned yesterday.

Falling street prices have made the drug readily available to
youngsters, according to a report in the British Medical
Journal.

Source:- Daily Mail Friday 12 August 2005 page 5

Frozen out by the NHS, 1,500 job-hunting
physios

Three out of four of this year’s physiotherapy graduates will
be left jobless because of a recruitment freeze across health
service trusts.
The situation was described as a “scandalous waste” by
the Chartered Society of Physiotherapists.

Source:- Daily Mail Friday 12 August 2005 page 5

Scottish news

Call for refund of £500,000 to monitor sex offender

Documents published by Aberdeen Council have revealed that
round-the-clock supervision of a notorious sex offender cost the
taxpayer nearly £500,000.

Over 16-months, the Scottish executive spent £438,000 on
monitoring Steven Beech, more than double the original estimation
of the costs.

Beech, who has a catalogue of previous convictions including the
rape of an older housekeeper, was moved from Cambridgeshire to
Aberdeen in March 2002.

Source:-The Scotsman Friday 12 August

Welsh news

…but look what our children can get their hands
on

Under age youngsters are currently able to obtain cigarettes,
alcohol and illegal drugs easily despite strict laws to prevent
them doing so, according to new research.

The teenagers got hold of such items either by buying them
themselves or from family or friends the study by NHS Scotland
found.

Source:- Western Mail Friday 12 August

Overdose ‘may have been cry for help’

A man died in hospital after taking an overdose which could have
been a cry for help a coroner said this week.

Ashley Boon, 32, took an overdose of painkillers and was found
collapsed at his home in Llanelli by his father.

Coroner Aiden Cotter said that the note appeared to have been
written when Cotter “was under some stress” and
recorded an open verdict.

Source:- Western Mail Friday 12 August