Tuesday 20 September 2005

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

Take care of criminals

Prisoners will be locked up closer to home and get instant cash
benefits on release in a controversial move to cut re-offending,
Charles Clarke said yesterday.

The Home Secretary wants offenders serving short-term jail
sentences to be held in “community jails” nearer their
families and kept separate from dangerous criminals.

Source:- The Daily Mirror Tuesday 20 September 2005
page 2

Dad jailed for killing baby son

A teenage dad who suffocated his baby son after falling asleep
on top of him was jailed for 18 months yesterday. James Tuffs, now
21, was convicted at Norwich Crown Court in July.

Source:- The Daily Mirror Tuesday 20 September 2005
page 10

Jail mum sues doc

Solicitor Sally Clark, who was wrongly jailed for killing her
baby sons, is sueing Home Office pathologist Dr Alan Willians for
failing to disclose vital evidence.

Source:- The Daily Mirror Tuesday 20 September 2005
page 26

Cockle deaths gangmaster ‘tried to blame two
victims’

A Chinese gangmaster accused of causing the death of at least 21
cockle pickers in Morecambe Bay pressed survivors of the disaster
to pin the blame on two men who had drowned, it was alleged in
court yesterday. The trial continues.

Source:- The Independent Tuesday 20 September 2005 page
16

Agency set to encourage wider community ties for
Muslims

Charles Clarke will unveil plans tomorrow for a new commission
to look at ways Muslims and other faiths can better integrate into
the community.

Source:- The Independent Tuesday 20 September 2005 page
11

Council tax overhaul to be held after next
election

A council tax overhaul is to be shelved until after the next
general election, ministers will say today.

A revaluation needed to reflect rising house prices is to be called
off and a report by Sir Michael Lyons into town hall financing will
be widened to consider local government structure but will not be
issued until the end of next year.

Source:- Financial Times Tuesday 20 September 2005 page
4

 Estimate of mental health orders queried

Many more patients than estimated by ministers are likely to be
treated compulsorily in the community under the planned mental
health bill.

The King’s Fund estimate that between 7,800 and 13,000 people
might be subject to the new mental health orders.

Source:- Financial Times Tuesday 20 September 2005 page
4

Teacher suspended for “telling shy pupil to top
himself”

A teacher has been suspended after she allegedly told a
13-year-old pupil that he should “top himself” because
he was too shy to speak in front of his classmates.

Source:- The Daily Telegraph Tuesday 20 September 2005
page 4

Bullies who killed girl had drunk 40 lagers, court
told

Four teenage bullies killed schoolgirl Aimee Wellock, 15,
in an unprovoked attack after drinking up to 40 bottles of strong
lager, a court was told.

She collapsed as she ran away from the three girls and one boy who
set upon her and three friends as they walked through a beauty spot
near her home in Bradford.

Source:- The Daily Telegraph Tuesday 20 September 2005
page 6

50,000 Londoners are addicted to crack, says study

Almost 50,000 Londoners are addicted to crack cocaine,
according to research from Imperial College London and Bristol
University.

The estimate suggests that 1 per cent of 15-44 year olds in the
capital are taking the drug.

Source:- The Guardian Tuesday 20 September 2005 page
7

Scottish news

First child receives anti-social order in
Scotland

A boy who terrorised a community for months has become the first
child in Scotland to receive an under-16 anti-social behaviour
order (Asbo).

The 14-year-old from Renfrewshire was given an interim Asbo at
Paisley Sheriff Court. It was issued almost a year after the orders
were first enacted as a flagship measure by Jack McConnell, first
minister.

Source:- The Herald Tuesday 20 September

 Strategy to help child sex abuse

 A network of support schemes to help adults who have been
sexually abused as children is to be established.

Lewis Macdonald, the deputy health minister, unveiled a £2
million package of measures designed to improve services across
Scotland and encourage abuse survivors to seek help earlier. It
coincided with the official launch of the country’s first NHS
counselling centre for male survivors of abuse.

Source:- The Herald Tuesday 20 September

Our lives with Jack, by his adopted
daughter

Feature on Hannah McConnell, adopted daughter of first minister
Jack McConnell, on her life living with Scotland’s most
senior politician.

Source:- The Scotsman Tuesday 20 September

Welsh news

Dunblane Hoaxer given last chance

A Welsh man who rang up Dunblane Primary School pretending to be
gunman Thomas Hamilton has been given a final chance to co-operate
with social workers trying to assess the risk of him
re-offending.

Robert Pritchard, 36, from Sully, in the Vale of Glamorgan, was
released on bail at Stirling Sheriff Court yesterday.

Source:- Western Mail Tuesday 20 September

Welsh mum is arrested in Spain

A mother who ran away after allegedly taking her children from the
care of social services is thought to have been arrested in Spain
yesterday.

It is believed that her two children Jacob, three, and Shauna, two,
have been taken into the care of Spanish social services.

The authorities are still looking for Sears’ partner Kevin
Jones. He is wanted by the police after skipping bail on serious
sex charges against a child who is not a member of his
family.

Source:- Western Mail Tuesday 20 September