Friday 14th October 2005

Blind fliers grounded
A group of blind and partially sighted passengers were told to leave a Ryanair flight yesterday because there were too many disabled people on board.
The group of 12 were taken back to the departure lounge when the captain said that he could only take four disabled people on the plane.
Source:- Daily Mail, Friday 14 October

Man charged with murder of Toni Ann, seven, and man, 41
A 31-year-old man was charged last night with the murder of seven-year-old Toni-Ann Byfield in 2003. Joel Smith of no fixed address, was also charged with the murder of Anthony Pinnock, 41, who was believed at the time to have been Toni-Ann’s father. Toni-Ann was in the care of Birmingham social services at the time.
 Source:- The Independent, Friday 14 October page 9
 
 Cannabis “can boost brain power”
 Cannabis can boost brain power, according to scientists who found the drug stimulates growth of new brain cells in a similar way to the antidepressant drug Prozac.
 Source:- The Independent, Friday 14 October  page 22
 
Clarke under pressure on prison early-release plan
 The Home Office confirmed it is considering plans to extend early release for hundreds of prisoners days after the Prime Minister delivered an uncompromising message warning criminals would face “summary justice”.
Under the Home Office plans, prisoners could be freed, wearing an electronic tag, six months before they become eligible for automatic release.
 Source:- The Independent, Friday 14 October page 24
 
Nervous voices a giveaway for benefit cheats
 The Department of Work and Pensions announced yesterday that it was to explore “cutting edge private sector techniques, such as the use of voice stress analysis” go identify suspected benefit cheats. The department is also to match data with credit reference agencies for the first time, allowing it to check what claimants tell the government about their circumstances against what they tell private companies.
 Source:- Financial Times, Friday 14 October page 2
 
Child commissioner attacks “baby Asbos” plan
The government should ditch any moves to introduce “baby Asbos” to tackle anti-social behaviour in children under 10, children’s commissioner for England Al Aynsley-Green said yesterday. He said it was part of a worrying policy of punishment and control towards children.
 Source:- The Guardian, Friday 14 October page 13
 
Cameron rejects tough line on cannabis
David Cameron has backed away from the hard-line anti-drugs policy championed by the Conservatives at the last general election.
 Source:- The Daily Telegraph, Friday 14 October page 1
 
£380,000 for racially abused warder
 A white South African prison officer has been awarded damages of more than £380,000 after an employment tribunal found that he had been the victim of racial discrimination at a jail in Wiltshire.
 Source:- The Daily Telegraph, Friday 14 October page 5
 
Parents want “improved” Charlotte’s order lifted
 The parents of Charlotte Wyatt claimed yesterday that her quality of life had improved so much that an order allowing doctors not to resuscitate her if she stops breathing should be lifted.
 Source:- The Daily Telegraph, Friday 14 October page 10
 
Special needs pupils missing out
 Around 25,000 pupils with special needs are being taught in unsuitable mainstream classes because of the government’s inclusion agenda, according to a survey.
 Source:- The Daily Telegraph, Friday 14 October page 10
 
Boy forced himself on me, says teacher
A geography teacher told a jury that a burly pupil pinned her against a classroom wall and kissed her. Shelley White, 25, denies three counts of abuse of trust by having sexual activity with a child in June last year while working in Castleford.
 Source:- The Daily Telegraph, Friday 14 October page 11

Scotland

Disabled outrage over wheelchair called the Spazz
Disability groups have blasted a US wheelchair company for calling their new product the Spazz, the outdated term for “spastic”. Bosses insist they are reclaiming negative language linked with wheelchair users and trying to get words like “spazz” associated with positive things. But disability campaigners have reacted angrily.
Source:- The Record, Friday 14 October

Cops swoop on truant schoolkids
Children playing truant from school have been caught by police in a series of swoops across Edinburgh. Police and education workers have been patrolling the streets of the capital over the past two days. It is part of a new scheme called Truancy Watch which targets shopping centres and other parts of the city attractive to children.
Soruce:-The Record, 14 October

£63m heroin haul of boy, 16
A boy aged just 16 caught with heroin worth £63,000 has been jailed for nearly four years. Lord Macfadyen told the teenager at the High Court in Edinburgh it was an “extraordinary” crime for someone of his age. Kerr, who turns 17 this month, said he was storing the drug for someone else.
Source:-The Record, Friday 14 October

Wales

Operation Blaze targets internet child abusers
Twenty people have been arrested in an operation targeting internet paedophiles.
Dawn raids were carried out on the homes of people suspected of viewing or downloading “inappropriate child material” across South Wales.
Source:- Western Mail Friday 14 October

Decision on WDA is mine, not Hain’s, says Morgan
First minister Rhodri Morgan has talked down criticism of the plans to scrap the Welsh Development Agency brand and said that it is a decision for his administration.
Welsh secretary Peter Hain had previously said that that he was concerned about the plans as the regeneration agency was well known around the world.
Source:- Western Mail Friday 14 October