Saturday, March 31, 2007

Huntley did not reveal all in taped confession - Daily Telegraph wrong to claim otherwise


I was cynical when I read "Huntley revealed all in taped 'confession'" in the Daily Telegraph. It's an attention grabbing headline. However, I feel that whoever was responsible for putting this before the article either did not read the piece or didn't care whether it reflected in brief the substance of the story. In any event, this is just an example of shoddy journalism. My main concern is with the version of events as described by Huntley on a tape about the time he took an overdose of pills.

Huntley does not accept responsibility for killing both Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman. Throughout he blames Maxine Carr, Holly and Jessica. A problem with Huntley serving a natural life sentence is that because he knows that he will never be released there is no incentive for him to address his offending behaviour on one of the courses run by the Prison Service. As he knows that he will not be released there is no incentive for him to address his level of perceived risk to the public. Huntley's version of events do not hold up under scrutiny. There are too many inconsistencies, and gaps in the narrative. He has not yet faced up to what he has done. The group therapy sessions at Grendon Underwood would assist him to address his guilt.

This would unlock the secrets he is keeping in the back of his mind.

He is not serving a prison sentence worth a pinch of salt.

A waste of time, space and money.

Ministry of Justice


It is a step in the right direction for Lord Falconer, the caretaker Minister of Justice, to announce that shorter sentences will be given to some prisoners to ease the record prison overcrowding crisis caused by the Labour government following knee-jerk get tough policies. But, he (or whoever takes over the role)needs to go further and drop this silly labelling of "dangerous" offenders and "non-dangerous" offenders. Some crimes by their very nature are more serious than others. This is clear cut, for example, murder is more serious than theft. It should be left at that. Academics have pondered over the theory of dangerousness, and there is no clear consensus of what constitutes dangerousness and who might fit into that loosely labelled bracket. Therefore, it makes more sense to steer away from vague concepts and stick to what we do know and what is certain. There is a lack of clarity otherwise and it prevents people seeing justice being done.

It is good to see that Lord Falconer has steered away from the silly suggestion made by John Reid to make those doing community service sentences stand out by wearing bright orange overalls. This is just branding by another name and method. However, Lord Falconer is stupidly considering putting signs up to inform the public that graffiti has been cleaned up by those undergoing community sentences. This is merely replacing one form of graffiti with another, and the odds are that these signs will become the target of graffiti artists themselves. I don't need a sign telling me that a particular area has been cleared of rubbish, I can see with my eyes that that is the case. It does not need to be underlined and there is no need to waste money on signs.

Lord Falconer is making a big mistake stating that he is committed to implementing the Home Office plan to provide 8,000 more prison places by 2012. This is empire building. The prison population already stands at 80,303. Expansionism is not necessary to provide protection to the public, in fact it actually provides the opposite and is a waste of money. The prison population should not exceed 50,000. And instead of a prison building programme, we need to embark upon a policy of reductionism and close down the old Victorian prisons. A smaller more manageable system is what any liberal democratic country strives to achieve.

I think that it is a good idea that Lord Falconer should be replaced by someone from the House of Commons. It was never a good idea for a Tony Crony to be given this job in the first place. It is the kind of job that requires appointment by merit. Neither Geoff Hoon nor Jack Straw fall into this category. Hilary Benn, on the other hand, does appear to have the right kind of qualities required for this job. The sooner Lord Falconer is replaced the quicker things can get back to normal and improvements get under way.

Friday, March 30, 2007

Richard Madeley tells Ricky Gervais to Fuck Off

Richard Madeley, one half of Richard and Judy, foul mouthed Ricky Gervais during Channel 4s filming of the British Book Awards to be shown tonight. It might be remembered that the Richard and Judy Show is at the centre of a phone votes scam in which the callers had no chance of winning.

Ricky Gervais did not appear live at the Awards ceremony, but appeared instead via a TV link. He quipped, "This is voted for by the public, isn't it? Well, tell them to stop voting now cos otherwise it will be another phone con".

Richard Madeley who was hosting the Awards ceremony with his wife Judy, told Gervais to "Fuck off" and branded him an "ungrateful fucking bastard".

I don't suppose that this episode will survive the cutting room floor and be shown on Channel 4. Still, I would suspect that there is something in Madeley's contract against him behaving in such a manner.

My interest in this story is twofold. The Friday Project who is to publish my autobiography is up for an award in the show, and they have sent me a draft contract which I will look over in greater detail over the weekend.

Not fit for purpose Reid breaches asylum seekers human rights

As the 10th Report of the Joint Committee on Human Rights points out, "The Government is required 'to secure to everyone within their jurisdiction' the rights contained within the European Convention on Human Rights". It is no surprise to read that the JCHR accuses John Reid of subjecting asylum seekers to conditions which amount to degrading and inhumane treatment which violates Article 3 of the Convention.

Not only should John Reid be removed from his job, but also the thorny issue of asylum should be removed from a department which oversees terrorism. Treating all asylum seekers as suspected terrorists should cease. It just leads to abuse of power and abuse of human rights. Unfortunately, too many in Britain have been closing their eyes to what John Reid has been doing in their name. Britain has become the country of shame.

The confusing case of one too many Bliars

First we had Tony Blair caught out lying through his teeth so often that one wit started referring to Blair as Bliar.

What are the odds of having two high profile figures both with the surname Blair, but unrelated, and both being Bliars? Now Sir Ian Blair has been caught out lying by the Guardian. It strikes me that if Sir Ian Blair is lying at this stage of the game, how many times might he have lied in the past when giving evidence in court against a suspect?

What makes it worse is that once this liar has been found out, he lies about telling the original lie. How can this man be trusted to hold his job?

Reid should say more than sorry for this fiasco

An Iraqi citizen, Bisher al-Rawi, who had lived in Britain for almost 20 years, and was in the Gambia setting up a peanut processing factory with his brother, was strangely handed over by MI5 to the CIA and imprisoned in Guantanamo Bay for four years. He is not a terrorist, nor an alleged terrorist, nor suspected of any terrorist involvement whatsoever. Except, that is, that MI5 employed him as a go between to obtain information from Abu Qatada, the London-based preacher who provides spiritual guidance for followers of al-Qaida.

Not only has Britain inflicted an injury upon Bisher al-Rawi, but when he is released from Guantanamo Bay, the British intend to add insult to injury by arresting him under anti-terrorism laws just so that the authorities can fingerprint him and take DNA samples from him before releasing him.

I think that John Reid should be answering some questions on this sordid affair before ensuring that Mr Bisher al-Rawi is paid four years back pay by MI5, and suitable compensation, and make no deductions for his board and lodgings whilst he stayed at Guantanamo Bay.

Thursday, March 29, 2007

The Fat Controller signals change


John Reid the new Minister of Phantom Threats, Border Controls and Security, security, security has welcomed his attempt to make his department become fit for purpose. But what purpose is that? It all sounds rather vague to me.

Guido back pedaling on his unicycle and Michael's white lie

Hat-tip to chicken yogurt for this:

Guido Fawkes blows himself up in suicide bomber style...

What is libellous about this post?

Given that Paul Staines does not like to be attacked by the truth, and given Iain Dale's strict rules on censorship where his ex-BNP buddy is concerned, I have taken the decision to republish this piece.

From the blog Paul Staines is a cunt. Hat-tip to the blog's author Guido's executioner.

mercredi 14 février 2007
Tory student leader in ‘ racist ‘ party link / Paul Delarie-Staines of FCS attempts to form pact with British National Party in Hull

The Guardian 31 May 1986

Tory student leader in ‘ racist ‘ party link / Paul Delarie-Staines of FCS attempts to form pact with British National Party in Hull
By David Rose

A leader of the Federation of Conservative Students wrote to an organiser of the British National Party proposing joint ‘direct action’ to disrupt the meetings of leftwing students. Secrecy, he emphasised, was essential: ‘The Reds would simply go wild if they got to hear of a BNP-FCS link. I would personally be in danger of being expelled from the Conservative Party.’

The author of the letter is Mr Paul Delarie-Staines, the chairman of the federation’s 50-strong branch at the Humberside college of Higher Education. Mr Delarie-Staines, who is in his first year of a degree course in business information studies, wrote on May 22 to Mr Ian Walker, a BNP organiser in Hull.

He was, he said, against several of the aims of the BNP, which campaigns for the repatriation of black citizens. Several of its members have been convicted of offences under the Race Relations Act, and others for crimes of violence against ethnic minorities. Its leader, Mr John Tyndall, is a former chairman of the National Front.

Mr Delarie-Staines said he did not share the BNP view on immigration: as a member of the ‘libertarian’ faction of the FCS he advocated the free movement of labour, albeit with the caveat that ‘you come here to work - or starve. ‘

He went on: ‘I share a lot of your objectives.‘ These included a return to leadership and statesmanship, the abolition of the welfare state, and ‘the elimination of Communism in Britain - the mass media, the trade unions, and the schoolroom. ‘

Mr Delaire-Staines continued: ‘Nevertheless, even though we have our differences, I know a lot of BNP people at college do support the FCS (some are members of the FCS). I can certainly envisage some degree of cooperation.

‘For instance, we are moving away from just the normal political debate and towards more direct action - anti-Communist slogans on bridges, disrupting the leftist meetings by posing as leftists and then causing trouble, and also convincing individual leftists of the error of their ways.

‘Perhaps members of the BNP would care to join us in our anti-leftist activities. We can arrange a meeting to discuss possible joint future activities. ‘

Other examples of Mr Delaire-Staines work reached the Guardian, including a number of songs. One, entitled FCS Bootboys, reads: ‘Gas them all, gas them all, the Tribune group trendies and all. Crush Wedgwood Benn and make glue from his bones, Burn the broad left in their middle class homes.

‘Yes we’re saying goodbye to the Left, as safe in their graveyards they rest. ‘Cos they’ll get no further, we’ll stop with murder, the bootboys of FCS. ‘

In a letter to a friend, Mr Delaire-Staines said that he had been on a ‘community arts course - well. not exactly community arts, more spraypainting a bridge at 3am. Quite good fun really, ducking out of sight of passing police cars’

Mr Delaire-Staines told the Guardian that he had not meant violence by direct action at leftist meetings, only ‘causing as much noise as possible’. He said that he had tried to forge links with the BNP because ‘we share their anti-Communist view’.

He added: ‘They’re not far-right. They’re just racists, they believe in one colour. ‘

Mr John Barrow, the national chairman of FCS and a Lambeth councillor, said that Mr Delaire-Staines was ‘a bit silly. I wouldn’t hold it against him. I’m sure he’ll grow out of it.’ After hearing extracts from the letter to the BNP he added. ‘He’s absolutely right that he’s in danger of being thrown out of the Conservative Party.’

Mr James Goodsman, the Conservative Central Office official responsible for the FCS, said: ‘If the evidence comes my way I will certainly look into it.

Wednesday, March 28, 2007

Guido beaten by Michael White

Guido succeeded in rattling Paxo with a question in his film. However, Michael White savaged Guido like a Bulldog with a cat. Guido committed the cardinal sin of naming a source. Why don't I feel sympathy for the underdog that Guido became? Because I believe he got what he deserved. And not before time.

Little boy blue reprimanded by old school master

Guido asks the question and Nick Robinson wisely retorted "So what's my answer to him? Grow up".

Miliband launches leadership bid - It's official

David Miliband, who is a MP, has launched his leadership challenge against Gordon Brown. Apparently, Miliband is not only an MP, but a Labour MP who is also The Environment Secretary in the government. It is understood that he belives that it is the time for a change of climate. The story is here. I am convinced by this quote "This is the campaign that must not speak its name". It's a secret, then. An open secret. David Miliband's fame and popularity are largely down to the publicity he has been receiving of late on a blogger's blog. It is ironic that the blogger is a Tory. It is said to be the number one political blog. And yet, the Torygraph broke the news first.

A Party political broadcast on behalf of the Labour Party...

It is worth noting that yesterday's crime review issued from the Prime Minister's Strategy Unit, and that in the small print there is this statement that it should not be "used in a derogatory manner or in a misleading context". I am sorry, but I cannot help but be derogatory about what Tony Blair has to say. And, I think it is a bit rich coming from him that he is demanding that nobody should report what he says in a misleading context when everything he has ever said to the public has been misleading in context.

For example, "When this Government came to office a decade ago it was on the back of a commitment to be tough on crime and tough on the causes of crime. We have done both". I accept the first sentence. However, I challenge the second. Where is the evidence of this claimed success? I think it would be more accurate to lay claim to talking tough on crime and talking tough on the causes of crime. And, then, yes Prime Minister, you have done both of them.

True, "The system we inherited had been designed for a previous era". However, I take issue with "We have acted to make it work more effectively". Again, there is a shortage of evidence to support this wild claim. "We are introducing neighbouhood policing teams...", yes, the new neighbourhood policing team have a new police station 200 yards from my home. As you can see from the photo there is a closed notice on the door, and it has been that way ever since it was opened officially last year by Charles Clarke.



"...and have given law enforcers new powers to respond to problems such as anti-social behaviour". Personally, I would prefer it if they responded to 999 calls for emergencies when crimes are being committed, as opposed to slapping an ASBO on a cock crowing a six o' clock in the morning, or some woman for groaning about the sexual pleasure she receives from her husband. For example, at another police station, which also has a closed notice on the door, 500 yards from the one in the photo, a man was stabbed on the steps of this police station. And, when a park ranger used the telephone next to the closed door to summons police assistance to apprehend the assailant, the operator was located in Northampton!

Attorney General, Lord Goldsmith, court with hands in the till once again!

Will the Attorney General, Lord Goldsmith, not put an end to his blatant corrupt practices? The Guardian reports that "By law, wills are open to public inspection". Unless of course, you happen to be a Royal, and you have got something to hide, in which case, the services of a crooked lawyer come in handy and he arranges a secret court hearing with a less than honest judge to deny the public their right to know.

Tuesday, March 27, 2007

Building on progress: security crime and justice

"Our commitment is to go further in tackling crime, securing our borders, and building cohesive communities to improve the quality of life for all in Britain".

Nobody can legitimately not support such a worthwhile sounding policy statement. However, to go further than being "tough on crime and tough on the causes of crime" does appear at first to be a tad extreme. Unless, that is, it is an admission that the previous policy failed. And, we should go further down this failing road should we? Yes, this war on the asylum seekers means that we need to secure our borders. For centuries we have had divide and rule, isolating communities and sections of communities, now we are expected to believe that there has been a change of heart upstairs and that they are now going to bring in the servants quarters into the equation? It's always been about improving the quality of life of the elite Tory Toffs.

And that's just the opening statement.

Very illuminating...

The Daily Telegraph (see post below) announced that there has been a Labour U-Turn in sentencing because its policies meant that too many were being sent to prison. The Guardian also announced "Fewer criminals to be sent to prison". Which sounds a sensible approach. It might be a sensible approach if all those rowing in the leaking Labour boat rowed in the same direction. For example, in the Guardian, Lord Falconer is quoted as saying: "It's not that we want less people in prison or we want more people in prison". Why is Lord Falconer even mouthing off at all on this topic? The split between the Home Office and Ministry of Justice is not yet complete. And, the responsible minister for prisons is John Reid, but there is not a peep out of him. That I do find interesting.

The Daily Telegraph has updated its story, to read "Police get more powers in law and order review". I covered this angle here. One of the problems of our overcrowded prisons is that too many are sent there who do not need to be in there. It is no good saying that there are too many mentally ill prisoners, but that there are no facilities out in the community to deal with them therefore we simply lock them up out of society's view. Nor is it the way forward to develop special courts and "hybrid" prisons to deal with them. We already have a hybrid system! The failing is with care in the community, and the lack of resources to pay for it. I cannot help wondering that the money wasted on the Iraq war could have been better spent on this much more needed facility.

Once again David Davis is spouting off the cuff remarks without saying what his policies would be. The same goes for Nick Clegg. I note that none of these so-called Law and Order big-wigs; Reid, Davis and Clegg have dared to accept my challenge.

Halleluiah! Has Tony seen the light at last?

From the Daily Telegraph:

Labour sentencing U-turn as jails reach bursting point

By Philip Johnston, Home Affairs Editor
Last Updated: 2:44am BST 27/03/2007

Tony Blair will today stage a dramatic U-turn on Labour's crime policy by conceding that too many offenders have been sent to jail since he took office 10 years ago.

Instead, the Prime Minister will end the drive for tougher sentences and place greater emphasis on rehabilitating offenders.

Senior Whitehall officials said the aim was to have a ''smarter'' approach to crime reduction, ''focusing on the offender not the offence".

The ideas are in a party policy review designed to set out a strategy for the next 10 years, even though Mr Blair is due to step down as Prime Minister.

The Opposition denounced the plans in advance as ''a ragbag'' of ineffective gimmicks. They include more summary powers for the police to deliver on-the-spot justice and ''bespoke'' programmes tailored to the needs of 5,000 persistent offenders.

Ministers have tried in vain for years to get the courts to send fewer people to prison. Tougher jail sentences combined with suspicion about community sentences have forced the prison population close to a record 80,000.

Mr Blair will accept that community punishments should be tougher if they are to be taken up by the courts.

He also wants more to be done about preparing prisoners for life outside. Similar ideas have been floated before but the cost of implementing them has been prohibitive.

The review calls for "tough and effective community sentences" as an alternative. It also wants to see fewer mentally ill people being jailed, although there are no community places for them.

Mr Blair, who began his premiership promising to be ''tough on crime, tough on the causes of crime'' believes that the ''causes'' part has been neglected.

The review says: "The Government is now in a position where it can focus on retaining stability in sentencing and increasing the focus on rehabilitation ... (it) must 'tackle the underlying causes of crime through preventative interventions and rehabilitation, addressing social exclusion, dysfunctional families, drugs and alcohol abuse'".

The report proposes a "more personalised approach with different solutions for different types of crime and different offenders."

An estimated 100,000 offenders are responsible for half of all crimes in England and Wales, with 5,000 of them responsible for one in 10 offences.

The response of the criminal justice system "should be personalised and differentiated to tackle the underlying causes of the offending behaviour in order to better address the likelihood of the individual reoffending".

But Mr Blair is certain to come under pressure over how such an ambitious programme could be financed.

One reason why he is shifting his ground is because the prisons are full as the Treasury did not put up the money to build more.

David Davis, the shadow home secretary, said: "Few things can be a clearer recognition of the abject failure of criminal justice policy in the last 10 years than this last-minute grandstanding attempt by Mr. Blair in the dying days of his premiership.

He added: "This ragbag of ill-thought-through ideas is likely to go the same way as Government proposals for cash point fines for yobs and night courts.

"What we need is a clearly thought-out penal policy that takes the worst criminals out of circulation, punishes them, gets them off drugs and, where possible, rehabilitates them. This is likely to prove impossible until this Government gets a grip on overcrowding in prisons and the chaos in our courts and ends its obsession with tying our police up in endless red tape."

Nick Clegg, the Liberal Democrat home affairs spokesman, said: ''If the reports of a real change of heart in the Government's approach to crime are true, this is a welcome U-turn.

"We have been warning for years that new Labour's obsessive pursuit of headlines, over-reliance on ever more illiberal legislation and fanatical 'get tough' rhetoric do little to tackle either the fear of crime or its root causes.''

The report concedes: "The actual and perceived level of anti-social behaviour remains unacceptably high."

It proposes "new types of summary powers" and an extension of existing ones such as on-the-spot fines.

Monday, March 26, 2007

The Royal Yacht Squadron sunk by rotting hulk in battle of the Solent

The Telegraph has this story.

The prison kitchen that beat yacht club

By Stewart Payne
Last Updated: 12:53am BST 26/03/2007

Their dining rooms are exclusive for different reasons, but the kitchen providing meals to inmates at Albany prison on the Isle of Wight has emerged with a five-star rating while the island's prestigious Royal Yacht Squadron club at Cowes manages just three.

Arguably, porridge has never tasted so good.

The island council's environmental health department has turned the results of its routine inspection of kitchens at 1,900 premises, including schools, church halls and prisons, as well as cafes and restaurants, into a ratings table. The new initiative is designed to improve standards in food preparation, and premises can display their star rating to customers.

Using a formula that examines all aspects of kitchen hygiene, the inspectors produced a score for each premises of between no stars, meaning it had managed the minimum standards, to five stars.

It has thrown up some surprising results. Albany and Camp Hill prisons get top marks. But the Royal Yacht Squadron, which serves meals to its exclusive membership, including Prince Philip, a former commodore, has three.

The Royal Yacht Squadron, housed inside imposing Cowes Castle and the base for Cowes Week, also lags behind All Saints Parish Church in Godshill, a local cinema and two branches of McDonald's.

11,000 British troops have deserted from the Iraq war.

Since the illegal war with Iraq began in March 2003, 11,000 British soldiers have gone AWOL (Absent With Out Leave), from the front line. Nothing quite prepares you for war. It is one thing to sign up for the Queen's shilling in times of peace, all of a sudden it doesn't look such a good deal when you might not live long enough to spend it. If it ain't dodging Iraqi bombs and bullets, you have to dodge what the American's call 'friendly fire' too. If it keeps going on at this rate, and a decision is taken to go to war with Iran, where on earth would we find the troops? Perhaps, John Reid will release prisoners early if they are prepared to fight for this country?

Stormont in a tea cup...

At a table for two. Gerry from the Adams Family asks: "More tea vicar?".
"Never!", scowled the Jaffa cake eating reverend.
"Coffee?", ask Gerry politely.
"Never!", scowled the British Bulldog with a strong Northern Ireland accent.
"Perhaps, a biscuit?" Gerry asked holding out a Bonio as a peace offering.
"Never!", scowled the rabid dog.
"How's about a drop of Guinness?", Mr Adams inquired.
"NEVER!", scowled the last man standing from Cromwell's Army.
"To be sure you'd like a chocolate eclair?".
"Go on then, you're a man after my own heart", the reverend conceded.

Never, say never, never, never, never again!

Guido in false accounting scandal...

Maths teacher: What is 2+2 =?

Guido: 5?

Casual observer: Duh!

Guardian and Daily Mail in slow day for news so lets drag out another prisoner non-news story...

I cannot believe what I am reading "Minister defends policy of giving prisoners cell keys". There are somethings I believe that the Prisons Minister should be trying to defend, for example, the unlawful overcrowding policy. However, there is nothing to defend in a policy of allowing prisoners to have privy keys (separate to the security keys) to their cells. I am aware that this has been going on since at least the late 1970s early 1980s. Hardly news is it? As for the Daily Mail claiming that this is another example of the absurdity of the Human Rights Act. It's got sweet FA to do with the HRA. It benefits prisoners in that they can securely lock their possessions away from other prisoners, and allows them access without having to bother a prison officer to keep locking and unlocking cell doors.

Sunday, March 25, 2007

Political interference into cash-for-honours police inquiry.

An unnamed Blairite, political intermediary, thought to be Lord Goldsmith, cautioned the police against their desire to question Tony Blair as a suspect, stating that the Prime Minister would have to resign if he was questioned, under caution, as a suspect as opposed to merely being questioned as a potential witness. Why did the police allow themselves to be subjected to political blackmail? Their response to the submission that Tony Blair would have to resign should have been "So, what?". We already know that Tony Blair has been caught out telling lies. The whole point about amending the caution is to deny the defence an opportunity to spring a trap on the prosecution by relying upon something said in court which was not brought out during police questioning. Because Tony Blair was not questioned under caution, any lies he may have told will not later harm his defence. If Tony Blair is allowed to get away with this, it is tantamount to saying that he is above the law. I don't like the sound of that.

The Sunday Telegraph has the story. And, it appears that Downing Street is putting out a different version of events than that given by Scotland Yard. As I understand it, if the police are not happy about the answers given to their questions, they tend to revisit the scene of the crime to re-examine the details to try and determine why their results and what they are being told are different.

I think that it is time to stop pandering to the whims of politicians. I think that it is just wasting police time. Question Tony Blair again, this time under caution, and if he decides to evict himself from the Big Brother house, then, so be it.

Guilty until proven innocent...

In the same way that you cannot judge a book by its cover, you cannot judge a newspaper story from a headline. For example, take "Police gain new powers to seize thieves' 'bling'". Upon first reading this the law abiding might feel a sense of relief that the government was actually about to tackle crime. That is, if they know what bling is. So, we are talking about police powers to seize people's possessions. This is a frightening and draconian policy which should be resisted. The Observer headline does refer to 'thieves', however, before you start thinking that does not concern law-abiding people and your property is safe. Think again. Because the article goes on to say "police seizure powers would allow possessions to be taken even before they are charged with a crime". So, no charge, no thief. Police empowered to take innocent person's possessions. If the police do not charge anyone with a crime, anyone is then entitled to claim their property back. For centuries we have had the principle of innocent until proven guilty. Then along came New Labour with its arse backwards policy of guilty until proven innocent.

I would contest the assumption that "A hard core of 5,000 career criminals commit half of all crimes". If this was the case, it would be a simple matter with all the resources at the government's disposal to lock up these 5,000 individuals and reduce the crime statistics by 50% in one foul swoop. The government is not planning such drastic action. Rather, they will be sent junk mail from the police telling them that Big Brother is watching them. All the poor trees being chopped down just for this scary message to end up in the bin. As for planning surprise police visits to innocent people, haven't you heard about police harassment? In any event, as the article proceeds it goes from hard core to middlemen, so we are no longer after the mister bigs of the underworld.

The government is embarrassed that the national Asset Recovery Agency, set up by the government to seize ill-gotten gains from criminals, has spent £65M to recover £23M. Now, if it started targeting more and more innocent people it is estimated that this figure will go up to £125M by the end of this financial year. And this is what this is really all about. Looking good not actually being any good. Playing the numbers game. If it isn't the criminals taking your property, it's the police...

Saturday, March 24, 2007

Aftermath of Cameron running riot in restaurant

Cameron-like carnage from a scene taken after the last Lincoln Prison riot.

Being prepared for the scrap heap?

Being prepared for the scrap heap?

Lifer Charles Hanson explores the world of the older prisoner and comes to some uncomfortable conclusions

The Age Discrimination Act, introduced in October 2006, goes some way towards remedying exclusion from employment on grounds of age, although for prisoners of the older age group emerging from prison it is unlikely to be of much benefit. Whilst age might still be the prospective employer's main consideration, a previous criminal history will be all that is needed to exclude the ex-prisoner. Age discrimination can therefore still be applied under the guise of not employing ex-offenders and unlike age discrimination, which is now unlawful, refusing to employ an ex-offender is not.

As someone who falls within the older prisoner age group, it is clear to me as I prepare for eventual release on life licence that the Prison Service has a very long way to go in actually meeting the needs of the older prisoner and preparing him or her for release through a structured resettlement process.

True to form, the ‘one size cap fits all’ approach prevails and the older prisoner is expected to conform to the same demands and expectations of those half their age. No allowances are made except on grounds of infirmity or disability, and even here discrimination exists on a wide scale.

The institutional ignorance related to the ‘one size cap fits all’, implying that everyone gets treated the same, however does have its flaws, for treating all prisoners the same does not necessarily constitute fair treatment and is commonly referred to as negative discrimination. Women, young prisoners and juveniles have consistently been recognised as having special needs, but when confronted with a prisoner at the other end of the age scale, who is also likely to have special needs, the Prison Service seems virtually clueless.

Currently there exists no national policy or strategy for dealing with older prisoners, although there are pockets of initiatives at local level.

However this is perhaps more due to the altruism of particular managers and those with vision who recognise that the over 50 prisoner group is the fastest growing group of all offenders, with different needs and set to increase as sentencing patterns and population trends change. In 1990, there were just 1,341 sentenced prisoners over the age of 50; with nearly 400 over the age of 70. By 2006, there were nearly 6,000 prisoners over the age of 50. Likewise, the 80-plus group has seen
an increase of 375 per cent between 1995–2003, and yet the Prison Service continues to stand still. Even worse is that the quality of life provided for this aged group of prisoners falls far short of what is expected under the 1998 Human Rights Act, and the Disability Discrimination Acts seem to be neglected in favour of selected diversity and inclusiveness.

‘No Problem, Old and Quiet’ was the title given to the Thematic Review on elderly prisoners by Chief Inspector of Prisons Anne Owers in 2004, and it was clear from the report that the Home Office and the Prison Service were failing in its delivery of needs to the elderly prisoner group who are the most vulnerable group of prisoners, who do not quite fit into the masculine model of the younger group of prisoners or those who can still be said to have some value to society and its workforce. It does seem that ‘elderly prisoners’ contradicts the very idea of rehabilitation if provisions are not made for inclusiveness of every aspect of prison life and every opportunity suited to the group's needs, which are likely to be very different from those of prisoners in their twenties or thirties.

At my current establishment of 122 prisoners, 20 per cent plus are over the age of 50 and thus far the best offer I have had of furthering my resettlement needs is a bus ticket to the local Age Concern office, which might be able to advise me yet not provide what clearly is required by the Parole Board, which should be a realistic, workable release plan.

The usual response from the powers that be when pressed for something not understood, or indeed not available, is that resources are overstretched or that sources are allocated according to perceived risk but when in prison it is hardly likely that the aged prisoner will be a risk to anyone as long as they remain in custody, although that will need to be assessed when release is considered. It was only recently that I became aware that I was able to apply for a concessionary bus travel pass because of my age, and this of course is an asset for me as I travel in the local community on day release from prison.

Other older prisoners followed suit and applied for theirs. This was a first for prisoners here at Blantyre House and yet it was only because of my own endeavours that I discovered this entitlement with no help or support from the prison who seemed totally unaware of this entitlement. I am still continuing to seek out what other benefits I can take advantage of, and what other entitlements I might be eligible for. I know nothing about sheltered housing, pension credits, winter fuel payments for the elderly, training and employment for the older citizen, healthcare provisions for the elderly, older citizens recreational and leisure groups and concessionary travel arrangements in my resettlement area. I have been in prison for 12 years and many things have changed.

I came into prison in my late forties and at a stage when I was fit, could be suitably employed, and able to undertake most things my fellow prisoners take for granted. However, time changes ones’ ability to compete. The years take their toll. And for the elderly prisoner those changes mean fear of physical or mental deterioration and being restricted in ones’ movements - followed by the dread of dying in prison. Prison should be the last place for that eventuality, given the limited healthcare provisions.

I will pursue every available avenue to further my resettlement aims but fear that I will be alone in this, and so will continue to be vociferous about my objectives and critical of the failings in the system. It is all I have .. for time is not on my side as it is for many others.

Friday, March 23, 2007

Should life mean life? How long is a piece of string?

Whenever this debate is rolled out again into the media spotlight and some of the comments suggest bringing back the death penalty, I cannot help but think about what would have happened in the cases of the Birmingham 6, Guildford 4 and Maguire 7? I don't think that there are any adequate excuses for hanging innocent people.

Even I accept that in a small minority of cases that a sentence of life imprisonment should mean that the prisoner remains in custody until death. But, for the vast majority, I believe that their life sentences should be altered to determinate sentences as reflected by the trial judge's tariff in each individual case.

And, that the automatic life sentence should be scrapped on the basis that it was knee-jerk legislation which any thinking Parliament in it's right mind would not have passed had it thought the issue through properly.

Notsaussure covers McDonald's attempt to change the meaning of McJob. Some of the commenters on the Tory article about should life sentences be for life, referred to the luxury of prison. Having spent 35 years inside, I have seen some improvements in living conditions. However, it is a mis-perception to refer to prison as being a luxury. I think you would only have to ask Jefferey Archer and Jonathan Aitken whether prison met their understanding of the word luxury.

Aren't curfews related to police states?

I recall that in 1977, as I broke into a garage showroom in Leeds, that I was not deterred by the warning notice stating that these premises are protected by Group 4, 24 hours security. I remember looking down from an office window as a white mini van with Group 4 security painted upon it pulled into the garage forecourt, and the driver got out and turned his key in a little box on the garage wall, to show that he was doing his job of patrolling the garage, and drove off again. I thought whatever the garage was paying Group 4 for total 24 hours security, they were being robbed!

It reminds me of the night clockie in prison who had to interrupt his TV viewing every hour to rush along the landings and turn his key in the little box at the end of the landings to prove he had checked on the inhabitants of the cells. In 1973, in Lewes Prison, I am recorded as being asleep in my cell between the hours of 02.00 and 06.00, when I had escaped from my cell and gone over the wall for a stroll into the Sussex countryside.

The reason for this trip down memory lane is here. Monitoring of prisoners and offenders is posing something of a problem. Like all measures, they start off in a small way and then grow out of all proportion to the size of the problem. For example, electronic tagging was introduced by Jack Straw in 1999, when 9,000 offenders were tagged and rose to 53,000 in 2004-05. In 2004-05, the Home Office spent £102.3M on electronic monitoring of curfews. Group 4 is paid around £45M by the Home Office to administer the curfew system.

I don't believe that there is such a thing as 24 hours total security. It relies too much on technology not failing, and humans not failing. I think that the government is wasting too much money on trying to achieve the impossible.

Technorati, hello, breakdown in communications

Sorry to disturb you from your slumber, however, you ask that we ping you with updates from our blogs. Which we do, faithfully, only for you to fail to react as you should. For example, you show that it has been updated, but fail to say when, and insist on showing a post 20 hours ago! Even when it has been updated twice since then. Do you think you can sort this out?

John "Ben" Gunn is no pirate, he's a lifer who can write...

Life in the Slammer

Ben Gunn highlights an overlooked part of daily prison life instinctively known to prisoners yet rarely written about.

I once had to put up with a real 'dog' of an SO. A mean-spirited, mean-faced short-arse whose first response to everything was a determined and mindless "no". We engaged in a daily battle of needling each other. I happily despised him, and I daresay he felt pretty much the same.

Until the day he got off his arse to hit the landings, and ended up being the screw to bang me up. My lock was quite a stiff one, and the door a tight fit. Every screw slammed it shut, except this SO; he managed to pull it to and lock it with hardly a sound. This small act changed the way I perceived this mean bastard.

To call a great slab of bolted hardwood or steel ‘a door’ seems to understate the weight of it. It is the very essence of imprisonment, the ever present barrier that marks the rhythm of our daily lives. There should be a more pertinent word for it, one that captures its significance more precisely.

Door will have to do for now. Its movement, the rhythm of its opening and closing, reveals the state of the specific prison. A cell door that is left open for long periods of time will be a more amenable prison. The door that is opened and closed in short, sharp bursts is one that is oppressive and fearful.

When you are able to sit in your cell, door ajar, being sociable and open to visitors, then you are in a prison that allows you some of the supportive aspects of life. When you have to wedge-up during association, you don't need me to tell you that you are in a totally messed-up nick.

While the cell door speaks loud and clear about the state of your environment, it also speaks very clearly about the nature of the screws.

When opening a cell door, the screw can unlock and move on; or unlock and throw it open. He might even throw in a few words to nudge you into some sort of movement. Which of these he chooses reveals his temperament, demonstrates his understanding. Cells are the only semblance of private space available to us; some regard them as home, in a more or less temporary sense.

Throwing open the door on unlocking destroys that pretence of privacy in a thoughtless instant. It is a deeply ignorant act that screws dealing with long-term prisoners learn not to do on their very first day. Similarly, shouting "work" or whatever as the door opens is like saying, "you moron, even though you do the same thing every day, you need to be told what to do". Well, we really don't. We know exactly where we need to be, and being reminded of it is just annoying. The way the screw opens the door is an invariable barometer of whether he has crossed that line into being a dog. Unlock it, don't throw it open, and don't rise to any urge to shout anything. In this way you give a small sign that your imagination may stretch to imagining what it is like to live on our side of that piece of steel.

The way the door is closed also speaks to a screw’s character. Not that it is always left to them - some inmates prefer to bang themselves up; their way of depriving the system of the privilege. But when left to the screw, it can go several ways. He can stick his head in, ask if you’re done, and pull the door to without slamming it. Or he can slither along and slam your door without so much as a by-your-leave.

The chosen method is as revealing of a screw’s character as the way he opens it. Asking "all done?", or "alright?" before he closes it isn't a genuine question. The last thing he wants you to say is “no”, I've got a mission left to run first. Rather, it is a nod across the divide that separates us, a thread-like bridge between those who exist on either side of the lock. With some screws, that final exchange has even taken on the character of being absolution for what he is about to do, a recognition from one human being to another that there is something not wholly right in what must nevertheless be done. That mutual verbal dance reveals the moral character of the screw.

Which brings me back to the dog of an SO. He slid my difficult door closed almost silently; when I had fully expected him to slam it shut without a thought. He took a little extra time to do this all along the landing. He's not on my Xmas card list, but from then on I recognised that he wasn't rotten to the core. A miserable git, maybe, but he still
recognized - for a few moments - that locking a man in a concrete box needn't be done carelessly or harshly. It is a matter of importance. When you lose sight of that, you have lost a part of yourself.

• Ben Gunn is a lifer currently resident in HMP Shepton Mallet

SO is short for Senior Officer, the rank between basic grade and PO (Principal Officer).

Thursday, March 22, 2007

Six of one and half a dozen of the other - The jury's out on this one

From the Torygraph.The ugly truth about juries

By Nic Fleming, Science Correspondent
Last Updated: 3:40am GMT 22/03/2007

Jurors are more likely to convict defendants they regard as ugly, say researchers.

Psychologists from Bath Spa University gave 96 student volunteers a fictitious account of an old lady being mugged and robbed.

Each volunteer was given a picture of one of four "defendants". Two were rated as very attractive by a separate group of students and two were considered ugly - or "homely" in the words of the researchers.


The less attractive individuals were almost 50 per cent more likely to be considered guilty, the British Psychological Society conference at York was told yesterday.

Asked about the extent of their guilt, the average rating for the physically attractive defendants was 2.3 on a scale of 0-5, compared to 4.4 for the ugly ones.

When participants were asked to sentence the guilty up to a maximum of 10 months in prison, the attractive muggers were given an average of four months, the ugly ones got seven.

One ugly and one beautiful defendant was black and they were slightly more likely to be found guilty and given longer sentences.

Dr Sandie Taylor, who presented the results, said: "Our findings confirm previous research so perhaps justice isn't blind after all."



And from The Times.

From Times Online
March 20, 2007
Bill to scrap jury trials reaches Lords
Frances Gibb, Legal Editor

An alliance of peers, the legal profession and civil libertarians will stage a last-ditch attempt today to force the Government to drop plans to scrap juries for complex fraud cases.

The Fraud (Trials without a Jury) Bill comes before the House of Lords today after scraping through the Commons by just 35 votes.

The Law Society, Bar Council and the law reform group Justice are urging peers to vote on an amendment tabled by Lord Kingsland, the Shadow Lord Chancellor, if carried, that would prevent the Bill from becoming law this session.

The Bill is the third attempt to remove juries in serious fraud trials, despite opposition from the legal profession. Last week Lord Goldsmith, QC, the Attorney-General, insisted that the move was not part of an attack on juries.

But the Law Society and others said that trial by jury was a fundamental right and an essential safeguard for the rule of law. It said: “Juries provide a barrier against oppressive and politically motivated prosecutions.”

Tories - What a load of old rubbish!


William is vague as to the whereabouts of Ffion's missing bra. And, it is not clear whether this lot came out of her handbag as she searched for it, or whether it was one day's rubbish put out of the Cameron's household for the Daily Mirror journalists to search through for any scraps which might form the basis of a story.

Yesterday would have been a good day to bury bad news...

But I couldn't find any as hard as I looked. Instead the government decided to dig up this and the grave digger is Steve Bell.

You must pay for your shackles and chains even if you're innocent

For the wrongly jailed, there is no Shawshank Redemption ending

The vindictive Home Office has prolonged the agony of miscarriage of justice victims, says John McManus
John McManus
Thursday March 22, 2007

Guardian
Your article stated that "Two men who spent more than 12 years in jail for a murder they did not commit must pay the 'living expenses' they incurred in prison from their compensation" (Wrongly jailed cousins must pay 'expenses', March 15).

As the project coordinator for the Miscarriages of Justice Organisation, I would like to point out that this case, on which the Lords ruled last week, wasn't just about two men, but was a test-case challenge about all those who have suffered a miscarriage of justice. It is now 16 years since the release of our founder, Paddy Hill, of the Birmingham Six. Most public perception about these cases is of a Shawshank Redemption ending, where the acquitted sail off into the sunset. The reality is quite the opposite, as the tragic death of Sally Clark shows.

Paddy himself would have been the plaintiff in the Lords' case, were it not for the fact that if he had fought his compensation award when it was offered six years ago, none of his co-accused would have received anything, and three of them were in their 70s. When he was finally compensated, 10 years after his release, the Home Office deducted £90,000 interest on the interim payments - as if they were a loan - and then took off more than £50,000 on "saved living expenses". This is when we first realised how petty and vindictive the Home Office could be.

In last week's ruling, Lord Brown stated that "to award them their loss of earnings without taking these expenses into account would be to over compensate them". This man needs a reality check: there is no amount of money that could "over compensate" for wrongful imprisonment. Only Lord Rodger dissented, likening the mens' incarceration to a "prolonged kidnapping". The other four law lords' legal position doesn't take into account the long-term damage caused by poor diet, as well as the physical and mental torture inflicted because of the wrongful incarceration.

It is also sickening that the government-appointed assessors only compensated for losses by looking at employment history before these men went into prison. For example, Robert Brown was only 18 in 1977, and had only worked for nine months of the year running up to his false imprisonment. He will only receive the minimal manual non-skilled rate, and for just nine months for each of the 25 years they kept him behind bars. The assessor would not consider the possibility that he might have gone back into further education, or got a promotion.

This kind of assessment locks miscarriage victims into another legal battle which can take years - a psychological wringer which prevents them from reaching closure, and moving on with their shattered lives. Last week's judgment means that Robert will be looking at a bill between £100,000-150,000 for his 25 years' imprisoned living expenses.

It is now more than 12 years since I ran into Paddy Hill on a tube train, where he told me about the psychological horrors that had plagued him since his release. There was no counselling available to them, and no specialised counselling has yet been offered to the 200-odd high profile miscarriage victims in the 18 years since the release of the Guildford Four. We are now trying to raise funds to help counsel these innocent men and women, who have had their lives ripped apart, and try and help them put their lives back together.

· John McManus is co-founder of the Miscarriages of Justice Organisation
mojoscotland.com
Guardian Unlimited © Guardian News and Media Limited 2007

Wednesday, March 21, 2007

McJobs at McDonalds in Hull sold out...



McDonalds in a fly by night operation closed their premises in Beverley Road Hull one night and that was it. Rumours circulating in the neighbourhood are that the operation has moved to Taiwan where it is expected that the new McCatburger will go down well.

"War criminal" allowed to stay in Britain says judge

From the Daily Telegraph

Sending convicted war criminal back to Croatia would be unjust, says judge

By Telegraph Reporter
Last Updated: 1:51am GMT 21/03/2007

A convicted war criminal won his legal battle to stay in Britain yesterday.

Milan Spanovic was sentenced to 20 years in jail in November 1993 after being convicted of war crimes by a court in his native Croatia.

Spanovic, who was convicted in his absence, was found guilty of conspiracy to cause grievous bodily harm, conspiracy to steal, conspiracy to rob, conspiracy to damage property and conspiracy to damage property by fire.

Spanovic, who was part of the home defence corps of the Yugoslav Army, left Croatia in August 1995 and fled to Serbia. He arrived in the UK in November 1998 after fleeing Croatia with his wife and child.

It was only that year that he learned of the possibility of legal action against him after a neighbour who was mistaken for him was imprisoned and assaulted.

The Croatian government has been seeking his extradition in relation to the war crimes.

However, Senior District Judge Timothy Workman ruled yesterday that, given the passage of time since the offences were alleged to have been committed, it would be "unjust and oppressive" to extradite Spanovic who was granted indefinite leave to remain in the UK in September 2005.

At City of Westminster magistrates' court in London, Judge Workman said he took into account that evidence of alleged offences committed during a civil war would be difficult to find or reconstruct.

He said: "Witnesses' memories after such a lengthy period during which radical change took place will have faded or be inaccurate. Inevitably, some witnesses may be unavailable or impossible to trace."

Judge Workman said: "The delay in this case is almost 16 years. I accept that for five or six of those years, the country was in the turmoil of civil war.

"I am satisfied that the passage of time since the offence is alleged to have been committed would now make it unjust and oppressive to extradite the defendant and he is therefore discharged."

The case was re-opened after it was claimed that another man of an identical name to Spanovic's was living in an adjoining village in Croatia and that it was possible that he had committed the crimes.

But Judge Workman said that was not a decision he could decide.

He said: "I am satisfied that the defendant is the person being sought by the Croatian authorities because the particulars given in the request are identical to those given by the defendant in respect of his name, date of birth and identification number.

"If there is any mistake in the identity of the perpetrator of the offences, this is a matter for the Croatian courts when, if this defendant is extradited, the matter comes before the Croatian courts for trial."

Judge Workman also said that he was satisfied that Spanovic was not purposely absent from his trial. He said that he was satisfied that Spanovic would be entitled to a retrial.

Spanovic had "fully co-operated" with British authorities since arriving in the country eight years ago.

Lawyers for the Croatian Government said it would appeal.

Information appearing on telegraph.co.uk is the copyright of Telegraph Media Group Limited and must not be reproduced in any medium without licence. For the full copyright statement see Copyright

Battleaxe or The Handbag - Thatcher the movie


"With news that Pathé - producers of The Queen - have commissioned a film about Margaret Thatcher, speculation is rife as to who will play the Iron Lady".

Any suggestions?

Answers on a post-card please, or post a comment below.

Lord Falconer attempts to gag the media

Freedom of information for 'public not press'

Last Updated: 1:51am GMT 21/03/2007

From the Daily Telegraph.

Freedom of information is mainly for the public and not the press, the Lord Chancellor Lord Falconer will say today.

"People not the press must be the priority. There is a right to know, not a right to tell," he is set to say. In delivering the Lord Williams of Mostyn memorial lecture, Lord Falconer also insists the Government is fully committed to openness.

He will argue that the Government believes Whitehall was insufficiently open before Labour came to power in 1997.
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The public's right to know is central to openness and not the media's role in providing information, he is expected to say. The Freedom of Information Act came into force in 2005. It gives people the right of access to information held by over 100,000 public bodies.

Phone message breaches prisoners human rights.

This from the Daily Telegraph.

Phone message breached inmates rights

By Auslan Cramb, Scottish Correspondent
Last Updated: 1:50am GMT 21/03/2007

A prisoner won a landmark legal challenge yesterday after complaining that his human rights were breached by a recorded message on all his telephone calls from jail.

Stewart Potter, 43, who is serving a 21-year sentence for assault and robbery, claimed that a message announcing that his calls were coming from a prison was "unnecessary and embarrassing".

A judge at the Court of Session in Edinburgh ruled that the system was unlawful under the European Convention on Human Rights.
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Lord Glennie added that when Potter telephoned home, the message would remind his family, and particularly his children, that he was in prison. Potter is held at Glenochil Prison, Clackmannanshire. Phone message breached inmate's rights.

Tuesday, March 20, 2007

The Humberside Police stupidest copper of the year Act 2007



An Act to confer an award upon an anonymous police constable from the Humberside Police Farce, and to confer upon the said individual the provision to make regulations up as he goes about his business of not policing.

BE IT ENACTED by Iain Dale's most Excellent Majesty, by and with the consent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons, in this present Parliament assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:-

Section One: (i) All dogs are dangerous.
(ii) Because dogs bark.
(iii) Therefore, all dogs must be on a lead in public places.
(iv) To placate some people's irrational fear of all dogs.
(v) This new law will have retrospective effect.
(vi) Anyone offended by the police heavy handedness will be arrested.

Imprisoned by our prisons - An open letter to John Reid, David Davis and Nick Clegg.

Dear John Reid, David Davis and Nick Clegg,

I don't know what it is that you three get up to all day, but based on the latest Citizen Advice Bureaux report "Locked out", it would appear that none of you can be described as being fit for purpose. I suppose you have all been too busy with the petty politics of point scoring to even read the summary of the report let alone the report itself?

If this is the case, then feel free to comment here, or anywhere else in the media, to prove me wrong. I look forward to your replies, because as the CAB points out, "Crime touches everyone in society". So, we all have a stake on this issue, and it would be interesting to hear what responses, if any, you have to make.

Our prisons are dangerously overcrowded, and to make matters worse the re-offending rate is too high to afford the public the protection they so deserve. The system isn't working, is it? Prison does not work, and the National Offender Management System isn't managing sweet FA.

The Home Office has a problem. Our prisons are over full. It reminds me of film images of the trains in India where all the carriages are full, and passengers are also sat on the train carriage roofs and hanging from the sides of the carriages. In this example, the problem could be solved by putting on another train. But, this is where the analogy ends because the government plan to build more prisons doesn't lessen the problem. Rather, it adds to it. If every time a magistrate or judge contemplated giving an offender who does not need to be sent to prison a 12 month custodial sentence, instead they sent the taxpayers a £35,000 bill, it might make them reconsider and impose an alternative to custody sentence. More than two-thirds who are sent to prison re-offend. So, why send more there? Why build more prisons? In any other walk of life, once a bill has been paid would you be happy to pay it again? And, again? And, again?

Stop this nonsense. Now. What the CAB report highlights is that offenders are trying to curb their re-offending. However, the government instead of capitalising on this puts obstacles in the path of these offenders. The government is too busy playing the blame game, blaming offenders for its own acts of criminal negligence. The offenders lose out and more to the point so do the public. Look at the figures, do you prefer to pay £35,000 per prisoner per year (not including the cost of building new prison places), or pay the CAB £320 per year per offender to sort the problem out? The huge savings could be better spent on schools and hospitals.

I look forward to your responses.

Yours sincerely,

Jailhouselawyer.

Police seek £400M bank robber





Police have issued photographs of the schizophrenic bank robber Joseph Stalin pictured left who is a master of disguise as can be seen from the picture right he has transformed himself into the laughing bank robber Gordon Brown. It is believed that he also suffers from delusions of grandeur and believes himself to be the Prime Minister in waiting.

Meanwhile, the Bank of England has begun to recall old treasury notes and the new bank notes will read "We promise to pay the bastard on demand the sum of £400M of your hard earned cash. Thank you for being stupid enough to trust us to look after your money".

Exclusive: Lack of advice puts prisoners at risk of re-offending

Citizens Advice





***Embargo: 00.01 hours Tuesday 20 March 2007***

Lack of advice puts prisoners at risk of re-offending - Citizens Advice report

Lack of advice and support on key issues like housing, benefits and debt puts prisoners at risk of re-offending, a new report from Citizens Advice says today.

A study by the national charity has found that thousands of prisoners fail to get the support they need to ensure their basic needs are met when they are released from jail. As a result they may find themselves homeless and hungry and some re-offend as a result of immediate poverty.

Citizens Advice Bureaux provide advice in 43 of the 139 prisons in England and Wales, and 28 bureaux work with probation services. Locked out is based on evidence from nearly 500 case studies from the CAB network, a survey of CAB prison and probation outreach services, and interviews with CAB clients in prison and on probation. It concludes that independent advice and support for all prisoners while in prison and on release can help break the cycle of re-offending.

A third of prisoners lose their homes while they are in prison and half lose contact with their families, while a third also face mounting debts and many are left with no income for long periods on their release. But the report finds that those who have access to independent advice are more likely to keep a roof over their head, maintain family ties, stop debt problems escalating, and sort out benefit and employment issues. At present the availability of such support is patchy.

Many prisoners face the real prospect of destitution when they are released – exactly the time when research has shown they are most likely to re-offend. The discharge grant has remained fixed at £46.75 for the last 10 years – had it kept pace with inflation it would now be around £57. This is meant to meet living expenses for the first week after release, but most ex-prisoners have to wait much longer for benefit claims to be processed and for payments to start. In one case a CAB client waited eight weeks before getting any money. Remand prisoners and victims of miscarriages of justice get no money or support of any kind on release.

More than two-thirds of prisoners re-offend and the key danger point is in the immediate aftermath of release. Homeless offenders are more likely to re-offend, yet often newly released prisoners are automatically barred from housing waiting lists. Women prisoners face a particular catch 22 – their children will not be returned to them until they have a home, but they are unlikely to be re-housed unless their children are living with them.

One case illustrates how homelessness can spiral into re-offending:

A Somerset CAB client, a single man estranged from his young daughters, had tried to commit suicide prior to his sentence. He was arrested by the police due to an outstanding warrant and was imprisoned. On release he had no money and nowhere to stay. He had to sleep in his car in temperatures below freezing and he was in a vulnerable state of mind. His homelessness application was refused, as he was not considered to be vulnerable. After having been turned away, he admitted to stealing petrol to keep his car running, and then when the temperatures dropped even lower, he ripped a telephone off the wall in the police station so that he could have bed for the night. Following the intervention of the CAB, the local authority’s homeless persons unit agreed to help him if he provided details of his medical condition.

Citizens Advice is calling on the government to ensure that all prisoners have access to quality assured independent advice. It estimates that the cost of providing CAB advice to the whole UK prison population may amount to as little as £319 per prisoner per year, compared to the £35,000 it costs to keep one prisoner in jail if they return.

The charity says dealing with housing issues should become a core part of the induction process for new prisoners, so that they keep their home wherever possible. It also recommends that the discharge grant should be raised to at least £114.90 – the equivalent of two weeks’ income support.

Citizens Advice Chief Executive David Harker said:

“When prisoners start custodial sentences their lives on the outside don’t just grind to a halt. Bills still need to be paid, mortgage payments and rent need to be met, and family and friends have to get on with their lives. Unless these issues are tackled with the help of advice, information and continuing support, the situation in which an offender finds themselves on release can be one of homelessness, relationship breakdown and unmanageable debt. This can affect their chances of successfully rejoining society, and so increase the chances of their re-offending.

“Financial stability in the period immediately following release is essential if an ex-prisoner is to resettle successfully into the community and avoid reverting to crime. The first few weeks after release are critical for ex-offenders; but the system is stacked against them. Many find it difficult to sort out practical problems such as benefits, housing and employment. Services can be difficult to access, and take far too long to activate. Too often recently released prisoners are left without any means of support or stable accommodation. As a result, many may feel that they have little option but to return to crime. Advice and support to help them get their affairs in order can play a major role in helping offenders resettle back into the community and break the cycle of re-offending.”

Ends

For more information contact:
Moira Haynes 020 7833 7107 or 07790 019116
moira.haynes@citizensadvice.org.uk

Notes to editors:

The Citizens Advice service is a network of independent charities that helps people resolve their money, legal and other problems by providing information and advice and by influencing policymakers. For more information see www.citizensadvice.org.uk
The advice provided by the Citizens Advice service is free, independent, confidential, and impartial, and available to everyone regardless of race, gender, disability, sexual orientation, religion, age or nationality.
Most Citizens Advice service staff are trained volunteers, working at around 3,400 service outlets across England and Wales.
Advice and information www.adviceguide.org.uk
Volunteer hotline 08451 264264 (local rate)
Citizens Advice Handbook, over 600 pages of practical, independent CAB advice. An invaluable resource for any bookshelf - available from all good bookshops or via www.adviceguide.org.uk Citizens Advice Handbook; Penguin reference; Price £12; ISBN 0-141-01678-7.

UPDATE: Summary of report here.

Full report here.

Monday, March 19, 2007

Is Phil Spector the court jester in a show trial?

In England, it is the judge and lawyers who wear wigs. According to the Telegraph, "Spector dons wig for start of murder trial". This is a turn up for the law books. I am a big fan of Spector's "wall of sound". However, I have almost forgotten the alleged crime it was that long ago. It occurred on 3 February 2003. Why has it taken 4 long years to come to trial? They are only just picking the jury. Then the lawyers go on a holiday, and the jury is not expected to be sworn in until 30 April. It is expected that the trial will last 3 months. No doubt Phil Spector in the land of the free will be able to buy his justice. I doubt that the victim will get the justice that she deserves. The full Telegraph article is here.

CAB to publish prisoners report.

The Citizens Advice Bureau will publish its report tomorrow.

"Prisoners report: A report looking at all stages of a prisoner’s experience in the penal system, showing there can be long delays for released prisoners in getting benefits, leaving some with nothing to live on for weeks and forcing some to turn back to crime. If prisoner’s benefits were in place at the point of release it could reduce reoffending significantly. Published 20th March".

Amazing Grace - This is Hull


Birthplace of Wilberforce - and freedom

Last Updated: 12:01am GMT 17/03/2007

A year of events
Max Davidson visits Hull to celebrate the 200th anniversary of the abolition of slavery.

The wheel, exhilaratingly, has come full circle. Travel back 200 years in time with Erica Kyere, a shy 26-year-old Ghanaian woman, rugged up against the English winter, and you can only shudder at what you see.

Fair trade farmer
Erica Kyere, a Ghanaian Fairtrade farmer

Had she been around in 1807, young and fit and living in the village of Mampong, in the Ashanti region, her fate would have been all too predictable. Capture, enslavement, a transatlantic crossing on a crowded slave ship, hard labour on a sugar plantation, rape, floggings... What chance of her even reaching the age of 30?

That Erica is here in Hull in 2007, representing the Kuapa Kokoo cocoa farmers' co-operative, talking about futures markets, chatting about her forthcoming marriage, makes the heart sing. If the ghost of William Wilberforce, whose statue looks impassively down on her, were to allow himself a small smile of satisfaction, no reasonable person would begrudge him it.

Hull is putting on its glad rags for its most famous son, and so it should. There are events all across the country to mark the bicentenary of the passing of the Abolition of the Slave Trade Act in 1807, notably in Liverpool and Bristol, the two main ports involved in the trade. But it is in Hull, in this unfashionable, isolated city, on the banks of the Humber, that the Wilberforce story - a story that still reverberates around the world - begins.

His birthplace, now a museum, dates from the 17th century. It is a handsome redbrick building, in the "artisan mannerist" style, and would once have backed right on to the tiny Hull river, a tributary of the Humber. The house was built on reclaimed land and, with its crooked, sloping lintel, shows signs of earlier subsidence. A single, gnarled tree, silhouetted against the leaden Yorkshire sky, stands in front of it.

Wilberforce's father was a wealthy merchant when the city was in its heyday. There would have been warehouses all around his house, ships loading and unloading, stevedores bustling to and fro, the stench of fish and mud - the mud is still there, great steaming mounds of it, all along the estuary - and rotting fruit and vegetables. Hull was a busy seaport, not involved in the slave trade, but doing brisk business with cities in Holland, Germany and Scandinavia.

A child of privilege, then, but also - if the statue does not lie - a modest man. Wilberforce was slightly built, with a clean-shaven, boyish face, and not at all an imposing figure. When he rose to speak in the House of Commons on May 12, 1789, with the gallery packed with slave-traders from Liverpool, one can imagine him trembling in apprehension. Did the boy from Hull know, did anyone know, that he was about to spark a revolution?

"I mean not to accuse anyone, but to take the blame upon myself, in common with the whole parliament of Great Britain, for having suffered this horrid trade to be carried on for so long under their authority. We are all guilty." His chapter-and-verse denunciation of the slave trade, which went on for four hours, was one of the greatest of all political speeches: hairs-on-the-back-of-the-neck stuff. Melvyn Bragg, shrewdly, included the speech, which was quickly circulated in pamphlet form, in his Twelve Books That Changed the World. No squeaky-clean modern museum can come close to evoking the horrors that Wilberforce described to the Commons: the appalling conditions of the slave ships - "so much misery in so little room, more than the human imagination can conceive" - or the equally appalling conditions on the sugar plantations at the end of the voyage. But the Wilberforce House Museum makes an excellent fist of it, blending historical reconstruction with a look at slavery - still far from eradicated - in the modern world.

Erica, going around the museum with me, stares in obvious distress at the images of brutality: the whips, the chains, the whole grisly apparatus of oppression. But other exhibits - of West African music, of colourful Kente-cloth dresses, of exotic tropical trees - bring a smile of recognition to her face. The museum is not just an X-rated horror show: it is a celebration of a vibrant culture uprooted, but not destroyed.

It is also, stirringly, a celebration of little people daring to believe that they could make a difference. Here are the porcelain cameos - like modern campaign badges - designed by Josiah Wedgwood 200years ago. The African slave, kneeling in supplication, and the legend: "Am I not a man and a brother?" How many women of Hull wore those brooches, as the anti-slavery coalition gathered momentum? And how many Hull housewives, more than a century before women got the vote, took part in the sugar boycott of the 1790s? They had never been within a thousand miles of Africa, but they heard what Wilberforce and his fellow abolitionists had to say, and they wanted to make their statement, refusing to buy the sugar that was the end-product of all this human misery.

"Did you know about the sugar boycott?" I whisper to Erica.

"No. It makes you think, doesn't it?" It does indeed. Kuapa Kokoo, the cocoa farmers' co-operative of which she is the development officer, is a Fairtrade company, its products marketed in this country as Divine Chocolate.

"We're Divine," say two of its members, bounding up to me later, in another section of the museum.

"And I'm Gorgeous," I retort. But beyond the clowning, there is something else: a recognition that, 200 years after the most pernicious organised trading system in human history, a new order has emerged. The idealists of Hull - men and women who would once have campaigned shoulder to shoulder with Wilberforce - are now fighting for a new cause, with the dignity of labour as its end.

Hull is one of a growing number of officially designated "Fairtrade Cities", prepared to put its money where its mouth is. I had never visited the city before, and I suspect I am not alone. It is out on a limb, geographically, and the things one immediately associates with it - fish and chips, Rugby League players thrashing around in the mud, John Prescott, one of the Hull MPs - do not exactly whet the appetite. But it is a pleasant, compact city, and as I take to the streets the next morning, on a Wilberforce walking tour, its charms are not slow to impress themselves. Seagulls swoop above the marina. The sun glints on the water. There is a smell of freshly brewed coffee.

Hull got badly bombed during the Second World War and is the inevitable architectural mish-mash: fine Victorian buildings cheek-by-jowl with modern shopping arcades; riverside apartment blocks where once there would have been warehouses. Queen's Gardens, in the city centre, is a welcome oasis of green, although it is a shame that the Wilberforce column - think Nelson in Trafalgar Square - is backed by a hideous 1960s college-block.

What I had not expected was the rabbit-warren of cobbled streets, with names such as Dagger Lane, in the old city, the area around Wilberforce House. One gets the sense, not just of a flourishing community, but of a community with a healthy tradition of non-conformity. Dagger Lane was also known as "Nine Faiths Lane" because there were so many different churches, chapels - Quakers, Unitarians, Methodists - and distinct Christian traditions within a few doors of each other. Wilberforce himself was part of the evangelical movement. In the 17thcentury, in one of the defining moments in the history of the city, Hull refused admission to King Charles I. Challenging authority - religious, political or commercial - must have been as instinctive as breathing to the people of Hull.

If Wilberforce was Hull's most famous MP, he was run a close second by the poet Andrew Marvell, whose statue stands in the city centre, outside Holy Trinity Church, where Wilberforce was christened. There is a wry reference to the Humber in his best-known poem, To His Coy Mistress. Every great man becomes that little bit more inexplicable when you understand his roots.

And as with Marvell, so with Wilberforce. There are literally hundreds of Wilberforce events this year, right across the country, from exhibitions to lunches, from lectures to marches. That is as it should be. It was the passions he aroused in ordinary, decent people, as much as his tenacity or oratorical skill, that led to the demise of the slave trade.

His name is everywhere. Wilberforce Road, Wilberforce Close, Wilberforce Mews. Wilberforce Mansions. My 12-year-old god-daughter, I recently discovered, is a direct descendant of the great man and keeps his portrait on her wall, next to the Pirates of the Caribbean poster. He is an Everyman, the repository of all our hopes and ideals.

Yet in Hull, his birthplace, hot-bed of quiet radicalism, bolshie so-and-sos refusing to do things simply because they had always been done in that way in the past, he somehow seems that little bit closer.

Just around the corner from Wilberforce House, on a damp cobbled street, next to an antediluvian-looking pub called Ye Olde Black Boy, I come across Hitchcock's, as wackily non-conformist a restaurant as you could hope to find. It is vegetarian, but vegetarian with a charmingly democratic twist. The style of food - Chinese, Indian, Thai, Italian - is chosen, not by the chef, but by the first person to book a table. How laid-back is that? Gordon Ramsay would do his head in.

Tonight, in honour of Erica and her friends from Divine Chocolate, it is "Ghana and West Africa Fairtrade Night". Fairtraded red wine washes down a buffet of fried plantains and roasted chickpeas and stewed yams and red-bean salad and a dozen other goodies, light years from what you could expect to find in a Hull supermarket. A bit recherché? Low turn-out? Not a bit of it. Every table is packed and people are not here for the food, or not principally for the food. There is something deeper stirring.

"Fairtrade has become my greatest mission in life," says Peter Church, a grizzled-looking campaign veteran, who runs One World, a Fairtrade shop in the city centre.

"We sell everything from coffee and cocoa to craft products such as woven baskets. In other retail markets, it is the goods that sell or fail to sell. In Fairtrade, it is the stories behind the goods. People want to do their bit to stop producers like Erica being exploited. You can't argue with that, can you?" I glance across at Erica, as happy as a sandpiper, telling people about her fiancé, and how she met him, and about their wedding arrangements, and about her plans for Kuapa Kokoo, a co-operative of the free-born, in a free market. And I think: "No, because of things started here, in Hull, on the muddy muddy banks of the Humber, you can't argue with that."

A year of events
# Wilberforce House Museum reopens on Sun March 25 at 2.30pm. Thereafter open daily, 10am-5pm Mon-Sat, 1.30pm-4-30pm Sun. Admission free
# Walking with Wilberforce, a self-guided heritage trail of Hull, is launched on Monday, May 7. Leaflets of the route will be available from the Tourist Information Centre, in Paragon Street (01482 223559); for more details about this, and the many special events taking place in Hull to mark the bicentenary of the abolition of the slave trade, see www.wilberforce2007.com
# Trains to Hull run direct from London King's Cross, return fares from £30 (08450 710222, www.hulltrains.co.uk)

Many other events will take place across the country to mark the bicentenary. Highlights include:
# March 23: general release of 'Amazing Grace', a film based on the life of William Wilberforce
# From April 23: Breaking the Chains: a special exhibition on the abolition of the slave trade at the British Empire and Commonwealth Museum, Bristol (www.empiremuseum.co.uk)
# August: the opening of a major International Slavery Museum, in Liverpool (www.liverpoolmuseums.org.uk)
# August: the opening of a permanent gallery - London, Sugar and Slavery - at the Museum of Docklands, in London (www.molg.org.uk)

For details of other events see www.enjoyengland.com, or www.direct.gov.uk/en/slavery

UPDATE:

Still fighting for freedom

Last Updated: 12:01am GMT 22/03/2007

Chance led Lord Wedderburn to trace his own passion for human rights back to his ancestor, the son of a slave, he tells Cassandra Jardine

Amazing Grace, the new film that tells the story of William Wilberforce's campaign to end the slave trade, is a glossy memorial to the passing of the Bill that ended the slave trade on March 25 200 years ago.

Slaves taken to market in Africa
To market: women slaves were used for breeding

But this Sunday, near Edinburgh, a less well-known event will be commemorated - even though was probably equally significant in bringing that grisly trade to an end.

The stars of this show will not be Ioan Gruffudd and Albert Finney, the actors in the film, but one of our most distinguished legal minds, Lord (Bill) Wedderburn of Charlton, and Geoff Palmer, a retired professor of grain science born in Jamaica.

These two men, both with direct links to slavery, will be reliving a walk made in 1795 by Lord Wedderburn's ancestor, Robert, from the port at Musselburgh to Inveresk House, where his father, James Wedderburn, was living.

It was not a happy reunion of father and son. Robert was the child whom James had fathered by a slave girl, Rosanna, while living as a plantation owner in Jamaica. He sold her on while pregnant but with the condition that the child should be born a free man, not a slave.

Yet when the young mixed-race boy used that freedom to become a sailor and travel to Britain, his father was not pleased.

He assumed Robert had come to demand money off him, so he instructed his under-butler to dismiss his young by-blow with two calculated insults: "a cracked sixpence" and "a glass of small beer", as Robert described in his autobiography.

The callous rejection was a turning point in Robert Wedderburn's life. "He left for London and became an activist against slavery," says his proud descendant, Bill Wedderburn. "He was outraged from having seen his mother and grandmother whipped by slave masters, and he spoke at public meetings against slavery.

"British workers didn't stand to gain from the end of the slave trade but, because ordinary people demanded it, it did end. Robert was also the first person to link the treatment of the slaves to the treatment of Britain's industrial working class."

Today Robert Wedderburn is considered one of the most eminent black Britons in history, but he is still little known. The heroes of the abolition movement have been, until now, white men of conscience: Quakers who spoke out against slavery and Church of England reformers, such as Wilberforce, who were in a position to put legislation before Parliament.

Even Bill (by then Lord) Wedderburn didn't know about his illustrious ancestor Robert until 1980, when he came across a newspaper article about the man with whom he shared a surname.

The article described Robert's early life in Jamaica, his years campaigning for free speech and emancipation, his autobiography, The Horrors of Slavery, and the occasions when he was sent to prison in England for his revolutionary views.

He sounded to Bill Wedderburn like someone after his own heart. "I contacted the author, Geoff Palmer, and researched my relationship to Robert," he explains over a cup of coffee in the House of Lords where, aged 79, he still speaks frequently, despite being wheelchair-bound.

He soon discovered that he was a direct descendant of Robert Wedderburn, who had married a white woman (her identity is unknown) and had several children. Ever since, this principled, humorous lawyer explains, his ancestor has been a guiding light.

"One constantly comes across appalling oppression. Knowing about his work, I ask myself: 'What would Robert think about this?' "

In a speech earlier this year, which he opened by declaring himself the descendant of a slave, he spoke about the current trafficking of women and children. Other causes on which he has spoken include corporate manslaughter, the genital mutilation of women and the human rights implications of anti-terrorist legislation.

Robert Wedderburn has inspired him but this is not a case of a man expiating his guilt at having profited from slave-owning forebears.

Despite the handle to his name, there is nothing patrician about Bill Wedderburn. It's pure coincidence that, even before he knew of the relationship, he was already devoted to causes that Robert Wedderburn might have espoused had he been alive today.

The son of a scale-maker in Deptford, south London, Bill Wedderburn went from grammar school to Cambridge, where he won the top law prize even though he only took up the subject in his third year. He was equally pre-eminent in his bar exams but chose to teach rather than make money at the bar.

At Cambridge, where he taught Lord Irvine, he started the first course in "labour" law - a term that he far prefers to "employment" law. "In Deptford, this was what concerned people, yet it was not taught," he explains.

In 1977, when he was asked to become a Labour spokesman in the Lords on legal matters, he took the title Lord Wedderburn of Charlton in honour of the football team he has supported all his life. Though a loyal Labour supporter, he resigned the whip - but not his party membership - last year.

"There were two reasons: the first is Blairism," he explains. "Since 1997 there has been a constant stream of measures that are either in conflict with the last manifesto or with what the Labour Party stood for in the 1980s and 1990s.

You cannot have an intellectual argument with someone whose answer to questions such as the need to go to war in Iraq is, 'If you knew what I know...'

"The second reason was 'the smell'," as he calls the cash-for-honours scandal. "Last year I had to go into hospital for an operation on my spine.

When the nurse read my notes and saw I was a lord she asked with a giggle, 'How did you get that?' When I came back to the House of Lords, I decided I wasn't going to go on having dreadful conversations along the lines of that song, 'This is my party, and I'll cry if I want to...' "

Bill Wedderburn has no such mixed feelings about Robert Wedderburn, who was, he says, "a serious man who did not give up his fight". Robert Wedderburn's battle against slavery that began in 1795, with his father's rejection of him, dominated the rest of his life.

He worked as a tailor and set up a Unitarian chapel in Soho. Despite charges that he was inciting revolution, and three spells in prison, he successfully defended his right to speak his mind and tell his tale.
Lord Wedderburn

Fascination with history: Lord Wedderburn

Geoff Palmer, the author of the article that first alerted Bill Wedderburn to Robert's existence, is well versed in the life story of the activist who came to his attention when he found a copy of his autobiography in an Edinburgh bookshop.

As a black Jamaican himself, Palmer was fascinated by Wedderburn's tales of the slave era and his battle for abolition. He felt some bond with him for he too had made something of himself in Britain despite a fractured family background.

He became a professor of grain science at Heriot-Watt University, where he made his name by cutting two days off the malting time for barley.

Palmer says that James Wedderburn, Robert's father, had gone to Jamaica after his father, a Catholic, was hanged by the English following the Battle of Culloden. He stayed there for 27 years, amassing a huge fortune which he then invested in Inveresk House - now a National Trust property - built high on a hill, like a plantation house, so the owner could observe his slaves at work.

"In 1762, when Robert was born, Jamaica was more valuable to Britain than the United States because of the sugar trade and the regime was brutal," says Palmer. "Women like Rosanna, Robert's mother, were used for breeding.

Slaves had no right even to life, as Robert told numerous public meetings. Like Bob Marley, he was half-black, half-white and more interested in justice than in race. After rejection by his father, he didn't whine, he took action. He told people that slavery was being supported both by the Church and by the Government."

Robert Wedderburn's speeches helped create the groundswell of public opinion that resulted in the abolition of the slave trade in 1807. But, to him, that was the beginning, not the end of the struggle because the trade by then was a side issue.

With 300,000 slaves in Jamaica, from whom more slaves could be bred, and the Spanish and Americans continuing with the trade until 1865, nothing would change, he knew, until slavery itself - rather than the slave trade - was abolished.

He continued to campaign for just that until he died in Dorchester prison some time after 1830. No one knows whether or not he lived to see the Abolition of Slavery Act finally passed in 1833.

At one of his trials, in 1820, he said that he flattered himself that "my simple exertions will one day or other be of no mean importance". It has taken nearly 200 years, but on Sunday Robert Wedderburn takes up his rightful place in history.