Wednesday 29 October 2008

Nursery owner faces fine over death (ITV News)

Watch The News Broadcast At The End Of The Story:
The former owner of a nursery, where a baby girl strangled herself while she was left on her own, is being sentenced.
Molly Cunliffe, 16-months-old, strangled herself on a clothes bag attached to her cot at Tiddlywinks nursery, in Gloucester, while she was left unattended for over 20 minutes in October 2005.
Two weeks after Molly was found unconscious, doctors said that there was no hope of her recovering, and her parents agreed to her life-support machine being switched off.
Rosemarie Meadows, 45, who owned the nursery at the time faces an unlimited fine after admitting failing to protect the health and safety of toddlers.
Meadows, of Oldbury Orchard, Churchdown, wearing black and with dark hair, sobbed throughout the 15-minute hearing and was barely audible when she uttered the word 'guilty'.
Last year an inquest jury returned a verdict of unlawful killing after hearing Molly was in the care of a 17-year-old student and an unqualified member of staff while senior managers held a meeting upstairs.
Molly's parents Keata Glenton, 30, and Matthew Cunliffe, 29, who now have a daughter, Ella, one, are expected to attend the hearing.
Previously Ms Glenton said her heart had been "ripped out" by the events at the Worcester Street nursery which has now closed.


If You Have Problems With Social Services Visit:
www.stopinjusticenow.com/help/

Friday 24 October 2008

Dad jailed for snapping tot's spine (ITV News Update)

Watch The Broadcast!


A father who murdered his 16-month-old daughter by snapping her spine after months of abuse has been jailed for life.
James Howson, 25, was told he will serve a minimum sentence of 22 years for killing his little girl Amy.
Amy's mother, Tina Hunt, was given a 12-month suspended sentence after admitting allowing the death of a child and child cruelty.
Sentencing him at Leeds Crown Court, judge Mrs Justice Cox, recounted how the defendant placed his daughter over his knee or other object and broke her back at their home while he was looking after her. He then sat with her body until the morning.
The judge said: "This was, in my view, a chilling and brutal attack.
"The bone was completely dislocated, resulting in spinal shock, rapid unconsciousness - mercifully - and to death."
She went on: "The jury was satisfied, on the clearest of evidence, that it was you who deliberately inflicted truly horrific injuries upon your defenceless little daughter, Amy, from which she died within a few hours."
The judge also detailed the other occasions in the weeks leading up to the murder in December last year when Howson "cruelly and deliberately assaulted Amy", leaving her with multiple fractures to her arms and legs.
Howson showed no emotion as he was led from the dock.
The judge said to him: "I have not seen the slightest evidence of remorse from you for what you did."
The court heard how Howson had a troubled history and had been violent towards women when he was young yet had no previous convictions.
Adrian Waterman QC, defending, told the court how, when Howson was expelled from school as a teenager, a teacher noted in a report: "This boy will commit a murder before too long. I've never seen a such a disturbed young man."
Hunt admitted the child cruelty charge on the basis that she did nothing to alert the authorities to her daughter's plight.
But the judge told her "level of culpability falls at the lowest end of the scale" after hearing how Howson completely dominated her and was often violent.She said Hunt was also in the lowest 1 per cent band of intelligence and that she had to balance the protection of children against the "pressures on immature and inadequate parents".
If You Need Help With Social Services Visit:
http://www.stopinjusticenow.com/help/

Dad jailed for snapping tot's spine (ITV News)

Watch The Broadcast At The End Of The Story!
A father who murdered his 16-month-old daughter by snapping her spine after months of abuse has been jailed for life.
James Howson, 25, was told he will serve a minimum sentence of 22 years for killing his little girl Amy.
Amy's mother, Tina Hunt, was given a 12-month suspended sentence after admitting allowing the death of a child and child cruelty.
Sentencing him at Leeds Crown Court, judge Mrs Justice Cox, recounted how the defendant placed his daughter over his knee or other object and broke her back at their home while he was looking after her. He then sat with her body until the morning.
The judge said: "This was, in my view, a chilling and brutal attack.
"The bone was completely dislocated, resulting in spinal shock, rapid unconsciousness - mercifully - and to death."
She went on: "The jury was satisfied, on the clearest of evidence, that it was you who deliberately inflicted truly horrific injuries upon your defenceless little daughter, Amy, from which she died within a few hours."
The judge also detailed the other occasions in the weeks leading up to the murder in December last year when Howson "cruelly and deliberately assaulted Amy", leaving her with multiple fractures to her arms and legs.
Howson showed no emotion as he was led from the dock.
The judge said to him: "I have not seen the slightest evidence of remorse from you for what you did."
The court heard how Howson had a troubled history and had been violent towards women when he was young yet had no previous convictions.
Adrian Waterman QC, defending, told the court how, when Howson was expelled from school as a teenager, a teacher noted in a report: "This boy will commit a murder before too long. I've never seen a such a disturbed young man."
Hunt admitted the child cruelty charge on the basis that she did nothing to alert the authorities to her daughter's plight.
But the judge told her "level of culpability falls at the lowest end of the scale" after hearing how Howson completely dominated her and was often violent.
She said Hunt was also in the lowest 1 per cent band of intelligence and that she had to balance the protection of children against the "pressures on immature and inadequate parents".



If You Need Help With Social Services Visit http://www.stopinjusticenow.com/help/

Accused of Child Abuse ‘Permanently bruised’ – This Morning

Watch The Broadcast At The End Of The Story!
Imagine having to deal with suspicious stares from strangers, constant questions, and even accusations of beating your own child, all on a daily basis.This is the reality faced by mum Jacqui Slater, 44, who's eight year old daughter Bethan suffers from a rare condition which means she looks as though she is constantly covered in bruises.Bethan has Glomuvenous Malformation or GVM, a rare genetic disorder which leaves her little body covered in painful swollen lesions. Determined to raise money to fund research into this little known condition, Jacqui and Bethan have decided to speak out.Jacqui says: "The condition is so rare that it really is a case of trial and error with Bethan's treatment. The doctor's priority is to halt the progression of the condition and stop more lesions developing.”Bethan's consultant Dr Syed has looked after Bethan since she a baby. She says: "Bethan has a particularly severe case of GVM. It seems to be progressing very quickly and that is what we want to stop. We are very happy with the effects of the Thalidomide at present, but it can have the side effect of nerve damage.”



To donate towards research visit www.justgiving.com/livingwithGVM

http://www.itv.com/Lifestyle/ThisMorning/Health/Permanentlybruised123/default.html

If You Need Help With Social Services Visit http://www.stopinjusticenow.com/help/

Friday 10 October 2008

The Children and Young Persons Bill, Parliamentary Debate 8th October 2008

The Children and Young Persons Bill, Parliamentary Debate 8th October 2008

Watch the full Debate! (26 Part's Below)

The Bill was introduced to the house on 14th November 2007. The Local Authority are to accommodate the children’s acts.
The bill is to extend to England and Wales.
The bill is to include the following;
1. Every Child matters
2. Every Disabled Child Matters
3. Looked After Children
4. Social Services
5. Care Leavers
6. 16 to 21 Year Olds
7. Children in Custody
8. Kinship Carers
9. Foster Carers
10. Adopter’s
11. Grandparent’s
12. Brother’s & Sister’s
13. Aunt’s and Uncle’s
14. Guardian of Liam
15. Children leaving care act 2000
16. Children’s act 1989

Speakers on today’s debate are;
1. Sarah McCarthy-Fry MP (Children’s Minister)
2. Tim Loughton MP (Shadow Children and School’s Minister)
3. John Beacow MP
4. Lembit Opik MP
5. David Kidney MP
6. Angela Watkinson MP
7. Brian Jenkins MP
8. Annette Brooke MP (Children and Schools Spokes Woman)
9. Helen South Worth MP
10. Joan Humble MP
11. Joan Ryan MP
12. Siobhain McDonagh MP
13. Edward Timpson MP
14. Barry Gardiner MP
15. Emily Thornberry MPBeverley Hughes MP (Children and Schools and Families)

Watch All 26 Parts Below:

Part 1




Part 2




Part 3




Part 4




Part 5




Part 6




Part 7




Part 8




Part 9




Part 10


Part 11




part 12




Part 13




part 14




Part 15




Part 16




Part 17




Part 18




Part 19




part 20



Part 21



Part 22



Part 23



Part 24



Part 25



part 26 (Final Part)