International Law

My challenge to David Davies MP

Posted on April 03, 2008
My challenge to David Davies MPThe Tory MP David Davies is claiming that "THOUSANDS of criminals on police ?wanted? lists are able to claim state benefits despite being on the run".My challenge to David Davies MP, is produce the evidence to back up his claim or make a public statement apologising for telling lies.

Shot man's 'compassionate' side

Posted on April 03, 2008
Shot man's 'compassionate' side"Charity worker Simon Murden has been described by family and friends as a "gentle man" with an "infectious" passion and enthusiasm for life".When Simon Murden's father alerted the police to the fact that his son was suffering from some kind of psychotic episode and had driven off in a van armed with oriental swords, I don't believe that he expected the police response would be to shoot his son dead...

Chinese blogger to be jailed for blogging

Posted on April 03, 2008
Chinese blogger to be jailed for bloggingHu Jia faces up to 5 years for 6 unspecified blog posts.Meanwhile, the sporting world is looking forward to the Olympics in Beijing...A prominent activist who publicised human rights abuses across China has been convicted of subversion and jailed for three-and-a-half years.

Why not buy us a block of flats, say MPs

Posted on April 03, 2008
Why not buy us a block of flats, say MPs"Taxpayers' money could be used to buy a block of flats or a hotel in central London for MPs to stay in, a parliamentary committee charged with overhauling MPs' expenses has disclosed".I have a better idea. Given that the vast majority of MPs have fraudulently stolen taxpayers money with their expenses fiddles, why not house them in Wormwood Scrubs, Pentonville, Brixton or Wandsworth prisons?

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Craig Meehan held on child porn charges

Posted on April 03, 2008
Craig Meehan held on child porn charges"The boyfriend of the mother of nine-year-old Shannon Matthews, who disappeared for almost a month, has been charged with possessing child pornography".

More prisons are not the answer

Posted on April 03, 2008
More prisons are not the answerBy Mary RiddellPetra Blanksby took five days to die. Her failure to end her life instantly was not for want of practice. A veteran, at 19, of attempted suicide, she had swallowed razor blades and overdoses, but someone was always there to save her...

Stepfather of Shannon Matthews is arrested over child porn find

Posted on April 02, 2008
Stepfather of Shannon Matthews is arrested over child porn find"Craig Meehan, the stepfather of Shannon Matthews, has been arrested by police investigating her disappearance.Police who confiscated a series of computers during their inquiries have arrested her mother?s boyfriend on suspicion of possessing indecent images of children".

Top judge attacks early release

Posted on April 02, 2008
Top judge attacks early releaseThe most senior judge in England and Wales has criticised the early release of prisoners under a scheme to reduce prison overcrowding.The Lord Chief Justice, Lord Phillips, said it was "an erosion of the sentence the judge had imposed and anticipated would be served"...

Inmates not receiving reform help

Posted on April 02, 2008
Inmates not receiving reform help"Prisoners at HMP Gloucester are not being given the support needed to reform because money is being diverted to building extra prison places".

Human-cow hybrid embryo created

Posted on April 02, 2008
Human-cow hybrid embryo createdBritain's first human-animal hybrid embryos have been created, forming a crucial first step, scientists believe, towards a supply of stem cells that could be used to investigate debilitating and so far untreatable conditions such as Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's and motor neurone disease...

Bertie Ahern resigns as Ireland's Prime Minister

Posted on April 02, 2008
Bertie Ahern resigns as Ireland's Prime Minister"Bertie Ahern today announced that he is to stand down as Ireland's Prime Minister following a financial scandal that saw his secretary break down in tears in public".Belatedly, Bertie Ahern has done the right thing and resigned...

Mary Martin the Speaker's wife is a thief

Posted on April 02, 2008
Mary Martin the Speaker's wife is a thiefLast night on the BBC 1 10pm news, it was reported that the Parliamentary Commissioner of Standards is to investigate Michael Martin, the speaker of the House of Commons, over why his wife, Mary Martin, spent £4,280 of the taxpayers money on taxis to do her personal shopping...

Suspended prison sentence for 'Casanova stalked' fantasist

Posted on April 01, 2008
Suspended prison sentence for 'Casanova stalked' fantasist"A fantasist who wasted hundreds of hours of police time when she invented a sinister stalker named Casanova has been handed a suspended prison sentence.Nightclub worker Lauren Holden, 25, claimed she was being targeted by a deranged sexual predator".

Speaker Michael Martin to be investigated over wife's taxi expenses

Posted on April 01, 2008
Speaker Michael Martin to be investigated over wife's taxi expenses"Michael Martin, the speaker of the House of Commons, is to be officially investigated by the Parliamentary sleaze watchdog after admitting he used public money to fund taxis for his wife's shopping trips".

Judge says courts 'overstretched'

Posted on April 01, 2008
Judge says courts 'overstretched'The most senior judge in England and Wales has said a "stream" of legislation had contributed to courts being "seriously overstretched".

Is Harriet Harman an April Fools joke?

Posted on April 01, 2008
Is Harriet Harman an April Fools joke?It is not clear whether Harriet Harman thought she was on the Cat Walk modelling a stab proof vest, or whether she imagined she was the Home Secretary, Jacqui Smith, too terrified to go out at night in her neighbouhood...

Jobs found for former prisoners

Posted on March 31, 2008
Jobs found for former prisoners"A project at a Shropshire prison, which aims to reduce the number of prisoners who reoffend, has secured 40 jobs for ex-offenders".They must be on the right track given that "The inmates at Dana Prison, in Shrewsbury, have been offered night work for a railway-maintenance company".

Watchdog's threat to 42-day terror law

Posted on March 31, 2008
Watchdog's threat to 42-day terror law"The government's own human rights watchdog threatened last night to launch a legal challenge to Labour's plan to introduce a law that would let police detain terror suspects without charge for 42 days.The Equality and Human Rights Commission says the key part of the counter-terrorism bill goes against human rights law and may breach the Race Relations Act"...

Year's jail for 'wicked' false rape accusation

Posted on March 31, 2008
Year's jail for 'wicked' false rape accusation"A woman who falsely accused a soldier of rape has been described as "wicked" by the judge who sentenced her to a year in jail".

New structure for the Ministry of Justice

Posted on March 31, 2008
New structure for the Ministry of JusticeToday, 1 April 2008, the Director General of the Prison Service ceases to be. Instead, Phil Wheatley, has become the new Director General of the National Offender Management Service (NOMS) which merges the Prison Service with the Probation Service...

Home Office in illegal immigrants cover-up

Posted on March 30, 2008
Home Office in illegal immigrants cover-up"Hundreds of illegal immigrants ? including a suspected murderer and other criminals ? are working in care homes in Britain, a leaked Home Office report has disclosed".Home Office Care Home memo in pdf here.I watched Home Secretary Jacqui Smith being grilled by Andrew Marr this morning on this subject...

Sick and suicidal: plight of women in UK jails

Posted on March 30, 2008
Sick and suicidal: plight of women in UK jails"Most women prisoners have mental health problems, and nine of out 10 were convicted of non-violent offences. Now a new study shows an alarming rise in suicides and self-harm - and behind the statistics lie ruined lives and shattered relatives...

American caught having sex with picnic table

Posted on March 30, 2008
American caught having sex with picnic table"An American man is facing public indecency charges after allegedly being filmed having sex with a picnic table.Police say that Art Price Jr was seen copulating with furniture on four separate mornings, most recently on March 14 when a neighbour recorded it as evidence"...

Two terrorists released from prison early

Posted on March 29, 2008
Two terrorists released from prison earlyTwo convicted terrorists have been released early under a controversial Government scheme to ease prison over-crowding, ministers have been forced to admit.One is a radical Muslim cleric - Yassin Nassari, 29 - who was caught trying to smuggle blueprints on how to build a missile into Britain...

Michael Martin's home gets £1.7m makeover

Posted on March 29, 2008
Michael Martin's home gets £1.7m makeoverRefurbishing the home and garden of the Speaker of the House of Commons has cost the taxpayer £1.7 million.The bill includes more than £700,000 on furnishing and improving his official residence, figures released to The Daily Telegraph reveal today...

Man said 'wombat rape' led to accent change

Posted on March 28, 2008
Man said 'wombat rape' led to accent change"A New Zealand man who claimed he was raped by a wombat and that the experience left him speaking with an Australian accent has been found guilty of wasting police time".No wombats were harmed in the making up of this story.

Drug delivery grandmother jailed

Posted on March 28, 2008
Drug delivery grandmother jailed"A grandmother from Cornwall who delivered drugs in Plymouth and Truro has been jailed for six months after being caught with 10 kilos of cannabis".Piers Norsworthy, defending, said she was a woman of good character and was not living a life of luxury but had needed "a little more money for the family pot".

Tory suspended in euthanasia row

Posted on March 28, 2008
Tory suspended in euthanasia row"A councillor has been suspended from the Conservative Party after suggesting euthanasia as a way to cut the cost of caring for vulnerable children".The Nasty Party really has become the Nazi Party.

Paedophile hostel ban criticised

Posted on March 28, 2008
Paedophile hostel ban criticised"A ban on paedophiles being housed in bail hostels near schools undermined public protection, a report has said".

MoD admits human rights breaches over death of tortured Iraqi civilian

Posted on March 28, 2008
MoD admits human rights breaches over death of tortured Iraqi civilian"The Government admits "substantial breaches" of the European Convention of Human Rights over the killing of Baha Mousa, an Iraqi who died in the custody of British soldiers, Des Browne, the Defence Secretary, said yesterday".

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