Posts tagged crime
Transgender and disabled murders to incur far harsher hate-crime penalty
Starting point for sentencing to double under first government strategy to tackle prejudice against transgender people Murderers who kill disabled or transgender people in hate crimes are to face much longer prison sentences under government proposals. The justice secretary, Kenneth Clarke, said the “starting point” for judges sentencing in disability and transgender murder cases was to double from 15 to 30 years. The move will bring sentencing in these cases in line with murders in which race, religion or sexual orientation is an aggravating factor.
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Transgender and disabled murders to incur far harsher hate-crime penalty
Liverpool cracks down on costly blue badge abuse
After the fraud is estimated to cost the city council an estimated £1m a year in lost revenue A crackdown on disabled blue badge fraud has been taking place in Liverpool, where a woman was spotted by inspectors placing a badge on her car’s dashboard then jogging to the gym. It is estimated that the city council could be losing an estimated £1m a year in lost parking charges as a result of blue badge fraud.
Gemma Hayter case review finds chances were missed to protect her
Report into death of disabled woman killed by ‘friends’ concludes murder not predictable but agencies missed ‘number of opportunities’ to intervene Care workers and other agencies missed a number of chances to intervene in the case of a vulnerable young disabled woman who was beaten and killed by a group of people she considered close friends, a serious case review has concluded.
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Gemma Hayter case review finds chances were missed to protect her
Giving young learning disabled people a break
Mencap courses aim to break the link between young people with learning disabilities and committing crime In the Oldbury offices of the crime reduction charity Nacro , five young men sit around a table, swinging on their chairs and readjusting their headgear. Between them, they have convictions and cautions for burglary, robbery and cannabis possession. All are aged between 16 and 19 and have mild to moderate learning disabilities
Your Local Hate Crime Scrutiny Panel Needs You!
The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) in the Thames Valley Area is seeking new members for its Hate Crime Scrutiny Panel (HCSP).
HCSP Members scrutinise hate crime cases with the aim of helping the CPS improve its handling of homophobic, racist, religious, disability and transphobic hate crime, as well as crimes against older people, and so support the development of best practice.
The panel is made up of local people with experience of supporting hate crime victims. Although the panel is intended to focus on the work of the CPS, other aspects of the criminal justice system might also come under the spotlight. (more…)
Mobility Aids Buyers Beware Rogue Traders
Elderly and vulnerable people are being increasingly bullied into handing over thousands of pounds for overpriced mobility aids by rogue traders, according to the Local Government Association.
Some are even posing as social care workers to make sales. In one case, an 80-year-old was bullied into buying a £5,000 motor scooter, even though he already had one.
But now trading standards officers are recovering hundreds of thousands of pounds paid out for over-priced home equipment such as mobility scooters, stair lifts and walk-in baths. (more…)
