Mother has four-year-old son taken from her after failing drug test taken from strand of hair – The Independent

Posted January 21st, 2019 in adoption, care orders, drug abuse, forensic science, news by tracey

‘A mother has been forced to give up her four-year-old son after failing a hair-strand drug test and losing a controversial court battle over his care.’

Full Story

The Independent, 20th January 2019

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Puppy therapy to help prisoners with mental health and addiction launched for the first time in the UK – Daily Telegraph

Posted December 18th, 2018 in animals, drug abuse, mental health, news, prisons by sally

‘Puppy therapy to help prisoners with mental health and addiction is being offered in the first scheme of its kind in the UK.’

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Daily Telegraph, 17th December 2018

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Jails are failing to get a grip on violence and drugs, says chief inspector – Daily Telegraph

Posted November 22nd, 2018 in drug abuse, news, prisons, reports, self-harm, suicide, violence by tracey

‘Britain’s jails are failing to get a grip on record levels of violence, suicides, self-harm and drug-taking which are all getting worse, the chief inspector of prisons warned yesterday.’

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Daily Telegraph, 22nd November 2018

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Review of the Psychoactive Substances Act 2016 – Home Office

‘This review sought to measure changes in outcomes before and after the implementation of the Act, to provide an indication of whether its aims are being achieved.’

Full press release

Home Office, 19th November 2018

Source: www.gov.uk/home-office

Bus driver sacked for positive cocaine test awarded £40k as tribunal agrees drug came from students’ notes – Daily Telegraph

‘A bus driver who was sacked for testing positive for cocaine has been awarded £40,000 after a tribunal ruled the drug could have got into his system when he licked his fingers after accepting notes from students.’

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Daily Telegraph, 20th November 2018

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Dad jailed for ‘cannabis-induced’ baby murder attempt – BBC News

‘A young father who repeatedly tried to smother his newborn son amid a cannabis-induced psychosis has been jailed for ten years.’

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BBC News, 8th November 2018

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Poor healthcare in jails is killing inmates, says NHS watchdog – The Guardian

‘Almost half of England’s jails are providing inadequate medical care to inmates, whose health is being damaged by widespread failings, the NHS watchdog has told MPs in a scathing briefing leaked to the Observer.’

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The Guardian, 27th October 2018

Source: www.theguardian.com

‘Out of control’: prison watchdog warns of synthetic drug crisis – The Guardian

Posted October 12th, 2018 in death in custody, drug abuse, news, prisons by sally

‘An epidemic of synthetic drugs in prisons is “completely out of control” and the “new normal”, a prison deaths watchdog has warned, as signs emerge that the impact is spreading to immigration removal centres and bail hostels.’

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The Guardian, 11th October 2018

Source: www.theguardian.com

Exeter prison condemned by inspectors for violence and drug use – The Guardian

Posted October 9th, 2018 in criminal justice, drug abuse, news, prisons, violence by tracey

‘The crisis-struck HMP Exeter prison, one of only four to have been subjected to special emergency action, is “very violent” and has overt drug use that is not regarded as exceptional by staff, according to inspectors.’

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The Guardian, 9th October 2018

Source: www.theguardian.com

Could Stephen Port have been stopped? Questions haunt victims’ families – The Guardian

Posted August 28th, 2018 in drug abuse, murder, news, police, rape, recidivists, violent offenders by sally

‘Family of Jack Taylor, 25, the serial killer’s final victim, describe the agony of the case.’

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The Guardian, 26th August 2018

Source: www.theguardian.com

Manslaughter prosecutions of those involved in supplying drugs and legal highs: an analysis – Six Pump Court

Posted August 17th, 2018 in drug abuse, food, homicide, news, prosecutions by sally

‘The case of REBELO concerned a business run by the Defendant (D) which sold the highly toxic chemical DNP as a food supplement which promoted weight loss. On 4th April 2015, a 21 year old woman, called Eloise Aimee Parry (EP) purchased 250mg DNP tablets from him through the internet. She subsequently died on 12th April 2015 as a result of having taken them. She died of DNP toxicity. That was the verdict of HM Coroner and the finding of the jury. D was prosecuted by the Harrow Council within whose area D’s centre of distribution was located. RICHARD BARRACLOUGH QC and GORDON MENZIES were instructed to prosecute as homicide, regulatory and food law specialists.’

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Six Pump Court, 15th August 2018

Source: www.6pumpcourt.co.uk

Prisoners face fresh crackdown on drugs, violence and phones – The Guardian

Posted August 17th, 2018 in drug abuse, news, prisons, telecommunications, violence by sally

‘Prisoners are to face a fresh crackdown on drugs, violence and smuggled mobile phones as part of a £10m drive to turn around 10 of the worst-performing jails in England.’

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The Guardian, 17th August 2018

Source: www.theguardian.com

Robin Bastiman banned for three years by BHA for injecting horse – The Guardian

Posted August 15th, 2018 in disciplinary procedures, drug abuse, horse racing, horses, news, sport by sally

‘Robin Bastiman has been banned from racing for three years and told he should be “deeply ashamed” after a disciplinary panel of the British Horseracing Authority found he had injected a horse with a substance containing cobalt on a day it was due to race.’

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The Guardian, 14th August 2018

Source: www.theguardian.com

English courts trial mental health referrals for vulnerable offenders – The Guardian

Posted August 10th, 2018 in alcohol abuse, drug abuse, mental health, news, rehabilitation, sentencing by sally

‘Offenders with mental health, alcohol and drug abuse problems are being referred to health services as part of community sentences in an effort to steer them away from jail time.’

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The Guardian, 10th August 2018

Source: www.theguardian.com

Man who threw baby out of window in Luton jailed – BBC News

‘A man who threw a seven-month-old baby and its mother out of a window has been jailed for life.’

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BBC News, 2nd August 2018

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Father convicted over death of six-month-old Kayden Walker – The Guardian

Posted August 2nd, 2018 in child abuse, child cruelty, drug abuse, homicide, news by tracey

‘A man whose six-month-old son died from “catastrophic” injuries, including bleeding to his brain, has been convicted of manslaughter.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 1st August 2018

Source: www.theguardian.com

Police custody deaths hit 10-year high, with experts citing austerity – The Guardian

‘Police custody deaths have hit their highest level in a decade with police, campaigners and experts warning that austerity and a crisis in mental health services have driven the figure up.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 25th July 2018

Source: www.theguardian.com

Justice Secretary launches fresh crackdown on crime in prison – speech – Ministry of Justice

Posted July 11th, 2018 in drug abuse, prisons, rehabilitation, sentencing, speeches by tracey

‘Justice Secretary launches fresh crackdown on crime in prison – speech.’

Full speech

Ministry of Justice, 10th July 2018

Source: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ministry-of-justice

FDAC unit closure threatens future of problem-solving courts – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted June 22nd, 2018 in alcohol abuse, courts, drug abuse, families, family courts, local government, news by tracey

‘Days after it emerged that a national board set up to improve the performance of the family justice system and chaired by government ministers had not met for 17 months, a national unit set up only three years ago to support a pioneering problem-solving court service for families is shutting down due to lack of government support.’

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Law Society's Gazette, 21st June 2018

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

‘Laughing gas’ driver jailed over A41 fatal crash – BBC News

Posted May 22nd, 2018 in dangerous driving, drug abuse, news, sentencing, young offenders by sally

‘A teenager who inhaled laughing gas while driving at high speed before crashing and killing two women has been jailed.’

Full Story

BBC News, 21st May 2018

Source: www.bbc.co.uk