Walthamstow Rape: Police Hunt Three Men

Police are looking for three men after a 12-year-old girl was "brutally" raped in London.

The girl was lured to a garage area in Walthamstow, east London, where she was pinned down and raped by two of the men, who are thought to be aged between 17 and 19.

The suspects left the area after the girl managed to call a friend who came to the scene and took her away.

Scotland Yard said the girl met the three men between 12.15am and 12.30am on Saturday, July 27.

Detective Inspector Simon Ellershaw, who is leading the investigation, said: "This was a very nasty attack on a vulnerable girl just 12 years old by a group of older males who engaged her in conversation before leading her to a secluded area.

"She was pinned down and two of the males then brutally raped her."

The first of the three men was described as dark-skinned and of mixed race, with a diamond stud in his left ear and a London accent. He told the girl his name was Mo and that he was 17.

He had large brown eyes, short hair, was very skinny and wore a black puffa-style jacket with a hood, black chinos, black trainers and a grey/black T-shirt.

The second was described as black and very tall with big lips. His hair was partly shaven and he wore black trousers with a red and blue shirt.

The third, who did not rape the girl, was black and had a moustache. He wore a blue hooded top and a red and blue cap, and told her his name was Miles.

The attack happened in an area at the end of Hibbert Road, near Theydon Street.

Anyone with information is asked to call police on 0208 217 7408 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

23.22 | 0 komentar | Read More

JK Rowling Wins Damages Over Pen-Name Novel

Author JK Rowling has accepted a donation to charity from a law firm which breached her confidentiality by revealing she was writing under a pen name.

The Harry Potter creator brought proceedings in London's High Court against Chris Gossage, a partner at Russells, and a friend of his, Judith Callegari.

Ms Rowling's solicitor, Jenny Afia, told Mr Justice Tugendhat that the author was revealed in the Sunday Times as the writer of crime novel The Cuckoo's Calling.

The novel was published under the pen name of Robert Galbraith in April.

A few days later, Russells contacted her agent disclosing that it was Mr Gossage who had divulged the confidential information to Ms Callegari, who then shared it on Twitter with a journalist.

Ms Afia said that Ms Rowling, who was not in court, "has been left dismayed and distressed by such a fundamental betrayal of trust".

Mr Gossage, Ms Callegari and Russells all apologised, with the firm agreeing to reimburse Ms Rowling's legal costs and make a payment by way of damages to the Soldiers' Charity, formerly the Army Benevolent Fund.

Rowling said she always intended for a share of royalties to go to charity

A statement issued on the author's behalf said that all global net royalties which would otherwise have been paid to her from book sales of The Cuckoo's Calling would be donated to The Soldiers' Charity for a period of three years, dating from July 14 - the day that Galbraith's identity was made known.

She said: "This donation is being made to The Soldiers' Charity partly as a thank you to the Army people who helped me with research, but also because writing a hero who is a veteran has given me an even greater appreciation and understanding of exactly how much this charity does for ex-servicemen and their families, and how much that support is needed.

"I always intended to give The Soldiers' Charity a donation out of Robert's royalties but I had not anticipated him making the bestseller list a mere three months after publication - indeed, I had not counted on him ever being there."

Major General Martin Rutledge, chief executive of the charity, said: "We are absolutely thrilled by the extraordinary generosity of JK Rowling who is such an internationally renowned author.

"This donation will make a huge difference to the lives of thousands of soldiers, former soldiers and their families who are in real need.

"Her tremendous show of support for The Soldiers' Charity will help to remind people of the many sacrifices made by our soldiers, long after any news of Afghanistan has left the front page."

23.22 | 0 komentar | Read More

Prison Break: Video Of Brazen Inmate Escape

Footage has emerged of an "armed and dangerous" criminal making a brazen prison break.

A manhunt is under way for alleged armed robber Derrick Estell, who apparently enlisted the help of two accomplices to help him escape from the county jail in Hot Springs, Arkansas.

CCTV cameras show Estell, 33, talking on a phone used by inmates, while two police officers kept an eye on him through a service window.

Derrick Estell waits for his chance to escape as he makes a phone call

When alleged accomplice William Harding briefly distracted the officers, Estell took a headlong dive through the window and made for the exit - closely followed by one of his guards.

Cameras in the car park show Estell sprinting away from the jail towards an alleyway, where he climbed into a car, which pulled away before pursuing officers could stop it.

The prisoner makes his bid for freedom - diving through a service window

The car was found abandoned a few minutes later, but Estell and his suspected getaway driver Tamara Upshaw had disappeared.

Harding was arrested on suspicion of helping the escape on July 28, while police are continuing to search for Estell and Upshaw.

A guard tumbles through the window in pursuit of Estell

Estell had been in jail since March, when he allegedly stole a truck and went on the run, leading to a stand-off with a Swat team.

Police said Estell, who had more than two dozen charges pending against him before his escape, is "armed, dangerous and extremely aggressive".

Estell remains at large

Lt James Martin from Garland County sheriff's office said: "Investigators have reason to believe that others are involved in the planned escape and are working to confirm the information received and issue warrants for their arrest."

23.22 | 0 komentar | Read More

Ryanair Raises Hold Baggage Charges By 66%

Ryanair has raised the cost to passengers of taking luggage in the hold of its planes from 30 euros to 50 euros (£43.60) for the summer.

The no-frills carrier's chief executive Michael O'Leary, who made the announcement at the height of the holiday getaway, also told a news conference in London it intended to increase baggage charges until no-one took its flights with hold luggage.

He confirmed that Ryanair had increased its charge for hold luggage by 20 euros until the summer's end because "That's when they are likely to bring more bags."

Mr O'Leary went on: "We will keep increasing charges until we get rid of (hold) bags."

He said Ryanair had reduced the number of its passengers who checked in hold baggage from 80% to 19%  and that this was saving the airline "a fortune in money".

Ryanair aims to carry no hold luggage at all

Asked if Ryanair would consider charging for hand luggage, Mr O'Leary said: "At some point in the future I think it's likely that airlines will do it but I can't get my head round how you would do it. I think it's unlikely that we will do it."

Ryanair announced earlier this week that it would get its pilots to increase flight times by two minutes to save fuel, saving the airline around £70m a year.

Asked today if he was considering reducing the amount of air conditioning on his flights, Mr O'Leary said: "No. Even I would not do that."

Mr O'Leary was speaking just 48 hours after the airline confirmed a first quarter year-on-year profit fall of 21%, despite a growth in passenger numbers.

Ryanair blamed the timing of Easter and impact of a French air traffic controllers' strike in June while its fuel costs rose 6%.

In addition to the announcement on hold baggage charges, Ryanair also confirmed that from the end of October it was adding one extra daily flight to its five main Ireland-UK routes - from Dublin to Stansted, to Manchester, to Birmingham, to Edinburgh and to Bristol.

It said this was in direct response to similar flight increases recently announced by Aer Lingus.

Ryanair's efforts to take over the Irish national flag carrier have been repeatedly blocked on competition grounds and Mr O'Leary today described the Competition Commission's inquiry into the proposal as "misguided" and "a political farce which has no case, no evidence and no credibility either."

23.22 | 0 komentar | Read More

Brecon Beacons: Third Reservist Soldier Named

A reservist who died after falling ill during SAS selection training in the Brecon Beacons earlier this month "adored the army", his family have said.

Corporal James Dunsby, 31, died in hospital on Tuesday where he had been in a serious condition since the military exercise on July 13, one of the hottest days of the year.

His death follows that of colleagues Edward John Maher and Lance Corporal Craig John Roberts, who also collapsed during the  exercise on south Wales' highest mountain.

In a statement issued through the Ministry of Defence (MoD) the family of Cpl Dunsby, who was a member of the Army Reserves (The Royal Yeomanry), said the 31-year-old had the "most infectious enthusiasm for life".

"He was the most loving and dependable husband, not to mention the most handsome of men of whom could not be more cherished," they said.

"James was and will remain a dearly loved, son, brother and husband. He had the uniquely wonderful ability to endear, enchant and captivate all who he met with his naughty sense of humour and highly intelligent wit.

Edward Maher collapsed during the exercise

"With James as your friend you were ensured loyalty, strength, allegiance, protection and most of all a damn good laugh.

"James adored the army and believed so passionately in his duty as a protector of Queen and country and of the realm.

"James was so dearly loved by so many and will be sorely missed. Hurrah and Huzzah for James Dunsby; a greater man you could not meet.

"We ask to be allowed to come to terms with our grief and loss of our beloved son and brother James."

The MoD, which confirmed Cpl Dunsby's death on Tuesday night, has not revealed where he was from. An inquest into his death is expected to be opened in due course.

Witnesses from July 13 have described seeing two soldiers "clearly in distress" who pleaded with them for some drinking water.

An inquest at Brecon Law Courts in Powys, mid Wales, gave the medical deaths of L/Cpl Roberts and Mr Maher as "unascertained" and said further tests would be carried out.

L/Cpl Roberts had been pronounced dead on the mountain at 5.15pm, while Mr Maher died at Prince Charles Hospital in Merthyr Tydfil almost three hours later.

Investigations have been launched by both the police and the Health and Safety Executive (HSE).

23.22 | 0 komentar | Read More

Stafford Hospital Trust 'Should Be Dissolved'

Scandal Hit History Of NHS Trust

Updated: 3:33pm UK, Wednesday 31 July 2013

Here is a timeline of how events unfolded at the scandal-hit Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust.

:: November 2007

Grief-stricken Julie Bailey creates the Cure the NHS campaign group following the death of her mother Bella, at Staffordshire General Hospital.

:: February 2008

Mid Staffordshire NHS Trust, which runs Stafford Hospital and Cannock Chase Hospital, is awarded foundation trust status - a supposed marker of excellence in the NHS.

:: May 2008

Health watchdog the Healthcare Commission launches an investigation into high death rates at the trust.

:: March 2009

Trust chief executive Martin Yeates and chairman Toni Brisby resign days before a Healthcare Commission report reveals that between 400 and 1,200 more people died than would have been expected at the trust between April 2005 and March 2008.

Prime Minister Gordon Brown apologises to families caught up in the scandal.

:: April 2009

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) takes over responsibility from the Healthcare Commission as health regulator for England.

:: June 2009

Andy Burnham replaces Alan Johnson as health secretary in a cabinet reshuffle.

:: July 2009

The CQC publishes its first progress report into Stafford Hospital.

Mr Burnham announces a second independent inquiry, chaired by Robert Francis QC, into what went wrong at the trust.

:: September 2009

The second independent inquiry into failures of care at the hospital publishes terms of reference, but Cure the NHS claims it will not go far enough.

:: October 2009

The Conservatives say they will order a full public inquiry if they win the next election.

:: November 2009

The inquiry formally opens, but the hearings are held in private.

:: February 2010

Bereaved families from Cure the NHS attack the "secretive" inquiry and protest outside the Department of Health, calling for the resignation of Mr Burnham.

Later in the month the report from the independent inquiry is published. It concludes that patients were "routinely neglected" at Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust.

The trust was preoccupied with cost-cutting and targets, and lost sight of its responsibility to provide safe care, the report says.

:: March 2010

It emerges that the independent inquiry cost more than £1.7m to conduct.

:: May 2010

The Conservatives win the general election and Andrew Lansley becomes Health Secretary.

:: June 2010

Prime Minister David Cameron announces a public inquiry will be held into the failings at Stafford Hospital.

:: July 2010

Chairman of the public inquiry, Mr Francis, pledges to discover why "appalling" standards of patient care were not discovered sooner.

He says the inquiry will also attempt to establish the role of supervisory and regulatory bodies in events at Stafford Hospital.

:: October 2010

The CQC says Mid Staffs is still falling short on 11 key standards set out by law to maintain quality and safety in hospitals.

:: November 2010

The inquiry hearings begin on Monday November 8, but proceedings are delayed when a bereaved relative stages a protest. In its opening statement to the inquiry, Cure the NHS claims the care offered by the hospital was so poor it infringed patients' human rights.

Ms Bailey tells the inquiry about the treatment of her mother, and adds that she still has "huge concerns" about the treatment of vulnerable patients.

:: October 2011

The CQC issues a warning to the trust after it finds low staffing levels could compromise patient safety.

:: December 2011

The trust announces that Stafford Hospital's accident and emergency department will close at night for three months due to staff shortages.

The closure coincides with the end of the 139-day public inquiry which heard from 164 witnesses, with an additional 87 witness statements and 39 "provisional statements".

:: September 2012

Foundation trust regulator Monitor says experts are to be called in at Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust to put it back on a viable financial footing.

Mr Francis announces that the report from the inquiry, which was due to be delivered in October, will be delayed.

Jeremy Hunt is appointed Health Secretary.

:: December 2012

Lawyers reveal the trust has paid out more than £1m in compensation for "inhumane and degrading" treatment of patients.

:: January 2013

An independent investigation of the trust, conducted on behalf of Monitor, concludes the trust is "clinically and financially unsustainable" and will not be able to provide safe care on a sustainable basis in the future.

:: February 2013

NHS Confederation chief executive Mike Farrar predicts the release of the report will be "one of the darkest days" in the history of the NHS.

The bill for the public inquiry reaches £13m.

The Francis Report highlights the "appalling and unnecessary suffering of hundreds of people" between 2005 and 2009.

The inquiry chairman makes a total of 290 sweeping recommendations for healthcare regulators, providers and the Government in his 1,782 page report, which attacks local health authorities and the trust board but does not blame any one individual or organisation for the "disaster" at Stafford Hospital.

Mr Cameron apologises for the "truly dreadful" mistreatment and neglect at the trust, he also introduces a raft of changes - including creating the role of Chief Inspector of Hospitals.

Ms Bailey calls for the resignation of NHS boss Sir David Nicholson - who was in charge of the regional health authority responsible for the trust for a short period while patients were being mistreated.

It emerges that police and prosecutors are examining new evidence about the scandal at Stafford Hospital that could lead to criminal charges.

The Prime Minister says that Sir David should not be used as a "scapegoat" for the scandal. Other political leaders including Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt and shadow health secretary Mr Burnham also back the embattled NHS boss.

Cure the NHS campaigners stage a protest outside an NHS Commissioning Board - now known as NHS England - meeting in Manchester where the board backs Sir David.

Monitor announces it is considering putting the trust into special administration.

:: March 2013

Sir David tells the Health Select Committee that he is "absolutely determined" to stay in his job, despite calls for his resignation.

The Government responds to Mr Francis's report, making a number of sweeping changes to the health service including; the introduction of Ofsted-style ratings for hospitals, a national barring list for failing NHS managers and a legal duty of candour. Mr Hunt says the events at Mid Staffordshire were a "betrayal of the worst kind" to patients and their families.

:: April 2013

The Health and Safety Executive says that it has begun a criminal investigation into the death of a woman at Stafford Hospital. Gillian Astbury died after slipping into a diabetic coma at the hospital in 2007.

Monitor announces that trust special administrators will take charge of the trust from April 16.

Support Stafford Hospital campaigners stage a demonstration protesting against any changes to the trust.

Stafford Borough Council refers former chief executive Martin Yeates and chairwoman Toni Brisby to the Crown Prosecution Service over allegations of misconduct. Councillors accuse the pair of misconduct in public office by knowingly giving false and misleading evidence relating to death rates to the council's statutory overview and scrutiny committee.

:: May 2013

Sir David announces that he will retire from his role as NHS England chief executive in March 2014.

It emerges that he will leave his post with a pension pot of more than £1.9 million.

:: June 2013

Sir David says "becoming the story" after the publication of the Francis report contributed to his decision to retire.

A review of deaths at Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust by police and other officials has identified 200 to 300 cases where neglect might have contributed to the death.

The special administrators charged with working out how to deliver long-term healthcare at a troubled hospital trust are given more time to come up with a blueprint days before it was due to be published.

:: July 2013

The administrators publish their recommendations for the future of the trust. They said that the troubled trust should be dissolved and that critical care, maternity and paediatric services at Stafford Hospital should be cut.

23.22 | 0 komentar | Read More

Daniel Pelka: Police 'Fell In Love' With Child

By Lisa Dowd, Sky News Correspondent

A senior detective has told Sky News how he and his team "fell in love" with murdered Daniel Pelka as they investigated how the four-year-old was "starved, beaten, poisoned and drowned".

Detective Inspector Christopher Hanson, a specialist in child protection, said it had been the most serious case of child cruelty he has ever worked on.

"The whole circumstances have had a really profound effect on the investigation team. In many respects we have fallen in love with Daniel, we've worked so hard to achieve justice for him.

"We have photographs of Daniel up and around the office and it was just very, very important to us to do everything we could to provide evidence for the jury, overwhelming evidence in my opinion, that they could quite rightly convict these people who've done this awful crime.

"He was starved, beaten, poisoned and drowned. I can't think if anything else they could have done to this lovely little boy, and I really don't think they recognise what they've done," he said.

DI Hanson said his mother Magdelena Luczak and stepfather Mariusz Krezolek turned Daniel "from a beautiful bright-eyed little boy into, really, a bag of bones".

"Daniel was severely beaten. We know that on Thursday March 1, 2012, following this beating, he was left in a box room, locked in this room, on his own, starving hungry in the dark, where he died all alone, and he was found dead in the early hours of Saturday morning on March 3.

Luczak and Krezolek have been found guilty

"I'm quite clear about this, my opinion is that they only sought help for Daniel when he was dead, and of course at that point they had possession of a dead child and had to think quickly how they were going to explain it, it was at that point that the telephone call was made to 999 to say that 'I've got a boy here who is very poorly', in my opinion Daniel had already been dead for some time.

"It's unimaginable cruelty, Daniel had a terrible little life and I only hope that his parents spend a very, very long time in prison, if not the rest of their lives in prison, and they think about what they did to Daniel every day that they are in prison," he said.

DI Hanson added that it was "chilling" how, as Daniel lay dying, Luczak and Krezolek "carried on as normal, feeding themselves, looking at computers, went out shopping, almost as if Daniel didn't exist and it just shows the pure contempt that they had for Daniel and his life".

The detective, who works in the West Midlands Police child abuse unit in Coventry, said Daniel started school in September 2011 as a "bright eyed, plump little boy" and "went downhill from there".

"I don't think it (the abuse) would have been obvious very early on but as Daniel deteriorated, (it) became worse and worse and worse, it then became more obvious," he explained.

"But of course, we are dealing with perpetrators who are very convincing, and very cunning, and deeply dishonest, and painted a picture of Daniel being a very poorly little boy and having this eating disorder and disease that meant he couldn't put on weight and bruised easily.

"Obviously their cruelty was covert in many ways but they did everything they could to cover it up, conceal it and disguise it as illness which again for me completely aggravates the whole abuse."

During the trial, a sibling of Daniel's, who cannot be named for legal reasons, gave evidence. The child, who was not abused, told how they hid food for Daniel, and tried to look after him.

"I have seen this before where one child for some reason is singled out, which is particularly cruel in my opinion, but the sibling that we're talking about, don't forget, witnessed what was happening to their brother," DI Hanson said.

"It had a tremendous effect on them psychologically of course.

"It's completely unbearable to think that this went on in this small house in front of the sibling, the sibling did everything they could to try and help their brother but I'm sure it's had a profound effect on the sibling as well."

23.22 | 0 komentar | Read More

Daniel Pelka: Review To Examine Failures

By Lisa Dowd, Midlands Correspondent

A serious case review will look at whether authorities missed numerous opportunities to intervene and stop the horrific abuse being meted out to Daniel Pelka by his mother and her partner.

During the trial of Magdelena Luczak and Mariusz Krezolek, Birmingham Crown Court heard that the four-year-old, who was starved for up to nine months before being beaten to death, had been assessed by doctors for a broken arm as early as January 2011, some 14 months before he died.

Krezolek claimed that Daniel had fallen from a sofa during a game of hide and seek but Dr Irena van der Ploeg was concerned that between 12 and 24 hours had lapsed after his injury, before he was brought to University Hospital Coventry.

Doctors said Daniel would have been in "significant pain" having suffered a "spiral fracture" which could have been as a result of "twisting". Daniel's two bone fragments had become "completely separated" and they suspected it was a "non-accidental injury".

A police officer who was in charge of child protection was called by a social worker at the hospital.

A sibling of Daniel's, who had been told to lie about what had happened by Luczak and Krezolek, was spoken to by authorities, but it was decided there was no evidence of wrong-doing.

In a statement read to court, DC Holly Darby from West Midlands Police said: "A strategy meeting was held at University Hospital Coventry and it was decided there was no role for child safety officers at this stage."

At school Daniel would steal food from the bin, the prosecution said

Five months later, social services closed their file on Daniel.

During the trial, Prosecutor Jonas Hankin QC alleged the fractured limb may have been a trigger for the later abuse, which escalated after Daniel began attending school in September 2011.

Up to his death in March 2012, the court heard that Daniel missed 28-and-a-half days of school. Between October and mid-December 2011,  the school nurse, a school health support worker and an educational welfare officer all made visits to Daniel's home, after Luczak described her son as being "obsessed with food" and having an "insatiable appetite".

By January 25, 2012, a teacher had "grave concerns about Daniel" and contacted his GP. The following day she spoke to Luczak and advised her that she needed to make an appointment for her son.

Neither the GP Daniel was registered with, or any other doctor at the practice ever saw Daniel, despite various letters being sent to his mother telling her he needed his injections.

And, although the school nurse referred Daniel to the community paediatrician two months prior to this, the family missed three appointments before Dr Supratrik Chakraborthy eventually saw the child on February 10th 2012, a few weeks before Daniel died.

Daniel was so thin that a teacher could see his ribs

The trial heard Luczak played a leading role in convincing school staff and medical professionals that Daniel's dramatic weight loss was due to a rare eating disorder.

She and Krezolek told Dr Chakraborthy, an expert in child protection, that they had seen worms in Daniel's stools. The doctor noted that Daniel looked "thin" but not "wasted", and he prescribed medication for worms.

By then, teachers at Daniel's school, Little Health Primary in Coventry, had observed Daniel "stealing" food from the lunch boxes of other pupils,  and taking food from bins.

The same month a teacher described telling Daniel to get undressed for PE, but said that he "sat and whimpered". When his clothes were eventually taken off, she "could see his bones", his skin looked "transparent" and she thought he was "wasting away". Teachers felt he had the "bare minimum" of food in his lunchbox but believed it to be "adequate".

At first Daniel had been told off and punished by staff for taking food, but by now they thought he "couldn't help it", it was happening every day, and they believed it to be "health- related".

On March 1, 2012, just hours before Daniel received the fatal blow that led to his death, teachers saw him eating half eaten fruit out of a bin and eating green play jelly. They described his skin as "ashen", he was "quiet" and "more withdrawn", was "cold to touch", his lips had a "blue tinge" and he had dark circles around his eyes. His clothes were "too big" for him.

Peter Wanless, chief executive of the NSPCC, said the Serious Case Review must give an indication of how Daniel's mistreatment was missed.

Daniel's mother convinced teachers and doctors he had an eating disorder

He said: "The distressing evidence given by Daniel's devoted sibling, who bravely risked their own safety in a bid to protect him, shows just how lonely and desperate the situation had become.

"But protecting Daniel from abuse should never have been the responsibility of a child. It is clear that there were adults in Daniel's life who had concerns for his welfare.

"Magdalena Luczak and Mariusz Krezolek deliberately span a web of lies to cover up their evil abuse and evaded any help they were offered. However, once again crucial questions need to be asked about how a youngster slipped through the child protection net with the most catastrophic of consequences.

"The indications that Daniel was suffering for some months should have been plain to see - he was disappearing in front of people's eyes."

Anyone who is concerned about a child can contact the NSPCC helpline immediately on 0808 800 5000, text 88858 or email help@nspcc.org.uk.

The serious case review by Coventry's Safeguarding Children Board is expected to report its findings within six weeks and will examine why social services and police did not become involved again after school staff noticed "finger pressure marks" on Daniel's neck in January 2012 and what appeared to be two black eyes in February 2012.

The review board have released this statement: "The review to date has scrutinised and challenged the actions of all the agencies and organisations that had an involvement in Daniel's life.

"It has considered whether more could or should have been done to protect Daniel. However new information has emerged during the trial. Therefore the Safeguarding Children Board will consider the work completed so far on the review in the light of all the evidence presented in court."

This latest review comes three years after the findings of a Serious Case Review in Birmingham which looked into the death of Khyra Ishaq, 7, who was starved to death by her mother and her boyfriend.

It concluded that her death was "preventable" and recommended there be "better assessments" and "effective inter-agency communication".

23.22 | 0 komentar | Read More

Clubber Strip-Search: Police Face Discipline

Six police officers should face misconduct proceedings after a clubber was strip-searched and left naked in a cell filmed by CCTV cameras, the police watchdog said.

The 22-year-old woman was searched by one female and four male officers at Chelsea Police Station in London in March 2011, against regulations that police should be the same sex as those they strip-search.

She was left naked for half-an-hour in a cell, with the images broadcast to the station's custody desk, the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) said.

"This incident caused a great deal of distress to the victim," said IPCC Commissioner Derrick Campbell.

"I find it difficult to understand why police officers think they have the right to strip a young woman of all her clothes, leaving her naked for half-an-hour and then expose her to being filmed.

"I am sure, like the complainant, the public will want to understand how this was allowed to happen. I look forward to the misconduct process getting the answers that are needed."

The watchdog said the woman, who was arrested outside Supperclub in west London, was "intoxicated, distressed and running in and out of a road" when she was arrested.

Officers believed she was on drugs and might have illegal substances hidden in her clothing, the IPCC said.

It is claimed that one of the officers failed to investigate her claim that her drink was spiked at the club.

The IPCC also said the police sergeant on duty should face a charge of gross misconduct for failing to make a written record of the strip-search or make sure that it was carried out in line with the rules.

Five constables should face misconduct proceedings for breaching the guidelines for searches, while another two should face "management action", an internal measure.

One of the officers is accused of potentially discouraging the 22-year-old from getting legal advice by implying that she would have to stay at the police station for longer if she did so.

The woman complained about her treatment to Scotland Yard, which carried out its own investigation, but she was unhappy with the findings and so went to the IPCC.

23.22 | 0 komentar | Read More

Daniel Pelka: Mum And Partner Guilty Of Murder

Police 'Fell In Love' With Daniel

Updated: 4:27pm UK, Wednesday 31 July 2013

By Lisa Dowd, Sky News Correspondent

A senior detective has told Sky News how he and his team "fell in love" with murdered Daniel Pelka as they investigated how the four-year-old was "starved, beaten, poisoned and drowned".

Detective Inspector Christopher Hanson, a specialist in child protection, said it had been the most serious case of child cruelty he has ever worked on.

"The whole circumstances have had a really profound effect on the investigation team. In many respects we have fallen in love with Daniel, we've worked so hard to achieve justice for him.

"We have photographs of Daniel up and around the office and it was just very, very important to us to do everything we could to provide evidence for the jury, overwhelming evidence in my opinion, that they could quite rightly convict these people who've done this awful crime.

"He was starved, beaten, poisoned and drowned. I can't think if anything else they could have done to this lovely little boy, and I really don't think they recognise what they've done," he said.

DI Hanson said his mother Magdelena Luczak and stepfather Mariusz Krezolek turned Daniel "from a beautiful bright-eyed little boy into, really, a bag of bones".

"Daniel was severely beaten. We know that on Thursday March 1, 2012, following this beating, he was left in a box room, locked in this room, on his own, starving hungry in the dark, where he died all alone, and he was found dead in the early hours of Saturday morning on March 3.

"I'm quite clear about this, my opinion is that they only sought help for Daniel when he was dead, and of course at that point they had possession of a dead child and had to think quickly how they were going to explain it, it was at that point that the telephone call was made to 999 to say that 'I've got a boy here who is very poorly', in my opinion Daniel had already been dead for some time.

"It's unimaginable cruelty, Daniel had a terrible little life and I only hope that his parents spend a very, very long time in prison, if not the rest of their lives in prison, and they think about what they did to Daniel every day that they are in prison," he said.

DI Hanson added that it was "chilling" how, as Daniel lay dying, Luczak and Krezolek "carried on as normal, feeding themselves, looking at computers, went out shopping, almost as if Daniel didn't exist and it just shows the pure contempt that they had for Daniel and his life".

The detective, who works in the West Midlands Police child abuse unit in Coventry, said Daniel started school in September 2011 as a "bright eyed, plump little boy" and "went downhill from there".

"I don't think it (the abuse) would have been obvious very early on but as Daniel deteriorated, (it) became worse and worse and worse, it then became more obvious," he explained.

"But of course, we are dealing with perpetrators who are very convincing, and very cunning, and deeply dishonest, and painted a picture of Daniel being a very poorly little boy and having this eating disorder and disease that meant he couldn't put on weight and bruised easily.

"Obviously their cruelty was covert in many ways but they did everything they could to cover it up, conceal it and disguise it as illness which again for me completely aggravates the whole abuse."

During the trial, a sibling of Daniel's, who cannot be named for legal reasons, gave evidence. The child, who was not abused, told how they hid food for Daniel, and tried to look after him.

"I have seen this before where one child for some reason is singled out, which is particularly cruel in my opinion, but the sibling that we're talking about, don't forget, witnessed what was happening to their brother," DI Hanson said.

"It had a tremendous effect on them psychologically of course.

"It's completely unbearable to think that this went on in this small house in front of the sibling, the sibling did everything they could to try and help their brother but I'm sure it's had a profound effect on the sibling as well."

23.22 | 0 komentar | Read More