Last year, allegations emerged ex-MP Sir Cyril abused boys on the premises.

Following the revelations, two former pupils came forward and said they had been abused by other people.

Det Insp Caroline Ward, of Greater Manchester Police, said: “The information is being audited at the moment at the council premises, we’re getting details of all the people that we are interested in and we will be coming out and speaking to those people.”

She said the investigation is “alive and ongoing” and said the police would listen to any other allegations.

Former pupil Chris Marshall, who claimed he was abused at the school, said he was glad the allegations are being taken seriously.

“It’s great to know that someone is listening because it just fell on deaf ears over all these years and it just made us feel stupid,” he said.

Mr Marshall added: “It is nice to know they are listening now and something is going to be done.”

Martin Digan, former head of care who blew the whistle on allegations at the school in the 1990s said: “At the time it made me very very ill, 20 years on I can be more philosophical, and I can honestly say without wanting to sound like a bleeding heart, I wouldn’t have done it any differently.”

But he added: “I feel frustrated that it took Cyril Smith’s abuse across the borough to bring this out.”

Last year, the Crown Prosecution Service admitted Sir Cyril should have been prosecuted for abusing young boys in the 1960s.

It was alleged he raped boys at Knowl View and that he also abused boys at Cambridge House Children’s Home, a privately-run care home in Rochdale that closed in 1965.

Sir Cyril was originally a Labour councillor in Rochdale and later a Liberal then Liberal Democrat MP for the town. He died in 2010 aged 82.

Source: bbc.co.uk

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But it says prosecutors must be consulted if a name is to be withheld after a suspect has been charged.

Some newspapers have claimed such a policy amounts to secret justice.

They have argued that naming a suspect who has been arrested can lead to more victims coming forward and that allowing suspects to remain anonymous was making it harder for reporters to find out what police are doing in the public’s name.

In his report on media ethics, Lord Justice Leveson said that arrested suspects should not be named “save in exceptional and clearly identified circumstances”.

The College of Policing, the recently formed professional standards body, says its guidance was “intended to ensure a professional working relationship between police and the media”.

It said: “Decisions must be made on a case-by-case basis but, save in clearly identified circumstances, or where legal restrictions apply, the names or identifying details of those who are arrested or suspected of a crime should not be released by police forces to the press or the public.”

An arrested person could be named if there is a threat to life, to help the prevention or detection of crime or if it is a matter of public interest and confidence.

And it said an arrested person could be identified when there is a “policing purpose” and individuals themselves have the right to inform others of their arrest.

The guidance says that at the point of charge, forces can release name, address, occupation and charge details, but must consult the Crown Prosecution Service if they want to withhold the name.

It adds that there might be occasions when it is appropriate for officers or staff to speak on an unattributable basis – known as off-the-record briefings – to “clarify a point or illustrate a point, for example, to guide media away from an inaccurate story”.

But such occasions should be “authorised and recorded”.

‘Under review’

Warwickshire Police recently came under fire for initially refusing to name a retired police officer charged with theft.

It then emerged Home Secretary Theresa May had written to the college to say she believed in protecting the identities of arrested suspects, unless it is in the “public interest”, although people charged should have no right to anonymity except in “extremely unusual circumstances”.

A Home Office spokesman said: “The home secretary has been clear that transparency and consistency should be at the heart of the criminal justice system.

“We will carefully monitor the way forces name suspects and keep the guidance under review.”

Mrs May’s comments prompted David Cameron to say there was a “difficult balance” between publicising arrests and respecting privacy.

Source: bbc.co.uk

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Officers said it followed several high-profile court cases where it had been revealed guest houses and hotels had been used to abuse young girls.

Among the things staff are asked to look out for are guests paying in cash.

The “Say Something If You See Something” campaign also warns staff to look for men arriving with much younger-looking girls and customers who request “isolated and private” rooms.

Det Supt Tim Godwin, of West Midlands Police, said: “Because of the relatively anonymous nature of some hotels and guest houses it is easy for people to go in there and conduct illegal activity.”

‘Good citizens’

He said it was not the sort of crime that was reported to officers very often and the aim of the campaign was to make more people aware of the issue.

Officers said several high street hotel names, including the Hyatt, had already backed the campaign but said they particularly wanted to target smaller guest houses.

A spokesperson for the Bed And Breakfast Association, the trade association for guest houses, said they recognised the need for staff to be “good citizens”.

However, they said they needed to balance that against not wanting to be seen to “pry” on genuine guests and potentially risk losing business.

Source: bbc.co.uk

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The family of a woman who was strangled after being left in the clutches of a convicted murderer plan to sue the police over a catalogue of blunders and are calling for a public inquiry into how forces deal with domestic violence.

Maria Stubbings, 50, was murdered by Marc Chivers at her home in Chelmsford, Essex, in December 2008.

He had been freed from a German prison less than a year earlier, after serving 15 years for murdering his then girlfriend Sabine Rappold.

Ms Stubbings’ 15-year-old son Benji was left in the house with Chivers after his mother died, unaware that he was in grave danger.

The police watchdog the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) has published a second highly critical report on the failures by Essex police to protect Ms Stubbings and her son.

Benji Stubbings said: “It’s horrific to discover the extent of the police’s failings – and hard to understand how they got it so wrong. The risk to my mum and to me was clear. I didn’t have a clue at the time how close to death I was.

“I don’t want other women and other children to go through an experience like that. We’re all equal – we all deserve help and protection when we’re in danger – and they knew the danger.”

Three officers are facing misconduct proceedings over the case, but the IPCC report found that it has implications for the whole force.

Ms Stubbings had made repeated contact with the police about her ex-boyfriend Chivers – in April 2008 about a possible burglary and again in July that year when he assaulted her.

The IPCC found that Essex Police initially responded well, installing a panic alarm in her house and putting high risk warning markers on the address.

However, their efforts and those of other agencies then failed – the alarm was removed and no risk assessment was made of Chivers despite the fact he spent four months behind bars because of her assault complaint.

On December 11 that year, he burgled her home, stealing medication on which she was dependent, but a police call handler took down her address incorrectly so the warning markers did not come up and the call was downgraded.

When officers visited the house on December 18, Chivers answered the door to them and said Ms Stubbings was away and that her son was out.

They looked in her bedroom and left – not realising that her body was under coats in the downstairs toilet.

The following day her body was found.

The report found that there was confusion over whether the December burglary should be classed as domestic abuse.

The report said: “Essex Police missed a large number of opportunities to proactively safeguard Ms Stubbings and her son, they failed to monitor the situation, or undertake rigorous risk assessment and put safety measures in place.

“This, in spite of the fact they were well aware of the risks and dangers, having accurately recognised them in July 2008.

“It is ironical Ms Stubbings was offered the most support and protection whilst Chivers was in prison, when the risk from him was minimal. When he was released both she and her son were left completely vulnerable.”

This is the second report that the IPCC has published on the case – the first, released in 2010, was found to contain inaccuracies and the family wanted the scope of the inquiry to be increased.

Chivers was jailed for life in 2009 for Ms Stubbings’ murder.

Police and Crime Commissioner for Essex Nick Alston said that while he was confident that there had been improvements in how the force deals with domestic violence, there are still ‘significant areas of learning’.

Essex Police said it accepted the findings of the report.

Chief Constable Stephen Kavanagh said: “We fully recognise that this is one of three tragic murders in Essex which has led to an IPCC investigation.

“We have taken on board the recommendations of those reports, many are already in place and work continues to improve the consistency of our response to domestic abuse.”

Source: uk.news.yahoo.com

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The Scottish Government is launching an attack on Westminster-led economic policy in its latest attempt to promote independence.

A paper, to be unveiled on Tuesday, highlights areas where SNP ministers argue UK governments have stemmed the potential for growth. They blame a cut in capital spending, the historic failure to create a Norway-style “oil fund” and for “allowing” inequality to grow.

Westminster politicians are also blamed for engaging in a boom in credit and debt expansion, which the Scottish Government said damaged the economy. London-centric policies have focused economic activity away from Scotland and austerity is being pursued at the expense of growth, the paper argues.

Deputy First Minister Nicola Sturgeon will set out the economic paper with First Minister Alex Salmond. It comes the day after the UK Government published a report raising concerns that savers and financial institutions could be hit under plans for independence.

Speaking before the launch in Falkirk, Ms Sturgeon said: “The evidence is clear. The UK Government’s economic policies have been holding Scotland back for generations. Only with the powers of independence can Scotland meet its full potential.”

Scotland has a wealth of resources in areas such as life sciences, creative industry, oil and gas, renewable energy and financial services, she argued.

“The policies pursued by Westminster Government are not optimal for Scotland and are not fit for Scottish circumstances,” she said. “This report shows that those policies have hindered growth, cost jobs and held Scotland back from pursuing policies best suited to our own economic priorities.”

An oil fund, using wealth from the start of North Sea exploration, would have helped build up reserves, she said. The First Minister has said he hopes to set aside oil revenues “once fiscal conditions allow”.

Ms Sturgeon said: “The paper the Scottish Government will publish today sets out in clear, concise detail the fundamental economic strengths of Scotland across a range of diverse sectors.

“Scotland can more than afford to be a successful independent country. The question everyone must ask themselves is whether we can afford not to be independent given the scale of economic mismanagement by Westminster.”

Source: uk.news.yahoo.com

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Campaigners said it was only the second time new legislation had been used to prosecute someone in the UK for sexual offences committed abroad.

Graham was arrested in France last year after spending six years on the run.

Street children

Graham had been travelling in Cambodia when he aroused the suspicions of French child protection charity, Action Pour Les Enfants (APLE).

It observed and filmed his encounters with a number of Cambodian street children, including him putting his arm around a boy in a public place and fondling him.

The Cambodian National Police alerted British authorities and Graham was arrested on his return to the UK but then fled to the south of France.

In sentencing, Judge John Bevan said he was not especially interested in whether the defendant was a sex tourist or a tourist who decided to indulge in sex.

He ordered him to sign the Sex Offenders Register and pay £2,500 towards police costs.

Andy Baker of UK’s Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre said: “For six years, David Graham thought he had got away with the abuse he inflicted on his young Cambodian victim.

“Today, he has been held accountable for his actions.”

Seila Samleang of APLE said: “This case sends a very strong message to paedophiles or travelling sexual offenders from the UK that if you abuse a child in Cambodia, you will face justice and go to jail.”

The first prosecution under section S72 of the Sexual Offences Act of 2003 involved Barry McCloud, who was jailed for life in 2010 for sex offences against a girl in Goa.

Source: bbc.co.uk

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An AK-47 assault rifle has been handed in to police as part of a weapons amnesty in Derby.

Other deadly devices include a crossbow and numerous samurai swords – making you wonder what else is out there.

Derbyshire police are hailing the amnesty, named Operation Jagger, as a success.

Chief Inspector Steve Pont said: “The purpose of the amnesty is to reduce the risk of weapons falling the wrong hands.

“Every weapon handed in to us is one less weapon out in the community, which someone could one use to commit a crime.

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They were given sentences ranging from six years and six months to more than 12 years at Liverpool Crown Court.

Police estimate the gang trafficked drugs with an estimated street value of between £100m and £200m.

The gang members who were sentenced on Monday were:

• Thomas Wallace, 45, from Greenock, Inverclyde – jailed for 12 years and eight months
• Martin Feeley, 28, from Glasgow – jailed for 11 years and four months
• Michael Cook, 28, from Glasgow – jailed for seven years and six months
• John O’Donnell, 25, from Greenock – jailed for six years and eight months
• Paul Cochrane, 25, from Glasgow – jailed for six years and eight months
• Terence Mooney, 58, from Greenock – jailed for eight years
• Gary Curran, 45, from Glasgow – jailed for seven years and four months
• John Bowles, 69, from Liverpool – jailed for six years and six months

Titan, which is the regional organised crime unit in north-west England, said its intelligence suggested there were at least 111 trips to Scotland.

Det Supt Jason Hudson, head of operations at Titan, said the sentences sent out a clear warning that trade in class A drugs would not be tolerated.

“This gang flooded the streets of Glasgow and other towns in west Scotland with highly-addictive class A drugs, causing untold damage in those communities,” he said.

“The hierarchy of the gang enjoyed the profits from a business that made between £100m and £200m, whereas the lower tier members couriered and stored the drugs simply to pay off debts or scrape a dishonest living.

“Regardless of their level of involvement, every single one of this gang is now facing a substantial amount of time behind bars, their liberty stripped away thanks to Titan’s successful investigation.”

Source: bbc.co.uk

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A retired Church of England priest found guilty of a catalogue of historic sex attacks on young children at a Barnardo’s home has been jailed for 10 years.

Canon Gordon Rideout, 74, abused more than a dozen girls and boys at the now closed home at Ifield Hall in Crawley, West Sussex, over a four-year period. The former Anglican clergyman also indecently assaulted two girls at an Army site in Middle Wallop, Hampshire, said the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS).

At Lewes Crown Court, Rideout was found guilty of 34 counts of indecent assault and two counts of attempted rape on 16 children between January 1962 and January 1973. He was cleared of one count of indecent assault on a boy at a second Barnardo’s home in Essex.

As he was sentenced, the Bishop of Chichester, Dr Martin Warner, said Rideout had caused “immeasurable and destructive suffering” over a long period of time. Most of the charges he was convicted of related to his time as an assistant curate at St Mary’s Church in Crawley when he would visit a Barnardo’s children’s home in the county.

Prosecutor Philip Bennetts QC told the jury that Rideout would visit the home and “it would appear from the evidence that he would wander the house and indeed the grounds unaccompanied, and he would visit children when they were sick and alone in bed”.

One of his victims recalled Rideout visiting the dormitories at night, put his hands under the covers and “fondle around”. Mr Bennetts said: “It was on a regular basis when he came to stay, maybe once, twice, three times a week sometimes.”

Rideout’s victims did not complain at the time for fear of not being believed. Jurors heard how Rideout attempted to rape a girl who attended choir practice.

After one occasion in his flat, Rideout walked the girl back to the children’s home and told her: “This is going to be our secret.” A month after another rape attempt in a wooded area, the girl believed she was pregnant. When she confided the abuse to a friend who went on to tell a manager at the home, the victim was slapped across her face. At the home, Mr Bennetts said there existed a “brutal regime where children were taught how to behave by beatings”.

One girl, who was aged around 14 or 15 at the time she was abused, was asked why she had not reported it to the authorities sooner. She told police in interview: “I was too scared, too scared. I didn’t want to be beaten again, too scared. The beatings were so much worse than what that man was doing. The beatings were terrible, absolutely terrible.”

Rideout, of Filching Close, Polegate, East Sussex, was arrested in March last year and charged five months later following a nine-month inquiry by Sussex Police. He denied all the charges.

Source: uk.news.yahoo.com

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