Mp's expenses

Three former Labour MPs charged with fraud over their parliamentary expenses are to take their case to the Supreme Court.

Elliot Morley, David Chaytor and Jim Devine are to appeal to the country’s most senior judges at a hearing next month.

The three, along with Lord Hanningfield, a Tory peer also accused of expenses fraud, are due to go on trial in November.

But they claim that they cannot be tried in ordinary criminal courts because of centuries-old laws on parliamentary privilege.

Three Court of Appeal judges found against them in July saying that they could not envisage how the ancient defence could ever cover "ordinary criminal activities" by MPs and.

But the Lord Chief Justice, Lord Judge, ruled that there was a "point of general public importance" for Britain's highest court to rule on.

His decision opens the way for lawyers representing the three MPs to take the point directly to the Supreme Court at a hearing in front of nine senior judges on October 18.

But he refused an application for legal aid to pay for a team of six barristers to represent the three MPs saying that it could not be justified in such “straitened times”.

The three will instead be represented by a single legal team.

Mr Chaytor, 60, the former MP for Bury North, is accused of falsely claiming more than £20,000 for rent and IT services.

Mr Morley, 58, a former agriculture minister and MP for Scunthorpe, is accused of falsely claiming £30,428 in interest on a mortgage he had paid off.

Mr Devine, 57, the former member for Livingston, is alleged to have falsely claimed more than £8,000 for services. Lord Hanningfield faces charges relating to travel expenses. All four deny theft by false accounting.

At a hearing in July the MPs argued that they were protected from prosecution by the Bill of Rights of 1689, which states that "proceedings in Parliament ought not to be impeached or questioned in any court or place out of Parliament".

Lord Judge, Lord Neuberger, the Master of the Rolls, and Sir Anthony May, the President of the Queen's Bench Division, unanimously dismissed their appeal in July.

At a further hearing on Tuesday Lord Judge formally upheld the earlier decision but said the judges had agreed that they could ask the Supreme Court to rule on the question: “Does the Crown Court have the jurisdiction to try an MP in relation to allegations of dishonest claims for parliamentary expenses or allowances, or is the court deprived of jurisdiction by Article 9 of the Bill of Rights 1688 or the exclusive jurisdiction of Parliament?”

He said: “The matter will no doubt be renewed before the Supreme Court … I understand that the Supreme Court will be ready to consider the application on October 18.”

If the Supreme Court agrees with the former MPs they would have to be tried by parliament itself.

But if they lose they will go on trial at Southwark Crown Court a few weeks later.

Lord Judge rejected an application for legal aid to provide leading barristers for all three of the former MPs as well as junior counsel and solicitors to assist them.

"Given that there are huge constraints on public finances in every department and in particular the legal aid department of the Ministry of Justice, I simply cannot justify the use of three different counsel to represent three different appellants," he said.
Telegraph.co.uk

Read More

9 ASIAN men convicted of forcing a 14 year old WHITE girl into prostitution

Nine men have been jailed after a 14-year-old girl was preyed upon and forced into prostitution.
The vulnerable teenager was targeted with vodka and cigarettes after she was spotted wandering the streets before she was made to have sex with a string of Asian men, Greater Manchester Police said.
The child went missing from home in Rochdale, Greater Manchester, on two occasions in February 2008 before she told officers she had been sexually exploited.

Over the following weeks the girl was spoken to by a specialist team of officers, police said. She was able to identify the places she was taken and the men who had abused her.
The convictions for various offences, including sexual activity with a child, controlling a child prostitute, facilitating child prostitution and paying for sexual services with a child, can be reported following the acquittal of another man at Manchester Crown Court who faced charges in connection with the case.

The girl, who is white, had to testify in separate trials involving the men and was eventually excused further evidence after a third hearing when psychologists ruled there were fears for her mental and physical well-being.

In a statement, the girl said: "These people exploit young girls, introduce them to prostitution, feed them drugs and alcohol and tell them they love them. I know this because it has happened to me and it has changed my life enormously. I just hope that people will be more aware of this now and will be able to prevent this from happening to other vulnerable young girls."

Superintendent Paul Savill, from Greater Manchester Police, said: "This child has been through an absolutely horrifying ordeal at the hands of these men. The level of abuse she has suffered is almost beyond belief. She has been treated like a commodity; beaten, threatened and sexually exploited. These men took advantage of her vulnerability with no regard for her well-being. I commend this young girl for her bravery in supporting this case. Even after her ordeal she was able to revisit the sites where she was abused and testify against her abusers in court."

In a statement issued following the convictions, the girl said: "These people exploit young girls, introduce them to prostitution, feed them drugs and alcohol and tell them they love them.

"I know this because it has happened to me and it has changed my life enormously.
"I just hope that people will be more aware of this now and will be able to prevent this from happening to other vulnerable young girls."


Over a series of separate hearings and trials, Manchester Crown Court heard how the girl was first picked up in Rochdale town centre by Asad Hassan.

He took her to a nightclub where she was plied with drink and taken to a flat along with two other men, Basharat Mohammed and Mohammed Atif, who all later sexually exploited her.

A few days later she travelled to Manchester where she met another man, Aftab Khan, who also plied her with alcohol and drugs before ordering her to work as a prostitute.

Over the next 10 days she was forced to have sex with a number of men for money, before flagging down a couple in the street and begging them for help.

Supt Savill said the level of abuse the girl had suffered was "almost beyond belief".
"She has been treated like a commodity: beaten, threatened and sexually exploited.
"These men took advantage of her vulnerability with no regard for her wellbeing.
 
"I commend this young girl for her bravery in supporting this case. Even after her ordeal she was able to revisit the sites where she was abused and testify against her abusers in court."
  
The girl's parents added: "We are very proud of our daughter for her courage in assisting Greater Manchester Police with the prosecution of these abusers who caused her such terrible harm.
"No family should have to endure a nightmare experience like the one we have been through.
"We support our daughter in hoping that these successful prosecutions will send a message that will help protect other children."

Nine men convicted at Manchester Crown Court in connection with the abuse were:

• Aftab Khan, 31, of Tarporley Avenue, Fallowfield pleaded guilty to one count of controlling a child prostitute and one count of sexual activity with a child. He was sentenced to nine years in prison. This was later reduced to seven years on appeal

• Abid Khaliq, 30, of Shrewsbury Street, Stretford was sentenced to eight months in prison after admitting perverting the course of justice

• Noorzai Ahmed, 29, of Royce Court, Hulme was sentenced to four years in prison after he was found guilty of paying for the sexual services of a child

• Mohammed Anwar Safi, 29, of no fixed address, was sentenced to 31 months in prison after admitting paying for the sexual services of a child

• Mohammed Khan, 26, of Royce Court, Hulme was sentenced to four years in prison after he was found guilty of facilitating child prostitution

• Najibullah Safi, 33, of Reabrook Avenue, West Gorton was sentenced to two years in prison after admitting to sexual activity with a child

• Asad Yousaf Hassa, 28, of Rivington Street, Rochdale was sentenced to two years in prison after admitting two counts of sexual activity with a child

• Mohammed Basharat, 28, of Prospect Street, Rochdale was sentenced to two years in prison after he pleaded guilty to sexual activity with a child under 16

• Mohammed Atif, 29, of Rivington Street, Rochdale was sentenced to two years in prison after admitting to sexual activity with a child

The BBC report of this story neglected to inform readers of the fact the men are ASIAN and the child is WHITE

The MAILONLINE gives a fuller account

Seems strange to me that non of these men have been convicted as a peadophile as a 14 year old is classed as a child.

Read More

Over 1 million enemies

Statement on Nick Griffin's attendance at the Garden Party, 22 July 2010


Nick Griffin MEP will be denied entry to today’s Garden Party at Buckingham Palace due to the fact he has overtly used his personal invitation for Party political purposes through the media.
This in turn has increased the security threat and the potential discomfort to the many other guests also attending.
Mr Griffin’s personal invitation was issued to him as an elected Member of the European Parliament.
The decision to deny him entry is not intended to show any disrespect to the democratic process by which the invitation was issued.
However, we would apply the same rules to anyone who tried to blatantly politicise their attendance in this way.

Well, Elizabeth, that is exactley what you have done, this has resulted in you making over 1,000,000 enemies today.

Read More

The 'ConDem Youth' is born

Bunch of LOSERS

David Cameron has outlined details of the government's planned national citizen service, aimed at getting 16-year-olds to work in the community.

The prime minister has announced that about 10,000 teenagers will take part in pilot schemes next summer.
Intended to foster new skills, tasks include a social action or community project and an "outdoor challenge".
Shadow cabinet office minister Tessa Jowell said the plans were "modest and unambitious".

The prime minister launched plans for a voluntary national citizen service during the election campaign.
Ultimately it is the government's aim to give every 16 year old the opportunity to participate in an eight-week residential and home-based programme of events.

'Social responsibility'
This will include 10 days away from home, and teach them to be "socially responsible".
However, ministers have acknowledged the scope of next year's pilot schemes will hinge on the outcome of this autumn's spending review - when individual departments are set to face cuts of up to 25%.
(so it will never happen then! Admin)

Announcing the pilot plans at Downing Street on Thursday, Mr Cameron said they would help youngsters who felt their lives "lacked shape and direction".
"A kind of non-military national service, it is going to mix young people from different backgrounds in a way that does not happen now," he said.

"It is going to teach them what it means to be socially responsible. Above all, it is going to inspire a generation of young people to appreciate what they can achieve and how they can be part of the 'big society'."

'Limited impact'
But Ms Jowell said the "over-hyped announcement" was "modest" compared to "Labour's proud legacy of 'V'", a national volunteering programme which she said created nearly a million opportunities for young people to get involved. (I never heard of it! Admin)

"No-one will disagree about the need for constructive activity for young people.
"The best way for the coalition to express their support for the civic development of young people would be to build on that programme of substance rather than announce another eye-catching initiative that has limited impact beyond its headline," she said.

In a speech on Monday, Mr Cameron described the big society as his "great passion" and sought to explain how more emphasis on volunteering, social action and community involvement in public services could transform the relationship between the state and individuals.

Labour has said the government is asking the voluntary sector to plug the gap left by what it argues are unnecessarily severe cuts in public spending.
During the election, Labour said the national citizen service was not new and merely aped what it was already doing.

Read More

Death of Casino robber in France sparks rioting

The French government has vowed to restore order after rioting in the eastern city of Grenoble over a shooting by police.

Riots rocked the city's run-down suburb of Villeneuve on Friday night as people protested at the death of a suspected armed robber during a police chase.

At least 50 cars were burnt and police were fired on.

Interior Minister Brice Hortefeux promised to restore order when he visited the scene after the unrest.

"There is a simple and clear reality in this country: there's no future for hoodlums and delinquents because in the end the public authority always wins," he told reporters.

Nobody was injured in the riots, said police, who arrested two men aged 18 and 20 for setting fire to vehicles and three more for attempted looting of shops, France's AFP news agency reports.

Correspondents say the unrest in Villeneuve recalls the civil unrest which exploded amid immigrant communities across France in 2005 after two teenagers from a Parisian suburb died as they fled police.
Unease

Mr Hortefeux made a lightning 15-minute tour of the suburb and promised quick action by the authorities.

"When I say quick, I mean immediately, that's how we are going to re-establish public order and the authority of the state," he told reporters outside police headquarters.

He said he had asked the regional government to use all means to secure the suburb neighbourhood "for now and for as much time as necessary for calm to return".

While the suburb appeared calm on Saturday, some local residents listening to the interior minister were not totally reassured, AFP reports.

One unnamed shopkeeper told the agency the minister's visit was reassuring on one level but it could "only stir up the hatred of some people".

"The minister's visit only risks aggravating the situation," said another resident, who also asked not to be named.

According to the police union SGP-FO, violence has been on the rise in recent months in Grenoble, a city of half a million at the foot of the French Alps.

"Police are at breaking point," said regional union chief Daniel Chomette, who called for reinforcements.

Prosecutor Jean Philippe said police had acted in legitimate self-defence when they were fired on at least three times after a car chase which ended in Villeneuve.

The police fired back, hitting Karim Boudouda, 27, in the head.

A post-mortem was due to be carried out on Saturday on Mr Boudouda, who had three convictions for armed robbery.

He was shot after allegedly fleeing by car with another suspect from the scene of a hold-up at a casino near Grenoble.

More than 20,000 euros (£17,000; $26,000) was taken in the robbery.

The above is the sanitised BBC version wich neglects to mention a key fact.
Contrast the above report with the one below from the DailyMail.

France was on riot alert yesterday after hundreds of Muslim youths went on the rampage in Grenoble.

Shots were fired at police and dozens of shops and cars were set on fire in the Alpine town.

Trams and buses were also held up by gangs brandishing baseball bats and bars, and a service station was looted.

The violence followed the fatal shooting of Karim Boudouda, a 27-year-old man involved in an attempted robbery at the Uriage-les-Bains casino, near Grenoble.

Locals accused armed officers of overreacting by gunning down Boudouda, allegedly as he tried to give himself up.

A Grenoble police spokesman said: ‘There has been a very fierce reaction. As mourners gathered in a park to hear Muslim prayers for the dead man late on Friday night, trouble broke out. By Saturday morning tear gas was being used on the youths.

'At about 2.30am a handgun was used to fire shots at the police. A youth was arrested, which seemed to make matters worse. The trouble went on until morning.’

Many fear the trouble will spread to other towns, as it did in 2005 when the death of two youths in Paris led to rioting and a state of emergency being declared across France.

Read More