Child Abuse: 42% Rise In Investigations

By Jason Farrell, Sky News Correspondent

A Sky News investigation has revealed up to one in 20 children in some parts of the country have been the subject of investigations into whether they are victims of abuse or neglect.

In 2012/13 English councils launched 127,060 high-level investigations - known as section 47s - into children thought to be at risk, analysis of official figures shows.

That is the equivalent of one in 100 of the country's entire population of under-18s and represents a 42.3% increase in cases since 2009/10.

In some areas the figure is much higher with the equivalent of 4.5% of children in Blackpool, 2.6% in Doncaster and 2.1% in Peterborough being investigated.

Experts said the significant increase in suspected abuse cases could be explained by the heightened awareness of the issue following the tragic case of Baby Peter Connelly in 2008.

However, they also said the impact of the recession on households had led to a marked rise in ill treatment of children.

The figures follow a series of high-profile cases of child abuse including that of four-year-old Daniel Pelka who was starved, tortured and brutally beaten to death by his mother and stepfather.

Daniel Pelka, four, was a victim of horrific abuse

Ray Jones, professor of social work at Kingston University, told Sky News that economic pressures were linked to abuse and neglect.

He said: "I think we're aware of the dangers more than we were before and I think we're more determined to act on them, but I do think that there are some families who are getting into difficulty now who wouldn't have got into difficulty before because of increasing deprivation and indeed destitution."

Professor Jones warned that social services were increasingly struggling to cope.

"We have a child protection system and a care system where the work has been increasing year on year on year for the last five years and I really am worried about it.

"I'm worried about it because it's at the point of breakdown now, because that's at the time of public sector cuts."

In Blackpool the number of cases being investigated is more four times the national average.

Charlene Downes who went missing in 2003 is presumed dead

In 2011 it emerged that police investigating the disappearance of 14-year-old Charlene Downes in the town had uncovered a gang of men which had groomed 60 underage girls from the area for sex.

Her mother Karen Downes told Sky News: "I was shocked when I first heard about it. I was absolutely disgusted. I didn't have any knowledge at all of any girls being abused.

"We didn't even know about the darker side of Blackpool until all this with Charlene came about."

Richard Scorer, a solicitor who specialises in child abuse cases at the Pannone law firm in Manchester, warned that many cases end up being ignored by social services.

"Cases involving chronic neglect and physical and emotional abuse tend to fall by the wayside or tend to be ignored," he said.

"And I think the other thing that comes out is the difficulties that social services have in monitoring and keeping track of children who are part of a shifting population that moves in and out of the town."

He also warned that cuts could make the situation worse.

'Julie' has an alcoholic mother and has left home several times as a result

"I think this is one of these examples of a situation where we have to decide as a society if we want to take child abuse seriously and we want to deal with it properly then we have to make sure social workers and others have the resources to deal with it properly," he said.

Sky News met several teenage girls in Blackpool who are sleeping rough and refusing to return home.

"Emma", 17, said she had been on the streets since she was 15 and "has her reasons" why she can't go home.

She sleeps in what are known as 20p hotels - toilet cubicles you pay to use.

"It's cold, it's cold as hell. You can like put your bags against the door to stop the draught coming in, but the floor gets so cold," she said.

"And it's scary as well, like every time you hear people go past shouting and that in case they come in or whatever."

"Julie", 18 said she started sleeping rough after an argument with her alcoholic mother when she was 17.

She claimed she was smoking aged seven, drinking by 11 and smoking crack by the time she was 13. 

She also alleged that she was raped by a man who pretended to be her friend and took her in for the night.

"I used to turn up to my lessons under the influence. I used to snort cocaine off my religious studies book right in front of the teacher. I just didn't care," she said.

"(Teachers) always had meetings with my social workers. They just tried to take me away, and then every time they took me away, my mum went to rehab, and then she got clean for a few weeks.

"Then I went back to her, then it all went back downhill again and it just kept repeating itself."

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Appeal After Girls Vanished On Way To Library

Police are appealing for information to trace a missing six-year-old girl and her teenage aunt.

Zeenat Abdala, 16, and her niece Lutfiya Salum were last seen at around noon on Saturday as they left their home in South Norwood, in Croydon, south London, to go to the library.

Police were alerted when the pair did not return home. It is understood they did not arrive at the library in Lawrence Road.

The youngsters came to the UK from Somalia earlier this year as unaccompanied minors and live in foster care, Scotland Yard said.

It is believed the girls may be travelling to meet family who recently arrived in the UK.

Officers are concerned for their safety and welfare and have urged the girls to contact police or their foster carers as soon as possible.

Zeenat is described as a light skinned black girl with a slim face and slim build, 5ft 1in tall with black hair always in a headscarf. She is also described as looking younger than her age.

She was last seen wearing a plain brown silk headscarf, a three-quarter-length chocolate brown coat with brown fur on the hood, underneath a brown cardigan with a fruit pattern and a long red/black and yellow dress with black leggings.

She was wearing pink sandals and carrying a brown shoulder bag with a flower pattern.

Lutfiya is also described as a light skinned black girl with round face and black hair in a bun.

She was last seen wearing a pink blouse, pink leggings, pink socks with a blue pattern and black shoes, a grey cardigan and a three-quarter-length brown hooded coat with a black pattern. The coat was hooded with brown fur.

It is believed Zeenat has access to money, a mobile phone and regularly uses the transport network.

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TV Weatherman Fred Talbot Arrested Again

TV weatherman Fred Talbot has been arrested for a second time by detectives investigating historical sex abuse claims.

The 63-year-old was detained on suspicion of indecent assault and serious sexual assault in relation to five former pupils at a school in Altrincham, Greater Manchester.

He was also arrested on suspicion of indecent assault in relation to offences alleged to have occurred in the North East.

The celebrity meteorologist was first held on April 9 on suspicion of historical sex offences in relation to allegations of abuse against four pupils at Altrincham Grammar School for Boys, when he was a teacher there.

Greater Manchester Police said he remains on police bail in relation to one count of indecent assault.

No further action has been taken in relation to the other alleged offences for which he was originally arrested.

He is in police custody for questioning.

More follows...

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Slavery Bill Promises Life Terms For Traffickers

Human traffickers could be given maximum life prison sentences under new laws to end modern-day slavery.

Home Secretary Theresa May said it was time to get "tougher on the slave drivers" who force thousands of people into a life of servitude in the UK.

Mrs May told Sky News the Government still did not know how many slaves there were in the UK but said estimates put the number at more than 10,000.

The Modern Slavery Bill – the first of its kind in Europe – contains provisions to give automatic life sentences to offenders who already have convictions for very serious sexual or violent offences.

It also introduces Trafficking Prevention Orders to restrict the activity and movement of convicted traffickers and stop them from committing further offences.

The bills comes after three women were found living as slaves in Lambeth

A new anti-slavery commissioner will be appointed to hold law enforcement and other organisations to account.

Mrs May said: "Most people think slavery finished years and years ago but sadly so many people in our country are slaves."

She added: "What this government wants to do is to be able to eradicate modern slavery.

"It is an absolutely appalling and horrendous crime that is being perpetrated by people here in the UK so what the bill does is enable us to get tougher."

The new bill comes after it emerged that three women, aged between 30 and 69, had been living as slaves in a house in Lambeth, south London – one for more than 30 years.

They were finally freed after one of the women contacted Aneeta Prem, from the anti-slavery campaign group Freedom Charity.

Speaking to Sky News, Ms Prem welcomed the new laws and said: "The power of the laws the Home Secretary is announcing today will only help the situation because people will know in the UK this will not be tolerated and if they are caught they are going to face up to life in prison."

Aneeta Prem, of Freedom Charity, said the new laws would help

The founder of human trafficking charity Hope for Justice, Ben Cooley, welcomed the move.

He said: "We've learnt from experience that victim welfare is inextricably linked to the prosecution of perpetrators.

"When victims are supported from rescue right through to the courtroom, their testimonies make all the difference in seeing justice served.

"Sadly, we don't always see that happen in the UK and Hope for Justice exists to stand in those gaps.

"This bill is a critical step towards ending slavery in our country but going forwards we must all ensure that victims are supported so they don't disappear on the other side of initial after-care provision just to be re-trafficked."

Shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper said the legislation should do more to provide protection for child victims of trafficking.

Two-thirds of children found by authorities after being held as slaves go missing again because the system to protect them is not strong enough, Ms Cooper added.

She said: "Failed once by those who betrayed them into slavery, they are failed again by the state in not protecting them.

£Trafficked children should have access to a trusted and independent advocate, or guardian, who is legally responsible for them and their interests.

"There is a growing coalition of support behind this new policy, from the charities and frontline practitioners to campaigners in Parliament.

"We need tough action to stop traffickers, but prosecutions will fail, justice will be denied and slavery will continue unless there is more support for victims too."

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NHS Chief Calls For Quality Seven-Day Service

Hospitals in England could face multi-million pound fines if they fail to maintain standards seven days a week, the NHS's medical director has warned.

Sir Bruce Keogh is set to announce his recommendations after a year-long inquiry into NHS care, amid concerns over higher death rates for patients treated on Saturdays or Sundays.

He told the Sunday Times a seven-day NHS "would undo more than 50 years of accumulated custom and practice which have failed to put the interests of patients first".

The obligation to run a full service 24/7 will be written in to hospital trusts' contractual agreements, with breaches leading to potential fines of up to 2.5% on budgets that can be more than £500m.

Sir Bruce will also publish clinical standards, which set out the level of care that patients can expect in any NHS hospital at the weekend.

He added: "Two things are key to this. One is the availability of diagnostic tests at the weekend, because the key to treating somebody is a diagnosis.

"Then you need someone experienced to interpret those tests and to institute the right treatment." 

Sir Bruce plans to end the practice of junior doctors staffing hospitals at weekends without consultants present and hospitals that fail to adapt will face losing the right to use junior doctors altogether.

He said: "Historically at the weekend our service has been delivered largely by junior doctors in training and now we are changing that."

The practice of junior doctors staffing hospitals at weekends could end

The intention is that within three years all patients admitted as an emergency at the weekend will be seen by a consultant within 14 hours.

Those already in hospital at the weekend will have their condition reviewed by a consultant every 24 hours, while routine surgery will be available at weekends for minor conditions such as hernias.

X-ray, ultrasound, CT and MRI scans will carry on at the same level as during the week, while heart checks, biopsies and blood tests will also be available seven days a week.

The hospital support network of pharmacies, physiotherapy and occupational therapy will run every day.

Sir Bruce said the NHS lacked compassion by failing patients at the weekend. "People are still kept waiting at the weekend for a diagnosis. We have a system that is not built around the convenience of patients and is not compassionate to patients for part of the week.

"Why should somebody have to take time off work, why should someone else have to take time off work to take them to and from hospital, when, if they were to have their operations on a Saturday, they could spend Sunday recovering and, in many cases, get back to work sooner?"

The inquiry team believe the change will cost about 2% of the NHS's annual operating bill of £97bn, but could be less after potential savings.

Blood tests, heart checks and biopsies would be available seven days a week

Critics suggest the cost could be billions more, but Sir Bruce believes the system of having theatres, consulting rooms and recovery wards lying empty at the weekend could be tackled to cut costs.

The BMA said it supports high quality seven-day patient care.

A spokeswoman said: "Doctors firmly believe that patient outcomes should not be affected by what day of the week they fall ill.

"The BMA is in discussions with the Government on how to develop working patterns which deliver more services across seven days while safeguarding the need for a healthy and productive work-life balance for doctors.

"This is a complicated problem, which will not be easily resolved by one single 'quick fix' solution."

Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt said: "Patients should be at the heart of the NHS and be able to depend on it every day - not just Monday to Friday.

"I want the NHS to expand to provide seven-day services so that more patients get the right care, when they need it. It is great news that Sir Bruce Keogh will be setting out his plans for the NHS to provide seven day services."

Labour shadow health secretary Andy Burnham said: "This idea is right in principle but, with the NHS in increasing financial distress, the Government must set out clearly how it will be paid for."

:: Watch NHS medical director Sir Bruce Keogh live on Sky News at 11am on Sky channel 501, Virgin Media channel 602, Freeview channel 82 and Freesat channel 202.

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Lynne Spalding: Lawyer Denies Alcohol Claim

A lawyer for a British woman found dead in a locked stairwell at San Francisco General Hospital is disputing a coroner's report that her death was probably related to "chronic alcohol abuse".

Lynne Spalding, 57, disappeared from her hospital room on September 21 but her body was not found until 17 days later on October 8.

Assistant medical examiner Ellen Moffat said in a new report that the mother-of-two had been dead for days before the discovery and probably died of "a chemical imbalance due to complications from chronic alcohol abuse".

Ms Spalding was confused and delirious on the day she disappeared and she did not know the day or time or even why she was in the hospital, Ms Moffat added.

But attorney Haig Harris insisted Ms Spalding's death was not related to alcoholism and that she had died of starvation or dehydration.

He told the San Francisco Chronicle that the mention of alcoholism "demeans the memory of this woman, without telling us when she died, how long she was out there suffering".

A spokesman for Ms Spalding's family, David Perry, has also denied she had a drinking problem.

Ms Spalding, originally from Peterlee, Co Durham, had been admitted for a bladder or urinary tract infection and arrived at the hospital thin and frail with her children worried about her condition.

Ms Spalding was found dead in a stairwell at San Francisco General Hospital

Although sheriff's deputies at the hospital did a "perimeter search" of the hospital's 24-acre campus within an hour of her disappearance, it was not until September 30 that they attempted a more extensive search of the grounds.

The next day, after it became clear that not all the stairwells used as fire exits had been searched, a supervisor ordered the stairwell searches to continue, yet "only about half the stairwells" ever were, Sheriff Ross Mirkarimi said.

Ms Spalding's friends and relatives spent days scouring the streets of the Californian city with flyers because they were "under the assumption that San Francisco General had been searched and Lynne was not here".

On October, 4 a hospital staff member told the sheriff's department that someone had reported seeing a body in a locked stairwell of the building where Ms Spalding had been a patient.

A sheriff's dispatcher told hospital officials the department would respond, but there was "no indication that any one was dispatched to that stairwell".

Ms Spalding had lived in the city for more than 20 years and had two grown-up children, a 19-year-old son and 23-year-old daughter, who both live in the US.

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Jayden Parkinson: Police Launch Murder Inquiry

Police investigating the disappearance of teenager Jayden Parkinson now believe she was murdered.

Jayden, 17, from Oxford, was last seen leaving Didcot Parkway train station at 4.27pm on December 3 - and did not return home that evening as planned.

In a news conference, Detective Chief Superintendent Andy Murray revealed that police have upgraded the case to a murder investigation and are looking for a man who was seen in an open field near Upton on December 9 at 2am.

"The father in me would like to think that Jayden is still out there, but I'm afraid the detective in me leads me to conclude that Jayden may well have been murdered," said Mr Murray. 

Jayden Parkinson has been missing for 12 days

The man spotted in Upton was carrying a large suitcase in the rural area and notably struggling to "manage" the heavy case.

"This man was having difficulty wheeling that suitcase," said Mr Murray.

He said the same man was seen in Didcot around 30 minutes later with the same suitcase, and police are appealing for sightings of the man or the case. 

The man is described as a white male in his early 20s, with short dark hair and of medium to slim build. 

The case was approximately 3ft long and 2ft wide, likely a pale blue colour, and had an extendable handle and wheels, said Mr Murray. 

A Sky graphic of the man and suitcase based on police descriptions

Police said a recycling bin has been recovered as part of the investigation from the former Crown Pub in Queensway in Didcot. 

An address in Abbott Road, Didcot, is also cordoned off by police while a search is carried out on the property.

Thames Valley Police are currently holding two people - a 22-year-old man and 17-year-old boy - in relation to the case.

Police said earlier this week that the 22-year-old was in a relationship with Jayden. 

Jayden was living with her mother in Didcot until November this year, when she found herself homeless.

Didcot and Upton

The teenager relocated to an Oxford service called One Foot Forward, which offers assisted and supported accommodation for young people.

Police said Jayden has made no financial transactions, or accessed the internet or her phone since she went missing 12 days ago.

A team of 50 detectives are currently assisting with the case and specialist teams will be scouring the Upton area for the next week.

Anyone with information has been urged to contact Thames Valley Police on 101 and quote URN 542 10/12, or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

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UK Plans Cap On EU Immigrants - Leaked Report

The number of people allowed to move to the UK from European Union countries could be capped at 75,000 under proposals set out by the Home Office, it has been claimed.

A leaked Government report on the effect on Britain of the EU's policy allowing free movement of people suggests a cap could cut net migration from EU countries by 30,000 from the current 106,000 a year.

The document, seen by The Sunday Times, also suggests blocking EU immigrants from claiming benefits or tax credits for their first five years in the UK.

The proposals would mean professionals and highly-skilled migrants from countries such as Germany, Holland or Austria could only move to the UK if they had a job offer.

Lower-skilled workers would be allowed to settle if they had jobs on an approved list of occupations for which there was a national shortage.

The leaked open borders review was overseen by Home Secretary Theresa May as part of the Government's assessment of the balance of powers between the UK and Brussels.

Other proposals in the paper include giving British citizens a "national preference" by explicitly reserving jobs for them and limiting labour movement from poorer countries joining the EU to the UK until their GDP is 75% of Britain's.

Prime Minister David Cameron on Saturday said tougher controls on freedom of movement within the EU will be needed in the future and suggested a GDP-based restriction.

The report was overseen by Home Secretary Theresa May

He said: "When other countries join the European Union we should be insisting on longer transitions and perhaps even saying until you reach a proper share of an average European Union GDP you can't have freedom of movement.

"The reason for that is if you look at migration between Britain and Germany or France and Germany, countries of pretty even GDP, the movements are pretty much balanced.

"Its only when you have a real imbalance when you have a poor country and a much wealthier country that you get these vast movements."

But any attempt to challenge free movement rules is likely to face resistance in Europe.

European Commissioner Laszlo Andor recently hit out at British politicians' comments about the lifting of restrictions on Bulgaria and Romania at the end of this month, saying on Twitter: "Responsible politicians should avoid legitimising xenophobic reactions that indeed weaken the European spirit."

He also served notice that the UK could be taken to court over existing proposals to tighten the rules on migrants claiming benefits.

Asked about the report, a Home Office spokesman said: "We do not comment on leaked documents."

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Lynne Spalding Death Linked To Alcoholism

A British woman found dead in a locked stairwell 17 days after going missing from her San Francisco hospital room probably died of a chemical imbalance due to complications from alcohol abuse, a coroner has said.

Lynne Spalding, 57, disappeared from the city's general hospital on September 21 but her body was not found until October 8.

Assistant medical examiner Ellen Moffat said in a new report that the mother-of-two had been dead for days before the discovery.

The medical examiner's office said Ms Spalding was confused and delirious on the day she disappeared.

Ms Moffat said Ms Spalding, originally from Peterlee, Co Durham, didn't know the day or time or even why she was in the hospital.

She had been admitted for a bladder or urinary tract infection and arrived at the hospital thin and frail with her children worried about her condition.

San Francisco General Hospital

Although sheriff's deputies at the hospital did a "perimeter search" of the hospital's 24-acre campus within an hour of her disappearance, it was not until September 30 that they attempted a more extensive search of the grounds.

The next day, after it became clear that not all the stairwells used as fire exits had been searched, a supervisor ordered the stairwell searches to continue, yet "only about half the stairwells" ever were, Sheriff Ross Mirkarimi said.

Ms Spalding's friends and relatives spent days scouring the streets of the Californian city with flyers because they were "under the assumption that San Francisco General had been searched and Lynne was not here".

On October 4 a hospital staff member told the sheriff's department that someone had reported seeing a body in a locked stairwell of the building where Ms Spalding had been a patient.

A sheriff's dispatcher told hospital officials the department would respond, but "there is no indication that any one was dispatched to that stairwell".

Ms Spalding had lived in the city for more than 20 years and had two grown-up children, a 19-year-old son and 23-year-old daughter, who both live in the US.

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Belfast Bomb Was 'Attempt To Injure Or Kill'

A bomb which exploded in the centre of Belfast where hundreds of people were packed into bars and restaurants had the potential to kill, police have said.

The blast in the city's bustling Cathedral Quarter has been blamed on dissident republicans opposed to the peace process.

Christmas partygoers were evacuated when the device detonated just before 7pm on Friday evening. There were no reports of any injuries.

Chief Superintendent Alan McCrum said the bombing had been a totally reckless attack that could have killed or maimed anyone nearby when the device went off.

"This was an attack on the people of Belfast going about their normal lives on a busy night for socialising in the city. This attack ruined the night out for these people., " he said.

"Those who carried out this attack have nothing to offer except disruption and destruction. Police would appeal for continued community support and vigilance on the run up to Christmas in seeking to disrupt or deter any further attack on the city."

Hundreds of people were evaucated. Pic: Mark Ashbridge

A warning had been given about a device, however it was left at a different location to that named in a call to a newspaper.

It is understood the device was contained in a box that was left on a pavement in front of a busy restaurant.

Stormont's Justice Minister David Ford said the blast was an "attempt to kill or injure innocent people".

"The people carrying out these attacks have set out no reason and explained no cause for their acts of senseless violence. Their only aim seems to be to injure and disrupt. They ignore the strength of public support for normality and peace, especially at this Christmas season."

Security has been ramped up in the city since a man was forced by masked dissidents to drive a car bomb to a shopping centre that faces a police station last month. That 60kg (132lb) device only partially exploded and no-one was injured.

While the threat posed by the violent extremists has remained classed as severe, police have acknowledged a "surge" in activity has taken place in recent weeks.

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