High Court to decide if autistic man was illegally detained – The Independent

“A father has described in court how he felt ‘powerless’ when a local authority prevented the return home of his autistic son for nearly a year during a bitter care dispute with a local council.”

Full story

The Independent, 28th May 2011

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Judge raps care ‘failures’ in paedophile case – The Independent

“A High Court judge investigating a mother with learning difficulties whose children became victims of a dangerous paedophile has strongly condemned the way the case was handled by a county’s social services.”

Full story

The Independent, 21st April 2011

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Court allows journalists into care hearing – The Guardian

“The Guardian and other news organisations have won a court ruling that could open up the care system for people with learning difficulties to public scrutiny.”

Full story

The Guardian, 28th February 2011

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Mother’s legal plea to sterilise her daughter remains unresolved – The Guardian

Posted February 15th, 2011 in Court of Protection, learning difficulties, news, sterilisation by sally

“The mother of a young woman with learning difficulties who is pregnant with her second child broke down in tears as she pleaded with a high court judge to allow her daughter to be forcibly sterilised for her own protection.”

Full story

The Guardian, 15th February 2011

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Related: Test case over sterilisation puts court of protection under public scrutiny

Court to rule on sterilisation of pregnant woman – The Independent

Posted February 15th, 2011 in Court of Protection, learning difficulties, news, sterilisation by sally

“A controversial court that still holds its hearing in private will decide tomorrow whether a pregnant woman with learning difficulties should be forcibly sterilised once she gives birth.”

Full story

The Independent, 14th February 2011

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Woman with learning difficulties could be forcibly sterilised – Daily Telegraph

Posted February 14th, 2011 in learning difficulties, news, sterilisation by sally

“A woman with learning difficulties could be forcibly sterilised after she gives birth this week to stop her becoming pregnant again.”

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 14th February 2011

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Court bans man with low IQ from having sex – Daily Telegraph

Posted February 7th, 2011 in Court of Protection, learning difficulties, news by sally

“A man with a low IQ has been banned from having sex by a High Court judge who admitted the case raised questions about ‘civil liberties and personal autonomy’.”

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 4th February 2011

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Vulnerable young people trapped in justice system – The Guardian

Posted November 24th, 2010 in criminal justice, learning difficulties, mental health, news, young offenders by sally

“Young people with mental illness and learning difficulties are being let down by youth justice system, a new report reveals.”

Full story

The Guardian, 24th November 2010

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Judge criticises council for trying to force contraception on woman – Daily Telegraph

“A judge has criticised a council for trying to have contraception forced upon a woman with a low IQ, warning that the move had ‘shades of social engineering’.”

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 18th August 2010

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Man jailed for sex with autistic girl – The Independent

Posted April 23rd, 2010 in autism, learning difficulties, news, sentencing, sexual offences by sally

“A man who befriended a woman over the internet then had sex with her autistic teenage daughter was today jailed for more than three years.”

Full story

The Independent, 22nd April 2010

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Judge slams ‘ridiculously short sentences’ and frees torture gang – Daily Telegraph

Posted March 15th, 2010 in assault, learning difficulties, news, sentencing, young offenders by sally

“A judge has criticised the justice system for tying his hands with ‘ridiculously short sentences’ after he was forced to free a gang that took a teenager from a children’s home and tortured him.”

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 12th March 2010

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Vulnerable Defendants in the Criminal Courts – Prison Reform Trust

” ‘Vulnerable Defendants in the Criminal Courts’ reviews the provision of support in the court system for adults with learning disabilities or learning difficulties. The second half of the report examines the situation for children.”

Full report

Prison Reform Trust, 1st December 2009

Source: www.prisonreformtrust.org.uk

Police errors contributed to suicide of tormented mother Fiona Pilkington – The Guardian

Posted September 29th, 2009 in harassment, learning difficulties, news, police, suicide by sally

“Police errors and inaction were partly responsible for driving a vulnerable single mother to kill herself and her severely disabled daughter after years of abuse from youths, an inquest found today.”

Full story

The Guardian, 28th September 2009

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Police blame justice system for failures in mother daughter suicide case – Daily Telegraph

Posted September 25th, 2009 in harassment, learning difficulties, news, suicide, young offenders by sally

“Police could not act to stop a gang of youths terrorising a mother and her disabled daughter because the youth justice system is not set up to be tough against offenders, a leading police office told an inquest.”

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 25th September 2009

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Court takes child of ‘stupid’ mother – The Times

Posted June 1st, 2009 in adoption, family courts, learning difficulties, news, parental rights by sally

“When Rachel celebrated her daughter’s third birthday three weeks ago the little girl was a picture of happiness. Yet for her mother it was a bittersweet occasion.”

Full story

The Times, 31st May 2009

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

Abused couple lose £100,000 damages – The Times

Posted April 3rd, 2009 in assault, housing, learning difficulties, news, young offenders by sally

“A vulnerable couple who were subjected to savage abuse by a gang of youths have been stripped of their £100,000 damages payout by senior judges.”

Full story 

The Times, 3rd April 2009

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

Ombudsmen’s report calls for urgent review of health and social care for people with learning disabilities – Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman

Posted March 24th, 2009 in health, learning difficulties, press releases, social services by sally

Ombudsmen’s report calls for urgent review of health and social care for people with learning disabilities.”

Full press release

Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman, 24th March 2009

Source: www.ombudsman.org.uk

NHS is failing patients with learning disabilities, regulators say – The Times

Posted March 24th, 2009 in health, learning difficulties, news by sally

“The National Health Service is failing people with learning disabilities, according to a report published today on the deaths of six disabled patients.”

Full story 

The Times, 24th March 2009

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

NHS starts inquiry into deaths of patients with learning difficulties – The Guardian

Posted January 19th, 2009 in complaints, health, learning difficulties, news by sally

“An official investigation is to examine why people with serious learning difficulties have died while under NHS care, after alleged neglect led to at least six fatalities, ministers will reveal today.

Full story

The Guardian, 19th January 2009

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Justice system ‘fails vulnerable’ – BBC News

Posted November 19th, 2008 in criminal justice, learning difficulties, news, prisons by sally

“The criminal justice system is failing people with learning disabilities from the point of arrest to their release from prison, a report suggests.”

Full story

BBC News, 19th November 2008

Source: www.bbc.co.uk