Other UK News In Brief

Car Plant Death Probed

There's been a tragedy at Jaguar Land Rover factory in Halewood, Merseyside after a worker at the plant suffered fatal injuries. Police officers were called to the facility by paramedics shortly after 8pm on Monday. They found a local man in his late 40s being treated for serious injuries. The man was taken to Whiston Hospital for emergency treatment but was pronounced dead at around 10.30pm. Merseyside Police have launched a joint investigation with the Health and Safety Executive following the death.

Prison Pay Funds Victims

Up to £1m a year will be seized from prisoners' pay packets and used to fund victim support services, the Ministry of Justice announced this week as the Prisoners' Earnings Act comes into force. The money will go to the national charity Victim Support and pay for new support services, helping victims to recover from the trauma of crime and forcing criminals to take responsibility for the harm they have caused. The Minister for Policing and Criminal Justice, Nick Herbert, said: "For too long the financial burden of repairing the damage done by crime has fallen to the taxpayer alone. By bringing into force the Prisoners' Earnings Act, this Government is making a significant and overdue change," he said, adding: "Making offenders pay financial reparation to victims will require them to take personal responsibility for their crimes and go some way towards making redress to victims through the funding of crucial support services." Low-risk prisoners who work outside of prison to prepare for their eventual release will see up to 40 per cent of their net weekly wages of over £20 go to services which support victims of crime.

Duke In Afghanistan

His Royal Highness, the Duke of Kent has paid a special visit to British soldiers serving in Afghanistan. His Royal Highness The Duke of Kent meets soldiers from 1 Rifles and met medics and doctors working at the Role 3 Hospital at Camp Bastion, where injured service men and women are treated. While at Camp Bastion, his Royal Highness, who is Deputy Colonel in Chief of the Royal Scots Dragoon Guards, spent time with soldiers from the Regiment who are currently serving on Operation HERRICK 14.

Police Complaints In Focus

The Government has published a consultation inviting members of the public to have their say on how complaints against Police and Crime Commissioner's are handled. The consultation focuses on how criminal and non-criminal allegations against Police and Crime Commissioners will be handled. Policing Minister, Nick Herbert, said: "We will replace the bureaucratic accountability of weak, invisible police authorities with the democratic accountability of directly elected Police and Crime Commissioners. To ensure that Police and Crime Commissioners, the Mayor's Office for Policing and Crime and their deputies uphold the highest standards of public office, it is important that there is an effective system to handle complaints against them," he said, adding: "This public consultation is seeking views on the draft regulations which set out how complaints of criminal and non-criminal behaviour by Police and Crime Commissioners will be handled."

(BMcC/GK)