New Chief Of Probation Announced

The new Chief Inspector of Probation has been announced.

Paul McDowell will take over from Liz Calderbank who has held the post on an interim basis since 2011.

Paul is currently Chief Executive of crime reduction charity NACRO and was the Governor of HMP Brixton for more than three years.

Justice Secretary Chris Grayling said: "Paul's experience inside the prison walls helping to turn offenders' lives around, and his work in the community helping to break the cycle of reoffending make him an ideal fit for this role."

He will take over the role at a crucial time as the Government is introducing radical reforms to the way offenders are rehabilitated. All prisoners will receive at least 12 months supervision in the community on release, to help them turn their backs on crime.

Riot Damages Act To Be Reformed

A series of recommendations to reform the Riot Damages Act following the riots in 2011 has been published by the Independent Reviewer.

Neil Kinghan was commissioned by the Home Secretary, Theresa May, to conduct an independent review into the compensation arrangements set out in the Riot Damages Act and look at how they were implemented following the riots. This included looking at the definition of a riot and who should be liable.

The review published concludes that the Act should be replaced with a new version in which the Police would continue to be liable under the Act. It also says the claims process needs to be faster and more efficient to ensure that smaller businesses are given the help they need to get back on their feet quickly.

His other recommendations include:

• That in the event of widespread riots a 'riot claims bureau' staffed by loss adjusters and insurance experts should be set up to manage claims

• That riot compensation payments made in future should be made on a new-for-old basis rather than the current old-for-old approach

• The language in the Riot Damages Act should be modernised

• The amount of compensation that can be provided to insurers should be capped.

Man Sexually Assaulted In Bristol

Detectives are carrying out an investigation after a 20-year-old man was sexually assaulted in Bristol city centre in the early hours of Thursday morning.

The victim was on his way to a friend's house following a night out in the centre when he was assaulted in Queens Square at about 3.45am.

It is believed several people were involved in this incident, which is being investigated by officers with Operation Bluestone team – the Force's unit dedicated to dealing with rape and sexual assault.

DS Adam Stacey said: "The victim has now been interviewed and is being fully supported by officers.

"We are appealing for anyone who was in the Queens Square area of the city between 2am and 4am on Thursday morning who may have seen this incident to come forward and speak to us."

(CD/JP)