Latest news with #BBCDisclosure
Scottish Sun
29-04-2025
- Scottish Sun
Survivor abused by monster ex on CCTV blasts plea deals carried out without victims' consent
The 36-year-old firefighter is part of a group of seven campaigners calling for more rights for victims JUSTICE PLEA Survivor abused by monster ex on CCTV blasts plea deals carried out without victims' consent A FIREFIGHTER strangled by her monster ex on CCTV has blasted plea deals carried out without victims' consent. Liz Shanks had been repeatedly battered by Chris Forrest who was later jailed for 27 months when he admitted a number of assaults over a three-year span. Advertisement 4 Brave Liz Shanks speaking on a BBC Disclosure documentary last year. Credit: BBC 4 Monster Christopher Forrest attacks Liz Shanks in an assault caught on camera Credit: Facebook 4 Forrest pictured outside his home as he awaited sentencing in 2022. Credit: Alan MacGregor Ewing 4 Forrest was caged for subjecting Liz Shanks to a terrifying ordeal of violence. Credit: Facebook The fiend pleaded guilty to a number of charges but had others dropped as part of a plea deal - including one nasty incident caught on camera. Liz only discovered the arrangement - common practice in criminal court cases - after the agreement had been settled by The Crown and Forrest's legal team. Recalling the phone call from prosecutors, she added: 'I said: 'Where was my say in this plea deal? Why wasn't I told or given a say?' 'I was devastated. I was left frustrated. Disbelief. And I struggled to get the information as to what particular attacks he'd pled guilty to. Advertisement 'Much to my disappointment there was one in particular that had supporting CCTV which he got off with.' The 36-year-old firefighter is part of a group of seven campaigners calling for more rights for victims going through the justice process. She featured last year in a BBC Disclosure documentary in which she shared horrifying details of Forrest's relentless abuse. She and other survivors are calling on the Scottish Government to make changes to the in the new Victims, Witnesses and Justice Reform (Scotland) Bill, with the backing of Scottish Conservative leader Russell Findlay. Advertisement He said: 'We're not against the use of plea deals but we think it's a basic requirement that there should be transparency around their use, and that victims should be given a full explanation as to when they're used, why they're used and the terms that are reached.' Mum-to-be Liz, of Blantyre, Lanarkshire, has also been working with the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service to develop policy and training around the issue. CCTV footage shows the moment a maniac snarled 'you're going to die in my hands' as he throttled his terrified ex She added: 'I know from what I went through that you're so low, you don't believe that something as good as that could happen to you. 'But life is so much better. And if I can take something negative and make it into something positive and help other people, it makes me feel better about what's happened to me.' Advertisement The Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service say plea deals avoid the need for a trial and the stress of witnesses having to give evidence. A spokesperson said it was 'committed to listening to victims whilst working with partners across the criminal justice system in the continual improvement of the communication process'. We told in 2022 how chilling CCTV footage showed the moment Forrest snarled, 'You're going to die in my hands' as he throttled his terrified ex. Sheriff Linda Nicolson bailed him before sentencing at Hamilton Sheriff Court. Advertisement When approached by The Scottish Sun, the shameless thug said: 'I don't deny it but if you push somebody, that's it. 'From day one I told my solicitor I would plead guilty to three things and that's what's happened.'
Yahoo
28-04-2025
- Yahoo
'I was attacked on CCTV - but the charge was dropped in a plea deal'
Warning: This article contains details readers may find upsetting Liz Shanks installed cameras around her home to protect her prized collection of classic cars – but instead, they captured the escalating and violent domestic abuse carried out by her former partner. The harrowing recordings show repeated attacks in which Chris Forrest strangles Liz, pins her to the ground, and throttles her against a wall in the driveway. In one, he screams "you are going to die in my hands you wee cow" as she gasps for breath. The videos proved pivotal in a 2022 court case when Forrest was jailed for 27 months for attacks on Liz spanning three years. Faced with the CCTV evidence, Forrest pleaded guilty to four charges. But as part of a plea negotiation, commonly known as a plea deal, prosecutors agreed to drop the other seven charges against him. Liz, a 36-year-old firefighter from Blantyre in South Lanarkshire, says she was "devastated" when she discovered that those charges had been dropped. My abusive ex-boyfriend was given a verbal warning Faster justice scheme rolled out across Scotland Poet reveals four-year domestic abuse ordeal She is part of a group of abuse survivors who are calling for the law to be changed to ensure that victims are notified about plea negotiations agreed in their cases. The leader of the Scottish Conservatives has backed the move, but Justice Secretary Angela Constance has indicated that she is not in favour. Liz says that the first she knew about the plea deal was when she got a phone call to say that the court case was over. "I said: 'Where was my say in this plea deal? Why wasn't I told or given a say?' "I was devastated. I was left frustrated. Disbelief. And I struggled to get the information as to what particular attacks he'd pled guilty to. "Much to my disappointment there was one in particular that had supporting CCTV which he got off with." In that video, Forrest can be seen standing in the driveway waiting for Liz while cracking his knuckles. When the car pulls up he launches into an attack, screaming at her and pulling the door open, before lunging into the driver's side. Liz says Forrest strangled her inside the car for almost 10 seconds. The footage then shows him slamming the door on her foot and kicking the car window before dragging her terrified pet dog away by its lead. Forrest was initially charged with assault to the danger of life for the attack. A not guilty plea was accepted. "I just felt like part of my world had fallen apart," said Liz. "I'd been fighting so long and so hard to see the end result for this." She said that if he had been convicted on that charge, it would have given her "validation" - something that was really important for most victims. Liz said that notifying victims of a plea deal would prevent them feeling like "a spectator" in the whole process. She is part of a group of seven campaigners, featured in a BBC Disclosure documentary on domestic abuse last year, who are calling for more rights for victims going through the justice process. Most of them say they were not informed of the outcomes of plea deals in their cases. In these negotiations, a procurator fiscal can accept some not guilty pleas if the accused admits other charges. Scottish Conservative leader Russell Findlay is attempting to get changes to the way plea deals are handled included in the new Victims, Witnesses and Justice Reform (Scotland) Bill. He said: "We're not against the use of plea deals but we think it's a basic requirement that there should be transparency around their use, and that victims should be given a full explanation as to when they're used, why they're used and the terms that are reached. "Quite often what happens is charges are either watered down or indeed dropped altogether even where there's an abundance of evidence to support specific charges, so inevitably when people don't even get told about this, or perhaps find out by accident, it causes them additional distress." Mr Findlay proposed two amendments to the bill, which would enshrine in law the requirement for a victim to be notified when a plea deal is reached in their case. He failed to win support last time the bill was discussed at Holyrood, but intends to press the case again when it reaches its final stage of the parliamentary process. Liz and other campaigners are writing to the justice secretary asking her to support those amendments. Ms Constance outlined her opposition to this move at a recent justice committee hearing, saying it could "add complexity to the system that victims need to navigate". And she added: "Removing individual choice could be traumatic when the victim has made an informed decision not to engage." A Scottish government spokesperson said the justice secretary was willing to continue to consider what more could be done to ensure victims receive the information they are seeking. The Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service says plea deals avoid the need for a trial and the stress of witnesses having to give evidence. A spokesperson said it was "committed to listening to victims whilst working with partners across the criminal justice system in the continual improvement of the communication process". Dr Marsha Scott, the chief executive of Scottish Women's Aid, said it should be possible to engage with survivors in "a respectful and informed way". "This not about forcing engagement with survivors, this is about opening the process to them so that it's transparent, so they understand what's happening and so that they can control as much as possible their engagement with the system. "The plea negotiations or plea bargains are a significant area that needs improvement." Simon Brown is president of the Scottish Solicitors Bar Association, which represents criminal defence solicitors. He said complainers – the alleged victims in a case – should be notified of plea negotiations, but warned against further concessions. "I think this issue becomes problematic when you have to ask for their consent," he said. "Complainers don't have the necessary legal knowledge to know what is and isn't admissible in evidence. "Obviously by the nature of being a complainer, they're going to be biased against anything resolving short of guilty." Liz Shanks says she will continue campaigning for changes that will benefit abuse survivors, and has been working with the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service to develop policy and training around the issue. She is expecting her first baby with a new partner, and says this shows that there can be light at the end of the tunnel. "I know from what I went through that you're so low, you don't believe that something as good as that could happen to you," she adds. "But life is so much better. And if I can take something negative and make it into something positive and help other people, it makes me feel better about what's happened to me." If you've been affected by the issues in this story you can find information and support here on BBC Action Line.
BBC News
28-04-2025
- BBC News
'I was attacked on CCTV - but the charge was dropped in a plea deal'
Warning: This article contains details readers may find upsetting Liz Shanks installed cameras around her home to protect her prized collection of classic cars – but instead, they captured the escalating and violent domestic abuse carried out by her former harrowing recordings show repeated attacks in which Chris Forrest strangles Liz, pins her to the ground, and throttles her against a wall in the one, he screams "you are going to die in my hands you wee cow" as she gasps for videos proved pivotal in a 2022 court case when Forrest was jailed for 27 months for attacks on Liz spanning three with the CCTV evidence, Forrest pleaded guilty to four as part of a plea negotiation, commonly known as a plea deal, prosecutors agreed to drop the other seven charges against a 36-year-old firefighter from Blantyre in South Lanarkshire, says she was "devastated" when she discovered that those charges had been dropped. She is part of a group of abuse survivors who are calling for the law to be changed to ensure that victims are notified about plea negotiations agreed in their leader of the Scottish Conservatives has backed the move, but Justice Secretary Angela Constance has indicated that she is not in says that the first she knew about the plea deal was when she got a phone call to say that the court case was over."I said: 'Where was my say in this plea deal? Why wasn't I told or given a say?'"I was devastated. I was left frustrated. Disbelief. And I struggled to get the information as to what particular attacks he'd pled guilty to."Much to my disappointment there was one in particular that had supporting CCTV which he got off with." In that video, Forrest can be seen standing in the driveway waiting for Liz while cracking his the car pulls up he launches into an attack, screaming at her and pulling the door open, before lunging into the driver's says Forrest strangled her inside the car for almost 10 seconds. The footage then shows him slamming the door on her foot and kicking the car window before dragging her terrified pet dog away by its was initially charged with assault to the danger of life for the attack. A not guilty plea was accepted."I just felt like part of my world had fallen apart," said Liz."I'd been fighting so long and so hard to see the end result for this."She said that if he had been convicted on that charge, it would have given her "validation" - something that was really important for most said that notifying victims of a plea deal would prevent them feeling like "a spectator" in the whole process. She is part of a group of seven campaigners, featured in a BBC Disclosure documentary on domestic abuse last year, who are calling for more rights for victims going through the justice of them say they were not informed of the outcomes of plea deals in their these negotiations, a procurator fiscal can accept some not guilty pleas if the accused admits other Conservative leader Russell Findlay is attempting to get changes to the way plea deals are handled included in the new Victims, Witnesses and Justice Reform (Scotland) said: "We're not against the use of plea deals but we think it's a basic requirement that there should be transparency around their use, and that victims should be given a full explanation as to when they're used, why they're used and the terms that are reached."Quite often what happens is charges are either watered down or indeed dropped altogether even where there's an abundance of evidence to support specific charges, so inevitably when people don't even get told about this, or perhaps find out by accident, it causes them additional distress." Mr Findlay proposed two amendments to the bill, which would enshrine in law the requirement for a victim to be notified when a plea deal is reached in their failed to win support last time the bill was discussed at Holyrood, but intends to press the case again when it reaches its final stage of the parliamentary and other campaigners are writing to the justice secretary asking her to support those Constance outlined her opposition to this move at a recent justice committee hearing, saying it could "add complexity to the system that victims need to navigate".And she added: "Removing individual choice could be traumatic when the victim has made an informed decision not to engage." A Scottish government spokesperson said the justice secretary was willing to continue to consider what more could be done to ensure victims receive the information they are Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service says plea deals avoid the need for a trial and the stress of witnesses having to give evidence.A spokesperson said it was "committed to listening to victims whilst working with partners across the criminal justice system in the continual improvement of the communication process".Dr Marsha Scott, the chief executive of Scottish Women's Aid, said it should be possible to engage with survivors in "a respectful and informed way"."This not about forcing engagement with survivors, this is about opening the process to them so that it's transparent, so they understand what's happening and so that they can control as much as possible their engagement with the system."The plea negotiations or plea bargains are a significant area that needs improvement." Simon Brown is president of the Scottish Solicitors Bar Association, which represents criminal defence said complainers – the alleged victims in a case – should be notified of plea negotiations, but warned against further concessions."I think this issue becomes problematic when you have to ask for their consent," he said."Complainers don't have the necessary legal knowledge to know what is and isn't admissible in evidence."Obviously by the nature of being a complainer, they're going to be biased against anything resolving short of guilty."Liz Shanks says she will continue campaigning for changes that will benefit abuse survivors, and has been working with the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service to develop policy and training around the is expecting her first baby with a new partner, and says this shows that there can be light at the end of the tunnel."I know from what I went through that you're so low, you don't believe that something as good as that could happen to you," she adds."But life is so much better. And if I can take something negative and make it into something positive and help other people, it makes me feel better about what's happened to me." If you've been affected by the issues in this story you can find information and support here on BBC Action Line.
Yahoo
25-02-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Cruelty claims at children's unit 'must lead to change'
A BBC documentary on alleged cruelty in a children's psychiatric unit "must and will lead to improvements", a government minister has pledged. Patients who were teenagers when they were admitted to Skye House, a specialist NHS unit in Glasgow, told BBC Disclosure about a culture of cruelty among nursing staff. Maree Todd, minister for mental wellbeing, told the Scottish Parliament she was treating the issues raised in the documentary "with the utmost seriousness". Government ministers will meet leaders of all health boards with child and adolescent mental health units on Wednesday. Programme-makers spoke to 28 former patients, some of whom had been detained under the mental health act, while making BBC Disclosure's Kids on The Psychiatric Ward documentary. One said the 24-bed psychiatric hospital, which sits in the grounds of Glasgow's Stobhill hospital, was like "hell". Skye House, which opened in 2009, accepts children aged 12 to 18 who are usually at crisis point. Most are detained under the Mental Health Act, which means they cannot leave until doctors decide they are fit to be discharged. The BBC began investigating after one young patient reported her treatment at the unit. Many other cases soon came to light. Speaking at Holyrood, Todd said the culture depicted in the documentary was "disturbing" and the conduct of some staff fell far below "basic standards of decency and compassion". "I treat the issues raised in the documentary with the utmost seriousness," she said. "It must, and will, result in improvements." But she said NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde had assured her that issues raised had been dealt with, standards had already improved and internal and external reviews had been commissioned. She added: "I will carefully scrutinise both of these reviews as soon as they come out and expected Greater Glasgow and Clyde to act immediately on any recommendations for improvement. "I will also be asking about the governance arrangement in place to make sure that this can never happen again." Responding to a question from Conservative health spokesman Sandesh Gulhane about who had been held to account for the incidents at Skye House, Todd said improvements had already been made at Skye House. "What I heard in the programme has shocked me and has put in place a sequence of events that will give myself and others in this chamber assurance that the situation has changed since the time period of the programme," she added. Tory Meghan Gallacher said individual cases were "critical for shining a light on the lack of action taken by staff, the NHS and the Scottish government. "The Scottish government didn't find about this through the BBC documentary, they had known for years," she said. She added that one of her constituents had been contacting the government about the way her daughter was treated since 2023. "I've no idea how the minister can stand here today and pretend to be shocked because she's known about this for years." Todd said ministers received a "huge amount of correspondence daily" and letters about medical cases were normally referred to their health board. NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde previously said a review of medication was carried out in 2023 and this changed the way medication was administered. Teenagers mocked by nurses at psychiatric unit Child psychiatric units to get extra inspections
BBC News
25-02-2025
- Health
- BBC News
Cruelty claims at Skye House children's unit 'must lead to change'
A BBC documentary on alleged cruelty in a children's psychiatric unit "must and will lead to improvements", a government minister has pledged. Patients who were teenagers when they were admitted to Skye House, a specialist NHS unit in Glasgow, told BBC Disclosure about a culture of cruelty among nursing Todd, minister for mental wellbeing, told the Scottish Parliament she was treating the issues raised in the documentary "with the utmost seriousness".Government ministers will meet leaders of all health boards with child and adolescent mental health units on Wednesday. Programme-makers spoke to 28 former patients, some of whom had been detained under the mental health act, while making BBC Disclosure's Kids on The Psychiatric Ward said the 24-bed psychiatric hospital, which sits in the grounds of Glasgow's Stobhill hospital, was like "hell". Conduct 'fell below basic decency' Skye House, which opened in 2009, accepts children aged 12 to 18 who are usually at crisis are detained under the Mental Health Act, which means they cannot leave until doctors decide they are fit to be BBC began investigating after one young patient reported her treatment at the other cases soon came to at Holyrood, Todd said the culture depicted in the documentary was "disturbing" and the conduct of some staff fell far below "basic standards of decency and compassion". "I treat the issues raised in the documentary with the utmost seriousness," she said. "It must, and will, result in improvements."But she said NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde had assured her that issues raised had been dealt with, standards had already improved and internal and external reviews had been commissioned. She added: "I will carefully scrutinise both of these reviews as soon as they come out and expected Greater Glasgow and Clyde to act immediately on any recommendations for improvement."I will also be asking about the governance arrangement in place to make sure that this can never happen again." Responding to a question from Conservative health spokesman Sandesh Gulhane about who had been held to account for the incidents at Skye House, Todd said improvements had already been made at Skye House."What I heard in the programme has shocked me and has put in place a sequence of events that will give myself and others in this chamber assurance that the situation has changed since the time period of the programme," she added. Tory Meghan Gallacher said individual cases were "critical for shining a light on the lack of action taken by staff, the NHS and the Scottish government. "The Scottish government didn't find about this through the BBC documentary, they had known for years," she added that one of her constituents had been contacting the government about the way her daughter was treated since 2023."I've no idea how the minister can stand here today and pretend to be shocked because she's known about this for years."Todd said ministers received a "huge amount of correspondence daily" and letters about medical cases were normally referred to their health board. NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde previously said a review of medication was carried out in 2023 and this changed the way medication was administered.
