Latest news with #deaths
BBC News
3 days ago
- Politics
- BBC News
Family backs bill to prosecute prisons for custody deaths
The family of a woman who took her own life in a Scottish jail have backed an MP's bill which would allow prisons to be prosecuted for the deaths of MP Blair McDougall will present a ten minute rule bill to Westminster on Wednesday calling for Crown immunity in UK prison estates to be current laws, the Crown, which includes the Scottish Prison Service (SPS), cannot be held criminally responsible for deaths in represents the constituency of Linda and Stuart Allan whose daughter Katie, 21, died in Polmont Young Offenders Institution in 2018. Last year a fatal accident inquiry (FAI) into the deaths of Katie and William Brown,16, found that a breach of the Health and Safety Act at the prison "materially contributed" to their Allan was jailed for 16 months in March 2018 for causing serious injury by dangerous driving and driving over the alcohol - also known as William Lindsay - had been remanded in custody after walking into Saracen Street police station in Glasgow while carrying a Scottish government accepted the findings of the FAI and said it had pursued a change in the law to scrap Crown immunity, but that it would require UK government Medhurst, head of the Scottish Prison Service, has also said it should face the possibility of prosecution over deaths in Immunity has previously been scrapped for the NHS and said the move would introduce accountability into the prison East Renfrewshire MP told BBC Scotland News: "I want to see Crown immunity lifted so that when there are failings in health and safety duties by prisons they are held to account for it."At the moment they are untouchable, they can fail again and again."People, particularly young prisoners, can lose their lives and there is no consequence for that."If his private members' bill passes it will proceed to the next stage in the legislative process. Katie Allan's mother, Linda, has been lobbying for change in the Scottish Prison Service since her daughter's approached McDougall, who is her local MP, at his first surgery after the general election last year to raise the issue and said he had been supportive ever Allan said: "We've always said justice for us would be the removal of Crown immunity. There's no meaning in losing a child but it would be a legacy for us."It means that in death Katie has done something good. That her death hasn't been meaningless. "It means that perhaps her death might save the lives of other people in the future."Ms Allan said it "sticks with her" that NHS Forth Valley could also not be prosecuted for any role they played in Katie's death - despite not having Crown immunity - as health care services were provided on the prison Forth Valley have been approached for she said if Katie had been in a private prison at the time of her death, a prosecution would have been be Allan said the introduction of the bill was an important day for families who had lost loved ones to "preventable deaths" in prisons across the UK and would play a part in improving safety in added: "If you look for example at the police service, when it lost Crown immunity, safety standards started to increase in terms of cell custody and police stations."So you would hope the same would happen across the prison estate." What is Crown immunity? Crown immunity is a legal principle which means that legislation does not normally apply to the it means the state, including government and official bodies such as the prison service - and sometimes its employees or agents - can be protected from being charged with criminal offences created by example, if a person dies while in custody at a jail, the Crown could not be held criminally responsible for their does not shield them from civil liability, such as the case brought by the family of Allan Marshall, who died after being restrained by up to 17 prison officers at HMP Edinburgh in immunity was removed from the NHS over 30 years ago as part of the National Health Service and Community Care Act was introduced after a series of scandals, including a salmonella food poisoning outbreak in 1984 that contributed to the death of 19 Scotland, Crown immunity may not always protect prison officers or example, if they are caught using, possessing or giving a "personal communication device," such as a mobile phone, to a prisoner.A provision of the Health and Safety at Work Act also states that, regardless of whether Crown immunity applies, an individual can be prosecuted if they cause a also doesn't apply to privately managed jails, like HMP Addiewell which is the only prison in Scotland which is privately have long challenged the law, arguing that the public and private sectors do not operate on a level playing field.
CNA
4 days ago
- Health
- CNA
Israel-Hamas war: Gaza reports at least 20 more deaths after deadliest day for aid seekers
At least 20 more people have died in Gaza following the deadliest day in the enclave for those seeking aid. Palestinian local health authorities reported the deaths on Jul 21, just after reporting close to 100 dead over the weekend.
Khaleej Times
17-07-2025
- Climate
- Khaleej Times
Pakistan: 54 people killed in 24-hours of heavy monsoon rain, says govt
Heavy monsoon rains have been linked to 54 deaths in the last 24 hours in Pakistan, the government's disaster agency said on Thursday. "In the last 24 hours, 54 people were killed and 227 injured across Pakistan, with the majority of fatalities reported from Punjab," a spokeswoman for the National Disaster Management Authority told AFP, adding that the toll had been counted at 8am (0300 GMT) on Thursday. Pakistan
Al Arabiya
17-07-2025
- Climate
- Al Arabiya
At least 54 people killed in 24-hours of heavy monsoon rain in Pakistan: Govt.
Heavy monsoon rains have been linked to 54 deaths in the last 24 hours in Pakistan, the government's disaster agency said on Thursday. 'In the last 24 hours, 54 people were killed and 227 injured across Pakistan, with the majority of fatalities reported from Punjab,' a spokeswoman for the National Disaster Management Authority told AFP, adding that the toll had been counted at 8am (0300 GMT) on Thursday.
Yahoo
16-07-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
UN investigates 875 Palestinian deaths near Gaza aid hubs
The United Nations is investigating the deaths of 875 Palestinians near aid distribution sites in Gaza, with reports linking the fatalities to controversial US and Israeli-backed aid hubs.
