Crime and Policing
Justice Secretary vows support for campaign
JUSTICE Secretary Kenneth Clarke has thrown his weight behind the Mail's Safer Burton campaign.
The senior cabinet member told the House of Commons he wished the people of Burton every success in trying to 'reduce the scourge of knife crime'.
Burton MP Andrew Griffiths, who raised the issue during a debate after pledging his own support for the campaign, asked the Lord Chancellor what steps he was taking to increase prison tariffs for people sentenced for carrying knives.
MP hopes for knife 'legacy'
Adrian Jenkins
MAKING Burton ‘a knife-free zone’ would be the best tribute the town could pay murder victim Connor Upton, the town’s MP has said.
Burton backbencher Andrew Griffiths spoke after George Lawrence was convicted of the killing by a jury at Stafford Crown Court following a seven-day trial.
The 46-year-old warehouseman from Harper Avenue, Horninglow, was handed a life jail term which will see him spend a minimum of 21 years and 94 days behind bars before he is considered for parole.
MP calls for town to be a knife-free zone
Josh Taylor
SHARDS of broken glass and kitchen knives are just some of the weapons confiscated by doormen working at pubs and clubs in Burton town centre.
Attempts to smuggle knives into Burton’s nightspots have led to increased calls for the town centre to become a knife crime ‘zero-tolerance zone’.
The banning system, which has received backing from Burton’s MP Andrew Griffiths, would see bans of between one and two years handed to anyone found trying to bring a knife or blade into a town centre pub or club.
Griffiths leads revolt against prison votes
Josh Taylor
BURTON’S MP is today set to lead a Tory backbench rebellion against Government proposals to give prisoners the vote.
Andrew Griffiths has been lobbying fellow MPs and urging them to vote against giving prisoners the ballot.
He said: “I do not want prisoners to be able to vote and I intend to rebel by voting against the Government proposal.” The European Court of Human Rights has ruled that Britain is acting unlawfully by not allowing prisoners the vote.
MP WINS TOP ROLE IN TACKLING DRUG & ALCOHOL ABUSE
Andrew Griffiths, MP for Burton, has been appointed Secretary of the All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for the Misuse of Drugs and Alcohol. APPGs are groups of influential MPs who focus on specific areas of government policy.
Andrew said:
MPs welcome new protection against 'neighbours from hell'
Burton Mail
BURTON and South Derbyshire’s MPs have backed new laws to ‘clamp down on neighbours from hell’.
The new rules, which include measures to replace antisocial behaviour orders (ASBOs), will force police and local authorities to act if five households lodge complaints about a troublesome neighbour.
Burton’s Tory MP Andrew Griffiths said of the measures, announced yesterday by Home Secretary Theresa May: “This is a whole new set of powers which will make it much easier for the police and councils to clamp down on neighbours from hell".
Compensation claims by criminals 'wrong'
by JOSHUA TAYLOR
COMPENSATION claims made by crooks who injure themselves while committing crimes must be stopped, Burton’s MP has claimed.
The rise of ‘no win-no fee’ lawyers has seen criminals make claims against the Government for injuries sustained while committing offences or while in prison.
Every year offenders claim around £5 million from the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority.
Justice Secretary Ken Clarke has now pledged to make sure this money is directed towards victims of crime rather than offenders.
No sympathy from MP as riot 'idiots' are jailed
John Crossley
A TORY MP says he has no sympathy for the ‘idiots’ sent to prison for looting and rioting.
Conservative Andrew Griffiths, who represents Burton and Uttoxeter, said that the public supported tough justice on those involved in disorder.
As the clean-up continues following last week’s unrest which saw rioting and looting hit towns and cities across England, two men from Warrington have been jailed for four years for inciting rioting on Facebook — even though the disorder never subsequently happened.
Concerns have been raised that sentences for convicted rioters were too severe.
MP highlights plight of girl attacked by alsatian
Rob Smyth
BURTON’S MP has called for a change in the law to allow the owners of dogs who attack people on private land to be criminally prosecuted.
Andrew Griffiths spoke out about the problem during a parliamentary debate on dangerous dogs.
He used the example of eight-year-old Gypsy Prescott, from Stapenhill, whose ear was partially severed when her head had to be prised out of an Alsatian’s mouth earlier this year.
Despite the horrific nature of the incident, police and the RSPCA were powerless to take action against the animal’s owner as it happened on private property.
Burton is blazing a trail in nation's alcohol crisis
Tim Fletcher
A TRAILBLAZING drug and alcohol treatment centre in Burton is to be used as an example for the Government’s new strategy to tackle booze-related illness.
Burton Addiction Centre founder Noreen Oliver and town MP Andrew Griffiths have been highlighting the good work done by the centre in a meeting with junior health minister Anne Milton.
The meeting was held in the week the Mail revealed alcohol-related admissions at Burton’s Queen’s Hospital had rocketed by more than 800 per cent in five years.
