September 1998

Bus company "gagging" action condemned (September 1, 1998)

CCTVs track murdered girls last journey (15 September 1998)

Kosova aid success (18 September 1998)

First Big Brother awards announced (22 September 1998)

First Big Brother awards announced

. Details of the first UK "Big Brother Awards", to be staged in London next month, have been announced by the director of Privacy International, Simon Davies.

The awards, given to the government and private sector organisations that have done the most to invade personal privacy in Britain, will be presented at a special event on October 26 at the London School of Economics.

Members of the 1 in 12 Club have been invited. They first met Simon 18 months ago at a public meeting on CCTV in Bradford. Local proponents of the spy cameras such as councillor Jack Womersley and MP Chris Leslie declined the offer to debate the issues with him at that time.

The event will be the first of its kind in the world, and takes place on the 50th anniversary of the writing of George Orwell's 1984. The event will be staged every year thereafter and will be extended throughout Europe, Asia and North America.

"Winston" awards will also be given to individuals and organisations which have made an outstanding contribution to the protection of privacy.

Nominations for the awards are invited from the public. An impressive panel of judges has been lined up, including lawyers, academics, journalists and civil rights activists. The event will be compared by comedian Mark Thomas.

Big Brother Awards; Privacy International; Make a nomination

Kosova aid success

Much needed aid was successfully distributed in the war torn city of Metrovichy in Kosova, with help from Bradford trade unionist Geoff Robinson.

Last night Geoff gave a moving account of the dangerous journey from Britain to Kosova, at the monthly meeting of Bradford Trades Council.

He said further convoys were planned and urged everyone to support the London demonstration on October 4th.

Kosova - dirty war. Geoffs account

CCTVs track murdered girls last journey

Bus station and Town centre CCTV cameras at Bradford and Wakefield tracked teenager Rachel Barraclough as she took her last journey on Friday night, September 5th last year.

Rachels half naked body was found the next day on wasteland besides the river Calder in Wakefield. She had been sexually assaulted, stabbed and had her throat cut. 46 year old Stephen Hughes of Wakefield is charged with her murder.

Rachel, 18, believed she was going to meet her estranged boyfriend Carl, prosecuting council claimed at the opening of the trial at Leeds crown Court yesterday. She had received a phone call earlier in the evening at her home in Bankfoot Bradford and was excited at the prospect of seeing her former lover, 20 year old Carl Hughes, son of the accused. The two had had a furious row the previous weekend when Carl admitted an affair with another woman. He had hit Rachel leaving her bruised and bleeding. But she had written in her diary that she still loved him.

CCTV cameras at Bradford Interchange showed her walking to get the Wakefield bus earlier in the evening

But Paul Worsley QC, prosecuting, told the jury that in Wakefield Stephen Hughes had sent his son Carl home to change, saying he would meet Rachel if she turned up. He later told police that she never arrived and that he went on a pub crawl alone.

But the prosecution claim that CCTV cameras in Wakefield showed her being met off the 9.15 bus by Stephen Hughes. Town centre cameras then showed the couple approaching the riverbank towpath at 9.27 pm. 2 hours later the same camera shows Hughes returning alone.

Stephen Hughes later changed his story, admitting that he met her off the bus and had walked her to Wakefield Superbowl where he left her.

The trial continues.

How CCTV helped catch a killer

Bus company "gagging" action condemned

Local bus company First Bradford has been widely condemned for attempting to "gag" union official Mohammed Taj. Bus workers have threatened industrial action if necessary in support of Mr Taj. Bradford's 3 Labour MP's and the Council leader have condemned the company's action, along with Bradford Racial Equality Council and the editor of the local Telegraph & Argus.

Council leader Ian Greenwood has written to Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott, asking him to intervene, calling the bus company's action "an absolute disgrace".

The bus company acted against Taj for "bringing the company into disrepute" following comments the union official made to the local paper last week. Taj revealed that a bus driver had been unable to call for help when a young passenger collapsed with an asthma attack, because the bus radio was out of order. The driver had to find a public phone box to call an ambulance, but tragically 14 year old Alan Coppley died. Clearly First Bradford did not want the public to know of the faulty radio.

The company first suspended Mr Taj, local T&GWU branch secretary, then gave him a "final written warning" at a disciplinary hearing last Thursday.

Taj had sought an inquiry into why the radio was out of order. He also suggested that bus drivers be given emergency first aid training.

Taj is a well known and respected local union official. Earlier this month he was involved when bus workers were in a dispute with First Bradford over pay and conditions. A threatened strike was narrowly averted after lengthy negotiations.

Taj was also a member of the Bradford Commission which investigated the Manningham riots of 1995. He produced a minority report condemning institutionalised racism, particularly in the police.

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