These articles were first published in our August edition of the newspaper, click here for more.
A former church minister and BBC Wales presenter appeared in court in June charged with sexual offences against children and adults.
Ben Thomas, 44, from Flintshire, was charged with 40 offences, including indecent assaults against children and adults, and voyeurism. The offences are said to have happened in north Wales, Shropshire, London, and Romania. He is next due to appear at Mold Crown Court on 17 July. The offences allegedly took place from when he was aged 14 in 1990 until 2019.
Abortions reached the highest level ever in the UK as 200,608 women had their pregnancies terminated in 2018, it was reported on 14 June.
This marked an increase of 4% from the previous year. A further 4,687 abortions were carried out on non-residents in 2018. Experts said that the increase was as a result of older women and mothers being more likely to have abortions.
In June it was announced that the children’s TV show Jamie Johnson will have a character in it ‘come out’ as gay.
This follows two male parents featuring in ‘Dengineers’ and some children organising a wedding for their same-sex parents in another show.
Campaigners expressed relief that an abortion clinic censorship zone motion passed by 213 to 47 votes in June, is very unlikely to become law.
Censorship zones would have been in place around abortion clinics in England and Wales. This would have resulted in a ban on prayer vigils near clinics. However, as it is a Ten Minute Rule bill it is very unlikely it will be given further time by the government to be debated.
On 6 July the ‘rough sex gone wrong’ defence, or the ‘Fifty Shades of Grey’ defence, was outlawed as part of new domestic abuse legislation.
Justice Minister, Alex Chalk MP, said it was ‘unconscionable’ that this defence could be used in court to justify or excuse the death or abuse of a women ‘simply because she consented’ to it. This means that the Crown Prosecution Service will no longer be able to get away with dropping charges because a perpetrator claims the women consented to assault.
The Scottish Government is consulting on the Hate Crime and Public Order Bill until 24 July .
Proposals will create new offences relating to stirring up hatred towards various protected groups. Responses can be submitted by post or email. A request to be anonymous needs to be made by contacting the clerks. Written views are welcome in any language including Gaelic and should be kept to six sides of A4.
www.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusiness/CurrentCommittees/115038.aspx
email: justicecommittee@parliament.scot phone: 0131 348 5047