Gang in the UK treated migrant workers like slaves

A gang in the UK recruited migrant workers and then treated them as slaves, forcing them to live in dirty, terrifying conditions as they picked leeks that would finally be sold to Tesco and Waitrose. Gurdip Somal 52, was the boss, while his wife Manjinder 46, was the legitimate face of the gang.

Prosecutor Jonathan said that the case against the gang was in fact that they cruelly mistreated and criminally exploited these migrant workers.

The migrant workers came here because they thought they would have good wages, conditions and accommodation.
When they arrived it wasn’t like the gang promised, they were put to work in the leek fields, where many were intimidated, threatened and beaten.
Often the workers were knocked to the ground if they could not keep up the machine to collect the leeks.
Above all they were not given protective equipment so when the machine hit them, they were cut to the bone by the knives they used to trim the leeks, and suffered skin infections from acid in the leeks.

They went to the fields with overcrowded and dangerous minibuses and they had to work 12- or 13-hour a day without breaks. The gang also cheated them by paying them less than promised and deducting money from their wages.

After working 12/13-hour a day the workers went to their homes and there they were crammed with more than 20 workers into a three-bedroom terraced house with a single toilet that did not work.

Police and other authorities arrested the defendants in November 2008 as part of Operation Ruby, the biggest operation of its kind with purpose to chase the exploitation of migrant workers.

To my mind the workers were being treated as animals and below the standard. We all now that farming labour is not easy work, it is often very though. So I think the workers have to be treated in a human way. I don’t suggest that migrant workers should have been given easy jobs or put up in luxury accommodation. They just have to have a basic minimum, especially in the UK.

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/crime/gang-treated-migrant-workers-like-slaves-2153614.html

Kim De Gelder hands in complaints

Everybody knows Kim De Gelder (22), the young men who murdered some babies in the daycare ‘Meetjesland’ and also Elza Van Raemdonck in 2009. The public prosecutor’s office wants to start the lawsuit against Kim de Gelder as soon as possible but there are some problems.

There is a complaint about alteration of a document and a complaint because some secret information about De Gelder got spread. The court says that the complaint about alteration doesn’t make sense because it was just a type mistake. The arrest of Kim De Gelder is prolonged.

The lawyer of De Gelder says that he wants to know the truth. He said that he has the right to use all means of defense in the importance of his client. The lawyer Haentjens, thinks that Kim De Gelder is mentally ill and that a assizes trial isn’t a good idea.

Before this complaints, there was a possibility that Kim de Gelder’s file would have been send to the council chamber, the first way to the assizes trial. Because of the complaints this process has been postponed.

I think Kim De Gelder is really a frightening man. He has to get a punishment as soon as possible. Because of his complaints, he postponed his trial and also the judgment. I think that’s why he handed in complaints. Perpetrators have to many rights, they deserve to get a very hard punishment right away, especially for acts like De Gelder did.

http://www.vandaag.be/binnenland/53682_kim-de-gelder-dient-zelf-klacht-in.html

Camille Vandewalle

3RP2

Man murdered baby boy

Darren Newton murdered his girlfriend’s 15-month old son (Charlie) after months of filming himself abusing the little boy. He has been jailed for life.

Newton denied that he killed the baby but he admitted the cruel abuse. He filmed the abuse on his phone for his own pleasure. He is sentenced to jail for a minimum of 24 years before he can apply for parole. In the clips you can see how Newton slapped Charlie on his head. The boy screamed and cried.
Every normal person who will watch this video clips will struggle to understand why Newton could do this. He enjoyed replaying the clips to himself. There was no motive for the cruel behavior.

In November 2009 he finished his shift at his work and went to look after the boy. Three hours later the baby died after a final assault. This attack was not captured on film, but doctor’s noticed bruises on his head. The slap’s to Charlie’s head caused a bleeding and swelling to his brain. The mother of Charlie thought that Newton was a quiet, caring and loving man.

The court judged that Newton is clearly a violent person. He did horrible things and didn’t show any regret for his actions. Now he gets the punishment he deserves.

I can’t understand why you can torture an innocent baby. It is one of the most cruel things a person can do. I hope that Newton stays in jail for the rest of his life because he isn’t worth to have a good life. I also think it’s strange that his girlfriend never asked questions about the bruises of the baby. Normally if Newton slapped the baby several times, he must have had many bruises. If you care about your child you will protect him against any danger. But anyway I don’t blame the women for what happened because I think if you love someone you would never expect he would harm your child.

Tine Depotter

source: http://factstoknow.co.uk/?p=13844

Continental 'responsible' for Concorde crash in 2000

This week, I will talk about the court decision in France about Continental Airline. The 25^th of July 2000, Air France was flying ‘the Concorde’. Few minutes after the ascent of the plane, the plane took fire and it had to make a forced landing, but it failed. ‘The Concorde’ crashed and 113 people were killed.

The crash was caused because a piece of metal left on the runway after falling from a Continental Airline plane.  The piece of metal should have caused a tire-burst in the Concorde and so a fuel tank got ruptured.

The Court in Paris has decided that Continental Airlines was responsible for this crash and they have to pay 1 million Euros.

John Taylor, a mechanic from Continental, received a 15-month conditional prison sentence because he shouldn’t have used the titanium parts to make repairs on the Concorde. The metal was known to be dangerous for airplane-tires.

Continental will appeal because they think that the verdict is absurd and completely based on French interests.

I think that Continental Airlines cannot avoid their responsibilities. They have to reimburse all the damage, for all the parties that have suffered. But maybe  1 million Euros is too much, because in the past, Continental Airlines already paid a fine amounting 200.000 Euros. On the other hand, you can see it as a way to avoid that there will be similar cases in the future. The mechanic received a conditional punishment, so in the future he will also be more careful.

Kimberley Prinsier
3RP2
Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-11923556