Hmmm ...

The funny thing is I was looking for a story about a native Brit, a disabled middle-aged white self-proclaimed witch somewhere in Lancashire, who kept open house for various children's home inmates - one of whom (12 ? 13 ?) overdosed on the prescription drugs left lying around the house and died. Witch was acquitted of manslaughter. The story came back into my head while listening to Joni Mitchell's 'Roses Blue' on holiday.


Instead I found this. I guess he must have transgressed the unwritten law. I'm not sure this integration thing's fully functional in Jeanette Winterson country.


A terrified schoolboy was bundled into the back of a car by a gang, driven to a remote spot, beaten up and dumped there, a jury heard. Burnley Crown Court was told the 14-year-old, from Nelson, was punched and kicked. He was left injured, bleeding and with a footprint on his forehead. When he took police to the scene of the attack they found his blood on the road.

Five men have admitted assaulting the youngster last April in Nelson. The court heard the victim was said to have been accused of talking to the female cousin of one of the gang at the school they both attended. Prosecutor Jeremy Grout-Smith told the jury: "Whether this was the motive for the attack remains to be seen."

Imran Yousaf, 18, of Howgill Close, Nelson, Zeshan Ali, 22, of Vulcan Close, Padgate, Warrington, Mujahid Ansar, 18, of St Paul's Road, Nelson, Imran Ali, 19, of Carr Road, Nelson and a Nelson 17-year-old all admitted assault occasio-ning actual bodily harm.

Mr Grout-Smith said the boy was pushed into a car as he walked home from a takeaway on Larch Street. He said the victim met Yousaf in the takeaway and was told "I hear you have been talking to my cousin." The boy said he had not and he was told "you're coming with us."

The prosecutor said the teenager was taken to waste land near Lomeshaye Industrial estate. The boy was pulled from the car and punched in the face. He was also struck with a weapon, which the court heard was possibly an anti-theft car lock. Mr Grout-Smith said the youngster was knocked to the ground before being kicked repeatedly to the face, head and stomach.


Meanwhile, on the obverse side of the coin ...

The two latest defendants are charged with two offences of child abduction involving the girls, 12, and 14, who had both been reported missing from home. One of the men, Farooq Ahmed, is also charged with having unlawful sexual intercourse with the 14-year-old-girl. A third man appeared before Blackburn magistrates last month charged with raping the 12-year-old girl at the Travelodge at junction 4 of the M65 at Darwen on January 18. Hardeep Singh, 31, of Barkby Road and Ahmed, 25, of Humberstone Road, both Leicester, were sent in custody to Preston Crown Court when they appeared before Blackburn magistrates this week. The court heard that the defendants were staying at the Travelodge as part of their work as travelling SIM card salesmen.

The man charged with rape, Portuguese national Nelson Claudino, 26, was in this country to take part in care proceedings involving his child. He was described in court as being "resident" at the Travelodge. Claudino faces two charges of rape, one of anal rape, detaining a child and one of indecent assault.

Police said the girls were approached in Blackburn town centre and taken to the hotel where they were plied with Jack Daniels whisky and assaulted.

Portuguese nationals (allegedly) abusing children seems to be a Lancastrian speciality.