Dr Death turns up over the road

There's been a lot of talk in the press this week because Dr Philip Nitschke aka Dr Death was coming to the UK to begin a series of workshops on assisted suicide. Assisted suicide is one of those subjects that I see both sides of. I understand that when someone is suffering it can seem like the more humane thing to do but the bible clearly says that only God has the right to decide who lives and who dies. I think it's one of those things that although I wouldn't encourage it I wouldn't condemn someone for choosing that option either.

Anyway when we went out this morning we saw a camera crew walking down our road and this evening we saw a satellite van parked on the corner so we were wondering what was going on. It turns out Dr Death was holding his first workshop over the road at Hamilton Hall.

Hamilton Hall is a naturist hotel for gay men. Julie told me ages ago what sort of an establishment it was and I have to say I didn't believe her so I looked it up online. Not only is it a naturist hotel for gay men (women are strictly forbidden) but they actually run sex 'workshops' which from the descriptions on the site sound like orgies. And all a stones throw from my house. I can't wait to move.

Anyway this is what the Echo had to say about it.

Dr Death’s visitors brave media circus at Bournemouth hotel

IT can’t have been an easy decision for Dr Death’s “customers” to make a stand and attend his first-ever suicide workshop in Bournemouth.

Most of them elderly, those interested were shocked and angry to find themselves at the centre of a media circus and in a small, crowded room in the country’s only gay naturist hotel.

The majority were fearful their faces would appear on television and in newspapers, perhaps alerting their families to the fact that they were considering euthanasia.

But such was their interest in the subject matter that they were prepared to battle it out to give them peace of mind for the future.

Bournemouth was not selected for the workshop by chance.

Dr Philip Nitschke bluntly declared that the town’s “demographic” – the fact that is has a high proportion of elderly people – made it the obvious choice.

Speaking to the Daily Echo, he said: “We were always interested in coming to Bournemouth,” and, referring to last year’s problems with securing a venue, he added: “There was censorship and a wave of hysteria last year, but we knew people in Bournemouth were interested in what we have to say.”

During an hour-long public meeting, Australian Dr Nitschke outlined his belief that everyone has the right to choose a peaceful death.

He urged people to make “end of life plans” well in advance and outlined various ways of dying, including lethal doses of barbiturates, saying: “You want something you can just pick up, drink and die.”

The audience was even shown a video, called DIY with Betty, which showed how to make a plastic bag to go over your head.

The short video, one of the two played during the public session, was accompanied by cheerful music, not dissimilar to that heard on children’s television.

Dr Nitschke was smartly dressed and had clearly won the admiration of his audience, often making them laugh when he made jokes about his serious subject.

After the meeting, visitors were then told they could attend a more detailed workshop. The only rules were that you had to be over 50, sign a disclaimer, and pay a £25 fee to join Exit International.

As members of the public queued to sign up, many shifted around uncomfortably in their surroundings. Signs up in Hamilton Hall in Carysfort Road, Boscombe declared “Life is short, break some rules” and “Be nice or leave”.

But what did members of the public think of the presentation?

Ron Hands, 77, of Southbourne told how his wife died of cancer 20 years ago and added: “I want to die with dignity. I saw my wife suffer and I am thinking about my family.”

Peter King, 66, from Christchurch, added: “I think it is extraordinary that humans are the only animals who can’t be assisted in death – it is hypocritical.”

Paul and Beverley Waller travelled from their home in Weymouth to attend the workshop and Paul said: “We have often thought that we would like to be prepared for when we could be ill. We do not want painful deaths or to be a burden to our family.”

The press were then asked to leave so that more detailed discussions could take place in the closed workshops. Dr Nitschke plans to hold further workshops in Brighton, Stroud and Glasgow before more dates in Singapore and Australia.

Baby P

Like everyone else I was upset when I heard the details of what had happened to baby P then today I read this about his 2 year old sister. When will these people learn that seen does not equal safe. These children were seen 60 times in the last 8 months of baby P's life but they weren't protected.

Boyfriend of Baby P's mother guilty of rape

The boyfriend of Baby P's mother was found guilty on Friday of the abuse of a second child, the rape of a two-year-old girl.

The girl, like 17-month-old Baby P, had been on the child protection register of Haringey Council in north London.

Baby P, whose first name can now be reported as Peter, died in August 2007 at the hands of his mother, the boyfriend and their lodger.

The toddler's death horrified the public and led to a nationwide review of child protection which recommended that overstretched children's social workers should be given extra training to address problems in the system.

Haringey Council said after the verdict it accepted that things had gone "badly wrong" with its child protection services.

"We live every day with the knowledge that more could have been done and apologise again to everyone affected," said council leader Claire Kober.

The abused girl, now aged four, gave evidence at the trial at the Old Bailey, becoming the youngest ever witness at the court, the Press Association reported.

The court was shown a 30-minute video of police interviewing her when she was three, in which she said the man had hurt her.

She was then cross-examined by defence lawyers and told them what she had said in the video was the truth.

The mother, who like her boyfriend cannot be named, was found not guilty of cruelty to the girl.

The mother and boyfriend were tried under false names to ensure a fair trial.

In November, the boyfriend and lodger Jason Owen were found guilty of causing or allowing Baby P's death. His mother had pleaded guilty to the charge.

Judge Stephen Kramer told the couple it was likely there would be "very substantial sentences" in both cases.

"There is no doubt that Peter and this young girl suffered terribly at the hands of these people," said Detective Chief Inspector Graham Grant after the verdict.

Details of the sexual abuse against the girl had emerged after police began their investigation into Baby P's death, Grant said.

"It is telling that this man denied rape and in doing so forced a very young and vulnerable child to endure a daunting criminal process at the Old Bailey," Grant added.

Baby P suffered a broken back and over 40 horrific injuries during a campaign of domestic violence despite having been seen more than 60 times by police, doctors and social workers.

A second serious case review into the toddler's death has yet to be published because of legal concerns.

But Graham Badman, chairman of Haringey Local Safeguarding Children Board, said the review had concluded that the boy's death "could and should have been prevented."

"It said the actions of the protecting professions involved with Baby P were lacking in urgency, lacking in thoroughness and insufficiently challenging to the child's mother," he said.

Sharon Shoesmith, head of Haringey's children services, was sacked without compensation in December.