This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/northern_ireland/foyle_and_west/8403777.stm
The article has changed 7 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 5 | Version 6 |
|---|---|
| 'Changes needed' on sex offenders | 'Changes needed' on sex offenders |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| The health minister has said more work needs to be done to ensure the justice system is effective when sex offenders are released into the community. | The health minister has said more work needs to be done to ensure the justice system is effective when sex offenders are released into the community. |
| It follows an inquest into the death of Arthur McElhill and his family. | It follows an inquest into the death of Arthur McElhill and his family. |
| A coroner found Omagh man McElhill, a known sex offender, killed himself and his family because his partner Lorraine McGovern was going to leave him. | A coroner found Omagh man McElhill, a known sex offender, killed himself and his family because his partner Lorraine McGovern was going to leave him. |
| Michael McGimpsey said community safety had to be the priority when settling sex offenders. | Michael McGimpsey said community safety had to be the priority when settling sex offenders. |
| "I think communities have a right to be safe and I think that known sex offenders who represent a danger should not be placed in communities in close proximity to, for example, schools and playgrounds," Mr McGimpsey said. | "I think communities have a right to be safe and I think that known sex offenders who represent a danger should not be placed in communities in close proximity to, for example, schools and playgrounds," Mr McGimpsey said. |
| The minister added that more "robust processes" were coming into effect to protect children in cases such as McElhill's. | The minister added that more "robust processes" were coming into effect to protect children in cases such as McElhill's. |
| "It's an important issue and it's an issue not only for the social services but it's an issue for how we manage sex offenders," he said. | "It's an important issue and it's an issue not only for the social services but it's an issue for how we manage sex offenders," he said. |
| On Tuesday, a coroner ruled that convicted sex offender McElhill killed himself and his family in a house fire in Omagh in November 2007. | On Tuesday, a coroner ruled that convicted sex offender McElhill killed himself and his family in a house fire in Omagh in November 2007. |
| Inquiry | Inquiry |
| West Tyrone MP Pat Doherty has said there should be a public inquiry into the case as there are still too many unanswered questions. | |
| Mr Doherty said the performance of the statutory agencies involved needed to be looked at. | |
| The Department of Health has said it is not convinced an inquiry is needed. | The Department of Health has said it is not convinced an inquiry is needed. |
| Sean Holland, the department's acting chief of social services, said the Toner Report had already highlighted the shortcomings in the system. | Sean Holland, the department's acting chief of social services, said the Toner Report had already highlighted the shortcomings in the system. |
| Michael McGimpsey said community safety had to be the priority | Michael McGimpsey said community safety had to be the priority |
| The report, which was carried out by Henry Toner QC, criticised how different agencies communicated information about the type of man Arthur McElhill was and the crimes he had already carried out. | The report, which was carried out by Henry Toner QC, criticised how different agencies communicated information about the type of man Arthur McElhill was and the crimes he had already carried out. |
| It focused on social workers employed by the Western Health and Social Care Trust and highlighted how they had to be told by police that Arthur McElhill was a threat to teenage girls, even though the information was in his files and could be accessed by them. | It focused on social workers employed by the Western Health and Social Care Trust and highlighted how they had to be told by police that Arthur McElhill was a threat to teenage girls, even though the information was in his files and could be accessed by them. |
| The report also made 63 recommendations about how agencies could interact more effectively in future. | The report also made 63 recommendations about how agencies could interact more effectively in future. |
| "It is important to ask yourself the question, 'what more would you learn from a public inquiry?'" Mr Holland said. | "It is important to ask yourself the question, 'what more would you learn from a public inquiry?'" Mr Holland said. |
| "I have heard a lot of people talking about how we must have a public inquiry and I'm not sure how many of them have actually read the Toner report. | "I have heard a lot of people talking about how we must have a public inquiry and I'm not sure how many of them have actually read the Toner report. |
| "It is a very detailed report and certainly doesn't spare any of the agencies who were involved. | "It is a very detailed report and certainly doesn't spare any of the agencies who were involved. |
| 'Traumatic' | 'Traumatic' |
| "It is highly critical of a number of different agencies, so certainly there can be no accusations that there has been a whitewash." | "It is highly critical of a number of different agencies, so certainly there can be no accusations that there has been a whitewash." |
| However, Mr Doherty said he believed there was "enough previous history" around McElhill that the issues should have been "picked up and dealt with". | However, Mr Doherty said he believed there was "enough previous history" around McElhill that the issues should have been "picked up and dealt with". |
| "I cannot see any way other than a public inquiry to get to the bottom of this because this is so huge, so traumatic and so hurtful to the whole community and to the extended family," the Sinn Fein representative said. | "I cannot see any way other than a public inquiry to get to the bottom of this because this is so huge, so traumatic and so hurtful to the whole community and to the extended family," the Sinn Fein representative said. |
| In 2008, the health minister acknowledged there were "failings on the part of the health and social services" in the case. | In 2008, the health minister acknowledged there were "failings on the part of the health and social services" in the case. |
| A statement from the Western Health and Social Care Trust said it had implemented 54 of the 55 recommendations from the Toner report which were relevant to it. | A statement from the Western Health and Social Care Trust said it had implemented 54 of the 55 recommendations from the Toner report which were relevant to it. |
| "The trust continues to work towards completion of all recommendations, particularly focusing on the one outstanding issue in relation to the backlog of case conference minutes," it said. | "The trust continues to work towards completion of all recommendations, particularly focusing on the one outstanding issue in relation to the backlog of case conference minutes," it said. |