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News from Andalucia & Costa del Sol
News Archive
In association with
Week September 19th to September 25th
CRACKDOWN ON CRIME
Government to recruit more police, judges and prosecutors
By David Eade and C. Humphreys
THE SPANISH GOVERNMENT IS TO INVEST 500 MILLION EUROS IN AN EFFORT TO CONTROL THE RISING TIDE OF STREET CRIME.
The vessels are gathering in the Mediterranean as part of a long planned NATO exercise. However a British naval commander has made it clear that his crew are mentally prepared for a longer stay in the region should Britain join a USA led action against Iraq.
The move was announced by the Vice President, Mariano Rajoy, in the State of the Nation debate. The Government's plan involves a reform of police methods, better co-operation between the various police authorities and an increase in the numbers of police, judges and prosecutors.
Speaking alongside the Minister for the Interior, Angel Acebes, and the Minister of Justice, José María Michavila, Sr Rajoy stated that acts of delinquency had increased in Spain by 5.2 per cent in the first five months of this year. He added that 50.8 cases of crime were recorded per 1,000 inhabitants and that one in 20 Spaniards had been a victim of a crime during this period.
One of the reforms will be to put young police officers out onto the streets earlier than is the case now. Traditionally young officers spend their initial period of work at a desk. To balance that move older officers who are reaching retirement age will be asked to stay on in desk based roles.
The Government has also called for better co-operation between the various police forces. In future the local police employed by the nation's town halls on strictly municipal duties will be expected to help prevent crimes as well. In addition, the Government will recruit 20,000 new police officers divided between 12,825 National Police and 7,175 Guardia Civil.
SWIFT JUSTICE
The Justice Ministry will complement the increased police presence with 80 extra judges and 70 extra prosecutors to speed up the judicial process, and certain crimes, such as robberies and muggings, will qualify for quick hearings, which will take place within 15 days of the offence being committed. Other minor offences and infractions will be heard immediately.
The penal code will be revised to prevent re-incidence of crimes, and special attention will be paid to those committed by underage minors. European warrant arrests will also be made more easily applicable to promote international cooperation between all States.
IILEGAL IMMIGRATION TARGETED
There will be new legislative measures against human trafficking and the illegal exploitation of immigrant workers and all those without papers will be deported immediately, while those foreigners who commit a crime carrying a sentence of less than six years will also be sent back home.
More protection will be given to victims of domestic violence and restraining orders will be strictly enforced, with the threat of prison for those who fail to adhere to them. A special task force will be created to guarantee these restraining orders and to identify possible situations of aggression.
Finally, prisoners sentenced for acts of terrorism, sex attacks or murder will have to serve the full term and will be exempt from early parole.
The Government hopes to introduce all these new measures as soon as possible and Sr Rajoy described the proposals as being 'in favour of freedom for all'.
CONTROVERSY OVER ROCÍO CASE FINGERPRINT
By David Eade
A NATIONAL POLICE OFFICER, THE SECOND IN COMMAND OF MARBELLA'S SCIENTIFIC UNIT, HAS MADE A REPORT LINKING A FINGERPRINT FOUND ON ROCÍO WANNINKHOF'S BODY WITH HER UNCLE SERAFÍN RUIZ.
The officer has now forwarded the official report to Madrid for further investigation.
On September 7, 2000 the Guardia Civil detained Dolores Vázquez for the murder of 19-year-old Rocio Wanninkhof. She was found guilty by trial by jury on September 19 of the following year. However in February of this year the Supreme Court of Andalucía annulled the jury's verdict, ordered a retrial and later released Dolores Vázquez. A new trial date has yet to be set.
The Marbella police officer is said to have been undertaking rigorous scientific investigations into the case. Just one partial fingerprint was found on the adhesive tape that bound the rubbish bags in which Rocío's body was discovered. By studying this fragment of the fingerprint with the dozens held by the police of people involved in the case he was able to make what he claims is the link with Rocío's uncle.
According to the police report the finger in question is the third digit of the right hand. The law states that for a fingerprint to be identified it has to have eight points that coincide between the print and the person's finger. In the case of Serafín Ruiz there are said to be 14 coinciding points plus a small scar. For his part, Ruiz insists that the fingerprint is not his and says that he does not have a scar on that finger.
POLICE OFFICER DISCREDITED
Following the revelations about the fingerprint, the Málaga provincial police issued a statement discrediting the police officer concerned. The statement suggested that the officer was working on his own account and had not followed the norms laid down for such scientific investigations.
Dolores Vázquez's lawyer, Pedro Apalategui, said that whilst the provincial police statement had set out to discredit the investigating officer it did not contradict that the fingerprint was that of Serafín Ruiz. Sr Apalategui says he will go before the courts to ensure there is a full investigation into the officer's findings.
Despite the provincial police issuing a statement against the investigating officer, Sr Apalategui pointed out that he has not been suspended, is still second in command of the Marbella scientific unit and is currently working on other cases. Furthermore the federal police union has come out in support of the officer.
SECURITY NUMBERS DOWN AT AIRPORT
Opposition deputy criticises establishment reduction
By Dave Jamieson
A 10 per cent reduction in police numbers at Málaga Airport has been criticised by socialist deputy Miguel Angel Heredia. A parliamentary answer confirmed the drop over the last two years, and Sr Heredia claimed that the establishment is now 65, compared with 72 in 2000, while the number of Guardia Civil officers has not increased in the last five years. He said that he could not understand how the ruling Partido Popular could be permitted the luxury of reducing the number of security agents at the airport, while the number of tourists continued to increase.
The deputy is also planning to lobby the Minister for Development over the small financial investment made in the airport's general security budget during 2002.
HEALTH CENTRE WORKER APPEARS IN COURT
The case of the 7,000 dumped medical files gets a hearing
By David Eade
ELEANA R.T, THE HEALTH CENTRE WORKER RESPONSIBLE FOR DUMPING MEDICAL RECORDS FROM THE LOS BOLICHES HEALTH CENTRE IN THE STREET, HAS APPEARED BEFORE NO.5 FUENGIROLA COURT
More than 7,000 personal medical files were found in and around the rubbish bins by a local TV journalist on July 24.
Eleana R.T. has worked at the centre in the role of an administrative auxiliary since 1988. She claimed that putting this type of old medical file out for the rubbish collection was "normal" and insisted that it had always been done that way.
On July 24 she says she cleared out various old files that were marked from A to Z in the archive storeroom. She stated that she placed the files in black plastic bags and rubbish bags then sealed them. The assorted bags were then left by the door of the storeroom to be placed in the rubbish bins by the cleaning staff.
Eleana R.T, who is seven months pregnant, spent 12 hours at the court accompanied by her husband and her lawyer, Salvador Ruiz Menacho. He asked that his client be treated with 'respect' due to her delicate state of health.
REGIONAL GOVERNMENT ACTS ON OIL SPILLAGES
By David Eade
Acting on a proposal by the socialist group, regional government is to insist that central government takes action to eradicate the problems of the oil spillages in the Bay of Algeciras.
The main spillages arise from ships refuelling in the ports of Gibraltar and Algeciras. However other cases of pollution arise from breakdowns, accidents, loading and unloading as well as the cleaning of tanks. There have been more than 30 reported cases in the past two years.
Regional government is proposing that central government immediately introduces a rule or measure that will make vessels that operate in the Bay of Algeciras responsible under civil law for the environmental damage caused by their waste spillages.
An additional demand is that the Ministry of Public Works should set up a depot in the bay dedicated to the control of oil and waste spillages. The specialist team manning the depot would be operational on a 24-hour a day basis.
UK TO EXTEND WINTER FUEL ALLOWANCE
But not all pensioners in Spain will be able to claim
By Dave Jamieson
FOLLOWING A RULE CHANGE, SOME BRITISH PENSIONERS LIVING IN SPAIN NOW QUALIFY FOR THE UK GOVERNMENT'S WINTER FUEL PAYMENTS ALLOWANCE.
The grant is intended to help people over 60 with the extra costs of keeping warm in winter, but, until now, Whitehall restricted its availability to UK residents. However, the EC was concerned about the rights of EU citizens throughout Europe, and now Brussels has forced a change in the rules, which is expected the cost British taxpayers an extra £5 million per year.
While an individual must be resident in the UK to qualify, he or she can now move to any one of 19 countries and continue to receive the annual £200 payment. Those who previously qualified, then lost eligibility when they left Britain, will also get their payments backdated. However, people who turned 60 after they left the UK to live elsewhere will not receive the benefit; nor will anyone in the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man.
QUALIFYING AREAS
As well as mainland Spain, the qualifying areas include the Balearic and Canary Islands, Melilla and Ceuta, all other EU countries, Gibraltar, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland, plus French territories including Martinique and Guadeloupe, Réunion and French Guiana. In order to qualify, a person must be 60 or above during the qualifying week, which is this week, September 16 to 22. Anyone over 60 who is normally resident in the Great Britain or Northern Ireland and who is in receipt of a state pension, disability benefit, or who received the payment last year does not have to claim. Claims will be accepted up to 31 March 2003, but if you would like your payment before Christmas, then your claim must be made by tomorrow, 20 September.
More information and a claim form is available from the Department of Work and pension website (www.thepensionservice.co.uk/winterfuel) or from the Department's international help line (+44 29 2042 8635).
HEALTH SHOP RAIDED BY OFFICIALS
News Staff Reporter
The Oikos International nutrition and beauty centre in Fuengirola has been raided by two inspectors of the provincial health delegation. They were accompanied by five police officers, and put a ban on the sale of 21 products which the authority claims are medical and not nutritional products.
The president of Oikos, Antonio López Román, stated that the same products as those banned by the health officials are manufactured by other companies and are freely on sale in herbalists, dietary shops and chemists. He added that the officials were acting on an order issued by the sub director general of medications, Ramón Palop, that was issued on July 5 but that had not officially been communicated to his company.
In a further development, Oikos International has presented a case before the No.5 Court in Fuengirola accusing the provincial government inspectors and the police of house breaking. The court has accepted the case, as when the raid was made the officials did not have the necessary legal documentation on them and therefore, claims Oikos, had no right to enter the premises.
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