MORE PUPILS TO RETURN BEFORE EASTER
FALLING infection rates in Wales mean more year groups will be returning to the classroom from March 15, education minister Kirsty Williams has announced.
Pupils in Years 7, 8 and 9 will have time back in school before the Easter break because Welsh Government has said there is more “headroom” to allow it.
It is not likely that they will be in full time, though, and Ms Williams says the aim is to give learners in those age groups the chance to “check in with teachers” with a “focus on support for well-being” to prepare them for a full return after the Easter holidays on April 12.
The planned return of younger secondary pupils would be in addition to all primary pupils, who are expected to return from March 15, along with learners in years 10 and 12, those in exam years and students doing similar qualifications in colleges.
Younger primary pupils have been able to return to their classrooms since Monday, February 22.
The plans will be subject to the regular three-week review of coronavirus regulations by the Welsh Government on Friday, March 12.
Ms Williams said: “Opening up education is a top priority for us at the Welsh Government and I am pleased to share some positive news on that front today.
“This is the second week for our youngest pupils to be back in school and I have seen first-hand what a difference this is already making – thank you once again to everyone who is making this possible.
“We have already announced that from the 15th of March – if the scientific advice still says it is safe to do so – all remaining primary school children will start to return to school, along with those in exam years and students doing similar qualifications in colleges and work-based learning. There will also be flexibility for those in years 10 and 12.
“I have also shared my intention to get all learners back to schools, colleges and training providers after the Easter break.
“Today, I am able to confirm our intentions to go even further, even earlier, and give schools the opportunity to welcome back learners in years 7, 8 and 9 before the Easter break.
“This would be to give learners the opportunity to check in with teachers, with a focus on support for well-being, and readiness for a full return to school after Easter.
“I want to make clear now that this will not be a full return to school for years 7, 8 and 9 before Easter.
“The focus before Easter will be on learners who are undertaking qualifications, especially those in Years 11 and 13, and those studying practical vocational qualifications.”
Full guidance for how schools can prepare for the return of children is due to be published today.
Ms Williams added: “We will also be organising more virtual sessions for heads, which I know you have found useful, and I will share details on social media.
“I would like to thank all of you once again for following the rules, driving down the transmission of the virus, and for giving us even more headroom to get learners back to our schools and colleges.
“Together we will keep Wales safe and together we will keep Wales learning.”
All school in England are expected to re-open for all years on Monday, in Northern Ireland the youngest children return on Monday, with the exam year children on March 22 and the rest of children after Easter, and in Scotland secondary school pupils return part-time from March 15.
THE police watchdog has said 46 officers are being questioned on the details surrounding the death of a 24-year-old man who died after spending the previous night in police custody.
Representatives of the family of Mohamud Hassan have been calling for documents about his final hours to be made available to them as well as police body-worn video footage of his arrest in Cardiff on Friday, January 8, and other footage of his arrest and his time in custody overnight in Cardiff Bay Police station.
Mr Hassan was arrested on suspicion of a breach of the peace and was released without charge at around 8.30am on Saturday, January 9.
He was found dead shortly after 10.30pm that night at a property on Newport Road, Roath.
The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) issued a statement yesterday detailing the emergency call which led to Mr Hassan’s arrest as well details of the officers which are providing accounts of the incident.
The regulator said some speculation surrounding the circumstances of Mr Hassan’s death was “inaccurate” and information established by the investigation has been shared with his family.
Last month, over three consecutive days, hundreds of people protested outside Cardiff Bay police station demanding information about the series of events that lead to Mr Hassan’s death.
It was also stated in the Senedd that witnesses had reportedly been shocked by Mr Hassan’s condition following his release from custody, saying his tracksuit was covered in blood and that he had severe injuries and bruising.
In a statement, the IOPC said that on the evening of Friday, January 8, officers attended a flat in Newport Road in response to a caller who said that five men had entered the address and were fighting with the five occupants within the property.
They said that body-worn video footage showed that on arrival a number of the occupants had injuries, and officers sought explanations about where the injuries came from.
The IOPC also said there was no evidence to suggest Mr Hassan was Tasered at any stage either prior to or during his detention.
While not all had direct contact or involvement with Mr Hassan, the regulator says it is still gathering accounts from a large number of officers and police staff who were on duty at Cardiff Bay police station over two separate shifts when Mr Hassan was in custody and those who were in supervisory positions.
These include:
■ 11 officers who attended the address on January 8;
■ 10 officers who attended the premises the following evening when Mr Hassan died;
■ 13 officers and detention officers who were on duty over two shifts at the custody suite; and
■ 12 officers who have been identified from events linked to the Newport Road address around that time which do not include the arrest or sudden death of Mr Hassan.
IOPC Director for Wales Catrin Evans said: “We are aware that there is a lot of speculation about the circumstances surrounding Mr Hassan’s death and we now know that some of that is inaccurate. As a public body we have a duty, when we are able, to try to correct misinformation that may be in the public domain.
“There is much more work to do to complete our investigation and our investigators continue to gather and review evidence to help us establish the events leading up to Mr Hassan’s death.
“We need to ensure we have spoken to anyone who may possibly have useful information to help us build a picture of what happened.
“We have concentrated on the footage from police body-worn video and from CCTV at the custody suite which covers the time Mr Hassan spent there and his release from the police station. As our review of this material nears completion, we intend to move on to scrutinise street and private footage which has been secured, which we hope will assist in identifying Mr Hassan’s movements following his release from custody, and may open up further lines of inquiry.
“An investigation like this does take time and we would ask people to be patient while the investigation runs its course.”
A FATHER-OF-TWO died in hospital more than a week after being thrown from his vehicle when he lost control while attempting to park, an inquest heard.
Victor Moore, 75, was driving a Toyota MPV in Adamsdown, Cardiff, on January 17 last year when the vehicle collided with a parked car and a house.
Mr Moore, of Tonypandy, was taken to the University Hospital of Wales, where he died from his injuries on January 29.
An inquest into his death was held at Pontypridd Coroners’ Court yesterday.
Mr Moore’s long-term partner, Cherry Hyde, said the pair were in the capital visiting their son, who had recently moved to a property in Adamsdown.
In a statement read to the inquest, Ms Hyde said her partner was typically a “careful and confident driver”. She added that their journey to Cardiff was
“slightly stressful” as they were unfamiliar with the route and due to the rush-hour traffic.
He pulled up in between two cars outside number 45 Blanche Street just before 5pm. She said: “There was plenty of space. He said he’d straighten up and that he might need me to see him back. This was not an unusual comment as it’s a big car.
“But we started to move. Then a little faster. I assumed he didn’t need me to get out. I turned to him to see if he still needed me to check. But now we started to move quicker.
“He was not looking at me or where the car was going. He looked terrified and wide-eyed, saying: ‘Oh God, oh God.’”
She described how the vehicle
“swung across the road” and then finding her partner outside the car once it had stopped.
CCTV footage from another property in the street shows Mr Moore’s vehicle stationary between parked cars. It then begins to reverse and turn into the road before hitting a Ford and then hitting a house.
Mr Moore’s vehicle ended up hitting David Kemp’s property, number 40 Blanche Street. A statement by Mr Kemp read to the court revealed the dad was sitting in his living room on the day of the incident. He said: “I heard a loud sound of an engine revving, a constant revving.
“I could see red lights coming towards the house. It was travelling quickly as it had forced another vehicle out of the way.”
Mr Kemp went outside to find Mr Moore on the ground in a “semi-conscious state”. The inquest heard it is likely Mr Moore was ejected from his vehicle after hitting the parked Ford.
Mr Moore was rushed to intensive care at the University Hospital of Wales but in the coming days his health continued to deteriorate. Mr Moore, originally from Nottingham, later died in hospital on January 29 at 12.50pm.
A post-mortem examination carried out by Dr Howell Thomas on February 4 found evidence of “significant” brain injury. He added that it was “possible” he had suffered a stroke prior to or during the crash.
Coroner Graeme Hughes recorded a cause of death as “1a. traumatic brain injury with multifocal subarachnoid subdural intracerebral haemorrhages” and “2a. contributing factor being developing pneumonia”.
Mr Hughes said while a medical episode is “suspected” to have taken place before the incident, exactly what caused Mr Moore to carry out the movement is “not capable of being recorded on a balance of probabilities”.
He recorded a narrative conclusion, stating: “The deceased died from injuries sustained from ejection from a moving vehicle which he was driving at the material time.”
Mr Hughes also passed his condolences to the family of Mr Moore.