i wonder if their nationality played a part in the jurys decision to convict? ................. A pair of boys aged 10 and 11 have become two of the youngest convicted sex offenders in the country after an Old Bailey jury found them guilty of the attempted rape of an eight-year-old girl. But the boys, who cannot be named for legal reasons, were both acquitted of two charges of rape at the end of what the judge called an "extremely difficult" trial today. The case has reopened the debate on how the courts treat young people, with the children's charity Kidscape saying it "reflects horribly on our whole system". The NSPCC said it showed "we still have a way to go to make sure courts work in the best way for children". The judge, Mr Justice Saunders, also admitted earlier in the trial that the provisions for dealing with child witnesses were "not ideal". The boys, who had sat next to their mothers in the well of court seven of the Old Bailey for the last two weeks, showed little reaction as the verdicts were returned. As a concession to the defendants' age, the judge and counsel had dispensed with wigs and gowns for the case, and reporters were asked to spread out around the court rather than congregate in an intimidating huddle on the press bench. Proceedings were also kept short to help the boys follow what was going on, with the day divided into sessions designed to mimic a primary school timetable. But despite the special housekeeping arrangements, and Mr Justice Saunders' patient and avuncular manner, the prosecution had told the jury of six men and six women that it would hear evidence of a most serious crime committed last year in Hayes, west London. "This case concerns rape by two boys still at primary school of a girl even younger than them," said Rosina Cottage. "Together they took her to different locations near where they lived in order to find a sufficiently secluded spot to assault her. The events leading to the alleged rapes all took place in and around a block of flats and they ended in a field." On 27 October last year, said Cottage, the girl's mother went to look for her daughter and was told by a little boy that she was in a field with two boys who were "hurting her and doing really bad things". The prosecution said that the boys, both 10 at the time of the incident, had repeatedly assaulted the girl in a block of flats, a lift and a bin shed before taking her to the field and raping her. The jury was also shown a recorded interview shot by specially trained police officers the day after the alleged assaults.In it, the girl played with a teddy bear she had named Mr Happy while she told one of the officers how the boys had exposed themselves, pulled down her pants and raped her. However, the girl's story changed radically when she was cross-examined via a videolink. She said she had lied to her mother because she had been "naughty" and was worried she would not get any sweets. In a series of questions, she was asked if any parts of her body had been penetrated by the boys. She replied each time: "No." But the judge refused to throw out the case, saying it was up to the jury to decide whether a witness could be trusted. The problem, said Chetna Patel, counsel for the younger boy, was that there was "no useful medical evidence, no DNA evidence and no forensic evidence; nothing" to support the prosecution's case. Linda Strudwick, defending the older boy, told the jury the case was about a children's game gone wrong. "Maybe it went too far, maybe it went to touching, maybe they were doing something they had seen on television, maybe they were playing that age-old game, doctors and nurses," she said. However, the jury disagreed. After deliberating for nearly a day-and-a-half, they convicted the boys on two charges each of attempted rape by majorities of 10 to two. Thanking the jurors yesterday afternoon, Mr Justice Saunders said: "It was an extremely difficult case, no doubt it was traumatic for you in this case as well." The judge then released the boys on conditional bail and adjourned sentence for eight weeks while reports are prepared. He also invited views on how the case had been conducted, adding: "At some stage I will be sending my views about procedure to those most concerned with it. That is not to indicate there is anything wrong, but we should do everything we can to improve how we deal with these things by looking at the lessons we can learn." The Crown Prosecution Service was quick to defend its handling of the case today, saying that the girl had made very serious allegations and was entitled to same legal protections as an adult. "The decision to prosecute was not taken lightly," said Alison Saunders, of the CPS. "This was never going to be an easy case for a court to hear but that does not absolve the CPS of its duty to prosecute where there is sufficient evidence to do so and a prosecution is in the public interest."

^touche

not a bad looking arab, but looks older than 24

so want to visit Saudi Arabia – Evening prayer at Floating Mosque in Jeddah didnt have time last time i was @ haji insha-allah a priority next time

no chance of it coming out in aus, dvd would also be hard to get... shame

"well educated and articulated Somali sister " lols spilted my coffee all over my keyboard...

by far the best thing to come out of british tv, the emotional rollacoster the bill has put me thought for the bast 20 odd years will come to an end with the producers "announcing that it did not intend to recommission The Bill and that filming would cease on 14 June 2010 and the last episode screened around August or September 2010" granted as the best of the recuring actors left, or fired it lost some of its tantalising zing, but the bill always delivered - it will be sorly missed.

Dubai: Dubai Metro has achieved a more than 99 per cent punctuality rate, which is the highest of any driverless metro system in the world, Gulf News has learned. "We are very proud to say that the Dubai Metro punctuality rate is ahead of major driverless metro systems, including the North East Line in Singapore and the Docklands Light Rail in London. Our Metro has achieved a 99.69 per cent punctuality rate in the first six months of its operation from September 9 last year to March this year," said Mattar Al Tayer, Chairman of the Board and Executive Director of the Dubai Roads and Transport Authority (RTA). ------------------ - it helps only running a handfull of stations-

lols

looools

looooooools every chance i get

"Piracy will not stop unless we get a government," another pirate says so dont hold your breath

lools at due dillagence like UAE's advices in buying citigroup shares ro 37$ each some years ago...

allah ha u naxariiso

first season was ok... but at the end of the pollar bear episode lost interest and what was the deal wiht the black smokng killing people? wtf...

talk to your self kulahaa - walahi gaajo baa iheeso, wonder wats in the kitchen

lols Tuujiye...ur one confused niqqa, fiiri aan kuu sheego qaal saaxiib ma noqdo, haa la baashaal, but ka fiirso hadii wax macna laheen aa daba oradid meel ma'gaareesid

"thank God the US has good ol´ Zimbabwe Bernanke" sory what do you mean? the more the uro fall the cheeper my holiday is gona be cant complain about that, fall baby fall

^ wiilka muu waashe? PCnow let that flag wave high

Ottawa's Jewish community is volunteering to help young Somali-Canadians develop contacts in the city and break into professional fields. The Canadian Somali Congress and the Canadian International Peace Project are holding an information and registration session this Saturday at Carleton University for Somali-Canadian university and college students and young professionals who might like to have a mentor. The Canadian Somali-Jewish Mentorship Project in Ottawa is modelled on a successful program established in Toronto by Ahmed Hussen, president of the Canadian Somali Congress. Hussen came up with the idea after running into a young Somali-Canadian with a degree in accounting who was working at Tim Hortons. The young man couldn't get the practical experience he needed to get chartered because he didn't know any accountants. "We sent an open letter to all Canadian communities in Canada, and we said, 'We are the Somali community in Canada. We have a deficit of professionals. And we have a surplus of people who want to be mentored,'" he said. "And the first and fastest community to respond was the Jewish community." Upon reflection, it's not surprising that the Jewish community stepped forward, Hussen said, as Jews went through similar growing pains in decades past. "They know what it's like not to be able to get access to certain professions." Mark Zarecki, head of Jewish Family Services of Ottawa, said he has no doubt mentors will sign up. He said there is a "streak" in the Jewish community of tikkun olam — a Hebrew term that means "healing the world." "And I think this fits that concept of helping other communities." Zarecki said. Hussen said he hopes one day Somali-Canadian professionals in turn will be able to take their turn mentoring a new generation of immigrants from somewhere else.

awsome

chelsea for the PL, but next season its going to be liverpools years

tax diductable!

sick and twisted!

^ arnt u in hargesa? maxaa meesha ina geed gadaashiisa aad isticmaashiin aan u maleenaaye no?