Justin Rixon, from Cardiff who has been profoundly deaf and mute from birth, had denied raping a friend with whom he had fallen out and insisted he would have stopped if she had said she didn’t want to have sex. But, communicating in court by sign language through interpreters, he admitted he could ‘feel the vibrations’ of his victim’s angry shouts during the attack.
During his trial, the court heard how he could feel his friend shake with anger as he had sex with her. Rixon, 41, was already a convicted sex offender when he carried out the assault, but had previously been shown leniency because of his disability. In 2003 Rixon – a volunteer with a children’s charity – had been caught with a hoard of child pornography on four computers in his Cardiff home following an FBI sweep against internet sex criminals. He had also attempted suicide in Gabalfa (Cardiff), when he heard his rape had been reported. He was jailed for 5 years.
Here is an copy of an letter sent to the South Wales Argus recently regarding the closure of the Newport Deaf club. Where an deaf member clearly feels less than happy with the way the local authority went about it !
At time of posting the old deaf club has NOT been knocked down, nor sold off, there was also mutterings among members, that the deaf committee had capitulated to SS pressures too quickly, accepted an temporary situation that clearly was never on, and allowed SS to divide up the deaf community, an situation that would now be impossible, is to re-unite the club as an cultural centre again. The committee themselves more felt that here wasn't enough fire left in the club membership to make a fight of it. Local Cleric Rev Margret Grice has made appeal to her Bishop for support, as it looks like the temporary accommodation is far from secure.
10 years or so ago Rev K Paine mobilized 300 deaf to oppose the closure and won an reprieve, this time the deaf committee simply rolled over to threats. In retrospect should have simply refused to move out of the old club and forced the issue. Deaf unity isn't what it used to be... All they needed to do, was play the 'culture' card... and make it virtually impossible for the LA to override that by utilization of the law. At worst they could have forced the LA to relocate them in entirety and preserved the social aspects.
Wales’ provision for the deafblind has been applauded by a leading charity and one of its impressive clients. At a reception which celebrated 10 years of making a difference to deafblind people across the country, the charity Sense Cymru also called on the Welsh Assembly to continue to protect services for deafblind people.
Eighty-four-year old Joyce Costie has been deafblind from a young age, but this has certainly not held her back during her life. Even so she admits that life without Sense Cymru would be quite difficult. The former nurse at Great Ormond Street Hospital was born prematurely with sight loss and only saw her mother, sister and five brothers for the first time at nine months old after getting her first pair of glasses. When she was five Joyce’s family was struck by a measles outbreak which left her profoundly deaf. Joyce moved to Cardiff after getting married in 1967 and she receives a visit from a Sense Cymru communicator once a week.
Joyce said: “Sense is very good. Jill, my communicator, takes me out places. “It can be very frustrating, when I was a child people would think I was violent because I was struggling to get the words out. I didn’t know anybody. My mother, father and sister had to help me. “I look forward to seeing her but I would like Jill to come around more often, but that’s just not possible at the moment.”
SENSE CYMRU: Tŷ Penderyn, 26 High St, Merthyr Tydfil, CF47 8DP
Sense Cymru, Tŷ Penderyn, 26 Stryd Fawr, Merthyr Tudful, CF47 8DP
Ffôn/tel: 0845 127 0090
Ttestun/text: 0845 127 0092
Fffacs/fax: 0845 127 0091
E-Mail via sense link in post.
RHYS Harris loves sport in general and football in particular, as our picture of the ten-year-old at a school soccer festival shows – and it is a scene parents Kevin and Dawn feared they would never see. The Newbridge youngster played for his school, Nant Celyn Primary in Cwmbran, at its recent festival – yet four years ago the prospect of Rhys taking part in such a fun event seemed a distant dream.
A global search had begun for a suitable donor for a bone marrow transplant that represented his only chance of surviving Nemo, an extremely rare genetic disorder that leaves patients with virtually no immune system. Even when a donor was found and Rhys underwent pioneering treatment involving a gruelling course of chemotherapy prior to his transplant, Mr and Mrs Harris were told he had only a 30 per cent chance of survival.
But after several months’ treatment under specialists in Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Rhys became only the second child in the world to recover from Nemo. He returned to Gwent and resumed his schooling as his family, including eight-yearold brother Morgan, tried to get back to normality. “He had meningitis at nine months old and we think that’s when he lost his hearing.
He’s desperate to have them because he’s got to have the opportunity to be able to talk.
“One ear pretty much doesn’t work and he’s severely deaf in the other. He’ll have the implants next month.”
A Gwent Police community volunteer has been recognised for her efforts at the National Policing Improvement Agency's annual Special Constable and Police Support Volunteer Awards.
The awards recognise the wide range of skills that volunteers bring to policing in England and Wales. Gwent Police volunteer June Webb, who is Deaf, won in the Police Support Volunteers category for helping to improve the force' s service to Deaf and Hard of Hearing members of the public. She has also co-ordinated crime prevention initiatives in local Deaf clubs and improved the local police's understanding of Deaf culture.
Her work has helped Gwent Police win the National Police Learning and Development Programme of the Year. Deputy Chief Constable of Gwent Police, Jeff Farrar who is the Special Constabulary and Volunteers lead for the four welsh forces said: "I would like to congratulate June for her achievement. It's excellent news that June has been recognised by a national organisation for her commitment to identify and fill gaps in Gwent Police's service delivery to the Deaf community.
"Her efforts, together with those of our other volunteers, have helped the force achieve national recognition as a lead police service in the field of engagement with the Deaf community." NPIA Chief Executive Officer Nick Gargan said: "These awards are an excellent opportunity to pay tribute to the achievements of the thousands of community-minded volunteers across England and Wales who help the police in many important ways every day.
"Volunteers have always played a key role in policing and it is extremely encouraging that the numbers of specials and volunteers are increasing. They form a crucial link between forces and the local communities they serve. The NPIA remains determined to help forces develop their use of volunteers further, attracting and retaining high quality individuals so they can continue to give a first-class service to their colleagues and the public."
A NEWPORT foster mother who learned sign language when she started caring for a deaf child is being recognised for her dedication.
Lesley Bellew, 40, who has been fostering for six years, took on the challenge at the beginning of the year when she started caring for the four-year-old. She has now been shortlisted for a Learner of the Year award by Signature, the UK’s leading provider of accredited qualifications in sign language. Ms Bellew started to learn sign language at the CHIIC Sign Language Centre, Newport.
She passed her level one qualification in British Sign Language with flying colours and is now enrolled onto level two. She has also helped teach her family the basics of signing and is now working with the CHIIC centre and Newport council to establish a group where families affected by deafness can meet for learning sessions and to socialise.
If you are hard of hearing and require the services of an interpreter for your consultation, we can organise this through the Wales Council for the Deaf. Please request this service when booking your appointment. We have a hearing loop at reception so please indicate to a receptionist if you would like to use this to make it easier for you to communicate.
In addition, we can arrange for communication between you and the practice to be by SMS or email if that would be of help.
Medical Information Cards can be obtained from HERE, by contacting the Partners in Healthcare Team on 01792 776252. Visit the Deaf and Hard of Hearing section on the Welsh Ambulance Service website for more information, CONTACT
Contacting the police has never been easier for the deaf, see how North Wales do it...
In writing:
North Wales Police Headquarters
Glan-y-Don
Abergele Road
Colwyn Bay
LL29 8AW
If you know the officer or department you wish to receive your letter please include this as the first line of the address.
If you are Deaf, deafened, hard of hearing or speech impaired and unable to contact North Wales Police by voice telephone you can contact them by, Minicom or fax.
Minicom: 01745 535612
Fax: 01492 510777
This can be used for urgent and non-urgent calls. If you wish to use this system, please download and attach the fax form. I though the 'applications' approach worked well for deaf, what do you think ? No VRS, but who knows, its early days yet.... Police access in your areas ?
