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Rob Hastings @robhastings.bsky.social · 4d

Growing up in a polygamous cult, Pamela Jones had 57 siblings. Her husband had five other wives. As well as nine children, she had eight miscarriages.

Speaking to me for @theipaper.com, she reveals what life was like before her escape and her fears for others still there
inews.co.uk/news/escaped...

I escaped a deadly polygamous cult with my nine kids – others are still trapped

Pamela Jones reveals her life in a fundamentalist Mormon sect in Mexico, where her father had 57 children and her ex-husband had five other wives

inews.co.uk

Rob Hastings @robhastings.bsky.social · 29d

It was great interviewing Lyse Doucet for @theipaper.com

We discussed:
🇵🇸🇮🇱 Covering “unbearably painful” news from Gaza
🤬 Constant online criticism of BBC reporting
📖 The fab book she's written about a hotel in Kabul
🐡 Her goldfish Tango and Mango
inews.co.uk/news/world/l...

'The danger comes when you least expect it': How BBC's Lyse Doucet covers war

The veteran reporter reflects on the 'unbearably painful' war in Gaza, constant online criticism, and why she wanted to tell the story of an Afghan hotel

inews.co.uk

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Rob Hastings @robhastings.bsky.social · Sep 4

Very glad you thought so, that's kind, thanks Mark - and totally agree

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Rob Hastings @robhastings.bsky.social · Sep 2

Hatfield's governor Mick Mills told me: "I absolutely sympathise 100 per cent with the victims of crime... You’ve got to have a justice system that serves and prevents victims. That’s what we’re about."

Here is my long read. See what you think...

🧵10/10
inews.co.uk/news/crime/i...

Inside a British open prison – where murderers go out for work and home visits

Open prisons aim to rehabilitate serious criminals. Is it wise to move offenders into them earlier, or too risky? We visit HMP Hatfield to find out

inews.co.uk

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Rob Hastings @robhastings.bsky.social · Sep 2

I also visited a tiling warehouse that has now employed about 25 prisoners from Hatfield, where the manager said the inmates are better workers than agency staff.

🧵9/10

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Rob Hastings @robhastings.bsky.social · Sep 2

During my tour around HMP Hatfield, I met a murderer who was on his way out for a shift at work, and sat in the cell of a prisoner serving six years for a knife attack who showed me his matchstick models.

🧵8/10

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Rob Hastings @robhastings.bsky.social · Sep 2

We can’t lock every criminal away forever, even if sometimes we wish we could. Open prisons aren’t the easiest solution to crime, but if they prevent more victims, perhaps we shouldn’t just go with what’s easiest.

🧵7/10

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Rob Hastings @robhastings.bsky.social · Sep 2

I wished the best for this man. He can’t change the past, he’s been punished – as he deserved to be – and now he seeks redemption. But somewhere out there is his victim’s family, who probably still feel just as devastated as my friend.

🧵6/10

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Rob Hastings @robhastings.bsky.social · Sep 2

I had a heartfelt conversation with this prisoner, who seemed down despite being just months away from release. It turned out he was jailed for death by dangerous driving, having killed a good friend, and remains consumed by guilt.

🧵5/10

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Rob Hastings @robhastings.bsky.social · Sep 2

They gradually allow offenders out to visit families and even start jobs when approaching the end of their sentences – after being assessed they’re of low risk and genuinely want to reform. They can be controversial but stats show they reduce reoffending.

🧵4/10

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Rob Hastings @robhastings.bsky.social · Sep 2

Weeks later, I found myself speaking with an inmate at HMP Hatfield, an open prison near Doncaster. I was visiting to learn how these places aid rehabilitation.

🧵3/10

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Rob Hastings @robhastings.bsky.social · Sep 2

Messaging my friend afterwards, it was hard to know what to write. But one remark which came more easily than others was my sincere hope that the man responsible will be “banged up for as long as possible.” I meant it.

🧵2/10

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Rob Hastings @robhastings.bsky.social · Sep 2

Two months ago, a close friend received awful news: his younger sister had been killed while out running. A car crashed into her. The driver was high on drugs.

🧵1/10

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Reposted by Rob Hastings

Blair McDougall MP @blairmcdougall.com · Aug 25

The UK is becoming a dumping ground for slave labour goods in between tougher protections in place in the US and EU markets. This story should accelerate action to beef up our anti-slavery laws. inews.co.uk/news/uk-800m...

UK's £800m 'slave labour' China imports revealed - from bras to lawnmowers

Thousands of tonnes of clothes, toys, furniture and tech are being flown in from Xinjiang - which Uyghur campaigners say is a 'national disgrace'

inews.co.uk

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Reposted by Rob Hastings

Rob Hastings @robhastings.bsky.social · Aug 25

🚨 EXCLUSIVE: UK's £800m+ "slave labour" imports from Xinjiang revealed

Vast numbers of products flown into Britain from Uyghur region of China - revealed for first time by my @theipaper.com investigation

Stop Uyghur Genocide calls it a "national disgrace" 🧵1
inews.co.uk/news/uk-800m...

UK's £800m 'slave labour' China imports revealed - from bras to lawnmowers

Thousands of tonnes of clothes, toys, furniture and tech are being flown in from Xinjiang - which Uyghur campaigners say is a 'national disgrace'

inews.co.uk

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Rob Hastings @robhastings.bsky.social · Aug 25

Instigating a pile-on 🤣 I'd be amazed if anyone engages and I'm not doing it for that, just important to call these things out regardless of how many people are paying attention - people who can make up their own minds, unlike in China where they'll never hear of Xinjiang abuses, just like Tiananmen

Rob Hastings @robhastings.bsky.social · Aug 25

It's been disturbing to see how this anonymous blogger seeks to distract from and downplay serious and widespread human rights abuses in Xinjiang, which have been evidenced numerous times, and the risks of UK imports encouraging them. Worth having a read of the responses following this post...

Rob Hastings @robhastings.bsky.social · Aug 25

Ok I'm going to stop replying to an anonymous blogger who wants to downplay serious and widespread human rights abuses documented numerous times, which are what matter most here. You're making it sound Earth-shattering if UK-Xinjiang flights end, but they only started last year - hardly essential.

Rob Hastings @robhastings.bsky.social · Aug 25

I am not "attacking" you, I'm calling out your interest in trying to pick apart very factual stats to distract from the fundamental issue of the UK directly importing £800m of goods from a region where evidence suggested forced labour is so endemic that the UN warns of crimes against humanity.

Rob Hastings @robhastings.bsky.social · Aug 25

You know the situation in Xinjiang isn't about individual factories and it's deceitful to try suggesting it is - time and again, evidence has indicated that hundreds of thousands of people are being exploited for forced labour there. It's for that very reason campaigners want a blanket regional ban.

Rob Hastings @robhastings.bsky.social · Aug 25

And how about the many other goods coming to the UK that experts suspect originate from Xinjiang, which won't be covered by the stats because they don't account for goods that are moved within China or exported to another country before coming to the UK? Meaning the total is probably higher?

Rob Hastings @robhastings.bsky.social · Aug 25

Just say for argument's sake that 50 per cent of these goods were produced in Xinjiang. Would you be happy for the UK to be importing £400m of products from a region where evidence continually indicates that forced labour and some of the other worst human rights abuses on the planet are common?

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Rob Hastings @robhastings.bsky.social · Aug 25

I'm not suggesting anything. I'm reporting the undeniable fact that Chinese customs records show £800m of imports direct from Xinjiang to the UK, despite widespread concerns about forced labour there - which you've still not mentioned once, while instead asking questions you yourself can't answer.

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Rob Hastings @robhastings.bsky.social · Aug 25

Wish I could. As at the article explains, the data doesn't reveal who sells or buys these items - preventing accountability.

It feels like you're willing to accept or push any explanation apart from the obvious one, when the UK has imported £800m of goods from a region notorious for forced labour.

Rob Hastings @robhastings.bsky.social · Aug 25

You might like to ask the two airlines. I emailed both of them. Both had the opportunity to tell me that these imports were not made in Xinjiang - neither of them did so.

If most or all of these imports weren't made in Xinjiang, I'm sure they would have been eager to point this out to me.