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American Morning

Bigtime Crime Wave in Britain

Aired March 22, 2002 - 07:49   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
JACK CAFFERTY, CNN ANCHOR: A big-time crime wave in Britain, a lot of them are being perpetrated by kids; a woman's final desperate plea for the right to die are two of the big stories that are making news this Friday over there. Time once again for us to leap across the pond to London and check in with our buddy, Richard Quest, live in the motherland -- good morning, sir -- happy Friday to you.

RICHARD QUEST, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, as alive as anyone can be. It has been a terrible week for the weather. Jack, it has gone right on my chest, not that you need to concern yourself unnecessarily about that. However, we have got some very serious stories that have been making the news on this side of the pond this week, particularly the right to die cases.

Now, you'll remember that we have spoken before about this lady. We can't name her for legal reasons. She asked the courts for permission to have the ventilator that's keeping her alive switched off.

This morning in court in Britain, the woman was given permission. She was found to be mentally competent, and that the machine, the ventilator, will now be switched off. The judge basically said that she had the right to die with dignity and without pain.

But the interesting part is not only do we happen to have this case about the right to die, but this other lady, Diane Pretty , has been in the European court. Now, Diane Pretty, she wants her husband to basically be able to administer pain killing and ultimately death- inducing drugs. He couldn't do that obviously. He would be charged with murder.

So the right to die, Jack, very much on the agenda in Britain with one woman being given permission to check out, and the other one asking the European court, claiming that it's against her human right. Both are serious no doubt. Jack...

CAFFERTY: Basically (ph) Jack Kevorkian -- remember Jack Kevorkian here in the United States, the doctor -- the suicide doctor who has gone around helping people check out? They finally I think put him in prison. They decided that you're not allowed to do that.

QUEST: Now, that's the whole point, because the problem here was when do you cross the line between helping people help themselves to check out and actually checking them out yourself. CAFFERTY: Yes.

QUEST: A difficult issue. Now, Jack, you are always taking me to task for the fact that the crime in Britain is maybe not as virulent as you might have in the United States. Meet these two.

CAFFERTY: Uh-oh.

QUEST: Look at them. They are described in the "Daily Mirror" as vile. They are 17 and 15 years old. And meet this girl. She is just 11 years old, and this was her 130th robbery.

CAFFERTY: Oh, my!

QUEST: And that has been something of a crime -- I know, and the big thing this week, they named these two kids. Normally, you can't name children who are convicted or are before the courts.

CAFFERTY: Sure.

QUEST: And the face on these, only a face a mother -- the mother said actually they weren't bad kids. They just liked to be a bit high strung.

Finally, Jack, more crime -- this on a big scale. A couple of weeks ago -- five weeks ago, $6 million was stolen from a plane at Heathrow Airport. You remember that.

CAFFERTY: Yes.

QUEST: (UNINTELLIGIBLE) after September 11, nobody could get near Heathrow, let alone walk off with 6 million smackaroos.

CAFFERTY: Yes.

QUEST: It has happened again. This time, $4 million was taken from a South African Airways plane. This money is constantly being shuffled around the world. It's not the same money I hasten to add. It's constantly being shuffled around the world to be destroyed or to be paid. Now, they are saying, how could it happen twice within two months? Over 8 million has been stolen from the world's busiest international airport.

I had nothing to do with it. I promise you. Shocking! The whole thing is shocking.

CAFFERTY: Thank you, Richard -- have a nice weekend. We'll talk to you again next Friday. Richard Quest -- I look forward to this every week. It doesn't matter what he does. He could read the phone book. He is terrific.

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