Legal News Articles
Top Directors Benefited From 50 Per Cent Rise in Income, Claims IDS Report (31 October 2011)
The Incomes Data Services (IDS) research company has reported that the incomes of the directors of the top businesses in the UK increased 50 per cent over the last year. The company has claimed that that the average annual income for a director of a company in the FTSE 100 is now just under £2.7 million. The increase was greater than that recorded for chief executives. The pay for chief executives increased by 43 per cent over a year, the study found.
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Student Fees Protestor Loses Appeal against Jail Sentence (31 October 2011)
The son of Pink Floyd^s David Gilmour has lost his appeal against his jail sentence for violent disorder. Charlie Gilmour, of West Sussex, was handed a 16-month jail sentence in July of this year for swinging from a flag at the Cenotaph during a protest against student fees. The Cambridge University student was also found to have damaged both a shop in Oxford Street and a car taking part in a royal convoy. Court of Appeal judges described Mr. Gilmour’s jail term as not “unduly harsh”. Read more...
HMRC Targets Loophole in Stamp Duty Law (31 October 2011)
HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) are actively pursuing homebuyers who have avoided paying tax on their property, following the increasing number of ‘mitigation’ schemes found online. Tax avoidance costs the Government millions of pounds each year. Homebuyers are required by law to meet the cost of stamp duty land tax. Read more...
Environmental Activists Arrested At London Southend Airport (31 October 2011)
15 environmental activists have been arrested by police following staging a protest at London Southend Airport. The activists, who are members of the climate change group, Plane Stupid and Climate Rush, were believed to have been planning to install solar panels on the runway and perform a dance in airport staff dress. The airport has put forth plans for a 300-metre extension of the runway. This would grant the use of larger passenger aircraft at the airport. The Stobart Group, the owner of the airport, aims to see two million passengers pass through the terminal each year by 2020.
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Delivery Driver Dies After Being Trapped by Heavy Metal Gates (31 October 2011)
Police have opened an investigation into the death of a forty-two-year-old delivery driver who is believed to have become trapped by large metal gates in Newport. The man, from Merthyr Tydfil, died in Agincourt Street whilst making a delivery to Wholesalers Blakemore. His death involved “the movement of heavy gates”, police have claimed. A Health and Safety Executive is assisting police in their efforts. Specialist officers have been investigating the gate’s posts and its surrounds at the trade entrance to the wholesalers.
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Pop Star Fined For Driving At 105mph (28 October 2011)
A pop star has appeared before Chester Magistrates Court after being caught driving his Lexus at 105mph. Ian Brown, of Lymm in Cheshire, narrowly escaped a driving ban following speeding on the M6 motorway. The star recently made headlines following the announcement that his band, The Stone Roses, will be performing comeback gigs next June. Mr. Brown was handed six penalty points and a £650 fine after pleading guilty to speeding in April of this year. Mr. Brown was also ordered to pay court costs of £300 and a £15 victim surcharge.
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Landlord Charged £28,000 Following Breaching Fire Safety Rules (28 October 2011)
A landlord has been charged with a total fine of £28,000 after admitting to breaching fire safety regulations. The fines for Lee Pemberton, manager of PemCo Investments Ltd, related to seven fire safety breaches at a Preston-based property. Fire safety officials claimed that Mr. Pemberton, of Leyland, put tenants’ safety at risk in the property of multiple occupancy.
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Families Forced To Sell Home to Pay for Care Costs (28 October 2011)
Hundreds of families in Wales are being forced to put their houses on the market to meet the cost of care fees. Dame June Clark, a professor of nursing at Swansea University, has claimed that Wales’ care system compares unfavourably with that of England. The Welsh government are set to complete a review of the system by next year.
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Broadmoor Hospital Psychiatric Patient Loses Battle to Be Freed (28 October 2011)
A patient at Broadmoor Hospital patient lost his battle to be freed following a mental health tribunal ruling. Albert Haines, who suffers from a personality disorder, is the first psychiatric patient at the hospital to have their ruling made public. Mr. Haines has been detained since 1986 when he was convicted for two counts of attempted wounding. Mr. Haines had tried to attack medical staff at Maudsley psychiatric hospital in London with a machete and knife. The tribunal ruled that the nature or degree of his disorder prohibited his release.
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Teenage Walker Hospitalised Following Guided Walk in Wales (27 October 2011)
A teenager was hospitalised with suspected spinal injuries after a fall in the Brecon Beacons. A helicopter from Chivenor in Devon was sent to the scene of the incident to rescue the teen. Central Beacons Mountain Rescue Team (MRT) claimed that the incident was the second involving guided gorge walkers in the area in three days. The teenager is believed to have injured himself after jumping from the side of a waterfall into a plunge pool. This activity is believed to have been part of the guided gorge walk.
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Takeaways Should Not Be Built Around Schools, Says Leading Politician (27 October 2011)
A leading politician has claimed that takeaways should not be built with 500 yards of schools. Labour councillor, Matthew Brown, a Preston Council cabinet member, considers that strict rules on fast food would help to improve public health and reduce obesity levels. Councillor Brown wants all new takeaways to be subjected to a £1,000 planning charge. This planning charge would then be used to fund healthy eating projects and litter reduction. He said that Preston Council intends to challenge the proliferation of fast food restaurants in the area.
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Northern Ireland MLA Calls for Online Car Tax Renewal System in Northern Ireland (27 October 2011)
Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) Simon Hamilton has called for the implementation of an online car tax renewal system in Northern Ireland. The Strangford MLA said that it was unjust that it was possible to implement a system to renew a dog licence online in Northern Ireland yet an online car tax renewal system had failed to be implemented. He added that Northern Ireland had failed to match the level of investment in the system in England and Wales. He also criticised the car tax renewal phone system, which he claimed could take only 500 calls a day. Read more...
Foreign Looters from 44 Countries Joined August Civil Unrest (27 October 2011)
It has been announced that looters came from 44 countries to join the civil unrests in August. Looters from Afghanistan, Cuba, Ethiopia, and Samoa helped shops to be plundered and set fire to businesses, leaving behind them millions of pounds worth of damage. Read more...
Dumfries and Galloway Housing Partnership to Set Aside Accommodation for Army Personnel (27 October 2011)
Ex-army personnel are to be provided with a “priority route” to gaining access to affordable accommodation in southwest Scotland. Dumfries and Galloway Housing Partnership (DGHP) will set aside a percentage of its annual lets specifically for armed forces personnel. Read more...
Increase in Lost Driving Licences due to Failing Eyesight (26 October 2011)
The number of drivers who lost their licences has more than doubled over the last four years due to concerns over drivers’ eyesight. In 2006, 1,597 driving licences were revoked but in 2010, this figure rose to 4,009, according to figures released to the Co-operative Motor Group through a freedom of information request. Tony Guest, the managing director of the Co-operative Motor Group, said that good eyesight is imperative to safe driving, and the company continues to urge anyone with concerns over their eyesight to visit a specialist.
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Great Ormond Street Hospital Care “Chaotic and Substandard”, According To Parliamentary Health Service Ombudsman (26 October 2011)
The parliamentary health service ombudsman has described the care received by a teenage boy who was left to die in agony as “chaotic and substandard”. 13-year-old Arvind Jain died from malnutrition after enduring an eight-month wait for a routine half-hour long operation to insert a feeding tube. Read more...
Government Approve Plans for £180 Million Leeds Transformation Project (26 October 2011)
The Government has approved plans to transform two of Leeds’ poorest inner city neighbourhoods, following a lengthy delay caused by the Government’s Value for Money review of the project. The housing Private Finance Initiative (PFI) project, which is set to cost £180 million, will revitalise the areas of Little London and Beeston Hill/Holbeck. Councillors had lobbied the Government about the delay which, due to rising costs, was believed to have cost an extra £1 million per month. Read more...
Burglars Steal Sick Son’s Birthday Gifts (26 October 2011)
A Lancashire mother has had her house raided by burglars, who stole a number of items including the birthday presents of her sick son. Stacie Smith returned home to discover that the back window of her home had been smashed and the entire house “trashed” by the intruders. Read more...
British Couple Killed in Spanish Flash Flood (26 October 2011)
A British couple have drowned in Spain after being swept away in a flash flood. Kenneth and Mary Hall were struck by a torrent of water while at a market in the town of Finestrat located on the Costa Blanca, according to Interior Ministry official, Jose Perez Grau. Mr. and Mrs. Hall had reportedly been holidaying in the resort of Benidorm, seven miles east of the town. Read more...
Teenage Boy Denies Murdering Foster Carer (25 October 2011)
A teenage boy from South Lanarkshire has denied murdering foster carer, Dawn McKenzie, at a flat in Hamilton. The teenager is alleged to have stabbed the 34-year-old woman with a knife in June. The boy’s lawyer entered a plea of not guilty on his behalf at the High Court in Glasgow. She told the court that she was satisfied the boy was “sane and fit to plead”. Judge Lord Brailsford set a date for a fixed trial in January.
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North Wales Nursery Hit By E. coli Outbreak to Close (25 October 2011)
The Anglesey nursery at the centre of an E. coli outbreak has announced its closure following a rise in the number of cases of infection. Tri Ceffyl Bach Nursery in Amlwch was first shut down by officials as a precaution. However, the owners claim that the impact of the outbreak has led to them closing indefinitely. Investigations into the source of the E. coli outbreak are ongoing; health officials claim that it is difficult to determine the cause of the outbreak when children are involved. Read more...
Man Jailed Over Fatal Stabbing (25 October 2011)
A 29-year-old man who killed a father-to-be in East Lothian has received a 15-year jail sentence. James Purves told the jury at the High Court in Edinburgh that he was acting in self-defence when he stabbed Paul Scott in the chest in February of this year. The jury cleared Mr. Purves of murder yet found him guilty of culpable homicide. The trial was told that just two months after the fatal stabbing, Mr. Scott^s son, Jared, was born. Read more...
Dyslexic Boy to Challenge Education Board (25 October 2011)
A dyslexic boy has been granted the right to challenge the lack of direct access to a specialist literacy teacher. The court has told that almost 70 other school-age children within the South Eastern Education and Library Board faced the same situation. The boy, who resides in the greater Belfast area, is not uncommon in his need for external help with literacy problems. The boy is only able to spell words two to three letters in length, although he is of average intelligence.
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Deported British Teenagers Released By Met Police (25 October 2011)
Two British teenagers who were arrested and deported from Kenya have been released without charge following being detained under the Terrorism Act. Mohamed Mohamed Abdallah, of Somali descent, and Iqbal Shahzad, of Pakistani descent, went missing from their homes in Cardiff, South Wales, and their families feared that the pair had been radicalised by militant Islamists. Abdirhman Haji Abdallah, Mohamed’s father, told of his dash to Kenya following fears that his son was intending to join an Islamist rebel group. Read more...
Rising Unemployment Rates Reduce Salaries (24 October 2011)
Increasing unemployment rates are forcing salaries down as demand for jobs means that companies are able to offer less remuneration for open positions. Recruitment firm, Office Angels, claimed that pay rates had stalled across administrative and non-professional roles, with customer service jobs being hit by the largest reduction in average advertised annual salaries. Pay rates were down by more than six per cent in comparison to last year. Read more...
Private Sector Rents in England and Wales Reach New High (24 October 2011)
Housing rents in the private sector in England and Wales increased by another 0.7 per cent last month, to reach an all-new monthly high of £718, a report has revealed. This means that rents have increased by 4.3 per cent over the past 12 months, with rental tenants paying an average of £29 a month more than this time last year. Read more...
North Wales Woman Charged With Making Persistent 999 Calls (24 October 2011)
A North Wales woman has been charged with making repeated 999 calls over her neighbour’s injured cat. Tracey Deakin, from Wrexham, was charged with making persistent use of a public telecommunications network after calling 999 five times in two hours. Read more...
Father and Daughter Killed In Holiday Car Crash (24 October 2011)
A father and daughter died when the overcrowded Jeep they were passengers in crashed into a tractor in Turkey, an inquest has heard. Jonothan Pearce and his eight-year-old daughter, Charley, were partaking in a water fight with fellow holidaymakers when the incident occurred in August 2008. Read more...
Disabled People Risk Losing Benefits, Says Scope (24 October 2011)
Many disabled people could lose essential benefit payments under planned changes to the system, Scope has warned. The charity claims that the proposed test of claimants^ requirements is flawed as it ignores vital factors, such as accommodation and transport. Read more...
Yorkshire Couple Profited From Storing Smuggled Tobacco (21 October 2011)
A Yorkshire couple profited from storing smuggled tobacco on behalf of a criminal gang, a court has heard. Stephen and Marie Bedford were able to pay for a lavish wedding ceremony, purchase a jet ski, and enjoy numerous luxury holidays through their participation in gang crime. Read more...
Parental Consent Required Under Welsh Body Piercing Proposals (21 October 2011)
The Welsh Government is to announce proposals to prevent children from getting body piercings in the absence of parental permission. The Government is to consult on whether or not there should be a legal age of consent for body piercings. Read more...
Oxfordshire Landlord Blocked Escape Routes (21 October 2011)
An Oxfordshire landlord has been found guilty of ‘blocking escape routes and failing to ensure a constant supply of electricity’ was provided to tenants at the home he rented out. Sikander Hayat admitted to seven charges of failing to comply with regulations for houses with multiple occupants. Read more...
Northampton Mental Health Nurse on Trial for 70 Misconduct Charges (21 October 2011)
The trial of a Northampton-based mental health nurse who is facing 70 misconduct charges has begun. David Omolayo Ayoola Ajayi is accused of groping patients and dragging a resident across the floor of his workplace “like a rag doll”. Mr. Ajayi is also alleged to have paid a patient in return for sexual favours. He denies performing sexually inappropriate acts at Westwood Lodge between 2006 and 2008.
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Immigrant Dies Following Eurostar Leap (21 October 2011)
An immigrant who had been refused entry into the UK prised open the doors of the Eurostar train that was taking him back to Brussels and leapt to his death. The 22-year-old Albanian had arrived at London St. Pancras station but was refused entry into the country and voluntarily took the train back to Belgium. Read more...
Woman Killed In Northampton Nightclub Crush (20 October 2011)
A young woman has been killed and at least eight other people injured in a nightclub crush in Northampton. Twenty-two-year-old Nabila Nanfuka of north-west London was killed in Lava and Ignite nightclub on Peter^s Street in the early hours of October the 19th. Witness, James Adetula, claimed that a “stampede” had broken out as clubbers made their way towards the venue’s exits when they were informed that their buses were departing. Read more...
UK Border Agency Detains Hundreds of Children Each Year (20 October 2011)
The UK Border Agency has detained hundreds of children at ports and airports, according to figures released under the Freedom of Information Act. The statistics revealed that 697 children under 18 were detained between May and August at the Port of Dover and at airports across the UK, including Heathrow, Gatwick, and Stansted. Read more...
Man Taught Pupils to Drive despite Failing Instructor Test (20 October 2011)
A man who failed to pass his driving instructor training provided learner drivers with hundreds of pounds worth of lessons, a court has heard. Sixty-two-year-old Rodney Hatton’s British School of Motoring (BSM) contract was terminated in May this year after he failed to pass his third and final approved driving instructor examination. Read more...
England Offers Free Parenting Classes (20 October 2011)
It has been announced that parents in England with children aged five years or younger are to be offered free parenting classes. The classes will cater to all parents, not just those struggling to raise their children. Around 50,000 Middlesbrough, High Peak, and Camden parents will be offered vouchers to claim places on the classes from mid-2012. Read more...
Cornwall Vet Wins Unfair Dismissal Case (20 October 2011)
A vet has successfully won an unfair dismissal case against Cornwall Animal Ambulance and Hospital. Matt Thomas was sacked by the charity citing breach of trust. Mr. Thomas was responsible for circulating a letter from the Charity Commission that claimed that some trustees and members had been wrongly removed. Read more...
Study to Investigate Human Cost of Coal Mining (19 October 2011)
A new £1 million research project is to investigate the human cost of coal mining. According to academics, the five-year programme is set to challenge the understandings of disability. The researchers are to look into the history of disability in the coal mining industry between 1780 and 1948. Read more...
Runaway Bus Kills British Holidaymaker in Canada (19 October 2011)
An elderly holidaymaker has been killed after being hit by a runaway bus in Canada. Seventy-four-year-old Jean Shepperdley was walking along an Ontario street when she was hit by the bus. She was airlifted to Sunnybrook Hospital in Toronto with serious injuries yet died a few days later, Ontario Provincial Police have reported. Read more...
Nearly Half of All Allegations Against Teachers “Malicious” (19 October 2011)
A government study has found that almost half of all allegations made against schoolteachers in England are malicious, unfounded, or unsubstantiated in nature. According to the results of the Department for Education survey, just three per cent of investigations into alleged abuse led to a teacher being cautioned or convicted for a criminal offence. Read more...
Mum of Murdered Girl Furious As Killer Flirts On Facebook from Prison Cell (19 October 2011)
The mother of murdered Sophie Lancaster has told of her fury after one of her daughter’s killers was caught using Facebook from prison. Ryan Herbert, 20, is serving a life sentence for the murder of 20-year-old Sophie in 2007. It is thought that Mr. Herbert used a mobile phone smuggled into the jail to send messages to friends on the popular social networking site. Read more...
Benefit Claimant Caught Competing in Motocross Races (19 October 2011)
A benefit claimant who told the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) that he was unable to walk was filmed competing in a British motocross racing championship. Jake Preston, 20, claimed to be crippled with the rare condition of Syringomyelia, which had caused him severe neck and spine pain from the age of four. Read more...
Prison Numbers Fall In England and Wales (18 October 2011)
The prison population in England and Wales has fallen following reaching record highs as a result of the summer’s civil unrest. The prison population now stands at 87,551, meaning that prisons are now operating at more than 1,250 under capacity. Ministers had vowed that there was room in prison for anyone who received a sentence for violence or looting in English cities during the riots in August. Read more...
HSBC Offers 90 Per Cent Mortgage to Attract First-Time Buyers (18 October 2011)
HBSC has launched a range of new mortgages to attract first-time homebuyers. The bank’s new financial products are aimed at those who wish to secure their house purchase with only a small deposit. The bank has reserved £250 million of its lending for first-time buyers up until the end of 2011. Its range of fee-free mortgages includes a maximum loan-to-value (LTV) of 90 per cent, including a market-leading lifetime tracker. Read more...
German Bank Card Scam Artist Caught In UK (18 October 2011)
A German scam artist who tried to introduce a new form of bankcard scamming technology into the UK has been jailed for three years. Thomas Beeckmann was caught at Victoria coach station in London in June after arriving on a trip from Holland. Investigators claimed that Mr. Beeckmann was carrying specialist equipment capable of stealing up to £150 million a year. Read more...
Boy Loses Arm in Washing Machine Tragedy (18 October 2011)
An investigation has been launched following a tragic incident in which a three-year-old boy trapped his arm in a running washing machine. The toddler, from Crewe, Cheshire, was allegedly helping his mother to fill the washing machine with clothes. Read more...
Private Rental Unaffordable, Claims Shelter (17 October 2011)
Private rents have reached unaffordable levels in over half of all local authorities in England, the housing charity Shelter has claimed. Rental home in these areas are associated with a cost in excess of 35 per cent of the median average local take-home pay - a level considered unaffordable by Shelter^s Private Rent Watch report. Read more...
NHS Failed To Care for Depressed Mother (17 October 2011)
The husband of a woman who committed suicide by stepping out in front of a train claims that the NHS failed to provide her with appropriate care. Joanne Bingley suffered from postnatal depression after the birth of her daughter. Mrs. Bingley’s husband, Chris Bingley, claimed that there had been "horrendous failings" in the care that she had received. Read more...
Ministers to Delay 2020 State Pension Age Rise (17 October 2011)
Plans to increase the state pension age in 2020 have been delayed for six months in order to address concerns that thousands of women across the UK would be disadvantaged by the move. Under Government plans, the pension age was due to increase for women from 60 years of age to 65 years of age by 2018. Read more...
Family Endure Four-Year Battle to Bring Home Disabled Son (17 October 2011)
The family of a young man who was left disabled following choking on chewing gum have faced a four-year battle to accommodate him in their own home. Twenty-year-old Rhys Thomas of Holywell in North Wales, suffered from severe brain damage in 2007 after gum became lodged in his windpipe. Read more...
Cricket Legend Sues Lawyers Following Losing Half of Mansion (17 October 2011)
Former England cricketer Geoffrey Boycott is suing a firm of solicitors over a £2.5 million mansion he purchased with a former lover. The property, located in Sandbanks, Dorset, overlooks Poole Harbour and boasts its own private beach. Mr. Boycott bought the property with his partner, Anne Wyatt, for £450,000 in 1996. When Mrs. Wyatt died in 2009, half of the mansion contributed to her estate as opposed to being inherited by Boycott, as he had expected.
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Preston Teenager Awarded Multi-Million Pound Pay Out (14 October 2011)
A teenager who was left paralysed for life after undergoing spinal surgery at the Royal Preston Hospital in Lancashire has been awarded a seven-figure sum in personal injury compensation. 17-year-old Laura May, from Chorley, was awarded the compensation following the operation that was performed in 2005 to correct a curvature of her spine. Read more...
Murder Suspect Sought Help for Mental Illness Before Stabbing Shopper (14 October 2011)
A woman who allegedly killed a stranger had left a mental health unit just 90 minutes earlier, it has been revealed. The 31-year-old had voluntarily admitted herself into Oxleas House in Woolwich before promptly leaving whilst staff had prepared a bed and medication for her. Staff at the mental unit followed the woman but failed to reach her before she left the site in a taxi. Read more...
Ilford Landlord Left Tenants Without Heating or Hot Water (14 October 2011)
An Ilford landlord who left tenants without heating or hot water has been handed a fine of £2,000. The prosecution is part of a scheme by Redbridge Council to crackdown on irresponsible landlords. David McDonnell was handed the fined at Redbridge Magistrates’ Court for both poor management in a house of multiple occupation and failure to provide documentation relating to gas and electrical safety. In addition to the fine, Mr. McDonnell was ordered to pay £251.25 in court costs. Read more...
Mother Guilty of Force-feeding Death (14 October 2011)
A mother has been found guilty of causing the death of her baby through force-feeding. Thirty-one-year-old Gloria Dwomoh, a nurse from East London, forced her ten-month-old daughter, Diamond, to take solid food from the age of six months. Read more...
British Spouses Divorce Overseas (14 October 2011)
An increased number of British spouses are attempting to begin divorce proceedings abroad in order to secure a more favourable divorce settlement, legal sources have claimed. It has been reported that many men believe that the British courts are too ‘wife-friendly’ and consider it necessary to try to secure a better deal in another European country. Read more...
Two Million Working Adults Living In Poverty, Reports IFS (13 October 2011)
According to a report from the Institute of Fiscal Studies (IFS), the significant decline in income will drive an increased number of children and adults into poverty. The IFS predicts that by 2013, 3.1 million children in the UK will live in poverty yet a spokesperson for the Department for Work and Pensions claims that changes to the benefits system would help to tackle poverty.
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UK Mortgage Market Showing Welcome Signs of Life, According To CML (13 October 2011)
According to the Council of Mortgage Lenders (CML), the UK mortgage market is showing “signs of life”, although a housing boom is far from the horizon. 52,000 home loans were advanced for property purchases in August, an increase of seven per cent on July, the CML claimed. Statistics also showed a rise in remortgaging. Yet the CML echoed concerns that worries over the UK and European economies were denting consumer confidence in the housing market. The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors claimed that a reduced number of homeowners were putting their houses on the market due to fragile consumer confidence.
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Immigrants to Pass Exam to Receive UK Passport (13 October 2011)
David Cameron has announced that migrants will be required to pass a test covering British history and culture in order to qualify for a UK passport. The Prime Minister wants foreign nationals who wish to settle in the UK permanently to sit a multiple-choice “Life in the UK” exam yet Labour ministers ruled that the test should not incorporate a history section as Britain had a rich history and a test covering it would be unfair. Mr. Cameron claims that badly controlled immigration has compounded the failure of the welfare system. Read more...
Killer Attacked in Edinburgh Jail (13 October 2011)
Imran Shahid, one of the three men convicted of murdering 15-year-old Kriss Donald in March 2004, was assaulted in Saughton jail in Edinburgh. Mr. Shahid, 34, is believed to have sustained minor injuries during the assault that was carried out by a fellow prisoner. Mr. Shahid did not require hospital treatment as a result of the attack. Mr. Shahid was recently transferred to Saughton jail from Shotts Prison in North Lanarkshire.
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Cwmbran Couple Kept Son In Dog Cage (13 October 2011)
A Cwmbran couple kept their young son in a dog cage and called him “the devil child”, Newport Crown Court heard. The pair, who cannot be named, locked their two-year-old in the cage and secured with it cord in order to control him. Both have admitted to the ill-treatment of the boy and were handed a 26-week prison term, suspended for two years. They must carry out 200 hours’ unpaid work and were handed a two-year supervision order.
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University Lecturer Charged With Drug Possession (12 October 2011)
A university lecturer has been charged with possessing drugs after a teenager fell ill during a party at his home. Sixty-one-year-old Brian Dodgeon, a research fellow based at the Quantitative Social Science department at the Faculty of Policy and Society at the University of London’s Institute of Education, has been suspended from his job following facing five counts of drugs possession. Read more...
Prevent Abuse of the Welfare Benefits System, Says Iain Duncan Smith (12 October 2011)
Work and Pensions Secretary Iain Duncan Smith has called for the Government to crackdown on families cashing in on their children’s Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) diagnosis. Mr. Duncan Smith is said to have been shocked to discover that thousands of families with children suffering from ADHD are believed to have been handed out free vehicles under the £1.5 billion-a-year Motability scheme. Read more...
Man Jailed Over £42,000 Pub Robbery (12 October 2011)
A North Wales man has been handed a three year jail sentence following admitting to robbing a pub in the early hours of August the 17th. Carl Adrian Nicholas, from Wrexham, was one of three men who raided the Squire York pub in Wrexham. Mold Crown Court heard how Mr. Nicholas and his two accomplices covered their faces with scarves and approached the pub as it was closing in the early hours of the morning. Read more...
Investigation Launched Into Abuse at Teen Psychiatric Unit (12 October 2011)
An investigation has been launched following allegations of the abuse of teenagers at a psychiatric unit. Seven staff members at the Roycroft Unit at St. Nicholas Hospital in Newcastle-upon-Tyne have been suspended over claims of a “culture of abuse”. Carers at the medium-secure clinic have been accused of mocking the mentally disordered offenders and youngsters residing there.
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Government to Consult On Forced Marriage Criminal Offence Plans (12 October 2011)
The Government is set to consult on plans to make forced marriages a criminal offence in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland, despite claims from the Home Office that the idea would prevent victims from coming forward. In Scotland, it is already a criminal offence to breach an order imposed by the courts to prevent a forced marriage from taking place. In 2008, Forced Marriage Protection Orders were introduced in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland under the Forced Marriage (Civil Protection) Act 2007. Read more...
Midlothian Boasts Youngest Home Buyers (11 October 2011)
According to recent research, Midlothian is home to the youngest first-time buyers in Scotland. A Bank of Scotland study revealed that those purchasing property in the area were 27 years of age, on average. Other areas in Scotland boasting young homeowners included Clackmannanshire, Fife, North Lanarkshire, and Aberdeen. Read more...
Legionnaires' Corfu Holiday Link (11 October 2011)
All nine cases of Legionnaires^ disease in the UK in August have been linked to holidays, according to the Health Protection Agency (HPA). However, the HPA is unable to rule out that the infection has a UK source. The HPA is advising the public to be aware of the symptoms of Legionnaires^ disease, particularly if they plan to visit a Greek island. The illness can result in severe pneumonia and can be fatal.
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Hospitals Failing To Meet Nutrition Standards, Says Undercover Inspectors (11 October 2011)
Nearly half of NHS hospitals visited by undercover inspectors failed to meet basic nutrition standards, according to a damning report by the Care Quality Commission. Read more...
Family Relocate Following Six Year Wait for a Bigger Council House (11 October 2011)
A low-income family of five who have tired of waiting for a larger council house have moved into a converted bus. Arthur Sharp and his partner Lisa Luke forked out £2,000 on a decommissioned double-decker bus and are working to turn it into a home for the whole family. The Croydon family had been residing in a three-bed council flat but were told that they would have to wait six years for a larger home. Read more...
EU Tells Firms to Support Mothers Who Return To Work (11 October 2011)
The EU has told firms to provide full-time working mothers with breastfeeding breaks of a maximum of two hour per day. Under new proposals, mothers would also be granted the right to work part-time for a year following their return to work, and be eligible to receive 20 weeks’ maternity leave on full pay. The British Chambers of Commerce has warned that these measures could cost the Government £2.5 billion and may risk women’s positions in the workplace. It warned that taxes would have to increase to cover the cost.
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Women Request Testing Following Potential Infection by HIV-Positive Middlesbrough Man (10 October 2011)
A number of women have come forth for testing following a Middlesbrough man’s jailing for having unprotected sex with a woman after being diagnosed as HIV-positive. Simon McClure, 38, received a jail sentence for inflicting grievous bodily harm following having unprotected sex with a woman, even though he knew he had the virus. Following Mr. McClure’s trial, Cleveland Police urged women who may have had sex with Mr. McClure to be tested for HIV. Read more...
Teen Looter Has Sentence Halved Following Difficulty Sleeping (10 October 2011)
A teenager looter who acted during the August civil unrest has had his jail sentence halved following having difficulties sleeping. 17-year-old Joshua Penney claimed to have been caught up in a “mob mentality” during the looting of a Sainsbury’s store in Manchester. Mr. Penney was arrested outside the store, where he was found to be clutching a bottle of alcohol. The teenager was handed eight months’ detention following informing a judge that he felt “like scum” following looting the store. Read more...
More Families to Benefit from Childcare Support (10 October 2011)
Under new Government plans, parents on low incomes who are employed for less than 16 hours per week will be eligible to receive childcare support from 2013. Some £300 million has been allocated to low income families - up to £175 per week for one child and £300 for two children or greater. Ministers claim that the new plans will benefit 80,000 families in receipt of universal credit. Read more...
Homeowner Not Charged over Alleged Burglar’s Death (10 October 2011)
Vincent Cooke, who was arrested following stabbing an intruder at his home in Greater Manchester, will not be charged over the intruder’s death, it has emerged. Mr. Cooke was questioned by police on suspicion of murder following stabbing Raymond Jacob after a struggle in his Bramhall home in September. The Crown Prosecution Service has said that Mr. Cooke would not face charges in relation to the incident. Read more...
Fixed Mortgages Fall to Record Low (10 October 2011)
Fixed two-year mortgages have reached an all-time low of 3.82 per cent, it has been revealed. The average two-year fixed rate mortgage is now 3.82 per cent - down from August’s 4.01 per cent. The average house price has also fallen once again, according to Halifax. September’s decline of 0.5 per cent followed August’s 1.1 per cent decline. Read more...
Prisoner Safety Not Guaranteed, Says Prison Officers’ Association (7 October 2011)
Prisoners and prison officers will never be entirely safe in jail, the Prison Officers^ Association (POA) has warned. The claim follows the attempted murder of jailed Soham killer, Ian Huntley, and the strangling of child sex killer, Colin Hatch. Damien Fowkes murdered Mr. Hatch at Full Sutton jail, near York. Mr. Fowkes also slashed Mr. Huntley^s throat at Frankland prison in Durham. Read more...
Nanny allegedly stole £12,000 From Rich Family’s Fortune (7 October 2011)
A nanny employed by the Goodwood aristocracy stole their bankcards and helped herself to £12,000, a court has heard. Twenty-five-year-old Beatrice Dalton was described as a “trusted and valued” nanny to Lady Louisa Collings, who is the daughter of the tenth Duke of Richmond and heiress to the Goodwood racing estate. Miss Dalton was employed to care for Lady Louisa Collings^ four young children when she stole the bankcards and started withdrawing cash without their consent. Read more...
Mother Pretended Son Had Cancer to Claim £100,000 (7 October 2011)
A mother who shaved her five-year-old son^s head and eyebrows to pretend he had cancer fraudulently claimed £100,000 in benefits, Gloucester Magistrate’s Court has heard. The Berkeley-based woman is alleged to have sent her child to school in a bandana to con teachers and school friends into thinking that he was seriously ill and had been receiving treatment. Read more...
Mother Hospitalised Following Severe Hair Dye Allergy (7 October 2011)
A mother was left hospitalised following suffering a severe allergic reaction to a popular hair dye. Twenty-nine-year-old Mariade Kelly was admitted to a hospital’s high-dependency unit following the use of a shop-bought hair dye. Hours after applying the product to her hair, Miss Kelly^s scalp began to react to the dye. Read more...
Drug User Conned Widow Out of £35,000 (7 October 2011)
A drug user conned a widowed legal secretary into giving him money, a court has been told. Bridget Macedonski gave Sukhvender Deo money during her trips to and from her place of work. Mr. Deo had told Miss Macedonski that he was homeless and did not have any money to get by. Her small acts of kindness led to relentless hounding by Mr. Deo, who was not homeless and was a regular drug user.
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Majority of Squatters Have Homes, Study Reports (6 October 2011)
A new study collated by researchers at Sheffield Hallam University and published by the charity, Crisis, has revealed that only a small minority of squatters are homeless. The report revealed that only six per cent of homeless individuals resort to squatting on any given night. Read more...
Lancashire Teacher Banned From Teaching for “Unacceptable Professional Conduct” (6 October 2011)
A teacher from Penwortham in Lancashire who performed a sexual act in front of a teenager and who asked school-aged girls inappropriate questions has been banned from teaching. Lancashire Police confirmed that they had investigated the incident regarding Kingsley Chesworth inappropriately questioning school-aged girls in 2008 but failed to take further action. In November 2009, a woman complained that Mr. Chesworth had performed a sexual act in the presence of a teenager in the lounge of his own home. Read more...
Gay Convictions Could Be Eliminated From Records Following Government Plans (6 October 2011)
Individuals convicted of homosexual crimes may soon be able to apply to have their convictions removed from their records under new Government plans to tackle discrimination. In excess of 16,000 convictions for crimes relating to consensual gay sex could be eliminated from police computers, following a fierce campaign by gay rights group, Stonewall. Read more...
Female Doctors Need Flexible Working Hours, Says Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh (6 October 2011)
The Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh (RCPE) has called for the NHS to allow female doctors more flexible working hours. The RCPE maintains that the move is necessary not only to maintain patient care but also to respond to the rising numbers of female doctors. Since 2001, the number of female doctors in the UK has increased by 37 per cent. The RCPE has cautioned that should flexible working hours not be granted to female doctors, there was a “real threat” that women may choose to leave the profession after having children.
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Criminal Migrant Rights Could Be Abolished (6 October 2011)
Under new proposals, a foreign criminals “right to family life” could be abolished. Home Secretary, Theresa May, has spoken of plans to revise the immigration rules to prevent the widespread “abuse” of Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights. Official figures have revealed that Article 8 was successfully used by more than 100 foreign criminals and illegal immigrants in the last year alone. Read more...
UK Passport Forms to Be Updated (5 October 2011)
UK passport forms will include options for same-sex parents by the end of this year, the Home Office has announced. Gay rights groups claim that the current form is “discriminatory”. However, family values campaigners believe that the changes denigrate the roles of mothers and fathers. The changes to the passport form will also allow transgender individuals to opt out of distinguishing themselves as either male or female.
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School Leaving Age Should Be Cut, Says Former Chief Inspector of Schools (5 October 2011)
Sir Chris Woodhead, the former chief inspector of schools in England, has called for the school leaving age to be reduced to 14. Sir Woodhead has claimed that this would provide less academic students with a greater chance of learning a trade. He claimed that forcing teenagers to study the core subjects up until the age of 18 would be a “recipe for disaster”. Read more...
Right-to-buy Scheme to Be Relaunched (5 October 2011)
The Government is to relaunch the right-to-buy scheme, with proceeds being used to create new social housing. The Government plans to provide construction companies with the public sector land they require to build 100,000 homes. The companies will only fund the sites once the properties they have built on them have been successfully sold. Read more...
Middlesbrough Sham Wedding Results In Jail Sentence (5 October 2011)
A would-be sham marriage groom has received a jail sentence and is facing deportation after offering a Middlesbrough escort £4,000 to wed. In addition to money, Indian masters graduate, Srikrishna Mandava, offered the escort two diamond rings, a satellite TV, and a laptop computer so he could remain in the UK. Read more...
Humberside Couple Jailed For Child Cruelty Offenses (5 October 2011)
A Grimsby couple who were witnessed holding a young girl to the ground and forcing a spider into her mouth as she screamed and cried have been jailed for child cruelty. The pair made videos of their tormenting of the girl and a baby boy. During one incident, the duo made the young girl hold the baby against a hot radiator, leaving him with severe burns. Read more...
UK House Prices Continue to “Tread Water”, Claims Nationwide (4 October 2011)
House prices have continued to “tread water” throughout September - increasing 0.1 per cent on the previous month, according to figures from Nationwide. The average house price was therefore found to be 0.3 per cent lower than the previous year, the building society claimed. Market turmoil caused by the Eurozone debt crisis had impacted buyer confidence, Nationwide believed. Read more...
Thousands of Suspicious Foreign Visas Reported By Academics (4 October 2011)
Statistics have shown that academics are reporting in excess of 1,500 foreign students a month over suspicions about their visa status. Universities and other foreign student sponsors reported at least 27,121 migrants to the UK Border Agency (UKBA) between March 2009 and August 2010. Some 228,000 foreign students enrolled on programmes of study in UK last year. Three out of four students originated from outside of the EU. Read more...
Students at Risk of Mental Health Issues (4 October 2011)
Psychiatrists have warned that the latest generation of students are at an increased risk of developing mental health issues, such as depression and anxiety, than generations of students before them. The Royal College of Psychiatrists (RCP) claims that in increasing numbers of university students come from less privileged backgrounds and are less prepared for the stress of university life. Read more...
Mobility Aids Con Artists Target the Elderly (4 October 2011)
Elderly and disabled individuals are under threat from fraudsters offering stair lifts and other mobility aids, the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) has warned. The OFT has promised to crack down on unfair sales practices. The watchdog claimed to have received thousands of complaints about sales of mobility equipment, which included mobility scooters, adjustable beds, and special chairs. Many victims found their promised equipment failed to turn up. Read more...
EU Commission Claims That UK’s Benefits Eligibility Test Discriminates against Foreigners (4 October 2011)
The European Commission has threatened to take legal action against the UK, claiming that its benefits eligibility test discriminates against foreigners. While the “right to reside” qualification for benefits is automatic for UK nationals, it is assessed for all other EU nationals. Read more...
Religious Groups Campaign for Same-Sex Marriage in Scotland (3 October 2011)
Five religious groups are together campaigning for the legalisation of same-sex marriage in Scotland. The Unitarians, Quakers, Metropolitan Community Church, Pagan Federation, and Liberal Judaism are all lending their support to Scottish Youth Parliament members currently calling for laws to be changed on the issue. Read more...
Millions of Over-50s Will Use Property to Fund Retirement (3 October 2011)
A recent study has revealed that two million over-50s plan to use their property to fund their retirement plans. The survey, conducted by investment firm LV, unveiled that almost a third of over-50s plan to use their property to pay for all, or a portion of, of their retirement. Experts claim that it is a sign that many people have failed to save into a pension, or have paid into a pension only to be disappointed at the amount that it is worth. Read more...
Kellingley Colliery Roof Collapse Investigated Following Miner’s Death (3 October 2011)
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) and North Yorkshire Police are to investigate the collapse of a roof in a North Yorkshire mine that killed one miner and injured another. Both miners were in their 40s. The two men were trapped up to their waist by debris from the roof collapse at the Kellingley Colliery, near Knottingley. Read more...
Government Reforms May Drive Down House Prices (3 October 2011)
Council officials have warned that new Government plans to build new housing developments will reduce house prices. The Planning Officers^ Society has reportedly asked for the policy paper to be reviewed. The plans have also attracted criticism from both the Campaign to Protect Rural England and the National Trust. Read more...
Fraudsters Target Singles Online (3 October 2011)
Online dating websites have become a magnet for fraudsters, a survey has revealed. Researchers have found that around 200,000 people may have been conned into giving money to fraudsters who have used false identities to enter into relationships with them. Fewer than 600 of the 200,000 cases were reported to police. Read more...