Quantcast
Channel: Latest News
Viewing all 5527 articles
Browse latest View live

Dogs law 'cannot come soon enough'

0
0
Image New legislation to tackle dangerous dogs "cannot come soon enough" after a 10-year-old girl was mauled by two rottweilers, campaigners have said. Rhianna Kidd was attacked by the dogs while riding her bicycle in Dundee on Sunday. The primary school pupil was treated for a fractured jaw and has had to have plastic surgery. Caroline Kisko, of the Kennel Club, which has been campaigning for a change in the law regarding dangerous dogs, said: "People deserve to feel safe around dogs and the new legislation cannot come soon enough." A new law on dogs was passed by the Scottish Parliament earlier this year but is not due to come into force until February. The Control of Dogs (Scotland) Act will place more emphasis on prevention of dog attacks by shifting the emphasis towards owner responsibility and tackling dangerous dog aggression at the earliest stage of bad behaviour, Ms Kisko said. She added: "This new legislation goes a long way towards protecting the public through tougher action at the first signs of dangerous behaviour. "Owners of aggressive or violent dogs of any kind will be brought to account, which in turn will prevent a large number of attacks by dealing with problem behaviour at the first signs of aggression rather than when an attack has taken place." Irene Grady, the girl's grandmother, saw the dogs set upon the youngster as she pedalled towards her home in Dryburgh Street in the city. She had been dropped off by her father moments earlier. Mrs Grady, 56, described the dogs as "killing machines". Earlier, speaking from her daughter's hospital bedside, Rhianna's mother Lisa, 30, praised the girl's grandmother: "If it hadn't been for mum, those dogs would have ripped Rhianna to pieces. She didn't hesitate when she saw the dogs attacking Rhianna. "Mum recently broke her ankle and ribs in a fall and is still in pain, but she managed to get to my daughter in time."

Athlete guilty of cheating employer

0
0
Image A sprinter who took part in national athletics competitions and was paid to coach youngsters while off work with a bad back has been found guilty of defrauding his employers. Matthew Thomas, 34, was signed off from his job as a payroll officer at Newham Council after telling bosses he had fallen from a ladder and injured his back. Prosecutors said he received £13,892.12 while off work between November 2007 and June 2008, when he resigned from his post. But during this time Thomas, from East Ham, east London, raced in the Birmingham Athletic Games and took part in the Surrey County Indoor Championships. He also led regular coaching sessions for Met-Track - an athletics scheme set up by the Metropolitan Police. A jury of five men and seven women at Inner London Crown Court found him guilty of six counts of fraud by false representation after he submitted sick notes claiming he was unfit to work. Rebecca Channon, prosecuting, said the case showed "two sides" of Thomas, who had been employed by the council since 1998. "This case is about fraud and dishonesty," she said. "Plainly he was carrying on quite an active life outside his employment at the London Borough of Newham whilst being off sick." Thomas, who denied all the charges, was cleared of three counts of fraud by false representation and one count of fraud by failing to disclose information relating to his athletics coaching.

UK raises £42m for Pakistan floods

0
0
Image The aid appeal for flood-hit Pakistan has raised a total of £42 million. The appeal by the Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) raised £9.5 million in week one, £11.2 million in week two and £19.3 million in week three. Organisers have praised the British public for their "unprecedented" response. The worst floods to hit the country in decades left at least 1,600 people dead and an estimated 20 million homeless. At their peak, the floodwaters submerged or affected almost one fifth of the country. Millions are yet to receive help and the UN has warned that additional funding for emergency food is urgently needed. The DEC, an umbrella organisation representing 13 leading UK aid agencies including the British Red Cross, Oxfam and Save the Children, launched its appeal three-and-a-half weeks ago. To make a donation, people can call the 24-hour hotline on 0370 60 60 900, visit www.dec.org.uk or donate over the counter at any post office or high street bank, or send a cheque. They can also donate £5 by texting the word GIVE to 70707.

Pakistan trio set to miss friendly

0
0
Image Three Pakistani cricketers embroiled in allegations of match-fixing look set to miss their team's match against Somerset on Thursday after questioning by officials from their country was put back 24 hours. Test captain Salman Butt and seam bowlers Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Aamer were due to have talks in London on Wednesday with Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Ijaz Butt and the country's high commissioner. However, it emerged that the meeting has been postponed until Thursday, when the friendly match with Somerset takes place. Meanwhile, three people have been arrested by Customs officials in connection with betting allegations against Pakistani players. Two men and a woman, all from London, were questioned as part of an investigation into money laundering before being released on bail, HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) said. It said in a statement: "Three individuals were arrested on Sunday as part of an ongoing investigation into money laundering. "This includes two 35-year-olds - a male and a female - from the Croydon area, and a 49-year-old male from the Wembley area. "These individuals were arrested, questioned and have been bailed pending further investigation." A spokeswoman refused to confirm whether the arrests were linked to the alleged betting scam reported by the News of the World. The newspaper said journalists posing as Far Eastern businessmen paid a middleman £150,000 to arrange for Pakistan players to deliberately bowl no-balls to order in last week's fourth Test against England at Lord's.

Obama ends US combat role in Iraq

0
0
Image Fiercely opposed to the war from the start, President Barack Obama formally ended the US combat role in Iraq after seven long years of bloodshed, declaring firmly: "It is time to turn the page." Claiming no victory, he said the nation's most urgent priority now must be fixing its own sickly economy. From the Oval Office, where George W Bush first announced the invasion that would come to define his presidency, Obama addressed millions who were divided over the war in his country and around the world. He said the United States "has paid a huge price" to give Iraqis the chance to shape their future - a price that now includes more than 4,400 dead, tens of thousands of troops wounded and hundreds of billions of dollars spent since March 2003. In a telling sign of the domestic troubles weighing on the United States and his own presidency, Obama turned much of the emphasis in a major war address to the dire state of US joblessness. In his remarks of slightly less than 20 minutes, only his second address from the Oval Office, Obama looked directly into the TV camera, hands clasped in front of him on his desk, family photos and the US and presidential flags behind him. Even as he turns control of the war over to the Iraqis - and trying to cap one of the most divisive chapters in recent American history - Obama is escalating the conflict in Afghanistan. He pledged anew that the United States would keep up the fight in that war, the longest since Vietnam. And in Iraq, for all the finality of Obama's remarks, the war is not over. The country is plagued by violence and political instability, and Iraqis struggle with constant shortages of electricity and water. Obama is keeping up to 50,000 troops in Iraq for support and counter-terrorism training, and the last forces are not due to leave until the end of 2011 at the latest. As the commander in chief over a war he opposed, Obama took pains to thank troops for their sacrifice but made clear he saw the day as more the marking of a mistake ended than a mission accomplished. He spoke of strained relations with allies, anger at home and the heaviest of wartime tolls. "We have met our responsibility," Obama said. "Now it is time to turn the page." To underscore his point, Obama said he had telephoned Bush, whom he had taunted so often in the 2008 campaign, and he prominently praised the former Republican president in the heart of his speech. "It's well known that he and I disagreed about the war from its outset," Obama said. "Yet no one could doubt President Bush's support for our troops, or his love of country and commitment to our security."

Bosses quiz Pakistan cricket trio

0
0
Image Three Pakistani cricketers at the centre of match-fixing allegations are preparing for crucial talks with officials from their country. They look set to miss their team's match against Somerset on Thursday after the meeting was put back 24 hours. Test captain Salman Butt and seam bowlers Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Aamer were due to have talks in London with Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Ijaz Butt and the country's high commissioner. However, it emerged on Tuesday night that the meeting has been postponed until Thursday, when the friendly match with Somerset takes place. Meanwhile it emerged that three people have been arrested by customs officials in connection with betting allegations against Pakistani players. Two men and a woman, all from London, were questioned on Monday as part of an investigation into money laundering before being released on bail, HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) said. It said: "Three individuals were arrested on Sunday as part of an ongoing investigation into money laundering. This includes two 35-year-olds - a male and a female - from the Croydon area, and a 49-year-old male from the Wembley area. These individuals were arrested, questioned and have been bailed pending further investigation." A spokeswoman refused to confirm whether the arrests were linked to the alleged betting scam reported by the News of the World. The newspaper said journalists posing as Far Eastern businessmen paid a middleman £150,000 to arrange for Pakistan players to deliberately bowl no-balls to order in last week's fourth Test against England at Lord's. Following the report, Mazhar Majeed, 35, a cricket agent who also owns Croydon Athletic Football Club, was arrested by Scotland Yard detectives and later released on police bail. Four Pakistan players - Butt, Aamer, Asif and wicketkeeper Kamran Akmal - were questioned by police over the allegations at their London hotel. There has been speculation that the four will be asked to withdraw from the forthcoming Twenty20 internationals and one-day internationals, which begin on Sunday in Cardiff.

Blast victim takes up challenge

0
0
Image A British man who lost an arm and a leg while supervising mine clearance in Mozambique is due to start a 1,000-mile challenge to raise funds for Barnardo's. Chris Moon, who lost his right arm and leg in 1995, has been running marathons, ultra-distance races and raising money for charity in the past 15 years. The 48-year-old, who was born in Wiltshire and lived in Coombe Bissett, near Salisbury, aims to run 36 miles a day for 30 days. He leaves Edinburgh for the journey and is expected to clock up about 1,000 miles in the month. The route of the Post Office 1000 Challenge will take him through Scotland to Northern Ireland, through Manchester, Liverpool, Northampton and finishes in London on September 30. Mr Moon, who lives in Strathaven, Lanarkshire, said: "Barnardo's is the Royal Mail Group's charity partner. I am both excited and honoured to be involved in this fundraising campaign. "I think knowing that we just did a little bit to make a difference is what life is about, and I hope that by doing this challenge it will help in some way to provide a brighter future with hope and dignity for more children. "I have trained for six months to make my body strong enough to do it. I have done a lot of weight training to make sure the muscles around the joints protect the joints and I have been running 10 miles on most days." He continued: "This is about being strong enough not to break. This is probably one of the toughest I have done. "Every pound is going to count. My target, personally, is raising in the region of over £1 million. "My biggest fear is that the bit of the leg that's left swells up and then gets blisters. It could mean I won't be able to get my leg on again."

Spy widow joins anti-Russia protest

0
0
Image Russian billionaire Boris Berezovsky and the widow of former spy Alexander Litvinenko have joined a protest outside the Russian embassy. About 30 people waving placards attended the anti-Kremlin rally in central London which, unlike similar events in Moscow and St Petersburg, passed off peacefully. Opponents of prime minister Vladimir Putin and rights activists have been gathering on the 31st of each month to honour the 31st article of the Russian Constitution, which guarantees the right of assembly. In Moscow, opposition leader Boris Nemtsov was detained and police officers hauled away protesters who were chanting "Down with the police state!" and "Russia without Putin!" Russian police told the Interfax news agency that more than 60 people were detained while another 70 protesters were held at a rally in St Petersburg. Mr Putin has said police will keep breaking up the protests unless the dissidents obtain official permission - which they are routinely denied. "You will be beaten upside the head with a truncheon. And that's it," he said. In London, Mr Berezovsky and Marina Litvinenko were accompanied by burly security guards wearing earpieces.

Decision due on 'Bloodgate' doctor

0
0
Image A disciplinary panel is due to consider whether to issue a warning to the match-day doctor at the centre of the "Bloodgate" fake rugby injury scandal. Dr Wendy Chapman, who cut the lip of Harlequins player Tom Williams to cover up a bogus blood injury and later lied about her role in the event, was told by the General Medical Council on Tuesday she could practise medicine again. The GMC's disciplinary panel ruled Dr Chapman's fitness to practise was not impaired despite her actions, which it said were not in the best interests of her patient. She was suspended by the GMC last September and could have been struck off at the hearing in Manchester. Williams' supposed injury meant a specialist goal kicker could come on to the pitch for Harlequins in the dying minutes of last year's Heineken Cup rugby union quarter-final tie against Irish side Leinster, who held on to win 6-5. Last week, Dr Chapman told the GMC panel she was "ashamed" she gave in to pressure from Williams, who begged her in the changing rooms to conceal that, minutes earlier, he had bitten into a fake-blood capsule on the pitch. She said she was then "horrified" that she went on to lie to a European Rugby Cup (ERC) hearing that the injury was genuine and supported the club's initial statement of innocence. The panel accepted medical evidence which showed Dr Chapman was suffering from depression for about two years before she cut the player's lip on April 12 last year. It noted she was also awaiting the results of an MRI scan to exclude the possibility of breast cancer - with a strong family history of the disease - and was involved in a work dispute at her NHS post. The former A&E consultant at Maidstone Hospital, Kent, admitted almost all the charges levelled against her by the GMC, which said her conduct on the match day and at the ERC hearing was likely to bring the profession into disrepute and was dishonest. Panel chairman Dr Brian Alderman said Dr Chapman was guilty of "serious misconduct" but she was "severely depressed" at the time. She would not have acted in the way she did but for her "altered state of mind", he said.

Family homes see '£91-a-day rise'

0
0
Image Homeowners with family properties have seen the value of their houses rise by around £91 a day during the past year, research has indicated. The value of detached homes increased by 13% during the year to the end of June, to stand at an average of £299,295, according to Halifax. The group said the price rise had outperformed all other property types, which saw price gains of between 8% and 9% during the same period. The average cost of a detached home was 63% more than the average UK house price during the second quarter. But homeowners with semi-detached properties have seen the biggest gains during the past decade, with the value of their properties soaring by 111% since 2000. The average cost of a terraced property has jumped by 110% during the same period, while the price of bungalows rose by 109% and the value of detached homes increased by 102%. Flats were the only property type not to see double digit returns, with prices rising by an average of 81% since 2000. The research comes the day after economists warned that the housing market was set for a fresh round of price falls after lending levels remained subdued. Suren Thiru, Halifax housing economist, said: "Although the price of all property types has been boosted by the combination of historically low interest rates and lack of properties available for sale over the past year, it is notable that detached homes have seen the largest average price rises. "Such properties are likely to have benefited from greater demand from those buyer groups currently most able to enter the housing market." Semi-detached and terraced homes were the most popular properties bought in the year to the end of June, accounting for 61% of all sales, up from 58% in 2000. Bungalows were the least popular accounting for only 7% of transactions, followed by detached properties at 15%.

One in four 'drinking too much'

0
0
Image More than a quarter of drinkers exceed healthy limits every week, making us a nation of irresponsible boozers, researchers have said. A survey by the North West Public Health Observatory showed illnesses caused by alcohol rose rapidly during the last five years. The study also showed northerners were the hardest drinkers but the most alcohol-related crimes were committed in London. The academics, based at Liverpool John Moores University's Centre for Public Health, published their "Local Alcohol Profiles for England (Lape 2010)" on Tuesday. Professor Mark Bellis, the observatory's director, said: "The price we pay for turning a blind eye to the real extent of alcohol abuse across England is reflected in the new Local Alcohol Profiles for England and it is a price that is paid especially by the poorest communities. "The English death toll from alcohol now exceeds fifteen and a half thousand people every year. "It is time to recognise that we are not a population of responsible drinkers with just a handful of irresponsible individuals ruining it for others. "Over one in four drinkers exceed weekly limits according to national surveys and alcohol sales figures suggest the number is much higher. "At weekends, by the early morning hours our city centres do not have just a few drunk individuals in - actually most people are drunk yet continue to be able to buy alcohol despite such sales being illegal. "We need to see the real cost of alcohol reflected in the price it is sold at and the warnings about the dangers that alcohol represents not relegated to a tiny corner in alcohol adverts, but written large enough for people to recognise the seriousness of the risks."

Blair book reveals rift with Brown

0
0
Image Tony Blair lays bare the divisions at the top of the Labour Party with the publication of his memoirs, focusing attention on his relationship with "maddening" Gordon Brown. Former prime minister Mr Blair's book, A Journey, reveals the depth of the rift between the figures who dominated British politics between 1997 and 2010. Mr Blair said he was put under "relentless personal pressure" by Mr Brown but could not sack his chancellor because he feared that would lead to him being ousted earlier. In an interview with The Guardian Mr Blair said towards the end of his time in office the relationship with his eventual successor became "difficult, very difficult" with disagreements on major aspects of policy. The newspaper reported that at one point in his book Mr Blair says he concluded that unless Mr Brown defined himself along New Labour lines his premiership "was going to be a disaster. I knew it". But in the book Mr Blair wrote that he was powerless to prevent his successor moving from No 11 to No 10 Downing Street. "It is easy to say now, in the light of his tenure as prime minister, that I should have stopped it; at the time that would have been well nigh impossible." Mr Blair acknowledged the strengths that made Mr Brown a formidable rival, and suggested his power base within the party and media would have made it difficult to remove him. "Was he difficult, at times maddening? Yes. But he was also strong, capable and brilliant, and those were qualities for which I never lost respect." He added: "When it's said that I should have sacked him, or demoted him, this takes no account of the fact that had I done so, the party and the government would have been severely and immediately destabilised and his ascent to the office of prime minister would probably have been even faster." In the book Mr Blair also hints that Mr Brown ratcheted up pressure over the cash-for-honours scandal in a clash over pensions reform. The Guardian reported that Mr Brown told the prime minister he was considering calling for Labour's National Executive to carry out an inquiry, but would drop that if Mr Blair backed down over the pensions proposals. When Mr Blair refused the Labour treasurer Jack Dromey gave a series of interviews attacking the loans furore. Mr Blair said Mr Brown lacked political instinct "at the human gut level", according to The Guardian. He wrote: "Political calculation, yes. Political feelings, no. Analytical intelligence, absolutely. Emotional intelligence, zero." As well as the stormy relationship with Mr Brown, the book covers events from throughout Mr Blair's political life, from his election as Labour leader in 1994 and prime minister three years later to the death of Diana, Princess of Wales, the Northern Ireland peace talks, war in Bosnia, Kosovo and Afghanistan, and the struggle against terrorism.

32 schools to reopen as academies

0
0
Image Just 32 schools will reopen as academies this month after taking Education Secretary Michael Gove up on his offer to apply for the status, government figures will reveal. It is understood that the majority of those opening are "outstanding" schools, or involved in federations with "outstanding schools". Mr Gove wrote to every primary, secondary and special school in England in May inviting them to apply for academy status and the coalition Government moved swiftly to pass a new Bill to allow schools to opt out of local authority control and take up the offer. The speed at which the legislation moved through Parliament led to accusations that ministers rushed the reforms using a timetable usually reserved for emergency laws, such as anti-terror powers. Official figures from the Department for Education will today show that six weeks after the legislation became law, only 32 schools have completed the process to open as academies this month, with 142 in total expected to convert over the coming academic year. More than 2,000 schools have expressed an interest in becoming an academy. Announcing that every school could apply for the freedoms in May, Mr Gove said academies could become "the norm" in England's education system, adding he anticipated a high take-up of his offer. He insisted it was down to individual schools to make the decision. Schools rated "outstanding" by Ofsted were pre-approved, meaning that those under this category who applied immediately are the most likely to open as academies first. A spokesman for Mr Gove said: "This is part of Mr Gove's overall vision - that teachers and heads should control schools, not politicians and bureaucrats." The announcement comes as children across the country prepare to return to school after the summer holidays. Chris Keates, general secretary of the NASUWT teaching union said there were concerns that schools had not properly consulted with staff, parents and their local community over decisions to convert.

Fresh leadership boost for Miliband

0
0
Image David Miliband's Labour leadership bid has been boosted with support from the party's most vocal newspaper backer. As voting in the contest began, The Daily Mirror used a headline of "D-Day" to proclaim the shadow foreign secretary as the best candidate to lead the party. Ex-PM Tony Blair also used the publication of his memoirs to intervene in the election, with what is being seen as an attack on Mr Miliband's leadership rival and brother Ed, a former lieutenant of ousted premier Gordon Brown. Mr Blair - who has accused Mr Brown of losing the election by abandoning New Labour - warned his party against a shift to the left, telling The Guardian: "If we take this path, the next defeat will be even more stinging." He also said attacks on Tory cuts and Liberal Democrat collaboration might bring short-term benefit, but would stop the party from being an alternative government. The Daily Mirror said its decision to back David Miliband had not been easy, describing his brother as the "big surprise" of the campaign. But the paper underlined David's experience at the highest level of government, and said the Tories "really fear" him. On Tuesday Mr Miliband said he would be ready to serve in his brother Ed's shadow cabinet if he was defeated. While younger brother Ed has made clear he would "definitely" serve under David, the former foreign secretary has so far been more evasive over the question of what he would do if he loses the race to succeed Mr Brown on September 25. His move appeared to be an attempt to draw the sting from an escalating row between their respective supporters which threatened to recast the leadership contest as a divisive scrap between advocates of Old and New Labour. As millions of ballot papers were sent out, David insisted that the election campaign had been "a warm comradely contest, a fraternal contest and... a contest that I think will bring credit to the Labour Party and will certainly not come in the way of our family." Asked if he would serve under his brother's leadership, he told Five News: "Of course. You run in elections hopeful of winning but always secure in the knowledge that you might not win and that's life, but I think it's very important that now is a time for people to take responsibility for the party and the country."

Blair book talks of rift with Brown

0
0
Image Tony Blair's memoirs have gone on sale, laying bare divisions at the top of the Labour Party and focusing attention on his relationship with "maddening" Gordon Brown. Former prime minister Mr Blair's book, A Journey, highlights the depth of the rift between the figures who dominated British politics between 1997 and 2010. Mr Blair said he was put under "relentless personal pressure" by Mr Brown but could not sack his Chancellor because he feared that would lead to him being ousted earlier. In an interview with The Guardian newspaper, Mr Blair said that towards the end of his time in office the relationship with his eventual successor became "difficult, very difficult" with disagreements on major aspects of policy. In the book, Mr Blair says he concluded that unless Mr Brown defined himself along New Labour lines his premiership "was going to be a disaster. I knew it", according to The Guardian. Mr Blair writes that he was powerless to prevent his successor moving from No 11 to No 10 Downing Street - "It is easy to say now, in the light of his tenure as prime minister, that I should have stopped it; at the time that would have been well nigh impossible." He adds: "Was he difficult, at times maddening? Yes. But he was also strong, capable and brilliant, and those were qualities for which I never lost respect." The Iraq war inevitably features at length, with Mr Blair acknowledging the "anguish" he feels about the invasion but claiming that leaving Saddam Hussein in power would have been a "bigger risk" than removing him. Ill feeling towards Mr Blair as a result of the hugely controversial decision to invade Iraq will be evident at book signing in London on Wednesday, as protesters mark the publication of what they describe as "the memoirs of a war criminal". The Stop the War Coalition said: "Rather than having his memoirs promoted, Tony Blair should be being held to account for the terrible suffering he has inflicted."

Attack hits Middle East talks hope

0
0
Image After months of shuttle diplomacy, the Obama administration is set to plunge into a new round of Mideast peacemaking, bringing Israeli and Palestinian leaders together for face-to-face talks for the first time in nearly two years. But already low expectations for the talks were jolted even before they began when a Palestinian gunman opened fire on an Israeli vehicle travelling in the West Bank, killing four passengers in an attack claimed by the militant Hamas movement. Israeli officials said the shooting was an attempt to sabotage the discussions. With US officials allowing that success in Thursday's negotiations may be defined simply as an agreement to meet again, President Barack Obama was getting ready to host Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on Wednesday. The goal is to formalise a peace agreement in a year's time that will lead to the creation of a Palestinian state. But with the two sides far apart on all the key issues, the going is expected to be slow and fraught with difficulties. Tuesday's deadly shooting near the town of Hebron was a reminder of the fragility of the situation. "We will not let the blood of Israeli civilians go unpunished. We will find the murderers, we will punish their dispatchers," Netanyahu said as he met with Secretary of State Hillary Clinton at a Washington hotel. "We will not let terror decide where Israelis live or the configuration of our final borders. These and other issues will be determined in negotiations for peace that we are conducting." Netanyahu's spokesman, Mark Regev, said earlier that the attack would not change this week's summit, but served to stress the security concerns that Israel plans to make a central issue in the talks. "There is no change. We are committed to peace," Regev said. Later, West Bank settlers said they would break the government freeze on construction in their communities to protest at the shooting. Israel imposed a 10-month freeze on construction in West Bank settlements in an effort to get negotiations with the Palestinians back on track.

Body of spy was padlocked in bag

0
0
Image The body of British code-breaker Gareth Williams was found padlocked shut in a holdall in a bath in his flat, an inquest has been told. The cause of death has not yet been established. Mr Williams was found dead by police who broke into the Government-owned flat in Alderney Street, Pimlico, central London, on August 23, Westminster Coroner's Court heard. Mr Williams, 30, had failed to appear at work for several days and had not been seen for eight days when his body was found. Coroner Dr Paul Knapman said he was found in a bag which was padlocked shut and the corpse was in an "advanced state of decay", a court spokeswoman said. A post-mortem examination carried out on August 25 failed to establish a cause of death and investigations are continuing. The inquest was adjourned to September 8. Dr Knapman will be kept informed of how the investigation is progressing and consider when to release the body so a funeral can take place, the spokeswoman said. Officers are still trying to determine if Mr Williams was asphyxiated, poisoned or if drugs or alcohol were present in his system. A pathologist found Mr Williams was not stabbed or shot and there were no obvious signs of strangulation.

Blair book reveals clash with Brown

0
0
Image Tony Blair has published his long-awaited autobiography which describes his battles with Gordon Brown, his fears for the future of the Labour Party and his use of alcohol during his premiership. The memoirs, A Journey, went on sale in London at 8am with the former prime minister in Washington for Middle East talks and a White House dinner. Mr Blair blames Mr Brown for losing the last election by deviating from the New Labour message, describes him as "maddening", but stresses that he respected many of his chancellor's strengths and qualities. Mr Blair said it would have been "nigh on impossible" to have prevented Mr Brown succeeding him. The ex-PM said Labour will face danger if it drifts to the left under its new leader, predicting an even heavier election defeat. And in a passage that may surprise some of the former premier's friends, he confesses he began to worry about his drinking. Mr Blair writes of Mr Brown: "Was he difficult, at times maddening? Yes. But he was also strong, capable and brilliant, and those were qualities for which I never lost respect." Page after page of the memoir, grouped in themed chapters rather than written in chronological order, catalogues disagreements with Mr Brown and the "relentless personal pressure" from the then chancellor for him to quit. On his drinking, Mr Blair writes: "By the standards of days gone by I was not even remotely a toper, and I couldn't do lunchtime drinking except on Christmas Day, but if you took the thing everyone always lies about, units per week, I was definitely at the outer limit. "Stiff whisky or G&T before dinner, couple of glasses of wine or even half a bottle with it. So not excessively excessive. I had a limit. But I was aware that it had become a prop." Lindsey German, convener of the Stop The War Coalition, said Mr Blair was still refusing to apologise for Iraq. She said: "The book is trying to justify the unjustifiable. He is refusing to say sorry or express any regret. He also appears to be saying there should be a war against Iran."

Court refuses to block Stig naming

0
0
Image The High Court has refused to grant a temporary injunction preventing the revelation of the identity of Top Gear's The Stig. The BBC had taken legal action to block publication by HarperCollins of an autobiography which would unmask the faceless mystery driver. It claimed he is bound by a confidentiality agreement and that revealing who he is would spoil viewers' enjoyment of the popular BBC Two programme. But, after more than a day of legal submissions in private before Mr Justice Morgan in London, lawyers for HarperCollins emerged to say the case had concluded in their favour. Solicitor Robin Shaw said: "The judge has said he is not going to grant an injunction in this case. "Reasons are to follow and will be given in a private judgment." He added that there was unlikely to be a further public statement or another court hearing on Wednesday. A spokeswoman for the BBC said the judgment did not prevent it from pursuing the matter to a full trial of the issues.

Special constable jailed for attack

0
0
Image A special constable who assaulted an off-duty soldier while attempting to arrest him has been jailed for three years. Peter Lightfoot, 40, attacked Lance Corporal Mark Aspinall outside a bar in Wigan, Greater Manchester, in the early hours of July 27 2008. The incident was caught on CCTV, which showed Lightfoot pushing the soldier's head into the ground and striking him with a police helmet. He was found guilty of the assault on the soldier, who served in Afghanistan and Iraq, by a jury at Manchester Minshull Street Crown Court last month. Two other officers involved in the incident, Sergeant Stephen Russell, 34, and Pc Richard Kelsall, 29, were cleared of assaulting the soldier. L/Cpl Aspinall was himself initially charged and convicted of two counts of attacking the police officers by Wigan magistrates, who did not view the CCTV. He later won an appeal to have the verdict quashed at Liverpool Crown Court, as the judge cited concerns about the actions of the officers. Lightfoot was also convicted of one count of perjury, in relation to the evidence he gave during the soldier's trial. He was jailed for one year for perjury, and two years for assault, to run consecutively.
Viewing all 5527 articles
Browse latest View live




Latest Images