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Police Told To Improve Efforts to Tackle Anti-Social Behaviour (2 February 2012)

 

Police forces across the England and Wales will be obliged to tackle anti-social behaviour in the event that five households or greater issue complaints relating to another resident in their area, according to the Government.

 

 

Prisoners Caught Accessing Social Network Sites (2 February 2012)

 

Violent criminals have been caught using social networking sites to harass victims and their relatives from their prison cells. Other inmates have been caught running their criminal empires with the help of the internet. Prisoners are prohibited from connecting up to the internet yet manage to gain access through mobile phones that have been successfully smuggled into prisons.

 

 

Government Outlines Plans for New National Crime Agency (2 February 2012)

 

A child is at a greater risk of harm whilst using their computer than they are waiting outside of their school’s gates, the Home Secretary has warned. Theresa May has told of the “serious problem” cyber-crime creates, a crime which has caused a greater number of losses than those resulting from burglars entering into the home.

 

 

Government Unveils Proposals to Change Criminal Compensation Scheme (2 February 2012)

 

The justice secretary has unveiled new plans to reform the Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme following annual costs trebling to almost £300 million between 1997 and 2011. Ken Clarke also desires for criminals to make greater contributions towards the scheme.

 

 

Hospitals to Receive Financial Incentives to Increase Staff Levels under Government Proposals (2 February 2012)

 

Poorly performing hospitals may be offered financial incentives to enhance staff levels under Government proposals. Andrew Lansley, the Health Secretary, wants to provide cash incentives to hospitals that employ a greater number of staff at weekends and hence reduce the pressure on junior doctors. Recent statistics have revealed that mortality rates are greater during out-of-hours treatment amongst certain NHS trusts.

 

 

Britain to Introduce “Selective” Immigration Policy (1 February 2012)

 

Britain is set to accept only the “best” immigrants under proposals to reduce the number of immigrants settling into life in the UK, Damian Green, the Immigration Minister, has announced.

 

 

Investigation Launched Into Hip Implant Safety (1 February 2012)

 

Medical regulators have begun to investigate the safety of hip implants amid fears that they may be poisoning the patients who have received them.

 

 

Survey Reveals UK Consumers’ Lack of Retirement Planning (1 February 2012)

 

The economic uncertainty is meaning that Britons are failing to save for their retirement, recent research has revealed. Only one in five consumers surveyed about their top financial priorities revealed that contributing to their pension was important to them. The study of 1,000 UK adults, conducted by the home shopping company, Kleeneze, also surveyed respondents about the way in which the economy had affected their personal financial situation. Nearly half of all respondents, 45 per cent, claimed that it had worsened.

 

 

Labour MP Calls for Relaxation of Smacking Laws (1 February 2012)

 

A senior Labour MP has called for the legislation surrounding smacking to be relaxed to enable working-class parents to instil discipline in their children in the absence of fearing prosecution. David Lammy, an MP for Tottenham, stated that the decision of Labour in 2004 to tighten up legislation relating to smacking partly caused the 2011 civil unrest.

 

 

New Poll Reveals Little Public Support for Multimillion-Pound Executive Pay (1 February 2012)

 

A new poll has revealed a lack of public support for executive pay, with few people believing that top bosses are worthy of earning in excess of £1 million per annum.

 

 

Cost of Relocating Increases By 70 Per Cent (31 January 2012)

 

The cost of relocating has increased by 70 per cent over the past decade, now standing at £9,000. The rising financial burden has surpassed the increase in property prices over the same decade, according to a recent report. It means that the cost of moving house is now equivalent to 27 per cent of the average worker’s gross full-time income, an increase from 22 per cent ten years ago, increasing pressure on the finances of cash-strapped families.

 

 

Mother Receives £6 Million Pay-out On Behalf of Disabled Son (31 January 2012)

 

A mother has been awarded a £6 million compensation payout after her son was left disabled from birth due to hospital errors. Ronak Patel, 29, is unable to use his limbs, has little speech and poor vision and cannot move unaided, as he suffered from a lack of oxygen before birth.

 

 

Prison Nurse Who Failed To Treat Ill Colleague Suspended for Six-Months (31 January 2012)

 

A prison nurse who failed to help her sick colleague has been suspended from working as a nurse for six months. Rose Jolly ignored pleas from two worried colleagues who requested that she help a probation officer who was experiencing what they described as a shortness of breath and chest tightness.

 

 

Mother-Of-Two Caught Claiming Benefits Whilst Working As a Glamour Model (31 January 2012)

 

A mother-of-two has admitted her guilt to falsely claiming over £16,000 in welfare benefits whilst in employment as a glamour model. Kirsty Summers, 23, informed officials that she was unemployed when she was earning thousands as a glamour model on TV shows and online. She continued to receive council tax credits, income support and housing benefits for almost 18 months.

 

 

Owning a Property Costs Less than Renting, Study Reveals (31 January 2012)

 

Homeowners are £1,400 per year better off than those who rent, a study has revealed. Mortgage deals released of late have allowed individuals to pay an average of £600 per month for a three-bedroom home, £116 less than the cost of renting. In 2008, meanwhile, homeowners incurred an average mortgage of £928 per month for a three-bedroom home, 29 per cent greater than the then cost of renting.

 

 

HMRC Issues Cash-In-Hand Payment Warning (30 January 2012)

 

Dave Hartnett, HM Revenue and Customs’ permanent tax secretary, has warned that cash-in-hand payments are harming the economy and depriving hospitals and educational establishments of vital funds. Mr. Hartnett has urged the public to report individuals they believe to be evading tax.

 

 

One In Ten First-time Home Buyers Rely on Grandparents for House Deposit, Report Uncovers (30 January 2012)

 

Millions of first-time home buyers are turning to their grandparents to help them to acquire the funds that they require for a house deposit, a new report has revealed. The report stated that increasing numbers of youngsters turn to their parents, only to find that they themselves do not have the funds to help them with their deposit.

 

 

Bullied Prisoners Deliberately Self-Harm To Relocate, Report Finds (30 January 2012)

 

Bullied inmates are deliberately self-harming to attempt to be transferred to other jails, inspectors have cautioned. A report, which focused on Wealstun Prison, West Yorkshire, claimed that prisoners felt unsafe and oftentimes, they were bullied over debts resulting from the use of drugs and tobacco.

 

 

Capsized Cruise Ship Company Offers Compensation to Passengers (30 January 2012)

 

The company that owns the capsized cruise ship, the Costa Concordia, has awarded passengers £9,000 each in compensation. The cruise ship ran aground on January the 13th, with over 4,000 people on board. The agreement follows negotiations between Costa Cruises and a range of Italian consumer groups.

 

 

Government Overestimated Number of Unemployed Helped By Work Programme (27 January 2012)

 

According to the figures from the National Audit Office (NAO), the Government has overestimated the amount of individuals able to be helped back into work by its new work programme. The National Audit Office claimed that 26 per cent of unemployed over-25-year-olds would acquire jobs, in comparison to the official prediction of 40 per cent.

 

 

New Drug Guidance Recommends Less Stringent Sentences for Drug Mules (27 January 2012)

 

Individuals who purchase drugs to share may avoid being handed a jail term under new guidance. The sentencing council has also spelt out explicitly that the use of cannabis for medical purposes for serious medical conditions should be acknowledged by the courts when passing sentences to offenders. The official guidance, set to come into force in February, recommends a less stringent approach to “drug mule” sentencing.

 

 

Employees to Receive Details of Tax Spending Under New Proposals (27 January 2012)

 

According to proposals from a Conservative MP, taxpayers could be set to receive a breakdown of the amount of revenue spent on public services, personalised according to their income. Ben Gummer, who proposed the idea, will present the idea to the Commons. The proposals are likely to be support by the Conservatives, as it may help to enhance support for the Coalition Government’s funding reductions to public services.

 

 

Postman Stole Money from Charity, Court Hears (27 January 2012)

 

A postman who opened charity envelopes and stole the monetary donations inside of them has told a magistrates’ court that he felt “deeply ashamed” at his behaviour. Bernard Mumbaya-Kimbing admitted stealing funds that were supposed to aid cancer and animal protection charities. The father-of-four was handed a two-month suspended jail term following being caught by surveillance teams at the Ancoats-based Manchester Mail Centre.

 

 

Manchester Father Receives Compensation for Crisp Manufacturer’s Blunder (27 January 2012)

 

A Manchester father who choked on a mould that was mistakenly left inside of a crisp packet has been awarded £3, 500 in personal injury compensation. Peter Collins instigated legal action against the popular crisp manufacturer, Walkers. A settlement was reached almost four years after the incident took place.

 

 

Repossessions to Increase If New EU Directive Is Passed (26 January 2012)

 

Homeowners could face increasing mortgage costs if a new EU directive is pushed through by the European Parliament. British mortgage owners will be required to begin repossession proceedings once they have fallen behind on the three months of payments, as opposed to six, with thousands of homeowners facing losing their properties if the EU directive takes effect, it has been reported.

 

 

High Court Awards £12.5 Million to Russian Oligarch's Former Wife (26 January 2012)

 

A Russian oligarch’s ex-wife has been awarded £12.5 million in a divorce settlement at London's High Court. International financier, Boris Agrest, had sworn to leave his wife, Janna Kremen, and their three children penniless following the collapse of their marriage in 2007. Ms. Kremen, a former employee of Russia’s military intelligence service, claimed that while her former husband was worth millions, she would be pleased to receive a £10 million pound divorce settlement.

 

 

UK Mortgage Outlook Difficult To Predict, Reports CML (26 January 2012)

 

The conditions within the UK’s mortgage market over the coming year are difficult to predict, according to the Council of Mortgage Lenders (CML). The CML claimed that the crisis within the eurozone had resulted in the uncertainty.

 

 

Mother and Baby Died From Midwifery Errors, Inquest Rules (26 January 2012)

 

A mother and her newborn died from a treatable infection due to errors made by busy midwives. Lisa Kerr, aged 33, went into septic shock just four days following giving birth to her son, Jeremiah. Jeremiah, who was born premature, died a few days later, from the same infection that killed his mother.

 

 

Number of Fraudulent Council Housing Tenants Higher Than Expected, According To Home Office Figures (26 January 2012)

 

According to the result of a recent study, as many as one in five council housing residents could be fraudulent. The results indicate that 750,000 tenancies may be fraudulent in England, exceeding the Government’s estimates of 50,000. Grant Shapps, the Housing Minister, believes that significant numbers of tenants are benefiting from the hugely subsidised rents that they then use to illegally sub-let the properties.

 

 

Councils Encouraged To Sign Up To Council Tax Freeze (25 January 2012)

 

Eric Pickles, the Communities Secretary, has encouraged councils to agree to the council tax freeze, claiming that they have a “moral duty” to do so. Some of England’s local authorities have claimed that they wish to reject funds from central Government and increase council tax rates. Mr. Pickles has told of how council tax rises would hit hard-working taxpayers hard.

 

 

Policeman Jailed For Child Sex Abuse (25 January 2012)

 

A police officer has been handed an 18-year jail term for sex abuse. The judge described the police officer’s crimes as amongst the “most despicable” had had ever heard. The 43-year-old police officer was fired from Thames Valley Police following being disciplined for threatening those who had complained about him.

 

 

Cunard Crewman Questioned Over Child Abuse Allegations (25 January 2012)

 

A Cunard cruise ship worker is currently the subject of police investigations after he was accused of indecently assaulting child passengers. The crewmember allegedly abused children on the Queen Mary 2 and Queen Elizabeth vessels over a five-year period. Detectives began their investigation after receiving a tip-off, believed to derive from the parents of one of the abused children. Wiltshire police officers, where the anonymous crewmember resides, have contacted parents across various parts of Britain, requesting that they consent to an interview.

 

 

Thousands of Women Prescribed Pregnancy Drug at Risk of Cancer (25 January 2012)

 

Thousands of women are at a higher risk of developing a range of cancers due to a pregnancy drug their mothers were prescribed while they were in the womb, experts have warned. The drug, diethylstilboestrol, or DES for short, was widely prescribed from 1938 to 1971 under the false beliefs that it was able to reduce the chance of miscarriage. Yet in 1971, researchers uncovered a link between the use of the drug and vaginal cancer in the daughters of the women who were prescribed the medicine.

 

 

Grieving Family Receive £1,150 in Compensation Following Donor Organ Mishap (25 January 2012)

 

The family of a patient who underwent organ donation surgery has been awarded compensation after it was revealed that the patient’s heart was removed in the absence of consent. The grieving family was awarded £1,150 after the NHS Blood and Transplant service, the authority that holds the responsibility for supplying donated organs, admitted the error. The error was blamed on a computer software fault.

 

 

Thousands of Criminals Reoffend After Receiving a Caution (24 January 2012)

 

Tens of thousands of individuals convicted of crimes have been found to reoffend within one month of being handed a caution. In only a year, 21,000 offenders reoffended within a month of receiving a caution. The statistics were released after Crispin Blunt, the Prisons Minister, urged for fewer young offenders to be handed jail terms.

 

 

Welfare Benefits Reforms Could Take Away Claimant’s Independence, Claims Flintshire Mind Chief (24 January 2012)

 

The chief of the Flintshire Mind, a mental health support organisation in North Wales, has warned that changes to the welfare benefits system could force individuals with disabilities to lose their independence. Plans to reduce Government spending on welfare benefits for the disabled by 20 per cent could abolish individuals’ abilities to leave their own homes and will put strain on mental health services in the county, according to campaigners.

 

 

Former Woolworths’ Employees to Receive Compensation for Redundancies (24 January 2012)

 

A shop workers’ union has been awarded compensation to hand out to over 24,000 former Woolworths’ employees who were made redundant upon the collapse of the retailer in 2008. Usdaw took their case to the Employment Tribunal, believing that the administrators had a legal duty to undergo consultations with them before making staff redundant. Following the tribunal, Usdaw was awarded compensation equivalent to 60 days of members’ pay, the maximum payable for the circumstances.

 

 

Lincolnshire Residents Campaign over Plans to Accommodate Inmates near Award-Winning Village (24 January 2012)

 

The Ministry of Justice’s plans have come under fire as residents have voiced their opposition to accommodating prisoners on the outskirts of a Lincolnshire village before they have completed their jail terms. Around 40 inmates will be accommodated near to residents in Freiston after plans for an open jail were given the go-ahead. Under the plans, three semi-detached homes, located just one mile away from the village, will be turned into residential accommodation for prisoners.

 

 

Jobless Face Greater Car Insurance Premiums, Data Shows (24 January 2012)

 

Insurers have received criticism for charging unemployed individuals more for their car insurance. Research involving three brokers revealed that vehicle insurance premiums were, on average, 30 per cent greater for individuals out of work. In some instances, premiums were 63 per cent greater. The Association of British Insurers (ABI) uncovered data that showed that unemployment was considered an “additional risk” by insurance companies.

 

 

Three Babies Die after Bacterial Infection Outbreak in Neonatal Unit (23 January 2012)

 

An investigation into the cause of a bacterial infection outbreak has been launched after three babies died at a Belfast hospital. Belfast Health Trust has told of how admission to the Royal Hospital’s neonatal unit has been restricted following an outbreak of pseudomonas. An investigation has been launched to trace the source of the bacteria. Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a type of bacteria found in animals, plants, soil and water.

 

 

Juror Caused Court Case to Collapse by Carrying Out Internet Research (23 January 2012)

 

A University lecturer who performed internet research on a man accused of rape has caused the court case in which she was a juror to collapse. Theodora Dallas, 34, told the court that she conducted the internet search, as she was unable to understand precisely what the judge had told her. Ms. Dallas claimed that the judge spoke “too softly” and as a result, she was unable to comprehend what he was saying.

 

 

Over 370,000 Migrants Claimed Welfare Benefits in 2011, Research Reveals (23 January 2012)

 

Over 370,000 migrants claimed work-related welfare benefits last year, according to the results of recent research. The Government revealed the statistic following matching welfare benefits records to border control and tax information on their databases. A sample of 9,000 benefit claimants showed that two per cent were ineligible to receive state-funded payouts. Chris Grayling, the Employment Minister, stated that the majority of claims were “perfectly legitimate”, adding that the full picture was yet to be revealed.

 

 

BMA Threatens Industrial Action over Doctors’ Pensions (23 January 2012)

 

The British Medical Association (BMA) has threatened industrial action over plans to force doctors to retire later in life and increase the amount that they contribute to their pensions. However, it has been revealed that doctors’ pensions are amongst the UK’s most generous. The average male GP retiring at the age of 60 can expect to receive a pension of £46,600 per annum, compared to the average public sector pension of £7,541 per annum, with two thirds of all private sector workers failing to have paid into a pension.

 

 

Cheshire Jail “Unsuitable” For Women with Mental Health Conditions, Inspection Finds (23 January 2012)

 

A mental health unit in a women only jail in Cheshire has been found to be “wholly unsuitable” by inspectors. Nick Hardwick, the Chief Inspector of Prisons, claimed that as a whole, the conditions in Styal jail had improved, yet described the condition of the inmates in the mental health unit as “shocking and distressing”. The Ministry of Justice stated that the unit could be either replaced or supplemented.

 

 

Son Delayed Burying His Dead Father to Claim Father’s Benefits (20 January 2012)

 

A Preston man has admitted his guilt at failing to bury the body of his dead father. Christopher Blackburn, 29, also accepted a charge of taking over £1,000 worth of income support that was paid into his deceased father’s bank account. Preston Crown Court heard how neighbours alerted the authorities following becoming concerned that they had not witnessed the movements of the former lorry driver. The court was informed that Christopher Blackburn had lodged at his father’s home in Alderfield.

 

 

Campaigners Call for a Delay in Benefits Changes (20 January 2012)

 

Campaigners have urged the Government to delay reforms to Disability Living Allowance (DLA), claiming that the new medical assessments that will determine an individual’s eligibility are not ready. Lord Low, a former chairperson of the RNIB and crossbench peer, stated that the livelihoods of disabled individuals were at stake. Ministers, meanwhile, have described DLA as being “out of date", adding that £600 million per year was being handed to people who were no longer eligible.

 

 

Murderers Can Remain In Jail for Life, EU Court Judges Rule (20 January 2012)

 

The UK's most dangerous criminals are able to remain in jail for life, EU Court of Human Rights judges have ruled. Murderers Peter Moore, Jeremy Bamber and Douglas Vinter had requested that the court rule on entire life sentences, claiming that condemning them to a life in prison amounted to treatment that they described as being “inhuman or degrading”. The trio argued that all sentences for inmates should be subject to regular reviews.

 

 

Thousands of Jury Trials to Be Scrapped Under Reforms (20 January 2012)

 

The number of jury trials could be dramatically cut under reforms designed to reduce court case costs, it has been revealed. The reforms could save over £30 million per annum, but are likely to be met with strong opposition from civil liberties campaign groups. Juries in cases covering minor thefts, assaults, criminal damage, burglaries, specific drug offences, and certain driving offences will be abolished under the reforms.

 

 

Minister Calls for “Restorative Justice” For Young Offenders (20 January 2012)

 

The Prisons Minister has rejected proposals to increase the age at which children are forced to take responsibility for their crimes. However, Crispin Blunt has called for a “restorative justice” system, in which young offenders are forced to apologise for their actions, as opposed to receiving a harsh punishment.

 

 

Twins May Be Separated Due To Lack of Local School Places (19 January 2012)

 

Twin girls could face separation, as their local primary school is too oversubscribed to grant them both places. Mia and Hannah Hendry were placed in Carshalton’s All Saints Church of England school four years ago due to the considerable pressure on school places in the area. Mia was first offered a place at the school.

 

 

Police Make Fresh Appeal to Catch Killer of Murdered Bolton Mother (19 January 2012)

 

Greater Manchester Police and the family of a Bolton mother murdered in 2008 have launched a fresh appeal to the public to come forward with information as to the identity and the whereabouts of the killer. Sarah Melia, 34, was found dead in her Horwich home in January 2008. Her body was discovered by her 15-year-old daughter. A man was later acquitted of the murder at Manchester Crown Court.

 

 

Campaigners Urge the Government to Cap Residential Care Fees (19 January 2012)

 

According to an Age UK poll, three quarters of those surveyed believed that the Government should cap care costs for the elderly to prevent the elderly from being forced to sell their properties to pay for their residential care. In excess of four in five respondents did not believe that the Government was doing enough to protect Britain’s most vulnerable older citizens.

 

 

Unemployment Unlikely to fall below 2.5 Million until 2016, Experts Warn (19 January 2012)

 

A chief economic advisor has warned that unemployment levels are unlikely to fall below 2.5 million over the next four years and will reach a peak of 2.9 million in 2013. Cuts in the public sector are set to increase the number of individuals out of work over the coming 18 months. It has been predicted that there will be 2.85 million unemployed individuals by the end of this year. This figure is set to increase by a further 50,000 during the beginning of 2013.

 

 

Nick Clegg Urges Companies to Offer Shares to Employees (19 January 2012)

 

The Deputy Prime Minister, Nick Clegg, has called for an increasing number of companies to offer their employees with a chance to buy shares, claiming that in doing so, productivity and growth will be improved. He has told of how the Government plans to reduce the amount of red tape and overhaul the tax system in order to accommodate employee ownership.

 

 

Criminals Dig Tunnel to Steal From Cash Machine (18 January 2012)

 

A criminal gang spent six months digging a tunnel underneath a Manchester shopping centre to steal money from a cash machine, it has been revealed. Police believe that the gang were local to the area and have been left astonished by the gang’s determination. The gang were found to have dug a 100-foot long tunnel beneath a shop where the cash machine was sited yet only managed to walk away with £6,000 in cash, an amount that has been dismissed as “pocket-change” by the investigating officers.

 

 

Child Offenders Imprisoned Due To Social Care Budget Cuts (18 January 2012)

 

Thousands of child offenders are being left in prison due to cuts to support services’ budgets, a think-tank has revealed. The Centre for Social Justice (CSJ) has cautioned that the justice system is effectively being used for the purposes of parenting children. A report, which utilised input from magistrates, senior police officers and youth justice officials, has called for a significant reduction in the number of children handed custodial sentences, claiming that an excessive number of children are being imprisoned for minor offences.

 

 

Charity Urges Government to Fund Private School Education for Children from Poor Backgrounds (18 January 2012)

 

An education charity has urged the Government to pay for intelligent children from poor families to attend private schools. Sir Peter Lampl, who chairs the Sutton Trust, claimed that leading private schools should be open to children whose parents are unable to afford the cost of tuition fees. He has called for a revival of the grant scheme designed to subsidise tuition fees at day schools. However, a Government spokesperson has claimed that the Government’s priority was to fund the improvement of state schools.

 

 

£185 Million Added To NHS Compensation Claim Fund? (18 January 2012)

 

Almost £200 million has been added to the NHS compensation claim fund, the Government has revealed. Claims have risen in recent years and the NHS Litigation Authority has struggled to fund compensation payments, according to reports from the Department of Health (DoH). The Government has been forced to provide £185 million amid fears that funds would run dry.

 

 

Woman Demolishes Building in Which Her Father Suffered Fatal Accident (18 January 2012)

 

A woman from Norfolk has demolished the building in which her father died after winning a compensation in her local newspaper. Sarah Griffiths, 41, was chosen to press the button that triggered the demolition of the Campbell's Soup Tower in which her father used to work in King's Lynn, Norfolk. Ms. Griffiths, who resides in Clenchwarton, lost her father in 1995. He died following suffering from severe burns while at work in the former Campbell's factory.

 

 

London Homeowners Rush to Rent out Their Homes (17 January 2012)

 

London residents are capitalising on the impending Olympic Games by renting out their properties to those who have purchased tickets for the event. Former England footballer, Sol Campbell, is reportedly renting out his townhouse in Chelsea for £75,000 per week during the Games. This is the equivalent of four times the townhouse’s value. Mr. Campbell's five-storey townhouse is amongst the most expensive of the short-term rentals available during the Olympics.

 

 

Tenant Attends Court to Hear Community Housing Association Dispute (17 January 2012)

 

A tenant who was taken to court after refusing to meet the cost of his rent because he was suffering from the effects of anti-social behaviour in the area in which he resided has walked away free from court with his rent bill in credit. Legal action was instigated against Darren Box, aged 31, of Blenheim Close in Braintree, after owing Greenfields Community Housing a total of £1,200 in rent.

 

 

General Dental Council Battles against a Backlog of Complaints (17 January 2012)

 

The body responsible for investigating complaints against dentists is reportedly suffering from a major backlog of complaints. In 2010, the General Dental Council (GDC) failed to deal with 72 of the 224 serious complaints received, with complainants waiting over nine months for a response. Since the 2010 backlog, the GDC has hired a new chief executive officer and has increased the number of staff it employs and the number of investigatory hearings it carries out. The GDC holds responsibility for monitoring dental professionals.

 

 

Pensioners Struggle against Rising Living Costs (17 January 2012)

 

According to recent research, pensioners in the UK are being hit by rising living costs. For the majority of pensioners, the cost of everyday living has increased by almost 20 per cent over the past four years. This compares with mean inflation of 13 per cent during the same period and means that pensioners are being forced to find an additional £1,000 per annum to maintain the same standards of living.

 

 

London Riot Victim Compensation Claims Delayed (17 January 2012)

 

Hundreds of businesses and homes affected by the civil unrest in London in August of last year have been forced to incur a wait for compensation. Officials have admitted that only £1 million has been handed to victims. The Home Secretary, Theresa May, has been accused of delaying vital payments to victims.

 

 

Social Housing Standards Improvements Necessary, Claims Wales Audit Office (16 January 2012)

 

According to recent reports, the Welsh Government will fail to meet its own targets for improving the standards of social housing this year. The Wales Audit Office (WAO) claims that the Government will fail to meet its targets, even if the deadline was to be extended to 2017. All of the 221,000 properties offered by councils and housing associations must prove to be in good repair, sufficiently heated and possess modern bathrooms and a kitchen.

 

 

Parents Voice Concerns Over Unisex School Toilets Parents Voice Concerns Over Unisex School Toilets (16 January 2012)

 

Parents have voiced their concerns over the decision of a Hartlepool school to build unisex toilets for its secondary school pupils. The toilet block of Dyke House Sports and Technology College was remodelled in a £12.4 million revamp and it sees both female and male pupils walking out from the toilet cubicles into the same room to use the communal sinks. Concerned parents have contacted Hartlepool Borough Council over the issue.

 

 

Newport Woman Died Following Operating Theatre Complication (16 January 2012)

 

A coroner in Gwent has heard the inquest of a woman who died when an experienced surgeon removed the wrong organ during keyhole kidney surgery. In July 2010, Amy Joyce Francis, aged 77, was scheduled to have her kidney removed by surgeons at the Royal Gwent Hospital but instead, a surgeon mistakenly attempted to take out her liver.

 

 

Teenager Left Brain-Damaged Following Midwifery Errors Receives £6.5 Million in Compensation (16 January 2012)

 

A teenager who was left brain-damaged following midwifery errors as a baby has received £6.5 million in personal injury compensation. Ewan Waker, now aged 15, was born with dangerously low blood glucose levels. However, midwives on duty at Harold Wood Hospital at the time of his birth, sent him home. Ewan’s mother, Cecilia, described the High Court settlement as a “huge relief”, adding that the compensation enabled Ewan’s future to be secured.

 

 

Government to Aid Head Teachers in Sacking Underperforming Staff (16 January 2012)

 

The Government is to ensure that it is easier for England’s head teachers to fire underperforming staff from September of this year it has been announced. The new proposals will see head teachers firing poor teachers within a term, as opposed to a year. Michael Gove, the Education Secretary, claims that head teachers have been forced to keep poor performing staff for far too long, adding that red tape was to blame for this.

 

 

Wales' Public-Private Sector Wage Gap Is the UK’s Largest, Claims IFS (13 January 2012)

 

Women working in Wales’ public sector can earn themselves an additional 18.5 per cent and men an additional 18 per cent, than they would make working for the private sector, according to claims from a think tank. Estimates from the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) have revealed that the difference between public and private sector wages in Wales is the UK’s highest wage gap. MPs are set to debate on plans to introduce regional public sector wages.

 

 

New EU Law May Result In One-Third of Employers Sacking Temporary Staff (13 January 2012)

 

One-third of employers are considering sacking temporary staff members due to the introduction of new EU rules, a survey has revealed. Research has suggested that many temporary workers will see their employment terminated before the completion of their 12-week trial period. The initial round of sackings is likely to hit temporary employees this month following the new rules being introduced in October. Under the EU Agency Worker directive, employers would be required to provide temporary staff members who have worked at a company for a total of 12 weeks with the same rights and wages as permanent staff.

 

 

Blackburn Landlord Handed £10,000 Fine for Putting Tenants at Risk (13 January 2012)

 

A landlord from Blackburn has been ordered to meet the cost of a £10,000 fine for failing to pay a gas engineer to carry out the relevant gas safety inspections. Rashid Hussain’s actions were brought to the attention of the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) after he continued to ignore warnings to arrange a yearly visit by a gas engineer to his property. Blackburn Magistrates’ Court was told that Mr. Hussain had supplied his tenants with proof that gas safety checks had been conducted when he initially rented the property to them in September 2008. However, he failed to ensure that yearly checks were conducted.

 

 

Thousands of Britons Abroad Claim Welfare Benefits (13 January 2012)

 

Tens of thousands of British emigrants are believed to be claiming welfare benefits while living abroad, it has been revealed. While claimants residing in the UK are forced to endure new tests to determine their eligibility to welfare benefits, officials have admitted that around 4,000 elderly welfare benefits recipients are living abroad and will be free to draw on money from the state until their retirement.

 

 

One-Third of Crimes Lead to Conviction in Greater Manchester, Figures Reveal (13 January 2012)

 

One-third of all crimes committed in the Greater Manchester area resulted in a conviction between April 2010 and April 2011, figures have revealed. Of the 70,032 crimes committed during this time, only 31 per cent resulted in a conviction. Greater Manchester police officers successfully convicted criminals in 665 of the 2,279 serious violent offences reported. However, their performance was found to be on a par with similar police forces across the UK. Police in Greater Manchester fared worse than those in Merseyside yet better than those in West Midlands and the Met.

 

 

Large Families Found To Claim over £11 Million in Welfare Benefits Each Year (12 January 2012)

 

According to figures released through a Freedom of Information Act request, almost 200 families in the UK are claiming in excess of £60,000 in welfare benefits each year. The statistics have shown that 190 families with a minimum of ten children aged less than 18 years, in which one or both parents receive an unemployment benefit, are eligible to receive £61,183 per year from the state.

 

 

Immigration Fails To Significantly Impact On Unemployment Levels, Claims NIESR Report (12 January 2012)

 

According to a report conducted by the National Institute of Economic and Social Research (NIESR), the impact of immigration on unemployment levels has been insignificant. However, the report states that it is unclear whether migration will result in a shortage of low-skilled careers for British workers. The report follows claims from Migrationwatch UK that there was a likelihood of a link between increasing youth unemployment levels and increasing migration from Eastern Europe. Migrationwatch UK said that 600,000 migrants had entered the UK while 45,000 young people were unemployed.

 

 

Businessman Handed Jail Term for Involvement in £17.5 Million Swiss Bank Fraud (12 January 2012)

 

A Preston executive has been ordered to serve an 18-month jail term for his involvement in a £17.5 million fraud. Mark Pattinson ran part of the fraud from his Preston-based property. Mr. Pattinson forged faxed documentation claiming to be from BJB at another entrepreneur’s request. The court was informed that Mr. Pattinson netted around £90,000 for his involvement in the fraud.

 

 

Nut Allergy Teenager Dies Following Eating Brownie at College (12 January 2012)

 

A teenager who suffered from a known allergic reaction to nuts had died following returning to college after the Christmas holidays, moments after consuming a chocolate brownie served up by her college. Naishel Kelly, aged 14, is suspected to have suffered from an asthma attack following her lunch break at Brighton College in East Sussex. Naishel, from Hove, told her friends that she was having difficulties breathing.

 

 

Drunk Father Who Lost Baby Admits Child Cruelty Charge (12 January 2012)

 

A father who got so drunk that he lost his baby has been branded “disgraceful” by a Hull Crown Court judge. Christopher Dixon had been celebrating his forthcoming wedding on the night that he lost his baby daughter and he was so hung-over that he failed to realise his mistake until nine hours afterwards. Mr. Dixon, aged 34, wept in court upon admitting child cruelty. Judge Michael Mettyear described Mr. Dixon as “irresponsible”.

 

 

Ireland’s Tax Officials to Target Tax Evaders (11 January 2012)

 

Tax officials in Ireland are set to target pensioners, benefit cheats, and they will impose penalties, interest and surcharges on those found to have deliberately evaded tax. The Revenue Commissioners plan to investigate the finances of suspected tax evading pensioners and welfare benefit claimants. Revenue officials predict that they will collect around €45 million in additional taxes this year following their purchase of new computer systems that allow them to access information retained by the Department of Social Protection.

 

 

Child Asylum Seekers Handed Six-Figure Compensation Pay-out for Long-Term Detention (11 January 2012)

 

A family of Kurdish refugees hailing from Turkey has been awarded a six-figure compensation payout from the Home Office following spending a lengthy time in detention eight years ago. Four members of the Ay family were held in detention centres for a total of 13 months, the longest period for which children have ever been detained in the UK. The youngest member of the family, Medya, was seven years old when the family was detained in n 2002.

 

 

Landlords Warned Over Tenant Deposit Act (11 January 2012)

 

From April of this year, landlords who fail to look after their tenants’ deposits may face court action that could amount to up to four times the value of the deposit placed. A Sheffield-based housing solicitor has told of how landlords will risk significant financial penalties in the event that their fail to secure their tenants’ deposits within an approved scheme.

 

 

Estate Agents Witness an Increase in Buy-To-Let Investors (11 January 2012)

 

According to figures released by the estate agent, Savills, one-fifth of the total residential housing stock is now owned by private landlords. Tighter lending standards have been noted as a factor for creating many opportunities for investors to enter into the buy-to-let market. According to Savills, the prospect of increasing rental income has lured buy-to-let investors. The number of mortgages received by private landlords increased 16 per cent to £3.8 billion during the third quarter of 2011, according to claims from the Council of Mortgage Lenders.

 

 

Ten-Year-Old Arrested For Attacking His School Teachers (11 January 2012)

 

A ten-year-old schoolboy has been arrested by police for allegedly attacking his schoolteachers. The incident occurred at a primary school in Oprington in southeast London. The two teachers, both of whom are believed to be in the fifties, were both taken to hospital by ambulance. One of the teachers suffered from a broken leg as well as a suspected dislocation of the kneecaps. The other teacher suffered from facial injuries, according to a report from Scotland Yard.

 

 

NHS To Pay for the Removal of Faulty Breast Implants (10 January 2012)

 

The NHS has announced that it will pay for the removal of faulty PIP breast implants. Around 3,000 patients are believed to have received PIP breast implants on the NHS. The health secretary Andrew Lansley has also announced that around 47,000 private patients who have received PIP implants could have their implants removed by the NHS, if there was a clinical need for it.

 

 

Bus Driver Seeks Compensation for Injuries Relating To Chair Collapse (10 January 2012)

 

A bus driver has instigated a compensation claim lawsuit for £75,000 following injuring his back at work. Robert Young has launched a claim against Lothian Buses following having suffered from “whiplash-style” injuries after a combined table and chair unit threw him and his colleague on to a hard, concrete floor. The bus driver has launched legal action against his employer, claiming that the incident had caused him severe suffering.

 

 

Police Forces Reveal Increase in Drug Arrests in Under-16s (10 January 2012)

 

Recent statistics have revealed that police have arrested in excess of 12,000 under-16s for possessing or supplying drugs in the past three years. The figures have revealed that youngsters as young as 11 are experimenting with drugs such as cocaine, cannabis, ecstasy and heroin. The figures were obtained with the aid of a Freedom of Information Act request to police forces across England and Wales.

 

 

Couples Facing Divorce Encouraged to Mediate (10 January 2012)

 

The Government has encouraged couples considering divorce to mediate rather than litigate. Jonathan Djanogly, the justice minister, urged couples to avoid instigating costly court action and to turn to mediation to enable them to control their futures. Mr. Djanogly has described mediation as faster, affordable and more amicable than divorce and added that it was of particular importance to couples with children, as it provides them with the skills required to consider the best interests of their children.

 

 

Unfinished Psychiatric Report Left Mentally Ill Woman in Jail over Christmas (10 January 2012)

 

A woman suffering from mental health issues was forced to remain in prison over Christmas after psychiatrists failed to complete her psychiatric report, a court has been told. Maria Rolls, 52, was arrested after smashing mirrors on a bus on July the 12th 2011. During her court hearing, she requested that magistrates offer her the help that she required. They adjourned her case from December the 12th to provide time to complete a psychiatric report, despite her admitting being guilty to causing criminal damage.

 

 

Disruptive Pupils Bribed To Stay Away From Schools during Ofsted Inspections (9 January 2012)

 

Disruptive schoolchildren are being bribed with incentives to stay away from the classroom during Ofsted inspections, according to recent allegations. It has been claimed that such tactics are being used in some schools to fool inspectors.

 

 

Preston Residents Protest against Housing Plans (9 January 2012)

 

Preston residents have launched a protest against plans to construct 450 homes in the region. Residents have voiced their opposition to the proposed Haydock Grange development in Cottam. However, officers have advised Preston council’s planning committee to support the plans, despite having received a considerable number of objections to the development.

 

 

Chester Pair Found Guilty of Debt Collector’s Murder (9 January 2012)

 

A pair who murdered a debt collector has received jail terms following a four-week court hearing. Scott Davidson, who now resides in Frodsham, received a life term and has been ordered to a minimum of 30 years in jail for the murder of debt collector, Martin Ithell. His co-accused, Rachael Horton, of Ellesmere Port, received an eight-year jail term, following admitting her role in the murder of Mr. Ithell in March 2011.

 

 

Divorced Parents to Be Granted a Right to See Their Children (9 January 2012)

 

Ministers have begun to draw up new proposals to ensure that divorced parents are granted the right to see their children. Parents who fail to accept the orders will risk penalties and could even face jail terms. Tim Loughton, the children’s minister, has told of how the Government’s vision is to allow children to be free to maintain a relationship with both of their parents, regardless of the relationship that their parents have with each other.

 

 

London Bakery at Risk of Closure Following Council Noise Abatement Order (9 January 2012)

 

A bakery that was established over 80 years ago is at risk of shutting down following receiving a council order not to operate during specific times of the day because a complaint was made relating to the noise produced by the baking of goods. Council bosses informed the Cavan Bakery in London that it is either to stop specific items of equipment between the hours of 9:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. or to cease trading.

 

 

One in Nine Young Adults Drive While High On Illegal Substances (6 January 2012)

 

One in nine young adults has driven following taking illegal substances, a report has revealed. The statistics were published by the road safety charity, Brake. Because of its findings, the charity has urged the Government to introduce roadside “drugalysers”, designed to measure whether motorists have been using illegal substances.

 

 

HMRC to Target Small Businesses (6 January 2012)

 

HM Revenue and Customs is to increase the number of audits it carries out on small businesses. Businesses who fail HMRC’s spot checks to face fines of up to £3,000. Conservative MPs have described the checks on small businesses as disgraceful and claim that inspections must be dropped. HMRC inspectors are to trawl through years of business paperwork to search for insufficient proof of business expenses and income.

 

 

Prisons to Instil Work Ethic in Inmates (6 January 2012)

 

Prisoners will be expected to carry out full-time work behind bars to prevent them from experiencing “enforced idleness”, the Justice Secretary has revealed. Prisoners will work a maximum of 40 hours per week and will perform a range of tasks, from welding to printing. Around 10,000 prisoners currently work 40 hours a week. However, the number is set to increase to 20,000, meaning that one in four prisoners in England and Wales will be engaging in full-time work.

 

 

Charity Urges Energy Companies to Help Poor Families (6 January 2012)

 

Save the Children has urged energy companies to aid families who are struggling to meet the cost of fuel bills. The charity claims that 800,000 families are eligible for the new Warm Home Discount Scheme in 2011/12, which grants families a £120 discount on the cost of their energy bills. However, it claims that a funding deficit by energy companies will mean that only 25,000 families will benefit from the discount.

 

 

Families to Be Hit Hard By Changes Aimed At Reducing the Deficit, FPI Claims (6 January 2012)

 

A leading charity has told of how families with children will lose out due to changes to taxation and welfare benefits aimed at reducing the deficit. The Family and Parenting Institute (FPI) have claimed that the average annual income of families with children will fall by 4.2 per cent between 2010/11 and 2015/16. This is the equivalent of £1,250 per annum.

 

 

Dog Bites Hospitalize 6,000 Victims Per Annum (5 January 2012)

 

The number of individuals admitted to hospital with dog bites has reached 6,000, new figures have revealed. The increasing medical caseload resulting from out-of-control canines was disclosed by the NHS. In response to the growing number of people suffering from injuries caused by dangerous dogs, new sentencing guidelines, which suggested two-year prison sentences for the worst offenders, were proposed last month by the judicial authorities.

 

 

Government Boosts Home Care Fund by £150 Million (5 January 2012)

 

Ministers have added an extra £150 million to the fund allocated for patient care in the home following warnings that the cuts made by local authorities were pushing social care to a crisis point. Andrew Lansley, the Health Secretary, claimed that the additional cash for England had derived from efficiency savings. A further £20 million is set to be directed to aid people to live independently in their own homes.

 

 

Police Forces Found To Have Employed Police Officers with Criminal Records (5 January 2012)

 

Police forces in England and Wales have been found to employ police officers and police community support officers (PCSOs) with criminal convictions, including supplying drugs, forgery, burglary, robbery and domestic violence. Those with criminal convictions include senior police officers. At least 944 officers and PCSOs currently in service possess a criminal conviction. The figures were released following Freedom Information requests being submitted to 33 out of England and Wales’ 43 police forces.

 

 

Two Thirds of UK Adults Support Changes to Metal Theft Legislation (5 January 2012)

 

Insurance claims for metal thefts from churches have reached their highest ever levels, according to a leading insurance company. Ecclesiastical has claimed that in excess of 2,500 claims were submitted in 2011, surpassing the previous record of 2,400 claims in 2008. According to Ecclesiastical, Chelmsford Diocese in Essex submitted over 90 claims for metal theft and was ranked the worst hit area of the UK.

 

 

Teachers Warned Over the Dangers of Social Networking Site Usage (5 January 2012)

 

Teachers in Scotland have been cautioned that they could be risking their careers by using social networking sites. The Scottish Secondary Teachers’ Association has told of how teachers can inadvertently reveal excessive amounts of personal information through setting up a profile on popular social networking sites. The union has also made public its fears that teachers could befriend pupils on the sites.

 

 

Government to Combat Council Housing Tenancy Fraud (4 January 2012)

 

The Government is set to criminalise the sub-letting of council houses and is expected to force thousands of tenants with incomes of £100,000 or greater to meet the cost of market rates. According to recent figures, around 160,000 council housing tenants sub-let their homes. Ministers have described the figures as scandalous and have called for tougher rules to tackle such behaviour.

 

 

One Third of Parents Unhappy with Their Child’s School, Ofsted Reveals (4 January 2012)

 

Thousands of parents have raised concerns over teaching standards and school policies, Ofsted has revealed. According to Ofsted, almost one third of parents with children at either a primary or secondary school have claimed that they would not recommend the school to other parents. Over 9,300 parents have completed the anonymous online questionnaire since its launch by Ofsted in October.

 

 

Two Nottingham Workers Hurt In Colliery Blast (4 January 2012)

 

Two men have experienced injuries following an explosion at the former Welbeck Colliery in Nottinghamshire. The pair, aged 38 and 26, suffered from facial burns and according to police reports, their injuries are considered potentially life threatening. The men were thought to be working in an electrical sub-station housed above the ground.

 

 

HMRC to Investigate Premier League Footballers’ Benefits (4 January 2012)

 

Her Majesty’s Revenue & Customs (HMRC) are to investigate Premier League football stars and the clubs that they play for to establish the extent to which benefits are being granted to them. HMRC’s High Net Worth Unit has sent out questionnaires to the UK’s leading football clubs to demand details of the gifts footballers receive.

 

 

Ministers Will Fail To Cut Immigration, Claims IPPR (4 January 2012)

 

The Government will fail to fulfil its promise to cut net migration by 2015, the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) has claimed. The IPPR has predicted that net migration will fall from its 2010 level of 252,000 to 180,000 in 2012. The IPPR has estimated that the number of migrants entering into the UK from outside of the European Union will fall by around ten per cent in 2012 due to the new restrictions imposed on foreign students and the deteriorating economic climate.

 

 

Council Care Service Costs Rise Sharply (3 January 2012)

 

The cost of council care services for the elderly and the disabled have sharply increased, according to recent figures. Data derived from 93 out of the total of 153 councils in England have revealed that the cost of meals on wheels services has increased by 13 per cent in the last two years alone, while transport costs increased by 33 per cent.

 

 

HSE Issues Fresh Warning Over Workplace Safety (3 January 2012)

 

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has highlighted the importance of adequate health and safety measures in the workplace following an increase in deaths in workplaces in Wales. In 2010/11, 11 employees died in the workplace, an increase of four on the previous year. A further 1,399 employees suffered a major injury while at work.

 

 

New Blue Badge System Introduced To Target Fraud (3 January 2012)

 

A new Blue Badge system has been introduced in England and Scotland to target drivers who abuse the disabled parking system. An estimated 2.5 million individuals have been granted blue badges. Blue badges allow drivers to stop on yellow lines and avoid parking charges and congestion fees.

 

 

NHS Launches Helpline for Whistle-blowers (3 January 2012)

 

The NHS has launched a new helpline for whistle-blowers it has been announced. The helpline has been set-up to ensure that NHS staff can raise concerns over care standards in the absence of fearing reprisal.

 

 

Police to Investigate Usefulness of Lie Detectors (3 January 2012)

 

The Association of Chief Police Officers (Acpo) is to conduct an investigation into the use of lie detectors in solving crimes. Hertfordshire Constabulary are to lead the research. The force previously completed a pilot scheme in which lie detectors were used on 25 sex offenders, all of whom were judged “low level”.

 

 

Private Sector Employees Fail To Save For Pensions (3 January 2012)

 

The number of private sector employees saving for their pensions has fallen to its lowest level in over a decade, figures from the Department of Work and Pensions have shown. Only 38 per cent of employees are saving for their retirement due to pressures on household budgets.

 

 

Supermarket Employee Awarded £21K Compensation Payout (3 January 2012)

 

A popular supermarket store followed one of its employees while she took time off to recover from a back injury caused by slipping in the store’s warehouse. Irene Heslop suffered from a suspected spinal fracture following falling on to the concrete floor of the Asda store in which she worked as a bakery assistant.

 

 

Three-Year-Old Recovers from Chinese lantern Burn Injuries (3 January 2012)

 

A three-year-old from Wrexham who was nearly blinded by a fire lantern has recovered from his injuries after doctors feared that his injuries might have caused blindness. Youngster Cael Jones was left unable to open his eye after hot molten wax fell onto his face after a fire lantern was released into the sky. Cael’s skin turned black upon receiving the injuries and began to peel off.

 

 

Property Price Stagnation Expected To Continue, According To Nationwide (3 January 2012)

 

Property prices in the UK are expected to remain unchanged in 2012, according to Nationwide. The building society has claimed that the average value of a property increased by one per cent in 2011 and has predicted a similar outlook for 2012. Robert Gardner, a chief economist at Nationwide, claimed that the one per cent increase in property prices recorded in 2011 could not be described as strong but has told of how the housing market has remained “resilient”, despite the state of the economy.

 

 

Scottish Schools Fail To Exclude Persistently Disruptive Pupils (3 January 2012)

 

Discipline problems in some Scottish schools are going unchecked as their head teachers are refusing to exclude disruptive pupils, a teaching association has highlighted. The Scottish Secondary Teachers' Association has welcomed the reduction in exclusions but has warned that exclusions are necessary in some schools.

 

 

Londoners Fail To Take Up Apprenticeship Programmes (12 December 2011)

 

The take-up of apprenticeship placements is experiencing a North-South divide, according to a recent study. The study, conducted by the Association of Accounting Technicians (AAT), revealed that 70 per cent of all apprenticeships went to youngsters based in the North of England, with Londoners failing to take up training programmes.

 

 

Scottish Ministers Urged To Rethink Welfare Reforms (12 December 2011)

 

Scottish ministers have be forced to reconsider the effects of the proposed welfare reform bills after Holyrood’s health committee claimed that the changes would see Scotland’s most vulnerable receiving less financial aid. The committee has also warned that a separate Scottish legislation may not be introduced in sufficient time. The UK Government, meanwhile, continues to strongly deny claims that the reforms would hit vulnerable people the hardest.

 

 

Manchester Teen Runs up £900-a-month Phone Bill (12 December 2011)

 

A Manchester teenager has run up a bill of almost £1,000 on his contract mobile phone. Julie Muller, the mother of 14-year-old Luke Armstrong, from Oldham, was left stunned after receiving a bill of £912 for phone calls made in one month. Ms. Muller, who claims to have forgiven her son, is urging mobile phone companies to put limits on accounts to prevent other parents from facing the same problems.

 

 

Millions of Families Struggle to Raise Deposit for a House (12 December 2011)

 

Millions of families must save for 30 years or greater to raise the money required to put a deposit on a house, a new study has revealed. The report has highlighted the impact of high house prices and the request for considerable deposits on cash-strapped UK families.

 

 

Retail Scams Cost Northern Ireland Consumers £100 Million A Year (12 December 2011)

 

Consumers in Northern Ireland have been told by the Trading Standards Service to be aware of retail frauds this Christmas. The organisation has claimed that retail frauds cost shoppers in Northern Ireland around £100 million per annum. Frauds include fake financing companies offering fast online loans and emails from fraudsters who claim to have suffered financial hardship and hence require funds.

 

 

Deliver Driver Admits to the Stealing Of iPhones (9 December 2011)

 

A courier who provided an international crime gang with a supply of stolen mobile phones has admitted his guilt to his involvement in the £4.5 million fraud. Warren Horne, 44, stole nine iPhones while working as a delivery driver for DHL and handed these phones over to a gang of fraudsters, London’s Old Bailey has been informed.

 

 

Department for Work and Pensions Reveals Benefits Claimant Levels across the UK (9 December 2011)

 

The UK’s welfare benefits bill increased by over £4 billion in 2010/11, with certain areas claiming seven times more in welfare payments than others do. The total cost of welfare benefits payment in 2010/11 was £121 billion, a rise on the £116.7 billion bill in 2009/10.

 

 

Father Handed Nine-Year Jail Sentence for Killing Crying Young Son (9 December 2011)

 

A father has been handed a nine-year jail term for killing his young son because he persistently cried. Nathan Allen bit his 14-month son on the cheek and punched his abdomen with such force that he suffered from internal bleeding, leading to his death.

 

 

London Woman Left “Permanently Scarred” Following Beauty Treatment (9 December 2011)

 

An arts writer has been left with permanent scars following visiting a private beauty therapist for Intense Pulsed Light (IPL) treatment, a therapy in which light is used to enhance complexion. Charlotte Cripps, 40, underwent the treatment following recommendation from a friend. During the course of the treatment, Miss Cripps felt “excruciating pain” as a hand-held machine was run over her face and chest.

 

 

Woman Refused Contact with Dying Mother (9 December 2011)

 

A woman who was refused contact with her dying mother at a care home in Leeds has been handed £5,000 in compensation. Both Leeds Community Healthcare NHS Trust and Leeds City Council have issued a full apology to the woman after finding that she was wrongly prevented from seeing her mother.

 

 

Prisoner Wins Right to Read Official Reports Written About Him (8 December 2011)

 

A prisoner has won the right to read the contents of official reports relating to his time in prison. Colin Gunn, 44, was handed a 35-year jail term for plotting to carry out a double murder.

 

 

Study Uncovers Shocking Extent of Teen Tooth Decay in Northern Ireland (8 December 2011)

 

A study conducted by Queen’s University has found that Northern Ireland teenagers experience Europe’s highest levels of tooth decay. Teenagers in deprived areas of the country were found to be twice as likely to have developed permanent damage to their teeth in comparison to elsewhere.

 

 

Parents of Children Stuck By Cancer Driven Into Debt, Claims Leading Cancer Charity (8 December 2011)

 

A cancer charity has found that two-thirds of parents of children diagnosed with cancer have found themselves struggling to cope financially. The cancer charity, who surveyed 245 families, claimed that 76 per cent of those surveyed reported that their child’s diagnosis had had a significant impact on their finances, with two in three of respondents suffering a loss of income.

 

 

Civil Unrest an Anti-Police Sentiment, Claims Study (8 December 2011)

 

An anti-police sentiment was one of the main factors to contribute to the breakout of rioting across England in August, a study has claimed. A joint study, conducted by the London School of Economics and the Guardian newspaper, collated the thoughts of 270 rioters. Of the respondents, 85 per cent claimed that anger at policing practices was a motivation to riot.

 

 

Wage Inequality Worsening in World’s Leading Economies, Claims Think Tank (8 December 2011)

 

The Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) has claimed that wage inequality between the rich and the poor is worsening in almost all global economies. Recent research, which examined 22 countries, revealed that inequality increased in 17 countries between 1980 and 2008.

 

 

Police Chief Urges the Implementation of “Graduated” Driver’s Licence (7 December 2011)

 

A UK senior traffic police officer has called for newly qualified drivers to be banned from using motorways and driving at night. Deputy Chief Constable Suzette Davenport also wishes to see novice drivers faced with limits on the amount of passengers they are able to carry.

 

 

Hundreds of HSBC Employees to Face Job Losses (7 December 2011)

 

HSBC Bank is set to axe “hundreds” of employees, a move blamed on the challenging economic environment. The bank claims that 330 jobs will be axed, yet Unite union claims that over 500 jobs will be lost and have described the timing of the bank’s announcement as “disgraceful”.

 

 

Scotland Unveils Major Building Project Programme (7 December 2011)

 

Holyrood Government has announced a major programme comprising 80 building projects. The programme has been designed to boost the economy. SNP ministers claim that the projects will produce more jobs and encourage growth. The Scottish government claims that it would continue with the multi-million pound building programme, despite budgets being slashed by Westminster. The programme will comprise of 50 specific building projects and 30 infrastructure programmes throughout Scotland.

 

 

Yorkshire Man Wins Compensation Claim against Shoemakers (7 December 2011)

 

A Yorkshire man has been handed a four-figure personal injury payout after his new shoes left him with burnt and blistered feet.

 

 

Nottingham Council Spent £200,000 on Chasing Up Payment from Schizophrenic Man (7 December 2011)

 

A Nottingham council has been forced to meet the cost of a £200,000 legal bill following chasing up a schizophrenic man for the payment of a £1,909 debt. Gedling Borough Council initially forked out around £50,000 to pursue a bankruptcy order against pensioner Trevor Evans after he unsuccessfully kept up with the costs of his council tax payments, yet a district judge has ruled that Gedling Borough Council failed to realise that Mr. Evans had been diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia and dementia. As a result, the judge has effectively reversed Mr. Evans’ bankruptcy order.

 

 

Small Welsh Primary Schools Exempt From Performance Banding (6 December 2011)

 

Around 30 per cent of primary schools in Wales will be exempt from being included in a banding structure designed to monitor performance. Leighton Andrews, the education minister, claims that it will prove impossible to produce a sufficient measure of performance for small primary schools. A leader of one teaching union has voiced his opposition to banding, claiming that the system was akin to school league tables.

 

 

London Overground Staff Scheduled To Work during the Olympics Secure £1,000 Bonuses (6 December 2011)

 

Union barons have successfully secured bonuses of a maximum of £1,000 for the London Overground staff scheduled to work during the 2012 Olympic Games. The deal exceeds the £500 bonus secured for the staff of Network Rail. The latest agreement puts considerable pressure on both the Mayor of London and London Underground (LU) officials to secure similar bonuses for the thousands of staff working on the Tube.

 

 

Northern Ireland Man Found Guilty Of Murdering His Spouse (6 December 2011)

 

A man from County Armagh has been found by the courts to be guilty of the murder of his wife. Christopher Harper had admitted his guilt to killing his spouse in August 2010 but had denied that it was murder. The 40-year-old woman was stabbed once in the neck in her own home.

 

 

Negligent Foreign Dentists Escape Compensation Claims (6 December 2011)

 

An increasing number of dental patients are losing out on the compensation they deserve, as negligent foreign dentists flee back to their home countries to avoid compensation claims. According to recent figures, one in four General Dental Council registered dentists qualified abroad. Yet the body lacks the power required to provide justice to those who have suffered from inadequate dental work.

 

 

North Wales Drunk Driver Receives Two-Year Driving Ban (6 December 2011)

 

A drunk driver who turned his vehicle over after crashing into the entrance to a steelworks has been handed a two-year driving ban.

 

 

Government to Crackdown on Parents Who Avoid Paying Child Maintenance (5 December 2011)

 

The Government has announced proposals to tackle parents who avoid paying child maintenance. Under the new scheme, parents who dodge making maintenance payments will suffer from either a reduced income or reduced benefits payments. Maria Miller, the minister for work and pensions, has vowed that parents who currently avoid making child maintenance payments will find it difficult to dodge the new scheme. The scheme would also save taxpayers’ money.

 

 

Bridegroom Admits Guilt over Cheshire Castle Fire (5 December 2011)

 

A bridegroom has professed his guilt to causing a fire at Peckforton Castle in Tarporley, Cheshire. The fire caused around £6 million worth of damage to the historic building. Max Kay, from Liverpool, admitted to arson at Chester Crown Court. However, he denied causing arson with the intent to damage or destroy property and to endanger life.

 

 

Parliamentary Aide Accused of Spying Granted Right To Remain In the UK (2 December 2011)

 

A former parliamentary aide who was suspected of spying has won the right to stay in the UK, following convincing a hearing that she was not liaising with spies in Moscow.

 

 

Thief Jailed For Handing Courts Bogus Letters (2 December 2011)

 

A woman convicted of theft has received a jail term, following providing the courts with bogus letters from both her GP and her employer. Maria Jordan provided the letters to South East Suffolk Magistrates Court, following failing to attend her court case for alleged breaches of community orders.

 

 

Unilever Employees to Take Strike Action over Pensions (2 December 2011)

 

Unilever employees have voted in favour of strike action against the firm's proposals to end final salary pensions. The Anglo-Dutch firm, which produces products such as Marmite yeast extract and Persil laundry detergent, has announced its disappointment at the result of the ballot, which was organised by the unions of Unite, Usdaw and GMB.

 

 

Junior Doctor Committed Suicide over Pressure of Work, Inquest Heard (2 December 2011)

 

A junior doctor found dead in the River Thames committed suicide over the pressure of work, an inquest has found. Twenty-four-year-old Sumayya Dukes had worked long night shifts at St. Mary's Hospital, Paddington, upon first approaching the A&E department suffering from stress and exhaustion.

 

 

Housing Market “Resilient”, Claims Nationwide (2 December 2011)

 

The property market remains “resilient”, with the average house price increasing 0.4 per cent in each successive month, according to claims from Nationwide. The typical price of a property in November of this year was £165,798, 1.6 per cent higher than November of last year. The figures have been revealed following Government proposals to kick-start the housing market through the underwriting of mortgages for first-time homeowners.

 

 

Riot Compensation Scheme Needs Overhaul, Claims Independent Panel (1 December 2011)

 

An independent panel has called for the scheme designed to compensate businesses and homeowners for damages incurred during the August civil riots to be overhauled. The Riots, Communities and Victims Panel has investigated the causes of the civil unrest, the way in which communities responded and the way in which a recurrence of the riots could be avoided. Its interim report urges changes to the 1886 Riot Damages Act.

 

 

School Budget Cuts in Northern Ireland to Result in Loss of Teachers (1 December 2011)

 

Northern Ireland’s education minister has warned that cuts to the school budgets will result in a loss of teaching jobs. Head teachers have been informed that they will receive five per cent less funding this year, a loss of two per cent more than predicted. The education minister John O’Dowd has described the cuts as “unsavoury but necessary”.

 

 

New Law Protects Against Forced Marriages in Scotland (1 December 2011)

 

A new law has come into power in Scotland to protect people against forced marriages. The legislation provides courts with the power to hand out protection orders to individuals defined as being “at risk”. In the event that these orders are breached, a two-year jail term could be imposed. Victims of forced marriages are also set to receive greater help and existing laws to annul forced marriages have been strengthened.

 

 

Public Voice Concerns Over Care Home Closure (1 December 2011)

 

A meeting has been held in which the public have voiced their concerns over the proposed closure of a string of three care homes located in Allerdale, Cumbria. The closures form a part of a shake-up of health and social care in the area.

 

 

Commission to Investigate Improvement within Scottish Education System (1 December 2011)

 

A commission has been ordered to look into the Scottish education system amid claims that the education system is falling behind that of other countries across the globe. Keir Bloomer, an architect of the Curriculum for Excellence, is leading the Commission on School Reform that has been designed to conduct an inquiry into the way in which the Scottish education system can be improved.

 

 

IoD Warns Of “Unsustainable” Executive Pay (30 November 2011)

 

The Institute of Directors (IoD) has described pay rates for business executives as "unsustainable" and claims that executives’ incomes are damaging businesses in the view of the public. Simon Walker, the director general of the IoD, has urged for action to limit executive pay packages that fail to be linked to business performance.

 

 

Bed-Ridden Benefits Claimant Caught Dancing At Wedding (30 November 2011)

 

A benefits cheat who claimed to be bed-ridden has been handed a jail sentence after he was caught dancing on camera at a wedding. Mohamed Bouzalim had received nearly £400,000 in benefits payments. Mr Bouzalim will face almost seven years in prison following admitting his guilt to charges of fraud, deception and assisting illegal entry into the UK.

 

 

Family Allow To Continue With Damages Claims against Two Police Forces (30 November 2011)

 

A High Court judge has ruled that the relatives of a woman murdered by her former partner in 2009 can continue with their compensation claims against the police. Joanna Michael, from Cardiff, called for the help of the emergency services twice while being attacked by former partner Cyron Williams, yet when officers finally arrived at the scene of the crime in St. Mellons, she was found to be dead.

 

 

Lawyer Left “Horrified” After Finding Squatters in Home (30 November 2011)

 

A lawyer has told of his horror upon discovering that squatters had taken over his half-renovated £4million home. Hamish Lal claimed that seven Eastern Europeans and one Briton had occupied his three-floor Victorian home in Highgate for a month, claiming that they could not afford the cost of London rental homes.

 

 

Companies Contribute To the Cost of Divorces For Staff (30 November 2011)

 

British companies are contributing to the costs of their employees’ divorces to ensure that their employees stay focused on work, it has been claimed. A Manchester-based legal firm has reported "marked increase" in the amount of firms willing to meet a proportion of the cost of legal fees for employees facing divorce. Some companies considered their staff members so vital that they were prepared to pay for their entire legal fees.

 

 

Hospital Cleaner Allegedly Contacted Female Patient on Social Networking Website (29 November 2011)

 

A hospital has launched an investigation following claims that a cleaner had made contact with a female patient after looking through her medical records. The mother-of-two was reported receiving treatment at Edinburgh Royal Infirmary’s accident and emergency department at the time of the cleaner accessing her personal information. The woman claimed that she received a message from the cleaner via her Facebook page the following day.

 

 

Row Erupts Over Warning Signs on Rocks at the Beach (29 November 2011)

 

A Welsh council has been criticised by its local chairperson of tourism and commerce for putting health and safety warning signs on rocks at the beach. Gwynedd council has installed signs on to the six large boulders that were used at Tywyn Beach to form a man-made headland. The signs urge the public to refrain from climbing on the rocks.

 

 

School Caterers Warn Over the Return of Unhealthy Snacks (29 November 2011)

 

School caterers are warning of the impending return of unhealthy food to schools in England. Caterers claim that they have been receiving requests for unhealthy foods in schools. They claim that the requests derived from some of the new academy schools in England. These schools are not required to follow existing healthy eating guidelines. The Government states that it trusts in these schools to act in the best interests of their pupils. It claims that there is reason why academies will not serve healthy foods to their pupils.

 

 

Small Businesses May Benefit From Delay in Pension Scheme Enrolment (29 November 2011)

 

Thousands of small firms are to receive a boost when plans are uncovered to postpone the enrolment of staff into a pension scheme. Companies employing less than 40 staff members will be informed that they are able to delay plans to enrol their staff into a pension scheme by one year. The move is set to reduce the burden on small businesses and enhance growth.

 

 

Sick Family Fear Homelessness Following Being Denied Priority Council Accommodation (29 November 2011)

 

A single mother-of-two is living in fear of homelessness following being denied priority council accommodation, despite all three family members suffering from heart problems.

 

 

First-time Buyers’ Share in Market Hits Three-Year Low (28 November 2011)

 

The number of first-time buyers making up the housing market has fallen to its lowest level in almost three years, estate agents have claimed. Experts in the field have now called upon the Government to increase their efforts to support people attempting to enter into the property market.

 

 

Billion Pound Scheme to Aid Young Jobless (28 November 2011)

 

Nick Clegg has told of how a £1 billion scheme will help to create subsidised training placements to provide the young jobless with hope for the future. The youth contract scheme is set to provide employers with subsidies worth £2,275 to enable them to employ 160,000 18 to 24-year-olds for six months over the course of three years.

 

 

Hampshire Father Remains Hopeful That Children Can Be Buried In UK (28 November 2011)

 

A Hampshire man, whose two children were found dead in Turkey, remains hopeful that he can bury his children in the UK. Justin Mellersh believes that his two children, Yaanis, aged eight, and Mira, aged six, have already been buried in Turkey. The two children were discovered dead with their mother, Elke.

 

 

Enhanced Mental Health Unit Opened (28 November 2011)

 

An enhanced mental health unit has been opened near Lancashire to provide service users from the Lancashire Care NHS Foundation Trust with the ‘step down’ care that they require. The new unit, known as Fellside, is home to 20 step down beds and remotely supervised ‘flat lets’.

 

 

Network Rail to Face Charges over Teenagers’ Railway Deaths (28 November 2011)

 

Network Rail is to face charges over the deaths of two teenage girls at an Essex level crossing in 2005. Fourteen-year-old Olivia Bazlinton and thirteen-year-old Charlotte Thompson died when an express train at Elsenham struck them in December 2005.

 

 

England’s Home Care Service Providers to Face Fresh Care Quality Commission Inspections (25 November 2011)

 

Providers of home care services based in England are to face a fresh Care Quality Commission (CQC) inspection from April of next year. The CQC is set to report on 250 home care service providers.

 

 

Mentally Ill Patients Struggle To Receive Emergency Treatment (25 November 2011)

 

Individuals with mental health problems are facing difficulties when trying to attain emergency treatment, campaigners claim. A review conducted by the mental health charity, Mind, has highlighted the scope of difficulties patients with mental health problems face when trying to get help from their local crisis teams and general hospitals.

 

 

North Wales Teacher Jailed For Sexual Activity with a Child (25 November 2011)

 

A teacher has been handed a four-year jail term following having sex with a 14-year-old girl. A court has heard that John Grindell, a high school music teacher, had become infatuated with his victim. He gave the girl alcohol and had sex with her when she was drunk. Mr. Grindell, who had initially been charged with rape, is said to have been eagerly waiting for the girl’s 16th birthday while on bail.

 

 

Scottish Tenants Incurring the Cost of “Illegal Fees” (25 November 2011)

 

Letting agents in Scotland have been found to have been cashing in on the naivety of their tenants by requesting that they meet the cost of illegal fees, according to the housing charity, Shelter.

 

 

Xbox Live Gamers Hit By Cyber Fraud (25 November 2011)

 

It has been reported that fraudsters have been garnering thousands of pounds from online gamers by tricking them into disclosing personal information. Thousands of Xbox Live gamers are believed to have been subjected to the scam in which fraudsters gain access into Xbox Live accounts and successfully attain details, including credit card numbers.

 

 

Exclusions across Wrexham Schools Exceeds 1,200 Pupils (24 November 2011)

 

Figures from Wrexham Councils have revealed that in excess of 1,200 pupils have been excluded from schools across Wrexham in the past year. Of these exclusions, 381 were due to violent incidents.

 

 

Mother Falls into Coma Following Use of Hair Dye (24 November 2011)

 

A mother has fallen into a coma following the use of a home hair dye product. The family of 38-year-old Julie McCabe, who is alleged to have experienced a severe reaction to the hair dye, has been warned that she has an eight per cent chance of surviving. Mrs McCabe remains on life support following using the dye three weeks ago. Doctors have warned that in the event that Mrs McCabe survives, she may be permanently brain-damaged.

 

 

Children's Commissioners Predict Rising Levels of Child Poverty (24 November 2011)

 

Children's commissioners are predicting that the UK will suffer from increased levels of child poverty as it attempts to deal with its economic problems. The commissioners, who fight for children's rights, claim that the cuts are already having an impact on “key children's services”.

 

 

Church of England Bishops Criticise Benefit System Reforms (24 November 2011)

 

Eighteen Church of England bishops have openly criticised the Government's welfare reform proposals. The bishops have expressed their concerns over plans to limit the sum of money any household is able to claim in welfare benefits to £500 per week. Both the Archbishop of York and the Archbishop of Canterbury have backed their criticisms. The Government claims that the changes to the benefits system have been designed to prevent benefit dependency.

 

 

Government Unveils Affordable Homes Plan (24 November 2011)

 

The Government has announced its plans to enable first-time buyers to borrow a maximum of 95 per cent of the value of a home, using Government underwriting. The plans are a part of David Cameron’s plans to tackle the lack of affordable homes in England and includes a fund worth £400 million designed to kick-start the housing market.

 

 

Ex-SAS Soldier Faces Jail for Child Sex Abuse (23 November 2011)

 

An ex-SAS soldier from Hereford could be facing a lengthy prison term, following being convicted of sexually abusing two girls. Ian Tuckley, 32, who has served in Iraq and Afghanistan, was said to be obsessed with child pornography. He subjected one of the girls, now aged 19, to 13 years of sexual abuse. His second victim, now aged ten, was also sexually abused over the course of several years. One of Mr. Tuckley’s victims fell pregnant because of his sexual abuse. The girl was forced by Mr. Tuckley to have an abortion.

 

 

Britons Injured Overseas Face Lower Compensation (23 November 2011)

 

Changes to European law mean that Britons who sustain serious injuries while overseas could be hit by reduced compensation.

 

 

NHS Staffing Levels under Threat, Says RCN (23 November 2011)

 

Nursing leaders have warned of a “crisis” within the NHS, following the publication of Royal College of Nursing (RCN) data that revealed that over 56,000 jobs either have been axed, or are at risk of being axed, across the UK. The data has been obtained from NHS trusts and includes the analysis of papers from board meetings, forward planning documentation, and annual and strategic reports.

 

 

Scotland Tackles NHS Fraud (23 November 2011)

 

Scotland NHS’ counter fraud team has successfully saved the health service a total of £43 million since its formation 11 years ago. The team has been hailed for securing the sentencing of a surgical theatre technician who was found to have stolen £23,000 in medical equipment.

 

 

Catholic School Warned Over Discriminatory Entry System (23 November 2011)

 

An oversubscribed Croydon Catholic school has received a warning from the Office of the Schools Adjudicator, following giving priority to the children of parents actively involved in church related activities through its entry system.

 

 

Increase in Divorce Rate amongst Over-60s (22 November 2011)

 

A new study has found that Britain has witnessed an increase in ‘silver separations’. Pensioners proved to be the only age group in which the divorce rate is increasing. On approaching retirement, and with a lack of work routine, many over 60s have been coming to the realization that they no longer wish to stay with their partner. Some claim to have discovered that they have a lack of a connection upon their children leaving the nest.

 

 

E.coli Outbreak at Bangor Nursery (22 November 2011)

 

A Bangor nursery has been hit by an outbreak of E.coli. One of the children attending the Bangor University-operated Tir Na Nog Nursery was diagnosed as being infected with E.coli, as has an adult associated with the premises. Four other individuals have fallen ill and are currently being tested, in addition to the other well children who attend the 50-place nursery.

 

 

Long-term Sick Should Be Independently Assessed, Says New Review (22 November 2011)

 

A new Government-backed review has suggested that the long-term sick should not be signed off work by their GPs but must instead attend an independent assessment service. The review also proposes that companies that employ the long-term sick should be granted tax breaks.

 

 

Preston Social Club Allowed To Keep Licence Following Cage Fighting Event (22 November 2011)

 

A Preston social club that played host to a cage-fighting event involving young children has been granted permission to retain its licence. However, the club must adhere to a set of conditions when considering staging future events.

 

 

Major Legal Reforms May Affect Immigration Cases (22 November 2011)

 

According to recent reports, Britain is expected to secure major legal reforms aimed at preventing the European Court of Human Rights from overruling immigration cases. Justice Secretary Ken Clarke has told of how an agreement is likely to be reached to prevent individuals from being granted the freedom to repetitively challenge the deportation rulings of UK judges.

 

 

Preston Charity Scammer Admits Fraud (21 November 2011)

 

A Preston father, who claimed to have secured the attendance of Peter Andre at a charity event, has admitted his guilt to fraud charges. The crimes of Shaun Bradbury centred on a charity project known as Dominic’s House that was set up in honour of his two autistic sons.

 

 

Tenants Hit By Increased Rental Costs (21 November 2011)

 

A recent survey has revealed that the cost of renting in England and Wales has increased for the ninth successive month. However, the rate at which the rises have been occurring has slowed.

 

 

Worker Dies in Airbus Factory Accident (21 November 2011)

 

A man has died while working at a garage on the premises of the Airbus factory in Broughton, North Wales. Donald Williams, 62, was rushed to the Countess of Chester Hospital following the accident but died later as a result of his injuries. North Wales Police and the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) have launched an investigation into the accident.

 

 

Associated Press Journalists Warned Over News Tweets (21 November 2011)

 

The Associated Press news agency has reprimanded a small number of its journalists for releasing news on Twitter ahead of publishing it online. The news agency issued staff with the warning, following certain staff members sending tweets over the Associated Press journalists arrested during the Manhattan Occupy Wall Street camp. An email from the company’s executives followed, reminding staff of the company's social media policies.

 

 

Police Launch Social Media Campaign Over Baby Death (21 November 2011)

 

Lancashire Police have launched an online campaign to attempt to trace the mother of a young baby found dead in the county. Lancashire Police have recorded a direct appeal to the woman, which is set to appear on their YouTube page. Detective Inspector Martin Clague claimed that they had turned to these websites, as they formed a “part of people's everyday lives”. Mr. Clague added that in using popular social networking and video hosting websites, the force were able to reach a wider audience.
The body of the young boy was discovered on October the 1st in Spen Brook, just yards from the Kirkham Boys Brigade Club. Police believe that the body was that of a full-term baby.

Mr Clague claimed that the force’s main priority was to trace the baby’s mother so that she could be offered the support that she may require. He added that the force urged the women to come forward to provide information about the baby’s death.

Duncan Lewis’ childcare law solicitors specialise in all aspects of childcare law. The department is proud to approach each case with a level of understanding only achievable through specialising in childcare law. Whether involving social services or a private law matter, it is important to be represented by those who understand how the law may affect you and your family. The team can provide essential advice and representation to parents, other relatives and children’s guardians in a wide range of public law proceedings. Full public funding is typically granted to all parents involved in public law cases, regardless of their financial means.

 

 

Charity Urges Government to Help Runaway Children (18 November 2011)

 

A recent report released by the charity, the Children’s Society, has revealed that few runway children are reported to the police as missing. The study found that over the course of one year, 84,000 children aged 16 years old or younger ran away from their own homes in England overnight. Of these children, only 17 per cent were reported to the authorities as missing. The charity has therefore called upon the government to ensure that the plight of runaways is made a top priority.

 

 

Fertility Unit Destroys Cancer Patients’ Frozen Sperm (18 November 2011)

 

A NHS fertility unit has come under fire following destroying the frozen sperm of male cancer patients. The sperm samples derived from men preparing to undergo treatment for conditions such as leukaemia and testicular cancer. The men had chosen to have samples of their sperm frozen, as their treatment could have left them infertile.

 

 

Fraudsters Target Flintshire Cash Machine (18 November 2011)

 

Fraudsters have targeted a cash machine on a busy Flintshire high street, in an attempt to clone debit cards. Flint councillor, Alex Aldridge, claimed that some residents in the North Wales town have experienced losses totalling hundreds of pounds following using the NatWest cash machine. Councillor Aldridge has told of how there may have been around 30 fraudulent withdrawals because of the actions of the cash point con artists.

 

 

North West Veterans to Receive Dedicated Mental Health Support Service (18 November 2011)

 

Ex-military personnel in the North West are to benefit from a new mental health support service. Pennine Care NHS Foundation Trust’s Military Veterans’ Service will provide essential mental health support services to veterans and their immediate family in Greater Manchester, Cheshire, Cumbria, Lancashire and Merseyside. The service has been introduced in response to the recommendations issued in Fighting Fit, a government report into the accessibility of mental health support services for ex-military personnel.

 

 

South Wales Mother Challenges Littering Fine (18 November 2011)

 

A mother-of-three has been fined £465 for littering, after ordering that her case be heard in the courts of law. Tracey John was seen dropping a cigarette on the pavement near to her home by a litter enforcement officer. She refused to meet the cost of the £75 on the spot fine and her case was referred to the magistrates’ court. Yet, Ms. John refuses to pay the fine and is prepared to be handed a jail term, claiming that she is “sticking up” for smokers’ human rights.

 

 

Wrexham House Converted Into Cannabis Growing Factory (16 November 2011)

 

A rented property near Wrexham was converted into a large cannabis-growing factory that would have provided its tenants with over £70,000, a court has heard.

 

 

Mother Jailed For Force-feeding Baby to Death (16 November 2011)

 

A mother found guilty of force-feeding her baby to death has received a three-year prison term. Thirty-one-year-old Gloria Dwomoh, a nurse from London, forced her ten-month-old daughter, named Diamond, to consume solid food from six months of age. Diamond died in March of last year. The Old Bailey was informed that the cause of Diamond’s death was pneumonia that resulted from food blocking her airways. Miss Dwomoh had always denied causing her daughter’s death.

 

 

Schools Advised To Not Force Pupils to Eat Food (16 November 2011)

 

The School Food Trust has advised schools not to force their pupils to finish their main course before receiving a pudding. The Trust suggests that requiring pupils to finish everything that is on their plate is “counterproductive”. Several head teachers had requested the advice of the Trust in relation to whether or not their staff should ensure that pupils finished their main courses prior to being granted a pudding.

 

 

Lorry Driver Jailed For Failing to Take Rest Breaks (16 November 2011)

 

A judge has handed a lorry driver a 30-week jail sentence for failing to take adequate rest breaks. Andrew Clorley, from Wrexham, admitted his guilt to altering tachograph records upon running out of permitted working hours. Mr. Clorley worked behind the wheel of a 44-tonne articulated lorry carrying chipboard, Mold Crown Court heard.

 

 

Mentally Ill Woman Avoids Prison Term for Offensive Graffiti (16 November 2011)

 

A woman charged with spraying graffiti on buildings in Peterborough city centre in September has narrowly escaped a prison sentence. Twenty-four-year-old Samantha Moss sprayed offensive words and pictures on Peterborough’s Town Hall and on several banks and building societies, causing over £12,000 worth of damage. Miss Moss had previously been summoned to appear in court over a vandalism spree in December 2009.

 

 

London Property Prices to Increase By 20 Per Cent over Next Five Years (15 November 2011)

 

Experts have forecasted that property prices in London will increase by almost 20 per cent in the next five years. London’s property market is predicted to remain Britain’s most resilient, with the greatest increases to be seen by some of central London’s most sought after neighbourhoods.

 

 

Actor Receives Six-Month Driving Ban Following Refusing Breath Test (15 November 2011)

 

A famous comedy actor, renowned for appearing in TV sitcom, My Family, has received a six-month driving ban after refusing to take a breath test.

 

 

Benefits Cheat Claimed £140,000 to Buy Property (15 November 2011)

 

A woman who stole £140,000 in benefits was handed a jail term for her fraudulent actions. Jennifer Myrie used a range of aliases to help her to attain enough housing benefit to purchase property worth £500,000. The 50-year-old, who was employed in social work, also fraudulently claimed income support and jobseeker’s allowance. Basildon Crown Court was told of how the relatives residing in her properties also made fraudulent claims for housing benefit. Together, they received £140,000 over a total of seven years.

 

 

Four-year-old Provides Evidence in Child Abuse Trial (15 November 2011)

 

A four-year-old boy who sustained life-threatening injuries after allegedly being stamped upon has become the youngest child in history to provide evidence in a criminal trial in the UK courts of law.

 

 

200,000 Disability Living Allowance Claimants Received Aid without Interview, According to Official Figures (15 November 2011)

 

The Department for Work and Pensions has revealed that around 200,000 Disability Living Allowance (DLA) claimants were handed financial support in 2010 in the absence of a personal assessment. Official figures show that 94 per cent of all first-time DLA claimants begun receiving financial aid after just filling out the official paperwork.

 

 

140,000 Toddlers to Receive Free Early Education (14 November 2011)

 

Hundreds of thousands of disadvantaged two-year-olds in England will have the opportunity to enrol on nursery places without charge under a new Government scheme. Under Government proposals, all two-year-olds from low-income families will be provided with 15 hours’ "early education" without charge each week. The pilot scheme, which was introduced by Labour, is set to be extended across the nation in September 2013.

 

 

Prisoner Cleared Of Stabbing Guard (14 November 2011)

 

A prisoner serving three life sentences has been cleared of charges of attempted murder and wounding with intent. Frankland Prison inmate, Kevan Thakrar, admitted his guilt to lashing out when in possession of a broken bottle but argued that he was acting in self-defence.

 

 

Car Insurer Admiral Sees Record Number of Personal Injury Claims (14 November 2011)

 

Car insurer Admiral has told of how record numbers of personal injury compensation claims are likely to impact its growth in profits. The Cardiff-based firm recently claimed that the ban on personal injury referral fees will influence its full-year earnings.

 

 

Dance Teacher Jailed For Grooming Teenage Pupil (14 November 2011)

 

A dance teacher who began a sexual relationship with a 14-year-old pupil at his dance school has been handed a jail term of three years and nine months. The court has heard how Christopher Freeman’s inappropriate relationship was uncovered in December 2010. In March of this year, magistrates handed Mr. Freeman a three-year community order. Following the trial, the teenager divulged further details of their sexual activities, leading to Mr. Freeman’s re-arrest. The dance teacher later admitted his guilt to sexual activity with a child.

 

 

Council Care Cuts Deemed Unlawful By High Court Judge (14 November 2011)

 

A High Court judge has ruled that a council’s eligibility criteria for social care provision to be unlawful. The case against Isle of Wight Council was pursued by the relatives of two autistic men.

 

 

High Achieving Graduates To Be Offered Greater Incentives to Become Teachers (11 November 2011)

 

High achieving university graduates are to be offered incentives of £20,000 to become teachers in a bid by the Government to enhance state education standards. Generous bursaries will be offered to the brightest of graduates wishing to enter into employment as teachers of shortage subjects, including science and mathematics. The plans are part of the Government’s teacher training system overhaul that came because of a slip in school standards in comparison to those of other developed nations.

 

 

Father and Sons Jailed For Driveway Fraud (11 November 2011)

 

A man and his twin sons have received a prison term after conning thousands of pounds out of elderly and vulnerable individuals in return for carrying out inadequate building work. Francis Tomney, Thomas Tomney, and Francis Tomney Jnr. targeted people across Lancashire, Hertfordshire, and Greater Manchester. The three main offered to perform driveway maintenance for extortionate sums of cash. One of their 80-year-old victims was informed by the men that a chemical sealant was used on his driveway when the fraudsters had in fact used milk.

 

 

First-time Home Buyers Increase by 35 Per Cent, Claims Persimmon (11 November 2011)

 

House builder Persimmon has claimed that the number of first-time homeowners has increased by over 35 per cent in comparison to last year. Persimmon claimed that visitor levels and house prices remained stable yet cancellation rates proved to be at an all-time low. Persimmon stated that weekly rates for private sales from the beginning of September 2011 proved to be 19 per cent greater than during the same time last year, and added that it had benefited from sales of £460 million that had been already reserved past 2011.

 

 

Judge Overturns Ban on Abducted Child Appeal (11 November 2011)

 

A senior judge has overturned a publicity ban, allowing lawyers to appeal for information relating to the abduction of a four-year-old girl.

 

 

Former Olympic Youth Ambassador Handed Two-Year Prison Term (11 November 2011)

 

A former Olympic youth ambassador has received a two-year jail term for taking part in the civil unrest in London in August. 18-year-old Chelsea Ives, from east London, admitted her guilt to burglary, damaging property, and violent disorder. The court was informed that Miss Ives was involved in rioting in Enfield, North London and in Hackney, east London. In 2008, the teenager was granted the role of Olympic youth ambassador for Waltham Forest. She had therefore put her name forward to voluntarily help at the 2012 Olympic Games in London.

 

 

Wales to Be Hit Hardest By Benefit System Changes, Claims Research Study (10 November 2011)

 

Duncan Lewis’ welfare benefits solicitors understand that the constant changes to the welfare system renders it difficult for their clients to receive the support that they are entitled to. The welfare benefits team are able to explain the types of benefits their clients should be entitled to receive and are able to assess clients’ eligibility for benefits.

 

 

Lancashire Neighbours Clash over Band Practise Noise (10 November 2011)

 

Neighbours residing in a quiet Lancashire cul-de-sac have put forward their objections to plans for a local band to practise in a room only a few yards from their properties. The residents of Gower Court in Leyland claim that the noise deriving from the band’s twice-weekly rehearsals will prove intrusive, particularly in the summer months when they choose to spend time in their own gardens.

 

 

Preston Teenager Attacked For Mobile Phone (10 November 2011)

 

A Preston teenager has been attacked in broad daylight for possessing the latest mobile phone. The 17-year-old apprentice IT employee was followed while walking through Preston’s Guild Hall. He was punched in the face by his attacker and was left bleeding as his attacker tried to steal his iPhone. Preston police have launched an appeal to identify the attacker. The teenage victim is said to have been left traumatised by the ordeal.

 

 

Youngsters to Face Bleak Future, Warns Employment Study (10 November 2011)

 

The results of a recent employment study have warned that youngsters across Britain are likely to face a bleak future due to employment “black spots”. The Work Foundation-backed research study highlighted concerns that young people residing in the north of the UK were increasingly likely to be lacking in education, work, and training due to insufficient employment opportunities. The study has called on the Government to increase their investment in towns and cities north of the country.

 

 

Migrants May Be Required To Earn £35,000 to Permanently Settle In Britain (10 November 2011)

 

Plans to cut the number of skilled migrants who are granted the freedom to settle in Britain permanently have been unveiled by Government advisors. The proposals have been designed to cut net migration from its current yearly total of 60,000 to 20,000.

 

 

Medical Secretaries in Northern Ireland’s Western Trust to Strike (9 November 2011)

 

Northern Ireland’s Western Trust medical secretaries have voted in favour of strike action in later this month. Northern Ireland Public Service Alliance (NIPSA), their trade union, claims that Western Trust medical secretaries received less pay than comparable colleagues in the remainder of Northern Ireland's trust areas. The union stated that in excess of 30 medical secretaries had been forced to endure an income gap of £4,000 due to a new grading process.

 

 

Property Prices Increased By 1.2 Per Cent in October, Claims the Halifax (9 November 2011)

 

UK property prices increased by 1.2 per cent in October when compared to September but have dropped over the past year, claims the Halifax. The lender stated that house values had dropped 1.8 per cent in comparison to a year ago. The Halifax described the housing market has “highly resilient”, regardless of the deteriorating economic forecast. The average UK home was valued at £163,311, according to the Halifax. Its valuation is based upon its own mortgage statistics.

 

 

Teenage Girl Denies Murder Plot (9 November 2011)

 

A teenage girl from Chester has denied constructing an elaborate plot to kill a debt collector. Liverpool Crown Court has heard of how Rachael Hanna Horton had plotted to murder Martin Ithell before trying to hide evidence of her actions. Mr. Ithell died after being shot and stabbed in March of this year.

 

 

£500 Million to Aid Delayed Building Projects (9 November 2011)

 

Public money totalling £500 million is to be invested in private housing and commercial building projects in England. Ministers claim that building projects have been delayed due to issues with road access, flood risks, and contaminated land. They believe that the money will allow local enterprise partnerships in England to overcome these hurdles.

 

 

Hull Authorities Investigate Body Mix-up Claims (9 November 2011)

 

Authorities in Hull have launched an investigation into claims that the corpse of a man believed to have been buried almost ten years ago has been found. The man died while held in police custody. The man’s sister has told of how the family had felt “shocked and appalled” upon hearing the news.

 

 

Paisley Woman Accused of Murdering Son (8 November 2011)

 

A Paisley woman accused of the murder of her 23-month-old son has gone on trial at the High Court in Glasgow. Kimberley Hainey has pleaded not guilty to murdering the boy. She is also charged with the assault and neglect of her son between September 2008 and March 2010.

 

 

Chinese Woman Charged With Murdering Irish Husband (8 November 2011)

 

A Chinese woman has been charged with murdering her husband in Northern Ireland. Suwei Shang is accused of stabbing 51-year-old Damien Keenan at his home in Derry on November the 1st. He died a day later. Miss Shang, who was in part-time employment as a cleaner, is said to have been aware that she was being charged with the murder. The serious crime branch of the Police Service of Northern Ireland claims to possess evidence that links Miss Shang to the murder charge.

 

 

Inquest Finds Faulty Railway Points to Blame for Woman's Death (8 November 2011)

 

An inquest into the death of a woman in a Cumbria train crash has found that inadequately maintained points were to be held responsible. Pensioner Margaret Masson from Glasgow died following the derailment of a Virgin train in February 2007. The train travelled over a set of “degraded” railway points at 92 mph before careering down an embankment. The crash left 88 people injured.

 

 

Plaid Cymru MEP Fined Over Failure to Pay TV Licence (8 November 2011)

 

A Plaid Cymru MEP has pleaded guilty to failing to meet the cost of her TV licence payment after protesting over the way in which Welsh television channel S4C is run and funded. Jill Evans’ action formed a part of a Welsh Language Society campaign. Miss Evans admitted her guilt at Pontypridd Magistrates’ Court and has been handed a fine of £500. She will also be required to pay £60 in court costs in addition to a victim surcharge of £15.

 

 

Judge Hands Out a String of Sex Abuse Sentences (8 November 2011)

 

A judge who has jailed three men over sex offences in Ceredigion has spoken about his hopes that the sentences would serve as a deterrent in the event of a “cult of offending”.

 

 

Carer Stole from Housebound Pensioner to Repay Loans (7 November 2011)

 

A Lancashire woman stole from an elderly man while in employment as a carer for his ill wife. Victoria Nicholson admitted her guilt to three counts of fraud following stealing a total of £850 from the housebound pensioner. Miss Nicholson was working for Holywell Care, a company offering a home care service, at the time of committing the offences. Sabe Connor, the owner of Holywell Care, described Miss Nicholson as a valued worker and told of how she had been cleared to work for the company by the Criminal Records Bureau (CRB).

 

 

Psychic Charged With Benefit Fraud (7 November 2011)

 

A woman from Neath fraudulently claimed £33,000 worth of benefits while in employment as a sex chat line operator and tarot reader, a court has heard. Fifty-year-old Dawn Pearson advertised her services through Psychic TV and charged customers £1.53 per minute for their calls. The woman had previously claimed that she was too sick to work. A Swansea Crown Court judge handed Miss Pearson a 12-week suspended jail sentence and ordered her to perform 180 hours’ worth of unpaid community work.

 

 

Head of UK Border Agency Suspended Over Passport Check Claims (7 November 2011)

 

The Home Office has suspended the UK Border Agency (UKBA) head following claims that certain passport checks failed to be conducted during the summer. Two additional UKBA officials were also suspended. The suspensions follow allegations that UKBA staff were instructed to relax identity checks for non-EU nationals. UKBA staff hold the responsibility for checking passports and performing immigration raids.

 

 

Department of Transport Statistics Reveal an Increase in Road Deaths (7 November 2011)

 

Statistics from the Department of Transport have shown that the number of road deaths has increased in the first half of 2011. 940 deaths were reported on the roads in the first half of this year - a 6.7 per cent rise on the number of people killed on the road during the first half of 2010.

 

 

Golfer Awarded £400,000 after Being Stuck In the Eye by Golf Ball (7 November 2011)

 

A man who lost his eyesight in one eye following being struck by a golf ball has been awarded around £400,000 in compensation. Anthony Phee was hit by the golf ball over four years ago whilst playing a round of golf at the West Lothian-based Niddry Castle golf course. Mr. Phee sued James Gordon, who struck the fatal shot, in addition to the golf club. Mr. Phee described the incident as a “harrowing experience”.

 

 

Unison Trade Union Members Vote In Favour Of Pension Strike (4 November 2011)

 

Union trade union members have voted for striking against pension scheme changes. 245,358 members – 78 per cent - voted in favour of a strike. This means that a large national strike is likely to be held on the 30th of November. Following the result of the ballot, Francis Maude, the Cabinet Office Minister Francis Maude, put out pleas to Unison members to call a halt to a strike.

 

 

London Paramedic Killed By a Single Punch (4 November 2011)

 

A London paramedic died after being punched once in the face during an unprovoked attack. Twenty-eight-year-old James Hodgkinson of Islington was attacked after watching a cricket match at Trent Bridge, Nottingham. Mr. Hodgkinson visited several drinking establishments after the match and was ready to leave one bar when he was struck by Jacob Dunne. The single punch knocked Mr. Hodgkinson over, causing him to hit his head on the concrete pavement. Mr. Hodgkinson died in hospital nine days after the incident.

 

 

Council Worker Awarded £1,250 for an Injured Back (4 November 2011)

 

A Lancashire council worker has been handed £1,250 in personal injury compensation for injuring his back. The worker claimed that his role involved the repeated carrying of a heavy tray of refreshments and that this was the cause of his back injury. The Lancashire County Council worker was among the 179 workers who pursued award-winning employer liability claims from the council over the last five years.

 

 

Doctors Told To Encourage Long-Term Ill to Work (4 November 2011)

 

Draft guidance from the General Medical Council (GMC) has informed doctors to encourage patients suffering from long-term illnesses to remain either in employment or avail of return to work schemes.

 

 

Lancashire Foster Carers Benefit From New Payment Structure (4 November 2011)

 

Lancashire foster carers are set to benefit from the introduction of a new payment structure based upon their childcare skills and experience. The changes are the result of a review by Lancashire County Council into the way in which it grants allowances to its foster carers.

 

 

South Wales Recycling Company Fined For Legionella Risk (3 November 2011)

 

A Merthyr Tydfil recycling firm has been handed a fine for insufficiently controlling a Legionella risk during a Legionnaire's disease outbreak in September 2010. While Merthyr Industrial Services (Biomass) Limited was not held responsible for the outbreak, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) agreed that the company had put its workers and the general public at risk. The company received a £600 fine from Merthyr magistrates and was ordered to pay costs totalling £8,577.

 

 

Man Receives Prison Term for Stalking Ex-girlfriend (3 November 2011)

 

A Nottingham man responsible for posting sexual images of his ex-girlfriend online has received a four-month jail sentence. Twenty-three-year-old Shane Webber stalked 22-year-old Ruth Jeffery via social networking sites. Mr. Webber, of Clifton, sent information about Miss Jeffery to her relatives and strangers.

 

 

Carmarthen Traders Fight Parking Meter Plans (3 November 2011)

 

Businesses in a Wales town are fighting new plans to install parking meters on a busy town centre road. They claim that the plans to charge people for parking near to the shops would drive customers away and hence, would negatively impact their business.

 

 

Councils to Be Made the Subject of Adoption Performance League Tables (3 November 2011)

 

Councils who succeed at speedily placing children in their care with adoptive parents will be hailed in a new performance league table scheme. The move will also name and shame councils who fail to act so swiftly. Currently, English local authorities are required to find adoptive parents for children in their care within 12 months of putting the children up for adoption.

 

 

Ministers Rule against Amendment to Pension Age Concession (3 November 2011)

 

The Labour party has failed to force Government ministers to increase their efforts in aiding the thousands of women due to lose out on their pension claims as a result of a rise in the state pension age in 2020.

 

 

Occupational Pension Contributions Slump to a Record Low (2 November 2011)

 

An Office for National Statistics (ONS) report has found that the number of individuals contributing to an occupational pension has fallen to a 54-year low. In the last year alone, 8.3 million individuals paid into occupational pensions.

 

 

Multi-Million Pound Couple Must Divorce In English Courts (2 November 2011)

 

A Greek tycoon must divorce in the English courts of law, according to a Court of Appeal ruling. Pyrros Vardinoyannis and his Brazilian wife met in St. Tropez. While they initially set up home in London, the couple also spent a considerable amount of time in Milan, Sao Paulo, Los Angeles, Crete, and Gstaad.

 

 

North Wales Letting Agency Shuts Down Without Warning (2 November 2011)

 

A North Wales letting agency has unexpectedly shut down, potentially leaving hundreds of tenants and landlords out of pocket. Tenants and landlords who worked with Shotton-based Eazy Let Limited claim that the letting agency has failed to contact them for weeks.

 

 

Pension Scam Woman Ordered To Repay £158,000 (2 November 2011)

 

A woman who claimed a pension following her husband’s faking of his own death has been the subject of a £158,000 confiscation order. Forty-three-year-old Sophie Sanchez was handed a two-year jail sentence in December 2010 for defrauding a Marlow branch of HMV in which her husband, Alfredo, was employed as a web designer up until 2004.

 

 

Police Officer Unanimously Cleared Of Sexual Assault Charges (2 November 2011)

 

A police officer has been unanimously cleared of sexual assault charges by a Crown Court jury. PC Gareth Roscoe was accused of sexually assaulting a teenage girl at the police station at which he worked.

 

 

Parents Forced To Pay For Play Scheme Care Following Early School Closure (1 November 2011)

 

Parents will be required to meet the cost of sending their children to a £100-per-week play scheme in the event that they are unable to make alternative arrangements for their children when Tidemill Academy in Deptford closes early for Christmas.

 

 

Preston Campaigners Celebrate Rejected Housing Plans (1 November 2011)

 

Campaigners are celebrating the rejection of a plan to construct 550 new homes on a former Preston golf club. Since 2008, residents in the former golf club’s surrounding areas have been battling against plans for a large housing estate to be built on the 70 hectares of land. Northern Trust, the owner of the site, had already faced a rejection by Preston Council and a Planning Inquiry yet the firm appealed against the Planning Inspector’s decision to the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government who agreed that the plans should not receive approval.

 

 

Teenage Girl Dies in Hang Glider Training Flight Crash (1 November 2011)

 

A teenage girl has died after crashing a hang glider during a training flight, police have said. The incident, which occurred in Ashbourne in Derbyshire, is currently under a joint investigation by Derbyshire Constabulary and the Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB).

 

 

Fine Defaulters to Face Benefits Cut (1 November 2011)

 

The Government is set to introduce a new measure for individuals who fail to meet the cost of fines handed out for criminal convictions. Under the new scheme, fine defaulters could lose a maximum of £25 per week in benefits.

 

 

Bolton Teenager Found Guilty Of Causing Death by Dangerous Driving (1 November 2011)

 

A teenager has been handed a four-and-a-half-year youth detention sentence following killing his girlfriend by driving recklessly on a country lane in Greater Manchester. 19-year-old Michael Partington’s driving was described as “angry and aggressive” at Liverpool Crown Court. The court was told how he had reached speeds of up to 70 mph on a back road in the village of Haigh.

 

 

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.

 

 

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”.

 

 

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.

 

 

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.

 

 

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.

 

 

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.

 

 

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.

 

 

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.

 

 

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.

 

 

Gynaecologist Suspended For 12 Months for “Inappropriate Sexual Behaviour” (28 October 2011)

 

A gynaecologist has received a 12-month suspension for “inappropriate sexual behaviour”. Dr. Priyantha Perera Kandanearachchi, who was employed by Cardiff and Abertawe Bro Morgannwg health boards, denied that his behaviour was sexually motivated. However, a General Medical Council (GMC) panel found that in two of the three cases he faced, his behaviour was sexually motivated. A review is due to be held prior to the end of the ban.

 

 

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.

 

 

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.

 

 

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.

 

 

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.

 

 

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.

 

 

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.

 

 

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.

 

 

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.

 

 

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.

 

 

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.

 

 

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.

 

 

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.

 

 

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.

 

 

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.

 

 

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.

 

 

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.

 

 

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.

 

 

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.

 

 

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.

 

 

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.

 

 

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.

 

 

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.

 

 

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.

 

 

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.

 

 

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.

 

 

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.

 

 

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.

 

 

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.

 

 

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.

 

 

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.

 

 

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.

 

 

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.

 

 

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.

 

 

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.

 

 

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.

 

 

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.

 

 

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.

 

 

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.

 

 

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.

 

 

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.

 

 

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.

 

 

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.

 

 

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.

 

 

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.

 

 

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.

 

 

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.

 

 

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.

 

 

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.

 

 

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.

 

 

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.

 

 

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.

 

 

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.

 

 

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.

 

 

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.

 

 

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.

 

 

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.

 

 

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.

 

 

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.

 

 

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.

 

 

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.

 

 

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.

 

 

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.

 

 

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.

 

 

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.

 

 

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.

 

 

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.

 

 

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.

 

 

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.

 

 

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.

 

 

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.

 

 

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.

 

 

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.

 

 

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.

 

 

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.

 

 

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.

 

 

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.

 

 

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.

 

 

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.

 

 

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.

 

 

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.

 

 

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.

 

 

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.

 

 

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”.

 

 

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.

 

 

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.

 

 

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.

 

 

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.

 

 

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.

 

 

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.

 

 

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.

 

 

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.

 

 

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.

 

 

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.

 

 

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.