Clare's Law Rolled Out To Expose Abusers

By Mike McCarthy, North of England Correspondent

New measures to protect victims of domestic abuse come into effect today.

Clare's Law, which enables people to check the police records of partners, has been launched across England and Wales after being piloted by four police forces.

The father of murder victim Clare Wood, whose name has been given to the scheme, has welcomed its introduction, describing it as "a bittersweet moment".

Clare's killer George Appleton

Michael Brown discovered five years ago that his daughter had been raped and strangled at her Salford home by ex-boyfriend George Appleton, who set fire to her body before going on the run. He was found hanged several days later.

Appleton, who Clare met on Facebook, had a history of violence against women, including knife-point kidnapping.

Mr Brown told Sky News: "When you lose a family member in these circumstances it is always with you. To realise that the last moments of your daughter's life were kicking and screaming in a room in Salford sticks with you."

The 70-year-old said Clare's Law was "not a panacea for domestic violence" but added: "If it can help others - just one - I and all the other campaigners will have succeeded. 

"This is just another piece of armour plate for people to put on when they are in trouble."

The launch coincides with International Women's Day and also marks the introduction of Domestic Violence Protection Orders (DVPOs), which are designed to provide support for victims in the immediate aftermath of violent incidents.

Michael Brown has fought for a new law to help women like his daughter

DVPOs can last for up to 28 days, during which time a perpetrator can be prevented from having contact with the victim.

Speaking about Clare's Law, Home Secretary Theresa May said: "What we saw from the pilots was a real benefit for women who were able to go to the police where they had suspicions about the behaviour of their partner.

"As a result of that, they were able to make a decision about whether to stay with that partner or to leave."

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£140m Pothole Repair Fund After Winter Storms

By Tadhg Enright, Sky Correspondent

An extra £140m is being made available by Westminster to help local councils repair roads which have been battered by this winter's severe weather.

Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin said: "Having the right infrastructure in place to support businesses and hardworking people is a crucial part of our long-term economic plan.

"This extra money will help make a real difference to the millions of road users and local residents who rely on local roads, giving them safer and smoother journeys."

Some £36.5m of the cash will be ring-fenced for councils which experienced the worst of the flooding and it brings the total amount of emergency government funding for these authorities to £80m.

All councils in England can apply for a share of the other £103.5m in additional funding to cover the cost of repairs after the wettest winter on record.

This winter has been England's wettest on record

Some of the most serious flooding was experienced in the Surrey County Council area where at least £15m - half its annual budget - has already been spent on repairing battered roads since Christmas.

Repair teams have been working at weekends to patch roads where a combination of rainwater and groundwater has caused more erosion than an average winter.

John Furey, Cabinet Member for Transport, Highways and Environment with Surrey County Council, told Sky News: "It's double the problem for this year. The reason is that it's been a continuous flooding situation, not something that happened and then we could deal with it. 

"The biggest problem has been the inspection times. We haven't been able to get in and look and see how much has needed to be done. 

"Now we're doing it. We've started the recovery stage. Now we're looking at what needs to be done and looking at what government is going to put into this."

Repair teams have been working at weekends to patch up roads

Surrey County Council will have to apply for extra financial help from the Government and its allocation will depend on the length of affected roads in its jurisdiction.

It does not expect its allocation to cover all the money spent on repairs and other budgets will have to be trimmed.

The Government intends to release the money by the end of this coming week and it hopes that councils will have completed repairs in time for the summer holidays.

Delays will cost motorists money too, as experienced by the increase in those seeking repairs to their cars at Reigate Motor Company.

The fund will be used for for fixing potholes and other dangers

The garage's director Simon Youthed told Sky News that business was particularly brisk and that potholes were to blame.

"We always see damaged cars at this time of year, but certainly the floods have had their effect on the roads, certainly in this area," he said.

"It's predominantly cars going through potholes, usually at speed, that often the drivers don't see. 

"One of the road wheels tends to go down into the pothole with force ... (and) that can either damage the wheel itself, it can damage the tyre, it can damage the suspension springs."

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Man Arrested After 'Explosives' Found

A 55-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of possessing explosives after "potentially hazardous material" was discovered at a property in South Yorkshire.

Around 50 homes in Chestnut Grove in Mexborough were evacuated and a cordon put in place around the area.

The material is being assessed by police and army bomb disposal experts, who were seen coming and going at a bungalow in the cul-de-sac.

Speaking at the scene, Superintendent Liz Watson said officers acted on information that a local man had been buying items which could be explosive if put together.

She said: "The police had received some information regarding a gentleman that lives in the local area that's been purchasing hazardous material."

Police vehicles parked at a pub near the scene

Police said the 55-year-old who was arrested remains in custody in Doncaster.

Evacuated locals either spent the day with relatives or at a centre in Mexborough set up by Doncaster Council.

Supt Watson said: "I'd like to personally thank residents for the patience, co-operation and community spirit that has been shown today.

"Some of the people evacuated from their homes this morning were elderly and vulnerable, but our partner agencies and members of the community really rallied round to ensure that all those who had to leave their homes for several hours were well cared for."

Supt Watson said the incident had caused concern among the community, but that the multi-agency response was necessary to ensure the suspicious items could be removed safely from the property.

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Driver Who Took Baby On 100mph Chase Is Jailed

A banned driver who drove a stolen car at 100mph on icy roads with his pregnant girlfriend and a baby in the back seat has been jailed for 22 months.

Ashton Dellamonica, 21, took police on an 11-mile chase on Christmas Day last year after he was spotted by officers in an unmarked car in Nottingham.

He avoided a police stinger operation on the A610 to burst the vehicle's tyres before continuing on at speeds in excess of 100mph.

A police helicopter filmed Dellamonica driving through six sets of red lights before he crashed the stolen Audi in The Meadows area of the city.

Police then continued to chase him on foot.

Dellamonica went through six sets of red lights during the chase

He was arrested after police found him hiding under a parked car in a residential street.

Detective Constable Emma Pollard, of Radford Road CID, said: "Officers involved said they had not seen such dangerous driving in years of policing.

"Anyone seeing the footage of his driving will be shocked that no one was seriously hurt by such wilful and dangerous behaviour.

"Claiming he was concerned about a small amount of cannabis on his person, he chose to risk the life of his unborn child, his girlfriend, brother and baby, by driving at speeds of more than 100mph in icy and wet conditions.

"I am pleased with the sentencing and I hope it sends out a message that we will not tolerate this kind of behaviour in our communities."

Earlier this week, Dellamonica pleaded guilty to charges of dangerous driving, driving while disqualified, and having no insurance.

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Blackpool 'Methadone' Toddler: Two Charged

A man and a woman have been charged in connection with the death of a two-year-old girl found to have ingested methadone.

Barry Jones, 41, and Michelle King, 29, have been remanded in custody and are due to appear at Blackpool Magistrates Court today.

They have both been charged with causing or allowing the death of a child by means of an unlawful act contrary to Section 5 of the Domestic Violence Crime and Victims Act 2004.

An ambulance was called to Jameson Street on Tuesday night

Sophie Jones was taken to Blackpool Victoria Hospital from a house in Jameson Street, Blackpool, Lancashire, on Tuesday night but later died.

Toxicology tests have confirmed Sophie ingested the synthetic heroin substitute methadone but a post-mortem examination has failed to ascertain the cause of death.

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Sochi Paralympics: Jade Etherington Wins Silver

Visually-impaired skier Jade Etherington has won ParalympicsGB's first medal at the Winter Games in Sochi, less than an hour into the event.

She took silver in the women's downhill, clocking a time of one minute 34.28 seconds with the aide of her guide Caroline Powell.

It is Britain's first Paralympic slope medal in 20 years and means the team has already bettered its haul from Vancouver four years ago.

The medal is an early birthday present for the 22-year-old from Lincoln

Etherington and Powell had not even met a year ago, and this was only their third competitive downhill run together.

The pair communicate on the slopes via radio.

There was a worrying moment when Etherington crashed crossing the finish line, but she was soon back on her feet.

Jade Etherington is helped by her guide Caroline Powell

The 22-year-old trainee teacher from Lincoln, who celebrates her birthday on Sunday, said: "I can't believe what's just happened.

"We knew it was it was a solid run because we were shouting 'go, go, go' and we had good, solid communication.

"I'm so proud and excited and I can't wait to get that medal in my hands."

Powell added: "We were really excited today and we knew that being excited rather than nervous usually means we'll have a good run. I'm so proud of Jade and what she's done."

Etherington's teammate Kelly Gallagher, skiing with her guide Charlotte Evans, finished sixth.

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TV Licence Dodgers May Not Be Prosecuted

Pressure Grows Over TV Licence Prosecutions

Updated: 1:18pm UK, Saturday 08 March 2014

By Anushka Asthana, Political Correspondent

What crime led to 180,000 people being hauled in front of magistrates in 2012, resulted in 70 prison sentences and accounted for one in nine of all cases heard by the courts?

OK, OK, I know you've read the news story and realise the answer is failure to pay a television licence fee.

Magistrates have long objected to being asked to deliver criminal records to these offenders, who tend to be poor, are often older and about two-thirds of whom are women.

They think it is an over-reaction and a waste of court time.

Instead, they want to divert cases to the civil system, along with parking offences or failure to pay your gas bill.

So could their argument be gathering steam in Parliament?

An amendment calling for the change by Conservative MP Andrew Bridgen is gathering support from across the political divide with a variety of motivations.

Some object to the "poll tax" nature of the fee - a £145.50 levy on the rich and poor is clearly regressive.

Others feel that criminal sanctions including prison are simply not the right response, particularly given the vulnerability of those it affects.

Then there is the idea of easing pressure on courts and prisons appeals across the political system.

And finally, there are those who simply detest the BBC.

The corporation itself would be uneasy about the change because of fears it would reduce the incentive to pay.

Even a 1% rise in evasion would cost £35m, which the Beeb tells us is equivalent to 10 local radio stations (or, to put a different spin on it, 11 Jeremy Clarksons).

What is notable about this story is that Chris Grayling, the Justice Secretary, has called Mr Bridgen's intervention "really interesting".

He says Maria Miller, the Culture Secretary, agrees and both departments will be doing some "serious work on the proposal".

In reality, any such change would be discussed as part of BBC Charter renewal.

The next round is due to be completed by the end of 2016, with talks starting around 18 months beforehand.

That means the middle of next year - probably not until after the General Election.

The magistrates, it seems, will have to wait.

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'iPhone Stun Gun' Found In Police Search

Police have seized a stun gun disguised as a smartphone from a 14-year-old boy.

The officer who searched the youth in Manchester city centre suffered a shock as he examined the fake handset, which resembles a black iPhone, but was not seriously hurt according to the force.

Police found the weapon, which is capable of giving a powerful electric shock, after being called to a complaint that the boy, who has not been named, and three other teenagers were racially abusing a bus driver in Portland Street.

The electric current is discharged from two points on top of the handset

The boy was also found to have a knife, police said.

Greater Manchester Police (GMP) said the fake smartphone has a silver strip along the top with two points from which the electric current is discharged.

The device appeared to be activated by the volume buttons.

Police do not believe the weapons are common in the area but warned people that possession of such devices is an offence under the Firearms Act.

The 14-year-old was arrested on suspicion of possessing an offensive weapon, possession of a bladed article and a racially-aggravated public order offence.

The other three, one aged 16 and two aged 17, were detained on suspicion of racially-aggravated public order offences.

All have been bailed pending further inquiries, a police spokesman said.

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Co-op Set To Hand Senior Staff Large Pay Boost

The Co-operative Group is set to hand senior staff large pay rises and bonuses, as the troubled mutual prepares to announce losses for 2013 which are expected to be its worst ever.

Chief executive Euan Sutherland is set to receive a salary of more than £3.6m, it has been claimed.

He said last month the mutual had "lost touch" with customers and launched an online poll so people could make suggestions about its future direction.

It comes amid plans to sell parts of its business that have left question marks over thousands of jobs.

Co-op Group chief executive Euan Sutherland

The Co-op runs supermarkets, pharmacies and funeral services. It is owned by its eight million members.

The Observer has seen documents that say the pay packages are necessary because "the (Co-op's) executive agenda is possibly the most complex one facing a large business in the country today", a reference to the recent troubles at the bank.

Mr Sutherland will be given a base salary of £1.5m this year, with a £1.5m retention payment, the paper claims.

It says that when pension contributions and extras are included, this rises to £3.66m.

Mr Sutherland's predecessor, Peter Marks, received around £1.3m last year.

Chief operating officer Richard Pennycook will receive a salary of £900,000 and a retention payment of the same amount.

Six other executives will be paid salaries of between £500,000 and £650,000, with the same amount in retention.

Ursula Lidbetter, chair of the Co-operative Group, said: "The remuneration packages of our executives are in the middle of a range of comparable companies.

"This represents an increase on the pay of their predecessors to reflect the greater commercial, management and turnaround experience they are bringing to bear.

"Euan and his team have already made a significant contribution to the group and we are confident that they will continue to do so."

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Teen Seriously Ill 'From Mortal Kombat Drug'

A 16-year-old is in intensive care after apparently taking "Mortal Kombat", a drug which has been linked to the death of another teenager last month.

He was taken ill at a house party in Coatbridge, North Lanarkshire, on Saturday, along with a 17-year-old boy.

The 16-year-old is said to be in a serious but stable condition.

The two teenagers went to Monklands District General Hospital in Airdrie at about 11.30pm.

Police Scotland said they believe the drugs taken included ecstasy and "possibly" a "Mortal Kombat" tablet.

The drug is distributed in red tablets with a dragon imprinted upon them.

The exact content of the drug is uncertain, but it is thought to be an ecstasy-type compound containing mephedrone and ketamine.

Regane MacColl collapsed at The Arches nightclub in central Glasgow

Regane MacColl, 17, from Clydebank, West Dunbartonshire, collapsed at The Arches nightclub in central Glasgow last month after taking the drug. She later died in hospital.

The latest incident has prompted renewed warnings about the danger of the tablets.

Detective Inspector Debbie Johnstone, of Coatbridge CID, said: "Illicit drugs are dangerous. I would ask that anyone with information about the supply of drugs, in particular, the type described as mortal kombat, contact police on the non emergency number 101 or to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 where details can be given in confidence."

An NHS Lanarkshire spokeswoman said: "Anyone who has taken ecstasy - particularly the one described as mortal kombat, and who is feeling unwell, or who knows someone who has taken this type of drug in the past few hours, should attend or contact their local hospital for treatment and advice."

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