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Thursday 24 March 2011

Detectives searching for Sian O'Callaghan who went missing after leaving a nightclub in Swindon, said on Thursday they had arrested a man on suspicion of kidnapping her.

Reportage - 14:18


O'Callaghan, 22, has not been seen or heard of since leaving the Suju club in the early hours of Saturday, leading to a massive search by police and locals of the surrounding area.

Chief Superintendent Steve Hadley said the arrest was a significant development.

"A short time ago a man was arrested on suspicion of the kidnap of Sian O' Callaghan. He was arrested by Wiltshire officers in Swindon,"

"It is a significant stage in this difficult enquiry. Our priority is to find Sian and we are doing all that we can to do so."

He said O'Callaghan's family had been informed of the arrest. Her parents and boyfriend have made emotional pleas for her safe return.

Wiltshire Police are believed to have swooped on a taxi driver shortly after 11am as he was parked in a supermarket taxi rank in north Swindon.

Reportage - 14:17

Wiltshire Police are believed to have swooped on a taxi driver shortly after 11am as he was parked in a supermarket taxi rank in north Swindon.
Miss O’Callaghan, 22, has not been seen since she left a nightclub in the town in the early hours of Saturday morning.
Chief Superintendent Steve Hedley said the missing woman’s family had been informed about this “significant development”.
When asked if he thought Miss O’Callaghan was still alive, he said: “We hope she is alive, we are certainly working on finding her and recovering her.”
The man arrested was taken to a local police station and his car was towed from the rank at the Asda supermarket in Haydon Wick.

Tuesday 22 March 2011

Kenneth Noye, one of the UK's most notorious criminals, has lost his appeal against his conviction for a road rage murder in Kent

Reportage - 16:12

Kenneth Noye, one of the UK's most notorious criminals, has lost his appeal against his conviction for a road rage murder in Kent.

Noye, 63, stabbed 21-year-old Stephen Cameron during a fight on an M25 slip road at Swanley in 1996.

He fled to Spain afterwards but was extradited in 1998 and jailed for life at the Old Bailey in 2000. He denied murder, on the grounds of self-defence.

Two previous appeals by Noye, in 2001 and 2004, were unsuccessful.

Mr Cameron was stabbed in front of his fiance, Danielle Cable, who is now in a witness protection scheme.

Noye's case was being looked at again following a decision by the Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC) to refer it to the Court of Appeal.

Clare Montgomery QC had told Lord Judge, the Lord Chief Justice, and two other judges that key prosecution witnesses at the trial were now "so discredited" that Noye's conviction should be quashed.

'Gross over-reaction'
She said the court must regard pathologist Michael Heath and eyewitness Alan Decabral as being "so discredited or potentially discredited that the court would have to ignore their evidence".

Ms Montgomery said fresh evidence had demonstrated their unreliability and therefore the conviction was unsafe.

Mr Decabral, 40, from Pluckley in Kent, was shot dead in October 2000, six months after Noye's trial.

Noye launched his appeal in 2001 on the grounds that Mr Decabral had a criminal background and had lied in the witness box.

Kent Police said to date there had been no charges in relation to Mr Decabral's death, and the file on the case remained open.


Stephen Cameron fought with Noye on a slip road to the M25
Giving judgement on Tuesday, Lord Judge, sitting with Mr Justice Henriques and Mr Justice Davis, said there was no doubt that Mr Cameron was "deliberately stabbed" by Noye, and that it "was not self-defence".

Lord Judge said: "Rather it was a gross over-reaction in the context of a fight with an unarmed man, almost certainly consequent on the fact that the appellant was losing it."

He said nothing in Dr Heath's evidence "threw light on the truthfulness, or otherwise, of what the appellant asserted was in his mind, which was that he struck out in a panic while in mortal fear".

The prosecution case was that Noye had deliberately used the knife and caused the fatal injury, "not because he was in a panic or fearful of mortal injury, but because he had involved himself in a fight which he was determined he should not lose, and so he resorted to the use of a fatal weapon".

Lord Judge said: "To open the knife, and then return to the fight and 'punch' Mr Cameron with the open knife held in his fist was a wholly disproportionate response."

CRIME clan matriarch Big Mags Haney has apologised to her family over her drug dealing shame.

Reportage - 14:12


And she has told of her plans to live quietly now she's been released from jail.
In a rare interview, she spoke to the Record after a teenager was convicted of murdering her grandson Barry Bradley, 18.
And she claimed her family had now become a "target" because of their notoriety.
Haney, 68, said: "The apology I owe to my family is for going to jail and for bringing the spotlight on us all."
She added: "As far as the papers are concerned, I'm more of a bad sort than Myra Hindley or Osama bin Laden.
"But when I got out of jail, I got a house in Alva and I just wanted to live quietly.
"My neighbours are great but there are some elements here that don't want the Haneys and they've made that very clear. We've become a target here."
Haney launched a verbal attack on killer Jack Cramb, 19, who laughed in the dock throughout his trial for murdering her grandson Barry.
She said: "Nobodies - like that Cramb animal - have tried to use us to make a name for themselves. But no one will know him when he's in jail.
"He was on various indictments for assaults and threats against me and my family and others.
"If he had been remanded, as he should have been, my boy would still be alive.
"What he did was the work of an animal. No human being is capable of that.
"I had to sit and look at him snigger at his trial but he won't be sniggering and winking when he gets sentenced.
"Cramb thinks he's a bit of a gangster but where were all his cardboard gangsters in court? His so-called pals have deserted him, he's alone and going away for a long time."
But Haney blames herself for the pain her family have suffered in recent years, culminating in the murder.
She was outed as a large-scale drug dealer in the notorious Raploch housing scheme, in Stirling, by Daily Record investigators in 2001 and served six years in Cornton Vale prison.
Cramb was found guilty of murder at the High Court in Glasgow last week. Barry bled to death when Cramb slashed him with a piece of broken glass.
Cramb had previously threatened Big Mags with a broken bottle at her home.
Haney said: "There was bad blood between Barry and one of Cramb's pals. I had my door set alight late at night when I was at home with Barry's twin sister Michaela.
"Both of us could have died.
"Then I had that animal Cramb threatening me with a broken bottle. He should have been on remand but instead he was free to kill my boy.
"And as Barry lay dying on the street, not one of the people living there opened their door to him, to help or even give him comfort. No doctor in the world could have saved him but the fact people turned their backs on him as he lay dying still haunts me.
"When Barry died, I died too - and part of Michaela died. The only reason I'm still here is because of her."
Barry died following the brutal attack at Nethergate and Dalmore Drive, Alva, Clackmannanshire, on July 25.

TWO gangland hitmen jailed for a record 35 years each should have their sentences cut - because their victims were "bad men",

Reportage - 14:09

TWO gangland hitmen jailed for a record 35 years each should have their sentences cut - because their victims were "bad men", it was claimed yesterday.
Raymond Anderson and James McDonald blasted Michael Lyons, 21, to death in a Glasgow drugs feud and shot two others.
But judges at the Appeal Court in Edinburgh were told that unlike other notorious murder cases, the victims weren't innocents.
Donald Findlay QC stated: "It was a case of bad men shooting other bad men and it was a shooting in the context of the criminal underworld.
"There is an element of the old saying that if one flies with the crows one may expect to be shot."
Yesterday, armed police surrounded the closed hearing.
Anderson, 49, and McDonald, 37, who have lost their appeals against conviction, claim the sentences - the heaviest handed out in modern times - were excessive.
They struck in broad daylight almost five years ago at a garage owned by a rival crime clan - 100 yards from a primary school.
The shootings stemmed from a vicious war between the Daniel and Lyons crime families.
The dead man was the nephew of Lyons clan chief Eddie.
Steven Lyons, a son of Eddie, was also shot and convicted attempted murderer Robert Pickett was seriously wounded.
Mr Findlay said they received heftier prison terms than triple Army payroll killer Andrew Walker, Lockerbie bomber Abdelbaset Ali Mohmed al-Megrahi and double cop killer Howard Wilson.
Lords Mackay, Emslie and Marnoch will give a written decision later.

Border officers have seized five tonnes of tobacco being smuggled into the UK through Dover's Eastern Docks.

Reportage - 12:46

Border officers have seized five tonnes of tobacco being smuggled into the UK through Dover's Eastern Docks.

The UK Border Agency (UKBA) said the hand-rolling tobacco had been professionally shrink-wrapped and hidden in electrical materials.

A man was arrested and later released without charge. The case has been passed to HM Revenue and Customs.

The lorry was stopped by officers at the inward freight controls, and the vehicle and trailer searched.

The agency's assistant director in Dover, Paul Booth, said tobacco smuggling was often linked to organised crime.

drunken mother who attacked a disfigured girl in a bar in an 'appalling' disability hate crime sobbed as she was jailed yesterday

Reportage - 10:29

drunken mother who attacked a disfigured girl in a bar in an 'appalling' disability hate crime sobbed as she was jailed yesterday. 

On a night out in Oldham, Rachel Rooney taunted and attacked 23-year-old Chantelle Richardson, who rarely leaves the house because of her deformity and could die if struck. 

Miss Richardson's condition severely disfigures her face leaving her vulnerable to stroke, or worse if hit on the nose, and she is required to wear a balloon-like device under her skin.

It is an embarrassment that Britain is the only EU country other than Denmark which has refused to sign up.

Reportage - 10:28

Oxana Kalemi's journey to 10 Downing Street has been a long and dangerous one. In 2004, she was trafficked from the Ukraine to Britain and tricked into what could have been a life-sentence of enslaved prostitution.

Yesterday, she struck a blow against the criminals who had enslaved her when she demanded that David Cameron toughens Britain's laws on human trafficking.

She was one of more than 46,000 people who have backed an Independent on Sunday campaign calling on the Government to sign up to European Union regulations on tackling the trade in people.

Tomorrow, the EU directive on human trafficking will become law across most of Europe, bringing with it better protection for victims and increasing the chance of prosecutions against the gangs that exploit them. Still, the British Government refuses to sign up.

Ms Kalemi, 35, handed in the petition alongside representatives from The Independent on Sunday, Anti-Slavery International and the campaigning website 38 Degrees.

She now lives in Yorkshire after escaping the gang who had held her captive in Birmingham, forcing her to have sex with up to 15 men a day. "Today is a big day for me," she said. "I know as a victim how many people are trafficked, This is a global problem. Politicians seem to talk a lot about being tough on trafficking but they need to do something.

"I want to know what Cameron's excuse is for not signing up to such an important law. It's very worrying that he isn't working with the EU to solve this problem. Most of the girls I saw were trafficked from places like Romania and Poland – places in Europe. How can Britain stop this crime if they won't work with Europe?"

Ms Kalemi was forced to leave her children and smuggled into Britain to work as prostitute in 2004 after being trafficked across countless European countries. In 2009, she published the story of her ordeal Mummy Come Home.

Receiving the petition, a Home Office spokeswoman said: "We are looking closely at the finalised text and considering its merits. If we conclude that opting-in would be of benefit, we can apply to opt-in and will make an announcement in due course."

The EU directive was passed by a large majority of European MPs, including Conservative MEPs, on 18 December. Only Britain and Denmark chose not to opt-in and now the other 25 EU members have two years to bring the new law into effect.

Yvette Cooper, the shadow home secretary and minister for women and equalities, said: "Twenty five European governments will stand together this week and introduce new rules to tackle trafficking and modern-day slavery in Europe. It is shameful that the Conservative-led government is still refusing to sign up."

The actress Juliet Stevenson, who is backing the campaign, said last night: "It is an embarrassment that Britain is the only EU country other than Denmark which has refused to sign up.

"What sort of message does this send to the pimps and gangs wanting to traffic people to Britain?"

Gemma Wolfes, campaigns officer at Anti-Slavery International, said: "Traffickers do not respect national borders, so it is vital that the UK follows the common European approach that's needed to defeat the criminalnetworks profiting from this horrendous crime."

Scotland Yard is giving 15 guards from Ultimate Security Services the power to combat under-age drinking, begging and anti-social behaviour.

Reportage - 10:16

Scotland Yard is giving 15 guards from Ultimate Security Services the power to combat under-age drinking, begging and anti-social behaviour.
Victoria Station is one of the country’s busiest transport hubs and it's hoped that the Government initiative – called the Community Safety Accreditation Scheme - will relieve the pressure on stretched Met and British Transport cops.
The guards will have legal power to request a name and address for offences including begging, anti-social behaviour, criminal damage and will be able to confiscate alcohol and cigarettes from under-age teenagers. They will also be able to order cyclists off pavements.
The scheme has been welcomed by Ruth Duston, chief executive of Victoria Business Improvement District.
She said: 'The scheme will help to provide a safe and secure destination for all who live, work and visit the area.'

Monday 21 March 2011

Three men have been arrested on suspicion of murder after an 18-year-old man died from gunshot wounds in Wolverhampton.

Reportage - 15:18



An area of Orslow Walk, Park Village, was cordoned off after blood was found outside a property on Saturday.

The 18-year-old man arrived at the city's New Cross Hospital at about 1910 GMT on Saturday with gunshot wounds. He died a short time later.

Two men were arrested on Saturday night and one on Sunday.

Warrants of further detention were being requested on two of them on Monday morning.

Sunday 20 March 2011

Murder probe after teenager shot dead in West Midlands

Reportage - 12:23

Murder probe after teenager shot dead in West Midlands
Detectives have started a murder inquiry after an 18-year-old man died from gunshot wounds in Wolverhampton.

The man, who has not been identified, arrived at the city's New Cross Hospital at about 1910 GMT on Saturday, with gunshot wounds.

A West Midlands Police spokeswoman said the man died a short time later.

She said it was unclear where or when the man was shot and officers were making inquiries across the city and patrolling to reassure residents.

The force has also appealed for anyone who might have seen the shooting in Wolverhampton or the surrounding areas to contact the force or Crimestoppers.

Friday 18 March 2011

Detectives have made 49 arrests in a ticket touts crackdown launched ahead of the London 2012 Games.

Reportage - 13:07

Detectives have made 49 arrests in a ticket touts crackdown launched ahead of the London 2012 Games.
Arrests have been made for a range of crimes including fraud, money-laundering and handling stolen goods since Scotland Yard's Operation Podium squad was set up in June.
Operation Podium is the special Metropolitan Police squad to tackle serious crime and the gangs set to try and cash in on the Games.
Touts are part of organised criminal networks often involved in other crimes, according to assistant commissioner Chris Allison, the national Olympic security co-ordinator.
He said: "We are committed to dismantling them layer by layer. If we need to grow the squad then we have the capability to do that but, in many ways, I hope the publicity of everything that we are doing means we do not need to put more investment into it.
"It will be enough to prevent and stop people from thinking they can get away with it."
Detectives are targeting "hundreds moving in to thousands" of touts, most of whom are British and try to exploit high-profile events globally. Organised ticket gangs can expect to make millions from illegal sales.
A series of measures have been launched to thwart the fraudsters at the 2012 Games. The maximum fine for ticket-touting at the 2012 Olympics is going up from £5,000 to £20,000.
Special software will pick up unusual patterns of buying and all tickets will have in-built security measures making their origin traceable, according to London 2012.
To combat the flood of bogus websites that are expected to spring up, sports fans will be able to tap in a special website checker to ensure they are buying tickets from an official seller. The checker will go live on March 15 when tickets go on sale.

Christopher Grady, 42, drove his children Gabrielle and Ryan into the River Avon in Evesham, Worcestershire, in February last year after arguing with their mother over access.

Reportage - 12:03

Christopher Grady, 42, drove his children Gabrielle and Ryan into the River Avon in Evesham, Worcestershire, in February last year after arguing with their mother over access.
Kim Smith, who had separated from Grady, told Sky News about the moment she knew her children's lives were in danger.
"He said: 'be outside, you've got ten seconds to say ta'ra to your kids'. That isn't nice hearing on the phone, I just went franctic, panic kicked in, I phoned the police, I was like a bit of a loon, I suppose, running around my house.
"I didn't know what was happening, I had to wait for it to be fed back to me from the police. It was a waiting game, and not a nice one."
It really hurts a lot knowing that they were terrified for their lives and I couldn't do anything
Mother Kim Smith
When Grady arrived at Miss Smith's home her attempts to rescue her children were futile.
"I jumped at the back door handle but couldn't open it, all the doors were locked. He just shouted 'river', all contorted face, it was horrible. When he shouted that and sped off I knew he was going to do it."
In court, Grady described a "catherine wheel" sound as his car "took off" and a "bang" as it hit the icy water "flat". He claimed it had been an accident and said he hadn't known there was a river there as he drove down a field.
Witnesses described seeing the children screaming for help and banging on the car windows.
As water poured through the sunroof, Grady asked Gabrielle, in the passenger seat, "What the f*** have I done?". Ryan, in the back, replied: "Something really bad dad".

Thursday 3 March 2011

Pair jailed over £15m drug smuggling scheme

Reportage - 23:40
Pair jailed over £15m drug smuggling scheme "Manchester Crown Court in Minshull Street, Langstreth pleaded guilty to his part in the importation of cannabis and was jailed for eight years.

Ian Barrick pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply in relation to cannabis recovered at an address in Salford in July 2008 and was sentenced to two years eight months."

Wednesday 2 March 2011

MPs' expenses: disgraced policians received thousands to shut up their offices - Telegraph

Reportage - 19:41
MPs' expenses: disgraced policians received thousands to shut up their offices - Telegraph: "More than 200 MPs claimed the payments of up to £42,732, which they were entitled to use for staff salaries and office costs if they were leaving Parliament, receiving a total of £6.8 million.
Critics questioned why the payments were necessary given that many of the MPs had announced that they were leaving the Commons several years earlier.
A large number of employees who would have received the payments were MPs’ relatives hired to run their offices, meaning that the cash would have gone straight into their household income.
Labour’s Jim Devine, who was convicted last month of false accounting on his expenses, was paid £19,832.
David Chaytor, who was sentenced to 18 months imprisonment for cheating on his Commons allowances, received £10,089."

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Tuesday 1 March 2011

Crooks break into Britain's Vodafone - UPI.com

Reportage - 00:00
Crooks break into Britain's Vodafone - UPI.com: "A break-in at a Vodafone telephone network technical facility in Britain disrupted service but officials said no personal information was compromised.

Voice, text and mobile Internet services at Vodafone's Basingstoke data center were affected and the disruption appeared to be widespread, The Daily Telegraph reported Monday.

A Vodafone spokeswoman confirmed the break-in and said some equipment was damaged.

The newspaper said the data center is a major hub for the telephone network and the site has routing equipment worth millions of dollars."
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