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Saturday 31 March 2012

Kansas man struck by lightning hours after buying lottery tickets

Reportage - 23:27


A Kansas man was struck by lightning hours after buying three Mega Millions lottery tickets on Thursday, proving in real life the old saying that a gambler is more likely to be struck down from the sky than win the jackpot. Bill Isles, 48, bought three tickets in the record $656 million lottery Thursday at a Wichita, Kansas grocery store. On the way to his car, Isles said he commented to a friend: "I've got a better chance of getting struck by lightning" than winning the lottery. Later at about 9:30 p.m., Isles was standing in the back yard of his Wichita duplex, when he saw a flash and heard a boom -- lightning. "It threw me to the ground quivering," Isles said in a telephone interview on Saturday. "It kind of scrambled my brain and gave me an irregular heartbeat." Isles, a volunteer weather spotter for the National Weather Service, had his portable ham radio with him because he was checking the skies for storm activity. He crawled on the ground to get the radio, which had been thrown from his hand. Isles had been talking to other spotters on the radio and called in about the lightning strike. One of the spotters, a local television station intern, called 911. Isles was taken by ambulance to a hospital and kept overnight for observation. Isles said doctors wanted to make sure his heartbeat was back to normal. He suffered no burns or other physical effects from the strike, which he said could have been worse because his yard has a power line pole and wires overhead. "But for the grace of God, I would have been dead," Isles said. "It was not a direct strike." Isles said he had someone buy him ten more tickets to the Mega Millions lottery on Friday night. While one of the three winning tickets was sold in Kansas, Isles was not a winner. Officials of the Mega Millions lottery, which had the largest prize in U.S. history, said that the odds of winning lottery were about 176 million to one. Americans have a much higher chance of being struck by lightning, at 775,000 to one over the course of a year, depending on the part of the country and the season, according to the National Weather Service. Isles, who is out of work after being laid off last June by a furniture store, said he did once win $2,000 in the lottery and will keep playing. "The next time I will use the radio while sitting in the car," he said

Kevin 'Gerbil' Carroll murder trial

Reportage - 05:03

PHOTOGRAPHS of the spot where gangland figure Kevin “Gerbil” Carroll was shot dead were shown to a murder trial jury yesterday. The pictures – shown on day one of the trial – included an image of an Audi with smashed windows. The court was told the car was “subject to a significant degree of examination”. Carroll, 29, was shot in the car park of Asda in Robroyston, Glasgow, in January 2010. Ross Monaghan, 30, has been accused of Carroll’s murder. It is alleged that, while masked and acting with others, Monaghan repeatedly discharged loaded handguns at him, shooting him on the head and body. Monaghan is accused of – while acting with others – attempting to defeat the ends of justice by disposing of a revolver, pistol and ammunition in undergrowth in Coatbridge and Airdrie. It is also claimed a car bearing false number plates was set on fire. Monaghan also faces a number of firearms charges. He denies all the charges against him at the High Court in Glasgow and has incriminated Mr X, who cannot be named for legal reasons, and seven others. The trial, before Lord Brailsford, continues.

Friday 30 March 2012

popular Caribbean dancing style used by adults, known as 'daggering', is sexualising the dance floors of a much younger generation.

Reportage - 08:40

 

 Teenagers as young as 11 are modelling sex acts and rape, in the form of daggering, on the dance floor with their peers. Deputy Children's Commissioner Sue Berelowitz said: "there's not a lot separating that kind of behaviour from actual violent, coercive sex." Footage seen by Channel 4 News [see above] shows an under-18s club night in East London. As with all 'under-18s' club nights, everyone is between 11 and 16. Some of the children look much younger. The club is packed. The music: Caribbean dancehall. The dancing style: daggering. It is a style of dancing that any carnival regular will be used to. Aficionados will no doubt, have a more technical description of the style but it mainly involves women bending over and rubbing their backsides up against the men's crotches. During that August weekend in Notting Hill every adult gives it a go. But what's different about this night club is that every child is giving it a go. Spurred on by the DJ, the 'daggering' becomes more enthusiastic, some of it verging on violent. Boys and girls end up on top of each other on the floor simulating sex. Throughout the night someone employed by the club promoter (presumably an adult) is filming it all and uploading it on the club's website via YouTube.

Wednesday 28 March 2012

Mexican tourists fund British holiday with six-day burglary spree

Reportage - 05:28

 

Six Mexican holidaymakers went on a burglary spree across the UK after they ran out of money on a tour of Premier League football stadiums, a court heard yesterday. They targeted homes in West Lancashire and were also linked to break-ins in Strathclyde in Scotland and Cumbria over a six-day period. The group had initially visited the country on tourist visas last October as part of their dream to watch their footballing heroes, including Manchester United's Mexican striker, Javier Hernandez, at Old Trafford. Apart from one married couple, none of the offenders was known to each other before they met in a London nightclub. Several of them spent too much on alcohol during their stay and their British tour of sporting arenas evolved into an organised-crime operation, Preston Crown Court heard. They smashed open the front doors of properties and then ransacked bedrooms for jewellery, cash and electrical equipment. Addresses in Carlisle, Lancaster, Morecambe, Bolton-le-Sands and Strathclyde were targeted while the owners were out between 16 and 21 November last year. The gang was caught travelling south through Staffordshire after their getaway-vehicle details were flagged up by a member of the public who witnessed one of the raids. Their haul was recovered, as were papers with lists of addresses and a satellite-navigation system which mapped out their travel route. A "significant number" of properties in the Strathclyde area were programmed into the equipment. Police inquiries were ongoing but it was likely that unclaimed stolen goods had come from the Scottish addresses. Juan Castillo Fernandez, 28, Cuauhtemoc Fernandez Gomez, 30, and Manuel Garcia, 44, were all jailed for two years after admitting conspiracy to commit burglary. Jose Vargas Gomez, 51, Juan Molina, 24, and Cristina Obregon, 22, were each imprisoned for 14 months after they pleaded guilty to possessing criminal property. All six, who were living in Lewisham, south London, will be automatically deported after serving their sentences. The Recorder of Preston, Judge Anthony Russell, QC, said he would have urged their removal regardless. He told them: "I would have recommended deportation because in my view your continued presence in this country – whose hospitality you have abused – is contrary to the public interest."

Saturday 24 March 2012

Sex is a multibillion-dollar industry in Spain, with colorfully lit brothels staffed mainly by poor immigrant women from Latin America, Africa and eastern Europe lining highways throughout the country

Reportage - 21:32

Pimps Arrested in Spain for 'Barcoding' Women

Police in Spain arrested 22 alleged pimps who purportedly tattooed women with bar codes as a sign of ownership and used violence to force them into prostitution.  Police are calling the gang the "bar code pimps." Officers freed one 19-year-old woman who had been beaten, held against her will and tattooed with a bar code and an amount of money — €2,000 ($2,650) — which investigators believe was the debt the gang wished to extort before releasing her. The woman had also been whipped, chained to a radiator and had her hair and eyebrows shaved off, according to an Interior Ministry statement.All those arrested were of Romanian nationality and had forced the women to hand over part of their earnings, the statement said. The women were tattooed on their wrists if they tried to escape, the statement said. Police also seized guns and ammunition. It was not immediately clear when the raids took place. Police seized €140,000 ($185,388) in cash, which had been hidden in a false ceiling, a large amount of gold jewelry and five vehicles, three of which were described as luxury cars. The gang was made up of two separate groups, referred to as "clans" in the statement, each dedicated to controlling prostitution along fixed stretches of a street in downtown Madrid. One of the alleged ringleaders who was identified only by the initials "I.T." is wanted by authorities in Romania for crimes linked to prostitution, the statement said. The women were controlled at all times to ensure "money was taken off them immediately," the statement said.   Sex is a multibillion-dollar industry in Spain, with colorfully lit brothels staffed mainly by poor immigrant women from Latin America, Africa and eastern Europe lining highways throughout the country. Prostitution falls in legal limbo: it is not regulated, although pimping is a crime. The northeastern city of Barcelona plans to introduce regional legislation in coming weeks banning prostitution on urban streets.

Russian banker shot six times had testified over murder plot

Reportage - 07:35


The banker was left for dead by a lone gunman as he returned to his home in Canary Wharf on Tuesday evening. Scotland Yard detectives are investigating the attempted assassination, which Mr Gorbuntsov’s lawyer believes was a retaliation attack after the banker gave evidence in a 2009 attempted murder case. Mr Gorbuntsov, who fled to London because of his fear of reprisals, had recently submitted new evidence to Russian police about the attempted murder of Alexander Antonov, another Russian banker. The case was closed three years ago when three Chechen men were jailed for attempted murder. But police have never discovered who organised the attempted hit. Officers re-opened the case on March 2 this year after Mr Gorbuntsov submitted his new testimony.

Tuesday 20 March 2012

Laura Johnson 'was going out with convicted crack dealer'

Reportage - 15:12

 

A millionaire’s daughter accused of going on a two-hour crime spree on the worst night of last summer's riots was having a fling with an convicted crack dealer in the weeks before the trouble flared, a court heard today. The jury was told that it was this man - known as 'Sylar' - who jumped into Laura Johnson's car, with two of his friends, and forced her into driving them as they stole a haul of electrical goods, cigarettes and alcohol. Johnson's friend Charlie Fryett today told the court that she had 'come across as quite easy' and had been meeting up intimately with Sylar, whose real name is Emmanuel. The jury heard he was a robber who had recently been released for dealing crack cocaine.

Monday 19 March 2012

Herbie Hide: Man Arrested Over Stabbing At World Champion Boxer's Home

Reportage - 16:44

 

man is from the Norwich area and has been detained for questioning, Norfolk police said. Herbie Hide was world heavyweight champion twice The stabbing victim has been identified as Tafadzwa Kahn, from St Giles Street in Norwich. The attack happened shortly after midnight at a private party in Long Lane on March 18. Mr Kahn was stabbed following an argument, and was pronounced dead at the scene by paramedics shortly after they arrived. Post mortem results showed that the 25-year-old died as a result of a single stab wound, although he had received multiple stab wounds to the body. The house in the village of Bawburgh remains sealed by police as they carry out a forensic examination of the property. Norfolk Police have said that while they continue their investigations at the large house, Herbie Hide and his family are staying elsewhere. Hide, known as the Dancing Destroyer, has been WBO world heavyweight champion twice but in 2006 stepped down to the cruiserweight division. The following year he won the WBC International cruiserweight title. He has not fought since beating Welshman Wayne Brooks in the Crusierweight Prizefighter tournament in April 2010.

Sunday 18 March 2012

Life terms for gang who left hand grenade outside Kenny Dalglish's house

Reportage - 21:43


Five members of a gang who left a hand grenade outside Kenny Dalglish’s home were jailed for life yesterday. The two leaders of the criminal network were sentenced to a minimum of 22 years each. Kirk Bradley and Anthony Downes, both 26, were convicted in their absence of conspiracy to possess firearms with intent to endanger life and conspiracy to cause damage with intent to endanger life. The two men escaped from a prison van while on their way to stand trial last July. Bradley, of Formby, Lancashire, is still on the run but Downes, of no fixed address, was arrested in the Netherlands last Friday. He will be flown to the UK soon to begin serving his time. Three other men were sentenced at London’s Woolwich Crown Court yesterday after they admitted possessing firearms and causing criminal damage with intent to endanger life. Gary Wilson, 27, of Southport, Lancashire, will serve a minimum of 16 years. Joseph Farrell, 23, and Craig Riley, both of Stockbridge Village, Lancashire, will serve a minimum of 12 and 14 years respectively. The thugs carried out shootings and grenade attacks on behalf of others in the Liverpool underworld. The grenade was left on football legend Dalglish’s front wall in Southport in July 2009 – but was not intended for him. Instead, it was thought to be aimed at one of his neighbours, businessman John Ball, who was also the target of two shootings. Bradley and Downes ran their network between 2009 and 2010, ordering numerous shootings and bombings. Downes was serving a seven-year sentence at the time but the judge, Mr Justice Henriques, said he was the “chief executive controlling and organising events from his prison cell”.

Thursday 15 March 2012

Anthony Downes, 26, had been wanted since last July after escaping from the van. He was facing trial for conspiracy to possess firearms with intent to endanger life and conspiracy to cause damage with intent to endanger life.

Reportage - 21:33

 

A man who was sprung from a prison van on his way to Liverpool Crown Court eight months ago was the head of a criminal gang that carried out "a campaign of shooting and bombing", a court has heard. Anthony Downes, 26, had been wanted since last July after escaping from the van. He was facing trial for conspiracy to possess firearms with intent to endanger life and conspiracy to cause damage with intent to endanger life. Downes was arrested in The Netherlands on Friday, where he remains in custody. His co-defendant Kirk Bradley, 26, from Birkey Lane, Formby, who also escaped from the prison van, is still wanted by Merseyside Police. Nicholas Johnson, prosecuting, told the sentencing hearing at Woolwich Crown Court in London: "This was a campaign of shooting and bombing carried out by an organised criminal gang. At the head of the gang were Bradley and Downes." Downes, of no fixed address, was arrested in the Dutch province of Zeelands on suspicion of possession of a firearm and as a result of an outstanding European arrest warrant. He was said to be at the top of a gang which carried out attacks for others in the Liverpool underworld. Last month Woolwich Crown Court heard that the home of a wealthy businessman living in the same street as Liverpool football manager Kenny Dalglish was the target of two shootings. John Ball hired a security guard to keep watch on his home in Southport, Merseyside following the attacks in March and June 2009, the court was told. He is also believed to have been the target of a failed grenade attack on July 26 2009. Before the retrial, three of Downes' and Bradley's co-accused admitted charges of possessing firearms and causing criminal damage with intent to endanger life. Gary Wilson, 27, of Promenade in Southport, Joseph Farrell, 23, of Brandearth Hey in Stockbridge Village, Knowsley and Craig Riley, 25, of Boode Croft, also in Stockbridge Village, are all awaiting their sentences. Co-defendant Joseph Preston, 45, of Tewkesbury Close in West Derby, will be sentenced after admitting a standalone offence of possessing a firearm. Mr Justice Henriques adjourned the hearing and sentencing is due to take place on Friday morning.

British, Italian police arrest terrorism suspects

Reportage - 21:26

 

British and Italian anti-terrorism police arrested two people on Thursday, a woman in London and a Moroccan man living in northern Italy, who officials said may have been planning an attack on a Milan synagogue. Neither was named. Italian police said the 20-year-old Moroccan, who grew up near the city, had a Facebook page dedicated to training in the use of weapons and explosives and documents on his computer showing maps and security around Milan's main synagogue. He may also have been planning other attacks, they said.

Wednesday 14 March 2012

'Big shoes' lawyer Ritesh Brahmbhatt jailed for six years over drug-smuggling plots

Reportage - 21:45

 

Ritesh Brahmbhatt, 31, was caught with packages containing skunk, mephedrone and electronic scales. Brahmbhatt had attempted to smuggle the drugs into Pentonville prison in north London. His size 12, wide-fitting slip-ons were at least three sizes too big for him, Blackfriars crown court heard. He was planning to pass the contraband into the prison to fuel a lucrative blackmarket trade, with over £20,000 passing through his accounts before the racket was broken up. Brahmbhatt, of Ilford, Essex, admitted two plots between March 1 and September 17, 2009, and taking a mobile phone into Winchester prison while on bail for those offences on February 2 last year. The judge said: 'You are a devious, conniving and unprinicipled individual who would stop at nothing or allow no one to get in the way of you criminal ambition.' Detective Sergeant Simon Lowe added: 'Our officers worked extremely hard during this complicated investigation and we are grateful for the support shown by staff from Pentonville prison. 'These people sought to make a profit out of criminality by dealing drugs and renting mobile phones in prison. 'I thank the jury for their careful consideration and I hope that these verdicts act as a deterrent to others considering committing crimes like this.'

Wigan pair who smuggled heroin worth £1.5m into UK hidden in MG sports car

Reportage - 21:37

 

Two men have been jailed for smuggling 13 kilos (29lb) of pure heroin with an estimated street value of £1.5 million into the UK. Jeffery Green, 53, told UK Border Agency officers he had been to Belgium on business when he arrived in Dover, Kent, on June 28 last year. Officers used a detector dog to search the MG car Green was driving and found the heroin behind a panel near to the fuel tank, a UK Border Agency spokeswoman said. Green, of Newark Street, Wigan, Greater Manchester, was arrested and charged with attempted importation of class A drugs. He pleaded guilty to that charge and another charge of conspiracy to import heroin at Canterbury Crown Court last year, and was jailed for seven years on Monday, the spokesman said. His accomplice, Paul Gleeson, 52, of St Matthew's Close, Wigan, who had bought the car Green was driving when he was stopped, was jailed for seven years at the same court today after pleading guilty to conspiracy to import heroin. Malcolm Bragg, assistant director of the UK Border Agency's criminal and financial investigation team, said: "Drug smuggling is a vile business that exploits the misery of others for an easy profit. "Heroin destroys the lives not only of users, but also their families and the surrounding community. "The sentence handed down today should act as a warning to those who attempt to smuggle illegal drugs into this country. "The message is clear - if you are involved in drug smuggling we will catch you and you will go to jail for a long time."

Tuesday 13 March 2012

David Cameron could be questioned on oath over links to Rebekah and Charlie Brooks, Downing St admits

Reportage - 18:42

 

Mrs Brooks and her husband were among six people who were arrested this morning on suspicion of conspiring to pervert the course of justice by police officers investigating allegations of phone hacking. The former editor of the News of the World and her husband Charlie, the racehorse trainer and Telegraph columnist, were arrested at their home in Chipping Norton, Oxfordshire, sources said. Mrs Brooks, a former editor of The Sun, had been on bail after being questioned by detectives last summer on suspicion of phone hacking and corruption. News of the arrests broke after Mr Cameron had left the UK for an official visit to America. It could prove to be politically embarrassing for the Prime Minister who 10 days told a press conference that Mr Brooks had been a “good” friend “for over 30 years”. Labour called for the Leveson inquiry to include Mr Cameron’s links with close friends with the Brookses.

Monday 12 March 2012

Drug trafficking brothers jailed for more than five years each

Reportage - 22:58

Two brothers who tried to flood the north-east of Scotland with heroin and cocaine have been jailed. Paul and Anthony Smith were jailed for more than five years each after they admitted transporting a "significant" amount of class-A drugs into Aberdeen and Shetland. The pair, originally from Liverpool, were sentenced at the High Court in Aberdeen on Monday after previously admitting being involved in the supply of heroin and cocaine between October 2010 and February last year. Detective Inspector Alex Dowall said: "These men were intent on flooding the streets of Aberdeen and Shetland with class-A drugs and were willing to take great risks in the process in order to turn a profit. "Ultimately though, as their sentences today prove, the risk is much greater than the potential reward." Anthony Smith, 30, was jailed for five years and seven months while his 27-year-old sibling received a sentence of five years and two months. Det Insp Dowall added: "This was a complex inquiry across two countries and three force areas and it should serve as a warning to others intent on bringing drugs into the north-east that it will not be tolerated. "Operation Limehouse is an example of Grampian Police working closely with other police forces across the UK in order to target those suspected of committing drugs offences. "It must also be said that the assistance provided by local communities in Aberdeen and Shetland in bring these individuals to justice was invaluable."

Sunday 11 March 2012

Garage boss loses bid to sue cops for saying he was a gangster

Reportage - 23:28

 

A GARAGE owner’s bid to sue police for £200,000 for branding him a crook was thrown out yesterday. David Lyons – who is part of the notorious Lyons crime family – said he was defamed when police claimed he was involved in “serious and organised crime, including trafficking and supply of class A drugs”. Lyons insisted that although members of his family had been in serious trouble, he was an honest businessman. He also said police had no evidence to back up their claims. The 52-year-old, who runs Applerow Motors in Lambhill, Glasgow, brought acivil action at the Court of Session in Edinburgh. Lyons had his MoT licence revoked two years ago following representations made by Strathclyde Police to the Vehicle and Operator Services Agency (VOSA). In his action, Lyons said he lost the licence because police had branded him a “career criminal”. He said the loss of his MoT licence cost him him £7000 a year in lost trade. And he said some people shunned him because police had given him a bad name. Lyons claimed it was inferred that he used his garage business as “a front”. But he insisted he had “no relevant previous convictions and has led a straight life”. Lady Smith dismissed the action after lawyers acting for Strathclyde Chief Constable Stephen House challenged it at a procedural debate. House argued in theaction that when police passed on their intelligence, they were acting lawfullyand in good faith. Ranald MacPherson,solicitor advocate for the chief constable, told Lady Smith: “They have simply communicated, as they have to, that this intelligence exists.” Lyons’s brother Eddie is head of a drug-dealing Glasgow crime clan. And his son Paul is a well-known crook serving 12 years for a road rage killing. Applerow Motors was the scene of a gangland murder in 2006. Lyons’s nephew Michael Lyons, 21, was killed and two others were wounded. Two men were later jailed for 35 years. Lyons said: “There are people in my family involved in crime but why should I be held responsible for them? “I have never touched drugs, sold drugs or had anything to do with drugs.”

Friday 9 March 2012

A4e faces new fraud investigation

Reportage - 14:09

 

The government has launched an investigation into an allegation of attempted fraud against the welfare-to-work company A4e. The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) said it had been made aware of an allegation of attempted fraud in relation to a mandatory work activity contract with the firm, which is already facing a police investigation in relation to previous allegations. A statement said: "As a result of this new allegation, DWP has immediately commenced its own independent audit of all our commercial relationships with A4e. "We have required A4e to make available all documentation which our auditors may require and provide full access to interview any A4e employees. This is separate from the independent review of internal controls which A4e has previously announced. "The chief executive of A4e was informed of this at a meeting with a senior DWP official earlier today. "We have made it absolutely clear to A4e that we take this matter very seriously, and that if, at any point during the audit or thereafter, we find evidence of systemic fraud in DWP's contracts with A4e, we will not hesitate to immediately terminate our commercial relationship." A4e said: "The board has made consistently clear in all previous statements that we take any allegations of fraudulent or otherwise illegal activity extremely seriously. There is absolutely no place for this type of misconduct at A4e. "We obviously acknowledge the concerns raised by DWP, and we welcome and will co-operate fully with their planned investigations. "A4e has more than 3,500 staff and operates out of 200 offices in the UK. From December 2005 to date, nine cases relating to A4e have been referred to the Department of Work and Pensions to review claims submissions. "Of these nine referrals, one, dating back to May 2008, resulted in the prosecution of an individual member of A4e staff, which was widely reported at the time. "Another is the case now being handled by Thames Valley police. In each of the remaining, closed cases, the DWP's view was that these were not incidences of malpractice. "The board has asked White & Case LLP to lead an independent and thorough review of A4e's controls and procedures. That process will be carried out concurrently, and all findings will be provided to DWP."

Wednesday 7 March 2012

Anti-gang campaigner killed in 'gang brawl' in Cambridge

Reportage - 22:10

 

anti-gang campaigner who abandoned London to escape urban violence was stabbed to death in a suspected gang brawl in Cambridge. Father-of-three Kyjah Brown, 26, volunteered to help youngsters in his new hometown escape knife crime, but was killed after being caught up in the fight on Saturday. Mr Brown, who left Brixton, South London, for a more 'peaceful life' was enjoying a night out with two friends in Cambridge when he was attacked and left to die by the side of the road. The DJ and rapper’s two friends were rushed to hospital with serious injuries and have since been helping police with their inquiries. Friends hailed him as an 'inspiration' to youngsters seeking to avoid gang violence. Della Spencer, Cambridgeshire County Council’s black community support, said Mr Brown was known for his work helping youngsters to turn their backs on crime through music and sport. She said: 'I know he moved from London to escape knife crime and the violence and moved to Cambridge for a peaceful life.   More... Red card for Balotelli! Striker given his marching orders for wearing a 'gangsta' style hoodie in shopping centre where they're banned 'He was well known amongst the young people. He tried to to put them off gang culture to stop them getting a criminal record. His death has really affected the community.' A former football teammate, who has been holding a vigil at the murder scene for the last three nights, said the selfless father was an 'amazing person'. Looking for peace: Hanover Court estate, where the former Londoner was stabbed to death during a suspected gang brawl He said: 'Kyjah basically ran Waterbeach Wanderers to help those youngsters keep off the streets. 'There was no money and that’s why it folded but he even used his own money to buy football kits. That’s why it is such a shock that he died this way. 'His family moved to Cambridge to get the brothers away from all that. He was just an amazing person. 'We have been tweeting the liked of Wayne Rooney as well as Rio Ferdinand - who Kyjah really did look like - to get the message out there about knife crime.' Kyjah ran Waterbeach Wanderers to help those youngsters keep off the streets. He even used his own money to buy football kits. That’s why it is such a shock that he died this way. His family moved to Cambridge to get the brothers away from all that. He was just an amazing person. But local councillor Sheila Stuart warned that cramped conditions and fears over drug dealing on the Hanover Court estate, where Mr Brown died, has stopped neighbours from talking to police. She said drug dealing was rife on the estate and called on police to help clean up the area. 'It’s a very dense living environment, everyone is on top of each other and residents are loath to report because they feel they will be under threat. 'I don’t know if drugs and anti-social behaviour are related but there’s a very serious problem and it really destroys the lives of the people who are trying to lead decent lives there.' A Facebook group has been set up since Mr Brown's tragic death to help fight knife crime. His friend Zoe Walton wrote: 'I hope this campaign will raise awareness to young men to make a life for themselves - just as Kyjah did.' Crime scene investigators were conducting a careful fingertip search near the scene of the stabbings. A 22-year-old man was been arrested on suspicion of murder but was later bailed. Police are now hunting for a second suspect in connection with the incident.

Gemma McCluskie: EastEnders actress's brother arrested after headless torso found in canal

Reportage - 21:57

 

The brother of missing former EastEnders actress Gemma McCluskie has been arrested in connection with her disappearance, it was reported today. It comes as police yesterday dragged a headless female torso from a canal in the east end of London, feared to be the 29-year-old. Her brother Tony, 35, was arrested today and is in custody at an east London police station, Sky News said. Police have not confirmed the identity of the suspect. Earlier Mr McCluskie had told how he had last seen his sister at home last Thursday afternoon. He told the press his sister's disappearance is 'completely' out of character and that she had never been missing before. He added: 'We are going out of our mind with worry. She is a bubbly, outgoing, strong and independent woman.' Officers were alerted after a member of the public noticed something suspicious floating in the water. There has so far been no link established between the disappearance of Miss McCluskie, who played Kerry Skinner in 2001, and yesterday's find, which came after police had expressed extreme concern for the actress's welfare. A Metropolitan spokesman said: 'A body was found in Regent's Canal near Broadway Market in East London at 2:40pm. 'Enquiries are underway to establish the identity of the deceased. A post-mortem will be scheduled to ascertain the cause of death. 'Pending that post mortem we will be treating the death as unexplained.' Friends and relatives of Miss McCluskie have launched a frantic search around London’s East End for the petite brunette, who appeared in more than 30 episodes of the flagship BBC soap. Her character arrived in Albert Square as a friend of Zoe Slater and the great niece of the late Ethel Skinner. She briefly dated Robbie Jackson and got him to propose to her. Unidentified: A police diver searches a canal next to Broadway Market, East London after a body was found Crime scene: Police seal off the towpath and canal next to Broadway Market in east London after a torso was found in the water Mystery: A diver prepares to enter the water at Regents Canal, where the body was found as the search for Gemma McCluskie continued Former EastEnders stars including Martine McCutcheon and Brooke Kinsella have begun assisting the search on Twitter. More than 100 people carried out a search around the local area, placing posters in shops and pubs and handing out leaflets last night, after Miss McCluskie was last seen at her home in Bethnal Green last Thursday.

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