Huhne 'Moves To Comfortable Open Prison'

Former Cabinet minister Chris Huhne has reportedly been moved to a "comfortable" open jail after spending seven days in Wandsworth prison.

Huhne was jailed earlier this month after pleading guilty to perverting the course of justice for asking his wife to take speeding points for him in 2003.

The 58-year-old served his first week at HMP Wandsworth, in south London, but has now been moved to HMP Leyhill in Gloucestershire for the remainder of his eight month term, The Sun reported.

The Category D jail is described on the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) website as somewhere that prisoners can "assume more responsibility and benefit from opportunities to make decisions for themselves before returning to the outside community".

HMP Leyhill, which has farms and gardens in its grounds, offers a number of courses and employment opportunities for prisoners, such as making door and window frames and prison furniture.

Ex-wife Vicky Pryce was also said to have moved to a more 'pleasant' prison

On March 15, Huhne's ex-wife was moved to a "pleasant" open jail after spending only four nights in Holloway prison, according to reports.

Vicky Pryce, 60, was jailed for eight months after a jury found her guilty of perverting the course of justice.

She was convicted following a retrial at Southwark Crown Court after a jury disagreed with her defence of marital coercion.

The mother-of-five was transferred from Holloway prison in north London to East Sutton Park prison in Maidstone, Kent, it was reported.

The category D jail is described on the MoJ website as "a pleasant mansion house overlooking the Weald of Kent".

An MoJ spokesman has previously said it will not comment on individual prisoners or where they are held.

16.12 | 0 komentar | Read More

England Fan In Coma After Italy Bar Fight

A 65-year-old man is in a coma in Italy after a brawl between England fans ahead of the World Cup qualifier against San Marino.

The victim was injured after he was punched in the face and hit his head against the pavement when he fell.

Police called to the scene have arrested another Briton, Matthew Mabey, 21, who is being held on suspicion of serious wounding.

The incident happened outside the Bounty pub in Bologna, where dozens of England fans had gathered ahead of the journey to nearby San Marino for the match.

Violence erupted between a group of seven fans who were drinking in the pub.

Paramedics were quickly on the scene and the victim - who reportedly tried to defend himself with a bar stool - was taken to Bologna's Maggiore Hospital for emergency surgery.

Doctors said he was put into an induced coma and described his condition as ''very serious".

A police spokeswoman in Bologna said: "We were called by staff at the pub and by passers by to a fight that had broken out between a group of England fans who had been drinking heavily.

England players training ahead of the match in San Marino

"From what witnesses have told us a group of men surrounded the victim and as they attacked him he picked up a bar stool to defend himself but was then punched once in the face and fell to the ground hitting his head on the pavement.

"He suffered serious injuries and is now in hospital."

The spokesman said that a 48-year-old man also held in connection with the incident has been released.

An employee at the bar said: "They had been in the bar drinking all day, then all of a sudden all hell broke loose and there was shouting and fighting amongst themselves.

"The next minute one man was on the floor - he looked in a bad way and then the ambulance and police arrived."

A UK Foreign Office spokeswoman said: "We can confirm the arrest of a British national in Italy on 21 March. We are providing consular assistance."

Extra police have been drafted in for the match with around 2,500 England fans expected to attend the game - outnumbering San Marino supporters.

Some were delayed or had to abandon travel plans because of the appalling weather conditions in the UK.

16.12 | 0 komentar | Read More

Weather: Snow And Rain Continues To Batter UK

Britain is continuing to endure extreme winter storms as snow, rain, high winds and freezing temperatures affect large swathes of the country.

The severe weather, which has already claimed the life of one woman, has been extending south, affecting London and parts of Kent.

The Met Office has issued two amber warnings for snow, with Northern Ireland and Wales, parts of northwest and northeast England and the Midlands expecting to see up to 15cm of snowfall over the course of the day.

Tens of thousands of homes in Northern Ireland, Scotland and Cumbria remain without power, while many roads are impassable and runways have been forced to close.

Two amber warnings have been issued

Birmingham Airport has suspended all arrivals and departures due to heavy snowfall, while Leeds Bradford is experiencing heavy delays.

The AA has warned motorists that even short journeys may be difficult, and there could be a repeat of the scenes in southern England last week when hundreds of drivers were stranded in their cars overnight.

In stark contrast to yesterday, there are only two flood warnings, meaning flooding is expected, in place in Britain. Both warnings are for southwest England.

A further 91 flood alerts, where flooding is possible, remain in place across the South East, Anglia, the Midlands and Wales.

The rain has been a particular problem in Cornwall, where a landslide, thought to have been triggered by torrential rain, smashed through a block of flats, partially collapsing the building.

Emergency crews found a woman's body after picking through debris at the Veronica flats in Looe on Friday night.

The body is believed to be that of Susan Norman, who was in her 60s and had been unaccounted for, according to the police.

Sky weather presenter Isobel Lang said: "Southeast England, East Anglia, the Midlands, north Wales, northern England, Northern Ireland and much of Scotland can expect snow today.

A woman died when this house in Looe collapsed

"High ground will be worst affected with some heavy snow at times with drifting in the strong winds and also blizzards.

"Low levels could see 5cm to 10cm, two to four inches, of snowfall today although amounts will probably be lower across London."

She added: "Southwest England, south Wales and southern Ireland looks largely dry and relatively mild with some brighter spells.

"A few showers may nudge into the extreme southwest later. Tonight will stay dry with a frost forming in places."

Meanwhile, Electricity North West said about 1,500 properties in Cumbria remain without power but repair work was being held back by road closures, preventing access to some communities.

The company said it was considering using a helicopter to transport engineers to the areas to which power could not immediately be restored.

A complete blackout was reported for between 15 and 30 minutes across Belfast on Friday evening.

16.12 | 0 komentar | Read More

Sex Change Teacher Lucy Meadows Found Dead

A male primary school teacher who began a new term as a woman has been found dead.

Pupils at St Mary Magdalen's C of E Primary School in Accrington, Lancashire, were told in December that Nathan Upton should be addressed as Miss Meadows after the Christmas break.

This week they were informed that their teacher, Lucy Meadows, had died. The 32-year-old was found at a house in Accrington on Tuesday.

The teacher had thanked school governors and staff for their support when he announced his plans to return dressed as a woman in January.

A letter to parents read: "Mr Upton has recently made a significant change in his life and will be transitioning to live as a woman.

"After the Christmas break, she will return to work as Miss Meadows."

Concerns from some parents were reported in the media with one father saying that his three sons at the school were "too young to be dealing with that".

A spokeswoman for Lancashire Police said: "At 4.45pm on Tuesday, police were called by the ambulance service to a report of a sudden death at an address on Ramsbottom Street in Accrington.

"On arrival they found the body of a 32-year-old woman. There are no suspicious circumstances and a file will be prepared and passed to the coroner."

In a statement on the school website, head teacher Karen Hardman said: "It is with great sadness that I have to inform you of the death of Miss Lucy Meadows.

"Our staff will be working closely with bereavement teams and are here to offer the children and yourselves any support in any way we can."

16.12 | 0 komentar | Read More

Immigration: Lib Dems Call For Security Bonds

Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg is to call for a bail-like system of security bonds to tackle visa abuse.

The bonds would be paid as a cash guarantee from visa applicants coming from high-risk countries and would be repaid once the visitor leaves Britain.

In his first speech on immigration as deputy prime minister, Mr Clegg will unveil the radical proposal at the liberal think-tank, the Centre Forum.

He will pledge to "lay the foundations for an immigration system that embodies this nation's instincts and its values" as he attacks the previous Labour government for "grossly" mismanaging the issue.

Earlier this month, Labour leader Ed Miliband  admitted his party failed on immigration.

Mr Miliband again said his party was wrong to relax controls - a move that allowed hundreds of thousands of foreigners to move to the UK.

Mr Clegg will say: "We are grappling with the difficult challenges in our immigration system.

"Brick by brick, we are rebuilding it. Day by day we are making sure, quite simply, that it works.

Mr Miliband said Labour failed on immigration

"All the British people ask is for a system they can have confidence in. We hear that, and we are delivering it.

"I'm determined we lay the foundations for an immigration system that embodies this nation's instincts and its values - our openness and tolerance on one hand, our sense of fair play, on the other."

The Deputy Prime Minister will say that visa "overstayers" are one of the biggest challenges faced by the immigration system and the UK Border Agency (UKBA).

"The challenge isn't just stopping people coming into Britain illegally, it's about dealing with individuals who come over legitimately, but then become illegal once they're already here," he will say.

To tackle this issue, Mr Clegg has asked the Home Office to run a pilot of so-called security bonds, which echoes an Australian system applied to family visas.

It is understood the cost of the bonds would vary but are likely to be in the region of four figures.

Mr Clegg will be seeking views on the proposal, including from the Home Affairs Select Committee.

"The bonds would need to be well targeted - so that they don't unfairly discriminate against particular groups," he says.

"The amounts would need to be proportionate - we mustn't penalise legitimate visa applicants who will struggle to get hold of the money."

But UKIP, which came second to the Lib Dems in the recent Eastleigh by-election after focusing its campaign on tightening immigration controls, ridiculed Mr Clegg's plans.

Party leader Nigel Farage said: "Nick Clegg now joins the cavalcade of party politicians who have suddenly noticed a simple fact, that they are not trusted with our country's borders.

Mr Clegg says Labour left the immigration system in "disarray"

"Since the Eastleigh by-election they have thrown initiative after initiative at the headlines, but to no serious effect. The bottom line is, there is nothing that he, or they, can do about mass migration into this country while our borders are controlled by the European Union."

Mr Clegg will also reveal plans to increase cash penalties for "unscrupulous" employers who knowingly hire illegal immigrants because they are cheaper.

The maximum fine is £10,000 per illegal worker - Mr Clegg will call for the penalty to "double" and has asked the Home Secretary to "look into the right amount".

But the deputy prime minister will also seek to reassure British businesses that the Coalition continues to prioritise "growth and building a stronger economy" with immigration a "key part of that".

He says: "The majority of people who come here work hard and make a contribution. Many have served - and still serve - in our armed forces.

"And if every member of an immigrant community suddenly downed tools, countless businesses and services would suffer.

"The NHS would fall over."

And Mr Clegg will hit out at the Labour party for leaving the immigration system in "disarray".

"The problem is that the system has not been well managed. It has been grossly mismanaged. I cannot stress enough just how chaotic it was."

The speech comes as the Government toughens its stance on immigration with a range of new measures aimed at bringing down net migration to the tens of thousands.

UKBA officials will conduct interviews with more than 100,000 student visa applicants from "high-risk" countries outside the EU to crack down on bogus students.

And a "genuine entrepreneur" test has been introduced to tackle the rising number of foreign nationals attempting to enter Britain by fudging their bank accounts.

But in the wake of criticism from politicians and the higher education sector, some immigration rules were recently loosened in a bid to give additional flexibility to businesses and allow top international students to pursue careers in Britain.

16.12 | 0 komentar | Read More

Child Smokers: Thousands More Take Up Habit

The number of children who have taken up smoking has risen by 50,000 in just one year - the equivalent of 567 a day.

About 207,000 children aged 11 to 15 started to smoke in 2011, a sharp rise from 157,000 in 2010, Cancer Research UK said.

Almost one in three (27%) of under-16s have tried smoking at least once, a study by the charity found.

It urged the Government to commit to having all cigarettes put in plain standardised packs.

Sarah Woolnough, executive director of policy and information at Cancer Research UK, said: "With such a large number of youngsters starting to smoke every year, urgent action is needed to tackle the devastation caused by tobacco.

"Replacing slick, brightly-coloured packs that appeal to children with standard packs displaying prominent health warnings is a vital part of efforts to protect health.

"Reducing the appeal of cigarettes with plain, standardised packs will give millions of children one less reason to start smoking."

Last April, the Government launched a consultation on plans to introduce mandatory standardised packaging for tobacco products.

Health campaigners have welcomed the proposal, although opponents claim it would lead to increased smuggling and job losses.

Information generated by the consultation, which closed in August, is still being analysed by health officials.

In December, Australia became the first country in the world to put all tobacco products in standardised packs.

Cigarette packets and other products are all sold in a standardised colour, with only the brand name and graphic warnings visible.

16.12 | 0 komentar | Read More

Archbishop Of Canterbury Due To Be Enthroned

The new Archbishop of Canterbury has revealed he is looking forward to meeting and working with Pope Francis as both religious leaders start their high-profile roles.

Speaking ahead of his inauguration at Canterbury Cathedral, The Most Rev Justin Welby told Sky News presenter Eamonn Holmes on Sunrise: "The papacy is a completely different thing to an Archbishop of Canterbury.

"I am one of almost 100 English bishops with a particular role, whereas he is the head of the Roman Catholic Church globally.

"I am greatly looking forward to meeting him. His story - his life story - is extraordinary. He is a great intellectual, but also an incredibly pastoral and simple, down-to-earth character.

"I am absolutely sure that we will be able to work together on a vast number of issues."

The Archbishop chose to visit West Sussex on Tuesday as part of a pilgrimage of his own around five English cities this month, instead of the Vatican for Pope Francis' inauguration.

He will lead 80 million Christians - in comparison to the Pope, who is leader of the world's 1.2 billion Catholics.

The Most Rev Justin Welby with his wife Caroline

However, they do have one thing in common. Like the newly-installed Pope, the Archbishop also likes to travel on the bus.

"I don't know what he will do, but I find it the easiest way of getting around," he said.

In the process of moving into Lambeth Palace, he conceded: "It is a very different life, it'll take a while to settle. We have a very close family. They tease relentlessly and keep my feet very firmly on the ground."

He faces many divisive issues within the Church, including women bishops, gay clergy and relations with the Catholic Church.

"I think reconciliation is about learning to be very different ... and continue to love and care for each other as we should within the Church, and within society to be able to hold very different views without being destructive," he said.

"One of the greatest challenges of my job is following Rowan Williams because he was such an extraordinary, exceptional, wonderful man, and such a wonderful Archbishop."

When he is not working, he likes to spend time with his family, reading and running. Asked what he likes to watch on TV, he confessed he has not owned one for the last two years.

"I love The West Wing. If I want to kick back I watch something like The West Wing - and I must start watching the new series of The Newsroom.

"We do now have a TV and I do watch a bit. The great thing I love about the telly is I like happy endings, simple stories and things that don't make me think too much. Though I do watch some more serious stuff, but not too much, because life is pretty serious on the whole and telly is great entertainment."

The Most Rev Welby was named as Dr Rowan Williams' successor in November and is due to be enthroned as Archbishop of Canterbury in a service at Canterbury Cathedral later.

The father-of-five resigned as an oil executive in 1987 after 11 years in the industry to train for the Anglican priesthood.

16.12 | 0 komentar | Read More

Truro: Woman Dies After Car Rolls Into River

An elderly woman has drowned after the car she was in slid into a river from a ferry slipway.

The vehicle plunged into the River Fal while waiting to board the King Harry Ferry near Truro, Cornwall, at around 4pm on Wednesday.

Devon and Cornwall Police said the male driver was not in the vehicle at the time of the car entering the water and escaped unharmed.

The body of the woman was recovered by emergency services two hours later. She was pronounced dead at the scene.

Police and divers were involved in the search and rescue, alongside fire crews, the Falmouth and Portscatho Coastguard, all-weather RNLI lifeboats and the Royal Navy search and rescue helicopter from Culdrose.

In a statement, the operators of the King Harry Ferry said the car went into the water when the ferry was at the Feock side of the river.

"Our heartfelt thoughts go out to the friends and family of everyone involved in this tragedy," the statement said.

Police are appealing for witnesses with any information to call them on 101 quoting log number 456 20/03/13.

The King Harry Ferry connects St Mawes and the Roseland Peninsula with Feock, Truro and Falmouth and is an alternative route to a 27-mile journey through Truro and Tresillian. It has been operating since 1888.

16.12 | 0 komentar | Read More

One Dead After Train Hits Car On Crossing

One person has died after a train hit a car on a level crossing, British Transport Police have confirmed.

The incident happened on the crossing near Athelney in Somerset, which is on the line between Taunton and Castle Cary.

British Transport Police said there were no reports of any passengers on the train being injured in the crash.

Rail operator First Great Western was using a limited bus replacement service between Taunton and Westbury.

At around 8am the company tweeted: Due to this disruption customers travelling between London Paddington and Exerter are advised to travel via Bristol Temple Meads."

A spokesman for British Transport Police (BTP) said: "Shortly before 6.30am this morning BTP was called to reports of a car having been struck by a train at Athelney automatic half barrier level crossing.

"The train involved is the 0546 Exeter to London Paddington service.

"The train has not been derailed and there are no reports of any injuries to anyone on board.

"The car is trapped under the front of the train and services are currently stopped in the area."

A BTP spokesman added later: "There was one person in the car who has been pronounced dead at the scene.

"An investigation is under way to establish the full circumstances leading up to the incident."

16.12 | 0 komentar | Read More

New Missing Children Policy Is Sex Abuse Risk

By Martin Brunt, Crime Correspondent

A children's charity has accused police chiefs of putting vulnerable children at risk of sex abuse with a new definition of "missing persons".

Chief Constables say a new two-tier definition will give better protection to children and vulnerable adults.

Full investigations will still be launched into "missing" cases, but specialist officers will only record and monitor those who regularly go "absent" and explore the reasons why.

From next month the new approach will be applied by all police forces to the 327,000 people reported missing each year, two-thirds of whom are children.

But David Tucker, of the NSPCC, said: "We are very concerned that the new definition of 'missing persons' will put vulnerable children at risk of being groomed and sexually exploited. The length of time a child goes missing is irrelevant because they can fall into the clutches of abusers very quickly.

"Children go missing for a variety of reasons; they may be bullied, abused or are generally unhappy. But whatever the reason, this problem must be taken seriously.

"We expect all professionals including the police to invest the right amount of time and take the necessary action to protect all children as soon as they go missing."

Until now all missing person calls were treated the same, with response officers called out to investigate until the person was located.

Police call handlers will now put calls into one of two categories: missing or absent.

The new definition of "missing" will be: "Not at the place they are expected to be, but the circumstances are out of character or the context suggests they may be subject of a crime or at risk of harm to themselves or others."

The definition of "absent" will be: "Not at a place where they are expected or required to be."

The Association of Chief Police Officers hopes the new policy will cut bureaucracy and stop officers from being seen as 'taxi drivers' sent to collect runaway children who regularly abscond.

Chief Constable Pat Geenty said: "The police are often the first agency to take a missing person report and our aim is to ensure we get the best possible response to those most at risk of harm.

"This means identifying these cases early so that policing resources go where they are most needed. We need to move beyond a one-size-fits-all response".

The new policy will be introduced nationally in April after being piloted in three police forces as part of the joint Home Office and ACPO Reducing Bureaucracy programme.

16.12 | 0 komentar | Read More

Winchester Prison: Inspectors Slam Conditions

Two severely disabled prisoners were locked up in a cell for nearly 24 hours a day and had not showered for months, an inspection has found.

The pair were jailed in the cell at HMP Winchester - designed for just one person - and relied on other prisoners to take them their meals, HM Inspectorate of Prisons (HMIP) found.

Staff were unaware that the two older and disabled prisoners could not use the shower on their landing as it was not adapted accordingly.

The men had a small window in their cell that was painted over so they had to choose between keeping out the cold or shutting out the light, the report added.

Elsewhere, one third of the 680 prisoners told inspectors illegal drugs were "easily available", while one in 10 developed a drug habit within the jail walls.

The category B prison, partly built in the 19th century, has deteriorated sharply and is now of serious concern, Chief Inspector of Prisons Nick Hardwick said.

"Until shortly before the inspection, HMP Winchester was neglected and drifting," Mr Hardwick said.

"There had been pockets of good practice and, although many staff did their best, their efforts were often haphazard, inconsistent and badly coordinated."

In a damning report, the inspectorate said that more than half of prisoners had felt unsafe at some time, while there was insufficient action to tackle violence.

Mr Hardwick said a new governor was appointed shortly before the inspection.

He said: "The new leadership was aware of many of the problems and we saw early signs of a determined effort to tackle them.

"But the prison is just at the start of the process of putting things right again, and it will be a long, hard task to do so."

National Offender Management Service chief executive Michael Spurr said: "As the chief inspector acknowledges, the new governor has begun to tackle the deficiencies and I am confident that these will be properly addressed and rectified."

16.12 | 0 komentar | Read More

Budget: Osborne Vows To Help People 'Get On'

By Jon Craig, Chief Political Correspondent

George Osborne has vowed to help people "work hard and get on" as he prepares to deliver the most important Budget of his career.

The Chancellor joined Twitter hours before the financial statement, which comes as he is under intense pressure over the lack of growth.

A Twitpic shows George Osborne at work

Posting a picture of himself at work with his red box, he wrote: "Today I'll present a Budget that tackles the economy's problems head on helping those who want to work hard & get on."

Mr Osborne will this lunchtime unveil a Budget that has the twin aims of trying to rescue the British economy and the political fortunes of the Conservative Party.

He will announce a raft of measures he hopes will not only kick-start economic growth but also reverse a Tory slump that began with his Budget a year ago.

Many Tories blame 2012's "omnishambles" statement containing a series of blunders that required embarrassing U-turns for the collapse in the party's support.

Further questions have been raised about the Chancellor since Britain lost its AAA credit rating and slipped into a double dip recession, with the risk of a triple drip still alive.

Labour leader Ed Miliband warned on Wednesday that Britain did not want "more of the same". "What we don't need is him saying I'm going to stick to my failed plan," he said.

But despite lower growth forecasts and a rise in borrowing set to be confirmed in the statement, Mr Osborne is expected to insist there can be no shift from austerity.

He has already promised help for pensioners, working couples and homebuyers but will also need to tackle fuel duty and encourage businesses to invest to avoid another onslaught from critics.

On tax, the Chancellor is tipped to help the low paid by accelerating raising the income tax threshold to £10,000, a move championed by the Tories' Lib Dem Coalition partners.

And after the furore in the Conservative Party over gay marriage, the Chancellor may boost the married couples' allowance to cheer up disgruntled Tory backbenchers.

A cut in corporation tax from 21p to 20p would also delight business leaders.

Mr Osborne is also expected to agree to unlock £4.8bn in child trust funds and allow parents to transfer their investments into more generous Junior ISAs. This move could leave some children up to £34,000 richer.

And he will announce that thousands of elderly people who lost up to half of their life savings when Equitable Life came close to collapse a decade ago will receive compensation.

But in a bleak message to MPs and voters on the state of the economy, there will be no U-turn on spending cuts or unfunded tax cuts and some grim economic forecasts.

Mr Osborne has defied calls from Lib Dem Cabinet colleague Vince Cable and former Tory defence secretary Liam Fox to change course and abandon his so-called "Plan A".

Warning that economic recovery would be a slow process, he said: "There is no easy answer to Britain's problems. There is no miracle cure, because of course if there was a miracle cure it would have been deployed."

Most government departments have in fact been ordered to cut another 2% from their budgets over the next two years so that the money can be spent on capital projects.

Health, schools, overseas aid and HM Revenue and Customs will be shielded from the latest round of savings, which will give a £2.5bn capital boost.

The Budget comes as a new poll confirmed Mr Osborne's unpopularity.

The survey suggested that more than four out of 10 voters (44%) think he should be sacked as Chancellor.

Fewer than one in five (18%) of those questioned said Mr Osborne should keep his job, while 38% did not know.

Favourite to replace him is Mr Cable, favoured by 12%, followed by Foreign Secretary William Hague (5%) and Home Secretary Theresa May (3%).

16.12 | 0 komentar | Read More

Nuisance Phone Calls: Which? Demands Action

Campaigners have demanded "tougher regulation" to clamp down on companies who plague people with unwanted phone calls and nuisance text messages.

Consumer group Which? found seven out of 10 consumers had been cold-called in the last three months, while two-fifths had received unsolicited texts.

The majority of calls and messages came from claims management companies (CMCs) offering to take up payment protection insurance (PPI) and personal injury cases.

Which? urged regulators including Ofcom and the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) to set up a joint taskforce to pull the plug on "intrusive and distressing" calls and texts.

It said offenders should receive fines and be put out of business.

"Unwanted calls or texts are not just a nuisance, they can be intrusive and distressing," executive director Richard Lloyd said.

"Many of us have been bombarded with spurious claims of PPI or injury compensation. People are telling us they are totally fed up with this nuisance and want to see action.

"Our research once again shows the behaviour of unscrupulous claims management companies must be tackled to stop them exploiting consumers who could claim compensation for free themselves.

"We want to see tougher regulation from the Government to clean up the CMC industry."

Which? said that a quarter of its members who made a claim on their car insurance were contacted by a CMC within three months.

Many of them were then bombarded by repeated messages. More than a fifth said they were sent at least 10 texts and one in eight received 10 or more phone calls.

The Transport Committee is currently investigating the extent to which bogus and exaggerated whiplash claims push up the cost of car insurance. False claims are estimated to add around £90 to the cost of every premium.

From next month, insurers will be banned from receiving money in exchange for the details of customers who make personal injury claims.

However, Which? said the rules will not cover non-injury claims such as car repairs.

It urged people to register their details with the Telephone Preference Service and to avoid opting into third party marketing when taking out an insurance policy.

It also said consumers should not respond to spam texts, even to text "stop", as this alerts the sender to the phone number being active and in use.

16.12 | 0 komentar | Read More

Roache: Abuse Victims 'Punished For Past Sins'

The actor who plays Coronation Street's Ken Barlow has seemingly claimed victims of sexual abuse are being punished for their behaviour in "previous lives".

Bill Roache made the comments in a television interview, during which he said famous men can be "caught in this trap" by young female fans who follow their movements.

Speaking to New Zealand's TVNZ, he said of the victims: "If you accept that you are pure love ... and therefore live that pure love, these things won't happen to you."

He was then pressed by reporter Garth Bray, who asked: "To some people that sounds perhaps like you're saying victims bring things on themselves. Is that what you're saying?"

Michael Le Vell arrives at court

The 80-year-old replied: "No, not quite, but then yes I am. Everything that happens to us is the result of what we have been in previous lives."

Roache's co-star of 30 years, Michael Le Vell, has been suspended from the ITV soap after he was charged with 19 child sex offences.

Le Vell, whose real name is Michael Turner, appeared in court last month and was bailed until his next appearance in the dock at Manchester Crown Court.

During his interview with TVNZ, Roache insisted: "Everyone's innocent until they're proven guilty."

He described paedophilia as "absolutely horrendous" but added: "There's a fringe here ... particularly pop stars who have these groupies, these girls, who are sexually active and sexually mature.

"They don't ask for their birth certificate and they don't know what age they may be.

"They're certainly not grooming them and exploiting them but they can be caught in this trap."

He added: "These people are instantly stigmatised. Some will be innocent and some will not, but until such time as (any offence) is proven, there should be anonymity for both.

"If someone has done something wrong, the law should take its course. But whether they're proven guilty or not, we should never be judgemental about anyone.

"We shouldn't go round condemning. We should be forgiving about everything."

16.12 | 0 komentar | Read More

Boris Admits: 'I'd Love A Crack At PM'

Boris Johnson has admitted that he would like to be prime minister but insisted "it's not going to happen".

The Mayor of London, considered a future rival to David Cameron, said he would love to "have a crack" at the job.

But he likened the idea to the prospect of him being a renowned painter or composer - or the lead singer of a top band.

He was asked whether he harboured ambitions for the top job in British politics in a forthcoming documentary.

Michael Cockerell, who made the programme for BBC2, told the Radio Times Mr Johnson said: "I would like to be the lead singer of an international rock group. That was my aim, or a good guitarist.

"I would love to have been a world-famous painter or a composer. There are many things that I would like to have been able to do."

When the documentary-maker pressed him again, he replied: "I think it's a very tough job being prime minister.

"Obviously, if the ball came loose from the back of a scrum - which it won't - it would be a great, great thing to have a crack at. But it's not going to happen."

Boris Johnson with David Cameron at the Olympics

Mr Johnson, 48, is seen by some Tories as the party's best hope for the future if Mr Cameron loses the next general election in 2015.

He enjoys huge popular support and veteran MP Sir Peter Tapsell, 83, is said to have offered to vacate his seat for him.

But the flamboyant politician has pledged to stay on as Mayor of London until 2016 and last week urged Tories to "put a sock in it and back the Prime Minister".

Mr Johnson and Mr Cameron, who is two years younger, both studied together at Eton and then Oxford University.

According to Cockerell, Mr Johnson painted a self-portrait when he was 12 which saw him resemble a Grecian demi-God.

His sister Rachel confirms that he always set his sights high as a child. "As Boris was growing up whenever anyone asked him what he wanted to be, he would answer: 'World King'," she said.

She added that he and Mr Cameron are "rather sweet" together because the Prime Minister "even though he's taller looks at Boris as if he's still head boy at Eton.

"Remember, Cameron was two years younger - the young pup."

Boris has pledged to stay as London Mayor until 2016

Asked whether Mr Johnson was now resentful as Mr Cameron had become Prime Minister, she said: "No, it gives Boris a sense of continuing superiority because he was Captain of the School."

Mr Johnson said that he vaguely remembered Mr Cameron at Eton, where the younger pupil was known as "Cameron minor" because his older brother was also at the exclusive school.

"I do remember Dave," he said. "Someone said to me once, 'That's Cameron mi' and there was this tiny chap, I dimly remember."

He also revealed his embarrassment about being a member of the notorious Bullingdon Club, a dining group for ex-public schoolboys at Oxford, whose members also included Mr Cameron.

"This is a truly shameful vignette of almost superhuman undergraduate arrogance, toffishness and twittishness," he said.

"But at the time you felt it was wonderful to be going round swanking it up. Or was it? Actually I remember the dinners being incredibly drunken."

Asked about the club's reputation for smashing up restaurants, he admitted: "Yes. And the abiding memory is of deep, deep self-loathing."

16.12 | 0 komentar | Read More

Father And Son Killed In Alps Hiking Trip Named

A British father and his 12-year-old son who died while hiking in the Alps have been named by the Foreign Office.

Peter and Charlie Saunders were killed on a walking trip in the Chamonix valley in France after flying there for a short weekend adventure, the FCO said in a statement issued on behalf of their family.

Mr Saunders tumbled to his death as he tried to search for his son who had fallen 300 metres, French police believe.

"Charlie was always full of life, had a really happy temperament and loved spending time with his father. Peter was fantastic at making things happen, resourceful, with a positive approach to life. They will both be sorely missed by friends and family alike," it said.

"We would like to take this opportunity to thank the French rescue services for all their efforts."

Rescue services in Chamonix were called by 48-year-old Mr Saunders at 2pm local time on Saturday.

He apparently said his son had fallen into a crevasse near Mont Blanc and that they were lost.

Captain Patrice Ribes, a French police officer, told Sky News that emergency services tried to trace the mobile phone call and launched a rescue mission.

But the rescuers lost contact and had to launch their search with little information about the pair's location.

The Saunders were said to be exploring a 'dangerous' mountain trail

A helicopter eventually spotted their bodies on Sunday morning at an altitude of 1,600m.

Capt Ribes said: "We think the father tried to find his son after he called us and asked for rescue. We believe he fell as he tried to find his son. Their bodies were found together this morning at 7.40am."

The father and son, reportedly from Buckinghamshire, had ventured into the Glacier des Bossons area of the Mont Blanc mountain range.

Capt Ribes said they had inadequate equipment and were exploring a "dangerous, deep, snowy" mountain trail.

Richard Mansfield, a mountain guide who has worked in the area for 20 years and lives near the Bossons glacier, said: "I don't know exactly where the accident happened but all the trails on the north side of the valley are covered in snow at the moment.

"The footpaths usually don't get that many people out at this time of year because they are much more difficult to navigate, although yesterday was a beautiful sunny day."

Mr Mansfield described a "number of footpaths which weave in and out of indentures in the mountainside" and this "is where they may have slipped off".

The valley, which boasts five ski resorts, receives a lot of British tourists throughout the year, with many owning holiday homes in the area.

According to reports, no less than 10 off-piste skiers and mountaineers had already been killed in the area this month.

16.12 | 0 komentar | Read More

Child Porn Is Top Web Concern, Says Watchdog

Child porn is the number one concern among adults when considering a range of harmful content online, a watchdog has revealed.

A survey by the Internet Watch Foundation (IWF), which was set up in 1996 as a UK hotline to report criminal content online, discovered that four percent of men and two percent of women have come into contact with images of child abuse.

However, the survey showed around 40% of Britons would not know how to report child porn if they were to encounter it.

IWF chief executive Susie Hargreaves said: "There is clear public concern over the availability of images and videos of children being sexually abused over the internet.

"What is concerning for us is that not enough people know how to report this or would rather ignore it, especially considering the survey tells us that around 1.5 million British adults have seen this sort of content online.

"Although we've seen record removal times in the UK, during 2012 we saw a higher proportion of images of children under 10 years old being sexually abused."

Around 77% of those surveyed were most concerned by child porn, while 73% were worried about terrorist websites and 68% were concerned by extreme and violent porn.

Just under two-thirds were concerned with hate sites, which display racist or homophobic material, 61% were worried about suicide content and around half of those surveyed were concerned by eating disorder sites.

In the whole of 2012, the IWF logged just 73 UK sites hosting child sexual abuse images or videos, compared with 9,477 hosted in other countries around the world.

Of the 73 UK web pages, 41 of them - 56% - were then removed within 60 minutes of the IWF notifying the host company or internet service provider.

But Ms Hargreaves added: "We are also very aware that there are internet hosting companies in the UK which could do more, and faster, who are not members of IWF.

"We have a responsibility to do all we can to help protect children - and adults who were abused as children - from having their abuse viewed time and time again.

"We need to prevent people from stumbling upon this content and assist other countries in creating a hostile environment for hosting it."

The ComRes poll surveyed a sample of 2,058 British adults.

16.12 | 0 komentar | Read More

Snow Warning: New Cold Snap Brings More Misery

Another cold snap is on its way, with parts of the country facing more snow and freezing temperatures, forecasters say.

Scotland and the north of England are expected to see up to 20cm (eight inches) of snow build up from today into Wednesday morning, with temperatures dropping as low as minus 15C (5F) overnight.

The Met Office has issued a yellow severe weather warning for today and tomorrow, urging those in the regions likely to be affected by snow to be aware.

The Grampians, eastern parts of the Southern Uplands, the Lake District and the Pennines are expected to be hit hard.

Wales, the Midlands, East Anglia and parts of the South East may also wake to a covering of up to one inch of snow on Wednesday morning and overnight frost is expected throughout the country.

The Met Office's yellow warning for the UK

Flights in and out of Leeds-Bradford Airport were halted for a short time on Monday morning after about 3cm of snow fell. Passengers were asked to check with their airline or tour operator before heading to the airport.

The A66 across the Pennines between Bowes, County Durham, and Stainmore, Cumbria, was also closed because of heavy snow.

A Durham Police spokeswoman said: "There are currently tailbacks of traffic while this process is under way."

Sky News weather presenter Isobel Lang said the wintry weather would continue even as the spring equinox takes place.

"Snow and strong, cold east winds will cause disruption across eastern Scotland later on Monday and into Tuesday," she said.

"Over 10cm to 20cm (4in to 8in) of snow is forecast, with the highest accumulations over hills. It will feel freezing cold.

"Snow is likely in other areas too, for example across the Cumbrian Fells and Pennines today, and perhaps across eastern England later on Tuesday too.

"Drier, clearer weather midweek will lead to some widespread sharp frosts with lows of minus five to minus 10 Celsius."

Lang said the current conditions are in marked contrast to those last year when high pressure brought a settled and sunny period to much of the UK.

She explained: "Temperatures popped up to 22.8C at St James' Park at the end of the month, and broke Scottish records for March when Aboyne in Aberdeenshire hit 23.6C on March 27."

16.12 | 0 komentar | Read More

Uncovered: The Public Bodies Snooping On You

The Department for Transport is among a range of public organisations that have paid private firms to spy on their behalf, while it has been claimed some 14 bodies, including 10 councils, may have commissioned potentially illegal surveillance.

The findings, obtained under the Freedom of Information Act by civil liberties and privacy campaigners Big Brother Watch (BBW), showed that £3.9m has been spent by public bodies in the last two years on paying private investigators for surveillance work  - including snooping on their own staff.

A total of  29 organisations - 27 councils, one public authority and one government department, the DfT - paid private firms to undertake surveillance using powers under Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act (Ripa) in the years 2010/11 and 2011/12.

But some 14 organisations - 10 councils and four public authorities - paid private firms to undertake surveillance that was not covered by Ripa - meaning they commissioned potentially illegal activity.

Two public authorities and two councils paid other public bodies to spy on their behalf at a cost of £7,600, while four councils - Caerphilly, Dudley, Leicestershire and York - used private investigators to monitor their own staff.

BBW director Nick Pickles said: "This research has uncovered cases where it looks like the law has not been followed and it's essential they are urgently investigated.

"Unlike the US, British law isn't strong enough to stop evidence obtained by illegal surveillance being used in court and the punishments for people deliberately flouting the law are trivial.

Eric Pickles says councils which have flouted the law should face justice

"We need a proper licensing system for private investigators, reformed laws to stop unauthorised surveillance being used in court and most importantly to replace the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act with legislation that is fit for purpose."

BBW has recommended urgent reform of Ripa to protect against unauthorised surveillance by third parties.

The Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 should be strengthened to stop unauthorised surveillance by raising the bar about what evidence can be used in legal proceedings, BBW recommended.

The group also wants private investigator licensing to be strengthened and a duty to regulate contracted investigators to be introduced.

Communities secretary Eric Pickles said: "This Government has clamped down on the overuse and abuse of surveillance powers by town halls.

"Such powers can only be used for serious crimes, and require a magistrates' warrant. It is totally unacceptable if councils are trying to sidestep these important new checks and they should be held to account for acting outside the law."

16.12 | 0 komentar | Read More

Police Arrest 60 Ahead Of Football Match

Police have arrested more than 60 people for alleged violent disorder in Nuneaton in the hours leading up to a football match against Lincoln City.

The disorder broke out in a number of pubs in the town centre ahead of the non-league fixture on Saturday.

Officers from Warwickshire Police, West Mercia Police, West Midlands Police and British Transport Police were deployed in the town shortly before 10.30am in response to reports of disorder at a number of licensed premises.

Police began arresting dozens of people on suspicion of violent disorder at The Granby pub from 3.20pm.

The suspects were transported by coach to Nuneaton police station and held in custody for questioning.

Chief Inspector Adrian Knight, who was in charge of the response, said officers from all police units involved were "successful in containing the disorder and protecting the safety and well-being of the general public".

"This operation was a true collaboration utilising resources from across the region.

"I am extremely grateful to our regional colleagues from West Mercia, West Midlands and British Transport Police for their support in this operation. It has been a particularly challenging day.

"Warwickshire Police is committed to protecting people from harm, whether they live in the county or are visiting, and we will not tolerate any behaviour which puts them at risk.

"Anyone intent on causing trouble in Warwickshire should be aware that we will deal with them robustly."

He added: "The fact that 62 people have been arrested is testament to our commitment to tackle violence and disorder within the county."

Nuneaton Town chief executive Ian Neale said the trouble was nothing to do with the football club or its supporters.

He said police went to The Granby pub to organise an escort to town for Nuneaton fans, but only three people said they were interested in going to the match.

"They were allowed to leave the pub to take a taxi to the ground, which is two miles away from where the arrests were made," said Mr Neale.

"The Boro is a family club and people who are looking for trouble are not welcome at our ground. Anyone found guilty of any offences today will be banned from the ground for life."

He added:  "The club works tremendously hard on community programmes to give young people locally aspiration and opportunities in a working class town and we see ourselves very much part of making positive things happen for the town."

Nuneaton went on to win the Blue Square Bet Premier League fixture 1-0.

16.12 | 0 komentar | Read More

Giant Easter Egg Poached From City Centre

Police have joined the hunt for a giant decorated Easter egg that has been stolen while on display in Glasgow city centre.

Organisers of a charity egg hunt are appealing for the eye-catching 2ft-high fibreglass egg to be returned.

Action for Children have placed 101 giant eggs, many of which feature designs from leading artists, around Glasgow's streets and shops as part of its Big Egg Hunt.

Strathclyde Police are now searching for an egg called A Thousand Forests, which is painted with red and yellow trees by graphic designer Matthew Dent.

It was taken from Buchanan Street and is reported to be worth up to £10,000.

Andrew Harris, Director of Fundraising at Action for Children, said: "The hunt is a really fun way for families, locals and tourists alike to enjoy the age-old Easter egg hunt tradition - on a huge scale and as a giant exhibition of modern art - whilst raising vital funds for some of the most vulnerable children across Scotland and the UK.

"We appeal to whoever poached our egg to return it to us soon."

The eggs, which feature popular characters such as Humpty Dumpty and Peter Rabbit, are touring the country as the charity aims to raise urgent funds by putting them up for auction.

They were displayed in London in February and were then taken to Birmingham, Manchester and Liverpool.

They will be back in London for the Easter weekend.

16.12 | 0 komentar | Read More