Blackpool 'Methadone' Toddler: Two Charged

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

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

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

An ambulance was called to Jameson Street on Tuesday night

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

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

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TV Licence Dodgers May Not Be Prosecuted

TV licence dodgers may no longer face prosecution in the courts under new plans being considered by the Government.

Justice Secretary Chris Grayling says "serious work" on the plan is under way, with more than 100 cross-party MPs in support.

"The Culture Secretary (Maria Miller) and I both agree that this is a really interesting idea, particularly given the pressure on our courts system," Mr Grayling told The Daily Telegraph.

"Our departments will be doing some serious work on the proposal."

Efforts to change the law are being spearheaded by Tory MP Andrew Bridgen.

He said that for some cash-strapped families, the current law was "criminalising them for being poor".

"It is outrageous that so many people are brought into the criminal justice system through this means. I believe that non-payment should be treated in the way that parking tickets are," Mr Bridgen told the newspaper.

"It is absurd that the courts are being clogged up by such a minor offence."

Offenders currently face a £1,000 fine and a criminal record, as well as possible time in jail if fines are not paid.

Some 180,000 people faced magistrates last year after being accused of not paying the £145.50 fee, accounting for in excess of one in 10 of all criminal prosecutions.

Of those, 155,000 people were convicted and fined.

The proposed changes could see dodging payment of the TV licence become a civil matter, with a fine set by the Government.

A BBC spokesman said: "Legislation is a matter for the Government. However, changing the law could lead to higher evasion. Just a 1% increase in evasion would lead to the loss of around £35m, the equivalent of around 10 BBC Local Radio stations."

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Clare's Law Rolled Out To Expose Abusers

By Mike McCarthy, North of England Correspondent

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

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

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

Clare's killer George Appleton

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Tree Populations Ravaged By Winter Storms

By Thomas Moore, Health and Science Correspondent

The winter storms that battered the UK have resulted in the greatest loss of trees in a generation in some areas, according to the National Trust.

Surveys of more than 50 woodlands, parks and gardens managed by the trust have revealed that many have suffered the worst damage in more than two decades.

On some properties, the last time so many trees were uprooted was during the 'Great Storm' of 1987.

Many trees were blown over by the strong winds

At least a dozen storms swept in from the south west between December and February, with the west of England, Wales and Northern Ireland hit particularly hard.

But National Trust properties at Tatton Park near Manchester, Nymans in Sussex and Scotney Castle in Kent have also been affected.

Many trees were blown over rather than being snapped at the trunk, because the ground was so saturated.

Killerton Estate in Devon suffered some of the biggest losses, with more than 500 trees felled, including 20 that were significant to the landscape of the estate.

A fallen tree covering a railway line in Farnham after storms in October

In Stourhead, Wiltshire, 400 trees were lost, including an oak which could have been 200 to 250 years old.

Nature and wildlife specialist at the Trust Matthew Oates said: "People love and need trees, and the loss of specimen trees in gardens and parks, and of ancient beeches and oaks in the woods and the wider countryside, hurts us all and damages much wildlife.

"Increased storminess, and the increased extreme weather events generally, are likely to stress trees further, especially veteran trees.

"We will have to think carefully about where we establish trees and what species to plant."

It is likely that nature will restore areas of damaged woodland.

The October 1987 storm brought down 15 million trees across southern England.

But the gaps in forests created new habitats for wildlife, and were eventually closed in by the growth of new trees.

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Coastal Areas Bid For £64m Storm Relief Fund

By Becky Johnson, North of England Correspondent

Coastal communities affected by flooding will be able to bid for a share of a £64m fund.

The Government has said projects to strengthen flood defences will be prioritised.

The fund was originally set up to ensure investment was made in seaside towns and villages, reduce unemployment and create apprenticeships and job opportunities for young people.

During the series of winter storms many coastal communities with already fragile economies have taken a battering both physically and financially.

In Aberystwyth, in west Wales, where the Victorian promenade was badly damaged as high tides and high winds combined to create the worst storms in living memory, the race is on to repair the seafront in time for the start of the tourist season at Easter.

The damaged rail line at Dawlish, in Exeter

Richard Griffiths who owns the Richmond Hotel on the seafront, describes how the waves broke over the promenade and through a sea wall before pummelling the front of his hotel.

He told Sky News investment in stronger defences will be essential to prevent future storms causing similar damage because tourism is a major source of income in the town.

"It's vital for the local economy that Aberystwyth is up and running. It is key to the whole area," he said.

The Government has announced that in England £17m is being allocated to flood hit areas including Great Yarmouth, Weymouth, Devon and North Tyneside.

New projects to help boost tourism across the UK include £170,000 to develop the Arran Coastal Way in Scotland, £270,000 to develop Northern Ireland's first lobster hatchery and £100,000 is being spent on a new water sports centre in Colwyn Bay in Wales.

Residents battle floodwater in Tirley, Gloucestershire

Chief Secretary to the Treasury, Danny Alexander, said: "The Coastal Communities Fund allows us to help communities across the UK to rebuild and regenerate their local economy, with projects this year supporting nearly 4,000 jobs and 1,000 training places.

"This is even more important given the extreme weather and I'm very pleased we're giving £17m of the fund to projects in areas hit by floods.

"Additionally, we have invested £5m from the fund's reserve into the government's programme for flood recovery."

But one expert has told Sky News that if, as he expects, we will see more frequent storms on the scale of those seen over the winter some communities may not withstand the damage.

Dr Stephen Tooth is a geography lecturer at Aberystwyth University. He has studied erosion and says it will be impossible to protect all coastal areas. 

He told Sky News: "There are some very difficult social and political decisions to be made here as to what we value and wish to defend. It's certainly not the case that you can protect everywhere. 

"Tough decisions are going to have to be made at various levels as to where the investment is going to be to protect our coastline, but I think there is tacit acknowledgement that we can't defend everywhere and to some extent, some sections of coastline are going to have to be allowed to erode."

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Network Rail Slammed Over Crossing Safety

By Emma Birchley, East of England Correspondent

A target of zero deaths at level crossings by the end of the decade should be set by rail regulators, according to a report by MPs.

The House of Commons Transport Committee criticised Network Rail (NR) for showing "callous disregard" for bereaved families and urged the organisation to offer apologies for the way it had handled tragedies in the past.

The report also warned that there may be many hundreds of crossings "which exceed Health and Safety Executive guidance on the acceptable level of fatality risk to the public".

Committee chairman Louise Ellman said: "The number of deaths on level crossings must come down and Network Rail must aim for zero deaths by 2020.

"NR has lowered the risk of death at a level crossing by 25% since 2008, but when suicides and trespass are excluded, level crossings still account for one half of all fatalities on the railway in recent years including nine people who died in 2012-13.

"Every one of those deaths was a personal tragedy which could have been averted. Yet looking back it's clear that on too many occasions Network Rail showed a callous disregard for the feelings of the families of people killed or seriously injured in accidents at level crossings."

The chief executive of Network Rail, Mark Carne, responded by issuing "a full and unreserved apology on behalf of Network Rail to all those whose life has been touched by a failing, however large or small, made by this company in managing public safety at level crossings and in failing to deal sensitively with the families affected".

Those families include the relatives of Olivia Bazlinton, 14, and Charlotte Thompson, 13, who were killed at Elsenham in Essex in December 2005.

Network Rail has closed nearly 800 crossings since 2010

They have always argued that key documents were withheld at the inquest and that they faced "a conspiracy of silence".

Mrs Ellman said the lack of transparency around safety concerns at the Elsenham crossing "was particularly shocking and raises profound questions about Network Rail's internal culture and accountability".

The committee's comments have been welcomed by Olivia's father Chris.

"It totally vindicates our view that NR have not done enough in the past to improve safety on level crossings, and that they treated us very badly - not just us but other families who lost relatives in accidents.

"Other families shouldn't have to go through what we have experienced, and we welcome the fact that the committee wants to see NR transform the way it which it treats families, the way it handles legal issues and that bereaved families should be entitled to legal support at inquests."

The MPs also made it clear that they would be concerned if Network Rail executives were to receive bonuses after being prosecuted and fined £500,000 last year over safety failings at a crossing in Beccles, Suffolk.

But the company has stated that if targets are met, bonuses of as much as 60% of salary will be paid.

And that has infuriated Mr Bazlinton.

He said: "I think bonuses are wrong and until the safety issue is resolved and until the safety record is much better, they should not be paid bonuses."

Network Rail says significant progress is being made across the network.

It has closed nearly 800 crossings since 2010 and spent £130m on safety. A further 500 will be shut by 2019.

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Huge Asteroid Hurtles Past Earth In Video

By Joe Tidy, Sky News Reporter

A cloudy night across Britain did not deter stargazers from catching a rare glimpse of an asteroid the size of three double-decker buses flying close to Earth.

At its closest, Asteroid 2014 DX110 flew 216,000 miles (348,000km) from Earth - even closer than initial estimates and within the orbit of our Moon.

The 30m-wide (100ft) asteroid flew past Earth - reaching its closest point at 9.58pm on Wednesday - at a speed of more than 31,000mph (50,000 kph).

Peter Birtwhistle with the telescope he used to spot the asteroid

The cloudy conditions meant many astronomers endured a disappointing evening, but veteran amateur astronomer Peter Birtwhistle managed to capture footage of the space rock through the clouds.

His video footage shows it passing over - the white shading is cloud cover.

Speaking from his home observatory in Great Shefford, Berkshire, he said of the sighting: "We were lucky to catch it through the clouds but it was great to pick it up and see it fly through the field of view.

"You'll get the opportunity to see something as close as this a few times a year if you are lucky."

Mr Birtwhistle examines the footage

As well as Wednesday's event, scientists are looking forward to another surprise asteroid.

Nasa telescopes have spotted another two space rocks heading towards Earth over the next 24 hours.

One will pass five times closer than Wednesday's asteroid and is expected to be on show on Thursday evening.

Mr Birtwhistle said: "It's a busy time up there and I just hope the clouds clear so we can enjoy these rare sights."

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Building Homes On Flood Plains 'To Be Blocked'

By Frazer Maude, Sky News Reporter

Developers could be blocked from building homes on flood plains under a shake-up of planning law due to be revealed today.

Planning minister Nick Boles is expected to announce changes that will mean councils are no longer forced to take other local authorities' housing allocations if it conflicts with national policy.

That would mean less pressure to build on flood plains for planners, who have long been expected to help town halls meet house-building targets.

Many hope the new guidelines will also ensure experts' advice plays a greater role in the planning process.

Among the areas worst-hit by recent flooding was Longford, near Gloucester, where David Cameron told residents in February that expert advice was always followed during the planning process.

Environment Agency figures given to Sky News show that is not always the case.

In 2012-13, applications for 560 residential properties across England and Wales were approved in areas of flood risk, against the agency's advice.

A total of 570 new homes are planned, to be built near land in Longford that has been underwater for the past few weeks.

The scheme was vehemently opposed by local residents and initially rejected, before being approved on appeal in 2008.

Longford Parish Council chairman Pete Gough told Sky News: "We thought it was a lot of nonsense, really.

An aerial shot taken over Longford in February

"We thought the Secretary of State would have intervened, and said there's lots of places you can build without building on the flood plains, or near the flood plains. It just seems so daft."

One of the main concerns of residents is not that the new properties will flood, but that by replacing fields with concrete it will create problems for other homes.

John Patterson's home in Longford flooded in 2007, and only avoided a similar fate this year by a few inches.

He told Sky News: "The water has to go somewhere. You'll get extra run off from the houses, and all the roads and infrastructure that goes with them. It's illogical, just illogical."

Environment Secretary Owen Paterson is also expected to make an announcement today about the recent flooding.

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Cable: Teachers Know Nothing Of World Of Work

Vince Cable has been criticised after saying teachers know "absolutely nothing about the world of work".

The Business Secretary was speaking to 600 representatives of the manufacturing industry when he made the comment.

"There has been an argument in Government about how to get the right careers advice in schools and successive governments have frankly messed this up," he said.

"We haven't got this right. But the underlying problem is of course that most teachers, particularly in the secondary sector, are graduates.

"They know how universities work, they know what you have to do to get an A-level, they know about UCAS forms - but they know absolutely nothing about the world of work."

NUT general secretary Christine Blower labelled the Lib Dem MP's remark "insulting".

"This is a crass remark, which is insulting to teachers who are workers in their own right," she said.

"As the Government's own study - published just last week - shows, teachers work an extraordinary number of hours and show real dedication to 'the world of work'.

"Indeed, the teaching profession mirrors society and many of our teachers come from diverse backgrounds with different life experiences.

"They are a resource to the young people they teach, not a hindrance."

It is not the first time Mr Cable has prompted controversy with comments not intended for wider public consumption.

In 2010, he was stripped of his role overseeing media competition after he was caught on tape saying he had "declared war" on Rupert Murdoch.

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No 10 'Covered Up Aide Child Abuse Pic Claims'

Prime Minister David Cameron's office has been accused of a cover-up after a senior aide was arrested over child sex abuse images allegations.

Patrick Rock resigned from his role as deputy head of Downing Street's policy unit almost three weeks ago, after officials were made aware of a potential offence.

This was revealed by the Daily Mail on Monday evening and confirmed by Number 10.

Backbench Labour MP John Mann said it was "mysterious" this had not emerged earlier.

"There has been a bodged attempt at media manipulation which is wholly unacceptable from 10 Downing Street," he said.

"Of course they should have revealed it proactively."

Mr Cameron said on Tuesday he had been "profoundly shocked" by the allegations against Mr Rock, who resigned on February 12, the day before he was arrested.

"I don't think it would be right to pre-emptively brief out a criminal investigation and that's why we did not do that.

"But as soon as questions were asked, as questions would inevitably be asked, we have given very full and straightforward answers, which is absolutely the right way to answer this.

"I've been clear right along and I was told about this issue pretty much as soon as it was discovered and I have been very clear we must handle this in an absolutely correct way and I am satisfied that is what number 10 Downing Street has done."

Mr Rock, who is not married and is from west London, was involved in drawing up the Government's policy on internet pornography filters.

The 62-year-old was brought back into Downing Street in 2011 by Mr Cameron after working with him at the Home Office under Michael Howard in the 1990s.

He is reported to have been in line for a peerage.

Mr Rock was the subject of an unrelated complaint of "inappropriate behaviour" towards a female civil servant 18 months ago.

Downing Street said this was "appropriately resolved with the consent of and in consultation with the individual who raised the issue".

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