Buckingham Palace Break-In: Two Arrested

A security review has been launched after a break-in at Buckingham Palace when a man scaled a fence to get inside the Queen's home.

Police said the man was found "in an area currently open to the public during the day" and arrested for burglary, trespass and criminal damage.

A second man was arrested outside the palace for conspiracy to commit burglary following the incident shortly before 10.30pm on Monday.

A spokesman for the Metropolitan Police said: "Both men have been bailed to return to a central London police station and inquiries continue.

"A review of the specific circumstances of this incident is being carried out. No members of the Royal Family were at Buckingham Palace at the time of the incident."

A spokesman added that security would form part of the review. Buckingham Palace did not comment.

The break-in is one of the most serious security breaches at the palace since 1982, when Michael Fagan evaded guards to get inside the Queen's private chambers while she was still in bed.

The unemployed father of four, 31, spent around 10 minutes talking to the Queen after he climbed over the palace walls and up a drainpipe.

The Queen managed to raise the alarm when Fagan asked for a cigarette, allowing her to call for a footman who held him until police arrived.

The Queen has been spending her summer break at Balmoral Castle since the beginning of August and is not expected to return to the palace until October.

She is expected to make her traditional appearance at a Highland Games today.

The Braemar Gathering is held each year just a short distance from the Balmoral estate in Aberdeenshire.

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Millions 'Should Not Be In A&E' - Exclusive

By Thomas Moore, Health Correspondent

Up to 6.5 million patients every year should avoid going to A&E and be treated by GPs, paramedics and even chemists instead, the doctor leading the review of NHS emergency services claims today.

Around one third of all people who visit A&E each year could be diverted away from hospital under plans to be unveiled shortly by NHS chiefs.

In an exclusive interview with Sky News, the doctor in charge of re-shaping emergency services in England said family doctors, ambulance staff and pharmacists could treat them instead to relieve the pressure on A&E.

Indicating for the first time how he hopes to radically reform A&E, Professor Keith Willett, the national director for Acute Episodes of Care, said: "We know that 15% to 30% of people who turn up to be treated at A&E could have been treated in general practice.

"They did not know that because the system did not obviously make itself available to them."

He said patients with routine medical problems are going to A&E because they cannot get a quick enough appointment with their GP. Others are frustrated by out-of-hours services.

Prof Willett says a long-term solution is needed

"We can look at the way primary care is available to people," he said.

"By changing the way we deliver services we can start to address the demand. We can do the same thing in terms of the ambulance services and how much, how many patients they treat, at the scene, rather than transfer and that's about them having the right information.

"We would look to the public to understand the issues and when the situation does get difficult, to take the advice that I've suggested about phoning first, to get the right advice, to go to the right place, to think of using your general practitioner or indeed your pharmacist, (who) give a lot of advice for minor ailments."

Professor Willett and the medical director for NHS England, Professor Sir Bruce Keogh, will publish their plan for reforming emergency services later this autumn. It is expected to be implemented two years from now.

The plan will acknowledge that demand for care will continue to rise with an ageing population. But it will set out a series of measures for reducing pressure on A&E departments.

They are expected to include:

:: A&E units will have to ensure a consultant is available seven days a week

:: Other senior doctors, such as elderly care specialists, will be expected to help assess and treat patients arriving at A&E

:: Paramedics will treat more patients at home or by the roadside so they don't need hospital care

:: Patients will be encouraged to 'ring first', using the NHS111 helpline to be directed towards appropriate care.

Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt wants GPs to be more proactive

Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt has also said GPs must take on a bigger role. Next week he will call on GPs to do more to prevent patients with chronic conditions, such as diabetes, from suffering emergency complications.

In an interview for State Of Emergency, Sky News' 24 hours of live coverage from Nottingham's Queen Medical Centre which begins today at 5pm, Mr Hunt said: "The role of GPs in caring for older people needs to be proactive - checking up on people, finding out how they are, heading off problems before they happen - rather than reactive.

"GPs are busy, so to make that happen we have to find ways of getting more capacity in the system and that is a big challenge.

"But we have to address that. In the end, if the NHS is to be sustainable, it has to be about prevention as much as cure."

But GPs say they are already doing what they can.

Professor Mike Pringle, president of the Royal College of General Practitioners, said: "They are overwhelmed by the workload they are expected to deliver.

"We have got to start to build general practice, not blame it, not victimise it.

"We have to invest in it if we are going to solve these problems. And I am sure the Secretary of State recognises that."

England's A&E departments were under severe pressure last winter.

Waiting times reached their worst in nine years between January and March 2013, with more than 300,000 patients waiting more than four hours for treatment.

The Government has given the NHS an extra £500m over two years to find short-term solutions to the likely rise in demand for emergency care in the winter months.

Hospitals could bring GPs into A&E departments to see patients with more minor problems and more locum A&E doctors are likely to be employed to fill vacancies.

Only half the training posts for emergency medicine have been filled in the last two years, and more than a third of hospital trusts have vacancies for A&E consultants.

Professor Willett said a long-term solution is required.

"We do have to address the emergency medicine workforce," he said.

"But that will not produce new consultants for several years. So we have to manage the situation and take away from emergency medicine teams those patients who could be managed by other parts of the system.

"Defaulting to seeing an emergency medicine consultant is not necessary for many of those patients and it is frustrating to wait."

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Legal Action Over Red Caps' Iraq Mob Death

By David Bowden, Defence Correspondent

The families of four Royal Military Policemen who were killed by a mob in Iraq 10 years ago are taking fresh legal action to force a public inquiry into their deaths.

Six Red Caps were killed when a 400-strong mob descended on a police station in Majar al Kabir.

The families of four of the men will bring a human rights act claim and a criminal complaint over allegations that some individuals involved acted contrary to military law.

Simon McKay, the lawyer acting for relatives, said they would not be seeking any damages or compensation.

The action follows a landmark ruling at the Supreme Court in June, which decided the Human Rights Act extended to the battlefield and commanders had a duty of care to troops even in war.

Corporals Russell Aston, 30, Simon Miller, 21, Lance Corporal Benjamin McGowan Hyde, 23, and Lance Corporal Tom Keys, 20, were killed alongside two other Royal Military Police.

The six men were ambushed outside a police station in Majar al Kabir

Inquests into their deaths heard that the soldiers stood no chance against the mob, having been issued with too little ammunition and poor communication equipment.

Mr McKay said: "The families have been seeking answers to questions for 10 years and they still haven't had them adequately answered.

"The High Court proceedings we will be issuing will be for the purpose of getting to the truth of what happened on June 24, 2003 and the reasons why."

The families are also to write to the chairman of the ongoing Al Sweady Inquiry into alleged abuse of Iraqi detainees by British soldiers, asking to be represented at the inquiry.

They believe some of the evidence being heard at the inquiry, particularly from Iraqi witnesses, may provide answers to what happened to their sons.

The other two Royal Military Police officers killed were Sergeant Simon Hamilton-Jewell, 41, from Chessington, Surrey, and Corporal Paul Long, 24, of South Shields, Tyne and Wear.

An MoD spokesman said: "Our thoughts remain with the families of those killed in this terrible incident.

"However, the circumstances have been investigated extensively and reported on and no practical purpose would be served by holding a public inquiry."

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Only 20% Of Rapes Reported, Says Charity

By Frazer Maude, Sky News Correspondent

Thousands of women who have been sexually assaulted may have too little faith in the legal system to report the crimes, says a victim support charity.

Rape Crisis carried out a survey of 1,000 women with Reveal Magazine. The results suggest that 16% of women in the UK have been raped, but that only a fifth of those report it to police.

A quarter of those who did not report the crimes said it was because they did not think there was a strong chance of prosecution, and a fifth said they did not think there was enough support from the legal system to help them get through it.

One woman who did find the strength to go to the police was Zoe Priestley from Somerset.

She was raped hundreds of times by her stepfather between the ages of nine and 15.

He has since been jailed for 12 years for assaulting her, and two other young girls.

Ms Priestly has waived her right to anonymity as a rape victim to tell Sky News about the help and support that is available through Independent Sexual Violence Advisors, or ISVAs.

She said: "It means so much to a victim to have them around.

"They are your rock, providing emotional and psychological support. I'd never even heard of an ISVA, or the role they do, but mine was invaluable to me.

Zoe Priestley said the support she received helped her after she was raped

"I feel in a very good place now. I feel great at the moment, everything's out in the open, I've got no secrets. I feel fantastic."

Home Office figures suggest that there are around 95,000 rapes every year, with only 1% resulting in a conviction.

A Ministry of Justice spokesperson said: "Rape and sexual violence are devastating crimes which ruin lives.

"It is vital victims have the confidence to come forward knowing they will be supported, taken seriously and that offenders will be brought to justice. 

"This is why we have ring-fenced nearly £40m to tackle violence against women and girls, including funding to rape support centres and other services for victims."

Fiona Elvins, operations co-ordinator for Rape Crisis South London, which commissioned the survey, said: "What we do know about rape is that a lot of women won't even talk about it, so they won't disclose that they have been raped.

"From the British crime survey we've got an estimated 95,000 women in the UK every year experience rape.

"Of those you've got about 10,000 maybe that go through to thinking about reporting it and the conviction rate after that is about 1,000 so it just trickles down and down.

"There is a huge social stigma attached to speaking out about sexual violence, so that in itself is enough to stop someone talking to families, friends, partners about their experience."

Ms Priestly has turned her life around since suffering at the hands of her abuser.

After finishing university, she starts work next week as a mental health carer, and hopes one day to become an Independent Sexual Violence Advisor herself.

She supports the call for the funding of more ISVAs and hopes that if there is help available, more victims will come forward and more men like her stepfather will be brought to justice.

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Bristol: Football Violence At Derby Match

Mounted police cleared fans from the pitch after violence broke out at a football derby match in Bristol.

Officers moved in when Bristol City fans ran out of the stands at Ashton Gate to celebrate their team's 2-1 victory over Bristol Rovers in the first round of the Johnstone's Paint Trophy.

A dozen people were arrested and three officers were given medical treatment for minor injuries, Avon and Somerset Police said.

As well as trouble after the final whistle there were also disturbances in the stands, and police in riot gear and stewards were needed to keep rival fans apart.

Police are scouring footage of the trouble

It was the first time in seven years the bitter rivals had faced each other, and police said the build-up to the game had been peaceful with both sets of fans well-behaved and in good humour.

But as fans began to enter the stadium, trouble broke out in and around the ground.

Police said that known hooligans attached to both clubs were identified in the clashes, and there might be more arrests.

Chief Superintendent Caroline Peters, match commander, said: "The majority of fans were well behaved and enjoyed the match.

Mounted police cleared fans from the pitch in minutes

"However there was a small minority who came with the sole intention of trying to spoil the enjoyment for the majority.

"We warned before the match that we would not tolerate any form of anti social behaviour or violence.

"We will now aim to bring the offenders to justice using CCTV coverage and other intelligence and information gathered tonight to bring the offenders to justice."

City manager Sean O'Driscoll said afterwards: "It was great up until the final whistle. The scenes at the end are disgraceful."

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Police Chief: 60% Of Crimes Not Investigated

The head of Britain's second largest police force has admitted that 60% of all crimes reported in his area are not investigated.

Greater Manchester Police Chief Constable Sir Peter Fahy said his officers are only able to follow up about 40% of offences.

He said his force targets persistent offenders who commit the most crimes.

His admission comes against a backdrop of huge cuts to police spending, which will see force budgets slashed by 20% in real terms by 2015.

Sir Peter, who is vice-president of the Association of Chief Police Officers (Acpo), said: "In the same way that the health service concentrates on the most serious illnesses and the treatments likely to have most effect, the police have to concentrate on the most serious crimes and those where there are lines of investigation likely to produce evidence of the offender.

"In practice, this translates into about 40% of crime being actively pursued at any time.

"We look at all crimes to identify patterns of offending and to build the picture of where we need to target police patrols. In many crimes there are no witnesses, no CCTV and no forensic opportunities."

Sir Peter Fahy says officers are only able to follow up about 40% of crimes

Blackley and Broughton Labour MP Graham Stringer criticised his comments and said taxpayers expect officers to investigate criminal behaviour.

"That sounds like bureaucratic gobbledegook. De-prioritising the majority of crime is bound to lead to a loss of confidence in the police force," he told the Manchester Evening News.

"I think those victims (whose crimes aren't investigated) have every right to be angry. They have an expectation, having paid their council tax, that they have a better service from the police force."

Javed Khan, chief executive of independent charity Victim Support, said: "It is clearly for the police to decide how best to catch criminals, and prioritise their resources in line with this.

"However, for victims and the public to have confidence in the police, they need to know that, when they make a report, it will be taken seriously and adequately assessed.

"Likewise, any decisions to pursue or otherwise must be properly explained to them."

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Customs Checks 'Overlooked' During Olympics

Pressure to cut border queues during the London 2012 Olympics led to customs officers overlooking checks on drugs and gun smuggling, the public spending watchdog has warned.

A new report by the National Audit Office (NAO) said staff shortages and the need to juggle passport checks with keeping queues down led to shortcuts in key duties such as checking for illegal goods.

Nearly 100% of passengers at the border received full passport checks in 2012-13, the NAO said, while more than 99% of European arrivals cleared controls within the 25 minute target time.

But this success came at the expense of dealing with forgery detections, and seizures of cigarettes and counterfeit goods - which all came in below targets.

Yvette Cooper described the report as "shocking"

Margaret Hodge MP, chair of the Committee of Public Accounts, said: "The Border Force did well to reduce queuing times both during and after the Olympics, but it is deeply worrying that this came at the expense of its other responsibilities, particularly customs.

"The Border Force must be able to check both goods and passengers at the same time - border security cannot be an either or choice."

Shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper said: "This report is shocking and shows the chaotic and cavalier approach David Cameron and Theresa May have taken to border security and illegal immigration.

"The NAO found drops in checks for illegal migrants and criminal activity because of the Home Secretary's irresponsible decision to cut 500 Border Force staff prior to the Olympics."

Staff shortages mean key checks are not being carried out by officials

Immigration Minister Mark Harper said the Home Office had inherited an organisation with "significant challenges".

"We have recruited more Border Force staff, established command centres to deploy those staff more flexibly and effectively and are reforming working practices," he said.

A fifth of Border Force's 7,600 employees are employed under terms that restrict working hours to fixed periods during the week, stopping it from deploying its workforce flexibly.

At Heathrow in spring 2013, less than half the workforce was contractually obliged to work before 5am without being paid extra, despite a significant number of long-distance flights arriving at that time, the NAO said.

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Daniel Pelka: Funeral Held For Starved Boy

The funeral of Daniel Pelka, the four-year-old who died after an horrific campaign of abuse, has taken place in Poland.

Daniel was beaten, starved and poisoned by his mother and her partner, who hid the abuse by claiming he had an eating disorder.

The funeral was held in the city of Lodz, where Daniel's father Eryk Pelka lives.

His body was carried in a white coffin and framed photographs of the little boy were held up during the service.

London-based funeral director Artur Galla - who has no connection with the Pelka family - reportedly helped arrange and pay for Daniel's repatriation after his family struggled with costs.

His body had been kept in a UK mortuary since his murder in Coventry last year.

Magdelena Luczak and Mariusz Krezolek were jailed for at least 30 years

Daniel's mother Magdelena Luczak and her partner, Mariusz Krezolek, were jailed last month for a minimum of 30 years.

The four-year-old was left in his room to die for around 33 hours after he suffered a head injury in March last year.

During the trial, medical experts said Daniel's emaciation was "unprecedented" in Britain and likened him to a concentration camp victim.

He weighed just over a stone-and-a-half when he died.

The court heard he was forced to scavenge for food at school - from other children's lunch boxes, from the playground or from rubbish bins.

His death prompted a serious case review by Coventry's Safeguarding Children Board.

The review will examine why police and social services failed to get involved after staff at Daniel's school - Coventry Little Heath Primary School - noticed bruising on his neck and what appeared to be two black eyes.

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Dementia Patients Feel 'Trapped' In Their Homes

More than 180,000 dementia sufferers in the UK feel "trapped in their own homes", according to research from the Alzheimer's Society.

It said 35% of people with dementia only leave their homes once a week, and one in 10 get out just once a month.

The charity's new report, based on a poll of 510 people with dementia, says many sufferers are not able to take part in activities they enjoyed before they developed the condition.

Almost one in 10 (9%) said they had stopped doing all the things they used to do, and 28% said they had to give up leaving their homes altogether.

The Alzheimer's Society called on communities across the country to be more "dementia friendly" to help patients remain independent and get out more.

Improving stigma around the condition, having accessible transport and businesses that are "respectful and responsive", are all factors that could improve quality of life for sufferers, a charity spokeswoman said.

Alzheimer's Society chief executive Jeremy Hughes said: "It's shocking and saddening that so many people with dementia feel trapped and cut off from everyday local life.

The Alzheimer's Society says communities need to be more dementia friendly

"It's encouraging to see some communities have started on their journey of change but it needs to be a priority for everyone to act now."

Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt said: "The dementia timebomb is one of the most pressing challenges this country faces in the years ahead.

"We have made real progress in starting to tackle this challenge, with over £50m going towards dementia friendly health and care environments, and the first ever G8 Dementia Research Summit to be held in December this year.

"But this report makes clear that we need to go further and faster to change attitudes and build awareness in our communities.

"This government is backing communities to give people with dementia all the help and support they need to live well with this illness."

An estimated 800,000 people suffer from dementia in the UK. Experts say this figure will soar to 1.7 million by 2051.

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Corrie Star Bill Roache Pleads Not Guilty

Coronation Street star William Roache has pleaded not guilty to committing historic sexual offences against five girls.

The 81-year-old actor formally denied the charges in a hearing at Preston Crown Court.

The veteran soap star was arrested at his home in Wilmslow, Cheshire, in May and charged with two counts of raping a 15-year-old girl in East Lancashire in 1967.

He was later additionally charged with five indecent assaults involving four girls aged between 11 or 12 and 16, allegedly committed in the Manchester area between 1965 and 1968.

Roache entered the dock and confirmed his name to the clerk.

The indictment containing the seven counts was then read out to him and on each allegation he responded with a firm, clear answer of "not guilty".

Roache's trial will begin at Preston Crown Court on January 14 and is scheduled to last four weeks.

He remains on bail with various conditions including residence, no direct unsupervised contact with anyone under 16 and not to approach named witnesses.

When he was initially charged, Roache said he was "astounded and deeply horrified" by the accusations and vowed to "strenuously deny" the allegations.

The world's longest-serving soap actor, he has played Ken Barlow in the ITV1 soap since its launch but will not be appearing in the programme until legal proceedings are concluded.

Roache made no comment to the media as he left the building following the 30-minute hearing in front of the Recorder of Preston, Judge Anthony Russell QC.

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Lancashire School Blaze: Five Boys Arrested

Police have arrested five boys aged between 11 and 15 on suspicion of arson following a school fire in Lancashire.

Credit: David Pearson

The blaze broke out on Sunday afternoon at Leyland St Mary's High School on Royal Avenue.

Credit: Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service

Lancashire Police announced on Twitter: "Five boys in total, aged between 11 and 15, have now been arrested on suspicion of arson following the fire at Leyland St Mary's High School."

Credit: Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service

Classes were due to resume at the school on Tuesday.

Credit: Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service

A note on the school's website said: "A Fire at school today (Sun) has caused devastating damage.

Credit: Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service

"This website will post details of when pupils will be able to return ... Please pray for the School at this difficult time."

Credit: Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service

Lancashire County Councillor Matthew Tomlinson said on Twitter: "As a former pupil of Leyland St Mary's, I'm so sorry to hear of devastating fire. I hope to be a part of the LCC team who rebuilds it."

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Maths, English: Pupils Must Master Core GCSEs

Teenagers who do not get a C grade or above in GCSE maths and English will be required to continue learning the subjects until they gain the key qualifications under Government reforms.

The Government says the move will help ensure that young people have a good grasp of the two subjects in an attempt to end the "national scandal" of two in five teenagers leaving school without basic core skills.

The reforms will be introduced from the start of this term - which begins this week for many schools - and comes as the education participation age is raised to 17. In 2015 it will be raised to 18.

The Department for Education said that ideally, teenagers without C grades or higher in English and maths will continue studying for GCSEs in these subjects, although they can also take other qualifications such as functional skills and maths courses accredited by the exams regulator Ofqual as a "stepping stone" to GCSEs.

Education Secretary Michael Gove said: "Good qualifications in English and maths are what employers demand before all others. They are, quite simply, the most important vocational skills a young person can have. Young people must be able to demonstrate their understanding of these subjects."

Mr Gove has previously said that within a decade, he wants to see the vast majority of teenagers studying maths up to the age of 18, and the Government is developing a new set of post-16 qualifications in the subject.

The proposal was first put forward by Alison Wolf, the Sir Roy Griffiths Professor of Public Sector Management at King's College London, in her 2011 review of vocational education.

Michael Gove's aim is to get pupils up to the age of 18 studying maths

At the time, she said it was "scandalous" that half of 16-year-olds were leaving school without good GCSEs in English and maths, and warned that it was a real failure of the education system that many of these youngsters would still not have these qualifications at age 18.

Prof Wolf said today that she was "delighted" by the move, adding: "It will have a hugely positive impact on the ability of hundreds of thousands of young people to get good jobs."

At the moment, around one in five young people in England continue studying maths past the age of 16, compared to other developed nations where the majority of students continue the subject.

Brian Lightman, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL), said: "School and college leaders fully recognise the need for all young people to acquire high levels of literacy and numeracy and is in favour of the raising of the participation age.

"However we have been expressing serious concerns to the Government for some time about the implementation of this very significant new policy about which there are many unanswered questions in the absence of a coherent and funded implementation plan.

"At a time when post 16 funding is being significantly reduced and feedback from ASCL members continues to show very different states of readiness in different parts of the country it is difficult to see how schools, colleges, employers and local authorities will be able to provide additional classes or recruit suitably qualified teachers."

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Postmen Acting As 'Unwitting Drug Mules'

Postmen are acting as unwitting drug mules in the deadly trade in illegal drugs and legal highs, a new report has warned.

Research by independent think-tank, the Centre for Social Justice (CSJ), said the UK is the "addicted man of Europe" and has become a hub for websites peddling legal highs such as Salvia and Green Rolex.

These are being ordered online and delivered across the country by mainstream postal services.

The CSJ also found that some websites give people the chance to buy class A drugs like heroin and crack cocaine on mail order.

The report, No Quick Fix, came as new figures showed deaths involving legal highs in England and Wales increased from 29 in 2011 to 52 last year.

The Government's response to legal highs, or New Psychoactive Substances (NPS), is "bureaucratic and inadequate", it says.

Since 2010, the Government has used temporary banning orders three times to control approximately 15 substances.

But during this time more than 150 new substances have emerged and are available online and in high street shops.

The report found that one in 12 young people (15 to 24-year-olds) in the UK said they had taken these drugs - the highest figure in Europe.

Drugs are being delivered across the country by mainstream postal services

The CSJ warns that unless urgent action is taken the number of young people taking these drugs will continue to rise, along with the lethal consequences.

Britain is also facing a drink-related epidemic, with one in four adults in England drinking to harmful levels and one in 20 being "dependent drinkers".

Alcohol-related deaths have doubled since 1991 across the UK and liver disease is now one of the big five killers alongside heart and lung disease, strokes and cancer, it says.

The report also found that the UK has the highest rate of opiate addiction in Europe and the highest life-time use of amphetamines, cocaine and ecstasy.

Alcohol dependence amongst British men is second in western Europe and seventh overall. Among women, alcohol dependence is higher in Britain than anywhere else in Europe.

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Stalking Laws Lead To Just 33 Convictions

Only a "fraction" of stalkers have been convicted since it was made a criminal offence, according to new figures.

Figures obtained under a freedom of information request showed that between November 2012, when stalking became a crime, and the end of June this year, 320 people were arrested across 30 police forces.

Of those 189 were charged - so far six of those have been jailed and 27 given community disposals.

According to the British Crime Survey, there are around 120,000 predominantly vulnerable female victims of stalking each year.

The national stalking advocacy service, Paladin, estimates that one in five officers have been trained in the new law.

It is now calling for police and prosecutors to have better training in dealing with the crime.

Paladin co-director Harry Fletcher said: "The latest figures on stalking arrests and charging are disappointing but not surprising.

"The number convicted so far is 10% of those arrested and a fraction of all women stalked. They illustrate the need for comprehensive training of all criminal justice professionals. Victims must have confidence in the justice system if they are to come forward."

Stalking became a crime in England and Wales in November 2012, with two specific new offences introduced.

The first is dealt with by magistrates only, and applies where a person is accused of targeting someone in a course of conduct that amounts to stalking, and involves a maximum jail term of six months.

The second, more serious offence, can be heard either by magistrates or in a crown court, and applies where someone is accused of causing a person fear of violence or serious alarm or distress. This can mean a jail term of up to five years.

A Home Office spokesman said it works with police and prosecutors to ensure the new law is properly enforced, although it is up to chief constables to make sure their officers are trained.

He said: "Stalking is an appalling crime which destroys lives and the Government is sending a clear message that those responsible should be brought to justice.

"We are working with the police and the Crown Prosecution Service to ensure the new stalking offences are being used appropriately. Our new laws will help stop people living in fear and prevent escalation to more serious violence."

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