Written By Unknown on Sabtu, 24 Januari 2015 | 12.25
A pub chef and his manager have been jailed for perverting the course of justice after a Christmas dinner left a mother dead.
The meal at the Railway Hotel in Hornchurch, Essex, in December 2012 also left 33 others ill with food poisoning.
Mehmet Kaya and manager Ann-Marie McSweeney were sentenced to 12 and 18 months respectively after being convicted of falsifying food safety records.
Mitchells & Butlers, the chain which owned the pub, was fined £1.5 million after being found guilty of placing unsafe food on the market.
Della Callagher, 46, died two days after eating the turkey dinner, which a Havering Council investigation found was either not cooked or reheated properly.
Della Callagher died two days after eating Christmas dinner at the pub
Kaya and McSweeney forged records relating to the cooking of the turkey meat, hindering the investigation into the cause of the poisoning.
Judge Alastair Hammerton said there had been "systematic failings" in record keeping at the Railway Hotel.
"I am satisfied that when the decision to fabricate records was reached, both of you suspected that inadequate care had been taken by someone in respect of storage and/or cooling and/or cooking of turkeys that was to be served on Christmas Day," he said.
Addressing McSweeney, he added: "I am satisfied that you were in charge and in control of the cover-up, that no cover-up could have occurred had you decided not to embark on it."
Written By Unknown on Jumat, 23 Januari 2015 | 12.25
Prince Andrew has been sent a letter asking him to be interviewed under oath about claims he had sex with an under-age woman.
The letter, addressed to the prince at Buckingham Palace, has been filed in a Florida court by lawyers acting on behalf of Virginia Roberts.
Ms Roberts - who is referred to in court as Jane Doe No 3 - says she was forced to have sex with the Duke when she was 17 by his financier friend Jeffrey Epstein, a convicted sex offender.
Prince Andrew has been criticised over his friendship with Mr Epstein
The Duke, who is fifth in line to the throne, strenuously denies the claims.
Here is the full text of the letter:
Video:Prince Asked For Sex Claim Response
January 14, 2015
His Royal Highness The Duke of York Buckingham Palace London SW1A 1AA UNITED KINGDOM
Your Royal Highness:
I represent attorneys Paul G..Cassell and Bradley J. Edwards. They in turn represent a young woman pictured below who is being referred to as Jane Doe No. 3. That representation is in pending legal proceedings in the United States Federal District Court for the Southern District of Florida.
This letter is a formal request on behalf of Mr. Edwards and Professor Cassell to interview you, under oath, regarding interactions that you had with Jane Doe No. 3 beginning in approximately early 2001.
Jane Doe No.3 was then 17 years old. Among other things, I would like to discuss events that occurred at the time that the photograph below was taken.- and shortly thereafter.
I would also like to discuss Jane Doe #3's claims of your subsequent interactions with her in New York City, New York later that year. Details of those claims have been widely reported in the British press (with varying degrees of accuracy) as have your denials of the claims, so I assume that it is unnecessary for me to be any more specific about the proposed areas of our inquiry.
1/8
Gallery: Profile Of Prince Andrew
Born on 19 February 1960 at Buckingham Palace, Prince Andrew is the second son and the third child of the Queen and Duke of Edinburgh
The Prince served in the Royal Navy for 22 years as a helicopter pilot - he took part in the Falklands campaign
Prince Andrew has reiterated denials of claims he had sex with an underage girl more than a decade ago.
Speaking about the allegations publicly for the first time, the Duke of York told an invited audience of around 200 guests at a World Economic Forum event in Davos: "My focus is on my work."
Speaking to leading figures from the worlds of politics and business, he said: "Firstly I think I must, (and) want, for the record to refer to the events that have taken place in the last few weeks and I just wish to reiterate and to reaffirm the statements which have already been made on my behalf by Buckingham Palace."
After his opening statement the Duke told the packed reception at the Belvedere hotel in the Swiss resort: "My focus is on my work and this evening's reception allows me to tell you about just a couple of the initiatives that I have founded and am passionate about."
Prince Andrew pictured with his accuser Virginia Roberts
The Prince did not answer questions from reporters as he left the drinks reception flanked by minders at around 8.30pm local time.
It emerged on Wednesday that he has been formally asked to respond to claims made in the US by Virginia Roberts in a letter filed by her lawyers.
Video:Prince Andrew Under Spotlight
Ms Roberts, who is referred to in court as Jane Doe No 3, claims when she was 17 she was forced to have sex with Prince Andrew by his friend Jeffrey Epstein - a financier and convicted sex offender.
She claims to have had sex with Prince Andrew on three occasions: once at a London townhouse after they had gone to a night club, once in a New York mansion and once on a private island in the US Virgin Islands.
The letter, dated 14 January, said: "This letter is a formal request ... to interview you, under oath, regarding interactions that you had with Jane Doe No 3 beginning in approximately early 2001. Jane Doe No 3 was then 17 years old.
"The interview could be conducted at a time and place of your choosing, and with your co-operation, I believe the interview could be completed in two hours or less."
The Duke, who is not a party to the proceedings, strenuously denies the claims.
Buckingham Palace has issued a number of official denials, including an earlier statement insisting "any suggestion of impropriety with underage minors" was "categorically untrue".
Written By Unknown on Kamis, 22 Januari 2015 | 12.25
A man wanted over the killing of an off-duty police officer has been arrested on suspicion of murder in Germany.
Timmy Donovan, who was wanted on a European Arrest Warrant, was held at Dusseldorf Airport as he tried to board a flight to the UK, Merseyside Police said.
The 30-year-old was wanted for questioning over the death of PC Neil Doyle, who was killed in Liverpool city centre after a Christmas night out on 19 December.
The officer was married in July and was days away from going on his honeymoon when he was killed.
Off-duty officers Michael Steventon and Robert Marshall were also attacked and treated in hospital for facial injuries.
Two men have already appeared in court accused of PC Doyle's murder and are due to go on trial at Liverpool Crown Court later this year.
Christopher Spendlove, 30, of Brandearth Hey, Stockbridge Village, and Andrew Taylor, 28, of Cherry Tree Road, Huyton, also face charges that they caused grievous bodily harm with intent.
Mr Donovan, from Huyton in Merseyside, is also known as Timmy O'Sullivan.
The Government is planning to bring into force legislation for plain cigarette packaging before the General Election in May.
Health minister Jane Ellison said the regulations would be laid before Parliament in time to be agreed by both Houses before the election.
She said the current "comprehensive" approach was working well, but insisted it was important not to be complacent.
The ban on smoking in private cars will come into force on 1 October this year, the minister also announced.
During an adjournment debate in the Commons, Ms Ellison said tobacco caused around 80,000 deaths a year and that around 600 children in the UK take up smoking every day.
Video:Aug 2014: Plain Packaging In Oz
She said the Government was committed to reducing the numbers of young people who take up smoking, but had been taking its time to consider all relevant evidence, including the possibility of litigation from the tobacco industry.
Ms Ellison told MPs: "We cannot be complacent. We all know the damage smoking does to health.
"This Government is completely committed to protecting children from the harm that tobacco causes.
"That's why I'm announcing today that we will be bringing forward legislation for standardised packaging before the end of this Parliament."
Health groups welcomed Ms Ellison's announcement but business representatives accused the Government of meddling.
Mike Hobday, director of policy at the British Heart Foundation, said: "We are absolutely delighted. The Government has taken another key step towards securing new legislation that will help protect young people from the deadly consequences of smoking."
Video:Confusion Over E-Cigarette Safety
Dr Hilary Cass, president of the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health, said: "This is a significant piece of legislation - and a real positive step from Government to protect the health of current and future generations of children.
"With two thirds of smokers starting before they are 18, and the effects of packaging on young people well-known, it is a simple yet important reform in the battle against smoking-related illness."
But Christopher Snowdon, director of lifestyle economics at the Institute of Economic Affairs, condemned the announcement.
He said: "This is a gross infringement of the right of companies to use their trademarks and design their own packaging.
"There is no need to wonder what will happen next, we need only look at Australia where the black market has grown and youth smoking has risen.
"To pursue this grandstanding policy in spite of the Australian experience is sheer negligence."
Written By Unknown on Rabu, 21 Januari 2015 | 12.25
By Tom Parmenter, Sky News Correspondent
A secret Government file has been unearthed that documents "unnatural" sexual behaviour taking place when the Westminster paedophile scandal was at its height.
It has been kept under lock and key for 35 years on grounds of national security - but will now be released to the child abuse inquiry established by the Government.
Security and intelligence expert Dr Chris Murphy stumbled across it last November while searching documents at the National Archives in Kew.
He was immediately alerted by the title: "PREM19/588 - SECURITY. Allegations against former public [word missing] of unnatural sexual proclivities; security aspects 1980 Oct 27 - 1981 Mar 20."
"I was looking through the 'PREM' Prime Minister file series for the 1980s," the University of Salford lecturer told Sky News.
"I think I did a double-take and then started wondering what the potential implications of the title, which is a little vague, could be."
It is highly likely then-Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher saw the documents, and was briefed on the security implications, but the identities of those within them remain secret.
Dr Murphy added: "The fact that this file is concerning the Prime Minister and these allegations are being taken to the Prime Minister I think would strike anybody of being potentially of some interest."
Sky News highlighted the existence of the file to the Cabinet Office earlier this month.
Sir Bernard Ingham says he spoke to a minister who denied allegations
A spokesperson for the department said: "In this case, the file was kept closed and retained as it contained information from the security services and advice from the Law Officers.
"These classifications are reviewed periodically."
Video:What Might Abuse Files Reveal?
The department would not reveal whether David Cameron or Home Secretary Theresa May were aware of the contents, but promised it would be made accessible to the child sex abuse inquiry.
"We are clear that any files that are pertinent to the historical child sex abuse inquiry will be made available to the panel," the spokesperson added.
Mrs Thatcher's former press secretary, Sir Bernard Ingham, told Sky News he could not recall the file.
He did though confirm that both he and Mrs Thatcher were aware of allegations against a Government minister in the early 1980s.
Sir Bernard would not name the individual, but said: "I asked him about it and he denied it, so no, I didn't do anything else. What was the alternative?"
In July last year, the Prime Minister promised the survivors of sexual abuse that "no stone would be left unturned" in the pursuit of the truth.
Video:Sex Abuse Panel To Be Scrapped
Officials at the Cabinet Office have though previously attempted to block requests for information relating to Cyril Smith, the late Liberal politician who is now known to have abused youngsters.
Campaigning MP Simon Danczuk, who exposed the extent of Smith's offending, told Sky News the "sexual proclivities" file had to be released.
"I think it is right and proper that the Government now open up this document, let us know what is in there," he said.
"I think there is a culture within Government departments of not releasing information and that has caused some of the problems we now have in getting to the bottom of who was involved in this paedophile network and who was involved in covering it up."
The abuse inquiry was announced in July but currently has no chairman, after first Lady Butler-Sloss and then Fiona Woolf were appointed and then stepped down following concerns over their links to the political establishment.
It is still yet to appoint someone to lead it amid growing calls for action from survivors and campaign groups.
Written By Unknown on Selasa, 20 Januari 2015 | 12.25
By Martin Brunt, Crime Correspondent
Police forces are being accused of not doing enough to tackle a boom in shoplifting.
A survey shows a 36% rise in the money lost in shop thefts, the highest figure for a decade.
But most shoplifting goes unreported because shopkeepers do not believe the police will respond, according to the British Retail Consortium (BRC).
It said: "Despite the high level of theft, and evidence that some retailers are adopting more consistent "no exception" policies to reporting offences to the police, the majority of customer theft remains unreported.
"This is an indication that businesses continue to lack confidence in the police response to customer theft.
"The perception remains that some quarters of law enforcement view theft as a 'victimless' crime which is not taken seriously."
Video:Shopkeeper's Battle Against Crime
Toy shop owner Steve Mohabir, who runs The Toy Box in Godalming, Surrey, said he faced increasing thefts but found police were rarely willing to arrest suspects.
He said: "To be totally honest I'm really furious.
"I pay a high business rate, but I don't get the police service I need, no local bobby keeping an eye on retailers and our problems.
"If I report shoplifting I get told 'it's not very much' and nothing is done about it, but if it's an armed robbery at the bank they are much more interested."
Mr Mohabir said he has had to resort to investing in an expensive CCTV system and then shaming shoplifters by putting their images on his Facebook page.
The BRC's 2014 retail crime survey put the annual cost of all crime at £603m, an increase of 18%, with a total of three million crimes.
As well as the increase in shoplifting, fraud rose by 12% - more than half committed by organised gangs - and cyber crime also went up.
However, robbery, burglary and criminal damage fell.
The BRC's Director General, Helen Dickinson, said: "In my foreword to last year's report I said that a step change improvement in the law enforcement response to fraud was a desperately needed reform. A year on, this remains the case.
"Although there remains at times a lack of confidence among retailers about the service they receive from police and the criminal justice system, businesses are keen to work with partners to reduce retail crime."
Deputy Chief Constable Sue Fish, the National Policing Lead for Retail Crime, said: "Police have been working closely with businesses and retailers for several years, including British Retail Consortium, to help them prevent theft whether from stores or online.
"Stores need to ensure that they have the right security and working practices in place and heed advice to prevent them from being targeted.
"Without retailers making these changes, police will not be able to work in partnership to reduce this type of crime.
"Retailers need to report crimes against them to us so that we can investigate and ensure we have a full picture of offending; our ability to help is undermined if we aren't receiving information about crimes committed."
Written By Unknown on Senin, 19 Januari 2015 | 12.25
Travel disruption sparked by Saturday's fire on the Channel Tunnel is dragging on into a third day.
Eurotunnel passengers travelling by car or coach from the UK are having to wait about 90 minutes, and "approximately three hours" on the French side.
In an early morning update, the company said there was still "some timetable disruption" as repair work went on to fix damaged sections of the tunnel.
Despite the delays, Eurotunnel said it was "optimistic" of "more regular departures".
Train operator Eurostar, a separate company, was also hopeful, tweeting: "Eurostar plans to run a full service on Mon 19 Jan. Passengers are advised to check-in as normal."
Saturday's cancelled service caused big queues at London St Pancras
Thousands of passengers using Eurotunnel and the Eurostar high-speed train were left stranded on Saturday after a lorry fire stopped services.
Spokesman John O'Keefe said a "smouldering load" was found in the trailer of the lorry.
1/11
Gallery: Travel Chaos In London And Paris
This was the scene at St Pancras International station in London as Eurostar services are cancelled in both directions on Saturday
The company said trains would not be running on that day
Communities Secretary Eric Pickles has written to over 1,000 Islamic leaders in Britain urging them to do more to root out extremists and stop young Muslims being radicalised.
In the letter, Mr Pickles stressed he was "proud" of the way Muslims in Britain had responded to the terror attacks in Paris, but there was "more work to do".
There are fears about the spread of terrorism after the Paris attacks that left 17 people dead and the arrest of more than two dozen people in anti-terror raids in Belgium, Germany and France.
Mr Pickles insisted Whitehall could not combat jihadist ideology alone and Imams must explain to young people what it means to be British.
"You, as faith leaders, are in a unique position in our society. You have a precious opportunity, and an important responsibility: in explaining and demonstrating how faith in Islam can be part of British identity," he said in the letter, also signed by communities minister Lord Ahmad.
Video:Pickles Defends 'Snooping' Laws
"We believe together we have an opportunity to demonstrate the true nature of British Islam today.
"There is a need to lay out more clearly than ever before what being a British Muslim means today: proud of your faith and proud of your country.
"We know that acts of extremism are not representative of Islam; but we need to show what is."
Mr Pickles also sought to reassure the leaders that he had been in touch with police chiefs "to make sure they are providing the support that mosques need" - a concern that some imans expressed in recent discussions.
Video:Lord Ashdown On Terror Threat
But the letter immediately drew criticism from some Islamic leaders.
Harun Khan, deputy secretary general of the Muslim Council of Britain, said: "We will be writing to Mr Eric Pickles to ask that he clarifies his request to Muslims to 'explain and demonstrate how faith in Islam can be part of British identity'.
"Is Mr Pickles seriously suggesting, as do members of the far right, that Muslims and Islam are inherently apart from British society?"
The letter emerged as the Metropolitan Police announced it had increased security around its buildings and bolstered numbers of firearms officers available.
Video:Cameron On Islamic State Fight
Home Secretary Theresa May also promised to up the Government's efforts to tackle the terrorist threat and a "chilling" rise in anti-Semitism.
Speaking at an event to commemorate the Jewish people who died during the Paris massacre, she said: "Britain would not be Britain" without Jews, Muslims, Sikhs, Hindus, Christians and people of other faiths.
"I know that many Jewish people in this country are feeling vulnerable and fearful and you're saying that you're anxious for your families, for your children and yourselves.
"I never thought I would see the day when members of the Jewish community in the United Kingdom would say they were fearful of remaining here in the United Kingdom."
Video:'Important Discussions' On Terror
Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond and his US counterpart John Kerry are set to host talks in London on Thursday with ministers from around 20 countries, including Arab states, to discuss ways of tackling Islamic State.
:: Lord Ahmad, the co-author of the letter, will be speaking to Sky News at around 8.30am this morning. Watch Sky News on skynews.com and our mobile apps, or on channels Sky 501, Virgin Media 602, Freesat 202, Freeview 132.
Written By Unknown on Minggu, 18 Januari 2015 | 12.25
Eurotunnel Services Resume After Lorry Fire
We use cookies to give you the best experience. If you do nothing we'll assume that it's ok.
Thousands of passengers were left stranded on both sides of the Channel
Eurotunnel services have resumed after thousands of passengers were left stranded on both sides of the Channel due to a lorry fire.
Services were stopped after the vehicle caught fire on the French side of the railway's north tunnel on Saturday.
The incident led to long queues at St Pancras station as services were cancelled. Similar delays and queues also took place in Paris.
A Eurotunnel spokesman said services resumed at 2.45am UK time.
Passenger service Eurostar says it plans to run a full service today, but only "for passengers who have an existing reservation for this date".
1/7
Gallery: Travel Chaos In London And Paris
This is the scene at St Pancras International station in London as Eurostar services are cancelled in both directions
The company said trains would not be running on Saturday
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Large queues of passengers have formed - but they are being told they will be unable to travel
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It is a similar scene at Gare du Nord station in Paris - this board shows all services have been cancelled
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Passengers are having to make alternative arrangements
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Trains are expected to be delayed by between 30 minutes and an hour.
The company added that people whose trains were cancelled on Saturday are advised not to arrive at stations unless they had already been re-booked.
A Eurostar spokesman said: "All passengers who are booked to travel tomorrow, Sunday 18 January, should check in as normal half an hour before departure.
"Eurostar services tomorrow are already very busy and availability is limited."
Eurotunnel spokesman earlier John O'Keefe said a "smouldering load" was found in the trailer of the lorry.
The alarm was triggered after CO2 detectors were activated in one tunnel, Eurotunnel said.
Video:Passengers Hit By Eurostar Alert
A Kent Police spokesman said: "A lorry fire has led to the closure of both bores of the Channel Tunnel.
"The fire was at the French end of the tunnel and is being dealt with by the French authorities. There are no reported injuries."
In March, hundreds of Eurostar passengers were delayed after a lightning strike triggered a fire in a building close to the entrance to the tunnel in Kent.
Although there was no damage to the track, four trains in and out of England were affected.
Three eventually reached their destination but the fourth, which had been heading to Paris, was forced to turn back to London.
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Eurotunnel Services Resume After Lorry Fire
We use cookies to give you the best experience. If you do nothing we'll assume that it's ok.
Thousands of passengers were left stranded on both sides of the Channel
Eurotunnel services have resumed after thousands of passengers were left stranded on both sides of the Channel due to a lorry fire.
Services were stopped after the vehicle caught fire on the French side of the railway's north tunnel on Saturday.
The incident led to long queues at St Pancras station as services were cancelled. Similar delays and queues also took place in Paris.
A Eurotunnel spokesman said services resumed at 2.45am UK time.
Passenger service Eurostar says it plans to run a full service today, but only "for passengers who have an existing reservation for this date".
1/7
Gallery: Travel Chaos In London And Paris
This is the scene at St Pancras International station in London as Eurostar services are cancelled in both directions
The company said trains would not be running on Saturday
]]>
Large queues of passengers have formed - but they are being told they will be unable to travel
]]>
It is a similar scene at Gare du Nord station in Paris - this board shows all services have been cancelled
]]>
Passengers are having to make alternative arrangements
]]>
Trains are expected to be delayed by between 30 minutes and an hour.
The company added that people whose trains were cancelled on Saturday are advised not to arrive at stations unless they had already been re-booked.
A Eurostar spokesman said: "All passengers who are booked to travel tomorrow, Sunday 18 January, should check in as normal half an hour before departure.
"Eurostar services tomorrow are already very busy and availability is limited."
Eurotunnel spokesman earlier John O'Keefe said a "smouldering load" was found in the trailer of the lorry.
The alarm was triggered after CO2 detectors were activated in one tunnel, Eurotunnel said.
Video:Passengers Hit By Eurostar Alert
A Kent Police spokesman said: "A lorry fire has led to the closure of both bores of the Channel Tunnel.
"The fire was at the French end of the tunnel and is being dealt with by the French authorities. There are no reported injuries."
In March, hundreds of Eurostar passengers were delayed after a lightning strike triggered a fire in a building close to the entrance to the tunnel in Kent.
Although there was no damage to the track, four trains in and out of England were affected.
Three eventually reached their destination but the fourth, which had been heading to Paris, was forced to turn back to London.
Police investigating the unsolved murder of a grandmother as she house-sat for friends are set to start voluntary DNA screening.
Men who live, work or visit the Bosham area of West Sussex are being invited to eliminate themselves from suspicion following the killing of 55-year-old Valerie Graves.
The DNA screening will take place at the Millstream Hotel in the village from Wednesday, with posters alerting locals about the dates the screening will take place.
It is the latest move by detectives who have launched a large-scale manhunt for the killer of grandmother and mother of two Ms Graves.
The claw hammer which may have been used to kill Valerie Graves.
She is believed to have been killed with a claw hammer in a ground floor bedroom in Smugglers Lane, Bosham, on 30 December, 2013.
She was bludgeoned as she house-sat with her sister Jan, mother Eileen and her sister's partner, Nigel Acres, while the property's owners went abroad over Christmas.
More than 9,500 people have been interviewed by police, a £20,000 reward has been offered, a BBC Crimewatch appeal has been made and a limited DNA match of a suspect has been yielded.
But despite an exhaustive inquiry, no one has been charged.
On the first-year anniversary of the murder, officers handed out leaflets and put up posters about the DNA screening.
They asked for men aged over 17 who live, work or visit Bosham to provide a DNA mouth swab and thumbprint to eliminate them from the inquiry.
The death of Ms Graves shocked the small community of Bosham, which featured in an episode of the ITV crime drama Midsomer Murders.
Last month, Ms Graves's two children Tim Wood, 32, and Jemima Harrison, 35, spoke - along with Mr Acres - ahead of the first anniversary of her murder.
The family said Christmas was put "on hold" as they faced their first festive season without her and as her murderer still remains at large.
