Teen Gets 22 Years For Plot To Behead Soldier

Written By Unknown on Sabtu, 21 Maret 2015 | 12.25

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A teenager has been jailed for 22 years for hatching a plot to behead a British soldier inspired by the murder of Fusilier Lee Rigby.

Brusthom Ziamani, 19, stood impassively in the dock as the sentence was handed down at the Old Bailey.

He was arrested in an east London street carrying a 12in knife and a hammer in a rucksack.

He had earlier researched the location of army cadet bases in the south east of the capital.

The court was told how he had earlier shown his ex-girlfriend weapons, described Fusilier Rigby's killer Michael Adebolajo as a "legend".

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Gallery: Ziamani: 'This Is Islamic State Of Ireland And Britain'

In this letter, Brusthom Ziamani told his parents that he had an obligation to fight for Allah - and as he couldn't travel to Iraq and Syria, he would have to wage war on the British Government. 'This is Islamic State of Ireland and Britain,' the 19-year-old adds

The man, from southeast London, said the heads of British soldiers would be removed and burned - and claimed: 'you cannot defeat the Muslims because we love to die the way you love to live'

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He chillingly added: 'we should do a 9/11, 7/7 and a Woolwich all in one day, everyday'

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As the letter continued, Ziamani told his mother and father that he planned to die a martyr and leave this world - 'so please do not grieve, as I will be in paradise'. He also asked his parents to forgive him for the stress he had caused them in the past

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In the final section, the teenager urged his parents not to mix with Christians, Jews and non-believers - and said they should all be killed with no pity. 'But do not kill the women and children,' he added

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He told his girlfriend he would "kill soldiers".

The defendant was radicalised after being befriended by members of a radical Muslim organisation which held meetings in London.

Ziamani was found guilty last month of preparing an act of terrorism and was sentenced by Judge Timothy Pontius.

Judge Pontius said: "A realistic and sensible assessment of the whole of the evidence leads inescapably to the conclusion that this defendant, had he not by sheer good fortune been spotted and stopped by the police on the street in east London, would have carried out the intention he had so graphically expressed to his ex-girlfriend just a few hours before."

The judge told Ziamani that he would have to serve at least two-thirds of his 22-year sentence before being eligible for parole.

Earlier, in mitigation, Ziamani's lawyer, Naeem Mian, said his client was not an "entrenched extremist".

Mr Mian said Ziamani was a young man who while destitute had been groomed by people who were "more sophisticated and mature" than him.

He said: "It is worrying to say the least that those who groomed him are able to groom and radicalise a young man in such a short period of time.

"On any view it is a tragic case because this young man will spend a long time in custody after which he will inevitably be unemployable.

"His foolish, naive acts have resulted in him throwing his life away at his tender age.

"He has nothing to look forward to now. The only glimmer of hope he has is the fact his parents - in particular his mother - has been to see him a number of times since his conviction.

"They are still not comfortable with the fact he has converted to Islam. As you would expect of caring and loving parents, they have been to see him."

The trial was told how Ziamani had "reverted" to Islam only last year and was kicked out of home in Camberwell, south London, by his parents.

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Gallery: Knife Shown To Terror Trial Jury

Police have released images of material shown to the jury in the trial of Brusthom Ziamani

The knife along with this Shahada flag were found in Ziamani's rucksack when he was arrested, the court heard

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Ziamani was born in London to Congolese parents. His mother worked as a nursery nurse and his father was a psychiatric nurse.

He said he first became interested in Islam at the age of 15 through rap music and decided to convert again in the months before his arrests.

He initially turned to his local mosque for support before he fell in with the Muslim group al-Muhajiroun - or ALM.

The group gave him money, clothes and a place to stay.

He attended their talks in the basement of a halal sweet shop in Whitechapel and bought a black flag to take on their demonstrations.

He said he was going "to rock it everywhere I go in the Kaffirs' face".

The court was told how he posted comments on Facebook that he was "willing to die in the cause of Allah".

He added: "Sharia law on its way on our streets. We will implement it, it's part of our religion."

At the time he was first arrested last June on an unrelated matter, police found a ripped-up letter in his jeans pocket.

In the letter he wrote about mounting an attack on a British soldier and expressed the desire to die a martyr.

But Ziamani denied he was planning a copycat terror atrocity like the murder of Fusilier Rigby.

On the letter, he said: "I was ranting and raging about the situation in Muslim countries which was described in these talks. I did not believe it at all."

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Written By Unknown on Jumat, 20 Maret 2015 | 12.25

By Tom Parmenter, Sky News Correspondent

A cold case team is investigating why police officers failed to take action after pulling over shamed MP Cyril Smith and discovering a stash of child abuse videos while he was travelling along the M1 in the 1980s.

Senior officers within Northamptonshire Police have vowed to find the officers who stopped Smith's vehicle and discover who put pressure on them not to take it further.

The revelation first came to light in a book by current MP for Rochdale Simon Danczuk in which it was highlighted as an example of Smith's "untouchable" status.

Mr Danczuk said: "I'm pleased the police have decided to act because they may help shine a light on who was helping cover-up for Cyril Smith.

"We know that Smith kept being let off any charges but we still need to trace where the patronage was coming from.

"Northamptonshire Police may well now help identify who was supporting Smith."

The suspicion among other former senior police officers is that Cyril Smith was being protected because he was part of abuse networks within Westminster, as well as around Greater Manchester.

Several former detectives have explained in recent days how they had gathered the evidence to prosecute the late Liberal MP but were closed down by mysterious senior officers they did not know.

Assistant Chief Constable Ivan Balhatchet said: "Detectives in Northamptonshire Police's Cold Case Team are currently making inquiries to establish the nature of the circumstances surrounding the disclosures made in the book.

"We would encourage anyone who knows anything about the claims in the book relating to alleged events in Northamptonshire to come forward and tell us."

The IPCC is overseeing an investigation into police misconduct in the 1970s and 1980s where officers are accused of being part of a cover-up that protected high profile child abusers including politicians, judges and other VIPs in London.

Scotland Yard detectives are currently investigating widespread claims of child abuse, including allegations three boys may have been murdered by abusers.

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Teenager Dies After Being Hit By Police Car

A 16-year-old boy has died after he was struck by a police car in Birmingham.

Harry Kirkham was hit by the patrol vehicle as he crossed Sutton New Road in Erdington after leaving a church with friends at around 9pm on Wednesday.

West Midlands Police said the officer driving the Peugeot patrol car was not believed to have been answering an emergency call at the time of the collision.

The officer driving the vehicle, who is based in Sutton Coldfield, provided first aid at the scene.

He is said to be "traumatised" and is being questioned by members of his force's professional standards department.

Chief Inspector Neil Hobson said in a statement: "No parent should have to lose a child, particularly in such tragic circumstances.

"This evening our thoughts are with Harry's family following their tragic loss.

"As Harry was hit by a police car, West Midlands Police has informed the Independent Police Complaints Commission, who continue to be updated."

CCTV footage which may have captured the moment Harry was struck is being reviewed.

:: Anyone in the area at the time of the collision who has not contacted police should call officers on 101.

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Claudia Lawrence Mystery Has Dark Undercurrents

Written By Unknown on Kamis, 19 Maret 2015 | 12.25

The question of what happened to York University cook Claudia Lawrence is simultaneously a family tragedy, a thorn in the side of North Yorkshire Police, and one of the country's most intriguing unsolved crimes.

Claudia, 35 and apparently single, is assumed to have been murdered after failing to turn up to work in March 2009, leaving no obvious clues about what had happened to her.

In the six years she has been missing there have been just two arrests and no charges.

It is little wonder that people are asking if the police have run out of ideas.

So is the recent renewed police activity around her former home, and the claim that more arrests could be imminent, just an attempt to silence the critics, or are the police on to something?

And why are there so many undercurrents to the mystery, with some people still unwilling to talk to journalists, and others issuing warnings or threats?

To find the answers you have to look at the history of the investigation and at the police team trying to move it forward.

There were undoubtedly mistakes made in the spring of 2009. For months after Claudia vanished the entire publicity effort of Detective Superintendent Ray Galloway's investigation showed her with the wrong colour hair, while detectives allowed the misleading narrative that Claudia was an unassuming young woman to run away with them and never really recovered from the belated attempt to correct it.

The truth - that her relationships involved what Mr Galloway eventually described as "complexity and mystery" - was not made public until three months after she disappeared, many weeks after they had built up what one described to me as a "rogues' gallery" of some of the men she had been involved with.

With a continued insistence from Claudia's family and friends, from whom it seems she hid much of her private life, that the police were wrong, and with many locals knowing differently all along, it set the tone for mistrust and conflict.

To be fair the police did not know what they were walking into: Claudia apparently lived a significant part of her life in secret and her parents had endured such a bitter divorce that to this day they have never made a joint appeal over their daughter's disappearance.

Meanwhile, journalists were finding the story hard to tell. For a privately-educated daughter of a country solicitor Claudia had some unusual acquaintances and this remains the only missing person case where I've been warned off or threatened - not once, but twice.

Journalists and the police alike have found it hard to break the silence surrounding some of her relationships.

Fast forward five years and following the retirement of Ray Galloway a new police team has relaunched the investigation.

Detective Superintendent Dai Malyn, the senior investigating officer, has described the investigation as engrossing and quickly said he had "spotted things" to work on.

Detective Chief Superintendent Simon Mason, the force's head of crime, knows the Police and Crime Commissioner wants a result.

Neither give the impression of police officers who would spin lines for publicity or conduct stunts to make themselves look busy.

So far they've arrested two men, with one released without charge and the other still on bail on suspicion of perverting the course of justice.

They have re-examined Claudia's house, carried out a much-publicised fingertip search outside and re-interviewed key individuals and in doing so they have created a buzz which might yet solve the crime.

Det Supt Malyn is now talking about new leads, continuing obstruction, cover-ups and lies by some people and the possibility of more arrests soon.

But he's a realist too: "Ultimately we may not be able to prove what happened to Claudia, or be able to find her," he admitted this week.

There is a feeling among Claudia's family and the reporters who have covered this case from the start that if North Yorkshire Police fail to solve this crime it will not be for the want of trying.

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Missing Claudia: CCTV Screening Near Her Home

By Gerard Tubb, North of England Correspondent

The six-year investigation into what happened to missing York cook Claudia Lawrence has taken a new direction with police hinting they could be close to making more arrests.

In a carefully choreographed event close to her home in the Heworth area of the city, detectives invited locals to the screening of previously unreleased CCTV pictures and issued a warning that those with information should speak up.

Detectives initially thought Claudia, 35, had no boyfriend when she went missing in March 2009, but discovered she apparently hid relationships from her family and friends.

Despite a massive police operation, no evidence of Claudia has ever been found and no-one was arrested until the investigation was re-launched with a new team of detectives in 2013.

Senior investigating officer Detective Superintendent Dai Malyn has said he believes some people are lying to him.

"If I reach the point where we believe people continue to obstruct this investigation or assist or cover up for the person or persons responsible, they will be arrested," he said in a statement.

A man who was arrested last year on suspicion of murdering Claudia has since been released without charge while another man remains on police bail on suspicion of perverting the course of justice.

The CCTV footage, displayed on a large screen for six hours, shows someone walking along the lane that leads to the back of Claudia Lawrence's home a short while before her last known contact with anyone.

The same person returns with what appears to be a bag over their shoulder and pauses to let someone else pass by before continuing.

Detectives hope someone can identify the two people and were filming those who turned up to view the video.

Claudia's father Peter Lawrence held a news conference on the sixth anniversary of the day she was last seen and gave his support to the police operation.

"It just really hurts so much and it galls me that someone out there knows what has happened to Claudia and has not said anything," he said.

"All we can hope is that we find out what happened to Claudia. If she was murdered as the police believe then I want to be able to bury her."

Det Supt Malyn said further arrests could follow "in the coming weeks and months".

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Hillsborough Chief: My Failure 'Caused' Deaths

Written By Unknown on Rabu, 18 Maret 2015 | 12.25

The police officer in charge at Hillsborough has agreed that his failure to close a tunnel "was the direct cause of the deaths of 96 people".

David Duckenfield made the admission during his sixth day of questioning at the inquests into the 1989 tragedy.

Asked if his failure to close a tunnel through which Liverpool fans flowed into packed pens was "the direct cause of the deaths of 96 persons in the Hillsborough tragedy", he replied: "Yes, sir."

Paul Greaney QC, representing the Police Federation, put it to the 70-year-old: "Do you agree that never mind a competent match commander, it might only take a child of average intelligence to realise what the consequences of your actions might be?"

Mr Duckenfield replied: "I did not think of it on the day, sir, because of the pressure I was under."

As many as 2,000 supporters entered Gate C, many of whom headed straight for the tunnel in question.

Mr Duckenfield argued he had "no idea" supporters would head through the tunnel.

The retired chief superintendent of South Yorkshire Police admitted there was a "state of shock" in the control room and that he "froze", but denied claims he "bottled it" as the disaster unfolded in the Leppings Lane end.

The inquests have heard how Mr Duckenfield told the 1989 Taylor Inquiry that he made the right decisions on the day - but he now accepts he made some "grave" errors.

Mr Duckenfield has previously said he suffered post-traumatic stress - but here he declined to go into "personal circumstances".

He conceded he may have been "confused" when he gave evidence at the original inquiry into the disaster, which occurred at the start of an FA Cup semi-final between Liverpool and Nottingham Forest on 15 April, 1989.

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Missing Claudia: Detectives Chasing New Leads

Police searching for missing chef Claudia Lawrence are "actively pursuing new leads" and may make further arrests shortly.

Detective Superintendent Dai Malyn of North Yorkshire Police was speaking on the sixth anniversary of her disappearance.

He said his team had made "significant progress" since the force began reviewing the case in 2013.

Miss Lawrence was last seen on Wednesday 18 March 2009 and was reported missing by her father two days later.

He contacted police after she failed to turn up for her 6am shift at York University.

Officers believe the 35-year-old was murdered.

A number of fresh searches have been carried out since 2013, including a detailed re-examination of her house in the Heworth area of York and the alleyway at the rear.

A 60-year-old man, arrested last year in connection with her disappearance, was released without charge, while a 47-year-old man remains on bail on suspicion of perverting the course of justice.

Det Supt Malyn said: "In the months since we started our review, we have made very significant progress.

"In the coming weeks and months we may make additional arrests as we continue to develop our lines of inquiry.

"In the light of information that has only recently come to the fore, we are actively pursuing what are rightly described as new leads."

Mr Malyn warned anyone withholding information about their relationship with Miss Lawrence or events in the days before her disappearance to come forward or risk being arrested.

He added: "Six years have passed since Claudia disappeared. For her loved ones, the pain caused by her absence and the circumstances of her disappearance has not faded.

"Ultimately, we may not be able to prove what happened to Claudia, or be able to find her. But that will not be for lack of determination, tenacity and meticulous detective work."

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One-Year-Old Boy Killed After Truck Hits Wall

Written By Unknown on Selasa, 17 Maret 2015 | 12.25

A one-year-old boy has been killed after a recovery truck crashed into a wall in Birmingham, West Midlands Police say.

Officers were called to Queens Road in the Stechford area of the city at around 5pm on Monday following a report a recovery truck had hit a wall which then fell on to the child.

The boy suffered a serious head injury and was pronounced dead at the scene.

He has not been formally identified.

Investigators are working to establish what happened, and the road is likely to be closed for some time between Sedgemere Road and Broadstone Road.

Inspector Paul Bennett said: "This is a very tragic set of circumstances - words cannot describe what his family are going through and our thoughts are with them at this time.

"Specialist officers will be supporting the boy's family and - as with all serious and fatal collisions - an investigation has been launched to establish the cause."

West Midlands Ambulance Service said there had been desperate efforts to save the boy.

A spokesman said: "A rapid response vehicle was on scene within four minutes of the call and was backed up by an ambulance, a paramedic officer, an emergency doctor and the Warwickshire and Northamptonshire Air Ambulance.

"Ambulance staff carried out advanced life support but sadly nothing could be done to save him and he was confirmed dead at the scene."

:: Anyone with information about what happened should call police on 101 and ask for the Collision Investigation Unit quoting log 1637 16/3/2015.

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'Jihadi Bride' Denies Recruiting Girls To IS

The parents of a so-called "jihadi bride" from Scotland have said their daughter denies recruiting three London girls to the cause of Islamic State.

Aqsa Mahmood, 20, left her home in Glasgow in November 2013, and married an IS militant in Syria shortly afterwards.

Her father told Sky News they were in touch with their daughter, who says she did not contact three teenagers from Bethnal Green before they fled their homes, apparently to join Islamic State.

"They talked about those three girls - that she recruited them," said Muzaffar Mahmood.

"On 21 February she sent me a text that she doesn't even know their names. How can she recruit them?"

Kadiza Sultana, 16, Shamima Begum, 15, and Amira Abase, 15, flew to Istanbul on 17 February and are feared to have continued to Syria to become "jihadi brides".

The girls' families issued a statement on Sunday, saying they were feeling their absence "more acutely on Mothers Day" and were praying for their "immediate safe return".

They all attended Bethnal Green Academy in east London, but are now believed to be staying in a house in the IS militants' stronghold Raqqa.

Meanwhile three British teenagers suspected of attempting to join Islamic State have been released on bail.

A man aged 19 and two 17-year-old boys, all from northwest London, were arrested on Saturday night on suspicion of preparing terrorist acts after returning to the UK, police said.

They were apprehended at Sabiha Gokcen airport in the Turkish city of Istanbul.

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Gallery: Three Schoolgirls From East London Missing

These pictures were taken from Kadiza Sultana (l) and Shamima Begum's (r) Twitter accounts

Kadiza and Shamima are feared to be on their way to Syria with a third girl, 15-year-old Amira Abase

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Savile Victims: Clarkson Comparison 'Upsetting'

Written By Unknown on Senin, 16 Maret 2015 | 12.25

Victims of Jimmy Savile have described comparisons between the support for Jeremy Clarkson and the widespread protection offered to the dead paedophile as "upsetting" and "totally offensive".

The Mail on Sunday claimed one of the BBC's most senior executives had made the analogy.

According to the paper, the unnamed figure said Clarkson had been allowed to behave however he wished because of his status and his friendship with the likes of David Cameron.

It follows Clarkson's suspension for allegedly punching TV producer Oisin Tymon during an argument about a lack of hot food following filming.

The Mail On Sunday quoted the BBC figure as saying: "The pressure this guy (Tymon) is under is so Savilesque in a way.

"If you look at what David Cameron says or what (former culture secretary Maria Miller) says and you swap Clarkson for Savile, you get this: David Cameron is effectively saying that Savile's a real talent, Maria Miller saying Savile will be Savile."

Liz Dux, a lawyer at the firm representing 169 of Savile's victims, denounced the comparison.

She said: "Many of Savile's victims find a direct parallel between these issues to be upsetting and highly inappropriate.

"One victim said that while both have celebrity status, to suggest other similarities is totally offensive.

"Nevertheless, they want the lessons from Savile learned, whereby fame and celebrity must never be an excuse to overlook wrongdoing."

There was further fallout on the fracas in The Sunday Times, with Clarkson's food critic friend AA Gill revealing it was the Top Gear presenter himself who brought the matter to the BBC's attention.

"Jeremy called Danny Cohen, the director of BBC television, directly and explained he had lost his rag," wrote Gill.

"Cohen had a choice: to do the right thing or the bureaucratic thing, but at the BBC no good intention goes unquestioned."

Mr Cohen suspended Clarkson and cancelled the next three episodes of the money-spinning programme.

He also announced an inquiry into the incident, due to begin today.

Led by Ken MacQuarrie, the head of BBC Scotland, the investigation will try to establish what happened on the night of 4 March at the Simonstone Hall hotel in Hawes, North Yorkshire, after Clarkson was told the chef had stopped serving hot food.

It will also take into account Clarkson's other controversies of the past two years.

A BBC spokesman said: "The BBC's position is the one we set out in a statement last week.

"We have an investigation led by Ken MacQuarrie to establish the facts and people should wait for the outcome of that."

Nearly one million people have signed a petition calling for Clarkson to be reinstated.

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Syria-Bound UK Teenagers Released On Bail

Three British teenagers suspected of attempting to join Islamic State have been released on bail by UK counter-terrorism officers.

A man aged 19 and two 17-year-old boys, all from northwest London, were arrested on Saturday night on suspicion of preparing terrorist acts after returning to the UK, police said.

They were apprehended at Sabiha Gokcen airport in the Turkish city of Istanbul.

It is believed they travelled from England to Spain before flying on to the country.

A Met police spokesman said: "Officers alerted the Turkish authorities who were able to intercept all three males, preventing travel to Syria.

"On Saturday, March 14 the three males returned to the UK and at approximately 11.10pm were arrested on suspicion of preparation of terrorist acts contrary to section five of the Terrorism Act 2006.

"They have been bailed to return to a central London police station pending further enquiries."

The trio have not been named, but Sky sources in Turkey say the initials of the men are GH, MNG, and MA.

The Met police said counter-terrorism officers were alerted on Friday that two 17-year-olds from northwest London had gone missing and were believed to be travelling to Syria. Inquiries revealed they had gone with a third male, aged 19.

However, Scotland Yard declined to say exactly how long in total they had been away from home.

The developments point to a new level of cooperation between the UK and Turkish police forces, which has faced criticism after three British schoolgirls travelled to Syria to join IS.

Kadiza Sultana, 16, Shamima Begum, 15, and Amira Abase, 15, flew to Istanbul on 17 February and are feared to have continued to Syria to become so-called "jihadi brides".

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Gallery: Three Schoolgirls From East London Missing

These pictures were taken from Kadiza Sultana (l) and Shamima Begum's (r) Twitter accounts

Kadiza and Shamima are feared to be on their way to Syria with a third girl, 15-year-old Amira Abase

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Body Found In Burning Car Near Golf Club

Written By Unknown on Minggu, 15 Maret 2015 | 12.25

A woman has been arrested after firefighters discovered a body in the boot of a burning car.

The 34-year-old is being held on suspicion of conspiracy to murder, after the unidentified victim was found in the back of the badly damaged Volkswagen Jetta.

Fire crews were called to Ifield Golf Club near Horsham, West Sussex, on Friday afternoon after receiving reports that a vehicle was on fire.

A post-mortem examination is being carried out on the body, and investigators from the Surrey and Sussex major crime team have been unable to determine the victim's gender so far.

Detective Chief Inspector Jason Taylor said: "We are treating this as a murder investigation and are following several lines of inquiry.

"Anyone who has any information about the car, or saw it being abandoned and set on fire, is asked to contact police."

The unnamed suspect is from Dulwich in south London.

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End Of Life Care Should Be Free, Say MPs

By Tom Parmenter, Sky News Correspondent

End of life care should be made available free of charge, MPs have concluded.

A report by the Health Select Committee found that acute and community care for people reaching the end of their lives varies around the UK and has called for long-term sustainable funding for hospices.

Report author Dr Sarah Wollaston MP said: "There are unacceptable levels of variation in the care that people receive and this needs to be addressed so that high quality end of life care is available to everyone regardless of their age, medical condition or where they live.

"We must make sure that specialist palliative care expertise is accessible within hospitals and community settings as well as within our hospices."

In patient Vera Clark, 87, is currently being treated for lung and heart problems at the highly rated Hospice of St Francis in Berkhamsted, Herts.

Her son Brian, who visits her every day, told Sky News: "We do feel lucky that she is where she is, it makes such a difference knowing she is in the right place."

Hospice director Dr Ros Taylor, who is also national director of Hospice UK, explained that some patients still get lost within the NHS system.

"There isn't the confidence of nurses and young doctors in hospital to have those conversations to recognise that somebody might be towards the end of their life, so the planning doesn't happen and people die waiting to leave hospital," she said.

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