Gay Marriage: Catholic Priests Raise Fears

More than 1,000 Roman Catholic priests have signed a letter expressing fears that same-sex marriage legislation would threaten their religious freedoms.

In the letter sent to The Daily Telegraph, the priests said the proposed law would limit their ability to teach about marriage in Catholic schools and other institutions.

The Equal Marriage Bill, allowing couples of the same sex to marry, is due to be published this month.

The letter was signed by 1,054 priests and 13 bishops.

"Legislation for same-sex marriage, should it be enacted, will have many legal consequences, severely restricting the ability of Catholics to teach the truth about marriage in their schools, charitable institutions or places of worship," it said.

"It is meaningless to argue that Catholics and others may still teach their beliefs about marriage in schools and other arenas if they are also expected to uphold the opposite view at the same time."

The letter said the legislation could threaten freedoms in a way that was last seen during "centuries of persecution" of Catholics in England.

It even compared the Prime Minister's proposed changes to the meaning of marriage to those of Henry VIII, who sought to divorce Catherine of Aragon and eventually established himself as the head of the Church of England breaking away from Rome.

David Cameron backs the plan despite opposition from within his own party

Catholic teaching opposes divorce and same-sex marriage, maintaining families should only be based on marriage between a man and woman.

The Bishop of Portsmouth, the Rt Rev Philip Egan, one of the signatories, told The Daily Telegraph he fears that when preaching or teaching in schools about marriage, "we could be arrested for being bigots or homophobes".

A spokesman for the Department for Culture, Media and Sport said: "We have been very clear that our plans for equal marriage will fully protect the freedom of religions bodies to preach, teach and put into practice their beliefs about marriage."

The Government says it will not force religious bodies to carry out services and that the new law will make it illegal for the Church of England and its counterpart in Wales to offer ceremonies.

Still, the plan has proven divisive, with many Tory MPs openly opposing it.

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Northern Ireland Clashes: Four Officers Injured

Four police officers have been injured after more than 30 petrol bombs and other missiles were hurled at them in another night of Union flag demonstrations in Northern Ireland.

The most serious disorder was in Carrickfergus and the Rathcoole area of Newtownabbey, on the northern outskirts of Belfast.

A bus was also set on fire during the disorder. Police deployed water cannon in an attempt to restore calm and two people were arrested.

A small viable pipe bomb was found on the Westlink dual carriageway in Belfast, but it was unclear whether it was linked to the loyalist disorder.

There were widespread and mostly peaceful protests across Northern Ireland on Friday night in co-ordinated action dubbed Operation Standstill by organisers.

Many roads were blocked off between 6pm and 8pm as loyalist protesters again took to the streets to voice their opposition to Belfast City Council's decision to limit the number of days the Union flag flies at City Hall.

Rugby fans travelling to Ravenhill, in east Belfast, for Ulster's crunch Heineken Cup game against Glasgow faced major disruption due to the pickets.

Protesters carry the Union flag in Newtownabbey

But the city centre was not as empty as might have been expected after an online campaign urged people to defy the protests.

They were called on to stage an "Operation sit-in" in cafes, pubs and restaurants to give businesses hit by the six-week campaign of street action a much-needed boost.

Restaurateur Michael Deane told Sky News the crisis has been a blow to his business but that he refused to give up.

"Belfast is a fabulous city," he said.

"Whether I would come to visit Belfast, looking from outside (at) what you see on the television, no, I probably wouldn't.

"But let's hope this all goes away very quickly."

As loyalists called people onto the streets to protest, young church leaders called them to prayer.

Andrew Masters, from the Christian organisation called What Now?, told Sky News: "We're asking people to pray at 11:11 every day and for two real simple prayers: that peace would come and hope would come and that things that have been lost - the finance, the business, the hope - would be returned."

Around 70 police officers have been injured and more than 100 people arrested in six weeks of trouble since Belfast City Council's ruling on the Union flag.

The Democratic Unionist Party and Progressive Unionist Party have challenged the council over the decision, claiming it contravenes its equality policy.

A Belfast City Council spokeswoman said the flag policy was introduced after a democratic decision elected members.

She said: "The council has taken legal advice throughout this process and the decision is in keeping with the outcome of the equality impact assessment that was undertaken in line with the advice of the Equality Commission.

"The designated days agreed are in keeping with those notified by the UK Government's Department of Culture, Media and Sport."

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Savile Sex Abuse Victims To Seek Compensation

Jimmy Savile Abuse Report: Timeline

Updated: 11:45am UK, Friday 11 January 2013

The police and NSPCC report on the Jimmy Savile abuse scandal follows a lengthy investgation sparked by a television documentary.

This is how the case unfolded:

October 29, 2011

:: Veteran DJ and broadcaster Jimmy Savile is found dead in his home in Roundhay, Leeds, after a spell in hospital with a suspected bout of pneumonia. He was 84.

September 30, 2012

:: It emerges allegations about Savile will be made in a new ITV documentary due to be aired on October 3.

October 1

:: Surrey Police confirm Savile was interviewed in 2007 over allegations dating back to the 1970s but was released without charge.

October 2

:: An historic rape allegation made against Savile is referred to Scotland Yard. It is also revealed that Jersey and Surrey police investigated accusations about alleged abuse in two children's homes, but decided there was not enough evidence to proceed.

:: The BBC says it will make direct contact with police to provide full support over the "disturbing allegations".

:: Newsnight editor Peter Rippon says the show dropped a story about allegations against Savile because it "had not established any institutional failure" on behalf of the police or Crown Prosecution Service. Mr Rippon writes on a BBC blog it was "totally untrue" he came under any pressure to drop the story.

October 3

:: Sussex Police confirm that in 2008 a woman reported she had been indecently assaulted by Savile in Worthing, West Sussex, in 1970, but did not want to co-operate with any inquiry or prosecution.

:: Exposure: The Other Side Of Jimmy Savile is shown on ITV1. In it, five women claim they were indecently assaulted by him when they were schoolgirls in the late 1960s and 1970s.

October 9

:: Comedian Freddie Starr denies any wrongdoing in relation to claims he groped a teenager following the recording of one of Savile's shows.

:: Scotland Yard reveals it is looking at 120 lines of inquiry and as many as 25 victims. Commander Peter Spindler says allegations span four decades and abuse was on a "national scale". He says the inquiry, dubbed Operation Yewtree, will only become a criminal investigation if there is evidence against living individuals.

October 11

:: Allegations emerge that Savile abused children at Stoke Mandeville Hospital in Buckinghamshire and Leeds General Hospital.

October 12

:: BBC director general George Entwistle offers a "profound and heartfelt apology" to alleged victims as he announces two inquiries - one into potential failings over the handling of the abandoned Newsnight investigation, and a second into the "culture and practices of the BBC during the years Savile worked here".

October 13

:: The Department of Health says it will carry out an investigation into how Savile was appointed to lead a "taskforce" at Broadmoor in 1988.

:: Police say Savile's alleged catalogue of abuse could have spanned six decades and included around 60 victims.

October 19

:: A leaked internal email casts doubt on the BBC's stated reason for cancelling a Newsnight investigation into sexual abuse by Savile, The Times says.

:: Scotland Yard announces that Operation Yewtree is now a formal criminal investigation involving other living people.

October 22

:: The BBC announces that Newsnight editor Peter Rippon has stepped aside "with immediate effect". It says his explanation as to why the show dropped its investigation was "inaccurate or incomplete in some respects".

:: The Crown Prosecution Service say Surrey Police passed a file to them in 2009 based on a complaint made by "a woman who said she had witnessed an indecent assault by Jimmy Savile in the 1970s".

The force found evidence of "three further potential offences" by Savile but evidence showed none of the alleged victims would support a prosecution.

October 25

:: Scotland Yard says it is investigating in excess of 400 lines of inquiry involving 300 victims, of whom all except two are women. Commander Peter Spindler says Savile is one of the most prolific sex offenders in recent history and the inquiry into his abuse will be a "watershed" investigation into sex crime.

October 26

:: It emerges that seven alleged victims of Savile made complaints to four separate police forces - Surrey, London, Sussex and Jersey - while the disgraced television presenter was alive, but it was decided no further action should be taken.

October 28

:: Former pop star Gary Glitter is arrested by officers working on Operation Yewtree. He is bailed to return in mid-December.

November 1

:: Comedian Freddie Starr is arrested in connection with the Savile abuse investigation. He is released on bail.

November 2

:: Freddie Starr returns for further questioning and is later bailed again.

November 11

:: Former BBC producer Wilfred De'ath is arrested at an address in Cambridge but later insists he was the victim of mistaken identity.

:: BBC director general George Entwistle resigns after an "unacceptable" Newsnight broadcast into child abuse in North Wales wrongly implicates a former senior Conservative politician.

November 15

:: Former Radio 1 DJ Dave Lee Travis is arrested on suspicion of sexual offences. Police say the allegations do not directly involve Savile, and are classed under the strand of their investigation termed "others". Mr Travis denies any wrongdoing, saying: "This is nothing to do with kids."

November 29

:: A man in his 80s, from Berkshire, is arrested and questioned by detectives investigating the Savile abuse scandal after attending police premises in south London by appointment. Scotland Yard says he is being treated as part of the investigation that does not directly relate to Savile.

December 6

:: PR guru Max Clifford is arrested at his Surrey home on suspicion of sexual offences and taken to Belgravia police station in central London for questioning. Clifford tells reporters: "These allegations are damaging and totally untrue."

December 10

:: A man in his 60s, from London, is arrested on suspicion of sexual offences and taken to a south London police station. Scotland Yard says he falls under the strand of the investigation termed "others". He is later bailed until January.

December 12

:: Scotland Yard says 31 rape allegations have been made against Savile - out of a total of 450 complaints. It adds 589 people have come forward with information relating to the scandal.

December 19

:: Former BBC radio producer Ted Beston, 76, is arrested in London on suspicion of sexual offences and vehemently denies the allegations the following day.

January 2, 2013

:: Former TV presenter Jim Davidson is arrested but "vigorously denies" allegations of sexual offences made against him by two women. A 53-year-old man is also arrested. Police say the allegations are not directly related to Savile and both men are bailed until March.

January 11

:: The police and NSPCC report on the Jimmy Savile abuse scandal is published.

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Stabbing Victim 'May Have Sold Big Issue'

By Lisa Dowd, Midlands Correspondent

One of two men stabbed to death in Birmingham city centre may have worked as a Big Issue seller, police say.

The men, who were in their thirties, were attacked just before 6pm in front of "potentially hundreds of witnesses".

One victim is thought to have been stabbed outside a Sainsbury's store in Martineau Place, while the other was found slumped near a Boots store in Union Street with fatal injuries.

A police spokeswoman said: "One line of inquiry is that the victims were people who frequented the city centre.

"Another line of inquiry is that one may have worked as a Big Issue seller."

Officers administered first aid on both men, but both were pronounced dead at the scene.

Kevin Blake, 52, who was leaving work at the time, told Sky News: "There was someone lying on the ground with a police officer pumping his chest and someone holding a white compress on his lower abdomen and someone sort of incubating him.

"He was in a very very bad way. As I walked to the train station there was huge droplets of blood for about 30 or 40 yards which signified that he was very, very seriously injured.

"It was a surprise to read in the paper that two people had been stabbed and not just the one that I saw, it was quite a sight."

A man was arrested in New Street near the Odeon Cinema minutes after the stabbings.

Police confirmed a 23-year-old man is being questioned on suspicion of stabbing the two men to death.

Inspector David Keen said: "Two men have suffered fatal injuries - these have been inflicted in the heart of the city at a busy time when workers and shoppers would be heading home.

"There are potentially hundreds of witnesses, either people who saw the stabbings or the offender leaving the scene, and I'd urge people to get in touch immediately - they could have vital information."

Forensics and search experts cordoned off several scenes in and around Union Street to preserve evidence. Those cordons have now been lifted.

A spokeswoman for West Midlands Ambulance Service said: "Crews arrived to find two men who had been stabbed and were being given excellent first aid by police officers and passers-by.

"Both men went into cardiac arrest. Crews and the team of medics administered advanced life support to both men but, sadly, despite the best efforts, nothing could be done to save them and they were confirmed dead on scene."

Post-mortem examinations on the two victims are due to take place to determine the exact cause of their deaths.

Police said they were mounting "extra reassurance" patrols in the area.

:: Anyone with information is asked to call police on 101.

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Killed Russian Woman's Boyfriend Remanded

The boyfriend of a 23-year-old Russian woman found dead in her south London flat has appeared in court charged with her murder.

Felipe Lopes, 27, was remanded in custody at Bromley Magistrates' Court and will appear next at the Old Bailey on Tuesday, Scotland Yard said.

Lopes was arrested on the street in the Farnborough area of Bromley, south London, on Wednesday morning after police discovered the body of Anastasia Voykina a few miles away at an address in Streatham at around 2am on Monday.

A post-mortem examination gave her cause of death as multiple fractures to the face, head and neck.

A missing person report for Ms Voykina was made on Sunday after people she knew became concerned.

Officers attended a maisonette in James Boswell Close, Streatham where they found her body.

Formal identification has not yet taken place but detectives are confident the deceased is the missing woman. Next of kin have been informed.

Police said she made a phone call to her family on December 30, which was the last known contact with her.

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Snow Warning As Met Office Issues Alert

The Met Office has issued a weekend weather warning with snow expected to blanket most of England.

The Level 2 Alert warns there is a high risk of severe cold, icy and snow conditions between Saturday morning and next Tuesday.

The alert highlights all of England as being at risk.

The Met Office warned: "The snow event on Monday may bring 2cm to 5cm (0.75 to 2in) quite widely across England as it spreads southeastwards, with greater than 5cm falling over hills.

"This warning may be extended early next week."

Sky News weather presenter Isobel Lang said temperatures will plummet on Saturday, heightening the risk of sleet or snow.

"Outbreaks of rain across southern Britain will turn to sleet or snow," she said.

The Level 2 Alert issued by the Met Office

"At this stage around 5cm to 10cm (2in to 4in) of snow is possible over more hilly areas with nearer 2cm to 5cm over some low-lying areas later. Some snow may fall in London."

The Met Office also warned of the dangers of cold ahead of the weekend, especially those who are most vulnerable.

It said: "Prolonged periods of cold weather can be dangerous, especially for the very young, very old or those with chronic diseases.

"If you want more information about how cold weather can affect your health please visit www.nhs.uk.

"If you are concerned about your health or somebody you care for, please contact NHS Direct on 0845 4647, www.nhsdirect.nhs.uk, or your local pharmacist."

Lang advised that Sunday is likely to be even colder than Saturday, however it may be brighter although temperatures will remain just above freezing point.

"Some more significant snow is possible into Monday, and this could bring disruption across central and eastern Britain - so keep an eye on the forecast," she said.

A Level 2 Alert means there is a 60% risk of either heavy snow or widespread ice, or temperatures below 2C for 48 hours or longer.

The highest cold weather alert the Met Office can issue is Level 4, which is classified as a national emergency.

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Alan Greaves Murder Case: Accused In Court

Two men have appeared in court charged with the murder of pensioner Alan Greaves, who was attacked as he walked to church in Sheffield.

Mr Greaves, an organist and lay preacher, was assaulted just a few hundred metres from his home as he walked to St Saviour's Church at High Green, for midnight mass on Christmas Eve.

The father-of-four died from the severe head injuries he suffered three days later.

Ashley Foster, 21, of Wesley Road, High Green, and Jonathan Bowling, 22, of Carwood Way, Pitmoor, have both been charged with his murder.

The pair were remanded in custody when they appeared before magistrates in Sheffield.

There were no applications for bail and they were told they will appear at Sheffield Crown Court on January 18.

Mr Greaves's widow, Maureen, attended the short court hearing.

Asked if her faith was helping her through this difficult time as she left the proceedings, she replied: "Immensely - the support of the congregation and the police has been outstanding."

South Yorkshire Police have also arrested two other men - one in his 20s and one in his 40s - in connection with the 68-year-old's death. Both have been bailed pending further investigation.

The killing of Mr Greaves shocked the community where he lived and more than 50 police officers were drafted in to help with the case.

An inquest into Mr Greaves's death has been opened and adjourned by Sheffield Coroner Chris Dorries.

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Kate: First Portrait Of Duchess of Cambridge

The first official portrait of the Duchess of Cambridge has been unveiled - and was described by Kate as "amazing".

Paul Emery's painting of the Duchess

Award-winning artist Paul Emsley created the large head and shoulders painting of the duchess set against his trademark dark background.

It was commissioned by the National Portrait Gallery, which Kate supports as patron.

At the Duchess' own suggestion it depicts her natural, not official, persona.

Kate, wearing a burgundy dress by Whistles, was joined by her husband the Duke for a private viewing of the painting before it went on display to the public this afternoon.

The royal couple spent around 10 minutes looking at the portrait privately then met Emsley and his wife Susanne and daughter Marie.

Kate has been suffering from a rare form of pregnancy sickness but looked well and smiled as she chatted to the artist.

She told him: "It's just amazing, I thought it was brilliant."

William also had high praise for the painting, saying: "It's beautiful, it's absolutely beautiful."

The Cambridges later attended a private breakfast reception at the London gallery to mark the unveiling.

Among the guests were Kate's parents Carole and Michael Middleton and her brother and sister Pippa and James.

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Hairdresser Murder: Man Killed Wife In Salon

A man has been found guilty of stabbing his estranged wife to death at her high street hair salon.

Ivan Esack knifed Natalie Esack up to 11 times in front of her colleague because he could not cope with her being with someone else.

Mrs Esack, 33, was stabbed in the neck and chest in an attack which lasted about 20 seconds before she fell to the floor.

The 8in (20cm) blade bent and the tip broke off due to the ferocity of the attack at Esack Hair and Beauty in High Street, Ashford, Kent, on April 30 last year.

Esack then turned to his estranged wife's colleague, Chelsea Ford, then 17, and said: "She deserved it."

In the period before the killing, he had told Mrs Esack she was a "dead woman walking" and added: "Tick tock, tick tock."

It took a jury at Maidstone Crown Court seven hours to find the ex-Kent detective constable turned aspiring football agent guilty of the murder after a three-week trial.

Natalie Esack was stabbed between nine and 11 times

The 38-year-old, of Rosewood Drive, Ashford, will be sentenced on Monday.

He declined to give evidence during the trial and had admitted manslaughter, claiming his responsibility was diminished and that he was suffering from a mental condition.

Prosecutor Philip Bennetts QC described Esack as a "violent and controlling" man who, unable to deal with the separation, killed his estranged wife "because he didn't want her to be with anyone else".

He bought the murder weapon from a supermarket moments before the attack and made sure she was working that day. CCTV footage showed him parking his car before he walked over to the salon.

The couple married in 2006, but by October 2011 they had split up.

The relationship was beyond repair by the end of February last year, and Mrs Esack left the couple's home and moved in with her father.

The court heard the day before the killing there were a series of phone calls between Mrs Esack, her estranged husband and her new partner, Justin Khadaroo, whom she had known since 2007.

Recorded messages of some of the exchanges were played in court, with Esack threatening to kill his wife, saying: "You're going to die, babe."

In another he said: "I'm going to murder you, seriously, Is that what you want?"

The attack took place at Esack Hair and Beauty in Ashford, Kent

In one exchange Mrs Esack asked him: "What are my options?" Esack replied: "Death, death, death."

During the trial, Miss Ford broke down in tears as she described the horror of the attack to jurors. She said he threw the blood-covered knife down in the salon and walked out "as if he didn't care".

"He was just a horrible person," Miss Ford said. "Whatever she did was wrong. He had to be right. If she wanted to do something, she had to ask him."

After they split, Esack sent texts calling Mrs Esack names, Miss Ford told the jury. She said: "He would send her horrible words. She had no confidence because of him."

She also revealed that during a make-or-break holiday to Mexico, Esack told his wife he was in a relationship with a man named Louis.

He told Mrs Esack she should be tested for sexually transmitted diseases after disclosing the gay love affair to her, jurors heard.

Miss Ford said: "He was always threatening to kill her. She always told me that if you don't laugh you cry, so she laughed about it."

It also emerged during the trial that Esack, who claimed to have been rejected as a local Conservative Party candidate, had ideas of becoming prime minister and thought of himself as a James Bond-style figure.

He was said to have had a "narcissistic" personality and falsely boasted that through his footballing contacts he was friends with Manchester United's Sir Alex Ferguson and Rio Ferdinand.

The prosecution's psychiatrist agreed that Esack was suffering from a "narcissistic personality disorder" but disagreed that he had an abnormality of his mental function.

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London Fire Brigade Eyes 12 Station Closures

The London Fire Commissioner has proposed the closure of 12 fire stations in the capital with the loss of 520 jobs.

The plan put forward by Ron Dobson is expected to save £45m over the next two years.

Mr Dobson said around 10% of frontline firefighter posts will be axed, adding that he hoped to avoid compulsory redundancies.

The number of fire stations would be reduced to 100 under the proposals, which will go before the fire authority later this month.

The commissioner said he hoped firefighters would not take industrial action over the planned cuts, stressing that the authority had to make savings because of reductions to its budget.

However, Sky News can reveal the risk of industrial action has been heightened by the proposal.

A London firefighter told Sky: "I can imagine we will be going straight back to our unions as we were told there would not be any cuts to the budget."

"We were under the impression this proposal would not be made."

More follows...

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MoD Overspends Equipment Budget By £6.5bn

By David Bowden, Defence Correspondent

The Ministry of Defence has overspent its equipment budget by £6.5bn and some of its major orders are likely to be delivered 39 years late.

The 16 most costly projects should have taken 159 years to deliver between them and cost a total of £56.5bn.

But the National Audit Office (NAO), in its latest report into the MoD's spending, reveals they are now set to take a total of 195 years and cost £61.1bn.

Report author Tim Banfield said defence buyers could do a lot better.

"What we see is too much turbulence in the projects, there's too much change, so if you look at the 16 projects this year that we are covering, 14 of them have got some change in cost or times cales in the last year," he said.

"If you are the MoD trying to budget well, getting that kind of uncertainty and movement makes it very difficult to plan in the long term."

Defence Secretary Philip Hammond said the huge "blackhole" is a legacy of the MoD ordering during the last Labour government.

He described a "conspiracy of optimism" between the MoD and contractors in the past and is adamant the current plans are "fully funded".

Mr Hammond likens balancing the defence budget to "turning round a supertanker".

"These are huge projects often delivered over periods of five, 10 even 15 years, often they've got legacies of poor management and financial control and getting this straight is a big task, but it's happening," he said.

The real big ticket items include £17bn for more Typhoon fighter jets, £12bn for transport aircraft, including refuelling tankers and £5.3bn for the two new Queen Elizabeth Class aircraft carriers.

The NAO says that delivery delays in air refuelling aircraft means there are likely to be too few to go around in the next three years.

However, Mr Hammond has said he was already taking steps to prolong the life of the current air tankers by another six months to plug the gap.

The NAO has acknowledged that the lead time for some of these projects is so great and the costs difficult to accurately assess, but nevertheless thinks the MoD could get better at it.

It cites one smaller project for a communications system designed for troops in Afghanistan, which costs £32m but will not be ready until all UK forces are back home.

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Six Prisons Shut As Super Jail Project Begins

Six prisons in England are being closed as work begins on plans to create Britain's biggest jail in a move to drive down costs.

Some 2,600 offenders are held at the prisons targeted for closure. Another three sites will be partially shut down.

The prisons shutting are Bullwood Hall in Essex, Canterbury, Gloucester, Kingston in Portsmouth, Shepton Mallet in Somerset and Shrewsbury.

Facilities in Chelmsford, Hull and the Isle of Wight will also see some accommodation reduced.

The new "super prison" will be built in either London, the north west or north Wales and could hold more than 2,000 criminals.

A feasibility study on the project is now set to start, the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) announced.

The programme is part of a move to replace older jails and cut prison costs. The Government claims it will save £63m-a-year.

Justice Secretary Chris Grayling said: "We have to bring down the cost of our prison system, much of which is old and expensive.

"But I never want the courts to be in a position where they cannot send a criminal to prison because there is no place available.

"So we have to move as fast as we can to replace the older parts of our prison system."

Mr Grayling's stance contrasts with his predecessor Ken Clarke, who wanted more community sentences to ease the pressure on the prison system.

HM Prison in Kingston, Portsmouth is one of six due to close

As well as the super-prison, there are plans for four new mini-prisons known as houseblocks which could hold up to 1,260 prisoners.

These are due to be built at existing prisons in Parc in South Wales, Peterborough in Cambridgeshire, the Mount in Hertfordshire, and Thameside in London.

The young offenders institution at HMP Ashfield is being converted into a full adult prison and some 200 contractually crowded places are private prisons will be decommissioned.

The announcements follow the opening of the new G4S-run HMP Oakwood near Wolverhampton last year, which has a normal capacity of 1,600 prisoners.

The MoJ average cost there is £13,200 per place, less than half the average cost of existing prison places, particularly in older facilities - some of which date back to the 18th century.

Some 83,632 inmates were behind bars as of last Friday, down from the record high of 88,179 after the summer's riots in 2011. MoJ forecasts show the population could hit 90,900 by 2018.

Plans to build a new super-prison are likely to draw comparisons to Labour's £2.9bn proposal for three 2,500-capacity "Titan" jails, which was scrapped in 2009.

Juliet Lyon, director of the Prison Reform Trust, said shutting prisons and cutting prison numbers offered "major social and economic gains".

But she warned it would be a "gigantic mistake to revive the discredited idea of titans and pour taxpayers' money down the prison-building drain".

She urged the coalition to invest in crime prevention, healthcare and community solutions to crime instead.

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'Drinking Mirror' App Shows Effects Of Booze

A new phone app is the latest weapon to be launched warning people of the dangers of drinking too much alcohol.

The tool, which can be downloaded from the web onto smartphones and desktops, shows people how their drinking habits could affect their appearance in 10 years, with the help of a 'magic mirror'.

It allows users to upload photos of themselves to see how they might age if they continue to drink at their current rate.

The app is part of the Scottish government's Drop A Glass Size campaign, to encourage men and women to cut back if they regularly drink above the recommended alcohol guidelines.

A standard (175ml) glass of wine contains 2.3 units, a bottle some 10 units and a regular (ABV 4%) pint of lager 2.3 units.

It is recommended men should not drink more than three to four units of alcohol a day and women no more than two to three units.

Figures cited by the campaign show 38% of women and 49% of men exceed the recommended limits in a typical week.

In the short-term, this can lead to weight gain, skin problems, memory loss and depression, it says.

Over the longer term, it can cause more serious problems such as high blood pressure, chronic liver disease and breast cancer.

"Regularly drinking over the sensible drinking guidelines can put our physical and mental health at risk," the campaign warns.

"By making small changes to the way you drink, you can make a big difference."

The app can be found on the campaign website at www.drinksmarter.org

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Dappy Trial Witness Wanted Cash For Story

A teenage witness in the trial of N-Dubz rapper Dappy said she was going to "bull****" when she gave evidence - and that she was "in the process of sending the singer down".

A trial at Guildford Crown Court has heard Dappy sparked a "mob attack" when he spat at Grace Cochran and Serena Burton, both 19.

The alleged attack happened as they sat at the Shell garage in Woodbridge Road, Guildford, Surrey, at about 3.30am on February 28 last year.

Paul Greaney, representing Dappy, confronted Miss Cochran about messages she had posted on Twitter and Blackberry messages (BBM) about the case.

In a BBM conversation at 9.50am on Tuesday, the day she had originally been due to give evidence, Miss Burton received a message from someone called Jodie:

"OMG definitely sell the story ha ha ha, that's so good. Just say what happened, you are good at talking so you will be fine, ha ha ha."

Miss Burton replied: "Ha ha ha, I do not even remember, to be fair, but I will bull****."

Mr Greaney said that at 7.12pm on Monday she was sent a tweet saying "Send the **** down" to which she replied "Ha ha ha in the process".

He also described a series of tweets and messages in which the two witnesses discussed their plans to sell their story to the media for £1,000.

In one BBM message, Miss Burton wrote: "Ha ha ha, oh my ****, my friend's dad works in the media and he told her that apparently we can get a grand for that type of story from The Sun or something."

Ms Cochran also admitted discussing what clothes and make-up the pair would wear for their court appearance.

When asked by Mr Greaney if her intention by giving evidence was to gain attention and money, she replied: "We are both 19-year-old girls and the attention was good in our eyes. It wasn't our initial intention.

"I think if anyone knows Serena and I, our characters, it's a very typical thing to be said, we like to joke around about things like that."

Describing the incident, Miss Cochran said that Dappy and another man came to talk to them as they sat on the kerb outside the petrol station shop.

She said: "Their manner was chatting us up, they were saying 'All right girls, all right sexy girls', something like that.

"We didn't know who they were, we told them to leave us alone. They called us sluts. I said 'You are boring'.

"He spat at me, on the floor, it didn't land on me though. Serena said 'That's disgusting'."

She said she did not know at the time the man who allegedly spat at her but added: "I thought he looked slightly like a celebrity but I didn't think it was him, Dappy from N-Dubz.

"One of the boys we were talking to previously at the cashpoint came to stand in and stick up for us.

"I do not remember exactly what he said, he came to try to calm the situation and said 'Leave them' or something along those lines."

She described how this man, David Jenkins, and Dappy began to fight before a number of other men joined in.

"They were head to head, they had their heads against each other," she said

"It started between them and a lot of people got involved and people got out of the cars on the forecourt."

She described how the three men who had stood up for them suffered injuries in the incident.

Dappy, 25, real name Costadinos Contostavlos, denies two counts of common assault on the two women, one of assault by beating on a man, and one of affray. The trial continues.

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Anti-Terror Arrests: Police Question Four Men

Police arrest four men on suspicion of terror offences - three in London and one as he attempts to take a flight out of Gatwick.

They form part of an investigation into travel to Syria in support of alleged terrorist activity.

Three men aged 18, 31 and 21, were arrested at separate addresses in east London in the early hours.

A 33-year-old man was arrested at Gatwick Airport on Wednesday as he attempted to take a flight out of the UK.

They are all being held in custody at a south London police station where they will be questioned by officers from the Metropolitan Police's counter terrorism command.

Sky's crime correspondent Martin Brunt said: "This is part of an investigation that has been going on for some months.

"For a while MI5 and Scotland Yard's counter terror unit have been concerned about several dozen, they think, British men, travelling to Syria and taking part in the civil war there."

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Eddie Kidd: Estranged Wife Denies Assault

The estranged wife of paralysed former motorbike stunt rider Eddie Kidd has pleaded not guilty to assaulting him.

Samantha Kidd, 44, is accused of beating Mr Kidd, 53, six times in four months.

Kidd, wearing a black coat, black boots and spotted tights, spoke only to enter six pleas of not guilty and to confirm her name.

Brighton Magistrates' Court heard that the beatings were alleged to have taken place between July and October last year.

Kidd in 1978, jumping over 10 Radio One DJs

Kidd was given bail on the condition that she is not to contact Mr Kidd and she is not to visit a property in Peacehaven except on one occasion with a police officer to collect belongings.

District Judge Stephen Nicholls said the trial will take place at the same court on July 9 and 10.

Mr Kidd was left paralysed and brain damaged in a motorbike accident 16-years-ago, but in 2011 he completed the London Marathon in 50 days.

In a statement after Kidd was charged, Sussex Police said: "After a prompt and thorough investigation into allegations of domestic abuse made on December 11, a woman has been charged with six offences.

"44-year-old Samantha Kidd, unemployed, of High Street, Seaford, was charged with six counts of assault by beating between July and October this year.

"She has been bailed with stringent conditions not to contact the male victim, who was known to her, or to visit the area where he lives."

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Cyber Attack Threat: UK Armed Forces Warned

By Alistair Bunkall, Defence Correspondent

The UK's armed forces are now so dependent on information and communication technology that they could be "fatally compromised" by sustained cyber attacks.

The Defence Select Committee has produced a report that questions the military's contingency plans and urges the Government to do more to address the threat.

"It is our view that cyber security is a sufficiently urgent, significant and complex activity to warrant increased ministerial attention," said committee chairman James Arbuthnot MP.

"The Government needs to put in place - as it has not yet done - mechanisms, people, education, skills, thinking and policies which take into account both the opportunities and the vulnerabilities which cyberspace presents."

Cabinet Secretary Francis Maude is the minister responsible for cyber security, but the report recommends that more ministers should engage and take on responsibility.

"Unless we have a really vigorous approach to defending against the sort of cyber attacks that are developing at a rather quick rate day by day, minute by minute, second by second, unless we have a really vigorous approach we are at risk of our armed forces as well as the whole of the rest of the government infrastructure being compromised," Mr Arbuthnot told Sky News.

GCHQ is considered a world leader

Dr Andrew Murrison, the Minister for International Security Strategy, has defended the Government's efforts.

He said: "There's no complacency and we will continue in a very rapidly evolving field to make sure we do absolutely everything to reduce the chance of there being a significant attack here."

GCHQ, the Government's communications headquarters, is considered a world leader.

Under the Strategic Defence and Security Review in 2010, £650m was allocated to a new cyber security programme.

It showed significant recognition of the threat, but in truth no budget can ever be big enough. According to the Boston Consulting Group, the UK is the best prepared country to face a cyber attack.

But countries like Israel, China and the United States are well advanced, and are bettering their systems at a quicker pace.

Major General Jonathan Shaw, the former head of the Defence Cyber Security Programme, told Sky News that the UK competes favourably.

He said: "The way that British government is organised and the security side is actually extremely effective at coping with threats.

"It's a very collegiate atmosphere and the ability of GCHQ to spread their knowledge across government actually gives us a real advantage over someone like the United States which has a much more stovepipe government system."

What is not known is how offensive the UK's strategy is. The Government is clear about the threat it faces, but declines to speak about any aggressive action it takes against states regarded as hostile.

The Defence Select Committee's report should be seen as an attempt to reinvigorate the military and Government's efforts - not as an outright criticism of what has been done.

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Sainsbury's Reveals Record-Breaking Xmas

Supermarket chain Sainsbury's has revealed a record-breaking Christmas trading period, with total sales (excluding fuel) up 3.3% in the third quarter.

The retailer, which sits in third position behind Tesco and Asda, said Christmas was the 32nd consecutive quarter of like-for-like sales growth.

It said stores open over a year saw sales rise 0.9% (excluding fuel), in the 14 weeks to January 5.

Sainsbury's said it served a record number of customers over the festive period, with the week before December 25 its busiest ever.

£16m of sales were achieved in one hour alone, between 12pm and 1pm on Sunday, December 23.

In total it said rang up more than £100m in sales on Christmas Eve.

However sales growth slowed on the 1.9% reported the previous quarter and against last year's 2.1% rise over the Christmas period.

But the performance confirms the pressure on smaller rival Morrisons, which disclosed a 2.5% slide in Christmas sales earlier this week.

Sainsbury's was the only one of the so-called big four players to increase its market share in the run up to Christmas, to 17.1% from 17% a year earlier, while Morrisons saw its share slip to 12%, according to Kantar Worldpanel.

Justin King, chief executive of Sainsbury's, said the group delivered good sales growth in "challenging" conditions.

"We expect the challenging economic backdrop to persist, with customers looking to re-balance their household budget after the festivities and so spending cautiously in the first few months of 2013," he said.

But the group said plans to continue its money-off coupon Brand Match scheme would help ensure it was "positioned to perform well over the next quarter".

Meanwhile, it saw its online business grow by over 15% in the three months and small electricals grew by 25%.

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Belfast City Hall Raises Union Flag

By David Blevins, Ireland Correspondent

The Union Flag has been raised on Belfast City Hall to mark the birthday of the Duchess of Cambridge, but it is unclear whether it will it help or hinder efforts to resolve the crisis over the emblem in Northern Ireland.

Five weeks have passed since the city's council voted to restrict the flying of the Union Flag to 19 designated days, such as royal birthdays, but tension surrounding the issue has continued unabated.

The east of the city witnessed disturbances for a sixth consecutive night - albeit on a reduced scale - but there is no such thing as an acceptable level of violence as far as the First Minister is concerned.

Peter Robinson told Sky News: "Many people have already distanced themselves from the protests because of the violence.

"When I hear those who purport to lead the protest talk about the Police Service of Northern Ireland as 'terrorists' or 'Nazis', they are not using the language of unionism, they are using the language of republicanism."

Tensions over the flag have sparked a series of disturbances in Belfast

Loyalists will welcome the fact that the Duchess's birthday is being marked in the traditional fashion, but they recognise that the return of the flag is only temporary - so far short of what they demand.

On one hand, it is about the flag - a potent symbol of their Britishness - but it is also about demographics. Protestants no longer hold sway in Belfast and some working class unionists have lost faith in politics.

Peter Robinson and Mike Nesbitt, the leaders of the two largest unionist parties, invited disaffected Protestants to raise their concerns through a forum, but protesters have already dismissed the effort.

The First Minister added: "Here is a mechanism whereby you can channel your frustration, where you can indicate the kind of things you want in your area, and political leaders will be listening.

"Now, if you offer a political alternative and people don't take it, then very clearly those are people who are against the process and against democracy."

The crisis has caused enormous damage to the image of Northern Ireland, scheduled to host the G8 Summit of world leaders in June, and a temporary hoisting of the flag is not going to resolve it anytime soon.

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Jessops Set To Go 'Into Administration'

Photography retailer Jessops is on the verge of calling in administrators, according to Sky sources.

Sky sources have confirmed that an application for administration was filed this morning at the High Court.

Confirmation of the firm entering administration is expected in the next few hours, putting the jobs of around 2,000 staff at risk.

The demise of the decades-old chain would be the first high street casualty of 2013, and comes soon after consumer electricals chain Comet hit the wall, sparking more than 6,000 job losses.

Retail Week said administrators from PricewaterhouseCoopers were expected to be appointed after the firm suffered ongoing funding problems.

Jessops has struggled amid the digital photo revolution and the retail shift to online trading and camera phones.

The company's website was still operational on Wednesday afternoon

It underwent a major overhaul in 2007 and a swathe of store closures, but came close to collapse two years later before being rescued by its main lender HSBC in a controversial debt-for-equity swap that saw it taken off the stock market.

The bank took a 50% stake in the business in return for writing off £34m of loans.

There was speculation last year that suppliers such as Canon were considering injecting cash into Jessops to help prop the business up, but no deal materialised.

Last year it also lost two key executives, chairman David Adams and chief executive Trevor Moore - who joined HMV.

Martyn Everett was then appointed as chairman and Neil Old was promoted to lead the business as chief operating officer.

The firm began life in 1935 when Frank Jessop opened his first shop in Leicester.

PwC declined to comment and Jessops was not immediately available for comment when approached by Sky News.

The company's website was still active on Wednesday afternoon and its helplines were still in operation.

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Texting Driver Susan Noble Jailed Over Death

Police are again warning drivers not to use mobile phones while on the road, after a woman was jailed for three years for causing the death of a man while texting.

Susan Noble, 29, of Armthorpe, Doncaster, was sentenced at Teesside Crown Court for causing the death by dangerous driving of Alexandru Braninski, 25, in December 2011. She had pleaded guilty at an earlier hearing.

Mr Braninski, a Romanian, suffered traumatic injuries and was pronounced dead at the scene on the northbound carriageway of the A19 near Northallerton.

The car in which he was travelling was stationary because of a puncture at the time of the crash and Mr Braninski was standing behind it while the wheel was being changed.

Noble's car crashed into him, pushing the stationary car into a field at the side of the road.

It was found that she had been texting a friend at the time of the crash.

As well as receiving three years' imprisonment, Noble was also disqualified from driving for six years and will have to take an extended driving test.

Traffic Sergeant John Lumbard, of North Yorkshire Police's roads policing group, said: "Susan Noble has fully accepted that she is responsible for the tragic death of Mr Braninski due to a serious error of judgment.

"I want this tragedy to send a very clear message to drivers that using mobile phones whilst driving can and does lead to horrific consequences.

"Research from around the world has shown time and time again that this behaviour does cause drivers to lose concentration on the road ahead.

"Ideally you should turn phones off while you are driving so that you are not distracted by an unexpected call. However, if you must use a phone while on the move, it is essential that you use a hands-free kit.

"As well as leaving one man dead, the collision has left a family grieving for their loss and a young woman with the knowledge that she is responsible for his untimely death."

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Moira Anderson Police Dig Up Grave In Search

By James Matthews, Scotland Correspondent

A grave is being exhumed in an effort to solve a 56-year murder mystery.

A forensic team pumped water from the plot at Old Monkland Cemetery in Lanarkshire as a first step in the operation to establish whether or not 11 year-old Moira Anderson is buried there.

Wet, sodden ground is an added complication to the delicate dig, which is being conducted with small shovels and trowels.

The team is investigating suspicions that Moira was abducted and killed when she went missing in 1957 and her body concealed within a grave that lay open at the time.

Her family now believe her killer may have dumped her body in the grave of one of his friends, Sinclair Upton, who died around the time of Moira's disappearance.

They have sought permission through the courts to have the grave exhumed. Mr Upton's family has agreed to the request.

The exhumation may take days to complete

The prime suspect behind Moira's disappearance is convicted paedophile Alexander Gartshore, who died in 2006.

The young girl disappeared after taking a trip on a bus that he drove.

Underground radar checks on the grave in 2007 indicated an anomaly consistent with the presence of the remains of a child.

The exhumation is being conducted under the direction of forensic anthropologist Professor Sue Black.

Police believe the burial plot has three layers and there may be up to eight people interred there.

Chief Inspector Kenny McLeod, of Strathclyde Police, said: "There may be no necessity to exhume all eight human remains but that does remain a possibility.

The site dates back to 1908

"The site does present significant problems and challenges, not only in terms of ground conditions but also record-keeping as you can imagine, going back to 1908, it may not detail every person in the burial plot."

Officers in overalls went in and out of the tents as work started on Tuesday morning.

Mr McLeod said: "There was a petition before Airdrie Sheriff Court last year from the Moira Anderson Foundation and the Crown Office then instructed Strathclyde Police to facilitate the excavation.

"It comes from new information presented to the court.

"Operations like this are not taken lightly as we remain sensitive to Moira Anderson's family and also the families who have relatives buried elsewhere in the cemetery."

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N-Dubz Frontman Dappy Accused Of Mob Attack

Rapper Dappy sparked a "mob attack" at a petrol station when he spat at two young women who refused to get into a car with him, his trial has heard.

Prosecutor Brian Stork said the 25-year-old, whose real name is Costadinos Contostavlos, pulled up in a car at a Shell garage in Guildford, Surrey, at about 3.30am on February 28 last year.

Mr Stork said Dappy and his friend Kalonji Stewart got out of the car along with a third man.

While Stewart went inside the shop Dappy began talking to Grace Cochran and Serena Burton, who were in a group sitting on the kerb outside.

Mr Stork alleged that Dappy tried to persuade the pair to come with them in their car.

The prosecution says the fight "kicked off" due to Dappy's behaviour

When they refused he called the women "sluts", said one was ugly and then spat at them, but missed, the prosecutor said.

A man who just met the women, David Jenkins, stood up to defend them, and Dappy is said to have spat at him and it made contact before swinging a punch at him.

Tests on a saliva stain on Mr Jenkins' t-shirt showed a DNA link to Dappy, Mr Stork said.

Mr Stork told Guildford Crown Court: "It all kicked off."

He said Dappy was then joined by two other men, Kieran Vassell and Alfred Miller, who had arrived in a second Mercedes car with other unidentified men.

Mr Stork showed the jury CCTV footage, lasting just moments, from the garage.

It showed the men attacking Mr Jenkins and his two other friends, resulting in Mr Jenkins' teeth being damaged and a fractured nose to another man. They then all got into cars and drove off.

Miller and Vassell are alleged to have used their feet and fists in the attack, and Dappy is alleged to have got involved when he was released from a head lock.

Stewart also got involved, but less so, the prosecution claims.

Dappy denies two counts of common assault on the two women, one of assault by beating, of Mr Jenkins, and one of affray.

Vassell, 25, of Hammersmith, west London, and Stewart, 32, of Harborne, Birmingham, are each charged with affray.

Miller, 28, of Brentford, west London, has pleaded guilty to affray and his case was adjourned for sentence at the end of the trial.

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Teenager Killed In Police Chase Is Named

By Tom Parmenter, Sky News Correspondent

A schoolgirl killed when her family's car was caught up in a police chase has been named as 13-year-old Wiktoria Was.

Wiktoria was a back seat passenger in the VW Polo when it was hit by another car that was being pursued by police through southeast London.

She was pronounced dead at the scene on Ilderton Road, close to Millwall Football Club on Sunday evening.

Staff at Goffs School in Cheshunt, Hertfordshire, where Wiktoria was a year nine pupil, confirmed that they have been helping students cope with the loss of a talented pupil.

Headteacher Alison Garner paid tribute to Wiktoria.

"Wiktoria was a highly valued member of our community, funny, charming, bubbly and with a bright future ahead of her.  She will be much missed by us all."

She added: "I have spoken with all of year nine and arranged for Wiktoria's form to be talked to separately in their form group. 

"The school counsellor will be available at least this week for students and staff, and we will be encouraging students to think about how they would like to remember Wiktoria, for example via a tree, bench, and memorial assembly, once the initial shock has subsided."

The Metropolitan Police and the Independent Police Complaints Commission are both investigating the pursuit and subsequent collision.

Devon Newell, 32, of Meeting House Lane, Peckham, southeast London, has been charged with causing death by dangerous driving, causing serious injury by dangerous driving, failing to stop for police, failing to stop at the scene of an accident, and driving with no insurance and no licence.

He appeared by videolink at Camberwell Green Magistrates' Court on Tuesday and was remanded in custody to appear before Woolwich Court on January 15.

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Terror Suspect 'Escaped In Black Cab'

Missing terror suspect Ibrahim Magag escaped surveillance by simply ringing for a black cab, the Shadow Home Secretary claims.

Yvette Cooper told MPs that a tweet from London taxi news service Cabwise suggested Somali-born Magag had evaded detection by picking up a ride less than half-a-mile from Euston station on Boxing Day.

In a fierce exchange with Home Secretary Theresa May, Ms Cooper said: "Are you worried that surveillance can be shaken off simply by jumping into a black cab?"

Magag, 28, who is understood to have attended terrorist training camps in Somalia, absconded from a Terrorism Prevention and Investigation Measures (Tpims) notice after ripping off his electronic tag.

Mrs May insisted the police and security services did not believe Magag was involved in current terrorist planning and that great efforts were being made to find him.

Magag, who is thought to have raised funds for al Qaeda, was originally handed a control order and forced to live in the West Country away from his network of friends.

But under the new Tpims regime, introduced last year due to support from the Liberal Democrats, he was able to move back to London.

He is described as a black man of Somali origin, 6ft 2in and slim to medium build. He has a beard, but detectives warned he may try to change his appearance.

Ms Cooper questioned the use of Tpims

He was last seen wearing a khaki robe, a black Berghaus windcheater and navy Converse trainers.

Asking an urgent question in the Commons, Ms Cooper claimed Magag's escape had been made easier by the Government stopping relocation of suspected terrorists.

"You allowed Magag to return to London," she said.

"You have not answered the question about whether it would have been harder to abscond in the West Country, where he was made to live under a control order - harder to get help from his associates, harder to hide, harder to get forged papers."

Ms Cooper said absconds had stopped under control orders once the powers were toughened up - including greater use of relocation.

And she added: "You chose to ditch relocation, you have personally made it easier for people to abscond.

"Other people previously relocated under control orders are also now back in London on Tpims. Could any one of them simply jump in a black cab tomorrow and be off?"

Keith Vaz, who is chairman of the Home Affairs Select Committee, told the Commons it was understood Magag had forged passports when in Somalia.

He asked Mrs May if Magag was in possession of his passport when he went missing.

The Home Secretary said she must consult the details of a previous anonymity order before providing an answer.

Defending Tpims, she said terror suspects had absconded before while under the old restriction - several of whom were never found.

She said: "In six years of control orders, there were seven absconds and of those seven cases, six were never apprehended.  Magag's abscond is serious and the authorities are doing everything they can to locate him."

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Met's April Casburn 'Offered Leaks For Cash'

By Martin Brunt, Crime Correspondent

A senior Scotland Yard officer offered the News Of The World newspaper confidential information in return for money, a jury has been told.

Detective Chief Inspector April Casburn, 53, is accused of trying to sell the former Sunday tabloid details of the force's phone hacking investigation into its own journalists.

The prosecution said Casburn called the paper and said she was concerned about "a waste of public money" because colleagues had been taken off counter-terror duties to investigate phone hacking.

Casburn, who ran the Yard's National Terrorist Financial Investigation Unit, admits making the call "with reasonable justification" but denies asking for money, said the prosecution.

She denies one charge of misconduct in public office after calling the newspaper in September 2010. At the time, police were deciding whether to re-open their phone hacking investigation.

Mark Bryant-Heron, prosecuting, told the jury: "The prosecution says she sought to undermine a highly sensitive and high-profile investigation at the point of its launch.

"The prosecution says that the act of telephoning the News Of The World (NOTW) to offer to sell information and the provision of some information during that call was misconduct, it was misconduct in public office.

"It was a gross breach of the trust that the public places in a police officer not to disclose information on a current investigation in an unauthorised way, or to offer to do so in the future for payment."

Scotland Yard has been investigating phone hacking allegations

The newspaper did not publish anything and no payment changed hands, the court heard.

The prosecutor at London's Southwark Crown Court said Casburn was arrested after an internal email at the NOTW "came into the hands of the police".

In a statement to detectives she said the call to the paper was "foolish". She said she had been off work with stress, had been bullied and was going through a difficult divorce.

The call was taken by a journalist Tim Wood, who was then a news editor for the NOTW.

He said the caller refused to give her name, but introduced herself as a senior police officer.

Mr Wood told the jury: "The one thing that stands out in my mind is the fact that she kept going on about Lord Prescott.

"Her saying that he was pressing for them to put charges on the News Of The World, and she was saying that she felt it was wrong that he was interfering in the scandal, so to speak, and she resented that."

He added: "She was almost justifying her call by saying that it was this interference by Prescott that had upset her."

Mr Wood sent an email to news editor Ian Edmondson and crime journalist Lucy Panton after the call to say a police officer wanted "to sell inside information" on the phone hacking inquiry.

Casburn told him six people were under investigation including former NOTW editor Andy Coulson and reporter Sean Hoare, Mr Wood said.

She also mentioned that "counter-terrorism assets" were being used in the probe, which was "highly unusual".

The trial is expected to last a week.

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Northern Ireland Police Chief's Riot Warning

By Vicki Hawthorne, Ireland Correspondent

Northern Ireland's police chief has made a direct appeal to protesters on the streets of Belfast to stop demonstrations or ensure they are peaceful.

Chief Constable Matt Baggott was speaking after four continuous nights of rioting in east Belfast linked to loyalist protests. 

Over the weekend, police officers were attacked with petrol bombs, fireworks and masonry. A number of cars were also set on fire.

Loyalists are angry at a decision by Belfast City Council not to fly the Union flag over Belfast City Hall 365 days a year. 

The disturbances occurred after protesters headed home

Instead the flag will be flown on a handful of designated days, including the Queen's birthday. 

Since the council took the decision at the beginning of December, there have been widespread protests against the move. 

The majority of demonstrations have been peaceful, but some have erupted into violence with protesters clashing with the police. 

Loyalists taking part in the protests have claimed that the police have been too heavy-handed in their dealing with the demonstrations. 

Chief Constable Matt Baggott said children as young as 10 have been charged

Some 62 police officers have been injured since the protests began and 96 people have been arrested.

In a news conference at Police Service of Northern Ireland headquarters in Belfast, Mr Baggott said: "I would like everybody involved in these protests now to take a step back.

"My ambition is that the protests will come to an end, although you appreciate that the police are not in control of that.

"But if not, at the very least those involved in the protests should be off the road, not causing obstruction, absolutely condemning violence and ensuring that these young people are not involved.

"And that requires a concerted effort from politicians and those who have put themselves up as organisers acting together and from parents and responsible members of the community.

"At the moment there is a lack of control, which for me is very worrying."

The violence in east Belfast has also been fuelled by protests taking place close to an interface where loyalist and nationalist residents live on opposite sides of a peace wall.

Loyalists support Northern Ireland remaining as part of the UK, but nationalists generally support a united Ireland.

The protests bring large numbers of people onto the streets in the area where relations between residents are traditionally tense. 

A forum has been set up to try to give those involved in the protests another way to voice their concerns other than demonstrating.

It has been acknowledged that the flag protests have unearthed deeper concerns within loyalist communities. 

People living in these areas have said they feel they have been left behind by the peace process and are not benefiting from the political changes since the Good Friday Agreement.

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Moira Anderson Case Sees Grave Exhumed

By James Matthews, Scotland Correspondent

A family grave in Scotland is to be exhumed as part of an attempt to solve a murder mystery dating back more than 50 years.

Police will dig up the grave at Old Monkland Cemetery in Lanarkshire as they try to find the remains of 11-year-old Moira Anderson, who disappeared in 1957.

She is thought to have been murdered, although her body has never been found.

Her family now believe her killer may have dumped her body in the grave of one of his friends, Sinclair Upton, who died around the time of Moira's disappearance.

They have sought permission through the courts to have the grave exhumed. Mr Upton's family has agreed to the request.

The prime suspect behind Moira's disappearance is convicted paedophile Alexander Gartshore, who died in 2006.

The girl disappeared after taking a trip on a bus that he drove.

The theory being pursued, 56 years on, is that he abducted and killed Moira before burying her body under a coffin in the Lanarkshire grave, which was open at the time.

Underground radar checks on the grave in 2007 indicated an anomaly consistent with the presence of the remains of a child.

The exhumation will begin on Tuesday under the direction of forensic anthropologist Professor Sue Black.

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CCTV Issued Over Midnight Mass Murder Hunt

Police have released CCTV footage of two people they want to question in connection with the murder of church organist Alan Greaves.

South Yorkshire Police on Monday released CCTV footage of two men near the scene of the murder.

Detective Inspector Matt Fenwick appealed for witnesses to the attack to come forward and said he thought the two men in the footage could assist significantly in the murder investigation.

He told a news conference in Rotherham: "Alan Greaves deserves your help. Alan Greave's family deserves your help. Please make that call.

"I am convinced that a weapon was used in this attack. I still have not established a motive for the attack.

"Alan retains all his property, nothing is missing, and my enquiry remains open in relation to identifying a possible motive for the attack."

Mr Fenwick said there was nothing in the victim's background to suggest a motive for the attack.

More than 50 police officers are working on the murder inquiry, he added.

Mr Greaves, 68, was badly beaten as he walked to midnight mass at St Saviour's Church in High Green, Sheffield, on Christmas Eve.

The father-of-four died three days later in hospital after suffering serious head injuries during the attack.

Two men were arrested on December 29 in connection with the murder. They were both released on bail.

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Mother Jailed For Murdering Son Over Koran

A mother has been jailed for life after beating her son to death for failing to learn the Koran by heart and then burning his body to hide the evidence.

Sara Ege, 33, collapsed as the sentence was delivered at Cardiff Crown Court and had to be helped, trembling and sobbing, from the dock.

Ege had been praised as a "brilliant mother" to seven-year-old Yaseen but was convicted of his murder by a jury at the same court last month.

The court heard she treated Yaseen like a "dog" and repeatedly beat him with a stick for failing to memorise religious texts quickly enough.

The schoolboy had suffered multiple injuries to his body and died in July 2010 from internal injuries caused by three months of punishing beatings.

Ege set fire to the family house to hide her actions and played the part of a parent mourning the tragic death of her son until it was discovered in a post-mortem that Yaseen had been dead before the blaze started.

Mr Justice Wyn Williams ordered her to serve a minimum of 17 years behind bars and said: "The violence that you perpetrated on your son was not confined to one day.

"I am satisfied that, over three months, you beat him on a number of occasions, often with a wooden pestle.

"His injuries must have caused him a good deal of pain. In my judgment Yaseen was subjected to prolonged cruelty."

Ege accused her husband Yousef Ege, 38, who stood trial with his wife, of being a violent bully who beat her and was their son's real killer.

But he was cleared of causing or allowing his son's death at home in Pontcanna, Cardiff, South Wales, by failing to act to prevent it.

Ege was found guilty both of murder and of a charge of perverting the course of justice.

Following her conviction DC Kim Roche from South Wales Police said: "Throughout this investigation we have heard many tributes to Yaseen.

"Quiet, hard-working, bright, well-behaved, obedient, respectful, polite, smiley - are just some of the words used to describe Yaseen by those who knew him.

"It is a tragedy that such a promising young life was taken away in such disturbing circumstances and that those who knew him will not have the opportunity to see him grow up to become a young man."

22.11 | 0 komentar | Read More

David Cameron Defends Child Benefit Cuts

David Cameron has defended controversial cuts to child benefit payments that come into effect at midnight, insisting the reforms were "fundamentally fair".

The Prime Minister insisted the move - which will see families with one earner on more than £50,000 lose some or all of the payment while households with two parents with salaries just under the trigger keep theirs - was the "right approach".

"I'm not saying those people are rich but I think it is right that they make a contribution," he told BBC 1's Andrew Marr Show.

"This will raise £2bn a year. If we don't raise that £2bn from that group of people, the better off 15% in the country, we would have to find someone else to take it from."

He added: "I think people see it as fundamentally fair that if there is someone in the household earning over £60,000 you don't get child benefit."

The Prime Minister: Cuts are 'fundamentally fair'

It is "full steam ahead" for the coalition, Mr Cameron said as he insisted the Government had a packed agenda.

And he told Marr that he had no intention of stepping aside.

He said: "I want to fight the next election as the leader of the Conservative Party, I want to win a Conservative majority and I want to serve."

Mr Marr interrupted: "And stay as Prime Minister for five years?"

Mr Cameron replied: "That's exactly what I have said."

On Monday, Mr Cameron and Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg will publish a mid-term review of progress the Coalition government has made since 2010 and set out its top priorities for the rest of their term.

Mr Cameron said: "What you are going to see tomorrow is a coalition Government with a full tank of gas, it's full steam ahead.

"We have travelled a long way down the road we need to travel but there is a lot more we need to do.

"Far from running out of ideas, we have got a packed agenda, which concerns things like how do we build roads in Britain to make sure our economy keeps moving, how do we pay for the care for the elderly, how do we have a pension system that encourages saving - big things that our going to equip our country for the next decade."

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Skydiver Dies After 'Parachute Failure'

A 56-year-old man who died after his parachute apparently failed to open during a skydive has been named as David Ball.

Mr Ball was from the Barnton area of Edinburgh, police said.

The accident happened at Strathallan Airfield near the town of Auchterarder in Perthshire.

Police were called to the scene shortly after 1pm yesterday.

A police spokesman said: "Inquiries are continuing today with the assistance from representatives of the British Parachute Association.

"As with all sudden deaths, a full report will be submitted to the Procurator Fiscal."

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Elvis Impersonators Battle To Be King Of Europe

Elvis impersonators from across the world have been competing in Birmingham to be crowned Europe's king of rock n' roll.

More than 70 sequinned singers swivelled their pelvises in front of a panel of judges at the European Elvis Championships.

The winner will pick up a cash prize, a holiday to Memphis, Tennessee and a jumpsuit made by the creators of Presley's elaborate outfits.

The annual event is held around Elvis' birthday weekend on January 8 and celebrates the musical and cultural icon who died at the age of 42, on August 16, 1977.

Organiser Michael King, from North Wales, said the competitors hail from all over the UK and as far afield as Austria, Italy, France, Hungary and Germany.

An under-14s contest is among the events in Birmingham

"I think first and foremost there was only one Elvis," he said.

"He was a one-off, his music stands the test of time.

"There's so many different things, so many different facets to Elvis, and his musical career. There really is something for everyone.

"He is loved the world over."

Some of the competitors were professional Elvis impersonators, spending thousands of pounds on their stage outfits.

But the weekend also included an under-14s competition, a gospel competition, live bands, Elvis showcases, Elvis merchandise, Elvis disco, Elvis video, and a novice contest.

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Policeman Killed Driving To 999 Call Named

A police officer who died after his car crashed into a tree while answering an emergency call in North Yorkshire has been named.

PC Andrew Bramma, 32, was killed when his patrol car hit a tree in the village of West Tanfield, near Ripon, at 7pm on Saturday, police said.

The married father-of-two was the only person in the vehicle when it crashed and was pronounced dead at the scene.

Pc Bramma, who has two young sons, had transferred from Greater Manchester Police to North Yorkshire about four months ago

Officers hold flowers outside Harrogate polcie station

Temporary Chief Constable Tim Madgwick paid tribute to PC Bramma at a press conference at Harrogate police station.

He said: "This is terrible and tragic news and the thoughts of everyone at North Yorkshire Police are with the officer's family at this sad and very difficult time.

"The officer's immediate family have been informed and are being supported by specially trained officers.

"Everyone is shocked and saddened by the news of his death and I speak for every member of the force in extending our heartfelt sympathies to his family, friends and colleagues."

The road was closed for several hours as investigators examined the scene.

The Health and Safety Executive has also been informed and an investigation will be carried out into the cause of the crash, police said.

Anyone who was in the area at the time and saw the vehicle or witnessed the collision is asked to contact North Yorkshire Police on 101.

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Belfast Community Leaders Hold Peace Talks

Police have made 70 arrests and charged a total of 47 people with public order offences after three nights of disturbances on the streets of Belfast.

A statement released by Chief Constable Mr Matt Baggott claimed that laser pens had been directed at officers' faces and gunshots were fired during the trouble which erupted over the flying of the Union flag at Belfast City Hall.

"I want to commend the tireless courage of my officers at this very difficult time," he said. "Fifty two colleagues have now been injured while protecting the community during a series of violent incidents.

"You may be assured there will be sufficient resources in the event of more disorder for however long is necessary. The Police Service will continue to do everything possible to maintain law and order and we will deal firmly with outbreaks of violence".

Meanwhile, politicians and church leaders are holding talks at Rev Mervyn Gibson's Westbourne Presbyterian Church to try and forge a resolution to stem the violence.

But Robin Newton of the Democratic Unionist Party said a lack of engagement from protest organisers was making progress difficult. "We have to find a way out of this, but how we do it I don't know," he said.

Mr Newton said there was confusion about exactly what demonstrators wanted. "I think we need a bit of calm and reflection," he said. "We need to get wise heads together."

Police used water cannon to extinguish the fires

Michael Copeland Ulster Unionist Party MLA for the area said he was pessimistic about a positive outcome to the talks because there were no apparent leaders of the demonstrations. "There doesn't seem to be any one person, or group of persons, that we can go to," he said.

A 38-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder after gunshots were reportedly fired during the clashes between loyalist and nationalist protesters.

Sky sources revealed that pictures from a police helicopter prompted the detention of the suspect.

Around 100 loyalists pelted officers with rocks, fireworks and fire bombs in the Newtownards Road, Albertbridge Road and Castlereagh Street and Templemore Avenue areas of the city.

Conall McDevitt, policing spokesman for the nationalist SDLP, said the firing of shots at police officers ended any claim to legitimacy by protest organisers.

"Whatever grievance some people may have had, it is totally lost when they allow people to use these protests as cover for attempted murder," said the South Belfast MLA.

"There is only one response possible - and that's a firm policing response against everyone involved in illegal protests and anyone seeking to organise or encourage illegal or violent demonstrations."

The violence followed a tense but peaceful march on Saturday by around 1,000 loyalists.

The disturbances occurred after protesters headed home

There was a heavy police presence, including officers in riot gear with dogs stationed within the historic civic building itself and on surrounding side streets.

But as the flag-waving crowds dispersed, ugly scenes flared again.

Loyalist violence on Friday night saw 18 people arrested and nine police officers injured.

More than 30 petrol bombs, along with fireworks, ball bearings and masonry were hurled at officers during a sustained attack in the east of the city. Up to 300 people were involved in the disturbances.

None of the police injuries are life threatening, however one female officer required medical treatment at the scene by an ambulance.

Police have said they would be seeking further arrests in the coming days in relation to the disorder and have appealed for witnesses.

On Thursday 10 police officers were injured during a demonstration in east Belfast.

Stormont First Minister Peter Robinson said violence against the police was a "disgrace" and those behind days of unrest were playing into the hands of dissident republicans.

Street protests have been going on for more than a month now against the decision to reduce the number of days the Union flag is flown from City Hall. There have also been death threats to politicians.

Mr Robinson said: "The violence and destruction visited on the PSNI is a disgrace, criminally wrong and cannot be justified.

"Those responsible are doing a grave disservice to the cause they claim to espouse and are playing into the hands of those dissident groups who would seek to exploit every opportunity to further their  terror aims."

Sky's Ireland Correspondent David Blevins said: "There is the potential for the violence to intensify, and the gunshots from with the loyalist area is a very worrying development.

"The clashes between police and loyalists came after the officers were accused of brutality after the march."

00.34 | 0 komentar | Read More

Nepali Army Officer Faces Torture Charges

A Nepali army officer has been in remanded in custody charged with two counts of torture after being arrested in the UK.

Colonel Kumar Lama, 46, of St Leonards-on-Sea, East Sussex, is accused of inflicting severe pain or suffering when he was acting in an official capacity.

The offences are said to have taken place between April 15, 2005 and May 1, 2005, and April 15, 2005 and October 31, 2005 at the Gorusinghe Army Barracks at Kapilvastu, Nepal.

The offences are alleged to have taken place as the then-government fought a decade-long Maoist insurgency.

Lama was arrested under a law which allows the prosecution of suspected torturers, even if the alleged offence has no connection to the UK.

At Westminster Magistrates Court, Judge Quentin Purdy ruled that Lama would be held in custody as there was risk he would leave the country if released.He will appear at the Old Bailey on January 24.

Lama is serving as a military observer with the UN Mission in South Sudan but had been spending Christmas in Britain when he was arrested, the court heard.

His wife and two children, aged 21 and 17, live in the UK.

The British ambassador in Kathmandu was summoned by Nepal's government in protest over the officer's arrest.

Nepal's deputy prime minister Narayankaji Shrestha said the government had demanded the immediate release of Col Lama and had instructed its embassy in London to submit a protest note to the British government.

Two diplomats from the Nepalese embassy were in court for the short hearing.

22.11 | 0 komentar | Read More

David Cameron Defends Child Benefit Cuts

David Cameron has defended controversial cuts to child benefit payments that come into effect at midnight, insisting the reforms were "fundamentally fair".

The Prime Minister insisted the move - which will see families with one earner on more than £50,000 lose some or all of the payment while households with two parents with salaries just under the trigger keep theirs - was the "right approach".

"I'm not saying those people are rich but I think it is right that they make a contribution," he told BBC 1's Andrew Marr Show.

"This will raise £2bn a year. If we don't raise that £2bn from that group of people, the better off 15% in the country, we would have to find someone else to take it from."

He added: "I think people see it as fundamentally fair that if there is someone in the household earning over £60,000 you don't get child benefit."

The Prime Minister: Cuts are 'fundamentally fair'

It is "full steam ahead" for the coalition, Mr Cameron said as he insisted the Government had a packed agenda.

And he told Marr that he had no intention of stepping aside.

He said: "I want to fight the next election as the leader of the Conservative Party, I want to win a Conservative majority and I want to serve."

Mr Marr interrupted: "And stay as Prime Minister for five years?"

Mr Cameron replied: "That's exactly what I have said."

On Monday, Mr Cameron and Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg will publish a mid-term review of progress the Coalition government has made since 2010 and set out its top priorities for the rest of their term.

Mr Cameron said: "What you are going to see tomorrow is a coalition Government with a full tank of gas, it's full steam ahead.

"We have travelled a long way down the road we need to travel but there is a lot more we need to do.

"Far from running out of ideas, we have got a packed agenda, which concerns things like how do we build roads in Britain to make sure our economy keeps moving, how do we pay for the care for the elderly, how do we have a pension system that encourages saving - big things that our going to equip our country for the next decade."

22.11 | 0 komentar | Read More

Voters Promised A 'Real Choice' On Europe

Voters should be "in no doubt" they will be offered a "real choice" on Europe at the next election, the Prime Minister has said.

David Cameron said any vote would happen within five years but refused to be drawn on whether a poll would include the question whether the United Kingdom should remain in the European Union.

He said the Government was currently reviewing which powers should be repatriated back to Westminster, claiming the EU working time directive should never have been implemented.

"There is going to be a large negotiation in Europe," he told BBC One's Andrew Marr Show. "When I became Prime Minister, people said to me 'Don't worry, the one thing you won't have is any treaty changes in Europe'.

"I think we have already had three. One we vetoed so we aren't involved in at all... and we have had two others. People should be in no doubt that the Conservatives will be offering at the next election a real choice and a real way giving consent to that choice."

Asked whether any vote could be delayed by five or 10 years, Mr Cameron said: "No, no, that's not going to happen."

The Prime Minister was then asked about his previous description of UK Independence Party members as "fruitcakes, loonies and closet racists".

Mr Cameron added: "There are some pretty odd people."

Speaking to Dermot Murnaghan on Sky News, Ukip's leader Nigel Farage hit back.

He said: "It shows how disconnected he is. If he wants to go on being rude about me and rude about Ukip well let him do it, we won't lose any sleep over it.

"I don't think there is any prospect of any deal with the Conservative Party all the while that man leads it, given the way he has behaved and his attitude towards us.

"Look, I would do a deal with the devil if it got us what we need, which is a free and fair referendum so that we in this country can decide who governs us."

22.11 | 0 komentar | Read More

Belfast: Community Leaders Hold Peace Talks

Police have made 70 arrests and charged a total of 47 people with public order offences after three nights of disturbances on the streets of Belfast.

A statement released by Chief Constable Mr Matt Baggott claimed that laser pens had been directed at officers' faces and gunshots were fired during the trouble which erupted over the flying of the Union flag at Belfast City Hall.

"I want to commend the tireless courage of my officers at this very difficult time," he said. "Fifty two colleagues have now been injured while protecting the community during a series of violent incidents.

"You may be assured there will be sufficient resources in the event of more disorder for however long is necessary. The Police Service will continue to do everything possible to maintain law and order and we will deal firmly with outbreaks of violence".

Meanwhile, politicians and church leaders are holding talks at Rev Mervyn Gibson's Westbourne Presbyterian Church to try and forge a resolution to stem the violence.

But Robin Newton of the Democratic Unionist Party said a lack of engagement from protest organisers was making progress difficult. "We have to find a way out of this, but how we do it I don't know," he said.

Mr Newton said there was confusion about exactly what demonstrators wanted. "I think we need a bit of calm and reflection," he said. "We need to get wise heads together."

Police used water cannon to extinguish the fires

Michael Copeland Ulster Unionist Party MLA for the area said he was pessimistic about a positive outcome to the talks because there were no apparent leaders of the demonstrations. "There doesn't seem to be any one person, or group of persons, that we can go to," he said.

A 38-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder after gunshots were reportedly fired during the clashes between loyalist and nationalist protesters.

Sky sources revealed that pictures from a police helicopter prompted the detention of the suspect.

Around 100 loyalists pelted officers with rocks, fireworks and fire bombs in the Newtownards Road, Albertbridge Road and Castlereagh Street and Templemore Avenue areas of the city.

Conall McDevitt, policing spokesman for the nationalist SDLP, said the firing of shots at police officers ended any claim to legitimacy by protest organisers.

"Whatever grievance some people may have had, it is totally lost when they allow people to use these protests as cover for attempted murder," said the South Belfast MLA.

"There is only one response possible - and that's a firm policing response against everyone involved in illegal protests and anyone seeking to organise or encourage illegal or violent demonstrations."

The violence followed a tense but peaceful march on Saturday by around 1,000 loyalists.

The disturbances occurred after protesters headed home

There was a heavy police presence, including officers in riot gear with dogs stationed within the historic civic building itself and on surrounding side streets.

But as the flag-waving crowds dispersed, ugly scenes flared again.

Loyalist violence on Friday night saw 18 people arrested and nine police officers injured.

More than 30 petrol bombs, along with fireworks, ball bearings and masonry were hurled at officers during a sustained attack in the east of the city. Up to 300 people were involved in the disturbances.

None of the police injuries are life threatening, however one female officer required medical treatment at the scene by an ambulance.

Police have said they would be seeking further arrests in the coming days in relation to the disorder and have appealed for witnesses.

On Thursday 10 police officers were injured during a demonstration in east Belfast.

Stormont First Minister Peter Robinson said violence against the police was a "disgrace" and those behind days of unrest were playing into the hands of dissident republicans.

Street protests have been going on for more than a month now against the decision to reduce the number of days the Union flag is flown from City Hall. There have also been death threats to politicians.

Mr Robinson said: "The violence and destruction visited on the PSNI is a disgrace, criminally wrong and cannot be justified.

"Those responsible are doing a grave disservice to the cause they claim to espouse and are playing into the hands of those dissident groups who would seek to exploit every opportunity to further their  terror aims."

Sky's Ireland Correspondent David Blevins said: "There is the potential for the violence to intensify, and the gunshots from with the loyalist area is a very worrying development.

"The clashes between police and loyalists came after the officers were accused of brutality after the march."

22.11 | 0 komentar | Read More