Blustery Britain: First Autumn Storm Rolls In

Strong winds and heavy rain are expected to batter parts of Britain this weekend.

Gusts close to 70mph will hit areas of Scotland and Northern Ireland, while most of England and Wales will face blustery conditions, forecasters have said.

Heavy showers in the South East last night saw 27mm of rain fall in Northolt, northwest London, and 26mm at Heathrow, while East Anglia and the Midlands were hit by 10 to 15mm of rain.

The Met Office has issued severe weather warnings for gales in Scotland and Northern Ireland on Sunday, and warned of the possibility of travel disruption.

Chief Met Office forecaster Paul Gundersen said: "A spell of gale force westerly winds is expected later Sunday, peaking on Monday across much of Scotland, the north of Northern Ireland and coasts of north west England and north Wales.

"Gusts of 50-60mph are likely, with the potential for 70mph across exposed coasts and hills of Scotland.

"The public should be aware of the potential for some minor disruption to travel and keep up to date with the latest weather forecast information."

Sky News weather presenter Nazaneen Ghaffar added: "Tonight, outbreaks of rain will spread into Northern Ireland and Scotland and towards the early hours into northern England, Wales and southwest England.

"As well as that there will be strengthening winds with gusts of up to around 55-60mph across northwestern fringes of Scotland, and slightly over 60mph across the Western Isles.

"Sunday will be a wet and windy day across most of the UK. It'll be a dry morning across central and eastern England with a few bright spells to begin with before cloud and rain will spread into all areas by the early afternoon with some heavy downpours.

"Later it will become bright and drier across the north and west of the UK but there will still be frequent heavy showers and strong to gale force winds gusting up to 60mph. Hail and thunder is also possible."

Temperatures will remain in the mid-teens for most of the country over the weekend - a few degrees below average for the time of year - while conditions will remain unsettled into next week, forecasters have said.

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Plastic Bags: Shoppers To Be Charged 5p

Supermarkets and other big stores in England are to introduce a 5p charge for plastic bags.

The move is due to be announced this weekend by Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg at the Liberal Democrat conference in Glasgow.

It will bring England into line with the rest of the UK - with charges already in place in Wales and Northern Ireland, and Scotland set to follow suit in 2014.

Lib Dem sources said the charge, intended to discourage use of the environmentally damaging bags, would come into effect in England in 2015.

However, it is not yet clear whether it will be before the general election, set for May that year, or after.

Mr Clegg was said to have had to fought hard within the Coalition for the scheme - which is Lib Dem party policy - at a time when ministers are under intense pressure over rising cost of living.

But with a 76% fall in plastic bag use in Wales since the levy was introduced there in 2011, the Lib Dem leader was said to believe that it was the right thing to do.

A Lib Dem source said the charge would be the "centrepiece" at the conference this weekend.

Energy and Climate Change Secretary Ed Davey told Sky News: "Liberal Democrats in the coalition are pushing the green agenda all the time.

"Sometimes it's quite a fight - this one we've won and it's very clear the evidence shows that plastic bags not only create lots of litter and a real eyesore, but they can be really bad for wild animals, particularly marine life." 

The charge will only apply to supermarkets and other large stores, with small corner shops excluded.

The proceeds will go to charities involved in clearing up the environmental damage caused by the bags rather than the Government or the retailers.

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Bodies Found In Farmhouse Shooting

A dairy farmer and one of his workers have been found shot dead in an isolated farmhouse in Northern Ireland.

The men were discovered at the secluded property around a mile from the Co Antrim village of Glenarm early on Friday evening.

They have been named locally as farm owner Arthur Gibson, in his early 60s, and farm labourer Michael Murphy, who was in his late 30s.

At this stage it is understood police are not looking for anyone else in connection with the double shooting.

Mr Murphy had worked for Mr Gibson for many years.

The farm is about a mile from Glenarm

Forensic teams in white overalls were examining the scene, paying particular attention to the hallway of the white, two-storey house in Feystown Road.

A small crowd gathered at the police cordon at the end of the long lane leading up to the farm as news of the deaths filtered through to the village.

Neighbours helped to milk the cows and keep the farm operating as the police carried out their investigation.

Local Stormont Assembly member Oliver McMullan, who knew both the dead men, said locals were stunned by what he described as a "double tragedy".

"The death tonight of two men is a tragedy not only for the families but also for the community," he said.

"The community is in a state of shock as both men were well known within this tight knit community."

Forensic teams were paying particular attention to the hallway

Glenarm came to public attention earlier this year when severe late winter blizzards enveloped farms in the surrounding hills in a thick blanket of snow, killing thousands of animals and cutting off many families for days.

Alliance party MLA Stewart Dickson said: "This is an absolutely shocking incident, which has left the village and the surrounding community in shock.

"My thoughts are with the families and friends of the deceased and would call for anyone with any information to contact the PSNI as soon as possible.

"I hope the police will be able to determine what was behind this tragic incident tonight."

A Police Service of Northern Ireland spokesman said: "Police received a report at around 5.15pm this afternoon that two males had been discovered at a property with fatal wounds.

An investigation into the circumstances surrounding the deaths is under way."

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Santander Bank Hacking Plot: Four In Court

Four men have appeared in court over an attempt to take control of computers at a Santander bank branch to steal millions of pounds.

It is alleged one of the gang posed as an engineer to fit a computer at the branch in Surrey Quays shopping centre, southeast London, with a "keyboard video mouse" (KVM).

The device, which can be purchased online for as little as £10, allegedly allowed them to transmit the contents of the computer's desktop and take control of all computers at the branch.

But the attempt failed and the Spanish bank said "no money was ever at risk".

Lanre Mullins-Abudu, 25, from Putney, southwest London; Dean Outram, 34, from northwest London; Akash Vaghela, 27, from Hounslow, west London; and Asad Ali Qureshi, 35, from southwest London, are charged with conspiracy to steal.

They spoke only to confirm their names and details when they appeared at Westminster Magistrates' Court on Saturday.

They are accused of committing a "very significant and audacious cyber-enabled offence" that would have cost Santander millions of pounds.

Vaghela was granted conditional bail and the others remanded in custody until the next hearing at Southwark Crown Court on September 27.

Eight other people who were arrested were bailed until mid-November pending further inquiries.

A Santander spokesman said no member of staff was involved.

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Leicester Fire Victims 'Not Involved In Murder'

A mother and her three children killed in a house fire were not involved in the murder of a man hours earlier, police have said.

Sky News understands Leicestershire Police are investigating whether the victims of the blaze were mistakenly targeted in a revenge attack.

Shehnila Taufiq, who was in her 40s, died in the fire at her terraced home in Wood Hill, in the Spinney Hills area of Leicester, in the early hours of Friday.

Her children, named by a local mosque as 19-year-old daughter Zainab and sons Jamal, 17, and Bilal, 15, also died in their bedrooms.

About half a mile away on Thursday afternoon, a man in his 20s, named locally as Antoin Akpom, was found injured by police officers in Kent Street. He was taken to Leicester Royal Infirmary where he later died.

Police were called to the blaze by the fire service at 12.35am on Friday

Three people, a man and two women, all aged 19, have been arrested in connection with the murder.

Mrs Taufiq's neurosurgeon husband, Dr Muhammad Taufiq al Sattar, is believed to have returned to Leicester from Ireland, where he works.

He has been working at Beaumont Hospital in Dublin and with private hospitals in the city, the Blackrock and Hermitage clinics.

It is understood Mr Sattar's wife was a qualified doctor but was not working.

The family, originally from Pakistan, had a home in Ireland for at least 15 years before the children moved to the UK with their mother about five years ago for Islamic education.

Police on Saturday appealed to residents with information to come forward to help them find the perpetrators of the attacks which they said had left two families "devastated by events of the past 48 hours".

Police have said the house fire and a nearby murder may be linked

Roger Bannister, Assistant Chief Constable of Leicestershire Police, said: "While we are investigating links between the two crimes there is absolutely no evidence to suggest those who died in the fire, or indeed anyone else who lives in that property, was involved in the assault in Kent Street.

"Because of the close proximity - in terms of time and location - of the two incidents, it is right that we look at whether there are links between the two crimes.

"However, at this stage in our investigations we have found nothing to suggest the residents of the house devastated by the fire had anything to do with the Kent Street incident.

"We have three people in custody in relation to the murder of the young man in Kent Street and we continue with the complex forensic investigations at Wood Hill.

"However, we know there are local people who know more about both incidents and the people responsible and we would appeal to their consciences. Two families have been devastated by events of the past 48 hours. Please help us to find those responsible."

Anyone with information about either attack can speak to their local beat team, call police on 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

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Prince William Leaves The Armed Forces

Prince William: Military Career

Updated: 11:43am UK, Thursday 12 September 2013

The Duke of Cambridge - who will one day be head of the armed forces - began his military career more than seven years ago when he followed his younger brother Prince Harry into Sandhurst.

At the age of 23, he commenced 44 weeks of gruelling training at the royal military academy in Camberley, Surrey, where the course is designed to push new recruits to the brink of exhaustion and shape cadets into Army officers.

By signing up, he was continuing a historic family tradition of military service and he became the most senior royal in recent memory to attend the college.

In December 2006, he graduated and was commissioned into the British Army as an officer.

The Queen, the Prince of Wales, the Duchess of Cornwall and William's then girlfriend Kate Middleton gathered to watch him in the passing-out parade which marked the end of his training.

William went on to join Harry's regiment, the Household Cavalry's Blues and Royals, and was promoted to lieutenant in 2007.

Continuing his career in the forces, he received his RAF wings from his father at RAF Cranwell in April 2008 after completing an intensive 12-week flying course - a feat which saw him become the fourth successive generation of the monarchy to become an RAF pilot.

He faced criticism later that month after he was allowed to practice landing a Chinook helicopter in a field behind the Middleton family home and when he flew himself and his brother by Chinook to a stag do on the Isle of Wight. 

The Ministry of Defence defended the flights as part of William's training.

Shortly after, he made a brief flying visit to RAF detachments at Kandahar Air Base in Afghanistan to meet frontline troops.

But while Harry has completed two deployments to Afghanistan, William, who has always insisted he wants to be able to fight in war zones despite being a future king, has yet to achieve his ambition.

Harry revealed earlier this year that William was envious of his tours.

"I think there is a bit of jealousy, not just the fact that I get to fly this, but obviously he'd love to be out here. And to be honest with you, I don't see why he couldn't," Harry said.

In June 2008, William began a two-month attachment with the Royal Navy to help familiarise him with all aspects of the armed forces. 

He joined a Royal Navy rescue team on a hurricane disaster exercise in the Caribbean and, while on board frigate HMS Iron Duke, took part in a drugs bust that seized more than one tonne of cocaine from a speedboat in the North Atlantic.

In September 2008 it was announced that William wanted to become a full time RAF search and rescue pilot.

"The time I spent with the RAF earlier this year made me realise how much I love flying," he revealed.

He began training in January 2009, later completing advanced helicopter flying training at the Defence Helicopter Flying School based at RAF Shawbury near Shrewsbury in Shropshire and undergoing the search and rescue conversion course at RAF Valley in Anglesey, North Wales.

"Flight Lieutenant Wales" became a full-time operational search and rescue pilot at RAF Valley - albeit with time off for royal appearances - and has been serving with C Flight, 22 Squadron, on Anglesey since September 2010.

A typical tour for a pilot in the RAF Search and Rescue Force (SARF) is 30 to 36 months.

William carried out emergency missions in a Sea King helicopter to rescue stranded climbers and stricken vessels. His first rescue as a fully operational pilot was in October 2010, helping a man who fell seriously ill while working on a gas rig in Morecambe Bay.

The Duke, who qualified as an operational captain in 2012, giving him overall control of his helicopter, has spoken of his "calling" to save lives.

In an interview for BBC Wales documentary Helicopter Rescue, he said: "There's no greater feeling than when you've actually done some good and saved someone's life.

"I don't think there's any greater calling in life... to be able to see a son or daughter's face when you bring their mother or father back from the edge of death - it's quite powerful."

He has also described his close bond with fellow crewmates, describing them as a family.

During February and March last year, the Duke spent more than six weeks flying search and rescue missions in the Falkland Islands, but his deployment caused a diplomatic row with Argentina.

William, who will one day as king be head of the armed forces, holds several honorary military appointments. He was made Royal Colonel of the Irish Guards in 2011 and wore the regiment's red tunic at his wedding.

He is also Commodore-in-Chief of Scotland and Commodore-in-Chief of Submarines and Honorary Air Commandant of RAF Coningsby near Lincoln.

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MPs' Expenses Bill Soars To Almost £100m

The bill for MPs' expenses soared by more than 7% last year to almost £100m, according to new figures.

Some £98m was paid out by the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority (Ipsa) for personal costs and running offices, up from £91.5m on 2011-12.

Spending is now higher than in the run-up to the scandal that rocked Westminster in 2009, which prompted tighter rules on claims.

Most of the increase was due to larger staffing budgets but MPs' personal expenses also rose from £23.5m in 2011-12 to £23.8m.

The details emerged in the latest annual information released by the parliamentary watchdog.

DUP politician Ian Paisley made the largest claims at £100,204, followed by Lib Dem Alistair Carmichael on £82,878 and Tory David Morris on £75,902.

Top claimant Ian Paisley (left) and Zac Goldsmith, who claimed nothing

One MP - Tory Zac Goldsmith who represents Richmond Park - did not pocket a penny.

Tory business minister Michael Fallon only received £38.74 and Adam Afriyie £604.20.

Ipsa claimed it had saved the taxpayer £35m since taking over the expenses system but it used figures from two years before it started work as the baseline to work out the saving.

The total allowances bill was £95.4m in 2008-09 but it had already dropped to £90.7m by 2009-10, which was before Ispa started work.

House of Commons records suggest that MPs received £27m for personal and staff expenses in 2008-09 and £20.4m the following year.

Other details in the documents show MPs gave out £13,163 in "reward and recognition" payments to 49 workers last year, a sharp rise on £8,104 between 57 people the year before.

They also show some 155 MPs employed family members over the 12 months.

Outspoken Tory Nadine Dorries' daughter Philippa was among the highest earners, receiving £40,000-45,000 as office manager.

She is now believed to have left to train as a lawyer, but her sister Jennifer has been taken on as senior secretary with a salary of £30,000-35,000.

The publication comes after the watchdog proposed lifting MPs' pay from £66,000 now to £74,000 after the 2015 general election despite protests from party leaders.

TaxPayers' Alliance chief executive Matthew Sinclair said: "Of course MPs should get reasonable office and staff support to assist them in their important work representing constituents at Westminster, but these costs must be kept under control.

"Taxpayers want to know that they are getting value for their money and they will have serious concerns about there being a hike in the overall cost of running MPs' offices over the last 12 months.

"While there have been many sensible changes to the expenses regime since the 2009 scandal, this kind of year-on-year rise is totally unsustainable and Ipsa has to explain to those of us footing the bill how that has been allowed to happen."

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Paedophile Atkins Jailed For 17 Years

A sadistic paedophile whose sexual abuse of a toddler was "almost beyond comprehension" has been jailed for more than 17 years.

Christopher Atkins carried out a life-threatening sexual assault on the child after social services failed to conduct background checks.

The 32-year-old remained impassive in the dock at Nottingham Crown Court as he was sentenced by the city's most senior judge.

Atkins, from Cotgrave, Nottinghamshire, committed the "wicked and vile" sex attack two years ago after lying to social services about his personal life.

After Atkins was found guilty of sexual assault in July, it emerged he was already known to authorities before the horrific offence, having been suspected of abusing another child in the Manchester area.

Sentencing Atkins, the Recorder of Nottingham, Michael Stokes QC, told him: "The child in this case was a vulnerable, innocent little girl when you committed an offence of unspeakable cruelty and perversion, an offence which all right-minded people would regard as repellent.

"You are in my judgment a predatory and sadistic paedophile and unless whatever issues you have are addressed you will present a serious risk of causing harm to other children.

"How any human being could do this to a little girl is almost beyond comprehension, but the fact is you did.

"I have no doubt that you would have been content for the grievously injured child to go without medical attention of any kind."

Atkins, whose offences will now be the subject of a serious case review, was sentenced to 16 years for sexual assault and a consecutive 18-month term for child cruelty.

He was told he must serve half his sentence before being released on licence.

The victim, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, was treated for severe internal injuries after being taken to hospital, where medical staff also found 18 bruises on her face and scalding to her back.

Atkins is known to have supplied his name and his correct date of birth to social services before attacking the toddler, but checks which would have "flagged up" his past were not carried out.

Detective Inspector Yvonne Dales, of Nottinghamshire's Child Abuse Investigation Unit, said: "I hope this sentence sends out a message to people who commit offences against children - we will do everything we can to make sure they are brought to justice."

Sarah Sheppard, 25, now living in Farnborough, Hampshire, received a 12-month prison term, suspended for a year, for an offence connected with the case.

The victim's father was in court to witness Atkins being jailed and is considering legal action against the council.

Speaking after the case, the man, who cannot be named to protect his daughter's identity, said: "Social services have not listened to a word I've said - I asked them to check on Atkins and they didn't bother.

"It would have been found that he had been investigated in Manchester and if they had done the checks my daughter would not have gone through this."

After the sentencing, the chairman of Nottinghamshire Safeguarding Children Board, Chris Few, said: "I am pleased that justice has been done in this case.

"I have decided to commission a serious case review into this matter given the circumstances of this case and the need for public accountability and transparency."

Nottinghamshire County Council's director for children's social care, Steve Edwards, said action had been taken to address "shortcomings" within the local authority.

Mr Edwards added: "This was a shocking crime and Atkins has rightly been sentenced for a long time."

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Salmonella Outbreak: Link To Butchers' Ham

A salmonella outbreak that has seen nine people admitted to hospital may be linked to cooked ham from small independent butchers, say health experts.

The outbreak of the infection Salmonella Typhimurium has led to 21 confirmed cases in Wales and 30 in England.

Nine are known to have required hospital treatment, the Food Standards Agency (FSA) said.

Other potential cases are being investigated in both countries by public health officials, the FSA and environmental health officers.

The outbreak was first detected in Wales in August and centred mainly on Conwy and Gwynedd.

Additional clusters were investigated in England in the Thames Valley, Leeds, Cumbria and Stafford areas, the FSA said.

Patients ranged in age from seven months to 87 years.

Investigations had found a potential common link to cooked ham from local butchers.

The FSA said: "Testing has been carried out on ham supplied to a number of butchers identified in the investigation.

"No trace of salmonella has been found, but other hygiene issues were identified that led to one supplier voluntarily withdrawing certain batches of ham. Investigations are ongoing."

Salmonella food poisoning is usually caused by eating contaminated raw or undercooked food such as meat, eggs, and dairy products.

Symptoms can include diarrhoea, stomach cramps, vomiting and fever.

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Omagh Inquiry: Families Vow To Fight On

Relatives of some victims killed in the Omagh bombing have vowed to fight on after the Government ruled out a public inquiry.

The 1998 attack in Co Tyrone was one of the worst atrocities in the Northern Ireland conflict and inflicted the greatest loss of life in a single terrorist incident.

There have been long-standing allegations that intelligence and investigative failures by authorities on both sides of the border allowed the bombers to both carry out the crime and get away with it.

Some relatives of the victims had called for an all-Ireland probe into whether more could have been done to prevent it.

Ms Villiers said a further review cannot be justified

But Northern Ireland Secretary Theresa Villiers said she did not believe there were sufficient grounds to justify a state commissioned independent probe into the Real IRA bombing, which killed 29 people.

"This was not an easy decision to make and all views were carefully considered," she said.

"I believe that the ongoing investigation by the office of the Police Ombudsman for Northern Ireland is the best way to address any outstanding issues relating to the police investigation."

Michael Gallagher, whose son Aidan died in the bombing, told Sky News he was "absolutely disappointed, but not surprised".

"We gave both governments a document over a year ago that shows that both the British and Irish governments could have done something to prevent the Omagh bomb," he said.

"Those people didn't need to die and yet here we have the Secretary of State saying we cannot have a public inquiry."

Mr Gallagher claimed the reasons given for the refusal were "trivial" and he said relatives would immediately start pursuing a judicial review.

"We have the result now - it's not the result we wanted, but at least we can move forward. We can go to the courts and that's exactly what we will do," he said in Belfast.

It was one of the worst atrocities in the Northern Ireland conflict

He insisted a full, public judicial inquiry with the power to compel witnesses to attend was required - pointing out that the police ombudsman does not have that ability.

But other survivors and the families of victims were against a full inquiry. Kevin Skelton, whose wife Philomena was killed, opposed it because his children felt their mother should be able to rest in peace.

"We know the answers. I know there were dirty deeds done round Omagh and the Government, whether there is a public inquiry or not, they are going to bury them, and they have the power to do that," he said.

Former Northern Ireland police ombudsman Dame Nuala O'Loan, ex-counter terrorism chief Bob Quick and Amnesty International have all publicly backed the call for an inquiry.

Shadow Northern Ireland secretary Vernon Coaker said he hoped the police ombudsman probe could give the families some answers.

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Mark Bridger: Prisoner Admits Knife Attack

A prisoner has admitted slashing child killer Mark Bridger across the face at one of Britain's most secure jails.

Bridger, who was jailed earlier this year for abducting and murdering five-year-old April Jones, needed hospital treatment after he was attacked with a makeshift blade on July 7.

Bridger was sentenced on May 30 and was sent to HMP Wakefield, a category A prison where some of Britain's most dangerous offenders are held.

Juvinai Ferreira, 22, admitted attacking Bridger as he appeared via videolink for a short hearing at Leeds Crown Court.

On screen in court, Ferreira, originally from Gambia, looked bored and propped his head up with his hand for most of the proceedings.

At one point, he could be heard asking his guards: "I thought this was going to be quick?"

After judge Christopher Batty told him the case was going to be adjourned until sentencing on October 2, Ferreira said to him: "Can you just not sentence me? I can't keep coming back. Just give me anything and move on."

Ferreira is serving a life sentence for the murder of Elaine Walpole in Dereham, Norfolk, in April 2008.

Bridger was attacked by a fellow prisoner at HMP Wakefield

At the time police said Ferreira moved to Dereham in 2007 with a relative after escaping civil war in Africa.

He befriended Miss Walpole, an alcoholic who lived alone, after they met at a shop and she bought him cigarettes.

A post-mortem examination showed the 47-year-old mother-of-three had been stabbed three times and bitten.

Prosecutors in the case described Ferreira as "sex-crazed".

Father-of-six Bridger, 47, abducted April as she played near her home in Machynlleth in Powys before murdering the schoolgirl.

A judge at Mold Crown Court sentenced the former slaughterhouse worker to a whole-life tariff in May.

The five-year-old's body has never been found.

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Le Vell Trial: Prosecutor Denies 'Witch-Hunt'

One of Britain's top prosecutors has denied actor Michael Le Vell was subjected to a celebrity "witch-hunt", as the debate about whether to give anonymity to those accused of sex crimes continues to rage.

Nazir Afzal, the Crown Prosecution Service lead on child sexual exploitation, insisted "nobody should be above the law" and said he would not shy away from high profile cases.

It comes after Mr Le Vell, who plays Kevin Webster in the ITV soap Coronation Street, was cleared of all 12 charges against him by a jury at Manchester Crown Court.

"I absolutely detest this word witch-hunt. It is not a witch-hunt," Mr Afzal said.

"We look at the evidence. We follow the evidence. We present the evidence."

He said it "does not matter" if, when looking at the evidence, "it takes us to someone who might have drawn attention to themselves publicly in some way, shape or form".

Mr Afzal says evidence against celebrities will continue to be investigated

Defence lawyer Nick Freeman told Sky News that Mr Le Vell's acquittal "urgently highlights" the need for anonymity for those accused of sexual offences until they are convicted.

"These heinous allegations carry a terrible social stigma and a revulsion that transcends most other criminal offences," he said.

"These don't die with an acquittal - they stay with a person for the rest of their life."

However, Mark Williams-Thomas, a child protection expert, argued that under the current system victims feel "more confident" in coming forward and speaking to the police.

"We need to look at the detrimental effect not naming individuals could have," he said.

"We know that as a result of the (Jimmy) Savile investigations, people came forward and made allegations.

Ex-broadcaster Hall is serving a 30-month jail sentence for sexual assault

"Stuart Hall was then prosecuted, having initially vehemently denied the allegations ... and is now in jail."

Mr Le Vell's legal team argued it was a "strange case of child rape" without any DNA evidence or injuries to the alleged victim, who claimed she had been raped and abused when she was younger.

Jurors were told to decide whether the girl was telling the truth or had set out to "quite literally destroy" the actor's life.

Sky News Correspondent Nick Martin, outside the Manchester studios of ITV, which is in talks with Mr Le Vell about a return to Coronation Street, said the debate about anonymity had divided opinion.

"In the past, it's been very difficult for people who have been acquitted to move on," he said.

"Many people think the slur and the stigma can go on to ruin people's lives.

"On the other side of the argument ... other victims see that person going through the court. It's claimed they are then encouraged to come forward and that their evidence can bolster cases."

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Nigel Evans: I'm In Limbo Over Sex Claims

Former Deputy Speaker Nigel Evans has given an emotional Commons speech after resigning to fight allegations of sex offences, including rape.

Evans, who stepped down after being charged on Tuesday night but is remaining an MP, told colleagues the claims had left him "in a land of limbo".

In a Commons packed following PMQs, Evans said the investigation had been the worst experience of his life after the deaths of his mother and brother.

But he cited Winston Churchill as he vowed to clear his name and thanked politicians across Parliament for their support in recent months.

Evans said: "This is clearly the most painful thing I have endured in my life alongside the loss of my mother in 2009 and the loss of my brother earlier this year.

"Winston Churchill said when you are going through hell, keep going. Sage advice. And so I will see this through to the end with the support of the people that mean so much to me."

The MP for Ribble Valley will sit as an independent while he fights the allegations, some of which date back to 2002.

The former Torry promised to focus on "the bread and butter of politics" and speak out for his constituents from the backbenches.

He described his election as deputy speaker as "one of the happiest days of my life" but said he had been unable to do his job since the first allegations were made in May.

"I have not been able to fully fulfil my duties in the chair, which left me in a land of limbo," he said.

A sombre Commons as the MP speaks of his 'hell'

"None of us were elected to the fine office of Member of Parliament to be put in that invidious position, unable to fully fulfil the reason why we were sent here."

The politician had already stepped aside from his Parliamentary duties because of the investigation but formally resigned on Tuesday night after being charged.

Evans, from Pendleton in Lancashire, is accused of two offences of indecent assault, five counts of sexual assault and one rape charge.

They were allegedly committed between January 1, 2001 and April 1, 2013.

The charges came hours after he answered bail about the earlier allegations and was re-arrested over another two claims.

Evans, 55, told MPs on Wednesday: "I now have the opportunity to robustly defend my innocence and seek acquittal."

His first court appearance will be before magistrates in Preston on September 18.

Commons Speaker John Bercow said he had received the resignation "with sadness".

"I wish to thank Nigel for his three years of service to the House as deputy speaker, in which he has proved to be highly competent, fair and good-humoured," he said.

"He has been a loyal and valued member of the team of deputy speakers who assist me in chairing our proceedings. I am warmly grateful to him."

Evans was one of three deputy speakers elected by secret ballot in 2010. Later that year, he came out as gay saying he was tired of "living a lie".

He was a vice chairman of the Conservative Party from 1999 to 2001.

When Iain Duncan Smith became party leader in 2001, he was promoted to the shadow cabinet as shadow Welsh secretary - a post he held for two years.

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Boris Johnson Tells Opponent To Get Stuffed

Boris Johnson has told a Labour opponent to "get stuffed" during a heated discussion about fire services in London.

The Mayor of London lost his temper with London Assembly member Andrew Dismore during a debate at City Hall about cuts.

Mr Dismore asked him to explain how the closure of fire stations and loss of fire fighter posts in the capital would not reduce fire cover.

Andrew Dismore asked the mayor to justify fire station closures

Mr Johnson replied: "Because we are improving fire cover, as I have said several times."

Interrupted and asked how, he continued: "By continuing to reduce deaths from fire and continuing to reduce the incidence of fire. That is the name of the game."

Mr Dismore accused him of lying to the people of London during his election campaign.

The Mayor shot back: "Oh get stuffed," prompting a series of "oohs" around the chamber.

He was immediately asked to withdraw the remark and said: "I am sorry, I am sorry. It just popped out."

Mr Johnson, who is renowned for his colourful turns of phrase, has form in expressing his anger at the London Assembly.

In February, he called them "great supine protoplasmic invertebrate jellies" for deciding not to quiz him about his budget.

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Turkey Shooting: British Family 'Shocked'

The family of three British people shot, including one fatally, in Turkey have said they were "lovely people who would never harm anybody".

Catherine Anne Bury, who was known as Anne, died after she was attacked at the family villa allegedly by her gardener.

Her son Alex, 24, and mother Cecilia, who is in her 80s, were injured in the shooting in the resort of Dalyan on Monday.

The family of 56-year-old Ms Bury thanked people for their "warm wishes and condolences at this very sad time".

Alex Bury was shot in the leg

They added: "Although our family are still deeply shocked and grieving for Anne, we are pleased to say that both Anne's mother and son are recovering from their injuries.

"Both have been given wonderful care, treatment and support by hospital and consulate staff and many other local people."

Mr Bury has described how he pleaded with the alleged gunman Veli Acar to stop the attack, trying to reason with him before he opened fire on his mother.

Speaking from his bed in Mugla University Hospital, Mr Bury told The Times he recognised the gunman as Acar, their gardener who was said to have been in a relationship with his mother.

Mr Bury is recovering in hospital after the shooting

Acar had apparently threatened the family earlier that weekend, but was later released by the police and returned with a pump-action shotgun to the Bury's villa.

Mr Bury, who was shot in the leg, said: "I tried to reason with him. I told him it didn't have to be this way.

"He lifted the gun to his shoulder and gestured for me to go through to my mother and grandmother's room. They had heard me talking and had locked themselves in the room."

Acar is alleged to have gunned down Ms Bury as she cowered in the villa bathroom.

The family added: "It appears that the person that Anne employed as a general gardener/handyman, to look after her holiday villas, has committed this terrible crime.

"We cannot comprehend the mentality of somebody who would do this to three lovely people who would never harm anybody.

"We would like once again to thank everyone for their kindness and offers of help - they are a great source of strength to us."

The alleged gunman was the gardener at the villa

The Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism confirmed the death of Ms Bury, who lived in the North Yorkshire village of Swainby.

Ms Bury, who trained as a midwife, had been working for an oil company in Dubai in a health role.

Her son worked at a North Yorkshire hotel, the Cleveland Tontine, after taking a year out of university, but is hoping to restart his studies in medicine.

Ms Bury's mother has been discharged after treatment.

Acar is said to have given himself up after the shooting and is due in court.

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Turkey: Mother Dead After British Family Shot

A gunman reportedly shot a British woman dead and injured her son and mother during a family holiday in Turkey.

The woman killed was named locally as Catherine Anne Bury, aged 56, from Swainby, North Yorkshire.

Also shot and now recovering in hospital were her son Alex, who is in his early 20s and who lived with her, and her mother Celia Bury, in her 80s from Nunthorpe, Middlesbrough.

A police officer at the family's holiday home

Vanessa Altin, a journalist in Turkey, said the family were shot while celebrating a birthday party at the villa in the small fishing village Dalyan, on Turkey's south coast.

The gardener is thought to have argued with the family, who reported him to Turkish police.

He was detained, but headed back to the villa on his release and opened fire with a pump-action shotgun.

Alex was reportedly shot in the leg, while his grandmother Celia was shot in the back. His mother is said to have been shot four times after attempting to hide from the gunman and died at the scene.

The family had reportedly been celebrating a birthday at the property

He is thought to have given himself up after the shooting and is due in court.

Stephen Garbutt, 72, who lives in the adjoining bungalow to the dead woman in Swainby, said: "I never ever heard a bad word, or a cross word or anything like that from any of them.

"How on earth they got into this situation I cannot imagine. I have never known Anne, for want of a better word, in trouble."

The Foreign Office confirmed in a statement: "We are aware of the death of a British national in Turkey on September 9.

"We are providing consular assistance to the family at this difficult time."

The statement added: "We can confirm the hospitalisation of two British nationals in Turkey on September 9."

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Rapper Murder: Man Guilty Of Twister Stabbing

A teenager has been found guilty of stabbing to death an aspiring young rapper as three young children hid in the next room.

Thomas Brittain, a hip hop producer known as Twister, was found dead at his friend's house in Colchester in March.

The 26-year-old was attacked after two men broke into the property armed with a knife and a fake handgun, hoping to find drugs or cash.

Jurors at Chelmsford Crown Court found 18-year-old Jack Hummerstone, of no fixed address, guilty of murder and grievous bodily harm with intent.

Andre Vella, 19, from Kirby Cross, was cleared on both counts, although he was found guilty of aggravated burglary, a charge Hummerstone admitted.

Both men pleaded guilty to possession of an imitation firearm with intent to commit a criminal offence.

Detective Inspector Anne Cameron, of the Kent and Essex Serious Crime Directorate, said: "Tom was a well-respected musician who spent his last few months in fear of Hummerstone, resulting in him losing his flat, his possessions and ultimately his life.

"Hummerstone and Vella forced their way into a flat containing a young family, carrying a gun and a knife.

"They had no consideration of the impact their actions would have on such young children.

"The flat owner was ... stabbed on the hand and hit with the imitation gun. Tom was then repeatedly stabbed whilst he fought for his life. One of those wounds was fatal.

"This was a planned, callous, violent attack on a defenceless family and particularly Tom. His family have lost a much-loved brother and son, for which no justice will bring him back.

"My condolences go to the family and Tom's friends and I hope they are now able to grieve in peace."

Hummerstone and Vella will be sentenced later this month.

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Le Vell Stripped Of Celebrity Status In Court

By Mike McCarthy, North Of England Correspondent

Who is Michael Turner? For the jury it's a question that has dominated all others in his sex abuse trial where he has now been found not guilty.

The prosecution urged jurors to forget the soap star who goes by the stage name Le Vell.

The judge said they should discount the familiar face known to millions of Coronation Street followers.

It sounded straight forward but psychologist Cary Cooper said that in general we believe, initially at least, an actor's on-screen persona.

"I think when we meet celebrities we are first I think influenced by our kind of stereotype of them, by the role that they're playing, by the image they project, by the image the media project of them," he said.

"But ultimately when we actually meet them we are computing in our brain different bits of information that may disconfirm our stereotypes, our positive or even negative feelings about them.

"So, as human beings we're taking this information in. We won't be influenced by a stereotype."

The camera flashes and media scrum that accompanied the actor each day of his trial seemed to belong more to the world of Michael Le Vell.

But once inside Manchester Crown Court he was stripped of his celebrity status and stood in the dock as plain Michael Turner.

Le Vell pictured outside court

Except he was not so plain. Even by his own admission the defendant struggled with a serious drink problem twice attending Alcoholics Anonymous.

His own barrister Alisdair Williamson QC accepted that his client was "a weak and stupid man".

The jury were told that Le Vell had cheated on his wife with a series of one-night stands and even had an affair as she was going through chemotherapy - but never a child abuser, the lawyer argued.

After being confronted by the alleged victim's mother in 2011, Michael Le Vell texted a message saying:  "Make sure she knows the magnitude of her lies. This is like a life-changing thing. It could cost me my job. It's not just a schoolyard story."

The chilling allegations were outlined in detail as the girl gave evidence in the witness box.

She said: "He put one of my favourite teddies over my mouth so that I could still breathe but couldn't say anything. He said he was getting rid of all the evil and bad inside me."

The court heard that she came forward after attending a seminar by life coach Ali Campbell on how to move forward in life and shed past "baggage".

By this time the girl was a teenager but she said that the actor had been abusing her since she was six years old.

The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) decided in 2011 not to proceed with the case but changed its mind just over a year later after a review.

In the intervening period a national debate promoted by the Jimmy Savile case, which was entirely unconnected to Michael Le Vell's proceedings, led to fundamental changes in the way prosecuting authorities dealt with alleged victims of child abuse.

Criminologist and child abuse expert Mark Williams-Thomas said: "Police have had a big involvement (in the general change of procedure) looking back at some of the past cases, reconsidering whether or not they took the right evidence in the first place.

"We have seen a complete shift in the approach to victims as well - giving victims more power."

After the CPS decision not to go ahead with Michael Le Vell's case his alleged victim came forward with more evidence.

It might have been enough for the CPS to overturn its original ruling but it was not enough to convince the jury.

Michael Le Vell is now free - and wants to return to the role for which he is best known - the flawed, the imperfect but ultimately innocent Kevin Webster.

Not so far removed it seems from Michael Turner - the man who plays the part.

22.12 | 0 komentar | Read More

Bank Consults On Scrapping Paper Money

The Bank of England has launched a consultation about replacing Britain's paper banknotes with new polymer varieties.

It would be the first time in the 300-year history of official UK banknotes that they would be made of a material other than paper.

The bank also intends to make the new banknotes around 15% smaller than the current versions.

The polymer £5 note would be smaller than the current one

"Polymer banknotes are cleaner, more secure and durable than paper notes," the bank's deputy governor Charlie Bean said.

"They are also cheaper and more environmentally friendly.

"However the Bank of England would print notes on polymer only if we were persuaded that the public would continue to have confidence in, and be comfortable with, our notes."

Mark Carney oversaw the introduction of polymer notes in his native Canada

The consultation itself will last until November and the decision on whether to introduce them will be made in December.

Polymer notes have been in use in Australia for 25 years, and were recently been introduced in Canada, under the governorship of Mark Carney.

The Bank of England said it had been researching polymer banknotes for three years, but the final decision to launch the consultation was made by Mr Carney, who is now Bank of England Governor.

Polymer notes would potentially be introduced for the new £5 note, which will feature Winston Churchill, and the new £10, which will feature Jane Austen, in 2016 and 2017 respectively.

Although the polymer notes cost around 50% more to produce than existing paper notes ("a few pence each" according to chief cashier Chris Salmon) they also last longer - between two-and-a-half and six times.

Current £5 notes have a life of around two years.

The bank said it hoped the new notes, which are harder to counterfeit, would reduce banknote forgery in the UK, which is at higher levels than many other countries.

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Le Vell Rape Trial: Corrie Actor Not Guilty

Coronation Street actor Michael Le Vell has been found not guilty of child sex offences including rape at his trial in Manchester.

Mr Le Vell, 48, on trial under his real name Michael Turner, breathed out and said "thank you" as the jury's verdict was announced.

Sky's Nick Martin, who was in the courtroom, said the soap star was taken from the dock moments after the verdict, after one of his friends told security guards "get him out".

Mr Le Vell held his head up as the male foreman began giving the verdicts after around five hours of deliberations.

On the fourth count of not guilty he nodded his head in agreement with them.

His brother and sisters, who sat in the public gallery, were in tears as the verdicts were delivered.

One man shouted "Get in" when the last verdict was read out.

Surrounded by supporters outside court, Mr Le Vell said he was "delighted" and that the verdict was a "big weight off everyone's shoulders".

He added: "I might go and have a drink now."

Asked when he would return to Coronation Street, Mr Le Vell replied: "I don't know, I might have a holiday first. I'll have to go and have a chat with my boss."

A Coronation Street spokeswoman said: "We are looking forward to meeting with Michael to discuss his return to the programme."

The actor, who plays mechanic Kevin Webster in the ITV show, had denied 12 child sex abuse charges, including five of rape.

The eight female and four male jurors were told they must decide if the alleged victim was telling the truth or set out to "quite literally destroy the life" of the accused.

During the eight day trial the "demons" in Mr Le Vell's private life were laid bare - his alcoholism and womanising while his wife battled breast cancer.

The court heard of his "dark secret" that he had enjoyed a string of one-night stands behind the back of his wife of 25 years, Janette Beverley.

And he had abandoned the family home to get drunk in the pub each night.

But while Le Vell might be described as a "weak, stupid and drunk man" and a "bad husband", he was not a child rapist, the jury was told.

It was a "strange case of child rape" without any DNA evidence or injuries to the alleged victim, who claimed she had been raped and abused while a young girl, his legal team said.

Le Vell was initially arrested on September 30, 2011, but the Crown Prosecution Service decided not to proceed with the case.

But after a review of the evidence following fresh allegations by the girl, Le Vell was re-arrested and charged in February 2013.

He first joined Coronation Street in 1983 and quickly endeared himself to fans, who have followed the trials and tribulations of Kevin, from his days as Brian Tilsley's apprentice mechanic through to his stormy marriage to Sally, played by Sally Dynevor.

He did not appear in any episodes of the soap during the legal proceedings.

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Dartford Crossing Bomb Hoax: Man Detained

A 27-year-old man arrested in connection with a bomb hoax which led to the Dartford Crossing being closed and severe delays on the M25 has been detained under the Mental Health Act.

The incident led to drivers being caught in nine-mile-long tailbacks after both the QE2 Bridge and Dartford Tunnels were closed for almost seven hours during rush-hour traffic on Friday evening, while traffic was also stopped from using the A20 at Dover.

The suspect, from Bournemouth in Dorset, is alleged to have made bomb threats.

He was arrested on Saturday and has now been taken to a secure unit under the care of the Health Authority, Kent Police said.

Police said they recovered a cylindrical device with wires heavily sealed inside a bag from a coach.

Traffic was stuck in nine-mile tailbacks

It was found after the force was called at 4.03pm to a report of a male pedestrian behaving unusually. He had alighted from a coach which was Dover-bound and run to a rough area nearby, police said.

Security personnel at a nearby distribution depot detained the man and officers arrested him at 4.15pm before he was taken to a police station where he made threats as to a suspicious device on board the coach.

The vehicle, which had just gone through the toll booths, was evacuated along with the immediate surrounding area, which was extremely busy at the time.

Bomb disposal experts attended the scene and a robotic device was deployed to examine the device more closely.

Police said the detained man made further threats that there was an explosive device on another coach and officers then stopped a coach on the A20 at Dover at 6pm.

The Dartford Crossing was closed for several hours

It was evacuated and the road was closed before being reopened at around 10.45pm after no threat was found. The Dartford Crossing was reopened at around 11.45pm.

Assistant Chief Constable Rob Price said: "We were dealing with a very challenging situation, with two scenes in extremely busy areas. Our main priority was to ensure the safety of the public, our officers and our partners at the scene.

"We had received threats of a very serious nature that required regional and national co-ordination and declared this as a critical incident.

"Obviously a lot of people were caught up in long delays but this could not be avoided as we had to ensure public safety and as soon as clearance was obtained the road was immediately opened.

"We would like to thank the public for their patience ... and also thank our partners, the Explosive Ordnance Disposal Team, South East Coast Ambulance Service, the Highways Agency, Kent Fire and Rescue Service, Kent County Council and others who all worked to ensure the safety of everyone involved."

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TUC: Miliband To Press On With Reforms

Labour leader Ed Miliband is to use his speech to the TUC on Tuesday to say he is "absolutely determined" to continue reforming Labour's relationship with the unions - despite warnings that more unions will pull the plug financially.

Mr Miliband is fighting fresh Tory claims that the unions are "pulling the strings" of his party after a disciplinary process found no rules had been breached in the Scottish constituency of Falkirk where there had been allegations of candidate selection-rigging.

Would-be Falkirk MP Karie Murphy has been reinstated to the party after an internal investigation cleared both her and the Unite union of the claims.

Before the investigation, a bitter public row broke out between Unite boss Len McCluskey and Mr Miliband, who was pushed to propose radical changes to Labour's historic links with the union movement.

Mr McCluskey, who appeared on Sky News' Murnaghan programme, said he was not looking for an apology from Labour. He wants the unions and Labour to focus on jobs.

One union, the GMB, has responded by slashing its affiliation fees by more than £1m and others could follow, leaving Labour with a huge black hole in its finances.

But Mr Miliband is to tell the conference: "We need to build a party truly rooted in the lives of all the working people of Britain once more.

"That is what my reforms are about. It is the right thing to do. We have to change.

"And I am absolutely determined to make this change happen."

Labour has stressed that its Falkirk findings came after "key evidence" was withdrawn - with Falkirk MP Eric Joyce claiming people were "prevailed upon" to do so.

Senior MP Tom Watson - who quit his shadow cabinet post over the row - said Ms Murphy was owed an apology for the way she had been treated.

But a senior Labour source insisted: "There is no prospect of an apology."

Elsewhere, the conference agenda will focus on unemployment with the TUC claiming the number of jobless could be almost double the official total.

It says that, as well as the 2.5 million official jobless figure, a further 2.26 million people want a job but are not classified as unemployed.

00.35 | 0 komentar | Read More

Cops Apologise After Challenging Duke At Palace

The Duke of York has said he is "grateful" for an apology from police after officers challenged him in the Buckingham Palace gardens.

The Met confirmed he was ordered to verify his identity by two officers at around 6pm on Wednesday.

A police spokesman said: "The man was satisfactorily identified. No weapons were drawn and no force was used."

He was challenged after returning from an engagement in London's Piccadilly - at an event to support new business ventures.

The confrontation came less than 48 hours after a break-in at the palace where an intruder was able to scale a fence and get inside the building before being arrested.

A security review has been launched following Monday night's suspected burglary which happened when the Queen was not in residence.

Police said the man was found shortly before 10.30pm "in an area currently open to the public during the day" and arrested for burglary, trespass and criminal damage.

A second man was arrested outside the palace for conspiracy to commit burglary.

There was a break-in at the palace on Monday night

Both men have been bailed to return to a central London police station while enquiries continue.

Prince Andrew said in a statement: "The police have a difficult job to do balancing security for the Royal Family and deterring intruders, and sometimes they get it wrong.

"I am grateful for their apology and look forward to a safe walk in the garden in the future."

In response the Met said: "In light of media reports we can confirm that the man spoken to by officers was the Duke of York. We are making this public with HRH's permission.

"We are grateful to the Duke for his understanding and have apologised for any inconvenience caused."

The Queen made her traditional appearance at a Highland Games on Saturday as details of the break-in emerged.

She was joined by the Duke of Edinburgh and the Prince of Wales at the Braemar Gathering in Aberdeenshire, where the royal party watched pipe bands and dancers perform to a large crowd.

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

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Italy: British Couple In Drowning Tragedy

By Nick Pisa, Sky News Producer

A British man and his fiancée have drowned after getting into difficulty off the coast of Sicily.

Andrew Sturgess, 34, and Carmen Spiridon, 25, died despite the efforts of lifeguards to pull them from the sea.

Officials said the two were non swimmers but had still gone into the water, which was calm at the time. However, there are said to be strong currents in the area where they died.

The alarm was raised after a woman on the beach at Tre Fontane near Campobello in southwest Sicily saw the body of Mr Sturgess floating in the water face down.

Her screams alerted three other people on the beach who dived into the sea and pulled Mr Sturgess onto the sand. They tried to resuscitate him but it was too late.

Minutes later Ms Spiridon's body was also spotted in the water but she was also dead. A doctor at the scene confirmed the deaths.

The couple were due to fly back to their home in Stoke on Trent after spending a week in Italy at the home of Romanian-born Ms Spiridon's mother.

Mr Sturgess was a director with a hydraulic company in the town while his fiancée worked as a waitress. According to police in Italy they were engaged to be married.

Police said they were working on the theory that one of them had got into trouble and then both of them.

Captain Fabio Manzo said: "We were called to the scene by passers-by who had pulled the bodies from the water but a doctor confirmed they were both deceased and nothing could be done.

"We are investigating the circumstances of their deaths and the bodies are now in the mortuary of a local hospital. We have contacted next of kin and the British authorities as well.

"The woman's mother lived locally and they were on holiday with her for the week. I have been to see her and she is obviously very upset. She told me they were engaged and due to be married."

He added: "The water was not rough at the time but from what we have established neither was a strong swimmer and there are awkward currents in the area.

"They had been spotted playing around in the water just a few minutes beforehand. That area of coastline has a strange current and the sand is also very soft there.

"We think that perhaps one of them had got into trouble and that they had tried to save the other but sadly in the end both died.

"An initial examination of the bodies shows they both drowned and did not suffer from any cramp which resulted in them drowning."

Capt Manzo said there was difficulty identifying the couple as they had no documents, although they did recover a medicine bottle with Mr Sturgess's name on it as well as his home town printed on a label.

It was only when Ms Spiridon's mother came into the local police station to report her daughter and her fiancé missing that the connection was made.

The deaths were the third case involving Britons off the coast of Sicily this summer. Last month a 60-year-old man lost his life at Siculiana Marina on the east coast of the island.

An Foreign Office spokesperson said: "We are aware of the death of a British National in Italy. We are providing consular assistance to the family at this difficult time."

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Spain: Balcony Death Plunge Briton Named

An amateur rugby player who fell to his death from a fifth-floor hotel balcony in Spain has been named.

Alan Clare, 34, from Warrington, Cheshire, died hours after arriving for a stag party in the popular coastal resort of Benidorm.

Reports have suggested he may have been trying to climb on to the balcony through an open window after he was locked out of his room.

His body was found at the four-star Las Dalmatas Hotel near Levante Beach at around 3am on Saturday.

Known as Bundy to friends, Mr Clare played for Bank Quay Bulls rugby league club.

Friends have posted online tributes to him.

Lisa Geraghty wrote: "Absolutley amazed with whats happening for you alan ... you was so loved and its so sad its took something like this to show you what you meant to people xx."

Jill Malkin added: "RIP Gone too soon ... heaven has a gained a pure gentlemanAngel xx."

Kate Wright said: "Gone to soon 'god only takes the BEST' rip mate sadly missed xxxxxx."

Police are not treating Mr Clare's death as suspicious.

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Dartford Crossing Bomb Hoax: Man Detained

A 27-year-old man arrested in connection with a bomb hoax which led to the Dartford Crossing being closed and severe delays on the M25 has been detained under the Mental Health Act.

The incident led to drivers being caught in nine-mile-long tailbacks after both the QE2 Bridge and Dartford Tunnels were closed for almost seven hours during rush-hour traffic on Friday evening, while traffic was also stopped from using the A20 at Dover.

The suspect, from Bournemouth in Dorset, is alleged to have made bomb threats.

He was arrested on Saturday and has now been taken to a secure unit under the care of the Health Authority, Kent Police said.

Police said they recovered a cylindrical device with wires heavily sealed inside a bag from a coach.

Traffic was stuck in nine-mile tailbacks

It was found after the force was called at 4.03pm to a report of a male pedestrian behaving unusually. He had alighted from a coach which was Dover-bound and run to a rough area nearby, police said.

Security personnel at a nearby distribution depot detained the man and officers arrested him at 4.15pm before he was taken to a police station where he made threats as to a suspicious device on board the coach.

The vehicle, which had just gone through the toll booths, was evacuated along with the immediate surrounding area, which was extremely busy at the time.

Bomb disposal experts attended the scene and a robotic device was deployed to examine the device more closely.

Police said the detained man made further threats that there was an explosive device on another coach and officers then stopped a coach on the A20 at Dover at 6pm.

The Dartford Crossing was closed for several hours

It was evacuated and the road was closed before being reopened at around 10.45pm after no threat was found. The Dartford Crossing was reopened at around 11.45pm.

Assistant Chief Constable Rob Price said: "We were dealing with a very challenging situation, with two scenes in extremely busy areas. Our main priority was to ensure the safety of the public, our officers and our partners at the scene.

"We had received threats of a very serious nature that required regional and national co-ordination and declared this as a critical incident.

"Obviously a lot of people were caught up in long delays but this could not be avoided as we had to ensure public safety and as soon as clearance was obtained the road was immediately opened.

"We would like to thank the public for their patience ... and also thank our partners, the Explosive Ordnance Disposal Team, South East Coast Ambulance Service, the Highways Agency, Kent Fire and Rescue Service, Kent County Council and others who all worked to ensure the safety of everyone involved."

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Sky Poll: Drunk A&E Patients Should Be Charged

By Thomas Moore, Health Correspondent

Patients who visit A&E while drunk or under the influence of recreational drugs should pay for the treatment they receive, according to the large majority of people questioned for a Sky News poll.

More than seven in 10 of those questioned said anyone needing emergency medical care because they were intoxicated should be charged for using NHS services.

Experts say at least seven million people a year attend A&E while drunk, placing an enormous strain on health service resources.

Sky News is broadcasting from inside the Queen's Medical Centre, Nottingham

The poll commissioned for State of Emergency, Sky News' weekend of live coverage from Nottingham's Queen's Medical Centre, shows that two in three people believe A&E services are in crisis and patients are being put at risk.

The Sky News poll of 1,106 people carried out by Survation also shows that eight out of 10 believe the Government must take immediate action to avoid major issues in A&E.

And more than six in 10 blame government cuts for any staff shortages and poor levels of care.

However, three-quarters of those questioned agreed that doctors and nurses were trying their best, but were being worked too hard.

To address the A&E care crisis, almost two-thirds of those asked thought consultants should be forced to work weekends and nights, with four in 10 saying senior doctors who refuse should receive less pay.

More than nine out of 10 opposed the provision of breast enlargements and tattoo removals on the NHS.

Nearly two-thirds also believed NHS managers were paid too much.

:: A&E Live Updates: Sky News On Emergency Ward

The think tank 2020health estimates that on an average weekday up to three out of every 10 patients attending A&E are there because of alcohol, and at the weekend that goes up to seven in 10.

Chief executive Julia Manning said: "We should be sending a really strong message that this is a misuse of A&E. A&E is there for people who've had road trauma accidents (and) major health incidents.

"It's not there for people who have just been mucking around and drinking too much. So we need to think of a way of creating a disincentive for people to get drunk and go to A&E, and we think one of the ways is that people should be invoiced for that use of A&E."

Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt told Sky News that while he understood the public desire for the move, it would be a difficult measure to introduce.

"I understand why people would want that, but I think in practice it's very, very difficult to differentiate between the people who have a health problem because of a direct decision they've taken themselves, and people who are unlucky.

"I think it's also one of the fundamental things that we all love about the NHS - that in an emergency you can turn up at a hospital and get treated.

"I think the day we started differentiating and saying we're only going to treat some people, and other people are going to have to pay, I think would be a step in the wrong direction."

On Saturday, Mr Hunt warned that it would be "very, very tough" for the NHS to avoid a repeat of last winter's A&E care crisis.

In an exclusive interview with Sky News, the Health Secretary admitted to being "concerned" about the high demand for emergency care and the pressure staff are under.

Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt has warned of a repeat winter A&E crisis

In the first three months of this year 94 out of 148 hospital trusts failed to meet the target for treating 95% of patients within four hours of them arriving at A&E.

Although the pressure eased over the summer, waiting times have begun to climb once more. Some hospitals are already breaching the target, even before winter pressures kick in.

The Government has given the NHS an extra £500m to pay for short term measures over the next two years to help ease the pressure.

That could include employing more locum consultants in A&E departments and setting up GP surgeries inside hospitals.

"A lot of things are happening to give support to the front line," said Mr Hunt.

"But that's not to say we are not worried about it, because it is going to be very tough, and we understand that."

The national director for acute episodes of care for NHS England, Professor Keith Willett, told Sky News that demand for emergency care is likely to rise once again this winter.

He will shortly unveil plans to divert more A&E patients towards the care of GPs, paramedics and chemists.

But in the short term patients will have to accept they have to wait for care.

"Safety is the priority," he said.

"We will do everything we can to maximise the way patients receive their care as quickly and optimally as possible.

"But it is a pressured system and we have to work within the envelope we have and the skills and staff we have."

:: As part of the poll 1,106 adults were surveyed on September 2-3 by Survation on behalf of Sky News.

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TUC: Miliband To Press On With Reforms

Labour leader Ed Miliband is to use his speech to the TUC on Tuesday to say he is "absolutely determined" to continue reforming Labour's relationship with the unions - despite warnings that more unions will pull the plug financially.

Mr Miliband is fighting fresh Tory claims that the unions are "pulling the strings" of his party after a disciplinary process found no rules had been breached in the Scottish constituency of Falkirk where there had been allegations of candidate selection-rigging.

Would-be Falkirk MP Karie Murphy has been reinstated to the party after an internal investigation cleared both her and the Unite union of the claims.

Before the investigation, a bitter public row broke out between Unite boss Len McCluskey and Mr Miliband, who was pushed to propose radical changes to Labour's historic links with the union movement.

Mr McCluskey, who appeared on Sky News' Murnaghan programme, said he was not looking for an apology from Labour. He wants the unions and Labour to focus on jobs.

One union, the GMB, has responded by slashing its affiliation fees by more than £1m and others could follow, leaving Labour with a huge black hole in its finances.

But Mr Miliband is to tell the conference: "We need to build a party truly rooted in the lives of all the working people of Britain once more.

"That is what my reforms are about. It is the right thing to do. We have to change.

"And I am absolutely determined to make this change happen."

Labour has stressed that its Falkirk findings came after "key evidence" was withdrawn - with Falkirk MP Eric Joyce claiming people were "prevailed upon" to do so.

Senior MP Tom Watson - who quit his shadow cabinet post over the row - said Ms Murphy was owed an apology for the way she had been treated.

But a senior Labour source insisted: "There is no prospect of an apology."

Elsewhere, the conference agenda will focus on unemployment with the TUC claiming the number of jobless could be almost double the official total.

It says that, as well as the 2.5 million official jobless figure, a further 2.26 million people want a job but are not classified as unemployed.

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Spain Balcony Death Plunge Briton Named

An amateur rugby player who fell to his death from a fifth-floor hotel balcony in Spain has been named.

Alan Clare, 34, from Warrington, Cheshire, died hours after arriving for a stag party in the popular coastal resort of Benidorm.

Reports have suggested he may have been trying to climb on to the balcony through an open window after he was locked out of his room.

His body was found at the four-star Las Dalmatas Hotel near Levante Beach at around 3am on Saturday.

Known as Bundy to friends, Mr Clare played for Bank Quay Bulls rugby league club.

Friends have posted online tributes to him.

Lisa Geraghty wrote: "Absolutley amazed with whats happening for you alan ... you was so loved and its so sad its took something like this to show you what you meant to people xx."

Jill Malkin added: "RIP Gone too soon ... heaven has a gained a pure gentlemanAngel xx."

Kate Wright said: "Gone to soon 'god only takes the BEST' rip mate sadly missed xxxxxx."

Police are not treating Mr Clare's death as suspicious.

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Cops Apologise After Challenging Duke At Palace

The Duke of York has said he is "grateful" for an apology from police after officers challenged him in the Buckingham Palace gardens.

The Met confirmed he was ordered to verify his identity by two officers at around 6pm on Wednesday.

A police spokesman said: "The man was satisfactorily identified. No weapons were drawn and no force was used."

He was challenged after returning from an engagement in London's Piccadilly - at an event to support new business ventures.

The confrontation came less than 48 hours after a break-in at the palace where an intruder was able to scale a fence and get inside the building before being arrested.

A security review has been launched following Monday night's suspected burglary which happened when the Queen was not in residence.

Police said the man was found shortly before 10.30pm "in an area currently open to the public during the day" and arrested for burglary, trespass and criminal damage.

A second man was arrested outside the palace for conspiracy to commit burglary.

There was a break-in at the palace on Monday night

Both men have been bailed to return to a central London police station while enquiries continue.

Prince Andrew said in a statement: "The police have a difficult job to do balancing security for the Royal Family and deterring intruders, and sometimes they get it wrong.

"I am grateful for their apology and look forward to a safe walk in the garden in the future."

In response the Met said: "In light of media reports we can confirm that the man spoken to by officers was the Duke of York. We are making this public with HRH's permission.

"We are grateful to the Duke for his understanding and have apologised for any inconvenience caused."

The Queen made her traditional appearance at a Highland Games on Saturday as details of the break-in emerged.

She was joined by the Duke of Edinburgh and the Prince of Wales at the Braemar Gathering in Aberdeenshire, where the royal party watched pipe bands and dancers perform to a large crowd.

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

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