Row Over NHS 'Too Powerful To Criticise' Claim

The chairman of the NHS watchdog has sparked a political row after saying the health service has become "too powerful to criticise".

Care Quality Commission (CQC) boss David Prior says people have become scared of complaining about poor care.

He warned the service's perceived status as a "national religion" fuelled the problem and some areas of care were "out of control" because honesty about failings was not tolerated.

Even the most senior staff were afraid of speaking out despite millions of patients receiving a "wholly unsatisfactory" service from GPs and hospitals, Mr Prior added.

NHS watchdog boss David Prior

But Labour, which created the CQC when in government, denied the NHS is 'too powerful' to be criticised.

It is precisely the watchdog's role to identify problems and failures and ensure criticism was used to improve patient care, according to the opposition.

In an interview with The Daily Telegraph Mr Prior said of the NHS: "It became too powerful to criticise. When things were going wrong people didn't say anything. If you criticised the NHS - the attitude was how dare you?

"No organisation should be put on such a high pedestal that it is beyond criticism. Now it is getting more honest about our failings - which I think makes it more likely that we will address them."

Mr Prior said he has found a "chillingly defensive" culture where even the most "alpha male surgeons" felt frightened to speak out for fear of ending their careers.

"I had not realised that the culture in some of our hospitals was so damaged," he said. "That was an awakening."

He called for the "out of control" system of emergency care to be made a priority for reform and said it was "wholly unsatisfactory" that so many patients struggled to get an appointment with their GP.

And Mr Prior branded Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt "crazy" for telephoning round hospital chief executives who had missed A&E targets.

He said: "Of course he's doing it, because he's held accountable but what it all leads to is more money being put into A&E departments when that money should probably be put into primary and community care to stop people falling ill."

Shadow health minister Jamie Reed said: "The focus now needs to be on the winter crisis engulfing A&E. When Labour left office 98% of patients were seen within 4 hours, but the Government continues to miss its own lowered A&E target."

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Search For Woman Swept Out To Sea Called Off

A major search for a woman believed to have been swept out to sea has been called off due to appalling weather.

Coastguard rescue officers, lifeboat crews, police and a helicopter looked for the 36 year old in the Brighton beach area through the night and during first light.

But they were unable to locate her amid "very difficult and dangerous weather", said police.

Sussex officers called Solent maritime rescue centre at 2.24am saying a woman had gone into the water opposite the Digital nightclub, just west of the town's Palace Pier.

After leaving the seafront club she had walked along the beach with a man she knew and then she ran into the sea and was almost immediately swept off by a large wave, officers said.

The coastguard said both people were believed to have gone into the water and one managed to get back out while the other was taken out to sea.

The woman had been at a nightclub before she went in the water

A police spokesman said: "The man tried to grab her but was unable to drag her to safety.

"Police officers arrived within minutes and, together with club staff and her friend, approached the sea edge.

"But the woman was being washed further away and was inaccessible due to the very heavy sea conditions.

"Coastguards swiftly assisted the search by land and sea but the body has not, so far, been recovered and the immediate search has been discontinued at this time."

Solent Coastguard said: "We conducted a thorough search of the area and nothing was found. The conditions down there are appalling. It's force eight with severe gale warnings."

Police do not know why the woman, believed to be from Brighton, ran into the water and the incident was not being treated as suspicious.

Her next of kin have been contacted by family liaison officers.

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Chessington Fire: Blaze At Surrey Theme Park

The Chessington World of Adventures Resort in Surrey has been closed for the day after a fire at a restaurant near a zoo.

The theme park was not open to the public when emergency crews were alerted at 9am and no people or animals were injured, London Fire Brigade said.

It had been due to open at 10am for a "festive zoo day" according to its website, but a decision was made to shut the site.

Eight fire engines were called to the scene of the blaze at the Creaky Cafe and firefighters later managed to bring it under control.

Fire station manager Craig Carter said the blaze "affected a large part" of the restaurant.

Flames are pictured rising from the site. Pic: Kingston Police

He added: "There were a lot of flames and the area was quite smoky when we arrived."

All animals in the zoo were evacuated to a safe place, said the fire service.

The park posted a message on Twitter saying: "Due to unforeseen circumstances Chessington will be closed today.

"If you had tickets booked for today, they will be valid for another day in the future."

A company statement said: "This morning, prior to the park opening, a fire broke out in Chessington World of Adventures.

"Well-practised emergency procedures were immediately put into operation and the emergency services were called and several fire engines were on site within minutes.

Npbody was hurt in the blaze: Pic: London Fire Brigade

"The theme park and zoo were closed at the time of this incident and, therefore, no guests were involved. All staff areas were immediately evacuated and all staff and animals are safe and well."

An investigation will be carried out to discover the cause of the fire.

Surrey Police had said people should avoid the area around the park as the A243 was closed - but it was later fully re-opened to traffic.

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Lockerbie 25th Anniversary: Victims Remembered

Relatives of those killed in the Lockerbie bombing are gathering in the Scottish town for a special memorial service to mark the 25th anniversary of the atrocity.

Pan Am flight 103 was on its way from London to New York when it exploded above Lockerbie, in southern Scotland, on the evening of December 21 1988, killing 270 people - everyone on board and 11 on the ground.

Scotland's First Minister Alex Salmond and Lord Wallace, Advocate General for Scotland, are attending a service at Dryfesdale Cemetery, to be followed by a 30-minute wreath-laying ceremony.

Families and friends attend a memorial service at Dryfesdale Cemetery

Mr Salmond said: "As the community of Lockerbie marks the milestone, memorial events will be held in Westminster Abbey, Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia and at Syracuse University which lost 35 students in the bombing.

"But, inevitably, a focus of the day will be on the memorial in Lockerbie and it is there that I will pay my respects and condolences on behalf of the people of Scotland."

Later, simultaneous remembrance services in Lockerbie and Arlington National Cemetery in the US - where most of the victims were from - will get under way from 6.30pm (1.30pm EST in the US).

Relatives will read the names of the victims and hold a minute's silence at 7.03pm (2.03pm EST in the US) marking exactly a quarter of a century since the tragedy.

Westminster Abbey in London will also hold a service for the victims, from 21 countries, which will begin at 6.45pm and will include readings and a moment of silence.

British Prime Minister David Cameron described the bombing as "one of the worst aviation disasters in history and the deadliest act of terrorism" ever committed in the UK.

Eleven people were killed on the ground in Lockerbie

He said: "Though 25 years have passed, memories of the 243 passengers, 16 crew and 11 Lockerbie residents who lost their lives on that terrible night have not dimmed.

"Over the last quarter of a century much attention has been focused on the perpetrators of the atrocity. Today our thoughts turn to its victims and to those whose lives have been touched and changed by what happened at Lockerbie that night.

"To families, friends, neighbours, loved ones, and all those caught up in the painful process of recovery, let us say to them: our admiration for you is unconditional. For the fortitude and resilience you have shown. For your determination never to give up. You have shown that terrorist acts cannot crush the human spirit. That is why terrorism will never prevail.

"And even in the darkest moments of grief, it is possible to glimpse the flickering flame of hope."

Dr Jim Swire, whose daughter Flora died in the disaster, told Sky News: "Anniversaries aren't in a sense that big a deal for the families of victims because we have to live with the lovely memories of those that we lost all that time ago, every day of every year. Bereavement in itself is sometimes a life sentence."

Graham Herbert, former rector at Lockerbie Academy which lost three students in the atrocity, said the market town "has always tried to move forward".

Abdelbaset al Megrahi was the only person to be convicted of the bombing

He told Sky News: "I know today there will be a lot of closed doors. A lot of people will not go out of their houses. The memories are just too bitter, there are still open wounds there.

"There are quite a lot of American families in the town today. Each year it just comes back to them, they are not allowed to heal. They want to commemorate, they want to be here where their loved ones fell, but it's hard, it's tough."

Libyan Abdelbaset al Megrahi was found guilty of the bombing in January 2001 and given a life sentence.

He was diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2008, leading to a decision to free him under compassionate release rules.

Scotland's Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill took that decision on August 20 the following year, sparking a row among politicians on both sides of the Atlantic.

Megrahi died in Tripoli, Libya in May last year. His family is considering lodging a fresh appeal to clear his name.

British relatives of victims who believe he was wrongfully convicted of the bombing are also planning another appeal against the conviction when they meet with lawyers in the new year.

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David Coleman: Veteran Sports Broadcaster Dies

David Coleman, the veteran sports commentator and long-time Question Of Sport presenter, has died at the age of 87.

He died peacefully with his family at his bedside after a short illness.

The BBC's director general Tony Hall said: "David Coleman was one of this country's greatest and most respected broadcasters.

David Coleman - "a giant of sports broadcasting"

"Generations grew up listening to his distinctive and knowledgeable commentary. Whether presenting, commentating or offering analysis, he set the standard for all of today's sports broadcasters.

"Our thoughts are with his family and many friends."

The renowned athletics commentator worked for the corporation for almost 50 years, covering 11 summer Olympic Games, his final one in Sydney in 2000.

He also covered six football World Cups as a commentator or presenter.

Sky News Sports Editor Nick Powell described Mr Coleman as a "giant" of sports broadcasting.

He said: "A lot of sports broadcasting has been shaped by what David Coleman did all those years ago."

Barbara Slater, BBC director of sport, described him as "the master of his craft". She said: "In a BBC career that spanned over 40 years he set the standard that so many others have tried to emulate.

David Coleman, Frank Bough and Tony Gubba mark 21 years of BBC Grandstand

"His was one of broadcasting's most authoritative and identifiable voices that graced so many pinnacle sporting moments."

Former England striker and Match Of The Day presenter Gary Lineker was among those remembering Mr Coleman - whose brevity at the microphone, including his signature "one-nil" catchphrase, earned him many fans.

Mr Lineker wrote on Twitter: "Sad to hear, David Coleman has died. A giant of sports broadcasting. Brilliant, gifted, precise and concise. Much more than 'one-nil' #RIP"

The father-of-six, who lived in Alderley Edge, Cheshire, was awarded the Olympic Order in 2000. The award is the highest honour of the Olympic movement.

More follows...

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London Bus Crash: 32 Hurt As No 59 Hits Tree

Police say 32 people have been injured in a bus crash in south London, with seven in serious condition, after the bus struck a tree.

The incident occurred around 10.50am on Kennington Road, near the Imperial War Museum, while the number 59 bus was en route to King's Cross.

Police say initial witness reports suggesting the bus swerved to avoid a car are false.

Emergency officials said in a news conference this afternoon that several passengers trapped inside the bus had been freed.

Kennington Road has been closed and several bus routes redirected

A 19-year-old woman and a man were the last to be rescued after being trapped for some time, and are among those seriously injured. 

Clive Robinson, from London Fire Brigade, said workers had to cut through the body work of the bus to free several passengers. Ladders also had to be used to reach those on the top deck.

He said the top level of the bus partially collapsed in the crash and workers used hydraulic equipment to stabilise it. 

Among the injured were two police officers

Mr Robinson said: "The actual floor of the bus was starting to collapse and we had to sure that up." 

Earlier, police reported that two people were in a critical condition.

Among the injured were two police officers who were also taken to hospital - one with a suspected broken arm. 

The TfL have promised a 'thorough' investigation into the crash

Kevin Brown, of the London Ambulance Service, said the injuries range from bumps and bruises to serious limb and head injuries. 

Aerial footage from the scene showed the front of the bus, operated by Arriva, collapsed around the trunk of a tree, with fire and ambulance crews at the scene of the crash.

Transport for London said there will be a thorough investigation.

Police are still unsure what caused the crash

Mike Weston, TfL's director for buses, said: "Our first concern is, of course, for the driver, passengers and others involved in this incident.

"There will be a thorough investigation into this incident as a matter of urgency."

Police say they still do not know what caused the crash and will be viewing CCTV footage from inside the bus.

Chief Superintendent Glyn Jones said: "At this stage we don't know what's caused that collision - that is subject to an ongoing investigation." 

Kennington Road is currently closed in both directions with routes 3, 59, 159 and 360 currently on diversion. It is expected the road will remain closed for the rest of the day. 

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Christmas Sales: Stores' Weekend Of Price Cuts

Retailers are cutting prices heavily in the run-up to Christmas, hinting that the high street is still some way behind the general economy's recovery.

Marks and Spencer, Debenhams and House of Fraser were among the stores expected to slash prices by up to two-thirds during one of their busiest days of the year.

M&S said it would be cutting prices by 30% during a one-day sale on all non-food items on Saturday.

It will be the first time in five years the group has tried the tactic at its 770 British stores. In 2008, Stuart Rose, the chief executive at the time, was battling weak consumer demand during the financial crisis.

The M&S website was also advertising up to 50% off gifts and selected beauty products on Friday.

Debenhams was advertising similar price cuts in store on its website on Friday while House of Fraser was offering up to 66% off selected lines on its website

With Christmas Day falling on Wednesday and consumer confidence higher than at any time in the last few years, stores were hoping to cash in on a boom weekend for sales.

A study by PwC carried out earlier in the week found that, although the number of retailers offering discounts was down slightly, the average price cut being offered on the high street last week was 46%, compared to 44% for the same week last year.

UBS said yesterday that retailers were hitting the "panic button" by offering big discounts this weekend.

Footfall on Oxford Street this week is down almost 10% on last year.

Barclays was predicting that Friday was going to be the busiest day of the year for its cash machines.

Between noon and 1pm customers were due to withdraw £27,000 a second. Barclays estimate that consumers will spend £47bn this month.

Mark Hudson, retail consulting leader, PwC, said: "As we all get ready for that frantic last weekend of shopping before the big day - it appears that despite much more positive economic news, the level of discounting seems broadly in line with last year, proving that promotions are still a key weapon to drive footfall.

"But some retailers are still holding their nerve and will be looking to pick up on a big final weekend - and once online shopping activity is no longer a threat.

"However, expect to see further sale activity on the final two days as savvy last-minute shoppers hold out for pre-Christmas bargains."

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Adebolajo's Brother Refuses To Condemn Murder

Woolwich Murder: Killers' Timeline

Updated: 2:01pm UK, Thursday 19 December 2013

By Tom Parmenter, Sky News Correspondent

1984: Michael Olumide Akinbiyi Adebolajo is born on December 10 at King's College Hospital in Lambeth, south London. His Nigerian-born father, Anthony, a student at the time, went on to become an NHS nurse. His mother, Tina, a housewife and the niece of a university law professor in Benin, west Africa, also dedicated herself to public duty by becoming a social worker. The family lived in Eastern Avenue, Romford, and attended the local church.

1991: Michael Oluwatobi Adebowale is born on May 6, also to Nigerian parents, who split up soon after his birth. His mother Juliet Obasuyi is a probation officer and his father a member of staff at the Nigerian High Commission. Adebowale is known as "Tobi" to family and friends.

1996-2001: Adebolajo attends Marshalls Park School in Romford where he plays football, is seen as a bright student and goes on to complete his GCSEs. He then joins Havering Sixth Form College to study A-levels, including one in psychology.

2002: Adebowale, aged 11, starts at Kidbrooke School in Greenwich. He plays football too, but isn't particularly skilled. Friends say he was easily influenced and "used to follow the crowd".

2002/2003: Adebolajo converts to Islam in his first year at Greenwich University, where he is studying for a BSc in Building Surveying and takes part in first Muslim protests.

2004: He marries Rikki Thomas, who also converts to Islam.

Spring to winter 2004: Jamie Oliver and his team film episodes of Jamie's School Dinners at Kidbrooke School with dinner lady Nora Sands while Adebowale is a pupil.

2004/2005: Adebolajo switches his university course to BA Politics. His academic progress is unsatisfactory and he is not allowed to complete his course.

November 2006: Adebolajo is arrested outside the Old Bailey during a Muslim protest. He is convicted of assaulting two police officers and is sentenced to 51 days in prison.

September 2007: Brought up a Christian, a 16-year-old Adebowale converts to Islam after leaving school and joins a further education college.

January 5, 2008: Adebowale, a low-level runner who couriers drugs for the gang known as the Woolwich Boys, witnesses the murder of friend Faridon Alizada and is a witness in the subsequent court case.

December 2008: He gives evidence in the murder trial and killer Lee James is sentenced to serve a minimum of 25 years and 17 days after being found guilty of stabbing 18-year-old Faridon to death.

2009: Adebolajo speaks at a demonstration against the English Defence League and Stop Islamisation of Europe organised by Unite Against Fascism at Harrow Central Mosque. He is recorded as saying: "Don't be scared of them, do not be scared of the police or the cameras. You are here only to please Allah. You're not here for any other reason. If you are here just for a fight, please leave our ranks. We only want those who are sincere to Allah. Purify your intention."

2010: He is arrested in Kenya with five others and released to British authorities in the African country and deported. It is believed be planned to train with al Shabaab, a militant group linked to al Qaeda, according to Boniface Mwaniki, head of Kenya's anti-terrorism unit. The British Foreign Office confirm "a British national was arrested in Kenya in 2010" and given consular assistance. No charges are filed against Adebolajo, who returns to southeast London. From now on he is either unemployed or working as a fitness instructor.

August 2011: Racial tensions rise in southeast London during and after the summer riots. The Engish Defence League organises patrols of Eltham, a traditional BNP stronghold. A militant wing of the EDL organises fights with Muslims.

July/August 2012: Shopkeepers report the preachers who regularly set up outside their shops are abusing British soldiers who are stationed in Greenwich working at the London Olympics. Local police are aware of the abuse.

Early April 2013: Members of the Greenwich preaching group are detained by police after further complaints from shopkeepers. Adebowale is among them.

May 22, 2013: Adebolajo and Adebowale murder Fusilier Lee Rigby in Woolwich, southeast London. They are detained at the scene.

November 29, 2013: The two men go on trial at the Old Bailey.

December 19, 2013: After listening to nearly three weeks of harrowing evidence, jurors took just 90 minutes to find the pair guilty of murdering Fusilier Rigby. They were found not guilty of attempting to murder police officers.

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Nigella Lawson 'Disappointed' After PAs Cleared

Nigella Case 'Lifted Lid On Lavish Lifestyle'

Updated: 1:30pm UK, Friday 20 December 2013

By Ian Woods, Sky News Correspondent

When they called in the police to arrest the sisters who used to clean their home, Charles Saatchi and Nigella Lawson could never have imagined that so much of their dirty laundry would be aired in public.

To members of the public with only a passing interest in the case, it must have appeared that it was the now divorced couple who were on trial rather than their former employees.

The Grillo sisters may have been in the dock, but their trial lifted the lid on their employers' lifestyle and the disintegration of their marriage.

The court heard details of lavish spending by both the accused and the family they worked for. It was never clear exactly how much Francesca and Elisabetta Grillo were accused of spending. Estimates of around £300,000 to £700,000 were mentioned, but such was the lack of oversight of spending of household spending that nobody could be sure what was spent on behalf of family members and how much the sisters had spent on themselves.

The Grillos never disputed spending the money, though they argued that some items attributed to them were actually for members of the household. They insisted everything was authorised and known about by either Ms Lawson or Mr Saatchi.

That included numerous personal holidays to New York, Prague, Venice, Berlin and Paris. The sisters maintained they were given permission to buy themselves gifts as a reward for their hard work.

Eighteen months ago, when the levels of expenditure first came to light, Ms Lawson appeared to have all the ingredients for domestic bliss. She was the TV cook known to millions of viewers; her husband was the man who made millions of pounds from advertising and art collecting.

But a year later they were famous for something quite different - an incident in a Mayfair restaurant captured by a photographer which led to Mr Saatchi accepting a police caution, and led to Ms Lawson seeking a divorce. There were two photographs in particular which were discussed during the trial. One pictured Mr Saatchi with his hands around his wife's throat, the other showed him pinching her nose.

That incident led to Ms Lawson and her assistants dubbed Team Cupcake to move out of Mr Saatchi's home in Chelsea. It also led the Grillo sisters to bring new information to the police. They said Ms Lawson was a regular drug user, information the defence would use to try to undermine her credibility as a witness.

Ms Lawson found herself in the role of the accused. When Mr Saatchi heard about the allegations, he sent her an angry email entitled Higella.

"I can only laugh at your sorry depravity," it said. "Of course now the Grillos will get off on the basis that you … were so off your head on drugs that you allowed the sisters to spend whatever they liked and yes I believe every word the Grillos have said, who after all only stole money.

"I'm sure it was all great fun and now everything is perfect - bravo, you have become a celebrity hostess on a global TV game show. And you got the pass you desired, free to heartily enjoy all the drugs you want, forever. Classy."

During his evidence to the jury, Mr Saatchi said he was "bereft" that a private email had been made public. It entered the public domain because Ms Lawson considered it threatening and forwarded it to her lawyers. They in turn informed the Crown Prosecution Service, and it became part of the evidence in the trial. The Judge Robin Johnson took the unusual step of permitting it to be aired in the media even before a jury in the trial had been sworn in.

In court, he backtracked a little. He had believed the drug allegations but he had no proof. "Over this whole period she was writing books very successfully. I have never, never seen any evidence of Nigella taking drugs," he said.

When Ms Lawson came to court to give evidence she admitted having used cocaine and cannabis but denied she was addicted.

"If I was taking drugs to the extent you say I wouldn't be able to stand up here today," she said. "Regular cocaine users do not look like this. They are scrawny and unhealthy. If you think I would sabotage my health and leave my children orphans, you are wrong."

She said she first used cocaine while married to her terminally ill husband John Diamond in 2001, and once while depressed in 2010. She admitted more regular use of cannabis, including the fact that she smoked joints in front of her teenage children.

But she hit back at her ex-husband, accusing him of intimate terrorism. And she said she did not have a drug problem, telling the court: "I have a life problem."

"I was having a very very difficult time," she said. "I felt subjected to intimate terrorism by Mr Saatchi. I felt totally shamed isolated and in fear. A friend offered it to me and I took it. It completely spooked me."

She was furious that as a witness in the case she had no right to introduce evidence about her own reputation which had taken such a hammering.

Everyone, it seemed, had a opinion on the central characters, including the Prime Minister. His pro-Nigella comments in an interview held up proceedings and drew criticism from the judge.

We can now report that Judge Robin Johnson was asked to throw out the case because the defence argued the comments meant their clients could not get a fair trial. The judge allowed it to continue but rebuked public figures for commenting on trials which were still in progress.

There was other drama behind the scenes which could not be reported while the trial was in progress. Elisabetta Grillo, or Lisa as she was usually called, collapsed while the jury were deliberating over their verdict.

Her barrister Anthony Metzer told reporters she was not breathing. She has a history of claustrophobia and panic attacks. Paramedics were called and neither she not her sister were able to be in court when the jury were being sent home for the night.

And there were frequent terse spats between Mr Metzer and the judge, as the barrister attempted to delve deeper into the drugs issue, particularly as it related to Ms Lawson's children. Their relationship appeared to be so strained that the judge warned the jury not to take it into account when reaching their verdicts.

If Mr Saatchi had his way this would never have come to trial. He initially thought the sisters had simply been naughty. He did not want to fire them, but he did want them to pay a penance by working on a reduced salary. It was Ms Lawson who was unforgiving and insisted on calling the police.

But having heard evidence of years of household spending which went largely unchecked, the jury acquitted the sisters of fraud. It is Ms Lawson and Mr Saatchi who have paid a high price, and not just for designer clothes and luxuries. Their reputations have been scrutinised and criticised in the court of public opinion.

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Mosque Fire Bombing: Former Soldiers Jailed

By Gerard Tubb, North of England Correspondent

Two former soldiers who fire-bombed a mosque four days after the murder of Fusilier Lee Rigby have been sentenced to six years each.

Stuart Harness, 34, and Gavin Humphries, 37, made petrol bombs and threw them at the Grimsby Islamic Cultural Centre.

They accidentally filmed the whole process on CCTV cameras they thought were turned off.

The attack was staged in May as a reprisal for the murder of Fusilier Rigby, who was run over and hacked to death by Michael Adebolajo and Michael Adebowale outside Woolwich Barracks in southeast London.

The pair threw their home-made devices at the main doors of the mosque as terrified worshippers were trapped inside.

Despite being frightened by the flames coming under the door, a worshipper ran out through the blaze and put it out with a fire extinguisher.

Two community support officers who were patrolling in the area because of previous incidents at the mosque chased the pair back to Harness' house where they were arrested.

They pleaded guilty to arson after police found video of the pair making the petrol bombs in the back yard which had been captured by a camera installed by Harness.

He told officers he thought the camera had been turned off when he closed the laptop it was connected to.

Harness and Humphries, both of Dixon Avenue, Grimsby, admitted arson being reckless as to whether life was endangered.

A third man, Daniel Cressey, 25, of New Holland, North Lincolnshire, was found guilty by a jury at Grimsby Crown Court of aiding and abetting Harness and Humphries by driving them to the mosque.

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Woolwich Killer 'Abused Soldiers At Olympics'

Woolwich Murder: Killers' Timeline

Updated: 2:01pm UK, Thursday 19 December 2013

By Tom Parmenter, Sky News Correspondent

1984: Michael Olumide Akinbiyi Adebolajo is born on December 10 at King's College Hospital in Lambeth, south London. His Nigerian-born father, Anthony, a student at the time, went on to become an NHS nurse. His mother, Tina, a housewife and the niece of a university law professor in Benin, west Africa, also dedicated herself to public duty by becoming a social worker. The family lived in Eastern Avenue, Romford, and attended the local church.

1991: Michael Oluwatobi Adebowale is born on May 6, also to Nigerian parents, who split up soon after his birth. His mother Juliet Obasuyi is a probation officer and his father a member of staff at the Nigerian High Commission. Adebowale is known as "Tobi" to family and friends.

1996-2001: Adebolajo attends Marshalls Park School in Romford where he plays football, is seen as a bright student and goes on to complete his GCSEs. He then joins Havering Sixth Form College to study A-levels, including one in psychology.

2002: Adebowale, aged 11, starts at Kidbrooke School in Greenwich. He plays football too, but isn't particularly skilled. Friends say he was easily influenced and "used to follow the crowd".

2002/2003: Adebolajo converts to Islam in his first year at Greenwich University, where he is studying for a BSc in Building Surveying and takes part in first Muslim protests.

2004: He marries Rikki Thomas, who also converts to Islam.

Spring to winter 2004: Jamie Oliver and his team film episodes of Jamie's School Dinners at Kidbrooke School with dinner lady Nora Sands while Adebowale is a pupil.

2004/2005: Adebolajo switches his university course to BA Politics. His academic progress is unsatisfactory and he is not allowed to complete his course.

November 2006: Adebolajo is arrested outside the Old Bailey during a Muslim protest. He is convicted of assaulting two police officers and is sentenced to 51 days in prison.

September 2007: Brought up a Christian, a 16-year-old Adebowale converts to Islam after leaving school and joins a further education college.

January 5, 2008: Adebowale, a low-level runner who couriers drugs for the gang known as the Woolwich Boys, witnesses the murder of friend Faridon Alizada and is a witness in the subsequent court case.

December 2008: He gives evidence in the murder trial and killer Lee James is sentenced to serve a minimum of 25 years and 17 days after being found guilty of stabbing 18-year-old Faridon to death.

2009: Adebolajo speaks at a demonstration against the English Defence League and Stop Islamisation of Europe organised by Unite Against Fascism at Harrow Central Mosque. He is recorded as saying: "Don't be scared of them, do not be scared of the police or the cameras. You are here only to please Allah. You're not here for any other reason. If you are here just for a fight, please leave our ranks. We only want those who are sincere to Allah. Purify your intention."

2010: He is arrested in Kenya with five others and released to British authorities in the African country and deported. It is believed be planned to train with al Shabaab, a militant group linked to al Qaeda, according to Boniface Mwaniki, head of Kenya's anti-terrorism unit. The British Foreign Office confirm "a British national was arrested in Kenya in 2010" and given consular assistance. No charges are filed against Adebolajo, who returns to southeast London. From now on he is either unemployed or working as a fitness instructor.

August 2011: Racial tensions rise in southeast London during and after the summer riots. The Engish Defence League organises patrols of Eltham, a traditional BNP stronghold. A militant wing of the EDL organises fights with Muslims.

July/August 2012: Shopkeepers report the preachers who regularly set up outside their shops are abusing British soldiers who are stationed in Greenwich working at the London Olympics. Local police are aware of the abuse.

Early April 2013: Members of the Greenwich preaching group are detained by police after further complaints from shopkeepers. Adebowale is among them.

May 22, 2013: Adebolajo and Adebowale murder Fusilier Lee Rigby in Woolwich, southeast London. They are detained at the scene.

November 29, 2013: The two men go on trial at the Old Bailey.

December 19, 2013: After listening to nearly three weeks of harrowing evidence, jurors took just 90 minutes to find the pair guilty of murdering Fusilier Rigby. They were found not guilty of attempting to murder police officers.

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Rigby Killers Tried To Buy Gangster's Bullets

Woolwich Murder: Killers' Timeline

Updated: 2:01pm UK, Thursday 19 December 2013

By Tom Parmenter, Sky News Correspondent

1984: Michael Olumide Akinbiyi Adebolajo is born on December 10 at King's College Hospital in Lambeth, south London. His Nigerian-born father, Anthony, a student at the time, went on to become an NHS nurse. His mother, Tina, a housewife and the niece of a university law professor in Benin, west Africa, also dedicated herself to public duty by becoming a social worker. The family lived in Eastern Avenue, Romford, and attended the local church.

1991: Michael Oluwatobi Adebowale is born on May 6, also to Nigerian parents, who split up soon after his birth. His mother Juliet Obasuyi is a probation officer and his father a member of staff at the Nigerian High Commission. Adebowale is known as "Tobi" to family and friends.

1996-2001: Adebolajo attends Marshalls Park School in Romford where he plays football, is seen as a bright student and goes on to complete his GCSEs. He then joins Havering Sixth Form College to study A-levels, including one in psychology.

2002: Adebowale, aged 11, starts at Kidbrooke School in Greenwich. He plays football too, but isn't particularly skilled. Friends say he was easily influenced and "used to follow the crowd".

2002/2003: Adebolajo converts to Islam in his first year at Greenwich University, where he is studying for a BSc in Building Surveying and takes part in first Muslim protests.

2004: He marries Rikki Thomas, who also converts to Islam.

Spring to winter 2004: Jamie Oliver and his team film episodes of Jamie's School Dinners at Kidbrooke School with dinner lady Nora Sands while Adebowale is a pupil.

2004/2005: Adebolajo switches his university course to BA Politics. His academic progress is unsatisfactory and he is not allowed to complete his course.

November 2006: Adebolajo is arrested outside the Old Bailey during a Muslim protest. He is convicted of assaulting two police officers and is sentenced to 51 days in prison.

September 2007: Brought up a Christian, a 16-year-old Adebowale converts to Islam after leaving school and joins a further education college.

January 5, 2008: Adebowale, a low-level runner who couriers drugs for the gang known as the Woolwich Boys, witnesses the murder of friend Faridon Alizada and is a witness in the subsequent court case.

December 2008: He gives evidence in the murder trial and killer Lee James is sentenced to serve a minimum of 25 years and 17 days after being found guilty of stabbing 18-year-old Faridon to death.

2009: Adebolajo speaks at a demonstration against the English Defence League and Stop Islamisation of Europe organised by Unite Against Fascism at Harrow Central Mosque. He is recorded as saying: "Don't be scared of them, do not be scared of the police or the cameras. You are here only to please Allah. You're not here for any other reason. If you are here just for a fight, please leave our ranks. We only want those who are sincere to Allah. Purify your intention."

2010: He is arrested in Kenya with five others and released to British authorities in the African country and deported. It is believed be planned to train with al Shabaab, a militant group linked to al Qaeda, according to Boniface Mwaniki, head of Kenya's anti-terrorism unit. The British Foreign Office confirm "a British national was arrested in Kenya in 2010" and given consular assistance. No charges are filed against Adebolajo, who returns to southeast London. From now on he is either unemployed or working as a fitness instructor.

August 2011: Racial tensions rise in southeast London during and after the summer riots. The Engish Defence League organises patrols of Eltham, a traditional BNP stronghold. A militant wing of the EDL organises fights with Muslims.

July/August 2012: Shopkeepers report the preachers who regularly set up outside their shops are abusing British soldiers who are stationed in Greenwich working at the London Olympics. Local police are aware of the abuse.

Early April 2013: Members of the Greenwich preaching group are detained by police after further complaints from shopkeepers. Adebowale is among them.

May 22, 2013: Adebolajo and Adebowale murder Fusilier Lee Rigby in Woolwich, southeast London. They are detained at the scene.

November 29, 2013: The two men go on trial at the Old Bailey.

December 19, 2013: After listening to nearly three weeks of harrowing evidence, jurors took just 90 minutes to find the pair guilty of murdering Fusilier Rigby. They were found not guilty of attempting to murder police officers.

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Woman Killed As High Winds Hit UK And Ireland

Further strong winds are expected to batter the UK today after two people died in gale force conditions.

The Met Office has an amber warning - its second-highest level - for Northern Ireland and parts of western Scotland, where gusts of up to 90mph are expected.

Wind warnings are in place across much of the Republic of Ireland, with Donegal, Galway, Leitrim, Mayo and Sligo, as well as Munster, Leinster, Cavan and Monaghan, all braced for winds of up to 70mph.

As much as 20cm of snow could fall in Scotland, while icy roads may create treacherous driving conditions in Wales and across much of eastern England.

The League Cup game at Stoke was halted by a hail storm

It comes after storms caused by an Atlantic depression left two people dead and thousands of people without power.

A 23-year-old woman was killed in Ireland when a tree fell onto her car near Mullingar, County Westmeath.

Paramedics cut her free from the wreckage of the vehicle but she died from her injuries.

In Warwickshire, a man suffered head and chest injuries when a tree hit his car on the A45 between Stretton-on-Dunsmore and Rugby.

Flood warnings have been issued across the UK

A 19-year-old passenger in the car also suffered facial injuries.

Meanwhile, coastguards and an RAF helicopter were forced to call off a search after a man fell overboard from a cargo ship on the River Trent in Lincolnshire.

The 45-year-old, who was not thought to have been wearing a life jacket, became entangled in ropes, according to a coastguard spokesman.

The winds knocked out power to around 7,000 homes and businesses in Northern Ireland, with another 3,500 affected in northwest England and 900 in south Wales, although most people have now been reconnected.

The gales also caused widespread damage to overhead power and train lines.

The Environment Agency issued 29 flood warnings and 114 flood alerts, mostly in the west of the UK.

In Ireland, the strong winds ripped off part of the roof of Kent railway station in Cork, leaving one passenger with minor injuries.

The roof of Kent railway station in Cork collapsed in the high winds

The roof of a hotel was blown off in Moota, Cumbria, forcing police to close the A595.

Sheffield Wednesday's Championship game against Wigan had to be abandoned in the second half because of a waterlogged pitch and Manchester United's game against Stoke was temporarily halted by a hail storm.

:: Watch Sky News live on television, on Sky channel 501, Virgin Media channel 602, Freeview channel 82 and Freesat channel 202.

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Woolwich Killers 'Were No Immediate Threat'

Lee Rigby Murder Trial: Guilty Verdicts

Updated: 2:49pm UK, Thursday 19 December 2013

By Mark White, Home Affairs Correspondent

An Old Bailey jury has convicted two young London men of the brutal murder of fusilier Lee Rigby.

It took the jury of eight women and four men about 90 minutes to return guilty verdicts on Michael Adebolajo, 28, and Michael Adebowale, 22.

The pair were found not guilty of attempting to murder police officers at the scene of the killing on May 22.  

Adebolajo glared at journalists as he was led to the prison cells and kissed his copy of the Koran. Adebowale did not react to the verdicts.

Mr Rigby's family and loved ones reached out to support each other, some of them in tears after the verdicts were delivered.

Relatives later sobbed on the court steps as a statement was read by Detective Inspector Pete Sparks on their behalf.

The statement read: "No one should have to go through what we have been through as a family.

"We are satisfied that justice has been done, but unfortunately no amount of justice will bring Lee back.

"These people have taken him away from us forever but his memory lives on in all of us and we will never forget him.

"We are very proud of Lee, who served his country, and we will now focus on building a future for his son Jack, making him as proud of Lee as we all are. Lee will be sorely missed by his siblings, nieces, nephew and all of those who loved him.

"We now ask that we are left alone to grieve through our loss."

The men will not be sentenced until January.

Speaking to reporters in Brussels after the verdict, David Cameron said: "We have to redouble our efforts to confront the poisonous narrative of extremism and violence that lay behind this and make sure we do everything to beat it in our country."

Home Secretary Theresa May said: "The sickening and barbaric murder of Drummer Lee Rigby united the entire nation in condemnation and I welcome the jury's decision.

"Violence and extremism of any kind have absolutely no place in our society and cannot be justified."

Farooq Murad, secretary general of the Muslim Council of Britain, said: "The murder of Drummer Lee Rigby was truly a barbaric act.

"Muslim communities then, as now, were united in their condemnation of this crime.

"This was a dishonourable act and no cause justifies cold-blooded murder."

Speaking outside the court building, Assistant Commissioner Cressida Dick, who leads Scotland Yard's counter-terrorism teams, said: "This horrific attack and murder which took place in broad daylight on the streets of London shocked the whole country.

"It was intended to divide our communities, it has had largely the opposite effect and in fact brought people together."

A member of the public shouted "hang them" as Ms Dick addressed television cameras and waiting journalists.

The murder of the off-duty soldier both horrified and united the nation, as politicians, faith leaders and members of the community in south east London came together to condemn the killing.

The 25-year-old drummer with the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers was singled out by his attackers because he was a soldier.

Adebolajo, the only defendant who gave evidence, admitted killing the young serviceman, but claimed his actions were justified as part of a war against the British military and British government for wars waged by the UK in Muslim countries.  

During the trial, he was asked directly for his defence to the charge of murder.

Adebolajo told the jury: "I am a soldier. I am a soldier of Allah and I understand that some people might not recognise this because we do not wear fatigues and we don't go to the Brecon Beacons to train. But we are still soldiers."

He told the court he considered al Qaeda to be "mujahideen".

He said: "I love them, they're my brothers. I have never met them. I consider them my brothers in Islam."

Both Adebolajo and Adebowale had been known to the police and security services because of their extremist beliefs, but they had not been considered a significant or immediate threat.

Parliament's Intelligence and Security Committee is examining whether any opportunities to prevent Mr Rigby's murder might have been missed by the authorities.

Scotland Yard's head of Specialist Operations, Assistant Commissioner Cressida Dick, told Sky News the Met was fully co-operating with the inquiry.

"If we had known, if we had information that told us that these people were likely to commit this attack, or if somebody had said this was about to happen, of course we would have done everything we could to try to prevent it from happening.

"The profile of these two young men is not unique, sadly. And we will do our level best to try to find out about such people and to try to find out what they may intend. But we can't reduce the risks to zero," she said.

Lee Rigby's mother, widow and other family members sat through each day of the three week long trial, listening to often very harrowing evidence and viewing graphic video of the events outside Woolwich barracks.

At times, the evidence was just too much for the family to bear and they left court in tears on several occasions.

It was also a very difficult trial for the jury to sit through.

On occasions, some were visibly distressed as they watched CCTV footage taken at the time of the attack and listened to testimony from some of the eyewitnesses.

Witness Cheralee Armstrong said in a statement that there was "pure evil" in one of the knifemen's eyes, and that she thought she would die.

At first she thought they were trying to help the soldier after a road accident, but then saw that they were stabbing and hacking at him.

"It was like they were mutilating the person's body. It seemed like they were trying to remove his organs from his torso," she said.

When she shouted at the attackers to stop, she described one of them looking at her.

"The man in the hat (Adebolajo) stared at me, his expression was blank. Pure evil, and his eyes were bulging," she said.

He then pointed a gun towards her and James Henegan, who was driving her in his Citroen C3.

Mr Henegan wept in court as he described the moment he left his car and saw one of the men withdraw the gun from what looked like a "carrier bag".

"I thought he was going to shoot …fire a gun at us," he said.

The jury was told how Mr Rigby's killers refused to leave the scene after the murder, as they waited for police to arrive.

Those police officers were to have been their next victims, the prosecution claimed.

Dramatic CCTV and other video of the moments an armed response vehicle arrived outside the barracks were played to the jury.

There were gasps from the court as the footage showed the two men running towards the police vehicle and then being shot.

One of the officers - identified only as D49 - said she "instantly" thought she would die when Adebolajo ran towards her car.

She claimed he had a meat cleaver or machete and was "shouting something", adding that his eyes "were so wide" she could "see the whites of them".

Adebolajo claimed both men had wanted the police to kill them, to make them martyrs.

They did not get that wish, as both have since made a full recovery.

Nor did the jury believe their justification for killing Lee Rigby.

They ruled that death of the young fusilier was murder, pure and simple.

:: Watch Sky News live on television, on Sky channel 501, Virgin Media channel 602, Freeview channel 82 and Freesat channel 202.

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Lee Rigby Murder Trial: Guilty Verdicts

By Mark White, Home Affairs Correspondent

An Old Bailey jury has convicted two young London men of the brutal murder of fusilier Lee Rigby.

It took the jury of eight women and four men about 90 minutes to return guilty verdicts on Michael Adebolajo, 28, and Michael Adebowale, 22.

The pair were found not guilty of attempting to murder police officers at the scene of the killing on May 22.  

Members of Lee Rigby's family outside the Old Bailey after the verdicts

Adebolajo glared at journalists as he was led to the prison cells and kissed his copy of the Koran. Adebowale did not react to the verdicts.

Mr Rigby's family and loved ones reached out to support each other, some of them in tears after the verdicts were delivered.

Relatives later sobbed on the court steps as a statement was read by Detective Inspector Pete Sparks on their behalf.

Lee Rigby's widow, Rebecca Rigby reacts to the family statement

The statement read: "No one should have to go through what we have been through as a family.

"We are satisfied that justice has been done, but unfortunately no amount of justice will bring Lee back.

"These people have taken him away from us forever but his memory lives on in all of us and we will never forget him.

"We are very proud of Lee, who served his country, and we will now focus on building a future for his son Jack, making him as proud of Lee as we all are. Lee will be sorely missed by his siblings, nieces, nephew and all of those who loved him.

"We now ask that we are left alone to grieve through our loss."

The men will not be sentenced until January.

Speaking to reporters in Brussels after the verdict, David Cameron said: "We have to redouble our efforts to confront the poisonous narrative of extremism and violence that lay behind this and make sure we do everything to beat it in our country."

Home Secretary Theresa May said: "The sickening and barbaric murder of Drummer Lee Rigby united the entire nation in condemnation and I welcome the jury's decision.

Lee Rigby's sister Sarah McClure and fiancee Aimee West

"Violence and extremism of any kind have absolutely no place in our society and cannot be justified."

Farooq Murad, secretary general of the Muslim Council of Britain, said: "The murder of Drummer Lee Rigby was truly a barbaric act.

"Muslim communities then, as now, were united in their condemnation of this crime.

"This was a dishonourable act and no cause justifies cold-blooded murder."

The defendants pictured after the killing - one carrying a machete

Speaking outside the court building, Assistant Commissioner Cressida Dick, who leads Scotland Yard's counter-terrorism teams, said: "This horrific attack and murder which took place in broad daylight on the streets of London shocked the whole country.

"It was intended to divide our communities, it has had largely the opposite effect and in fact brought people together."

A member of the public shouted "hang them" as Ms Dick addressed television cameras and waiting journalists.

The murder of the off-duty soldier both horrified and united the nation, as politicians, faith leaders and members of the community in south east London came together to condemn the killing.

Lee Rigby and his killers

The 25-year-old drummer with the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers was singled out by his attackers because he was a soldier.

Adebolajo, the only defendant who gave evidence, admitted killing the young serviceman, but claimed his actions were justified as part of a war against the British military and British government for wars waged by the UK in Muslim countries.  

During the trial, he was asked directly for his defence to the charge of murder.

Adebolajo told the jury: "I am a soldier. I am a soldier of Allah and I understand that some people might not recognise this because we do not wear fatigues and we don't go to the Brecon Beacons to train. But we are still soldiers."

He told the court he considered al Qaeda to be "mujahideen".

He said: "I love them, they're my brothers. I have never met them. I consider them my brothers in Islam."

One of the weapons used in the murder

Both Adebolajo and Adebowale had been known to the police and security services because of their extremist beliefs, but they had not been considered a significant or immediate threat.

Parliament's Intelligence and Security Committee is examining whether any opportunities to prevent Mr Rigby's murder might have been missed by the authorities.

Scotland Yard's head of Specialist Operations, Assistant Commissioner Cressida Dick, told Sky News the Met was fully co-operating with the inquiry.

"If we had known, if we had information that told us that these people were likely to commit this attack, or if somebody had said this was about to happen, of course we would have done everything we could to try to prevent it from happening.

Adebolajo runs towards police officers after attacking Mr Rigby

"The profile of these two young men is not unique, sadly. And we will do our level best to try to find out about such people and to try to find out what they may intend. But we can't reduce the risks to zero," she said.

Lee Rigby's mother, widow and other family members sat through each day of the three week long trial, listening to often very harrowing evidence and viewing graphic video of the events outside Woolwich barracks.

At times, the evidence was just too much for the family to bear and they left court in tears on several occasions.

It was also a very difficult trial for the jury to sit through.

The car driven at Lee Rigby by his murderers

On occasions, some were visibly distressed as they watched CCTV footage taken at the time of the attack and listened to testimony from some of the eyewitnesses.

Witness Cheralee Armstrong said in a statement that there was "pure evil" in one of the knifemen's eyes, and that she thought she would die.

At first she thought they were trying to help the soldier after a road accident, but then saw that they were stabbing and hacking at him.

"It was like they were mutilating the person's body. It seemed like they were trying to remove his organs from his torso," she said.

When she shouted at the attackers to stop, she described one of them looking at her.

Police released this image of a gun carried by the attackers

"The man in the hat (Adebolajo) stared at me, his expression was blank. Pure evil, and his eyes were bulging," she said.

He then pointed a gun towards her and James Henegan, who was driving her in his Citroen C3.

Mr Henegan wept in court as he described the moment he left his car and saw one of the men withdraw the gun from what looked like a "carrier bag".

"I thought he was going to shoot …fire a gun at us," he said.

The jury was told how Mr Rigby's killers refused to leave the scene after the murder, as they waited for police to arrive.

Lee Rigby on the day of the murder

Those police officers were to have been their next victims, the prosecution claimed.

Dramatic CCTV and other video of the moments an armed response vehicle arrived outside the barracks were played to the jury.

There were gasps from the court as the footage showed the two men running towards the police vehicle and then being shot.

One of the officers - identified only as D49 - said she "instantly" thought she would die when Adebolajo ran towards her car.

A letter written by one of the defendants to family

She claimed he had a meat cleaver or machete and was "shouting something", adding that his eyes "were so wide" she could "see the whites of them".

Adebolajo claimed both men had wanted the police to kill them, to make them martyrs.

They did not get that wish, as both have since made a full recovery.

Nor did the jury believe their justification for killing Lee Rigby.

They ruled that death of the young fusilier was murder, pure and simple.

:: Watch Sky News live on television, on Sky channel 501, Virgin Media channel 602, Freeview channel 82 and Freesat channel 202.

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Jayden Parkinson: Police Searching Graveyard

Police looking for missing teenager Jayden Parkinson are focusing their investigation on a churchyard grave.

Thames Valley Police said the search for Jayden had led officers to the grounds of All Saints' Church in Didcot, Oxfordshire.

The 17-year-old girl disappeared on December 3 after she was last seen leaving the town's railway station at about 4.30pm.

Officers are acting on a tip-off and have been in contact with the family of the person buried in the grave.

Detective Chief Superintendent Andy Murray said: "[On Tuesday afternoon] we received some significant and highly relevant information which leads us to concentrate our search efforts in the Great Western Cemetery.

"We're in the process of securing this grave and would like to emphasise that the family connected with this grave have been informed.

Jayden disappeared on December 3

"We will be here throughout the night and for a number of days. A tent has been erected which covers more than the specific grave we are focusing on.

"The families of those in the graves nearby will be contacted by us and reassured that there will be no disturbance to these graves."

Jayden's former boyfriend, 22-year-old Ben Blakeley, of Reading, has appeared at Oxford Crown Court charged with her murder and perverting the course of justice.

A 17-year-old, who cannot be named for legal reasons, also appeared before Oxford magistrates charged with perverting the course of justice between December 3 and December 10 by allegedly assisting in the disposal of Jayden's body and other evidence.

More than 100 uniformed officers and detectives have been working on the case, backed up by specialists from the National Crime Agency.

Mr Murray said there was "no indication" that Jayden was alive, and appealed to the public to get in touch if they remembered seeing the teenager "on her own, or in the company of anybody".

Police have searched farmland, woodland and derelict buildings

He also repeated an appeal for any information about a man seen struggling with a suitcase just outside the village of Upton, near Didcot, in south Oxfordshire, at about 2am, on December 9.

The same man was later then seen with the same suitcase in the Lydalls Road area of Didcot - where All Saints' is located - at about 3.30am.

Detectives have since recovered several suitcases, one of which "may well be significant", Mr Murray said.

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Plastic Notes Issued In UK From 2016

Plastic banknotes are to be issued for the first time when the new £5 featuring Sir Winston Churchill appears in 2016.

A £10 note featuring Jane Austen to follow around a year later will also be made from polymer rather than the cotton paper currently used, the Bank of England said.

It follows a three-year research programme that concluded plastic notes stay cleaner for longer, are more difficult to counterfeit and are at least 2.5 times longer-lasting.

A public consultation, giving people the chance to handle the notes, found 87% of 13,000 individuals who responded were in favour of polymer.

Bank governor Mark Carney said: "Ensuring trust and confidence in money is at the heart of what central banks do. Polymer notes are the next step in the evolution of bank note design to meet that objective.

"The quality of polymer notes is higher, they are more secure from counterfeiting, and they can be produced at a lower cost to the taxpayer and the environment."

The new notes will stay cleaner and last longer than cotton paper

The new notes will retain their familiar look, the Bank said, including the portrait of the Queen and a historical character.

A contract is expected to be signed with Innovia Security to supply polymer material, which would see Innovia establish a polymer production plant in Wigton, Cumbria.

The Bank acknowledged when it launched its consultation in September that plastic banknotes were more expensive to produce.

But it argued that because they are longer-lasting they should prove cheaper in the long run.

It also says that, being thin and flexible, they can fit into wallets as easily as paper banknotes.

The Bank said the new notes would be slightly smaller than existing paper notes, but the practice of note size increasing with denomination will be maintained.

More than 25 countries issue polymer banknotes, including Australia - which began printing them in 1988 - as well as New Zealand, Mexico, Singapore, Canada, and most recently Fiji and Mauritius.

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Grandmother Murder: Man Jailed For Life

A drug addict who murdered his grandmother by stabbing her 50 times in her bed has been sentenced to life in prison.

Police said Louisa Denby was subjected to a "brutal and frenzied attack" at the hands of grandson Nathaniel Flynn, who has never explained why he killed her.

The most likely explanation for why he stabbed the 84-year-old retired teacher to death was that "she got on his nerves", a court heard.

Flynn, who later tried to kill a nine-year-old boy, was told by Mr Justice Keith that he must serve a minimum of 24 years in prison.

The 27-year-old admitted killing Ms Denby at their home in Prospect Mount, Shipley, West Yorkshire, in July, and stabbing Jason D'Arcy in nearby Carnegie skate park later the same day.

Louisa Denby was found murdered at her home in Shipley

Bradford Crown Court heard that Jason suffered a shallow wound to his chest and a much more serious injury to his arm as he tried to defend himself.

Detectives said it was "only through sheer luck that he wasn't murdered".

The child ran home after he was stabbed twice and received first aid from his father Lee D'Arcy, who struggled to call an ambulance because there was so much blood.

The schoolboy later told police: "He went for my heart."

Flynn then tried to entice eight-year-old  Ellie Palomar from her garden where she was playing and later assaulted a 59-year-old man outside his home.

Three psychiatrists found that Flynn had no diagnosable mental illness, but said he had been influenced by his heavy, "entrenched" use of cannabis and other drugs.

A police officer at the skate park where Jason D'Arcy was attacked

He was due to go on trial earlier this month but pleaded guilty to charges of murder and attempted murder.

Flynn ordered an SAS survival guide, two knives, tarpaulin and rope from the internet in the days before he killed his grandmother.

Police believe one of the knives was used in the attacks, although the weapon has never been recovered.

The court heard that Flynn was still wearing pyjamas when he walked into Ms Denby's bedroom on the morning of July 1.

He later told a psychiatrist that he thought his grandmother was "deteriorating" and wanted to end it for her, despite there being no evidence from anyone else in the family that Ms Denby had any problems.

The judge heard that he told the doctor: "I got her a cup of tea and said 'I love you' and then I attacked her."

Ms Denby's family said afterwards her "horrific" death had had "a devastating effect" on them.

Detective Chief Inspector Nick Wallen, of West Yorkshire Police, said: "The attack on Louisa was brutal and frenzied and we can only imagine the impact of Flynn's actions upon her family who continue to suffer from the consequences of her loss to this day. Louisa was a lovely lady and our thoughts remain with her family at this time."

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Syria: Family Of Dead UK Doctor Want Answers

By Joe Tidy, Sky News Reporter

The family of a British doctor who died while in custody in Syria are meeting Foreign Office representatives to demand answers on how he died.

Dr Abbas Khan, 32, had been imprisoned for more than a year after travelling to Aleppo to treat injured civilians.

He was about to be released when the Syrian regime announced he was dead. It claims he killed himself.

He leaves behind a wife and two children who were preparing to have him home for Christmas.

Speaking to Sky News, Dr Shahnawaz Khan said the family was desperately trying to get  Dr Khan's body repatriated so that a post-mortem examination can be carried out.

Dr Khan's brother says the family now wants his body back home

Dr Khan explained why his family was critical of the Foreign Office for what he saw as its failure to take action.

He said: "We as a family, having found a situation where he was in detention, managed to lobby high-up members in the Syrian government ... we then managed to come home and lobby members of our own Government - without any support whatsoever from the Foreign Office - to give us assistance in travelling to Damascus, meet with President Assad and bring my brother home.

"The Foreign Office put up a 'closed shop' placard, placated us throughout and, to an extent, their lack of action - or inaction - over the past 13 months has contributed to the outcome that we're unfortunately faced with.

"The least the Foreign Office can do now is help us get his body back to England as quickly as possible, with as little pain as possible."

Dr Khan went to Syria to help the injured

Foreign Office minister Hugh Robertson said: "There is no excuse whatsoever for the treatment that he has suffered by the Syrian authorities who have in effect murdered a British national who was in their country to help people injured during their civil war."

A spokesman for David Cameron said: "We have raised this case with the Syrian regime. The central point in this is that the responsibility for the death lies with the Syrian regime. This is further evidence of the brutality of the Syrian regime." 

Professor Tim Briggs, a senior surgeon at The Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital in Stanmore, London, who trained Mr Khan as an orthopaedic surgeon before he left for Syria, said: "He was very pleasant, hard working, and always wanted to do his best for patients.

Mr Khan worked in Stanmore until shortly before he went to Syria

"There is no doubt that he was committed to a career in orthopaedics. The reason he went out to the Middle East was to help others. As far as I know he wasn't involved in politics.

"We are all devastated. That a young doctor can be treated like this and that he was put in prison is a travesty."

Syrian authorities said Mr Khan had been detained for "unauthorised activities", the official Sana news agency said, adding that he had hanged himself.

"British citizen Abbas Khan entered Syrian territory illegally and undertook unauthorised activities... the cause of death being asphyxia caused by hanging," a statement said.

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Ian Watkins Gets 35 Years For Sex Offences

Lostprophets singer Ian Watkins has been sentenced to 35 years in jail for 13 sex offences, including the attempted rape of a baby.

Watkins shook uncontrollably as he was handed down the sentence at Cardiff Crown Court, and it was greeted by shouts of "yes" from the public gallery. 

Two female co-defendants, aged 21 and 25, were also sentenced for various sex offences, with 'Mother A' given 14 years in jail and 'Mother B' given 17 years. They cannot be named for legal reasons.

Justice Royce QC told Watkins and the two co-defendants, "what you three did plumbs new depths of depravity". 

He said the singer had a "dark and sinister side" and the gravity of his offences "breaks new ground".

"You had many fawning fans. That gave you power. You knew you could use that power to induce young female fans to have help satisfy your insatiable lust and take part in the sexual abuse of their own children," he said. 

Watkins with his former bandmates

"Away from the highlights of your public performances lay a dark and sinister side."

Earlier, he said Watkins had a "high risk of causing emotional and sexual harm to children and to women". 

Detective Chief Inspector Peter Doyle, who is heading up a hunt for potential further victims, described Watkins as a "committed, organised paedophile".

"My view of him as an individual is that he has shown no empathy, no sympathy or any remorse for what he has done.

"It's as if he just doesn't care. He has shown no remorse at any time. In my view, that potentially makes him the most dangerous sex offender I have ever seen."

Mr Doyle said Watkins committed the worst kind of offending and specifically targeted babies. 

"Offending against children does not get any worse. We are not talking about children of any age here, we are talking about babies. I don't know what he is not capable of."

He added: "I think that it is likely that there will be further matters put to him, and others, in due course."

More to follow...

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Robert Hind: Missing Paedophile Murder Charge

A man has been charged with murdering a paedophile who has been missing for almost a week.

Detectives looking for Robert Hind, who was reported missing on December 11, are examining human remains found in Huddersfield on Monday.

David Mitchell, 46, from Cowlersley, Huddersfield, has been charged with murder by West Yorkshire Police and is due to appear before Huddersfield Magistrates' Court on Tuesday.

The remains were found in the area of the River Colne, near Colne Vale Road in Milnsbridge.

West Yorkshire Police said an underwater search team, dogs, and specialised search officers are continuing to investigate the scene.

Superintendent Scott Wood said: "A post-mortem examination of the suspected human remains recovered from the Colne Vale area of Huddersfield will take place shortly and a formal identification will follow.

"I am continuing to appeal for anyone who can assist in our investigations and the movements of Robert Hind between 9.20am on Wednesday December 11 2013 and Saturday December 14 2013."

Hind, also known as Dack, was reported missing at 9.30pm on December 11 and West Yorkshire Police issued an appeal at the end of last week to find him.

Detectives said he was a known sex offender who had a range of offending history and presented a risk to the public, particularly children.

They said he had been recalled to prison, having breached the terms of his licence.

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Belfast: Bomber Catches Fire In Failed Attack

A suspected fire-bomber suffered burns to his face, neck and hands while trying to detonate a device in a Belfast city centre store, according to police.

The man's clothes caught fire and he fled from the store through crowds of shoppers and tried to beat out the flames.

It is believed the incendiary bomb went off prematurely underneath his anorak-style jacket, at around 6:40pm on Monday.

More than a dozen people were inside the pop-up golf store, Golf Madness, in the Cornmarket area when the incident happened.

Only the man, believed to be in his 40s, was injured.

"We believe this man may require treatment for burn injuries, to neck, face and hands," said Chief Superintendent Alan McCrum.

It is the latest in a series of attacks in Belfast in the run-up to Christmas and security has been increased due to the heightened threat.

"Police are doing everything to protect Belfast and other places to enable people to go about their business peacefully," said Mr McCrum.

Dissident republicans are believed to be responsible for the recent attacks.

Last Friday, a bomb was placed in a holdall in the Cathedral Quarter, forcing the evacuation of more than 1000 people in the area.

However, only the detonators went off and no one was injured.

In November, a bomb partially exploded in an underground car park at the Victoria Centre, Belfast's largest shopping centre.

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Top 10 Most Complained About Shows Of 2013

Broadcasting watchdog Ofcom has revealed the year's most complained about shows, with Big Brother topping the list.

The Channel 5 reality show received 965 complaints, over 200 more than any other show, to win the dubious honour for a second year running.

A majority of the complaints centred on comments by housemate Jemima Slade and her preferences on men.

On the show she revealed her inclination towards "dark-skinned Mediterranean" men, but "not black men". The comments received 305 complaints, according to Ofcom.

Viewers also complained about housemates bullying Hazel O'Sullivan as well as arguments between Ms O'Sullivan and Daley Ojuederie, another contestant on the show.

The X Factor was the second most complained about show, generating 734 complaints.

Around 317 viewers were concerned about an episode in which US pop star Lady Gaga performed in a skimpy outfit made of shells and flesh-coloured underwear.

Despite the number of complaints, Ofcom said there were no grounds to investigate against the Broadcasting Code.

ITV News came in third, with 574 complaints, many relating to coverage of the killing of Fusilier Lee Rigby on May 22.

Ofcom said an investigation into the news item would be published following the conclusion of criminal proceedings.

The single most complained about TV incident in 2013 related to the BBC's Comic Relief: Funny For Money, broadcast on March 15, in which Rowan Atkinson played the Archbishop of Canterbury.

A total of 487 people complained about the programme, with many citing the actor's portrayal as offensive.

Ofcom ruled that both the use of language and the offence caused by the subject matter explored during the comedy sketch were justified by the context.

The BBC News, Emmerdale, Downton Abbey and Coronation Street were also among the top 10 most complained about shows.

:: The most complained about TV shows of 2013, to December 12

1. Big Brother: 965 complaints

2. The X Factor: 734

3. ITV News: 574

4. Comic Relief: Funny for Money: 492

5. Celebrity Big Brother: 438

6. Britain's Got Talent: 422

7. Emmerdale: 376

8. BBC News: 354

9. Downton Abbey: 252

10. Coronation Street: 225

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Woolwich: Adebolajo Evidence 'Is No Defence'

The claim by Woolwich murder trial defendant Michael Adebolajo that he is "a soldier of Allah" is no defence to the charge of murder, a jury has been told.

Mr Adebolajo and Michael Adebowale are accused of running down off-duty soldier Lee Rigby with a car and then hacking him to death with a meat cleaver and knives in a street in southeast London. 

Mr Justice Sweeney told the jury at the Old Bailey that nothing said by Mr Adebolajo in his evidence amounts in law to a defence to the charge of murder.

He said: "I have ruled that nothing said by the first defendant and... his evidence - in short he was a soldier of Allah and was justified in doing what he did - amounts in law to a defence to this count.

"So nothing that he has said amounts in law to a defence to count one."

In his closing speech, prosecutor Richard Whittam QC said Islam was not on trial and told the jury: "The action of these two men acting together as they did, crashing their car into and breaking the back of Lee Rigby and then killing him is indefensible in the law of this country.

"Killing to make a political point, to frighten the public or to put pressure on the government or as an expression of anger is murder."

He added: "It remains murder whether the govt in question is a good one, bad one or a dreadful one.

"We submit to you, it is clearly murder."

Fusilier Rigby's family were in court as Mr Whittam showed the jury once again images of bloodied knives, and also replayed video clips of the May 22 killing.

The jury was again shown images of knives found at the scene of the killing

Replaying a video clip showing Fusilier Rigby being dragged into the road, Mr Whittam said: "Is this a humane killing?

"Is this a killing with an attempt to decapitate and then deposit the body in the middle of the road causing traffic to stop and turn around?"

Mr Whittam recalled witness accounts previously read to the jury as well as extracts from a note handed to Amanda Donnelly-Martin at the scene.

"What was the purpose of what they have done, killing Lee Rigby in the way the had done, in putting the body there and staying at the scene?

"To borrow a phrase from the first defendant - carnage."

Mr Adebolajo's defending counsel, David Gottlieb, said a proper charge for his client would have been "treason, terrorism, or maybe manslaughter".

In his closing speech, Mr Gottlieb said: "All deaths outside of lawful deaths are cruel, needless and unnecessary.

"Do you think really that this is the cruellest, most sadistic, most callous, most cowardly killing that's ever occured in our nation's history? It isn't."

Mr Gottlieb said Mr Adebolajo's family were "victims" in the case as much as the family of Drummer Rigby and told the jury that his client had been "demonised and painted as a monster".

The defending barrister also suggested that Mr Adebolajo was "the most law-abiding terrorist in the history of this country" as his client paid for a parking ticket moments before the alleged murder took place.

Mr Gottlieb later explained that he was using a "Sherlock Holmes" approach, adding: "When you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth."

The alleged killers no longer face a charge of conspiracy to murder a police officer after the judge discharged the jury from any further consideration of that count.

Mr Adebolajo, 29 and Mr Adebowale, 22, still face counts of murder and attempted murder of a police officer, which they both deny.

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Nicola Payne: Two Held Over 1991 Disappearance

Two men have been arrested in connection with the disappearance of a young mother as she walked home 22 years ago.

The men, both aged 49, are being held on suspicion of the abduction and murder of Nicola Payne, said West Midlands Police.

The men were arrested at 8am at their home addresses in the Bell Green and Stoke areas of Coventry.

A 51-year-old woman at the same address was also arrested on suspicion of perverting the course of justice.

All three were taken to police stations in the West Midlands for questioning.

Ms Payne went missing after setting out on foot from the family home in Coventry on December 14, 1991.

Despite a huge search, 18-year-old Ms Payne - who had a seven-month-old baby son - has never been seen again.

The arrests come just days after a fresh appeal for information was launched, following new forensic results which detectives described as "a breakthrough".

Ms Payne's family are aware of the latest development.

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Inga Beale Becomes Lloyd's First Female CEO

Lloyd's of London, the world's biggest insurance market, has appointed a female boss for the first time in its 325-year history.

Inga Beale, who has more than 30 years' experience in the industry, will take up the role in January, replacing the outgoing Richard Ward.

It follows an "extensive global search" by Lloyd's for someone with the right credentials for the job.

Ms Beale replaces former CEO Richard Ward

Chairman John Nelson said he was "absolutely delighted" with the appointment.

"Inga's CEO experience, underwriting background, international experience and operational skills, together with her knowledge of the Lloyd's market, make her the ideal chief executive," he said.

A prominent gender divide remains in the City, where four in every five workers are male, according to recruitment company Astbury Marsden.

Fewer than half of staff consider their employer has a clear policy on diversity, while just one in five believe their firm actively recruits with diversity in mind.

Ms Beale, whose appointment follows that of Charlotte Hogg to chief operating officer of the Bank of England, said: "I'm looking forward to working with the Lloyd's team ... to deliver a strategy for profitable and sustainable growth."

The 50-year-old's most recent role was as group chief executive of Canopius, prior to which she worked at Zurich Insurance as its global chief underwriting officer.

She started her career at Prudential, working as an underwriter at its London offices.

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Child Abuse: 42% Rise In Investigations

By Jason Farrell, Sky News Correspondent

A Sky News investigation has revealed up to one in 20 children in some parts of the country have been the subject of investigations into whether they are victims of abuse or neglect.

In 2012/13 English councils launched 127,060 high-level investigations - known as section 47s - into children thought to be at risk, analysis of official figures shows.

That is the equivalent of one in 100 of the country's entire population of under-18s and represents a 42.3% increase in cases since 2009/10.

In some areas the figure is much higher with the equivalent of 4.5% of children in Blackpool, 2.6% in Doncaster and 2.1% in Peterborough being investigated.

Experts said the significant increase in suspected abuse cases could be explained by the heightened awareness of the issue following the tragic case of Baby Peter Connelly in 2008.

However, they also said the impact of the recession on households had led to a marked rise in ill treatment of children.

The figures follow a series of high-profile cases of child abuse including that of four-year-old Daniel Pelka who was starved, tortured and brutally beaten to death by his mother and stepfather.

Daniel Pelka, four, was a victim of horrific abuse

Ray Jones, professor of social work at Kingston University, told Sky News that economic pressures were linked to abuse and neglect.

He said: "I think we're aware of the dangers more than we were before and I think we're more determined to act on them, but I do think that there are some families who are getting into difficulty now who wouldn't have got into difficulty before because of increasing deprivation and indeed destitution."

Professor Jones warned that social services were increasingly struggling to cope.

"We have a child protection system and a care system where the work has been increasing year on year on year for the last five years and I really am worried about it.

"I'm worried about it because it's at the point of breakdown now, because that's at the time of public sector cuts."

In Blackpool the number of cases being investigated is more four times the national average.

Charlene Downes who went missing in 2003 is presumed dead

In 2011 it emerged that police investigating the disappearance of 14-year-old Charlene Downes in the town had uncovered a gang of men which had groomed 60 underage girls from the area for sex.

Her mother Karen Downes told Sky News: "I was shocked when I first heard about it. I was absolutely disgusted. I didn't have any knowledge at all of any girls being abused.

"We didn't even know about the darker side of Blackpool until all this with Charlene came about."

Richard Scorer, a solicitor who specialises in child abuse cases at the Pannone law firm in Manchester, warned that many cases end up being ignored by social services.

"Cases involving chronic neglect and physical and emotional abuse tend to fall by the wayside or tend to be ignored," he said.

"And I think the other thing that comes out is the difficulties that social services have in monitoring and keeping track of children who are part of a shifting population that moves in and out of the town."

He also warned that cuts could make the situation worse.

'Julie' has an alcoholic mother and has left home several times as a result

"I think this is one of these examples of a situation where we have to decide as a society if we want to take child abuse seriously and we want to deal with it properly then we have to make sure social workers and others have the resources to deal with it properly," he said.

Sky News met several teenage girls in Blackpool who are sleeping rough and refusing to return home.

"Emma", 17, said she had been on the streets since she was 15 and "has her reasons" why she can't go home.

She sleeps in what are known as 20p hotels - toilet cubicles you pay to use.

"It's cold, it's cold as hell. You can like put your bags against the door to stop the draught coming in, but the floor gets so cold," she said.

"And it's scary as well, like every time you hear people go past shouting and that in case they come in or whatever."

"Julie", 18 said she started sleeping rough after an argument with her alcoholic mother when she was 17.

She claimed she was smoking aged seven, drinking by 11 and smoking crack by the time she was 13. 

She also alleged that she was raped by a man who pretended to be her friend and took her in for the night.

"I used to turn up to my lessons under the influence. I used to snort cocaine off my religious studies book right in front of the teacher. I just didn't care," she said.

"(Teachers) always had meetings with my social workers. They just tried to take me away, and then every time they took me away, my mum went to rehab, and then she got clean for a few weeks.

"Then I went back to her, then it all went back downhill again and it just kept repeating itself."

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