Key Morecambe Bay Witness Reveals New Life

By Jason Farrell, Sky Correspondent

A key witness in the 2004 Morecambe Bay tragedy has told Sky News how he has rebuilt his life on the witness protection programme.

It comes as police launch a new national protection scheme, the UK Protected Persons Service, for people who are in danger from criminals.

Li Hua had to change his identity after giving evidence against his gangmaster boss who was accused of manslaughter over the drowning of 21 Chinese cockle pickers in the rising tides of Morecambe Bay.

In a secret location, Li Hua told Sky News: "I was very nervous and very frightened about giving evidence, but I thought about how the police rescued us. Then I thought that in the background the police had been reassuring us, they had been protecting us all this time."

Li Hua also wanted justice for the men whose lives had been callously wasted by his boss Lin Liang Ren.

"I thought, someone is leading us to pick cockles, that someone should let us know more about the tide times. Obviously he didn't. He's so irresponsible. He couldn't care less even about people of his own nationality. I totally detest him."

Li Hua says it was sheer luck that he managed to swim to a sandbank and was rescued by helicopter.

Li Hua said it was sheer luck that he managed to swim to a sandbank

"I was frightened to death. All I thought was about my family in China and I had spent so much money to get here, what would happen now?

"I was desperate and feeling hopeless. I thought that's it, I'm going to die tonight ... Then I saw the light from the helicopter."

Gangmaster Lin Liang Ren was convicted of 21 counts of manslaughter, facilitating illegal immigration and perverting the course of justice.

Having paid a Snakehead gang the equivalent of £14,000 to come to England, Li Hua feared repercussions and was put on the witness protection programme with his wife and children.

Nine years after the tragedy he now has a new life and runs his own business.

He said: "Life is a bit complicated because since we were under the protection we settled down. There were certain things we could say to friends and some things we just don't speak of. It became automatic.

Gangmaster Lin Liang Ren was sentenced to 14 years in jail

"But most of the time what occupied my mind was to go on living, because the British Government and the police give us this life. So, I think I was more concentrating on work hard, pay tax, make safe and don't make trouble."

The police are launching the UK Protected Persons Service next week, which will be run by a national team of specialists, as opposed to local forces.

Police say lessons have been learned from the murder of Joan and John Stirland in August 2004, which was in retaliation for a shooting by Mrs Stirland's son.

The couple were not put on the protection scheme and information wasn't properly shared between forces when they moved home.

Detective Chief Constable Andy Cooke, heading up the new national-coordinated programme, told Sky News: "This is the first time this is going to be done through one approach. Previously, unfortunately, there's been a bit of a postcode lottery as to how you were treated and the training of those people looking after you.

"In some parts of the country there was a highly specialised approach to protecting witnesses and in other parts it wasn't so great. This gives us the ability and manpower to provide the protection to people who need it at the most difficult time of their lives."

Witness protection is a tough life and some refuse to do it.

It is estimated a quarter of prosecutions collapse due to reluctant witnesses, but for Li Hua, who thought he would die in the waters of Morecambe Bay, the family he thought of in that moment is now with him in his new life.

Victims' Minister Helen Grant said: "People who put their lives at risk to bring dangerous criminals to justice are the unsung heroes of society, they deserve our thanks and protection.

"That's why the UK Protected Persons Service is so important; it will give brave individuals the expert support they deserve no matter where they are in the country."

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Lake District: Man Falls 650ft To His Death

A man has been killed after falling 656ft (200m) down a mountain in the Lake District.

The 24-year-old was walking with a companion on Helvellyn - the third highest peak in the country.

He fell from Striding Edge into Nethermost Cove, according to Patterdale Mountain Rescue Team (MRT).

His hiking partner found him unconscious, and as there was no mobile phone signal, he continued his descent into Grisedale.

A local farmer there gave him a lift to Patterdale so he could raise the alarm.

An RAF Sea King helicopter, the Great North Air Ambulance, search and rescue dogs and mountain rescue teams from Patterdale and Penrith joined forces to search for the hiker.

The operation on Friday lasted for more than four hours and the man was found to have suffered fatal injuries.

Patterdale MRT leader Mike Blakey said: "This is a tragic incident involving the loss of a young life.

"Our thoughts are with the young man's walking companion, friends and family at this difficult time."

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Royal Mail: Labour Call To 'Pull Plug' On Sale

The Government should "pull the plug" on the privatisation of Royal Mail before the company's shares are sold in two days' time, Labour has said.

Shadow business secretary Chuka Umunna said scrapping the move would prevent a "massive bonanza" for City speculators.

He said to proceed with the sell-off would not only have "huge consequences for consumers and businesses" - but the taxpayer would also be left "short-changed".

The Government plans to sell between 40.1% and 52.2% of the firm, giving the company a value of £2.6bn-£3.3bn.

It believes privatisation will give Royal Mail access to private capital needed to modernise its business.

Speaking on Sky's Murnaghan programme, Mr Umunna pointed to a report this week by Stockbroker Panmure Gordon which said Royal Mail had been undervalued by more than £1bn.

In addition, its property assets have been priced at £787m. Mr Umunna said some people believed that Royal Mail's Mount Pleasant sorting office in Clerkenwell, London, alone could bring in £1bn after privatisation.

"If you look at the property assets and then you look at the value, this does not add up," he said.

"What I am saying to the Government today - it is not too late to pull the plug on this privatisation. Pull the plug on it.

"Tuesday is the deadline by which people can submit applications to get shares, so until you've dished out the shares, until you have allocated them, it is free for the Government to say, 'actually, we've taken a step back, we've decided that we have priced this wrongly, and we've decided not to go ahead with it'.

Royal Mail shares are due to go on sale on Tuesday

"Now I am saying, don't go ahead with it in principle, but at least if they are going to proceed ensure you get good value for the taxpayer.

"Increasingly we are seeing more and more information coming out which would suggest that the taxpayer is being short-changed"

Mr Umunna argued the Government was pressing ahead with the privatisation despite grave concerns amongst its own backbenchers.

He said 70% of the public were also against the move, including the Federation of Sub-Postmasters.

"Increasingly what this is looking like is a massive bonanza for City speculators and a huge short-changing of the taxpayer at the same time," he said.

He said the previous Labour government's plans included maintaining a majority stake in public ownership.

"That is very important," he said. "The Royal Mail has a very important relationship with the Post Office under which the Post Office provides Royal Mail Services. That is due to expire in 2022 and there is no guarantee that it will be continued with a privatised Royal Mail.

"Now if you have a public stake, you've got some say in that, and in what happens in the future, but being privatised, you don't."

He added: "I don't think they should be selling it at all."

Mr Umunna refused to support or condemn potential industrial action by postal workers linked to the controversial sale of the business.

Asked if it was right for postal workers to take industrial action over the sale and other issues, Mr Umunna said: "I have always said I think striking should be a very last resort and should be avoided at all costs.

"But I am not going to condemn our posties either ... These people are not seeking to demonstrate lightly. This is not something people want to do. So I am certainly not going to condemn them but you're not going to get me supporting huge disruption of services which my constituents and many others around the country get."

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Lord Sugar Investigated Over 'Hate Tweet'

Lord Sugar has been investigated by police after he was accused of posting a racist tweet.

The Apprentice star posted a picture of a crying Chinese child dressed in a watermelon costume and joked: "The kid in the middle is upset because he was told off for leaving the production line of the iPhone 5."

Nichola Szeto, from Liverpool, was offended by the reference to the Asian factories where the phones are made and put in a complaint to police.

She was then contacted by Merseyside Police and went to a Liverpool station to make a statement.

The force's specialist hate crime investigation team decided that the tweet should be classed as a "hate incident", although no crime had taken place.

A police spokesman said: "Merseyside Police can confirm officers received a complaint in relation to the tweet sent on the evening of Sunday September 30.

"The communication has been examined by the force's specialist hate crime investigation team and at this time it has been recorded as a hate incident and no criminal offences have taken place.

"Officers from the specialist team will be contacting the person who made the initial complaint to discuss this."

In a blog post, Ms Szeto - of mixed Chinese and English heritage -  said she had complained online and had "no idea it would be taken so seriously".

Lord Sugar, who has 3.2 million followers on the social network, has yet to tweet a response to the police investigation.

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Woman Charged Over Baby Girl's Death

A woman has been charged after a four-month-old girl died in a London hospital.

The 18-year-old woman faces charges of causing or allowing the death of a child and wilful neglect of three children.

The baby died on October 4 after being taken to hospital by ambulance from an address in Bow, east London.

The London Ambulance Service contacted the police due to the condition of the girl in hospital at 5.30pm. She was dead by 5.45pm.

Police have launched an investigation into the circumstances of the child's death, led by detectives from the Homicide and Major Crime Command.

A special post-mortem examination will also be held.

The 18-year-old woman, who has not been named, is in custody and will appear at Thames Magistrates' Court on October 7.

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'Mummified Boy': Hutton Jailed For 15 Years

Timeline: Hamzah Khan Case

Updated: 3:42pm UK, Thursday 03 October 2013

Here is a timeline of events leading to the death of Hamzah Khan and the discovery of his mummified body:

May 28, 1996 - Amanda Hutton and partner Aftab Khan have an argument in the street. She complained to police that Khan had hit her, giving her a black eye

March 18, 2003 - Amanda Hutton tells a police officer she was suffering from domestic violence at the hands of Aftab Khan

June 2, 2003 - Amanda Hutton complained Khan had assaulted her.

September 25, 2004 - Police investigate alleged assault of Amanda Hutton by Aftab Khan

February 24, 2005 - Amanda Hutton fails to attend appointment for hospital scan while pregnant with Hamzah

March 2005 – Second missed appointment

April 7, 2005 – Third missed appointment

June 17, 2005 - Hamzah born weighing 5lb 4oz

July 7, 2005 - The last time Hamzah is seen by any healthcare professional - a health visitor. Previously on the same day a midwife visits and records Hamzah putting on weight and "doing well."

October 2005 - Four attempts by health visitors to gain access. Door slammed on nurse on at least one occasion.

December 18, 2005 - Police called over claims of domestic violence

December 24, 2005 - Amanda Hutton's mother dies. She claims it affects her badly

February 2006 - Failed attempt to gain access by health visitor

March 14, 2006 - GP writes to Amanda Hutton because Hamzah has not been registered with them.

July 10, 2006 - Health visitor denied access.

August 12, 2006 - The Registrar of Births contacts the health visitor after unsuccessful attempts to contact Amanda Hutton about the birth of Hamzah.

The registrar subsequently contacts the health visitor to say she has seen Amanda Hutton at home, she had a "puffed up" eye and smelt of alcohol.

August 23, 2006 - Amanda Hutton goes to her GP complaining of depression.

September 2006 - Health visitor contacts social services child protection unit over "significant concerns" about non engagement with all health professionals.

September 7, 2006 - Amanda Hutton goes to GP. Records read: "Came with eldest son. Has been drinking with partner "too much". 

Has had 2 glasses of vodka a day since mother died in January (sic). Helps to numb things says that family are not aware. Feels as if has hit rock bottom. Wants to change"

September 19, 2006 - Amanda Hutton registers Hamzah with her GP. He was never seen at the practice.

November 2006 - Letter sent (unclear by whom) to children's social care to express concerns about child neglect by Amanda Hutton

November 15, 2006 - Social worker visits, could not get in, left a note.

November 23, 2006 - Social worker returns, sees Hamzah who was "well cared-for and well dressed". Amanda Hutton tells her she's lost faith in the NHS, but would seek help for Hamzah if he was ill.

November 2006 - April 2007 - Amanda Hutton "off the radar" of official health & social care records

December 13, 2006 - Domestic violence report to police

December 30, 2006 - Police called to the house after an argument, Amanda is "obstructive and reluctant to give information to police".

April 2007 - Social worker is told by health visitor that Amanda Hutton says she is willing to engage with healthcare and family centre services.

April 2007 - Hamzah misses a GP appointment for vaccinations

May 2007 - Amanda Hutton and Hamzah suspended from GP practice list with note saying: "too many failed appointments"

December 2007 - Tests on Hamza's bones and teeth after he died showed he was not eating enough food from at least this point

December 7, 2007 - 999 call made claiming domestic violence

February 26, 2008 - Complaint made to police of domestic violence

April 10, 2008 - Amanda Hutton makes tearful call to domestic violence unit.

April 17, 2008 - Amanda speaks to the PC at the domestic violence unit, says she had been drinking heavily but has now stopped.

May 5, 2008 - Complaint made to police of domestic violence

June 9, 2008 - Domestic violence unit police officer contacts health visitor asking her to make contact with Amanda Hutton.

June 13, 2008 - First multi-agency MARAC meeting organised by social services. Discusses concerns about Amanda Hutton and Hamzah because they are at risk of serious domestic violence

August 2008 - Second MARAC meeting. Amanda Hutton reported to have refused help from a domestic violence charity.

December 4, 2008 - Amanda Hutton dialled 999 alleging domestic violence.

December 09, 2008 - Aftab Khan arrested, tells police they should check on Hamzah.

December 22, 2008 - Injunction granted preventing contact by Aftab Khan

December 2008 - Amanda Hutton moves house, police arrange fitting of panic alarm and anti-arson letterbox

January 19, 2009 - Complaint made to police of domestic violence

January 2009 - Third MARAC meeting. Concerns over GP non engagement discussed.

February 17, 2009 - Domestic violence unit police officer sent on welfare visit, told can't see Hamzah because he's upstairs with a dirty nappy because it's half term

February 2009 - Girlfriend of Hamzah's brother Qaiser stays at house, says Hamzah was 'definitely underweight, like a baby" was eating only milk, bananas and half a pasty for tea and "whatever was lying around" and that he was often locked in a bedroom in the dark.

An 11-year-old girl who had been to the house told the police after his body was found that Hamzah was not fed much.

February 17, 2009 - Domestic violence unit police officer visits Amanda, she didn't see Hamzah as was playing upstairs, house was clean and tidy.

March 11, 2009 - Text from Aftab Khan to Amanda Hutton: "Don't wori its not me whose going to land u in the shit ur going to do that ur self turnd in to the biggest lyer stop drinking wat [has Hamzah] had today think about wat ur doing to everi body"

March 16, 2009 - Amanda Hutton moves house for last time, tells neighbour the move is to escape from abusive relationship.

April 21, 2009 - Police called by childcare professional who reports concerns about child neglect

April 21, 2009 - PC Marie Furness visits house, speaks to Hamzah, leaves "satisfied that he was fit, well, clean, healthy-looking." She was the last police officer to see him.

June 9, 2009 - Aftab Khan admits battery against Amanda Hutton on  December 4, 2008

September 2009 - Hamzah expected in school, but not seen

October 2009 - Amanda Hutton and Hamzah fully removed from the GP practice list.

October 14, 2009 - Amanda Hutton meets a domestic violence charity worker and says she wants to help other victims of child abuse.

December 15, 2009 - Hamzah dies aged four and a half. Tests later showed his bones were the same size as a child of 12 to 18 months.

August 10 - Nurse at the school Hamzah was expected to attend was asked about him by the health visitor. Nurse says he was not attending the nursery.

September 2010 - Hamzah had to start school by law. He was never seen.

March 16, 2011 - Anonymous tip-off to social services to report concerns about significant problems in the house.

September 05, 2011 - A police community support officer goes to house after neighbour complains about rubbish. She is suspicious about smell and flies, calls social services who tell her Amanda Hutton lives there with a child.

September 21, 2011 - Hamzah's body found mouldy and mummified in Amanda Hutton's bedroom. His body had no muscle and almost no flesh.

He was dressed in a baby grow for a six- to nine-month-old baby, which fitted him comfortably.

There were five other children, aged between five and 13, in the home at the time. The fridge was found to contain rotten food.

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Help To Buy: Doubts Over Success Of Scheme

By Poppy Trowbridge, Business and Economics Correspondent

The second phase of the government mortgage guarantee scheme Help to Buy is due to launch next week, three months earlier than expected - but experts are sceptical the initiative will help buyers.

Lack of capacity in the housing market, and a statement from one bank saying it cannot confirm whether it will take part in the scheme, means some would-be buyers could be left empty-handed.

Exclusive research by Sky News shows interest from potential buyers has skyrocketed since the Government surprised the market.

Property website Rightmove says clicks on its Help to Buy pages numbered 14,807 on Saturday, the day before last Sunday's surprise announcement.

When David Cameron revealed, on the eve of the Conservative Party conference, that the launch date had been brought forward from January - clicks, measuring potential buyer interest, spiked to 59,571.

Now, almost a week later, they remain far above average at 23,660.

There is concern that pent-up demand cannot be met by existing market services, while Barclays has issued a statement saying it is not able to guarantee a launch date.

The policy offers homebuyers loans of up to 20% towards a property

"Whilst we cannot take a decision over participation in the new scheme before the terms are set, we are encouraged by the tone of the discussions so far," the bank said.

RBS and Natwest however, have said they are ready to take part in the scheme when it goes live and are planning to extend opening hours in many branches to deal with demand.

"From launch date customers will be able to visit any of our 2000 branches or call us to see how we can help them to get ahead on the property ladder through the scheme," said a statement.

Lloyds Banking Group will also be participating in the second stage of Help to Buy - but exact timings are currently unclear.

"We will be introducing a range of products shortly through our Halifax (and Bank of Scotland) brand, enabling customers to benefit from 95% borrowing this year," said a spokesperson.

However, some estate agents are still worried about a lack of capacity to deal with interest in the scheme.

Robert Ellice, of Clarke Hillyer, told Sky News: "At the moment we've got big delays in the whole process anyway, mortgages are still taking a long time to be offered and taking a long time to be verified on values."

Despite the concerns, the government insists that the scheme is still on track to be a success.

A Treasury statement said: "Two major lenders - Lloyds and RBS representing around 30% of total mortgage lending - have already announced that they will be launching new mortgage products because of Help to Buy.

"This is great news for those who can't get on - or move up the property ladder because of the huge cost of deposits."

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Ondine's Curse: Girl With Ventilator Can Go Home

By Stephen Douglas, Sky News Reporter

A toddler is preparing to go home for the first time in her life after spending almost three years at Great Ormond Street Hospital.

Maisie Harris suffers from a rare condition called Ondine's Curse, which means her brain does not tell her body to breathe, so she needs a ventilator to do it for her.

Now, thanks to a smaller, more portable ventilator, Maisie will be able to leave hospital and head home to Gillingham in Kent.

The new ventilator is intelligent enough to know when she is able to take her own breaths and when she is likely to have an episode and require ventilation.

Her mother Rachel Bridger told Sky News: "It's exciting, I'm nervous. It's all new going home. It'll be good to just be a normal family. You don't feel normal being in hospital so long.

"The last three years have been up and down, good and bad. You give up sometimes. I thought it might be the end of the road but she pulled through which is great news. I'm looking forward to taking her to the park and to her nan's.

"The new ventilator is the best thing she's ever had."

Maisie will leave hospital soon

Maisie, who turns three on October 23, has been at London's Great Ormond Street so long that staff held a going-home party. Maisie will leave the hospital with her family on Monday.

Ward manager Kate Harkus said: "It means a lot to the staff that she's going home. We feel very proud. We've nursed her through rocky times.

"There are very few machines in the world that will be able to support her at home. Technology is advancing so much that more companies are coming out with these ventilators that you can manage at home."

Maisie's parents have mostly been living in hospital accommodation ever since she was transferred to Great Ormond Street from Medway Maritime Hospital when she was three months old.

Her father Andrew Harris told Sky News: "It's been difficult. She was in intensive care going backwards and forwards. Now she's ready to go home it's all been worth it.

"I'm looking forward to seeing her go to school and growing up. We didn't think she'd get to this stage."

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Dale Cregan: Three Charged With Helping Killer

Three people have been charged with helping jailed police killer Dale Cregan while he was on the run.

Marvin Herbert, 41, was arrested at a gym in Puerto Banus, near Marbella, in Spain, and extradited to the UK on Thursday.

He was charged on Friday at Manchester City Magistrates' Court with conspiracy to assist an offender.

Herbert, who was born in Liverpool and has lived in the London area, was remanded in custody and will appear at Manchester Crown Court on October 18.

Two others - Raj Mohammed Khan, 41, of Bradford, and Patricia Kelly, 55, of Droylsden, Greater Manchester - were charged with the same offence on Friday.

They will appear in custody at Manchester Magistrates' Court later.

Fiona Bone and Nicola Hughes were lured to their deaths

The charges relate to the period between August 10 and September 17 last year when Cregan and accomplices Anthony Wilkinson and Jermaine Ward were wanted by police.

One-eyed killer Cregan was given a whole-life sentence earlier this year for the murders of PC Nicola Hughes and PC Fiona Bone and father and son David and Mark Short.

Last month, Cregan was moved to maximum-security Ashworth Hospital - where Moors Murderer Ian Brady is serving his sentence - from Strangeways jail in Manchester because of his behaviour.

While in HMP Manchester, he was segregated from other prisoners for fear of reprisals. Reports suggest there is an underworld bounty of £20,000 on his remaining eye.

In protest, Cregan is said to have have started refusing food. He was put in the hospital wing at the jail before his transfer to Ashworth.

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Norfolk: Hospital Worker Held Over 'Murder'

A hospital staff member has been arrested for murder after a patient died from a suspected drug overdose in Norfolk.

James May, 76, from Great Yarmouth, died at the James Paget Hospital, in Gorleston, on September 20.

An allegation of medical malpractice in connection with his death was reported to police 10 days later.

Officers arrested a member of the hospital's medical staff, a middle-aged man, on suspicion of murder on Saturday morning. He remains in police custody.

Mr May died from heart failure according to a post-mortem examination carried out at the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital on Wednesday.

Police are waiting for the results of further toxicology tests, which they say will help their murder investigation.

The hospital called police after investigating Mr May's death

Detective Chief Inspector Paul Durham, leading the inquiry, said: "We are investigating an allegation that a drugs overdose was administered to a patient, leading to his death.

"We understand that this news may generate concern and it's important for us to underline that our investigation, which is still at an early stage, is based on a single report of an isolated incident and that the hospital trust is co-operating fully with the investigation. "

Mr May's family have been informed and are being supported by Police Family Liaison Officers. It is understood he was admitted to hospital the day before he died.

In a written tribute to local newspaper The Eastern Daily Press, friends of Mr May wrote: "You were one in a million and will be sadly missed. Sleep peacefully."

Mr May died at the hospital in Great Yarmouth two weeks ago

Christine Allen, chief executive of James Paget University Hospitals trust, said doctors called in police after an internal investigation into Mr May's death.

"Our thoughts are with the family of this patient at what is a very difficult time," she said. "Our priority is patient safety and we understand that this news will cause concern. At this time, we believe it is an isolated incident and relates to the alleged action of a single member of staff.

"The member of staff against whom the allegation has been made is absent from the Trust and will not return until the investigation is completed.

"Throughout this difficult period, the James Paget University Hospital will continue to provide the best possible care to our patients and we are fully co-operating with the police."

:: Police said anyone with concerns can contact Norfolk and Suffolk Major Investigation Team on 01953 424533 or 424528.

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