Dismembered Body Identified: Son Arrested

By James Matthews, Scotland Correspondent

Police have named a woman whose dismembered body was found in a shallow grave in Edinburgh as 66-year-old Phyllis Dunleavy from Dublin.

A 39-year-old man has been arrested and charged in connection with her murder.

Sky News understands that the man arrested is James Dunleavy, the son of the dead woman.

He was arrested in Edinburgh on Monday evening and is due to appear in court later today.

The woman's remains were discovered last month by a cyclist on Corstorphine Hill, overlooking Edinburgh.

In an effort to establish who she was, detectives published the image of a facial reconstruction.

They also displayed pictures of rings that were found with the woman's body and published details of her dental work in dentist trade magazines.

Police identified the body as Phyllis Dunleavy several days ago but her name has only just been made public.

Sky sources say that Ms Dunleavy was identified after relatives in Ireland recognised her from the facial reconstruction put together by scientists at Dundee University.

They produced the facial likeness using the dead woman's skull.

Detectives highlighted the fact that she had undergone extensive dental treatment, pointing out that her teeth had veneers and implants.

The investigation team received more than 30 calls from members of the public as far afield as Israel after releasing the reconstruction image.

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'Troll' Jailed For 200 Facebook Death Threats

A man from South Shields who threatened through Facebook to kill 200 people in the US has been jailed for 28 months.

Reece Elliot posted the messages on an online memorial page for a girl from Tennessee who had been killed in a car crash.

Using a false profile, Elliot, 24, wrote: "My father has three guns. I'm planning on killing him first and putting him in a dumpster. Then I'm taking the motor and I'm going in fast.

"I'm gonna kill hopefully at least 200 before I kill myself. So you want to tell the deputy, I'm on my way.''

The court heard the father-of-one had also directed abusive messages at the deceased girl, who was a popular pupil at Warren County High school.

"I'm glad the fat bitch is dead. Let's drink to drink driving. No-one gives a sh*t that she's dead, get over it."

One 15-year-old girl, whose identity cannot be reported due to her age, was told: "You have been chosen tomorrow at school to receive one of my bullets."

With heightened sensitivities following the Newtown shooting in which 20 children were killed, schools in Warren County went into lockdown and 3,000 pupils missed school the next day.

Inquiries made by the FBI and Homeland Security traced the username to Reece's address in Newcastle.

Judge James Goss QC, the Recorder of Newcastle, told Reece the offences were driven by "no more than self-indulgent nastiness".

The judge took into account Elliott's early guilty plea and genuine remorse in passing a sentence of 28 months.

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Dale Cregan Investigators Make 300 Arrests

A gangland crime investigation set up after Dale Cregan ambushed and shot two police officers has led to 300 arrests.

Operation Challenger was launched to tackle criminal gangs and feuding families across Manchester after the deaths of PCs Fiona Bone and Nicola Hughes.

The probe targeted criminals involved in a 10-year turf war after Cregan - who had already murdered father and son David and Mark Short - lured the young officers to their deaths in September 2012.

Greater Manchester Police says it has seized more than £300,000 of drugs and £2m of property - making it "virtually impossible" for criminals to operate across Tameside and north and east Manchester.

The force believes its response to Cregan's murder spree is the UK's largest operation against organised crime in terms of the number of agencies involved.

Dale Cregan killed PCs Fiona Bone and Nicola Hughes in an ambush

Chief Constable Sir Peter Fahy said: "The investigation into the murders of Fiona, Nicola and the Short family revealed a far-reaching web of organised criminality and extreme violence which had to be tackled.

"The historic rivalry between criminal factions fighting over reputation and territory and creating alternative systems of justice was the spark that led to the tragic events we saw last year.

"Over the past few years, we have made huge strides towards tackling organised crime. Millions of pounds worth of drugs have been seized and more than 1,500 years of jail time handed out to offenders.

"However, we know there are still criminal networks causing misery to certain communities so Operation Challenger seeks to build on our successes and permanently tackle these organised crime groups."

Cregan, 30, was jailed for life in June for shooting dead Mark Short in a pub in May 2012, killing his father David in a gun and grenade attack four months later and murdering PCs Bone and Hughes in an ambush in Abbey Gardens, Mottram.

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Elton John Forced To Cancel Hyde Park Gig

Sir Elton John has been forced to cancel a headline performance in Hyde Park after being diagnosed with appendicitis.

The star had been due to perform on Friday night, topping a bill which also features Elvis Costello and Ray Davies.

He called in doctors after being taken ill during his European tour.

Sir Elton, 66, had undergone a series of scans and blood tests in the UK and is now taking antibiotics to reduce the inflammation after which he will have surgery.

The singer's spokesman said Sir Elton would not return to touring until fully recovered from the surgery and the damage caused by the abscess.

Elton John pictured last October

"Elton is incredibly disappointed to postpone these tour dates," he said.

"To know that he made such super-human efforts and continued to perform to thousands through his illness only confirms his dedication to his European fans.

"He is eager to be back on top form and return to play the remaining shows starting in early September 2013."

It is the latest health scare for the chart star.

Last year, he cancelled a number of shows because of a respiratory infection; he also missed concerts due to a bout of food poisoning.

The star had a pacemaker fitted in 1999 after doctors found he had an irregular heartbeat.

Organisers have now said the Hyde Park event will be free following Sir Elton's withdrawal, and existing ticket-holders will get a full refund.

Ray Davies of The Kinks, Elvis Costello, Nick Lowe and others will continue to perform at the show.

Rob Hallett, the president of international live touring for show promoter AEGLive, said: "We certainly wish Elton a speedy recovery and know that he would have hated for us to cancel the whole day's events because of this.

"In the beautiful surroundings of Hyde Park and the incredible weather we are having, our show goes on.

"And there's no better way to enjoy the start of our final weekend than with a free event for all to enjoy, with some excellent headline artists topping off even more great entertainment in our 10-day event."

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Royal Mail Staff To Get Free Shares In Sale

By Mark Kleinman, City Editor

Tens of thousands of Royal Mail staff will receive free shares worth as much as £300m as part of the privatisation of the postal operator, the Government will announce on Wednesday.

Sky News can reveal that ministers have decided after months of deliberations that Royal Mail employees will be handed the shares for free rather than at a discount.

As a further sweetener, staff will be guaranteed a proportion of the retail element of the initial public offering (IPO), meaning that postal workers could end up owning significantly more than 10% of Royal Mail.

Vince Cable, the Business Secretary, will set out the details in a statement to the House of Commons on Wednesday afternoon.

The share giveaway to staff will encompass 10% of Royal Mail's equity, in accordance with the Postal Services Act that paved the way for the sell-off of the company two years ago.

At an overall valuation of between £2.5bn and £3bn, that would value the employees' stake at up to £300m.

Roughly 150,000 of Royal Mail Group's 165,000 staff are expected to be included in the share distribution, with workers at the European parcels subsidiary GLS likely to be excluded from the deal.

A rough valuation of employees' windfalls would mean each eligible member of staff could receive shares worth more than £2000, although that would depend on the value of Royal Mail's shares when it floats on the London stock exchange.

UK-based staff will not receive all of the shares on the day that Royal Mail becomes a public company - assuming that a flotation is able to proceed. Under the Act, the Government pledged to hand 10% of the company to staff by the time the state's shareholding is reduced to zero, a process that could take several years. Whitehall sources said the share giveaway to staff would take place in several tranches.

Members of the public will also be able to buy shares in Royal Mail through intermediaries, a website and possibly through Post Office branches, although a deal has not yet been finalised with the Post Office, which is now a separately-owned organisation.

People close to Mr Cable, who has been working alongside Michael Fallon, the Business Minister, on the privatisation plans, dismissed the prospect of a 'Tell Sid'-style public information campaign such as those which accompanied the major state sell-offs of the 1980s.

Ministers hope the free share offer and the guaranteed component of the retail offering will be sufficient sweeteners for staff as union bosses continue to oppose the privatisation.

The Government is expected to attempt to sell up to 60% of Royal Mail in the initial phase of the privatisation, although that will depend on the demand from City institutions.

The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills and Royal Mail both declined to comment ahead of Wednesday's announcement.

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Bull Terrier 'Bites Head Off Harmless Pet'

Police have seized a Staffordshire bull terrier which allegedly bit the head off a family pet dog in a vicious attack.

Gemma Antell claimed her pet Pomeranian, Elvis, was decapitated outside the home of her mother-in-law in Warrington on Saturday after the larger dog entered the front garden, dragging its handler behind it.

Ms Antell says her family were left traumatised by the attack

After the attack on Elvis, a member of the public took a picture of the Staffordshire bull terrier and the woman holding its leash, whose arm was covered in blood. 

Gemma posted the picture onto Twitter in an attempt to identify the owner.

"The dog literally ripped his head off," Ms Antell said in a post on Facebook. "It ripped Elvis in half. It is my son's birthday and my kids are in tears and my whole family are traumatised.

"The worst part of this is the dog 'owners' witnessed the attack and just walked off saying it was not their fault.

"Two poor children witnessed the attack as well as my mother-in-law and passers-by. I have added (to Facebook) the two photos of the incident as well as photos of poor Elvis who is obviously a tiny harmless family pet.

"The next time this happens it might not be a family pet it could be a local child!!!"

After the owner was identified, police visited an address at midnight on Sunday where they seized a white Staffordshire bull terrier.

Cheshire police have confirmed they are investigating the incident and have asked for witnesses to call them on 101 or to ring Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

Chief Inspector Darren Hebden, said: "This was a horrendous attack and was clearly very distressing for the owners to witness.

"I am aware of pictures that have been circulated on social media which will undoubtedly cause concern for the community but can I reassure people that we have now seized the offending dog so there is no risk to the general public.

"We will be speaking to the owners in due course and will do all we can to deal with the incident appropriately within the guidelines of the law. Extra patrols will be in the area to talk to concerned residents and address any issues in the area."

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Zara and Mike Tindall Expecting First Child

The Queen's granddaughter Zara Tindall is expecting a baby with her husband Mike Tindall.

Princess Anne's daughter, who married the former England rugby union international in a private ceremony in July 2011, will give birth in the New Year.

The birth will follow the keenly anticipated arrival of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge's baby, which is expected in the coming days.

However, because Zara Tindall does not hold a royal title, her baby will not be called his or her 'royal highness'.

An official statement said: "Mr and Mrs Mike Tindall are very pleased to announce that Zara Tindall is expecting a baby in the New Year.

"The Princess Royal and Captain Mark Phillips, Mr Phillip and Mrs Linda Tindall, and members of both families are delighted with the news.

"This baby will be the first child for Mike and Zara and the third grandchild for The Princess Royal."

Mike and Zara Tindall married in Edinburgh in July 2011

Zara, 32, is an accomplished sportswoman and last year won an Olympic silver medal as part of the equestrian eventing team.

She competed at the weekend at the Barbury International Horse Trials, said Sky News' Royal Correspondent Paul Harrison.

The child will be Princess Anne's third grandchild, as her son, Peter Phillips, has two daughters.

Zara Tindall, who is currently 14th in line to the throne, met her husband at the 2003 rugby World Cup in Australia.

The couple married in Edinburgh two years ago in a ceremony attended by all the senior royals.

But, just months later, the rugby player was fined and booted out of the 2011 World Cup squad over a team night out.

He apparently took part in a "dwarf tossing" competition with fellow players and was seen embracing an ex-girlfriend.

Tindall's fine was eventually reduced and his suspension set aside after an appeal found he did not intentionally mislead the team's management.

Zara and Mike Tindall currently live on Princess Anne's Gatcombe Park estate in Gloucestershire.

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Missing Barry Island Teen: Shoreline Search

Efforts to find a 14-year-old girl last seen "in difficulty" in the sea are now focusing on the shoreline at low tide.

Rescue crews started looking for the unnamed teenager after she was reported to be struggling in the water at Whitmore Bay on Barry Island.

It is believed she may have been in trouble up to an hour before the first emergency call was made at about 3.45pm on Sunday.

"We are dumbfounded that something wasn't said to us earlier and are investigating but our main priority is the search," Steve Jones, rescue centre manager for HM Coastguard Swansea, said.

"If you see someone in difficulty in the water, you should call 999 and ask for the coastguard immediately. Any delay means vital search and rescue time is lost."

Three lifeboats, a police helicopter and an RAF search and rescue helicopter joined the search for the youngster, who is believed to have been on holiday in the area.

The beach at Whitmore Bay

Beaches between Porthkerry, Barry and Sully Island were expected to be searched this afternoon.

"We don't believe she was that far out in the water," Mr Jones said. "We're going on the assumption that she has not come out of the water.

"If she is still in the water, as the time passes by, our concerns grow even deeper."

Police are also investigating the possibility the girl may have gone missing after making it back to dry land, and they have been checking the address where she was staying and speaking to friends who were in the water with her.

The missing girl is 5ft 7ins, of average build and with long black hair, and was last seen wearing a multi-coloured dress.

Local councillor Steffan Wiliam said the coastline around Barry Island was "generally very safe, particularly now we have lifeguards", although he added: "You always have to be sensible on the beaches here."

Whitmore Bay is part of an enclosed stretch of coastline although the tidal range - the difference between high and low tide - is one of the highest in the world.

Alun Cairns, MP for the Vale of Glamorgan, said the beach was "relatively busy" on the hottest day of the year so far, despite many families and tourists deciding to stay indoors to watch Andy Murray's match at Wimbledon.

Sue Voss, of Pencoedtre, Barry, said locals were aware of how treacherous the tides can be.

She said: "We are all hoping that she is found safe. So terrible for the family."

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Harlem Shake Video Lands PCSOs In Hot Water

A group of police community support officers has been reprimanded by bosses at Scotland Yard after posting a video of themselves doing the Harlem Shake on YouTube.

The transport PCSOs were punished after the video, filmed as part of the internet dance craze, was posted online in February.

The footage shows one officer in a crash helmet dancing alone, before his colleagues start prancing around.

With blue lights flashing in the background, one can be seen with a traffic cone on his head, dancing up against a police van.

Six PCSOs received written warnings over the video, which was filmed on police premises and is entitled Metropolitan Police Harlem Shake, while a seventh resigned.

That officer was facing gross misconduct proceedings over a number of issues as well as the video.

A Metropolitan Police spokesman said: "The MPS does not condone unprofessionalism in the workplace.

"We expect high standards from all our staff. Appropriate misconduct procedures have been taken regarding those involved and the matter is now closed."

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Sniper Nightingale's Housemate 'Took Guns Home'

By David Bowden, Defence Correspondent

The estranged wife of a soldier - who shared a house with Danny Nightingale - has told a court martial her husband regularly brought weapons and ammunition into the family home.

Former SAS sniper Nightingale is on trial for illegal possession of a pistol and more than 300 rounds of ammunition found in his bedroom. He denies they were his.

Nightingale's lawyers maintain they belonged to his housemate, who is also an SAS soldier and is known only as N.

N's wife, who cannot be identified, says N twice fired a small black gun out of a window.

She said she once spotted a Glock pistol case in the back of N's Land Rover, which was similar to one found in Nightingale's room containing a pistol.

She said she was "too terrified" to open the case after her husband told her she wasn't to look inside.

The court heard their children would not stay alone with N, so his wife would have to accompany them to Nightingale's home.

Their son would sleep in Nightingale's room but she would sleep downstairs because N kept a gun in his bedside table, the court was told.

Ammunition found at Nightingale's house

N has already pleaded guilty to four charges of possessing an illegal weapon and ammunition and has served a two year sentence in military custody.

Meanwhile, forensic neuropsychologist Dr Susan Young told the court that Nightingale displayed memory discrepancies only seen in 1% or 2% of the population.

Dr Susan Young, who works at Broadmoor special hospital, examined Nightingale after he suffered a near fatal brain injury after he collapsed during an ultramarathon in the Amazon Jungle.

She said his confabulation - or memory disturbance - caused him to fabricate things to compensate for his memory loss.

Dr Young said: "Any account provided by Sgt Nightingale has very likely included confabulated material and that may interfere with the accuracy of the account he's provided."

She added that his symptoms were consistent with brain trauma.

The court also heard he had developed his own coping strategies including breaking down stories into bullet points, substituting words for those he couldn't remember and making lists of things he had to do.

However, consultant forensic psychiatrist Dr Philip Joseph has cast doubt on the extent of the lasting brain damage.

The doctor from St Mary's Hospital in London described Nightingale as "a robust individual psychologically" and not prone to confabulation.

He added the injury "was a brief insult to the brain which went very rapidly" and did not cause any long-lasting effects.

Dr Joseph said the evidence presented to the court that Nightingale cannot remember things and makes things up to fill in the gaps is inconsistent and that both cannot be correct.

The trial is continues.

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