Stepping Hill Nurse Charged With Three Murders

A nurse has been charged with the murder of three patients at Stepping Hill Hospital in 2011.

Victorino Chua was re-arrested in connection with the deaths of Tracey Arden, 44, Alfred Derek Weaver, 83, and Arnold Lancaster, 71.

They and 18 others were poisoned with deliberately contaminated products at the hospital in Stockport, Greater Manchester.

Chua has since been charged with three counts of murder, as well as 31 further offences against 25 other patients at the hospital.

The additional charges include 22 of attempted grievous bodily harm and seven of attempted poisoning.

A police investigation into the deaths at Stepping Hill was launched after staff noticed "unexplained" low blood sugar levels in patients.

Officers later found a number of saline drips had been tampered with.

Chua, 48, of Heaton Norris, Stockport, will appear at Manchester City Magistrates Court later today.

Assistant Chief Constable Steve Heywood, of Greater Manchester Police, said: "Our thoughts continue to be with those people who were deliberately poisoned and their families.

"From day one we made a commitment to those people, as well as the wider community, to thoroughly and robustly investigate what occurred.

"In close to three years we have conducted many painstaking enquiries and engaged with numerous medical experts."

He added: "It is absolutely vital he is afforded the right to have a fair trial as outlined in Article 6 of the Human Rights Act."

10.18 | 0 komentar | Read More

First Gay Weddings: PM Hails 'Equal Marriage'

Prime Minister David Cameron has hailed the first gay weddings in England and Wales as sending a "powerful message" about equality in the UK.

The law changed at midnight, with a number of gay couples vying to claim the title of being among the first to be married as ceremonies took place across the country.

Despite facing opposition from some in the Conservative Party about his backing for the change, Mr Cameron said the reform was necessary because "when people's love is divided by law, it is that law that needs to change".

Writing in Pink News he said "this weekend is an important moment for our country" because "we will at last have equal marriage in our country".

The Marriage (Same-Sex Couples) Act was passed in July

He said: "The introduction of same-sex civil marriage says something about the sort of country we are.

"It says we are a country that will continue to honour its proud traditions of respect, tolerance and equal worth. It also sends a powerful message to young people growing up who are uncertain about their sexuality.

"It clearly says 'you are equal' whether straight or gay. That is so important in trying to create an environment where people are no longer bullied because of their sexuality - and where they can realise their potential, whether as a great mathematician like Alan Turing, a star of stage and screen like Sir Ian McKellen or a wonderful journalist and presenter like Clare Balding."

Among the first couples set to take advantage of the legalisation were actor Andrew Wale, 49, and guesthouse owner Neil Allard, 48, who wed at the Royal Pavilion in Brighton just after midnight.

Andrew Wale (L) and Neil Allard said their vows in Brighton

Following the ceremony in which the couple wore matching suits, Mr Allard said they felt "privileged" and "humbled".

Mr Wale added: "It's kind of extraordinary. We did not really expect it to happen so suddenly, so soon.

"We were waiting and nothing seemed to be happening so we were considering a civil partnership, which is not true equality. So we are very happy this day has come finally."

Peter McGraith and David Cabreza, who have been together for 17 years, tied the knot at Islington Town Hall, north London, just moments after midnight struck.

Ahead of their ceremony, Mr McGraith said: "We are thrilled to be getting married. It is a mark of significant social progress in the UK that the legal distinction between gay and straight relationships has been removed.

Mr McGraith (L) and Mr Cabreza were wed just moments after midnight

"Very few countries afford their gay and lesbian citizens equal marriage rights and we believe that this change in law will bring hope and strength to gay men and lesbians in Nigeria, Uganda, Russia, India and elsewhere, who lack basic equality and are being criminalised for their sexual orientation."

Broadcaster Sandi Toksvig and her civil partner Debbie Toksvig will renew their vows at a public event at the Royal Festival Hall on the Southbank in London later this morning.

Same-sex couples wishing to marry had initially thought they would have to wait until the summer after the Marriage (Same-Sex Couples) Act was passed last July.

However, they were allowed to register their intention to marry from March 13 - with March 29 the first day they could get hitched.

Unlike civil partnerships, same-sex marriages will give the same legal recognition as marriage across a range of areas including pensions, inheritance, child maintenance and immigration rights.

While the change will not be enforced upon religious organisations, they will be able to opt in.

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Missing Teen Nida Naseer: Police Find Body

Police investigating the disappearance of teenager Nida Naseer have found a body, three months after she went missing from outside her home.

Gwent Police confirmed they received reports of a body being found in Newport Wetlands Nature Reserve on Thursday.

A spokeswoman said: "Nida's family has been informed that a body has been discovered and we continue to give them support.

"The death is being treated as unexplained and a post-mortem examination is due to take place."

Miss Naseer, 19, disappeared after going to put the bins out at her home in Linton Street, Pill, Newport, at 8pm on December 28.

The teenager was not wearing shoes when she walked outside. She also did not have her phone, money or coat. 

Police say her phone has not been used since then.

Nida's family, who are originally from Pakistan, have made repeated pleas for her to come home. 

They previously said her disappearance is "totally out of character," particularly since she needs medication which stops her becoming anaemic.

Nisa was 'upset and angry' on the night of her disappearance

Her older sister, Shamyla, 23, has said she believes Nida's disappearance is connected to her studies.

On the night she disappeared Nida had been angry and upset that, despite having good marks at school, she could receive any funding to go to university as her family are asylum seekers.

Shamyla said she was "shouting and crying".

The Naseer family sought asylum after coming to Britain five years ago, but the application was turned down last year. They are appealing against the decision

Police called off ground searches for the teenager earlier this month.

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Brit Found Dead On Burning Boat In Caribbean

By Richard Williams, Sky News Online

A British man has been found dead on a burning boat in the Caribbean, prompting a police hunt for his Norwegian girlfriend.

Police in St Vincent told Sky News that 53-year-old John Edward Garner was discovered with head injuries just off the coast of the island after reports a yacht was on fire.

He was travelling with a Norwegian woman, Heidi Hukkelaas, who is believed to have been his girlfriend and who police are desperate to trace.

St Vincent police commissioner Michael Charles told Sky News: "We do believe that there has been foul play and we are very much concerned to trace Ms Hukkelaas' whereabouts.

"We don't know whether she has also been a victim. From our inquiries so far, there does not appear to be any evidence that she has left the island through any airport or sea port.

"At this stage we are certainly looking at all lines of inquiry."

Diver Kay Wilson was one of the first to arrive at the burning yacht. She told Sky News the flames had "completely engulfed the vessel" by the time she arrived.

"I was out with a group of divers. We'd gone out to do a dive trip and one of my crew members saw the smoke on the horizon.

"We made our way over there ... When we reached about a quarter of a mile off we saw a flashing light, which we would normally associate with a life jacket.

"We approached cautiously and we found somebody in the water, with the life jacket around their neck, approximately 150 to 200 feet away from the yacht at the time.

"It was a male (in the water)."

Mr Garner's body was found around 15 nautical miles west of Buccament, in the south west of the island, on Wednesday afternoon.

Mr Charles said the Briton, who lived in Norway, was pronounced dead upon arrival at Milton Cato Memorial Hospital, in Kingstown.

He said Mr Garner and Ms Hukkelaas had arrived on the island on January 19 and had secured permission to remain there until April 19.

The Foreign Office told Sky News they were aware of the death of a British national in St Vincent and were providing consular assistance to the family.

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Teacher Strike Disrupts Thousands Of Schools

By David Crabtree, Midlands Correspondent

Thousands of state schools have been closed or partially closed by a one-day strike involving members of the National Union of Teachers.

Schools were disrupted across England and Wales as the NUT launched its first national strike in almost three years.

Union members joined rallies and marches across the country and its leaders said strike action was well supported.

But the Department of Education said fewer than a quarter of schools were fully closed, considerably less than the 60% closure rate seen during nationwide strikes in 2011.

The figures do not include schools which have been partially closed. 

The walkout is the latest in a series of strikes in an ongoing row over pensions, performance-related pay and workloads.

NUT Deputy General Secretary Kevin Courtney told Sky News: "The reason that we are on strike today, which we very much regret, is that (Secretary of State for Education) Michael Gove simply won't listen.

"We think Michael Gove's policies are exhausting and demoralising teachers, and children deserve enthusiastic and energetic teachers.

"Thousands of good teachers are leaving the profession. That is very damaging to education."

Teachers staged a strike in Bristol last year

The NUT was the only union taking part in Wednesday's strike.

The NASUWT union, which has been involved in previous stoppages, has been encouraged by ongoing talks over the disputed issues.

However, Mr Courtney said neither Mr Gove nor schools minister David Laws had personally attended the negotiations so far.

When Sky News put the allegations to Mr Laws, he said claims the Government was not listening to teachers' concerns were "nonsense".

He said he had no heard no previous complaints from the NUT over the way talks were structured, saying they were "detailed and serious," and attended by some of the most senior members in the department of education.

"It is bizarre and ridiculous to be taking industrial action and disturbing the education of young people and the work patterns of parents when there are talks under way."

However, he did not refute claims he had been absent from meetings.

Marching teachers in Brighton in October

Ahead of the strike, the Department for Education said: "Parents will struggle to understand why the NUT is pressing ahead with strikes over the Government's measures to let heads pay good teachers more.

"They called for talks to avoid industrial action, we agreed to their request, and talks have been taking place weekly.

"Despite this constructive engagement with their concerns, the NUT is taking action that will disrupt parents' lives, hold back children's education and damage the reputation of the profession."

While Government maintains that less than a quarter of teachers voted for strike action, NUT officials said the Government's own figures back up their argument.

Coventry physics teacher and NUT official Chris Denson said: "Since this Government has come to power we have seen a continual deterioration of teachers' working conditions.

"You see the Department For Education's own survey shows that working time has gone up massively in secondary and primary schools.

"But also, since this Government has come to power, a teacher's take-home pay has come down by 17%. Our pensions, we have to pay more to get less at the end and have to work until 69. So there are a huge number of issues."

A recent survey suggested primary school teachers work nearly 60 hours a week, with secondary school teachers chalking up 56 hours.

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Terror Charges For UK Soldier Ryan McGee

A British soldier is to be charged with explosives and terrorism offences over claims he made an improvised bomb.

Ryan McGee, 19, from 5th Battalion the Rifles, is also alleged to have had a copy of bomb-making manual The Anarchist Cookbook.

He will face two charges and is due to appear in court next week, the Crown Prosecution Service said.

McGee was detained at an Army base in Paderborn, Germany, late last year, after the discovery of the suspicious device at a terraced home in Salford.

Jane Stansfield, of the Crown Prosecution Service Counter Terrorism Division, said: "Following an investigation by police of the North West Counter Terrorism Command, we have today authorised charges against Ryan Adam McGee, a serving Rifleman with 5th Battalion the Rifles at the time of his arrest.

"It is alleged that between May 31 2012 and November 29 2013, Ryan Adam McGee had possession of a document or record for terrorist purposes, namely a copy of The Anarchist Cookbook.

"He has been charged with one offence contrary to Section 58(1)(b) of the Terrorism Act 2000.

"It is also alleged that Ryan Adam McGee, between September 1 and 30 2013 made an improvised explosive and has therefore also been charged with one offence contrary to Section 4 of the Explosive Substances Act 1883."

He is due to appear at Westminster Magistrates' Court next Wednesday.

The Anarchist Cookbook, first published in 1971, contains instructions for the manufacture of explosives and for home manufacturing of illicit drugs.

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Family Thanks Donors After Cyclist's Death

Family and friends of a cyclist who was killed while on a charity bike ride have thanked donors for giving to his cause.

Christian Smith was hoping to raise £1,000 for mental health charity Mind through his JustGiving webpage while on a bike ride around Kent and Sussex on Saturday.

The 38-year-old father of three, from Boughton Aulph in Kent, died after being in collision with a car.

And since news of his death was reported, more than £66,000 has been donated to his webpage.

Relatives and friends said the donations were a "great comfort" at a "sad and difficult" time.

A statement from Mind following Mr Smith's death

The statement said: "Taking on this challenge was Christian's way of doing something positive to make sure that people facing mental health problems are not alone, and the many messages of support and generosity of donations are a great comfort to us at this extremely sad and difficult time."

Mr Smith set out last Friday to complete his 'Kent Epic' of cycling 248 miles in 24 hours.

In his last posting, Mr Smith, who would have been 39 this week, wrote: "Oh c**p what have I done.... 6 days to go. Birthday drinks in Kings Head on 29th March if I am still alive by then."

Describing his fundraising bid, he wrote: "This is an attempt to cycle the full 24hrs and the full distance, largely unsupported (because nobody is stupid enough to volunteer!). So there are no motorcycle outriders, support vehicles or hot chicks to wipe my brow.

"As much as this being a physical effort, it will also be a mental struggle, enduring a long dark night alone, knackered. Not to mention the long training sessions ahead of me to prepare."

Explaining his motivation, he added: "In short I want to support the charity Mind, raise awareness towards the great support that they offer, and help bring an end to the stigma that is attached to those who suffer from mental health problems.

The cyclist's webpage explaining why he was doing the ride

"I have had my own misfortune to suffer from a spate of poor mental health, which was unexpected and has been a real 'game changer' in how I now view the future.

"It has been a tough road to get to this point but I have been fortunate enough to have the support of my family and friends.

"There are those who are not so fortunate to have the same level of support and understanding. They suffer in silence and are alone. This challenge is for those people."

He also posted: "If I get to £1,000 I will cycle naked around Wye!"

Two people have been arrested and freed on police bail over the cyclist's death.

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Clegg And Farage Gear Up For Live Europe Debate

By Adam Boulton, Sky News Political Editor

Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg goes head-to-head with UKIP leader Nigel Farge in a televised face-off over Europe later.

The debate is taking place because the Liberal Democrat leader challenged Mr Farage on his weekly radio phone-in show.

Mr Clegg says their two parties have the best defined disagreement in politics.

The Lib Dems are "unequivocally the party In" - committed to Britain's membership of the European Union; UKIP's core policy is getting Britain out of Europe.

Mr Clegg is Deputy Prime Minister but as the junior partner in the coalition with David Cameron's Conservatives he sometimes struggles to attract the public's attention.

To counter this he has adopted a strategy of trying to be highly accessible including giving a monthly news conference and taking part each week in a phone-in on the talk radio station LBC.

He threw down the gauntlet on "Call Clegg" and after a pause which surprised many, the normally media-hungry Mr Farage picked it up the next day.

There will be two clashes - today on LBC and Sky News, and next week on BBC2. 

The main party leaders took each other on ahead of the 2010 election

The debates are likely to be the highest profile events of the political campaign for the European Parliament and UK council elections, which take place on May 22.

Given the divisions in their own parties over both tactics and strategy on the EU, Labour and the Conservatives are happy not to be taking part. But their absence gives UKIP and the Liberal Democrats a chance to raise their profiles.

In the latest YouGov Poll for the General Election, Conservatives are on 36%, Labour 37%, Lib Dems 9%, UKIP 11%.

But UKIP is in the lead in most of the polls for the European Election.

Conservatives strategists jibe that Clegg has "nothing to lose" by doing the debates. Lib Dems reply that both participants could be on for a "win-win".

Mr Clegg, 47, has the chance to ram home the Lib Dems pro-EU message and he may get some credit with voters on the centre and left for confronting the UKIP leader.

The Lib Dem leader challenged Mr Farage on his 'Call Clegg' phone-in show

Mr Farage's credibility will be enhanced by enjoying equal status with the Deputy Prime Minister.

He will also be able to advertise UKIP ahead of the elections in which it has tended to do best, helped by the proportional representation voting system.

The 2010 leaders' debates were the breakthrough point for the Lib Dem leader, spawning the catchphrases Cleggmania and "I agree with Nick".

But his popularity has plunged since the Lib Dems joined the coalition government and broke their pledge on university tuition fees.

Nigel Farage, 49, has yet to prove himself as a great debater. He also needs to dispel the popular impression that UKIP is made up of "fruitcakes, loonies and closet racists", in David Cameron's words.

The Farage/Clegg Debates are both men's big chance to shift the national conversation away from Miliband and Cameron's obsession with the economy and on to Europe, an agenda where each believes they have a unique selling point.

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Bond Girl 'Kicked Max Clifford Between Legs'

By Nick Pisa, Sky News Reporter

A woman who appeared in the James Bond film Octopussy has told a court how she kicked Max Clifford ''really hard between the legs'' after he lunged at her and tried to kiss her.

The woman, who cannot be named for legal reasons, described how she fought Clifford off after he had taken pictures of her posing in stockings and suspenders.

Publicist Clifford had told the woman he needed the pictures to send to actor Charles Bronson so he could secure her a part in his next film, but he then tried to grab her and pushed her onto a sofa in his office.

She told the jury at Southwark Crown Court: ''He lunged towards me and tried to kiss me. He was on top of me, his hands were all over the place. He was trying to kiss me.

''Then I got very frightened and I kicked him between the legs really hard.''

When asked by prosecutor Rosina Cottage QC if Clifford had said anything, she replied: ''I just remember his smelly breath.''

Earlier the woman told the court how she had secured a part in the 1983 film Octopussy and had gone to see Clifford in his central London office where he wanted to talk about representing her.

She said he told her he could get her a part in a Bronson film but he would have to take pictures of her in her underwear to send him as ''photographic evidence''.

The publicist denies all the charges against him

The woman said Clifford gave her money to buy lingerie and she bought a ''peach coloured bra, knickers, suspender belt and stockings,'' adding they were ''pretty but not too skimpy.''

She then explained how Clifford asked her to ''do the James Bond pose'' with her fingers in the shape of a gun and he took several pictures of her sat down and standing up.

The woman said: ''I had my legs apart but my hands were covering my private parts. He asked me to take my hands away...I felt things weren't quite right at all.''

She then added how she realised Clifford was not using a professional camera but an "instamatic one you wind forward.

"I think he didn't have a film in the camera and he was pretending to take photographs of me."

She said she confronted him, got dressed and left the room.

Minutes later Clifford lunged at her after telling her he had spoken with Bronson on the telephone telling the late actor she was "fantastic".

The woman said she told a number of people what happened, including a photographer friend, other cast members from the Bond film, the film's producer and gymnast Susanne Dando.

Jurors were also told of a contract she had signed with the producers which originally had Clifford's name on it as her agent, but was then crossed out.

During her evidence, Clifford, dressed in a white open-neck shirt and dark suit, passed several notes to his defence team.

The jury was reduced to 11 after a woman revealed she knew one of the witnesses, Bond casting producer Deborah McWilliams.

She told the court she contacted Clifford with a view to hiring extras for Octopussy and in particular how they used him to negotiate for Olympic gymnast Susanne Dando.

Barbara Broccoli, daughter of legendary Bond producer Albert 'Cubby' Broccoli, also testified, describing how her father had been involved in making the 007 films since 1962 when Dr No was released.

She told the court she did not know Clifford, and her role in 1982 in Octopussy had been as an executive assistant to recruit ''incidental and background parts'' for the film.

Clifford, 70, from Hersham, Surrey, denies 11 counts of indecent assault between 1966 and 1984 on seven girls and women.

The trial was adjourned until Tuesday morning.

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Supermarket And Restaurant Bills Set To Soar

By Poppy Trowbridge, Consumer Affairs Correspondent

Grocery and restaurant bills are set to rise as food inflation hits 3.8% before the end of the year, according to new research.

That figure, from food service specialist Prestige Purchasing, means food costs are rising faster than other prices.

Consumer price inflation is currently 1.9%, below the Bank of England's 2% target.

Raw materials are traded openly on global markets and commodity prices often fluctuate, sometimes quite wildly.

But right now a specific combination of bad weather, political conflict and increased consumption is pushing up the price of everything from orange juice to cocoa and pork.

Commodity experts say competition for our favourite foods is also an issue.

Brian Smith, a raw materials expert at Mintec, said: "The Russians and the Chinese are putting heavy demand into dairy products and milk products.

The crisis in Ukraine is having an effect on wheat prices

"The likelihood of them dropping in price is slim because of that demand."

Wheat prices are vulnerable to the current political uncertainties stemming from the crisis in Ukraine, a key grain producer.

Mr Smith added: "If sanctions stop the Russians from exporting wheat and grains, or if the Russians choose to stop exporting, then wheat prices will inevitably go up."

The cost of fruit has risen more than any other category of food, according to Prestige research.

The price of chocolate has increased by 1%

It is up more than 10%, followed by the price of vegetables and meat, which have risen more than 5% per category.

Even the cost of sugar, jam, chocolate and confectionery is up 1%.

Wine prices have increased by 16% year-on-year.

The average cost of eating out is expected to continue to rise as restaurants pass on the cost of rising food prices to customers.

While more than £19bn will be added to the UK's annual grocery bill by 2018, the equivalent of an additional £850 per family per year, according to figures from retail consultancy Conlumino.

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