shocking moment looting yobs shoot at police helicopter during Birmingham riots

Police have released dramatic video of yobs shooting at unarmed police on the ground and in a hovering helicopter during the height of the riots.An attempted murder investigation has been launched after 11 shots were fired as police as they tried to control the disorder in the Birmingham suburb of Newtown late on August 9.Officers had to duck for cover as petrol bombs were also thrown after money and alcohol was stolen from the Bartons Arms and it was set alight.Dangerous: This footage, taken from a police helicopter, shows a masked man pointing a gun up at officers Who is he? Police have released the footage in the hope members of the...

Read more »

British Airways Manager Remanded Over Alleged Cocaine Deals

It has been established that a British Airways Manager at the Kotoka International Airport (KIA), Eric Owusu Manu, is among cocaine suspects currently standing trial at an Accra Circuit Court.The manager, together with the rest of the accused persons, who allegedly conspired to export nine kilogrammes (9kg) of cocaine and six parcels of cannabis sativa (marijuana) from Ghana to the United Kingdom (UK), without license from the Minister of Health, was yesterday denied bail. The accused persons were first put before a Magistrate Court in Accra, but the state later filed 'nolle prosequi', leading to their discharge. They were, however, arrested immediately they stepped out of the court room, and put before the Circuit Court.According to the Prosecutor, who is also a Principal State Attorney,...

Read more »

Jordan Blackshaw, 20, and Perry Sutcliffe-Keenan, 22, received four-year sentences for using Facebook to organize the riots.

People are questioning whether the punishment fits the crime for the organizers of the U.K. riots, who relied on Facebook to do the planning.In northwestern England on August 16, Jordan Blackshaw, 20, and Perry Sutcliffe-Keenan, 22,  received four-year sentences for using Facebook to organize the riots.At the beginning of August 2011, London suffered from almost a full week of riots. There was damage, injuries, and death.Now, British courts are looking to reprimand the thousands of people arrested during the chaos, and the first sentencing suggests there will be no getting off easy.Blackshaw used Facebook to create an event  – including time, date, and location — for a “massive Northwich lootin’,” and Sutcliffe-Keenan created a Facebook Page called “Warrington Riots,” which...

Read more »

A man who was jailed for three years after being caught handing over cash in a drug deal is to have £91,000 seized under proceeds of crime laws.

William Thomson, 49, from Lanark, was arrested in October 2006 after transferring a holdall full of money to a car in Uddingston, South Lanarkshire.Police intelligence revealed the cash - more than £90,000 - was in exchange for a delivery of drugs the following day.Thomson was arrested following a long-running investigation by police.The cash recovered in the operation was later stolen from Hamilton police station by a civilian worker.Robert Moffat, a member of police support staff who looked after evidence, was found guilty of the theft and jailed for 22 months in November 2008.Drug probeThomson, who was known to have links to serious and organised crime, was found guilty of offences under the Proceeds of Crime Act .The court heard that his arrest was part of a two-year investigation by the...

Read more »

Now governors warn of prison time bomb

Hundreds of rioters are being “warehoused” in jails across the country, pushing the prison population to record levels and increasing the risk of internal disturbances, violence and mass re-offending, the Government was warned yesterday by its own prison governors and officers.Insiders spoke frankly of the huge strain placed on the system by the riots, painting a portrait of a service buckling under the weight of the increase in inmates – in contrast to public reassurances from the Ministry of Justice (MoJ).Prison officers warned that the crowding has already led to heightened tensions beyond prison gates, and that re-offending will rise because...

Read more »

One boy had been nabbed by the police with a couple of Burberry shirts in his knapsack. Someone else had taken a violin.

One boy had been nabbed by the police with a couple of Burberry shirts in his knapsack. Someone else had taken a violin. Trainers galore, plastic carrier bags of mobile phones, tracksuit bottoms, sunglasses. If there hadn't been a trail of arson, broken glass, people trapped in collapsing flats and houses, the wholesale destruction of shops and livelihoods and deep fear, I would have said 'stealing swee...

Read more »

Rioters push inmate total to record high

The prison population reached a record high today as officials said they were developing contingency plans to manage the unprecedented situation caused by hundreds of people being jailed over the riots.Tough sentencing of those involved in the violence and looting by the courts saw the number of people behind bars in England and Wales rise by more than 100 a day over the past week.But as some of the first appeals were heard, one woman who was jailed for five months after admitting that she accepted a pair of looted shorts from her housemate walked free from prison.Mother-of-two Ursula Nevin, 24, who was sent down by a district judge at Manchester Magistrates' Court last week after she pleaded guilty to handling stolen goods, had her sentence reduced on appeal.The Recorder of Manchester, Judge...

Read more »

LONDON is smug, secure, restrained, multicultural, 300 languages spoken; women in Niqabs, men in hoods; teachers can't discipline kids, police touch no one for fear of a lawsuit

, God's in heaven and all's right with the world! The UK is politically correct, all comers get welfare, illegals and lesbian converts can't be deported as they will suffer in their own country; it bends over to please everyone! Two weeks ago it had a shock. Home folk and migrants rioted!Rioters want the goodies they were hyped to desire but cannot afford. The society parades goods, stirs desire and envy and now wonders why this happened. People want theirs!This riot and arson should concern us. Why? People failed by a system or who did not seize opportunity still have the power to destroy. Our diaspora is involved and because we are iconic in...

Read more »

6,000 British tourists and expats received consular help after being arrested overseas last year.

The number of Britons arrested overseas fell by more than 10 per cent between 1 April 2010 and 31 March 2011, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) said in its British Behaviour Abroad report. However, lawyers last night warned that the Government is failing dozens of detained Britons who have been stuck in inhumane prison systems awaiting trial for months or even years.More than 200 Britons who were unable to get access to a lawyer or were detained without charge sought legal assistance from an international NGO which helps people caught up in unjust or corrupt criminal justice systems.Fair Trials International (FTI) said that the FCO should do more to ensure Britons arrested abroad have access to lawyers and interpreters in order to help them to understand their rights and prepare a...

Read more »

Nine Britons have been arrested on Ibiza with 1,700 doses of ecstasy and other drugs.

The Guardia Civil believe the group supplied the ecstasy which is believed to have been responsible for the fatal heart attack suffered by Jodie Nieman, a 20 year old British tourist, on July 13.Mephedrone is a stimulant which has an increased heart rate among its side effects, and is sometimes sold as ecstasy.The breakup of the British drug traffickers comes thanks to the work of the rural security section of the Guardia Civil on Ibiza, who identified an individual who was nervous when questioned last August 9. This 24 year old was carrying 200 ecstasy pills, 51 doses of mephedrone and 78 grams of the drug in a bag, 10 grams of ketamine, as well as precision scales.The EDOA anti organised crime and anti-drug group then took charge of the case leading to the location of the nine Britons, aged...

Read more »

26 year old British man who was stabbed in the early hours of Saturday outside a bar in Sant Antoni, Ibiza

26 year old British man who was stabbed in the early hours of Saturday outside a bar in Sant Antoni, Ibiza, remained in intensive care on Sunday.He was stabbed in the chest and legs and is said to be in a critical condition in intensive care in the Can Misses Hospital, although he is conscious.Hospital sources gave the man’s initials to Europa Press as A.A. and say that his condition has not changed since he was taken off assisted breathing on Saturday after surgery.He was found injured at 1.35am outside the Plástic bar in Avenida Doctor Fleming in Sant Antoni, and the Guardia Civil have still be unable to unravel exactly what had happen...

Read more »

British man had 200 ecstasy pills for 'private use

24 year old British man, named with the initials M.E., has told the duty court on Ibiza that he had a Tupperware container with 200 ecstasy pills for private consumption with 30 of his friends.The container also held 51 doses and 78 grams of mephedrone, and ten doses of Ketamine.The judge in Instruction Court 3 in Palma, Carmen Martín, said however that she did not believe his story, and ordered he be held in prison without bail.The Briton was one of eight British men who were arrested as part of the EDOA drug squad operation, authorised by Judge José Espinosa in two apartments in the Jovial block in Sant Antoni. Three of the eight have since...

Read more »

Two Britons have been arrested by the National Police in Ciutadella, Menorca in connection with thefts from hotels

Two Britons have been arrested by the National Police in Ciutadella, Menorca in connection with thefts from hotels. They were detained as they tried to leave the island.Police have linked the two, 46 year old R.C.D. and Z.B. whose age has not been given with seven robberies from hotel rooms in urbanisations in the town. R.C.D. is said to have a criminal record, both in Spain and the U.K., and has been in prison in both countries.The two are alleged to have entered the empty rooms by invisibly forcing the lock, to remove money and items of value found inside.Police searched their hire car as they were trying to leave the island, and found cash...

Read more »

The family of a British woman given a life sentence for drug trafficking was celebrating today after a court in the United Arab Emirates slashed her prison term by more than half.

The family of a British woman given a life sentence for drug trafficking was celebrating today after a court in the United Arab Emirates slashed her prison term by more than half.The father of Anna Bartlett, 23, said the cut was a "terrific step" in his efforts to get his daughter home after she was jailed in May this year.Philip Bartlett, 52, from Southend-on-Sea, Essex, said his family would now take further legal steps to try to prove their daughter's innocence.Ms Bartlett, also known as Anna Hamilton, was told today at a hearing in Ras Al Khaimah she would serve a 10-year sentence after she was originally given a 25-year stretch without parole.She had denied using, trafficking and importing drugs into the Emirates, but was found guilty by a panel of judges.Mr Bartlett said he was given...

Read more »

Somalia has jailed three Britons, two Kenyans and an American for bringing more than $3m (£2m) in cash illegally into the country, allegedly to pay ransoms to pirates for ships they hold.

The two men accused of carrying the cash received 15-year sentences; the others got 10 years.The men were arrested on 24 May shortly after they landed at the airport in the capital, Mogadishu.The UN says more than $110m in ransoms were paid to Somali pirates last year.The Somali government officially opposes the payment of ransoms, but the practice has become routine.The two men jailed for 15 years were also fined $15,000 (£9,000) each. The other four men - two pilots and their assistants - received $10,000 (£6,000) fines alongside their jail terms.This is the first time Westerners have been sentenced for involvement in delivering ransoms. It is not clear why this group of men fell foul of the authorities.Asked about possible pardons or parole, information ministry spokesman Abdifitah Abdinur...

Read more »

Jack Tweed told by court to grow up

The widower of reality TV star Jade Goody was told to "grow up" by a magistrate today as he was given community service for assaulting a man outside a bar.Jack Tweed, 24, admitted common assault after punching Tom Grantham in the back of the head outside Deuces Bar and Lounge in Chigwell, Essex, in January.He was given an 18-month supervision order, will do 100 hours of unpaid work, and must take part in a programme to prevent re-offending.Tweed must also pay £625 costs.Tweed also aimed two kicks at Mr Grantham, a 21-year-old builder, but missed.Susan Mann, chair of the bench at Redbridge Magistrates' Court, told Tweed: "I think you now understand...

Read more »

man has been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder after two police officers were hit by a car as they chased looters in north-east London.

Detectives released footage of the incident in Royston Avenue, Waltham Forest in the early hours of 8 August.One of the PCs was hit so hard that some of his body armour came off. One officer suffered leg injuries while the other injured a shoulder.A 31-year-old man surrendered himself at an east London police station.'Sheer luck'The two officers were part of a group who were following up reports of looting at a clothes shop on Chingford Mount Road when the car - registration number Y132 GHJ - struck the officers at about 01:00 BST.The vehicle then turned right on to Chingford Mount Road and right again on to New Road.The injured officers, both based at Paddington Green police station, are now recovering at home and will receive further specialist treatment.Det Insp Cliff Haines said: "These...

Read more »

Air attack flier beats jail due to plane fear

WOMAN who forced a pilot to abort a landing because she was fighting with crew and passengers has avoided jail because of her fear of flying.Lynn Grimes, 41, had been drinking before the Athens to Manchester flight and sank a bottle of wine on board to help her cope with the trip.Cabin crew had let her sit with them due to her phobia - but as the easyJet plane came in to land she refused to go back to her seat.Grimes grabbed a passenger by the hair and kicked a steward in the stomach, forcing the pilot to keep the plane in the air until she was seated.Tourism worker Grimes, of South Shields, Tyne and Wear, admitted endangering an aircraft and two assault charges.A judge at Manchester's Minshull Street Crown Court gave her an eight-month suspended sentence after accepting she "simply panic...

Read more »

Two men have been handed four-year jail terms for setting up Facebook pages encouraging people to riot – even though the riots never took place.

The sentences are some of the stiffest handed down so far by the courts since last week's widespread disturbances and signal how determined the judiciary is to punish anyone caught using social media to spread looting or violence.Jordan Blackshaw, 20, from Marston near Northwich, and Perry Sutcliffe-Keenan, 22, from Warrington, appeared at Chester Crown Court yesterday and both pleaded guilty to inciting violent disorder.The court heard how Blackshaw was the only person who turned up to his own riot and was promptly arrested by police whilst Sutcliffe-Keenan's riot page was only up for a few hours before he took it down again.Blackshaw labelled his Facebook group "Smash dwn [sic] in Northwich Town" and called on his friends to meet behind McDonald's in the town centre on Tuesday 9 August for...

Read more »