Stories for 1 December 2007

The Northern Echo News

Students aim for the top with charity Christmas single

A NORTH-EAST university student   more...

Consultants to work with retailers on city’s vision

A TEAM of consultants has been   more...

Female duo flushed with success

MORE than 120 performers took to   more...

Couple rescued from house fire

FIREFIGHTERS rescued a young couple from a blaze after breaking into their home.   more...

Energy award for North-East council

A NORTH-EAST council has scooped a national award for its work in helping vulnerable households keep warm in winter.   more...

Karate kid wins silver medal

A NORTH-EAST schoolboy has won a silver medal at a national karate championships.   more...

Church's extra special decoration

A NORTH-EAST church will have an extra special Christmas decoration this year after a unique donation.   more...

Armed forces scholarships for students

THE armed forces are offering more than £50,000 worth of scholarships to students at Darlington College.   more...

Post office move is delayed

THE MOVE of the post office in a County Durham village has been delayed until New Year.   more...

School break-in upsets children

CHILDREN have been left devastated after a North-East primary school was broken into and 16 lap top computers were taken.   more...

Father and son rescued from capsized yacht

A FATHER and son were rescued by Tynemouth RNLI inshore lifeboat at noon today after their yacht capsized in strong winds.   more...

Pair are praised for tackling jewel thief

TWO men were praised by a judge yesterday for their double act of bravery which helped put a jewel thief behind bars for three-and-a-half years.Traffic warden John Spence chased the thief after he smashed a jeweller's window with a brick, and sharp-eyed Jonathan Whitehead tripped him up, scattering £4,000 worth of jewellery over the road.The thief, drug addict Barry Foster, 28, then threatened them with what appeared to be either a hypodermic needle or a key.Sue Jacobs, prosecuting at Teesside Crown Court, said Foster was later recognised from CCTV footage. He told police that he needed to settle a £1,000 drug debt.Days before the raid, on the Market Cross Jewellers, in the Middleton Grange Shopping Centre, Hartlepool, Foster had burgled the Engineers Club in Raby Road, Hartlepool, and stolen a large plasma TV from the wall of the lounge.He hid it in nearby bushes and returned later after he begged a lift in a car, but the driver became suspicious and refused to help him.The TV was later recovered by the club and Foster was again identified on CCTV. He was arrested on October 15 and, while on bail two days later, stole a handbag from a woman at a Weightwatchers class in York Road. But he dropped it nearby and it was recovered minus a mobile phone.Two days after that, he committed the smash-and-grab at the jewellers.Robin Denny, in mitigation, said the only decision for the court was how long Foster's prison sentence should be.The court was told that he had been on a methadone course to tackle his addiction.Judge Michael Taylor told him: "Two members of the public were bravely involved in a chase and ended up being threatened by something in your hand. "They were obviously terrified, but they bravely remained."Foster, from Hartlepool, but of no fixed address, pleaded guilty to the two burglaries, a theft and affray between October 13 and 19.  more...

Vandalised graveyard insult to war heroes and miners

A 70-year-old man who traced his war hero grandfather's grave to the North-East broke down in tears when he found it vandalised and overgrown. Gavin Osborne, from Carterton, in Oxfordshire, travelled 250 miles to pay his respects to Arthur Lavery, a decorated First World War captain.But when he found his grave, in Esh Winning, County Durham, he was shocked at its desecrated state."I found the situation very distressing and sad," Mr Osborne said. "It's such an insult to the memory of a war hero. It was very emotional for me."Captain Lavery enrolled in the British forces in 1889, aged 17, serving in India and Burma in his early career, and in France and Belgium during the First World War. He was sent home to England after being wounded, and later awarded medals for long service and good conduct.Capt Lavery died in Esh Winning, on November 7, 1926, and was buried in Esh Winning's College View cemetery.The cemetery has now fallen into a neglected state, with graves overgrown, damaged and covered with graffiti.Mr Osborne, a semi-retired kitchen manufacturer, said: "Most of the graves go back to the First World War. My grandfather, in particular, died because of his war wounds and there is no doubt there are bodies of miners there as well. They died trying to make Britain a fit place to live in."It should be a place for people to sit and reflect. To leave it in such a mess is disgusting."The graveyard is managed by Durham City Council.A council spokeswoman said a neighbourhood warden regularly checked the area, but because the graveyard is closed, the council's powers were limited.She said: "The grass is cut every ten days during the summer, but each plot is owned by the relatives and we need their permission to do anything. Many of the graves are very old and there are not people around to give that permission."The council is applying to the Durham Diocese to see if we can get remedial work done, which will hopefully start soon."The spokeswoman said this could include grave kerbs being buried under turf, but any inscription would be left open to view.  more...

Drink-drive victim backs annual safety crackdown

A WOMAN whose life was destroyed by an over-the-limit motorist has spoken out to discourage people from drink-driving.Michelle Garrity, 23, of Cramlington, near Newcastle, had to undergo seven operations following injuries in an accident two years ago.David Grey was twice the legal drink-drive limit when he crashed into her car as she drove her friends home from the pub.One of her passengers died of his injuries four days after the accident, and the other was badly injured and has not worked since. Ms Garrity has had metal pins and plates inserted into her leg, elbow, shoulder and face. She has also had reconstructive surgery using bone from her ribs and cartilage from her ear to rebuild her nose and her eye socket.She still has one more operation to face, in March, but has spoken as part of the annual Think! campaign to reduce the number of accidents caused by drink-drivers over the Christmas period.She said: "I would say think carefully about having that drink or that extra drink. "Think carefully about the possible consequences of what could be a selfish action."It is always possible that having been selfish in that way, you could have an accident and you could affect the lives of far more people than the just the ones in the car."There are families and friends linked to the accident in which I was involved who are grieving the loss of a son or a friend and who are having to give financial, emotional and other support to people whose lives have been shattered because of one selfish act."Last year in County Durham, there were 143 casualties from accidents where at least one of the drivers failed a breath test, the same as the year before.The figure rose from 214 to 230 in the Northumbria Police area and fell from 103 to 75 in Cleveland. In North Yorkshire, the figure fell from 170 to 138.Andrew Johnson, from the Government Office NorthEast, said: "Michelle's case illustrates very graphically the tragic and real consequences of drinking and driving. "The particular circumstances highlight that it is often innocent victims and their friends and families who suffer as a result of the actions of those who drink and drive."  more...

Trust orders review of health services

HEALTH bosses have announced a major review of hospital services across County Durham and Darlington.New chief executive Stephen Eames said the review was about "agreeing a way forward for our hospitals over the next five years, based on high-quality clinical standards and the best outcomes for patients".Mr Eames, who took up his new post on Monday, has appointed consultancy company Matrix Knowledge Group to provide support.The Seizing the Future review will look at hospital services, assess their performance and long-term viability and come up with a number of options.The County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust runs Darlington Memorial Hospital, Bishop Auckland General Hospital, the University Hospital of North Durham, in Durham, Shotley Bridge Community Hospital and Chester-le-Street Community Hospital.The announcement will stir up concerns about the long-term future of Bishop Auckland General Hospital, which was downgraded in the last round of changes five years ago.Campaigners from the Save Our Hospital group fear that the £67m hospital, which only opened in 2002, could be stripped of more of its services.There have also been protests and petitions this year about ward closures at Darlington Memorial Hospital and the transfer of haematology in-patient services to Bishop Auckland.The last major shake-up in hospital services took place in 2002, when the north Durham and south Durham hospital trusts were merged.These changes followed recommendations by Professor, now Lord Darzi.Trust officials said changes to the wider NHS, including greater competition between hospitals and an emphasis on treating people closer to their homes will reduce the trust's income.Last year, the trust announced it needed to shed up to 700 jobs over three years.Feisal Jassat, head of Durham County Council's health scrutiny unit, said: "Whatever the NHS proposes, it has a duty to consult and engage with local people and key stakeholders. I do not see this as cutbacks or closures, but shaping services to what people want."Mr Jassat said any proposals would be scrutinised by councillors.Councillor Neil Stonehouse, the leader of Wear Valley District Council, said: "Bishop Auckland hospital has a crucial role to play in the future. We will expect to be fully consulted."  more...

Lifesaver Daniel's big night in the spotlight

A YOUNG boy who saved his father from a near-fatal accident enjoyed a night in the limelight in recognition of his heroics.Daniel Sheffield, from Spennymoor, County Durham, was the guest at the town's Christmas lights switch-on last night.The three-year-old was invited to take a starring role in the event by Spennymoor Town Council after members heard how he saved his father, Stephen, from electrocution.Mr Sheffield was trying to repair a washing machine at the family's home, in Half Moon Lane, Spennymoor, when he suffered an electric shock.Daniel, a pupil at Tudhoe Moor Nursery, quickly switched off the appliance at the plug, then ran to a neighbour for help.He then waited at the front door until an ambulance arrived, and directed paramedics to the house.Mr Sheffield was treated for burns on both arms at Bishop Auckland General Hospital, but medics said that without the youngster's intervention, his injuries could have been much worse. Mr Sheffield said: "It was not until after I was treated that I realised what Daniel had done, I was very proud of him."He is definitely my hero."Last night, the council arranged a limousine ride for Daniel and his family around the town before he joined Santa and Deputy Mayor Ian Harrington for the official switch-on.Daniel's mother, Caroline McGowan, said: "I am just so proud of what he did."He and his brother, Lewis, are both observant and know about electricity, but I was still impressed he knew what to do."It could have been much worse, even fatal, if he had not."It is lovely that the council has made a fuss of him, and he has really enjoyed it."The VIP evening followed a presentation by the town council of a bravery award to Daniel. The authority has only ever presented two other similar citations, and both were to adults.Coun Harrington said: "We felt Daniel's action warranted something extra special, so making him a VIP guest at the lights switch-on was our way of rewarding him."  more...

Rock suitor threatens to pull out of bidding

NORTHERN Rock suitor JC Flowers could pull out of the bidding to take over the bank after it was apparently snubbed in its efforts to talk to the Treasury.The US-based private equity firm is reportedly threatening to drop its bid unless Treasury officials agree to discuss the proposals it has drawn up.JC Flowers, which specialises in buyouts of troubled financial companies, was one of the first suitors to register an interest in Northern Rock after the Tyneside lender was forced to turn to the Bank of England for emergency support in September.But it has been pushed into the background in recent days after the Treasury, along with the bank and the Financial Services Authority, named Sir Richard Branson's Virgin Group as a preferred, although not exclusive, bidder.Another US equity firm, Olivant, is also said to have received Treasury blessing for its bid.JC Flowers has not commented publicly, but a source close to the firm yesterday said Treasury officials had not returned its calls since the Virgin announcement last Monday.The source said: "We expect to hear something. Effectively, we want to move into an accelerated process alongside or instead of Virgin."We are in a position to reach agreement prior to Christmas, with the required co-operation."The firm is thought to be offering to retain Northern Rock's stock market listing in order to allow shareholders to benefit from any recovery - one area that has been of concern for the Treasury.It has further pledged to repay £15bn immediately back to the Bank of England should its bid be successful, and then a further £10bn by the end of 2010, allaying fears about debt repayments.A Treasury spokesman rejected suggestions that it was refusing to co-operate with potential bidders.He said: "We stand ready to have discussions with any bidder that meets the principles that we have set out."  more...

Ten years for man who raped disabled woman

A MAN who raped a woman with the mental age of four was jailed for ten years yesterday.The woman told a carer what Lee Plant, 35, had done - which amounted to persistent rape, said Simon Reevell, prosecuting.Plant pleaded guilty on the morning of his trial to four specimen charges after initially facing 28 offences, Teesside Crown Court was told.Mr Reevell said that the woman was on a college bus when she spoke to the woman carer about Plant.He said: "She said that it had happened 'loads'."She added 'He massages me', and when the carer said that she occasionally had a massage for pain in her shoulders, the woman went into childlike descriptions of what Plant did to her."She clearly had no capacity to understand what had happened other than the physical act."It's impossible to say how often this abuse occurred, and it seems, reading the transcript of her evidence, that she is speaking about something that is usually happening rather than on occasions."When Plant was interviewed he said he could give no explanation why she had made the allegations.But on the day of his trial he changed his plea and he accepted what the prosecution said.Robin Denny, mitigating, said Plant had pleaded guilty to serious charges of having sexual relations with a woman with very serious disabilities.He said: "He has some insight into his offending and he has expressed substantial remorse."The Recorder of Middlesbrough Judge Peter Fox told Plant: "Your offences against this severely disabled young person almost beggar belief."Her mental age, I am informed, was something in the region of four to five years old and, again and again and again over a period of ten months or thereabouts you perpetrated these serious sexual offences against her, most seriously frequently raping her."Plant, of Prior Court, Billingham, was jailed for ten years after he pleaded guilty to specimen offences of rape, sexual assaults and gross indecency between November 25, 2005, and September 30, last year.He was ordered to register as a sex offender for life and banned for life from having contact with children under 18.  more...

Builder is spared jail for fleecing customer

A BUILDER who took £20,000 from a woman towards work he did not carry out was yesterday given a suspended jail sentence.James Abley, 52, who admitted several charges of dishonestly obtaining cash from customers, later gave his victim a cheque for £19,500, but it bounced.Passing sentence, Judge John Evans said Abley had done the building industry an "enormous dis-service". Abley denied obtaining the cash by deception, a plea that was accepted by the court, but admitted a lesser charge of evasion of liability by deception.Durham Crown Court was told he traded as Abley Construction, which ran into financial difficulty, with debts amounting to £125,000 in December 2004 and owing a further £50,000 in tax by August 2005. He was declared bankrupt that October. In April 2005, Abley was contacted by Michelle Naughton, of Esh Winning, County Durham, to build a two-storey extension.Abley, who also admitted forging a structural engineer's report for Ms Naughton, told her he needed £20,000 before he began the work.The only work he carried out was to move a kennel, demolish an outhouse and dig foundation holes.He later said he would re-pay £19,500, but the cheque did not clear.He also admitted dishonestly obtaining £2,040 from Sharon Bevington, of Tow Law, County Durham, to draw up plans, work he failed to carry out. Abley also admitted dishonestly obtaining £985 from Gavin Talbot, of Burnhope, County Durham, to submit a planning application.Tom Moran, in mitigation, said Abley was not a "cowboy builder" and had been employed in the industry for most of his life, before he started his own business.Abley, of Hamilton Row, Waterhouses, near Durham City, was sentenced to 12 months in jail, suspended for two years, and ordered to carry out 280 hours of unpaid work.  more...

North-East inquiry in Labour cash row

A NORTH-EAST business park   more...

Director was seen at all the main party events

THE privacy-seeking businessman   more...

Viz fan to give away first edition in comic competition

A VIZ fan who paid £1,175 for a first   more...

Driving ban for 100mph soldier

A SOLDIER covered himself and   more...

Art lovers have reasons to be cheerful

ART lovers got a chance to   more...