Stories for 15 February 2007

The Northern Echo News

No relief for 3,800 homes in gas crisis

ABOUT 3,800 North-East homes were still without gas last night - 48 hours after a major pipe was damaged.For some families in the Crook area of County Durham, the misery was compounded when electricity supplies failed for the second consecutive evening.Up to 250 homes were left in the dark after the electricity network failed to cope when residents turned on electric cookers and heaters. But the supply was expected to be returned to all homes by the end of the night.More than 1,400 homes had their gas reconnected yesterday, and engineers said they were hoping a "significant number" of properties would have their supply back by the end of tomorrow.Supplies were disrupted on Monday lunchtime when a gas main was fractured near Spennymoor. Thirty homes in Westerton Close, Middlestone Moor, were temporarily evacuated.At first, about 10,000 homes and businesses were cut off.Distributor Northern Gas Networks has provided 5,000 electric heaters and 1,000 portable stoves. But the extra demand from these appliances has had a knock-on effect, causing fuses to blow at electricity substations.John Bird, from CE Electric UK, said: "It's the peak morning and evening times when the demand is too great."John O'Grady, from Northern Gas Networks, warned residents not to reconnect gas supplies themselves."There's a real risk if someone turns on their gas supply of something untoward happening - lighting an explosion and causing injuries or death," he said.Seven primary schools were closed yesterday. Parents can check Durham County Council's website, www.durham. gov.uk, for information.Information on the gas cut is available by calling Crook Civic Centre, on 01388-765555.The centre will remain open until 6pm, with Wear Valley District Council staff available to help, until the crisis ends.  more...

'Man faced train that killed him'

A MAN who died when he was struck by a train was standing on the track facing it when it hit him, it was claimed yesterday.British Transport Police were last night still trying to identify the man who was hit by the Northern Rail train just north of Easington Colliery, in east Durham, at 7.10pm on Tuesday.A spokeswoman for British Transport Police said: "The driver reportedly saw a man standing on the track facing the train."The man, she said, had been struck and killed by the train, which was on its way to Middlesbrough.A Durham Police helicopter was sent to the scene.A force spokeswoman said: "Because of the remote location, a police helicopter was sent to help local police, British Transport officers and paramedics locate the body."She said the aircraft had established the area where the fatal incident had taken place, between Easington Colliery's beach area and neighbouring farmland.The helicopter crew directed paramedics to the scene of the fatality.British Transport Police confirmed they were not treating the incident as suspicious. The section of the line was closed for more than two hours and a spokesperson for Northern Rail said three services had been affected by the incident.There were 33 passengers on board the train at the time of the accident and all had to remain on board for safety reasons.The spokeswoman said: "Once the line was re-opened, the passengers on board were taken on to Hartlepool where transportation, including taxis, was organised to take them to their destinations."Inquiries were continuing last night into the incident and to establish the identity of the man who died.  more...

Colonel and men have no case to answer

The highest-ranking British serviceman to face a court martial in recent history was cleared yesterday along with four of his men, after a judge ruled they had no case to answer over charges of mistreating Iraqi civilians.Colonel Jorge Mendonca, 43, former commander of the Queen's Lancashire Regiment (QLR), had stood trial for negligently performing the duty of ensuring his men did not mistreat Iraqi civilians detained in Basra in September 2003.It was alleged that some of the colonel's men abused the Iraqis, keeping them hooded, cuffed, deprived of sleep and beating them for failing to hold stress positions over a 36-hour period. One of the prisoners, 26-year-old hotel receptionist Baha Musa, died.The prosecution had alleged that Col Mendonca did not do everything possible to make sure the detainees, arrested as suspected insurgents, were treated properly by his men, according to the Geneva Convention and the Laws of Armed Conflict.But Mr Justice McKinnon, sitting as judge advocate, ordered the colonel's acquittal after "no case to answer" submissions were made by his defence team at the end of the prosecution's case.Four of Col Mendonca's six co-defendants were also cleared on the instructions of the judge yesterday, following similar applications. They were Sergeant Kelvin Stacey, 30, of the QLR, acquitted of assault occasioning actual bodily harm and common assault.Lance Corporal Wayne Crowcroft, 22, and Private Darren Fallon, 23, both of the QLR, were cleared of treating Iraqis inhumanely - a charge brought, for the first time against British servicemen, under the International Criminal Court Act 2001.Corporal Donald Payne, 35, of the QLR, now merged with the Duke of Lancaster's Regiment, was cleared on the judge's orders of Mr Musa's manslaughter and a charge of perverting the course of justice.In September he became Britain's first convicted war criminal when, at the start of the trial, he admitted treating the detainees inhumanely.He will be sentenced at a later date.Following the acquittals, the Attorney General's office faced criticism from within the military.An Army source said Col Mendonca had been charged as an afterthought following the uproar over an abuse case in 2005, for which no officers were held to account.A spokesman for the Attorney General's office said the prosecution had not been influenced by political pressure - a denial made publicly prior to the start of the trial in September last year.Two men remain on trial at Bulford Camp, Wiltshire, after their "no case" applications were rejected. Major Michael Peebles, 35, and Warrant Officer Mark Davies, 37, both of the Intelligence Corps, deny a charge of negligently performing the duty of ensuring the Iraqis were not ill-treated by men under their command.The trial was adjourned until Monday.  more...

Greyhound campaigners to demonstrate at court

SUPPORTERS of the racing dog protection group Greyhound Action are planning to demonstrate outside a court tomorrow.The campaign group has timed its action to coincide with the appearance at Durham Magistrates' Court of David Smith, who is accused of depositing non-specific waste without a licence.The allegation brought in a private prosecution by the Environment Agency relates to the burying of dogs on land at Mr Smith's home in Northdene Terrace, Seaham, County Durham.The case follows media revelations last July that Mr Smith had legally used a bolt gun to destroy hundreds of redundant greyhounds.A spokesman for the group said last night that the demonstration was planned to draw attention to the deaths of dogs and to call on the public not to attend or bet on greyhound racing.  more...

Castle thinks pink to get in the mood for love

COUPLES had a Valentine's Day treat when a 12th Century castle was bathed in pink light.More than 300 couples enjoyed romantic Valentine's dinner dates at Walworth Castle, near Darlingtion, last night.To mark the occasion, the owners made sure the castle was in the pink with a huge new lighting system.Vera Carroll, assistant manager at the castle, said: "The co-owner, Rachel Swain, came up with the idea. We always have lots of candlelit dinners on Valentine's Day because it's such a romantic place."  more...

Scale of MP's travel expenses revealed

POLITICIANS last night questioned the accuracy of new figures that reveal how much each claimed in travel expenses last year.The expenses were published after a two-year freedom of information campaign by Liberal Democrat MP Norman Baker.They reveal Darlington MP Alan Milburn spent the most on rail travel in 2005-6 in the UK -clocking up £16,782 worth of train journeys.Had he bought the most expensive first-class tickets, it would equate to 54 return trips from his constituency to London - at today's price of £308.Mr Milburn could have made the same journey 262 times if he had bought today's cheapest first-class fare of £64.Total MPs' travel expenses were about £4.5m, including almost £2m on car mileage, about £1.5m on trains, £1m on flights and more than £45,000 on taxi fares and hire cars.The figures reveal for the first time how much each MP claimed back for travel by car, plane, taxi and train.Tory MP Richard Bacon has referred the tables to the National Audit Office, saying the £5,685 figure for his taxi journeys and car hire was ludicrous.He said: "I have not claimed £5,685 for taxis or anything near this figure. My estimate is that I have spent a few hundred pounds on taxis over the last six years since I was first elected. Nor have I hired a car in the last 12 months."The figures also state, wrongly, that I have claimed no petrol allowance for mileage, which I certainly have done."The House of Commons department that compiled the statistics said MPs had seen them more than four months ago and were asked then if there were any inaccuracies.In this region, Mr Milburn claimed the most in travel expenses -£21,505 in total. That is £4,523 more than Middlesbrough MP Sir Stuart Bell, who claimed the next largest sum at £16,982.Sir Stuart, however, claimed the largest in car mileage -£8,436. That equates to almost 28,000 miles, roughly 54 round-trips to London.Prime Minister and Sedgefield MP Tony Blair claimed the lowest travel expenses - £202.  more...

Knife case consultant to return

A CONSULTANT surgeon who was charged with the manslaughter of a patient will return to work next week, The Northern Echo can reveal.Criminal charges against John Gordon Stephen were dropped a month after he was accused of killing Alan Dunn, who had stabbed himself in the chest.Mr Stephen, 62, voluntarily withdrew from surgery at the time but will return to full clinical duties at Darlington Memorial Hospital on Monday.Speaking yesterday from his home in The Willows, Bishop Auckland, County Durham, Mr Stephen said he was pleased to be resuming his position.He said: "I can tell you that I am going back to work on Monday and I am looking forward to getting back and treating my patients again."I will be going back to work full-time, and I will be doing the same clinical duties as before."I have had a huge amount of support from local people, my colleagues and former patients."Most of them have expressed a wish that I go back to work, and that has been very gratifying for me."Mr Stephen was the consultant on call at Darlington Memorial Hospital when Mr Dunn, of Barrington Terrace, Ferryhill, County Durham, was taken to the hospital on December 10, 2005.The 60-year-old hospital porter, who suffered from depression, had stabbed himself in an apparent suicide attempt. He died moments after the knife was removed by Mr Stephen.Police launched a manslaughter investigation, but the Crown Prosecution Service said there was not enough evidence to continue the case.Former Bishop Auckland GP Dr Colin Waine, a visiting professor at Sunderland University, welcomed the news of Mr Stephen's return but said he should not have been charged in the first place."He was acting in good faith to try to save the life of the patient," said Dr Waine."When I was in practice in Bishop Auckland, we received a superb service from Mr Stephen, and the patients always spoke very warmly about his manner and his skill."I would not underestimate the intolerable pressure that Mr Stephen has been under or the prolonged distress caused to the patient's family, but I would say the losers in this situation have been the NHS who have lost the services of a highly-skilled and respected surgeon for almost a year."An inquest into Mr Dunn's death was opened and adjourned on January 13 last year.Mr Stephen expressed his sympathy for Mr Dunn's family and said he hoped the eventual findings would offer some explanation.He added: "Exactly what happened, I hope, will be discussed in the inquest."I think it's a pity it's taken so long for the family to find out all the details, but I think that is because it was approached as a criminal case."  more...

Community spirit rises as hundreds left without heat

FAMILIES in Crook are braving the loss of their gas and electricity, defiantly refusing to let the dark and cold get them down.Villagers crowded round electric heaters on Monday after a fractured pipe cut gas to the County Durham town.But pensioners, parents and children alike were left in the cold on Tuesday evening when electricity supplies also failed.Despite the chill, many families refuse to be downhearted. The Johnsons, of Beechburn Park, are treating the ordeal as a holiday.Father Keith said: "We go camping, so when the electricity went, on top of the gas, we got the stove out, and the kids loved using candles."With Northern Gas Networks warning some homes could be without gas for a week, Mr Johnson, 48, his wife, Lynne, 46, and their children, Abbey, nine, and Ben, seven, have all mucked in to help.Fearing the power could fail, Mr Johnson cooked dinner early on Tuesday. Abbey and Ben took an early bath, filled using kettles of hot water, and Mrs Johnson dug out the hats and gloves.Mr Johnson said. "It was an inconvenience, both the gas and electricity being off."The kids were quite scared when the power went, but they have been brilliant."Ben was pointing the way with the light from his mobile phone."The youngsters' school, Crook Primary, is closed until supplies are restored, pleasing cheeky Ben."I don't want to go back. I'm enjoying being off," he said.Next door, Mary Todd took yesterday off work, hoping to get on with some decorating. Mrs Todd, who lives with her husband, Stephen, said: "I was putting a sheet of wallpaper up when the electricity went off."I am looking forward to getting back to work, where it will be warmer. The house is very cold, but we just go to bed early -it's warmest there."The neighbours' upbeat attitude was repeated across the town.Elsie Atkinson, 74, from Larchfield Gardens, yesterday picked up two gas heaters from Crook Civic Centre.She said: "The gas company's been very good."They called me last night to make sure I was all right, and said I should come and pick up the heaters. They are doing everything they can, and so are we."We'll bear it out."   more...

Fundraising is a walk in the park

MOTHERS, toddlers and walkers of all ages raising cash for a regional centre of medical excellence were yesterday given a send-off by football hero Peter Beardsley. The former Newcastle and England player joined a sponsored walk at Chester-le-Street's Riverside Park yesterday, organised to coincide with Children's Heart Week. The event was arranged by Rita Skeoch and her daughter, Kelly, to support the Children's Heart Foundation and the Children's Heart Unit, at Newcastle's Freeman Hospital. It was part of a thank-you to the unit where Kelly's daughter, Caitlyn, underwent lifesaving surgery after being born a year ago with a severe heart defect. At three months, Caitlyn underwent a heart operation and now regularly attends for monitoring because of the limited growth potential of her heart. More than a dozen walkers took part, including Caitlyn's father Tony Jackson. Mrs Skeoch said: "It was fantastic for Peter Beardsley to take time out to join us. We have managed to raise £1,500 through the event so far."Mrs Skeoch said among the sponsors were Costcutters and Brenda's Fish Shop, in Chester-le-Street, which donated £50. Lloyds TSB employee Sheryl Appleby raised about £180, which was matched by her employer.   more...

Help needed to trace dead man's family

A CORONER has appealed for help in tracing the North-East relatives of a man who was found dead at his home.   more...

Team's tribute to crash victim

THE team-mates of a talented young rugby player who died in a traffic accident are to permanently "retire" his shirt number as a tribute to him.Andrew Austen, 14, and his father, Paul, died in an accident when they were travelling to Darlington Mowden Park Rugby Football Club, where Andrew played for the under-15s.Andrew's team-mates have decided to retire his number seven shirt, which will be presented to his mother and sister before the first team's game at home to Macclesfield on Saturday.His mother has requested that the teenager be cremated wearing the shirt.Before the match, the under-15s team will join the first team on the pitch for a minute's silence to honour Mr Austen, 42, and Andrew, who played wing forward and was known as Jacko to his team-mates.The club have also asked female friends of Andrew and his sister to wear a yellow ribbon to the match in memory of him.The under-15s team are also going to dedicate their next tour to Andrew.A special area on the club's under-15s website has been set up for friends and team-mates to leave their tributes.Tributes to Andrew and his father have continued to flood a website set up by The Northern Echo (see www. thenorthernecho.co.uk).The accident happened at 10.50am on Sunday, in Burtree Lane, to the north of Darlington.The pair were heading to the junction with the A68 when their Mercedes Benz SLK 230 clipped the kerb as it went round a right-hand bend.The car skidded across the road and crashed into a barrier before the back collided with a concrete support on the A1(M) overpass.Steve Errington, Andrew's coach, said the team were very upset but were being strong and positive.He said: "The boys are fully upset by it but being incredibly positive."When you read some of the tributes, it is heart-rending."Kick-off for Saturday's game is at 2pm, at the club's ground in Yiewsley Drive, Darlington.Mr Errington said: "All the girls are going to be wearing yellow ribbons for a Mowden boy far, far away."  more...

World Cup referee's son in death plunge

WORLD Cup referee George Courtney spoke of his anguish last night after his only son was found dead at the Tate Modern gallery in London.It was revealed yesterday that promising lawyer Matthew Courtney, 27, had died after falling down the stairwell of the gallery.Scotland Yard said the death of the County Durham man was being treated as "unexplained but not suspicious".Oxford-educated Matthew, who was born and raised in the North-East, worked as a junior lawyer at Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer, on London's Fleet Street.Speaking to The Northern Echo from his County Durham home, Mr Courtney paid tribute to his son last night.He said: "Matthew was everything a parent would want in a young man."And he dismissed claims in a national newspaper that Matthew, who died on Friday, was highly stressed by having to work 16-hour days, seven days a week.Mr Courtney said: "Yes, there were times when Matthew worked long hours, but that was the nature of the job if there was an assignment to finish."There were no 16-hour days. He enjoyed working for Freshfields and he was very ambitious."Mr Courtney and his wife, Margaret, who live in Middlestone Moor, Spennymoor, last spoke to their son by phone the night before he died."He was fine - a little bit stressed with work, because he was having to work late to get something finished," Mr Courtney said.The 65-year-old former headteacher, who refereed in the 1986 and 1990 World Cups, said his son liked to visit the Tate Modern.He said: "It was one of his favourite stop-off points. We understand that he had gone to the Tate on Friday evening."He hadn't responded to some texts - but that wasn't too unusual. He had been expected back at work but he hadn't returned."There is nothing to suggest he had anything specific in mind, but he did fall."We will always ask the question why such a gifted and talented, vibrant son died in such a tragic way. That we will have to cope with for the rest of our lives."The family last saw Matthew at Christmas.Mr Courtney said: "On December 23, he asked me to go on a walk with him in Durham. We spent three hours going to all his old haunts - the school, Prebends Bridge, Shincliffe."He told me that one day he wanted to buy a house in Durham."The last time we saw him was two days after Christmas Day, on the 27th. I gave him, and his friend Robert English, a lift to the train station."He had to go back to work, but he was on great form."The family have been touched by the number of condolence cards they have received.Mr Courtney said: "He was multi-gifted, intelligent, articulate, a linguist, a musician and he strove to be a good sportsman."He was gregarious and altruistic and died far too young, but had achieved an enormous amount in his short life."We will look back with a great deal of pride and affection for a man that had done more in 27 years than some people do in 97."Matthew was born in Bishop Auckland, in September 1979. He attended Durham School on a scholarship to study for his GCSEs and A-levels. He later won a scholarship to read law at Christ Church, Oxford.A keen musician, accomplished violinist and saxophonist, he was part of the choir and jazz band at Durham School, and more recently sang with the National Youth Choir of Great Britain.Rodney Thomas, director of marketing at Durham School, said: "By any standards, Matthew was an exceptional young man with so many great achievements behind him and so much to look forward to."Matthew was the epitome of a gifted and talented pupil. Everything he did was done with enormous enthusiasm and dedication."Freshfields, which is Europe's top corporate law firm, employing 2,400 lawyers in 28 offices around the world, offered its condolences to Matthew's parents.It said he had a "very promising future" at the firm.An inquest is expected to open in the coming weeks.  more...

Supermarket robberies: Men released

TWO men arrested in Merseyside in connection with armed robberies at supermarkets in the North-East have been released on police bail.   more...

Man arrested after armed siege

A MAN has been arrested following an eight-hour armed siege at a house in Hartlepool.   more...

Councillor may face jail over benefits claim

A COUNCILLOR could be facing a jail sentence after dishonestly claiming £6,500 in benefits.   more...

Gas leak causes boilers to break down

HUNDREDS more North-East homes are suffering a knock on effect from a major gas leak days ago.   more...