Crime at lowest level since 1981
Fears of a crime wave fuelled by the recession have proved unfounded as official figures revealed offending is at its lowest level since 1981. It was the first time the total number of offences dropped below the 10 million mark since records began. Crimes recorded by police forces across England and Wales fell by 8% from 4.7 million to 4.3 million offences. Officials said there has been a "notable" drop in acquisitive crimes, including theft, burglary and fraud. The figures bucked widespread fears that the credit crunch would fuel an increase in these offences.(presse association)
Couple jailed for giving baby drugs
Bonny Richards, 28, and her partner John Davies, 32, regularly gave Holly Agius methadone in a "misguided" attempt to soothe her, Bristol Crown Court heard. Holly was just 14 months old when she died in January last year from complications arising from a rare and lethal form of chickenpox. Post-mortem tests revealed later that Richards and Davies frequently gave Holly heroin substitute in the six months before she died. But this was eventually ruled out as a contributory factor in her death. Richards, of Trafalgar Mews, in Broadwell, Gloucestershire, and Davies, of Albion Court, in Scowles, Gloucestershire, previously admitted three counts of child cruelty.(press association)
Facebook's Moat refusal played down
Downing Street has sought to play down the refusal of Facebook to take down a webpage set up in tribute to gunman Raoul Moat. David Cameron said in the Commons on Wednesday that he could not understand the sympathy being expressed for Moat, whom he branded a "callous murderer". Pressed by one Conservative MP to ask Facebook to take down the webpage of the Raoul Moat RIP group, the Prime Minister said that he had made a "very good point". But after a No 10 official telephoned the social networking site to raise Mr Cameron's concerns, Facebook put out a statement making clear it had no intention of removing the webpage. The Prime Minister's official spokesman insisted that it was not the purpose of the call to get the webpage taken down. "We were not trying to instruct them to do anything," the spokesman said. "The purpose was to draw their attention to the Prime Minister's comments."(press asociation)
May pledges to tackle 'legal highs'
Home Secretary Theresa May has described legal highs as the "next battle" in the fight against drugs. Mrs May called for the introduction of temporary bans on potentially dangerous new drugs, to give scientists time to consider the evidence. She said the Government is acting on the latest legal high, naphyrone, which is marketed as NRG1, and is similar to party drug mephedrone. The drug is to be banned as a class B substance after a recommendation by the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs (ACMD). Giving evidence to the Commons Home Affairs Committee, Mrs May said: "Legal highs is the next battle in an ongoing battle. "One of the problems is the speed with which these drugs are coming through. That's why we do want to introduce the possibility of a temporary ban." She said a temporary ban would mean drugs could be outlawed at the first signs of a potential problem.(press ssociation)
Cable Heckled As He Hints At Graduate Tax
Business Secretary Vince Cable has been heckled over higher education cuts as he says he wants a graduate tax to replace university fees. Mr Cable has said there will be less money for universities in England and Northern Ireland and admitted students "almost certainly will have to pay more," he said. Students holding placards criticised the coalition's planned cuts. Mr Cable has asked an independent review into higher education funding to find out the feasbility of linking a graduates' contribution to their earnings. Lord Browne, the former boss of BP, will publish his report in the autumn. It is believed he may recommend increasing fees, which currently stand at £3,225 per year. But Mr Cable said Lord Browne has assured him he will look at the idea of taxing graduates if they get well-paid jobs.(skynews)
News from Yahoo News
Fears of a crime wave fuelled by the recession have proved unfounded as official figures revealed offending is at its lowest level since 1981. It was the first time the total number of offences dropped below the 10 million mark since records began. Crimes recorded by police forces across England and Wales fell by 8% from 4.7 million to 4.3 million offences. Officials said there has been a "notable" drop in acquisitive crimes, including theft, burglary and fraud. The figures bucked widespread fears that the credit crunch would fuel an increase in these offences.(presse association)
Couple jailed for giving baby drugs
Bonny Richards, 28, and her partner John Davies, 32, regularly gave Holly Agius methadone in a "misguided" attempt to soothe her, Bristol Crown Court heard. Holly was just 14 months old when she died in January last year from complications arising from a rare and lethal form of chickenpox. Post-mortem tests revealed later that Richards and Davies frequently gave Holly heroin substitute in the six months before she died. But this was eventually ruled out as a contributory factor in her death. Richards, of Trafalgar Mews, in Broadwell, Gloucestershire, and Davies, of Albion Court, in Scowles, Gloucestershire, previously admitted three counts of child cruelty.(press association)
Facebook's Moat refusal played down
Downing Street has sought to play down the refusal of Facebook to take down a webpage set up in tribute to gunman Raoul Moat. David Cameron said in the Commons on Wednesday that he could not understand the sympathy being expressed for Moat, whom he branded a "callous murderer". Pressed by one Conservative MP to ask Facebook to take down the webpage of the Raoul Moat RIP group, the Prime Minister said that he had made a "very good point". But after a No 10 official telephoned the social networking site to raise Mr Cameron's concerns, Facebook put out a statement making clear it had no intention of removing the webpage. The Prime Minister's official spokesman insisted that it was not the purpose of the call to get the webpage taken down. "We were not trying to instruct them to do anything," the spokesman said. "The purpose was to draw their attention to the Prime Minister's comments."(press asociation)
May pledges to tackle 'legal highs'
Home Secretary Theresa May has described legal highs as the "next battle" in the fight against drugs. Mrs May called for the introduction of temporary bans on potentially dangerous new drugs, to give scientists time to consider the evidence. She said the Government is acting on the latest legal high, naphyrone, which is marketed as NRG1, and is similar to party drug mephedrone. The drug is to be banned as a class B substance after a recommendation by the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs (ACMD). Giving evidence to the Commons Home Affairs Committee, Mrs May said: "Legal highs is the next battle in an ongoing battle. "One of the problems is the speed with which these drugs are coming through. That's why we do want to introduce the possibility of a temporary ban." She said a temporary ban would mean drugs could be outlawed at the first signs of a potential problem.(press ssociation)
Cable Heckled As He Hints At Graduate Tax
Business Secretary Vince Cable has been heckled over higher education cuts as he says he wants a graduate tax to replace university fees. Mr Cable has said there will be less money for universities in England and Northern Ireland and admitted students "almost certainly will have to pay more," he said. Students holding placards criticised the coalition's planned cuts. Mr Cable has asked an independent review into higher education funding to find out the feasbility of linking a graduates' contribution to their earnings. Lord Browne, the former boss of BP, will publish his report in the autumn. It is believed he may recommend increasing fees, which currently stand at £3,225 per year. But Mr Cable said Lord Browne has assured him he will look at the idea of taxing graduates if they get well-paid jobs.(skynews)
News from Yahoo News