Three held for people smuggling
Police investigating a gang smuggling Chinese and Malaysians into Britain have arrested three men. The National Crime Squad said yesterday that they were questioning the suspected ringleader, 57, who was arrested in Sparkhill, Birmingham. The two other arrests were of a 31-year-old in Blackpool and a 39-year-old in Accrington, Lancashire.
The arrests come after a two-year investigation into a Malaysian-based ring who charge immigrants for smuggling them into Britain to work. Thirty immigrants have been deported.
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Golf club wins
A woman who claimed that she was pushed out of her job as club secretary of Sand Martins Golf Club in Wokingham, Berkshire, lost her case for unfair dismissal. Elizabeth Roginski claimed that she was the subject of salacious rumour, but a tribunal in Reading rejected her case.
Life for fraudster
A man who gave himself up after a year on the run having defrauded the BP-Safeway partnership out of £1.5 million was jailed for life yesterday. Eric James, 58, of Aberbargoed, South Wales, had acted with Dheej Keesoondoyal, 34, of Northolt, Middlesex, who was jailed last year.
Impeachment bid
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A Welsh nationalist MP will today begin impeachment proceedings against Tony Blair over claims that he misled the country over the war in Iraq. Adam Price, the Plaid Cymru MP for Carmarthen East and Dinefwr, will revive legislation that has not been used for nearly 200 years.
RNLI feet appeal
THE RNLI launched an urgent appeal to find £5,000 for a pair of boots for a new recruit. Mark Humphreys, 19, of Criccieth, in Gwynedd, has been unable to find a pair of special steel-capped “wellies” — which he must own if he is to become a lifeboat crew member — big enough for his size 16 feet.
Murder charge remand
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A disabled man was remanded in custody charged with murdering the brother of the Hollywood actress Deborah Kerr.
Eugene Warwood, 55, who was disabled in an industrial accident and uses a stick, was accused at Birmingham Magistrates’ Court of killing Edmund Trimmer, a retired journalist, during an alleged “road rage” dispute. Mr Trimmer, 78, died on Monday after suffering a head injury. He was the younger brother of Ms Kerr —born Deborah Jane Kerr Trimmer in 1921 — who starred in From Here To Eternity and The King And I.
Mr Warwood, of Redditch, Worcestershire, was ordered to appear at Birmingham Crown Court on September 1.
Plastic magnet
British scientists have developed the world’s first practical plastic magnet. A group from the University of Durham has developed the new magnet — the first in the world to operate at room temperature — which could herald advances in medicine and computing.
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Rare book theft
A librarian stole medieval books, including the original of The Prophecies by Nostradamus, from the Theosophical Society. Neil Hedges, 50, sold them for £12,000, Middlesex Guildhall Crown Court heard. He was given a suspended 12-month jail sentence.
Double drowning
Two men drowned after celebrating the start of the yachting season in March. Charles Pennington, 73, and Victor Sutton, 75, were pulled from the River Orwell, Levington, Suffolk. A bottle of whisky was found nearby. An inquest jury returned verdicts of accidental death.
Swan snatched
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Two men grabbed a swan from a pub in Morecombe, Lancashire, and made off in a van as one shouted: “That’ll help us pay the bills.” Charlie, orphaned as a cygnet, had been reared at the Golden Ball at Oxcliffe. Local children were said to be devastated by the loss.
Baggage limit
A Scottish airport is imposing a weight limit on luggage to try to cut injuries among baggage-handling staff. From today passengers using Edinburgh airport may check in bags that each weigh no more than 32kg (70lb). A similar limit was introduced at Heathrow in June.
Pigeons ‘flown’
Racing pigeons worth £3,600 were either stolen or released and allowed to fly away after a break-in at a loft. Central Scotland Police said that eight birds, which are mainly blue in colour, had vanished from the loft in Denny, Stirlingshire. They appealed for help from the public over the raid, which is thought to have happened in the early hours of Saturday.
Second arrest
A woman, 23, was arrested in connection with the death of Stephen McLeod, 18, of no fixed abode, whose remains were found in woodland in Ruchill, Glasgow. She is due to appear at Glasgow Sheriff Court today. A 16-year-old boy appeared there on Friday in relation to the death.