Co-op worker mistakenly paid £1m
A supermarket employee who alerted bosses when he was mistakenly paid more than £1m has been rewarded with a crate of beer.
Stephen Foster, who works at the Co-op's distribution centre in Birtley, Gateshead, was alerted to the error on his December payslip by his girlfriend.
He had been paid £1.4m, or £800,000 after deductions.
The Co-op said it received the money back within 12 hours and praised Mr Foster's "exemplary behaviour".
Bah humbug! Scrooge Co-op! They only gave him a crate of beer?
A mixture of law, politics, autobiography and humour. Once described as "The Devilish Advocate" (Guardian), I do have the ability to provoke a response. Sometimes it comes from someone who uses a thought process, and sometimes from jerks usually associated with the knee.
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Wednesday, December 16, 2009
Ex-cop who killed 4 by drink driving escapes prison
Ex-cop who killed 4 by drink driving escapes prison
Andrew Dyer and daughter Gabriella (far right) were killed
Anger as drink-driver walks free after France deaths
The sentence given to a British former police inspector who killed four people while drink driving in France has been criticised by one of their relatives.
"I wanted justice but this is not justice. I thought the British justice system was bad enough but this is 10 times worse".
Andrew Dyer and daughter Gabriella (far right) were killedAnger as drink-driver walks free after France deaths
The sentence given to a British former police inspector who killed four people while drink driving in France has been criticised by one of their relatives.
"I wanted justice but this is not justice. I thought the British justice system was bad enough but this is 10 times worse".
Child abuse detective jailed for grooming girl
Child abuse detective jailed for grooming girl
A former child abuse detective who admitted grooming a 15-year-old girl on the internet has been jailed for three-and-a-half years.
The force said Rowe, who specialised in child abuse cases, resigned after his first court appearance.
When I see a case like this it makes me suspicious of the likes of Ray Wyre.
Related content...
Suspended police detective found dead after porn claims
A former child abuse detective who admitted grooming a 15-year-old girl on the internet has been jailed for three-and-a-half years.
The force said Rowe, who specialised in child abuse cases, resigned after his first court appearance.
When I see a case like this it makes me suspicious of the likes of Ray Wyre.
Related content...
Suspended police detective found dead after porn claims
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
Out for a duck
Out for a duck
I must be going senile in my old age. I reported here that our traditional Christmas dinner used to be duck and not turkey. And went and ordered one for Christmas dinner. Then I had a thought 'shouldn't that have been goose and not duck?' Having just checked Countryfile on play again, it was indeed goose and not duck. So, I offer this correction. And next year I will have goose for Christmas dinner.
I must be going senile in my old age. I reported here that our traditional Christmas dinner used to be duck and not turkey. And went and ordered one for Christmas dinner. Then I had a thought 'shouldn't that have been goose and not duck?' Having just checked Countryfile on play again, it was indeed goose and not duck. So, I offer this correction. And next year I will have goose for Christmas dinner.
Sumption has got no gumption
Sumption has got no gumption
The Government has launched a damaging attack on the judiciary in its increasingly desperate legal battle to stop the public from seeing evidence of Britain's involvement in torture.
Lawyers acting for the Foreign Secretary, David Miliband, yesterday accused two High Court judges of acting "irresponsibly" when they delivered a ruling in favour of disclosure of sensitive material relating to the alleged torture of Binyam Mohamed, a British resident, by US agents.
The case, which is supported by media groups including The Independent, has been lost by the Government in the High Court but ministers have repeatedly tried to overturn the decision. Yesterday the Government dramatically raised the stakes when its barrister, Jonathan Sumption QC, told the Court of Appeal that the judges' stance was "both, in many respects, unnecessary and profoundly damaging to the interests of this country. I would go so far as to say their views were irresponsible."
Earlier this year Lord Justice Thomas and Mr Justice Lloyd Jones said they wanted to release a seven-paragraph summary of what Washington had told London about Mr Mohamed's treatment. They said this summary was critical to the former detainee's case against the British and US governments. But Mr Miliband has said that the summary would "seriously damage national security" by compromising the sharing of intelligence between the two governments.
Mr Sumption said: "The court is not a roving commission of inquiry into everything of public interest that may incidentally arise in the course of proceedings." He added: "The court is not a branch of the media. It is not a pressure group." It was also not "an organ of the UK".
The QC continued: "I do not dispute that there is a public interest in the exposure of wrong-doing and in informed public debate and in free speech, but they are not interests which have anything to do with the particular issues in this case."
Human rights lawyers and MPs said the criticism of the judges distracted from the central issues in the case – Britain's alleged conspiracy in torture.
The Liberal Democrats' foreign affairs spokesman, Ed Davey, said: "The Foreign Secretary does not seem to realise that his own opposition to transparency on torture is damaging Britain far more than these judges. The political debate on torture in the US has changed with President Obama. While the judges recognise this, David Miliband has chosen to ignore it." The case continues.
Best money can buy: Miliband's QC
*Jonathan Sumption QC, 60, is a member of an elite club of lawyers whose specialist services command annual fees of more than £1m. After an education at Eton and Magdalen College, Oxford, the high-flying barrister built a successful career at the Bar by dissecting complex commercial disputes.
His reputation for being able to turn difficult cases also brought him to the attention of ministers defending controversial positions and in 2003 he was instructed to represent the Government at Lord Hutton's inquiry into the death of the weapons inspector Dr David Kelly.
But his success and ambition have not been without controversy. Reports that Mr Sumption had this year applied for a job as a Justice in the Supreme Court ruffled some judicial feathers. Traditionally, the route to the top tribunal has been one of advancement through the lower courts and Mr Sumption's candidature led to accusations that he was attempting to leapfrog more experienced, but less gifted colleagues. He has subsequently withdrawn his application.
I don't think it is a good idea to have a judge in the Supreme Court who is in support of torture of suspected terrorists. Sumption should be accused of wasting the court's time with this waffle. Lord Justice Thomas and Mr Justice Lloyd Jones should have published the seven paragraphs which they left out of their judgment in the Binyam Mohamed case. Allowing the Foreign Secretary, David Miliband, to dictate the wording of the judgment goes against the idea of the rule of law and is in conflict with the Separation of Powers.
The UK colluded and is complicit with the CIA in torture.
The Government has launched a damaging attack on the judiciary in its increasingly desperate legal battle to stop the public from seeing evidence of Britain's involvement in torture.
Lawyers acting for the Foreign Secretary, David Miliband, yesterday accused two High Court judges of acting "irresponsibly" when they delivered a ruling in favour of disclosure of sensitive material relating to the alleged torture of Binyam Mohamed, a British resident, by US agents.
The case, which is supported by media groups including The Independent, has been lost by the Government in the High Court but ministers have repeatedly tried to overturn the decision. Yesterday the Government dramatically raised the stakes when its barrister, Jonathan Sumption QC, told the Court of Appeal that the judges' stance was "both, in many respects, unnecessary and profoundly damaging to the interests of this country. I would go so far as to say their views were irresponsible."
Earlier this year Lord Justice Thomas and Mr Justice Lloyd Jones said they wanted to release a seven-paragraph summary of what Washington had told London about Mr Mohamed's treatment. They said this summary was critical to the former detainee's case against the British and US governments. But Mr Miliband has said that the summary would "seriously damage national security" by compromising the sharing of intelligence between the two governments.
Mr Sumption said: "The court is not a roving commission of inquiry into everything of public interest that may incidentally arise in the course of proceedings." He added: "The court is not a branch of the media. It is not a pressure group." It was also not "an organ of the UK".
The QC continued: "I do not dispute that there is a public interest in the exposure of wrong-doing and in informed public debate and in free speech, but they are not interests which have anything to do with the particular issues in this case."
Human rights lawyers and MPs said the criticism of the judges distracted from the central issues in the case – Britain's alleged conspiracy in torture.
The Liberal Democrats' foreign affairs spokesman, Ed Davey, said: "The Foreign Secretary does not seem to realise that his own opposition to transparency on torture is damaging Britain far more than these judges. The political debate on torture in the US has changed with President Obama. While the judges recognise this, David Miliband has chosen to ignore it." The case continues.
Best money can buy: Miliband's QC
*Jonathan Sumption QC, 60, is a member of an elite club of lawyers whose specialist services command annual fees of more than £1m. After an education at Eton and Magdalen College, Oxford, the high-flying barrister built a successful career at the Bar by dissecting complex commercial disputes.
His reputation for being able to turn difficult cases also brought him to the attention of ministers defending controversial positions and in 2003 he was instructed to represent the Government at Lord Hutton's inquiry into the death of the weapons inspector Dr David Kelly.
But his success and ambition have not been without controversy. Reports that Mr Sumption had this year applied for a job as a Justice in the Supreme Court ruffled some judicial feathers. Traditionally, the route to the top tribunal has been one of advancement through the lower courts and Mr Sumption's candidature led to accusations that he was attempting to leapfrog more experienced, but less gifted colleagues. He has subsequently withdrawn his application.
I don't think it is a good idea to have a judge in the Supreme Court who is in support of torture of suspected terrorists. Sumption should be accused of wasting the court's time with this waffle. Lord Justice Thomas and Mr Justice Lloyd Jones should have published the seven paragraphs which they left out of their judgment in the Binyam Mohamed case. Allowing the Foreign Secretary, David Miliband, to dictate the wording of the judgment goes against the idea of the rule of law and is in conflict with the Separation of Powers.
The UK colluded and is complicit with the CIA in torture.
Lord Ashcroft: A law unto himself
Lord Ashcroft: A law unto himself
Sir Humphrey Appleby always used to tell Jim Hacker that he was being “very courageous, minister”, when he wanted to warn him against a foolhardy act. David Cameron has shown that it is sometimes possible to show courage without paying the political price for it. He has stood up to Lord Ashcroft, and confronted the issue of his tax status as no previous Conservative leader has been willing to do. But he did it with cunning.
Er?
There's a difference between "He has stood up to Lord Ashcroft" and stood up for him. David Cameron has done the latter so let us not praise him for the former.
Sir Humphrey Appleby always used to tell Jim Hacker that he was being “very courageous, minister”, when he wanted to warn him against a foolhardy act. David Cameron has shown that it is sometimes possible to show courage without paying the political price for it. He has stood up to Lord Ashcroft, and confronted the issue of his tax status as no previous Conservative leader has been willing to do. But he did it with cunning.
Er?
There's a difference between "He has stood up to Lord Ashcroft" and stood up for him. David Cameron has done the latter so let us not praise him for the former.
Sir Ridley Scott declared a neighbour from hell
Businessman jailed for attacking intruder - who goes free
Businessman jailed for attacking intruder - who goes free
A millionaire businessman has been jailed for attacking a man who held his family hostage in their own home - while the criminal went free.
Munir Hussain, who was threatened at knifepoint and tied up by a gang of masked men in his living room last year, was told he must go to prison for 30 months to preserve “civilised society”.
But Walid Salem, a criminal with more than 50 convictions, was handed a two-year supervision order for his role in the break-in at an earlier hearing.
He will get an easy ride in jail as the screws will treat him sympathetically, notwithstanding his race and skin colour. Nevertheless, I don't think his being jailed will in any way preserve civilised society. What his family underwent from the attackers is not part of civilised society, rather it was more akin to jungle law. The test for imprisonment in this case is Munir Hussain a risk to the public of re-offending? No, so a suspended sentence could have been imposed. There is something unfair about one side being constrained by the law whilst the other has no such constraints.
For me a bigger threat to civilised society is Jack Straw taking the law into his own hands in the Prisoners Votes Case!
A millionaire businessman has been jailed for attacking a man who held his family hostage in their own home - while the criminal went free.
Munir Hussain, who was threatened at knifepoint and tied up by a gang of masked men in his living room last year, was told he must go to prison for 30 months to preserve “civilised society”.
But Walid Salem, a criminal with more than 50 convictions, was handed a two-year supervision order for his role in the break-in at an earlier hearing.
He will get an easy ride in jail as the screws will treat him sympathetically, notwithstanding his race and skin colour. Nevertheless, I don't think his being jailed will in any way preserve civilised society. What his family underwent from the attackers is not part of civilised society, rather it was more akin to jungle law. The test for imprisonment in this case is Munir Hussain a risk to the public of re-offending? No, so a suspended sentence could have been imposed. There is something unfair about one side being constrained by the law whilst the other has no such constraints.
For me a bigger threat to civilised society is Jack Straw taking the law into his own hands in the Prisoners Votes Case!
Monday, December 14, 2009
Women prison estate to be cut
Women prison estate to be cut
Thousands of women criminals will avoid jail each year under plans to cut the number of cell spaces by 400.
Isn't this sex discrimination? What about men prisoners?
Thousands of women criminals will avoid jail each year under plans to cut the number of cell spaces by 400.
Isn't this sex discrimination? What about men prisoners?
Christmas quackers
Christmas quackers
I was watching the last episode of Countryfile on BBC1 and there was a report about our traditional Christmas Day lunch being a roast duck, until the 1970s when a breed of turkey was imported from the USA and we adopted this as our Christmas Day lunch. So, I decided I would stuff the Yanks and their turkey and return to our traditional fare. I ordered a duck from the butcher's to roast this Christmas. It is just a small one, at £10 and is supposed to feed 5 people.
I was watching the last episode of Countryfile on BBC1 and there was a report about our traditional Christmas Day lunch being a roast duck, until the 1970s when a breed of turkey was imported from the USA and we adopted this as our Christmas Day lunch. So, I decided I would stuff the Yanks and their turkey and return to our traditional fare. I ordered a duck from the butcher's to roast this Christmas. It is just a small one, at £10 and is supposed to feed 5 people.
Jails boss found dead in Caymans
Jails boss found dead in Caymans
A former prisons boss has been found dead in the Cayman Islands.
Dr Bill Rattray, originally from Aberdeenshire, was found in the communal swimming pool of the home he shared with his wife Margaret.
The 57-year-old had enjoyed a 30-year career in the Scottish Prison Service, managing Aberdeen and Peterhead jails.
He moved to the Caymans in 2006 to become the Commissioner of Corrections and Rehabilitations. He is thought to have died from natural causes.
Well, it's not all doom and gloom and bad news...
A former prisons boss has been found dead in the Cayman Islands.
Dr Bill Rattray, originally from Aberdeenshire, was found in the communal swimming pool of the home he shared with his wife Margaret.
The 57-year-old had enjoyed a 30-year career in the Scottish Prison Service, managing Aberdeen and Peterhead jails.
He moved to the Caymans in 2006 to become the Commissioner of Corrections and Rehabilitations. He is thought to have died from natural causes.
Well, it's not all doom and gloom and bad news...
The cruelty of locking up child asylum-seekers
Leading article: The cruelty of locking up child asylum-seekers
There are alternatives to the policy of detaining migrant families
Last week the medical establishment called for the Government to overhaul its policy of detaining children in immigration removal centres. This week they are joined by a number of paragons from the world of children's literature including Michael Bond, Philip Pullman and Jacqueline Wilson. Both groups make a compelling case.
The Royal Colleges of Paediatricians, General Practitioners and Psychiatrists argue that removal centres are damaging the mental and physical health of the 1,000 or so children who are detained in them every year. They recommend a transfer of responsibility of healthcare in detention centres from the Home Office to the National Health Service and argue that detained children, some of whom are held for many months while a decision is made on their family's case, should be subject to the same safeguards and standards as young people elsewhere in the UK.
There are alternatives to the policy of detaining migrant families
Last week the medical establishment called for the Government to overhaul its policy of detaining children in immigration removal centres. This week they are joined by a number of paragons from the world of children's literature including Michael Bond, Philip Pullman and Jacqueline Wilson. Both groups make a compelling case.
The Royal Colleges of Paediatricians, General Practitioners and Psychiatrists argue that removal centres are damaging the mental and physical health of the 1,000 or so children who are detained in them every year. They recommend a transfer of responsibility of healthcare in detention centres from the Home Office to the National Health Service and argue that detained children, some of whom are held for many months while a decision is made on their family's case, should be subject to the same safeguards and standards as young people elsewhere in the UK.
Sunday, December 13, 2009
Woman, 98, kills roommate, 100
Woman, 98, kills roommate, 100
A 98-year-old woman was indicted Friday on a second-degree murder charge that alleges she strangled her 100-year-old nursing home roommate after making the victim's life "a living hell" because she thought the woman was "taking over the room."
Laura Lundquist was sent to a state mental hospital for a competency evaluation before her arraignment. Her defense attorney, Carl Levin, said she has a "long-standing diagnosis of dementia, as well as issues of cognitive impairment."
She is believed to be the oldest murder defendant in state history, but might never go to trial because of her mental health issues.
Even if she stands trial and gets a life sentence it is doubtful whether she would serve more than a year or two...
A 98-year-old woman was indicted Friday on a second-degree murder charge that alleges she strangled her 100-year-old nursing home roommate after making the victim's life "a living hell" because she thought the woman was "taking over the room."
Laura Lundquist was sent to a state mental hospital for a competency evaluation before her arraignment. Her defense attorney, Carl Levin, said she has a "long-standing diagnosis of dementia, as well as issues of cognitive impairment."
She is believed to be the oldest murder defendant in state history, but might never go to trial because of her mental health issues.
Even if she stands trial and gets a life sentence it is doubtful whether she would serve more than a year or two...
31 inmates freed as militants attack Philippine jail
31 inmates freed as militants attack Philippine jail
An official says dozens of suspected Islamic militants stormed a jail in the volatile southern Philippines, freeing 31 inmates in a nighttime attack that sparked a gunbattle in which two people were killed.
Vice Governor Al Rasheed Sakalahul of Basilan island says about 30 gunmen destroyed a concrete wall and then barged into the provincial jail in Isabela city before dawn Sunday to free several detained Muslim guerrillas, adding that other inmates also dashed to freedom.
Police say at least 31 inmates escaped, including suspected members of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, a large Muslim rebel group engaged in peace talks with the government.
Sakalahul says the jail assault sparked a brief clash that killed one attacker and a jail guard.
Is this a solution to the prison overcrowding in UK jails?
An official says dozens of suspected Islamic militants stormed a jail in the volatile southern Philippines, freeing 31 inmates in a nighttime attack that sparked a gunbattle in which two people were killed.
Vice Governor Al Rasheed Sakalahul of Basilan island says about 30 gunmen destroyed a concrete wall and then barged into the provincial jail in Isabela city before dawn Sunday to free several detained Muslim guerrillas, adding that other inmates also dashed to freedom.
Police say at least 31 inmates escaped, including suspected members of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, a large Muslim rebel group engaged in peace talks with the government.
Sakalahul says the jail assault sparked a brief clash that killed one attacker and a jail guard.
Is this a solution to the prison overcrowding in UK jails?
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