Archive
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Three go to hospital after house blaze
A POLICE officer, a woman and a three-year-old child were treated in hospital following a house fire in the Dawdon area of Seaham, east Durham, yesterday. The constable was climbing a ladder in an attempt to get into the blazing house, in Albert Street
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How do we protect our children?
As Roy Whiting starts his life sentence for the murder of eight-year-old Sarah Payne, Lindsay Jennings looks at whether "Sarah's Law" would work in Britain. WATCHING the drawn expressions of Sara and Michael Payne, reacting to the jailing of their daughter's
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Parking permit charges agreed
PEOPLE in parts of Darlington will have to pay for parking permits to ensure they can park outside their front doors. Existing permit holders will have to pay £25 a year to remain in the scheme, while those wanting new parking permit schemes will have
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Salesman -tried to frame former boss'
A CAR salesman tried to frame his former boss after he was arrested over a string of thefts, a court heard. Newcastle Crown Court heard how Michael Willas, 32, threatened to expose respectable car dealer Peter Harding as a conman and have him attacked
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Family devastated as killer is sentenced to three years
THE family of a peace-loving grandfather, whose killer was jailed for just three years, have criticised the sentence as "atrocious". Russell Frederick Snowdon, 26, was jailed for two years for manslaughter and ordered to serve 12 months outstanding from
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Union deadline on post job cuts
UNION leaders have issued a lunchtime deadline for the postal service to withdraw a threat to axe 30,000 jobs or face a ballot for strike action in the New Year. Leaders of the Communication Workers Union (CWU) will meet managers at postal group Consignia
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Handcuffs protest costs £50
A PROTESTOR who handcuffed himself to a lorry to prevent it carrying carcasses to a controversial foot-and-mouth burial site was yesterday convicted of wilfully obstructing a public highway. But Derwentside magistrates accepted that Gavin Thomas had been
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Tourism to break the £100m barrier
TOURISM industry leaders in Ryedale are confident they will break through the £100m barrier in the coming year. Already worth £95m to the local economy, tourism is now Ryedale's biggest industry, and after a summer which has seen many businesses hit by
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GNER ahead of schedule for fitting new system
GNER has revealed it is ahead of schedule to fit the new Train Protection Warning System to its fleet. The train operator says a third of its fleet has been fitted with the system which brings trains to a halt if they pass a red signal. Under national
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Preferred bidder named for £15m schools' development
A £15m scheme to build two new schools in Ingleby Barwick has taken a step forward. Stockton Borough Council, working in partnership with the Church of England's Diocese of York, have selected a private sector partner as a "preferred bidder" to build
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Unions battle threat over defence jobs
UNION officials are meeting managers at a North-East defence plant in a bid to preserve members' jobs. Trade union representatives have less than two months to put the case to Royal Ordnance (RO) management to salvage the jobs of the 300-strong workforce
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The secret is out for castle venue
IT may be the home of the Bishop of Durham and steeped in history, but when it comes to hospitality, Auckland Castle is also a thriving business. The County Durham residence, which is a regular venue for conferences and weddings, has been voted Corporate
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Tories make mayor choice
THE North-East's first mayoral candidate has been chosen by the Conservative Party in North Tyneside. Councillor Chris Morgan, 32, a chartered accountant from Whitley Bay, was elected unopposed to stand on May 2, when the region's first mayoral elections
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Comment from The Northern Echo - Faith in our justice system
THE one inescapable fact to emerge from the trial and conviction of Roy Whiting is that he was a proven sex offender who should never have been set free. That he was at liberty to murder Sarah Payne is an indictment of our justice system. If there is
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Elderly told to be wary of £1m gift calls
POLICE fear a bogus company could be targeting elderly people by calling them up and asking for credit card details after telling them they have won £1m. The company, which calls itself Pacific Coast International, contacts elderly people in their homes
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Man accused of attack
A MAN accused of a sex attack on a great-grandmother has made his first appearance at Crown Court. Builder's labourer Michael Rochester, 26, spoke only to confirm his name during the short hearing at Newcastle. Widow Frances Doran, 87, was attacked as
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Newcastle crash to Jimmy and the jinx
Incredible! Newcastle United battled to the death and could have snatched a Worthington Cup semi-final place last night - then the London jinx struck again. Bobby Robson's side had their chances at Chelsea, but a last-gasp goal from Jimmy Floyd Hasselabink
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Lottery cash for scheme to improve community health
A North-East health project is to receive almost £1m from the National Lottery's New Opportunities Fund. Easington Primary Care Group's Health for All scheme is one of 11 across the UK to receive a share of £8,330,941. The funding is to address health
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Hear All Sides
Letters from The Northern Echo MIDDLE EAST ON MONDAY another two Palestinian children died when the car they were travelling in was blasted by missiles from an Israeli helicopter. Surely, an announcement that a United Nations peace-keeping force will
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Pup reunited with his owner after car ordeal
THE sad tale of an elderly dog thrown from a fast-moving car has had a happy ending. The Northern Echo has helped to reunite an 11-year-old deaf Jack Russell terrier with his owner, John Wesley, after the frail animal was taken from his home and hurled
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Gary Hart found guilty in Selby crash
Builder Gary Hart was today found guilty of causing the deaths of ten people by dangerous driving in the Selby train crash. Hart was convicted on all ten counts at Leeds Crown Court by a majority of ten to two. The jury of seven women and five men reached
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A friendly welcome... but it was needed
Phil Donegan finds Richmond as picturesque as ever, but steep slopes and narrow doorways to the quainter tourist shops made progress a little difficult. AS the bronze of the beeches danced around stone buildings of the wonderful townscape of Richmond
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Charity's plea for volunteers
Marie Curie Cancer Care is seeking volunteers to help with next year's Daffodil Campaign. The charity is looking for people to take part in supermarket and street collections, the first round of which will take place in February and March in Darlington
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Crime cameras for village
CRIME cameras are to be installed in West Cornforth to improve security in the village high street. Sedgefield Borough Council has received Home Office funding of £91,000 for the four cameras. They are to be sited at the junction of Station Road with
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Santa shopping bus service
A SANTA Special bus service has been organised to help people with mobility problems do their Christmas shopping. Teesdale Access Bus has added an extra service to its twice-weekly runs to shopping centres to take people to the farmers' Christmas market
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Mobile skate park in pipeline
A MOBILE skateboard park could be touring towns in Sedgefield borough in the New Year. Sedgefield Borough Council has received several requests for skateboard facilities, but providing large scale parks in each town would cost too much. Officers have
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Filtronic welcomes graduates
MICROCHIP manufacturer Filtronic Plc has undertaken an education programme to improve the skills of its staff. The company, which employs about 100 staff at the former Fujitsu plant, in Newton Aycliffe, County Durham, has just welcomed its latest graduates
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A friendly welcome... but it was needed
Phil Donegan finds Richmond as picturesque as ever, but steep slopes and narrow doorways to the quainter tourist shops made progress a little difficult. AS the bronze of the beeches danced around stone buildings of the wonderful townscape of Richmond
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Baton guns are routine issue for police force
ARMED police in County Durham are to be routinely issued with plastic bullets to deal with gun incidents. The move means officers will be able to fire without killing or seriously wounding armed suspects. Baton guns have been used to quell riots in Northern
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Pollution fears over waste site backed in report
RESIDENTS are renewing calls for a waste tipping site to shut after a report backed pollution fears. Members of Residents Against Toxic Site (Rats) have been locked in a battle with Sunderland City Council over the dumping of waste at the former limestone
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Elderly warned over £1m gift calls
POLICE fear a bogus company may be targeting elderly people by telephone, asking them for their credit card details after saying that they have won £1m in a competition. The company, which calls itself Pacific Coast International, contacts elderly people
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Victim saves the dog that bit him
A YOUNG boy needed 17 stitches when his face was bitten by a dog, a court was told yesterday. But Snoopy, a cross labrador alsatian, was saved from being put down after his victim asked for him to be spared. Harvey Twizell, seven, confessed that he took
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Beirut-ruin claim over inner-cities
THE Government was accused by a North-East Lab-our MP and former housing minister yesterday of funding "Beirut-style ruin" in Britain's inner-cities. Chris Mullin, MP for South Sunderland, said the housing benefit system meant private landlords were still
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750 years caught in 53 minutes
MORE than seven centuries of history are celebrated in a video launched yesterday, just in time for Christmas. The 53-minute video contains scenes from many of the events featured in this year's Bedale 750 celebrations. The six-month festival marked the
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Security guard jailed after bomb hoaxes
A SECURITY guard made hoax calls saying department stores would be blown up and then joined in the search for bombs, a court was told yesterday. Ian David Hood, 36, of Bell Avenue, York, admitted making two false calls last October, telling people that
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Praise for speedy police
A MOTORBIKE trader has praised police who returned a stolen motorcycle before he knew it was missing. The child's scramble bike was retrieved after a high-speed police chase and returned to GMT Motorcycles, in Crook, before staff noticed it had gone.
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Plastered puss barred from pub after free drinks ruse is rumbled
A BOOZY cat has been sipping punters' pints while their backs are turned in a North-East pub. Joey the black and white cat made the Teal Arms, in Ingleby Barwick, on Teesside, his local since he moved to the area in the spring. But instead of buying his
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Punters get their kicks on Route Sixty Six
ROUTE SIXTY SIX might well find herself on the road to riches in today's most valuable race, the £12,000 Showcase Handicap Hurdle at Huntingdon. The five-year-old mare provided rookie trainer Jedd O'Keeffe with his first winner at Musselburgh this year
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Light entertainment for those who walked in darkness
ON THE sort of Joy to the World winter morning when it was possible to suppose that if God wasn't in his heaven then He'd just popped down to the paper shop, Christmas came early to Newbiggin. The corollary, that all's right with the world, is manifestly
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Plea for cattle grids to be permanent
PLEAS for the temporary cattle grids built on moorland roads to help combat the spread of foot-and-mouth disease this summer, to be made permanent, have been made by a leading upland farmer and councillor. North York Moors National Park Authority was
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Viasystems' £3.75m rescue
HUNDREDS of jobs have been saved at a North-East company threatened with closure. A £3.75m Government grant has safeguarded the remaining 800 highly-skilled jobs at Viasystems' South Tyneside plant. The cash supports former company accountant Charles
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Family rescued in chip pan blaze
A FAMILY had to be rescued from their home after a fire started in a chip pan. The incident happened in the early hours of yesterday, after Cliff Ede returned home to Newholme Estate, Station Town, Peterlee, from a night out, and began cooking chips.
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Magic of christmas cheers youngsters in e-coli village
PRE-SCHOOL children enjoyed all the festive fare of a Christmas party at the end of a term blighted by an e-coli outbreak in their community. Mother and toddler group organisers opened the doors to the community centre in Great Lumley, near Chester-le-Street
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Barnard Castle set to host laser show
A £30,000 Christmas laser spectacular, attracting thousands of visitors, is set to round off the biggest festive event ever held in Barnard Castle. It is hoped the event will be a massive boost to the market town, which has seen trade badly hit by the
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Leaders delighted by store expansion
BUSINESS leaders have welcomed the news that Safeway is planning a major expansion of one of its North-East stores. The firm is to create up to 300 jobs at its Victoria Road store in Darlington, if it gets planning permission for the extension to create
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Top tips for office presents
THE Northern Echo and BKR Haines Watts have teamed up to give world-class manufacturing advice to companies in the Tees Valley. This week, Paul Bell looks at Christmas gifts for work colleagues. The year end approaches and we start to think of holidays
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Joe hits the road to spread firefighter message
ACTION man Joe Roberts does not let age get in the way when it comes to a good cause. The 76-year-old rode across Teesside yesterday spreading the word about the work of Britain's firefighters. Mr Roberts is a veteran of the Auxiliary Fire Service and
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Action call after death in Greece
ANGRY politicians are asking holidaymakers to boycott Greece in protest at the country's failure to hold a proper inquiry into the death of a North-East man. Chris Rochester, 24, died after an accident on holiday in Rhodes 18 months ago but his parents
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Art awards recognise sponsors
AN award scheme has recognised the efforts of businesses in supporting art projects in the region. The Sponsors Club for Arts and Business presented the awards to the Old Well Inn, in Barnard Castle, County Durham, and Cornwell Internet, in Durham, for
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Different cultures are closer than we think
IN an age of creeping political correctness, it was refreshing to hear Home Secretary David Blunkett say what he believes about racial tensions in Britain today. He may be accused of lacking tact, but, by and large, I agree with much he said, particularly
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Artists' works go on display
An art exhibition opens at the Billingham Art Gallery this weekend. The annual exhibition of work by Cleveland Art Society opens its doors on Saturday and runs until the end of January. Exhibits range from landscapes to portraits and prints, with all
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Local brew named after manager for work in community
FORMER policeman Mick Gains is the toast of the town in his new job - so a new local brew has been named after him. After a 33-year career in the force he became town centre manager for Malton in July and now plays a vital role in local life. The local
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No buyer in sight for hotel
A HALF-FINISHED North-East hotel is yet to find a buyer, almost five months after being put on the market. Planning permission for a 120-bedroom hotel and 80,000sq ft health club, on a site at Teesside Airport, was granted three years ago, but the Mirage
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£800,000 to be spent on park promotions
ABOUT £800,000 is to be spent on projects in the North York Moors National Park next year. The schemes, backed by the park authority, include £250,000 on targeting economic opportunities through industrial heritage projects, moorland conservation, river
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John steps down after market success
The man who started a festive Victorian Market which turned into a major tourist attraction is stepping down from his post. John Todd, of Masham, near Ripon, in North Yorkshire, has retired from his role as the town market's superintendent after 15 years
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Chillingworth extends loan spell
Darlington were spared a crisis in the forward ranks yesterday when Cambridge allowed Dan Chillingworth to sign on loan for a second month. Quakers will be without the suspended Barry Conlon for a further three matches, Kirk Jackson and Clint Marcelle
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Leukaemia breakthrough announced
SCIENTISTS in the region have announced the stunning results of a new treatment for leukaemia. A team at Newcastle University has shown that by combining two drugs they can virtually stop chronic myeloid leukaemia (CML) in its tracks. About 800 Britons
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School aims for new business college role
A SCHOOL has announced plans to become one of the region's first business and enterprise colleges. Sunnydale Comprehensive School, Shildon, is hoping its bid for specialist school status will provide major opportunities for students and the community.
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Compromise over phone mast plan
A COMPROMISE may have been reached over the siting of a mobile phone mast on farmland near Sedgefield. An application for a 15m tower south of Swan Carr Farm, Bradbury, was refused by Sedgefield Borough Council in August. Members said it would spoil the
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N-E fares well, but national jobless total rises
UNEMPLOYMENT in the North-East remained unchanged last month, but the jobless total across the country continues to rise. Latest figures show the number of people claiming unemployment related benefit in the region is 84,000, a jobless rate of 7.1 per
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Early morning bus link to be established
AN early morning bus link is to be established between Masham and Northallerton in response to growing demand. North Yorkshire County Council has agreed to finance the move following requests from Masham Town Council. Discussions between the two groups
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Pool boss has free rein, despite £1m loss
CHRIS TURNER isn't being held back in the transfer market, despite Hartlepool United recording a loss of almost £1m. Chairman Ken Hodcroft told shareholders at Tuesday's AGM that the club lost £917,000 during the year ending December 31, 2000. But despite
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PCs heading back to classroom
A PAIR of bobbies are going back to the classroom to help build long-term links with local youngsters. PCs Malcolm Eckert and Julie Mardon, of South Tyneside police, have been appointed schools development officers to work with 46 primary and 11 second-ary
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Stammering worker loses 'taunts' case
A CRISP factory worker who claimed he was forced out of his job after being bullied about his chronic stammer has lost his compensation battle. Kevin Alderson claimed he needed psychiatric treatment after being forced to give a speech during a team-building
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Customers tackle armed robber
Customers in a Darlington jeweller's shop wrestled an armed raider to the ground last night. But they released him when they were threatened with a gun at point-blank range, police have revealed. The trouble started when three men, two armed with sawn-off
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Stars back toy appeal
POP starlets Hear'say have helped launch a Christmas toy appeal that will benefit youngsters around the region. They launched a national campaign, with the Julie Graham Children's Charity and Peugeot cars, that will make sure needy children have a good
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Compromise over phone mast plan
A COMPROMISE may have been reached over the siting of a mobile phone mast on land near Sedgefield. An application for a 15m tower south of Swan Carr Farm, Bradbury, was refused by Sedgefield Borough Council in August. Members said it would spoil the landscape
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School aims for new business college role
A SCHOOL has announced plans to become one of the region's first business and enterprise colleges. Sunnydale Comprehensive School, Shildon, is hoping its bid for specialist school status will provide major opportunities for students and the community.
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Christmas story as seen by a grumpy sheep
YOUNGSTERS at a Darlington school are staging a Nativity play with a difference. Heathfield Infant School pupils have chosen The Grumpy Sheep as their Christmas play for this year. All 160 of the school's children, aged from four to seven, have been involved
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Knife-point raid not violent - judge
A YOUNG man who robbed a shop at knife-point has had his sentence reduced after three top judges ruled the offence was not violent. Ben Bowmer, 22, of Osric Place, Newton Aycliffe, County Durham, was convicted of robbery at Teesside Crown Court on July
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Suspended sentence for PC harassment
A DIVORCED father has been given a suspended prison sentence for harassing a married policeman who he blamed for the break up of his 17-year marriage. PC Keith Robson told magistrates that when he was drinking in his local pub with mother-of-three Terri
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Pensioner mugged
AN elderly woman has been treated in hospital after being mugged in the street. The pensioner was attacked as she walked along Oak Avenue, in Houghton-le-Spring, at 2.45pm, on Tuesday. Two men grabbed her shopping bag, containing her handbag, and threw
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£100 reward for young artist's logo design
AN 11-year-old schoolgirl's artistic skills have won her first prize in a police drawing competition. Ashleigh Wong, a pupil at Parkview Comprehensive School, in Chester-le-Street, saw off more than 800 entries from youngsters across north Durham to produce
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Driver 'broken man' since fatal crash
A NOVICE driver, who killed his cousin and best friend in a head-on crash, has become a broken man, a court heart yesterday. Andrew Dennis Tock, now 20, appeared for sentence at York Crown Court after admitting causing the deaths by dangerous driving
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Suspended sentence for PC harassment
A DIVORCED father has been given a suspended prison sentence for harassing a married policeman who he blamed for the break up of his 17-year marriage. PC Keith Robson told magistrates that when he was drinking in his local pub with mother-of-three Terri
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Lost hours will cost £6.6bn
British businesses will lose £6.6bn this Christmas as a result of a massive drop in staff productivity due to the pressures of the festive season. The survey by arena21 reveals that the average employee works an hour less a day in December, costing employers
