Apollo Theatre Collapse: Venue 'Neglected'

The owner of the Apollo Theatre in London's West End claimed last year that the venue had "suffered years of benign neglect".

Nica Burns, co-owner and chief executive of Nimax Theatres, which runs the building in Shaftesbury Avenue, said in an interview last year that it had a budget of just £2.45m to restore its five West End playhouses.

That was funded by a £1 restoration levy on tickets at the theatres, which the company said was spent entirely on upkeep and maintenance work once VAT was paid.

Speaking to Theatres Magazine, Ms Burns said: "Before we could start on the improvements, we had to address the damp. Water attacks the building from above and below."

A police officer on duty outside the Apollo Theatre in the West End

The restoration work carried out included new £120,000 customer toilets and a makeover for four carved stone muses on the rooftop, she told the magazine.

An investigation is under way after nearly 80 people were injured, nine seriously, when part of the theatre ceiling collapsed during a packed show.

One line of inquiry being considered is that excess water during a torrential downpour may have caused the collapse.

In 2000, previous owner Andrew Lloyd-Webber, who sold the Apollo to Nimax in 2005, told the Times newspaper: "The Apollo in particular is a shocking place.

Emergency services on the roof of the theatre

"I suggested that both it and the Lyric should be knocked down and replaced by top-quality modern theatres."

The composer and musical theatre impresario complained that his plans for a black-box auditorium inside the existing plasterwork had been opposed by English Heritage.

More than 700 people were inside the Apollo when members of the audience started screaming as it appeared parts of the ceiling caved in.

Most of the injured were discharged shortly afterwards, having been mainly treated for cuts and bruises.

Police and ambulance officers at the scene following the collapse

Although performances at the Apollo have been cancelled until January 4, London mayor Boris Johnson said the West End was "open for business"

Mr Johnson also praised the response from emergency services as "exemplary".

"Westminster City Council and the Society of London Theatre have assured me that all safety checks for the West End's historic theatres are up to date but, as a precaution, further checks have already started and will continue throughout the day."

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Lockerbie Anniversary: Cameron Praises Victims

Relatives of those killed in the Lockerbie bombing are due to attend memorial services in the UK and US to mark the 25th anniversary of the atrocity.

Pan Am flight 103 was on its way from London to New York when it exploded above Lockerbie, in southern Scotland, on the evening of December 21 1988, killing 270 people - everyone on board and 11 on the ground.

British Prime Minister David Cameron described it as "one of the worst aviation disasters in history and the deadliest act of terrorism" ever committed in the UK.

Eleven people were killed on the ground in Lockerbie

He said: "Though 25 years have passed, memories of the 243 passengers, 16 crew and 11 Lockerbie residents who lost their lives on that terrible night have not dimmed.

"Over the last quarter of a century much attention has been focused on the perpetrators of the atrocity. Today our thoughts turn to its victims and to those whose lives have been touched and changed by what happened at Lockerbie that night.

"To families, friends, neighbours, loved ones, and all those caught up in the painful process of recovery, let us say to them: our admiration for you is unconditional. For the fortitude and resilience you have shown. For your determination never to give up. You have shown that terrorist acts cannot crush the human spirit. That is why terrorism will never prevail.

"And even in the darkest moments of grief, it is possible to glimpse the flickering flame of hope."

Memorial events attended by politicians, officials, families and members of the community are to take place in Lockerbie, London and at Arlington National Cemetery in the US, where most of the victims were from.

Scotland's First Minister Alex Salmond and Lord Wallace, Advocate General for Scotland, will attend a service at 2pm at Dryfesdale Cemetery in the Dumfries and Galloway town, followed by a 30-minute wreath-laying ceremony.

Later, simultaneous remembrance services in Lockerbie and the States will get under way from 6.30pm (UK time) during which relatives will read the names of the victims and hold a minute's silence at 7.03pm (UK time) to mark a quarter of a century since the tragedy.

Westminster Abbey will also hold a service for the victims, from 21 countries, which will begin at 6.45pm and will include readings and a moment of silence.

Mr Salmond said: "As the community of Lockerbie marks the milestone, memorial events will be held in Westminster Abbey, Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia and at Syracuse University which lost 35 students in the bombing.

"But, inevitably, a focus of the day will be on the memorial in Lockerbie and it is there that I will pay my respects and condolences on behalf of the people of Scotland."

Abdelbaset al Megrahi was the only person to be convicted of the bombing

Dr Jim Swire, whose daughter Flora died in the disaster, told Sky News: "Anniversaries aren't in a sense that big a deal for the families of victims because we have to live with the lovely memories of those that we lost all that time ago, every day of every year. Bereavement in itself is sometimes a life sentence."

Graham Herbert, former rector at Lockerbie Academy which lost three students in the atrocity, said the market town "has always tried to move forward".

He told Sky News: "I know today there will be a lot of closed doors. A lot of people will not go out of their houses. The memories are just too bitter, there are still open wounds there.

"There are quite a lot of American families in the town today. Each year it just comes back to them, they are not allowed to heal. They want to commemorate, they want to be here where their loved ones fell, but it's hard, it's tough."

Libyan Abdelbaset al Megrahi was found guilty of the bombing in January 2001 and given a life sentence.

He was diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2008, leading to a decision to free him under compassionate release rules.

Scotland's Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill took that decision on August 20 the following year, sparking a row among politicians on both sides of the Atlantic.

Megrahi died in Tripoli, Libya in May last year. His family is considering lodging a fresh appeal to clear his name.

British relatives of victims who believe he was wrongfully convicted of the bombing are also planning another appeal against the conviction when they meet with lawyers in the new year.

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Food Banks 'Will Help One Million In 2014'

By Nick Martin, Sky News Correspondent

The number of people predicted to turn to food banks in Britain next year rather than starve could reach a million, a charity has told Sky News.

Since April this year more than half a million people living on the bread-line had to be referred for food aid by social workers or a doctor in order to feed themselves or their families.

And the rise in the number of people sinking deeper into poverty will mean more food banks will have to open across the country in 2014, according to the Chairman of the Trussell Trust Chris Mould.

Speaking exclusively to Sky News he said: "With earnings rising at less than 1% and social security support capped at 1% whilst the cost of living is rising three times as fast, the reality for millions of people in the UK will be an even tougher year than the one they've just been through.

Half a million people used a food bank in 2013

"Sadly that means many more people will be referred to food banks in 2014 than in 2013. In fact by this time next year we could well be talking about how Trussell Trust food banks have helped a million people in just one year alone."

The stark warning comes as new figures from the think-tank the New Economics Foundation reveal living standards in Britain have seen the biggest drop since the Victorian age.

Low and middle earners are suffering an unprecedented squeeze on their incomes as austerity measures continue to bite, with women and part-time workers disproportionately affected.

And food banks are seeing a three-fold increase in demand, according to Mr Mould.

"We've launched over 400 food banks since 2004. I expect the Trussell Trust network to grow by a further 100 food banks during 2014. There are still areas of the country where people in financial crisis are unable to get help easily from a local Trussell Trust food bank and we are working hard towards a goal where no one in the UK needs to go hungry."

Gayle Needham wil be relying on handouts to make it through Christmas

Mother-of-five Gayle Needham, 34, from Barnsely, south Yorkshire, is going hungry. She has had to visit her local food bank three times in just under a month. Her partner recently lost his job and they are facing a delay in benefits payments.

"I think we are basically what you call scraping the barrel. We are right at the bottom. We have faced a day where we probably have two tins of beans and a loaf of bread and that's it.

"It's either food bank or nothing. It makes me feel that I've failed as a mum. I'm not bothered about me or my partner, but if you can't provide for your kids, what kind of parent are you?"

Gayle is one of 13 million people in Britain today who are living in poverty as classified by the Government. Her five children will receive presents their parents collected from an online giveaway site. There will be no Turkey because they cannot afford the electricity to cook it.

"I'm not looking forward to Christmas - I'm really not. I know it's going to be devastating. I know they (the children) haven't got half as much as they want.

"We pray for a miracle but we all know we're not going to get one."

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Chessington Fire: Blaze At Surrey Theme Park

The Chessington World of Adventures Resort in Surrey has been closed for the day after a fire at a restaurant near a zoo.

The theme park was not open to the public when emergency crews were alerted at 9am and no people or animals were injured, London Fire Brigade said.

It had been due to open at 10am for a "festive zoo day" according to its website, but a decision was made to shut the site.

Eight fire engines were called to the scene of the blaze at the Creaky Cafe and firefighters later managed to bring it under control.

Fire station manager Craig Carter said the blaze "affected a large part" of the restaurant.

He added: "There were a lot of flames and the area was quite smoky when we arrived."

All animals in the zoo were evacuated to a safe place, said the fire service.

The park posted a message on Twitter saying: "Due to unforeseen circumstances Chessington will be closed today.

"If you had tickets booked for today, they will be valid for another day in the future."

A company statement said: "This morning, prior to the park opening, a fire broke out in Chessington World of Adventures.

"Well-practised emergency procedures were immediately put into operation and the emergency services were called and several fire engines were on site within minutes.

"The theme park and zoo were closed at the time of this incident and, therefore, no guests were involved. All staff areas were immediately evacuated and all staff and animals are safe and well."

An investigation will be carried out to discover the cause of the fire.

Surrey Police had said people should avoid the area around the park as the A243 was closed - but it was later fully re-opened to traffic.

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Search For Woman Swept Out To Sea Called Off

A major search for a woman believed to have been swept out to sea has been called off due to appalling weather.

Coastguard rescue officers, lifeboat crews, police and a helicopter looked for the 36 year old in the Brighton beach area through the night and during first light.

But they were unable to locate her amid "very difficult and dangerous weather", said police.

Sussex officers called Solent maritime rescue centre at 2.24am saying a woman had gone into the water opposite the Digital nightclub, just west of the town's Palace Pier.

After leaving the seafront club she had walked along the beach with a man she knew and then she ran into the sea and was almost immediately swept off by a large wave, officers said.

The coastguard said both people were believed to have gone into the water and one managed to get back out while the other was taken out to sea.

The woman had been at a nightclub before she went in the water

A police spokesman said: "The man tried to grab her but was unable to drag her to safety.

"Police officers arrived within minutes and, together with club staff and her friend, approached the sea edge.

"But the woman was being washed further away and was inaccessible due to the very heavy sea conditions.

"Coastguards swiftly assisted the search by land and sea but the body has not, so far, been recovered and the immediate search has been discontinued at this time."

Solent Coastguard said: "We conducted a thorough search of the area and nothing was found. The conditions down there are appalling. It's force eight with severe gale warnings."

Police do not know why the woman, believed to be from Brighton, ran into the water and the incident was not being treated as suspicious.

Her next of kin have been contacted by family liaison officers.

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South London Bus Crash: 19 People Injured

Police say 19 people have been injured in a bus crash in south London, with two in critical condition, after the bus swerved to miss a car and struck a tree.

The incident occurred around 10:50am on Kennington Road, near the Imperial War Museum in south London.

The fire service says two people are still trapped inside the bus with emergency workers attempting to free them.

Police say 15 passengers are "walking wounded", two people are in serious condition and two more - including a 19-year-old girl - are critical.

Aerial footage from the scene shows the front of the bus collapsed around the trunk of a tree.

Fire and ambulance crews are currently at the scene of the crash.

Transport for London said there will be a thorough investigation into the incident.

Mike Weston, TfL's Director for Buses said: "Our first concern is, of course, for the driver, passengers and others involved in this incident and we can confirm the emergency services are in attendance.

"There will be a thorough investigation into this incident as a matter of urgency."

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Npower To Pay £3.5m To Vulnerable Customers

Npower has agreed to pay £3.5m to vulnerable customers after an Ofgem investigation found the energy firm breached sales rules.

Regulator Ofgem said the failings of doorstep and telesales staff meant customers were not able to make informed decisions on whether to switch suppliers.

The company remedied the shortcomings by September 2012 but has agreed to make a payment of at least £25 to each of its customers who receive the Warm Home Discount.

Ofgem said npower gained insufficient information about a customer's consumption to enable them to decide whether to switch.

It also failed to ensure that comparisons between the price of npower's supply and that of the customer's current supplier were always based on the tariff that customers were on.

And information on when some consumers would receive their direct debit discount and how direct debit levels would be reviewed was also found to have been inaccurate.

Npower said it would write to customers affected by rule breaches

Sarah Harrison, from Ofgem, said: "npower has done the right thing by stepping forward and recognising that, whilst it was making changes to improve its sales processes, weaknesses remained which affected consumers' ability to compare supplier offers fairly.

"These issues have been fully addressed by npower and Ofgem welcomes the company's actions and its agreement to pay £3.5m to directly benefit vulnerable consumers.

"Ofgem will continue to hold companies to account to ensure rules to protect energy consumers are met and that the market works for consumers in a simpler, clearer and fairer way."

Paul Massara, npower's chief executive, said: "We've worked very closely with Ofgem as they've investigated these previous issues. It's good to draw a line under this, so we can focus on our goal of becoming number one for customer experience by the end of 2015."

Consumer Focus director Adam Scorer said: "Mis-selling is the original sin of energy competition. Npower had misled customers by phone and on the doorstep from 2010.

"Ofgem is right to make sure action is taken and that companies compensate consumers directly."

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Adebolajo's Brother Refuses To Condemn Murder

Woolwich Murder: Killers' Timeline

Updated: 2:01pm UK, Thursday 19 December 2013

By Tom Parmenter, Sky News Correspondent

1984: Michael Olumide Akinbiyi Adebolajo is born on December 10 at King's College Hospital in Lambeth, south London. His Nigerian-born father, Anthony, a student at the time, went on to become an NHS nurse. His mother, Tina, a housewife and the niece of a university law professor in Benin, west Africa, also dedicated herself to public duty by becoming a social worker. The family lived in Eastern Avenue, Romford, and attended the local church.

1991: Michael Oluwatobi Adebowale is born on May 6, also to Nigerian parents, who split up soon after his birth. His mother Juliet Obasuyi is a probation officer and his father a member of staff at the Nigerian High Commission. Adebowale is known as "Tobi" to family and friends.

1996-2001: Adebolajo attends Marshalls Park School in Romford where he plays football, is seen as a bright student and goes on to complete his GCSEs. He then joins Havering Sixth Form College to study A-levels, including one in psychology.

2002: Adebowale, aged 11, starts at Kidbrooke School in Greenwich. He plays football too, but isn't particularly skilled. Friends say he was easily influenced and "used to follow the crowd".

2002/2003: Adebolajo converts to Islam in his first year at Greenwich University, where he is studying for a BSc in Building Surveying and takes part in first Muslim protests.

2004: He marries Rikki Thomas, who also converts to Islam.

Spring to winter 2004: Jamie Oliver and his team film episodes of Jamie's School Dinners at Kidbrooke School with dinner lady Nora Sands while Adebowale is a pupil.

2004/2005: Adebolajo switches his university course to BA Politics. His academic progress is unsatisfactory and he is not allowed to complete his course.

November 2006: Adebolajo is arrested outside the Old Bailey during a Muslim protest. He is convicted of assaulting two police officers and is sentenced to 51 days in prison.

September 2007: Brought up a Christian, a 16-year-old Adebowale converts to Islam after leaving school and joins a further education college.

January 5, 2008: Adebowale, a low-level runner who couriers drugs for the gang known as the Woolwich Boys, witnesses the murder of friend Faridon Alizada and is a witness in the subsequent court case.

December 2008: He gives evidence in the murder trial and killer Lee James is sentenced to serve a minimum of 25 years and 17 days after being found guilty of stabbing 18-year-old Faridon to death.

2009: Adebolajo speaks at a demonstration against the English Defence League and Stop Islamisation of Europe organised by Unite Against Fascism at Harrow Central Mosque. He is recorded as saying: "Don't be scared of them, do not be scared of the police or the cameras. You are here only to please Allah. You're not here for any other reason. If you are here just for a fight, please leave our ranks. We only want those who are sincere to Allah. Purify your intention."

2010: He is arrested in Kenya with five others and released to British authorities in the African country and deported. It is believed be planned to train with al Shabaab, a militant group linked to al Qaeda, according to Boniface Mwaniki, head of Kenya's anti-terrorism unit. The British Foreign Office confirm "a British national was arrested in Kenya in 2010" and given consular assistance. No charges are filed against Adebolajo, who returns to southeast London. From now on he is either unemployed or working as a fitness instructor.

August 2011: Racial tensions rise in southeast London during and after the summer riots. The Engish Defence League organises patrols of Eltham, a traditional BNP stronghold. A militant wing of the EDL organises fights with Muslims.

July/August 2012: Shopkeepers report the preachers who regularly set up outside their shops are abusing British soldiers who are stationed in Greenwich working at the London Olympics. Local police are aware of the abuse.

Early April 2013: Members of the Greenwich preaching group are detained by police after further complaints from shopkeepers. Adebowale is among them.

May 22, 2013: Adebolajo and Adebowale murder Fusilier Lee Rigby in Woolwich, southeast London. They are detained at the scene.

November 29, 2013: The two men go on trial at the Old Bailey.

December 19, 2013: After listening to nearly three weeks of harrowing evidence, jurors took just 90 minutes to find the pair guilty of murdering Fusilier Rigby. They were found not guilty of attempting to murder police officers.

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Rochdale Sex Abuse 'Could Have Been Prevented'

A serious case review has criticised police and social services over their handling of child sex abuse cases in Rochdale.

It follows a high-profile court case last year which involved a sex trafficking gang who preyed on vulnerable young girls.

The victims had been plied with alcohol and drugs before being passed around a group of men who were largely of Pakistani origin.

The report, published on Friday morning, said it had found a "widespread pattern of weaknesses and failings" across several agencies over a nine-year period.

It said: "Six of the seven young people considered in the reviews were, for several years prior to being sexually exploited, in need of help."

The report commissioned by Rochdale Borough Safeguarding Children Board (RBSCB) added: "Given the highly organised, determined and manipulative behaviour of the perpetrators, it would be unrealistic to imagine that their behaviour could have been predicted and that all harm to all the young people they abused could have been prevented.

"However, had the sexual exploitation been recognised and responded to at the earliest stages, these young people may have been protected from repeat victimisation and other young people may also have been protected from becoming victims."

Report author Sian Griffiths, an independent social worker, said a high workload in children's safeguarding teams and the police "contributed to disorganisation and at times a sense of helplessness".

Rochdale MP Simon Danczuk has criticised the timing of the report

Ms Griffiths adds: "That the failings took place over a period of five years in relation to six young people who were in contact with at least 17 different agencies makes it absolutely clear that the problems were much more deep rooted than can be explained as failings at an individual level.

"It is also important to note that the experiences of these six young people whilst fundamentally important in their own right are accepted by agencies within Rochdale as being indicative of the experience of other young people at the time."

Greater Manchester Police's Chief Constable Sir Peter Fahy said he was not considering his position as a result of the report.

Sir Peter said the report had failed to confront a "fundamental" problem faced by police officers, who may investigate complaints from victims of sexual abuse only to find prosecutors will not take the case forward because of the unreliability of the key witness.

He warned of a "culture of hopelessness" among officers who are repeatedly asked to track down and return young people missing from children's homes, only for them to run away again.

Greater Manchester's Police and Crime Commissioner Tony Lloyd has set up an independent commission to look into the handling of cases involving teenagers with chaotic lifestyles and reconsider the structures currently in place to protect them, said Sir Peter.

"Most people would say it is crazy that there are 17 or 18 different agencies in a place like Rochdale in charge of children," he said. "That can't make sense."

Simon Danczuk, the Labour MP for Rochdale, said it was disappointing to see the report "sneaked out on the last Friday before Christmas" but said it had laid bare serious failings.

"It worries me that the report shows there is evidence of a focus on performance targets, which has meant that child sexual exploitation is not a police priority," he said.

"This crime has done a huge amount of damage to our town and the police have to give it more attention."

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Nigella Lawson Aides Not Guilty Of Fraud

Two sisters who worked as aides for Nigella Lawson and Charles Saatchi have been found not guilty of fraud.

Francesca Grillo, 35, and her sister Elisabetta, 41, were alleged to have used company credit cards to spend £685,000 on items for themselves including designer shoes and clothes.

The Italian sisters were employed as PAs by the TV cook and her multimillionaire art dealer ex-husband Charles Saatchi, who were divorced earlier this year.

A jury at Isleworth Crown Court took eight hours and 52 minutes to clear the sisters of the charges against them.

The Grillo sisters were not in court to hear the verdicts but there was a cry of "yes" from someone in the public gallery.

Francesca was with her sister in another room in the court after Elisabetta, who suffers from claustrophobia and panic attacks, collapsed for the second time in 24 hours this morning.

After hearing the verdicts, Francesca could be seen smiling and talking excitedly in Italian on her phone as she was being hugged by a supporter.

She told Sky News she was "extremely excited and pleased" to have been found innocent.

Anthony Metzer QC, representing Elisabetta, said his client was "relieved" and "crying her eyes out".

Mr Metzer said he was "incredibly thrilled and delighted for both of them" and wanted to thank the jury for their attention during the trial.

He said it had been a "stressful case" and said the "medical issues" in relation to Elisabetta made it even harder.

More follows...

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Woman Killed As High Winds Hit UK And Ireland

Further strong winds are expected to batter the UK today after two people died in gale force conditions.

The Met Office has an amber warning - its second-highest level - for Northern Ireland and parts of western Scotland, where gusts of up to 90mph are expected.

Wind warnings are in place across much of the Republic of Ireland, with Donegal, Galway, Leitrim, Mayo and Sligo, as well as Munster, Leinster, Cavan and Monaghan, all braced for winds of up to 70mph.

As much as 20cm of snow could fall in Scotland, while icy roads may create treacherous driving conditions in Wales and across much of eastern England.

The League Cup game at Stoke was halted by a hail storm

It comes after storms caused by an Atlantic depression left two people dead and thousands of people without power.

A 23-year-old woman was killed in Ireland when a tree fell onto her car near Mullingar, County Westmeath.

Paramedics cut her free from the wreckage of the vehicle but she died from her injuries.

In Warwickshire, a man suffered head and chest injuries when a tree hit his car on the A45 between Stretton-on-Dunsmore and Rugby.

Flood warnings have been issued across the UK

A 19-year-old passenger in the car also suffered facial injuries.

Meanwhile, coastguards and an RAF helicopter were forced to call off a search after a man fell overboard from a cargo ship on the River Trent in Lincolnshire.

The 45-year-old, who was not thought to have been wearing a life jacket, became entangled in ropes, according to a coastguard spokesman.

The winds knocked out power to around 7,000 homes and businesses in Northern Ireland, with another 3,500 affected in northwest England and 900 in south Wales, although most people have now been reconnected.

The gales also caused widespread damage to overhead power and train lines.

The Environment Agency issued 29 flood warnings and 114 flood alerts, mostly in the west of the UK.

In Ireland, the strong winds ripped off part of the roof of Kent railway station in Cork, leaving one passenger with minor injuries.

The roof of Kent railway station in Cork collapsed in the high winds

The roof of a hotel was blown off in Moota, Cumbria, forcing police to close the A595.

Sheffield Wednesday's Championship game against Wigan had to be abandoned in the second half because of a waterlogged pitch and Manchester United's game against Stoke was temporarily halted by a hail storm.

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Tulisa Denies Class A Drug Offences In Court

Former X Factor judge Tulisa Contostavlos has denied being concerned with the supply of Class A drugs.

The N-Dubz star, 25, of Friern Barnet, north London, is accused of setting up an £860 deal to supply 13.9 grams of cocaine to an undercover reporter.

She appeared alongside rapper Mike GLC, also known as Michael Coombs, 35, of Velocity Way, Enfield, north London, at Westminster Magistrates' Court.

He denied a charge of supplying the drug on May 23.

Contostavlos was forced to disclose her address to the court after her solicitor applied for it to be withheld to prevent "unwanted visitors".

But Chief Magistrate Howard Riddle ruled "the address must be given" after considering the application with representations from prosecutor Emma Scheer and the Press Association.

The singer then told the court: "Just to let you know, after it being read out, in the next month or so I might have to move to a new address."

Contostavlos is accused of being "concerned with the supply" of cocaine to the Sun on Sunday's undercover reporter Mazher Mahmood, sometimes known as the fake sheikh, between May 20 and May 24.

Contostavlos allegedly set up the deal after telling Mahmood she could help provide him with "white sweets", which the court heard was a code for cocaine.

She is accused of playing a "significant role" putting the fake sheikh in touch with Coombs before the pair met at the upmarket Dorchester Hotel in central London.

Contostavlos was initially arrested with Coombs on June 4.

She was dropped as a judge on X Factor days before her arrest, with Sharon Osbourne returning in her place.

Contostavlos and Coombs were given unconditional bail by Mr Riddle and will next appear at Southwark Crown Court in central London on January 14.

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NHS Trust 'Betrayed' Breast Cancer Patients

By Adele Robinson, Sky News Correspondent

A review into how a breast cancer surgeon was allowed to carry out incomplete mastectomies on hundreds of women has described the case as "depressingly familiar".

Ian Paterson performed unregulated "cleavage-sparing" procedures at Solihull Hospital and Good Hope Hospital in Sutton Coldfield, West Midlands, for 15 years.

The operation leaves breast tissue behind for cosmetic reasons and is against national guidelines.

The independent review, carried out by Sir Ian Kennedy, looked at how the Heart of England NHS Foundation Trust responded to concerns raised by staff and patients.

Ian Paterson was told to stop performing the operations after a 2007 review

It found the trust missed a number of opportunities to stop Mr Paterson performing unauthorised surgical procedures.

"Lessons for the future cannot be learned unless the past is understood," Sir Ian said.

"The story is complex but the themes are depressingly familiar. The fundamental theme is one of culture. When culture fails, care fails.

"Concerns were expressed as early as 2003 but were not treated with sufficient seriousness, nor looked into with sufficient rigour and care."

Sir Ian Kennedy delivers the findings of his review

He added: "Various colleagues in the breast unit raised concerns, an investigation was launched and a report produced ... but nothing came of it.

"Mr Paterson was not an easy colleague. He was not a team player. The focus of managers, however, was on man management when it should have been on Mr Paterson's surgical practices and competence."

An internal report carried out at Solihull Hospital in 2004 highlighted the potential risk of the procedure.

In 2007 there was a review of breast care services at the hospital and Mr Paterson was told to stop performing the operations.

Shirley Moroney's sister Marie Pinfield died following surgery

However, there is evidence from solicitors suggesting he performed the procedure until 2010.

In his 165-page report, Sir Ian said the trust must "make its peace with patients, staff and the community".

"There is much anger and a strong sense of betrayal," he added.

Shirley Moroney's sister Marie Pinfield was operated on twice by Mr Paterson in 2006 and on both occasions he left breast tissue behind.

The NHS Trust said negligent surgery did not cause Ms Pinfield's death

Ms Pinfield died two years later but the NHS Trust says negligent surgery did not cause her death and her cancer would have returned even with a full mastectomy.

Ms Moroney believes Mr Paterson had too much power.

"I'd like a cultural change within the NHS that meant that if people were concerned about the way operations were being done that they could have a voice," she said.

"No-one ever questioned him and that's why he was allowed to get away with it as long as he did."

Lord Philip Hunt, chairman of the Heart of England NHS Foundation Trust, said: "I wish to give a full and unreserved apology to all of the patients and their relatives for the way in which they were mistreated by Mr Paterson ... and also how they were subsequently let down by the trust management team at the time in their failure to properly intervene into his practices and his behaviour in terms of patient safety and quality of care.

"This was completely unacceptable and I'm very sorry indeed."

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Criminal Tag Firm To Repay £68.5m Overcharge

Disgraced firm Serco has agreed to repay the Government £68.5m for overcharging for tagging criminals, the Justice Secretary said.

Both Serco and G4S were found to have overcharged the taxpayer by tens of millions for monitoring criminals in a contract dating back to 2005.

The Serious Fraud Office (SFO) opened a criminal investigation after it emerged G4S and Serco overcharged the Government for tagging offenders, some of whom were found to be dead, back in prison or overseas.

Serco has agreed to pay the sum to the Government to reimburse money owed on the contract and for other costs incurred such as the investigation at the end of a broader review into Serco and G4S contracts, Chris Grayling said.

The Government has already rejected a £24m offer from G4S, which came under fire for its poor handling of the Olympics security contract, and officials vowed to "pursue all possible avenues" to recoup more taxpayers' cash. Discussions on repayment are continuing.

In addition to the investigation it is already facing, G4S has been referred to the Serious Fraud Office a second time after the Ministry of Justice uncovered further problems with two contracts for facilities management in the courts.

Mr Grayling said that while Serco had been willing to allow a further forensic audit to establish what had happened in the overcharging scandal, but in July G4S had refused the request.

Francis Maude, minister for the Cabinet Office, which led the review said: "It's good news for taxpayers that Serco has agreed to recompense #68.5 million for overcharging.

"We are confident that the company is taking steps to address the issues which our review has identified.

"Since day one this Government has been working to reform contract management and improve commercial expertise in Whitehall."

As revealed by Sky News City Editor Mark Kleinman on Wednesday, both G4S and Serco have also been prevented from bidding for lucrative probation office contracts.

However, the Government has left open the possibility of either firm playing a supporting role, working with smaller businesses or voluntary sector providers.

The remainder of their contract for monitoring criminals has been transferred to rival firm Capita.

Serco non-executive chairman Alistair Lyons said: "The contract issues that were identified should never have happened and we apologise unreservedly for them.

"We are doing everything in our power to make sure that such issues cannot reoccur anywhere in our business around the world."

A statement from G4S said: "G4S places the highest premium on adherence to its company values, including customer service and integrity.

Last month the boss of G4S, Ashley Almanza, admitted to MPs that the company had failed to "tell the difference between right and wrong", while Mr Lyons told the Commons Public Accounts Committee it was "ethically wrong".

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Lee Rigby Murder Trial: Guilty Verdicts

By Mark White, Home Affairs Correspondent

An Old Bailey jury has convicted two young London men of the brutal murder of fusilier Lee Rigby.

It took the jury of eight women and four men about 90 minutes to return guilty verdicts on Michael Adebolajo, 28 and Michael Adebowale, 22.

The pair were found not guilty of attempting to murder police officers at the scene of the killing on May 22.  

The murder of the off-duty soldier both horrified and united the nation, as politicians, faith leaders and members of the community in south east London came together to condemn the killing.

The 25-year-old drummer with the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers was singled out by his attackers because he was a soldier.

Lee Rigby and his killers

Adebolajo, the only defendant who gave evidence, admitted killing the young serviceman, but claimed his actions were justified as part of a war against the British military and British government for wars waged by the UK in Muslim countries.  

During the trial, he was asked directly for his defence to the charge of murder.

Adebolajo told the jury: "I am a soldier. I am a soldier of Allah and I understand that some people might not recognise this because we do not wear fatigues and we don't go to the Brecon Beacons to train. But we are still soldiers."

He told the court he considered al Qaeda to be "mujahideen".

He said: "I love them, they're my brothers. I have never met them. I consider them my brothers in Islam."

The defendants pictured after the killing

Both Adebolajo and Adebowale had been known to the police and security services because of their extremist beliefs, but they had not been considered a significant or immediate threat.

Parliament's Intelligence and Security Committee is examining whether any opportunities to prevent Mr Rigby's murder might have been missed by the authorities.

Scotland Yard's head of Specialist Operations, Assistant Commissioner Cressida Dick told Sky News the Met is fully cooperating with the inquiry.

"If we had known, if we had information that told us that these people were likely to commit this attack, or if somebody had said this was about to happen, of course we would have done everything we could to try to prevent it from happening.

"The profile of these two young men is not unique, sadly. And we will do our level best to try to find out about such people and to try to find out what they may intend. But we can't reduce the risks to zero," she said.

Lee Rigby's mother, widow and other family members sat through each day of the three week long trial, listening to often very harrowing evidence and viewing graphic video of the events outside Woolwich barracks.

At times, the evidence was just too much for the family to bear and they left court in tears on several occasions.

It was also a very difficult trial for the jury to sit through.

On occasions, some were visibly distressed as they watched CCTV footage taken at the time of the attack and listened to shocking testimony from some of the eyewitnesses.

Witness Cheralee Armstrong said in a statement that there was "pure evil" in one of the knifemen's eyes, and that she thought she would die.

At first she thought they were trying to help the soldier after a road accident, but then saw that they were stabbing and hacking at him.

"It was like they were mutilating the person's body. It seemed like they were trying to remove his organs from his torso," she said.

When she shouted at the attackers to stop, she described one of them looking at her.

"The man in the hat (Adebolajo) stared at me, his expression was blank. Pure evil, and his eyes were bulging," she said.

He then pointed a gun towards her and James Henegan, who was driving her in his Citroen C3.

Mr Henegan wept in court as he described the moment he left his car and saw one of the men withdraw the gun from what looked like a "carrier bag".

"I thought he was going to shoot…fire a gun at us," he said.

The jury was told how Mr Rigby's killers refused to leave the scene after the murder, as they waited for police to arrive.

Those police officers were to have been their next victims, the prosecution claimed.

Dramatic CCTV and other video of the moments an armed response vehicle arrived outside the barracks were played to the jury.

There were gasps from the court as the footage showed the two men running towards the police vehicle and then being shot.

One of the officers - identified only as D49 - said she "instantly" thought she would die when Adebolajo ran towards her car.

She claimed he had a meat cleaver or machete and was "shouting something", adding that his eyes "were so wide" she could "see the whites of them".

Adebolajo claimed both men had wanted the police to kill them, to make them martyrs.

They did not get that wish, as both have since made a full recovery.

Nor did the jury believe their justification for killing Lee Rigby. They ruled that death of the young fusilier was murder, pure and simple.

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Falling Tree Kills Woman As High Winds Hit

A woman has died, thousands are without power, and a man is missing as stormy weather batters Ireland and areas of the western UK.

The 23-year-old woman was killed after a tree fell on her car in Mullingar, County Westmeath at about 4pm. She was taken to an Irish hospital but later pronounced dead.

Coastguards and an RAF helicopter have also suspended a search in "very poor" conditions after a man fell overboard from a cargo ship on the River Trent.

The 45-year-old - understood to not be wearing a life jacket - became entangled in ropes, according to a coastguard spokeswoman.

A flooded car park in Galway, Ireland (Pic: Cathal Collins)

"We have now stood the search down for the night, and will continue searching during tomorrow," said Humber Coastguard watch manager Mike Puplett.

A man was also seriously injured on the A45 in Warwickshire after a "large tree" fell on a car, according to West Midlands Ambulance Service.

Meanwhile, more than 17,000 people were left without power late on Wednesday night.

Around 12,000 in Ireland, 3,500 in Cumbria and Lancashire, 1,000 in Northern Ireland and nearly 900 in Neath, south Wales.

The roof of Cork's Kent station partially collapsed

Winds of 70-80mph were forecast in Northern Ireland and the west coast of Scotland, where an orange "be prepared" warning is in place.

South-west England and much of western Wales are under a less severe "be aware" warning from the Met Office, with gusts of between 50 to 70mph possible.

The Environment Agency has issued 22 flood warnings and 113 flood alerts, most clustered in the west of the UK, but some in central and eastern areas.

Get Live Updates on the stormy weather

However, the most serious threat is in Ireland.

The country's weather service, Met Eireann, has issued a "Status Red" severe weather warning for counties Donegal, Galway, Leitrim, Mayo and Sligo.

Play in Man Utd's game with Stoke was suspended for a time beacuse of hail

It means that people should "take action to protect themselves and/or their properties".

Gusts of 75mph to 93mph (120 to 150 km/h) are forecast in those counties, as well as high seas in coastal areas.

An orange warning is in place for counties Cavan and Clare, and a yellow alert for Leinster, Monaghan, Roscommon, Tipperary and Waterford.

The roof of the Kent railway station in Cork, Ireland, also partially collapsed on Wednesday, leaving a passenger with minor injuries.

One Twitter user, Anna Leonard, posted: "The weather is so bad in Ireland. A woman is dead in Mullingar because of the wind. Ridiculous. Prayers with those affected!"

Elsewhere in England, Cumbria Police said roofs had been blown off a property in Seaton and the Moota Hotel on the A595, leading to road closures.

Trains between Leatherhead and Guildford, and to and from London Paddington were also experiencing delays of around 40 minutes.

Football matches were also affected by the weather.

Sheffield Wednesday's home game against Wigan was abandoned in the second half because of a waterlogged pitch and Manchester United's game with Stoke was temporarily halted by a hail storm.

The wind is expected to ease on Thursday with a forecast of sunshine and heavy showers, some wintry.

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Grandmother Murder: Man Jailed For Life

A drug addict who murdered his grandmother by stabbing her 50 times in her bed has been sentenced to life in prison.

Police said Louisa Denby was subjected to a "brutal and frenzied attack" at the hands of grandson Nathaniel Flynn, who has never explained why he killed her.

The most likely explanation for why he stabbed the 84-year-old retired teacher to death was that "she got on his nerves", a court heard.

Flynn, who later tried to kill a nine-year-old boy, was told by Mr Justice Keith that he must serve a minimum of 24 years in prison.

The 27-year-old admitted killing Ms Denby at their home in Prospect Mount, Shipley, West Yorkshire, in July, and stabbing Jason D'Arcy in nearby Carnegie skate park later the same day.

Louisa Denby was found murdered at her home in Shipley

Bradford Crown Court heard that Jason suffered a shallow wound to his chest and a much more serious injury to his arm as he tried to defend himself.

Detectives said it was "only through sheer luck that he wasn't murdered".

The child ran home after he was stabbed twice and received first aid from his father Lee D'Arcy, who struggled to call an ambulance because there was so much blood.

The schoolboy later told police: "He went for my heart."

Flynn then tried to entice eight-year-old  Ellie Palomar from her garden where she was playing and later assaulted a 59-year-old man outside his home.

Three psychiatrists found that Flynn had no diagnosable mental illness, but said he had been influenced by his heavy, "entrenched" use of cannabis and other drugs.

A police officer at the skate park where Jason D'Arcy was attacked

He was due to go on trial earlier this month but pleaded guilty to charges of murder and attempted murder.

Flynn ordered an SAS survival guide, two knives, tarpaulin and rope from the internet in the days before he killed his grandmother.

Police believe one of the knives was used in the attacks, although the weapon has never been recovered.

The court heard that Flynn was still wearing pyjamas when he walked into Ms Denby's bedroom on the morning of July 1.

He later told a psychiatrist that he thought his grandmother was "deteriorating" and wanted to end it for her, despite there being no evidence from anyone else in the family that Ms Denby had any problems.

The judge heard that he told the doctor: "I got her a cup of tea and said 'I love you' and then I attacked her."

Ms Denby's family said afterwards her "horrific" death had had "a devastating effect" on them.

Detective Chief Inspector Nick Wallen, of West Yorkshire Police, said: "The attack on Louisa was brutal and frenzied and we can only imagine the impact of Flynn's actions upon her family who continue to suffer from the consequences of her loss to this day. Louisa was a lovely lady and our thoughts remain with her family at this time."

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Plastic Notes Issued In UK From 2016

Plastic banknotes are to be issued for the first time when the new £5 featuring Sir Winston Churchill appears in 2016.

A £10 note featuring Jane Austen to follow around a year later will also be made from polymer rather than the cotton paper currently used, the Bank of England said.

It follows a three-year research programme that concluded plastic notes stay cleaner for longer, are more difficult to counterfeit and are at least 2.5 times longer-lasting.

A public consultation, giving people the chance to handle the notes, found 87% of 13,000 individuals who responded were in favour of polymer.

Bank governor Mark Carney said: "Ensuring trust and confidence in money is at the heart of what central banks do. Polymer notes are the next step in the evolution of bank note design to meet that objective.

"The quality of polymer notes is higher, they are more secure from counterfeiting, and they can be produced at a lower cost to the taxpayer and the environment."

The new notes will stay cleaner and last longer than cotton paper

The new notes will retain their familiar look, the Bank said, including the portrait of the Queen and a historical character.

A contract is expected to be signed with Innovia Security to supply polymer material, which would see Innovia establish a polymer production plant in Wigton, Cumbria.

The Bank acknowledged when it launched its consultation in September that plastic banknotes were more expensive to produce.

But it argued that because they are longer-lasting they should prove cheaper in the long run.

It also says that, being thin and flexible, they can fit into wallets as easily as paper banknotes.

The Bank said the new notes would be slightly smaller than existing paper notes, but the practice of note size increasing with denomination will be maintained.

More than 25 countries issue polymer banknotes, including Australia - which began printing them in 1988 - as well as New Zealand, Mexico, Singapore, Canada, and most recently Fiji and Mauritius.

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Ian Watkins Gets 35 Years For Sex Offences

Lostprophets singer Ian Watkins has been given a 35-year sentence for 13 sex offences, including the attempted rape of a baby.

Watkins, 36, shook uncontrollably as he was handed down the sentence at Cardiff Crown Court, and it was greeted by shouts of "yes" from the public gallery.

Two female co-defendants, aged 21 and 25, were also sentenced for various sex offences, with 'Mother A' given 14 years in jail and 'Mother B' given 17 years. They cannot be named for legal reasons.

Watkins was convicted of sexually touching a groupie's 11-month-old baby, then trying to have sex with the child. He also encouraged a second fan to abuse her child during a webcam chat and secretly stashed child porn videos, some of which he had made himself.

Justice Royce QC told Watkins and the two co-defendants, "what you three did plumbs new depths of depravity".

He said the singer had a "dark and sinister side" and the gravity of his offences "breaks new ground".

Watkins with his former bandmates

"You had many fawning fans. That gave you power. You knew you could use that power to induce young female fans to have help satisfy your insatiable lust and take part in the sexual abuse of their own children," he said. 

"Away from the highlights of your public performances lay a dark and sinister side."

Earlier, he said Watkins had a "high risk of causing emotional and sexual harm to children and to women".

Sentencing Watkins to a combined jail term of 29 years, he told him that he was being given an extended sentence.

That means he will serve two-thirds of the term behind bars before being released.

On his release in around 20 years' time he would normally have been on licence for the remainder of the 29-year term. The judge, however, added an additional six years on licence and told him: "Your total sentence, therefore, is one of 35 years."

Watkins performing at the Reading Festival in 2010

Detective Chief Inspector Peter Doyle, who is heading up a hunt for potential further victims, described Watkins as a "committed, organised paedophile".

"My view of him as an individual is that he has shown no empathy, no sympathy or any remorse for what he has done," he said. 

"It's as if he just doesn't care. He has shown no remorse at any time. In my view, that potentially makes him the most dangerous sex offender I have ever seen."

Mr Doyle said Watkins committed the worst kind of offending and specifically targeted babies. 

He said: "Offending against children does not get any worse. We are not talking about children of any age here, we are talking about babies. I don't know what he is not capable of."

The abuse is thought to be so widespread that investigating officers have since launched a nationwide appeal for other potential victims to come forward - and are pursuing new leads after receiving a flurry of calls.

Watkins performing at the Download Festival in 2008

Mr Doyle told Sky News the force is working with Homeland Security in the US, Interpol and police in Germany to identify if any other children have been abused by Watkins.

"I think that it is likely that there will be further matters put to him, and others, in due course," he said. 

The Independent Police Complaints Commission, which is investigating whether the force failed to act quickly enough after tip-offs about Watkins, has said it will now also look into South Yorkshire and Bedfordshire forces.

The IPCC said it is investigating the effectiveness of the responses by South Yorkshire, Bedfordshire and South Wales forces to reports of abuse made to them between 2008 and 2012.

Earlier today, the court heard Watkins spoke with a female fan from prison the day after admitting two counts of attempted baby rape and said he intended to issue a statement when he was sentenced saying it had all been "mega lolz".

In the conversation, Watkins denied being a paedophile and expressed exasperation at the way people had reacted to his guilty pleas.

Using text-speak, he said: "I'm going to put out a statement on the 18th just to say it was mega lolz.

"I do not know what everybody is getting so freaked out about."

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Jayden Parkinson: Police Find Body In A Grave

Police searching for missing teenager Jayden Parkinson say they have found a body in a cemetery grave in Didcot, Oxfordshire.

The 17-year-old disappeared on December 3 after she was last seen leaving the town's railway station.

Formal identification of the body has yet to take place but police believe the remains are of the missing teenager.

In a statement, Thames Valley Police said: "We can confirm that we have found a body in a recently disturbed grave in the cemetery of All Saints Church, Didcot.

"The body is believed to be that of missing teenager Jayden Parkinson. A formal identification has yet to take place.

Police made the discovery in All Saints Church in Didcot

"Officers and forensic scientists will continue to work at the cemetery throughout the night and into the next day.

"Jayden's family has been informed and is being supported by specially trained officers.

"Our thoughts are with them at this extremely difficult and distressing time."

More than 100 uniformed officers and detectives have been working on the case, backed up by specialists from the National Crime Agency, since she disappeared.

Ben Blakely leaves court charged with Jayden's murder

On Wednesday, the man leading the investigation, Detective Chief Superintendent Andy Murray, said police had received "significant and highly relevant information" which led their search efforts to a specific grave in the churchyard.

Throughout Thursday there has been a large police presence at the church, with forensic teams unloading equipment from vehicles and carrying it into the cemetery where a meticulous and careful search has been carried out.

Jayden's former boyfriend, 22-year-old Ben Blakeley, of Reading, has appeared at Oxford Crown Court charged with her murder and perverting the course of justice.

A 17-year-old youth, who cannot be named for legal reasons, has also been charged with perverting the course of justice between December 3 and December 10 by assisting in the disposal of Jayden's body and other evidence.

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Syria: Family Of Dead UK Doctor Want Answers

By Joe Tidy, Sky News Reporter

The family of a British doctor who died while in custody in Syria are meeting Foreign Office representatives to demand answers on how he died.

Dr Abbas Khan, 32, had been imprisoned for more than a year after travelling to Aleppo to treat injured civilians.

He was about to be released when the Syrian regime announced he was dead. It claims he killed himself.

He leaves behind a wife and two children who were preparing to have him home for Christmas.

Speaking to Sky News, Dr Shahnawaz Khan insisted his brother was not suicidal because he knew he was coming home.

Dr Khan's brother says the family now wants his body back home

He says the family is desperately trying to get  Dr Khan's body repatriated so that a post-mortem examination can be carried out.

Dr Khan explained why his family was critical of the Foreign Office for what he saw as its failure to take action.

He said: "We as a family, having found a situation where he was in detention, managed to lobby high-up members in the Syrian government ... we then managed to come home and lobby members of our own Government - without any support whatsoever from the Foreign Office - to give us assistance in travelling to Damascus, meet with President Assad and bring my brother home.

"The Foreign Office put up a 'closed shop' placard, placated us throughout and, to an extent, their lack of action - or inaction - over the past 13 months has contributed to the outcome that we're unfortunately faced with.

Dr Khan went to Syria to help the injured

"The least the Foreign Office can do now is help us get his body back to England as quickly as possible, with as little pain as possible."

Foreign Office minister Hugh Robertson said: "There is no excuse whatsoever for the treatment that he has suffered by the Syrian authorities who have in effect murdered a British national who was in their country to help people injured during their civil war."

A spokesman for David Cameron said: "Of course the Prime Minister sends his sincerest condolences to Dr Khan's family at what is a very difficult time for them.

"We have raised this case with the Syrian regime.

"The central point in this is that the responsibility for the death lies with the Syrian regime.

"This is further evidence of the brutality of the Syrian regime." 

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Plastic Notes Issued In UK From 2016

Plastic banknotes are to be issued for the first time when the new £5 featuring Sir Winston Churchill appears in 2016.

A £10 note featuring Jane Austen to follow around a year later will also be made from polymer rather than the cotton paper currently used, the Bank of England said.

It follows a three-year research programme that concluded plastic notes stay cleaner for longer, are more difficult to counterfeit and are at least 2.5 times longer-lasting.

A public consultation, giving people the chance to handle the notes, found 87% of 13,000 individuals who responded were in favour of polymer.

Bank governor Mark Carney said: "Ensuring trust and confidence in money is at the heart of what central banks do. Polymer notes are the next step in the evolution of bank note design to meet that objective.

"The quality of polymer notes is higher, they are more secure from counterfeiting, and they can be produced at a lower cost to the taxpayer and the environment."

The new notes will stay cleaner and last longer than cotton paper

The new notes will retain their familiar look, the Bank said, including the portrait of the Queen and a historical character.

A contract is expected to be signed with Innovia Security to supply polymer material, which would see Innovia establish a polymer production plant in Wigton, Cumbria.

The Bank acknowledged when it launched its consultation in September that plastic banknotes were more expensive to produce.

But it argued that because they are longer-lasting they should prove cheaper in the long run.

It also says that, being thin and flexible, they can fit into wallets as easily as paper banknotes.

The Bank said the new notes would be slightly smaller than existing paper notes, but the practice of note size increasing with denomination will be maintained.

More than 25 countries issue polymer banknotes, including Australia - which began printing them in 1988 - as well as New Zealand, Mexico, Singapore, Canada, and most recently Fiji and Mauritius.

:: Watch Sky News live on television, on Sky channel 501, Virgin Media channel 602, Freeview channel 82 and Freesat channel 202.

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Jayden Parkinson: Police Searching Graveyard

Police looking for missing teenager Jayden Parkinson are focusing their investigation on a churchyard grave.

Thames Valley Police said the search for Jayden had led officers to the grounds of All Saints' Church in Didcot, Oxfordshire.

The 17-year-old girl disappeared on December 3 after she was last seen leaving the town's railway station at about 4.30pm.

Officers are acting on a tip-off and have been in contact with the family of the person buried in the grave.

Detective Chief Superintendent Andy Murray said: "[On Tuesday afternoon] we received some significant and highly relevant information which leads us to concentrate our search efforts in the Great Western Cemetery.

"We're in the process of securing this grave and would like to emphasise that the family connected with this grave have been informed.

Jayden disappeared on December 3

"We will be here throughout the night and for a number of days. A tent has been erected which covers more than the specific grave we are focusing on.

"The families of those in the graves nearby will be contacted by us and reassured that there will be no disturbance to these graves."

Jayden's former boyfriend, 22-year-old Ben Blakeley, of Reading, has appeared at Oxford Crown Court charged with her murder and perverting the course of justice.

A 17-year-old, who cannot be named for legal reasons, also appeared before Oxford magistrates charged with perverting the course of justice between December 3 and December 10 by allegedly assisting in the disposal of Jayden's body and other evidence.

More than 100 uniformed officers and detectives have been working on the case, backed up by specialists from the National Crime Agency.

Mr Murray said there was "no indication" that Jayden was alive, and appealed to the public to get in touch if they remembered seeing the teenager "on her own, or in the company of anybody".

Police have searched farmland, woodland and derelict buildings

He also repeated an appeal for any information about a man seen struggling with a suitcase just outside the village of Upton, near Didcot, in south Oxfordshire, at about 2am, on December 9.

The same man was later then seen with the same suitcase in the Lydalls Road area of Didcot - where All Saints' is located - at about 3.30am.

Detectives have since recovered several suitcases, one of which "may well be significant", Mr Murray said.

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Grandmother Murder: Man Jailed For Life

A drug addict who murdered his grandmother by stabbing her 50 times in her bed has been sentenced to life in prison.

Police said Louisa Denby was subjected to a "brutal and frenzied attack" at the hands of grandson Nathaniel Flynn who has never explained why he killed her.

The most likely explanation for why he stabbed the 84-year-old retired teacher to death was that "she got on his nerves", a court heard.

Flynn, who then tried to kill a nine-year-old boy, was told by Mr Justice Keith that he must serve a minimum of 24 years in prison.

Louisa Denby was found murdered at her home in Shipley

The 27-year-old admitted killing the Mrs Denby at their home in Shipley, West Yorkshire, in July, and stabbing Jason D'Arcy in a nearby skate park later the same day.

Bradford Crown Court heard that Jason suffered a shallow wound to his chest and a much more serious injury to his arm as he tried to defend himself.

Detectives said it was "only through sheer luck that he wasn't murdered".

Flynn then tried to entice an eight-year-old girl from her garden where she was playing and later assaulted a 59-year-old man outside his home.

Three psychiatrists found that Flynn had no diagnosable mental illness, but said he had been influenced by his heavy, "entrenched" use of cannabis and other drugs.

He was due to go on trial earlier this month but pleaded guilty to charges of murder and attempted murder.

More follows...

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Ian Watkins: 'I Am Not A Paedophile'

The singer only pleaded guilty to child abuse to avoid a trial and has been 'vilified' in the press, his lawyer tells a court.

Watkins is appearing at Cardiff Crown Court where he is due to be sentenced for 13 child sex offences, including the attempted rape of a baby.

The former Lostprophets frontman's lawyer told the court her client was a "kind and gentle man" and said there was no evidence of him "grooming" fans.

She said that coverage of his trial had been "sensationalist" because of who he is.

Watkins was described by a prosecutor as a "determined and committed paedophile" when he pleaded guilty last month.

His lawyer said the 36-year-old was "ashamed and appalled" by what had happened and that the realisation of his acts made him "feel sick".

The court heard Watkins spoke with a female fan from prison the day after admitting two counts of attempted baby rape and said he was going to issue a statement when he was sentenced saying it had all been "mega lolz".

Christopher Clee QC, prosecuting, told the judge that Watkins had a conversation from Park Prison with a woman on November 27.

Watkins with his former bandmates

Watkins denied being a paedophile and expressed exasperation at the way people had reacted to his guilty pleas.

Using text-speak, he said: "I'm going to put out a statement on the 18th just to say it was mega lolz.

"I do not know what everybody is getting so freaked out about."

Two female co-defendants, aged 21 and 25, have also pleaded guilty and are due to be sentenced. They cannot be named for legal reasons.

The abuse is thought to be so widespread that investigating officers have since launched a nationwide appeal for other potential victims to come forward - and are pursuing new leads after receiving a flurry of calls.

Detective Chief Inspector Peter Doyle, from South Wales Police, told Sky News the force is working with Homeland Security in the US, Interpol and police in Germany to identify if any other children have been abused by Watkins.

The Independent Police Complaints Commission, which is investigating whether the force failed to act quickly enough after tip-offs about Watkins, has said it will now also look into South Yorkshire and Bedfordshire forces.

The IPCC said it is investigating the effectiveness of the three forces' responses to reports of abuse made to them between 2008 and 2012.

It said it was aware of a number of reports made to the South Wales Police from members of the public, Crimestoppers or other police forces before the paedophile's arrest in late 2012.

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Top 10 Most Complained About Shows Of 2013

Broadcasting watchdog Ofcom has revealed the year's most complained about shows, with Big Brother topping the list.

The Channel 5 reality show received 965 complaints, over 200 more than any other show, to win the dubious honour for a second year running.

A majority of the complaints centred on comments by housemate Jemima Slade and her preferences on men.

On the show she revealed her inclination towards "dark-skinned Mediterranean" men, but "not black men". The comments received 305 complaints, according to Ofcom.

Viewers also complained about housemates bullying Hazel O'Sullivan as well as arguments between Ms O'Sullivan and Daley Ojuederie, another contestant on the show.

The X Factor was the second most complained about show, generating 734 complaints.

Around 317 viewers were concerned about an episode in which US pop star Lady Gaga performed in a skimpy outfit made of shells and flesh-coloured underwear.

Despite the number of complaints, Ofcom said there were no grounds to investigate against the Broadcasting Code.

ITV News came in third, with 574 complaints, many relating to coverage of the killing of Fusilier Lee Rigby on May 22.

Ofcom said an investigation into the news item would be published following the conclusion of criminal proceedings.

The single most complained about TV incident in 2013 related to the BBC's Comic Relief: Funny For Money, broadcast on March 15, in which Rowan Atkinson played the Archbishop of Canterbury.

A total of 487 people complained about the programme, with many citing the actor's portrayal as offensive.

Ofcom ruled that both the use of language and the offence caused by the subject matter explored during the comedy sketch were justified by the context.

The BBC News, Emmerdale, Downton Abbey and Coronation Street were also among the top 10 most complained about shows.

:: The most complained about TV shows of 2013, to December 12

1. Big Brother: 965 complaints

2. The X Factor: 734

3. ITV News: 574

4. Comic Relief: Funny for Money: 492

5. Celebrity Big Brother: 438

6. Britain's Got Talent: 422

7. Emmerdale: 376

8. BBC News: 354

9. Downton Abbey: 252

10. Coronation Street: 225

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Woolwich: Adebolajo Evidence 'Is No Defence'

The claim by Woolwich murder trial defendant Michael Adebolajo that he is "a soldier of Allah" is no defence to the charge of murder, a jury has been told.

Mr Adebolajo and Michael Adebowale are accused of running down off-duty soldier Lee Rigby with a car and then hacking him to death with a meat cleaver and knives in a street in southeast London. 

Mr Justice Sweeney told the jury at the Old Bailey that nothing said by Mr Adebolajo in his evidence amounts in law to a defence to the charge of murder.

He said: "I have ruled that nothing said by the first defendant and... his evidence - in short he was a soldier of Allah and was justified in doing what he did - amounts in law to a defence to this count.

"So nothing that he has said amounts in law to a defence to count one."

In his closing speech, prosecutor Richard Whittam QC said Islam was not on trial and told the jury: "The action of these two men acting together as they did, crashing their car into and breaking the back of Lee Rigby and then killing him is indefensible in the law of this country.

"Killing to make a political point, to frighten the public or to put pressure on the government or as an expression of anger is murder."

He added: "It remains murder whether the govt in question is a good one, bad one or a dreadful one.

The jury was again shown images of knives found at the scene of the killing

"We submit to you, it is clearly murder."

Fusilier Rigby's family were in court as Mr Whittam showed the jury once again images of bloodied knives, and also replayed video clips of the May 22 killing.

Replaying a video clip showing Fusilier Rigby being dragged into the road, Mr Whittam said: "Is this a humane killing?

"Is this a killing with an attempt to decapitate and then deposit the body in the middle of the road causing traffic to stop and turn around?"

Mr Whittam recalled witness accounts previously read to the jury as well as extracts from a note handed to Amanda Donnelly-Martin at the scene.

"What was the purpose of what they have done, killing Lee Rigby in the way the had done, in putting the body there and staying at the scene?

"To borrow a phrase from the first defendant - carnage."

The alleged killers no longer face a charge of conspiracy to murder a police officer after the judge discharged the jury from any further consideration of that count.

Mr Adebolajo, 29 and Mr Adebowale, 22, still face counts of murder and attempted murder of a police officer, which they both deny.

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Canoe Conman John Darwin Facing Return To Jail

Canoe fraudster John Darwin will be behind bars this Christmas after he was arrested on his return from an unauthorised trip abroad to find a new wife.

The 63-year-old had travelled to the Ukraine and was photographed in November by The Sun newspaper on a date with a local woman.

The 1,500 mile journey from his home in Hartlepool to the town of Sumy was undertaken without the permission of the Probation Service.

He needed its authority to travel because he was still on licence after being sentenced to six years and three months for fraud.

He was released from jail in January 2011, but was required to stick to certain conditions, including not leaving the UK.

Darwin was arrested on Monday at Newcastle Airport as he flew back to Britain, without a new wife.

Darwin's ex-wife Anne was jailed for her part in the couple's deception

A source close to the case indicated that Darwin would be required to complete the rest of his sentence behind bars when the authorities caught up with him.

It is thought he will not be free again until October.

According to reports last month, Darwin and his date, a Ukrainian woman named Anna, enjoyed a two-hour meal assisted by a translator, but the evening was ruined when he was confronted by a reporter.

It was believed Darwin first made contact with the woman over the internet.

Darwin faked his own death in a canoeing accident in 2002 so his then-wife Anne could claim hundreds of thousands of pounds from insurance policies and pension schemes.

The Darwins' scam was uncovered after this snap of them in Panama emerged

The couple, from Seaton Carew, were jailed at Teesside Crown Court in 2008 for the swindle, which deceived the police, a coroner, financial institutions and even their sons, Mark and Anthony.

After faking his own death, Darwin continued to live in secret with his wife before they escaped to Panama to start a new life.

But in December 2007 Darwin walked into a London police station, claiming he had amnesia, and was reunited with his stunned sons.

His wife, then still in Panama, initially also claimed to be surprised - until a photograph emerged of them posing together.

Darwin admitted fraud so received a slightly shorter sentence than Anne, who denied the offences.

They have now divorced.

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Belfast: Bomber Catches Fire In Failed Attack

A suspected fire-bomber suffered burns to his face, neck and hands while trying to detonate a device in a Belfast city centre store, according to police.

The man's clothes caught fire and he fled from the store through crowds of shoppers and tried to beat out the flames.

It is believed the incendiary bomb went off prematurely underneath his anorak-style jacket, at around 6:40pm on Monday.

More than a dozen people were inside the pop-up golf store, Golf Madness, in the Cornmarket area when the incident happened.

Only the man, believed to be in his 40s, was injured.

"We believe this man may require treatment for burn injuries, to neck, face and hands," said Chief Superintendent Alan McCrum.

It is the latest in a series of attacks in Belfast in the run-up to Christmas and security has been increased due to the heightened threat.

"Police are doing everything to protect Belfast and other places to enable people to go about their business peacefully," said Mr McCrum.

Dissident republicans are believed to be responsible for the recent attacks.

Last Friday, a bomb was placed in a holdall in the Cathedral Quarter, forcing the evacuation of more than 1000 people in the area.

However, only the detonators went off and no one was injured.

In November, a bomb partially exploded in an underground car park at the Victoria Centre, Belfast's largest shopping centre.

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Nicola Payne: Two Held Over 1991 Disappearance

Two men have been arrested in connection with the disappearance of a young mother as she walked home 22 years ago.

The men, both aged 49, are being held on suspicion of the abduction and murder of Nicola Payne, said West Midlands Police.

The men were arrested at 8am at their home addresses in the Bell Green and Stoke areas of Coventry.

A 51-year-old woman at the same address was also arrested on suspicion of perverting the course of justice.

All three were taken to police stations in the West Midlands for questioning.

Ms Payne went missing after setting out on foot from the family home in Coventry on December 14, 1991.

Despite a huge search, 18-year-old Ms Payne - who had a seven-month-old baby son - has never been seen again.

The arrests come just days after a fresh appeal for information was launched, following new forensic results which detectives described as "a breakthrough".

Ms Payne's family are aware of the latest development.

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Child Abuse: 42% Rise In Investigations

By Jason Farrell, Sky News Correspondent

A Sky News investigation has revealed up to one in 20 children in some parts of the country have been the subject of investigations into whether they are victims of abuse or neglect.

In 2012/13 English councils launched 127,060 high-level investigations - known as section 47s - into children thought to be at risk, analysis of official figures shows.

That is the equivalent of one in 100 of the country's entire population of under-18s and represents a 42.3% increase in cases since 2009/10.

In some areas the figure is much higher with the equivalent of 4.5% of children in Blackpool, 2.6% in Doncaster and 2.1% in Peterborough being investigated.

Experts said the significant increase in suspected abuse cases could be explained by the heightened awareness of the issue following the tragic case of Baby Peter Connelly in 2008.

However, they also said the impact of the recession on households had led to a marked rise in ill treatment of children.

The figures follow a series of high-profile cases of child abuse including that of four-year-old Daniel Pelka who was starved, tortured and brutally beaten to death by his mother and stepfather.

Daniel Pelka, four, was a victim of horrific abuse

Ray Jones, professor of social work at Kingston University, told Sky News that economic pressures were linked to abuse and neglect.

He said: "I think we're aware of the dangers more than we were before and I think we're more determined to act on them, but I do think that there are some families who are getting into difficulty now who wouldn't have got into difficulty before because of increasing deprivation and indeed destitution."

Professor Jones warned that social services were increasingly struggling to cope.

"We have a child protection system and a care system where the work has been increasing year on year on year for the last five years and I really am worried about it.

"I'm worried about it because it's at the point of breakdown now, because that's at the time of public sector cuts."

In Blackpool the number of cases being investigated is more four times the national average.

Charlene Downes who went missing in 2003 is presumed dead

In 2011 it emerged that police investigating the disappearance of 14-year-old Charlene Downes in the town had uncovered a gang of men which had groomed 60 underage girls from the area for sex.

Her mother Karen Downes told Sky News: "I was shocked when I first heard about it. I was absolutely disgusted. I didn't have any knowledge at all of any girls being abused.

"We didn't even know about the darker side of Blackpool until all this with Charlene came about."

Richard Scorer, a solicitor who specialises in child abuse cases at the Pannone law firm in Manchester, warned that many cases end up being ignored by social services.

"Cases involving chronic neglect and physical and emotional abuse tend to fall by the wayside or tend to be ignored," he said.

"And I think the other thing that comes out is the difficulties that social services have in monitoring and keeping track of children who are part of a shifting population that moves in and out of the town."

He also warned that cuts could make the situation worse.

'Julie' has an alcoholic mother and has left home several times as a result

"I think this is one of these examples of a situation where we have to decide as a society if we want to take child abuse seriously and we want to deal with it properly then we have to make sure social workers and others have the resources to deal with it properly," he said.

Sky News met several teenage girls in Blackpool who are sleeping rough and refusing to return home.

"Emma", 17, said she had been on the streets since she was 15 and "has her reasons" why she can't go home.

She sleeps in what are known as 20p hotels - toilet cubicles you pay to use.

"It's cold, it's cold as hell. You can like put your bags against the door to stop the draught coming in, but the floor gets so cold," she said.

"And it's scary as well, like every time you hear people go past shouting and that in case they come in or whatever."

"Julie", 18 said she started sleeping rough after an argument with her alcoholic mother when she was 17.

She claimed she was smoking aged seven, drinking by 11 and smoking crack by the time she was 13. 

She also alleged that she was raped by a man who pretended to be her friend and took her in for the night.

"I used to turn up to my lessons under the influence. I used to snort cocaine off my religious studies book right in front of the teacher. I just didn't care," she said.

"(Teachers) always had meetings with my social workers. They just tried to take me away, and then every time they took me away, my mum went to rehab, and then she got clean for a few weeks.

"Then I went back to her, then it all went back downhill again and it just kept repeating itself."

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Appeal After Girls Vanished On Way To Library

Police are appealing for information to trace a missing six-year-old girl and her teenage aunt.

Zeenat Abdala, 16, and her niece Lutfiya Salum were last seen at around noon on Saturday as they left their home in South Norwood, in Croydon, south London, to go to the library.

Police were alerted when the pair did not return home. It is understood they did not arrive at the library in Lawrence Road.

The youngsters came to the UK from Somalia earlier this year as unaccompanied minors and live in foster care, Scotland Yard said.

It is believed the girls may be travelling to meet family who recently arrived in the UK.

Officers are concerned for their safety and welfare and have urged the girls to contact police or their foster carers as soon as possible.

Zeenat is described as a light skinned black girl with a slim face and slim build, 5ft 1in tall with black hair always in a headscarf. She is also described as looking younger than her age.

She was last seen wearing a plain brown silk headscarf, a three-quarter-length chocolate brown coat with brown fur on the hood, underneath a brown cardigan with a fruit pattern and a long red/black and yellow dress with black leggings.

She was wearing pink sandals and carrying a brown shoulder bag with a flower pattern.

Lutfiya is also described as a light skinned black girl with round face and black hair in a bun.

She was last seen wearing a pink blouse, pink leggings, pink socks with a blue pattern and black shoes, a grey cardigan and a three-quarter-length brown hooded coat with a black pattern. The coat was hooded with brown fur.

It is believed Zeenat has access to money, a mobile phone and regularly uses the transport network.

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