Surgeon Faces Inquiry Over Breast Cancer Ops

A surgeon is to face a criminal inquiry over allegations about his treatment of more than 1,000 breast cancer patients.

West Midlands Police said they were liaising with the Crown Prosecution Service to determine the course of the investigation into the conduct of Ian Paterson.

Mr Paterson is alleged by a law firm representing some of his former patients to have performed up to 1,150 "unnecessary, inappropriate or unregulated" operations.

Thompsons Solicitors, which is pursuing negligence claims for several women, said Mr Paterson worked at a number of NHS and private hospitals from 1994, including those run by Heart of England NHS Foundation Trust, which covers hospitals in Sutton Coldfield, Solihull and Birmingham.

An investigation into Mr Paterson by the General Medical Council potentially spans up to 700 cases of an unregulated procedure that involved leaving some breast tissue behind after a mastectomy, Thompsons said.

It is further alleged that up to 450 women could have had invasive breast surgery when a biopsy might have been sufficient.

Mr Paterson is alleged to have performed "unnecessary" operations

The Medical Defence Union said in a statement: "Mr Paterson is co-operating fully with the GMC investigation. He cannot comment further due to his duty of patient confidentiality and the ongoing investigation."

Sky News' Health and Science correspondent Thomas Moore said the GMC has been looking into Mr Paterson for some time, adding that conditions were imposed on his practice in July 2011.

Mr Paterson's GMC record shows that the Interim Orders Panel ruled that he "must not carry out breast surgery" and that he should "confine his medical practice ... to general surgical work and out-patient consultations with patients with breast disease".

Kashmir Uppal, a senior medical negligence solicitor at Thompsons, said she believed patients had been subjected to needless worry and risk.

She said the law firm was also liaising with the GMC to assist its investigations.

"The women who have come forward so far have been very brave," Ms Uppal said.

"Hopefully all who have had unnecessary or inappropriate treatment will seek reassurance or justice."

In a statement confirming the police inquiry into Mr Paterson, who has not been arrested, Detective Chief Inspector Matt Markham said: "West Midlands Police can confirm it has received a referral from the General Medical Council in relation to allegations about the medical practices of a surgeon who previously worked in Solihull.

"A criminal inquiry has been launched and the force is working closely with the Crown Prosecution Service to determine the course of the investigation."

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Payday Loans: Most Borrowers 'Miss Payments'

A consumer group has demanded regulators crack down hard on payday loan firms amid research suggesting 57% of customers have incurred stiff penalty charges for missing payments.

Which? claims 29% of people who go to payday loan firms - which can apply annual interest rates of more than 4,000% - do so in the knowledge they have no chance of paying back what they owe within the timescale of the loan deal.

The industry is designed to offer short-term loans to people to cover bills until pay day - with the interest rate climbing steeply if the terms are breached.

It has led to revelations that some borrowers have ended up owing thousands of pounds after taking out loans for just a few hundred.

According to Which?, 20% of people who took part in its survey complained of being hit by unexpected charges.

An increasing number were using payday loans to cover essentials such as food as the squeeze on household budgets continued to be felt, the group said.

Its Executive Director Richard Lloyd said: "It's shocking that half of all people taking out payday loans have been unable to pay the money back and it's a depressing sign of the times that almost a third were hassled by debt collectors in the past year.

"Payday loans are leaving many people caught in a spiral of debt and taking out more loans just to get by.

"That's when they're hit by excessive penalty charges and rollover fees," Mr Lloyd added.

"The Office of Fair Trading must do more to clamp down on irresponsible lending by introducing tighter rules for payday lenders.

"Better affordability assessments and clearer charges would be the first steps to clean up the industry and better protect consumers."

The industry has defended itself by insisting customer satisfaction levels are high and they are offering a financial lifeline to people at a time when mainstream banks are largely ignoring the needs of their customers.

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Collapsed Comet Launches 'Massive' Sale

Customers who rushed to a sale at Comet have expressed disappointment over the level of discount.

The electronics retailer had announced a "massive stock liquidation" ahead of store closures as early as next week, but angry shoppers took to Twitter to complain about the price reductions.

Scott Houston said: "Comet 'Firesale' is no more than 10-15% off. Prices aren't even competitive with online prices. Time wasted."

And Matt Arthur tweeted: "Anyone thinking of going to the Comet "liquidation sale", don't bother. 10% off audiovisual, 20% off kitchen appliances, still cheaper online."

Ajay Deshpande added: "If you are looking for cheap electrical goods then don't go to the Comet 'sale'!"

In response, a Deloitte spokesman said: "The discounts are gentle. It's not a hard sale."

The sell-off, which began at 9am on Thursday, is only available in its 236 stores, with customers unable to buy products online. 

But some customers did manage to bag a bargain, with Alex Pegg tweeting: "In-pulse buy of the day, an Apple ProBook (£100 off from Comet)".

The electrical chain said gift vouchers would be accepted on sale items, following the temporary suspension of the tokens over the weekend. 

But it warned customers it will not offer refunds, and any items ordered before the company went into administration that have not been paid for will not be delivered. 

Comet's administrators Deloitte are in the process of winding down the business following its collapse on Friday, which leaves 6,600 jobs hanging in the balance.

But rival Dixons, which owns Currys and PC World, postponed hiring 3,000 Christmas staff by a week to allow Comet staff to apply.

It said it was "amazed" by the number of Comet employees that had enquired about positions so far.

Deloitte is attempting to find a buyer for the business and would not comment on speculation over store closures - although reports suggest stores could start to be closed next week.

If the chain does collapse, it will become one of the biggest high street casualties since Woolworths in 2008.

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Prison Officers Injured In Attack At G4S Jail

Four prison officers have been injured in an attack by an inmate of Birmingham prison - run by security firm G4S.

Sky News sources said the staff members were attacked and slashed with a piece of broken glass. Two officers suffered serious injuries while the other two were left with minor cuts.

The attack took place in the jail's hospital wing where the officers worked.

A spokesman for G4S said: "The staff, all members of the prison's healthcare unit, were wounded in an altercation with a prisoner on remand, with two staff receiving serious lacerations.

"All staff were transferred to local hospitals for treatment. The prisoner has been contained."

News of the attack emerged as the firm was told it will lose its contract to run the Wolds prison in East Yorkshire from next year and was unsuccessful in its bid to run other jails.

The security firms spokesman added: "The safety and welfare of our staff and those in our care is our utmost priority, and we have launched an immediate investigation into the circumstances surrounding this attack. Our thoughts are with our staff at this time."

More follows...

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Derby Fire Deaths: Parents Deny Murder

The parents of six children who died during a house fire in Derby have pleaded not guilty to six counts of murder.

Mick Philpott, 55, and his wife Mairead, 31, made the plea at Nottingham Crown Court.

Jade, 10, and brothers John, nine, Jack, eight, Jessie, six and Jayden, five, all died in the blaze on Victory Road, Allenton on May 11.

Their brother Duwayne, 13, died three days later in hospital.

Mick, wearing a St Christopher, broke down in tears and held his head in his hands as he entered his plea while Mairead, wearing a cross on a long chain around her neck, was more composed. She became tearful during the hour-long hearing.

A second man, who was charged with the six murders on Monday by Derbyshire Police, also appeared in the dock.

Grey-haired Paul Mosley, 45, of Cecil Street, Derby, did not speak during the hearing and stared straight ahead.

The three were flanked by 11 prison officers in the dock, with a line of five sat behind the couple, separating them from Mosley.

The Honourable Mrs Justice Kate Thirwall remanded the three into custody.

They will next appear at Birmingham Crown Court at 2pm on November 29.

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Man Arrested Over David Black Murder

Police investigating the murder of prison officer David Black have arrested a 46-year-old man.

The married father-of-two was gunned down in a high-speed motorway ambush as he drove to work at Maghaberry prison in Co Antrim.

A Police Service of Northern Ireland spokesman said: "Detectives investigating the murder of David Black on the M1 motorway on Thursday November 1 have arrested a 46-year-old man in the Lurgan area."

He was taken to Antrim police station for questioning.

Three men, two in Northern Ireland and one in the Republic of Ireland, have previously been questioned and released by police.

The scene of the motorway ambush that killed David Black

Police believe Mr Black, 52, was killed by dissident republicans.

He is the first prison officer to be murdered by paramilitaries in Northern Ireland in 20 years.

Gunmen travelling in a stolen car fired on the victim's Audi near a junction leading to Portadown, Co Armagh, as he was on his way to Maghaberry.

The vehicle careered off the road and into a ditch.

At Mr Black's funeral at Molesworth Presbyterian Church in Cookstown his daughter Kyra, 17, paid tribute to her "special hero".

Thousands of people paid their respects at Mr Black's funeral

The funeral attracted thousands of people and uniformed prison officers carried the coffin to the church behind a Scottish bagpiper who played a lament.

A prison service hat, gloves and a single cream flower were carried on the Union flag-draped coffin as officers formed a guard of honour.

Stormont First Minister Peter Robinson, Police Service of Northern Ireland chief constable Matt Baggott and justice ministers north and south of the Irish border attended.

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White Cliffs Of Dover Safe For The Nation

An appeal to safeguard one of England's most treasured natural landmarks has reached its target almost two months earlier than expected.

The purchase of the 0.8 miles of land between Dover and South Foreland Lighthouse will fill in the missing link in a stretch of coastline almost five miles long owned by The National Trust on behalf of the nation.

The trust launched its £1.2m appeal in June. A host of celebrities, including Dame Judi Dench, singer Joss Stone and chef Rick Stein, offered their support to the campaign, which reached its target in just 133 days, with the average donation being around £40.

"This appeal has tapped into something unique, the emotional connection that people have with special places such as the White Cliffs of Dover," said the National Trust's outgoing director general, Fiona Reynolds.

"The trust will now look to enhance the quality of access to this new land and build on some of the fantastic nature conservation work that has been carried out by the team on the ground."

The chalk cliffs stretching east from Dover have stood over dramatic moments in English history, including the first arrival of the Romans and the return of British forces rescued from Dunkirk in the Second World War.

National Trust workers hold up placards of thanks to fund raisers

And they have featured in songs and poetry, most famously the wartime classic (There'll Be Bluebirds Over) The White Cliffs of Dover - sung by Dame Vera Lynn - and Matthew Arnold's poem Dover Beach.

Alison Burnett, a volunteer on the White Cliffs of Dover team, said: "This chalky stretch of coastline symbolises so much for so many people and it's wonderful to think that we've managed to raise the money so that future generations can enjoy all that this unique place has to offer."

The trust manages the cliffs as chalk grassland, parts of which are grazed by Exmoor ponies to preserve the natural flora and support wildlife such as butterflies.

Although people are already able to walk the cliffs from the visitor centre to the lighthouse, part of the stretch is privately owned and in places arable fields come to the edge of cliffs, leaving just a sliver of land for the coastal path.

By buying the 0.8-mile piece of the coastal jigsaw, the trust will be able to restore the natural habitat, providing more space for species to retreat as the cliffs naturally erode, and connect the trust's existing areas of land.

The trust, which acquired its first stretch of the White Cliffs in 1968, looks after more than 720 miles of coastline around England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

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Sellafield Nuclear Waste Storage Warning

Hazardous waste being stored in run-down buildings at Sellafield nuclear plant is posing "intolerable risks to people and the environment", a watchdog has warned.

For more than 50 years, the owners of the Cumbrian nuclear power station have failed to plan how to dispose of radioactive waste, according to a report by the National Audit Office (NAO).

The public spending watchdog said some of the older facilities have "deteriorated so much that their contents pose significant risks to people and the environment".

Operators of the nuclear power station do not know how long it will take to build storage and treatment centres for the hazardous material or how much the final bill is likely to be, the report says.

Sellafield, the UK's largest and most hazardous nuclear site, stores enough high and intermediate level radioactive waste to fill 27 Olympic-sized swimming pools.

Sellafield's radioactive waste could fill 27 Olympic swiimming pools

The highest risks are posed by the ponds and silos built during the 1950s and 1960s to store fuel for early reprocessing operations and radioactive waste, according to the report.

A long-term plan to clean up the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority-owned site, which is managed by Sellafield Limited, was agreed last year after an earlier one stalled because it was "unrealistic".

Progress in 12 of the 14 major buildings and equipment projects considered "critical" for reducing risk, which range in cost from £21m to £1.3bn, failed to achieve what they were supposed to and had not provided good value for money, the NAO said.

The report found there "is still considerable uncertainty in the schedules and costs" of the projects.

Margaret Hodge, who chairs the Commons Public Accounts Committee, said: "Projects of this length and ambition are ripe for dithering and delay.

"I am dismayed to discover the clean-up of Sellafield is no different. The authority's revised plan sees critical milestones shunted back by up to seven years.

"After only 10 months of operating under the new plan, performance in 12 out of 14 major projects has been dire.

"Between May 2011 and March 2012, the seven major projects in construction accumulated delays of between two and 19 months.

"My concern is that unless the authority holds Sellafield Limited to a clear and rigorously benchmarked plan, timetables will continue to slip and costs spiral.

"It is totally unacceptable to allow today's poor management to shift the burden and expense of Sellafield to future generations of taxpayers and their families."

Around 240 of Sellafield's 1,400 buildings are nuclear facilities and so far 55 buildings on the site have been decommissioned.

Amyas Morse, head of the National Audit Office, said: "Owing to historic neglect, the authority faces a considerable challenge in taking forward decommissioning at Sellafield.

"It is good that the authority now has a more robust lifetime plan in place but it cannot say with certainty how long it will take to deal with hazardous radioactive waste at Sellafield or how much it will cost.

"Securing future value for money will depend on the authority's ability to act as an intelligent client, to benchmark proposed levels of performance and to provide better contractual incentives for making faster progress towards risk and hazard reduction."

In a statement on its website, Sellafield Ltd welcomed the report and said it was making improvements and "progress"..

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Jimmy Savile 'Was Yorkshire Ripper Suspect'

Jimmy Savile was questioned by detectives investigating the Yorkshire Ripper murders, a senior officer who worked on the inquiry has claimed.

Former West Yorkshire Police detective John Stainthorpe said the disgraced presenter was a suspect in the notorious case more than 30 years ago.

Yorkshire Ripper Peter Sutcliffe has jumped to the defence of Savile, claiming the TV presenter was innocent of newly-emerged child abuse allegations.

Sutcliffe said Savile befriended him during visits to Broadmoor high security hospital.

Mr Stainthorpe, who spent 40 years in the force, told ITV's Calendar News: "When the Ripper was really active, one of the suspects put forward by the public was, in fact, Jimmy Savile.

"Obviously, it was not he, but he was interviewed along with many others."

Mr Stainthorpe said the person who gave police the anonymous tip-off was "aiming in the right direction".

"Child perverts soon become child killers," he added.

Peter Sutcliffe was convicted of murdering 13 women in 1981 and sentenced to life imprisonment. He is held at Broadmoor and has been told he will never be freed.

Sutcliffe has claimed Savile regularly visited him in custody and the pair became friends.

Dismissing claims the late DJ abused around 300 victims over six decades, he said those making allegations were "jumping on the bandwagon".

Sutcliffe, 66, told The Sun: "It's a load of rubbish. People are just getting carried away.

"He visited a lot. He'd always come and chat with me on visits and I would introduce him to my visitors. Several times he left £500 for charities I was supporting."

Savile, who died a year ago aged 84, is now believed by police to be one of the UK's most prolific child abusers.

Scotland Yard is leading a national investigation into the television and radio star's activities. Detectives are following 400 lines of inquiry while the BBC has launched an inquiry into the culture and practises at the corporation in the era of Savile's alleged sexual abuse.

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Bus And Tube Fares To Rise Above Inflation

Tube and bus fares are to rise above the rate of inflation in London in the new year, to the fury of union and passenger groups.

The capital's mayor, Boris Johnson, announced a 4.2% average increase from January 2 2013 - and said the figure would have been higher had he not managed to secure additional funding of £96m.

The rise is 1% above the rate of RPI inflation when it was measured in July and used as a benchmark for the planned increase and matches the average rises facing national mainline season ticketholders.

The mayor also confirmed that charges for his "Boris bike" Barclays Cycle Hire scheme would double.

Such a move would see daily hire going up from £1 to £2, weekly access rising from £5 to £10 and yearly membership going up from £45 to £90.

The bike project has suffered financially as the majority of trips are made within the free 30-minute usage charge period but it was confirmed there would be no additional penalties for late return, non-return and bicycle damage.

Mr Johnson said: "Before the end of the year I will spell out further investment on the transport network that will help us to provide faster, more frequent and reliable journeys for Londoners, which is crucial to the economic development and growth that is so vital to our great city.

"This fares package is hugely important to our millions of passengers and I am very pleased to have secured nearly £100m that will help to keep fares as low as possible, and protect the important concessions that we offer the most vulnerable Londoners."

But Bob Crow, general secretary of the RMT transport union, said the mayor should have announced a fare freeze.

He explained: "This increase shows that we are still paying off a heavy price for the expensive failure of the PPP (public-private partnership) privatisation disaster.

"It also means that the mayor has no excuse for cutting staff and closing ticket offices as he's lumping on above-inflation fare rises.

"We believe there should be a policy of freezing fares to recognise the tough times people are facing, to increase the use of public transport and to help boost the economy."

His words were backed by Richard Hebditch, campaigns director at Campaign for Better Transport.

He said: "Earlier this week, Boris Johnson rightly received plaudits for his support for a living wage in the capital. His position on public transport is in stark contrast.

"By putting fares up above inflation, he is hitting hard-pressed families in the pocket simply for travelling to work."

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