Paedophile Robert Hunter Jailed For Web Abuse

A paedophile who used the internet to blackmail young girls all over the world has been jailed for 12 years.

The "sadistic exploitation" conducted by Robert Hunter, from Middlesbrough, was so extensive that an international operation through Interpol was sparked.

Teesside Crown Court heard the 35-year-old had used sites such as Facebook, Skype and MSN to abuse girls as young as nine from across Europe, Asia, Canada and America.

He often posed as the singer Justin Bieber in an attempt to convince the girls to expose themselves and perform sex acts on webcam.

Hunter was arrested in December 2012 but continued to target children while on bail, which resulted in a girl from Tasmania contacting police who traced him to his home.

Some 800 pornographic videos and images were discovered on his computer.

Prosecutors said: "Over the course of 2010, 2011 and 2012, Hunter, using a number of online aliases, had pretended to a number of very young girls that he was a teenager.

"On each occasion he was able to disguise his true age and identity by the clever use of images of young boys or by pretending that his computer wasn't working properly.

"As a further demonstration of the naivete and innocence of his victims, he was also able to persuade some that he was the music artist Justin Bieber.

"He did this in order to dupe and encourage these young girls to strip on webcams and perform sex acts for him."

Hunter also blackmailed some of the victims into agreeing to his demands by threatening to make the videos he had already made of them public.

Defending Hunter, Tamara Pawson said he was remorseful for his actions and the distress he had caused.

Hunter pleaded guilty to 30 offences, which included 15 charges of causing or inciting a child to engage in sexual activity and 14 of making indecent photos of children.

Sergeant Paul Higgins, from Cleveland Police, said: "Robert Hunter was a calculating and malicious predator who set out to coerce and bully young girls into exposing themselves over the Internet.

"This investigation highlights the dangers that children face when conversing with people over the internet."

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Billy Connolly Diagnosed With Parkinson's

Comic and actor Billy Connolly has undergone surgery for prostate cancer, a spokeswoman for the star has confirmed.

He is also being treated for the "initial symptoms" of Parkinson's disease it has been revealed.

The 70-year-old star, who rose to fame on the Scottish folk music scene, will continue to work in TV and on stage.

His spokeswoman said: "Billy Connolly recently underwent minor surgery in America after being diagnosed with the very early stages of prostate cancer. The operation was a total success, and Billy is fully recovered.

"In addition, Billy has been assessed as having the initial symptoms of Parkinson's disease, for which he is receiving the appropriate treatment.

"Billy has been assured by experts that the findings will in no way inhibit or affect his ability to work, and he will start filming a TV series in the near future, as well as undertaking an extensive theatrical tour of New Zealand in the new year."

Connolly with his wife, Pamela

The Glasgow-born star, affectionately known as the Big Yin, began his working life in the Clyde shipyards but soon moved into entertainment with folk singing and comedy performances.

A string of appearances on Michael Parkinson's chatshow made him a household name and helped launch a career that saw him perform sell-out stand-up shows around the world, present a series of documentaries and become an in-demand character actor.

He is married to New Zealand-born actress and psychologist Pamela Stephenson, whose biography of her husband, simply called Billy, was a huge bestseller.

He is one of around 127,000 Britons with Parkinson's disease, which is caused by a loss of brain cells that produce a chemical messenger called dopamine.

Symptoms differ from case to case but often include a tremor or fine shake while the person is at rest, rigidity of muscles, slowness of movement and unsteady balance.

Other possible symptoms can include memory loss. Earlier this year, Connolly admitted he had started to forget his lines during performances.

He said at the time: "This is ******* terrifying. I feel like I'm going out of my mind."

Actor Bob Hoskins announced his retirement last year after being diagnosed with Parkinson's.

Michael J Fox was diagnosed with the disease more than 20 years ago and continues to act.

There is no cure for Parkinson's and scientists have been unable to work out why people get the condition.

Symptoms can be controlled using a combination of drugs, therapies and occasionally surgery, but often more care and support may be needed as they progress.

The disease was identified by - and named after - Dr James Parkinson who wrote An Essay On The Shaking Palsy in 1817 which established it as a recognised medical condition.

Connolly was made a CBE in the 2003 Queen's Birthday Honours and awarded the freedom his home city in 2010.

Steve Ford, chief executive at Parkinson's UK said: "Put simply Billy Connolly is a much loved comedy legend and we are sorry to hear that he is being treated for the early symptoms of Parkinson's.

"One person every hour will be diagnosed with Parkinson's in the UK, despite this it remains a little understood condition and we salute Billy's bravery in speaking out about his condition at this difficult time.

"There are 127,000 people in the UK, who like Billy, are living with Parkinson's. Many people, with the right medication, continue to live a full and active live with Parkinson's, but for some, it can be life changing and it is vital that Billy gets the support he needs to live with this complex condition.

"We wish Billy and his family all the best as they come to terms with this upsetting diagnosis."

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Paracetamol 'Could Cause Asthma' In Kids

Children who are given paracetamol could be at risk of developing asthma, according to a study.

Researchers from the University of Da Caruna in northern Spain asked parents of 10,371 children aged six and seven, and 10,372 children aged 13 and 14 if their children had asthma and how severe it was.

The parents were also asked how often they gave their children paracetamol in the last year and how often when they were infants.

Asthma can cause wheezing, coughing and shortness of breath

Those in the younger age group given the medicine at least once a month were reportedly more than five times more times likely to have asthma while those given it just once a year were 70% more at risk.

But although the research suggested an association between paracetamol use and asthma symptoms, parents were advised not to automatically assume the drug causes asthma.

One health expert said parents should not be overly concerned by the research as there is still no conclusive evidence the drug is to blame.

Paracetamol is the main ingredient of several brands of children's liquid medicine sold in the UK, including Calpol, Medised, Disprol and Junior Parapaed.

Parents are advised to give children paracetamol in liquid form until the age of 12 when they can begin taking tablets.

One doctor said children with asthma could simply become ill more frequently and are thus given paracetamol more often by their parents.

Speaking in the Daily Mail, Dr Martin Scurr said: "It could be that children with asthma are more likely to get coughs and colds and then are given Calpol by their mothers.

"At the moment Calpol is the best we have and it's all we have so there is no reason to stop using it."

A spokesperson from the Medicines and Healthcare Regulatory Agency (MHRA), the UK drugs watchdog, said it was carefully reviewing the data and would consider whether to take any action.

Johnson & Johnson, the manufacturers of Calpol, said they would release a statement this afternoon.

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Muslim Woman Must Remove Veil In Court

A Muslim woman will be allowed to stand trial wearing a full-face veil - but must remove it while giving evidence, a judge has ruled.

Lawyers for the woman, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, had argued it would breach her human rights and be counter to Britain's tolerance of Islamic dress to remove her niqab against her wishes.

But Judge Peter Murphy, sitting at London's Blackfriars Crown Court, said: "In general, the defendant is free to wear the niqab during trial.

Jeremy Browne said he was 'uneasy' about restricting religious freedom

"If the defendant gives evidence she must remove the niqab throughout her evidence.

"The court may use its inherent powers to do what it can to alleviate any discomfort, for example by allowing the use of screens or allowing her to give evidence by live link."

The issue of whether women should be forced to remove their veil in public has been subject to recent political discussion.

Home Office Minister Jeremy Browne has called for a national debate on whether the state should step in to prevent young women having the veil imposed upon them.

Mr Browne's intervention came after a row erupted over the decision by Birmingham Metropolitan College to drop a ban on the wearing of full-face veils amid public protests.

The minister said he was "instinctively uneasy" about restricting religious freedoms, but said there may be a case to act to protect girls who were too young to decide for themselves whether they wished to wear the veil or not.

Party leader Nick Clegg had earlier told Sky News he did not think the full veil was appropriate for airport security or the classroom, but said he strongly felt people in Britain should not be told how to dress.

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Muslim Veil Row After MP Calls For 'Debate'

Downing Street has suggested it supports the possibility of bans on Muslim veils in public institutions after an MP called for a "national debate".

David Cameron's official spokesman said he believes "institutions such as schools" should be free to decide their own rules on uniform.

The spokesman ruled out the prospect of legislation on the controversial issue, but said this did not prevent organisations setting dress codes.

"The Prime Minister doesn't believe Parliament should legislate on what people do and don't wear on their local high street," he said.

"Nonetheless, that is not incompatible with institutions having dress codes. Schools are an example but it is for institutions to take those decisions. There are legal frameworks within which all institutions operate."

Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg also said he did not think the full veil was appropriate for airport security or the classroom, but  told Sky News he did not want people in Britain to be told how to dress.

Mr Browne has been accused of 'double standards'

The comments came after Home Office Minister Jeremy Browne called on the Government to consider whether it should step in to protect young women.

Mr Browne said there may be a case to act to protect girls who were too young to decide for themselves whether they wanted to wear the veil or not.

"I think this is a good topic for national debate. People of liberal instincts will have competing notions of how to protect and promote freedom of choice," he told The Daily Telegraph.

"I am instinctively uneasy about restricting the freedom of individuals to observe the religion of their choice. That would apply to Christian minorities in the Middle East just as much as religious minorities here in Britain.

"But there is genuine debate about whether girls should feel a compulsion to wear a veil when society deems children to be unable to express personal choices about other areas like buying alcohol, smoking or getting married.

"We should be very cautious about imposing religious conformity on a society which has always valued freedom of expression."

On Monday, a judge in London ruled a Muslim woman standing trial could wear a full-face veil but would have to remove it when she gives evidence.

And last week, Birmingham Metropolitan College was forced to drop a ban on the wearing of full-face veils due to public protests.

The college had originally banned niqabs and burkas from its campuses eight years ago on the grounds that students should be easily identifiable at all times.

But when a 17-year-old prospective student complained to her local newspaper that she was being discriminated against, a campaign sprang up against the ban, attracting 8,000 signatures to an online petition in two days.

After the college's decision to withdraw it, Downing Street said Mr Cameron would support a ban in his children's schools, although the decision should rest with the head teacher.

The Prime Minister has been under growing pressure from his own MPs for a rethink on current Department for Education guidelines to protect schools and colleges from being "bullied".

Tory backbencher Dr Sarah Wollaston, writing in The Daily Telegraph, said the veils were "deeply offensive" and were "making women invisible", and called for the niqab to be banned in schools and colleges.

Mr Clegg, speaking at the Lib Dem party conference on Monday, said: "I think one of the great things about our country is that ... we allow people to express their identity, their faith, the communities to which they belong in the way in which they dress.

"There are some exceptions clearly. I don't for instance think it is appropriate to have the full veil through security checks at airports.

"I think there is an issue about teachers having the right to address their pupils and their students face-to-face and make face contact.

"But otherwise I really do think it is important that we protect the British principle that as long as people are law-abiding citizens going about their business in a law-abiding fashion, we shouldn't be telling people what garments of clothing they can wear."

Mohammed Shafiq, chief executive of the Ramadhan Foundation, said he was "disgusted" by Mr Browne's comments.

"This is another example of the double standards that are applied to Muslims in our country by some politicians," he said.

"Whatever one's religion, they should be free to practise it according to their own choices."

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Mums-To-Be 'Risking Dangers' To Stay Slim

By Gemma Morris, Sky News Reporter

Experts are calling for better detection of eating disorders among pregnant women over fears the number of mums-to-be resorting to dangerous methods to stay slim could be increasing.

The condition, dubbed by some as 'pregorexia', can affect women who have never before suffered with an eating disorder, as well as those who have battled anorexia or bulimia in the past.

A study for the National Institute of Health Research of 739 women attending their first ultrasound scan found one in 13 had an eating disorder.

One of the psychiatrists behind the research, Dr Nadia Micali, said sufferers do not tend to admit they have a problem for fear of being stigmatised or having their babies taken into care.

She wants to see changes in the way the issue is tackled.

"Many healthcare professionals are not aware of eating disorders and certainly I believe that we should improve our efforts at detecting eating disorders in pregnancy."

Some sufferers resort to extreme methods such as food restriction, over-exercising, using laxatives and self-induced vomiting.

Christina Kelly's babies were induced because of stunted growth in the womb

Mother-of-two Christina Kelly, from Bradford, had anorexia during both of her pregnancies after having suffered from the illness for a number of years.

"The thoughts I would get when confronted with food would be "You are fat', "You are not allowed it", "You are shameful and disgusting".

Her children suffered growth problems in the womb and had to be induced early.

"The guilt I experienced was incredible and the support I received at the specialist unit was essential during my pregnancy."

Consultant obstetrician Dr Pat O'Brien, from University College London Hospital, warned about the effects of eating disorders.

"There is an increased risk of miscarriage in the early part of pregnancy, there's also increased risk of poor growth of the baby, so the baby doesn't get enough nutrition and therefore doesn't grow very well, and for that reason might have to be delivered early."

Some experts say high-profile pregnancies are adding to pressure

There is a belief that factors such as media scrutiny of high-profile pregnancies can also create unrealistic pressure on women, something Dr O'Brien said is unfair.

"The body is made to gain weight during pregnancy partly for the health of the woman but also to deposit some stores there that will feed the baby if the woman's breast-feeding afterwards. A good rule of thumb is that if it's taken you nine months to gain this weight, it often takes nine months to lose it."

The charity B-eat said eating disorders are treatable and recovery is possible.

Chief executive Susan Ringwood said: "Everyone we speak to who has recovered says how grateful they were that someone noticed, spoke to them and felt they were worth helping, even if at the time their reaction gave a different impression."

:: Anyone worried about their eating habits should see their GP or midwife. B-eat also has a range of support services.

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Belfast Hosts Final Push For Lasting Peace

By David Blevins, Ireland Correspondent

A former US peace envoy to Northern Ireland will return to Belfast next week to deal with the unfinished business of the Good Friday Agreement.

Dr Richard Haass, who was a senior diplomat at the State Department, has three thorny issues on his agenda: flags, parades and dealing with the past.

Previous attempts to address lingering tensions between the two communities have failed, resulting in the worst year of rioting on the streets for a decade.

Dr Haass said: "The news of the violence over the last six to nine months comes as a surprise to be honest, an unwelcome surprise."

Some of the most serious clashes came in north Belfast, where members of the Orange Order were prohibited from completing their annual parade in July.

Loyalists, who support the march, have been encamped by the side of the road since and welcome the latest attempt to resolve the outstanding issues.

Tina Patrick, who organises protesters, said: "I believe it has to be a win-win situation. It's about respect for both communities and I believe when we sit down around a table and can deliver for both communities, a deal will be done."

Some of the most serious clashes took place in north Belfast

Frank Dempsey, who speaks for nationalist residents on Carrick Hill, was less optimistic of an agreement unless people on the ground engage in the initiative.

He said: "I don't want to be pessimistic, pouring cold water on this. The guy's coming here to try and do a job but in my opinion, I think he'll be going back the way he came, scratching his head."

Church leaders are urging the "silent majority" - those who have moved on since the agreement 15 years ago - to express their desire for peace online.

The Methodist President in Ireland, Rev Dr Heather Morris, said: "HopeandHistory.com is an initiative to give voice to ordinary Christian people. I do believe there's a ground swell in terms of hope, especially at this time as Dr Haass is coming."

Dr Haass, who succeeded Senator George Mitchell as America's peace envoy, has three months to navigate his way through the centuries of sectarian division here.

No one envies his task of making riots a thing of the past so that Northern Ireland can achieve its hope of a shared future.

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School Uniform Costs 'Must Be Cut' - Minister

Schools are being urged to avoid branded uniforms and allow parents to "shop around" to cut costs for cash-strapped families.

Schools minister David Laws said the cost of clothing was often "unnecessarily high" at a time when family budgets were being squeezed.

An Office of Fair Trading investigation last year suggested that three quarters of schools placed restrictions on where uniforms could be bought.

That typically added £5 to the price tag for each item, leaving parents an estimated £52m a year worse off.

Mr Laws announced the new guidance for schools at the Liberal Democrat conference in Glasgow.

Exclusive single supplier contracts should not be used, unless regular tendering processes are run to ensure firms provide value for money.

They should also not enter into 'cashback' agreements with shops.

Compulsory items of uniform should be available relatively cheaply, and branding should be kept "to a minimum", under the guidelines.

Schools are urged to avoid changing specifications frequently.

Mr Laws told Sky News the revised guidance on uniforms would end the "over-reliance" by schools on single supplier agreements.

"It ought to be possible for parents to shop around, to get good quality school uniforms but from different suppliers," he said.

"Schools should avoid changing their school uniforms too often and requiring parents to buy different items.

"They ought to keep in mind what is specified in a school uniform and keep it as cheap as possible.

"And they ought to enable standard items like trousers and shirts and so forth to be bought from some of the big supermarkets and other shops where actually those items can be bought very cheaply.

"I think schools can actually do this and give parents a better deal but without actually compromising on quality."

Asked why the guidelines were not being pushed further, the minister said he did not think it was necessary for ministers to legislate and "set out hundreds of pages of bureaucracy in order to get schools to do what is the right thing".

He said he expected schools to follow the guidance, but if they failed to, the Government would respond to parental complaints.

According to an Ipsos Mori put out by Mumsnet, female support for the Lib Dems has fallen by 15% since 2010.

Asked if the move was a bid to win the female vote at the next general election, Mr Laws said households were facing "living cost" challenges across the country and that his party would be making a series of announcements this week on "actions that we are going to take to help hard-pressed families".

Sky's Anushka Asthana said: "The Lib Dems are putting this out today in an attempt to appeal to parents and to say they are on the side of struggling families."

"What the Government wants to see is policy where uniforms can be bought anywhere - at supermarkets or at the more expensive suppliers.

"It is part of what they are doing here at Glasgow, which is trying to say that in government, despite only having 57 MPs, they are having an impact and their policies are pushing through.

"But there is a lot of debate whether this policy will make much difference," she added.

Stephen Twigg, shadow education secretary, said: "Labour have been calling for action on school uniform prices to deal with the cost of living crisis. Yet the Lib Dems have done nothing for three years."

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Nick Clegg: Coalition Best For Economic Recovery

A majority government led by the Conservatives or Labour after the 2015 general election would result in "the wrong kind of recovery" for the UK economy, Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg has said.

An outright victory for Ed Miliband's Labour Party would wreck the recovery, while David Cameron's Tories would not have the same commitment to fairness that the Lib Dems have brought to the coalition, he said.

Speaking at his party's annual conference in Glasgow, the Deputy Prime Minister said that another coalition government would be the best outcome for the country because it would enable his party to act as a restraining influence on the  larger parties of the left and right.

The sacrifices of the past few years would be "squandered" by a single-party government of either of the larger parties, he said.

"Our message to the British people in 2015 will be essentially this: We will say `We've done very good things in Government - let us finish the job, but finish the job fairly'," Mr Clegg told BBC1's Andrew Marr Show.

Nick Clegg says a coalition government would be the best outcome in 2015

"There are millions of people in this country who've made huge sacrifices and we've gone through this very difficult time over the last two or three years. That would be squandered if you have a single-party government of either Labour or Conservatives in 2015.

"It is my genuine belief that if we go back to the bad old days, not of coalition or balanced politics, but of either the left or the right dominating government on their own, you will get a recovery which is neither fair nor sustainable.

"I think Labour would wreck the recovery, and under the Conservatives - who don't have the same commitment to fairness which we do - you would get the wrong kind of recovery."

His message was echoed by Chief Secretary to the Treasury Danny Alexander, who told Sky News' Murnaghan programme: "As the Labour Party is pulled off leftwards by the unions, and the Tory Party is pulled off rightwards by some of their backbenchers - you really need the Liberal Democrats in the mix - keep this country anchored in the centre ground."

He said Labour was facing "huge challenges on its credibility on the economy" and that the party had "a lot of growing up to do" on the issue "to be in anyway convincing to the British people".

"I don't think you could trust a majority Labour government with the economy, but nor do I think you could trust a majority Conservative government to keep our society fair," Mr Alexander said.

Neither politician would be drawn on which party they would prefer to form a coalition government with.

Mr Clegg said that there had so far been no discussions with the Conservatives about whether the two parties would continue their coalition in the event of a hung Parliament.

He indicated that a further rise in the £10,000 income tax threshold would be one of the conditions for the Lib Dems forming another coalition, and that his party would put at the heart of its next manifesto a further upgrading to take everyone on the minimum wage out of income tax altogether.

Mr Alexander says Labour has "a lot of growing up to do on the economy"

Mr Clegg said whichever party gained the "clearest mandate, the most votes and the most seats" at the election had the democratic right to attempt to form a government.

Former Lib Dem leader Paddy Ashdown said the coalition had proved that parties that do not like each other could still govern together well in the national interest.

He told The Observer: "It has held together better, better than we expected. Both sides don't like each other but they nevertheless trust each other."

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Woman's Body Found In House: Man Charged

A 32-year-old man has been charged with murder after a woman's body was found at a house in Walsall.

Bank employee Jasvir Ram Ginday, from Victory Lane, in the town, will appear at Walsall Magistrates' Court on Monday.

Nine other people - four men and five women - arrested at the house in Victory Lane have been released on police bail.

West Midlands Police said the body was found at the property at around 8pm on Friday following a missing persons inquiry.

The body has not yet been formally identified and further forensic tests are due to be carried out on Tuesday.

Detective Chief Inspector Sarbit Johal, leading the investigation, said: "We are undertaking numerous enquiries and are still really keen to speak to anyone who may have information that could help this investigation."

:: Anyone with information is urged to call 101, or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

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