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10th.March 2003
MINISTER COULD RESIGN OVER IRAQ Birmingham Ladywood MP Clare Short has signalled she will resign from the Government if Britain takes part in an attack on Iraq without UN backing. The International Development Secretary said in an interview it is now "10 minutes to midnight" - and time to make her intentions clear. She suggested Prime Minister Tony Blair's stance is "reckless." FIREFIGHTER CRITICAL AFTER FALL A firefighter is critically ill in hospital after an accident during training at his Birmingham station. Fire officials said Andrew Clinton, 52, suffered head and spinal injuries when he fell from the deck of a hydraulic platform at Bournbrook fire station. He is thought to have fallen about 10ft on to the forecourt of the station while instructing other firefighters. LENNY'S SPEAKING CLOCK ROLE The velvet-toned Queen's English of BT's speaking clock is being replaced by the more distinctive Midlands accent of Dudley comedian Lenny Henry. From now to March 23, callers dialling 123 will be treated to a message from the star, who becomes only the fourth person to take on the role in 67 years. The switch is part of the build-up to Comic Relief Red Nose Day on Friday. £3m VISITOR CENTRE TO OPEN A £3m visitor attraction celebrating the pottery industry is to open this Easter in Burslem, Staffordshire. Ceramica will be housed in the old town hall and feature a display of the past, present and future of the industry and the work of novelist Arnold Bennett. Visitors will see how china is designed and produced and an interactive zone will be available to teach children. HGV DRIVER TO BE SENTENCED A lorry driver is due to be sentenced at Birmingham Crown Court after being convicted of dangerous driving. Andrew Rathbone's HGV collided with the back of a funeral cortege, near Sutton Coldfield, killing two people. Mr Rathbone, 42, of Crewe, was found guilty last November of causing the deaths of 17-month-old Georgia Bailey and her grandfather, Nehemia Bailey. SHOPKEEPER ATTACKED IN STREET A shopkeeper and passer-by have been beaten up during an attempted robbery in Worcestershire, police said. The trader was leaving B&A News in Stourport-on-Severn with the day's takings when he was set upon by two men wielding wooden clubs. The pair then turned on a passer-by who went to the shopkeeper's aid, before fleeing empty-handed. DELAY WARNING FOR M-WAY DRIVERS Motorists are being warned to expect delays along a six-and-a-half-mile stretch of the M42 near Birmingham. The Highways Agency is re-laying the surface between junctions 2 at Hopwood and the link with the M40 at 3A. The carriageway in both directions will be reduced to two lanes with a 50mph limit in force. The £7m project is expected to take 22 weeks to complete. HIGHWAY CODE FOR EVERY DRIVER A free copy of the Highway Code should be sent to the home of every road user to improve driving standards, according to Lichfield MP Michael Fabricant. The Tory MP believes the book could be posted with licence renewal reminders. He said: "I see some appalling driving both on side roads and on motorways. I wonder whether some drivers have ever read the Highway Code." £50,000 TO IMPROVE PARK A park in Bloxwich, Walsall, is to undergo a £50,000 facelift as part of a new scheme to spruce up the town. Work on the Promenade Gardens is due to start this week, with the fountain and clock among features to be refurbished. Cash for the programme, which is expected to take about six weeks to complete, has been provided by the Heritage Lottery Fund PARK HOSTS 24-HOUR CYCLE RACE The Black Country is to host a major international 24-hour mountain biking endurance race, it has been announced. Mountain Mayhem at Sandwell Park Farm will feature 400 teams taking it in turns to circuit the track around the clock, plus individual contests. The event, now in its sixth year, is expected to feature Scandinavian mountain bike champion Rune Hoydahl.
MAN HELD OVER PARTY SHOOTINGS A 19-year-old man has been arrested by detectives investigating the murders of two teenage girls shot dead outside a New Year party in Birmingham. West Midlands Police said the teenager, from Smethwick, is being held over the killings of art students Charlene Ellis, 18, and Letisha Shakespeare, 17. The man is the fourth person to be detained in the investigation. DEATH CRASH DRIVER JAILED A driver whose lorry crashed into a West Midlands funeral cortege, killing a toddler and her grandfather, has been jailed for two years. Andrew Rathbone, of Crewe, Cheshire, was also banned from driving for three years at Birmingham Crown Court. Seventeen-month-old Georgia Bailey and her grandfather, Nehemia Bailey, 64, died in Sutton Coldfield in 2001. FATHER'S MURDER TRIAL CONTINUES The trial of a Birmingham man who is accused of murdering his two young sons in revenge for his wife leaving him is continuing at the city's Crown Court. Steven Wilson, 44, allegedly stabbed Brad, seven, and Brett, eight, to death on a golf course near Handsworth. The jury has heard that Wilson wanted to "teach his wife a lesson". He denies the two murders. HUNGER STRIKE INQUEST RESUMES
CONCERN MOUNTS FOR MISSING GIRL Fears are growing for the safety of a 15-year-old West Midlands girl missing from home for the last three months. Tanya Oakley, of Halesowen Road, Old Hill, has not made contact with her family since she left home in December. Tanya is white, 5ft 2in, of slim build with blue eyes and straight blonde hair. Anyone with information should contact police on 0845 113 5000. PUPILS PRAISED FOR SAVING OAP West Midlands firefighters have praised six teenagers for saving the life of a pensioner trapped in a blazing flat. The fire service said the youngsters showed bravery and initiative to smash their way into the flat in Selly Oak and pull the 74-year-old to safety. Brigade spokesman Dave Glenis said the 14 and 15-year-olds almost certainly saved the woman from death. DOCTOR 'ASSAULTED MIDWIFE' A consultant gynaecologist at a West Midlands hospital allegedly groped a midwife and tried to kiss her, the General Medical Council has been told. Andrew Gbinigie has also been accused of leaving a patient with horrific internal injuries during an abortion at the Wordsley Hospital near Stourbridge. Gbinigie, of Barnt Green, Birmingham, denies serious professional misconduct. WOMAN'S SHOCK AT NHS LEAK A Cheshire woman has told of her shock when she bought a memory stick for her laptop to find it stored confidential records on NHS cancer patients. The Royal Bolton Hospital in Greater Manchester is probing the leak found by Dawn Rozzell, 31, of Crewe. Miss Rozzell said of her discovery: "I think it's wrong that information like this should get out." COUNTERFEIT CDs SEIZED Trading standards officers have seized more than 15,000 counterfeit CDs of latest films, PlayStation games and music at an event in Birmingham. The haul was recovered at a computer fair in a hired room at the city's Cocks Moors Leisure Centre. The CDs were worth more than £500,000. Up to 14 traders now face prosecution for breaches of the Trade Marks Act. 12th.March 2003
POLICE OFFICER ON PORN CHARGES A police officer from south Warwickshire is due in court charged with four offences of downloading child pornography from the Internet. The 39-year-old, from Alcester, is appearing at Mid-Warwickshire Magistrates' Court in Leamington Spa. The officer has been suspended by his Gloucestershire Police bosses until the conclusion of court proceedings. 'HUSBAND: I'VE KILLED THE KIDS' A woman has told Birmingham Crown Court how her husband phoned her to say he had killed their two sons in revenge for her decision to end their marriage. Denise Williams, 26, said 44-year-old Steven Wilson told her in a 12-second call: "I have just killed the kids and I am trying to kill myself." Wilson, of Great Barr, denies murdering his sons Brad, seven, and Brett, eight. WIFE 'FORCED INTO PROSTITUTION' The wife of a man accused of murdering their two sons told Birmingham Crown Court he forced her into prostitution. Denise Williams, 26, said Steven Wilson, of Great Barr, threatened to kill their boys before she left him. Former soldier Wilson, 44, of Linden Avenue, denies murdering Brad, seven, and Brett, eight, and causing actual bodily harm to his wife MAN FREED OVER PARTY SHOOTINGS A man arrested over the murders of two teenagers gunned down outside a New Year party in Birmingham has been released pending further inquiries. The 19-year-old, from Smethwick, was granted bail by detectives probing the deaths of art students Charlene Ellis, 18, and Letisha Shakespeare, 17. West Midlands Police say inquiries into the incident are continuing 'FEAR' SURROUNDS MURDER PROBE The detective leading the hunt for the killers of two Birmingham teenagers at a New Year party has spoken of the "fear" that remains among witnesses. A 19-year-old was bailed after becoming the fourth man to be arrested in connection with the shootings. Det Supt Dave Mirfield said: "There is still a fear among some of those who witnessed this horrific act to speak." CAMPAIGN HELPS 100,000 TO QUIT Health officials have marked No Smoking Day by revealing the annual event has helped 100,000 people in the West Midlands kick the habit since 1984. Professor Rod Griffiths, the West Midlands' director of public health, said the figure represented 8% of all those who had quit across the UK. He said: "No Smoking Day is a trigger for encouraging people to quit." DRIVER STRUCK ON HEAD A post office delivery driver has been hit over the head with an unknown weapon during a raid in Stourbridge. The raid happened in Kingswinford when two men followed the driver inside the post office and demanded a cash box. The men, one black and one white, whose faces were covered with scarves, left in a Mitsubishi car, possibly containing a third person, police said. PAIR FIGHT FOR COMPENSATION Two men jailed after being wrongly convicted of murdering a Staffordshire paperboy are launching a High Court bid for increased compensation. Vincent Hickey, 48, and cousin Michael, 41, oppose a move to slash compensation for their 18 years in jail by £60,000 to take account of "living expenses". The two were jailed for the murder of Carl Bridgwater at Stourbridge in 1979. DOCTOR DESCRIBES HORROR MOMENT A Birmingham gynaecologist has described the moment he realised he had mistakenly removed part of a patient's organ during an abortion operation. Dr Andrew Gbinigie told a General Medical Council hearing that he immediately tried to push the woman's bowel "back inside her". Gbinigie, of Barnt Green, denies serious professional misconduct NATIONWIDE HUNT OVER STABBING A nationwide manhunt is under way to trace a man wanted in connection with the murder of a 26-year-old stabbing victim in Walsall. West Midlands Police said officers are attempting to track down Jonathon Everton Bailey, who also goes by the street name "Famous". Bailey is wanted over the killing of Simon Medley in Prince Street last May. PLAYER HELD OVER ASSAULT Coventry City footballer Keith O'Neill has been arrested in connection with an incident outside a Leamington nightclub, Warwickshire police said. The 27-year-old was taken into custody, questioned in connection with an alleged assault and then released on bail pending further inquiries. Another man, aged 34, was bailed after the incident outside Club Mirage. 13th.March 2003
MENINGITIS SCARE AT SCHOOL Two children from a Staffordshire school are ill in hospital suffering from suspected meningitis. The youngsters, aged five and six, are pupils at Lane Green First School, in Codsall, south Staffordshire. South Western Staffordshire Primary Care Trust said all those who had come into contact with the children had been given antibiotics as a precaution. HOSPITAL FALL INQUEST RESUMES An inquest is due to resume at Birmingham Coroner's Court into the death of a pensioner who died after falling 20ft out of a hospital window. The court was told Rita Langley, of Hollywood, had become agitated hours before the fall and wanted to go home from Queen Elizabeth Hospital. The 72-year-old was partially sighted and had Parkinson's disease. TOP ATHLETES PREPARE FOR WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS
The Worlds top athletes were busy today getting set for the start tomorrow of the 9th World Indoor Athletics Championships. These are being held at the National Indoor Arena in Birmingham, but today attention was focused on the brand new, state of the art indoor athletics trainng facility,
The Birmingham High Performance Centre at the Alexander Stadium, Perry Barr, where the athletes were making their final preparations. SEE ALSO our special preview to the games http://www.birmingham101.com/101WIA-Preview.html Watch out also for photos and news from the event itself JOBS FEARS AS FIRM CUTS COSTS Jobs in Rugby, Stafford and Birmingham are at risk after French engineering giant Alstom announced plans for a substantial reduction in its cost base. The union Amicus fears thousands of workers could be axed as the company, which employs 13,000 people in Britain, bids to make annual savings of £330m. And it urged new laws to make it harder for firms to make UK staff redundant. MOTHER BREAKS DOWN IN COURT A woman whose husband is accused of murdering their two sons broke down at Birmingham Crown Court after being accused of helping their "assassins". Denise Williams, 26, denied suggestions made by Steven Wilson's lawyer that she had given "directions" to killers who attacked her sons near Handsworth. Wilson, of Great Barr, denies killing sons Brad, seven, and Brett, eight. PROTEST AGAINST TRADE DEAL Environmentalists are staging a protest in Birmingham to demonstrate against a trade agreement between the Government and the World Trade Organisation. Friends of the Earth claims the General Agreement on Trade in Services will hand over control of the region's essential services to big business. The Government Office for the West Midlands is the focus for the protest. £2m DRUG GANG JAILED A drug-trafficking gang with links to the West Midlands has been jailed for a total of more than 150 years after drugs with a value of £2m were seized. The 14 members were each jailed at Croydon Crown Court for between nine months and 20 years for conspiring to supply drugs. The National Crime Squad undertook Operation Florin in March 2001. POLICE EXPOSE SECURITY LAPSES Police officers have been sent out to steal from Leamington Spa stores in a bid to highlight poor security. The Warwickshire force said the operation, which saw undercover police take goods worth more than £4,100, was pre-planned with traders' co-operation. Sgt Dave Williams stressed that all the goods had been returned after the scheme in and around Royal Priors mall. PORN CHARGE POLICEMAN BAILED A policeman from Alcester has appeared at Mid-Warwickshire Magistrates' Court charged with downloading indecent photographs of children. Mark Winter, 39, is accused of two counts of making indecent photos of children and two counts of attempting to make indecent photos of children. He was granted unconditional bail and the case was adjourned. DRIVER DIES IN COLLISION A motorist was killed when his car left a Worcester road and collided with a road sign. The man, who has not been named, was travelling along the A449 towards the M5 when the crash happened. He died in hospital from his injuries. Police are appealing for witnesses to the crash to come forward as they are unsure why it happened. COMPUTER CRIME UNIT TO EXPAND West Midlands Police are increasing the strength of a hi-tech crime unit after a rise in computer-related crime. Det Chief Insp Jon Hesketh said: "The huge growth in computers has led to massive pressures being placed on the hi-tech unit." The unit was part of Operation Ore and was also used in convicting the killer of Essex teenager Danielle Jones. 14th.March 2003
ARMED POLICE AT ATHLETICS EVENT West Midlands Police have announced that armed officers will be on duty during the World Indoor Athletics Championships in Birmingham. A force spokesman said: "Visitors and competitors will also note a highly visible police presence in the city and armed officers will be patrolling." The decision to tighten security was taken over current world tensions. HOSPITAL TO BLAME FOR DEATH An NHS Trust whose "gross failure" of care led to an elderly patient falling from a hospital window in Birmingham has been condemned. The family of Rita Langley say they will sue Birmingham's Queen Elizabeth Hospital after an inquest ruled neglect had contributed to her death. The 72-year-old died because hospital bosses did not fit £2 window locks. MOTORISTS URGED: USE GREEN FUEL A Euro MP has urged motorists in the West Midlands to use green fuels made from farmed vegetable matter. Liz Lynne made her call after the European Parliament voted for a package of measures recommending that 5.75% of vehicles should use biofuel by 2010. "Traditional fossil fuels are not only damaging to the environment but they are a limited resource," Ms Lynne said. FATHER'S TRIAL CONTINUES A court is set to hear more evidence against a West Midlands father who is accused of butchering his two young sons to death. The prosecution at Birmingham Crown Court alleges Steven Wilson, 44, killed Brad, seven, and Brett, eight, with a screwdriver. Wilson, 44, of Linden Avenue, Great Barr, denies murder. VAN DRIVER DIES IN CRASH Police have named a driver who died when his white Citroen van collided with a lamp-post in Staffordshire. David Meakin, 50, from Long Eaton, Derbyshire, was pronounced dead on arrival at hospital following the accident on the A38 at Alrewas. It is believed he fell ill at the wheel before his vehicle left the road. Police are appealing for witnesses. MAN DIES AS CAR HITS SKIP A 22-year-old man, who was travelling in a car that failed to stop for a police patrol in Birmingham, died when the car crashed into a skip. The victim, who has not been named, was one of three men in the car when the accident happened in Small Heath. A police spokesman said the Honda Accord struck a stationary vehicle before colliding with the skip. MYSTERY OVER UNIVERSITY BEQUEST Coventry University has admitted it is baffled but delighted at a mystery bequest of £100,000 after the death of a woman from the city. The money, donated as part of piano teacher Barbara Bayliss's will, is to be split between the school of art and design and the school of engineering. The university has been unable to find Ms Bayliss's link with the institution. LORRY DRIVER IN KIDNAP ORDEAL A lorry driver has been dumped in Bromsgrove after he was kidnapped and held hostage for nine hours. Police said the man was grabbed by a gang of men at services near Lockerbie, in Scotland. His face was covered and he was forced into his white lorry. He was later dumped in a wooded area at Hunnington, near Bromsgrove. The lorry contained £135,000 worth of whisky. CHURCH SPIRE REPAIR COMPLETED The final repairs to a historic church damaged in last September's Dudley earthquake have been completed. St Michael the Archangel Church in Walsall made the headlines after parts of its spire fell off. A Diocese of Lichfield spokesman said it will be a further two weeks before the elaborate scaffolding structure, needed for the work, is taken down. GREEN FUEL FOR REFUSE TRUCKS Birmingham City Council has agreed to trial "biodiesel" fuel in some of its refuse collection vehicles. Stewart Stacey, Cabinet member for street services, said the experiment fitted perfectly with aims of ensuring Birmingham is a cleaner, greener city. The fuel, which is produced from waste vegetable or animal oils, will be supplied by an Oldbury-based firm.
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