Justin Bieber: Idol Tweets Thanks To Beliebers

Justin Bieber has thanked his fans for their support following his arrest on suspicion of driving under the influence of drink or drugs and resisting arrest in Miami.

Tweeting his 50 million so-called Beliebers, the singer said: "YOU ARE ALL WORTHY NO MATTER WHAT ANYONE SAYS >> BE STRONG GOD IS WITH US ALL> MY BELIEBERS CHANGED MY LIFE> I WILL FOREVER BE GRATEFUL."

The star is understood to have spent most of the day holed-up in a private Miami hotel surrounded by the world's media and his fans after he was bailed following his arrest on Wednesday.

The singer's tweet to his 50 million followers

There was a brief moment of drama when the singer's bodyguards ushered a slim youth hiding under a red-hooded top from the hotel to a waiting car.

But photographs revealed the person inside was almost certainly somebody else; likely a decoy to confuse photographers.

News has also emerged that three police officers have been suspended following claims that on Monday evening they gave the singer an unauthorised private escort from Miami's Opa locka airport to a strip club.

A schoolgirl throws a crumpled letter over the fence to her idol

Unconfirmed reports have suggested the officers have been suspended on full pay pending the outcome of an investigation into the claims.

A petition to revoke the Canadian-born idol's green card and deport him back to Canada has also appeared on the White House website.

"We the people of the United States feel that we are being wrongly represented in the world of pop culture," it says.

The singer's loyal army of 'beliebers' wait to catch a glimpse of the star

"We would like to see the dangerous, reckless, destructive, and drug abusing, Justin Bieber deported and his green card revoked.

"He is not only threatening the safety of our people but he is also a terrible influence on our nations youth. We the people would like to remove Justin Bieber from our society."

At the time of writing the petition has some 12,000 signatures. If the campaign obtains 100,000 signatures by February 22, President Barack Obama is required to respond.

Mr Bieber was arrested on suspicion of DUI and drag racing

Support for the singer has been split among the public and other celebrities.

The star was blasted by actor Seth Rogen, but received encouragement from Lady Gaga - who called on her army of fans to back the star.

Knocked Up actor Rogen, who is understood to have socialised with Bieber at the 2011 MTV Awards, posted on his Twitter account: "All jokes aside, Justin Bieber is a piece of s***."

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Trader Robin Clark Shot By Hitman In Essex

A City trader has been seriously injured after being shot by a hitman at an Essex railway station.

Police believe Robin Clark, 44, was "deliberately targeted" as he got out of his car in the car park at Shenfield station at 5.50am on Friday.

The gunman, who was wearing a balaclava, fled the scene in a vehicle parked nearby.

Robin Clark suffered serious injuries. Pic: Robin Clark/Twitter

Mr Clark, who lives in Essex, works for City brokerage firm RP Martin.

He was shot in the leg and is being treated at Basildon Hospital for his injuries, which are not life-threatening.

A British Transport Police spokesman said: "As he got out of the car he was approached by an unknown man and received a single gunshot to the leg."

Detective Superintendent Gary Richardson said: "At this stage we believe the victim of this assault was deliberately targeted.

"We do not believe this incident was gang-related and I would like to reassure the public that there is no reason for any undue concern.

"Inquiries are ongoing to establish the full circumstances, including the motive behind the attack."

A spokesman for RP Martin said: "We are aware of this morning's incident and are giving Robin all the support we can.

"It would not be appropriate to comment any further at this stage."

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Syria Peace Talks Get Under Way in Geneva

The two sides in Syria's bloody civil war have met for the first time at peace talks in Geneva.

The negotiations have been dogged by delays with both factions blaming each other for a lack of progress.

Syria's Deputy Foreign Minister Faisal Mekdad told Sky News he was to propose the best way for the country to move forward is to hold fresh elections.

Both sides sat at a U-shaped table and the international mediator Lakhdar Brahimi addressed delegates.

The talks are being overseen by the special envoy for Syria Lakhdar Brahimi

The two sides entered and left the room through separate doors following the 30-minute session.

The talks are seen by many diplomats as the best hope for an eventual end to Syria's three-year conflict, which has left at least 130,000 people dead.

Sky's Sam Kiley said: "It's going to be a long, slow process."

Opposition spokesman Monzer Akbik said the regime had had to listen to them and the 'voice' of the Syrian people.

"The Syrian people want transition from dictatorship to democracy," he said.

He also revealed there had been no handshake.

Both sides shelved the major stumbling block regarding the future of President Bashar al Assad, to allow the talks to proceed.

Initial discussions will focus on local ceasefires and gaining access for humanitarian aid.

The major sticking point, however, remains demands for the formation of a transitional government, which had threatened to scupper the talks on Friday.

It led  the Syrian government delegation to issue an ultimatum that it would leave the summit if "serious" discussions did not start within 24 hours.

But diplomats have said even getting the sides to the same table could be considered an achievement.

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Labour Would Restore 50p Top Rate Tax

Labour would restore the 50p top rate of tax if it gets into power at the next general election, the shadow chancellor has confirmed.

Ed Balls made the announcement in a pitch to run Britain's economy, during which he promised to balance the nation's books and cut national debt.

In his speech to the Fabian Society's annual conference in central London, he described Labour as the "party of radical economic change" and said it was "speaking up ... for working people" facing a "cost of living crisis".

He said the country is "crying out for real and lasting change" and claimed the Prime Minister and the Chancellor are "out of touch" with voters.

Mr Balls said: "When the deficit is still high, when tough times are now set to last well into the next parliament, when for ordinary families their real incomes are falling and taxes have risen, it cannot be right for David Cameron and George Osborne to have chosen to give the richest people in the country a huge tax cut.

"That's why, for the next parliament, the next Labour government will reverse this government's top rate tax cut so we can finish the job of getting the deficit down and do it fairly.

"For the next parliament, we will restore the 50p top rate ... reversing this unfair tax cut for the richest 1% of people in the country."

In his speech, Mr Balls said Labour would introduce a 10p starting rate of tax, which he claims would "help make work pay and cut taxes for 24 million people on middle and lower incomes".

He also announced Labour would create the British Investment Bank to support small businesses, commit to building 200,000 new homes a year by 2020 and expand free childcare for working parents to 25 hours a week.

"By supporting the long-term growth that will earn our way to higher living standards and help reduce the deficit, by rooting out waste in public spending, by making fairer choices on tax and benefit reform ... Labour can change Britain," he said.

The 50p - or 50% - "additional rate" tax, which is payable on income above £150,000, was cut to 45% on April 6 last year.

Mr Osborne abolished the higher rate, introduced by Labour in 2010, in his 2012 Budget, amid claims it raised just a third of the £3bn initially predicted.

"No Chancellor can justify a tax rate that damages our economy and raises next to nothing," the Chancellor said at the time.

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Fire Hero Boy's Family 'Fighting Over Money'

Relatives of a boy who died trying to save his family from a fire are reportedly fighting over money donated in his memory.

Tyler Doohan, eight, has been hailed as a hero after he saved six relatives from a fire in Rochester, New York, but died trying to rescue two more.

A fundraising page set up on YouCaring.com has raised more than $50,000 (£30,000) - well beyond the expectations of the organiser, a neighbour.

Tyler's mother Crystal Vrooman has said she was 'proud' of him

"Please support the family and raise money to Give this baby the Service he deserve," reads the fundraising appeal, which had set itself the goal of making $5,000 (£3,000)

Tyler's mother, Crystal Vrooman, told Foxnews.com: "My son just got lost in a huge tragedy.

"Do you think I want to move into a trailer? I want a nice house as I have always been telling the kids, and to give my kids a great school district."

Ms Vrooman is listed as the beneficiary of the YouCaring account.

But Tyler's father, now estranged from Ms Vrooman, says he does not trust the woman to do the right thing.

"My actual fear is that she is not going to use the money properly," Jason Doohan was quoted as saying.

"My son is the greatest kid I've ever known," he said, urging Ms Vrooman to use the money "on what Tyler would want it to be spent on".

Tyler was spending the Martin Luther King Jr holiday with his grandfather and other relatives when the fire broke out in the early hours of Monday morning, spreading quickly through the trailer as the family were asleep.

The scene of the fire on Monday morning

Tyler managed to wake six people up, then went back to try to rescue his disabled uncle and grandfather, but all three died in the burning home.

Another relative, Joseph Breyette, claimed Ms Vrooman had substance-abuse problems, Fox reported, though she says she solved her problems "years ago".

Mr Breyette said: "My biggest concern is that the money is going to be mismanaged and the people who went through the tragedy are going to be forgotten.

"I would prefer that someone court-appointed, not her, should have control of that money."

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Justin Bieber: Beliebers Camp Outside Hotel

Hundreds of fans of the pop star Justin Bieber have set up camp outside a Miami hotel where the singer has stayed since his release from jail.

So-called Beliebers showed their devotion to the troubled teenage singer was undimmed after he was bailed on charges including driving under the influence of drink or drugs and resisting arrest.

Bieber, who could face up to six months in prison if found guilty, told officers he had been drinking, smoking marijuana and taking anti-depressants, according to police.

Justin Bieber pictured after he was arrested. Pic: Miami Beach Police

But one adoring fan outside Bieber's hotel told Sky News: "It makes me want to support him even more, and defend him even more.

"I am worried about how he's going to be after this because everybody's pressuring him."

However, many have taken to Twitter to question those supporting the star, pointing to the victims of drink-driving.

Bieber's booking form after his arrest

Canadian-born Bieber was stopped by Miami police after apparently drag racing. He was clocked in a rented yellow Lamborghini doing around 60mph in a 30mph zone.

It has been reported that the singer's father was with him at the time.

The 19-year-old was arrested and taken to jail from where he made his first court appearance via videolink.

He was also charged with driving with an expired licence and bail was set by a judge at $2,500 (£1,500).

The singer waves to fans after he was released from jail

After he was released from jail, Bieber, wearing a hooded black top, sat on top of a waiting SUV for a few seconds and waved to his fans.

Bieber failed a sobriety test during his arrest, according to authorities, and he swore at officers when he was stopped, according to a copy of the arrest report.

An officer claimed the Canadian singer had "bloodshot eyes" and added he could smell alcohol on his breath.

Police said two SUVs had blocked the road in a residential area of Miami Beach so the 19-year-old star could race a friend, identified as R&B singer Khalil Sharieff, who was driving a rented Ferrari.

The van transporting Bieber to jail

Miami Dade state attorney Katherine Fernandez Rundle told Sky News: "We take cases like this very seriously. It could have been the recipe for a tragedy."

Bieber told police he was returning from a studio recording session and repeatedly asked why he had been stopped and arrested.

"Why did you stop me?" he asked, according to the report. "Why do you have to search me?"

Bieber posted this graffiti photo on Instagram just hours before his arrest

Speaking at a news conference, Miami Beach Chief of Police Raymond Martinez said the singer had resisted arrest although he had done so "without violence".

Mr Martinez said the 19-year-old Canadian had been "belligerent" and had used some "choice words" when he was arrested.

He said Bieber had been very cooperative once he got to the station.

The star, who reportedly earned $58m (£35m) last year, arrived at Miami-Dade County Jail where he had his mugshots and fingerprints taken.

Khalil Sharieff was also charged with driving under the influence

The van with blacked-out windows transporting the singer was trailed by squad cars.

Miami-Dade Police spokesman Sergeant Bobby Hernandez told WSVN in South Florida that officers saw two cars racing at 4.09am.

Mr Hernandez said two vehicles apparently had been used to block off an area on Pine Tree Drive and 26th Street for the race.

He said the second car was a red Ferrari, and that the driver, Khalil, was also arrested. Khalil was later charged with driving under the influence, and his bail was set at $1,000 (£600). Both cars were towed away.

Bieber promoting his film Believe in December

Bieber was pictured in the car with a woman, named in some reports as model Chantel Jeffries, in the driving seat before his arrest.

The teenager has been in Florida for the past few days and has been spotted in nightclubs and at a skate park.

He posted photos on Instagram of him performing tricks on his skateboard and spraying his initials onto a wall at the park.

He is also alleged to have spent thousands of dollars at a strip club called the King of Diamonds.

A first conviction could bring a fine of between $250 (£150) and $1,000 (£600), depending on the level of alcohol, as well as community service and possibly a jail sentence.

Bieber's arrest comes just a week after the singer's California home was raided by police over claims that he pelted his neighbour's house with eggs, causing thousands of dollars of damage.

In that case, authorities arrested one member of Bieber's entourage, rapper Lil Za, on suspicion of drug possession.

Last year in the UK, the singer disappointed thousands of fans by showing up to gigs late, which meant many of his young followers had to leave his performances only moments after he started performing to catch trains home.

He was also involved in a scuffle outside his hotel in London during his visit.

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Mum Jailed For 14 Years For Murdering Baby

By Tom Parmenter, Sky Correspondent

A mother has been jailed for life with a minimum of 14 years for murdering her 11-month-old baby son.

Emma Wilson, 25, from Windsor in Berkshire attacked her own toddler inflicting a catalogue of 'catastrophic' injuries.

Callum Wilson was born on April 23 2010 and spent the his first months with foster parents.

In November 2010, Callum returned to the care of his mother at her flat in Paddock Close.

In March 2011 neighbours described hearing five or six loud bangs coming from the flat, the following morning Ms Wilson called paramedics to help her son who she said was "lifeless and not doing anything".

During the trial at the Old Bailey prosecutor Paul Dunkels QC told the jury: "The effect of the injuries would have been immediate and catastrophic."

In court Ms Wilson tried to blame the injuries on the toddler's two year old brother who she said was "boisterous".

The jury though returned a unanimous verdict of guilty to murder.

The jury were also shown a series of 'selfie' photograph taken in the days before the fatal attack where Ms Wilson was smiling at the camera with her son behind her - at this stage he could be seen with minor injuries.

Speaking after the verdict, Det Ch Insp Ian Hunter from Thames Valley Police said: "This case has been a harrowing and emotional journey for all involved.

"Callum's life was cruelly cut short and he suffered an abhorrent catalogue of abuse at the hands of his mother.

"This conviction demonstrates the absolute commitment of the prosecution team and witnesses to ensure justice was served. Our thoughts will always be with Callum."

A neighbour and friend of Ms Wilson, who didn't want to be identified, told Sky News: "I thought she was a good mum."

"I don't know why if people saw him going downhill at nursery or whatever they didn't step in earlier."

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Winter Weather To Hit After Weeks Of Floods

Britain looks set for a distinctly colder end to January with the possibility of snow, widespread frost and cold winds.

After saturated southern England is hit by further flooding this weekend, low pressure will start to bring change across the UK next week.

The change comes as a "major incident" was declared on the Somerset Levels which have seen weeks of severe flooding and remain underwater.

Sedgemoor District Council chief executive Kerry Rickards said: "With significant rainfall expected over the coming days we feel this situation needs to be escalated as a major incident."

The council said it would continue to provide practical support to residents whose properties are flooded or are predicted to flood.

The Somerset Levels have seen weeks of flooding this winter

Next week's drop in temperature will come as a shock following a wet but exceptionally mild December and January, Sky News Weather Presenter Isobel Lang, said.

"The low bringing us rain this weekend will slip away southwards allowing significantly colder air to seep west and southwestwards across us on a biting east or northeast wind.

"It will be a shock to the system after a mild December, the mildest since 1988, and a mild first half of January with a mean UK temperature up to January 15 of 5.1C, which is 1.5C above average.

"Snow is likely, especially over hills, with more widespread frosts too."

But Lang said the change looked unlikely to last.

"At this stage the Atlantic influence still looks strong and it could be that the cold air pushes back into continental Europe again by the end of the week," he said

The Met Office has warned of a wet and windy Sunday.

Muchelney village in Somerset has been cut off by floods for three weeks

It will then turn colder and "increasingly wintry, particularly across northeastern parts", its UK five-day forecast reads.

Its summary for the 10 days from Tuesday warns of biting easterly winds and temperatures near or just below normal.

The change to weather more like the January we expect comes after weeks of rainfall that have left large areas of the UK waterlogged.

The Environment Agency has 10 flood warnings in place in southwest and southeast England and 91 lower level flood alerts in place, mainly in the southeast and southwest but also in other parts of England and Wales.

The UK has largely escaped a big freeze this winter, unlike the United States which saw a polar vortex bringing some of the lowest temperatures ever seen across many states followed by heavy snow this week. 

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Gang Rape Ordered By Indian Village Elders

By Neville Lazarus, Sky News India Producer

A woman in India has been allegedly gang-raped by 13 men on the order of village elders.

The 20-year-old was reportedly attacked by the men in Subalpur village in West Bengal's Birbhum district.

She told the police she was gang-raped through the night so many times that she lost count.

"People from the village, men my father's age, and those who I knew as neighbours, as uncles and brothers raped me," she said.

She was accused of breaking tribal rules by having an affair with a man from a different tribe.

The pair were found by the villagers who set up a kangaroo court and levied a fine of 50,000 Indian rupees (£500) on the couple.

The girl's family could not afford to pay the crime and as punishment ordered the gang rape.

The following day the family sneaked out of the village and reported the matter to the police.

The woman was accused of an affair with a man from another tribe

Birbhum's police superintendent PC Sudhakar said: "Our preliminary investigation has revealed that the villagers held a meeting and the morol  (village headman) ordered that the girl be gang-raped.

"Family members took her to the block hospital in Labhpur and after preliminary treatment, the girl went to the police station with her mother and lodged the complaint."

All of the accused, including the village head man who allegedly ordered and led the assault, have been arrested.

The village is the home district of the Indian President Pranab Mukherjee.

A few years ago a tribal teenager was paraded naked on the orders of a similar medieval-style village court in the same district.

The government of West Bengal is facing immense anger over atrocities against women.

In October last year a woman was gang-raped twice by the same men for complaining to the police. She was set ablaze and died of burn injuries.

All suspects have since been arrested.

Large protests took place in Kolkatta over the handling of the case by the police and government and now the courts have set up a separate investigation into the matter.

The gang rape of a woman on a Delhi bus sparked protests across India

India has been reeling under the problem of violence against women.

The horrific Delhi bus gang rape and murder in December 2012 brought the issue into the lime light.

Unprecedented protests took place in the national capital and across the nation, and the government brought in new laws to protect women.

Fast-track courts were established to try cases of violence against women and punishments were made more severe.

Even with the changes there has been a spate of sexual violence against women.

Last week a 51-year-old Danish tourist was gang raped in the heart of Delhi.

She had asked for directions to her hotel before five men took her to an isolated spot near the New Delhi railway station and gang-raped her.

Last year a British tourist jumped off her balcony out of fear that she would be raped by the hotel manager where she was staying.

According to India's National Crime Records Bureau, rape is the singular fastest-growing crime in India.

From 1971 to 2012 the number of reports has grown by 900%. The conviction rate is just 1%.

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Justin Bieber Arrested In Miami Beach

Justin Bieber has been arrested for driving under the influence and drag racing, according to Miami Beach police.

NBC in South Florida reports that the singer was stopped early on Thursday morning while driving a rented yellow Lamborghini.

The 19-year-old, who failed a sobriety test, is understood to still be in custody and a police statement is due shortly.

Miami Dade-Police spokesman Sergeant Bobby Hernandez told WSVN in South Florida that officers saw two cars racing at 4.09am.

Bieber was pictured in the car before his arrest

Mr Hernandez said two vehicles apparently had been used to block off an area on Pine Tree Drive and 26th Street for the drag race.

He said the second car was a red Ferrari, and that driver, thought to be Khalil Sharief, also known as Crazy Khalil, was also arrested. Both cars were towed.

Bieber was taken to the Miami Beach police station to be breathalysed and processed. 

Mr Hernandez said the star will be transported to the Miami-Dade County jail.

The pop star was pictured in the car with a woman in the driving seat before his arrest.

The teenager has been in Florida for the past few days and has been spotted in nightclubs and at a skate park.

He posted photos on Instagram of him performing tricks on his skateboard and spraying his initials onto a wall at the park.

Bieber posted this graffiti photo on Instagram just hours before his arrest

He is also alleged to have spent thousands of dollars at a strip club called the King of Diamonds.

Bieber's arrest comes just a week after the singer's California home was raided by police over claims he pelted his neighbour's house with eggs, causing thousands of dollars of damage.

In that case, authorities arrested one member of Bieber's entourage, rapper Lil Za, on suspicion of drug possession.

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Lib Dems Dismissed Hancock Sex Claims In 2012

The Liberal Democrats dismissed sex claims against MP Mike Hancock in 2012, a letter obtained by Sky News reveals.

The allegations against the politician by a woman constituent had been raised with Liberal Democrat central office and separately in a letter to Nick Clegg in 2011.

However, a letter, dated February 2012, said that the claims of sexual impropriety against Mr Hancock, who also sits as a Lib Dem councillor at Portsmouth City Council, had been considered but that they did not merit an investigation by the party.

The letter says: 'That has to be an end to the matter'.

In response to the October 2011 letter written by the lawyer of the woman at the centre of allegations, the Liberal Democrats' official reply said: "Taking into account the contents of that correspondence, and applying the Party Constitution and membership rules, the committee decided that it would not commence any investigation or take any other action in respect of the matter that you have raised.

"In reaching this decision, the committee also took into account the nature of the police investigation and the stance of the Office of the Parliamentary Commission for Standards (OPCS).

"As a result, that has to be an end to the matter."

It has also emerged that former Lib Dem Chief Whip Alistair Carmichael spoke at length to the alleged victim and to Mr Hancock.

Mr Hancock, 67, was suspended by the Liberal Democrat party on Wednesday after a report into the matter was leaked on the internet.

The report - carried out by a barrister on behalf of Portsmouth City Council - described "compelling" evidence of "serious and unwelcome sexual behaviour" towards the woman constituent.

The development intensified the sex claims scandal which has engulfed the party, and led to significant criticism of Nick Clegg's leadership.

It follows the fallout from the case of the former party chief executive Lord Rennard, who was accused of sexually harassing women party activists.

The party is already in turmoil over the Lord Rennard sex claims scandal

As the new details emerged on Thursday morning, a 37-year-old man, reported to be Mr Hancock's son, was arrested outside Mr Hancock's home in Fareham, Hampshire, on suspicion of assaulting a television reporter at 9.21am. The reporter received an injury to his nose, according to police.

The report into Mr Hancock's behaviour by Nigel Pascoe QC concluded that the barrister had no doubt that the complainant had provided "compelling prima facie evidence of serious and unwelcome sexual behaviour" carried out towards her by Mr Hancock.

Mr Pascoe described the woman as "a straightforward and vulnerable person, angry and hurt by what she said had happened to her".

He also acknowledged that Mr Hancock, who was exposed in 2011 for having an affair with a Russian aide 40 years his junior, was not motivated "solely by sexual desire" and that he had sought to help her "wholly properly" as a local councillor.

The Liberal Democrats said it was the first time the party had seen the report, which was released last year, and that given its conclusions they had decided to suspend Mr Hancock.

Mr Hancock had an affair with Katia Zatulliveter, who was accused of spying

However, it is clear from the February 2012 letter obtained by Sky News that the party was made aware of the severity of the allegations against Mr Hancock.

In a letter to Liberal Democrat Central Office in October 2011 from the woman's lawyer, Harriet Wistrich, she points out that her client had written to Mr Clegg to raise her concerns but that she had not received a response.

Mr Hancock has been accused of sexually assaulting the woman after she contacted him in 2009 for help dealing with a difficult neighbour.

Police decided that no action should be taken against Mr Hancock but the woman is taking her case to the High Court in a civil claim on Friday.

Mr Hancock has always denied the claims and resigned the Liberal Democrat whip last year to fight the case. However, he remained a councillor in Portsmouth.

The council opposed calls from Conservative and Lib Dem councillors to publish the report at a council meeting this week, claiming it would be inappropriate ahead of a civil court case brought by Mr Hancock's accuser.

It has postponed taking any disciplinary action against Mr Hancock until the civil case has been heard.

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Boy's Hospital Ward Death 'Not Gross Failure'

A coroner has ruled there were "missed opportunities" in the care received by a four-year-old boy recovering from heart surgery.

Recording a narrative verdict, Avon coroner Maria Voisin found no "gross failures to provide basic care" for Sean Turner.

Sean, from Warminster, Wiltshire, was a patient on Ward 32 of Bristol Children's Hospital and died in March 2012 from a brain haemorrhage.

He had previously suffered a cardiac arrest, six weeks after he underwent corrective heart surgery.

Sean's parents Steve and Yolanda Turner, aged 47 and 45, told the inquest at Avon Coroner's Court how they pleaded with doctors and nurses to help him.

Mr and Mrs Turner accused doctors of transferring their son to Ward 32 from intensive care too soon and said they missed signs of his worsening condition, with rising blood pressure, vomiting and fluid loss from his chest.

His mother told the inquest: "Sean was deteriorating. We could see it but nobody listened to us.

"We asked so many times and so many staff - from ward doctors, outreach nurses, cardiac liaison nurse and the nurses - if Sean could go back to intensive care as he had been better there.

Sean died at the Bristol Royal Hospital for Children

"We were told no beds or that simply he was not critical enough. Over four days Sean had increasing heart rate, was constantly being sick and was becoming so chronically dehydrated he was grabbing tissues used to cool his forehead and suck the water out of them.

"He kept asking for drinks but we were told he was on a fluid restriction to clear out his drains and this was normal procedure after a Fontan procedure."

After collapsing Sean was transferred to intensive care, where he remained for 11 days before being returned to the ward.

Mrs Turner described it as the "worst news" when they were told Sean was being returned to Ward 32 and the "beginning of the end".

She said nurses did not respond to automatic alarm calls on her son's monitoring equipment, did not complete regular fluid checks and did not fill in his record charts.

He suffered a cardiac arrest on February 16 and returned to the intensive care unit where he remained until he died on March 15.

Up to 10 families are believed to be taking legal action against the University Hospitals Bristol NHS Foundation Trust over treatment on Ward 32.

Ms Voisin said there were "lost opportunities" in the treatment of Sean but said this did not amount to a neglect verdict because there was not a gross failure to provide basic care.

Ms Voisin said she would not be writing to the hospital trust to recommend that changes are made to prevent future deaths.

"I am aware that the trust has made lots of changes since Sean's death and I do not consider that I need to make any report in connection with this matter," she said.

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Boy Dies Saving Relatives From New York Fire

An eight-year-old boy has saved six relatives from a fire at a trailer home in New York, but died trying to rescue a disabled uncle.

Tyler Doohan's body was found in the bedroom of his grandfather's small trailer in Penfield, a suburb of Rochester.

Nine people were inside the trailer when a fire broke out shortly before 5am on Monday.

Tyler managed to wake six people up, including his grandmother, aunt and two children aged four and six.

He then went back inside to help the remaining occupants of the trailer.

The scene of the fire in Penfield

Tyler was found near the bed of his uncle Steve Smith, a wheelchair-user, and investigators believe he was trying to wake him up.

Mr Smith and Tyler's grandfather Louis Beach also died.

The family's pets - cats, a dog and hamsters - were also killed in the blaze, according to local newspaper Democrat & Chronicle.

Tyler had gone to his grandfather's trailer on Monday, the Martin Luther King Day holiday, because he did not have school.

Penfield Fire Chief Chris Ebmeyer said the death toll would likely have been much worse were it not for the boy's bravery.

"He saved those other six people," he was quoted as saying by USA Today.

The boy was hailed as a hero by neighbours and officials at his school.

"The kid has more guts than I know of," an uncle, Joseph Bereyette, told Rochester-based station WHEC.

"I mean, to run back in there and go through what he went through to try to save his uncle - what can you say for the kid?

"He was a great kid."

A statement released by East Rochester Central School District said: "It is extremely important to remember that according to emergency personnel, (Tyler) was the person who discovered the fire and tried to wake the eight other people in the residence at the time.

"In bravely and selflessly giving his own life, he was able to save the lives of six others, and he is truly a hero."

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Syria: Clash Ends 'Constructive' Start To Talks

The Syrian foreign minister and the UN Secretary-General have clashed at the start of crucial peace talks aimed at ending the country's bloody civil war.

Walid al Muallem ignored Ban Ki-moon's appeal for him to end an opening speech that lasted more than 30 minutes, saying: "You live in New York. I live in Syria. I have the right to give the Syrian version here in this forum."

He also launched a blistering attack on the Syrian opposition, asking them: "Where is your vision for this great country? Where are your ideas? Where is your political programme? What are the tools on the ground? I am quite sure you have nothing."

Mr Ban said the "constructive mood" with which the talks began had been shattered and warned: "I hope this will not be repeated."

Earlier, the US Secretary of State said world leaders have an "opportunity and an obligation" to find a way to end a conflict that has killed more than 100,000 people and created an estimated 2.3 million refugees.

The city of Montreux, Switzerland, is hosting the Geneva II talks

John Kerry said millions of Syrians "are relying on the international community to find a solution to save their lives and their country".

He said it had taken "a lot longer than many of us wanted" for world leaders to attempt to thrash out a resolution but said he was "as determined as ever" to end what he described as the "horrors of human catastrophe".

The conference on the banks of Lake Geneva is going ahead despite a last-minute dispute over the UN's decision to withdraw an invitation to Iran, after it refused to endorse a plan for a transitional governing body in Syria.

Groups fighting the rule of Bashar al Assad, who counts Iran as one of his closest allies, had threatened to pull out of the so-called "Geneva II" talks unless the invitation was rescinded.

In his opening exchange, opposition leader Ahmed Jarba accused the Syrian president of war crimes comparable to those committed by the Nazis during World War Two.

Mr Kerry and Mr Ban meet ahead of the Syrian peace conference

He demanded Mr Assad stand down as president and called on the government to commit to a transition of power - an issue expected to be central to the success of the talks.

However, Mr al Muallem has rejected any discussion of Mr Assad quitting his post.

"The subject of the president and the regime is a red line for us and the Syrian people and will not be touched," he said on the eve of the talks, according to the Sana news agency.

The conference also begins in the shadow of allegations of large-scale torture and execution of prisoners by government forces.

The day before the talks, a group of international lawyers published allegations of the "systematic torture and killing" of up to 11,000 people by the Syrian regime.

Smoke rises after a bomb blast in the Syrian city of Aleppo

Foreign Secretary William Hague urged both sides in Syria to "seize the chance" to end the civil war as he arrived in Switzerland.

"Opposition has been tested and has come. Now regime must be tested on willingness to seek a political solution," he wrote on Twitter.

Mr Hague added that it was a "great shame" that Iran, which has enjoyed a thawing of relations with the West in recent months, had failed to endorse the principles of the talks.

US President Barack Obama and Russia's Vladimir Putin had a "business-like" conversation about the Syrian conflict by phone on Tuesday.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov also met Mr Kerry in Montreux ahead of today's opening of negotiations.

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British Drug Smuggler Escapes Death Penalty

A British woman has escaped the death penalty after admitting smuggling crystal meth into Indonesia from China.

Andrea Waldeck has instead been jailed for 14 years and fined £100,000.

The 43-year-old admitted to taking three pounds of the drug through an airport in Java in April hidden in her underwear, but claimed she was coerced into it by her boyfriend in exchange for around £3,000, according to her indictment.

The former Police Community Support Officer with Gloucestershire Police, who left the force in February 2012, hung her head as she was led down to the cells at the court in Surabaya.

The ex-Gloucestershire Community Support Officer is considering an appeal

The sentence was lower than the 16 years recommended by the prosecutor. Under the country's strict anti-drugs laws Waldeck could have been given a death sentence.

The judge in the case said: "Andrea Waldeck has been proven legally and convincingly guilty of offering to sell or become a middle person to sell drugs."

He added that the punishment was lenient because Waldeck had "honestly admitted her mistake, which helped the trial proceed smoothly".

Waldeck's mother and brother at a hearing during her trial

The indictment against her said that Waldeck was arrested at a hotel after she managed to get through airport security with the drugs hidden in four plastic bags in her underwear.

It added that two members of a drugs gang had been on their way to the hotel to pick up the crystal meth, but police knew what was going on and got there first and arrested Waldeck.

She is considering whether to appeal against the ruling.

Waldeck is not the first foreigner to be punished in Indonesia for drug smuggling. 

Grandmother Lindsay Sandiford was sentenced to death in January 2013 after being caught trying to smuggle £1.4m worth of cocaine into Bali. The sentence was unanimously upheld in August by Indonesia's Supreme Court.

On Monday, Frenchman Michael Blanc was freed on parole after 14 years in prison for transporting hash, a purified form of cannabis, into the country.

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Sochi Olympic Teams Receive 'Terror Threats'

A number of countries say they have received terrorist threats against their athletes ahead of the Winter Olympics in Russia.

Italy and Germany are among countries whose Olympic Committees have confirmed they have received threatening emails.

Slovenia's Olympic Committee said it had been sent a terrorist threat letter written in Russian.

"We've had it translated and have forwarded it to the police," spokesman Brane Dmitrovic told Reuters.

Germany said it had received the same emails threatening attacks against its athletes as the Hungary committee and believed the same message had been circulated widely.

Spokesman Christian Klaue said: "We take all tips on security questions seriously and are in close contact with the relevant German authorities."

Hungary said the messages it received had since been investigated and declared "non-threatening".

The Hungarian committee's international relations director Zsigmond Nagy said a letter written in Russian and English had been investigated by both the International Olympic Committee and the Russian organising committee.

This train station in Volgograd, Russia, was targeted by a suicide bomber

He said: "Both the IOC and the Sochi organising committee ... officially declared after the analysis of the letter that this threat is not real, and this person has been sending all kinds of messages to many members of the Olympic family."

The British Olympic Association said it was not aware of any credible threat against its athletes or delegation.

The suspected threats come after Russian security officials said they were hunting three potential female suicide bombers ahead of the games.

One of the suspects, 22-year-old Ruzanna Ibragimova - the widow of a suicide bomber - was reported to be at large in Sochi itself.

The other two suspects were identified as Zaira Aliyeva, 26, and Dzhannet Tsakhayeva, 34.

Police information states that all three women have been trained "to perpetrate acts of terrorism".

Last month, the southern city of Volgograd was rocked by two suicide bombings, which killed 34 and injured dozens more.

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Syria: Brutal Photos 'Are Evidence Of Torture'

Syria is facing fresh war crimes allegations after "clear evidence" of the "systematic torture and killing" of up to 11,000 people was published.

The claims were made by a group of top international lawyers, who were handed 55,000 images of dead prisoners.

The lawyers, who are all former war crimes prosecutors, said the photographs showed emaciated corpses with severe injuries and would support findings of crimes against humanity by Bashar al Assad's regime.

Some detainees appeared to have been beaten, strangled or electrocuted, they claimed.

Sir Desmond De Silva, one of the report's co-authors, described the photographs as "very harrowing" and said victims had suffered the "most awful" injuries.

Photos appeared to show Syrian detainees with ligature marks on their necks

"These killings were clearly methodical, daily and systematic as a consequence," he told Sky News. "They could certainly underpin a charge of crime against humanity."

He added: "This industrial killing of people in detention is clearly the work of the Syrian government."

The report draws on evidence smuggled out of Syria by an ex-military policeman, known only as Caesar.

He was described as a "truthful and credible witness" by the inquiry team, who said he was "carefully interviewed" and showed "no signs of being sensational".

Caesar told the inquiry team he was asked to take photographs of numbered corpses - a demand that is "wholly consistent with the need of the regime to ensure that orders for the killing of persons in detention facilities had been carried out", according to the report.

Syrian President Bashar al Assad denies his regime has massacred civilians

"The need to photograph those who were killed is a strong pointer to the fact that the killings were systematic, ordered and directed from above," it added.

Mr Assad, who describes opponents to his regime as "terrorists", previously rejected claims that his troops have killed civilians.

"These organisations do not have a single document to prove that the Syrian government has committed a massacre against civilians anywhere," he said.

"The army does not shell neighbourhoods. The army strikes areas where there are terrorists."

The report, which was commissioned by Qatar, one of the main supporters of the Syrian opposition, was released the day before crucial peace talks are due to get under way.

Officials from around 40 countries are due to meet, although Iran will not be present after its invitation was withdrawn by the UN.

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon was forced to act after the opposition threatened to pull out of the talks.

At the launch of its annual report, Human Rights Watch said a peace accord remained a "distant prospect".

It said the United States' focus on bringing warring factions to the table had been at the expense of putting "real pressure" on the Assad regime, which it claimed had been shielded from UN action by its Russian and Chinese allies..

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Dog Deaths Mystery: Signs Warn Of Killer Disease

By Sunita Patel-Carstairs, Online Producer

Signs have been erected in the New Forest warning dog owners about an unidentified disease which has caused a spate of "unexplained" dog deaths across the UK.

Several cases were reported to the Forestry Commission between December 2012 and April 2013, prompting an investigation into the "mystery dog illness" which can lead to kidney failure.

A further seven dogs have died outside of the New Forest - including one as recently as this month - in Dorset, Worcestershire, Cornwall, County Durham and Surrey.

Dog owners have been warned to look out for wounds that do not heal or lesions on the limbs or face of their pets.

Other signs their dogs may be affected include vomiting, a loss of appetite and severe depression.

It has been suggested the symptoms are similar to those caused by Alabama Rot, a disease first seen in the US in the 1980s, which affected greyhounds, and is thought to be related to a toxin produced by E. coli bacteria.

Some 16 dogs have been affected in the UK, 13 of which have died

However, despite extensive testing, the Forestry Commission said the exact underlying cause remains unknown.

"The reported cases represent an extremely small proportion of the many hundreds of dogs that are exercised in the New Forest every day and it is likely that this syndrome is extremely rare," it said

David Walker, head of medicine at Anderson Moores Veterinary Specialists in Winchester, Hampshire, which has dealt with some of the cases, said the practice was aware of 16 dogs being affected in total, 13 of which had died.

He told Sky News: "When we look at the disease under the microscope, it looks very similar to a disease that appeared in the 1980s in the USA known as Alabama Rot. We have looked for an E. coli trigger in some of the affected dogs but we haven't found it.

"We have a much better understanding of what is going on, but we don't know what the underlying trigger is.

"The message we are trying to get out there is for dog owners to remain vigilant."

The issue has also been brought to the attention of the British Veterinary Association.

BVA President and vet Robin Hargreaves told Sky News: "Dog owners in these regions will feel understandably anxious about the recent cases but it seems that only a very small proportion of the dogs walked in these areas each day have been affected.

"Owners should make sure they are aware of the signs and symptoms and contact their vet immediately if they have any concerns. We are keeping our members informed about the ongoing situation."

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Energy Bosses 'Utterly Complacent' Over Storms

Energy bosses have been accused of "utter complacency" over their response to the Christmas storms that left hundreds of thousands without power.

The heads of the six companies, responsible for the networks which provide power to the UK's homes, were appearing before MPs on the House of Commons Energy Select Committee.

They said they were pleased with the response to the crisis, which saw some homes without power for up to five days, effectively claiming that customers were lucky it had not taken longer to restore electricity to homes.

In addition they were unable to tell MPs how many people were affected, even three weeks after the event.

The committee accused them of having exploited their "privileged monopoly position" and of a lack of sympathy for families who were left without electricity on Christmas Day.

Yalding resident Erica Olivares confronted David Cameron over power cuts

Conservative MP Tim Yeo lambasted them saying: "I've heard nothing at all this morning which reassures me that you are taking this problem seriously enough to deal with the concerns of millions of your customers.

"There is no sense of urgency in what you said about any plans to step up your capacity to respond to severe weather even though we now have quite clear warnings that extreme events are likely to take place more frequently in future."

In addition they cast doubt on Energy Secretary Ed Davey's pledge to introduce a 999-style emergency blackout telephone number for households confused over whom to call in a crisis.

Mr Davey made the claim on January 8 following a meeting with the six energy network company bosses, however, when questioned David Smith, chief executive of the Energy Networks Association, said they were "working on it".

Mr Yeo accused the firms of managing to "make the Secretary of State look ridiculous in his claim that there is going to be a three digit number that customers can use".

Power cuts caused chaos as Gatwick Airport. Pic: Andrew Jennings

He asked Mr Smith if he had informed Mr Davey's office that the introduction of an emergency number were "complete nonsense" and was told: "We had the conversation with the Secretary of State and one of the things that we were very clear on was we need to do some more work, we need to get the final bits and pieces in place, and that was the key point."

Mark Mathieson, managing director of SSE's electricity networks, told the committee: "It was just the impact of the event. It was a massive event. Certainly we haven't seen damage like this in the South back from the early 90s and even back to the great storm of 1987.

"I think the one thing I would say, and I've been in this industry for 25 years, we as an industry clean these events up much quicker than we used to. But we also recognise the impact that has on customers.

"We are sorry and I did go out to communicate with customers that we were sorry that they were off."

Tim Yeo criticised firms for neglecting customers

Basil Scarsella, the chief executive of UK Power Networks, said that they had been prepared for the storms but that the weather forecast "escalated significantly".

He said that on Friday they had forecast 40-50mph winds for Monday but by Sunday that has increased to 70-80mph.

The bosses were also questioned over the levels of compensation offered to customers who had gone without power.

They said they had doubled the levels of compensation to households who had been without power.

However, they were given examples where payouts were being questioned where homes had not met the criteria of 24 hours without power because electricity had been restored for five minutes during the day.

There was widespread anger about the delays in restoring power during the prolonged period of flooding over Christmas.

The outages caused significant delays at Gatwick airport with hundreds of passengers affected and flights cancelled.

David Cameron was memorably confronted by angry resident Erica Olivares during a visit to the village of Yalding in Kent on December 27.

Mr Yeo concluded the committee hearing by telling the six men: "I have to conclude that you are exploiting your privileged monopoly position and you have displayed a neglect of your customers which I personally find absolutely astonishing."

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Michael Cope Given Life For Linzi Ashton Murder

By Becky Johnson, North of England Correspondent

A man has been jailed for life for murdering his ex-girlfriend in a "prolonged, extremely violent and determined attack".

Michael Cope admitted murdering Linzi Ashton, 25, who was found dead at her home in Winton, Salford, on June 29 last year.

The 28-year-old, who pleaded guilty to murder at the start of his trial on Monday, will have to serve a minimum of 27 years in prison before being considered for parole. He also admitted three counts of assault.

Members of Miss Ashton's family cheered as the sentence was delivered. One said: "It's still not enough."

Cope smiled and turned towards the public gallery when he heard his fate. Male relatives of Miss Ashton's ran towards him, punching the glass reinforced dock and shouted "rot in hell".

A post-mortem examination concluded Miss Ashton, who worked as a barmaid, died as a result of pressure to the neck and multiple injuries during the hour-long attack. She had suffered 108 injuries to her head and body caused by a combination of punches and kicks and a ligature around her neck. 

The court heard Miss Ashton had an "acrimonious" relationship with Cope

Miss Ashton, who had two daughters, Destiny, seven, and Daisy, two, was discovered dead in her bed by members of her family.

The Independent Police Complaints Commission, the police watchdog, is investigating contact between Miss Ashton and Greater Manchester Police after it emerged she told officers she was afraid Cope would kill her in the months before her murder.

Manchester Crown Court heard Cope had begun an "acrimonious" relationship with Miss Ashton in November 2012. He subjected her to "deliberate, extensive and sustained domestic abuse".

Miss Ashton's family and friends wept as the prosecuting barrister Kate Blackwell QC described a series of attacks, including two occasions in March 2013 when Cope strangled Miss Ashton.

Cope went on the run after the murder and was spotted on CCTV

A text message sent by Miss Ashton to Cope on March 25 read: "I'm scared every time you drink … You could have actually killed me ... You strangled me until I passed out."

The court heard that in April the abuse suffered by Miss Ashton was reported to police by a friend. Her ex-boyfriend, Liam Grime, had warned her "you are scared of him Linzi and he's going to kill you".

Ms Blackwell told the court the abuse continued. During an attack in the early hours of May 18 Cope had told Miss Ashton: "I'm going to kill you. I'd gladly do time for you. I like it in prison."

Two days later Miss Ashton was interviewed by police and told officers Cope had raped and attacked her. The rape allegation, which he had denied, will lie on file.

Ms Blackwell told the court the interview was "chilling given the fears she had of being murdered in a revenge attack". Miss Ashton told officers: "I'm scared of him coming to get me. Until he is in prison I'm not going to be OK."

Following the murder Cope went on the run for nearly a month, sparking a large police manhunt.

In a statement read out in court, Miss Ashton's mother Philomena McMahon said: "Our lives are empty and dark without Linzi. She was the brightest light you could ever hope to meet. She brought happiness and joy to people who met her.

"I have never known pain like this. Heartbroken doesn't go anywhere near describing how it feels. I don't think we can ever get over this. It is really difficult knowing she won't be there for her daughters."

More follows...

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William Roache Accuser 'Warned By Co-Star'

By Mike McCarthy, North of England Correspondent

A woman who claims she was sexually assaulted by Coronation Street actor William Roache says one of his fellow cast members warned her: "He will lead you astray."

The alleged victim, now in her late fifties, told Mr Roache's trial that she was groped by him when she was a schoolgirl in her teens.

The woman told Preston crown court via a video link that she used to go to the Granada television studios in Manchester to collect autographs.

She said that on one occasion Peter Adamson, who played Len Fairclough in the soap, looked towards his fellow actor and said: "You want to keep an eye on him.  He will lead you astray."

Mr Adamson then referred to Mr Roache as "Cockroach," the woman claimed.

Under cross-examination the alleged victim admitted having been mistaken when she told the court last week that the Coronation Street character concerned was Mike Baldwin rather than Len Fairclough.

She told the court that she had cried when she realised she had made the mistake because she was "mixed-up, upset and confused".

Mr Roache arrives at Preston Crown Court with his daughter Verity

Defence barrister Louise Blackwell QC suggested that the witness was not telling the truth.

She replied: "It happened, no matter what he is saying or what your job is. I have no reason to lie."

The alleged victim accepted that she was also wrong to have claimed that Mr Roache had given her a lift home from the Granada studios in his Rolls Royce.

She said: "I am human - and I am going back a very long time."

The woman accuses the defendant of putting his hand up her skirt and fondling her breasts, an allegation he denies.

Mr Roache, 81, from Wilmslow, Cheshire, denies two counts of raping a 15-year-old girl in 1967.

He also denies five counts of indecent assault involving four girls aged 16 or under between 1965 and 1971.

The trial continues.

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'Sickening' Footage Of Birmingham Street Robbery

Police have released footage of what they have described as a "sickening" unprovoked violent attack on a man who was knocked unconscious and repeatedly kicked in the head by two thieves.

The victim who has been left with permanent scarring to his body, was ambushed by the "thugs" as he made his way home from a night out at a birthday celebration in Birmingham.

CCTV obtained by West Midlands Police of the attack shows the men picked their target by throwing a plate at the 51-year-old's arm as he walked along Bordesley Green Road.

The victim is punched in the head, which knocks him to the ground

The footage shows the victim turn around as the plate strikes him and shatters at his feet.

He confronts the man that has thrown the plate and continues walking up the road when suddenly a second man appears and punches the victim in the head, immediately knocking him to the gutter unconscious.

What follows is "absolutely horrendous", police said, as the first offender begins to rifle through the victim's coat and trouser pockets, helping himself to a watch and mobile phone.

While this is going on, the man who threw the punch saunters back over to the pair and can be seen stamping on the victim's head and slapping him across the face, back and forth, a few times.

One of the attackers rifles through the victim's pockets

He then kicks the victim in the head twice, stamps on it again two times and appears to slap his face again before both attackers run out of view of the CCTV camera.

A motorist slowly drives by before pulling up with his window wound down. He appears to be confronted from a distance by one of the robbers.

A second car pulls up near where the victim is lying unconscious in the road, his legs partly on the pavement, as the two perpetrators stroll away. A concerned passer-by then stops to call the emergency services.

More than a dozen other witnesses can be seen in the video and the victim has encouraged them to speak to detectives.

The offender who knocked him down joins his accomplice.

Speaking anonymously, he said: "I urge you to come forward and furnish the police with information which could assist and lead to the conviction and imprisonment of these perpetrators and cowards.

"This community will not tolerate or accept crimes such as the one inflicted on myself and people should be safeguarded from these thugs.

"On the advice of others, I have chosen not to view the CCTV, but I want such cowardly perpetrators to know the psychological damage you inflict on innocent people can be irreparable."

And in a direct message to the offenders, he said: "The community abhors your crimes and looks forward to you being caught, convicted and removed from our streets."

One man repeatedly stamps and kicks the victim in the head

The victim suffered extensive cuts to his face and head and more cuts and bruising to his body. He is also having to also deal with the psychological impact of the assault.

Chief Inspector Dawn Miskella, from Birmingham CID, said: "The footage speaks for itself − it was an absolutely horrendous, unprovoked attack on an innocent man who was making his way home from a night out, leaving him with long-lasting injuries.

"I would appeal directly to those people who drove past the scene as the robbery was taking place to please come forward and speak to us. You may not have realised what was going on at the time, but your information could be vital in helping us find the people responsible."

The attack happened outside the Bordesley Green surgery on Bordesley Green Road, at the junctions with Pikewater Road and Whitehall Road, at around 1.10am on Sunday, December 15.

Anyone with information can contact Birmingham Police CID on 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

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Sheppey: 150-Car Pile-Up Drivers Face Action

Police say they have enough evidence to prosecute 32 motorists involved in a 150-car pile-up on the New Sheppey Crossing Bridge in Kent.

But officers said rather than drag the alleged offenders through the courts, they will send them on driver alertness courses instead.

The huge crash during rush hour on September 5 last year is believed to have been the biggest accident in thick fog in living memory.

It continued for 10 minutes as cars and lorries smashed into each other in visibility of just 25 yards.

The bridge was closed in both directions for more than nine hours

Eight people suffered serious injuries and 200 others were treated at the scene.

Inspector Martin Stevens, head of the serious collision investigation unit at Kent Police, said it was "quite simply a miracle" that no-one was killed.

Some motorists were driving 'like idiots' before the crash, witnesses said

Some motorists reportedly drove "like idiots" before the crash, which closed the bridge in both directions for more than nine hours.

Officers are sending letters to 32 drivers involved in the crash, offering them the chance to attend a one-day driving awareness course rather than go to court.

Visibility was down to just 25 yards during the pile-up

Those who decline will automatically be summonsed to court, Kent Police said.

Insp Stevens said: "This has been a thorough investigation of what was the biggest collision in the county and certainly the largest our team has had to deal with.

"Clearly the thick fog that descended on the bridge that day made driving conditions incredibly challenging and was a contributory factor in the resulting collision which stretched from the approach right across the bridge.

The crash happened during rush hour on the Isle of Sheppey

"While a significant number of drivers did precisely the right thing by driving to the conditions, our investigation has provided overwhelming evidence that in some cases motorists were not driving with due care and attention and were travelling at speeds which prevented them being able to stop in the distances that they could see ahead.

"Rather than go through the process of taking these people to court, it was felt that offering an educational outcome would prove far more beneficial for the drivers involved."

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