Roache Trial: 'Victim Depressed After Abuse'

By Mike McCarthy, North Of England Correspondent

The victim of an alleged rape by Coronation Street actor William Roache claims she suffered psychological problems in later years.

The woman, now aged 62, was 15 at the time the star is said to have attacked her - first in his bungalow in Lancashire and then in a nearby cottage which he also owned. 

She told Preston Crown Court that she had suffered depression for a number of years following the alleged offences.

Appearing via a video link the woman was cross-examined by defence barrister Louise Blackwell QC about the first alleged rape in 1967.

"According to you this is a man you have known for some time and you lay there and say nothing. Is that right?" she asked.

The woman replied: "That's correct. I was speechless. I was shocked."

Ms Blackwell said: "Were you crying on your way back (home)?"

The alleged victim replied: "I could not answer that. I was upset about what had happened but cannot state 100% that I would be crying."

Roache (C) with some of his family

Ms Blackwell continued: "You said nothing the next day?"

The woman said:  "No. I went to school as normal ... I was humiliated. I was disgusted and ashamed. I was so shocked I would never have mentioned it to anyone."

It is alleged Roache raped the girl again sometime later the same year.

The defence barrister asked why the woman could not remember what had happened after the second alleged rape.

She replied: "You want to close your mind to them (memories). You don't want to remember them.

"You just black them out. I never thought I would ever repeat these. I have buried this for 47 years."

The woman said she suffered a nervous breakdown following the birth of one of her children and was admitted to a psychiatric department although she did not claim this was connected to the alleged rapes.

The complainant was asked if she continued to watch Coronation Street after the two alleged rapes.

She replied: "Yes. He is no threat when he is on television."

Roache, 81, has played the character of Ken Barlow in ITV's Coronation Street since the soap opera started in 1960.

He denies five charges of indecent assault and two of rape.

The trial continues.

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Missing Mikaeel 'Could Not Have Left Alone'

It would have been "practically impossible" for three-year-old Mikaeel Kular to leave his home on his own, a missing persons expert has told Sky News.

John Moses, a former Royal Military Policeman and detective, said the evidence in the case pointed towards a "professional abduction".

Mr Moses, now a private missing person investigator, said that forensic officers would have established whether the boy's prints were on doors leading to the street.

Police have launched an air, sea and land search for the Mikaeel

"The biggest concern is 'how can a child of three years of age actually walk out of a premises at that time in the morning?'.

"To be totally honest with you, it's practically impossible. So police will be opening up the net and looking elsewhere as well."

Mr Moses continued: "I personally don't think a child would have been able to orchestrate this themselves - as in open the door and work their way through the system. 

"I believe that forensics would have picked up the hand print of the child, clawing at the door, actually opening the door and working its way out.

Forensic experts may have information on fingerprints from the home

"So forensics will be one step ahead at this time and it will give them a better understanding at this stage, which won't be disclosed, about where they should be looking."

Mr Moses said that the nature of the disappearance and fact that a body had not been found pointed to a possible abduction.

"An open mind is paramount. There's no body, so that indicates one more positive directive to actually suspect that this child has been professionally abducted," he said.

Police have activated the Child Rescue Alert system, which is usually reserved for abduction and kidnap cases and supported by all police forces across the UK.

A special telephone number has been set up for anyone who has seen the child or has information about his whereabouts. Calls to the 0300 200 0200 number will be answered by dedicated members of staff.

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Zara Phillips Gives Birth To Baby Daughter

By Paul Harrison, Royal Correspondent

The Queen's granddaughter Zara Phillips has given birth to a baby girl at Gloucester Royal Hospital.

Her baby, the Queen's fourth great grandchild and now the 16th in line to the throne, weighed 7lbs 12oz.

Buckingham Palace confirmed Zara's husband, former England rugby star Mike Tindall, was present at the birth.

"The Queen, the Duke of Edinburgh, the Princess Royal, Captain Mark Phillips and Mike's parents, Mr Phillip and Mrs Linda Tindall, have been informed and are delighted with the news," added the Queen's Press Secretary.

Zara and her husband at Sandringham at Christmas

The baby's name has not been announced.

The 32-year-old's pregnancy was announced as the media gathered outside St Mary's Hospital in July last year waiting for Duchess of Cambridge to go into labour.

The Olympic silver-medalist had been reluctant early on in her pregnancy to give up competing in show-jumping events.

Zara gave up competitive riding after her three-month scan

Admitting she was used to being on the go, finding it hard to put her feet up, the professional three-day eventer was photographed taking part in competitions after her 12-week scan.

But Zara soon allowed her sporting prowess to take a back seat, turning instead to baking to fill her days.

She and her husband opted not to be told the gender of their baby when offered the opportunity during early hospital scans.

A heavily pregnant Zara more recently accompanied the Queen by car to the traditional Christmas Day service in Sandringham.

The couple, who live at Princess Anne's Gatcombe Park Estate, have reportedly been busy "buying stuff" for the baby, according to Mr Tindall, who adds that he is "a big kid and so will fit in just right".

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Missing Boy: Police Reveal Possible Sighting

Police say there has been a possible sighting of missing three-year-old Mikaeel Kular.

Members of the public have reported seeing a boy at West Pilton Gardens, Edinburgh, not far from Mikaeel's home, yesterday morning at around 8.30am.

The timing of the sighting has been confirmed by CCTV images, although these cannot confirm the identity of the child.

Superintendent Liz McAinsh said: "Since Mikaeel was reported missing, we have been contacted by a number of people with information which we have been working to assess and respond to.

"Members of the public have come forward to report seeing a boy walking in the vicinity of West Pilton Gardens at 8.30am yesterday.

"The witnesses were in a vehicle driving down West Pilton Gardens at the time they saw the boy. They described seeing a small boy on the right hand side pavement running towards the junction with West Pilton Park.

"They noticed him because he was small in build and alone at the time. They said he matched the description given of Mikaeel although they also reported the child they saw was wearing a cap or hat.

"We would ask that anyone who also saw this child contact us as a matter of urgency. We need to confirm if this was Mikaeel or if it was another child.

"If it is your child who was out at this time and in this location, we want to hear from you so we can eliminate this line of inquiry as swiftly as possible."

Anyone with information relating to this sighting is asked to contact the dedicated telephone number 0300 200 0200 and speak to Police Scotland.

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Bull Elephant Rampage: Briton's Car Trampled

A raging bull elephant has been filmed overturning a car in which a British teacher was travelling through South Africa's Kruger National Park.

Sarah Brooks, from Lincolnshire, was on safari with her partner, slowly following the animal down a road.

The incident was filmed by tourists in the car behind who see the elephant stop walking and turn towards the car.

It then approaches the car from the side and rolls it over and over, leaving it crushed, with the couple inside. 

The tourists in the car behind who did the filming are clearly shocked and distressed and heard to say: "Stop the car ... reverse, reverse, they're going to die."

They urge their own driver to reverse and get out of the angry elephant's way.

The elephant was subsequently killed, the park's general manager said, because its behaviour was totally inexplicable.

The couple were taken to hospital and later discharged.

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Cancer Increase 'Is Due To Ageing Population'

By Hind Hassan, Sky News Reporter

Nearly a third of a million people are diagnosed with cancer every year, according to a UK charity.

Some 330,000 people were diagnosed with some form of the disease in 2011 - an increase of almost 50,000 per year over a decade. Researchers say an ageing population is one of the reasons for the increase.

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An aging population is one reason for the increase

Jessica Kirby from Cancer Research UK said: "People's risk of cancer goes up significantly as we get older; the more older people we have in our population the more people will develop cancer.

"There are other reasons for the rise as well; changes in risk factors for example. We know that more and more people are overweight compared to the past which is one of the key factors for cancers."

But greater awareness, advanced technology and ongoing medical research means cancer is being detected earlier and those that have it are living longer.

Edward Scott believes an early diagnosis of testicular cancer saved his life. The 15-year-old discovered a lump last year and sought urgent advice.

"I went on the NHS website and I found all the symptoms for testicular cancer were symptoms that I had," he said.

"The same day I went to my mum and said 'Mum there is something really wrong, I have to go get this sorted out'.

"I went into the GP and the same day I found out I had cancer."

Cancer Research UK's chief executive Dr Harpal Kumar said: "These figures reinforce the vital need for more research to better prevent, treat and cure cancer.

"Research is the only way we'll be able to reduce the devastating impact of the disease. One day we will beat cancer. The more research we do, the sooner that day will come."

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Dave Lee Travis Was 'Opportunist' Court Told

DJ Dave Lee Travis, who is accused of a string of sex assaults, was an "opportunist" who preyed on "vulnerable" young women, a court has heard.

The 68-year-old carried out a series of assaults which were "sexual in nature" while working as a disc jockey, acting in pantomimes and even at the opening of a hospital radio station, a jury at Southwark Crown Court in London was told.

The former Radio One DJ, whose real name is David Patrick Griffin, is on trial accused of assaulting 11 women, one of whom was 15 at the time of the alleged crime.

He denies the charges.

Opening the Crown's case, prosecutor Miranda Moore QC said women had come forward from "all parts of the United Kingdom" with similar allegations against Travis.

The alleged assaults were carried out by Travis "in a work environment", including an appearance at the opening of a hospital radio station, Ms Moore said.

"The offences vary in gravity," she said.

"All are sexual in nature involving unwanted contact by this defendant on much younger women, both over clothing and under clothing," Ms Moore added.

Travis had been "opportunist" in targeting "young women who were very vulnerable", Ms Moore said.

Travis is charged with 13 counts of indecent assault dating between 1976 and 2003, and one count of sexual assault in 2008.

He was arrested under Scotland Yard's Operation Yewtree, which was prompted by abuse allegations involving the late Jimmy Savile, the court heard.

A jury of eight women and four men were sworn in on Tuesday morning.

Judge Anthony Leonard warned them not to research the case, adding: "You will try the case on the information obtained here in this court and nothing else."

The trial is due to last up to six weeks.

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Rolf Harris To Enter Pleas On Sex Charges

Rolf Harris has arrived at court to enter pleas to 12 counts of indecent assault and four of making indecent images of a child.

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Southwest Airlines Flight Lands At Wrong Airport

A Southwest Airlines flight from Chicago is under investigation after it landed at the wrong airport seven miles from its intended destination.

Flight 4013, carrying 124 passengers and five crew members, was scheduled to fly from Chicago's Midway International Airport to Branson Airport, Missouri.

But the Boeing 737-700 landed at Taney County Airport instead, on a runway half the size of it proper destination.

It was unclear why the flight went to the wrong airport.

Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) spokesman Tony Molinaro said an investigation has been launched.

Airline spokesman Brad Hawkins said: "The landing was uneventful, and all customers and crew are safe.

"Our ground crew from the Branson airport arrived at the airport to take care of our customers and their baggage."

Flight 4013 had been scheduled to go from Branson to Love Field in Dallas. Mr Hawkins said another aircraft was flown into Branson at 10pm on Sunday to take the passengers and crew to Dallas.

The runway at Taney County, also known as M. Graham Clark Airport, is 3,738ft. Branson Airport's website says its runway is 7,140ft long.

The Southwest plane is able to take off from Taney County and the company said it expected it to fly out "as early as tomorrow (Monday) morning".

It is the second time in two months that an aircraft has landed at the wrong airport.

In November, a Boeing 747 Dreamlifter which was supposed to deliver parts to McConnell Air Force Base in Wichita, Kansas, landed nine miles north at Colonel James Jabara Airport.

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Ireland Chess Killer 'Ate Victim's Body Parts'

A lodger has admitted killing a man during a row over a game of chess - and is said to have eaten his victim's heart.

Saverio Bellante claimed to have eaten his landlord's organ after a violent argument.

But a post-mortem found that while one lung was missing, the heart was intact.

The examination found that a lung was removed from the body of researcher Tom O'Gorman, 39, during the attack and had not yet been located, the Irish Independent reported, citing an undisclosed source.

Mr O'Gorman's body was found with multiple stab wounds at his home in Beech Park Avenue, Castleknock, in north Dublin, where the accused had been living as a tenant. He had also been beaten several times over the head with a dumbbell.

Bellante, 34, originally from Palermo on the Italian island of Sicily, has been charged with murder.

The paper said it had not been possible to establish whether Mr O'Gorman was already dead before his body was mutilated.

Irish police were alerted to the killing when the accused, who was described as "calm," phoned emergency services at 1.50am on Sunday.

Bellante appeared before Blanchardstown District Court on Monday. Detective Garda Patrick Traynor told the court that Bellante admitted the murder when he was cautioned.

Judge David McHugh ordered that he undergo a medical assessment.

It is understood Mr O'Gorman was a former journalist with The Voice Today, a Roman Catholic newspaper.

A graduate of University College Dublin, he had more recently been a researcher with the Dublin-based Catholic lobby group the Iona Institute for seven years, and is believed to have taken in a lodger in recent months to help supplement his income.

David Quinn, director of The Iona Institute, said Mr O'Gorman's friends and colleagues were left devastated by his death.

"On behalf of everyone at The Iona Institute, I would like to express our total shock and deep sorrow at the terrible and untimely death of Tom O'Gorman," he said.

"Tom was a friend as well as a work colleague to us all. He was a fond and dear friend and we will all miss him.

It is not thought alcohol or drugs were involved in the incident.

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