Live: Breaking news, traffic and travel across Teesside

The Evening Gazette's live breaking news blog brings you regular updates, pictures, video, tweets and comments covering the latest Teesside and North Yorkshire traffic, travel, weather, crime and council news for today, Friday 12th September, 2014.

You can contribute to the live blog by posting your comment below, and you can also tweet us @EveningGazette to share breaking news stories, pictures and opinions.

Our Teesside breaking news live blog begins at 07:00am every weekday and is updated throughout the day and into the evening.

Israeli forces detain 6 Palestinians in West Bank overnight

HEBRON (Ma’an) — Israeli forces detained six Palestinians in the West Bank overnight, local popular committee sources and an army spokeswoman said Wednesday.

Muhammad Ayyad Awad, spokesman for Beit Ummar’s popular committee, told Ma’an Israeli forces raided the town of Sair in the Hebron district and detained Thair Rida al-Shalalda.

Clashes broke out during the raid, and Ishaq al-Shalalda was injured by Israeli troops and taken to the hospital for treatment, Awad said.

He added that soldiers entered Beit Ummar and detained 18-year-old Muhammad Nawwaf Muhammad Adi and 17-year-old Ali Sami Hasan Adi while they were picking fruit from trees on their agricultural lands.

Soldiers also detained Salah Hasaniya during a raid on al-Arrub refugee camp in northern Hebron, he said.

An Israeli army spokeswoman told Ma’an that soldiers arrested six Palestinians in the West Bank overnight — one in Qalandia, one in al-Amari refugee camp, one northwest of Bethlehem, two in al-Arrub refugee camp, and one northwest of Ramallah

Warning that lives are at risk after stones thrown at motorists on the A174

Lives are being put at risk by yobs throwing missiles on to a major Teesside dual carriageway, police have warned.

At least one person was injured after stones were launched on to the busy A174 parkway.

Police officers say someone could be killed if the mindless attacks continue.

Between 8.30pm and 10pm on Wednesday, four incidents were reported to police of youths throwing stones at vehicles from a bridge at Ormesby Grange.

One of the people in a car was cut by broken glass from the windscreen.

Inspector Chris Barker said the youngsters were “foolishly and recklessly” putting motorists’ lives in danger.

He said: “I am appealing to members of the public who may know who these individuals are to get in touch.

“Irresponsible behaviour such as this may seem like a prank to youngsters but it can have very serious consequences.

“There will be additional uniformed and plain-clothed officers in the area over the coming nights in an attempt to catch those responsible and to prevent further incidents.”

It isn’t the first time extra patrols have been deployed after lives have been put at risk on the A174.

In 2012 a four-year-old girl was sprayed with glass after yobs threw bricks from a bridge over the dual carriageway, shattering her dad’s windscreen.

On that occasion, Cleveland Police warned that somebody could have been killed in the incident.

Just days before that incident, officers had received reports that missiles - believed to be bricks - had been thrown off a footbridge near Ormesby Grange Farm.

The Gazette also reported that in August 2011 10 motorists were targeted under the Ormesby footbridge on the A174.

And in March 2011 a car’s windscreen was smashed and the body panel of a second vehicle damaged after a brick was thrown from the bridge over the A174 at Marton Country Club.

Meanwhile In February of the same year, 19 vehicles were targeted in just two weeks as they drove along the A174.

Signs have been placed on the bridges warning about the dangers of throwing missiles from the bridges.

Anyone with information is asked to call contact Inspector Chris Barker on the non-emergency number 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

Boy was left blind after shocking neglect by parents in Thornaby

A couple were named and jailed by a judge for the appalling neglect of their two children which left a young boy blind.

Idle Gillian Hendry and Craig Dick, both 34, kept the 12-year-old boy and his sister, two, in a a filthy, stinking, fly-infested house in central Thornaby.

The boy went blind in his left eye from cataracts because they failed to take him for hospital appointments that could have saved his sight.

He also became increasingly crippled with arthritis until his doctors called in social services so they could give him the treatment he desperately needed.

When social workers went to the house on 21 August last year the couple would not let them inside.

They returned with the police who were shocked by what they found, prosecutor David Crook told Teesside Crown Court.

The couple who were living on benefits in Teesdale Terrace, Thornaby, were unkempt, and the boy’s eye was white and he said that he could not see out of it.

He went upstairs and came back with his sister who he placed in a high chair.

The staircase was dirty and with trodden-in food and bin bags stuffed with dirty nappies. The girl’s cot had a damp and mouldy mattress.

The judge said that the cruelty towards her was that she had been kept in dreadful conditions.

The kitchen was dirty and infested with flies, and upstairs the toilet and bath were filthy, and the bath was filled with cold dirty water

A bedroom had been used as a toilet, and the children’s beds had filthy mattresses and no covers.

The couple’s bedroom by contrast was relatively tidy, but they said that they slept downstairs.

The children were immediately taken into care. The boy now lives with his natural father, and the girl, who was fathered by Dick, is being put up for adoption.

Lawyers for the couple said they were unlikely to have the care of any children again.

Peter Wishlade, defending the mother, said the only reason she could give was depression, which was unsupported by any medical evidence.

He said: “Other than that, I don’t know how this has happened, I cannot give any explanation.

“It is correct to say that she had indicated to a nurse at the RVI that she had let everything slip because she felt depressed.”

Jim Withyman, defending Dick, said that he was an inadequate man who could not even take care of his own personal hygiene.

He said: “There is a deficiency in him by allowing his children to live in such appalling conditions.

“He will not appear before the courts again providing that he is not looking after children.”

Judge Howard Crowson, who was shown police photographs of the house, lifted earlier court orders banning the identification of the children, which would have made naming the couple impossible.

The judge told them: “The conditions we have seen in the photographs are appalling.

“I feel this was was inadequacy rather than a deliberate attempt to cause harm to either child.

“Your own bedroom was noticeably clean although you claimed not to use it.”

Hendry was jailed for two-and-a-half years and Dick for two years and two months after they pleaded guilty to two charges of child neglect.

Stockton Treasure Hunter Ian Bisset finds gold ring

A gold medieval ring found by a Stockton businessman has been confirmed to be treasure.

Ian Bisset, 59, from Fairfield, was metal detecting on cultivated land at Red Hall Farm, next to Castlelevington, when he got a sharp signal from his detector.

He started digging down through the soil and when he reached around six inches deep, he noticed the ring.

Yesterday acting senior coroner Claire Bailey confirmed it was treasure trove during a hearing at Teesside Coroner’s Court.

Under the Coroners Act 1996, the ring will now be sent to the British Museum where a Treasure Evaluation Committee will decide its value.

The museum will then have first refusal to display the ring.

Mr Bisset said: “It’s a marvellous thing to pick something up and realise what it is.

“To think that it was actually worn on someone’s hand thousands of years ago is incredible.

“When I realised what it was, I carefully wiped the mud off and then checked the nearby area for other items, as they are often found together.

“I then took it straight to the farmer to show him and told him that I would like to report the find.”

Although Mr Bisset found the treasure, he was not legally entitled to keep it and had to attend an inquest before being told if it was of any value.

He also has to wait to see if the British Museum will award him a finders fee of any kind.

The ring, which is made up of a gold wire with a circular cross section, is complete and in good condition.

It measures 24.56mm in diametre, weighs 6.9g and is between 1.49mm and 1.68mm thick.

Ms Bailey concluded that the ring was indeed treasure as it is more than 300 years old and has a precious metal content of more than 10%.

Preston Park Museum has shown a keen interest to display the ring and this will be taken into consideration by the British Museum.

US air raid kills 14 civilians in NE Afghanistan

At least fourteen civilians, including women and children, have been killed in yet another airstrike by US-led forces in Afghanistan.

An airstrike, which took place in Afghanistan’s northeastern province of Kunar, left at least 14 people dead, most of them women and children.

Local officials have told Press TV that the overnight air raid in the Badil District of the province also left 13 people injured.

Afghan President Hamid Karzai has strongly condemned the latest civilian casualties by US forces in Kunar Province.

Meanwhile, Afghan officials have launched an investigation into the deadly incident.

The US military headquarters in Kabul has not yet commented on the matter.

According to the Press TV correspondent in Afghanistan, there is growing anger and frustration among the resident in Kunar Valley over the US targeting of the civilians.

The families of the victims have reportedly taken the bodies of their loved ones to the provincial capital, Asadabad. The families are demanding justice over the case saying mere condemnation of the deadly airstrikes by Afghan officials is no guarantee to prevent the recurrence of similar incidents in the future.

According to the United Nations office in Kabul, over 2,000 civilians have been killed in Afghanistan over the past six months.

Afghanistan has repeatedly criticized the US for its air raids in the country. Afghan officials say the attacks mostly hit civilian targets.

In 2001, the US and its allies invaded Afghanistan as part of Washington’s so-called war on terror. Although the US-led invasion removed the Taliban from power, insecurity continues to grapple the war-torn country.

NGD/AB/SS

Port Clarence man who conned his way into pensioner's home jailed for 18 months

A trickster was jailed at his own request earlier after he conned his way into an 86-year-old woman’s home and stole hundreds of pounds when she mistook him for a council tradesman.

Alexander White, 36, from Port Clarence, turned up on her doorstep on a Sunday afternoon and the vulnerable pensioner asked him if he had come about her bath.

There was no problem with the bath, but the woman wanted a rail fitted in her bathroom

White tricked her into handing over £30 as a deposit, then another £10 and when she left him alone he stole another £240.

Prosecutor David Crook told Teesside Crown Court that White asked her to run the kitchen tap leaving him in a bedroom where she kept the cash, and when she returned he had fled with the haul.

White’s lawyer said that he was so ashamed of what he had done that he wanted to go to prison.

Andrew Teate said that heroin addict White wished to apologise to his trusting victim.

Mr Teate said: “He is totally disgusted at his actions, and he virtually invites the court to pass on him an immediate custodial sentence.”

He said that White’s partner had been driving him around Hartlepool while he looked for gardening work.

He had a lawnmower in the back of the car, but when the woman answered his knock at the door she asked him “Have you come about the bath ?”

Mr Teate added:” The opportunity presented itself and he takes advantage to the detriment of the victim.

“It was an advantage taken on impulse.”

White had a criminal record for dishonesty going back to 1996. The Crown said that the woman was deliberately targeted when she answered the door and she was obviously vulnerable.

The woman said in a victim impact statement that she was left unable to sleep and shaking by the experience, and she had feared that she might be targeted again in the future.

Judge Howard Crowson told White: “I’m going to send you to prison whether you ask for it or not.

“It was regretted early on, and your early guilty plea suggests that you are sorry, and you know perfectly well what you have done.”

White, of Laburnum Close, Port Clarence, was jailed for 18 months after he pleaded guilty to the August 3 burglary.

Palestinian shot dead by Israeli forces in West Bank

Israeli forces have shot dead a Palestinian young man in a refugee camp in Ramallah in the West Bank.

According to media sources, the 22-year-old man was killed on Wednesday during clashes which erupted after Israeli troops entered al-Am’ari refugee camp overnight.

Ahmad Betawi, the director of Ramallah Hospital, said that the young man identified as Essa Qatri was shot in the chest with live fire and died shortly before reaching the hospital.

The Israeli military claims its forces opened fire on him because he was trying to throw an explosive device at troops.

Witnesses say Israeli forces invaded the refugee camp to make arrests. They were reportedly confronted by Palestinians who hurled stones and burning tires at them.

This comes as Israeli forces detained 10 Palestinians from different parts of the West Bank in the early hours of Tuesday.

The Israeli army said the Palestinians were being interrogated but did not state where the detentions took place or what the charges are.

Meanwhile, the Palestinian Prisoners Society confirmed that three Palestinians were detained in Jenin refugee camp in northern West Bank and two others in Jericho in the east.

AR/MAM/HRB

Obama says ready to launch air attacks on IS in Syria

WASHINGTON: US President Barack Obama said Wednesday he is ready to launch air strikes on Islamic State forces in Syria, expanding the campaign already undertaken against the militants in Iraq.

“I have made it clear that we will hunt down terrorists who threaten our country, wherever they are. That means I will not hesitate to take action against ISIL in Syria, as well as Iraq,” Obama said in a televised address.

“This is a core principle of my presidency: if you threaten America, you will find no safe haven.”

He called on Congress to give him “additional authorities and resources to train and equip” the Syrian opposition, saying they were the “best counterweight” to IS fighters, who have seized wide swaths of territory in Iraq and Syria.

“In the fight against ISIL, we cannot rely on an Assad regime that terrorizes its people; a regime that will never regain the legitimacy it has lost,” he said, referring to Syrian President Bashar Assad.

Obama said the US would lead a “broad coalition” to roll back the threat posed by IS, but insisted that US combat troops will not be sent to fight on foreign soil as part of the operation.

Local Teesside football round-up: BEADS bowl rivals over as Mac and Sowerby find net

First round Macmillan Bowl games dominated the Teesside League programme.

BEADS progressed after a 3-1 victory over fellow first division side Lingdale.

Two goals from James McGowan gave BEADS a 2-0 half-time lead and Mark Sowerby made it three before Lee Struwig pulled one back with an 80th minute penalty.

Fishburn Park took Grangetown Boys’ Club to extra-time before losing 5-3. Darrin Morrison and Michael McGowan scored a brace each for the Boys’ Club with Michael Meggison also on target.

Danny Lockwood scored four times in a 9-2 Whinney Banks victory at New Marske, while Thirsk Falcons pipped Thornaby Dubliners 2-1 with Duncan Padget scoring after only three minutes.

Russell Spence made it 1-1 at half-time and Gareth Barber scored the winner with 20 minutes remaining.

The all-second division clash between Loftus Athletic and Staithes Athletic was decided by a single goal Rob Jones goal for Loftus while Redcar Athletic were beaten 4-3 by Cargo Fleet AFC, with Sean Harland scoring a brace for Fleet.

North Ormesby overcame second division Kader 2-0. Calum Dunn opened the scoring and Michael James got the second eight minutes from time.

Stockton West End won 5-1 at second division Middleton Rangers, Ben Turner scoring a hat-trick.

Nunthorpe Athletic were 2-0 up after an hour of their Division One clash with Redcar Newmarket thanks to goals from Nathan Tidy and Dan Carny but Michael Dowse pulled a goal back and Danny Puckrin struck twice in a minute.

Boro Rangers were knocked off the top of Division Two as they finished with nine men in a 4-2 defeat at St Mary’s College.

Rangers took an early lead through Peter Snaith but Jonathan Squires levelled and Craig Sillick put St Mary’s 2-1 up at the break.

Snaith was sent off early in the second half for a second bookable offence, then Louis Smith was shown a straight red for a dangerous tackle.

Jack Boocock made it 2-2 despite the numerical disadvantage but Ben Cotts scored two late penalties to give St Mary’s victory.

Yarm are now top on goal difference after a 4-1 victory over Billingham Synthonia.

Danny Jones, Jack Dalton, Matthew Jones and Liam Watson scored for Yarm. Nathan Mohun was the Synners scorer.

LINGDALE United continue to lead the UPVC Suppliers Ltd Eskvale and Cleveland League.

They picked up their third successive win as they leathered Loftus Athletic 7-2 and sit at the summit on goal difference.

A hat-trick from Anthony Jones to go with goals from Andy Smith, Mark Ward, Paul Jack and Danny Jemson gave the hosts a comprehensive victory. Johns and Hill replied for Loftus.

Lealholm maintained their 100% record with a 2-1 win at Brotton Railway Arms, who had won their first two fixtures.

Brotton steamed into the lead from a sublime Paul Agar free- kick but Lealholm’s McCarthy struck twice.

Great Ayton United took their first points of the season as they swept aside a Lakes United side still waiting to get off the mark 6-1. Aaron Lunn, Michael Gill and Alex Grainge all scored doubles for Ayton while Maryvan Hamad replied.

THE new MB Distribution Redcar Sunday League season got underway with three heavy victories for Black Swan, Clarendon Hotel and Ennis Square, while The Citz won a tight game 1-0 at West Two with a second half Stuart Poulter goal.

Ennis Square Social Club won 9-1 at Winning Post who played well early on and restricted Ennis Square to a single goal. But three goals in five minutes turned the game on its head.

Ennis Square added five more after the break, with Danny Dodgson scoring a consolation goal for Winning Post.

Black Swan eased to a 7-0 home win against Cleveland Hotel. Josh Butters scored three and Dean Wilson and David Onions added two each.

Clarendon Hotel were equally impressive, running out 9-2 winners at home to Middlesbrough Homeless with Steven Jones getting four goals and Paul Banks netting twice.

Mark Banks, Joe Canwell and Isan Benomran were Clarendon’s other scorers.

Contender Promotions sign six Dutch fighters to compete in Teesside-based events

Contender Promotions have signed six Dutch fighters to compete in their Teesside-based events.

Contender president Garry Bell flew across the North Sea in search of talented kick fighters who can add strength to his regular shows at Eston Sports Academy.

And the former super- middleweight competitor believes his Fightstar Hunt Holland event in Amsterdam unearthed some diamonds.

Over 40 fighters from across the land of tulips and canals attended Bell’s X-Factor style Fightstar Hunt Holland try-out at the Vos Gym.

And half a dozen of them impressed him so much during open sparring that he snapped them up on contracts.

Luciano Winter, Augin Masoud, Tarik Khbabez, Walid Hamid, Goodan Kalayham and 15-year-old female kickboxer Onellina Aikino will all fight under the Contender Promotions banner, the majority of them before the end of the year.

Khbabez will be thrust straight into the limelight when he tackles colossal London super heavyweight Daniel Sam in the main event of Contender’s next show at Eston on November 8.

Masoud will fight on the same show in a four-man, 70kg international tournament which features Darlington’s Ian Robinson.

Bell’s judging panel included some of the biggest names in Dutch kickboxing, including Ivan Hippolyte, Hesdy Gerges and Denise Kielholtz.

“We are very happy with the new fighters we have signed,” he said.

“Holland is one of the strongest kickboxing countries in the world and going over there showed why it was the right place for us to search for up and coming talent.

“The standard was really high and we selected six fighters that we liked a lot.

“We are excited for them to be a part of Contender Promotions and it’s an exciting time as we aim to keep growing and moving forward.”

Stockton sprinter Richard Kilty set for season finale in Morocco

Stockton sprinter Richard Kilty will bring the curtain down on a remarkable season on the track this weekend as he represents Europe in the IAFF Continental Cup.

Kilty became a household athletics name in March when he upset the odds to become the World Indoor 60m champion.

The 25-year-old was part of the England team that brought home a silver medal in the 100m relay at Glasgow’s Commonwealth Games in July, narrowly missed out to Usain Bolt’s Jamaican team.

The Teesside Tornado then followed it up with a gold in the European Championship relay and took the international 150m race at last weekend’s Puma Great North CityGames.

Kilty has one more competition left in what has been a long, and sometimes tiring journey this year.

This weekend he calls time when he competes in the IAAF Continental Cup in Marrakech, Morocco where the all-conquering British sprint relay quartet will represent Europe in the fixture which has a purse of close to $3m on offer.

The winning relay teams are assured of £30,000, so a trip to North Africa is not to be turned down even though many of the athletes who will be taking part will be slightly jaded after such a testing season.

“Winning last weekend (in Gateshead) was the best end-of-season I could wish for”, Kilty said.

“I’ve won four major medals – individual gold in the World Indoors, gold in the 4x100m relay at the Europeans, silver in the sprint relay at the Commonwealth Games and bronze in the 4x100m relay at the inaugural World Relay Championships – this year.

“To finish all of that with a flourish on a home track in front of a home crowd was amazing.

“Morocco is my final competition and it would be nice if we can put in another good performance.

“We’ve been together since May when we competed in the Bahamas and we did the business in our final outing when we won gold in the Europeans.”

Europe’s main competition in the 4x100m race is likely to come from the Americas team, made up of talented quartet Richard Thompson, Mike Rodgers, Kim Collins and Nesta Carter.

After a short break Kilty will start preparing for next year’s European Indoor Championships in Prague and the World Outdoor Championships in Beijing.

Meanwhile, Kilty is in a celebratory mood after announcing a new sponsorship deal with Middlesbrough-based Acklam Car Centre.

The sprinter, who was born just a few minutes away from the dealership, joined forces with manager Chris Andrews after popping in to look for a car.

Chris was so impressed with the local boy’s achievements he asked if he could help with sponsorship.

And last week Kilty took delivery of a white Toyota GT, worth £20,000.

The sponsorship is the second sporting partnership for the local dealership, which already works with Boro’s 2010 Commonwealth Games heavyweight gold medallist Simon Vallily.

Speaking about the partnership, Chris, 36, said: “As a well-known local firm we’re always looking for ways to put something back into the community and support local athletes.

“When you look closely at Richard’s story and what he has gone on to achieve it truly is amazing.

“We’re really delighted to be able to help him in any way we can.”

Table tennis: New pair boost Ormesby league title bid

Ormesby are strong contenders for this season’s Premier Division British League championship as they start the campaign at home this weekend with two significant new signings in their ranks.

One of the Team GB squad for the Olympics, Darius Knight has joined the club as the new No 1, replacing Ryan Jenkins who is playing his club table tennis in Belgium this season.

Knight, 24, is going to the European Championships in Portugal with England later this month and the left-handed Londoner’s arrival adds new vigour to the Ormesby squad.

The second new signing is Britain’s top junior player Helshan Weerasinghe, who is one of the best prospects for the future England team.

Also in the team from last season is Wales international Michael Marsden and leading British cadet player Tom Jarvis.

The first round of matches is being played at the Ormesby Club headquarters on Cargo Fleet Lane, Middlesbrough this weekend, with four rounds starting at 10.30am and 2.30pm on Saturday, and 10am and 2pm on Sunday.

Current champions Sycamore of Nottingham retain a strong squad which includes England international Chris Doran and Ireland No 1 Paul McCreery, plus the former English Senior women’s champion Kelly Sibley.

Scottish champions Drumchapel are also contenders for the title, having reportedly signed two Chinese players to join their squad.

Newly-promoted London Academy are also in contention with three Swedish internationals in their line-up.

The London club Fusion is another to watch led by Michael O’Driscoll and with Nigeria international Kaseem Adele within their team.

Ormesby’s first fixture is against a Barrow Tornadoes side which includes English Senior Women’s Champion and wife of former Ormesby star Paul Drinkhall, Joanna Drinkhall.

Spectators are welcome and admission is free.

Stockton student shaves off signature locks for The Salvation Army

Raising money for a good cause proved to be a hair-raising experience for one Stockton student.

Idrissa Barrie, 36, decided to mark the start of the academic year by volunteering to shave off his signature locks to raise funds for The Salvation Army.

Having just completed a BTEC Level 3 aviation course with a double distinction star at Stockton Riverside College, Idrissa believes he is now living the dream and that this is his way of giving something back.

The former Students’ Union president, from Sierra Leone, has been living in the area for the past three years.

When Idrissa first came here, he was out of work and struggling. The Salvation Army helped him by providing a food parcel.

He said: “For me, at the time, it was a lifesaver.”

Idrissa, who hopes to go on to become a pilot or an airline manager, said he had been perfecting his pristine “do” which measured approximately 15 centimetres in height for the past two years.

He added: “I was a bit anxious beforehand but I didn’t have any doubts.”

Majors Keith and Rosemarie Williams, from The Salvation Army, Stockton, and community manager, John Preston, were at the college to see Idrissa’s head shave.

Keith said: “We really appreciate not just the support but also to have a young person willing to come back and say thank you.”

The money raised will now go towards funding food parcels for other people in need.

Idrissa’s head shave was one of several events at Stockton Riverside College’s Freshers’ Fair welcoming new and existing students.

The college’s head of quality and learner support, Lorna McLean, said: “Well done to Idrissa for sacrificing his hair to make a big impact at our Freshers’ Fair.

“He was really excited to promote just how much difference students can make by doing this for charity.

Stockton Riverside College still has places available for courses starting this month. For details visit www.stockton.ac.uk or call 01642 01642 865566.

Boro fans finish ninth in Championship arrests table

Almost 40 Boro fans were arrested last season, according to Home Office figures released today.

The statistics show Boro recorded the ninth highest number of arrests among Championship clubs in the 2013-14 season, with Leeds United top on 91.

Thirty seven Boro fans were arrested - six at The Riverside Stadium and 31 at away games.

Of those, 21 were for public disorder, 10 for alcohol offences, two for violent disorder, two for pitch incursion and one each for possessing an offensive weapon and offences against property.

Meanwhile, figures released today place Boro near to the bottom of the table for football banning orders imposed in the last year.

Currently, 32 banning orders are in place against “risk supporters” of the club.

But new Home Office figures released today show just two of those were imposed between September 21, 2013 and September 3, 2014 - leaving Boro well down the list of Championship clubs.

The only orders imposed against Boro fans in the past year came earlier this month when two boys, aged 15 and 16, were given three year banning orders by Teesside magistrates.

The 15-year-old was said to have caused or contributed to violence or disorder between November 30, 2013 and July 30, 2014. The 16-year-old faced the same accusations ranging between February 2, 2013 and July 30, 2014.

In the past year, only Blackpool (two), Bournemouth (one), Fulham (two), Ipswich Town (two), Norwich City (none), Reading (one) and Watford (one) have had the same number, or fewer, orders imposed than Boro.

Topping the table are Sheffield Wednesday, with 18 orders.

Overall, Cardiff City have the highest number of orders currently in force, with 93, followed by Millwall (72) and Leeds United (52).

Four sentenced after Holme House Prison visit revealed drug haul worth up to £8,000

Four people have been sentenced after a prison visit revealed a drug haul worth up to £8,000.

Officers found 105 tablets of the heroin treatment drug Subutex on two men at Holme House Prison, Stockton.

They were found on two men seen behaving suspiciously by prison staff on April 14 last year.

Daniel Gent, 24, was visiting his brother when he was caught with 31 tablets of the Class C drug worth £620 to £1,240.

He also had 100 tablets of zopiclone, a sleeping pill not an illegal drug in itself but an offence to supply without a prescription.

They had an estimated value of £2,000 to £4,000, prosecutor Martin Towers told Teesside Crown Court.

Another man Gareth Newsome, 18, was also searched and found to be carrying 74 Subutex tablets worth £1,500 to £3,000, and steroids worth £800 to £1,600.

A detective said the drugs must have been intended for onward supply in the jail, where they had an inflated value.

Mr Towers said Gent’s phone carried texts showing arrangements to smuggle the drugs into prison.

Gent said he was told to take the drugs in, he wouldn’t say by whom but he wasn’t coerced.

He was the last of four defendants to be sentenced following the discovery at Holme House.

He along with Newsome, Shaun Lindo, 27, and Donna Howes, 25, all admitted conspiring to supply Subutex.

Gent, of Scott Street, Redcar, also admitted possessing zopiclone with intent to supply without a prescription.

He had 42 previous convictions including cannabis possession.

His case was delayed as he left court in June and had a warrant out for his arrest for three months.

Alex Bousfield, defending Gent, said he was already serving a 25-week term for criminal damage and breaching a suspended sentence.

He said Gent’s brother was not involved in the escapade at all but Daniel knew he was under some pressure in prison related to drugs.

He told how Gent and Newsome were “drafted in to assist”.

Gent, whose partner was four months’ pregnant, was said not to be the organiser but “went along with it quite freely” to take pressure off his brother.

Judge Simon Bourne-Arton QC, the Recorder of Middlesbrough, said: “Anyone who takes or seeks to take drugs into a prison obviously will expect and will receive a custodial sentence.”

He jailed Gent for 14 months.

At a previous hearing in July, Lindo, of Derby Terrace, Thornaby, was jailed for nine months.

Howes, also of Derby Terrace, was given a four-month prison sentence suspended for two years.

Newsome, of Westfield Court, Redcar, who also admitted possession of the Class C steroids with intent to supply, was given a two-year community order with 120 hours’ unpaid work, supervision and a three-month curfew.

Revealed: The ten most dangerous road junctions on Teesside

Teesside’s ten deadliest road junctions can today be revealed by the Gazette.

Topping the list of killer junctions are the point at which Flatts Lane joins Middlesbrough Road, in Redcar and Cleveland, and the meeting of Borough Road and West Terrace, in Middlesbrough.

Each have been the scene of four road accidents since 2005 where those involved were either killed or seriously injured.

The list was compiled by our data team using Government statistics covering he period 2005-2013.

The accidents are all ones which resulted in serious injury or death.

The full top ten is:

1. West Terrace, North Ormesby, Middlesbrough

2. Middlesbrough Road, A171, from Guisborough to Nunthorpe Redcar and Cleveland

3. A177 Durham Road. Stockton

4. A66, Middlesbrough

5. Lobster Road, Redcar

6. A66, Long Newton

7. Darlington Back Lane, Stockton

8. Durham Lane, Eaglescliffe

9. Thames Road, Billingham

10. Southfield Road, Middlesbrough

In October last year a woman died and a man was airlifted to hospital with serious leg and chest injuries following a crash on the A177 Durham Road - number three on the list.

Police and other emergency services were called to the collision near to Thorpe Larches. The crash involved a silver Ford Fiesta car and a flat-bed truck carrying coal.

The woman, who was in her fifties and was from the Durham area, died at the scene.

In August last year the A66 in Middlesbrough - four on the list - claimed the life motorcyclist in an accident.

The man was pronounced dead at the scene following the smash near the Riverside Park/Cannon Park turn-off of the Newport Interchange.

Also in August last year, an eight-year-old boy was badly hurt after he was hit by a black VW Golf in Middlesbrough’s Southfield Road - number 10 on the list.

The boy was taken to James Cook University Hospital for treatment suffering a broken arm, a broken leg and facial injuries.

A new £12m junction built to improve the A66 blackspot at Long Newton - number six on the list - opened in May 2008 after a hard-fought campaign by local residents, the parish council and the then Stockton South Labour MP Dari Taylor.

The interchange was designed to eradicate a deathtrap junction which had seen more than 200 people involved in serious or fatal accidents there since 1995.

Nora Rosser, Long Newton parish councillor and member of RAID - Residents Against Interchange Delay - described it as “a joyous day” when the junction was opened to traffic.

Dari Taylor, who had pledged to help bring the junction to the village, said it was “a great achievement for Long Newton “ which had “had to put up with so much”.

In 2006, when the Highways Agency announced the deathtrap junction was finally set to be improved local mum-of-two Rowena Fawcett was among those celebrating.

Rowena, whose daughter Jessica attends St Mary’s school in Long Newton , suffered a terrifying close call at the junction when she was shunted from behind, almost into oncoming traffic.

Rowena, who had her daughter and eight-month baby, Natasha, in the car at the time, was still too scared to cross the junction at peak times more than a year later.

She told the Gazette: “I welcome anything that’s going to improve this road. I just don’t feel safe using that junction with my children in the car anymore.”

Able UK Shell Brent oilfield project will be a first, according to bosses

An Able UK project to remove and transport oil rig platform topsides in a single lift will be a first, according to bosses.

The Billingham-based company is investing £25m in a major upgrade of Able Seaton Port, which is partly due to winning a six-year contract from Shell to decommission four major structures from the global oil and gas group’s Brent oilfield.

The upgrade has taken a further step this week with the delivery of six ‘massive’ transporters for moving larger plant and equipment, from old offshore structures to wind turbines and foundations.

The Shell contract will see three platform topsides and a 138m steel platform jacket transported from the Brent field, more than 100 miles North-east of Scotland, to Seaton Port by one of the world’s largest vessels - the Allseas Pieter Schelte. The vessel has been specially designed for single lift installation and removal of offshore structures.

The first topside could be on Teesside by May next year and Able, which is a demolition and marine dismantling specialist, port operator and land developer, has said it’s ‘very confident’ of winning further work following the upgrade.

A giant former oil rig structure, which has been a major landmark at Able Seaton Port over recent years, is to be used in testing the new vessel. The 1,600-tonne Module Support Frame, part of the BP North West Hutton rig decommissioned by Able in 2009, will leave Able Seaton Port towards the end of the week en route to the Volker Stall yard in the Netherlands, where it will be modified for load testing of the Pieter Schelte.

Neil Etherington, Able UK Group Development Director, said: “This is something that will revolutionise the process of decommissioning.

“We believe we are the first, it’s the only vessel that can do it and ours will be the only facility that can enable this specialist type of work.

“Reverse engineering, taking off parts bit-by-bit whilst offshore is a more risky and expensive process, which creates a multitude of barge journeys from field to decommissioning yard. A single lift journey is environmentally better.”

One of the new quays currently being constructed as part of the continuing upgrade and expansion of Able Seaton Port, he added, could be used to dismantle structures of up to 48,000 tonnes.

The latest delivery of self-propelled modular transporters (SPMTs) follows on from major dredging works last month that will greatly improve the access to the port. The SPMTs will also be used for other port-related activities and cargo.

Mr Etherington added: “The arrival of the SPMTs follows on from us taking delivery earlier in the year of Europe’s largest mobile harbour crane, with a hook height of 64 metres and able to lift over 200 tonnes, and the order we have recently placed for a state-of-the-art rough terrain crane, built by the Chinese construction machinery specialists XCMG.”

Able UK employs 200 people directly and supports hundreds more jobs on-site at Seaton Port,

Lessons from the slopes: What Teesside should expect from a snow dome

A snow dome is an exciting prospect for our area.

We revealed earlier today that a multi-million pound snow dome is being planned for Middlesbrough.

Middlesbrough Mayor Ray Mallon has held talks with developers to bring a facility to the town, with Middlehaven cited as a potential site.

But just how feasible are the plans and what impact could such a development have on our area?

Here we take a quick look at some of the factors to take into consideration.

1. Cost of build

There are six snow domes in the UK - Castleford near Leeds, the Trafford Centre at Manchester, Hemel Hempstead in London, Milton Keynes, Braehead in Glasgow and Tamworth.

According to Clyde Waterfront which was involved in the Braehead project, it cost a staggering £60m.

However, as well as a ski slope the Braehead development also includes a shopping centre, retail park and leisure facilities such as a multiplex cinema, indoor bowling, two climbing walls and an aerial assault course.

When Knowsley councillors, in Merseyside, looked into such a project though in 2006 it was thought the figure to complete it would be around a more modest £12m.

2. How long to build?

It took two years to complete the Braehead site - so even without an accompanying shopping complex it wouldn't be a quick job. However, as reported earlier it is hoped the development could generate up to 200 jobs - many of them of which could be in the actual construction of the site.

3. Who’s it for?

At Teesside’s nearest similar site as Castleford a range of people attend - from families wanting to have a fun day out through to those serious about learning how to ski and snowboard and have professional coaching.

Family activities include sledging and ice sliding.

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Paul Chappells

Snowdome on Teesside

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The 170m long main slope is covered with over 1700 tonnes of fresh snow, with 2 poma lifts.

There is also a dedicated lesson slope for beginners and novices to build their skills and confidence before progressing to the main slope.

Lessons and coaching is available for all levels of experience.

4. Alternative sites

Middlehaven has been touted as the potential site for the development if it were to go ahead, with Middlesbrough Mayor Ray Mallon saying: “In my own view we need a centrepiece for Middlehaven which is completely different and a snow dome is certainly that,”

But where else in Teesside would it fit? Cannon Park to tie in with the rest of the proposed developments? Another addition to Redcar front? Or even Eston Hills, giving the area another shot at having a ski slope.

5. Impact on business

The first UK snow dome was in Tamworth.

It opened in May 1994 and was the first full-sized recreational indoor ski slope in the country.

It is said that the snow dome had a “huge impact” on the small Staffordshire town with tourists using the areas hotel’s and B&Bs.

Construction work started in early 2009 for a developer to build a 120-bed, £7M hotel on land adjacent to the snowdome. The Holiday Inn Hotel opened in late November 2009.

Break-in at North Ormesby Football Club leaves young players devastated

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North Ormesby Football Club suffers break-in

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Children from North Ormesby Football Club have been left devastated after their training equipment was stolen.

More than £400 worth of kit was stolen from a large metal container at the club based at Unity City Academy in Ormesby Road.

Goals, nets, balls and bibs were among the items pinched during the break-in over the weekend.

The incident happened on the same night as a string of other break-ins at Town Farm allotments in Cargo Fleet Lane.

Martin Padgett, chairman of North Ormesby Football Club, discovered the theft on Monday at about 5.15pm, when he went to set up for a match.

The 59-year-old said: “It’s disgusting as it is the children who suffer.

“The club has taken a big hit and with the league starting on Sunday, I feel like we are having to start all over again.

“We try to do everything possible to keep children off the streets and then something like this happens which is really disheartening.”

The thieves initially gained access to the container by sawing through a thick, metal bar on the gate which surrounds the fields on Ormesby road.

They then sawed through a second bar on the container itself, which along with a padlock, was used to keep the equipment secure.

Padgett, from North Ormesby said: “It looks like it has been planned as they have gone to a lot of effort to get to our things.

“You can see where they have sawn off the bars and while it could have been worse, it is still annoying that people would do this.

“We have managed to put a new padlock on the bottom part of the container but we have had to move some of the more valuable equipment to a different location in case they return.”

Under 9’s manager Eddy Hebbron, whose team suffered the biggest loss of equipment said: “All of my balls have been taken which are worth over £100.

“It makes me feel sick as a lot of people put a lot of time and effort into making this a great club for the children.

“We all do it on a voluntary basis so when something like this happens it feels personal and is very upsetting for everyone at the club.”

All 12 of North Ormesby Football Club teams train and play their home matches at the Unity City Academy.

They were forced to move to the site when their old club house was deliberately burned down.

Several metal containers at Town Farm allotments on Cargo Fleet Lane were broken into, again with the use of heavy cutting equipment.

An orange wood chipping machine ‘Timberwood’ model 13/75G was stolen, valued at around £5000.

Anyone with information should contact PC Denis Barry on the non-emergency number 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

Footwear store staff's charity trek along Hadrian's Wall for Help for Heroes

Staff at Charles Clinkard will be lacing up their walking boots this weekend to trek across some of the UK’s roughest terrain for Help for Heroes.

They will take part in a 20-mile hike along Hadrian’s Wall, as part of the family-run footwear retailer’s 90th anniversary celebrations.

One of the trekkers is no stranger to charity challenges.

Mark Goward’s late sister, Jane Tomlinson, famously raised £1.5m for cancer charities before the disease claimed her life in 2007.

Her efforts earned her the Helen Rollason Award at the 2002 BBC Sports Personality of the Year Awards and the inspirational mum was awarded an MBE in 2003.

Mark, a staunch supporter of the appeal launched by Jane, has worked at Charles Clinkard for 16 years.

He said: “What a way to spend a Saturday – 26 miles of Northumberland countryside, time spent with some great colleagues and we’re raising money for a worthwhile cause.”

The charity raises money to support servicemen and women and veterans who have suffered life-changing injuries or illness and their families.

Help for Heroes has created four recovery centres around the UK, in Catterick, Colchester, Tidworth and Plymouth – and established a nationwide support network for the wounded and their families.

Charles Clinkard, managing director, said: “Help for Heroes is a great charity, and one we as a business are more than happy to support.

“We’ve pulled together a great team of staff who are eager to show their support for our injured servicemen and women.

“I’m incredibly proud of their efforts and wish them every success as they trek through the stunning wilds of Northumberland.”

Shaun Pickford, head of challenges at Help for Heroes, said: “We would like to thank the employees of Charles Clinkard for taking part in this event and doing their bit.”

Anyone wanting to make a donation to the team’s fundraising efforts can do so here.

Gambler threatened to stab ex-partner and burn her house down in face of court order

A gambler threatened to stab his former partner and burn her house down in the face of a court order.

Charles Stone, 22, split from his partner after a one-year relationship and was given a “non-molestation order” by Middlesbrough County Court.

Since the three-year order was granted in April last year, the couple continued to have an on-off relationship, Teesside Crown Court was told.

He kept asking the woman for money to spend at the bookies’ in Redcar on February 13.

He sent her to the bank and to her home for cash and took her iPhone as “collateral” or “ransom”, said prosecutor John Gillette.

He got angry and argued with her after he found a man’s name in her phone contact list.

He used his own phone to smash her back driver’s side window as she drove away from him, leaving the phone in the car.

Four days later he was abusive and threatened her over the phone: “I’m going to stab you up. I’m going to burn your house down.”

He found her in the Majuba Road car park, shouted abuse and punched the car’s back window and passenger door, leaving two dents.

He jumped on her car bonnet before moving out of the way for her to drive off.

In police interview he tried to blame her, claiming she drove at him and tried to run him over.

Stone, of Charlotte Street, Skelton, pleaded guilty to two counts of criminal damage and two of breaching the non-molestation order.

Jonathan Walker, defending, said the relationship was now over.

He said Stone showed candour and was a productive hard worker, employed with Cleveland Cables in the 2012 London Olympics, and he hoped to move away from Teesside to work.

Judge Howard Crowson told Stone: “The courts make orders. They are meant to be obeyed.

“In this case it seems there’s been mutual ignorance of the law. You then behaved in an appalling manner.

“It was a pretty ugly scene on each occasion.”

Stone was given a 10-month prison sentence suspended for a year with supervision and a “Building Better Relationships” programme.

He was given a restraining order banning him from harassing, communicating or interfering with, or threatening violence to the victim, or going within 100m of her home or workplace.

He was also ordered to pay £1,000 costs.

Trades Union Congress slams Gaza attack, urges Israel arms embargo

The Trades Union Congress (TUC) passed a statement on Gaza at its annual congress Wednesday, urging the UK government to impose an Israel arms embargo and calling for the suspension of the EU-Israel Association Agreement.

The statement, overwhelmingly endorsed, condemns the death toll in Gaza that included “many people going about their daily work”, and “deplores attacks on UN facilities”. The TUC recommends that those responsible for breaching international law “should be dealt with in the International Criminal Court”.

The TUC statement also calls for an end to the “blockade of Gaza” and welcomes “the creation of a unity government for the Palestinian Authority” involving both Fatah and Hamas, urging “the UK government and the European Union to support this development”.

In light of Israel’s attacks on Gaza and policies in the Occupied Territories, the TUC statement calls on the UK government and EU to end “to end immediately arms trading with Israel including all military-industrial collaboration”. The TUC itself, it adds, should work with relevant unions to “press those companies involved in supporting Israel’s military to cease to do so”.

Congress called for “the suspension of the EU-Israel Association Agreement until the rights of the Palestinians are established”, and commited to “rais[ing] the pressure on corporations complicit in arms trading, the settlements, occupation and the wall” through strategies that pressure “complicit companies” – a key part of the Palestinian-led Boycott Divestment Sanctions (BDS) campaign.

The Palestine Solidarity Campaign (PSC) noted that “the statement, and the goals contained within it, are now official TUC policy”, an important boost for Palestine solidarity and BDS activists. The TUC’s statement was condemned by anti-boycott umbrella group Fair Play, who complained that boycotts merely pull “Israeli and Palestinian workers further apart”

Don't miss your LAST CHANCE to help a Teesside club win a share of Wish Sport cash

How would your Wish Sport group like to receive a share of additional £2,500.

In addition to the £25,000 pot The Gazette and Middlesbrough and Teesside Philanthropic Foundation have already given away, the foundation has kindly donated another £2,500 to be given away exclusively on Gazettelive.

In August hundreds of people took up the opportunity to vote for a group during the first bonus day with Middlesbrough Lionesses FC coming out on top.

The final voting period will open at 10am on Friday and the top five Wish Sports groups with the highest number of votes will receive a share of the £2,500 prize pot.

The prize pot will be spilt as follows -

First place: £1,000

Second place: £700

Third place: £450

Fourth place: £200

Fifth place: £150

We will announce the five groups who have received the highest number of votes on this page at 4pm on Tuesday September 16.

We will then add this money to the amount won during the paper token collection.

Please note the top five groups will only receive one cheque each.

Please note only groups who have already signed up to the Wish Sport campaign can take part. Only one vote is allowed per email address and must be cast between 10.00 BST and 17:00 BST on Friday, September 12, 2014 only.

Any votes cast outside of this period will not be counted. The Gazette reserves the right to make any votes void.

The top five groups who receive the highest number of votes will receive a share of the money as shown above. If there is a tie where a number of groups have received the same number of votes then the amount of money will be divided equally between them. Standard Trinity Mirror rules apply, available on request or from http://ift.tt/1k2IVij.

Editor’s decision is final.

Controversial green wedge homes plan in Yarm thrown out after number of objections

A new housing development in Yarm - which would have seen the former home of Boro legend Juninho demolished - has been rejected by councillors.

Revised plans for a 14-home residential development on green wedge land off Busby Way went before Stockton Council's planning committee yesterday.

As reported, the controversial application had been met by a number of objections from local residents and councillors.

Concerns related mainly to being no need in Yarm for more housing, impact on the green wedge and on the Tees Heritage Park, the impacts of additional traffic, the impacts on wildlife movement and on the privacy associated with nearby properties.

Stockton’s planning officers said the scheme would “not add any notable further detriment” to the green wedge and the heritage park beyond that which would occur as a result of the already approved Mount Leven retirement village scheme of 350 homes.

Officers recommended outline permission be granted with the condition, that the development cannot start before the Mount Leven scheme, and to prevent it being built should the Mount Leven permission lapse.

Louise Baldock, Labour parliamentary candidate for Stockton South, told the committee: “I grew up on this estate and I know that green is very highly cherished by people who live there.

“I’m told the house due for demolition used to be lived in by Juninho.”

The development would require the demolition of an existing dwelling off Busby Way - believed to be the Boro star’s former home - through which the access would be gained to the new scheme.

Resident Christine Mundy said: “Yarm is most certainly not in any dire need of these extra 14 homes.”

Councillor Jim Beall, on the planning committee, said he voted against the Mount Leven scheme and would be doing so against this one.

Councillor Steve Walmsley agreed, and said there was “inconsistency” for considering developments on the green wedge. “Even after the retirement village went through there was a couple of applications in Thornaby thrown out because of incursion into the green wedge,” he said. “We have either got it or we haven’t.”

Councillor Paul Kirton said: “This is a total opportunist development. It will only encourage other people to join in and grab what they can.”

Councillor David Wilburn added: “I can’t see how this could possibly go through.”

Also on the committee Councillor Ken Lupton said: “This is an infill development. I think it will be detrimental. It would have an impact on these people.”

The committee voted 9-1 to reject the housing scheme.

Read the latest edition of the Evening Gazette's Homemaker

Chris was appointed editor of the Gazette in January 2012. He is also a former Gazette news editor. Chris has more than 20 years experience as a journalist and has previously worked in senior positions in Newcastle, Exeter and Nottingham.

Morning news headlines: Both sides call for British unity, world awaits Pistorius trial fate

BOTH SIDES CALL FOR BRITISH UNITY

Both sides of the Scottish independence debate will call for British unity today - but their views on the UK's political unity remain poles apart.

A key architect of Scottish devolution will call for "interdependent independence" - political independence for Holyrood in a more mature relationship with the British Isles.

But former prime minister Gordon Brown and shadow pensions minister Gregg McClymont will call on Scotland's more mature citizens to vote to keep the United Kingdom together, pledging new powers to help the elderly in the next stage of devolution.

WORLD AWAITS PISTORIUS TRIAL FATE

Oscar Pistorius made his name by thrilling crowds with his unique sprinting style, but today the eyes of the world will fall on the athlete for very different reasons.

More than 18 months after he shot dead his model girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp at his luxury home on Valentine's Day 2013, the sportsman known as the Blade Runner will finally learn his fate as a judge delivers her verdict in one of the most closely followed trials of recent times.

The courtroom in Pretoria will convene for the final time today to see the culmination of a case that heard from scores of witnesses and captivated a global audience with dramatic and heartbreaking scenes.

EXPERTS WARN AGAINST 'FAT SHAMING'

"Fat shaming" does not help people lose weight, experts have said.

Making overweight and obese people feel bad about their size does not encourage them to shed excess pounds - and may even make them put on more weight, researchers found.

The study, published in the journal Obesity, saw almost 3,000 UK adults monitored over a four-year period.

STALKING LAWS SEE MORE PROSECUTIONS

New stalking legislation has seen hundreds of cases brought to court that may not have been charged under previous law, criminal prosecutors have revealed.

Legislation which came into force in November 2012 allows prosecutors to bring charges where an offender's behaviour falls short of fear of violence, but where a victim is caused serious alarm or distress affecting their lifestyle.

In 2013/14 - the first full year since the new laws were introduced - 743 prosecutions were brought under new stalking offences created by the Protection of Freedoms Act 2012, the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) said.

ROYAL HOAX NURSE INQUEST TO BEGIN

The inquest into a nurse found dead after answering a hoax call for the Duchess of Cambridge while she was in hospital for acute morning sickness will begin today.

Jacintha Saldanha, 46, was found dead in her staff housing shortly after she was tricked into revealing details of Kate's stay at London's King Edward VII Hospital.

The mother-of-two was the first nurse to answer a call by Australian DJs Mel Greig and Michael Christian, who pretended to be the Queen and Prince Philip for an on-air prank.

POLICE BOSS FACES NEW GRILLING

Under-fire South Yorkshire Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) Shaun Wright is expected to face more calls for him to go today as he is grilled by the panel which oversees his work.

Mr Wright has resisted widespread and repeated top-level calls for him to resign since the publication of the Jay Report into child sexual exploitation (CSE) in Rotherham which detailed how at least 1,400 children were subjected to horrors including rape, violence and trafficking for sex between 1997 and 2013.

Before his election in 2012 he was a councillor in Rotherham for more than a decade and was the member of the council with responsibility for children's services from 2005 to 2010.

END TOP-DOWN NHS REFORM, SAY GROUPS

Politicians have been urged not to perform another top-down reorganisation of the NHS by leading health bodies.

The organisations urged all political parties to pledge that they will not impose another major restructure of the health service in the run-up to the next general election.

While changes are needed to improve the health and care system, they must not come from another major structural reorganisation, according to the coalition of health bodies.

ACTION STARTS AT THE INVICTUS GAMES

Wounded servicemen are set to compete for the first set of medals in track and field events at the inaugural Invictus Games.

Prince Harry praised competitors, many still serving soldiers, from around the globe for their stories that "move, inspire and humble" as he launched the event last night.

The sporting spectacular began with a rousing military-themed ceremony that celebrated the achievements of injured, wounded and sick servicemen and women, ahead of action getting under way later today.

TOUGHER MORTGAGE RULES 'SLOW SALES'

House sales are now taking up to a month longer to go through than at the start of the year as lenders grow more cautious, surveyors have reported.

The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (Rics) said that stricter rules around the way that lenders can hand out mortgages and shortages of conveyancers and other skilled staff as the market has generally picked up over the last year have been factors behind the delays.

In its report for August, Rics said it is also seeing growing signs of the London housing market moving towards a more sustainable footing as the number of homes coming up for sale is matching demand from would-be buyers better than previously. This more even balance is helping to take the edge of strong price gains in the capital.

CALL FOR PRIVATE SCHOOLING FOR ALL

Two in five parents think every child should have the chance to go to private school, regardless of their family's income, it has been suggested.

Many other mums and dads are in favour of at least some state school places being allocated randomly, or by ballot.

The findings are part of a survey commissioned by the Sutton Trust, for its new "mobility manifesto", which sets out a series of recommendations ahead of next year's general election on how to make sure all children have the same opportunities, regardless of background.

Live: Oscar Pistorius trial verdict - judge to decide if Paralympian is guilty of Reeva Steenkamp's murder

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Chris was appointed editor of the Gazette in January 2012. He is also a former Gazette news editor. Chris has more than 20 years experience as a journalist and has previously worked in senior positions in Newcastle, Exeter and Nottingham.

Linthorpe loner caught with 38,500 indecent pictures of children ordered to undergo treatment

A loner caught with a collection of more than 38,500 child abuse images has been ordered to undergo treatment.

Daniel Cupryna built up a library of thousands of illegal pictures downloaded over the internet in eight years.

He was not jailed as a judge accepted he did not pose a physical risk to children despite his “abhorrent” activities online.

Cupryna, 41, in court for the first time, said he “would never dream” of touching a child.

A complaint from Google in the US led to a search at Cupryna’s home, Teesside Crown Court heard.

Officers seized a computer, hard drives and three phones and found a total of 38,566 indecent still and moving images of children, showing girls aged eight to 10.

It took two more years for the case to conclude, including a year to have the images examined.

The vast majority of the pictures were at the least serious level defined by law, with 88 in more severe categories.

Prosecutor Sue Jacobs said: “There’s no suggestion of anything else other than a very large personal collection.

“He made admissions to that effect during interview, downloading it for personal gratification.”

Cupryna, of Oxford Road, Linthorpe, Middlesbrough, admitted 20 charges – 16 counts of making and one of possessing indecent photographs of children, and three counts of possessing prohibited images of children.

He committed the offences between April 2004 and the police raid in September 2012.

John Nixon, defending, said: “He’s a single man. He resides with his parents. He’s described as being a loner. He does not have a great many friends.

“He’s not a man who is sexually experienced. He has never chosen to have any hands-on experience with any child at all, and says he would never dream of it, which is not uncommon.

“He accepts that there was some sexual gratification here.

“There has been an element of denial but I think that’s a reflection of his shame.

“He has never claimed benefits. He has tried to get by using his skills in computing.”

He said Cupryna went to a school for people with learning disabilities, had severe dyslexia and “quite obsessive” behaviour.

Cupryna, who had a religious background, helped his church with IT and cleaned litter from paths.

Judge Howard Crowson accepted Cupryna’s interest did not “extend to any physical desire”.

He told him: “I’m afraid we see rather too much of this type of behaviour but every case has to be a distinctly different one.

“There’s no suggestion, no belief, that you are in fact a danger to any person.

“You committed an offence by downloading indecent images and prohibited photographs.

“To most people that sort of thing is quite abhorrent. I feel that you know that.”

He gave Cupryna a one-year prison sentence suspended for two years with supervision, a sex offender treatment programme and a five-year sexual offences prevention order governing his internet use.

The judge added: “Let’s hope we don’t meet again. I hope this will bring an end to your behaviour in this way.”

Boro's Spanish contingent helped Damia Abella settle into life in England

Damia Abella feels he’s adapting well to life in England though he admits it helps that there are so many Spanish speakers on the Boro payroll.

“When you arrive at club like me, when the season had started, you need to learn what the coach wants quickly,” he said.

“It really helped me because we both speak Spanish and it’s easier for me to understand what they (the coaches) want.

“Also I have a Spanish coach and that helps me to improve and to stay in the team easier than maybe if I don’t know anybody in the club.

“Of course, Spanish players in the team also helped me in my first weeks in England.”

Abella , who does speak English, has noticed a difference between the styles of play in the Championship and Spain.

“Both are intensive,” he said. “The Championship league has a more physical intensity, Spanish we play more with the ball on the pitch, a different style of football.

“Here is more strong, more contact. It’s beautiful (here) because it is competitive football, but you need to adapt.

“I think it’s going to be enjoyable and I’m really happy to be here.”

Any remaining tickets for Boro’s Capital One Cup tie at Liverpool on Tuesday, September 23, go on sale at 9.30am today from the usual outlets.

The ancient mosques of Gaza in ruins: How Israel’s war endangered Palestine’s cultural heritage

Ahmad Nafi

In the aftermath of Operation Protective Edge, Israel’s 51 day military assault, the Palestinians in Gaza are faced with the huge task of reconstruction. Most of the shattered civilian infrastructure can be replaced, but Palestine’s cultural heritage in Gaza, built over a thousand years and more, has been damaged irrevocably. Many of Gaza’s most ancient sites have been left in ruins by Israel’s attack on the territory. Houses of worship, tombs, charity offices and cemeteries have all been damaged by the shelling, but Gaza’s historic mosques have been the worst affected. Many of these sites date back to the time of the first Islamic caliphs, the Ottoman Empire and the Mamluk Sultanate.

Protective Edge damaged 203 mosques, of which 73 were destroyed completely. Two churches were also damaged, according to the Palestinian Ministry of Endowments and Religious Affairs. The targeting of mosques by the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) in the latest offensive was three times more than in the 2008-2009 attack, the ministry’s report said.

The destruction of Gaza’s ancient mosques has brought the total losses incurred by the religious affairs ministry to an estimated $50 million, said Dr Hassan Al-Saifi, its undersecretary in the Gaza Strip.

“There are a number of ancient mosques that hold memories of the Islamic and Arab history in Gaza,” said Al-Saifi, “and of course, the people are incredibly saddened over the loss of this heritage.” The losses are likely to deny future generations their history as well as the material and economic benefits that might be acquired from these sites.

The most significant of those mosques which were destroyed was the 7th century Al-Omari Mosque in Jabaliya, Gaza’s oldest and largest. Named after the second caliph Umar bin Al-Khattab, it dates back to 649 AD, making it 1,365 years old. It accommodated 2,000 worshippers for the congregational prayers. The portico and minaret were built 500 years ago during the Mamluk period; it was destroyed by Israel on 2 August 2014 and its hallmark minaret and courtyard stands in ruins.

The Great Omari Mosque tells the story of Gaza’s civilisation and cultural history as it is believed to stand on the site of a former Philistine temple and a later 5th Century Byzantine church. It has acted as an important landmark ever since it was built.

Close by, Gaza’s second oldest mosque was also reduced to ruins. Al-Sham’ah Mosque was destroyed on 23 July in Hayy Al-Najjarin in Al-Zaytun Quarter in Gaza’s Old City. It was built 700 years ago, in 1315, by the Mamluk Governor.

Another historic site was razed to the ground on the following day. The Mahkamah Mosque was a fine example of Mamluk architecture located off the main Baghdad Street in the Shuja’iyya neighbourhood. It featured a Mamluk minaret and florally-decorated arch at its entrance and was built in 1455 on the orders of Sayf Al-Din Birdibak Al-Ashrafi, a member of the sultan’s staff. Shuja’iyya neighbourhood experienced some of the most intense shelling of the war in July that resulted in thousands of residents being forced to flee their homes.

The large Omar Ibn Abd al-Aziz Mosque in the Strip’s northern city of Beit Hanoun is a modern building but is a central mosque that serves a large segment of the town. It was destroyed by shelling on 25 August. Other destroyed mosques of cultural significance include the centuries-old Al-Montar Mosque and tomb, hit on 11 July.

Gaza’s only 3 churches also fell victim to the conflict. The Orthodox Church of St Porphyrius is the oldest church in Gaza, dating to the 1150s, in Al-Zaytun Quarter of the Old City. The church’s cemetery was damaged when the area was shelled in July in another attack on Gaza’s rich religious heritage. Gaza Baptist Church received major damage from the shelling of a police station nearby and Gaza’s Latin Church had damage to peripheral buildings owned by the parish.

These sites have historical importance and provided irreplaceable material evidence of Palestinian culture and history. Al-Saifi believes that by destroying mosques, “the occupation was erasing the historical proof and evidence of our presence in Palestine.”

The devastation of hundreds of years of Gaza’s Islamic history would be expected to have done harm to Gaza’s identity, but Al-Saifi insists that Israel could not erase the Palestinian memory and the peoples’ right to exist. “I believe that the Israelis will not succeed in this because to us, mosques are not merely stones, but hold great and holy value to all of the Muslim generations.”

The damage to these irreplaceable landmarks has led Israel to claim that it targeted mosques and civilian buildings used for military purposes, such as the stockpiling of weapons and as meeting points for the fighters of the Qassam Brigades. The IDF alleged that Hamas “cruelly abused mosques by using them for terror activities” in a statement to the Associated Press.

Hamas has denied the accusation and many in Gaza feel that the allegation is an attack on their way of life. “Every citizen in Gaza is proud of these fighters,” Dr Al-Saifi said, “and mosques are completely open places; they do not contain any shelters or secret rooms, they are open houses of worship.” He went on to say that Israel knowingly targets civilian sites. “There is no doubt that the Israeli intelligence agencies have their eyes and ears in Gaza, and they are certain that these are fabrications.”

The damage done to these sites has undermined the territory’s social infrastructure. For the residents of Gaza, many of the targeted mosques provided social, educational and health facilities.

The Palestinians are of the opinion that Israel does not distinguish between military and civilian targets in their aggression against Gaza. Their suspicions appear to be validated by UN OCHA figures released in a recent report. They suggest that at least 80 per cent of those killed were civilians. These figures indicate that Israel has found little difficulty in treating civilian infrastructure as legitimate military targets considering that it has targeted churches and other buildings not accused of being used by Qassam fighters.

Many have noted Israel’s disproportionate use of force in areas that it associates with enemy fighters. It is an army that is used to inflicting widespread devastation on the civilian population, which is supposed to serve as a deterrent.

For Al-Saifi, this strategy is abhorrent: “Honestly, the targeting of mosques on such an unprecedented large-scale reflects the barbaric and brutal nature of the Israeli occupation, and the army’s frustration and sense of failure, as it reached an impasse. It resorted to targeting civilians and places of worship, which have been guaranteed protection and immunity under all international conventions.”

The pursuit of collective punishment is an international war crime and it appears that these violations by Israel have been observed clearly by international institutions. The retiring UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Navi Pillay, condemned the operations in Gaza. In a statement to Britain’s Guardian newspaper she said, “There seems to be a strong possibility that international law has been violated.”

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