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, Tuesday 23rd 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.

Robert Spencer on “Trying to Make Islam Un-Islamic” – on The Glazov Gang

[Subscribe to The Glazov Gang and LIKE it on Facebook.]

This week’s Glazov Gang was guest-hosted by Renaissance Woman Ann Marie Murrell, the Editor-in Chief of PolitiChicks.com and the co-author of the new book, What Women Really Want.

Ann-Marie was joined by Robert Spencer, the director of JihadWatch.org and the author of the new book, Arab Winter Comes to America.

Robert came on the program to discuss Trying to Make Islam Un-Islamic, analyzing the danger of our leaders ‘ attempt to dissociate Islam from the violence committed in its name.

Don’t miss it:

Don’t miss this week’s second Glazov Gang episode in which Ann-Marie interviews Shillman Journalism Fellow Daniel Greenfield about “ISIS Rising”:

To watch previous Glazov Gang episodes, Click Here .

LIKE Jamie Glazov’s Fan Page on Facebook.

Israeli police detain 4 women, 2 children in Jerusalem

JERUSALEM (Ma’an) — Israeli police on Sunday afternoon detained four Palestinian women and children from Damascus Gate in Jerusalem.

Zahiya Nimer, in her 60s, and Muna Bayyaa, with two children aged 8 and 13 accompanying her, and two other unidentified women were detained.

Witnesses said the women were chased after they left the al-Aqsa compound until they were detained at the gate

Do Statistical Disparities Mean Injustice?

How many times have we heard laments such as “women are 50 percent of the population but only 5 percent of Fortune 500 CEOs” and, as the Justice Department recently found, “blacks are 54 percent of the population in Newark, New Jersey, but 85 percent of pedestrian stops and 79 percent of arrests”? If one believes that people should be represented socio-economically according to their numbers in the population, then statistical disparities represent injustices that demand government remedies. Before we jump to conclusions about what disparities mean and whether they are indicators of injustice, we might examine some other disparities to see what we can make of them.

According to a recent study conducted by Bond University in Australia, sharks are nine times as likely to attack and kill men than they are women. If sinister motivation is attributed for this disparity, as is done in the cases of sex and racial disparities, we can only conclude that sharks are sexist. Another sex disparity is despite the fact that men are 50 percent of the population and so are women, men are struck by lightning six times as often as women. I wonder what whoever is in charge of lightning has against men.

Another gross statistical disparity is despite the fact that Jews are less than 3 percent of the U.S. population and a mere 0.2 percent of the world’s population, between 1901 and 2010, Jews were 35 percent of American and 22 percent of the world’s Nobel Prize winners.

There are other disparities that we might acknowledge with an eye to corrective public policy. Asian-Americans routinely score the highest on the math portion of the SAT, whereas blacks score the lowest. The population statistics for South Dakota, Iowa, Maine, Montana and Vermont show that not even 1 percent of their populations is black. In states such as Georgia, Alabama and Mississippi, blacks are overrepresented in terms of their percentages in the general population. When this kind of “segregation” is found in schooling, the remedy is busing.

There are loads of international examples of ethnic disparities.

During the 1960s, the Chinese minority in Malaysia, where Malays politically dominate, received more university degrees than the Malay majority — including 400 engineering degrees, compared with just four for the Malays. In Brazil’s state of Sao Paulo, more than two-thirds of the potatoes and 90 percent of the tomatoes produced have been produced by people of Japanese ancestry.

Blacks are 13 percent of our population but 80 percent of professional basketball players and 65 percent of professional football players and among the highest-paid players in both sports. By stark contrast, blacks are only 2 percent of the NHL’s professional ice hockey players. Basketball, football and ice hockey represent gross racial disparities and come nowhere close to “looking like America.”

Even in terms of sports achievement, racial diversity is absent. In Major League Baseball, three out of the four hitters with the most career home runs are black. Since blacks entered the major leagues, of the eight times more than 100 bases have been stolen in a season, all were by blacks. In basketball, 50 of the 59 MVP awards have been won by black players.

If America’s diversity worshippers see underrepresentation as “probative” of racial discrimination, what do they propose be done about overrepresentation? After all, overrepresentation and underrepresentation are simply different sides of injustice. If those in one race are overrepresented, it might mean they’re taking away what rightfully belongs to another race. For example, is it possible that Jews are doing things that sabotage the chances of a potential Indian, Alaska Native or Mexican Nobel Prize winner? What about the disgraceful lack of diversity in professional basketball and ice hockey? There’s not even geographical diversity in professional ice hockey; not a single player can boast of having been born and raised in Hawaii, Louisiana or Mississippi.

Courts, bureaucrats and the intellectual elite have consistently concluded that “gross” disparities are probative of a pattern and practice of discrimination. Given all of the differences among people, such a position is pure nonsense.

Freedom Center pamphlets now available on Kindle: Click here .

Subscribe to Frontpage’s TV show, The Glazov Gang, and LIKE it on Facebook.

Mayor says Israeli forces harassing al-Khadr residents

BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) — Israeli soldiers and intelligence officers raided the town of al-Khadr south of Bethlehem Sunday and questioned several civilians on the street, locals and the town mayor said.

Intelligence officers in plain clothes stopped several young men around noon under the protection of armed troops, witnesses told Ma’an.

Tawfiq Salah, the mayor of al-Khadr, told Ma’an he attempted to intervene to prevent the officers from questioning residents, but that soldiers forcibly distanced him.

Salah denounced what he described as “aggression” against the residents of al-Khadr, adding that Israeli forces had been storming the town on a near daily basis and harassing passersby in the streets.

An Israeli army spokeswoman told Ma’an she was looking into the incident

Israel bans Muslims from Ibrahimi Mosque

HEBRON (Ma’an) — The Ibrahimi Mosque in Hebron will be closed to Muslim worshipers on Thursday and Friday, an official at the mosque told Ma’an Sunday.

Hijazi Abu Sneina told Ma’an the mosque would be open to Israeli settlers during the two days of Rosh Hashanah, or Jewish New Year, but closed to Muslims.

The Ibrahimi Mosque, believed to be the burial place of the prophet Abraham, is located in central Hebron, a frequent site of tensions due to the presence of 500 Israeli settlers in the Old City.

A 1997 agreement split Hebron into areas of Palestinian and Israeli control.

More than 500,000 Israeli settlers live in settlements across the West Bank and East Jerusalem, in contravention of international law

Police want to trace dog walker after Brotton assault

Police want to trace a dog walker who could help with enquiries into an alleged assault.

A man was believed to be arguing with a woman on Abbey Street, Brotton, at around 2am on Sunday September 21, before he is believed to have threatened another man walking past with his dog.

When the dog walker had left, the man allegedly assaulted the woman, punching her to the face and stamping on her.

The 20-year-old woman managed to get to her feet and run away, before being taken in by a local resident. She later attended James Cook University Hospital in Middlesbrough and was treated for two suspected fractures in her cheeks, a ripped ear lobe and severe swelling to face and body. Officers have charged a 22-year-old man with GBH with intent.

Police want the dog walker or any other witnesses to contact DC Jon Button on 101.

21 year old Stockton man airlifted to hospital after quad bike smash

A Stockton man was taken to hospital with serious injuries after a quad bike accident.

Emergency services attended the scene near to Hutton Rudby village, on the outskirts of Stokesley at about 1.40pm today.

The 21-year-old was treated at the scene before being taken to Middlesbrough’s James Cook University Hospital by air ambulance with suspected back and pelvic injuries.

A spokesperson for the Great North Air Ambulance said the man was in a stable condition.

Police called to investigate serious incident at a property in Redcar

An investigation is underway after police were called to a “serious incident” which included an alleged assault.

A woman in her late teens suffered minor neck injuries as a result of the incident.

A 43-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of a number of offences including false imprisonment and assault.

Police were called to Eggleston Road in Redcar on Friday morning.

Officers conducted inquiries into a serious incident between a man and woman.

The 43-year-old man who was arrested was questioned by police and released on bail pending further inquiries.

5 Trucks laden with meat for foreign export charred in Aurangabad

By TwoCircles.net Staff Reporter,

Aurangabad: A week after Union Minister Menaka Gandhi raised issue of exporting of meat to foreign country and claimed that money earned through such export is going into terrorism, 5 trucks laden with meat which were meant for foreign export have been charred by a group of unknown men on Aurangabad-Nashik highway in Maharashtra.

The incidence occurred on the bridge over Deku River near Garaj village on Aurangabad-Nashik highway road in Maharashtra when a group of unknown men who were waiting for the trucks on the bridge stopped trucks, thrashed drivers & cleaners and set ablaze all the five trucks by dousing them with kerosene, petrol and diesel. The incidence occurred at about 30 KM from Aurangabad.

Trucks laden with meat charred in Aurangabad, Maharashtra [Photo Courtesy: Aurangabadtimes]

It appears to be a meticulously planned act as the group had chosen the spot in advance and had stored fuel required for burning trucks near the bridge. The group knew that trucks were being used for exporting slaughtered meat from Aurangabad and had kept a watch on its route.

Reportedly the trucks were carrying beef towards Vaijapur from a slaughter house situated at Padegaon near Aurangabad in the early morning of Saturday, when the incident occurred. The flame rising due to burning of trucks was seen from couple of kilometer distance by the people of Garaj village.

The sudden burning of trucks on highway terrorized people in the vicinity causing tension and closure of traffic for some time. Rural police Superintendent of Police Anil Kumbare rushed to the spot with his team after receiving the news and increased police presence so as to ease traffic and maintain calm in the area. He had to call in State Reserved Police (SRP) for controlling the situation.

Such incidences have increased this month in the state when people alleges trucks to be delivering cow flesh and burns them and insist police to arrest drivers. On 13th September enraged people had set fire to a truck carrying alleged cow flesh in Ahmednagar district and couple of days before an irate mob set fire to a truck, for transporting what they alleged was cow flesh, near Vinchur in Nashik district, after which a bandh was observed in Lasalgaon and Vinchur to protest against alleged slaughter of cows.

Advocate A. Wakil from Aurangabad told TwoCircles.net, “The act of burning of trucks by people on the

For More:

http://ift.tt/XOrbQT

Saltburn woman died of cancer caused by washing husband's asbestos covered work clothes

A woman died from a terminal cancer caused by inhaling asbestos dust while she washed her husband’s work overalls.

Now the family of Mary Pointer, from Saltburn, are appealing for her husband Ronald’s former colleagues to assist with an investigation into the working conditions he endured.

An inquest held at Teesside Coroner’s Court on September 16 confirmed that Mrs Pointer, 86, died of the industrial disease mesothelioma on April 12, 2014.

Before her death, Mrs Pointer instructed specialist asbestos-related disease lawyers at Irwin Mitchell to investigate how and why she was exposed to the deadly dust.

Mary had been married for 45 years to Ronald Pointer who died in 1999 aged 85.

Mr Pointer worked for the CEGB in Marchwood Power Station by the River Test in Southampton from around 1955 to 1970 in the boiler room before becoming a turbine operator.

His widow regularly washed his overalls which were covered in dust, shaking the dust from them every day for around 10 years.

As the family did not have a plumbed in bath or shower, Mr Pointer would sometimes head straight to bed with asbestos dust in his hair which would send clouds of dust into the air when Mrs Pointer shook out the bedding.

Her 49-year-old son Darryl is now continuing the case on her behalf.

He said: “I was absolutely distraught seeing my mum deteriorate so quickly.

“Where were the warnings of the dangers of asbestos dust? She devotedly cared for her home and family - I just don’t understand why she should die now as a result.

“It won’t just be my mum; it will be affecting other people’s loved ones, too. Please, I urge you, if you have any information about the working conditions at the Power Station or know anyone who worked with my dad, contact us as you may be able to help with our investigations.”

Roger Maddocks, a partner at Irwin Mitchell, said: “This is a tragic case in which a widow died of mesothelioma caused simply by inhaling the asbestos dust as she cleaned her husband’s overalls and their bedding in the 1960s.”

Anyone who can help provide information about working at Marchwood Power Station in the 1960s should contact Kirstie Wilson at Irwin Mitchell on 0191 279 0136 or email Kirstie.wilson@irwinmitchell.com.

Burglar crept into sleeping woman's bedroom - then got caught when her daughter saw him bragging on Facebook

A burglar who left a woman feeling violated after he crept into her bedroom to steal while she slept, has been jailed.

Three-strikes burglar Lee Cunningham stole the woman’s handbag from her bedside table and the keys to two cars on the driveway.

The 38-year-old from Middlesbrough was caught after the victim’s daughter saw that he had been bragging about the theft on Facebook.

She awoke in the early hours to find her bedroom door open and the driver’s doors were open on both cars.

When she went outside she saw the thief riding off on his bike.

Cunningham got away from the house in Charnwood Drive, Ormesby, with £250 in cash and gold jewellery, and by 5am he had withdrawn £1250 from ATMs using her bank cards.

The next day the woman’s daughter, acting on information, went on Facebook and saw that he had been bragging about taking cash from a house in Ormesby.

Cunningham was arrested and he was found to be on a curfew but he had ripped off his electronic tag and disposed of it.

Prosecutor Sue Jacobs told Teesside Crown Court: “The woman said in a Victim Impact statement that she had been left feeling violated and shaken that he had been in her bedroom while she was sleeping, and the fact that he had been bragging had also upset her.”

Cunningham had 31 convictions for 50 offences, and it was his third for burglary which made him liable for a minimum three-year jail sentence.

Teesside Crown Court

Bungling crooks: 10 Teesside criminals and how they ended up in jail

Duncan McReddie, defending, said that Cunningham had admitted to a probation officer preparing his pre-sentence report “I know right from wrong”.

He said that he was sorry for what he had done. He had a problem with drugs which he took to blot out personal problems, and he had been using sleeping tablets.

Judge Peter Bowers told Cunningham: “The worrying side of this case is the effect on the victim.

“It is not what you take, it is what you leave behind, the anxiety and the fear.

“I appreciate your problem with drugs, but that is not an excuse.

“There are a lot of aggravating features in this burglary.

"You go into this lady’s bedroom in breach of your curfew and you are in breach of a community order.”

Cunningham, of Grendon Walk, Park End, was jailed for 40 months after he pleaded guilty to the July 8 burglary, two attempted thefts from the cars, fraud and theft of the curfew tag.

Drunk armed with meat cleaver banned from Middlesbrough bars after threatening to behead club doorman

A drunk armed with a meat cleaver threatened to behead a club doorman after he refused him entry to two Middlesbrough bars.

Scaffolder Luke Lancaster, 19, followed the doorman and his girlfriend to a restaurant with the giant knife after he was twice refused entry to late night bars in Middlesbrough.

He appeared at the window of the town centre McDonald’s and he tapped the blade on the window making decapitating signs at the couple.

Staff called the police and he dropped the cleaver onto the ground as he heard the siren of the approaching police car, Teesside Crown Court was told.

Lancaster was given a suspended sentence after pleading guilty to a charge of possession of a bladed article at the court

Prosecutor Sue Jacobs said that in early July the doorman had been on duty outside Kalinka’s bar near Middlesbrough railway station when he refused entry to Lancaster and a group of men because of their behaviour and the dress code.

Lancaster stood there for 20 to 30 minutes becoming more abusive and threatening saying that he was going to stab him and cut his head off.

Then at 3.30am on Sunday August 3 the doorman was talking to another doorman at the nearby Chambers bar in Albert Road when Lancaster attempted to enter, and the doorman advised his friend “He’s not going in there”.

Lancaster again became abusive and threatening saying: “I’m going to cut your head off, I’m going to get my dad down”.

He stayed there for 20 minutes before getting into a taxi, and at 4.30am when the doorman and his girlfriend were in McDonald’s he appeared at the window with the meat cleaver, running his finger over his throat and cheeks and making a slashing motion with the knife.

He left but then he returned, and 30 seconds later the police arrived.

Miss Jacobs said: “The man said that the incident left him feeling disturbed by his actions, and his girlfriend said it left her feeling scared for their safety.

“She does not want him to work on the door any more, and she said that when the male was shouting at them her initial feeling was that he was going to go inside and attack them.”

Lancaster made no reply when he was interviewed and shown CCTV footage of the incident.

Sean Grainger, defending, said that Lancaster was immature and he had been binge-drinking. His respectable parents were horrified by his behaviour, and his mother who was in court was anxious that he should be given some help.

Mr Grainger said that Lancaster was a talented footballer who had played for Marske and had been offered a professional contract with York but he decided to concentrate on his scaffolding career.

Mr Grainger added: “He still feels that there was some provocation there from the doorman.

“But this was a one-off offence and he is not likely to be involved in any more criminality.”

Judge Peter Bowers told Lancaster: “Whatever you feel about door staff they have a very difficult and important job to do trying to keep the peace in the town centre.

“It is particularly important that they refuse entry to people who are in drink or likely to cause trouble.

“The idea of getting this fearsome weapon is quite disgraceful, and you have no idea what you would have done if he had come out to confront you.”

Lancaster, of Grimston Walk, Berwick Hills, was given an eight month jail sentence suspended for 18 months with supervision, 120 hours unpaid work, an electronically-tagged curfew between 10PM and 5am until January 31, and he was excluded from the two bars until January 31.

Shaun Jepson: 'Damia Abella faces a long hard slog back to fitness - I've got the memories to prove it'

Snap!

It was the sort of stomach-churning noise that will stay with me for years to come.

The kind you know your body should not make and would at least require the attention of a magic sponge and squirt of water.

A noise that if magnified, could easily mimic the engine of a clapped out 1990 Ford Fiesta when it is being forced to do 20 miles more than it really should.

But I didn't find myself halfway up the A19 wondering if I'd ever make it to York.

I was left stricken in a crumpled heap on a cold and wet football pitch with an impressively-sized dog turd just a few yards from my face.

And as I lay there in sheer agony, I'm not afraid to admit that I wanted nothing more than a cuddle from our Mam and a reassuring smile.

"Oooooh, looks a bad one to me," grimaced one opposition player as he glanced down and studied my knee.

That was the sort of unhelpful assessment that is normally followed by an expensive quote for a new boiler.

"He's going to need an ambulance," observed another from about 15 yards away.

He was right.

The pain caused by my knee inexplicably deciding to bend inwards was excruciating and like nothing I have ever experienced before.

And I didn't even have a heroic tale to tell. It wasn’t the result of a of a goal-saving tackle in a cup final, or an exquisite manipulation of the body to steer home a match-winning goal.

My knee had simply decided it had had enough.

Faced with a lengthy wait for paramedics, my teammates placed a tracksuit top stuffed with car keys over my injured limb and knocked a ball about between them.

It wasn't until a month and three hospital visits later that I was given a scan, which revealed I had snapped my Anterior Cruciate Ligament - the exact same injury suffered last week by Boro's Damia Abella .

It was the image of our flying fullback being tended to at the Cardiff City Stadium that took me back to the hour or so I spent face down on the pitch at Dog Poo Park.

But while we both suffered an injury that strikes fear into the hearts of the professional sportsmen, our rehabilitation processes will be a million miles apart. And understandably so.

I was operated on three months after sustaining the injury while Damia will no doubt go under the knife within days, or as soon as any swelling in his knee has subsided.

I’ve juggled my rehabilitation with hospital appointments, a two-hour daily commute and the pain of blistered hands caused by crutches.

Meanwhile our defender’s daily rehabilitative needs will be met completely by the club, with the sort of care you or I could only dream of.

And while the Spaniard will hopefully be back playing within six months, it will be a whole year before I'm able to pull my boots back on.

If there’s one thing I've learned since injuring myself in March, it is that the road to recovery from such an horrific injury is a long, hard and often frustrating slog.

So Damia, good luck. You're in the best possible hands and remember, it all could have been so much worse.

Just ask the man who put his hand in a stinking pile of dog dump as he tried to get to his feet moments after suffering the exact same injury as you.

He's apparently still haunted by the smell.

'It's always a good time to play at Anfield': Karanka adamant Boro can pull off cup upset against Liverpool

Aitor Karanka is adamant that his in-form Boro side can claim a historic win at Anfield tomorrow.

Boro head to Merseyside on the back of three straight wins in the Chanpionship, and despite making five changes, Karanka saw his new-look side batter Brentford 4-0 to highlight their promotion credentials.

Ahead of a trip to Liverpool - who have started life without Luis Suarez in disappointing fashion so far this season - Karanka believes his side can pull off a cup upset.

"I think it's always a good time to go to play in Anfield", Karanka said.

"I never played there as a player, and it's one of the best places to football.

"I go to Liverpool thinking about winning the game but I know how difficult it will be as they are one of the best team in the Premier League and in Europe.

"Last season they were brilliant. This season I know they're not in a good way but they have a very good manager and good players.

"The most important thing is to go to the pitch and think we can win the game because if we go there to enjoy the atmosphere and enjoy just playing Liverpool it could be very bad for us."

Despite Liverpool suffering back-to-back Premier League defeats, Karanka remains well aware of Brendan Rodgers' side's quality.

"I like to compare it with something happening in Spain", Karanka added.

"Real Madrid were very bad two weeks ago and in the two games since they're scored 13 goals. When you go and play a team like Liverpool you never know when is a good moment (to play them).

"Of course I'm excited. I can understand how excited everyone is but we have to go there thinking we have to play against one of the best teams in the PL.

"I know how important this cup is (to the fans) and for that reason I'll prepare for the game in the same way I prepared for Brentford last week and the same way I'll prepare us for Charlton on Saturday."

Billingham cable theft: £1,000 reward offered after residents left without phone and internet

A reward of £1,000 has been offered by a crime-fighting charity in a bid to find cable thieves.

It comes after thousands of residents were left without a phone or Internet connection after underground copper cables were stolen in Billingham.

The incident happened on Norton Road, close to Billingham Bypass Road, at around 11.20pm on Sunday, September 14.

Countless homes and businesses were affected by the reckless thefts in which nine BT network cables were cut, wiping out the access to a large chunk of the town.

BT confirmed that work to restore services will not be completed until the end of the week.

Crimestoppers and Openreach - a BT Group Business - have now offered a reward of up to £1,000 for information on thefts that lead to arrests and subsequent successful convictions.

This is in a bid to encourage people to help stop malicious damage being caused to vital national infrastructures.

Dave Hunter, North East Regional Manager for Crimestoppers, said: “This is a huge inconvenience to people who rely on their communication services, and for that reason, as well as the fact this is a crime, I would ask you to stand up for your community and contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or through our Anonymous Online Form at http://ift.tt/uUMqUx . Tell us what you know, not who you are.”

Richard Ginnaw head of the Openreach network resilient unit, set up to tackle metal theft, said the theft of copper cables can result in loss of vital services such as telephone and broadband connections, causing disruption and inconvenience to the general public and effect entire communities.

Anyone with information should contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or through the Anonymous online form at: http://ift.tt/uUMqUx

'It’s like I’m living a nightmare I can’t wake up from' says victim threatened by her ex

A brazen ex-boyfriend who turned his ex’s life into a “nightmare” has been allowed to keep his freedom again by the courts.

James Patrick Doherty slashed his former partner’s tyres with a knife outside her home.

And he told her friend who was a witness against him: “It’ll be the last time you testify against me.”

The 49-year-old's ex said: “It’s as though he knows he’ll get away with it.”

She told in a statement how she struggled to sleep and always felt on edge because of his threatening behaviour.

“It’s like I’m living in a nightmare I can’t wake up from," the victim added.

“I’ve even been thinking about moving away from the area. Why should I? I’ve done nothing wrong.”

Teesside Crown Court heard how her friend had a panic attack when she heard Doherty utter the menacing words outside her home on the Sutton Estate, Middlesbrough at 3pm on April 12.

Two hours later he went to the home of his ex and her new partner yards away, said prosecutor Nigel Soppitt today.

Despite her protestations, he “audaciously” pushed a six-inch knife into the tyres of their Ford Focus and walked off.

She banged on the window but was too frightened to go out because of previous violence, the court was told.

Drunken Doherty gave a false name to police - a lie quickly disproven by a identity card which fell out of his pocket.

He claimed his former partner and her friend had a vendetta against him.

Doherty's ex since said she felt a “non-molestation order” was not protecting her as he’d breached it before and “nothing has happened”.

He was given a community order by magistrates for breaching the order last November.

The victim’s new partner said he was shocked and nervous, while her friend said she felt intimidated and physically drained.

Doherty, of The Avenue, Linthorpe, Middlesbrough, admitted one charge of criminal damage, one of having a bladed article and two of breaching the non-molestation order.

Jo Kidd, defending, said: “There is a long and sorry tale of difficulties since the breakdown of this relationship five years ago.”

She said there was no direct violence or threat of violence in the latest offences, he was not assessed as a future risk and had no domestic violence on his record.

A probation officer felt he could continue to work with the dad-of-seven as he made good progress, and felt his recent offending and binge drinking was linked to his troubled childhood.

Judge George Moorhouse told Doherty: “These are all very serious offences.

“Court orders mean what they say. If you don’t comply with them there’s a risk of losing your liberty.

“Drink seems to be your problem. That’s something you’re going to have to address.”

He gave Doherty a three-month prison sentence suspended for a year with supervision and an indefinite restraining order.

Egypt court sentences five to death

The Giza Criminal Court has sentenced five opponents of the military coup to death and two others to life imprisonment on charges of “forming a terrorist cell and killing a policeman” in the case dubbed in the media as the “October cell”.

In March, the Egyptian general prosecution referred seven suspects to criminal investigations on charges of forming a terrorist cell and shooting at the guards of the Virgin Mary church in 6 October City, which led to the death of a policeman.

The charges against the defendants included the illegal possession of firearms and killing a police officer with a gunshot in his head.

Since the 3 July military coup last summer against President Mohamed Morsi, the Egyptian military-run authorities have rounded up thousands of opponents of the coup and supporters of the ousted president.

According to the Egyptian Observatory for Rights and Freedoms, the number of those who received death sentences in June 2014 was 180 individuals.

Ian Wright disgusted after Mario Balotelli receives racist abuse on Twitter

Ex-Premier Leeague footballer Ian Wright has spoken of his disgust after Mario Balotelli was racially abused on Twitter for mocking Manchester United's defeat at Leicester City.

Hate-filled social media users targeted the Liverpool and Italy striker after he goaded the Red Devils fans with a tweet which simply read: 'Man utd ... LOL.'

One vile tweeter, known only as iMonko, wrote: "Monkey, monkey, monkey, monkey, monkey."

While another particularly disgusting tirade read: "@F**k you Mario you f*****g n****r. Go eat some bananas and get ebola you dirty monkey."

The sickening abuse was labelled 'disgraceful' by the former Arsenal and England star .

He wrote on Twitter: "Cannot believe the abuse @FinallyMario took! In this day and age. Over a comment about a game of football. Disgraceful."

Many other Twitter users came to Balotelli's defence yesterday and some screengrabbed and re-tweeted some of the vile messages, and forwarded them on to police.

The football equality group Kick It Out said in a message on Twitter that it was aware of the racist tweets directed bat Balotelli and that it would be reporting the matter to the authorities.

Merseyside Police has since said it is investigating.

The force posted a message on Twitter, which read: "We can confirm officers are looking into offensive comments made on Twitter about Mario Balotelli earlier today."

Asked if they were launching an investigation, a Merseyside Police spokesman said "yes, we are", adding: "As far as I am aware there have been no complaints but we have been made aware of it by a number of press inquiries."

Manchester United led 3-1 at half-time before conceding four second-half goals in 21 minutes against newly-promoted Leicester.

Balotelli was joined by others from across the world of football left in disbelief at United’s latest horror show.

Former Arsenal midfielder and Sky Sports pundit Paul Merson said: "Man Utd a Gillion miles away from winning the title."

TV presenter and Arsenal fan Piers Morgan tweeted: "To be fair to Van Gaal, he has brought in a new era at United - they're worse than I've ever seen them."

And Match of the Day presenter and former Leicester striker Gary Lineker simply said: "S*** on Man United!"

The controversial 24-year-old, born to Ghanaian immigrants in Italy before being fostered by an Italian family, suffered from racism throughout his career in Italy, and was even racially abused by fans at a national team training camp ahead of this summer's World Cup.

In April 2009, Inter president Massimo Moratti said he would have taken his team off the pitch following the abuse the 18-year-old received at Juventus.

And during the summer of 2009, he had a banana thrown at him in Rome in the city centre.

In an interview published in GQ magazine in July he said: "They (the abusers( aren't used to seeing people who are different, not white, who act not as rebels but normally.

"I think what the ignorant people don't like is that people who are different are allowed to act that way.

"These stupid people, they get angry with me, they say horrible things, but I haven't done anything different from other people.

"I have made mistakes, like everyone does, and I have always paid for my mistakes.

"I think that if I was white maybe some people would still find me irritating or annoying but it wouldn't be the same.

"Absolutely not.

"Jealousy is a horrible thing, but when this jealousy is towards people who are different from the majority, and who maybe also have more than you, then it becomes anger, it becomes rage, and that's the overt racism."

Pictures: Ropner Park plays host to World War One commemorative autumn fair

Stockton’s Ropner Park played host to a World War One commemorative autumn fair.

Organised by The Friends of Ropner Park, the event played host to the usual entertainment for the family including a bouncy castle, mini golf, a climbing wall as well as various stalls and games.

However, as one of the four events organised by the volunteer-led group each year, the fair had a very poignant theme.

With a focus on remembering the dedication and bravery of the men and women who fought in the Great War, Billingham Silver Band opened the event on the bandstand, playing WW1 themed music.

Chairman Brian Scrafton, 74, said: “Our autumn event has a special but serious aspect to it this year as we remember World War One.”

Treasurer of The Friends June Whyte, 82, said: “The idea behind the event is to pull together people of all ages in the community to remember what the great wars were all about.”

A member of the management committee, Stan Taylorson, 62, said: “People really enjoy coming together for the events.

“There is such a huge link between then and now. People work very hard to value the park and it is such a fantastic community resource.”

The Royal British Legion also delivered a service of dedication with music provided by Stockton Town Choir and Infant Hercules which was followed by the sounding of the Last Post.

Houthis break into Sanaa military zone command

Shia Houthi militants stormed on Sunday the headquarters of the 6th military zone in the Yemeni capital Sanaa, with many reported dead and wounded in the ensuing clashes.

A military source, who asked not to be named, told Anadolu Agency that Houthis had broken into the zone as commanders were handing over control to the presidential guards.

“Scores of people were killed and wounded on both sides as a result of the clashes,” he said.

The 6th military zone is one of Yemen’s seven military zones.

The Yemeni army’s command had earlier called on army personnel deployed at military units around the capital to be on high alert, according to the website of the Yemeni Defense Ministry.

On Saturday, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and his Special Advisor on Yemen Jamal Benomar said Yemeni parties had reached a deal to end the current crisis between the government and the Houthi group.

“Preparations are being made for signing the agreement on Sunday,” Benomar said in a brief statement.

He added that the agreement would bring to end confrontations between the Yemeni army and supporters of the Shia group.

In recent days, Sanaa has seen deadly clashes between army troops and Houthi militants amid protests demanding the resignation of the government.

Yemen has been dogged by unrest since a popular uprising that began in 2011 ousted longstanding president Ali Abdullah Saleh one year later

NYSD League: Norton return to top flight as champions alongside Normanby Hall

A dramatic final day of the season saw Norton return to the NYSD’s top flight alongside Normanby Hall who, despite only drawing their game, did enough to overtake season-long rivals Blackhall who stumbled and fell at the very last fence.

Four teams went into the final round of matches with a chance of glory, Whitby making up that quartet.

But with the weather a major factor, it was the Seasiders who fell by the wayside first when their home game against Darlington RA was abandoned after just five overs with the hosts on 12-2.

That made it a three-way fight for the two promotion places, but with the persistent overnight drizzle clinging on until early afternoon the mathematics became more complicated as the three skippers had to wrestle with the changed dynamics presented by reduced games.

Norton’s task was always the simplest – a win of any kind would not only be enough to clinch promotion but also take the championship - and they managed to wrap both prizes up inside 72 overs.

Captain Matty Thomas played a key role as he claimed 6-51 in a match defining 9.5 over spell which saw Hartlepool bowled out for 177.

It was then over to brother Nick who calmed nerves after the loss of three wickets by stroking 13 boundaries on his way to an unbeaten 89, the Teessiders returning triumphantly to the Premier Division with a seven-wicket win.

Normanby Hall had seen their game reduced to 84 overs in total, and with 25 points initially the primary target they rattled up 202-6 against visiting Northallerton before declaring in the 38th over.

Blackett was their inspiration as he cracked nine fours and a pair of sixes in his 87-ball 74.

With 46 overs available to bowl Town out, they couldn’t quite do it, their stubborn opponents clinging on to a draw on 140-9 to leave Hall with a 17-point haul.

Meanwhile, over at Richmond, a win was now all Blackhall required to grab the second promotion spot, but their game had been reduced to 38 overs per side.

The Colliers did the first part well enough, pinning the Dalesmen down to 152-9, but it then became a race against the gathering gloom as it was apparent the rapidly deteriorating light would not allow the match to run its full course.

Neil Whitworth (46) gave the visitors real hope, but then Owen Kelly (4-12) and Andy Dade (3-14) became the toast of Normanby as the run chase collapsed within sight of the finishing line, Blackhall slumping to an agonising five-run defeat.

Norton and Normanby will now replace Sedgefield and Saltburn, the two relegated sides bidding farewell to the top flight with a head to head which gave the Seasiders the chance to record their first win of the summer.

And the achieved it, by an emphatic 134 runs with a John Watson century being backed up by a five-wicket haul from Yorkshire starlet Ben Ainsley.

When Osman Ali Khan donated 5 tonnes of gold to Govt. of India

After emerging victorious in the war against Pakistan in 1965, India faced threat from its other neighbour China. In that situation the then Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri started collecting funds to combat any potential threat. He set up National Defence Fund for the purpose. The government of India appealed to Rajas to help in the difficult situation but they didn’t come up to the expectations.

Then Lal Bahadur Shastri headed for Hyderabad; he knew that Huzoor Nizam Mir Osman Ali Khan would not disappoint Indian government. The PM visited Hyderabad and requested the Nizam to contribute generously to the National Defence Fund. Without a second thought, Mir Osman Ali announced that he would contribute five tonnes of gold for National Defence Fund. The announcement left the people present their flabbergasted. But Asif Jah VII created a record by making biggest ever contribution by any individual or organisation in India that remains unsurpassed till today. In terms of today’s gold price this donation translates to a whopping Rs 1,500 to 1600 crore.

Do the prejudiced and communal leaders who demand to celebrate liberation day on September 17 dare to break this record of generous donation for the country?

Muhammad Riyaz Ahmed

Morning news headlines: Benefit cuts to continue, English MP talks, Blair's troops warning, NASA Mars search continues

Real-terms cuts in child benefit will have to continue for at least the first two years of a Labour government, Ed Balls will announce.

The shadow chancellor will present a 1% cap on rises in the help for parents as one of the "tough decisions" necessary to deal with the deficit if the party takes power next year - claiming it will save the taxpayer £400 million over five years.

He will seek to temper the squeeze by declaring that ministers' pay would be cut by 5% and then frozen until the party is able to "balance the books".

PM to hold talks on English MPs

David Cameron will gather senior MPs at his official country retreat today to consider his plan to restrict the voting rights of Scottish MPs in the Commons in an attempt to deliver "English votes for English laws".

The Prime Minister has said measures to address the issue of MPs with seats in the devolved nations being able to vote on policies that do not apply in their constituencies must go "in tandem" with the process of granting fresh powers to Holyrood.

The row over Mr Cameron's decision to link the issues overshadowed the Labour Party conference, with Ed Miliband under pressure to support the changes.

Blair: Don't rule out ground troops

The UK and other Western powers should be prepared to commit ground troops to fight against extremists like Islamic State (IS), former prime minister Tony Blair has said.

Air strikes alone will not be enough to defeat IS or similar groups, and while training and equipping local fighters may work, the option of sending in combat soldiers should not be ruled out.

Mr Blair, whose premiership came to be defined by the Iraq War, acknowledged there was "no appetite" for ground engagement against IS but warned: "You cannot uproot this extremism unless you go to where it originates from and fight it."

Syria refugee flood hits 100,000

The number of Syrians who have flooded into Turkey to escape Islamic State (IS) militants has reached 100,000.

Most of them are Kurds, and their arrival since Thursday has pushed the conflict close to the Turkish border.

IS is the al Qaida breakaway group which has established a caliphate, ruled by its harsh version of Islamic law, in territory it captured straddling the Syria-Iraq border.

Thai victim was 'trying to help'

The father of a British man murdered in Thailand believes his son had stepped in to help his fellow victim when they were both brutally killed on an island.

Ian Miller said it was in his 24-year-old son David's character to help, and claimed that was probably the circumstance when he and Hannah Witheridge were murdered in Koh Tao a week ago.

He told the Daily Mail: "It has become clearer and clearer that it is quite likely David was stepping in to help a girl who was in trouble.

Hate crime victims 'know abusers'

More than a third of hate crime victims know the people who are abusing them, a study has found.

Nearly 1,500 victims took part in a two-year study on hate crime and its impact and 34% knew their abuser as an acquaintance, a neighbour, a friend, a work colleague, a family member or a carer.

University of Leicester researchers described this as a "huge shock to us" as many people would think the threat may come from a stranger.

Call to diagnose cancer earlier

Almost half of cancers diagnosed in England are detected at an advanced stage when treatment is less likely to be successful, according to a report.

Catching cancer early could improve the survival prospects of more than 52,000 patients a year in England, saving the NHS nearly £210 million, it is claimed.

Experts estimate that if the best early diagnosis rates were delivered across the country, an extra 5,000 cancer patients would survive five years or more after learning of their disease.

British troops take on 'enemy' role

British troops are taking on the role of the enemy as part of a major training exercise.

Soldiers from the Household Cavalry, the Fusiliers and the Royal Horse Artillery are among those currently on the exercise at British Army Training Unit Suffield in Canada.

But rather than going through their usual skills and drills they are being asked to think like the enemy and fight "dirty" against their own Army colleagues in a simulated battle.

Wilfred Owen school records online

A snapshot of war poet Wilfred Owen's school life is revealed in newly published records.

An insight into the school days of many First World War soldiers, poets and artists, many of whom did not return home, forms part of the 1.7 million historical files including handwritten registers, log-books and diaries detailing absences, illnesses, visitors and holiday and attendance records which have been brought to light for the first time.

Unlike many boys at his Birkenhead school, Owen did not pay an extra fee to do gym but his father, who worked as a station master, paid extra for his son to take Latin, the documents say.

Nasa resumes hunt for life on Mars

Nasa's Maven spacecraft has arrived at Mars after a 442 million-mile journey that began nearly a year ago.

Nasa confirmed that the robotic explorer slipped into Martian orbit as planned.

Now the real work begins for the 671 million dollar (£412 million) mission.

Redcar Bears star Richard Lawson reaches final of big meeting

Richard Lawson gave Redcar Bears fans plenty to cheer as he reached the Premier League Riders’ Championship at Sheffield.

The Ecco Finishing Bears star won three times in the heats as he qualified for the knockout stages on 11 points.

He won his semi-final too but was fourth in the final behind winner Simon Stead (Sheffield), runner-up Danny King (Newcastle) and ex-Bear Ulrich Ostergaard (Peterborough).

Hugh Skidmore has become the first man to win the Bears Rider of the Year award twice.

The 2013 winner was presented with the trophy again after polling 37.65% of the vote, conducted exclusively on http://ift.tt/1md60Qe

North Tees and Hartlepool NHS Foundation Trust pays worker £900 for a single shift

More than £900 for a single shift? That’s what a Teesside hospital trust paid for an agency worker for a single day’s work this year.

The North Tees and Hartlepool NHS Foundation Trust paid out £907 to a staffing agency for one person to do one 11.5 hour shift some time after December 2013.

That works out at £78.87 an hour.

The NHS spends hundreds of millions of pounds a year on temporary staff and is increasingly being forced to find cover at the last minute as government cuts stretch staffing resources.

Although the figure for the North Tees trust, which operates the University Hospital of North Tees, in Stockton, seems high, figures obtained under the Freedom of Information Act reveal that hourly rates for agency staff can go up to as much as £540.

This massive figure was paid out by the North Bristol NHS Trust in 2011 to an agency for a temporary worker to cover a 10.25 hour shift - meaning their total bill for one day’s work from one person was £5,554.

Chief executive Alan Foster for North Tees and Hartlepool NHS Foundation Trust said: “There are always going to be occasions where we need to provide cover for shifts at short notice and we have measures in place to keep our agency spend down to an absolute minimum.

“We have a mix of our own staff who sign up to work additional shifts through our nurse bank and people from outside the organisation, including other NHS organisations, who have a zero hours contract with us which allows us to call on them when we need to.

“It is good to have this flexibility so we can respond quickly.”

South Tees Hopsitals NHS Foundation Trust, which runs James Cook University Hospital, in Middlesbrough, failed to provide a response to the Freedom of Information request.