London Olympics: Many Tickets 'Too Expensive'

The high cost of tickets for Olympic medal sessions in athletics, track cycling and swimming has been criticised by the London Assembly.

With the cheapest tickets selling for £50, the Assembly's economy committee says there are lessons to be learned for future sporting events in the capital.

In a report called The Price Of Gold, the committee says sports fans paid an average of £333 to see Mo Farah win the men's 5,000m final.

Almost 60% of people who bought a ticket for the men's 100m final paid more than £294, while seeing Tom Daley land bronze in the 10m platform diving cost an average of £203.

London 2012 has been rightly praised for staging a "hugely successful" Games which were a "fantastic spectacle," the report says.

It also applauds affordable tickets plans such as the Pay your Age scheme for children, which also saw those over 60 pay a £16 flat fee.

Jamaica's Usain Bolt winning the men's 100m final

But although London 2012 kept its promise to spread tickets evenly across its five price categories, the amounts charged "varied between sessions and, for a large number, were skewed towards the high end".

The committee said the average ticket price for Olympic athletics medal sessions was £231.88, with a fifth of tickets costing more than £400.

Committee chairman Andrew Dismore said: "For many ordinary people, the lack of available affordable tickets for certain sessions meant there was little chance of them being in the crowd to see their sporting heroes win gold.

"Given that ticket sales massively exceeded their target, this was a missed opportunity to reward those taxpayers who funded the Games and inspire a generation to participate in sport.

"We must learn the lessons from London Olympics and Paralympics if we are to host future sporting championships successfully."

Britain's Tom Daley on his way to bronze in the diving

The committee accepted the principle of charging more for medal sessions but suggested there should be a minimum number of affordable tickets available at future events.

It also recommended a minimum proportion of tickets for the public for each session as well as an overall target for the entire competition.

London 2012 raised £657m from ticket sales, easily beating its target of £500m, the committee noted.

A London 2012 spokesman said: "We needed to raise the money to stage the Games, but we also wanted to ensure they were accessible and affordable to as many people as possible.

"We feel we achieved this with more than 75% going to the public for the Olympic Games and 91% for the Paralympic Games."

Among future sporting events being hosted in London are the 2015 European field hockey championships, the 2017 athletics world championships and the 2017 Paralympic athletics world championships.

The capital has also bid for the 2014 European swimming championships and the 2015 track cycling world championships.

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UK Peace Index Shows Fall In Violent Crime

The UK has seen a "substantial and sustained" fall in violent crime over the last decade, according to a report.

A new UK Peace Index has revealed that violent crime in Britain is falling more rapidly than anywhere else in Western Europe.

The murder rate has halved since 2003, from 1.99 per 100,000 people to one per 100,000 with the violent crime rate falling from 1,255 to 933 per 100,000 people, according to the research.

Broadland, in Norfolk, was the most peaceful area at local authority level, followed by Three Rivers in Hertfordshire, South Cambridgeshire, East Dorset and Maldon in Essex.

Inner London boroughs were the least peaceful - headed by Lewisham and followed by Lambeth, Hackney, Newham and Tower Hamlets.

The most peaceful region in the UK was South East England and the least peaceful Greater London followed by Scotland and Northern Ireland.

The least peaceful major urban centre in the UK was Glasgow, followed by London and then Belfast.

The research, which covers the 10-year period from 2003 to 2012, showed the rate of murders and manslaughter in Britain was at the lowest level since 1978.

It was revealed that almost all categories of crime, including burglary and fraud, have dropped - except drug offences.

The findings come from the Institute for Economics and Peace (IEP), which defines peace as the absence of violence or fear of violence.

Their report says: "Both crime and homicide have fallen significantly.

"The fall over the last decade has resulted in the UK homicide rate now being roughly equivalent to that of the Western European average, and it is now at its lowest level since 1978.

"However, the UK violent crime rate is significantly higher than the European Union average."

The study credited the falling crime rate to changes in policing, including improved technology, as well as an ageing population, reduced alcohol consumption and the introduction of the minimum wage.

The IEP also claims that violent crime costs the UK economy more than £124bn each year - £4,700 for every household.

Murder alone costs the economy around £131m a year, which does not include lost productivity. The cost of theft and burglary adds up to around £7bn.

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Eye Poster Puts Off Bike Thieves, Says Study

Bike thefts have been cut sharply at a university just by placing a poster of watchful eyes above the cycle racks, according to researchers.

The two-year experiment at Newcastle University was suggested by a security manager at the campus who had seen similar studies indicating that people behave better when they feel they are being watched.

Academics found that bike racks where the poster was present had 62% fewer thefts than the previous year, while those without the poster saw thefts rise by 63%.

For the first year, the team monitored the level of bike thefts from all racks across campus for a control figure.

They then placed the posters in three locations, leaving the rest of the racks without signs. Crime levels were monitored at all the sites for a year.

Professor Melissa Bateson and Professor Daniel Nettle, of the Centre for Behaviour and Evolution, and Ken Nott, of Newcastle University's security team, were behind the study.

"We don't know exactly what is happening here but this just adds to the growing evidence that images of eyes can have a big impact on behaviour," said Professor Nettle in the journal PLoS ONE.

"We think that the presence of eye images can encourage co-operative behaviour. One strong possibility is that the images of eyes work by making people feel watched. We care what other people think about us, and as a result we behave better when we feel we are being observed."

Mr Nott said: "I had followed previous work done by this team and thought it might be able to make a difference to levels of crime, so I decided to suggest this experiment.

"The results were clear and we have now put these pictures up across all the bike racks on the campus."

A 2006 study found that staring eyes made people pay almost three times as much into a tea-room honesty box.

And research in 2010 showed that people using a canteen were more likely to clear away their tray after a meal when there were eyes watching them.

The crime-fighting idea is now being tried by British Transport Police, with train company C2C, on a route between London's Fenchurch Street station and Southend in Essex.

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Milly Phone Hacking Claim: Police Slammed

Former senior officers at Surrey Police failed to investigate a claim that Milly Dowler's phone had been hacked during their 2002 inquiry into her abduction and murder, a watchdog has found.

Officers at all levels of the inquiry knew the allegation had been made against the News Of The World (NOTW) but did nothing despite suggestions a crime may have been committed, the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) said.

But the watchdog added it had not been able to discover why nothing was done, adding senior officers appeared to be suffering from a "form of collective amnesia".

IPCC deputy chair Deborah Glass said: "We will never know what would have happened had Surrey Police carried out an investigation into the hacking of Milly Dowler's phone in 2002.

"Phone hacking was a crime and this should have been acted upon, if not in 2002, then later, once the NOTW's widespread use of phone hacking became a matter of public knowledge and concern.

"Our investigation has heard from officers and former officers from Surrey Police who have expressed surprise and dismay that it wasn't investigated.

"We have not been able to uncover any evidence, in documentation or witness statements, of why and by whom that decision was made - former senior officers, in particular, appear to have been afflicted by a form of collective amnesia in relation to the events of 2002.

"This is perhaps not surprising, given the events of 2011 and the public outcry that the hacking of Milly Dowler's phone produced."

Levi Bellfield was convicted of the girl's murder in June 2011

In July 2011, it emerged Milly's phone may have been hacked by the Sunday tabloid - claims which led to the newspaper's owner Rupert Murdoch shutting down the paper.

Milly, 13, was abducted in March 2002 and her body was found in September that year.

The IPCC findings follow an investigation into the conduct of two senior officers, Deputy Chief Constable Craig Denholm and temporary Detective Superintendent Maria Woodall.

Surrey Police said it had taken "management action and issued words of advice" to both officers, although the IPCC concluded neither had a case to answer for misconduct.

Former nightclub bouncer Levi Bellfield was convicted of Milly's murder in June 2011, some nine years after the teenager vanished as she walked home from school after leaving Walton-on-Thames station.

Following Bellfield's trial, the then Surrey Police chief constable, Mark Rowley, set up Operation Baronet to look into reports that Surrey Police was aware in April 2002 that the NOTW had allegedly intercepted Milly's voicemail.

Surrey Police Authority and Surrey Police referred complaints against Mr Denholm and Ms Woodall to the IPCC in June 2012 in light of evidence arising from Operation Baronet.

The force's chief constable Lynne Owens said: "Surrey Police acknowledged in 2011 that the hacking of Milly Dowler's voicemails should have been investigated and both the former chief constable and I have met with and apologised to the Dowler family for the distress this has caused."

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Briton Dies Swimming Off Holiday Island

A Briton has died after reportedly getting into difficulties in the sea off the Canary Islands.

Steve Potter was spotted face down in the water after leaving friends on the beach to go for a swim on the holiday island of Lanzarote.

He was dragged out of the water unconscious, according to reports, but he was pronounced dead after efforts to revive him failed.

The victim, said to be aged 43 and from the north of England, was at the island's Famara Beach with friends when the tragedy happened late on Saturday afternoon.

The results of a post-mortem examination have apparently been sent to a judge put in charge of a routine inquiry into the case, but have not yet been made public.

A source has been reported as saying there was nothing to suggest the case was anything other than an accident.

A Foreign Office spokesman said: "We can confirm the death of a British national in Lanzarote on April 20.

"We are providing consular assistance to the family at this difficult time."

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Motorist Admits Killing Couple On Tandem

By Isabel Webster, West Of England Correspondent

A driver has admitted killing a couple after mowing them down in his car as they rode their tandem.

Nicholas Lovell entered guilty pleas to causing the deaths of Ross Simons, 34, and his wife Clare, 30, in a crash in Hanham, near Bristol, on January 27 this year.

Lovell fled the scene of the crash, leaving his partner Louise Cox to give a false account of who was driving the vehicle to the officers.

Louise Cox owns the car driven by Lovell

He handed himself into police hours after the collision and was arrested.

The 38-year-old pleaded guilty at Bristol Crown Court to two counts of causing death by dangerous driving and one of driving while disqualified.

He spoke only to confirm his name and enter the guilty pleas during the 10-minute hearing.

Ross and Clare Simons died less than 24 hours after celebrating the news that they could undergo fertility treatment to start a family.

Friends described them as "two peas in a pod" and "the perfect couple".

Cox, who owns the Citroen Picasso driven by Lovell, has pleaded guilty to perverting the course of justice.

The 35-year-old from Bristol admitted providing police with a false name and description when she was asked to identify who had been driving her car.

The judge remanded Lovell in custody while Cox was released on police bail.

They will be sentenced on May 22.

Tributes left at the scene in Hanham

Detective Chief Inspector Rachel Williams, of Avon and Somerset Police, said: "The pleas entered today by both Nicholas Lovell and Louise Cox reflect that both have taken some responsibility for the deaths of Ross and Clare.

"While these pleas will never bring Ross and Clare back, I hope they go some way to providing comfort for their families."

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Sun's Royal Editor Faces Misconduct Charge

The Sun's royal editor Duncan Larcombe is to be charged with conspiracy to commit misconduct in a public office, according to the Crown Prosecution Service.

The CPS said that Mr Larcombe will be charged alongside John Hardy, who served as a Colour Sergeant at the Royal Military Training Academy at Sandhurst, and his wife Claire Hardy.

All three are to be charged with conspiracy to commit misconduct in a public office between February 9, 2006 and October 16, 2008, the CPS said.

The charges have come as a result of investigations under Operation Elveden, Scotland Yard's probe into alleged corrupt payments to public officials.

It is alleged that between February 10, 2006 and October 15, 2008, 34 payments were made to either John or Claire Hardy totalling more that £23,000, the CPS said.

Alison Levitt QC, principal legal adviser to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), said: "Following a careful review of the evidence, we have concluded that Duncan Larcombe, John Hardy and Claire Hardy should be charged with a conspiracy to commit misconduct in public office.

"Duncan Larcombe was employed as chief royal correspondent at The Sun, John Hardy served as a colour sergeant based at the Royal Military Training Academy in Sandhurst and Claire Hardy is his wife."

A fourth person, Tracy Bell, who was employed by the Ministry of Defence as a pharmacy assistant at Sandhurst Medical Centre, is also to be charged with misconduct in public office, Ms Levitt announced.

"It is alleged that Tracy Bell received £1,250 between October 17, 2005 and July 7, 2006 relating to five articles published in The Sun regarding matters at Sandhurst," Ms Levitt said.

All four defendants are due to appear at Westminster Magistrates' Court on May 8.

There is insufficient evidence to charge a second member of the public with any criminal offence, Ms Levitt added.

"These decisions were considered carefully in accordance with the DPP's guidelines on the public interest in cases affecting the media," she said.

"These guidelines require prosecutors to consider whether the public interest served by the conduct in question outweighs the overall criminality before bringing criminal proceedings."

The charges come as a former Surrey police officer became the latest person to be arrested under Operation Elveden, which is being supervised by the Independent Police Complaints Commission and is running in conjunction with phone-hacking inquiry Operation Weeting.

The 41-year-old man was arrested at 6am this morning at his home in Sussex on suspicion of misconduct in a public office, Scotland Yard said.

The arrest was the 62nd under Operation Elveden. Of those arrested so far, 13 people, including four former police officers, seven journalists and two other public officials, have or will face court action.

Last week Sun executive editor Fergus Shanahan, 58, from Dunmow in Essex, was charged with conspiring with a public official and a journalist to commit misconduct in a public office after allegedly authorising a journalist to make payments to a public official.

He is also due to appear at Westminster Magistrates' Court on May 8.

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Luis Suarez Bite: 10-Game Ban For Striker

Liverpool striker Luis Suarez has received a 10-game ban for biting Chelsea defender Branislav Ivanovic during a game.

The player's club immediately released a statement saying it was "shocked and disappointed at the severity" of the Football Association's punishment, decided by an independent regulatory commission.

An FA statement said: "A three-person independent regulatory commission today upheld the FA's claim that a suspension of three matches was clearly insufficient and the player will serve a further seven first-team matches in addition to the standard three.

"The suspension begins with immediate effect."

Suarez has until midday on Friday to appeal the additional suspension.

Liverpool's managing director Ian Ayre said in a statement: "Both the club and player are shocked and disappointed at the severity of today's Independent Regulatory Commission decision.

"We await the written reasons tomorrow before making any further comment."

Suarez was banned in 2011 for racist insults he directed at Patrice Evra

The 26-year-old had issued statements apologising to Ivanovic in the wake of the 2-2 draw at Liverpool's Anfield. The incident was missed by referee Kevin Friend but could be seen clearly on television replays.

Suarez was banned for seven matches in 2010 for biting PSV Eindhoven player Otman Bakkal while playing for Ajax in the Dutch league.

He was also suspended for eight games in December 2011 for racially abusing Manchester United defender Patrice Evra during a match.

The player has been repeatedly accused of diving to win penalties and free kicks, and was criticised after scoring a goal despite a blatant handball in an FA Cup tie this season against minor league Mansfield Town.

His reputation was first damaged when he was sent off for a deliberate handball to prevent Ghana from scoring a late goal in a World Cup quarter final match in 2010.

He was seen celebrating on the sideline when Ghana missed the spot kick and Uruguay advanced in a shootout.

There is no standard minimum or maximum punishment for biting in football's disciplinary code, unlike rugby union which has a 12-week recommended suspension for first offences and up to a four-year ban for the most serious biting offences.

Suarez was criticised for using his hand before scoring against Mansfield

Liverpool moved quickly to deal with the latest crisis surrounding their star striker and imposed a club fine which is being donated to the Hillsborough families' support group.

Suarez remains among the favourites for the Professional Footballers' Association Player of the Year award, which will be announced on Sunday.

Many commentators have suggested the player, who is Liverpool's lead scorer with 23 league goals this season, will leave English football in the summer following his latest controversy.

Liverpool are facing their fourth season outside the Champions League and the player recently said: "I am very happy at Liverpool but you never know in football.

"A player's ambition is always there, the ambition of wanting to play in elite teams is always there.

"If another team comes around with more prospects of competing in international club competition games, which is willing to have me, they are welcome."

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Weather: Britain Set For Year's Hottest Day

Spring sunshine could see parts of the UK enjoy the country's hottest weather of the year so far - before plummeting temperatures and a sudden cold snap take hold.

Large swathes of east Wales and southern and eastern England have been basking in clear skies and bright sunshine, with 21.1C (70F) recorded today at Cavendish in Suffolk.

Elsewhere it was cooler, with overcast conditions in central and northern England and some rain in places.

While temperatures will plunge by Friday, Wednesday is expected to be the warmest day yet of 2013.

Sky News Weather Producer Joanna Robinson said: "Southeast England looks to keep the warmth over the next few days, but there will be more in the way of cloud around than on Tuesday.

"Temperatures could reach 21C (69.8F) or 22C (71.6F) in the best of the sunny spells there, which would equal the highest temperature we've seen so far in 2013, in Manston and Gravesend on April 14."

But she added that the mercury could drop below double figures in many parts of the country later in the week.

"Unfortunately, it doesn't look like the warmth will last into the weekend," she said.

"Rain will spread across south-east England on Thursday night, allowing the cooler air further north to set in.

"Friday and Saturday look to be fairly cold nationwide, with temperatures reaching a high of just 10C (50F) or 11C (51F) in the South East.

"Scotland and Northern Ireland will see temperatures around 8C (46.4F). It will feel even colder in the northerly wind and we'll also see the return of overnight frosts too.

"Spring is a changeable season so it's not unusual to see spells of warmth along with cold snaps."

Meanwhile, hay fever sufferers have received some good news as experts predicted a shorter hay fever season this summer.

Cold weather over recent months is thought to have delayed the release of silver birch and grass pollen.

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Man Arrested Over 1992 Disappearance

A suspect arrested months ago over the 2005 disappearance of a woman has been placed under custody again on suspicion of murdering a man missing since 1992.

The 59-year-old Tynedale suspect was first arrested in December in connection with the case of Janet Brown, who went missing eight years ago.

He has been bailed pending further inquiries.

This arrest was revealed only nine days ago because police started digging for Ms Brown's body in remote farmland near Hexham, Northumberland.

Police have now announced that the same man has been re-arrested, along with a 44-year-old-man from Newcastle, in connection with the case of Michael Straughan, who has been missing for over two decades.

There is no known link between the two missing people.

Mr Straughan was 38 when he was reported missing on June 20, 1992, a day after he was seen at the Farmers' Rest Pub in Haymarket, Newcastle.

He failed to return home that night.

Various enquiries were conducted at the time but there have been no further sightings of Mr Straughan.

Ms Brown was last seen in June 2005

Detective Chief Inspector Nicola Musgrove, who is leading the investigation, said: "Further information has come to light which has led to the arrest of two men on suspicion of murder.

As this is a live enquiry we are unable to go into more details but at this stage there is no obvious link between Michael Straughan and Janet Brown.

"While we appreciate Mr Straughan's disappearance was more than 20 years ago, we would ask that anyone who has information about him or knew him to get in touch.

"Our inquiries into the whereabouts of Janet Brown continue and searches of land are progressing well."

Anyone with information about Ms Brown or Mr Straughan is asked to call Northumbria Police on 101 ext 69191 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

Last Monday, police announced they were searching a 40-acre farm at Sparty Lea in West Tynedale for Ms Brown's body.

Ms Brown was a TV extra who went missing when she was 45 and before she could claim her parents' estate, which was reportedly worth £1m.

There has been no confirmed sighting of the woman, who lived in the Lowgate area of Hexham, since June 2005.

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