Four Convicted Of 18 Counts Of Raping Children

Two men and two teenage boys have been found guilty of a series of rapes and serious sexual offences against girls in Peterborough.

Zdeno Mirga, 18, was convicted of eight counts of rape and one count of inciting child prostitution by a jury at the Old Bailey.

Two boys, who cannot be named for legal reasons, were also convicted of various counts of rape and sexual assault.

Between them, Mirga and the two boys were convicted of 14 counts of rape.

Hassan Abdulla, 33, was found guilty of four counts of rape and two counts of inciting a child to engage in sexual activity.

Zdeno Mirga's brother Dusan, 20, and David Ziga, 19, and a teenage boy, were found not guilty.

The offences were alleged to have happened in Peterborough from April to December 2012.

Judge John Bevan QC gave a majority instruction to the jury.

Afterwards, Detective Superintendent Gary Ridgway said: "Today's convictions are part of the ongoing joint inquiry by Cambridgeshire Constabulary and Peterborough City Council's Children's social care to safeguard young people and bring offenders to justice.

"This case was entirely victim-led. We, along with Peterborough City Council Children's Services, identified young people who we believed were at risk of harm, engaged with them and, as a result, identified a number of people who were exploiting them.

"These girls were targeted simply because they were vulnerable.

"They were seen as easy targets and exploited by this group of teenage boys and young men who abused them for their own sexual gratification.

"The victims, who were as young as 12 years old, were subjected to horrific ordeals. But they have shown incredible strength throughout this process: in particular by giving evidence at court in order to bring these people to justice.

"We are committed to helping those girls pick up the pieces and move on with their lives.

"Our priority has always been, and remains, to safeguard young people.

"We will continue to work with the city council and other partner agencies to keep young people safe from harm."

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Dave Lee Travis 'Put Hand Up Reporter's Skirt'

DJ Dave Lee Travis put his hand up the skirt of a radio colleague and tried to "put his thumb under her knicker elastic", a court has heard.

It allegedly came after he had previously touched the woman's breasts on a number of occasions, which had left her feeling "frozen, shocked and in denial".

Jurors were told the later incident, in the early 2000s, caused the local radio news reporter to "snap".

She said she screamed at Travis: "You are a pervert. How are you getting away with this? Why are you doing this?"

Southwark Crown Court heard that the pair had to be "pulled apart" before Travis said in the front of shocked colleagues: "I've never touched a woman inappropriately in my life."

Before that, she said that she and others had not told anyone about Travis' behaviour because "no one would believe us".

"We were young and frightened," she said.

She said Travis' reputation was such that female staff in the newsroom of her radio station would put their heads down and "pray that it wasn't them" when he came into room.

Travis, 68, whose real name is David Griffin, was in court having denied 13 counts of indecent assault and one of sexual assault.

The DJ was a presenter for various broadcasters, including the BBC, where he hosted the Radio 1 breakfast show and Top Of The Pops in the 1970s and 80s.

The court heard that, while at the BBC, he assaulted a fellow employee while she was on air during a broadcast.

His alleged victim, who was 26 at the time in the early 1980s, was about to introduce a radio programme when the DJ entered the studio.

She told the court that as she started to speak, Travis approached her from behind and went "right up behind" her.

"His arms were under my armpits and he put (his) hands on (my) breasts," she said.

The witness said: "(I was) frightened I was going to mess up the announcement."

The BBC employee said Travis' attitude and demeanour at the time "was that it was a joke, a prank".

If she had gone to management, she said she was sure they would have responded: "So what? You are a big girl. Deal with it."

"If I had reported it, it would have been a black mark by my name. (They would have thought I) can't take joke."

As a result, she said she could not recall talking to management about the incident.

The BBC witness added that, although she did not tell management about what happened, she did talk about it later as it was "useful" when speaking at conferences to "warn (people about the) sort of thing (women) might have to put up with".

She spoke to police in November 2012. Soon after, she told her husband what had happened, and then a journalist.

During cross examination, she denied embellishing her story. She said it was likely the incident would have been seen by any technician who was on duty, but could not remember the man's name.

The trial continues.

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Lord Rennard Escapes Harassment Disciplinary

Former Lib Dem chief executive Lord Rennard will not face a disciplinary hearing over sexual harassment claims but has been told he should reflect on his behaviour and apologise.

The barrister leading the Liberal Democrat internal inquiry into claims against the the peer said "Lord Rennard's behaviour has caused distress to a number of women".

However, Anthony Webster QC concluded that it was unlikely that this could be proved beyond reasonable doubt and therefore in his conclusion to the Regional Parties Committee on Tuesday night he said no disciplinary hearing should be brought.

In his damning comments he stressed that he had not made his findings because he found the evidence of the complainants unreliable and urged the senior Lib Dem to apologise.

He said: "I stress that I am not finding that the evidence of the complainants was unreliable. I have specifically discounted suggestions made during the investigation that the incidents had been invented as part of a political campaign against Lord Rennard.

"It is my view that Lord Rennard ought to reflect upon the effect that his behaviour has had and the distress which it caused and that an apology would be appropriate, as would a commitment to change his behaviour in future."

Alison Smith was one of the women who made allegations against Lord Rennard

The QC, who spoke to a large number of witnesses during the inquiry, said: "My view, judging the evidence as a whole, is that there is a less than 50% chance that a charge against Lord Rennard could be proved to the requisite standard. 

"In my opinion, the evidence of behaviour which violated the personal space and autonomy of the complainants was broadly credible.

"However, it is my judgement, considering all of the evidence collected, that it is unlikely that it could be established beyond reasonable doubt that Lord Rennard had intended to act in an indecent or sexually inappropriate way.  Without proof of such an intention, I do not consider that such a charge would be tenable."

The affair has been an acute embarrassment for Nick Clegg, who was scrutinised over what he knew about the allegations and when, and whether he took appropriate action.

He said: "I want everyone to be treated with respect within the Liberal Democrats and that is why it is right Chris Rennard has been asked in this report to apologise and to reflect on his behaviour and why he won't be playing any role in my general election plans for the campaign in 2015."

Party president Tim Farron added: "While this process has not found to a criminal standard of proof that Lord Rennard acted with indecent intent, it is clear that he did not behave in the way that a Chief Executive should behave.

"Lord Rennard must reflect on his actions and apologise to the women involved."

He said that the party had reviewed the way harassment claims were dealt with following widespread criticism that the women's allegations had not been taken seriously or acted upon swiftly enough.

One of the women who made the allegations against Lord Rennard, former party activist and Oxford University lecturer Alison Smith, responded to the conclusion on Twitter.

She said: "In 2014 a major political party finds that it has no suitable procedures for dealing with allegations of serious sexual harassment.

"I have been arguing for months that the LDs procedures were fundamentally flawed. Credit to Alistair Webster for recognising this."

Nick Clegg admitted on his radio show that the women were 'let down'

She called on the Liberal Democrats to withdraw the party whip and said they had to do "something" with the allegations because Mr Webster had acknowledged the "witnesses are credible".

Alison Goldsworthy, another of the women who made allegations about Lord Rennard's behaviour, said she was taking legal advice.

She said: "Faced with the opportunity to take strong action, the Liberal Democrats have once more opted for cowardice."

The Metropolitan Police announced in September that no charges would be brought against the peer.

At a fringe meeting at the Liberal Democrat party conference in September a number of women activists came forward to say how they had been made to feel uncomfortable by senior Lib Dems. One talked of how hands would "slip" down the back.

In a statement Lord Rennard, who resigned his position as chief executive in 2009, said: "I am pleased that this brings to an end all investigations concerning allegations made against me on Channel 4 News last February.

The Metropolitan Police also investigated the allegations thoroughly and over several months and found that there was no case to proceed.

My wife Ann and I are very grateful to our families and many friends both inside and outside the Liberal Democrats who have shown unwavering support throughout."

He added: "I now look forward to resuming my roles within the Liberal Democrats. I remain committed to the same values which made me join the Liberal Party as a teenager more than 40 years ago."

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Tax Fugitive Michael Voudouri Held In Cyprus

One of Britain's most-wanted tax fugitives has been arrested in Cyprus after spending months on the run.

Michael Voudouri was seized at his home in the north of the country after allegedly using a forged passport, Police Scotland said.

He was listed among the UK's 10 most wanted tax fugitives last August after failing to appear for sentencing in connection with a multimillion-pound scam. 

Voudouri had pleaded guilty to money laundering charges linked to VAT fraud at the High Court in Glasgow, but was not present for sentencing in March 2012.

He is believed to have cost UK taxpayers an estimated £10m. 

His associates, Richard Housley and Caroline Laing, are serving four-year and two-and-a-half-year jail terms respectively.

A Crown Office spokesman said: "We are aware that Michael Voudouri has been arrested and is currently in custody in northern Cyprus in connection with an alleged immigration offence.

"We await the outcome of those proceedings with interest."

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Roache 'Attacked Victim In Men's Toilet'

By Nick Martin, Sky Correspondent

A young girl was left "bewildered" after being indecently assaulted by Coronation Street actor William Roache in the men's toilets of a television studio, a court has heard.

The alleged victim, now 63, is the first witness to give evidence in the trial of the 81-year-old actor, who denies five counts of indecent assault and two counts of rape.

The witness told the jury that, in May 1965 when she was 14, she and a friend travelled to the Granada Television studios in Manchester to sing in a talent competition.

But, after failing to progress in the audition, the witness told the court that the pair "went exploring".

"We went down corridors wandering about looking for anybody or anything of interest," she told Preston Crown Court.

A court heard Roache sent the alleged victim a signed photo of himself

She said they spotted William Roache and fellow actor Alan Rothwell, who played Ken Barlow's onscreen brother David, in a dressing room and they were invited inside.

"We were two excited young teenagers who had just failed an audition," she said.

The atmosphere was "quite chatty", she said. "We were full of our recent experiences and just excited to be in the company of a famous actor.

"We were probably a little taken a back and excited and flattered, I suppose, that they were actually talking to us and interested in what we were doing."

The court heard that the alleged victim and William Roache ended up alone in a corridor of the studio building.

The actor with members of his family

"He pulled me by my arm into another room. Not so as to cause any injury or harm just roughly, grabbed by arm.

"He opened another door and that turned out to be the men's toilets. I was pulled in. I was taken aback, wasn't quite sure why I was there. I was in the wrong place, I shouldn't have been there.

"The next thing I remember about that situation was I was standing with him."

She told the court that William Roache then carried out an indecent assault.

"It was outside my experience. I was shocked. I really didn't understand what was going on. The one thing I really understood was that I shouldn't have been in the gents.

"I was frightened of causing a fuss because we shouldn't have been there.

Mr Roache has always denied the allegations

"I think I was on autopilot, just following instructions. I was still bewildered by what had happened. I was a bit ashamed."

The girls then caught a bus and did not speak about what had happened.

"It was a relief that we had the audition to chat about. I was still trying to come to terms with what had happened."

The court heard how the girl wrote to William Roache.

One letter from Mr Roache in reply to the youngster read: "Thank you for your marvellous letter and the nice things you said in it. I am enclosing a photo which I hope you will like.

The actor is Coronation Street's longest-serving star

"I am away for three weeks now but I would like a letter from you waiting for me when I get back. Write to me when you start school again and tell me more. Love Bill xx"

The teenager was later invited to visit the Coronation Street set by Mr Roache including a visit to the soap's famous pub, the Rovers Return.

The court heard how Mr Roache then arranged to pick up the youngster in his car around the corner from the Granada Studios on Quay Street, Manchester.

They drove to the suburb of Heaton Chapel, the jury heard. 

She said the actor quizzed her about her level of sexual experience and "checked" her age, the jury heard.

"I remember being parked there and some of the conversation that we had.

"He said to me: 'I won't do it properly until you're 16.' I took it to mean sex, intercourse," she told the court. 

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Npower Says Sorry As Bill Complaints Soar

One of the 'big six' energy suppliers, npower, has told Sky News it has let many of its customers down amid a rising tide of complaints to regulators and charities.

Information compiled by the watchdog Consumer Futures found that the company continued to receive the highest number of complaints between July and September - around eight times more than the best-performing firm, SSE.

Its data suggested npower collected nearly half of all gripes against energy firms to third parties in the period, numbering 253 per 100,000 customers - a rise of 25% on the previous three months.

Npower responded to the findings by apologising.

Its director of retail, Roger Hattam, said: "Last year, we apologised to our customers for the service issues they may have faced, following the installation of a new billing system.

SSE got the least number of complaints

"I know that we've let many of our domestic customers down and I want to apologise personally for this and promise that they will not lose out financially as a direct result of these issues.

"We're working on these issues as top priority and, while we still have a long way to go, we're making good progress.

"Our customers deserve to get the best service possible and this is my commitment to them."

Audrey Gallacher, director of energy at Consumer Futures, added: "It's very disappointing to see that since our last reporting period (April - June 2013), complaints about npower have increased.

"While npower has acknowledged and apologised for its poor billing systems and agreed to pay vulnerable customers who have been disadvantaged, its deterioration in performance is still wholly unacceptable and the company must address the failure of its systems, processes and customer service to put things right.

"We expect Ofgem to monitor npower closely, so that any customers who have been a victim of poor billing practices will not lose out financially. 

"Energy companies have repeatedly said they want to rebuild consumer trust.

"Good customer service and complaints handling are key ingredients to achieving this and suppliers still have a long way to go.

"Along with price, good service is important to customers. 

"People want to know the relative performance on complaint handling to help them make informed choices when deciding whether to switch."

Energy firms have recently confirmed reductions to their recent hikes in bills to take account of a Government decision to reduce so-called green levies but remain under pressure on prices amid a lack of clarity over profits.

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Alps Shootings: Brother's Bail Cancelled

The brother of a British engineer who was shot dead with his family in the French Alps has been released from police bail due to lack of evidence.

Zaid al Hilli was accused of orchestrating the shooting of his brother Saad al Hilli and his wife and mother-in-law in 2012.

Surrey Police did not name the 54-year-old but said he had been arrested in June last year on suspicion of conspiracy to commit murder.

The force said: "A man arrested by detectives investigating the deaths of four people near Annecy, southern France, in September 2012 has today had his bail cancelled.

The BMW in which the family was killed

"At this stage there is insufficient evidence to charge him with any criminal offence and no further police action is being taken at this time."

Eric Maillaud, Annecy chief prosecutor, told Sky News: "There is no problem for the French judicial authorities with the decision by the English as that represents the English legal situation.

"Mr al Hilli is not under formal investigation in France, he was asked to come to France to assist the investigation but has not done so. The enquiry into the circumstances surrounding the incident continues."

Saad al Hilli and his wife Ikbal, who were from Claygate in Surrey, and her mother Suhaila al Allaf, who lived in Sweden, were all fatally shot on a remote forest road in Chevaline.

Saad al Hilli lived with his family in Claygate

The scene was discovered by cyclist Brett Martin, who found them in their BMW.

The al Hilli's daughter Zainab was shot in the shoulder and beaten, but survived.

Her four-year-old sister Zeena lay hidden under her mother's body and was only discovered eight hours after the murders.

Local cyclist Sylvain Mollier was also murdered.

In October, Zaid al Hilli, from Chessington in Surrey, publicly protested his innocence and offered to take a lie-detector test to verify his own account.

Speaking to the BBC's Panorama programme, he accused French investigators of a cover-up.

He said: "They are covering up for someone in France in that region and they know it. Sylvain Mollier was involved in family disputes and was an outsider to (his) rich family.

"There is something more to it locally - most crime has local roots."

The following month French investigators said they were looking for a mystery motorcyclist who was seen near the crime scene.

One lead in tracing the man was that he was wearing an unusual helmet, only a few thousand of which had been made.

The al Hilli brothers were alleged to have been locked in an inheritance dispute centred on the £825,000 home in Claygate where Saad lived after their mother died from a heart attack in 2003.

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Drug Gang 'Sells Cannabis To School Children'

By Tom Parmenter, Sky News Correspondent

Sky News has gained exclusive access to a drugs gang that supplies primary school-aged children with cannabis.

The boss of the south London firm claims the cannabis trade in Britain is "the biggest it has ever been" despite continued police efforts to disrupt the illegal trade.

Speaking on condition of anonymity, the man in his twenties told Sky News he employs more than 30 workers.

He explained how they had at least three factories supplying people in south London and even claims he exports the class B drug to the Netherlands, Germany and Austria.

Cannabis is bagged up and prepared for distribution

The boss said: "We have a type of weed over here called 'English cheese'.

"It was created over here - in Amsterdam they don't have that so they try to create that but they just can't because it is what we make and that's what they want."

But it is his claim that dealers are peddling drugs to primary school-aged children in London that will shock many parents.

He said: "You've got doctors, police, solicitors, teachers, bus drivers - everyone does it .... young kids, school kids, even primary school kids."

The gang leader said he personally does not sell to children, but admitted that dealers who work with his organisation do.

He said: "I blame it on the TV, the media, rap, YouTube, like Miley Cyrus on TV it is a common thing - they see it as the cool thing to do.

"Instead of binge-drinking they'll go and have a smoke."

The singer Miley Cyrus recently appeared to light up a joint while on stage at the European MTV awards in Amsterdam.

The drugs boss spoke to Sky News because he believes the cannabis trade in the UK should be legalised.

He said: "It should be legal so we don't have to hide what we are doing.

"If you look at LA and California and how they legalised it for medical reasons and stuff and how the crime rate actually drops.

"They legalised and it's a calmer place out there."

The factory is full of cannabis-growing material bought from garden centres

Commander Steve Rodhouse, who heads the Metropolitan Police's gangs and organised crime division, said the cannabis trade in the UK "fuels crime, fuels violence and anti-social behaviour. This is a real problem on our streets".

He also said some reports tend to give the impression that gangs can operate without fear of being detected.

"That is just not the case," he added.

"We do thousands and thousands of search warrants every year in London. We arrest and charge hundreds of people for this crime."

The Home Office said over the last two years police forces have seized more than one million cannabis plants, keeping an estimated £200m worth of the drug off the streets.

The number of offences related to cannabis production rose from 14,982 in 2010/11 to 16,464 in 2011/12, according to the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO).

The worker mentioned Miley Cyrus apparently lighting a joint in Amsterdam

An ACPO spokeswoman said: "Police forces and the National Crime Agency (NCA) are finding that these criminals are going to ever greater lengths to conceal their illicit activity because they know that across the country we are shutting down these farms on a daily basis."

Crime Prevention Minister Norman Baker told Sky News: "In the UK, cannabis is controlled as a class B drug under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 and is listed in Schedule 1 to the Misuse of Drugs Regulations 2001.

"Those who grow and supply cannabis face up to 14 years' imprisonment. Production of cannabis for personal use is also illegal.

"We are determined to bring the criminal gangs who trade in cannabis to justice. I am also leading a study of drugs policy in other countries, which will build on the commitment in the drug strategy to look at what we can learn from the approach taken abroad."

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RBS Bonus Row: Cameron Confirms Cash Limit

David Cameron has told MPs the Government will limit Royal Bank of Scotland's (RBS) cash bonuses to £2,000 for the fourth year in a row.

At Prime Minister's Questions in the Commons, he also said he would reject any proposal by the part-nationalised lender to increase its overall pay and bonus bill.

Mr Cameron was speaking as the Government came under pressure to block an expected move by RBS to double the amount it is allowed to pay out in bonuses from 2014.

The bank, which will next month confirm its 2013 bonus arrangements, is in talks on invoking a new EU rule in 12 months' time which would allow it to pay out up to twice an employee's salary - providing shareholders approve it.

Crucially, Mr Cameron did not mention share award bonus levels when Labour leader Ed Miliband requested the Government reject any bid by the bank to raise its bonus cap this year.

Ed Miliband sees political capital in targeting bank bonuses

Labour, which has tabled an opposition day motion to be debated today, argues it would be wrong to allow a loss-making, part-nationalised lender to pay such rewards at a time when the country was suffering a cost of living crisis.

The PM said: "We will continue with our plans for RBS that have seen bonuses come down by 85%, that has seen the bonus pool at one third of the level that it was under Labour."

Under the EU cap, bonuses of more than 100% of basic salary must be approved by shareholders - in RBS's case, the British taxpayer, represented by the Chancellor.

George Osborne is challenging the cap in the courts, arguing it would not lead to bankers receiving less money.

He warned on Wednesday that financial institutions could be expected to respond by paying higher basic salaries, which he said would be more difficult to claw back if things went wrong.

Mr Osborne is in a difficult position in that while he tries to protect the City, he does not want to damage RBS through the loss of key personnel to better-paying rivals.

He is also mindful of Labour's accusation he is standing up for the wrong people in the wake of the financial crisis.

Barclays has already moved to support the bigger rewards under the new cap, but the bank received no state help at the height of the financial crisis and so the Government has no means to control its bonus scheme.

RBS boss Ross McEwan is planning further job cuts

Sky News learned last week that the new chief executive of RBS, Ross McEwan, was drawing up cost-cutting plans to be announced next month that could result in thousands more job losses at the bank.

It has significantly slashed its investment banking operation - traditionally employing those on the biggest bonuses - since its bailout, under orders to concentrate more on day-to-day lending in an effort to boost the UK economy.

A new round of job losses should help bring down the bonus total.

Mr Miliband is to use a speech on Friday to demand the five biggest players on the high street, HSBC, RBS, Lloyds, Barclays and Santander, be forced to sell branches in a bid to stimulate improved competition.

The banks last year accounted for 90% of bank customers and total lending.

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Fire Crews Tackle Fridge Warehouse Blaze

Dozens of firefighters are tackling a major blaze at a fridge warehouse and factory in Buckinghamshire.

The fire is believed to have started in the Liebherr building in Newport Pagnell, sending plumes of thick black smoke into the air.

Smoke from the scene could be seen from miles away. Pic: David Pacey

People living nearby have been told to keep doors and windows closed while nearly 60 firefighters battle to bring the blaze under control.

A spokesman for Buckinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service, which sent crews from Newport Pagnell and six neighbouring towns to the scene, said smoke from the blaze could be seen from miles away.

Its control room received nearly 50 calls from members of the public shortly after the fire broke out.

A spokesman for Thames Valley Police said several local roads had been closed and urged drivers to avoid the area.

According to its website, Liebherr makes refrigerators, freezers and wine coolers for both the domestic and commercial markets.

Its products are sold across Europe.

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