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Edinburgh School Wall Death: Friends' Tributes

Written By Unknown on Rabu, 02 April 2014 | 23.15

Touching tributes have been paid by family and friends of a schoolgirl who was killed when a changing room wall collapsed.

Keane Wallis-Bennett died after the wall fell on her at Liberton High School, Edinburgh, shortly before 10am on Tuesday.

Police and health and safety officials have launched an investigation into the 12-year-old's death and all similar walls at schools in the city are being inspected.

Liberton High will not reopen this week and a full council survey will be conducted before students return from the Easter holidays in three weeks.

Friends of Keane Wallis-Bennett pay tribute to her at the entrance to Liberton High School Keane's friends pause to remember her at the entrance to the school

Keane's grandfather James Bennett said he was with the youngster's father Clark when he received a phone call from the school.

"He said Keane had been in an accident and he left immediately," he told the Daily Record.

"Half an hour later, he phoned to say she had died. He was in bits. He could hardly speak."

Joanna Sikorska, who married Keane's uncle last month, added: "You don't expect something like this to happen. Your kids go to school and you expect it to be a safe place for them."

Girl dies in wall collapse Parents gather at the entrance to the school after the tragedy

Sky News' Scotland Correspondent Niall Paterson, at the scene, said bunches of flowers, a candle and cuddly toys had been left at the school gates.

"Such are the conditions here that a few of the written tributes are almost illegible," he said.

"Yet this bank of flowers, almost an impromptu shrine, has lost none of its poignancy."

One bouquet was accompanied with a picture of Keane and one of her school friends, while another from the youngster's grandmother came with a note addressed to "my beautiful cupcake".

Floral tributes to Keane Wallis-Bennett at the entrance to Liberton High School Bunches of flowers have been left at the entrance to Liberton High

A card attached to another bunch of flowers read: "Words can't explain how much we all miss you. You were so bright and funny and, don't forget, extremely beautiful. I hope we will see each other soon."

Keane's death comes just weeks after Edinburgh City Council was fined £8,000 following an accident at the school in which a girl was seriously injured when she fell nearly five metres down a broken-down lift shaft.

The 15-year-old schoolgirl suffered three fractured vertebrae and a sprained wrist as a result of the accident in December 2011.

Text message sent to parents alerting them to the incident Parents were informed of the death by text message

There have been reports that students at Liberton High raised concerns about the safety of the wall, but the council said a survey of all schools in its area between 2012 and 2013 had not identified any problems.

Local MSP Jim Eadie said: "My heart goes out to the family at this difficult and distressing time. It's impossible to know what they must be going through.

"I know the school and the wider community will be deeply affected by what has happened here."


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Air Pollution: 10 Things You Need To Know

By Martin Jefferies, Sky News Online

People with lung and heart problems have been warned to avoid strenuous activity as air quality falls to its lowest possible level across parts of the country. We look at what is behind the increase in air pollution and ask just how serious the problem is.

:: What is causing air quality to drop?

The poor air quality levels sweeping across much of England and Wales are caused by a combination of dust blown in from the Sahara desert and harmful emissions from both the UK and Europe.

Light winds have allowed this cocktail of natural and man-made pollutants to linger in the skies above the country.

Watch a special report on Britain's air pollution on Sky News HD

:: What is in the air?

As well as dust and sand particles from the Sahara desert, traffic pollutants such as carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide (NO2), volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and particulate matter - combined with the ozone created when sunlight reacts with NO2 and VOCs - cause air quality to worsen.

Although these pollutants can cause air pollution close to where they are emitted, they can also travel long distances, with emissions from mainland Europe adding to the current problems in southeast England.

The dust falls to the ground when it rains, leaving a fine residue on car windscreens and other outdoor surfaces. 

Air pollution Vehicles and industry are the biggest contributors to air pollution

:: What are the health implications?

Air pollution can cause runny eyes and noses, as well as coughs and sore throats, but the effects can be more serious among the very young, the elderly and those with existing lung or heart problems.

Dr Keith Prowse, former chairman of the British Lung Foundation and an honorary medical adviser, told Sky News: "People with asthma or COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) should make sure they have their reliever inhalers with them, and those who use preventer inhalers may have been told to double their dose.

"The best advice is not to go out when pollution levels are high and not to take part in strenuous exercise."

A Russian woman wears a face mask to pro Face masks are a common sight in many parts of the world

:: Will people need to start wearing face masks?

Worsening air pollution in places like China has made face masks a must-have accessory for many people.

However, Dr Carol Cooper, a London GP, said: "A good piece of advice is not to bother. They're not generally very effective and wearing one can actually make breathing more difficult.

"Wearing a face mask in somewhere like southeast Asia is more of a cultural thing than a medical one."

Sand dunes in the Sahara desert Dust from thousands of miles away in Africa is adding to the problems

:: How does sand from the Sahara end up in the UK?

"There are currently strong dust storms across the Sahara and because the winds in the upper atmosphere are blowing in a southerly direction, this is sending the dust and sand particles over western Europe and into the atmosphere over England and Wales," Sky News weather presenter Nazaneen Ghaffar said.

"The reason we've seen the orange deposits is because of recent rainfall. Any rain clears the dust from the upper atmosphere, bringing it down to lower levels, and as the water evaporates it leaves behind the orange dust.

Terminal 5 at Heathrow Airports are not expecting the Saharan dust to cause significant problems

:: Is the dust likely to cause any disruption to flights?

Many air passengers will remember the chaos caused by the volcanic ash cloud generated by the eruption of Icelandic volcano Eyjafjallajokull in 2010.

Flights were grounded across the UK and Europe amid fears dust could cause engine damage.

However, a spokesman for Nats, the British air traffic control service, said it was "not aware" of any likely disruption to flights, while a British Airways official added: "We are not expecting our customers to be affected in any way."

Air pollution levels in the UK for April 2 London and the South East are among the areas worst affected

:: How is air pollution measured?

The Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) measures air quality on a scale of one to 10, with each number given a different colour to visualise the extent of pollution on a map of the country.

London and the South East, including East Anglia, Essex and Kent, are currently coloured purple, indicating "very high" levels of air pollution, whereas the North, Scotland and Northern Ireland appear green, suggesting levels are much lower.

Beijing smog Beijing, in China, has battled with smog for many years

:: How does air pollution in London compare to other countries?

London appears way down a World Health Organisation (WHO) list of the most-polluted cities in the world, with similar pollution levels to other major cities such as Budapest and Dusseldorf.

The capital is around 13 times less polluted than the city with the worst air quality - Ahwan in southwestern Iran - and has air seven times cleaner than that of Delhi, although it lags behind places such as Munich, Tokyo and Canberra.

Pollution is measured by the average number of tiny particles in the air per cubic metre.

London Smog Smog descends on Christmas shoppers in London's Regent Street in 1962

:: Has air quality not been improving in the UK?

There has been a marked improvement in urban air quality over the last two decades.

In 1993, air pollution was at moderate or higher levels for roughly one day in every six. Using the same methodology, that figure is now around one in every 36.

There has been a huge drop in the amount of carbon monoxide and sulphur dioxide in the air, but although pollution at the roadside has shown signs of long-term improvement, it has remained relatively stable since 1998.

In February, the European Commission launched legal proceedings against the UK over claims it is years late reaching agreed EU standards.

Air pollution in central London Smog hangs over many of central London's most famous landmarks

It says levels of toxic gas nitrogen dioxide remain "excessive" and are contributing to respiratory problems and premature deaths.

:: How long is this latest bout of air pollution like to last?

Air quality is expected to return to higher levels by the weekend, helped by outbreaks of rain in the West that will effectively wash away dust and other contaminants from the atmosphere.

However, Ghaffar said: "Rain is only a brief relief from the dust in the atmosphere. A change in wind direction is needed to stop the flow of particles blowing through and from Thursday, that is what we can expect."


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Hillsborough Jury Should Inquire 'Fearlessly'

By Paul Kelso, Sky News Sports Correspondent

The coroner in the Hillsborough inquests has concluded his opening statement, telling members of the jury they should "inquire fully, fairly and fearlessly" into the causes of the deaths of the 96 Liverpool fans killed in the disaster.

Lord Justice Goldring, sitting in a purpose-built court-room in Warrington, set out a number of issues the jury should consider in a hearing that could take up to a year.

Completing his opening, the coroner addressed the question of whether police statements had been deliberately altered to deflect blame for the disaster on to supporters.

He told the jury that officers from South Yorkshire Police, the force in charge on the day, prepared their own statements in the aftermath of the disaster, and that these were then sent for review by lawyers.

Lord Justice Goldring Lord Justice Goldring has told the jury which issues they will consider

The coroner said that a large number of amendments were made to those statements, including the removal of comments criticising police leadership on the day.

The jury were told they would have to consider if they were changed to deliberately deflect blame from the police to the fans.

"Why was the amendment made?" the coroner said.

"Was it made innocently and for perfectly understandable reasons? Or was it part of a policy of blaming the fans in order to deflect criticism from the police? Do the amendments throw any light on that crucial question of how those who died came to do so?"

Addressing the issue of the conduct of supporters, the coroner said he did not expect that anyone would suggest the behaviour of the deceased had played any part in their death.

Hillsborough Inquests Liverpool fans were allocated the Leppings Lane stand for the game in 1989

"Did the conduct of the fans, or some of them, excluding those who died, did that play any part in the disaster? I phrase it in that way because I do not believe that anyone will suggest that the conduct of those who died in any way contributed to their deaths," he added.

The coroner also referred to the first inquests, which reached verdicts of accidental death in 1991. The findings of those inquest were quashed by the High Court in 2012.

Lord Justice Goldring described how the original "mini-inquests" were brief, few questions were asked of witnesses, and that the families of the dead were not given disclosure of documents.

He also dealt with what he described as the controversial decision by the first coroner to impose a 3.15pm cut-off for the inquest, which meant there was no examination of the emergency service response after that point.

"We, of course, will not follow that course," he said.

Finally, the coroner set out a number of questions the jury may want to consider. These included:

Hillsborough Inquests The management of their approach to the turnstiles will be a key issue

- Whether the layout of Hillsborough and the Leppings Lane end contributed to the disaster or deaths.

- Were there dangers that should have been appreciated?

- What was done to manage the approach of fans to the turnstiles? Did a crush outside the entrance develop?

- When the exits were opened to relieve any crush, should anything or anything more have been done to avoid the risk of a dangerous situation?

- Were steps taken to control the allocation and level of the crowd in pens three and four, and were steps taken to prevent overcrowding?

- Was system of allowing fans to find their own level satisfactory?

- Did the conduct of the fans, or some of them, excluding those who died, play any part in the disaster?

Evidence will resume on Thursday morning, when family members will begin delivering personal statements about each of the deceased.


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Gibraltar: Spain Envoy Summoned Over 'Incursion'

Britain has summoned the Spanish ambassador after Spain sent a ship into Gibraltar's waters in a move that has reignited tensions over the territory.

In what is being seen as a clearly inflammatory move Spain sent a state research vessel accompanied by a police boat to the waters off the British territory on Tuesday.

Europe Minister David Lidington said the activities of the vessels were both "unlawful" and some of the manoeuvres made by the Guardia Civil boat were dangerous.

He vowed to take "whatever action necessary" to safeguard the interests of Gibraltar.

Gibraltar: Spanish ship told to leave by Royal Navy A Spanish ship refused to leave Gibraltar's waters in November

The Spanish Ambassador Federico Trillo was summoned to the Foreign Office on Wednesday to explain the "serious incursion".

It is the fourth time he has been publicly summoned by Britain over Gibraltar since December 2011, when the current Spanish Government took office.

Sky's Diplomatic Editor Tim Marshall said the move by the Spanish suggested they had "fully intended to provoke the British."

He added: "This is not to say who is right and who is wrong in law. The British are extraordinarily confident that in law these are British territorial waters and the Spanish have got no rights there in that they are supported by most of the European Union."

Mr Lidington said: "Not only were the actions of the survey vessel unlawful, but it was accompanied by a Spanish Guardia Civil vessel whose dangerous manoeuvring presented a significant safety concern on the waters.

Motorists queue to cross the border between Spain and Gibraltar in La Linea de la Concepcion on September 20, 2013. Travellers faced lengthy queues at the Gibraltar border in the summer

"I strongly condemn this provocative incursion and urge the Spanish government to ensure that it is not repeated. Her Majesty's Government will continue to take whatever action we consider necessary to uphold British sovereignty and the interests of Gibraltar, its people, its security and economy."

The Prime Minister's spokesman said: "(We) raise very clearly our concerns with the Spanish government. We will continue to do that if we need to. We would strongly urge the Spanish authorities to desist."

It is the latest incident in a long-running row between Spain and the British territory.

In November Mr Trillo was summoned after a Spanish ship refused to leave Gibraltar's waters for 20 hours.

In the summer Spain tightened up its checks on travellers crossing the border to Gibraltar leading to delays of several hours following a diplomatic row over an artificial reef built by Gibraltar provoking anger from Spanish fisherman.

David Cameron asked the European Commission to investigate claiming the checks were "politically motivated" and potentially in breach of EU law on free movement of people.

However, the commission said the checks were not unlawful and ordered the UK and Spain to work together.

In August Spanish mayor Francisco Perez Trigueros provoked anger in Gibraltar after posting a mock-up picture of Spain invading The Rock on Facebook.

Spain lays claim to Gibraltar, which has a population of just 30,000 and was ceded to Britain 300 years ago.


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PM And Miliband Trade 'Dunce' And 'Muppet' Slurs

Ed Miliband labelled David Cameron the "dunce of Downing Street" over the Government's sell-off of the Royal Mail during Prime Minister's Questions.

In turn the Prime Minister responded by calling Mr Miliband and his shadow chancellor Ed Balls "muppets".

During a fierce exchange, the Labour leader accused Mr Cameron of selling off the Royal Mail at "mates rates" to his friends in the City.

It came after the National Audit Office found that the taxpayer was short-changed by over £1bn because the Government undervalued the Royal Mail when put shares on the market.

Mr Miliband said: "The taxpayer... got £1.4 billion less for this valuable asset than it is worth today.

Prime Minister's Question Time Mr Miliband was labelled a "muppet"

"A third of the shares were sold to just 16 city investors. And get this - there was a gentleman's agreement those city investors wouldn't sell the shares.

"What happened? Within weeks half of those shares had been sold and they made a killing worth hundreds of millions of pounds.

"In other words mates rates to your friends in the city."

Mr Miliband added: "You sold at 330p and this morning the price was 563p. It is basic maths - not so much the wolf of Wall Street, more the dunce of Downing Street."

Within minutes the phrase "dunce of Downing Street" was trending fifth on Twitter worldwide, which is unusual because British politics tends only to trend well in the UK.

Prime Minister's Question Time Mr Cameron was branded the "dunce of Downing Street"

Mr Cameron responded by accusing Mr Miliband of asking questions because he was being "paid to by the trade unions".

He said: "I will take a lecture from almost anyone in the country about the sale of Royal Mail, but not from the two muppets who advised the last chancellor on selling the gold. There they sit, not a word of apology for £9bn wasted."

Mr Cameron told Mr Miliband: "You sat in a Cabinet that wanted to privatise the Royal Mail - that was the commitment."

He claimed Labour had included a sell-off in the party's 2010 manifesto, however, questions were raised over the accuracy of the suggestion.

The passage that deals with the Royal Mail in the Labour document says: "For the future, continuing modernisation and investment will be needed by the Royal Mail in the public sector."

Speaking about Mr Cameron's claims about the Labour manifesto, a Number 10 source said: "The year before, in 2009, Lord Mandelson unveiled plans to sell  30% of the Royal Mail."


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E-Cigarettes Face Wales Enclosed Spaces Ban

Wales could become the first part of the UK to ban smoking e-cigarettes in enclosed public spaces such as bars and restaurants.

Welsh Health Minister Professor Mark Drakeford said officials were considering the move amid concerns that widespread use of the products could make smoking conventional cigarettes seem normal again.

He told Sky News: "Our concerns are that because they mimic the use of conventional cigarettes, they lead to renormalisation.

"We've spent 30 years in this country persuading people to give up smoking.

"Five thousand people died in Wales last year from smoking. We don't want to see that happen.

"We're concerned that they may be a gateway product, that young people in particular end up with real cigarettes having started on e-cigarettes and we're concerned as well about blurring the boundary between the ban on conventional cigarettes in enclosed public spaces and allowing e-cigarettes to be used there."

In January, the coalition announced a ban on under-18s buying e-cigarettes as part of a plan to reduce teenage smoking.

The products - enjoying a boom in sales - provide a hit of nicotine and some fear they reinforce the behaviour of smoking, making it harder to give up in the long term.

But manufacturers argue that e-cigarettes are helping many addicts to beat their smoking habit.

Charles Hamshaw-Thomas, legal director of e-cigarette maker E-Lites, told Boulton & Co: "We think we should be working together here and actually normalising non-smoking. E-cigarettes can do that.

"The data we're seeing shows there's around 1.3 million e-cigarette users across the UK and those people are finding these products incredibly helpful in helping them transition away from using tobacco."

Deborah Arnott from health charity Action on Smoking and Health (ASH) said: "The concern that electronic cigarettes may be a gateway into smoking is understandable.

"However, this is not borne out by the evidence so far from England, where our research shows that their use is almost without exception only amongst current and ex-smokers.

"There is growing evidence that they are effective in helping smokers quit and this is to be welcomed.

"We're pleased that the Welsh government is consulting on whether to ban their use in enclosed public places as it is important to take account of the evidence before going ahead."


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Yashika Bageerathi 'To Be Deported Tonight'

Mauritian student Yashika Bageerathi is being driven to Heathrow and will be deported tonight, her school has told Sky News.

The 19-year-old's headteacher Lynne Dawes has said her pupil - whose removal from Britain has sparked a national debate - is due to be deported at 9pm.

A spokesman for Ms Bageerathi's school, Oasis Academy Hadley, in Enfield, north London said she was "very distressed and worried".

She is being taken from Yarl's Wood Immigration Removal Centre in Bedfordshire to Heathrow, where she is expected to be put on an Air Mauritius flight at 9pm.

The school spokesman said: "She is on her way in the van but I really hope we can keep her here.

"We're encouraging everyone to tweet Air Mauritius and to phone them to stop this."

Ms Bageerathi received a last-minute reprieve from deportation last month after British Airways refused to fly her home.

The campaign to keep her in the UK has drawn more than 175,000 signatures to an e-petition in support of the promising maths student who is due to sit A-level exams. 

Campaigners are angry that the 19-year-old is being separated from her mother, who is facing deportation at a later date.

Both their asylum cases - claiming they are fleeing a violent relative - have failed.

James Brokenshire, the immigration minister, told MPs he would intervene only in "exceptional" cases - and this one did not fall into that category.

He told MPs that her case had been through the proper legal process and resulted in a Home Office decision that she does not need protection from violence or persecution.


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Smog Shrouds Cities As Desert Sand Blasts UK

Air quality is expected to plummet to its lowest possible level in parts of the UK today, as the country continues to feel the effects of desert sandstorms.

The elderly, people with lung problems and adults with heart conditions have been told to avoid strenuous physical activity, as plumes of dust blown in from the Sahara and deposited by rain send air pollution soaring.

London and the South East, including parts of East Anglia, Kent and Essex, are expected to be worst hit.

However, high pollution levels are expected to spread across much of England and Wales during the course of the day.

Pollution map The bright red colour shows the dust heading towards the UK

A spokesman for the Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) said the effects will be felt anywhere south of a line stretching from Merseyside to The Wash.

It will be the second day in a row the country has been hit by heightened smog levels.

On Tuesday, Defra recorded "high" to "very high" air pollution levels across East Anglia, parts of southeast England and around the Humber.

The agency spokesman told Sky News: "The high level of air pollution this week is due to a combination of local emissions, light winds, pollution from the continent and dust blown over from the Sahara."

Dust on car Speckles of 'Sahara dust' on a car windscreen in London

Many in the country have woken up over the last few days to see a thin level of red sand coating cars and streets.

However, unlike the Icelandic volcanic ash cloud of 2010, which caused airports across Europe to shut down amid fears dust could cause engine damage, air traffic controllers said they were "not aware" of any likely disruption to flights.

A spokesman for the Met Office said: "A large amount of sand and dust was swept up by storm winds in the desert, around 2,000 miles away in northwest Africa.

"The airborne particles were blown north to the UK, where they combined with our warm air and were deposited during showers."

Watch a special report on Britain's air pollution on Sky News HD

Forecaster Paul Hutcheon added: "We usually see this happen several times a year when big dust storms in the Sahara coincide with southerly winds to bring that dust here.

"More dust rain is possible during showers expected later this week."

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), air pollution is the world's most serious environmental health risk.

It found pollution, ranging from cooking fires to car fumes, was linked to seven million deaths in 2012 - roughly one in eight.

Smog surrounds the City of London Rising smog levels are linked to dust blown from the Sahara

The biggest pollution-related killers were heart disease, stroke, pulmonary disease and lung cancer, the WHO said.

England is not the only place to be hit by increased smog levels recently.

Last month, Paris imposed a day-long driving ban after pollution particles in the air exceeded safe levels for five straight days.

Air quality is expected to return to higher levels by the weekend.


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Max Clifford: Talent Singer Gives Evidence

By Nick Pisa, Sky News Reporter

A talent show winner has told a court that publicist Max Clifford was not in Spain when it is alleged he met a teenage girl who claimed he indecently assaulted her.

Tom Waite, a singer who won the TV talent show New Faces in 1973, said that Clifford carried out PR for him and arranged for him to visit a Spanish holiday resort.

Waite said he arrived at the complex in June 1977 and left two weeks later and the PR guru was there at the same time.

The dates are significant, as one of his alleged victims has told a court she met Clifford in Spain during a family holiday at Pontinental in Torremolinos in late August.

She claimed that on her return to Britain she saw the publicist several times and he went on to indecently assault her in his car.

Mr Waite told Southwark Crown Court he remembered visiting the Spanish resort, arriving on June 24, on an Airtours flight from Gatwick and leaving two weeks later.

He said: "Max was there with his family" but he couldn't remember if the publicist arrived before or after him.

Mr Waite said he did not meet the alleged victim or her family, but he remembered Clifford being "hailed a hero" for rescuing a drowning child.

Clifford's barrister Richard Horwell QC, asked Mr Waite about his client and he said: "I've got no problems with Max's integrity or anything else. I just know him as a very nice guy."

When asked by Mr Horwell if he had ever seen Clifford do anything inappropriate with women Mr Waite said: "No.

"Max accompanied me to a couple of shows at the Lakeside Country Club. He had a young lady with him, a stunning young lady.

"I've never seen him put a hand on her back or give her a peck on the cheek."

Under cross-examination Mr Waite confirmed that he'd had a "general discussion" with Clifford after the publicist was arrested in December 2012.

But he reacted angrily when the prosecution suggested he had altered his version of events to protect Clifford.

Under cross-examination from Tom Little it emerged Mr Waite had initially told police in January last year when they came to question him, he had gone to Spain solely with Clifford during June-July 1977.

But he later recalled Clifford had been with his wife and daughter as well.

Mr Waite, 64, said:"Look, Max was a nice guy. I don't owe him anything. I have a daughter, there is no way I'd lie for someone."

Mr Waite again confirmed he had called Clifford to speak with him after the allegations emerged, but simply to say he was "shocked and devastated" by what he had heard.

Mr Waite said he visited Torremolinos again between August 12,1977, and August 21-22, leaving briefly to spend a few days at another resort.

He remembered it was the time that Elvis Presley died (August 16, 1977) and he had called Clifford in London to find out if it was true.

Mr Waite told the court: "He was in his office and answered."

He said he had also called Clifford on August 26, 1977, to find out his work commitments and the publicist had picked up.

Clifford, 70, from Hersham, Surrey, denies eleven counts of indecent assault between 1966 and 1984 on seven girls and women.

The trial continues.


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Murder Arrest After Man Stabbed 102 Times

Police investigating the murder of a "very vulnerable" man who was stabbed 102 times have made an arrest.

James Attfield, 33, died in a park in Colchester, Essex, in what has been described as a "senseless and frenzied" attack.

The victim, known as Jim to his family, had 102 separate wounds on his arms, hands, back, neck and head, police revealed.

Mr Attfield, from East Bay, Colchester, was treated at the scene by paramedics in Castle Park on Saturday morning but died from his injuries.

He was a father-of-five, who had not been in contact with his children since he was severely hurt when he was struck by a car four years ago.

His mother, Julie Finch, described her son as a "bit of a loner" who was "in the process of rebuilding his life" when he died.

At a press conference, she said he suffered a severe brain injury in the road traffic accident.

"The effects of which left him with a weakness to the left side of his body which in turn affected his balance.

"His speech was also slightly affected and he suffered short term memory loss and these things obviously made him very vulnerable.

"Jim was very aware of his disabilities and avoided crowded places and situations where he could get injured again."

CCTV showing Mr Attfield's last known movements was released by detectives on Monday appealing to the public for help in finding out who attacked him and why.

It shows Mr Attfield at the River Lodge pub in Middleborough, Colchester. He left the pub at 10.09pm, leaving behind most of his drink, which his family says was unusual for him.

Police said they do not know where he went between leaving the pub and being found injured in Castle Park at 5.45am on Saturday.

Officers say a 38-year-old man from Colchester is being held in connection with the death of Mr Attfield.

Detective Chief Inspector Simon Werrett urged members of the public to contact police if they have any information about Mr Attfield's wherabouts or "anything they may have seen or heard in the Castle Park area" early on Saturday morning.

"This is very much a fast moving and on-going investigation which really needs information from the public."

More follows...


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