Hannah MacLeod's Olympic Medal Returned

Hockey player Hannah Macleod has had her missing Olympic bronze medal returned.

Scotland Yard said it been posted anonymously to the England Hockey head office in Buckinghamshire.

Bronze medals belonging to Macleod and rower Alex Partridge were allegedly stolen along with their Team GB Olympic jackets on Tuesday.

The alleged thefts happened as they partied at a London nightclub after a reception hosted by the Queen at Buckingham Palace to celebrate the achievements of the 2012 athletes.

The Metropolitan Police said officers were retaining the medal as part of their inquiries, but they were "looking forward to reuniting Hannah with her medal shortly".

Detective Chief Inspector James Harman, of Westminster CID, said: "We are still looking to recover the second medal, and we stress that our inquiries remain active.

"Our appeals for information stand and I take this opportunity to reiterate them. If the public can help we ask them to do so.

"Alex's medal has yet to be traced, and he is understandably keen to be reunited with it as soon as possible."

Macleod, 28, had asked via Twitter for whoever took the medal to post it back to the hockey headquarters at Bisham Abbey.

On Wednesday, she tweeted: "I'm not after punishment. If you picked up a Bronze Olympic medal that isn't yours pls just send anonymously back to GB hockey-Bisham Abbey."

Macleod told The Sun she had been scouring eBay to see if it was on the auction website.

"I want it back so much. I had a look on eBay in case it ends up there," she told the newspaper.

A 31-year-old man was arrested in connection with the investigation on Thursday, before being bailed to return to a west London police station on November 23, pending further enquiries.

Anyone with information is asked to call Westminster CID on 0207 321 7650, or Crimestoppers, anonymously on 0800 555 111.

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Death In Police Custody: Cocaine Use A Factor

An inquest into the death of a man who died in police custody has ruled the cause of his death as "misadventure" due to his being in a "cocaine-induced excited delirium".

However, jurors also suggested police failings may have been a contributory factor in his death

Jacob Michael, 25, was arrested for affray at his home in Widnes in August 2011 after allegedly threatening police with a hammer.

He had called police himself claiming he had just been threatened by someone with a gun. When officers arrived, there was a struggle in his bedroom and he was subdued with CS spray and police batons.

The inquest was played CCTV footage which showed a distressed Mr Michael being loaded into the back of a police van in handcuffs. On the video, he appears out-of-breath and can be heard repeatedly apologising to officers.

The jury heard Mr Michael was a cocaine user who would occasionally "binge" on the drug and that he had been taking it the weekend before his arrest.

After arriving at Norton police station, another police video shows four arresting officers carry Michael into the custody suite by his arms and legs while still in handcuffs.

Officers at the station can be seen standing over Mr Michael, one with a foot on his left leg, before Mr Michael becomes motionless and police make several attempts to resuscitate him.

Jurors were told by coroner Nicholas Rheinberg they had to decide whether Mr Michael was treated appropriately and whether "any force used by the police was reasonable and lawful".

Delivering the verdict, the coroner said: "Partying and his heart's susceptibility to cocaine probably contributed to the death."

The jury decided the "fear, flight and fight" response caused during the arrest "may have also contributed to the death".

They also concluded "ineffective" police training, procedural failures, failures to carry out a "timely assessment" of Mr Michael's state and a lack of communication may have also contributed to the death.

Speaking outside the coroner's office, Mr Michael's mother Christine blamed police for her son's death and said the family was disappointed at the verdict.

"He dialled 999, (he) hadn't done nothing wrong," she said. "He should have been left alone for us to deal with. It was an abandoned phone call, they should have just left Jacob and he'd be alive today.

"We didn't have much faith in getting a good result".

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Terror Trial Hears 'How 7/7 Went Wrong'

Three men accused of planning a huge suicide terror attack discussed how the 7/7 London bombers did not do enough damage because the attackers had forgotten to use "nails and stuff", a court has heard.

Irfan Naseer, 31, Irfan Khalid and Ashik Ali, both 27, all from Birmingham, are on trial for allegedly plotting a bombing campaign.

Prosecutor Brian Altman told the jury technical examination of a laptop they had used showed a Google search for the term "muhammed siddique khan as sahab", who was one of the 2005 London bombers.

In a taped conversation read out during their trial, Naseer is then heard allegedly discussing the bombings and agreeing with another man that it had gone "a bit wrong" and that not enough damage had been done.

The court was told he said: "You know what? They forgot to put the, they didn't put the nails and stuff in, man."

Khalid was also recorded talking about wanting to see "AQ", and telling Naseer the instruction to spread the knowledge into Europe, their trial at Woolwich Crown Court was told.

Naseer then allegedly said: "AQ's main aim is ... the knowledge that they give us, we want more and more people have stance in Europe. So they can start whacking you there, yeah, do you understand?"

The men also joked about their last meal before their planned attacks and finding a second wife in paradise, the court heard.

In another taped conversation, it was alleged the men had suspicions that they were under police surveillance.

"Naseer had a feeling, correctly as it turned out, that 'they were gonna do something here soon'. In other words, there might be a police raid," Mr Altman said.

They then discussed always having someone inside the flat so that bugs could not be planted. Or if they had to leave, going out via a window to create the illusion that someone was still in, or by installing a spy camera to cover the front of the house, the court heard.

The three men are accused of engaging in conduct in preparation of terrorist acts, which they deny.

Naseer, Khalid, and Ali are alleged to have planned a bombing campaign, collecting money for terrorism and recruiting others for terrorism.

Naseer and Khalid are also accused of travelling to Pakistan for training in terrorism, and it is alleged Naseer also helped others to travel to the country for the same purpose. The trial was adjourned until Monday.

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Berlusconi Sentenced To Four Years In Jail

Former Italian PM Silvio Berlusconi has been sentenced to four years in prison for tax fraud connected to his television channels.

An Italian court delivered the verdict against the ex-leader and 10 others in a six-year-old tax fraud trial.

The 76-year-old was also barred from holding political office for five years.

In Italy, cases must pass two levels of appeal before the verdicts are final. Berlusconi is expected to appeal and is unlikely to go to prison due to his age, the lengthy appeals process and statute of limitations.

If he goes to prison he will only serve one year due to a 2006 amnesty law aimed at reducing prison overcrowding.

The verdict comes two days after Berlusconi announced he will not run for premier in upcoming elections.

During the trial, prosecutors alleged the defendants were behind a scheme to purchase the rights to broadcast US movies on Berlusconi's private Mediaset television networks through a series of offshore companies and had falsely declared the payments to avoid taxes.

Prosecutors further alleged they inflated the price for the TV rights of some 3,000 films as they re-licensed them internally to Berlusconi's networks, pocketing the difference amounting to around €250m (£200m).

Other charges of false accounting and false statements in financial reports were thrown out because the statute of limitations expired.

The court sentenced Berlusconi and his co-defendants to pay €10m (£8m) to Italian tax authorities, a statement said.

The trial began in July 2006, but was put on hold by a now-defunct immunity law that shielded Berlusconi from prosecution while he was premier until it was watered down by the constitutional court.

The trial also faced delays as Berlusconi cited conflicts with his schedule as premier.

Berlusconi has been tried numerous times for his business dealings. He has always denied wrongdoing and alleged that the cases were politically motivated.

In each case to date, he has been cleared or seen the statute of limitations expire. The statute of limitations in this case is set to expire sometime next year.

Berlusconi also is on trial in Milan on charges of paying for sex with a prostitute and trying to cover it up.

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Winterbourne View Abuse: Ex-Carers Jailed

Care Home Abusers Sentenced

Updated: 12:14pm UK, Friday 26 October 2012

The former staff admitted 38 charges of either neglect or ill-treatment of people with severe learning difficulties. They are:

:: Wayne Rogers, 32, of Purton Close, Bristol, pleaded guilty to nine charges of ill-treating Ms Deville, Mr Tovey and Miss Blake. He denied a charge of ill-treating Miss Bisset, which was accepted by the prosecution and he did not face trial. He was jailed for two years.

:: Alison Dove, 25, of Chipperfield Drive, Bristol, pleaded guilty to seven charges of ill-treating Miss Guilford, Miss Bisset and Miss Blake. She pleaded not guilty to ill-treating Mr Tovey, which was accepted by the prosecution and she did not face trial. She was jailed for 20 months.

:: Graham Doyle, 26, of Brackendene, Bradley Stoke, Bristol, pleaded guilty to seven charges of ill-treating Miss Blake. He denied charges of wilfully neglecting Miss Guilford and ill-treating Mr Tovey. The prosecution accepted the pleas and he did not face trial. He was also jailed for 20 months.

:: Jason Gardiner, 43, of Mellent Avenue, Bristol, admitted two charges of ill-treating Ms Deville and Mr Tovey. His four-month jail term was suspended for two years. Gardiner was ordered to carry out 200 hours of unpaid work.

:: Michael Ezenagu, 29, of Malabar Court, India Way, Shepherds Bush, west London, pleaded guilty to two counts of ill-treating Miss Blake. He denied two further of ill-treating the same patient and a third similar charge against Mr Tovey. The prosecution accepted the pleas and he did not face trial. His six-month jail term was suspended for two years. Ezenagu was ordered to carry out 200 hours of unpaid work.

:: Danny Brake, 27, of Beechen Drive, Fishponds, Bristol, also pleaded guilty to two charges of ill-treating Miss Blake and Mr Tovey. His four-month jail term was suspended for two years. Brake was ordered to carry out 200 hours of unpaid work.

:: Charlotte Cotterell, 22, of Melrose Avenue, Yate, Bristol, pleaded guilty to one charge of ill-treating Miss Blake. She denied a second charge against the same victim, which was accepted by the prosecution and she did not face trial. Her four-month jail term was suspended for two years. Cotterell was ordered to carry out 150 hours of unpaid work and complete 12 months supervision.

:: Holly Draper, 24, of The Old Orchard, Mangotsfield, Bristol, pleaded guilty to two charges of ill-treating Miss Blake. She was jailed for 12 months.

:: Neil Ferguson, 28, of Emersons Green, Bristol, pleaded guilty to one count of ill-treating Miss Blake. He denied a second charge of ill-treating the same patient, which the prosecution accepted and he did not face trial. His six-month jail term was suspended for two years. Ferguson was ordered to carry out 200 hours of unpaid work.

:: Sookalingum Appoo, 59, of Dial Lane, Bristol, admitted three charges of wilfully neglecting Miss Blake. He was jailed for six months.

:: Kelvin Fore, 33, of Ellesmere Walk, Middlesbrough, pleaded guilty to one charge of wilfully neglecting Miss Blake but denied a second allegation against the same person, which was accepted by the prosecution and he did not face trial. He was also jailed for six months.

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Malala Dad: My Daughter Will Rise Again

By Lisa Dowd, Midlands Correspondent

The schoolgirl shot in the head by the Taliban in Pakistan will "rise again", her father has said.

Fifteen-year-old Malala Yusufzai was reunited with her father Ziauddin, mother Toorpekai and two brothers at Birmingham's Queen Elizabeth Hospital, where she is being treated.

The family flew in from Islamabad on Thursday night.

Malala was shot because she had campaigned for girls' education in Pakistan.

At a news conference, Mr Yusufzai described the shooting as a pivotal moment for the country. "When she fell, Pakistan stood. This is a turning point," he said.

Pakistani police are hunting prime suspect Atta ur Rehman

"I'm thankful to all the people all over the world. They condemned the attack and prayed for my daughter. 

"She will rise again, she will stand again."

Mr Yusufzai said Malala was walking, talking, eating and smiling - and that all signs of infection were gone. He added that she would be having hearing and sight tests later.

He said: "I am thankful that you are very much concerned about my daughter's health. You have supported the cause for which she stands, the cause of peace and education."

He said Malala had just done a second mid-term exam and was on her way home in a school van in the Swat Valley on October 9 when two men stopped the vehicle at pistol point and asked which child was Malala, before one opened fire.

Mr Yusufzai, who was speaking with his 12-year-old son Kushal Khan sitting beside him, said Malala had received good wishes from all over the world.

"She is a daughter of everybody, a sister of everybody," he said.

Malala hugs a toy as she recovers in hospital

When asked how he felt when he and his family saw Malala on Thursday night, he said: "I love her and last night when we met her there were tears in our eyes out of happiness."

Mr Yusufzai told reporters that he was thankful to doctors for the "excellent" and "world class" care Malala - who is now expected to make a full recovery - had received in Birmingham.

He was visibly moved as he described how he was told to prepare for Malala's funeral.

"I'm thankful to God," he said.

"I found angels on my side all around me ... she got the right treatment, at the right place, at the right time.

"In Pakistan for the first time we saw that all political parties, the government, children, women, elders, they were crying and praying to God. Christians, Sikhs, Hindus, indifferent of caste, colour or creed, they prayed for my daughter."

It comes after police in Pakistan named the prime suspect in connection with the shooting as 23-year-old Atta Ullah Khan, a chemistry student from the Swat district.

The hospital's Medical Director Dave Rosser said both Malala's long and short-term memory appeared to be intact - and that specialists do not believe there is any significant brain damage.

Describing the mood on Malala's ward, he said: "I think everyone is very pleased. Her father is a remarkable man, she is a remarkable young lady and I think everybody involved is pleased to help."

He said her skull would need to be reconstructed over the coming weeks but that her long-term prognosis was "excellent".

"There's no reason to think she won't make near to a full recovery," he said.

Dr Rosser said she would remain in hospital following the surgery for "a couple of months at most".

He added that Malala had been eating hospital food -and had also enjoyed a halal takeaway.

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British Oil Executive Shot Dead In Brussels

A British oil executive - named by Sky News sources as Nicholas Mockford - has been shot dead in Brussels.

The killing took place on October 14 but Belgian investigators have only just revealed information about his death.

Mr Mockford, who worked for ExxonMobil, was killed as he left a restaurant with his wife.

The Foreign Office said: "We can confirm the death of a British national in Brussels on October 14 and we are providing consular assistance."

Police said the businessman was shot as he left an Italian restaurant in Neder-Over-Heembeek, a suburb of the Belgian capital.

It happened at around 10pm as he walked with his wife Mary from the Da Marcello restaurant on Rue de Beyseghem to their car, which was parked nearby.

The attack took place in the Neder-Over-Heembeek area of Brussels

Mrs Mockford was violently attacked and struck several times on her face, as one of the attackers tried to grab her handbag.

A second attacker opened fire on the 60-year-old oil executive, who later died of his injuries.

He was shot three times, once as he lay on the floor, and his wife Mary was left beaten and covered in blood, cradling her husband and shouting for help. He died on the way to hospital.

Witnesses say they saw the couple walk across the street to their Lexus 4x4 car before shots were fired.

It is understood the two men were carrying motorcycle helmets and they initially fled on foot before taking a ring road on a "two-wheeled vehicle".

Shortly after the events, a white van passed Rue de Beyseghem and came across the victims.

Investigators have been questioning the driver of this vehicle.

A neighbour, who does not want to be identified, rushed out to the scene and said: "I heard a strange sound like, tak, tak. I thought that was strange, so I went out to have a look.

"And there was someone lying on the footpath on the other side of the street and someone saying, 'Au secours, au secours (Help, help).' There was someone lying unconscious next to a car."

The neighbour first thought the husband had been in a hit-and-run: "I stayed with them. At one point, he stopped breathing and I gave him first aid and he came back round.

"Then he was again unconscious and I again gave him first aid and brought him round, then the ambulance arrived."

The neighbour then understood that the man had been shot.

She said: "I saw when the ambulance arrived and cut open his shirt and that he had a bullet in his chest and blood on his head. But, of course, I didn't want to move him."

The Daily Telegraph said police in Belgium were considering all possible motives for the shooting, including a carjacking, although Mr Mockford's car was not stolen.

Chief Inspector Wim Van Leifferenge said no-one had been arrested and those responsible were still on the run.

Mr Mockford is understood to have worked for ExxonMobil since the 1970s and was head of marketing for interim technologies for ExxonMobil Chemicals, Europe, promoting new types of greener fuel.

Brought up in Leicestershire, he had moved abroad from Chichester some years ago, living in Belgium and Singapore.

He was married to his Belgian wife for 15 years and had three grown-up children living in Britain from his first marriage, according to the Telegraph.

A family member, who asked not to be named, told the newspaper they thought he had been killed in a professional hit.

The relation said: "We are all confused about what has happened. Nick was a genuinely lovely, clean-cut, mild-mannered, family man."

He added: "He was shot so calmly and so quickly, it smacks horribly of a professional hit, but we can't fathom why. He isn't the type to cave in to blackmail and it just doesn't compute."

A spokesman for ExxonMobil said: "Mr Mockford, a British national, was a department manager at our office close to Brussels, but we have no indication that the incident was work related.

"Our thoughts are with his family, friends and colleagues and we are supporting them as best we can at this very difficult time."

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No Winner For Tour De France Races

The Tour de France races which took place between 1999 and 2005 will have no official winner, cycling's governing body has said.

The International Cycling Union (UCI) decided not to reallocate the seven yellow jerseys won by Lance Armstrong, after the American was stripped of his titles in the wake of a doping scandal.

It also ordered Armstrong to pay back prize money dating back to August 1, 1998.

He is believed to have earned 2.95m euros (£2.36m) for his Tour de France victories alone.

The announcement came after the United States Anti-Doping Agency released a damning report that concluded Armstrong had helped orchestrate the most sophisticated doping programme in the history of sport.

The UCI said it "acknowledged that decisive action was needed in response to the report". 

It justified its decision to leave the 1995-2005 Tours without a winner, saying that "a cloud of suspicion would remain hanging over this dark period".

"While this might appear harsh for those who rode clean, they would understand there was little honour to be gained in reallocating places," it said in a statement.

Pat McQuaid, president of the UCI, wants to put cycling "back on track"

The UCI also confirmed it will set up an independent external commission to look at criticisms levelled at the organisation over the Armstrong affair.

A report and recommendations from the group is expected to be published by June next year.

Pat McQuaid, president of the UCI, said: "We are determined to turn around this painful episode in the history of our sport.

"We will take whatever actions are deemed necessary by the independent commission and we will put cycling back on track.

"Today, cycling is a completely different sport from what it was in the period 1998-2005. Riders are now subject to the most innovative and effective anti-doping procedures and regulations in sport.

"Nevertheless, we have listened to the world's reaction to the Armstrong affair and have taken these additional decisive steps in response to the grave concerns raised."

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Syria: Deadly Car Bomb Attack In Capital

At least five people have been killed and 32 wounded in a car bombing in southern Damascus, according to Syrian state television.

The blast in the capital comes on the first day of a ceasefire brokered by UN and Arab League peace envoy Lakhdar Brahimi.

The regime and the main rebel force, the Free Syrian Army, had both agreed to temporarily lay down their arms.

"The explosion of a booby-trapped car outside the Omar bin Khattab mosque in the Daf Shawk district killed and wounded dozens of people," the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.

The attack comes hours after three people were reported to have been killed by tank and sniper fire in the Damascus suburb of Harasta, which was apparently targeted in a violation of the temporary truce agreed to mark the four-day Muslim holiday of Eid al Adha.

The Syrian army said it had been responding to attacks by armed rebels that were in violation of the ceasefire.

"Armed terrorist groups attacked military positions, thereby clearly violating the halt to military operations agreed by the army command.

"Our valiant armed forces are responding to these violations and pursuing these groups," the military said in a statement, adding that rebel attacks had taken place against its positions in Deir Ezzor, Daraa, Idlib and in the Damascus region.

The Syrian army had said it would cease military operations from Friday to Monday for the Eid al Adha holiday, but warned it would react if "armed terrorist groups" carry out attacks or reinforce their positions, or if fighters cross into the country.

President Assad pictured at a prayer service on Friday

Rebels in a northern town close to the Turkish border also reported one of their fighters was shot dead by a sniper, and a Reuters journalist in the town heard what sounded like four rounds of tank fire.

In a statement read on state television after the truce deal, the Syrian army said it would still respond to gunfire or roadside bombs and keep rebels from bolstering their positions or getting supplies.

A Free Syrian Army commander also said rebels would retaliate if they were attacked.

On Friday morning, Syrian state television showed President Bashar al Assad attending morning prayers for the start of Eid at a mosque in Damascus.

He was pictured smiling and looking relaxed as he spoke to other worshippers, in his first television appearance for more than a month.

During prayers, Imam Walid Abdel Haq called on Syrians to "stop quarrelling because you are all brothers".

"Do you not see what has been happening for two years in the country, the destruction and death? Stop this," he said.

Protests were reported to have taken place in Raqa in the north east, where security forces fired tear gas, and in the southern Deraa province, where three people were injured as police fired live rounds to disperse demonstrators.

Activists said protests also took place in Damascus and Aleppo.

In the Idlib village of Al Habit protesters chanted against Mr Assad, saying: "Traitor, give up, you have destroyed Syria."

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Savile: Freddie Starr Offers To Talk To Police

Comedian Freddie Starr has said he is prepared to speak to police in connection with abuse allegations made against Jimmy Savile.

Mr Starr appeared with Savile on an episode of the BBC television show Clunk Click in 1974 alongside a 14-year-old girl who has accused him of molesting her.

Ms Ward had told ITV she had been "horribly, horribly humiliated" by Starr, adding he had a "very bad attack of wandering hands" when she met him.

Starr denied touching Karin Ward inappropriately and denied meeting her on the show. He lawyer issued a statement claiming he had been mistaken and he had appeared on the programme after all.

"Mr Starr cannot be expected to recollect every show that he has appeared on and to remember every person that he has ever met," he said.

"In respect of Karin Ward this was not a name that Freddie could remember and therefore had no recollection of meeting her.

Karin Ward (in yellow) appeared with Starr on Clunk Click in 1974 pic: BBC

"It would now appear from seeing footage of a Clunk Click show aired in 1974 that in fact Freddie was mistaken and therefore that he had in fact been on a Jimmy Savile show.

"However, this does not detract away from the fact that Freddie vigorously denies the awful allegation that has been made by Karin Ward which, despite this footage, is still totally unsupported and uncorroborated by any other evidence."

Speaking outside his home the 69-year-old comedian said: "I have said from the word go that I wanted to be interviewed. I have always said that I wanted to be interviewed.

"I have got the press phoning me up to ask if I have been interviewed. I got sick of it. Everybody, the press, the police, people at the BBC, they knew that things were going on with Jimmy Savile.

"Everybody is guilty of this. You can put the finger on everybody at the BBC and the fella's (George Entwistle) only been in the job for four months. This fellow was at school when all this was happening."

A spokeswoman for Mr Starr said: "Freddie is prepared to be interviewed by the police, but his lawyer has been in touch with the person heading the investigation and they have no intention of questioning him.

"I asked him the direct question whether the police wished to question Mr Starr as we had heard from the Press that such questioning was imminent.

Savile: seven allegations of abuse were made while the star was alive

"(the officer) replied in writing 'We have said nothing of the sort. There has been much inaccurate speculation on such matters but should that be considered in the future I have cc'd in the Senior Investigating Officer so he is aware of your details.'

"It would therefore appear clear that the police currently have no intention to question Mr Starr who has continually denied the allegation made by Karin Ward.

"We have always maintained there is absolutely no corroborating evidence to support such a wild allegation. The confirmation from the police today that there is no intention to question Mr Starr at present supports this."

Scotland Yard declined to comment on the claims.

Mr Starr's announcement comes as news emerged that at least seven alleged victims of Jimmy Savile made complaints of sexual abuse against him while he was still alive.

Scotland Yard has admitted four police forces were aware in the 1980s of claims against the former TV presenter and DJ.

The first of the seven claims was made in the 1980s by a young girl, who said she had been subjected to an indecent assault at BBC TV Centre.

More follows...

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