Eric Joyce: Alcohol Ban On MP After Bar Fight

MP Eric Joyce has been banned from buying and being served alcohol from all parliamentary facilities following his arrest after a brawl in a bar at the House of Commons.

The independent Member of Parliament for Falkirk was held after the fight broke out at the Sports and Social Club bar, and is still being questioned by police in custody.

It is the second time Mr Joyce, who in the past month has spoken of his struggle with alcoholism and violence, has been arrested in a year in Parliament.

A House of Commons spokesman said: "The House Authorities take their responsibility for the welfare of those who work in and visit the Commons Estate very seriously.

It is the second time Eric Joyce has been arrested in Parliament in a year

"Alcohol-related incidents on the Estate are rare, and the serious incident last night was counter to the policies in place.

"Given the Member for Falkirk has previously been found guilty of an alcohol-related incident on the Parliamentary Estate, the Speakers and House Authorities have agreed that with immediate effect the Member for Falkirk will be prohibited from purchasing and being served alcoholic beverages from all Parliamentary facilities.

"This ban will be indefinite subject to the outcome of police investigations."

Mr Joyce's arrest raises questions about the drinking culture in the Houses of Parliament.

There are 27 places - including bars, restaurants, cafes and gift shops - where MPs, peers, staff and members of the public can buy alcohol on the estate, which serves around 15,000 passholders, and some 8,000 people on an average working day.

Witnesses say around 150 people were taking part in a karaoke night at the venue at the time of the fight.

Tony Grew, from the PoliticsHome website, said he saw the MP "wrestling on the ground with two police officers".

Mr Joyce, who is no stranger to controversy and is due to stand down at the 2015 general election, is now facing pressure to quit.

There are 27 places where MPs can get an alcoholic beverage on the estate

Speaking from Mr Joyce's constituency in Denny, Falkirk, Sky's James Matthews said people were "disappointed and disgusted".

"I think they have had enough of Eric Joyce here and the general view is that he should step down now," he said.

One constituent described his arrest as "a disgrace", while another said he should "resign".

At the EU summit in Brussels David Cameron was asked about whether constituents should be able to sack their MPs.

The Prime Minister replied: "I do support the recall proposals that were in our manifesto. I still think it is right if we can find a way of putting this in place. I think it is an important idea.

"As for Eric Joyce, I think this is going to have to be properly looked at. I'm sure that the authorities, both inside and outside of the House, are more than capable of doing that."

Mr Joyce resigned from the Labour Party after headbutting Tory rivals Stuart Andrew and Ben Maney in a different Commons bar called Strangers' Bar, last February, where the average cost of a pint of beer is £3.30 and a glass of red wine £2.88.

On that occasion the 52-year-old also punched Tory councillor Luke Mackenzie and Labour whip Phillip Wilson and insulted police officers. After leaving Mr Andrew with a bloodied nose, Mr Joyce told police: "He deserved it."

Mr Joyce, who accepted he was "hammered" on red wine during the brawl, launched into a frenzied attack after shouting that the Strangers' Bar "was full of ******* Tories".

The former soldier walked away from Westminster Magistrates Court with a fine and pub banning order after admitting four counts of common assault. He was fined £3,000 and ordered to pay £1,400 to victims after he entered early guilty pleas.

Mr Joyce was also given a 12-month community order - banning him from entering pubs and licensed premises for three months - and imposed with a curfew order from Friday to Sunday.

After the hearing, he admitted he was lucky not to be jailed and said he was "deeply apologetic".

MPs are automatically expelled from their seats if they receive a jail term of more than one year.

Michael Connarty, MP for Linlithgow & East Falkirk, suggested Mr Joyce's problems may stem from his time in the armed forces.

"I think he is a perfect example of combat stress," he told Sky News.

"I have dealt with people who go through combat stress here in Scotland, who are basically ... exactly like Eric, who have come out of the armed forces, not really fitted into civilian life ... excess alcohol intake, they've lost their families, lost their homes ... have been rehabilitated - but they have to give up alcohol to do that ... I think Eric has that problem."

A Metropolitan Police spokesman said police were called shortly before 10.30pm "to reports of a disturbance at a bar within the House of Commons".

"Officers attended and a man aged in his 50s was arrested in connection with this incident. He remains in custody and inquiries continue," he added.

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Philpott Fire Trial: 'No Heroic Rescue Plan'

By Lisa Dowd, Midlands Correspondent

A father accused of killing his six children in a house fire has told a court there was no plan to rescue the youngsters and be a "hero".

Mick Philpott was being cross-examined by the prosecution during his manslaughter trial at Nottingham Crown Court.

Philpott was asked why, when he realised there was a fire in the house, did he not use a fire extinguisher, which was in the kitchen, or water from the kitchen to try to put it out.

Richard Latham QC said: "Your plan was to go out, rescue your children, and be the hero wasn't it?"

Philpott replied: "No I don't see myself as a hero."

Mr Latham continued: "You went straight past the source of water, and straight past the fire extinguisher."

Philpott said: "The 999 call was my priority."

The prosecution asked why, in an emergency, when Philpott woke up naked to discover the fire, did he bother to put on his boxer shorts and socks and not just slip on his jogging bottoms. It was "the natural thing to do", Philpott said.

Mr Latham suggested that a ladder, close to a back window was "all part of the plan".

He asked: "You thought it was going to be unlocked didn't you? You were going to be able to get your children out and be the hero and victim at the same time."

Philpott replied: "Definitely not."

Back (L-R) Duwayne and John, Front (L-R) Jack, Jessie, Jade and Jayden

Mr Latham put to the 56-year-old that the plan was "to light that fire, make a 999 call, rescue them with the ladder from out the back window wasn't it?"

Philpott told the court: "Ladies and gentlemen, I did not light that fire, I did not endanger my children and nor did my wife."

He was asked why, on the 999 call did he say "God help me" and not "God help the children". Mr Latham said it was because "you knew you were responsible for this nightmare".

Philpott said: "I am in a distressed state, my heart is broken. What I say is not meant to come out like that."

Mick Philpott and his wife Mairead both deny killing their six children after a fire at their home on Victory Road, Allenton, Derby, in May last year.

Jade Philpott, 10, and brothers John, nine, Jack, eight, Jessie, six and Jayden, five, all died in the fire.

Their brother Duwayne, 13, died in hospital three days after the blaze.

A third defendant, Paul Mosley also denies six counts of manslaughter.

The trial continues.

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Stephen Lawrence Murderer Drops Appeal

One of the two men jailed for the racist murder of black teenager Stephen Lawrence has dropped his appeal against the conviction.

Surveillance footage of Dobson used in the trial

Gary Dobson was handed a life sentence for his part in the 1993 killing at the Old Bailey in January last year.

The second man, David Norris, is continuing his attempt to have the conviction overturned.

A spokeswoman for the Judicial Office said: "Gary Dobson has abandoned his renewed application to appeal his conviction for the murder of Stephen Lawrence.

"David Norris's renewed application seeking permission to appeal his conviction will be heard on a date to be fixed."

Last summer, applications for permission to appeal by both men were rejected by a single judge who considered the papers from the case.

But Dobson and Norris, who are both in their thirties, still had the right to renew their applications before a panel of judges sitting at the Court of Appeal.

The trial judge, Mr Justice Treacy, described the murder as a "terrible and evil crime".

David Norris will continue his fight for a reversal of his conviction

He urged police not to "close the file" on catching the rest of the killers after the Old Bailey heard that a gang of five or six white youths set upon A-level student Stephen in Eltham, south-east London, in 1993.

He said the murder was committed "for no other reason than racial hatred".

Mr Justice Treacy told the pair: "A totally innocent 18-year-old youth on the threshold of a promising life was brutally cut down in the street in front of eyewitnesses by a racist, thuggish gang."

The breakthrough in the investigation came when a cold case team of forensic scientists was called in.

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Shark Dies During Kmart Advert Filming In US

A white tip shark shipped from New York and placed into an outdoor pool in Los Angeles for a Kmart advertisement has died after showing signs of distress.

The American Humane Association (AHA), which monitored the production, said everything was done to try to save the 5ft-long shark but it died after being moved to an aquatic compound for care on March 6.

The animal rights group People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (Peta), which said it received details of the shark's death from two on-set whistleblowers, criticised the AHA.

In a letter to the group, Peta said: "Sharks are sensitive animals who, in captivity, require a highly specialised and controlled environment.

"Given the delicate nature of this species, why would the AHA approve the transport and use of this animal?"

Karen Rosa of the AHA said the shark was placed into a 60,000-gallon (272,765-litre) outdoor tank, adding that it was a good amount of water for the animal.

"We honestly don't know why the animal died. It was not being mistreated. It was not being harmed," Ms Rosa said.

Once the shark showed distress signs, oxygen was pumped into the tank and the shark was given a shot of adrenaline to try to stabilise it, Ms Rosa said.

"We take this matter seriously and safety is always our paramount concern," Howard Riefs, a spokesman for Kmart owner Sears Holdings, said in a statement.

The death follows longstanding criticism of the use of animals in Hollywood productions.

Last year, the horse-racing show Luck on HBO was axed after the deaths of three horses used in the drama series.

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Newborn Baby's Body Found Near Reebok Stadium

The body of a newborn baby has been found abandoned near the Bolton Wanderers football stadium.

Greater Manchester Police were called to Ox Hey Lane, Lostock, near Bolton, on Thursday afternoon after receiving a call that a body had been found.

The spot is about half a mile from the Reebok Stadium.

The road, which is in a mainly rural area but is close to the M61, was sealed of while police carried out a forensic examination.

The force made an appeal to the baby's parents and asked for help from the community.

The body was wrapped up in clothing and plastic bags, Greater Manchester Police (GMP) said.

Officers also recovered a note which requested that the baby receive an Islamic burial.

The age, sex and ethnicity of the baby is not yet known and it is unclear whether the baby was born alive or stillborn.

Chief Inspector Carol Martin said: "Obviously this is an extremely upsetting incident and our investigation at the moment is twofold: finding out how and when the baby died, and locating the parents.

"I cannot begin to imagine what either parent may be going through and we are very worried about their physical and emotional state.

"It is likely the mother in particular will require some form of medical attention and I want to appeal directly to both parents or anyone who knows them to contact police or visit your GP or local hospital.

"It is vitally important that I stress support networks are in place and are waiting and on hand to help the parents."

Ms Martin added: "While we cannot speculate on the ethnicity of either parent, there was a note left requesting the baby receive an Islamic burial and we have already reached out to the Muslim community through their Friday prayers through our partnership connections at the Bolton Council of Mosques.

"The answer undoubtedly lies somewhere in the community and I want to ask the Bolton community as a whole whether they know of anyone who may have tried to conceal a birth or who recently has been pregnant but now is without a baby or appears withdrawn, upset or in physical discomfort.

"I also want to appeal to residents in the Lostock area who perhaps use Ox Hey Lane for running, cycling or walking on a frequent or daily basis: have you noticed a pile of what appeared to be clothing and plastic bags in the shrubbery off the tarmaced area recently?

"If so, please call us."

Police said a post-mortem was expected to take place on Monday.

The body was found shortly before 4.55pm. Police have not said how they are treating the death.

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'James Bond Watch' Sex Abuse GP Faces Jail

A GP used a secret camera inside his James Bond-style wristwatch to record himself abusing female patients.

Dr Davinderjit Bains is facing jail after using his position at a medical practice in Royal Wootton Bassett, near Swindon, to assault 30 women as young as 14.

The 45-year-old filmed the attacks on his Tieex 4GB Waterproof HD Spy Watch DVR, which has been likened to something out of a 007 film.

It has a built-in camera on the face - with simple on and off buttons to record - and can be bought on the internet for less than £60.

Detectives branded Bains a "sexual predator" and said he had "massively" breached the trust that patients place on their doctor.

Swindon Crown Court heard that Bains had admitted more than 30 charges, including sexual assault and voyeurism.

The police investigation began in June last year when a 19-year-old woman told officers she thought Bains had filmed her as she showered and alleged that she had been sexually assaulted by him in Swindon.

Detectives discovered his hi-tech wristwatch with spy camera when they arrested him at his surgery.

They later recovered 361 high-quality video clips from Bain's watch and home computer.

Detective Inspector Mark Garrett, who led the investigation, said Bains had used his position as a GP to abuse patients.

"They put their trust in their doctor and Dr Bains breached that trust massively - compromising his professional position - and breached that trust to the highest order," he said.

"He is a sexual predator, simple as that. And he was allowed to abuse his position of trust and offend for two years."

Bains, who qualified as a doctor from Mangalore University in 1993 and became a GP in 2007, is currently suspended from practising by the General Medical Council.

He was remanded in custody pending his sentence.

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HS2 High-Speed Rail Scheme's 'Unlawful' Ruling

The Government insists its HS2 high-speed rail project has not hit the buffers after a High Court judge ruled the consultation process for compensating those affected was "unlawful".

It was the only successful case among five in which Mr Justice Ouseley had been asked to send the multi-billion pound project back for reconsideration.

He described the compensation consultation process "as so unfair as to be unlawful".

But despite the decision at London's High Court, Transport Minister Simon Burns insisted the scheme would not be held up.

"This has been a convincing victory for the Government," he said.

"It's a green light to go ahead. It will not hold up us going ahead with the project, which is in the national interest.

"This is a major landmark victory for HS2 and the future of Britain.

"HS2 is the most significant infrastructure investment the UK has seen in modern times and a project the country cannot afford to do without.

The scheme has provoked angry opposition

"The judgement ensures that nothing now stands in the way of taking our plans to Parliament.

"We will now move forward as planned with the crucial business of getting the scheme ready for construction in 2017 and delivering enormous benefits for the country."

The first phase of HS2 would see a high-speed railway line running through Tory heartlands from London to Birmingham.

The decision on compensation was a victory for the High Speed 2 Action Alliance (HS2AA), consisting of more than 70 affiliated action groups and residents' associations.

Human rights lawyer Richard Stein, who helped represent HS2AA, said: "This was never a Nimby argument. Many thousands of people living along the route will not be able to sell their homes for some 15 years because their homes are blighted.

"They should not have to bear the burden for this national project.

"We hope now that proper arrangements are put in place by the Government for compensation for those who live by the proposed HS2 route to make it possible for them to move if and when they wish, in the same way that the rest of us can."

Shadow transport secretary Maria Eagle said: "We've now had nearly three years of dither and delay over HS2 which must now come to an end.

"It is vital that the Government now gets on with introducing the necessary legislation to make this scheme a reality on the ground. When they do so, they will have cross-party support from Labour."

Supporters point to the benefits of a reduction in journey times between the UK's two biggest cities.

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Liver Transplant Patients Offered New Hope

By Siobhan Robbins, Sky News Reporter

The world's first machine which can keep livers alive outside the body is offering transplant patients new hope.

About 8,000 people are currently waiting for a liver transplant in the UK and every year 100 die before they get the operation.

The new portable device, created by Oxford University, is about the size of a shopping trolley and can keep a donor organ alive for more than 24 hours.

It mimics the body, pumping red blood cells into the organ, monitoring the temperature and oxygen levels.

It has already been used by King's College Hospital in two successful operations.

Ian Christie, 62, from Devon was the first person to benefit from the so-called miracle machine.

He said: "I feel better than I've felt for 10 to 15 years, even allowing for the pain and wound that's got to heal.

"I'm getting better and better day by day."

Currently, organs have to be kept in ice which can damage them and mean some operations fail.

One benefit of the new technology is that livers could be repaired before being put into a patient

One of the machine's inventors, Professor Constantin Coussios, from Oxford University, said: "It was astounding to see an initially cold grey liver flushing with colour once hooked up to our machine and performing as it would within the body.

"What was even more amazing was to see the same liver transplanted into a patient who is now walking around."

Some 20 more operations need to be carried out before the pilot trials are complete.

A further 35 patients have already given their consent to the procedure.

It is unclear how much the machine will cost but inventors hope if it is successful not only could it be rolled out across Europe but it could also be used on other organs.

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Mother On Death Row Has Conviction Overturned

A mother on death row for 22 years for killing her four-year-old son in 1989 has had her conviction overturned.

A federal appeals court ruled Debra Jean Milke's case was tainted by a detective with a history of lying under oath.

Prosecutors had said Milke dressed up her son Christopher in his favourite outfit and told him he was going to see Santa Claus at a shopping centre during the holidays.

Instead, he was taken into the desert by her boyfriend and another man and shot three times in the back of the head as part of what prosecutors said was a plot by Milke and the two other defendants to collect a $50,000 life insurance policy.

The 49-year-old was convicted in October 1990. The Arizona Supreme Court had gone so far to issue a death warrant for Milke in 1997, but the execution was delayed because she had yet to exhaust federal appeals.

A three-judge panel said the prosecution failed to disclose information about a history of misconduct by detective Armando Saldate Jr, who said that Milke confessed to plotting her son's murder.

There was no other witness or recording of the purported confession by Milke, who has proclaimed her innocence.

"No civilised system of justice should have to depend on such flimsy evidence, quite possibly tainted by dishonesty or overzealousness, to decide whether to take someone's life or liberty," Chief Justice Alex Kozinski wrote in the decision.

The trial amounted to "a swearing contest" in which the judge and jury ultimately believed the detective over Milke, but they didn't know of his record of dishonesty and misconduct, Mr Kozinski wrote.

The ruling reversed a US District Court judge's ruling and ordered the lower court to require Arizona authorities to turn over all relevant personnel records for the detective.

Once the material is produced and defence lawyers have time to review it, prosecutors will have 30 days to decide whether to retry her. If they don't, she will be released from prison.

In 2009, Milke's defence lawyer Michael Kimerer said his client maintains her innocence and was a loving mother who still grieves her son's death.

"Our main concern is the fact that I have a client that never confessed and a police detective who said she gave a confession. There was no tape recorder, no witnesses, nothing. Just his word," Mr Kimerer said then.

Milke would have been the first woman executed in Arizona since the 1930s had her appeals run out.

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Hacking: Ex-Daily Mirror Editor Interviewed

Former Daily Mirror editor Richard Wallace has been interviewed under caution in relation to a phone hacking investigation, Sky sources say.

The Met Police said a 51-year-old man went to a station in south London about 1pm and was questioned by detectives from Operation Weeting, Scotland Yard's investigation into phone hacking.

The Met Police said he was interviewed under caution, but not arrested, over "the suspected conspiracy to intercept telephone voicemails at Mirror Group Newspapers."

Wallace was later released.

This follows the arrest in early morning raids of four current and former Trinity Mirror journalists on Thursday.

People editor James Scott and deputy editor Nick Buckley were held, along with former editor of the Sunday Mirror Tina Weaver and former deputy editor of the newspaper Mark Thomas.

They were all released on bail until April.

Scotland Yard said the alleged conspiracy is being treated separately from the two plots being investigated at the now defunct News of the World, and its inquiry is focused on the Sunday Mirror in 2003 and 2004.

More follows...

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