Other News In Brief

Woman Convicted Of Benefit Fraud

A woman has been convicted for claiming benefits she was not entitled to at Omagh Crown Court.

Lorraine McCool claimed Income Support and Housing Benefit totalling £165,151 while failing to declare she was living with her partner. She was given a nine month prison sentence suspended for two years.

She is also required to repay any outstanding money wrongfully obtained to the Social Security Agency.

SF Weak On Tackling Crime - SDLP

Sinn Fein has been accused of failing to outline a single idea on how to tackle crime.

SDLP Justice spokesperson Alex Atwood said the party has no serious plans for law and order.

Mr Attwood said: "Sinn Fein called for the abolition of the Special Criminal Court while their friends were being jailed by the same court. They opposed any role for the National Crime Agency, an organisation which is charged with investigating child abuse rings, drug smugglers and fuel launderers. It will come as no surprise therefore that their manifesto contains not a single initiative aimed at reducing crime or increasing public safety.

"Sinn Fein's two and a half page long manifesto shows that they cannot be serious about bringing any concrete proposals to the electorate or dealing with any of the problems we face as a society. Their focus is delivering a coronation for Martin McGuinness and delivering five more years of stagnancy."

UUP 'Angered' Over Spinal Waiting Times

Ulster Unionist Assembly Candidate for Fermanagh and South Tyrone, Alastair Patterson, has expressed his anger after it was revealed that the current waiting time for routine spinal appointments is now 110 weeks.

Mr Patterson said: "The crisis affecting the local NHS is deepening day by day. Whilst core services such as our emergency departments are very publically reaching breaking point, the pressures facing our orthopaedic services and the increase in the already long waiting times for patients with spinal conditions demonstrates that the entire service is facing the most unprecedented challenge at any time in the history of the NHS in Northern Ireland.

"It is wholly unacceptable that people waiting on a spinal appointment have to wait over two years, but the revelation that the delays are deepening by four weeks every month raises the prospect that some patients might never be seen."

(CD)