Other News In Brief

Man Convicted Of Benefit Fraud

A man has been convicted for claiming benefits he was not entitled to at Strabane Magistrates Court.

William McBrine claimed Jobseeker's Allowance totalling £2,076 while failing to declare employment. He was fined £300 and ordered to pay an offenders levy of £15.

Mr McBrine has repaid the money in full.

Bell Urged To Make All RHI Information Public

Former DUP MLA Jonathan Bell is being urged to put any additional information he has in relation to the Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) scandal into the public domain.

Mr Bell has been suspended from the DUP after claiming he was prevented from challenging the botched RHI scheme because two special advisers have "extensive interest" in the poultry industry.

The scheme is set to cost the public purse around £490million.

Sinn Féin's Conor Murphy said the public need to know all of the facts before they go to the polls.

He said: "We need to know the full facts surrounding this scandal and if Jonathan Bell has any additional information he has a duty to make that public."

Ticket Buyers Using Online Booking Services Urged To Exercise 'Extreme Caution'

The Trading Standards Service has urged potential ticket purchasers to exercise "extreme caution" when using online ticket booking services for concert and sporting events.

The warning comes following recent complaints to Consumerline from customers who, when buying tickets, have not checked whether they are using an official or secondary ticketing website.

Secondary ticketing (reseller) facilities often resell tickets at prices considerably higher than their face value. One County Tyrone consumer thought they were paying a total of £400 for four concert tickets, however they were actually charged £2200 including £600 in fees. On the same website a consumer from County Down paid £156 plus a £53 booking fee for two tickets to a golfing tournament. On receipt of his tickets, he discovered that they had been bought by the reseller at the total face value of £90 from an official website after the consumer had paid for them on the resale website.

Bill Malloy, Trading Standards Service said: "Consumers should not allow themselves to be distracted by the thrill of being at the head of an online queue, by screen timers, or information about the number of other potential customers looking for tickets. They should take their time and check each entire web page to read all the information on it. Rapid touch screen typing may prove rather costly."

(CD)