Other News In Brief

Teen Arrested after Serious Assault In L'Derry

A teenager has been arrested following a serious assault on a woman in Co L'Derry.

The woman sustained serious head injuries in the attack, which happened in the Carnhill area on Saturday, 21 October.

The 16-year-old has been detained on suspicion of assault occasioning actual bodily harm, theft, criminal damage, threats to kill and possession of an offensive weapon.

Man Convicted Of Benefit Fraud

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

Kenneth Bradford claimed Housing Benefit and Income Support totalling £22,388 while failing to declare he had a pension and was also living with his partner. He was given a 12 month prison sentence suspended for two years. The fraud was uncovered following an investigation by the Department for Communities.

He is also required to repay any outstanding money wrongfully obtained to the Department for Communities.

Construction Work On A5 To Start In January 2018

Construction work of the Newbuildings to Strabane section of the A5 is to start in January 2018, the Department of Infrastructure has confirmed.

Sinn Fein MLA Declan McAteer welcomed the announcement and said he received a letter which provides a definitive timeline for the completion of all outstanding statutory processes between now and Christmas to allow the work to commence.

He said: "As standard in departmental responses on the A5, it contains the caveat about potential further delay if any further legal challenge arises.

"The development of A5 is not only vital to improve road safety but is crucial to our economic and social future and any such challenge at this stage would represent a gross attempt to subvert the will and interests of people of this region.

"Sinn Féin ensured that the A5 was a key Programme for Government Priority, that £229 million was committed to the A5 as part of the Fresh Start Agreement (including the re-instatement of €75m for the Irish government), and we are continuing to work for the necessary finance to be secured for the completion of the entire A5 project scheme.

"As part of this, I wrote to Irish Government Transport Minister Shane Ross TD last week requesting a meeting to discuss how the Irish government is planning to finally honour the full financial commitment it made as part of the St Andrew's Agreement (2006) to jointly co-fund the construction of the A5 along with the Assembly Executive."

(CD)