Other UK News In Brief

Pensioner Jailed For Shooting Wife

A 70-year-old man has been handed an indeterminate sentence at Southwark Crown Court for the attempted murder of his wife, after he shot her in the head three times in Finchley in February. Ronald Seymour, a retired businessman of Hendon Lane, had also pleaded guilty at a previous hearing to possession of a prohibited weapon and possession of ammunition. His indeterminate sentence for attempted murder came with a recommended minimum term of 12 years imprisonment. The court heard that police were called out on Thursday, 11 February 2010 to reports of a woman shot in Cavendish Avenue in North London. Sonia Delvaille, 65, was taken by ambulance to a west London hospital suffering gunshot wounds to her face which resulted in two of the bullets becoming lodged in her skull. The injuries have caused long-term, life-changing effects. Witnesses described how Ms Delvaille and a man had been seen arguing prior to the incident, and he had dragged her down the street whilst she was screaming. He then appeared to fire a handgun from inside a white plastic bag, and as she fell to the floor he fired a further two shots at her before running away. An hour later police received a call from a solicitors firm known to Ronald Seymour, stating that he had rang them and told them he had shot his wife. Armed police attended the address and arrested him in the street. Ronald Seymour admitted to the shooting and directed them to where he had disposed of the gun. Prior to the shooting it is known that Sonia had attended an appointment with her solicitor regarding obtaining a financial settlement following their recent separation.

Homeowners Average Age Hits 37

Recent research has revealed that Britons, who do not get financial help from family, will reach an average age of 37 before they can purchase their first home. The Home Builders Federation research found that the average first-time buyer also has to save a deposit of over £37,000 for a new home. The news indicates that someone in their 20s on an average salary would have to save every penny they earn for over two years just for the deposit. Land Registry figures show that house prices in September fell by 0.2% , but were still up by 5.2% year-on-year. However, according to Nationwide the worse is yet to come, as reflected in a 0.7% dip in house prices this month. However the average price of a UK based home is still £164,381 - way out of reach of many would-be buyers.

Police Warn Of Bogus Websites

Following the announcement of Take That's forthcoming tour, officers from the Metropolitan Police Service's Economic and Specialist Crime Command are warning music fans to be cautious when buying tickets for concerts. With demand for Take That tickets expected to be high, detectives are concerned that fraudsters will exploit opportunities to commit online fraud. The MPS has already seen a number of bogus websites appearing on the web claiming to sell tickets for the event. Officers are directing fans hoping to attend this and any other event, to official tour sites and agencies for a list of genuine sellers who have an agreement with promoters to sell legitimate tickets. Taking the time to make sure they are contacting the official agent will prevent fans becoming victims of fraud. Detective Inspector Sean Crotty, from the Economic and Specialist Crime Command, said: "There are huge numbers of Take That fans who will be desperate to get hold of tickets for these concerts. However, buying tickets from unofficial websites or agencies could result in them losing money, having their credit cards details compromised and ultimately losing out on the opportunity to see the band. The MPS are dedicated to working in partnership with concert promoters to identify and disrupt criminal networks who are involved in this type of fraud."

(BMcN/GK)