Other UK News In Brief

RIR Soldier Buried

The Royal Irish Regiment soldier who was shot dead in Afghanistan two weeks ago has been buried in Bangor today. The 20-year-old Ranger from the Co Down seaside town was fatally wounded after he returned to his base in Helmand province. The Army is carrying out an investigation amid claims that David Dalzell may have been accidentally shot by a colleague as they cleaned their rifles. Hundreds of people attended the funeral, including members of the Army with soldiers carrying the coffin, draped in the union jack with his beret on top. Ex soldiers also paid their respects as the cortege drove past the local Royal British Legion. Stormont First Minister Peter Robinson, MP Lady Sylvia Hermon, Secretary of State Owen Paterson and former RUC and PSNI Chief Constable Sir Ronnie Flanagan were among mourners who heard the local minister of Hamilton Road Presbyterian Church, Rev Leach say that David had followed his older brother into the military and that his parents were worried about him going to Afghanistan.

Guidera Murder Arrest Made

Detectives investigating the murder of Samuel Guidera, have arrested a 39-year old man. Samuel Guidera, 24, was found on Saturday 12 February collapsed in the street at Bailey Place, junction with Newlands Park, in south east London. He was approximately 200 metres from the railway station. He was taken by London Ambulance Service to a south London hospital suffering from a stab wound and was pronounced dead at 10.55pm. A 39-year old man was arrested at a residential address in Penge on suspicion of murder. He has been taken to a south London police station. Enquiries are continuing. Officers are still appealing to anyone who was in the area at the time to come forward as they may have important information that may assist the investigation.

Dentist 'Twice Outlined Death Plot'

Killer dentist Colin Howell has told the trial in Northern Ireland of his former lover Hazel Stewart, 47, that he remembered that he had twice told Mrs Stewart of the murder plot, not once as he had previously said. Double murderer Howell has been giving evidence against the Co Londonderry defendant who denies the murders of her husband Trevor Buchanan and Lesley Howell in 1991. Howell has already been sentenced to at least 21 years for the murders. He previously told the trial that he had met her at a local beauty spot and handed over drugs for her to give to her husband Trevor to get him ready to be killed. However, on Thursday he said there had been another meeting prior to this, when he had gone to her home and presented her with the plan. Her defence team maintains there was no real plan and that Howell had acted on the spur of the moment on the night of the killings.

Student Charters Could Enhance Higher Education

Universities should develop charters setting out students’ rights and responsibilities, Universities and Science Minister David Willetts said this week. The Government have now received the final report from the Student Charter Group. It provides a good practice toolkit for universities and students' unions to develop charters at an institutional level. Universities and Science Minister David Willetts said: “Too many universities still don’t have a charter. Improving student information is a key priority for the Government. Students have a right to know how they will learn, how they will be supported and what they need to do themselves to reach their potential. At a time of significant change in higher education students have increased expectations of their university experience. I want a system where students have real choice and universities respond to what students need. Institution-specific charters will provide better information and increased transparency. Universities should use the good practice identified in this report to review the information which they currently provide.” David Willetts paid tribute to the Group which was led by NUS President Aaron Porter and Oxford Brookes Vice-Chancellor Professor Janet Beer. The Government will consider the Group’s report during the development of its strategy for higher education, which is to be set out in the forthcoming White Paper.

Brighton Man Fined After Worker Plunge's From Roof

A sub-contractor has been sentenced after a worker plummeted more than five metres through a roof top. Louis Mitchell 22, from Brighton, suffered severe injuries after carrying out repairs to a fragile asbestos roof on 14 October 2010 at an industrial estate in Church Road, Brighton. Sole trader Andrew Hyder was contracted to do the work at a unit on Smokey Estate and had casually employed Mr Mitchell to help. Brighton Magistrates’ Court heard the men were using scaffold boards as crawling boards when Mr Mitchell fell head first through the fragile roof, landing on a concrete floor five metres below. During the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) prosecution the court heard Mr Mitchell had twisted while falling and landing to one side on his shoulder which had helped him survive the fall. Mr Mitchell fractured his neck suffered four broken ribs, broke two vertebrae in his lower back, and punctured his lung. He also broke his collar bone and had to have ten staples in his head. HSE argued Mr Hyder had failed to ensure work at height on the fragile roof was carried out safely with suitable equipment and no precautions were in place to prevent Mr Mitchell from falling through the roof. Yesterday Andrew Hyder, of Norwich Drive, Brighton pleaded guilty to breaching Work at Height Regulations at Brighton Magistrates’ Court. Mr Hyder was fined a total of £2,400 and ordered to pay costs of £2,478.60.

(BMcN/GK)