Other News In Brief

Car Shooting Victim Named

Police investigating the murder of a man whose body was discovered in a car in south east London, have released the name of the victim. Nathan Williams, of south east London, was shot in Ludwick Mews, New Cross, at about 1.30am. He was taken to hospital but later died. Detectives investigating the incident have been searching for four male suspects. They are also asking witnesses to come forward. The murder is being investigated by Operation Trident, which tackles gun crime within London's black community.

Father In Court Over Fire Murders

A 37-year-old man has been charged with murdering three of his family members in a house fire in Manchester. Kevin Hargreaves, of no fixed abode, has been charged with three counts of murder. Carly Swift, 19, died soon after the blaze at the family's townhouse in Herne Street, Openshaw on 16 July. Her brother, Jordan Swift, 14, and step-brother, eight-year-old John Hargreaves, died hours later. Mr Hargreaves - John Hargreave's father and Ms Swift and Jordan's step-father - will appear before Manchester Magistrates' Court later. The 39-year-old suffered burns and was treated in hospital. Three adults and nine children were in the three-storey house when the broke out at around 5.00am.

'More Children' Benefiting From Maintenance

Almost 794,000 children are benefiting as the Child Support Agency (CSA) collected or arranged £1,136 million in child maintenance across Britain over the past 12 months. National statistics released today show between July 2008 and June 2009, the CSA also continued to recover unpaid maintenance for children, with £157m in arrears collected in the UK in the past year. Child Maintenance Commissioner, Stephen Geraghty, said: "These steady improvements in child maintenance are making a real difference to families across Great Britain. In just three months to June 2009, an extra 11,100 families benefited from maintenance. The changes we are making continue to create a solid foundation for the Commission's work as we move towards a new child maintenance system, giving parents more choice than ever to suit their own circumstances." The CSA is now the responsibility of the Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission, which is developing an entirely new maintenance scheme to replace the two CSA schemes from 2011.

Pub Owners Get 'Easier' Licences

Pub and bar owners will find it cheaper and easier to make changes to their licences from today. The new application process for small changes to licences - 'Minor Variations' - will save the industry as much as £2.3 million a year, and make it easier for licensees to change the layout of their premises, serve hot food after 11pm or put on some live music events. The cost of the new process will be less than £100 - compared to the previous average fee of around £225. Under the new system the applicant will fill in a short form, pay a flat rate of £89 and will wait no more than 15 days for a response, against 28 days at present. There will also no longer be a requirement to advertise in a newspaper or for the licensee to make responsible authorities aware.

Teens In Hospital After Taxi Fall

Two teenage boys are in a critical condition after falling from a moving taxi in Manchester city centre. The teens - both aged 17 - were travelling with three other boys, aged 17, 13 and 11, in a private hire taxi along Deansgate on Monday evening, police said. One of boys suffered a fractured skull, broken shoulder, collapsed lung and internal bleeding. The other suffered a fractured skull. A 59-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of dangerous driving.

(JM/BMcC)