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What is believed to be a bomb found by police investigating the attempt to murder three officers in West Belfast has been taken away, police said.

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Police have identified a number of suspects in the case of missing Madeleine McCann, Scotland Yard has disclosed.

Officers investigating the case as part of a review have drawn up a list of “people of interest” they wish to speak to in connection with the disappearance of Madeleine in May 2007.

The review was launched in 2011 in an attempt to find out what happened to the toddler who vanished from the family’s holiday apartment in Praia da Luz on the Algarve.

Detective Chief Superintendent Hamish Campbell said: “The purpose of the review was to look at the case with fresh eyes and there is always real benefit in doing so. The review has further identified both investigative and forensic opportunities to support the Portuguese.

“There is more than a handful of people of interest which could be explored further if only to be eliminated.

“The key things are to investigate the case and our work is happening to support the Portuguese.”

A spokesman for the McCann family, Clarence Mitchell, said: “Kate and Gerry continue to be encouraged by Operation Grange and are very pleased by the work the police are doing. Beyond that they won’t be commenting on any operational matters.”

The Portuguese authorities’ handling of the original investigation was widely criticised.

The police named Madeleine’s parents, Kate and Gerry, as suspects but they were cleared in July 2008 when the attorney general ruled there was nothing to link them to their daughter’s disappearance.

Madeleine disappeared from the bedroom of the ground floor apartment that she was sharing with her brother and sister Sean and Amelie, who are twins, on the evening of May 3, 2007, just days before her fourth birthday.

Her parents had been enjoying a holiday meal with friends at a tapas restaurant just 130 yards away.

Mr and Mrs McCann, who have campaigned endlessly to find out what happened to their daughter, recently quietly celebrated her 10th birthday.

Speaking at that time, Mrs McCann, a GP, said: “We still celebrate her and her being part of our lives. I go into Madeleine’s room and I don’t even have to talk – I can just think. It’s as it was really and I’m not ready to change it.

“We always include Madeleine in everything. She is in my head and my heart every minute of every day.”

Source: uk.news.yahoo.com

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By Christine Murray

LONDON (Reuters) – The government said on Friday it had hired a team of auditors to investigate whether it was overcharged on two contracts with outsourcing firms Serco and G4S.

The Ministry of Justice said auditors from professional services firm PWC would examine two contracts signed in 2005 which together cost the department 107 million pounds in 2012/13 for electronic tagging and monitoring of offenders released from prison.

“I take this issue very seriously and my priority is to ensure that taxpayers’ money is spent appropriately and delivers value for money,” Justice Minister Chris Grayling said, adding the auditors would report their findings within six weeks.

An MOJ spokeswoman said the issue concerned the number of people tagged and the duration of the monitoring period.

Both G4S and Serco had their original contracts extended and are currently bidding on the new electronic tagging deals with the MOJ expected later this year.

The companies said that they were cooperating with the Ministry. G4S added that it had cut the cost of the service by 13 percent since it first won the contract in 2005.

Contracts for electronic tags – which monitor whether offenders are adhering to curfews and are a cheaper alternative to keeping someone in prison – are part of a government drive to save money by tendering services to private companies to run.

The MOJ is one of the most active in this process, asking private firms to bid to run prisoner escort, private prisons and more recently probation services.

Analysts at Cantor Fitzgerald calculate that the total value of MOJ new services contracts jumped tenfold from 8 million in 2008 to 79 million in 2012, based on data from 8 months of each year.

G4S Chief Executive Nick Buckles said in a call with analysts earlier this month that he had learned there would be “a couple” of new private prisons built under the controversial Private Finance Initiative, which funds public infrastructure with private capital, coming out next year.

Buckles also said that G4S, which made a 70 million pound loss on its security contract at the London 2012 Olympics after failing to provide enough guards, was getting a lower profit margin on the extension of its current tagging deal.

He added that lower prisoner numbers in its private prisons were dragging down group margins.

(Additional reporting by Neil Maidment; Editing by Sophie Walker)

Source: uk.news.yahoo.com

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Evans strangled Mr Ballinger, last July, at her home in New Orleans Walk, Islington, north London.

Judge Gerald Gordon said Evans, who suffers from depression, should not have been left to provide the “arduous care” the dying man needed.

Evans, who has served the equivalent of 19 months awaiting trial, was given a 12-month sentence suspended for two years coupled with three years’ supervision.

Source: bbc.co.uk

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Officers want to speak to anyone who saw three men approaching the house on Tuesday evening.

A spokesman said: “While we have arrested a man, this enquiry is not solved.”

Police said Mr Demirsay, who was aged in his 60s and was known as Sharif, was stabbed after three men forced their way into his home when he answered a knock at the door.

His 68-year-old partner sustained superficial knife wounds which were treated in hospital and some money and jewellery were also stolen.

‘Terribly distressing’

The Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Hertfordshire Major Crime Unit said a motive for the attack was not clear.

It revealed the men “launched a violent attack” on the couple, before running away from the house.

Det Chief Insp Tim Redfearn said it was a “terribly distressing attack” and officers were “trying to piece together” what happened before the stabbing.

“What we do know is that three men were seen on CCTV approaching the house at about 21:30 BST, dressed in dark clothes and with hoods covering their faces,” he said.

“We do want to hear from anyone else who can help with information about this incident.”

Source: bbc.co.uk

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He said since the start of the year the operation had led to seven prosecutions and a 17% drop in theft and robberies.

The operation also aims to help cut the causes of repeat offenders.

For this the police have enlisted the help of the Drug and Alcohol Service and the probation service.

Acting Insp Jackson said: “[It] sends a message to all thieves that making a living out of other people’s hard work is not going to be tolerated.

“The public can help us with this, by locking your property and securing your valuables you aren’t making life easy for thieves.”

Source: bbc.co.uk

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Mark Bridger told police he was feeling upset and emotional in the moments before April Jones went missing because his benefits were to be stopped, a court has heard.

The jury at Mold Crown Court has heard transcripts of the murder suspect’s interview with police following his arrest.

During one of the interviews, he was asked about his claim that he hit April while driving his car.

He told police there was no thud, and that his vehicle “rose up” and he realised there was something underneath the car.

“As I looked back around there was a small bike but no girl,” he added.

He told officers he then pushed his car off April’s body, and placed her in his car.

He said April’s mouth and eyes were open, and that she was limp.

When asked whether he may have buried the body, he said: “The only body I would have buried was my dog.”

Sky’s Mike McCarthy said: “Throughout all of this, Mark Bridger has been quite emotional. Crying quite profusely, gazing down at the floor in the dock where he’s being held, the jury occasionally looking over and looking at his reaction as details of what happened to April Jones have been revealed.”

More follows…

Source: uk.news.yahoo.com

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A businesswoman has been charged with drug dealing after the biggest-ever police raids on suppliers of party drug meow meow.

Former accountant and company director Paula White, 44, was held at her £800,000 home in Salford as officers swooped on addresses across Greater Manchester.

A silver Aston Martin was also seized by officers at the property.

White is listed in online company records as an accountant or director of a number of companies, including Chester City football club and Widnes rugby league club, with a number of the other firms listed as dissolved.

According to Salford City Council’s website, plans to build a swimming pool, gym and sun room at her home were approved in October.

She has been charged with conspiracy to supply class A, B and C drugs and two counts of money laundering and is due to appear in court.

White was one of 12 people investigated over the sale of £3.8m of drugs through a website run from an industrial unit in Bolton.

Police say the raids came after a probe into the website which offered the drugs for sale.

Meow meow and mkat are common names for mephedrone, which was legal to buy but not to consume as a drug until 2010.

It was made an offence to supply or to be in possession of mephedrone after use of the drug became increasingly widespread amongst clubbers.

Mephedrone has been linked to a number of deaths and it appears to be used as an ingredient for “legal highs” still on sale.

Seven other people have been charged with conspiracy to supply class A, B and C drugs following the raids. All have been bailed.

Source: uk.news.yahoo.com

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