Friday, April 03, 2015
Baby elephant needs encouraging to cross road
This tiny baby elephant in the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, Tanzania, was reluctant to cross a road.
After some encouragement from its elders it finally made it safely across.
YouTube link.
YouTube link.
Dispute over legality of charity wiener dog racing
Greyhound Rescue of Idaho have sent a "cease and desist" letter to the Boise Host Lions addressing their intended wiener dog racing fundraising event this forthcoming May. The group say the event breaks a law dating back to 1996.
"The statute for dog racing is very specific and clear," co-founder of Greyhound Rescue of Idaho, Virginia McKean said. "That any live dog races in the state are illegal." Boise Host Lions group say: "Our event is a fun run for Dachshund family pets over a short distance, less than 50 feet.
"We believe the Idaho Racing Act does prohibit dog racing where the pari-mutuel system of wagering is used. There is no betting on dogs at our event." The Boise Police Department, The Mayor's Office and Ada County Prosecutors Office say they're reviewing the event to see if the race would break any laws.
The statute on racing dogs in Idaho states: "Any person participating or conducting a live dog race or pari-mutuel betting on such a live dog race or the training of dogs to compete in live dog races in violation of this section shall be guilty of a felony." The Boise Host Lions group insists: "There is no pari-mutuel system of wagering involved. Our fun run is no different than other dog fun run events in our state. "
With news video.
"The statute for dog racing is very specific and clear," co-founder of Greyhound Rescue of Idaho, Virginia McKean said. "That any live dog races in the state are illegal." Boise Host Lions group say: "Our event is a fun run for Dachshund family pets over a short distance, less than 50 feet.
"We believe the Idaho Racing Act does prohibit dog racing where the pari-mutuel system of wagering is used. There is no betting on dogs at our event." The Boise Police Department, The Mayor's Office and Ada County Prosecutors Office say they're reviewing the event to see if the race would break any laws.
The statute on racing dogs in Idaho states: "Any person participating or conducting a live dog race or pari-mutuel betting on such a live dog race or the training of dogs to compete in live dog races in violation of this section shall be guilty of a felony." The Boise Host Lions group insists: "There is no pari-mutuel system of wagering involved. Our fun run is no different than other dog fun run events in our state. "
With news video.
Woman who kicked police officer in the groin then offered him oral sex if he let her go free
A woman from West Palm Beach, Florida, was arrested on Friday after she allegedly offered bar patrons oral sex for money then refused to leave the establishment when asked, according to an arrest report.
After Palm Beach County Sheriff’s deputies arrived, the woman allegedly resisted arrest then offered a deputy oral sex if he let her go free.
The interaction between the woman and deputy was caught in a patrol car’s on-board video system. Beatrize Carrion-Moore is now facing charges of battery on an officer, resisting arrest with violence, resisting arrest without violence and trespassing. She was released from the Palm Beach County Jail on Sunday after posting a $6,000 bond.
Carrion-Moore, 23, was at Boonies Bar on Southern Boulevard in unincorporated West Palm Beach when she allegedly became “extremely intoxicated” and offered oral sex to customers, the report said. Carrion-Moore was asked to leave by the bar manager but refused. Carrion-Moore at first refused to give deputies her name then became combative after they attempted to arrest her.
At one point, Carrion-Moore fell over a newspaper stand, causing the deputy to fall as well. While a deputy was attempting to put Carrion-Moore in the back of his patrol car, the woman allegedly kicked him in the thigh and groin area several times. The report notes that “while Beatrize was in the back seat of my patrol car, she continued to offer me oral sex in exchange for letting her go.”
The interaction between the woman and deputy was caught in a patrol car’s on-board video system. Beatrize Carrion-Moore is now facing charges of battery on an officer, resisting arrest with violence, resisting arrest without violence and trespassing. She was released from the Palm Beach County Jail on Sunday after posting a $6,000 bond.
Carrion-Moore, 23, was at Boonies Bar on Southern Boulevard in unincorporated West Palm Beach when she allegedly became “extremely intoxicated” and offered oral sex to customers, the report said. Carrion-Moore was asked to leave by the bar manager but refused. Carrion-Moore at first refused to give deputies her name then became combative after they attempted to arrest her.
At one point, Carrion-Moore fell over a newspaper stand, causing the deputy to fall as well. While a deputy was attempting to put Carrion-Moore in the back of his patrol car, the woman allegedly kicked him in the thigh and groin area several times. The report notes that “while Beatrize was in the back seat of my patrol car, she continued to offer me oral sex in exchange for letting her go.”
Man guilty of photographing his wife in shower
A man from Hamilton in New Zealand, who covertly photographed his wife taking a shower through a partially open window has pleaded guilty to a charge of making an intimate visual recording.
Jesse Alexander Ruru Taylor appeared in the Hamilton District Court on Thursday. The court heard that at about 8.30am on March 7, Taylor's wife was taking a shower when he went outside with a cellphone, that he pointed through the open window.
On finishing her shower, his wife saw Taylor through the window with the cellphone pointed at her and screamed.
He later admitted to police he had, without consent, taken a single photograph of his wife, who now has a non-association order against him. Judge Simon Menzies convicted Taylor and remanded him on bail for sentencing on June 26.
Jesse Alexander Ruru Taylor appeared in the Hamilton District Court on Thursday. The court heard that at about 8.30am on March 7, Taylor's wife was taking a shower when he went outside with a cellphone, that he pointed through the open window.
On finishing her shower, his wife saw Taylor through the window with the cellphone pointed at her and screamed.
He later admitted to police he had, without consent, taken a single photograph of his wife, who now has a non-association order against him. Judge Simon Menzies convicted Taylor and remanded him on bail for sentencing on June 26.
Belly bounce assault man given suspended sentence - Update
A man from Belfast, Northern Ireland, who assaulted an elderly neighbour by "belly bouncing" her away from his home has received an eight-month suspended prison sentence.
Morrison Wilson must also pay a total of £1,000 compensation to the woman and her daughter for two separate incidents linked to a parking dispute.
Wilson must also pay £290 to cover the costs of damage to a television set.
The 59-year-old was convicted of assaulting the pensioner.
Belfast Magistrates' Court heard how the woman suffered injuries when she fell in one of the incidents in October 2013. Wilson claimed the victim had been aggressive and "sticking her nose in" as he spoke to a motorist outside his home. During a contested hearing in February, he said: "With my big belly, because she was flailing her hands about, I just bounced her back." According to his account, she fell backwards, landing on her tail bone area. He also claimed fertiliser was flung at him after the fall.
Questioned by the prosecution about his claim to have "bounced" his neighbour, Wilson had replied: "What am I going to do? Grab her with my belly?" He added: "She was very aggressive, she wasn't getting her own way... and I knew what was coming next." Wilson was also found guilty of a series of offences connected to the dispute which occurred six days previously. They included assaults on the two women, being found on the elderly lady's premises for an unlawful purpose, and criminal damage to a front door, television and vase belonging to her. Two assaults on police also featured on his list of convictions.
During Wednesday's sentencing, a defence barrister said: "At the time of these offences it appears Mr Wilson was under pressure. I'm told there were various parking difficulties." Passing sentence, the judge imposed eight months in jail for the belly assault incident. He also handed a series of lesser prison terms for the other offences, all to run concurrently. Each of the sentences was suspended for two years. Giving Wilson six months to pay the total financial restitution, the judge said: "Compensation has to be paid within the required time. There is a risk that failing to pay it will result in imprisonment for 28 days."
Belfast Magistrates' Court heard how the woman suffered injuries when she fell in one of the incidents in October 2013. Wilson claimed the victim had been aggressive and "sticking her nose in" as he spoke to a motorist outside his home. During a contested hearing in February, he said: "With my big belly, because she was flailing her hands about, I just bounced her back." According to his account, she fell backwards, landing on her tail bone area. He also claimed fertiliser was flung at him after the fall.
Questioned by the prosecution about his claim to have "bounced" his neighbour, Wilson had replied: "What am I going to do? Grab her with my belly?" He added: "She was very aggressive, she wasn't getting her own way... and I knew what was coming next." Wilson was also found guilty of a series of offences connected to the dispute which occurred six days previously. They included assaults on the two women, being found on the elderly lady's premises for an unlawful purpose, and criminal damage to a front door, television and vase belonging to her. Two assaults on police also featured on his list of convictions.
During Wednesday's sentencing, a defence barrister said: "At the time of these offences it appears Mr Wilson was under pressure. I'm told there were various parking difficulties." Passing sentence, the judge imposed eight months in jail for the belly assault incident. He also handed a series of lesser prison terms for the other offences, all to run concurrently. Each of the sentences was suspended for two years. Giving Wilson six months to pay the total financial restitution, the judge said: "Compensation has to be paid within the required time. There is a risk that failing to pay it will result in imprisonment for 28 days."
Stowaway cat made 3,000 mile 17-day Egypt-to-UK voyage
A curious cat which sneaked inside a shipping container in Egypt survived 17 days without food and water and travelled more than 3,000 miles before arriving in Herefordshire.
The ginger tom cat, who has since been named Sinbad, was discovered by staff at Mediterranean Linens in Moreton-on-Lugg.
Staff heard desperate meows coming from inside the newly arrived container, which was carrying laundry linen.
The RSPCA rushed to the scene and found the eight-month-old cat to be very friendly but understandably ravenous.
RSPCA inspector Pippa Boyd said it was an incredible feat to have survived the 17 days and, initially, hard to believe. “They showed me the paperwork,” she added. “They have to seal the containers and put a tag on there, which they did when the container left. They showed me the paperwork and the tag, and it did all match up. We thought maybe at customs someone might have opened it up, but they didn’t.” Once found, Sinbad was taken to the Laurels Veterinary Surgery in Whitecross, Hereford, where he was fed a little at a time.
He has now gone into quarantine for four months. His journey started at the Nile Linen Group in Alexandria port in Egypt on March 8. The container got to El-Dekheila port on March 9, Felixstowe in Suffolk on March 24 and then Moreton-on-Lugg on March 25. Ms Boyd said: “He is such a curious cat. He just seems to be wanting to be everywhere and see everything. I imagine they were loading and he just sneaked in.” She said in her eight-year career for the RSPCA she had never seen anything like it. All the linen was intact but Sinbad had made himself a bed in one of the boxes.
Graham Monteath, MD at Mediterranean Linens, said they could not work out what the noise was when the shipping container arrived. He said: “I have never heard a cat meow like that in my life. I would never have thought that was a cat.” Sinbad’s first taste of food on English soil was two slices of British beef which was going to be Mr Monteath’s lunch. The quarantine stay will cost the RSPCA almost £2,000, so an appeal page has been set up to cover costs. Ms Boyd said: “For us it is a lot of money for one cat. But he has had such a plight and got all of this way so the only thing we can do is to get him through it. He is a very affectionate cat and once he has finished his quarantine he will be looking for a loving home.”
RSPCA inspector Pippa Boyd said it was an incredible feat to have survived the 17 days and, initially, hard to believe. “They showed me the paperwork,” she added. “They have to seal the containers and put a tag on there, which they did when the container left. They showed me the paperwork and the tag, and it did all match up. We thought maybe at customs someone might have opened it up, but they didn’t.” Once found, Sinbad was taken to the Laurels Veterinary Surgery in Whitecross, Hereford, where he was fed a little at a time.
He has now gone into quarantine for four months. His journey started at the Nile Linen Group in Alexandria port in Egypt on March 8. The container got to El-Dekheila port on March 9, Felixstowe in Suffolk on March 24 and then Moreton-on-Lugg on March 25. Ms Boyd said: “He is such a curious cat. He just seems to be wanting to be everywhere and see everything. I imagine they were loading and he just sneaked in.” She said in her eight-year career for the RSPCA she had never seen anything like it. All the linen was intact but Sinbad had made himself a bed in one of the boxes.
Graham Monteath, MD at Mediterranean Linens, said they could not work out what the noise was when the shipping container arrived. He said: “I have never heard a cat meow like that in my life. I would never have thought that was a cat.” Sinbad’s first taste of food on English soil was two slices of British beef which was going to be Mr Monteath’s lunch. The quarantine stay will cost the RSPCA almost £2,000, so an appeal page has been set up to cover costs. Ms Boyd said: “For us it is a lot of money for one cat. But he has had such a plight and got all of this way so the only thing we can do is to get him through it. He is a very affectionate cat and once he has finished his quarantine he will be looking for a loving home.”
Charity shop volunteer unhappy that her £1,500 diamond bracelet was accidentally sold for £1.99
A piece of jewellery worth £1,500 was accidently sold by a charity shop for just £1.99.
Volunteer shop assistant Debbie Aston-Thwaites is appealing for the treasured bracelet to be returned after it was mistakenly put on sale at the Age UK shop in New Milton, Hampshire.
Debbie, of Barton on Sea, was serving at the shop when she noticed that the catch on her bracelet had become stuck.
“I was going to lock the bracelet away with my handbag but showed it to a colleague who said she would have a go at fixing it for me,” she said. Debbie then returned to the sales area and went home later that day after forgetting to retrieve her property. She rang the shop the next morning but it was several days before she discovered that her bracelet had been sold.
The precious object, a family present for her 50th birthday, was given a price tag of £1.99 and was bought by a customer the following day. Debbie said: “I’m shocked that anyone would think it was a cheap piece of costume jewellery, it was gold with diamonds and had a hallmark. It’s part of the job to assess what something is worth.” She has now contacted police in a bid to find the bracelet.
Age UK’s managing director of retail, Hugh Forde, said that the charity had also launched an investigation into the sale. But he added: “As the matter is the subject of a police investigation, we are unable to comment at this time.” Debbie criticised Age UK over how it has handled the matter and accused the charity of failing to take it seriously. She has since quit her volunteer job. “It’s just too awkward,” she said. Hampshire police confirmed that they had received a report of the missing bracelet and that enquiries were ongoing.
“I was going to lock the bracelet away with my handbag but showed it to a colleague who said she would have a go at fixing it for me,” she said. Debbie then returned to the sales area and went home later that day after forgetting to retrieve her property. She rang the shop the next morning but it was several days before she discovered that her bracelet had been sold.
The precious object, a family present for her 50th birthday, was given a price tag of £1.99 and was bought by a customer the following day. Debbie said: “I’m shocked that anyone would think it was a cheap piece of costume jewellery, it was gold with diamonds and had a hallmark. It’s part of the job to assess what something is worth.” She has now contacted police in a bid to find the bracelet.
Age UK’s managing director of retail, Hugh Forde, said that the charity had also launched an investigation into the sale. But he added: “As the matter is the subject of a police investigation, we are unable to comment at this time.” Debbie criticised Age UK over how it has handled the matter and accused the charity of failing to take it seriously. She has since quit her volunteer job. “It’s just too awkward,” she said. Hampshire police confirmed that they had received a report of the missing bracelet and that enquiries were ongoing.
Woman on horseback chased armed raiders
A woman has told of the moment she chased two armed bandits across a field on her horse.
Catherine Sugden had come across the fleeing robbers who had terrorised staff at Aldington Post Office in Kent on Wednesday.
Not realising who they were, but suspicious that they were thieves, she galloped after them.
The thieves got away but she alerted police, who launched a massive manhunt with armed officers and a helicopter.
And then, when the robbers thought they had high-tailed it out of her sight, she dismounted, and then carried on the chase in her car. Mrs Sudgen, 58, said; “It was all a little bizarre. “I thought that they maybe had done a robbery at some local cottages that had been burgled some months ago. I never gave my safety a single thought. They had an orange swag bag and I thought they’ve got some stuff in there that they didn’t ought to have.
“They were fit, they were running really fast, I couldn’t keep up.’’ Mrs Sugden had come across the robbers on foot on a field behind her home in Burmarsh, shortly after the post office was raided at 1.30pm. She chased them on her 17-year-old New Forest pony, Mr Smiffy , until they waded into a 6ft dyke and crossed to the other side. Fearing for the safety of the horse she stopped the chase on horseback, called police and galloped back to her home to fetch her car and chase the robbers by road.
As she neared Dymchurch she caught sight of the robbers again and again rang for police. Officers had by now arrived and Mrs Sugden came across a patrol car. Once again she sighted the robbers on foot but officers then took over the chase. She only realised that they were the Aldington robbers later. The suspects are still at large and described as white slim men. One was 5ft 8in tall, the other slightly taller at 5ft 10in tall. Both were wearing hooded tops and grey face masks at the time of the robbery.
There's a news video here.
And then, when the robbers thought they had high-tailed it out of her sight, she dismounted, and then carried on the chase in her car. Mrs Sudgen, 58, said; “It was all a little bizarre. “I thought that they maybe had done a robbery at some local cottages that had been burgled some months ago. I never gave my safety a single thought. They had an orange swag bag and I thought they’ve got some stuff in there that they didn’t ought to have.
“They were fit, they were running really fast, I couldn’t keep up.’’ Mrs Sugden had come across the robbers on foot on a field behind her home in Burmarsh, shortly after the post office was raided at 1.30pm. She chased them on her 17-year-old New Forest pony, Mr Smiffy , until they waded into a 6ft dyke and crossed to the other side. Fearing for the safety of the horse she stopped the chase on horseback, called police and galloped back to her home to fetch her car and chase the robbers by road.
As she neared Dymchurch she caught sight of the robbers again and again rang for police. Officers had by now arrived and Mrs Sugden came across a patrol car. Once again she sighted the robbers on foot but officers then took over the chase. She only realised that they were the Aldington robbers later. The suspects are still at large and described as white slim men. One was 5ft 8in tall, the other slightly taller at 5ft 10in tall. Both were wearing hooded tops and grey face masks at the time of the robbery.
There's a news video here.
Duck won't appear with statue of steam train designer
A row over a duck that threatened to derail the unveiling of a statue of a famous locomotive designer has been settled.
The statue to rail engineer Sir Nigel Gresley, who designed the Mallard locomotive as well as the Flying Scotsman, was to have also featured a duck next to the eminent engineer.
But Sir Nigel's family, and others, were not keen on the appearance of the duck with the bronze statue which is due to be unveiled at King's Cross station in London on April 5 2016, the 75th anniversary of Sir Nigel's death. And now the Gresley Society Trust, which commissioned sculptor Hazel Reeves to create the statue, has announced the duck will not appear.
The trust said: "After widespread consultation, including with our president, vice presidents, members and Sir Nigel's family, we have agreed to make some small alterations to the details of the scheme, among which are the removal of the mallard from the foot of the statue."
The trust's chairman David McIntosh said: "It was quite clear if we persisted with the duck we ran the significant risk of falling out with people whose opinion we valued." He added that Sir Nigel's two grandsons took the view that the duck "detracted from the dignity of the statue".
But Sir Nigel's family, and others, were not keen on the appearance of the duck with the bronze statue which is due to be unveiled at King's Cross station in London on April 5 2016, the 75th anniversary of Sir Nigel's death. And now the Gresley Society Trust, which commissioned sculptor Hazel Reeves to create the statue, has announced the duck will not appear.
The trust said: "After widespread consultation, including with our president, vice presidents, members and Sir Nigel's family, we have agreed to make some small alterations to the details of the scheme, among which are the removal of the mallard from the foot of the statue."
The trust's chairman David McIntosh said: "It was quite clear if we persisted with the duck we ran the significant risk of falling out with people whose opinion we valued." He added that Sir Nigel's two grandsons took the view that the duck "detracted from the dignity of the statue".
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