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Wednesday, February 16, 2011
Baby gorilla takes his first steps
Keepers at London Zoo have captured the moment when a three month old baby gorilla took its first steps.
Nicknamed 'Tiny' the male Western Lowland gorilla left his mothers side last Thursday for the first time since birth as he took his first wobbly steps. Tiny was urged on by his 12-year-old mother 'Mjukuu' as he stumbled and crawled around the gorilla enclosure.
YouTube link.
At one point the baby made his way back to his mum, only to be gently pushed away and encouraged to continue his new adventure.
Keepers are yet to decide on a permanent name for the youngster, who at just over one foot tall, is outgrowing his nickname. Tiny is the first gorilla to be born at London Zoo in more than 20 years.
Nicknamed 'Tiny' the male Western Lowland gorilla left his mothers side last Thursday for the first time since birth as he took his first wobbly steps. Tiny was urged on by his 12-year-old mother 'Mjukuu' as he stumbled and crawled around the gorilla enclosure.
YouTube link.
At one point the baby made his way back to his mum, only to be gently pushed away and encouraged to continue his new adventure.
Keepers are yet to decide on a permanent name for the youngster, who at just over one foot tall, is outgrowing his nickname. Tiny is the first gorilla to be born at London Zoo in more than 20 years.
Explosion blows roof off cannabis factory house
An explosion at a home in Broward County literally blew the lid off a marijuana grow house operation on Sunday night.
The blast happened shortly after 8 p.m. at the house in the 2200 block of Southwest 43rd Way, according to the Broward Sheriff's Office.
LiveLeak link.
When authorities arrived at the scene, they found the roof had blown completely off the home, sending debris everywhere.
A search of the house turned up pot plants and other paraphernalia for running the grow house operation. Officials said the operation may have overloaded the home's electrical system, which led to the explosion. No one was injured in the blast. Police are still investigating and no arrests have been made.
The blast happened shortly after 8 p.m. at the house in the 2200 block of Southwest 43rd Way, according to the Broward Sheriff's Office.
LiveLeak link.
When authorities arrived at the scene, they found the roof had blown completely off the home, sending debris everywhere.
A search of the house turned up pot plants and other paraphernalia for running the grow house operation. Officials said the operation may have overloaded the home's electrical system, which led to the explosion. No one was injured in the blast. Police are still investigating and no arrests have been made.
30 items removed from suspect's rectum
Authorities in Florida said a homeless man sent to jail on Friday was found to be concealing 30 items in a condom hidden in his rectum.
The Sarasota County Sheriff's Office said Neil Lansing, 33, had been jailed following a Friday court appearance on undisclosed charges when corrections deputies performing a routine cell block search noticed a piece of condom sticking out of Lansing's rectum.
Officials said they removed the condom and it was found to contain 17 blue pills, a cigarette, six matches, one flint, an empty syringe with an eraser covering the needle, a lip balm container, an unused condom, a pharmacy receipt and a coupon.
The sheriff's office said Lansing, who is being held without bond, is facing charges of possessing a drug and a tobacco product in jail.
The Sarasota County Sheriff's Office said Neil Lansing, 33, had been jailed following a Friday court appearance on undisclosed charges when corrections deputies performing a routine cell block search noticed a piece of condom sticking out of Lansing's rectum.
Officials said they removed the condom and it was found to contain 17 blue pills, a cigarette, six matches, one flint, an empty syringe with an eraser covering the needle, a lip balm container, an unused condom, a pharmacy receipt and a coupon.
The sheriff's office said Lansing, who is being held without bond, is facing charges of possessing a drug and a tobacco product in jail.
Man accused of biting child's eye out found not guilty
A Bakersfield man accused of biting out his 4-year-old son's eyeball, then trying to hack off his own legs was found not guilty by reason of insanity and now he will be heading to a state mental hospital.
Angelo Mendoza Sr., 37, was set to go to trial on Feb. 22, but on Thursday, according to the district attorney's office, after two reports and two different doctors, Mendoza was found to be insane at the time of the crime.
YouTube link.
Mendoza pleaded guilty Thursday to all charges of aggravated mayhem, torture, willful cruelty to a child and inflicting injury to a child.
But the judge ruled Mendoza was not guilty by reason of insanity. Mendoza is due back in court on March 22 to determine where he will be placed.
Angelo Mendoza Sr., 37, was set to go to trial on Feb. 22, but on Thursday, according to the district attorney's office, after two reports and two different doctors, Mendoza was found to be insane at the time of the crime.
YouTube link.
Mendoza pleaded guilty Thursday to all charges of aggravated mayhem, torture, willful cruelty to a child and inflicting injury to a child.
But the judge ruled Mendoza was not guilty by reason of insanity. Mendoza is due back in court on March 22 to determine where he will be placed.
Drug dealer to sue police for 'humiliating' him
A drug dealer is planning to sue police for "humiliating" him by telling his neighbours that he was sent to jail. Police put a photograph of Luke Walsh-Pinnock, 22, on a "name and shame" leaflet sent to 1500 homes - but Walsh-Pinnock claims that the police force's actions breached his human rights and plans to seek damages.
Police spread the news to Walsh-Pinnock's neighbours in Kilburn, north London, informing them that he was sentenced to four years in jail for dealing cocaine and heroin. Walsh-Pinnock's parents also complained about his "degrading" treatment. "Luke's been humiliated in his local community, which is against his human rights. We'll take this to court. He's a good boy who is kind to his family," a friend of his mother said.
Chief Superintendent Matthew Gardner, from Brent Police, said, "We constantly target offenders and put them before the courts, but often local people don't know what has been done. It is important that they are aware when criminals are put away and will no longer be blighting their communities."
Officers raided a flat in Kilburn last August and caught Walsh-Pinnock cutting up heroin. They also seized a safe that contained quantities of cocaine and heroin. Walsh-Pinnock and his friend James Goldsmith, 35, were convicted of possession with intent to supply. Scotland Yard confirmed that police "received a complaint from a member of the public regarding the leaflets".
Police spread the news to Walsh-Pinnock's neighbours in Kilburn, north London, informing them that he was sentenced to four years in jail for dealing cocaine and heroin. Walsh-Pinnock's parents also complained about his "degrading" treatment. "Luke's been humiliated in his local community, which is against his human rights. We'll take this to court. He's a good boy who is kind to his family," a friend of his mother said.
Chief Superintendent Matthew Gardner, from Brent Police, said, "We constantly target offenders and put them before the courts, but often local people don't know what has been done. It is important that they are aware when criminals are put away and will no longer be blighting their communities."
Officers raided a flat in Kilburn last August and caught Walsh-Pinnock cutting up heroin. They also seized a safe that contained quantities of cocaine and heroin. Walsh-Pinnock and his friend James Goldsmith, 35, were convicted of possession with intent to supply. Scotland Yard confirmed that police "received a complaint from a member of the public regarding the leaflets".
Boss forced to pay £13,000 for 'humiliating' worker who stole £845
A boss who took an employee he caught stealing to the police station with a sign saying "Thief" around his neck has paid £13,000 after the criminal sued for "humiliation". Simon Cremer, 47, took Mark Gilbert, 40, to the police station after discovering he had written out a company cheque to himself and taken it to Cash Converters in October 2008. Gilbert was paraded through the streets of Witham in Essex with a cardboard sign which read: "Thief. I stole £845 am on my way to the police station."
He admitted the crime to police and was let off with a caution but Mr Cremer was charged with false imprisonment before the case against him collapsed in December 2008. Now Mr Cremer, who runs a flooring firm, has paid £5,000 in compensation and £8,000 in court costs to the worker who stole from him. He said: "I think it's absolutely disgusting that he was even able to sue me after he had stolen from me to be honest.
"I don't want to give him a penny after what he did, so it really sticks in my throat. He stole from me yet he is the one who is walking away with the money. It makes me so angry." Gilbert, a floor fitter, claimed for two years' lost earnings and the "distress" he suffered after being walked through the town. He claimed he needed psychological help after the incident. The case was due to come before a civil court on Monday but father-of-two Mr Cremer said he could not risk the expense involved.
He settled out of court because he said it would cost him more than that to fight the case in legal bills. He also had to pay Gilbert's legal costs leaving him with an £8,000 legal bill for the case. Mr Cremer, who lives in Little Maplestead, Essex, with his partner Karen Boardman, 45, who has been battling breast cancer, said: "It would have cost me £25,000 just to go to court, so I had no option but to settle out of court. I could not afford to take it to court, so there was no other option. It would financially ruin me, it would break me. I would lose my business and I would risk losing my home because I would have to remortgage it."
He admitted the crime to police and was let off with a caution but Mr Cremer was charged with false imprisonment before the case against him collapsed in December 2008. Now Mr Cremer, who runs a flooring firm, has paid £5,000 in compensation and £8,000 in court costs to the worker who stole from him. He said: "I think it's absolutely disgusting that he was even able to sue me after he had stolen from me to be honest.
"I don't want to give him a penny after what he did, so it really sticks in my throat. He stole from me yet he is the one who is walking away with the money. It makes me so angry." Gilbert, a floor fitter, claimed for two years' lost earnings and the "distress" he suffered after being walked through the town. He claimed he needed psychological help after the incident. The case was due to come before a civil court on Monday but father-of-two Mr Cremer said he could not risk the expense involved.
He settled out of court because he said it would cost him more than that to fight the case in legal bills. He also had to pay Gilbert's legal costs leaving him with an £8,000 legal bill for the case. Mr Cremer, who lives in Little Maplestead, Essex, with his partner Karen Boardman, 45, who has been battling breast cancer, said: "It would have cost me £25,000 just to go to court, so I had no option but to settle out of court. I could not afford to take it to court, so there was no other option. It would financially ruin me, it would break me. I would lose my business and I would risk losing my home because I would have to remortgage it."
Teacher banned for spraying air freshener on Asian pupils who smelled of curry
A teacher has been banned from classrooms after spraying children of Asian origin with air freshener if she said she smelled curry. Elizabeth Davies, 48, was struck off for at least two years for the way she treated children in her primary school class.
A disciplinary hearing was told that Davies would say: "There is a waft coming from paradise" before using the air freshener. She was accused of having a "smug look" as she sprayed children in the class, where half the pupils were of Bangladeshi origin. Teaching assistant Wendy Roe alleged she used the words "black bastards" in a low whisper on more than one occasion. Asked if she thought Davies was discriminating against the children on the grounds of their race, Roe said: "I think so. I feel she had a problem with them."
Davies denied five allegations of spraying aerosol at pupils, washing pupils' hands in disinfectant and making children stand on newspaper after they accidentally wet themselves. She was also accused of asking her support staff to spray the children at the 260-pupil Hafod primary school in Swansea, south Wales.
The disciplinary panel found her guilty of each of these things. The panel chair, Peter Williams, said there was insufficient evidence to say that Davies used the term "black bastards". Davies, of Neath, was sacked from her £34,000-a-year job over "child protection concerns".
A disciplinary hearing was told that Davies would say: "There is a waft coming from paradise" before using the air freshener. She was accused of having a "smug look" as she sprayed children in the class, where half the pupils were of Bangladeshi origin. Teaching assistant Wendy Roe alleged she used the words "black bastards" in a low whisper on more than one occasion. Asked if she thought Davies was discriminating against the children on the grounds of their race, Roe said: "I think so. I feel she had a problem with them."
Davies denied five allegations of spraying aerosol at pupils, washing pupils' hands in disinfectant and making children stand on newspaper after they accidentally wet themselves. She was also accused of asking her support staff to spray the children at the 260-pupil Hafod primary school in Swansea, south Wales.
The disciplinary panel found her guilty of each of these things. The panel chair, Peter Williams, said there was insufficient evidence to say that Davies used the term "black bastards". Davies, of Neath, was sacked from her £34,000-a-year job over "child protection concerns".
Flying sausage court case dropped for being too silly
A court case brought after a woman was hit in the eye by a flying sausage has been dropped over fears it could damage the reputation of the judicial process. Ashly Brearey, 22, from Harlow was charged with assault causing actual bodily harm after Candice Whybrow, 24, was hit in the face by the pork projectile during a food fight at his house party.
Ms Whybrow suffered retinal damage after the incident and has now lost a significant part of the central vision in her left eye. However, while expressing sympathy for the victim's plight, Judge Anthony Goldstaub QC urged the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) to think again about the charge.
'I have concerns on four points: public interest; the prospect of conviction; the dignity of the court and the prosecution process,' said the judge. He pointed out there was serious doubt over whether a jury could bring a conviction.
Indeed, Miss Whybrow's barrister Gary Ryan had even told an earlier hearing that it was not even certain that the offending meat product was a sausage, as a chicken drumstick was found lying next to the victim after the incident. Adding that the case had the potential to generate a great deal of laughter from the public, Judge Goldstaub quipped: 'The case is stale, if not the sausage.' The CPS duly offered no evidence, and Mr Brearey was found not guilty and discharged.
Ms Whybrow suffered retinal damage after the incident and has now lost a significant part of the central vision in her left eye. However, while expressing sympathy for the victim's plight, Judge Anthony Goldstaub QC urged the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) to think again about the charge.
'I have concerns on four points: public interest; the prospect of conviction; the dignity of the court and the prosecution process,' said the judge. He pointed out there was serious doubt over whether a jury could bring a conviction.
Indeed, Miss Whybrow's barrister Gary Ryan had even told an earlier hearing that it was not even certain that the offending meat product was a sausage, as a chicken drumstick was found lying next to the victim after the incident. Adding that the case had the potential to generate a great deal of laughter from the public, Judge Goldstaub quipped: 'The case is stale, if not the sausage.' The CPS duly offered no evidence, and Mr Brearey was found not guilty and discharged.
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