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Thursday, November 24, 2011
Woman faces 50-year sentence for decapitating piglet
A Portsmouth woman pleaded guilty in Circuit Court on Friday to charges related to beheading a piglet and leaving its head on the front porch of the animal's owner. Ashley Fowler, 22, faces a maximum sentence of 50 years at a hearing scheduled for March 13. Fowler pleaded guilty to two counts of killing or maiming livestock, one count of breaking and entering, and one count of possession of the drug Adderall.
Prosecutors will not pursue additional charges of breaking and entering and destruction of property that were part of Fowler's June indictment. The Adderall charge could be dropped if the defence can show that the drug was given to her by the parents of a child with attention deficit disorder. Fowler babysat the child, according to defence attorney Warren Kozak.
Fowler was arrested on Feb. 9 at her workplace a day after Janie Sawyer of Ballahack Road reported she had found a piglet's head on her front porch. She found another piglet lying in the barn stabbed so badly it had to be euthanized. Both pigs belonged to Sawyer's son, Zach. According to a search warrant affidavit, the incident had something to do with a breakup.
Fowler pleaded guilty to breaking into the Northwest Baptist Church, which reported that three wooden crosses and three fire extinguishers had been stolen. Police found six fire extinguishers and a large wooden cross in Fowler's Ford Explorer. Also found were an ax, a large hunting knife, a camouflage boot, a black ski cap and gloves. Prosecutors declined to pursue a grand larceny charge that had initially been filed.
Prosecutors will not pursue additional charges of breaking and entering and destruction of property that were part of Fowler's June indictment. The Adderall charge could be dropped if the defence can show that the drug was given to her by the parents of a child with attention deficit disorder. Fowler babysat the child, according to defence attorney Warren Kozak.
Fowler was arrested on Feb. 9 at her workplace a day after Janie Sawyer of Ballahack Road reported she had found a piglet's head on her front porch. She found another piglet lying in the barn stabbed so badly it had to be euthanized. Both pigs belonged to Sawyer's son, Zach. According to a search warrant affidavit, the incident had something to do with a breakup.
Fowler pleaded guilty to breaking into the Northwest Baptist Church, which reported that three wooden crosses and three fire extinguishers had been stolen. Police found six fire extinguishers and a large wooden cross in Fowler's Ford Explorer. Also found were an ax, a large hunting knife, a camouflage boot, a black ski cap and gloves. Prosecutors declined to pursue a grand larceny charge that had initially been filed.
Man claims twins came from sperm stolen by ex-girlfriend
A Houston man has launched a unique court battle, claiming his twin sons resulted from his sperm being stolen and taken to a Houston fertility clinic without his knowledge. "Actually, I couldn't believe it could be done. I was very, very devastated," said Joe Pressil, a 36-year-old telecommunications manager. "I couldn't believe that this fertility clinic could actually do this without my consent, or without my even being there," he said.Pressil said he hadn't considered having a family, and his religious beliefs would never allow him to visit a fertility clinic or participate in any form of artificial insemination.
Yet three months after he broke up with his girlfriend, she became pregnant with his sperm at the Advanced Fertility Center of Texas. In his lawsuit, Pressil said he found out about the plot when a receipt arrived in the mail, listing him as the patient. "Pressil was listed as the 'patient' on the receipt even though he had never been to (the clinic) nor ever sought treatment for male infertility," according to his lawsuit. His ex-girlfriend gave birth to twin boys and then sued him for child support. She was granted that child support after blood tests confirmed Pressil was the father. "That's a violation of myself, to what I believe in, to my religion, and just to my manhood," Pressil said.
Pressil said his ex-girlfriend always claimed she was unable to have children due to a medical condition involving fibroids. He also said she claimed that her condition required a certain sort of condom be used during sex. Now, in hindsight, he said that seems suspicious. "I did notice a little bit because she would take the condom and ask me to discard it. And usually, a male would discard their own property, but she would always take the condom and she would run off out of the room and I just didn't think anything of it. And I didn't think that anyone could use a condom and bring it to a clinic to get an in vitro," he said. Pressil's attorney, Jason Gibson says this is particularly terrifying for a man, especially if he's not planning to have a family.
"It's not what you're thinking when you're in a relationship. That's not what most people are thinking, that their partner is going to get a special condom, use that condom as soon as you're done having sex, run off to the fertility clinic to go have an IVF procedure. That's certainly not what my client was thinking," Gibson said. An attorney representing the Advanced Fertility Center and Omni-Med Laboratories, Danny Sheena, called the lawsuit "suspect" and "disingenuous." He admitted that some men simply don't like visiting fertility clinics, so some samples are delivered to the clinic without the man being there. He said, in this case, the specimen arrived in a cup that was sealed in a bag.
With news video.
Yet three months after he broke up with his girlfriend, she became pregnant with his sperm at the Advanced Fertility Center of Texas. In his lawsuit, Pressil said he found out about the plot when a receipt arrived in the mail, listing him as the patient. "Pressil was listed as the 'patient' on the receipt even though he had never been to (the clinic) nor ever sought treatment for male infertility," according to his lawsuit. His ex-girlfriend gave birth to twin boys and then sued him for child support. She was granted that child support after blood tests confirmed Pressil was the father. "That's a violation of myself, to what I believe in, to my religion, and just to my manhood," Pressil said.
Pressil said his ex-girlfriend always claimed she was unable to have children due to a medical condition involving fibroids. He also said she claimed that her condition required a certain sort of condom be used during sex. Now, in hindsight, he said that seems suspicious. "I did notice a little bit because she would take the condom and ask me to discard it. And usually, a male would discard their own property, but she would always take the condom and she would run off out of the room and I just didn't think anything of it. And I didn't think that anyone could use a condom and bring it to a clinic to get an in vitro," he said. Pressil's attorney, Jason Gibson says this is particularly terrifying for a man, especially if he's not planning to have a family.
"It's not what you're thinking when you're in a relationship. That's not what most people are thinking, that their partner is going to get a special condom, use that condom as soon as you're done having sex, run off to the fertility clinic to go have an IVF procedure. That's certainly not what my client was thinking," Gibson said. An attorney representing the Advanced Fertility Center and Omni-Med Laboratories, Danny Sheena, called the lawsuit "suspect" and "disingenuous." He admitted that some men simply don't like visiting fertility clinics, so some samples are delivered to the clinic without the man being there. He said, in this case, the specimen arrived in a cup that was sealed in a bag.
With news video.
Salmon swim across flooded road
Forget swimming up stream, these salmon are swimming up street.
Several intrepid salmon tried to swim across a flooded road in Mason County, Wash on Tuesday morning.
YouTube link.
Skokomish Valley Road flooded during heavy rain on Tuesday morning. The road is near Shelton, Wash. in the southern Puget Sound area.
Washington was pounded by the same storm that dumped more than two inches of rain on Oregon. Forecasters predict Tuesday and Wednesday could be the wettest two days Western Washington has seen in nearly four years.
Several intrepid salmon tried to swim across a flooded road in Mason County, Wash on Tuesday morning.
YouTube link.
Skokomish Valley Road flooded during heavy rain on Tuesday morning. The road is near Shelton, Wash. in the southern Puget Sound area.
Washington was pounded by the same storm that dumped more than two inches of rain on Oregon. Forecasters predict Tuesday and Wednesday could be the wettest two days Western Washington has seen in nearly four years.
'Best dog' ruins bride's wedding
"Best dog" Iggy left the bride in tears, the groom gutted and guests abandoning the wedding bash to chase tail. Marlene Koenig's dream of a wonderful white wedding at a historic mansion in Mount Martha, Victoria, Australia, turned to mud on Saturday when her canine ring-bearer turned tail and took off just after the cutting of the cake. The beautiful bride was left bedraggled, traipsing through mud in torrential rain looking for her party-pooping pooch.
It appears Iggy the Australian bulldog, having discharged her duty and delivered the rings, accompanied two guests out to their car and then chased them as they left. "They believe they saw her get hit by another car and they then lost sight of her. They came back and told me and I decided not to tell anyone so as not to spoil the party, but then I lost it," the bride said.
Mrs Koenig, 37, and new husband Stuart, 38, and 75 family and friends gathered for their wedding at Dalkeith House, and Iggy starred in the ceremony. "She had a special pearl wedding collar, which had our rings clipped to it ... it was always going to be her job to be ring-bearer, she is part of the family."
Mrs Koenig hitched up her ivory dress and ran from the reception, with guests soon joining in hot pursuit. "I was running along Nepean Highway and crying, and people in cars were tooting me." Mrs Koenig spent three days scouring the suburbs and was delighted when Iggy was found safe yesterday. She was philosophical, saying it would be a day to remember. "Of all the many things that could go wrong, I never, ever would have expected what happened would happen," she said.
It appears Iggy the Australian bulldog, having discharged her duty and delivered the rings, accompanied two guests out to their car and then chased them as they left. "They believe they saw her get hit by another car and they then lost sight of her. They came back and told me and I decided not to tell anyone so as not to spoil the party, but then I lost it," the bride said.
Mrs Koenig, 37, and new husband Stuart, 38, and 75 family and friends gathered for their wedding at Dalkeith House, and Iggy starred in the ceremony. "She had a special pearl wedding collar, which had our rings clipped to it ... it was always going to be her job to be ring-bearer, she is part of the family."
Mrs Koenig hitched up her ivory dress and ran from the reception, with guests soon joining in hot pursuit. "I was running along Nepean Highway and crying, and people in cars were tooting me." Mrs Koenig spent three days scouring the suburbs and was delighted when Iggy was found safe yesterday. She was philosophical, saying it would be a day to remember. "Of all the many things that could go wrong, I never, ever would have expected what happened would happen," she said.
Subway smasher arrested after hammer destruction rampage
A man was arrested and indicted for smashing toilets and lifts in subway stations in Shanghai, China. The suspect, surnamed Liu, used a hammer to smash the glass mirrors in lifts and mirrors and sensors in men’s rooms at four stations along Shanghai's subway line 1, according to evidence presented in court on Tuesday.
After authorities clued in on his trail of destruction, the man was confronted and tackled by subway staff as he was trying to smash a subway station men's room. All in all, his rampage lasted for about an hour and a half.
YouTube link.
The damage to the subway totalled more than 13,000 yuan (about $2,050), according to the estimate by a court-appointed damage assessor. To explain his actions, Liu said he was set off when he lined in a long queue to use the toilet. The destruction started when he kicked two sensors attached to the urinals after he relieved himself.
Instead of stopping there, Liu left to buy a hammer, wrapped it with newspaper, and brought it back in the subway to implement further destruction. "I felt stressed and vexed at that time when I found it difficult to find a job in Shanghai and met other difficulties in life as well. I vented all my pent-up anger that day when I came across (the toilet line)," said Liu.
After authorities clued in on his trail of destruction, the man was confronted and tackled by subway staff as he was trying to smash a subway station men's room. All in all, his rampage lasted for about an hour and a half.
YouTube link.
The damage to the subway totalled more than 13,000 yuan (about $2,050), according to the estimate by a court-appointed damage assessor. To explain his actions, Liu said he was set off when he lined in a long queue to use the toilet. The destruction started when he kicked two sensors attached to the urinals after he relieved himself.
Instead of stopping there, Liu left to buy a hammer, wrapped it with newspaper, and brought it back in the subway to implement further destruction. "I felt stressed and vexed at that time when I found it difficult to find a job in Shanghai and met other difficulties in life as well. I vented all my pent-up anger that day when I came across (the toilet line)," said Liu.
Neighbours say downfall of Ireland's former richest man is fairies’ revenge
He was once Ireland's richest man, with a fortune of €4.7bn, before his huge gamble on Anglo Irish Bank shares toppled him into bankruptcy. But for some in his heartland on the Cavan/Fermanagh border, the downfall of Sean Quinn has more to do with the wrath of the fairies than risky business moves. According to these locals, it was the decision to move a megalithic burial tomb 20 years ago which led to the fall of his cement, hotels, and insurance empire.
The Aughrim Wedge Tomb stood for 4,000 years in the townland after which it is named, two miles outside Ballyconnell, Co Cavan. But when it got in the way of the expansion of a massive quarry for Quinn Concrete in 1992, permission was granted by the Office of Public Works to move it. Following a full excavation of the site, it was moved - stone by stone - and relocated in the grounds of Mr Quinn's Slieve Russell Hotel on the other side of the village.
Mr Quinn has since lost the cement works, the hotel, a raft of other businesses and his multi-billion euro fortune. According to bankruptcy documents, he now claims to have just €11,000 in the bank. Some locals have linked the movement of the tomb to Mr Quinn's financial woes. "I'm a big supporter of Sean Quinn because of what he has done for this area but that tomb should never have been moved," said publican Toirbhealach Lyons, the owner of Molly Maguire's pub in Ballyconnell.
"There would be a lot of people who would think you could never have any luck after moving an ancient tombstone." Such superstitions are common and widely believed according to University of Ulster folklore expert Seamus MacFlionn. "Cavan is full of ancient sites like these and therefore many people there would be more superstitious about moving any ancient rath, tomb or fairy tree," he said. "People do genuinely believe that to do so brings bad luck. It's part of our ancient Irish history," he added.
The Aughrim Wedge Tomb stood for 4,000 years in the townland after which it is named, two miles outside Ballyconnell, Co Cavan. But when it got in the way of the expansion of a massive quarry for Quinn Concrete in 1992, permission was granted by the Office of Public Works to move it. Following a full excavation of the site, it was moved - stone by stone - and relocated in the grounds of Mr Quinn's Slieve Russell Hotel on the other side of the village.
Mr Quinn has since lost the cement works, the hotel, a raft of other businesses and his multi-billion euro fortune. According to bankruptcy documents, he now claims to have just €11,000 in the bank. Some locals have linked the movement of the tomb to Mr Quinn's financial woes. "I'm a big supporter of Sean Quinn because of what he has done for this area but that tomb should never have been moved," said publican Toirbhealach Lyons, the owner of Molly Maguire's pub in Ballyconnell.
"There would be a lot of people who would think you could never have any luck after moving an ancient tombstone." Such superstitions are common and widely believed according to University of Ulster folklore expert Seamus MacFlionn. "Cavan is full of ancient sites like these and therefore many people there would be more superstitious about moving any ancient rath, tomb or fairy tree," he said. "People do genuinely believe that to do so brings bad luck. It's part of our ancient Irish history," he added.
CCTV captures lucky couple's escape from exploding manhole
Footage from a security camera located outside a night club in Peterborough captures two incidents of a manhole cover exploding, narrowly missing two passers-by. Both explosions happened within the space of three weeks on Brook Street in Peterborough city centre. In the second incident, a young couple were fortunate to avoid injury after the cover exploded just feet from them.
The blast sent flames and smoke into the air and shook nearby buildings. Mr Keetley, manager of Angels, checked the CCTV footage after hearing the latest blast. He said: “The bang was really loud. It shook the building walls. I saw flames outside followed by plumes of smoke. I rushed outside and could see that a manhole cover had flown off.
YouTube link.
“If the couple had been walking a few paces faster they could have been seriously injured." Mr Keetley added: “The explosion on November 6 was much bigger and more dramatic. It happened early in the morning so nobody noticed until we checked the camera footage.
“I don’t know what’s going on with that cover but this can’t be allowed to happen a third time.” Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue Service said the blast may have been caused by wires overheating. A spokesman for BT, which owns the manhole, said that an investigation will now take place to find the cause of both explosions.
The blast sent flames and smoke into the air and shook nearby buildings. Mr Keetley, manager of Angels, checked the CCTV footage after hearing the latest blast. He said: “The bang was really loud. It shook the building walls. I saw flames outside followed by plumes of smoke. I rushed outside and could see that a manhole cover had flown off.
YouTube link.
“If the couple had been walking a few paces faster they could have been seriously injured." Mr Keetley added: “The explosion on November 6 was much bigger and more dramatic. It happened early in the morning so nobody noticed until we checked the camera footage.
“I don’t know what’s going on with that cover but this can’t be allowed to happen a third time.” Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue Service said the blast may have been caused by wires overheating. A spokesman for BT, which owns the manhole, said that an investigation will now take place to find the cause of both explosions.
Vicar can’t claim for unfair diamissal ‘because he is employed by God’
A village vicar who says he was forced out of his job has been told he cannot claim unfair dismissal because he is ‘employed by God.’ Reverend Mark Sharpe claims he had no option but to resign after a campaign of abuse by parishioners.
The 44-year-old Reverend accused the church of failing to support him in the remote country parish in Teme Valley South, near Tenbury Wells. Rev Sharpe said: ‘This is a local parish for local people - that is the attitude.When I arrived here, I held a lunch for the church wardens of all six churches.
‘At the end of the lunch, one of the wardens, Sally Jones, boasted that they didn’t get on with the previous rector so they “chewed him up and spat him out”.’ Mrs Jones denies that she made this comment.
His claim of constructive dismissal was being supported by Unite, the union. But lawyers for the Diocese of Worcester pointed to ecclesiastical laws which state that clergy are not employees but office holders ‘employed by God.’ They say vicars are therefore not eligible to claim unfair dismissal, because God cannot be sued.
The 44-year-old Reverend accused the church of failing to support him in the remote country parish in Teme Valley South, near Tenbury Wells. Rev Sharpe said: ‘This is a local parish for local people - that is the attitude.When I arrived here, I held a lunch for the church wardens of all six churches.
‘At the end of the lunch, one of the wardens, Sally Jones, boasted that they didn’t get on with the previous rector so they “chewed him up and spat him out”.’ Mrs Jones denies that she made this comment.
His claim of constructive dismissal was being supported by Unite, the union. But lawyers for the Diocese of Worcester pointed to ecclesiastical laws which state that clergy are not employees but office holders ‘employed by God.’ They say vicars are therefore not eligible to claim unfair dismissal, because God cannot be sued.
Fire crew free student trapped in clothes horse
A University of Derby student had to be cut free by firefighters after being trapped in a clothes horse for more than an hour. Danielle Morgan said she had been "mucking about" in her flatmate's bedroom when the accident happened. Friends and staff at Sir Peter Hilton Court hall of residence tried to free her before calling the fire service.
The 18-year-old said she had been left with bruising to her neck and shoulders but could now laugh about the accident. Miss Morgan said: "My friends just thought it was hilarious. I found it funny at first but after it got taken off I had a panic attack and the ambulance came out."
Derbyshire Fire and Rescue Service confirmed that they used cutting equipment to free Miss Morgan from the clothes horse. Firefighters were called to Agard Street in Derby at 21:25 GMT on Sunday. Miss Morgan, who is originally from North Wales, had fallen off the bed of her flatmate Lisa Smith, 18.
LiveLeak link.
The clothes horse fell on top of her and her head went through the frame. She tried to move a quilt which had been drying on the clothes horse, which then locked into place. Firefighters used a tool kit and bolt croppers to cut Miss Morgan free.
The 18-year-old said she had been left with bruising to her neck and shoulders but could now laugh about the accident. Miss Morgan said: "My friends just thought it was hilarious. I found it funny at first but after it got taken off I had a panic attack and the ambulance came out."
Derbyshire Fire and Rescue Service confirmed that they used cutting equipment to free Miss Morgan from the clothes horse. Firefighters were called to Agard Street in Derby at 21:25 GMT on Sunday. Miss Morgan, who is originally from North Wales, had fallen off the bed of her flatmate Lisa Smith, 18.
LiveLeak link.
The clothes horse fell on top of her and her head went through the frame. She tried to move a quilt which had been drying on the clothes horse, which then locked into place. Firefighters used a tool kit and bolt croppers to cut Miss Morgan free.
Police warn man for letting his cat wander into neighbour's garden
There isn’t a curious cat in the county who doesn’t enjoy a stroll around the streets of an evening. But little Yaqoob Khan is keeping a closer eye on his pet puss from now on - after his astonished dad was given a ticking-off by police for allowing the cat to wander.
Kishwar Khan, aged 30, says he was stunned when police sent an officer to his Sheffield home to speak to him about his ginger-and-white moggy’s movements. He said the officer told him a neighbour had phoned police after the cat - named Tinkerbell - roamed repeatedly onto their property.
“The officer told me our family cat, which belongs to my three-year-old son Yaqoob, keeps going to a neighbour’s house - and a complaint had been made to the police,” Mr Khan said. “The police asked me if I could stop the cat from doing it. How am I supposed to do that? It’s perfectly normal for cats to wander the neighbourhood when they are let out of the house. Every cat does it.
“I told them there was nothing I could do other than keep the cat locked up all day long.” Mr Khan, from Pitsmoor, added: “I couldn’t believe a police officer had taken the time to come and call at my house to talk to me about a cat. I would have thought the police would have better things to do with their time than to send officers on inquiries about cats.”
Kishwar Khan, aged 30, says he was stunned when police sent an officer to his Sheffield home to speak to him about his ginger-and-white moggy’s movements. He said the officer told him a neighbour had phoned police after the cat - named Tinkerbell - roamed repeatedly onto their property.
“The officer told me our family cat, which belongs to my three-year-old son Yaqoob, keeps going to a neighbour’s house - and a complaint had been made to the police,” Mr Khan said. “The police asked me if I could stop the cat from doing it. How am I supposed to do that? It’s perfectly normal for cats to wander the neighbourhood when they are let out of the house. Every cat does it.
“I told them there was nothing I could do other than keep the cat locked up all day long.” Mr Khan, from Pitsmoor, added: “I couldn’t believe a police officer had taken the time to come and call at my house to talk to me about a cat. I would have thought the police would have better things to do with their time than to send officers on inquiries about cats.”
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