Care assistant for the elderly faces court on abuse charges

A CARE assistant abused, smacked and threatened to "deck" elderly dementia patients at a residential home, a court was told.

Sarah Pilkington behaved more like someone "picking a fight in a bar" than a care worker looking after vulnerable pensioners, Plymouth Crown Court heard.
Llewellyn Sellick, prosecuting, said the three victims were dementia patients unable to give evidence themselves.
Kelly Hogan, another care assistant, told the court she had seen Pilkington pull one patient around "aggressively" and that she had been "upset and disgusted" by what she had witnessed.
 Another colleague said she saw her lash out at a man who tried to move a chair.

Pilkington, 34, of Plymouth, denies four counts of ill-treating people at Plymouth's Hartley Park Care Home, starting in 2012.
The trial continues.

Shelter in Calais generates fears of increased numbers of migrants to Britain

FEARS of a fresh wave of migrants were raised last night as a new ­reception centre across the Channel proves to be a magnet for refugees.

Hundreds have flooded the Calais area vowing to try to get to the UK after French authorities opened the five-star shelter.

The town’s socialist mayor, Natacha ­Bouchart, ordered £100,000 to be spent on the new facility with beds for refugees from Afghanistan, ­Turkmenistan, Eritrea, Somalia, Syria and ­Pakistan.

Last night a major row was under way after Ms Bouchart laid the blame squarely at Britain’s door describing its immigration policy as “grotesque”. Ukip leader Nigel Farage hit back saying the opening of the centre was “a ridiculous, irresponsible” approach to the crisis.

“We in the UK simply cannot keep sustaining large influxes of people which have already added to a huge growth in population. This demonstrates, sadly, how much of a soft touch Britain is perceived to be, given that those who

have already reached the safety of France remain focused on coming to the UK specifically in hope of receiving handouts courtesy of the British taxpayer.”

France should honour its international duties, instead of “shirking” them, by processing asylum applications in the country in which they arrive, he added.

Border Agency officials have been put on red alert as the flow of refugees into Calais reaches epidemic proportions.

Most have been encouraged to make the dash to the “promised land” of Britain after being told of its endless opportunities and generous welfare payments.

Calais council worker Bruno Ansel, 51, said yesterday: “They all want to go to Britain.”

Yesterday the Daily Express was the first British newspaper inside the centre – dubbed Sangatte II – where large numbers of migrants will bed down in comfort.

Thousands more will drift in as news of the centre gets round.

After migrants gathered at the original Sangatte camp intent on making a move for Britain by boarding lorries and trains, officials closed the centre, a decade ago, and vowed “never again”.

But Ms Bouchart blasted the UK’s immigration policy as “grotesque and hypocritical” and pledged to help the migrants. Her deputy and Calais immigration chief Philippe Mignonet claimed Britain was seen as paradise.

Kate Winslet gives birth to healthy baby with Ned Rock'n'Roll

Kate Winslet has welcomed a 9lb baby boy into the world.

The 38-year-old, who married Ned Rock'n'Roll after a whirlwind romance last December,  is said to be overjoyed.
A spokesperson for the actress confirmed:
'Kate had ‘Baby Boy Winslet’ on Saturday at an NHS Hospital,' adding that that the new mother and husband Ned Rocknroll were 'thrilled to bits.'
This will be Kate's third child, but first for her husband.
Kate is also mother to Mia, 13, and Joe, 9, from her first two marriages.
The Titanic star's husband, who works for Richard Branson's company Virgin, was born Ned Abel Smith, but changed his name by deed poll.
However Kate has previously confirmed she won't be taking his unusual surname.
'I was never going to change my name to Rocknroll. I've never changed my name to anything so I didn’t see a reason to start now.'
Congratulations guys!

Woman dies after being savaged at home by her two pet dogs

Mum-of-four Emma Bennett, 27, was found unconscious at her home in Leeds with horrendous injuries to her head and face

A mum of four died in hospital last night after she was savaged at home by her two pet dogs.
Emma Bennett, 27, was on a life support machine after she suffered serious injuries when an American pit bull and Staffordshire bull terrier turned on her.
One neighbour had called 999 after hearing shouts of “no, no, no” coming from her home on Monday afternoon.
Police found her ­unconscious on the floor of the house with horrendous head and facial injuries. It was feared Emma had suffered brain damage.
Emma lived in the terraced property with her boyfriend and the dogs. A ­neighbour said: “I wouldn’t have the dogs in my house – they are vicious animals.”
Witnesses spoke of “crazy” scenes as up to 30 police officers, including an armed team, descended on the street in Leeds.
One of the pets had escaped from the house but was captured by officers in a road behind the home. The other animal was found in the kitchen.
Another shocked neighbour, who wished to remain anonymous, said: “I saw Emma in the back of the ambulance as ­paramedics were pounding on her heart. She was just floppy.” The woman added: “They were definitely dangerous dogs. One of the dogs seemed to be loose for ages.”
Another resident said she believed Emma may have been attacked while she was suffering an epileptic fit.
The neighbour said: “We’d heard that a few weeks back the pit bull started getting really nasty with her because she is epileptic. Apparently, it wanted to go for her whenever she was having a fit.
“I think she has had a fit and the pit bull has got hold of her.”
Emma, who is thought to have moved into the street in the Osmondthorpe area of the city two years ago, is said to have suffered so badly from epilepsy it stopped her from working.
The pit bull and the Staffordshire bull terrier were alive and being kept in kennels yesterday as detectives continued their investigation into the attack.
A West Yorkshire Police spokesman said last night: “Two dogs were seized following the incident and police inquiries remain ongoing this evening.
“Officers would like to speak to anybody who has information about the incident and the dogs involved in it.
“Anyone who has information should contact Protective Services on 101.”

Dad hunts down knife-wielding thug who stole iPhone from teenage son with learning difficulties

The thug put a blade to a teenager’s chest in a park before taking his mobile and another phone belonging to the victim’s friend

A tech-savvy dad used a tracking device to hunt down the knife-wielding robber who stole his son's stolen iPhone.
Thug Aaron Clegg put a blade to a teenager’s chest in a park before taking his mobile and another phone belonging to the victim’s friend.
But the 20-year-old was caught when the dad traced Clegg to his mum’s home using the Apple app, the Liverpool Echo reports .
Clegg pulled the knife on the victims, who suffer from mental health and learning difficulties, in Newsham Park in Liverpool.
Chris Hopkins, prosecuting, said: “The two were in the park on August 9 this year.
"They were playing in the area of some exercise equipment and one had his phone out because he was using his phone to time his friend on an exercise machine.
"He was grabbed from behind by the defendant over his left shoulder – he could feel a knife held to him.”
The teenager – who had had a knife pulled on him before – was told to give up his phone in a moment he described as “feeling as though the world had stopped”.
Liverpool crown court also heard how the victim felt the knife, a silver serrated blade thought to be around 15cm long, through his shirt as Clegg held him.
After taking his iPhone Clegg, of Tuebrook in Liverpool, pointed his knife at a 17-year-old girl with the group, who gave him her Samsung mobile.
Mr Hopkins said: “The first victim reported the matter to his father, who was aware of an app on an iPhone which meant it could be tracked through the local area.”
The dad then tracked down the phone to the home of Clegg’s mum – who spoke to her son and got him to return the stolen phones.
But the police later became involved when a row between Clegg and his mum resulted in them being called when he kicked out her front door.
Clegg pleaded guilty to two counts of robbery and a count of possessing a knife in a public place.
Theresa Loftus, defending, said he was genuinely remorseful, and had been unaware the victims suffered mental health and learning difficulties.
She added that Clegg’s “remorse is genuine and that is a compelling feature of mitigation.”
Judge Everett sentenced Clegg to a seven-year extended sentence with four-and-a-half years in custody, of which Clegg will serve at least two years and three months behind bars.