A group of four men accused of deliberately causing a power cut at a Kent hospital will appear in court today.The Queen Elizabeth Queen Mother hospital in Margate was left without mains electricity for several hours in February plunging wards and the emergency department into darkness.The four men were arrested in Birmingham the day after the incident and will stand in the dock before a judge in the city today.Police allege the men tried stealing electricity cables from the hospital on Wednesday, February 20 causing damage at the hospital in Ramsgate Road.The power outage at the hospital lasted for around four hours after the lights went out and equipment was affected at around 7.15pm.A total of five men have been charged with conspiracy to steal and criminal damage with intent to endanger life.Noel Mahoney, 23, of Bow, London, Patrick Kiely, 35, of Bromley-by-Bow, London, James Kiely, 37, of Shipston on Stour, Warwickshire and Jonathon Whitty, 38 of Bow, London, will face the charges … [Read more...] about Hospital power cut accused in court
Court
Dangerous driver banned in Oban court
Want to read more?We value our content and access to our full site is only available on subscription. Your subscription entitles you to 7-day-a-week access to our website, plus a full digital copy of that week’s paper to read on your pc/mac or mobile device In addition your subscription includes access to digital archive copies from 2006 onwards Subscribe NowA Campbeltown man who drove dangerously through Connel while under the influence of alcohol has been banned from driving. Gordon McShannon, of 62 Milknowe, Campbeltown, previously pleaded guilty to driving dangerously on the A85 at Connel on February 24 of this year by failing to observe an oncoming vehicle and driving into its path, causing it to take evasive action. The 67-year-old also admitted to being almost four times over the drink driving limit. He had 86 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 milliliters of breath, when the legal limit is 22mg in 100ml.He was sentenced on Wednesday April 10 at Oban Sheriff Court. … [Read more...] about Dangerous driver banned in Oban court
AG Barr: Jail many asylum seekers indefinitely while cases wind through courts
Phoenix -- Detained asylum seekers who have shown they have a credible fear of returning to their country will no longer be able to ask a judge to grant them bond. U.S. Attorney General William Barr decided Tuesday that asylum seekers who clear a "credible fear" interview and are facing removal don't have the right to be released on bond by an immigration court judge while their cases are pending. The attorney general has the authority to overturn prior rulings made by immigration courts, which fall under the Justice Department.It's Barr's first immigration-related decision since taking office. The American Civil Liberties Union said late Tuesday that the plan was unconstitutional and that it planned on suing. It issued a statement calling Barr's decision "the latest attempt by this administration to punish asylum seekers for seeing refuge in the United States. The decision could result in the unlawful detention of thousands of people. The constitution does not allow the government to … [Read more...] about AG Barr: Jail many asylum seekers indefinitely while cases wind through courts
Toulouse airport privatisation cancelled by court
The planned privatisation of Toulouse-Blagnac airport (Occitanie) has been cancelled by the administrative Court of Appeal. The ruling comes after critics of the proposed privatisation said that the companies involved had not respected the required procedure.In addition, in March, the prosecutor said that it had already been “generally opposed” to the existing sale of part of the Toulouse airport.In 2015, the State conceded 49.9% of its former share of the airport to Chinese company Casil Europe (full name China Airport Synergy Investment Limited, joint-owned by Chinese groups Shandong Hi-Speed Group and Friedmann Pacific AM).The latest case centred on one point in particular.Communications between the companies in question on the subject of privatisation - seen by the Court - showed that in September 2014, the initial takeover offer from Casil Europe was linked to Canadian services company, SNC Lavalin.However, by November of that year, the name SNC Lavalin was no … [Read more...] about Toulouse airport privatisation cancelled by court
Wigan dad was still over the drink-drive limit the morning after a night out, court hears
A father-of-three who offered to take a friend home the morning after a night out has been hit with a hefty bill as he was caught drink-driving. Aidan Fizsimmons, 35, of Meadow Cross Gardens, Lowton, blew a positive breath test when the Mercedes he was driving was stopped on Sunday, March 17. Wigan and Leigh Magistrates’ Court heard police officers stopped the vehicle on Bridge Street, Golborne, at 9.20am due to the manner in which it was being driven.Tests showed he had 53 microgrammes of alcohol in 100mls of breath. The legal limit is 35mgs.Representing himself, Fitzsimmons told the bench: “I went out with friends in the evening and got a taxi back to my place, had a few drinks, went to sleep, woke up in the morning and the journey that led to the offence was to take one of my friends home.”He added: “It wasn’t an intentional drink-driving offence.”Fitzsimmons explained how losing his driving licence would cause difficulties, as he takes his … [Read more...] about Wigan dad was still over the drink-drive limit the morning after a night out, court hears