Court Story

Alcoholic scars woman for life

A woman has been left traumatised after man sliced her face open with a glass.

Carl Stanley, 28, of Poole, plead guilty to a charge of two counts of grievous bodily harm after a bar argument spiralled out of control, the crown court heard today.

Prosecutor Stuart Ellicott said the victim, Kim Hiscott, was in Yate’s bar at the time of the incident. Hiscott saw Stanley throw his drink over a friend of hers.

In retaliation, Hiscott preceded to throw her drink over Stanley, said Mr Ellicott. Stanley hit Hiscott in the left side of her face with his glass, cutting her face.

Ms Hiscott has deep lacerations on her face; ranging from 1 to 3 cm long. She needed 25 stitches in total. Mr Ellicott said she is now “deeply reluctant to go out” and was “moved to tears whenever she looks at herself in the mirror.”

Defence barrister Emma Southern argued that Stanley is a self-confessed alcoholic and was not in a clear state of mind. Stanley had consumed one litre of vodka, six two-litre bottles of cider, and shots of sambuca.

Ms Southern said Stanley “wants to address his drink problem” and spoke of his “desire to sober up and make something of his life.”

Stanley had a previous conviction for wounding with intent, in March. During a fistfight Stanley produced a penknife and stabbed two men.

Judge Harrow said, “I agree with you that drink is your downfall, but it is no excuse for your behaviour. You have a longstanding drink problem and a short fuse.” He sentenced Stanley to two years imprisonment and three years on licence.

Running News Story

Mad man’s trail of terror

A man began a manical rampage through Bournemouth today ending in the decapitation of his mother, the destruction of his home, and his own death.

A man now identified as Pascal Tonk is believed to have broken into the Keiran Verdon Archery Range at Chapel Gate Leisure Centre using a JCB digger. The JCB is suspected to have been taken from a nearby building site. A spokesman for Dorset Police confirmed that an Olympic-standard crossbow and bolts had been taken.

Mr Tonk is then thought to have crossed to Horseshoe Common at around 8.30 am, ridden his pushbike around the park before shooting Ms Pippa Shufflebottom’s schitzu Bounce Back Ability with the crossbow.

Animal Ambulance collected the month-old dog and its condition is unknown. Ms Shufflebottom, a twenty-year-old mobile hairdresser from Canford Heath, says her attacker looked “really weird” and that he was “just a sick person.”

At approximately 10.30 at St Augustine’s Church, Wallisdown, Belgian national Mels Rattue was shot in the eye by Tonk. He is believed to have used the stolen crossbow. Rattue was pronounced dead on the scene.

A professional bonsai tree grower, Mr Rattue had only recently arrived in Bournemouth from the Netherlands for a bonsai tree cultivator’s conference. He had a wife and two children of 3 and 7.

His companion Dennis Lansbert, 52 and a fellow bonsai tree grower, was at the incident. “I’m just devastated…it is really sad,” he said.

At around 12 noon, Mr Tonk then continued his rampage to his very own house at St. Antony’s Road and set it alight. Nineteen fire engines were called to the scene. Once firefighters had managed to beat the blaze, an examination of the inside of the house led to some grisly discoveries.

Mr Tonk’s German Shepherd Laughing Gravy and his mother, Louise ‘Lulu’ Tonk, 32, were both found decapitated and covered in petrol. They are thought to have been decapitated by a machete, and died before the fire started. They were discovered on the ground floor.

During the blaze police cornered Mr Tonk at Talbot Combined School, Wallisdown. Upon attempting to shoot his crossbow at police, Pascal Tonk , 23, was shot by officers in self defence.

“My main concern is for the safety of my officers,” says Barry Lindon, Chief Superintendant, of Tonk’s death.

Mock Running News Story

Deadly poison leak in Poole Harbour

Two people have died and seventy are hospitalized after two ferries collided in Poole Harbour at 10 o’clock yesterday morning.

Chief ferry loader Nick Gosney claimed that the accident was the result of a large hole in the ferry and a chain snapped. The two ferries that were involved were a commercial Sandbanks ship and a cargo ferry; the latter leaking a poisonous liquid into the water.

Talben Lee, 58 and a pollution consultant from Norway, has confirmed that the liquid is linandane, a highly toxic substance that causes ecological contamination.

Desperate passengers aboard the ferry jumped into the water, attempting to escape injury aboard the sinking ships. However the water was contaminated with linandane.

A spokesman for the Poole Coastguard has confirmed two deaths as a result of the incident. The bodies have yet to be identified, but are said to be that of a man and and a woman in their eighties.

An inflatable wall has been constructed around the coast to avoid future contamination, and the spillage is thought to have reached as far as the South East Henistbury coast line.

Fishing has been banned for the foreseeable future, as all sea life who have come in contact with the linandane will be contaminated and eventually die.

Enviromental agencies recommend not going near the water for 48 hours.

Vox Pop Piece

Who is facing the credit crunch?

The past year has seen a major collapse in the world’s economy. The housing markets are plummeting and food prices are rising; the future of our economy and how it will shape the way we live is uncertain. But who is this financial crisis affecting the most?

Bank employee Julie Osbourne, 49 from Poole said ‘it is the twenty-fives and over that will suffer the most from the credit crunch. Anyone running a home.’ Elizabeth Bellamy, a forty-two year old shop assistant from Amesbury Park agreed. ‘Anyone who’s not in full time education, anyone who’s earning money. Parents the most.’

Stephen Moore, 37 from Winton argued ‘people with outstanding debts are hit hard. The interest rates will send their debts soaring up.’ But student Esmerelda Koletski, 23 from Bournemouth, disagreed. ‘I think students will be the worst off. The credit crunch will make it tough for students to pay off their loans.’

Paul Wilkinson, 45, a contractor from London, offered an alternative view – ‘those with poor credit rates will suffer most as banks won’t be giving them loans or overdrafts at all.’

Alex Penge

FranieStevenson

Frankie Stevenson, 18, a student from Bournemouth, and Alex Penge, also 18, a business student from South London, agreed that families with more responsibilities will feel the crunch. ‘They have more to pay, like mortgages,’ said Mr Penge. ‘Middle-aged people are definitely worst off,’ agreed Ms Stevenson, ‘they have mortgages and bills to pay.’

Lynsey Lecorq

Katie Moses

Lynsey Lecocq, 20 from Wallisdown, offered a different opinion. ‘It’s worst for first time buyers,’ she said. ‘The banks are refusing to give people mortgages; it’s so hard for people to get on the property ladder.’ Katie Moses, 18, a marketing student from Boscombe argued, ‘twenty-fives to thirty fives are more likely to have children and cars – bills that add up and cost a lot of money.’

Hum Quareeshi

But media student Hum Quareshi, 26 from Charminster, offered a more rounded view. ‘I think it affects all age groups differently,’ he explained. ‘Students will be denied overdrafts, professionals in the city can’t have their lavish lifestyles anymore. Social attitudes are going to change – with houses being repossessed, people are going to be stressed and unhappy, business regulations are going to get tougher; and this could cause conflict.’

Original News Story

Christmas Lights Light Up Salisbury

By Nancy Duckels

Salisbury kick-starts the festive season this year with its famous Christmas lights switch-on on November the 27^th.

Held in Salisbury Market Place, the evening begins at 6 pm with a number of performances from local acts, such as the Salisbury Children’s Choir and singer Gemma Cordon. Children’s entertainment will be provided in the form of ‘Ticklish Allsorts’, a group of comedic performers who sing, tell stories and perform tricks. Whilst the kids are entertained, Abba Tribute Band ‘Abba Gold’ will perform some Abba classics at 7 pm.

The big moment arrives at 7.30 pm, when actor and I’m A Celebrity, Get Me Out Of Here! Contestant Christopher Biggins switches on the lights for the season. A spectacular fireworks show will end the evening.

“The Christmas lights really are the highlight of my year,” says Philippa White, 35 and nurse from Salisbury. “They are so beautiful and it just wouldn’t be Christmas without them!”

“I go to the lights every year with my friends. It’s such a nice atmosphere,” says student Clare Strong, from Wilton. “It’s a really good place to meet people and socialise.”

November 27^th promises to be an excellent night for all the family. For more details about this fantastic event, call Salisbury City Centre Management at 01722 434654.

Interview With A Journalist

‘I love interviewing ordinary people to whom something extraordinary has happened’

Polly Dunbar claims that good reporters are “interested in people and what makes them tick, and curious about the world around them.”

Miss Dunbar, 27, works as a journalist for the Mail On Sunday. Earning an impressive £40,000 a year, she enjoys a busy and successful career which can take her to all kinds of places and people.

‘None of my days are ever the same,’ Dunbar says, ‘I can find myself doing anything. I’m often called by the newsdesk when I’m at home and asked to get on a plane to go somewhere, or get in my car and drive somewhere in Britain.’

Miss Dunbar’s hours vary as she works for a Sunday newspaper. At the beginning of the week, she will do an average eight hour day; but towards the weekend can easily work ‘from first thing in the morning to last thing at night.’

Dunbar, from London, completed a year-long postgraduate diploma in newspaper journalism at the University of Central Lancashire after finishing a degree in English. During her diploma she was able to have some work experience on the Daily Express, and was lucky enough to be accepted onto the paper’s graduate training scheme in 2004. Of the experience Dunbar says ‘it was a great way to start. I was thrown in at the deep end and had to pick the job up very quickly.’

Miss Dunbar says her favourite field of journalism is real-life. ‘I love interviewing ordinary people to whom something extraordinary has happened…I believe reporting should be both informative and entertaining…In the media, there’s something for everyone, and I believe that’s a positive thing.’