'Cowardly' Chemical Attacks Double Over Six Years

By Emma Birchley, East of England Correspondent

The number of chemical attacks against individuals has almost doubled in the past six years as evidence grows that criminals are using acid as a cheap but devastating weapon.

Four weeks ago, Wayne Ingold was collecting his post when two young men started banging at the communal front door of his flat in Witham, Essex.

When he opened it, they squirted liquid in his face from a drinks bottle. It was acid.

"I just panicked and the pain was just unbelievable and was getting worse by the second and I thought, 'This is acid'," he said.

"My face was turning yellow or it seemed to be and I didn't want to put water on it as I didn't know how it would affect it."

In fact, that was exactly what he should have done and when the paramedics arrived, they stood him in the shower for 25 minutes. But significant damage had already been done.

It is thought the attack on Mr Ingold was a case of mistaken identity

His face, neck, shoulder and arm were severely burnt, and Mr Ingold, a former wedding photographer, needed skin grafts.

He has barely slept in the past month and has been told the physical scars will remain for life.

But it is thought that this was a case of mistaken identity.

Mr Ingold, 56, said: "It's a coward's way because they know they can do it quickly and run ... because they don't think they are going to get caught."

The attackers are yet to be tracked down.

In the past six years, assaults using corrosive substances that resulted in hospital treatment have nearly doubled in England from 71 to 130, according to NHS figures.

David Barnes says the attacks can have far-reaching psychological effects

The Crown Prosecution Service has also revealed that offences involving the throwing or sending of dangerous substances ending up in court quadrupled in the past year - although the figures are still small.

It is believed that in many cases, police are never informed.

David Barnes is a consultant plastic surgeon at St Andrew's Centre for Plastic Surgery and Burns at Broomfield Hospital in Chelmsford where Mr Ingold was treated.

He said the damage can be caused not only by acid, but also by alkalis.

"You can lose your sight which is absolutely devastating. With regards to the skin, they can cause quite deep burns and often require surgery and that can have quite far-reaching psychological effects."

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UK Airlines Axe Flights Due To Italian Strike

Several UK airlines have warned passengers of major disruption to flights as a result of a strike by Italian air traffic controllers.

Ryanair says it has been forced to cancel 96 flights to and from Italy. They include a number of flights serving UK airports.

EasyJet has had to axe a further 60 flights, including 20 in and out of the UK.

British Airways has also had to re-schedule a number of flights.

One re-timed flight, a service from Naples to Gatwick, left at 1.30pm UK time instead of 10.30am UK time.

The four-hour strike is scheduled to last from 11.30am to 3.30pm UK time.

However it is expected to cause delays throughout the day, with more cancellations likely.

Ryanair spokesman Robin Kiely said: "We sincerely apologise to all passengers who have had their travel plans disrupted by these unjustified ATC (Air Traffic Controllers) strikes."

Ryanair has apologised for the disruption

The airline encouraged all passengers to check the status of their flight before travelling.

EasyJet said: "We are doing everything possible to minimise the impact to our customers and we are offering anyone flying to and from Italy during those times the opportunity to transfer their flight free of charge to another day to avoid the strike.

"They should go to easyJet.com to make changes to their flights."

Meanwhile a spokesman for BA said: "We are doing all we can to minimise disruption to customers affected by the threatened strike.

"We have re-timed a number of flights and are using larger aircraft where possible to help more customers, from cancelled flights, fly to where they need to be.

"We are advising customers flying to and from Italy to keep checking the very latest information on our website."

A spokeswoman for consumer organisation Which? said: "If you have a flight delay because of a strike, your airline has an obligation to offer you assistance if the delay is expected to go beyond a certain point.

"You could be entitled to food, drink and overnight accommodation, if required.

"Our advice is always to contact your airline before travelling to the airport to check if your flight has been affected."

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New Lessons Teach Kids How To Be Cash Smart

By Becky Johnson, North of England Correspondent

They may have just returned from their summer holidays, but pupils in a classroom in Manchester are planning a trip to France.

Sadly for them, they're not about to be taken abroad on a school trip. In fact they're being asked to calculate the costs of a hypothetical visit as part of their new "financial numeracy" lessons.

The classes have been added to the syllabus at all maintained secondary schools in England from this term and are designed to help young people manage their money.

It follows a campaign by finance expert Martin Lewis who launched the website moneysavingexpert.com and believes we can all benefit from being more financially savvy.

Pupils will learn about interest rates, mortgages, credit cards and even payday loans as part of a drive to better prepare young people and prevent them falling into debt.

The lessons have been welcomed by the headteacher at Parrs Wood High School in Manchester, Andy Shakos.

Parrs Wood High School in Manchester has welcomed the move

He told Sky News: "Once upon a time when you were teaching this kind of topic it may have been for when you finally get your job and you settle down.

"Now our students see it as 'well, in two years I'll be going to university, I need to be able to have a hold on and understand of my accounts as soon as possible because if I don't I'm going to come out with a very big debt'."

Some pupils admitted they hadn't given much thought to how they'll manage financially in the future.

Emily Hoyle, who is in year 10, told Sky News: "I've kind of gone with the 'I'll cross that bridge when I come to it' ... I suppose I'll have to face it one day.

"If you're going to make a mistake it's obviously better to do it in a maths lesson than real life. So if you get that experience early it's obviously going to help you later on."

After calculating the cost of the trip to France, her classmate Joel Sheldrake added: "It's made me think that I want to keep lots of money in the bank or just save it somewhere so I can go off on big trips because they cost a lot of money."

Schools minister Nick Gibb said: "It is important that young people become familiar with how to manage their money, how to manage a bank account, the consequences of being in debt, how to manage debt, how to manage their savings, how to understand things like pensions and ISAs.

"They do need to understand the products and the consequences of being able to manage their own finances."

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Police Chief Warns Cuts Raise Risk Of Terror

Police Asking Victims To 'Investigate Own Crimes'

Updated: 2:49pm UK, Thursday 04 September 2014

Hard-pressed police forces are "encouraging" victims of high-volume crimes to carry out their own investigations, a policing watchdog has warned.

Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary (HMIC) said the "emerging trend" was identified in an investigation into 43 forces in England and Wales.

In a report summarising its findings, HMIC said its inspectors had witnessed call-handlers asking victims of offences like vehicle crime and "burglaries of properties other than dwellings" to assess the likelihood of the crime being solved.

It said some forces asked victims whether there was any CCTV footage of the area, any potential fingerprint evidence and whether the victim knew if there were any witnesses to the crime. 

In some cases victims were asked to interview their neighbours and to search for their property on second-hand sales websites.

"HMIC finds this expectation by these forces that the victim should investigate his own crime both surprising and a matter of material concern," the report said.

"The police have been given powers and resources to investigate crime by the public, and there should be no expectation on the part of it."

Teacher Louise Kimpton told Sky News she was surprised by the response when she called police after her car was stolen from outside her home near Rochdale in July.

"The police came round and they explained that unfortunately they only had very few officers on the beat in the area so it was highly unlikely they'd find the car" she said.

"They said they would try their best but obviously if we could look round as well that would help.

"My husband and his friend drove around and eventually they found the car."

She said they contacted police and within days received a letter saying that their case was closed.

Inspector of Constabulary Roger Baker, who led the inspection, said overall police forces have "done a good job in tackling crime and anti-social behaviour".

However he said the emerging trend suggested many officers have essentially "given up" on investigating high-volume crimes.

"It's more a mindset, that we no longer deal with these things," he said.

"Effectively what's happened is a number of crimes are on the verge of being decriminalised.

"So it's not the fault of the individual staff, it's a mindset thing that's crept in to policing to say 'we've almost given up'."

The report, named 'Core Business: an inspection into crime prevention, police attendance and the use of police time,' investigated a number of aspects of modern policing, including response to calls, quality of investigation and the use of technology.

Among its findings, HMIC said some forces were losing track of suspects and wanted persons as their systems for actively pursuing them were not up to scratch.

It also identified a policing "postcode lottery", saying attendance rates at crime scenes varied widely between police forces.

In the year to November 30, 2013, for example, 100% of crimes in Cleveland were attended by a police officer. In Warkwickshire, however, that figure stood at just 39%.

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Scottish Tech Firms Fear Impact Of 'Yes' Vote

How Scottish 'Yes' May Impact Invisible Border

Updated: 10:34am UK, Tuesday 02 September 2014

By Poppy Trowbridge, Consumer Affairs Correspondent

For those that live along the invisible border that divides Scotland and England, daily life could change dramatically with a Yes vote in the September 18 referendum.

These communities, from Berwick-upon-Tweed to Coldstream to Gretna, will certainly feel the effect of any changes first.

While business and families could suddenly find themselves exporting and travelling abroad, currency is the top concern for most people.

Harry Frew, owner of Cheviot Trees - a farm based in Scotland, but so near the border it has an English postcode - says the uncertainty is damaging.

"Currency is our biggest issue," Mr Frew said.

"It would be a major impact on the business, a lot of extra admin and costs. If Scotland was to end up with euros, we would have to become used to invoicing in euros. Personally I think it is something we'd rather avoid."

Whether Scotland keeps the pound, adopts the euro or produces its own tender will determine the ease and cost of doing business on both sides if the Yes campaign bridges the six point gap with Better Together.

Cross-border workers may find themselves subject to two different tax regimes.

Eventually there could be two entirely different systems for borrowing, saving, buying and selling, working and retiring between the two countries.

Stephen Hay, head of tax at Baker Tilly in Edinburgh, said: "Of course people are going to be concerned about the pound in their pocket.

"A pensioner in Scotland will receive a pension, but the tax he pays on that pension could be higher or lower than a pensioner in England under independence.

"If the tax rate is higher in Scotland then clearly the less they'll have and equally if the tax rate is lower in Scotland the more they'll have, so I would imagine that will be a particular issue for a lot of people."

The Scottish Government plans to set the state pension at £160 per week, while the UK will set the new single tier rate next year, it's likely to be slightly lower around £148.

The current Scottish Government's White Paper also suggests that in the event of independence, it would review (and possibly withdraw) the UK Government's decision to raise the retirement age to 67 - keeping it at 65.

Home Secretary Theresa May has threatened checkpoints along the boundary should an independent Scotland pursue an immigration policy more lenient than that of the UK.

That could mean commuters would require passports.

The Scottish Government proposes one major simplification though.

An independent Scotland would replace the 95 ombudsmen that deal with a range of consumer issues within the UK: from roofing, to renewable energy, to financial services, with a single Scottish Consumer and Competition authority.

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Beheading Suspect Appears In London Court

A man has appeared in court charged with the murder of 82-year-old Palmira Silva who was beheaded in north London.

Nicholas Salvador, of Enfield, north London, is alleged to have killed the elderly woman with a machete in the garden of her home in Nightingale Road, Edmonton, on Thursday.

Salvador, 25, was led into the glass-fronted dock with his hands cuffed behind his back, escorted by four uniformed police officers at Highbury Corner Magistrates' Court.

He was remanded in custody to appear at the Old Bailey on Tuesday.

He has also been charged with assaulting a police officer.

Salvador had been taken to hospital and remained under police guard before being questioned by officers and charged.

Ms Silva was found collapsed in the back garden before being pronounced dead at the scene.

The house in the busy street where Ms Silva's body was found became the scene of a major police operation after officers were called to the area.

Metropolitan Police officers said after the operation that there were no signs of a link to terrorism.

Tributes have been paid to the elderly woman of Italian descent who ran a nearby cafe.

Dilek Solma, 19, who works next door, said: "I'm so upset. She was a very smiley lady, always had a smile on her face, and loved the community."

Another shop worker Raj Thangavelselvaraj, 50, said: "She was a nice lady, she was a good lady to everyone. It's very sad."

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Stand Up: Young People Finding Their Voices

Less than a week into Sky's Stand Up Be Counted campaign, young people from across the country are already finding their voice.

Launched to help young people become engaged with British politics, our new platform allows 16-25-year-olds to record videos and upload blog posts, talking about the issues that matter most to them.

The 'Open Mic' part of the website is a stream of their opinions, questions and suggestions on anything from unemployment, university entry requirements and mental health, to voter apathy, depression and LGBTQ rights.

ThatVloggingGirl said companies must take more teenagers on work experience placements, while Martosaiy tackled the issue of financial education in schools, writing: "For people who are meant to be the future we have no idea about anything, do we?"

Jaspreet asked whether social media is encouraging young people to slim down to unhealthy levels, while Slipknot_matt said he was "appalled" at the country's attitudes on mental health.

The campaign allows young people to share their views

Young people's views will help shape Sky News' coverage in the months to come, starting with a Google Hangout debate on e-voting - a subject Stand Up Be Counted is keen to hear from under-25s about.

It comes after a Sky News/Survation poll of 16-24-year-olds revealed 80% would be more inclined to vote if they could do so online.

Fewer than half (44%) of young people eligible to vote in the 2010 General Election actually cast their vote at the ballot box, and an identical number said politicians fail to listen to them.

In its first week, Stand Up Be Counted has been backed by the likes of Alex Salmond, Nick Clegg and Ed Miliband.

Celebrities including Chris Kamara, Victoria Pendleton and Dame Kelly Holmes have also got behind the campaign, stressing how important it is for young people to have their say.

As well as a burgeoning website, Stand Up Be Counted has a strong social media presence, with thousands of followers on Twitter and Facebook and a growing community on platforms such as Instagram, Pinterest, Google+ and YouTube.

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Ashya Set For Specialist Treatment In Prague

The lawyer for Ashya King's parents says the five-year-old boy may be taken from Malaga to Prague by Monday for specialist cancer treatment.

It comes after a British judge ruled the youngster could be transported to the Czech capital to have proton beam radiotherapy - a technique not available to him on the NHS.

Family lawyer Juan Isidro Fernandez Diaz said the brain tumour patient could fly there as early as tonight, Sunday, or Monday at the latest.

And the boy will stay at a children's hospital near the Proton Therapy Centre (PTC) which carries out the treatment, he added.

Sky sources say Ashya was unlikely to arrive in Prague before Monday evening.

Doctors there will not make any final decision about when to begin Ashya's treatment until after a meeting to review his case on Monday morning.

Ashya pictured with his parents in a Malaga hospital

The boy is currently being treated in a medical centre in Malaga after Brett and Naghmeh King removed him from a Southampton hospital over a week ago without doctors' consent.

Mr Diaz said the child was "in a perfect condition to travel" and was playing with his family and his toys.

He said the parents were "really happy" with the judge's decision and the British court has been "really nice with us".

The couple had been detained in Spain under a European arrest warrant issued by UK authorities before it was withdrawn following a public outcry and the pair were released.

The Kings want Ashya to have proton beam radiotherapy at the PTC and the judge Mr Justice Baker approved their request on Friday.

Centre spokeswoman Iva Ta'ounová said: "All necessary preparations are currently being made by the Prague proton centre to ensure that all is ready in anticipation of the arrival of Ashya King and his family from Malaga hospital, Spain.

The family's lawyer Juan Isidro Fernandez Diaz speaks to reporters

"This standard preparation procedure can take up to 10 days but in the case of Ashya King an expert panel of physicians have agreed to discuss the transportation details and additional treatment needed according to Ashya's current health condition on Monday 8th September at 8am.

"PTC has again requested information from Malaga Hospital, in order to be made up-to-date on Ashya's current health condition, so that it can be discussed with them directly on Monday.

"PTC is aware that the boy's parents wish desperately for him to transported to Prague, however first all administrative and legal requirements must be fulfilled."

A lawyer representing bosses at Southampton General Hospital told the judge that doctors aimed to provide chemotherapy but not proton beam.

Vikram Sachdeva said such treatment could not be provided in Britain.

The judge said he had been told specialists at the PTC had considered a treatment plan.

And he said he had seen evidence of the treatment planned, evidence of plans to fly Ashya to Prague and evidence that Mr and Mrs King could afford the cost of treatment and transport.

The judge said he would cease to have responsibility for Ashya once the youngster arrived at the Czech hospital.

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Three Arrested Over New Forest Mum Murder

Three people have been arrested in connection with the murder of a mother-of-five in the New Forest.

Pennie Davis, 47, was tending her two horses in a paddock off Hatchet Lane, near Beaulieu, when she was killed.

She suffered multiple stab wounds and her husband Pete found her body on Tuesday afternoon.

Pennie Davis was stabbed multiple times while tending her horses

Police have arrested one person on suspicion of murder, one for perverting the course of justice, and another for assisting an offender.

All remain in custody, and Mrs Davis' family has been informed.

Police have continued to increase patrols in the area to reassure residents.

Officers hunting her killer believe the murder weapon was a bladed item, possibly a knife, and was probably discarded close to the scene.

A forensic tent covers the spot where Mrs Davis' body was found

They are conducting fingertip searches of the paddock and are dredging the adjacent river.

Mrs Davis, from Blackfield, worked in a supermarket and married just four months ago.

Her husband, children and parents visited the paddock on Friday morning and left flowers with messages from each member of the family.

Mr Davis' message said: "Angel, all my love, always and forever Pete."

Family, friends and locals have left floral tributes by the paddock

One of her daughters left a note saying: "Dearest mum, you were a goddess. I swear I'll make you proud.

"I like to think you're sitting there, watching on a cloud. You had so much more to give. You had so much more to do. But now I'll be your legacy. I'll do it all for you."

:: Anyone with information is asked to contact the Operation Biscotti investigation team in confidence on 101 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

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Family's 'Incredible' Obama Stonehenge Surprise

One family had an "incredible five minutes" when they met Barack Obama during his impromptu stroll through Stonehenge.

The US President played tourist after a busy two-day Nato summit in Wales.

While other world leaders may have headed straight for the airport, Mr Obama took a small detour for a spot of sightseeing.

The ancient site got the thumbs up from the US President

"How cool is this?" he commented as he was taken on a guided tour through the ancient Wiltshire monument.

He told reporters it was always something he had wanted to see, and now he had "knocked it off the bucket list".

"It's spectacular. It's spectacular. It's a special place," he said.

Barack Obama chats with the Raffle family

The Raffle family, who were walking through a nearby field of sheep, also aren't likely to forget his visit in a hurry.

After walking around the monument Mr Obama made his way over to the excited family of five and proceeded to spend a few minutes chatting and posing for photos.

Janice Raffle told Sky News: "The first person to say something was James (her husband), and James said: 'Welcome to England'.

Mr Obama said Stonehenge was on his bucket list

"At that point he shook all of our hands and said: 'It's such a beautiful place do you live around here?'

"We said we'd just moved to the area, he said it was very quiet and the air was beautiful and so peaceful.

"He was very sweet, one of the boys had put his hands on barbed wire and he was like 'oh be careful'."

Her husband James described it as an "incredible five minutes".

The Raffle family only moved to the area two weeks ago

Afterwards Mrs Raffle posted a picture of the whole family with the President.

Mrs Raffle, who does charity runs to highlight the declining bee population, has since received a number of donations. 

Stonehenge, which was built in three phases between 3000 BC and 1600 BC, is a Unesco World Heritage site.

Archaeologists believe it was built as a temple, although to which gods, and exactly how it was used, is unclear.

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