Dozens of shisha pipes seized from east London café

Pic:The shisha pipes were seized from Byblos Gardens Shisha Lounge in Barking
Staff reporter(wp/es):

Dozens of so-called hubbly bubbly pipes were seized from an east London café after local residents tipped off the police.

Barking and Dagenham Council enforcement officers, alongside the Met Police, discovered customers smoking the pipes in an enclosed space during a raid at Byblos Gardens Shisha Lounge in Barking.

Four customers were given £50 fixed penalty notices as well as the manager, who was also given a £200 fine for allowing customers to smoke and not displaying ‘no smoking’ signs.

Councillor Laila Butt, cabinet member for enforcement and community safety, said: “It’s been illegal to smoke or allow smoking in an enclosed premises since 2006 so it should come as no surprise to anyone caught smoking at the café.

“I can assure anyone else out there it will be no toil or trouble for us to seize more hubbly bubbly pipes to uphold the smoking ban as part of our drive to protect residents’ health.”

The raid took place on Friday, January 13, and 48 pipes were confiscated.

A council spokeswoman added: "As a result of this action, further investigation is ongoing which could result in legal action against the business owner and any other associate.

"Shisa pipes also pose a serious health risks to users including increasing the chances of chances of contracting TB and hepatitis.

"The average shisha-smoking session lasts an hour and research has shown that in this time you can inhale the same amount of smoke as from more than 100 cigarettes."

Murder investigation launched after body found in Milton Keynes

Crime reporter(wp/es):

 A murder investigation has been launched in Milton Keynes after a man’s body was discovered in the early hours of Sunday morning.

Police were called to an address on St Leger Drive, Great Linford, at 4.05am where the body was found.

A Thames Valley Police spokesman said that formal identification had not yet taken place and a post mortem examination would be carried out to establish the cause of death.

Detective Chief Inspector Craig Kirby said: "We have launched a murder inquiry following the discovery of this deceased man.

"At this stage we believe this was an isolated incident, there is no danger to the wider public, and arrests have been made in connection with this incident.

"We have a number of scene watches in place in Milton Keynes whilst we continue to investigate."

Superintendent Yvette Hitch said: "I am aware that this will be very worrying and shocking for the local community in Great Linford.

"In light of this we are increasing patrols in the area to provide reassurance to the community, and you may see an increased police presence over the coming days."

Man fighting for life after knife attack

Crime reporter(wp/es):

A man was left fighting for life after he was stabbed in Hackney.

The victim, believed to be aged in his early 30s, was knifed in the early hours of Sunday.

Police raced to the scene in Kingsland High Road at about 5.30am.

Scotland Yard said officers gave first aid to the victim before the arrival of paramedics.

London’s Air Ambulance was also scrambled to the scene and the man was rushed to hospital.  

The surrounding roads were cordoned off as police scoured the area.

Detectives from Hackney CID were investigating.

Hackney Officers posted on Twitter: “#ResponseE G1N GD20N call male with life threatening stab wound treated by #policemedic & @Ldn_Ambulance. Road closures in place. N16.”

Rail operator urges RMT union to call off 24-hour strike

Staff reporter(wp/es):

Southern rail has urged union bosses to call off a planned 24-hour strike.

The beleaguered rail operator called on the RMT union to suspend a walkout out by guards scheduled for Monday. 

The strike is in protest over Southern’s changes to the role of conductors and could cause fresh misery for hundreds of thousands of passengers.

It comes as talks aimed at resolving a separate dispute with the Aslef union over driver-only trains were set to resume. 

Drivers called off three days of strikes planned for this week on Wednesday in exchange for further talks chaired by the TUC.

Southern said that despite the strike action on Monday, it will run over 70 per cent of its trains – 10 per cent more than what it has operated on previous strike days.

It said this followed the completion of its programme to put drivers in sole control of the operation of the train, including closing the doors, on nearly 80 per cent of routes, and the transfer of many conductors to the new on-board supervisor role.

Angie Doll, Southern's passenger services director, said: "Whilst, inevitably, there will be disruption on Monday, the good news is that due to the changes we've now fully rolled out, we're now able to run more services on more routes serving more passengers and ultimately we'll have fewer cancellations and delays.

"On Monday, some 200 extra trains will be running and several routes will have their first service on an RMT strike day.

"The RMT should now recognise that their industrial action is wholly futile. They should stop the strikes, get back round the table with us and move forward together with us, delivering a better railway for our passengers."

The RMT has been in dispute with Southern for several months, warning of safety issues because of the changes and also complained of being "excluded" from talks between Southern and Aslef over the drivers' dispute.

The RMT has a small number of driver members at Southern who will strike on Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday.

Southern said it plans to operate a normal full timetable from Tuesday.

Mick Cash, general secretary of the RMT, said: "Instead of repeating the same old threats and empty rhetoric, Southern should be engaging RMT in the same way that they have engaged with the TUC and the Government in the drivers' dispute.

"That is the way forward and the only way that we can deal with the safety issues that have led to the latest phase of strike action on Monday."