Passengers hit by massive disruption again as capital faces holiday strike wave

Staff reporter(wp/es):

Massive  disruption was suffered by 300,000 Southern rail passengers today as last week’s drivers’ strike was followed by a walkout by conductors.

The RMT union claimed it had “solid support” for the 48-hour stoppage, the 25th strike this year on the franchise.

Post Office workers also stopped work in a wave of Christmas industrial action which is set to spread to British Airways, Virgin Atlantic and baggage handlers at several airports.

To crown a week of mayhem, the AA warned that there would be chaos on the roads from Friday when fog will hit 12 million drivers, and huge sections of the rail network will close from Christmas Eve as Network Rail begins 200 sets of engineering works.

With Tory MPs stepping up pressure on Theresa May to consider anti-strike laws next year, a London Labour MP warned unions they were in danger of “shooting themselves in the foot”.

Meg Hillier, chair of the powerful Public Accounts Committee, said: “I think all trade unions, even though they are fighting for their rights, need to really think about the impact on the people they are actually there to serve, their customers, or their passengers.”

RMT general secretary Mick Cash said: “Our guards on Southern Rail are taking up the fight for rail safety again today and the union salutes their incredible solidarity and determination after months of attacks from the employer and the Government.”

He called on Transport Secretary Chris Grayling “to get out of the bunker” and force rail operators GTR to fresh talks. Around half the usual number of trains were running today, with more than 1,000 cancelled and no service on some routes.

Southern warned of “significant disruption” today and tomorrow, with continued daily delays and cancellations due to the overtime ban. Chris Philp, the Croydon South MP who is leading calls for laws to ban strikes that are not “proportionate and reasonable”, said: “What we are seeing at Southern, where 300,000 cannot get to work because of a dispute over who pushes a button, is not proportionate or reasonable.”

Tory MP Sir Nicholas Soames, whose Mid Sussex constituents are among those hit, joined calls for anti-strike laws, but cautioned: “I wouldn’t do it in the heat of combat.” He added: “What has happened on the Brighton line is absolutely appalling, has caused unbelievable hardship, jobs ruined, lives ruined.”

Downing Street sources told the Standard that Theresa May was not focusing on proposals for fresh industrial legislation but sources said it had not been ruled out “in the future”. 

Postal workers plan five days of strikes over job security and pensions, although a Post Office spokesman said fewer than 300 out of 11,600 branches would be hit. Deliveries and collections will not be affected, they said.

Southern guards will walk out again from Saturday December 31 to Monday January 2 and 1,000 train drivers will stage a week-long strike from Monday January 9 until Saturday January 14. Other disputes and disruptions include: 

Talks to try to avert a strike by British Airways cabin crew on Christmas Day and Boxing Day are taking place at Acas, the conciliation service today.

Around 1,500 airport check-in staff, baggage handlers and cargo crew working for Swissport are planning strike action on Friday and Christmas Eve, threatening delays at Heathrow, Gatwick, Luton and Stansted.

Virgin Atlantic faces an overtime ban by some pilots from Friday in a complex row over union recognition. 

Network Rail engineering work means there will be no services in or out of Paddington from Christmas Eve until Thursday, December 29. All services, including the Heathrow Express, will start at Ealing Broadway.

There will be no Southeastern services to London Bridge and Charing Cross from Christmas Eve until Wednesday December 28 and no services into Cannon Street from Christmas Eve until Tuesday December 27.

Dozens of flights from Gatwick were delayed this morning as the fog that shrouded the South-East at the weekend continued to cause disruption. Heathrow returned to normal operations this morning after more than 150 flights were grounded at the weekend.

Family's grief after teenage footballer Jack Morrisson, 16, found dead in Dartford fishing lake

Pic:Jack Morrisson was found dead in a fishing lake at Sutton-at-Hone, Dartford
Crime reporter(wp/es):

Emotional tributes have been paid to an “amazing” teenage footballer after his body was discovered in a Kent fishing lake.

Jack Morrisson, 16, was found dead in Sutton-at-Hone, Dartford, on Saturday.

The keen fisherman and talented footballer, who played for London-based Volenti Football Academy, was reported missing the previous day.

In a heart-breaking tribute, Jack’s family described him as “the cheekiest, funniest, strongest amazing boy.”

They said in a statement: “Jack, you were like a beautiful angel that we were sent. 

“We have been so lucky to have you and you were amazing. 

“You were like our little golden boy, your life was so charmed and everything you wanted seemed to come to you.   

“Although your life was short it was full; you had achieved so much and were on a path to success. 

“Our lives will never be the same now, without you here with us and although we never thought there really were angels, now we do as it's the only explanation for such a beautiful amazing boy. 

“We love you so much Jack and we can't even begin to put in to words the love and the pride you have given to us being in your life. 

“Thank you so, so much for letting us be part of your life, our perfect angel Jack, AKA the cheekiest, funniest, strongest amazing boy we have ever had the pleasure to have known. 

“We are just so lucky to have had you in our life for the time that we did, love from your family.”

The family have expressed their thanks to those who helped search for Jack, including  Dartford and District Angling and Preservation Society (DDAPS), Kent Search and Rescue volunteers (KSAR), Kent Fire and Rescue Service and police officers.   

A spokesman for Kent Police said: “His death is currently being treated as non-suspicious and a report is being prepared for the coroner.”

Lidl gets green light to build new £70m London HQ in Tolworth

Business reporter(wp/es):

Discount supermarket chain Lidl has been given the green light to build a new £70 million London headquarters.

The German firm was granted permission by Kingston Council to relocate its head office across south-west London to Tolworth after it bought land off Jubilee Way.

The company moved into its current headquarters in Wimbledon back in 1998 but said it had now outgrown the site.

It argued the move was crucial to support its 19,000 employees and create more jobs across the UK.

A final decision to rubber stamp the development is expected to be made by Mayor of London Sadiq Khan in the new year, with bosses hopeful the site will be ready before 2020.

The approval, which was given on Thursday, comes as the firm announced it wanted to ramp up its investments in London.

Bosses revealed plans to build 250 new stores in the capital which will create up to 5,000 new jobs.

Ingo Fischer, Lidl UK Board Director for Expansion and Development, said: “We have worked very closely with the Royal Borough of Kingston’s planning officers since July 2015 and are greatly encouraged by the committee’s resolution to grant planning consent. 

Our new headquarters not only signify an investment in our own infrastructure and workforce, but also highlight our wider investment ambitions within London as Lidl UK continues to experience incredible growth. 

"Once the planning commitments have been agreed with Kingston, the consent will be referred to the Mayor’s Office to be concluded.

“We hope to receive the Mayor of London’s feedback and to progress with the plans early in the new year.”

Leader of Kingston Council, Cllr Kevin Davis, said: "We welcome what is one of the biggest investments in London this year coming to Tolworth. It will act as a foundation stone for the regeneration of the wider area.

"This is not only good for the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames but also demonstrates that a forward-thinking council, working with a supportive Mayor, can deliver a post-Brexit London that is 'open for business'."

In November, Lidl UK became the first supermarket to announce its staff would receive a pay rise in line with the latest Living Wage Foundation rate.

London Muslims donate 10 tonnes of food for homeless at Christmas

Pic: Local community leaders including Dilowar Khan, director of the East London Mosque and Bernadette Hegarty of St Pauls, Bow Common Church outside the East London Mosque 

Staff reporter(wp/es):

Muslims have donated 10 tonnes of food to feed the homeless across London at Christmas, religious and charity leaders said. 

Hundreds of Muslims flocked to the East London Mosque on Friday in a drive to feed London's homeless during the festive period.   

Pictures showed members of the 7,500 strong Muslim congregation donating food as they attended Friday prayers at the mosque in Whitechapel. 

Members of the congregation stood proudly in front of crates of shopping bags filled with rice, pasta, cereals and other tinned goods, ready to be distributed to people living on the street. 

Organisers estimated that over seven tonnes of food were donated with local businesses, schools, a university and leaders from other faiths chipping in. 

British Airways slam 'calculated and heartless' cabin crew strikes

Pic:Multiple airline strikes look set to cause festive misery to travelers
Staff reporter(wp/es):

British Airways has branded planned strikes by thousands of cabin crew over Christmas as “calculated and heartless”.

Staff voted overwhelmingly to stage a walk-out on Christmas Day and Boxing Day in a row over pay.

Unite, the union representing workers, said 80 per cent of members backed the strike on Wednesday which has raised the threat of flight disruption.

The row involves the airline’s “mixed fleet” employees who have joined British Airways since 2010.

Unite claims the cabin crew earn less than other staff and have been forced to take on second jobs to make ends meet.

The union alleged earnings were advertised between £21,000 and £25,000 but in reality started at just over £12,000 plus £3 an hour flying pay.

It emerged on Saturday that no talks have been organised in a bid to avert the industrial action. 

BA, which employs around 16,000 cabin crew, said in a statement: "We are appalled that Unite proposes to disrupt customers' travel plans on such special days when so many families are trying to gather together or set off on well-deserved holidays.

"This calculated and heartless action is completely unnecessary and we are determined that it will fail.

"We will plan to ensure all our customers travel to their destinations so that their Christmas arrangements are not ruined.

"Meanwhile, we have also approached the conciliation service Acas to seek their assistance in reaching an outcome that would avoid any possibility of disruption."

Unite general secretary Len McCluskey said: "Unite remains ready and willing to talk to BA at any time. This dispute can be sorted but the company needs to come to the table with a positive offer."

However, talks aimed at averting strikes by baggage handlers and other staff at 18 airports will be held at Acas next week.

Officials from Unite and aviation services company Swissport will meet at the conciliation service on Tuesday.

More than 1,500 check-in staff, baggage handlers and cargo crew are due to strike for 48 hours just before Christmas in a long-running pay dispute.

Members of Unite employed by Swissport will walk out on December 23 and 24 at airports including Gatwick, Heathrow, Stansted and Luton. 

Aberdeen, Belfast, Birmingham, Bristol, Bournemouth, Cardiff, Doncaster, East Midlands, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Leeds/Bradford, Manchester, Newcastle and Southampton airports will also be affected.

Mr McCluskey added: "This is clearly a positive development. We are pleased that the company will sit down with us in an effort the resolve this dispute. We are confident that our members' case is extremely strong, and that fairness will prevail."

In a further threat of chaos, Virgin pilots will work "strictly to contract" with a removal of "goodwill" from December 23, their PPU union said.

Postal and rail workers are also planning industrial action in a Christmas of discontent.

A dispute between Southern Railway and train drivers has already brought a large portion of the travel network to a standstill this December.

Post Office workers will strike next week, including on Christmas Eve, after their union said an offer it made to resolve a row over jobs, pensions and closures was rejected.

Postal workers from the Communication Workers Union will strike for five days, including three days of walkouts by staff in Crown offices - larger branches typically in high streets.

Vile child rapist Mohamed Igal jailed for series of horrific attacks on 10-year-old girl

Pic:Mohamed Igal who repeatedly raped a 10-year-old girl 
Crime reporter(wp/es):

A vile child rapist has been jailed for repeatedly attacking a 10-year-old girl who he groomed online. 

Mohamed Igal, 23, manipulated his "vulnerable" victim under the social media nickname “Wavey CJ” after meeting her on an estate in Southwark.

She had recently moved to the capital from overseas to live with her family.

Igal, a Dutch national, repeatedly raped the girl between July 2010 and May 2011, before she moved away from the area, a trial at Woolwich Crown Court heard.

His victim found the courage to come forward about the abuse in 2015 when she was 15 and he had tried to contact her again.

The court heard that he had messaged her to tell her he wanted her to perform sexual acts on him.

Igal, of Harper Road, Elephant and Castle, was sentenced to seven years and nine months imprison on Friday, December 16.

He was found guilty of the rape of a female child under 13 years old by a jury on Friday, November 4 following a trial.

Detective Constable Denise Halliwell, the investigating officer from the Sexual Offences Exploitation and Child Abuse Command, said: "The victim was very courageous for someone so young.

"She came forward and with her family and wider support network she had the strength to describe to police the defendant's sexual manipulation and exploitation.”

Detective Inspector Jim Aspinall from the Sexual Offences Exploitation and Child Abuse Command said: "This vulnerable victim had a horrendous experience at the hands of this predatory individual and I praise her for the courage she had to come forward and work with dedicated police officers to bring him to justice.”

Porn model tried to smuggle £18m of cocaine from Britain to Australia

Pic:Isabelle Lagace and Melina Roberge

Crime reporter(wp/es):

A porn model has admitted trying to smuggle cocaine worth more than £18 million on a cruise ship from Britain to Australia.

Canadian Isabelle Lagacé, 28, was arrested with two other suspects — a man and a woman — after the liner Sea Princess docked at Sydney harbour in August.

Federal Police said the drug bust was Australia’s biggest-ever through passenger transportation.

Solicitor Louis Ialenti, acting for Lagace, entered the guilty plea at Sydney central local court.

The 95kg drugs haul, which had an Australian street value estimated to be at least $31million, was found in four suitcases — one of which, it is alleged, was in the two women’s shared cabin.

Lagace, from Quebec, sat stone-faced and dressed in maroon in the court beside her co-accused Melina Romberce, 23, and Andre Tamine, 64.

Romberce was dressed in white and Tamine wore green prison clothing.

Lagace was committed for sentencing at Sydney district court on February 3.

Tamine did not enter a plea and he will stand trial on that date in NSW district court. No plea was entered by Romberce and a decision on her trial will be made by the central local court on December 21.

Before their arrests the women had detailed their travels on the £11,000-per-person trip, which started in Southampton, through images shared on social media. 

Images posted on Instagram and Facebook showed them visiting New York, Bermuda, Ecuador, Tahiti, Colombia, Peru and New Zealand.

Romberce, a Quebec jewellery store worker, shared pictures of them riding quad bikes, hiking in Peru and posing in bikinis.

The maximum penalty for smuggling a commercial quantity of cocaine is  life imprisonment.