Brian Wright is being chased for £45million in profits from his billion-pound cocaine smuggling operation, a court heard.The 61-year-old godfather — who was known as The Milkman because he always delivered — is serving 30 years in jail after being convicted last year. In 2004 he was said to be worth £600m and prosecutors have this week been trying to claw back the proceeds of his crimes at Woolwich Crown Court.But Wright, who had a house in Frimley, claims he has no assets left. He is... Read Full Story
If the dog thinks a person is carrying drugs they will sit next to them. Officers then have a power to search that person to look for drugs. One of the PANDA dogs scanned people waiting in queues for nightclubs and bars on Friday night. Although there were no arrests made on this occasion it sent out a warning to revellers that police would be carrying out regular operations throughout the summer. Every weekend police put on additional patrols to meet the needs of Newcastle's popular social... Read Full Story
Dealers’ homes were targeted in police swoops after months of intelligence gathering by police.Nine targets were arrested and suspected drugs were seized in Operation Pembroke last September.Now, after the suspects have been dealt with by the courts over the past few months, police have revealed how their arrests have brought a drop in crime.The figures were given by Chester-le-Street community Insp Paul Anderson as he welcomed the last of the sentences handed out to people arrested during... Read Full Story
killing of Richard Petty over a mere £80 sheds a harsh light on the perils of Teesside’s drugs underworld, even at its lower levels. CCTV captured the murderers’ movements with chilling precision. Into the lift, up to the seventh floor, back down, then out - in four minutes. CCTV captured the murderers’ movements with chilling precision. Into the lift, up to the seventh floor, back down, then out - in four minutes.“They had at the most 90 seconds in that flat,” says Detective Inspector Andy... Read Full Story
Adam Greener was armed with a silver revolver when he got into a woman’s car at the junction of Roman Road and Rockliffe Road in Linthorpe and said, “Drive or I’ll shoot you.”Under the influence of drugs, he tried to snatch the driver’s handbag from the passenger seat of the Peugeot 206, which was stationary in traffic.Greener, 20, of Westbourne Road, Middlesbrough, admitted two charges at Teesside Crown Court yesterday.He pleaded guilty to attempting to rob 46-year-old mum Kay Cotton, from... Read Full Story
'Trauma, Drug Misuse and Transforming Identities: A Life Story Approach' by Professor Kim Etherington. Kim's book looks at the lives of ex-drug users told in their words. It illustrates the links between early childhood experiences and drug misuse, and also shows pathways to recovery and transformation. The book illustrates how some people use drugs, in particular heroin, as a coping mechanism to help them deal with traumatic experiences in their childhood. Such trauma may have involved... Read Full Story
Health expert has been charged with devising a strategy to reduce the financial toll of alcohol, drugs and cigarettes.Health Minister Nicola Roxon announced the establishment of the taskforce _ to be led by the professor of global health at the Nossal Institute of Global Health, Dr Rob Moodie _ as she released a report showing that in 2004-2005, the social cost of alcohol, tobacco use and illicit drugs was about $56 billion.Ms Roxon described the figures as "staggering''. "That's an... Read Full Story
Pete Doherty was jailed for 14 weeks yesterday after he admitted breaching a court order designed to cure his drug addiction. The Babyshambles frontman was expected to wake up in a cell in Wormwood Scrubs prison this morning after admitting missing appointments with the probation service. His lawyer said tests as part of the order showed Doherty had still been using class A drugs. It is the longest spell he has faced in jail since 2003, when he was convicted of burglary. The sentence means... Read Full Story
new ambition for all hostels to provide access to support, training and employment within the next three years to help end persistent rough sleeping, was announced today by Housing Minister Iain Wright. The Minister published an action plan to reduce rough sleeping to as close to zero as possible, with new measures to help those who have remained entrenched on the streets. He announced a new aspiration for hostels to provide access to training and employment opportunities, supported by the... Read Full Story
Just what is it about cannabis that makes certain politicians act so bizarrely and disconnect from reality is such spectacular fashion? And this is without even smoking it (although actually, most of them have). Moreover, there appears to be a sort of dose-response effect in evidence: The more senior they get, the more deranged they seem to become. Look at how Cameron has metamorphosed from a pragmatic backbencher and member of the Home Affairs Select Committee in 2001 calling for cannabis to... Read Full Story
