London Shooting: Man Charged With Murder

A man has been charged with the murder of a teenager who was shot in the chest in north London, Scotland Yard has said.

Mohammed Hussein, 19, died in Edmonton on Monday after neighbours heard shouting in the street and then gunfire about an hour later.

Paramedics fought to save him but he was pronounced dead at the scene.

Natneal Tefsay, 20, from Bounds Green, north London, is charged with Mr Hussein's murder.

He will appear at Highbury Corner Magistrates' Court today.

After the shooting, a witness, who did not want to be named, said: "Earlier in the night a group of guys chased after the victim, who was in a car with a mate, and smashed a window.

"He then came back later and that's when the shooting happened.

"He was with three of his friends and I think they ran off when he was shot."

A post-mortem examination found that Mr Hussein died from a single gunshot wound to the chest.

Last night police said they had also arrested a 19-year-old man on suspicion of murder.

They are continuing to appeal for information about the shooting, which happened in Bounces Road, Edmonton, at around 9.45pm on Easter Monday.

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Grand National: Hopes For A Positive Story

On the one day the world tunes in to jump racing, the sport itself is holding its breath.

Worldwide, 600 million people watch the Grand National on the year's biggest day for betting in Britain. But all at Aintree know any further equine deaths this afternoon, to add to four in the last two Nationals, would raise serious questions about its future.

It comes after a horse died in the run up to this year's event on Friday.

They have made changes here.

Most fences now have more horse-friendly plastic inner cores.

The start has been moved 90 yards away from the noisy grandstands, in the hope of a calmer atmosphere. That also means a shorter run to the first fence, giving less time to build up foolhardy early speed.

The authorities have talked to senior jockeys, urging them not to set a breakneck pace from the start.

But as even Jamie Stier from the British Horseracing Authority acknowledged on Sky News on Friday, it is unreasonable to expect a jockey not to be wound-up at the start of "this iconic race".

It always delivers a storyline, even if last year's – the closest-ever finish – was partly buried by headlines about fatalities.

This year's story could be the first female winning jockey. Katie Walsh on Seabass – third 12 months ago – could start favourite on the horse trained by her father Ted.

So could Ted's other horse Colbert Station, in the hands of champion jockey Tony McCoy. And so could Katie's brother Ruby on On His Own, bidding for his third National victory.

And if the siblings should be fighting out the finish, it'll be dog-eat-dog with no quarter given.

There's also another possible line for the fairer sex. Much-fancied Teaforthree is trained by Rebecca Curtis, 30 years after the first success for Jenny Pitman – the only other woman to train the winner of the world's greatest steeplechase.

Teaforthree likes his own bed and is travelling today from Pembrokeshire. There hasn't been a Welsh winner since 1905.

Then again, it's only four years since Mon Mome won at 100-1. Might Tarquinius, for example, or Major Malarkey, triumph at a similar price today? Stranger things have happened – and something strange always does happen.

That's why we always watch, and that's why all will hope that all 40 horses are safely in their beds – in Wales or wherever – tonight.

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Raft Of Tax Reforms Come Into Effect In UK

Two million people could be removed from paying income tax altogether from today as a raft of reforms come into effect.

Among the changes are a rise in the personal allowance which will mean no one pays any tax until they earn more than £9,440.

The threshold for the higher rate of tax - above which people pay tax at 40% - will also drop from £34,370 to £32,010, excluding the personal allowance.

At the same time the top rate of income tax falls in 2013/14 from 50% to 45% for those whose taxable income exceeds £150,000.

And the start of the new financial year also signals a rise in basic state pension to £110.15 per week, an increase of 2.5%.

But there will be a freeze on the level of income pensioners can receive before they have to pay tax - the so-called "granny tax".

The tax allowance for people aged 65 and older is set at £10,500.

Last week, housing benefit was cut for council house tenants with more bedrooms than they need - dubbed the "bedroom tax".

Council tenants have money cut if they have more bedrooms than they need

The annual increase in tax credits and other working-age benefits will also be cut to just 1%, well below the rate of inflation.

But Labour claims UK households will be worse off.

Shadow Chancellor Ed Balls said: "The independent Institute for Fiscal Studies shows very clearly that, since 2010, the average family is £890 worse off, a one-earner family where the mum or dad stays at home with children is £3,900 worse off.

"The reason is that the increase in the personal allowance over the last couple of years was completely outweighed by higher VAT, the freeze on child benefit and the cuts to tax credits.

"Is this the day to cut taxes for millionaires, for the richest people in our society when everyone else is worse off and struggling? It's completely the wrong priorities. It suggests that David Cameron and George Osborne are completely out of touch with the realities of the lives of families in our country."

Unite union's General Secretary Len McCluskey was equally scathing about the changes. He said: "Millionaires will be raising a glass of champagne to George Osborne this weekend as he slashes the incomes of people struggling to get by to give handouts to the rich.

"This is not the way to recover our failing economy. Creating real jobs and paying decent wages, including a one pound increase on the minimum wage, will bring down the benefits bill and get people spending again."

The Prime Minister took to Twitter to highlight the increase in the personal tax allowance. He wrote: "From today 24 million people will be paying £600 less income tax than in 2010."

Mr Cameron also included a link to a new Conservative poster outlining the change with the headline "Help for Hardworking People".

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Man Dies Making Documentary About Homeless

Police are investigating the death of a young documentary maker who was sleeping rough in freezing temperatures to highlight the plight of the homeless.

Lee Halpin, 26, had planned to spend a week living on the streets in his home city of Newcastle.

He began the project on Sunday but was found dead three days later in a derelict building in the West End of the city.

How he died has not yet been confirmed but it is believed he may have died from hypothermia.

Speaking on a YouTube video the night before his week of sleeping rough began, Mr Halpin said the project was part of an application for a Channel 4 investigative journalism scheme, to give an example of fearless reporting.

He said he had spoken to a homeless charity about the rise in the number of people on the streets and the effect of changes to Britain's welfare system this month.

"I'm about to go and spend a week being homeless in the West End of Newcastle. I will sleep rough for a week, scrounge for my food, access the services that other homeless individuals use," he said.

"I will interact with as many homeless people as possible and immerse myself in that lifestyle as deeply as I can."

He concluded the video by saying he hoped it showed his willingness to get to the heart of a story.

A Channel 4 spokesperson said: "We are saddened to learn of the tragic death of this aspiring young journalist. Our thoughts are with his family."

Mr Halpin's friend of 10 years, Daniel Lake, said: "I was just talking to Lee on Saturday, having some banter talking about football and how excited he was about going out filming.

"Lee was a great guy, a character and was well known. His big things were creative writing and poetry ... He made the ultimate sacrifice trying to raise awareness about what was happening to other people."

Friends and supporters have left tributes on the Save Newcastle Libraries website, to which he was a contributor.

One said: "He was a credit to the North East and all he did was give."

Northumbria Police have arrested two men in connection with the death.

The men, aged 26 and 30, were arrested on suspicion of supplying a controlled drug and have since been bailed pending further inquiries.

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Five Arrested In Triple Murder Inquiry

Police are linking the suspected murders of two men found at the side of a country road with that of a man found stabbed to death in a ditch last weekend.

The pair were discovered by a member of the public close to the Cambridgeshire village of Thorney on Wednesday morning.

They have been named as John Chapman, 56, and Lukasz Slaboszewski, 31, both from Peterborough.

The other two bodies were found by a member of the public at Thorney Dyke

The men were found four days after Kevin Lee, 48, was discovered with stab wounds in a ditch six miles away by the A16 at Newborough, north of Peterborough.

Mr Lee was last seen at 2pm on Good Friday and reported missing at 10.40pm after his Ford Mondeo was found burnt out near a farm in Yaxley, south of Peterborough, that night. His body was found on Saturday morning.

A spokesperson for Cambridgeshire police said the men found on Wednesday were in their 30s and 50s and that their deaths were being treated as murder.

Officers have arrested a 36-year-old man who has since been charged with perverting the course of justice, and a 47-year-old man and a 30-year-old woman are also in custody after being arrested in Hereford.

Meanwhile a 32-year-old man and a 23-year-old man who were arrested in connection with the murder of Mr Lee have now been released on bail.

In a statement to the public posted on YouTube, Detective Superintendent Jeff Hill said: "This inquiry is a priority for the force and we have a large team of detectives working on it.

"There will also be extra police officers out on patrol in the areas where the bodies were discovered. These events are naturally very concerning and local people are understandably shocked by what has happened.

The body of Mr Lee was found near Newborough, six miles from Thorney

"However, the deaths are being linked and treated as part of the same isolated incident over the Easter weekend.

"I would like to stress there is no on-going risk to the public."

A statement released by Mr Lee's family said: "We are devastated by Kevin's death. He was a wonderful husband, father, loving brother and son.

"His naturally infectious personality touched everyone who knew him. He will be hugely missed by all his friends and family. We are struggling to come to terms with our tragic loss and we ask that we are left alone to grieve in private."

Cambridgeshire police investigating Mr Lee's death have confirmed they are liaising with West Mercia detectives investigating the attempted murder of two people found with stab wounds in Hereford on Tuesday.

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Leeds Children's Heart Surgery Unit To Reopen

Children's heart surgery is to resume at Leeds General Infirmary.

Operations were suspended because of claims that the unit had a death rate double the average.

After the closure, Sir Bruce Keogh, the medical director of NHS England, said: "The trust has taken a highly responsible precautionary step.

Sir Bruce Keogh said the priority must be the safety of children

"It is absolutely right not to take any risks while these matters are being looked into. The priority must be the safety of children."

However, medical bodies and doctors questioned the accuracy of the data, which they say was unverified and not fit to base such a decision on.

Maggie Boyle, chief executive of the trust, said: "I am extremely confident that this service is safe and effective and should recommence at the earliest opportunity.

Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt said he supported the decision to restart children's heart surgery at the infirmary, though he added it should be "safe and sustainable".

Parents had criticised the timing of the unit's suspension, which came 24 hours after a High Court judge ruled that a decision to close it as part of a reorganisation of services was "legally flawed".

But they also expressed relief that the unit was to reopen.

Jon Arnold's daughter Zoe had life-saving surgery at the unit when she was three weeks old.

He said: "There's been massive support from the parents and families for the unit, and this decision confirms what we thought about the quality of care all along.

"My daughter had fantastic care at the unit.

"It was difficult to understand as a parent how they could have shut the ward so swiftly on the basis of unverified data. It left parents feeling very confused about what to believe and what was best for their child."

But Anne Keatley-Clarke, chief executive of the Children's Heart Federation, said it was right to suspend surgery until doubts about safety could be addressed.

"There are a lot of families that are very worried there about what is going to happen with their children," she said.

She added that people were frightened about raising concerns about hospitals in the area while their children were still receiving care as they feared repercussions from the Trust and on social media.

"Once the unit is reopened then a lot of the families will have a lot of questions that need to be answered about the manner in which it closed," she said.

"The main thing is that babies and families that need urgent treatment can now get it on the unit without having to be shipped across the country to any available bed space."

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HMV Rescue Saves 141 Stores And 2,500 Jobs

By Mark Kleinman, City Editor

HMV's future as a high street retailer has been salvaged in a £50m deal that secures 2,500 jobs on Britain's beleaguered high streets.

Hilco, a restructuring firm, confirmed on Friday morning that it had struck an agreement with Deloitte, the administrator to HMV, to rescue the retailer.

The deal, which was revealed exclusively by Sky News on Thursday night, will keep 141 shops open, including 25 which had already been earmarked for closure by Deloitte. All nine of the Fopp-branded shops are included in the transaction.

While that represents little more than half of HMV's UK stores that were open before it called in administrators in January, it represents a more optimistic outcome for the chain than many analysts had predicted.

Hilco acquired HMV's Canadian operations two years ago, since when the performance of the business has surpassed expectations.

Paul McGowan, Hilco chief executive, said the deal had the backing of key HMV suppliers and landlords.

He said: "We hope to replicate some of the success we have had in the Canadian market with the HMV Canada business which we acquired almost two years ago and which is now trading strongly.

"The structural differences in the markets and the higher level of competition in the UK will prove additional challenges for the UK business but we believe it has a successful future ahead of it."

Mr McGowan will become chairman of HMV, with two other Hilco executives taking key roles with the retailer.

HMV had been weighed down by a mountain of debt, allied to a combination of waning consumer confidence and intense pressure from supermarkets encroaching on its entertainment retailing turf, as well as the rapid rise of low-cost digital rivals.

Hilco said it would abandon a recently-introduced practice of selling tablets and other digital devices, using the space instead for an expanded music and visual entertainment range.

Ian Topping, one of the Hilco executives who will be involved in running HMV, said: "The reaction of the British public to the administration of HMV shows a strong desire for the business to continue to trade and we hope to play a constructive part in delivering that."

Hilco also confirmed that it would seek to re-establish a presence for HMV in Ireland.

Nick Edwards, joint administrator at Deloitte, said the deal "provides a solid financial footing on which the business can be taken forward".

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Petrol Sales Crash As Consumers Choose Diesel

Petrol sales have plummeted in the last five years, according to official figures, with retailers dispensing 5.4 billion fewer litres than five years ago.

In 2007, filling stations sold a total of 22.87 billion litres of petrol, the AA motoring group said.

But the latest Government figures revealed that last year, retailers dispensed 17.43 billion litres of petrol - a fall of almost 24%.

The combined sales of both petrol and diesel also fell over the period - by 9.3% to 34.16 billion litres in 2012.

The AA said that the total decrease was equivalent to 35 days of fuel sales being lost since the start of the credit crunch.

But diesel sales increased slightly over the last five years, in part due to companies buying the fuel directly from forecourts instead of storing it in depots, the AA said.

Sales of diesel rose from 14.8 billion litres in 2007 to 16.73 billion litres last year.

The organisation's president Edmund King said the increasing popularity of diesel cars and smaller vehicles had contributed to the overall decline in fuel sales.

Car registrations rise by 5.9%, with Vauxhall's Astra among the top sellers

"However, soaring pump prices have taken a huge toll on petrol sales more recently - during the 10p-a-litre price surges last March and October, pump sales of petrol fell by up to 5%," he added.

"The trouble is that, with global economic recovery, the stock market will predict greater oil and fuel demand and push up commodity values accordingly."

The AA said non-supermarket fuel retailers had been hardest hit by the sales slip, with petrol sales down 7.7% last year compared with 2011. Supermarkets saw a 0.6% decrease over the same period.

The RAC Foundation's director Professor Stephen Glaister warned that the UK's infrastructure could not cope with an increase in diesel's popularity.

"Our ageing refineries are not geared up to cope with growing demand for diesel and you can't just flick a switch to produce more," he said.

"Already we are a net importer of diesel and, if sales of diesel-powered cars continue to surge, our reliance on foreign imports will grow, especially if the economy recovers and mileage increases."

It comes as industry statistics revealed that new car registrations rose by 5.9% in March - the thirteenth consecutive month of growth.

Volumes were their highest since 2010 when the vehicle scrappage scheme was in place, the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) said.

Over 394,806 cars were registered in March, with sales of the mini and SUV vehicle types growing especially strongly.

The figures take registrations over the first quarter of the year to 605,198 units - an increase of 7.4%.

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William And Kate On Two-Day Trip To Scotland

By Paul Harrison, Royal Correspondent

Prince William will make a 'Skype' video web call to two homeless Scottish people in the Netherlands when he and the Duchess of Cambridge visit Glasgow later.

William will chat on-line to Dylan Howie and Lyn Buchan who are taking part in an exchange programme run by the Glasgow-based project for rough sleepers.

"It's just amazing that I will get a chance to speak to the Duke of Cambridge. It's brilliant, I'm very excited," said Mr Howie, who first stayed at the Stopover project in 2011 when he was just 16.

"The past year has been really tough for me - but since coming to Quarriers' Stopover my life has been turned around."

The homeless pair from Glasgow are on a work experience placement in the Dutch town of Papendrecht as part of the charity's initiative run with Dutch partner Werkcenter.

The Duke has long had a keen interest in tackling homelessness and is patron of Centrepoint, a charity that has been providing support and care for rough sleepers for decades.

Kate is pregnant with the couple's first child

The two-day trip by William and Kate, who is now nearly six months pregnant, will see also see them visit Dumfries House, where they will team up with Prince Charles, and BAE systems in Barrow-in-Furness.

Today in Glasgow the couple will also tour Sir Chris Hoy Velodrome to see cyclists training, as well as watching netball, athletics and badminton demonstrations.

At the Donald Dewar Leisure Centre in Drumchapel the couple will launch a new Scottish pilot project for their foundation, which aims to inspire and train the next generation of young sports coaches.

When in Scotland William and Kate are known as the Earl and Countess of Strathearn, titles given to them by the Queen to mark their marriage.

North of the border Prince Charles is also known under a different title: the Duke of Rothesay.

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Stockton House Fire: Investigation As Two Die

An elderly couple have been killed in a house fire in Carlton near Stockton-on-Tees, emergency workers have said.

The man and woman, understood to be 90 and 88-years-old respectively, died when the fire ripped through a property on Thorpe Road. The road was closed off and an investigation is under way.

The woman is said to have been bed-bound but the man, who virtually acted as her carer, was quite active. They were well-known in the village and the man often seen by locals on his bicycle.

The house faces The Smiths Arms pub. A worker there, who declined to be named, said: "I did video it.

"It was something big, there were lots of units here. It is right opposite the pub.

"It was about 5am, just before dawn."

Cleveland Fire Brigade said: "It was a severe fire in which there were two fatalities.

"Five appliances attended, from Stockton, Thornaby and Middlesbrough Stations.

"Crews left the scene at approximately 8.45am. There will now be a joint investigation between the fire brigade and police."

Cleveland Police said the the fire was reported to them at 5.05am and their investigation was in its very early stages.

At the moment officers do not believe the fire was started under suspicious circumstances.

Pensioner Joan Richardson, who lives near the property, said the community would pull together.

She said: "Everybody is quite shocked.

"You don't expect this in a small rural village. It is a very friendly village, everybody speaks to everybody, it is a good community.

"Everbody will pull together whatever the circumstances.

"People are very caring, it's a very good young community, there is a good cross section.

"I am amazed I didn't hear it it."

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Hate Crime: Goths, Punks And Emos Recognised

By Rhiannon Mills, Sky News Reporter

Greater Manchester Police have become the first in the country to officially recognise hate crimes against goths, emos, punks and metallers.

Attacks on those who belong to alternative subcultures will now be recorded as a crime by GMP in the same way as disability, racist, religious, sexual orientation and transgender hate crime to provide better support to victims and repeat victims.

The move is a response to the 2007 killing of Sophie Lancaster, who was attacked by a mob for being a goth.

Aged 20, she and her boyfriend, Robert Maltby, were brutally beaten as they walked home through Stubbylee Park in Bacup.

A foundation has been set up in Sophie's name

She suffered horrific head injuries as she was repeatedly stamped on and kicked in the head.

Mr Maltby survived the attack, but Miss Lancaster never regained consciousness.

Her killers were sentenced in 2008 and the judge recognised her death as a hate crime because they were targeted for being goths.

Her parents set up the Sophie Lancaster Foundation to create respect and understanding of subcultures.

The charity works with police forces and politicians to ensure individuals who are part of subcultures are protected by the law.

Assistant Chief Constable Garry Shewan, GMP's lead on hate crime, said: "The launch of this new strand of recordable hate crime is a major breakthrough.

"We are able to officially recognise that people who wish to express their alternative subculture identity freely should not have to tolerate hate crime - something that many people have to endure on a daily basis.

"Sophie's tragic death brought forward a need to recognise that there are many other victims of hate crime that should be protected by law.

"While we have worked with the foundation for some time, I am proud to say we are now the first force in the country to officially record alternative subculture as a sixth strand of hate crime motivation."

Mr Maltby was also brutally beaten in the 2007 attack

Sophie's mum Sylvia Lancaster said: "It is a very proud day for me personally and the rest of the team.

"It is a validation of the work we have undertaken in the past five years and hopefully other forces will follow GMP's lead.

"A big thank you to Greater Manchester Police and all our supporters."

Further work will also be carried out to educate communities and officers will be trained so they are able to provide support for individuals and victims of hate crime who are part of an alternative subculture community.

Greater Manchester Police say they recognise "alternative subculture" as a broad term to define a strong sense of collective identity and a set of group-specific values and tastes.

This typically centres on distinctive style, clothing, make-up, body art and music preferences.

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What Car? Reveals Miles Per Gallon 'Myth'

There is a significant difference between official fuel economy information and vehicles' actual performance, according to a study by What Car?.

Research by the consumer magazine revealed that 95.5% of cars do not match the Government's economy figures, with an average miles per gallon shortfall of 17%.

So-called city cars and superminis were the vehicle types with the biggest disparity, What Car? said.

Despite often being advertised as efficient, city cars had fuel economy shortfall of 23.3%, while the difference for superminis was almost 25%.

SUVs demonstrated the lowest shortfall in What Car?'s tests, coming in at 12.9% below the Government's average.

The magazine said it reviewed more than 500 new cars on real roads to arrive at its results - in contrast to the official research which is conducted in laboratories.

What Car?'s testing also revealed that some vehicles did deliver the expected miles per gallon, while others exceeded it.

The Mazda 3 was one of the top performers

The Mazda 3 outperformed the published average miles by gallon by almost 10%, while the Nissan 370Z exceeded it by 6.8%.

The magazine said it had launched an online tool to check cars' fuel economy following complaints from readers about their cars' efficiency.

Since its launch, the What Car? True MPG app has been used more than one million times.

"Expecting high fuel economy and getting the opposite can double a household's fuel expense," editor-in-chief Chas Hallett said.

"It is vitally important for consumers to buy the right car for their life."

One "misconception", he said, was that smaller cars give better fuel economy.

"But that's not the case. If you use a small-engined car for long motorway runs every day, it will not be that economical," he said, adding that a vehicle with a larger engine would be better.

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Lake Tragedy: Tributes To Mum And Daughter

The family of a mother and daughter who died on a boat in the Lake District have paid tribute to "two beautiful girls" who were "taken too soon".

Kelly Webster, 36, and her daughter, Lauren Thornton, both from Leyland in Lancashire, died while on a boating holiday on Windermere.

Police believe a generator may have caused the deaths, releasing carbon monoxide. The deaths are not being treated as suspicious.

In a statement issued by Cumbria Police, relatives of the pair said: "Our two beautiful girls taken so tragic and so too soon. We all love you so very much words will never say. Our hearts are broken and we will miss you forever.

"Kelly and Lauren ... never forgotten."

Windermere is in the Lake District

Lauren's father, Neil Thornton, said: "My darling daughter lollipop, you were everything to me, a light has gone out that will never be replaced.

"Sweet dreams, goodnight, god bless, Daddy."

Police said the third person on the boat, Ms Webster's partner Matthew Eteson, 39, raised the alarm on Monday afternoon after he experienced serious breathing difficulties.

Ms Webster and Lauren were treated by paramedics and airlifted to Royal Lancaster Infirmary where they died.

Mr Eteson, the boat's owner, was released from hospital yesterday after receiving treatment.

Detective Inspector Mike Brown, who is leading the investigation, has said: "What we are looking at specifically is an after-market generator that has been fitted in the engine compartment of the boat which we believe may be the cause of this.

"But, again, it's still early stages in the investigation so we can't rule anything out."

Cumbria Police said officers are continuing their inquiries on behalf of the coroner.

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Derby Fire: Philpotts Face Jail Over Deaths

Mick Philpott, who killed six children by setting fire to his home, stabbed a previous girlfriend 13 times, injuring her so badly she still has to take medication, a court has heard.

Philpott's criminal record was laid out in front of a judge at Nottingham Crown Court, who will later sentence him and his partner, Mairead, for the manslaughter of their six children.

Mrs Justice Kate Thirlwall heard how Philpott attacked Kim Hill in 1978 leaving her severely injured with a broken arm and finger.

He had also been given a police caution for slapping Mairead and dragging her from their home by her hair.

But his barrister, Mr Anthony Orchard QC urged that the judge should pass the minimum sentence on Philpott on the grounds that he was a "good father", who had lost his children.

He said that the father of 17 children by five different women would "have to live with the hatred and hostility of the press and the public for the rest of his life".

He added that Philpott "faces hostility from other prisoners on a daily basis".

Philpott and his partner Mairead, 32, started the blaze at their Derby home in the early hours of May 11, pouring petrol in the hallway of the property.

Back (L-R) Duwayne and John, Front (L-R) Jack, Jessie, Jade and Jayden

Together with their friend Paul Mosley, 46, who will also be sentenced today, they planned that Philpott should break in by the back door and rescue the children.

But the plot went wrong and fire ripped through the three-bedroom council house in Victoria Road, Derby, with temperatures reaching 500C.

Jade Philpott, 10, and her brothers John, nine, Jack, aged eight, Jesse, six, Jayden, five, and 13-year-old Duwayne, all died.

The three had devised the plan in a bid to frame Lisa Willis, Philpott's former girlfriend.

Philpott was fighting a custody battle with Miss Willis, 29, who had lived with the couple and slept with Philpott on alternate nights while living at the house.

Mick Philpott tried to frame his former partner over the blaze

Both women were said to have lived happily with one another for a decade but Miss Willis left Philpott three months before the deadly fire taking her five children, four of whom were fathered by him.

In mitigation at court today, Mr Orchard said that the fire had gone "disastrously wrong" because it spread too quickly.

However, the judge countered that even if the children had been saved by Philpott, as intended, the experience would still have been terrifying.

She said: "If the plan had been successful the effect on the children would have been this, would it not - they would have been awoken in their beds with their house on fire and their father coming in to rescue them."

The judge said that she was troubled by Philpott's attitude to women and pointed out that there had been violence in every one of his relationships.

She heard that Mairead had devoted her life to bringing up the children and that they were "happy children" despite their unusual living arrangements.

Her barrister, Sean Smith QC, told the court Mairead "is not a woman who has a heart of stone, her grief is overwhelming".

Mairead Philpott does not have a 'heart of stone'

He said Mairead had spent 12-and-a-half of her 32 years with Philpott and realised it was "utter folly" to stay with him but that she "would do whatever he said, whatever he wanted".

Mr Smith said that she "will be forever known as a child killer" and even when released from prison she would never be able to have children or be involved with children.

After the mitigation speeches for each defendant had finished there were obscene gestures made by relatives of Mairead Philpott towards Mick Philpott in the dock.

He responded by making hand gestures himself before being led away by a team of security guards ahead of sentencing at 3pm.

Temperatures inside the house reached 500C

Jurors at Nottingham Crown Court returned guilty verdicts on manslaughter charges for the pair and co-defendant Mosley, 46, on Tuesday after an eight-week trial.

Upon their conviction, Assistant Chief Constable Steve Cotterill, of Derbyshire Police, revealed how he suspected Philpott as he watched his reactions during a press conference.

He said that officers had been surprised when Philpott wanted to speak to the media five days after fire.

Mr Cotterill said his misgivings were betrayed in a single photograph, taken as he sat alongside Mick, and his wife Mairead.

He said: "In one particular photograph, what I saw there was a guy who was sat there pretending to cry and I've described it as a bit of a sham of a performance and I didn't believe that he was genuinely overcome by grief.

"I thought he was playing to the cameras."

Assistant Chief Constable Steve Cotterill's disbelief captured on camera

Philpott became known as Shameless Mick for a lifestyle, which saw him take charge of some £2,000 a month in benefits, and claim he needed a bigger council home in which to house his vast family.

His propensity for cashing in on the welfare state propelled him on to television screens in a documentary with Ann Widdecombe and on the Jeremy Kyle Show.

But the role he played in the devastating fire on May 11 that led to allegations he was "acting".

Brothers Jamie and Darren Butler, who live on the same road as the Philpotts, told Sky News how the Philpotts did nothing to help rescue their children and stood like "a couple of statues".

Jamie said: "You watch Coronation Street, EastEnders and Emmerdale all the time, and you can see people are acting, because they get paid to act. That's exactly what he was doing, he wasn't being paid for it, but he was acting. There was no emotion, he was motionless, there was nothing."

Even as Philpott went to see the bodies of the dead children at Derby Royal Hospital he attempted to keep up the act.

Mortuary manager Marie Smith described how Philpott had pretended to faint when he saw his children's bodies for the first time.

She said he also asked for alcohol and engaged in horseplay with a police liaison officer days after the tragedy while bemused staff looked on.

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SSE Fined £10.5m By Ofgem Over Mis-Selling

Energy provider SSE has been fined £10.5m by industry watchdog Ofgem for repeated mis-selling to householders.

The regulator said the proposed penalty is the largest it has made against an energy firm.

It relates to failures at "every stage" of the sales process for telephone, in-store and doorstep activities.

Ofgem said: "The level of fine reflects the seriousness and duration of breaches, the likely substantial harm that they have caused and the likely gain to SSE."

Ofgem found that a failure of SSE's management arrangements meant that insufficient attention was paid to ensuring compliance with obligations.

The watchdog said this enabled misleading and unsubstantiated statements to be made by sales agents to potential customers about savings.

SSE is one of Britain's "big six" energy suppliers and has admitted its selling procedures were below an adequate level.

On its website, SSE said: "We've been busy making lots of practical changes to make it simpler, fairer and easier for you to deal with us.

"We're building a better way to do business, and we believe the changes we are making will improve the energy industry for good."

Many consumers struggled to understand firms' complex tariff structures

The watchdog said the company's various selling techniques had brought the company into disrepute.

"Ofgem found failings at all stages of SSE's sales processes, from the opening lines on the doorstep, in-store or over the phone through to the confirmation process which follows a sale," the regulator said.

"In particular, SSE consistently failed, over a prolonged period of time, to conduct its sales activities in a way that would provide clear and accurate information on prices and potential savings to enable customers to make an informed decision about whether to switch suppliers."

Although SSE terminated doorstep sales in July 2011, the failures in telephone and in-store sales persisted, Ofgem said.

"Today's fine sends a clear message to suppliers that Ofgem will hold to account those companies which fail to treat consumers fairly.

"It is time for the energy industry to take note and get behind Ofgem's reforms to rebuild trust and make the market simpler, clearer and fairer for consumers."

Ofgem does not have legal power to require companies to award consumer compensation.

It has argued for powers of redress and said it was encouraged that the Government has backed its call over new powers.

The regulator said the when the Energy Bill powers come into force they will further strengthen Ofgem's ability to take more targeted action against companies that are found in breach of their licence.

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Man City's Tevez Fined For Driving Offences

Footballer Carlos Tevez has been fined and ordered to do 250 hours of community service after pleading guilty to driving while disqualified and without insurance.

The Manchester City striker admitted the offences in his native Spanish with the aid of an interpreter as he stood in the dock at Macclesfield Magistrates' Court.

Tevez, who earns £200,000 a week, received the community order for driving while disqualified, was banned for six months, and fined £60.

He was also fined £1,000 for driving without insurance and told to pay £85 in costs.

The maximum penalty for driving while disqualified is six months in prison.

Reporting from court, Sky's Becky Johnson said: "He (Tevez) carried out an interview today with a probation officer in which he said he was sorry and said he wanted to give something back to the community.

"His lawyer made it clear his client did recognise how serious the offences are and was unlikely to ever do anything like that again."

Tevez pictured celebrating a goal last November

Passing sentence, chair of the bench Elizabeth Depares told the defendant: "Mr Tevez, you must realise you are a role model to thousands, if not millions, of fans but nobody is above the law.

"You should not have been driving.

"We have heard that you are sorry and it is now up to you to ensure you will not be brought back to court again."

The court heard the Argentinian player has not yet got a UK driving licence, partly because he has struggled to pass the theory test which is conducted in English.

Tevez's guilty plea followed his arrest near his home in Alderley Edge, Cheshire, last month.

The 29-year-old player was stopped as he left a golf club in a Porsche Cayenne on March 7 after an anonymous tip-off to police.

In January, he was banned from driving for six months after admitting two counts of failing to provide information relating to incidents in which his Hummer vehicle was clocked speeding.

Tevez did not attend that hearing at Manchester Magistrates' Court.

He was represented by his solicitor who told the court the footballer failed to respond to documents because he did not recognise the word "constabulary".

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Windermere: Dead Mother And Daughter Named

Police have named a mother and daughter who died from suspected gas poisoning on a boat trip on Windermere.

Kelly Webster, 36, and her daughter Lauren Thornton, 10,  from Leyland in Lancashire, fell asleep after eating their lunch on board the boat during an Easter holiday trip.

They were regular visitors to the area along with Mrs Webster's partner, Matthew Eteson, who owned the boat, and had arrived at the lake on Easter Sunday.

The boat was moored at Bowness when the family suffered breathing problems

On Monday, the three took the boat out and moored at Bowness before going to get some lunch then returning to eat it and falling asleep.

Cumbria Police said that "all signs" indicated that carbon monoxide poisoning was responsible for the deaths and said they were looking at a potential fault with the boat's engine.

Paramedics tried to save the mother and daughter and they were air lifted to Royal Lancaster Infirmary, but they died in the hospital.

Emergency services at the scene (Pic: Josh Kynaston)

Mrs Webster's partner, Matthew Eteson, 39, who is the director of Preston Energi, a heating and plumbing company, was taken to hospital where he is continuing to receive treatment.

Becky Johnson, Sky's North of England Correspondent, said: "They are looking at a generator that had been added to the engine of the boat. That's what's being inspected at the moment.

"They are getting specialists in boat design to have a look because this is something that has been added recently to the craft. It could potentially be that that had a fault."

A number of floral tributes have been left outside Mrs Webster's Leyland home and messages have been posted on Facebook.

The family were airlifted to hospital (Pic: Josh Kynaston)

David Hampson posted: "Our thoughts are with the family and friends of Matt, Kelly and Lauren, what a tragedy, they had such happy plans for their future together.

"To think a £20.00 CO monitor would have saved their lives. I will buy one today."

Ross Bullough wrote: "God bless Kelly and Lauren, rest in peace such a shame. And Matt we are all hoping you get better soon."

The scene of the tragedy

Josh Kynaston, who witnessed the emergency response, said crews had spent some time trying to locate the boat on the jetty.

He said: "They were trying to find the problem boat. Once they had found it, all the medics were out, all the fire brigade, all the police and they were trying to get to them as soon as possible because they knew straight away what what up, that they knew there was a problem with some gas leakage."

Other eyewitnesses said they saw firefighters entering the boat wearing breathing masks.

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Di Canio Won't Talk Politics But Divides Fans

Sunderland's new manager Paolo Di Canio has refused to talk about politics as anger over his admitted fascist beliefs grows.

His first press conference came as the Durham Miners' Association said it was demanding the return of the Wearmouth Miners' Banner, which is on permanent display in the Stadium of Light.

General Secretary Dave Hopper said: "The appointment of Di Canio is a disgrace and a betrayal of all who fought and died in the fight against fascism."

He added: "I, like many thousands of miners have supported Sunderland from infancy and are passionate about football. But, there are principles which are much more important.

"Our banner represents the Durham miners' long struggle for the rights of the working class, rights which were annihilated by fascism in Germany, Italy, Spain and Chile."

The stadium was built on the site of Wearmouth Colliery, where Mr Hopper worked for 27 years.

Di Canio's arrival over the weekend was swiftly followed by the resignation of local MP David Miliband as club vice-chairman.

The 44-year-old former Swindon manager and West Ham striker admitted in a 2005 interview with an Italian news agency to being "a fascist, but not a racist".

Di Canio refused to talk the press about his political beliefs

In a statement on Monday he called talk about his political beliefs "stupid and ridiculous".

At a somewhat heated session on Tuesday Di Canio said: "I don't have to answer any more this question, there was a very good statement from the club, (with) very, very clear words that came out from me.

"I don't want to talk any more about politics for one reason because I'm not in the House of Parliament, I'm not a political person, I will talk about only football."

When he did talk about football, Di Canio insisted his energy, knowledge and experience would help lift Sunderland away from the relegation zone.

Di Canio said: "When I got the call, I felt fire in my belly. I would have swam to Sunderland to take the job."

Some fans were ready to judge him on how he improves the club's performance but a Facebook page called Sunderland Against Fascist Di Canio has already received more than 3,300 'likes'.

Fan Mick Clark said: "There's no place for fascism in football ... di Canio's appointment disgraces a great club."

But James Hughes said: "Di Canio isn't planning on gathering an army to suppress and cause harm to others and his interest in being here is managing a football team and fighting for survival ... survival from relegation."

On the website of supporters' magazine A Love Supreme, Rob Johnson wrote: "Words can hardly express how sickened and ashamed I am by the appointment of Paolo Di Canio as our new manager."

Richard Parker said: "For the first time in nearly 40 years, I find myself questioning whether I can continue to support our great club in the way I have done over the years."

But Terry Reilly from West Sussex urged fans to let their new manager get on with his role "of turning round a sinking ship and judge him on his ability to motivate the team and avoid relegation".

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Benefits: Osborne Defends Welfare Shake-Up

George Osborne is robustly defending the Government's controversial benefits shake-up - insisting Britain can no longer afford to reward people who do the "wrong thing".

Speaking at a supermarket distribution centre in Kent, the Chancellor condemned the old system as "fundamentally broken", and warned Labour that they were out of step with public opinion on the issue.

Mr Osborne insisted that nine out of 10 working households will be better off as a result of the welfare and tax changes.

He said people in Britain understood that the welfare system needed to change.

"In 2010 alone, payments to working age families cost £90bn. That means about one in every £6 of tax that working people like you pay was going on working age benefits. To put that into perspective - that's more than we spend on our schools."

He pledged to make sure people were better off in work than out, thereby making the system much "fairer". Changes, such as cutting housing benefit for social housing tenants deemed to have a spare bedroom, were simply asking people on welfare to take the same choices as working families, he said.

He said: "For too long, we've had a system where people who did the right thing - who get up in the morning and work hard - felt penalised for it, while people who did the wrong thing got rewarded for it.

"That's wrong ... This month we will make work pay.

"What this Government is trying to do is to put things right. We're trying to make the system fair on people like you, who get up, go to work, and expect your taxes to be spent wisely.

"And we're trying to restore hope in those communities who have been let down by generations of politicians by getting them back into work."

Wider welfare and tax changes coming into force this month will also see council tax benefit funding cut, and working-age benefits and tax credit rises pegged at 1% - well below inflation - for three years.

Disability living allowance (DLA) is being replaced by the personal independence payment (PIP), while trials are due to begin in four London boroughs of a #500-a-week cap on household benefits, and of the new Universal Credit system.

In his speech at the Morrisons depot, Mr Osborne dismissed "depressingly predictable outrage" about the reforms, claiming they would help the most vulnerable and "give people a ladder out of poverty".

He said: "Because defending every line item of welfare spending isn't credible in the current economic environment.

"Because defending benefits that trap people in poverty and penalise work is defending the indefensible.

"The benefit system is broken; it penalises those who try to do the right thing; and the British people badly want it fixed.

"We agree - and those who don't are on the wrong side of the British public."

Mr Osborne's speech came a day after Work and Pensions Secretary Iain Duncan Smith, the architect of the reforms, was facing a a growing backlash after suggesting that he could get by on £53 a week, rather than his current after-tax income of £1,600 a week.

In the wake of the comment in a radio interview, more than tens of thousands of people have signed a petition on the change.org website, calling for the minister to try surviving on that money for a year.

More follows...

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Teenager Dies After 'Shots Fired' In London

A 19-year-old man has died after he was found collapsed in the street in north London with gunshot wounds.

The teenager was pronounced dead after emergency services were called to Bounces Road, Edmonton at around 9.45pm on Monday.

Witness Alexandra Koohi said she heard shouting and then sometime later shots were fired.

She said: "I heard lots of shouting outside the kebab shop, then an hour later I was in my bedroom and I heard two shots.

"I looked out of my window and the guy was lying on the floor and there was blood everywhere."

She said he had been shot twice in the chest and that she and a neighbour ran to try to help him.

The 21-year-old, who is Hungarian, said: "It's a shocking incident, it's scary to think this kind of thing can happen in your neighbourhood."

She said she saw three men running away after the shooting.

The victim's family has been told.

Scotland Yard said formal identification and a post-mortem will take place in the coming days.

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Welfare Reforms 'Will Make Benefits Fairer'

The Government is beginning the biggest shake-up in the history of the Welfare State with the introduction of a raft of reforms which it says will make the benefits system "fairer".

Chancellor George Osborne and Work and Pensions Secretary Iain Duncan Smith have dismissed criticism that they say makes the shake-up sound like "the beginning of the end of the world".

From today, 660,000 social housing tenants with a spare room began to lose an average £14 a week in what critics have dubbed a "bedroom tax".

It is part of a package of welfare and tax changes coming into force this month which critics claim will hit poor families and the disabled particularly hard.

Changes to council tax benefit will see bills for an estimated 2.4 million households rise an average £138 a year, with two million paying for the first time, an anti-poverty group said.

The system has been handed to town halls to operate, but with a 10% funding cut.

On April 6, working-age benefits and tax credits will be cut in real terms with the first of three years of maximum 1% rises - well below the present rate of inflation.

On April 8, disability living allowance begins to be replaced by the personal independence payment (Pip), which charities say will remove support from many in real need.

And later in the month, trials begin in four London boroughs of a £500-a-week cap on any household's benefits and of the new universal credit system.

George Osborne says the benefits system will now be 'fairer' for all

Pilots for the flagship scheme have been scaled back amid reports - denied by welfare officials - that IT problems have derailed preparations for its roll-out from October.

Labour claims the impact of the measures and other coalition policies have left the average family almost £900 a year worse off.

A coalition of churches has said vulnerable people are paying a "disproportionate price" for the Government's austerity drive and attacked its whole approach.

Writing in The Daily Telegraph, Mr Osborne and Mr Duncan Smith said: "Our changes will ensure that the welfare state offers the right help to those who need it, and is fair to those who pay for it."

Ending what ministers call a "spare room subsidy" will address the "scandal" of a million people living in overcrowded conditions and millions more on waiting lists, they said.

The three-year, real-terms cut was a hard but "necessary" decision to save the taxpayer £2bn a year as part of austerity deficit-reduction measures, they wrote.

And raising the personal income tax allowance to £10,000 in two phases starting at the start of the financial year on Saturday was "the biggest tax cut in a generation".

"What we're doing this coming week is making welfare fairer, helping to create jobs, and making sure you can keep more of what you earn."

Conservative Party chairman Grant Shapps has faced scorn after using the fact that his own two sons shared a room in justifying the "common sense" spare room crackdown.

Mr Shapps has defended his plans for children to share bedrooms

Speaking to Sky News, Mr Shapps said: "It is wrong to leave people out in the cold with effectively no roof over their heads because the taxpayer is paying for rooms which aren't in use.

"It's just a common-sense reform which in the end will help house more people. People share rooms quite commonly - my boys share a room."

Sky's political correspondent Sophy Ridge said his comments provoked jibes and criticism from Labour MPs and others on Twitter.

"The problem is the debate over welfare has become so politically charged, emotional even, that some Labour MPs are saying it is not appropriate for Mr Shapps, who is a millionaire, to compare themselves with people on low paid jobs for instance," she said.

Labour said freedom of information responses showed local councils had sufficient one and two-bedroom properties to house only one in 20 of those families with spare rooms.

Responses from 37 authorities across Britain revealed 96,041 households faced losing benefit but there were only 3,688 smaller homes available.

Shadow work and pensions secretary Liam Byrne said: "These shocking new figures reveal the big lie behind this Government's cruel bedroom tax.

"They say it's not a tax but 96% of people have nowhere to move to. In the same week that millionaires get a huge tax cut, hundreds of thousands of vulnerable people will be hit by a vicious tax they can't escape.

"This wicked bedroom tax is going to rip neighbour from neighbour, force vulnerable people to food banks and loan sharks, and end up costing Britain more than it saves as tenants are forced to go homeless or move into the expensive private rented sector."

:: Changes to the way NHS budgets are controlled are also being introduced from April 1, with the controversial health reforms seeing responsibility for commissioning care transferred from primary care trusts to groups made up of doctors and other clinicians.

And the legal aid system is also being overhauled, with the number of people who qualify cut by 75% and areas including custody battles, divorce and employment law affected.

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Weather: Jet Stream Blamed For UK Cold Snap

As Britain leaves behind what looks to have been the coldest March for more than 50 years, forecasters are warning it will stay cold for another week at least.

Meteorologists are blaming the bad weather on the position of the jet stream, a narrow band of very strong winds which tends to move from west to east across the Atlantic, bringing our weather systems with it.

Sky News weather presenter Isobel Lang said: "The jet stream is currently displaced well to the south of its usual position across the north Atlantic and Europe, located across the Azores, Spain and the Mediterranean.

"So the UK will remain stuck in the cold air to the north and it's set to stay cold for at least another week.

"Daytime highs during this first week of April will remain well below average (9C to 11C for early April) and as the easterly wind strengthens again it will feel bitterly cold. Some snow is still likely, too."

The jet stream is a band of strong winds at around 30,000 feet

However, she said that next week temperatures will start to pick up by several degrees.

"It is still a way off yet in terms of detail but the trend is there for something a little warmer with highs around the average, or even a little above. This is no April fool..."

The position of a jet stream varies within the natural fluctuations of the environment. They are caused by the temperature difference between tropical air masses around the equator and and polar air masses.

Experts argue about why the jet stream is out of position, but it could be caused by a combination of the reduction in Arctic sea ice over the last few decades, climate change, solar activity and natural variability within the climate.

The Met Office says the average temperatures between March 1 and 26 were just 2.5C (36.5F), three degrees below the long-term average.

This would make it the coldest March since 1962 and also the fourth coldest in the UK since records began in 1910.

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David Miliband Quits Sunderland Over Di Canio

Sunderland's Hero Or Fascist Zero?

Updated: 12:49pm UK, Monday 01 April 2013

By Matt Teale, Sports Presenter

So, Paolo Di Canio, not Martin O'Neill, is the man to steer Sunderland to safety, according to the club's owner Ellis Short.

The timing of O'Neill's departure has baffled many, with his experienced head discarded in place of a manager whose biggest achievement to date is guiding Swindon Town to the League Two title last season.

To be fair to Mr Short, the recent stats under O'Neill don't look good: eight games without a win, one point above the relegation zone and only seven games to turn things around. Things, clearly, weren't working and time is something managers just aren't given any more - the cost of relegation is too high.

But the controversy over Di Canio's appointment goes far beyond his relative inexperience as a manager.

The club's vice-chairman, David Miliband MP, resigned his post almost as soon as the news came out in protest at the new manager's "past political statements".

Di Canio has self-confessed fascist sympathies, having been fined and banned for a game in 2005 by the Italian football authorities after making raised-arm salutes while playing for Lazio.

There was more controversy after describing fascist Italian leader Benito Mussolini as "basically misunderstood" in his autobiography.

But what, if anything, will all that matter to fans?

Not a lot, if former Sunderland player Darren Williams is to be believed.

He told Sky News Sunrise that if Di Canio can save Sunderland, the fans will see him as a hero, regardless of any views he holds.

His leadership style has been described by his former chief-executive at Swindon as "management by hand grenade".

Sunderland will certainly need to find some fire power if their Premier League status is to be maintained.

For Mr Short, who's been marshalling recent events from a beach, the appointment of Di Canio could either turn out to be a stroke of genius or one of the worst examples of preemptive panic button pressing in recent memory.

If it's the former, Di Canio's fascist sympathies, which, presumably, were present while he was at Swindon, may well be forgotten again. If it's the latter, Mr Short might consider staying on holiday in Hawaii.

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Guildford Station Murder Probe: Tributes Paid

Tributes have been paid to a 22-year-old man who died when he was hit by a train after a confrontation at a railway station.

Three men have been arrested on suspicion of murder after the victim, named locally as Ryan Harrison, suffered fatal injuries at Guildford Station, in Surrey, on Saturday night.

A short time earlier Mr Harrison, from Woking, Surrey, was with a friend when he became involved in an altercation with a number of other men.

Paramedics were called but Mr Harrison was pronounced dead at the scene.

His death is being treated as suspicious, British Transport Police said.

Friend Jake Lund wrote on Facebook: "Cant believe this has happened to such a nice person, rip Ryan".

Sarah Tuffs wrote on Twitter: "R.i.p Ryan harrison, you will be missed by so many, life is too short."

Amir Ahmed also wrote on Twitter: "RIP Ryan Harrison. Still in shock. Gone, but never forgotten."

Two 19-year-old men, from Guildford, were arrested at the scene while a third man, from Cranleigh, Surrey, handed himself into a Guildford police station later.

They all remain in custody.

Detective Chief Inspector Iain Miller, the senior investigating officer, said: "Our thoughts are very much with the man's family at this acutely difficult time for them.

"They're trying to come to terms with what has happened and at this stage, quite understandably, they have asked to be left alone to grieve."

The station was sealed off until the early hours of Sunday while forensics officers examined the scene.

Officers are hoping to recover footage of the incident from CCTV cameras, but they also want to hear from any witnesses at the station.

Anyone with information can call police on 101 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

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Plebgate: Mitchell's Scotland Yard Complaint

Ex-cabinet minister Andrew Mitchell has lodged a formal complaint against Scotland Yard over the apparent leaking of its report into the "Plebgate" affair.

The senior Tory MP has written to the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) accusing the Metropolitan Police of a continued campaign to "destroy" his career.

Mr Mitchell took the action after newspaper reports suggested a police file passed to the Crown Prosecution Service contained no evidence that officers lied about his behaviour.

He strongly denies calling officers "plebs" during an altercation over their refusal to allow him to ride his bike through the Downing Street gates last year.

And the politician - who quit as chief whip amid the storm over the incident - claims he is the victim of a conspiracy by officers to "toxify" the Tories and blacken his name.

In a letter to IPCC deputy chairman Deborah Glass, he wrote: "We are deeply dismayed that the Metropolitan Police appear to have leaked part of their Report prepared for the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) to certain members of the Press and spun it to the advantage of the Police officers involved.

"This was an Enquiry into a dishonest and illicit attempt to blacken my name and destroy my career. It would appear that this police enquiry continues precisely that process."

Keith Vaz, Labour chairman of the Commons home affairs committee, said the latest development showed it was wrong for Scotland Yard to lead the inquiry into its own officers and called for the whole investigation to be taken over by the IPCC.

Scotland Yard is trying to find out how the Sun and Daily Telegraph obtained information about the "Plebgate" row and if it came from police.

It is also looking at a police officer's claim to have witnessed the altercation and allegations by Mr Mitchell that police had lied in a log of the event.

Three officers from the Diplomatic Protection Group have so far been arrested as part of the investigation. All three remain suspended.

Some 30 detectives have taken statements from all 800 officers in the DPG, which is tasked with protecting government officials.

Papers related to the case were passed to prosecutors on Thursday, but the CPS said it was not "a full file of evidence" and that is expected more.

"We now await the conclusion of the police investigation before considering charges," it said in what was seen as a rebuke to the force.

A number of newspapers subsequently reported sources as saying the file did not contain any evidence to back Mr Mitchell's claim of a conspiracy by officers.

Mr Vaz said the committee had argued from the start that Met Police Commissioner Sir Bernard Hogan Howe was wrong to allow Scotland Yard to conduct the investigation.

Britain's most senior police officer promised a "ruthless" investigation into the alleged conspiracy "no matter where the truth takes us".

It is being supervised by the IPCC and the commissioner invited the Greater Manchester force to provide an external review.

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Mercury 'Took Diana To Gay Bar In Drag'

Queen frontman Freddie Mercury disguised Princess Diana as a male model and smuggled her into a gay bar during the 1980s, according to a comedienne's memoir.

Rocos reveals the incident in her memoir The Power Of Positive Drinking

Cleo Rocos, whose book The Power Of Positive Drinking is being serialised in the Sunday Times, recalls how she, Mercury and fellow comedian Kenny Everett dressed Diana in an army jacket, cap and sunglasses for a night out at the Royal Vauxhall Tavern, south London.

Rocos, who co-starred in Everett's TV show, said: "When we walked in... we felt she was obviously Princess Diana and would be discovered at any minute.

"But people just seemed to blank her. She sort of disappeared. But she loved it."

Rocos says she did not know whether Diana was propositioned in the bar in her guise, but adds: "She did look like a beautiful young man."

The presence of Mercury, Everett and Rocos diverted revellers' attention and Diana was able to order drinks undetected, Rocos says.

The Princess of Wales died in a car crash in Paris in 1997. Mercury died in 1991 of an Aids-related illness.

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Man Shot Dead While Making Pizza Delivery

A 26-year-old man has been shot dead outside a pizza takeaway shop in Belfast.

The victim is understood to have been hit twice during the gun attack at Kennedy Way in the west of the city on Saturday night.

At this stage police say the killing is not believed to be sectarian.

Officers said the man was rushed to hospital, but died a short time later.

Detectives have launched a murder investigation and the scene remained sealed off on Sunday.

Paul Maskey, Sinn Fein MP for West Belfast, condemned the perpetrators of the fatal shooting.

He said: "My thoughts are with the family of the young man murdered on Kennedy Way."

The victim is believed to have been making a delivery from Domino's Pizza at around 11pm when he was attacked.

A short time later, a car was found burnt out in the Andersonstown area, near the murder scene.

Mr Maskey said: "Those who carried out this shooting should be ashamed of themselves.

"People are shocked that this is the Easter holiday period and people were in good form and someone last night was willing to go out and take the life of another individual."

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Glencoe Avalanche: Search For Missing Skier

A rescue operation has resumed on Sunday near Glencoe Ski Centre following an avalanche, but searchers say there is little chance a missing skier has survived.

One off-piste skier is feared buried in the avalanche and mountain rescue teams have so far been unable to find him.

Emergency services were alerted to the avalanche close to the Glencoe Ski Centre just after 1pm on Saturday.

Staff from the ski centre helped mountain rescue teams in the search in an off-piste skiing area in the Etive Glades, Glencoe Mountain Rescue Team said.

RAF Lossiemouth and Lochaber Mountain Rescue Team were also involved.

Glencoe Mountain Resort posted on its Facebook page: "(We) regret to say that an experienced off-piste skier skiing out of the ski area was caught in a major avalanche this afternoon."

The avalanche is the second serious incident at Glencoe this year

Off-piste skiing, also referred to as "back country" skiing, involves the use of unofficial slopes which are not patrolled or maintained.

A forecast on the sportscotland Avalanche Information Service website on Saturday placed Glencoe at "considerable risk" of an avalanche.

"The snowpack is moderately to poorly bonded on many steep slopes," it said.

"Triggering is possible, even from low additional loads, particularly on the indicated steep slopes. In some cases medium-sized, in isolated cases large-sized, natural avalanches are possible."

Rescuers said the snow is up to 40 feet deep and has hampered search efforts and admitted it was unlikely the man could have survived.

John Grieve, leader of Glencoe Mountain Team, said the avalanche travelled around 1,000ft down the rocky face of the slope.

He said: "The avalanche has actually gone into a gully, and in some places the snow is about 40ft deep.

Some 30 people are involved in the search in an off-piste area of Glencoe

"It's not like a normal ski slope where it is mainly smooth and straight. There are a lot of rocks around and it is more dangerous."

Mark Fulton, 25, from Gourock, Inverclyde, who was skiing all day with his family on the slopes at the Glencoe Ski Centre, said he saw the rescue mission unfolding.

"I was up there from about 10am and at lunchtime we went in to get something to eat at the cafe and we saw an emergency helicopter hovering about," he said.

"It looked as though it was coming in to land near the bottom of the hill. When we were leaving later I saw police and mountain rescue vans all gathered as well.

"I didn't actually know there had been an avalanche until I was driving home and heard it on the radio.

"It's just not something you think about when you're going out skiing, you never think something like that will happen to you - it's like when you get on a plane, you don't think it's going to crash.

"I just hope the person is found safe and well."

Glencoe Ski area, also known as Glencoe Mountain or the White Corries ski centre, is the oldest ski area in Scotland.

In January, four people died while descending the 3,658ft Bidean Nam Bian near Glencoe. An avalanche struck without warning and swept them 1,000ft down the mountainside.

In the same month, 22-year-old Ben St Joseph, from Essex, died after falling 100 metres from Tower Ridge on Ben Nevis.

In February, three men survived falling 150 metres (450ft) in an avalanche in the Coire an t-Sneachda area of the Cairngorm mountain range.

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