Jimmy Savile 'Assaulted Nine-Year-Old Boy'

Another alleged victim of Jimmy Savile has claimed he was abused as a nine-year-old cub scout - one of the youngest people believed to have been targeted by the presenter.

Kevin Cook, 45, told The Sun that Savile touched him inappropriately during filming for a Jim'll Fix It TV show in 1976. 

Mr Cook claimed that after he was assaulted by Savile, he was warned to keep quiet.

He told the newspaper: "He (Savile) became really scary and said 'Don't you dare tell anyone. Don't even tell your mates. We know where you live' ... Nobody would believe you anyway - I'm King Jimmy'."

Mr Cook, who lives in Essex with his wife and children, added: "For ages I felt like it was my fault. I felt guilty.

"The stuff in the papers brought all the old feelings back. My wife knew something was wrong so in the end I told her."

Mr Cook is one of several alleged male victims of Savile, who died aged 84 last October, to have come forward.

Among them is a man who said he was abused at the age of 10 at the Haut de la Garenne children's home in Jersey.

Another man from Redcar said when he was nine he was fondled by Savile in the star's Rolls-Royce.

Metropolitan Police officers say the claims against the late TV presenter span six decades - between 1959 and 2006 - and they are pursuing 340 lines of enquiry.

Jimmy Savile died aged 84 last year

So far, 12 allegations of sexual offences have been officially recorded, but the police said there could be 60 victims.

Culture Secretary Maria Miller told the Commons that it was essential the police inquiry into the Savile allegations was not interrupted.

The BBC is launching two reviews - one into the decision by Newsnight editors not to broadcast an investigation into Savile, and a second into the culture and practices at the corporation during the time he worked at the BBC.

Ms Miller she was confident the corporation and the BBC Trust were taking the allegations seriously.

She also rejected calls for a wider, public inquiry into the claims at this stage.

One of the hospitals where Savile allegedly abused patients was Broadmoor, where Scotland Yard detectives are visiting to gather new evidence about the claims.

The Department of Health (DoH) is to investigate how he was appointed in 1988 to lead a "taskforce" overseeing a restructuring of the hospital's management.

Sky's Tom Parmenter, reporting from outside Broadmoor, said: "The big question is just how did Jimmy Savile seem to have the run of the place. He had his own living quarters, and his own keys to certain sections of the hospital."

The scandal surrounding the former Top Of The Pops presenter has mushroomed since ITV screened a documentary in which five women alleged they were abused by the celebrity.

Met Police detectives are in contact with 14 other forces as the number of allegations against the former DJ continues to rise.

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Cape Town Capsize: Briton Dies As Boat Sinks

A British man has been confirmed dead after a tour boat capsized in shark-infested waters in South Africa.

The dead man was named in media reports as 64-year-old Peter Hyett, from Vale of Glamorgan in South Wales, who was on a two-week holiday with his wife Suzanne and daughter Helen.

They survived the tragedy at Hout Bay near the city of Cape Town on Saturday afternoon.

"At the moment things are a bit raw. It's been such a shock," Mrs Hyett was quoted as saying shortly after identifying her husband's body.

The family had taken the trip on the Miroshga to go seal-watching off Duiker Island just hours before they were due to fly home.

The body of a second man, South African tour guide John Roberts, was also recovered from the water.

Thirty-six people were pulled from the sea by the crews of other tour boats and rescuers from the National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI).

"Several British nationals were also hospitalised following the incident, most of whom have now been released," a Foreign Office spokesman said.

The boat capsized off Cape Town

Three women, including two Britons, were trapped under the boat for several hours before they were rescued.

Lynette Hartmann and Bronwyn Armstrong were trapped in an air pocket for more than three-and-a-half hours while police divers gave them breathing apparatus, and emergency coaching in how to use it, so they could swim out from underneath the catamaran's hull

"After much coaching and encouragement and despite one woman initially refusing to shed her life-jacket they were both successfully brought out by the police divers to safety," the NSRI said in a statement.

"All three women were transported to hospital in critical conditions."

South African maritime officials have begun an investigation into what caused the boat to capsize on the Atlantic Ocean side of the Cape Peninsula.

The Miroshga is understood to be operated by Southern Ambition Marine Safaris which describes itself as a whale watching, dolphin and Seal Island tour operator.

On its website it describes the Miroshga as "a light, fast 11-metre dual-hull powerboat with capacity for 42 people offering luxury and comfort".

It adds: "The close-to-the-water ride appeals to those seeking the ultimate marine experience. It offers the best perspective of the wildlife that graces our coastline and panoramic views of the Cape Peninsula."

Duiker Island and nearby Seal Island are the main areas where seals mate off Cape Town, and as such support a large population of great white sharks.

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Severely Brain-Damaged Boy Gets £6m Payout

By Adele Robinson, Sky Reporter

A boy left severely brain-damaged after being starved of oxygen at birth has been granted a £6m NHS compensation package.

Eleven-year-old Joseph O'Reggio, from Wolverhampton, now suffers from cerebral palsy and has learning difficulties.

His parents, Rachel and Julian, have been fighting a court battle for over a decade following Joseph's birth at the New Cross Hospital in Wolverhampton in April 2001.

The Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust has apologised because it admitted Joseph should have been delivered an hour earlier.

It has not accepted liability for his injuries but said there was a breach of duty.

Mrs O'Reggio went into labour on April 13 after a healthy pregnancy, but the next morning Joseph's heart rate dropped.

The situation was monitored but it was not until just before 10pm that evening that specialist help was called for.

The trust has agreed to meet 80% of Joseph's claim. It means he will be paid a sum of money every year for the rest of his life.

Rachel and Julian O'Reggio pictured with Joseph

Mrs O'Reggio said it had been a long and difficult road but the family were now at the end.

"It was just soul destroying, so I try not to think of what should have been," she said.

"We have to accept Joseph as he is now and make the best of it. But it was devastating, and I wouldn't want anyone to go through what we went through. It's been a tough journey but we got there in the end."

The seven-figure settlement means the O'Reggio family will be able to move into a new home and make adaptations that will ensure Joseph can have access to the best facilities, including a sensory room and a hydrotherapy pool.

His father said the family take comfort from the fact Joseph will receive care for the rest of his life.

"It will be in a trust fund, and it should and will last for as long as he lives, whether it be 20, 40 or 50 years," he said.

"When we're past it there will be a team of people to make sure he's cared for, for the rest of his life. It's a huge relief."

Sara Burns, medical law expert at Irwin Mitchell who represented the O'Reggio family, said: "Rachel and Julian have waited patiently and with huge dignity for today's settlement, which will make such a big difference to Joe's life.

"This was a complicated case but the fact is the mistakes made during Joe's care should simply not have happened.

"Trusts must ensure thorough training of staff and that guidelines are in place for when to call for senior support, not just for midwives, but all areas of the NHS.

"This will reduce basic, preventable errors from happening that have devastating consequences for patients and their families."

The Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust said in a statement it hoped "the award of damages will secure Joseph's future and assist him in maximising his potential".

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Scottish Independence: Referendum Deal Signed

Scottish Independence Vote: Q&A

Updated: 9:45am UK, Monday 15 October 2012

The Scottish National Party has long campaigned for a vote on independence. Here is how the process will work.

What will the Scots be asked?

Voters will be asked a single Yes-No question about staying in or leaving the United Kingdom.

The SNP had wanted a second question on further devolution of powers in case they lost the main vote but this was firmly opposed by the Government.

First Minister Alex Salmond will decide the exact wording of the question. It is thought it could be: Do you agree that Scotland should be an independent country?

The Electoral Commission will oversee the process to make sure it is fair and impartial.

Who is allowed to take part?

Under the 2010 Draft Bill, all British and Commonwealth citizens living in Scotland can vote.

The rules are also expected to include 16 and 17-year-olds but only those already on the electoral register.

When will it happen?

Autumn 2014 after David Cameron agreed to it being delayed.

It has been suggested this may be because it is the anniversary of the Battle of Bannockburn or because Scotland is hosting the Commonwealth Games, which are likely to ramp up national sentiment.

How will it work?

A Referendum Bill will have to be passed in the Scottish Parliament, outlining the framework for the vote.

The For and Against campaign groups will then swing into action, before the Scots go to the polls on one single day.

What are Alex Salmond and David Cameron signing now?

The Prime Minister and First Minister are agreeing a technical measure known as a Section 30 which passes power from Westminster to Holyrood to legislate on the referendum.

This is necessary because constitutional matters are not devolved and therefore any referendum held without the involvement of the UK Government could face a legal challenge.

Who will campaign?

The SNP are leading the campaign for independence. They have a strong team who secured election victory in 2007 and then a majority in 2011.

The Tories, Labour and the Lib Dems are all against independence and will campaign for a No vote, although by its nature this team is less united.

How did a referendum come about?

Voters elected a Parliament with a majority who support giving the Scottish people the right to choose when the SNP and the Greens formed a Government.

What will happen if Scotland votes for independence?

The Scottish Government would start negotiations with the UK Government and the EU on splitting entirely from the UK, which could be long and involved. Scotland would probably initially keep the Pound but Mr Salmond is for joining the Euro at the right moment.

The UK Government has said it will respect the result of the referendum. Such a move would end the joint history which began with the Acts of Union in 1707.

What happens if they vote no?

It is unlikely that there would be a series of different referenda in the coming years - this is seen as a once-in-a-generation shot.

Defeat could have far-reaching consequences for the SNP. It would also restart the debate about devolving more powers to Scotland, for example on tax.

How do the numbers currently stack up?

Support for independence fluctuates between around a quarter and a third of adults in Scotland, meaning the SNP have quite a mountain to climb.

A YouGov poll earlier this year found 33% of Scots would choose independence but 57% would reject it.

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British Legion President Quits Over Arms Claims

A former Army officer has resigned as president of the Royal British Legion following allegations of helping firms lobby for arms deals.

Lieutenant General Sir John Kiszely said it would be inappropriate to remain president after it emerged that he - and several other - retired military officers were secretly filmed by the Sunday Time.

The deals were potentially worth millions of pounds, and broke Whitehall rules which prohibit former military personnel lobbying for contracts for two years.

The Sunday Times secretly filmed former senior Whitehall figures

The moratorium ensures they can become involved in any activity which might be helped by their previous role.

In his resignation letter Sir John stated: "I have made it clear that I have always kept my role of national president completely separate from any business interests, and never used any access gained as president to raise the subject of, or discuss, any business interests whatsoever, let alone to make representations on behalf of clients."

He added: "I have made it equally clear that I have never breached any Government rules related to lobbying.

"But I made exaggerated and foolish claims to the contrary, incompatible with my position in the legion."

Lord Dannatt allegedly spoke about ignoring the lobbying ban

Chris Simpkins, director general of the Royal British Legion, paid tribute to Sir John's work saying: "His example, commitment and dedication to our charitable work on behalf of the armed forces community have been a great help to many and an inspiration to all."

He further added: "[I] am satisfied that no breach of the legion's code of conduct has actually occurred."

Sir John was due to step aside from the role later in December but will now leave early.

The Sunday Times secretly filmed senior generals including the former head of the Army Lord Dannatt and former defence procurement chief Lieutenant General Richard Applegate.

The Ministry of Defence say it would be investigating whether any of the retired officers broke any rules.

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Newcastle Utd's Nile Ranger Guilty Of Assault

Newcastle United footballer Nile Ranger has been found guilty of two counts of assault against two police officers.

The 21-year-old was on a night out in Newcastle city centre with his cousin on August 27 last year when he had a confrontation with a group of white males.

Ranger punched two of them but was cleared of two counts of actual bodily harm after Newcastle Crown Court heard he had been the victim of racial taunts and his actions were in self-defence.

However, after he fled the scene, he pushed two police officers who tried to detain him, causing them minor injuries, leading to the assault charges.

He was given a 12-month conditional discharge and told to pay £750 to each officer.

The former England under-19s player spent the end of the 2011-12 season on loan to League One side Sheffield Wednesday after a period on loan to Barnsley earlier in the season.

The forward began his career with Southampton and joined the Magpies in 2008.

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9/11 Accused Fights To Reveal CIA Secrets

By Hannah Thomas-Peter, New York Correspondent

Lawyers at the pre-trial hearing of the alleged 9/11 mastermind will argue that he should be allowed to publicly reveal his experiences at the hands of the CIA.

Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and four other men being tried at a war crimes tribunal in America's Guantanamo Bay naval base are fighting a prosecution request to prevent them from describing what happened at a secret network of overseas prisons on the grounds of national security.

Government lawyers want a protective order requiring the court to use a 40-second delay during proceedings, with spectators sitting behind soundproof glass so officials can prevent them from hearing classified details of CIA rendition and detention.

Chief prosecutor for the military commissions Army Brigadier General Mark Martins said: "Our government's sources and methods are not an open book."

The hearings are being held in a military court at Guantanamo Bay

The defence are expected to argue their clients were subjected to enhanced interrogation methods such as waterboarding during their detention, and that such treatment forms a vital part of the case, a case they must be able to talk about publicly.

A number of media organisations and the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) are also challenging the order at the pre-trial hearing.

ACLU lawyer Hina Shasmi will be making the argument before the court on behalf of her organisation.

She said: "What we are challenging is the censorship of the defendant's testimony based on their personal knowledge of the government's torture and detention of them.

"It's a truly extraordinary and chilling proposal that the government is asking the court to accept."

Over the coming week the commission judge will decide on other issues, such as whether the men will be required to attend court, and what they can wear if they do.

This period of proceedings has been delayed a number of times due to religious holidays, internet outages, bad weather and rat infestations.

Now it is finally under way, it is expected to set the legal framework for the trial itself, due to start in the summer of 2013.

They face charges including terrorism, conspiracy, and 2,976 counts of murder - one for each known victim of the 9/11 attacks at the time of the charges.

If convicted they could get the death penalty.

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Missing Yachtswoman: Boat Found Off Cornwall

Rescue crews searching for a woman and her yacht have found the wreckage of a vessel off the Cornish coast.

Air search and sea search teams made the discovery, believed to be Ona Unwin's 31ft yacht Seagair, near Sennen Cove.

Devon and Cornwall Police said there is no evidence of a body on board the stricken vessel.

Ms Unwin, also known by her middle name of Mary, was the only person on the boat when she left Mousehole in Cornwall on Saturday evening.

Police were with Ms Unwin's family when the boat was found.

The 65-year-old had been due to arrive at Bideford in Devon on Sunday night, but relatives became worried when she failed to show up.

A Falmouth Coastguard spokesman said: "At around 12.30pm (on Monday), rescue crews discovered the wreckage of a vessel around Sennen Cove.

"It will be brought ashore later to see whether it can be identified."

A police spokesman said: "The wreckage of a vessel has been found, and it is believed to be the Seagair. However, investigations are ongoing."

Ms Unwin bought the 31ft vessel from Falmouth Yacht Brokers on Thursday.

Proprietor Jerry Hobkirk said: "The weather was treacherous this weekend, even for some of the more experienced sailors.

"I was amazed when I found out that she had set sail. If I had known, we would have stopped her.

"There were strong winds and rough seas on a piece of coast that has very few escape routes. If you get into difficulties there aren't very many ports to play your 'get out of jail' card with."

Falmouth Coastguard said neither Ms Unwin nor her yacht have been seen since the alarm was raised.

Three RNLI lifeboats from Penlee, Sennen Cove and St Ives were involved the search for the missing yacht.

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Girl Shot by Taliban Arrives In UK

A Pakistani schoolgirl who was shot by the Taliban for campaigning for the right to go to school has arrived in the UK.

Malala Yousafzai, 14, was flown to Birmingham airport and will be taken to the city's Queen Elizabeth Hospital, where she will receive specialist "prolonged care" to help her recover.

The teenager was shot on a bus in front of her friends last Tuesday in what Foreign Secretary William Hague described as a "barbaric attack".

Her life was saved by neurosurgeons in a Pakistani military hospital and she has since been in intensive care.

But doctors decided she needed "prolonged care" to help her recover from the physical and psychological effects of the attack.

Mr Hague said: "Malala's bravery in standing up for the right of all young girls in Pakistan to an education is an example to us all.

"Malala will now receive specialist medical care in an NHS hospital. Our thoughts remain with Malala and her family at this difficult time.

The shooting prompted global condemnation and vigils for Malala in Pakistan

"The public revulsion and condemnation of this cowardly attack shows that the people of Pakistan will not be beaten by terrorists.

"The UK stands shoulder to shoulder with Pakistan in its fight against terrorism."

Malala was shot with two classmates as they made their way home from school in Swat, in the north west of Pakistan.

She was attacked by the Taliban for promoting the education of girls and criticising the militant group.

The teenager has been transferred to the UK by an air ambulance arranged by the United Arab Emirates (UAE), the Pakistani army said.

The Queen Elizabeth Hospital has a trauma ward which treats British personnel wounded in Afghanistan.

In a statement, the Pakistani authorities said: "The panel of doctors recommended that Malala be shifted abroad to a UK centre which has the capability to provide integrated care to children who have sustained severe injury."

Malala was accompanied by an army intensive care specialist who provided continued care during the trip.

"All expenses including transportation of Malala by specially equipped air ambulance and treatment abroad will be borne by the government of Pakistan," the statement added.

Malala was moved from a hospital in Rawalpindi ahead of her journey

A Downing Street spokeswoman said all transport, migration, medical, accommodation and subsistence costs for Malala and her party were being footed by the Pakistani government.

The spokeswoman said: "We offered last Thursday our help to the government of Pakistan in caring for her because she does need particular specialist care."

Asked if she will be provided with guards at the hospital, the spokeswoman said: "You wouldn't expect me to talk about security matters in detail but certainly security has been taken into account."

Former prime minister Gordon Brown, who is UN Special Envoy for Global Education, said he would be visiting Pakistan next month to speak with President Asif Ali Zardari about Malala's cause of education for girls.

He said: "I know that Britain will offer Malala the best treatment possible and the British people will welcome her, hoping and praying for her recovery."

He added: "Today we are launching on www.educationenvoy.org a petition under the headline 'I am Malala' in support of what Malala fought for - that every girl has the chance to go to school.

"Today, sadly, 32 million girls are not going to school and it is time to fight harder for Malala's dream to come true."

The petition will be handed to Mr Zardari and UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon.

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House Fire: Mother And Four Children Dead

Police are investigating a suspected arson attack on a house in Essex that left four children and their mother dead.

The victims - named as Sabah Usmani and her sons Sohaib, 13, and Rayyan, six, and 11-year-old daughter Hira - all died in the blaze in Barn Mead, Harlow, in the early hours.

A nine-year-old boy, Muneeb, was rescued with his three-year-old sister Maheen. Both were taken to the town's Princess Alexandra Hospital in a critical condition but Muneeb died later.

Meheen remains critical and has been transferred to a specialist burns unit at the Broomfield hospital in Chelmsford.

The children's father, Dr Abdul Shakour, works at the Princess Alexandra Hospital where he is being treated for minor burns and smoke inhalation. His condition is described as stable.

He apparently escaped the fire by jumping from a first-floor window and is said by police to have "fought hard to save his family in appalling conditions"

Dr Shakour and his wife Sabah Usmani

Assistant Chief Constable Gary Beautridge said: "In the history of Essex Police, seldom has there been an incident of this gravity, in which five people,four of them children, have lost their lives.

"I would like to stress that the father of these children was in the property at the time and fought hard to save his family in appalling conditions."

Mr Beautridge said Dr Shakour was "in severe shock", adding:"Our work with Mr Shakour to establish some of the facts of this case will, inevitably, take time because of the emotional trauma he has suffered."

One neighbour told Sky News Dr Shakour was in his dressing gown, screaming "Get my family out" and had to be physically restrained from going inside the house.

Emergency services were called to Barn Mead at 1.48am. They found a burning car and an end-of-terrace house "engulfed" with flames coming out of the front and back doors.

Firefighters wearing breathing equipment battled "punishing" conditions inside before pulling out six people, Chief Fire Officer David Johnson, from Essex Fire and Rescue, told Sky News.

It is believed the fire started downstairs.

A torched car was found close to the burning house

Mr Johnson said: "The first crews that arrived were actually confronted initially by a car that was alight so thought they were dealing with a car fire, but almost immediately became aware that there was a very developed house fire almost adjacent to where the car fire was.

"It was a very, very hot, intense fire."

Because of the ferocity of the flames, detectives are investigating whether it was started with some kind of fuel. The house has been sealed off for forensic examination.

Although the blazing Ford car found nearby was not connected with the family, it is also being treated as arson. Mr Johnson said it was highly likely the two fires were related.

Next-door neighbour Sharon Pavey said: "I saw flames coming out of the back window and dialled 999 but they were already on their way.

"The flames and smoke were billowing out and we could tell it was very serious."

Police have cordoned off the scene

Parvez Hamid, 43, and Safia Anwar, 38, have known Dr Shakour and his wife since they moved to the area in 2011.

The family were originally from Karachi, Pakistan, but lived for more than a decade in Saudi Arabia before moving to Manchester and then Harlow.

Mrs Usmani was also a doctor, although she stayed at home and cared for the children.

Mrs Anwar said: "They were a wonderful family. The children were best friends with our own.

"We would seem them at mosque and at the school gates. They were just such a lovely family.

"I last saw Sabah on Friday. She seemed normal with no worries at all.

"I heard what happened from a friend who lived nearby. It has come as such a shock to us all and it is still sinking in. We are absolutely devastated."

Officers are asking for anyone with information to contact them

Mr Hamid said: "There children were so well behaved and I was always envious that mine weren't the same.

"They were hardworking parents who will be missed. The Asian community is very tight knit in this area and we are all in shock."

Workers at the Princess Alexandra Hospital have told Sky News Dr Shakour was a highly respected member of staff.

Melanie Walker, chief executive, said: "The hospital is deeply saddened by the tragic circumstances which have occurred."

Senior investigating officer Detective Superintendent Rob Vinson said: "At this time we are investigating to see whether this fire was started deliberately and need anyone with information to contact us.

"For the sake of the family, who are trying to come to terms with this tragic incident, I would ask for information from the public, especially in the Harlow area, to help us determine exactly what has happened."

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