Baby Foods Found To Lack Nutrients: Study

By James Matthews, Scotland Correspondent

Popular baby foods contain far fewer nutrients than meals prepared at home, according to a new study.

Jars of food made by Cow & Gate, Heinz and Ella's Kitchen, among others, have also been found to contain high levels of sugar.

Researchers from Glasgow University concluded that a child would receive half as much energy and protein from a "convenience" food than they would from an equivalent-sized home-made meal.

The research team wrote in the journal Archives Of Disease In Childhood: "The UK infant food market mainly supplies sweet, soft, spoonable foods targeted from age four months.

"Most products are ready-made spoonable foods that are no more energy-dense than formula milk and are, generally, much less nutrient-dense than home-made foods."

The study said weaning foods "would not serve the intended purpose" of giving a baby extra nutrients or a range of tastes and textures.

The researchers also discovered that some foods are being promoted for use at the age of four months, contrary to official guidance.

Professor Charlotte Wright, who wrote the report, told Sky News: "The irony about these weaning foods is that they are just giving more of the same.

Many baby foods are targeted from four months of age

"Mothers think they're going on to something bigger and different and more mature, but actually they're providing very similar nutrient content to milk - and before the age of six months that's all babies need."

The products analysed by the research team were manufactured by Heinz, Boots, Cow & Gate, Hipp Organic, Organix and Ella's Kitchen.

In a statement, Heinz told Sky News: "Generations of parents have trusted Heinz baby foods as safe and nourishing and which are specially prepared to meet babies' nutritional needs with recipes that provide the right tastes and textures."

A spokeswoman for Ella's Kitchen said: "In the United Kingdom, we support breast feeding for the optimal time of six months. However, it may not always be possible or appropriate.

"As the study acknowledges, commercial weaning food is created to complement the nutrition gained from baby's milk. Ella's Kitchen creates its products with this exact goal. Our products are 100% organic, Soil Association approved and made following European regulations."

Anna Rosier, managing director of Organix, told Sky News: "We support that breastfeeding to six months is the ideal form of first nutrition and ensure all of our stage 1 packaging contains the WHO guidelines.

"We are also aware that some parents decide to wean their little ones before then, so to support these parents we make it clear what foods could be suitable.

"All of our foods are complementary to breastfeeding, and we adhere to the regulations for complementary foods for babies. We do not make foods with the purpose to replace breast milk as the primary source of nutrition before six months.  

"We do not fortify our foods with vitamins and minerals, unless required to by EU food regulations, as the fortification of food is not permitted under organic rules."

The DoH recommends a gradual transition to solids starting with cereals, vegetables and fruits, before moving on to proteins.

It recommends babies still continue to receive breast milk or a pint of formula a day while they are being weaned, up to their first birthday.

A spokesperson for the British Specialist Nutrition Association, the body which represents baby food manufacturers, recommended that parents seek advice from a healthcare professional when thinking of starting weaning.

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Deputy Speaker Nigel Evans Faces New Claims

The Deputy Commons Speaker has been re-arrested on suspicion of indecently assaulting two further alleged victims.

Nigel Evans, 55, was arrested on Tuesday morning for the third time since May as he answered bail over the earlier allegations.

He is now being held for questioning at Preston police station on suspicion of indecent assault and sexual touching.

Mr Evans was previously arrested by Lancashire Police on suspicion of rape, sexual assault and three indecent assaults.

The Tory MP arrived at the police station in a silver Jaguar driven by his solicitor just before 9am, where he was met by detectives.

He smiled at members of the press gathered outside and said: "Thanks for coming."

A police spokesman said: "A 55-year-old man from Pendleton in Lancashire has today answered his bail following his arrest in May on suspicion of rape and sexual assault and in June on suspicion of three further offences of indecent assault.

"He has subsequently today been arrested on suspicion of indecent assault and sexual touching of two further victims.

"He will be interviewed about these new allegations at a police station in Lancashire during the course of the day.

"These new offences are alleged to have been committed in London between 2002 and 2009."

The initial claims of rape and sexual assault refer to alleged events in Pendleton between July 2009 and March 2013 and the second to alleged events in Blackpool and London from 2003-2011.

All of these allegations involve men in their 20s.

Mr Evans dismissed the original claims against him as "completely false" and said they had been made by two people he had "regarded as friends".

In June, he said: "I continue to refute all allegations."

The politician has stepped aside from his Speaker duties since his arrest, but has continued to work as MP for Ribble Valley.

He was one of three deputy speakers elected in a secret ballot of MPs in 2010. Later that year he came out as gay, saying he was "tired of living a lie"'.

Lancashire Police said: "We take all allegations of a sexual nature extremely seriously and understand how difficult it can be for victims to have the confidence to come forward.

"As a constabulary, we are committed to investigating sexual offences sensitively but robustly, recognising the impact that these types of crimes have on victims.

"We would encourage anyone who has experienced sexual abuse, or who has information about it, to have the confidence to report it to us knowing that we will take it seriously, deal with it sensitively and investigate it thoroughly."

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Ex-BBC Presenter Souter A 'Deviant Sex Abuser'

A former BBC radio presenter had a "deviant sexual obsession" with young boys, a court has heard.

Prosecutors say Michael Souter, who worked for BBC Norfolk for more than 10 years, used his celebrity to abuse society's most vulnerable.

The 60-year-old, of Loddon, Norfolk, denies 19 sex offences, including indecent assault, indecency with a child and serious sexual offences, against seven boys aged between 11 and 16. The allegations date to between 1979 and 1999.

Opening the case at Norwich Crown Court, prosecutor Andrew Shaw said Souter had also been involved in the scout movement and volunteered as youth mentor for the county's social services department.

"He worked in radio and television and was something of a local celebrity," he added.

"The significance of his work and his involvement with the scouts and social services, is that these three roles brought Mr Souter into regular contact with pliable young boys and very often pliable young boys who were among society's most vulnerable.

"We say Mr Souter is a deviant sexual abuser of young boys, particularly boys in uniform and those wearing shorts."

Souter presented a number of shows for BBC Radio Norfolk from its launch in 1980 until the 1990s. Originally from Scotland, he worked as a producer and presenter in both commercial and BBC radio since the mid-1970s.

Since 1989 he has worked as a freelance broadcaster and had run a media relations consultancy.

Mr Shaw said Souter had been spoken to by police in 1990 when another boy went to police accusing him of abuse.

One of the alleged victims in this case told that inquiry that he had not been abused and it was not until 2011 that he felt able to tell officers what had happened, the court heard.

Mr Shaw said mistakes may have been made by the authorities in the past, but added: "As we have seen in recent high profile cases, victims often only tell what has happened to them when they are ready to."

The court heard that on one occasion Souter had plied an alleged victim, who had a casual job at BBC Norfolk, with alcohol. The boy passed out and woke to find his trousers pulled down and Souter, who had not been drinking, molesting him, jurors were told.

He took boys on trips to burger restaurants and theme parks and used his links with Norwich City Football Club to invite them to watch matches at Carrow Road, the court heard.

Mr Shaw said: "As an indication of how he used his position, on one trip to Carrow Road the defendant was able to introduce one of his victims to Noel Edmonds."

After one of these matches it is alleged Souter invited one of the boys for a drive in his camper van before asking him to "tickle" him.

"This was a case of gently introducing a very young child to sexual activity - he was grooming him, preparing him for what was to come," the prosecutor said.

He is alleged to have abused this boy over the course of five years.

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NHS Trusts Given £250m For 'Tough' Winter

NHS trusts in England are being given £250m in Government funding to avoid a crisis in services this winter.

Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt unveiled a string of plans to ease the burden on hospitals, as he admitted the end of the year would be "tough".

The short-term funding boost, part of a £500m cash injection over two years, came as he called for better general care for the elderly.

Mr Hunt told Sky News he wanted to bring back named GPs for patients so that they receive a more personal service.

It is also hoped that reintroducing the practice will ease some of the pressure on hospitals, who are struggling to cope with rising demand.

Visits to A&E departments in England have risen by a third in the past decade - and one million a year since 2012, according to Government figures.

NHS 111 is being given £15m to fund extra staff

The over-65s only make up 17% of the total population but they occupy 68% of emergency beds in the NHS.

Mr Hunt claimed changes introduced by Labour in 2004, which abolished the idea of having a specific GP for every patient, were partly to blame for the surge.

"Evidence from the United States and other countries is that when you have a named GP you are less likely to need hospital care and we need to bring that back, particularly for our vulnerable, older people. We want to do that from next year," he said.

He admitted there would be a need for many more GPs to achieve the change, putting the initial figure at 2,000.

"We are looking actually at whether we need even more than that," he added.

Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt

Clare Gerada, chair of the Royal College of General Practitioners, insisted doctors were not neglecting their older patients.

She said Mr Hunt's comments would be "disheartening and morale-sapping" for hard-working GPs who are struggling with "ever-dwindling resources".

The extra health funding for this year will go on a raft of measures designed to avoid hospitals buckling under the strain.

They include: extra consultants on weekends; better community services; improvements to urgent care, district nurses and care at home; greater links with social care and better cooperation between the ambulance service and hospitals.

Some £15m will go to the beleaguered NHS 111 phone line, with more clinicians and standard call-handlers on duty in an attempt to avoid unnecessary A&E visits.

There will also be a national flu campaign, with all children aged two and three vaccinated for the first time to reduce its spread.

Hospitals eligible for a slice of the £250m in funding will have to vaccinate at least 75% of their staff to qualify for the cash.

The announcement came hours after new figures revealed only five consultants currently work overnight in A&E departments across England.

Data obtained by the Daily Mail also found 90% of trusts only have one consultant working in emergency care on weekends.

Shadow health secretary Andy Burnham, speaking in the Commons, claimed Mr Hunt had presided over A&E's worst 12 months for a decade.

He blamed social care cuts for a 66% rise in "very frail and frightened" elderly people being sped to hospitals in ambulances in the last two years.

"Patients and staff cannot go through another year in A&E like the one we have just had. You should cut the spin, get a grip or go."

Dr Chaand Nagpaul, chair of the BMA's GP committee, said ministers needed to "roll back the bureaucratic nightmare" to ease the burden on doctors.

And Dr Paul Flynn, chair of the BMA's consultant committee warned that a "significant, rather than a one-off, additional investment" in staff and resources was needed.

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Turkey: Mother Dead After British Family Shot

A gunman reportedly shot a British woman dead and injured her son and mother during a family holiday in Turkey.

The woman killed was named locally as Catherine Anne Bury, aged 56, from Swainby, North Yorkshire.

Also shot and now recovering in hospital were her son Alex, who is in his early 20s and who lived with her, and her mother Celia Bury, in her 80s from Nunthorpe, Middlesbrough.

A police officer at the family's holiday home

Vanessa Altin, a journalist in Turkey, said the family were shot while celebrating a birthday party at the villa in the small fishing village Dalyan, on Turkey's south coast.

The gardener is thought to have argued with the family, who reported him to Turkish police.

He was detained, but headed back to the villa on his release and opened fire with a pump-action shotgun.

Alex was reportedly shot in the leg, while his grandmother Celia was shot in the back. His mother is said to have been shot four times after attempting to hide from the gunman and died at the scene.

The family had reportedly been celebrating a birthday at the property

He is thought to have given himself up after the shooting and is due in court.

Stephen Garbutt, 72, who lives in the adjoining bungalow to the dead woman in Swainby, said: "I never ever heard a bad word, or a cross word or anything like that from any of them.

"How on earth they got into this situation I cannot imagine. I have never known Anne, for want of a better word, in trouble."

The Foreign Office confirmed in a statement: "We are aware of the death of a British national in Turkey on September 9.

"We are providing consular assistance to the family at this difficult time."

The statement added: "We can confirm the hospitalisation of two British nationals in Turkey on September 9."

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Murderers 'Strangled' Killer In Prison Cell

Two convicted murderers tied up and strangled a killer with a pair of tracksuit bottoms in his jail cell and then made a cup of hot chocolate, a court has heard.

Inmates Gary Smith and Lee Newell throttled fellow prisoner Subhan Anwar at HMP Long Lartin in Worcestershire on February 14 this year, it was claimed.

At their trial, prosecutor Peter Grieves-Smith said Anwar's body was found after Newell told a prison officer: "He's gone, he's with Allah."

One of the defendants is also alleged to have informed prison security staff that Anwar, whose ankles were bound with tape, had been taken hostage because he was bored.

Claiming CCTV and DNA evidence proved both defendants were involved in the killing on Delta Wing, the prosecutor alleged they followed Anwar into his cell shortly before 6pm.

The door of the cell was then closed, Mr Grieves-Smith said, and remained shut until prison officers gained access and found Anwar's body at about 8.20pm.

At about 6.40pm, jurors were told, a call was made from an intercom in the cell to the prison's security department.

Mr Grieves-Smith said: "The caller did not identify themself but what he did say was that they had taken a hostage.

"He said words to the effect that he was bored and it was something to do. He then said 'I'm not joking, I think he is dead'."

Prison staff did not initially know whether the caller was joking, the court heard, and did not seek to force entry to Anwar's cell, instead talking through the door to those inside.

At 7.40pm, the jury heard, a warder looked through an eye-hole in the cell door and saw Anwar, who was motionless, lying face down on his bed.

Both men, who were found in possession of property belonging to Anwar, were subsequently interviewed by police under caution and chose to make no comment.

Addressing the possible motives for the killing, Mr Grieves-Smith told the jury: "There is no eyewitness who can describe what happened in that cell.

"The case against the defendants depends upon drawing together various strands of evidence but the prosecution suggest you will be sure that both are guilty of murder."

Jurors were told the defendants were likely to "point the finger" at each other, and that Newell, 44, will claim Smith, 48, was solely responsible for killing Anwar.

The pair deny murdering Anwar. Newell also denies stealing a watch, prayer beads and a metal earring belonging to Anwar. Smith has admitted a charge of theft.

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Rapper Murder: Man Guilty Of Twister Stabbing

A teenager has been found guilty of stabbing to death an aspiring young rapper as three young children hid in the next room.

Thomas Brittain, a hip hop producer known as Twister, was found dead at his friend's house in Colchester in March.

The 26-year-old was attacked after two men broke into the property armed with a knife and a fake handgun, hoping to find drugs or cash.

Jurors at Chelmsford Crown Court found 18-year-old Jack Hummerstone, of no fixed address, guilty of murder and grievous bodily harm with intent.

Andre Vella, 19, from Kirby Cross, was cleared on both counts, although he was found guilty of aggravated burglary, a charge Hummerstone admitted.

Both men pleaded guilty to possession of an imitation firearm with intent to commit a criminal offence.

Detective Inspector Anne Cameron, of the Kent and Essex Serious Crime Directorate, said: "Tom was a well-respected musician who spent his last few months in fear of Hummerstone, resulting in him losing his flat, his possessions and ultimately his life.

"Hummerstone and Vella forced their way into a flat containing a young family, carrying a gun and a knife.

"They had no consideration of the impact their actions would have on such young children.

"The flat owner was ... stabbed on the hand and hit with the imitation gun. Tom was then repeatedly stabbed whilst he fought for his life. One of those wounds was fatal.

"This was a planned, callous, violent attack on a defenceless family and particularly Tom. His family have lost a much-loved brother and son, for which no justice will bring him back.

"My condolences go to the family and Tom's friends and I hope they are now able to grieve in peace."

Hummerstone and Vella will be sentenced later this month.

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Bank Consults On Scrapping Paper Money

The Bank of England has launched a consultation about replacing Britain's paper banknotes with new polymer varieties.

It would be the first time in the 300-year history of official UK banknotes that they would be made of a material other than paper.

The bank also intends to make the new banknotes around 15% smaller than the current versions.

The polymer £5 note would be smaller than the current one

"Polymer banknotes are cleaner, more secure and durable than paper notes," the bank's deputy governor Charlie Bean said.

"They are also cheaper and more environmentally friendly.

"However the Bank of England would print notes on polymer only if we were persuaded that the public would continue to have confidence in, and be comfortable with, our notes."

Mark Carney oversaw the introduction of polymer notes in his native Canada

The consultation itself will last until November and the decision on whether to introduce them will be made in December.

Polymer notes have been in use in Australia for 25 years, and were recently been introduced in Canada, under the governorship of Mark Carney.

The Bank of England said it had been researching polymer banknotes for three years, but the final decision to launch the consultation was made by Mr Carney, who is now Bank of England Governor.

Polymer notes would potentially be introduced for the new £5 note, which will feature Winston Churchill, and the new £10, which will feature Jane Austen, in 2016 and 2017 respectively.

Although the polymer notes cost around 50% more to produce than existing paper notes ("a few pence each" according to chief cashier Chris Salmon) they also last longer - between two-and-a-half and six times.

Current £5 notes have a life of around two years.

The bank said it hoped the new notes, which are harder to counterfeit, would reduce banknote forgery in the UK, which is at higher levels than many other countries.

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Le Vell Stripped Of Celebrity Status In Court

By Mike McCarthy, North Of England Correspondent

Who is Michael Turner? For the jury it's a question that has dominated all others in his sex abuse trial where he has now been found not guilty.

The prosecution urged jurors to forget the soap star who goes by the stage name Le Vell.

The judge said they should discount the familiar face known to millions of Coronation Street followers.

It sounded straight forward but psychologist Cary Cooper said that in general we believe, initially at least, an actor's on-screen persona.

"I think when we meet celebrities we are first I think influenced by our kind of stereotype of them, by the role that they're playing, by the image they project, by the image the media project of them," he said.

"But ultimately when we actually meet them we are computing in our brain different bits of information that may disconfirm our stereotypes, our positive or even negative feelings about them.

"So, as human beings we're taking this information in. We won't be influenced by a stereotype."

The camera flashes and media scrum that accompanied the actor each day of his trial seemed to belong more to the world of Michael Le Vell.

But once inside Manchester Crown Court he was stripped of his celebrity status and stood in the dock as plain Michael Turner.

Le Vell pictured outside court

Except he was not so plain. Even by his own admission the defendant struggled with a serious drink problem twice attending Alcoholics Anonymous.

His own barrister Alisdair Williamson QC accepted that his client was "a weak and stupid man".

The jury were told that Le Vell had cheated on his wife with a series of one-night stands and even had an affair as she was going through chemotherapy - but never a child abuser, the lawyer argued.

After being confronted by the alleged victim's mother in 2011, Michael Le Vell texted a message saying:  "Make sure she knows the magnitude of her lies. This is like a life-changing thing. It could cost me my job. It's not just a schoolyard story."

The chilling allegations were outlined in detail as the girl gave evidence in the witness box.

She said: "He put one of my favourite teddies over my mouth so that I could still breathe but couldn't say anything. He said he was getting rid of all the evil and bad inside me."

The court heard that she came forward after attending a seminar by life coach Ali Campbell on how to move forward in life and shed past "baggage".

By this time the girl was a teenager but she said that the actor had been abusing her since she was six years old.

The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) decided in 2011 not to proceed with the case but changed its mind just over a year later after a review.

In the intervening period a national debate promoted by the Jimmy Savile case, which was entirely unconnected to Michael Le Vell's proceedings, led to fundamental changes in the way prosecuting authorities dealt with alleged victims of child abuse.

Criminologist and child abuse expert Mark Williams-Thomas said: "Police have had a big involvement (in the general change of procedure) looking back at some of the past cases, reconsidering whether or not they took the right evidence in the first place.

"We have seen a complete shift in the approach to victims as well - giving victims more power."

After the CPS decision not to go ahead with Michael Le Vell's case his alleged victim came forward with more evidence.

It might have been enough for the CPS to overturn its original ruling but it was not enough to convince the jury.

Michael Le Vell is now free - and wants to return to the role for which he is best known - the flawed, the imperfect but ultimately innocent Kevin Webster.

Not so far removed it seems from Michael Turner - the man who plays the part.

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Le Vell Rape Trial: Corrie Star Not Guilty

Coronation Street actor Michael Le Vell has said he is "delighted" after being found not guilty of child sex abuse charges, including rape.

Mr Le Vell, 48, who was on trial under his real name Michael Turner, breathed out and said "thank you" as the jury's verdict was announced.

He had maintained his innocence throughout and was cleared of 12 child sex offences.

The actor held his head up as the male foreman began giving the verdicts to a hushed and packed courtroom after around five hours of deliberations.

His brother and sisters, who sat in the public gallery, were in tears as the verdicts were delivered. One man shouted "get in" when the last verdict was read out.

Surrounded by supporters outside court, Mr Le Vell said the verdict was a "big weight off everyone's shoulders".

He added: "I might go and have a drink now."

Asked when he would return to Coronation Street, Mr Le Vell replied: "I don't know, I might have a holiday first. I'll have to go and have a chat with my boss."

Mr Le Vell said the trial had been a 'traumatic time'

A Coronation Street spokeswoman said: "We are looking forward to meeting with Michael to discuss his return to the programme."

His accuser, who cannot be named, was not in court for the verdicts but she had earlier sobbed as she claimed Mr Le Vell - known to millions as the ITV show's Kevin Webster - raped her as she clutched a teddy bear.

The charges included five of rape.

The eight female and four male jurors were told they must decide if the alleged victim was telling the truth or set out to "quite literally destroy the life" of the accused.

During the eight day trial the "demons" in Mr Le Vell's private life were laid bare - his alcoholism and womanising while his wife battled breast cancer.

The court heard of his "dark secret" that he had enjoyed a string of one-night stands behind the back of his wife of 25 years, Janette Beverley.

And he had abandoned the family home to get drunk in the pub each night.

But while Le Vell might be described as a "weak, stupid and drunk man" and a "bad husband", he was not a child rapist, the jury was told.

It was a "strange case of child rape" without any DNA evidence or injuries to the alleged victim, who claimed she had been raped and abused while a young girl, his legal team said.

One of his supporters and close friend Nigel Pivaro, who played Terry Duckworth in Coronation Street, said: "He has suffered two years of hell and probably more also due to his high profile far more than most.

"It has been a long journey for him.

"Now the jury has spoken, he can pick up his career and his life."

Le Vell was initially arrested on September 30, 2011, but the Crown Prosecution Service decided not to proceed with the case.

After a review of the evidence following fresh allegations by the girl, Le Vell was re-arrested and charged in February 2013.

He first joined Coronation Street in 1983 and quickly endeared himself to fans, who have followed the trials and tribulations of Kevin, from his days as Brian Tilsley's apprentice mechanic through to his stormy marriage to Sally, played by Sally Dynevor.

He did not appear in any episodes of the soap during the legal proceedings.

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