Gazette THE ISLE OF WIGHT
THE ISLAND’S PEOPLE PAPER
Friday October 22, 2010 Issue 74
www.iwgazette.co.uk
30p
LORD-LIEUTENANT AWARDS PAGES 17 - 21
GEORGE BROWN AND THE £220K ELEVATOR BY JASON KAY THE CASH STRAPPED Isle of Wight Council has agreed to splash out a massive £220k to replace a lift at the Ventnor Botanic Gardens. The decision comes at a time when the council have already announced swingeing cuts to their budgets with the Island’s vulnerable particularly hard hit. There was uproar at a meeting at the Winter Gardens, that was attended by over 300 people, concerned at the massive outlay, Continued on page 5
PICK UP YOUR GAZETTE EVERY FORTNIGHT
2
NEWS
Contact the Gazette for News and Advertising: 01983 898340
www.iwgazette.co.uk
The Gazette, Friday, October 22, 2010
WOMAN SERIOUS AFTER CRASH INSHORE KEPT BUSY
THE SUMMER might be over, but it has still been a busy spell for the Ryde Inshore Lifeboat. They were called out four times in the space of a few days, three of the calls to boats that had been caught out by the notorious Ryde Sands. The latest call out came when a 32ft Sloop ran aground and was unable to get off due to the wind pinning her to the bank. Ryde Rescue One attended, helmed by Andy Cheetham, and quickly had the vessel and her crew safely on their way back to Gosport.
PRISONER TRIES TO HARM HIMSELF
THAMES VALLEY POLICE were called to Chieveley Service Station near Newbury on Friday after a man being transported to the IW Prison tried to harm himself inside a G4S van. The prisoner was in the van and Police officers went to the scene, just off the A34, at about 11.40am last Friday, after receiving reports that a man in his 40s was trying to harm himself inside the van. It is understood he was being taken, along with other prisoners, from HMP Bullingdon in Oxfordshire to the Parkhurst wing of HMP IW. Police spokeswoman, Rebecca Webber, said the man was resuscitated and taken to the Royal Berkshire Hospital in Reading to be treated for his injuries.
COWES FOOD SHOP OWNER IS FINED
THE OWNER of a food shop in Cowes has been ordered to pay almost £500 after pleading guilty to a charge under the Food Hygiene (England) Regulations 2006. Deborah Phillips, of Primefood in Cowes High Street appeared before Newport Magistrates Court on Monday after inspectors found she had failed to comply with a Hygiene Improvement Notice at the premises. The notice was issued on April 13 after a routine inspection which identified that the business was failing to implement its food safety management system. Although being served with the notice in April, a follow up visit on May 18 showed that while there were some improvements, there were problems remaining relating to displaying correct storage details of some cheeses, which had lead to items being displayed for sale past their ‘use by’ date. Amanda Gregory, Isle of Wight Council Environmental Health Manager said: “Customers expect high standards from food businesses and owners have a duty to ensure they follow food hygiene laws at all times. Sometimes the only option left is to prosecute, which is what happened in this particular case.” Phillips was fined £240, ordered to pay £240 costs and a £15 victim surcharge.
AN TWO-VEHICLE accident in Ryde left a woman in hospital with serious injuries. The accident happened on the Smallbrook Roundabout, Smallbrook Lane, Ryde. Emergency services rushed to the scene where one vehicle was on fire, it was reported and a woman was trapped.
A Peugeot car was in collision with a Ford Transit Van on the roundabout, trapping the driver in her car. Firefighters from Ryde and Newport fire stations were forced to cut off the roof to free the middle age woman. A Hampshire police spokesman said that a woman from the
Ryde area, suffered “severe injuries” and was taken to St Mary’s Hospital for treatment by ambulance. The road closure caused chaos as local diversions were set up whilst officers from the Shanklin Roads Policing unit (RPU) examined the scene. PC Martin
Norman from the RPU said: “I am appealing to anyone who may have witnessed the incident or seen either vehicle prior to the collision to contact me.” Anyone with any information can contact the investigating officer PC Norman at the Shanklin Road Policing Unit on 101.
‘TIME TO CHANGE’ PLEDGE
IN AN ATTEMPT to challenge mental health discrimination on the Isle of Wight, ‘Time to Change’ was in St Thomas’s Square encouraging visitors to their stall to make a pledge. It was World Mental Health Day on Sunday October 10 and the Roadshow on the Saturday (Oct 9) from 10am to 2pm called on Islanders to add their pledges to those that have been made by over 9,000 across the country. One in four people will experience mental health problems at some point in their lives. Pledges made ranged from people suffering with these issues promising to tell others about them to those with healthy mental health pledging to be more tolerant of those who may not. “We’re asking people to make a pledge today to say that they won’t discriminate against people with mental health issues,” said Rachel Mc Kernan, Health Promotions Specialist in IW Public Health. “Mental Health problems affect over 18,000 people on the Island. Sadly nine out of 10 people who experience mental health problems also experience stigma and discrimination that impact on their quality of life and can stop them from seeking help.” Rachel continued: “This
Roadshow will enable people to add their voices to those who are saying that enough is enough and it is time to end the taboos surrounding mental health. Mental health problems can happen to anyone and everyone will be touched by them in some way.” Rachel’s pledge was “to talk to people openly about my experience of mental health problems,” and was the first to be pinned to the side of the gazebo. People who have experienced problems with mental health had made the beautiful silk banners around the tent with artist Sharon George.
Also at the stall was Sandy Ciccognani who has helped facilitate various workshops with Rachel and has helped to make a film about the issues, and Sam Brooks, a Health Trainer with the Rural Community Council. Over the last year the Island’s NHS has been providing Mental Health First Aid Training to support the Time to Change campaign. This course equips people with the skills to recognise the symptoms of mental health problems in others and respond appropriately. It also gives them the knowledge to support people to access appropriate professional support and
develop self-help skills. Over 150 Islanders have now been trained and in November we will be launching Youth Mental Health First Aid specifically for people working with, supporting or living with young people aged 11-18 years. Health Improvement services is also planning a Time to Get Moving Event in November. This Treasure Hunt activity will encourage people to come together and get physically active for the benefit of their mental health. Anyone who would like to know more can call Rachel McKernan on 01983 538024 for more details.
The Gazette, Friday, October 22, 2010
Contact the Gazette for News and Advertising: 01983 898340
www.iwgazette.co.uk
THOUSANDS TAKEN IN DODGY CHEQUE SCAM
NEWS
3
TO READ MORE ISLAND NEWS ANDMADE FEATURES ROBBERS TO PAY THE BILL PICK UP YOUR COPY OF THE IW GAZETTE TODAY! ONLY 30P!
POLICE ARE seeking more information to help identify a man suspected of links with an alleged fraud on the Island. Enquiries are continuing into at least three recent reports from post offices across the Island. Investigating officer PC Jamie Dupey of the Isle of Wight’s Targeted Patrol Teams said: “It’s been alleged phone calls are made to post offices by men speaking with a Scottish accent. They claim to be working for a legitimate bank, and give details of bank accounts belonging to customers who have lost their cards. “The suspected fraudsters then say the affected
customer will be visiting the post office shortly with a cheque from the bank so they can collect emergency money. A contact phone number is provided by the fraudsters so their bogus identity appears genuine. “A majority of staff targeted at post offices on the Island have remained suspicious, and no money was handed over. However, on one occasion, a man was able to obtain £2,800 from a post office on the Island by using this scam.”Police are pursuing several lines of enquiry because this scam is believed to have affected post offices across the country. CCTV footage of a potential suspect has
been obtained from Pan Stores post office on the afternoon of Thursday, August 12. PC Jamie Dupey added: “I would like to thank everyone who has helped the police with the investigation so far. We are renewing our appeal for assistance with this CCTV image of a possible suspect, who someone may recognise.” Anyone with information about this man’s identity or the scam is asked to contact PC Dupey at Newport police station by phoning 101. Information can be given anonymously by phoning the independent Crimestoppers charity on 0800 555 111.
CHAOS ON TRAINS
THERE IS expected to be travel chaos because Island trains will not be running between Ryde Pierhead, Ryde Esplanade and Ryde St John’s on the weekend of October 30 and 31. The line will be closed because of essential track renewal work on the line. But because of vehicle restrictions on the Pierhead, Islandline cannot provide alternative transport between Ryde Esplanade and the pierhead. Passengers who cannot walk along the temporary walkwayshould contact the assisted travel helpline on 0800 52 82 100. The disruptions mean journey times will be extended and connections cannot be guaranteed, and cycles, prams and items of bulky luggage cannot be carried on rail replacement buses.
BY JASON KAY
Oliver Mazirel
Gary Ridgewell-Smith
TWO MEN convicted of carrying out an armed robbery in Cowes have been made the subject of compensation orders totalling almost £4,000 to try to ensure benefit is taken out of crime. Gary Ridgewell-Smith and Oliver Mazirel were sentenced to nine years in prison after a cross border police investigation led to their identification and arrest for armed robbery. The shop assistant at Benzie jewellers in Cowes heard a loud bang outside on July 3 last year, and went to investigate. She discovered two masked men had smashed the front window of the shop and were stealing 15 watches, totalling £200,000 in value. At a recent hearing held in Portsmouth Crown Court a judge ordered compensation payments from both men involved in the robbery. Financial investigators have been working on the case and provided evidence to show that Mazirel had financially benefited from his actions to the total of £221,118.50, and had £1,940.60 available. He was
DO YOU HAVE NEWS FOR US?
given compensation orders of £100 to pay to Ryde Library and £1,840.60 to Lloyds of London. Ridgewell-Smith was shown to have benefited from his criminal actions to the total of £212,955.00, with an available amount of £2,000. A compensation order of £2,000
was made to Lloyds of London. Detective Inspector Dave Brown, who leads the force’s Economic Crime Investigation Unit, said: “These orders have been secured using powers under the Proceeds of Crime Act. In the past the money criminals had gained from their
actions was difficult to trace and prove, but now we can ensure that, like in the case of Mazirel and Ridgewell-Smith, they are sentenced for their crimes and also have to literally pay for their actions. We are making every effort to take the benefit out of crime.”
Send your news and pictures to us at newsdesk@iwgazette.co.uk or call our 24hr News Hotline 01983 898349