Parry calls on Sinn
Fein to disown IRA
by Gary Skentelbery
PEACE campaigner Colin Parry has called upon Sinn Fein to disown the IRA as he voiced support for the McCartney sisters during their St Patrick’s Day visit to the States.
Speaking as a bereaved parent who lost his 12-year-old son following the IRA bombing of Warrington 12 years ago this month, Mr Parry said: “If Sinn Fein are truly democratic it is time for them to disown the IRA.
“As Republicians the McCartney sisters, to their credit, have shown immense bravery by taking their campaign to Sinn Fein, the IRA and across the Atlantic and I hope this acts as the final catalyst to force Sinn Fein to break their association with the IRA.
“If they don’t it could result in the complete meltdown of the peace process.
“I entirely support the actions of the McCartney sisters and encourage them to continue what they are doing.”
Robert McCartney, 33, was stabbed to death after a row in a Belfast bar on January 30.
His five sisters and fiancee, Bridgeen Hagans, have travelled to America as they continue to seek justice for his murder by members of the IRA.
Mr Parry said Sinn Fein could not continue to pretend to be a democratic party, while at the same time justifying a military wing which murdered people, robbed banks and offered to execute its own members by shooting them.
“It is my view that since the Good Friday agreement was signed, it is wrong for Sinn Fein to continue its close association with the provisional IRA, because they committed themselves to the peace process.
“While they both represent the Republican movement I can fully understand why the Unionists will refuse to deal with Sinn Fein at the political table.”
Mr Parry, who helped create the Warrington Peace Centre with his wife Wendy, recently returned from a visit to the States when he visited a number of Rotary Clubs after collecting an international peace award.
His son and three-year-old Johnathan Ball both died as a result of the IRA bomb attack on Warrington on March 20 1993 – an event seen by many as a major turning point in the peace process.
Two men convicted
of horrific killing
by court reporter
TWO men have been convicted in connection with the horrific death of a homeless man at Warrington.
After a two and-a-half week trial at Chester Crown Court a jury found Philip Hubbersty, 30, of Wilderspool Causeway, Warrington guilty of the murder of 39-year-old Malcolm Crompton.
They found Alan Warburton, 46, formerly of Bewsey, Warrington, guilty of the manslaughter of Mr Crompton.
A third man, Stephen Wood, 24, of no fixed address has pleaded guilty to murder and a woman, Lesley Murphy, 28, of Wilderspool Causeway, Warrington, has admitted assisting an offender.
All four are due to be sentenced today (Thursday).
The court was heard how Mr Crompton was beaten up after spending an evening drinking with the four defendants in May last year.
He was punched, kicked, hit over the head with a blunt instrument and stabbed more than 100 times before being placed in a wheelie bin and pushed through the streets of Warrington to Sankey Brook in the early hours of the morning.
At a secluded, waterside site, an attempt was made to set fire to him before he was pushed into the brook and left to drown.
Subsequent tests show he had died from drowning and the effects of his injuries.
After the jury returned its verdict, Det Insp Andy Moss, who led the inquiry, said: “What is difficult to comprehend is what was going through the minds of the people who did this to Malcolm.
“The local community will be relieved to know these convictions will remove these offenders from society.”
New move in battle
to tackle street yobs
by Lesley Wilkinson
THE police battle to tackle street disorder in Warrington gets a boost tomorrow (Friday) with the introduction of on-the-spot fines for offenders.
Warrington Police will be able to issue instant Fixed Penalty Notices to people causing disorder on the street, instead of having to wait until offenders can be taken to a police station.
Police have been issuing the notices since April last year as an alternative way of dealing with offenders. But the change means the punishment is more instant.
Cheshire’s Chief Constable, Mr Fahy, will take to the streets of the borough tomorrow to help promote the new penalty scheme, which is being piloted in Warrington.
Officers will initially patrol the outlying villages, such as Culcheth, where they are working hard to tackle youth disorder. They will move into the town centre later in the evening, as the pubs and clubs close.
Warrington’s Divisional Commander, Supt Julia Clayton said: “Issuing Fixed Penalty Notices in the street will ultimately speed up the process of dealing with those responsible for offences, freeing up officers’ time and enabling them to get back to patrolling straight away.” She said Fixed Penalty Notices of ?50 will be used to deal with offences such as drinking alcohol in “no alcohol” designated places, being drunk in the highway and for under 18s drinking in licensed premises.
Higher fines of ?80 will be issued for offences such as causing harassment, alarm, or distress, drunk and disorderly, under 18s buying alcohol and buying alcohol for someone under age.
Under the new rules, offenders will be arrested and a sergeant will decide if a Fixed Penalty Notice is appropriate. If so, they will be taken to a police vehicle, fingerprinted and swabbed for a DNA sample and issued with the fine. If the notice is not considered appropriate they will be taken to a police station and processed as normal.
Council could be “taken
for a ride” – warning
by staff reporter
PARISH councillors at Appleton have been warned they could be “taken for a ride” over the funding of Community Support Officers.
Police were strongly criticised by Coun Alaister Day for not being accountable over the CSOs.
He claimed there appeared to be no record of the hours the CSOs worked or what they were doing.
He told the council: “If we don’t watch out we will be taken for a ride.
“We have not got the full numbers of CSOs yet, we have not got the whole five.”
“We have no idea how many hours the CSOs work. We will get a bill and have no way of establishing where the figure comes from and how it is made-up.”
Clerk Peter Briggs confirmed there had been no written feedback from the police on what the officers’ had done, and no documentation of their work. He said there was a service level agreement that outlined what was to be provided.
Coun Day said: “I feel arrangements should be made for the police to provide a report on what problems they have had. We should know, for example, when the CSOs are off sick.”
Mr Briggs said parish councils had been invited to a police meeting to discuss the work of the CSOs in Warrington. He would try to get the information that was outlined in the service level agreement.
He said the four CSOs who covered the parishes in the south of Warrington started work on October 6, but the fifth had yet to be appointed.
Two CSOs had attended the meeting earlier and CSO Paul Birch complained of the difficulties of sorting out parking problems in Broomfields Road – caused by visitors to the leisure centre and school.
He said the CSOs had tried to get the power to issue parking tickets, but that this had not been agreed in Cheshire.
“It is unlikely we will get the power to book people for parking. We have tried to push for this as parking, particularly around the schools, seems to be the biggest issue. We don’t have this power, but we really need it.”
A Cheshire Police spokeswoman said: “CSOs play an integral part in Community Action Teams, together with police officers and Special Constables. Their contract specifies that they are deployed as part of the local Community Action Team a
nd fundamentally CSOs are expected to spend as much of their duty time as possible within their area.
“CSOs are only abstracted from their area in order to assist with the most serious of incidents. As part of their management, a quarterly performance report is provided that includes feedback from the parish council and the local community.”
Nursery outbuilding
wrecked by fire
by David Skentelbery
FIRE wrecked an outbuilding at a Warrington nursery – despite a two hour battle by fire crews.
The blaze was at Kenyon Nursery, in Kenyon Lane, Culcheth and involved a timber framed building about 30 metres by eight metres.
Three fire engines raced to the scene and 15 fire fighters were involved in the operation. One end of the building was severely damage as a quantity of plastic chairs and koya matting blazed.
A Fire Service spokesman said it was believed the blaze was caused by a spark from a nearby rubbish fire which was blown into the building due to a change in the wind.
In another incident, fire crews from Warrington were called to the M6 where a car had overturned, apparently after colliding with the central reservation. The occupant was injured but was not trapped and was taken to hospital.
MP’s welcome for
Brown’s budget
by John Hendon
WARRINGTON North MP Helen Jones was quick to welcome the measures in Chancelor Gordon Brown’s budget, which she described as ” good news for children, families and pensioners”.
The MP highlighted a number of areas which she was particularly pleased with including a measure to end the down rating of pensions and benefits for pensioners in hospital, a proposal she has long campaigned for.
She said: “The Budget is a major boost for pensioners. The ?200 to help with council tax along with the Winter Fuel Payment will mean an extra ?400 for every pensioner household – ?500 for those with someone aged over 80.
This along with the free bus travel and the measure to end the down rating of pensions and benefits for those in hospital is really good news.
“I am particularly pleased that pensioners entering hospital from April will continue to receive their full basic state pension and full entitlement to benefits no matter how long they stay in hospital for as it is something I have campaigned for over many years.
“The increase in threshold for stamp duty is very welcome as is the increase in Child Tax Credit for families and the measures to ensure every 16-18 year old has access to education and training.”
New plan for
phone mast
by Lesley Wilkinson
REVISED plans for a mobile phone mast on London Bridge, to replace a previously rejected plan, are still unacceptable according to Appleton Parish Council.
Members heard that the agents for mobile phone giant O2, has submitted revised details for the mast to move it to a more central spot on the bridge, adjacent to the wall.
The previous planning application was turned down by the borough council after massive local opposition. This had gone to appeal and the results were not yet known.
Clerk Peter Briggs said the agents wanted the initial views of the parish council, before submitting a further application. The company had said that at 12.5 metres, the mast was in keeping with the adjacent lamp column that was 10 metres high.
Coun Valerie Davies said: “There is a lovely view as you are coming down London Road, and we do not want this spoiling it.”
Members expressed concern about the health risk and unsightliness of the mast, and indicated they would still object.
