An unlawful use of force contributed to the decision by the youngest person to die in custody in recent times to take his own life, an inquest jury has concluded.
Adam Rickwood (pictured), of Burnley, Lancashire, was just 14 when he was found hanging at Hassockfield Secure Training Centre, near Medomsley, County Durham, in 2004.
The teenager was an “extremely troubled and vulnerable young man” with a history of cannabis abuse when he was sent 150 miles from his home town on remand after he was charged with wounding another youth, the inquest in Easington, County Durham, was told.
On the day he died, Adam had rowed with a female member of staff in the association area and was lifted by four care officers and placed face-down in his room. (PA)
Cyber group arrested
Police arrested five people yesterday as part of an investigation into cyber attacks by the online group “Anonymous”, which last year assailed websites that were hostile to WikiLeaks.
In a series of dawn raids in the West Midlands, Northamptonshire, Hertfordshire, Surrey and London, three teenage boys and two adult men were arrested on suspicion of breaking the Computer Misuse Act 1990, as part of an international probe, the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) said.
“The five males aged 15, 16, 19, 20 and 26 are being held after a series of coordinated arrests at residential addresses,” a statement said. (PA)
RAF plane crash
An RAF plane is understood have come down in the sea off the west coast of Scotland.
Coastguards said they were alerted to an incident at Loch Ewe, near Gairloch, Wester Ross, at 2.45 p.m.
Two crew from RAF Lossiemouth, who are understood to have ejected from the Tornado jet before it came down, have been airlifted to Raigmore Hospital in Inverness.
A Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) tug, the Anglian Earl, also went to the site of the incident. (PA)
The naked chef
Gino D’Acampo has become the naked chef – after cooking for viewers in the raw.
This Morning hosts Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield did not know where to look as the kitchen guru prepared the food in the nude.
Gino was honouring a pledge to cook in the buff if the ITV1 show landed a prize at the National Television Awards.
Gino – known for his catchphrase fantastico – twitched his buttocks for the cameras as he began his session.
Programme bosses had ensured that the working surface was raised to prevent any unfortunate flashes! (PA)
Allende death probe
Chile is launching its first investigation into the death of socialist President Salvador Allende whose body was found in the presidential palace during a 1973 coup, officials said yesterday.
Until now Allende’s death, during the bloody US-backed coup that brought military dictator Augusto Pinochet to power on September 11, 1973, had officially been ruled a suicide.
“What has not been investigated, the courts will investigate,” said prosecutor Beatriz Pedrals, who has filed suit to probe 726 cases of alleged human rights abuse, including against Allende.
“This will finally establish what happened,” she said, adding she hoped all those responsible would be prosecuted and treated equally.
The probe is part of the investigation of hundreds of human rights complaints against Pinochet’s 1973-1990 military dictatorship.
Allende was a Marxist who came to power in 1970 when he won a narrow victory in Chilean elections. But his ascent to power was not welcomed by all. (AFP)
HIV drug craze
South Africa is in the grip of a dangerous new drug craze that could threaten the country’s battle against AIDS.
The street drug called “whoonga” is a cocktail that includes the antiretroviral (ARV) medication prescribed to people with HIV.
Demand for the substance has prompted a wave of thefts of AIDS drugs across the country.
Users crush the ARVs and smoke them with a mixture of rat poison, detergent and marijuana to get high.
The powder is said to be so addictive that users are hooked within days.
“If I don’t smoke it, I get pains and I can’t sleep until I get some more,” 31-year-old Jomo said, his eyes red and glazed after a few deep drags on a “joint”. (PA)