Murder charge
Dec 12 2006 By The Journal
A man appeared in court yesterday charged with the murder of a young father-of-two.
Michael Ashley Hill, of Blackhill in Consett, was killed by a single stab wound at a house party on Coquet Road, Chopwell, on Saturday morning. The 23-year-old, who has a four-year-old son and a three-year-old daughter, was pronounced dead by paramedics who were called to the scene at 6.30am.
John Robert Foley, 20, of Briar Road, Highfield at Rowlands Gill in Gateshead, appeared before Gateshead Magistrates yesterday. Another 20-year-old man arrested on suspicion of murder has been released on police bail.
Driver cut free
A MOTORIST was cut from his car after crashing on the A19 yesterday.
The man was released by fire fighters after crashing on the southbound carriageway near the Easington turn-off in County Durham, at 6.35am. He treated at Hartlepool Hospital.
Sat-nav alert
CAR owners in Blyth Valley have been warned against thieves targeting satellite navigation systems.
The borough's Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnership says motorists should always remove the system when leaving their car, should not leave it in the glove compartment or boot and make sure they remove the windscreen suction pads.
Smoke danger
PEOPLE in the North-East are unaware of the multitude of poisonous chemicals found in cigarette smoke, according to a survey released by Cancer Research UK yesterday.
Smoke from cigarettes contains some 4,000 chemicals, 69 of which are known to cause cancer. But three quarters of people from the North-East surveyed were not able to name any, other than nicotine and tar.
The results of the survey were presented at the launch of Cancer Research UK's new anti-tobacco campaign, Smoke is Poison.
Poll positions
LIBERAL Democrats have chosen candidates to fight the General Election in Newcastle.
Stephen Psallidas will take on Nick Brown in Newcastle East, fellow city councillor Gareth Kane will challenge Jim Cousins in Newcastle Central, and Gateshead councillor Ron Beadle will stand in Doug Henderson's Newcastle North constituency.
Newcastle East and Newcastle North are both thought to have been made more winnable for the party through boundary changes.
