Stalker sent to crown court for sentencing

A STALKER has been sent, in custody, for sentencing at the crown court.

Andrew William Dobson appeared for a preliminary hearing at Reading Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday, February 2.

There, he admitted stalking Eleanor Hughes in Newbury between November 27 last year and Monday, February 1 this year.

The court heard the 30-yearold, who lives at Elizabeth Avenue in Newbury, bombarded Ms Hughes with messages via email and social media applications such as Instagram and Facebook.

He also sent unwanted gifts to her place of work, the court was told.

Mr Dobson, who was legally represented at the hearing, was told that the matter was so serious that the magistrates considered their own powers of punishment were insufficient.

They therefore declined further jurisdiction and sent the case to Reading Crown Court for sentencing by a judge on a date to be fixed.

Mr Dobson was meanwhile denied bail and was remanded into custody.

PARLIAMENT has voted to tie its own hands on future trade deals.

In a vote on the Trade Bill, MPs voted

to drop an amendment that would have guaranteed them a vote on trade deals.

It is disgraceful that our MP, Laura Farris, was one of those who voted to drop this democratic procedure. The dangers of high-risk trade deals, such as one with the US or the Trans-Pacific Partnership, are real.

They could undermine food standards, raise medicine prices for the NHS, affect the way public services are run and impact workers’ rights.

And at a time when we are facing a climate emergency, they could also block climate action.

Usually in domestic law, Parliament would get a vote on issues like this. But trade deals, as international treaties, can effectively override this, which is why it was so important that Parliament also got a vote on the trade deals themselves. This vote was a dereliction of duty by most Conservative and DUP MPs and a power-grab by the Government.

STEPHANIE STEEVENSON Thatcham