Man trying to use child ticket spat at Glasgow rail worker
A man has spat in the face of a rail worker after being challenged about travelling using a child ticket.
CCTV images of a man being sought in connection with the incident at Glasgow Central Station were released by British Transport Police (BTP) yesterday.
It is the latest of a series of such assaults on staff during the Covid pandemic and at least the fifth spitting attack over the last year, most of them in Glasgow.
Scotrail staff usually carry “spit kits” to collect saliva samples which can be used to trace suspects using DNA tests.
BTP said the incident happened at 1.30pm on Saturday November 14 last year.
A spokesperson said: “A man was challenged at the station’s ticket barriers by a member of rail staff for attempting to travel on a child’s ticket.
“The man was refused travel for having an invalid ticket before he spat in the face of the member of staff and ran out of the station.
“Officers believe the man in the CCTV images may have information which could help their investigation.” BTP said anyone recognising the man should text the force on 61016 or call 0800 405040, quoting reference 2000085354.
It said they could also call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
The day after the incident, BTP said a Scotrail driver was reported to have been spat on by a male who was part of a group of people at Inverkeithing Station in Fife.
The incident was one of a series of reports of anti-social behaviour reported by staff on the Fife Circle line that weekend which prompted BTP to increase patrols.
rules will allow children to resume sports during lockdown, Scotland’s national clinical director has announced.
At the daily coronavirus briefing, Jason Leitch said those aged 12 and over in Level 4 areas will now be able to take part in organised outdoor group activity of up to 15 people including two coaches, and those under 12 can resume outdoor non-contact sport.
Under 18s can also travel across local authority boundaries to attend a club.
He adds that the Sport Scotland website has been updated with the new regulations.
It came as health secretary Jeane Freeman described a study by Public Health Scotland into the effect on transmission caused by a Covid-19 vaccine as “very encouraging”.
The study, which looked at the rate of infection of coronavirus with healthcare workers both vaccinated and unvaccinew nated, indicated that vaccination offers some protection against transmission to household contacts.
It showed the rate of infection for those living with healthcare workers was 30 per cent lower when the worker has been vaccinated, mostly with a single dose.
This 30 per cent relative risk was an “underestimate of the 'true effect’ ” on transmission, the study said, due to the fact those living with healthcare workers can be infected by other people outside their household.
The research involved more than 300,000 people and ran between December and March. The study compared cases of Covid-19 and hospitalisations due to coronavirus in household members of both vaccinated and unvaccinated health care workers.
Where healthcare workers had received a second dose of the vaccine at least two weeks before, their household members had a rate of Covid-19 that was at least 54 per cent lower than household members where healthcare workers had not been vaccinated.
Dr Diane Stockton, PHS lead from the Covid-19 Vaccination Surveillance Programme, said: “The results from this study as part of our vaccine effectiveness work are very encouraging because it suggests that the vaccine helps prevent people from passing on the virus to others” – something that has been suspected, but hasn't previously been shown.
“Despite this good news, it is important to remember that infection prevention and control practices in healthcare settings remain of paramount importance, as do the mitigations to prevent spread in our daily lives. The risk of transmission did not go down to zero after the healthcare worker was vaccinated.”
Dr David Mcallister, from the University of Glasgow, said: “Our study has important implications for in forming vaccination strategies. The JCVI (Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation) in the United Kingdom recently commented on the lack of real-world evidenceevaluating the role of vaccination programme son transmission.
“We provide the first direct evidence that vaccinating individuals working in high-exposure settings reduces the risk to their close contacts – members of their households. Our work will also be of interest to modellers, as it can be used to inform their predictions about future rates of Covid-19 in the community.”
Ms Freeman said: “Today’s study adds to growing evidence that vaccination can also help reduce the transmission of the virus. "It’ s obviously very encouraging data indeed.”
Professor Leitch said: “The study itself is the beginnings of some really interesting data and it is important for people to realise that Scotland is leading the way on a lot of this research.
"It suggests that those in the homes of those vaccinated are not as at risk as those without a vaccinated individual. "That is one of the first studies in the world that suggests transmission is being reduced .”
At the briefing it was also announced that rough sleepers and people in emergency accommodation will be added to one of the Scottish Government’s vaccination priority groups.
The move, prompted by new advice issued by the JCVI, will see tens of thousands of Scots in insecure housing conditions join priority group six.
The same cohort also contains unpaid carers aged 16 to 64, alongside adults with eligible at-risk health conditions.
Ms Freeman said the Scottish Government “fully expected” to offer first doses of the coronavirus vaccine to the remaining priority groups by midapril, with increased supply of the vaccine allowing around 800,000 people to be vaccinated over the next two weeks.
Official figures show that 1,844,636 people have received their first dose of a coronavirus vaccine, up 18,836 from Thursday.
A further 149,409 have also received their second dose
Ms Freeman insisted young people will not be waiting for their first dose of the Covid-19 vaccine as Scotland prioritises the second jag for older Scots.
She said the political will to ensure all adult Scots, regardless of their age, received their vaccinations as quickly as possiblewould not go away as more of the population becomes protected from the virus.ms Freeman was asked whether second doses for older people would be prioritised over first doses to ensureno-onewaitsmorethan 12 weeks for their final jag.
Such a situation could see younger people’s first dose of the Covid-19 vaccine delayed to ensure the delivery of second doses.
Ms Freeman said: "As long as the supplies come forward to allow us to do both, we will do both.
"We have no reason to expect that we will not have the supplies needed to increase the numbers of people coming through for their second dose of the vaccine, whilst we also prioritise and vaccinate those on the JCVI group.”
A serving police officer was last night charged with the murder of Sarah Everard, whose death sparked off calls for action across the country including candlelight vigils organised to take place in Edinburgh this evening which are now being moved online following coronavirus fears.
Metropolitan Police constable Wayne Couzens was charged with kidnapping and killing the 33-year-old marketing executive, who went missing while walking home from a friend’s flat in south London on March 3.
He is due to appear at Westminster Magistrates’ Court today.
Rosemary Ainslie, head of special crime at the CPS, said: “Following a referral of evidence by the Metropolitan Police related to the death of Sarah Everard, the CPS has authorised the police to charge Wayne Couzens with murder and kidnapping.”
It comes after Scotland Yard confirmed yesterday that human remains found in an area of woodland in Ashford, Kent, two days earlier had been identified as Ms Everard.
Metropolitan Police Assistant Commissioner Nick Ephgrave said: “Clearly Sarah’s family have been updated with this most distressing news.
“I just want to pause for a moment and say that my thoughts and prayers, and those of the entire organisation, remain with her and with them at this awful time.”
Scotland Yard is facing an investigation by the police watchdog into its handling of separate allegations of indecent exposure against Couzens, who is in the Parliamentary and Diplomatic Protection Command.
He was alleged to have twice exposed himself at a south London fast food restaurant three days before Ms Everard went missing. The Independent Office for Police Conduct is to probe whether two officers “responded appropriately” in their investigation.
The watchdog is also assessing a referral relating to police actions after Ms Everard was reported missing, as well as another in relation to the then suspect being taken to hospital.
He was treated for a head injury sustained while alone in his cell on Thursday.
The Met said he received immediate first aid and was later discharged from hospital before being returned to the police station where he is being held.
A forensics team searched an area of land outside the back fence of the Couzens’ house in Deal, Kent, on Friday, while uniformed officers were posted at a derelict garage in Dover, which was run by his family.
Ms Everard is thought to havewalkedthroughclapham Common towards her house in Brixton – a journey which should have taken around 50 minutes.
Awomaninher30s,whowas arrested on Tuesday on suspicion of assisting an offender, has been released on bail to return to a police station on a date in mid-april, police said.
In the wake of 33-year-old Ms Everard’s murder, two vigils were organised to take place at 6pm to highlight the challenges women face every day to stay safe.
These vigils will now be held online over fears that the large gathering could cause a spike in coronavirus cases.
The events’ organiser, 20-year-old Chloe Whyte from Edinburgh, said: “Unfortunately it’s been really tough, we haven’t been able to get a live streamer secured, so instead we’re going to have all speakers pre-record their speeches and then we’ll stitch them together into a broadcast and we’ll begin that broadcast at 6pm on Saturday on the Facebook event, alongside all of our at-home vigil activities.”
The original plans involved one vigil taking place at Holyrood which would would have featured speeches, stories and poems from survivors of sexual assault, while a separate silent gathering was to take place at St Andrew Square at the same time.
Organisers are still exploring the possibility of one or two speakers going to Holyrood which could be filmed but say that absolutely no attendees should go.
Ms Whyte continued: “We urge everyone not to gather at Holyrood, we’ll have an organiser there to disperse anyone that does show up because I think that some people still might just try to go anyway.”
In a statement, organisers said: “Following the decision of the High Court in London and comments from the Scottish Cabinet Health Secretary, Jeane Freeman MSP, the organisers of the #Reclaimthesestreets Edinburgh vigils have decided to build upon events currently being hosted online and cancel our in-person gatherings.
"The tragic story of Sarah Everard and the national outpouring it has provoked has shone a light on how just how many people have been made to feel unsafe on our streets due to sexual harassment and violence.
"This is a moment of reflection but also one of action.”
Before it was confirmed that the vigils would take place online, Assistant Chief Constable Alan Speirs warned that they should find an “alternative way to show support”.
He urged people to follow coronavirus regulations and stay at home.
A Scottish woman is organising a vigil in Brussels today at the same time as the planned UK demonstrations.
Entrepreneur Rozina Spinnoy, who moved to Belgium almost 20 years ago, said she expects a small group to gather for an hour for a peaceful vigil, which would be in line with Belgian Covid rules, which allow groups of up to ten to gather outside.
SNP member admits sending a string of abuse tweets to MP Joanna Cherry
A drunk Scottish nationalist previously convicted of a knife offence has admitted sending abusive Tweets to SNP MP Joanna Cherry.
Grant Karte posted five disturbing online messages to the Edinburgh South West MP following a whiskyfuelled binge last month.
Karte, of Wallace Street, Bannockburn, sent threatening messages to Ms Cherry’s Twitter account including “You have 24 hours or I will f*** you like you f **** d Scotland”.
The 30-year-old also sent further menacing tweets including “You don't know me, or what I am capable of.” “tell me something”, “Or I will be your worst enemy” and “Don’t bulls**t me - I read between the lines”.
Following Karte’s guilty plea, Ms Cherry issued a statement in which she said the messages he sent were
Alexander Lawrie