Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
35,000 toll of breakdowns
SOME 35,000 cars will breakdown as Britain gets back to school and work on Monday, a recovery company has said.
Green Flag predicted an 11% rise in callouts against the daily average that will mean 28,981 breakdowns and 6,373 flat batteries.
The breakdown firm urged drivers to check tyre pressures, lights and fluid levels before leaving.
It said: “Roads are likely to be busier. With cold weather it’s important to be vigilant and safe.” ONCE they were entrusted with the life of his boss Bernie Ecclestone, but today pilot Jorge Faria’s hands are locked in prison shackles.
His days of flying stars of sport came crashing down two years ago when he was charged with masterminding the kidnapping of the tycoon’s mum-in-law.
Now, after the Mirror gained access to Faria in his Brazilian jail, the ex-formula One supremo has spoken at length for the first time about how his family have been left scarred by the airman’s crimes.
He labelled his former pilot’s claim made to a judge that the billionaire’s wife, Fabiana Flosi, 41, was behind the kidnap as “complete rubbish”.
The helicopter captain was convicted in February of heading a gang of seven who in July 2016 demanded a £112million ransom for Aparecida Schunck, 69.
Her captors threatened to behead her, sending a video to the Ecclestones of a woman being decapitated.
In his first interview since being convicted, Faria, 55, said he is preparing to appeal his 14-year four-month sentence, alleging it was an inside job.
Father-of-three Ecclestone, 88, said Faria is “doing whatever he can to get out”, and he is “100 per cent confident in the work of the police”.
He said: “The police did a first-class job. There hadn’t been many kidnappings there for an awfully long time. I was very, very impressed. It gave me a lot of confidence in Brazil.
“You can’t blame the guy. He’s done everything he can to be freed, or to be moved to another prison.”
He added: “There’s no doubt in my mind she was kidnapped.”
Mr Ecclestone revealed his motherin-law still suffers flashbacks and has been left battling depression.
“She has to have people around all the time,” he said. “Something triggers her memory and all of a sudden she remembers everything.
“She comes to see us. She’s walking around, happy, then all of a sudden it hits her and she gets depressed.”
While sat in handcuffs in Itai prison, Faria claimed police framed him.
“There is no doubt in my mind who was behind it all. When you look at the evidence none of it adds up,” he said.
“I believe Fabiana and her family were behind it. The whole kidnapping, nor the evidence, has ever made any sense.
“This gang who were supposed to be ruthless men capable of killing acted more like genteel guys. There were no guns. She was driven to the chemist before being taken to the house to pick up a prescription. Her captors brought her whatever food she wanted, even Mcdonald’s. They kept her in a complex where people came and went. Why didn’t she scream?
“The neighbours say they saw her sweeping the floor. It’s hardly the actions of a dangerous gang.”
The kidnap gang proved she was alive by sending a voice recording.
In it, she said: “I’m OK, and well looked after.” The message, however, ended with her screaming: “Do something. Please pay them, or they will kill me.”
Nine days after being taken from her home in Jardim Santa Helena in Sao