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Tugendhat banned from driving for using phone at wheel
Security minister Tom Tugendhat has been banned from the roads for six months after pleading guilty to using his phone while driving. He was caught by police with his phone in his hand driving through central London in April.
Mr Tugendhat appeared for a sentencing hearing at Westminster Magistrates’ Court yesterday. Judge Jack McGarva said: “Using a
mobile phone in any way is a distraction. I would expect you to set a good example for the rest of us.”
The offence was sent to court for prosecution because Mr Tugendhat already had six penalty points on his licence. Using a mobile phone while driving can attract six penalty points and a disqualification can be imposed if a driver tots up 12 points within three years.
Axe killer jailed for life
A man has been jailed for life with a minimum term of 32 years after killing a mother-of-two with an axe. Andrew Burfield, 51, admitted to the murder of his ex-girlfriend Katie Kenyon, 33.
Burfield changed his plea to admit the murder on the third day of his trial at Preston Crown Court. His trial heard he killed Miss Kenyon on 22 April and buried her body in a grave that he had dug the day before her death in the Forest of Bowland in Lancashire.
Mr Justice Goose said Ms Kenyon was told by Burfield he would take her to therapy on 22 April, but instead he planned to kill her. He said: “It was a ferocious and cruel attack.”
Hancock paid £10,000 for cryptocurrency speech
Former health secretary Matt Hancock was paid £10,000 for appearing at a financial technology conference at which he discussed how the government should support cryptocurrencies.
Mr Hancock, who was stripped of the Tory whip for taking part in I’m a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here!, has been a vocal advocate of “fintech” in the UK, particularly digital currencies that use secure communications for transactions.
But the cryptocurrency sector is in crisis. Billions of dollars in value have been wiped from the market as FTX collapsed and Bitcoin – the world’s third-biggest exchange by trading volume – plummeted. There have been widespread calls for more regulation in the cryptocurrency market after the losses.
Super spruce selected as Westminster Christmas tree
A 43ft Christmas tree that will stand at the foot of Elizabeth Tower, home of Big Ben, has been felled and will start its 330mile journey south. The prime Sitka spruce was one of the 150 million trees growing in Kielder Forest, Northumberland, and was selected by Forestry England experts for its thick foliage and impressive dimensions.
Richard Cooper of Forestry England said: “We’ve put a lot of work into picking just the right specimen. But no matter how many years we do this it’s still a bit nerve-wracking watching the tree being felled. It’s vital we keep everything intact to preserve its film-star looks.”
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