Police net Kingsdown drug dealer and Bristol drug smuggler

Posted on Aug 18, 2011

A 25-year-old man has been sentenced after an investigation into the importation of drugs by members of Avon and Somerset Constabulary’s Serious Crime Group.

Mandela Staples from Herne Hill, London, was sentenced to 22 months imprisonment at Bristol Crown Court.

Staples will serve 12 months for fraudulent evasion, four months for dangerous driving (to run consecutively) and six months (also to run consecutively) for breach of a suspended sentence in relation to a robbery.

During the investigation officers seized 3 kgs of compressed cannabis and other drug related paraphernalia.

Detective Constable Neil Wood said: "Offenders bringing drugs into our towns and cities will be dealt with robustly. Drugs cause harm not only to their users but to our local communities.

"We will continue to bring drug dealers and those who take part in associated criminality to justice."

 

A 22-year-old Bristol woman has been left counting the cost of her involvement with illegal drugs activity.

Maria Stavrou has been ordered to pay £935 at a confiscation hearing held at Bristol Crown Court today (Monday August 15).

On December 5 last year, police executed a Misuse of Drugs Act at a property in Armada Place, Kingsdown, where Maria Stavrou was living. A quantity of controlled drugs and cash were recovered and she was arrested and subsequently convicted on March 2 this year of two counts of possession with intent to supply a class A controlled drug (MDMA) and possession with intent to supply a class B controlled drug (mephedrone).

At Bristol Crown Court on April 28 she was jailed for 21 months.

Today at a confiscation hearing, she was found to have made £1995.04 from crime and ordered to pay all of her assets, the £935 recovered, when she was arrested.

She is required to pay this within one month or face a default sentence of a further 28 days imprisonment and will still be required to pay the outstanding sum at the end of that term.

Dr Kirstie Cogram, manager of Avon and Somerset Police’s Financial Investigation Unit, said: "This confiscation order shows that we will always seize assets from all levels of drug dealers.

"One-in-seven people knows someone living off the proceeds of crime – for more information on making criminals pay visit www.takingthecashoutofcrime.com."

Anyone with any information about drug dealing in their area is asked to contact police on 0845 456 7000 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

“This is not the right time for Police Commissioners and Police Cuts”, says Kerry McCarthy MP

Posted on Aug 15, 2011

Kerry McCarthy, MP for Bristol East, has called upon the Government to postpone its plans to introduce Police Commissioners and to reconsider the stringent and deep budget cuts it has imposed on Police Forces throughout the Country.

Estimates suggest Elected Police and Crime Commissioners will cost £100 million – equivalent to 600 full time police officers – at a time when the Government is imposing a 20% on Avon and Somerset Police. Nationally over 12,000 police and 16,000 support staff are going to be lost because of the Government’s cuts. This includes around 2,000 of the most experienced officers who will be forced to retire.

In light of increasing public disorder and forthcoming Olympics, which will require additional police resources, Kerry has called upon the Government to abandon its expensive plans to introduce Police Commissioners and to reconsider its deep budget cuts that will result in a reduction in Police officers. 

Kerry said: ‘We have all been appalled by the recent riots. The Police are facing significant challenges and it is vital that they have the resources they need to keep our communities safe. The Government’s plan to introduce expensive Police Commissioners, when it is imposing 20% cuts on Police forces, like Avon and Somerset, is totally unacceptable.

Rightly, the Chair of Avon and Somerset Police Authority has publicly said that the introduction of commissioners could cause instability and disruption to policing. I share his reservations and I am utterly opposed to the introduction of Police Commissioners, which estimates suggest will cost the equivalent of 600 full time Police officers. This is an irresponsible policy that disregards the expertise that experienced and senior Police Officers have in policing our communities. As we overcome the recent disorder, it is clear that the Government should abandon the introduction of Police Commissioners and reconsider the deep cuts it is imposing on police forces throughout the country.

Our communities want more Police Officers on our streets, and not another expensive gimmick, that could have serious consequences upon the effectiveness of policing in our communities.” 

Kerry McCarthy MP teams up with Charity Commission to give safer giving advice for Ramadan

Posted on Aug 15, 2011

The holy month of Ramadan is a time when many community organisations and mosques benefit from the generosity of Muslim people. Many charities are also raising desperately-needed funds to help the people affected by the famine in East Africa at this time.

The MP for Bristol East, Kerry McCarthy, and the Charity Commission, the independent regulator of Charities in England and Wales, together are encouraging people who want to give to charity to check if the charity they are donating to is registered with the Charity Commission, and to follow the Commission’s safer giving advice. The Charity Commission offers safer giving advice around all major fundraising drives and emergency appeals.
 
All registered charities are listed on the online register of charities on the Charity Commission’s website: http://www.charity-commission.gov.uk/.

Donors can check the name or number of the charity against the register to see if an organisation is registered and check its number and details before giving. The Commission’s safer giving advice for donors covers a variety of fundraising methods including giving online, giving in response to TV appeals, donations of goods, particularly clothing and giving cash to public collections.

Kerry said: “Throughout Ramadan, the Muslim community gives generously to local community projects and charities, which are trying to make a difference in society and the wider world. At this time when East Africa desperately needs humanitarian aid, it is vital that such generosity and good will goes to genuine charities. I would therefore encourage all donors to check whether the charity they are giving to is registered with the charity commission and I wish Bristol’s Muslim community Ramadan Mubaarak”

Maulana Shahid Raza OBE, Chairman of the Mosques & Imams National Advisory Board (MINAB) said:
“Many Muslims will be giving very generously during the holy month of Ramadan. There are many charities that will be fundraising at the moment, particularly for the people affected by the East Africa crisis. By donating to charities registered with the Charity Commission, donors can have additional confidence that their donation will be used properly. Registered charities also benefit from the guidance and advice provided by the Commission. I would like to wish everyone Ramadan Mubaarak.”

Sam Younger, Chief Executive of the Charity Commission said:
 ”We know that charitable giving is a very important part of Ramadan, and that thousands of people give generously to good causes to help those who are less fortunate, whether in the UK or overseas. Our online register of charities makes it easy for people to check whether an organisation is a registered charity before giving. I wish everyone Ramadan Mubaarak.”

The Charity Commission is also urging any organisations which are charitable and are required to register to do so online on the Charity Commission’s website. The Commission has produced some short adverts in English, Urdu and Bengali publicising the benefits of registering as a charity. The adverts can be found via the YouTube links below.

The Commission’s safer giving advice covers the following:

To donate online to a particular charity, visit the charity’s website – check that you have the right web address. You can find the charity’s website address on their entry on the Charity Commission’s register of charities.

Be very careful when responding to emails or clicking links within them to ensure that they are genuine. Look out for spelling mistakes or other signs that the email is not genuine. If you have any concerns about the legitimacy of a request for donations that appears to come from a charity, don’t hesitate to contact that charity directly. 

Look out for registered charity numbers in adverts – it is a legal requirement for registered charities with an income above £10,000 a year to state it is a registered charity when fundraising on a range of documents, including websites, advertisements and other documents such as receipts.

If you are in any doubt about a charity collector, collection bag or fundraising materials, check the charity’s name and registration number on the public register of charities on the Commission’s website.

Some charities, particularly during Ramadan, fundraise through television and radio appeals. Ofcom rules say charity appeals are allowed in programming only if they are broadcast free of charge, although charities can pay for fundraising adverts. You can find out more about Ofcom’s rules for charity appeals here: http://consumers.ofcom.org.uk/2011/08/charity-appeal-rules

If you receive collection bags or fundraising materials from non-charitable organisations claiming to be charitable, and/or using a false registration number, you should contact the police, your local trading standards office, the Advertising Standards Agency and your local council.

Always check whether a collector is wearing a proper ID badge.

Check whether a collector has authority to collect. A permit or license is usually required if raising money in a public place. Collections in private places like train stations and supermarkets need the owner’s or manager’s permission. Collections in pubs need either a license or an exemption.

Check that the collecting tin has a seal and that it is not damaged.

Ask the collector how much of your donation goes directly to the charity. There’s no fixed rule about what percentage should be given to charity, but we encourage people to ask what proportion of gross profit goes to the charity. This allows you to make an informed choice before you give.

Ask the collector for more information about what donations will be used for – a genuine charity will understand that you may wish to know more and should be happy to answer questions.

If you receive a phone call purporting to be from or on behalf of a charity asking for money, don’t be afraid to ask questions. Charities or those fundraising on their behalf should be able to provide a name and contact number for the charity itself so you can check it is a genuine call.

If in any doubt, send your donation directly to the charity.

It is also good practice for charities to tell you how your money has been used after you have given through feedback via emails, newsletters or other communications.

If you are concerned that you may have been targeted by a fundraising scam, you should contact the police. You should also contact the Charity Commission via its website.

Bristol Shopkeeper to pay £7,000 for selling alcohol to minors

Posted on Aug 15, 2011

A shopkeeper of a convenience store in Whitehall, today (10 August) pleaded guilty to three offences of unlawfully selling alcohol, knowingly allowing the sale of alcohol to a child and failing to request proof of age of a person apparently under 18 years of age contrary to the Licensing Act 2003. He was fined a total of £6,000 with costs of £823 and ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £15.

Following complaints received from the local community about the premises, Bristol City Council’s Trading Standards Service launched an investigation. Two test purchase operations were carried out using underage volunteers as part of work designed to clamp down on illegal sales of alcohol to minors The volunteers aged 14 and 15 were sold alcohol on two separate occasions a few weeks apart by the store.

Councillor Guy Poultney, Cabinet Member for Neighbourhoods, said: “Selling alcohol to children is not only a serious offence but also has a serious impact on their health and well being and the communities in which they live. We want all retailers to take note that Bristol City Council will take every action to stop it.”  “The Council’s Trading Standards and Licensing Services will continue to carry out exercises like this until shopkeepers get the message that it is their responsibility to ensure they do not sell alcohol to under 18s.”

To report a shopkeeper selling alcohol or cigarettes to underage customers call the charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or via www.crimestoppers-uk.org. They will never ask for a name or trace a call.

Legal proceedings are still pending against the premises licence holder.

Bristol MP recruits young Bristol men to the stem cell register

Posted on Aug 3, 2011

Local MP, Kerry McCarthy is inviting young Bristol men to fill the gap on the bone marrow register and donate blood stem cells to help save the lives of cancer victims.

The Bristol MPhas joined other politicians in pledging to recruit at least ten men each between the ages to 18 and 30 to join the Anthony Nolan stem cell register.

Anthony Nolan is a pioneering charity that saves the lives of people with blood cancer. They provide two potentially lifesaving transplants every day, but for every patient they can help, there is another for whom, sadly, no match can be found. Every day, they use their register to match remarkable donors willing to donate their blood stem cells to people who desperately need potentially lifesaving transplants. 

However, there is a shortage of young male donors on the bone marrow register. Men aged 18-30 account for 80% of donations, but make up just 19% of the register. Presently, Anthony Nolan can only find a matching donor for half the people who come to them in desperate need of a lifesaving transplant so this summer they are aiming to recruit 10,000 more young men to the register.

On average, 65 people a day in the UK are diagnosed with a blood cancer – that’s one person every 23 minutes. There are nearly 1,600 people in the UK in need of a bone marrow transplant.  This is usually their last chance of survival.

Kerry will be writing to youth groups, colleges and other community groups as well as raising this with young people she meets around the constituency over the summer.

Anthony Nolan has provided every MP with a unique code to give to constituents so the charity can track how many young men MPs have recruited. Young men interested in the chance to save someone’s life should go to mp.anthonynolan.org and enter the code KerMcCBri

Kerry said: “We need to encourage more people, especially young men, to become registered stem cell donors. They can really help save someone’s life and is a great way to give something back to society. The Antony Nolan charity is aiming to recruit ten thousand new donors before Christmas. Registering is quick and easy, you can register online and all you need to do after that is provide a sample of your saliva. I would strongly encouraging anyone looking to make a difference this summer to register as a donor.”

Drop in sessions at Bristol’s M Shed

Posted on Aug 2, 2011

Local people with Bristol memories and those with special Bristol objects, artefacts and photographs are invited to ‘My Bristol: show and tell’ sessions at M Shed this summer.

On Wednesday August 10 and 17 visitors can help staff from M Shed’s archives to identify people and places in some of the hundreds of photographs currently held in store. And visitors can also bring along their own objects and photos that tell their own personal Bristol story for cataloguing and recording.

“We would like local people to come along and help us to uncover the stories behind many of the photographs held in our archives at M Shed,” says Julie Finch, head of museums, galleries and archives at Bristol City Council. “And we would also like to capture many more local stories that people have to tell about their lives and connections with the city – this could be through personal objects or photos. Anything from an old school tie to a football programme or a photograph of the local milkman or park event.”

M Shed volunteers will be on hand to record stories, objects and photos – and these will be added to M Shed’s archives.