Belfast Flag Violence: Rioting In City Centre

Belfast has been hit by another night of rioting as hundreds of loyalists took to the streets to protest over flags.

Eight police officers were injured, with two needing hospital treatment, and five people were arrested following clashes across the city.

Trouble flared at Shaftesbury Square - a popular party spot near Queen's University - after a man tried to drive a black van through a loyalist road block of about 200 people.

Eye witnesses said police officers were pelted with stones, bricks, bottles and other missiles. Two cars were also set on fire.

Police vans cut off part of Belfast's Sandy Row area

Two PSNI water cannons were deployed to the area but were not used against the rioters.

There were also reports of minor sporadic disorder in other parts of the city.

PSNI Assistant Chief Constable Will Kerr said: "This behaviour is simply not acceptable. These people are only wrecking their own communities and putting innocent people's lives at risk.

"Twenty-one officers have been injured so far this week dealing with this disorder. That's 21 officers who have been pulled away from their roles of protecting the community. This is unacceptable.

"This mob violence and intimidation cannot be allowed to continue and I am urgently appealing to politicians and those with community influence in these areas to do what they can to put a stop to this behaviour now before someone is seriously injured or killed."

A burned out car in Belfast city centre after rioters dispersed

Loyalists opposed to a restriction on the number of days the Union flag can be flown over Belfast City Hall have held protests across Northern Ireland every night since the decision was taken, despite appeals from the First Minister for the pickets to be suspended.

Last night, demonstrations were also held in the greater Belfast area, Bangor, Co Down, Enniskillen, Co Fermanagh and Dungannon, Co Tyrone.

Police said there were no reports of violence outside Belfast. On Friday night, police clashed with loyalists in Ian Paisley's home town of Ballymena, Co Antrim.

Hillary Clinton appealed for the violence to stop

There are plans for a major protest in Belfast city centre later today. Traders are worried it could affect business on what should be one of the busiest shopping days of the year.

During her visit to Northern Ireland US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton appealed for the violence to stop.

Much of the anger has been directed towards the non sectarian Alliance Party, whose councillors in Belfast voted to limit the number of days the Union flag could be flown over the city hall from 365 to 17.

A death threat against the party's only MP, Naomi Long, marked a significant escalation in the seriousness of the sectarian tension.

On Wednesday, a constituency office in Carrickfergus, Co Antrim was destroyed in an arson attack. An attempt to burn down Bangor premises occupied by the Alliance Party's Employment Minister Stephen Farry was thwarted.

Belfast city councillor Laura McNamee was also advised to leave her home while two others living in Bangor had their house vandalised.

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Pregnant Kate: Radio Station Faces Backlash

Two DJs are being offered counselling after the nurse duped by their prank call to the Duchess of Cambridge's hospital died in a suspected suicide.

Nurse Jacintha Saldanha was found dead days after taking the hoax call and putting it through to a nurse on Kate's ward, who divulged private information about her treatment.

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge led tributes to the 46-year-old mother of two, saying they were "deeply saddened" by news of her death.

Major advertisers have dumped 2Day FM and presenters Mel Greig and Michael Christian have been taken off air as the station faces a backlash over the disastrous stunt.

Speaking at a news conference in Melbourne, Rhys Holleran, CEO of 2Day FM's parent company Southern Cross Austereo said the "shocked and devastated" DJs had been offered help dealing with the tragedy.

The duchess said she felt "much better" when she left the hospital

He said: "This is a tragic event that could not have been reasonably foreseen and we're deeply saddened by it.

"I spoke to both presenters early this morning and it's fair to say they're completely shattered.

"These people aren't machines, they're human beings. We're all affected by this."

Holleran would not say who came up with the idea for the call, only that "these things are often done collaboratively".

He said 2Day FM would work with authorities, but was confident the station hadn't broken any laws, noting that prank calls in radio have been happening "for decades".

"They're not just part of one radio station or one network or one country - they're done worldwide," he said

The DJ pair bragged about the stunt on Twitter after an initial apology

Supermarket giant Coles and telecoms firm Telstra both announced they are withdrawing their business from the station at the earliest opportunity, while Australian media are reporting that media company Optus is also reviewing its position.

The station later announced that it would pull all advertising from its airwaves with immediate effect.

In a separate move, Australia's broadcasting regulator says it will be quizzing the owners of 2DayFM over the incident.

A spokesman for Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard described the incident as a "terrible tragedy".

During the hoax call, Greig impersonated the Queen and Christian mimicked Prince Charles and they managed to elicit details about the pregnant Duchess' medical condition.

A fierce online storm erupted as soon as news of the nurse's death emerged, with both presenters bombarded by messages on Twitter and the radio station's own comment section deluged.

Police found the nurse's body at her hospital accommodation

At the time, the station's website had still been promoting the video of the prank call, but this was later removed.

Online critics called for the presenters to resign and some claimed they had "blood on their hands".

Ms Saldanha, who had worked at the hospital for four years, was found dead at an address near King Edward VII's Hospital in London on Friday morning.

Her family said in a statement: "We as a family are deeply saddened by the loss of our beloved Jacintha."

A spokesman for Prince William and wife Kate said: "Their Royal Highnesses were looked after so wonderfully well at all times by everybody at King Edward VII's Hospital, and their thoughts and prayers are with Jacintha Saldanha's family, friends and colleagues at this very sad time."

"At no point did the Palace complain to the hospital about the incident. On the contrary, we offered our full and heartfelt support to the nurses involved and hospital staff at all times."

The King Edward VII's Hospital said: "It is with very deep sadness that we confirm the tragic death of a member of our nursing staff, Jacintha Saldanha.

"Jacintha has worked at the King Edward VII's Hospital for more than four years. She was an excellent nurse and well-respected and popular with all of her colleagues.

"We can confirm that Jacintha was recently the victim of a hoax call to the hospital. The hospital had been supporting her throughout this difficult time."

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Richard O'Dwyer Pays £20,000 Over Pirate Site

A student who ran a website where users could stream pirated films has "avoided a conviction" after paying £20,000 to US authorities, his lawyer has revealed.

Richard O'Dwyer, from Sheffield, ran the TVShack website hosting links to pirated films and TV programmes.

But after a court hearing in New York, the 24-year-old avoided extradition and conviction by signing a Deferred Prosecution Agreement.

As a result, he had to pay £20,000 to the authorities, representing the profits he made from TVShack between December 2007 and November 2009.

The money will be distributed among victims whose copyrights were infringed by TVShack.

Mr O'Dwyer's lawyer, Ben Cooper, said it was "a first" in extradition cases.

Mr O'Dwyer's mother complained of 'a sledgehammer to crack a nut'

"He has avoided extradition and will avoid a conviction. The solution reached is pragmatic and allows Richard to finish his final year at university and get on with his studies at a crucial time in his life.

"So far as we know this is a first in extradition cases - and a sensible solution for UK defendants faced with an ever-growing extra-territorial reach of US prosecutions.

"I expect this mechanism will be used by UK defendants in future US extradition cases now the precedent has been established."

Under the agreement, Mr O'Dwyer must also not break any US laws, "associate only with law abiding people" and work regularly in a lawful occupation.

His mother, Julia O'Dwyer, said "We would like to thank the prosecutors who have been willing to engage in dialogue and recognise that this conduct did not merit the extradition, incarceration and criminalisation of my son.

"However, had anyone communicated with us directly from the outset, raising their concerns, this matter could have been dealt with over two years ago without the threat of extradition, which in my view is using a sledgehammer to crack a nut.

"Sadly, the UK government was happy to allow Richard's extradition to proceed, just like they have with others similarly accused of conduct in Britain, committed without ever setting foot in the US.

"The Government is using a rotten law which was designed to bring fugitive offenders back to the place where a crime was committed, not for outsourcing our criminal justice system to another jurisdiction."

Earlier this year Home Secretary Theresa May approved Mr O'Dwyer's extradition, which he appealed against.

On November 28 a deal was struck at the High Court in London to avoid him being extradited and led to him signing the three-page deferred prosecution agreement.

The Sheffield Hallam university student could have faced jail if convicted of the allegations, which were brought following a crackdown by the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency.

The agency claimed the TVShack.net website earned more than £147,000 ($230,000) in advertising revenue before US authorities obtained a warrant and seized the domain name in June 2010.

It is thought Mr O'Dwyer will return to the UK with his family today.

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Bomb Found Before Clinton's N Ireland Visit

By David Blevins, Ireland Correspondent

A bomb has been discovered in a car in Londonderry as US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is due to visit Northern Ireland.

The "viable explosive device" was discovered after officers investigating dissident republican activity stopped the vehicle in the Creggan area at around 8.40pm on Thursday, police said.

Two men aged 47 and 49 were arrested at the scene at about 8.40pm. Two others, also in their 40s, were arrested later.

Mrs Clinton is making a nostalgic return to Northern Ireland but with tension running high over flags, the peace that she and President Clinton helped to build remains far from perfect.

Armagh's Mayor Sharon Haughey, then 14, with President Clinton in 1995

A vote to limit the flying of the Union flag over Belfast City Hall sparked loyalist protests, some violent. 

The civil unrest has been threatening to overshadow Mrs Clinton's visit.

Gavin Robinson, Lord Mayor of Belfast, said: "The US Secretary of State will be no stranger to some of these issues. 

Mrs Clinton has already visited Dublin and met children at the US embassy

"She's been here in much more difficult times in Northern Ireland and I'm sure she will welcome and mark the progress that has been made and the collective political willingness that we'll not go back to the bad old days of the past."

It was 1995 when the Clintons paid their first historic visit to Northern Ireland. Thousands turned out to greet them and to herald the dawn of the peace process here.

Teenager Sharon Haughey, who had written a letter about 'The Troubles' to the White House, welcomed them to Armagh. She's now the city's Lord Mayor and gives them the credit.

"The Clintons have played a very important role in the pathway that I have chosen in my life," she said. "They gave me a platform as a very ordinary 14-year-old schoolgirl. 

"They gave me an extraordinary opportunity and I decided to use that opportunity to help shape that future that I wanted and that's really why I'm here today."

The US Secretary of State will attend an American Ireland lunch at Titanic Belfast after a meeting Northern Ireland's First Minister Peter Robinson and Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness.

Mr Robinson has urged loyalists to suspend their protests over the flag issue. "Those who riot and engage in violence do a disservice to the flag they claim to represent," he said.

His statement followed attacks on the homes and offices of politicians belonging to the neutral Alliance Party, which had encouraged a compromise - the flying of the flag on designated days.

Syria topped the agenda when the US Secretary of State visited Dublin during her trip. 

Regardless of recent setbacks, she'll be keen to celebrate whatever kind of peace she finds in Belfast.

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Judges To Impose Tougher Sex Offence Sentences

By Mark White, Home Affairs Correspondent

Judges will be urged to consider the psychological and long-term damage to victims of sex offences when passing sentence on perpetrators under new sentencing guidelines.

The new proposals, which will go out to public consultation, will also ensure the judiciary takes into account other aggravating factors, such as filming or photographing sex attacks.

They would see sentences brought up to date with advances in the technology and tactics used by offenders.

A tougher maximum sentence of 19 years should be given for "one-off" rapes, a limit currently only available for those who attack the same victim over a course of time or rape multiple victims, the guidelines state.

Mother-of-two Gabrielle Browne was attacked by a serial sex offender in 2003, when she was out running in preparation for the London Marathon.

In the years since she has devoted much of her energies to fighting for victims' rights within the judicial system.

Particularly when it comes to sentencing, she believes victims' voices are often lost in the process.

She told Sky News that in her case, her attacker could have been stopped before he targeted her, had a judge handed down a custodial sentence for crimes he committed against other women.

She said: "One of the most shocking and disappointing revelations in the lead up to court was when I found out that only six months earlier he had attacked six women in the same park.

"Some of those women were out with their children. For those six offences he received a community supervision order."

The changes are designed to make sure paedophiles, people-traffickers and rapists who operate alone or in gangs are dealt with better in courts in England and Wales.

Sentencing Council member Lord Justice Treacy said: "We're improving guidance for courts to help them deal with these incredibly complex, sensitive and serious offences.

"The perspective of victims is central to the council's considerations. We want to ensure sentences reflect everything the victim has been through and what the offender has done.

"We are looking at the whole context, not just the physical offence but also the tactics employed by offenders like grooming activity, the targeting of vulnerable victims or abuse of a position of trust."

Judges are asked to take into account factors such as stalking and previous abuse by offenders, and the targeting of vulnerable victims like those in care.

The council said the review of the guidelines had come about because the nature of offending has changed and in some cases of sexual exploitation and child grooming perpetrators use technology in offences involving indecent images of children.

"The guidelines reflect these developments so they cover the ways these crimes are committed today," the council said.

For rape, the new guidelines are designed take a broader approach covering a range of scenarios, and to recognise not just the stereotypical "stranger rapes" but to take into account that most rapes are carried out by someone the victim knows, and that many occur within families.

The council said the current guidelines for sexual assault take "too narrow an approach", and focus too much on the nature of the physical activity done by the offender.

It called for fear and intimidation to be taken into account, so an offence would be more serious if violence was threatened or threatening or violent sexual language was used.

For child sex offences the council said it wanted to increase the focus on the behaviour of offenders, how children may have been groomed or exploited, and whether offenders abused a position of trust.

It also said factors such as the use of alcohol or drugs to facilitate the offence and the use of gifts or bribes to coerce a victim should be taken into account.

The guidelines say paedophiles operating in rings or those who abuse a position of trust to create images or videos should be given tougher sentences and called for changes in the way images are classified to aid investigators.

Although Gabrielle Browne welcomes the proposed changes, she believes judges will not be fully armed with all the information necessary to pass sentence until victim impact statements become an every day part of sentencing.

She said: "When that becomes a routine part of the court process and a routine part of the judge's papers that he considers before passing sentence there is a much greater likelihood that there will be more uniformity in sentencing and taking a victim's views into account."

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Virgin Trains Holds On To West Coast Line

Virgin Trains says it has reached an agreement to operate services on the West Coast Main Line for the next 23 months.

It comes after an embarrassing U-turn by the Department for Transport (DfT), which admitted it got its sums wrong after initially awarding the franchise to rival FirstGroup.

Sir Richard Branson, the founder of Virgin, described the bidding process as "insane" and mounted a legal challenge to the decision.

Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin said: "We are determined to ensure not only that passengers continue to experience the same levels of service they have in the past, but that services improve.

"There will be a new hourly service linking Glasgow and London and we will also work with Virgin Trains to explore other service improvements."

Virgin said there will be up to 28,000 more seats each day on the line because of the delivery of 106 new Pendolino carriages.

The temporary deal will run from December 9 until November 9 2014, after which the West Coast line will be let under a long-term franchise.

DfT will be able to cut the 23-month period short "by up to six months if a subsequent franchise can be let on a shorter timescale", the Government added.

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Leveson: Editors Make Case On Regulation

Leveson Inquiry: The Options For Reform

Updated: 1:35am UK, Thursday 29 November 2012

Lord Justice Leveson's recommendations could radically change the way media organisations operate in the UK.

He has said he wants an independent body that could provide redress and a swift mechanism to resolve privacy and libel cases.

Those who complain of press harassment want a system that tackles invasions of privacy, inaccuracies and the culture that resulted in the phone hacking scandal.

But journalists and editors warn that freedom of expression will be threatened if a regulator with wide-ranging powers is set up.

Here are some of the options.

:: A "PCC-plus"

Lord Justice Leveson could call for a beefed-up Press Complaints Commission (PCC), with extra powers and resources to carry out inquiries and hand out punishments.

The general consensus is that the PCC's code of practice is a good foundation but many want it to have more power, amid criticism it has been "toothless".

Lord Black, chairman of the funding body for the PCC, has recommended a new body with the power to launch investigations and levy fines of up to £1m.

Current PCC chairman Lord Hunt of Wirral proposed turning the body into a true regulator of newspapers, with separate arms for dealing with complaints and enforcing standards.

A possible third arm could have the powers to mediate in disputes with newspapers and award compensation.

:: A PCC replacement combining self-regulation with a statutory framework

Lord Justice Leveson has stressed that he does not believe in the "binary" distinction between statutory regulation and self-regulation.

It has been suggested that a law should be passed forcing newspapers to sign up to the PCC or its successor.

Comments by the chairman during the hearings indicate he might be leaning towards the creation of an independent regulator backed by statutory powers.

These could include the ability to impose fines and insist on the prominence of corrections in papers, and a requirement to offer a "right to reply" to contentious articles.

:: Full statutory regulation

Some witnesses suggested the press should be subject to a much stricter regime, in the same way broadcasters are subject to watchdog Ofcom.

Ofcom has wide-ranging powers to investigate and penalise breaches of its detailed code - which includes strict clauses on impartiality and privacy - in TV and radio programmes.

Guardian journalists Nick Davies and David Leigh said they felt some newspapers are not capable of regulating themselves but statutory regulation was widely rejected as an option, especially by editors.

Lord Black, chairman of the Press Standards Board of Finance, suggested any form of statutory intervention would struggle to cope with the pace of change.

There is also the question of cost. Ofcom carries out many other roles, but its 2011/12 budget of £115.8m dwarfs the £2m annual bill for the PCC.

Lord Justice Leveson has repeatedly stressed that he does not support the licensing of journalists or newspapers by the state, and this option looks unlikely.

:: An arbitration service outside the court system

Media groups repeatedly complained about the huge cost of defending libel claims brought in the civil courts, and the chilling effect this has on serious journalism in the public interest.

Editors say "no-win, no-fee" arrangements mean they face potentially ruinous legal costs if they fight an action and lose.

On the other hand, the cost of bringing a claim can be too great for ordinary people, rendering them helpless.

Lord Justice Leveson has spoken of the merits of "a speedier, effective and sensible mechanism for all to use and for all to take the advantage of".

NUJ general secretary Michelle Stanistreet suggested a successor to the PCC could offer a mediation service dealing with libel and privacy.

Nick Davies called for the formation of an independent panel to give journalists and members of the public confidential advice on whether a story is in the public interest.

Guardian editor Alan Rusbridger argued for a Press Standards and Mediations Commission with an adjudication wing, so people would not have to go to the law to address any differences with newspapers.

:: A newspaper industry ombudsman

Press regulation could be split between the PCC, dealing with day-to-day complaints, and an ombudsman with wider powers to investigate and punish.

Daily Mail editor Paul Dacre argued for a new self-regulatory body, standing alongside the PCC, to deal with standards.

He suggested the ombudsman, perhaps a retired judge or civil servant advised by former newspaper editors, could launch his or her own inquiry into potential scandals, summon journalists and editors to give evidence, and impose fines in the most serious cases.

Lord Justice Leveson is said to have looked to Ireland's press watchdog as a possible two-tier model for a new system.

The Press Council of Ireland and the Press Ombudsman were set up as a two-pronged approach to media regulation in 2008, as an alternative to costly court battles.

The Press Ombudsman deals free-of-charge with complaints from the public, considers whether they are valid, then acts to resolve them through conciliation.

Where conciliation is not possible, the ombudsman makes a decision based on the Code of Practice for Newspapers and Magazines.

He has the option of referring "significant or complex complaints" directly to the 13-member strong Press Council, drawn from the public and the media industry, for decision.

:: A new privacy law

Britain already has statutes protecting privacy through its adoption of the European Convention on Human Rights, article 8 of which covers the "right to respect for private and family life".

But critics argue this has been left open to interpretation by judges, who have in recent years tended to side with celebrities whose personal peccadilloes have been aired in newspapers.

Some witnesses called for the UK to adopt a strong law protecting personal privacy as in France.

:: A "prior notification" law

Former Formula 1 chief Max Mosley has campaigned for a law requiring newspapers to notify the subjects of damaging articles before publication since he was the subject of a News Of The World expose.

Lord Justice Leveson has expressed an interest in whether journalists contact people and organisations before running negative stories about them.

But the European Court of Human Rights has already rejected Mr Mosley's proposal, which would have major implications for freedom of expression, and there appears to be no prospect of it being introduced.

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Belfast City Hall Protest Injures Police

Five police have been injured as loyalists rioted in Belfast city centre after a controversial vote on the Union flag.

The violence spread to parts of east Belfast on Monday night where loyalists who had earlier tried to smash their way into the grounds of City Hall attacked a Catholic church.

A police spokeswoman said reinforcements had to be called in to deal with hundreds of loyalists throwing missiles, including fireworks, bricks and bottles.

Five police officers, including two women, were injured during the disturbances.

A Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) spokeswoman said: "Five police officers have been injured, two of whom have been hospitalised. Two security staff of Belfast City Hall have also been injured."

It is understood a press photographer was also taken to hospital for treatment for hand and facial injuries.

Two female officers were taken to hospital

Trouble broke out minutes after Belfast city councillors voted to remove the flag from City Hall.

It is the first time the Union flag has been taken down from the Edwardian building since it opened in 1906.

Councillors agreed by 29 votes to 21 to bring City Hall into line with Stormont and other Government buildings and fly the flag on 17 designated days.

Sinn Fein Policing Board member Gerry Kelly said the PSNI had serious questions to answer about their operation.

Loyalist protestors carrying Union flags block the back of City Hall

He said: "I have to say, and I don't use these words unless I really mean them, it was a disgraceful police operation - or lack of a police operation.

"If that had been 1,000 or more republicans out there ... they would not have left it that they were able to come into the back of City Hall.

"They indiscriminately attacked cars. We are very, very lucky that they didn't get into the building or we could have been dealing with a lot more injuries."

Cars belonging to elected members and council staff were damaged during the disorder.

DUP councillor Christopher Stalford condemned those responsible for violence.

He said: "The violence has distracted from the issue we should be focusing on - the parties in Belfast City Council who have voted as a block to strip the City Hall of its flag."

The Union flag will now be flown on 17 designated days

Northern Ireland Justice Minister David Ford said: "The violence which took place at the City Hall and round St Matthew's Church was the responsibility of two groups of people.

"The first is those who went to the City Hall spoiling for a fight, who attacked police officers and council staff.

"But there is a second group which bears responsibility. DUP and UUP politicians fomented this protest, with both leaflets and the use of social media. They called people on to the streets.

"They must have known, from experience as recent as this summer, that violence was almost inevitable. They cannot avoid their responsibility.

"Such violence should be condemned by all civic and community leaders."

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Chris Jefferies Urges MPs To Back Leveson

Christopher Jefferies, who won libel damages after his arrest over the murder of a woman, has penned a letter to MPs asking them to support the Leveson recommendations on press regulation in full.

Mr Jefferies, who was arrested on suspicion of the murder of Joanna Yeates in Bristol in December 2010 but released without charge, was vilified by some newspapers.

He says in the letter: "I believe it must be implemented in full if we are ever to have a press that works in the public interest, and make sure the abuses we have seen never happen again.

"Over the months that Leveson has been sitting it has become clear that the vast majority of the public do not want the present self-regulation of the press, by the press, to continue.

Mr Jefferies was arrested over the murder of Joanna Yeates

"I was pleased to see this echoed in the opinion polls published recently in which the public say they want complaints about the press to be dealt with by an independent regulator.

"The latest YouGov poll, commissioned by the Media Standards Trust, confirmed that 79% of people are in favour of a press regulator established by law - and 82% say it is no longer acceptable for newspaper owners to control the press complaints system."

Mr Jefferies, who let a flat in Bristol to Joanna Yeates and her boyfriend, was arrested after she was found dead in December 2010.

Dutch national Vincent Tabak was later convicted of Ms Yeates's murder and Mr Jefferies won damages from eight newspapers.

"The way I was treated by the newspapers in that period was without doubt the worst time of my life," he said in the letter, which was written on behalf of Hacked Off, campaigners for the victims of phone hacking and media intrusion.

Cross-party talks on the report will resume later with Harriet Harman representing Labour and Culture Secretary Maria Miller for the Tories.

They will take place before MPs debate the contents of the 2,000-page report, which was published last Thursday.

Labour has started work on drafting its own Bill based on the Leveson recommendations for press regulation and will use it as the basis for a Commons vote if David Cameron blocks reform.

:: More than a 123,000 people have now signed a petition by the Hacked Off campaign for an accountable press, calling for full implementation of the Leveson proposals.

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M1 Crash: Motorway Closed After Cars Collide

A serious crash closed the M1 motorway between junctions one and five in both directions - but the northbound carriageway has since reopened.

The collision happened shortly before 2.40am on the southbound carriage between junctions five and four, near Watford in Hertfordshire.

The carriageway is closed in both directions from London to Watford.

The southbound carriageway is expected to remain closed until at least mid-morning but the northbound carriageway has reopened, Hertfordshire Police said.

Drivers are advised to use the A1, A40 or M40.

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First Text Was Sent To A Mobile 20 Years Ago

By By Richard Suchet, Sky News Reporter

Monday marks 20 years since the first text message was sent to a mobile phone.

The first SMS was sent on December 3, 1992, when a 22-year-old British engineer called Neil Papworth - an employee of the technology company Sema - used his computer to send the message "Merry Christmas" to an Orbitel 901 mobile phone.

Texting has now surpassed the traditional phone call as the most common method of staying in touch.

Speaking to Sky News, Mr Papworth said he never envisaged that texting would be so popular.

"Back then I had no idea - I was just doing a day's testing. It wasn't until the 10th anniversary that I realised and thought 'Wow, that was a big thing'.

"And here we are another 10 years later and text messaging has gone on to even bigger and better things now."

According to figures released by Ofcom, more than 150 billion texts were sent in the UK last year, almost triple the amount sent five years ago.

Its most prolific users are 12 to 15-year-olds, who send an average of 193 texts every week, almost four times as much as the UK average.

In fact, most of us are now more likely to text a friend than to pick up the phone or have a face-to-face conversation with them.

But the first half of 2012 saw two quarterly declines in the volume of SMS messages sent in the UK.

The drop is being put down to the meteoric rise in web-based communications - many of which are freely available on smartphones and tablets - like WhatsApp, Blackberry Messenger (BBM), iMessenger, Google Talk and MSN Messenger.

An increase in communication through social networking sites like Twitter and Facebook is also thought to be having an impact.

SMS stands for Short Messaging Service and a message is traditionally under 160 characters in length.

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Open Prison Fugitive Arrested By Police

Fugitive Ivan Leach, who absconded from an open prison, has been found by police in Camden, north London.

The 47-year-old had been on the run from North Sea Camp open prison in Boston, Lincolnshire since October 9.

Police arrested him on suspicion of a number of offences this morning in the Camden area, Scotland Yard said.

Leach, also known as Lee Cyril, was wanted for questioning about a rape in Scotland committed while police hunted for him.

On October 15, a woman was woken and raped by an intruder in her home in Perth, and the following day a mattress was stolen from her home.

Leach, from Preston, was jailed in 2005 for robbing a 90-year-old woman in her home in the city.

He was given a life sentence with a minimum tariff of five years.

Leach is currently in custody in a north London police station.

Police had warned people not to approach the fugitive under any circumstances.

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