Goldsmith backs environmental protesters at trial

One of David Cameron’s key climate change advisers said that direct action protests could be justified in the minds of many people to prevent “much larger crimes” being committed.

Zac Goldsmith, the multimillionaire environmentalist and Conservative parliamentary candidate, appeared as a defence witness in the trial of six Greenpeace activists charged with causing £30,000 of criminal damage to a power station. Five of the six scaled a 600ft (180-metre) chimney at the Kingsnorth coal-burning station near Hoo, Kent, on which they daubed the word “Gordon”. The group admit causing damage last October, but deny that it was criminal. They claim that it was necessary to prevent greater damage to property caused by the effects of climate change.

Asked at Maidstone Crown Court whether direct action was reasonable, Mr Goldsmith, who hopes to become Tory MP for Richmond Park at the next general election, said: “I suppose if a crime is intended to prevent much larger crimes, I think many people would regard that as justified.” The trial continues.

Woman stole fire engine after flooding dispute

A woman stole a fire engine after its crew refused to pump out her flooded home, a court heard (Simon de Bruxelles writes).

Catherine Durant, 45, a sales representative, took the vehicle after she noticed that the keys had been left in the ignition to keep the engine running. She then reversed into a brick wall, smashing into a parked car and seriously damaging the £200,000 fire engine.

Magistrates in Abergavenny heard that Durant lost her temper when she saw firemen pumping out a neighbour’s house after her street was flooded. Officers inspected her home but told her that the water could be “mopped out”.

Durant, from Pontypool, South Wales, admitted aggravated vehicle taking and using a motor vehicle without third-party insurance.

She was given a 300-hour community order, reduced to 240 hours because of her guilty plea. She was also banned from driving for a year and ordered to pay £250 compensation to the fire service and £200 to the owner of the car.

Annotated WMD file put on public release

A draft copy of the dossier on Iraq’s weapons of mass destruction that includes personal comments in the margins must be released to the public, the Information Commissioner has ruled.

Richard Thomas said that comments by Whitehall officials on the draft dossier drawn up on September 11-16, 2002, were of clear public interest.

Allegations were made that the dossier on Saddam Hussein’s weapons had been “sexed up” before publication to make a stronger case for military action, claims rejected by Lord Hutton in his inquiry into the death of David Kelly, the MoD scientist.

9/11 attacks backed

A convicted terrorist held in a British jail on suspicion of conspiring to murder more than 200 people has defended the 9/11 attacks and killing tourists in Muslim countries in a letter published in a pan-Arab newspaper. Adel Abdel Bari, 48, has spent ten years in jail fighting extradition to the US.

Concert crunch

North Korea’s State Symphony Orchestra has put off a plan to play in Britain because the sponsor, an unnamed British bank, is suffering from the credit crunch, Radio Free Asia in Washington reported. The orchestra was due to perform in London on September 17 and Middlesbrough on September 19.

Hendrix’s fiery sale

The first guitar set alight on stage by Jimi Hendrix has been sold at an East London auction house for £280,000. The rocker burnt the 1965 Fender Stratocaster at the Astoria in North London in 1967. The guitar was rescued by his press officer and stored in a garage in Hove, East Sussex, until last year.

Academics slate ‘quack’ degrees

Degrees in homoeopathy and herbalism could be scrapped after academics branded them “quackery”.

In an open letter to the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Central Lancashire, academics said courses such as acupuncture contain a “roll-call of quackery” and damaged the institution’s hopes of being taken seriously. The university has announced a review into the degrees after the first-year course in homoeopathy, due to begin this term, was cancelled because of lack of interest.

Flash flood alert

Gloucestershire was hit by flash flooding yesterday as the county prepared for further deluges today. More than 2in of rain fell in the area, bringing floods to Gloucester, Cheltenham and Highnam. Residents fear a repeat of the rains in July last year, when thousands were forced out of their homes. The county council was “on alert”.

Hospital unit cuts

Alan Johnson, the Health Secretary, has given his backing to controversial plans to close or to merge services at two hospital trusts. The move involves the closure of an accident and emergency department in Enfield, North London, and the transfer of a heart unit and two acute wards in East Yorkshire.

Parents paying

Parents spend an average of £21,540 supporting their children in adulthood, a YouGov survey suggests. The poll of parents with children aged 18 and older found that 94 per cent helped to pay for houses, cars, education and living costs. Only 29 per cent of parents said that they had financial help from parents after leaving school.

Fans in harmony

Fans of heavy metal and classical music share “virtually identical” personality traits, a survey has found. Researchers said that fans of the music styles were at ease with themselves. Adrian North, of Heriot-Watt University in Edinburgh, said: “Fans of reggae were more at ease and fans of jazz were more creative.”

Dominoes flip

A dominoes league has revoked its decision to allow women to play for the first time because of confusion over the vote. The Darlington and District 5s and 3s League said that certain teams were not present at the meeting when the decision was taken. A new vote will be held at an extraordinary general meeting next year.

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