21/02/2013

Other News In Brief

Woman Convicted Of Benefit Fraud

A woman was convicted at Magherafelt Magistrates' court yesterday for claiming benefits she was not entitled to.

Emma Cushenan (24) of Woodland Grove, Draperstown claimed Income Support and Carers Allowance totalling £3,183 while failing to declare employment. She was given a conditional discharge for 12 months and ordered to pay court costs of £49.

She will also have to repay any outstanding money wrongfully obtained to the Social Security Agency.

Farmer fined For Pollution Offence

A Co Down farmer has pleaded guilty to causing water pollution and was fined £750 plus £25 court costs at Lisburn Magistrates' Court on 19 February 2013.

Mr William Wilson of Edentrillick Road, Hillsborough, Co. Down was convicted for making a polluting discharge to a waterway.

On 27 January 2012, a Water Quality Inspector acting on behalf of the Northern Ireland Environment Agency (NIEA) found a waterway close to Mr Wilson’s farm to be badly polluted. The source of the discharge causing the pollution was traced to Mr Wilson’s farm, where a pipe was found to be discharging farm effluent.

A sample taken at the time of the incident confirmed that the discharge contained poisonous, noxious or polluting matter which was potentially harmful to fish life in the receiving waterway.

New Jail Block Opened

Justice Minister David Ford has opened the new 120 cell Quoile House prisoner accommodation block at Maghaberry Prison.

The modern facility, which was built at a cost of £12m, is the first accommodation block to be built at the prison in five years. It can hold up to 160 prisoners and has been occupied since the end of last year. It currently houses 140 prisoners.

Speaking at the unveiling of a plaque to mark the official opening the Minister said: "Today marks the culmination of over two years of work to complete this new state of the art prisoner accommodation. This occasion marks an important step in the development of the prison estate.

"Quoile House is the first new block of accommodation to be built at Maghaberry since Braid House opened in 2008. It is an impressive building which offers a wide range of services in a modern prison environment and will provide a valuable contribution to the rehabilitation process. I thank all those involved in the contract."

(GK)

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