SuBo out and about in Bathgate

By Andrea McCallum

SINGING sensation Susan Boyle today (fri) prepared for the launch of what is expected to be her multi-million selling debut album launch on Monday – by going shopping in Bathgate.

And showing the celebrity status hasn’t gone to her head she even travelled the short distance from Blackburn by bus, stopping off at her favourite store to buy a new outfit before her appearance on this weekend’s X-Factor.

Casually dressed in a rain coat and black trousers, and sporting her signature Burberry scarf and a splash of red lipstick, SuBo showed no sign of nerves as she wandered along the West Lothian town.

The star walked confidently from her house past the local primary school before being called over by a friend outside the newsagents.

The blonde bespeckled woman, in her 50s, shouted across the street to SuBo before walking over to have a chat.

Laughing and smiling, the pair talked for a couple of minutes before Susan said goodbye and continued on her way to the village’s Mill Centre.

Walking confidently, she said she was “busy” and couldn’t stop for a chat.

But she had time to mention her upcoming trip to London and the States, suggesting that as famous as she is, she still gets excited about her new lifestyle.

Moving on to Blackburn’s main strip, the singer popped into the Mill Centre.

Home to just a few small shops and the local library, Susan found a way to pass the time as she wiled away an hour inside.

On her way out, she was approached by an elderly woman who gave her a big hug.

Ruffling the star’s hair, the OAP looked as though she was teasing the singer before she rushed across the road to catch the bus.

She flagged down the 11.49am number 557 bus to Bathgate outside the Mill Centre.

Mobbed

Squeezing into the busy small single decker vehicle run by local company E&M Horsburgh, she made her way into town for her shopping spree.

Alighting in the town centre, the international celebrity sauntered around the streets, stopping at the bank on her way to her favourite shop.

Those stopping her in Bathgate were more fans than friends, and she graciously smiled and said hello.

During the hour she spent in local department store M&Co, more fans gathered outside, taking snaps of the singer on their mobiles as they waited for her to come out.

Eventually, the star emerged from the shop clutching a bulging bag of purchases.

According to staff, she had bought a longline cardigan and a couple of pairs of trousers.

The bus Susan jumped on

Janice Hendry, the shop manager, said: “She’s been a customer with us for years so it was no surprise to see her coming in. She was quite funny when she was in, laughing and joking with the staff.

“A few people were asking her for autographs and she was great with them, posing for photos and everything.

“Other than that she is treated as a normal customer.

“I said to her today ‘why are you still shopping in M&Co now you’re famous?’ and she said to me ‘nothing wrong with that’.

“We wish her well with everything in the future; her album is already a hit. It’s quite phenomenal.”

Smiling to those waiting, she started to walk down the street when the two most determined admirers called out to her.

Susan ambled back to the builders in fluorescent vests and posed with them as they took photos on their mobiles.

After a five minute chat, she wandered off smiling at passers by.

I Dreamed a Dream

She had been splashing the cash ahead of her album’s debut on Monday, but with sales from the expected sales of the CD, she will soon be able to visit any designer emporium she wants.

Amazon reported earlier this week that the album had already sold more copies than any other pre-order.

And bookies and so certain that she will top the album chart next week that they are refusing to take bets.

With an appearance on the X Factor on Sunday and a raft of publicity events lined up in the States next week, todays (Fri) shopping trip was a relaxing break for the singer.

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By Cara Sulieman

THEY were symbols of thanks for preventing two countries from going to war over a drunken misunderstanding.

And now the silver punch bowl, cup and salver given to the American admiral who saved the day are going under the hammer in Edinburgh.

Russia and Britain almost went to war in 1904 over the Dogger Bank incident, where a nervous Russian fleet opened fire on British fishing vessels in the North Sea.

But the Americans stepped in and negotiated a truce between the two nations, who were so grateful that they sent gifts.

Russo-Japanese War

With a combined estimation of £150,000, the items are expected to cause a stir when they go up for auction next month.

It was on October 21 1904 that a Russian fleet set sail for Japan where the Russo-Japanese war was in its tenth month.

When they reached Dogger Bank – a large sandbank 100 miles of the coast of England in the North Sea – they were tense and on the lookout for Japanese torpedo boats that they thought were in the area.

The drunk captain of the Kamtchatka supply ship mistook a Swedish fishing vessel for one of the enemies boats and sent out a signal to say he was under attack.

And later that evening when thirty British fishing trawlers were spotted by the Russians they opened fire, believing they would be attacked themselves.

“Pirates”

Several fishermen died, many more were wounded and The Crane was sunk.

But losses would have been worse if the Russians were firing straight – one of the fleet even fired at their own ships.

The incident caused outrage in Britain, with the press branding the Russians pirates. The Royal Navy was mobilised whilst Russia promised to look into the incident and punish those responsible.

With the situation escalating out of the control, the Americans stepped in to try and resolve things diplomatically.

Rear Admiral Charles Henry Davis Jr. led the talks and by February 1905 had brokered a deal that both sides were happy with.

Punch bowl

The fishermen involved received £66,000 compensation from Russia and a memorial was unveiled in Hull the following year.

Both countries sent Davis gifts to thank him for his work.

The Russians punch bowl is styled as a Viking longship on an oval base, with twelve matching cups that sit around the base.

And the British gifted a tall cup and salver decorated with pre-raphealite ladies and dolphins.

Both items are up for sale at Lyon and Turnbull on December 1.

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By Cara Sulieman

A GROUP set up in memory of Brandon Muir are to have their child protection petition heard before a committee of the Scottish Parliament.

Calling on the government to set up a Safe Guardian scheme, they hope that children who are suffering from suspected abuse can stay with a safe family member while social services investigate.

RealJustice4Brandon claim that Brandon’s life might have been saved if he had been able to stay with his grandparents instead of returning to his mother’s house.

The tragic tot from Dundee died from a ruptured intestine just hours after his mother’s boyfriend, Robert Cunningham, assaulted him.

Allan Petrie from the campaign group hopes that the petition – which will be heard by the Public Petitions Committee on December 1 – will bring in a law to help protect Scotland’s children.

“Wake up call”

And he hopes that the politicians will take the opportunity to improve child protection in Scotland.

He said: “Every time there is a child killed at the hands of their parent or someone with responsibility over them – who are usually under the influence of illegal drugs – we hear from politicians that it is a wake up call but then they seem to hit the snooze button till the next time.

“We have produced proposals that we think will not only help save lives and stop children from being abused but also break the cycle of drug addiction in this country by removing children from a drugs environment, which they are being introduced to as normal way of life, whilst keeping them within the family network.”

The Safe Guardian proposal the group have put forward involves placing the child with family members who live in another house and who has undergone police background checks.

Allan believes that it is the best way to ensure that the child is kept safe with the least disruption to their life as possible.

“Less traumatic”

He said: “We believe that keeping the child within the family network is important for the child.

“It would be less traumatic for the child to go and live with a family member and, where there is an investigation into alleged abuse, the child would be in a safe zone.

“If the allegations were false then there would be less of a stigma for the child in returning home as they have only been spending time with a relative – something which is normal in many families.”

With 380 signatures on the petition, Allan is hoping that it has enough clout to persuade the MSPs on the committee to look further into the issue and lead to it being debated in the parliament.

He said: “We hope that with the support that has been shown for our proposals the Petitions Committee will support the Safe Guardian Law’s inclusion for debate within the Scottish Parliament.

“These proposals would be inexpensive to implement and ease the extreme pressure on the social services and foster care system allowing them to pick up the children who have no extended family to act as safe guardian.”

“Rethink care system”

As well as the Safe Guardian Law, the petition proposes a number of steps that local authorities could take to help mothers who are addicted to drugs.

It suggests that mothers who are known to be users of drugs be monitored and helped to kick their addiction. If they are still using when they give birth, then the baby would be placed with a “safe guardian” until she has overcome her addiction.

Barnardo’s Scotland said that they had been campaigning for the government to “rethink” the way the care system works.

SallyAnn Kelly head of children’s operations said: “We need to have a straightforward and coherent system which supports children at risk

“This will require political dialogue at UK, Scottish and local level to agree a route forward. I strongly support the strengthening of the systems that are in place to protect children.

“This can only be achieved by the public, politicians and professionals supporting each other to highlight theses issues in this very complex and difficult area.”

Robert Cunningham was found guilty of culpable homicide and sentenced to ten years in prison in March.

Brandon’s mother, Heather Boyd, was cleared of all involvement in his death.

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Jim Devine MP

By Oliver Farrimond

BELEAGUERED Livingston MP Jim Devine was last night desperately fighting to salvage what is left of his battered political reputation after a day of legal wrangling.

The Labour MP – who is currently being investigated over an alleged expenses fraud –appeared before an employment tribunal in Edinburgh yesterday to challenge a decision in August to award a claim of unfair dismissal to a former employee of his constituency office.

His former front-office manager, 45-year-old Marion Kinley, claimed that she was unfairly dismissed and her employment contract breached while working for the Westminster MP for Livingston and West Lothian between June 2006 and October 2008.

It comes at the same time as Devine faces a criminal investigation over abuse of parliamentary expenses, after he was found to have claimed more than £2,000 for electrical work, performed by a company with a false address and an invalid VAT number.

He is one of three Labour MPs to be probed over various expenses claims.

Yesterday’s appeal came after employment judge Ian McFatridge upheld Miss Kinley’s complaint, after dismissing Mr Devine’s response on a technicality because it had not been presented to the hearing in the correct way.

However Devine, who has been barred from standing for Labour in the next General Election by Party HQ, challenged the decision in a review hearing yesterday (Fri).

He claimed that he had been on holiday at the time, and that the forms had been sent to the wrong address.

Mr Devine seeks the right to deny all the allegations against him.

He said: “The tribunal office was writing to my office in Livingston, which then posted it up to London.

“I did not receive this correspondence until several weeks later when I was on annual leave.

“I do not live in Livingston, I live in Blackburn, and that’s the problem.”

Incredible

He added that he had submitted his responses online, and that this had also caused a delay.

“It did not come to my house so I had no time to prepare for a response and next thing I know, an award was made.”

Marion Kinley

Solicitor Gordon Milligan, representing Miss Kinley, responding to the claims, described Mr Devine’s behaviour as “incredible”.

He said: “He has shown a repeated failure to comply with the time limits without any reasonable explanation being given.

“With his background as a trade union official, I find it incredible that he has such a lack of regard for the rules and procedures of the tribunal.”

Mr Milligan added that he would be seeking compensation for Miss Kinley for wasted costs incurred by the review hearing.

The ruling, which is now expected next week, could be the final nail in the coffin for Devine, who won his Westminster seat in a by-election following the death of Robin Cook in 2005.

The 56-year-old’s brief parliamentary career will come to an end at the next General Election, after being investigated expenses and subsequently deselected by the Labour Party NEC.

‘Simply not true’

He now faces criminal charges if the claims are proven against him, as well as the possibility of damages to be awarded to Miss Kinley.

As well as arguing his reasons for failing to provide a proper claim, he also had to demonstrate to the tribunal that the contents of his response would have a reasonable chance of defeating Miss Kinley’s claim.

Mr Milligan said: “The respondent advised his staff that Miss Kinley was being investigated by the fraud squad, and he has also claimed that she was also being investigated by ‘special branch’ for illegally funding a gambling addiction.”

“This was simply not true, and there is no reference to any of this in his submitted response.”

A written decision is expected to be given within one week.

By Michael MacLeod

AN evil child rapist twice slipped through cops’ fingers during a near decade-long reign of abuse when he was caught drink driving.

Vile Mutasim Al Mutasim, 35, was caught drunk behind the wheel of his car twice in the midst of horror attacks on primary school children.

He was stopped first in September 2006 at the capital’s Duddingston Road West and later again January 2007 at Hay Avenue, where cops found him well over three times the drink-drive limit.

But police said last night they had no way of knowing he and his brother, Eldirdeery, 24, were sexually abusing girls as young as five.

It wasn’t until April 2008 that detectives snared the Sudanese dish-washer for horrific child sex offences which were described by one judge as “beyond the understanding of a caring and civilised society”.

And a police insider revealed last night that if wasn’t for his brother getting reported over the rapes; Al Mutasim could have slipped through the net completely.

“No way of knowing”

They said: “We had no way of knowing he was a rapist when we got him for drink driving.

“In fact it was when Eldirdeery was being interviewed that the spotlight turned onto his older brother, Mutasim.”

Al Mutasim, 35, is now serving five years behind bars for a campaign of abuse on two Edinburgh girls aged five and ten.

Today (Friday) the Sudanese dish-washer was told he will be banned from the roads for eight years on his release from prison, and had a month added to his sentence.

Handcuffed to a prison guard throughout his appearance at Edinburgh Sheriff Court yesterday, Al Mutasim hung his head as details of his chaotic driving were read out.

He admitted both offences – something he refused to do during the rape trial at the High Court in Kilmarnock earlier this month.

He and his brother Eldirdeery were convicted of a string of charges following a trial and put on the Sex Offenders Register indefinitely.

Judge Lord Turnbull slammed the older brother’s “disgraceful” dominance over the five year-old girl in particular.

“most despicable”

Al Mutasim raped her after she came to him for protection from his brother, who was ultimately jailed for ten years.

The pair, who have a Scottish mother and had been living in Edinburgh, were found guilty of repeated attacks in Edinburgh between July 1999 and April 2008.

They insisted throughout the trial that their victims made the abuse claims up in revenge for an unpaid debt.

Judge Lord Turnbull commented: “You used the dominance that provided to perpetrate the most disgraceful breach of trust.

“Not only did you have regular intercourse with both young girls but in the most despicable turn of events you raped one of them after she had come to you seeking protection from her other abuser.”

And when the drink driving charges emerged yesterday, Sheriff Isabella McColl extended Al Mutasim’s jail term and disqualified him from driving for eight years.

Speaking through an Arabic interpreter she said she would have fined him £500, but instead added a month onto his sentence as he was already being held in custody.

A spokesperson for Lothian and Borders Police confirmed there had not been any reports of sexual abuse at the time of Al Mutasim’s drink driving offences. 

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By Oliver Farrimond

EASYJET have been forced into an embarrassing apology after printing a Holocaust gaffe in their in-flight magazine.

The budget airline published racy photographs of models posing in the Holocaust Memorial in Berlin – without permission from the memorial’s owners.

The saucy shoot sees models in sultry poses leaning against sculptures erected as a memorial to the genocidal massacre of the Jews in the Second World War.

The red-faced airline have now pulled the magazines from their flights after being contacted by the left-wing magazine The New Statesman this morning (Friday).

An Easyjet spokesperson said: “EasyJet profusely apologises to anyone who may be offended by the inappropriate fashion photo shoot at the Holocost Memorial in Berlin featured in this month’s issue of the in-flight magazine.

“The magazine is produced by INK, an external publishing house, and EasyJet were not aware of the images until they appeared in print.

“As a consequence we are now reviewing our relationship with the publisher and are withdrawing this month’s issue from all flights.”

The body which oversees the memorial, The Foundation Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe, has said that it will be in contact with the airline over the Bruno-style fashion snaps.

The Foundation Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe said that it “does not support commercial shoots, and fashion photography is considered to fall into this category.”

It added: “Due to the sheer size and complexity of the memorial, it is not possible to simultaneously observe all sections of it and the thousands of visitors taking pictures in the Field of Stelae.”

Labour MP Denis MacShane, who heads the European Institute for the Study of Contemporary Anti-Semitism, said: “This is further evidence of the banalisation of anti-Semitism and the trivialisation of the genocidal massacre of the Jews in the Second World War.”

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by Paul Thornton

A LUSTY couple who appeared in court after being caught enjoying a mid-morning romp in a public telephone box bragged: “We can’t help ourselves – we’re sex addicts.”

Randy Greig Forbes, 29, and fiancé Sarah Meikle, 23, were clocked in a steamy clinch by customers and staff – just yards from a nearby chemist.

They were arrested and admitted their raunchy antics right away before being charged with a sexual breach of the peace.

At Livingston Sheriff Court the pair pleaded guilty to committing a sexual act in public.

A not guilty plea to a second charge, claiming they also romped in a busy shopping centre, was accepted by the Crown during a hearing before Sheriff Ian Fleming.

Now the sex mad pair must wait for background reports to be presented to the court before learning their fate.

Following the hearing, the couple claimed they were “sex addicts” and “couldn’t keep their hands off each other”.

Meikle said: “We have been engaged for about a year now and are totally in love.

“We do it (sex outdoors) quite often, you’re young and you have to experiment.

“Our friends always say we have some sex life, they all think it is funny.

“We just can’t help ourselves – we can’t keep out hands off of each other.”

Forbes added: “We are sex addicts – we have sex all the time.”

Earlier Fiscal depute Danielle Clark had told how staff at a nearby chemists spotted Meikle performing a sex act on Forbes near their home in West Calder’s Main Street in West Lothian on May 1 this year.

Miss Clark said: “At about 9.45am a witness within McBride’s Pharmacy saw both accused within the public telephone kiosk which is directly outside the pharmacy.

“She saw them engaging in oral sex in that the accused Meikle was clearly performing fellatio on the accused Forbes.

“The witness then contacted the police to report the incident.

“At the time of the offence the pharmacy was populated by numerous staff and customers.

“When interviewed both accused made full admissions.”

Miss Clark accepted a not guilty plea to allegations that the couple also performed a sex act in the Almondvale Shopping Centre in Livingston on April 30.

The pair said they were hoping to go to college to study cake decoration in the hope of starting a wedding cake business together.

They will be sentenced next year.

by SHAUN MILNE

CHERYL Cole may be blushing at her chart success as she readies for a crack at the US market under the watchful eye of hip-hop star Jay-Z.

But it seems fellow X-Factor judge Dannii Minogue is the winner in the fashion stakes as far as Scots fans of the show are concerned at least, as they flock to stylists desperate to copy the Australian beauty’s look instead.

JUST THE BOB: Sadie Jean Sloss

Cheryl has been the one grabbing all the headlines after her album ‘3 Words’ smashed into the charts at number one helped by her own performances on the hit show.

BOUTIQUE

Yet according to the fashion experts, it’s Dannii’s 1920’s style bob haircut which is keeping the nation’s crimpers busier than usual.

Former celebrity make-up artist Sadie Jean Sloss, who is based in Edinburgh, said Dannii has sparked the busiest period at her DollyLeo boutique since she first launched her business more than a year ago.

And she says it’s all about Dannii as staff are left to work double time to cope with demand.

She said: “When the X Factor live shows hit television screens in October I noticed women started to come in asking to look like Dannii Minogue.

“At first I was surprised, because I thought Cheryl Cole’s look would be the more popular.

DOUBLE

“But as the show progressed it quickly became obvious that Danni’s look is a bit more chic and sophisticated.

“Most women prefer it to Cheryl’s more Barbie doll look.”

Sadie says the biggest change to Dannii’s apearance has been her funky 1920s Flappers-inspired bob with a severe fringe.

But they are also trying to emulate the singer’s understated make-up look too described by Sadie as a “dewy complexion” with it’s light tan base.

Sadie added: “Dannii also admitted to ditching her overly Botoxed look and let it slip that she now used make-up miracle product – Becca’s Line and Pore Corrector.

“It had literally been flying out the door.

“In fact I’ve had to increase double my working week to cope with the demand to look like Dannii.”

But it’s not all doom and swoon for Dannii’s younger X-Factor rival.

Cheryl was recently snapped up as the new face of L’Oreal in a one year deal, making her the first British woman since Kate Moss in 1998 to star for the Paris label.

She has also just registered her own company at Cheryl Cole Limited ahead of signing an anticipated £5 million book deal with publishers Harper Collins.

Her debut solo single Fight For This Love was also the fastest selling song of the year so far as it raced to number one.

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By Rory Reynolds

RESIDENTS in Edinburgh are being handed the chance to discover if their home has ever been the site of scandal or infamous crime.

Visitors to the History of My House events will be able to discover if their home was the dwellings of a famous figure, as well as view photographs and documents detailing how the building looked.

The events, being held next week, will also allow visitors to read about old tales from the city, including the famous disappearing turkeys of Heriot Row and the domestic details of author Thomas Carlyle.

And experts from the city’s libraries and Edinburgh World Heritage will guide visitors through the extensive collection of photographs, maps, prints, and books, charting the history of the city’s residents.

Councillor Deidre Brock, culture leader for the City of Edinburgh, said: “Edinburgh’s buildings, both private and public, are positively brimming with history.“This partnership between our Libraries and Edinburgh World Heritage will be invaluable in helping people to discover some fascinating facts and stories about their homes.”

Extensive

The events will be held at the City Chambers archives, as well as Edinburgh Central Library, and special podcasts are to be produced exploring the folklore behind some of the city’s historic buildings.

Adam Wilkinson, director of Edinburgh World Heritage said: “Edinburgh’s World Heritage Site is unusual in being a thriving residential city centre, which means that lots of people have a direct connection with its history.

“The city is also fortunate to have a resource as extensive and accessible as the superb Edinburgh Room in Central Library, with experts on hand to guide people through the collection.

“I hope that the event will turn up many unknown stories, to add to the sum of our knowledge of the World Heritage Site, as well being highly enjoyable.”

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By Rory Reynolds

A 23-year-old was rushed to hospital after being attacked and left unconscious while on a night out with friends.

The victim had just emerged from a taxi when he was approached by another man and attacked.

He collapsed to the ground and struck his head on a kerb rendering him unconscious.

The victim was taken to hospital at the Royal Infirmary to be treated for head injuries.

The attack took place in the early hours of Tuesday morning, at York Place in Edinburgh.

Police are hunting for a man described as mixed race, around 20-years-old, around 5ft 8 ins tall, with short dark hair and was wearing a pink stripy shirt and dark navy jeans.

Assault

They added that the suspect could be Turkish, may have had a mole on his face, and is believed to have spoken with a north east of England accent.

A spokesman for Lothian and Borders Police said: “Thankfully, the man who was assaulted was not more seriously injured.

“However, we are treating this incident seriously.

“Anyone who was in York Place at the time, and witnessed the assault, should contact police immediately.

“Similarly, anyone who has information that can assist our enquiries is also asked to get in touch.”

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