Other News In Brief

Man Convicted Of Benefit Fraud

A man has been convicted for claiming benefits he was not entitled to at Belfast Magistrates' Court.

Gerard Ferry claimed Income support and Carers Allowance totalling £5,761 while failing to declare his mother was in a nursing home. He was given a 12 month conditional discharge.

He is also required to repay any outstanding money wrongfully obtained to the Department for Communities.

Planning Restriction To Develop £60m Golf Resort Lifted

A planning restriction which was holding up the development of a new £60 million golf resort in Hillsborough, Co Down, has been lifted.

The plans will see the development of a championship standard parkland golf course, a luxury hotel with leisure facilities and houses.

Lisburn and Castlereagh Council Planning Committee have now removed a planning restriction.

Lagan Valley Alliance MLA Trevor Lunn welcomed the decision.

He said: "The benefits in terms of jobs, training opportunities, tourism and rates income will be huge and the proposal has been given a very warm welcome by businesses and interested parties across Lagan Valley and beyond.

"We will finally see a much needed luxury hotel and a championship standard parkland golf course with top class leisure facilities attached, hopefully ready for use by 2019."

First Minister Meets With Members Of Victims Group FAIR

First Minister Arlene Foster met with members of the victims group Families Acting for Innocent Relatives (FAIR) in Markethill, Co Armagh.

Founded in 1998 the group provides a wide range of activities and service to support victims in the Armagh area.

She said: "I was delighted to meet with members from FAIR and to discuss a range of issues relating to the needs of victims. It is important that groups like FAIR have a voice, that we listen to them and that they are supported in a search for justice.

There is a lot of good work that is done by groups like this in the community, helping those blighted by terrorism. We as a party are committed to remembering those innocent victims who have suffered and we will continue to support them through programmes and funding measures.

I can assure victim groups that there will be no re-writing of the past as far the DUP is concerned. The rights of innocent victims are key and I do not make any apology for that."

(CD)