Pizza Owner Fined

A south Belfast pizza outlet has been found to have been serving up more than pizza with news that the owner was this week fined £1,000 for hygiene offences after a dead mouse was found on its kitchen floor. Farzam Esmaily, trading as Pizza Paradise on the Lisburn Road, was also ordered to pay costs of £127 in relation to six offences. The rodent was found during a routine inspection by an environmental health officer on 9 November, 2009 as well as mouse droppings and evidence of rodent-gnawed bags. The officer also found hide beetles, associated with decaying animal matter and an indicator of poor hygiene. A number of possible pest entry points were identified and poor standards of cleaning were also observed with food stuffs stored beside a lavatory that was 'out of order'. However, Belfast City Council, which brought the case, confirmed to Belfast Magistrates court that the conditions in the premises had subsequently improved to their satisfaction.

Fresh Quest For Arlene

Kathleen Arkinson, the sister of murdered Co Tyrone teenager Arlene Arkinson has said she is hopeful that her body will be found in new police searches set to start in September. The news however means she is afraid to build up her hopes that her sister's body would be found but she told BBC Radio Ulster's Good Morning Ulster programme that she "remained optimistic". Arlene, from Castlederg, was 15 when she disappeared in 1994. She is believed to have been abducted and murdered. Her sister referred several times on air to the convicted child killer Robert Howard, who was acquitted of her murder in 2005.

Legal Move From Internees

On the 40th anniversary of the introduction of internment without trial, a Sinn Fein MLA Fra McCann has welcomed the decision by some former internees to take a court case against their unlawful arrest and detention. "I welcome the decision to serve papers on the British MoD, RUC, British Secretary of State and the estate of the late Brian Faulkner and I am fully supportive of it. I would call on all former internees to come forward and have their story documented so that other cases can also be lodged," he said.

Newton Condemns Shots

A DUP MLA and NI Policing Board Member, Robin Newton has expressed concern that armed men appeared at a bonfire in west Belfast on Monday night and took part in a so-called 'show of strength' marking the anniversary of internment. "Armed men staging this sort of display is not simply anti-social behaviour which can be dismissed but it is a serious incident which must be tackled through police action with support from the local community. Petrol bombs were also thrown at the police earlier in the evening and I would like to know how closely the police were monitoring the events at this bonfire and how they intend to take their investigations forward," he said, yesterday. See: Internment Marked By Shots

Benefit Cheats Caught

Four people were convicted at Craigavon Magistrates' court this week for claiming benefits they were not entitled to. Lee Hughes (29) of Deeny Drive, Lurgan was fined £200 and ordered to pay court costs of £38 for wrongful encashment of Income Support totalling £238. Andrew Barrington (29) of The Meadows, Moira was fined £250 and ordered to pay court costs of £19 for wrongful encashment of Jobseekers Allowance totalling £247. Ryan Conlon (28) of Malcolm Road, Lurgan was given a four month prison sentence suspended for two years, fined £199 and ordered to pay court costs of £38 for wrongful encashment of Jobseekers Allowance totalling £120. Andrew Craven (34) of West Street, Portadown was fined £120 and ordered to pay court costs of £38 for wrongful encashment of Jobseekers Allowance totalling £116. All are also required to repay any outstanding money wrongfully obtained to the Social Security Agency.

(BMcC/GK)