Derry Schoolboy Stabbed

A boy has been arrested and released pending reports after the PSNI confirmed that a 13-year-old boy has been stabbed by another pupil at St Columb's College in Londonderry. It happened on Friday and it is understood the boy injured in the stabbing was attacked by a 12-year-old boy. The victim was treated in hospital for a stomach wound but later released. The DUP Chairman of the Assembly Education Committee Mervyn Storey MLA said: "People throughout the community have been shocked by the news that a pupil was stabbed by another student at a school in Londonderry. At this time our thoughts and prayers go out to the victim's family. This is an extremely serious incident and will need to be treated as such. All of us, especially if we have children or grandchildren expect them to be safe at protected at school. This latest incident serves to underline the serious threat posed to our young people by knives," he commented this afternoon.

Police Seek Hijackers

Detectives in Strabane are appealing for information following a hijacking of a taxi in the Fountain Terrace area on Friday 7th October. At approximately 10pm the taxi driver was driving on Fountain Terrace when two males, one carrying a firearm approached him and made the driver leave the vehicle before driving off into Innisfree Gardens where a third masked male was seen standing. The taxi driver was not injured in the incident. The car, a blue Renault Traffic, was found burnt out a short distance away in Innisfree Gardens. Anyone with information about the incident or the movements of the blue Renault is asked to contact detectives in Strabane on 0845 600 8000.

Incapacity Benefits Outlined

The latest in the series of statistical reports on Incapacity Benefit and Severe Disablement Allowance Summary Statistics has been published by the Department for Social Development. Some of the key findings include that the number of Incapacity Benefit (IB) claimants decreased between November 2010 and February 2011 to 86,705, a decrease of 1,751, (1.98%) and the number of IB recipients decreased between November 2010 and February 2011, to 52,378, a decrease of 1,134, (2.12%) while the number of IB recipients is 60.4% of the number of IB claimants. The data also showed that whilst there were 271 IB spells commencing, 1,385 IB claims were terminated between November 2010 and February 2011 and also that 57.9% of IB claimants are male, and 42.1% are female. The highest number of IB claimants live in Belfast (20.5%), followed by Derry (9.1%) and Newry & Mourne (5.6%) District Councils.

NI Water Probed

East Belfast Alliance MLAs Judith Cochrane and Chris Lyttle have visited NI Water and discussed improvements made to customer communication with NI Water's Interim Chief Executive Trevor Haslett. They said that they are pleased that improvements have been made to help ensure that there is no repeat of the situation last winter where many customers could not access information regarding their water supply. Judith Cochrane MLA said: "Customer communication is such an important area particularly given the impact that harsh weather conditions had on our water supply last winter. It is very pleasing that additional telephone lines and call centre backup have been put in place at NI Water," she said, adding: "The organisation has done a significant amount of work to improve their communications structures and I am glad to have been able to take part in this visit and discuss this key issue." Chris Lyttle MLA said: "There must be no repeat of the situation last winter where many customers could not access information regarding their water supply."

Sport Praised

The Sports Minister Carál Ní Chuílin has officially opened a new pitch at St Martin's Gaelic Club in Desertmartin. Speaking at the Saturday opening, which took place during a weekend of events to mark the occasion, the Minister praised the club. "St Martin's is an ambitious organisation, and I applaud their commitment to the development of Gaelic games in the Desertmartin area," adding that the floodlit pitch, a second playing surface, was built with a grant of £245,000 from DCAL, through Sport NI. "While St Martin's has had to rely on some support from DCAL, via Sport NI, and the GAA, it is also a club which is ready to do things for itself wherever it can, as demonstrated by its exciting club development proposals," added the Sinn Fein Minister.

Benefit Fraud 'Jailed'

A man was convicted at Larne Magistrates Court today for claiming benefits he was not entitled to. Trevor Magee (22) of Starbog Road, Larne was fined £400 and given two months imprisonment suspended for 12 months for wrongful encashment of Job Seekers Allowance totalling £248. He is also required to repay any outstanding money wrongfully obtained to the Social Security Agency. Meanwhile, two others were convicted of benefit fraud at Coleraine Magistrates Court. Maria Quinn (34) of Ballywillin Road, Portrush was fined £300 and ordered to pay court costs of £58 for failing to declare employment while claiming Income Support and Housing Benefit totalling £5,597. Alan McLaughlin (39) of St Patrick's Avenue, Coleraine was fined £150 and ordered to pay court costs of £28 for failing to declare capital while claiming Housing Benefit totalling £5,428.

(BMcC/CD)