HMS Caroline 'Appeal'

An Ulster Unionist party candidate for South Belfast in the Assembly election, Mark Finlay, has expressed his hopes that HMS Caroline, the naval ship and later Royal Naval Reserve training vessel over nearly a century of service, can be kept in Belfast. "Caroline has had 96 years of faithful service and, since 1924, served as the headquarters of the Ulster Division of the Royal Naval Reserve and its training facility. It is the last surviving ship from the 1916 Battle of Jutland and the last physical embodiment of the bravery of the sailors who participated and I note with sadness that it is decommissioned now. I hope that a mechanism can be found to keep Caroline in Belfast," he concluded. HMS Hibernia is now home to around 100 reservists. Located within Thiepval Barracks, Lisburn, it replaced HMS Caroline in December 2009 after the announcement of the decommissioning. See: HMS Hibernia

Ulster Gets New Boss

The Ulster Bank, part of the Royal Bank of Scotland Group, has appointed Jim Brown as its new Chief Executive Officer, (CEO). Mr Brown has spent his career to date working across the Asia Pacific region and has most recently held the position of CEO of Retail and Commercial Markets, Asia for RBS.

Cross-Border 'Drug Sting'

Drugs with an estimated street value of €420,000 have been seized as part of an ongoing cross-border operation. Four men, aged 27 - 43, were arrested and detained in Dublin this week for drug alleged drug trafficking. A large amount of cannabis was uncovered in one of three cars searched by Garda in the Finglas area of north Dublin. North of the border, the PSNI also impounded another car. Two men are currently being questioned at Finglas Garda Station and two others at Ballymun Garda Station. Around 70kg (154lb) of cannabis resin found in the operation has been sent for forensic tests.

More Benefit Frauds Convicted

Belfast Magistrates' Court has imposed fines and community orders on people claiming benefits they were not entitled to. Steven Aughey (27) of Brae Hill Park, Belfast was given 120 hours community service and ordered to pay court costs for failure to declare employment while claiming Jobseekers Allowance totalling £2,144. Angela Mooney (27) of Cliftonpark Avenue, Belfast was given 100 hours community service and ordered to pay court costs for failure to declare employment while claiming Income Support, Incapacity Benefit and Carers Allowance totalling £9,064. Gerard Donnelly (29) of Duncairn Parade, Belfast was given 80 hours community service and ordered to pay court costs of £22 for wrongful encashment of Income Support totalling £831. Michael Hollywood (44) of Bentinck Street, Belfast was fined £450 and ordered to pay £22 court costs for wrongful encashment of Income Support and Social Fund totalling £775 and Kelly McWilliams (22) of Whiterock Drive, Belfast was fined £500 and ordered to pay court costs of £22 for wrongful encashment of Income Support totalling £97. All are also required to repay any outstanding money they wrongfully obtained to the Social Security Agency.

(BMcC/KMcA)