Ambulanceman Convicted – Marie Jamieson – Vodafone Snooping Bill – Gisborne Cop Gets Ticket – Kiwi Bank – Antarctic Adventure Ends – Avalanche - Fire

AMBULANCEMAN CONVICTED: 28-year-old Brendan McInnes has been convicted of aggravated careless driving in relation to an incident when he ran over an elderly woman. In an interview he says he felt shocked and anxious at the verdict. The guilty verdict has concerned many ambulance drivers about what protection they have when they are speeding to emergencies. The union has paid for McInnes’s legal fees so far. St John Ambulance says it is calling a special meeting with the Fire Service and Police to discuss the court's finding. St John’s advice to driver is to be cautious and expect the unexpected. Ever since the accident McInnes has been working from a desk. He will keep his desk job.

MARIE JAMIESON: Police say they believe 23-year-old Marie Jamieson was dead before she was dumped behind a factory. Her body was naked and they believe she was sexually assaulted. Her clothes were found beside her body. A bus driver has told police he picked up a woman fitting Jamieson’s description at a bus stop but police want further information confirming this.

VODAFONE SNOOPING BILL: The Government is promising to change the law to enable the police to listen in to Vodafone cell-phone calls. National’s Tony Ryall says the government is dragging its feet. Minister Paul Swain says it is a bit rich since National did nothing when it was in office. Vodafone says police will still need a warrant to make interceptions. The cost of interception technology is high. Vodafone calls are presently encrypted.

GISBORNE COP GETS TICKET: The head of Gisborne’s CIB is to get a speeding ticket afterall. He was caught speeding at over 90kmh in the city an originally received a reprieve after claiming he was on his way to a homicide briefing. However the homicide had occurred the day before and an offender was already in custody.

KIWI BANK: NZ Post has gone to court to get a gagging order to stop Richard Prebble releasing commercially sensitive information concerning the planned People’s Bank. So far Prebble has refused to shred his document. He says that this is a constitutional issue. “I am outraged that they are using our money to gag an MP.” Inside Parliament Prebble cannot be stopped from using his document however. Parliament has privilege to allow MPs to release information of public interest.

ANTARCTIC ADVENTURE ENDS: Two women who skied across Antarctica received a plane ride for a final leg to McMurdo sound. The women have now left Antarctica on a boat.

AVALANCHE: A snowboarders brush with an avalanche is caught on film.

FIRE: A pine plantation fire on the Northern banks of a Canterbury river was brought under control by fire fighters today. Two choppers fought the fire.

© Scoop Media

Alastair Thompson

Scoop Publisher

Alastair Thompson is the co-founder of Scoop. He is of Scottish and Irish extraction and from Wellington, New Zealand. Alastair has 24 years experience in the media, at the Dominion, National Business Review, North & South magazine, Straight Furrow newspaper and online since 1997. He is the winner of several journalism awards for business and investigative work.

CONTACT ALASTAIR THOMPSON

• Mobile - 021707044
• Twitter - @althecat
• Google+

• Linkedin
• Facebook
• Email - alastair@scoop.co.nz