National Radio Midday Bulletin

Monday, 8 May 2000, 12:32 am
Article: Chris Holm

Watson Appeal Lost - Police Suppression - Voluntary Suppression - Activist Awarded - Sierra Leone Violence - Brierley Stake - Cervical Inquiry - Love Bug Number Two - Volleyball Protest - Air Traffic Shortage - Body Found - Fairbanks Dies

WATSON APPEAL LOST: Scott Watson the man found guilty of murdering Blenheim friends Scott Watson and Olivia Hope has had his High Court appeal against his 17 year sentence turned down. Watson’s lawyers had attacked the late admission of evidence about Watson’s character in the trial and also the judge's summing up comments which they said were prejudicial.

POLICE SUPPRESSION: National is calling on the Government to pass urgent legislation tomorrow to ensure police officers names are suppressed when they are under investigation for conduct in the course of work. The call relates to the Herald newspaper’s successful bid to challenge the name suppression of the police officer involved in the Waitara shooting incident .

VOLUNTARY SUPPRESSION: Many of the countries main news organisations may voluntarily refrain from publishing the constable’s name. TVNZ, Radio New Zealand and INL newspapers have said they will all voluntarily suppress the man’s name.

ACTIVIST AWARDED: A Canterbury University lecturer has been awarded $20,000 for an unlawful house search by police three years ago. Dr Michael Small was awarded the money when his house was searched a week after he found SIS agents breaking into the house of his friend activist Aziz Choudry.

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SIERRA LEONE VIOLENCE: Britain has called for all British nationals to leave Sierra Leone after reports that independence rebels have threatened the capital of Freetown. A battalion of paratroopers is also going to the West African country in case they are needed.

BRIERLEY STAKE: The Government has stopped the sale of Brierley’s 50 percent stake in fishing company Sealord to overseas investors, a move criticised by the opposition. Brierley’s chairman is expected to comment on the move today.

CERVICAL INQUIRY: A Scottish pathologist has told the Cervical Cancer Inquiry that Dr. Bottrill’s level of reporting of cervical slides was well below the United Kingdom’s national average.

LOVE BUG NUMBER TWO: New Zealand businesses have been reporting new strains of the computer virus “The Love Bug” infecting computers.

CANCER BOY: The Cook Island’s Minister of Health says a young boy whose has returned with his parents to Rarotonga after refusing chemical therapy had convinced his parents he was too scared to undergo the life saving treatment.

VOLLEYBALL PROTEST: Police and protesters clashed on Bondi beach after a demonstration against work on a controversial Olympic Volleyball stadium.

AIR TRAFFIC SHORTAGE: The Airline Pilots Association says air services at the country's airports may have to be cut because of a shortage of air traffic controllers.

BODY FOUND: A body has been found beside State Highway One at Lindisfarne near Dunedin this morning.

FAIRBANKS DIES: The actor Douglas Fairbanks Junior has died in New York at the age of 90.

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