Birmingham Post

I Was Like a Madman, Admits Murder Suspect

A Frenchman broke down in tears as he told a court how he stabbed his mother-in-law to death at her Midland home after she told him he was not good enough for her daughter. Cherif Doua held his head in his hands as he recounted how he "lost control" and grabbed a kitchen knife when Valerie Brocklesby said: "I don't want my daughter to live with a thug."

Mmr Warning As Mumps Sweeps Solihull

Young people in the Midlands are being urged to get an up-to- date MMR jab after new figures revealed a huge increase in mumps cases in Solihull. In the first nine weeks of 2003, just 13 people were diagnosed with the illness, but this year - during the same period - 117 incidents were reported to the Birmingham and Solihull Health Protection Unit.

Legal Matters: Reforms Provide Cause for Concern ; a New Panel Is to Sort Out the Public's Complaints About Legal Services. And Controversially It Will Be Made Up of Mostly Non- Lawyers Jessica Shepherd Reports

Two years ago the Lord Chancellor asked one of Britain's brightest brains, Sir David Clementi, to conduct an independent review into the regulation of the legal profession. Sir David, a former deputy Bank of England governor and ex- chairman of Prudential, published his findings at the end of last year.

Legal Matters: Concerns Over Scientific Evidence

Scientific evidence in court should be appraised for its validity before being presented to juries, the chairman of a Commons committee has said. A new report of the Science and Technology Committee raised concerns about miscarriages of justice based on expert testimony.

Parents Concern After Mobile Phone Mast Erected Near School

Concern has been expressed for the safety of children after a mobile phone mast was put up next to a Birmingham school. The 15-metre antenna has gone up on the edge of playing fields at Shenley Court Specialist Art College and Sixth Form Centre in Northfield within the past few days.

Chequered Life of Serial Womaniser ; Background

Cherif Doua cut a suave and sophisticated figure in the dock as he took the panel of three judges and 12 jurors through the story of his life until the murder of Valerie Brocklesby and the attempted murder of his estranged wife Jayne. Wearing fashionable ovalrimmed spectacles, a black polo neck jumper tucked into grey trousers and a black jacket, the 42-year- old looked like a man who had spent the past five years on the French Riviera rather than on remand in prison.

Confusion As Train Service Goes Off Line

Departure boards at a major Midland railway station are still showing a service that has not run since January. The four timetabled direct Shrewsbury to Walsall trains fell victim to an emergency timetable introduced by operator Central Train at the turn of the year in response to a union overtime ban.

Tyre Slashers Easter Spree

An Easter tyre-slashing spree in a Midlands town has resulted in thousand of pounds worth of damage to more than 100 cars. Police have arrested a man and released him on bail after a total of 120 cars in Nuneaton, Warwickshire, had their tyres punctured during two nights over the Easter Weekend.

Wife's Vigil at Bedside of Pensioner in Microlight Crash

A Solihull pensioner was still in a critical condition in hospital last night after he was hit by a microlight during a Bank Holiday day out. Pensioner Bernard McEneany was having tea with his wife under the awning of their camper van when the two-seater aircraft ploughed into them.

Woodland Death Inquiry

A post-mortem examination will be carried out today on a man's body found in Worcestershire woodland at the weekend. The body was discovered at Lower Bentley, near Bromsgrove, at about 6pm on Sunday and investigations into the man's death are continuing.

Watchdog Warns On Postal Voting

The official elections watchdog has issued a warning against any attempt at ballot-rigging through the postal voting system in the forthcoming General Election. The Electoral Commission set out a new code of conduct for candidates and campaigners involved in the handling of postal votes in a bid to restore confidence in the system.

Rampaging Dog Attacks Girl and Pensioners

A five-year-old girl suffered facial injuries when she was attacked by a Japanese Akita dog in Worcestershire. The dog also injured two pensioners after it escaped from a house in the Aggborough area of Kidderminster for almost two hours.

Pair Hurt in Store Armed Robbery

Police are appealing for witnesses to an armed robbery in Wolverhampton in which a man and woman were both assaulted. The incident happened after five men armed with guns and a machete went in to Dilloways General Store in the Portobello area of the city at 10.45pm on Monday.

Wightwick Manor Given Three Rossetti Paintings

Police Stun Gunman with Taser Device

Police officers have apprehended a gunman in Shropshire using a taser device. He was spotted in Atcham before police followed his car towards Shrewsbury, where it crashed in Abbey Forgate, before detectives used the stun gun to stop him in Belvedere Road.

Pair Hurt in Store Armed Robbery

Police are appealing for witnesses to an armed robbery in Wolverhampton in which a man and woman were both assaulted. The incident happened after five men armed with guns and a machete went in to Dilloways General Store in the Portobello area of the city at 10.45pm on Monday.

Be Mindful to Help the Ill - Morris ; As Part of Mental Health Week, Shahid Naqvi Meets an Expert Who Believes Sufferers May Get by Best with a Little Help From Their Friends

Family, friends and even employers have as much a role to play in helping people overcome mental illness as psychiatric services, a Birmingham health expert claimed. Mervyn Morris, from the University of Central England, said more effort should be made "mobilising" their support to help people overcome problems, such as depression.

Ethnicity of Inpatients Using Mental Health Services Recorded

The ethnicity of inpatients using mental health services across England and Wales will be recorded as part of a campaign to improve resources for people from black and ethnic minority backgrounds. Organisers say today's census, which is the first of its kind, will provide a snapshot of people using mental health facilitieshelping officials to tailor future services to meet their needs.

Gere's a Gentleman for Dancing Child Stars

The Midlands' pint-sized answers to Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers have danced for Hollywood actor Richard Gere. Megan Alebon, aged four, from Rubery, and Lewis Hateley, aged five, from West Bromwich, were asked to cha cha cha in front of the superstar for an ITV television programme.

'Nhs Services Not Helping Hospitals

New NHS services have failed to take the pressure off hospitals, MPs have warned. Walk-in centres, designed to offer an alternative to accident and emergency departments, had simply attracted new patients, leaving hospitals as busy as ever.