'Return UVF members to jail' call

29 June 2011 Last updated at 11:40 GMT The UVF has been blamed for orchestrating violence in east Belfast Active UVF members freed from prison on licence under the Good Friday Agreement should be returned to jail, the Police Federation chairman has said.

Terry Spence said the NI secretary of state should make the move due to the UVF's involvement in riots in east Belfast last week.

Police accused the loyalist group of orchestrating trouble in the Short Strand/Lower Newtownards Road area.

Mr Spence was speaking at the federation's annual conference.

"If being a proscribed organisation is to mean anything, then action must be taken," he said.

"The behaviour of the UVF demands that active members released under the Belfast Agreement on licence should be recalled to prison by the secretary of state.

"We cannot tolerate paramilitary groups creating public havoc because they think they have no voice in how Northern Ireland is governed."

During his speech, Mr Spence paid tribute to Constable Ronan Kerr, who was murdered by dissident republicans in April.

"Our colleague Ronan is a noble example of the latest in a series of courageous officers who have paid the supreme sacrifice for upholding the rule of law," Mr Spence said.

He said the dissidents' numbers were growing.

Terry Spence said active UVF members should be returned to prison

"It is common knowledge that they number around 650 - hardly the microscopic numbers officially suggested in official circles," he said.

Mr Spence said 32 police officers in Northern Ireland have been forced to move home in the past 18 months as a result of the increased terrorist threat,

He repeated his criticism of the decision to get rid of the PSNI full-time reserve which he said did not make sense in light of the increase in dissident attacks and instead called for 1,000 new officers to be recruited.

The Police Federation chairman called on the Northern Ireland's Executive to put the fight against terrorism at the top of its agenda.

"It is not the economy that needs put at the heart of the programme for government, it is the defeat and elimination of the cancer of terrorism," he said.

"When terrorism is ended, the economy will be reinvigorated, the paramilitary stranglehold on communities will be broken, civic life will recover and maybe then, we will have community policing for real."

Mr Spence also again criticised the amount of resources dedicated to investigating the past.

"I invite the justice minister and the secretary of state to consider the proposition that far from serving the worthy objective of bringing closure to the relatives, the reports and inquiries are increasingly pulling all of us all back into the bitter past through the revisiting of grievous events.

"Wounds are being re-opened rather than being allowed to heal," he said.

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Woodward rules out return to RFU

Sir Clive Woodward rules himself out of RFU job - BBC News report

Former England boss Sir Clive Woodward has ruled out returning to the Rugby Football Union (RFU).

Woodward had been tipped to become the RFU's elite performance director.

But on Thursday Woodward said: "I would like to formally confirm that I will not be attending any interviews for this position.

"I am totally committed to my role as director of sport at the British Olympic Association and deputy chef de mission for Team GB in London 2012."

Woodward's announcement comes as the latest development in an increasingly fraught saga surrounding the process to find a new elite performance director for English rugby union's governing body.

Last week an emergency board meeting voted to instruct chief executive John Steele to reverse his decision to downgrade the performance director role to exclude any involvement with Martin Johnson's England team.

The original job description for the role included a reference to responsibility for all representative teams, up to and including the senior team.

Steele's decision to water down the role had been seen as a move to block Woodward's involvement, but after the board's vote to reverse the decision, the 2003 World Cup-winning coach was seen as the favourite to take the job despite not having formally applied for the position.

However, he has now publicly ended his interest in the job.

The former England boss said there had been "considerable speculation" concerning his possible return.

He confirmed that he had held "informal conversations" with senior RFU figures, with the full knowledge of the BOA, but had never formally interviewed for the role.

"May I wish the RFU all the best in its search to find the appropriate candidate for this very important role for English rugby going forward," he added.

"I would also like to take this opportunity to wish Martin Johnson, his coaching team and all of his players every success, but especially for this year's World Cup in New Zealand which all rugby fans are so looking forward to."

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If a potential candidate wishes to rule themselves out, as indeed others have done, then that is their prerogative

RFU statement

Meanwhile, the RFU attempted to draw a line under the damaging episode, issuing a statement insisting that it was Woodward's "prerogative" to rule himself out.

Referring to its recent recruitment drive., the RFU Statement said that "at no time have we publicly commented on individuals who may or may not have been involved.

"We have continued to pursue that confidential approach for the performance director search, although it has not proved so straightforward," added the RFU.

"If a potential candidate wishes to rule themselves out, as indeed others have done, then that is their prerogative and it would not be appropriate for the RFU to discuss that person's decision.

"We have been clear that the performance director process moving forward is under review by the board."

BOA chairman Lord Moynihan said the announcement was "welcome news" for British athletes ahead of the 2012 Olympics.

"The work Clive and his sport team are doing is critical," added Moynihan.

Andy Hunt, BOA chief executive and Team GB chef de mission, echoed Moynihan's words.

"Clive understands exactly what it takes to deliver under intense pressure," he said.

"He is a highly respected voice in our preparation and I am proud to have him as a member of our team and as one of our deputy chefs de mission."

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Dizaei hopes to return to force

16 May 2011 Last updated at 19:04 GMT Former police commander Ali Dizaei:"My integrity is completely intact"

Former Metropolitan Police commander Ali Dizaei has said he hopes to return to the force one day after winning an appeal against charges of misconduct and corruption.

Mr Dizaei, 48, was freed after 15 months in jail and now faces a retrial.

He was accused of making threats, assault, false arrest and faking evidence against Waad al-Baghdadi, over a money dispute.

Mr Dizaei said he had left prison "with my integrity completely intact".

He was let out of Leyhill open prison on Monday after Lord Justice Hughes and two other judges said the Court of Appeal had been "driven to the conclusion" that his conviction "cannot be regarded as safe".

'Faith in God'

At a press conference in London on Monday evening, Mr Dizaei praised his wife for helping secure his appeal and added: "I will remain determined to clear my name."

He said his time in prison was like "putting a hand in a wasps' nest".

He said he was assaulted on a number of occasions and it was his faith in God and faith in his innocence that assisted him to go through "what I can best describe as hell".

He said: "I remain determined not to be bullied out of my job. It is my intention to go back to the Metropolitan Police, clear my name, and retire like any other (officer)."

Lord Justice Hughes and two other judges at the Court of Appeal in London made the ruling after fresh evidence cast doubt on Mr al-Baghdadi's credibility as a witness.

The earlier hearing was told that Mr al-Baghdadi was a fraudster who had lied to investigators and at the trial last year.

Police also confirmed that he was arrested on 6 March on suspicion of benefit fraud.

Solicitor Stephen Fox: "Mr Dizaei and his family are very pleased the Court of Appeal has quashed the conviction"

Michael Mansfield QC, for Mr Dizaei, also accused Mr al-Baghdadi of lying to obtain residence in the UK.

Lord Justice Hughes said fresh information about benefit claims would obviously have had some impact on the jury's deliberations.

He said the Court of Appeal "simply do not know whether this conviction is soundly based or not".

He concluded: "In those circumstances we are driven to the conclusion that it cannot be regarded as safe."

A CPS spokesperson said: "The court has said that a jury should have the opportunity to decide whether the prosecution evidence is sufficient to prove the case against Mr Dizaei, considering the new material relating to the alleged victim.

"The Crown Prosecution Service accepts the judgement and will prepare for the retrial."

Earlier Mr Dizaei's solicitor Stephen Fox, from Ralli Solicitors, said his client was "relieved" his conviction had been quashed and he could again "call himself an innocent man".

Mr Fox said: "He and his family are very pleased that the Court of Appeal quashed this verdict against him."

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