'Most fearsome predator' unveiled

8 July 2011 Last updated at 04:42 GMT By Rebecca Morelle Science reporter, BBC News Richard Edmonds on the scariest animal to have ever lived in our oceans

A skull belonging to one of the largest "sea monsters" ever unearthed is being unveiled to the public.

The beast, which is called a pliosaur, has been described as the most fearsome predator the Earth has seen.

The fossil was found in Dorset, but it has taken 18 months to remove the skull from its rocky casing, revealing the monster in remarkable detail.

Scientists suspect the creature, which is on show at the Dorset County Museum, may be a new species or even genus.

Richard Edmonds, Dorset County Council's earth science manager for the Jurassic Coast, said: "This is amazing. We saw this fossil initially as a pile of bones - and slowly, after a lot of hard work, it has come together.

"We are now told this skull is 95% complete, and probably one of the largest and certainly one of the most well-preserved and complete pliosaurs ever found anywhere in the world."

The 155-million-year-old fossil was discovered by local collector Kevan Sheehan between 2003 and 2008 as it gradually tumbled out of the cliffs near Weymouth.

He told BBC News: "It was sheer luck - I was sitting on the beach, and saw three pieces. I had no idea what they were, but I proceeded to drag them back. Then over several years, I'd go back every year and find a new piece. I'm a beach magpie."

Pliosaurs were the top predators of the oceans

At first it more closely resembled huge lumps of rock than a marine monster, but a lengthy preparation process that has been carried out by fossil expert Scott Moore-Faye has revealed the fine details of the fossil.

Looking somewhat like a crocodile on steroids, it is now easy to see the power of this "biting machine": pliosaurs, which lived during the Jurassic and Cretaceous Periods were the top predators of the oceans.

On show now are its eye sockets, perched upon the top of its head, revealing how it would have fixed its stare on any passing prey; the openings that held its it immensely powerful jaw muscles, allowing it to crunch down on anything that crossed its path; and the huge holes, running all the way down its snout, that contained its giant, razor-sharp teeth to help finish the meal off.

When the fossil was first found, it was covered in rocky debris

Palaeontologist Richard Forrest said: "This is an iconic specimen - one of the most exciting we have seen in years.

"It was probably the most fearsome predator that ever lived. Standing in front of the skull you can imagine this enormous beast staring straight back at you, fixing you with its binocular vision, and attacking. Just thinking about it raises the hairs on the back of your neck."

Its bulky body, which would have been powered through the water with four paddle-like limbs, has never been found - and may not even have fossilised.

But new estimates from scientists, based on the 2.4m-long skull, suggest that the predator would have measured between 15-18m from tip to tail.

Biggest beast?

Currently, the owner of the title of world's biggest sea monster is tricky to ascertain, as it is rare to find a complete fossil.

The pliosaur from Dorset is big - but perhaps not the biggest

But pieces of potentially larger specimens have been found in the brick pits of Oxfordshire, and the skull of a species of pliosaur called Kronosaurus, from Australia, could be up to 3m (10ft) long. Recent finds in Svalbard, such as the aptly named "Monster" and "Predator X", as well as the "Monster of Aramberri", found in Mexico are also contenders.

However, scientists say that having a skull that is only missing the tip of its snout and a small piece of its jaw, gives them a rare chance to get a glimpse into the life of this ancient animal.

CT scans carried out by a team at the School of Engineering Sciences University of Southampton, which probe the fossil using X-rays, are now being studied to assess whether this creature is new to science.

Richard Edmonds said: "I've looked at some of the papers of described animals, and it looks different: it is much more massive, much more robust.

The fossil is now going on display at Dorset County Museum

"But to determine whether it is anything new is a whole study in its own right. We'll have to go away, carefully compared to the existing species.

"But I wouldn't be surprised if in a year's time, we are standing here and looking at something that is new to science."

The fossil, which was purchased for ?20,000 by the Dorset County Museum using Heritage Lottery Funds, with half of the money going to the collector and half to the landowner, is now going on public display. Sir David Attenborough is carrying out the opening ceremony.

David Tucker, Dorset County Museums Adviser said: "Our initial expectations have been more than met and the creature looks absolutely fabulous and we doubt whether there is a more complete pliosaur skull anywhere in the world.

"It is amazing to have the largest, most complete skull of the most powerful predator to live on Earth on display on the Jurassic Coast World Heritage Site, the home of the science of palaeontology"

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Football sectarian laws unveiled

17 June 2011 Last updated at 12:08 GMT The Scottish government has published new draft legislation to deal with sectarianism

The Scottish government has published its proposals for legislation to tackle sectarianism related to football, including tough new prison terms.

The bill aims to stamp out abusive behaviour from football fans whether they are watching matches in a stadium, in the pub or commenting online.

It would raise the maximum jail term from six months to five years.

But the legal profession and Holyrood's justice committee raised fears the laws were being rushed through too quickly.

The Offensive Behaviour at Football and Threatening Communications Bill, which could be passed by 30 June and in place for the start of the football season in July, aims to tackle disorder around football matches and clamp down on internet hate postings.

The draft legislation includes two new offences.

The first relates to stirring up religious hatred at or around football matches in a way likely to cause public disorder.

It will also apply to pubs which are showing the games on television.

The second addresses the use of new technology to air old prejudices.

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The legislation introduces two new offences on football-related behaviour regarded as offensive and threatening.

One will look at disorder around football matches inside the ground, and extends to those travelling to and from stadiums, as well as fans watching games elsewhere, for example, in pubs or on big screens outdoors.

The second offence deals with serious threats - including murder - made on the internet.

That would take in posts on sites like Facebook and Twitter, as well as specific websites.

Both offences would become indictable, with a maximum punishment of five years in jail.

The maximum jail term for sectarian hate crimes is currently six months.

As is always the case, any new law sets out the penalties available - decisions on sentencing in each case are a matter for the courts.

It bans communications anywhere, including on sites such as Facebook and Twitter, which involve a threat or incitement to stir up religious hatred.

The new legislation comes in the wake of several high-profile football-related incidents, including the recent appearance of two men in court, after suspected bombs were sent to Celtic manager Neil Lennon and two other high-profile supporters of the club, in March.

However, justice committee convener and SNP MSP Christine Grahame said the timescale for passing the bill meant it may not get the proper parliamentary scrutiny.

She called on the Scottish government to insert a "sunset clause" into the legislation, requiring MSPs to revisit it at a later stage.

Her concerns were echoed by the committee's deputy convener, Labour MSP James Kelly, who said: "We look forward to working constructively with the Scottish government to ensure the new laws are in place as quickly as possible, but, if we rush this legislation through at breakneck speed without proper scrutiny, there is a real danger that we will get something wrong."

Bill McVicar, of The Law Society of Scotland, expressed similar concern, saying time must be made for proper consultation and scrutiny.

He said: "Without this consultation there is the risk that the legislation could be passed which either does not meet its objective or is inconsistent with existing law, making it unworkable.

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There is no pot of fairy dust - I cannot sprinkle Scotland and have it change overnight, much as I would wish that to be the case”

End Quote Roseanna Cunningham Community safety minister "It could also result in legislation that is open to successful challenge."

And the moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, The Right Rev David Arnott, said he was "nervous" about the plan to see the bill approved by 30 June.

"Whilst we are not against the ideas in this bill, we remain unconvinced of the wisdom of this approach," he said.

"The speed at which it is being rushed through means it appears to lack scrutiny and clarity.

"The government is rightly asking for support from across civic Scotland, but is not giving civic Scotland much time to make sure they are happy with the content."

Scotland's community safety minister, Roseanna Cunningham, said the bill was the beginning and not the end of the fight against sectarianism.

"We felt as a government that we had to move fast while we dealt with the broader problem right throughout society," she said.

"Of course, there is a great deal more work that needs to be done right across society in order for us to tackle the bigger problem which is endemic across Scotland."

The minister warned: "There is no pot of fairy dust - I cannot sprinkle Scotland and have it change overnight, much as I would wish that to be the case.

"But what do have, as a society, to do is to address it, stop tolerating it - I think that has been one of the problems in Scotland.

"It shames us and it shames us in the eyes of the world and we have begun to see that and understand that and it is time we really began to tackle it."

Rangers and Celtic football clubs welcomed the bill.

Strathclyde Police assistant chief constable Campbell Corrigan also backed the legislation, but warned: "You do not solve a problem like this by arresting your way through it.

"In fact, arresting people should be a last resort - we should be doing everything we possibly can to eliminate the problem itself, not just relying on police officers and the courts to, hopefully, make it go away."

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