Police hunt pair after pub killing

A man died after being stabbed in a north London pub following an argument with two men.

Robert Elston, 45, was stabbed in the Curragh pub in High Road, Wembley, at around 5.30pm on Sunday 20 February.

He left the pub and staggered across the road but fell into a gutter before he reached the pavement. He then got onto a number 18 bus which was travelling along the High Road towards Alperton. Two passengers alerted the driver who called the police.

Elston was taken to Northwick Hospital where he died. A post mortem examination last week said death was due to shock and haemorrhage from two stab wounds.

Police suspect that Elston was followed out of the pub by the two attackers, who then went towards the car park on Curtis Lane.

One of the attackers was wearing a light-coloured jacket with dark bottoms. The other was wearing a dark jacket with dark bottoms and a white stripe down the side.

Police are appealing for anyone who saw Elston or the two men leave the pub to contact them on 020 8358 0100.

Officers probe three pub blazesPolice are investigating whether fires at three pubs in Nottingham city centre were started deliberately.

Officers are also looking at whether the blazes, all on Saturday afternoon, could be connected.

As many as 50 customers had to be evacuated fromLloyds in Goose Gate following the blaze in the men's toiletsat 5.15pm.

Fourteen firefighters were needed to tackle the fire. The venue is expected to be closed until the end of this week.

The Roebuck in St James' Street also had to be evacuated after a fire at 4.30pm. There was no serious damage and the pub re-opened that evening.

Paper towels were set alight at a third pub ­ the Prior bar, also in Goose Gate ­ but staff dealt with the fire and nobody was evacuated.

Ex-host admits theft of £27,000A former licensee has admitted stealing more than £27,000 from his employer, Watergate Inns.

Eric Humphrey admitted eight charges of stealing between £400 and £1,700 from the company between March 2003 and September 2004, when he appeared at Shrewsbury Crown Court on Monday.

Judge Simon Tonking told Humphrey, formerly of the Eagle pub in Whitchurch, Shropshire, that he could face jail.

The case has been adjourned for pre-sentence reports tobe prepared. Humphrey, of Dodington, was granted unconditional bail.

Pub raided twice within 48 hoursA Devon pub was burgled twice within 48 hours in early-morning raids.

Cash was stolen from the bar during the first raid at the George & Dragon in Ilfracombe, which took place at 3.45am on Saturday.

In the second incident, in the early hours of Monday, the rear door at the pub was forced open and raiders fled with cash and cigarettes from a vending machine. They also stole two charity boxes.

Youth sentenced for glassing womanA 19-year-old who glassed a woman at a pub after earlier apologising for staring at her has been given 15 months in a young offenders' institution.

Matthew Stanley, of Mablethorpe, Lincolnshire, pushed a beer glass into the face of 22-year-old Nicola Jones at the Library Bar in Skegness, Lincoln Crown Court heard last week. He admitted wounding.

The victim was left with cuts to the bridge of her nose and above her right eye.

Michael Cranmer-Brown, prosecuting, said Stanley was clearly drunk and was being aggressive after Jones said he was upsetting her.

Stanley said he had no memory of the attack when he was questioned by police.