Pub owner on attempted murder charge
A Kent pub owner appeared at Maidstone Crown Court last week accused of attempting to murder his wife.
At a brief hearing, Phillip Cowell, a property developer who jointly owns the Yew & Ewe pub in the village of Brookland, Romney Marsh, was shown on a TV link with Elmley Prison.
The 43-year-old is alleged to have tried to kill his wife, Faith, at their home, Old Cheyne Court, Old Romney, on 4 July. She suffered injuries and had surgery at a London hospital.
Cowell was remanded in custody until 30 September, when he is expected to enter a plea to the charge.
Ashford magistrates had previously been told that Cowell's family were prepared to stand bail of £700,000.
Sexually assaulted in a nightclub
A woman in her late 20s was subjected to a serious sexual assault at an Oxfordshire nightclub.
She was attacked in the toilets at the Venue 7 in Abingdon, on the evening of Thursday 30 June into Friday 1 July.
The man police are looking for in connection with the assault is described as white, in his early 20s, with dark brown or black cropped hair. He has a Gaelic-style tattoo on his right forearm and speaks with a northern accent. He wore a light blue and white T-shirt and stonewashed jeans.
Det Sgt Chris Biddle, who can be contacted at Abingdon police station on 0845 8505 505, said: 'This is a particularly nasty crime and we need to find the person who did it.
Staff threatened during armed raid
Two female members of staff were threatened during an armed raid at a Northumbrian social club.
Two men forced their way into the Waterloo Social Club in Blyth at around 11.30pm on Thursday last week, before fleeing with a quantity of cash. They ran from the rear of the building to Edward Street, in the general direction of Bowes Court.
Both men are described as slim and wearing hooded tops, one red and one black. The women were unhurt.
Anyone with information can call Blyth CID on 0191 214 6555 ext 61944.
Teenager gets 12 months for glassing
A teenager has been forced to miss a round-the-world trip after he was given 12 months in a young offenders institute for glassing a man in a pub.
Robert Cooper's university degree course is also in jeopardy after he admitted assault occasioning actual bodily harm when he appeared at St Albans Crown Court last week.
The court heard that Cooper, 19, of Carlisle Avenue, St Albans, was watching football at O'Neills in London Road, St Albans, after booking a round-the-world ticket for his gap year.
At around 10.30pm, another customer, Andrew Weldon, saw that a girl in his group was arguing with one of Cooper's friends. Weldon and Cooper stepped in and Cooper smashed a pint glass on to the right side of Weldon's face.
The glass shattered on impact and cut Weldon's face. He could be left with permanent scarring, the court heard.
Nichola Cafferkey, defending, said Cooper felt genuine remorse. He had been working in three different jobs to save up for his gap-year travelling.
Cafferkey said Cooper had not been in trouble with police before, but Recorder Edward Cohen said the incident was so serious that only a custodial sentence was justified.
Pub manager is held up at gunpoint
A pub manager has told of his shock after being held up by masked gunmen in the living quarters of his pub.
Ashley Pannell, 20, a manager at the Lord Nelson in Front Street, Arnold, Leeds, described how on Tuesday last week, two men forced their way into the pub's upstairs apartment and made him open the safe and hand over £3,500 in takings.
Pannell said: 'They got this gun out and said, 'open the safe or we will blow your knee-caps off'. They were wearing masks made out of the same material as bank money bags, but they had cut holes out for their eyes.
'I was forced to lie face down on the bed while they filled up a blue pillow case with cash. The taller one went downstairs to take the CCTV tape but he couldn't open it so they took me down there at gunpoint. Police are now hunting the robbers.
