Jail for illegal immigrants arrested at cannabis farm

A PAIR of illegal immigrants who were arrested during a raid on a Whyteleafe cannabis farm have each been jailed for two years.

Vietnam-born Bao and Tam Nguyen, who are not related, were held at an address in Godstone Road on September 27 after the homeowner discovered the drugs factory and called the police.

Officers?found 478 cannabis plants worth “tens of thousands of pounds”, which were?being grown in a “highly sophisticated” operation.

At Guildford Crown Court on Wednesday (December 22), both men pleaded guilty to producing?a controlled drug, namely class B cannabis.

Bao, 51, and Tam, 24, have been in HMP High Down in Banstead since the day after their arrest but, before that,?had been?living in the property since June.

Both the men were in the country illegally. Bao overstayed a one-month tourist visa having arrived in May, but claimed he was forced to work in the drugs farm after running up gambling debts.

Tam arrived in the UK illegally and?said he was tricked into working at the house after being offered employment which he believed to be in a restaurant.

Keith Goodhand, defending, urged Judge Neil Stewart to be lenient with the men as they had already suffered shame and embarassment.

He added: “Both the men accept that they shouldn’t have been there at the time and both have been in custody since.

“Bao Nguyen has five children between the ages of 30 and 17 and he has to deal with the fact that he has not only let himself down but he has let his family down.

“They both feel a sense of disgrace now and even more so when they are inevitably deported to their home country.”

Sentencing, Judge Stewart said: “You were both present in the house when it was searched by the police and both of you had been concerned in looking after the 478 plants.

“You are both adults and neither of you should have been in the country at all.

"I expect and hope you will be automatically deported at the end of your sentence.”

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Maestro Ennio Morricone Optimal Music Apps on LG Optimus 2X and LG

LG will release an exclusive collection of music and ringtones written by movie soundtrack maestro Ennio Morricone.? The first such collaboration of its kind, both newly composed pieces as well as a selection from Morricone's legendary oeuvre, including Cinema Paradiso, The Mission and Love Affair, will be included in the collection.

The exclusive music will be preloaded on LG smartphones starting with the LG Optimus 2X.? LG smartphone users will be able to enjoy a total of 25 of Morricone's creations -- 15 ringtones composed specifically for LG and 10 of his best-known tunes from the world of cinema.

Born in Italy, Morricone is one of the most prolific and influential film composers in the world.? He has composed and arranged scores for more than 500 films and TV programs over his illustrious career.

In addition to the collection of 25 ringtones and music, LG plans to develop a range of apps with Morricone-related content, such as images and video clips for free downloading from the LG Application Store starting next year.

The partnership with Ennio Morricone is part of LG's Mobile Signature Sound Series, which kicked-off in 2006 with The Real Group, the award-winning a cappella group from Sweden.

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MS woman's 'lived life to the full' T-shirt for suicide

A MULTIPLE sclerosis sufferer who developed a pioneering treatment for the disease took her own life by inhaling helium gas, an inquest has heard.

Cari Loder, of Silo Road in Farncombe, was found dead at her home by a neighbour on June 8, 2009.

Described as a “strong minded lady who took the way out the only way she could”, Miss Loder was found wearing a T-shirt bearing the words ‘I lived life to the full’.

Frank Sinatra’s?My Way was also playing in the background when paramedics attended her home.

Miss Loder had tried to take her life on a previous occasion, through an overdose of diazepam, and had told family and friends that she intended to try again.

A former researcher and lecturer at the University of London’s Institute of Education, she meticulously researched methods, and used the suicide manual Final Exit to discover that breathing helium would work.

Her sister, Victoria Croker, told the coroner's?court at Woking on Wednesday (December 22)?that?Miss Loder “would never, could never, contemplate going into care”.

“The physical state she was in had become unbearable," she added.

"It broke my heart to see how immobile she was. I remember the days when she was still able to crawl around the house, but it came to the point that she couldn’t even move.

“It was very obvious that she wouldn’t be able to cope [with going into care] physically or mentally.”

Neighbour John Bicknall was the?person who found Miss Loder's body, and he told the inquest that on the day she died he had taken her two dogs out for a walk, as he did regularly.

“We [he and his wife] got to know her quite well. If she slipped from the settee I would go over and pick her up or just do odd jobs for her.

“The eighth of June was a normal sort of day. I had no particular reason to look at her, it was just a normal morning.

"I was out of the house with the dogs within one or two minutes, she just said 'see you later' and that was it.”

Instructions left

Around 40 minutes later he returned from the walk and found Miss Loder on the sofa, with a plastic hood over her head and a pipe from a helium canister coming out of the bottom.

“I followed Cari’s instructions,” Mr Bicknall told the court. “She wanted me to be the one who found her dead. She had said to check she was dead, then to call the doctor.

“I knew she was going to commit suicide at some time but she wouldn’t tell me when because she didn’t want us involved.”

Miss Loder, who was 48, made an advanced directive, or living will, in February 2009, asking not to be resuscitated.

Her GP, Dr Sarah Pidgeon arrived at the house shortly after Mr Bicknall called her on June 8, and pronounced the death at 9.57am.

After her first suicide attempt, a sectioning under the Mental Health Act was discussed by?Miss Loder's?doctors, but Dr Pidgeon?told the inquest?she thought this was unnecessary.

“I had very strong feelings that a sectioning wouldn’t be helpful to Cari and that it would actually be detrimental.

"I restricted her supply of medication because we thought perhaps she was stockpiling it.”

Assistant deputy coroner, Richard Travers, ruled that the cause of death was plastic bag asphyxia, and that he was satisfied Miss Loder’s mobility was such that she was able to turn the valve on the gas canister herself.

He said: “Miss Loder declined steadily over the last month of her life. Though her mobility was poor she was able to use her arms and upper body.

“I am satisfied beyond all doubt that Miss Loder took her own life.”

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iPhone, BlackBerry, Android an' Droid App Update: Viper SmartStart Finds My Car

Today must be car app day because after the City of Los Angeles sanctioned a parking space finder app, Viper has added car finding to its app.

Directed Electronics announced the availability of a new feature on its award-winning Viper SmartStart that allows users to pinpoint exactly where they parked their car.? The feature, SmartPark, notes a vehicle's location every time the user presses the door lock button in the Viper SmartStart app.

To return to the stored location, users press the Find My Car button in the app and retrieve the location, accessing any additional accompanying photo or note reminder that the user may have stored.? SmartPark shows a map with walking directions back to the car's location.

"Using Viper SmartStart to control your vehicle with your smartphone has been a game changer," said Kevin Duffy, president of Directed Electronics, "and the feature set continues to expand.? When we launched Viper Motor Club roadside assistance recently, we promised exciting new features to follow - and SmartPark is the first of many.? It's free, it's fun, and it's also useful.? If you forget where you parked, SmartPark has the smarts to find your car."

"Users can also find their car using a great augmented reality feature we call SnakeEyes," said Duffy.? "You just hold up your phone and a virtual view of your car keeps you pointed in the right direction."

Viper SmartStart users can update their app to get the new SmartPark feature.? New users can download the free Viper SmartStart app with SmartPark at the iTunes App Store, BlackBerry App World, the Android Market, and at www.viper.com/smartstart.

Directed Electronics is inviting users to enter the free "10 Day Viper SmartStart iPad Sweepstakes" for the chance to win a free iPad.? New users can download the free app, click on "How To Buy" in the app and enter their email to register.? Current users can enter the sweepstakes via the "Find a Dealer" button.? Official rules are in the app - no purchase necessary.

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Pensioner dies after being found unconscious in car

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Pensioner dies after being found unconscious in car

December 23, 2010

A PENSIONER has died after being found unconscious at the wheel of his car,?which had?come to a stop in the middle of a main road in East Horsley.

His blue Rover 214 was found stationary by other motorists just before the Bell and Colvill Roundabout on the A246, shortly after 9.30am on Wednesday (December 22).

The 82-year-old man was unconscious in the driver's seat. He was taken to the Royal Surrey County Hospital where he was later pronounced dead.

Police said he had been driving towards Guildford.

Anyone who?may have followed the car on the Epsom Road and saw it come to a stop should contact officers on 0845 125 2222, quoting reference P10396243.

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Predator jailed for sex offences with young boys

AN “INSIDIOUS” sex offender who preyed on two boys he met over the internet has been jailed for five years.

Andrew Faulkner, 45, of Bridgewood Close, Crystal Palace,?south London, was sentenced at Guildford Crown Court on Friday (December 17)?after pleading guilty to 15 offences, including three counts of sexual activity with a child.

The court heard Faulkner posed as a teenager on social networking site Bebo in order to meet young boys, one of whom he met up with in the car park of the Tesco store in Park Barn,?Guildford, where sex acts took place.

At an earlier hearing, the defendant pleaded guilty to three counts of sexual activity with a child, two counts of causing or inciting child pornography, one of arranging a child sex offence and one of inciting a child to engage in sexual activity.

He also pleaded guilty to four counts of making indecent images of children and four counts of possessing indecent images, with a total of 107 found on the defendant’s computer when it was seized by police.

The charges related to two male victims below the age of 16, with the offences carried out in the Guildford area between October 2008 and September 2009.

Prosecutor Alex Durran told the court: “In October 2009, police received a complaint that a 13-year-old male was being sexually groomed.

“Initially the boy made it clear he didn’t want to make a complaint but later admitted some of what the police had been told was true.”

The victim told?officers that?four meetings occurred in the Tesco car park in the back of a van Faulkner had rented, as well as several other meetings at a nearby industrial estate, and he and the defendant were engaged in sex acts at both locations.

Police then carried out an extensive investigation, tracing Faulkner’s mobile phone to a petrol station and matching his image on CCTV footage to a photograph he had e-mailed to one of his victims.

According to defence solicitor Lionel Blackman, Faulkner’s marriage was breaking down and he fell into a depression, seeking solace in internet chatrooms.

"Sexual gratification"

He said: “There were boundaries in this defendant’s mind, although this is not to detract from the deep shame and regrets he has towards the complainants.”

Sentencing, Judge Suzan Matthews said: “The law is very firmly there to avoid offending against boys of this age, and I am quite satisfied your sexual gratification was what all of this was about, at the expense of your victims.”

Commenting on the case, Detective Constable Fiona Mackie said: “The sentencing sees this insidious sex offender who preyed on innocent young boys taken off the streets of our towns.

“Hopefully this outcome can help the victims and their families come to terms with their traumatic experiences and they are to be commended for their bravery and courage in coming forward.”

Faulkner was sentenced to five years in prison for each of the three counts of sexual activity with a child.

He received further five-year?terms for the charges of inciting a child to engage in sexual activity and arranging a child sex offence, and?two years for the two counts of causing or inciting child pornography.

He received two-year prison sentences for each of the eight charges relating to indecent images.

Each of the prison terms is to run concurrently, with Faulkner serving five years in total.

He was also designated a dangerous offender posing a risk to the public and will serve an extended period of three years on licence upon his release.

An indefinite Sexual Offences Prevention Order was imposed and?Faulkner was ordered?to sign the sex offenders' register for an indeterminate period.

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Google Top Website, iPhone, LG Rumor2 & BlackBerry Top U.S. Phones, Says Opera

Top 10 global mobile websites for November 2010

1. Google.com (up 1).
2. Facebook.com (down 1).
3. Vkontakte.ru.
4. Youtube.com (up 4).
5. Odnoklassniki.ru (down 1).
6. Yandex.ru (up 1).
7. Yahoo.com (up 2).
8. My.opera.com (down 2).
9. Mail.ru (down 4).
10. Getjar.com (up 3).

Top U.S. Handsets for November 2010

1. Apple iPhone.
2. LG VM265 "Rumor2."
3. BlackBerry 8520 "Curve."
4. BlackBerry 9700 "Bold."
5. LG VM510 "Rumor Touch."
6. BlackBerry 8330 "Curve."
7. Samsung SPH-M810 "Instinct S30."
8. BlackBerry 9630 "Tour."
9. BlackBerry 8530 "Curve."
10. BlackBerry 9000 "Bold."

Global trends

• Opera Mini saw significant increases in all three categories of growth in November 2010: unique users, pages viewed and data consumed.? In all, 80 million people used Opera Mini in November, 44.6 billion pages were served, and 6.3 petabytes of operator data were compressed for Opera Mini users.
• Nigeria passed the United States in terms of total Opera Mini users in the month of November.
• The United Kingdom, Belarus, Philippines, Poland, Bangladesh and Germany all went up in the ranking of top 20 countries.? Turkey was a new addition in November, and Malaysia fell off the list.

More results can be obtained in the report: www.opera.com/smw/2010/11/.

With more than 80 million monthly users, Opera Mini is the most popular browser on mobile devices.? In November alone, users viewed more than 44 billion webpages and saved money, while the Opera servers compressed more than 6 petabytes of data.

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