Tougher sentences for knife possession - More criminals continue to go to prison for carrying a knife - and for longer - while the number of cautions for knife possession has fallen again. [Ministry of Justice]

The front main door of a hotel in Buckinghamshire was smashed in by approximately 8 armed police at 4.30 am Thursday morning.Terrified guests were woken up by police knocking on their doors looking for someone.
The staff at the hotel were stressed by the action and guests complained about the police action.
The action appeared to be inappropriate. The police had already called into the hotel the day before with photos asking staff if they had seen the person. There was no person in the hotel with that description.
The management of the hotel consider that the action taken by the police was heavy handed and not good for their business. A phone call to discuss the matter by the police would have saved police time and money.

-----------------------------------------------------
Other news from The Telegraph

Police forces pay £500,000 compensation
Police paid out more than half a million pounds in compensation last year for raiding the wrong properties.

Forces across Britain shelled out to repair broken doors, smashed windows, wrecked walls and even damaged ornaments.

According to a request under the Freedom of Information Act, 30 police forces paid £560,000 in compensation and repair costs last year.

The Metropolitan Police Service paid out the most, £283,829, more than half the total sum nationwide.

They also issued the highest single payout, £6,932, though the force was not able to reveal what this was for.

The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) had the next highest overalltotal, paying £45,072.70 last year, followed closely by Lothian and Borders Police with £43,880.89.

In fourth place Kent Police paid £26,523, while Thames Valley Police came fifth with a total of £25,725.14.

The figures revealed payments for replastering and redecorating, replacing ornaments, fixing locks and providing glazing services.

The most common costs among 3,607 payouts were for replacing or repairing doors, listed by 50 per cent of forces.

In the last financial year Durham police paid out for damage to 35 doors while Northamptonshire Police had to replace eight.

Due to time constraints most forces were unable to break down each claim individually.

But 13 per cent of police forces admitted repairing locks and seven per cent said they had had to pay to replace ornaments.

Another ten per cent said they had to pay compensation after breaking into the wrong address.

Grampian Police paid £1,159.71 last year ''for entering the wrong property when attempting to execute a lawful warrant''.

Dyfed Powys Police had to pay £1,000 for raiding an ''incorrect address'' and Strathclyde Police paid an undisclosed sum following a ''forced entry to the wrong house''.

In September drugs officers from Northamptonshire Police terrified a young mother when they tried to smash down her front door with a battering ram - with a warrant for next door.

Nursery nurse Carly Payne, 24, was breastfeeding five-day-old daughter Bella on the sofa when police burst in, arresting her partner, stepfather and his friend - who were later released without charge.

The mother-of-two from Wellingborough, Northants., said the police should be ''ashamed'' for bungling more than 3,600 raids last year.

She said: ''That's an absolute joke. Northants Police told me these mistakes were rare but it looks like the police screw things up all over the country.

''It's crazy, I can't believe there have been so many mistakes. The police need to do their homework much better in the future.''

Northamptonshire Police have finally replaced her door 12 weeks on.

According to the statistics the majority of claims paid out are for repair costs, but some are more unusual.

More unusual compensation payments from last year came from Northamptonshire Police, who paid £40 for a damaged pet cage and £100 to repair a tent.

Strathclyde Police had to find £1551.50 after an ''allegation an officer damaged the ceiling during a search''.

Most police authorities confirmed they would only pay compensation if their officers were deemed to have acted ''unlawfully''.

Compensation is only appropriate if the search is ''not lawful'' or force used cannot be shown to be ''reasonable, proportionate and necessary to effect entry''.

Telegraph Dec 2009

5 ways to hit back at greedy energy giants - Energy firms are raking it in as millions of people struggle. But there are ways of cutting your bills and newcomer First Utility could be worth a look

[Bargains and Rip-offs]

FSA chief: Bailout bill may hit £140bn - The UK's financial watchdog warned that the cost of bailing out the banking sector could be as much as £140bn, far higher than Treasury forecasts

[Money News]

Ex-Labour leader Michael Foot dies at 96 - Michael Foot was seen as too eccentric and leftwing to be prime minister, but such were his charm, wit and erudition that the Labour politician will be remembered with affection even by those who never voted for him [Financial Times]

Financiers 'discuss Man Utd bid' - A group of financiers - dubbed the "Red Knights" - meet for the first time to discuss taking over Man Utd, BBC Sport understands. [Business]

Government programme improving lives of families and communities blighted by anti-social behaviour - - New report shows Family Intervention Projects have ‘overwhelmingly positive’ impact on families involved in anti-social behaviour ... (2010/0052) [DCSF]

Should the BBC be cut? - The BBC has announced that it plans to make dramatic cuts to its services in order to reinvest savings in more original and distinctive content – “to make fewer things better”, in the words of Director General Mark Thompson.

Proposed changes – which include the closure of digital radio stations 6Music and Asian Network as well as a restructure of the website – have already provoked criticism, with campaigns on Twitter and Facebook signing up thousands and already prompting hints of a rethink.  But, unlike other public services floating the ideas of cuts, the BBC’s strong position means that, as Emily Bell writes in today’s Guardian “the BBC might look as if it’s in retreat. But its dominance remains“. Indeed set against a broader picture of declining revenues for commercial broadcasting and print media, plus the continuing inability of traditional media companies to find ways of making the web pay, these ‘cuts’ can be seen as a strategy to protect the BBC’s current significant place in the UK’s broadcasting eco-system, at the expense of others. Although ITV, News International and Channel 4 may benefit from decreased competition, there is no guarantee that they will – or can – step up to the plate and provide the (public) services the BBC is – witness Channel 4’s own retreat from its digital radio plans. [Intute]

Autism strategy for England published - There is now an official autism strategy for England, following the new Autism Act, the first ever strategy of its kind in this country.   It sets out key recommendations for central government and local authorities.  These mainly affect adults, who so far have not had a great deal of support and are often hidden members of society.  Read all about it on the National  Autistic Society website.   Or view the full version of the Autism Act 2009.
Find quality resources on Autism in Intute’s Social Welfare section. [Intute]

British Gas profits jump by 58% - Operating profits at British Gas jumped by 58% in 2009, its parent company Centrica says. [Main News]

RBS set to announce £5bn losses - RBS, which is 84% taxpayer-owned, is expected to announce it lost about £5bn in 2009, but will pay £1.3bn in staff bonuses. [Business]

Care crisis as parties clash over reform plans - A furious political row has put the spotlight back on the thorny issue of how to pay for the care of an ageing population

[Pensions]

Barratt upbeat on housing market - Housebuilder Barratt Developments reports reduced losses and issues an upbeat forecast for the next six months. [Business]

Social care law 'needs clarity' - The law and duties covering social care provided by councils in England and Wales need simplifying, experts say. [Health]

Weather helps freeze global recovery - Raft of negative data in the US and Europe confounds analysts’ predictions [Financial Times]

PM denies 'forces of hell' attack - Gordon Brown denies ordering the "forces of hell" to be unleashed on Alistair Darling for predicting the worst recession for 60 years. [Main News]

PM denies 'forces of hell' attack - Gordon Brown denies ordering the "forces of hell" to be unleashed on Alistair Darling for predicting the worst recession for 60 years. [Main News]

Tories launch attack on Labour's economic record - Labour's economic record will come under attack from the Tories today as figures reveal that families are worse off than they were five years ago

[Money News]

Banks 'still restricting loans' - Almost two-thirds of UK businesses were refused credit by their banks last year, a survey says. [Business]

Government action to promote good behaviour and strong discipline in schools - – Parents will be asked to sign up to school policies like behaviour, attendance and uniform during application process ... (2010/0037) [DCSF]