Archive

  • Geen jury trial sent home for Easter

    THE jury in a trial of a nurse accused of murdering two patients and causing GBH to a further 16 has been stood down for the Easter break until next Tuesday. Ben Geen, 25, is accused of murdering Anthony Bateman, 65, and David Onley, 75, and causing

  • Hundreds attend homes event

    About 300 people turned up to have their say about future plans for housing at the old Grove airfield. In the first of a series of site design workshops and drop-in exhibitions about the 2,500 homes planned for the former wartime RAF base west of the

  • Deadline nears for grant bids

    Time is running out for charities to bid for thousands of pounds in grants from the Oxford Mail's parent company. The Gannett Foundation's biannual scheme gives good causes grants of between £1,000 and £5,000 for community projects. Dozens of voluntary

  • Councillor cleared

    A parish councillor who said he tried to save village funds by using volunteers to refurbish a playing field has been cleared of behaving inappropriately. The Standards Board for England, which investigates alleged breaches of the councillors' code

  • Class act proves a pleasure

    The biggest surprise from Renault's latest version of the Clio is that it is a smidgen over 13ft long, writes David Duffy. That means it is a pretty compact car, but the sensations experienced at the wheel are of a car in a class, maybe two, above.

  • Sacrifice now, less pain later

    The 11 people reported so far for flouting the hosepipe restrictions in Oxfordshire may have been unaware that such a ban was in place. At this early stage, we will give them the benefit of the doubt. But with all the publicity the ban has been given

  • No case for banning sign

    Oxfordshire County Council is insisting that a road safety sign erected by campaigners Cyclox in Botley Road, Oxford, must be taken down as "we can't just allow people to put up signs on the highway" (Oxford Mail, April 7). Yet the council and South

  • Iraq's agony

    I hesitate to disagree with George Sada on Iraq. As a former henchman of Saddam Hussein, he clearly has more experience of the country than me. I am surprised, however, to hear him, the director of the Iraqi Institute for Peace, backing the invasion

  • Rower seems like brat

    Boat Race Day has always been a pleasure for me and I was well impressed by Oxford's rowing prowess on the Thames the weekend before last. I was proud to have cheered the team on. However, I will not be supporting them again. It is bad enough that

  • Benefit cheats swindle £285,156

    Cheats swindled almost £300,000 from taxpayers in west Oxfordshire in the past year. West Oxfordshire District Council's fraud team dealt with 66 fraudsters who, between them, falsely claimed £285,156 a 50 per cent increase on the previous year.

  • Parties get on the trail

    The election trail has started in Oxfordshire as the main political parties gear up for the district council elections on Thursday May 4. Some 61 seats on Oxford City Council, West Oxfordshire and Cherwell district councils, in addition to two county

  • Abbey misses out

    Dorchester Abbey has missed out on the £100,000 Gulbenkian Prize after failing to make the final shortlist. The prize is open to museums and galleries which show originality, imagination and innocation and increase the public's appreciation of what

  • Abbey misses out

    Dorchester Abbey has missed out on the £100,000 Gulbenkian Prize after failing to make the final shortlist. The prize is open to museums and galleries which show originality, imagination and innocation and increase the public's appreciation of what

  • Opinion: Can A1 improve on debut season?

    While the rest of the motorsport world is dusting off the cobwebs and beginning another long season, the folks at A1 Grand Prix have entered their summer hibernation. The new championship shut up shop until the autumn with a final flourish in Shanghai

  • FOOTBALL: Craker puts City closer

    Oxford City 1, Broxbourne Borough 0 Oxford City maintained their challenge for the Spartan South Midlands League Premier Division title when overcoming a stubborn Broxbourne Borough at Court Place Farm last night. Ray Spence and Mark Jones both went

  • FOOTBALL: Webb set to make Thame debut

    Neil Webb, the former Reading, Nottingham Forest and England midfielder, is set to make his Southern League Division 1 West debut when Thame United entertain Dunstable at their temporary Aylesbury home tonight. Joint boss Richard Searl persuaded the

  • SPEEDWAY: Tony's spell poses plenty of questions

    As Tony Rickardsson's short-term contract with Oxford Cheetahs comes to an end on Good Friday, the big question for fans is did the signing work? Oxford and Reading fans get the chance to see the six-times world champion ride his last Skybet Elite League

  • SPEEDWAY: Ex-Stars bid to foil Cheetahs

    Oxford Cheetahs' search for their first win of the season continues when they take on Eastbourne in the Skybet Elite League at Oxford Stadium tonight (7.30). And it doesn't look any easier as they come up against old Oxford favourites Nicki Pedersen

  • FOOTBALL: Lethal Lewis lifts Sports

    Wesley Lewis hit the late winner Launton Sports kept up their bid for Premier Division honours with a 3-2 victory at Chadlington. After a goalless first half, Derek Bluett opened the scoring for Launton with a shot into the top corner. Chris Forde then

  • FOOTBALL: Cuizo's super haul secures first title

    Tony Cuizo fired a four-timer Wheatley 04 lifted the Premier Division title for the first time with a 13-1 demolition of AFC Bullnose Morris. Daniel Smith, Jason Dyer and Adel Fawaz scored twice, with Olly Chick, Mark Simms and Steve Clarke also netting

  • New face on beat

    The team of Police Community Support Officers patrolling Oxford's Blackbird Leys estate is now complete, with the appointment of Mari-Claire Tutty. Ms Tutty made her first patrols on the completion of her training in February and is now a key member

  • FOOTBALL: Hole four-timer puts Freeland on brink

    Stuart Hole bagged a four-timer as Freeland moved to within a victory of the Premier Division title by thumping basement boys Minster Lovell 8-0. Craig Simpson notched a double, with Rick Trigg and Tom Mason completing the rout, to keep Minster rooted

  • Hopes rise for rail link

    Trains linking Oxford and Bicester with Milton Keynes and Bedford could be running within five years, after a Government report backed plans for an east-west rail service. The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister yesterday published its East West Links

  • FOOTBALL: Dorrian strike secures victory

    North Berks League Ardington & Lockinge returned to the top of Division 1 with a 30 win over neighbours East Hendred. Alan Haines put Ardington ahead in the first half, but it was another story of missed chances for Hendred, who now look doomed.

  • Shamed undertaker avoids trial

    An undertaker accused of allowing grieving relatives to take home the wrong ashes walked free from court in shame yesterday. Oxfordshire funeral director Roger Barker, 58, right, will not face a second trial on fraud charges, but a judge said he should

  • FOOTBALL: Ace Austin motors in

    North Berks League Charlie Austin bagged a brace as Kintbury Rangers lifted the AG Kingham Cup with a 5-0 thrashing of Shrivenham A at Abingdon United. Austin fired the opener, before Shrivenham had an effort ruled out for handball. Kintbury went

  • Clerk misused clients' cash

    A solicitors' clerk paid off £4,000 of customers' debt with cash taken from other clients, a misconduct hearing was told. Elizabeth Gough pretended she had recovered the money owed to the clients in court judgements. In one case Gough paid out £1,886

  • ATHLETICS: City youngsters get off to a flier

    Oxford City juniors won nine out of the ten age groups as the outdoor track and field season began in earnest with the first round of the Fit-2-Run Oxfordshire Track & Field League at Horspath. The outstanding performance of the day came from Kirsty

  • Dad jailed for machete threat

    A father who drunkenly threatened to cut off his partner's head with a machete has been jailed. Bryan Butler, 36, also smashed up a television, kettle, light fittings and a bannister at his home in Ruskin Close, Didcot, Oxford Crown Court heard. Julian

  • ATHLETICS: Littlewood hits the jackpot

    Rebecca Littlewood starred for Oxfordshire's under 13 girls' sportshall team in the national finals. Competing against 12 other regions at the National Indoor Arena, Birmingham, Oxfordshire finished a creditable eighth. Littlewood led the way for

  • GREYHOUNDS: Shocks as favourites crash out

    There were shocks galore as the favourites bit the dust in the William Hill Pall Mall semi-finals at the Stadium last night. Out went ante-post leader Shelbourne Poopa (6-4), Bubbly Classic (11-8) and Ningbo Jack (7-4) as the Walthamstow trainers ruled

  • AUNT SALLY: Clinical Oxford are champions

    Oxford were crowned Inter-league champions after beating Chipping Norton in the final of a hard-fought competitoon at Banbury Foods. The Oxford team of Kevin Baker, Andy Beal, Philip Adams, Tommy Recht, Willy Waite, Kevin Giles, Pip Goulding and Phil

  • 'Make sure driver's legal'

    Revellers are being warned not to climb into bogus taxis and potentially put themselves at risk of sex attackers. A Nightsafe initiative is being launched to raise awareness of the dangers of using unlicensed vehicles and to help people recognise what

  • Judge to visit lab site

    Oxford University has failed for now in its attempt to ban animal rights campaigners from demonstrating in Oxford, but has succeeded in preventing protests outside buildings where exams are being held. Mr Justice Holland said he wanted to visit the

  • Treated with reverence

    More than 1,000 worshippers filled Oxford's Christ Church Cathedral to say a fond farewell to the Bishop of Oxford. The Rt Rev Richard Harries does not formally leave the post he has held for the past 19 years until June 2 his 70th birthday. But yesterday

  • Quest to find Lyra

    More than 3,500 girls came hoping for stardom but there can only be one Lyra. Auditions were held yesterday for the lead role of Lyra Belacqua in The Golden Compass, the film adaptation of Northern Lights, the best-selling novel by Oxford author Philip

  • Flushing out hose cheats

    Eleven Oxfordshire residents have been reported by their neighbours for flouting the hosepipe ban by washing their cars and watering their gardens. Thames Water introduced the restrictions across the region nine days ago in the face of severe drought

  • Six held after raid

    Police swooped on three Oxford addresses during early morning raids to clamp down on firearms and illegal immigrants. More than 50 officers from the tactical firearms unit, dogs teams, and the economic crime unit raided two houses in Headington and

  • RUGBY: County through to semis

    Oxfordshire's Owen Root (right) is tackled during their 23-3 National Under 20 Championship quarter-final victory over Sussex at Stratfield Brake on Sunday (April 9). They will now travel to Yorkshire in the last four on April 29. Oxford University

  • RUGBY: Brodley will stay loyal

    CHINNOR coach John Brodley says he will remain loyal to the players who have won promotion. But as South Africans do not count as foreigners in the National League, he will target some new Springbok recruits. Brodley said: "I'm going to say to my

  • RUGBY: Hewitt's travels have paid off

    JAMES Hewitt said going the extra mile was worth it after starring in Chinnor's championship-deciding victory over Maidenhead. Since Christmas, the full back has been travelling back from Leeds Metropolitan University to play for Chinnor each week and

  • RUGBY: Title is 'better than World Cup'

    CHINNOR chairman Jeff Deighton said securing the South West 1 title felt even better than England winning the World Cup. And he revealed they have already started planning for National League rugby. Deighton said: "Saturday was the best day of my

  • Sentence 'fails bypass victims'

    The sentence handed to the driver who caused the Oxford Eastern Bypass crash has been criticised by road safety groups. Former nurse Angela Dublin was jailed for two years by Oxford Crown Court on Monday after she admitted her dangerous driving had

  • 'Shamed' undertaker avoids second trial

    AN UNDERTAKER accused of allowing grieving relatives to take home the wrong ashes walked free from court in shame yesterday. Oxfordshire funeral director Roger Barker, 58, right, will not face a second trial on fraud charges, but a judge said he should