25/02/2014 Look North (North East and Cumbria)

in next year's general election the papers on the news

Good evening. Two men accused of an attack on ex`Casualty actor Clive

Mantle during which part of his ear was bitten off have been cleared of

all charges. Jonathan Swingler reports from Newcastle Crown Court.

Both defendants in is in case have been found not guilty. The actor

Clive Mantle had been appearing in the Theatre Royal in March last

year. The 56`year`old is best known for his role in Casualty. He had

been staying at the travel lodge when at 4.30 in the morning he heard

a noise coming from the corridor. He said he politely asked 33`year`old

Philip McGillvary and 32`year`old Alan French to be quiet. What

happened next resulted in him being brought to the ground and part of

his ear being bitten off and he is now permanently disfigured. Philip

McGillvary admitted biting the ear, but argued he was acting in

self`defence after being pinned to the floor. He said it was like being

hit by a car. "I was on my back and Mr Mantle was straight on top of

me." He said he thought the actor was trying to kill him. Alan French

denied attacking him and said he was trying to help his friend. Both

faced charges of GBH with intent and a lessor charge of inflicting GBH.

After the judge said he'd accept a majority verdict, the jury cleared

the pair of all charges. The defendants didn't want to be

interviewed. Alan French told me he just wanted to be home with his

children. ?500,000 has been paid out to stressed and injured teachers and

children in Cumbria in the last five years according to figures released

by the County Council. Union leaders say the payments reflect the

increasing workloads faced by teachers. Mark McAlindon is in our

Carlisle newsroom now. Mark, what exactly are these payments for? Well

the figure over five years was ?520,000, revealed in a freedom of

information request. What we are talking about are claims made for

victims of stress and injuries suffered at school. For example more

than ?111,000 was paid for teachers for stress and ?90,000 for teachers

who had suffered falls. And money was paid to children, mainly for

lack of supervision. What have people in the profession had to say?

The Secretary of the national union of teachers said this was the tip of

the iceberg, he said teachers were leaving the profession with stress

and if all were compensated the bill would be millions. He said these are

not claims for frivolous reasons. Thank you. A jury has heard details

of text messages between the former Newcastle United footballer Nile

Ranger and the woman he's alleged to have raped. In one text, Ranger is

described as a "crazy sex pest". He denies rape at a hotel last year.

Our News Correspondent Peter Harris reports. Nile Ranger, today

described in court as a predator in a lengthy series of text messages

between himself and the woman he allegedly went on to rape. Rebuffing

texts inviting her to his flat at one point she replied he was like:

"A crazy sex pest animal let out of its cage." Earlier he had written:

"You're moving like I'm Jack Da Ripper." She said: "Nile, I'm defo

not coming over. Will meet for drinks, but not coming to your

house." He later writes: "I will not take you against your will." Under

cross` examination, the alleged victim accepted many of the texts

were in good humour. Including one exchange in which she had invited

Nile Ranger for a drink in a club. He had replied that Newcastle had

lost that day and he couldn't be seen in a public place. "The fans

are funny," he said. To which she replied that he could still come out

wearing a wig and glasses and carrying a blind stick. "No one will

ever think it's you," she said. The alleged victim told the court she

separately received texts from random footballers, including

someone purporting to be former Newcastle player, Andy Carroll. She

was unsure where they got her number. It is alleged Nile Ranger,

who now plays four Swindon, raped the woman in a Newcastle hotel last

January. He says it was consensual. His barrister suggested the hundreds

of text between them showed she was interested in developing a

relationship. She said that was not true. The case continues. A Teesside

Labour MP has defended a decision to take on an apprentice in his office

at ?3.37 an hour. The political blogger Guido Fawkes says Alex

Cunningham is a hypocrite who has campaigned for rises in the minimum

wage. The legal minimum for an apprentice is just ?2.68 an hour.

But in the past the Stockton MP has called for all young people to get a

minimum of ?6.31. But Mr Cunningham says he's just trying to offer

someone an opportunity. I have campaigned for equal pay for equal

work and the role that I have in mind is for an apprentice who will

work in the office and work towards a qualification. The rate is above

the minimum rate for the job of course, but not really enough. I

would love to be able to pay more. But what I would really like to do

is give the young person the opportunity to get a proper

qualification and go on to get a proper job. Following a much needed

victory over Aston Villa,some good news for Newcastle United off the

pitch. The club's announced profits of just under ?10 million for the

year to June 2013. That's up from ?1.4 million ` a 700% increase!

Almost ?29 million was spent on new players, with ?11 million recouped

on sales. The wage bill fell by ?2.4 million to just under ?62 million

pounds. The wages to turnover ratio was 64% ` well under the 70% Premier

League average. But the club still owes owner Mike Ashley ?129m,

although that debt is interest`free. The Hoppings Fun Fair will be back

in Newcastle this summer. The historic event held at the Town Moor

was moved out of the city last summer after the Showmen's Guild of

Great Britain and the Freemen of Newcastle, who administer the Moor,

failed to reach an agreement over rents. At a meeting yesterday, the

Showmen voted to bring it back after ironing out disagreements. Well

let's hope they have better weather for it than the last time they were

here ` and talking of the weather let's have a look at the forecast

with Paul Mooney. for it than the last time they were

here ` and talking There is rain in the forecast, but not so much

tonight. The showers are dying away. Staying breezy, so temperatures no

lower than four Celsius. But get a bit of shelter from the breeze and

one or two spots could see a touch of ground frost. A dry start, but

rain spreads in from the west and that rain will be heavy in Cumbria.

Most places do become drier and brighter through the afternoon.

Temperatures peak at seven and eight. But once again we will have a

gusty south`westerly wind. So it may feel cooler. As we head into

Thursday, some blustery showers. A bit of uncertainty about Friday as

to how widespread any showers maybe. It turns cooler later in the week.

be rain, clearing into sunshine and showers, Buster once. Then it is

more difficult. Susan Powell is here to explain more international focus.