Landlady cleared of manslaughter

A licensee has been cleared of the manslaughter of her two sons and a customer who died in a fire at her pub. Kate Knight, 32, was cleared of three...

A licensee has been cleared of the manslaughter of her two sons and a customer who died in a fire at her pub.

Kate Knight, 32, was cleared of three charges of manslaughter by the jury at the Old Bailey on Monday.

Knight's sons Christopher, 10, and Charlie, four, both died in the fire at the Prince of Wales in Stoke Newington, north London, in July 2003.

Rondrick Springer, 45, was also killed when he tried to rescue the children, who were asleep upstairs.

Last week the court was told that Knight would not give evidence but two witness statements were read out by her defence counsel Lauren Soertsz.

One said a man in his 30s was seen running from the pub just before the fire started. The other said that the witness overheard a conversation in which threats were made to the pub.

Knight's husband Kevin admitted that several people could have had grudges against him who may have started the blaze.

Shots fired into Rotherhithe pub

Shots were fired into an east London pub in the early hours of Wednesday last week.

Police firearms specialists spotted two circular holes in the window of the St Georges Tavern on Camilla Road in Rotherhithe.

Officers saw a man run off towards Longfield Estate. A bag containing an air gun, a bottle of tablets and some handcuffs was found discarded nearby.

The man is white, slim, and was wearing a white baseball cap. Anyone with information is urged to call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

Money missing after couple flee pub

A husband and wife management team fled a Shropshire pub earlier this month. Police were called to investigate because a "substantial" amount of money also went missing from the Apley Arms, Shawbirch, Telford.

Richard and Terri Winfield left the Sizzling Pub Company outlet without telling employers Mitchells & Butlers.

M&B spokeswoman Sally Ellson said the managers disappeared from the pub some time in the week beginning 10 January, and the matter had been reported to the police.

The couple, originally from South Africa, took the pub on following a refurbishment last September.

Inquest rules man was unlawfully killed

A man shot dead in a Liverpool pub was unlawfully killed, Liverpool Coroner's Court ruled last week.

Danny McDonald, 20, died in a hail of bullets after a gunman burst into the Royal Oak pub in West Derby on New Year's Day.

Recording a verdict of unlawful killing, Andre Rebello said: "Mr McDonald was shot in front of around 50 people and yet no-one has been charged with his murder."

Detective Chief Inspector Colin Leeman, who is leading the investigation, said after the verdict: "We will not rest until those responsible for killing Danny are behind bars."

Sentence adjourned on serial attacker

A serial attacker has been told he could face up to three years in jail for slashing a doorman at a pub.

John Kelly, 36, of Mill Place, Cleethorpes, admitted wounding doorman Kevin Osbourne at Barcelona nightclub in Cleethorpes, Humberside.

Hull Crown Court heard last week that Kelly cut the doorman with a sharp metal instrument across his forearm, and headbutted him, following a row.

Penny Stanistreet, prosecuting, said: "Mr Kelly was to say he used a set of keys. The prosecution does not accept that, but it is not able to contradict it."

The court heard Kelly had a record of seven wounding convictions and five assaults, and still had six months to serve of an outstanding prison sentence.

Judge John Dowse deferred sentence for six months, but said: "I am thinking about sending you to prison for two-and-a-half to three years.

"Were it not for the fact you do work for the community, you intervened in an assault on a prison officer, and have a son, you would be going to prison today."