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LYNDHURSTCare home refusal
Plans for a care home for adults with learning difficulties were re-jected by the national park’s plan-ning committee over fears of its impact on neighbours. NPA mem-ber Barry Rickman called Choice Care Group’s plans for Wymering House and Cottage in Sandy Lane“the right thing in totally the wrong place”. Page 7
FORDINGBRIDGEStream scheme fight
A 100-strong campaign group is calling on the Forestry Com-mission to suspend a controver-sial £250,000 project to “restore” Latchmoor Brook. The Friends of Latchmoor Brook chairman Prof. John Shepherd said they feared the effect on plants and animals, adding the “badly planned” scheme would “do a lot of damage”. Page 17
CHRISTCHURCHWind farm blasted
Protestors against a Dutch firm’s plans for a wind farm of up to 300 turbines in the Solent say the scheme is an “outrage”. Eneco’s Navitus Bay could potentially gen-erate electricity for 600,000 homes but at a civic centre public exhibi-tion, opponents said the project would be “quite damaging”. Page 17
DISTRICT
NEWS
Regular features New Forest Notes p.6, Chris-
tian Comment p.7, Townsman p.8, Obituaries p.10, Bankrupt-cies p.13, Sport p.15 & p.16, Planning p.20, Letters p.21
What’s OnDetails of forthcoming local
events appear on pages 8, 9, & 10
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THE developer behind 168-homeproposals for the Webb’s site in
Lymington has staved off anotherfull-scale planning battle aftersecuring a ú32,500 land deal withNew Forest District Council.Part of the 13-acre riverside plot
that Redrow Homes Ltd wants tobuild on runs in a narrow strip along-side the railway and is owned by theauthority under a 2,000-year lease-hold, which it has now agreed to sell.
It is crucial because the currentstrict conditions of Redrow’s subleaseon that section of the site bars con-struction — making the railway foot-bridge link to the town centreimpossible and potentially forcing awhole new application without it.
The delay of between two andthree months to push that throughwould have cost the company aboutú165,000, according to a councilreport.
The multi-million-pound plan is tobuild 168 homes and a restaurant,commercial units, boat club, galleryand public riverside walkway. It wasdrawn up after an earlier 300-unitscheme was dropped amid wide-spread opposition.
The smaller version was givenapproval in January on condition alegal agreement was made by Tuesdayin last week. Nothing was settled, butit is expected to be tied up so final per-mission can be granted in April.
Without the deal for the quarter-hectare strip of land, however, therestaurant and some of the homeswould have had to be moved, and thefootbridge put at risk, according to acouncil report.
Although shifting the buildingswould probably not have required anew application, the footbridge is dif-ferent because it is part of the legalagreement central to permissionbeing granted.
The sale was given the go-ahead bythe council’s cabinet member for finan-ce and efficiency, Coun. Colin Wise.
A report advised him Redrow’soffer was “reasonable” and it will alsopay the council’s legal costs.
Without the complications of thesublease — which has about 1,650years left to run after being granted in1661 — the land would have beenworth ú300,000 freehold. The ultimateowner of the strip is not known.
Mum held knife to daughter’sthroat in ‘squalor’ house row
POLICE sprayed CS gas to stop amother who put a kitchen knife
to the throat of her nine-year-olddaughter during a drunken row attheir filthy home, a court heard.Rachel Rawles (32) also thrust the
9in blade at her husband Sean (33)after the pair became embroiled in ablazing argument at their home inHaydock Close, Totton, which wasdescribed as a “squalor”, with vomitin the living room, uneaten food cov-ering the floor, and the stairbannisters almost completelybroken.
Prosecutor Rebecca Austin toldSouthampton Crown Court neigh-bours heard the couple arguing ataround 11.30pm on June 30th lastyear and alerted police. PC Gillarrived, pushed open a window andsaw the pair in the living room.
Both shouted abuse at him beforeRachel picked up a knife and thrustit at Sean.
Miss Austin told the court PC Gillsaid Sean did not appear concernedand was “goading” his wife, adding:“Rachel Rawles then leaned backand grabbed a family child, Ellie, whowas wearing only a pair of knickers,clutched her to her and put the knifeup to her throat and made a stabbingmotion with the knife.”
The shocked officer sprayed his CSgas at her and a colleague, PCConstable, managed to get into the
house and confront them both.Rachel refused to give up the knife
and only dropped it after more CSgas was used, while Sean grabbedtheir youngest child, nine-month-oldAlfie.
The couple continued to be abu-
sive and Rachel had to be restrainedon the ground outside. Sean, afterbeing ejected from the house, madehis way back inside, locked it and hidthe knife in the fridge.
Summing up the incident as“manic”, Miss Austin said a neigh-
bour looked after the children for thenight. They have since been put intocare.
PC Gill said: “It appeared asthough the family were living insqualor. There was vomit on the floorin the living room, various items werestrewn across the house and thebannister rail on the stairs wasalmost totally demolished — therewas nothing there to stop the child-ren from falling from the top of thestairs.”
Four children were in the house atthe time: Ellie, nine-year-oldChelsea, who is Rachel’s daughterfrom another relationship,three-year-old Jessie and Alfie, MissAustin said.
In police interview Rachel said shehad drunk wine, and the argumentstarted after she asked her husbandto leave. She claimed Sean punchedand kicked her and damaged thebannister but did not remember therest of the night, including holding aknife to her child’s throat.
In court she pleaded guilty tocharges of child cruelty and neglect.Sean admitted cruelty to a child andresisting an officer.
Both admitted their guilt on abasis that was not accepted by thecrown, but the judge decided aspecial hearing to determine thefacts was not needed as it would not
Filth: the family home in Totton (Continued on page 2)
Animal illness sparksForest farm warningFARMERS in the New Forest are
being advised to monitor theirlivestock after two cases of a newlydiscovered disease that causesstillbirths and deformities werefound in Hampshire.The Animal Health and Veterinary
Laboratories Agency said there weretwo positive detections of theSchmallenberg virus in sheep in thecounty.
The virus is part of a group ofviruses which occur in Asia, Africaand Australia, but has not previouslybeen identified in Europe and is typi-cally spread by biting insects, suchas mosquitoes. There is currently notreatment or vaccine available.
The potential for direct transmis-sion from one animal to another iscurrently unknown and the Euro-pean Centre for Disease Preventionand Control said it is unlikely tocause disease in humans. Clinicalsigns have not been reported in adultor growing sheep.
The virus has now been identifiedat 29 farms across the country withsymptoms of mild to moderate fever,reduced milk yield, loss of appetite,and diarrhoea.
Lorrayne Blomfield, from the NewForest branch of the NationalFarmers’ Union, told the ‘A&T’: “Theadvice for farmers at the moment ifsymptoms should arise in their stockis to contact their veterinary surgeon
as soon as possible, who will thenpass on a sample to DEFRA in orderto get a better picture of the spread.
“I couldn’t comment on the like-lihood of the virus spreading to theNew Forest as so little is known atthe moment. It’s really a case of waitand see.”
In November last year, problemswith sheep, cattle and goats wereidentified in the Netherlands,Germany and Belgium. The viruswas formally identified in December2011.
It is believed the initial introduc-tion to the UK may have resultedfrom wind-blown insects or viaimported infected livestock.
A DEFRA spokesperson said: “Thenumber of cases of Schmallenberghas increased as lambing and calvingbegin to gather pace.
“Schmallenberg has been identi-fied in the south, south-west andeast of England, and we suspect live-stock got the virus from infectedmidges blown across the Channelfrom affected areas in Europe.
“As farmers, vets, and govern-ments continue to gather informa-tion about the progress and effects ofthis disease, it’s vital that farmerscontinue to report any suspicionsthey have as soon as possible.”
CONSERVATIVES on NewMilton Town Council are at war
after half of them called for one ofthe most senior members toresign over claims he hadbrought the authority into disre-pute.Nine of the Tories signed a motion
alleging the actions of former mayorand current amenities committeechairman Coun. Goff Beck “over anumber of years have significantlycontributed to adverse publiccomment directed at this council”.
They claimed he had compro-mised “the integrity of this counciland its members”.
The group includes current mayorand chairman Coun. Valya Schoolingand last year’s incumbent, Coun.Janette Duke.
Coun. Beck represents the Bartonward on the council on which theTories hold all 18 seats. He is also aNew Forest district councillor.
The motion submitted to townclerk Graham Flexman does notspecify any alleged wrongdoing and,hitting back, Coun. Beck expressedhis bewilderment that some of thecouncil’s newest members hadsigned it.
“I have served the town and thecouncil for 14 years and it is not easyto accept the criticism of those whojoined the council less than 10months ago,” he told the ‘A&T’.
TORIES CLASH ASEX-MAYOR DEFIESCALLS TO RESIGN
“And as for the actions of my seniorcolleagues, all I can say is that if theyhave grievances there are betterways of airing them.”
The motion was passed on by MrFlexman to the New Forest WestConservative Association on thegrounds it was a party matter and itwas discussed at a recent meetingchaired by county councillor KeithMans.
All 18 town councillors, includingCoun. Beck, attended the hearing atNew Milton Conservative Clubwhich heard arguments for andagainst his resignation.
“I am very sorry that the council-lors involved have not sought toresolve the dispute through theparty machinery which exists to dealwith these problems but havechosen to make the matter public,”continued Coun. Beck.
“However, as a councillor and aschairman of the amenities commit-tee, I have always sought to do mybest for the people of New Milton. Mycritics say that I have brought thecouncil into disrepute by my actionsas chairman of amenities.”
Citing a number of local achieve-ments during his tenure, includingimproved sporting facilities atFawcetts Field, the introduction ofCCTV to the town and the re-pavingof Station Road, he suggested manyresidents would disagree with theallegations.
“I am prepared to work with anyoneto help this town. My concern is solelyto work for the benefit of my constitu-ents, not to be involved with self-promotion or vanity or supportingminority interest groups,” he said.
Under fire: Goff Beck
(Continued on page 2)
You can't be Plonkers,breakaway band told
Originals: Gordon Brownen (second left) has won exclusive use of the name
THE founder of the PlonkersAgricultural Orchestra has won
a long-running battle against aformer member from using asimilar name for his rival band.Gordon Brownen, who in 1980
founded the Plonkers — as they arepopularly known — has been fightingto stop Gerry Rickman playing gigswith his group under the name of the“New Forest Plonkers”.
Speaking after the outcome of aTrade Mark Registry hearing whenMr Rickman’s right to use the term“Plonkers” was declared invalid, MrBrownen told the ‘A&T’: “I havenever minded anyone copying theact — that just shows that we aredoing a good job.
“But I have always felt it is unfairfor him to use the Plonkers name
because that has enabled him topoach our gigs. It has been veryconfusing for people.”
Mr Rickman has also been orderedto pay Mr Brownen ú2,100 costs.
In 2005 Mr Brownen was granted atrademark for the name “ThePlonkers Agricultural Orchestra”,but the following year Mr Rickmanwas successful in achieving a trade-mark for the “New Forest Plonkers”.
However, the hearing ruled theexistence of two bands in the NewForest which both had Plonkers intheir name was likely to causeconfusion.
The two “scrumpy and western”groups’ bitter rivalry dates back to2002 when Mr Brownen was told thatthey would not be playing at the NewForest Show because Mr Rickman’s
had already been booked.Mr Brownen recalls: “I was abso-
lutely gobsmacked when they toldme another Plonkers group had beenbooked. It was the first I had heardabout them. I was told the bookingwas made with a man calledRickman and I realised what hadhappened.
“He had set up a website and I laterfound out that he had sent outletters to all our old bookings tellingthem I was not with the Plonkers anymore and he had taken the bandover.”
In evidence to the IntellectualProperty Office hearing in Decem-ber, Mr Rickman claimed that afterjoining the Plonkers AgriculturalOrchestra in 1999, he was told by Mr
(Continued on page 2)
Sewards jobs goTwenty-six people have been
made redundant after adminis-trators for troubled motor groupSewards (Wessex) Ltd closed thecompany’s parts and auto centrein Somerford.Staff at the Grange Road premises
were informed on Thursday morn-ing. The car dealership at BaileyDrive off Barrack Road in Christ-church is continuing to trade.
Greg Palfrey, the joint administra-tor for accountancy group Smith &Williamson, said they had no choicebecause the centre was not econom-ically viable.
“Even so, this was a very difficultdecision because we are acutelyaware of the impact the decision willhave on 26 people. and we will be pro-viding them with as much supportand advice as possible. Fortunatelywe will be able to safeguard a further12 jobs through redeployment.”
The Grange Road site, for whichthe freehold is privately owned, willbe wound down over the next fewweeks, he added.
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make a difference to the sentence.Defending Sean, Simon Wright
said his client was remorseful aboutputting the knife in the fridge buthad showed where it was when askedby police at the scene.
Richard Martin, defending Rachel,said his client had recently had a fifthchild, adding she had sought medicalhelp for other problems andaccepted her actions on the nightwere “completely unacceptable”.
He pointed out there was due to bea family court hearing the followingday, and it seemed as though theremay be moves in the future by socialservices to reunite the family.
Judge Peter Ralls QC noted socialservices had monitored the familyprior to the incident, but did not seethe state of the home being so bad asto intervene and take away the child-ren. Looking at pictures taken of theinside of the property by police, hecommented: “You would have tohave a whirlwind to have a place looklike this.”
Dubbing it a domestic incidentthat “got out of control”, Judge Rallssaid Rachel “wilfully” endangered herdaughter although he accepted thechild sustained no physical injuries.
He handed her a 50-week prisonsentence suspended for two yearsand told her to do alcohol and workprogrammes and complete a12-month supervision order.
The judge handed Sean a24-month community order andsupervision requirement, telling himto do domestic abuse, skills andemployment programmes, and hefined him £165 and handed him afour-week 8pm-6am curfew excepton Tuesday, when it will be9pm-6am.
Until now the ‘A&T’ has not beenable to reveal that the incidentinvolved their children due to a courtorder, but the judge granted anapplication by the press for the banon their identification to be lifted.
Judge Ralls rejected applicationsby both defence barristers to keepthe banning order in place afterdeeming the publicity would be“short lived”, adding: “I think thepublic have a right to know aboutthis.”
–––––––––––––––––––––
Mum put knifeto child's throat
(Continued from front page)
“I now offer my critics a choice.They have accused me of bringingthe council into disrepute. Thiswould be a breach of the code ofconduct, and if they believe I havedone this they should use Labour’sdiscredited standards machinery.
“If I have brought my party intodisrepute, they should report me tothe constituency executive. If theyare unwilling to do either of these, Iinvite them to withdraw publiclytheir notice of motion.
“For my part, I am asking theexecutive of the New Forest WestConservation Association to investi-gate the conduct of these councillors.”
This is not the first time theblunt-speaking former Royal Marinehas come under fire from colleaguesand residents about his conduct.
In November 2009 he was foundguilty by a district council standardsboard of bullying former fellow towncouncillor Margaret Lloyds andforced to apologise. The committeeheard he humiliated her by mention-ing at a planning meeting privatetelephone voicemails she had left herex-husband during their divorce.
A further allegation made againsthim by Mrs Lloyds was investigatedbut ruled not to have broken the
code of conduct, as was one made byCoun. Schooling.
Two years earlier the boardcleared Coun. Beck of breachingcouncil ethics by opposing plans toextend neighbouring homes in Vec-tis Road, Barton, where he lives.
He also tried to push throughplans for allotments at Ashley whichresulted in legal action against thecouncil.
Most recently he championedplans for a children’s play area atBarton’s Long Meadow beauty spotwhich opponents claim was badlyhandled.
His proposal to move the facilityseveral yards along from its origi-nally planned plot caused Coun.Steve Clarke — another signatory onthe resignation call — to storm out ofa recent town council meeting. Thisamendment was approved by theamenities committee on Tuesday.
Colleagues were also infuriatedlast year when Coun. Beck staunchlyinsisted a move to split the role ofcouncil chairman and mayor wasillegal. They were forced to combinethem again, but only after spending£2,000 on legal advice whichconfirmed he was right.
The ‘A&T’ contacted all nine mem-bers who signed the motion but nonewas willing to comment, with some
claiming it was not in the publicinterest.
As well as councillors Schooling,Duke and Clarke, the other names onthe motion were councillors NeilTungate, Mike Humphries, DaveHawkins, Elisabeth Davies, GeoffBlunden and Thomas Merifield.
Calling the motion “pointless”,Coun. Beck said his colleagues werenot empowered to force him toresign, and it was a matter for voters.
Coun. Edward Heron, deputychairman of the New Forest WestConservative Association, told the‘A&T’ no formal hearing had beenheld into the motion.
“It’s an internal matter for the towncouncil,” he said. “It was an issueraised at New Milton Town Council,and the association worked with thetown councillors to resolve anyconcerns.
“As far as I’m aware, no motion isgoing to be put forward at NewMilton Town Council.
“No issues have been broughtforward for the attention of theassociation. No issue is beingassessed or investigated by theassociation and I understand all theissues were resolved by New MiltonTown Council.”
Civil war on Tory council(Continued from front page)
GAS LEAK ALERTLymington firefighters were
alerted to reports of a gas leak inChurch Lane at about 3.35pm on Fri-day in last week but were stood downon arrival.
Brownen in late 2001 that the groupwas disbanding.
Mr Rickman said he decided toreform the band as the “New ForestPlonkers” to differentiate them fromthe previous incarnation which heclaimed was badly organised.
However, this version of eventswas disputed by Mr Brownen whosaid he asked Mr Rickman to leavehis band after a falling out, and thePlonkers Agricultural Orchestra wasnever disbanded.
Mr Brownen said: “He was atroublemaker so I asked him toleave. We traditionally have a breakbetween Christmas and Easterbecause there are so few eventsgoing on, so it was only when Istarted ringing around to confirmour summer bookings that I discov-ered another Plonkers band wasoperating.
“There have been dozens of peoplein the Plonkers over the years — atone point in the mid-1980s we wereup to about 15. People have alwayscome and gone and that is why thename refers to an ‘orchestra’.
“When I first started out I was aone-man band and the Plonkersname came from my donkey at thetime who I used to take around withme.”
Mr Brownen, who works as ablacksmith at Sway, said he was“absolutely delighted” with theruling: “The bookings have beenrolling in and I am especially pleasedthat this year we will be back at theNew Forest Show after a decadeaway.
(Continued from front page)
Officials rubbish reports ofreopening Oki killer’s case
OFFICIALS have dismissed re-ports that the case of a Lymingtondrug addict, jailed for life for stab-bing to death a South Korean stu-dent, has been reopened.
Over the weekend it was claimedinvestigators for the Criminal CasesReview Commission (CCRC) werelooking again at the killing in 2002 ofJong-Ok Shin, known to friends asOki.
Omar Benguit, from the Flushardsestate but who was living atCharminster at the time of the kill-ing, was convicted by a jury in 2005 ofplunging a knife three times into theback of Oki after she rejected his sex-ual advances while walking home.
Benguit stood trial three times forOki’s murder. The first two trialsended after the jury failed to reach adecision but the third returned aunanimous guilty verdict. He wasjailed for a minimum of 20 years. Heappealed but that was dismissed.
As reported in the ‘A&T’ last year,the CCRC, which has the power togrant Benguit a second appeal, is
looking into the case but a spokes-person confirmed to the ‘A&T’ onWednesday a decision could stilltake “a few weeks or months”.
He also revealed the CCRC hasbeen in touch with Interpol over thecase.
Benguit’s defence team claim Okimay have been killed by Italian manDanilo Restivo, jailed for life last yearfor the “ritualistic” murder and muti-lation of Bournemouth motherHeather Barnett in her home in 2002.That claim was previously rejectedas “farcical” by Dorset police.
At the Benguit trials a former pros-titute said that in the early hours onemorning in July 2002 Benguit flaggedher down and got into her car withtwo friends.
After spotting Oki on MalmesburyPark Road in Charminster, he or-dered the vehicle to stop and disap-peared with the friends.
Moments later the three reap-peared with the friends shouting atBenguit, who was drunk, high oncrack cocaine and had a blood
stained T-shirt, before they fled to alocal crack den.
The witness claimed the clothingand weapon was disposed of laterthat morning at Iford Bridge inChristchurch.
Oki (26) was rushed to Poole hos-pital where she had a cardiac arrestand died.
Moroccan-born Benguit attendedPriestlands School and Brocken-hurst College. He later worked at theformer Golden Produce chicken pro-cessing factory in Bridge Yard beforemoving to Winton where he was liv-ing at the time of Oki’s killing.
Jailed in 1993 for an unprovokedattack, he was given another custo-dial term the following year for kick-ing a man so hard he needed steelplates put in his head.
After his release Benguit went onto commit further offences, includ-ing assault and possessing an offen-sive weapon, and in 2001 he lost hissight in an eye after an altercationwith a doorman.Murder: Omar Benguit
Woman injured her head in streetPOLICE and paramedics were
alerted to Lyndhurst village centreafter reports a woman was lying inthe road after falling over andhitting her head.
The call-out to Romsey Roadcame in at about 8.50pm onTuesday, and the woman was takenby ambulance to SouthamptonGeneral Hospital.
Daylight burglarssnatch jewellery
BURGLARS escaped with jewel-lery in a daylight raid on a Brocken-hurst home on Tuesday.
Police believe a garden tool wasused to force entry through a reardoor at the property in Avenue Roadsometime between 12.40pm and1.20pm. An unspecified amount ofjewellery was taken.
Anyone with information shouldcontact Lyndhurst’s area investiga-tion team on 101 or cal lCrimestoppers anonymously on0800 555 111.
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“We have lost out on some veryprestigious shows over the yearsbecause people have been veryconfused about exactly which bandthey are booking.
“I’m no whiz with computers andGerry has always been very good onthe promotion side of things becausehe has a whole office full of peoplewho can help him.
“It finally feels like justice has beendone.”
Mr Brownen also revealed that heand the other members of thePlonkers Agricultural Orchestra willnow become full-time musicians.
“I wanted to get the judgement outthe way but now that the case hasbeen decided it seems like a goodtime to put all my energies into themusic-making,” he said.
“I am so proud to be the onlyofficial musical ‘Plonker’ in the UK.Hopefully now I can get on in peacewith my job of ‘plonkerising’ theworld.”
Mr Brownen was represented byDaniel Wallens of Bournemouth-based solicitors Lester Aldridge,who told the ‘A&T’: “Mr Brownenwas quite right to register ‘ThePlonkers’ trade mark for thePlonkers Agricultural Orchestra.
“The trade mark has allowed himto protect the unique and valuablereputation that he has managed tobuild up over many years for per-forming under ‘The Plonkers’name.”
Mr Rickman, who was unavailablefor comment, has until March 15thto appeal the trade mark decision inthe High Court.
Rival: Gerald Rickman