Fair Deal Phil

A Deepings teenager who fractured a man's skull and left him permanently deaf in one ear in a vicious unprovoked attack has escaped going to prison.

It seems the Judge accepted that the 19-year-old lad from Thackers Way acted 'out of character' after a row with his girlfriend by attacking the 45-year-old man.

Apparently, he's an achiever who wants to go to University and has a great future ahead of him.

That's the teenager, you understand, not the victim.

UPDATE: So, no prison for causing long term suffering to a man. In contrast, in another court case, a Lincolnshire has - no doubt quite rightly - been given a jail sentence for causing suffering...to a dog.

If you loved 101 Dalmatians, you may like the tale of the 100 St Bernards, who Peterborough RSPCA are trying to find homes for.

It may seem ironic, but 100 of the famous giant mountain rescue dogs are themselves in need of help after being found starving at a local kennels.

Wonder if they're still bred for their brandy?

As the Government's focuses on helping people get through the world economic downturn, it appears that Her Majesty's Opposition have a rather different priority...changing the law to legalise hunting animals with dogs!

I notice that the advert next to the coverage of the local Boxing Day gathering of horse and hound in my local evening paper the Peterborough Evening Telegraph has this link which leads to an appeal to stop cruelty to animals before it occurs.

Not sure whether it’s clever advertising or merely a happy juxtaposition, but good to see the RSPCA which campaigned to get hunting with dogs outlawed remains one step ahead!

Tory moves to bring back hunting with dogs reminds me of a now classic leaflet produced in the parliamentary by-election in Eddisbury in the late 1990s, when fox-hunting became a dominant issue.

Sadly, I no longer seem to have a copy, but well remember the headline:

Vote Labour or the fox gets it!