IRRAL NEWS W HESWALL, HOYLAKE, WEST KIRBY & NESTON EDITION
STRICTLY A STAR
Austin reveals his Ritzy dance nights
Wednesday, October 29, 2008 www.wirralnews.co.uk
ACCUSED OF REFUND CON EXCLUSIVE
See page 3
By MATT HURST
THE grand-daughter of Liver Birds co-creator Carla Lane appeared before court to answer almost £2,000 combined fraud and theft charges while employed at Heswall Woolworths.
AWARDS DELIGHT
Hannah Hollins, of Whitehouse Lane, Heswall, was in tears as the vast list of offences alleged to have been carried out was read to Birkenhead magistrates on Friday.
Guides get top Griffin accolade See page 5
TIME TO SHINE
● Wirral News reporter Chris Smith joins John Lambert and Chris Bailey from Jack Rabbit Slims to try some of the food lined up for the bushtucker trial Photos by Paul Heaps Code ph241008h-2
Grubs up - literally! By LORNA HUGHES
Village chef is in the spotlight See page 32
FUSSY eaters need not apply for this challenge! St John’s Hospice is holding its very own “bush tucker trial” in Hoylake next month inspired by hit television show I’m a Celebrity..Get Me Out of Here! The trial takes place on Sunday, November 30 and will begin with a starter of Stilton cheese, octopus, raw garlic and rollmop herrings.
Organisers are keeping the rest of the menu under wraps until the night but are promising the ultimate in jungle dining for those brave enough to take on the task including edible insects and eyeballs! Lynne Hamilton, fundraising co-ordinator, said: “We are looking for eight people to take part. They will be served an authentic bush tucker meal of strange and unusual tasting foods and, as always, some surprises. Everyone will be asked to raise as much sponsor money for the hospice as possible. Wirral News reporter Chris Smith went along to Jack
Rabbit Slims to try some of the bushtucker fare being served up on the night. He said: “While journalists usually love free food, this was one lot of grub which I didn’t relish. It looked disgusting on the plate and tasted even more disgusting. However, it was all for a good cause so I can’t complain too much!” Tickets to watch the event are £3 in advance and £5 on the night, available from Jack Rabbits or from the fundraising office at St John’s Hospice. For more information call Lynne on 343 0778.
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In total, the 19-year-old faces 41 charges of either committing fraud by false representation or theft, between January and September this year. The 21 fraud by false representation allegations centre on misuse of the refund facility, with goods that had not been bought appearing as “returns” on the till roll. The 20 theft charges relate to occasions where cash was taken, with values regularly corresponding directly to refunded items. Hannah Hollins had been employed by Woolworths, in Telegraph Road, Heswall, since October 2005. Prosecuting, David Rigg told Birkenhead Magistrates’ Court: “On May 10, concerns were raised by head office about the number of refunds to cash carried out by Miss Hollins, in relation to goods returned as ‘unsuitable’. “As a result, the manager discovered that 89.49% of refunds were returned as ‘unsuitable’. “He carried out a stock check on goods and found the stock count was higher than the number of items in stock because no item had been returned to stock.” Miss Hollins, the grand-daughter of Bread and Liver Birds co-creator, Carla Lane, is alleged to have returned items ranging from a pink Nintendo DS Lite, valued at £99.99, to Pro Evolution football and Beijing 2008 computer games, valued at £44.99 and £39.99 respectively, and a Samsung G600 mobile phone, valued at £149.99, to two shirts, valued at £11. She also stands accused of taking cash from Woolworths, ranging in value from £10 to £150, with the first incident said to have taken place on January 6 and the final incident on September 2. Defending, John Hinchcliffe said his client would not be entering a formal guilty plea but would be likely to plead guilty to most charges, denying only the five over £100 in value. Hannah Hollins will appear at Birkenhead Magistrates’ Court again on December 18 for committal to Liverpool Crown Court. ● Wirral News spoke to Carla Lane who confirmed that it was her grand-daughter but did not wish to comment further.
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