Eighty-two prisoners took their own lives during 2014 as the suicide rate behind bars rose to its highest level for seven years.
They included 14 young adults, aged between 18 and 24, data compiled by the Howard League for Penal Reform reveal.
In total, 235 people died in prisons in England and Wales during 2014. More than 120 prisoners died of natural causes, and a further 24 deaths are yet to be classified by authorities.
A man was killed in an alleged homicide in Cardiff prison last March. A second alleged homicide, in Altcourse prison last November, has been...
Figures have been released for Devon and Cornwall Police’s Christmas drink driving campaign 2014.
Police officers administered a total of 1,766 breath tests of which 156 were positive, refused or failed to provide. This represents 9% of the total and is a decrease of 3.5% on last years result.
Last year the figures were 167 positive, refused or failed to provide from a total of 1,316 or 12.5% of the total.
The total number of positive breath tests following a collision was higher this year at 69 or 9% of the total (742) compared to 6% (21 out of 361) last year....
A total of 150 exhibitors have snapped up the available space Toby Buckland’s Garden Festival at Powderham Castle, four months before the event, which takes place on Friday 1st and Saturday 2nd May.
The annual two-day Garden Festival was launched last year by horticulturalist, nursery owner and TV presenter Toby Buckland, and was an immediate success, drawing around 8000 visitors, with several exhibitors having to restock several times during the event to keep up with demand.
The new festival showcases many local nurseries from the Westcountry who otherwise are overshadowed...
A YOUNG Exeter trainee accountant has been once again been recognised as one of the best in the South West, after coming first in his accountancy exams.
25-year-old, Mark Johnstone, who works at Thomas Westcott in Exeter, came first and joint first in two of the most difficult exams trainees face during their training.
All trainee accountants have to pass the Associate of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ACA) which then grants access to the professional accountancy body the ICAEW. They have to pass a series of 12 initial exams, then three advance...
On 28th May 2014 the HandleBards – four men on four bicycles – cycled out of London. Their mission? A 2000 mile tour across the UK, Holland and Belgium, carrying all the necessary set, props, costumes and camping equipment to perform two of Shakespeare’s greatest plays – Macbeth and The Comedy of Errors - seventy-two times. Since then, they’ve delighted audiences at, amongst others, the Tour de France, the Commonwealth Games and the Edinburgh Fringe.
The HandleBards do Shakespeare differently. Performing with eight very sore legs, they play all the parts in Director James Farrell’s...
ZERO, a leading renewables company based in Sowton, Exeter, has been shortlisted in a national Government-led competition to help drive down energy bills and boost low carbon heat supplies in the UK.
Energy and Climate Change Secretary, Ed Davey, officially unveiled the 17 winning entries at the Association for Decentralised Energy Parliamentary Reception on Tuesday, 20 January. The winners are spread across the country and will share a prize pool of £1 million to carry out feasibility studies, before up to 10 of the best projects bid for a share of £6 million to fully implement...
Fashion retailers Simply Be and Jacamo, part of multi-channel retailer N Brown Group PLC, are coming to Exeter this spring.
Opening on the High Street in March,the dual-facia Simply Be and Jacamo 7,470 sq ft store will create 30 new jobs and will provide a selection of men’s and women’s fashion.
Applications are currently being accepted for the available job vacancies across a range of roles including supervisors, visual merchandising and sales assistants.
The store will also be Exeter’s most inclusive offering womenswear in sizes 10–32 and menswear in sizes small...
Kick start your year by taking control of your career and personal development.
We are pleased to announce that training provider Hemsley Fraser will partner with us for this fantastic event, to be held at The Met Office, Exeter.
High energy trainer, Ian Caldecourt, will talk to us about working with your organisation to ensure opportunities for personal development are identified, and how you can proactively manage your annual review conversation.
The evening will start from 5.00pm with registration and networking, with an opportunity to tour the amazing building...
On Shrove Tuesday (Tuesday 17th February), Princesshay will host the second World Pancake Racing Championships.
Local businesses, organisations and clubs are now being invited to demonstrate their flipping credentials by entering a team of between two and four members for this fun and entertaining contest.
The relay race involves each team member running along a short course before flipping a pancake four times. Eagle-eyed officials will be checking that the flipping is done properly. Speed, skill, dexterity and co-ordination will be key...
The number of Job Seekers Allowance (JSA) claimants in Devon has once again fallen during December (in line with the national trend), reaching a new lowest figure on record.
Total claimants now stand at 3,998, 21 claimants fewer than in November (a 0.5% month on month drop). Whilst the fall is lower than the UK average of 2.9%, as a proportion of the working age population, Devon remains far lower at 0.9%, compared to the UK at 2%.
At a district level, JSA claimant numbers fell for six of Devon’s eight districts by an average of 3.4%; the largest drop was in the South Hams...