Police pay talks on hold

Police and Government are taking a break in pay talks but Bermuda Police Association secretary David Kinnersley said progress is being made.

But he refused to say whether his side was after an inflation-busting deal for his 400-strong union. He said: "We are not quite there yet."

Talks will resume on October 29 between the Police team lead by Alan Dunch, the Government team led by Martin Law and labour relations officer Glen Fubler.

The hiatus is due to Bermuda Police Association lawyer Alan Dunch having other commitments.

Pay was last raised in 1999. Officers begin on a starting salary of $39,760. The negotiations are over a pay award for covering October 2001 to October this year.

Teen seriously injured in RTA

Police are appealing for witnesses to a serious road collision that landed one 17-year old man in the Intensive Care Unit.

The single-vehicle collision took place shortly after 6 p.m. on Wednesday evening at the junction of Ord Road and Harvey Road in Paget.

While the 24-year old driver escaped with no injuries, the 17-year old passenger was taken to King Edward VII Memorial Hospital to be treated for head injuries. He was in stable condition in the ICU last night.

Police are appealing for witnesses or anyone with any information to call 295-0011.

Man assaulted with wood

A man assaulted an employee of a Devonshire charity store and a Police officer with a piece of wood after being thrown out of the shop.

A Police spokesman said the officer was injured during a brief struggle when he was trying to arrest the man.

The man had been in The Barn, on Devon Spring Road, when employees asked the man to leave because he would not stop opening boxes. He then became verbally abusive and hit the employee in the head with an object from a nearby shelf.

The injuries suffered were not serious, but they were advised to seek medical attention. Inquires are continuing into the incident.

Attacker breaks man's jaw

A 49-year-old who was attacked outside of the Hamilton Police station was taken to hospital for a broken jaw.

A Police spokesman said at about 9.45 p.m. on Thursday, the station duty officer heard a commotion outside of the station, when he went to investigate he found the man lying on the ground near the entrance of the station.

The Southampton man was taken to King Edward VII Memorial Hospital for injuries, which included a broken jaw.

He described his attacker as being a black male in his early twenties, of medium build, about five-foot-nine-inches tall, and wearing a red baseball cap.

Police are appealing for any witnesses of the incident to telephone either Hamilton CID on 295-0011 or to call the CrimeStoppers Hotline on 1-800-623-8477.

Inquest hears death resulted from overdose

A Warwick man found dead in his bed died of a drugs and drink overdose, an inquest heard yesterday.

Michael Fubler, 29, was found dead in his room in Constance Crescent on December 1, 2001, by his brother Malique.

An examination by former consultant pathologist Dr. John Obafunwa and Government analyst Dr. Christine Quigley found traces of heroin and alcohol in the dead man's body.

And heroin found in the Mr. Fubler's room was of an unusually high purity.

Mr. Fubler told an inquest at Magistrates Court yesterday that he saw his brother the night before his death when he was sleeping in bed.

The next morning he left the house early and everyone inside, including his brother, was sleeping. When he returned home later in the afternoon, he found his brother, a carpenter, dead in bed.

Coroner's officer Phil Taylor read a report from Dr. Obafunwa in which he put the time of death at between 7 a.m. and 11 a.m. on December 1.

Senior Magistrate William Francis said the cause of death was water in the lungs caused by a combination of heroin and alcohol abuse.

Man accused of dealing ecstasy

A Warwick man was remanded in custody yesterday when he was charged with a string of drug charges.

Kimwandae Walker, 29, of Pearman's Hill, was remanded in custody until November 5 by Acting Senior Magistrate Carlisle Greaves.

He is accused of cultivation of cannabis, possession of drug equipment, possession of 199 ecstasy tablets with intent to supply, possession of 1.85 grams of powdered ecstasy with intent to supply, possession of cannabis with intent to supply, possession of crack cocaine with intent to supply, and possession of cocaine with intent to supply.

Cindy Clarke appeared for the Crown and Larry Mussenden stood in for Larry Scott representing Walker, who was not required to plead because the matter is indictable.

Fire at Camden

Firefighters responded to a blaze at the Premier's official residence yesterday morning.

Bermuda Fire Service spokesman Lt. Dana Lovell said the damage to Camden, which is in The Botanical Gardens, was estimated at $200 and was contained to a five by ten-foot area.

Lt. Lovell said Fire Service personnel reported that there was a container of linseed oil in the vicinity of the fire.

"Sometimes rags with linseed oil on them, that have been left in an enclosed environment will self ignite, as the oil is highly combustible."

He said the was smoke and heat damage to the walls and to the paint containers.

When firefighters arrived at the scene at 7.32 a.m. the fire had already been extinguished.

Meanwhile a male student at Purvis Primary School, in Warwick, was unconscious on Thursday afternoon.

Lt. Lovell said when firefighters arrived, the boy who was thought to be about 10 years old, was unresponsive and was transported to King Edward VII Memorial Hospital for treatment.