AND HERE IS THE NEWS….
a weekly update of the local news
WITH CAROLINE HILL
Attempted suicide – a man who threw himself off a bridge over the D900 near the Clinique St. Pierre in Perpignan was hit by a car (the driver having no opportunity to avoid him) and was taken to hospital suffering serious injuries. Initial reports suggest he wanted to take his own life.
TGV Maiden Voyage – the first ‘regular’ TGV linking Barcelona with Perpignan (and beyond) will run on Sunday. The ‘great and the good’ of Spanish and French officials will be on a special train leaving Barcelona at noon – which in fact will not be the ‘inaugural’ voyage as there is already a 9.20am departure scheduled for Paris and also the 10.24am departure headed for Toulouse. Tickets are still available…
Police crackdown on ‘criminals’ in Claira – Operating on the instigation of local disabled groups, police conducted an operation targetting people parking in disabled spaces in the commercial centre at Claira. 4 ‘violation’ tickets were issued but this was also an opportunity for the police to check on forged stickers – the use of which can incur a fine of 75,000€ and a 5 year prison sentence.
Return of ‘The Birds’ – 3 falconers accompanied by 9 vultures have been called in to deal with the ever-present problem of the starling problem in Perpignan. This year tens of thousands seem to have made their home in Moulin-a-Vent.
Junior criminals caught – Following months of investigations into break-ins at the sports complex of St. Laurent-de-la-Salanque, police have ‘arrested’ and questioned 12 minors. On several occasions they had stolen food and drink but the final straw also discovered in their homes were several especially adapted ‘sports’ wheelchairs.
3 significant drug finds for customs police – The first involved a Mercedes which was routinely stopped at the Le Boulou péage and sniffer dogs led to the discovery of 16kg of cannabis resin hidden in secret compartments – the driver was a Spanish welder. The second was when officials at Port Vendres indicated to a driver to pull over but he then accelerated away and abandoned his car, which was found to contain three bags of cannabis. The third was again at Le Boulou where sniffer dogs led to the discovery of cannabis hidden under the gear lever and in the door panels of a car belonging to a Moroccan labourer.
4 years in prison for attacking pregnant ex-partner – A 35 year-old-man from Perpignan went to the home of his ex-girlfriend in Trouillas and because he was so upset that she was enjoying a new life without him proceeded to kick and beat her before fleeing the scene. He was very quickly arrested, questioned and sent to prison.
Mayor of Le Barcares arrested – Alain Ferrand was taken into custody last week to face accusations of ‘Illegal Interests and favouritism’. The charges involved using public funds to promote enterprises in which he had a personal interest. He was released on bail pending further investigations.
Tax shock for Ille-sur-Tet traders – Businesses opening their latest rate demands for this year were shocked to discover increases of between 150 – 300%. A meeting has been held.
Addicted to Robbery – 24 year old Rémi, who lived in his car in Thuir, was previously arrested for stealing mountain bikes to fund his heroin addiction. The bicycle thefts stopped but, on his release, he turned to siphoning off diesel from construction vehicles. The young man admitted that he and his girlfriend were heroin addicts but that he was on the point of writing a letter which would admit him to a rehab programme. The judge advised that he would save him the trouble of writing a letter and sentence him to a ‘free’ programme of a prison sentence.
And finally…..
Keep taking the tablets? – Tests are underway to discover what exactly was in the blue tablet that a 12 year old schoolboy dropped into a carafe of water and drank with his friends. Two of the boys developed sudden headaches and the headmistress of Madame Sévigny college in Perpignan took the precaution of alerting all the parents. All that is known so far is that ‘the mother’s boyfriend’s son did not steal the tablet from a scooter parked outside the school’ and that ‘it is highly unlikely to be Viagra’. So no hard evidence.
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