A teenager accused of hacking into computers across the globe was bailed until June 15 by magistrates in Carmarthen, west Wales, yesterday on charges under the Computer Misuse Act 1990. Raphael Gray, 18, of Narbeth, has been charged with 10 counts of downloading unauthorised information from computers in the US, Canada, Thailand and Britain.
Three held in 'decoder scam'
Three people have been charged in connection with an alleged worldwide scam involving the manufacture and supply of illegal cable TV decoding boxes. They were arrested in Milton Keynes yesterday after a five month investigation by Thames Valley police and telecommunications operator NTL. A man aged 59 and two women aged 53 and 39 have been bailed by police.
'Sinister' drink advert curbed
The Independent Television Commission has barred a drink advert for Metz from being shown before 7.30pm - to avoid scaring children. It said the "sinister, angular, puppet-style figures" could unnerve youngsters.
Woman to head maps agency
Britain's national mapping agency, Ordnance Survey, has appointed the first female director general and chief executive to head the company in its 209-year history. Vanessa Lawrence, 37, will also become the youngest person to take the helm of the agency.
Actors mourn Gielgud
Sir Alec Guinness, Sir Donald Sinden, Sir John Mills, Dame Maggie Smith and Lord Attenborough were among the stars who paid their respects to the late Sir John Gielgud yesterday at an afternoon service near his Buckinghamshire home. The actor, who died last month aged 96, was later cremated in Oxford.
Trio 'had 1,600 ecstasy tablets'
Police in central Sicily have charged two Britons and an Irishman allegedly found in possession of 1,645 ecstasy tablets with drug trafficking. They say the three were part of a multinational group attempting to organise a rave party. Carl Watford, 41, of Milton Keynes, Timothy Wayre, 27, of London, and Eamon McRenna, 29, of Dublin, face up to eight years jail if convicted.
Philip Willan
Women in bras picture banned
A town council has banned a poster featuring a picture of local women revealing their bras for charity. It says the poster - advertising a photographic exhibition - could cause offence if displayed on its notice boards. The poster shows several of the 50 women from Llantwit Major, near Cardiff, who took part in the Playtex Moon Walk in London last month to raise £10,000 for breast cancer research. In all 3,000 women took part.
Near-miss for dog walker
Norman Leach, 48, narrowly escaped injury when a frozen block of aircraft toilet water landed at his feet as he walked through Greenwich Park in south-east London with his dog.
