Dogs used as shark bait
By IAN HEPBURN
STRAY dogs are being skewered on hooks and dragged behind boats as live shark bait, The Sun can shockingly reveal.
The cruel practice takes place on French-controlled Reunion Island in the Indian Ocean, where Prince William spent two holidays.
A six-month-old labrador pup was recently found ALIVE with a huge double hook through its snout - like the dog above - and another through a leg.
The pup was found in a coastal creek and is thought to have somehow freed itself from a fishing line.
But other dogs and kittens have been chomped up and swallowed by sharks.
The RSPCA plans to petition the French government, demanding an end to the hideous torture.
Brit savaged by killer shark
By JOHN COLES
Published: 14 Oct 2009
BRITISH diver Matt Bowen today told how he cheated death when a man-eating shark ripped his leg to shreds – by KICKING it with his other free foot.
Matt, 23, was exploring a shipwreck 100 feet below the surface off Western Australia when the terrifying attack happened.
A ten-foot bull shark – one of the world's most dangerous – clamped its huge jaw on to his left leg.
Matt first thought it was female diving partner Alex McFadyen playing a prank on him until he turned to see the deadly shark staring back.
He frantically kicked out as the ferocious beast clung on to his calf, ripping the muscle and sending blood streaming into the water.
Canadian Alex bravely swam to his aid and also kicked the shark until it released its grip and turned tail.
Alex then grabbed Matt and quickly propelled them both to the surface where they waved to their dive boat to pick them up – fearing the creature would return for a second attack.
Matt, from Warrington, Cheshire, was rushed to a local hospital before being transferred to Perth for specialist treatment.
He underwent a series of skin grafts and was bedridden for two weeks as he recovered.
He then needed a further six weeks of intensive physio before he could walk properly again and has been left with a 10-inch long scar along his calf as a permanent reminder of the attack.
Matt, who was a gas engineer before setting off to travel the world, said: "It was scary but I was in so much shock at the time I barely even felt it to begin with.
"I got my diving qualification while I was in Australia and took the opportunity to dive whenever I could.
"You hear stories of shark attacks all the time, but usually when you see them they swim around for a while and ignore you.
Blood
"My buddy and I used to mess around all the time, grabbing each other by the legs and pretending it was a shark attack.
"So when I felt a tug on my leg, I initially thought it was her. It wasn't really painful but it suddenly got a lot more vigorous and violent.
"I turned round to see what was going on and there was this three metre shark clinging on to me.
"I started kicking it as hard as I could to free my leg. I was aiming for the head but doing whatever I could to get it away from me.
"It would have gone for me again, but luckily I got my flippers in the way.
"My buddy pulled me away, kicking the shark at the same time.
"Eventually it turned round and swam away and we managed to get up to the surface.
"We waved to the dinghy to pick us up while Alex looked through the cloud of blood beneath us to see whether the shark was coming back.
Advertisement
"When I looked at my leg, all I could see was this bloody mess. Instead of a calf, all I could see was a hunk of shredded tissue and blood.
"The shock and adrenaline soon wore off and I was in a world of pain and slipping in and out of consciousness for a while."
Despite his near-death experience Matt says he still plans to dive.
He added: "It definitely hasn't put me off sharks or going in the sea.
"I've been told that the shark was a bull shark. They are aggressive but I now know they often hide their babies in wrecks, like the one where I was diving.
"That is probably why this one attacked me, to protect her babies from what she thought was a threat."
Matt is now working at a surf school on the east coast of Australia and plans to visit New Zealand, Thailand and Canada before returning home.
He said: "After the attack I waited until I was a bit better before I phoned my mum.
"There was a lot of screaming of course. She was really worried and wanted me to come home, but I told her I would rather recover on a sunny beach and she understood."
Bull sharks – Carcharhinus leucas in Latin – are one of the top four most dangerous shark species in the world.
They are unpredictable and aggressive and are normally found in shallow water which means they are responsible for the majority of shark attacks on humans that take place near the shore.
In India, bull sharks even cruise up the River Ganges where they have killed and attacked a large number of people.
A few weeks after the attack Matt bumped into Neighbours actor Alan Fletcher during a night out in Sydney and had his photo taken with him
Baby hit by train, then goes home
By staff writers and wires
news.com.au
October 15, 2009 05:50pm
A BABY has escaped serious injury after being hit by a moving train at a railway station in Melbourne.
The six-month-old baby boy was rushed to hospital after his pram fell onto tracks and into the path of an oncoming train at Ashburton station this afternoon.
The pram and baby were clipped by the tram dragged 30m along the railway tracks.
Paramedics who treated the baby at the scene described the infant's injuries, mostly a head bump, as "miraculous".
Intensive care paramedic Jon Wright said they arrived to find the six-month-old baby being comforted by his mother.
"It appears that the baby was strapped into his pram which has rolled forward onto the tracks and into the path of an oncoming train,’ he said.
"Fortunately the train was slowing as it pulled into the station. The pram was pushed along the tracks for about 30m.
"The baby received a bump to his head and was distressed when we arrived. Luckily he was strapped into his pram at the time, which probably saved his life,’ Mr Wright said.
He was assessed by paramedics and taken to the Royal Children’s Hospital in a stable condition.
The baby is now back home after being treated at Royal Children’s Hospital.
The incident comes just a day after Connex and Kidsafe warned parents about the dangers of three-wheeler prams on the train network.
Services on the Alamein line have been suspended.
Major delays are expected and Connex is calling in buses to replace services.
Connex has advised commuters to use tram routes 70 to Riversdale and Willison and 75 to Burwood and Hartwell, or bus route 734 to Ashburton.
German arm wrestler shows off his single Popeye-esque limb
By Mail Foreign Service
Last updated at 12:21 PM on 15th October 2009
Boasting muscles a superhero would be proud of, Matthias Schlitte has good reason to be considered the toast of the German arm wrestling circuit.
But a closer look reveals that only ONE of his arms is bestowed with bulging biceps.
The 22-year-old’s whopping right forearm measures nearly 18in – and is in stark contrast to his puny left arm.
Eye-popping: German arm wrestler Matthas Schlitte reveals his massively oversized forearm
Strongman: Matthias began arm wrestling seven years ago
Muscular: Matthias's giant arm bears a resemblance to that of cartoon character Popeye's
Despite its odd appearance, Matthias’s Popeye-esque limb has strong-armed him into first place in a host of competitions, including the Iron Curtain Armwars in Blackburn and the German Championships in Haltern, this year.
Matthias, who has been involved in the sport since he was 16, said: ‘Many people’s first association with arm wrestling is a beer-soaked bar-table and drunken sailors – which is completely wrong.’
Of how he began his career, he explains: ‘In 2004, a little bar in Haldensleben was looking for the strongest arm wrestler in the region – my first tournament and the beginning of my career.
‘Without any knowledge or practise I competed in the amateur-class up to 90kg – being only 16 years old with a weight of 65kg.
‘At first, older and more experienced fighters smiled at me for being so light-weighted, but after winning the contest the opinions changed immediately.’
Little and large: Matthias's right forearm measures close to 18"
Maryland Dad Pleads Guilty to Drowning 3 Kids in Bathtub
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
BALTIMORE — A man with a history of mental illness pleaded guilty Wednesday to drowning his three young children one by one in a Baltimore hotel bathtub during a custody dispute with his former wife, who said she still cries every day over the deaths.
Mark A. Castillo, 43, told police and a fellow inmate that he wanted to cause anguish for his pediatrician ex-wife when he killed the children in March 2008.
Dr. Amy Castillo, a born-again Christian, said in court that she has compassion for her former husband and believes the family will be reunited after death, but she remains overwhelmed by grief.
"I have flashbacks, nightmares, chest pains — it's terrible — and some days I feel like I can't live," Amy Castillo said outside court. "Sometimes I get tired of the amount of time that it takes to get better."
In statements to police, Mark Castillo said he spent "a good day" with the children — Anthony, 6, Austin, 4, and Athena, 2 — at the Maryland Science Center before checking into a downtown hotel. He calmly described how he held them underwater for 10 minutes each, using a stopwatch, and laid their bodies on a bed.
Castillo then tried to commit suicide by stabbing himself in the neck with a steak knife.
He was sentenced to three consecutive life terms without the possibility of parole, and Baltimore Circuit Judge Wanda K. Heard recommended that he be committed to the Patuxent Institution, a maximum-security psychiatric facility.
"You have chosen to not make a spectacle," the judge told Castillo. "Your family can try to mend and move forward."
In his statement to the court, Castillo said, "I was wrong," then quoted from the Book of Ecclesiastes: "No man has authority to restrain the wind with the wind, or authority over the day of death."
Castillo's attorneys had planned to argue that he was not criminally reponsible for the killings — Maryland's version of an insanity plea.
He withdrew the plea last year before his public defenders reinstated it, and after some discussion in court Wednesday morning, he said he wanted to dismiss them. Heard tried to dissuade him, and Castillo then announced that he was pleading guilty.
It was the latest in a series of unpredictable moves by Castillo, who frequently wept during his court appearances and told a different judge last year, "You can give me the death penalty if you want."
Assistant State's Attorney Julie Drake, the lead prosecutor, said she was "shocked" when Castillo announced his intention to plead guilty. Attorneys had been picking a jury and arguing motions to suppress his statements to police.
Castillo's mother, sister and 21-year-old daughter from a previous relationship were in court Wednesday for the first time since his arrest. Amy Castillo said she thought their presence might have influenced him to accept responsibility for his actions.
"He has the love and support of his family, and he always will," Castillo's sister, Marisol Lopez, said in a brief statement to the court. His relatives did not speak to reporters.
Amy Castillo said she visited her ex-husband — a former gymnastics instructor and computer network technician — several times last year in a psychiatric facility to begin the process of forgiving him. She urged prosecutors to recommend that he serve his sentence at Patuxent in the hope that he could make something productive out of his confinement.
She said he had apologized to her several times, both in person and in writing.
"I know it doesn't sound like much, but a lot of people never get an apology from the person who's done something against them, and for me it really was better than nothing," Amy Castillo said. "God forgives me and has given me the power to forgive him. I'm not a bitter person, and that's going to help me move forward."
Pictured: Josie Romero, the eight-year-old 'sex change girl' who was born a boy
By Sara Nelson
Last updated at 12:09 PM on 15th October 2009
Josie Romero loves the colour pink, braiding her hair and having her fingernails painted.
But life has not always been easy for this sweet and charming eight-year-old, who was born in the body of a boy.
The transgender youngster, then called Joseph, knew at the age of four that she was the wrong sex and even told her parents: 'I am really a girl.'
At five, she was refusing to have her hair cut and only wore colours like orange which were nearest to girly pink.
Girly: Josie Romero has always insisted she is a girl and loves playing with dolls
By the time she reached six, Josie had been diagnosed as transgender and was beginning her transition to becoming a female.
Mother Venessia, 42, said: 'When she was a toddler, she was always trying to turn her boy toys into girl toys.
'She used to take her army figures, wrap them up and rock them like a baby.
'As she grew older and started to talk, she always said: "I'm a girl".
'We used to correct her and say: "No you're a boy".
'But by the time she was four, she was insisting: "No I really am a girl".
'We started to realise she wasn't just playing. She would always correct anyone who called her a boy.
'She'd wrap one of my scarves around her waist to make a skirt. It was her favourite game.'
Venessia and her husband Joseph, 42, an airforce engineer, from Vail, Arizona, made the brave decision to tell their daughter's story to help other parents of transexual youngsters.
Venessia said: 'When Josie was four we adopted a two-year-old girl, Jade, from China because we lived in Japan at the time and wanted to help a child in need.
One of the girls: Josie, aged five-and-a-half loved dressing up in pink clothes with sister Jade
'We were a worried Josie would jealous of a new sibling, but she was so excited to have a sister. They loved playing together and there were even more girls toys around.
'We'd accepted Josie was a bit different and after about six months something clicked and I thought: 'Oh, we have a gay boy'.
'We were totally fine with having a gay boy. We thought: "As long as our child is happy" everything will be fine.'
'She looked kind of androgenous by the time she was five and people would always ask if we had a girl or a boy,' said Venessia.
It was Josie's paediatrician who finally brought the situation into the open.
'I think he worked it out because of various things Josie had said over a couple of years,' said Venessia.
'He just said to me: 'Look up the word transgender'.
'I went home and started looking up transgender on the internet.
'At first the only sites I found were medical ones and websites talking about adults.
'But eventually we did find out that there were other children who thought they were born as the wrong sex.
Before the change: Pictured here as Joseph, with adopted sister Jade
'We discovered a site called Transgender Youth Family Allies where there were 100 children who were all going through the same thing as Josie.' Venessia started giving Josie options about how she wanted to live.
'I bought some girls clothes and put them in one side of her wardrobe,' she said.
'All her boys clothes were in the other half.
'Each morning she was free to choose what she wanted to wear - but she always chose girls clothes.'
Josie was referred to a gender specialist who confirmed the diagnosis and the family began accepting Josie as a real girl.
Venessia said: 'It was definitely hardest for my husband, because he felt like he had lost a son.
'Joseph used to spend time with Joey doing things like jogging and swimming.
'But he could do those the same with Josie as a girl.' Joseph said: 'At first I denied it. Then, after reality kicked in, I deeply mourned the loss of my son.' But he added: 'We had a family photo shoot where Josie dressed up like a princess, with a butterfly in her hair and gloss on her lips.
'I forced a smile onto my face hoping she'd be content with my effort. Josie's own face lit up in response, and a sparkle I hadn't seen in so many months was back in her eyes. I made the connection with her then, for the first time, knowing I had gained a daughter.
'After the first few pictures, both Josie and I were wearing genuine smiles and laughing out loud.'
Family support: Josie and Jade pictured with their father Joseph and mother Venessia
But unfortunately other people in the fiercely conservative environment of the American military base, where the family lived in Japan, were less accepting of Josie and picketed outside her school gates.
'It was horrible for Josie and for all of us,' said Venessia.
'I know it affected her although we tried to protect her from it.
'When we returned to the States last year we arranged for counselling for Josie to help deal with what she's been through, as well as for her transition.' Now, in a few weeks' Josie will see her doctor to find out more about puberty blockers, drugs which will prevent her starting male adolescence.
Then, when she reaches the age of 12, she will be given female hormones containing oestrogen.
Josie also understands that she will need to have surgery when she is an adult in order to become a full woman.
Her case has already been referred to Dr Norman Spack at Boston Children's Hospital a top specialist in transgender children.
Josie said: 'I am happy that everyone knows I am a real girl, and that I don't have to pretend to be a boy anymore.
'Being a girl is nice because I get to bake and cook in the kitchem wear long hair and earrings.' By the time Josie's family moved back to Arizona last year she had been legally accepted as a female.
Her birth certificate, passport and even her social security number were changed to show her completely as a girl.
Venessia said: 'Unfortunately the local school barred us from enrolling Josie, so we made the decision to home school both girls, which is very rewarding.
'We're bringing them up in a very happy protected environment.
'Maybe when the girls are older they will be able to go to high school, but that is still a few years away.' Josie is a spokesperson for transgender children and gives talks to other groups in Arizona. Her mum said: 'Josie is very happy to speak about being a transgender child.
'We feel that by being open about her experiences, it will help other parents and children still coming to terms with their gender.
'The most important thing is to love your child unconditionally.
'Whatever happens you still have a daughter, or a son, who needs you to be there for them.' Josie and her family are one of several families featured in a new BodyShock documentary.
California Police Find Cats With Broken Limbs, Cut Off Claws
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
OAKLAND, Calif. — An Oakland woman is facing animal cruelty charges after authorities say they discovered cats with broken limbs and crudely cut off claws in her possession.
La Preda Thomas. 33, was arraigned Friday on two felony counts of animal cruelty. Authorities say during two searches of Thomas's home this summer, they found kittens with every limb fractured or previously broken and a cat with a shattered hip.
In all, Thomas is accused of abusing more than 15 cats and kittens over several years. According to police, she told investigators she rescued animals with unusual injuries.
Police say most of the cats are healing and some have been placed in new homes.
Thomas is being held on $135,000 bail at the Santa Rita Jail
Policeman 'raped pole dancer after handcuffing her in her own home'
By Luke Salkeld
Last updated at 9:15 AM on 15th October 2009
On trial: PC Kenny Lewis, 26, pictured outside court, is accused of forcing a lap dancer to perform a sex act on him while he visited her home in uniform
A police officer raped a lap dancer after handcuffing her in her own home, a court heard yesterday.
Kenny Lewis, 26, also had sex with a woman after she was arrested, taking her to a beauty spot in his police car, jurors were told.
It is claimed that when the woman moved house in an effort to escape him, he tracked her down using the police computer.
The married officer abused his power and position and told his victims that nobody would believe them if they complained, it is alleged.
Lewis met one of his alleged victims, a 33-year- old lap dancer, after she witnessed a road accident. He visited her at home where she was watching a recording of her own performance in a pole dancing competition.
She told the court: 'He saw me watching a DVD and asked where I worked and started making jokes. He handcuffed me and pushed me on to a sofa.'
She said the policeman forced her to perform a sex act and then told her to 'shut up about it'.
The dancer, who is married with children, added: 'He then came back on numerous occasions and handcuffed me two other times.
'The last time he came round the door was open and he let himself in and started watching pornography on my computer.
'He told me if I complained nobody would listen to me because I'm only a dancer and he is a cop.' She said the other two attacks were very similar and she did not resist because she was scared.
Prosecutor William Mousley said Lewis met the other woman while taking her to a police station after her arrest. They went on to have a sexual relationship.
The court heard that on one occasion he picking her up in a police car and took her to a beauty spot near Bristol to have sex. Even after she moved house to avoid him, he traced her through the police computer.
Mr Mousley said: 'He used the authority he had as a police officer to engage in sexual activity for his own gratification.
'In the case of one woman he forced himself upon her without her consent. All while he was on duty in his uniform.'
Mr Mousley told Exeter Crown Court that the former officer would introduce himself to women who had been involved in a crime as a witness, victim or perpetrator.
'He would use that contact as an excuse for visiting them or phoning them, often under the guise of carrying out further inquiries,' he said.
Mr Mousley added: 'It was all about sex and not much more.
'Police represent authority and the public may behave differently to a police officer than with others. The uniform can create an aura of strength as well as respectability.'
Lewis, of Nailsea, Bristol, who resigned as a police constable last year, denies three counts of rape and one of misconduct in public office.
He admits five other offences of misconduct in public office, all concerning other sexual encounters while he was supposed to be on duty.
The trial continues.
Louisiana Couple Tries to Exchange Exotic Bird for Kids
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
VILLE PLATTE, La. — A Louisiana couple admitted giving an exotic bird to a woman in exchange for two children, a district attorney said Wednesday.
Paul and Brandy Romero, of Eunice, pleaded guilty to two felony counts of sale of a minor child, Evangeline Parish District Attorney Trent Brignac's office said in a statement. Their five-year prison sentences were suspended in exchange for their testimony against the woman accused of handing over the children, Donna Greenwell of Glenmora, the statement said.
The Romeros traded their cockatoo and $175 for the children in February. Greenwell is not their mother, but the children were living with her. Prosecutors say she "instigated" the transfer when she responded to the Romeros' advertisement for sale of the bird.
Greenwell, who is free on bond, has pleaded not guilty to two felony counts of sale of minor children. Her trial is set for November.
Greenwell's lawyer, Steve Sikich, has said previously that there was no swap involved and that Greenwell was trying to find a suitable home for the children. He did not immediately return a call for comment on Wednesday's guilty pleas.
The DAs' statement said Paul Romero, 46, and 28-year-old Brandy were unable to have children and "unaware of the exact legal requirements for transferring custody of minor children. The couple maintains they were simply trying to provide a home for two children that were unwanted by Greenwell."
Authorities initially thought Greenwell had kidnapped the children, but then learned that the biological parents were aware they were living with Greenwell.
Caught on camera: Disaster strikes when 'drunk' man goes on shambolic quest for one last beer
By Mail Foreign Service
Last updated at 1:06 PM on 15th October 2009
Despite appearing to already be thoroughly drunk, this man decided he hadn’t had quite enough refreshment as he shambled into a shop and tried to buy even more beer.
The hilarious CCTV shows him weaving unsteadily through the shop - just before 11am on a Tuesday morning - before he locates the alcohol aisle.
The pony-tailed boozer’s next mission is to get into the chiller cabinet and retrieve the beer.
Just one more drink: The man arrives in the shop on the hunt for one last beer
Unfortunately coordination fails him, leaving him swinging from the cabinet doors.
Undeterred, he clings on, eventually succeeding in grasping a six-pack.
Seemingly overcome by his feat, the man crumples to the ground, where he remains, writhing like an overturned tortoise for several minutes.
See video of the man's startling attempt here
Drunkest Guy Ever Goes for More Beer - Watch more Funny Videos 
So close: The man swings wildly on the chiller cabinet doors
Oops: He lets go and crashes backwards into a stack of food
Eventually shop assistants come to his aide and succeed in pulling him to his feet, before asking him to leave the store.
The intrepid drunk successfully negotiates the aisles back to the entrance without incident, but when he’s just inches from the door, slips backwards.
Wipeout! The man grabs hold of a box of beer, but is immediately unbalanced and falls backwards 
Effort: The man writhes on the ground for several minutes as he tries to regain his footing
In an attempt to break his fall he grabs a bowl of sweets on the counter, before crashing backwards into a shelf of food, wreaking havoc in the shop.
The clip, filmed in the U.S. earlier this month, was posted on Break Media, a network aimed at men aged between 18 – 34.
The 37-site network claims to reach 35million men worldwide and was founded in 1998.
It's no good: The drunken customer just can't seem to get off the ground 
Off you go: Staff help him to his feet and point him to the direction of the exit...
Almost there: He's just inches away from the doors when disaster strikes...
Help: As he tries to steady himself he grabs a bowl of sweets off the counter and topples backwards
Defeated: The man lies in a heap on the floor, having managed to scatter merchandise across the store in his descent