A Brazilian man has been arrested on suspicion of keeping his wife locked in a cellar for at least eight years while he lived upstairs with another woman.
Acting on a tip, police found 64-year-old Sebastiana Aparecida Groppo lying naked in a filthy basement in the city of Sorocaba in Sao Paulo state.
Her husband Joao Batista Groppo told officers he had locked her up because she was mentally ill and aggressive.
Police said Mrs Groppo appeared to be in good physical health.
But they said she showed signs of mental problems that could have been caused by her confinement.
Police inspector Jaqueline Barcelos Coutinho told the Associated Press news agency she was shocked when she arrived at Mr Groppo's house and found Mrs Groppo behind a padlocked iron gate in the cellar.
"She was lying nude on a concrete bed inside a foul-smelling, humid cubicle with no electricity or ventilation," Ms Coutinho said.
"She was in a degrading situation unfit for animals".
Mr Groppo, 64, initially said he had kept his wife confined for 16 years but then revised the time to eight, Ms Coutinho said.
"He told us that locking her up was the only way he could think of to prevent her from wandering off and getting lost," she added.
The couple have been married for more than 40 years.
Mrs Groppo was treated in hospital and then taken to the house of her son in a nearby city.
Mr Groppo and the other woman he lives with are facing charges of false imprisonment.
Sunday, January 30, 2011
Friday, January 28, 2011
Dutch prisoner 'too big for cell'
A Dutch prisoner described by his lawyer as a giant has gone to court over the size of his single cell, arguing that it is inhumanely small.
The prisoner, 2.07m tall (6ft 9in) and 230kg (36st), says he cannot properly sleep or use the toilet.
Prison officials have tried to relieve his discomfort by adding a a 2.15m plank and an extra mattress to his bed.
Named by his lawyer as Angelo MacD., he is asking to complete his two-year sentence for fraud under house arrest.
His lawyer, Bas Martens, told a court in The Hague that his client's conditions of detention violated the European Convention on Human Rights.
He insisted that MacD. was not trying to get out of serving his time.
"My client just wants to serve a comparable sentence without pain," Mr Martens told Radio Netherlands.
Speaking to the BBC News website, Mr Martens sought to convey the sheer size of MacD., whose picture was not available.
"He is 2.07m tall and a metre wide and a metre deep," he said.
"He is not obese. He is a giant. He even walks like a giant, like out of the comic books."
MacD. began his sentence on 29 September and is not due for release until 12 April 2012.
His cell in a prison in the south-western town of Krimpen aan de IJssel would probably be adequate for most prisoners but for him, the problems start in the doorway, where he must bow his head to pass through.
His bed, which is fixed to the wall, is 77cm wide and 1.96m long, according to a sketch provided by Mr Martens.
This means that his client must sleep on his side.
While the plank and extra mattress supplied by the prison authorities were meant to make him more comfortable, he now has to "sleep with one eye open in case he falls out of bed", Mr Martens said.
To take a shower, he must first wedge himself into the cubicle, then crouch down under the head.
So tiny and low is his toilet, he complains, that "visits" must be kept to the absolute minimum.
Other alleged problems included a lack of adequate space for family visits and suitable seating in the prison canteen.
Mr Martens pointed out that his client was unable to do prison work for similar reasons, despite this being a requirement of his sentence.
A court ruling on the case is expected early next month.
The prisoner, 2.07m tall (6ft 9in) and 230kg (36st), says he cannot properly sleep or use the toilet.
Prison officials have tried to relieve his discomfort by adding a a 2.15m plank and an extra mattress to his bed.
Named by his lawyer as Angelo MacD., he is asking to complete his two-year sentence for fraud under house arrest.
His lawyer, Bas Martens, told a court in The Hague that his client's conditions of detention violated the European Convention on Human Rights.
He insisted that MacD. was not trying to get out of serving his time.
"My client just wants to serve a comparable sentence without pain," Mr Martens told Radio Netherlands.
Speaking to the BBC News website, Mr Martens sought to convey the sheer size of MacD., whose picture was not available.
"He is 2.07m tall and a metre wide and a metre deep," he said.
"He is not obese. He is a giant. He even walks like a giant, like out of the comic books."
MacD. began his sentence on 29 September and is not due for release until 12 April 2012.
His cell in a prison in the south-western town of Krimpen aan de IJssel would probably be adequate for most prisoners but for him, the problems start in the doorway, where he must bow his head to pass through.
His bed, which is fixed to the wall, is 77cm wide and 1.96m long, according to a sketch provided by Mr Martens.
This means that his client must sleep on his side.
While the plank and extra mattress supplied by the prison authorities were meant to make him more comfortable, he now has to "sleep with one eye open in case he falls out of bed", Mr Martens said.
To take a shower, he must first wedge himself into the cubicle, then crouch down under the head.
So tiny and low is his toilet, he complains, that "visits" must be kept to the absolute minimum.
Other alleged problems included a lack of adequate space for family visits and suitable seating in the prison canteen.
Mr Martens pointed out that his client was unable to do prison work for similar reasons, despite this being a requirement of his sentence.
A court ruling on the case is expected early next month.
Thursday, January 27, 2011
Japanese pensioners' shoplifting hits record high
More than a quarter of shoplifters arrested in Japan in 2010 were over the age of 65, police have said, as the number of pensioners committing the crime hit a record high.
In an annual report, the National Police Agency said 27,362 pensioners were arrested for shoplifting in 2010 - almost equalling teenagers.
Most of them stole food or clothes rather than luxury items, the NPA said.
Japanese society is ageing rapidly and its economy remains stalled.
More than 20% of the population are now over the age of 65 - a figure which is expected to rise to about 40% by 2050.
A police official told the Mainichi newspaper that pensioners were shoplifting not just for financial reasons "but also out of a sense of isolation peculiar to the age".
In recent decades the traditional three-generation household structure has changed - more young people have moved to cities to find employment, leaving elderly parents on their own.
Pensioners who want to work have also found it harder to find jobs because of the economic crunch.
Police say the record high - with pensioners comprising 26.1% of all shoplifters - represents a persistent trend.
When record keeping began in 1986, the number of pensioners arrested stood at 4,918. It has climbed since then, hitting 10,000 in 1999 and 20,000 in 2004.
In an annual report, the National Police Agency said 27,362 pensioners were arrested for shoplifting in 2010 - almost equalling teenagers.
Most of them stole food or clothes rather than luxury items, the NPA said.
Japanese society is ageing rapidly and its economy remains stalled.
More than 20% of the population are now over the age of 65 - a figure which is expected to rise to about 40% by 2050.
A police official told the Mainichi newspaper that pensioners were shoplifting not just for financial reasons "but also out of a sense of isolation peculiar to the age".
In recent decades the traditional three-generation household structure has changed - more young people have moved to cities to find employment, leaving elderly parents on their own.
Pensioners who want to work have also found it harder to find jobs because of the economic crunch.
Police say the record high - with pensioners comprising 26.1% of all shoplifters - represents a persistent trend.
When record keeping began in 1986, the number of pensioners arrested stood at 4,918. It has climbed since then, hitting 10,000 in 1999 and 20,000 in 2004.
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
Virtual kids vs Real kids
A South Korean couple have gone on trial charged with allowing their baby daughter to starve to death while they played an online computer game.
Prosecutors said they fed the baby once a day and left her alone for hours while they visited internet cafes.
They said the couple were obsessed with playing a game in which they had to raise a virtual girl.
The 41-year-old man and 25-year-old woman were arrested in March, five months after reporting the death.
Last month, a police officer told the Yonhap news agency they appeared to have "lost their will to live a normal life".
He said they "indulged themselves online" to escape from reality.
The couple, who have been charged with negligent homicide, were said to have become obsessed with nurturing a virtual girl called Anima in the popular role-playing game Prius Online.
The game enables players to interact with Anima and as they do so, help her to recover her lost memory and develop emotions.
An autopsy showed the baby's death had been caused by a long period of malnutrition.
The couple are due to be sentenced on 16 April.
The BBC's John Sudworth in Seoul says some lawyers have suggested the couple were addicted to the game, a fact which could be taken into account by the judge.
South Korea boasts the fastest average broadband speeds in the world.
There are some two million internet addicts in the country, according to the government, which recently announced a series of measures to tackle the problem.
Prosecutors said they fed the baby once a day and left her alone for hours while they visited internet cafes.
They said the couple were obsessed with playing a game in which they had to raise a virtual girl.
The 41-year-old man and 25-year-old woman were arrested in March, five months after reporting the death.
Last month, a police officer told the Yonhap news agency they appeared to have "lost their will to live a normal life".
He said they "indulged themselves online" to escape from reality.
The couple, who have been charged with negligent homicide, were said to have become obsessed with nurturing a virtual girl called Anima in the popular role-playing game Prius Online.
The game enables players to interact with Anima and as they do so, help her to recover her lost memory and develop emotions.
An autopsy showed the baby's death had been caused by a long period of malnutrition.
The couple are due to be sentenced on 16 April.
The BBC's John Sudworth in Seoul says some lawyers have suggested the couple were addicted to the game, a fact which could be taken into account by the judge.
South Korea boasts the fastest average broadband speeds in the world.
There are some two million internet addicts in the country, according to the government, which recently announced a series of measures to tackle the problem.
When Easter egg hunts go wrong
Two US teenagers on an Easter egg hunt have found a body in a park, police say.
The two found the man's body after they wandered away from their younger siblings on the hunt in Des Moines, Iowa.
Police Sgt Chris Scott said the teenagers came across the man's body in a wooded area of Beaverdale Park on Saturday morning.
About 100 children were taking part in the annual event.
Foul play is not suspected, police say, and an autopsy is planned for early next week, KCCI News in Des Moines reported.
The name of the man, whose body was found at around 1000 (1500 GMT), has not been released while the family is being informed.
Police would neither confirm nor deny reports that the body had been found hanging from a tree.
The two found the man's body after they wandered away from their younger siblings on the hunt in Des Moines, Iowa.
Police Sgt Chris Scott said the teenagers came across the man's body in a wooded area of Beaverdale Park on Saturday morning.
About 100 children were taking part in the annual event.
Foul play is not suspected, police say, and an autopsy is planned for early next week, KCCI News in Des Moines reported.
The name of the man, whose body was found at around 1000 (1500 GMT), has not been released while the family is being informed.
Police would neither confirm nor deny reports that the body had been found hanging from a tree.
Monday, January 24, 2011
Sunday, January 23, 2011
Honduras policemen arrested for robbing bank
Police in Honduras say six of their own officers have been arrested for allegedly trying to rob a bank.
Prosecutors say the policemen forced their way into the bank in the capital, Tegucigalpa and tied up the security guards at gunpoint.
A passer-by raised the alarm and police fought a gun battle with the alleged robbers, injuring one of them.
A police spokesman said the six were "bad apples" who had sullied the name of the force.
He said the agents had already been suspended, and would face the full force of the law.
Security Minister Oscar Alvarez said he would ensure the fight against corruption within the police force was sped up.
Prosecutors say the policemen forced their way into the bank in the capital, Tegucigalpa and tied up the security guards at gunpoint.
A passer-by raised the alarm and police fought a gun battle with the alleged robbers, injuring one of them.
A police spokesman said the six were "bad apples" who had sullied the name of the force.
He said the agents had already been suspended, and would face the full force of the law.
Security Minister Oscar Alvarez said he would ensure the fight against corruption within the police force was sped up.
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