Headless Trout Threat
Four men have appeared in court in Madrid charged with threats after they allegedly tried to recover a debt by sending intimidating letters and even a package with two headless trout inside.

According to the Public Prosecutors office, the victim, only known as Gregory TG, is in dispute with one of the four defendants, Gabriel MO, in relation to a debt of almost three million euros.

Gabriel MO and his cohorts, Carlos MG, José Andrés RL and Juan Ignacio NC, all Spanish nationals, allegedly started the campaign of threats in 2007, sending letters to his office and home, all bearing the signature ‘Cosanuestra’ giving the victim a deadline in which to pay, and also saying that they were watching his family.

It was in March 2007 that the victim met with Carlos MG at a hotel where he demanded immediate settlement of the debt, and when told that it would be impossible, then told the victim he had six days to get the money. It was later that day that Gregory TG received the package containing the two headless trout. Gregory’s wife and brother also received threats from the group, who said that the debt would be sold to an international group called ‘The Corportation.’
The police were informed and later arrested two of the group, José Andrés RL and Juan Ignacio NC, who had in their possession reports on the victim, his family and business interests.

The Public Prosecutor is calling for two years in prison for each of the four defendants.

Baby Bungle
Many families rely on the grandparents to assist with childcare, especially in these days where, very often, both parents hold down full time jobs. However, a San Sebastián family may just rue the day they asked Granddad to pop down to the nursery and pick up their 18-month-old baby, especially as he would fail to go to the correct nursery, then not even recognise that the child he was taking was not his grandchild.

The elderly chap, who didn’t want to admit that he wasn’t quite sure where the nursery was, turned up at the wrong place, and then incredibly managed to convince staff to hand over a baby who he thought was his grandchild. So it was, that the elderly confused gentleman managed to leave the nursery with a child completely unrelated or known to him.
One can only imagine the panic in the nursery when staff and the child’s family realised that the baby had been handed to a complete stranger.

Police were informed, and the call coincided with a report from another nursery that they had an unclaimed child and were unable to contact the parents.

Police put two and two together, and realised what could possibly have happened, and sure enough, after two hours the police found the grandfather, who gladly handed over the baby.

With each child with their proper parents, police concluded this was just a very unfortunate mistake and after offering some words of advice, and as there was no injuries suffered, apart from a nasty scare, the matter has been closed.

Train Crazy
An employee of the Barcelona Metro has been suspended from work for three months without pay, after causing panic on a rush hour train by claiming the passengers were in the midst of a terrorist attack.

Barcelona Metro also imposed a further penalty of 15 days suspension without pay for ‘inappropriate use of the public address system on the train.’

The incident occurred on November 2nd when a voice was heard over the public address system, speaking with an Arabic accent, saying, “this is a bomb attack!” The driver of the train was then heard to call the speaker an “idiot.”

In mitigation, the accused employee said he thought that the system he was speaking on was a ‘private’ communications system between the centre carriage where he was situated, direct to the driver. He is also reported to have shown a great deal of remorse and regret following his actions and offered his unreserved apology for the distress caused.

Barcelona Metro justified the harsh sanction by saying that the actions of the employee were regarded as “very serious.”

Business Boost
Spanish Prime Minister, José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero, is meeting with the bosses from 30 of Spain’s top companies, in a bid to try and stimulate growth, investment, create employment and re-energise consumer spending. Some notable names are, however, not attending; among these are Banesto, Bankinter and Banco Sabadell.

Having said that, some big names will be at the meeting, like BBVA, Santander, Banco Popular, Caja Madrid and La Caixa to name but a few.

With the Spanish Stock Market reacting much like a yoyo at the moment, probably due to the Irish rescue plan and fears of an ‘infectious spread’ throughout the Eurozone of economic doubt and instability.

The treasury in Spain is confident that it has met its cash raising objectives for 2010, with around 200 billion of the 215 billion required already raised, although it should be pointed out that next year there will be a further requirement to raise 150 billion, with 90 billion needed between April and October alone.

Let’s hope Mr. Zapatero kicks some corporate butt, and gets these mega rich companies to assist in at least trying to kick-start the economy.

Neglected Niños
There have been two cases of child neglect reported in the Spanish press recently, one involving a 6-year-old boy and the other a 3-year old.

Firstly, there was the case of a 3-year old in Alcalá de Guadaíra, Sevilla, who was spotted on a third floor balcony after being left at home on his own by his father.
Such was the concern for the little tot, who was barefoot and half naked; the Guardia Civil officers that attended didn’t hang around and put the door in to get to him.

According to a report by Canal Sur the boy’s parents are separated and the lad was staying with his Bolivian father for the weekend. He claimed he had just gone out for a few minutes, which didn’t impress the Guardia officers at all and he was promptly charged with child neglect… it was not his day obviously, as further checks revealed he was in Spain illegally and now also faces deportation.

The second case happened in Madrid, where Guardia officers found a six-year-old boy freezing cold and distressed in a car during the early hours of a Sunday morning. The lad told them that his parents had told him they were going to meet some friends and buy him a present.

When the parents were located, Pablo Andrés T and Silvia Paola S.S, showed clear signs of being inebriated.

Again, the Guardia were not listening to any excuses and the child was left in the care of an aunt, whilst the parents were both charged with neglect.

Cigarette Censor
The reform of the smoking ban law will see the cessation of broadcasting programs or images, except in fiction, anyone smoking, whether it be presenters, contributors or guests. The reform also bans the mention or showing, directly or indirectly, trademarks, trade names, logos or any other identifying marks or products relating to tobacco. Blimey! I need a cigarette just thinking about all this… and I don’t even smoke!

Well, it’s all going to happen as the Health Committee of Congress has given its approval to the reform of the 1995 tobacco law. They have also given their approval to a reform that sees the opening up of access to ‘quite smoking’ treatments via the National Health System.

It is intended that the law will lead to a complete ban on smoking in enclosed public spaces and even in some outdoor areas. The Health Commission has approved the idea of smoke-free areas in children’s parks, playgrounds and the outdoor spaces of health centres and hospitals.

The law is now on its way to the Senate to continue its course but will not include a reform with reference to enclosed smoking areas in bars, as proposed by the PP in response to pressure from the hoteliers industry.

There are some exceptions that have made it through, and if ever you find yourself in prison for example, they do have specific rooms and areas for smoking. Mental Health Hospitals and homes for the elderly or disabled will also have easy access to smoking areas.

Miscarriage Man
The terrible miscarriage of justice that saw Rafael Ricardi given a 36-year prison sentence for two counts of rape, was brought to light in his recent court appearance in which he was awarded 555,000 euros as compensation for the 13 years he had spent in jail.

Ricardi was an easy target for the justice system, as at the time of his conviction he was a drug addict with ‘special needs.’ But we can only imagine the thoughts that went through his mind at the time of sentencing, when he just could not make himself heard.

His lawyer claims the award is ‘an insult,’ pointing out that not just the amount of time behind bars should be considered, but that none of us can imagine the type of ‘hard time’ this man would have done for this sort of crime, and that the Rafael has lived in poverty since his release.

On the other hand, the voice that previously went unheard is incredibly conciliatory, saying that the only true difficulty he has are the nightmares, which despite ‘very strong’ treatment, just will not abate, but he does ask that in future, “people are not convicted of serious crimes without sufficient or correct evidence.”

As for the money, he seems to be the only one who doesn’t deem it and insult, saying he was satisfied, “it seems a lot when you have nothing else. Besides, no amount will give me back the time.”

How did they know he was innocent? Well, after about twelve years, campaigners managed to get all the samples on the girls clothing checked with modern science for DNA, and, of course, it turned out that Rafael was not the one responsible for either attack.

No Refuge
This strange case was reported in El Mundo newspaper and concerns the arrest of a 38-year-old man, Alberto H.P., who was the manager of a women’s refuge in Palma de Mallorca. Strange, because he has been arrested for allegedly psychologically abusing the women in his care.

The ‘safe house’ is governed by the Federation of Gays, Lesbians, Transsexuals and Bisexuals Association (that’s a bit of a mouthful), and the accused is said to be the secretary of the Federation.

He has been accused by the women in the house of only allowing them just one glass of water per day, keeping all the food under lock and key and subjecting them to verbal abuse. One of his alleged choice comments was, “You are bad mothers, and I’m not surprised that your husbands beat you. You should be thankful that we have taken you in here, you have no right to anything.”

Sounds quite reasonable compared to living in my house!
The women have all been re-housed in other refuges and ‘Abusive’ Alberto has been released from custody after being charged.