Birthday ends in booze death

I've seen estimates that college binge drinking kills 1500 kids a year in the U.S. That's twice the annual death rate of of our servicemen in Iraq.

So where's the outrage?

Yes, it's a terrible statistic, isn't it?

And on the heels of the original story I posted, comes this little gem. I'm not against drinking, but is it necessary to have 24 hour a day establishments?

24-hour drinking could be disaster for Britain

Aug 25 2005
By David Davis, The Evening Chronicle

With liver deaths and drink-related crime rising, Shadow Home Secretary David Davis outlines why the Conservative Party is against 24-hour drinking.

Doctors and religious leaders have spoken out against it.

A group of leading lawyers says it's close to lunacy and a police chief described it as 'my idea of hell'.

Yet the Government is adamant that it's right to let people drink as much as they like by letting pubs and clubs stay open all day if they choose.

Apparently deaf to the chorus of opposition and blind to the mountain of evidence predicting a surge in violent crimes and social problems, Mr Blair's Government is determined to press ahead.

As one academic report put it, the Government's message seems to be: "Don't try to change our minds with facts."

It is a staggeringly irresponsible decision.

Not only does it demonstrate utter contempt for the views of all those communities who are seriously concerned about the effect it will have on their areas, it is also something of a leap into the unknown.

The Government argues that longer opening hours will reduce binge drinking but the evidence to support this claim is far from convincing.

Indeed, the Association of Chief Police Officers says: "The assertion that 11pm closing leads to binge drinking is simply not supported by the evidence."

The Government's argument could prove to be correct in the long run but we cannot afford to take that risk.

If it is wrong, the consequences for many of our communities and for a whole generation of young people could be disastrous.

That is why the only sensible thing for Mr Blair to do now is to postpone the introduction of the new measures until he has got to grips with the problems and we are confident that liberalising the drinking laws will help, not hinder, our battle against the curiously British disease of binge drinking.

Violent crime in Newcastle is rampant, with 6,500 crimes in the last year alone. Liberalising the drinking laws could make matters worse.

Then there are the health implications. In the North East in the past four years the number of alcohol related deaths rose by 28.4%.

Of course, no-one wants to stop people having a good time but the Government must pause and think again.

While the Government claims it is giving local councils the final say over individual applications, the reality is that their decision can be easily overturned on appeal as the Government's 180-page guidance booklet makes it clear there is now a presumption in favour of later opening hours.

As a result, many councils may struggle to defend their decisions against the might and spending power of the drinks industry.

Another is the provision, also included in the Culture Department's guidance to local government, that councils are to be discouraged from determining fixed closing hours or introducing staggered closing times.

Councils will find it difficult to stop existing licensed premises gaining a late licence in an area already saturated with pubs and clubs.

In its existing form, the new legislation makes it very difficult for people to fight applications successfully.

The new regime that could come into effect in a few months is therefore riddled with problems and built on weak foundations.

It fails to command the support of key professionals. It doesn't command the support of the British people either.

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Similar thing happened in Toronto a couple of years ago. But the then 15 year old Terrence Ali was drunk, then beaten and thrown into Lake Ontario.


Stiff sentence urged in teen death Aug. 25, 2005. 06:40 AM
Third man pleads guilty in `brutal' beating and drowning
Judge to pronounce punishment for `vicious killing' Sept. 19

HAROLD LEVY
STAFF REPORTER

Prosecutors are seeking a 15- to 18-year prison term for a man who has pleaded guilty to manslaughter in the beating and drowning of teen Terrence Ali.

Raymond Mackhan, 20, has acknowledged in court that, along with two others, he assaulted 15-year-old Ali on Aug. 4, 2003, after a Caribana party, and then helped the others dump Ali into Lake Ontario.

A pathologist reported Ali, who was intoxicated, suffered nine blows to the head and neck that almost decapitated him. A medical examination concluded the actual cause of death was drowning and the victim's injuries likely rendered him unconscious before he was put in the water.

Mackhan, who has been in custody for more than two years, will be the last of the three attackers to be sentenced when he appears in court Sept. 19.

In July, the older of the other two accused, who was 19 at the time of the attack, was sentenced in adult court to life in prison with no chance of parole for 15 years after pleading guilty to second-degree murder. Last week, that defendant's younger brother, who was 17 when Ali was attacked, received a 4 1/2-year sentence following his youth court guilty plea to first-degree murder.

Prosecutor Jon McGrath told Superior Court Justice David Watt yesterday Mackhan should be jailed a long time because of "the extreme violence and brutality of the offence."

McGrath noted that, unlike the other participants who might have been motivated by a heated argument one of them had with Ali over an incident the previous day at Caribana, there was "a real absence of any motive for Mr. Mackhan's participation in this vicious killing."

McGrath also asked Watt to consider "the vulnerable nature of Terrence Ali," noting he was outsized, outweighed and outnumbered; he was intoxicated at the time; and there is no evidence he suffered defensive-type injuries. "He was unable to resist the vicious assault."

But defence lawyer J.S. Vijaya argued for a more lenient sentence since Mackhan was a follower as opposed to a leader and was influenced by the others.

Vijaya referred to a report describing Mackhan, who was 18 at the time of the crime, as a person who "is easily influenced." The lawyer stressed Mackhan did not intend to kill Ali, that he was not "the principal antagonist" and that he did not "orchestrate" the events that ended the teen's life.

Ali's death was the product of "alcohol, leaders and followers, and the inexperience of youth.''

"His guilty plea ... represents a full public acknowledgment by Raymond Mackhan of the unlawful killing of a human being," Vijaya said. "That will stay with him."

Drink yourself to death for £20

Aug 26 2005
By Paul Mcmillan, The Evening Chronicle

The Chronicle yesterday reported on Shadow Home Secretary David Davis' fears over 24-hour drinking. And this week an inquest heard how a teenager died from acute alcohol poisoning. With just £20 in his pocket, reporter Paul McMillan reports on cheap drinks promotions.

Pubs are continuing to promote cut-price drinks despite rises in drink-related illness in the North East.

Drinks promotions around Newcastle city centre make it possible to consume more than the Government weekly recommended level for under £20.

A sign outside one pub the Chronicle looked at during a straw poll proclaimed: "All Day Great Value."

In the Wetherspoon-run Union Rooms on Westgate Road, Newcastle, it is possible to buy 10 pints of lager, two Smirnoff and Cokes and still have change from £20. This adds up to around 24.8 units.

The recommended weekly limit for men is 21 units and 14 for women.

At the Beehive, on the corner of High Bridge, pints of smooth are advertised for as little as £1.35, pints of LCL lager at £1.25 and trebles from £1.75. Ten trebles and two pints of LCL would bring the total unit consumption to more than 30 units.

And in the Crow's Nest, near the Haymarket, it is also possible to buy 10 John Smiths and two Bacardi Breezers - again totting up more than 30 units.

According to The Portman Group, an organisation formed by drinks' manufacturers to promote sensible consumption, an average pint of beer contains 2.3 units and a pint of lager 2.8 units.

A 330ml bottle of lager contains 1.7, while a 275ml bottle of brands like Smirnoff Ice, VK, Reef and Bacardi Breezer contain 1.4 units.

But despite guidelines on drinking alcohol-related deaths in the North East have risen by more than 28% in the past five years.

An inquest last week heard how Mark Shields of Northumberland died of acute alcohol poisoning the night before his 18th birthday. He downed three pints, five double whiskies and three double Aftershocks in around half an hour.

At Yates on Grainger Street it is possible to buy 12 bottles of Archers and two shooters. The Archers alone contain more than 16 units. At Bourgognes, opposite The Gate, it is possible to buy nine double whiskeys and two pints of John Smith's for £19.95, more than 22 units.

On the Quayside, Akenside Traders advertises doubles with soft drink mixers for £2.25. Eight would amount to 16 units and still leave £2 change. At Flynns, it is possible to buy trebles for under £2. Ten light-colour spirits have a unit count of 27.

Liver specialist Dr Christopher Record, based at the Royal Victoria Infirmary in Newcastle, played a leading role in campaigning for cigarette-style warning labels on alcohol bottles. He is also calling for licensing fees to be raised to pay for the consequences of heavy drinking.

He said: "£20 is not a lot of money for somebody going for a night out. This is the trouble, alcohol is so cheap.

"The more people drink and the longer they do it for, the more likely they are to get alcoholic liver diseases and get into trouble."

British Pub and Beer Association spokesman Mark Hastings said tackling drunken thugs in town centres was vital but added: "We must not overlook the fact most of our alcohol is not consumed in pubs, but bought from supermarkets and drunk at home.

"Our industry recognises it has a vital role to play and is committed to driving up standards and driving out irresponsible practices.

"It is equally important for individuals to carry their share of responsibility for their own drinking."

How far £20 goes

Wetherspoons

Smirnoff and Coke, £1.20

Bitter, £1.49

Carling, (pint), £1.59

Stella, (pint), £2.10

Bottle of Becks, £1.39

Reef, £1.19

Gordons and Tonic, £1.20

Yates

Shooters start at £1

Two bottles of VB lager, £3.30

Two bottles of Archers, £2.90

Crows Nest

Bacardi Breezer, £1.65

Becks, (bottle), £1.60

John Smith, £1.65

Beehive

LCL, pint, £1.25

Trebles from £1.75

Smooth pint, £1.35

Akenside Traders

Double Vodka and Pepsi, £2.25

Double Jack Daniels and Pepsi, £2.25

Double Red Bull and vodka, £2.25

Flynns

Trebles, £1.95

Pitchers, £6.95

Selected bottles, £2.10

Cocktails, £2.50

Wine, bottle, £6.95

Bourgognes

Double Smirnoff/Barcardi/ Gordons/Bells, £1.85

Smiths, £1.65

Fosters, £1.80

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Only shows the dangers of binge drinking.

I think there's more going on than is being admitted.

I live in a country that has a reputation for heavy drinking by much of the population. Where I live you can get a drink 24 hours a day 7 days a week. There are some pubs in my city that just don't close. A restaurant can serve alcohol at any time of the day or night. Strangely enough while we do have a lot of alcohol-related crime the problem isn't as bad as it appears in the n-e of the UK where this article is focused. I'm not pretending there aren't bar fights at 8 am (day shift for the police downtown is as busy as afternoon and nights!) but restricting the hours would probably see us having to deal with the results of "last orders" binge drinking.

wow u just talked **** about my deceased brother u ******* cock licker

Oh, the stupidity runs in the family, how convenient.

if you're really his brother, you should grow up, all reyn did was post a news story, his only comment was that your brother died a pointless death, doing something "silly", pretty accurate i'd say

Reyn related the story without going after the boy at a personal level. It was a comment about binge drinking and not intended in a disrespectful way, that I can tell.

Thanks guys.

Has anyone noticed that this is an old story from 2005? I can't even hardly remember what I did yesterday!

As for the swearing poster, he really ought to grow up. And I am skeptical that the person in the article is your brother. More likely, you're just a nasty troll.

Anyone notice, too, that was that poster's one and only post on this site?

As well, if one were to do a search on the name in the original post, you would find that there are no links to A2K in the first several pages.