BANCROFT CRUNCH’ DECISION IS POSTPONED...CRIME RATE DOWN AS SAMURAI GANG JAILED...ROBBER FIRST TO BE CAUGHT BY SMART’ WATER..12 ARE CHARGED WITH TEENAGER’S MURDER...CHARLES VISITS FAILED’ EAST END SCHOOL

BANCROFT 'CRUNCH' DECISION IS POSTPONED

TOWER Hamlets has postponed a 'crunch' decision on the future of the Bancroft Archive and Local History library until September. The authority's cabinet was to debate the £1.2 million sale of the former Mile End Vestry Hall at its July 30meeting. But the issue has now been withdrawn from the agenda and put back until September 10. The council claims the delay has nothing to do with public pressure.

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CRIME RATE DOWN AS SAMURAI GANG JAILED

SEVEN gang members lead by a thug known as 'Psycho' who attacked rivals with Samurai swords and other weapons have been jailed for a total of 63 years. They tried to hack off the head of one of their victims an d almost severed his arm. But now they're locked up, the wave of criminal damage has fallen by 80 per cent in East Ham and reports of anti-social behaviour are down by 50 per cent.

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ROBBER FIRST TO BE CAUGHT BY 'SMART' WATER

A RAIDER organising a string of security heists has become the first robber in London convicted using state-of-the art 'SmartWater' technology in a Flying Squad investigation. Ali Lwanga, 21, from Canning Town, was found guilty of conspiracy following a string of hold-ups across East London, when he appeared in court. Evidence showed how the invisible chemical, which can only be seen under ultra-violet light, linked cash found at his home in Canning Town to several transit van robberies.

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12 ARE CHARGED WITH TEENAGER'S MURDER

TEN teenagers and two men have appeared in court today (July 18) following the stabbing of 16-year-old David Nowak 10 days before Christmas. They were all charged with murder and violent disorder, some also with attempted murder and possessing offensive weapons. The youngest was 15. David died soon after from a single stab wound following a disturbance in Stoke Newington.

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CHARLES VISITS 'FAILED' EAST END SCHOOL

PRINCE Charles came to London's East End on Tuesday to meet pupils and staff of a 'failing' school that only four weeks ago was warned it faced closure. Bethnal Green Technology College was one of 600 schools on a Government 'hit list' in danger of closing unless it got 30 per cent of its pupils to pass five good GCSEs or more by 2011.

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MISSING CLUB BOUNCER IS NOW FEARED DEAD

DETECTIVES are running an appeal for information about the disappearance of 30-year-old club bouncer Jimmy Harmon 10 years after he vanished from East London. Scotland Yard now fear he may have been murdered back in 1998, but have never found his body. Jimmy was last seen at 3pm on January 24 that year, visiting his girlfriend in Romford.

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