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Merseyside Police is to investigate claims made in court by a teenage gang member that he was paid £50 by a fixer to brandish guns on the BBC's Panorama programme, the force said.
The 17-year-old, who cannot be identified because of his age, was filmed assembling a shotgun for the programme about guns and gang culture on Merseyside.
A Merseyside Police spokeswoman said: "We are investigating claims made by the 17-year-old in court about the fixer. We are going to look at who was involved in that transaction and whether we can identify the people involved in that transaction."
The teenager, a member of the Marsh Gang, was approached by an intermediary and paid the cash to "show off" the weapons on camera, Liverpool Crown Court heard on Friday. The 17-year-old pleaded guilty on December 11 last year to possession of a shotgun, a handgun and ammunition.
Jason Smith, defending the youth, told the court: "The defence contention is not that he was paid directly by the Panorama film producers but he was paid money by an intermediary who had been paid money to fix it on their behalf."
Mr Smith said the intermediary, referred to in court as Male C, was a leading figure in the Marsh Gang.
The lawyer said: "On the evening of June 30 last year the defendant was offered £50 by Male C to collect some guns and go in front of the TV cameras to make threats and show off on behalf of the Marsh Gang. After collecting the guns he went to a location where he met Male C and a cameraman and was told to show off the weapons. It is not suggested that the BBC or the cameraman suggested he show off the firearms."
Ian Davies, prosecuting, said the Crown accepted the teenager's version of events and the trial was adjourned for sentence on January 23.
A Merseyside Police spokeswoman later said: "Following the broadcast of Panorama Young Gunmen on June 30 last year, Merseyside Police investigated both the criminal actions of individuals posing with guns and whether there was any substance to rumours that money had been exchanged. During the hearing on Friday, the 17-year-old defendant claimed that he had not been paid by the BBC but had received money from an intermediary. The BBC provided information during the inquiry which indicated compliance with their editorial policies.
"Merseyside Police will continue its investigation following the claims by the 17-year-old defendant, to identify those involved in alleged transactions and any offences that have been committed. The Force will be contacting the BBC in light of these claims, to enable them to consider any steps they need to take as a result of the disclosure by this defendant."
-Nova
The crew of the Saudi supertanker Sirius Star will soon be on their way home after Somali pirates freed the hijacked vessel, the ship's owners say.
The statement comes a day after a negotiator for the pirates said a $3m (£1.95m) ransom had been paid.
A plane was seen apparently dropping money by parachute onto the ship, which is carrying two million barrels of oil.
The owners expressed relief that the 25-strong crew, including two Britons, was safe after their two-month ordeal.
"We are very relieved to know that all the crew members are safe and I am glad to say that they are all in good health and high spirits," said a statement released by Saleh K'aki, president of Vela International Marine.
"This has been a very trying time for them and certainly for their families. We are very happy to report to their families that they will be on their way home soon."
The UK Foreign Office said it was ready to assist the two Britons on board when they reach land - chief engineer Peter French, from County Durham, and James Grady, from Renfrewshire.
Drowned pirates
The Sirius Star was carrying two million barrels of oil - a quarter of Saudi Arabia's daily output - when it was seized 450 nautical miles south-east of Kenya in November.
The current location of the tanker is unclear.
Five of the pirates reportedly drowned while making off with their share of the ransom money after their skiff was hit by high seas.
Somali pirates have also released an Iranian-chartered vessel seized off the coast of Yemen in November, Iranian media reported.
The Delight, which was seized on its way to Iran from Germany carrying 36,000 tonnes of wheat, was freed on Friday night, reports said.
A surge in piracy in the busy Gulf of Aden and Indian Ocean shipping lanes has sent insurance prices soaring, made some owners choose to go round South Africa instead of through the Suez Canal, and brought an unprecedented deployment of warships to the region.
-BBC News
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Four out five people have been released without charge, with one being held on a separate matter, after the attack and robbery of a woman in Cork city.
The woman had withdrawn money from an ATM on the Model Farm Road in Cork when she was followed in her car by a gang.
They drove aggressively behind her for some distance before she stopped. She was attacked and her handbag was taken from her.
In a struggle, the women grabbed her bag back but was dragged along the road by the gang in their car.
The woman received minor injuries which were treated by a local GP.
RTE
Russia and the European Union have signed a gas monitoring deal, which is meant to allow the resumption of gas supplies to Europe via Ukraine.
The document was signed by Russia's First Deputy Prime Minister Igor Sechin and officials from the European Union.
'Let's sign and we will immediately go to Kiev to ask the same of the Ukrainian side, and so we will end the crisis,' Czech Prime Minister Mirek Topolanek, representing the EU presidency, said during the signing ceremony.
No further details were immediately available.
RTE
Gardaí have seized drugs with an estimated street value of €50,000 during the search of a house in the Ballyfermot area.
During the course of a search of a house on Kylemore Grove, Ballyfermot more than 4,000 ecstasy tablets were seized, as well as a quantity of cocaine and cannabis resin.
Various items of drug-dealing paraphernalia were also seized.
No arrests were made and investigations are continuing.
RTE