News
Waiting upgrade
Britons jailed after fake Mallorca claims
The Hospital Comarcal in Vélez-Málaga has introduced a new system of monitoring patients in its A & E department . Each is handed a code on entry and can check their place in the queue to see the relevant consultant on five monitors in the waiting area . The hospital says the system will improve the security and confidentiality of patients .
Back home
The Nerja woman who refused to return her ten-year-old daughter to the custody of her husband finally handed the youngster over last month . She was awarded visiting rights but failed to return the girl after an agreed break during August . Two weeks ago , a Torrox court ordered the child ’ s immediate return and she is now at home with her father in Granada .
DNA tests
Researches from Granada University have completed the identification of 180 people whose remains were found in a mass grave at Puerto Real in Cádiz . The work involved extracting DNA samples and matching them with samples from the victims ’ descendents . The University said in a statement that , unfortunately , in cases where no direct family was still alive , some remains could not be identified .
Allegiance ceremony
Over 500 people swore their allegiance to Spain in an act held in Vélez-Málaga last month . A crowd of over 1,000 watched as 179 soldiers and 331 civilians confirmed their commitment to the nation , each kissing the Spanish flag . The event was organised by one of the town ’ s brotherhoods and a group of serving Regulars based in Melilla .
Airport boost
Granada ’ s airport has reported its best summer since 2009 . Between June and September , passenger numbers were up 22.9 % on the same period last year , to a total of almost 316,000 , thanks to new Easyjet links to London , Milan and Manchester , as well as charter flights to Stockholm and Keflavik in Iceland . Vueling will open services to Paris , Bilbao , Tenerife and Gran Canaria in December .
In a landmark case , a British court has imposed jail sentences on a couple who submitted a fake illness claim after holidays on Mallorca . A judge at Liverpool Crown Court last month told them their declarations had been a , “ complete and utter sham .”
Deborah Briton and her partner Paul Roberts from Wallasey took their teenage children to the island in June 2015 and July 2016 on all-inclusive holidays booked through Thomas Cook . After each break , Briton posted messages on social media about their , “ two weeks of sun , laughter , fun and tears ,” and their , “ fantastic holiday .”
However , in August 2016 , the couple instructed solicitors to make claims against Thomas Cook claiming they had suffered symptoms including diarrhoea and vomiting . The letter which was sent to the travel company read , “ Our client ’ s holiday was ruined due to their symptoms as they were ill for the entire remainder of the trip . They were unable to enjoy the holiday .”
They demanded £ 19,958 (€ 22,430 ) in compensation , on top of which Thomas Cook would have had to pay legal fees of £ 28,000 (€ 31,470 ) if their claim had been successful .
A one-kilometre strip of undeveloped beach in Rincón de la Victoria remains unprotected after the regional government rejected a proposal to preserve it . The area known as Los Rubios , on the border with Vélez-Málaga , is one of only four remaining in the province of Málaga which have unique sand dunes .
In last month ’ s meeting of the Junta de Andalucía ’ s Environment and Planning Committee , the proposal by Podemos to protect the dunes was supported only by Izquiera Unida , with other political groups voting against .
However , Thomas Cook took out a private prosecution against the couple and last month won their case . Briton , aged 53 , was sentenced to nine months in prison after admitting four counts of fraud while 43-year-old Roberts was jailed for 15 months .
Judge David Aubrey QC told the couple their claims had been a “ complete and utter sham ,” describing them as “ bogus from start to finish .” He added that anyone tempted to make a dishonest claim in relation to fake holiday sickness must expect to receive an immediate custodial sentence when brought to justice .
The Balearics hotel sector says that in 2015 , the 160 claims made by British tourists against hotels on Mallorca totalled £ 3 million , while in 2016 , the number of claims rose to 400 with a total of £ 8 million . A spokesman for Thomas Cook reiterated that the travel company has had to take action in court , “ to protect holiday-makers from a minority who cheat the system .”
The UK government has recently ordered urgent action to put controls and limits on such claims . The move followed a report from ABTA showing that the number of fake illness claims has risen by 500 per cent since 2013 .
Rincón dunes remain unprotected
The meeting also rejected a call to scrap plans to build a paseo marítimo along the beach , a draft project for which was approved in 2014 but has been fiercely opposed by residents and environmentalists . Plans are now underway to finalise the design of the new paseo marítimo in the first half of 2018 , at which time residents will invited to comment on the proposal .
In addition to Los Rubios , the other areas of sand dunes in the province of Málaga are at Artola in Marbella , Arraijanal in the city of Málaga , and La Carraca in El Morche .
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