THREE men have been charged after a taxi driver was allegedly racially abused. Vaneet Singh was driving the men from Reading to Basingstoke in September last year when they allegedly racially abused and assaulted him. The incident is said to have happened as they were driving along the A33 on September 20, between 10.20 and 11.45pm. Now, five months after the incident, detectives have charged three men. They include one teenager from Aldermaston and another from Bramley. Dean Brandon Smith, 19, of Paices Hill in Aldermaston, has been charged with four counts of racially and religiously aggravated common assault, racially and religiously aggravated public order, theft, and threats to commit criminal damage.
Here is the second part of our Review of the Year:
JULY A WINCHESTER woman has been crowned the winner of this year’s Great British Sewing Bee. Clare Bradley beat stiff competition and impressed judges Esme Young and Patrick Grant to be awarded the title in the BBC One show. Upon being announced as the winner, she said: “I feel really surprised. Crikey. I do hold myself to high standards and because other things I have gone in for are things I have trained for like exams and more exams - this was something I did for fun.” The streets are bustling, the shops are filled – and for the first time in 13 weeks, Winchester’s pubs, cafes and restaurants are open, but not as we have known it.