He pointed out that one was far more serious than the others, and another concerned an incident alleged to have occurred five years after the others.The case continues.. The abolition of child benefit for 16- to 18-year-olds is being considered by Gordon Brown, the Shadow chancellor, who is expected to announce today a review by the Labour Party of the “elitist” funding of Britain’s further and higher education system. The court was earlier told that a special fund paid the woman’s airfare so she could give evidence.Andrew Hardie QC, for the defence, asked Sheriff John Horsburgh to return not guilty verdicts on three of the charges.Scottish law requires supporting evidence from a source other than the alleged victim before a charge can be proved. He was cleared of a sixth charge on Wednesday after legal debate over the date of the alleged incident.Professor Macleod told police that he had been “hounded for 10 years” by people in the church who had taken allegations against him to the church authorities, although the complaints had been had thrown out.He said one of his accusers, a 35-year-old woman, was closely involved with people who were part of a “wider conspiracy” and claimed her statements had changed over time.He also claimed that a letter accusing him, written by a 36-year-old woman who now lives in Tasmania, Australia, had been instigated by a Rev John Murray. He said they were “fabricated”.Professor Macleod, 55, denies five charges of sexual assault involving four women from 1985 to 1991.

Professor Donald Macleod, who is head of systematic theology at the Free Church College in Edinburgh, said that he had been put in an “absurd situation” by the allegations against him.
Edinburgh Sheriff Court was shown a video recording of a police interview in which he said the claims made by one of his accusers, a 35-year-old female lecturer, were “completely untrue”. He might have felt so but at 1,500ft a few passengers were eyeing their sick-bags.The foolhardy wanting to experience a flight in a Viscount can still find them operating in Zaire, Colombia and Indonesia, with airlines such as Bouraq, Filair Sprl, Mandala and Sankuru Bon voyage.. A leading churchman accused of sexual assault yesterday claimed that he was the victim of a conspiracy in the Church of Scotland. The pilot, Captain Colin Towle, claimed “the turbulence isn’t too bad”. While BWA has had no mishaps with its Viscounts since it bought them from British Airways in 1980, the aircraft’s safety record is not that good with around 25 per cent having ended their days prematurely following some form of accident.There was to be no such problem yesterday, though there were a few white knuckles as the old crate took off from Heathrow in a strong crosswind. BWA faces a pounds 45,000 bill and had hastily to fly down one of the other two Viscounts from Scotland for the ceremony.The 70 passengers included the original designer of the aircraft, 87- year-old Sir George Edwards, and Lord King, the president of British Airways whose predecessor, British European Airways, was the launch customer for the aircraft, 444 of which were eventually built. BWA has three Viscounts still fitted for passenger use and the one due to be used for yesterday’s hour-long trip for VIPs was driven into a temporary fence by an engineer making preparations at Stansted airport.

Writing from Windsor Castle, he said: “The distinctive whine of its Dart engines were very familiar over this castle for years.” He added that the aircraft’s passengers – he was on one of the early flights – “will be pleased that it is being given a suitable farewell into retirement”.It almost did not happen. The workhorse of the skies during the 1950s and 1960s will in future only be used for cargo flights in the UK because British World Airways will no longer use them for carrying North Sea oil workers.
Prince Philip, clearly, will be glad to see the back of them. They approached together, attacked together and disappeared together.”Mr Brooks, 21, told the jury that one of the white youths had stabbed his friend “with something long”. The hearing was adjourned for legal argument.The case continues.. Prince Philip will be delighted.