PRISON CHIEFS were last night accused of “gross negligence” after a dangerous criminal absconded from Castle Huntly open prison near Dundee and raped a schoolgirl.

TAYSIDE FACED another crushing jobs blow last night as Grampian Country Foods announced a restructuring which could see almost 100 employees shed at its Coupar Angus processing plant.

LABOUR LEADER Wendy Alexander used a visit to Rosyth yesterday to launch a bill to allow all teenagers between the ages of 16 and 18 to follow an apprenticeship.

THE DIRECTOR of the organising committee for the 2012 London Olympic Games said businesses in Tayside could benefit from the event.

A RE-LAUNCHED violent computer game, which critics claim glorifies school bullying, was yesterday condemned by Dundee’s education convener and the Scottish Secondary Teachers’ Association.

A CUPAR councillor has attacked Fife’s Liberal Democrats over what he said was an “apparent reversal” in position regarding a Tay bridgehead secondary school and the Cupar North development.

TWO PRISONERS who absconded from Castle Huntly on Monday said it was the availability of illicit drugs in the jail and the pressure to take them that made them leave, Dundee Sheriff Court was told yesterday.

THE TOTAL number of placing requests received for Scottish schools in 2006-07 was 28,645—a 5% decrease on the previous year.

PUBS AND clubs in Kirkcaldy and Levenmouth have been praised for the way they are being run following unannounced late night visits by the chairman of Fife’s licensing board.

BUSINESSES IN Perth were yesterday warned of an upsurge in local activity by foreign criminal gangs.

DESPITE THE fall in numbers of students taking a first degree course in Scotland, two of the three universities in The Courier area have increased their numbers over the previous year.

AN ARBROATH man has won a BAFTA award for a two-minute animation he created at university.

THE IDEA of a new Dundee taxi federation to be set up to rival the present associations in the city is now dead in the water.

THE BODY of a man found on disused railway tracks near the Iron Bridge in Leven on Monday has been identified as local man Gordon Carr who was 45.

AN ICONIC aircraft is expected to fly at this year’s Leuchars airshow for the first time in 16 years.

CONCERN THAT an element of political manoeuvring has entered the planning process on Angus Council has been voiced by one of the men behind the proposed House of Bruar-style development in Edzell.

STAFF AT the Scottish Fisheries Museum in Anstruther have lined up an action-packed programme of events over the Easter weekend.

WITH THE Easter weekend approaching, an appeal to campers not to spoil the areas they treasure has been made by Scottish Natural Heritage.

THE SMOKING ban may mean that the number is up for Montrose’s bingo hall.

A FIFE bowling club threatened with closure at the start of the year is getting ready for a relaunch after winning the support of the community.

TOUGH-TALKING pupils at Forfar Academy are toasting their success in the school’s annual second-year debating competition.