Wearside: Year in review 2005

Dr Howard Martin was cleared of murder

In December a retired family GP was found not guilty of murdering three patients with an overdose of morphine.

Dr Howard Martin, who used to practice in Newton Aycliffe, was cleared following a six-week trial.

The day after the verdict Durham Police announced that they were passing 12 other files to the coroner.

The cases had already been considered by the Crown Prosecution Service but no charges were brought due to insufficient evidence, police said.

Deaths probe widens after GP case

Schoolboy jailed for rape and theft

A 13-year-old boy was detained for life in March for raping his teacher during a one-to-one session.

The County Durham schoolboy, who was 12 when he carried out the assault in November 2004, admitted rape and theft at an earlier hearing.

The attack took place after a one-to-one teaching session at an educational establishment.

Afterwards, he stole her car, which he later dumped.

Life for boy who raped teacher

Holidaymaker dies in Turkish bomb blast

Stephen Stables was injured in the blast which killed Helyn Bennett

A County Durham holidaymaker was killed in a bomb blast in a Turkish resort in July.

Helyn Bennett, 21, from Spennymoor, was one of five people who died in the attack on a tourists' mini-bus in the resort of Kusadasi.

Five members of Miss Bennett's family, including her fiance, Stephen Stables, were hurt in the explosion.

Badly injured, he left his hospital bed to attend her funeral.

Bomb blast fiance attends funeral

Jail term for ex-football chief

Former Darlington FC chairman George Reynolds was jailed for three years in October for cheating the taxman out of more than half a million pounds.

Reynolds, 69, of Monument Court, Nevilles Cross, Durham, and his cousin Richard Tennick, 59, admitted carrying out the tax scam between 1998 and 2004. Newcastle Crown Court heard how the pair who ran George Reynolds UK in Shildon acted with "cavalier contempt". Judges at the Court of Appeal in London later refused to cut both the jail terms.

Downfall of safecracker chairman

Landmark for car plant

Sunderland's Nissan plant marked a milestone as the four millionth vehicle rolled off the production line, in June.

The landmark Micra car, made at the site, was donated to the NSPCC.

The roll out came as the company unveiled three new Micra models, which the company said showed its ongoing commitment to the North East plant.

In February, Nissan announced it was building a new family car at the plant, safeguarding 1,000 jobs.

Family car safeguards jobs

Bill Bryson becomes Durham chancellor

Bill Bryson became the university's 11th chancellor

Travel writer Bill Bryson was appointed as the University of Durham's 11th chancellor.

He succeeded the actor Sir Peter Ustinov, who died in March 2004.

The US-born author has written of his affection for the city and described the north-east of England as "one of the friendliest corners of the planet". A ceremony took place in November to welcome him officially, and during the week-long visit he also conferred three honorary degrees.

Ceremony welcomes new chancellor