City news in 250 words

A BROTHEL OWNER has been jailed for more than three years. Ian Barnett, 56, from Salford, ran the £2.5m trafficking operation in the Manchester area which included bringing an unsuspecting girl over from Lituania under the pretence that she could gain employment as a cleaner. Detective Chief Inspector Michael Fraser said: “I hope it provides some satisfaction to the victim for the trauma and suffering she had to endure at the hands of Barnett whose sole motivation was greed and making money with no concern whatsoever for the plight and welfare of the victim.”

TAXI DRIVERS in the city are to be set a skills test to make sure their spoken English and basic maths are up to scratch. Manchester City Council plans to introduce the assessment to all new applicants for both private cab and hackney carriage licences. The scheme will be funded by adding £10 onto the taxi drivers licence fee.

MANCHESTER is to get a Polish nightclub. The Britannia Country House Hotel in Didsbury is to launch the new night to cater for the increasing number of East European workers in the city. The night, named Contact, will play Polish music and the Polish speaking staff will serve Polish beer.

RICKY HATTON’S next opponent is set to be 32-year-old Juan Lazcano, a Mexican American. The Texas-born boxer who is nicknamed Hispanic Causing Panic is the favourite to go up against the Hitman in May. Lazcano has won 37 of 42 fights with four loses and one draw.