A POLICE officer from Benidorm has been sentenced to six months in prison followed by 3 months suspension without pay and 1,440 euro fine for using a police issued mobile phone to make personal phone calls. Between April 2008 and January 2009 the accused accumulated 613.55 euro worth of calls to private numbers, including her daughter and husband which transpired to be non work related. The female officer was due to stand trial on Monday, but her defence team reached an agreement and entered a plea bargain, therefore a trial before a jury was avoided.

The prosecution had submitted a case against the defendant of a crime of embezzlement by wasting public funds and sought a three year prison sentence, three year suspension from public office and a 1,440 euro fine - whilst the City of Benidorm wanted double that with six years jail and subsequent suspension from office plus a 2,880 euro fine! Seems somewhat harsh to me, especially when you consider that a number of ex-directors of Terra Mitica are being sent to trial in March for an alleged fraud of 4.4 million euros and the prosecution are looking for sentences ranging between seven and ten years.

Although crime is no worse in Benidorm than in any other town or city across the world, one thing that does tend to get people particularly frustrated here are the peamen - and lack of action taken to eradicate this problem. The organised gangs will be particularly prevalent today as it is market day - standing on busy street corners and in recent months alongs the Levante promenade.

They have look outs who whistle when they spot any police approaching and the gangs disappear in seconds, only to return as soon as the coast is clear. DO NOT even stop to look, as tempting as it is when you see a crowd making a big commotion. You not only stand to loose any money you place on a supposedly sure bet, but will also have your wallet or purse pinched while watching. I am still surprised by the number of people that do stop - and not only Brits but also the Spanish. The police find it very difficult as unless the gang members have more than 400 euro on them, they can only be cautioned and released - and obviously they are wise enough never to have that amount. This is probably the single biggest issue but so long as people stop they will continue.

Remember, if you do happen to be the unfortunate victim of a crime whilst here then ensure you go to SATE, the Foreigners Assistance office to report it, which is located at the end of the Levante beach on the 1st floor of the Tourist Information Office.They will help you to fill out a crime report in English and also assist with any other needs you may have.

For those that appreciate art in particular acrylic paintings, 3D photography and stereo slides then you are in for a treat. Local British ex-pat Bernard Makinson has an exhibition of some of his extensive works at the Casa de Cultura in Alfaz del Pi until this coming Saturday 24th January. An exceptionally talented man, Bernard moved to Spain twelve years ago at the age of 71 but never managed to properly retire due to his creative and artistic passion.

Born in Rochdale he studied at the Manchester School of Art after which he started his career with an advertising agency - think of the hit US television show Mad Men, set in a 1950s Ad agency! Having achieved the position of Art Director and working for the company for 25 years, he moved down to London where he eventually set up his own company called Design Europe. He then had a long and very successful career designing exhibition stands, brochures and advertising campaigns for some very well known National companies including Royal Doulton, British Telecom including the interior of their headquarters in London, Girobank and Milton Bradley which is Europe's biggest game and toy manufacturer.

He has an extensive scale model bus and tram collection which is one of his many hobbies in addition to a substantial stamp collection, which both came over in the move to Spain. Bernard has always been interested in photography, in particular 3D photography and became President of the Stereoscopic Society, the oldest 3D Club in the world with over 700 members. Together with his wife Sue, they successfully ran the club for 12 years and are now life long members they are hoping to attend the annual convention in Canterbury this June. But his love of photography got him into hot water in the 1970s he was arrested by the then KGB in Poland at the height of the Cold War for taking a photograph of a train heading from Moscow to Germany! He collaborated with the film industry, taking 3D photographs of several blockbuster epics, including The Muppets on Treasure Island and the Disney classic, 101 Dalmatians. It is where he met actress Glenn Close who played the evil Cruella de Vill, gifting her a 3D photograph he took of her daughter on set in the Shepperton studios.

His interest in acrylic painting only manifested after moving to the sunny climes of the Costa Blanca. All the paintings are from his own private photographs taken over the course of his extensive worldwide travel. The 3D images in particular bring the entire scene and recollection back to life and his love of animals and travel is evident in the pieces he has produced. His exhibition also has a 3D section, which you will need to wear the blue & red glasses to view - and Bernard is giving away for free, in addition to a selection of A3 digital prints, Phantograms and Stereo Slides. It is a stunning recollection of his memories and certainly worth seeing. His son Anthony has also followed in his father's footsteps and is a professional photographer among his portfolio is a trip to Buckingham Palace to photograph the Duke of Edinburgh. The exhibition is open Monday to Friday from 11:00am until 9:00pm and on Saturday until 2pm. The number 10 bus stop directly outside the building as you walk up the main steps go in, turn right and go to the room at the far end.

Last year, 2014, was Alicante airports best ever year, recording 10,065,873 passengers a 4.4% increase on 2013, which equates to an extra 295,834 travelers! Even better news is out of that number, 4.3 million were from the UK confirming that Spain and in particular the Costa Blanca continues to be a firm holiday favourite with the Brits. Following the Brits were Germans with 781,416, Norwegians 646,029 and Belgians 501,454. The airport handled 71,570 flights of which 27,419 came from the UK and for December alone, recorded nearly a 5% increase in passenger numbers, meaning more and more are choosing to spend Christmas away from home

Benidorm in particular continues to come out tops with 11.2 million hotel stays last year of which 4.6 million were British holidaymakers. There is no denying that Benidorms combination of sun, beautiful sandy beaches, value for money, choice of entertainment and accommodation offer a winning recipe for so many - and the ITV comedy series Benidorm is doing its bit too!

Benidorm City Council are also preparing for the busy holiday season spending money on road improvements around the resort. The fourth phase of the "road improvement plan" is underway in the Rincon de Loix area, with a budget of 180,000 euro. Councillor for Tourism Gema Amor said it was "especially important to improve the image of the town, which sees a large influx of visitors, especially the British throughout the year". Pavements are being repaired, curbs dropped at zebra crossings to allow easier wheelchair access, 54 brightly coloured giant plant pots are lining the main streets and even the English Square is being spruced up! Workmen were spotted painting, retiling and repairing the area outside the clubs the destination for many revelers and focal point every November for the British Fancy Dress Day, which last year, according to police numbers attracted 30,000 people.

Although most of the theme parks are closed out of season there are still plenty of things to do and places to visit. The twice weekly outdoor market on every Wednesday and Sunday, the Indoor Market in the Rincon is open 6 days a week and the hugely popular El Cisne rastro, ideally served by the number 10 bus from the centre is open every Thursday, Saturday and Sunday. You wont be short of entertainment in the evening, which is all free in the cabaret bars from comedians, to tribute acts, drag shows... not forgetting the iconic Benidorm Palace which is a must and well worth the entrance fee.There is a brand new casino on the Avd Mediterraneo now open and the Old Town is a must for a taste of the real Spain.