Keith Richards faces £3,000 fine for overdue library books

It's hardly the most rock and roll rap he’s ever faced.

But after a lifetime of hell-raising Keith Richards has finally been brought to book - for unpaid library fines dating back 50 years. The Rolling Stones legend, 69, admits he still owes for books he borrowed and failed to return to his local public library in Dartford, Kent, when he was a teenager. And at 15p a day - plus interest and admin fees - the star could be slapped with a bill for around £3,000.Keith confessed: “I’ve still got overdue fines from about 50 years ago.

They must be astronomical by now.” But with an estimated personal fortune of £175million the veteran guitarist shouldn’t have too much trouble stumping up.

Keith, who was once jailed on drug charges and admits he has drunk so much over the years he can’t remember all the Stones’ songs, reveals he was a bit of a bookworm in his early days.

Currently on the band’s world tour, 50 and Counting, the Paint It, Black star said he felt at home in the peaceful surroundings of the library, despite his rebellious reputation. Keith said: “To me it was a place where you get a hint there was somewhere called civilisation.

“It was the only place where I would willingly obey the laws, like silence. It was somewhere I could find out about things I was interested in.”

A receptionist at Dartford Library said: “For fines going back 50 years it’s going to be tough to work out exactly how much is owed. “We’d have to check the archives. Usually the biggest fines we issue are around £100.”

Hatrick of twins for lucky mom

It will be a “life changing” experience for Karen Rodger, 41, and husband Colin, 44 from Langbank in Renfrewshire, UK, when the third set of twins arrive into their household.

Defying odds of 500,000 to one Karen gave birth to her third set of twins - baby girls Rowan and Isla,at the Southern General Hospital in Glasgow recently.

The girls, who are not identical, were delivered by caesarean section with Rowan arriving first weighing 5lbs 8oz and two minutes later Isla weighing 6lbs.

The couple already have four boys - 14-year-olds Lewis and Kyle and Finn and Jude who are both 12 - and were told of the unlikely odds that Mrs Rodger's third pregnancy would be twins.

She said: “I just could not believe it. It never crossed my mind that it would be twins again, I just thought that it doesn't happen to people like me but I'm absolutely delighted.” Mrs Rodger found out during a scan six weeks into the pregnancy and sent a text with the news to her husband. “He thought I was joking and immediately wrote back to say ‘this is not funny'. I had to explain that it really was true,” she said.

“I still haven't really taken it on board because I was convinced I was having two boys.”

The couple is looking to convert the loft of their house into bedrooms for their eldest twins so that the girls can have their own room.

Judge fines himself for contempt of court

In the 64A District Court in Ionia county, Michigan, US, if any electronic device such as a mobile phone disturbs the proceedings, the owner could be liable to be cited with contempt and fined. This policy was stipulated by Judge Raymond Voet and strictly adhered to. Recently when the court was in session and the prosecutor nearing his argument in a jury trial, suddenly a mobile phone began to emit sounds requesting phone voice commands.

It was Judge Voet’s smart phone and the embarrassment left him red faced.

During a break in the trial Voet fined himself $25 for the infraction and said that if he can’t live by the rules he himself enforced he has no business in enforcing them.

Is this the best robot ever?

Designers, engineers and computer scientists have been working on humanoid robots for years - but not until now have they reached the zenith… a robot that senses when you want a beer, and pours it for you.

Researchers at Cornell University have used a Microsoft Kinect sensor and a special code that means the robot can predict your behaviour by the moves you make.

Among the movements, which include needing to open the fridge (to get a beer?), is reaching for a glass on the table to take a drink. At this point the robot saunters over (well, sort of… it’s more of a waddle) and gives you a refill.

AshutoshSaxena, one of the scientists working on the project, revealed that around 120 predicted actions have been programmed in for the robot to pre-empt in order to help you out. Obviously the beer one is the most interesting but among others are brushing your teeth and making cereal.

‘Looking a little bit into the future helps a lot,’ he said, pointing out that there’ll be no spillages because the robot predicts if you’re about to move the glass.

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