He will ask for £100,000 in royalties.He now shares the copyright with Bluebells’ founder member Robert Hodgens and Siobhan Fahey, a former member of Bananarama who was Mr Hodgens’ girlfriend at the time, who co-wrote the song.Mr Hodgens had opposed the claim, saying he wrote the violin part and Mr Valentino’s contribution was no more than performing the piece in the studio. But the judge said: “Having heard the piece played, and reflected on the evidence given, I conclude that the violin part does make a significant and original contribution of the right kind of skill and labour to the Bluebells’ version of the song. Thus Mr Valentino is a joint author of the copyright in that work.”The judge accepted Mr Valentino was not a member of the group and was hired as a session musician for the recording at the Red Bus Studios in London. But he said although Mr Hodgens gave Mr Valentino an idea of the style he wanted and the underlying chords and rhythm, that did not make him the author of the violin part.The Bluebells split in 1986 after two Top 40 hits, one Top 40 album and touring America.

Mr Valentino did not claim royalties from the success of “Young at Heart” in 1984.. A judge called for an inquiry into the running of post offices yesterday after a Manchester postmaster was freed from court despite admitting that he stole nearly £25,000 to keep his branch afloat. “You were caught up in circumstances which are frightening to contemplate and put in a totally impossible position,” he said.”Under a contract, you became self-employed and took over all the risks linked with running a business in a very difficult area.”As a result you were driven to this dishonesty and I believe there should be an inquiry into how such contracts can be entered into,” the judge said.Mr Gilbertson had admitted stealing the cash to pay bills and staff wages over a four-year period from 1997. Manchester Crown Court was told that Mr Gilbertson had been employed as a counter clerk at the Higher Openshaw Post Office until 1991, when he took over the franchise.Under the deal, he was given control of the branch but had to pass most of the takings on to the Post Office.He soon faced financial difficulties that escalated because of seven armed robberies as well as thefts and break-ins, leaving him to pick up the bill for loss of business and the fitting of CCTV cameras.

Mr Gilbertson, who has no previous convictions, said there were many other people who had faced the same difficulties.All postmasters run branches as franchises and are therefore personally responsible for any losses.A campaign group for postmasters said many have had to work without pay, take loans and remortgage their homes because of their contracts with the Post Office.Mr Gilbertson said his contract put him in an impossible situation. “Following one of the armed robberies, we had to shut the following day and Consignia docked money from us. What happens to people who take on these contracts is that they are simply cut adrift and left to it,” he said.A spokeswoman for Consignia said franchises were offered to employees to make the service more efficient. “Buying into this kind of contract is a financial decision for the purchaser at the time. There are hundreds of these offices operating successfully around the country. Unfortunately, in any large network there will inevitably be some whose financial expectation has not been satisfied.”We ask them to talk to us first if they are getting into trouble so we can offer them support,” the spokeswoman said.But Richard Sands, who heads a group which campaigns on behalf of postmasters, said Mr Gilbertson’s case was not unusual He said many people were in a “terrible” situation.

“There is no end to the worry because you remain liable for the business debts until it can be sold on to someone else, but no one wants to buy them in the current climate,” he said.The spokeswoman for Consignia said although there had been instances of postmasters stealing from the company before, there was no evidence that it had become widespread because of the pressures of the franchise agreements.. An international paedophile “brotherhood” that used computer encryption to disguise its activities was uncovered in an operation led by British police yesterday. The group also operated in the United States, Canada, Belgium, Denmark, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Romania, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland. Sixteen people had been arrested across the world before yesterday. One suspect in America, an air force officer, committed suicide.