A Double Helping Of Super

A Squeegee Cleaning Services of Chelsea window washer dressed as Superman flexes for Reginae Bush, 5, Tuesday, Sept. 17, 2013, at Children’s of Alabama in Birmingham, Ala. Window washers dressed as Superman, Spider-man, Batman and Captain America scaled down the 15-story hospital building stopping at every floor to see the kids.

Alabama hospital patients greeted by comic heroes (Birmingham, Ala.) - Patients at Children’s of Alabama waved and fist-bumped a few comic book heroes through the hospital’s windowpanes as the characters rappelled down the side of the 15-story building. Employees from Squeegee Cleaning Services of Chelsea dressed up as Superman, Batman, Spiderman and Captain America Tuesday and rappelled down the building to greet children on each floor. The visits were part of the hospital’s “Celebrating Our Heroes” week, which is part of an event at the hospital aimed at raising awareness of childhood cancer and sickle cell.

Some of the patients were dressed up in superhero costumes themselves, donning capes and masked that matched the heroes on the other side of the glass. Squeegee Cleaning Services partnered with Children's of Alabama to do the bi-annual window cleaning for the building, and made it more exciting for the young patients by wearing superhero costumes on the job. 

Superheroes Wash Windows at Geisinger (PLAINS TOWNSHIP) — Some might say that a hospital is full of superheroes, people who save lives and prevent illness. But a few real superheroes visited the children at Geisinger Wyoming Valley near Wilkes-Barre on Tuesday. It’s a bird! It’s a plane! It’s Superman! He’s working side by side with Spiderman, leaping the side of Geisinger Wyoming Valley near Wilkes-Barre in a single bound. “Today, we have our annual window washing, but with a special twist,” said Geisinger Chief Administrative Officer John Buckley.

The twist is the window washers are actually employees of a window washing company in Harrisburg. But on this day, they are dressed up as superheroes for the kids’ enjoyment. To the youngsters watching from inside, like little Kaylee Law of Jenkins Township, these are real superheroes. “It means the world to me because she gets to see something that she’s never saw up close like that before, so she was really in shock,” said Kaylee’s dad Michael Law.

It’s not just the children who get excited. “The caregiving team really gets a kick out of it themselves. We have a little bit of the debate about whose favorite superhero there is,” said Buckley. Making people happy is a lot to live up to, but not difficult for Spiderman or Superman. After all, with great power, comes great responsibility. “I never even turned around and seen what everyone else looking at us. She had my attention as much as I had her attention I bet,” said window washer Aaron “Superman” Jones. “She seemed so happy. She feels so much better. Since yesterday, she was really sick, and now today she’s more energetic, more active, more happy,” said Law. No doubt thanks to these heroes, who put smiles on faces faster than a speeding bullet.

Holy High Wire

Four of the strongest people on the planet came to pass some of their strength on to the patients.

Superheroes visit Penn State Hershey Children's Hospital: Young patients had some special visitors Monday at the Penn State Hershey Children's Hospital. A crowd of people formed outside the hospital, looking to the sky, pointing at something. It was not a bird, a plane or even Life Lion, but superheroes Captain America, Batman, Spiderman and Superman.

Four of the strongest people on the planet came to pass some of their strength on to the patients. "Once we went over they started clapping for us, the kids started waving. We waved back, it was great," said Mark Barnaba, who dressed up as Superman. "I'm kind of into the comic thing. I think I like Thor the best, but I like these ones, too," said Paige Chubb, a 14-year-old from Carlisle who has been undergoing cancer treatments all year.

The superheroes used some of their muscle to propel down the sides of the hospital. The men behind the masks were window washers from North Eastern Building Maintenance; ordinary men with a super goal of helping brave little patients forget they are in a hospital.

"I just knew it would be perfect because just seeing the children smile, it just makes it all worth it," Barnaba said. "It makes me happy to see that people are so kind and are able to do this. I love it. It's just really cool," Chubb said. The idea began with a hospital employee. North Eastern Building Maintenance jumped on board and even paid for the superhero costumes.

Window washers dress in costumes at Pennsylvania children's hospital (HERSHEY, PA) - Some popular super heroes traded in their special powers for window washing equipment and converged on Penn State Hershey Children's Hospital. Their mission, brighten the day of some of the youngest patients. One of those is C.J. Hoover who has been through so much in his first 17 months. The young boy fought a fierce battle with leukemia in March, and knocked the cancer into remission. But he's still back in the hospital almost every week for chemo and check-ups. "We're not in this alone and it's good to know there are people around us that support us and provide care and even a small thing like a smile," said Clayton Hoover, C.J.'s dad.

On Monday, C.J. and other young patients were surprised to see super heroes scaling the size of the hospital. A lot of the children were probably too young to fully appreciate the gesture, but their parents took it to heart. For a minute, the super heroes helped wipe their worries away. "We're in a comfortable place, we'll get through this and C.J. will come out just fine," Hoover said. In true superhero fashion, after saving the day, they quietly slipped away, off to their next mission. But they hoped to leave the young patients empowered to fight their health battles with the same kind of courage that comes with a cape.

Spiderman gives the high sign as he starts his descent down the walls of Texas Children's Hospital.

Holy highwire! Superheroes scale the walls of Texas Children's Hospital and clean up -  igh-flying superheroes Batman, Spiderman, Captain America and Superman thrilled patients at Texas Children's Hospital when they descended the slippery slopes of the 21-story building in the heart of the Texas Medical Center.


More than mere super Samaritans, these guys with muscles rippling and capes flying were super window washers with their buckets and squeegees in hand. As the costumed characters bounced from window to window, one young fellow exclaimed, "That's dangerous!" From his hospital bed, another youngster enthused, "Those superheroes were so awesome." In celebration of the visit, the youngsters worked on arts and crafts projects focusing on the superheroes. This was one surprise that patients and parents as well as hospital staff won't soon forget.

Superhero/super window washers prepare at Texas Children's Hospital.

Window Cleaning Super Heroes & The Story Behind Them

Jeff Henderson, dressed as Batman, and Tim Taggart, dressed as Spider-Man, rappel down the west face of the main tower of Ministry Saint Joseph's Hospital on Monday. Click to enlarge.

Super heroes surprise hospital pediatric patients: Super heroes delighted children and staff members at Ministry Saint Joseph’s Children’s Hospital by rappelling down the side of the building and greeting pediatric patients and their families Monday. Window washers Jeff Henderson, Tim Taggart and Patrick Wallin of Brite-Way Window Cleaning volunteered to dress in Batman, Spider-Man and Captain America costumes, respectively, and lower themselves down the side of the hospital’s tower to the children’s patio.

Lindsey Welch, a child life specialist at Ministry Saint Joseph's Children's Hospital, holds an iPad so Tim Taggart, from left, obscured, Patrick Wallin and Jeff Henderson can talk with Lakken Burzynski, 10, while visiting the hospital.

Hospital staff members approached Brite-Way about the idea after hospital facilities director Randy Wagner presented a video of super-hero clad window washers rappelling at Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh. “We’ve worked with Brite-Way for a number of years,” said Julie Schafer, secretary for environmental services at Ministry Saint Joseph’s Hospital. “We’re glad we’ve developed a relationship with them that we felt comfortable asking them to do something out of the ordinary.” “It’s toward Christmas, and there’s a lot of little ones in the hospital, and they aren’t going to have that great of a time,” said Taggart, who wore the Spider-Man costume he used for his grandson’s birthday party.

Jeff Henderson, dressed as Batman, waves to people as he rappels down the outside of the tower of Ministry Saint Joseph's Hospital on Monday.

Schafer said patients and hospital staff members were excited to see the super heroes, and families called the hospital Monday morning to find out if Batman, Spider-Man and Captain America still planned to visit despite fog and light rain. Pediatric patient Logan Soderlund of Rhinelander watched the climbing ropes excitedly as he waited for the super heroes to appear on the children’s patio. “He was definitely surprised,” said Logan’s father, Sean Soderlund. “We watched ‘Avengers’ last night.”

The super heroes greeted and took pictures with patients and families at Ministry Saint Joseph’s Children’s Hospital before descending the hospital’s main tower. Wallin, who dressed as Captain America, said it was nice to do something for the community and brighten the children’s day. “I’m really happy to be part of this,” Wallin said. Taggart said he hopes to participate in super hero events yearly.

Brightway Window Service staff dressed as superheros for a days work outside of St. Joseph's Hospital's pediatrics unit.

Superheros save the day for hospitalized children:  It was a super experience for some children in Marshfield today, as they saw some superheros outside their hospital windows. Heidi Giese is St. Joseph’s Hospital’s Manager of Child Life Services. She says a routine building maintenance project was a lot of fun for about seventeen hospitalized children in their pediatric unit.  She says, "The guys cleaning the windows dressed up as Spiderman, Batman, and Captain America and they rappelled down the side of the building so that all of our pediatric patients in the building were able to see that.”

Giese says it was a special way to brighten the day for some kids who are not feeling well.  “A little two-year-old that was looking at the window and looking outside. When they jumped down onto the backyard patio, his eyes got huge.” St. Joseph’s Hospital had heard of another children’s hospital doing this with great success, and contacted Brightway Window Service to see if they would put on the costumes... which they gladly did for the kids.

ANS Memphis window washer Steve Oszeanic, as Captain America, high above the ground to raise spirits of sick kids at Le Bonheur Children's Hospital.

The story behind the story. Why window cleaners dressing as Super-Heroes are becoming so popular. See the blog on this event here.

Super hero Randall 'Rico' Simmons and his mother Tina in his Helen DeVos Children's Hospital room.

Why Rico is a superhero (Grand Rapids, West Michigan): Super heroes were rappelling down the wall of glass windows on the 14-story Helen DeVos Children's Hospital, five daring window washers dressed as Hulk, Flash, Superman, Spider-Man and Captain America. Veteran MLive and Grand Rapids Press photographer Chris Clark stood below that day, snapping spectacular photos alongside other local media. Then instinct took over and told him one thing. "Get inside." What Chris wanted to find was what journalists at MLive always want to show you: What's happening on the inside. Where it matters most. The photos he captured show photojournalism at its finest. Another special moment in the life of West Michigan was captured, documented, shared.

Randall 'Rico' Simmons and his mother Tina in his Helen DeVos Children's Hospital room Wednesday, November 14, 2012. The Howard City teen is fighting bone cancer. "He's my super hero," said his mom.

There was one photo so poignant it stayed with me and became a part of me. It makes me happy and thankful each time I think of it, which is often. It shows a 13-year-old boy, Randall "Rico" Simmons, holding a simple message he printed on note paper and then pressed against the window for the superheroes to see. "Give me 5! " the message said. The same photo shows Rico's hand touching the glass inside, met by a superhero's gloved hand on the outside. The arm of another superhero reaches up for the next high five with Rico. I like to think of that quartet of hands as a bouquet,

I wanted to meet Rico, the young man whose simple sign touched me. So last week Chris Clark and I went back to DeVos Children's hospital to see Rico and his mom, Tina Simmons, to tell you and show you more about this boy and his family. Rico is a Tri County Middle School student who's been fighting cancer for much of the year, through multiple rounds of chemotherapy.  A tumor in his hip shattered his bone, so the doctors had to build Rico a new hip. After 18 hours of surgery on Sept. 6, Rico emerged with custom-made left hip, sized for him to grow into, and held together with 19 screws, 3 plates and 2 rods. His incision stretches from his back rib cage to his ankle.

The photo that the public loved. Super heroes fly outside DeVos Children's Hospital

The hospital became Rico's and Tina's second home for the past three months. Finally, on Nov. 15, Rico and Tina got to go home to Howard City, reuniting with Dad, Aaron, and with sister, Julia, 17. Rico is continuing with round three of chemotherapy to fight the cancer. He will be getting around with the help of a wheelchair and walker, and he is staying up on his school work with the help of an at-home teacher. School is important to Rico. He has his goal firmly fixed: college. "Yale or Harvard," Rico said of his top choices. His career interests: "Art, music, architectural engineering or video game engineering."

Randall 'Rico' Simmons tries on "super hero" glasses, a gift from child-life specialist Rhys VanDemark, in his Helen DeVos Children's Hospital room. Click to enlarge.

"He's my superhero," Tina said about her son last week as she sat on his hospital bed shortly before leaving for home. "If I could just have a pinch of his strength, I think I could conquer the world," she said, her pride and love beaming in her eyes. She said Rico has been a good mentor to other children fighting cancer at the hospital. Rico said it was surprising to learn the photo had touched so many people. "I didn't know how popular the photo was to be honest. It was crazy when I heard it was all over school, too." The photo gallery was popular on MLive, and thousands of you viewed, liked and shared these photos on Facebook and elsewhere. I wanted Rico to know how much he touched me and our readers. About how it's my favorite photo of the year. Because it shows us at our best. When we try to reach. Touch. Connect.

Randall, "Rico" Simmons, 13, of Howard City high fives Captain America and Spiderman from the 9th floor of DeVos Children's Hospital. The Flash, Spiderman, Captain America, The Hulk and Superman flew outside the hospital windows in Grand Rapids, Mich.

"I just remember idolizing superheroes when I was little," Rico said. That's why he reached out that day when the superheroes passed his window. "It gave me a flashback to when he was little," Tina said, remembering how he pumped his fist when the "Give me 5!" sign worked. "To see him so happy after he gave that fist pump; I had tears -- I couldn't help it." "That's my Randall," she said.

Window Cleaning Super Heroes

Dressed as Spider-Man, Danny Oszaniec, a window washer with American National Skyline, prepares to repel down the outside of Le Bonheur Children's Hospital, surprising patients and their families through the windows as he works his way down. Click to super-size.

Comic book heroes lift spirits, fight grime at Children’s Hospital: The patients at Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh were barely awake Monday morning when the first ropes unfurled from the roof 12 floors up. But when window washers clad as superheroes rappelled down the brick facades along Penn Avenue and 45th Street in Lawrenceville, little eyes were wide open.

Caleb Whitaker, 6, of Windber waves to window-washer Rick Boloinger dressed as Spider-Man on Monday morning, Oct. 22, 2012, as Boloinger and a crew of costumed washers from Allegheny Window Cleaning Inc. descended upon Children's Hospital in Lawrenceville. Click to enlarge.

Caleb Whitaker, 6, of Windber raced through a third-floor clinic — and catapulted himself over pint-sized furniture — to ogle Spider-Man, Batman, and Superman as they sprayed and wiped clean the glass panes. Captain America rounded out the comic-book foursome, assembled at no charge, thanks to Allegheny Window Cleaning Inc. of Springdale. “We heard people yelling: ‘It’s Spider-Man!’ When the other ones appeared, it was just kind of amazing,” said Joe Hartnett, 42, of Castle Shannon. His rapt daughter Leah, 6, who accompanied her younger brother, “didn’t quite believe it” at first.

Caleb Whitaker, 6, of Windber gives a high-five to window-washer Ed Hetrick dressed as Superman on Monday morning, Oct. 22, 2012, as Hetrick and a crew of costumed washers from Allegheny Window Cleaning Inc. descended upon Children's Hospital in Lawrenceville. Click to enlarge.

 “It’s a wonderful surprise,” said Hartnett, who joined dozens of gawkers inside and outside the hospital. Many posed for photos with the costumed heroes at ground level. Allegheny Window President Edward Matuizek said the company wanted only to brighten the day for children battling illnesses. Matuizek said the washers improvised to position their safety harnesses around the costumes. “This isn’t about us. This is about them,” said Matuizek, a father of two teenage daughters. “It’s a nice place to work, but emotionally it’s a real tough place to work. You go home and pick your own kids up, and there’s a lot of gratitude there.”

Kids in the ninth-floor waiting area including Caleb Whitaker, 6 of Windber (center) watch window-washer Jim Zaremba dressed as Batman on Monday morning, Oct. 22, 2012, as Zaremba and a crew of super-clad washers from Allegheny Window Cleaning Inc. descended upon Children's Hospital in Lawrenceville. Click to enlarge.

A similar superhero appearance at a British hospital inspired Matuizek’s plan. Allegheny Window Cleaning has washed the windows at the 296-bed UPMC facility since the hospital opened about three years ago, Matuizek said. The firm’s office manager Michelle Matuizek — Edward’s wife — first suggested the costume idea. His initial reaction: “You’re crazy. I’m not doing this.” But Children’s Hospital facilities director Elizabeth Munsch helped nudge the plan along, officials said. Allegheny lined up $800 worth of Broadway-quality costume rentals and four experienced window-washers to wear them for about two hours.

Window-washers from left, Jim Zaremba (Batman), John Morton (Captain America), Rick Boloinger (Spider-Man) and Ed Hetrick (Superman) stand on the helipad atop Children's Hospital on Monday morning, Oct. 22, 2012, before the crew of super-clad washers from Allegheny Window Cleaning Inc. rid the windows of the Lawrenceville hospital of grime. Click to enlarge.

The washers are Rick Bollinger, 46, and Mark Errico, 26, both of Harrison; Ed Hetrick, 36, of Springdale; and Jim Zaremba, 43, of Lower Burrell. “The kids were loving it,” said Errico, suited up as Captain America. “Everywhere we went, they were coming in from different rooms.” He would do it again in a heartbeat, he said. And he might get the chance: Edward Matuizek said the company is looking to make the appearance an annual gig. “On a nice day like this, those kids are locked up in there for — who knows? — months,” Errico said.

Window-washers from top, Rick Boloinger (Spider-Man), Mark Errico (Captain America), Jim Zaremba (Batman) and Ed Hetrick (Superman) rappel down the side of Children's Hospital on Monday morning, Oct. 22, 2012, as the crew of washers from Allegheny Window Cleaning Inc. rid the windows of the Lawrenceville hospital of grime. Click to enlarge.

Quinlan Carney, 4, could get on board with a return engagement. He isn’t a patient, but he locked his eyes on Spider-Man as he gripped his mother’s hand along 45th Street. “He’s going to talk about this forever,” said his mother, Julia Carney, 37, of Harmony.

Spider-Man, suited up and headed down the side of Le Bonheur Children's Hospital in Memphis. Click to enlarge.

Spider-Man window washers cheer hospitalized kids: Kids at Le Bonheur Children's Hospital in Memphis got a Spidey-size surprise last week when they spotted none other than Spider-Man rappelling down the side of the building, with Captain America in hot pursuit. The superhero sighting came courtesy of a few real-life superheroes -- employees of the commercial window cleaning company American National Skyline who wanted to do something nice for the young patients. Rosetta Ford, an administrative assistant in the hospital's environmental-services department, suggested costumes, so Steve Oszaniec, his son Danny Oszaniec, and Jordan Emerson suited up superhero-style, secured themselves in their window-washing safety harnesses, and started their slide down the 12-story building.

 "A great day for window cleaning"

The building's large windows overlook the downtown Memphis skyline and Mississippi River, giving the superheroes a scenic backdrop. As word got around the hospital of an out-of-the-ordinary happening, the kids flocked to windows in their rooms and the family rooms on each floor. As you can see from this vid provided by the hospital, many patients captured the moment with smartphones (a good idea, since last time I told people I saw Spider-Man scaling a building on a Wednesday afternoon, they didn't believe me). And for a real awww, have a look at this closeup NBC News photo of a Le Bonheur patient-Spidey moment. It really says it all.

Some Memphis residents probably looked up and wondered why own their window washers suddenly seemed so ordinary. Click to enlarge.

Window-washers from left, Mark Errico (Captain America), Jim Zaremba (Batman), Ed Hetrick (Superman) and Rick Boloinger (Spider-Man) rappel down Children's Hospital on Monday morning, Oct. 22, 2012, as the crew of super-clad washers from Allegheny Window Cleaning Inc. rid the windows of the Lawrenceville hospital of grime. Click to enlarge.

Lois Lane The Window Cleaning Dame

So, What Was Lois Lane Up To 50 Years Ago? “Lois Lane, Daily Planet reporter, has braved a thousand dangers without fear for her life! And why? Because she knows that, like a circus acrobat, she always has a ‘safety net’ under her that will prevent her from being killed! Lois’ ‘net’, of course, is Superman who usually keeps an eye on his reckless reporter girl friend! But one day, shockingly, Superman loses interest in saving the impetuous newshawk! It is then that the Planet’s star reporter faces certain doom on the fateful day…WHEN SUPERMAN ABANDONED LOIS LANE!”

It’s a busy day  for Lois Lane. On her schedule:  She must get a manicure before attending dinner with boss Perry White and his wife. Then she needs to acquire a window cleaner’s uniform so she can spy on mobster Phil the Wrecker (who she just happens to be scheduled to give evidence against at trial.)  Clark Kent and Jimmy Olsen warn her of how dangerous her plans are (the spying, not the dinner party) but Lois insists that she can always count on Superman to save her if things get dicey. As usual, things don’t go according to plan. Her magnificently manicured fingernails alert Wrecker’s gang that the person outside their window can’t be a a real window cleaner, but is in fact a GIRL!

Click to enlarge

Wrecker and his gang see their opportunity to rid themselves a witness in his upcoming trial and unclip Lois’ safety belt. Superman arrives in the nick of time before Lois and her fresh manicure make contact with the sidewalk below. Superman lets Lois know that he is fed up with her recklessness and that he might not always be able to come to her rescue.

Superman today, seen better times.

Wagtail Winner + More Window Cleaning News

Ed Turner (pictured) is the winner of this months Whirlwind Wagtail giveaway! Ed is not only into window cleaning but restoring floors as well. He will find the Wagtail Whirlwind particularly useful for floors when he combines the Whirlwind with the wagtail angle adapter. Ed works in the Durham/Clarington region of Ontario, Canada & uses eco friendly products. His website Turner Clean Services is due for a revamp - so Ed reckons. Your Wagtail 14" & 18" are winging your way out to you tomorrow Ed!

Plea for help: Chris Morris of "Reflection Window Cleaning" is calling out for donations no matter how small for his partner participating in a 10 mile midnight walk in aid of a local hospice that his step daughter Danielle goes too. The Chestnut Tree House serves when a child develops a life-limiting illness. Not just for the child but for their loved ones as well. The aim at Chestnut Tree House is to provide the care and support these families so desperately need, whether practical, physical or emotional. If you can help - any amount will do - please consider in helping a fellow window cleaner out. As an incentive a free 14" & 18" Wagtail Whirlwind will be given away in a lottery for donators. Please donate here:
http://www.justgiving.com/michaela-poolton
Read more from Chris here.


Spiderman and Superman abseil into the Evelina Hospital: The children at the Evelina Children's Hospital had a surprise this week when Spiderman and Superman dropped in to help clean the windows. The grime fighters – better known as Paul and Nick from All Clean, the window cleaning contractors for Guy's and St Thomas' – abseiled from the top of the building to clean the windows of the wards that look out onto the hospital's atrium. "It was a real treat for the children to see the superheroes at the hospital and they all ran to the windows when they saw them descending from the roof," says ward sister Shelia Campion. "We are so grateful to the guys at All Clean for being such good sports."

Southwest Florida business owners get help, financing: The program is urgently needed in light of the region's lingering high unemployment and tight credit markets, Scott said: "Anybody who wants to start a business needs capital; right now, they have to have it on their own." "Even with this program, they'll still have to put skin in the game," Scott said: "Either cash or a loan co-signer - someone who is willing and capable of repaying the loan if they don't." The American Association for Enterprise Opportunity defines microenterprise as businesses with five or fewer employees. It estimates there are more than 24 million microenterprises in the country, representing 18 percent of all private employment and about 87 percent of all businesses. Up to 100 applicants will be accepted yearly, said Elliot Rittenhouse, director of microenterprise at Goodwill. If their business plans pass muster, those who complete the microenterprise course can begin applying for the loans of no more than $30,000. Kevin Gorham of North Fort Myers aims to start a window-washing company. Until getting laid off in March 2009, he worked in construction: "I was on a 20-man crew that dropped to a five-man crew." Gorham is excited about being his own boss: "I won't have to worry about a job."


£27,000 Window: Drunken yobs escape £35,000 bill for trashing luxury hotel suite: Two men who wrecked a room at Manchester’s luxury Hilton Hotel after getting ‘disgustingly drunk’ have been spared jail – and the £35,000 repair bill. Mark Kenny, 36, and David Goggin, 30, checked out of the 4-star Deansgate hotel leaving a trail of destruction behind them. The pair had wrecked the 16th floor suite after coming back from a lads’ night out in the city centre last September. One of the building’s floor-to-ceiling windows had been broken and blood and vomit soiled the walls, bedding and carpet.
But they escaped the massive repair bill after their lawyer, Mark Ferguson, disputed how much the damage would cost the Hilton. Judge Gilbart fined them £1,000 each. They have also been ordered to pay compensation of £290 each to the hotel, which will cover the specialist cleaning bill. The Hilton says that the smashed window can only be repaired by removing all the glass from the outside and that replacing the window alone costs £27,000. But the hotel chain will have to sue Kenny and Goggin if it wants the money back. Mr Ferguson said Kenny took home no more than £55 a week, while Goggin only earned £150. Judge Gilbart asked: “Am I to take those figures seriously given that they booked a room in the Hilton, Manchester’s most expensive hotel?” Mr Ferguson said the room had been paid for in advance by Mr Kenny and his now estranged wife. Rather than let the room go to waste, Kenny invited Goggin to go on a ‘boys’ night out’, Mr Ferguson added. Mr Ferguson said his clients were ‘remorseful and regretful’.