data_id
int64 1
1.12M
| id
stringlengths 32
138
| date
timestamp[s] | source
stringlengths 2
24
| title
stringlengths 12
203
| content
stringlengths 32
65.4k
⌀ | author
stringlengths 2
242
⌀ | url
stringlengths 27
244
| published
stringlengths 14
32
| published_utc
int64 1.55B
1.58B
| collection_utc
int64 1.57B
1.58B
| category_level_1
stringclasses 17
values | category_level_2
stringlengths 3
42
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
4,371 | activistpost--2019-04-02--Several of Jamal Khashoggis Killers Were Trained In The United States | 2019-04-02T00:00:00 | activistpost | Several of Jamal Khashoggi’s Killers Were Trained In The United States | In a further blow to US-Saudi ties, reports emerged this weekend on the October murder of Jamal Khashoggi by a Saudi kill team. The kill team’s leader, Maher Mutreb, and other members, had apparently been trained by the US government in the past. It’s a familiar story, heard often enough when the US aligns itself with a country with a flimsy human rights record. The trainees were part of ongoing routine training operations meant to increase the ties of rank-and-file Saudi figures with the US security state. During his training Mutreb, a colonel in the Saudi spy agency, apparently went so far as to try to befriend Khashoggi, likely gathering more intelligence on him, but likely also making his murder all the more uncomfortable. While the Trump Administration has time and again shrugged off Khashoggi’s murder as not worth risks to US-Saudi ties, and business relationships, Congress doesn’t feel that way at all. This new revelation is almost certain to add to Congressional calls to further stem ties with the Saudi government, specifically so US training and equipment aren’t involved in routine atrocities such as this. | Activist Post | https://www.activistpost.com/2019/04/several-of-jamal-khashoggis-killers-were-trained-in-united-states.html | 2019-04-02 01:22:20+00:00 | 1,554,182,540 | 1,567,544,271 | crime, law and justice | crime |
48,861 | bigleaguepolitics--2019-12-29--Another Death is Attributed to Illegal Alien Serial Killer in the Dallas Area, Bringing Kill Count t | 2019-12-29T00:00:00 | bigleaguepolitics | Another Death is Attributed to Illegal Alien Serial Killer in the Dallas Area, Bringing Kill Count to 20 | Another family believed that serial murder and illegal alien Billy Chemirmir killed their mother. The serial killing suspect is accused of smothering older women before robbing jewelry and other items around the DFW area. Originally, on December 3, 2017, Diane Delahunt was found dead at Preston Place Senior Living Apartments in Plano. Three rings were missing from her fingers although police informed her family that she died of natural causes. Trending: Pope Francis Unveils Globalist New World Religion at Summit with United Nations Leader However, Delahunt’s cause of death changed in July 2019 to “undetermined” and her daughter claims police recently told her that serial murder suspect Billy Chemirmir was responsible for killing her. take our poll - story continues below Delahunt’s death is the 20th linked to Chemirmir. Two other women survived Chemirmir’s attacks in Frisco and Plano. The illegal alien was indicted on 12 counts of capital murder in Dallas and Collin counties and two counts of attempted capital murder. In addition to Delahunty, eight more North Texas families stated that police suspect Chemirmir killed their loved ones. Chemirmir is maintaining his innocence and is currently in the Dallas County Jail with a $16.2 million bail. In one Dallas County case, he faces the death penalty. Lori Delahunty stated she found her mother lying dead on the floor of her apartment two years ago. She noticed a large knot on her mother’s head, but Lori Delahunty did not suspect foul play at the time. Originally, police told her the death was allegedly due to natural causes — a heart attack or stroke. Lori Delahunty originally thought that maybe her mother hit her head before falling. After the attack, Lori Delahunty tried looking for the three rings — an engagement ring, a wedding ring and a 50th anniversary gold band — and then filed an insurance claim after failing to find them. A few months later, she learned from other residents at Preston Place that police were investigating deaths and thefts there. Additionally, she learned about the case of a woman surviving an attack by a man who tried to suffocate her and stole her jewelry. Lori Delahunty called Plano police in March 2018 and they informed her that her mother was “on the list”, which surprised her. At that time, she learned about Chemirmir and the list of people he had been accused of murdering between May 2016 and March 2018. Chemirmir was arrested back in March 2018 after another woman at Preston Place survived an attack. She provided a description of the assailant to police, who identified Chemirmir and proceeded to wait for him at his Far North Dallas apartment the next day. After Chemirmir was apprehended, police across North Texas started investigating into reported deaths and looked for more potential victims. BLP has previously reported on Chemirmir’s killing spree and its general lack of coverage in the mainstream media. | Jose Nino | https://bigleaguepolitics.com/another-death-is-attributed-to-illegal-alien-serial-killer-in-the-dallas-area-bringing-kill-count-to-20/ | Sun, 29 Dec 2019 19:42:30 +0000 | 1,577,666,550 | 1,577,666,665 | crime, law and justice | crime |
53,980 | birminghammail--2019-01-11--Smirking killer of Small Heath grandma Riasat Bi jailed for life after own dad went to police | 2019-01-11T00:00:00 | birminghammail | Smirking killer of Small Heath grandma Riasat Bi jailed for life after own dad went to police | The smirking killer of grandma Riasat Bi has been jailed for life - after his own dad told police his son may have been involved in her murder. Madni Ahmed, 20, repeatedly knifed the 86-year-old at her home in Aubrey Road, Small Heath, where he had also stabbed her grandson as he slept. The crazed killer, of Cavendish Road, Stoke on Trent, launched the frenzied and motiveless attack after buying knives online using his brother's ID. He was found guilty of murder, attempted murder, being in possession of an offensive weapon and affray after a trial at Birmingham Crown Court. Ahmed smirked as was sentenced to life in prison today, where the judge set a minimum term of 36 years. He stabbed Riasat Bi’s 18-year-old grandson 15 times as he slept in the front room of the family home, before fatally stabbing Mrs Bi and leaving her with more than 25 injuries on the morning of July 12. He then continued upstairs where he was met by another grandson who ordered him to leave before grabbing a knife in self-defence. Ahmed refused to leave and following a scuffle he received a slash wound to his arm. The killer fled the house via the attic window, ditching his knife in the roof guttering before jumping into a neighbour’s garden. Ahmed’s blood was later found on the fence panels as he stumbled through the garden and into a neighbour’s house, grabbing a knife from the kitchen. He made his way down Coventry Road before ditching his blood soaked clothes on Malmesbury Road. He had called a taxi to collect him from The Akers Trust to take him back to a hostel in Newtown. However, later that evening, Ahmed was arrested at a hospital in Stoke-on-Trent after detectives traced the phone he had been using throughout the day. The court heard Ahmed's own father had gone to police to say his son could have been involved after hearing about the murder and seeing Whatsapp footage of the killer leaving the scene. Speaking after the case, Miss Bi's daughter - who asked not to be named - told how the tragedy had 'devastated' the close-knit family. She said: "My mom had three children and six grandchildren - the youngest is only four. "We have tried to stay strong and positive for the children - we want them to know whatever they are going through we will be there for them. "I was so very close to my mom - I saw her every day. "She was so gentle and kind and had no enemies - she was loved by everyone. "She wasn't just our mom - she was a mom to so many other people. "She didn't have a bad bone, she loved and cared for everyone she met." Detective Inspector Harry Harrison, from Force CID, said: “This was a pre-meditated attack, with Ahmed intent on killing someone that day by taking a knife to the home of an elderly lady. “Ahmed claimed that he was looking for someone at the address and when he couldn’t find who he was looking for, he attacked Riasat’s grandson while he was sleeping, leaving him with life changing injuries. He then went on to carry out a horrifying attack on a defenceless elderly lady. “This was a horrendous and violent attack and although no sentence will ever compensate for what Ahmed has caused this family, I hope they can find some closure in that justice has been served today." | birminghammail | https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/midlands-news/smirking-killer-small-heath-grandma-15663480 | 2019-01-11 12:39:27+00:00 | 1,547,228,367 | 1,567,552,867 | crime, law and justice | crime |
54,010 | birminghammail--2019-01-11--Watch chilling moment crazed killer Madni Ahmed creeps inside home before attacking family | 2019-01-11T00:00:00 | birminghammail | Watch chilling moment crazed killer Madni Ahmed creeps inside home before attacking family | This is the harrowing moment a smirking killer crept into the home of a 'gentle' grandmother - moments before brutally murdering her. Madni Ahmed was caught on camera drawing a 'rambo' knife from his trousers before stabbing Riasat Bi to death and knifing her grandson as he slept at her house in Aubery Road, Small Heath on July 12 last year. The crazed killer, of Cavendish Road, Stoke on Trent, launched the frenzied and motiveless attacks after buying knives online using his brother's ID. He was found guilty of murder, attempted murder, being in possession of an offensive weapon and affray after a trial at Birmingham Crown Court. Ahmed, 20, was sentenced to life in prison and ordered to serve a minimum term of 36 years today (January 11). Now, chilling CCTV footage - capturing the tragic moments before Mrs Bi's death - has been released by West Midlands Police. It shows as the remorseless killer casually dons a pair of plastic gloves while heading towards Riasat's home. Ahmed is then shown calmly trying to enter the property using a side entrance, but fails. He walks back towards the house and instead creeps in through an open front door - pulling the huge 'rambo' knife from his trouser pocket as he steps inside. There, he stabbed Riasat Bi’s 18-year-old grandson 15 times as he slept in the front room of the family home, before fatally knifing her. She was left with more than 25 injuries after the horrific attack. He then continued upstairs where he was met by another grandson who ordered him to leave before grabbing a knife in self-defence. Ahmed refused to leave and following a scuffle he received a slash wound to his arm. The killer fled the house via the attic window, ditching his knife in the roof guttering before jumping into a neighbour’s garden. Ahmed’s blood was later found on the fence panels as he stumbled through the garden and into a neighbour’s house, grabbing a knife from the kitchen. He made his way down Coventry Road before ditching his blood soaked clothes on Malmesbury Road. He had called a taxi to collect him from The Akers Trust to take him back to a hostel in Newtown. However, later that evening, Ahmed was arrested at a hospital in Stoke-on-Trent after detectives traced the phone he had been using throughout the day. The court heard Ahmed's own father had gone to police to say his son could have been involved after hearing about the murder and seeing Whatsapp footage of the killer leaving the scene. Speaking after the case, Miss Bi's daughter - who asked not to be named - told how the tragedy had 'devastated' the close-knit family. She said: "My mom had three children and six grandchildren - the youngest is only four. "We have tried to stay strong and positive for the children - we want them to know whatever they are going through we will be there for them. "I was so very close to my mom - I saw her every day. "She was so gentle and kind and had no enemies - she was loved by everyone. "She wasn't just our mom - she was a mom to so many other people. "She didn't have a bad bone, she loved and cared for everyone she met." Detective Inspector Harry Harrison, from Force CID, said: “This was a pre-meditated attack, with Ahmed intent on killing someone that day by taking a knife to the home of an elderly lady. “Ahmed claimed that he was looking for someone at the address and when he couldn’t find who he was looking for, he attacked Riasat’s grandson while he was sleeping, leaving him with life changing injuries. He then went on to carry out a horrifying attack on a defenceless elderly lady. “This was a horrendous and violent attack and although no sentence will ever compensate for what Ahmed has caused this family, I hope they can find some closure in that justice has been served today." | Stephanie Balloo | https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/midlands-news/watch-chilling-moment-crazed-killer-15667290 | 2019-01-11 19:06:28+00:00 | 1,547,251,588 | 1,567,552,868 | crime, law and justice | crime |
54,789 | birminghammail--2019-01-20--Convicted killer who murdered his wife and baby is son to be proud of | 2019-01-20T00:00:00 | birminghammail | Convicted killer who murdered his wife and baby is 'son to be proud of' | The father of a man sentenced to spend the rest of his life in a US prison for killing his wife and baby said: “He is a son to be proud of.” Cliff Entwistle and wife Yvonne remain convinced their son is innocent, and have carried out an investigation into the evidence that jailed him. Former computer programmer Neil Entwistle, 40, lived in Redditch before moving with wife Rachel to Carver, Massachusetts. He was convicted of the deaths in June 2008, and sentenced to life imprisonment with no chance of parole. His father, a councillor in Bassetlaw, Nottinghamshire, said: “He is holding up.” The case against Entwistle seems compelling. He was in the family home at the time of the deaths and flew back to England, with the intention of seeing his parents Cliff and Yvonne, hours after the crime. He was arrested on the London Underground in February 2006, and voluntarily extradited to America. His father, however, remains adamant the case against his son is flawed, and the legal process tainted. He is furious a book on the case, which made legal headlines, was on sale on the very day the trial began, and painted the defendant as a cold-blooded murderer. Neil’s decision to fly to England was a “normal reaction”, Cliff insists. He was in a state of shock and his first thought was to come home. Cliff has now written his own book, Neil’s Story: Trial by Media, in a bid to prove his son’s innocence. Publicity for the work states: “With remarkable objectivity, Cliff Entwistle reveals the inconsistencies in the investigation, the lies told and the key forensic evidence withheld from the medical examiner, and with touchingly personal candour, he shares the pain he felt at the great loss and betrayal his family suffered.” Entwistle met future wife Rachel Souza, an American studying abroad, while on an electronic engineering course at York University. They married in 2003, then moved to Redditch, where Rachel taught English, drama and theatre studies at St Augustine’s Catholic High School. After moving to the States in 2005, they stayed with Rachel’s mother and step-father before getting their own home in Hopkinton, Massachusetts. The bodies of 27-year-old Rachel and daughter Lillian, aged only nine months, were found in the rented property’s main bedroom on January 22, 2006. The mum had been shot in the head, her daughter in the stomach . Entwistle became a suspect after his DNA was discovered on the handle of a .22 handgun owned by his father-in-law, and Rachel’s DNA was on the muzzle. Middlesex County district attorney Martha Coakley told a packed press conference: “With a firearm we believe he had secured at some time before that from father-in-law Joseph Materazzo, he shot Rachel Entwistle in the head and then proceeded to shoot baby Lillian, who was lying on the bed next to her mother. “We believe possibly this was intended to be a murder-suicide, but we cannot confirm that. Obviously the murder was effected, but the suicide was not. “We believe Neil Entwistle returned the gun to his father-in-law’s home in Carver, then made preparations to leave the country. As we know, he was observed at Logan International Airport (in Boston). “He purchased a one-way ticket on British Airways at approximately 5am on Saturday morning, January 22. "He was on an 8.15am flight to the UK on that day. Based upon forensic information that linked the .22 handgun owned by Joseph Materazzo both to Neil Entwistle and to Rachel, we believed we had probable cause to seek a warrant for Neil Entwistle’s arrest.” Entwistle was convicted on June 25, 2008 , a local newspaper the Metrowest Daily News describing the verdict as a “foregone conclusion”. The prosecution made much of his interest in swingers’ sites and financial problems. The court was told that, just four days before the murders, his user-name was used to search the web for the best way to kill someone. Rachel’s mother Priscilla Mattarazzo said at the sentencing: “Our dreams as a parent and grandparent have been shattered by the shameful, selfish act of one person. “For him to have to hide behind the accusation of murder-suicide of this beautiful woman and perfect mother is low and despicable. “We were sentenced without the luxury of a trial by jury and now must go on with the eternity of emptiness.” The murdered woman’s stepfather, Joe, looked Entwistle in the eye and said, slowly and deliberately: “Neil, you have been judged today by a jury of your peers on Earth, but one day, you will face the ultimate judgment of your horrific deeds and betrayals.” An immediate appeal by Entwistle was rejected by the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court. He still protests his innocence, backed to the hilt by his father, a former miner, despite shifts in the interpretation of events that day. Entwistle told detectives, during a recorded call Massachusetts detectives made to his parents’ home in Worksop, that he had returned home from an errand at 11am and discovered the two bodies. He covered them with a blanket, but did not contact the police. He informed cops he was so distraught he intended to commit suicide, but, unable to end it all, flew home. He rushed upstairs to discover Lillian dead and Rachel ready to shoot herself in the head. Before the double killing, there had been clear signs Rachel was suffering from post natal depression, he says. “This gun was never conclusively proved to be the murder weapon,” he says. “And we all know DNA can be transferred. “ There are many things wrong with this case, but there is no-one out there who has the guts to say this, apart from ourselves. “What the media never portrayed, is that we had lost – and Neil had lost – a beautiful granddaughter and daughter.” Two years ago, Cliff told his local newspaper, the Worksop Guardian: “I just don’t understand why this wasn’t brought up in court at all. “I remember one occurrence when Yvonne and I were speaking to her on the phone and she asked if we had received photos of Lillian from Christmas that she had posted over. “When we replied that we hadn’t, she put the phone down and, according to Neil, ran upstairs sobbing. "She had been having problems since Lillian was born.” Entwistle, despite initially claiming he was out when the crime took place, used the same defence in a pen-pal letter written behind bars. He wrote: “The truth is we can never truly know what goes through a person’s mind at such moments. “When I think back, I still wonder what went through Lilly’s mind, nine months old though she was, as she yelled out in pain. “Was she calling for her daddy to come and help? “Even Rachel, as her eyes met mine before she fired that fatal shot, seemed to be saying something, though she uttered not a word.” Cliff believes a piece of “crucial forensic evidence” underlines the fact a terrible miscarriage of justice has taken place, and proves his son did not commit murder. At the 2008 trial, Dr William Zane, the man who carried out the post-mortem examination on Rachel, said he did not know gunshot residue had been found on both sides of the woman’s hands. “This was hard cold evidence according to Neil’s defense attorneys,” Cliff maintains. “No such evidence has ever been found to prove that Neil committed this crime. “Withholding this evidence is perverting the course of justice. As soon as the revelation was revealed in trial the judge should have dissolved the case against Neil. "The medical examiner in the trial admitted on the stand he would have wanted to know of this information if it was available to him.” Dr Zane, however, did not see the revelation as significant. He said in court: “It only tells me she was in a room where a gun was fired.” Shortly after his incarceration, he was tricked by white supremacists at Souza-Baranowski Correctional Center, in Lancaser, Massachusetts, the Boston Herald reported. Fearing death threats from black gangs, he agreed to shave his head in exchange for protection from the right-wing extremists. But once he’d taken a Bic-issue razor to his bonce, the Brit was told: “It’s a nice gesture on your part but we’re gonna kill you, too.” One prison officer told the Globe: “He seems to have been very easily manipulated.“ The non-white inmates were threatening him, calling him a baby-killer. He apparently asked: ‘How do you distinguish who belongs to your group and who doesn’t?’ “The white inmates eventually convinced him the only way he was going to have any safety was if he joined up with them.” Entwistle was later placed in protective custody, then transferred to a medium security prison in Bridgewater, Massachusetts. “With his wife and baby daughter found dead in their bedroom, Neil was the immediate suspect, and his subsequent conviction seemed inevitable to all who heard and read the sordid coverage. “However, things are not always what they seem. “You will be disturbed by the harrowing details he exposes of the justice systems of both the UK and the US, yet you cannot fail to be encouraged as he testifies to the strength and resilience of family bonds in the face of unimaginable heartache and adversity.” | Mike Lockley | https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/midlands-news/convicted-killer-who-murdered-wife-15687488 | 2019-01-20 05:30:00+00:00 | 1,547,980,200 | 1,567,551,600 | crime, law and justice | crime |
54,980 | birminghammail--2019-01-22--Family of speedboat crash victim demand action to catch her fugitive killer | 2019-01-22T00:00:00 | birminghammail | Family of speedboat crash victim demand action to catch her fugitive killer | The family of Charlotte Brown, who died after a speedboat crash, will demand to know what is being done to catch her fugitive killer in a meeting with the Home Secretary. Jack Shepherd, 31, is still on the run after he was sentenced to six years imprisonment for manslaughter by gross negligence in his absence last summer, after vanishing before his Old Bailey trial. Ms Brown, 24, was killed after the boat he had bought to "pull women" flipped into the icy waters of the River Thames during her champagne-fuelled first date with Shepherd in December 2015. Her father, Graham Brown, mother Roz Wickens and sister Katie, will meet Sajid Javid on Tuesday to seek assurances that everything possible is being done to bring on-the-run Shepherd to justice. Mr Brown said: "Jack Shepherd has stolen a beautiful life and needs to atone for his crass and reckless actions. "If it wasn't for this our lovely Charlotte would still be here. "We want to hear from the Home Secretary on what action is being taken to bring Shepherd to justice. "We also want to know that this operation will be fully resourced until he is found and put behind bars." The family will ask Mr Javid what action has been taken so far, what current lines of inquiry are open and about the resources available to police, including through the National Crime Agency (NCA). They also want to know what can be done to obtain digital forensic evidence from web designer Shepherd's contact with his lawyer, which could help to pinpoint his location. Shepherd's solicitor Richard Egan has previously denied "protecting a fugitive" despite helping him to appeal against his conviction while on the run from the law. In December, he was given permission to challenge his conviction, sparking an outpouring of public anger, with Ms Brown's family accusing Shepherd of making a mockery of justice. Since then, uncorroborated theories about Shepherd's whereabouts have included Turkey, Thailand and Georgia. Ms Brown's family's meeting with the Home Secretary in the House of Commons was arranged by Communities Secretary James Brokenshire, their local MP for Old Bexley and Sidcup "In seeking this meeting for the family I want to ensure that the full efforts of our law enforcement agencies are being used to arrest Shepherd," he said. "It is unacceptable that Charlotte's family still have not seen the justice they rightly deserve. "There can be no hiding place for this man and we must be utterly resolute in seeing that Shepherd pays for his crime." | birminghammail | https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/uk-news/family-speedboat-crash-victim-demand-15711612 | 2019-01-22 06:43:59+00:00 | 1,548,157,439 | 1,567,551,298 | crime, law and justice | crime |
55,051 | birminghammail--2019-01-23--Birmingham mum jailed for 12 years for throwing boiling water over convicted killer | 2019-01-23T00:00:00 | birminghammail | Birmingham mum jailed for 12 years for throwing boiling water over convicted killer | A Birmingham mum who threw boiling water over a convicted prisoner has been jailed for 12 years. Natalie Roberts attacked Josie Hollis while they were both on remand at HMP Foston Hall in Derbyshire. Her trial at Derby Crown Court in December was told how there had been tensions between them on the wing where they were both based. Roberts was a serving prisoner while Hollis was awaiting trial on charges of murder and robbery. Hollis said in the build-up to the kettle incident Roberts, of Broughton Road, Handsworth, had “constantly abused” her in “social” areas of the jail such as the canteen. She said moments before it happened she had been supporting another inmate who was being verbally abused by a third prisoner. It was then that Roberts called out “murderer”. Hollis, who later admitted to the manslaughter of a Sheffield man, went into the defendant’s cell to confront her. The 35-year-old then threw the freshly-boiled water over her. When Roberts was found guilty of causing grievous bodily harm with intent, she shouted to the jury that convicted her she would “kill herself and come back to haunt them” . According to Derbyshire Live, she has now told a probation officer she “wishes she had killed the b***h” referring to throwing the water over Miss Hollis. Sentencing Roberts, Recorder David Mason QC said: “This was a horrendous offence which has left Miss Hollis with permanent scarring to the left side of her body. “You tried to pour a kettle full of boiling water over her head which I believe shows an intention to cause even more serious injuries than those you did. “I have read your pre-sentence report and in it you said to the probation service on more than one occasion ‘I wish I had killed the b***h’ which does not help your situation. “You took the case to trial and were found guilty of GBH with intent so I cannot give you any credit.” At the time of the incident on July 27, 2017 - Hollis was awaiting trial for the murder of 23-year-old Jordan Hill, who died shortly after an attack in the hallway of his flat in Southey Avenue, Sheffield, on March 23, 2017. That trial, in February of last year, saw 32-year-old Bradley Onfroy found guilty of murder and robbery following a trial at Sheffield Crown Court. He was ordered to serve a minimum term of 33 years. Hollis, 24, pleaded guilty to manslaughter and robbery at a previous hearing and was jailed for 15 years. | Katie Brooks | https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/midlands-news/birmingham-mum-jailed-12-years-15719802 | 2019-01-23 11:34:49+00:00 | 1,548,261,289 | 1,567,551,135 | crime, law and justice | crime |
55,144 | birminghammail--2019-01-24--Convicted child killer David Gaut lied to neighbours David Osborne Ieuan Harley and Darran Evesham | 2019-01-24T00:00:00 | birminghammail | Convicted child killer David Gaut 'lied to neighbours David Osborne, Ieuan Harley and Darran Evesham about his crime' | A convicted child murderer lied to his new neighbours that he was jailed for over 32 years for killing a soldier, a court heard. Three men, David Osborne, 51, Ieuan Harley, 23, and Darran Evesham, 47, are on trial accused of murdering David Gaut, 54, by stabbing him over 150 times after learning he had killed a child. Neighbour Kyle Alford said he first met Mr Gaut, known as Dai, when he moved into his block of flats in Long Row, New Tredegar, Caerphilly, south Wales, just six weeks before his death. "He said he had been released from prison for serving 33 years for killing a soldier, at first," he told Newport Crown Court. Mr Alford said he and his partner Samantha Jenkins became suspicious of their new neighbour and began to search the internet. Hours before Mr Gaut was killed on August 2 last year, they learnt he had in fact been jailed for murdering 15-month-old Chi Ming Shek in 1985. The pair told other neighbours, including Osborne, what they had learnt. "It was almost as if Ozzy didn't believe it and didn't seem too bothered. He made a comment that Ieuan would probably want to cut him up and put him down the plughole," Mr Alford said. "Ieuan was shocked and angry. He had been drinking and under the influence, or coming down, from amphetamine. He said he had been taking amphetamine. "He was annoyed, calling him things like a 'dirty f*****' and saying, 'He wasn't even a child, he was a baby'." Ms Jenkins told the jury it took some time to discover the truth about Mr Gaut. "We were spelling his name wrong and it came up in Ozzy's and we were in shock when it came up," she said. "Ozzy said he would text him about films or something. Ieuan said Ozzy can get him round here and Ozzy can hide in the kitchen." Mr Alford and his partner returned to their flat and a short time later they sent a text message to Osborne, saying: "Don't let Dai know we all know he's a baby killer. Catch the FK. N out. Dirty nonce c***. WA" Prosecutors allege Mr Gaut was stabbed over 150 times after being lured to Osborne's flat by the three defendants. His fingernails were also cut off and after his death the three men dragged his body back to his own flat. The following day Harley went to Mr Alford's flat with half a leg of lamb he had stolen from Morrisons and they chatted about Mr Gaut. Ms Jenkins said: "Kyle said, 'It's terrible about what we learnt about Dai' and Ieuan said, 'Don't worry about him, you won't be seeing him again'." Osborne, from Long Row, Elliots Town, New Tredegar; Harley, of no fixed address, and Evesham, from Powell's Terrace, New Tredegar, all deny the murder of Mr Gaut, between August 1 and August 4 last year. Harley and Evesham also deny a charge of perverting the course of justice, which Osborne admits. | James Rodger | https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/uk-news/convicted-child-killer-david-gaut-15729446 | 2019-01-24 19:54:19+00:00 | 1,548,377,659 | 1,567,550,978 | crime, law and justice | crime |
55,519 | birminghammail--2019-01-28--Familys heartbreaking words as killer neighbour John Nixon sentenced to 15 years | 2019-01-28T00:00:00 | birminghammail | Family's heartbreaking words as killer neighbour John Nixon sentenced to 15 years | "No sentence will ever be the right result, we’ll never get justice," were the words issued as friends and family of tragic murder victim Reece Hipwood streamed out of a packed courtroom. The popular 28-year-old - described as a "proper lad" by those who knew him - was killed after a drunken row with his next-door neighbour, John Nixon. Mechanic Nixon, aged 54, stabbed Mr Hipwood seven times during a fight at his home in Sandmere Road in the early hours of July 15 last year. Mr Hipwood, whom Nixon described as being like a son to him, ran upstairs and attempted to defend himself with a vacuum cleaner. Nixon, though, proceeded to attack Mr Hipwood and stabbed him repeatedly with a large kitchen knife, with one blow measuring 12 centimetres. The stabbing was witnessed by Nixon's 11-year-old son as his partner, Leigh-Anna Hunt, wrestled the blade from his grasp and immediately called for an ambulance. Despite heroic efforts by police and paramedics, Mr Hipwood suffered a cardiac arrest and was pronounced dead just after 2am. At Birmingham Crown Court today (MON), Nixon - who appeared emotionless in the dock - was sentenced to life and will serve a minimum of 15 years behind bars. Judge Inman branded the murder as "an utterly senseless killing" as both sets of relatives and friends remained calm in - and outside - the courtroom. Upon leaving the court after sentencing, Mr Hipwood's heartbroken fiancée Bethany Tonry was comforted by around 20 or so family members. Speaking to BirminghamLive at the end of the trial, a relative of Mr Hipwood said: "No sentence will ever be the right result, we’ll never get justice. "We don’t get to see [Reece] ever again." The victim's fiancée, Miss Tonry, had dreams of family life together with Mr Hipwood after moving into their home in Sandmere Road. In a statement, Miss Tonry said: "Reece was a really bubbly person. Full of life. He truly was the life and soul of the party. "It was our home and the place we had decided to start a family. "Sadly, our future was ripped apart and shattered. "He had many passions in life. "My whole life has changed. I have lost the person I intended to spend the rest of my life with. "We were always together, especially at night. "I have had to have a significant time off work. I cannot believe that someone who with whom he had a good relationship with took his life." The victim's father, Jonathan Hipwood said: "Our world has been turned upside down. Our hearts have been smashed to smithereens. "It is painful to know that the person who took his life still has a future. "We cannot celebrate any more. We are not a complete family any more. "There will be no wedding of Reece and Beth to celebrate. "We have pictures of Reece around our house keeping his memory alive. "It is hard to even talk about. None of us sleep properly. "We feel like zombies going through the normal motions of life. "It all comes back, the heartache." Speaking after Monday's sentencing, Detective Inspector Caroline Corfield, from the force’s homicide unit, said: "Nixon got into such an uncontrollable drunken rage that he carried out a horrifically violent attack in front of his own wife and son. "There is no doubt that both men were drunk and had been fighting with one another, but the final attack on Reece had no justification. "Reece was unarmed and completely unprepared to defend himself against Nixon’s frenzied assault with a knife. "Our thoughts are with Reece’s family and we can only hope that justice being served on Nixon will give them some kind of closure and help them to come to terms with their loss." Reece’s family spoke of their loss following the verdict. They said: "As a family - Reece’s mother, father, fiancée and sisters - we are happy that justice has been done for the loss of our son Reece, both for us and for Reece’s friends. "We would like to take the opportunity to thank the paramedics and ambulance service for their efforts that tragic night, Adrian Keeling QC for prosecuting the case, the police and their family liaison officers, and Victim Support for their help through this process." | Ashley Preece | https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/midlands-news/familys-heartbreaking-words-killer-neighbour-15744043 | 2019-01-28 17:02:03+00:00 | 1,548,712,923 | 1,567,550,479 | crime, law and justice | crime |
55,586 | birminghammail--2019-01-29--Bloodstained clothing linked by DNA to murdered child killer David Gaut trial told | 2019-01-29T00:00:00 | birminghammail | Bloodstained clothing linked by DNA to murdered child killer David Gaut, trial told | Bloodstained clothing found dumped in a plastic bag matched the DNA of a child killer who was allegedly murdered by three men, a court has heard. David Gaut, 54, was allegedly lured to his death and stabbed 150 times in August at a block of flats in New Tredegar, Caerphilly, South Wales. David Osborne, 51, Ieuan Harley, 23, and Darran Evesham, 47, are on trial accused of murdering Mr Gaut after learning he had served more than 32 years in prison for murdering toddler Chi Ming Shek in 1985. Newport Crown Court on Tuesday heard there was a "one in one billion" chance that blood found on clothes stuffed in a B&M bag on a riverbank did not belong to Mr Gaut or a member of his family. Prosecutors had earlier alleged the defendants were caught on CCTV before Mr Gaut's death wearing clothes matching those that were found. Forensic scientist Martin Beale was taken by prosecutor Ben Douglas-Jones QC through the items, which included a heavily bloodstained T-shirt, tracksuit bottoms, a pair of socks and underwear. Mr Beale said the white T-shirt displaying the logo Jamaica Brand Cannabis was found "saturated" in blood. He said: "There was heavy contact bloodstaining noted to the front right side. Some of this was smeared and diluted. Blood spots were also noted." Mr Beale said the smearing occurred after "a degree of force was applied to wet blood". He added: "The chances of (blood) being from someone other than David Gaut or someone related to him are one in one billion." He also said components of DNA found also matched Harley. Mr Beale showed the jury the T-shirt and a pair of bloodstained grey Everlast tracksuit bottoms. He said: "I expect the T-shirt and jogging bottoms would have been worn at the same time, because of the blood pattern." Mr Beale said the "sheer quantity of blood" found on the pair of black FCUK underpants led him to believe they were worn underneath the jogging bottoms. Last week the jury was shown CCTV of Osborne and Evesham walking near the riverbank following Mr Gaut's death. The court previously heard Mr Gaut claimed he had been jailed for killing a soldier when he moved next door to Osborne, six weeks before his death. Suspicious neighbours found out his past as a child killer by searching the internet, and prosecutors allege the three defendants then "lured" him to Osborne's flat where he was murdered. Mr Gaut was stabbed more than 150 times while still alive, and a further 26 times after he died, and his fingernails were also cut off post-mortem. Osborne, from Long Row, Elliots Town, New Tredegar; Harley, of no fixed address; and Evesham, from Powell's Terrace, New Tredegar, all deny the murder of Mr Gaut between August 1 and 4 last year. Harley and Evesham also deny perverting the course of justice, which Osborne admits. | James Rodger | https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/midlands-news/bloodstained-clothing-linked-dna-murdered-15750837 | 2019-01-29 20:27:15+00:00 | 1,548,811,635 | 1,567,550,327 | crime, law and justice | crime |
56,002 | birminghammail--2019-02-03--Knife killer not sorry about murdering teen says rapper friend | 2019-02-03T00:00:00 | birminghammail | Knife killer 'not sorry' about murdering teen, says rapper friend | The friend of a convicted killer has prompted disgust by saying in a rap the prisoner isn't sorry about his crime and is seeking to appeal. Joshua Marshall, aka 'Hecki', made the boast about Tobijah Thompson, also known as 'Tiny', in a video posted on Instagram. The 18-year-old was on a night out with friends when they were brutally attacked in the early hours of Mother’s Day 2015. Daniel later died of his injuries having been stabbed in the neck. Thompson was handed a life sentence at Warwick Crown Court in April 2016 and will serve a minimum of 32 years. Marshall himself is serving a six-year jail sentence for slashing a 17-year-old across the face with a knife after the teenager refused to hand over his phone. The 22-year-old, from Bordesley Green, left his victim permanently scared. Marshall was sentenced at Birmingham Crown Court in April 2015 after being found guilty of wounding and possessing an offensive weapon. It's not clear where the video was recorded. A source told BirminghamLive: "It's absolutely disgusting. Daniel's family are lovely and these are dangerous people. "Tobijah Thompson is going for an appeal and this video is saying he's not sorry. "Shouldn't that be bought to the attention of the parole board?" In the video, Marshall says: "My brother cut a body and told me he's not sorry" The rapper also makes it clear he has spoken to his fellow prisoner. Over a hip hop beat, he continues: "In that system I hear many n***** fold, so it's good to hear him smile up on that prison phone. "Now it's process of appeals, God knows how that goes, but that's progress for real. "I hope that he gets it, if he don't that's a different road. "Probably be 58 when he sees parole. "He went jail 25 so do the maths." Marshall also raps that he and his jailed friend "started from the bottom", going from "handguns to shottys". Tompson brandished a knife during an altercation at the former Society nightclub in Coventry and stabbed Daniel in the neck. The teenager collapsed on the pavement outside and died in an ambulance while on the way to hospital. The horrific attack, which was caught on CCTV and shown to a jury at Warwick Crown Court during the trial, also saw Thompson injure three of Daniel’s friends who were in the club that night. Thompson, who lived between his sister’s home in Bearwood, Birmingham, and an address in Bedworth, was also found guilty of wounding Niall Kavanagh and Nigel Mkhwananzi with intent, assaulting Christopher O’Brien, violent disorder and possessing a bladed article. | birminghammail.co.uk | https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/midlands-news/knife-killer-not-sorry-murdering-15769538 | 2019-02-03 16:09:49+00:00 | 1,549,228,189 | 1,567,549,740 | crime, law and justice | crime |
56,053 | birminghammail--2019-02-04--Locked up around the UK in January An MP a hidden camera pervert and a contract killer | 2019-02-04T00:00:00 | birminghammail | Locked up around the UK in January: An MP, a hidden camera pervert and a contract killer | A sitting Member of Parliament, a contract killer and a paedophile caught using a hidden camera are just three of the criminals who were locked up in courts around the country during January 2019. The convicts listed here are all now starting prison terms at UK jails. In one case, a killer has been told that he will never leave jail until after his death. The jailed even include a Member of Parliament who was jailed for lying to police in a bid to escape a minor speeding fine. From up and down the country, here are just a few of the criminals locked up last month. Mark Fellows was found guilty of murdering the well-known Salford gangster Paul Massey and his friend John Kinsella in two separate attacks. Fellows, 38, gunned down the father-of-five in July 2015 and was given a rare Whole Life Order so he will remain in jail for the rest of his life. His partner-in-crime, Steven Boyle, was also jailed for 30 years for the murder of Mr Kinsella, reported the Manchester Evening News. Carlo Risi, 66, was caught twice with heroin which he claimed was for personal use and with £15,000 in cash he said was from a gambling win. The Northumberland pensioner was sentenced to five-and-a-half years in prison after admitting possessing the heroin with intent to supply, reported Chronicle Live. A Newcastle man was jailed for two years and eight months after he hoped to meet a 14-year-old girl at a Metro station but instead found paedophile hunting vigilantes and police lying in wait. John Sewell had sent explicit videos and graphic descriptions to what turned out to be a decoy profile and told 'Ellie' that he had "taught a few shy virgins" before, according to Chronicle Live. A 44-year-old former Scout leader was jailed for a number of sickening sex crimes that included installing a hidden camera in a cafe toilet to spy on teenage boys. Terence Hamblett, who referred to himself as 'The Master', was sentenced to 12 years at Chester Crown Court, reports StokeonTrent Live. Joshua Gardner was caught on camera attacking a car with a frightening zombie knife in south London was originally spared jail last year. Video of the attack was filmed by a passing car's dash-cam and went viral across social media causing a lot of controversy. The 18-year-old had his sentence overturned by a Court of Appeal and was jailed for three and a half years in a young offenders institute, according to MyLondon . Garyth Twiselton admitted to ejaculating into a woman's cup of tea before she drank it in order to 'humiliate' her at Stafford Crown Court. Birmingham Live reported that the 32-year-old was jailed for the sexual assault as well as 12 other sex-related offences. Nadia Plesuvu had turned over more than £100,000 in the nine months before she was raided by Cardiff Police. She recruited new prostitutes, organised advertising and negotiated prices, reports Wales Online. The MP for Peterborough who lied to police over a speeding ticket was given a three month jail sentence. Fiona Onasanya was sentenced for perverting the course of justice at the Old Bailey but this is being reviewed after a complaint it was unduly lenient. Cambridgeshire Live reported that the Labour politician denied being behind the wheel when her car was spotted doing 41mph in a 30mph zone, in July 2017. Gary Gardner stole more than £20,000 of charity funds that were raised for the son of murdered soldier, Lee Rigby, was ordered to pay back some of the cash and jailed for two-and-a-half years. Leicester Crown Court heard that Gardner, 56, supported his overdrawn bank account and produced a charity single he "knew would be a flop". Leicestershire Live reported that events organised by the former lorry driver were attended by thousands of people, including Lee Rigby's widow and son. | Patrick Jack | https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/uk-news/locked-up-around-uk-january-15777030 | 2019-02-04 13:02:45+00:00 | 1,549,303,365 | 1,567,549,630 | crime, law and justice | crime |
56,117 | birminghammail--2019-02-05--Five charged with helping killer who stabbed Callum Lees to death at Solihull house party | 2019-02-05T00:00:00 | birminghammail | Five charged with helping killer who stabbed Callum Lees to death at Solihull house party | Five suspects have been charged with helping a killer who stabbed a young man to death at a house party. James Atherley, 21, knifed Callum Lees in the neck at a house in Hopwas Grove, Kingshurst, Solihull, in August 2017. The 20-year-old victim was found collapsed nearby in Haselour Road by a member of the public, but later died. Atherley was convicted by a jury of murder and jailed for 26 years last August. Now, two women and three men have been charged with assisting Atherley. They are: Kelly Palmer, 40, and Kelly Casey, 38, both of Letitia Avenue; Zac Palmer, 22, of Fallowfield Avenue; Cian Murphy, 22, of Colesbourne Road, all Solihull, and Brad Hope, 21, of Newcastle. All five are due to appear at Birmingham Magistrates' Court tomorrow, Wednesday February 6. Det Insp Jim Colclough, of West Midlands Police’s homicide team, said: “Callum's family has been kept fully updated with this development." | Stephanie Balloo | https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/midlands-news/five-charged-helping-killer-who-15784031 | 2019-02-05 15:05:09+00:00 | 1,549,397,109 | 1,567,549,518 | crime, law and justice | crime |
56,122 | birminghammail--2019-02-05--Hit-and-run crash killers who caused horrific head-on smash jailed for 30 years | 2019-02-05T00:00:00 | birminghammail | Hit-and-run crash killers who caused horrific head-on smash jailed for 30 years | Three men have been jailed for a total of 30 years for causing a woman's death in a hit-and-run crash after a high-speed chase. Innocent victim Elizabeth Roberts, an 80-year-old grandmother, was fatally injured when a BMW careered the wrong way down a road and smashed into a Ford Fiesta in which she was a passenger. It happened after the BMW was chased for eight miles by a Volkswagen Jetta following an incident involving another Fiesta. The BMW and the VW collided in Gaydon, Warwickshire , before the BMW went the wrong way along the B4451, causing the crash in which Mrs Roberts died. After a two-week trial, defendants Naqash Hussain, 29, of Prescott Avenue, Banbury, and Sagar Taseem, 26, of Evenlode, Banbury, were found guilty of causing death by dangerous driving. They were jailed for 12 years each at Warwick Crown Court. A third man, Samuel Franklin, 24, of Warkworth Close, Banbury, pleaded guilty to the same charge in June 2018 and was sentenced on Tuesday, February 5 to six years. And a fourth, Kieran Flint, 21 of Barley Hill, Culworth, Northamptonshire, was cleared of dangerous driving but convicted of careless driving. He was fined £500 and given six penalty points. The crash happened on February 15, 2017 and the incident started in Banbury. The court heard the BMW, containing Taseem and Hussain, had been involved in an incident with Flint's Ford Fiesta. The BMW was then chased by the Jetta, driven by Franklin. Both vehicles collided and shortly afterwards the BMW turned around and drove the wrong way along the B4451 into oncoming traffic, where it collided with the Fiesta Mrs Roberts was travelling in. The Jetta then turned around and drove back to the scene of the collision, where Franklin chased the occupants of the BMW away. The occupants of the Fiesta were taken to hospital with serious injuries but Mrs Roberts died the next morning. Following the sentencing, Det Con Stephen Barr from Warwickshire Police said: “This was a tragic incident to investigate, which ultimately could have been avoided. “I hope the sentencing sends out a clear message that we will not tolerate dangerous driving on our roads, and will ensure those who disregard the law will be investigated and punished for their actions.” The family of Mrs Roberts added: “We would like to thank the emergency services and the members of the public who came to assist on the night of the collision and the medical team at University Hospital Coventry & Warwickshire. “We would also like to thank Warwickshire Police who have worked tirelessly to bring the offenders to justice. "No amount of sentence will bring our much-loved mum back but we hope the sentences passed will serve as a deterrent to other road users.” | Zoe Chamberlain | https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/midlands-news/hit-run-crash-killers-who-15786117 | 2019-02-05 23:21:26+00:00 | 1,549,426,886 | 1,567,549,519 | crime, law and justice | crime |
56,188 | birminghammail--2019-02-06--Convicted child killer David Gaut screamed for help during alleged revenge attack | 2019-02-06T00:00:00 | birminghammail | Convicted child killer David Gaut 'screamed for help' during alleged revenge attack | One of the men accused of murdering a child killer repeatedly "prodded" his victim's body after stabbing him to death with a knife, a court has heard. David Gaut, 54, was allegedly lured to his death and stabbed 150 times in August at a block of flats in New Tredegar, Caerphilly, South Wales. On Wednesday David Osborne, 51, one of three men accused of carrying out the killing, said he was in his kitchen when he heard Mr Gaut screaming for help when fellow defendant Ieuan Harley, 23, attacked him with a knife. Osborne said: "I could hear some arguing and shouting. "Then I heard Harley turn around and call David a paedophile. "It sounded like a knife going into flesh and someone being stabbed. "I could hear David shouting out 'help' and heard him screaming. I felt scared. "I didn't want to go into the lounge because it sounded horrible." Osborne said he eventually entered his lounge to find Harley holding a bloodied knife in his hand and while standing over Mr Gaut's body. He described how Harley, whose clothes were covered in blood, then allegedly knelt down on his knees and began "prodding" Mr Gaut's body, gesturing a stabbing motion with his hand to judge Mr Justice Clive Lewis. Osborne said he asked Harley "What the hell have you done in my flat?" to which Harley replied: "Don't worry, we'll clean it all up." He said he chose not to call the police and instead go on a "drinking spree", saying: "It was done. The police were going to come anyway." Osborne said he and Harley moved Mr Gaut's body to his passageway and used bleach to clean up blood, and about 30 minutes later they were joined by the third defendant, Darran Evesham, 47, who arrived "drunk" and carried on drinking at the flat. Osborne said later all three wore socks on their hands as they "carried and dragged" Mr Gaut's body next door back to his own flat. Newport Crown Court had earlier been told Harley called Mr Gaut a "nonce" after finding out he had served more than 32 years in prison for murdering toddler Chi Ming Shek in 1985. Harley allegedly told Osborne: "He doesn't deserve to be here." Mr Gaut had moved next door to Osborne six weeks before the three defendants allegedly "lured" Mr Gaut to Osborne's flat where he was murdered after they found out about his conviction. Mr Gaut was stabbed more than 150 times while still alive, and a further 26 times after he died, and his fingernails were also cut off post-mortem. Osborne, from Long Row, Elliots Town, New Tredegar; Harley, of no fixed address; and Evesham, from Powell's Terrace, New Tredegar, all deny the murder of Mr Gaut between August 1 and 4 last year. Harley and Evesham also deny perverting the course of justice, which Osborne admits. | James Rodger | https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/midlands-news/convicted-child-killer-david-gaut-15792548 | 2019-02-06 20:25:50+00:00 | 1,549,502,750 | 1,567,549,396 | crime, law and justice | crime |
56,265 | birminghammail--2019-02-07--Family in new plea for help to catch 17-year-olds killer | 2019-02-07T00:00:00 | birminghammail | Family in new plea for help to catch 17-year-old's killer | The family of a 17-year-old youth worker murdered in a drive-by shooting have released new childhood pictures of her campaigning against gun and knife crime as police renewed appeals to catch her killer. Tanesha Melbourne-Blake, who mentored younger teenagers to keep them off the streets, was gunned down in Tottenham, north London, on April 2 last year. Detectives revealed on Wednesday they believe her killer was the passenger in a silver or grey Vauxhall Meriva that was found burnt-out in Barnet five days later. No-one has been charged over her death, and in an emotionally-charged interview on Wednesday family friend Akin Akintola said her loved ones need answers. "Everyone that knows Tanesha needs an answer. Who did this? Why? We urge people to come forward if they know anything, just come forward," he said. "No-one will come to terms with what's happened. No-one could come to terms with what's happened." Tanesha, who was killed 13 weeks before her 18th birthday, had planned to travel to Jamaica to visit her father and was due to start a youth work course last autumn. Her mother said in a statement: "Myself and Tanesha were best friends as well as mother and daughter. "The impact of her death is long lasting and still doesn't feel real. It feels as if I'm living in a dream and she'll be coming back. "The impact on her dad and siblings has been indescribable too. There is a huge hole in our family that will never be filled. As a family we only ask if anyone does have any information, then please come forward. We would not wish what we are going through on any other family." The teenager, who had seven siblings, died during a spate of bloodshed in London last year. On the same night, Amaan Shakoor, 16, was shot dead in a separate attack in Walthamstow. On Wednesday, her family released new childhood pictures of her at anti-gun and knife crime events to coincide with renewed police appeals. Mr Akintola said she had helped to keep younger people away from crime. "In the centre Tanesha was one of the people that brought everyone in," he said. "No matter where you come from, so you're not hanging on the streets, you're not getting into trouble, you're not doing anything negative. She brought everyone in. "Since the loss of Tanesha, you can see the atmosphere in the place has changed. It's had a very big impact on the service as a whole. It's had a very big impact on the staff that work there. So many people, her friends, her family. It's just been terrible." He recalled hearing the anguished screams of her mother on the night she died. "Everyone was there, just waiting on one side of the road. Me and another colleague we walked, you know you're just pacing up and down the road just praying, and I heard Tanesha's mum scream. "She screamed out loud. We could hear from where we were standing, that's how we knew that she had lost her life." Detective Inspector Beverley Kofi said she is sure someone in the community knows the identity of the killer. She said: "Tanesha was an innocent young girl; she had no gang affiliations whatsoever. Her life was cut tragically short by the senseless actions of a group of people who were intent on committing violence that night. "Tanesha's death has left her family completely devastated. Her loss is not only felt by them but by her friends and the wider community in Tottenham, many of whom are young people who she helped to steer them away from violence. "I'm certain someone in the community has information. I can assure you anything you provide will be treated in the strictest confidence. "If you are worried about contacting police, please think about Tanesha's family, her loss is something they will never get over, we need people to come forward and do the right thing and provide us with that vital piece of information that will bring those responsible to justice." Anyone with information on the shooting should contact the incident room on 0208 358 0100 or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111. | Kirsty Bosley | https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/uk-news/family-new-plea-help-catch-15791408 | 2019-02-07 09:28:20+00:00 | 1,549,549,700 | 1,567,549,275 | crime, law and justice | crime |
56,299 | birminghammail--2019-02-07--Reward of 10k posted to trace the killers of David Danger Currier | 2019-02-07T00:00:00 | birminghammail | Reward of £10k posted to trace the killers of David 'Danger' Currier | A £10,000 reward has been posted in a bid to trace the killers of Bromsgrove dad David 'Danger' Currier - ten years after he was stabbed to death. West Mercia Police have today issued a fresh appeal 10 years on from his unsolved murder. A reward of £10,000 is available for information passed to Crimestoppers that leads to the arrest and conviction of those responsible. Mr Currier, aged 35 and originally from Stirchley, was murdered at his home on Birmingham Road, Bromsgrove, during the early hours of February 7 2009. He had suffered a fatal stab wound to his leg. At the time of his murder his young son, who was only six years old, was present at the address and was found there alone when officers arrived. West Mercia Police Major Investigation Unit are currently reviewing this "cold case" investigation and renewing their appeal for information. Police are hoping that the tenth anniversary of Mr Currier's murder will result in vital new information being provided. Mr Currier was more commonly known amongst friends by his nickname 'Danger.' When police attended the property on Birmingham Road and discovered his body, there were signs of forced entry to the premises and a disturbance. There was also clear evidence indicating that several people had been present around the time of his murder. Witnesses reported seeing a white Ford transit van and a dark red hatch-back car, possibly a Hyundai, in the area of Birmingham Road and School Lane. Four men were also seen standing beside both vehicles close to the entrance of what was formerly 'The Mount School' (now KeyOstas) before walking along Birmingham Road in the direction of Mr Currier's house. His family continue to hope that those responsible for his murder will be found and his brother, Nick Barry, urged anyone with information to come forward. Detective Inspector Mark Walters, from West Mercia Police, said: "Officers continue to investigate this tragic death and remain committed to the investigation. "Everyone who contacts Crimestoppers stays 100% anonymous. "I am confident there are people out there who know the identity of those responsible for David's murder and encourage anyone who may have any information, no matter how small or insignificant they may feel it is, to please come forward. "The investigation team are particularly keen to speak to anyone who may have seen the white coloured transit van or dark red hatch-back car on or near to Birmingham Road and/or School Lane around the time of the incident. "Our thoughts remain with the family of David Currier who continue to suffer from their loss 10 years on and in particular his son, who tragically lost his father at such a young age." Anyone with any information can contact independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or via their anonymous online form at www.Crimestoppers-uk.org . Alternatively you can contact police on 101 quoting incident number 374s 010219. | Andy Richardson | https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/midlands-news/reward-10k-posted-trace-killers-15793542 | 2019-02-07 14:33:34+00:00 | 1,549,568,014 | 1,567,549,274 | crime, law and justice | crime |
56,337 | birminghammail--2019-02-08--Convicted killer Andrew Wallace who killed and dismembered mum Julie Reilly jailed | 2019-02-08T00:00:00 | birminghammail | Convicted killer Andrew Wallace who killed and dismembered mum Julie Reilly jailed | A family have urged a convicted killer who murdered a vulnerable woman and dismembered her body to tell them where the rest of her remains are. Andrew Wallace, 42, was jailed for life and ordered to serve at least 28 years behind bars after admitting the murder of Julie Reilly. He murdered the 47-year-old at her flat in the Govan area of Glasgow in February 2018 and then cut off her legs with a knife before disposing of her remains. Her femur bones were found at two separate locations in the city but the rest of her body has not been recovered. Wallace pleaded guilty to murder and attempting to defeat the ends of justice at an earlier court hearing. Judge Lady Rae sentenced Wallace to life imprisonment when he appeared at the High Court in Glasgow on Friday and said he must serve 28 years before he is eligible to apply for parole. She said: "You are, in my view, a dangerous man who has a considerable propensity for violence." Following the sentencing Lynne Bryce, Julie's sister, said on behalf of the family: "Please tell us where Julie is. Let my Mum have her wee girl back. Let her first grandchild have somewhere to go and grieve for Julie. "I hope that if he (Wallace) has a heart he could now please tell us where he put my sister and let her come home to be put to rest properly." She also thanked police for their work in solving the case. The court heard that Wallace moved in with Ms Reilly in December 2017 after splitting up with his girlfriend. Ms Reilly, a mother of four, had suffered a brain injury in 2016 which left her with memory problems and slow reactions. Wallace told a friend she was easy to manipulate and rip-off and in January texted a friend asking "do you know how to assassinate a stalker?" Between 1pm and 2pm on the afternoon of February 7 Wallace met a friend in the street and told him "I've murdered a c***, I need to get rid of a body". Prosecutor Richard Goddard told the court that the following day Wallace told his friend Edward Glover that Ms Reilly had moved away and he moved in with him. Mr Goddard said: "The accused told Glover he'd been out in a friend's car and they had hit a deer and were intending to sell the meat. "On the afternoon of February 10 the accused arrived back at the flat and was dragging a big suitcase from the back into Glover's flat. It seemed to be heavy. The accused said it contained meat from the deer. In fact it contained part of Julie Reilly's body. "At some point in the night the accused left the flat and took the suitcase with him." On 11 February Wallace arrived at another friend's flat with a suitcase which he put in the shower, telling his friend it contained his dirty washing when in fact it contained part of the remains of his victim. Ms Reilly was reported missing in mid-February after she failed to pick up her prescription at the pharmacists, and family members raised concerns. On April 19 a member of the public called police to say he could see what appeared to be a bone with flesh attached to it in his front garden at Ardshiel Road in Govan. It was recovered by officers and DNA testing confirmed it was Ms Reilly's right femur. Mr Goddard told the court that on April 23 another member of the public went to the police station to report finding what appeared to be a burial site containing "fleshy material". The site was excavated and remains were recovered which were confirmed to be Ms Reilly's other femur. A post-mortem examination could not ascertain the cause of death. Forensic scientists examined Ms Reilly's flat in Shieldhall Road and, using a substance called luminol which shows up blood staining, found large areas of blood and drag marks in the property. The court heard that Wallace was convicted of culpable homicide in 1992 and sentenced to ten years in jail and had other previous convictions for violence. Lady Rae asked Ian Duguid QC, representing Wallace, whether his client would co-operate with police to recover the rest of Ms Reilly's names. He said his client was "prepared to entertain an approach from the police" once the court case is over but his client would say nothing further. | James Rodger | https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/midlands-news/convicted-killer-andrew-wallace-who-15804534 | 2019-02-08 21:50:29+00:00 | 1,549,680,629 | 1,567,549,152 | crime, law and justice | crime |
56,351 | birminghammail--2019-02-08--Gay Village serial killer sentenced to life in prison for gruesome murders | 2019-02-08T00:00:00 | birminghammail | Gay Village serial killer sentenced to life in prison for gruesome murders | A Canadian judge has sentenced "warped" serial killer Bruce McArthur to life in prison with no chance of parole for 25 years. McArthur pleaded guilty last week to eight counts of first-degree murder. The 67-year-old former landscaper sexually assaulted, killed and dismembered men he met in Toronto's Gay Village district over seven years. Justice John McMahon called McArthur a sexual predator who killed for his own "warped, sick gratification" and said the victims suffered slow and painful deaths. He called their dismemberments "pure evil", but said the guilty plea spared a jury four months of graphic and gruesome evidence that would have probably required counselling after. Prosecutor Craig Harper had asked for a parole ineligibility period of 50 years, when McArthur would have been 116. The judge said that would have only been symbolic. McArthur will be eligible for parole when he is 91. McArthur - who is pictured in the tweet below - has been in prison since January last year when investigators discovered dismembered remains in planters at home he used as storage for his business. He also staged photos of some of his victims after they died, posing corpses in fur coats and putting cigars in their mouths. McArthur accessed some of the photos long after the killings. The victims fit a pattern: Most were of Middle Eastern or south Asian descent and lived on the margins of Canadian society, and their disappearances attracted little attention. One victim hid the fact that he was gay from his Muslim family, another was a recent immigrant with a drug problem, a third was a refugee who was ordered deported, and another victim was homeless, smoked crack cocaine and worked as a prostitute. Many of Toronto's LGBQT community said for years a serial killer was at work. The prosecution said a frequent site of the killings was McArthur's bedroom and he repeatedly strangled his victims either with his hands or with rope and a metal bar. The killings took place from 2010 to 2017. Criminal experts say it is unusual for someone to become a serial killer later in life, but the prosecution said there is no evidence of earlier murders. | David Bentley | https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/world-news/gay-village-serial-killer-sentenced-15804473 | 2019-02-08 21:02:11+00:00 | 1,549,677,731 | 1,567,549,151 | crime, law and justice | crime |
56,712 | birminghammail--2019-02-13--How receipt in 100-year-old widower Zofija Kaczans bag helped catch killer Artur Waszkiewicz | 2019-02-13T00:00:00 | birminghammail | How receipt in 100-year-old widower Zofija Kaczan's bag helped catch killer Artur Waszkiewicz | A damning fingerprint on a receipt in the handbag of 100-year-old Zofija Kaczan and her killer's drug addiction were key factors in proving his guilt, a chief Crown prosecutor has said. Artur Waszkiewicz told his trial he had been a heroin addict since the age of 18, which the prosecution proved to be his motive for robbing the elderly widow. Addressing Waszkiewicz's previous convictions, Chief Crown Prosecutor for the CPS in the East Midlands, Janine Smith, said: "He did have a propensity for dishonesty. "He had a number of previous convictions and they were primarily for dishonesty, primarily for shop theft." Ms Smith continued: "The thing about this case is if you look at the defendant's behaviour before and after - that is what we could put in front of the jury. "We knew he was trying to borrow money, we knew he was trying to sell his dog - all to go towards drugs. "After the offence he changed his appearance and cancelled the insurance policy on his car. "We would say they help to build a picture which we can put to the jury." Questioned on what she believed led to Waszkiewicz's conviction, Ms Smith said: "I really do believe it is a combination. "His vehicle being in close proximity very shortly before the offence, the fact you can see the brake lights on his car and the fact that you can see his fingerprints on a receipt in the bag. "He is the one who had the motive. He is the one, by his own admission, who had a heroin addiction." Speaking of Waszkiewicz's desperation for drugs, Ms Smith said: "I think it is a clear aggravating feature of the offence and we would say that he has targeted someone who is vulnerable." | James Rodger | https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/midlands-news/how-receipt-100-year-old-15826409 | 2019-02-13 15:56:48+00:00 | 1,550,091,408 | 1,567,548,611 | crime, law and justice | crime |
56,724 | birminghammail--2019-02-13--Murdered schoolgirl Alesha MacPhails dad sold drugs to alleged killer | 2019-02-13T00:00:00 | birminghammail | Murdered schoolgirl Alesha MacPhail's dad 'sold drugs to alleged killer' | The father of murdered six-year-old Alesha MacPhail sold cannabis to the teenager accused of killing her, a court has heard. Robert MacPhail, 26, told the High Court in Glasgow he had done deals with the 16-year-old. The schoolgirl was found dead in woodland in July last year on the Isle of Bute. She had been spending a summer break with her father and grandparents in the house they shared. The accused, who cannot be named because of his age, denies taking her from her bed before raping and murdering her on July 2 last year. Alesha's father identified him in the courtroom and told the jury: "I used to sell him cannabis." Mr MacPhail, who is unemployed, said he had last sold him the drug a few months before Alesha's murder. He said he stopped after the teenager's mother told his partner, Toni McLachlan, to stop. The court heard the deals usually took place at a bus shelter across from his own mother's house in Ardbeg Road, where he then lived along with Ms McLachlan, 18. The pair were in bed on the morning of July 2 when Alesha's grandparents came in to say she was missing, and all four began hunting around the house and outside for the schoolgirl. Mr MacPhail said he had put his daughter to bed the night before with a Peppa Pig DVD. "I told her I would see her in the morning and that was the last time I saw her," he said. Mr MacPhail said his relationship with Alesha's mother Georgina Lochrane in Coatbridge, North Lanarkshire, had broken down months after she was born. He said he saw his daughter every second weekend and during the holidays. Mr MacPhail said his daughter "loved" spending time on his home island, going to the beach and playing at the park. Asked about Alesha's relationship with Ms McLachlan, he said it was "great". "They both loved each other to bits," he said. The 16-year-old accused of Alesha's murder has lodged a special defence blaming Ms McLachlan for her death. He also denies attempting to defeat the ends of justice by disposing of clothing and a knife. Alesha's grandfather Calum MacPhail, 49, described the desperate search after they realised she was not in her bed. He said: "We searched under all the beds, in all the wardrobes to see if she had crawled away somewhere. "There was no sign of her anywhere. I threw some clothes on and went outside." After driving around, looking for Alesha at the park and the putting green, he later saw police had cordoned off an area and was told to go to Rothesay police station with the rest of the family. Visibly distressed, he said: "We were all put into a room and about five minutes later a police officer came in and said 'we found her but she's passed"'. Alesha's grandmother Angela King, 47, had made a call to the police at 6.23am, around 10 minutes after realising she was not in her bed. In the call played to the jury, she continued to check cupboards as she told the handler: "We've looked all through the house and she's nowhere to be seen." Her partner had earlier told the court that the key to the lock on the front door of the top-floor flat was often left in the door during the day to allow family members to come and go. He said: "In Rothesay a lot of people leave their door unlocked." Ms King said the key was still in the door when she went to bed in the early hours of July 2. She said: "The key was in the lock and I'd forgotten to take the key back out of the door." | James Rodger | https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/midlands-news/murdered-schoolgirl-alesha-macphails-dad-15822476 | 2019-02-13 08:04:46+00:00 | 1,550,063,086 | 1,567,548,612 | crime, law and justice | crime |
57,320 | birminghammail--2019-02-22--Police reveal how they caught teen killer who raped 14yr old Viktorija Sokolova | 2019-02-22T00:00:00 | birminghammail | Police reveal how they caught teen killer who raped 14yr old Viktorija Sokolova | Detectives have lifted the lid on how they solved a crime which "shocked" a community. A teenage boy has been given a 19-year sentence today for the rape and murder of 14-year-old Viktorija Sokolova in West Park, Wolverhampton in April last year. The schoolboy, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was just 16 when he arranged to meet Viktorija on the night of Wednesday 11 April after several Facebook Messenger exchanges. The following morning Viktorija’s body was found by a dog walker, semi-naked and bent over a park bench. She had been brutally raped and bludgeoned with a weapon, possibly a hammer, causing massive head injuries and a fractured spine. Detective Inspector Caroline Corfield, from the force’s homicide unit, said: "It was clear that the scene of Viktorija’s attack was a large wooden pavilion near to the boating lake, known locally as the ‘black house’. Her blood-stained baseball cap and earrings were found there and also, horrifically, three of her teeth which points to the violence of the attack. Her body had then been dragged to a bench some 150 metres away, where she was found. "We also found footprints in Viktorija’s blood on the floor in the pavilion, the pattern of which were identified as those of Adidas Gazelle trainers, the same footwear later seen worn by the killer as he walked to and from the park." DI Corfield continued: "The murder of Viktorija shocked the local community and the wider general public, not least because of the ages of those involved. "As many young teens do, Viktorija was testing boundaries and could be wilful, but she was a popular girl and had the love and support of her family and friends. She certainly had her whole life ahead of her, but sadly that was brutally cut short. "I am so proud of everyone who worked incredibly hard on this deeply distressing case. Nothing can compensate for the loss of Viktorija and her family have been put through an unimaginable ordeal. Our thoughts remain with them." A judge at Wolverhampton Crown Court told the teen he must serve at least 19 years in prison before he will be eligible to apply for parole. He was sentenced to an additional 10 years for rape to run concurrently. Following his conviction in December, Viktorija’s mother and stepfather spoke of their loss. They said: "We were a family, now there are only two of us. Viktorija will never be replaced and will always be missed dearly. She will remain in our hearts forever. We will never be given the opportunity to have grandchildren because this has been taken from us." Viktorija had moved to the UK from Lithuania in 2011, and was with friends on the evening of her death when she arranged to meet her killer later that night. Although they advised her not to go, Vikorija assured them he was a friend and left at 10.40pm. Sadly they did not see her alive again. CCTV showed the teenager walk from Bright Street towards the Kingsland Road entrance of West Park. He was seen again, wearing distinctive Adidas trainers, leaving the park around two hours later. Viktorija’s body was found later that morning. | Kelly Ashmore | https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/black-country/police-reveal-how-caught-teen-15874050 | 2019-02-22 16:59:05+00:00 | 1,550,872,745 | 1,567,547,624 | crime, law and justice | crime |
57,855 | birminghammail--2019-03-12--Killer drivers jailed after horror smash leaves cyclist dead | 2019-03-12T00:00:00 | birminghammail | Killer drivers jailed after horror smash leaves cyclist dead | Two motorists who killed a cyclist near Halesowen after driving carelessly have been jailed and banned from getting behind the wheel. Worcester Crown Court heard that Balvinder Sangha, aged 46, and 21-year-old Emily Wilkinson were both arrested after the fatal three-vehicle smash in Bromsgrove Road on Thursday, June 15 in 2017. Father-of-two Ross Fawthrop was cycling past the Swallow's Nest pub when the two cars – Sangha’s Transit van and Wilkinson’s Corsa – collided and crashed with his bike at around 7.40am. The 59-year-old sadly died at the scene, according to medics. Following an eight day trial at Worcester Crown Court, both defendants were found guilty of death by careless driving on Monday, March 11. Sangha - of Romsley, Halesowen - was sentenced to twelve months in prison with a three-year driving ban and Wilkinson - of Hagley, Stourbridge - was sentenced to six months in prison and a two-year driving disqualification. Investigating officer, PC Dan Barker, from West Mercia Police said: "This was a tragic incident to investigate, and our thoughts go out to David's family at this time. "West Mercia Police is committed to improving road safety and keeping the roads safe for everyone, and we will investigate those who drive without the due care and attention required, to ensure that every effort is made to bring offenders to justice." | Jordan Coussins | https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/black-country/killer-drivers-jailed-after-horror-15960602 | 2019-03-12 11:42:39+00:00 | 1,552,405,359 | 1,567,546,521 | crime, law and justice | crime |
58,808 | birminghammail--2019-03-21--Birmingham psychologist reveals truth behind Alesha MacPhails killer Aaron Campbell | 2019-03-21T00:00:00 | birminghammail | Birmingham psychologist reveals truth behind Alesha MacPhail's killer Aaron Campbell | A Birmingham psychologist has revealed her thoughts on convicted murderer Aaron Campbell. The 16-year-old was sentenced to at least 27 years in jail by a judge at Glasgow High Court this morning. During sentencing Lord Matthews said Campbell showed a "staggering lack of emotion" and that he did not see "one flicker of emotion" from him during the nine-day trial last month, after which a jury found him unanimously guilty. He described Campbell as a "cold, callous, calculating, remorseless and dangerous individual". Now Professor Elizabeth Yardley, a Professor of Criminology and Director of the Centre for Applied Criminology at Birmingham City University, has told the Mirror that this wasn't a "random" incident where Campbell "snapped". She said Alesha's murder was "one of the most awful cases I've come across". "If you look at the extent of violence that was used, she had 117 injuries, this was not the case of a normal, healthy individual one day turned into a homicidal child-killer the next," she explains. "This is somebody who would have had an extensive history of problematic behaviour. This is someone who really values violence and enjoys hurting other people. "I think one of the most disturbing things to me was how calm he was afterwards." CCTV footage from Campbell's mother's own security system provided evidence which helped detectives catch the killer. His mother had contacted police herself, hoping the footage would eliminate her son from the investigation. Prof Yardley added: "You've got this CCTV of him just sauntering home so he doesn't appear to have an emotional reaction to it. He appears to be emotionally empty and he's got this lack of remorse. "Most of the offenders I work with who've been convicted of manslaughter and murder can't function at all because they're so abhorred by the harm they've caused. They can't behave in a normal way at all, and so for Campbell to react in that way suggests some psychopathic tendencies to me. "Another key thing that comes through for me is that Alesha was a girl. That's a really significant thing here and that the attack involved sexual violence - that tells us about his views about women and girls, who they are and how they should behave. "It's inherently misogynistic. One of the most common things we see in cases of femicide is strangulation and that's what we've got here." A post-mortem found Alesha died of "pressure to the face and neck". After Campbell was found guilty and Lord Matthews lifted the anonymity order, it emerged that the 16-year-old had a fascination with the Slenderman character and violent video games. But Prof Yardley doesn't believe the the gruesome character would not have compelled him to carry out the awful attack - instead she argues he would have been drawn to Slenderman because it reinforced his views. "I always say these things cause people to commit these acts of violence, people are watching this kind of stuff but they support the views and values that they already have," she explains. "It isn't something that triggers this kind of thing." She also doesn't agree with calling him "evil", rather he's a person who "decided to do an evil thing". "Given how sustained the attack was and the number of injuries that she had - that's 117 decisions to keep inflicting harm on somebody. "This is someone who knows exactly what they're doing, they know what they're doing is wrong and they just choose to do it anyway." Ms Yardley has worked with countless offenders and says this level of violence is usually something they take "years to work up to". "For somebody who is a teenager to be doing this kind of thing is really rare, thankfully, but when it does happen, it's horrendous." Neighbours claim this wasn't his first act of violence, although none of the stories have been corroborated, but stories have been making their rounds on the island about him previously nearly drowning a young girl at a leisure centre pool when he was a young child. He's also said to have slaughtered and skinned cats in his younger teens, apparently burying two feline corpses in his garden. And one neighbour claimed Campbell had become a local nuisance on Bute and was once caught trying to set fire to buildings. Prof Yardley said: "I'd argue that people don't just snap, that's not a thing. "In order to perpetrate something this horrendously violent, you need to value violence and that comes from a messy combination of nature and nurture. I'd say it's what they observe in the world around them growing up is quite an important factor in leading to this kind of thing. "All the violent men I work with have some kind of horrendous abuse, or neglect, or trauma in their early lives. "They feel that during their time as children, they didn't have a lot of control and that develops into an intense need to be in control as adolescents and adults. And for some people that can mean harming other people. "This is a young man who wants to call all the shots, he wants everything his way." A psychological evaluation carried out on July 9 and 10 last year highlighted no issues to suggest he was not of sound mind when he murdered Alesha. At a hearing after the trial ended it emerged the teenager had a history of self harm, anxiety and depression, and has been tested for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. The murder trial heard about the teenager's social media activity after Alesha was murdered, including a Snapchat video in which Campbell looked into a mirror and said: “Found the guy who’s done it." The court also heard how he had spoken to a friend about killing someone for the "life experience". Prof Yardey argues that he will have loved the attention after the anonymity order was lifted and will embrace his new-found notoriety. "There's quite a sense of narcissism about him that he's enjoying the attention," she said. "When the anonymity order was lifted I thought, 'he's going to be quite liking this'. "It's Alesha's name we should be remembering from this case and not his. "He's going to enjoy people talking about him, having his name and picture out there in the papers and he'll really enjoy the fact that people are trying to figure out what drove him to do this. "But he's not going to have an easy time in prison at all...child killers are right at the bottom of the pecking order. He's going to have one eye open all of the time." The Professor believes he'd have killed again if he'd not been apprehended for Alesha's murder but she does think he can be rehabilitated, if he accepts responsibility for the harm he has caused. When you look at the level of harm he's inflicted and the fact that he enjoy doing that, I think the only thing that saved potential future victims is that he's a very inexperienced offender. "He was incredibly disorganised, he wasn't forensically aware enough to try and cover his tracks. This was someone who was capable of more harm and he still is now. "Everybody is capable of change. I've seen examples of that happen but in order for somebody to change their behaviour, they need to acknowledge that what they've done and accept responsibility for it. "I've worked with people convicted of murder, manslaughter, armed robbery and during their time in prison they have decided 'I don't want to be this person anymore'. And it can take years and years and years but they have got there in the end." "It's so disturbing to think that someone of that age can consciously decide to cause that amount of harm but that's what we've got in this case and we really need to understand where that came from in order to prevent this happening again. "He certainly wasn't an innocent little boy one minutes and then played a violent video game and turned into a killer." | Katie Brooks | https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/midlands-news/birmingham-psychologist-reveals-truth-behind-16008069 | 2019-03-21 13:50:23+00:00 | 1,553,190,623 | 1,567,545,314 | crime, law and justice | crime |
59,228 | birminghammail--2019-03-25--Vigilante Ieuan Harley jailed over David Gaut murder after stabbing baby killer 176 times | 2019-03-25T00:00:00 | birminghammail | Vigilante Ieuan Harley jailed over David Gaut murder after stabbing baby killer 176 times | A vigilante who murdered a child killer, brutally stabbing him 176 times, has been jailed. Ieuan Harley, 23, murdered David Gaut after discovering he had been jailed for killing a 15-month-old boy in 1985. Gaut was stabbed to death in August last year in New Tredegar, South Wales. Harley, who was convicted of murder after a trial in February, was sentenced to life in prison on Monday with a minimum term of 24 years, WalesOnline reports. In February, a jury found Mr Gaut's neighbour David Osborne, 51, not guilty of murder or manslaughter after he was accused of taking part in the killing. Harley and Darran Evesham, 47, were also found guilty of perverting the course of justice, a charge Osborne had admitted before the trial, after attempting to dispose of evidence of the killing. During the trial, Newport Crown Court heard Mr Gaut was killed on the night of August 2 last year after his neighbours in Long Row, New Tredegar, discovered he had served 32 years in jail for killing toddler Chi Ming Shek in 1985. Prosecutors alleged he was lured to neighbour Osborne's flat before being attacked with at least two knives, before being stabbed at least 150 times while he was still alive and another 26 times after his death, and his fingernails were also cut off. At least one knife was said to have been used to kill Mr Gaut and a screwdriver was later used to stab his dead body, leaving him with injuries that were so gruesome pictures were deliberately kept away from the jury. The murder weapon had been thrust into Mr Gaut with such force that part of it was found broken off in his sternum. A Peugeot car was set on fire hours after the killing, which Evesham later told a BBC reporter had contained bloodied sheets from the killing, which he claimed had been committed by "three spice addicts". Police later recovered heavily blood-stained clothing from a riverbank close to where Osborne and Evesham were caught on CCTV walking. Bloodied towels and sheets were found inside a black Sports Direct bag and nearby was a B&M Bargains bag which contained blood-stained underwear, socks, a white T-shirt and grey Everlast tracksuit bottoms. Mr Gaut had moved into his block of flats six weeks before his death, telling neighbours he had been released from prison after serving 33 years for killing a soldier. But neighbour Kyle Alford and his partner Samantha Jenkins discovered he was a convicted child killer after finding his name on the Black Kalendar website, which lists British murders. The pair told other residents at the block of flats including Osborne and Harley, who was homeless and staying at Osborne's flat. Mr Alford recalled one conversation he had with Mr Gaut before he died, where he joked about not liking Chinese takeaways, but would order a "Chi Ming Shek", the name of the toddler he killed. Mr Alford said Harley was "shocked and angry" when he showed him the website, and Harley said he wanted to "cut (Gaut) up and put him down the plughole", before telling Osborne: "Let's get him in here to set him up." Osborne said Mr Gaut came to his flat on the night of his death, but said he was in his kitchen when he heard Mr Gaut screaming for help as Harley attacked him. Osborne said he entered his lounge to find Harley holding a bloodied knife in his hand and standing over Mr Gaut's body. Osborne said he asked Harley: "What the hell have you done in my flat?", to which Harley replied: "Don't worry, we'll clean it all up", before continuing to prod the body. Osborne said he and Harley moved Mr Gaut's body to his passageway and used bleach to clean up blood, and about 30 minutes later they were joined by Evesham, who arrived "drunk" and carried on drinking at the flat. The three men were said to have carried Mr Gaut's body back to his flat with socks on their hands and also attempted to clean up Osborne's home, dispose of bloodied clothing and set fire to a car to destroy incriminating evidence. Harley denied murder and said he had been asleep in another room when Mr Gaut was killed, while Evesham, who was cleared of murder earlier in the trial, denied helping to get rid of evidence and moving Mr Gaut's body. The jury at Newport Crown Court took over five hours to return their verdicts following a three-week trial. Mr Justice Lewis remanded Harley, of no fixed address, Osborne, of Long Row, Elliots Town, and Evesham, from Powell's Terrace, New Tredegar, in custody ahead of sentencing on March 25. | James Rodger | https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/midlands-news/vigilante-ieuan-harley-jailed-over-16024096 | 2019-03-25 13:46:31+00:00 | 1,553,535,991 | 1,567,544,897 | crime, law and justice | crime |
60,448 | birminghammail--2019-04-10--Speedboat killer Jack Shepherd touches down in London after extradition following months on the run | 2019-04-10T00:00:00 | birminghammail | Speedboat killer Jack Shepherd touches down in London after extradition following months on the run | Speedboat killer Jack Shepherd has touched down in London after 10 months on the run. The 31-year-old told reporters on a Georgian Airways flight as he was extradited from Tbilisi that he acted on "emotion and fear" when he fled the UK and now wants to "make amends". He arrived at London Gatwick on Wednesday evening and will appear at the Old Bailey in the morning, the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) said. Angela Deal, head of extradition at the CPS said: "Jack Shepherd has returned to the UK to face justice following close co-operation between the CPS extradition unit, UK colleagues and the Georgian authorities, to ensure a successful extradition. "He will first appear at the Old Bailey to be sentenced for the gross negligence manslaughter conviction in connection with the death of Charlotte Brown, and then at a later date in the South West over the grievous bodily harm charge." Pictures released by the Special Penitentiary Service of Georgia earlier on Wednesday showed a handcuffed Shepherd being led by two uniformed officers into a secure cell in the back of a van. He was believed to have been transferred to Metropolitan Police officers at Tbilisi International Airport and boarded a plane to Gatwick. He was sentenced in his absence last year to six years in prison over the death of 24-year-old Charlotte Brown. She died after the pair went for a late-night speedboat ride down the River Thames in December 2015. Shepherd told reporters on the plane that he and his family have received threats as a result of "misplaced" animosity caused by the media's misreporting of certain aspects of the case. Wearing an open-collared shirt, Shepherd said: "There really have been some complete untruths, in particular this idea that I let her drown, that I did nothing to help her, this could not be further from the truth." Asked why he did not stay to defend himself in court, he said: "I wasn't thinking at the time, I was acting on emotion and fear and I made a mistake. "But now I'm trying to make amends." Shepherd added that he regretted not speaking to Ms Brown's family sooner, calling it his "second biggest mistake" after taking out the boat that night. A jury found Shepherd guilty of manslaughter by gross negligence in his absence after he skipped bail last summer. The web designer's trial heard that he had been drinking champagne on a first date with Ms Brown when they went on the speedboat ride. His 14ft Fletcher Arrowflyte boat had a series of defects and was speeding when it overturned near Wandsworth Bridge, throwing Ms Brown to her death in the water. Shepherd, originally from Exeter, was plucked from the cold river. He made his last appearance before the Old Bailey in November 2017 to deny manslaughter. It was at the start of his trial last June that it emerged he would not attend court but he remained in regular contact with his defence team who pushed on without him. The jury found him guilty and Judge Richard Marks QC sentenced him in absentia. Shepherd told reporters he now felt "ready to face" prison and had "come to terms" with spending time behind bars. He added that he felt responsible for Ms Brown's death "in part" but "not to the degree of manslaughter". Shepherd will be returned before the judge from 9.30am on Thursday for the execution of a bench warrant. Then his prison sentence awaits. He could also face extra jail time for absconding but it is not yet known when a judge may add to his sentence. Shepherd was granted permission to appeal against the conviction in December and surrendered to authorities in Tbilisi the following month. The family of Ms Brown, from Clacton-on-Sea, Essex, had publicly campaigned for Shepherd to hand himself in. Her father Graham Brown told ITV after Shepherd agreed to extradition last month that he had a weak case and "no choice" but to return. Shepherd also faces a grievous bodily harm charge over an alleged assault in Devon on March 16 last year. | James Rodger | https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/midlands-news/speedboat-killer-jack-shepherd-touches-16111577 | 2019-04-10 21:01:34+00:00 | 1,554,944,494 | 1,567,543,268 | crime, law and justice | crime |
60,553 | birminghammail--2019-04-11--Speedboat killer Jack Shepherd pleads guilty as he comes face to face with victims family in court | 2019-04-11T00:00:00 | birminghammail | Speedboat killer Jack Shepherd pleads guilty as he comes face to face with victim's family in court | Speedboat killer Jack Shepherd has come face-to-face with his victim's parents in court after being extradited from Georgia. The 31-year-old web developer admitted breaching bail and absconding as he was brought before the Old Bailey for the first time since he ran away to avoid his trial for the manslaughter of Charlotte Brown. He touched down at Gatwick airport on Wednesday night after he handed himself in at Tblisi. Shepherd, 31, appeared in the dock wearing a dark suit, light shirt and no tie, flanked by two guards. He last appeared at the Old Bailey in November 2017, when he denied manslaughter. Ms Brown's parents and both sisters sat to the side of the court with a clear view of Shepherd. Last year, Shepherd was found guilty in his absence of Ms Brown's manslaughter in a speedboat accident on the Thames and sentenced to six years in jail. Afterwards, the 24-year-old victim's devastated parents Graham Brown and Roz Wickens expressed their anger at his failure to face the consequences, having attended every day of his trial. After 10 months on the run, Shepherd, originally from Exeter, was brought before trial judge Richard Marks QC for the execution of a bench warrant for breaching bail. His Old Bailey trial last June was told that Shepherd was responsible for his speedboat, which had a series of serious defects, including to its steering. Jurors heard how he and Ms Brown had been drinking champagne and went on a late night high speed jaunt in his boat past the Houses of Parliament on their first date in December 2015. Shepherd had handed the controls to Ms Brown just before it capsized, tipping both of them into the cold water, the court was told. The defendant was plucked from the Thames alive, but his date was killed. As he returned to Britain on Wednesday night, Shepherd said he had acted on "emotion and fear" when he fled the UK and now wants to "make amends". Home Secretary Sajid Javid thanked the Georgian authorities for their assistance on Twitter, adding: "Charlotte Brown's family have endured immeasurable pain & are now one step closer to getting the justice they deserve." | James Rodger | https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/midlands-news/speedboat-killer-jack-shepherd-pleads-16112439 | 2019-04-11 09:01:20+00:00 | 1,554,987,680 | 1,567,543,135 | crime, law and justice | crime |
60,709 | birminghammail--2019-04-16--Killer Birmingham driver Connor McCaugherty jailed for further 20 months after BITING prison officer | 2019-04-16T00:00:00 | birminghammail | Killer Birmingham driver Connor McCaugherty jailed for further 20 months after BITING prison officer | Killer Birmingham driver Connor McCaugherty has been jailed for a further 20 months after TWICE biting a prison officer. The inmate has been barred from meeting inmates after he spat at another officer at a Midlands prison. The 28-year-old is currently serving his term at Lowdham Grange in Nottingham. McCaugherty was jailed for 10 years for causing death by dangerous driving in Birmingham in 2011. Career criminal McCaugherty ploughed into father-of-three Dil Bahadur Subedi after leading cops on a six-mile chase through some of Birmingham’s busiest roads. McCaugherty had also switched off the lights on the Ford Mondeo and jumped a red light. He fled the crash scene and torched the car in Rubery in a bid to cover his tracks. Birmingham Crown Court later heard he was clocked at 110mph on the Aston Expressway and was doing 90mph when he hit Mr Subedi, who had just finished work and was his family’s main breadwinner . The new sentence will be served at the end of the term imposed for the driving death. NottinghamshireLive reports Luc Chignell, prosecuting, said the first prison assault took place on May 19 last year when he was told to go into his cell. Officers tried to restrain him when one felt a sharp pain to the ribs. He discovered he had been bitten. "He was trying to regain control by grabbing this man and was then bitten on the right hand. It was a nasty bite," said Mr Chignell. He was taken to the Queen's Medical Centre for treatment to the two bites. The officer needed injections and antibiotics because of concerns he may have caught hepatitis B through the wounds. The second incident took place in the same prison on July 6. Mr Chignell told the court: "The defendant was being kept away from the general population under prison rule 45. "The officer went to his cell to advise him that he would not be allowed out. "The defendant tried to defy him and tried to leave." The officer ended up in a headlock and had to be released by colleagues. McCaughtery then spat at him. The officer needed two days off duty because of concussion and said he was nervous about returning to the prison. McCaughtery had denied assaulting the first officer causing actual bodily harm but was found guilty by magistrates. He admitted the second charge of common assault. Will Bennett, mitigating, told the court McCaughtery suffers from symptoms similar to post-traumatic stress disorder. "This is as a result of the fact that he caused the death of a pedestrian in a police chase. "The PTSD arises from that incident." McCaughtery was driving a green Ford Mondeo when he struck the victim. The car was later burnt out with a witness claiming the driver walked away laughing. Homeless McCaugherty admitted causing death by dangerous driving and trying to pervert justice by setting light to the car. When sentenced for the road death at Birmingham Crown Court, Judge Mark Wall QC told him: "You killed Mr Subedi whilst you were on bail and subject to a suspended sentence. "You drove at more than 100mph, on the wrong side of the carriageway, across pedestrian crossings and for a protracted period with your lights off. "In terror, Mr Subedi jumped one way and his friend jumped the other. You showed a total disregard for the safety of others who were in great danger because of your actions." | Rod Malcolm, James Rodger | https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/midlands-news/killer-birmingham-driver-connor-mccaugherty-16134581 | 2019-04-16 08:21:16+00:00 | 1,555,417,276 | 1,567,542,778 | crime, law and justice | crime |
61,049 | birminghammail--2019-04-20--Ruthless killer jailed over shocking drug dealer murder is Birmingham YouTube rap star Lemz | 2019-04-20T00:00:00 | birminghammail | Ruthless killer jailed over shocking drug dealer murder is Birmingham YouTube rap star Lemz | A ruthless killer who knifed and beat to death a drug dealer in a shocking murder is a Birmingham YouTube rap star. CCTV footage captured the moment five hooded gangsters entered Przemsyslaw Golimowski's flat before murdering him in a brutal revenge killing. One of the men convicted of his murder is 31-year-old Sparkhill drug dealer Taleb Hussain. The 31-year-old, from Park Road, has been unmasked as a YouTube rap star who goes by the name of Lemz. His video to his song On My Own has been more than 733,000 views on You Tube. In the video which is filmed in Birmingham the blinged-up rapper is seen buying clothes from Selfridges and seen posing next to a £60,000 gold coloured BMW M4. He is then seen walking out of a prison door as the video pans to the sign saying Welcome to HMP Birmingham. The lyrics to his rap include: "Most my friends still behind the door so I gotta go with the flow, never let them down 'cus I felt it, now the writings on the wall like a felt tip, I've got to be the next one to blow, if I don't, f*** it, I'mma still invest into dope." it has also been revealed that Hussain was jailed back in 2012 as part of Operation Stalham, a long running operation in Bedford aimed at street dealers which saw nineteen people charged with drugs supply and firearms offences, resulting in total prison sentences of 54 years. Hussain, whio was 24 at the time, had been running a drug dealing gang from Bedford. When arrested, he threw a loaded handgun from the front window of his house in Adelaide Square, along with another parcel containing heroin and cocaine worth £20,000. Police discovered £6000 cash in the house. The CCTV footage taken just before Golimowski's murder shows Hussain pacing towards the Bedford home in the dead of night. Hussain was later arrested in Birmingham after his bloodied palm print was found staining the stair banister in the victim's block. Przemsyslaw, 30, was asleep in bed with his partner when the five intruders broke into his flat last September. Hussain, 31, along with Damien Rooney, 25, Delpierro Mothersill, 20, Philip Mendy, 23, and Jamal Jeng, 21, then began attacking him with a knife and golf club. Their victim fled to a neighbour's flat in a desperate bid to escape, but collapsed from his injuries. He was pronounced dead at the scene. The killing followed a dispute between rivalling drug dealers who were all linked to the supply of drugs. A day before the murder, Mothersill - a known drug runner for Hussain and Rooney - was attacked and robbed by Golimowski and another man. He was injured with a pool cue during the assault at another address in Bedford. Later, police suggested that Golimowski was a drug dealer himself and had been behind a number of robberies from rival dealers. Officers were able to track down Golimowski's five killers from the blood trail left by Jeng - who was stabbed in his leg during the killing. CCTV and analysis of mobile phone activity placed Jeng and the other four together in the run up to the attack. Earlier in the day, CCTV from Bicester Shopping Village clearly showed Hussain, Jeng and Mendy together at the site before heading back to Bedford. Hussain, Rooney, Jeng, Mendy and Mothersill were captured together by CCTV at Wodka Live in St Paul’s Square less than two hours before the attack. Automatic number plate recognition also captured a vehicle linked to Hussain driving around the town on multiple occasions. As they entered Golimowski’s address through Duck Mill Lane, CCTV above captured five men matching the descriptions and clothing of the five men when they were caught on CCTV at Wodka Live. The same camera also caught Hussain, Rooney, Mendy and Mothersill as they fled from the scene. Hussain’s palm print was also found on the bannister leading up to the entrance to Golimowski’s flat. Hussain, Rooney, of Wixams and Mothersill of Bedford, were convicted of murder at Luton Crown Court on Monday (April 15). Each were jailed for life - and ordered to serve a minimum of 26 years. Mendy, from Bedford, and Jeng, from Clapham, were convicted of manslaughter and sentenced to 12 years each in prison. Lenz isn't the first Birmingham rapper to be jailed. Last November Maher Ali, a YouTube rapper known as Young Smokes, an artist who bragged about drugs, cash, guns and girls was jailed. He received a two-year sentence after cops stopped the 21-year-old in a dead-end street in Digbeth, only to find a stolen Beretta shotgun in the back of his VW Golf. Officers also later found three machetes hidden under Ali's bed in Vaughton Street, Highgate. in March last year fellow grime star Cameron Wright - known as Killa Kam was locked up after leading an evil drugs ring which saw Class A drugs supplied on a huge scale. The 28-year-old, from Sparkhill, provided over 100 customers with heroin and cocaine as he acted as king pin for the large-scale drugs operation in Cheltenham. Known as Killa Kam on Birmingham's rap scene, Wright can be seen flicking through wads of cash while singing about "getting paid" and "shifting gear on the space streets" in one of his music videos. Birmingham rappers still serving time also include Reial Phillips, AKA Lynch, who was caged for 27 years over a series of gangland shootings. | Andy Richardson | https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/midlands-news/ruthless-killer-jailed-over-shocking-16142071 | 2019-04-20 04:30:00+00:00 | 1,555,749,000 | 1,567,542,296 | crime, law and justice | crime |
61,458 | birminghammail--2019-04-30--Lee Rigby killer Michael Adebowale wants to serve out sentence in Nigeria jail despite being born i | 2019-04-30T00:00:00 | birminghammail | Lee Rigby killer Michael Adebowale 'wants to serve out sentence in Nigeria jail despite being born in UK' | Lee Rigby killer Michael Adebowale "wants to serve out sentence in a Nigeria jail", it has been claimed. The brazen desire from the savage terrorist comes despite him being born in the UK. Radical Michael Adebolajo and accomplice Adebowale spotted Lee wearing a Help for Heroes hoodie and mowed him down in their car. They then jumped out and attacked him with knives and a meat cleaver, near the Royal Artillery Barracks in Woolwich on May 22, 2013. 37-year-old Adebowale is currently in HMP Wakefield. He has even written to immigration experts asking for their advice. "It's stuffed full of lags who see him as a top target. "He thinks he can spend the rest of his sentence in Africa." Mr Rigby's mother Lynn reacted to the news, branding it an insult to her son. She fumed: "This is a disgrace and an insult to Lee. "I'm sure he doesn't like Wakefield Prison but he has the luxury of being alive unlike my son who he stole from me. "He should serve his sentence here and not try to exploit the law for a cushier life." Last year it was reported Lee's evil killer Adebolajo has finally admitted he is "sorry" and told of his regret at taking the innocent soldier's life. Adebolajo has admitted his remorse in a dramatic u-turn after five years in jail - and plans on penning a letter of apology to Lee's family. The former Christian claims he "misinterpreted" the holy Quran and no longer wants to be known by his Islamic name, Mujahid Abu Hamza. Adebolajo tried to behead the fusilier with a knife and spouted Islamic hatred as his innocent victim lay dying in the street. With his hands covered in blood, he told witnesses to call the police, adding: "The only reason we have killed this man today is because Muslims are dying daily by British soldiers. "And this British soldier is one. It is an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth. "Through many passages in the Koran, we must fight them as they fight us." But after a stint at Belmarsh, Frankland and Wakefield jails, where staff moved him around to prevent him from influencing others, Adebolajo claims he "feels guilty." A source told the Sun on Sunday that it was the first time he had ever wavered from his beliefs, making his confession "remarkable." They added: "A month ago he approached a fellow inmate and member of prison pastoral staff to say he finally regretted the murder. “He told them he acknowledged for the first time he had taken an innocent life. “He even admitted he misinterpreted the Koran in trying to justify his horrific actions. It’s an astonishing rejection of his extremist beliefs.” He also told prisoners he now rejects his extremist views, admitting he was "brainwashed" and the attack was "misguided." | James Rodger | https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/midlands-news/lee-rigby-killer-michael-adebowale-16200710 | 2019-04-30 08:52:07+00:00 | 1,556,628,727 | 1,567,541,590 | crime, law and justice | crime |
61,951 | birminghammail--2019-05-08--Cold-blooded killers fled to Birmingham after JD Sports trip and Michael Caine movie | 2019-05-08T00:00:00 | birminghammail | 'Cold-blooded' killers fled to Birmingham after JD Sports trip and Michael Caine movie | Two men who calmly shot a man dead in "cold blood" before watching a Michael Caine crime film have been found guilty of murder. Hashim Abdalla Ali, 22, was hit in the chest while sitting in the passenger seat of a car outside his father's flat in Hayes, west London. The driver attempted to take the victim to hospital, but crashed en route while trying to overtake traffic, the Old Bailey heard. A doctor flew in by air ambulance and performed open heart surgery at the scene, but the victim was pronounced dead shortly after. Juskiran Sidhu, 28, and Babatunde Philip Fashakin, 26, walked away from the scene on Central Avenue, before buying new outfits at JD Sports and watching true crime film King Of Thieves at a cinema, it was claimed. An Old Bailey jury found both men guilty of murder and they were remanded into custody to be sentenced next Tuesday. Prosecutor Crispin Aylett QC told jurors the motive for the "cold blooded" killing was not known, or whether the real target was the victim or the driver of the car. He told how, on the afternoon of October 11 last year, shocked witnesses heard a loud bang as the victim was shot before the killers walked away. Afterwards, Sidhu and Fashakin travelled to a JD Sports in Staines in Surrey where they bought new outfits, dumped their old clothes in a bin then headed to the cinema. Sidhu, of Hayes, was arrested in Birmingham nearly three weeks later on October 30, in a hotel room booked under a false name. Fashakin, of Rothwell, Northamptonshire, was arrested at Aston University student accommodation in Birmingham on November 6. | James Rodger | https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/midlands-news/cold-blooded-killers-fled-birmingham-16245856 | 2019-05-08 16:24:51+00:00 | 1,557,347,091 | 1,567,540,847 | crime, law and justice | crime |
62,105 | birminghammail--2019-05-15--Thats justice bro - killers who shot man in car amid drugs feud FIGHT in dock as theyre jailed f | 2019-05-15T00:00:00 | birminghammail | 'That's justice bro' - killers who shot man in car amid drugs feud FIGHT in dock as they're jailed for life | Two killers arrested in Birmingham fought in the dock after they were jailed for life for the cold-blooded murder of a car passenger who was shot in the heart. Babatunde Fashakin lunged at Juskiran Sidhu and shouted: "You are a coward" in astonishing scenes at the Old Bailey . Fashakin repeatedly punched his fellow killer in the face before he was restrained by security guards. A member of the public could be heard saying: "That's justice bro." It happened after both were jailed for life and told they would serve at least 30 years. The killers were both convicted of murdering 22-year-old Hashim Ali over a drugs feud following a trial, MyLondon reported . He was shot dead as he sat in a friend's Mercedes C300 in Hayes, West London. Fashakin, 26, went for Sidhu, 26, after they were sentenced. Judge Nigel Lickley QC concluded that Hashim was shot as part of an "ongoing feud" which was "undoubtedly based on drug dealing" . He said the crime was made more serious as he was shot in public, "in broad daylight" and close to the busy Uxbridge Road. The judge said the pair would have decided to carry out the "assassination" very quickly after seeing the car containing Hashim, estimating it was "less than 50 seconds". He told them: "You walked with purpose, with your hoods up. He was unable to defend himself, trapped by his position in the car. You ambushed him and shot him in a ruthless and brutal act of violence." The judge concluded Sidhu was the gunman after video footage showed him "overtake Fashakin" so he was the first to reach the car. Sidhu was also the first to dispose of his clothes after the murder, which Judge Lickley said "could only have been because [he] believed the clothes were contaminated" by evidence of gunfire. Fashakin removed his clothes later and the pair bought matching tracksuits and went to the cinema to hide. The judge described how Sidhu re-enacted his crime in front of friends, in the proximity of members of the public, and that Fashakin was unmoved. Judge Lickley said: "You showed no emotion or sign of anxiety. When Sidhu demonstrated the shooting to a friend, you did not react because you knew precisely what had happened." The judge therefore concluded that, though he did not fire the gun, Fashakin was "party to the agreement to shoot and kill" as the pair "worked as a team". He also determined, from the fact that neither man has "any means of supporting their life", that they were "part of an organised drug operation" and that this was a "dispute between criminal organisations which spilled on to the streets of London". Both men were on the run until they were arrested in Birmingham. Sidhu was arrested on October 13 at a hotel, whereas Fashakin was arrested at student accommodation on November 6. He read out a long list of previous convictions for both men, who had both been offending since their teenage years. Sidhu had previously been convicted of offences including dangerous driving, possession of heroin with intent to supply and conspiracy to produce a class B drug. Fashakin, meanwhile, had previously committed drug offences, attempted robbery, possession of an offensive weapon and the theft of £10,000 in cash. | Vicky Munro | https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/midlands-news/thats-justice-bro-killers-who-16277517 | 2019-05-15 09:03:25+00:00 | 1,557,925,405 | 1,567,540,547 | crime, law and justice | crime |
62,340 | birminghammail--2019-05-28--Convicted killer threatened to rape woman before murdering nail technician mum-of-two | 2019-05-28T00:00:00 | birminghammail | Convicted killer 'threatened to rape woman before murdering nail technician mum-of-two' | A convicted killer threatened to attack and rape a woman about a month before he murdered a "beautiful" Vietnamese mother-of-two, an inquest has heard. Nail technician Quyen Ngoc Nguyen was murdered by Stephen Unwin and William McFall on August 15 2017 before being dumped in her own car and set alight on Shiney Row, near Sunderland. The pair, who were convicted of the 28-year-old's murder and sentenced to full-life terms in April last year, had previously committed separate murders and met while in prison for those offences. They met Ms Ngoc Nguyen while working as handymen on several flats she was renting out, their trial at Newcastle Crown Court heard. An inquest into her death started on Tuesday at Sunderland Coroners' Court after coroner Derek Winter decided it was necessary to look into whether the police and probation service missed opportunities to prevent the murder. For the latest on trials and court cases from across Birmingham and the West Midlands, join BirminghamLive's Court Facebook group . The court heard that Unwin, of Houghton-le-Spring, Sunderland, was released from jail on licence on December 20 2012, with Northumbria Police receiving 26 "items of intelligence" between his release date and the murder of Ms Ngoc Nguyen. Detective Inspector Edward Small told the court one of those items related to a complaint from a woman that, on July 2 2017, Unwin had sent her a Facebook audio message threatening to "smash her jaw in" and take turns with another man to rape her. The court heard that the complainant in that incident had mentioned to officers over the phone that Unwin had served prison time for murder. The officer who looked into the complainant's report the following day, Pc Sarah Strong, told the inquest she "can't remember" whether she was aware the alleged offender was a convicted murderer at the time. Pc Strong said it was probable that she would have only briefly read the force's report on Unwin before speaking with the complainant on July 3 2017, due to the time pressure caused by having to investigate numerous cases on a day-to-day basis. She told the inquest the alleged victim had not taken the complaint any further, and the investigation effectively ended then. Asked whether an alleged threat from a convicted murderer should have prompted more action, Pc Strong said: "Unfortunately these types of threats are not uncommon and are the kind of things that people do say on Facebook." Mr Small said a change in how the force logged "flags", meaning relevant intelligence, regarding prisoners out on licence would have meant that incidents like Unwin's alleged threat were not automatically passed to probation services. From 2013 the force operated a system where flags on an on-licence offender's record would be passed to probation officers through the force's Multi-Agency Public Protection Arrangements (Mappa). But he said that, in a bid to reduce workload, from April 24 2015 warnings about an offender's behaviour would have to be reported to probation officers through a police officer at their own discretion. Mr Small said that, in December last year, Northumbria Police introduced a system whereby flags against an offender would be passed to a "multi-agency safeguarding hub", as well as to probation services through the investigating officer. Detective Chief Inspector Lisa Laverick told the inquest that, despite the change in 2015, a message on Unwin's report incorrectly said that flags would be passed on to probation through Mappa. Discussing the scope of the inquest, which is expected to last nine days, the coroner said he will consider whether the killers' levels of risk were properly assessed. He said witnesses will also be questioned on whether information relevant to a "potential recall" of the men before Ms Ngoc Nguyen's death was brought to the attention of the relevant parties. | James Rodger | https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/midlands-news/convicted-killer-threatened-rape-woman-16345129 | 2019-05-28 20:13:16+00:00 | 1,559,088,796 | 1,567,539,941 | crime, law and justice | crime |
62,493 | birminghammail--2019-05-29--Police still hunting killer of Keelan Wilson 15 despite arresting NINE people | 2019-05-29T00:00:00 | birminghammail | Police still hunting killer of Keelan Wilson, 15, despite arresting NINE people | Twelve months on from the tragic death of a Wolverhampton schoolboy the police manhunt for the killer continues. Detectives investigating the murder of Keelan Wilson have launched a fresh plea for information a year on from his death. The 15-year-old was discovered with fatal stab wounds following reports of disorder in Langley Road, Merry Hill, at around 11pm on May 29, last year. West Midlands Police issued a statement on the anniversary of the murder to say detectives continue to work on the case in the pursuit of Keelan's killer or killers. So far, nine teenagers have been arrested in connection with his murder and released under investigation as enquiries continue. Officers are now re-appealing, on the 12-month anniversary of his sad death, for anyone with information to come forward. Detective Chief Inspector Chris Mallett, from the force's homicide team, said: "It is exactly a year on from Keelan's tragic death and we are just as determined now, as we were then, to get justice for his family. "This is a complex investigation and there is ongoing work which is not always visible to the public. "However, we continue to need your help in catching Keelan's killer or killers. I appreciate there may have been people who didn't feel they could speak to officers at the time due to a sense of misguided loyalty. "But this a 15-year-old boy, who had his life ahead of him, who has been taken away at the hands of a knife and we need to ensure justice prevails. Any piece of information, however insignificant you feel it is, could be crucial in cracking the case." Anyone with any information should call police on 101, or via Live Chat at west-midlands.police.uk between 8am and midnight. Alternatively, information can be given anonymously to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111. | Oprah Flash | https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/black-country/police-still-hunting-killer-keelan-16345795 | 2019-05-29 09:15:14+00:00 | 1,559,135,714 | 1,567,539,794 | crime, law and justice | crime |
62,806 | birminghammail--2019-06-02--EXCLUSIVE - Drugs kingpin John Anslow batters Lee Rigby killer in jail feud | 2019-06-02T00:00:00 | birminghammail | EXCLUSIVE - Drugs kingpin John Anslow batters Lee Rigby killer in jail feud | BLACK Country drugs baron John Anslow – the mobster whose jail escape made national headlines – has been involved in a violent prison clash with the killers of soldier Lee Rigby. And the underworld kingpin, sentenced to 22 years for orchestrating a coke and cannabis distribution network, got the better of the brawl, his father, John Snr, claimed. The fight was the culmination of simmering bad blood between Tipton’s Anslow, who spent 439 days on the run before being snared in Northern Cyprus, and Michael Adebolajo and Michael Adebowale. Anslow, whose cell in high-security nick Belmarsh neighboured the terrorists’ lock-ups, had become increasingly agitated over the pair’s loud, all night conversations. His dad said: “All night and all day they were shouting. One each side of him. One tried to put it on him and came off worst. John got him on the floor and was throwing punches before the screws pulled him off. He gave it to him. He stood his ground and had a go back.” He added: “They (Adebolajo and Adebowale) are the worst of the worst. I’d like to do to them what they did to Lee Rigby.” A spokesperson from the Ministry of Justice questioned the claim, although, without a date for the incident, admitted a probe into the allegation was near impossible. She stressed strict conditions were in place to prevent Adebolajo and Adebowale mingling with other Belmarsh inmates. Such a confrontation would be ‘unlikely’, she claimed. The extremists’ savage crime revolted the nation. On May 22, 2013, they mowed down 25-year-old Lee near Woolwich’s Royal Artillery Barracks, in London, then hacked him to death with knives and a cleaver in the road. They yelled to passers-by that Lee had been targeted in retaliation over the killing of Muslims by British soldiers. In February 2014 both men were sentenced to life: Adebolajo, aged 28, is one of the few UK prisoners serving a whole life term. He is destined to die behind bars. Before being snared, father-of-three Anslow posted message of support for our troops. But John Snr questions why the 38-year-old was placed in close prison proximity to the extremists – and in earshot of their radical views. Following the incident, which occurred a couple of years ago, Anslow was transferred to Frankland Prison, County Durham, and is currently incarcerated at HM Prison, Wakefield, the largest high security prison in Britain. He and his father are glad to see the back of Belmarsh’s ultra-strict regime. The Thamesmead, London, institute is used for the detention of terrorists. “It was a joke,” said John Snr, who now lives in London, “there was no sympathy (towards visitors).” He previously dubbed the prison barbaric. “He is OK and half way through (his sentence). He can get out more and mix with the general prison population.” In 2012 Anslow was convicted, while still in hiding, of conspiracy to supply Class A drugs, appealed over his long sentence three years later – and failed. He gained a global reputation as a gangster after being sprung from a prison van taking him to crown court. Known on the streets as Skitz, the hardman was liberated from outside Redditch’s Hewell Prison in January, 2012, by a masked gang armed with sledgehammers. They drove off in a silver Merc. Anslow was the first Category A prisoner to escape since 1995 and the break-out earned him an additional seven years. He was no shrinking violet while evading the long arm of the law, taunting police on social media sites. Threads on one Twitter account - OutOntheRun – included: “Lapping it up in the sun! I hear they don’t even talk about me on the news back home anymore.” On Facebook he posted a defiant message: “Go on, jog on, walk on, goodbye, bon voyage, f*** off - and **** everybody that got a problem with me.” Another site titled ‘John Anslow Is An Innocent Man Being Set Up’ has clocked up more than 300 ‘likes’. The villain’s whereabouts gripped the nation, with reports of sightings in Spain, Morocco and the UK - including Birmingham city centre. Chillingly, at the height of the manhunt, our newsdesk received a gloating, anonymous call pin-pointing the fugitive’s location. “You’re not even close,” the underworld figure told this reporter. “John’s in Northern Cyprus.” “You think you know everything,” he laughed. Police asked the Sunday Mercury not to report the information in the name of “responsible reporting”. We agreed. Anslow was collared in March 2013 in the desolate Alsancak district of Northern Cyprus – a country which has become the criminal fraternity’s new bolthole because it shares no extradition treaty with the UK. But he was arrested on suspicion of immigration offences and deported by the Turkish Cypriot authorities. Like his prison breakout, Anslow’s escape from the UK – despite airports and ports being placed on high alert – was the stuff of big screen gangster blockbusters. Sources informed this paper he was smuggled out of the country in a metal freight box. He spent three days in the box, briefly seeing daylight when the tanker docked in Italy. He only emerged when the cargo was finally unloaded in Turkey. From there, Anslow – subject of an international hunt and with a £10,000 reward on his head – travelled to the gangster paradise of Northern Cyprus. John Snr has always maintained his son’s luxury lifestyle – the Wolverhampton Wanderers fanatic spent £36,000 on sponsorship at Molineux – was built on elaborate gambling scams, not narcotics. Back in 2014, he said: “Yes, he’s dabbled in drugs, but not to the extent that’s been said. My son’s no angel – far from it – but he’s not what they’ve made him out to be. Claims that Anslow was a mere minnow in the illicit drugs trade were not borne out by information and evidence gathered by the police. A bug in his Bradley flat revealed a far-reaching drugs network. A subsequent raid uncovered a Rolex watch and tell-tale signs of a luxury lifestyle funded by thousands of pounds of cocaine and cannabis. From Anslow’s Tipton manor, large quantities of drugs were distributed nationally. | [email protected] (Mike Lockley) | https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/black-country/exclusive-drugs-kingpin-john-anslow-16367124 | 2019-06-02 10:29:51+00:00 | 1,559,485,791 | 1,567,539,319 | crime, law and justice | crime |
62,907 | birminghammail--2019-06-03--Lee Rigbys killers battered in prison by John Anslow and everyone is saying the same thing | 2019-06-03T00:00:00 | birminghammail | Lee Rigby's killers 'battered in prison' by John Anslow and everyone is saying the same thing | BirminghamLive readers have flocked to social media after it emerged John Anslow – the mobster whose jail escape made national headlines – was allegedly been involved in a violent prison clash with the killers of soldier Lee Rigby. The fight was the culmination of simmering bad blood between the underworld kingpin , sentenced to 22 years for orchestrating a coke and cannabis distribution network, and Michael Adebolajo and Michael Adebowale. Anslow, whose cell neighboured the terrorists’ lock-ups, had become increasingly agitated over the pair’s loud, all night conversations and ultimately got the better of the brawl, his father, John Snr, claimed. Anslow became infamous after being the first category A prisoner to escape custody in more than 17 years. The underworld kingpin was sprung from a prison van in a "well-orchestrated armed ambush" in January 2012 whilst he was being taken from Hewell Prison in Redditch to Stafford Crown Court. The Black Country criminal, then 35, went on the run after a gang of three masked men stopped the prison van, smashed its windows with sledgehammers and punched its driver. Anslow had led a lavish lifestyle as head of a major drugs ring selling cocaine and cannabis across the West Midlands, and he was due to be transferred to a high security jail. His dad said: “All night and all day they were shouting. "One each side of him. "One tried to put it on him and came off worst. "John got him on the floor and was throwing punches before the screws pulled him off. "He gave it to him. "He stood his ground and had a go back.” He added: “They (Adebolajo and Adebowale) are the worst of the worst. "I’d like to do to them what they did to Lee Rigby.” Before being snared, father-of-three Anslow posted message of support for our troops. But John Snr questions why the 38-year-old was placed in close prison proximity to the extremists – and in earshot of their radical views. Following the incident, which occurred a couple of years ago, Anslow was transferred to Frankland Prison, County Durham, and is currently incarcerated at HM Prison, Wakefield, the largest high security prison in Britain. He and his father are glad to see the back of Belmarsh’s ultra-strict regime. The Thamesmead, London, institute is used for the detention of terrorists. “It was a joke,” said John Snr, who now lives in London, “there was no sympathy (towards visitors).” “He is OK and half way through (his sentence). He can get out more and mix with the general prison population.” BirminghamLive readers have flocked to have their say on social media. "Great news, this man deserves an award" wrote Rose Richardson, while Paresh added: "Good news 100% proud of him!" "Well done lad! We are all super proud of you," added Alison. John Nooman added: "As a former soldier, thank you." "Should have his sentence reduced," Steve Morgan said. But not everybody agreed, with one BirminghamLive reader condemning those lauding his actions. "An eye for an eye makes us all blind," they wrote. A second concurred, writing: "I can't believe people are condoning violence." Details of the drugs empire that Anslow led were revealed by police after he was cleared of a murder charge. West Midlands Police said he used drugs cash to fund a lavish lifestyle of fast cars and luxury holidays. Between July 2010 and March 2011 he splashed out £24,000 on holidays to the Dominican Republic, St Lucia and Bangkok, which were paid for in cash. He also owned several high-value cars and showered his partner with Rolex watches and diamond jewellery that were collectively valued at £26,440. The avid Wolverhampton Wanderers fan also spent more than £36,000 in sponsorship at the Molineux Stadium between 2008 and 2011. Police also found £107,900 in cash hidden inside two safes at his home. On 11 February 2011, two days after the Liverpool drugs find, West Midlands Police officers uncovered half a kilo of 100 per cent pure cocaine along with cutting agents and a drugs press at a Tipton business premises belonging to one of Anslow’s associates. He was caught when police in Liverpool tracked a local drug dealer to an address in February 2011 and uncovered cannabis with a street value of more than £1.1 million. The drugs courier linked back to Anslow’s Tipton home and phone analysis revealed regular contact between Anslow and the men monitored by Merseyside Police. Realising he was wanted for questioning, Anslow sent West Midlands Police a Spanish postcard in an attempt to convince detectives he’d fled to the continent. But police didn’t fall for the trick and found him lying low on August 12, 2011 in a Bewdley caravan park. | [email protected] (James Rodger) | https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/black-country/lee-rigbys-killers-battered-prison-16369521 | 2019-06-03 07:51:45+00:00 | 1,559,562,705 | 1,567,539,191 | crime, law and justice | crime |
63,005 | birminghammail--2019-06-17--Horror moment killer neighbour climbs window before trio beat Kevin Shepperson to death | 2019-06-17T00:00:00 | birminghammail | Horror moment killer neighbour climbs window before trio beat Kevin Shepperson to death | This was the horrifying moment a man climbed from one flat to another - before "viciously" pulverising a man to death with a dumbell. Wayne Kendall climbed from his own flat in Bloxwich Road South, Willenhall into the home of victim Kevin Shepperson who lived directly above. The 22-year-old sneaked into Mr Shepperson’s flat via a window before letting cousin Nazeem Kendall, aged 22, and Camerron Mackenzie, 21, into the property. The video can be viewed above. Once inside, the trio battered Mr Shepperson with a dumbbell weight. Mr Shepperson was later discovered the following day by a friend. The 39-year-old was found with his hands and feet tied and a belt strap around his neck; his TV and PlayStation had also been taken. A post mortem examination revealed he was repeatedly stamped on, suffered rib fractures and brain injuries. West Midlands Police discovered the tragic victim's bank card had been taken and used to pay for a hotel stay hours after he was killed. In December 2018, Camerron Mackenzie, of Richmond Street, Walsall, pleaded guilty to murder and today (June 17), following a three-week trial at Wolverhampton Crown Court, Wayne of Bloxwich Road South, Walsall and Nazeem, of no fixed abode, have been found guilty of murder and robbery. The three men will be sentenced at a later date. The three men will be sentenced at a later date. Mackenzie, following the killing on August 21 last year , used his own details for a hotel reservation. Both Mackenzie and Wayne Kendall were arrested just two days after Mr Shepperson’s body was discovered. Nazeem Kendall was detained two weeks later. Detectives found the victim’s blood on a dumbbell in Wayne Kendall’s flat – along with the stolen electrical items – and DNA recovered from skin scrapings found under the victim’s fingernails failed to rule out Nazeem as a potential suspect. In an emotional tribute, Mr Shepperson’s family said: "On 22 August 2018 our lives were torn apart when we were informed that our son Kevin had died. "To find out this information was bad enough but to have someone deliberately and viciously beat and stamp on him until his injuries caused his death is unbearable. "Kevin has had his struggle over the years with addiction but the only person he hurt was himself. At the time of Kevin’s death he had turned his life around. "We are pleased that the people responsible for Kevin’s death, whose only aim was to profit from stealing his property for their own enjoyment, have been found guilty of his killing. "The past ten months have been a nightmare and have been an emotional and painful time. No parent should ever have to bury their child. "We would very much like to thank the Police, specifically the Homicide Department who completed a thorough investigation into what happened to our son and we cannot thank them enough. "They stood up for Kevin when he was unable to have a voice. "The amount of work and hours spent on the investigation has been extensive and we really appreciate everyone’s efforts. "We have been supported throughout our ordeal by our family liaison officers who have been our rock. "We would like to thank Mr Kent and Ms Wolf, our legal team, for presenting the evidence provided by the police and successfully getting the right outcome for Kevin. "No sentence given will ever be enough for our son’s life but it is a comfort that the people responsible are now behind bars and unable to hurt other innocent people. "We miss Kevin terribly and I can’t imagine that this will ever go away." Detective Sergeant Tim Longbottom, from force CID said: "This was a brutal attack on a man in his own home. "Mr Shepperson was very security conscious and yet they managed to climb up via the window to pursue their attack. "The cowardly group not only killed him, they stole his belongings and continued to spend the dead man’s money. "Fortunately CCTV enabled us to track them down and we are very pleased to see them all behind bars." | [email protected] (Ashley Preece) | https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/black-country/horror-moment-killer-neighbour-climbs-16444164 | 2019-06-17 18:48:39+00:00 | 1,560,811,719 | 1,567,538,981 | crime, law and justice | crime |
63,027 | birminghammail--2019-06-18--Ana Kriegel killers Boy A and Boy B found guilty of 14-year-olds murder | 2019-06-18T00:00:00 | birminghammail | Ana Kriegel killers Boy A and Boy B found guilty of 14-year-old's murder | Two 14 year-old boys have been found guilty of the murder of 14-year-old Ana Kriegel in Dublin last year. Boy A has also been found guilty of aggravated sexual assault. The jury of eight men and four women deliberated for 14 hours and 25 minutes after a six-week trial in Dublin's Central Criminal Court. Ana Kriegel's naked body was found with a ligature around the neck in a derelict house in Lucan, Co Dublin, days after the 14 year-old went missing on May 14, 2018. Former state pathologist Professor Marie Cassidy identified about 50 areas of injury on the schoolgirl's head and body, and concluded the cause of death was blunt force trauma to the head and neck. Ms Cassidy also said that there was evidence of penetration or attempted penetration of the vagina. After the verdict, Ana's parents hugged and wept in the court room. Boy B's father left the room immediately after the verdict, slamming the door, before returning shortly after, loudly clapping and saying: "An innocent child is going to prison." Both boys have been remanded in detention until July 15. Justice McDermott asked for both boys' school reports as well as a number of social work reports. | [email protected] (James Rodger) | https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/uk-news/ana-kriegel-killers-boy-boy-16448133 | 2019-06-18 14:05:56+00:00 | 1,560,881,156 | 1,567,538,831 | crime, law and justice | crime |
63,179 | birminghammail--2019-06-19--Britains Got Talent star Simonne Kerrs killer Desmond Sylva found guilty of explosive rage murder | 2019-06-19T00:00:00 | birminghammail | Britain's Got Talent star Simonne Kerr's killer Desmond Sylva found guilty of 'explosive rage murder' | An Iraq war veteran has been found guilty of stabbing a Britain's Got Talent finalist to death in a violent rage. Desmond Sylva, 41, knifed his on-off girlfriend Simonne Kerr, 31, more than 70 times at his flat in Clapham, south London, on August 15 last year. The former soldier, who served in Iraq and Kosovo, admitted manslaughter but denied murder, citing depression. But prosecutor Oliver Glasgow QC told jurors it was an all too familiar case of "sexual desire, appalling violence and desperate lies". He said: "He wanted to restart a sexual relationship with Simonne Kerr. When he did not get what he wanted, he could not control his anger and he exploded." Sylva made no reaction as the Old Bailey jury delivered its guilty verdict after three days of deliberations. Ms Kerr, whose six-year-old son Kavele tragically died of sickle cell disease, shot to fame in the NHS choir B Positive on the ITV show Britain's Got Talent. She met Sylva through dating app Tinder and arranged to visit his flat after finishing her shift at Guys and St Thomas's Hospital on the morning of August 15. Sylva attacked her in bed with a 20cm kitchen knife, slashing her throat and repeatedly stabbing her face and neck. Afterwards, he called 999 and said: "I've just committed a murder. I'm ex-Army and I've got lots of mental health issues." Mr Glasgow told jurors: "It is hard to imagine how terrifying the last few minutes of Simonne Kerr's life must have been as she struggled to prevent the man who was supposed to care for her from murdering her. "The moment she realised the man who had been pursuing her wanted more than a relationship and in fact wanted to kill her must have been utterly horrifying." For the latest on trials and court cases from across Birmingham and the West Midlands, join BirminghamLive's Court Facebook group . Sylva had a history or depression, bipolar disorder and post traumatic stress disorder - but also had problems controlling his temper, jurors heard. Before he joined the Army, Jamaican-born Sylva had cut his neck while working in a bakery. The divorced father-of-one served 10 years in the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers before being discharged on medical grounds. In 2010, Sylva throttled his mother Patricia King, telling her repeatedly: "You're dead," jurors heard. Ms King reported the assault to police, but later withdrew the complaint because he had been depressed and suicidal. Sylva's ex-wife had also accused him of being violent, but jurors were told the allegation was unproven. On August 9 last year, Sylva was admitted to hospital after he took an overdose. The day before the killing, the security guard told his brother Damian, a serving Signalman, he feared he would kill himself or someone else. Giving evidence, Sylva said: "I did not mean to kill her. I had deep feelings for her. "When I slashed the knife across her throat at that split second I thought I had a mental breakdown." Psychiatrist Dr Philip Joseph told jurors Sylva suffered from moderate depression, but did not report having flashbacks of Iraq during the killing. He said Sylva had told him they argued and she called him a "good for nothing" before threatening him with a knife. The defendant claimed he must have lost control as he disarmed her, but said he could not remember the stabbing. Dr Joseph questioned whether it had anything to do with being depressed, suggesting Sylva was "pre-disposed to violence". He added: "It may be his attack on Simonne is all to do with battling with feelings and angry outbursts leading to an enraged state of mind." | [email protected] (James Rodger) | https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/midlands-news/britains-talent-star-simonne-kerrs-16455641 | 2019-06-19 16:19:50+00:00 | 1,560,975,590 | 1,567,538,672 | crime, law and justice | crime |
63,504 | birminghammail--2019-06-24--Watch as killer gunman hands himself in after accidentally blasting best friend in the head | 2019-06-24T00:00:00 | birminghammail | Watch as killer gunman hands himself in after 'accidentally' blasting best friend in the head | This is the moment a killer handed himself into police after 'accidentally' shooting his best friend dead. Jordan Bassett can be seen surrendering himself to officers at a station after he blasted his pal at a flat in Chepstow Close, Willenhall, Coventry. The 25-year-old was caught in the above bodycam footage as police came out to arrest him. Just days before, on December 7 last year, Bassett had been 'messing around' with a gun and shot Addison Packeer in the head. A witness described told the pair were talking about drugs before Bassett told the 27-year-old victim he had only paid him £200 of a £2,000 debt. He heard a ‘pop’ and walked into the room to find Bassett with his arms around the Addison pleading: “Addi, addi, what’s happening? What did I do, what did I do?" Police to spend £7 million on tackling knife crime and youth violence Bassett threatened to kill that witness if he called police before he could flee the scene. Armed police raced to the property to find the 27-year-old lying in a pool of blood on a settee in the living room. He was pronounced dead at the scene, and Bassett was quickly identified as the killer. Police launched a hunt for him, but before they could trace him, he handed himself in Little Park Street police station in the early hours of December 10. He pressed the intercom button at the station and told officers he wanted to confess, but that it had been an accident. According to Bassett, the 9mm Luger pistol had belonged to the victim, who had claimed that it was not loaded. Bassett, of Tintagel Close, Willenhall, had been playing about with the deadly weapon when it fired. Panicking, he tried to stem the flow of blood before riding his motorbike to a quarry in Willenhall to throw the gun and magazine into the water. As he confessed to his crime, he told officers exactly where he had tossed the gun. Within hours of the arrest, officers uncovered the firearm and a magazine containing a bullet. Bassett admitted manslaughter, and today (June 24) at Warwickshire Justice Centre, he was found not guilty of murder. He was found guilty of possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life. He will be sentenced on Wednesday, June 26. Det Insp Caroline Corfield, who led the investigation, said: “We might never know exactly what happened in the flat, but the reality is that anyone who gets involved with firearms is putting themselves and others in serious danger. "There is only one purpose to an illegally held, loaded handgun and that is to shoot someone. “Sometimes the person shot is not the intended target. "Here we have a man who has shot dead his best friend. Two families will have to live with the consequences of that for the rest of their lives. Our thoughts remain with family of Addison Packeer." | [email protected] (Stephanie Balloo) | https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/midlands-news/watch-killer-gunman-hands-himself-16479812 | 2019-06-24 18:21:15+00:00 | 1,561,414,875 | 1,567,538,265 | crime, law and justice | crime |
63,998 | birminghammail--2019-06-30--Mums daily torment as daughters killer walks the streets | 2019-06-30T00:00:00 | birminghammail | Mum's daily torment as daughter's killer walks the streets | The mother of a woman brutally murdered by her partner says she can’t get her daughter’s killer out of her head. Tina Moore was just 30 years old when she was strangled by her then partner Toby Norris. But her killer is now a free man after being released from prison. And her mum Sonia says she thinks about evil Norris every single day, six months since he was let out. Tina was found dead in a downstairs bedroom in her Uttoxeter home by her father, Kenneth, on October 4, 2003. It was later revealed that the mother-of-two had been strangled by Norris following a night out. The then 23-year-old was handed a life sentence in 2004 and served 12 years behind bars for the crime. Sonia had campaigned for years against Norris’ release – but says that now he is free to walk the streets, she finds herself thinking about him all the time. “He’s currently in a hostel down south but they won’t tell me any more than that,” she says. “We’ve not had any problems with him, and I don’t think we will. It sounds like he has been behaving himself . “But, of course, he’s going to be behaving himself – he wants to get out of the hostel. “I hope he will continue to behave and that he has changed, but I have my doubts about him, and wonder whether he would come back around here. “I honestly don’t know if he would. He is certainly hard-faced enough to, but he knows if he does he’ll go straight back to prison.” Norris, from Chipping Norton in Oxfordshire, met Tina while he was working in Uttoxeter for a company that erected marquees for events. On the evening before Tina’s death, the couple had been seen arguing. The row was over Norris meeting with a woman he had been seeing before he met Tina. During a five-day trial at Stafford Crown Court, it was said the couple seemed to have smoothed it over and were later seen enjoying themselves at the former 9B bar, in High Street, Uttoxeter, before returning home. When at home, however, the argument started again and Norris pushed Tina onto the bed, holding her by the neck until she died. He said he did not mean to kill her, but merely to “shut her up” during the argument. When police arrived at the scene, Norris was nowhere to be found. He had fled to Belgium to escape capture but finally faced justice in 2004, when he was jailed for life . Sonia and Kenneth have since raised their late daughter’s children, Tyler and Ben, but say they have never been able to move on. She says she thinks about Norris every day, worrying where he could be, or if he may return to Uttoxeter. The conditions of the killer’s release state that he cannot travel anywhere near Tina’s family. If he visits Uttoxeter, Burton, Stafford, Derby or Stoke, he could be sent back to prison. And Sonia admits part of her wants him to return to the area – purely so he will be put back behind bars. “I am certainly going to keep tabs on him,” she says. “One of the family liaison officers told me that if I ever see him, I should take a photo of him. “Now, I carry my phone on me at all times. I won’t go out of the house without it. I wouldn’t do that if it wasn’t for him. “I never trusted him, and I don’t know if he will come back.” A Parole Board spokesman said : “We can confirm that a panel of the Parole Board directed the release of Toby Norris following a hearing in October 2018. “Parole Board decisions are solely focused on whether a prisoner would represent a significant risk to the public after release. The panel will have looked at a whole range of evidence, including details of the original evidence and any evidence of behaviour change. We do that with great care and public safety is our top priority.” | [email protected] (Beth Pridding) | https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/midlands-news/torment-daughters-killer-walks-streets-16503121 | 2019-06-30 09:20:24+00:00 | 1,561,900,824 | 1,567,537,447 | crime, law and justice | crime |
64,720 | birminghammail--2019-07-19--Dad-of-two Tank shot to death in broad daylight - before killer went to pub | 2019-07-19T00:00:00 | birminghammail | Dad-of-two 'Tank' shot to death in broad daylight - before killer went to pub | A dad nicknamed 'Tank' was gunned down in a hail of bullets - before his killer went to the pub. Depraved Wade Cox has been jailed after shooting a dad-of-two dead in broad daylight. The 29-year-old, from the North West, was found guilty of the senseless killing of Luke Graham. Graham - known as 'Tank' - was gunned down in a hail of bullets in Ashton-under-Lyne. The shooting, Manchester Crown Court heard, came as children played nearby last summer. After murdering Mr Graham, Cox spent the night in his local pub. Police say he acted 'as though nothing had happened'. Four other men have been jailed in relation to the brutal murder, reports the Manchester Evening News. A sentencing hearing heard that Cox lured Mr Graham and another man to a house in Ashton before shooting at them. Mr Graham suffered a fatal gunshot wound to his shoulder but the other man survived, after being shot to the leg as he ran away. He went to hospital, but discharged himself later. Cox, who was wearing a balaclava and gloves, fired a total of five shots. The court heard that Cox, as well as Mr Graham and the other man who arrived on Birch Street in a Volkswagen Caddy were all involved in drug dealing. Cox claimed that Mr Graham had been dealing on his patch. He hatched a plan to trick the man who was with Mr Graham into heading to the house on Birch Street, where Cox would lay in wait for his victim to arrive. Prosecutors said it was more likely that the man with Mr Graham was the target of Cox's scheme. Cox ordered addicts who lived in the house to call the man, and pretend they wanted him to come round to sell them some drugs. When he arrived with Mr Graham, Cox burst out of the house and began shooting at them on June 13 last year, at about 4.50pm. Sentencing, Mrs Justice Cutts said: "This must have been a terrifying event. Gang violence had broken out in a place where young families lived. "Mothers told of their fears for their children who were playing innocently in the street." The other man was shot to the leg, but was able to flee. Cox fired two more shots in his direction but missed. He returned to Mr Graham, who lay on the floor dying, shooting at him again, but missed. Cox fled to a house in Openshaw before being picked up by Jack West. Benjamin Dodd was then told by Conor Cornforth to destroy the Audi. Dodd set fire to the Audi later on a street near houses, managing to set himself on fire in the process. He lied about how he suffered burn injuries to his hands and face when he went to hospital. Cox was arrested in the early hours of the following day. A jury at Manchester Crown Court spent two weeks considering their verdicts before finding Cox, of Rainow Avenue, Droylsden, guilty of murder and wounding with intent. Another man, Jordan Atkinson, 26, of Stamford Drive, Stalybridge, was found guilty of encouraging or assisting an indictable offence and was jailed for eight years. West, 29, of Parrenthorn Road, Prestwich; Cornforth, 27, of Calder House, Old Mill Wharf, Droylsden; and Dodd, 28, of Easton Road, Droylsden, were found guilty of assisting an offender. West was jailed for 42 months, Cornforth received 37 months; and Dodd for 30 months. In a victim impact statement read in court, Mr Graham's father Peter Graham said: "Luke and his murder will be a part of my life forever. I was left numb and I will miss him." Just before he was murdered, Mr Graham passed his driving test, and his father said he felt that could have been a turning point for his son. At the time of his death, Mr Graham said: "Luke was a loving son, dad and brother, who was always there for his family and friends. "He was the type of person who would go out of his way to help others and now we are broken as a family. "We can’t believe that he’s gone and that he has been taken from us in such a horrific and cowardly act of violence. "Losing Luke has devastated me as a father, and I wouldn’t want any other parent or family to go through the hell that I am living in at the moment. "I would just like to thank the police for their tireless efforts in trying to piece together what has happened and would especially like to thank the community at Birch Street in Ashton where Luke passed away. "People there risked their own safety and tried their best to save Luke when he was killed that evening. "It is a great comfort to me as a dad that he did not pass away alone and that there were people there for him." After the hearing, Detective Chief Inspector Liz Hopkinson, of GMP’s Major Incident Team, said: "This was a painstaking investigation to root out those involved in the brutal murder of Luke Graham and I would like to thank my team who have been dedicated to bringing those responsible to justice for over a year. "After their despicable actions, Cox and West even dared to venture to their local pub in Droylsden later that evening as though nothing had happened, proving their callousness knew no bounds. "As the Judge sentenced them today, she stated that they were part of an organised crime group who were selling Class A drugs and they were doing this to vulnerable people in the community on a daily basis, which is why I am glad we have removed them from our streets for some time. "These men have ripped Luke from his family and friends in the cruellest way imaginable and I hope they can take some comfort from today’s result. "A collective 53 years behind bars where there is no doubt in my mind that each and every one of them deserves to be." | [email protected] (Andrew Bardsley, James Rodger) | https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/uk-news/dad-two-tank-shot-death-16616989 | 2019-07-19 16:57:45+00:00 | 1,563,569,865 | 1,567,536,367 | crime, law and justice | crime |
64,811 | birminghammail--2019-07-21--How Birmingham public schoolboy turned into evil rapist and killer - and his links to Suzy Lamplugh | 2019-07-21T00:00:00 | birminghammail | How Birmingham public schoolboy turned into evil rapist and killer - and his links to Suzy Lamplugh | He was the Sutton Coldfield schoolboy who appeared to have the world at his feet. John Cannan was brought up in a respectable middle-class family who sent him to private school for the best possible start in life. But the smooth-talking son of an engineer had demons - dark demons - which first surfaced when he was just 14. It was in 1968 that the then teenager first attacked a woman, indecently assaulting her in a telephone box in Erdington. The young offender was placed on probation but went on to join the Merchant Navy aged 17 before later leaving and becoming a car salesmen. Yet that facade of respectability was destroyed when the charming but shirt-tempered Cannan embarked on a depraved crimewave through the early 1980s - which ended with rape, kidnapping and murder. In 1981, he robbed a petrol station and a clothes shop at knifepoint and brutally raped a store assistant after threatening to stab her baby. The former public schoolboy was jailed for eight years. He was on day release from Wormwood Scrubs in London in 1986 when estate agent Suzy Lamplugh went missing. In her work diary, the 27-year-old had written she was due to meet a mysterious Mr Kipper at a house - but she was never seen again. An artist impression of Mr Kipper bore an uncanny resemblance to Cannan, who has always denied any involvement in her disappearance. It was claimed that his nickname in prison was "Kipper". Cannan was questioned by police regarding the disappearance of Suzy in 1989 and 1990 after he was jailed for life for the abduction and murder of newlywed Shirley Banks. The 30-year-old had been on an evening shopping trip to Bristol when she vanished. Her naked body was later found at Dead Women's Ditch in the Quantock Hills in 1987. There were rumours Cannan may have briefly dated Suzy and killed her when she tried to end the relationship. Statements from her family and friends and his former lovers and fellow inmates suggested the pair may have had a fling in the months before she vanished. Cops believe Suzy may have been planning to tell him it was over when she vanished. The much-loved daughter of Diana and Paul Lamplugh was officially declared dead in 1994. In December 2000, Cannan was arrested again for her murder and questioned, but was not charged. Two years later detectives said publicly that they believe he killed Suzy and confirmed this in 2006 when arguing against any reduction in his tariff. Cannan subsequently complained via his solicitors about the police publicly naming him, saying he was "devastated and distressed". Yet what is not in doubt is that Cannan is a cold-blooded killer, who targeted professional women. He was given three life sentences with a recommendation never to be released for the murder of Shirley Banks, the attempted kidnapping of another woman on the previous night and the rape of a third woman in Reading in 1986. And the evidence of his involvement in the disappearance of Suzy Lamplugh has grown over the years. A former girlfriend Gilly Paige told police that he had once suggested the estate agent's body was buried at Norton Barracks, a former army barracks in Worcestershire, as they drove past. Yet Cannan later wrote a letter to the local paper Sutton News denying the claims. “May I please assure you, that whilst it is perfectly true that I did give ice-skater Gilly Paige a lift from Bristol to Birmingham, where both our families live, I did NOT at any time say that I had raped and killed Miss Lamplugh,” he said. One of his fellow prisoners also told police that Cannan had buried the body of Suzy under the patio of his mother's former house in Sutton Coldfield. A search of that property last year revealed nothing. Human remains were discovered in a Worcestershire village last Friday - eight miles from where police had begun another search for missing Suzy. West Mercia Police said they received reports of bones being found in the village of Kempsey. Weeks earlier detectives had been searching for evidence of missing Suzy in Pershore - some eight miles away. West Mercia Police later said the remains could be linked to the disappearance of a woman in 1982. “This discovery is currently being treated as an unexplained death and we will be following many lines of enquiry,” the force said. “Included within this is to establish if this is connected to the disappearance of a woman from the village of Kempsey in the 1980s.” In a statement, the force added: “We are aware there is some speculation that this discovery may be linked to the disappearance of Suzy Lamplugh, who also went missing in the 1980s. “Although we don’t believe it to be, until we have the post-mortem results we are not in a position to link the bones to any particular person at this stage and are keeping an open mind.” Supt Damian Pettit, South Worcestershire’s Local Policing Commander said: “This is understandably a concerning discovery for the people living in and around the village of Kempsey. Thankfully, findings of this nature are very rare and I would like to take this opportunity to reassure the community that this is very unusual for the area. “We are conducting a very thorough investigation and have multiple lines of enquiry to explore and one of which is into the disappearance of a woman from Kempsey that was launched in 1982. “At this stage we don’t believe the remains to be connected to the Met Police’s missing person investigation for Suzy Lamplugh. “Until we receive the post-mortem results we are not in a position to clarify any further details. I would like to reassure you that we are moving as fast as we can and will keep you informed with any significant updates.” Meanwhile on Wednesday police said they had called off the Pershore dig after finding no new evidence. Scotland Yard said in a statement: "We remain committed to securing justice for Suzy and her family, and officers will continue to assess any new information received in connection with this case. "Anyone that knows anything that could assist the investigation is asked to call officers on 0207 230 4294." As for Cannan, he is now 65-years-old and is unlikely to ever be freed from prison for the crimes he has proven to have committed. The mystery of the disappearance of Suzy Lamplugh continues, a mystery police are determined to one day solve. | [email protected] (Tony Larner) | https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/midlands-news/how-birmingham-public-schoolboy-turned-16598686 | 2019-07-21 04:30:00+00:00 | 1,563,697,800 | 1,567,536,209 | crime, law and justice | crime |
64,835 | birminghammail--2019-07-21--This week in Midlands courts Teenage killer county lines drugs gang and a police officer - among | 2019-07-21T00:00:00 | birminghammail | This week in Midlands' courts: Teenage killer, county lines drugs gang and a police officer - among others | A teenager has been sentenced to 19 years in prison for stabbing Mohamed Sidali to death outside Joseph Chamberlain College. Louai Ali, 17, plunged a two pronged knife into Sidali’s chest in front of terrified students outside the gates in Belgrave Road, Highgate, on February 13. A depraved man - branded a "sexual predator" - has been jailed after abusing seven children over two decades. The Midlands man has been locked up after abusing kids over a 20-year period. Derek Stevenson, from Staffordshire, raped one victim on numerous occasions and indecently and sexually assaulted the others. A county lines gang flooding Warwickshire with drugs from Birmingham has been busted - and its members will serve 68 years in jail. Five men and two women were jailed for more than 44 years on Thursday, July 11. Three friends who appeared in a YouTube video glamorising drugs and guns have been jailed for a total of nearly 40 years. In the video, which has been viewed by more than 48,900 times, the Birmingham men rap about shootings, cash, drugs and the police. This is a round-up of some of the biggest cases dealt with across the region as we name and shame a number of those up in court this week. See more BirminghamLive crime stories here Click on the links below to see the offenders and details of their crimes . A teenager has been sentenced to 19 years in prison for stabbing Mohamed Sidali to death outside Joseph Chamberlain College. Louai Ali, 17, plunged a two pronged knife into Sidali’s chest in front of terrified students outside the gates in Belgrave Road, Highgate, on February 13. A security guard who tried to intervene and grab the knife was stabbed in the back. Following a trial, the defendant, of Hodnet Grove, Highgate, was found guilty of wounding with intent, unlawful wounding and two charges of having an offensive weapon. This morning, he was jailed for a minimum of 19 years for his crime which have left Mr Mohamed’s family ‘devastated.’ Sentencing Judge Mark Wall QC said: “Your actions have left devastation In their wake. “Sidali’s loss has been deeply felt by his family and friends. “His mother has anxiety attacks and his brothers now fear going to school. “His death is described as leaving a huge void in their lives.” Three men have been jailed after a vigilant CCTV operator saw them with a sawn-off shotgun on a busy shopping street in Birmingham. Armed cops were alerted and raced to Farnborough Road, Castle Vale , and arrested the group who had been handed the weapon from a BMW. Jordan Kibuka, 19, and Darnell Duquesney, 20, had previously admitted possessing a prohibited firearm while Makenzie Blackburn, 20, was found guilty of the same charge. Kibuka, of Hawker Drive, Castle Vale, was sentenced to six years and eight months detention after he had also pleaded guilty to possessing a class A drug with intent to supply. Duquesney, of Alcott Grove, Kitts Green , had also admitted possessing cannabis. He was handed a sentence of five years and one month. Blackburn was sentenced to five years and three months after also being found guilty of two charges of possessing a knife. A drug dealer is now behind bars - after he came clean to his mum and dad after police busted him. The dealer, from the Midlands, was caught by cops as police netted cocaine and cannabis. He has subsequently been jailed for three years - after being caught with more than £1,000. Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court heard how Liam Frimpong had been preparing to bag the loose cannabis at his Newcastle home, reports StokeonTrentLive. But police carried out a search warrant and discovered the stash of drugs, along with a trail of text messages. Now the 33-year-old dad, of Quinton Grove, Milehouse, has pleaded guilty to possession with intent to supply cannabis and possession with intent to supply cocaine. For the latest on trials and court cases from across Birmingham and the West Midlands, join BirminghamLive's Court Facebook group . A dangerous driver crashed his 'pool car' into a taxi carrying four people. The banned motorist, from the Midlands, went the wrong way up a street before crashing into a lorry and taxi. It came as he tried to evade the police. Sean Hambleton was being chased by cops when they lost sight of him. He was careering along Lichfield Street, in Hanley, when he was spotted by officers. They picked up the Vauxhall Astra again when it was nearing the A500 on the wrong side of the carriageway, reports StokeonTrentLive. Hambleton, of Preston Street, Smallthorne, then crashed into the two other vehicles. Now he has been jailed at Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court after pleading guilty to dangerous driving, driving while disqualified, and driving without insurance. A monkey dust addict mum-of-two repeatedly stabbed a man in back during a vicious robbery after tricking her way into his home. And her partner sprayed the victim with lighter fluid, reports StokeonTrentLive , our sister title. Wayne Ferns and Vanessa Malpass subjected a man to a vicious robbery which saw him sprayed with lighter fluid and stabbed several times with a kitchen knife. The pair tricked their way into the victim’s home before attacking him and stealing his property. Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court heard Ferns - who tried to hide his identity by wearing a beanie hat fashioned into a mask - later told police he had gone to the house in Leek to ‘enforce a drugs debt’. The 40-year-old has now been jailed for seven-and-a-half years, while his accomplice Malpass received a four-and-a-half year sentence. Prosecutor Richard McConaghy said the victim heard knocking on his back door on the night of the offence. He looked out to see 32-year-old Malpass and, mistaking her for someone else, went down to let her in. A Burntwood man has been jailed for defrauding an elderly woman out of thousands of pounds. David Cope, aged 68, was sentenced to a total of 32 months at Stafford Crown Court after he pleaded guilty to fraud by false representation and theft at an earlier hearing. He was sentenced to 16 months for fraud, with 16 months for theft to be served concurrently. In a separate matter Cope was sentenced to a further 16 months for sexual offences. He pleaded guilty to causing a child to watch or look at an image of sexual activity and two further counts of attempting to cause a child to watch or look at an image of sexual activity. These offences were committed between in 2016. The court heard that Cope, of Bells Lane, Boney Hay, had been entrusted with an elderly woman’s bank card to assist with purchasing small items such as sweets when she went into a care home. A county lines gang flooding Warwickshire with drugs from Birmingham has been busted - and its members will serve 68 years in jail. Five men and two women were jailed for more than 44 years on Thursday, July 11. The sentences, handed down at Warwick Crown Court, follow five men being jailed for more than 23 years back in November 2018 for their part in the operation. The jail terms come after an investigation by the Warwickshire Police Serious and Organised Crime Unit (SOCU). Between February 2015 and November 2017, detectives identified 429 class A drug deliveries made by the gang into Warwickshire. The drugs had an estimated street value of more than £400,000. The venture was headed by Meshach Duncan who recruited a team - including Mateuz Frasunkiewicz, Dajon Donaldson and Kirean Aldred - to ship the drugs into Warwickshire. Rebecca Mannix, Kyle Crossley and Debra Walsh were also recruited to help deal the drugs in the county. A "naive" woman who took almost £3,000 in cash and a mobile phone to Holland to help an on-the-run killer has been jailed for two years. Melisa Birkinshaw pleaded guilty in June to perverting the course of justice by helping Tyrone Andrew after he had stabbed Reagan Asbury in the neck following a boxing match at Walsall Town Hall in 2017. Andrew, of St Helen's Street, Derby, fled to Amsterdam and then Spain but was jailed for 14 years in August last year after being found guilty of manslaughter. Birkinshaw, formerly of Cavendish Court, Derby, looked at the floor but remained composed in the dock at Birmingham Crown Court on Friday as she was jailed. The 22-year-old admitted doing acts intending to pervert the course of justice between October and December 2017 by permitting her bank account to receive cash intended for Andrew, and giving money and a phone to him in Holland. The court heard that Andrew was in phone contact with Birkinshaw while he was still in Walsall, and later met her outside her flat. She flew from Luton Airport to Amsterdam three days after the killing with cash that had been deposited into her building society account by associates of Andrew. A drug dealer was caught with three air guns, two coshes and a knuckle-duster at his home - and has subsequently been locked up. The dealer was also found with pepper spray at his house in the Midlands. And police also discovered crack and heroin worth a staggering £2,400. Khalid Jones left two police officers fearing for their safety after grabbing a pistol from a shelf when they called at his home. The female officers had to wait three minutes for armed police back-up to arrive at the scene, Stoke Crown Court heard. Jones, 26, of Minshall Street, Fenton, denied ever intending to threaten them with the weapon, according to StokeonTrentLive , our sister title. He was subsequently arrested. Police recovered 12.8 grams of crack cocaine, with a street value of around £1,080, and 13.5 grams of heroin, worth around £1,350. Prosecutor Paul Spratt said they also seized 18 boxes of diazepam, three mobile phones ‘which showed some indication of drug supply’ and a total of £4,000 in cash. Several weapons were found during the search as well, including two coshes, a knuckle-duster, three air weapons and pepper spray. They were items associated with his 'trade' as a dealer, Mr Spratt told the court. Now Jones has been jailed for three years after admitting two charges of possession of class A drugs with intent to supply, possession of the diazepam and two counts of possession of a prohibited weapon. A 20-year-old who was left needing more than 40 stitches after being brutally attacked in a pub in the Midlands has spoken out. Jack Robinson, 20, required stitches around his eye being viciously attacked inside a heaving pub in Staffordshire. The joiner was on a night out with friends from the Potters Bar football team. Jack had to quit his job and faces more surgery in the next 18 months after being brutally glassed in a pub. The Stoke City fan has spoken out after seeing his attacker - 25-year-old Christian Peach - locked up for two years at Stafford Crown Court, reports StokeonTrentLive. Jack, from Meir Park, has welcomed the sentence handed down to Peach, of Hemlock Road, Meir, after he pleaded guilty to a charge of wounding. He said: "There are no winners in this case. "Both families have suffered and I'm just happy there's been a bit of justice given. "It wasn't particularly about what he got, it was just that he paid for what he did. "It's given me a bit of closure because it's affected my family and now we can put this behind us, deal with it and move on." This is the first picture of illegal immigrant Warsame Mohammed, who was part of a gang who stabbed a dad-of two following a row about a minor prang. Tragic Zakir Nawaz, 21, died after being attacked in Highfield Road, Washwood Heath , in September 2016. His second child had been born just ten days earlier. Mohamed and two associates were in a vehicle that had earlier collided with the victim's hire car. Mr Nawaz, from Stechford, was repeatedly kicked, punched and stamped on before being stabbed in the chest. He was pronounced dead at the scene minutes later while Mohamed, 23, pictured for the first time, and suspected knifeman Abdulahi Shire fled the country. Fugitive Mohamed, who is understood to have gone to Holland, sneaked back into the UK and was arrested after police spotted him walking on the M40 in January. Mohamed, from James Turner Street, Winson Green, tried giving false details but checks revealed he was wanted over the murder and arrested. He was due to stand trial for murder but pleaded guilty to manslaughter at a later stage. Mohamed was given a four-and-a-half year jail sentence for manslaughter and two years for violent disorder, to run concurrently at Birmingham Crown Court on Wednesday. A married police officer who sent sexual messages to vulnerable victims and contacted prostitutes while at work has been jailed for 14 months. Pc Palvinder Singh sent "hundreds and hundreds" of flirty messages to four victims, including ones about bondage and threesomes, a court heard. Birmingham Crown Court was told that Singh sent naked pictures of himself to two women, including a selfie in the shower and one beside his locker at a police station. In a statement summarised by the prosecution to the court, one of the women he had formed a relationship with said he had treated his job "as a dating agency". The 39-year-old Smethwick-based officer, who has been married for 16 years, invited one of the women to his family home to engage in sexual activity while his wife was away. Jailing Singh, Judge Roderick Henderson told the disgraced officer: "You have a fine record as a police officer over 14 years and you have thrown it away. "Over five months you went off the rails and committed these offences. "We give our police officers great power, not just legal powers, but influence." Three friends who appeared in a YouTube video glamorising drugs and guns have been jailed for a total of nearly 40 years. In the video, which has been viewed by more than 48,900 times, the Birmingham men rap about shootings, cash, drugs and the police . A West Midlands Regional Organised Crime Unit (ROCU) investigation spanning three years led to their arrest, crown court trial and prison sentences. Remi Carty first came to police attention in 2016 when he was caught with a loaded pistol in a Birmingham fast food restaurant. After his release from prison, he remained on licence and when detectives conducted a warrant at a property in Redhill Road, Northfield in September 2018, CCTV showed the 20-year-old fleeing the property in his socks as police arrived. Officers found a large quantity of class A drugs, a loaded 9mm pistol, a sawn-off shotgun and ammunition in two bags in a shed in the rear garden. Fingerprint analysis also connected Carty’s friend - 21-year-old Shaun Barnhurst - to the find. During the investigation a third man - Kyle Esty - retrieved items from a wheelie bin at Barnhurst’s address and between November and January 2019 the 22-year-old made several street-level drug deals. A pervert pensioner has been JAILED - after getting a schoolgirl to perform a sex act on him. Phillip Thornton was told in court: "There was a significant disparity in age." The Midland OAP has been locked up for four years. He incited the girl - who was aged between nine and 11 - to touch him sexually and perform the act. The abuse was reported years later and the 70-year-old denied the allegations, reports StokeonTrentLive, our sister title. He went on trial at Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court charged with indecent assault, indecency with a child and indecency towards a child. He was cleared of indecent assault and the jury could not reach a verdict on the indecency towards a child charge and a not guilty verdict was entered on that matter. But Thornton, of Burnaby Road, Sandyford, was found guilty of indecency with a child and has been jailed for four years. Prosecutor Richard McConaghy said the victim can recall the defendant asking her to rub some powder on his private parts. The victim confided in her boyfriend years later and he called the NSPCC. She reported the matters to police in 2017. A bungling burglar left his DNA at a garage during a break-in - helping him be rumbled by police. Dim Craig Kirkland broke into the detached garage of a house in the Midlands. His burglary - which was his 25th offence - came while the homeowners were asleep. He stole power tools worth £1,590. Kirkland, 43, has been handed a two-and-a-half year prison sentence. He was traced by Staffordshire Police after forensic scientists discovered his DNA on the garage window. Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court heard Kirkland has 124 previous offences on his record. The latest break-in - on High Lane - happened sometime between 11.30pm on October 21 and 8am the next day. StokeonTrentLive, our sister title, reports his 30-month prison term will run concurrently to the two-and-a-half year custodial sentence he is currently serving after burgling a property in Fegg Hayes. A son who battered his mother to death after flying into a rage over her drinking has been jailed. Matthew Page claimed Mary Page told him to "finish it" after he kicked her in the face at the family home in James Street, Bilston, on January 31. He had exploded with rage when he came home to find his mother had barricaded herself in her bedroom - warning him not to come in because she was "pissed". The 40-year-old forced his way into the room as she had previously tried to commit suicide while under the influence - but when he saw his mother worse for wear, he launched his attack, kicking and punching her before picking up a bedside cabinet and hitting the 68-year-old over the head with it. Page, who admitted manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility, moved his mother onto her bed when he believed she was dead and began cleaning up the blood. Wolverhampton Crown Court was told Page had also covered his mother with a duvet and wrapped her head in a towel, which he said he had done to spare his brother the distress. Three Midland men have been jailed for a total of more than eight years after police spotted a local 'gopher' and busted a County Lines drugs ring in Wales. Two men from Dudley and a third from Walsall travelled to Llanelli to take part in an operation to supply cocaine, heroin, synthetic cannabinoids ('spice') and cannabis. But they were caught after police spotted local man Damien Hearne, who was described in court as 'a gopher'. Swansea Crown Court heard it was a ' County Lines operation ', where a telephone line referred to as Mitch was used to facilitate the sale of the drugs, WalesOnline reported . Ravi Talware, Daniel Higgins and Ben Walker all travelled from the West Midlands to the town in south west Wales to take part in an operation. Talware, 29, of Quicksand Lane, Walsall, admitted two counts of conspiring to supply class A drugs and two counts of conspiring to supply class B drugs, along with having an offensive weapon. Higgins, 37, of Vauxhall Street in Dudley, admitted two counts of conspiracy to supply class B drugs, and one count of having an offensive weapon. Walker, 21, of Bath Meadow in Cradley, Dudley, admitted one count of conspiring to supply class A drugs. Hearne, 35, of Elizabeth Street in Llanelli, admitted two counts of conspiring to supply class A drugs and one count of conspiring to supply class B drugs. An evil slavery gang which forced workers to live in squalid conditions reportedly supplied the nation’s biggest supermarkets with freshly picked groceries. Some of the biggest names in the industry - including Tesco, Asda, Waitrose, Sainsbury and M&S - all bought vegetables from firms that hired vulnerable men and women brought into the UK and controlled by the ruthless gang. The huge gang collected around 400 drug addicts and alcoholics in Poland with the promise of good money when they got to England. But they were paid just 50p a day as the majority of their earnings from hard manual labour on farms, in factories and recycling centres were siphoned off, an investigation by the Sunday Times reported. All the supermarket chains and other companies involved said they did not know the workers were being exploited. The Sunday Times said several became aware of the mistreatment only when it contacted them. There is no suggestion the firms were actively complicit. Led by the Polish Brzeninsky family the criminal mastermind gang pocketed a staggering £2million. Now eight members of the Polish Roma gypsy gang have been jailed after two trials at Birmingham Crown Court. A woman has been jailed after brazenly assaulting a police officer for the SIXTEENTH time. Victoria Everill is back behind bars in the Midlands - after targeting a cop yet again. The abusive woman, aged 28, was jailed in August, 2018 and again in January. Over the years, she has racked up a catalogue of offences against bobbies since 2008. Now Everill has been locked up yet again after admitting her third attack on police officers in the past 12 months, reports StokeonTrentLive . Magistrates at North Staffordshire Justice Centre heard police arrested the defendant on the evening of April 29. Prosecutor Emma Lineton said: “Officers noticed she appeared to be under the influence of alcohol. She was unsteady on her feet and her speech was slurred. A "trusted" Birmingham teacher who abused two young girls has been jailed for ten years. One of the youngsters said Iain McDowall robbed her of her innocence and ruined her childhood. The 47-year-old, of Willow Avenue, Edgbaston , was found guilty after a trial of two charges of sexual assault on a child under 13 and another serious sexual charge. He was jailed at Birmingham Crown Court and also ordered to register as a sex offender for life. The crimes happened between 2008 and 2010 when the defendant was working at a city school. The court heard McDowall was " utterly trusted by his colleagues ." The abuse of one of the girls only came to light in October 2017 when she revealed what had happened in a letter to her mother. In a statement read to the court, the other girl said she now felt aggression towards men. A sick robber has been jailed for more than six years after targeting two pensioners - pulling gold earrings from one while she shopped. Lukeny Pedro grabbed an 83-year-old woman from behind in a shop and pulled her gold earrings from her ears, a court heard. Five weeks before, he robbed a pensioner on a bus, grabbing an £1,100 gold chain from round his neck. Pedro, aged 24, of Sydenham Road, Smethwick, pleaded guilty to two charges of robbery and one of fraud at Warwick Crown Court. Judge Peter Cooke jailed him for a total of six years and eight months. Prosecutor Ian Speed said on April 17 a 73-year-old Asian pensioner, who suffers from Parkinson's, was targeted on a bus at Pool Meadow bus station in Coventry. He had his gold chain and pendant pulled from round his neck by Pedro, who ran from the bus with it. Later that day, police were contacted by staff at H&T Pawnbrokers to say that a man had just sold them a chain with a distinctive pendant. Firefighters were forced to tackle a 'full-on' blaze after an arsonist barricaded himself in a wardrobe. The arsonist, high on monkey dust, locked himself away and torched his clothes in staggering scenes. He thought 'people were after him', a court in the Midlands heard. The fire caused £4,250 damage - and the defendant's parents paid for the repairs. Adam Shaw barricaded himself inside the wardrobe in the middle of the night and used the flame from a lighter to illuminate it. Now, StokeonTrentLive reports the 38-year-old has been jailed for 28 months following the blaze at the terrace property on Stanton Road. Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court heard firefighters were faced with a 'full-on fire' after the defendant called 999 at 3.20am on November 17. He had escaped the blaze through a window. A rapist who had been hunted by police for almost 20 years was finally arrested on board a flight to Pakistan moments before it was due to take off, a court heard. Mohammed Ibrar Aslam, 47, from Sutton Coldfield, had been a wanted man after he attacked a drunk woman in 2001 who had earlier been snatched off the street. Despite extensive inquiries at the time of the shocking attack, he remained at large for nearly two decades, a court heard. West Yorkshire Police’s Cold Case Review Team began a new inquiry last year following advances in forensic science. Following a huge and time-consuming investigation, Aslam, aged 29 at the time of the rape, was identified as a potential suspect for a DNA test. Information about Aslam had been circulated via police and E-Border systems, a court heard. Police finally got their man on January 8 this year after officers from the West Midlands found him on board an Emirates flight at Birmingham International Airport. In February he pleaded guilty to the rape charge after his DNA matched samples taken from the victim 18 years. Aslam, of Birmingham, was jailed for 11 years and three months at Leeds Crown Court. A monkey dust addict from the Midlands waved a knife at a terrified neighbour before kung fu kicking a bush. Carlo Vella believed he was being attacked by 'demons and devils'. The man, from Staffordshire, would spend £70-a-week on his habit. The 39-year-old walked towards the retired victim while wielding the blade as she stood outside her Newcastle flat, reports StokeonTrentLive. She and a friend managed to seek refuge in her home and call the police. Officers arrived to find the defendant huddled on the floor before seizing the blade and arresting him. Now Vella, who is a long-term drug user and has mental health issues, has been jailed for 12 months and made the subject of a five-year restraining order which prevents him having any contact with his former neighbour. Prosecutor Antony Longworth told Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court the woman was waiting for a neighbour outside her flat at Stoneyfields Court, Sandy Lane, Newcastle, at 9pm on August 25 when she became aware of the defendant. A student who branded himself ‘Diablo the MDMA dealer’ has been jailed. The Midlands man has been caged after he was caught by police. Cops found hundreds of pounds worth of ecstasy and cannabis. The 22-year-old was caught with a stash of cannabis and some scales in his girlfriend’s room at Keele University. Dawit Tekle fled the complex, reports StokeonTrentLive , our sister title. And the next day university staff intercepted a package addressed to him which contained hundreds of pounds worth of class A drug MDMA (ecstasy). The defendant was tracked down at Southampton University a few weeks later when he was in possession of £5,500. His phones were analysed and showed he was involved in the supply of MDMA. Now Tekle has been jailed for two-and-a-half years at Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court. Prosecutor Paul Spratt said two security officers at Keele University went to the defendant’s girlfriend’s room at 3.30pm on November 23, 2017 after receiving a report someone was smoking cannabis. A thug attacked and racially abused a 'good Samaritan' in a city centre - moments after being chucked out of a bar. The 28-year-old, from Staffordshire, has been handed a jail term over the dramatic incident in the Midlands. Drunken Aaron Robinson targeted somebody who had rushed to the aid of a stricken man - before attacking both him and his friend. He has been jailed for 22 months following the altercation in Hanley, which saw police and paramedics called to the scene. Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court heard how the 28-year-old had been ejected from a bar in Trinity Street before the incident on the night of September 18. A depraved man - branded a "sexual predator" - has been jailed after abusing seven children over two decades. The Midlands man has been locked up after abusing kids over a 20-year period. Derek Stevenson, from Staffordshire, raped one victim on numerous occasions and indecently and sexually assaulted the others. Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court heard all seven victims were aged between five and 15 and have been deeply affected by his offending. The 65-year-old, of Mendip Place, Knutton, has been handed a 25-year prison term for the offences, reports StokeonTrentLive . | [email protected] ( birminghammail.co.uk) | https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/midlands-news/this-week-in-midlands-courts-16600018 | 2019-07-21 04:30:00+00:00 | 1,563,697,800 | 1,567,536,210 | crime, law and justice | crime |
64,952 | birminghammail--2019-07-25--Chilling CCTV of teen killer calmly walking to popular park to rape and murder girl | 2019-07-25T00:00:00 | birminghammail | Chilling CCTV of teen killer calmly walking to popular park to rape and murder girl | This is the chilling moment a youngster calmly walks to a Wolverhampton park to brutally rape and murder a 14-year-old girl. In the footage, which was released by West Midlands Police, Ayman Aziz is captured on CCTV travelling towards West Park to violently kill Viktorija Sokolova. The warped 17-year-old lured the Lithuanian-born youngster to the park under the pretence they would 'smoke weed and talk' on April 11, 2018. But only today are we able to report this, after courts lifted restrictions on revealing the killer's identity . Wolverhampton Crown Court had heard that he intended to have sex with Viktorija and had searched for sexually explicit content online beforehand. Aziz subjected the schoolgirl to horrific levels of violence in a two-hour attack after she refused his advances. He was caught on CCTV as he attempted to cover up the offence by hiding bloodied clothing, having deleted Facebook messages and hurled his victim's phone towards a lake. Detectives believe he used a hammer, which has never been found, to launch the assault on his victim - who suffered a fractured skull, brain injuries and shattered vertebrae. Throughout his trial, Aziz showed no remorse, gave no evidence in his defence and simply nodded as he was ordered by the judge to be taken to the cells. Aziz could not be identified in reports at the time as reporting restrictions because of his age were imposed. Although the trial judge agreed to lift those restrictions following an application by PA and other media organisations, the teenager's lawyers challenged that decision and the restrictions remained in place pending an appeal. Adam Kane QC argued the reporting restrictions should not be lifted because they would have an adverse effect on Aziz's rehabilitation. He also said the teenager, who has been diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia, has been "bullied and threatened" in detention and has stopped attending educational classes as a result. But the Lord Chief Justice Lord Burnett and two other senior judges rejected Aziz's challenge at the Court of Appeal on Thursday, meaning he can now be named. The judges also rejected an appeal by Aziz, who watched the hearing over a video link from the young offenders' institution where he is detained, against his minimum term. Detective Inspector Caroline Corfield, who worked on the case, described the scene as one of the most shocking and brutal murders officers had ever seen. She said: “It’s one of the most shocking murder investigations that I have never worked on. “She was 14-year-old, she went to the park that night to meet someone she called a friend. But he has murdered her in an explicitly violent attack and then degraded her by dragging her body from the initial site of the attack and leaving her stripped, half-naked, over a park bench to be found by a dog walker the next morning.” | [email protected] (Jordan Coussins) | https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/black-country/chilling-cctv-teen-killer-calmly-15544060 | 2019-07-25 15:40:19+00:00 | 1,564,083,619 | 1,567,535,795 | crime, law and justice | crime |
65,295 | birminghammail--2019-08-01--Dads hell at never meeting daughter murdered by killer mum Louise Porton | 2019-08-01T00:00:00 | birminghammail | Dad's hell at never meeting daughter murdered by killer mum Louise Porton | The devastated dad of two girls murdered by their mum has told of his heartbreak after 'never even meeting' his youngest daughter. Louise Porton was today, August 1, convicted of murdering her two young daughters after they "got in the way" of her sex life. Porton had denied killing three-year-old Lexi Draper and 17-month-old Scarlett Vaughan, but was unanimously found guilty by a jury at Birmingham Crown Court on Thursday, after a five-week trial. Porton blinked as the verdicts were read out and then sat in the court dock, one hand over her eyes, head bowed. The 23-year-old suffocated Lexi in the early hours of January 15 last year and was then heard "laughing" at a funeral parlour two days before killing Scarlett just over two weeks later, on February 1. In a heartbreaking statement, released by Warwickshire Police, dad Chris Draper said he was 'heartbroken' to learn of Lexi's death, having only spent a 'short time' with her. Just two weeks later, he learned his younger daughter, Scarlett, had also died. "When we lost Lexi we were heart broken and couldn't believe she had gone. Then we were devastated to hear about Scarlett," Chris said. "Only having a short time with Lexi and never meeting Scarlett makes it all the more heart breaking. "We will miss out on all those special occasions they would have celebrated. Their first day at school, birthdays, getting married and having children of their own. "The loss of Lexi and Scarlett has not just affected the immediate family, but also all those who were part of their lives. "The only comfort is that Lexi and Scarlett are together. "We would like to thank everyone for their support and help." During the trial, harrowing details emerged about the death's of the young girls and the behaviour of Porton. Jurors heard Porton had accepted 41 friend requests on a dating app just a day after the first child Lexi died, and was described by prosecutors as being "calm and emotionless" following Scarlett's death. When Lexi was ill in hospital, just over a week before she died, Porton took topless photos in the toilets and was arranging to perform sex acts for money with a man she had met through a website. Prosecutors said it had appeared to the funeral arranger present that Porton was "using FaceTime and that she was speaking to a man". Jurors were told that after police seized her phone, they uncovered searches including how long it took a dead body "to go cold up to the shoulder" and "five weird things that happen when you die". Opening the Crown's case at the start of the trial, prosecutor Oliver Saxby QC said: "The overwhelming inference is that Lexi and Scarlett died because someone deliberately interfered with their breathing. "That someone can only have been this defendant." Both children had symptoms consistent with deliberate airway obstruction and Scarlett had signs of recent bleeding in her neck tissue, suggestive of neck compression, jurors heard. Mr Saxby said specialist doctors could find no "natural reason" for why either child had died. Almost two weeks before her death, Lexi had been taken to hospital on January 2 and then January 4, but was sent home with antibiotics for an apparent chest infection. Prosecutors said that while in hospital with her sick daughter, Porton went to the toilets and took topless photos. It was in the days after Lexi was discharged on January 4, the prosecution alleged the mother looked online for "can you actually die if you have a blocked nose and cover your mouth with tape". Porton also searched "how long after drowning can someone be resuscitated?" and accessed an article called "Toddler brought back to life after nearly drowning", jurors heard. The Crown alleged Lexi had been dead for some time before a 999 call was made from her home on January 15, with Mr Saxby pointing to evidence of Porton's web searches. After Scarlett's fatal collapse, Porton told police it was "entirely false" to suggest the toddler was already dead when she was recorded on CCTV carrying the little girl from a hotel, in Rugby, where she had been staying. But the paramedic responding to the subsequent non-emergency 111 call Porton made, described the girl being "freezing and completely lifeless" when he arrived. CCTV showed Porton filling up with petrol during the period when jurors heard Scarlett had already died. The first day of trial was told that from August 2016 until early November 2017, Porton lived at an address in Willenhall, near Walsall, where her landlady spent "more and more time" caring for Lexi and Scarlett while their mother was "doing social things" instead of looking after them. The landlady made a statement to police saying Porton was doing "whatever she could not to have them with her". Conceding that being a young mother of two young children would have placed a burden on the defendant, Mr Saxby added: "No doubt, she would have needed time to herself. "But, in the context of what was later to happen - in the context of two unexplained deaths consistent with deliberate airway obstruction - it is hard not to draw the conclusion that, for the defendant, at times, her two children got in the way of her doing what she wanted, when she wanted and with whom she wanted." Porton had denied wrong-doing throughout, telling police in a prepared statement: "My children were never an inconvenience to me and I accommodated my lifestyle and personal life around them. "I still don't know how my daughters died, or what caused it." Porton, formerly of Skiddaw, Rugby, Warwickshire, will be sentenced by Mrs Justice Yip on Friday. | [email protected] (Charlotte Paxton) | https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/midlands-news/dads-hell-never-meeting-daughter-16684768 | 2019-08-01 17:26:06+00:00 | 1,564,694,766 | 1,567,535,087 | crime, law and justice | crime |
65,303 | birminghammail--2019-08-01--Listen as killer mum Louise Porton calmly calls 999 - despite daughter being dead for some time | 2019-08-01T00:00:00 | birminghammail | Listen as killer mum Louise Porton calmly calls 999 - despite daughter being dead 'for some time' | This is the moment killer mum Louise Porton calmly dialled 999 to request urgent help for her 'unconscious' daughter - despite the tot having been dead 'for some time'. Porton, 23, was today (August 1) found guilty of the murder of daughters Lexi Draper and Scarlett Vaughan - who died just two weeks apart. She was convicted after a five-week trial at Birmingham Crown Court. Lexi, three, was pronounced dead by paramedics at the family home in Beechwood Court, Rugby in the early hours of January 15 last year. Porton called an ambulance saying she had found Lexi lifeless in her bed after going in to check on her. Following Lexi's death the Sudden Unexpected Death in Infancy and Childhood procedures (SUDIC) were followed by professionals. Porton claimed that on the evening of February 1, she had set out to take Scarlett to the hospital after she had fallen ill. On her way to the hospital she pulled over in the car park at Elliott's Retail Park in Rugby to call an ambulance. Scarlett was taken to hospital where she was pronounced dead. In audio released by the Crown Prosecution Service, Porton can be heard calmly speaking to an ambulance service operator - claiming daughter Lexi was unconscious and not breathing. Ambulance service: "This is the ambulance service, is the patient breathing?" Ambulance: "Who are we talking about?" Porton: "Lexi, she is three" Ambulance: "She's three? OK. She's unconscious and she's not breathing? Help has been arranged OK?" Almost two weeks before her death, Lexi had been taken to hospital on January 2 and then January 4, but was sent home with antibiotics for an apparent chest infection. Prosecutors said that while in hospital with her sick daughter, Porton went to the toilets and took topless photos. It was in the days after Lexi was discharged on January 4, the prosecution alleged the mother looked online for "can you actually die if you have a blocked nose and cover your mouth with tape". Porton also searched "how long after drowning can someone be resuscitated?" and accessed an article called "Toddler brought back to life after nearly drowning", jurors heard. The Crown alleged Lexi had been dead for some time before the 999 call was made from her home on January 15, with prosecutor Oliver Saxby QC pointing to evidence of Porton's web searches. She was then heard "laughing" at a funeral parlour two days before killing Scarlett on February 1. Prosecutors said it had appeared to the funeral arranger present that Porton was "using FaceTime and that she was speaking to a man". Jurors were told that after police seized her phone, they uncovered searches including how long it took a dead body "to go cold up to the shoulder" and "five weird things that happen when you die". Opening the Crown's case at the start of the trial, prosecutor Oliver Saxby QC said: "The overwhelming inference is that Lexi and Scarlett died because someone deliberately interfered with their breathing. "That someone can only have been this defendant." Both children had symptoms consistent with deliberate airway obstruction and Scarlett had signs of recent bleeding in her neck tissue, suggestive of neck compression, jurors heard. Mr Saxby said specialist doctors could find no "natural reason" for why either child had died. After Scarlett's fatal collapse, Porton told police it was "entirely false" to suggest the toddler was already dead when she was recorded on CCTV carrying the little girl from a hotel, in Rugby, where she had been staying. But the paramedic responding to the subsequent non-emergency 111 call Porton made, described the girl being "freezing and completely lifeless" when he arrived. CCTV showed Porton filling up with petrol during the period when jurors heard Scarlett had already died. Porton had denied wrong-doing throughout, telling police in a prepared statement: "My children were never an inconvenience to me and I accommodated my lifestyle and personal life around them. "I still don't know how my daughters died, or what caused it." Porton, formerly of Skiddaw, Rugby, Warwickshire, will be sentenced by Mrs Justice Yip on Friday. | [email protected] (Charlotte Paxton) | https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/midlands-news/listen-killer-mum-louise-porton-16684948 | 2019-08-01 17:22:06+00:00 | 1,564,694,526 | 1,567,535,086 | crime, law and justice | crime |
66,396 | birminghammail--2019-09-10--First picture of killer girlfriend Olivia Halcrow who stabbed partner to death in drunken rage | 2019-09-10T00:00:00 | birminghammail | First picture of killer girlfriend Olivia Halcrow who stabbed partner to death in drunken rage | A drunk girlfriend who killed her boyfriend in a frenzied stabbing has been jailed for 18 years. The body of Gary Cunningham, 29, was discovered by a delivery driver outside her home in Harborne, Birmingham. He had been stabbed by Olivia Labinjo Halcrow TWELVE times and bled to death. The 26 year-old previously been acquitted of murder but was found guilty of manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility by a jury at Birmingham Crown Court. The court heard that Labinjo Halcrow had been Mr Cunningham's on and off girlfriend and had a young son from a previous relationship. Text messages between the pair suggested there had been a history of physical violence between them. Labinjo Halcrow lived in a block of flats in Frensham Way and in the early hours of February 23 a neighbour had heard "banging and screaming". Mr Cunningham had gone out in the morning to a garage but he was later found propped up against a fire exit door with blood around him. One of the wounds he suffered had severed an artery below his left knee and he had bled to death. Kate Bex QC, prosecuting, said there was evidence that both had been on drink and drugs before the killing and said that the defendant had been three and a half times over the alcohol limit for driving when the victim died. Ali Bajwa QC, defending, said Labinjo Halcrow suffered from a depressive illness and had no memory of the stabbing. He claimed that she had been subjected by Mr Cunningham to a controlling and manipulative relationship. In passing sentence Judge Simon Drew QC said: "On the morning of 23 February after consuming large quantities of alcohol you attacked Gary Cunningham. "I accept that your relationship with him was a volatile one, punctuated by episodes of violence. However I do not accept that was only one way. "It also became clear to me as the trial progressed that you are someone who can be bullying, manipulative, prone to exaggeration and if necessary lies, in order to get your own way." He added: "In my judgement the degree of responsibility retained by you was somewhere between medium and high. "I accept you may not have been aware of the fact that Gary Cunningham was bleeding to death on the landing outside your flat. "However not only did he suffer multiple injuries but he also sustained 12 separate wounds. "The fact that some of them were relatively superficial suggests that the attack went on for some time, therby prolonging the suffering. "Furthermore the fatal blow did not cause instant death." | [email protected] (Ross McCarthy) | https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/midlands-news/first-picture-killer-girlfriend-olivia-16896219 | 2019-09-10 15:20:06+00:00 | 1,568,143,206 | 1,569,330,507 | crime, law and justice | crime |
66,776 | birminghammail--2019-10-03--Killer Paul Proctor shocked when told he faced manslaughter charge 17 years after punching victim | 2019-10-03T00:00:00 | birminghammail | Killer Paul Proctor "shocked" when told he faced manslaughter charge 17 years after punching victim in face | A man who killed a "gentle giant" was left "shocked" as he was dragged back into a police station and charged with the manslaughter of his victim 17 years after brutally attacking him. But the detective who investigated the tragic case said that Proctor, who was today jailed for two years and ten months for manslaughter Paul Proctor, 47, of Priestland Road, Shard End, had already served an 18 month custodial sentence back in 2002 after pleading guilty to a charge of wounding following an attack on Mark Wilkie outside The Tyburn pub, in Castle Vale , on August 6, 2000. Mr Wilkie was left for dead in a sickening assault where he suffered a horrific brain injury from a single brutal punch. He was just 27 and never fully recovered. Mark was left in a wheelchair and needing round-the-clock care, before he finally succumbed to his injuries in October 2017. His close-knit family were torn apart by the attack and his mum, Lilly, died just two months after him. Following Mark's death from pneumonia, linked to a head injury, Proctor - of Priestland Road, Shard End - was charged again with manslaughter and pleaded guilty to the offence at Birmingham Crown Court back in August. Today he was starting another period in custody after being sentenced to two years and ten months. Detective Inspector Jim Colclough, who led the investigation, said Proctor hadn't shown any remorse following Mr Wilkie's death. He said: "As a result of the sad death of Mr Wilkie in October 2017 we reopened the case and due to medical evidence we were able to link his death with Paul Proctor and the one punch he inflicted on Mr Wilkie on that day. We were then able to secure a manslaughter charge. "Following Mr Wilkie's death Proctor was brought into the police station. He had served a custodial sentence of 18 months back in 2002 for wounding. As a result of his death we spoke to Proctor. He was clearly shocked facing a manslaughter charge 17 years after Mr Wilkie's death." DI Colclough said Proctor's actions had turned the lives of Mr Wilkie and his family upside down. He added: "This brutal act had a devastating affect on Mr Wilkie and his close family. He was left with a brain injury and required long term care for his injuries. This now brings closure and some kind of justice for Mr Wilkie's family." Speaking exclusively to Birmingham Live Mark's sister Claire Hazel said said her family's lives had been shattered by the unprovoked attack, and they were 'struggling to come to terms' with the events of the past two decades. She said: "We put our lives on hold - the attack destroyed our family. "I half expected him to go back to being the Mark we all knew and loved, but he never recovered and was left severely disabled and needing 24-hour care. "He had no quality of life and to this day, we still can't believe it happened. "It had a huge affect on our mum and the rest of the family. We would go to hospital every day and sit with him, I'd take my son who was only one at the time and I'd only leave when it was time to fetch my daughter from school. "I did it out of sisterly love - Mark was my only brother and he was wonderful. He was kind, caring, loving, thoughtful and a real family man." | [email protected] (Charlotte Paxton, Andy Richardson) | https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/midlands-news/killer-paul-proctor-shocked-faced-17025731 | 2019-10-03 15:19:26+00:00 | 1,570,130,366 | 1,570,221,696 | crime, law and justice | crime |
67,281 | birminghammail--2019-10-16--First picture of killer driver Adrian Paskin who left his girlfriend Sarah Handley to die in horror | 2019-10-16T00:00:00 | birminghammail | First picture of killer driver Adrian Paskin who left his girlfriend Sarah Handley to die in horror crash | This is the first picture of driver Adrian Paskin who killed his girlfriend in a high speed crash whilst fleeing from police. Mum Sarah Handley was left with fatal head injuries in the back of the vehicle - but cowardly Paskin fled the scene in Handsworth , leaving her to die. Paskin was jailed for over nine years at Birmingham crown court on Wednesday (October 16). The 35-year-old, of no fixed address, pleaded guilty to causing death by dangerous driving, driving while disqualified and driving with no insurance. It happened as Paskin fled from officers in his Ford Fiesta after being spotted on the M6 on the evening of Saturday August 17. His vehicle had already being involved in a police pursuit earlier that day which was abandoned by officers due to his dangerous driving. After leaving the motorway, Paskin realised he was being followed and made off at speed. He drove on pavements in excess of 70mph and ran two red lights. The pursuit was again abandoned as it was considered too high risk. Sadly within a minute of the pursuit being abandoned Paskin’s Fiesta was found on Crocketts Road, where it had collided head on with a WV Golf at the junction with Junction Road. Paskin ran from the scene, leaving his girlfriend, 28-year-old Sarah Handley, in the back of the car. Tragically Sarah died shortly after in hospital from head injuries sustained in the collision. The three people in the WV Golf all received hospital treatment for minor injuries. Six hours after the collision Paskin handed himself in to police and was arrested for causing death by dangerous driving. He was today given a 14 year sentence reduced to nine years and four months for his guilty plea at Birmingham Crown Court. The force’s Professional Standards Department was informed as well as the Independent Office for Police Conduct, as is normal procedure in a collision where a police vehicle is involved, who are conducting an investigation. Sergeant Dean Caswell, from the Serious Collision Investigation Unit, said: "This is such a tragic case, Sarah was a much loved mother, daughter, sister and aunty. "She was taken in such horrific circumstances and my sympathy remains with her family at this extremely difficult time. "Paskin’s behaviour was persistently dangerous on two occasions on that day, the judge describing it as a deliberate act. "He showed no regard for the law or the safety of his girlfriend and other road users, and his dangerous actions lead to Sarah’s death." | [email protected] (Jane Tyler) | https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/midlands-news/first-picture-killer-driver-adrian-17096880 | Wed, 16 Oct 2019 17:21:45 +0000 | 1,571,260,905 | 1,571,268,115 | crime, law and justice | crime |
68,689 | birminghammail--2019-12-05--Alesha MacPhail's killer Aaron Campbell 'could not have been stopped' | 2019-12-05T00:00:00 | birminghammail | Alesha MacPhail's killer Aaron Campbell 'could not have been stopped' | A review into the case of teenage killer Aaron Campbell has found his actions could not have been predicted by authorities. Campbell was jailed for life after snatching Alesha MacPhail from her bed on the Isle of Bute before raping and murdering the six-year-old last summer. Argyll and Bute Child Protection Committee carried out a review following the crime, which said Campbell, then 16, had been known to the authorities and was twice referred to the Youth Justice Service. His offending was considered low-level, however, and did not warrant the implementation of the authority's Sexual Harmful Behaviours Protocol. The report was produced in June but not published in full due to data protection laws. A summary, which refers to Campbell as "X", said: "The review has established that those professionals working with X were not aware of concerning behaviours that would have raised concerns for those professionals working with X. "The review group are of the view that there was no indication that agencies could have foreseen or predicted X's offending behaviour." The group commended the response of the local secondary school head teacher and staff in helping Campbell's fellow pupils come to terms with the crime. The report said: "Initially, some pupils could not believe that X had committed the offence and could not accept this up until the point where he was found guilty and sentenced. "The head teacher sensitively and effectively managed an exceptional set of circumstances and worked with colleagues from educational psychology and Rape Crisis to provide support and counselling to pupils and staff." Alesha, from Coatbridge in North Lanarkshire, was staying with her grandparents and father Robert MacPhail on her school holidays when she was preyed on by Campbell on July 2 last year. The teenager, who the High Court in Glasgow heard had previously bought cannabis from Mr MacPhail, tried to incriminate his partner, Toni McLachlan. Campbell was found guilty and sentenced to a minimum term of 27 years in jail, reduced to 24 years following an appeal. The review group included representatives from Argyll and Bute Health and Social Care Partnership and Police Scotland. The committee found evidence of good communication between the island's social work team and education services, which it said had "played a key role as named person in supporting and monitoring X". It ruled out carrying out a significant case review. Alesha's uncle, Calum-John MacPhail, told the Daily Mail: "There should be a full investigation to find out if opportunities were missed to save Alesha. "We had no idea before this that there were any markers or concerns about Campbell - apart from unconfirmed rumour - and I'm angry about that. "There has to be a full significant case review and we need to find out what happened to prevent any future tragedies." Cleland Sneddon, chairman of Argyll and Bute chief officers group for public protection, said: "Our drive is to do all we can to protect children. "We therefore went beyond what is required from an initial review and carried out a thorough, multi-agency assessment of what happened. "This robust process has evidenced that a crime of this nature could not have been foreseen." He added: "Given the extensive and thorough nature of the multi-agency assessment, it is our view that the initial review has covered everything that would be expected to be assessed by a significant case review. "We will use the work of our initial review to support ongoing development of child protection practices. "Our thoughts continue to be with Alesha's family and everyone affected by her loss." | [email protected] (James Rodger) | https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/midlands-news/alesha-macphails-killer-aaron-campbell-17372511 | Thu, 5 Dec 2019 21:58:45 +0000 | 1,575,601,125 | 1,575,593,455 | crime, law and justice | crime |
70,298 | breaking911--2019-09-04--Homeowner Suspect Killed In Home Invasion Shootout Killer Remains at Large | 2019-09-04T00:00:00 | breaking911 | Homeowner, Suspect Killed In Home Invasion Shootout; Killer Remains at Large | HOUSTON, Texas — The Harris County Sheriff’s Office Gulf Coast Violent Offender and Fugitive Task Force needs the public’s assistance locating 19-year-old George Ramiro Burgos who is wanted for Capital Murder. On Thursday, July 17, 2019, at approximately 2:40 a.m., Burgos along with four other men committed a home invasion robbery in the 16000 block of Pecan Street in Channelview, Texas. During the incident, the homeowner and one suspect were killed in an exchange of gunfire. Three of the four suspects have been apprehended. George Ramiro Burgos is a Hispanic male, 5’7″ in height, and weighing approximately 145 lbs. He has brown eyes and short brown hair and possibly a thin mustache. Anyone with information on his whereabouts is urged to call the HCSO Homicide unit at 713-274-9100. | ---- | https://breaking911.com/homeowner-suspect-killed-in-home-invasion-shootout-killer-remains-at-large/ | 2019-09-04 20:46:00+00:00 | 1,567,644,360 | 1,569,331,514 | crime, law and justice | crime |
70,319 | breaking911--2019-09-08--4 Shot 3 Dead In NC Cops Searching For Killer | 2019-09-08T00:00:00 | breaking911 | 4 Shot, 3 Dead In NC; Cops Searching For Killer | COLUMBUS COUNTY, NC — On Saturday, 6:55am Columbus County Sheriff’s Office Deputies, Brunswick Fire Department, and Whiteville Rescue were dispatched to a home on Brittany Lane, outside of Whiteville, in reference to multiple victims with reported gunshot wounds. Upon arrival, CCSO Deputies located four individuals at the residence with apparent gunshot wounds. Despite all life-saving efforts, three of the four victims succumbed to their injuries. The fourth victim was transported to Columbus Regional Healthcare Systems by Whiteville Rescue and is expected to survive. CCSO Deputies secured the scene and began an investigation. CCSO and Columbus County District Attorney Investigators arrived shortly after to interview witnesses and to conduct a crime scene investigation. During the incident, the suspects reportedly stole the victim’s vehicle, later identified as a silver 2011 Ford Fusion, bearing North Carolina Registration Plate PFH-6923, and fled the scene. Sheriff Jody Greene wants to remind the public that it is important to pay attention to what is going on around you and to call 911 if you see anything suspicious. The Columbus County Sheriff’s Office Criminal Investigations Division is requesting anyone with information in this case to please contact Investigator B. Fowler at 910-640-6629. | ---- | https://breaking911.com/developing-at-least-4-shot-3-dead-in-nc-cops-searching-for-killer/ | 2019-09-08 19:51:42+00:00 | 1,567,986,702 | 1,569,330,840 | crime, law and justice | crime |
70,460 | breaking911--2019-10-07--FBI Confirms Samuel Little Is The Most Prolific Serial Killer In U.S. History | 2019-10-07T00:00:00 | breaking911 | FBI Confirms Samuel Little Is The Most Prolific Serial Killer In U.S. History | The FBI confirms that Samuel Little, 79, is the most prolific serial killer in U.S. history. To date, Little has confessed to 93 murders. The FBI’s Violent Criminal Apprehension Program (ViCAP) can also confirm that Little has been matched to 50 cases, with many more pending final confirmation. In 2012, Little was arrested and extradited to California on a narcotics charge. Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) obtained DNA that connected Little to three unsolved homicides that occurred in 1987 and 1989. In 2013, the LAPD notified ViCAP, which initiated a full background investigation and found an alarming pattern that linked Little to many more murders. Little was charged with three counts of murder and ultimately convicted and sentenced in 2014 to three consecutive life terms without parole. In May 2018, the Texas Rangers and the FBI were able to obtain detailed information on additional murders across the country that Little voluntarily provided. Little says he strangled his 93 victims between 1970 and 2005. Many of his victims’ deaths, however, were originally ruled overdoses or attributed to accidental or undetermined causes. Some bodies were never found. “The FBI is grateful for the Texas Rangers and state and local law enforcement partners who have worked diligently to confirm these cases,” said John Selleck, assistant director of the FBI’s Critical Incident Response Group. “Strong cooperation and information sharing between the FBI and its partners resulted in successful connections to Little’s crimes, ultimately bringing him to justice and helping victims’ families through the closure process.” | ---- | https://breaking911.com/breaking-fbi-confirms-samuel-little-is-the-most-prolific-serial-killer-in-u-s-history/ | Mon, 07 Oct 2019 18:33:59 +0000 | 1,570,487,639 | 1,570,485,605 | crime, law and justice | crime |
70,705 | breaking911--2019-11-24--14-Year-Old Killer Charged As Adult In ‘Brutal’ Slaying Of Susan Spiller | 2019-11-24T00:00:00 | breaking911 | 14-Year-Old Killer Charged As Adult In ‘Brutal’ Slaying Of Susan Spiller | MINNESOTA — Adult criminal murder charges were filed against a teenager after a Hennepin County District Court judge ordered he should be tried as an adult, even though he was just 14 at the time of the murder. Demetrius Wynne, who will turn 19 on Thursday, was charged with second-degree murder with intent and second-degree murder while committing a felony (burglary) in the July 2015 death of 68-year-old Susan Spiller in her home at 5120 Dupont Ave. N. He is expected to make his first court appearance on the adult charges Thursday. Wynne was arrested and charged by juvenile petition in the murder on June 21, 2019. However, nearly all information, including Wynne’s identity, was not public because he was a juvenile at the time of the murder and would continue to be treated as one even though he was 18 at the time of his arrest. The Hennepin County Attorney’s Office immediately filed a petition to have Wynne certified as an adult. Closed juvenile court hearings were held before Hennepin County District Court Judge Tanya Bransford on Sept. 18 and Oct. 22 with final written comments submitted by Oct. 29. She ruled in favor of adult certification Tuesday, noting that his age precluded him from being treated as a juvenile and even Extended Juvenile Jurisdiction would only keep him on probation for two years. “We appreciate Judge Bransford’s decision and believe it is the correct one to protect public safety,” Freeman said. “This was a home burglary and brutal killing and by no stretch of the imagination would two years be sufficient for either punishment or rehabilitation. Now we will focus on proving Mr. Wynne guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.” According to the new adult criminal complaint, Wynne and his family lived next door to Spiller at 5116 Dupont Ave. N. Sometime in the evening of July 15-16, 2015, someone cut the screen to a rear window of Spiller’s home and removed it to gain entry into the house. Spiller was found in her bedroom where she had been beaten, strangled and stabbed five times. Her cell phone was missing. The break in the case came on June 12, 2019 when Wynne was booked and fingerprinted on an adult felony case, which is pending. Two days later, the computer matched his booking fingerprints to prints taken from the rear window of Spiller’s home, the complaint states. In addition, a DNA profile from a fingernail clipping from Spiller’s right hand has been connected to Wynne. FOX 9 reported after her killing that Spiller had spoke at a community meeting, saying she feared retaliation after reporting neighborhood problems such as noise complaints. | ---- | https://breaking911.com/14-year-old-killer-charged-as-adult-in-brutal-slaying-of-susan-spiller/ | Sun, 24 Nov 2019 19:25:56 +0000 | 1,574,641,556 | 1,574,642,027 | crime, law and justice | crime |
72,041 | breitbart--2019-08-22--Florida Serial Killer Who Targeted Gay Men to Be Executed | 2019-08-22T00:00:00 | breitbart | Florida Serial Killer Who Targeted Gay Men to Be Executed | Gary Ray Bowles, 57, is scheduled to receive a lethal injection Thursday evening at Florida State Prison in Stark, Florida, the Associated Press reported. Florida Today reported that Bowles was sentenced to death row in 1996 for murdering six men he met on a trip up and down the East Coast between March and November 1994. Because he picked up most of his victims in gay bars between Daytona Beach, Florida, and Maryland, he earned himself the nickname “the I-95 killer.” He often offered his victims money or sex before strangling them to their deaths, taking their identification and credit cards. Bowles was featured on America’s Most Wanted on five different occasions and made the FBI’s most wanted list in 1994, shortly before detectives questioned him on his last murder, Walter Hinton. Bowles was raised in abusive household, causing him to leave home at 14 and earn his keep by working as a prostitute, letting gay men perform sex acts on him in exchange for money. Despite his violence towards gay men, Bowles has said he is straight. He also had a history of violence against women. In 1982, Bowles was convicted of brutally beating and sexually assaulting his girlfriend in Tampa. He served less than three years for that crime. She suffered severe injuries from his beatings. After a second prison stint for robbery and grand theft, Bowles went back to working as a prostitute in Daytona Beach and moved in with another girlfriend. The relationship faltered when she found out he was a sex worker, the Daytona Beach News-Journal reported. Bowles later told the police he blamed gay men for his breakup, and that was why he targeted gay men for his killing sprees. Police caught Bowles in Jacksonville in November 1994 several days after he murdered his sixth victim, Walter Jamelle Hinton, the Washington Post reported. In his confession to police, Bowles said he murdered six men in four states and dropped a concrete block on Hinton’s head while he slept. Bowles pleaded guilty to murder in court and received the death penalty in 1996. The Florida Supreme Court reversed the death penalty in 1999, due to improper handling of his case. Bowles was re-sentenced to death in a court hearing that same year. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a warrant for Bowles’ death sentence on June 11. Barring a stay of execution by Florida’s Supreme Court, Bowles will die by lethal injection Thursday evening. | Katherine Rodriguez | http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/breitbart/~3/_LmIZEoKNMg/ | 2019-08-22 19:40:49+00:00 | 1,566,517,249 | 1,567,533,671 | crime, law and justice | crime |
73,879 | breitbart--2019-10-05--60 Minutes Serial Killer Confesses to Murdering 93 Women | 2019-10-05T00:00:00 | breitbart | 60 Minutes: Serial Killer Confesses to Murdering 93 Women | The program, set to air on CBS at 7 p.m. on Sunday, focuses on how Texas Ranger James Holland was able to get serial killer Samuel Little to open up about the killings. Holland said he was able to get through to Little by agreeing with him that he was a killer and not just a rapist. His interrogation tactic enabled Little to present detailed, vivid memories of each woman he killed. “There’s indications of visualization, of when he’s thinking about a crime scene. He’ll start stroking his face. And as he’s starting to picture a victim, you’ll see him look out and up,” Holland said. “And you can tell he has this revolving carousel of victims, and it’s just spinning, and he’s waiting for it to stop at the one that he wants to talk about,” he added. Little also had the ability to sketch out the likenesses of the women he killed, creating a collection which Holland showed in the 60 Minutes interview. The FBI released those drawings back in February to get help in identifying some of Little’s victims. Little is currently incarcerated and serving three life sentences, which has led him to be forthcoming with investigators around the country. | Katherine Rodriguez | http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/breitbart/~3/Exeo-lYxmko/ | 2019-10-05 19:56:02+00:00 | 1,570,319,762 | 1,570,632,960 | crime, law and justice | crime |
75,250 | breitbart--2019-11-06--Sanctuary County: Illegal Alien Killer Escapes Jail Time, Gets Freed into U.S. | 2019-11-06T00:00:00 | breitbart | Sanctuary County: Illegal Alien Killer Escapes Jail Time, Gets Freed into U.S. | An illegal alien who was convicted of killing a man while driving drunk earlier this year escaped jail time and was instead freed into the United States. In January, illegal alien Jose Barajas-Diaz was driving drunk when he hit and killed Miguel Angel Linarte Jacome, an immigrant from Mexico. Immediately after Barajas-Diaz’s arrest, the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency requested that, should he be released at any time, he be turned over to them for detainment. In October, Barajas-Diaz was convicted for Jacome’s killing and given a five-year prison sentence, but all of it was suspended and he was given credit for time served, allowing him to be immediately released. Rather than turning Barajas-Diaz over to ICE agents for deportation, the Mecklenburg County Sheriff’s Office released the illegal alien into the general public and forced ICE agents to go and arrest him days later. This is yet another example of a clear public safety threat being released into North Carolina communities rather than into ICE custody due to local sheriff policies on ICE non-cooperation. Continued decisions to refuse cooperation with ICE serve as an open invitation to aliens who commit criminal offenses that these counties are a safe haven for persons seeking to evade federal authorities, and residents of Mecklenburg County are less safe due to these misguided sanctuary policies. As Breitbart News reported, North Carolina sanctuary jurisdictions freed more than 500 criminal illegal aliens back into the general public in Fiscal Year 2019. Up to 80 percent of criminal illegal aliens freed back into American communities by sanctuary jurisdictions go on to commit more crimes. John Binder is a reporter for Breitbart News. Follow him on Twitter at @JxhnBinder. | John Binder | http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/breitbart/~3/OGGJZ-v0U0Q/ | Wed, 06 Nov 2019 00:08:32 +0000 | 1,573,016,912 | 1,573,062,503 | crime, law and justice | crime |
75,527 | breitbart--2019-11-11--Killers, Other Felons Arrested Sneaking Across Southwest Border | 2019-11-11T00:00:00 | breitbart | Killers, Other Felons Arrested Sneaking Across Southwest Border | Border Patrol agents and U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers arrested multiple felons, including a convicted killer, attempting to cross the southwest border from Mexico. El Paso Sector agents assigned to the Ysleta Border Patrol Station arrested Miguel Marines-Patino, a Mexican national, after he illegally crossed the border south of the Padres Overpass on November 7. The agents observed the man illegally crossing the border about two miles west of the Ysleta Port of Entry, according to information obtained from El Paso Sector Border Patrol officials. The agents arrested the man and transported him to the Ysleta Station for processing, including a biometric background investigation. During the investigation the agents uncovered and immigration and criminal history, officials stated. A court in Chicago convicted Marines-Patino in 1986 on a charge of murder. The court sentenced the Mexican migrant to 24 years in state prison. Immigration officers twice removed the migrant, most recently in March 2016. “Federal authorities in El Paso filed a federal criminal complaint this morning charging Marines-Patino with illegal re-entry after deportation,” El Paso Sector officials stated. “Upon conviction, Marines-Patino faces up to 20 years in federal prison.” “Every day, criminal aliens attempt to illegally enter the United States, often concealing themselves among family units or taking advantage of the current crisis,” officials stated. “The men and women of the U.S. Border Patrol are our first line of defense in stopping these criminals before they can wreak havoc in communities all over our country.” Elsewhere on the border, San Diego CBP officers arrested four felons in three days as they attempted to enter the U.S. from Mexico. On November 6, officers assigned to the Otay Mesa pedestrian facility observed a woman approaching for inspection from Mexico. Officers identified her as Roxana Salazar, a 26-year-old U.S. citizen. A database check revealed the woman is wanted by the San Bernadino Sheriff’s Department to face a charge of murder. The warrant carries a bond of $1 million, officials stated. Two days earlier, CBP officers assigned to the San Ysidro PedWest facility apprehended another U.S. citizen wanted for murder in Los Angeles, San Diego CBP officials stated. The man attempted to cross the border on November 4. Officers check the man’s identity against the database and uncovered the active warrants for charges of murder and attempted murder, officials stated. Deputies turned Joey Alvarado, 32, over to U.S. Marshals for transportation to the San Diego Central Jail. Officers assigned to the San Ysidro PedWest facility arrested the two men wanted for escaping from the jail located in Salinas, California. The two men, 21-year-old Santos Fonesca and 20-year-old Jonathan Salazar, both U.S. citizens, presented themselves for inspection by CBP officers. The officers ran a background check and found the warrants from the Monterrey County Sheriff’s Department for jail escaped. “We would like to thank the CBP for their partnership and assistance in taking these two violent and dangerous people safely into custody,” said John Thornburg, Captain with the Monterrey County Sheriff’s Office in a written statement. | Bob Price | http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/breitbart/~3/3sNwg6-YcS0/ | Mon, 11 Nov 2019 16:23:18 +0000 | 1,573,507,398 | 1,573,517,322 | crime, law and justice | crime |
87,780 | channel4uk--2019-01-23--Fugitive speedboat killer arrested | 2019-01-23T00:00:00 | channel4uk | Fugitive speedboat killer arrested | The man dubbed the speedboat killer, Jack Shepherd, has been arrested in Georgia after months on the run. Shepherd had been due to stand trial last year at the Old Bailey over the death of 24-year-old Charlotte Brown in December 2015, but was convicted in his absence of manslaughter by gross negligence. Today he finally handed himself in to Georgian police. | Keme Nzerem | https://www.channel4.com/news/fugitive-speedboat-killer-arrested | 2019-01-23 19:52:35+00:00 | 1,548,291,155 | 1,567,551,214 | crime, law and justice | crime |
87,809 | channel4uk--2019-01-25--Speedboat killer to remain in custody in Georgia | 2019-01-25T00:00:00 | channel4uk | Speedboat killer to remain in custody in Georgia | Jack Shepherd, the man dubbed the speedboat killer, will stay in custody in Georgia for another three months before extradition proceedings, telling a court in Tbilisi he was “suicidally depressed”. Shepherd, who’s been on the run since being found guilty at the Old Bailey, in his absence, of killing 24-year-old Charlotte Brown, claimed today that the decision to take her on a speedboat date had been his greatest regret. | Minnie Stephenson | https://www.channel4.com/news/speedboat-killer-to-remain-in-custody-in-georgia | 2019-01-25 20:03:26+00:00 | 1,548,464,606 | 1,567,550,896 | crime, law and justice | crime |
125,315 | dailybeast--2019-10-18--Convicted Killer Now Charged in Estranged Wife’s Cold-Case Murder: Prosecutors | 2019-10-18T00:00:00 | dailybeast | Convicted Killer Now Charged in Estranged Wife’s Cold-Case Murder: Prosecutors | A Virginia man who is behind bars for killing his girlfriend has now been charged with the murder of his wife three decades ago, prosecutors announced Friday. Jose Rodriguez-Cruz, 53, was indicted by a Stafford County grand jury for the May 1989 murder of 28-year-old Marta Haydee Rodriguez. Rodriguez-Cruz is currently serving a 12-year prison sentence for the 2009 murder of his girlfriend, Pamela Butler, who was a federal worker in Washington, D.C. During a Friday press conference, Stafford County Commonwealth’s Attorney Eric Olsen announced that the former military police officer, who was discharged after threatening to harm his female superior twice, has been charged with first-degree murder and the unlawful concealment of his wife’s body, finally bringing a 30-year investigation to a close. “This is the ultimate act of domestic violence and it’s noteworthy that in the month of October justice is going to be delivered for Marta Rodriguez,” Olson said, pointing out that October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month. Rodriguez was last seen on May 1, 1989, as she walked to a bus stop after leaving her job as a nurse’s aide. Prosecutors allege Rodriguez-Cruz murdered his first wife shortly after she told police he had assaulted and kidnapped her—but before she could testify against him in court. “If I can’t have her, no one will,” Rodriguez-Cruz once said, according to 2017 court documents. The 28-year-old’s body was found in 1991 on an Interstate 95 median but was not positively identified until last year. Twenty years after his wife’s 1989 disappearance, Rodriguez-Cruz fatally strangled Butler, an Environmental Protection Agency analyst and his girlfriend of seven months, during a heated argument before hiding her body. He pleaded guilty to second-degree murder in 2017, at which point he confessed to killing the 47-year-old in her basement in 2009 before slipping her body out of a first-floor window. One of Rodriguez-Cruz’s friends told authorities that he once said it was “easy” to get rid of a body because “if you dig a hole deep enough, no one will find it,” according to testimony at his plea hearing. As part of his plea deal, Rodriguez-Cruz told police he buried Butler in 2009 along Interstate 95—where Rodriguez was found—but her remains were never discovered. Derrick Butler, Pamela’s brother, also attended Friday’s news conference and told reporters he was relieved to hear news of Rodriguez-Cruz’s latest charge. Authorities believe his pattern of abuse stretches beyond the death of his two former lovers. In 2017, investigators testified that the 53-year-old told his second wife he knew how to make sure a body was never found. Another woman, a security guard at a federal office, also told detectives that Rodriguez-Cruz allegedly duct-taped her wrists, held a gun to her head, and sexually assaulted her in 2004. “This man doesn’t impulsively kill. He abducts women, duct-tapes them, sexually assaults them, and then holds them captive,” said Assistant U.S. Attorney Glenn Kirschner said at the 2017 hearing. “Duct tape and a gun are his weapon of choice.” | Pilar Melendez | http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/thedailybeast/articles/~3/yETBrQQaDYM/jose-rodriguez-cruz-va-man-who-killed-his-girlfriend-now-charged-in-estranged-wifes-murder-prosecutors | Fri, 18 Oct 2019 17:18:31 GMT | 1,571,433,511 | 1,571,437,510 | crime, law and justice | crime |
126,051 | dailybeast--2019-11-26--UIC Student’s Alleged Killer Was ‘Angry’ She Ignored His Catcalls: Prosecutors | 2019-11-26T00:00:00 | dailybeast | UIC Student’s Alleged Killer Was ‘Angry’ She Ignored His Catcalls: Prosecutors | A man who sexually assaulted and strangled a University of Illinois at Chicago student to death over the weekend became “angry” at the young woman when she “ignored” his catcalls, prosecutors said in court Tuesday. Donald Thurman, 26, was charged on Monday with first-degree murder and criminal sexual assault for the grisly Saturday night slaying of 19-year-old Ruth George. George, a sophomore kinesiology major, was found “unresponsive” in the backseat of her family’s car on Saturday morning after her family reported her missing to campus police. In Cook County court on Tuesday, prosecutors alleged Thurman saw George across the street and started catcalling her. The student didn’t respond and kept walking—which made the 26-year-old “angry he was being ignored,” Assistant State’s Attorney James Murphy said. Once inside the parking lot, prosecutors said Thurman grabbed George and placed her in a chokehold before throwing her into the backseat of her family’s car. He then allegedly sexually assaulted the teenager with a condom on while she was unconscious. Police say Thurman, who lived near campus but has no affiliation with the university or the victim, confessed to killing the student just hours after he was arrested. In 2016, he was sentenced to six years in state prison for an armed robbery after allegedly stealing a woman’s iPhone and fleeing in a stolen vehicle. He was released last year and is currently on parole, jail records show. George’s family members said Tuesday that they hold “no hatred” toward their loved one’s alleged killer as they “grieve with hope.” “Our hope is no other girl would be harmed in this way and for a mother to never experience this type of heartache,” the family said in a statement. “Ruth lived out her deep faith in Jesus by loving and serving others, leaving a legacy of Christ-centered kindness and sacrifice. She was the beloved baby of our family.” According to university surveillance cameras, Thurman was walking behind George as she entered the garage around 1:35 a.m. on Saturday. About 35 minutes later, he can be seen running south on Halsted Street, away from the scene. George’s family contacted campus police at around 11 a.m. on Saturday after they had not heard from her in two days. Police said the teenager’s cell phone “pinged” off a Halsted Street garage on campus—where they found her dead in the backseat of the family-owned car. At around 2 a.m. on Sunday, detectives picked up Thurman at the Halsted and Harrison station and took him into custody. After about 12 hours of police questioning, he “gave a full confession to this horrific crime,” authorities said. Thurman’s attorney argued to Judge Charles Beach on Tuesday that his client is homeless with a history of childhood abuse and suicidal ideations. Despite her request for protective custody—noting death threats he has received since his arrest—Beach ordered Thurman to be held in Cook County jail without bail. Hundreds of UIC students gathered Monday night to mourn the young woman who dreamed of becoming a physical therapist, hanging dozens of yellow ribbons around campus in her memory. George was a 2018 graduate of Naperville Central High School, where she was a member of the school’s gymnastics team. “It is very difficult to find words that can express the sadness our entire community experiences today following the news of the tragic death of a 19-year-old undergraduate student,” UIC Chancellor Michael Amiridis said in a statement. “We offer our sincere condolences to the student’s family and friends and I know that all of us have them in our hearts as they struggle with this devastating loss.” In several social media posts, George’s family and friends recalled the teenager as “the sweetest person” with the “brightest smile.” “She was the light of our family and the best of all of us,” Esther George, her older sister, wrote on Facebook. “She was wise beyond her years and now she is gone [too] soon. God give us peace.” The teenager’s former teammates said people were “drawn to her” ability to make everyone feel welcome. “For the girls who were new on the team each season, she was always one to help make everyone feel welcome, and the girls were drawn to her because of that,” Mary Grace Maxwell, a former teammate and friend told The Chicago Tribune on Tuesday. “It’s incredibly heartbreaking to know someone took this beautiful girl away from us.” | Pilar Melendez | http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/thedailybeast/articles/~3/0CyvnC6X-us/donald-thurman-ruth-georges-alleged-killer-was-angry-uic-student-ignored-his-catcalls-prosecutors | Tue, 26 Nov 2019 19:19:32 GMT | 1,574,813,972 | 1,574,813,060 | crime, law and justice | crime |
128,654 | dailyheraldchicago--2019-08-23--The Latest Serial killer who preyed on gay men executed | 2019-08-23T00:00:00 | dailyheraldchicago | The Latest: Serial killer who preyed on gay men executed | A serial killer who preyed on older gay men during a rampage 25 years ago around the U.S. East Coast has been put to death. The office of Gov. Ron DeSantis says 57-year-old Gary Ray Bowles was pronounced dead at 10:58 p.m. Thursday after receiving a lethal injection at Florida State Prison in Starke. He was condemned to die for his murder conviction in the 1994 slaying of Walter Hinton in Jacksonville Beach. That was one of the six known killings that terrorized the Interstate 95 corridor that year and earned him the nickname of the "I-95 killer." Hinton was Bowles' sixth victim in the killing spree that began in Daytona Beach with the slaying of John Hardy Roberts. In between, there were victims in Maryland, Georgia and Florida. In each case, Bowles stuffed the victims' throats. The U.S. Supreme Court has cleared the way for the execution of a Florida serial killer who targeted older gay men in a spree a quarter-century ago. The justices denied the last-ditch appeal Thursday of 57-year-old Gary Ray Bowles, whose lawyers had claimed he is too intellectually disabled to be executed. Bowles was to die by lethal injection late Thursday at the Florida State Prison in Starke. Bowles was condemned for the murder of Walter Hinton in Jacksonville Beach - one of the killings that terrorized the East Coast's Interstate 95 corridor in 1994. Hinton was Bowles' sixth and final known victim in a spree that began in Daytona Beach with the slaying of John Hardy Roberts. In between, there were victims in Maryland, Georgia and Florida. In each case, Bowles stuffed the victims' throats with objects. The scheduled execution of a Florida serial killer who targeted older gay men awaited a ruling from the U.S. Supreme Court on his final appeals. The high court was mulling a last-ditch appeal Thursday from 57-year-old Gary Ray Bowles, whose lawyers contended he is too intellectually disabled to be executed. Bowles was set to die by lethal injection at the Florida State prison in Starke. The execution was scheduled for 6 p.m. Thursday but was delayed while the Supreme Court considered his case. Bowles was condemned for the murder of Walter Hinton in Jacksonville Beach - one of the killings that terrorized the East Coast's Interstate 95 corridor in an eight-month span in 1994. Hinton was Bowles' sixth and final known victim in a spree that began in Daytona Beach with the slaying of John Hardy Roberts. In between, there were victims in Rockville, Maryland; Savannah, Georgia; Atlanta and Nassau County, Florida. A serial killer who preyed on older gay men during a rampage that left six dead a quarter century ago received no visitors in the hours before his planned execution. Officials at Florida State Prison in Starke say 57-year-old Gary Ray Bowles did eat a meal of three cheeseburgers, French fries and bacon as execution preparations were being made. He's set to receive a lethal injection for the murder of Walter Hinton in Jacksonville Beach - one of the killings that terrorized the Interstate 95 corridor in an eight-month span in 1994. The execution plan awaits a ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court on his final appeals. Hinton was Bowles' sixth and final known victim in a spree that began in Daytona Beach with the slaying of John Hardy Roberts. In between, there were victims in Rockville, Maryland; Savannah, Georgia; Atlanta and Nassau County, Florida. A serial killer who preyed on older, gay men during a spree that left six dead on or near the U.S. East Coast 25 years ago is set to be executed at a Florida prison. Fifty-seven-year-old Gary Ray Bowles is set to receive a lethal injection Thursday evening, convicted of the November 1994 murder of Walter Hinton in Jacksonville Beach - one of the killings that terrorized the Interstate 95 corridor in eight-month span. Hinton was Bowles' sixth and final known victim in a rampage that began in Daytona Beach with the slaying of John Hardy Roberts. In between, there were victims in Rockville, Maryland; Savannah, Georgia; Atlanta and Nassau County, Florida. In each case, Bowles stuffed the victims' throats with objects such as rags toilet paper, dirt and leaves. Investigators say if he hadn't been caught, Bowles would have kept on killing. | null | http://www.dailyherald.com/article/20190822/news/308229763/ | 2019-08-23 03:10:00+00:00 | 1,566,544,200 | 1,567,533,649 | crime, law and justice | crime |
146,361 | drudgereport--2019-04-06--OJ Prosecutor Darden Defending Suspected Nipsey Hussle Killer | 2019-04-06T00:00:00 | drudgereport | OJ Prosecutor Darden Defending Suspected Nipsey Hussle Killer... | — An aspiring rapper plead not guilty Thursday in the murder of hip hop artist Nipsey Hussle in South Los Angeles. Eric Ronald Holder Jr., 29, was arraigned in a downtown Los Angeles courtroom on one count of murder, two counts of attempted murder and one count of possession of a firearm by a felon. If convicted as charged, he faces a possible maximum sentence of life in state prison. Holder is represented by Christopher Darden, the former city prosecutor from the O.J. Simpson murder trial in the mid-1990s, according to CBSLA’s Dave Lopez. Holder could face a potential life prison sentence if convicted as charged, according to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office. Hussle, whose real name is Ermias Joseph Asghedom, was fatally shot Sunday in the 3400 block of West Slauson Avenue. The Grammy-nominated rapper was gunned down outside The Marathon Clothing, a store he opened in 2017, in the Hyde Park neighborhood just south of the Crenshaw area where he was born and grew up. Two other men were also wounded in the attack, although only one of them was hospitalized. According to LAPD Chief Michel Moore, Holder and Hussle became involved in some sort of dispute outside the store before Holder left and returned with a handgun. Hussle was shot in the head and body and died at a hospital, officials said. “We believe this to be a dispute between Mr. Hussle and Mr. Holder,” Moore said. “I’m not going to go into the conversations, but it appears to be a personal matter between the two of them.” Holder is being held on $5 million bail. | null | http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/DrudgeReportFeed/~3/5RfFzGUyVqs/ | 2019-04-06 10:37:37+00:00 | 1,554,561,457 | 1,567,543,815 | crime, law and justice | crime |
151,829 | drudgereport--2019-10-04--Serial Killer Confesses to 93 Murders | 2019-10-04T00:00:00 | drudgereport | Serial Killer Confesses to 93 Murders! | James Holland has heard confessions from many, many murderers. But now one is telling the Texas Ranger he's committed 93 murders himself, making him perhaps the most prolific serial killer in American history. The race is on to identify all of the 93 women Samuel Little says he murdered, while the 79-year-old remains alive and continues to cooperate. Holland tells Sharyn Alfonsi in his first television interview how he got Little to open up about his victims for a story to be broadcast on "60 Minutes" Sunday, October 6, at 7 p.m. ET/PT on CBS. Information Holland has gathered from Little has led to 50 cold case murders being solved. There are more Little says he committed that if resolved would give victims' relatives answers and exonerate any innocent people who may have been wrongly convicted for the murders. Holland says he broke through to Little by agreeing with him that he was not a rapist, but truly a killer. This tack seemed to unlock the place where he kept detailed, almost photographic memories of every woman he killed. Holland describes Little's process, "There's indications of visualization, of when he's thinking about a crime scene. He'll start stroking his face. And as he's starting to picture a victim, you'll see him look out and up." "And you can tell he has this revolving carousel of victims, and it's just spinning, and he's waiting for it to stop at the one that he wants to talk about," Holland says. Little can count all of his victims, even still hear them, says Holland. A big aid in identifying victims has been Little's ability to sketch very close likenesses of the women. Holland shows Alfonsi a collection of Little's drawings, a collection he hopes will grow. | null | http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/DrudgeReportFeed/~3/6RLL30bT250/ | 2019-10-04 21:19:37+00:00 | 1,570,238,377 | 1,570,633,687 | crime, law and justice | crime |
151,854 | drudgereport--2019-10-06--Hunt on for killer | 2019-10-06T00:00:00 | drudgereport | Hunt on for killer... | KANSAS CITY, Kan. — Four people were killed and five others were injured in an overnight shooting at a bar in Kansas City, Kansas, according to police. Around 1:30 a.m Sunday., officers responded to a shooting at Tequila KC Bar at 10th Street and Central Avenue. In a news release, police said that an earlier dispute inside the bar may have led to the shooting. Police said the suspects were armed with handguns and fled the scene after the shooting. Police did not release any additional information about the suspects or a possible motive. Kansas City, Kansas, Mayor David Alvey said his prayers are with both the victims' families and the assailants. "The businesses and the families who live in these neighborhoods are growing in our community and they deserve to feel safe in their neighborhoods," Alvey said. "Their businesses deserve to be protected and our police department really has done an outstanding job of working with the community to identify the problems and to come up with solutions." Four people inside the bar were killed. Police did not release their names but said the four victims were all Hispanic men. One was in his late 50s, one in his mid-30s and two were in their mid-20s, KCK police spokesman Officer Thomas Tomasic said. Injuries to the other five victims were not life-threatening. Later Sunday morning, two of the victims had been treated and released from the hospital. Toni Maciel, who knows the victims, said he wants to know why the shooting happened. "Just think once or twice about your actions," Maciel said. "Think 10 times about your actions -- who you are going to affect, mothers, fathers, daughters, wives, fiances, friends, because you took a good chunk away from this bar." READ MORE: Here is what we know about the Tequila KC Bar. On Sunday morning, police remained at the scene, collecting evidence and surveillance video from the bar. "Detectives are here and are looking at any surveillance," Tomasic told 41 Action News. "This is definitely one of those that we’re going to do everything very slowly, very methodically and correctly." Police estimated there were around 40 people inside the bar at the time of the shooting. In brief remarks to the media, Kansas City, Kansas, Mayor David Alvey said the shooting was "sad for all involved." Other area political leaders took to social media to offer their condolences to the victims of the shooting. Rep. Sharice Davids, D-Kansas 3rd District, represents the area where the shooting took place. She tweeted that her "heart breaks for everyone impacted by the senseless shooting." Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly tweeted that her thoughts were with the victims and their families. Senator Jerry Moran, R-Kansas, Earlier in the morning, Sen. Pat Roberts, R-Kansas, also took to Twitter to talk about the shooting, Agents with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives in Kansas City also responded to the shooting. This a developing story. We'll post updates as they become available. | null | http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/DrudgeReportFeed/~3/v-cDGVy34G0/four-people-killed-in-kck-bar-shooting | 2019-10-06 20:19:36+00:00 | 1,570,407,576 | 1,570,632,950 | crime, law and justice | crime |
157,756 | eveningstandard--2019-01-04--Speedboat killer Jack Shepherd could be aposanywhere in the worldapos Scotland Yard admits | 2019-01-04T00:00:00 | eveningstandard | Speedboat killer Jack Shepherd could be 'anywhere in the world,' Scotland Yard admits | Police have conceded they have no idea of the whereabouts of speedboat fugitive Jack Shepherd, who disappeared part way through his trial over the death of his date Charlotte Brown. The web designer has been at large since being convicted in his absence of manslaughter by gross negligence in July last year. Shepherd, 31, was sentenced to six years in jail after being found culpable over the death of Miss Brown, 24, in a speedboat accident on the Thames in December 2015. Detectives say he may be using secret bank accounts belonging to friends or relatives to finance his life on the run. Shepherd was given permission to challenge his conviction by a judge at the Court of Appeal on December 19. Shepherd’s passport was not confiscated before the trial. Detective Chief Inspector Mick Norman, from the Met, told the Daily Mail that “Shepherd is subject to an international arrest warrant. However since he failed to appear in court for his trial there has been no tangible trace of him.” Mr Norman added that despite being in touch with his London solicitors, there had been “no tangible trace” of Shepherd. His lawyers, who are funded through legal aid, insist they do not know where he his. “There have been a number of rumours that he is being harboured abroad by friends but we have no evidence this is the case,” Mr Norman said. “There has been no movement on his bank accounts or phone. However this is only in respect of the accounts we are aware of.” He added: “He may well be using the accounts of friends or family associates to evade arrest and extradition. “We would also appeal to Mr Shepherds friends and associates who may be assisting him to do the right thing and share any information.” A Metropolitan Police spokesman told the Daily Mail: “Shepherd’s passport was not seized by the police or the court as he was on court bail and fully complying with bail conditions up to the time of the trial when he failed to appear.” Ms Brown's parents, Graham Brown and Roz Wickens, told the BBC they did not want to comment on the appeal until after 22 January, when they will meet Home Secretary Sajid Javid to discuss efforts to trace Shepherd. They have previously said it was "not fair" Shepherd had not faced justice. The Daily Mail is offering a £25,000 reward for information that leads to him being flushed out of his hiding place. | Bonnie Christian | https://www.standard.co.uk/news/crime/speedboat-killer-could-be-anywhere-in-the-world-scotland-yard-admits-a4030351.html | 2019-01-04 10:46:58+00:00 | 1,546,616,818 | 1,567,553,919 | crime, law and justice | crime |
159,359 | eveningstandard--2019-01-14--Mother of murder victim says sheaposll never be free of pain as killers are jailed | 2019-01-14T00:00:00 | eveningstandard | Mother of murder victim says she'll never be free of pain as killers are jailed | The mother of a student who was shot and stabbed to death at random by roving gang members said she will “never be free from pain” as she saw her son’s killers jailed. Russell Jordan Jones, 23, was standing on a street corner talking to friends when he was ambushed by four masked men brandishing knives and a 12-bore shotgun. Mr Jones fled for his life but stumbled and was shot and then stabbed 12 times in a “merciless” attack. One of his friends was also knifed in the back but survived. On Friday Judge Mark Dennis QC jailed two of the killers, Bilkan Bilkaner, 20, and Duke Quainoo, 21, for life and ordered that they both serve at least 29 years behind bars. He said Mr Jones and his friends were not associated with gangs and had been “picked on at random” by the killers who wrongly believed they were rivals simply because they were standing together on a street corner. At the sentencing hearing Mr Jones’s mother, Stephanie Saunders, said she believes unanswered questions about her son’s murder will “haunt me forever”. “I would give my life in a heartbeat for Russell to have his back. Every day is pure torture”, she told the Old Bailey. “This is just the beginning of a life-long sentence, I will never be free from the pain and grief.” She told the court her son was months away from completing a business management degree at the University of Hertfordshire and it was awarded posthumously following his murder. Mr Jones had been out for dinner with friends on March 16 last year and was in South Street in Edmonton just after midnight when he was attacked. Bilkaner, Quainoo, and two other men — who have not been caught — had spent an hour driving around the area looking for potential targets. Judge Dennis said: “This was a shocking and brutal attack without a motive beyond the desire to cause death and serious injury to others.” Bilkaner, from Edmonton, and Quainoo, from Enfield, both denied but were convicted at trial of murder, causing grievous bodily harm with intent and possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life. When the jury returned its verdicts last month and cleared a co-defendant of the attack, Bilkaner and Quainoo violently attacked the third man in the dock. However, they both showed no emotion as they were sentenced over videolink from prison on Friday. | Tristan Kirk | https://www.standard.co.uk/news/crime/mother-of-victim-says-she-ll-never-be-free-of-pain-as-killers-are-jailed-a4038291.html | 2019-01-14 12:16:00+00:00 | 1,547,486,160 | 1,567,552,511 | crime, law and justice | crime |
160,981 | eveningstandard--2019-01-23--Jack Shepherd arrested Charlotte Brownaposs family say speedboat killer is aposa crass reckles | 2019-01-23T00:00:00 | eveningstandard | Jack Shepherd arrested: Charlotte Brown's family say speedboat killer is 'a crass, reckless man' after he hands himself in | Charlotte Brown's father said his daughter's killer is a "crass, reckless man" after he handed himself into police in Georgia in front of the country's media. Graham Brown spokes of his overwhelming emotion after speedboat killer Jack Shepherd, 31, was arrested in Georgia after months as a fugitive. Ms Brown died after going on a date with Shepherd where they went out on his boat during a date in December 2015. Her father welcomed the news of Shepherd's arrest and called on him to "atone" for what happened. He said: "My opinions towards Jack Shepherd is that he's a very crass, reckless man, who managed to abscond and stick two fingers up at the judiciary. "He's got to come back to atone for all that and I think that he's done the right thing and thank goodness he's realised that now and handed himself in. "It's been quite hard over the last three years." Shepherd had been on the run since before his trial and conviction for the manslaughter of Charlotte Brown His trial started last July and he was eventually convicted for manslaughter by gross negligence of 24-year-old Ms Brown who was killed after he took her on a date on his speedboat. He disappeared before his trial started in July and was sentenced to six years in jail in his absence at the Old Bailey having skipped bail and fled the UK. Shepherd had denied manslaughter ahead of his trial. Images from Georgian broadcaster Rustavi 2 appear to show a heavily-bearded Shepherd smiling and calmly handing himself in. He was also interviewed on screen as he did so. On Wednesday, Shepherd's legal representative in the former Soviet Republic of Georgia said Shephered had handed himself in because "he was ready to prove he was innocent". Shepherd told reporters from the Georgian broadcaster that he was "in a tragic accident." He married his childhood sweetheart following Ms Brown's death and had a child but he is now estranged from his wife. Katie Brown, Charlotte's sister, voiced surprise over Shepherd's "smug" appearance on clips aired by a Georgian TV channel. She told BBC News: "I feel very surprised at how smug he looks to be honest. "It just shows a very arrogant man. "I don't understand how someone can go on the run for two crimes and be found guilty and still then just walk straight in with a very smug look on his face and claim innocence. It's unbelievable." Wearing a long coat, jeans and a checked scarf, he smiled and waved for cameras as he walked into a police station on Wednesday. A spokesman for the country's embassy in London said that Shepherd had surrendered to the police. Home Secretary Sajid Javid, who a day earlier warned "there can be no hiding place" for Shepherd, celebrated his arrest. "We will seek to swiftly extradite him to Britain. It is vital Charlotte Brown's family see justice done," he added. Georgian law states that extradition is granted over convicted individuals if they have been sentenced to at least four months' imprisonment. While Shepherd was on the run from the law, his lawyers have been working to appeal against the conviction. Solicitor Richard Egan: "In the light of today's developments I don't think it would be appropriate to comment further until Mr Shepherd is back in the jurisdiction." Ms Brown died in December 2015 after being thrown from Shepherd's speeding boat. This happened during a champagne-fuelled late-night jaunt past the Houses of Parliament and Shepherd's Old Bailey trial heard that he had met Ms Brown on a dating website. The court was told he had been trying to impress her at the end of their first date at the Shard. After handing her the controls, the boat hit a submerged log and capsized, sending Ms Brown into the cold water. Shepherd was rescued, having been found clinging to the upturned hull, while his date was recovered unconscious. | Jacob Jarvis | https://www.standard.co.uk/news/crime/speedboat-killer-latest-family-of-charlotte-brown-speak-of-overwhelming-emotion-as-they-react-to-a4047211.html | 2019-01-23 19:39:00+00:00 | 1,548,290,340 | 1,567,551,168 | crime, law and justice | crime |
165,784 | eveningstandard--2019-02-22--Aaron Campbell 16 named for first time as Alesha MacPhailaposs killer as judge lifts anonymity | 2019-02-22T00:00:00 | eveningstandard | Aaron Campbell, 16, named for first time as Alesha MacPhail's killer, as judge lifts anonymity on boy who carried out 'bestial' murder | The “evil” 16-year-old boy who raped and murdered young Alesha MacPhail in a crime that shocked the nation has been unmasked as Aaron Campbell. The teenager is facing life behind bars for brutally killing the six-year-old girl after snatching her from her bed during a holiday to her grandparents' on the Scottish isle of Bute. Campbell was found guilty of murder yesterday, and will be sentenced next month for the "bestial" crime which is believed to have been inspired by the Slender Man horror character. Today Judge Lord Matthews agreed that Campbell’s name and picture could be published for the first time, after an appeal by media organisations to end his anonymity. He said: "I can't think of a case in recent times that has attracted such revulsion. "I intend to grant the application. The press may name the accused and publish images of him." Following yesterday’s guilty verdict, the judge said Campbell had committed “some of the most wicked and evil crimes this court has ever heard of in decades of dealing with depravity”. The judge added that he still has “no idea” of the motive for the murder, which prosecutor Iain McSporran QC has described as “bestial”. Alesha was snatched by Campbell as she slept on July 2 last year, inflicting horrific injuries, raping the young girl, and then dumping her lifeless body in woodland. During the trial, Campbell cruelly tried to pin the blame on Alesha’s father’s girlfriend, who was forced to deny in court having anything to do with the shocking crime. Ultimately jurors took just three hours at High Court in Glasgow to find Campbell unanimously guilty. In a statement issued by Police Scotland, Alesha's family said: "We can't believe that we will never see our wee angel Alesha again. We miss her so much. "We hope that the boy who took her from us is jailed for a long time because of what he has done to our family." Campbell has been warned he may never again be free from prison, and he will be sentenced on March 21. | Tristan Kirk | https://www.standard.co.uk/news/crime/judge-lifts-ban-on-naming-killer-of-sixyearold-alesha-macphail-a4074116.html | 2019-02-22 13:24:00+00:00 | 1,550,859,840 | 1,567,547,643 | crime, law and justice | crime |
169,190 | eveningstandard--2019-03-23--Nashon Esbrand murder Brother of Islington stab victim calls for London communities to apostake r | 2019-03-23T00:00:00 | eveningstandard | Nashon Esbrand murder: Brother of Islington stab victim calls for London communities to 'take responsibility' for knife crime 'disease' as killer is jailed | A gangs co-ordinator whose brother was hunted and stabbed to death in north London today called for communities to "take responsibility" for the capital's knife crime "disease" after one of his killers was jailed for life. Mark Barton made the plea after Jack Stevens, 19, was sentenced to life with a minimum 23 years after he was found guilty of murdering new father Nashon Esbrand in Islington in August 2017. Stevens was the ringleader of a gang which was captured on CCTV chasing Mr Esbrand, 27, on bicycles. Mr Esbrand was eventually cornered just yards from his parents' house when another teen stabbed him to death with a machete-style blade. Stevens fled the country after the murder but was extradited from Spain last summer and brought to justice at the Old Bailey. Three of his accomplices have already been jailed over the murder. Gangs co-ordinator Mr Barton told the Standard after the sentencing: "It’s pure relief. It took a year to find him and nearly a year to convict. It’s satisfying as he was the ringleader. He showed no remorse at all. "There was a lot of family in court. This brought the sadness back again. But we will keep fighting for Nashon by doing something positive. We are going to do a ‘happy Nash day’ community event every August 25, the day of his death." But Mr Barton added: "It’s still raw. I wish I was there to protect him. "And there have been so many murders and stabbings since that day. “These people have no appreciation for life, and no appreciation for themselves. It’s a disease in our communities that needs to be sorted. It’s not just on the police: communities need to get together and take responsibility. “I will continue to support young people. I don’t want to see families go through what we went through with Nashon." On August 24, 2017, Mr Esbrand and his girlfriend were walking down Essex Road with their baby, Milla, who was born nine days before. Minutes after they parted company, Mr Esbrand was spotted by Stevens and Dillon Zambon, then aged 18 and 19. They targeted him because Mr Esbrand had previously spoken to police about another incident. Stevens and Zambon chased Mr Esbrand back up Essex Road and enlisted the help of three other youths: Jhon Berhane, then aged 17, a 15-year-old boy who cannot be named and another male who has not been indentified. They cornered Mr Esbrand in Mitchison Road before the 15-year-old stabbed him in the legs, causing fatal blood loss. One of the wounds was 17.5cm in depth and he died the following day. It happened in a doorway a few doors down from his parents’ house. In June last year, Zambon and Berhane were both sentenced to life, with the 15-year-old given 12 years. All three were convicted of murder. Three to four weeks after the murder, Stevens fled the UK in the boot of a car travelling to Belgium, from which he travelled to Spain. He was extradited to the UK in August last year after the Met obtained a European Arrest Warrant. A jury found Stevens guilty of murder earlier this month and he was sentenced on Friday. Judge Anuja Dhir said Stevens showed a "chilling lack of remorse" and told him: "Without you this senseless murder would not have taken place." | James Morris | https://www.standard.co.uk/news/crime/nashon-esbrand-murder-brother-of-islington-stab-victim-calls-for-london-communities-to-take-a4097786.html | 2019-03-23 07:45:00+00:00 | 1,553,341,500 | 1,567,545,087 | crime, law and justice | crime |
169,943 | eveningstandard--2019-04-02--Nipsey Hussle murder Suspected killer Eric Holder arrested in LA days after rapper is fatally shot | 2019-04-02T00:00:00 | eveningstandard | Nipsey Hussle murder: Suspected killer Eric Holder arrested in LA days after rapper is fatally shot | Nipsey Hussle’s suspected killer has been arrested after a days-long manhunt following the fatal shooting of the rapper. Eric Holder, 29, had been on the run for two days before he was arrested in Bellflower, Los Angeles, about 20 miles from where the musician was killed. He was detained first by sheriff's deputies until LA Police arrived and confirmed he was wanted over Hussle's killing. It was not immediately clear how authorities located the suspect, but a statement posted on LAPD HQ's social media thanked the "community for the heightened awareness/vigilance". It read: "Eric Holder, the suspected killer of Nipsey Hussle, has been arrested and is in police custody. Thank you to both our community for the heightened awareness/vigilance, and our partners at @LASDHQ." Officers had released Holder's name and photo on Monday and asked for the public's help in finding him. Police Chief Michel Moore told the Associated Press Hussle and Holder knew each other and are thought to have had some kind of personal dispute in the hours before the rapper was killed. The 33-year-old musician was shot and killed outside his clothing shop on Sunday. Two other people were shot but survived, the Los Angeles Police Department said. A post-mortem examination found Hussle was killed by gunshots to the head and torso, according to the Los Angeles County Department Medical Examiner-Coroner. The death was certified as a homicide, the coroner added. Beyonce was among those to pay tribute to Hussle, who was nominated for the best rap album Grammy earlier this year for Victory Lap. She shared a childhood picture of Hussle to Instagram, along with the caption: "I'm praying with every ounce of my heart for your family. Rest In Peace, Nipsey." | Sean Morrison | https://www.standard.co.uk/news/world/nipsey-hussle-murder-suspected-killer-eric-holder-arrested-in-la-days-after-rapper-is-fatally-shot-a4107736.html | 2019-04-02 22:29:00+00:00 | 1,554,258,540 | 1,567,544,299 | crime, law and justice | crime |
171,047 | eveningstandard--2019-04-09--Crossbow killer plotted murder of ex-wife for more than a year Old Bailey hears | 2019-04-09T00:00:00 | eveningstandard | Crossbow killer plotted murder of ex-wife for more than a year, Old Bailey hears | A man shot dead his heavily pregnant ex-wife with a crossbow in a “violent revenge” murder he had been plotting for more than a year, the Old Bailey was told today. Ramanodge Unmathallegadoo, 51, was armed with two crossbows, a hammer and a knife, as well as cable ties and duct tape when he burst out of the garden shed at the home of his 35-year-old ex-wife Sana Muhammad, it was said. He wanted to kill both his ex-wife and her new husband Imtiaz Muhammad, it is alleged, but was disturbed as he lay in wait for the perfect time to strike. The jury was told Unmathallegadoo went for the “principal target” of Ms Muhammad, who was eight months pregnant, allegedly waiting until he had her “in his sights” before firing the crossbow bolt into her chest and piercing her heart. She was killed but her unborn son was saved by doctors. Prosecutor Peter Wright QC said Unmathallegadoo had been plotting the attack on November 12 last year for more than a year, carrying out surveillance on his ex-wife’s new home in Ilford and identifying the shed as the ideal place to hide. He said Unmathallegadoo had stashed a “cache of weaponry”, including two crossbows near to the house prior to March last year, but they were accidentally stumbled upon by a neighbour and he had to replenish his stock before carrying out the killing. Mr Wright told the court Unmathallegadoo had wed Ms Muhammad, also known as Devi, in an arranged marriage when she was 16, but the union had broken down by 2012. He said: “This was a deliberate and quite calculated act of revenge on his part, intended to cause at the very least the death of Devi and the extinction of the child she carried.” He went on: “For at least a year he had been making preparations for an attack upon Devi and Imtiaz. The attack that took place on the morning of November 12, 2018 was the culmination of a series of acts carried out by him, all of which were calculated to ensure a successful outcome to what was to be a devastating and murderous attack as an act of revenge on his former wife and her new partner.” He added: “The disintegration of his marriage had had a profound effect upon him and his life which eventually led to a deeply held desire for a most violent revenge.” The jury heard that on the morning of the shooting, Unmathallegadoo, a former site manager at Newham General Hospital, had taken up an “ideal vantage point” in the garden shed where he could watch the house. However Unmathallegadoo was disturbed in the shed at about 7.30am by Mr Muhammad and “had to seek to execute his plan as best he could”, running past him in search of his ex-wife, it was said. “Imtiaz then ran through the back door which led to the kitchen, shouting for Devi to run,” said Mr Wright. “The two ran from the kitchen into the corridor which led to the front door, with the defendant in close pursuit. Devi turned and ran up the stairs, whereas Imtiaz ran out of the front door. “Imtiaz saw the defendant, who was at the bottom of the stairs, shoot Devi who was halfway up the stairs. The effect on her was immediate and she fell to the floor.” Mr Wright said Unmathallegadoo later told a police officer he had shot his ex-wife by accident while aiming at Mr Muhammad. But Mr Wright said: “If he wasted his first bolt on Imtiaz he may not succeed with his one remaining loaded crossbow to kill his principal target Devi. That, we say, is the reason why he did not shoot at Imtiaz in advance of the successful attack upon Devi.” Unmathallegadoo, of no fixed address, denies murder and attempted child destruction. The trial continues. | Tristan Kirk | https://www.standard.co.uk/news/crime/crossbow-killer-plotted-murder-of-exwife-for-more-than-a-year-old-bailey-hears-a4113101.html | 2019-04-09 11:16:00+00:00 | 1,554,822,960 | 1,567,543,426 | crime, law and justice | crime |
173,374 | eveningstandard--2019-04-30--Lee Rigby killer Michael Adebowale aposwants to serve rest of his sentence in Nigerian jailapos | 2019-04-30T00:00:00 | eveningstandard | Lee Rigby killer Michael Adebowale 'wants to serve rest of his sentence in Nigerian jail' | One of Lee Rigby’s killers is reportedly making a bid to serve the rest of his sentence in a Nigerian jail with a VIP wing. Michael Adebowale, 37, is currently behind bars in HMP Wakefield, but he is believed to be seeking a prisoner-swap deal. Adebowale, who is serving a 45 year jail term for the 2013 murder, was born in Britain but has Nigerian parents. A source told The Sun: “Michael hates Wakefield. It’s stuffed full of lags who see him as a top target. “He thinks he can spend the rest of his sentence in Africa.” The newspaper reported that Adebowale has written to immigration experts asking for advice. But it is thought that his bid would fail because he was not born in the West African country. Adebowale was moved to HMP Wakefield, a high security prison dubbed “Monster Mansion”, last year He and Michael Adebolajo hacked Mr Rigby, 25, to death by his barracks in Woolwich, south-east London. The Fusilier’s mother Lyn Rigby reacted to Adebowale’s bid, describing it as a “disgrace and an insult to Lee”. It was reported that Adebowale plans to seek a transfer to Lagos' Kirikiri jail where then-Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson agreed to pay for a new £700,000 wing in 2014. | Sean Morrison | https://www.standard.co.uk/news/crime/lee-rigby-killer-michael-adebowale-wants-to-serve-rest-of-his-sentence-in-nigerian-jail-a4129761.html | 2019-04-30 01:05:05+00:00 | 1,556,600,705 | 1,567,541,604 | crime, law and justice | crime |
177,598 | eveningstandard--2019-06-21--Police offer 10000 reward to find killers of DJ stabbed at party | 2019-06-21T00:00:00 | eveningstandard | Police offer £10,000 reward to find killers of DJ stabbed at party | Police today offered a £10,000 reward to catch the killers of a young DJ stabbed at an 18th birthday party. The appeal came as Elyon Poku’s father said he is haunted by seeing his son dying in a hospital bed. Tony Poku only had five final minutes with his 20-year-old son, also known as DJ Nana Banger, before he passed away. Police have offered the reward for information leading to the conviction of Elyon’s killers at a house party attended by 200 people in Stamford Hill last September. Mr Poku, 58, said: “Elyon was our only child and our reason for living and somebody has taken that away for nothing. "He’d only just returned from performing in Los Angeles and he was happy. Elyon said he was going to the party on the Friday night. "But at 1am on Saturday his cousin rang and said, ‘Get dressed, Elyon has been stabbed’. When I got downstairs, the police car was there already. "They took me to the hospital... I thought he was sleeping. Less than five minutes later, that’s it — he’s dead.” Mr Poku added: “We are desperate to get justice for our son.” Elyon wanted to be a social worker and was due to start university. Nine arrests have been made as part of the investigation, with six people released under investigation. Anyone with information should call police on 020 8345 3865 or contact Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 or Crimestoppers-uk.org | Anthony France | https://www.standard.co.uk/news/crime/police-offer-10000-reward-to-find-killers-of-dj-stabbed-at-party-a4172946.html | 2019-06-21 09:54:48+00:00 | 1,561,125,288 | 1,567,538,424 | crime, law and justice | crime |
177,686 | eveningstandard--2019-06-24--Cyprusaposs aposfirst serial killerapos admits three-year murder spree | 2019-06-24T00:00:00 | eveningstandard | Cyprus's 'first serial killer' admits three-year murder spree | An army captain today pleaded guilty to killing five women and two children during a three-year murder spree which the authorities stumbled across by accident. Nikos Metaxas, 35, was led into a Nicosia court under heavy security and stared at the ground as a prosecutor read out a string of charges, including kidnapping and the killings of five women and two of their daughters, age six and eight, from the Philippines, Romania and Nepal. Metazas, who is believed to be Cyprus’s first serial killer, broke down in tears as the indictment was read. “Cypriot society will be wondering how one of its members reached this point. I have also asked myself why; I have not yet managed to find an answer,” he said. Police say Metaxas met the women online. The victims were mostly employed as housekeepers on the island and disappeared between September 2016 and August 2018. The case triggered outrage and horror on an island where serious crime is relatively rare. The police chief was sacked and the justice minister resigned following accounts of bungled investigations by police who did not take the disappearances seriously because the women were foreign. The first victim was found dead by tourists shooting pictures at a mining shaft in late April, unravelling the macabre killing spree. The last victim discovered, the six-year-old child, was found in a lake on June 12. Sentence was expected to be passed later today with Metaxas facing seven life terms. | MIchael Howie | https://www.standard.co.uk/news/world/cypruss-first-serial-killer-admits-threeyear-murder-spree-a4174531.html | 2019-06-24 10:30:00+00:00 | 1,561,386,600 | 1,567,538,287 | crime, law and justice | crime |
183,968 | eveningstandard--2019-09-06--Killer who fled to Cyprus after frenzied attack in south London gym is found guilty of murder | 2019-09-06T00:00:00 | eveningstandard | Killer who fled to Cyprus after frenzied attack in south London gym is found guilty of murder | A killer who stabbed a new father to death before fleeing the country and living under a false name in northern Cyprus was today facing life in jail. Charles Riddington, 37, was arrested on the island last August, nearly two years after the frenzied attack on George Barker, 24, at a gym in Bexley. Riddington, who was said to be friends with ex-footballer Jamie Redknapp, had accused Mr Barker of “going behind his back” over a drugs debt before punching him and stabbing him 17 times, as people with Riddington warned terrified onlookers “not to get involved”. At the Old Bailey yesterday he was found guilty of murder, after admitting possession of a stun gun and CS spray at the start of the trial. He was found not guilty of possession of an offensive weapon. The day after the killing, on November 14, 2016, Riddington had flown from Manchester airport to Dusseldorf, the court heard. A European Arrest Warrant was issued, but police discovered he had been living under the alias Barry Ryan for 10 years and found the stun gun and CS spray at addresses he had used. When he was arrested in northern Cyprus following a local investigation he was found with a Namibian passport under the name Ricky de Bruin. He was deported to southern Cyprus and later returned to the UK. Witnesses told police that Riddington and Mr Barker, whose partner had given birth to their daughter five days before his death, had previously trained together at the Double K gym. On the day of the killing Riddington had been talking with the gym owner about a possible TV collaboration with Mr Redknapp. During the trial, Riddington said he spent the day before the stabbing at Mr Redknapp’s house, as they celebrated the Sky Sports pundit’s son’s birthday. Riddington, formerly of Orpington, will be sentenced on September 20. | Liam Coleman | https://www.standard.co.uk/news/crime/killer-who-fled-to-cyprus-after-frenzied-attack-in-south-london-gym-is-found-guilty-of-murder-a4230761.html | 2019-09-06 10:21:02+00:00 | 1,567,779,662 | 1,569,331,013 | crime, law and justice | crime |
185,174 | eveningstandard--2019-09-23--Joshua Boadu murder Family shares anguish after killers convicted following Bermondsey stabbing | 2019-09-23T00:00:00 | eveningstandard | Joshua Boadu murder: Family shares anguish after killers convicted following Bermondsey stabbing | A devastated family has spoken of its “heartache and emotional anguish” after their son’s two killers were today convicted of murder at the Old Bailey. Joshua Boadu, 23, also known as SJ, was killed last year after a brutal stabbing. He was attacked in broad daylight in Bermondsey, south London, on the evening of June 11. Mr Boadu managed to flee from his assailants to a nearby home, where emergency services were called. But the 23-year-old suffered a heart attack on the way to hospital and his life support was turned off 10 days later. Denilson Davis, 21, and a 16-year-old boy - who cannot be named because of his age - will be sentenced next week. Mr Boadu's family released a statement following the conviction. It read: "Words cannot begin to describe how life has been since Josh's passing and he will be forever in our hearts. “Words cannot describe the heartache and emotional anguish this senseless killing has caused and the impact on the family has been astronomical. "Josh had his whole life ahead of him and he was full of so much untapped potential but his life was cut short due to a vicious and senseless murder." It went on: "Things will never be the same for us and we have to live with this for the rest of our lives. "Knowing Josh cannot celebrate another birthday or Christmas brings all the emotion back to us. “Things that ‘could have been’ are amongst the hardest of things to forget and move forward when you lose a child, brother, uncle and friend like Josh." The killers drove to the site of the murder in a Peugeot with a third person who police are still hunting. Witnesses described how Mr Boadu was ambushed by the trio and tried to defend himself before running away. After the attack, the murderers fled in the car, and Davis and the boy later tried to call Mr Boadu on the phone. Police later obtained footage of the killers in a "celebratory mood" in a Lewisham recording studio later the same evening. Less than a week after the attack, police officers noticed the Peugeot and saw the driver running away. Davis was arrested nearby, and his fingerprints - plus the DNA of the 16-year-old and Mr Boadu's blood - were all found in the car. A hunting knife and a mobile phone were recovered from the car, and Davis admitted they belonged to him. Det Insp Ian Titterrell said: “SJ was attacked in broad daylight on a Bermondsey estate, succumbing to his injuries several days later. “We have never been able to establish a motive for this senseless killing. "A thorough police investigation by my team, not to mention some great work from borough officers who proactively stopped two cars which yielded vital evidence, has led to today's convictions. “While of course SJ's family remain devastated, I hope today's result brings them some comfort." | Tim Baker | https://www.standard.co.uk/news/crime/joshua-boadu-murder-family-shares-anguish-after-killers-convicted-following-bermondsey-stabbing-a4244461.html | 2019-09-23 18:42:11+00:00 | 1,569,278,531 | 1,570,222,399 | crime, law and justice | crime |
186,222 | eveningstandard--2019-10-09--Jodie Chesney murder trial: Girl scout stabbed by mistake after killer targeted 'wrong people&a | 2019-10-09T00:00:00 | eveningstandard | Jodie Chesney murder trial: Girl scout stabbed by mistake after killer targeted 'wrong people', court told | Jodie Chesney was stabbed in the back by mistake after her killer "rid out on the wrong people", according to the alleged getaway driver. Manuel Petrovic, 20, is one of four youths jointly accused over the death of the popular 17-year-old Girl Scout in Amy's Park in Harold Hill on March 1. While on remand over the killing, Petrovic protested his innocence, saying he was only asked to drive to Harold Hill, and not told why. During a covertly recorded prison visit by two female friends on May 24, he said: "I'm going to say I'm a drug dealer, I broke the law with my driving and s***. I'm not into murder. I ain't going to go guilty for something I have not done. I'm no murderer." During a second visit on August 3, Petrovic allegedly said to a friend that Jodie was stabbed after his co-defendant Svenson Ong-a-Kwie was "cheffed". According to a transcript of the conversation read out in court, Petrovic said: "They went to bang out on their ops and banged out the wrong people." Asked how he knew that, Petrovic replied: "Uh? Because I know that ... It was to do with Svenson's op - they cheffed him up a couple of month or something, a couple of months before. "Someone give him the drop, he went to ride out and rid out on the wrong people in the park and they thought it was them because they chill in that area. "That's why she got it from behind." Asked where the tip-off came from, Petrovic replied: "They got their drop their self bruv. Because they were in a cab in Harold Hill when they text me saying 'ring me, ring me asap, need to come and see you asap'." During the conversations in prison, Petrovic also talked of his hope to "bust the case". His friend told him he should "take this opportunity" if he got off the charge and take a "nine to five job". Petrovic denies murder along with Ong-a-Kwie and two youths aged 16 and 17, from east London. Jurors were told of an incident before Jodie's death in which Ong-a-Kwie was found with a makeshift bandage around his left thigh. The defendant was said to have been vague about it, saying: "Basically, this is what happened. They pulled up here in a car, jumped out and stabbed me in the leg." The court heard Petrovic had convictions dating back to 2013 including for possession of cannabis and handling stolen goods. Ong-a-Kwie had pleaded guilty to possession of class A and B drugs when he was 16 years old. He also had a conviction for the supply of cocaine and having stolen goods, jurors were told. According to agreed facts read to court, the 17-year-old defendant, then aged 14, had been involved in an incident in a shop in which a member of staff was attacked with a screwdriver. The youth went on to plead guilty to assault occasioning actual bodily harm and possessing a pointed article. The trial was adjourned until Friday when the defence is due to start. New: Daily podcast from the Evening Standard Listen and subscribe to The Leader on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Acast or your chosen podcast provider. New episodes every weekday from 4pm. | Bonnie Christian | https://www.standard.co.uk/news/crime/jodie-chesney-murder-trial-girl-scout-stabbed-by-mistake-after-killer-targeted-wrong-people-court-a4257836.html | Wed, 09 Oct 2019 18:23:23 GMT | 1,570,659,803 | 1,570,664,632 | crime, law and justice | crime |
188,484 | eveningstandard--2019-11-08--Sister of murdered schoolgirl Jodie Chesney tells killers: 'Hang your heads in shame' | 2019-11-08T00:00:00 | eveningstandard | Sister of murdered schoolgirl Jodie Chesney tells killers: 'Hang your heads in shame' | The sister of murdered schoolgirl Jodie Chesney told the killers who now face life in prison to “hang their heads in shame” for stealing the 17-year-old’s bright future. Lucy Chesney, 20, broke down in tears at the Old Bailey yesterday as Svenson Ong-a-Kwie, 19, and a 17-year-old boy were found guilty of murdering her younger sister. The pair had stabbed Jodie in the back as she sat with friends at Amy’s Park, Harold Hill. Following the verdicts, Lucy said: “Jodie will be greatly missed and the people who caused such tragedy ... should hang their head in shame.” She added: “You have ripped away a bright future that was destined to make a change to many lives.” Jodie, an A-Level student and Girl Scout, died on March 1 shortly after being stabbed. Her boyfriend, who witnessed the murder, said he saw the taller man — said to be Ong-a-Kwie — reach upwards and then stab Jodie. The killers fled, leaving Jodie’s friends to desperately call for help. Both teenagers were drug dealers and detectives have suggested the stabbing may have been a botched attack on a rival drug operation, mistaking Jodie for another dealer. Co-defendants Manuel Petrovic, 20, and a 16-year-old boy, were also accused of murder and were acquitted by the jury yesterday, after almost six hours of deliberations. Judge Wendy Joseph QC will sentence the killers on November 18, but has warned them they will be handed life sentences. | Tristan Kirk | https://www.standard.co.uk/news/crime/sister-of-murdered-schoolgirl-jodie-chesney-tells-killers-hang-your-heads-in-shame-a4282071.html | Fri, 08 Nov 2019 10:11:00 GMT | 1,573,225,860 | 1,573,219,840 | crime, law and justice | crime |
189,602 | eveningstandard--2019-11-18--Jodie Chesney killers jailed: Teenagers sentenced to total of 44 years for murdering schoolgirl in e | 2019-11-18T00:00:00 | eveningstandard | Jodie Chesney killers jailed: Teenagers sentenced to total of 44 years for murdering schoolgirl in east London | The two teenagers convicted of killing schoolgirl Jodie Chesney in east London have been jailed for a total of 44 years. Drug dealer Svenson Ong-a-Kwie, 19, from Romford has been jailed at the Old Bailey for life with a minimum term of 26 years. While 17-year-old Arron Isaacs from Barking was locked up for at least 18 years for his part in Jodie’s murder. Isaacs was previously not named however, the reporting restrictions have now been lifted by the court. Both were sentenced today after being found guilty of murder at the Old Bailey on November 7. In her sentencing, Judge Wendy Joseph QC told the court Jodie’s death, which led to a “world of anguish” for her family, came amid “tit for tat” incidents. She said Jodie was the victim of “callous, casual and irresponsible violence” which had shocked the community “to the core”. The defendants had gone to Amy’s Park for a “planned attack on a rival group” and mistook their target. Judge Joseph told the court that Jodie was a “bright, warm and loving girl” who “should have led a happy and fulfilled life". “Above all those who loved Jodie will never get over her death," she said. Addressing the defendants the judge added: “I’ve heard from them no word of true remorse and no true explanation.” On the evidence, she found Ong-a-Kwie was the stabber and the 17-year-old his “enthusiastic supporter”. The judge lamented the impact of criminals that had “carved up areas of the capital of this country”. “The dangers this brings to decent law-abiding members of the public is graphically spelled out in this case," she added. Judge Joseph said she "entirely rejected" the suggestion Jodie was mistaken for a rival drug dealer called Jade. "The killing is far more sinister and dangerous than that," she added. Jodie, 17, was attacked on the evening of March 1 as she sat with friends in Amy's Park in Harold Hill, east London. The court heard how Ong-a-Kwie had convictions for possessing and supplying drugs. He admitted being in breach of a six-week suspended sentence for handling stolen jewellery dating back to October last year. The 17-year-old defendant had previous convictions for possessing a screwdriver, actual bodily harm, possession of cannabis as well as aggravated vehicle taking. Two others, Manuel Petrovic, 20, and a 16-year-old, both from Romford, were cleared by the jury. 'This nightmare will never leave me' During the hearing Crispin Aylett QC read out victim impact statements from a number of Jodie's family. Jodie's nan Christine Chesney wrote: "Since the evening of 1 March, my life has been turned upside down, and it will never be the same again. When I got the phone call to say what had happened to Jodie, I could not believe what I was hearing and it still feels like a dream. However, this nightmare is unfortunately real. "Jodie was my youngest granddaughter, but she was more like a daughter to me. Since Jodie was very young, I helped her dad Peter in raising her and I would see her every day. Jodie would also ring me multiple times a day about anything and everything, so we were always in touch. "Not seeing Jodie and hearing her voice on a daily basis has broken my heart. I struggle to sleep; I struggle to eat and my health has deteriorated. For the rest of my life, that night will not leave my mind. I will play that night over in my mind repeatedly, why didn’t Jodie come home that evening, why didn’t Jodie have an extra shift at work? "I will feel guilt that she wasn’t with me that evening and I couldn’t do anything to help her. "Jodie was murdered in March but this nightmare will never leave me. I will miss her every single day for the rest of my life and my life will never be the same again." Jodie’s father Peter Chesney told how he had just got a job in the City as a salesman when his life was “destroyed”. From being ready to “take on the world” with a promising career, he was instead sitting in a cabin in his garden, writing a victim impact statement. Mr Chesney said: “I have lost the most precious human being I will ever know. I have no idea how I’m going to continue my life or come to terms with the loss. “I have a fantastic daughter Lucy and we are leaning on each other throughout this tragedy.” boyfriend Eddy Coyle also had his victim impact statement read out on his behalf in which he called he "funny" and "silly". He wrote: “I’ve never lost anyone before and for the first funeral I’ve gone to, to be my own girlfriend’s is incredibly hard. I loved her.” Jodie’s sister Lucy Chesney added in a statement: “Losing her is like losing half of myself. We went through everything together and she was always there for me and always putting everyone before herself. She gave me a type of love I will never feel again. “Jodie will be greatly missed and the people who caused such tragedy to a whole family should hang their head in shame. You have ripped away a bright future that was destined to make a change to many lives.” | Bronwen Weatherby | https://www.standard.co.uk/news/crime/jodie-chesney-teenagers-convicted-of-murdering-schoolgirl-jailed-for-xx-a4289351.html | Mon, 18 Nov 2019 15:47:00 GMT | 1,574,110,020 | 1,574,105,869 | crime, law and justice | crime |
189,603 | eveningstandard--2019-11-18--Jodie Chesney's close family pay heartbreaking tribute to murdered teen as killers are jailed: | 2019-11-18T00:00:00 | eveningstandard | Jodie Chesney's close family pay heartbreaking tribute to murdered teen as killers are jailed: 'Losing her is like losing half myself' | Jodie Chesney’s close family paid heartbreaking tribute today as the 17-year-old's killers were jailed for life following convictions for murder. Her sister Lucy said in a statement that losing Jodie "is life losing half of myself", adding: "I am dreading my life rather than looking forward to it." Jodie’s cousin Kirsty revealed that the teenager’s nephew was born on the same day as the funeral. She said "one of the happiest days of my life... was also one of the saddest." Jodie's father Peter Chesney said: “The murder of my beloved daughter has destroyed my life and the full extent as to how this has affected my family and me cannot possibly be explained simply in words. “I have no idea how I am going to continue with my life or even come to terms with the loss.” Her sister Lucy added in an impact statement: “I am only 20 and already I am dreading my life rather than looking forward to it. “Jodie was not only my sister she was my best friend. Losing her is like losing half of myself. We went through everything together and she was always there for me and always putting everyone before herself. “She gave me a type of love I will never feel again." Kirsty, Jodie’s cousin, said: “Jodie’s murder has affected my family and me in so many different ways. When she was killed, I was heavily pregnant with my son. This was meant to be a really happy time of my life but wasn’t. “I ended up giving birth on the day of Jodie’s funeral, so I didn’t get chance to say goodbye. One of happiest days of my life, giving birth to my son, was also one of the saddest, as it was the day we had to say goodbye to Jodie. “And every year on his birthday will be a reminder of another year since her funeral. “How are any of us supposed to get over something like this? The answer is we never will but we just have to learn to deal with it. Jodie will never be forgotten.” Speaking outside the Old Bailey following the sentencing hearing, detective chief inspector Dave Whellams, from the Metropolitan Police, said the force was "pleased and proud of these convictions". He paid tribute to Jodie's family who he said had been through a "great ordeal" and expressed hope they would now be able to find "some form of closure". Surrounded by Jodie's family members, detective inspector Perry Benton said the "moving" statements read in court had left "a lot of people in tears". Svenson Ong-a-Kwie was given a minimum of 26 years in prison, while Arron Isaacs was told he would spend at least 18 years behind bars. | Tim Baker | https://www.standard.co.uk/news/crime/jodie-chesneys-close-family-pay-heartbreaking-tribute-to-murdered-teen-as-killers-are-jailed-losing-a4290031.html | Mon, 18 Nov 2019 17:42:10 GMT | 1,574,116,930 | 1,574,105,857 | crime, law and justice | crime |
189,604 | eveningstandard--2019-11-18--Jodie Chesney: Dramatic moment police swoop on east London house and arrest teen's killers | 2019-11-18T00:00:00 | eveningstandard | Jodie Chesney: Dramatic moment police swoop on east London house and arrest teen's killers | Video footage shows the dramatic moment Jodie Chesney's killers were arrested in a Dagenham garden after one of them fell through a roof. Drug dealer Svenson Ong-a-Kwie, 19, and his 17-year-old runner Arron Isaacs were involved in a "tit-for-tat vendetta" with rivals when they killed Jodie by mistake. The popular 17-year-old student had been relaxing with friends in Amy's Park in Harold Hill, east London, on the evening of March 1 when two shadowy figures emerged from the dark and one knifed her in the back. She screamed and collapsed in the arms of her boyfriend, Eddie Coyle, 18, as her attackers made off in a fellow drug dealer's car. Svenson Ong-a-Kwie, 19, burnt his clothes and disposed of the knife he used to stab the Girl Scout immediately after the attack. He had been lying low at the home of 17-year-old Arron Isaacs' uncle in Dagenham, east London, when police swooped to arrest them both on the evening of March 10. When police arrived, they heard a commotion outside and an officer shouted: "Around the back." In police body-worn video, Ong-a-Kwie can be seen clambering over a rear flat roof and crashing into the conservatory below. An officer shouted: "Stay where you are. Show me your hands now. Get over here now." As he was handcuffed, an officer confirmed to colleagues that he was "detained". When told he was arrested on suspicion of murder, Ong-a-Kwie said: "What? Murder? I killed no-one." Meanwhile, Isaacs had escaped through a window but was apprehended in the back garden with a rucksack containing a deadly Rambo-style knife. He was initially arrested on suspicion of assisting an offender but later also charged with Jodie's murder. The footage was released by the Metropolitan Police as Ong-a-Kwie was jailed for at least 26 years and Isaacs was locked up for at least 18 years for their part in Jodie's death. | Luke O'Reilly | https://www.standard.co.uk/news/crime/dramatic-moment-police-swoop-on-east-london-house-and-arrest-jodie-chesneys-killers-a4290051.html | Mon, 18 Nov 2019 17:49:00 GMT | 1,574,117,340 | 1,574,105,896 | crime, law and justice | crime |
190,202 | eveningstandard--2019-11-22--Grace Millane killer found guilty of murdering British backpacker in New Zealand | 2019-11-22T00:00:00 | eveningstandard | Grace Millane killer found guilty of murdering British backpacker in New Zealand | A man has been found guilty of murdering British backpacker Grace Millane in New Zealand. The killer stuffed her body in a suitcase, which was later found buried in bushland near Auckland. The 27-year-old had claimed Ms Millane, from Wickford in Essex, died accidentally during "rough sex" after their Tinder date in December last year. But jurors at Auckland's High Court on Friday found the defendant guilty of her murder following the two-week trial at Auckland High Court. The decision, which came after about five hours of deliberation, was unanimous. The killer stood emotionless, flanked by two corrections officers, as the verdict was read out. He was remanded to custody until his sentencing on February 21. Ms Millane's father, David Millane, and mother, Gillian Millane, wept after the verdict was delivered. The couple have sat in the public gallery since the trial began on November 4, during which time they have been accompanied by Detective Scott Beard, who led the search for their daughter. Mr Millane wept as he told reporters: "The verdict of murder today will be welcomed by every member of the Millane family and friends of Grace. "It will not reduce the pain and suffering we have had to endure over the past year. "Grace was taken in the most brutal fashion a year ago and our lives have been ripped apart. "Grace was our sunshine and she will be missed forever." After the date on December 1 last year, Ms Millane returned to the killer's hotel apartment and he strangled her to death either that night or in the early hours of the next morning - the date of her 22nd birthday. The jury of seven women and five men returned a unanimous verdict after just five hours deliberation at Auckland High Court. The Crown successfully argued the man, whose name is subject to a suppression order, strangled Ms Millane and shoved her body inside a suitcase before burying her in a forested area outside Auckland. Ms Millane had been assumed missing and her father flew to New Zealand as local authorities spent a week searching until her body was found by police. Justice Simon Moore told jury members before they delivered their verdict that they had to be certain the man had murderous intent when he put his hands on Ms Millane's neck during sexual intercourse to convict him of murder. Mr Moore asked: "Are you sure that when he applied pressure to Ms Millane's neck... Did he intend to cause injury?" He further asked them to consider if the accused was willing to take the chance of Ms Millane dying due to his actions. "If yes, then (the defendant) is guilty of murder," the judge said. "In other words, (he) must have appreciated Ms Millane's death was a likely consequence... but was willing to run that risk." The killer had claimed the death was accidental and occurred during rough sexual intercourse. His defence told the court Ms Millane had an interest in BDSM, with a previous sexual partner testifying they had used safe words and physical tapping to indicate when physical pressure became overwhelming. During the trial, the jurors heard from forensic experts who examined the accused's apartment for blood stains as well as Ms Millane's body after her death. They were also shown footage of the woman and the defendant drinking at various bars throughout Auckland and kissing before they returned to his apartment. Video footage from the elevator of her exiting on the third floor marked the last recorded time Ms Millane was seen alive. Police officers said phone data showed the killer had used Google to browse websites for large duffel bags, suitcases and car hire after Ms Millane died. The defendant's phone was also used to search for "flesh-eating birds" and "are there vultures in New Zealand?". Records showed the defendant had searched online for "the hottest fire", "large bags near me" and "Waitakere Ranges". Ms Millane's killer faces life in prison with a minimum of 10 years without parole, though the judge can increase the latter period. Speaking after the guilty verdict was delivered, Ms Millane's father said: "She did not deserve to be murdered in such a barbaric way during her gap year." He acknowledged the efforts of New Zealand's police, Det Insp Beard and thanked the prosecution team and the media. "Finally we want to thank the people of New Zealand. I can't thank you enough for our your kindness and for opening your hearts to us," Mr Millane said. | Sean Morrison | https://www.standard.co.uk/news/world/grace-millane-murder-trial-verdict-man-found-guilty-of-murdering-british-backpacker-while-on-tinder-a4293451.html | Fri, 22 Nov 2019 09:47:00 GMT | 1,574,434,020 | 1,574,425,867 | crime, law and justice | crime |
191,380 | eveningstandard--2019-12-04--London Bridge killer Usman Khan completed two untested counter-terror programmes before attack | 2019-12-04T00:00:00 | eveningstandard | London Bridge killer Usman Khan completed two untested counter-terror programmes before attack | London Bridge killer Usman Khan attended two counter-terror rehabilitation courses which had not been fully tested for their effectiveness, it emerged today. Khan, who was convicted of a terror offence in 2012, killed Jack Merritt, 25, and Saskia Jones, 23, during a conference on prisoner rehabilitation in Fishmongers’ Hall on Friday. Khan, 28, had completed two rehabilitation schemes during the eight years he spent in prison and following his release. The first, the Healthy Identity Intervention programme, was piloted from 2010. A study last year found it was “viewed positively” but the Ministry of Justice had not tested whether it prevents reoffending. After his release last year, he took part in the Desistance and Disengagement scheme to help convicts “reintegrate safely” into society. This was launched in 2016 and Government officials say neither programme has been operating long enough for their results to be assessed, the BBC reported. A spokesman said: “All our offender behaviour programmes are monitored, evaluated and kept under constant review to ensure that they are effective in reducing reoffending and protecting the public.” Khan injured three other people before being tackled by members of the public and shot dead by police. Inquests into the deaths of Mr Merritt and Ms Jones were being opened at the Old Bailey today. | BENEDICT MOORE-BRIDGER | https://www.standard.co.uk/news/crime/london-bridge-killer-completed-two-untested-counterterror-programmes-before-attack-a4304286.html | Wed, 04 Dec 2019 11:24:00 GMT | 1,575,476,640 | 1,575,462,590 | crime, law and justice | crime |
193,271 | eveningstandard--2019-12-17--Prime suspect seized in hunt for killer of British tycoon Matthew Gibbard | 2019-12-17T00:00:00 | eveningstandard | Prime suspect seized in hunt for killer of British tycoon Matthew Gibbard | The suspected killer of British millionaire businessman Matthew Gibbard in Argentina was arrested as he tried to leave the country, police in the country said today. Mr Gibbard, 50, was shot in the chest after being followed from the airport to his five-star hotel in Buenos Aires by motorcycle gangsters who are thought to have targeted him for his expensive watch. His stepson, Stefan Zone, 28, reportedly a product manager at JP Morgan in London, was shot in the leg and is in a stable condition in hospital. Friends today told of their shock over Saturday’s attack. One told the Evening Standard: “It has just been traumatic. The family are devastated.” Police apprehended the Venezuelan suspect, named locally as Angel Eduardo Lozano Azuaje, 21, in Salta, about 1,000 miles from the scene, on a coach bound for Bolivia. Officers are understood to have been tipped off by his girlfriend during an interrogation. He is the fifth person to be arrested over the robbery outside the £350-a-night Faena Arts Hotel. They include three Argentinians accused of supplying vehicles and the Venezuelan owner of a red Ford Fiesta which was said to have acted as a support vehicle. Police said the gang would target wealthy holidaymakers wearing expensive watches at Ezeiza International Airport and follow their taxis to the city centre before carrying out robberies. Chief of security for Buenos Aires, Marcelo D’Alessandro said: “This gang works in the arrivals hall of the airport, where they look for tourists coming from Europe and the United States. From there they begin their pursuit.” He added: “They had a kind of placard, they would pretend to work for Uber.” Mr Gibbard, from the village of Lowick, Northamptonshire, ran multimillion-pound holiday and retirement home firm Tingdene. He is said to have been in Argentina for a Christmas break with his mother and wife Suzanne, 52, as well as Mr Zone and his stepson’s wife and brother. He was described by friends as a “softly spoken gentleman” who collected Ferraris and flew his own helicopter. | Gerard Couzens, BENEDICT MOORE-BRIDGER | https://www.standard.co.uk/news/crime/matthew-gibbard-shot-argentina-buenos-aires-a4315441.html | Tue, 17 Dec 2019 10:02:00 GMT | 1,576,594,920 | 1,576,586,362 | crime, law and justice | crime |
258 | 21stcenturywire--2019-04-12--Crash and Burn Israels Moon Shot Ends in Disaster | 2019-04-12T00:00:00 | 21stcenturywire | Crash and Burn: Israel’s Moon Shot Ends in Disaster. | With the settler state more divided than ever, and tensions between the native Palestinians as high as ever, this event was meant to be Israel’s “unifying moment” that would bring all Israelis (but not its Arab residents) and globally Jewry together with a shared purpose for one glorious moment. The attempted moon landing by the Israeli spacecraft Beresheet was broadcast live last night, on the side of the spacecraft read the slogan, “Small country, big dreams.” However, the Jewish state’s lunar dream crashed and burned, in spectacular fashion, as one of the craft’s main engines blew up on its final descent, crashing into the Moon. The explosion is said to have marked the end of Israel’s fledgling satellite industry, effectively denying the Jewish state a seat in the elite global club of countries who’ve executed successful lunar landings. The timing of this grand process – culminating at the exact moment when the Israeli election results were announced – was perhaps too much a coincidence for even the most ardent non-skeptic. Somewhat poetically, Israel’s shallow 2019 election campaign ended as it deserved: A farce. Noa Landau from Haaretz summed the irony up as follows: “This is why the loss of communications with the spacecraft, just a moment before the anticipated landing, and just a moment before the announcement of the final election vote results, which at the very last moment went awry – exactly like the landing – felt like one big metaphor. Like the country that could have been, but we have missed out on. In the high-tech superpower filled with traffic jams and embarassing trains, where it’s impossible to receive a package in the mail, and votes can’t be correctly counted, everything is so close, but not quite.” Beresheet’s engine stopped working around 10 kilometers from the surface, with the vehicle crashing into the Moon at a speed of over 130 meters per second. The blunder occurred on a live feed in the presence of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his wife Sara, who arrived at the control center for the occasion. However, the space explorers didn’t seem shaken by the setback as they all chanted a solemn song to show that getting so close to the goal was an achievement in itself. Netanyahu has already promised that an Israeli spacecraft will be back to the Moon in the next two or three years. Beresheet, which is Hebrew for the biblical phrase “in the beginning,” could have also become the first private spacecraft to land on the Moon. It was constructed by Israeli nonprofit space venture SpaceIL and state-owned defense contractor Israel Aerospace Industries. The $100 million needed for the ambitious project came from private investors. Only Russia, the US, and China have so far managed to perform controlled “soft” landings on the lunar surface. | 21wire | https://21stcenturywire.com/2019/04/12/crash-and-burn-israels-moon-shot-ends-in-disaster/ | 2019-04-12 17:42:50+00:00 | 1,555,105,370 | 1,567,543,039 | disaster, accident and emergency incident | disaster |
2,294 | abcnews--2019-11-15--Louisiana fishing industry hit with $258M in flooding losses | 2019-11-15T00:00:00 | abcnews | Louisiana fishing industry hit with $258M in flooding losses | The governor says the Louisiana fishing industry has been hit with $258 million in losses due to historic flooding this year. In a news release Friday, Gov. John Bel Edwards says the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries conducted an economic impact analysis to determine the flooding impacts. The analysis was submitted to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to help the state qualify for part of the fisheries disaster assistance. Edwards also asked the state’s congressional delegation for help in a letter Friday. According to the analysis, the private lease oyster industry was the hardest hit with $121 million in losses. Heavy rains in the Midwest kept the Mississippi River at flood stage for extended periods of time and forced the opening of the Bonnet Carre Spillway two times. | null | https://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/louisiana-fishing-industry-hit-258m-flooding-losses-67057558 | Fri, 15 Nov 2019 20:25:54 -0500 | 1,573,867,554 | 1,573,905,970 | disaster, accident and emergency incident | disaster |
4,302 | activistpost--2019-03-22--Government Warns Of Historic Widespread Flooding Through May Food Prices To Skyrocket As 1000s | 2019-03-22T00:00:00 | activistpost | Government Warns Of Historic, Widespread Flooding “Through May” – Food Prices To Skyrocket As 1000s Of Farms Are Destroyed | We have never seen catastrophic flooding like this, and the NOAA is now telling us that there will be more major flooding for at least two more months. On Thursday, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration warned that “historic, widespread flooding” would “continue through May”. More than 90 percent of the upper Midwest and Great Plains is currently covered by an average of 10.7 inches of snow, and all of that snow is starting to melt. That means that we are going to transition from one of the worst winters in modern history to a flood season that has already taken an apocalyptic turn for farmers all across America. At this moment, millions of acres of farmland are already underwater. Thousands of farmers are not going to be able to plant crops this year, and thousands of other farmers that have been financially ruined by the floods will never return to farming again. This is already the worst agricultural disaster in modern American history, and it is going to get a whole lot worse. I posted an article about this crisis yesterday, and I am troubled by the fact that most Americans don’t seem to understand the gravity of what we are facing. Millions of bushels of wheat, corn and soybeans have been destroyed by flood waters, hundreds of millions of dollars worth of livestock have been lost, and all of us will soon be feeling a lot more pain at the grocery store. And this would be a complete and utter national nightmare even if the flooding was all over, but the NOAA just told us that we should expect more catastrophic flooding for the next two months… In fact, the NOAA is using the words “unprecedented flood season” to describe what is coming, and they are warning that “more than 200 million people” are at risk… Of all the natural disasters that we have seen in recent years, this is the biggest, and U.S. food production is going to be dramatically affected because many farmers will not be able to grow crops at all in 2019… And many farmers will never recover from this disaster at all. According to one farmer in Iowa, somewhere around half of the farmers in his entire county will not be able to come back from this… I said it yesterday, and I will say it again. This is the worst blow to U.S. agriculture that I have seen in my entire lifetime. The amount of food that has just been lost is absolutely staggering. Due to the trade war, farmers were storing more wheat, corn and soybeans than ever before, and now the floodwaters have destroyed much of what had been stored… According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, any wheat, corn or soybeans that are contaminated by flood waters must be destroyed. I know that I shared the following quote yesterday, but in order to give you an idea of the scope of the losses we are looking at, I want to share it again… And remember, the flooding is just getting started. In just one county in Iowa, 1.8 million bushels of corn and soybeans have already been destroyed. Nationwide, the losses are off the charts. Needless to say, prices will be going way up at the grocery store, and they will keep going up for the rest of the year. Sadly, even after the flood waters are gone the damage that has been done to our agricultural infrastructure will take years to repair… In Nebraska alone, hundreds of miles of rural roads have been completely washed out, and farmers such as Annette Bloom are having an extremely difficult time just getting to a main road… “We are having to travel three miles through pasture and cropland just to get out because our roads are gone,” she says. “And the corn fields are going to be devastating to get in and plant and get that going, because usually we’re planting within the next two weeks and it’s not going to happen.” Many of America’s farmers will bravely keep going after this disaster, but for many others a financial breaking point has arrived. Farm bankruptcies had already surged to the highest level since the last recession prior to all of this flooding, and now this crisis will end up driving many of them away from the profession for good. The following comes from NBC News… Some farmers in Fremont County will probably not return to till their soil, many farmers here said. “Lot of folks won’t be able to continue after this,” said Julius Schaaf, 66, who said 1,500 of his 4,000 acres were currently under water. In the end, it is going to be a while before we know the full extent of the damage to America’s farms and our food supply, but all of the experts agree that it will be unprecedented. Food prices are already high, but the truth is that this is as low as they are going to get. Much less food will be produced in our heartland this year, and that will mean skyrocketing prices at our grocery stores. And this is just one element of “the perfect storm” that is emerging. Our society is starting to be shaken in many different ways, and 2019 is certainly shaping up to be a very “interesting” year. About the author: Michael Snyder is a nationally-syndicated writer, media personality and political activist. He is the author of four books including Get Prepared Now, The Beginning Of The End and Living A Life That Really Matters. His articles are originally published on The Economic Collapse Blog, End Of The American Dream and The Most Important News. From there, his articles are republished on dozens of other prominent websites. If you would like to republish his articles, please feel free to do so. The more people that see this information the better, and we need to wake more people up while there is still time. Top image caption and credit: The flooded facility of the Camp Ashland Army National Guard in Ashland, Neb., is seen in this aerial photo March 17, 2019. Nebraska Gov. Pete Ricketts and the state’s National Guard surveyed flooded farms, homes, bridges and highways, damage Ricketts called “devastating” and perhaps the worst in a half-century. At least three people have been reported killed. (CNS photo/Herschel Talley, Nebraska National Guard handout via Reuters)/CatholicPhilly.com | Activist Post | https://www.activistpost.com/2019/03/government-warns-of-historic-widespread-flooding-through-may-food-prices-to-skyrocket-as-1000s-of-farms-are-destroyed.html | 2019-03-22 19:22:56+00:00 | 1,553,296,976 | 1,567,545,165 | disaster, accident and emergency incident | disaster |
4,428 | activistpost--2019-04-09--ANOTHER Bomb Cyclone Will Bring More Flooding To Parts Of The Midwest That Were Hit By A 1000 Ye | 2019-04-09T00:00:00 | activistpost | ANOTHER “Bomb Cyclone” Will Bring More Flooding To Parts Of The Midwest That Were Hit By A “1,000 Year Flood” Last Month | Less than a month after a “bomb cyclone” caused a “1,000 year flood” in the middle portion of the country, another “bomb cyclone” of similar strength is going to bring even more flooding to the High Plains and Upper Midwest. According to meteorologists, it is being projected that this new “bomb cyclone” will be “similar in intensity and in snowfall” to the last one, and the latest forecast is calling for “more than 30 inches in some areas”. The floods that we witnessed last month absolutely devastated communities throughout the region, and now it is going to happen again. The middle part of our nation has literally never seen anything like this happen ever before, and this is easily the worst natural disaster to hit the United States since Hurricane Katrina. Before I get into the details of the latest weather forecast, let’s review what we have witnessed so far. “At least 1 million acres of U.S. farmland” were under water for at least 7 days last month, according to Agriculture Secretary Sunny Purdue “as many as a million calves” were lost in the flooding in the state of Nebraska alone, and hundreds of millions of dollars worth of crops were destroyed. Thousands upon thousands of farmers were financially ruined, and thousands of farmers will not be able to plant any crops at all this year. If you can point out a worse agricultural disaster in the last 50 years in the United States, please feel free to do so. To my knowledge, there isn’t one. And now a second “bomb cyclone” is on the way this week. According to CBS News, it looks like this “bomb cyclone” will produce “a blizzard of epic proportions”… Only three weeks after a “bomb cyclone” — one of the most intense storms on record — pummeled the Plains and Midwest, another bomb cyclone of similar strength has been forecast. This spring storm seems poised to dump even heavier snow; it could also be followed by another round of significant river flooding. Over the past few days, various forecast computer models have shown a blizzard of epic proportions for the north-central Plain States and Upper Midwest. Every time a model is updated, the storm depicted seems to get even more intense. At this point, it seems likely that some of the same areas impacted by devastating flooding just weeks ago are about to get slammed by an historic blizzard Wednesday through Friday. Some Midwest communities already look like they have literally been through a war. What do you think they are going to look like after another epic blizzard and more severe flooding rips through them? If you are not familiar with the term “bomb cyclone”, here is a pretty good explanation from MSN… A bomb cyclone is a rapid drop in air pressure — at least 24 millibars in 24 hours — and often is over or near oceans or seas because it requires warm moist air smacking into cold dry air, along with volatile weather from the jet stream. The central and mountain part of the country may get one of these every few winters, said Greg Carbin, forecast branch chief for the National Weather Service’s Weather Prediction Center in Maryland. But this would be the second such storm in less than a month. The March 13 storm caused massive flooding in the Midwest, a blizzard in Colorado and Wyoming, and produced winds of between 96 mph and 110 mph (155 and 177.02 kph). According to the National Weather Service, this new storm will dump a lot of snow on the northern Rockies on Tuesday, and from there it “will pick up in intensity as it moves into the central USA by Wednesday and into Thursday”. The forecast is calling for the heaviest snow to fall in parts of Nebraska, South Dakota and Minnesota. If you will remember, Nebraska was hit by flooding unlike anything it had ever seen before last month. And now we are being told that this new storm “will further exacerbate flooding in Nebraska”… Even before this storm, the National Weather Service was warning that there would be “above-average precipitation across much of the Lower 48” over the next few months and that 200 million Americans were at risk of being affected by flooding. But nobody was expecting another “bomb cyclone” to come so soon. I have been repeatedly warning my readers that our planet is becoming increasingly unstable and that global weather patterns are really starting to go haywire. We are seeing things happen that we have never seen before, and what I have shared in this article is yet another example. | Activist Post | https://www.activistpost.com/2019/04/another-bomb-cyclone-will-bring-more-flooding-to-parts-of-the-midwest-that-were-hit-by-a-1000-year-flood-last-month.html | 2019-04-09 15:21:03+00:00 | 1,554,837,663 | 1,567,543,399 | disaster, accident and emergency incident | disaster |
58,527 | birminghammail--2019-03-18--Plan to stop devastating flooding incidents in Walsall | 2019-03-18T00:00:00 | birminghammail | Plan to stop devastating flooding incidents in Walsall | An action plan aimed at preventing a repeat of last year's devastating flooding incidents which saw one person die and more than a 100 homes affected is set to be approved. Walsall Council's cabinet will meet on Wednesday (March 20) where members are expected to give the green light to its flood risk management strategy. In May last year, 82-year-old Evesham man Peter Harnwell tragically died when his car became submerged in water in Lichfield Road, Walsall, when flash floods hit the region. The nearby Ladypool burst is banks and sent water gushing into the road and collected under the railway bridge. During the heavy rainfall, more than 120 properties in areas including Aldridge, Streetly, Bloxwich and Willenhall suffered internal flooding. A report to cabinet says the authority is looking to secure external funding to further boost flood alleviation measures to tackle future incidents. It also said that prior to the May 2018 flash floods, the council had assisted in bringing about road closures and instructed highways maintenance contractor Tarmac to undertake emergency gully cleaning, be ready to issue sandbags and have on call operators ready to respond where required. Following the incident, council teams provided support to affected residents, cleaned up hotspot areas, carried out reviews of its gully and street cleaning and held meetings with other agencies to exchange information and learn lessons from previous incidents. The authority will now continue to develop its action plan to bolster defences in the event of future incidents. The report said: "On the 27 May 2018 the weather was characterised by warm, humid conditions, with a south-easterly weather front and localised thunderstorms accompanied by intense rainfall. "The whole borough was affected by rain fall but some areas were particularly affected by the localised intense rainfall such as Streetly, Aldridge, Bloxwich and Willenhall. "In addition Members will recall the tragic incident that happened on the A461 Lichfield Road, Rushall on the evening of 27 May 2018. "Working with partners, the council will continue to explore opportunity to bring forward flood alleviation measures where it is able to do so. "The council will continue to develop a ‘Flood Incident Plan’ that will comprise a review of the known flood hotspots to further refine incident planning pre and post flood event. "It is recommended that Cabinet support the development of a ‘Flood Incident Plan’ setting out aims, objectives and roles for the council and its partners before, during and after a flood event." | Gurdip Thandi | https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/black-country/plan-stop-devastating-flooding-incidents-15980953 | 2019-03-18 08:17:43+00:00 | 1,552,911,463 | 1,567,545,742 | disaster, accident and emergency incident | disaster |
63,662 | birminghammail--2019-06-26--Parked cars blamed for flooding caused by blocked drains in Sparkhill | 2019-06-26T00:00:00 | birminghammail | Parked cars blamed for flooding caused by blocked drains in Sparkhill | Drains have been left blocked in a Birmingham flood hotspot - but the city council has blamed residents for parking on them and preventing access. Rubbish has been pictured cluttering more than half a dozen drains in Percy Road, Avondale Road and Formans Road in Sparkhill. All three streets were hit by flooding during a deluge of rain on May 27 last year, when the River Cole overflowed and water entered 31 properties in the immediate surrounding area. Among them were three company premises including Indestructible Paint on Pentos Drive where flooding caused £500,000 worth of damage, despite the fact the firm had previously spent £50,000 on defences. While some homes remain boarded up after people were forced to move out. Subsequent reports into the flooding revealed that Birmingham City Council officers were not aware of the impact on Sparkhill for three days after. The authority admitted the belated support provided was 'not appropriate'. Now, with the area having received a number of flood alerts due to heavy rain in recent weeks, the authority has been criticised again. Locals have accused the council of failing to maintain drains, road sweep the streets allowing rubbish and dirt to accumulate as well as only providing two sandbags per house and not the six to eight recommended by the Environment Agency. Richard Wrenn, aged 38, who lives on Percy Road with his mother Dorinda, said: "We lost everything last year, all of the furniture on the ground floor. "It all had to be refurbished and it's still not finished now. Yes we were insured but it takes a year out of your life to put it back to the way it was. "It's horrible. Every time it rains you think 'oh my god is it going to happen again?' it's just horrendous. "We just want something done, we aren't asking for much but the council isn't doing enough." Ward councillor Nicky Brennan (Lab) was heavily involved in the clean-up last year and echoed the criticism. She said: "The council know this is a flooding hotspot so they should be making sure the basics are getting done. "The risks of flooding really impacts people's mental health especially if these people think they are being neglected. "Residents have said to me that sometimes they have sleepless nights when heavy rainfall is forecast, thinking it's going to happen again. "I have raised issues with officers such as the drains and promises were made but they have still not been delivered." Cllr Brennan continued saying the authority had not learnt the lessons of 2018 and warned the situation was 'another disaster waiting to happen'. In response to the drains problem a council spokesman said: "The council’s flood risk team works closely with other council departments to manage the risk of surface water flooding, including liaising with the street cleansing services team to ensure that locations that are more susceptible to surface water flooding have their drains and gullies cleaned regularly. "However, one of the challenges we face in the Formans Road and Percy Road area is access to sections of road with drains and gullies due to cars parking over them, which makes it difficult to undertake essential maintenance to ensure drains are working efficiently during heavy rainfall. "When we require residents to move their vehicles so that this maintenance can take place, we will leaflet homes, businesses and cars parked in the area. "We would ask the community to work with us so that we can clean streets and prevent silt and debris from blocking the gullies and so maintaining the drainage infrastructure in key locations to protect homes and businesses. "We have also asked the Environment Agency which regulates the businesses on Pentos Drive, to work with these businesses to reduce dust and debris." The council also explained that the number of bags provided was to protect homes from 'bow waves' caused by cars driving through 'areas of ponding' and not to act as a flood barrier. They further added that they were working with the National Flood Forum to support a new Flood Action Group (FLAG) for Sparkhill as well as Severn Trent and the Environment Agency to secure long-term flood defence schemes along the River Cole. | [email protected] (Carl Jackson) | https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/midlands-news/drains-left-blocked-birmingham-flood-16490082 | 2019-06-26 13:32:00+00:00 | 1,561,570,320 | 1,567,537,969 | disaster, accident and emergency incident | disaster |
65,233 | birminghammail--2019-07-30--Flash flooding causes disruption across the Black Country | 2019-07-30T00:00:00 | birminghammail | Flash flooding causes disruption across the Black Country | Heavy rainfall has battered the Black Country this evening - leaving roads flooded and trains cancelled. High Street in Princes End, Tipton , was one of the many roads across the region affected. Footage filmed by Jason Addison, the director of Addison Tyres Ltd, can be viewed above . It shows a steady stream of traffic battling through the rainwater. The flash floods also led to Tenpin Bowling in Dudley closing after ceiling tiles began to fall down. A video circulating on social media shows ceiling panels crashing to the ground as a huge pool of water forms near the main entrance. The Castlegate Park venue will remain closed until at least Thursday while repairs get under way. Elsewhere, flooding in Lye caused severe disruption to train services as services between Birmingham Snow Hill and Kidderminster were hit with delays and cancellations. The wet weather also left drivers facing delays of up to an hour as due to two lane closures on the M5 Southbound from J2 A4123 (Oldbury / Dudley) to J3 A456 Quinton Expressway (Halesowen / Birmingham). Keep up-to-date with all things Dudley, Walsall, Sandwell and Wolverhampton on our Black Country Live Facebook page - where you'll get the latest news, travel, weather and events in your area. | [email protected] (Kelly Ashmore) | https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/black-country/flash-flooding-causes-disruption-across-16672018 | 2019-07-30 19:03:38+00:00 | 1,564,527,818 | 1,567,535,303 | disaster, accident and emergency incident | disaster |
65,235 | birminghammail--2019-07-30--Live updates as flooding causes travel chaos across Birmingham | 2019-07-30T00:00:00 | birminghammail | Live updates as flooding causes travel chaos across Birmingham | The West Midlands is hit with reports of flooding this evening as it is hit by bouts of torrential rain. Rush hour commuters are affected by delays on the M5, the train network, around Solihull and Birmingham city centre due to pockets of flooding. Drivers are facing delays of up to an hour as flooding forced two lanes to close on the M5 Southbound from J2 A4123 (Oldbury / Dudley) to J3 A456 Quinton Expressway (Halesowen / Birmingham). Congestion is stretching back to J10 (Wolverhampton / Walsall). West Midlands Railways is reporting setbacks of around 15 minutes for train services running through Lye Station due to the bad weather. We are also getting reports of flooding incidents in and around Birmingham and Solihull. Each day BirminghamLive journalists bring you the latest news on the roads and railways across Birmingham and the West Midlands and further afield to help keep you on the move. For the very latest updates on roads including the M6, M42, M5 and more, visit our dedicated traffic and travel news Facebook page here. You can also bookmark BirminghamLive's Traffic and Travel landing page here. | [email protected] (Jayne Thomson, birminghammail.co.uk) | https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/midlands-news/live-updates-flooding-causes-travel-16671599 | 2019-07-30 17:16:41+00:00 | 1,564,521,401 | 1,567,535,303 | disaster, accident and emergency incident | disaster |
65,237 | birminghammail--2019-07-30--Main roads submerged as flash flooding causes chaos in Birmingham and Solihull | 2019-07-30T00:00:00 | birminghammail | Main roads submerged as flash flooding causes chaos in Birmingham and Solihull | Commuters have been hit with problems as the city was deluged by torrential rain on Tuesday afternoon. Rush hour commuters were affected by long delays on the M5, the train network, and there have been multiple roads flooded in and around Solihull and Birmingham. Drivers faced delays of around an hour as flooding forced two lanes to close on the M5 Southbound from J2 for Oldbury / Dudley, to J3 for Halesowen. Congestion stretched back to J10 and the water was eventually cleared by a ‘gully sucker’. Passengers heading through Lye Station were also delayed by flooding and given the option to transfer on to trams and buses. There were reports of submerged main roads in Yardley, Kitts Green, Garretts Green, Northfield , around Birmingham city centre and in Solihull. Despite the difficult conditions, Peter Leadbetter from streetwatch group in Moseley headed out to survey the scenes for others. He tweeted: “Dangerous flooding along parts of Billesley lane, Yardley Wood Rd, St Agnes & Dyott Rd due to drains blocked by leaves & heavy rain. The flash floods also led to High Street in Princes End, Tipton underwater and Tenpin Bowling in Dudley closing after ceiling tiles began to fall down. A video circulating on social media shows ceiling panels crashing to the ground as a huge pool of water forms near the main entrance. Click here to see how rain impacted train travel The Castlegate Park venue will remain closed until at least Thursday while repairs get under way. | [email protected] ( birminghammail.co.uk) | https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/midlands-news/main-roads-submerged-flash-flooding-16672115 | 2019-07-30 19:43:03+00:00 | 1,564,530,183 | 1,567,535,304 | disaster, accident and emergency incident | disaster |
72,785 | breitbart--2019-09-05--Hurricane Dorian Hits Carolinas Charleston with High Winds and Flooding | 2019-09-05T00:00:00 | breitbart | Hurricane Dorian Hits Carolinas, Charleston with High Winds and Flooding | On Wednesday night, the storm was upgraded to a Category 3 hurricane, then downgraded to a Category 2 on Thursday morning. The National Weather Service said the eye is currently 60 miles south of Myrtle Beach, the Daily Mail reported. South Carolina’s Charleston harbor was blasted by high winds on Thursday afternoon, just as the eye of the storm moved northeast of the city. “Downtown Charleston, one of the most popular tourist destinations in the southeast, was beginning to flood, as heavy rains and storm surge brought standing water into the streets,” the Sun-Sentinel reported, adding, “The storm’s top winds fell to 110 mph, putting it at the upper limit of Category 2 strength, as the storm raked coastal areas with hurricane-force gusts and sustained winds.” Police said hundreds of thousands of South Carolina homes and businesses are without power, and roads have been closed due to severe flooding, according to NBC News. The office of South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster (R-SC), tweeted Thursday that evacuation orders had been “lifted for Beaufort, Jasper, and Colleton Counties at 3 p.m.,” adding that “evacuation orders remain in effect” for several areas, including Charleston: Reports said, “The worst impacts in South Carolina will be felt through Thursday night,” and, “Peak impacts will arrive in North Carolina and southeastern Virginia Thursday into Friday,” according to The Weather Channel. “Tornado watches are in effect for parts of northern South Carolina and eastern North Carolina through late afternoon and early evening,” the website said. “There have been over a dozen reports of tornadoes in the Carolinas Thursday, some of which have been damaging.” On Thursday morning, the National Weather Service in Newport/Morehead City, North Carolina, tweeted photos of damage caused by tornadoes in Emerald Isle. On Wednesday, North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper (D-NC) urged residents to find shelter and stay there. “Hurricane Dorian is ready to unleash its fury on our state. The storm has regained strength. It is serious, and it can be deadly. The message this morning is this: Get to safety and stay there. Don’t let your guard down. This won’t be a brush-by,” he concluded. | Amy Furr | http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/breitbart/~3/Ii6k7exebw4/ | 2019-09-05 22:50:17+00:00 | 1,567,738,217 | 1,569,331,180 | disaster, accident and emergency incident | disaster |
88,205 | channel4uk--2019-03-19--Cyclone winds and flooding cause disaster in southern Africa | 2019-03-19T00:00:00 | channel4uk | Cyclone winds and flooding cause disaster in southern Africa | Massive cyclone winds and severe flooding have swept across southern Africa, in what the United Nations is calling one of the worst weather-related disasters to hit the southern hemisphere. It’s believed over 2.6 million people are affected in Mozambique, Zimbabwe and Malawi. Aid groups say thousands of survivors are trapped in remote areas. Entire villages are under water. | Keme Nzerem | https://www.channel4.com/news/cyclone-winds-and-flooding-cause-disaster-in-southern-africa | 2019-03-19 20:25:19+00:00 | 1,553,041,519 | 1,567,545,662 | disaster, accident and emergency incident | disaster |
89,845 | channel4uk--2019-11-12--Yorkshire flooding victims say they’ve been forgotten by government | 2019-11-12T00:00:00 | channel4uk | Yorkshire flooding victims say they’ve been forgotten by government | Not just flooded out, but forgotten – that’s what angry residents of the villages worst hit by the Yorkshire floods are claiming, furious at what they see as the lack of any government response. Boris Johnson denied claims that money was being concentrated in the south east, claiming the whole country was protected. But opposition leaders who’ve been visiting the worst affected areas are calling on the Prime Minister to declare a national emergency. | Symeon Brown | https://www.channel4.com/news/yorkshire-flooding-victims-say-theyve-been-forgotten-by-government | Tue, 12 Nov 2019 19:18:06 +0000 | 1,573,604,286 | 1,573,604,670 | disaster, accident and emergency incident | disaster |
90,155 | channel4uk--2019-12-20--Flooding causes disruption across south-east England | 2019-12-20T00:00:00 | channel4uk | Flooding causes disruption across south-east England | Flooding is causing severe travel disruption across south-east England just as we head into the Christmas week. Heavy rains overnight have resulted in parts of major motorways being shut down, including junctions on the M23. Train lines across the south have also been impacted, with restricted travel in Brighton. More rain is expected through to Sunday. It seems that every time it rains at the moment, there’s some flooding, so what’s going on? | Liam Dutton | https://www.channel4.com/news/flooding-causes-disruption-across-south-east-england | Fri, 20 Dec 2019 20:00:12 +0000 | 1,576,890,012 | 1,576,887,897 | disaster, accident and emergency incident | disaster |
Subsets and Splits
No community queries yet
The top public SQL queries from the community will appear here once available.