birminghammail--2019-01-22--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--2019-01-23--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.


birminghammail--2019-01-24--Convicted child killer David Gaut lied to neighbours David Osborne Ieuan Harley and Darran Evesham

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.


birminghammail--2019-01-28--Familys heartbreaking words as killer neighbour John Nixon sentenced to 15 years

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."


birminghammail--2019-01-29--Bloodstained clothing linked by DNA to murdered child killer David Gaut trial told

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.


birminghammail--2019-02-03--Knife killer not sorry about murdering teen says rapper friend

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--2019-02-04--Locked up around the UK in January An MP a hidden camera pervert and a contract killer

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.


birminghammail--2019-02-05--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."


birminghammail--2019-02-05--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.”


birminghammail--2019-02-06--Convicted child killer David Gaut screamed for help during alleged revenge attack

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.


birminghammail--2019-02-07--Family in new plea for help to catch 17-year-olds killer

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.


birminghammail--2019-02-07--Reward of 10k posted to trace the killers of David Danger Currier

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.


birminghammail--2019-02-08--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.


birminghammail--2019-02-08--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.


birminghammail--2019-02-13--How receipt in 100-year-old widower Zofija Kaczans bag helped catch killer Artur Waszkiewicz

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."


birminghammail--2019-02-13--Murdered schoolgirl Alesha MacPhails dad sold drugs to alleged killer

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."


birminghammail--2019-02-22--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.


birminghammail--2019-03-12--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."


birminghammail--2019-03-21--Birmingham psychologist reveals truth behind Alesha MacPhails killer Aaron Campbell

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."


birminghammail--2019-03-25--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.


birminghammail--2019-04-10--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.


birminghammail--2019-04-11--Speedboat killer Jack Shepherd pleads guilty as he comes face to face with victims family in court

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."


birminghammail--2019-04-16--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."


birminghammail--2019-04-20--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.


birminghammail--2019-04-30--Lee Rigby killer Michael Adebowale wants to serve out sentence in Nigeria jail despite being born i

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."


birminghammail--2019-05-08--Cold-blooded killers fled to Birmingham after JD Sports trip and Michael Caine movie

'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.


birminghammail--2019-05-15--Thats justice bro - killers who shot man in car amid drugs feud FIGHT in dock as theyre jailed f

'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.


birminghammail--2019-05-28--Convicted killer threatened to rape woman before murdering nail technician mum-of-two

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.


birminghammail--2019-05-29--Police still hunting killer of Keelan Wilson 15 despite arresting NINE people

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.