The fast-food giant shared a video on Facebook on September 3, telling customers: “A new store is opening in Faverdale, Darlington. Opening date coming soon.”

The post has sparked fresh excitement over the new restaurant on Faverdale Industrial Estate, which has been under construction since March 2025.

However, an official opening date has not yet been confirmed and said a date will be announced soon.

The site was originally expected to open in December 2025, but that deadline was missed as work continued.

An opening in early 2026 was then suggested before McDonald’s later said the restaurant was expected to open in late summer 2026.

A McDonald’s spokesperson previously said: “We’re looking forward to opening our new restaurant in Darlington, due to open in late summer 2026.

“The restaurant will bring significant investment to the local area and deliver up to 120 full and part-time jobs.”

The Faverdale restaurant is expected to become McDonald’s third branch in Darlington.

The wider development has been in the pipeline for several years. Plans were initially deferred by Darlington Borough Council’s planning committee in July 2023 amid concerns over the potential impact on existing businesses and jobs, before being approved the following month.

Earlier plans for the site included McDonald’s, Costa Coffee and Taco Bell, as well as additional retail units and an industrial unit.

Costa Coffee is still due to open a drive through branch at Faverdale. Taco Bell, however, is no longer expected to be part of the scheme after developers Metcalf Harland Property Investment said the chain did not sign a lease.

A new Taco Bell site has recently opened on 3 Albert Road, at the former KFC site on North Road.

McDonald’s has now told customers to watch out for an opening date announcement.

President Donald Trump showcased a darker hairstyle as he stepped off Air Force One ahead of spending Labor Day weekend at one of his golf courses.

The commander-in-chief’s iconic golden comb-over appeared to be duskier hue as he touched down in Morristown, New Jersey, on Friday before continuing on to Bedminster.

The new look comes weeks after Trump, 80, sent social media into a frenzy with his voluminous, blonde locks while speaking at Red Rock Casino in Las Vegas.

On Friday, he appeared to have switched things up again and his hair appeared almost brown.

His biographer Michael Wolff has since revealed that the president has a trick up his sleeve to ensure his hair is always perfectly coiffed.

Wolff claimed on the Inside Trump’s Head podcast that the president never travels without his trusty hair kit, which is stocked with different shades of hair patches.

‘He has somebody who’s following, and there have been a couple of people over, certainly over the political years, who’ve carried the patch kit,’ Wolff said.

The biographer added that the president handles much of the styling himself, a topic Trump has previously addressed.

The president sported a dusky, almost brown hairstyle instead of his usual blonder locks prompting a lot of reaction online

In 2018, at the Conservative Political Action Conference in Maryland, he said: ‘I try like hell to hide my bald spot, folks. I work hard at it.’ 

That same year, Trump’s physician revealed he takes medication to combat male-pattern baldness, USA Today reported.

According to Wolff, the portable hair kit dates back at least to Trump’s first term, when his eldest daughter, Ivanka, served as a close aide.

The biographer described how Ivanka once discussed the amount of time spent on her father’s hair, he said: ‘In my first book, Fire and Fury, I describe Ivanka, who had a kind of amused perspective on her father.’

‘She described the way that his hair came together, having to tease it in certain ways, pull it in certain ways and fluff it in certain ways. And so you kind of created this confection on top.’

The president’s current hairstyle drew a lot of commentary on X.

One user wrote: ‘Looks like he borrowed it from a ’70s game show host.’

Another added: ‘There probably wasn’t enough time to dye and style his mop. This has to be the new rug.’

Trump appeared at the Red Rock Casino on August 5 to boast his administration’s accomplishments, but his speech was overshadowed by comments on his much thicker-looking hair

Trump previously joked that he takes care to cover his bald spots 

Trump’s physician also previously revealed he takes a drug to tackle male-pattern baldness 

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A third said of a service member standing near the president: ‘I really gotta admire that young man in uniform keeping a straight face after seeing that hair!’

Trump is expected to spend the weekend at his golf course in Bedminster, returning to Washington DC on Monday. 

It comes after the president sparked rumors about a hair piece or even a wig following his appearance in Las Vegas earlier this month.

Trump delivered a speech about his administration’s achievements which was quickly overshadowed by comments on his lustrous looking hair.

The Daily Mail has contacted the White House for comment. 

Its market charter dates back to around 1269, while Roman, medieval and textile heritage can still be found throughout the town.

Today, independent shops, cafés and restaurants sit alongside historic landmarks, making Kirkham an appealing alternative to the bustle of the Fylde coast.

The much loved Kirkham mural (Image: Kirkham Council)

Kirkham has long been prized for its understated, working market-town character, offering a quieter alternative to the seaside attractions of nearby Blackpool.

The town’s heritage runs from Roman origins through centuries as an important centre for sailcloth production and cotton weaving, alongside independent shops, a historic parish church and an unusual open prison occupying part of a former wartime airfield site.

Exploring Kirkham’s shops and restaurants

Visitors can stroll along Poulton Street, the town’s principal shopping thoroughfare, where independent traders such as Serendipity House, a gift, clothing and accessories shop, and the long-established Kirkham Ironmongers sit alongside newer arrivals.

One local trader described Kirkham as a market town with deep-rooted history, stretching back to the Domesday Book, while highlighting the continued importance of the high street to local residents.

For those looking for something sweet, Book, Bean & Ice Cream on Poulton

Street combines an independent bookshop with a coffee shop and ice-cream counter.

The business is also known for its award-winning cakes and brownies, attracting both local customers and visitors.

For those who have worked up an appetite exploring, the town has a solid range of eateries, from cosy bistros to traditional pubs.

According to Tripadvisor, Scott’s Bistro is among the highest-rated restaurants in town, with reviewers praising its British and healthy-focused menu, while Elvin’s Kirkham has also drawn strong reviews from diners.

Book Bean & Ice Cream (Image: Google)

A cotton town with Roman roots

Kirkham’s history stretches back far further than its Victorian textile boom.

The town appears in the Domesday Book as “Chicheham” and developed around the site of a former Roman fort at Carr Hill.

It grew near the route of the Roman road linking Ribchester with the Wyre area.

Its market charter was granted by King Henry III in 1269–70, and the town remained a modest market centre before developing into an important textile-producing centre from the 18th century onwards.

Sailcloth was woven in cottages across Kirkham from the 18th and 19th centuries, before production became increasingly associated with larger mills.

The Kirkham Flax Mill has roots stretching back to the 18th century, with a major mill building constructed in the 19th century.

The town subsequently became an important centre for cotton weaving, with several mills operating in and around Kirkham.

Although the last commercial loom fell silent in 2003, the legacy of families such as the Birleys, Langtons, Hornbys and Shepherds remains woven into the town’s identity.

At the heart of the town stands St Michael’s Church, Kirkham, a Grade II*-listed active Anglican parish church within the Diocese of Blackburn.

A church has stood on the site since at least the seventh century, although the present building dates mainly from the 19th century.

Nearby, Kirkham Prison, a men’s open prison, occupies part of the site of the former RAF Kirkham.

The airfield was used during the Second World War to train British and Allied servicemen and women, with around 72,000 people trained there before the end of the war.

Part of the site was subsequently converted into a prison, which opened in 1962.

At the 2021 Census, the former Kirkham North and Kirkham South wards had a combined population of 7,883, up from 7,194 in 2011, reflecting population growth around the historic town centre and surrounding area.

With a Roman past, a centuries-old market charter, a distinctive sailcloth and cotton-weaving heritage and a range of independent shops and restaurants, Kirkham offers far more than many visitors to the Fylde coast may expect.

He remains in police custody

A man has been arrested after a number of cars were damaged by a vehicle travelling at high speed in Co Tyrone.

Police received a report at around 9.50pm on Friday of a possible drink-driver in the Melmount Road area of Strabane.

It was reported that a black Seat Leon had been travelling at high speed along the A5 in the direction of Omagh. It attempted to overtake another vehicle in front and collided twice with a blue Jeep before driving off.

The Seat, which had sustained significant damage, then stopped on the Melmount Road and the driver made off on foot.

Officers attended the scene and a 29-year-old man was located on the A5 and arrested on suspicion of assault on police, criminal damage and driving when unfit through drink or drugs.

He was further arrested on suspicion of a number of other driving offences, including dangerous driving, failing to stop and driving while disqualified.

He remains in police custody. The PSNI has appealed for information.

For all the latest news, visit the Belfast Live homepage here and sign up to our daily newsletter here.

A Canadian billionaire heiress and her former reality TV star husband have been accused of scamming their best friend out of $2 million, according to a new lawsuit.

Brendan Fitzpatrick, 38, who starred in Rich Kids of Beverly Hills, and his wife, Chloe de Serigny, 31, the granddaughter of late Canadian financier Paul Desmarais, allegedly conned their wealthy friend out of a loan and then refused to pay him back, the filing states.

Max Jan Fowles-Pazdro, 46, accused Brendan of ‘exploiting their personal friendship’ to get $2 million for a real estate project in the United Kingdom in January 2025, according to the lawsuit filed in federal court and obtained by the Daily Mail.

‘Following repeated and increasingly desperate pleas from [Brendan] – [Fowles-Pazdro’s] then-close friend, [Fowles-Pazdro] dug into his and his wife’s life savings and funded a $2 million bridge loan that Brendan promised to begin repaying within six weeks,’ the filing stated.  

‘Two years have since elapsed – and not a penny of the loan has been repaid. With their nest egg gone, [Fowles-Pazdro] and his wife now teeter on financial ruin.’

Fowles-Pazdro’s lawsuit claims that the Fitzpatricks are ‘beleaguered on all fronts,’ but ‘continue to live – and present themselves to others as living – in the lap of luxury.’

The court document included a recent social media post from the couple on a yacht in the Mediterranean. 

Fowles-Pazdro describes the couple as ‘devoid of any worldly cares while yachting through the Mediterranean.’

Max Jan Fowles-Pazdro, 46, accused Brendan in a lawsuit of ‘exploiting their personal friendship’ to get $2 million for a real estate project in the United Kingdom in January 2025. Fowles-Padro is pictured with wife Parisa

The lawsuit claims that the couple has repeatedly promised to pay Fowles-Pazdro back, and even suggested they would ask Chloe’s mother for help with the repayment.

‘I am going to fix everything this week,’ Brendan allegedly texted Fowles-Pazdro, according to the lawsuit.

In another text, Brendan allegedly wrote: ‘We will absolutely have this resolved tomorrow [sic]; if not, I will be borrowing from my mother-in-law… We get funds by 2, or I will get them from her [sic]. I will say it’s life or death.’

At one point, Chloe allegedly told Fowles-Pazdro: ‘My mom had a serious conversation with Brendan; she said my [sic] March 10 we’re switching boats if nothing happens… and figuring out how to pay everyone back and get the f*** out.’

Chloe’s mother, Sophie Desmarais, is the trustee of her grandfather’s fortune. Paul Desmarais was chairman and chief executive officer of Power Corporation of Canada, a financial services company, until 1996.

The Desmarais family has an estimated net worth of $4.5 billion, and at the time of his death in 2013, Paul was Canada’s fourth-richest person.

Brendan and Chloe wed at a lavish ceremony in California’s wine country in 2023 which was featured in People magazine. They share one child, according to social media.

Fowles-Pazdro alleged that the couple had mutual friends while living in California, and they began spending more time together in 2024 while living in Miami.

Fowles-Pazdro alleged in the filing that instead of paying him back, the Fitzpatricks flaunted their lavish yacht trips on social media by posting this photograph

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The lawsuit claims that the couple has repeatedly promised to pay Fowles-Pazdro back, and even suggested they would ask Chloe’s mother for help with the repayment

‘The parties grew close, bonding over their imminent toddlers and other shared commonalities. Brendan referred often to [Fowles-Pazdro] as his best friend, telling him that his family is “also my family,”‘ the court document stated. 

Fowles-Pazdro and his wife spent the summer of 2024 at the Fitzpatricks’ rental in the South of France, and stayed at the Montreal home of Chloe’s mother that September.

The lawsuit stated: ‘During these lavish trips, [the Fitzpatricks] laid the groundwork to defraud and steal from [Fowles-Pazdro] and his family.’

Months later, in January 2025, Brendan allegedly claimed he needed the loan for the real estate project in the UK, and the Fowles-Pazdros paid up. 

The Fowles-Pazdros lawsuit seeks damages, including all attorneys’ fees and the loan plus interest. 

It comes as Brendan is facing a separate lawsuit accusing him of running an $80 million Ponzi scheme through his mining and resource management company, Carbonatik.

Brendan’s attorneys filed an answer largely denying many of the lawsuit’s claims and admitting some basic facts relating to agreements and certain communications.

Chloe’s mother, Sophie Desmarais, is the trustee of her grandfather’s fortune. Paul Desmarais was chairman and chief executive officer of Power Corporation of Canada, a financial services company, until 1996

They also filed a counterclaim accusing the plaintiff of failing to fulfill their obligations. 

The case remains ongoing, and on September 3, Brendan filed a motion requesting to change his legal representation.

The Daily Mail contacted Fitzpatrick and his attorneys, as well as Fowles-Pazdro’s lawyer, for comment. 

‘Nothing is too uncool. We want to stock as much variety as we can’

When the decision to close Tasty Records in Altrincham was made earlier this year, music fans were devastated.

At the time of its closure, owner Ben Molesworth said the store deserved ‘more than’ he could give after eight years. And upon announcing the decision to shut down, he also offered out the store’s remaining stock for sale, which spanned across genres from rock to reggaeton.

It was former Tasty manager Jess Campbell who took on the treasure trove of hundreds of 7” singles and 12” albums. For Jess and her partner Billy Goodwin, the purchase accelerated their dreams of opening their own store together – which became a reality last week.

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At the end of August, the pair opened Gatekeep in a tiny window unit on the ground floor of Emporium M33 on Tatton Road in Sale. The quirky shopping centre is hope to around 50 independent businesses across three floors offering everything from free bookstores and charm jewellery shops to clairvoyants and taxidermists.

“We actually had someone queuing up outside on the first day for us to open,” Jess tells the Manchester Evening News. “They used to come to Tasty often and wanted to support us.

“There’s not a proper record store in Sale. Just a few of the guys sell records at markets, but it’s just really us. We’ve already had to restock things quite a lot because so many people have visited us. The reaction has really caught us by surprise – we’re already starting to realise that this space might not be big enough for us!”

But Gatekeep isn’t just a relocated version of Tasty. Alongside stacks of records – ranging from the latest releases to classic albums and rare finds – they also sell VHS, cassettes, CDs and laser disks. It’s something they’ve found a market for.

“People are really keen to physically own media again,” Billy, who also works as a chef, explains. “When you own something, whether it’s a record, a CD, a DVD or a VHS, you are the custodian of it.

“When it comes to streaming these days, you’re paying just for the privilege of watching it. You don’t actually own anything. Even when you buy it digitally, it’s just a license – and it can be taken away from you quite easily.

“People are really interested in buying CDs and cassettes again. Maybe it’s because they’re accessible, but they are also a little cheaper to collect than some of the big vinyl albums. Some of the CDs we stock are perhaps some of the only copies we believe are in the UK.”

Jess and Billy say, in addition to buying up Ben’s expansive Tasty collection, they source their records from markets, car boots, eBay, and auctions, as well as trading with other stores across the country and even the world.

Some of their prized collections, and big prize tickets right now, include a Russian bootleg of Rolling Stones’ Sticky Fingers for £75, a £900 copy of Aphrodite’s Child’s 666 and a £450 vinyl of a live recording of early Joy Division band Warsaw’s 1977 Middlesbrough gig.

Amongst the rest of the aisles there’s also more affordable copies of records from Blondie, Madonna, Dead or Alive, David Bowie and the Beatles, and so much more. “We want to be accessible, and we want to offer a variety,” Jess says. “If we don’t have it in store, chances are we’ve got it elsewhere and can bring it in.”

Asked how they decide what to keep and what to sell when it comes to their big hauls, Billy says the couple have been quite business-headed in recent weeks. “We have only just opened the shop, so we are very much in the mindset of selling on right now,” he laughs.

Jess worked at Tasty for three years and said she has used everything she’s learnt during that time to help her create the best version of Gatekeep she can. Her years of working in the music industry, and her encyclopaedic knowledge of what makes a copy rare or not also happens to help.

Asked what made Tasty so beloved with the music collector community, Jess says it was that expertise and customer service that fid set them apart from the rest. “You can go to loads of record shops and people can be arses,” she says. “People don’t want to talk to you or will judge you for what you’re buying.

“Whereas, with what we did at Tasty and what we’re doing here, we are the opposite. There is never any judgement, we’re happy to share our expertise and learn from others, and also just share in our love for music.

“The name of Gatekeep came about because some record shops like to be quite guarded and judgey, whereas we want to share. Nothing is too uncool. We want to stock as much variety as we can.

“We’ll always ensure we have records from Bruce Springsteen and the big-selling artists but, at the same time, we’re not gatekeeping tastes and we’ll try and have a good mix of everything – we even have a Jojo Siwa shirt for sale!”

For Jess and Billy, they will be continuing to roll out more products as they settle in, as well as launching the online operations of the business very soon. They also plan on working with some of the local venues, businesses and creatives that make up the Sale neighbourhood, where the couple are from.

“We actually almost opened up somewhere here last year,” Billy says. “But the timing wasn’t quite right and we weren’t ready. We had been selling records at markets as a little side hustle, but when Tasty closed, it sort of forced us to make the move.”

“I did initially apply for some jobs,” Jess added of when Tasty closed. “But an office job isn’t for me. I had sorted of made up my mind about opening our own store – especially when we took on Tasty’s collection.

“We’re both big music and film fans, so we’re in our element here. It’s what we love and being able to where our knowledge with others, and also learn from them, is just something we love being able to do.”

Gatekeep are on Instagram, whilst there website is here. Gatekeep is at Emporium M33, 3–7 Tatton Road, Sale, M33 7EB.

Trains to and from Heathrow Airport were halted after a trackside grass fire caused delays and cancellations.

National Rail said there was a “major disruption” to services following the incident which began shortly after 16:00 BST.

A statement said all lines were blocked between London Paddington station and Heathrow’s terminals, as well as Reading, due to “a failure of the electricity supply caused by a fire next to the track”.

In an update on Sunday morning, rail operators said the fire had been extinguished and normal services had resumed.

Pictures on social media showed crowds of stranded passengers at Paddington, one of London’s main rail hubs.

London Fire Brigade said six fire engines and around 40 crew members were tackling the blaze near Scrubs Lane, North Kensington.

Great Western Railway, external cancelled its services to Reading and no Elizabeth line or Heathrow Express services were running between Paddington and Heathrow on Saturday night.

The airport advised passengers to leave extra time for their journeys, adding that the Piccadilly line, which runs services to the airport, also has delays.

Network Rail Western said some services on Sunday morning could face delays and cancellations, caused by trains being displaced by the disruption.

Earlier on Saturday, Heathrow’s southern runway was closed while crews tackled a grass fire on the airfield.

It caused some disruption with at least two flights diverted elsewhere. Heathrow apologised for any disruption and said the fire was extinguished quickly.

That comes weeks after another grass fire near Heathrow’s southern runway which forced 18 flights to divert and destroyed a large area of grassland.

While weather has cooled across much of the UK in recent days following record-breaking heat over the summer, fire crews have still been warning of wildfire risks.

The Met Office’s Fire Severity Index, external shows that if a wildfire was to occur, it would have a “high” fire severity in most of south-east England and some of the Midlands.

The fire severity is “exceptional”, the highest level on the index, in some parts of London including Heathrow, as well as on the Essex and Suffolk coasts.

BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — Lane Kiffin’s LSU debut was delayed, but by no means derailed.

Sam Leavitt complemented his 113 yards and two rushing touchdowns with 230 yards and a TD passing, edge rusher Jordan Ross returned an interception for a score, and No. 11 LSU rode the “Lane Train” to a resounding 51-10 victory over Clemson on Saturday night.

“Imagine if we had pro players,” Kiffin said lightheartedly at the end of a brief TV interview at halftime, by which time LSU led 31-3, had outgained Clemson 336 yards to 54, and had 21 first downs to Clemson’s one.

Kiffin has gotten commitments from two of his former Mississippi players — tight end Dae’Quan Wright and defensive tackle Zxavian Harris — who spent part of this offseason with NFL teams. A Louisiana court ruling cleared the way for him to place them on his roster this week. But in the face of fervent opposition from the NCAA and SEC, he elected not to do so. At least, not yet.

A sellout crowd at 102,000-seat Tiger Stadium was scattered by a downpour and a lightning delay that pushed kickoff back nearly two hours. Still, Death Valley was packed when the game began — and fans didn’t have to watch more than one quarter to see Kiffin’s up-tempo offense live up to its reputation, running 23 plays for 140 yards.

LSU finished with 644 yards of offense while handing Clemson its worst loss in about 30 years.

Dilin Jones, a transfer from Wisconsin who finished with 113 yards and two TDs rushing, gave LSU the lead for good with a 1-yard run that made it 10-3. Ross’ 30-yard interception return made it 17-3 before Leavitt’s frenetic scoring runs of 8 and 13 yards put LSU up by four TDs late in the second quarter.

Clemson’s offense struggled so much that coach Dabo Swinney subbed starting QB Christopher Vizzina out of the game in favor of freshman Tait Reynolds late in the second quarter.

LSU pulled farther away when Leavitt found Ole Miss transfer Winston Watkins Jr. for a 32-yard TD down the left sidelined in the third quarter. Jones’ 12-yard TD made it 44-3.

Leavitt given the rest of the night off after that, giving reserves Landen Clark and Husan Longstreet a chance to play.

Sign up for Top 25 poll alerts here, visit the Top 25 here and see AP’s full college football coverage here

Here is your round-up of the key cases that were heard before Northern Ireland courts during the week of August 31 to September 4

Cases before the Northern Irish courts this week included a man awaiting sentencing for a fatal hit-and-run being charged with disorder in Belfast City Centre.

Another case heard a trial date being set for the murder trial of Chloe Mitchel along with a man facing an attempted murder charge for a knife attack in North Belfast having his trial fast-tracked.

A Belfast business owner also pleaded guilty to a loyalist hoax bomb targeting Irish Foreign Minister Simon Coveney.

‘Belfast beauty salon subjected to harassment and threats from customer’

A special court sitting on Monday heard a Belfast beauty salon customer allegedly subjected it to a campaign of harassment, threats and theft over a two-week period.

The accused also faced charges of domestic abuse after an incident involving her mother.

Stephen Feeney – who prefers to be known as Shanelle with female pronouns – from Altan Drive in Dunmurry was initially accused of the harassment of the male and female salon owners on August 15 and making off without paying for nail extensions.

On August 17 she also allegedly threatened to destroy the salon and five days later stole a lamp from the premises. Then on August 27 Feeney allegedly assaulted her mother and threatened to destroy her home.

A police officer told Lisburn Magistrates Court the charges could be connected. He explained police received a report that Feeney had nail extensions costing £40 at the salon in Belfast then claimed to going out for cash, but did not return.

Read the full story here

Mental health assessment to be carried out on teen charged with murder

A judge has ordered a mental health assessment to be carried out on a teenage boy charged with murdering a man in Co Tyrone.

The 16-year-old appeared in the dock at Omagh Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday where he also faced two charges of attempted murder and one of making a threat to kill.

Police and emergency services attended an incident at the Lisnahull Road area of Dungannon on Saturday.

A 61-year-old man was found dead next to his seriously injured daughter at a house. Police have said the girl is in a stable condition.

The dead man’s wife, who was also in the house at the time and sustained non-life threatening injuries, has been released from hospital.

Read the full story here

Man hit over head with wine bottle at student union in ‘premeditated’ attack

A Co Antrim man who hit an ex-friend over the head with a wine bottle in a “premeditated” attack was jailed for six months on Tuesday.

Tyler Boyd, of Drumlee Road, Ballymoney, had previously pleaded guilty to charges of wounding a man and possession of an offensive weapon, namely a glass bottle.

Belfast Crown Court heard on the afternoon of Thursday, May 8, 2025, the victim was with some friends in the Student’s Union bar on Elmwood Avenue in south Belfast

A friend advised him that 20-year-old Boyd, who he knew reasonably well, had been “critical of him to others”.

The victim sent a text message to Boyd in an effort to resolve the matter. He said he was angry with Boyd as he believed he had been “spreading lies about me which were hurtful”.

Read the full story here

Belfast gym owner pleads guilty to charges over loyalist hoax bomb alert

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A Belfast businessman today pleaded guilty to charges arising from a loyalist bomb hoax targeting Irish Foreign Minister Simon Coveney.

Darren James Service, 45, of Ballysillan Road in north Belfast, appeared in the dock of Belfast Crown Court for his case which had been listed for mention.

His non-jury Diplock-style trial before a judge sitting without a jury was due to start next Monday, September 7.

Senior defence counsel Joseph O’Keefe KC told Judge Gordon Kerr KC that he had an application for gym owner Service to be re-arraigned on two of the three charges he faced which he had previously denied.

Read the full story here

Man who left lewd and threatening voicemails for PSNI officer jailed

A Belfast man who left a series of lewd and threatening voicemail messages on a policewoman’s phone was jailed for seven months on Wednesday.

Thomas Fisher, 43, targeted the PSNI officer with recordings asking about her underwear and saying he would report her to the IRA.

District Judge Steven Keown declared: “It was an outrageous and sinister offence against a female public servant.”

Fisher, of no fixed abode, pleaded guilty to persistent improper use of a public electronic communications network over a nine-day period in March this year.

Belfast Magistrates’ Court heard he initially came into contact with the victim during an arrest for a separate incident the previous month.

Read the full story here

Dad who claimed he was coerced into selling contraband cigarettes avoids jail

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A 55-year old man who claimed he was coerced into selling contraband cigarettes and tobacco was handed a suspended sentence on Wednesday.

Alex Main, from Renfrew Walk in Belfast, had a four-month sentence imposed which was suspended for two years.

Belfast Crown Court heard on Wednesday Main’s criminality resulted in HMRC suffering a loss of around £35,000.

On June 14, 2024 officers from HMRC’s fraud investigation services branch attended Main’s home with a warrant.

The property was searched and the officers seized 63,022 cigarettes and 3.57 kg of rolling tobacco.

Main was arrested on that date and was found to be in possession of £440 in cash.

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Man accused of serious Belfast knife attack to have case fast-tracked to trial

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A man accused of a serious knife attack which triggered rioting across Belfast is to have his case fast-tracked to a Crown Court trial, a judge confirmed on Wednesday.

Sudanese national Hadi Alodid, 31, is charged with attempted murder over the stabbing in the north of the city which left victim Stephen Ogilvie partially blinded.

Video footage which was circulated widely online showed members of the public intervening in a bid to stop the incident at Kinnaird Avenue on June 8 this year

One of those who went to Mr Ogilvy’s aid repeatedly struck the assailant with a hurling stick before PSNI officers arrived.

Police later disclosed that Mr Ogilvy had lost one eye and sustained severe damage to the other.

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Man brandished knife and assaulted ex-partner in nursery school

A Belfast man who brandished a knife and assaulted his ex-partner in her workplace was jailed for two years on Wednesday.

When he is released from prison Robert Martin Braniff, who has 121 previous convictions on his criminal record, will spend an additional two years on supervised licence.

From Norglen Road, the 41-year old appeared at Belfast Crown Court where he was sentenced for a number of domestic-related incidents.

On the morning of March 3 last year, the injured party was working in a children’s nursery in the west of the city. She had received multiple missed calls from a private number and a call from a relative of Braniff’s who told her he was on his way to her workplace.

At around 11.45am Braniff gained entry to the nursery after a parent and their child left the premises. The injured party was in the kitchen when Braniff walked in and began shouting at her and demanding she hand over her phone.

Read the full story here

Man to stand trial in November for murder of Chloe Mitchell, judge rules

A Co Antrim man will stand trial for the murder of Chloe Mitchell this year, a judge ruled on Thursday.

Brandon John Rainey (30), formerly of James Street, Ballymena, denies murdering Ms Mitchell and preventing the lawful and decent burial of her remains.

He was due to stand trial in March this year but Rainey’s previous legal team walked away from the case stating that they had been “professionally compromised” and said the defendant had told them that he no longer wished them to represent him.

A new legal team headed up by senior defence counsel Des Fahy KC and Andrew Moriarty BL, instructed by Phoenix Law, came on record a few weeks later.

Read the full story here

Man threatened to post ex’s fingers and toes to her dad, court told

A Co Fermanagh man allegedly threatened to cut off his ex-partner’s fingers and toes and post them to her father, the High Court heard on Thursday.

Prosecutors also claimed Gareth Parker knocked out the woman’s tooth and stated he would set her alight as part of a three-year campaign of violent intimidation. On one occasion the 33-year-old accused declared in a phone call that she was going to be murdered, a judge was told.

Details emerged as he was granted bail under orders not to begin any new romantic relationship without informing police. Parker, of Rosnarick Close in Derrygonnelly near Enniskillen, is charged with a domestic abuse offence, threats to kill, threatening or abusive behaviour and breach of a non-molestation order.

He also faces counts of assault occasioning actual bodily harm and common assault against his former girlfriend.

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Men jailed for “savage” train station attack filmed for social media

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Two males who launched a “savage” attack on another man at Ballymoney train station were both jailed on Thursday for six months.

Part of the assault in April 2024 was recorded and shared on social media which Judge Laura Ievers KC said added to the injured party’s “degradation.”

Ryan Hanna (38) from Mill Street in Coleraine and 32-year old Alan Steven Stewart from Crocknamack Street in Portrush appeared alongside each other in the dock of Belfast Crown Court.

They admitted a joint charge of causing their victim grievous bodily harm and both were handed a two-year sentence divided between six months in prison followed by 18 months on supervised licence.

The court heard that around 7.40pm on April 22, 2024 a member of the public contacted the PSNI after witnessing two males attacking another man on the footbridge at Ballymoney train station.

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Former French Foreign Legionnaire jailed for stabbing a man during drunken row

A wheelchair user and former French Foreign Legionnaire was jailed for 15 months on Thursday after he stabbed a man during a drunken row.

Desmond Samuel Doak, 54, of Eglantine Place in south Belfast, had previously pleaded guilty to a single count of wounding a male neighbour.

Belfast Crown Court heard Doak and two males were drinking in his apartment on August 21, 2024, where they spent up to three hours drinking shots of Southern Comfort.

Doak had a small knife in his hand which he used to gesture with when he talked about his days in the Legion.

The injured party described it as an Army knife, about five inches in length and said a row broke out over “something trivial” and the victim stood up and pointed or gestured at Doak.

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Street preacher sentenced after foul-mouthed rant and assault appeal ditched

A controversial street preacher has abandoned his bid to avoid being jailed for subjecting the former deputy Lord Mayor of Belfast to a foul-mouthed rant.

Colin Houston, 61, was set to appeal the five-month sentence imposed over shouting abuse at Councillor Paul Doherty and calling security staff “SDLP sodomites” when they asked him to take down a religious flag at City Hall.

But his barrister told Belfast County Court today that the challenge was being withdrawn following “a few moments of quiet reflection”.

As the Christian pastor was led to the cells in handcuffs, Her Honour Judge Natalie Pinkerton indicated the sentence would have been doubled if he had persisted with the appeal.

“You have taken a very sensible course,” she said.

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Man awaiting sentence over fatal car crash in court over ‘disorderly behaviour’

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A man awaiting sentence over a fatal car accident appeared in court today facing two charges of disorderly behaviour.

Standing in the dock of Belfast Magistrates Court, 28-year-old Martin Olali confirmed his identity and that he understood the two charges against him.

Olali, with an address at Springhill Crescent in Belfast, faces two charges of using disorderly behaviour on North Street in the city.

While a police officer gave evidence that she believed she could connect Olali to the offences, defence counsel Sean Devine told the court there was a challenge to that formal connection.

He argued that the statement of the arresting officer did not make it clear that she herself had seen Olali’s alleged behaviour.

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