Connect with us
DAPA Banner

NewsBeat

Belfast man goes on trial accused of sex offences on three siblings

Published

on

Belfast Live

The court heard the defendant denied the allegations when interviewed by police, saying he suffered from erectile dysfunction.

A Belfast man went on trial on Monday accused of multiple sex offences and physical assaults on three siblings.

Advertisement

The 44-year-old, who cannot be named to protect the identity of the complainants, has been charged with 12 counts of rape and 19 offences of common assault. He is also charged with five counts of child cruelty and nine further sex offences.

The charges, which the defendant denies, are alleged by the complainants to have taken place on dates between January 14, 2017 and May 10, 2021.

Opening the Crown case, senior prosecution counsel Richard Weir KC told the Belfast Crown Court jury of six men and six women that the defendant started a relationship with the mother of the complainants in 2016.

He said that over time the relationship developed and the defendant moved in with his partner and her two daughters and a son.

Advertisement

“The relationship was not without problems. In the early part of 2021, a crisis occurred and the children were put in the care of their maternal grandmother,” Mr Weir told the jury.

“In April 2023, police received a report from social services indicating one of the complainants wanted to speak about sexual abuse she was alleging this had been perpetrated on her by the accused in this case.”

Mr Weir outlined how the following month, police carried out a series of ‘achieving best evidence’ (ABE) interviews with the teenage girl. She disclosed a number of physical and sexual assaults on her by the accused over a four year period.

The complainant alleged that around the age of 11 the defendant alleged raped her after she got a new pair of shoes.

Advertisement

Mr Weir said she described a further incident of alleged rape when she was under 13 and wearing a thick knit jumper.

“You will hear that this was a common thing done to her by the accused. In effect, she says this happened every other day and after these alleged rapes she says he told her he loved her.”

As well as the alleged sexual assaults, she told police she also suffered physical assault too at the hands of the defendant.

She claimed she was hit with a belt at the age of 12, she was punched in the face when she was 13, grabbed and trailed her by the hair, choked her on a bed and also threatened her with a knife.

Advertisement

Mr Weir told the jury: “We say there was ill-treatment throughout a significant period. She says he made her hit her two other siblings as a punishment.”

A second female complainant also made a series of ABEs in which she alleged she suffered a number of common assaults.

This included the defendant stamping on her head, beating her after she woke him up “by knocking over wallpaper”, being kicked which resulted in her urinating when was aged between five and eight, and being dragged downstairs by the hair.

The young female also disclosed to police that at around the age of six she was hit with a shoe as well as being struck several times with a belt after her trousers were taken down.

Advertisement

She said the accused had put her in fear by stabbing a wooden table as well as being shut up in her room where her older sister was “forced to hit her”.

Their younger brother also told police about assaults on him by the defendant. He claimed that at the age of eight he was “pinned to a wall”, he was hit on one occasion with a hoover attachment, he had his head stamped on, thrown onto a bed and punched, punched in the face in the kitchen and was grounded and kept in his room for days.

He also claimed he was hit by his older sister under the direction of the accused.

The court heard the defendant denied the allegations when interviewed by police, saying he suffered from erectile dysfunction.

Advertisement

Addressing the jury, Mr Weir said: “We say that when your have heard all of the evidence in this case, you will be convinced to the necessary standard of beyond reasonable doubt of the guilt of the accused on each and every one of the counts on the bill of indictment.”

At hearing.

Want to see more of the stories you love from Belfast Live? Making us your preferred source on Google means you’ll get more of our exclusives, top stories and must-read content straight away. To add Belfast Live as a preferred source, simply click here.

Source link

Advertisement
Continue Reading
Click to comment

You must be logged in to post a comment Login

Leave a Reply

NewsBeat

Chief Rabbi: British Jews saddened by ambulance attack but will not be cowed

Published

on

Chief Rabbi: British Jews saddened by ambulance attack but will not be cowed

Worshippers Melvin Cravitz and Adrian Daulby were killed when 35-year-old Jihad Al-Shamie, a Syrian-born British citizen, drove into the gates of the Heaton Park synagogue in Crumpsall, Manchester, in October last year, and then began attacking with a knife, wearing a fake suicide belt.

Source link

Continue Reading

NewsBeat

I asked experts for the best paint colours for refreshing bedrooms this spring

Published

on

Wales Online

Transform your bedroom this spring

Spring has officially arrived, bringing with it brighter and lengthier days. The changing of the seasons naturally encourages a fresh beginning, particularly if you’re contemplating revitalising your home.

DIY enthusiasts and professionals have identified spring as the perfect moment to refresh your property, whether through applying a new coat of paint, replacing heavy winter textiles with lighter alternatives, or undertaking a thorough spring clean. Girls Aloud’s Kimberley recently spoke with DailyExpress.co.uk at the unveiling of her latest paint partnership with Wickes, sharing insights on home improvements and DIY projects.

Advertisement

Your bedroom should serve as a peaceful retreat, with an ambience that helps you unwind before sleep. Yet, if you’re uncertain where to begin, DIY specialists from Wickes and Kimberley have revealed their favourite paint selections for revamping your bedroom this spring, reports the Express.

Lewis Janes, Head of Decorating & Storage at Wickes, believes spring offers the optimal opportunity to refresh your living space: “This time of year is perfect for bringing natural light into your interiors and making rooms feel more open. The right shades can lift the mood whilst enhancing the sense of space.”

Always add panelling

Kimberley noted that individuals typically understand which colours suit their bedroom environment, particularly those that promote restful sleep. To enhance a basic bedroom, she suggests incorporating panelling to introduce depth and texture to the room. She explained: “In my bedroom, I focus more on the panelling, and I made the feature that rather than a strong, bold colour. And that really works, it just elevates the space…”

Advertisement

She added: “There’s the new acoustic panelling I did in my son’s room. Those kinds of things can really bring the room to life, but still keep it quite earthly and tonal if you don’t want to go too wild with colour.”

Soft Honey from Kimberley Walsh by Wickes

Lewis highlighted Kimberley’s latest interior paint Soft Honey (2.5l, £13) as an excellent choice to help brighten any bedroom space. He characterised it as “a warm, uplifting yellow with honeyed undertones that reflects daylight beautifully, creating a cosy, welcoming, and effortlessly elegant space.”

During the paint’s development, Kimberley sought assistance from her son, Bobby, whose room now showcases the inviting yellow shade.

Wheatgrass by Crown

Lewis noted that this gentle “clay hue” is ideal for those who prefer to maintain neutral walls. He characterised Wheatgrass (5l, £29) as “neutral yet inviting”.

Sage No.85 by Wickes

Green tones can help your home welcome the spring season, introducing a sense of freshness and vitality from outdoors. Lewis’ selection for spring is the Sage No.85 (2.5l, £13).

He characterised the paint colour as introducing a “gentle, timeless pastel green to the room”.

Moonlight Bay by Crown

Moonlight Bay (2.5l, £20) is a subdued pastel blue, an ideal springtime refresh for bedrooms. Lewis noted that the Crown paint “introduces a softness ideal for creating a calm, restful space.”

Kimberley’s new interior paint shade, Soft Honey, and new garden paint, Pale Clover, are now available to purchase at Wickes. Browse the Kimberley Walsh by Wickes collection here.

Source link

Advertisement
Continue Reading

NewsBeat

Danny Brown review: Sober, settled down, but somehow even wilder than before

Published

on

Danny Brown review: Sober, settled down, but somehow even wilder than before

It’s a brief set considering the cost of entry, with Brown on and off within an hour, but the sheer pace goes some way to making up for it, leaving barely room to breathe between world-class bangers. Tonight’s gig shows that Danny Brown hit his mid-40s, got sober, settled down, and somehow came back even wilder than before.

Source link

Continue Reading

NewsBeat

US attacks on Cuban medical missions risk damaging healthcare for poor people in developing countries

Published

on

US attacks on Cuban medical missions risk damaging healthcare for poor people in developing countries

There were tearful scenes in the central American nation of Honduras on February 23, as locals said goodbye to the Cuban healthcare professionals who had been treating them for free for around two years. It came after the Honduran government abruptly ended the Cuban medical mission under pressure from the administration of the US president, Donald Trump.

That same day, a “sensitive” US State Department memo was sent to the secretary of state, Marco Rubio. It discussed the US strategy to sabotage Cuba’s medical internationalism, which has been an integral part of the island nation’s foreign policy since 1960. In recent years it has also become a key pillar of its economy.

The US has imposed unilateral sanctions on Cuba for more than 60 years. These prevent Cuba from engaging in “normal” international trade – for example, third parties cannot sell goods to Cuba if 10% of their components are from US companies or subsidiaries. And Cuba cannot export goods to the US. On top of that, the US blockade severely restricts Cuba’s access to the international financial system.

In this context, the export of medical professionals has become vital to the Cuban economy. For decades the Cuban government sent medical missions around the world as a donation to developing nations. But over the past two decades, it has developed cooperation agreements under which governments or local authorities pay the Cuban government for the medical services of its healthcare professionals.

Advertisement

Attacking that revenue looks to be a key component of the US push for regime change in Cuba by the end of the year. This is alongside the total oil blockade imposed by Trump’s executive order on January 29, which has now caused multiple national blackouts that have left the entire island in the dark.

It is a policy of carrots and sticks. Countries kicking out Cuban medics are offered US support for “infrastructure modernisation” – things like telemedicine and virtual training. A year earlier, Rubio had announced visa restrictions for current and former officials and their families from anywhere in the world who took part in Cuban programmes.

By mid-March this year, neighbouring governments fell into line. Guatemala, Paraguay, the Bahamas, Guyana and Jamaica terminated Cuban medical missions, ending decades of cooperation. In Guatemala, more than 400 Cuban healthcare professionals, most of them doctors, are serving indigenous communities under a three decades-long partnership. The last doctors will leave by the end of the year.

Advertisement
Cuban doctors leaving Honduras in February 2026.

The US government’s attack on Cuban medical internationalism is not new. It began in 2006, the year after the oil-for-doctors programme between Cuba and Venezuela transformed the export of healthcare professionals into Cuba’s greatest revenue source.

US policy sought to eliminate this income and undermine the prestige the programmes earned the island. The then US president, George W Bush, set up the Cuban Medical Professional Parole (CMPP) Program, encouraging Cuban medics abroad to abandon missions and defect to the US. The programme was ended only in 2017, in Barack Obama’s final days as president.

Despite this, and reflecting the deficit in healthcare globally, Cuba’s earnings from the export of healthcare services rose. Revenues in 2018 (the first year Cuba published separate data for health services) were US$6.4 billion (£4.8 billion). Trump’s first administration developed policies, and funding, to sabotage these programmes.

Cuba’s bill of health

It also devised a new justification for doing this. The US government could not openly demand that countries sacrifice the health and wellbeing of their populations just to deny Cuba revenue. So instead, it accused Cuba of human trafficking and equated its healthcare professionals to slaves.

Advertisement

Anyone who has spoken to Cuban participants – as I have – knows the overseas service contracts they sign provide them with their regular Cuban salary, plus extra remuneration from the host country. They are guaranteed holidays and contact with families.

Even with tens of thousands of medical workers overseas, the state’s investment in healthcare and medical training means that the Cuban population has the highest ratio of doctors per person in the world. In 2022, it was said to have nine doctors and nine nurses for every 1,000 citizens. In the US, there are 2.6 doctors per 1,000 citizens and in the UK the figure is 3.2.

For many Cuban healthcare professionals, it signifies the fulfilment of an internationalist duty; for others a way to travel or increase their income. The Cuban government takes the lion’s share of revenues and puts them back into Cuba’s universal free public healthcare provision and medical training.

Advertisement

But under Trump’s second administration, Rubio, the son of Cuban migrants who left the island during the Batista dictatorship, has spearheaded a renewed attack on the island’s international medical programmes. The recent State Department memo stated that Cuban medical brigades were a key source of “hard cash” for the regime.

The four forms of Cuban medical internationalism practices established in the 1960s are:

  1. emergency medical brigades overseas
  2. treatment of foreign patients in Cuba
  3. training foreign students as healthcare professionals, and,
  4. establishment of public healthcare facilities overseas.

This contribution to developing nations has often been ignored or censored. But it translates into millions of lives saved and improved globally every year. Sabotaging medical internationalism would devastate Cuba. But it would also leave millions of people around the world without the vital medical attention that they had previously enjoyed.

Source link

Advertisement
Continue Reading

NewsBeat

Man facing court after Air Support Team tracked ‘dangerous’ scrambler rider in West Belfast

Published

on

Belfast Live

The man was spotted driving dangerously in West Belfast by PSNI officers

A teenager has been charged after he was observed driving a scrambler in a dangerous manner by PSNI Air Support Team officers on Sunday afternoon, March 22.

The 19-year-old man has been charged to court with several offences, including dangerous driving. He was spotted driving the scrambler dangerously in the Glen Road area before being arrested.

Advertisement

The man was also charged with resisting police, using a motor vehicle without insurance, no driving licence and failing to wear protective headgear.

READ MORE: PSNI appeal after charity box stolen from Portadown Train StationREAD MORE: Motorcyclist in critical condition after Lisburn Road crash

He is due to appear before Belfast Magistrates’ Court on Friday, April 17.As is usual procedure, PSNI said the charges will be reviewed by the Public Prosecution Service.

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

Advertisement

Source link

Continue Reading

NewsBeat

Armed patrols deployed to protect London Jewish sites as Met Police chief condemns ‘attack on us all’

Published

on

Armed patrols deployed to protect London Jewish sites as Met Police chief condemns ‘attack on us all’

Meanwhile, at the rally organised by Our Fight UK Gideon Falter, chief executive of the Campaign Against Antisemitism, told the crowd : “Burning that ambulance service down, waiting for a moment when all four of its ambulances were in one place, not on call, it’s premeditated, it’s calculated, it’s despicable.”

Source link

Continue Reading

NewsBeat

Sophie Habboo on moment she ‘didn’t want to film’ that made final cut of Disney series

Published

on

Daily Mirror

The Made in Chelsea star’s new Disney+ parenting documentary is just days away from release

Made in Chelsea stars Sophie Habboo and Jamie Laing are making their pregnancy journey public in an eye-opening new Disney+ documentary that releases in a matter of days.

Raising Chelsea charts the couple’s experience preparing for the arrival of their new baby through to the labour itself across three episodes. The official synopsis reads: “An intimate three-part series following the former Made in Chelsea stars, Jamie Laing and Sophie Habboo, as they face the messy, scary and hilarious reality of becoming parents.

Advertisement

“Pregnancy begins with joy, before panic quickly sets in, as medical jargon, home renovations and family opinions pile up. Fun-loving, workaholic Jamie, says he’s the boy who won’t grow up and struggles to see himself in the role of dad.

“Meanwhile Sophie balances career highs and the thrill of becoming a mum, with raging hormones and fears of maternity leave and motherhood impacting her career. Jamie and Sophie run headlong into the drama of labour to finally meet their baby – and with family and friends never far away, they laugh and cry their way through the joy and the chaos.”

A release date for the new series has been announced today (March 24), with the series landing on the streaming platform on April 2. However, ahead of its release, the couple revealed there was one moment that features in the series that they had never anticipated including.

Advertisement

“We always have this struggle in our relationship with the podcast, with social media, online, everything. Jamie would want to share every single thing, and I more so find that a little bit scary,” Sophie admitted. “However, with this TV show, after we started filming, we quickly realised, well, I realised, that it wasn’t going to work unless we showed everything.”

She continued: “And with the birth scene, we really didn’t expect to go in there. I didn’t actually want to film that, but it’s there and it’s real and that is the story and that is what happened. I’ve just gone for it.”

Get Disney+ for £5.99

This article contains affiliate links, we will receive a commission on any sales we generate from it. Learn more
Content Image

£5.99

Disney+

Advertisement

Get Disney+ here

A Disney+ subscription now starts at £5.99 and includes hit series like Rivals, Only Murders in the Building and The Bear, plus countless titles from Marvel, Star Wars, Pixar and more.

Jamie was quick to jump in, adding: “I didn’t force Sophie to film the birth scene,” as his wife went on to share the sweet reason she wanted to keep it in.

“What actually happened was my anaesthetist took my phone and filmed the whole thing! When I’d given birth and we were looking through the photos, we were like, ‘Oh my God, the whole thing’s been filmed’,” she recalled.

“And actually, it made us feel really emotional and obviously it was the greatest day of our lives. We thought ‘Do you know what? It happens, it’s real life’ and we put it in there.”

Advertisement

The couple became parents to baby Ziggy in December following a love story that began on reality series Made in Chelsea. Following years of dating, Jamie proposed at the Rosewood London hotel in December 2021 – the same spot where they had their first date.

Raising Chelsea will be available to stream on Disney+ from April 2.

Source link

Advertisement
Continue Reading

NewsBeat

Corrie fans issue same ‘plea’ in Todd and Theo ‘had enough’ admission

Published

on

Manchester Evening News

Fans of the ITV soap are hoping that soap bosses end the storyline soon

Coronation Street fans have issued the same plea for Todd Grimshaw and Theo Silverton as they’ve “had enough”.

Advertisement

Ever since Theo Silverton was introduced to the cobbles of Weatherfield last year, his character has left a sour taste in many Coronation Street viewers mouths as his behaviour continues to escalate dangerously.

Get MEN Premium now for just £1 HERE – or get involved in our WhatsApp group by clicking HERE. And don’t miss out on our brilliant selection of newsletters HERE.

With Todd Grimshaw falling head over heels for Theo, it appeared the couple could resolve the issues Theo faced from his previous marriage. However, Theo consistently lashed out and belittled Todd, leaving him to become a shell of his former self.

In the lead up to Corriedale, Todd finally confided in good friend Billy Mayhew who saw footage of Theo attacking Todd in their flat. Offering Todd a safe space, he promised to get him back home and away from Theo.

Advertisement

However, as the events of that night unfolded Theo made sure Billy wouldn’t escape the burning minibus, and Todd was left with no one to protect him.

Over recent episodes, Theo decided to break things off with Todd but still tracked him on his phone to show up wherever Todd was as a form of control. During Monday’s (March 23) installment, Todd woke up drowsy after Theo slipped drugs into his drink, and felt ashamed when he realised he’d missed the marathon he was running in memory of Billy and Paul.

Theo found Todd in the corner shop and gloated that he’d managed to get a medal, as he promised that he’d tell everyone a lie to save Todd from the embarrassment.

Later, Theo pleaded with Todd to take him back, and unfortunately Todd wasted no time in accepting the offer, relieved to have Theo back in his life.

Over on X (formerly known as Twitter), viewers expressed their frustration over the situation as @kliceanicole_xo wrote: “i wish this Theo & Todd situation would come to an end now i honestly can’t deal with it at all”.

@lornawatts added: “Please let Theo be taken down soon and punished, same with Megan” as @cupofteakim penned: “why has no one caught on about theo yet? every time they’re around each other in public todd has a face like a slapped arse. i’ve had enough of this storyline now ffs”.

Another viewer, @xxalicia89 expressed the same annoyance over the storyline and added: “Can’t wait for Theo to get exposed next week”.

Advertisement

Source link

Continue Reading

NewsBeat

Music festivals made more accessible for disabled fans

Published

on

Music festivals made more accessible for disabled fans

The inclusion of sensory calm spaces at all festivals has also been introduced, along with compulsory disability awareness and inclusion training, and a mystery shopper system where disabled participants attend selected festivals and assess the accessible facilities available.

Source link

Continue Reading

NewsBeat

Norton’s Huw Owen jailed for murder of Julian Hargreaves in Staithes

Published

on

Huw Owen jailed for murder of Julian Hargreaves in Staithes

Huw Owen was at the centre of a manhunt after leaving his victim, Julian Hargreaves, lying on the floor of his home in Staithes overnight, alone and unable to move after punching and kicking him repeatedly before hitting him with a lamp.

Owen, 42, from Cornucopia Close in Norton, was jailed today and told he will serve a minimum of 16 years and 110 days for killing Mr Hargreaves.

Mr Hargreaves’ brother Jonathan raised the alarm on March 14, 2024, after finding him on the floor of his living room with two black eyes and a small cut to the top of his head. He believed he had been there for a total of 14 hours.

Advertisement

At this point Mr Hargreaves was able to name Owen as the person who had assaulted him repeatedly and struck him over the head with a lamp.

He was taken to hospital but did not recover and died three weeks later on April 4, 2024.


Recommended reads:


The investigation found that Owen had attacked his victim on the evening of March 13, 2024, and fled, leaving him on the floor.

CCTV footage showed Owen hiding from police near the scene the following day, peering out to see what was happening, while officers worked at the scene.

Advertisement

After a large scale man-hunt, Owen was located in Newcastle on April 10, 2024 and arrested for murder.

Owen pleaded not guilty on August 8 last year but was found guilty by a jury at Leeds Crown Court on Friday, February 20, 2026.

His co-accused, who was also charged with murder, was found not guilty.

Mr Hargreaves had medical vulnerabilities and pre-existing conditions, but the court heard there was a direct and substantial link between the head trauma and his death.

Advertisement

Medical experts concluded that he had been unlawfully killed.

After sentencing, Police Staff Investigator Paul Thompson, of Scarborough and Ryedale CID said: “This was a calculated and sustained brutal attack, verging on torture, on a vulnerable man.

“Callously, Julian was left lying on the floor overnight, alone and unable to move.

“Understandably, this incident has had a traumatic effect on both Julian’s family and the local community of Staithes. Julian was well known and liked, and his death will leave a lasting impact on the local tight-knit community.”

Advertisement

In a Victim Personal Statements, read our in court, Jonathan Hargreaves said: “It’s been almost two years since the death of my brother Julian, and hardly a day goes by when I don’t remember the sight of him laying helplessly on the floor of his house in Staithes.

“I knew something was wrong as I found his door unlocked but was shocked at what I saw. To see him unable to move and helpless was beyond upsetting.

“I can still hear his voice, and it saddens me to think that I will never be able to see him or speak to him again.

“I am grateful for all the help of the NHS for looking after my brother and the care and commitment of all the police officers that have kept me, and my mother appraised throughout, without whom I am not sure we would have managed.”

Advertisement

Mr Hargreaves’ mother Jackie Hargreaves told the court, in her victim statement: “I don’t think a day has gone by, since his death, that I have not cried at his loss and the way he was killed.

“I know that Julian was a poorly man but know he would have been alive today.”

His nephew added: “Not having him in our lives this last two years has felt like walking in a dark hole. Not being able to climb out of that hole, my heart is and always will be shattered and incomplete – like that of my extended family.”

The senior investigating officer for the case, Detective Chief Inspector Tim Bentley said: “This has been a complex murder investigation – a long and difficult case to investigate due to Julian’s poor health prior to the assault, but I hope today’s result offers some comfort to Julian’s family that justice has been done, and that they can now move forward the best they can.”

Advertisement

“The complexity of this case cannot be underestimated and I would like to commend PSI Paul Thompson for his diligence throughout. My thoughts remain with Julian’s family.”

Source link

Advertisement
Continue Reading

Trending

Copyright © 2025