Outline permission had been sought to create a small cul‑de‑sac of five four‑bed homes on a half‑hectare paddock off Sockburn Lane, but it was refused on March 31.

Planning officers said the greenfield site is outside Neasham’s development limits and is not earmarked for any new housing schemes.

Plans for five new homes have been refused by Darlington Borough Council. (Image: NQ)

They said it broke countryside and design rules and would nibble away at the open landscape behind the village.

The plot is on Neasham’s south-eastern edge, between Sockburn Lane and rising ground towards Neasham Hill, near two Grade II-listed buildings.

Planners said the set-back homes on higher ground behind an internal access road would look “suburban” and jar with Neasham’s main-street layout.

A previous plan for two homes on the same paddock was thrown out on appeal in 2014.

Officers said the same landscape and character problems remain, and the paddock is still not suitable for open-market or self-build homes.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Fellow Democrats are abandoning Eric Swalwell’s campaign for California governor in droves after allegations surfaced that he sexually assaulted a former staffer, with a growing number urging the congressman both to quit the race and resign his seat in Congress.

Swalwell has denied the allegations, which he has said “are absolutely false.” They surfaced after he became a leading contender in the race for California governor to replace outgoing Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom.

Over the weekend, with Swalwell’s gubernatorial campaign already teetering, Democrats in Congress began to call for his resignation from the House. Some even said they would support the rare step of expelling him should he refuse to step aside.

Fellow California Reps. Jared Huffman, Ro Khanna and Sam Liccardo said Swalwell should resign, as did Reps. Teresa Leger Fernández of New Mexico and Pramila Jayapal of Washington state.

“This is not a partisan issue,” Jayapal said Sunday. “This cuts across party lines. And it is depravity of the way that women have been treated.”

Swalwell’s gubernatorial campaign did not immediately respond to an email from The Associated Press seeking comment

It all added to the mounting political pressure on Swalwell, who has already seen his most prominent supporters, including Sen. Adam Schiff and powerful labor unions, pull their endorsements and call for his exit from the race. Rep. Jimmy Gomez, D-Calif., who helped run Swalwell’s campaign, said he was immediately ending his role.

With the House returning to session Tuesday, the question of whether to expel Swalwell could come to a head quickly. Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, R-Fla., said Saturday that she would be filing a motion to start the process.

Expulsion votes in the House are rare and require a two-thirds majority, but there is recent precedent for taking the step. Republican George Santos of New York in 2023 became just the sixth member in House history to be ousted by colleagues for his conduct.

Huffman, Jayapal and Leger Fernández said they would vote to expel Swalwell from the House, though they said they also support expelling Rep. Tony Gonzales, R-Texas, who admitted to an affair with a former staff member who later died by suicide.

Republican Rep. Byron Donalds of Florida, who is running his own campaign for governor, said both Swalwell and Gonzales “need to go home” and that he would vote to expel them both.

Khanna also indicated support for congressional action against both lawmakers.

“So, it depends on if it’s worded in a fair way,” Khanna said. “But this shouldn’t be about politics. Anyone who abuses young girls and staffers should not be in the United States Congress.”

The San Francisco Chronicle reported Friday about allegations that Swalwell sexually assaulted a woman in 2019 and 2024. The woman said she did not go to police at the time of the assaults because she was afraid she would not be believed.

The woman worked for Swalwell when the first alleged assault occurred in 2019, while the 2024 assault allegedly occurred at a charity gala, the Chronicle reported. In both cases the woman said she was too intoxicated to consent to sex.

The paper didn’t name the woman, and The Associated Press has not been able to independently verify her account and identity. Her lawyer declined to comment.

The alleged 2024 incident occurred in New York, and the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office said Saturday that it was investigating. That office urged anyone with knowledge to contact its special victims division.

After the allegations surfaced, Swalwell said Friday in a video on social media that he would spend the weekend with family and friends and share an update “very soon.” He is not running for reelection for his House seat.

“These allegations of sexual assault are flat false. They’re absolutely false. They did not happen, they have never happened, and I will fight them with everything that I have,” the congressman said.

Democratic Rep. Nancy Pelosi, the former House speaker who remains a dominant force in California politics, said the “serious allegations” must be investigated. She said she spoke to Swalwell and suggested that be done “outside of a gubernatorial campaign.”

House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries of New York and his leadership team also called for an investigation and for Swalwell to end his campaign for governor.

Jayapal and Donalds appeared on NBC’s “Meet the Press,” and Khanna was interviewed on “Fox News Sunday.”

Neighbourhood officers in Barnard Castle said they had been contacted by residents in Cockfield and Cockfield Fell who were concerned about bikes being ridden in the area.

One off-road bike was seized after it was spotted being ridden on the fell, while a second bike was stopped after it was seen on a public road.

Police said both riders will be dealt with for moving traffic offences.

A spokesperson from Barnard Castle Police said: “Both suspects will be dealt with for the moving traffic offences, and further patrols will be completed in the coming weeks.”

The Eagle and Child, on Whalley Road, has asked Bury Council for lawful consent to install the large structure in its outdoor seating area.

Planning papers say it is similar to a cabin and can be “erected and taken down within a day”.

Drawings show the upgrade would be metal, have windows, and is listed as a “flat pack” facility.

The planning documents say: “Lawful development certificate for proposed provision of a moveable structure within the pub beer garden.

“The moveable structure is less than 50 sq m in size and does not exceed two metres in height. It is not within two metres of a boundary with a residential property.

“The structure is not fixed to the ground but held in place by its own weight. The structure can be erected and taken down within the day.”

No further details have been set out about the purpose of the structure.

Thwaites, which runs the venue, has been contacted for more information, and Bury Council’s planning department will review the application at a later date..

Durham Cathedral and Castle were designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1986, with celebrations planned in both venues to mark the milestone.

Events will take place on Saturday, April 18, to mark both the anniversary and World Heritage Day.

Talks, tours, exhibitions and family-friendly events will be held.

Durham Cathedral (Image: NORTHERN ECHO)

Durham Cathedral will host presentations in the Bishop’s Dining Room beginning at 10.45am with a welcome from Anne Allen, Senior Manager at Durham Castle and Cathedral World Heritage Site.

A wider programme published by World Heritage UK is themed ‘The People’s Story at Durham Castle.’

The day will begin at 9.30am with Durham Cathedral open to visitors.

The cathedral museum will open at 10am, hosting an exhibition and short talks at 11am, 1pm and 3pm under the title “A Treasure and a Legacy: Conservation at Durham Cathedral.”

Palace Green Library will be open from 11am to 4pm, offering free access to the Museum of Archaeology and the World Heritage Site Visitor Centre.

Visitors will also be able to explore parts of Durham Castle, including the Norman Chapel and Great Hall.

A heritage fair will take place in the Great Hall, featuring displays from local history groups and the World Heritage Site Youth Ambassadors.

Durham Cathedral describes the site as one of the largest and most untouched Norman‑style constructions in England, with architecture considered “far ahead of its time.”

It is also celebrated for its religious significance, with links to St Cuthbert and the Venerable Bede.

Durham was among the first group of seven UK sites inscribed on the World Heritage list.

Speaking to Sky News on Sunday Morning With Trevor Phillips, Health Secretary Wes Streeting slammed the US president for his explosive social media statements.

He said Trump had been saying “incendiary, provocative, outrageous things on social media”, adding any agreement with Iran has been “undoubtedly strained” with the Trump administration.

“Over the course of the last week, President Trump has said some pretty bold – in ‘Yes Minister’ language – incendiary, provocative, outrageous things on social media.

“I think we’ve all come to learn that you judge President Trump through what he does, not just what he says.

“And ultimately, the only way in which we’re going to clear this situation up is to reach agreement with Iran, one that puts nuclear weapons beyond its ambitions and reach.”

However, Streeting continued: “But on so many other things, our interests as the UK and the US are intertwined.

“We are old and close friends and we’ve got a shared outlook as democratic countries and we’ve got shared security interests.”

He added: “So all of that work, all of that partnership continues to go on. And the point I’m making is you have to distinguish between some of the rhetoric which people might find shocking, and then the reality.”

Streeting reiterated the UK’s choice not to participate in the war as “the right decision”, describing it as “not a war ot our choosing”.

The findings relate to plans to expand digital applications for Personal Independence Payment (PIP), which helps people with long-term health conditions or disabilities cover extra living costs.

Data from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) suggests:

• PIP registrations rose by 22% in the first year of the trial
• Successful claims increased by 7% in the first 19 weeks

The report concluded that digital applications were less stressful and more convenient than phone or paper applications.

Some applicants reported that phone applications required them to be “in the right headspace”, while paper forms were considered “daunting”.

We are closing two outdated benefits today

Income Support and income-related Jobseeker’s Allowance have been replaced by Universal Credit, which opens up a range of support to help people move closer to or into work

Find out more https://t.co/C4xnK5DWGk pic.twitter.com/FW8Xn4GUkA

— Department for Work and Pensions (@DWPgovuk) March 31, 2026

Digital applications, on the other hand, were given the following feedback:

• More flexible
• Easier to complete
• Less anxiety-inducing

The trial indicates that online applications could make PIP more accessible to people who may have struggled with traditional methods. But, there is no ‘one size fits all’ method to any application process.

Recommended reading:

How to apply for PIP online

Applying for PIP online is now straightforward and can increase your chances of a smooth claim. Here’s a step-by-step guide:

1. Check eligibility

2. Visit the official PIP website

3. Create a Government Gateway account

4. Fill in the online form

   • Provide personal details, medical history, and information on how your condition affects daily life.

5. Attach supporting evidence

6. Submit and track

7. Assessment

Helen Whately, shadow work and pensions secretary, warned that all PIP assessments should remain face-to-face: “The last thing we need is DWP encouraging online assessments – opening up a benefits Pandora’s box with ever easier access.”

The government trial suggests online applications reduce barriers but also increase overall claim numbers, which has raised political debate about the cost of benefits.

Judge Jo Kidd described Ryan Bird’s offending as one of the “most grotesque” cases with which she has dealt.

The court heard the Ferryhill offender boasted on the dark web about his sick offending, taking sexual gratification at the distribution of images of his activities, in the hope of receiving similar images in return.

Bird was caught after communicating with an undercover police officer posing as a like-minded paedophile.

Some of the offenders locked up at Durham Crown Court in March (Image: Durham Constabulary)

Shaun Dodds, prosecuting, said Bird sent images of his abuse and disclosed details of his sexual activity, telling the officer he had to crop his face out of the images so he would not be recognised.

Police arrested him in July last year seizing his phone which was analysed.

Mr Dodds said the defendant was co-operative pointing out where his phone was and giving the officers the pin code.

He told the officers: “I’m going to prison” admitting that his victims did not deserve what he had done, adding: “I need help”.

Despite those apparent admissions no plea was taken while the defendant underwent psychiatric examination to assess his fitness to plead.

Having been considered fit to plead, he denied the offences until the date of his trial, in January, when he changed pleas and made admissions, as one of the young victims was on standby to give evidence that day.

Ryan Bird (Image: Durham Constabulary)

Among the offences admitted by 30-year-old Bird, of Kitchener Street, were six of rape, one of attempted rape, two of inciting a child to engage in sexual activity, and one of sexual assault, plus offences of taking indecent images and possessing prohibited images of children.

The judge said it was the most grotesque set of facts in a case she has ever had to read.

She said the defendant’s use of the dark web was an attempt to conceal his activities and to enable him to converse with like-minded paedophiles.

The judge said she had come to the conclusion the defendant poses a serious risk of serious harm, particularly to young children.

Imposing the total 27-year extended sentence she said the defendant must serve at least 18 years behind bars before being eligible for consideration for release by the Parole Board.

But he may have to serve the full 27 years before being released.

Upon his eventual release he will be subject to eight years’ extended licence period.

He will also be subject of Sexual Harm Prevention Order and registration as a sex offender, both “indefinitely”

Restraining orders were put in place relating to each abused child, also indefinitely.

John Andrews

A County Durham paedophile is back behind bars after downloading sickening images of children from the internet.

It also emerged that digger driver John Robert Andrews, with a username “Big John”, tried to engage in online conversation with a child abroad last year, in breach of a Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO).

John Andrews (Image: Durham Constabulary)

The 40-year-old defendant appeared before the court on March 3 after previously admitting breaching the SHPO.

Three further charges relating to the downloading of indecent images of children, in all three categories of severity, were also admitted by him.

Judge Kidd said it appeared to be the defendant’s third conviction relating to images of child abuse, after offences in both 2016 and in 2020, after which he received a 12-month prison sentence, in 2021.

Lucy Todd, prosecuting, confirmed that was the case.

She told the court Andrews was made subject of a ten-year SHPO as part of the 2021 sentence.

The order put restrictions on his online activities, but in July 2024 he was arrested on suspicion of downloading an indecent image of a child.

Examination of the phone revealed 21 indecent images, one in the most serious category, had been downloaded by him at some stage.

She said that while Andrews was “under investigation” over those images allegations, police received information in June last year that in an online account, bearing the defendant’s date of birth and with the “Big John” username, an attempt had been made to engage in chat with a “non-UK minor”.

Andrews, of Inchcape Terrace, Horden, was again arrested and denied the allegation as he said he believed the person in that conversation was not of such a young age.

Miss Todd said as part of an unrelated investigation Andrews was said to have downloaded Snapchat onto his device, in April last year, but when his phone was examined, it had been deleted, which was in breach of the defendant’s notification requirements as a sex offender.

The court heard the defendant has been in full-time employment recently as a digger driver for a construction company and has been in a long-term relationship with a partner of 11 years.

Judge Kidd said an assertion that the defendant was not interested in images of pre-pubescent children did not hold water as the images recovered in the 2024 investigation featured youngsters being abused aged between two and 12.

She said his latest offending was against the background of his previous convictions from 2016 and 2021, after which he was made subject of the ten-year SHPO.

“I take the view that whatever has been in place previously hasn’t been sufficient to deter you from your interest in indecent images of children, and children per se.

“So, the only way to deal with you is by way of an immediate sentence of imprisonment, as previous attempts to set you on the right path have been insufficient and failed to deter you from further breaching the SHPO.”

Imposing prison sentences totalling 20 months she also made the defendant subject to a new ten-year SHPO.

He will also be subject to a further ten years’ notification as a sex offender.

Mark Burton

A paedophile ex-Darlington councillor has been jailed for 12 years for sexually assaulting a boy.

Former Harrowgate Hill councillor Mark Burton was jailed for 22 months in 2012, for sexually assaulting a girl, and for having indecent images of children.

But he has now been locked up again, for a string of sex offences on the boy, which the court heard probably pre-date him being jailed in 2012.

The court was told the latest set of offences only came to light following a more recent complaint.

Mark Burton (Image: Durham Constabulary)

Burton, 57, who was once chair of the council’s Children and Young People’s Scrutiny Committee, still denies four counts of sexual assault, two of sexual activity with a child and one of causing or inciting a child to engage in sexual activity, despite being found guilty by unanimous jury verdicts in January.

The court heard the defendant’s “relevant” conviction for offences committed in 2011 led to him being made subject of an indefinite Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO), plus registration as a sex offender for ten years.

Burton, now of Littleburn Lane in Langley Moor, near Durham, was barred from serving as a councillor after the 2012 conviction.

The court was told the defendant, who initially denied the allegations, before, near the trial, making admissions, remains in denial of the latest offending.

Judge Nathan Adams, who presided over the trial in January, told Burton that when he was convicted in 2012 for offending in 2011, “what was not known was that there was another victim, which only came to light later”.

The judge said the offences were “similar in nature”, but with a different victim, so had they been dealt with all together, in 2012, Burton would have received consecutive sentences.

Judge Adams added that, given his continued denials, he has showed no remorse or empathy with his victim.

Imposing the 12-year sentence, the judge said Burton must serve at least two-thirds of it, eight years, behind bars, before his release on licence.

Judge Adams said the indefinite SHPO remains in force from the 2012 conviction, but he also now made Burton subject of registration as a sex offender for life.

Steven Kay

A man has been jailed for a vodka bottle attack, ‘battering’ one victim.

When police arrived at the Peterlee address, they found a “confused” scene and spoke to some of those present who refused to provide statements.

The court heard that a woman told police that defendant Steven Kay, of Peterlee, had “just battered my friend” and tried to hit someone else.

Steven Kay (Image: Durham Constabulary)

But one of the males at the scene said he had “smashed him (Kay) to bits” when he tried to leave, having been the initial aggressor.

Kay was said to have then used a glass vodka bottle to strike some of those present and two people were found to have bloodied facial injuries.

Martin Towers, prosecuting, said the defendant also had “a significant cut” for which he was taken to hospital for treatment.

The 32-year-old defendant, of Sunny Blunts, was charged with wounding and two counts of assault causing actual bodily, all of which he denied, but his guilty plea to affray on the day of trial was considered an acceptable alternative by the prosecution, given the witness evidential difficulties.

Mr Towers said the offence took place on May 19, 2024, and the defendant has a subsequent assault on an emergency worker, committed in the aftermath of the incident, when he was found hiding behind a bush as police were leaving the scene.

Among previous offences of violence on his record, the defendant was said to have served a two-year prison sentence for grievous bodily harm in 2020 when he struck someone with a piece of wood in a neighbour dispute.

Calum McNicholas, for Kay, said he suffered two large gash wounds to the head in the incident for which he required emergency hospital treatment.

Mr McNicholas said the defendant clearly suffered injuries before any of the others present that day.

“He was the first person to use violence that day but was also the first to receive injuries.”

Judge Jo Kidd told Kay a pre-sentence Probation Service report concludes he poses a high risk of causing serious physical and emotional harm relating to potential future violent offending.

She said this was against a background of repeated convictions for violence over the years.

Judge Kidd imposed an 18-month prison sentence which she said would have been two months longer but for the defendant’s late guilty plea to the affray charge.

Connor Bradley

A child rapist is back behind bars after breaking into two houses just months after his release.

Connor Bradley was described as having an “inappropriate interest” in young girls and his crimes were branded “abhorrent” by his own barrister when he was jailed for ten years in 2015 for the rape of one child and abusing another.

He was released in June last year, but the 32-year-old was back in custody by December after his arrest for two house burglaries.

Connor Bradley (Image: Durham Constabulary)

Durham Crown Court was told he broke into houses in Darlington, shortly after midnight on December 3, and in Consett, in the early hours of December 7.

The court was told the first was at a house in Bracken Road, Darlington, where a mum and daughter were at home.

Bradley took a rucksack containing a phone, four bottles of vodka, £35 in cash and a bank card, with a total value of £405.

He then used the card to spend £20.25 at the Shell garage on Woodland Road and on vending machines in Darlington Memorial Hospital, in the early hours that morning.

Bradley was recognised from doorbell camera footage.

While still at large, Bradley went to a property on Fifth Street in Consett in the early hours of December 7 and climbed onto an upturned recycling bin to try to get in via an open bathroom window.

Miss Parkinson said he was disturbed by the householders and left empty-handed but was seen fleeing and his fingerprints were found at the scene.

He was also spotted on CCTV in the area.

Police were called and he was arrested.

Bradley, of Bessemer Street in Ferryhill, formerly of Spennymoor, admitted two counts of burglary, plus fraud by false representation, from his use of the stolen bank card.

Penny Hall, in mitigation, told the court he had “struggled to adjust in the community after serving the long sentence imposed in 2015, and turned to alcohol as, “a coping mechanism”.

Imposing a two-year prison sentence, Judge Kidd said a pre-sentence report prepared for the court, “does not make for happy reading”, with mention of, “a consistent pattern of poor compliance”, in Bradley’s dealings with the Probation Service.

Jonathan Stuart

A Bishop Auckland paedophile has been put behind bars after he was caught wiping his internet history in breach of a court order.

Jonathan Stuart, 36, had only been released on licence from a previous prison sentence for breaching the Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO), on January 22, when his latest offence came to light on February 17.

The court was told that on a routine home visit, his police risk offender manager examined Stuart’s phone and discovered its history went back no further back than the previous evening.

Jonathan Stuart (Image: Durham Constabulary)

Upon being arrested, the defendant claimed his phone froze while playing an online game and so he performed a factory re-set, wiping his history of internet use.

This was in breach of the SHPO, imposed in August 2023 when he was convicted for attempted sexual communication with a child.

Charlie Thompson, prosecuting, said the defendant’s five convictions for nine offences are primarily for breaching the SHPO, following the original offence.

As a result of the latest breach the defendant was recalled to prison to serve the remaining unserved part of his previous sentence and will not be eligible for release until January 24 next year.

Stuart, of Richardson Avenue, Bishop Auckland, admitted the latest breach of the SHPO when he appeared before magistrates the following day.

Judge Kidd said the latest offence was committed little more than three weeks after his release from prison from his previous sentence.

“Given your antecedent history you were more than aware of what your conditions were.

“You seem incapable of following the terms of that order and there are now six breaches of the SHPO, which was only imposed in August 2023.”

Imposing a further one-year prison sentence, the judge told the defendant if he continues to fail to abide by the terms of the order he will only continue on the cycle, of prison, release and re-arrest.

Matthew Fox

A man was jailed following a ‘persistent’ assault on a neighbouring resident in shared accommodation, after accusing him of stealing tobacco.

Matthew Fox was in another resident’s room playing a computer game at the accommodation complex in Spennymoor, when the offence took place in October, 2024.

The court heard that when the eventual victim went into the room, Fox made the allegation that he had stolen some of his tobacco.

As the other man left the room and was heading along the corridor he was followed by Fox.

Matthew Fox (Image: Durham Constabulary)

They went into the other man’s room to “sort it out”, but once inside, the man accused of taking the tobacco said he did not want to fight.

Fox ignored his comment and threw a punch, knocking him to the floor, where he then kneed him in the face and stamped on his head, telling him to: “Get up and fight”.

The defendant then left the room, with the victim bleeding from the nose.

It was reported to support staff and the victim was taken to hospital for treatment for a laceration to the right side of the forehead, plus bruising to the left side of the face and an eye.

Fox made no comment when arrested and while on bail he was involved in a disturbance at the home of his now ex-partner in Seaham to which police attended after a 999 call in the early hours of September 2, last year.

Fox, who smashed his then partner’s mobile phone after the call was made to police, left the property, but was found in a bush by police attending the address.

The 36-year-old defendant, formerly of Clarence Street, Spennymoor, but more recently of Davison Terrace, Sacriston, admitted assault causing actual bodily harm and criminal damage.

Jonathan Crawford, for Fox, said he has made expressions of remorse and, while in custody, since his arrest in Seaham last September, he has had time to “reflect on his behaviour” and to “get clean” of drugs, which he hopes to continue into the future.

Judge Kidd described the assault as “persistent”, including stamping on someone on the ground, causing injuries which required stitches.

She imposed a 16-month prison sentence and told Fox she “sincerely hopes” he uses his time in prison to continue to address his misuse of drink and drugs, which has been at the root of his offending.

Megan Gibson

A Newton Aycliffe woman who knocked out a bouncer, mowed down a pregnant woman, and sank her teeth into a police officer was jailed at the court on March 19.

Megan Gibson, 26, was already known to police, having offences of violence on her record from her teens, before the spate of incidents, between 2023 and August last year.

The court heard it began with a joint assault, with a male co-accused, after they were escorted from a boxing event at The Big Club in Newton Aycliffe, at 10.30pm on April 14, 2023.

Megan Gibson (Image: Durham Constabulary)

Gibson shouted: “Watch what happens now”, before the pair ran back in, half-an-hour later, when she approached and attacked a female member of door staff, punching and stamping on her several times, knocking her unconscious.

Bystanders ran to the aid of the victim who suffered head aches, pain and nausea afterwards.

While on bail over that incident, Gibson was driving her car in Shildon, on August 15, 2023, when she spotted a woman passenger in a passing car, with whom she had a previous online row.

While approaching a roundabout on Spout Lane, Gibson gestured to the other woman to get out of the car she was travelling in, which she did.

As she stood on a grass verge, the defendant drove at her, knocking her to the ground, before speeding away.

The victim, who was in the early stages of pregnancy, was taken to hospital suffering back pain and other injuries to her knees and the rest of her body.

It left her traumatised, fearing for the health of her unborn child, to whom she has since safely given birth.

Gibson was arrested days later and taken into custody.

But, having again been granted bail, she failed to attend a subsequent court sentencing hearing for the club attack and was made the subject of a bench warrant.

Mr Dodds said police attended a reported disturbance at a house in Darlington, on August 21, last year and the defendant was found hiding under a bed in an upstairs room.

The court heard she refused to come out, threatening police, claiming to be armed with ammonia spray, a petrol bomb and a knife.

When officers began to pull her from under the bed she bit the hand of one of them, but it did not pierce the skin due to the gloves he was wearing.

Gibson, of Clanny Road, Newton Aycliffe, was before the court for three offences of assault causing actual bodily harm, one of which was with the intention of resisting arrest, and for dangerous driving, all of which she admitted.

She was said to have seven past convictions for 12 offences, including battery and common assault as a youth offender.

The court heard the defendant had previously abused drink and drugs, but is now clean of both having spent several months on remand in HMP Low Newton awaiting the resolution of the court case.

Judge Kidd said Gibson’s behaviour at the boxing event, at which teenagers were present, was “disgraceful”, while, referring to the roadside incident in Shildon, she told the defendant: “You deliberately drove a vehicle at someone in the street, the equivalent of using a highly dangerous weapon.”

Imposing a total 25-month prison sentence, she also banned Gibson from driving for two years, upon her release from custody.

She must pass an extended re-test if she is to lawfully drive again following expiry of the ban.

Craig Jackson

A man remains in denial over a drink-fuelled domestic assault in which he repeatedly banged his partner’s head off a wall.

Despite maintaining his innocence, Craig Jackson was convicted of assault at trial in February and is now starting a 30-month prison sentence.

Craig Jackson (Image: Durham Constabulary)

He was said to have snapped while in drink and repeatedly thrust his partner’s head off a wall at the bottom of the stairs at their home, on the evening of March 20, 2022.

The court heard that he used such force that it made a loud banging noise.

He was said to have paused the attack and flung his partner onto the stairs, but then grabbed her again and began hitting her head off the opposite wall, also, “with significant force”.

When the attack ended, he said nothing, but went into the kitchen for food, which he came back chewing, while laughing, before spitting it out over his distressed partner’s face.

The incident only came to light two years later and Jackson was arrested in June 2024.

Miss Horton said he was charged with assault causing actual bodily harm in April last year and pleaded not guilty on his first court hearing weeks later.

The now 43-year-old defendant, of Buckingham Crescent, West Rainton, near Durham, maintained his guilty plea at trial but was found guilty by magistrates, who committed him to the crown court for sentence.

Judge Kidd said, given that he doesn’t accept his ex-partner was telling the truth at trial, he lacks insight into the offending.

Jennifer Coxon, for Jackson, said the defendant maintains that his lifestyle is now significantly different from what it was in 2022, when alcohol was a “significant factor” in his previous relationship.

She said at the time having previously separated, he had been allowed back into the family home, where there was, “clearly a lot of emotional upset between him and his partner.”

Judge Kidd described the assault as both “prolonged and persistent”, from which the victim suffered, “serious psychological harm”.

Imposing the 30-month prison sentence, the judge said there would be no discount for a guilty plea, due to the defendant’s continued denials.

She also put in place a restraining order prohibiting him from contacting his ex-partner directly or indirectly for an indefinite length of time.

With holidays booked for many of us this summer, more and more people have been following social media trends that promise to make travelling as stress-free as possible.

But one pilot-approved viral hack that uses an AirTag to help avoid lost luggage could in fact have the opposite effect, experts at Travelbag have warned.

Popular TikTokers, The Pilot Twins, have shared a video showing how putting an Apple AirTag in your check-in luggage could save you from losing it while travelling, thanks to the device’s handy tracking feature.

However, travel experts have warned against using this pilot-approved travel hack.

Experts from Travelbag said: “While this hack is done with the best intentions, the tracking abilities of Apple AirTags and other GPS tracking devices are not always suited to air travel.

“This could leave passengers feeling a false sense of security when leaving their luggage in the hold.

“Overall, while tracking devices in your luggage may work if you are in close proximity, if you are travelling longer distances, then they may not.

“To avoid being without your precious items this year, make sure to take any important objects in your hand luggage to avoid them getting lost.”

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They added: “Not all countries allow Apple AirTags to track within their airspace due to their individual data laws, meaning that this well-intentioned hack may no longer work when you arrive at your destination.

“In popular destinations such as South Korea, Apple tracking is not enabled. So, any AirTag will not be updated once you enter the country by air.

“As a result, if a passenger loses their luggage in the country, it cannot be tracked by an Apple AirTag. So, travellers must take extra care of their luggage to ensure it is not lost.”

Major change to UK passport fees

In its original announcement, the government said the new prices needed to be approved by Parliament as it released the proposed prices.

Here are the new prices:

Standard online application:

• For adults – £102 (up from £94.50)
• For children – £66.50 (up from £61.50)

Standard postal application:

• For adults – £115.50 (up from £107)
• For children – £80 (up from £74)

A Premium Service (one day) application made from the UK will cost £239.50, up from £222.

A standard online application that’s applied for from overseas will cost £116.50 for adults (increased from £108) and £75.50 for children (up from £70).

If you apply from overseas for a new standard passport by post, you can expect the price to jump from £120.50 to £130 for adults and from £82.50 to £89 for children.

A man has died after his BMW crashed into four other cars following a police chase, leaving two other people seriously injured.

The 23-year-old died at the scene after speeding away from officers when they tried to stop him, and ran into the other cars.

He was killed on the A21 in Robertsbridge, east Sussex, on Saturday evening, with more police rushing to the scene after the crash.

Seven people in the other cars were taken to hospital while two are being treated for serious injuries. 

Sussex Police said in a statement: ‘The driver of the BMW – a 23-year-old man from Hailsham – was sadly declared deceased at the scene. His next of kin have been informed.

‘Two passengers in another vehicle were taken to hospital with serious injuries, while five other people involved suffered minor injuries requiring hospital treatment.

‘The BMW had been involved in a police pursuit shortly before the collision, and a referral was made to the Independent Office for Police Conduct who have declared that they will conduct an independent investigation.’

DS Andy Wolstenholme said: ‘This was a tragic incident, and our thoughts are with the family of this young man and all those affected.

‘An investigation is underway to understand the full circumstances and there will be increased police activity in the area while this is ongoing.

‘I would like to thank the public for their patience during the emergency response and for their understanding as our enquiries continue.

‘Anyone who has any information that could help the investigation, or relevant dashcam or CCTV footage, is asked to contact police online or via 101, quoting Operation Drummer.’

Because the BMW was being pursued by police before the crash happened, the incident has also been referred to the Independent Office for Police Conduct.

A spokesperson for the IOPC said the body is investigating Sussex Police’s involvement in the crash.

They added: ‘Our investigation will look at police actions prior to the fatal collision.

‘After being notified by the force, we sent investigators to the police post incident procedures to begin gathering evidence and declared an independent investigation.

‘Our thoughts are with everyone affected by this incident.’

Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk.

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