Danny Calladine was jailed for three-and-a-half years after he ran over his partner’s cousin Dion Eagle in a drink and drug-fuelled dangerous driving incident in Derby, leaving him in a wheelchair with life-threatening injuries

A van driver, intoxicated by alcohol and drugs, inflicted multiple fractures and life-threatening internal injuries on a relative after deliberately running him over and reversing back across his body.

In an extensive and deeply moving impact statement, victim Dion Eagle described how he was absent for his daughter’s birth while in intensive care, remains in a rehabilitation facility nearly six months later and “wishes he had died that day”.

This week the scaffolder arrived at Derby Crown Court in a wheelchair to witness the man who irreversibly altered his life – Danny Calladine – being sentenced.

The 35-year-old who inflicted such catastrophic harm – his partner’s cousin – subsequently attempted to claim he had been assaulted by Mr Eagle prior to the incident, reports Derbyshire Live.

Sentencing him to three-and-a-half years imprisonment, Judge Jonathan Straw stated: “On December 19 last year you irreversibly changed the course of Dion Eagle’s life forever, affecting your own life and the lives of countless others who care about each of you because of the many inexplicable decisions you made that day.”

“The footage makes for graphic and difficult viewing and while all the horror unfolded and while Dion was lying trapped under the van your immediate reaction was to deny what you had done. Dion was left there fighting for his life and it is a miracle we are not here concerned with a homicide.

“He is still in hospital now, six months on, and the pain and suffering he has experienced during that time is for the most of us unimaginable.”

Prosecutor Lauren Fisher told the court that the incident unfolded on Scarborough Rise, Breadsall Hilltop, at approximately 4.15pm on 19th December last year. She explained that the two men had spent time drinking together before heading to a nearby shop to purchase more alcohol. On their way back, a row broke out and Mr Eagle stepped out of the van “to leave the situation”

The court was then shown harrowing footage depicting Mr Eagle bending down in front of the vehicle before Calladine drove directly into and over him, subsequently reversing back over the stricken victim.

Miss Fisher said: “It was witnessed by a number of passing motorists and one who stopped could see the defendant was drunk and slurring his words saying ‘what’s going on? I have not hit anyone’.

“He then dropped the keys to the van which the witness picked up and placed in his pocket. He also noticed a can of Stella in the footwell.

“(That witness’s daughter) then heard him on the phone saying ‘I have hit him and I don’t know what to do, I have run over him’. It is estimated that Mr Eagle was trapped under the van for 15 to 20 minutes.

“Mr Eagle’s partner arrived and described the scene as ‘carnage’.

“He later told the police that he thought he was going to die while under the van saying he thought he was ‘pretty much done for’.” The prosecutor revealed that Calladine told police Mr Eagle had “smacked him” and stated “I would not run over my family, I would not do that I just hope he’s okay”.

‘I wish I had died’

She explained that tests taken at the roadside and in custody showed the defendant to be almost three times the legal drink-drive limit and four times the legal drug-drive limit for cocaine.

She detailed how Mr Eagle sustained multiple fractures – including two to his spine – along with extensive internal injuries, was placed into an induced coma on several occasions, has had numerous operations and more than five months later remains a permanent resident at Linden Lodge rehabilitation centre in Nottingham, where he is likely to remain for some time yet.

Through two victim impact statements, Mr Eagle, who is in his mid-20s, described missing his daughter’s birth while in intensive care, which left him devastated.

He said: “My legs are still useless and it is a horrible way to feel. I know it sounds selfish but I still wish I had died that day, I cry every day, I just wish the pain would stop.

“I feel anger that I am trapped like this while the person who did this to me is out enjoying life.”

Calladine, a father of a 12-year-old son, formerly of Braintree Close, Breadsall Hilltop and now of Market Street, Ashbourne, previously pleaded guilty to causing serious injury through dangerous driving and drink-driving. Kevin Waddingham, mitigating, said: “It is clear he regrets enormously what happened in those few seconds and the consequences for Mr Eagle.

“He has lost relationships with Mr Eagle and his family which were important to him prior to this incident.

“It is something he will have to live with forever.”

Alongside the custodial sentence, the judge banned the defendant from getting behind the wheel for 35 months and issued a five-year restraining order.

[17/08/2025, 16:03:48] Pat McFadden: Yes of course. I see Keir will now be at WH meeting with Z (Zelensky).

[17/08/2025, 16:06:16] Peter Mandelson : Yes. Morgan is coming with him. The media prep is interesting. Completely reductionist for Keir. Want to avoid any encounter with journos that might involve him answering a question. No sense of opportunity for personal projection. Just avoid all risk. Always the same.

17/08/2025, 17:35:25] Pat McFadden: I spoke to him. It’s a bit of a whirlwind. This external strategy unit idea has come from a lack of belief that good people will come in to number 10 and it’s hard to get the bad ones to leave.

[17/08/2025, 17:35:41] Pat McFadden: I’m going to see him when he comes back.

[17/08/2025, 17:40:26] Peter Mandelson : I told him he needs an instrument/entity to recruit top people but I fear he is using excuse to keep people because he knows Keir won’t fire them.

[18/08/2025, 13:07:11] Pat McFadden: Let me know how it goes?

[18/08/2025, 14:12:09] Peter Mandelson : We have a whole lot of No10 keystone cops coming, including Morgan, falling over themselves and complaining they won’t all be in the Oval (none of us will be).

Molly Fisher’s project, The 33rd County, explores Irish diaspora and long-distance nationalism within Coatbridge.

A snap-happy Coatbridge student hopes she can bring her photography exhibition to her home town, after using it as inspiration for her work.

Molly Fisher’s project, The 33rd County, explores Irish diaspora and long-distance nationalism within Coatbridge.

Her images of locals expressing their Irish heritage are on display, alongside work from her fellow BA photography students, as part of Edinburgh Napier University’s (ENU) 2026 Degree Show.

The 23-year-old says studying in Edinburgh led her to see the cultural rituals she’d grown up with in a new light.

Molly said: “My style is documentary photography, working with people to tell their stories. I really enjoy getting to see into their world.

“In second year I did a study on football fans, then last year I did a project about an Irish dancer.

“When I came to do my final project, I realised that a lot of my themes overlap – that I had been reflecting experiences of growing up in my hometown.

“There were so many things that I only realised since I’ve been in Edinburgh aren’t as normal as I assumed.

“I thought maybe there’s something interesting here that I could dive into further.

“This project made me see Coatbridge in a different light, realising that it isn’t the norm. I found myself looking for the strange little things that you maybe didn’t notice before. I had to take a step back.

“I think it’s given me an admiration for people in the town, that people feel so strongly about their heritage.”

Molly’s final display is on show at ENU’s Merchiston campus until June 5, and includes a custom-made book.

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In it, a foreword written by local writer Des Dillon refers to a “cultural time capsule” in Coatbridge, where people preserve “a version of Ireland that no longer exists”.

The images show individual and group expressions of Irish heritage, alongside reminders of Coatbridge’s post-industrial legacy of iron works and coal mining.

Molly hopes she can put her work on display in the town in future, to thank those who took part in her project.

She added: “People feel so strongly about their culture that they want to let you in and tell you their stories. They’re often happy that someone is interested and cares.

“I got myself into things that were happening that I didn’t know about. For example, there’s an Irish music group that I didn’t know about who play in my local hall.

“I found myself sitting in the corner of the room thinking I can’t believe this is what I’m getting to do.

“I’m hoping that I can put on an exhibition in Coatbridge so that people can see it.

“I wouldn’t have been able to make it work unless people had let me in, so I would like them to be able to come and have a look.”

The 2026 Edinburgh Napier University Degree Show is on public display at its Merchiston campus this week; you can find out more about it here

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That we are living through a loneliness epidemic at a time when people have never been more digitally connected is one of the great paradoxes of modern life.

In 2023, the year social media engagement reportedly peaked, the World Health Organization declared loneliness a “global public health concern”. The irony was hard to miss: just as people appeared to be more digitally connected than ever, many of the places and habits that once brought them together in real life were being weakened. Remote working had reshaped daily life, religious attendance had declined across much of the west, the cost of living crisis had made socialising harder, and third places – from pubs and libraries to youth clubs and community centres – were closing or struggling to survive.

However, that’s just part of the story. Over the years, Positive News has reported on the many hopeful initiatives that have sprung up to tackle loneliness – from the rise of communal dining and the Men’s Sheds movement, to intergenerational nurseries and talking benches.

Now we’re turning to you, our readers, to find out what you do to nurture meaningful human connections in an increasingly disconnected world. No act is too small. It could be something as simple as being part of a book club, walking group or cooking meals for others. Or it could be something bigger, like volunteering or tending a community garden. Even the simple act of going to live music can feel like a rebellion against creeping isolation. More than one of our team find community spirit in the moshpit. 

Tell us how you forge human connections in the form below. We will publish our favourite answers in a forthcoming editorial. We can’t promise to print them all, but we will read them.

Main image: Austin Loveing

Why are the 2026 Tube strikes happening?

1) RMT

2) TfL

3) ASLEF

Manchester City midfielder Rodri says he will wait until after the World Cup to sort out his future at the club amid links to Real Madrid.

The Spain international has a year left on his contract at City and has previously indicated he would like to return to play in his homeland at some stage.

Rodri, 29, has emerged as a potential transfer target should Real Madrid presidential candidate Enrique Riquelme get elected.

Riquelme is challenging incumbent Florentino Perez in this weekend’s election.

“With a World Cup ahead, my responsibility is to stay focused,” Rodri told a news conference.

“Anything related to my future will wait until after the World Cup.”

Rodri joined City from Atletico Madrid in 2019 and has played a key role in the club’s recent success, winning four Premier League four titles and the Champions League once.

He won the Ballon d’Or in 2024 although he struggled with injuries since he suffered a cruciate ligament tear in September 2024.

Rodri said he will not “give too much importance” to rumours about his future as it “part of the job”.

“When a player is approaching the final stage of his contract, it’s normal for names to be mentioned,” he added.

“I’m very calm, I know exactly where I stand, and I’ll tell you that perhaps if there hadn’t been a World Cup, things might be different now.”

One of the Netflix series co-creators has explained the casting behind surprise cameo

The creators of Netflix’s popular series are hoping an unexpected star will pave the way for additional episodes.

All instalments of ‘The Four Seasons’ are now streaming on the platform and have proved an instant success with audiences. Fans have already revealed how they’ve binged the latest series in a single day, with some remaining awake until the small hours to complete all eight episodes.

Following its launch last year, the programme has returned with its second series. Continuing from a twist ending, the show once more centres on a group of married companions who habitually holiday together throughout the year.

However, the group’s dynamics have undergone significant transformation. Following a challenging year, they maintain their tradition of shared holidays – this time accompanied by a baby.

According to its synopsis, ‘The Four Seasons’ resumes with the core group, including Kate (portrayed by Tina Fey), Jack (Will Forte), Anne (Kerri Kenney-Silver), Danny (Colman Domingo), Claude (Marco Calvani), and Ginny (Erika Henningsen), as they travel from the comfortable familiarity of the Jersey shore and upstate New York to the breathtaking scenery of Italy, reports the Mirror.

*Warning – below contains major spoilers for ‘The Four Seasons’ series 2 finale*

Series co-creator Tracey Wigfield, who scripts episodes alongside Fey and Lang Fisher, has discussed the finale and its potential to pave the way for a third series. While Netflix has not yet greenlit a third season at the time of writing, the closing moments of season two’s final episode see Anne meeting her new Italian neighbour.

To her astonishment, he shares the name Gianpiero – the very moniker she’d invented for a fictitious boyfriend when speaking to former flame Mark Brett. What proves even more startling for audiences is that this character is played by none other than David Tennant.

The Scottish performer is renowned for his turn as Doctor Who, alongside appearances in Good Omens, Extras, Broadchurch, Jessica Jones and Des amongst numerous other credits. The circumstances surrounding Tennant’s character’s presence in the Italian town remain unexplained.

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Despite bearing an Italian name, he appears to retain his natural accent. It has now emerged that he represented dream casting for the show’s creators, who harbour hopes that his character might be developed further as a potential new travelling companion for the group in future episodes.

Wigfield told Deadline: “Tina, the first person she said was, ‘Well, someone like David Tennant, like a David Tennant kind of guy, as her (Anne’s) neighbour. We were so thrilled that we went to him first and he said yes. He flew in and we shot it – it was just the one scene – so we shot it in one day, and he’s so lovely and he looks so good with Kerri.”

She continued to hint that they hoped this closing moment would leave viewers craving additional episodes, saying: “Anne obviously has been on a journey in Season 1 and then Season 2 as well, you know, she’s trying to be Anne 2.0 and have this sort of personal renaissance, but it’s not going great.

“So there was something really exciting when we were thinking about a cliffhanger for a possible Season 3 of having a romantic cliffhanger, and someone that you would get so excited to see more stories with.”

The Four Seasons is streaming on Netflix.

The Duke of Wellington in Chew Moor has launched regular Friday food events after shutting its kitchen before Christmas because it was no longer financially viable.

It’s soon to host a series of food truck events planned throughout June and beyond.

Inside the pub (Image: Sophie McGrath)

The pub has already hosted Dagi Pizza Van each last Friday of the past three months, and is now expanding the programme with a different food offering planned each week.

Sophie McGrath, landlady, said: “People wanted the food back.

“We are a community-based pub and everything we do is for them. It’s best when everyone is together, and food brings people together.”

The latest event will see SPUDDIES visit the pub from 5pm on this Friday [June 5] serving loaded jacket potatoes and shawarma wraps.

A book club. (Image: Sophie McGrath)

The food truck is the first of several planned throughout June as the pub increases the number and variety of visiting vendors.

Ms McGrath said: “People are really excited. They love the pizza guy that comes, he always sells out.”

Westhoughton High School’s reunion at the Duke. (Image: Sophie McGrath)

A barbecue is planned for June 12, while Dagi Pizza Van is due to return on June 19.

A Greek food vendor is also scheduled to visit on June 26 as part of the pub’s Foodie Fridays programme.

Ms McGrath said: “We shut the kitchen before Christmas because it wasn’t making enough money.

“But people wanted the food back, so we started getting food trucks on Fridays in the car park.”