York Magistrate’s Court’s £300 fines handed down to each offender compared to penalties of £600 and £1,000 from York Council were among cases highlighted by the Local Government Association (LGA).
Cllr Arooj Shah, the LGA’s Neighbourhoods Committee chair, said they and others showed the current system was failing to deter offenders, with changes needed to make punishments fit the crime.
City of York Council’s communities lead Pauline Stuchfield said people who did not pay penalties would be prosecuted, named, get a criminal record and face costs and surcharges on top of fines.
A Government spokesperson said they were giving councils the tools to tackle waste crime, closing legal loopholes exploited by offenders and bringing in tougher powers to enforce laws.
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It comes as the LGA called for a sentencing guidelines review after figures showing court fines handed to offenders were often less than penalties given out by councils.
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LGA analysis of the latest data showed the average court fine of £539 was £87 lower than the £626 fixed penalty notices (FPNs) councils were issuing for the same offence.
Councils can issue FPNs of up to £1,000 to offenders which are discounted to £500 if paid off early.
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Cases highlighted by the LGA included 28-year-old Jake Calam who was fined earlier this year after pleading guilty to dumping waste on a footpath from July 2024 to July 2025.
Lianne Hodkinson, 43, admitted to paying an unlicensed waste remover she found online who took her rubbish and dumped it on land off Clifton Road Park, in Rawcliffe.
York Magistrates Court fined both offenders £300 each and ordered Calam, of Foxwood Lane, to pay a £120 victim surcharge and £750 in prosecution costs.
Hodkinson, formerly of Riverside Gardens, Nether Poppleton, was also ordered to pay a £120 victim surcharge and £600 in costs.
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The LGA said court sentences were now out of step with the real impact fly-tipping is having on communities.
The Local Government Association has called for tougher penalties to tackle fly-tipping (Image: Contributed)
The body, which represents local authorities, added it was undermining deterrence, weakening enforcement and leaving councils out of pocket for pursuing time-consuming and costly prosecutions.
Cases taken to court often require lengthy investigations and have to meet high evidence thresholds which takes up a large amount of time for council staff.
Fly-tipping costs councils more than £19.3 million-a-year to clean up, with 1.26 million cases recorded in England in the year up to March 2025.
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The LGA’s Neighbourhood Committee Chair Cllr Shah said changes were needed so penalties reflect the harm caused by fly-tipping and enforcement work.
Cllr Shah said: “Fly-tipping is criminal activity that blights communities and costs taxpayers millions of pounds every year.
“Sentencing guidelines must be reviewed so that the punishment fits the crime.”
York Council’s Communities Director Ms Stuchfield said Calam and Hodskinson had to pay £1,170 and £1,020 respectively after being prosecuted.
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The director said: “As these cases show, we will take action against people who illegally dump waste.
“Our average FPN is £1,000 and is reduced to £500 if paid within 10 days.
“When it is paid, the matter is closed, when it is not paid, the person risks being taken to court.
“We encourage people to pay any fines as soon as they are incurred and to dispose of waste legally.”
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A spokesperson for the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) said their new guidance including on-the-spot littering fines of up to £500 would help councils tackle waste crime.
The spokesperson said: “We are giving authorities the tools they need to fight back against waste crime.
“Digital waste tracking will close the loopholes criminals exploit, drones are catching offenders in the act, and councils have the power to crush their vans, making it more and more difficult for criminals to hide.”
A Sentencing Council spokesperson said they would be happy to consider any evidence regarding the effective operation of its guidelines.
Katherine Tee, a British sailor, claims she saw Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 on fire as it crashed into the Indian Ocean in 2014, and believes she knows the exact location of the missing aircraft
Emilia Randall GAU Writer
05:00, 09 Mar 2026
One woman believes she holds the answer to cracking the biggest aviation enigma of recent times.
Katherine Tee, a British sailor, claims she witnessed part of the missing Malaysia Airlines aircraft on fire when it went down 12 years ago.
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On March 8 2014, 227 passengers and 12 crew members disappeared after boarding the Boeing 777-200ER in Kuala Lumpur bound for Beijing, China. Just 40 minutes into the journey, the plane vanished from radar tracking, never to be spotted again.
Tee is convinced the “bright orange” glow and the “trail of black smoke” she observed over the Indian Ocean was the Boeing aircraft engulfed in flames.
The hunt for the plane was relaunched at the end of last year, but numerous efforts to locate the craft have been unsuccessful despite state-of-the-art technology, reports the Mirror.
Some of the wreckage was discovered along the African coastline and on islands in the Indian Ocean – but that’s been all that’s been retrieved of MH370.
Aviation specialists believe the aircraft may have strayed from its intended route, heading west for several hours before vanishing.
Tee was sailing from Cochin, India, to Phuket, Thailand, with her husband Marc Horn when she claims to have witnessed MH370.
Speaking to the Phuket Gazette, Tee said she didn’t report it straight away because she thought she “was going insane.”
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She said: “I thought I saw a burning plane cross behind our stern from port to starboard, which would have been approximately north to south.
“Since that’s not something you see every day, I questioned my mind. I was looking at what appeared to be an elongated plane glowing bright orange, with a trail of black smoke behind it.
“It did occur to me that it might be a meteorite. But I thought it was more likely that I was going insane.
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“It caught my attention because I had never seen a plane with orange lights before so I wondered what they were. I could see the outline of the plane, it looked longer than planes usually do.”
She said she spotted another aircraft in the sky simultaneously and presumed the pilot would flag it.
She went on: “I wondered again why it had such bright orange lights. They reminded me of sodium lights. I thought it could be some anomaly or just a meteor.”
The pair carried on sailing to Phuket for two days before docking when they heard “everyone talking about the missing plane.”
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Tee “doubted” what she had witnessed. She added: “Besides, I thought they’d find it.”
The Liverpudlian then reviewed the GPS logs from her voyage. She said: “Lo and behold, what we saw was consistent with the confirmed contact which the authorities had from MH370.
“This is what convinced me to file a report with the full track data for our voyage to the relevant authorities.”
Tee submitted her sighting to the Joint Agency Coordination Centre (JACC) in June 2014.
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) and Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) issued a warning to all Brits last month, reminding them to avoid using four non-sterile alcohol-free wipe products:
ValueAid Alcohol Free Cleansing Wipes
Microsafe Moist Wipe Alcohol Free
Steroplast Sterowipe Alcohol Free Cleansing Wipes
Reliwipe Alcohol Free Cleansing Wipes (testing revealed contamination with a Burkholderia strain not related to the outbreak cases)
The warning came after the wet wipes were found to be contaminated with Burkholderia stabilis, a bacterium found in natural environments that can cause infections.
It rarely affects healthy individuals, but there is an increased risk of infection for those with a weakened immune system, cystic fibrosis, and patients at home with intravenous lines.
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The MHRA has been working with the manufacturers and distributors of these wet wipes, and the sale and supply of the contaminated products has now ceased.
However, Brits are being urged to check for affected wipes as some of these products may still be in first aid kits and people’s homes.
If found, they should be immediately removed from use and disposed of appropriately.
Consultant in Epidemiology and Public Health at UKHSA, Dr James Elston, said: “We are reminding the public not to use, and to dispose of, certain non-sterile alcohol-free wipes which have been linked to an outbreak of Burkholderia stabilis.
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“The overall risk to the public remains very low, and affected products have been withdrawn from sale.
“However, we are continuing to see a small number of cases in vulnerable patients, and we are now aware of one associated death.
“Non-sterile alcohol-free wipes, of any type or brand, should not be used for the treatment of injuries, wounds, or broken skin; and they should never be used to clean intravenous lines.”
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Six deaths linked to “ongoing outbreak” of fatal bacterium found in contaminated wet wipes
The “ongoing outbreak” of Burkholderia stabilis associated with non-sterile alcohol-free cleansing wipes continues to cause infections and deaths in the UK.
The latest figures, released by Eurosurveillance this month, show 59 confirmed cases of Burkholderia stabilis associated with contaminated non-sterile alcohol-free wipe products in the UK as of February (from January 2018).
The infectious disease experts added: “Five confirmed and one probable case died within 30 days of detection of B. stabilis.
“One death was attributed to their Burkholderia infection.”
Pocklington Arts Centre (PAC) will host the event on Saturday, May 30, following the success of its first comedy festival in 2025.
The full-day programme promises a diverse line-up of comedians, offering something for all ages, from family-friendly shows to a star-studded mixed-bill finale.
Dave Parker, PAC’s venue manager, said: “We’re thrilled to be bringing our Comedy Festival back for a second year.
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“Last year’s event was a highlight of our calendar, and we’re excited to build on that success with an expanded programme showcasing some of the biggest talent on the comedy circuit.”
Audiences will have the chance to enjoy afternoon work-in-progress shows from four comedians as they prepare material for the Edinburgh Fringe.
The line-up includes Seeta Wrightson, Brennan Reece, Tom Neenan, and Sarah Roberts.
There will also be two shows for younger audiences.
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Darryl J Carrington will present Out of the Box, a family performance filled with physical theatre and audience participation.
A mixed-bill finale will take place at 8pm, featuring Lou Wall, Marcel Lucont, Tal Davies, Pravanya Pillay, and BBC New Comedian of the Year finalist Raj Poojara.
Tickets start from £12 and are available from pocklingtonartscentre.co.uk.
Call the Midwife season 15 has come to an emotional end tonight, wrapping up some of its biggest storylines.
Hayley Anderson and Hayley Anderson TV Reporter
21:20, 08 Mar 2026
Call the Midwife star teases return of character in series finale
Call the Midwife series 15 has reached its conclusion, leaving viewers pondering what lies ahead for the residents of Nonnatus House.
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The BBC airs the Call the Midwife series 15 finale this evening, Sunday, 8 March, drawing the curtain on another chapter of the East End drama.
Several storylines needed resolution heading into the final episode, so here’s how Call the Midwife series 15 wrapped up.
Call the Midwife season 15 ending explained
Rosalind and Cyril
Viewers had been anticipating Rosalind (portrayed by Natalie Quarry) and Cyril (Zephryn Taitte) receiving their happy ending for considerable time, and fortunately, the finale delivered.
Surrounded by their cherished friends at Nonnatus House, the pair said their vows in a touching registry office ceremony.
However, before departing, they visited Sister Monica Joan’s (Judy Parfitt) bedside, where she accurately predicted that Rosalind was expecting.
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Whilst they had kept the news private from everyone else, Sister Monica Joan was quietly delighted and presented them with a teddy bear for their baby.
Sister Monica Joan
At the start of the finale, Sister Monica Joan had ceased taking her medication for chronic kidney disease, accepting that her final days were approaching.
She asked for Bernie Mullucks (Chris Reilly) from the funeral directors visit her to arrange the proceedings before her passing.
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Before discussing the specifics, Bernie wheeled the sister through the market in a wheelchair and on to the church so she could glimpse them one final time.
Sister Monica Joan’s condition deteriorated in bed until she unexpectedly encountered the spirit of her late friend Sister Evangelina (Pam Ferris), who tenderly accompanied her soul as the beloved nun passed away peacefully.
Tears flowed freely at the funeral service, but honouring Sister Monica Joan’s wishes, her coffin was transported to the church on a costermonger’s cart to reflect her East End heritage.
Trixie
Trixie Aylward (Helen George) revealed she had taken up the role of matron at the Lady Emily Clinic, but Mr Scarisbrick (Richard Dillane) enquired whether she might consider entering into partnership with him.
With his semi-retirement approaching, Mr Scarisbrick proposed offering her 40 per cent of the Lady Emily, though she couldn’t tap into the Aylward family fortune as her husband’s mother retained control.
Nevertheless, it emerges that his mother has suffered a fatal heart attack, prompting Trixie to arrange another meeting with her previous employer to inform him she now holds a position on the Aylward Estate board.
Yet Trixie had no interest in accepting merely 40 per cent of the Lady Emily, instead demanding 55 per cent, ensuring everyone understood precisely who held authority.
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Sister Veronica
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Sister Veronica (Rebecca Gethings) temporarily departed the Order earlier this series as she wished to become a mother and explore whether this might be achievable.
However, she is heartbroken to discover in the finale that her menopause has commenced, meaning having a biological child is no longer possible.
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This prompts Beryl to inform Geoffrey Franklin (Christopher Harper) that she is returning to the Order to resume her role as Sister Veronica.
She comforts him by explaining that if she does return, at least she will be surrounded by children daily, even if she cannot have one herself.
Nonnatus House
The fate of Nonnatus House has been uncertain for considerable time after the council resolved to shut the clinic.
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Dr Turner (Stephen McGann) was furious when the council attempted to remove much of the clinic’s vital equipment prior to closure, but he declined to permit this until the clinic’s final day.
Near the conclusion of the finale, Sister Julienne (Jenny Agutter) assembled everyone to announce there would be some “alterations, not closure”.
The sister disclosed that Nonnatus House would transform into a house of prayer and charity whilst they determined their future direction.
Meanwhile, three prospective new medical missions were being considered, each requiring at least a year overseas in Gilbert and Ellice Island, British Columbia and Australia.
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She tells them, “We ask for your prayers and your patience, and that as many of you are able, stay with us on this journey. All will be well.”
The finale concludes with a notice being hung on the front door of Nonnatus House stating “temporarily closed”, suggesting this isn’t the final chapter after all.
Call the Midwife is available to watch on BBC iPlayer.
The Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) confirmed they responded to a report of gunfire at 1.21pm, according to CNN.
Police said a woman in her 30s fired around five to seven shots from her vehicle using an AR-15 rifle at the house, but hit the gate instead. However, the Los Angeles Times reported that one round penetrated a wall of the mansion.
Police found her vehicle located approximately eight miles away from the “Diamonds” singer’s home, at the Sherman Oaks Galleria shopping centre, reported CBS. She was taken into custody at the shopping centre and has not been publicly identified.
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Rihanna was home when the gunfire took place, and it is unclear if anyone else was present at the time. No injuries have been reported, said the police.
LAPD Capt Mike Bland did not provide a motive for the shooting. He confirmed that the weapon used had been recovered by the police. The department’s elite Robbery-Homicide Division is investigating the crime.
Police also recovered seven “assault rifle casings” from the home.
The Independent has reached out to representatives for Rihanna for a comment.
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Rihanna shares the Beverly Hills property with partner A$AP Rocky, with whom she has three children (Getty Images for Paramount Pictu)
Rihanna shares the Beverly Hills property with her partner, rapper A$AP Rocky. The couple, who confirmed their relationship in 2020, have three children together.
The musician’s Los Angeles homes have been targeted before. In May 2018, a 27-year-old man was arrested after allegedly breaking into her Hollywood Hills house and spending the night there while waiting for Rihanna to return.
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola is hoping that Erling Haaland can get back to his sharpest on the training pitch before Real Madrid.
Pep Guardiola kept Erling Haaland at home for the FA Cup tie at Newcastle to make sure he is up to speed to face Real Madrid. Manchester City head to the Spanish capital on Tuesday and Guardiola wants his star striker fresh after a recent injury.
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Haaland sat out the Premier League win over Leeds last weekend with a minor ankle problem he picked up in training, but returned for the 2-2 draw with Nottingham Forest. He played the full match at the Etihad, although he was unable to have much of an impact and did not look at his sharpest.
Guardiola may always have been planning to rest Haaland for the FA Cup game at St James Park, but with the information he had last week decided that it would be best for the Norwegian not to travel up to the north-east with the rest of the squad – especially if he was only going to sit on the bench – and instead work on getting his top speed back.
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“I didn’t think to let him play and I prefer him training to [clicks fingers] make a rhythm,” said Guardiola after the 3-1 win over Newcastle that books City’s place in the FA Cup quarter-finals. “After injury when he drops he always struggles to have that real pace.”
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The Blues will head to Madrid with confidence after coming from behind with a weakened team to beat Eddie Howe’s side, and they have already won at the Bernabeu this season. Haaland scored a penalty after Nico O’Reilly equalised for a 2-1 victory in the first stage of the Champions League.
That result was crucial to City finishing in the top eight and Real being forced to go through the play-off, but the two European giants will meet for a 10th and 11th time in the past five years when they go head-to-head over the next fortnight. Guardiola’s side are still in all three domestic competitions and will look to keep their unlikely dream of a Quadruple alive in the Champions League.
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Booking.com provides countless deals on flights and accommodation across Europe so Man City fans can follow the team on their Champions League campaign.
Youth council elections have led to the selection of representatives for the UK Youth Parliament and the appointment of East Riding’s first Young Mayor.
A total of 5,423 young people cast their votes, with the highest-ever number of candidates standing for election.
Councillor Victoria Aitken, cabinet member for children, families, and education, said: “I’m delighted at the number of young people who stood for election this year, and the number that voted.
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“It shows that more young people are taking an interest in local issues.
“The UK Youth Parliament gives young people a fantastic opportunity to represent the East Riding on a national scale, and to ensure young people’s voices are heard on issues affecting them.
“I am also thankful to all the young people who stood for election, and the work that has gone into the pledges.
“All of those who stood have the opportunity to continue being involved through the Youth Council.
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“I look forward to working with them, as they help inform our youth strategies and campaigns.”
This year, a record 47 candidates aged 11 to 18 from across the region took part.
Young people voted through schools, postal votes, and an online system, choosing candidates based on anonymous pledge videos.
Darragh Walsche, 14, and Emily Middleton, 16, were elected as Members of Youth Parliament (MYPs), with Mark Nicoline, 14, and Jacob Kidd, 15, elected as deputy members.
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Darragh focused his pledge on tackling youth crime and improving mental health.
Emily prioritised youth provisions, free period products in public spaces, and better access to affordable transport.
East Riding’s first Young Mayor, 12-year-old Noureen Absinsanooj from South Hunsley School, was selected by Youth Council members.
Chairman of East Riding of Yorkshire Council, Councillor Liam Dealtry, announced the results at a ceremony on Thursday, March 5.
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He said: “It was an honour to be a part of the Youth Parliament elections.
“It’s great to see so many young people involved and hear some of the great pledges young people have put forward.
“I am delighted East Riding now has a Young Mayor, and I hope they all enjoy their involvement in representing our young people.”
Noureen will help ensure young people’s voices are heard in public life and will attend civic events alongside the chairman, including Armed Forces Day, Yorkshire Day, the Civic Christmas pantomime, and the Chairman’s Awards.
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UK Youth Parliament members will deliver national campaigns locally and take part in youth voice conferences and national debates.
The elections are held every two years and are organised by Community VISION with support from East Riding of Yorkshire Council.
He ended up in the hospital around 50 times by the time he turned two and was officially diagnosed at age seven
Donations are coming in from across the country and beyond to support the family of a young boy diagnosed with an incredibly rare disease as they raise money for a charity close to their hearts.
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Jason Brady from Mountcharles, Co Donegal, was born 10 years ago on January 13 to parents Laura and Robbie, who initially thought their little boy was in perfect health. But as he grew older, mum Laura, who works for the Irish Defence Force, became concerned about her son.
“He picked up a lot of infections. He ended up in the hospital about 40 or 50 times by the time he turned two. The first time was from a head cold when he was four weeks old. He had an adverse reaction to all the vaccinations, so if he was given the MMR, he got measles from it. Or if he was given the meningitis vaccine, he actually got viral meningitis from it. His wee body couldn’t fight anything.” Laura said, speaking to RSVP Live.
“He was also slow to walk and talk; there was definitely something wrong. I kept asking the hospital ‘Is there something wrong’ and they wouldn’t listen to me initially. They said it was just in my head, because, to look at Jason, he’s absolutely adorable, and even to this day, you wouldn’t know anything was wrong with him until he went to walk.
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“He was referred to Temple Street when he was two, and the first thing the neurologist said to me was ‘You don’t get referred to Temple Street Children’s Hospital for nothing’ because I was worried we were wasting their time, because that’s the impression I got off all the other doctors, and that was such a relief to me, to know that someone actually believed me that there was a problem.
“We had no history of rare disease, so there were genetic bloods, four brain MRIs, a lumbar puncture, and a spinal tap; we did every test under the sun, and they couldn’t find out what was wrong with him.”
Laura said the doctor gave Jason a clinical diagnosis of Ataxia, which is a neurological condition that can cause uncoordinated, clumsy movement, poor balance, and slurred speech due to damage in the nervous system.
“We reached out to Ataxia Foundation Ireland, and started going to their events, which was very upsetting at first. It was a bit of a shock because we didn’t know what we were dealing with. After attending those events for over a year, I knew, in my heart and soul, that Jason hadn’t had the same Ataxia that the people in the group had. I knew we hadn’t gotten to the bottom of it.
“I went back to Temple Street and asked them to do more bloods, but they told me no, they had all the bloods done. Then I turned to Google and found Rare Ireland. They had a conference about three years ago with a geneticist who spoke about finding conditions in children. I spoke to the geneticist after, and he really changed our lives.
“We went private with Jason, which cost us over €6,000, and after the testing, he told us that Jason had spastic paraplegia 26. It’s mad how getting a diagnosis has given us as parents so much relief, because Jason was misdiagnosed for five whole years.
“A doctor had come from Dublin to Donegal to see Jason when he was about two and a half, and he told me that Jason might never walk or talk, and that he would be dead by the time he was ten. For five years, I was going to people’s funerals and crying my eyes out, thinking about burying my own son. I was grieving for my child. We have another child, Joshua, who is 14, and I was thinking, ‘Oh my God, how is Joshua going to cope with losing his brother?’ How am I going to survive this?”
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Spastic paraplegia 26 is an extremely rare, incurable disease, and Jason is one of a handful of people in the world who have been diagnosed with it. The geneticist told the Brady family that people with the condition can live ‘relatively’ normal lives, and that Jason could live into his 60s or 70s.
The condition affects Jason’s lower body. From his core down, his muscles are very weak, and he has difficulty carrying his upper body: “The hardest part about Jason’s disease, for us, as parents, as he gets taller, or even grows a centimetre, it makes life so much harder because he has to learn how to carry that extra centimetre, which causes his walking to get worse.
“He also has a mild intellectual disability, but he goes to a mainstream school, and they absolutely love him there. He has a full-time SNA, and they are like best friends. At Christmas, the school included him in a play, and he came out on stage dressed as a wee sheep. I have never felt so proud in my whole life!”
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Jason uses a walker at school so he can get around more easily, which Laura says has given him a lot of independence. He also has a wheelchair that the family uses for long distances, as he struggles to walk far. However, when he falls unwell, due to his weakened immune system, he finds it incredibly difficult to walk. “He has to crawl around the place as his body gets too weak.”
There has been great support for Jason in both the local Donegal community and from outside of it. The ten-year-old is a member of the Little Blue Heroes, making him an honorary Garda, which he takes very seriously. The family also have an assistance dog, a black Labrador called Nelly, who came from Cork’s Dogs For The Disabled.
“Jason is just so lovable, and he never stops talking now! It’s so important to never give up hope. He lives in his own world; he doesn’t see himself as any different from anyone else in his class. He says he walks differently, but he doesn’t see that as a problem.”
If there is one thing that Laura could tell other parents about advocating for their child, she said, “You need to be the voice for them.
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“Doctors need to be accountable for what they tell parents. For five years, we were told the wrong stuff. You’re literally given a diagnosis, and you go home and Google it, because there are no other supports there, and it’s all bad stuff online, you never see the good stuff.”
Now, the family is looking forward to abseiling off Croke Park Stadium on Sunday to raise funds for Rare Ireland. “You’re literally in a harness coming down from a 150-foot drop,” Laura explained.
“We have over €10,000 raised, and we’re absolutely delighted.”
John Clark, a victim of the 1973 Old Bailey bombing in London, Jonathan Ganesh, a 1996 London Docklands bombing victim, and Barry Laycock, a victim of the 1996 Arndale shopping centre bombing in Manchester, all allege that Mr Adams was a leading member of the Provisional IRA on those dates, including of its Army Council.
After the murder of his only child, who was five, Mick North is still battling the pro-gun lobby.
Mick North, who lost his daughter Sophie in the Dunblane Primary School shooting 30 years ago, has warned against allowing police patrol cars to carry guns.
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After the murder of his only child, who was five, Mick is still battling the pro-gun lobby.
The 30th anniversary of the deaths of Sophie and 15 of her Primary 1 classmates as well as their teacher Gwen Mayor will be marked on Friday.
While the tragedy led within 16 months to a handgun ban in the UK, Mick, 78, is never complacent.
The Scottish Police Federation wants a gun to be carried in all patrol cars to enable officers to respond to threats without having to wait for firearms’ back-up. While the Scottish Government and the force’s top officers have not made favourable noises, the federation has formidable lobbying powers.
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Mick said: “I recognise the police do need access to guns in certain circumstances but I worry about the consequences should they have them in every patrol car.
“All the evidence from all over the world shows the more guns there are in circulation, the more they’ll be misused.”
Much of the media focus soon fell on the fact Hamilton, who ended the rampage by taking his own life, had caused all the devastation with four legally-held handguns.
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The Snowdrop Campaign, which Mick was an integral part of, soon emerged to lobby for a ban on guns over .22 calibre in private ownership.
Mick said: “It probably gave me a focus.”
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