From Little Devil Inside to Star Wars Eclipse, we take a look at the most interesting games that have been stuck in development hell ever since they were announced.

Video games are often announced years in advance, but that is no guarantee that they’ll ever actually be released.

As we’ve seen with the Prince Of Persia: The Sands Of Time remake and the Perfect Dark reboot, highly anticipated games can easily be cancelled for a variety of reasons. However, it’s almost more frustrating when they’re not cancelled but you just never hear about them again, or if you do it’s with vague updates that never reveal a release date.

For the optimistic dreamers, we’ve made a list of the games which still have a chance of coming out, but have been floating in gaming purgatory for years without any substantial news. Some of them are technically-not-cancelled pipedreams, while others are one step removed from vapourware, but there’s at least a chance that any and all of the following games could still be released.

Star Wars Eclipse

This branching narrative action adventure title from Heavy Rain developer Quantic Dream was announced at The Game Awards in 2021, but hasn’t been shown since. In May this year, the team cancelled another project, Spellcasters Chronicles, but promised development on Star Wars Eclipse was ‘not affected by this decision and continues as planned’. 

However, subsequent reports suggest the project is at risk. French union group STJV have called for strikes against Quantic Dream, to give better compensation for roughly 115 employees laid off at the studio in the wake of Spellcasters Chronicles’ cancellation, The union’s blog posts claim Star Wars Eclipse’s development is ‘proving just as complicated’. While it’s unclear what means exactly, it’s not technically cancelled.

Little Devil Inside

Developed by Neostream Interactive, this 19th century indie action adventure has become an elusive mystery. It was originally revealed via a Kickstarter campaign in April 2015 (with the Wii U listed as a release platform), before it was later seen in September 2020 during a Sony event – where it gained a lot of fans following its impressive trailer. 

It was slated for release in 2022 at one point, but when that came and went, many believed it had been cancelled. However, the team provided an update on Kickstarter in 2024, after years of silence, where they suggested internal conflict had led to the game’s delay.

‘So now, we’re back to a smaller, bonded team with a single, common purpose – just to make a great game,’ the post reads. Along with shifting the project to Unreal Engine 5, the team said discussions regarding publishing were underway, but two years have passed since that update.

Light No Fire

Developer Hello Games pulled off an impressive turnaround with No Man’s Sky, after marketing controversies and a troubled launch, but there’s an air of growing concern around its next major project, Light No Fire. It was announced at The Game Awards 2023, but development on the project began in 2018 – so it’s been cooking for some time. 

The studio might be staying quiet to avoid the same controversy of unfulfilled promises which bogged No Man’s Sky, but after almost three years of silence, it’s now become a long-gestating anomaly which could prove to be too ambitious for its own good. 

Star Wars: Knights Of The Old Republic remake

A remake of BioWare’s classic role-player was announced in 2021, led by Aspyr. However, it has since switched hands to Saber Interactive, and is reportedly being worked on by the same team behind Clive Barker’s Hellraiser: Revival. 

We’ve still seen nothing from the remake beyond the initial trailer five years ago, but Saber’s chief content officer, Tim Willits, confirmed it still exists in March this year. Beyond that, a rumour suggests it could be re-revealed later this year.

The peculiar thing about the whole project is that Lucasfilm keep hiring developers with no experience with big budget action role-players. Aspyr only really do remasters and while Saber are generally more experienced it’s still not really their wheelhouse, which no doubt explains the delays.

Beyond Good & Evil 2

If you’re looking to define development hell, Ubisoft’s prequel to Beyond Good & Evil has become the most famous example. Beyond Good & Evil 2 was originally announced in 2008, and after being in the works for over 15 years, it is the game with the longest development time ever – a record previously held by 2011’s Duke Nukem Forever. 

The game was re-revealed during Ubisoft’s E3 conference in 2017, a decade after its initial annoucement, but it’s now been almost eight years since then. There have been some complications behind the scenes over recent years though.

Original series creator Michel Ancel left Ubisoft in 2020 and then Emile Morel, the game’s creative director, died suddenly, aged 40. Fawsi Mesmar was appointed as a replacement a year later, in 2024. 

In June 2026, Ubisoft brand director, Loïc Gounon, told Polygon the game was still being worked on, but after a nearly 20-year wait, it’s difficult to tell if this follow-up to a niche cult classic will make any kind of splash, if it does ever come out.

System Shock 3

A follow-up to 1999’s System Shock 2 was announced in 2015, but the project still hasn’t materialised. It was in development for years at Otherside Entertainment, but in 2020, the studio announced Chinese conglomerate Tencent was ‘taking the System Shock franchise forward’ in a bid to help fund the sequel – although it was unclear what this meant considering the original team had stopped working on it. 

Since then, nothing more has been heard. However, Nightdive Studios, who own the rights to the first two System Shock games, clarified last year that the rights to System Shock 3 had been sold to Tencent – so it’s up to them to decide its future.

Speaking to VGC in 2025, Nightdive’s director of business development, Larry Kuperman, said an update on the series’ future could come ‘potentially within a year’ – but that crumb of hope is starting to fade. 

Marvel’s Iron Man

A single-player game centred around Marvel’s Iron Man was announced by EA in 2022, from Motive Studio. Its prospects, however, took a hit when a ‘group’ of developers at the studio were shifted onto Battlefield 6 two years later, although EA insisted Iron Man was still ‘an important priority’ and its development was continuing in parallel. 

We’ve heard little about the project since, and following the cancellation of EA’s Black Panther project, which was annouced at the same time, and the company’s buyout, there’s concern Iron Man could be on the chopping block to help eliminate EA’s new $20 billion debt.

Splinter Cell remake

Ubisoft has baited Splinter Cell fans for years with Sam Fisher crossovers in Rainbow Six Siege and Ghost Recon, but after it did finally announce a remake of the original in 2021, the company has only ever shared some concept art of the project. It’s been so long, the remake’s director, David Grivel, left his position and then had time to come back again, during the span of its creation. 

Some reports have suggested it could still be released sometime soon, but considering all the recent structural shifts at Ubisoft, it wouldn’t be surprising if this is still a few years away. 

Bioshock 4

Cloud Chamber has been working on BioShock 4 since 2019, but nothing has ever been shown of it. Last year, the studio underwent a change in leadership, with Rod Fergusson, who helped complete development on Bioshock Infinite, being drafted in to lead the team. 

Take Two’s CEO Strauss Zelnick has expressed his disappointment over Bioshock 4’s delay. Speaking in May this year, Zelnick said: ‘I think we, in retrospect, wasted a lot of time and money chasing down some creative alleys that turned out to be dead ends.’

We don’t have any clarification on what these ‘dead ends’ are (there was a leak about the game being set in Antarctica, so maybe that didn’t work out) but in comparison to others on this list, this sequel has some kind of pulse at least. 

DokeV

Before the world knew about Crimson Desert, developer Pearl Abyss announced an open world monster-collecting game called DokeV. It’s bright, musical, and clearly aimed at the Pokémon crowd, and is generally the complete opposite of the developer’s other game.

Details have been sparse since its original reveal in 2019, aside from a trailer at Gamescom Opening Night Live in 2021. However, in May this year, Pearl Abyss confirmed the project has entered pre-production, suggesting it could launch in 2028. In other words, all the prior trailers were for a game that didn’t exist yet and work has barely begun.

Project Awakening

For Monster Hunter and Dragon’s Dogma fans, Project Awakening’s protracted development has been an ongoing sore point. It was originally announced back in 2018, with a trailer showing an armoured man fighting a giant lizard creature. 

It’s by Cygames Osaka, the team behind Granblue Fantasy: Relink, and in July 2026, after years of silence, the company’s president Koichi Watanabe confirmed it still exists, stating that it is ‘progressing steadily’. Slow and steady may win the race, but at some point, you have to question what the turtle’s been doing this whole time. 

The Last Night

It’s been nine years since The Last Night’s trailer caused a stir at E3 2017, but it blew up for the wrong reasons in the aftermath. Tweets from 2014 by the game’s director, Tim Soret, were dug up shortly afterwards, which showed him supporting Gamergate and disparaged feminism, while themes in the game’s premise were interpreted as supporting a right wing ideology. 

Soret backtracked on the comments and refuted how the game’s message had been perceived. He was supported by publisher Raw Fury at the time, but the game’s prolonged development threw up more obstacles. In 2019, Soret’s studio Odd Tales said it was facing legal and funding issues – after they parted ways with Raw Fury in 2018. The last update on the game’s website was in 2024, and while it’s believed to be still in development it’s unclear when it will eventually resurface. 

Deep Down

The whereabouts of this sci-fi action role-player has become a long-running mystery amongst Capcom fans. It was announced for the PlayStation 4 in 2013, and despite not being publicly shown since then, it has endured as a long lost project which has never technically beencancelled. 

There’s still hope Capcom could revive the project, much like Pragmata, but the chances of it making a comeback do seem slim – especially following the departure of the game’s producer, Yoshinori Ono, from Capcom in 2020. It’s not even clear whether it was a proper game project and not just a tech demo for what would become Capcom’s RE Engine.

Tekken X Street Fighter

2012’s Street Fighter X Tekken may have failed to set the world alight, but some are still holding out hope for its reverse crossover sibling. Tekken X Street Fighter was announced in 2010, but Bandai Namco put its development on hold in 2016. 

Former Tekken producer Katsuhiro Harada said development stopped on the title when it was around ‘30% done’. After reports circulated that it had been cancelled in 2021, Harada refuted this, saying he was ‘hopeful’ the title would one day ‘resume development’. With Harada having now left Bandai Namco, however, it’s unclear if it will ever be revived. 

Ark 2

Ark: Survival Evolved has become a quiet juggernaut, hence why a sequel was announced in 2020 starring Vin Diesel. It has been delayed countless times since then and, in December last year, Studio Wildcard gave it a new release window of 2028. 

Whether it will actually come out in 2028, and if it will still feature the Fast & Furious star riding dinosaurs, is a different matter entirely. Before then, the studio is planning to launch new content for its predecessor, including a major expansion called Legacy Of Santiago by the end of 2027. 

Email gamecentral@metro.co.uk, leave a comment below, follow us on Twitter.

To submit Inbox letters and Reader’s Features more easily, without the need to send an email, just use our Submit Stuff page here.

For more stories like this, check our Gaming page.

MORE: The video games industry is in the hands of monsters and EA is the latest victim

MORE: Onimusha: Way Of The Sword hands-on preview – another successful Capcom reboot

MORE: Big Walk has dethroned Forza Horizon 6 as top rated game of 2026

Indie York staged its annual general meeting at the Novotel, where members heard about the progress the volunteer-run body has made over the past year.

Re-elected chairwoman Charlotte Watson recalled how businesses in Bishopthorpe Road were affected as people avoided York, even though they were well away from the flooding.

This led the group to be formed to promote the city’s many independents.

RECOMMENDED READING:

Charlotte, who has her own independent consultancy Beyond the Business, said the group now has 280 members, which is the “highest to date.”

Indie York, she continued, stages member coffee mornings, promotes independent food and drink, staged a ceramic sculpture trail, introduced a loyalty card to encourage shoppers to buy at independent businesses by offering prizes in a draw.

Indie York also partnered with York Bid in a Shop York Campaign, which also featured a prize draw for those shopping at certain retailers.

The group also produced a 10th anniversary map highlighting the city’s independents, which is actually the 11th edition of the popular guide.

Treasurer Ben Thorpe said the group was in “a robust place financially”, which was helped by the annual membership fee increasing from £75 to £100.

The group has also received a boost with mayoral funding from the Combined Authority.

Polly Bennett, who founded the Little Vikings guide, is Indie York’s deputy chair.

Polly said there would be campaigns and events to get families and locals back to the city centre.

There would be artworks, a new Indie York map, and branded seating, plus a large map of independent businesses going up in the Shambles.

There would also be two evening markets, a ‘family weekend’ at a quieter time of the year.

The Indie York Christmas Market chalet would also return.

The next Indie York map is due for release in December.

Indie York would also take part in and support the York Minster Christmas Tree Festival.

But Polly added: “The most exciting thing is the new website.”

“The new website will be amazing and make a massive difference.”

Charlotte confirmed that the new website, due in the coming weeks, replacing a tens year old site, will be more interactive to help people find independent businesses and easier for members to add details.

The group would be working with Little Vikings to develop family-friendly events in the city, including the night markets.

Charlotte also told the Press after the AGM: “We are all volunteers and we continue to support our indie community. We look forward to welcoming even more businesses in the next 12 months, that we can shine a light of support on.”

Saltburn Smugglers’ Shanties on the Shore series has attracted growing audiences over the last couple of months, with the latest performance on Friday (July 31) recording the biggest attendance yet. 

Due to the demand, the final show on Friday, August 14, will move from the seafront to Saltburn’s top promenade.

The Saltburn Smugglers performing on the seafront for Shanties on the Shore. (Image: Saltburn Smugglers)

Keith Ayling, founder of the Saltburn-based group, said: “This has to be the jewel in the crown of events on the coast. We see people travelling from all over the North to it, and some driving four hours to get here.

“But more than that, the spirit that we see as people come together to sing is awe inspiring.

“There is so much thankfulness from everyone as we sing together, it can be overwhelming. This gathering brings hope and beautiful memories to hundreds of people.”

The Saltburn Smugglers perform original songs inspired by the sea.

Their most recent show drew fans of all ages, who gathered on the seafront to enjoy the sunset and join in with the music.

The Saltburn Smugglers. (Image: Saltburn Smugglers)

The Saltburn Children’s Shanty Choir also performed on the night, singing three of their own original songs.

Visitors were treated to pizzas and ice creams throughout the evening, helping create a classic seaside setting as the sun set over the coast.

The Saltburn Smugglers performing on the seafront for Shanties on the Shore. (Image: Saltburn Smugglers)

The free concert raises money for Redcar RNLI, whose volunteers received a loud cheer from the crowd during the show.

Organisers said the event has regularly attracted visitors from well beyond the local area, and the decision to move the final show to a larger space reflects its growing popularity.

The final Shanties on the Shore performance will take place on Friday, August 14, from 6pm on Saltburn’s top promenade.

Tenerife, Gran Canaria, Lanzarote and Fuerteventura are all firm favourites with UK holidaymakers but there’s one lesser-known island worth having on your radar

The Canary Islands need no introduction; they’ve been a popular holiday spot for Brits for decades. However over the years they’ve also been a victim of their own success, with the likes of Tenerife and Lanzarote gaining a reputation for being packed with tourists during the peak holiday seasons.

However, there’s one lesser-known island that has breathtaking beaches, azure waters and landscapes so beautiful the entire island has been designated as a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve; yet it doesn’t have the tourist crowds.

El Hierro is one of the smaller islands in the region, and boasts an average temperature of 22C year-round, making it ideal for those who want to escape for some winter sun. You won’t find golden sandy beaches or bustling resorts here; instead, what awaits are volcanic shores with black and red sands, rugged cliffs, and diving hotspots.

For example Playa Puerto de La Estaca is a small beach right by a pier of the same name with dark sands, a wooden walkway and a car park. Meanwhile Timijiraque beach is popular with swimmers in the summer thanks to its spacious stretch of sand, proximity to the Puerto de la Estaca, and access to the likes of a nearby children’s play area, not to mention it boasts a small tunnel leading to a cove with black sands.

Advertisement

However adventurers may want to plan a hike to El Verodal; although you can’t swim in its waters, this beach is part of the rugged coastline that makes El Hierro so spectacular. (For those picture-perfect white sands, then the beach at Arenas Blancas is as close as you’ll get.)

The island is one for those who like to go off the beaten track; you won’t find heaps of bars and clubs, but you’ll find boutique hotels and eco-friendly stays all designed with sustainability at their core.

The main activities range from hiking to diving (according to the Canaries’ tourism officials, it’s “one of the best places on the planet for scuba diving”), but there are some stretches of shore where you can relax and take in the views, or wander into local towns.

It’s not just about the beaches either; the island is renowned for its beautiful natural pools. Charco Azul, aptly nicknamed the ‘blue pond’ never fails to wow visitors with its turquoise waters, tucked away at the base of a volcanic cliff.

Because El Hierro is so small, it can easily be explored on a hike through the pine forests and along the unrivalled coastal paths. Camino de Jinama is particularly popular; it’s only about three kilometres long but is well worth the stroll (although there are a few steep parts), if only for the incredible views it offers of the island and its surroundings.

For those who prefer to explore underwater, La Restinga Marine Reserve is a must-visit. In fact, according to the Canaries’ tourism officials, the island itself is “one of the best places on the planet for scuba diving”.

If you want to visit, you’ll need to fly to the likes of Tenerife or Gran Canaria, and then get a connecting flight across to El Hierro airport, as there are no direct flights from the UK.

Do you have a holiday story you want to share with us? Email us at webtravel@reachplc.com.

Jenny Saunders, Customer Services Director for GTR, said: “It’s fantastic that the reach of our network enables people to travel to both Gatwick and Luton airports by rail. Travelling by train alleviates the stress of traffic and means your holiday can get started even earlier, but not if you end up injuring yourself on the journey.

A consultation has just ended on new regulations for pet rescue centres, electric shock collars, microchipping and dog licenses

Northern Ireland’s dog licensing regime and proposals coming from Stormont as part of a proposed animal welfare bill are “ridiculous”, a Belfast councillor has claimed.

A series of warnings have come from Belfast City Hall, from elected representatives as well as officials, regarding a public consultation on proposed animal welfare policy reforms in Northern Ireland. The consultation, from the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs, ended last month.

In the most recent full Belfast City Council meeting, elected representatives signed off on an official response in which City Hall gave no-holds barred criticisms of DAERA proposals, stressing the lack of finance involved.

READ MORE: Belfast Council spends £250,000 on Fleadh street dressing

READ MORE: Five key moments from Belfast Council in July

The council states: “The consultation proposals reflect a concerning and growing trend which concerns officers, whereby central government seeks to devolve enforcement responsibilities to local government without a corresponding transfer of financial resources, powers or legal protections.” Meanwhile a Belfast Green Party Councillor has described a proposal to raise dog licences according to inflation as “nonsense”.

The Stormont department has proposed changes around the regulation of rescue and rehoming organisations, a ban on so-called “aversive training devices,” such as electric shock collars, strengthened microchipping requirements for dogs, and an inflationary increase in dog licence fees.

It follows a consultation in summer 2025 over Stormont’s proposed new rules for selling and supplying puppies and kittens, which involve giving councils new powers. Belfast Council highlighted concerns in relation to the lack of animal welfare funding from DAERA to facilitate these changes.

At the most recent meeting of the council’s People and Communities Committee, Green Party Councillor Anthony Flynn admonished DAERA’s proposal to raise the current licence fee of £12.50 to £18.50. Those on income related benefits, or who have had their dog neutered, may pay a reduced fee of £5.

Councillor Flynn praised the council officer’s response to the consultation, and added: “We need strong animal welfare and legislation, which I absolutely agree with, but the other issue here is where councils should fit into that regime. Where councils are given additional powers, they should be given additional resources, and legal tools, to do animal welfare effectively.”

He said: “I have been calling for the devolution of dog licence fee regulations for years. And I want to point out that just having an inflationary increase is the most ridiculous thing I have heard in my entire life, when it comes to this.

“The entire licensing regime needs to be scrapped, and we need to start again. On doing some research on this, Northern Ireland is one of the few places with a licensing regime done in this way. It is incredibly ineffective.

“What it essentially does is place the burden upon someone who gets a dog, to know they have to licence their dog with a local council. Information is simply non-existent when it comes to that.

“I live in the Lisburn and Castlereagh Council area, and when I register my dog, they send me a text and that is essentially it. They have no idea if my dog is still alive, whether it is neutered, and all those things.”

He added: “And the amount of money councils get through licensing is miniscule, compared to what it actually costs to run an animal welfare service or a dog warden service. What we get through licensing is 10 percent of the animal welfare budget, so what is the point of it?

“Is it to cover costs, or to put focus on responsible ownership? Because, for me, that is what we should be heading towards.” He said the minister’s position was “nonsense” and said the council response should be stronger on licences and should be changed on cat microchipping.

Councils currently have a statutory responsibility for the enforcement of Welfare of Animals Act 2011 in respect of “non-farmed” animals, that is companion animals and horses and donkeys. They are also responsible for licensing and enforcement activities under The Dogs (Northern Ireland) Order 1983, including dog breeding establishments.

Councils have no role in relation to the breeding, sale, licensing, microchipping, ownership or management of cat behaviour. Councils have no role in relation to rescue and rehoming organisations, ‘doggy day care’, pet shops, and boarding kennels. These are either unregulated or controlled by Stormont.

A council report on the consultation said: “Whilst officers welcome strategies and policies to improve animal welfare, we do not agree that councils should be required to take on new and additional statutory responsibility for the regulation of rescue and rehoming organisations and enforcement of additional offences, without the regulatory and financial impacts being fully assessed and consulted upon with councils.

“These proposals would create additional responsibilities for premises and activities which are either unregulated or currently dealt with by other agencies including DEARA.

“Councils are still dealing with the impact of the legislation on XL bully safeguards and incurring ongoing costs, which are being absorbed by rate payers. The XL bully legislation is still impacting on dog warden service capacity, with other enforcement activities having to be reprioritised.”

It adds: “While we understand the department’s difficult budgetary position, the decision to withdraw the annual £1.25 million NI funding for animal welfare has left councils in a challenging position. In the absence of any commitment of future allocation of funds to councils, the cost of providing our current animal welfare service continues to be borne by the ratepayers.”

The council said proposed regulation and licensing of rescue centres “aligns much more closely with DAERA’s current licensing functions of establishments such as boarding kennels, zoos and pet shops and should sit with them.

The council added on the matter “It is likely there will be unintended consequences for small volunteer-led rescues, leading to risks in a reduction of capacity, closures and the risk of reduced rehoming availability.” Officers said Belfast Council “would not be able to deliver the proposed enforcement regime within existing resources.”

Regarding a proposed ban on so-called “aversive training devices” the council said: “Whilst officers strongly support a ban on the use of handheld remote controlled electric shock collars, choke collars and prong collars on dogs and cats, we would prefer a ban on the sale and possession of these devices. It is felt that further effective enforcement should include powers to seize devices and the use of fixed penalty notices.”

The council reiterated that they could not enforce any new regulations on microchipping without financial support.

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

New mental health emergency departments and community hubs are set to open in Greater Manchester as part of a major national rollout across England.

The plan includes up to 159 new sites across the country, with 10 new mental health centres and seven mental health emergency departments to be delivered in the North West.

Dr Michael Gregory, regional medical director for NHS England in the North West, said: “Too many people in the North West are only getting mental health support when they reach crisis point, after struggling for too long to get the help they need.

“These new community mental health centres will help people across Cheshire & Merseyside, Greater Manchester, and Lancashire & South Cumbria get support earlier and closer to home, making it easier to get the right care before problems escalate.

“And when someone does need urgent help, the new mental health emergency department schemes will help make sure they are seen quickly by specialist teams in the right setting.

“This is an important step towards preventing more people from reaching crisis, cutting waits for care and building an NHS that is fit for the future.”

Backed by £343 million, the scheme represents the largest overhaul of mental health services in a generation.

Greater Manchester will receive three new mental health neighbourhood centres and three specialist emergency department schemes.

In neighbouring Cheshire and Merseyside, four neighbourhood centres and three emergency department schemes will be created, while Lancashire and South Cumbria will gain three centres and one emergency facility.

The new neighbourhood hubs will offer walk-in support without a referral or long waiting times, bringing together mental health teams, GPs, councils, the voluntary sector, and families under one roof.

By providing earlier intervention and integrated care, the centres aim to prevent people from reaching a crisis point.

The first facilities are set to open from autumn this year, with further facilities following from March 2027.

Some will be newly built, while others will be based in existing community spaces such as libraries and banks.

All will be designed as welcoming, non-clinical environments at the heart of the communities they serve.

New mental health emergency departments will offer same-day, specialist support for people in crisis who do not require A&E treatment.

The expansion will more than double the number of dedicated mental health emergency departments in England, bringing the total to 82.

A judge told all three in the courtroom that ‘this was an entirely disgraceful event… all three of you should be ashamed of yourselves’ as he passed down his sentencing

Advertisement

A father and his two sons left a lorry driver with a severe facial injury requiring nine stitches when a funeral “descended into something akin to a bar room brawl”.

The man has been left with permanent scarring after nine stitches were required to his face after the family went postal at a wake, with the three men hurling pint glasses and gouging at the eyes of mourners following the funeral service.

Given the father had previously become violent at another memorial gathering just three years prior, a judge has scolded the family for the brawl in a public courtroom: “This was an entirely disgraceful event. All three of you should be ashamed of yourselves.”

Liverpool Crown Court heard on Thursday that the Redmonds, all of Holm Lane in Prenton, Wirral, were in attendance of a wake held at the Prenton Golf Club on the afternoon of 17 October 2024 following a funeral.

Their connection to the deceased remains unclear, but the father and sons are understood to have been unfamiliar to witnesses of the incident in question. It is understood that witnesses, however, “thought that the defendants were inappropriately dressed” for the event in question.

Advertisement

Prosecutor Henry Riding told the court that the wake had been scheduled to finish at 7pm, with golf course manager Kate Verdin-Walsh announcing last orders shortly before 6.45pm. She described the atmosphere as “good” with the service “passing without any untoward incident” until last drinks were called and staff members then “alerted her to shouting in the bar area”.

At the scene, Ms Verdin-Walsh discovered “12 to 15 persons in a circle, appearing to act as a buffer between two males who were arguing and shouting”. According to the Liverpool Echo, Liam Redmond snr was reportedly amongst those involved, and was observed shouting at another man as the latter “tried to back away”.

Having “managed to calm him down”, the now 61-year-old and his sons — who had previously been described as “squaring up and showboating” — were then escorted from the premises by staff. However, the father then dragged another man to the ground near to the exit. It was then “large scale fight broke out”, the court heard.

The brawl was apparently triggered by a man grabbing at Redmond snr’s daughter as she attempted to follow him and her brothers out of the venue. The man who had been floored “put his arm around her back to keep her in the room”, and was apparently unaware of her connection to those who had been removed.

What followed was a “lot of pushing and fighting”, leading to one of the sons allegedly hurling a pint glass into the crowd. The glass struck Ms Verdin-Walsh on the head, causing a small lump and resulting in her needing hospital treatment.

Witness Ronald Hancox subsequently stated that he had observed Redmond snr “pressing his thumb inside the eye of another male”, prompting him to intervene by striking the defendant. Another attendee, Carl Hancox, also witnessed the father “striking a male called Billy” before forcing his thumbs into the victim’s eyes.

When he also rushed to assist this victim, he remembered that “all three defendants turned their attentions on him”, resulting in him being punched and kicked to the head while on the ground. Roberts snr was then said to have similarly “shoved his thumbs into his eye, like he had done to Billy”.

Advertisement

William Donaldson, the uncle of the man who was first dragged to the ground during the incident, told police he had “run into the centre of the fight to try protect his nephew”. Prosecutor Mr Riding said: “He saw a glass being thrown by one of the males but ended up on the floor, being struck multiple times by the younger of the two males, who attempted to gouge out his eyes with his fingers.”

Mr Donaldson suffered a “split” nose in the attack, which he believed was caused by a glass bottle. He attended hospital the following day, where the wound was closed with a total of nine stitches.

The HGV driver was also forced to take a fortnight off work after being left with fragments of glass in his eye. In a victim impact statement read to the court, he said of the scar on his face: “I don’t really go out much any more so that I don’t have to explain it to people. I no longer pop down to the pub. I get nervous about strange places and people. I was always easy going and could chat to anyone. I always enjoyed a laugh and socialising, but not any more.”

Liam Redmond snr has 16 previous convictions for 24 offences dating back to 1978, including a nine-month sentence for attempted wounding in 1990. In May 2022, he was handed a 12-month community order for affray relating to a “fight caused by the defendant at a wake in a hotel in 2021”.

Defence barrister Lloyd Morgan told the court his client suffered from emphysema, adding: “Mr Roberts snr receives Universal Credit and Personal Independence Payment. He receives about £900 per month. He has various outgoings. The report does recommend a rehabilitation activity requirement and an alcohol abstinence monitoring requirement.”

Neither Liam Redmond jnr, 25, nor Luke Redmond, 23, had any previous convictions. Representing Liam Redmond jnr, Nick Cockrell told the court: “This was, in this defendant’s life, an isolated incident, almost two years ago now, admittedly one committed when he was in drink. He does still drink from time to time, as any young person does. He is a self employed plasterer.”

Luke Redmond’s barrister Cheryl Mottram said her client had not reoffended since the incident and was “very remorseful”. All three defendants admitted affray on the day they had been due to stand trial.

Advertisement

Liam Redmond snr, who appeared in the dock wearing a navy blue cardigan over a light blue shirt and tie, was sentenced to nine months in prison, suspended for 18 months. He was also ordered to complete up to 10 days of rehabilitation activity and a 90-day alcohol abstinence monitoring requirement. Liam Redmond jnr, wearing a light blue shirt and tie, and Luke Redmond, dressed in a grey suit and glasses, were each given 12-month community orders with 15 days of rehabilitation activity and 80 hours of unpaid work.

All three men were also ordered to pay Mr Donaldson £250 each in compensation. Sentencing them, Judge Garrett Byrne said: “On that date, you were all in attendance at a wake at Prenton Golf Club. You, along with everybody, it seems to me, were under the influence of alcohol. There appears to have been some words said, and a fight broke out.

“This was, on any view, an entirely disgraceful event. All three of you should be ashamed of yourselves. What was supposed to be a solemn and respectful event descended into something akin to a bar room brawl.

“It started when you, Mr Redmond snr, dragged the nephew down. Mr Donaldson ran over to help his nephew, and the fight started. Glasses were thrown, various injuries were suffered by a number of different people, including the manager, including Carl Hancox, but, perhaps most seriously of all, William Donaldson, who suffered a very serious injury to his nose.

“He had nine stitches to close that unpleasant wound. He was left with a permanent scar. He was left with glass fragments in his eyes. Although it is not entirely clear which of you caused the injuries to Mr Donaldson, it is clear that you were all active participants in the fight.”

Judge Byrne told Redmond snr his previous conviction “bore a striking similarity” to the latest offence, adding: “It was another wake. You were also intoxicated.

“I accept that you have not reoffended. None of you have reoffended since this offence. You have shown genuine remorse. I accept that you have medical conditions. You showed good compliance on your community order, albeit it did not stop you committing this offence.”

A member of staff at NHS Tayside is alleged to have accessed Minnie Merriman’s health records without permission or a clinical need.

A health board is investigating an potential data breach after a murdered schoolgirl’s heath records were allegedly accessed by a member of staff. Minnie Merriman died at Ninewells Hospital in Dundee after she was found seriously injured at Elliot Industrial Estate in Arbroath in the early hours of Monday August 3.

The nine-year-old and her family, from West Yorkshire, were camping in the area but it’s not known how long they had been in Scotland prior to the incident. Three other members of Minnie’s family were also taken to hospital.

NHS Tayside confirmed to the Courier an investigation has been launched after Minnie’s health records were allegedly accessed without permission or a clinical need. No other details of the alleged data breach have been released by the health board but the issue could be reported to the Information Commissioner’s Office if serious enough.

A spokesperson for NHS Tayside said: “NHS Tayside is currently investigating the circumstances of an alleged data breach which happened in a working clinical area where staff access patient information. As a matter of governance, any data protection breach would be recorded and investigated by NHS Tayside and, where appropriate, reported to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO). It would not be appropriate for us to comment further on individual staffing matters.”

Christopher Rice, Minnie’s dad, appeared at Forfar Sheriff Court on Wednesday, where he faced a single charge of murder. The 35-year-old from Wakefield made no plea and was remanded in custody.

Laurie Merriman, Minnie’s mum, paid tribute to her “first true love” in a heart-breaking message following her daughter’s death. Police Scotland was contacted for comment.

Get more Daily Record exclusives by signing up for free to Google’s preferred sources. Click HERE.