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NewsBeat

Gang ran cocaine and cannabis enterprise out of garden centre

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Wales Online

Danny Tomlin, 40, was the leader of the drugs enterprise, involving the sale of cocaine and cannabis in south Wales and south-west England.

A major cocaine and cannabis drugs enterprise operated out of a garden centre. Members of an organised crime group made trips across south Wales and into England in order to make deliveries.

Danny Tomlin, 40, was the leader of the organised crime group (OCG) which was based at Kitts Green Nursery in Gloucestershire. Most of the group’s activity took place between Newport and Swansea, with frequent deliveries made on almost a daily basis during the enterprise.

A sentencing hearing at Cardiff Crown Court on Tuesday heard Tomlin was the leading member of this group who directed the supply of cannabis and cocaine and the operation of cannabis factories in Pontllanfraith, near Blackwood, and Trebanog, near Porth. Don’t miss a court report by signing up to our crime newsletter here.

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Tomlin’s mother-in-law was the owner of Kitts Green Nursery where the operation was based.

Louis Maxwell, 39, was a close associate of Tomlin, and was involved in the supply of cocaine and cannabis.

Christopher Preston, 68, played a significant part in the enterprise by carrying out frequent deliveries of drugs.

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Ashley Coughlan, 42, served as the driver for Maxwell on two occasions, while Ryan Battersby, 36, was also involved in the delivery of cocaine and cannabis.

Bradley Williams, 38, was involved in the distribution of drugs on behalf of the group, as was David Gorman, 41.

Kory Preece, 25, was a significant distributor of cannabis for the group, and was aware of the scale of the operation.

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Jack Griffin, 21, was also involved in the conspiracy, after Preston drove to his address to collect a laundry bag containing drugs.

Detailing specific dates of the conspiracy, prosecutor Roger Griffiths said Maxwell, who was driven by Coughlan on two occasions, made trips to the nursery before making trips to Bridgewater, Swansea, Caldicot, Abertillery and Dowlais.

On March 6, Maxwell was arrested on the M4 near Caldicot, and in his vehicle were two boxes containing half a kilo of cocaine each and a separate parcel containing a kilo of cannabis.

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Members of the group were seen driving to Preece’s address in Caldicot where deliveries of cannabis were made.

Preston carried out a number of journeys on behalf of the group, making collections from the nursery in Gloucestershire to Dowlais to meet Griffin, to Swansea, to Abertillery, Blackwood, Newport, Caldicot.

On June 5, Bradley Williams met with Preston in Abertillery and was seen to take a laundry bag into a lane, which he placed between two bins. He was arrested towards the rear of the lane.

On June 18, police searched Preston’s home, where a quantity of herbal cannabis was found and notebooks showing tick lists.

Battersby made trips to the nursery to make collections and made trips to Swansea, as well as meeting up with Preston in Newport.

Gorman was seen attending the nursery and was also seen by police travelling to Newport and Swansea with Tomlin.

The defendant’s house was raided by police and 1.8kg of cocaine was recovered from his bedroom.

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Griffin was visited by Preston at his home in Newport, where he was seen to hand over a laundry bag to his co-conspirator.

In the middle of June onwards, police had a listening device in Tomlin’s vehicle.

They heard discussion about police raiding the cannabis factory in Pontllanfraith and gardening. He talked about the arrests of Williams and Maxwell and spoke about someone in Swansea owing him a “large bill”.

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Tomlin was later heard speaking about Preston’s arrest, plans to grow more cannabis and the debts he was owed.

The cannabis factories in Pontllanfraith and Trebanog were later raided by police. They were found to contain almost 400 plants with a combined potential yield between 10kg and 31kg.

Tomlin, of Valley Road, Wotton-under-Edge, Gloucestershire, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply cocaine and cannabis and conspiracy to produce cannabis. He has a previous conviction for conspiracy to supply cocaine and received a jail sentence of eight years.

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The defendant was sentenced to 10 years and 10 months imprisonment.

Maxwell, of HMP Parc, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply cocaine and cannabis. He has 20 previous convictions, including an offence of conspiracy to supply cocaine and received a jail sentence of 32 months.

He was sentenced to six years imprisonment.

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Coughlan, of Caerleon Road, Newport, was convicted of conspiracy to supply cocaine. He has no previous convictions.

The defendant was sentenced to three years and nine months imprisonment.

Preece, of Mabey Drive, Chepstow, was convicted of conspiracy to supply cannabis. He has no previous convictions.

He was sentenced to 15 months imprisonment, suspended for two years. He was ordered to carry out 10 rehabilitation activity requirement days and 180 hours unpaid work

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Battersby, of Buttermere Way, Newport, was convicted of conspiracy to supply cocaine and cannabis. He has previous convictions for conspiracy to murder, possession with intent to supply cannabis, battery, and harassment.

He was sentenced to six years imprisonment.

Preston, of Lawnside, Forest Green, Nailsworth, Gloucestershire, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply cocaine and cannabis. He has no relevant previous convictions.

He was sentenced to five years imprisonment.

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Gorman, of Manor Lane, Charfield, South Gloucestershire, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply cocaine. He has one unrelated conviction.

He was sentenced to four years and four months imprisonment.

Griffin, of Westfield Way, Newport, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply cannabis. He has no previous convictions.

He was sentenced to eight months imprisonment, which result in him being released from custody.

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Williams, of Higher Meadow, Llanrhidian, Swansea, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply cannabis. He has previous convictions for assault, breach of orders and conspiracy to supply cocaine, for which he received a six year jail sentence.

He was sentenced to five years and nine months imprisonment.

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‘My heart almost stopped’: David Raya’s six best saves as Arsenal FC close in on Premier League title

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'My heart almost stopped': David Raya's six best saves as Arsenal FC close in on Premier League title

Another Arsenal clean sheet and with it another Golden Glove for David Raya to put on the mantelpiece.

The goalkeeper will be hoping to have some more important silverware alongside it by the end of the month, with Arsenal closing in on the Premier League title and a Champions League final just a few weeks away.

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“I missed my husband’s final phone call” Grieving wife shares unimaginable pain after husband’s death

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Daily Record

Lisa Marshall, 34, was left devastated, when her husband Alan went to work one day, and never came home.

A mum who missed her husband’s last call before he took his own life age 37 was left unable to work and forced to go on Universal Credit.

Lisa Marshall, 34, was left devastated, when her husband Alan went to work one day, and never came home. The dentist, from Glasgow, had tried to call her but she had missed it as her son was using her phone to play Roblox.

He had no history of mental illness, and left her with no note. Lisa, who is also a dentist, but hasn’t been able to work since Alan’s death after being diagnosed with Complex PTSD, struggled with raising three small children, Henry, nine, Matthew, seven, and Sofia, four, whilst coping with her grief.

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The family were even left on Universal Credit for three months – after Alan’s accounts were frozen. She said she is worried her children will think they weren’t good enough for him to stay, and is raising awareness of the fact, that suicide can affect anyone.

She said: “Alan had no mental health issues, he’d never been to the doctors, or spoken to me about any struggles. We were just a normal family; there were no warning signs at all.

“It could happen to anybody. I missed a call from him an hour before it happened, but I hadn’t thought much of it at the time. “Nothing can prepare you for it. When the police came to my door, I was trying to put the kids to bed and they were all clinging to me. “It was horrendous, I don’t think you ever get over that.

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“The police asked lots of questions about our marriage, they said usually these things happen because of debt, or a breakup, or not getting access to kids, but there was nothing like that. There wasn’t even a note.

“I felt like my life was over, but I still had three kids to look after, they gave me strength every day. My children keep asking me why he did it, I don’t want them to think they weren’t good enough for him to stay.”

Lisa and Alan met in a nightclub in Glasgow in 2011, before falling in love and getting married in 2016. They welcomed three children together, and were a happy loving family, leading normal, busy lives.

Alan had no mental health issues, that Lisa was aware of, and had never opened up to her, about any sort of struggle, during their relationship.

“He had a huge passion for Glasgow Rangers, and we spent lots of time going to see them all over the world”, she said. One morning in March 2023, Alan went to his job as a dentist as normal, and Lisa chatted to him throughout the day over text.

“I had a chest infection at the time, and I often wonder, if I’d been 100% myself, would I have noticed something was up?”, she said. “I’d felt anxious a few days before, and I wonder if it was my body telling me something bad was going to happen.”

During the evening, Lisa got a call from Alan, but she missed it as her son was using the phone to play Roblox. An hour later, there was a knock at the door, but as it was the time Alan usually came home from work, she assumed it was him.

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However, when she opened the door, two police officers were standing outside, and informed her that they had found Alan’s car, a body, and his wallet. Devastated, Lisa told her children that their dad had had an accident, and the next morning, did the school run as normal.

“Parents were absolutely shocked to see me out and about as normal”, she said. The police launched an investigation, and asked Alan had any issues such as debt, but Lisa could think of nothing.

As the children were settled in school, she chose to stay in the local area, meaning she has to walk past the location where her husband ended his life, every day. Following her husband’s death, Lisa struggled with grieving whilst still having to take care of her three kids but said the routine of having to take them to school every day, helped her to be able to get through each day.

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“They were the only reason I got up and brushed my teeth every day, without them I would have just stayed in bed”, she said. “They were so anxious, I didn’t want this to damage their childhood.”

Two years after Alan’s death, Lisa decided to tell her oldest two children, that he had taken his own life. “I felt that at eight and six, they would be able to understand it a bit, and I felt so much better for telling them the truth“, she said.

After revealing the truth to her sons, Lisa said it was like they were going through the loss again, and they kept questioning why he had done it. Following Alan’s death, Lisa was diagnosed with complex PTSD, leaving her unable to go back to work, and as her husband’s bank accounts were frozen after he passed away, she had to go on Universal Credit.

“I never thought I’d be on benefits, but they really helped me for the first few months after he died,” she said. She also had to get close family members to help pay her mortgage, and although she now receives Alan’s pension, and had a life insurance payout, finances are a huge worry for herself and many widows.

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She said: “The life insurance payout took over a year, but I know for some widows, it can take three or four years, or they don’t get anything at all. I get messages from widows everyday, who have had to sell their house, or move back in with their parents. “

Lisa is urging people to make sure they have policies such as life insurance and Death in Service in place, to help with the financial burden, should anything happen to their spouse. “Make sure you have financial security, because the financial burden of being widowed adds a whole other layer of stress”, she said.

Lisa is currently campaigning to have the government’s bereavement support payment extended beyond 18 months. You can sign her petition here: https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/752501 She is now preparing to return to work, to show that it is possible to get back on your feet again.

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Driver reported after three car crash on Halliwell Road

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Driver reported after three car crash on Halliwell Road

Police say that one driver has been ‘reported’ for suspected driving offences.

The smash happened just before 3pm on Sunday with emergency services called to the road in Halliwell.

A Peugeot, a Mercedes and a BMW were involved in the crash.

(Image: Phil Taylor)

The crash, at the junction of Elgin Street and Wordsworth Street, left one vehicle on its roof.

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The crash caused significant disruption, with the road closed for several hours.

Passers-by rushed to help those in the car as police and ambulances arrived.

Police taped off the scene.

Crash in Halliwell (Image: PHIL TAYLOR)

Greater Manchester Police confirmed that three people, including two children, suffered minor injuries that are not believed to be life-threatening.

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A spokesperson for the force said: “At around 2.45pm yesterday (10 May 2026), officers responded to reports of a collision involving three cars on Halliwell Road, Bolton.

“Three people – including two children – received minor injuries, not believed to be life-threatening or changing.

“A driver of one of the vehicles has been reported for driving without due care and attention.”

Images from the scene showed a grey Peugeot overturned in the road, with a BMW and Mercedes also sustaining heavy damage.

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Debris from the vehicles, along with personal items, could be seen scattered across the carriageway.

Paramedics from North West Ambulance Service attended alongside police officers, while recovery teams worked to clear the vehicles.

Motorists were urged to avoid the area while the road remained closed, with drivers advised to seek alternative routes.

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Disgraced ex-SNP council leader Jordan Linden to appeal conviction and sentence

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Daily Record

Jordan Linden has told his lawyers to appeal his conviction and sentence.

A disgraced former SNP council leader who was jailed for sexually assaulting young men has launched a bid to clear his name.

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Jordan Linden, 30, was convicted of the attacks as well as directing unwanted sexual communications towards seven teenagers. He was sentenced to 18 months behind bars at Falkirk Sheriff Court last week.

It has now emerged that he has told his lawyers to appeal his conviction and sentence. Linden, who was once leader of North Lanarkshire Council, sent youngsters sexual communication which included photos of him in a bath and shots of his genitalia.

The offences took place over a 10-year period from 2011 until 2021. He repeatedly denied any wrongdoing but was convicted by jurors following a seven-day trial in March.

Linden, who also chaired the Scottish Youth Parliament (SYP), had denied all the charges against him and claimed that they either did not take place or were consensual.

His lawyer, David Moggach KC, said Linden has been ‘bullied’ in his teenage years because of his sexuality and suffered ‘social isolation’ as a result. He added that Linden was now aware that his behaviour ‘simply was unacceptable and he overstepped certain boundaries’.

Sheriff Christopher Shead ruled that there was no alternative to a prison sentence and placed Linden on the sex offenders’ register. Linden blew a kiss to his dad as he was led away to the cells and was later seen in handcuffs being loaded into a prison custody van.

Shamed Linden became a councillor for the SNP in 2017 and rose to become council leader in North Lanarkshire in 2022. He resigned from the post a few weeks later following the allegations and was arrested in 2024.

The court heard from an SNP party official who said Linden locked him in a bathroom and tried to get him to urinate while he watched. The man, who was 18 at the time, said the incident took place after a Dundee Pride parade when Linden was very drunk and being ‘very handsy’ with people.

Another man, who joined the SYP at the same time as Linden as a teenager, said Linden’s touching, on the face or the cheek or the neck, was ‘relentless’.

First Minister John Swinney said he was ‘very sorry’ to anyone who suffered because of Linden. Swinney ordered an independent review of the SNP’s complaints process after some witnesses claimed complaints about Linden were ignored by the party.

The Appeal Court in Edinburgh confirmed that an ‘intention to appeal’ had been lodged for Linden.

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Best dosa in London: where to find authentic Tamil cuisine

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Best dosa in London: where to find authentic Tamil cuisine

Formerly known as Saravana Bhavan, this South Indian vegetarian institution can be found in various locations across the city, and across the globe. They have a site in Leicester Square, Wembley and Southall to name a few, and they offer a wide variety of dosa on their menu. Prices start at £6.95 for dosa, and they all come served with sambar, coconut chutney and spicy red chutney. Highlights include the paper roast dosa and the chef’s special aloo masala cheese dosa.

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Barcelona win La Liga: How Hansi Flick’s side dominated Real Madrid

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Marcus Rashford celebrates a goal for Barcelona

Under Flick’s management Raphinha, despite a season interrupted with injuries, has developed into a more consistent and influential attacker.

Flick has increased the Brazilian’s attacking responsibility and refined his role, encouraging quicker decision-making in transition and a more direct style of play that suits his strengths.

Pedri has remained a central figure in midfield, thriving in a system built around quick progression.

Robert Lewandowski, meanwhile, has rediscovered his sharpness within Flick’s system. With better service and more structured attacking patterns around him, the veteran Poland striker, 37, once again looks decisive. His future at the club is still unknown with his contract expiring in June.

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Eric Garcia has emerged as one of the season’s most valuable tactical players, filling multiple positions seamlessly, while Gerard Martin has exceeded expectations after being placed into a key defensive role.

Even in defeat, Barcelona consistently responded. Following losses to Girona and Real Madrid in October, they immediately launched long winning streaks in the league, rather than allowing setbacks to spiral.

Flick has also shown a strong willingness to rotate and trust squad players, which has helped Barcelona maintain intensity and consistency across a demanding season. Marcus Rashford has been one of those players.

Although he has not been a guaranteed starter, Flick has regularly used him off the bench in key moments and statistics show he ranks among the best forwards at the top-three Spanish clubs – Barca, Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid – if you measure goals and assists per minute across La Liga this season.

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Rashford scored the most important goal of his Barcelona career on Sunday, a phenomenal free-kick that opened the score in El Clasico.

It was a fitting moment for the 28-year-old, who could be signed by the Catalan club on a permanent basis for 35m euros (£30m) – although whether they turn Rashford’s loan into a permanent signing remains to be seen.

Flick has also been praised for showing care for his players.

The manager granted Ronald Araujo a leave of absence in December to prioritise his mental health, describing it as a private situation. Flick did not share further details about the situation and asked the media to respect the defender’s privacy.

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Richmond Castle ‘unexpectedly’ closed to visitors on Monday

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Richmond Castle 'unexpectedly' closed to visitors on Monday

Richmond Castle, one of England’s most complete Norman fortresses, announced on social media on Monday (May 11) that it will be shut for the day.

The historic site said: “We’ve had to unexpectedly close Richmond Castle at short notice today.

“If you have a booking for when we’re closed, we will automatically cancel any bookings and make any necessary refunds within 10 working days.”

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It is currently unclear for the reason behind the closure, but organisers have confirmed the castle will reopen as normal tomorrow.

The post added: “We always do everything we can to avoid unexpected closures like this, and we’re really sorry to disappoint you.

“We will reopen tomorrow as normal on Tuesday, May 12.

“Thank you for understanding.”

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The Norman stronghold stands above the River Swale in the heart of Richmond and was built from the 1070s by Alan Rufus to secure his new lands after the Norman Conquest.

The castle features a 12th-century keep and served as a detention centre for conscientious objectors during the First World War.

English Heritage describes it as the best-preserved early-Norman castle in England.

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BBC tours the World Cup training homes of England and Argentina

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BBC tours the World Cup training homes of England and Argentina

The BBC’s Will Grant has been taking a look around the base camps that England and defending champions Argentina will call home during the FIFA World Cup.

England will be based at Swope Soccer Village, while Argentina will train at the Sporting KC Training Center, both located in Kansas City.

The Netherlands and Algeria have also chosen to stay in the area.

The training sites will serve as hubs for match preparation, including practice sessions, player workouts, team meetings and day-to-day staff operations.

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Video produced by Blanca Estrada

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Philippine House votes to impeach Vice President Sara Duterte

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Philippine House votes to impeach Vice President Sara Duterte

MANILA, Philippines (AP) — An overwhelming majority of the Philippine House of Representatives voted to impeach Vice President Sara Duterte on Monday over alleged unexplained wealth, misuse of state funds and threats to have the president assassinated.

The House, which is dominated by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s allies, voted 255-26 with nine abstentions. The two impeachment complaints against Duterte now move to the Senate, which will convene into a tribunal for her trial.

The vice president, daughter of former President Rodrigo Duterte, has generally denied any wrongdoing without answering the criminal allegations against her in detail.

Last year, she was also impeached by the House but survived the attempt and was not tried on orders of the Supreme Court due to a constitutional technicality.

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David Campbell defends reference for convicted paedophile teacher

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Belfast Live

David Campbell told the Nolan radio show that he provided the reference on the basis of his knowledge of Lloyd-Lavery for over 30 years, and his fear that a custodial sentence could result in his death or a serious stroke

Former Ulster Unionist Party chairman and current chair of the Loyalist Communities Council, David Campbell, has continued to defend providing a character reference for convicted paedophile teacher, William Lloyd-Lavery.

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William Lloyd-Lavery, 77, of Richmond Avenue in Lisburn, was found guilty in January of six counts of indecent assault against four girls at a South Belfast school in the 1970s. He also worked as a speech writer and press officer for a number of UUP MLAs until his retirement in 2017.

In a statement to the BBC’s Nolan Show, Mr Campbell said: “You can’t pick and choose which aspects of our judicial and sentencing process we like and those we don’t.”

David Campbell also told the Nolan radio show that abuse or attempted abuse of any child is “completely unacceptable and abhorrent,” and that he provided the reference on the basis of his knowledge of Lloyd-Lavery for over 30 years, and his fear that a custodial sentence could result in his death or a serious stroke.

This comes days after Ulster Unionist Party leader Jon Burrows told Belfast Live that he is “disgusted” that Mr Campbell provided the reference.

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Also appearing on the Nolan Show on Monday morning, Justice Minister Naomi Long told the programme that she would like to see the law reformed to remove character references for those convicted of sexual crimes and domestic abuse, and that this is currently being considered as part of the sentencing review which is currently ongoing at Stormont.

“I f someone is in ill health, that is something that the judge will take into account anyway, there will be medical reports and so on that can be provided to the judge by the defendant’s legal team, so there’s no need for an unqualified person to come forward and give a view on medical issues, and healthcare in prisons are more than capable of looking after people with complex medical needs and do it on a regular basis, so I don’t think that that necessarily stacks up,” she said in response to Mr Campbell’s justification.

“I also think that it has to be considered in the round, I mean, I am aware of previous interviews that David Campbell has given on this, where he referenced the limited scope of the offending, I think that was the phrase that he used, and again, it feels to me like it minimised in some way the suffering of the individuals who were affected.

“It’s up to the trial judge to decide how they will apply these, and as I’ve said already, there are already indications, there are already guidances and directions in terms of how that should be, and it says that in cases of rape and sexual assault, they should carry less weight, than in other cases, and I think actually in it with rape in particular, they’re said to be a very limited value.

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“So that is, I think, already a good starting point, but my point fundamentally is, how will what David Campbell said, however well intended, how will that ring in the ears, of Nicola and Lynn and the other women who were abused by Lloyd Lavery and have had to live with that trauma for their entire adult lives before being able to have the courage, the confidence and ability to seek justice.”

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

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