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Grand National Meeting: Gold Dancer put down after winning Novices’ Chase

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Paul Townend riding Gold Dancer

Gold Dancer had to be put down after suffering a broken back when winning the Mildmay Novices’ Chase on day two of the Grand National Meeting at Aintree.

The horse dragged his back legs through the final fence when leading Regent’s Stroll and was ridden out to win by four lengths under Paul Townend for trainer Willie Mullins.

Gold Dancer was immediately pulled up after crossing the finish line, with Townend dismounting and screens erected for veterinary experts to assess and treat the horse but the seven-year-old was put down.

Owners Gigginstown said: “He’s been put down. He broke his back. It’s terribly sad for the horse.

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“What could Paul Townend do? He felt fine, it was just when he pulled up that something was wrong.”

Emma Slawinski, chief executive at the League Against Cruel Sports, said: “Year after year we see horses dying at Aintree for people’s entertainment and a cheap bet. Sadly, Gold Dancer is the latest victim of this heartless spectacle, which flies in the face of animal welfare.

“The public and businesses should boycott the Aintree Festival, refuse to bet on the racing, and stop watching the ITV coverage and advertising which glosses over the animal cruelty.

“The government needs to act as the British Horseracing Authority and Jockey Club is prioritising gambling profits over the lives of the horses.”

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Two horses, Willy De Houelle and Celebre D’Allen, died at last year’s Aintree Festival.

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Britain’s Got Talent viewers issue same complaint over ‘ruined’ golden buzzer moment

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Manchester Evening News

Viewers at home weren’t happy during the ITV semi-final

Britain’s Got Talent viewers were in agreement that the live audience “ruined” the golden buzzer moment during the live semi-finals.

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On Saturday (May 2) night, Britain’s Got Talent returned with its second week of live semi-final performances. This week, eight more acts returned to the stage in the hopes of securing a place in the final.

Stacey Solomon also made a surprise appearance in the audience alongside husband Joe Swash as they arrived to support Stacey’s golden buzzer act, Braunstone Community primary school.

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She said: “I cannot wait to watch them. I know they’re gonna have the time of their lives out there and that’s what this show is all about to me.

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“I feel so honoured to be here and I’ve loved every second of it, good luck everyone tonight” as the audience cheered for her and Joe to be back in the studio.

During the show, magician Fabian Fox left the judges speechless after he “returned to the past” and paid a visit to KSI’s primary school during his trick.

At the time, KSI said he wishes he could have pressed his golden buzzer for him to go straight through to the final. However, it was a bit later in the show when Alesha Dixon decided to press her golden buzzer.

Dance troupe from Liverpool Media Academy (LMA) University impressed the judges with their breath-taking performance. Before pressing the buzzer, Alesha said: “In the auditions, do you remember what I said to you? I said if I had a golden buzzer, I would have given it to you!”

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It was then that the golden confetti fell from the ceiling, with the audience going wild for the group. Although viewers agreed they could win, those at home made the same complaint about the live audience being too loud as they struggled to hear the judges comments.

On X (formerly known as Twitter), @robin101962 wrote: “OK, I love audience reactions to live acts, but it’s getting so bad on #BGT now that it’s pointless asking judges for their comments – nobody can hear them! Either remove ALL audience microphones or get security to start throwing them out!”

@philm2244 added: “Too noisy to hear what people are saying. Stop the audience screaming at every thing!” as @gailsy52 penned: “The audience are ruining the show big time absolutely awful”.

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Hair pulling in football: Three red cards for hair pulls in 2026 – does law need changing?

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Referee Paul Tierney speaks with Lisandro Martinez of Manchester United after showing him a red card for pulling the hair of Dominic Calvert-Lewin of Leeds United

When it comes to hair pulling, there isn’t a specific law.

It currently falls under the remit of violent conduct, in the same way that pushing someone in the face or elbowing an opponent in the head does.

As hair pulling is treated as an act of violent conduct, referees’ body Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL) made it clear to clubs at the start of the season that it will always be considered a red-card offence.

“It’s really hard to digest because I don’t think it was an intentional and violent conduct. It was a duel in the air and with a tall striker,” added Le Bris.

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“So in the air 20 times in the game many things can happen but it wasn’t intentional.

“If the rule is the rule when you face a striker with long hair you’ll have problems because you can’t defend, anything can happen.”

It’s a grey area though.

Fulham defender Kenny Tete escaped a red card for an apparent hair pull on Manchester City forward Antoine Semenyo during his side’s 3-0 Premier League defeat on 11 February.

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It’s also an issue in the women’s game. On 1 April, Arsenal‘s Katie McCabe remained on the pitch despite pulling the hair of Chelsea winger Alyssa Thompson in a Women’s Champions League quarter-final.

Le Bris said: “I think it’s important for the referees and the Premier League to be clear with the rule because in this case, you can’t play a duel in case you accidentally grab something. I hope we will have a conversation with the referees to adjust this rule and make it better.

“When the forward has long hair, it’s hard. It’s important to have this conversation and make the rule clearer.”

What cannot be questioned is Tierney followed the directives at Molineux.

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“It’s the letter of the law. We’ve had it twice with Tolu [Arokodare] this season,” said Wolves manager Rob Edwards.

“I’m not saying it’s a deliberate thing – but it’s happened.”

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Mum’s heartbreak as she learns son died after seeing ‘RIP’ Facebook post

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Daily Record

Emma recalled how she saw ‘RIP Jon Cain’ on Facebook before police confirmed her son’s death

A mother whose teenage son died after inhaling gas canisters has told how she now marches up to youngsters she spots doing “balloons” in the street to warn them of the deadly risks.

Emma Cain’s son Jon was just 17 when he went into cardiac arrest in 2011 after inhaling butane. He had only been experimenting for a few weeks and, on the day he died, his friends had bought eight canisters of lighter fluid in one go.

Fifteen years later, the mother‑of‑five is urging families to wake up to the dangers of solvents and nitrous oxide, both Class C drugs, warning that too many parents are still being left to endure the same heartbreak she lives with every day.

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An inquest last year found that Amy Louise Leonard, 20 and from Bolton, died in tragically similar circumstances to Jon after inhaling laughing gas. Amy had shared a Facebook message urging young people to “put down their balloons”, just days before her death, describing how repeated abuse had left her temporarily unable to walk.

Emma told the Mirror how irate she becomes when she sees discarded gas canisters littered across town and city centres, reminding her of her son’s death.

“I get angry. I came out of my son Joshua’s flat a few weeks ago, and as I walked past the green area where they put their rubbish… I didn’t count them, but there was a good seven or eight canisters, put there for rubbish. And it just makes me so angry”.

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“It was early in the morning, I was getting my youngsters ready for school. When the police called me, they said that ‘something had happened, obviously didn’t say over the phone, and that they were sending some officers to see me,” she said when recalling the devastating moment in 2011, she learnt what had happened to her son.

“When I came off the phone, I just threw it on the sofa. A few seconds later I picked it up and went onto Jon’s profile on Facebook, and someone had written ‘RIP Jon Cain’ – that’s how I found out – and then the police came and told me what had happened.

“I remember collapsing to the floor and being picked up. Then the police came, they took me into the living room. My sister made me a sweet cup of tea, and then took my little ones to school for me”.

Jon was an “amazing boy” who would “throw himself halfway across the room” just to make his brothers laugh, his mum described. Aged 15, he was placed into care for behavioural issues, she added, citing how he was “easily influenced” by his peers.

Now, Emma believes her son had an undiagnosed disorder, such as ADHD or autism, conditions which were “not as understood” at the time.

“There are days I will just sit there, and I will just burst into tears,” she said, explaining the grief she lives with. “And there’s days when I’m okay – sometimes I feel guilty for being okay.

“But I know he doesn’t want me to be miserable, he doesn’t want me to be upset every day – and I just try and do what I can to make him proud, because I believe he’s living through me now”.

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The tragedy has also left its mark on Jon’s four siblings, some of whom were young when he died. “It’s not just obviously the parents that lose someone – it affects their friends, it affects their siblings,” she explained. “Jon was [brother] Joshua’s hero, he was his idol… and he has had to deal with a lot due to the loss of his brother”.

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Working with organisations like Achievement Through Football (ATF), Emma speaks with children at risk of falling into anti-social behaviour and substance abuse, often those who have been repeatedly excluded from school.

“I don’t think they see it as dangerous because of silly names like ‘laughing gas,” she explained. “What obviously they don’t realise is that it’s not mixed with oxygen, like it is at the dentist’s, or the hospital. It’s pure gas… they just don’t realise how dangerous it is”.

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She also believes that, while schools and the police are “doing what they can” to deal with substance abuse, parents must accept more responsibility to talk to their children about why laughing gas and solvents aren’t a “safe” high – even if they don’t suspect their kids are using them.

She said: “Talk to your kids. Just talk to them. Let them know the dangers, research it – whether they’re doing it or not”.

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Has West Ham’s defeat by Brentford opened relegation escape route for Tottenham?

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West Ham Stadium

When Tomas Soucek’s effort grazed a post in the final stages of West Ham‘s defeat at Brentford on Saturday, their supporters could have been forgiven for exchanging exasperated looks.

The 3-0 scoreline at Gtech Community Stadium may point to a comfortable victory for Keith Andrews’ Europe-chasing side, but it tells only half the story.

West Ham struck the woodwork four times – a joint record in the Premier League this season – with Valentin Castellanos hitting a post either side of Konstantinos Mavropanos’ first-half own goal, before Crysencio Summerville slammed a powerful drive against the crossbar with the score at 3-0.

Soucek was first to the rebound but guided his effort against the outside of a post.

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Victory would have lifted West Ham five points clear of the bottom three, but instead they have left the door ajar for Tottenham to leapfrog them with victory at Aston Villa on Sunday.

The Hammers remain two points above Spurs, who have a game in hand and are nine goals healthier in terms of goal difference.

“We had chances, hit the post twice, hit the bar and post again,” West Ham captain Jarrod Bowen told Sky Sports. “It’s really disappointing.

“We had good opportunities. On another day we would have got the win. We’ve done a lot of good things.”

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Manager Nuno Espirito Santo told BBC Match of the Day: “It’s up to us how we will react from this situation.

“Let’s stick together. We have three games to go. It will go down to the wire.”

West Ham are three points below in-form Nottingham Forest, after Leeds United moved nine points clear of Spurs with a win against Burnley on Friday.

A three-team battle for survival? It is beginning to look that way.

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F1 2026 Miami GP LIVE: Qualifying updates, stream and times with Norris pole favourite

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F1 2026 Miami GP LIVE: Qualifying updates, stream and times with Norris pole favourite

What time is qualifying?

Qualifying for the Miami Grand Prix starts at 9pm (BST) on Saturday night.

(AP)

Kieran Jackson2 May 2026 18:16

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Q1 underway

18 minutes for Q1 where we’ll lose the slowest six from the rest of qualifying.

Big moments this, given the rule change – who’s made a big jump?!

Kieran Jackson2 May 2026 21:03

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Qualifying coming up

McLaren are the favourites after their strong form in the sprint, with Mercedes the pole men so far this season.

And what about Ferrari? Can Charles Leclerc or Lewis Hamilton get in the mix?

Kieran Jackson2 May 2026 20:54

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Martin Brundle on Alex Zanardi:

“He was the most wonderful character and extraordinary individual. people did not expect him to survive the accident in 2001. We were in Monza and heard he wouldn’t make it, but he did.

“He just had a relentless competitive nature against all odds and challenges and then tragically had another accident with his hand-bike and a truck. No news was bad news in that respect – what an incredible character and inspiration to everybody.”

Alex Zanardi
Alex Zanardi (Reuters)

Kieran Jackson2 May 2026 20:48

Antonelli’s lead trimmed after penalty

1. Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes) – 75 points

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2. George Russell (Mercedes) – 68 points

3. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) – 55 points

4. Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari) – 43 points

6. Oscar Piastri (McLaren) -28 points

7. Ollie Bearman (Haas) – 17 points

8. Pierre Gasly (Alpine) – 16 points

10. Liam Lawson (Racing Bulls) – 10 points

Kieran Jackson2 May 2026 20:44

FIA release statement with thunderstorms forecast for Miami Grand Prix

F1’s governing body says they are “closely monitoring” the situation amid speculation Sunday’s Miami Grand Prix could be rescheduled due to thunderstorms.

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An FIA spokesperson said on Thursday night: “We are closely monitoring the weather forecast for this weekend.

“Having faced a similar situation last year in Miami with threats of thunderstorms, we have a contingency plan in place and will activate it if needed to minimise disruption to the on-track programme.”

Kieran Jackson2 May 2026 20:33

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Max Verstappen says little has changed and wants more than a ‘tickle’ of rules

“We had some nice meetings with Formula One and the FIA,” Verstappen said on Thursday.

“I think that’s probably a starting point, hopefully, for the future.

“Even, you know, in a few years’ time, when maybe I’m not here anymore, I really hope that for the future drivers as well, there’s more input to come from the drivers to the organisers in general.

“Because I do think that most of the drivers have a good understanding and a good feel of what is needed to make Formula One a good product, a fun product.”

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(Reuters)

Kieran Jackson2 May 2026 20:23

Can Lando Norris defend his F1 title? Here’s what the Miami GP will tell us about McLaren’s chances

On the face of it, McLaren’s latest example of sporting-corporate muscle-flexing seems a tad peculiar. Drifting away from the principles of their racing-mad founding father, quite what Bruce McLaren would have made of the papaya-clad outfit expanding into golf equipment – with Justin Rose their top-tier signing, posing alongside Lando Norris (himself a keen golfer) at a lavish Floridian launch on Wednesday – remains to be seen.

Yet group CEO Zak Brown has overseen remarkable growth in the last half-dozen years. In 2020, McLaren Racing were valued at £560m. Last September, Forbes estimated the team alone were worth approximately £4bn, behind only Mercedes and Ferrari in F1 terms. They have well over 50 sponsors, most adorned on the car of the reigning world champions.

Kieran Jackson2 May 2026 20:15

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Lewis Hamilton pays warm tribute to ‘remarkable inspiration’ Alex Zanardi

At this weekend’s Miami Grand Prix. seven-time F1 world champion Hamilton told Sky Sports: “Sad to hear of his passing. He was remarkable, a really lovely guy.

“And then with his resilience, the way he came back, how he always maintained a positive mental attitude. An inspiration to so many and he did things the right way.”

Lewis Hamilton paid a glowing tribute to Zanardi
Lewis Hamilton paid a glowing tribute to Zanardi (AP)

Kieran Jackson2 May 2026 20:00

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Max Verstappen after finishing fifth in the sprint:

“The start was again not good, similar to China. In clean air, the car felt not too bad, the pace was alright, there’s still a lot of room to improvement. In slow-speed corners, the car is jumping a lot.

On Hamilton clash: “I had to let him by but he didn’t come by. Don’t know what else I could have done there. That was a shame.”

(Getty)

Kieran Jackson2 May 2026 19:45

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Guests at Welsh hotel left terrified and upset

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Wales Online

Review pages have been inundated with stories which range from the annoying to the totally bizarre

A Welsh country house hotel is working with Trading Standards officials following a wave of customer complaints. Some visitors grumbled about travelling for hours only to discover it was shut, while others described it as having a “haunted house” atmosphere during refurbishment works.

The grade II-listed Llyndir Hall, a 19th century building in Rossett near Wrexham, functioned as a well-liked hotel and wedding venue before closing its doors in 2022.

It was purchased by India-based OYO Rooms, amongst the world’s largest hotel chains, and earlier this year the establishment began being promoted under its Belvilla brand.

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Wrexham Trading Standards was requested to look into matters when frustrated guests started complaining their reservations hadn’t been fulfilled, reports North Wales Live.

A spokesperson for OYO Rooms said the difficulties encountered were temporary while the hotel underwent refurbishment and said the matter “has now been fully resolved”.

They also said they were “honouring all confirmed bookings”. Since March disappointed travellers have inundated review platforms with accounts of their experiences.

In one review a woman said she turned up at 9.10pm only to be refused entry as there was no hot water. “I was terrified as this place felt quite spooky and very isolated in the dark,” she said. “I slept the night in my van at a nearby campsite as I couldn’t afford another hotel.”

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A Bournemouth woman said she drove five hours only to discover multiple facilities shut and a “lot of things lying about in the corridors”.

Another said they turned up after a four-and-half-hour journey to find it closed as “they had no heating, no wifi, no food or drinks”.

Another reviewer said: “Absolutely disgusted. I arrived after a four-hour drive to find the outside looking like a building site. Went inside, rung the desk bell, 15 minutes later – nothing – nobody answered. The downstairs rooms looked like a bad DIY SOS – paint, mops chemicals all left out.”

On Tripadvisor one family described Llyndir Hall as the “Marie Celeste of hotels”, stating: “(It) looks to have been closed for weeks or months.”

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While some reviewers reported their stays had been “exceptional”, the majority expressed dissatisfaction. One woman celebrating her birthday said she had a bizarre experience arriving at the hotel.

In her review she wrote: “We waited 15 mins at the door to be let in. Then a woman let us in. And (she) did not speak for a further 25 minutes. We stood there. Every time I asked a question she would say ‘shhhh’ and use her finger to say ‘no no’. Awful rude. She then passed us a key. And that was it.

“After 45 mins in the room a child knocked the door and told us there was no heating or hot water, no wifi, no restaurant and no food at all available. Not even juice to drink.”

North Wales Live spoke to one traveller who said their reservation was cancelled 20 minutes after it had been confirmed. Connor Roberts, a 23-year-old engineer from Criccieth, booked a one-night stay on March 20.

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“I had a very important job interview at Airbus the next day,” he said. “Shortly after making the booking I was called on a private number from someone at the hotel saying I couldn’t stay as there were problems with the water.

“I managed to find alternative, more expensive accommodation in Chester. I was then horrified to discover I wasn’t being refunded as I’d been listed as a no-show.” What followed were weeks of negotiations with Booking.com.

Other reviewers reported similar experiences, claiming Booking.com was struggling to make contact with Llyndir Hall. One threatened legal action, while another said he would involve the Financial Ombudsman.

Connor was determined to get to the bottom of what was happening at the hotel. “With a mate I visited the place on April 3,” he said. “It looked part-derelict and abandoned – there was just two cars parked in the grounds. We said we just wanted a drink but were told we couldn’t as the bar was closed.

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“As we left, men on the roof began filming us – they were wearing surgical masks. It was a very strange experience.”

This week Connor was informed verbally by Booking.com that he was entitled to a £47.14 refund within 10 days.

“The whole thing has irritated me,” he said. “How can a hotel behave like this? I’ve read of people driving hours to get there only to be turned away, and having to sleep in cars because they couldn’t find alternative accommodation.”

OYO Rooms said that the difficulties encountered were temporary while the hotel underwent refurbishment. A spokesperson said: “We would like to clarify that Llyndir Hall Hotel by Belvilla is fully operational and complian, and we are honouring all confirmed bookings.

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“It appears that some of the recent complaints relate to a short period when the property experienced an unexpected hot water issue, which affected guest experience for a couple of days. This issue has now been fully resolved.

“The hotel has remained open and while some improvement and maintenance works have been carried out, the property is ready to receive guests and continues to do so.

“We would like to reassure customers that the hotel is operational and guests with confirmed bookings can expect their stays to be honoured.”

Other guests raised concerns about non-functioning televisions and “horrible smells”. One man described it as “100% the worst hotel I have ever stayed in”.

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Others have praised Llyndir Hall’s “lovely surroundings” and “peace and quiet”. One couple said the hotel was affordable. They wrote: “Low price, so imperfections expected.”

Wrexham Council confirmed the hotel is liaising with its Trading Standards department. A spokesperson said: “We have received complaints from the public recently in regards to the property.

“Trading Standards have visited the hotel and are advising them on all relevant legislative compliance. This work is ongoing and the new hotel owners are cooperating with Trading Standards to ensure compliance.”

Booking.com said its reviews and ratings serve as a vital resource for prospective guests – and will take action on any complaints it receives.

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A spokesperson for the company added: “We have stays for every budget and before a customer books there are a number of things they can check, including the reviews and the property score. The hotel owner is responsible for ensuring the stay meets expectations, managing their availability and any refunds.

“In the unlikely event that concerns are raised about a specific property, we always investigate. We can remove accommodations from our platform should our findings show they did not comply with our terms and conditions.”

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British wife of death row killer warns ‘you got it wrong’ after husband’s last words at execution

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Daily Mirror

Tiana Krasniqi, from Lewisham, South East London, has given new details of the execution of her husband James Broadnax in a Texas jail

The British wife of a convicted US death row murderer has revealed his final moments as she insists he was innocent.

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Law school graduate Tiana Krasniqi, 31, was left distraught and screamed ‘I love you’ before throwing herself against the window of the execution chamber when rapper James Broadnax, 37, was put to death by lethal injection on Thursday.

Recounting the harrowing moment, she said: “His last words to me was ‘don’t give up’ and ‘I love you’, we spoke to each other the whole time he was strapped in the gurney. His head jerked back and couldn’t finish his last word and his head fell looking at me and he closed his eyes.

READ MORE: Killer husband’s final words to British wife before execution – and her tragic missionREAD MORE: Brit mum never touched death row rapper she married – then screamed as she watched him die

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“I screamed ‘open your eyes’ and told him I loved him and sorry I failed him. I dropped to the ground and they picked me up and told me I had to wait for 20 mins till he died.

“We had promised that we would look at each other and talk to each other whilst it was happening. The whole thing felt like the final destination movie.”

Tiana, who left her daughter in Lewisham, South East London, to cross the Atlantic to be with her new man, has been left angered by media reports Broadnax passed peacefully after being given a fatal dose of pentobarbital in a Texas prison just hours after the US Supreme Court denied his final appeal.

Writing on her TikTok account, Tiana added: “I watched his lips go blue, his face go blue and then his veins on his forehead appeared. He suffered. His body struggled. So what part of that did he die peacefully?”.

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Tiana is convinced her husband did not commit the crime he was executed for. Broadnax was convicted of gunning down and robbing music producers Stephen Swan and Matthew Butler in a recording studio car park in Garland, Dallas, in 2008. She vowed: “I will not let this go. Texas got it wrong.”

Tiana first made contact with Broadnax in October 2024 while applying for a master’s degree in international human rights law and wrote to him as part of a dissertation which examined racial disparities in US capital punishment.

Earlier this month she revealed she fell in love with the inmate within a “few months.” She said: “We kind of realised that it was more than a study, but it was never intentional.

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“It was never something where you go on there and be like: ‘Hi, let’s be in a relationship.’” Tiana added: “He’s very intelligent, very well-spoken, very respectful, he is just your normal person. Just that fact that he was on death row made the difference. Believe it or not, he does have a moral compass.”

Tiana moved to Houston and enlisted a team of lawyers to submit appeals against his execution. It meant months apart from her daughter, who remains in the UK with her father. Tiana admitted: “Nobody agrees with [the relationship]. And I don’t expect them to. Like I said, it’s not conventional. I miss my daughter. I haven’t seen her in a month. I’m probably not going to see her for another two. It is hard.”

Broadnax’s cousin Demarius Cummings, who was jailed for life without parole over the same crime, claimed he pulled the trigger. Speaking in a prison video filmed in a last-ditch bid to stop the execution, he said: “I’m really gonna tell it like it’s supposed to be told, that it was me, that I was the killer. I shot Matthew Bullard, Steve Swan.”

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Lawyers for Broadnax claimed the confession was supported by forensic evidence and that Cummings’ DNA, not Broadnax’s, was found on the murder weapon. But despite a last-ditch appeal, officials pressed ahead with the execution at the state penitentiary in Huntsville, about 70 miles north of Houston.

Broadnax’s attorneys had also claimed his constitutional rights were violated as prosecutors allegedly eliminated potential jurors during his trial on the basis of race. Lawyers alleged prosecutors dismissed all seven potential black jurors, “utilising a spreadsheet during jury selection that bolded only the names of every black juror,” according to court documents. One black juror was later reinstated to the jury.

In a 1986 ruling, known as Batson v Kentucky, the US Supreme Court determined that excluding jurors because of their race violated the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment.

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Broadnax’s lawyers also alleged prosecutors further violated his constitutional rights by using rap lyrics he wrote as evidence that he was a violent and dangerous person. During the trial, the prosecution presented the jury with a selection of rap lyrics that alluded to murder, robbery and drugs, to make the case for execution.

But speaking to ITV’s This Morning earlier this month, Tiana said: “He had about 40 pages of rap lyrics, and when it came to the guilty verdict, the jurors had asked to see the rap lyrics twice before they made a decision to see if he was of future dangerousness. They tried to make him out as a psychopath but nobody ever evaluated him directly.”

Prosecutors had long insisted Broadnax was the gunman, pointing to his own confession. Speaking to reporters outside prison, he previously said: “I pulled the trigger.” But in a later video, Broadnax insisted that the confession was false and made when he no longer cared about his life. His legal team said he was under the influence of drugs at the time of the interviews.

Tiana has said: “He was under the influence of PCP (phencyclidine) when he was interviewed, he had only been interviewed four hours after the arrest and he had made clear to the police he was high. They did put five interviewers in front of him and he took the blame for something that he didn’t do, and he acted in a way that showed he was under the influence.

“They had excluded all African American jurors from the case until the last minute… they only added one, and within that time, there was the questioning of the jurors, and it wasn’t the most racially neutral.”

In a separate statement, Broadnax expressed regret for his role in the robbery, saying: “I wish I could show them my soul, so they could see just how sorry I am. I am very much remorseful for everything that happened.”

The case drew backing from high-profile rappers Travis Scott, T.I. and Killer Mike. But Texas officials dismissed the cousin’s confession and the victims’ families fiercely opposed any delay. Mr Butler’s mother, Theresa, said: “This so-called confession from Cummings is just a stall tactic by Broadnax’s desperate defence team. It’s all a lie.”

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When asked by the warden if he had a final statement, Broadnax said: “I prayed to God for your forgiveness. Despite what you think about me, I hope to God that prayer was answered. But no matter what you think about me, Texas got it wrong. I’m innocent, the facts of my case should speak for itself. Period.”

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Car flips on its side in horror Glasgow crash as police rush to scene

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Daily Record

Images taken from the scene show the red vehicle involved toppled onto its side with its boot cracked open.

A car has flipped onto its side in a horror crash on a residential street in Glasgow.

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Police are currently in attendance at the single-vehicle collision on Drakemire Drive in the Croftfoot area of the city.

It’s currently unknown if there are any injuries.

Images taken from the scene show the red vehicle involved toppled onto its side with its boot cracked open.

Police have also been pictured in attendance.

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The Record has approached Police Scotland for comment.

We’ll be bringing you the very latest updates, pictures and video on this breaking news story.

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Coleraine edge out Dungannon Swifts in thrilling five-goal Irish Cup final

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Belfast Live

The Bannsiders won the Irish Cup after a wonderful decider at Windsor Park

Clear Water Irish Cup final: Coleraine 3 Dungannon Swifts 2Coleraine claimed the Irish Cup following a thrilling five-goal final against a dogged Dungannon Swifts side at Windsor Park.

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With Ruaidhri Higgins’ men finishing the league campaign like a train by winning all five of their post-split games and the Swifts losing all five of theirs, the result certainly went according to form.

But the men from Tyrone played a full part in a wonderful showpiece occasion for the local game, and might well have maintained their hold on the trophy but for fine margins that didn’t go their way.

Playing as a makeshift striker, Sean McAllister took the fight straight to Coleraine, spinning into space before testing Ryan Schofield with a low shot that skidded off the wet surface and thudded off the goalkeeper’s chest.

Seconds later, the 23-year-old took advantage of uncertainty in the Bannsiders’ box to fire an acrobatic volley at goal that Schofield tipped over.

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For his next trick, McAllister surged down the left before slipping an inch-perfect pass into Kealan Dillon, who wasted a golden chance by prodding weakly at Schofield from eight yards out.

Coleraine finally came into the game, with Joel Cooper taking the ball off team-mate Matthew Shevlin’s toes to drill a shot across goal that Declan Dunne pawed wide, before Shevlin passed up a great opening by taking a loose touch in the box when a first-time finish might have paid dividends.

The striker was much sharper in the 19th minute as he pounced on an awful mix-up in the Dungannon defence. Dunne and Caolan Marron both attempted to cut out a Lyndon Kane cross from the right but got in each other’s way and there was Shevlin to fire into the unguarded net.

Dungannon almost hit back straight away as Leo Alves showed wonderful technique to smash a volley at goal that Schofield pushed over, and from the corner, Marron got up to head Alves’ cross against the post

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It was breathless stuff, and while the chances dried up for a spell, the pace never relented, with both sides going at full throttle all the way to the break.

On the restart, the question was whether the teams could maintain that intensity. Coleraine did, but the Swifts didn’t, and they paid a hefty price as they suddenly found themselves 2-0 down in less than a minute.

Shevlin got up well to flick a long ball into the path of Cooper, who motored away from Cahal McGinty before burying a clinical finish low past Dunne.

Dungannon lack nothing in courage, however, and halved the deficit in the 55th minute.

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Alves raided down the left before cutting the ball back across goal where McAllister laid it off to Paul Doyle, who took a touch before curling a brilliant shot beyond Schofield’s grasp from just outside the area.

Their joy was short-lived, however, as Coleraine restored their two-goal cushion on the hour mark.

Zane Okoro had been on the margins of things but burst into the box from the left and let fly, with the unfortunate Marron getting a block in only for arch-poacher Shevlin to gobble up the loose ball and poke it past Dunne.

Back came Dungannon, with McAllister now causing havoc down the right after Andrew Mitchell came on for Dillon to play up top. And it was that pair who gave Swifts renewed hope in the 66th minute when a cross from McAllister unhinged the Coleraine backline and Mitchell used his power to get to the breaking ball and nudge it home from close range.

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Coleraine’s game management had been questionable up until that point but they now sought to take the sting out of a tiring Dungannon side, with Cooper dropping deeper to help his side keep possession for long spells.

With time running out, the Swifts opted to start going long and when Mitchell challenged Schofield in the air and both men hit the deck, it looked like McAllister was primed to fire at the open goal but referee Steven Gregg whistled for a foul on the Coleraine keeper.

From there, the Bannsiders comfortably saw out seven minutes of additional time to bring the Cup back to the north coast.

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