The schoolboys, who were accused of carrying out the offences when they 12, 13 and 14, broke down in tears in court after being found not guilty of rape this week

‘Clapping’ noises were heard and a voice telling the girl to ‘s*** it’ in harrowing footage played during a trial of three teen boys accused of raping a 13-year-old girl.

The boys, who were accused of carrying out the offences when they 12, 13 and 14, broke down in tears in court after being found not guilty this week.

Jurors were asked to determine whether the third boy, now aged 14 and previously deemed unfit to stand trial, had committed the acts near Newbold tram stop in Rochdale in February 2024, and whether he had encouraged the other boys.

After a fortnight-long trial at Manchester’s Minshull Street Crown Court , the now 16 year old and the now 15 year old were both acquitted of rape, with all three cleared of two ‘joint enterprise’ counts.

The three boys denied the charges and said at trial it was ‘consensual’.

Tears and audible sighs of relief were seen throughout the courtroom as the jury foreperson announced the verdicts, reports Manchester Evening News, with one exhausted voice heard saying: “Jesus.”

Mobile phone footage of the incident was played to the jury in which ‘clapping’ noises could be heard, along with a voice telling the girl to ‘s*** it’. This footage had been ‘circulated’ among the boys and ‘others’, prosecutors said.

Jurors were told that ‘some’ of the incident was recorded on a mobile phone. The girl was ‘not asked if she consented to filming’, the court heard

Earlier in the trial, the jury was informed that the girl was ‘physically pushed and bent over forward’ during the incident. Prosecutor Kim Whittlestone stated that the boys then ‘all swapped’. She said it ‘would have been obvious’ that she ‘did not want this to happen’.

“It would have been clear that she was not consenting,” she told the jury. A friend accompanying the girl ‘intervened to halt what was happening’ and the now 15 and 16-year-olds fled from the scene, it was heard.

In closing statements from the defence, Rachel Shenton, who represented the now 16-year-old, said consent was ‘more nuanced’ than ‘please may I do this to you? Yes’. She added: “It starts with banter, and flirting, with someone walking into bushes. They are not middle aged people, these are adolescents.

“[The alleged victim] herself said ‘I didn’t say yeah’. Is that enough?” Ms Shenton said the girl had been ‘untruthful’ and said she flirted on the tram. The evidence, she told jurors, showed the girl had been ‘inconsistent’.

“[Her friend] told them to f*** off,” Ms Shenton added. “I asked [the alleged victim] if she told them to ‘f*** off’. She did not. She went into the bushes. I’m not seeking to throw shade at her. She is a young girl… immature. Why didn’t she shout? Why didn’t she scream?”

Ms Shenton said the girl had been embarrassed about being called a ‘sl*g’ by two strangers who walked past. She added: “How does she react? ‘I was raped’. It is a get out of jail free card. This was not a rape, it was a shameful encounter.”

Peter Gilmour, representing the now 15-year old-said: “These are children. We must not judge children by the standards of adults.”

He said his client was 13 at the time and had never had sex before, adding: “She was flirting with him on the tram. They talk on the tram about ‘sh**ging’. Over in the bushes she doesn’t shout or scream or push anyone away.

“If there was a point she had second thoughts, she didn’t give any indication. And she immediately regretted that and says to her friend she had been raped. She went into the bushes, she went willingly. Her answer was ‘I never said yeah’. How was he supposed to know?”

Following 9 hours and 46 minutes of deliberations, the jury found all three boys not guilty on all counts.

When police raided Callum Briggs’s home they recovered cocaine, cannabis and cash after he pointed them in the right direction.

Teesside Crown Court heard how the 26-year-old told officers where they could find his stash of Class A and Class B drugs.

Tabitha Buck, prosecuting, said Briggs maintained that he turned to dealing after he racked up drug debts of his own and was selling to fund his own habit.

She said officers recovered drugs from a North Face manbag and inside a set of drawers in the kitchen where cocaine was discovered and cannabis was found in an upstairs room.

A specialist officer estimated that the drugs had a street value of up to £3,000 in cannabis and up to £4,500 in cocaine.

Briggs, of Laurel Avenue, Thornaby, pleaded guilty to possession with intent to supply cocaine and cannabis, and possession of criminal property – the £1,635 in cash – seized during the raid on November 6 last year.

Albany Kidd, mitigating, said her client was compliant with the police when they entered his property and pointed them in the direction of the stashed drugs.

She added: “He suffered the bereavement of his father around two years ago in very difficult circumstances.

“He turned to illicit substances as a coping mechanism and quickly accrued a debt with the dealers.”

Recorder Ayesha Smart sentenced Briggs to two years in custody, suspended for two years.

“You were in substantial debt with dealers and you were struggling for money to feed your own habit, so you engaged in the sale of drugs to pay off the debt,” she said.

“What is clear is that you were directed by someone higher up the chain and your involvement was limited to street dealing.”

Briggs was also ordered to attend 25 rehabilitation activity requirement days and carry out 120 hours of unpaid work.

The other victim also delivered a victim impact statement in court, addressing Bubb directly: “You tried to convince me that I could not speak up because your job was to keep the public safe, you had solidified that by threatening to make yourself unsafe and end your own life if I dared to speak up about your abhorrent behaviour.”

Carers Plus Yorkshire, a charity that has supported unpaid carers for 30 years, will put on sessions for those aged eight and above.

With funding from Broadacres Housing Association, the sessions will empower young carers to manage their own mental health alongside caring responsibilities.

Charlene Saunders, Young Carer Worker with Carers Plus Yorkshire, said: “For some young people being a carer is an experience they really enjoy whilst for others it can be difficult and very stressful.

“This session will help them understand what the person they are caring for is going through, to recognise the conditions and also to manage their own mental health wellbeing.”

The sessions, joint-funded through £350 from Broadacres’ Community Development Fund, which supports local organisations, groups, and projects in areas where Broadacres has homes.

Ms Saunders said: “We support young people across North Yorkshire and do not have the core funding to organise groups sessions.

“That’s why this Broadacres grant is so welcome because it allows the young carers to share experiences with peers and to realise, they are not alone.”

These unpaid carers often juggle family life, work or education and financial pressures, all with very little recognition or support.

The Broadacres Community Development Fund is currently closed for applications for the 2025/26 financial year.

Young carers and families interested in the group can find more details at www.carersplus.net.

Information about future funding opportunities from Broadacres can be found at www.broadacres.org.uk.

Met Office weather forecasters say snow could fall in parts of the UK this weekend – despite many facing sunny skies and rising temperatures on Saturday

Snow is expected in some parts of the UK this weekend, the Met Office has said.

That is despite Saturday bringing sunny conditions for many, with temperatures climbing into the mid-to-high teens as high pressure dominates.

Manchester and Edinburgh could reach 16C and 15C respectively on Saturday, while Bristol and London will enjoy highs of 15C and 14C across the weekend. Meanwhile, normally sun-soaked southern European cities such as Athens and Madrid are forecast to see clouds and cooler highs of 12C and 13C on Saturday.

However from Sunday, a band of cloud and patchy rain will push southeast across the country, followed by sunny spells and scattered showers in the north. Some of these showers could fall as snow.

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Met Office Chief Forecaster Steve Willington said: “While the early part of the period brings warm sunshine for many, it’s not unusual to see colder spells and even some wintry showers in March.

“As we head into next week, a shift to a cooler north‑westerly flow will bring a drop in temperature and more unsettled weather, including some hill snow in the north and brisk winds at times. This pattern is entirely typical for the time of year.”

BBC Weather states: “Tomorrow will see areas of mist and fog slow to clear in the morning, leaving sunny spells and variable cloud for most. Cloudier in north-western Scotland with patchy rain lingering.

“On Sunday, cloudy and breezy in the north with light rain clearing, and showers in the north-west later. Bright spells and areas of low cloud and fog to start in the south. Cloudier later.”

Early next week, a more mobile Atlantic pattern is expected, with rain spreading into northern and western areas on Monday and Tuesday, occasionally turning to snow over the Scottish mountains. Stronger winds are likely in the north, with coastal gales possible.

By Wednesday, a cooler and more unstable north-to-northwesterly flow will bring frequent showers, some heavy and wintry over higher ground. Snow could even reach lower levels in the north later in the day. Temperatures are expected to be near or slightly below average.

Towards the end of the week, higher pressure is expected to build from the west, reducing showers and easing winds. However, temperatures are likely to remain on the cooler side and some overnight frost is possible.

Man Utd arrive on the south coast with an opportunity to move six points clear in third and four behind rivals Manchester City, who are not in Premier League action this weekend, in second place. Lisandro Martinez could return from injury, meaning Carrick has a near full strength squad to choose from for an important fixture.

Alfie Jake Mullans was 18 was he died of meningitis B. His mother Marrissa Mullans, 46, from Manchester has been campaigning for a Government funded vaccination programme for all 16 to 23 year olds. Her Change.org petition launched in 2024 and has gained renewed momentum this week, with around 13,000 more signatures in the last three days.

Marrissa Mullans

Hatton ‘received repeated blows to his head’ over his career, inquest into his death told

Tests carried out on former boxer Ricky Hatton’s brain after his death showed evidence of a neurodegenerative disorder at the centre of a campaign.

The same condition has been highlighted in the deaths of several former footballers, including most recently Manchester United’s former defender Gordon McQueen.

Hatton, who was 46, died at his home in Hyde in September last year. At an inquest into his death on Friday at South Manchester Coroners’ Court in Stockport, a cause of death was given as ‘hanging’ and evidence heard ‘The Hitman’ was found by his agent and close friend on a pool table in an upstairs games room.

Hatton – one of Greater Manchester’s most-loved sporting sons – was said to have been around twice the legal drink-drive limit, with wine found around the pool table.

The inquest also heard a pathologist found evidence of Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE) – a neurodegenerative disorder which is thought to be connected to repetitive head injuries. In Hatton’s case, it was said to be at the ‘milder end of the spectrum’, but it was referenced by the coroner in her conclusion.

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Alison Mutch, a senior coroner, recorded a narrative verdict, saying Hatton had made ‘significant future plans’ and that no notes were found. She said as a result, she wasn’t satisfied he intended to take his own life.

Ms Mutch said: “Therefore, it is not possible in law for me to conclude suicide. I have concluded a narrative verdict. His intention remains unclear as he was under the influence of alcohol and the neuropathological post-mortem found evidence of chronic traumatic encephalopathy and that’s the conclusion I draw.”

Dr Neil Papworth, who carried out the post-mortem examination, said analysis of Hatton’s brain showed ‘degenerative changes’ associated with people older than the boxer, and often associated with Alzheimer’s disease.

He said overall the changes seen were suggestive of CTE associated with repeated trauma to the brain, but at the milder end of the spectrum, resulting in memory loss and cognitive impairment. None of the damage to Hatton’s brain, however, could be said to have contributed to his death, the pathologist said.

The court heard that several samples of his brain were analysed. While ‘no macroscopic abnormalities’ were identified, there was a ‘degree of chronic neuronal loss which is the loss of nerve cells’ in the ‘microscopic’ analysis of the brain, according to Dr Papworth.

He noted that as a boxer, Hatton ‘received repeated blows to his head’ over his career, but he said it was ‘not possible’ to determine the process by which Mr Hatton was affected by CTE.

According to the NHS, Chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) is a brain condition thought to be linked to repeated head injuries and blows to the head. It slowly gets worse over time and can lead to dementia. The NHS says people who have suffered ‘repeated blows to the head’ or concussions over many years have a higher chance of getting the condition.

Contact sports – including boxing and football – are referenced on the NHS website. It cannot be cured, but symptoms can be managed. It was once known as ‘punch-drunk’ syndrome.

Dozens of former footballers and their families are currently suing the FA, the Football Association of Wales and the English Football League over claims they were ‘negligent and in breach of their duty of care’ to the former players who all developed the condition. They include the family of former Manchester United and England midfielder Norbert ‘Nobby’ Stiles, who won the 1966 World Cup with England.

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Stiles died in 2020 after suffering from dementia and was also found to have chronic traumatic encephalopathy.

The FA, however, has told the High Court it has ‘not been established by science’ that heading a ball or ‘occasional’ concussion can lead to permanent brain damage.

Lawyers for the former players and their families have previously said that the bodies knew or should have known that repeatedly heading a ball in training and during matches was likely to cause brain injuries, and that the risks were known for decades.

In 2020, the FA announced it would introduce updated guidance for heading balls for all age groups between under-six and under-18, which was followed by further guidance for all levels of the sport in England in 2021.

Then, in 2022, it became the first national association to adopt the International Football Association Board’s trial to remove deliberate heading from grassroots matches for players under the age of 12. The association said in 2024 that it was investing and supporting “multiple research projects” to “gain a greater insight and understanding of this complex area”.

The widow of one former footballer – Jeff Astle – has called for the Government to recognise neurodegenerative conditions among footballers as industrial disease.

Her call came after a coroner ruled heading a football was “likely” to have contributed to a brain injury which was a factor in the death of former Manchester United and Leeds defender Gordon McQueen. His death due to pneumonia was owing to frailty, found to be through a combination of vascular dementia and chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE).

McQueen – who was capped for Scotland 30 times between 1974 and 1981, and played for both Manchester United and Leeds United during a 16-year career – died at his home in North Yorkshire in June 2023, aged 70.

It was another landmark ruling for those campaigning for greater protection for current players and improved support for past generations, following on from the verdict of death by industrial disease recorded for former England striker Jeff Astle in November 2002.

In a narrative conclusion, the coroner said: “It is likely that repetitive head impacts sustained by heading the ball while playing football contributed to the CTE.”

After the hearing, McQueen’s Sky Sports TV presenter daughter Hayley McQueen and her sister Anna Forbes, spoke about the dangers of heading. Ms McQueen said: “It should have been a turning point many, many years ago when we learned the same thing with Jeff Astle and not much has happened between that time and now.”

Mrs Astle, in her role at the Professional Footballers’ Association, continues to lobby the Industrial Injuries Advisory Council to officially recognise sports-related or sports-caused neurodegenerative diseases, including CTE, as industrial diseases, with the family of former England captain Dave Watson is also challenging the Department of Work and Pensions over the same issue.

As conflict continues in the Middle East travel is still being impacted

Fresh travel warnings have been placed on 33 countries across the world as the conflict between the US-Israel and Iran escalates. Travel has been impacted globally since the war began with the US attacking Iran on February 28, with no sign of calming.

At the beginning of the conflict many flights were cancelled in the Middle East, mainly in the UAE as the airspace was closed. The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) has updated travellers from the UK about the global travel impacts due to escalation in the Middle East.

For 34 countries, some of which are popular tourist spots have been advised: “Escalation in the Middle East has caused widespread travel disruption, including airspace closures, delayed and cancelled flights. Your travel plans may be affected, even if your destination is not in the Middle East.

“Before you travel, check travel advice for any countries or territories you are transiting through, check for the latest updates from your airline or tour operator before travelling, review your travel insurance policy for coverage before you travel and monitor local and international media for the latest information and sign up for travel advice email alerts.”

Places issued with the warning

• Australia
• Bangladesh
• Brunei
• Cambodia
• Federated States of Micronesia
• Fiji
• Georgia
• India
• Indonesia
• Japan
• Kiribati
• Laos
• Malaysia
• Maldives
• Marshall Islands
• Nauru
• Nepal
• New Zealand
• Papua New Guinea
• Philippines
• Samoa
• Singapore
• Solomon Islands
• South Korea
• Sri Lanka
• Tajikistan
• Thailand
• Tonga
• Turkmenistan
• Tuvalu
• Uzbekistan
• Vanuatu
• Vietnam

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