A man whose teenage son is accused of killing two students and two teachers at a Georgia high school should be held responsible for providing the weapon despite warnings about alleged threats his son made, a prosecutor said Monday.

The trial of Colin Gray began Monday in one of several cases around the country where prosecutors are trying to hold parents responsible after their children are accused in fatal shootings.

Gray faces 29 counts, including two counts of second-degree murder, two counts of involuntary manslaughter and numerous counts of second-degree cruelty to children related to the September 2024 shooting at Apalachee High School in Winder.

“This is not a case about holding parents accountable for what their children do,” Barrow County District Attorney Brad Smith said in his opening statement. “This case is about this defendant and his actions in allowing a child that he has custody over access to a firearm and ammunition after being warned that that child was going to harm others.”

Prosecutors argue that amounts to cruelty to children, and second-degree murder is defined in Georgia law as causing the death of a child by committing the crime of cruelty to children.

Investigators have said Colt Gray, who was 14 at the time, carefully planned the Sept. 4, 2024, shooting at the school northeast of Atlanta that is attended by 1,900 students.

But Brian Hobbs, an attorney for Colin Gray, said the shooting’s planning and timing “were hidden by Colt Gray from his father. That’s the difference between tragedy and criminal liability. You cannot hold someone criminally responsible for failing to predict what was intentionally hidden from them.”

With a semiautomatic rifle in his book bag, the barrel sticking out and wrapped in poster board, Colt Gray boarded the school bus, investigators said. He left his second-period class and emerged from a bathroom with the gun and then shot people in a classroom and hallways, they said.

Smith told the jury that Colin Gray’s daughter was in lockdown at her middle school and texted her father that there had been a shooting at the high school. When law enforcement arrived at Gray’s home, he met them in the garage and “without any prompting, he blurts out, ‘I knew it,’” Smith said.

Smith said that in September 2021, Colt Gray used a school computer to search the phrase, “how to kill your dad.” School resource officers were then sent to the home, but it was determined to be a “misunderstanding,” Smith said.

Sixteen months before the shooting, in May 2023, law enforcement acted on a tip from the FBI after a shooting threat was made online concerning an elementary school. The threat was traced to a computer at Gray’s home, Smith said.

Colin Gray was told about the threat and was asked whether his son had access to guns. Gray replied that he and his son “take this school shooting stuff very seriously,” according to Smith. Colt Gray denied that he made the threat and said that his online account had been hacked, Smith said.

That Christmas, Colin Gray gave his son the gun as a gift and continued to buy accessories after that, including “a lot of ammunition,” Smith said.

Colin Gray knew his son was obsessed with school shooters, even having a shrine in his bedroom to Nikolas Cruz, the shooter in the 2018 massacre at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, prosecutors have said. A Georgia Bureau of Investigation agent had testified that the teen’s parents had discussed their son’s fascination with school shooters but decided that it was in a joking context and not a serious issue.

Three weeks before the shooting, Gray received a chilling text from his son: “Whenever something happens, just know the blood is on your hands,” according to Smith.

Colin Gray was also aware his son’s mental health had deteriorated and had sought help from a counseling service weeks before the shooting, an investigator testified.

“We have had a very difficult past couple of years and he needs help. Anger, anxiety, quick to be volatile. I don’t know what to do,” Colin Gray wrote about his son.

But Smith said Colin Gray never followed through on concerns about getting his son admitted to an in-patient facility.

The trial is being held in Winder, in Barrow County, where the shooting happened. The defense asked for a change of venue because of pretrial publicity, and prosecutors agreed. The judge kept the trial in Winder but decided to bring in jurors from nearby Hall County to hear the case. Jurors were selected last week.

___

Raby reported from Charleston, West Virginia.

The pair briefly split in 2007

Kate Middleton issued an ‘ultimatum’ to Prince William after an ’embarrassing’ incident before their brief breakup, it has been revealed in a new book.

The couple met at St Andrews University in 2001 while they were studying history of art. They moved into a shared house with two other friends in 2002 and reportedly became a couple around Christmas 2003.

However, four years later the pair briefly split, reportedly because of the strain caused by William’s military career, but also came amid intense media pressure since they met.

The Mirror’s Royal Editor, Russell Myers writes in his new book, William and Catherine: The Intimate Inside Story, which is being serialised by the Mirror, has opened up about the split, with sources claiming that at the time, William and Kate’s relationship had ‘soured beyond repair’.

He writes: “In March 2007, William and Catherine who had barely seen each other since Christmas, were pictured decked out in matching tweed, appearing frosty with each other at the Cheltenham horse racing festival. Sources claimed the relationship had ‘soured beyond repair’.

“Days later, William heaped further embarrassment on Catherine when he was pictured appearing to grope an 18-year-old Brazilian student he met on the dancefloor of Elements nightclub in Bournemouth. Looking wide-eyed, sweaty and clutching a pint of beer as he stood between two young women, William seemed to have temporarily abandoned his senses. Was this the normality he craved?

“Or was he simply a young man letting off some steam after finishing a tank commander course, while continuing to exist in a pressure-cooker situation? Catherine was upset and admonished him for his behaviour, questioning whether the light of their four-year relationship was about to be extinguished forever.”

And this is where her ‘ultimatum’ came in. Russell writes: “In the days after the Cheltenham Festival, deeply unhappy and at a loss to describe how their relationship had faltered, Catherine delivered an ultimatum to William. While she did not explicitly demand an engagement or even a promise of marriage, she did break free from the gentle and arguably submissive persona that had typified her relationship with the future king.

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“A long-standing friend who she confided in at the time said, ‘Catherine was distressed. She was miserable, but she certainly wasn’t desperate. She felt as though she had nothing to lose and for the first time she probably relayed her true feelings to William. She wasn’t demanding an engagement, but she wanted a commitment, and if he couldn’t deliver that, well, then she left him in no doubt that it was best they go their separate ways.’

“On many levels, the conversation was the clearest sign of the changing dynamic of their relationship. Catherine was no longer a shy student finding her way in the world, nor was she willing to be portrayed as the long-suffering girlfriend of a prince who had other priorities. Either they were a team, or they weren’t.”

But, things didn’t seem to better from there. “In a shock move, William personally instructed Clarence House to confirm the news that he and Catherine were no longer together,” Russell continues. “But, behind the scenes, there was much going on that suggested this was more than just a difference of opinion. It’s telling that William confided to one senior courtier that, ‘at least she is free.’

“This was perhaps the most significant moment in his life since his mother had passed. William revealed a deep distress and anxiety over what a relationship with him represented in the real world. The attention, the constant pressure and expectation. He held these things responsible for contributing to the breakdown of his previous relationships, but now, when it mattered the most, he wondered if he was taking the right course of action, for Catherine or himself.”

In the end, it appears the late Queen Elizabeth II was the one who had a role in bringing the couple, who have now been married for more than 10 years and share three children, back together. “The Queen had witnessed at first hand the toxicity that spilled over from Charles and Diana’s relationship and the devastating effect of the Princess of Wales’s tragic death on both William and Harry,” Russell writes.

“And she knew that William was hurting from the attempt to reconcile so many competing expectations, demands and desires. During those initial days of hopelessness after the tragedy of Diana’s death, Elizabeth’s first reaction had been that of a grandmother, not a monarch. She refused to bow to pressure from the press and instead dedicated herself to comforting her suffering grandchildren. Now she would do the same.

“Sensing William was struggling, the Queen invited him to Sunday lunch to judge his mood. William was more than just crestfallen and worried about whether he was throwing away the one constant in his life. He was, according to one well-placed source, ‘completely broken’.

“‘In that moment, the Queen advised her grandson that the only certain path is the one supported by faith. It was all she had to say,’ they said.”

William and Catherine: The Intimate Inside Story, published on 26 February by Ebury, Penguin Random House, is available to pre-order now

An air-raid siren accompanied 36-year-old Makhmudov’s arrival before a suited-up Fury strolled to the stage, smiling broadly.

“He’s back,” announced Fury, who flew in overnight from a training camp in Thailand.

“I feel fresh. I feel good,” he said. “If I was on the decline I would say it. I’d be the first to say.”

Fury has not fought in Britain since December 2022, when he stopped Derek Chisora at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium to retain the WBC title.

He boasts 34 wins from 37 fights, including 24 knockouts, alongside two defeats by Usyk and a draw with Deontay Wilder.

“I bring a circus. I bring an entourage. I bring entertainment. I bring action. I bring cameras,” Fury added, insisting he was still in his “prime”.

Asked for a prediction, the Gypsy King forecast a sixth-round knockout with his “right hand”.

Makhmudov, meanwhile, kept it respectful and would not be drawn into insults or predictions.

He has won 21 of his 23 professional contests, with 19 victories by knockout. His most recent outing was a win over Briton Dave Allen in October 2025.

Nicknamed The Lion, Makhmudov recalled meeting Fury in Canada about a decade ago and described him as a “legend”, but said he is now focused on building his own “legacy”.

The face-off was good-natured. “You’re a big boy, aren’t you?” Fury said with a grin, and the pair closed it out with a handshake.

When the US secretary of state, Marco Rubio, delivered a speech at Europe’s biggest security conference in the German city of Munich on February 14, leaders from across the continent were relieved by its content. In contrast to the previous year, when US vice-president J.D. Vance had launched a scathing attack on European-style democracy, Rubio’s tone was far more friendly and conciliatory.

He described the US as a “child of Europe”, assuring European leaders that his country was intent on building a new world order together with what he called “our cherished allies and our oldest friends”. The president of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, said she was “very much reassured” by these remarks.

However, Rubio also repeated several of the Trump administration’s familiar criticisms of Europe’s approach to immigration and climate action, cautioning that the US is prepared to chart its new path alone. And while he claimed his country wants to reinvigorate the transtlantic alliance, Rubio questioned Europe’s will and capacity to do so.

The speech underscored the balance Rubio must strike between aligning himself with the political priorities of Donald Trump and reassuring European partners. Unlike much of the Trump administration, the secretary of state understands that the US needs to be more diplomatic with Europe to achieve its foreign policy objectives.

This isn’t the case with Vance. One year ago, he chastised Europe for its migration policies and accused its governments of suppressing free speech and populist parties. He claimed that the greatest threat to Europe’s security came “from within”, rather than Russia. According to Vance, Europe had become too politically correct, abandoning fundamental values in the process.

Vance’s speech came as a shock to European leaders in the audience. They were not completely prepared for such a blistering attack, having thought he would focus his address largely on the war in Ukraine. The speech drew praise from Moscow, including from former Russian president and prime minister Dmitry Medvedev, and triggered a year of turmoil in transatlantic relations.

In his speech, Vance echoed Trump’s view of Europe – but it’s a view that matches his own. The vice-president has never really respected Europe. This was made clear in a series of leaked messages between Vance and other US national security officials in March 2025.

When Vance discussed plans for a military strike against Houthi forces in Yemen, which he noted posed a larger threat to European shipping than American trade, he lamented: “I hate bailing out Europe again.” Though he wrote in his 2016 memoir that visiting the UK was a childhood dream, Vance had become a Euro sceptic.

This contrasts with Rubio, who has traditionally been a strong supporter of Europe and the transatlantic alliance. Although ideologically hawkish in foreign policy, he has never been an isolationist – and has consistently backed traditional collective security institutions such as Nato.

In 2015, Rubio declared that the US must make a tough response to any Russian aggression against its Nato ally Turkey. And in 2019, he was part of a bi-partisan effort to prevent any US president from leaving the Nato alliance. He said: “It is critical to our national security and the security of our allies in Europe that the United States remain engaged and play an active role in Nato.”

This stance initially put Rubio at odds with Trump. But after Trump’s election defeat in 2020, Rubio recalibrated and slowly gained his trust. And since entering Trump’s inner circle, he has thrived. Rubio now serves as the president’s national security advisor as well as secretary of state, and has gained tremendous influence in foreign affairs.

Rubio’s delicate balance

To gain so much power, Rubio has had to be ideologically flexible. In Latin America, where his hardline stance against socialist regimes strongly aligns with Trump’s foreign policy goals, Rubio is in the driver’s seat and has largely determined what the US’s interests are. This has included pressing for the ouster of Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro, taking a tough stance on Cuba, and pressuring Panama to push out Chinese influence.

But outside of Latin America, Rubio has adopted a more measured communication style. He has engaged in damage control while ultimately clarifying and reinforcing Trump’s positions.

Trump prefers a world where the US acts unilaterally and ignores the rules-based international order. This has been illustrated by the US attacks on Iranian nuclear sites in 2025, as well as the more recent capture of Maduro and threats to take control of Greenland from Denmark.

Rubio tried to defuse tensions with Denmark in January, claiming the US merely wanted to purchase Greenland rather than intervene militarily. He has also toned down his hawkishness on Russia, a country Trump has sought to forge closer relations with. In 2016, Rubio had stated that the Russian president, Vladimir Putin, posed the biggest threat to global security.

As recently as 2024, Rubio praised the bravery of Ukrainians in their fight against Russia. But in his Munich address, he barely mentioned Ukraine, on which Trump has been applying pressure to end the war. Rubio also did not appear at a gathering with European allies immediately before the conference to discuss the conflict in Ukraine, claiming there was a scheduling issue.

Later, he reportedly offered Ukraine’s president Volodymyr Zelensky some assurances of US commitment. Despite also warning that Ukraine would need to accept hard concessions to end the war, this was an improvement from Vance’s past questioning of why the US was spending millions of dollars defending a “few miles of territory”.

Ultimately, while Rubio’s speech in Munich was less divisive and shocking than Vance’s a year earlier, it does not resemble any significant change in US foreign policy under Trump. The US has some shared interests with Europe, but not shared values.

The new survey, commissioned by Samsung Electronics to celebrate its Galaxy Book6 Series which comes complete with a newly optimised vapour chamber and long-lasting battery, found people who listen to music or videos loudly in public also ranked high in the list of everyday annoyances, while people who are rude to waiters (35%) and loud chewers (33%) were also listed as common gripes.

According to the research, four in 10 Brits say it can take just one small thing to push them over the edge, while 38% say it is often technology that pushes them to their limits. Slow Wi-Fi (51%), spam emails (43%) and battery that runs out quickly (37%) are all adding to the heat for Brits, while online forms that don’t submit and internet pop-ups also feature.

Public behaviour tends to be a source of constant irritation for Brits. Slow walkers, people who don’t say thank you when you let them past, and people who stop right in front of you in the street all rank higher than more traditional gripes, such as snoring or public displays of affection. Even individual habits aren’t safe – from incessant sniffing or repeatedly saying “what?” to people who run topless making their way onto the list.

When Brits do hit boiling point, most react in a classically British way by keeping things subtle. Heavily sighing (25%) and stewing internally (23%) are more common responses than public outbursts such as raising voices (23%) or snapping (13%). Despite this, 70% say they’re aware they’re nearing boiling point – they just can’t always stop it.

A new study has pinpointed the top 50 things that push Brits to boiling point, with dog walkers who leave waste bags hanging on tree branches topping the list. (Image: Getty Images/iStockphoto)

The research also suggests frustration is often kept quiet. 59% believe people are nervous to admit when they’ve been pushed to boiling point, particularly when the trigger feels small or trivial.

Annika Bizon, Mobile Experience VP of Product and Marketing at Samsung UK & Ireland said: “Modern life throws enough daily frustrations at us without technology adding to the pressure. Whether it’s device performance or running out of battery, those small interruptions can tip people over the edge.

“The enhanced Vapour chamber in the Galaxy Book6 Series distributes heat more evenly, helping to keep performance smooth and temperatures down, so devices can handle everyday demands without becoming another source of irritation.”

The research also found that once Brits hit boiling point, the irritation can linger. 38% say it takes at least 10 minutes to cool down, while less than one in ten admit it can ruin most of their day. For a smaller but significant group, frustration doesn’t pass quickly at all, lingering for hours or longer.

Travel experiences were a common pressure point, with a third of the population saying that delays or waiting for transport often pushes them to boiling point. Further, half the population say tiredness has a major impact on how easily they get irritated, making small issues feel far bigger than they should.

Despite the long list of shared gripes, frustration isn’t always expressed openly. Many Brits admit they’re more likely to stew internally than confront someone, particularly when the annoyance comes from strangers. Over half of Brits (51%) agree that it bothers them less when friends do irritating things than when strangers do, while only a small minority of 10% say they’d actually challenge someone they don’t know.

When it comes to ranking themselves against peers, 32% of Brits admit to feeling like they have a lower annoyance threshold than other people.

New cooling technology in the Samsung Galaxy Book6 Ultra and Pro laptops has been designed to deliver efficient and consistent operation, without the trade-off of excess noise. The newly optimised vapour chamber and airflow system enhance heat dissipation while maintaining quiet operation.

THE 50 THINGS THAT PUSH US TO BOILING POINT

1. Dog walkers who hang waste bags on tree branches
2. People who don’t pick up after their dogs
3. People who put phone calls on loud speaker in public
4. People who are rude to waiters
5. People who listen to music or videos on loud in public
6. Loud chewers
7. People that blow snot onto the pavement
8. Bar or waiting staff who ignore you
9. People who bury their heads in their phones whilst walking
10. Being put on hold
11. Slow walkers – particularly during commute time
12. People who slurp while eating or drinking
13. When you let someone past you and they don’t say thank you
14. People who stop when they are walking right in front of you
15. Forgetting your password
16. People who recline their seat on an aeroplane
17. People who stop in annoying/inconvenient places
18. When your device runs out of charge
19. Snoring
20. People who sniff a lot
21. People who play games/videos on their phones out loud
22. Unsolicited advice
23. Persistent throat-clearing
24. People who don’t open the door for others
25. People who fart in public spaces
26. People who keep saying ‘what?’
27. Captcha
28. Encroaching on people’s space on public transport
29. People who stand on the wrong side of the escalator
30. People who don’t have their cards ready at the check out
31. QR codes for menus
32. People who run topless
33. Ads on podcasts
34. People who clap when the plane lands
35. People who pop bubbles with chewing gum
36. People who refer to themselves in the third person
37. When the card reader makes you enter your pin number
38. People who don’t have their boarding passes out at security
39. Group chats blowing up with “thanks!” and thumbs-up reactions
40. People biting their nails
41. Autocorrect
42. Whistling indoors
43. People who audibly eat apples in public
44. The price of olive oil
45. Two-factor authentication
46. Push notifications
47. Public displays of affection
48. People who say “Per my last email”
49. Getting overtaken in a cycle lane by an electric scooter
50. People who stand up on the train or the tube before it’s their stop

Former Manchester United assistant Rene Meulensteen has backed a potential move for Newcastle midfielder Sandro Tonali

Manchester United have been advised why they ought to contemplate a move for Newcastle star Sandro Tonali. United have been strongly linked with signing a midfielder for the past 12 months, yet are still to bolster the middle of the pitch this campaign.

United secured four signings last summer but did not enter the market for a midfielder, and when January arrived, the Red Devils opted against strengthening their squad.

A range of candidates have already been linked with joining United in the summer, including Brighton’s Carlos Baleba, Crystal Palace’s Adam Wharton and Nottingham Forest’s Elliot Anderson.

Tonali was linked with a switch to Arsenal on deadline day, though a transfer never materialised, with the Italy international staying at St. James’ Park.

READ MORE: Diego Simeone’s ugly Man Utd incident, warning to players and why Roy Keane wants himREAD MORE: Man Utd’s stance sacking Omar Berrada after telling Lionel Messi comment

Former United coach Rene Meulensteen, who served as assistant to Sir Alex Ferguson, has outlined why Tonali would represent a worthwhile option for the Reds to explore to reinforce their midfield, reports the Manchester Evening News.

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“Sandro Tonali is a good player and he’s done really well for Newcastle,” Meulensteen said in an interview with BetGoat. “The rumours I heard were that he possibly wanted to go back to Italy, but he’s definitely a good player who understands how to play that role in midfield and he’s a good passer of the ball.

“Man Utd definitely need to look into that position and what they need, I think they could look at Joelinton in that position. He obviously came there as a forward and Eddie Howe has dropped him and turned him into this massive motor in midfield.

“He is a great player that has been learning from Bruno Guimaraes who is a leader, a strong character, a winner. Possibly hard to get, but he could all fit the bill in my opinion. Having said that, so does Adam Wharton.

“The boy because he’s so good at playing forward and that is exactly what the forwards would thrive on at Manchester United. Elliot Anderson again, great.

“There are so many, there’s plenty out there, but you wouldn’t want to bring too many in because you don’t want Kobbie Mainoo to end up back on the bench again. He’s proven in those games that Carrick has played him and he has all the right to keep playing and improving because you’ve got an outstanding player there.”

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Tonali recently spoke about his dedication to Newcastle amidst the rumours, with the midfielder rejoicing enthusiastically after scoring twice in their victory over Aston Villa in the FA Cup at the weekend.

“The first one [celebration], this celebration was, I think, seven months without scoring; if you don’t score for seven months, after the first goal, you celebrate for ten or 11 goals – like Bruno (Guimaraes),” Tonali said, via Chronicle Live.

“But after the second goal, I came to Eddie (Howe) because in the past few weeks, people spoke about our relationship, but I work every day with the gaffer, the gaffer works every day with me, and our relationship is perfect. It’s not broken and I think this is perfect for the team.

“We try to do the best for this team, every game, because we play a lot of games – every three days, we play, and we have to be concentrated every time in the training ground to do the best for our team.”

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A witness claimed police were “very dismissive” while the hearing was told evidence bags containing Noah’s clothes were not forensically sealed

A police officer who was one of the first to attend the area Noah Donohoe was last seen said he was “not aware at the time” it was a high risk missing persons case.

Noah, a pupil of St Malachy’s College, was 14 when he was found dead in a storm drain in north Belfast in June 2020, six days after leaving home on his bike to meet two friends in the Cavehill area of the city. A post-mortem examination found the cause of death was drowning.

The inquest into his death resumed on Monday, February 16, with evidence from an eyewitness who saw the teen cycling naked, as well as a police officer who was one of the first to attend Northwood Road.

READ MORE: Noah Donohoe ‘missed’ in initial search of CCTV footage, inquest toldREAD MORE: Noah Donohoe inquest witnesses tell of screams and ‘white flash-by window’ on night of his disappearance

Constable Wilson was called from Tennent Street station to the report of Noah’s bike being found on the street at around 8pm and was questioned on his actions between arriving and handing over to officers from South Belfast.

He also recalled finding trainers and a jumper along the road, which he put into evidence bags and placed in the police car. The Constable said he wore gloves to pick up Noah’s jumper and shoes, and place them into evidence bags. However, these bags were not forensically sealed.

He said at that time, the priority was to “keep the items secure as the weather was changing.” The items were placed in two evidence bags, and into the boot of the PSNI control car.

When asked by counsel for Fiona Donohoe, Ms Campbell KC, why the evidence bags were not forensically secured, he said: “I was dealing with a misper [missing person] not knowing it was the level it was at – if items were covered in blood it would have changed circumstances, but they were not.”

Constable Wilson said he checked Control Works, the PSNI log, before attending the area but that it just gives the call number and brief details of the case.

“It wouldn’t have given me all the details – it’s what is typed on by the dispatcher or call handler,” he said.

Ms Campbell also questioned Constable Wilson about why he did not mention in his notebook or statement that he spoke to a homeowner on Northwood Road.

The officer was asked about his training, stating he left the police college in February 2020 after joining in 2019.

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Constable Wilson was asked by Ms Campbell how they knew the clothing found on Northwood Road was Noah Donohoe’s, with the officer saying it was “obvious” he had been taking his clothing off while going up the road.

However, Ms Campbell highlighted that homeowner Ms Patterson said she saw Noah cycling naked – not that she witnessed him taking his clothes off.

Ms Campbell questioned why no mention of this was made in Constable Wilson’s notebook or statement. In response, he said they “couldn’t view CCTV [at Ms Patterson’s property] to clarify” the account. Ms Patterson told him police were welcome to call any time to get the footage.

Earlier in the day, the inquest heard from Conor McConnell, who was at his mother’s partner’s house on Northwood Road on Sunday, June 21. He said he thought it was a “prank” when he saw the schoolboy cycling naked on the day he disappeared.

His first statement, which was read to the jury, said: “While at the house, I was sat facing the living room window that looks out onto Northwood Road when I saw a male cycle past the window naked. I initially thought that this was a prank.”

He said he had gone outside and saw items of clothing on the street. Mr McConnell said he had later seen a dark car driving up the street and then saw two men talking at the top of the cul-de-sac. His statement said he concluded this had nothing to do with the naked cyclist.

The inquest heard that the witness had recently provided a second statement to the proceedings, after raising concerns about “inaccuracies” in his first statement.

The second statement said: “I told the police I had seen a nude male cycling up the street, and had observed his shoes neatly placed on the footpath and shorts and boxers looked like they had been stepped out of.

“These were also on the footpath, as were a T-shirt and hoodie, which I believed also belonged to the male.”

The audio of two phone calls, which police said the witness made to them on the Monday and Tuesday after Noah went missing were then played to the jury.

Mr McConnell told the inquest that he believed he had made three calls to the police, including two on the Sunday night. He said he had made the first call on the Sunday after seeing a Facebook post about a missing person which had been shared.

Counsel for the coroner Declan Quinn told the witness that the police position is that the first contact from him had been on the Monday night. Mr McConnell said he believed that the first of the two calls played to the jury was from the Sunday evening, not Monday.

Donal Lunny KC, barrister for the PSNI, said police had made “various searches” and were “satisfied” that Mr Connell had first contacted them on the Monday, and made a second contact on the Tuesday.

When the hearing resumed after lunch, Mr Lunny said: “I’m going to suggest to you, your first phone call was at 2312 on the Monday night, your second phone call is 2253 hours on the Tuesday.”

Mr McConnell said: “I disagree.” The witness was then questioned by Brenda Campbell KC, counsel for Ms Donohoe,

She said: “Have you come to court motivated by anything other than assisting the inquest?”

Mr McConnell said: “I don’t see the point in coming up here and lying about anything. I’m giving my honest memory.”

He said he was willing to allow his phone records to be examined. Ms Campbell said it was two years after Noah went missing before the police contacted Mr McConnell to make a statement.

The witness said the reason for this had been a “mystery” to him.

Ms Campbell said Mr McConnell had a “clear recollection” of seeing a social media post about Noah being missing, which prompted him to contact police. Mr McConnell said his recollection was that this had occurred on the Sunday night.

Ms Campbell then asked about a police log which stated that a constable had called Mr McConnell back after his initial contact. Mr McConnell said that he had no recollection of police calling him back.

He said: “Today is the first time it has been suggested to me that police called me back.”

Ms Campbell said: “When the police came to take a statement from you, nearly two years later, did they explain the delay?”

Mr McConnell said he had raised questions about the lack of response, but said police were “very dismissive”.

The inquest continues on Tuesday, February 17.

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A fourth ransom note from someone claiming to have information about Nancy Guthrie has been sent to TMZ, the tabloid reports.

The note reportedly is demanding confidential payment for the information. Harvey Levin, TMZ’s founder, addressed the sender in a video post on Monday and asked for verification that they are sincere.

“If you’re worried about getting this money, and you really do have this information, send it to us,” he said in the video. “We will forward it to the FBI, and that way there’s a record that we have that you supplied this information.”

The sender reportedly is claiming to know the identity of Guthrie’s alleged kidnapper.

“If they find her, and they find the kidnapper, then at least there is evidence because we have it, that you’re the one who provided the information,” Levin said. “So this is a way for you to get that money if this really is legitimate.”

Someone has sent TMZ three other notes, all of which claim to have knowledge of Guthrie’s fate, and all angling to collect on the FBI’s $100,000 reward for information. It’s assumed — but not confirmed — that the letters were sent by the same person.

Referee Chris Kavanagh and his assistant Nick Greenhalgh have not been selected for a Premier League game this weekend.

The pair were heavily criticised for their decisions in the fourth round FA Cup tie between Aston Villa and Newcastle United on Saturday, in which there was no video assistant referee.

VAR will not be brought in until the fifth round.

Professional Game Match Officials (PGMO) bases its selections on factors including post-match performance assessments conducted by an independent Key Match Incidents panel, ensuring accountability for officials.

Among the errors, Kavanagh and Greenhalgh missed a clear offside against Tammy Abraham for Villa’s opening goal.

A potential red card for Lucas Digne for a challenge on Jacob Murphy was missed, along with a possible offside against Dan Burn on Newcastle‘s equaliser.

But it was the Digne non-penalty decision that really left most speechless.

The Villa full-back was two yards inside the penalty area when he was penalised for a handball, but Kavanagh and Greenhalgh decided the offence was a yard outside the area and awarded a free-kick – from which Newcastle‘s Sandro Tonali scored the 63rd-minute equaliser.

Speaking on Match of the Day, Wayne Rooney said it was “one of the worst decisions I have ever seen”.

However, despite the criticism Kavanagh is highly regarded and in December was promoted to Uefa’s elite list of referees to join Michael Oliver and Anthony Taylor.

The other assistant at Villa Park, Gary Beswick, has been appointed to Nottingham Forest versus Liverpool on Sunday.

Durham County Council approved plans for the new properties at the Integra 61 site in Bowburn, County Durham. 

Initial plans show the new estate could include a mix of multi-storey homes, bungalows, and open space. Access would be taken from the main site estate road within the wider Intergra61 site, similar to the nearby new housing development. 

As part of the original Integra 61 development, 270 homes were approved in 2015 as part of the inaugural outline planning application. Since then, Persimmon Homes and Bellway have constructed 261 homes as part of the wider mixed-use commercial development. 

Where the new homes will be built within the existing Integra 61 development. (Image: Citrus Durham)

Citrus Group, the applicant, said the latest proposal for housing “made logical sense” after the land became available. 

A planning statement read: “Citrus Group is an experienced developer within Durham and has been integral to the delivery of major employment and residential developments across the county, namely Integra 61, which this site borders.  

“Citrus has been working proactively with officers and Durham County Council to provide an outline scheme which meets planning policy requirements and will provide a range of homes for the village, including family homes, starter homes, bungalows and affordable dwellings.

“When the land adjoining Integra became available more recently and accessible from our main spine road, it made logical sense to plan a small housing scheme at this end of the site next to existing residential properties and to complement what has been achieved so far.”

Durham County Council’s planning committee approved the proposal at a meeting last week. 

Last year, Citrus Durham revealed new proposals to create thousands of jobs through a £250 million development scheme. The latest plans for the next phase of Integra 61 aim to secure 3.2 million square feet of new industrial space. 

The proposed second phase includes plans for a mix of storage/distribution and manufacturing uses with some office space.

Plans have also been submitted for a new petrol station and Starbucks drive-thru at junction 61 of the A1(M) motorway near Bowburn.

Costa and Greggs drive-thru units are also located at the Integra 61 site, near the Amazon fulfilment centre. Construction is underway on Marton Care’s new 73-bedroom care home facility alongside the new homes.