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Spire Washington patient speaks over surgeon Leslie Irwin

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Spire Washington patient speaks over surgeon Leslie Irwin

David Render underwent numerous procedures carried out by consultant orthopaedic surgeon Leslie Irwin between 2018 and 2022.

Mr Irwin practised at Spire Washington Hospital and Sunderland Royal Hospital during that period.

David said several procedures were often carried out during a single operation, leaving him at times unsure “exactly what had been done”.

David Render (Image: SUPPLIED)

On two occasions, he claims screws were left protruding from his fingers following surgery, requiring emergency removal.

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He first sought medical treatment in 2017 after damaging his wrists in a fall.

Initially treated by another surgeon, he was referred to Mr Irwin the following year.

Over the next four years, he underwent repeated operations at Spire Washington Hospital on his wrists, fingers and elbows, including extensive tendon and ligament surgery.

Since then, David, from Washington, says he has struggled with daily life.

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Leslie Irwin (Image: SUPPLIED)

Once a keen photographer, he has been unable to return fully to his hobby and says ongoing pain and restricted movement in his arms make everyday tasks difficult.

He also believes the physical and emotional toll of repeated procedures contributed to the breakdown of his marriage.

Although he regarded Mr Irwin, who has since been banned from practising by Spire, as his “saviour”, David was contacted unexpectedly last year by Spire Washington Hospital, raising concerns about some of the procedures he had undergone.

Following an investigation into Mr Irwin’s work, Spire acknowledged there had been “no clinical indication” for at least one of David’s operations.

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Sunderland Royal Hospital (Image: Stuart Boulton)

Concerns were also raised about the standard of surgery, including the use of a thermal wand, described as a technique not accepted practice, which caused damage to his wrist.

“I honestly thought Mr Irwin was amazing, I worshipped him,” David said.

“I believed things would have been far worse without all the operations he carried out.

“When he did several procedures in one go, I thought he was saving time and money, and I trusted him completely to fix what was wrong.

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“But knowing what I know now, it feels very different. It has been such a shock, especially as nothing has actually been put right despite all those operations.

“When Spire contacted me, I assumed it was routine. Finding out what had happened made me very angry. I thought he was a brilliant surgeon and a lovely man. To discover there are so many others affected is awful.”

Mr Irwin who worked for the South Tyneside and Sunderland NHS Trust between 2001 and 2023, retired in 2022, but a selection of his patients have been contacted directly by Spire over potential issues with his work. 

Mr Irwin relinquished his role with the General Medical Council (GMC) in May 2025. 

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Spire Healthcare suspended Mr Irwin in August 2023 and withdrew his practising privileges in September 2024.

Spire Hospital in Washington (Image: Stuart Boulton)

The private practice started recalling patients who were operated on by Mr Irwin during his time at Spire Washington Hospital in the summer of 2025.

The South Tyneside and Sunderland NHS Foundation Trust said that it had “liaised with Spire to understand the scale of their patient recall and to help inform our next steps as a Trust”.

A spokesperson for the Trust added: “We are currently working through the details of which patients we may need to review and will contact those people directly and as a matter of priority.”

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The Care Quality Commission (CQC) confirmed that it inspected Spire Washington Hospital in October last year after concerns were raised with it, and would be publishing its findings in due course.

Mr Render said he had always believed he was receiving the best possible care and, even after the incidents involving screws protruding from his fingers, would “never have dreamed of complaining”.

“Had Spire not contacted me, I would never have known,” he said.

“I would have assumed this was the best outcome I could expect after my accident. I am grateful for their openness and transparency.

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“But there are still so many questions, for me and for other patients and for me. We need to understand what happened and why things have gone so terribly wrong.”

David is being supported by law firm Slater and Gordon, which has been investigating cases involving Mr Irwin for several months. An increasing number of former patients are said to have come forward.



Ayesha Hussain, a clinical negligence solicitor representing David, said: “David placed his full trust in his surgeon, as any patient would, believing he was receiving the highest standard of care.

“To discover that this may have fallen significantly short has been devastating for him, particularly given the regard in which he held his doctor.

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“He is entitled to answers about what happened and why, and we will support him in seeking those answers.

“This is an extremely concerning situation, and we are hearing from a significant number of people with similar concerns. We would urge anyone worried about their treatment to come forward.”

Spire Washington says they have been in touch with patients and are reviewing specific procedures undertaken by Mr Irwin. 

A Spire spokesperson previously said: “We are currently reviewing specific procedures that were provided to a select cohort of patients of Mr Leslie Irwin, a consultant orthopaedic surgeon who previously practised at Spire Washington Hospital. 

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“We are in direct contact with all relevant patients to review their care and offer support. 

“The review is being run in accordance with NHS England’s National Quality Board: Recall Framework, which Spire Healthcare helped to develop.” 

Mr Irwin has not responded to requests for comment by The Northern Echo.

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The expensive Cambridge street close to the city centre where houses sell for millions

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Cambridgeshire Live

The houses on Maids Causeway are perfectly located for easy access to the city centre.

The Cambridge street where most properties cost more than £1 million

It is widely known that Cambridge is an expensive city to live in. Rent prices here are high compared to the rest of the UK and houses often come with a hefty price tag.

If you are lucky, you might be able to buy a house in the city’s more affordable areas. For the most part, you will need a lot in your savings to buy a family home.

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Many streets around the city have been nicknamed Millionaire’s Row, as most of the properties cost over £1 million. One of these streets includes Maids Causeway, close to the city centre, which features plenty of houses that sell for millions.

It is easy to see why, as the street is close to a range of facilities including the many restaurants and shops found along Fitzroy Street and Burleigh Street. The road is also surrounded by green spaces with Midsummer Common right just over the road.

Christ’s Pieces is also just a short walk away and features a children’s playground. It is also easy to reach the city centre where you can go shopping at the Grand Arcade or take a look around Cambridge Market. You can also find a range of museums, pubs, and restaurants to enjoy dotted along the busy streets.

A detached property on the road overlooks Midsummer Common and was last sold in September 2023 for £2,975,000. The rooms are spread across four different floors with five bedrooms and it has a library as well as a study and several bathrooms.

A terraced home with four bedrooms sold for £1,340,000 in June 2024, nearly doubling in price from the previous cost of £695,000 in April 2007.

If you want a property that does not cost over £1 million, the street is home to a few flats. This one bedroom flat last sold for £390,000 in November 2024 and comes with its own little garden area.

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According to Capturing Cambridge, it is believed Maids Causeway got its name from “the benefit the raised causeway brought to the two poor widows and four ‘poor godly, ancient maidens’” who used to live in the Knight and Mortlock’s almshouses.

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Wisconsin authorities arrest about 25 protesters at beagle breeding facility

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Wisconsin authorities arrest about 25 protesters at beagle breeding facility

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Around 25 protesters were arrested as around 1,000 animal welfare activists tried to gain entry to a beagle breeding and research facility in Wisconsin and were met by officers firing pepper spray and rubber bullets, authorities said Sunday.

Saturday’s protest was the second attempt in as many months by demonstrators to take beagles from Ridglan Farms in Blue Mounds, about 25 miles (about 40 kilometers) southwest of the capital, Madison. They were turned back by officers who arrested the group’s leader.

The Dane County Sheriff’s Office said the situation was “significantly calmer and more peaceful” on Sunday, when around 200 people assembled outside the farm. They dispersed after around two hours, it said.

“We’re pleased with the group’s cooperation today, and their willingness to remain peaceful, while still sending their message of concern for the dogs at Ridglan Farms,” Sheriff Kalvin Barrett said in a statement. “We are happy to support anyone who wants to exercise the right to protest, as long as they do so lawfully.”

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The sheriff had said in a video statement Saturday that 300 to 400 protesters were “violently trying to break into the property.” They tried to overcome barricades that included a manure-filled trench, hay bales and a barbed-wire fence.

Some got through the fence but were unable to enter the facility, where an estimated 2,000 beagles are kept, the Wisconsin State Journal reported.

Those arrested included the leader of the Coalition to Save the Ridglan Dogs, Wayne Hsiung, 44, of New York, who was being held on a tentative felony charge of conspiracy to commit burglary. But most arrestees were just booked and released, the sheriff’s office said Sunday.

“No one should be assaulted for giving aid to a dog, even if damage to property is part of that rescue effort,” Hsuing said in a statement from jail Sunday that also accused authorities of using excessive force. “The animals of this Earth are not “things.” They’re sentient beings. And we have the right to rescue them from abuse,” he concluded.

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Protesters took 30 dogs when they broke into the facility in March, when authorities arrested 27 people.

Ridglan denies mistreating animals but agreed in October to give up its state breeding license as of July 1 in a deal to avoid prosecution on animal mistreatment charges.

On its website, the company says “no credible evidence of animal abuse, cruelty, mistreatment or neglect at Ridglan Farms has ever been presented or substantiated.”

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Man escapes police custody after claiming to ‘feel unwell’ as dog and helicopter teams deployed

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Daily Mirror

The force are appealing for the public’s help, as part of their search, after the man escaped police custody when he was taken to the hospital due to claiming that he ‘felt unwell’

Police are hunting for a man after he escaped police custody by claiming to ‘feel unwell’.

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Gary Gainard, 47, was arrested in Bristol on Saturday, April 18, for failing to attend court on shop theft charges.

However, following his arrest he managed to escape the custody unit and police are urging anybody with information to contact them.

Avon and Somerset Police said that Gainard was taken from the custody unit to the Royal United Hopsital, Bath after claims he did not feel well.

Here, he escaped from officers at 2.30pm.

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The force have carried out searched supported by a dog unit and with a National Police Air Service Helicopter but Gainard remains at large.

The 47-year-old is described as being around five foot five, and white, with short brown hair. According to the police he has links to south Bristol.

A spokesperson for the force said: “We’re trying to trace Gary Gainard, 47, wanted for escaping lawful custody.

“He was arrested in Bristol on Saturday, April 18, for failing to attend court on shop theft charges, but escaped after being taken from custody to hospital in Bath.

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“If you see him, please call 999 ref 5226106044.”

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Families explore Durham Castle during special open day event

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Families explore Durham Castle during special open day event

Durham Castle forms part of the twin UNESCO-designated World Heritage sites along with the cathedral.

As part of World Heritage Day on Saturday (April 18), both medieval “jewels” in Durham’s crown were open to the public.

The event was intended to bring the history of Durham and its twin World Heritage Sites to life, combining entertainment with discovery to appeal to visitors of all ages.

Family group pictured on the steps of the Great Hall, taking advantage of free tours of Durham Castle as part of World Heritage Day, on Saturday (April 18) (Image: Durham University)

Organised by Durham Castle and Cathedral World Heritage Site Partnership and County Durham Forum for History and Heritage (CDFHH), it tied in with this year’s World Heritage Day theme of, ‘Living Heritage’.

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By day, the castle is a working building, forming part of University College, the founding college of Durham University, and provides novel halls of residence to some of its students.

It can only usually be visited on occasional pre-booked, paid for tours, so Saturday’s free event was a rare opportunity for members of the public to cast a glance at some of its historic nooks and crannies.

The castle hosted ‘The People’s Story’ with a Heritage Fair and family activities in the Great Hall, showcasing local history societies, including the World Heritage Site Youth Ambassadors.

Following a formal welcome to visitors by The Mayor of Durham, councillor Gary Hutchinson, the castle opened for four-and-a-quarters with free entry and self-guided tours of the Tunstall Chapel, Tunstall Gallery, the Norman Chapel and Senate Room, where medieval wall painting was recently discovered.

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The Norman Knights of Vanguard re-enactment group was also in action in the castle courtyard, with displays of their swordsmanship.

Vanguard re-enactment group gave displays of their swordsmanship as part of World Heritage Day open day event at Durham Castle (Image: Durham University)

Nearby sites such as Palace Green Library, the Museum of Archaeology and World Heritage Site Visitor Centre were also open for visitors to explore.

The day’s events begin at 10am with a tour of St Margaret’s Allotments, off South Street, Durham, the quarry site from which the stone to build the castle and cathedral was taken.

A series of talks and presentations took place during the day in the Bishop’s Dining Room of the castle, including a reflection on the 40th anniversary of Durham being awarded UNESCO World Heritage Site status.

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Durham Cathedral and the Cathedral Museum was also to the public, with 30-minute talks on its conservation.

Anne Allen, World Heritage Site Manager, said: “The day’s activities were planned in response to feedback from recent public consultation.

“We focused on opening the castle free of charge and co-creating an intergenerational people’s heritage programme, so everyone could experience the best of the World Heritage Site.”

World Heritage Day is a worldwide annual event, officially known as the International Day of Monuments and Sites, celebrated at UNESCO Sites across the world on 18 April each year. 

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150 artists welcome visitors during York Open Studios 2026

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150 artists welcome visitors during York Open Studios 2026

Today was the second of four days when artists working in a huge range of disciplines in the city invite the public into their studios.

They will open their doors again on Saturday and Sunday.

Printmaker Susan Bradley at the 2026 York Open Studios (Image: Newsquest)

Susan Bradley was a furniture designer, designing products that were sold across the world until she had children and decided they were more important than attending the international fairs and exhibitions that were an integral part of her work.

So she changed careers, trained as a yoga teacher and turned herself into a print maker, using lino cut and intaglio techniques.

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“I no longer do 3D,” she said. “I am now a print maker, in 2D”.

She said she enjoyed being able to do all of a project herself, from conception through the final artwork. Previously, she only designed a product which others then made.

As well as printing onto pristine paper, she particularly likes printing onto paper that has already been printed on, such as an unwanted music score.

“I like doing something unique,” she said of her work on pre-printed paper. “It cannot be duplicated.”

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Metalworker Laura Duval at the 2026 York Open Studios (Image: Newsquest)

Another artist who works at South Bank Studios at Southlands Road Methodist Church, is metalworker Laura Duval.

She was a painter, but when doing an art degree at York St John University, realised it wasn’t what she wanted to do.

So she moved to a course at York College where one of the projects was making a spoon.

As she tackled it, she knew she had found her form of art – working with metal.

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“I love the hammering,” she said. “It’s therapeutic.  I’m not a jeweller, I’m not a metalsmith, I’m something inbetween, a metalworker.”

Her preferred metal is copper because it’s “warm”, malleable and she can relate to it.

Her art includes jewellery and larger ornaments.

Painter Carolyn Coles at the 2026 York Open Studios (Image: Newsquest)

Both are among more than 150 artists at more than 100 venues across York taking part in this year’s Open Studios, including Carolyn Coles, painter, of South Bank Studios.

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They will receive visitors again from 10am to 5pm on Saturday and Sunday.  Full details are on the event’s website: https://yorkopenstudios.co.uk/.

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Tube strikes to go ahead next week as RMT accuses TfL of refusing to negotiate to avoid walkout chaos

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Tube strikes to go ahead next week as RMT accuses TfL of refusing to negotiate to avoid walkout chaos

“We urge the RMT to call off this action, which will disrupt Londoners, and continue to engage with us. If this strike action goes ahead customers should check before they travel as on some days during the strike, there will be significant disruption and the level of service we can provide will vary across lines.”

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Danny Murphy column: Why Man City will win Premier League ahead of Arsenal

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Graphic for Danny Murphy's BBC Sport column

Arsenal have lost two league games on the spin, so the next time they step on the pitch, at home to Newcastle on Saturday, they are going to have doubts instead of momentum and confidence.

No matter how much quality their players have and how good their preparation, tactics and everything else is, what they have to deal with now is pressure.

Their fans are turning up at the Emirates as nervous as kittens and transferring their fears and frustrations to the players.

City, though, are not under any pressure because they are in a situation they probably never expected, and they have also won the league so many times recently.

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There was a time during Sunday’s game when I thought it was not going to be their day. It was 1-1 and they had hit the woodwork twice after Gianluigi Donnarumma’s mistake let Arsenal back in the game.

You think that way when you are watching a game more than you do if you are playing in it, and City certainly never had a negative attitude.

They were relentless with the way they attacked when it was 1-1 and, rather than sit back, they kept attacking when they went 2-1 up.

I was talking to MOTD pundit Wayne Rooney after Sunday’s game and he said Sir Alex Ferguson used to tell Manchester United to do the same. It was a case of “go and score another”, and never shut up shop and be cautious.

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City’s relentlessness comes from their manager too, and also having top quality players with an elite mentality like United did.

On top of that, it definitely helps having a lot of players in their team who have won so much.

Their players look so comfortable, even the ones who have not won anything. Rayan Cherki just seems to be enjoying himself.

The desperation you see from Arsenal is not there. City’s fans are not worried – they are just enjoying it.

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Danny Murphy was speaking to BBC Sport’s Chris Bevan.

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NBA MVP finalists: Gilgeous-Alexander, Jokic and Wembanyama

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NBA MVP finalists: Gilgeous-Alexander, Jokic and Wembanyama

Oklahoma City’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander might be adding a couple more trophies to his collection. San Antonio’s Victor Wembanyama has a shot at doing the same.

And for the eighth consecutive year, the MVP will be an international one.

Gilgeous-Alexander — the reigning NBA MVP — is one of the finalists for this year’s top individual honor, along with Denver’s Nikola Jokic and the Spurs’ Wembanyama, who is also a finalist for defensive player of the year.

The NBA’s run of international MVPs started in 2019 and 2020 with Milwaukee’s Giannis Antetokounmpo, who is of Greek and Nigerian descent. Jokic, a Serbian, won in 2021, 2022 and 2024. Philadelphia’s Joel Embiid, who was born in Cameroon but since became a U.S. citizen, won the award in 2023, and Canada’s Gilgeous-Alexander won last year.

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Gilgeous-Alexander is also a finalist for Clutch Player of the Year this season.

The NBA announced the finalists for seven individual awards Sunday night and will start announcing winners on Monday. The Defensive Player award — widely expected to be going to Wembanyama — comes out then, followed by Clutch Player on Tuesday and Sixth Man on Wednesday.

Meanwhile, the appeal that got the Los Angeles Lakers’ Luka Doncic onto the award ballots might earn him All-NBA, but did not lead to him getting his first MVP award. He was not among the top three in the balloting for MVP; voters cast their ballots last week after Doncic and Detroit’s Cade Cunningham won appeals that got them on the ballot even though they didn’t satisfy the terms of the NBA’s 65-game rule for eligibility in most cases.

Minnesota’s Anthony Edwards lost his appeal — but might get an award after all.

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Edwards is a finalist for Clutch Player of the Year. He wasn’t on the ballot for MVP, All-NBA and other honors, but was on the Clutch ballot because those nominees were selected by the league’s coaches.

The finalists

— MVP: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Oklahoma City; Nikola Jokic, Denver; Victor Wembanyama, San Antonio.

— Defensive Player of the Year: Wembanyama; Chet Holmgren, Oklahoma City; Ausar Thompson, Detroit.

— Clutch Player: Anthony Edwards, Minnesota; Gilgeous-Alexander; Jamal Murray, Denver.

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— Most Improved Player: Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Atlanta; Deni Avdija, Portland; Jalen Duren, Detroit.

— Sixth Man: Tim Hardaway Jr., Denver; Jaime Jaquez Jr., Miami; Keldon Johnson, San Antonio.

— Coach of the Year: J.B. Bickerstaff, Detroit; Mitch Johnson, San Antonio; Joe Mazzulla, Boston.

— Rookie of the Year: VJ Edgecombe, Philadelphia; Cooper Flagg, Dallas; Kon Knueppel, Charlotte.

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MVP

Gilgeous-Alexander is trying to go back-to-back, Jokic — who has been first or second in five straight seasons, entering this year — is seeking his fourth MVP in six years and Wembanyama is a finalist for the first time.

Coach of the Year

Bickerstaff won the award from the National Basketball Coaches Association, selected by his peers, and is the likely favorite for the official NBA honor. Johnson and Mazzulla both led teams that widely exceeded most preseason expectations.

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Rookie of the Year

This will likely be a two-person race in the end, with Flagg and Knueppel — both former Duke players — the presumed frontrunners. That would suggest Edgecombe likely finishes third.

Defensive Player of the Year

Wembanyama was the likely frontrunner to win it last season, but wound up falling short of eligibility after being diagnosed with deep vein thrombosis at the All-Star break and missing the rest of the season.

Minnesota’s Rudy Gobert’s bid for a fifth DPOY award — which would break a record — will continue for at least one more year.

Clutch Player

Gilgeous-Alexander led the league in clutch scoring per game, with Edwards second. Denver had two legitimate candidates with Murray and Nikola Jokic; voters clearly gave Murray the edge.

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Clutch scoring is defined as points that come in the final five minutes of a game where the point differential between teams is five or less.

Sixth Man of the Year

Jaquez averaged 15.4 points in 74 appearances off the bench, Johnson averaged 13.2 points — after playing in all 82 Spurs games as a reserve — and Hardaway also averaged 13.2 points in the 74 games where he came off Denver’s bench.

The winner will be a first-time selection for the award.

Most Improved Player

Avdija averaged 24.2 points and led Portland’s surge to the playoffs, while Alexander-Walker — bidding to give Atlanta its second consecutive MIP winner after Dyson Daniels last season — averaged 20.8 points, by far the most his career.

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Duren was a first-time All-Star selection and averaged 19.5 points, almost double what he averaged last season despite playing basically the same amount of minutes.

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AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA

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Swinney says he will win independence vote in 2028 and run for election in 2031

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Swinney says he will win independence vote in 2028 and run for election in 2031

This would be a “seismic change”, were it to happen, Mr Swinney says, adding that in Wales, where Labour have been in power since the start of devolution, it would be a “massive change in the fortunes and perspective of the Labour Party” which would then have “enormous implications for the United Kingdom”.

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Birtley man ‘stalked’ woman from Newcastle to Ibiza

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Anarchy Brewery unveils Shearer can to mark Newcastle anniversary

Connor Casey, 22, of The Brambles, Birtley, appeared at Durham Crown Court via video link from Holme House Prison, where he is remanded in custody.

He is accused of stalking a woman between January 28 and March 16, causing her to fear violence would be committed against her.

The allegation states that he kept track of her movements, damaged and threatened to damage her property, followed her when socialising with friends in Newcastle and when she travelled abroad, to Ibiza.

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Casey is also accused of assaulting her, causing actual bodily harm, in Thailand, between January 31 and March 3, this year, and intentional strangulation, at Chester-le-Street, between December 31 and February 1.

All three counts were put to Casey at the hearing and he denied them all.

A timetable prior to trial was agreed, with the prosecution to serve its file of evidence by May 8 and the signed defence statement to be submitted by June 5.

All parties agreed on a trial start date of Tuesday September 1.

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Judge Nathan Adams told Casey, of The Brambles, Birtley, near Chester-le-Street: “You have pleaded not guilty and the case is now timetabled to trial.

“By June 5 you need to help in the preparation of your signed defence statement, setting out why you say you are not guilty.

“The trial will start on September 1, and you will remain in custody in the meantime.”

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