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NewsBeat

Teen murderer who mowed down and killed ‘beautiful’ mum-of-three sentenced

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Wales Online

A 19-year-old murderer who killed a mum-of-three after driving into her outside a social club in Cardiff has been sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 17 years.

Kian Bateman, 19 but 18 at the time of the murder, deliberately drove into reiki healer Shelley Davies, 38, and her partner David Bratcher, 40, outside the 4th Glamorgan Homeguard Club in Caerau in a Seat Ibiza Sport on September 27 last year after Mr Bratcher had been involved in a fight with Bateman’s brother.

Bateman was captured in video footage inhaling laughing gas minutes before he mowed down Ms Davies, and the following morning many laughing gas canisters could be seen strewn over the floor near the incident as forensics teams worked at the scene behind a large police cordon. Bateman’s car was later found abandoned with the nitrous oxide canisters on the passenger seat.

Ms Davies had suffered multiple injuries including fractures to her vertebrae, ribs, arm and pelvis, along with internal injuries, and she needed immediate surgery where surgeons attempted to put her pelvis back together, but while in hospital she suffered complications, contracted multiple infections and went into septic shock before she died on October 18.

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The full story of Shelley Davies’ death: How a night out with friends ended in tragedy

Kian Bateman outside Cardiff Crown Court(Image: WALES NEWS SERVICE)

Following a two-week trial at Cardiff Crown Court in April a jury found Bateman guilty of the much-loved mum’s murder. Bateman had accepted he caused Ms Davies’ death but he denied he deliberately drove at her or intended to cause her serious injury.

Following his arrest Bateman told police his car had been surrounded by people and said he was “frightened”, but prosecution barrister Michael Jones KC told jurors CCTV footage of the scene at the time showed the car Bateman was driving wasn’t surrounded by people.

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Bateman, from Heol Muston in Ely, was found guilty of the murder of Ms Davies but was cleared of the attempted murder of Mr Bratcher, although he was found guilty of causing grievous bodily harm with intent.

As he was taken down following his sentencing by Judge Mary Stacey on Friday afternoon cries of “love you Ki” could be heard from the public gallery before shouting broke out outside court.

A an image of Shelley, with brown hair and fair skin, holding up an award for reiki and smiling

Shelley Davies, who was murdered outside the 4th Glamorgan Homeguard Club in Caerau on September 27 last year(Image: Sharon Hillard)

Ms Davies’ mum Sharon Hillard paid a moving tribute to her daughter in a heartbreaking statement in court. She said: “Shelley was my sunshine on a rainy day, my pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. She was my beautiful, free-spirited girl and the heart and soul of our family. She was the glue that held every single one of us together. She was a diamond.

“She was the most unselfish person I have ever known in my life. She didn’t ask for much – just made do with what she had. It’s hard to look back on that. She deserved so much more than she had and what happened to her.

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“When her father and I got divorced she was a tower of strength and swapped roles with us, she supported us through it. She was the architect of the family unit and did so much more than provide a place to gather. She provided everything.

“Not just Christmas and birthdays – she found any excuse to bring us together. Even a Saturday afternoon she made sure everything was done and every detail was taken care of so we could be together as a family.

“She was loud, vibrant, and possessed a dry sense of humour that could light up the darkest room. She wasn’t perfect, she never portrayed herself to be, that was what was so likeable about her. What you saw was what you got. She was just a beautiful soul and a real human being.

“She was fearfully true to herself and had no fear. She was my confidant, protector, my friend and an amazing daughter. I’m so incredibly proud of the woman she was becoming. She wondered all her life what her purpose would be, she knew there was a reason, she just had to find it.”

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The court heard Ms Davies was a reiki healer who helped people struggling with addiction, while Ms Hillard said her daughter had helped save the lives of 11 people through her work. Ms Hillard added: “She made me burst with pride.”

The trial heard how Bateman drove at the couple after Mr Bratcher had been involved in an altercation with Bateman’s brother, Kai. Bateman’s aunt Louise was also hit by the car.

Ms Davies had been at an event by ragga artist and DJ General Levy at the social club on the night. Her father Sean Davies told the court how he’d had a conversation with his daughter hours before.

Sharon Hillard pictured outside Cardiff Crown Court following the sentencing of Kian Bateman for the murder of her daughter Shelley Davies

Sharon Hillard pictured outside Cardiff Crown Court following the sentencing of Kian Bateman for the murder of her daughter Shelley Davies(Image: Media Wales)

He said: “It was only a couple of hours before this we were outside the front of your house having a laugh and talking about booking a holiday back to France, to Normandy. You were excited about going out that evening.

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“Then came the devastating phone call from your sister and it felt like I was hit by a bat. You were in surgery at the time to try and save your life. You gave the best effort to survive and it breaks my heart to say it wasn’t enough.”

Ms Davies’ daughter also wrote a statement which was read to the court by junior prosecution barrister Dean Pullen. She said: “She was our best friend and the most loving person to exist. Now more than ever I feel like a deer in the headlights. It’s hard to comprehend how I am going to manage the rest of my life without her.

“When I see similar car to one that killed my mum I relive it in my head. It’s hard for my siblings to have to grow up without their mother. Going through everything now she’s gone feels like a huge chunk of us has been taken away and left with a gaping hole.

“I see other people spending time with their mothers and I feel envy. The closest thing I have to hugging my mum is hugging her grave. This pain is something no one should have to suffer from, especially from such a young age.”

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In mitigation Caroline Rees KC referred to Bateman’s remorse when it came to Ms Davies’ death and her client’s age at the time of the incident – him being just 18 years old. She said there was a lack of pre-meditation and the defendant had no previous convictions.

Judge Stacey sentenced Bateman to life with a minimum term of 17 years. She told Bateman, who wore a black suit and a black tie in the dock, that the time he’d already spent on remand would be deducted from the sentence.

As he was taken down by the dock officers a man and woman in the public gallery could be heard saying: “Love you Ki.” A number of people then left the packed public gallery together before shouting could be heard outside the courtroom.

A cordon in place and police taking pictures behind it

The scene in Caerau following the incident which caused Shelley Davies’ death

After sentencing Ms Hillard told gathered press outside the court that she wasn’t happy with the way the case had been handled. She said: “Today’s sentencing marks the conclusion of only one chapter in our fight for Shelley.

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“She was the heart and soul of our family—a free-spirited, fun-loving, beautiful, and gifted reiki healer whose life was needlessly and violently stolen from us.

“From the very beginning we have maintained that the investigation was flawed and incomplete. South Wales Police and the CPS took the easiest route possible to secure a single conviction rather than facing the whole truth.

“While a detective superintendent from homicide had the audacity to sit in my living room, surrounded by photos of Shelley, and proudly boast to me, her mother, that they got a great result, we have only ever been met by silence, lies, and attempts to manage, belittle, and disrespect our legal challenges by both the investigating officer and the wider homicide team.

“Our family refuses to accept these half-measures of justice. Shelley was a mother, a daughter, a sister, a beautiful living soul—not a statistic or a tick on a scorecard.

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“We do not accept that a single individual bears the sole responsibility for Shelley’s death, and we are currently pursuing a formal Victims’ Right to Review to ensure that everyone involved in the violence that surrounded her death, in whatever part they played, are fully held to account in law, even though we have only been met by silence from the appeals unit so far. Shelley deserves more and we will not stop fighting for her, not until true justice is served.”

After sentencing detective superintendent Mark O’Shea from South Wales Police said: “The evidence that was presented to the Crown Prosecution Service led to them considering in detail the detailed evidence we gathered. The incident itself was largely captured on CCTV, so it’s unequivocal as to what took place.

“It’s the CPS’ responsibility to consider what charges to lay in the circumstances, and in careful and considered analysis of the evidence – supported by King’s Counsel – they decided on the charges. Those charges are then presented to the court and the jury then come to a determination, which they have done.”

He added: “On September 27, 2025, Shelley Davies, a mum of three, went on a night out to watch live music at a local social club with her partner David Bratcher, but tragically never went home after suffering fatal injuries. The court found that Kian Bateman deliberately drove at Shelley and seriously injuring David.

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“Shelley was loved dearly, and is greatly missed, by her family and friends. Our thoughts remain with them today as they have been throughout this horrendous ordeal. We would like to thank all the witnesses who assisted the investigation, the Caerau community, as well as the prosecution team.”

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NewsBeat

Fiji v Wales to be played in front of just 16,000 fans as entire stand closed off

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Wales Online

Wales are set to take on Fiji in front of a crowd of around 16,000 at Cardiff City Stadium on Saturday.

The game is a designated Fiji home match and will be played at the capital city’s football ground instead of the Principality Stadium.

Just under 16,000 tickets are believed to have been sold so far at the venue, which has a capacity of 33,280. There could yet be a strong walk-up crowd on the day but, as things stand, the stadium’s upper Ninian Stand, which holds 5,338 fans, will not even be open.

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Fiji are playing all of their Nations Championship “home” fixtures in the UK this summer, with further Test matches against England at Everton’s Hill Dickinson Stadium and Scotland at Murrayfield. The Principality Stadium was not chosen by Fiji for the match, with summer concerts at the venue also a factor.

The stadium is used by the Wales football team for home matches, often selling out for big matches, although low crowds have been seen for friendlies. A crowd of just 11,806 attended last month’s fixture against Ghana.

Fiji have brought a star-studded squad to Cardiff with the likes of Semi Radradra, Josua Tuisova, Jiuta Wainiqolo and Salesi Rayasi in their ranks.

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The stadium is set to be “transformed” to mark the fact this is a home match for Fiji, with a number of cultural activities designed to showcase the traditions, heritage and hospitality of the nation to supporters.

Outside the stadium, the official Fan Zone will feature an authentic Fijian Village, complete with traditional bures, the iconic thatched houses found throughout the islands.

Tickets for the match are on sale for between £25 and £65 for adults, and £10 for under-17s.

The new biennial Nations Championship will see the top 12 teams in the world play each other for the chance of coming out on top at the end of the year.

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At the conclusion of Saturday’s opener against Fiji, Steve Tandy’s side will face Argentina in Santa Fe and world champions South Africa in Durban.

Then, in the autumn, they take on Japan, Australia and New Zealand at the Principality Stadium.

There will then be a finals day at Allianz Stadium, Twickenham, the following weekend.

Follow all of our channels to ensure you stay up to date with the latest Welsh rugby news. Sign up to our free daily newsletter here and our WhatsApp channel here for all the breaking news.

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Court in Northern Ireland acquits 3 men in killing of journalist Lyra McKee

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Shootings at school and home in northeastern British Columbia leave 10 dead, including shooter

LONDON (AP) — Three men were acquitted of murder Friday in the killing of Belfast journalist Lyra McKee, who was shot by a member of a dissident Irish Republican Army splinter group while covering a 2019 riot in Northern Ireland.

Justice Patricia Smyth issued not guilty verdicts after a nonjury trial in Belfast Crown Court that was held intermittently over the past two years.

McKee, 29, was shot while standing near law enforcement officers observing an anti-police riot in Londonderry, also known as Derry, on April 18, 2019. Protesters had tossed fire bombs at police and torched a car before four shots rang out and a bullet fired by a masked gunman struck McKee.

The New IRA, a small paramilitary group that opposes Northern Ireland’s peace process, said its members accidentally shot the reporter while aiming at police.

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McKee wrote about the challenges faced by the generation of “cease-fire babies” raised after the 1998 Good Friday peace accord ended three decades of sectarian violence. She was becoming an influential voice chronicling the legacy of the years of paramilitary violence carried out by Irish nationalists and supporters of remaining part of the U.K.

The prime ministers of Britain and Ireland and political leaders from Northern Ireland’s Protestant and Catholic communities were among the hundreds who attended her funeral and her death helped feuding politicians revive Northern Ireland’s power-sharing government, which had collapsed in 2017.

No one was ever charged with pulling the trigger in her killing but three other men, Paul McIntyre, 58, Peter Cavanagh, 37, and Jordan Gareth Devine, 25, were charged with murder as accomplices for encouraging or assisting the shooter.

Defense lawyers said the circumstantial evidence in the case was not sufficient to convict the men.

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Two men charged after suspected assault and car robbery

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Two men charged after suspected assault and car robbery

Shortly before 7am, officers were called after reports that a man had been approached by two males whilst sitting in his vehicle on Derby Street.

The men have now been named as Jordan O’Reilly, 20, of Stand Lane, Radcliffe, who was charged with robbery, dangerous driving, disqualified driving, driving without insurance, two counts of assault by beating an emergency worker, and two counts of common assault on an emergency worker.

The second suspect, Koby Boateng, 30, of Market Street, Whitworth, has been charged with robbery and possession of cannabis.

It is alleged that the victim was assaulted before two men stole his car and made off from the scene, police say.

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The pair were later spotted on Ringley Road, Bury (Image: Google Maps)

A stolen vehicle was subsequently detected by ANPR cameras on Ringley Road, Bury, at 7.50am and was later spotted by officers from Greater Manchester Police Special Operations Patrols Unit at 8.08am.

At approximately 8.11am, the vehicle collided with another vehicle, causing damage to both cars.

Officers believe that multiple vehicles may have been damaged by the offending vehicle during the incident and subsequent pursuit.

The pair were due for a first hearing at Manchester Magistrates’ Court on Thursday, July 2.

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Every Wetherspoon, Greene King and Fullers pub opening for Mexico vs England World Cup match – full list

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Daily Mirror

Wetherspoon, Greene King and Fullers have confirmed which of their pubs will be open until 5am on Monday morning as the country braces for England’s massive World Cup match in Mexico

Sir Keir Starmer handed pubs, bars and football fans a major last-minute boost on Thursday when he announced that licensing hours will be extended until 5am for England’s World Cup knockout match against Mexico.

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The outgoing Prime Minister cut through local bureaucratic red tape by completely removing the requirement for individual venues to apply for special council permissions or Temporary Event Notices. That gave the green-light for hundereds of boozers to open into the small hours.

The nation won’t get much shut-eye as they soak in the high-stakes last 16 match at the iconic Azteca Stadium in Mexico City, with the game kicking off at 1am UK time. But thousands of pubs are expected to remain closed – and Three Lions fans must plan ahead if they want to catch the action on a big screen.

As police chiefs prepare for trouble as they scramble to respond to the Government’s last-minute announcement, football fans are plotting where to watch the game as Thomas Tuchel’s side bid to make the quarter-finals with their toughest assignment yet against the so-far flawless Mexicans.

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Only five of Wetherspoon’s 800 pubs are throwing open their doors, but 600 of Greene King’s 2,600 venues will welcome punters. A range of independent pubs have said they will stay open, though, alongside selected venues from chains including Boxpark, Young’s and Fuller, Smith & Turner.

Here are all of the pubs across the UK so-far confirmed to be open for the England vs Mexico game on Monday morning:

Wetherspoon

  • Bishops Mill (Durham)
  • Cooper Rose (Sunderland)
  • William Rufus (Carlisle)
  • Penderel’s Oak (Holborn)
  • Solomon Cutler (Birmingham)

Greene King

  • Abington (Northampton)
  • Acorn Inn (Burncross)
  • Actress (East Dulwich)
  • Air Balloon (Filton)
  • Albert (Victoria)
  • Albion (Portishead)
  • Albion (Rainham)
  • Alexandra (Clapham)
  • Allsop Arms (London)
  • Amington (Tamworth)
  • Anchor Hotel (Horsham)
  • Ancient Foresters (Wibsey)
  • Angel (Baildon)
  • Angel Inn (Rothwell)
  • Angel Oak (Peckham)
  • Anne Boleyn (Rochford)
  • Antelope (Poole)
  • Anton Arms (Andover)
  • Arch & Anchor (Widnes)
  • Archers (Gidea Park)
  • Arrow (Arnold)
  • Arrowe Park (Wirral)
  • Ascott (Pinner)
  • Ashby Lodge (Scunthorpe)
  • Ashley Hotel (Worksop)
  • Aspen Tree (Romford)
  • Assembly House (Kentish Town)
  • Badger Box (Kirkby-in-Ashfield)
  • Baffins (Portsmouth)
  • Baldwin Arms (Birmingham)
  • Ball (Sheffield)
  • Barleycorn (Hedge End)
  • Baron of Beef (Cambridge)
  • Bath House (Cambridge)
  • Bath House (Exmouth)
  • Bay Horse (Ashton-In-Makerfield)
  • Bay Horse (Bristol)
  • Bay Horse (Whickham)
  • Beach (Littleborough)
  • Beaconsfield (Gateshead)
  • Bear & Ragged Staff (Crayford)
  • Bear (Bath)
  • Bear Hotel (Hungerford)
  • Bear Tavern (Smethwick)
  • Bears Paw (Frodsham)
  • Bee Hive (Horwich)
  • Beechdale (Nottingham)
  • Beehive (Carlisle)
  • Belfry (Beighton)
  • Bell Hotel & Inn (Woburn)
  • Bell Hotel (Tewkesbury)
  • Bell Hotel (Thetford)
  • Bell Inn (Yeovil)
  • Bent Brook (Urmston)
  • Billet (Sittingbourne)
  • Birkey (Liverpool)
  • Biscot Mill (Luton)
  • Bishop (East Dulwich)
  • Bishops Mill (Salisbury)
  • Black Bull (Folkestone)
  • Black Bull (Lindley)
  • Black Horse (Exeter)
  • Black Horse (Old Swan)
  • Black Horse (Trowbridge)
  • Black Horse (Walton)
  • Black Lion (West Hampstead)
  • Blue Anchor (Aintree)
  • Blue Bell (Attenborough)
  • Blue Posts (St James)
  • Boat House (Wallingford)
  • Bold Arms (Southport)
  • Bold Forester (Mansfield)
  • Bold Forester (Southsea)
  • Boundary House (Abingdon)
  • Bowman (Hucknall)
  • Bradmore Arms (Wolverhampton)
  • Bramford Arms (Woodsetton)
  • Brentwood (Rotherham)
  • Brewmaster (Leicester Square)
  • Bridge (Bracknell)
  • Brighton Belle (Winsford)
  • Brinkburn (Darlington)
  • Broad Oak (Strelley Village)
  • Broadwater (Worthing)
  • Broadway (Bournemouth)
  • Brocklehurst Arms (Tytherington)
  • Bromborough (Wirral)
  • Broughton Hotel (Milton Keynes)
  • Brunel (Bedminster)
  • Brunswick (Bournemouth)
  • Bull & Anchor (Exhall)
  • Bull & Chequers (Reading)
  • Bull (Horns Cross)
  • Bull (Newmarket)
  • Bull Hotel (Long Melford)
  • Bumble Bee (Flitwick)
  • Burrell Arms (Haywards Heath)
  • Butchers Arms (Great Sankey)
  • Byways (Crossgates)
  • Carousel (Reddish)
  • Carr Mill (St Helens)
  • Castle & Ball Hotel (Marlborough)
  • Castle (Droitwich Spa)
  • Cat & Fiddle (Great Barr)
  • Cat & Fiddle (Kirk Hallam)
  • Cedars Inn (Barnstaple)
  • Channings Hotel (Clifton)
  • Chase (Thetford)
  • Chase Hotel (Nuneaton)
  • Chatterley Whitfield (Stoke on Trent)
  • Chequers (Maresfield)
  • Cherry Tree (Blackpool)
  • Cherry Tree (Newcastle-under-Lyme)
  • Chestnut Tree (Andover)
  • Chestnut Tree (Barnsley)
  • Church Inn (Flixton)
  • Church View Inn (Lunts Heath)
  • Churchill (Poole)
  • Claude (Cardiff)
  • Clocktower (Milton Keynes)
  • Coach & Horses (Portsmouth)
  • Cock Hotel (Stony Stratford)
  • Cocked Hat (Gosport)
  • Compleat Angler (Norwich)
  • Coopers Mill (Yeovil)
  • Corn Exchange (Brierley Hill)
  • Corn Mill (Chilwell)
  • Corner House (Burton-On-Trent)
  • Corner House Hotel (Newcastle-Upon-Tyne)
  • Cotton Wheel (Aylesbury)
  • County (Gosforth)
  • County Arms (Chingford)
  • Courtfield (Earls Court)
  • Cow (Poole)
  • Crab Apple (Clevedon)
  • Crabmill (Oldswinford)
  • Crabtree (Fulham)
  • Crane (Sheldon)
  • Cranleigh (Bournemouth)
  • Cricketers (Rainham)
  • Cricketers (Southwick)
  • Cricketers (Warfield)
  • Cromwell Lodge Hotel (Banbury)
  • Cross House (Formby)
  • Crown & Arrows (Lincoln)
  • Crown (Bradford)
  • Crown (Claydon)
  • Crown Wood (Bracknell)
  • Crows Nest (Newcastle-Upon-Tyne)
  • Cuckoo Oak (Madeley)
  • Cuckoo Pint (Stubbington)
  • Cumberland (Doncaster)
  • Darleys (Hessle)
  • Deansgate (Manchester)
  • Devon (Leeds)
  • Devonshire Arms (Sheffield)
  • Doctors Tonic (Welwyn Garden)
  • Dog & Partridge (Blackpool)
  • Dog & Partridge (Morecambe)
  • Dog & Pheasant (Colchester)
  • Donkey Derby (Chesterfield)
  • Downham Arms (Wickford)
  • Dragon (Leeds)
  • Drawbridge Inn (Shirley)
  • Duke of Wellington (Kenton)
  • Duke of York (Mayfair)
  • Dunvant (Swansea)
  • Durell Arms (Fulham)
  • Eager Poet (Neath Hill)
  • Emporium (Fleet)
  • Endbutt (Liverpool)
  • Farmers Arms (Blackpool)
  • Farmers Arms (Northenden)
  • Farmers Arms (Wirral)
  • Farmhouse (Exmouth)
  • Farmhouse (Portsmouth)
  • Farmhouse (Yate)
  • Festing (Southsea)
  • Festival Inn (Trowell)
  • Fieldfare (Norwich)
  • Fig Tree (Uxbridge)
  • Fitzrovia (Fitzrovia)
  • Five Bells (Finchley)
  • Fiveways (Brighton)
  • Fleece Inn (Penwortham)
  • Fleming Arms (Southampton)
  • Florence (Brixton)
  • Flying Horse (Heald Green)
  • Folly (Andover)
  • Foundry Bell (Wokingham)
  • Fountain (South Shields)
  • Fountain Inn (Cowes)
  • Fountains Abbey (Paddington)
  • Four Eagles (Crewe)
  • Four Oaks (Sutton Coldfield)
  • Four Seasons (Laindon)
  • Fox & Crown (Sutton-In-Ashfield)
  • Fox & Finch (Godalming)
  • Fox & Hounds (Croxley Green)
  • Fox & Hounds (Newcastle-Upon-Tyne)
  • Fox Hunters (North Shields)
  • Fox under the Hill (Shooters Hill)
  • Freeman Arms (Ashford)
  • Friend At Hand (Bloomsbury)
  • Gardeners (Chelmsford)
  • Gardeners Arms (Stockport)
  • Gatehouse (Wolverhampton)
  • Gemini (Dereham)
  • George & Dragon (Hazel Grove)
  • George & Dragon Hotel (Stockport)
  • George (Belsize Park)
  • George (Bexley)
  • George (Southwark)
  • George Abbot (Guildford)
  • George Hotel (Huntingdon)
  • Gerard Arms (St Helens)
  • Glass Horse (St Helens)
  • Gloster (Farnborough)
  • Gloucester Arms (Kensington)
  • Golden Ball Hotel (Poulton-Le-Fylde)
  • Golden Eagle (Carterton)
  • Golden Eagle (Thornton Cleveleys)
  • Golden Hind (Cambridge)
  • Golden Hind (Plymouth)
  • Golden Lion (Soho)
  • Golden Lion (York)
  • Good Companion (Portsmouth)
  • Good Intent (Hornchurch)
  • Gosling Bridge Inn (Carlisle)
  • Governors House (Cheadle Hulme)
  • Grace Arms (Ellesmere Port)
  • Grain & Hop Store (Cambridge)
  • Grandstand (Hereford)
  • Granta (Cambridge)
  • Grapes Hotel (Portico)
  • Green Man (Easthamstead)
  • Green Posts (Portsmouth)
  • Greene Man (Euston)
  • Greengage (Bury St Edmunds)
  • Griffin (Carlisle)
  • Griffin (Leeds)
  • Grosvenor (Carrington)
  • Grove (Ealing)
  • Grove (Surbiton)
  • Grove (Welwyn Garden City)
  • Guild (Preston)
  • Guildford (Southend-on-Sea)
  • Gunner (North Shields)
  • Halcyon (Peterborough)
  • Hansom Cab (Luton)
  • Harbour (Rhyl)
  • Hardy Pick (Sheffield)
  • Hare & Billet (Blackheath)
  • Hare & Hounds (Gloucester)
  • Hare & Hounds (Ramsbottom)
  • Hartford Mill (Huntingdon)
  • Harvest Mouse (Heswall)
  • Harvey (Swindon)
  • Hatherley (Cheltenham)
  • Hayride (Beverley)
  • Hem Heath (Trentham)
  • Henry IV (Fakenham)
  • Heron (Havant)
  • Hideout (Taunton)
  • Highfield Hotel (Middlesbrough)
  • Highwayman (Dunstable)
  • Hill Top (Stanley)
  • Hinckley Knight (Hinckley)
  • Hoop & Toy (Kensington)
  • Hornet (Rochdale)
  • Horseshoe (Downend)
  • Horsforth (Horsforth)
  • Hunters Moon (Hodgehill)
  • Hussey Arms (Brownhills)
  • Inn on the Green (Stanford Le Hope)
  • Jolly Fenman (Sidcup)
  • Jolly Miller (West Derby)
  • Jolly Milliner (Luton)
  • Jolly Sailor (Poole)
  • Jolly Scotchman (Sleaford)
  • Jude the Obscure (Oxford)
  • Junction (Clapham Junction)
  • Junction (Upminster)
  • Kensington (Milton Keynes)
  • Keymaster (Willenhall)
  • King George V (Ilford)
  • King Rufus (Chandlers Ford)
  • Kings Arms (Billingham)
  • Kings Arms (Mayfair)
  • Kings Arms (Westerham)
  • Kings Arms (Wirral)
  • Kings Head (Tooting)
  • Kings Head Hotel (Wimborne)
  • Kings Ransom (Sale)
  • Ladybrook (Bramhall)
  • Lamb Hotel (Ely)
  • Lane Ends (Ashton-On-Ribble)
  • Lansdown (Cheltenham)
  • Leather Bottle (Merton)
  • Leicester Arms (Piccadilly)
  • Lighthouse (Wallasey)
  • Little Mester (North Anston)
  • Local Hero (Leicester)
  • Lodekka (Brislington)
  • Lodge (Alvaston)
  • Lodge (Northwich)
  • Longship (Hebburn)
  • Longshoot (Nuneaton)
  • Lonsdale Hotel (West Jesmond)
  • Lord Derby (St Annes)
  • Lord Gascoigne (Garforth)
  • Lord Ted (Newark)
  • Lucas Arms (London)
  • Lumbertubs (Boothville)
  • Lutley Oak (Halesowen)
  • Magna Charta (Lowdham)
  • Malt Shovel (Bridgwater)
  • Malvern Tavern (Shirley)
  • Man of Gwent (Newport)
  • Man on the Moon (Ipswich)
  • Manor Hotel (Yeovil)
  • Maple Leaf (Covent Garden)
  • Marquis (Low Stubbin)
  • Masons Arms (Wickersley)
  • Matchstick Man (Salford)
  • Maynard Arms (Crouch End)
  • Meadows (Liverpool)
  • Merchant (Clapham Junction)
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NHS to reward people who walk 30 minutes a day

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Hannah Rose-Thorn and her husband

The aim is to sign up more than 100,000 people, with daily stats recorded digitally.

If the target is hit, Sir Brendan says it would count as the biggest marathon in history.

He hopes streak culture, the habit forming behaviour as seen on Snapchat and Duolingo, will help people stick with the challenge.

The health benefits, and potential NHS savings, will also be significant.

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“If someone walks 30 minutes five times a week, they could gain up to four extra years of healthy life,” he says.

Sonia Pombo, head of research and impact at Action on Salt & Sugar, says: “Encouraging people to build regular movement into their daily lives can support better health, and making it simple, achievable and rewarding may help more people get started.

“But we cannot rely on individual behaviour change alone. If the government is serious about improving the nation’s health, particularly for children, it must pair initiatives like this with stronger prevention measures.”

Full details of the voucher scheme will be released in the coming months, along with information on how to sign up.

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Rapist GUILTY of assaulting two teen girls in Bolton flat

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Man in Bolton rape trial says 'Satan took over' trying vodka

Sultani Bakatash, 29, denied raping both 14-year-old girls after taking them to his flat at Georgina Court in Middle Hulton in December last year.

At a trial before Bolton Crown Court, he claimed that no sexual contact had taken place between him and them.

Giving evidence through a Dari interpreter earlier in the trial, Bakatash described meeting the first of the two girls outside McDonald’s on Knowsley Street.

This was around three months before the rapes took place.

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He said: “She said she was 19 but the lady who was with her uttered something along the lines of 15 or 16 and that’s why I refused.”

The trial took place at Bolton Crown Court (Image: Phil Taylor)

Bakatash told the court he had worked for the UK military for seven years in Afghanistan before coming to the UK in 2022.

He then eventually settled in Bolton.

Bakatash said: “The reason for coming here was the coming of the Taleban.

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“In their presence I could not live there so I came here.”

But evidence given to the jury by the two girls described how he had met them in a churchyard near Bolton Station on that day in December.

He then took them via an Uber taxi to buy alcohol before taking them back to his flat.

This, prosecutor Charlotte Rimmer said, was when he “seized the opportunity to rape and abuse them.”

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Both girls gave evidence from behind a screen as Bakatash looked on earlier in the trial.

One of the girls was asked by Umar Shazhad, defending if she had lied about the sexual assault claimed because she had been out after her curfew and had been reported missing.

She said: “Why would I make it up?”

She added: “Just because I’m missing doesn’t mean I’m going to make something up about sexual assault.”

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After just two hours of deliberation, the jury of six men and six women found Bakatash, of Georgina Court, Middle Hulton, guilty of two counts of rape of a girl under 16.

They also convicted him of one count of sexual assault and two counts of assault by penetration.

Judge Kenderick Horne ordered that he be brought back before the court to be sentenced on September 9 this year.

Speaking after the hearing, Jo Service, for the Crown Prosecution Service said: “In this deeply concerning case, Sultani Bakatash subjected two teenage girls to a frightening sexual ordeal.

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“He plied the girls with alcohol before raping and sexually assaulting them when they were too intoxicated to resist.

“In pursuit of his own sexual gratification, he gave no thought to the lifelong harm the abuse could have on his victims.

“I would like to thank the victims for supporting the prosecution and I hope they can find comfort in knowing that because of their support, we have been able to bring Bakatash to justice.”

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World Cup: Police criticise timing of decision on pubs staying open for England match

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Hannah Rose-Thorn and her husband

Police have criticised the timing of the government’s decision to let pubs stay open until 05:00 BST on Monday for England’s World Cup match against Mexico.

The National Police Chiefs’ Council said the “late announcement” meant officers would have to be taken away from other duties and work longer hours, even though the team’s likely route through the tournament “has been known for a considerable time”.

It asked fans to be “considerate” and “drink within sensible limits” while watching the crucial last-16 match in which the losing team will be eliminated.

The government has said a previous relaxing of licensing laws for the tournament had not covered the eventuality of England playing so late.

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A Downing Street spokeswoman said that after England’s progression was confirmed on Wednesday evening, the government “announced plans as quickly as possible following this”.

The spokeswoman added: “And more broadly, we have engaged with policing partners throughout preparations for the World Cup and we are grateful for their flexibility and professionalism throughout.”

Kick-off for the knock-out game is not until 01:00 in the UK and the match is not expected to end until at least 03:00. It could finish even later if it goes to penalties.

Knock-out games in previous tournaments have led to an increase in violent incidents and domestic abuse, the policing body said.

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“This is directly linked to alcohol consumption,” the NPCC’s football and alcohol policing leads said in a joint statement.

“We will continue to work with partners and venues to support a safe and enjoyable evening for everyone.”

Licensing hours had already been extended for the international football tournament and the government had initially said it would not relax the laws further.

But late on Thursday, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said pubs could remain open until the end of the game.

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Local Government Secretary Steve Reed told broadcasters the previous measures “hadn’t covered the eventuality of England playing so late in the night”, adding it was “one of the fastest changes in the law that we’ve seen”.

England was not guaranteed to play in Monday’s match, only earning a place in the round of 16 after beating DR Congo 2-1 on Wednesday.

The hospitality sector welcomed the government’s decision. Emma McClarkin, chief executive of the British Beer and Pub Association, said: “We all know the best place to watch the match is down the local.”

Michael Kill, chief executive of the Night Time Industries Association, said it was “fantastic news” that would be “hugely welcomed by operators”.

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Pub chain Greene King has said more than 600 pubs across England will be staying open late to show the match, while Marston’s has said more than 400 of its pubs will also be open.

Priyesh Bathia, who runs the Elephant and Barrel pub in Stockwell, south London, and said he is “so thankful” for the late licensing on Monday.

“I’m really excited,” he added, and said so far they have had between 100-150 people book tables for the game.

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Mad Max star Kjell Nilsson dies aged 76 after ‘long and painful’ health struggles

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Mad Max star Kjell Nilsson dies aged 76 after 'long and painful' health struggles
Mad Max star Kjell Nilsson has died aged 76 (Picture: Dinendra Haria/Shutterstock)

Kjell Nilsson, best known for starring in Mad Max 2, has died aged 76.

The Swedish actor played the main antagonist, gang leader Lord Humungus, in the 1981 action film, which was widely praised.

His subsequent screen appearances included The Pirate Movie (1982) and TV movie Man of Letters (1984). Three years later, he played a nurse in The Edge of Power.

The Gothenburg-born performer was also an athlete, having moved to Australia in 1980 to train for the Moscow Olympics in weight lifting.

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Confirming his death, a statement posted to Nilsson’s Facebook page said he died ‘peacefully in his sleep’ on July 2 after several years of health struggles.

‘As many of you know, Kjell had been battling end-stage kidney disease for the past four and a half years, receiving dialysis three days a week,’ the post read.

‘It was a long and painful journey, filled with countless battles to overcome, including the gradual loss of his bodily autonomy.

‘This past Sunday, after much consideration, Kjell made the decision to take back control over his pain and his body by stopping dialysis.’

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‘The days leading up to his passing were filled with joy, gratitude, peace, and acceptance. He did it his way,’ added the message.

‘Back in 2022, many medical professionals told Kjell that he would never make it to his first Christmas after kidney failure.

‘He proved them wrong. He celebrated four more Christmases, giving him four precious extra years with the people he loved most.’

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Turkish court jails comedian for routine ‘insulting Erdogan’

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Turkish court jails comedian for routine ‘insulting Erdogan’

A comedian in Turkey has been jailed for insulting President Tayyip Erdogan.

Deniz Goktas has been jailed pending ​trial on Friday for insulting the president and religious values, a court document showed, days after prosecutors opened an investigation into remarks he made on ⁠stage.

Insulting the president is among the charges against him, Goktas’ lawyer Metin Aslan said in a ‌social media post.

The Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office said earlier this week it had launched an investigation after identifying what it described as criminal expressions in content shared by Goktas on social media. Police detained him at ⁠Istanbul Airport when he flew back to ​Turkey ⁠from a trip abroad on Thursday.

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Prosecutors said the investigation concerned allegations that Goktas insulted religious values during a ⁠stand-up performance in Istanbul on June 1, in which he ​made ⁠references to Erdogan, the Koran and ‌jailed Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu.

The performance quickly went viral ‌online, and attracted more than nine million views on YouTube as of Friday, with clips spreading widely across X, Instagram and other social media platforms.

U.S. President Donald Trump and Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan shake hands as they meet at the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S., September 25, 2025
U.S. President Donald Trump and Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan shake hands as they meet at the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S., September 25, 2025 (Reuters)

Several members of ⁠Erdogan’s ruling AK Party and Erdogan’s advisers criticised Goktas on social media, accusing him of mocking Erdogan and the Koran.

In a statement to police, Goktas denied the charges, saying his jokes were not an insult against religious values or the Koran, according to broadcaster Haberturk. He also said that his description of Erdogan as ‌a “dictator” was a political definition and not an insult.

After speculation ​that he had left Turkey to avoid prosecution, Goktas ‌said on social media earlier ⁠this week that he had travelled abroad for a ⁠holiday and intended to return.

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“I intend to spend many more years in Turkey ‌and if there ​is a situation demanding my presence, ‌I will return on the ​next flight back,” he wrote.

It comes as US President Donald Trump praised Erdogan ahead of next week’s NATO summit in Turkey, which he is set to attend.

Trump has frequently praised Erdogan, calling him a “hell of a leader” and a good friend. “I would not have gone for most people,” Trump said last week. “But he called me up. He said: ‘Please, I have it in Turkey. You got to be there. The United States has to be in there.’ And so I’m going out of respect to President Erdogan.”

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Drug testers find traces of banned bodybuilding substance in EIGHT Tunisia players’ tests at the World Cup ‘from contaminated meat’ in Mexico – where England are flying in their own chefs

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No fewer than eight players from Tunisia showed traces of a banned drug in doping tests. It is not clear which players are involved in the tests

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Tunisia’s disastrous World Cup campaign was rocked after a number of players – including some who ply their trade in the UK – showed traces of a banned drug in doping tests.

Daily Mail Sport understands that no fewer than eight players from the North African nation, which sacked its head coach after just one game, returned atypical findings for clenbuterol, a drug which relaxes airways in the lungs and is on the World Anti-Doping Agency’s forbidden list.

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However, officials subsequently found that the presence of the drug was more likely than not down to contamination – thanks to meat eaten by the squad in their Mexico base – rather than performance-enhancing reasons.

The clubs of the players have been informed about the situation however, it is highly unlikely that they will face further action.

Tunisia endured a miserable tournament, losing 5-1 to Sweden, 4-0 to Japan on June 21 and 3-1 to Netherlands on June 26.

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No fewer than eight players from Tunisia showed traces of a banned drug in doping tests. It is not clear which players are involved in the tests

Following the Sweden defeat, they became the first country in World Cup history to sack a coach after one game when former Nottingham Forest and Cardiff City boss Sabri Lamouchi was shown the door.

The test results, which landed throughout the tournament, may well have had their own impact. Clenbuterol has been used by bodybuilders to drop fat while retaining lean muscle. In certain countries, including Mexico, it is used as a growth promoter for farm animals and particularly to bulk up cattle.

Indeed, there is a history with athletes testing positive in Mexico after unknowingly eating contaminated meat. At the 2011 Gold Cup, five Mexico players tested positive and were immediately withdrawn. Following an investigation the Mexican Football Federation and WADA accepted that contamination was to blame and each player was cleared of any wrongdoing.

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In the 2011 Under 17s World Cup, held in Mexico, no fewer than 109 players returned positive tests for clenbuterol. Both FIFA and WADA decided not to prosecute any cases because the weight of evidence pointed to contamination.

Mexico, who won the tournament, were pronounced as testing clean because they switched to a diet of fish and vegetables before it started.

In 2022, WADA published a technical letter which said that the detection of clenbuterol at less than 5 ng/mL in urine is reported as an Atypical Finding (ATF) rather than immediately deemed the far more serious Adverse Analytical Finding. In such case an investigation is carried out to determine whether the presence is down to contaminated meat. If that is the case then no further action is taken.

England will fly to Mexico today for their last-16 clash with the co-hosts in Mexico City. However, the FA brings its own chefs to tournaments all foods are carefully checked to ensure they comply with the relevant rules.

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FIFA declined to comment. The Tunisian FA did not respond to requests for comment.

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