Huw Owen was at the centre of a manhunt after leaving his victim, Julian Hargreaves, lying on the floor of his home in Staithes overnight, alone and unable to move after punching and kicking him repeatedly before hitting him with a lamp.

Owen, 42, from Cornucopia Close in Norton, was jailed today and told he will serve a minimum of 16 years and 110 days for killing Mr Hargreaves.

Mr Hargreaves’ brother Jonathan raised the alarm on March 14, 2024, after finding him on the floor of his living room with two black eyes and a small cut to the top of his head. He believed he had been there for a total of 14 hours.

At this point Mr Hargreaves was able to name Owen as the person who had assaulted him repeatedly and struck him over the head with a lamp.

He was taken to hospital but did not recover and died three weeks later on April 4, 2024.

The investigation found that Owen had attacked his victim on the evening of March 13, 2024, and fled, leaving him on the floor.

CCTV footage showed Owen hiding from police near the scene the following day, peering out to see what was happening, while officers worked at the scene.

After a large scale man-hunt, Owen was located in Newcastle on April 10, 2024 and arrested for murder.

Owen pleaded not guilty on August 8 last year but was found guilty by a jury at Leeds Crown Court on Friday, February 20, 2026.

His co-accused, who was also charged with murder, was found not guilty.

Mr Hargreaves had medical vulnerabilities and pre-existing conditions, but the court heard there was a direct and substantial link between the head trauma and his death.

Medical experts concluded that he had been unlawfully killed.

After sentencing, Police Staff Investigator Paul Thompson, of Scarborough and Ryedale CID said: “This was a calculated and sustained brutal attack, verging on torture, on a vulnerable man.

“Callously, Julian was left lying on the floor overnight, alone and unable to move.

“Understandably, this incident has had a traumatic effect on both Julian’s family and the local community of Staithes. Julian was well known and liked, and his death will leave a lasting impact on the local tight-knit community.”

In a Victim Personal Statements, read our in court, Jonathan Hargreaves said: “It’s been almost two years since the death of my brother Julian, and hardly a day goes by when I don’t remember the sight of him laying helplessly on the floor of his house in Staithes.

“I knew something was wrong as I found his door unlocked but was shocked at what I saw. To see him unable to move and helpless was beyond upsetting.

“I can still hear his voice, and it saddens me to think that I will never be able to see him or speak to him again.

“I am grateful for all the help of the NHS for looking after my brother and the care and commitment of all the police officers that have kept me, and my mother appraised throughout, without whom I am not sure we would have managed.”

Mr Hargreaves’ mother Jackie Hargreaves told the court, in her victim statement: “I don’t think a day has gone by, since his death, that I have not cried at his loss and the way he was killed.

“I know that Julian was a poorly man but know he would have been alive today.”

His nephew added: “Not having him in our lives this last two years has felt like walking in a dark hole. Not being able to climb out of that hole, my heart is and always will be shattered and incomplete – like that of my extended family.”

The senior investigating officer for the case, Detective Chief Inspector Tim Bentley said: “This has been a complex murder investigation – a long and difficult case to investigate due to Julian’s poor health prior to the assault, but I hope today’s result offers some comfort to Julian’s family that justice has been done, and that they can now move forward the best they can.”

“The complexity of this case cannot be underestimated and I would like to commend PSI Paul Thompson for his diligence throughout. My thoughts remain with Julian’s family.”

The man was stabbed in the middle of the afternoon and police are investigating

Police are looking to speak to a man following a stabbing outside a Cardiff kebab shop. Crimewatch and South Wales Police have issued appeals to find Hakeem Sarvasst from Newport after a man was stabbed outside the shop in the Adamsdown area of Cardiff earlier this year.

Officers would like to speak with Sarvasst following the incident outside Kebab Sleman on Broadway on Saturday, January 10.

Police previously said a 30-year-old man suffered stab wounds following an altercation that took place between 3.30pm and 4pm that day.

An appeal from South Wales Police said that 26-year-old Sarvasst is wanted for alleged grievous bodily harm with intent following the incident. Never miss a Cardiff story by signing up to our daily newsletter here

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A new Crimewatch appeal reads: “Police want to speak to him about a stabbing in Cardiff in January this year.”

Anyone with information about his whereabouts is urged to contact South Wales Police using reference number 2600009500. Call 101 or provide information online here.

Alternatively information can be given anonymously to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

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The youngsters had to be removed from the 4G football pitch in Westhoughton on Wednesday March 18 by police and staff from the nearby Westhoughton High School.

According to a Facebook post from Westhoughton High, some of the people were their pupils, though many came from other schools in the area.

Cllr David Wilkinson said: “It can be intimidating when you have a group of boisterous, testosterone-fuelled young lads.

“But it is just boisterousness – they weren’t doing anything criminal.”

Cllr David Wilkinson at Westhoughton Town Hall (Image: Public)

Cllr Wilkinson was in Westhoughton Town Centre around the same time as the incident on the 4G field – the hottest day of the year so far, according to the Met Office.

He said there was also a large number of youths where he was, some of whom were ‘pushing and shoving’, but again stated it was nothing serious.

The Westhoughton High School Post said staff supported police in moving a large group of children from the 4G pitch who were involved in anti-social behaviour / water fights in the community.

It added: “Some of these were our own learners, though a significant number were from other schools. Parents please support us by ensuring you know where your children are and what they are doing as the lighter nights come. The police and school staff should not have to endure verbal abuse and refusal to follow reasonable instructions from younger members of our school community.”

From bad weather to a busy schedule, there are many reasons why you might not be able to get outdoors, but that doesn’t mean your step count should suffer.

Enter, walking pads. Aiming to keep you on the move even when spending the day at home, they are easy to move and fit underneath desks.

Gaining popularity during Covid, when many of us were working from home, walking pads continue to be popular as hybrid working becomes commonplace. Without the movement of a regular commute, people have increasingly turned to novel solutions to keep agile, including standing desks.

If you’re considering buying one, to help you out I’ve asked fitness experts to suggest the best walking pads, listed below. At the bottom of the page we have our walking pad FAQs to answer any questions you might have. If you’re in a hurry, here’s a quick look at the top five:

The best walking pads? At a glance:

What is a walking pad?

“A walking pad is a compact, motorised treadmill designed for walking, usually at a slower pace,” says Michael Betts, personal trainer of 30 years and director at fitness education company Trainfitness. “It’s ideal for those who want to stay active while working, as it can fit under a desk or be placed in small spaces. Unlike traditional treadmills, walking pads are lightweight, easy to store and sometimes foldable. Regular use can improve your fitness, boost energy levels and even enhance concentration. Plus, they’re generally quieter than standard treadmills, making them suitable for office environments.”

How I choose walking pads

I’ve reviewed some of the most popular walking pads on the market with a variety of differing functions and features, comparing maximum speed, whether they were foldable, weight, motor-size, whether they had hand rails and considering if each was worth its price tag. Jordan Dehara, physiotherapy lead at Benenden Hospital, advised me on the pros and cons of each one.

I also considered ease of setup out of the box, how easy it was to control and see my metrics, noise levels, how well I could walk on that belt size and how well built and durable the unit was. I used the pads over several days for an hour each day to see if they functioned as well as they did at the start. When it comes to the dimensions below, depth is the height of the belt from the floor.

Visit our Who We Are page to learn more about the testing process.

The best walking pads

An inquest has found the 30-year-old died by suicide

A 30-year-old nurse took her own life after ingesting cocaine. Emily Williams was found hanged in November 2024 at her home in Penydarren, Merthyr Tydfil.

Pontypridd coroners’ court heard Ms Williams had a history of anxiety, depression and self-harm. Coroner Patricia Morgan said: “She had suffered a difficult period following the breakdown of a turbulent relationship.”

Ms Williams’ body was discovered on November 21, 2024, at her home in Greenfield Terrace. Tests showed she had used the Class A drug shortly before her suicide.

Recording a conclusion of suicide, Ms Morgan found it was “likely” Ms Williams intended to end her own life.

The inquest heard Ms Williams was born in Merthyr Tydfil and worked as a nurse.

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A 30-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of murder, and remains in custody.

Police have formally named the woman murdered in Derry at the weekend as Amy Doherty.

Detectives from the PSNI‘s Major Investigation Team, launched a murder inquiry following the death young mum-of-two on Saturday morning, March 21.

Amy, aged 28, was found injured in a house in the Summer Meadows Mews area of the city on Saturday morning, 21 March.

READ MORE: Derry murder victim Amy Doherty remembered as ‘beautiful girl with the biggest heart’READ MORE: Derry murder investigation: Woman named locally as community “utterly devastated”

In a statement on Monday afternoon, a police spokesperson said: “Amy was found, badly injured, at around 10.20am on Saturday. She was taken to hospital by colleagues from the Ambulance Service but, sadly, passed away a short time later.

“At 28 years old, Amy was just a young woman. And my thoughts are, first and foremost, with her family and friends at this unimaginably distressing time.”

They added: “A 30-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of murder, and remains in custody at this time. Our enquiries are continuing, and the local community will continue to see a police presence in the Summer Meadows area over the coming days.

“I am appealing to anyone with information to contact us on 101, quoting reference 469 of 21/03/2026.”

Alternatively information can be provided, with total anonymity, to the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 or online at www.crimestoppers-uk.org.