Mother accused of murdering son says he was oxygen-starved during birth
A mother accused of murdering her three-year-old son has told a jury he was starved of oxygen during his birth.
Christina Robinson, 30, is on trial for murdering her son, Dwelaniyah, at the family home in Bracken Court, Ushaw Moor, Durham, in November 2022.
She denies losing her temper and violently shaking the boy on the day he collapsed, never to recover, as well as a series of child cruelty offences said to have happened in the weeks before he died.
The jury at Newcastle Crown Court has been told they can consider an alternative manslaughter charge, plus four child cruelty charges, all of which she denies.
The prosecution said she deliberately burned him by immersing him in hot water; that she used slaps, or the back of her hand, hit him with a bamboo cane, spoons and other implements; that she failed to get him medical treatment; and that she abandoned him by leaving him alone at home.
EasyJet opens first new UK base in 12 years
EasyJet has said its first new UK base in more than a decade will give passengers additional flight options and could reduce fares.
The airline’s new operation at Birmingham Airport will also create 140 direct jobs for pilots and crew, and support a further 1,200 indirect jobs, according to the carrier.
It is easyJet’s first new UK base since it launched at Southend Airport in 2012.
Four Para ice hockey players to represent team GB in World Championships after reaching fundraising goal
Para ice hockey players from the Sheffield Steelkings have raised enough money to represent team GB in the World Championships in Norway next month.
Damien Barker set up the fundraiser in December, which has raised over £1,700 so far.
He said: “I’m immensely proud. I have always played sports at a relatively low level but when I found para ice hockey, I just took to it. I felt something different that I hadn't felt in other sports where I wanted to be the best I could be, and it's nice to see that work pay off.
“[The team] are all proud and focused on the task at hand. We know what is expected of us and we have confidence in each other as a team. It's like a second family, because although we only get together once a month, everybody gets on with everybody and the team morale is at an extreme high right now.”
After breaking his ankle in a running accident 10 years ago, Damien was told he would never play sports again.
He started playing for the Steelkings in 2021, after having a full ankle fusion to help ease the pain and stability issues. He decided to have his lower leg amputated last June.
Team GB will play in Pool B of the World Championships, after moving up from Pool C two years ago. They will face tough competition from Norway and Germany, who recently moved down from Pool A, the top division.
There are officially three other team members from the Steelkings who will join Damien, including Ben O'Brien, Paul Brown, and Bryan Hackworth, as well as three reserves.
Player Coach and Chairman of the Sheffield Steelkings, Jake Oakley, said: “Anybody who gets to wear the GB lion has done really well, and I’m very proud because it means they’re taking in what we’re teaching at the Steelkings, and are applying it to a level that means they get to represent us on the world stage.”
The group recently set up a youth division, with the hopes that more people will get involved in the sport at a younger age, and will go on to play at a world level.
Jake said: “Unfortunately at the moment para ice hockey doesn’t have a youth section. I want to change that because like any sport, kids are the future. Because our sport is adults only in this country, you normally find someone who’s in their mid to late twenties, thirties, or even forties and fifties. The younger we can find the kids, the better they will be, because they play instinctively.
“Despite the popularity in Sheffield, in this country ice hockey is a minority sport, and we are the minority playing within the minority sport, so we really do struggle to get exposure. But the more we bang the drum about the sport, the better chances we have of finding those superstars.”
Damien said he also wanted to pass down his knowledge and inspire the next generation.
“I grew up regularly getting injured in sports and felt there was nothing I could do whilst I was recovering. But there are so many disability sports out there that I could have done, I just didn't know of them at the time.
“My daughter has just had a disability awareness event at school and has been telling her friends and teachers that her dad plays for Great Britain in para ice hockey, which has been an incredibly proud moment for her and myself.”
Damien’s GoFundMe page can be found here.
With additional reporting from Chloe Boden.
GB News said it is “deeply concerned” by Ofcom’s ruling
Ofcom ruled against Tory MP presenters on their channel “acting as newsreaders” earlier today.
GB News will meet with the media watchdog to raise concerns.
The broadcaster added: “Ofcom is obliged by law to promote free speech and media plurality, and to ensure that alternative voices are heard.
“Its latest decisions, in some cases a year after the programme aired, contravene those duties.
“Extraordinarily, Ofcom has determined that a programme which it acknowledges was impartial and lacking in any expression of opinion, still somehow breaches its impartiality rules just because an imaginary viewer might think otherwise.”
GB news claimed that Ofcom has “arbitrarily changed the test” and this ruling was a “chilling development for all broadcasters, for freedom of speech, and for everyone in the United Kingdom”.
It said it “takes its obligations very seriously” and is committed to having politicians as presenters on the channel.
Snowdrop Project partners with Sheffield Half Marathon to raise £6,000 for modern slavery survivors
Modern slavery charity Snowdrop Project has partnered with Run for All Sheffield Half Marathon charity to raise £6,000 at next month's race.
Rosie Brent-Turner, Donor Relations and Communications Manager for the Snowdrop Project, said: “All money raised through the Sheffield Half Marathon will go towards supporting more survivors of modern slavery and exploitation on their journeys towards recovery.”
As there is a lack of support for modern slavery survivors through the NHS, the charity has seen a 263 percent increase in referrals to their counselling service in the last year. This increase has been aided by their ability to provide interpreting and childcare.
In 2023, the charity helped 274 adults and 119 children begin the road to recovery after being affected by exploitation.
The Snowdrop Project’s support for victims of modern slavery is free of charge and includes shiatsu, acupuncture, trauma-informed yoga and art therapy, counselling and community activities.
Activities such as sewing classes, dance sessions and jewellery making provide a place for survivors to meet new people and learn new skills in a safe and welcoming setting.
Ms Brent-Turner said: “We often see drastic improvements in the well-being and confidence of clients and their children after attending community activities. We try to remove as many barriers as possible for individuals to attend.”
The charity hopes to spread awareness of modern slavery and exploitation on the day of the Sheffield Half Marathon by having every runner wearing a branded Snowdrop Project logo. They will also have a stand at the race where they'll educate people on the work they do and the issue of modern slavery more generally.
Ms Brent-Turner said: “Last year, we supported more survivors than ever before, and this year we expect the demand for our services to increase again. Fundraisers such as the Sheffield Half are crucial ways of raising vital funds and awareness of the work we do.”
To read more about the Snowdrop Project's work visit: https://www.snowdropproject.co.uk/
And you can donate to Snowdrop Project's JustGiving page on: https://www.justgiving.com/campaign/halfmarathon2024
Sunak ‘committed’ to Rwanda scheme
Rishi Sunak said of the Government’s plans to fly asylum seekers to Rwanda: “I am still committed to the timeline that I set out previously, which is we aim to get a flight off in the spring.
“It’s important that we get the Rwanda scheme up and running because we need to have a deterrent.
“We need to make it clear that if you come here illegally you won’t be able to stay and we will be able to remove you. That is the only way to properly solve the issue of illegal migration.
“We’ve made good progress. Boat numbers were down by a third last year. That shows that our plan is working, but in order to finish the job, we need the Rwanda scheme through.”
Sheffield student film chosen for national miners’ strike exhibition
A former Sheffield student’s film will be included in a national exhibition to mark 40 years since the miners’ strike.
Jake Dannatt created the film Wath Main Colliery – Then and Now: A Miner’s Memories as part of his undergraduate studies in History and Politics at the University of Sheffield, where he graduated with First-Class Honours last year.
Mr Dannatt said he initially produced the film to help preserve the legacy of Wath Main Colliery, which he feels is being forgotten. The colliery closed in 1988 and a man-made lake now sits on the former pit top.
“The younger generation can’t even picture a society that had coal-mining,” said Mr Dannatt, 23. “There’s no sign at all around the lake that there used to be a mine there.”
After being released last May to positive reviews, the National Coal Mining Museum for England selected the film for their exhibition, 84/85 – The Longest Year, on the 1984 miners' strike, an industrial action which led to massive pit mine closures. The exhibition opened on 6 March and runs until 3 March 2025.
The film follows his grandfather, Adrian Hughes, who was a deputy at the Wath Main Colliery at the time of the strikes in 1984. Although his grandfather's union did not strike, he refused to cross the picket line. He talks of his memories of the strike and the colliery itself in the film.
Mr Dannatt, who is from Wath-upon-Dearne near Rotherham but lives in Sheffield, said it was vital these stories were platformed in such a poignant year for South Yorkshire.
“The generation affected by strikes won’t be around forever,” he said. “While their stories are there to be told and we can record them, we need to.”
The exhibition’s opening date coincided with the 40-year anniversary of the National Coal Board announcing 20 colliery closures, essentially galvanising the year-long strike. According to BBC News, about 75% of Britain's 187,000 miners went on strike to fight against these closures but were unsuccessful.
The film formed part of his ‘Making History Public’ project at the university, which he made alongside a dissertation also focusing on the strike.
The dissertation allowed him to speak to other families impacted by the strikes, where he learned of some heart-wrenching experiences. This included one family who were unable to hold a funeral for their two-week old baby because they could not afford it.
Mr Dannatt’s film will run until the end of June.
Star Wars Millennium Falcon coins coming to a purse near you
The Millennium Falcon has landed on a 50p coin, as the Royal Mint has unveiled its latest collectable Star Wars coins and bullion bars.
Following the success of an initial Star Wars coin series, the second series is dedicated to the franchise’s vehicles.
Collectors and fans will enjoy a feature on the coin depicting a silhouette of the Millennium Falcon and the Rebel Alliance Starbird symbol, the Mint said.
Rebecca Morgan, director of commemorative coin at the Royal Mint, said: “We are delighted to celebrate the Star Wars franchise’s numismatic return with a series of coins dedicated to its iconic vehicles.
“We are excited to enthuse new and existing coin collectors across the world and capture the imaginations of Star Wars’ thriving fan base.”
Fans will also soon be able to purchase Royal Mint bullion bars inspired by the Star Wars galaxy.
The Millennium Falcon coin, which comes in a 50p and ounce range, will be available to purchase from the Royal Mint’s website at 9am on Monday March 18.
Customers will also be able to secure all four coins on Monday and they will be sent out as and when the coins in the range are released.
Prices range from £11 for a brilliant, uncirculated Millennium Falcon 50p and £20 for a colour version to £2,770 for a gold proof coin.
The Mint said that the bullion bars will launch in time for Star Wars Day on May 4 and prices will depend on live, precious metal prices.
Sir Stephen House will not face disciplinary action for allegedly describing rape complains as ‘regretful sex’
Former Metropolitan Police Deputy Commissioner Sir Stephen House will not face disciplinary proceedings following allegations that he had described the bulk of rape complaints as “regretful sex”.
Academic Professor Betsy Stanko had accused the senior officer of making the comments during a meeting in January 2022, which he denied and suggested that he had been misheard or there was a misunderstanding.
Watchdog the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) said no minutes were kept of the meeting, and that one person in attendance who had kept notes had no record of the comments alleged to have been made.
The professor first made the allegations a year after the meeting during a television interview, and the IOPC said investigators had to rely on the recollections of the people present more than a year later because of the lack of written documentation.
IOPC director Amanda Rowe said: “Both Professor Stanko and Sir Stephen are of impeccable good character and have served long and esteemed careers in the public service for which they have been awarded the highest honours.
“This meeting involved robust challenges between professionals with differing styles and there may have been an element of a personality clash. Professional discussions on sensitive matters will rarely amount to breaches of the standards of professional behaviour.
“We found evidence that indicated Sir Stephen did use the phrase ‘regretful sex’, but the recollections of those present do not indicate it was used in the context alleged, and in our view there has been a degree of misunderstanding.
“We also considered Sir Stephen’s career history, previous actions and public remarks about combatting violence against women and girls and sexual offences, which supported his assertion that the alleged comments did not reflect his stance on the issue.”
Sheffield woman left traumatised after attempted break-in
An attempted break-in that felt like a “horror movie scene" left a Sheffield resident shaking, as the culprit hid from the police on her roof.
The victim, who has asked to remain anonymous, first noticed something was wrong in the early morning on Wednesday, 13 March, after returning from an evening out.
She said: “I heard a loud bang, and then another one. I thought it was my cats playing in the wardrobe.
“I opened the blind and saw a man and his hands on my window. It was like a horror movie scene. A man was at my window which is very difficult to get to.
“As a woman, this was terrifying.”
The resident called the police and asked a neighbour to come to her flat. Her and the neighbour assumed the intruder had climbed over the roof to the abandoned building next door, where the police searched for him.
It was then that the neighbour realised he could hear someone breathing, and spotted the intruder hiding on the roof near the window.
The victim said: “The police said he was a regular and had lots of issues. I get things are really hard right now, but I will say as a woman this whole thing was disconcerting.
“There are much easier places to sleep than scouring a roof next to a window by a bedroom. That’s what I didn’t like and what unsettles me. This was a breach of privacy no one should have to experience ever, let alone in their own bedroom.
“It was deeply concerning and traumatic for me as a tenant. I was shaking until at least 2:45 am, and I couldn’t sleep.”
The resident said she has ordered more ring motion sensors and a motion detector for peace of mind, with her feeling unsafe in her own home after the ordeal.
Sunak has ‘confidence for the future’ as Tory leadership rumours swirl
Rishi Sunak said he has “confidence for the future” as he battles to shore up his position as Prime Minister.
He insisted the UK economy has turned the corner and people will see the benefits of “significant” tax cuts.
His comments came as Business Secretary Kemi Badenoch told plotters seeking to oust the Prime Minister to “stop messing around” and end the “Westminster psychodrama”.
Mr Sunak’s failure to turn around the Tories’ opinion poll deficit has fuelled speculation about Conservative MPs considering replacing him with Commons Leader Penny Mordaunt in an attempt to avoid a general election disaster.
Rishi Sunak has said “all Conservatives are united in wanting to deliver a brighter future” for Britain.
Asked during a visit to the West Midlands why he did not let one of his “disloyal colleagues” have the “poisoned chalice” of being Prime Minister, Mr Sunak said: “I’m not interested in all Westminster politics. It doesn’t matter.
“What matters is the future of our country. And that’s what I am squarely focused on.
“That’s what I get up every morning, working as hard as I can, to deliver – whether it’s cutting people’s taxes, increasing the state pension… today increasing the number of apprenticeships and talking to small businesses.
“Those are the things that matter to people. And as we have seen over the last few weeks, our plan is working. Inflation is coming down, wages are growing and the economy is back to growing again.”
Friends band together to run the Sheffield Half Marathon in memory of an ‘inspirational’ racing driver
The death of an “inspirational” Rotherham racing driver by suicide has led a group of friends from Sheffield to raise money for mental health in his memory.
Jake Cook, a father of two, had competed in a variety of competitions, including the Formula Ford EuroCup and British Formula Renault Championship. His death led to 14 of his school friends coming together to honour his memory by raising money for the mental health charity, MIND.
His friend, Jojo Quattrocchi, 32, said: “It’s been something so tragic but we’ve managed to try and spin that into something positive by running for Jake’s family, for MIND, and just sharing our solidarity for mental health and how we can maybe break these stigmas.”
Sheffield friends are running the half marathon to raise money for @MindCharity in memory of racing driver, Jake Cook.
— Sheffield Wire (@Sheffield_Wire) March 18, 2024
Read more here: https://t.co/hRYv2XG6WN