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Fake penis sex attacker Gayle Newland launches appeal against her conviction

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Fake penis sex attacker Gayle Newland is appealing her conviction, the ECHO can reveal.

The 25-year-old was jailed for eight years last week after pretending she was a man to have sex with her unsuspecting partner.

The marketing manager ordered her lover to wear a blindfold and scarf, keeping her true gender secret.

Newland has now launched an appeal to overturn her conviction, which led to an eight-year jail term, the length of which was considered harsh in some circles.

The university student, who is studying creative writing, lodged an appeal in October against the jury’s guilty verdict at Chester Crown Court.

Newland, from Willaston, near Neston, is yet to table a separate challenge on her eight-year jail term. She has 28 days in which to submit the necessary paperwork.

A Court of Appeal spokesman said: “We have received an application of leave to appeal against conviction.”

Gayle Newland jailed for 8 years

 Fake penis sex attacker Gayle Newland launches appeal against her conviction

Shock in courtroom as sentence revealed

 Fake penis sex attacker Gayle Newland launches appeal against her conviction

Police mushot released

 Fake penis sex attacker Gayle Newland launches appeal against her conviction

Judge’s sentencing in his own words

 Fake penis sex attacker Gayle Newland launches appeal against her conviction

The sentencing as it happened

 Fake penis sex attacker Gayle Newland launches appeal against her conviction

Defendant prepares to receive sentence

 Fake penis sex attacker Gayle Newland launches appeal against her conviction

Lawyers speak of ‘strangest’ case

 Fake penis sex attacker Gayle Newland launches appeal against her conviction

Detective speaks out re public interest

 Fake penis sex attacker Gayle Newland launches appeal against her conviction

Newland guilty of duping friend into sex

Newland, who wore a woolly hat for disguise and claimed she was hiding her body because of a tumour and embarrassing muscle wastage, will have her case considered by a single judge at the High Court in London.

If successful, it will be forwarded to a panel of three judges who will make the final decision on the strength of her conviction.

It could even prompt a guilty verdict being quashed or a retrial.

Newland, caught when her suspicious lover ripped off her mask to see the woman standing over her with a prosthetic penis, was seen sobbing as she was led away to a prison van on Thursday.

A court heard that she wore bandages to hide her breasts, and deliberately hid behind her alter ego Kye Fortune, and had sex with her victim 10 times.

Watch: Gayle Newland sentenced to eight years in prison

 Fake penis sex attacker Gayle Newland launches appeal against her conviction

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Newland even kept her mask on when they kissed and cuddled on the bed and watched films together, even once going out for a drive and then sunbathing.

She was convicted of three sexual assaults after a jury rejected her plea her lover knew she was a woman and they were playing along to a bizarre consensual fantasy.

If Newland’s conviction appeal is refused, her lawyers could still reinstate it and try overturning it one last time.

She was expected to undergo a strict mental health check by prison doctors when she arrived at jail.

Source: http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/


Bootle woman who stole £13,000 from elderly mum’s savings told to pay back £740

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A Bootle woman who stole £13,000 of her elderly mum’s savings meant for care home fees was ordered to pay back £740.

Mum-of-three Teresa Adeleye was jailed for 12 months in August this year after she admitted stealing from Joan Healey, 84.

Liverpool Crown Court heard how the 50-year-old, of Pennington Avenue, Bootle, siphoned the money away between April 1, 2012 and April 30 last year.

Adeleye had been granted power of attorney over her mum’s finances, after they reconciled following a long period without contact in 2001.

But she started failing to pay her mum’s bills at Orchard Lodge care home in Seaforth and could not explain why the payments had been missed.

The court heard that Adeleye had paid some fees and money towards basic items like clothing and toiletries.

But at one stage concerned care home staff were forced to buy her mum a pair of slippers out of their own money.

The single mum denied living a lavish lifestyle and said she had taken the money because she had fallen into debt.

The sentencing judge, Recorder Christopher Alldis, branded her actions “despicable” and the defendant wailed in the dock as she was sent down.

Today a Proceeds of Crime Act hearing was held at the court, which Adeleye did not attend, as she was still on her way to Liverpool from HM Prison Holloway.

Carmel Wilde, prosecuting, said the total benefit figure was £13,414 and Adeleye’s available assets in her bank account were £740.

Frank Dillon, defending, said his client had already tried to pay back money to her mum via the Crown Prosecution Service, “in an effort to make good some of those debts”.

The judge, Recorder Paul Reid, QC, made a confiscation order in her absence of £740.

He said Adeleye would face a further month in prison if she did not pay the money within 42 days.

Source: http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/

Kelsey Shaw murder trial: latest updates from Liverpool Crown Court

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Key Events So Far 10:39 Jonathan Humphries Jury panel to be sworn in

Simon Medland, QC, prosecutes the case. He is addressing the potential jurors on the names of witnesses involved in the case, to check that no-one recognises them.

The does not appear to be a problem.

The clerk is reading the names of the 12 jurors who will try the case.

10:39 Jonathan Humphries Morning

I am in Liverpool Crown Court for the trial of Callum Wilcocks, 23, who is charged with the murder of 17-year-old Kelsey Shaw.

Wilcocks is alleged to have strangled Kelsey to death in a flat in Foundry Lane, Hale Bank, Widnes, in April, 2011 when he was aged 19.

Wilcocks, of Hale Drive in Widnes, had a three-year-old child with Kelsey and the pair had been in an on-off relationship. The trial is due to last five days.

Source: http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/

Re-read: Kelsey Shaw murder trial: updates from Liverpool Crown Court

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Key Events So Far 28 mins ago “Arrest” 4 hours ago Witnesses horrifying discovery 4 hours ago Prosecution opening concludes 5 hours ago “Mum I’ve murdered her, she’s dead.” 16:27 “She’s been strangled, he did it”

The next officer, PC Joseph McNally, will be called as a live witness.

He is sworn in by the usher.

He is from Widnes Police Station, part of Cheshire Constabulary.

Mr Medland asks about the events of Friday April 29, around 5pm.

He said he and PC Stockelle arrived at the same time.

“We tried to open the door, but it was locked. We knocked again, and said open the door, and a male voice shouted its unlocked, its unlocked. Then we heard the sound of a lock being unlocked.”

Mr Medland asked what happened next

PC McNally said: “Between myself and PC Stockelle we had to forced the door open. We could see Kelsey on the floor, her feet must have been up against the door stopping is coming in.”

Mr Medland is talking the officer through a plan of the flat.

He points on a plan of the flat to the area where Kelsey’s body was lying.

He says Kelsey’s body was lying with her head pointing towards the bedrooms.

PC McNally performed chest compressions for “quite a number of minutes” while PC Stockelle handcuffed Wilcocks.

Mr MEdland: “Did you speak to the defendant?”

PC McNally: “Yes I did, I literally just wanted some indication as to what had happened to assist me to pass on to the control room, and to tell the paramedics. He said, she has been strangled, it was him.”

That concludes Mr Medland’s evidence.

Mr Evans asked about a difference between the officer’s notebook and his statement.

He says the notebook read: “There was also a male present at the address, saying he was extremely agitated crying, he was hysterical and he was not making much sense.”

PC McNally: “My priority was on Kelsey, not on making notes, but I can remember he was crying.”

That concludes Mr Evans cross examination.

Mr Justice Holroyde asks PC McNally to confirm that he and PC Stockelle arrived in separate vehicles.

PC McNally says they did, and parked directly outside the flat.

That concludes his evidence.

The jury have been dismissed.

Mr Medland says he believed the defendant will take to the stand at some point tomorrow.

That concludes today’s proceedings, and the court will resume at 10am.

16:14 “I’m not a murderer”

PC Stockelle stayed in the living room with Wilcocks while the paramedics and the other officers worked on Kelsey.

There was a lot of activity in the flat, while the paramedics were working to save Kelsey’s life.

“He was very distressed and was asking if the female was alive. He kept saying he had a child with her and they had been together five years.”

PC Stockelle says Wilcocks was taken to Runcorn custody suite and booked in.

The next statement is from a PC Lee Connor.

He was also called to the address, but after the arrival of PC Stockelle and PC McNally.

He says he found a “young, blonde female lying lifeless on the floor. Her lips were blue and her eyes were wide open.

“She was lying with her feet towards the end of the corridor.”

Wilcocks was lying face down, with his hands in cuffs.

He says PC McNally was performing CPR on Kelsey, with which he assisted.

He was asked by paramedics what Kelsey’s name was, and got the information from Wilcocks.

He was asked by paramedics what had happened.

He went and asked Wilcocks what has happened.

He replied: “It wasn’t me lad, I’m a scouser not a murderer, I’m a scouser like you lad.”

The officer replied “What has happened.”

He said: “He did it lad, he climbed through the window and strangled her. I’m no murderer lad.”

16:04 Key event “Arrest”

Mr Medland will now read further witness statements.

The statements are from officers who arrived at the scene.

The first is from PC Andrew Stockelle.

He says he received instructions to go to a “grade 1 emergency” at Foundry Lane.

He says he and a colleague, PC McNally, approached the block of flats and pressed “all the buzzers” to gain access.

He says they tried to open the door but got no response.

The officers banged loudly and said: “Open the door it’s the police.”

A male answered saying “It’s unlocked.”

He says he noticed a male stood in the corridor, with a woman lying on the floor.

He said she had blue, almost black lips and had foam around her mouth.

Wilcocks began lying on the floor, while PC McNally checked on the victim.

She was lying against the door, preventing it from fully opening.

PC Stockelle placed Wilcocks in handcuffs while PC McNally attempted to perform CPR on Kelsey.

Paramedics arrived at the scene and entered the flat.

“I asked Wilcocks what had happened. He said she’s been strangled, he then said she’s been strangled, he strangled her.

“I asked who strangled her, and he said I can’t say, I can’t say, he was very upset.

“He kept asking is she back, is she back?”

15:53 Court cleared briefly

The court is again cleared briefly while Mrs Wilcocks leaves.

We are back in the courtroom.

Mr Justice Holroyde has returned and the jury are taking their seats

15:38 “He sounded like a wounded animal”

Mrs Wilcocks said her son became frustrated after the birth of his child because he could not see her whenever he wanted.

The baby was living with Kelsey and her mum, and her mum’s address.

Mrs Wilcocks says her son once threatened to kill himself by a river bank, and her and Kelsey had attempted to get in touch.

Mr Evans: “Did the fact that Kelsey was seeing other men upset him?”

Mrs Wilcocks: “Of course it did.”

Mr Evans reads a statement from Mrs Wilcocks to a police officer saying: “He loves the bones of Kelsey, she must have provoked him. She was cheating on him, and rubbing his nose in it.”

She says she does not remember saying this.

Mrs Wilcocks describes her son’s call after Kelsey’s death.

“He sounded like a wounded animal, I have never heard anyone like that before, he couldn’t talk.”

That concludes Mr Evans’ questioning.

15:35 Defendant served time for attacking victim before

Ms Wilcocks: “I just felt sick, I felt like I was going to faint, I couldn’t believe it.”

Mr MEdland: “What point did he say he didn’t mean it?”

Ms Wilcocks: “During that call. He said that to me.”

Mr Medland: “So he said he killed Kelsey, he said he murdered her, you thought he meant he had given her a good hiding, and he said to you didn’t mean it?”

Ms Wilcocks: “Yes.”

That concludes Mr Medland’s questioning. Mr Evans will now ask her some questions.

“He has been a problem at home hasn’t he? There have been occasions when you have had to call the police to deal with him, because to use the vernacular he has kicked off?”

Ms Wilcocks agrees. She also confirms that he twice threatened to kill himself.

Mr Evans reads a police log from 2008, in which Ms Wilcocks rang police to say her son had threatened to kill himself.

He asks: “What was that about?”

Ms Wilcocks: “He was on the house phone arguing with Kelsey. He said his head was in a mess and he was going to kill himself.”

The defendant had been treated at Whiston Hospital, and told to see his GP. In August the same year the defendant’s dad called the police to say his son was “kicking off.”

In September Ms Wilcocks called police due to an argument with her son, who threw the house phones around after she told him to get off the phone.

Mr Evans refers to an incident in primary school, in which Wilcocks was expelled from school for cutting a girl’s hair in an argument.

He says there were similar problems in high school, when the defendant would regularly throw furniture around and be asked to leave.

He was not allowed back into mainstream education and sent to a special unit in Childwall.

Mr Evans says he was eventually allowed back into mainstream education towards the end of his school years.

Mr Evans: “He was also, and still is, a young man who has got into trouble with the police.”

He confirms his client has served time in prison, and took drugs and drank to excess.

Ms Wilcocks: “He didn’t drink to excess all the time.”

She confirmed he would do on occasion. She says she took him to the doctors after finding him using cannabis.

The jury hears the defendant met the victim when they were 13 and 14 respectively.

Mr Evans suggests that they were seeing other partners while they were together, and had arguments which were “patched up.”

“It’s often said by wiser heads, some people can’t live with each other, and can’t live without each other, is that fair to say?”

Ms Wilcocks: “They couldn’t keep away from each other for too long.”

Mr Evans says Wilcocks served time in prison for attacking Kelsey.

Ms Wilcocks: “Yes, he imprisoned her and he burned her.”

However the pair made up after they left prison. Ms Wilcocks: “They used to fight like cat and dog.”

15:22 Defendant’s mum in witness box

The screen has been erected for Mrs Wilcocks.

Members of the jury are taking their seats.

Ms Wilcocks is being sworn in.

She confirms she is the defendant’s mother, and she knows he has admitted strangling his girlfriend to death.

Mr MedlandL “How would you describe their relationship in the years it has been going on?”

Ms WIlcocks: “I don’t know what to say.”

She sounds tearful from behind the screen.

Mr Medland asks again.

She says: “In my statement I said it was fiery, they used to fight with each other a lot.”

She confirms “sometimes they were together, sometimes they were apart.”

Ms Wilcocks: “They used to argue, they used to physically fight sometimes, push each other. But it was in a childish way, they were just kids. It was immature the body language, the behaviour of them. It was immature.”

She is asked about the day of Kelsey’s death.

Mr Medland asks about a phone call, which she confirms was Callum.

“He said a lot of things. He said Kelsey’s dead, he was hysterical, he was not calm.”

Mr Medland: “Did he say how she had died?”

Mrs Wilcocks: “Not to me no, my son Christopher took the phone off me, I was in too much shock.”

Mr Medland asks how she found out.

Mrs Wilcocks: “Christopher said he had strangled her, but he also said he didn’t mean it, I said that in my statement but they left it out.”

Mr Medland asks what she told Callum.

Mrs Wilcocks: “I asked him to call an ambulance, I said what are you ringing her for? call and ambulance.”

Mr Medland reads through her statement to police.

She said: “I thought he must be making it up because he was round the bend or drunk or something.”

Mr Medland asks what he said.

Mrs Wilcocks: “He said he had murdered her, I thought he meant he had given her a good hiding because that’s what they would say, I will murder you.”

She says he told her he was at the back of The Gold Mine pub, which she took to believe meant he was actually at the pub, rather than in nearby flats.

15:05 Tension outside court

The court has been cleared for five minutes while screens are put up for the next witness.

There is some tension outside court as relatives of the defendant and victim argue.

They are told to calm down by representatives from witness services.

15:04 Statement of defendant's father

Mr Medland will now read the statement of Christopher Paul Wilcocks, the defendant’s father.

Mr Wilcocks, who is a bus driver, told police he lives with his sons Callum and Chris.

He says on Friday 29, he had been in bed sleeping off a hangover, from a celebration the previous night.

He says around 4pm, he received a call on his mobile from a withheld number, which he ignored.

He says a short time later another call came in from a withheld number, which his wife Toni answered.

He says he could hear Callum on the line.

The statement said: “Toni turned to me in shock, telling me he is saying he’s killed Kelsey.”

He says his other son Chris took the phone and asked if he had hit her, but was told “no, I have strangled her.

Mr Wilcocks says he drove to the flats with Toni Wilcocks and Chris Wilcocks, but the police had already arrived.

Mr Medland says Mrs Wilcocks will now be called to give evidence in person

15:04 Cross examination

Mr Evans asks her to clarify that she heard a man and a woman arguing.

He suggests the woman seemed to be doing more of the shouting than the man.

Ms Shelvin agrees.

He suggests that the male voice was upset and crying.

Ms Shelvin agrees.

That concludes Ms Shelvin’s evidence.

15:04 Next witness

Mr Medland has now called the next live witness, Joanne Shelvin, who was living underneath the flat rented by Ms McDonald.

She says on the night of the incident, she could hear arguing between a male and a female from the flat upstairs.

Mr Medland asks if they were sober or drunk.

Ms Shelvin: “I assumed they were drunk.”

She says this happened on and off during the night.

She says the following day she had been out until around 3pm, watching the royal wedding.

Ms Shelvin says she had not heard any arguing that morning.

She says: “I was sitting watching the telly I was aware of what I thought was the girl that lived there outside standing outside my window, speaking on the phone. I couldn’t hear anything she was saying but, I saw her go back up then I heard a male voice what I thought was arguing, and they I saw her walking back down the road on her phone.”

Ms Shelvin says she thought the male’s voice sounded angry.

Mr Medland asks what happened next

“I went into the kitchen around 10 to 15 minutes later, and I heard a really upset male voice, it sounded directly above where I was in the kitchen.

“I heard the words mum, and he didn’t mean to do it, and her to listen mum, that’s all I could make out.”

She says the police came around 10, 15 minutes later, and rang the buzzer.

That concludes Mr Medland’s questions.

14:45 “He told me he killed her”

Mr Medland is now reading the statement of a woman called Michaela Ross, who is a friend of Ms McDonald.

She says she arrived home that day and found Ms McDonald on her drive way unexpectedly.

Ms McDonald was shaking and crying, saying “he’s killed her, he’s killed her, in my flat.”

Ms Ross said her friend phoned her mother and became very upset while trying to explain what happened.

Ms McDonald said: ““No he told me he killed her, I saw her arm flop.”

Ms Ross said her friend was in shock and “drifting in and out of sense.”

Police officers arrived at the address shortly after.

Further evidence

Mr Medland is now reading the statement of Rose Turner, who picked Beccy McDonald up from her flat the following day.

At approximately 4pm, she drove to Beccy’s flat, and saw her leave the premises with her baby son.

They arrived at Beccy’s mum’s at 4.15pm, where the baby was dropped off.

On the way back they stopped at the Co-op, where Ms McDonald realised £200 rent money was missing from her account, and explained she had given Kelsey Shaw her bank card the previous night.

She rang Kelsey and said that Kelsey was “sobbing” down the phone, but that she thought this was because of the missing money.

Ms Turner returned to Foundry Lane and then drove away.

She says she received three calls off Beccy saying she could not get into the flat.

The last call she appeared very upset and said Callum Wilcocks had killed Kelsey in the flat.

She says she later returned to the flat with a friend to find out what had gone on.

14:28 Proceedings back underway

Mr Justice Holroyde is back in the courtroom, and the members of the jury are returning to their seats.

Mr Medland is preparing to read statements from other witnesses, whose evidence is agreed between the prosecution and the defence, meaning they do not need to give evidence in person.

He is reading the statement of taxi driver Kamaru Arowolo, who picked up the defendant and his brother Chris Wilcocks from the flat in Foundry Lane, at around midnight on April 29.

“One of the males looked like he was under the influence of drugs and alcohol due to the way he was talking.”

Mr Arowolo says he had a clear, unobstructed view of the men for around 45 minutes.

He says he was told to drive to Speke, while one of the male’s was on the phone to somebody asking him where they were.

However they could not find this person.

The court heard Callum Wilcocks turned to his brother and said he was going back to his girlfriends’.

Chris Wilcocks was dropped off but did not pay, claiming he was going into the flat to get money but would return.

He said he beeped the horn and tried to call the defendant, who did not return.

He says he was told by his taxi company to call the police.

Mr Medland is now reading the statement of a second taxi driver, whose name I didn’t quite catch.

He says he took Callum McDonald and Kelsey Shaw to an all night garage at 3.10am on Friday April 29.

They were taken to an all night BP garage in Halewood.

He said they both used an ATM machine in Hale Bank, before heading on to the garage.

Kelsey stayed in the taxi, while Wilcocks got out and bought a bottle of vodka.

The taxi driver said he got uneasy and asked them to pay up front.

He returned them to the ATM in Hale Bank, but thought they were “preparing to do a runner.”

However Wilcocks gave him £30, and they returned to Foundry Lane.

He says he received a call saying there had been a mobile phone left in the back of the car, and the male would pay for his time to return.

“From my experience as a taxi driver I would say the male and female were under the influence of cocaine and alcohol.”

The court heard he later recognised the pair from an article in the Echo, and contacted police.

13:10 Jonathan Humphries Ms McDonald completes evidence

Mr Evans asks about her impression of the relationship.

She says: “I am not sure.”

That concludes Mr Evans’ cross examination.

Mr Medland rises, and asks Ms McDonald to clarify the statement about the victim becoming angry about the defendant going on facebook.

She says: “Yeah Callum would not allow her to go on facebook, and when I saw him on it I would tell her and she became irate because he was on it.”

Mr Justice Holroyde asks about the distance between her mother’s and the flat.

He asks what the time was she was gone from leaving the flat with Rose Turner, to returning and confronting Wilcocks.

She claims around 25 to 30 minutes.

Mr Evans has been instructed to ask another question by his client.

Mr Evans: “He suggests he never said “f*** Kelsey when he asked her on a date that night, and that you were quite receptive?”

Ms McDonald: “No, I am very clear on that.”

That concludes Ms McDonald’s evidence

The jury had been dismissed until 2.10pm.

13:10 Jonathan Humphries Defence questions witness on “state of aggression”

Mr Evans suggests Ms McDonald never expected Wilcocks to harm Kelsey, and that she expected them to get out of her flat after she left with Ms Turner.

Mr Evans: “When you got back you heard a noise that you thought was someone having sexual intercourse, and that annoyed you because you thought they were going to get out of the flat?”

She agrees.

He asks if Wilcocks became erratic.

Ms McDonald says only when he told her he had killed Kelsey.

He reads from the transcript of a 999 call made by Ms McDonald, in which she says “he was shouting that she was dead.”

He says she told a police officer that Callum Wilcocks was in upset and in an “aggressive state.”

Mr Evans asks her to clarify when this was.

She says only when he started shouting that Kelsey was dead.

Mr Evans refers to a statement made by Ms Wilcocks, in which she claimed Callum started “getting nasty” and screaming at her to “get off the phone to her mum.

He asks “Nowhere there does it suggest he was angry one minute and then calm the next?”

Ms McDonald says: “No it’s just that I have worded it differently.”

Mr Evans presses the point that she said “Callum turned nasty”” before she finished the call to her mum.

He suggests this shows that there was “no gap” between him being calm and becoming angry.

Ms McDonald: “No that is incorrect.”

He asks about a response to the question; was anybody drunk? Asked by a police officer.

She replied at the time: “Kelsey was drunk, but Callum wasn’t, he was dead calm the entire night.”

She says she cannot remember that question.

Mr Evans: “Is it your evidence that at one stage he was calm, and then the next he was shouting and screaming?”

Ms McDonald agrees.

Mr Evans asked about what Callum said when he rang her back, when Ms McDonald phoned Kelsey to ask about the missing money.

She says she cannot remember.

Mr Evans: “Did you ever get the impression that Callum was jealous of you, jealous of the time you got to spend with Kelsey?”

Ms McDonald: “Yes, that’s just my opinion.”

12:48 Jonathan Humphries Cross-examination

Gareth Evans, QC, defending, is now asking Ms McDonald about the night before Kelsey’s death.

He asks her to confirm that a small amount of cocaine was taken.

“During that night would it be fair to say, with one exception, just bickering between the two of them about the fact they had each cheated on each other?”

Ms McDonald: “Yes.”

Mr Evans “And you as the wiser head were just saying come on, get over it?”

She agrees.

Mr Evans refers to the argument about her friend Rose Turner, who Wilcocks claimed was a grass.

He asks Ms McDonald if he stormed off “in a huff” when they “poo pooed” this claim.

She agrees, repeating that he returned five minutes later completely calm, as if nothing had happened.

Mr Evans asks her to confirm that she tried to tell the police the truth.

He reads from the statement: “I don’t know much about the history of their relationship, but they do argue a lot, it tends to be her having a go at him. She doesn’t like him going on facebook and she screams at him.

“She loves Callum, he loves her, in fact he idolised her.”

Ms McDonald said: “I would say he was possessive, or more obsessive.”

She admits she had only heard Kelsey’s side of the story.

12:43 Jonathan Humphries Wilcocks was not “drunk” or “high”

Mr Medland asks Ms McDonald about police witness statements she provided.

Mr Medland says the police asked if Kelsey had “had a go” at Wilcocks over a relationship he had with her cousin.

Ms McDonald said: “It was just point-scoring, it was just bickering, just pettiness between the two of them.”

Mr Medland: “As far as cocaine is concerned, you said the four of you shared some of it when Wilcocks arrived, did you have any other cocaine that night?”

Ms McDonald: “No.”

Mr Medland said police put to her that Wilcocks claimed to have been drinking vodka and snorting cocaine in the morning leading up to Kelsey’s death.

Ms McDonald: “No that is incorrect, he was in my presence the whole day.”

Mr Medland asks: “How drunk was he, how high was he?”

Ms McDonald: “He was fine, he was not slurring his words and he was not acting all erratic. We just had normal conversation. Me and Kelsey had a little dance and they were play fighting on one occasion.”

That concludes Mr Medland’s questions.

“He’s killed her in my flat” Jonathan Humphries

Mr Medland asks Ms McDonald to point out on the photo where she saw Kelsey’s arm.

Mr Medland: “Where was Wilcocks when you did that?”

Ms McDonald: “I couldn’t see him, I could hear him. He was very close to Kelsey.”

Mr Medland asks her to talk through more pictures of inside the flat.

The pictures show bottles of alcohol and ashtrays filled with cigarettes, from the gathering the night before Kelsey’s death.

Mr Medland asks her to say what happened after Ms McDonald saw Kelsey’s hand.

Ms McDonald: “The door got slammed back in my face again. I then went downstairs to make a call to my mum to say I think he’s hurt her. Her arm was flopped to the back of the door, I can’t recall the last time I spoke to her.

“My mum sent me back upstairs to see if she was ok, I was still on the phone to my mum. He must have heard me, because he said very calmly, put the phone down Bec. He then became very erratic, saying are you listening, are you f****** listening to me?”

“Then he started saying she’s dead, but after that had happened I run, thinking he was going to do something to me. The very first thing i did was ring my mum, I said he’s killed her in my flat.”

She says her mum told her to call 999.

Ms McDonald ran to the property of a Sarah Ross, who lived nearby.

She says she called the police as she was on my way.

She told the 999 operator: “Send someone quick because he’s going to kill me too.”

Ms McDonald says the police arrived a short time later.

12:27 Jonathan Humphries Witnesses horrifying discovery

Ms McDonald says she arrived outside the flat, and could see Wilcocks in the living room window,

She says she spoke to him on the phone and he said “is that you outside.”

Ms McDonald: “I tried to get inside my flat but Callum Wilcocks kept me out.”

SHe says she heard Wilcocks undo the lock from the inside, but still couldn’t get in.

“I heard heavy breathing behind the door, and I assumed they were having sexual intercourse behind the door. I became very irritated, and was banging on the door and ringing family members.

“The heavy breathing stopped but I could hear Calum saying just give me a minute, just hold on a minute there.”

She says Wilcocks sounded “very calm” but she realised something was wrong when she tried to speak to Kelsey but she would not reply.

She says she threatened Wilcocks, and became very angry.

Mr Medland: “What happened next?”

Ms McDonald: “A neighbour came down from above. I asked for a light and explained I could not get in. I rang my mum, my nan and my friend saying I could not get in the property.

“I hadn’t tried the door for a while so I tried it again and Kelsey’s arm flopped down. I could see from that she was in an awkward position behind the door.”

Mr Medland asks her to look at a picture of the outside of her former flat.

12:27 Jonathan Humphries Final phone call

Mr Medland: “What happened next?”

Ms McDonald “Chris and Callum left the property, but Callum came back on his own. We carried on having a drink and had some music on, it wasn’t loud because my little boy was in bed. We had a bit of a drink together, it wasn’t anything rowdy.”

Mr Medland: “How did the evening go on?”

Ms McDonald: “Callum and Kelsey had split up, Callum had gone behind her back.”

She says it was being brought up several times.

She says“There wasn’t much of an atmosphere, they was just bickering, just like point scoring, like saying you went with so-and-so.”

The jury hears Callum and Kelsey left the property about 3am to go to an all night garage.

She says she stayed in the flat, but she gave Kelsey her credit card and texted her the pin number so they could buy cigarettes and WKD.

She says she expected them to spend around £15.

They returned shortly after and “carried on as normal.”

Mr Medland: “By that stage how were they behaving?”

Ms McDonald: “They were fine, just play fighting.”

She says she fell asleep on the couch, with her son in the cot in the same room.

The jury hears that the defendant and the victim went to bed together in her room, which had a double bed.

She says she awoke around 9am, when her son woke up.

Callum Wilcocks then walked into the living room a short time later.

Mr Medland asked her to describe his behaviour.

Ms McDonald: “He was perfectly fine, he even sat and played with my son. I just put the telly on, he was not acting strangely in any way.”

Mr MEdland: “When you and Callum were with each that morning, can you explain what he said or did towards you?”

Ms McDonald: “He asked if he could take me out, bearing in mind Kelsey was asleep in bed, I said no certainly not and said he should appreciate Kelsey, and his reply was “f*** her.”

A short time later Ms McDonald said she walked into her bedroom and spoke to Kelsey, describing Kate Middleton’s wedding dress from the coverage of the royal wedding.

Later Ms McDonald said she was going to her mums, via a lift from a friend named Rose Turner.

She says: “Kelsey would have come too but Callum kicked up a fuss because he didn;t know Rose.”

The court hears Kelsey wanted to call a taxi, but Callum refused.

She said they had a discussion in which Wilcocks said Ms Turner had written something on Facebook, but the two women disputed this.

She says Wilcocks walked off down the road but came back around five minutes later “like nothing had happened.”

Mr Medland asks what Ms McDonald did next.

She says she got in her friends car with her son, and went to a shopping centre to check her account, finding around £180 had been taken.

She called Kelsey’s phone but Callum answered, before putting the phone down.

Ms McDonald: “It answered again and I could hear Kelsey crying, saying something like what do you mean, but I don’t know if that was to me.”

She says she returned to the property in her friend’s car.

Mr Medland: “Did you speak to her again?”

Ms McDonald: “No I never heard from her, ever again.”

Mr Medland asks how long the call was in which she could hear Kelsey.

The jury says around eight seconds.

12:18 Jonathan Humphries Witness who discovered Kelsey had been murdered gives evidence

Mr Justice Holroyde has re-entered the court.

We will now hear from the first witness, Beccy McDonald.

She will be answering questions from behind a screen.

The members of the jury are taking their seats.

She is sworn in.

Mr Medland asks her to give her address at the time of Kelsey’s death.

She lived there with her young son, who was around 10 months old at the time.

She says she had known Kelsey for a “couple of months” through a college course.

The weekend of the incident was a long bank holiday weekend, due to the royal wedding.

Kelsey came round to Ms McDonald’s flat at around midday to get her hair done, and the pair “made a bit of a do out of it.”

The pair drank blue WKD (an alcopop) during the day.

“Callum started texting Kelsey, she didn’t tell me she was texting him at the time, then she asked if it was ok if Callum and his brother Chris came round.”

She knew Chris Wilcocks, but had only met the defendant on one occasion.

Ms McDonald says Kelsey did not speak about the relationship much, but she knew they had a daughter together.

Ms McDonald: “I didn’t want him to come really, only because of a previous occasion at another property where my window got smashed, and I knew it was him.

“He said he wanted to come round an explain it wasn’t him, he knew who had done it, he knew it had been smashed with a hammer and where the hammer was.”

The Wilcocks brothers around shortly after 10pm.

Mr Medland asks how much the two women had to drink.

Ms McDonald: “We were fine, we had only had one bottle of WKD. I just went to the Co-op to get another bottle.”

The brothers had brought a large bottle of vodka, around a litre and a half, and cocaine.

She says the cocaine was a “small amount” but was shared between the group.

“at that stage, how were Callum and Kelsey getting on with each other at that point?”

Ms McDonald: “Perfectly fine.”

She says the full bottle of vodka was not drunk, as there was still some left the following day.

She says the brothers left the property around midnight.

“Callum said he was going to get money off his mum and dad.”

11:36 Jonathan Humphries Prosecution opening concludes

Mr Medland talks the jury through some documents they will need to refer to later in the trial.

He tells the jury: “We submit that he may have well have been at his own hand drunk and had taken drugs but that in no way excuses what he has done, nor, we submit with respect, is there any proper basis for reducing his culpability down to manslaughter from the harsh reality of this case, which is murder.”

That concludes the prosecution opening.

The jury has been allowed a short break.

11:32 Jonathan Humphries “It wasn’t me, he climbed through the window”

The court heard emergency services attended the flat around 4.57pm.

They did their best to resuscitate Kelsey but to no avail.

She was rushed to Whiston Hospital and arrived around 6pm.

Mr Medland says: “Again the doctors at the hospital did their best to investigate whether they could do any more for her but the injuries inflicted on her by the defendant meant that their efforts were not successful, and so life support was withdrawn and she was formally declared dead at 11.35pm on April 30, 2011.”

Police attended the flat and the defendant said: “”She’s been strangled, it was him” and “she’s been strangled, he strangled her.”

Mr Medland said “He was very distressed, but he embroidered the lie somewhat saying, it wasn’t me, he strangled her he climbed through the window.”

The court hears Wilcocks talked to the officers about his relationship and where in the flat they had sex.

He said they had been drinking vodka and had taken cocaine.

He told officers she had been dead for around an hour in the flat, and about events leading up to the killing, and showed an interest in the likely press coverage.

Mr Medland said: “The defendant was interviewed by the police over long periods. He managed to answer all the questions without difficulty and coped well with the process. He was assisted by a solicitor and his sister.

“He needed no medical assistance and gave a clear and rational account which was logical and detailed.

“No suggestion was made that he was so ill he could not continue or could not cope.

“He claimed to have been off his head on alcohol and coke.”

The jury hears an account of what Wilcocks said in interview: “I just put my arm around her like, and I just squeezed her dead hard, then she went unconscious and like went on the floor… and I looked at her and I thought I can’t do it, and I opened her mouth and she groaned and she woke up within 10 seconds, then she shouted don’t do this to me..

“she hugged me as she does, she just give me s*** again, as she is. So I put my arm around her neck and pulled it tight and within 10 seconds she was unconscious on the floor and I just held her neck, she just died.”

11:18 Jonathan Humphries "Mum I’ve murdered her, she’s dead.”

The court hears the defendant, Ms McDonald and Kelsey all spent a “happy enough time” in the flat the following morning.

The group watched the Royal Wedding between Prince WIlliam and Kate MIddleton.

Beccy McDonald was repeatedly propositioned by the defendant, asking her out on a date.

Mr Medland says: “She told him in no uncertain terms she was not interested and told him he needed to appreciate what he already had in Kelsey.

“His response was perhaps indicative of how little he cared about Kelsey. F*** her, he said:”

Later Beccy left the flat and realised her money had been stolen.

She rang Kelsey four times, but when Kelsey rang her back she was crying and Miss McDonald could not understand what she was saying.

“Little could Beccy have known that the reason for Kelsey’s tears and the reason why she couldn’t get through to her again was because the defendant was in the process of strangling Kelsey to death.”

She returned to the flat but couldn’t get in.

“She could hear heavy breathing and a faint knocking sound behind the door at its hinge end. She heard nothing from Kelsey but could heard the defendant saying things like gizza minute… hang on, wait there. He sounded quite calm.

“He was at that period, we say, that he was finishing Kelsey off, choking the life out of her.”

The defendant kept Miss McDonald out of the flat for around 40 minutes until she threatened to call the police.

The defendant replied either “I want you to, for Kelsey” or “Don’t, for Kelsey”, Ms McDonald was not sure which.

She managed to shove the door open a little and saw Kelsey’s arm flopped on the floor, palm upwards.

She ran downstairs and phoned her mum.

She then ran back up and said: “Is she alright?”

The defendant said: “Just give us a minute”

Ms McDonald then said: “Are you f***** listening?”

Wilcocks replied: “She;s dead, she’s f***** dead, I’ve killed her.”

The defendant later called his mother to say he was at a pub called the Gold Mine and admitted killing Kelsey.

He said: “Mum I’ve killed Kelsey… Mum I’ve murdered her, she’s dead.”

11:07 Jonathan Humphries Evidence

The court hears Kelsey was murdered in a flat owned by Kelsey’s friend Beccy McDonald.

Mr MEdland “Kelsey and the defendant had a difficult relationship. They had a daughter between them, aged three, but their relationship was described to police by the defendant’s mother as fiery. Sometimes they would split up and get back together.”

On April 29, 2011, Kelsey and Miss McDonald were in the flat, where Kelsey was applying peroxide to her friend’s hair.

Miss McDonald did not really know Wilcock’s at that time.

It became apparent that Callum Wilcock’s wanted to come round with his brother, Chris Wilcocks.

She was not keen because she suspected Callum Wilcocks had been responsible (wrongly) for damaging her window.

However she relented and the pair also attended with a large bottle of vodka and a £30 deal of cocaine.

Mr Medland says the four all drank and took cocaine.

He said: “Kelsey and Callum were talking together about the people the had been seeing while their relationship had stalled. There is no suggestion that Rebecca detected any great emotional heat or anger between them while they made these revelations.”

Chris and Callum Wilcocks later left in a taxi driven by Kamaru Arowolo at around 12.50am.

He described the defendant as “more authoritative” and claimed he went to “score some drugs.”

They also failed to pay the £20 fayre.

The defendant returned to the flat at around 1,25am.

Kelsey and the defendant left to go to an all night garage for some cigarettes, taking Beccy McDonald’s debit card.

The defendant stole £200 from her account before returning to the flat.

Kelsey and the defendant then went to bed together.

11:02 Jonathan Humphries “Hollow claims”

Mr Medland says Wilcock’s claims to be suffering from mental illness to the point it substantially diminished his responsibility, or that he lost his self control for a “good, recognised” reason, are “hollow claims.”

Mr Medland says that the claims are similar to lies told by Wilcocks when he was first arrested, that someone else must have broke in and killed Kelsey.

“We submit these claims are little more than attempts by him to avoid the truth about the dreadful and fatal consequences of his own deliberate acts.”

11:02 Jonathan Humphries Injuries

Mr Medland tells the jury Kelsey “bore the classic signs” of being strangled.

She had numerous petechial (Ie pin-point) haemorrhages on her face, ears and mouth, and bruises under the skin on her neck area.

There was also traumatic disturbance to important structures deep inside the neck, the thyroid horn and cricoid cartilage, including microscopic fracturing.

There was also traumatic disturbance to important structures deep inside the neck, the thyroid horn and cricoid cartilage, including microscopic fracturing.

He says a pathologist described these injuries as characteristic of a “forceful neck compression”, which would need a minimum of around 15-20 seconds neck compression.

He says the injuries suggest the internal structures have been “crushed” during the assault.

He says the injuries suggest the internal structures have been “crushed” during the assault.

Mr Medland: “That having been done to her, Kelsey’s heart shut down because of the assault on her by the defendant, and, there being no circulation of the blood, her brain suffered irreversible damage too.

“We submit that this shows a picture of forceful, prolonged and we suggest quite deliberate assault on that slim, small 17-year-old who was only about 5 foot 1 and weighed only about eight stone five.”

10:56 Jonathan Humphries Trial begins

Mr Medland begins to address the jury.

He will open the case and outline the prosecution argument.

Mr Medland: “This case concerns the murder of a 17-year-old girl, Kelsey Shaw. Kelsey was strangled, not once but twice, by her boyfriend, this defendant.

“There can be no doubting those facts – Mr Wilcocks admits as much. But he denies that he has murdered Kelsey.

“He will ask you to convict him not of murder, but of the markedly less serious offence of manslaughter. The defendant will, I anticipate, say that he is not to be held fully responsible for his actions; either because his responsibility, was as it said, diminished through him genuinely suffering from mental illness or because he lost his self-control in such circumstances as can mean he is only guilty of manslaughter and not murder.”

However he says: “”The prosecution say bluntly to you that this is not the case. We respectfully submit to you that the stark truth of this case is plain; Callum Wilcocks was not suffering from any mental illness which may amount to his responsibility for his actions being diminished down to manslaughter.

“Furthermore we submit that he did not lose his self control, as is it said in the law, he lost his temper with fatal consequences.”

10:50 Jonathan Humphries Wilcocks in dock

Wilcocks appears in the dock wearing a black suit with a white shirt and grey tie.

Source: http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/

Court confusion over Widnes and Runcorn loan shark appeal

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Confusion reigned on Monday as a convicted Runcorn and Widnes loan shark was called to the dock for no known reason.

John Radford, 59, of Park Road, Great Sankey, appeared at Warrington Crown Court on Monday, with the hearing listed as relating to a 2012 appeal against Cheshire police.

Radford had lodged the case against Cheshire police over the seizure of £23,000 of cash from his Great Sankey mansion when it was raided in March that year.

The defendant was sent down for 30 months in 2013 for money lending charges amid accusations accepted by the judge that he had his two codefendants intimidate debtors.

He was also convicted of possessing £23,000 of criminal cash.

When sentenced in 2013, Radford was already serving eight years in prison for possession of a loaded pistol and ammunition found in his house during the raid.

Chester Crown Court heard his home had been fortified with an electric fence, dogs and a CCTV system that streamed images to a monitor in his bedroom.

The mystery of the purpose of Monday’s hearing thickened as Radford told the court he had already been ordered to cough up £750,000 of ill-gotten gains in a Proceeds Of Crime Act hearing in September this year.

No-one appeared to represent Radford.

Claire Jones, acting on behalf of Cheshire police, was among those who did not why the case was listed.

She said: “It may be that the appeal is going to be withdrawn.”

Judge Neil Flewitt, presiding, adjourned the case until Friday, November 27.

Source: http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/

Wirral dad caught with vile child abuse stash is put behind bars

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A Wirral dad caught with disturbing images of child abuse – including youngsters being beaten with a cane while sexually assaulted – was jailed today.

Paul Foster was found with 2,666 images and films depicting serious paedophilia when police raided his home in Wallasey last year.

The 58-year-old swapped passwords with a like-minded user to distribute the material.

Foster had clips of children as young as eight being sexually abused, with some videos lasting up to 55 minutes long, and others at least 20 minutes in length.

Liverpool Crown Court heard viewers could see the distress on the childrens’ faces as they were assaulted.

Foster turned to indecent images of youngsters when he was made redundant from his job of 33 years, his barrister Neil Howard said.

And, he added, the prosecution had alienated both his wife of 34 years and his son, who has twin children who have not seen their granddad for the past 12 months.

Foster, who admitted seven offences of making, possessing and distributing indecent images, was jailed for 28 months.

Judge Denis Watson, who agreed the defendant showed “shame and remorse” told him: “You made file sharing available and distributed it to another by providing your secure password.

“It is the offence of distribution which causes the greatest concern.

“This is a far more serious form of offence

“Boys and girls were abused unspeakably in the course of these video clips.”

Foster was given a Sexual Harm Prevention Order, banning him from deleting his internet history or contacting children.

He was also found with images of extreme animal porn, along with indecent images of children ranging in severity – from Category A, the most serious, to Category C.

When officers searched his home last year, they found one his devices, a Samsung phone, in the bin, which was hidden there when detectives knocked on the door, the court was told.

A total of 20 electronic devices were seized as Foster, of Cliff Road, immediately admitted accessing vile images “for his own personal pleasure”.

His job loss had sparked a deep depression, the court heard.

An order was made for the indecent pictures and videos to be destroyed.

His lawyer Mr Howard added: “He is extremely remorseful and deeply ashamed of his actions.

“The last 12 months has been a period of reflection and soul searching.

“He has shown a disassociation from reality which viewing such material. He has now come to terms with the horrific nature of that material.”

Source: http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/

Sacked Mersey cop faces retrial over allegations he was the "inside man" in a cannabis farm burglary plot

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A sacked Merseyside Police officer was cleared of one charge of misconduct in public office – but still faces a retrial over a plot to burgle cannabis farms.

Ex-PC Barry Parkinson is alleged to have sold sensitive intelligence from force databases to underworld associates, a five-week trial has heard.

Today, the jury found him not guilty of one count of misconduct, but were unable to reach a verdict on whether the 45-year-old conspired to commit burglary and conspired to supply cannabis, between January and June, last year.

The trial finished after a jury were unable to reach other verdicts on him and three of his co-accused – Robert Sloan, 44, of Steeple View, Kirkby; Gould, 52, of Grange Avenue, West Derby; and Blackburn, 30, of Kenbury Road, Kirkby.

David McLachlan, prosecuting, said the Crown Prosecution Service was likely to seek a retrial and the case was re-listed for Friday before the Recorder of Liverpool.

The only other verdict reached today was for David Nuttall, 44, of Bonnington Close, St Helens, who was acquitted of conspiracy to commit misconduct in a public office.

He has previously admitted production of cannabis and abstracting electricity and will be sentenced a week before Christmas.

Parkinson, who previously admitted two misconduct charges which led to him being fired from Merseyside Police, hugged his co-accused in the dock when today’s trial was ended.

In his role as a Field Intelligence Development Officer (FIDO) in Liverpool South Basic Command Unit, Parkinson admitted accessing police systems and checking information about two people, which he passed onto taxi driver Sloan.

Prosecutors alleged that Sloan was the dad-of-two’s accomplice who “dealt cocaine by the kilo” and that Parkinson also sold data to him about suspected cannabis farms.

It is claimed Parkinson, of Beechburn Crescent, Huyton, trawled through sensitive police intelligence systems to check whether his criminal friends were being targeted.

Sloan has admitted aiding and abetting misconduct in a public office.

Sloan, Gould, and Blackburn all denied conspiracy to commit burglary and conspiracy to supply cannabis.

Parkinson denied misconduct in a public office, conspiracy to commit burglary and conspiracy to supply cannabis.

Source: http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/

Walton fugitive who carried out brutal burglary which left a drug dealer brain-damaged to be sentenced – updates

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Key Events So Far 38 secs ago BACKGROUND Key event BACKGROUND

A fugitive captured on a Walton rooftop after carrying out a brutal burglary which left a drug dealer brain-damaged is set to be sentenced today.

Karl Allen, 23, suffered “life-changing” injuries after a gang broke into his house in Woodrock Road, Woolton on August 7, 2013.

His heart stopped beating for several minutes following the horrific stabbing, leaving him confined to a wheelchair and in need of 24-hour care.

Four men were found guilty of conspiracy to commit aggravated burglary after two trials at Liverpool Crown Court .

Stephen McCoy, 23, formerly of Rice Lane, Walton, and Lee Montague, 22, of Moss Street, Garston, were jailed for 17 years and 16 years respectively.

But John Paul McCoy, 28, of Day Street, Old Swan, was found guilty in his absence after failing to attend the second trial.

He was arrested by police after finally coming down from the roof of a house in Church Road, Walton, following a nine-hour stand off on November 5.

Police raided a house leading to McCoy fleeing onto the roof in heavy rain at around 7.30am.

A cordon was put in place and he eventually came down at around 4.30pm.

On November 11, McCoy admitted a breach of bail.

Judge Robert Trevor-Jones said he would be sentenced for the attack on Mr Allen alongside Ryan Burrell, 22, formerly of Park Road, Toxteth, today.

Source: http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/


Kelsey Shaw murder trial: accused Callum Wilcocks takes stand – latest updates

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Key Events So Far 10:48 Jonathan Humphries Proceedings get underway

Callum Wilcocks has been called to the dock. Court staff are preparing equipment to play audio tapes of Beccy McDonald’s 999 call and video interviews.

Judge Mr Justice Holroyde has entered the courtroom. Wilcocks has arrived in the dock.

Simon Medland QC, prosecuting, says the crown’s case is likely to finish today.

The jury have been called in.

Mr Medland is sharing some written admissions among members of the jury.

He will now read some agreed facts.

The first are transactions on Beccy McDonald’s cash card.

Kelsey and the defendant had travelled to an all night garage with the card, and Miss McDonald had texted her pin number to Kelsey.

While at the garage Wilcocks phoned Kelsey to ask if she wanted some alcohol, and he bought cigarettes and vodka worth £19

After that, around 3.30am, two transactions for £50 and £100 were withdrawn from a cash-point.

The jury is now being played a 999 call from Miss McDonald.

There is some wind interference and it is difficult to make out her words, but she is clearly very upset, and the phrase “she’s dead” is clearly audible.

She tells the operator she is on Foundry Lane, and she is crying.

She says: “I saw her arm around the door.”

The operator asks her to take deep breaths, and asks her to confirm the address of the flat.

Operator: “Is he aggressive normally?”

Miss McDonald: “I don’t know, I don’t really know him.”

Operator: “You have gone round to the address and seen her lying on the floor?”

Miss McDonald: “From what I could see yeah”

Operator: “But you have not gone inside?”

Miss McDonald :“No he was just shouting she’s dead, she’s dead.”

Operator:“The male was shouting she’s dead?”

Miss McDonald “Yeah.”

Miss McDonald repeats that she saw Kelsey’s arm around the door and that Wilcocks was shouting “he’s dead.”

She confirms the names of Kelsey and the defendant, but appears to be struggling to breathe due to her distress.

The operator asks her to take deep breaths and calm down.

Operator: “There is an ambulance on the way to check on your friend.”

Miss McDonald: “But he’s standing by the door.”

Operator: “That’s fine there’s officers on the way.”

Miss McDonald: “He was saying f***** listen to me and he was shouting she’s dead.”

Operator: “Was he very aggressive was he?”

Miss McDonald: “Yeah.”

Source: http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/

Kelsey Shaw murder trial: 24 November 2015 – latest updates

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Key Events So Far 18 mins ago Mr Medland is now calling Dr Christopher Johnson, a patholog… 1 hour ago Jury hears audio of 999 call 11:52 Jonathan Humphries Wilcocks to take stand tomorrow

There appears to have been a problem with certain expert evidence, meaning that Wilcocks will now not take to the stand until tomorrow morning.

The jury will be called back in at noon.

11:51 Jonathan Humphries Kelsey's death caused by 'forceful neck pressure'

Mr Medland: “Given those findings were you able to form a view as to the mechanism that caused Kelsey’s death?”

Dr Johnson “Yes, taken together the findings are typical of the application of forceful neck pressure.”

He says the fractures and bruising would have been caused by that pressure.

Mr Medland asks about the pinpoint haemorrhaging, and how long it would take to cause this.

Dr Johnson: “It’s generally accepted to get haemorrhages in this sort of extent, and this is the presence the day after this happened, a minimum of 15-20 seconds is taken as a fair time for the pressure to be applied.”

He confirms that this would have been continuous pressure.

Mr Medland: “What if anything should the jury take from your use of the word forceful?

Dr Johnson: “In any injury in forensic practice, one can only give broad estimates of force, you commonly split them into mild moderate and severe force. Depending on what structures are damaged you can give your opinion on what level of force was applied.”

He says because of the injuries to Kelsey, he would give an estimate to the court of moderate to severe force.

Mr Medland asks how the neck compression was done.

Dr Johnson: “My understanding is this is alleged to have occurred by some form of arm lock pressure, and the use of a hand or hands. To me she has the right extent of injuries and a pattern to support that description.”

He says crushing to the lower part of the adam’s apple supports this description.

That concludes Mr Medland’s questioning.

Gareth Evans, QC, defending, asks Dr Johnson to confirm that the injuries were consistent with the account of his client using an armlock, and then a hand.

Dr Johnson agrees.

Mr Evans asks him to confirm that the first strangulation was not fatal.

Dr Johnson accepts this.

That concludes his evidence.

The jury are dismissed while Mr Justice Holroyde discusses timetabling issues with the court.

Pathologist’s evidence Jonathan Humphries

Mr Medland is now calling Dr Christopher Johnson, a pathologist who examined Kelsey’s body, to the witness stand.

He is sworn in.

Consultant forensic pathologist at Royal Liverpool University Hospital, and is a Home Office approved pathologist.

Dr Johnson conducted a post-mortem on Kelsey.

A juror has raised a concern that she recognises Dr Johnson.

Mr Justice Holroyde agrees to let his testimony continue.

Dr Johnson began the examination the day after Kelsey’s death, having been given a brief background of the circumstances of her death.

Mr Medland: “Did you find that she could be described as a well nourished, slim, white young female?”

Dr Johnson: “Yes.”

She was around eight stone five.

Dr Johnson understood she had been subject to extensive CPR, which caused some minor injuries.

The jury hears there were a number of a “pin-point” haemorrhages on Kelsey’s face.

The jury are shown some computer generated images of Kelsey’s body.

Dr Johnson “They are very fine pin-point haemorrhages and they are very important where it is believed that neck pressure has been implied. In the context of a case like this they are vital observations to make.”

Dr Johnson says they are caused by a rise of pressure in the veins of the head and neck, which causes tiny bleeds in small blood vessels under the skin.

Kelsey had a “constellation” of these haemorrhages around her eyelids and her left ear.

There were similar haemorrhages around her right ear, and a collection of tiny haemorrhages on the gum-line

A red mark was identified on her neck as well as a bruise, measuring around 5cm x 2cm.

No injuries were found on her torso.

There was a small bruise on the back of Kelsey’s right hand, between the thumb and the index finger.

On the left arm there were no injuries.

There were two faint bruises on the shin of her right leg, and no injuries to the left leg.

Dr Johnson then began surgical examinations of the inside of Kelsey’s body.

Dr Johnson says there was a bruise under the skin behind her right ear.

This was 1.8cm across and was present on the undersurface of the scalp.

There was another internal bruise on the lower part of the right jaw-line.

Dr Johnson is describing internal bruises to the left side of Kelsey’s neck, this was directly below a bruise seen on the surface of Kelsey’s skin.

There were other bruises on glands and muscles inside her neck, and bruises on the carotid artery.

He describes injuries to the cartilage and bones in Kelsey’s neck. He says these structure are commonly broken in strangulation cases.

There were fractures and bruises on these internal structures.

Dr Johnson says there was also bruising at the back of the right side of the tongue.

He describes how microscopic analysis of the cartilage in the neck picked up tiny fractures that were not immediately obvious on a standard examination.

11:06 Jonathan Humphries Kelsey “dead on arrival”

Mr Medland will now read some agreed facts about what was found at the flat by police and paramedics.

Paramedics arrived at the flat in Foundry Lane 5.11pm.

Kelsey was admitted to Whiston Hospital at 5.48pm upon arrival she was noted to have no recordable heartbeat or respiration, and had fixed, dilated pupils. A medical student recorded: “To all intents and purposes she was dead.”

She had sustained severe brain damage due to lack of oxygen and was formally declared dead at 11.48pm.

CSI examiners said blood belonging to Kelsey was found in the hall of Miss McDonald’s flat.

However this was related to a medical condition and not to injuries sustained from the defendant.

Blood samples from both victim and defendant were taken.

Kelsey had no alcohol in her system, but had trace amounts of cocaine, although this would have been taken many hours before and she would not have been feeling narcotic effects.

Wilcocks had some alcohol in his system, less than the legal drink drive limit. However the sample was taken around six hours after the death of Kelsey.

Scientists estimate that he would have been roughly double the drink drive limit at the time of Kelsey’s death.

He also had a tiny trace of cannabis in his system.

10:48 Jonathan Humphries Jury hears audio of 999 call

Callum Wilcocks has been called to the dock. Court staff are preparing equipment to play audio tapes of Beccy McDonald’s 999 call and video interviews.

Judge Mr Justice Holroyde has entered the courtroom. Wilcocks has arrived in the dock.

Simon Medland QC, prosecuting, says the crown’s case is likely to finish today.

The jury have been called in.

Mr Medland is sharing some written admissions among members of the jury.

He will now read some agreed facts.

The first are transactions on Beccy McDonald’s cash card.

Kelsey and the defendant had travelled to an all night garage with the card, and Miss McDonald had texted her pin number to Kelsey.

While at the garage Wilcocks phoned Kelsey to ask if she wanted some alcohol, and he bought cigarettes and vodka worth £19

After that, around 3.30am, two transactions for £50 and £100 were withdrawn from a cash-point.

The jury is now being played a 999 call from Miss McDonald.

There is some wind interference and it is difficult to make out her words, but she is clearly very upset, and the phrase “she’s dead” is clearly audible.

She tells the operator she is on Foundry Lane, and she is crying.

She says: “I saw her arm around the door.”

The operator asks her to take deep breaths, and asks her to confirm the address of the flat.

Operator: “Is he aggressive normally?”

Miss McDonald: “I don’t know, I don’t really know him.”

Operator: “You have gone round to the address and seen her lying on the floor?”

Miss McDonald: “From what I could see yeah”

Operator: “But you have not gone inside?”

Miss McDonald :“No he was just shouting she’s dead, she’s dead.”

Operator:“The male was shouting she’s dead?”

Miss McDonald “Yeah.”

Miss McDonald repeats that she saw Kelsey’s arm around the door and that Wilcocks was shouting “he’s dead.”

She confirms the names of Kelsey and the defendant, but appears to be struggling to breathe due to her distress.

The operator asks her to take deep breaths and calm down.

Operator: “There is an ambulance on the way to check on your friend.”

Miss McDonald: “But he’s standing by the door.”

Operator: “That’s fine there’s officers on the way.”

Miss McDonald: “He was saying f***** listen to me and he was shouting she’s dead.”

Operator: “Was he very aggressive was he?”

Miss McDonald: “Yeah.”

The operator confirms the address with Miss McDonald.

She repeats: “They are on the way Rebecca, they are going as fast as they can.”

“We are not sure yet what’s happening so you need to calm down.”

Sirens are now audible in the background.

Miss McDonald is now being comforted by the operator. She says she is with her friend at a nearby address.

That concludes the 999 call.

Source: http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/

Fake Penis convict Gayle Newland: Petition launched to reduce sentence

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Almost 1,000 people have joined a campaign to reduce the jail sentence of fake penis sex attacker Gayle Newland.

The petition ‘reduced sentence for Gayle Newland’, on Change.Org, has received more than 900 signatures.

A jury found 25-year-old Newland, of Hooton Road in Willaston, guilty of three counts of sexual assault following a trial at Chester Crown Court in September. She was jailed for eight years.

Her legal team has launched appeals against both her conviction and sentence.

And now the petition has emerged. It is seeking the backing of South Alison McGovern, Ellesmere Port and Neston MP Justin Madders, City of

Chester MP Chris Matheson and the LGBT Foundation.

The marketing manager posed as a man to trick her friend into a two-year relationship and used a prosthetic penis to have sex with her.

Her victim believed her ‘boyfriend’ was a man called Kye Fortune and wore a blindfold at his request whenever they met because ‘Kye’ was insecure about his appearance after undergoing treatment for a brain tumour.

She told Newland’s trial that she was in love with Kye and felt ‘grateful’ that she had finally found a ‘proper’ relationship.

Gayle Newland jailed for 8 years Shock in courtroom as sentence revealed

 Fake Penis convict Gayle Newland: Petition launched to reduce sentence

Police mushot released

 Fake Penis convict Gayle Newland: Petition launched to reduce sentence

Judge’s sentencing in his own words

 Fake Penis convict Gayle Newland: Petition launched to reduce sentence

The sentencing as it happened

 Fake Penis convict Gayle Newland: Petition launched to reduce sentence

Defendant prepares to receive sentence

 Fake Penis convict Gayle Newland: Petition launched to reduce sentence

Lawyers speak of ‘strangest’ case

 Fake Penis convict Gayle Newland: Petition launched to reduce sentence

Detective speaks out re public interest

 Fake Penis convict Gayle Newland: Petition launched to reduce sentence

Newland guilty of duping friend into sex

Emma Harris, who created the petition which has a target of 1,000, has urged people to help lessen what she calls Newland’s ‘disproportionate’ sentence.

She describes Newland as a ‘beautiful girl’ who was ‘nothing but loyal, caring and passionate towards her lover’ and poses no threat to the public.

In the blurb, Ms Harris writes: “There has been a complete flaw in the legal system in this case.

“Gayle has been found guilty of crimes she did not commit and the most we can do for her now is attempt to reduce her sentence.

“What has happened to Gayle Newland is more than unjust and it’s our job to raise awareness and make a change!”

Samantha Moor, from Blackpool, wrote that she has no faith in the justice system following Newland’s sentencing.

While signatory Dr Michael Ward, from Bradford, commented that he found the case ‘very disturbing’ and asked: “Is eight years in jail really an appropriate punishment for not understanding which deceptions are allowed in law and which are not when it comes to sexual consent?”

Sentencing her on November 12 to eight years for each count to be served concurrently, Judge Roger Dutton branded her an ‘obsessional, highly manipulative, deceitful, scheming and thoroughly determined young woman’.

Source: http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/

Footballer Shaun Tuck given suspended sentence after admitting posting offensive material online

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A Merseyside footballer was given a suspended sentence after admitting posting racist material on social media for a second time.

Former Marine FC striker Shaun Tuck, 28, of Mollington Avenue in Norris Green , appeared at Liverpool Magistrates Court today after admitting posting comments on Facebook claiming he had been punched by an "orangutan".

Tuck, who is currently out of contract but has played for Warrington Town FC, Skelmersdale United and Witton Albion, was last year sentenced to 12 weeks in prison after he admitted using Twitter to call for mosques in the UK to be "gassed out or bombed" after the Woolwich attack last summer.

Andrew Page, prosecuting, said Tuck had posted the most recent comments after he was attacked while on a night out.

Mr Page said: "He was out in town and was the victim of an unprovoked assault.

"His friend told him he was black. He was extremely angry."

Tuck wrote: "If you know who you are or know who it was who done that tonight then inbox me an I will come an see u first thing tomorrow an watch ye ****house ur nan is getting set on fire!"

He also referred to the attacker as a "monkey" and threatened to throw acid in the faces of his children.

The court heard he also written: "I hope his families banana boat sinks."

The messages were forwarded to the ECHO, who contacted Merseyside Police.

Mr Hill said Tuck had made a "full and frank admission" when interviewed by police.

He had deleted the comments the morning after they were posted.

Tuck, who was not legally represented in court, told magistrates he was extremely sorry.

He said: "There’s not much I can say apart from I’m really, really sorry."

He said he had struggled to cope with his grief after the death of his parents.

Magistrates gave Tuck a 22 week sentence, suspended for 18 months, and ordered him to complete a ‘human dignity’ programme.

He was also ordered to carry out 120 hours of unpaid work and pay £165 costs.

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Source: http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/

Kelsey Shaw murder trial: Boyfriend says "mad feeling" told him that 17-year-old "needed to die"

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A man who strangled his teenage girlfriend to death said a “mad feeling” told him “she needed to die”, a court heard.

Kelsey Shaw, 17, was choked by her on-off boyfriend Callum Wilcocks, now aged 23, on the morning of April 29, 2011 after a row about him cheating on her.

Wilcocks, of Hale Drive, Widnes, admits killing Kelsey but claims mental illness means he is only guilty of manslaughter.

Liverpool Crown Court heard a transcript of his police interview, conducted hours after the killing, in which he claimed mum-of-one Kelsey “gave him s***” over an affair he had with her cousin.

Read more: latest updates from the trial on our live feed here

The pair had spent the previous night drinking and snorting cocaine with a friend called Rebecca McDonald at a flat in Foundry Lane, Widnes.

But the following afternoon, when Miss McDonald left to take her baby son to her mother’s house, Wilcocks twice wrapped his arms around Kelsey’s neck, cutting off the blood supply to her brain.

During the interview he admitted attacking her twice, initially only causing her to lose consciousness for a few seconds before letting go.

 Kelsey Shaw murder trial: Boyfriend says "mad feeling" told him that 17-year-old "needed to die"

Callum Wilcocks

The officer conducting the interview asked what happened the second time.

Wilcocks said: “She was giving me s*** again, I just did it, I put my arm around her neck and she just went to sleep.

“I lied her down on the floor, I got a mad feeling in my head like I never felt before, and it said just hold it, just hold her neck.”

The jury heard the second, fatal attack took place after a phone call from Miss McDonald, who said she was back at the flat.

Wilcocks told the officer he grabbed Kelsey from behind, as she walked towards the door to let her friend back in.

He said she lost consciousness but he continued to strangle her until she was dead.

The officer asked what had been going through his mind.

He replied: “I had this mad feeling in my head, she just needed to die, and get out of my life.”

Wilcocks said he tried to resuscitate Kelsey until the police arrived but said he couldn’t remember how to do it because he was “off his head” on cocaine and alcohol.

 Kelsey Shaw murder trial: Boyfriend says "mad feeling" told him that 17-year-old "needed to die"

Kelsey Shaw

He said: “In the end I heard the police sirens, so I unlocked the door, I tried one more time and gave her a kiss, and then I lied on the floor.”

Prior to the incident he claimed the pair had sex and Kelsey told Wilcocks she loved him.

But he claimed she “just switched” and began to bring up his affair again.

Yesterday Wilcocks’ mum, Toni Wilcocks, said her son and Kelsey had a “fiery” on-off relationship and “fought like cat and dog”.

Simon Medland, QC, prosecuting, said the claims that Wilcocks was not responsible for Kelsey’s death due to mental illness were “hollow.”

He said: “These claims are little more than attempts by him to avoid the truth about the dreadful and fatal consequences of his own deliberate acts.”

(Proceeding)

Read more: latest updates from the trial on our live feed here

Source: http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/

Ex-prison officer admits selling stories about James Bulger's killer Jon Venables

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A former prison officer has pleaded guilty to selling stories to tabloid newspapers about James Bulger killer Jon Venables – despite having an earlier conviction quashed in the Court of Appeal.

Scott Chapman, 44, of Corby, Northamptonshire, was due for retrial at the Old Bailey but at the 11th hour he admitted the charge of misconduct in a public office between March 1 2010 and June 20 2011.

While working at HMP Woodhill, Chapman was paid £40,000 for 46 articles by a range of newspapers including the News of the World.

Following a trial at the Old Bailey last year, he was found guilty along with ex-News of the World reporter Lucy Panton and his ex-partner Lynn Gaffney and jailed for three-and-a-half years.

Their convictions were quashed at the Court of Appeal in the spring because the original trial judge “misdirected” the jury.

While Ms Panton and Ms Gaffney’s cases were later dropped following a Crown Prosecution Service review, Chapman was ordered to face retrial.

On Monday, Chapman asked for an indication from Judge Richard Marks QC of the maximum sentence if he admitted the charge.

The judge told him he could reduce the jail term to a maximum of two-and-a-half years.

He said: “This is obviously a quite serious case of cases of this sort because there are 46 articles involved and a not insubstantial amount of pay of £40,000.

“Against that background, taking account of everything I have read, plainly it would inevitably follow the defendant would have to be returned to custody.

“The maximum sentence which I am asked to indicate in my judgment would be in the order of two-and-a-half years.”

The court heard the three-and-a-half months Chapman has already served would count towards the new sentence, which will be handed down later.

Read more: latest updates from the trial on our live feed here

Source: http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/

Walton roof fugitive who carried out brutal gang attack on a drug dealer is locked up for 18 years

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A fugitive captured on a Walton rooftop after carrying out a brutal burglary which left a drug dealer brain-damaged was today jailed for almost 18 years.

Karl Allen, 23, suffered “life-changing” injuries after a gang broke into his house in Woodrock Road, Woolton on August 7, 2013.

His heart stopped beating for several minutes following the horrific stabbing, leaving him confined to a wheelchair and in need of 24-hour care.

Four men have now been sentenced for a total of more than 67 years in prison at Liverpool Crown Court for conspiracy to commit aggravated burglary.

Stephen McCoy, 23, formerly of Rice Lane, Walton, and Lee Montague, 22, of Moss Street, Garston , were jailed last month for 17 years and 16 years respectively.

But John Paul McCoy, 28, of Day Street, Old Swan , was found guilty in his absence after failing to attend the second trial.

He was arrested by police after finally coming down from the roof of a house in Church Road, Walton, following a nine-hour stand off on November 5 .

Police raided a house leading to McCoy fleeing onto the roof in heavy rain at around 7.30am.

A cordon was put in place and he eventually came down at around 4.30pm.

On November 11, McCoy admitted a breach of bail.

Today, he was sentenced for the attack on Mr Allen alongside Ryan Burrell, 22, formerly of Park Road, Toxteth .

McCoy was sentenced to a total of 17 years and 11 months for conspiracy to commit aggravated burglary, assaults on two police officers and for breach of bail.

Ryan Burrell, described by the judge as a “prolific house burglar”, was sentenced to 16 years and four months for conspiracy to commit aggravated burglary and two counts of contempt of court.

Judge Robert Trevor-Jones said the planned attack had a “considerable” and “ongoing impact” on Mr Allen, who is now described as being “almost childlike”.

 Walton roof fugitive who carried out brutal gang attack on a drug dealer is locked up for 18 years

Stephen McCoy, jailed for 17 years and four months

He told the two defendants: “This was clearly targeted, you were all disguised, your vehicle was disguised and you were armed.

“Of course it was premeditated that Karl Allen would be at home.

“Karl Allen remained in intensive care for four weeks. He has suffered brain damage, is restricted to a wheelchair and is totally dependent on others. He is now described as being almost childlike.

“He suffered life-changing injuries, both physically and psychologically.”

McCoy, who has 26 previous convictions including a number of burglaries and assaults, was also being sentenced for a previous assault on two female police officers.

Today prosecutor Barbara Webster described how McCoy “lashed out” and “flailed his arms”, causing the female police officer to fall to the ground.

Paul Thompson, defending, said McCoy acted “in panic” when approached by a plain-clothes police officer, and that it was an “instinctive reaction” which he “regrets”.

But Judge Robert Trevor-Jones called the attack “utterly brutal”.

Detective Chief Inspector Robbie Slater said: “This was an horrendous attack on a young man who should be enjoying his life and going out with his friends. Instead, he suffered life-changing injuries and he and his family have been having to come to terms with the fact that he has been robbed of his future.”

Source: http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/


Liverpool student terrorist Abid Naseer jailed for 40 years over deadly attacks plot

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A terrorist who enrolled at Liverpool John Moores University to get his visa has been jailed for 40 years in America.

Abid Naseer planned to copy the IRA bombing of Manchester Arndale Centre and kill fleeing survivors.

He was suspected of plotting terror attacks in Manchester, New York and Denmark and a jury heard that he may have examined Liverpool One shopping centre as a potential target.

Pakistani-born Naseer was found guilty in March of providing material support to terrorists, conspiracy to provide material support and conspiracy to use a destructive device.

 Liverpool student terrorist Abid Naseer jailed for 40 years over deadly attacks plot

Sentencing of terrorist Abid Naseer. Police raid his home on Galsworthy Avenue, Cheetham Hill

The 28-year-old briefly enrolled at Liverpool John Moores and was one of 12 men originally arrested in April 2009 in counter-terrorism raids in Liverpool and Manchester.

He was extradited from his home in the UK in 2013 accused of being part of an al-Qaeda plot to bomb western targets including the US.

Following his sentence, police revealed his plot involved blowing up a car that was to be parked just 100 metres from the spot where the IRA detonated a lorry bomb in 1996.

Naseer’s accomplices were due to lie in wait by the Arndale Centre to detonate suicide bombs as shoppers fled the scene.

Emails sent from an internet cafe near Naseer’s home had been intercepted in the weeks before his arrest.

The final message led police to believe an attack was imminent.

 Liverpool student terrorist Abid Naseer jailed for 40 years over deadly attacks plot

Coded email from Abid Naseer, 29, which alerted the North West Counter Terrorism Unit (NWCTU) of the imminent nature of his plot to bomb Manchester’s Arndale Centre on one of its busiest weekends, as he has been jailed in America. Photo by Greater Manchester Police/PA Wire

Known as the “Hi Buddy” email because of the way it greeted an al-Qaeda operative, it reads: “I met with Nadia family and we both parties have agreed to conduct the nikah after the 15th and before 20th of this month. I

have confirmed the dates from them and they said you should be ready between these dates.”

The jury was told female names, including Nadia, represented different ingredients used to make bombs. Wedding, or ‘nikah’, was a standard al-Qaeda code for a terror attack.

Based on the Islamic calendar, investigators believed this email was referring to a planned attack during the Easter weekend in 2009.

Police estimated that “hundreds” would have been killed or maimed if the plot had succeeded.

 Liverpool student terrorist Abid Naseer jailed for 40 years over deadly attacks plot

In this image taken from surveillance video on March 26, 2009, and provided by the United States Attorneys Office, Abid Naseer, right, talks on a cell phone while walking along a street in Manchester, England. Naseer was found guilty in New York on Wednesday, March 4, 2015, on terrorism charges for his role in a failed al-Qaida plot to bomb the New York City subway. (AP Photo/U.S. Attorneys Office)

Detective Chief Superintendent Tony Mole, from the North West Counter Terrorism Unit said: “Abid Naseer has finally seen justice for the terrorist atrocities he planned to orchestrate.

“A sentence of 40 years, we believe, is a fitting punishment for a man who came so close to carrying out what would have been one of the horrific terrorist acts seen in the UK since the 7/7 bombings.

“They planned to strike on Easter Weekend, the second busiest shopping day of the year, when between 40,000 and 90,000 people would have been in the targeted areas throughout the weekend.”

During the two-week trial jurors heard evidence from Afghan bomb plotter Najibullah Zazi, who pleaded guilty to plotting to bomb the New York City subways.

US prosecutors said he shared an al Qaeda contact with Naseer, who was was trained in bomb making at a terror camp.

The court heard evidence from five MI5 secret agents who testified in disguise to protect their identities.

Naseer, who conducted his defence, said the US government had misinterpreted harmless emails he wrote about marriage plans.

Source: http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/

Kelsey Shaw murder trial: Killer boyfriend Callum Wilcocks to give evidence – updates

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Key Events So Far 10 mins ago DAY 3 Wednesday November 25 Key event DAY 3 Wednesday November 25

Morning.

I am in Liverpool Crown Court for day three of the trial of Callum Wilcocks, who strangled his on-off girlfriend to death.

Wilcocks, now 23, killed 17-year-old mum of one Kelsey Marie Shaw on the afternoon of April 29, 2011, after a row about him cheating on her cousin.

The pair had spent the previous night drinking and snorting cocaine with Kelsey’s friend Rebecca McDonald, at Miss McDonald’s flat in Foundry Lane, Widnes.

Kelsey Shaw died in April, 2011

Yesterday the court heard Wilcocks told police “a mad feeling” told him “she needed to die”, prompting him to choke her to death.

Wilcocks is due to take the stand this morning.

Proceedings will be delayed slightly due to transport difficulties getting Wilcocks to court on time.

The jury has been told the case will begin at 10.30am.

Wilcocks is being called to the dock and Mr Justice Holroyde is about to enter court.

Mr Justice Holroyde is in the room, and the members of the jury are taking their seats.

 Kelsey Shaw murder trial: Killer boyfriend Callum Wilcocks to give evidence - updates

Source: http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/

Knife wielding robber from Widnes who raided garages sent down

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A KNIFE wielding robber from Widnes who stole hundreds of pounds in raids on three garages in as many days has been caged for more than five years.

Graham Anthony Toole, 39, of Lacey Street, Widnes, was sentenced at Warrington Crown Court on Monday, November 23.

Judge Neil Flewitt QC sentenced Toole to five years and eight months imprisonment for three counts of robbery and another three counts of possession of a bladed article. The sentence also included 16 weeks imprisonment which had previously been handed to Toole for a count of battery.

The court heard from Kim Egerton, prosecuting, that the three ‘knifepoint robberies’ took place at three separate garages in July this year.

Ms Egerton said that the first incident took place on Monday, July 6, at Bristol Street Motors on Moor Lane in Widnes and that two staff members were working at the time of the incident after 3am.

The prosecution added that one of the staff members noticed the defendant standing at the counter and was dressed in black with his face covered. Ms Egerton said that Toole pointed the knife towards the victim and was ‘waving it from side to side’ as he demanded money from the till and she handed over £10 and £20 notes.

The contents of a second till were also demanded by Toole who took about £340 during the incident the prosecution added, but marks left by the defendant at the scene matched trainers found at his address when he was arrested two days later.

The prosecution said that the second incident took place the following day at the Murco garage on Liverpool Road in Warrington at about 10pm.

In this incident, Ms Egerton said that Toole came around a counter after entering the garage with a ‘large knife’ and raised it to ‘head height’ and demanded to a staff member that the till be opened, with £565 taken during the second armed robbery.

The prosecution said: “The knife was being pointed directly at him and the money was then taken from the till.”

The final robbery took place at the Ace Of Hearts filling station on Warrington Road in Bold Heath on Wednesday, July 8, when Toole brandished a knife at a man who was working there and handed over about £200 after he demanded that the till be opened, Ms Egerton said.

The defendant also demanded cigarettes which were put into a carrier bag, but Ms Egerton said that a woman who was passing the garage saw Toole with his face covered and took a picture on her phone of his vehicle’s registration number.

Police later searched Toole’s home address and found ‘several amounts of cash and some cigarettes’, while the defendant made ‘no comment’ in interview with officers after his arrest.

CCTV footage of all three robberies was played in court by the prosecution and showed Toole dressed in black with his face covered pointing a knife at his victims as he demanded cash.

The defendant had 12 previous convictions from 21 offences, including four years imprisonment in January 2008 for attempted robbery when he pushed an elderly lady to the floor and tried to take her bag, Ms Egerton told the court.

Discussing the incidents with the prosecution, Judge Flewitt said: “The offences were all pre-planned. He was wearing a disguise. They were committed at night and the victims were vulnerable by the nature of their employment.”

Simon Parry, defending Toole, said that his client had pleaded guilty at the first opportunity and ‘admitted responsibility for these three sets of offences’. He said the knife was used to ‘enforce the demands’ that Toole made rather than injure anybody, but added ‘that in itself is frightening’.

The defence added that Toole had recently lost his job and was ‘struggling to make ends meet’.

Sentencing, the judge told Toole that the knife was a ‘very large and frightening weapon’ and it was held ‘very close to the stomach’ of the victim in the second raid.

Speaking after the sentencing, Detective Inspector Ian Whiley of Widnes Local Policing Unit said: “Toole’s actions left his victims in fear and they are still coming to terms with their ordeal.”

Source: http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/

Neglected shih tzu dog found with fur so matted it was impossible to tell one end of him from the other

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A neglected shih tzu was discovered matted with so much fur that it was “difficult to tell one end of him from the other”.

Four-year-old dog Lotso was found soaked in urine, with almost a kilo of excess matted fur making up 90 percent of his body.

His owner, Neil Tiernan, 40, from Cockshead Road in Belle Vale , was banned from keeping animals for three years after being prosecuted by the RSPCA.

He pleaded guilty to two counts of failing to protect his pet from pain at Liverpool Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday.

Lotso, a white and cream shih tzu, was allowed to become so matted that it was difficult to tell one end of him from the other

RSPCA officers were called to help Lotso in January this year.

When they found him his eyes were covered by tangled fur and he “smelled strongly of urine where it had soaked into his coat”.

Inspector Claire Fisher said: “At first glance it was difficult to tell one end of Lotso from the other because he was so matted. It was the worst matting I had seen in 12 years.”

Lotso was sedated and almost a kilo of fur was clipped off.

He was examined again and the vet ruled he was underweight either because he wasn’t getting enough food or because his matted coat restricted him from bending down to eat his food.

 Neglected shih tzu dog found with fur so matted it was impossible to tell one end of him from the other

Lotso, a white and cream shih tzu, was allowed to become so matted that it was difficult to tell one end of him from the other

Tiernan was also given a six month community order, a six month supervision and a curfew for three weeks, as well as being asked to pay £500 court costs.

Inspector Fisher added: “Poor Lotso’s case is a very graphic reminder that anyone thinking of getting a dog or a puppy with a long coat must take into consideration that it will need to be regularly groomed.

“They have to be committed to taking the time to groom their pet or pay someone to do it professionally, it’s not something that can be ignored or the dog can suffer terribly.”

Source: http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/

Widnes pub admits breaching noise nuisance order

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A Widnes pub played music so loud that neighbours ‘could hear it from inside their homes’, says Halton Council.

Lee Kelly, of the Ring O’ Bells on Pit Lane, pleaded guilty to breaching a noise abatement notice after being prosecuted by local authority.

He received a 12-month conditional discharge at Warrington Magistrates Court yesterday.

A Halton Council spokeswoman said that on Sunday, May 24, an environmental health officer said they heard loud music emanating from the Ring O’Bells. A noise abatement notice was served on Mr Kelly and was not appealed.

The officer attended several homes near the pub on Saturday, June 13, during the venue’s Indie Bells event and ‘clearly observed’ that noise from loud music from within the pub garden was audible within the properties.

On Saturday, July 13, the officer attended two homes near the pub during the its Reggae Bells event and later listened back to sound recordings that had been made by a resident, and determined that the noise was causing a nuisance.

Cllr Stef Nelson (environmental services) said: “Officers have a duty to respond to and take appropriate action where complaints of noise nuisance are received.

“Officers work hard to ensure that noise emanating from premises is not disproportionate and unreasonable and they play an important role in balancing everybody’s right to reasonable use and enjoyment of their property.

“The circumstances of this particular case resulted in Mr Kelly being prosecuted for breaches of an abatement notice that was served on him where it was found that noise emanating from the Ring O’Bells was causing a nuisance.

“The council welcomes the efforts of local businesses to engage with the community but hope that this case sends out a clear message that the law is there to protect people and officers will take action where there is evidence that the law is not being complied with.”

Source: http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/

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