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Musician and singer Shane MacGowan, best known as the frontman of The Pogues, has died at the age of 65.

His wife Victoria Mary Clarke said in a post on Instagram: “Shane will always be the light that I hold before me and the measure of my dreams and the love of my life.”

The Irish star had suffered from several health issues in recent years.

Born in Kent on Christmas Day in 1957, MacGowan will forever be associated with the festive period thanks to The Pogues’ 1987 hit, Fairytale Of New York, featuring the late Kirsty MacColl.

Throughout the 1980s and early ’90s, the band also had hits including Dirty Old Town, The Irish Rover, A Pair Of Brown Eyes and A Rainy Night In Soho.

MacGowan was a punk rebel, almost as famous for his drinking and drug taking – and for the toll it took on his teeth – as he was for his music. But he was a gifted storyteller from a young age, winning a Daily Mirror literary prize when he was 13, and a scholarship to Westminster School for his essays.

“I didn’t last there very long,” he told the Guardian in a 2013 interview. “I got nicked for smoking a joint and was kicked out.”

The Pogues in 1985: Shane MacGowan, Andrew Ranken, Jem Finer, Terry Woods, James Fearley, Philip Chevron, Spider Stacy and Cait O'Riordan. Pic: Everett/Shutterstock
Image:
The Pogues in 1985: Shane MacGowan, Andrew Ranken, Jem Finer, Terry Woods, James Fearley, Philip Chevron, Spider Stacy and Cait O’Riordan. Pic: Everett/Shutterstock

He had been unwell in recent years, receiving treatment in hospital for encephalitis in December 2022, and spending time in intensive care in the summer. He was back in hospital in November, with former bandmates Spider Stacy and Terry Woods among those who visisted him.

MacGowan had also used a wheelchair since 2015 following several falls, breaking his pelvis and then his right knee.

The singer married his long-term partner, journalist Victoria Mary Clarke, at a ceremony in Copenhagen in 2018, with his friend Johnny Depp playing guitar at their wedding.

Depp performed bass guitar for the Pogues during their performance on 'Top of the Pops'.
Image:
MacGowan (right) and Johnny Depp pictured in 1994

Writing for the Irish Independent ahead of their nuptials, about the first time she met MacGowan at the age of 16, Clarke said she was “awe-struck”, before going on to detail a complicated relationship that “makes the Fairytale Of New York couple from Shane’s Christmas song seem tame and orderly”.

She said: “When you meet ‘The One’, you have a choice. You can dive in, marry them while you are infatuated with each other and hope for the best. Or you can wait until you are sure that the honeymoon phase has worn off and you are seeing each other in the light of having lived, no longer young, beautiful and indestructible.”

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Southport stabbings: Man jailed for ‘burn’ mosques comment on Facebook after disorder

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Southport stabbings: Man jailed for 'burn' mosques comment on Facebook after disorder

A man has been given a prison sentence over social media posts in relation to the Southport stabbings.

Geraint Boyce, 43, from Rhondda Cynon Taf, pleaded guilty to publishing threatening material intending to stir up religious hatred.

Boyce has been jailed for two years – he will serve half of that before he is released on licence.

The charge related to Facebook posts made by Boyce on 31 July during widespread disorder across the UK.

Riots followed the deaths of three girls who were allegedly stabbed at a Taylor Swift-themed dance class.

In August, the King visited the town after the deaths of Alice da Silva Aguiar, nine, Bebe King, six, and Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven.

Nearly 400 people have so far been jailed for offences relating to the disorder, the government has said.

Prosecuting barrister Alex Orndal told Merthyr Tydfil Crown Court that one post “showed an image of a mosque, with [Boyce’s] caption being, ‘No more mosques’.”

Within the comments section, he said mosques should be “burned down” with people inside.

He was arrested on 9 August and, while under caution, asked: “Is this because of the online stuff to do with the riots?”

The court heard the defendant was logged into the account from which the posts had been made at the time of his arrest.

In another post, he posted an image of a lion with the Union Jack and commented, “I’m ready for war”.

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In mitigation, defence barrister Nicholas Gedge said Boyce was “ashamed of what he did”.

“He held views at the time as a result of what he himself had seen online, unfortunately,” he added.

“He held, or was sympathetic to views, that were wrong, which he wholly recognises now.”

Mr Gedge added that the defendant “expresses through me, to this court, remorse for what he did, and I think remorse to society generally”.

“He really wants people to live peacefully together,” he added.

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Sentencing Boyce, Recorder of Cardiff Tracey Lloyd-Clarke said the posts showed his intention “was to incite serious violence”.

She noted that the offending took place “during a particularly sensitive social climate” and concluded that “appropriate punishment can only be achieved with immediate custody”.

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British YouTuber and rapper Yung Filly charged with rape in Australia

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British YouTuber and rapper Yung Filly charged with rape in Australia

British YouTuber Yung Filly has appeared in court accused of raping and choking a woman in his Perth hotel room after a show, according to Australian media reports.

The 29-year-old, whose real name is Andres Felipe Valencia Barrientos, was arrested and taken into custody in Brisbane on Tuesday, and extradited to Perth on Wednesday.

It is alleged the rapper and BBC presenter sexually assaulted a woman in her 20s in his Perth hotel room after he performed at a venue in Hillarys, a northern coastal suburb of the capital of Western Australia, on 28 September.

“This investigation is ongoing and Sex Assault Squad detectives urge anyone with information relating to this matter, or any similar incidents, to call Crime Stoppers,” Western Australia Police said in a statement.

Filly appeared before Perth Magistrates’ Court on Thursday charged with four counts of sexual penetration without consent, three counts of assault occasioning bodily harm, and one count of impeding a person’s normal breathing or circulation by applying pressure on, or to, their neck.

The case was adjourned and he was granted conditional bail, which included a ban on contacting his alleged victim, or posting on social media about the case to his millions of followers, ABC reported.

Filly, who is touring Australia, appeared in court casually dressed in a grey jumper and spoke only to confirm his name, according to the Australian broadcaster.

Fans of the star were reportedly in court for the hearing.

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Filly fronts BBC shows Hot Property and Yung Filly’s Celeb Lock-In, and also appeared on Channel 4’s The Great Celebrity Bake Off in 2022.

He regularly collaborates with fellow YouTube star Chunkz and his Beta Squad collective, and boasts 3.2 million followers on Instagram, 3.2 million on TikTok and 1.8 million subscribers on YouTube.

Sky News has contacted Yung Filly’s representatives for comment.

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Kate meets families of Southport stabbing victims in first community visit since cancer diagnosis

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Kate meets families of Southport stabbing victims in first community visit since cancer diagnosis

The Princess of Wales has made a surprise visit to Southport with the Prince of Wales to meet the families of the three girls who died following the knife attack this summer.

It is a rare public appearance by the princess – her first community visit since the end of last year, her first since her cancer diagnosis and the end of her chemotherapy.

On Wednesday, it was confirmed to the media that Prince William would be making the trip to Southport, but just ahead of his arrival on Thursday it was announced that Kate had also decided to join her husband.

In private they met the families of six-year-old Bebe King, seven-year-old Elsie Dot Stancombe and nine-year-old Alice da Silva Aguiar, who died as a result of the attack at The Hart Space community centre in July.

A Taylor Swift yoga and dance workshop aimed at primary school children in Year 2 to Year 6 was taking place at the time of the attack. Eight other children and two adults were also injured.

The royal couple also met one of the dance teachers who was leading the session.

Elsie Dot Stancombe, Alice Dasilva Aguiar and Bebe King.
Pic: Merseyside Police
Image:
Victims Elsie Dot Stancombe, Alice Dasilva Aguiar and Bebe King.
Pic: Merseyside Police

It is understood William and Kate wanted to visit now to show their ongoing support for the families, the community and the first responders who attended the scene and the subsequent riots.

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They met up with those members of the 999 services to hear their recollections of the day and spoke to police, ambulance and fire chiefs about the ongoing mental health support for staff.

Following the attack, the prince and princess issued a statement saying: “As parents, we cannot begin to imagine what the families, friends and loved ones of those killed and injured in Southport today are going through.

“We send our love, thoughts and prayers to all those involved in this horrid and heinous attack.”

Through their Royal Foundation they also made a donation to the National Police Wellbeing Service’s fundraiser to help fast track psychological and physical rehab for police and ambulance personnel.

In August, the King met with some of the children who survived the attack and thanked members of the community for their bravery and spirit.

Axel Rudakubana, who was 17 years old at the time and has now turned 18, has been charged with murder and attempted murder.

The visit comes after the princess announced in March that she had been diagnosed with cancer.

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Watch Kate’s family video in full

In a video in September, she confirmed she had finished her preventative chemotherapy, and while she would begin doing more work, she would only be carrying out light public duties as she continues her recovery.

Last week, she was photographed hugging teenage cancer patient Liz Hatton, and this year she has attended more formal and family events such as Wimbledon and Trooping the Colour.

But this trip to Southport is her first community visit meeting members of the public with her husband since the end of 2023.

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