Teenager killed girl, 7, on pink scooter while speeding on stolen motorbike

Published

3 weeks ago

May 23, 2024

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A teenager who hit and killed a seven-year-old girl while riding a stolen motorbike has been sentenced to 64 months detention.

Katniss Seleznev was thrown around 20 metres when she was hit as the boy, who cannot be named due to his age, rode a blue Suzuki motorbike at around 52mph on Turnstone Road, Walsall, on the evening of 27 July last year.

The schoolgirl was riding a pink three-wheeled scooter outside her home with her twin brother and older sister when she was hit on the 30mph residential road, Wolverhampton Crown Court heard on Wednesday.

The teen, who is now 15 but was 14 at the time of the fatal crash, did not stop at the scene but went to a nearby road before hiding the bike, which was later found burnt in some bushes.

Following his arrest, the boy gave no comment answers in interview, but pleaded guilty to causing death by dangerous driving at Wolverhampton Magistrates’ Court in April.

A witness told police the motorbike, being ridden by a boy with his hood up and his face covered by a balaclava, narrowly avoided crashing into her vehicle as the bike travelled on the wrong side of the road towards her.

Collision investigators said there were no obvious signs the rider had tried to brake before hitting Katniss.

Katniss’s mother Lina, who listened to proceedings through a Bulgarian interpreter, cried quietly as CCTV images showing her children riding their scooters in the street were played before a clip showing her youngest daughter flying through the air after the collision.

Judge Michael Chambers KC, Recorder of Wolverhampton, said he could not begin to imagine the impact Katniss’s death has had on her parents and siblings as a result of the “appalling” crash.

He sentenced the teenager to serve half of a 64-month sentence in detention before being released on licence.

‘You didn’t even stop to help’

“This was, as you now appreciate, an appalling offence, aggravated by the fact you didn’t even stop to help but rode on and you sought to dispose of the motorbike, presumably to try and frustrate the police investigation,” he said.

“It was a motorbike that was stolen some weeks prior and because of your age, you shouldn’t have been driving at all.

“There is no suggestion you braked and Katniss had no chance. It is fair to say that you were upset after the collision and I accept you are remorseful, but it was the police who came to you, not the other way round.”

The teenager had been previously convicted of taking a vehicle without the owner’s consent, driving without insurance and driving otherwise than in accordance with a licence, and had been given a referral order.

Defending, Robert Cowley said the boy had a difficult upbringing and was developmentally immature for his age, but by entering a guilty plea he had shown remorse.

The teenager looked solemn, dressed in a blue hooded top and black trousers, and kept his head down during proceedings.

‘Time isn’t going to heal this loss’

Katniss was described by her father Bojil as “full of joy” and a “dream child”, in a statement read to the court.

It added that Katniss and her twin brother were born after the couple “fought for five years” through multiple miscarriages and IVF rounds.

“God finally gave them to us. Then Katniss was left to die like an animal in the street,” the statement said.

“Time isn’t going to heal this loss. We shouldn’t have outlived our child.”

UK

England v Serbia: Gareth Southgate tells fans he ‘expects everybody to enjoy the football’ when asked about match security risk

Published

2 hours ago

June 16, 2024

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England v Serbia: Gareth Southgate tells fans he 'expects everybody to enjoy the football' when asked about match security risk

Gareth Southgate has said he “expects everybody to enjoy the football” when asked about the heightened security risk of England’s opening Euros match against Serbia.

The England manager was responding to a question at a pre-match news conference on Saturday about the decision to ramp up security measures for today’s game in Gelsenkirchen.

Asked for his message to supporters, he said: “I expect everybody to enjoy the football.

“I’ve been fortunate to be involved in a lot of tournaments, and travel to tournaments I’ve not been directly involved in.

“They’re great carnivals of football – an opportunity to see a different part of the world and meet people from other parts of the world, have a brilliant time, so I’m sure everybody is coming to do that.”

He added: “I hope the whole of Europe can come together for the brilliant game that we’re involved in and support their team.”

Officials have designated England’s opening fixture as a “high-risk” event, with fans served lower-alcohol beer in the stadium and banned from drinking in the stands.

More than 300,000 British fans are travelling to Germany for Euro 2024, making it their highest attendance since Euro 2016 in France.

Policing the first game has been made more challenging by UEFA asking for the barriers to be removed inside the stadium, with both sides being seated closer together, and two-thirds of tickets going to mixed areas.

Southgate ‘relaxed’ that this is likely his final Euros

Rob Harris

Sports correspondent

@RobHarris

Entering his fourth tournament as England manager, Gareth Southgate is looking to the future.

There is 20-year-old Jude Bellingham being appointed to the leadership group.

A squad with only half its players retained from the 2022 World Cup.

And the manager himself is looking at a time when the Three Lions dugout is filled by someone else.

“I hate to put pressure on all the coaches,” the 53-year-old said. “But it could be the last tournament for all of them.”
Read more from Rob here

German police Chief Inspector Christof Burghardt told Sky News previously: “I think it’s a very high-risk game because of the history, because of the hooligans both sides have.

“Serbia has many hooligans. The English guys, with alcohol, they are sometimes very aggressive. So it’s a great job to do this, to prepare, so that hopefully nothing will happen.”

Footballing deaths a ‘great shock’

At the joint news conference with captain Harry Kane on Saturday, Southgate was also asked about the deaths announced today of two footballing figures – former Arsenal and Everton star Kevin Campell and Millwall and Montenegro goalkeeper Matija Sarkic.

Southgate said “both pieces of news were received with shock and great sadness”, acknowledging that the England players who have played with Sarkic are “feeling that even more”.

He recalled playing with Campbell, who died aged 54, at Arsenal, describing him as a “hugely popular man”.

“Kevin was the same age as me… his son has been in our junior pathway as well. Our thoughts are very much with his family at this time,” he said.

Both men said they are expecting Sunday’s game to be a challenge.

Kane told reporters: “We’re expecting a really tough game.”

Southgate added: “There are a lot of good teams in this tournament and we have to be exceptional to progress, firstly through the group, and then to have the opportunity to go further.”

UK

Gareth Southgate ‘relaxed’ that this is likely his final Euros

Published

2 hours ago

June 16, 2024

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Gareth Southgate 'relaxed' that this is likely his final Euros

Entering his fourth tournament as England manager, Gareth Southgate is looking to the future.

There is 20-year-old Jude Bellingham being appointed to the leadership group.

A squad with only half its players retained from the 2022 World Cup.

And the manager himself is looking at a time when the Three Lions dugout is filled by someone else.

“I hate to put pressure on all the coaches,” the 53 year old said. “But it could be the last tournament for all of them.

“So this is the world we’re in. I’m probably more relaxed about it because I’ve been to three. I know exactly what it involves, I know the events you have to deal with.”

Events that begin on Sunday night in Gelsenkirchen with their Euro 2024 group opener against Serbia.

It is three years since they went all the way in the competition – reaching the final at Wembley only to lose in the shootout to Italy.

Since then there has been Qatar, where England couldn’t make it to the last-four as they did at the 2018 World Cup – losing the quarter-final to France.

It could be France posing the greatest threat again, although hosts Germany were formidable in the 5-1 humbling of Scotland in the Euros curtain-raiser on Friday night.

What chance is there of a first trophy for England’s men since 1966?

“We’ve earned the right to be, I guess, classed as one of the favourites,” captain Harry Kane said.

“Ultimately, we’re here to win it. And there will be nothing better for us and the nation itself if we do that.”

It would be a first career trophy for Kane whose move to Germany in the last year, to play for Bayern Munich, has unexpectedly not produced silverware for the former Tottenham striker.

“I think winning a major tournament with England would be one of the pinnacles of anyone’s career so that is the aim,” he said.

“For me personally, the trophies haven’t quite happened yet but it just makes me more determined and hungry to go out there and do that.”

And no player scored more goals in Europe last season than Kane – netting 44 times in all competitions.There was an impressive debut season with an England teammate – Bellingham scoring 23 goals for Real Madrid when not even a centre forward and only just out of his teens.

Now the prolific duo are linking up again for their country.

Kane said: “I think we complement each other really well. Whether one of us is dropping deep, the other one running in behind and vice versa.

“So an amazing player to play with. He likes to get in the box, he likes to affect games and score goals, which is always important for an attacking midfielder.

“So I think the more we train with each other, the more we play with each other, hopefully that relationship can get even stronger. But it’s so strong already.”

Southgate has also brought Bellingham into the leadership group with Kane, midfielder Declan Rice and defender Kyle Walker.

“There’s a different dynamic to this group,” Southgate said. “There’s a lot of younger players, and I want to make sure that the voices of the younger players, that I’m really in touch with that as well.

“So I don’t want to leave here with any stone unturned. I don’t want to have missed anything.

“And, it’s always important to know what the players are thinking. They have good views. They have good experiences.

“And also, there will be some decisions that I will take without talking to any of them.”

UK

Home secretary calls for ‘urgent explanation’ as police car is filmed running over a cow

Published

2 hours ago

June 16, 2024

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Home secretary calls for 'urgent explanation' as police car is filmed running over a cow

The home secretary has called for a “full, urgent explanation” after a police car was filmed deliberately being driven into a cow twice.

A video of the incident began circulating on social media this morning and shows a loose cow falling and skidding metres down a road after being hit by the vehicle.

As the animal seems to be trying to get back on its feet, the car approaches for a second time.

The cow’s head and part of its torso then appears to be stuck underneath the front of the vehicle as two officers get out. A second police car can be seen on an adjoining street.

James Cleverly said in a post on X: “I can think of no reasonable need for this action.

“I’ve asked for a full, urgent explanation for this. It appears to be unnecessarily heavy handed.”

Surrey Police has issued a statement on the matter, saying it responded to reports of a cow running loose in Staines-upon-Thames at around 8.55pm on Friday evening.

It had received “numerous calls from the public reporting a car being damaged” and the animal running at people, it said.

“Officers… over a period of a number of hours tried a number of options to safely capture the cow,” the police statement read.

“Unfortunately, these were unsuccessful, and the decision was made to stop it using a police car.”

Sky News has spoken to the farmer and has been told it is expected to make a full recovery.

The animal was moved to a nearby farm with help from members of the public in the early hours of this morning.

Sky News understands it is a calf that doesn’t yet have a name.

Its owner does not know how the cow escaped and was only made aware it had done so this morning.

The cow suffered a cut but no broken bones and is back at its farm recovering, where the main priority is calming the young animal down.

Animal rights charity speaks out

The RSPCA has released a statement on the “upsetting and distressing footage” and said it “urgently contacted” police as soon as it was made aware of the incident.

“All animals should be treated with respect,” the charity added. “Together we can create a better world for all animals.”

TV presenter and conservationist Chris Packham posted on X: “I don’t know where to start with this.

“But it’s surely illegal and must be investigated and prosecuted. What sort of monster rams a calf? Twice?”

The matter has been referred to the police’s professional standards department and the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) has been notified. A voluntary referral will be made in due course.

Chief Inspector Sam Adcock said: “I know that this has caused distress and I’d like to thank the community for their concern.

“The decision to use the police car is one that was only taken after other methods to stop the cow had failed.

“There will be an investigation into the actions that led to this, but our focus at all times is on ensuring the safety of the public.”

Police have asked for videos of the “distressing” incident to be sent to them to help with the investigation.