Connect with us

Published

on

Jeremy Kyle has arrived at court to give evidence at an inquest into the death of a man who appeared on The Jeremy Kyle Show.

Steve Dymond, 63, was found dead at his home in Portsmouth, Hampshire, in May 2019, seven days after taking part in the show.

Steve Dymond died after filming an episode of The Jeremy Kyle Show. Pic: Family handout/PA
Image:
Steve Dymond died after filming an episode of The Jeremy Kyle Show. Pic: Family handout/PA

A coroner found he had died of a combination of a morphine overdose and left ventricular hypertrophy in his heart.

Mr Dymond had taken a lie detector test for the ITV programme after being accused of cheating on his ex-fiancee Jane Callaghan. Following his death, the episode was never aired, and the series was later cancelled.

Kyle, 59, is appearing on day three of the inquest, at Winchester Coroner’s Court.

On Thursday morning, video clips from the unaired show were played to the court, showing Mr Dymond being advised about the processes of the lie detector test.

In the video, Mr Dymond asked the polygraph examiner, who was contracted by ITV to carry out the procedure, whether the test is “99.9% accurate”, to which the examiner replied: “They are 95% accurate” with a “narrow risk of error”.

The examiner also advised Mr Dymond that “if you fail one question, you fail the lot”.

The clips also show Mr Dymond watching a video informing him about the test which advises the participant to be “truthful, open and honest”.

Lie detector results added ‘element of drama’

Chris Wissun, director of content compliance at ITV at the time Mr Dymond appeared on the ITV show, returned to the witness box, explaining that the lie detector test was “a very well-established editorial feature of the programme”.

He said Kyle would not have been informed of the lie detector result ahead of time but would discover the outcome in real time during the filming of the show.

Mr Wissun said: “The producer wouldn’t reveal the results to the presenter, the results would be given to him during the programme.

“He would open the envelope and reveal the results and tell the guests what the results were. There was an element of drama in that moment.”

He also said he was not aware that Kyle had been asked to “modify his approach or presenting style” when dealing with Mr Dymond.

Mr Wissun previously told the court he had been informed that Kyle was “very receptive” to advice from the aftercare team about whether he needed to adapt or soften his presenting style for particular guests.

Ms Callaghan and Mr Dymond’s son, Carl Woolley, gave evidence on the first day of the inquest.

Mr Dymond had been diagnosed with a depressive disorder in 1995 and taken overdoses on four previous occasions – in January 1995, twice in December 2002, and April 2005 – the hearing was told on Wednesday.

The court heard he also made another apparent suicide attempt in 2002.

He was sectioned in September 2005, and a mental health assessment then found he was at “risk of suicide”.

Anyone feeling emotionally distressed or suicidal can call Samaritans for help on 116 123 or email jo@samaritans.org in the UK. In the US, call the Samaritans branch in your area or 1 (800) 273-TALK

Continue Reading

UK

Starmer urges anyone with information on Epstein case to come forward – after Andrew misses Congress deadline

Published

on

By

Deadline day for Andrew to respond to Epstein inquiry - but it's hard to imagine why he'd talk

Sir Keir Starmer has urged anyone with information on the Jeffrey Epstein case to come forward after Andrew Mountbatten Windsor missed the deadline to appear in front of US Congress.

US legislators have criticised Andrew for what they describe as “silence” amid their probe into Epstein after he failed to respond to their request for an interview.

When asked about Andrew missing the deadline and whether the former prince should help the case in any way he can, Sir Keir said on his way to the G20 summit in South Africa: “I don’t comment on this particular case.”

He added that “a general principle I’ve held for a very long time is that anybody who has got relevant information in relation to these kind of cases should give that evidence to those that need it”.

Andrew is not legally obliged to talk to Congress and has always vigorously denied any wrongdoing.

More on Andrew Mountbatten Windsor

Sir Keir Starmer spoke to reporters on his way to the G20 in South Africa. Pic: Reuters
Image:
Sir Keir Starmer spoke to reporters on his way to the G20 in South Africa. Pic: Reuters

It comes as Marjorie Taylor Greene, a loyal supporter-turned-critic of US President Donald Trump, said on Friday she is resigning from Congress in January.

Ms Greene’s resignation followed a public falling-out with Mr Trump in recent months, as the congresswoman criticised him for his stance on files related to Epstein, as well as on foreign policy and healthcare.

Members of the House Oversight Committee had requested a “transcribed interview” with Andrew in connection with his “long-standing friendship” with Epstein, the paedophile financier who took his own life in a New York prison in 2019 while awaiting trial on sex trafficking and conspiracy charges.

Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player

Releasing the Epstein files: How we got here

But after saying they had not heard back, Democrats Robert Garcia and Suhas Subramanyam accused Andrew of hiding.

Their statement read: “Andrew Mountbatten Windsor’s silence in the face of the Oversight Democrat’s demand for testimony speaks volumes.

“The documents we’ve reviewed, along with public records and Virginia Roberts Giuffre’s testimony, raise serious questions he must answer, yet he continues to hide.

“Our work will move forward with or without him, and we will hold anyone who was involved in these crimes accountable, no matter their wealth, status, or political party. We will get justice for the survivors.”

Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player

The new Epstein files: The key takeaways

It follows Andrew being stripped of his prince and Duke of York titles earlier this month.

He had previously agreed to stop using his titles, but had expected to remain a prince and retain his dukedom, ahead of the publication of the memoirs of the late Ms Giuffre, who had accused him of sexually assaulting her when she was a teenager – an accusation he denies.

Continue Reading

UK

Girl, 13, arrested on suspicion of murdering woman in Swindon

Published

on

By

Girl, 13, arrested on suspicion of murdering woman in Swindon

A 13-year-old girl has been arrested on suspicion of murdering a woman in Swindon.

Police said the teenager was detained following an incident in Baydon Close, Moredon, in the Wiltshire town on Friday evening.

Officers responded to reports of disorder inside a house. When they arrived, a woman in her 50s living at the address was found to be not breathing. She was declared dead at the scene.

There were no other reported injuries.

Forensic officers are at the scene to collect evidence
Image:
Forensic officers are at the scene to collect evidence

Detective Inspector Darren Ambrose, from Wiltshire Police’s major crime investigation team, said: “This is a serious incident in which a woman has sadly died.

“We have set up a cordon at the address while an investigation is carried out.

“I can confirm that we have arrested a teenage girl in connection with this incident and we are not looking for anyone else.”

Police have asked people not to speculate about the incident online as this could prejudice the case.

A police statement read: “Residents can expect to see an increased police presence in the area while we continue carrying out our enquiries into the woman’s death.

“The suspect remains in custody at this time.”

Read more from Sky News:
Energy supplier Ovo to axe hundreds of jobs
Boris Johnson hits out at COVID inquiry report

Police said anyone with concerns should speak with their local neighbourhood policing team, either by emailing or approaching officers in person.

Continue Reading

UK

Rail fares to be frozen for first time in 30 years

Published

on

By

Rail fares to be frozen for first time in 30 years

Rail fares are to be frozen for the first time in 30 years, the government has announced.

Ministers promised that millions of rail travellers will save hundreds of pounds on regulated fares, including season tickets and peak and off-peak returns between major cities.

The fare freeze applies to England and services run by English train operators.

People commuting to work three days a week using flexi-season tickets will save £315 a year travelling from Milton Keynes to London, £173 travelling from Woking to London and £57 from Bradford to Leeds, the government said.

The changes are part of Labour’s plans to rebuild a publicly owned Great British Railways. Other planned changes include tap in-tap out and digital ticketing, as well as investing in superfast Wi-Fi.

The freeze applies to regulated fares, including season tickets and peak and off-peak returns. Pic: iStock
Image:
The freeze applies to regulated fares, including season tickets and peak and off-peak returns. Pic: iStock

Chancellor Rachel Reeves said the government was introducing a freeze on rail fares for the first time in 30 years, which “will ease the pressure on household finances and make travelling to work, school or to visit friends and family that bit easier”.

“We all want to see cheaper rail travel, so we’re freezing fares to help millions of passengers save money,” Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander said.

“Commuters on more expensive routes will save more than £300 per year, meaning they keep more of their hard-earned cash.”

Rail unions and passenger groups welcomed the move, praising how it will make travel more affordable for passengers and promote more sustainable travel alternatives.

Read more:
Christmas travel chaos expected

Dozens injured in passenger train collision

Eddie Dempsey, general secretary of the Rail, Maritime and Transport union, said: “More affordable fares will encourage greater use of public transport, supporting jobs, giving a shot in the arm to local economies and helping to improve the environment.”

TUC general secretary Paul Nowak said the rail fare freeze “will be a huge relief to working people”.

“This is the right decision, at the right time, to help passengers be able to afford to make that journey they need to take, and to help grow our railway in this country, because the railway is Britain’s green alternative – taking cars and lorries off our congested roads and moving people and goods safely around our country in an environmentally-friendly way,” Mick Whelan, general secretary of the train drivers union Aslef, said.

The Tories welcomed the move but said the government was “late to the platform”.

Shadow transport secretary Richard Holden said: “In government, the Conservatives kept fares on the right track with below-inflation rises and consistently called for no further hikes to protect hard-working commuters.”

Continue Reading

Trending