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A man with Down’s syndrome died after his carer “landed on him” when jumping into a swimming pool, an inquest has heard.

Michael Parker, 43, died on 12 June 2023 while on holiday in Spain with residents and staff members from The Grange care home in Bookham, Surrey, where he lived.

An inquest heard from support worker Harry Beckwith – who was also on the trip – that Mr Parker was “jumping in and out” of a swimming pool on the day of the incident and he decided to “jump in with him”.

Speaking to Surrey Coroner’s Court on Monday, Mr Beckwith said: “We jumped in and out a few good times before the incident happened.”

The worker said Mr Parker jumped “to his left” and added: “I jumped to the right trying to miss him but somehow he had gone underneath me and I landed on him.”

He then told the inquest he realised Mr Parker was “not there” and had gone “to the bottom” of the pool.

Mr Beckwith then said he went down to pick him up, took him to the pool’s stairs, and asked the lifeguard for help.

He added that he and Mr Parker had jumped into the pool the day prior and were not told they could not do so – and that he had not received any lifeguard training or specific training regarding individuals with Down’s syndrome.

Mr Beckwith said he had completed some training regarding safety and taking care of clients in and around swimming pools and said he did not have any difficulties communicating with Mr Parker.

Elaine Smith, who was staying at the hotel at the time and saw the incident from a nearby sun lounger, said she saw Mr Beckwith land “right on Michael”.

She said people saw that Mr Parker “did not come back up” after he and the support worker jumped in together.

“Harry dived to the bottom of the pool and brought him up, he had his arms underneath Michael and brought him along to a shallow bit in the pool and that’s when the lifeguard jumped in as well and he was just lying in Harry’s arms flat with just his head moving,” she told the inquest.

The court heard she described the moment as a “horrible freak accident” at the time in a written witness statement.

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In a statement from Mr Parker’s family, his brother described him as “full of life and energy” with an “innate sense of empathy”.

Read by Emily Raynor, representing, the family added: “Michael’s death has devastated us all.”

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Manhunt after five people stabbed at event in southeast London

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Manhunt after five people stabbed at event in southeast London

A manhunt has been launched after five people were stabbed at an event in southeast London, police have said.

Officers were called to Nathan Way, Thamesmead, at 4.19am on Saturday, the Metropolitan Police said.

Five people were found with stab wounds and were taken to hospital where their injuries are still being assessed.

No arrests have been made.

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“Enquiries are ongoing and a cordon will remain in place throughout the day,” a Met Police statement said.

Police are appealing for anyone with information to come forward.

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Three Iranians charged under National Security Act after investigation by UK counter-terror police

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Three Iranians charged under National Security Act after investigation by UK counter-terror police

Three Iranian men have been charged with offences under the National Security Act in the UK, police have said.

The trio have been charged with engaging in conduct likely to assist a foreign intelligence service between 14 August 2024 and 16 February 2025, following an investigation by counter-terror police.

The Metropolitan Police said the three men are Mostafa Sepahvand, 39, Farhad Javadi Manesh, 44, and Shapoor Qalehali Khani Noori, 55.

The foreign state to which the charges relate is Iran, police said.

All three men will appear at Westminster Magistrates Court on Saturday, the force added.

Sepahvand, of St John’s Wood, London, has also been charged with “surveillance, reconnaissance and open-source research” with the intention of “committing serious violence against a person in the UK”, according to a police statement.

Meanwhile, Manesh, of Kensal Rise, London, and Noori, of Ealing, London, have also been charged with “engaging in conduct, namely surveillance and reconnaissance, with the intention that acts, namely serious violence against a person in the UK, would be committed by others”.

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Commander Dominic Murphy, from the Metropolitan Police’s Counter Terrorism Command, described the charges as “extremely serious”.

“Since the men were arrested two weeks ago, detectives have been working around the clock and we have worked closely with colleagues in the Crown Prosecution Service to reach this point,” he said.

“Now that these men have been charged, I would urge people not to speculate about this case, so that the criminal justice process can run its course.”

A fourth Iranian national aged 31 who was arrested was released with no further action on Thursday.

In a separate unrelated probe, counter-terror officers arrested five Iranian men, aged between 29 and 46, during raids across various locations in Greater Manchester, London, and Swindon earlier this month.

Last October, MI5 director general Ken McCallum said the UK intelligence agency had responded to 20 “potentially lethal” Iran-backed plots since 2022, warning of the risk of an “increase or broadening of Iranian state aggression in the UK”.

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Two firefighters and one other person die after fire at former RAF base in Oxfordshire

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Two firefighters and one other person die after fire at former RAF base in Oxfordshire

Two firefighters and a member of the public have died in a large fire in Bicester, the fire service announced.

The firefighters died in the inferno at a former RAF base in Oxfordshire, which now hosts historic motoring and aviation centre Bicester Motion.

The local fire service was called to the scene at 6.39pm last night.

Chief Fire Officer Rob MacDougall said: “It is with a very heavy heart that we today report the loss of two of our firefighters. Families have been informed and are being supported.

“Our thoughts are with them at this most difficult of times and we ask for privacy to be respected.

“We cannot release any details at present but will provide further information as soon as we can.”

Two other firefighters sustained serious injuries and are currently being treated in hospital, Oxfordshire County Council said in a statement.

Footage shared on social media shows plumes of smoke billowing into the sky and flames swallowing the large building.

Clouds of smoke from the fire were billowing into the sky last night. Pic:@kajer87X
Image:
Clouds of smoke from the fire were billowing into the sky last night. Pic:@kajer87X

Damaged buildings following a fire at Bicester Motion, the site of a former RAF base which is home to more than 50 specialist businesses focused on classic car restoration and engineering in Oxfordshire, where a large fire broke out on Thursday, with witnesses reporting loud explosions and thick black smoke billowing from the site. Picture date: Friday May 16, 2025.
Image:
Two firefighters and one other person died in the fire, while two more firefighters were seriously injured. Pic: PA

Ten fire crews attended the incident, with four remaining at the scene. The fire is still ongoing, but it is considered under control.

Local residents were advised to remain indoors and keep their windows shut, but this advice has now been lifted.

Bicester Motion said in a statement it would be closed today and over the weekend.

The cause of the fire is not yet known.

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