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

Published

1 month 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

‘Picture being painted of Jay Slater is just not true’, says employer of British teen missing in Tenerife

Published

2 hours ago

June 23, 2024

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'Picture being painted of Jay Slater is just not true', says employer of British teen missing in Tenerife

The construction company that employs missing British teenager Jay Slater has said the “picture being painted of him is just not true”.

Mr Slater, from Oswaldtwistle near Blackburn in Lancashire, has been missing in Tenerife since Monday morning.

Since he went missing, rumours and conspiracy theories about his disappearance have circulated online, with social media users speculating on platforms including TikTok and Facebook.

But on Sunday, PH Build, which employs Mr Slater as an apprentice bricklayer said the teenager has been misrepresented online.

The firm wrote on Facebook: “Our Jay is still missing!

“We have decided to remove our last post due to all the negative comments and conspiracy theories.

“Jay has been with us since he left school and is liked by all. He’s a valued member of our team and we stand by him.

“The picture being painted of him is just not true. The fact is he’s a 19-year-old lad missing in a foreign country. He needs to be back home where he belongs. Come on Jay we are all praying for you.”

The 19-year-old’s family have flown to the Spanish island to join police and a team of mountain rescuers in the search for him.

A GoFundMe appeal to raise money for the search has been set up by Mr Slater’s friend and has already passed £30,000.

At the weekend his mother Debbie Duncan thanked those who had donated, before adding: “We have not yet withdrawn any funds and are currently covering the expenses, such as the trip to Tenerife and accommodation, ourselves.”

Search area narrowed down

On Sunday officers searching for Mr Slater could be seen circling two structures at the bottom of a ravine in Rural de Teno Park – where his phone last pinged before it ran out of battery.

Efforts appeared to be solely focused on one area after days of searches in the northwestern mountain village of Masca and the surrounding landscape.

Those conducting the searches on the seventh day of the hunt for Mr Slater could be seen looking into blue barrels outside one of the small buildings.

Mr Slater attended the NRG festival in the south of Tenerife on Sunday 16 June before going to Masca with two people he met at the event.

His friends he had been holidaying with have not seen him since last Sunday night, but on Monday morning he spoke to one of them on the phone and told her he was lost, in need of water, and only had 1% charge on his phone.

During the short phone call, he told his friend Lucy Law he had missed a bus trying to get back to his holiday accommodation so was attempting to walk instead – a journey that would take 11 hours.

‘Nightmare’ for missing teen’s family

Mr Slater’s father told Sky News on Saturday he is “just hoping that somebody has helped him off this mountain”.

Warren Slater has flown out to Tenerife with the missing teenager’s brother Zak to help with the search.

The father said the last few days have been “a nightmare, just a nightmare”.

Meanwhile, Mr Slater’s mother also made a direct plea to her missing son to come home this weekend, saying: “We just need you home.”

Ms Duncan said she has “not slept” since he disappeared.

Asked how the family were coping with the situation, she said: “We’re not. I’m not coping very well at all. I’ve not slept, I’m exhausted. It’s been awful. I can’t give up on him, I just can’t.”

The last person to speak to Mr Slater was Masca local Ofelia Medina Hernandez, who told the teenager a bus was due at 10am after he asked what time it would come.

She added that he then set off before she later drove past him “walking fast”.

Earlier this week, photographs emerged showing the Tenerife property where Mr Slater had reportedly been before he went missing.

UK

Many more people investigated over general election betting claims

Published

2 hours ago

June 23, 2024

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Many more people investigated over general election betting claims

Many more people than the leading Tories already identified are being investigated by the gambling regulator in relation to bets on the date of the general election, Sky News understands.

And in a major new development, the watchdog has widened its inquiries to investigate whether people with inside knowledge may have asked a third party to place a bet for them.

Sky News also understands that investigators have written to leading bookmakers asking for details of bets of £20 or more on the election date within days of Rishi Sunak announcing it on 22 May.

Follow live general election updates

The body carrying out the investigation, the Gambling Commission, already takes a close interest in political betting and carries out extra checks on bets by people connected with politics, Sky News has been told.

The gambling industry also regards politicians and those who work closely with them as PEPs – politically exposed persons – who are people “entrusted with a prominent public function”.

That’s because these people generally “present a higher risk for potential involvement in bribery and corruption by virtue of their position and influence”, according to the Law Society.

It emerged on Saturday evening Nick Mason, the Tory party’s chief data officer, was the fourth Conservative candidate or official being investigated. He has taken a leave of absence and denies any wrongdoing.

Mr Sunak’s parliamentary private secretary Craig Williams, the Tory candidate for Montgomeryshire and Glyndwr, admitted last week to placing a “flutter” on the date of the election.

Earlier this week, Tony Lee, the party’s director of campaigns, and his wife Laura Saunders, the Tory candidate for Bristol North West, were also placed under investigation.

Mr Sunak’s close protection officer has been arrested for allegedly betting on the timing of the election.

Home Secretary James Cleverly told Sky News’ Sunday Morning With Trevor Phillips he had been told “very, very clearly” to not discuss the investigation.

He added: “I’m not in any way going to defend people who placed bets on that.”

Asked whether there was a wider betting circle, Mr Cleverly said: “That’s not my understanding. My understanding is it’s a small number of individuals.”

He also said he has “no reason to believe” any ministers are involved in betting on the timing of the election.

What is the law around gambling?

There are strict rules around gambling, with the latest laws updated in 2005.

Section 42 of the Gambling Act 2005 deals with cheating and says a person commits an offence if they cheat at gambling or do “anything for the purpose of enabling or assisting another person to cheat at gambling”.

It adds: “It is immaterial whether a person who cheats improves his changes of winning anything, or wins anything.”

Cheating is defined as an “actual or attempted deception or interference in connection with the process by which gambling is conducted, or a real or virtual game, race or other event or process to which gambling relates”.

Someone found guilty of cheating at gambling can be imprisoned for a maximum of two years and/or fined, or six months in prison for a lesser offence.

Betting with insider knowledge is also not allowed as an MP, with the MPs’ code of conduct prohibiting members from “causing significant damage to the reputation and integrity of the house”.

A Gambling Commission spokesman said: “The Gambling Commission regulates gambling in the interests of consumers and the wider public.

“Currently, the Commission is investigating the possibility of offences concerning the date of the election.

“This is an ongoing investigation, and the Commission cannot provide any further details at this time. We are not confirming or denying the identity of any individuals involved in this investigation.”

A Conservative spokesman told Sky News: “As instructed by the Gambling Commission, we are not permitted to discuss any matters related to any investigation with the subject or any other persons.”

The other candidates for Bristol North West are:

Caroline Gooch, Lib Dems

Darren Jones, Labour

Scarlett O’Connor, Reform UK

Mary Page, Green Party

Ben Smith, SDP

The other candidates for Montgomeryshire and Glyndwr are:

Jeremy Brignell-Thorp, Green Party

Oliver Lewis, Reform Uk

Glyn Preston, Lib Dems

Elwyn Vaughan, Plaid Cymru

Steve Witherden, Labour

UK

Ex-Liverpool star Alan Hansen leaves hospital after serious illness

Published

2 hours ago

June 23, 2024

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Ex-Liverpool star Alan Hansen leaves hospital after serious illness

Ex-Liverpool captain and TV pundit Alan Hansen has been discharged from hospital and is to continue his recovery at home.

The Premier League club had announced in a statement on 9 June that the former Scotland centre-back was “seriously ill”.

Now in a post on X on Sunday, Liverpool FC said: “Alan has been discharged from hospital today to continue his recovery at home.

“Alan, Janet, Adam, Lucy and family would like to thank everybody for their wonderful messages of love and support. It has been overwhelming and has helped enormously.”

His former Liverpool teammate, Graeme Souness, had indicated last week that Hansen was on the mend.

Hansen, 69, spent 14 years as a Liverpool player after signing from Partick Thistle in 1977, going on to win eight First Division titles, three European Cups and two FA Cups.

He spent four years as captain at Anfield and his 620 appearances place him in the top 10 among all Liverpool players for games played for the club.

The defender also won 26 caps for Scotland between 1979 and 1987, and played at the 1982 World Cup in Spain.

Hansen retired from professional football in 1991 to start a successful career as a television pundit.

He spent more than 20 years with the BBC, including as a regular guest on Match Of The Day.