All posts tagged: Court news

Mother allowed men to abuse daughter then ‘watched the dismemberment’ | US | News

Mother allowed men to abuse daughter then ‘watched the dismemberment’ | US | News

Published by Sam Flores

Victoria Martens was sexually abused by her own mother (Image: undefined) In a deeply disturbing and harrowing case of child abuse, a 10 year old girl was strangled on her birthday before her body was dismembered and set alight. Victoria Martens was sexually abused by her own mother, as disclosed by an autopsy report published months after police uncovered the horrific crime scene. Officers responding to a 911 call regarding a domestic dispute arrived to find Victoria’s partially wrapped remains smouldering in a blanket at Michelle’s home in 2018, according to ABC7Chicago. Michelle, aged 35, her boyfriend Fabian Gonzales, 31, and Gonzales’ cousin Jessica Kelley, also 31, were arrested at the scene. They faced charges of first-degree murder, child abuse resulting in severe bodily harm or death, kidnapping, tampering with evidence, and contributing to the delinquency of a minor. Read more: Man ‘planned to feed Donald Trump’s face to stray dogs’ say police Read more: Son stabbed then cannibalised his mother while she was still alive The couple alleged that Kelley had attacked them with …

Two brothers accused of violent 1980s murder of gay civil servant | UK | News

Two brothers accused of violent 1980s murder of gay civil servant | UK | News

Published by Sam Flores

Victim Anthony Littler (Image: PA) Two brothers who made a “hobby” of attacking gay men during the 1980s murdered a civil servant by bludgeoning his brain with blunt weapons in an unprovoked street attack, a jury heard. Michael Stewart, 57, and Anthony Stewart, 60, were aged just 15 and 18 when they allegedly killed Anthony Littler on May 1, 1984. The attack was part of a spate of violence carried out by the teens – it is claimed- as they revelled in targeting lone homosexual men. Mr Littler was close to his home in Finchley, north London, and following the assault, Michael Stewart allegedly called for an ambulance from a nearby phone box, but a search for an injured man was called off after he hung up. Half an hour later, Mr Littler was found by members of the public lying in a pool of blood in an alleyway, having suffered a “catastrophic” brain injury from being bludgeoned with blunt weapons. The identity of the first 999 caller had been unknown, but jurors were told …

Boy raped by tourist in seaside city as he waited for public transport | UK | News

Boy raped by tourist in seaside city as he waited for public transport | UK | News

Published by Sam Flores

Rafael Nascimento has been jailed for the awful attack (Image: Sussex Police) A teenage boy was raped by a Brazilian tourist while waiting for public transport in a UK seaside city. Rafael Nascimento, 38, has been jailed for 13 years following the attack in Brighton on August 10 last year. The victim, 17, was sitting on a bench in Dyke Road as he waited for public transport early in the morning. However, he was approached by Nascimento, a Brazilian national, who was on holiday in Brighton at the time. The 38-year-old started a conversation with the teenager and asked where he could buy cigarettes. READ MORE: ‘I was locked up and raped by stepfather for 28 years and had 6 children’ READ MORE: Girl drugged and raped by crying ‘father figure’ pastor – ‘work of the devil’ The victim took Nascimento to a local shop before the Brazilian diverted them to a property in Regent Hill. The teenager was then raped inside the building. Officers from Sussex Police were quickly alerted and Nascimento was arrested …

XL bully ‘basically ate’ beloved grandfather in ‘savage attack’ | UK | News

XL bully ‘basically ate’ beloved grandfather in ‘savage attack’ | UK | News

Published by Sam Flores

John McColl died a month after the attack (Image: Cheshire Police/PA Wire) The owner of an XL bully which killed a pensioner in a “savage attack” has been jailed for 12 years. John McColl, 84, was attacked by the dog, owned by Sean Garner, after the pensioner wandered on to the driveway of Garner’s home in Warrington, Cheshire, in February last year. He died from his injuries about a month later. He suffered “catastrophic facial injuries” in the 45-minute attack, Liverpool Crown Court heard on Friday. The animal, which was called Toretto and weighed 7st 4lb, was shot 10 times by armed police and a second dog found in the house was also shot. An examination of the dog later found it had no food in its stomach, but it had begun to eat Mr McColl alive. Read more: ‘Dog destroyed my face as I had a fit – I only realised when I saw it on video’ Read more: Major warning for UK dog walkers as poisoned meat found in UK parks Sean Garner …

Cruel father who killed five-week-old baby daughter jailed for life | UK | News

Cruel father who killed five-week-old baby daughter jailed for life | UK | News

Published by Sam Flores

A father who murdered his five-week-old daughter by causing her a brain injury and more than 40 rib fractures in repeated assaults when he lost his temper has been jailed for life. Both of baby Darcy-Leigh Jefferson’s legs were also fractured in the 10 days before she died on March 29, 2022, a seven-week trial at Stafford Crown Court heard. Her father, 35-year-old Sean Jefferson, who was found guilty of murder and two counts of causing grievous bodily harm with intent, was handed a minimum term of 22 years on Thursday. Darcy-Leigh’s cocaine-taking mother, Amy Clark, 34, was found guilty of causing or allowing the death of a child and two counts of causing or allowing serious harm to a child after charges of murder and manslaughter against her were dropped by prosecutors during the trial. Clark, who was cleared of two counts of causing grievous bodily harm with intent, was sentenced to seven years in prison. A woman in the public gallery called Clark “scum” when her sentence was passed by the judge. Sentencing …

Migrant stuck hand down schoolgirl’s tights on train in vile attack | UK | News

Migrant stuck hand down schoolgirl’s tights on train in vile attack | UK | News

Published by Sam Flores

Abdulmanon Aliev, 50, is facing years in jail (Image: PA) A “despicable” Eastern European refugee who put a schoolgirl runaway through a vile assault on a train is facing years in jail. Abdulmanon Aliev, 50, from Tajikistan, took his shorts and pants off before attacking the 13-year-old on a train between Southend, Essex, and Fenchurch Street Stations on June 16 last year. He touched her chest, put his hand under her tights to penetrate her, then tried to orally rape her, Inner London Crown Court heard. Aliev, aided by a Tajik interpreter, denied assaulting the girl and claimed he only touched himself in front of her because he has a skin condition. READ MORE: Sudanese man arrested after four migrants died trying to cross Channel READ MORE: Rape-accused asylum seeker ‘called co-defendant animal after he spat on woman’ He wept as he told jurors: “I have a wife and six daughters. I swear to God I have never done this. I can’t even listen to this. She looks like my daughter. I don’t know where …

Asylum seeker accused of ‘sticking out tongue’ to friend during alleged rape | UK | News

Asylum seeker accused of ‘sticking out tongue’ to friend during alleged rape | UK | News

Published by Sam Flores

A man who smiled and stuck his tongue out to his friend while he was allegedly raping a woman on Brighton beach has denied “celebrating her humiliation”. Asylum seeker Ibrahim Alshafe, 25, is on trial alongside co-defendants Karin Al-Danasurt, 20, and Abdulla Ahmadi, 26, for allegedly targeting the woman in a “cynical, predatory and callous” attack in the early hours of October 4 last year. Alshafe and Ahmadi are accused of repeatedly raping the woman on the East Sussex beach, while Al-Danasurt filmed the incident. Alshafe gave evidence at Hove Crown Court on Wednesday, April 8 and said he believed the woman wanted to have sex with him, adding: “I swear I didn’t rape her.” The Egyptian national previously told the court the woman had approached himself and Ahmadi, kissing them and touching them so they thought she wanted to have sex. Jurors at Hove Crown Court were shown a video in which Alshafe is seen smiling with his tongue out and making a hand gesture towards his friend filming. He claimed he did not …

Pastor charged with manslaughter after 61-year-old drowns during baptism | UK | News

Pastor charged with manslaughter after 61-year-old drowns during baptism | UK | News

Published by Sam Flores

Pastor Cheryl Bartley, 48, has been charged with gross negligence manslaughter following the drowning of a 61-year-old man at a baptism ceremony in Birmingham in 2023, the Crown Prosecution Service said. Robert Smith, from Brixton in south London, died at an address in Erdington on October 8, 2023. Malcolm McHaffie, head of the special crime division, said: “We have decided to prosecute Cheryl Bartley, 48, with one count of gross negligence manslaughter in relation to her role as a pastor during a baptism. “This follows the death of 61-year-old Robert Smith from Brixton in south London, who died from drowning at an address in Slade Road, Erdington on October 8, 2023. Our prosecutors have worked to establish that there is sufficient evidence to bring this case to court and that it is in the public interest to pursue criminal proceedings. “We have worked closely with West Midlands Police as it has carried out its investigation. “We remind all concerned that criminal proceedings against this defendant are active and that she has the right to a …

Teenager who brutally killed mum with hammer in hours-long attack is jailed | UK | News

Teenager who brutally killed mum with hammer in hours-long attack is jailed | UK | News

Published by Sam Flores

A teenager who brutally killed his mother by repeatedly beating her with a hammer has been jailed for life with a minimum term of 22 years and six months. Tristan Roberts, 18, killed his mum, Angela Shellis, 45, after forcing her to wear a balaclava and walking her to a footpath beside a nature reserve. The horrific attack, which the prosecution said Roberts had planned for weeks, started at his and his mum’s house in Prestatyn, North Wales, on October 24 last year. Mold Crown Court heard on Wednesday how Roberts attacked and strangled his mum while she was initially conscious. He even recorded parts of the attack, which the prosecution said were believed to be some “form of trophy”. At one stage, Roberts can be heard saying in the recording: “This is the moment we are doing it. We are going to hit her with a sledgehammer.” After the initial attack, Ms Shellis firmly and calmly asked her son to phone the police as she realised what her son was planning to do, the …

Transgender stalker who treatened to ‘batter’ surgeon will serve sentence in women’s jail | UK | News

Transgender stalker who treatened to ‘batter’ surgeon will serve sentence in women’s jail | UK | News

Published by Sam Flores

Taylor has been sent to a wing at a women’s prison in Surrey (Image: Met Police) Women’s rights campaigners are furious after a dangerous trans prisoner who threatened to “batter” a female surgeon was moved to a women’s prison. Vivienne Taylor, 28, who was born a man, was sentenced to 14 months in jail after pleading guilty to stalking, causing serious alarm or distress, to Tina Rashid. The stalking campaign stretched across four years and affected Ms Rashid’s work, family and social life. Ms Rashid, a senior consultant with a specialism in genital surgery for trans women, became so fearful of former patient Taylor she carried a safety alarm and paid £60-a-day for taxis to and from work. Sentencing, Judge Giles Curtis-Raleigh, sitting at Isleworth Crown Court in West London earlier this month, took what he called the “rare course” of imposing an “exceptional” restraining order without limit on Taylor ­contacting Ms Rashid. The stalking “fixation” culminated in a threatening message to Ms Rashid, suggesting Taylor was going to “batter” her and calling her “evil”, …