2 weeks agoNew York StateComments Off on Grandparents ‘murdered “painfully thin” boy, 2, after he became object of abuse in family’s campaign of brutality’
A COUPLE murdered their toddler grandson after he became an “object of abuse” in a campaign of brutality, a court heard.
Ethan Ives-Griffiths suffered catastrophic head injuries at the home of Michael Ives and Kerry Ives in Deeside, North Wales.
WNSEthan Ives-Griffiths was allegedly murdered by his grandparents[/caption]
Jurors heard the two-year-old was “painfully thin and vulnerable” at the time of his death.
Ethan had suffered a “thoroughly miserable” life and had was an “object of abuse and neglect” for gran Kerry and mum Shannon Kayleigh Ives.
Prosecutor Caroline Rees said: “He was shown vanishingly little care by Kerry and Shannon and experienced casual brutality.
“He would have experienced pain and misery in the weeks before he died. He was severely underweight and covered in bruises.”
Mold Crown Court was told Ethan died from fatal head injuries from a deliberate from blow and a forceful shaking injury.
This was the “culmination of emotional and physical abuse on him by people who should have cared for him most”, it was said.
At the time of the horror in August 2021, his mum Shannon, 27, was upstairs on her phone.
Ms Rees said: “So it was either Michael and/or Kerry who were responsible for the deliberate assault which led to Ethan’s death. Neither offered a plausible explanation.”
The court was told there was a “pact of silence” by “team of two” Michael, 46, and Kerry, 45, to conceal the truth.
Shannon meanwhile was “unconcerned” about her son’s plight, it was said.
Miss Rees said all three were to blame for the cruelty inflicted on Ethan in his short life.
She added: “Not one adult sought medical help. Michael and Kerry sought to deflect responsibility for what happened and blamed their daughter Shannon for Ethan’s ill-treatment and death.”
Michael and Kerry deny murder, assault and neglect, while Shannon has pleaded not guilty to causing or allowing a child to suffer serious physical harm.
The trial continues.
Andrew Price / View Finder PicturesEthan’s mum denies causing or allowing a child to suffer serious physical harm[/caption]
2 weeks agoNew York StateComments Off on ‘Great space saver’ cry shoppers as they bag £5 kitchen bargain in Matalan – and it’s £25 cheaper than Amazon
SHOPPERS have been left stunned after spotting a space-saving kitchen buy in Matalan for just £5.
So if your counter tops are looking a bit cluttered, you’ve come to the right place.
BARGAIN LOVERS - Poundland, Home Bargains, B&M, Primark, The Range & More/FacebookShoppers have hailed the sale tin as a great ‘space saver’[/caption]
The monochrome stackable tin has three separate sections for storing fresh items – with the labels suggesting it’s perfect for treats, cake and biscuits.
Measuring in at 26cm x 24cm it’s a great size too, and has a handle which makes it easy to move around.
The best part? It’s currently reduced from £14.50 to just a fiver, meaning shoppers can save £9.50.
Describing it online, Matalan bosses say: “Stash away all your delicious baked treats in this set of stylish cake tins.
“In a stackable design that’s a handy space-saver for any kitchen, these tins come with ‘Treats’, ‘Cake’ and ‘Biscuits’ slogans and a silver metal handle. Matching accessories also available.”
“Same but price difference”, she said after spotting an identical version on Amazon for £29.99.
Social media reacts
The post quickly attracted a flurry of comments from bargain hunters who were left impressed by the sale item.
“Got mine yesterday £5 at Matalan”, one gushed.
A second added: “I’ve got one they r a decent size and well worth full price.”
A third cried: “When I got mine from Matalan think it was like 10-15 pounds, this was nearly two years ago.”
“I have this it’s great space saver”, insisted a fourth.
Annoyed at the price difference, a fifth fumed: “Amazon a total rip off always has been.”
And a sixth agreed: “Someone trying to resell and make 20 pound profit on amazon.”
The clever kitchen tin has also racked up raving, five-star reviews on the Matalan website.
“Perfect and just what I wanted. Perfect fit for our kitchen”, one satisfied customer gushed.
A second echoed: “Delighted with this item. It’s bigger than I expected, which is great. Plenty of room to store different items!
“And it’s a space saver in my cupboard. Really pleased with my purchase.”
Meanwhile, a third wrote: “These cake tins are great and much bigger than expected – bonus! Looking forward to filling with some lovely homemade cakes in the future.”
Steve Cooper has been linked with a shock return to management with MiddlesbroughMichael Carrick was sacked by Boro this week
Carrick, 43, and his assistants Jonathan Woodgate and Graeme Carrick – his younger brother – have also departed the club.
That decision was made by chairman Steve Gibson following a four-week end-of-season review by the club’s hierarchy after their dismal second half of the campaign.
Carrick, who was the division’s longest-serving manager, led Boro from the 21st in the table in October 2022 to the play-offs.
That was followed by an eighth-placed finish and a run to the League Cup semi-finals but, despite a positive first half of this season, they eventually ended a disappointing tenth.
That has been enough to convince the club to look elsewhere.
SunSport understands that Cooper, out of work since he was sacked following a brief and ill-fated stint at Leicester in November, is among the top candidates Boro want to speak with.
He shone in the Championship at Swansea City by leading them to consecutive play-off finishes.
And he surpassed that at Nottingham Forest, achieving legendary status by guiding them back to the Premier League via the play-offs in 2022.
Ex-Bournemouth and Wolves manager Gary O’Neil, who spent four years as a player at the Riverside, is another name among the favourites along with former Luton man Rob Edwards.
Expert's view
BY GARY STONEHOUSE (North East Football Reporter and Boro season ticket holder)
FINALLY the inevitable has happened – but what took Middlesbrough so long?
The decision to sack Michael Carrick now – four weeks after the season finished – does feel a bit too little, too late.
The ex-Manchester United man’s time at the Riverside should have been done back in February after a dire run of six defeats in seven games.
At that point the prospect of going up through the play-offs was still a real possibility.
Instead, Steve Gibson kept faith and, despite a brief little false dawn of results, we’ve allowed rivals Sunderland to take advantage of what was probably the best chance of achieving promotion out of this league that there will be for a while.
For all of those pointing to the fact that he lost “his best player” Emmanuel Latte Lath in January – the striker’s exit was supposed to be last summer.
That’s why they got Tommy Conway in early and, fair play, when Boro failed to get the money they wanted for Latte Lath they held on to him until the window.
The loss of Ben Doak was also critical, and that coupled with the above sale meant all the pace was taken out of Carrick’s team.
But that was his biggest problem, his stubbornness to have a Plan B. Pretty, boring, pass, pass, tip, tip – Middlesbrough became far too easy to play against.
The panic stations started to ring when the Riverside was empty long before the final whistle in several home games – fans were seemingly even past the point of caring enough to boo at the final whistle following several disappointing displays and results.
This is a move best for everybody – especially Carrick himself.
He has done well, and the loss of experienced Aaron Danks as coach to Bayern Munich has maybe had a bigger impact than any of us thought.
But once rumours of fall-outs over transfer targets etc began to surface in January there was only going to be one-way this ended if promotion wasn’t achieved.
He can still leave with his reputation intact and will be in the running for plenty of other jobs – hopefully after a PR class or two.
You always got the impression he didn’t think much of the media – except until the pressure was on in his final weeks and we finally got to see a little of his funny and warm character.
But the place, and Carrick himself probably, needed something new.
And for my money, the man to provide that lift that the whole club needs would be Steve Cooper.
2 weeks agoNew York StateComments Off on BGT finalist hits back in furious rant after being accused of ‘trying to rig final’ by trolls who say she ‘can’t sing’
BRITAIN’S Got Talent finalist Stacey Leadbeatter has issued a defiant response after being subjected to a slew of trolling messages.
The singer has unleashed a furious rant against her haters after being unfairly targeted after failing to win audience votes during Saturday’s final on ITV.
Shutterstock EditorialStacey Leadbeatter has hit back at critics who took aim at her finishing in 11th on the BGT final[/caption]
RexThe star was forced to bat off trolls after getting a negative reception online[/caption]
Stacey, KSI‘s Golden Buzzer act, had proved a fan favourite throughout the contest, however the tide appeared to turn during the show’s final outing over the weekend.
Stacey was ranked 11th and as such below all of her fellow finalists.
Since then, fans have accused the singer of ‘trying to rig votes’ by broadcasting live on TikTok during the final – something Stacey has denied.
Hitting back at the negativity she has faced since her performance, Stacey wrote online: “Some of the comments I am getting are hilarious. ‘You came last hahaha’ nope.
“I didn’t come last I came 11th out of THOUSANDS and I am incredible proud of that.”
She then added: “‘You tried rigging the votes by coming on tiktok live’ nope, I have been on tiktok for 5 years now and I have been [lucky to] have a large platform throughout this time.
“‘You looked like a drag queen,’ thank you, Drag queens are stunning.”
Stacey then appeared to confirm she was bereft by “personal stuff” which could have affected the end result of her performance.
Hitting back at critics of her vocals, she said: “‘You Sounded horrible you can’t sing’ that’s your personal opinion plus you try and sing live on TV in front of millions with personal stuff going on.’
“You can’t sing,’ the Simon Cowell gave me two standing ovations. And has told me he thinks I can sing. Who am I going to listen to?
“There is so much more I could say but I’m not going to.
“It’s sad that people are so miserable that they have to try and bully someone they don’t know on the internet for chasing their dreams and doing something they love.”
She then closed her message to say: “Shame on you.”
Magician Harry Moulding became the second ever magic act to win the contest.
He finished in first place and received the £250,000 payout as well as a spot on the bill at the Royal Variety Performance.
BGT's Best Golden Buzzer Moments
BGT have handed out many Golden Buzzer's over the years, can you remember some of the most famous
Loren Allred – Loren Allred, 32, from Brooklyn, New York jetted to London to audition after recording the vocals for The Greatest Showman. The stunning singer got a standing ovation and a Golden Buzzer from the judges as she delivered a stirring rendition of Never Enough from the popular film. Loren came out on stage and revealed to the judges they would have heard her voice many times before that moment. “I was hired to record the vocals for The Greatest Showman as a guide for the actors to know how to sing the songs,” she explained. Loren then revealed actress Rebecca Ferguson was so stunned by her singing that she decided to let her vocals be heard in the movie. “So she lip-synced,” Loren said.
Chicken Shed Theatre Company – Comprised of individuals aged between 5 and 37, the group was set up to welcome anyone irrespective of background to get up on stage and perform and fulfil their dream. Chicken Shed prides itself on accepting anyone and does not hold auditions to make the group a safe and inclusive space. The group wowed as they performed Wonder by Naughty Boy featuring Emeli Sande. It meant that Alesha wasted no time as she decided to hit her golden buzzer for the young performers. She told them it was her “honour” to reward their inclusiveness with her golden buzzer.
The Dancing Granny – Granny Paddy Jones and her professional partner Niko Espinosa first hit headlines when they won the Spanish talent show Tú sí que vales in 2009, before going on to appear on Britain’s Got Talent in 2014 where they came ninth. Amanda Holden was so impressed with Paddy that she gave her the Golden Buzzer, which sent them straight through to the semi-finals. But things took a worrying turn when Paddy cracked a rib while rehearsing a new move and her place on the show was under doubt. She was given the all-clear to perform in the end but didn’t quite live up to expectations.
Bars and Melody – They will forever be remembered for their anti-bullying song on the talent show. Bars and Melody were first seen on the 2014 series of Britain’s Got Talent, getting shuttled into the semi-finals when Simon Cowell pressed his Golden Buzzer. They made it to the final thanks to a performance of I’ll Be Missing You but lost out on the crown to Collabro. These days Charlie Lenehan – known as Melody – is covered in tattoos, with inkings on his neck, arms and chest. But he is as close as ever to co-star Leondre Devries – who is Bars – with the pair seen enjoying themselves in exotic locations all over the world.
Shutterstock EditorialMagic performer Harry won the contest[/caption]
Shutterstock EditorialThere was tough competition during the final[/caption]
2 weeks agoNew York StateComments Off on Train passengers fined ‘too harshly’ for ‘innocent errors’ with tickets
A genuine mistake with a train ticket can even lead to court prosecution (Picture: Getty Images)
Train passengers are being punished for accidental ‘minor transgressions’ when buying tickets, the rail watchdog has said.
With millions of people in the UK travelling by train every day, mistakes are bound to happen – whether that’s selecting the wrong railcard or catching the wrong train.
And the country’s rail ticketing system, with various train operators and websites, can be confusing – and draconian.
Now, the transport watchdog, the Office of Rail and Road, has said that train operators took disproportionately harsh measures against passengers who had made ‘genuine errors.’
The rules are so harsh that a passenger was threatened with prosecution for mistakenly selecting a 16-25 railcard discount when they had a 26-30 railcard.
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Another person found out they had a criminal record when having a background check for a job, despite successfully appealing the penalty fare four years prior.
One passenger had a printed e-ticket, but it was so water-damaged it could not be scanned by staff.
Although they subsequently showed a proof of valid ticket for the journey, they were threatened with prosecution.
The passenger ended up settling out of court for £81 to avoid the risk of conviction, which is ‘a serious and potentially life changing matter,’ the watchdog said.
Comment nowHave you been affected? Please email noora.mykkanen@metro.co.uk Comment Now
In a scathing new report reviewing train operators’ revenue protection practices, the watchdog made recommendations on how buying the right ticket could be simpler and how passengers are treated when ticket issues arise.
It comes after 59,000 alleged fare evasion convictions were overturned after train operators used a secretive legal loophole, the Single Justice Procedure, to fast-track prosecutions behind closed doors.
After the procedural error by train operators was revealed, the Transport Secretary commissioned the watchdog to review revenue practices to make sure that ‘fare evasion was being addressed, but in a way that was fair to passengers and in line with the correct procedures.’
Sam Williamson, from Derbyshire, was happy about saving £1.85 on his train ticket – until he was told that his ticket was invalid (Picture: PA)
Sam Williamson, 22, was threatened with prosecution after he bought the wrong ticket using his 16-25 railcard on a journey in Manchester. In the end, Northern Trains backed down on the case, which could have left the graduate with a criminal record.
The watchdog has made several recommendations after disgruntled passengers shared their experiences and after hearing from the rail industry, whose staff can face challenges ‘with aggressive and abusive behaviour’ when checking tickets.
It can be difficult for staff to distinguish between innocent mistakes and deliberate fare dodging, the report said.
Also, under railway laws, it is simply an offence not to present a valid ticket for a trip, regardless of the passenger’s intent.
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Meanwhile, train fare evaders continue to be captured – some of them red-handed like a ‘short farer’ at Waterloo who avoided paying £20,000 over three years by buying a ticket only for a part of his commute.
Fare evasion and ticket revenue loss are on the rise, and it is ‘becoming normalised among certain passenger groups,’ the watchdog warned.
Fare evasion recommendations
The watchdog made five key recommendations on how the fare evasion system could improve, although they are unlikely to have any immediate impact on passengers.
Buying the right ticket should be simpler and easier
Even seasoned travellers can be caught out by different ticket types, validity, restrictions and peak/off-peak travel times. This is because the ticket retail systems are out of date.
The watchdog called for plain English explanations of ticket details, and a redesign of ticketing systems.
More consistency in how passengers are treated when there are ticket problems
Train operators have used ‘inconsistent’ approaches and legal powers, which can lead to ‘sometimes unfair or disproportionate outcomes.’
Actions to address this include adopting more consistent practices when tickets are checked and escalated based on ‘likely passenger intent.’
A warning sign about the rail penalty fare if passengers travel without a valid ticket (Picture: REX/Shutterstock)
Introduce greater consistency and fairness on prosecutions
Passengers can face very different practices depending on the train operator if prosecuted for a mistake, including the choice of law, legal procedure, use of third-party agents and out-of-court settlements.
This is why the watchdog proposed a more consistent legal test for prosecutions based on public interest, and a wider review of revenue protection legislation in the future.
Make revenue protection information easy to access and understand
Some people, like Sam, have been caught out by the small print in the ticket T&Cs, with conditions like travel being limited to a specific time only if using a railcard.
This could be addressed by making T&C, penalty, prosecution and passenger rights information easier to find and understand.
Greater coordination, oversight and transparency of revenue protection activity
The way train operators enforce train ticket rules has ‘proliferated over time,’ while the legal framework is complex and used inconsistently depending on the company.
The ORR called for a body or forum to identify and promote best practices on revenue protection.
Rail Delivery Group, the body representing UK rail operators, said the industry will work to implement the recommendations.
A spokesperson said: ‘Fare evasion remains a significant challenge for the industry, costing the railway hundreds of millions of pounds each year.
‘That’s money that can’t be used to improve services, which increases the burden on customers and taxpayers.
Fare dodging costs the railways hundreds of millions of pounds every year, but the measures to deter and tackle it should be applied ‘appropriately and fairly,’ the transport watchdog said (Picture: In Pictures/Getty Images)
‘So we need to strike the right balance addressing genuine, honest mistakes made by customers and taking firm action against those who deliberately and persistently seek to exploit the system.’
However, the change does not mean cheaper tickets as the focus is on that ‘trains arrive on time, lower levels of cancellation and a better passenger experience,’ Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander told Metro.
The tournament includes teams from all six continental confederations and will feature Premier League sides Manchester City and Chelsea – but not the likes of Arsenal, Manchester United and Liverpool.
So, why exactly are Chelsea taking part in the Club World Cup this summer?
Why are Chelsea in the Club World Cup?
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Clubs automatically qualify for the tournament if they have won a continental club competition in one of the four most-recent seasons before the 2024/25 campaign.
Chelsea won the Champions League three years ago (Picture: Getty)
As one of the more recent winners of the Champions League in 2021, Chelsea are therefore eligible for the tournament.
The remaining teams are made up of the highest-ranking clubs in the respective continental ranking systems.
Europe is the most-represented continent with 12 clubs, followed by South America with six competing sides.
There are four clubs each from Asia, Africa and the North American and the Central American Federation. Oceania only gets one spot while the US, as hosts, have been given an extra place.
FIFA rules state that a maximum of two teams from the same country can take part, which is why Chelsea and Manchester City, who have both won the Champions League in the four years prior to this season, will be involved this summer at the expense of their Premier League rivals.
FIFA Club World Cup 2025
Group A
Palmeiras – Winners of the 2021 Copa Libertadores
Porto – Fifth-best ranked eligible team in the UEFA four-year ranking
Al Ahly – Winners of the 2020/21 CAF Champions League
Inter Miami – Winners of the 2024 MLS Supporters’ Shield
Group B
PSG – Second-best ranked eligible team in the UEFA four-year ranking
Atletico Madrid – Sixth-best ranked eligible team in the UEFA four-year ranking
Botafogo – Winners of the 2024 Copa Libertadores
Seattle Sounders – Winners of the 2022 CONCACAF Champions League
PSG head to the Club World Cup after winning the Champions League (Picture: Getty Images)
Group C
Bayern Munich – Best ranked eligible team in the UEFA four-year ranking
Auckland City – Best OFC Champions League winners in the OFC four-year ranking
Boca Juniors – Second-best ranked eligible team in the CONMEBOL four-year ranking
Benfica – Seventh-best ranked eligible team in the UEFA four-year ranking
Group D
Flamengo – Winners of the 2022 Copa Libertadores
Esperance de Tunis – Best-ranked eligible team in the CAF four-year ranking
Chelsea – Winners of the 2020/21 UEFA Champions League
Los Angeles FC – Winners of the play-in match
Los Angeles FC beat Club América in the play-in match (Picture: Getty Images)
Group E
River Plate – Best-ranked eligible team in the CONMEBOL four-year ranking
Urawa Red Diamonds – Winners of the 2022 AFC Champions League
Monterray – Winners of the 2021 CONCACAF Champions League
Inter Milan – Fourth-best ranked eligible team in the UEFA four-year ranking
Group F
Fluminense – Winners of the 2023 Copa Libertadores
Borussia Dortmund – Third-best ranked eligible team in the UEFA four-year ranking
Ulsan HD – Best-ranked eligible team in the AFC four-year ranking
Mamelodi Sundowns – Second-best ranked eligible team in the CAF four-year ranking
Pep Guardiola hopes to bounce back from a disappointing season (Picture: Getty Images)
Group G
Man City – Winners of the 2022/23 UEFA Champions League
Wydad AC – Winners of the 2021/22 CAF Champions League
Al Ain – Winners of the 2023/24 AFC Champions League
Juventus – Eighth-best ranked eligible team in the UEFA four-year ranking
Group H
Real Madrid – Winners of the 2021/22 UEFA Champions League
Al Hilal – Winners of the 2021 AFC Champions League
Pachuca – Winners of the 2024 CONCACAF Champions League
Red Bull Salzburg – Ninth-best ranked eligible team in the UEFA four-year ranking
Club World Cup format and how it works
The teams in each of the eight groups play each other once and the top two teams from each group will progress to the knockout stage of the competition.
The knockout stage will consist of a Round of 16, quarter-final and semi-final stage, before the final itself takes place on July 13 at the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.
Chelsea have appeared in two Club World Cups before – in 2012 and 2021 following their Champions League triumphs in the respective years.
The west Londoners – who as the European champions were parachuted into the tournament in the semi-final stage in 2012 – beat Mexican outfit Monterrey in the last four before suffering a shock defeat to Brazilian side Corinthians in the final.
Chelsea finally got their hands on the trophy in 2021, however, beating Al-Hilal in the semi-finals and then Palmeiras in the final.
