Man charged after passenger dies in Newton-le-Willows tree crash
A man has been charged with causing death by dangerous driving and drink-driving following a crash in which his passenger was killed.Jonathan Mennell, 35, died after the white Ford Kuga he was travelling in crashed into a tree on Southworth Road in Newton-le-Willows on 10 June 2024, said Merseyside Police.Martin Green, of Beech Avenue in Wigan, has also been charged with failing to co-operate with preliminary tests.The 36-year-old appeared at Liverpool Magistrates' Court on Friday and is due to appear at Liverpool Crown Court on 25 July.
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Daily Mail
25 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
London phone thefts hit record high with 37 people having mobiles stolen every DAY in the West End alone
Phone thefts in London have hit a record high with a shocking 37 people having their mobile stolen every day in the capital's West End alone. New data has revealed that almost 231,000 phone thefts and robberies were recorded over the past four years in the capital, a threefold increase. The epicentre for these brazen crimes is in the world's theatre capital, the West End, a magnet for tourists where around 40,000 phones were reported stolen over the same period, data by the Metropolitan Police shows. Phone thefts in London have soared to record levels, with organised gangs targeting busy areas like the West End and St James's, where luxury streets and royal residences sit side by side with swarms of unsuspecting tourists and shoppers. One major hotspot identified is the area surrounding St James's Park, where Piccadilly and Haymarket meet Pall Mall and Clarence House, home to exclusive members' clubs and high-profile buildings. Analysis by The Times show the West End and St James's now account for a third of all phone thefts reported in the capital, up from a quarter in 2021. Scotland Yard figures show a staggering 81,256 mobile phone crimes were recorded in 2023, a 20 per cent year-on-year rise, and the highest on record. Police believe the true number is even higher, as many incidents go unreported. Other major hotspots include Bloomsbury, Holborn, Covent Garden, Shoreditch, Borough, London Bridge, Waterloo, South Bank, Camden Town, Regent's Park and Stratford. Since 2022, theft rates have risen in more than 200 suburbs across the capital — meaning over a third of London is now affected by the growing crisis. Most thefts are carried out by gangs on electric bikes, who either snatch phones directly from people's hands or operate in crowded areas to pickpocket victims. Police say the surge is fuelled by international black markets, where stolen devices are either sold on or stripped for parts — an illicit industry now worth over £50 million a year. Officers are urging Londoners to stick to well-lit, busy areas, remain alert, and keep valuables out of sight to avoid falling prey to the increasingly brazen criminals. As previously reported the shocking moment a phone snatcher is captured being knocked off his bike by furious Londoners before losing a shoe that police later used to catch him was caught on CCTV. Spencer Duarte, of Saffron Walden, was tackled off his e-bike by members of the public after he stole a phone from an innocent victim's hand in Ludgate Hill, London, on August 7 last year. Dramatic video footage showed the moment a quick-thinking pedestrian leapt into the street and intercepted the robber, who fell into the road while on his bike. Duarte, who initially stood up and was able to get back on his bike, was then chased down by two more members of the public. Cornered on the side of the pavement, he was pulled from his bike a second time as he attempted to flee. The phone thief, dressed in a flourescent top and helmet, then proceeded to run across the road away from the furious Londoners. In a last minute attempt at halting the robber, another four pedestrians reached out to try and grab hold of Duarte, who darted at speed between the different men before making a successful exit down the road. During the ensuing struggle, Duarte lost a shoe, which police detectives later used to catch him for his crimes as a result of the DNA it held. The 28-year-old, who was spotted and arrested by Metropolitan Police officers on September 9, admitted to one count of theft at Inner London Crown Court this week. He also accepted that he had items in his rucksack going equipped to steal. Duarte is due to be sentenced on September 12. Dubbed the 'Cinderella phone snatcher', Andrew Walker, physical forensics manager of the City of London Police, described how Duarte was ultimately caught as a result of his trainer being left at the scene. He said: 'We were able to get sufficient levels of DNA from the shoe to obtain a single, major profile that was suitable for searching against the national DNA database. 'This search generated a 'hit' to a male whose profile had previously been uploaded. 'The slipper fitted our Cinderella and we were able to bring him before the courts.' Meanwhile, dramatic scene unfolded in Westminster where a cyclist, wearing all black clothes, overtook some cars on the road before suddenly swerving to the left. The video shows the cyclist clearly turning their attention towards a pedestrian walking on the pavement. The man, wearing running clothes, was on his phone as the thief brazenly mounted onto the pavement and quickly snatched it from him. The victim puts his hands to his head in disbelief before making a belated attempt to run after the thief.
The Independent
38 minutes ago
- The Independent
UK authorities seize cocaine worth more than $130 million from a ship at London port
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Sky News
38 minutes ago
- Sky News
Archbishop of Wales retires after safeguarding review revealed 'blurred sexual boundaries'
The Archbishop of Wales has resigned with immediate effect after a safeguarding review revealed "blurred sexual boundaries" at a cathedral in his diocese. Andrew John, 61, announced he was stepping down with immediate effect in a statement on Friday evening. He has been the Archbishop of Wales and the Bishop of Bangor since 2021 and 2008 respectively. It follows a safeguarding review at Bangor Cathedral in North Wales that reported a "culture in which sexual boundaries seemed blurred" and where "promiscuity was acceptable". There were also references to alcohol consumption, hurtful gossip, and weak financial controls. There is no suggestion of wrongdoing by Mr John, who commissioned two reports into concerns at the cathedral in October last year. When they were shared on the Church in Wales's website at the time, they warned of "inappropriate language, rude jokes and innuendoes" among the choir, with members feeling "unsafe and marginalised" as a result. Some younger members reported feeling "humiliated", it added. Announcing his retirement, Mr John's statement said: "It has been an enormous joy to serve in the Church in Wales for over 35 years. "I would very much like to thank the clergy and congregations of this wonderful diocese before I retire." When the findings were published earlier this year, Mr John described it as a "sobering time" and said they were "hard to hear". "I have begun reflecting on what I must learn from this process - not only as a leader, but as a fellow pilgrim," he added. "While this has been a sobering time, it also offers us opportunity for change. It will mean hard work, but it can also bring healing, and we do not do this alone." Second resignation of archbishop in a year It comes after the former Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby resigned from his post in November. His decision followed the independent Makin review into barrister John Smyth's abuse of children and young men revealed the Church of England had covered some of it up. Across five decades in three different countries, up to 130 boys are believed to have been subjected to traumatic physical, sexual, psychological, and spiritual attacks. The report concluded he might have been brought to justice had Mr Welby formally reported it to police soon after he was installed as archbishop 11 years ago. Smyth died aged 75 in Cape Town in 2018 while still under police investigation. Mr Welby is yet to be replaced and a new appointment for the post of Bishop of Wales will also be made in due course.
