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Police investigation launched after boy, 12, dies at home

Police investigation launched after boy, 12, dies at home

Wales Online19 hours ago

Police investigation launched after boy, 12, dies at home
Police were called to an address in Castleford, West Yorkshire, after paramedics raised concerns over the welfare of a child last night - but the boy was later pronounced dead
The boy was found on Manor Grove in Castleford
An inquiry is underway following the discovery of a 12-year-old-boy's body. Emergency services rushed to the scene after paramedics from the Yorkshire Ambulance Service expressed concerns about a child's welfare at a property in Castleford, Yorkshire, on Friday evening.
Despite the paramedics' swift response and the best efforts of medical staff, the boy sadly passed away after being taken to hospital. For our free daily briefing on the biggest issues facing the nation, sign up to the Wales Matters newsletter here .
According to West Yorkshire Police, the boy's death is not being treated as suspicious.
In a statement, the force explained: "Police were called by ambulance colleagues to an address in Manor Grove, Castleford, at 6.06pm yesterday (27/6) following reports of concern for the safety of a child.
"Officers attended the location and the boy was taken to hospital where it was later confirmed that he had died."
Article continues below
"Enquiries are ongoing on behalf of the West Yorkshire Coroner to establish exactly what happened. The incident is not being treated as suspicious."
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Aircraft ban over Fife beauty spot where missing paddleboarder search continues
Aircraft ban over Fife beauty spot where missing paddleboarder search continues

Daily Record

time2 hours ago

  • Daily Record

Aircraft ban over Fife beauty spot where missing paddleboarder search continues

Temporary airspace restrictions are in place at Lochore Meadow in Lochgelly, Fife, after police received a report of concern for a male who had been out on the water on Saturday. Police have banned the use of aircraft and drones over the Fife beauty spot where there are searching for a missing paddleboarder. Temporary airspace restrictions are in place at Lochore Meadows, Lochgelly, Fife, from Sunday after they received a report of concern for a male who had been out on the water on Saturday. ‌ Officers were called at around 5.25pm and launched a major search - asking people to avoid the area. ‌ Today Police Scotland said a ban on aircraft was in place until 9am on Sunday, adding it was "for security and your safety". A statement said: "Restrictions apply to all aircrafts, including drones. "You must check if it is legal to fly in your area. Drone users are responsible. It is a criminal offence to fly in restricted airspace." A rescue helicopter was seen in the sky above the loch assisting the "extensive" search on Saturday. Police said emergency services, including the Coastguard, were in attendance. ‌ A statement said: "Enquiries are ongoing and we would ask people to please avoid the area if possible." Loch Ore is a popular beauty spot, and used for leisure purposes, like sailing, paddle sports and open water swimming. Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community! Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today. You'll receive daily updates on breaking news as well as the top headlines across Scotland. No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team. All you have to do is click here if you're on mobile, select 'Join Community' and you're in! If you're on a desktop, simply scan the QR code above with your phone and click 'Join Community'. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice. ‌ Last month, in a separate incident, we reported that a body had been recovered from Loch Ard following searches for a swimmer. Emergency services raced to the scene at around 9pm on Saturday May 10. Extensive searches were carried out by the dive and marine unit along with the Mountain Rescue Team and air support unit. ‌ Sadly, the body of a 42-year-old man was pulled from the water early on the afternoon of the following day. There were not believed to be any suspicious circumstances surrounding the death. Officers said a report would be sent to the the procurator fiscal.

‘Crossbow Cannibal' smirked as I searched his house of horrors… there were things in his bathtub no one should ever see
‘Crossbow Cannibal' smirked as I searched his house of horrors… there were things in his bathtub no one should ever see

Scottish Sun

time2 hours ago

  • Scottish Sun

‘Crossbow Cannibal' smirked as I searched his house of horrors… there were things in his bathtub no one should ever see

Traumatised officer reveals how the cocky serial killer changed before his eyes after a chance sighting finally closed the net around him SICKEST MIND 'Crossbow Cannibal' smirked as I searched his house of horrors… there were things in his bathtub no one should ever see Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) HE was a PhD student by day, and a sadistic 'Crossbow Cannibal' by night - a monster hiding in plain sight. But few know the horrors committed by Stephen Griffiths better than the officer who raided his chilling flat, greeted by the stench of death and horrific discoveries that made the "hair at the back of your neck stand up". 16 Stephen Griffiths brutally murdered three women in cold blood 16 His final victim was Suzanne Blamires, whose attack led to his arrest 16 The evil murderer was caught on camera launching an attack on Suzanne Credit: Amazon Prime Between 2009 and 2010, the sick monster - now aged 55 - killed three sex workers operating close to his flat on the edge of Bradford's red light district, cannibalising and dismembering them. But the self-styled 'Crossbow Cannibal' - who fantasised about becoming a serial killer - saw his twisted spree come crashing down when chilling CCTV footage exposed his final, brutal act. In May 2010, Griffiths was caught on film with a crossbow in hand, attacking a woman who had followed him into his flat in Bradford. The grainy footage showed her trying to flee, with Griffiths chasing her down. It was a scene so disturbing that the caretaker who discovered it immediately called his manager and then the police. One of the officers brought in was Damian Sharp, a former firearms tactical advisor, who was urgently called to one of West Yorkshire Police's major planning stations. Speaking exclusively to The Sun, as part of our Meeting a Monster series, Damian recalls: "Whatever that security man's motives were for checking the footage, it's extremely good he did because it probably saved the lives of a lot of women. "In regards to the woman in the footage, when we got the call, we had to make the assumption that she was still alive. "She was dragged back into the flat and is essentially a hostage, and has been rendered unconscious. "It was not a good situation at all, especially with the crossbow. We treated it as a hostage situation, but we were dealing with what we call a collapsing timeframe. "We had to keep the wheels turning because every second counted. A hostage situation can turn fatal very quickly." 'Crossbow Cannibal' who dismembered and ate his victims 'is attacked in prison AGAIN The tactical plan was clear - surround the building, box Griffiths in, and storm the flat before he had a chance to act again. Tasers were drawn, and officers prepared to strike. "The officers barged in and he was in bed", Damian recalls. "He didn't know what was going on. "The preemptive Taser was taken out because the officer thought there was no requirement for that. He was clearly not a threat. "He was cuffed, and then he changed from being compliant to a bit cocky almost and almost abrasive. "And obviously, there was an immediate search of the apartment. Unfortunately, no female was found." 16 Griffiths' first known victim was Susan Rushworth, who he killed in June 2009 16 Shelley Armitage went missing in April 2010 - parts of her body were later discovered dumped in a river 16 Griffiths used his crossbow to carry out some of his twisted crimes In that moment, the team's worst fears were confirmed. The woman in the footage was gone. Griffiths had already killed her and disposed of her remains. Damian says during the search of the blood-smeared apartment, his team came across 'unsettling' items in places like the oven, which gave credence to Griffiths' cannibal nickname. He says: "There were things in the bathtub and they were not nice. There was an awful smell in the apartment. "The environment was unsettling. Enough to make the hair at the back of your neck stand up." In their investigation, police discovered that Griffiths tried unsuccessfully to get a second female into the apartment that same night, indicating that the incident caught on CCTV was not just an isolated case. 81 different body pieces Investigators quickly pieced together that the woman in the film was Suzanne Blamires, 36, a sex worker who had a "promising life" but fell in with the wrong crowd. A court later heard how 81 different pieces of Suzanne's body were eventually found in or by the River Aire in Shipley. She was Griffiths' final victim, having already murdered 31-year-old Shelley Armitage in April 2010 and Susan Rushworth, 43, in June the previous year. Damian, who has dealt with some of the UK's most evil criminals, says: "As far as what he did to those girls, the Crossbow Cannibal is right up there. I don't think it gets much worse than what he did. "He showed no remorse for what he'd done. He bragged about it. He was quite pleased with himself." Sister's horror Now, a new Amazon Prime documentary, The Crossbow Cannibal, examines Griffiths' heinous crimes and the vile way he gained his moniker. In the film, his estranged sister Caroline breaks her silence for the first time to talk about her brother's actions, suggesting she had long sensed he was hiding a darkness. Describing the gut feeling she had when a news report talked about a killer, she says: "I was enjoying my fish and chips and the BBC news was on. "It came on that a 40-year-old man from Bradford. Arrested. Body parts [were] found in a river. As far as what he did to those girls, the Crossbow Cannibal is right up there. I don't think it gets much worse than what he did. He showed no remorse for what he'd done. Damian Sharp "I made this funny noise - kind of sucked air through my teeth. And I just said, 'My brother. I bet you that's my brother'." She adds: 'I watch true crime and I think that's terrible. But then I also think my brother did worse than that. "You hear about people chopping people up, and you think it's awful, and then the words 81 pieces come into your head. "And you never really come to terms with it. But it's real. It happened." Sickest crimes 16 During his police interrogation, Griffiths said he had 'killed loads' 16 His home near the red light district was described as a slaughterhouse Credit: NB PRESS LTD 16 Police discovered the crossbow he used in the attacks during a search of his home After Griffiths' arrest, he was quickly linked to Susan and Shelley's disappearance, as cops feared another case of the Yorkshire Ripper, who killed more than 22 women. His first kill came in June 2009 when he targeted Susan. In the film, Christa Ackyord, a Yorkshire-based journalist, says: "I know mutual friends. I've talked to her brother. She literally went down the wrong track. It was all going so well for Susan. "She was married, she had children, she was also a grandma." But Susan's life fell apart when her marriage failed, and she turned to drugs and prostitution. She tried to get things back on track, but fell back into addiction. She was last seen walking near the red light district in Bradford, where she'd sometimes sold sex to fund her habit. That morning, Susan told a friend she was "just going to see a punter" - unaware she was about to walk into the hands of a cold-blooded killer. Her client was Stephen Griffiths. He had spotted her before and lured her in under the guise of paying for sex. Once inside his flat, Susan was never seen alive again. Sickening spree There were multiple police appeals and efforts to locate Susan. Exactly what happened inside remains unknown - her body was never found. Susan's family were left devastated. Her daughter described her as a "kind, caring woman" who had struggled with addiction but was "trying to turn her life around". Her death marked the start of Griffiths' sick killing spree - and for police, the nightmare was just beginning. Shelley Armitage was just 31, and described as bright, ambitious, and dreaming of modelling and a life beyond Bradford's streets. Friends say she "could have been a beautiful model" and had a bubbly personality. But a spiral of heroin and alcohol addiction drew her into sex work. On April 26, 2010, she was last seen on CCTV walking along Rebecca Street in Bradford's red light district . She disappeared after leaving her flat in Allerton with a friend and never returned home . Her boyfriend, Robert Preston, filed a missing persons report two days later. Again, several police appeals were launched with investigators pleading with the public for help to locate Shelley. Griffiths had lured Shelley to his flat under the pretence of sex, then tied her up in his bathtub while filming the ordeal on his phone, police later revealed. Mobile phones retrieved from his home showed images of Shelley's naked, dead body with the words: "My sex slave" written on her. Another video showed a nude body that had been bound. Griffith provided vile commentary describing himself as a "bloodbath artist". The murderer showed no remorse when detectives sat him down in the interview room. He was calm, collected and even smug as he detailed his horrific crimes. He confessed that Susan was killed with a hammer. He then dismembered her body with machine tools, he said. 16 Police divers in the River Aire made several gruesome discoveries Credit: Amazon Prime 16 Human remains belonging to Suzanne and Shelley were found in the water Credit: Amazon Prime Griffiths also claimed he cooked and ate part of her flesh. In one shocking moment, he described eating the flesh of his victims as "part of the magic". He admitted to killing Shelley with a crossbow and dismembering her in the bath. He informed detectives that they would find traces of her body on the cooker in his home. He recalled butchering Suzanne Blamires with a crossbow. After divulging the information, he stopped talking to the cops, letting them know that to become a serial killer, he only needed to kill three people. Investigators quickly started piecing together a sinister motive - Griffith was after notoriety and infamy. He wanted to surpass his idol, serial killer Peter Sutcliffe, the Yorkshire Ripper. In the documentary, his sister says: "He once told me as well that if he couldn't be famous, he would be infamous. And that if I was famous and was more famous than him, he would find me and kill me." Crossbow Cannibal 16 When asked his name in court, Griffiths chillingly said he was the 'Crossbow Cannibal' Credit: Amazon Prime 16 Griffiths was given a whole life order in December 2010 Credit: Amazon Prime When Griffiths first appeared in Bradford Crown Court on June 25, 2010, the room fell into stunned silence. He stood in the dock, unshaven, wearing a grey prison sweatshirt. When asked to confirm his name, he chillingly replied: "I am the Crossbow Cannibal." It was the first time the public heard the nickname, a vile moniker he had clearly chosen for himself, designed to terrify. Griffiths showed no remorse throughout the proceedings. The evidence against him was overwhelming, with CCTV footage and forensic evidence from his flat playing a crucial role. Cops also had the phone video he filmed of himself tormenting Shelley Armitage in the bath, and remains recovered from the River Aire. He once told me as well that if he couldn't be famous, he would be infamous. And that if I was famous and was more famous than him, he would find me and kill me Caroline Griffiths In addition, blood samples from all three women were retrieved from his apartment, which was called a slaughterhouse in the media. He was charged with three counts of murder and pleaded guilty to each one. At his trial, the court heard how he had targeted vulnerable women working in Bradford's red light district, luring them into his home before murdering and dismembering them. In December 2010, Mr Justice Openshaw, sentencing Griffiths to a whole life order, told him: "You are a very dangerous man and in my judgment you should never be released from prison." Griffiths showed no reaction. He stood still and silent, not even looking at the victims' families who sat weeping just metres away. He was sent to Wakefield Prison, among some of Britain's most notorious killers. In November last year, Griffiths was attacked in prison by one of Suzanne Blamires' friends who was also incarcerated. 'Worst fears' 16 Suzanne was from a good family, but turned to drugs and prostitution after falling on hard times Credit: 16 Shelley's family says she was on the verge of turning her life around before the murder Credit: Today, Griffiths' sister only has one question - why. She says: "I just want to ask him why, probably. Why did he do this, and who are you? I'd probably tell him that I loved him as well. People might be shocked to hear that, but he's my brother. My big brother." Christa Ackyord says the attention must always be brought back to Griffiths' victims and their families. She explains: "For their families, they were people that they loved. People that they tried to help. People that they were desperately worried about. And their worst fears came true. "And they ended up meeting a psychopath. A cold-hearted killer who wanted to be famous."

Fury as abuser Chris Brown gets to play Hampden while Kneecap axed from TRNSMT
Fury as abuser Chris Brown gets to play Hampden while Kneecap axed from TRNSMT

Daily Record

time6 hours ago

  • Daily Record

Fury as abuser Chris Brown gets to play Hampden while Kneecap axed from TRNSMT

Chris Brown will perform to thousands of fans at Scotland's national stadium on Tuesday despite his history of assault and domestic violence. Women's groups are furious that convicted domestic abuser Chris Brown will play Hampden – while Irish rappers Kneecap were axed from TRNSMT. R'n'B star Brown, 36, will perform to thousands of fans at Scotland's national stadium on Tuesday despite his history of assault and domestic violence. ‌ In 2009, Brown was sentenced to five years probation and community service for attacking ex Rihanna. The Bajan star was pictured with a split lip after Brown hit her. ‌ The move came after calls by John Swinney to axe the Irish hip hop act, with the First Minister saying the political rhetoric 'crossed the line'. Kneecap band member Mo Chara was charged with a terror offence over allegedly displaying a Hezbollah flag at a gig in London last November. Jenni Snell, CEO of Scotland's Young Women's Movement, said: 'It is deeply disappointing that performers with histories of violence against women are able to play major, national venues like Hampden Park. 'With the recent context of Kneecap being dropped by TRNSMT following controversy sparked by a political campaign against them, we are forced to question why a known domestic abuser playing a major Glasgow venue has not generated any controversy whatsoever. ‌ 'When you consider TRNSMT and Chris Brown's UK tour are run by the same promoter, it's only right these double standards are scrutinised.' Scots promoter DF Concerts –behind next month's TRNSMT festival in Glasgow Green – is a subsidiary of Live Nation which is organising Brown's tour. The singer has been able to continue performing despite appearing in court this month over an alleged bottle attack against a man at a London nightclub in 2023. ‌ Brown has pleaded not guilty and was freed on conditional bail. Domestic abuse charity Glasgow Women's Aid accused the entertainment industry of repeatedly 'turning a blind eye' to violence against women. The group said: 'Kneecap were recently removed from a UK festival line-up because of political views. They were deemed too controversial and dropped from the bill. Yet artists accused of repeated violence against women continue to tour, headline and profit with little pushback. ‌ 'Promoters, venues and sponsors claim to stand against violence against women but continue to hand a mic to men who harm.' Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community! Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today. You'll receive daily updates on breaking news as well as the top headlines across Scotland. No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team. All you have to do is click here if you're on mobile, select 'Join Community' and you're in! If you're on a desktop, simply scan the QR code above with your phone and click 'Join Community'. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice. Male Allies Challenging Sexism (MACS), which has been running its #NoAbusersOnStage campaign since 2023, said: 'Chris Brown's booking at Hampden underlines how accepted male violence against women is in our society. ‌ "Within the music industry and the general public the vast majority of people won't care enough about Chris Brown being a violent abuser. Promoters and venues will be more interested in making money and his fans will care more about his music than his 'past actions'." Snell added: 'We're currently seeing a rise in sexism across society, driven by misogynistic influencers, celebrities and politicians in an increasingly vitriolic landscape… ‌ 'We need to be mindful of the message we send to young women about how they are valued in society when domestic abusers are celebrated, and of the message this sends to young men too.' Glasgow City Council said its role is to 'ensure events are safe and properly organised', adding: 'Any issues in relation to an act performing at an event are a matter for the promoter of the event.' DF Concerts, Brown and Kneecap were contacted for comment.

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