Champion jockey Oisin Murphy handed fine and ban after crashing car while drunk
Champion jockey Oisin Murphy was fined £70,000 and banned from driving for 20 months over a drink driving offence. The four-time British champion Flat rider appeared at Reading magistrates court on Thursday where he faced one charge.
Murphy, 29, was involved in a serious road traffic collision in Hermitage, West Berkshire in April this year when a grey Mercedes A Class car left the road and crashed into a tree.
When he stood in the dock at Reading he pleaded guilty to having 66 micrograms of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath. The test was given nearly seven hours after his arrest. A second charge of failing to provide a breath test at the roadside was withdrawn.
He was fined £70,000, ordered to pay a £2,000 surcharge and £85 costs, to be paid by June 31.
His licence was disqualified for 20 months but he will receive a 20 week reduction if he completes a drink driving rehabilitation scheme by August 2026.
Murphy left the court without making comment.
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The National
44 minutes ago
- The National
20 years on from the Gleneagles G8 summit protests
Weeks earlier chancellor Gordon Brown spearheaded an African debt relief programme, 'Make Poverty History'. Protesters travelled to Scotland and established a camp in Stirling. The anti-G8 movement had debuted in Genoa in 2001, ending in extreme violence from Italian police towards protesters sleeping at night. READ MORE: Craig Murray: I've been left questioning real purpose of Alba Party The stakes for participants were high, but as British activist Jay Jordan says: 'In Europe, there is confrontational policing. In the UK, policing is cleverer – the bosses have read their Foucault.' Protest at the time was divided into two main 'blocs', pink and black. The pink bloc used non-confrontational, artistic, musical, mocking and playful approaches to get their message across, while the black bloc would sometimes resort to confrontation, rioting and destruction of buildings. In 2005, I was part of the pink bloc, as a member of a samba band called Rhythms of Resistance based in London. I took my 11-year-old daughter, a drummer in the band, to Scotland. The anti-G8 organisers had hired a train from London to Edinburgh for protesters – 'for about £2000', according to one of the leaders, Amy Stansell. Rhythms of Resistance occupied a carriage. We practised drums while speeding through England. I'd brought a picnic, including a large trifle containing Malibu as well as wild strawberries from my garden. King's Cross station was crammed with police looking wary as excited protesters assembled to get on the train. On the platform, I spied Helen Steel, a defendant in the 'McLibel' court case against McDonald's, the longest running libel trial in British history, in which she was represented by Keir Starmer. As a well-known protester, she had been tricked into having a long-term relationship with an undercover 'spy cop'. Many of the interviewees for this piece are participants in the ongoing Mitting Inquiry into the spy cop scandal. All of them talked about the phenomenon of being infiltrated by undercover police. Mark Kennedy, one of the spy cops, was present in Gleneagles and organised most of the protesters' transport. One Scottish activist, whom I'll call Fraser, said: 'I knew Mark Kennedy quite well. I thought I had some sort of 'spy sense', but I didn't know. I was a bit humbled. All I knew was I didn't like him.' The anti-G8 protest at Gleneagles was well organised. Amy Stansell explains the preparation: 'We moved to Scotland six months before, sofa surfing and staying in communities such as Bilston Glen protest camp.' Amy and her partner Robin spent months trying to find a piece of land where they could set up a convergence camp, which, inspired by a No Borders camp in Schengen, was divided into small local 'barrios' each with a kitchen. The idea was to create a horizontal democracy: 'Providing space for people to meet, network, connect – a safe non-capitalist space, where people can be without having to spend money, where people can dream and have ideas. We wanted to change people's hearts by creating a miniature vision of the world we wanted to see.' Fraser recalls the difficulties that arose when they met with farmers: 'There were a number of sites where we had handshake agreements, we had a site and then … we didn't.' Amy explains: 'We had a big pot, around £5000, for renting some land. We were looking at land, assessing it on the basis of accessibility, of drainage, of water, the flatness. One person intimated that they had been basically pressured not to make a deal with us. 'We'd lost our first two choices due to what we termed at the time 'dark forces'. I remember ringing up the chief executive of Stirling Council at 8pm one night and saying, 'In a few weeks' time, you're gonna have 5000 activists descending on your town, and if there's not anywhere for them to go, they're just going to be around in the town, and it's just going to be really hectic'. READ MORE: Kate Forbes: Bigger-picture switch is proving key in tackling tourism issues 'The next morning, the people at the council who we were liaising with contacted us and said, 'We've got a bit of land for you'.' But the land was not ideal, Amy remembers, 'One of the things that we really worried about was that the site was completely surrounded by a brook. There was one road in and the rest of it was surrounded by a river. We felt a bit like, 'are we in a trap now?'.' Fraser agrees: 'It wasn't what we wanted. There was the danger of getting kettled and the danger of when we got kettled, people jumping in the river.' On July 2, 2005, some 2000 people and the samba band marched through Edinburgh in a carnival atmosphere. The weather was hot; the buildings tall, grand and grey. I played a surdo, a huge drum (in general, the smaller the woman, the bigger the drum) for miles, which was exhausting. Then the band made our way to the camp in Stirling, the nearest large town to Gleneagles. I'd already attended an anarchist anti-G8 camp in Evian in 2003, which was the political equivalent of the Glastonbury Festival. Organised along the barrio system, it had music, workshops, tents, food stalls, activities and meetings. I cooked meals for the camp using donated and waste food from dumpsters for the Manchester barrio kitchen. I blogged at the time: 'Have attended more meetings in a week than ever before in life.' Meetings used hand signals, eg waving hands for agreement (silent clapping). Much of the language started in 1960s protest movements and has since been used in civil rights, Reclaim the Streets, climate camps, anti-globalisation movements and Occupy. Protest hand signals were added to the basic samba vocabulary, as players cannot hear each other. This is also a good way to cross language barriers for international participants. Sister protest samba bands travelled from Belgium, Germany, Holland. The camp was multilingual. I was surprised by the efficiency and organisation of the Stirling convergence camp. There were toilets, food stores and a sophisticated ecological greywater system for wastewater. Kate Evans, a political cartoonist who was present, recalls: 'There was an impromptu Highland Games. I won the caber toss!' We even had a camp witch – an American called Starhawk who cast spells over the campsite to protect it from the police. On Wednesday, July 6, the main day of protest against the Gleneagles summit, many activists walked through the undergrowth overnight, hiding in the heathery hills, to reach Gleneagles. I wrote at the time: 'The call came through at about 5am that the M9 had been taken by us. Big cheer. This was the least likely blockade to succeed. 'By 7am, the A9 was blocked, and many B roads. I was standing next to the medics as they received news: 'Lancaster took the B2499, Nottingham have taken this other road' and so on. It was like the Wars of the Roses!' Starhawk had been doing invisibility spells for the walkers who blockaded the roads. 'I think magic doesn't work in theory, only in practice,' Jay says. I spent the rest of the day on the 'baby bloc', a children's protest convoy headed by a London double-decker red bus (maximum speed 30mph). Once we arrived at the police lines, near Auchterarder, close to the Gleneagles hotel, we set up a 'terrorist toddlers' picnic, which included a sound system, clowns, bubbles, rain, banners, colour and an enormous umbrella under which we played samba. Entertainment was provided also by the Geishas of Gaiety (white-faced, dressed in kimonos and waving fans) and the Radical Cheerleaders, as well as the award-winning poet Kae Tempest (at that time Kate Tempest). The police appeared nonplussed. Jay, who led the Clandestine Insurgent Rebel Clown Army (Circa), which used clowning, satire and absurdity to critique the establishment, remembers with amusement: 'Bored cops were convinced to play a game similar to paper scissors rock, called wizards, goblins, giants. At the end, they couldn't help but laugh and we hugged.' That night in the camp, we were on high alert, blockaded by police. From time to time, people would run about, screaming, 'we are going to be raided'. Others sneaked out slowly, avoiding police lines. On July 7, the morning after the confrontation at Gleneagles, we heard the news – terrorist bombings on public transport in the centre of London. We gathered for a large meeting. People were sombre and concerned. I was holding back tears. My sister lived in King's Cross and I was terrified she'd been caught up in it. Our protest and the Make Poverty History message were wiped off the front pages. As Amy explains: 'That took the attention from us, which is terrible to say but that was our experience. 'We'd put in months of our lives to do this, and no-one noticed, apart from a few delegates who couldn't get to a few meetings. We wanted it to be big news and it wasn't because of the bombing. READ MORE: Pat Kane: The powerful vision of Adam Curtis has an obvious blind spot So, do participants in the 2005 anti-G8 camp at Stirling think protest works? What did they learn? Giovanna Speciale, a music leader in the samba band, reflects: 'The change is us. Politicians are very rarely changed by protesters coming up and saying, 'You should change, you should change your attitude. You're really bad'. 'Protest rarely changes anyone's mind, but it does change what is politically feasible to talk about. 'Nothing changes someone more than having gone out, taken, done an action, got a placard, written on it saying what their attitude is, then showing that to everyone else. There is a massive problem with protest in that often we're othering ourselves, so we make ourselves look different, sound different. 'There is nothing less likely to change a politician's mind than a bunch of people who are clearly outsiders.' Amy says: 'That question actually makes me well up a little bit – that's quite an emotional question. I variously go through phases where I'm just like, 'there's no point', right? It does nothing. Years and years of doing massive protests like the Stop the War march in London and they just still invaded the next day. 'You do all of these massive events and then the only coverage we'd get would be the traffic news. I gave up the whole of my 20s, pretty much, to fight capitalism and be an activist.' Jay says: 'Stirling was the end of a cycle. It was a symbolic victory. Protesters were saying, 'This isn't normal. This isn't democracy.' But there is a burnout culture in activism. I teach regenerative activism now to combat it.' Fraser says of direct action: 'Obviously there is a sort of bravado – of youth or masculinity.' Giovanna adds: 'There were huge amounts of courage and, yes, sacrifice and creativity.' Amy says: 'I don't want to categorise my life in a hierarchy of excitingness, but they definitely were very exciting times. There was a sense of heroism, we're the ones who are standing up. Danger intertwined with righteousness – which is what makes heroism, isn't it?' It is often wondered whether there is really a point to protest, not least by activists themselves. There is little doubt, though, that the Stirling camp and anti-G8 protest at Gleneagles was a deeply meaningful experience for those involved.
Daily Mirror
an hour ago
- Daily Mirror
Pebble Mill at One stars now - from criminal convictions to tragic death
BBC show Pebble Mill at One was an iconic magazine programme that ran throughout the '70s, '80s and '90s - and here's what happened to the original faces of the daytime series They were the familiar faces that lit up Britain's afternoons - the hosts, producers and personalities behind Pebble Mill at One, the BBC's beloved daytime magazine programme that ran from 1972 to 1986. Whether they were interviewing celebrities, dispensing gardening advice or covering human interest stories from the famous foyer of the Birmingham studio, the Pebble Mill team became a fixture of the nation's lunchtime telly. But what happened to the show's stars when the cameras stopped rolling? From telly legends who went on to headline primetime shows, to behind-the-scenes figures who subtly influenced British broadcasting, many continued to leave their mark across radio, film and theatre. Others quietly stepped out of the spotlight - while some faced scandals that shook their public persona. Here, we reminisce about the highs, lows and unexpected twists in the lives of Pebble Mill's most recognisable faces. From gardening guru Marian Foster and broadcasting legend Alan Titchmarsh to the late Donny MacLeod and troubled DJ Dave Lee Travis, here's what unfolded for the faces who once dominated daytime TV. Dave Lee Travis Dave Lee Travis was best known as the host of The Golden Oldie Picture Show and a DJ on BBC Radio 1. However, his career was later marred by legal issues. In 2014, he was found guilty of indecently assaulting a woman working on The Mrs Merton Show in 1995 and was handed a three-month suspended sentence. Though acquitted of several other accusations, the conviction resulted in the presenter's episodes of Top of the Pops being no longer repeated by the BBC. Travis expressed being "mortified" and "really disappointed" by the verdict. Despite the scandal, the now 80-year-old made a comeback to broadcasting. Throughout the years, Travis has presented programmes on various UK radio stations, including periods at Classic Gold, BBC Three Counties Radio, and United DJs Radio. In 2025, he hosts a Sunday morning programme on Heritage Chart Radio. Currently residing in Buckinghamshire with his Swedish wife Marianne, whom he wed in 1971, Travis enjoys photography and vintage automobiles. Jock Gallagher Gallagher began his BBC career in 1966 as a news producer and swiftly climbed the ladder, ultimately leading the Pebble Mill at One. His influence extended beyond the programme's triumph to nurturing celebrated BBC radio productions including The Archers, alongside programmes such as From the Grassroots and Offshore Britons. Following decades of broadcasting service, Gallagher stepped down from the BBC in 2014. He died in May 2025 aged 87 at Worcester Hospital. Former colleagues and admirers paid tribute, with one remembering: "I remember having a conversation with Jock in the late 1980s when I was trying to become a researcher, and fancied working on Radio 4 series." Donny MacLeod Donny was a beloved figure on television, known for his warmth, professionalism, and innovative approach, becoming a staple in homes as the leading presenter of his show and shaping daytime TV for countless viewers. He was one of the original faces of Pebble Mill at One, hosting the show from its beginnings in 1972 until his sudden death in 1984. His career was studded with standout moments, including major BBC specials like MacLeod's Soviet Union and MacLeod's America, and memorable interviews with prominent figures such as Edward Heath, Les Dawson, Terry Wogan, Dame Edna Everage, and Morecambe and Wise. Touching tributes have continued to honour Donny's legacy, with one colleague fondly remembering: "He was kind and ever prepared to lend this novice a helping hand... For 11 years Donny was Pebble Mill at One." Passing away at the young age of 52 from a heart attack, Donny is still deeply missed as a trailblazer in British daytime broadcasting. David Attwood Starting his career as an assistant floor manager, David Attwood climbed the ladder, contributing to series like Out of Town Boys (1978), Keep Smiling (1979), and the BAFTA-winning Boys from the Black Stuff (1982). After completing the BBC Directors course in 1984, he quickly made a name for himself as a director. Attwood's portfolio includes directing All Together Now, Airbase, and the intense thriller Killing Time. He later pursued a freelance career, directing critically acclaimed projects such as Wild West, Fidel, and Stuart: A Life Backwards, which starred Tom Hardy. David sadly died on 21 March 2024 after battling illness. Remembered by peers as a talented and considerate director, David left an indelible mark on British television drama over three decades. Marian Foster A multifaceted broadcaster, Marian Foster was celebrated for her engaging on-screen personality and a deep-rooted passion for horticulture, which became her signature. She broke new ground as one of the original presenters on Top Gear and went on to host gardening segments for BBC Look North after her time at Pebble Mill. Foster boasts an extensive career in radio, having presented shows on BBC Radio 2, Woman's Hour on Radio 4, and currently hosts Garden Mania every Sunday on BBC Radio Newcastle and Radio Tees. A familiar face at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show, she has imparted her horticultural wisdom to audiences for more than three decades. Her diverse work includes documenting the impact of Live Aid in Ethiopia and even sharing the stage with The Who for a rendition of Tommy. In recent times, she has continued her role as a judge for Northumbria in Bloom, been featured by Radio Times, and remains an endearing presence in the North East. Alan Titchmarsh Alan Titchmarsh rose to fame as the beloved presenter of Ground Force and later captivated viewers on ITV's Love Your Garden, affirming his status as one of the nation's favourite gardeners. His natural charm extended beyond the garden, leading him to host various programmes including The Alan Titchmarsh Show, Popstar to Operastar, and Secrets of the National Trust. In 2024, he made waves when North Korean TV censored his jeans, prompting Titchmarsh to quip that it gave him "a bit of street cred". The 76 year old father of two is a prolific author, having penned over 70 books, including best-selling novels, gardening guides, and memoirs. He currently presents a Saturday afternoon programme on Classic FM and continues to write regularly for the press. Now in his mid-70s, he divides his time between his farmhouse in Hampshire and his residence on the Isle of Wight. Titchmarsh was awarded an MBE in the 2000 New Year Honours for his contributions to horticulture and broadcasting, and was later promoted to CBE in the 2025 New Year Honours for his services to horticulture and charity.
Powys County Times
5 hours ago
- Powys County Times
Cooper orders ‘crackdown' on suspected illegal working for delivery apps
Home Secretary Yvette Cooper has ordered a nationwide immigration 'enforcement crackdown' which the Government says will target illegal working in the gig economy. Officers will carry out checks in hotspots across the country where they suspect asylum seekers are working as delivery riders without permission. It comes after Deliveroo, Uber Eats and Just Eat said they would ramp up facial verification and fraud checks over the coming months after conversations with ministers. Last week the shadow home secretary, Chris Philp, claimed in a post on X to have found evidence of people working illegally for the food delivery firms during a visit to a hotel used to house asylum seekers. On Saturday, the Home Office said anyone caught 'flagrantly abusing the system in this way' will face having state support discontinued, whether entitlement to accommodation or payments. 'Strategic, intel-driven activity will bring together officers across the UK and place an increased focus on migrants suspected of working illegally whilst in taxpayer-funded accommodation or receiving financial support,' the Home Office said. 'The law is clear that asylum seekers are only entitled to this support if they would otherwise be destitute.' Businesses who illegally employ people will also face fines of up to £60,000 per worker, director disqualifications and potential prison sentences of up to five years. Asylum seekers in the UK are normally barred from work while their claim is being processed, though permission can be applied for after a year of waiting. It comes as the Government struggles with its pledge to 'smash the gangs' of people-smugglers facilitating small boat crossings in the English Channel, which have reached record levels this year. Some 20,600 people have made the journey so far in 2025, up 52% on the same period in 2024. Ms Cooper said: 'Illegal working undermines honest business and undercuts local wages, the British public will not stand for it and neither will this Government. 'Often those travelling to the UK illegally are sold a lie by the people-smuggling gangs that they will be able to live and work freely in this country, when in reality they end up facing squalid living conditions, minimal pay and inhumane working hours. 'We are surging enforcement action against this pull factor, on top of returning 30,000 people with no right to be here and tightening the law through our Plan for Change.' Home Office director of enforcement, compliance and crime, Eddy Montgomery, said: 'This next step of co-ordinated activity will target those who seek to work illegally in the gig economy and exploit their status in the UK. 'That means if you are found to be working with no legal right to do so, we will use the full force of powers available to us to disrupt and stop this abuse. There will be no place to hide.' Deliveroo has said the firm takes a 'zero tolerance approach' to abuse on the platform and that despite measures put in place over the last year, 'criminals continue to seek new ways to abuse the system'. An Uber Eats spokesperson has said they will continue to invest in tools to detect illegal work and remove fraudulent accounts, while Just Eat says it is committed to strengthening safeguards 'in response to these complex and evolving challenges.' Responding to the announcement, Mr Philp said: 'It shouldn't take a visit to an asylum hotel by me as shadow home secretary to shame the Government into action.' He added: 'The Government should investigate if there is wrongdoing by the delivery platforms and if there is a case to answer, they should be prosecuted. 'This is a very serious issue because illegal working is a pull factor for illegal immigration into the UK – people smugglers actually advertise it.'
