Cheshire woman's death leaves huge hole in family's life
"Her loss will forever leave a huge hole in our lives and she will never be forgotten," he family said in a statement."Anybody who knew Judy would know how she would always be the first to help any loved one, friend or neighbour with anything they required, no matter how large or small."Her kind heart and nurturing nature is the reason why she is leaving behind so many loved ones, friends and family members."They said she dedicated her life to a career in optometry, and was passionate about improving the quality of eye care.She was instrumental in training thousands of optometrists throughout her career, they added."Words cannot truly capture the devastating loss that we as her family and friends are currently experiencing, as we all know we have lost a very special soul."An investigation into the incident is under way, police said.
Chief fire officer Alex Waller said: "We are all shocked and deeply saddened by this incident and thoughts of everyone at Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service are with her loved ones at this incredibly difficult time."We are co-operating fully with Cheshire Police as they investigate the circumstances surrounding the collision, and it would not be appropriate to comment further at this time."
Read more Cheshire stories from the BBC and follow BBC Stoke & Staffordshire on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.
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Rhyl Journal
3 hours ago
- Rhyl Journal
BBC director-general was at Glastonbury during Bob Vylan performance
It is understood Tim Davie was on a visit to meet staff at the Somerset music event on Saturday afternoon and was informed after Bobby Vylan, one half of the British rap punk duo, led his audience in chants that also included 'Free, free Palestine'. The performance at the West Holts Stage was livestreamed by the BBC but the organisation later expressed regret for not stopping its broadcast of the 'unacceptable' set. A BBC spokesperson said: 'The director-general was informed of the incident after the performance and at that point he was clear it should not feature in any other Glastonbury coverage.' The news of Mr Davie's presence at the festival comes as the Chief Rabbi Sir Ephraim Mirvis berated the BBC for what he called 'the airing of vile Jew-hatred' and the broadcaster's 'belated and mishandled response'. The corporation has faced strong criticism for continuing to livestream the performance on iPlayer with on-screen warnings about discriminatory language. Broadcasting regulator Ofcom saying it was 'very concerned' by the decision and the Culture Secretary claimed the issue should have been foreseeable and constituted 'a problem of leadership' for the BBC. In a post on X, Sir Ephraim wrote: 'This is a time of national shame. 'The airing of vile Jew-hatred at Glastonbury and the BBC's belated and mishandled response, brings confidence in our national broadcaster's ability to treat antisemitism seriously to a new low. 'It should trouble all decent people that now, one need only couch their outright incitement to violence and hatred as edgy political commentary, for ordinary people to not only fail to see it for what it is, but also to cheer it, chant it and celebrate it. 'Toxic Jew-hatred is a threat to our entire society.' Irish rap trio Kneecap, including member Liam Og O hAnnaidh who appeared in court earlier this month charged with a terror offence, took to the stage directly after Bob Vylan and led chants of 'Free Palestine'. On Monday, Avon and Somerset Police said it had launched a probe into both performances after reviewing video footage and audio recordings, with a senior detective appointed to lead the investigation. A police spokesman said: 'This has been recorded as a public order incident at this time while our inquiries are at an early stage. 'The investigation will be evidence-led and will closely consider all appropriate legislation, including relating to hate crimes.' In a statement on Monday, the BBC said: 'Millions of people tuned in to enjoy Glastonbury this weekend across the BBC's output but one performance within our livestreams included comments that were deeply offensive. 'The BBC respects freedom of expression but stands firmly against incitement to violence. 'The antisemitic sentiments expressed by Bob Vylan were utterly unacceptable and have no place on our airwaves. 'We welcome Glastonbury's condemnation of the performance. 'The performance was part of a livestream of the West Holts stage on BBC iPlayer. 'The judgment on Saturday to issue a warning on screen while streaming online was in line with our editorial guidelines. 'In addition, we took the decision not to make the performance available on demand. 'The team were dealing with a live situation, but with hindsight we should have pulled the stream during the performance. We regret this did not happen.' US deputy secretary of state Christopher Landau announced that Bob Vylan's US visas had been revoked due to 'their hateful tirade at Glastonbury', with the duo scheduled to tour in Chicago, Brooklyn and Philadelphia in October. Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy told the Commons on Monday the Government was 'exasperated' with the 'lack of account from the leadership' at the BBC. Ms Nandy said the incident at Worthy Farm had raised 'very, very serious questions at the highest levels of the BBC about the operational oversight and the way in which editorial standards are understood', adding that she wanted to see 'rapid action' from the broadcaster. Cabinet minister Jonathan Reynolds said the scenes at Glastonbury raised wider concerns about society. He told BBC Radio 4's Today: 'There are some lessons, I think, for broadcasters from this, but let's also not shy away from the issue, which is people in a crowd glorifying violence. 'I don't think it's something we'd associate with any music festival, but it's a wider societal problem.' He added:'It's possible, I think, to be completely concerned by the scenes in Gaza and not stray into the kind of behaviour and endorsement that we saw with that performance. 'And I'm deeply shocked to be honest, that people would even not realise what I think they're participating in when they do that.' Glastonbury Festival organisers also condemned Bob Vylan's chants, saying it was 'appalled' by what was said on stage, adding 'there is no place at Glastonbury for antisemitism, hate speech or incitement to violence'. Bob Vylan formed in Ipswich in 2017 and have released four albums addressing issues such as racism, masculinity and class. Bobby Vylan is the stage name of Pascal Robinson-Foster, 34, according to reports. His bandmate drummer uses the alias Bobbie Vylan. In a statement posted to Instagram, he said: 'Teaching our children to speak up for the change they want and need is the only way that we make this world a better place. 'As we grow older and our fire starts to possibly dim under the suffocation of adult life and all its responsibilities, it is incredibly important that we encourage and inspire future generations to pick up the torch that was passed to us.'
The Guardian
3 hours ago
- The Guardian
BBC chief faces questions over failure to pull live stream of Bob Vylan IDF chant
The BBC's director general is facing questions over why he did not pull the live-stream footage of Bob Vylan after being informed during a visit to Glastonbury of the chants calling for the death of Israeli soldiers. Tim Davie, who has led the BBC for nearly five years, was told of the chanting of 'death, death to the IDF [Israel Defense Forces]' by Bob Vylan's vocalist after it had been broadcast live on the BBC on Saturday afternoon. He was at the festival in Somerset on a visit to meet presenters and production staff when he was told that the chanting had been aired. 'At that point he was clear it should not feature in any other Glastonbury coverage,' a BBC spokesperson said. The decision was taken that the footage of Bob Vylan would not be made available on the broadcaster's on-demand service. But the live stream of the West Holts stage where Bob Vylan performed continued to be aired for a number of hours after the incident, allowing anyone watching the broadcast live to rewind it. The band put out a statement on Tuesday saying they were 'not for the death of Jews, Arabs or any other race or group'. In an Instagram post they said: 'Today a good many people would have you believe a punk band is the number one threat to world peace. Last week it was a Palestine pressure group, the week before that it was another band. 'We are not for the death of Jews, Arabs or any other race or group of people. We are for the dismantling of a violent military machine. A machine whose own soldiers were told to use unnecessary lethal force against innocent civilians waiting for aid. A machine that has destroyed much of Gaza. 'We, like those in the spotlight before us, are not the story. We are a distraction from the story and whatever sanctions we receive will be a distraction.' The Irish rap trio Kneecap, including the member Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh, who appeared in court earlier this month charged with a terror offence, took to the stage directly after Bob Vylan and led chants of 'Free Palestine'. Their performance was not livestreamed. The BBC did not offer any explanation for the decision made after consultation with Davie. The broadcaster has already issued an apology on behalf of its staff running the live operations for failing to pull away from the performance of Bob Vylan during the chanting, describing the scenes as 'utterly unacceptable'. A BBC spokesperson said: 'The director general was informed of the incident after the performance and at that point he was clear it should not feature in any other Glastonbury coverage.' Sir Ephraim Mirvis, the chief rabbi, said the incident was a 'national shame'. He wrote on X: 'The airing of vile Jew-hatred at Glastonbury and the BBC's belated and mishandled response, brings confidence in our national broadcaster's ability to treat antisemitism seriously to a new low. 'It should trouble all decent people that now, one need only couch their outright incitement to violence and hatred as edgy political commentary, for ordinary people to not only fail to see it for what it is, but also to cheer it, chant it and celebrate it. Toxic Jew-hatred is a threat to our entire society.' Avon and Somerset police said on Monday they had launched an investigation into both performances after reviewing video footage and audio recordings. A senior detective has been appointed to lead the investigation. A police spokesperson said: 'This has been recorded as a public order incident at this time while our inquiries are at an early stage. 'The investigation will be evidence-led and will closely consider all appropriate legislation, including relating to hate crimes.' Jonathan Reynolds, the business secretary, said he had been shocked by the behaviour of some at the festival. He told BBC Radio 4's Today: 'There are some lessons, I think, for broadcasters from this, but let's also not shy away from the issue, which is people in a crowd glorifying violence. 'I don't think it's something we'd associate with any music festival, but it's a wider societal problem. 'It's possible, I think, to be completely concerned by the scenes in Gaza and not stray into the kind of behaviour and endorsement that we saw with that performance. 'And I'm deeply shocked to be honest, that people would even not realise what I think they're participating in when they do that.' Writing on Instagram, Pascal Robinson-Foster, who performs under the name Bob Vylan, wrote: 'Teaching our children to speak up for the change they want and need is the only way that we make this world a better place … 'Let us display to them loudly and visibly the right thing to when we want and need change. Let them see us marching in the streets, campaigning on ground level, organising online and shouting about it on any and every stage that we are offered.' The band is due to perform on 5 and 6 July at Victoria Warehouse in Manchester. The Jewish Representative Council of Greater Manchester & Region has urged the venue to call off the show. A Greater Manchester police spokesperson said: 'We are aware that Bob Vylan will be performing in Manchester at the weekend. 'Greater Manchester is famous for promoting music of all genres and we welcome all artists to our region. However, we will act immediately on any reports of commentary or actions that could be breaking the law.'
Daily Mail
5 hours ago
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE Prosecutors are looking at charging serial killer nurse Lucy Letby with MORE baby murders
Detectives investigating child killer Lucy Letby have passed a file of evidence to prosecutors alleging she murdered and harmed more babies. The Mail understands there are more than a dozen potential offences included in the file, which the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) last night confirmed would be examined to see whether she should be charged with more crimes. That process is expected to take several weeks and involve consultation with the most senior legal brains in the country, including Stephen Parkinson, the director of public prosecutions, and Lord Richard Hermer KC, the Attorney General. The news emerged hours after Cheshire Police confirmed it had arrested three senior executives who worked at the Countess of Chester Hospital, where Letby carried out her 13-month killing spree, on suspicion of gross negligence manslaughter. The unnamed managers were quizzed at separate police stations in Cheshire for several hours before being bailed pending further enquiries on Monday. Their arrests form part of Cheshire Constabulary's parallel investigation into corporate manslaughter at the NHS Trust, but it is understood that prosecutors have not yet been asked to offer advice in connection with that second inquiry. Letby, 35, is currently serving 15 whole life terms for the murder of seven babies and attempted murder of seven more - one of whom she attacked twice - at the hospital's neo-natal unit, between June 2015 and June 2016. In December, Cheshire police confirmed that the serial killer had been questioned in prison in connection with more murders and attempted murders at both the Countess of Chester Hospital and Liverpool Women's Hospital, where she underwent two periods of training. Police are examining 4,000 babies Letby cared for between January 2012 and July 2016 The Trial of Lucy Letby: The Inquiry Listen and follow on Spotify and Apple Podcasts now. As part of their ongoing inquiry, codenamed Operation Hummingbird, detectives have been examining the cases of 4,000 infants she cared for during the 'footprint' of her nursing career, which dates back to January 2012, and includes two student placements she undertook at the Liverpool Trust, in 2012 and 2015. However, the handing over of evidence to the CPS is a significant milestone in their investigation. A spokesman for the CPS said: 'We can confirm that we have received a full file of evidence from Cheshire Constabulary asking us to consider further allegations in relation to deaths and non-fatal collapses of babies at the Countess of Chester Hospital and Liverpool Women's Hospital. 'We will now carefully consider the evidence to determine whether any further criminal charges should be brought. 'As always, we will make that decision independently, based on the evidence and in line with our legal test.' According to an independent report, leaked to the Mail's Trial+ podcast, Letby was on duty, or had been working the shift prior, for 12 of 13 baby deaths that occurred at the Countess between April 2015 and July 2016. In November, Dr Stephen Brearey, the senior paediatrician on the hospital's neo-natal unit, told the public inquiry investigating Letby's crimes that he believed she 'likely' murdered or attacked more babies before she killed her first victim, a premature twin boy known as Baby A, in June 2015. He said, looking back, he now had suspicions about other deaths and collapses, which at the time staff believed were due to natural causes. Dr Rachel Lambie, who worked as a registrar at the Countess, also told the Thirlwall Inquiry that around a fortnight before Baby A died another 'very, very unusual event' occurred on the ward. Although she didn't go into detail, the medic confirmed she has since given a statement to detectives about the incident. During the hearings, at Liverpool Town Hall, it also emerged that babies' breathing tubes became dislodged on 40 per cent of shifts Letby worked at Liverpool Women's Hospital, between October and December 2012, and January and February 2015. According to the BBC, babies suffered potentially life-threatening incidents on almost a third of the 33 shifts she was on duty while training at the Trust. In one case, from November 2012, a baby boy she was caring for collapsed and water was later discovered in his breathing tube, which experts say is highly irregular. Dr Dewi Evans, the former lead prosecution witness at Letby's original trial, also previously told the Mail he had concerns over the deaths of at least three children and the collapses of as many as 15 more, including one potentially poisoned with insulin, all of which were not included on the original indictment. He said he had suspicions that Letby experimented with moving babies' breathing tubes as a method of causing harm before she began injecting air into their bloodstreams, or into their tummies via their nasal feeding tubes in a bid to kill. 'One thing we can be reasonably sure of is that Lucy Letby did not turn up to work one day and decide to inject a baby with air into their bloodstream,' Dr Evans said. 'I think the modus operandi evolved over time and I think that prior to air embolus tube displacement was probably something that she did.' Neonatologist Professor Neena Modi, Letby's barrister Mark McDonald, Sir David Davis MP and retired medic Dr Shoo Lee, during a press conference to announce 'new medical evidence' which they say casts doubts on her convictions The BBC's Panorama programme also claimed to have seen evidence that a baby boy, whose case was not included in the original trial, was potentially poisoned with insulin in November 2015. Letby was convicted of attempting to murder two children on the unit by administering the drug into their drips, in August 2015 and April 2016. Letby, formerly of Hereford, has always maintained her innocence but two applications for leave to appeal her convictions have already been refused by the Court of Appeal. In February her new legal team presented reports from a panel of 14 international experts which, they say, casts doubt on the jury's guilty verdicts. Led by Canadian neonatologist, Dr Shoo Lee, the panel said no murders took place at the Countess and instead babies collapsed or died because of natural causes or poor care. In April, their findings, plus that of another 12 experts, were submitted to the Criminal Cases Review Commission, the body that investigates potential miscarriages of justice. It subsequently confirmed it is examining whether her case should be sent to the Court of Appeal for a third time. A spokesman for Cheshire Police said: 'We can confirm that Cheshire Constabulary has submitted a full file of evidence to the CPS for charging advice regarding the ongoing investigation into deaths and non-fatal collapses of babies at the neo-natal units of both the Countess of Chester Hospital and the Liverpool Women's Hospital as part of Operation Hummingbird.'
