Criccieth man died after getting stuck in mud, inquest told
Witnesses had seen Mr Jones get off a bus at Rhoslan that afternoon and a police search launch.Officers with torches found Mr Jones's body on the ground in the field with a rucksack next to him.A post-mortem examination revealed he had mud up to his knees and on his hands and face, but no other injuries. Further tests revealed he also had bronchial pnuemonia.Given the overnight temperature was about 3C (37F), pathologist Dr Muhammad Zain Mehdi gave the cause of death as pneumonia and hypothermia.Senior Coroner for North West Wales, Kate Robertson, said it seemed on basis of the evidence that Mr Jones became stuck in the mud and was unable to "self-recover and save himself".A conclusion of accidental death was entered.
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The Guardian
8 hours ago
- The Guardian
Australian actor Rebel Wilson sued by production company behind her own film
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Originally conceived as a quirky musical comedy celebrating Australian culture, The Deb was co-produced by AI Film and Camp Sugar, with Wilson directing and starring. But the partnership fractured in mid-2024 when Wilson took to Instagram to accuse fellow producers Amanda Ghost, Gregor Cameron and Vince Holden of alleged embezzlement, sexual misconduct and obstructing the film's release. The allegations, broadcast to Wilson's 11 million followers, were swiftly denied by the producers who began defamation proceedings against Wilson in the Los Angeles superior court last July. In November, the film's lead actor, Charlotte MacInnes, who Wilson claimed was the victim of the alleged sexual misconduct, filed a declaration in the US court stating that Wilson fabricated the claims, describing them as 'completely false and absurd'. The court subsequently threw out Wilson's bid to strike out the defamation suit, not accepting her lawyer's argument that under California's anti-Slapp laws, the accusations she had made against the producers of her The Deb constituted 'protected activity' and were a matter of public interest. That defamation case remains ongoing. After filing its lawsuit in the supreme court's equities division on Thursday, AI Film issued the following statement: 'These proceedings are regrettable but essential to ensure The Deb's timely release. It's a joyous, fun film, and we are sure that audiences are going to love it.' And MacInnes issued a second statement, saying: 'I love this film and I can't wait for it to be released … it would be wonderful if these proceedings can help make that happen.' Wilson's Californian legal team, Freedman Taitelman + Cooley, which is handling the defamation case, did not respond to the Guardian's request for comment. In its lawsuit filed this week, Giles George claims that on 5 January, Wilson's lawyer Bryan Freedman responded to correspondence by AI Film's legal team, saying that 'Wilson is currently in active discussions to outright purchase The Deb (the 'Film') and all associated rights and title'. The Freedman letter also threatened to 'pursue all claims and damages should Al Film or any agents acting on its behalf interfere with that business opportunity'. AI Film is alleging that Wilson's motivation behind her alleged undermining of distribution efforts, including making threats to seek an injunction against the film's release, was personal financial gain. AI Film's lawyers claim that on 6 June 2025, Wilson had a discussion with film distributor Kismet, who was bidding to secure the rights for the theatrical release of The Deb in Australia, during which she said words to the effect that she was supportive of Kismet as the Australian distributor of the film but while there was a legal case involving the film in the US she could not support the film's distribution and would seek an injunction if any attempts to distribute the film were made. Giles George alleges Wilson knew the legal proceedings in the US were not impeding the film's release, and knew the threat of injunction was against her and her company, Camp Sugar's, contractual obligations. But as evidence in Byran Freedman's correspondent to them in January, Wilson was delaying the film's release so that she could pursue the 'business opportunity' of buying all rights to the film outright. AI Film is seeking damages, a formal apology, corrective advertising and a permanent restraint on Wilson and her company making any further disparaging and incorrect claims relating to other companies and individuals involved in the making of The Deb, which have come to been know in legal circles as 'The Wilson Statements'. The best public interest journalism relies on first-hand accounts from people in the know. If you have something to share on this subject you can contact us confidentially using the following methods. Secure Messaging in the Guardian app The Guardian app has a tool to send tips about stories. Messages are end to end encrypted and concealed within the routine activity that every Guardian mobile app performs. This prevents an observer from knowing that you are communicating with us at all, let alone what is being said. If you don't already have the Guardian app, download it (iOS/Android) and go to the menu. Select 'Secure Messaging'. SecureDrop, instant messengers, email, telephone and post See our guide at for alternative methods and the pros and cons of each.
Daily Mail
9 hours ago
- Daily Mail
Accountant who was 'like a daughter' to her generous boss jailed after pocketing over £2.4million from her company to fund gambling addiction and cruise obsession
An accountant who was 'like a daughter' to her boss stole more than £2.4million from the family-run business. Jemma Lewis, who was earning £200k, has been jailed after spending the stolen fortune on gambling, cryptocurrency and luxury holidays. Newport Crown Court heard how Ms Lewis' theft caused one woman to miss out on her pension, a director to leave and another to lose out on his salary. She had worked for the company for over 10 years, starting as a receptionist and eventually qualifying as an accountant. In a victim statment, her boss, James Davies, said Ms Lewis felt like familyand that her crimes has 'affected the lives of countless people'. Ms Lewis committed fraud against five different companies which were inside the same family of companies owned by James Davies. These included Daisy Vale Limited, Charnwood Accounts, Edward Davies Construction and Fastnet Properties Ltd. The financial problems began to arise when the company moved to an online banking system, which showed a substantial and unexplained downturn in profits. In 2023, when suspicions were raised over an increase in third party payments, Ms Lewis officially resigned and a new accountant took over. When she contacted him about her severance payment he noticed a link between her account details and a number of other payments on the account. Alex Orndale, prosecuting said: 'Instead of paying third party people she had been paying herself and disguising them as proper payments.' Between 2018 and 2023 the total payments to her account exceeded £3.6m. Once her salary and other legitimate payments were removed the total was still over £2.4m. Mr Orndal explained that £1.4m of this was sent to known gambling companies but the figure is likely to be higher as it's difficult to identify all gambling companies. She also spent £67,000 on crypto companies and £9,000 on FairFX, a bank where you can pay with different currencies. There was also £3,600 spent on £1,000 on P&O cruises and £1,000 on Jet2Holidays Despite already fraudulently stealing millions from the businesses, Lewis also asked her Mr Davies to lend her £163,000 to help her buy a house but the money was eventually repaid by her mother and brother. Defendant Neil Corre said her gambling addiction, which she has been free of for a year, is to blame. He said: 'She has lost her job, her home and she may lose her liberty, but her moral compass has been restored.' Former director Mark Cotter said in a victim impact statement that the stress on him had led to his GP making him take four to six weeks off work. He added: 'I felt forced to leave the company that I had spent a lot of my life trying to build. 'I'm in disbelief that all of this happened because of Jemma Lewis.' Ms Lewis pleaded guilty to five counts of fraud by abuse of position. Judge Daniel Williams sentenced Lewis to five years in prison, with each charge to run concurrently. He said during sentencing: 'You have been a gambler for years, since you were 18 and long before you were employed by James Davies. Your upbringing was privileged but also blighted by trauma and sadness.'
Telegraph
13 hours ago
- Telegraph
Female showjumper and equestrian ‘sexually abused underage girl at stables'
A female showjumper and an equestrian allegedly sexually abused an underage girl, a court has heard. Lauren Jarvis, 26, and Guy Simmonds, who ran a riding school in Undy, Gwent, are accused of having a threesome with the now 16-year-old schoolgirl last January despite knowing she was below the age of consent. Simmonds allegedly groomed the girl, 'repeatedly' had sex with her in a horse trailer at his stables and called himself 'daddy'. Cardiff Crown Court heard that he had said 'Who am I having first?' before having sex at Jarvis's home with her and the girl. He is accused of six counts of sexual activity with a child. Jarvis, of Newport, faces one charge of sexual activity with a child. Both have denied all charges. The court heard that Simmonds added the girl on Facebook and later sexually touched her in the tack room at his stables, where equestrian equipment was stored. Jurors heard that he later told her: 'You best be able to keep a secret' after leading her to his horse box, fitted with a bed, to have sex. The court heard Simmonds had sex with her on multiple occasions. The victim told police he would become 'aggressive' with her afterwards and left her feeling as though she had done 'something wrong'. She said: 'It was the aggressiveness that got worse. I would think to myself 'You have just done that with me. What have I done wrong?'' The court heard Simmonds and Jarvis carried out a threesome with the victim in Jarvis's home in January last year. In one message read to the court, the girl asked Simmonds what he would make her do and he replied: 'You will both do what daddy says. It will be fun.' The court heard there was a 'clear element of grooming behaviour' from Simmonds and that both defendants had 'no doubt at all' about the victim's age. 'The defendants didn't care about her age when they were planning and engaging in a so-called threesome with the victim,' said James Hartson, the prosecutor. He added that the alarm had been raised when the victim revealed what had happened and her father alerted police. Simmonds later messaged Jarvis saying: 'Hey, I have a feeling that she has said about us. If anyone asks for sake of both of us nothing ever happened that night xx.' Jarvis replied: 'Hey, who's she told? Oh god has she really, what's she trying to do, make our lives hell? Of course I will xx.' Simmonds insisted to police that he had no form of sexual contact with the victim, alleging that the messages regarding the threesome were simply 'banter and a wind-up'. The trial continues.
