Latest news with #AliceWilliams
Yahoo
06-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Stingers repeat Paris water polo success against USA
The Australian women's water polo team have inflicted more pain on the USA with another penalty shootout win over their Olympic rivals in Perth. With former skipper and three-time Olympian Zoe Arancini announcing her retirement, the Stingers opened the Tri Nations series in style. Playing their first match at home since winning silver at the Paris Olympics, the Australians posted a thrilling win after the scores were locked at 8-8 at the end of regulation time. In Paris the Stingers downed the three-time Olympic champions in the semi-finals in a dramatic penalty shoot-out after the scores were also 8-8 at fulltime. After some huge saves in their latest shoot-out by goalkeepers Gabi Palm and Gen Longman, fellow Olympian Alice Williams slotted the winning goal. Williams was everywhere, opening the scoring for Australia after converting a penalty, while she also found the back of the cage in the dying seconds of the first quarter to level the scores 2-2. The Aussies added another two goals to their haul in the second quarter, courtesy of Abby Andrews and Olivia Mitchell. In the third, a buzzer-beater goal from Dani Jackovich put the hosts back in it, trailing by one at the three-quarter time break. Williams scored another in the fourth quarter, with Jakovich again nailing her shot in the final minutes to draw level at 8-8. For proud veteran Bronte Halligan, it was a case of deja vu. "An 8-8 score and then to go into irony wasn't lost on me. Almost 12 months ago we had the exact same score in the semi-final against them at the Olympics," Halligan said. "It was just a true dedication to the hard work the girls have put in all year and it was really exciting for our first official home game (this cycle) on home soil to come up with a big win in penalties." Meanwhile, Arancini, who isn't playing in the series, confirmed her retirement from the international stage after a 16-year career. Arancini made her debut for the Aussie Stingers in 2009 and went on to amass 330 international caps and played in the Rio, Tokyo and Paris Games. Having achieved podium success at every major international competition in world water polo, Arancini said the timing felt right to step away. "I've done this for 16 years now, and to finish on such an amazing note at Paris 2024 is pretty special," Arancini said. "I'm ready for the next chapter of my life… I know it's the right decision because I'm happy, I'm content, and it's my choice. "I'm immensely proud of what we've achieved, and I'm so excited for the next generation to step in." The Australians next face Italy on Sunday in Perth as the teams gear up for the world aquatic championships in Singapore next month.
Sky News
27-06-2025
- Sky News
'Atrocity not accident': Families of pedestrians killed by drivers running red lights speak out
On the wall of her family's living room, there is a large framed photograph of Alice Williams on the day of her first communion. It's a short walk from that family home to Alice's grave. "On her headstone, we've put 'joyful, creative, gentle, kind, bright, loving' because those are the things that we want the world to know about Alice," her mother Clare tells Sky News. "We don't want them to look at that headstone and think, 'Oh, she only got to nine, I wonder why', because then her killer has overwritten everything she was. And it's not fair." Alice's killer was 55-year-old Qadeer Hussain who, on a Saturday morning, failed to stop at a red light in Halifax, West Yorkshire, as she was crossing with her mother and brother. "In front of our eyes he ploughed into her, massively fast, and he carried her off on his wing mirror," she recalls. "I've just got this very clear image of her being swept off her feet and then she tumbled off and, by the time I got to her, it was almost like she was gone." In May, Hussain was jailed for eight years for causing Alice's death by dangerous driving. Her parents have chosen to speak publicly to highlight the deadly consequences of drivers running red lights. Her dad Chris says: "It seems bizarre that you would take any risks at all in breaking the law in order to get somewhere slightly faster." "The real risk isn't being caught. It's actually killing somebody," Clare adds. "He's quite gratuitously killed my child. He slaughtered her in the street for nothing, for no reason at all. "He battered her to death and any adult should know that when you speed through a pedestrian crossing, there is a risk that you could do that." 1:29 A lack of red light cameras A Sky News investigation has found that fewer than 1.5% of traffic lights in the UK have red light cameras monitoring them. Of the 157 local authorities who responded to our request for data or who directed us to their local police forces, many reported no working red light cameras at all. There are only five in all of Scotland. In West Northamptonshire, the cameras were switched off in 2011 and, in London and Greater Manchester, fewer than 4% of traffic lights have a red light camera. In Greater Manchester, we also witnessed drivers routinely running red lights at a number of junctions. Police increasingly rely on dash cam footage submitted by other motorists to take action against drivers who run red lights. The initiative, called Operation Snap, operates nationwide. Inspector Bradley Ormesher, of Greater Manchester Police, says: "Everyone knows police can't be everywhere, but a lot of motorists now have dash cams, so effectively they are assisting us in delivering road safety messages. We've seen a big increase in submissions. "There is a bigger picture to everything and just saving a couple seconds by jumping a red light, you're not thinking about wider society, are you?" Pat Grace was on her way to clean her local church in Oxfordshire when she was struck and killed by a heavy goods vehicle that failed to stop at a red light on a pedestrian crossing. The driver Dariusz Meczynski fled the country. He was extradited back to the UK and jailed for three years for causing the 74-year-old's death by dangerous driving. Pat's son Oliver says: "The driver wasn't distracted just for a second, it was a substantial period of time while he was driving a heavy goods vehicle through a village at 9am. It couldn't be much worse. "It could have been a crocodile of schoolchildren crossing the road and he wouldn't have seen them because he wasn't looking. "The chances of being caught are so few and far between. I think there should be cameras on all red lights so there is less chance of getting away with it." Dash cams could help Oliver and Alice's family are encouraging all drivers to install dash cams. "We bought a dash cam after this happened," says Clare. "And we've reported four people who went through red lights, and three of them got warnings. "That is essential because they're going about thinking they're invisible and they're not accountable but actually when they get a warning, hopefully they'll think again. "It's really opened my eyes to how unprotected we are." She adds: "We were doing everything we could have done to stay safe. But the only thing that was keeping us safe was a red light bulb and the presumption of goodwill from drivers. "And I feel like this is being treated dismissively as if it's an accident when actually it was it was a pure atrocity." Red light cameras have since been installed at the crossing where Alice died. "I'm glad they're there," Clare says. "Now they've got the cameras and it's cost whatever they would have cost - plus her life, a lifetime of grief, and all the ripple effects that come from a life without Alice in it. "She filled our lives with light. She was innocent. She was happy. She loved dancing. She loved singing. She loved us. We just can't live without her."
Yahoo
28-02-2025
- Yahoo
Man told he faces jail over crash death of girl, 9
A man has been warned he faces jail after pleading guilty to causing the death by dangerous driving of a nine-year-old girl. Alice Williams died in hospital three days after Qadeer Hussain struck her on a pedestrian crossing as he was driving a Vauxhall Corsa down King Cross Street in Halifax on 8 July 2023, Bradford Crown Court heard on Friday. After his plea, Judge Sophie McKone imposed an interim driving ban on Hussain, who the court was told had no previous convictions, and ordered the preparation of a pre-sentence report. Granting him bail until a sentence hearing on 2 May, the judge told Hussain, 55, of Essex Street, Halifax, he faced an inevitable prison sentence for the offence. Soheil Khan, Hussain's barrister, said his client "knows the tragedy in which his actions ended will mean an immediate custodial sentence". Following Alice's death, her family issued a statement describing her as "a bright, loving and beautiful girl who brought joy every day to family and friends". She was described by her school's headteacher as a girl who was "gentle, kind-hearted and full of smiles". Listen to highlights from West Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North or tell us a story you think we should be covering here. Man charged over crash death of nine-year-old girl HM Courts and Tribunals Service
Yahoo
31-01-2025
- Yahoo
Man in court accused of causing girl's crash death
A man charged with causing the death of a nine-year-old girl in a crash in Halifax has appeared in court. Alice Williams was with her family on King Cross Street when she was hit by a car on 8 July 2023. She was critically injured and died in hospital three days later. Qadeer Hussain, 55, has been charged with causing death by dangerous driving. Mr Hussain, of Essex Street in Halifax, was released on conditional bail and is scheduled to appear at Bradford Crown Court on 28 February. Listen to highlights from West Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North or tell us a story you think we should be covering here. Man charged over crash death of nine-year-old girl West Yorkshire Police
