Latest news with #Gemmell
Scottish Sun
01-07-2025
- Scottish Sun
Shock moment young girl, 9, filmed driving car barefoot through Scots village
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) A WOMAN allowed a nine-year-old girl to drive through a village in a rain storm. Sophie-Leigh Gemmell, 32, admitted culpable and reckless conduct after footage emerged of the incident in Crimond, Aberdeenshire. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 4 The nine-year-old was videoed behind the wheel of the car 4 The girl was driving the car barefoot and during bad weather last July 4 The footage was shared on social media The young girl, now 10, was driving the car barefoot and in bad weather in July last year. Gemmell, from Crimond, can be heard cheering during the video while she blared the Sugababes tune Round Round. At Peterhead Sheriff Court on Monday, she admitted the offence and will be sentenced next month. The charge read that 'On 10 July 2024, you did culpably and recklessly, and with utter disregard for the consequences, allow a child, then aged 9, to drive on a public road in poor weather and barefoot.' The charge added this was to the danger of the public and the child, who can't be named to protect her identity. The kid was using the vehicle's indicators and driving through village streets in rainy night-time conditions. Gemmell can be heard cheering in the clip and offering driving advice to the youngster as music plays loudly. A video of the incident, which lasted about a minute, was seen on social media. It showed the child driving in the dark, using the wipers and indicators and peering over the steering wheel. Sentence was deferred by Sheriff Annella Cowan to obtain a criminal justice social work report on Gemmell, who declined to comment as she left court. 4 Sophie-Leigh Gemmell admitted culpable and reckless conduct In Scotland, a child can apply for a provisional driving license at 15 years and 9 months old but they are not allowed to drive a car on public roads until they are 17. Children must use a car seat until they are 12 years old or 4ft 4in tall - whichever comes first.
The South African
01-07-2025
- Business
- The South African
Ultra-luxury lands in Rosebank with new 31-room boutique hotel
The Hyatt Hotels Corporation has officially opened the doors to Park Hyatt Johannesburg, marking the brand's third location in Africa -and its most intimate yet. According to BusinessTech , the 31-room hotel, developed in partnership with private equity firm Millat Group, sits in the heart of Rosebank, one of Johannesburg's most vibrant and stylish neighbourhoods. This move brings the brand's signature blend of understated elegance and personalised luxury to South Africa's commercial hub. While small in size, the new Park Hyatt doesn't hold back on ambition. Designed to feel more like a sophisticated residence than a hotel, the space leans into refined aesthetics, immersive art, and warm, attentive service. 'We are extremely proud to open Park Hyatt Johannesburg, extending the legacy of the Park Hyatt brand to Rosebank,' Mitch Gemmell, general manager, Park Hyatt Johannesburg, said, as per BusinessTech . 'Our team is dedicated to offering deeply personalised service and thoughtfully curated experiences, delivered with meticulous attention to detail and the essence of modern luxury hospitality in every interaction.' Gemmell also added. Each of the 31 guestrooms and suites features king-size beds, floor-to-ceiling windows, and elegant finishes, bringing in both natural light and a sense of calm, all within one of the city's busiest districts. Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1 Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.
Daily Mirror
30-06-2025
- Daily Mirror
Woman admits letting child under 10 drive car barefoot through dark village
Sophie-Leigh Gemmell, 32, from Crimond, Aberdeenshire, let a child under 10 drive a motor vehicle as she was seen peering over the steering wheel as music played in the background A woman let a girl under 10 drive a car barefoot through a village, a court has heard. Sophie-Leigh Gemmell, 32, admitted to culpable and reckless conduct after footage emerged of the girl driving the car in Crimond, Aberdeenshire. The girl had been driving barefoot and in bad weather on July 10 last year. Gemmell's sentence at Peterhead Sheriff Court was deferred for reports until next month. She admitted culpably and recklessly, and with utter disregard for the consequences, letting a child drive a motor vehicle on a public road in poor weather and barefoot to the danger of others - particularly the child. A clip of the child driving, which was about a minute long, was uploaded to social media. The video showed the child driving while dark and using wipers and indicators as she peered over the steering wheel. As the clip played, music such as the Sugababes was heard during one section. In the clip, Gemmell was heard cheering. The sentence was deferred by Sheriff Annella Cowan in order to obtain a criminal justice social work report on Gemmell, from Crimond, according to the BBC. There have been other incidents in the UK where children have driven vehicles that have resulted in police taking action. A 12-year-old was accused of stealing a BMW X5 with a holiday caravan attached before taking it on a 40-mile joyride. The boy was allegedly spotted by police after driving some distance and reaching the London-bound at Garforth, outside Leeds. Police following the young man said, despite the long drive, he was barely able to see over the wheel of the car. He was due to appear at Harrogate Magistrates' Court earlier this month on Friday, March 14. But he failed to turn up for court appearance, and police were forced to issue an arrest warrant before embarking on a countrywide manhunt. A spokesperson for the court previously said in a statement that the then 11-year-old was due to appear in court on charges of theft of a motor vehicle, driving it dangerously and handling stolen goods.
Metro
30-06-2025
- Metro
Child drove through Scottish village barefoot listening to Sugababes
A woman has admitted reckless conduct after she allowed a girl under 10 to drive her car through a small Scottish village. 32-year-old Sophie-Leigh Gemmell let the girl drive barefoot and in bad weather on July 10 last year in Crimond, Aberdeenshire. Footage of the incident was shown in Peterhead Sheriff Court, where Gemmell was heard cheering her on. At one point, the Sugababes were heard playing as the child used wipers, indicators and steered the vehicle. Gemmell has been deferred for reports until next month, but admitted culpably and recklessly, with utter disregard for the consequences, allowing a child to drive a motor vehicle on a public road. Sheriff Annella Cowan is working to get a criminal justice social work report on Gemmell. Her sentence has been deferred until the report is done. The village has a population of just 870 people as of 2020, and is roughly 35 miles north of Aberdeen. In May, a seven-year-old boy was grounded 'for the rest of his life' after stealing his mum's car and driving his sister to McDonald's. The boy, who hasn't been named, went for the early morning joyride with his sibling after the pair wanted a Happy Meal, their mum said. They were caught by police just after 8 am on April 27 after officers received reports of 'reckless driving' in Ogden, a city in northern Utah, US. According to broadcaster ABC4, the child set off from their family home in Clearfield earlier that morning before crashing into a road verge on 40th Street, around nine miles away. More Trending Both of the children were unharmed in the crash. Whitney Bush told the television station she had no idea about her children's joyride until police knocked on her door to tell her what had happened. She said: 'I absolutely had my heart in my stomach… I had no idea what was going on, I was being told different stories of what was happening.' She added she was impressed her son got that far and was wearing a seatbelt but did not condone his actions. Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@ For more stories like this, check our news page. MORE: Body found in search for 15-year-old paddleboarder missing on Scottish loch MORE: I won't risk my safety by seeing Charli XCX at Glastonbury 2025 MORE: Man stabbed 'caring' mum of two 27 times in 'calculated' attack
The National
13-06-2025
- Entertainment
- The National
Martin Compston joins stars backing statue of Lisbon Lion in home town
The Tommy Gemmell Community Project is raising funds for a bronze statue of the footballing icon to be placed in his hometown. Gemmell scored the first goal in Celtic's 1967 victory, which secured the team affectionately known as the Lisbon Lions the title of champions of Europe. The statue would be placed in Craigneuk, where he grew up and lived when he first signed for Celtic at the age of 16. His family, including his widow, Mary Gemmell, are part of the project, and she told The Glasgow Times how "important" it is to have the "special" man honoured there. Tommy Gemmell won the European Cup with Celtic(Image: SNS Images) Scottish actor and proud Celtic fan Martin Compston has given his support to the bid for the statue, describing Tommy as "one of Scotland's greatest ever players" and also "one of our greatest characters too." His support is joined by fellow actor Tony Roper, who shared a touching tribute to Tommy while sharing a story about him having hidden talents. Roper tells the tale of being in Barcelona with their partners and going to an Argentinian steakhouse. After eating, they're treated to entertainment from Argentinian Tango dancers who dazzle them with a complicated routine. Once they're finished, he explains that Gemmell got up to dance with Roper's wife, Isabella, who had been a dancer for most of her life. Gemmell then perfectly executed the technical dance routine, and Roper said, "he was sensational". Roper finishes his story with a plea: "If you don't think a world-class footballer, who could do the Argentinian tango perfectly without breaking his partner's feet and also came from Craigneuk, doesn't deserve a statue there, I don't know what you need to do?" A long list of Celtic legends, including John Hartson, James Forrest, and Daizen Maeda have supported the cause. John Hartson spoke of the "wonderful man" and "great player" and how he was "privileged to meet him a few times". Forrest and Maeda were videoed in their cars with t-shirts created by the project, which read "Lisbon 1967 Gemmell Craigneuk", and both shared the message 'support the Tommy Gemmell Community Project". Gemmell's widow Mary said: "The statue is the main focus right now, but the idea behind it being a community project is that we want it to be so much more than a statue. "Tommy was so proud of where he came from and was such a believer in helping people however he could – he went to every charity event he could. "So to have his legacy be helping the whole community would be special for such a special man." Mary Gemmell with some of the community project team (Image: Supplied) The initial target would see the statue made by world-famous sculptor Andy Edwards. His work includes statues of the Beatles and football legends like Sir Alex Ferguson, Brian Clough, and Peter Taylor. Further money raised would go towards helping the Craigneuk community. The team project has a few events lined up, with a dinner dubbed an evening with John Hartson and special guests at Dalziel Park Hotel on August 15, and a golf day organised for September 5th.
