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Daily Mail
30-06-2025
- Daily Mail
Husband is found not guilty of plotting to hire a hitman to kill his estranged wife- after jury heard co-accused spent the money on Benidorm holiday
A husband has been found not guilty of plotting to hire a hitman to kill his estranged wife. Paul Lewis, 54, handed £1,500 to his neighbour Dominique Saunders, 35 to allegedly arrange the killing of his wife Joanne Atkinson-Lewis after they broke up. But Saunders scammed the grandfather by splashing the alleged hitman cash on a sunny holiday to Benidorm. The former friends were accused of conspiracy to murder Lewis's wife with bank records showing he withdrew £1,500 hours before Saunders deposited £1,300 into his own account, Merthyr Tydfil Crown Court heard. But a jury took just over two hours to clear the two men following a week-long trial. Lewis's barrister, John Hipkin KC, said the grandfather was 'vulnerable' due to poor mental health and had been scammed by his neighbour. He added that Saunders had 'simply pushed off to Benidorm with the money'. Saunders's own barrister John Harrison KC said his client never had any intention for Atkinson-Lewis to be harmed. He said all he did was to 'make some internet searches and go on holiday to Benidorm'. Mr Harrison added: 'It has always been a scam, never an agreement and he's trying to get away with fifteen hundred quid.' Police launched an investigation after Lewis confessed to his son that he had 'put a hit' on his ex. Prosecutor William Hughes KC said: 'During a conversation Mr Lewis accepted that he entered into an agreement with Mr Saunders to arrange for his ex-wife to be killed. 'Kieran Lewis asked his father: "Have you put a hit out on Joanne?" 'Mr Lewis apparently broke down crying and nodded at his son acknowledging that he had made such an agreement.' Kieran called the police who uncovered the alleged hitman plot thanks to messages between the two men, who lived in the same block of flats in Swansea. Mr Hughes added: 'Mr Lewis entered into an agreement in which he paid Mr Saunders £1,500 which the prosecution say was a fee to arrange for the killing of Joanne Atkinson-Lewis.' Messages between the duo in the following days showed Lewis repeatedly saying he had given Saunders £1,500 'in good faith' and demanding to 'see the Go Pro'. One message from Saunders read: 'Death becomes her.' The jury was told Lewis later messaged Saunders to say he had 'seen Joanne on Aberavon Prom [beach] and she was ok'. Saunders replied: 'Are you 99 per cent sure?' Lewis said: 'I am 100 per cent sure.' A day later, Lewis messaged his neighbour again saying that he wanted 'her out' but the two later fell out as Lewis believed he had been scammed out of his money. One message from Saunders said: 'You mad or what? How have I scammed you? The bloke got your money to do work. I ain't got a thing, so tell me how I scammed you.' Lewis replied: 'She is still breathing. Your story keeps changing. You said there were pictures on your phone, then it was on the GoPro. 'I've not even seen the pictures, you're a liar.' The two men, both of Swansea, denied conspiracy to commit murder and neither gave evidence in their defence, but they were both cleared by a jury on Monday.


Economic Times
30-06-2025
- Health
- Economic Times
The silent disease affecting millions of men, and 4 powerful ways to fight it off
This silent disease weakens men's bones, leading to fractures. Around 2 million men in the US have it. Another 16 million have early bone loss. Experts advise men to discuss testosterone levels with doctors. Weight-bearing exercise, lifestyle changes, and bone density tests are crucial. Treatments like Kyphoplasty and Vertebroplasty exist for spinal fractures. Early action is key for strong bones. Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Why it's dangerous 4 strong ways to fight osteoporosis - Dr. Paul Lewis Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads What if you already have it? Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads FAQs Osteoporosis is called a 'silent disease' because it develops slowly and shows no signs until a bone breaks, says Dr. Paul Lewis, Wexner Medical Center. It makes your bones weak and brittle, so even a small fall can cause serious injury. Around 2 million men in the U.S. have osteoporosis according to the National Spine Health 16 million men have osteopenia, which is like an early stage of bone loss. Most men don't even care about it — only 1% are worried about low bone density as per a survey by Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center. But they should care — falls are the number one cause of injuries and deaths for people over 65, as stated by The New York are no warning signs until a fracture happens, says Dr. Paul Lewis. Even a small fall can cause a bone to break if your bones are weak. Losing bone mass makes your whole body more fragile, especially as you age, as per the talking to your doctor about testosterone by age 30. Testosterone levels go down with age, which weakens bones and increases your weight-bearing workouts like, walking, hiking, climbing stairs, lifting weights or resistance bands, yoga or balance exercises. Some fun sports help too like pickleball or movement to your everyday life: walk the golf course instead of riding the cart, take stairs instead of the elevator, or play actively with kids or pets, as mentioned in the report by The New Not exercising with proper form or doing too much can cause injury. You can lose up to 3% of bone mass every year without resistance trainingHabits such as smoking, drinking more than 2 alcoholic drinks a day, not moving enough, poor diet, ripping hazards in your home, or muscle or nerve-related issues can increase the risk of weak your doctor about a DEXA scan — it's a low-dose X-ray that checks your bone density. It helps doctors spot osteoporosis you already have osteoporosis and get spinal fractures, treatments exist such as Kyphoplasty: A balloon is inflated in the fractured vertebra to make space. Then bone cement is injected. Vertebroplasty: Bone cement is injected directly into the fractured vertebra, as mentioned in the report by The New is a condition where men's bones become weak and brittle, making them easy to 2 million men in the U.S. have osteoporosis, and 16 million have early-stage bone loss.


Time of India
30-06-2025
- Health
- Time of India
The silent disease affecting millions of men, and 4 powerful ways to fight it off
Why it's dangerous 4 strong ways to fight osteoporosis - Dr. Paul Lewis Live Events What if you already have it? FAQs (You can now subscribe to our (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel Osteoporosis is called a 'silent disease' because it develops slowly and shows no signs until a bone breaks, says Dr. Paul Lewis, Wexner Medical Center. It makes your bones weak and brittle, so even a small fall can cause serious injury. Around 2 million men in the U.S. have osteoporosis according to the National Spine Health 16 million men have osteopenia, which is like an early stage of bone loss. Most men don't even care about it — only 1% are worried about low bone density as per a survey by Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center. But they should care — falls are the number one cause of injuries and deaths for people over 65, as stated by The New York are no warning signs until a fracture happens, says Dr. Paul Lewis. Even a small fall can cause a bone to break if your bones are weak. Losing bone mass makes your whole body more fragile, especially as you age, as per the talking to your doctor about testosterone by age 30. Testosterone levels go down with age, which weakens bones and increases your weight-bearing workouts like, walking, hiking, climbing stairs, lifting weights or resistance bands, yoga or balance exercises. Some fun sports help too like pickleball or movement to your everyday life: walk the golf course instead of riding the cart, take stairs instead of the elevator, or play actively with kids or pets, as mentioned in the report by The New Not exercising with proper form or doing too much can cause injury. You can lose up to 3% of bone mass every year without resistance trainingHabits such as smoking, drinking more than 2 alcoholic drinks a day, not moving enough, poor diet, ripping hazards in your home, or muscle or nerve-related issues can increase the risk of weak your doctor about a DEXA scan — it's a low-dose X-ray that checks your bone density. It helps doctors spot osteoporosis you already have osteoporosis and get spinal fractures, treatments exist such as Kyphoplasty: A balloon is inflated in the fractured vertebra to make space. Then bone cement is injected. Vertebroplasty: Bone cement is injected directly into the fractured vertebra, as mentioned in the report by The New is a condition where men's bones become weak and brittle, making them easy to 2 million men in the U.S. have osteoporosis, and 16 million have early-stage bone loss.


Time of India
30-06-2025
- Health
- Time of India
Experts warn of 'silent disease' affecting American men: Here's what it is
While older females are more aware and conscious of their changing health and body, men rarely take the wake-up call. Due to their belief in strength or fear of suffering, they shoulder many signs of diseases before succumbing to treatment. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Something similar seems to be happening right now with American men who according to experts are unaware of developing a 'silent disease' that makes their bones brittle and weak. According to the National Spine Health Foundation, some 2 million US men are suffering from this slow-developing disease. Another 16 million have osteopenia, which is pre-osteoporosis or mild osteoporosis. One may think that with such a widespread diagnosis of the disease, men would be aware of the disease and be concerned about its diagnosis. But no, as per a survey commissioned by The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, only 1% of men are concerned about low bone density. In men 65 years and older, falls are the leading cause of injuries and injury-related deaths. If bone density and strength are low, even a minor fall could result in fractures. 'Unfortunately, there are no warning signs before it presents with a fracture,' Dr Paul Lewis, an interventional radiologist at Wexner, told The Post about osteoporosis. What is Osteoporosis? Image credits: Getty Images The National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases defines as a bone disease that develops when the mineral density and bone mass decrease or when the structure and strength of the bones change. This increases the risk of fractures. It is called a silent disease as it has no prominent symptoms for identification. How to prevent Osteoporosis ? Image credits: Getty Images However, there are ways the expert suggests one can prevent the disease. As per Lewis, there are four ways to prevent osteoporosis. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Firstly, men must begin discussing testosterone with their doctor from the age of 30. With age, testosterone decreases and that contributes to weaker bones and a higher risk of osteoporosis in men. Secondly, physical exercise is a must as it improves balance. He recommends weight-bearing exercises like walking, hiking, stair climbing, resistance training with weights or bands or yoga. 'Some exercises can combine into helping your heart as well, such as pickleball, tennis or other sports,' said the associate professor at Ohio State's College of Medicine. The third step to take is to make some lifestyle changes. The use of tobacco, consumption of more than two alcoholic drinks a day, physical inactivity, and poor nutrition pose a higher risk of osteoporosis. Finally, he recommends getting a screening test, like a DEXA scan which is an X-ray that measures bone density to diagnose osteoporosis.


BBC News
30-06-2025
- BBC News
Swansea men deny £1.5k hitman plot to kill one's wife
There was "no agreement" between two men accused of conspiring to hire a hit man to kill the estranged wife of one of them, their barristers have Lewis, 54, and Dominique Saunders, 35, who both live in the Maritime Quarter in Swansea, both deny conspiracy to murder Joanne Atkinson-Lewis between February and April prosecution alleges Mr Lewis paid Mr Saunders £1,500 to arrange the murder of his estranged wife Mrs Atkinson-Lewis, although she was never men chose not to give evidence in their trial at Merthyr Tydfil Crown Court. Judge Justice Nicklin told the jury they should be sure that both men entered into an agreement to kill Mrs Atkinson-Lewis and there was an intention for that plan "to be carried out".The jury was also told if they believe either man to be innocent of the conspiracy, both must be found "not guilty".Defending Mr Lewis, John Hipkin said the prosecution had ignored that Mr Lewis was mentally ill and had spent some of the time in question on a psychiatric Hipkin said Mr Lewis had paid £1,500 to Mr Saunders but that he had been "scammed" and the money had been spent by Mr Saunders on a holiday to said if the money had been paid to hire a hit man it would be "absolutely ridiculous" that Mr Lewis had contacted the police to complain he had been Hipkin reminded the jury of previous evidence from one witness that Mr Saunders had scammed Mr Lewis in the said the evidence in the case surrounded a "mentally unwell man and a scammer, a fraudster". Defending Mr Saunders, John Harrison said his client was known as "dippy dominique" and incapable of arranging a hit said if the case "wasn't so serious for the defendants it would be funny"."There is no evidence he was a hit man full-time, part-time or any time", he Harrison told the jury his client had taken advantage of Mr Lewis when he was vulnerable by scamming him and taking the said Mr Saunders "may be worthy of condemnation" but it was not evidence of an agreement to kill Mrs Harrison said Mr Saunders did not do anything "because there was no agreement between them and he had no intention to do anything about killing Joanne Atkinson-Lewis".He said "it has always been a scam, never an agreement and he's trying to get away with fifteen hundred quid". Prosecutor William Hughes directed the jury to messages which had been exchanged between the two men and claimed they "clearly state the defendants had entered a criminal agreement to kill Joanne Atkinson-Lewis". Mr Hughes said there had been regular requests from Mr Lewis asking if there was "any news?", alongside asking to be able to view the contents of a go-pro message sent by Mr Lewis said "death becomes her".Mr Hughes also referred to messages which stated Mr Lewis had "seen Joanne on Aberavon beach and she looked ok".Mr Saunders replied asking if he was later messages, Mr Lewis said "I paid £1,500 in good faith" and "I'm starting to wonder if I've been scammed out of fifteen hundred pounds".When Mr Saunders asked "how have I scammed you?", he received a message saying "she is still breathing".Mr Hughes also reminded the jury of evidence heard from Mr Lewis' son asking if he had "taken out a hit on Joanne" to which he had nodded. The judge told the jury they needed to consider if there was an agreement "that both intended to honour".He asked "did both defendants intend Joanne Atkinson-Lewis to be killed?" and "are you sure Saunders ever intended to carry out his side of any bargain?".The jury in the trial have retired to consider their verdict.