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Daily Mirror
5 days ago
- Health
- Daily Mirror
Top trainer's daughter, 8, rings bell after finishing treatment in lengthy cancer fight
Betsy Williams, the daughter of Christian Williams has finally rung the bell on two and a half years of chemotherapy after being diagnosed with leukaemia Top racehorse trainer Christian Williams and partner Charlotte Smith are celebrating helping the most precious member of their stable across the finish line. And they're marking it by taking off on their first family holiday in two and a half years. In April 2023 Christian made headlines when star jumper Kitty's Light won the Scottish Grand National and bet365 Gold Cup within the space of seven days. Yet behind the scenes there was a much more important race to be won as a month earlier, he and Charlotte were told their youngest daughter Betsy, then five, had acute lymphoblastic leukaemia, a rare but aggressive type of blood cancer. The diagnosis emerged after Betsy developed an ear infection. At first her declining health was put down to a virus until, on her third GP visit, she was sent to hospital - where blood tests confirmed her parents' worst fears. Over a gruelling 27 months, Betsy underwent a bone marrow biopsy, blood transfusions and then started cycles of chemotherapy involving lumbar punctures and steroids, until this month when the now eight-year-old reached a significant landmark when she rang the bell on the Rainbow Ward at Noah's Ark Children's Hospital in Cardiff to signal the end of her treatment. 'We were given the date she would finish right at the start, and we'd been working to May 13 2025, provided there were no complications,' says NHS physio Charlotte, 40. 'She finished on that day and we were so excited. But then two days later she got Covid. It was probably the most poorly she had ever been in the whole two years. 'It was absolutely terrifying. She was in hospital for two weeks, really, really ill. They were convinced there was something else going on. They were running all these tests and scans. I thought she had relapsed already. 'And they came back and said, 'Charlotte, we've looked at everything and everything is negative, apart from this positive Covid swab.' It wasn't the plan we had for the end of the treatment but she is doing really well now, thank goodness.' Throughout this period, against the odds, Christian managed to keep the winners flowing from his yard at Ogmore-by-Sea on the Glamorgan coast. None was more vital than the success of Kitty's Light at Ayr. 'Betsy was having a particularly tough day but I turned on the TV as I thought it would cheer her up to see her Daddy on TV,' recalls Charlotte. 'To our delight he won. It completely changed our perspective and gave us hope.' Williams, 42, says: 'We've been lucky as when Betsy was ill and the family were down, we have managed to get a winner somewhere and not all families can look forward to days like that. 'We've just been in survival mode this whole time. Everyone pulled up their sleeves. I'm not sure how we've managed, really.' He adds: 'The drugs take your daughter away from you so now she is coming off the chemo and the steroids we are slowly getting her back.' Charlotte reflects: 'Christian has been unbelievable. I was fortunate to have sick pay and could take time off work to give my full attention to Betsy and our other daughter Tilly. 'Christian didn't have that option. He had 10 members of staff who relied on their wages, the owners relied on us, too. 'I couldn't tie my own shoe laces for the first couple of weeks, whereas Christian would be getting up every day, making sure he was with us in hospital, running a stable, liaising with owners and going racing. I don't know how he did it, to be honest. 'He has managed to sustain that, be a support to us and, not just keep the business going, but been really successful, too.' Betsy has won admiration as well for the way she has dealt with serious illness so early in her life. 'The whole time she has never wanted to be seen as ill, never wanted to be different to anybody else,' says Charlotte. On her sixth birthday, when friends organised a parkrun, Betsy insisted on running the whole 2km course. She had already started chemotherapy. 'How she acted then was the way she acted through the whole two years,' Charlotte adds. 'She still wanted to run, still wanted to go to school, still wanted to do dance. She never used her illness as an excuse not to do things.' There are still challenges ahead but Charlotte says: 'We've rung the bell and are ecstatic that that phase of our life is over. It may take a while for us to transition from that but Betsy is living her normal life.' As a treat the family have taken a rare holiday to Dubai. 'We are going for nine days and we can't wait,' she says. 'Just the four of us. No phones, no work and just enjoy each other. 'We are looking forward to living, making new memories and hopefully this is all going to be a distant memory to Betsy.'
Scottish Sun
05-06-2025
- Scottish Sun
Scheming NHS chiefs and telecoms bosses learn fate over £6m corruption plot
Disgraced bosses Alan Hush, 68, and Gavin Cox, 60, were today sentenced at the High Court in Glasgow BANGED UP Scheming NHS chiefs and telecoms bosses learn fate over £6m corruption plot Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) TWO scheming NHS chiefs and two telecoms bosses nailed over a £6m corruption and bribery probe at health boards across Scotland have been jailed for a total of 29 years. Disgraced bosses Alan Hush, 68, and Gavin Cox, 60, were today sentenced at the High Court in Glasgow alongside directors Adam Sharoudi, 41, and Gavin Brown, 48. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 5 Disgraced NHS chief Alan Hush learned his fate at the High Court in Glasgow. Credit: Andrew Barr 5 Former NHS boss Gavin Cox was found guilty after trial at the High Court in Glasgow. Credit: Andrew Barr 5 Disgraced Oricom directors Adam Sharoudi, left, and Gavin Brown. Credit: Andrew Barr They learned their fate after earlier having been found guilty by a jury of conspiring in the lucrative plot. Hush was jailed for eight years after being found guilty of nine charges. Cox was locked up for six years for the two charges he was convicted of. Sharoudi was also handed an eight year term having been convicted of seven charges. Brown was jailed for seven years for a total of six charges. Lord Arthurson said: 'Such is the corrosive effect of corruption upon commercial and public life, individuals such as yourselves should expect to be dealt with robustly by the courts. 'The public should expect their fellow citizens should not seek to subvert public officials in their duties. 'Such officials should note that, succumbing to bribery, will result in the handing down of significant terms. 'The reach and character of the corruption and, in particular, the corrupt relationship engaged by all of you was on a grand scale.' We told how Oricom directors Brown and Sharoudi bribed corrupt NHS bosses Hush and Cox with cash, lavish trips and holidays to fix up deals between 2010 and 2017. The cheating directors bribed their way to contracts after setting up the business from "a garden shed" in Irvine, Ayrshire. During a lengthy trial, jurors heard Hush, a former telecoms boss at NHS Lothian and NHS Scotland video conferencing manager, referred to the company as the 'Bank of Oricom'. It supplied and maintained telecoms and video conferencing gear. Hush was given train tickets, hotel stays in London, a laptop worth almost £2,000, an iPad plus meals and tickets to see Paul Simon, Rufus Wainwright and Patti Smith. Cox was head of IT and infrastructure at NHS Lanarkshire when he enjoyed hospitality at the Scottish Grand National, a night at Troon's Lochgreen House Hotel and a slap-up meal at Elliots in Prestwick. He also got thousands of pounds of Barrhead Travel holiday vouchers and took lavish trips to New York and Lanzarote. Oricom boss Brown was a guest at his surprise 50th birthday party. The NHS duo pushed through numerous deals, with one contract worth £3.1million. Adele Rennie: The unravelling of Scotland's twisted Catfish nurse who posed as men to lure women into scams In return, Hush, of Edinburgh, got £18,231 of cash bungs and gifts while Cox, of Newton Mearns, near Glasgow, pocketed more than £70,000. Prosecutor David Nicolson KC said Hush 'failed to instigate a proper tendering process' for work Oricom secured. He added: 'Alan Hush played by the Alan Hush rules. Alan Hush . . . did what he liked.' The charges, including bribery, corruption, fraud, theft and others under the Proceeds of Crime Act, spanned from 2010 to 2017. One stated Sharoudi and Brown did 'acquire, use and possess' a total of £5,719,244 of 'criminal property' paid by NHS Lothian, NHS Grampian, NHS Lanarkshire, NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde as well as NHS Ayrshire and Arran. Hush was convicted of nine charges, Cox of two, Sharoudi, from Motherwell, seven, and Brown, of Prestwick, was nailed for six. 5 Alan Hush pocketed tickets to see Paul Simon, above, and other live acts. Credit: Getty 5 Alan Hush had train trips paid for by corrupt Oricom bosses. Credit: Alamy Jurors reached their verdicts after eight days of deliberation. Remanding the four in custody in April, judge Lord Arthurson said: 'You collectively engaged, to varying degrees, in a deeply cynical, highly corrupt, coldly calculated and criminal betrayal of the welfare state and, ultimately, the taxpayer. 'The courts regard corruption as a cancer in public and commercial life.' Gordon Young, of NHS Counter Fraud Services, said at the time: 'We will continue to do all we can to prevent fraud to protect vital NHS Scotland services so funding goes where it's needed — to patient care.' Sineidin Corrins, Deputy Procurator Fiscal for Specialist Casework at the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS), said: 'This is an outstanding result for justice in Scotland. 'As prosecutors, we have shown an unwavering commitment to pursuing and investigating this matter. This was a betrayal of public trust. 'These four men colluded to create a sophisticated criminal scheme. The public will rightly be shocked by the scale of their criminality. 'The scale of this offending against our public health service is particularly egregious. 'The systematic abuse of position by public officials, who accepted inappropriate benefits including cash, holidays and entertainment in exchange for contract advantages, strikes at the heart of public trust. 'It serves as a reminder that procurement processes exist to ensure fair competition and value for public money. When these processes are corrupted, all of society bears the cost."
Business News Wales
16-05-2025
- Business
- Business News Wales
Racing Insights and Business Brilliance at Cardiff Business Club
Cardiff Business Club played host to one of its most memorable events of the season, welcoming renowned National Hunt trainer and entrepreneur Tim Vaughan to the stage. The evening at Sophia Gardens, Cardiff, kicked off with a networking drinks reception, where business leaders, professionals, and racing enthusiasts came together in anticipation of hearing from one of Britain's most accomplished racehorse trainers. Tim Vaughan captivated the audience with his story of bold transitions and relentless ambition — from being a chartered surveyor at Knight Frank and Herbert R Thomas, to a decorated amateur jockey with 117 wins, and finally to a trailblazing National Hunt trainer. His decision in 2008 to turn a lifelong passion for racing into a full-time profession has since propelled him into the upper echelons of the sport, training winners at Cheltenham, Aintree, Punchestown, and even the Scottish Grand National. In a fireside-style address, Tim reflected on the challenges of managing a top-tier racing operation, the pressures of delivering for high-profile clients such as Michael Owen and Stephen Jones, and the business acumen required to maintain success in both horse racing and commercial property ventures. A lively and insightful Q&A session followed, with audience members quizzing Tim on everything from training regimes to ownership trends, and the future of the sport in Wales and beyond.
Daily Record
02-05-2025
- Daily Record
'Untouchable' directors in £6m NHS bribery scandal cost taxpayers nearly £200k
Disgraced health chiefs and telecoms execs were convicted in one of Scotland's biggest public sector fraud trials but taxpayers are footing huge defence bills. A multi-million pound corruption and bribery probe involving health boards across Scotland has cost taxpayers' almost £200,000 in legal aid. Disgraced NHS bosses Alan Hush, 68, and Gavin Cox, 60, were convicted alongside telecoms firm directors Adam Sharoudi, 41, and Gavin Brown, 48, of running a £6m scam. They were found guilty following a three-month trial at the High Court in Glasgow which revealed ties between Hush and Cox and bosses at Oricom Ltd in Irvine, Ayrshire. It has now emerged Hush was given £99,420, Cox handed £80,559 and Brown received £1,104 in legal aid to fund defence teams. No costs have been revealed for Sharoudi, who was awarded legal aid funding this year, but the total for the others stands at £181,083. The figure could increase further as solicitors have four months following the conclusion of proceedings to claim payments from the Scottish Legal Aid Board (SLAB). Cox held the post of head of IT and infrastructure at NHS Lanarkshire when he enjoyed hospitality at the Scottish Grand National at Ayr, a night at the Loch Green Hotel in Troon and a slap-up meal at Elliots in Prestwick. Jurors heard Hush, a former telecommunications manager at NHS Lothian and NHS Scotland video conferencing manager, used the business as the 'Bank of Oricom'. He was given train tickets, such as on the Eurostar, stays at the Troy and Re Hotels in London, a near £2,000 laptop, an iPad, meals as well as concert tickets to see Paul Simon, Rufus Wainwright and Patti Smith The NHS pair denied any wrongdoing but were convicted of abusing their powers as 'public servants' to push deals through including one contract worth £3.1m. In return, Hush, of Edinburgh, got £18,231 of cash bungs and gifts, Cox, of Newton Mearns, near Glasgow, a total of more than £70,000. The charges spanning between 2010 and 2017 included bribery, corruption, fraud, theft as well as others under the Proceeds of Crime Act. Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community! Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today. You'll receive daily updates on breaking news as well as the top headlines across Scotland. No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team. All you have to do is click here if you're on mobile, select 'Join Community' and you're in! If you're on a desktop, simply scan the QR code above with your phone and click 'Join Community'. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice. One stated Sharoudi and Brown did 'acquire, use and possess' a total of £5,719,244 of 'criminal property' paid by NHS Lothian, NHS Grampian, NHS Lanarkshire, NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde as well as NHS Ayrshire and Arran. The trial heard Oricom started in a garden shed before going on to secure major deals for the supply and maintenance of telecoms and video conferencing equipment. Contracts awarded to Oricom Ltd, founded by Sharoudi and Brown, for telecoms and video conferencing equipment between 2010 and 2017 breached rules on financial wrongdoing during the tendering process. An investigation found the company was given 'commercially sensitive information' by former NHS employees Hush and Cox. All four men were remanded in custody by Lord Arthurson after they were convicted by jurors and are due to be sentenced next month. The judge described corruption as a 'cancer in public life'. A SLAB spokesperson said: "All accused persons have the right to a fair trial and legal representation helps ensure that. "Where appropriate we liaise with defence teams on the costs of an accused's legal representation. "This case was a very complex and lengthy prosecution following an extensive police investigation involving multiple accused and a significant amount of evidence. "Cases of this nature inevitably result in significant costs being incurred."
Irish Daily Mirror
01-05-2025
- Sport
- Irish Daily Mirror
Punchestown Festival day 3 tips: Robbie Power's selections for Thursday
The Ladbrokes Champion Stayers Hurdle (6.00) looks a good opportunity for Teahupoo to return to winning ways after finishing second to Bob Olinger at Cheltenham. He has done nothing wrong all season. He found Lossiemouth too good in the Hatton's Grace before bumping into course specialist Bob Olinger, who is gone to the field on his holidays, at Cheltenham. Teahupoo won this race last year and I think he'll be very hard to beat under Sam Ewing for Gordon Elliott. Robcour's other runner Hiddenvalley Lake was very impressive when winning at Aintree earlier this month and it looks a match between him and Teahupoo, with the latter fancied to come out on top. He'll be fine on the ground. He won on this sort of ground before so I don't see it being an issue. Rocky's Diamond ran a very good race for Declan Queally and Shane Fitzgerald when fourth in the Stayers' Hurdle at Cheltenham. He's only a five-year-old and is one open to further improvement in today's feature. Kap Ouest is an interesting runner in today's opening race, the Specialist Group Handicap Hurdle at 2.30, for Harry Fry, who has a good record with his runners at Punchestown, but The Other Mozzie is the one I like here for Gavin Cromwell and Keith Donoghue. He won over fences at Ayr on Scottish Grand National day off a mark of 138 and is 19 pounds lower over hurdles. It doesn't always add up, but it's hard to overlook him and the other one I like the look of is Janes Harbour for Joseph O'Brien and Aidan Kelly, who is towards the bottom of the weights, with the jockey claiming five pounds off him. With 23 runners, they'll go very hard in the Frontline Security Handicap Chase at 3.05. Tullyhill has been disappointing over fences and it's hard to fancy him, but I do like Jasko Des Dames for Henry de Bromhead and Darragh O'Keeffe. He'll love the drying ground, is only a six-year-old and ran a very good race in the Grand Annual at Cheltenham when fifth behind Jazzy Matty. He's a great each-way bet in this. Vanillier runs in the Mongey Communications La Touche Cup Cross Country Chase at 3.40 and was very impressive over the banks here back in February. With the master of the banks on his back, he'll be very hard to beat in today's third race for the Cromwell and Donoghue team. Custom Taylor is my fancy for the Conway Piling Handicap Hurdle at 4.15. He's snuck in here as bottom weight after being very game and very gutsy to win at Fairyhouse nine days ago. If that race hasn't left a mark, he should be very competitive here. It's very hard to look past Sixandahalf in the Close Brothers Irish EBF Mares Novice Hurdle after she was narrowly beaten by Air Of Entitlement at Cheltenham. This two-mile trip should really suit on this track and on ratings, she comes out well on top. In the first of today's Grade 1s, Barberstown Castle Novice Chase, Majborough looks set to go off a very short-priced favourite for Willie Mullins and Mark Walsh. Would I be backing him at 2/5? Probably not. His jumping cost him victory in the Arkle Chase at Cheltenham. He is by far the classiest of these horses and with a clear round of jumping he will win, with Only By Night expected to chase him home. And Ksar Fatal looks the pick of Willie's in the bumper at 6.35, with Patrick taking the ride. He should take all the beating after winning on his racecourse debut at Gowran Park back in March. Bet of the day - Sixandahalf - 4.50
