Family ‘devastated' following death of great-grandfather attacked by XL bully
John McColl, 84, died on Sunday more than a month after he suffered serious injuries when he was attacked as he walked home in Warrington, Cheshire, on February 24.
In a statement, relatives said: 'As a family we are absolutely devastated with what has happened to John.
'He fought hard for the last five weeks but he decided he could not fight any more and passed away on Sunday March 30 at 1.40pm surrounded by family.
'Our dad, grandad and great-grandad will always be loved by us all and sadly missed by each and every one of us.
'We would like to thank the emergency services and first-aid responders who helped John at the scene, along with the residents of Dallam who also came to his aid and the staff at Aintree and Whiston hospitals for all that they did for him and us as a family.'
Sean Garner, 30, of Warrington, was charged following the attack with being the owner of a dog dangerously out of control causing serious injury and two counts of possession or custody of a dog to which section 1 of the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 applied.
A spokesman for Cheshire Police said the CPS had been informed of Mr McColl's death and would determine if there were any changes to the charges.

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San Francisco Chronicle
a day ago
- San Francisco Chronicle
Exchange student sues Bay Area nonprofit alleging she was placed in home of an abusive ‘predator'
A Spanish exchange student has sued the private high school she attended as well as the Bay Area nonprofit that arranged the girl's experience in the U.S., alleging they negligently placed her in the home of a man with a criminal record who drugged her and sexually assaulted her. The lawsuit, filed on Aug. 11, alleges that San Rafael-based Cultural Home International, or CHI, committed fraud, negligence and breach of fiduciary duty by placing Claudia Gutierrez in the home of John and Roberta Woods for her educational year abroad in New Hampshire. The suit also names Bishop Brady High School, located in Concord, N.H., claiming it failed to properly vet the host family and monitor the teen during her stay, according to the civil allegations filed in Merrimack Superior Court. 'Bishop Brady and CHI instead served Claudia up to a home she believed had a husband and wife living in it — John and Robert Woods — but which, in fact, housed only John Woods, an elderly predator with a criminal record,' according to the suit. Roberta Woods reportedly was living in San Diego and had been for some time, Gutierrez's lawyers said. Neither CHI nor the school responded to requests for comment on the lawsuit. Officials from the Diocese of Manchester, which oversees the high school, said they had not yet seen the lawsuit. 'Protecting the safety of children and young people is one of the highest priorities of the Diocese of Manchester and its schools,' officials said in a statement. 'As we were just made aware of this suit and have not been served, we are unable to comment without the opportunity for further review.' John Woods, 78, was arrested after Gutierrez called her parents in Spain in March 2022, leaving disturbing messages reportedly while still under the influence of 'clandestine drugging,' prompting them to have friends take her to the hospital, according to her co-counsel, Matin Emouna. An examination found she had been sexually assaulted and drugged with Ambien. In October 2024, Woods was convicted of aggravated sexual assault, facilitated by an intoxicating substance, with a maximum 20-year sentence. Cultural Home International, founded in 1980, brings young people from around the world to the United States for educational, cultural, travel or work experiences, including home stays for high school and university students. It is an official J-1 visa sponsor, which provides nonimmigrant visas to individuals participating in an international exchange program in the U.S. In Gutierrez's case, CHI arranged enrollment at Bishop Brady and the home stay, and according to the lawsuit, the organization assured her family they had checked backgrounds and references and had conducted a visit to the Woods' home. 'At the time of the sexual abuse and assaults described in this complaint, CHI charged Claudia and her family thousands of dollars for the privilege of participating in this cultural exchange program and residing in New Hampshire with a host family, in an allegedly comfortable and nurturing home environment,' her attorneys claimed in the lawsuit. 'CHI owed and agreed that it owed Claudia a duty to do everything within its power to protect her from sexual abuse by a properly vetted family.' The claims against Bishop Brady were similar, alleging the private high school charged the family $19,000 for the academic year, $5,000 more than local students, while promising to vet the host family and then failing to monitor and supervise her while she was living in the home. The lawsuit alleges Gutierrez complained of dizziness and at one point passed out in the Woods' home and she had been absent or tardy 'a notable number of times' from school, but neither the school nor CHI intervened or inquired about her symptoms. Both John and Roberta Woods were also named in the lawsuit, the husband for the injuries caused to the victim as well as emotional distress, and his wife for negligence in presenting a safety risk to a foreign exchange student. Messages left for Roberta Woods regarding the lawsuit were not returned. The suit claims Gutierrez continues to suffer from physical and emotional issues, including nightmares, severe anxiety, depression, vomiting and other issues. She is asking for compensatory and enhanced compensatory damages, punitive damages, interest, attorney fees and any other relief deemed 'just and equitable.' Emouna said he believes there are more cases like Claudia's in the international exchange industry in the United States, with organizations failing to property vet where the young people live, opening the door to predators. 'I thought this was an isolated incident,' he said. 'I think there's a bigger problem at large.' In Gutierrez's case, the Marin County nonprofit literally showed the 16-year-old girl pictures of a 'beautiful family' in New Hampshire, smiling grandparents with grandchildren on their laps and another of a two-story, white house, the grandpa waving as he stands next to an American flag hanging out front. 'That family was nonexistent,' Emouna said. 'This guy was a predator. He did it on purpose.'
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Yahoo
Cheshire shoplifter finds himself in hot water after trying to steal lazy spa
A Cheshire shoplifter has found himself in hot water - after attempting to steal a lazy spa from a shop. The would be thief attempted to take the inflatable from a shop in the Crewe area of the county earlier today (Monday, August 18). However his scheme to tuck the item under his arm failed. READ MORE: B&M shoppers say 'it's too early' as new food items spotted on shelves this summer READ MORE: Property housing 'vulnerable' was 'being used for drugs' Cheshire Police has now confirmed he has been arrested and, rather than soaking in his garden, he is sitting in a police cell tonight. Never miss a story with the MEN's daily Catch Up newsletter - get it in your inbox by signing up here A police spokesperson said: "Today's 'criminal mastermind' thought he could sneak out of a shop with a Lazy Spa tucked under his arm… yes, you read that right. "Subtle it was not. Successful it was not. "He's now bubbling away in our custody suite instead of the garden." Join the Manchester Evening News WhatsApp group HERE --- For the latest stories and breaking news visit Get the latest headlines, features and analysis that matter to you by signing up to our various Manchester Evening News newsletters here. You can also get all your favourite content from the Manchester Evening News on WhatsApp. Click here to stay up to date with the latest. Follow us on X @mennewsdesk for all the latest stories and updates on breaking incidents from across the region and beyond, as well as on our Facebook page here. If you prefer reading our stories on your phone, consider downloading the Manchester Evening News app here, and our newsdesk will make sure every time an essential story breaks, you'll be the first to hear about it.


CBS News
2 days ago
- CBS News
Gun found at Whitney Young High School on first day of class in Chicago
Parents and guardians of Whitney Young High School students were notified after a gun was found during the entry process on Monday morning. The school's principal, Rickey Harris, shared a letter with the school's community about the incident. "This morning, a gun was identified during our standard entry screening. The gun was immediately secured, and did not proceed further into the building. We also notified the CPS Office of Safety and Security and the Chicago Police Department (CPD) for support," he said. Monday was the first day back for CPS students. He clarified in the letter that there were no threats made to the school or its students and staff, and no one was injured. Though he couldn't provide further details about the incident, Harris mentioned that it is being handled under CPS policies, and police will provide the school with additional safety support during dismissal. "Please know that we take situations like this seriously to ensure the safety of our school community. If your child voices any fears or concerns about this, please let us know so we can ensure their social-emotional needs are met, Harris said.