logo
Man who killed brother's girlfriend speeding in 'atrocious' weather jailed

Man who killed brother's girlfriend speeding in 'atrocious' weather jailed

Yahoo31-01-2025

A driver who crashed into a tree while speeding in 'atrocious' weather killing his brother's girlfriend has been jailed.
Gavin Hall lost control of his swish Audi S3 while driving on the A194 in Washington on October 3, 2020.
Hall had only picked up the modified car earlier that night and was driving touting the speed limit when he lost control is very poor weather.
Twenty-seven-year-old Lois Davidson from Gateshead, his brother's girlfriend, was tragically killed.
Two other passengers, his brother and Hall's girlfriend, suffered serious injuries and were taken to hospital. Hall also suffered multiple injuries.
Hall, of Ellen Court in Jarrow, was later charged with causing her death and the other passengers' serious injuries by dangerous driving.
Gavin Thomas Hall. (Image: NORTHUMBRIA POLICE)
He denied the charges, but a jury found him guilty after a five-day trial in November and he appeared before Newcastle Crown Court on Friday (January 31) afternoon for sentence.
His Honour Judge Robert Adams jailed Hall for 12 years, and banned him from driving for the same time.
Chief Inspector Dean Hood, of Northumbria Police, said: 'First and foremost, our thoughts remain with Miss Davidson's family and friends following this tragic incident.
Read next:
Durham hospital technician stole £110,000 of medical equipment to sell on eBay
Aycliffe girl, six, suffers broken leg in 'hit and run' that left her in wheelchair
Family furious as County Durham banker who stole £90,000 from his aunt avoids jail
lick here to join our WhatsApp community and get breaking news updates direct to your phone.
'Hall drove in excess of the speed limit that night, and his decision-making in adverse weather conditions sadly led to her death and the serious injury of his two other passengers.
'More than four years have passed since Lois tragically lost her life, and I hope today's sentence will help provide a degree of closure for her loved ones.
'No sentence will ever bring Lois back, but I am pleased we have been able to provide answers for her family and bring Hall to justice.'

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Woman jailed for sharing baby monkey torture videos
Woman jailed for sharing baby monkey torture videos

Yahoo

time5 hours ago

  • Yahoo

Woman jailed for sharing baby monkey torture videos

A Scottish mother-of-two involved in a global monkey torture network has been jailed for more than two years. Natalie Herron, 39, from Airdrie in North Lanarkshire, joined online chat groups which encouraged torture of macaques by offenders based in Indonesia. Airdrie Sheriff Court heard how she became a group administrator for the network, which was exposed by a BBC investigation, and shared hundreds of images and videos of the abuse. The group paid for baby long-tailed macaques to be taken from their mothers in Indonesia before they were tortured and killed. WARNING: This article contains distressing details of animal torture. The acts of cruelty included crucifixion, machete attacks and one video that showed a baby monkey being dipped in boiling oil. The court heard how Herron had made contact online with Michael Macartney, the US-based ringleader of the network who used the alias "The Torture King". Global monkey torture ring exposed by BBC This is the first time someone has been sentenced in Scotland for cruelty that took place abroad. Investigators from the National Crime Agency alerted Police Scotland and a raid on Herron's home in 2022 discovered an iPhone with 1,084 images and videos of monkey torture. Investigators discovered 4,000 messages on a WhatsApp group which had been sent by Herron discussing torture and hatred of the animals. Messages included one that said: "I am shocked how easily the drill went through the skull, it was like butter." Another message read: "Trying to find a video where they will kill the mum and the babies watch." Herron was sentenced to two years and three months in prison. She had earlier admitted two charges of possessing and distributing obscene material, namely videos depicting animal torture, between October 2021 and September 2022 at her home address. She admitted a further charge of behaving in a threatening or abusive manner likely to cause fear or alarm by sending messages to various online and social media groups which described and promoted animal torture. The court was told she made payments to Macartney but she claimed it was not for the videos but to "help him". Members of the online group, who claimed they were angered at the monkeys destroying land in Indonesia, voted on proposed methods of torture. Nicky Matteo, defending, said: "In all the years I have been practising I have not seen a case like this. It has not been a pleasant experience. "She [Herron] has had horrific problems in life and she built up a connection with other group members. "She was trying to ingratiate herself with other members, it was a false sense of escapism. "She is no longer the person that was responsible for sending those messages. She recognises the severity of it." Sentencing Herron, Sheriff Derek Livingston said: "The fact you not only joined these groups but then helped to facilitate them only helped to increase the animals' suffering." The BBC investigation uncovered the network that began life on YouTube before it moved to private groups on the messaging app Telegram. Macartney, 51, was jailed last year after pleading guilty in the US state of Virginia to conspiracy to create and distribute animal cruelty videos. He was sentenced to three years and four months in jail. A month later, Adriana Orme, 56, from Upton-upon-Severn, and Holly Le Gresley, 37, from Kidderminster, were jailed after admitting being part of the global network. Police Scotland officers said it was one of the most horrific cases they had dealt with and the material was like nothing they had seen before. Det Sgt Karen Murray said: "This was a long and complex investigation which involved a number of organisations including the National Crime Agency (NCA) and the National Wildlife Crime Unit (NWCU) and was the first of its kind in the UK. "Thanks to the work of these organisations, Herron will now face the consequences of her actions which contributed to the cruel torture and immense suffering of a number of innocent animals." She added: "This was one of the most disturbing and graphic cases we have worked on and we hope this sentence shows that even though the cruelty took place abroad, that these types of crimes will not be tolerated and we will use all the tools at our disposal to hold people accountable." Det Insp Mark Harrison, from the National Wildlife Crime Unit, said: "This investigation is truly shocking and unsettling. "The people involved are not just motivated by money, this is also about getting some sort of gratification from watching animals being tortured and then sharing those images with others." Procurator fiscal Faye Cook said: "The videos and images that Natalie Herron bought and shared online are horrendous. "These animals were shown to be suffering extreme pain. This has been a distressing case for the prosecution team and police, but we have held Natalie Herron accountable. "Individuals involved in the distribution of graphic and obscene online content depicting violent torture should be forewarned that this behaviour is not only repellent, but is against the law and will be prosecuted." Anyone who has any concerns around such behaviour is asked to contact Police Scotland. US ringleader in global monkey torture network sent to jail Women jailed over sadistic monkey torture videos

Man accused of baby murder found gaming by police
Man accused of baby murder found gaming by police

Yahoo

time5 hours ago

  • Yahoo

Man accused of baby murder found gaming by police

A man was found gaming on his phone by police after shaking his baby daughter so hard he caused "catastrophic" brain injuries, a court has heard. Thomas Holford, 24, is accused of murdering Everleigh Stroud, who was rushed to Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother Hospital in Margate, Kent, on 21 April 2021. She remained there in a vegetative state until she died, aged 14 months, on 27 May 2022. Holford, of Ramsgate, who pleaded guilty to manslaughter in November last year, denies murder and causing actual bodily harm. On Tuesday, jurors at Canterbury Crown Court heard that Everleigh also had bone fractures, bruising to her face, atrophy to her eyes leading to her going blind and injuries to her anus. Prosecuting, Eloise Marshall KC told the court: "There is no dispute those injuries were inflicted by Thomas Holford," adding that they had been caused deliberately. At the time of the incident, Holford was living with his then 16-year-old girlfriend and her parents at an address in Wallwood Road, Ramsgate. His partner had stayed with a friend on 20 April to celebrate her birthday, leaving Holford to care for Everleigh overnight, the court heard. The next morning Everleigh's grandmother Kelly Stroud called 999, telling the operator the five-week-old baby "looked like she was in agony" and was unresponsive and barely breathing. Police attending the scene remarked that Holford appeared to be in a "good mood" as he played games on his phone while his daughter was being rushed to hospital. They also noted a bag of herbal cannabis and a grinder next to a baby's bottle in the room where he had slept with Everleigh. Ms Marshall added Holford "showed little emotion" and did not answer the majority of police questions when interviewed, except to say that he would not do anything to hurt his daughter. The trial continues. Follow BBC Kent on Facebook, on X, and on Instagram. Send your story ideas to southeasttoday@ or WhatsApp us on 08081 002250. Man charged over death of child in Ramsgate HM Courts and Tribunals Service

CCTV captures terrifying moment hired thug with sawn-off shotgun opens fire at homes amid bitter gangland feud
CCTV captures terrifying moment hired thug with sawn-off shotgun opens fire at homes amid bitter gangland feud

Yahoo

time7 hours ago

  • Yahoo

CCTV captures terrifying moment hired thug with sawn-off shotgun opens fire at homes amid bitter gangland feud

Shocking footage captures the moment a hired gunman fires at homes amid a bitter gangland feud. Kieran Morgan, 30, was caught on camera wielding a sawn-off double-barrelled shotgun opening fire in broad daylight and in the early hours in another appalling attack. He also fired a shotgun in a busy takeaway in a third shooting committed within the space of a few weeks. Zaki Shazad, 22, was the 'organiser' of the attacks, but was operating on behalf of unknown more senior underworld figures, Minshull Street Crown Court heard. A judge said the shootings had 'all the hallmarks of a dispute between serious organised criminals'. Miraculously, no one was hurt in any of the incidents, which happened in March and April 2023. Now Morgan has been sentenced to 18 years in jail, and Shazad to 16 years in prison. The first shooting happened on March 12 on Doric Avenue in Heald Green, Stockport. Morgan, with another man, was wearing a mask and dark clothing when he approached and fired a shotgun at the house. He then threw a homemade explosive device towards the property, but it bounced off a wall before Morgan picked it up and threw it at a higher trajectory where it 'went off like a firework'. Greater Manchester Police said that forensic testing later the device contained hydrochloric acid. Morgan then fled the scene in a Mercedes. The second shooting happened in broad daylight at a house on Wilmslow Road in Heald Green on April 21, when a family including a child were packing up their car for Eid celebrations. Morgan arrived at the scene in the afternoon with a hold-all bag, containing the shotgun. Wearing a face mask, he opened fire towards the property. No-one was hurt but there was damage caused to the house. The third shooting took place at the Drip burger bar on Kingsway nine days later, on April 30. Morgan entered the restaurant, immediately firing one shot before firing another soon after. One hit a wall next to a TV, and the other hit the counter. Staff were behind the counter at the time and customers were in the front of the restaurant. Prosecutor David Farley said those inside were 'clearly and understandably terrified'. Morgan fled on a bike. Shazad was the 'organiser' of the shootings. Messages sent between the pair on Snapchat show that Morgan was to be paid £1,000 by him for the 'jobs'. Shazad, of Ranford Road, Levenshulme, was found guilty of conspiring to possess a firearm with intent to endanger life. Morgan, of Petworth Avenue, Chadderton, pleaded guilty to the same offence. Police said that the three shootings were linked after officers received intelligence. They trawled through CCTV footage which helped to identify Morgan, who was seen wearing a Canada Goose jacket. He later posted a picture of himself on social media wearing the same jacket. His face was also seen on one CCTV clip after he had removed a balaclava. Shazad was also sentenced after he was caught trying to smuggle in cannabis to a relative who was in HMP Berwyn in North Wales. He pleaded guilty to conveying a list A article into prison and possessing cannabis. Defending Morgan, Keith Harrison said the defendant has suffered from 'recurring mental health problems'. For Shazad, David Bentley said that he was involved in assisting Morgan, but that he was not the 'Mr Big'. After the hearing, Detective Inspector Lee Newburn, of GMP, said: 'Violence, particularly this kind of revenge violence, will not be tolerated on the streets of Manchester. We have seen two dangerous individuals locked up for their parts in a number of firearms discharges targeting properties where innocent people were present. 'It is miraculous that no-one was seriously injured during these firearms discharges, but they could very easily have been. One of the victims of these shootings has described to me how scared she now is to go out in public and just how shaken she is about what happened. Nobody should be made to feel like this. 'We continue to work very closely with the communities in and around Greater Manchester to ensure that we protect them from this kind of violence, and we are grateful for the intelligence that we receive from them in relation to illegal activity on a daily basis. 'We also work closely with the Greater Manchester Violence Reduction Unit (VRU), which is a multi-agency team we are part of, and we seek to prevent violence from occurring by addressing underlying issues and educating those who may be at risk of re-offending. 'We do this by providing valuable input in prevention work that our partners are carrying out on an ongoing basis, working behind the scenes to manage serious incidents before they occur. That is why we are asking, if you know anyone who is using, or possesses, an illegal firearm, we urge you to get in touch with us as, for each firearm we recover, that's potentially a life saved."

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into the world of global news and events? Download our app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store