A year after anti-immigrant riots in Britain, many worry it could happen again
In the aftermath, communities came together to clear up the physical damage — but repairing the country's social fabric is harder. Experts and community groups warn that the mix of anger, fear, misinformation and political agitating that fueled the violence remains. In recent weeks it has bubbled over again on the streets of Epping , near London.
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Yahoo
6 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Rapper jailed for murdering father in front of young son in barber shop
A rapper who threatened a 'charismatic' charity worker on video before murdering him in front of his young son in a barber shop has been jailed for life. Renai Belle was driven by jealousy and rage when he stabbed his former friend Josh McKay in the neck in Leyton, east London, the Old Bailey heard. Before the fatal attack, Belle had threatened father-of-two Mr McKay, 33, in a rap video after the victim had refused to fund his career. Following an Old Bailey trial, Belle, 30, of Edmonton, north London, was found guilty of murder and possession of a knife. On Wednesday, he was jailed for life with a minimum term of 28 years. Belle's former girlfriend Tenika Parker, 39, from Leytonstone, east London, was found guilty of perverting the course of justice and possession of a knife. Judge Lynn Tayton KC jailed single mother-of-three and primary school teacher Parker for two years and three months. The court heard how Mr McKay had worked supporting young care leavers, providing them with homes and helping them into jobs. He had also helped Belle who later became angry at his refusal to pay for the production of a rap video. On Saturday July 6 last year, Belle spotted Mr McKay going into Hollywood Cuts barber shop on Lea Bridge Road to get a hair cut with his son. The defendant fetched a knife and a balaclava and Parker drove him back to the barber's. Prosecutor Lyndon Harris said: 'Mr Belle left the vehicle, placed the balaclava over his face. 'He then entered Hollywood Cuts and attacked Mr McKay, stabbing him in the neck. 'A struggled ensued, part of which can be seen on the CCTV footage, and a melee spilled out into the street. Mr Belle exited first followed by Mr McKay. 'He then made his retreat and travelled back to Ms Parker's address and a clean-up operation ensued.' Belle took a shower and changed while Parker disposed of evidence, Mr Harris said. The court heard there was blood in the barber shop and, despite an attempt by Parker to clean up, more blood was found in the back of her car. Following a manhunt, Belle was arrested two days after the killing. During their trial, Parker admitted helping Belle with his drug dealing and allowing him to keep money in her bank account while she was working at a school. On Wednesday, Mr McKay's mother Bash Kehinde condemned the pair in the dock as she read out a victim impact statement. Addressing Belle, she said: 'You did not care that Josh was a father, a son, a grandson, a brother, an uncle and a friend to many. 'You did not care that he owed you nothing and everything he had achieved he had worked hard for. 'You do not care that you were going to kill him in cold blood in front of his son and you did not care you broke his family into a million pieces. 'Belle, you saw Josh with his son and you knew his son would witness the murder of his father. There is a special place in hell for you.' She added: 'You are literally the opposite of everything Josh stood for. You do not have his charm, his looks, his charisma, his smile, his warmth, his humour, his kindness.' She told the court that Mr McKay had helped more than 50 young men and had taken in Belle after he was released from jail, giving him money, clothes and a place to stay when he was homeless. 'You then asked Josh for more, you wanted him to fund your rap video – Josh told you he wouldn't give you the money – £1,500 – that if you were serious about being a rapper then you would work hard to make your video. 'It seems he was right not to invest his money as you are as predicted a non-entity in the rap world. But from then on you became angry with Josh. You sent him threats and he ignored you.' Mr McKay was the founder and director of a company providing semi independent care homes while also running a charitable enterprise helping young care leavers into employment and good quality homes. 'While you would have seen Josh as being successful, having money to buy a flash car and fancy clothes – what you would never realise is that they were the rewards of hard work and dedication to others,' his mother and business partner said. One of the young men Mr McKay had supported described him as a 'Batman' superhero, compared with Belle who grew up to become a 'monster', she said. Ms Kehinde said 'spineless' Parker was getting a beauty treatment as she was telling Mr McKay's two children that their father was dead. Mitigating for Belle, defence barrister Graham Trembath KC said the killing was 'a moment of utter madness'. Although Belle had previous convictions for 55 offences, Mr Trembath said: 'What happened in that barber shop was off the scale.' Kirsty Brimelow KC said Parker had expressed 'complete remorse' for what happened. A third defendant, Daniel Cooper, 22, from Leytonstone, pleaded guilty to possession of a blade and was jailed for 30 weeks on a previous occasion.
Yahoo
6 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Man who harassed woman is jailed for two years
A man has been jailed and given a 10-year restraining order for harassing a woman and breaking into her home. Kane Thomas, 36, from Warminster in Wiltshire, appeared at Winchester Crown Court on 28 July. After pleading guilty to burgling and harassing his 30-year-old victim he was jailed for two years. Crime Investigator Sophie Vowles, from Wiltshire Police, said: "Thomas is a dangerous individual who subjected the victim to an escalating level of violence and harassment." More news stories for Wiltshire Listen to the latest news for Wiltshire The court heard that on 15 April, after an escalating pattern of bad behaviour, Thomas turned up at the victim's property in Warminster. He repeatedly kicked the front door and back gate as he tried to get inside. Four days later, at around 05:00 GMT on 19 April, Thomas broke into the victim's home through a small window while she was asleep and smashed a TV, broke glasses in the kitchen and pulled doors off their hinges. He then threatened the victim, leaving her in fear for her safety, and was arrested later that evening. 'A dangerous individual' Ms Vowles said the victim had "shown immense bravery" and her input had led to Thomas being jailed. "I hope this will provide her with a degree of closure, reassurance and will allow her to move on with her life," she said. Ms Vowles added: "Violence against women and girls is a priority for the Force and there is a significant amount of work going on across Wiltshire to tackle it in all its forms. "No one should suffer abuse." Follow BBC Wiltshire on Facebook, X and Instagram. Send your story ideas to us on email or via WhatsApp on 0800 313 4630. Related Internet links Wiltshire Police
CNN
8 minutes ago
- CNN
Bachelor party participants among 3 killed in shooting outside Reno casino
Two men in town for a bachelor party and a local man driving through a parking lot were killed in Monday morning's shooting outside a resort and casino in Reno, Nevada, police said. A suspect, 26-year-old Reno resident Dakota Hawver, was shot by Reno police officers outside Grand Sierra Resort on Monday morning and sent to a hospital, where he was in critical condition Tuesday, police in the neighboring city of Sparks said. Investigators allege Hawver first shot five people in the resort's valet area shortly before 7:30 a.m., killing two of them – Justin Aguila and Andrew Canepa, both 33-year-old Southern California residents – Sparks police said. Aguila and Canepa, in town with friends for a bachelor party, were shot from behind while waiting for a ride to an airport, police said. The sixth person shot and third person killed, 66-year-old Reno resident Angel Martinez, was driving his car through the resort's parking lot when he was shot several times, police said. Of the three injured survivors, one was treated and released Monday, and the other two were in a hospital Tuesday but are expected to make a full recovery, Sparks police said. Investigators have not identified a motive in the shooting, according to police. A multifaith candlelight vigil honoring the victims will be held Wednesday evening at the Unity Center of Reno, according to the organization's website. Aguila and Canepa were part of a 13-person group that was heading home after a bachelor party weekend, according to CNN affiliate KRNV, which spoke with the family of a group member who was shot but is expected to recover. Four of those shot in the valet area were members of the bachelor party, KRNV reported. Canepa was a co-owner of Side Street Cafe in Newbury Park, California, according to Jeff Gorell, a member of the board of supervisors in California's Ventura County. 'Andrew was a kind soul, a dedicated business owner, and a loving father to his young son,' Gorell said in a social media post. 'Our thoughts and prayers are with his family, friends, and the Side Street Cafe community during this incredibly difficult time. We will miss seeing his warm presence at the restaurant and are deeply saddened by this loss.' Canepa was a 'devoted dad' to his 6-year-old son and 'lit up every room he walked into,' according to a GoFundMe page set up to help the family. Martinez was one of 11 siblings, according to a GoFundMe page created by his niece. 'He (Martinez) had a lifelong love of cooking, just like many of his brothers, and spent more than three decades working in restaurants and casinos throughout Reno,' a description on the fundraising page reads. 'His greatest joy was being a father and grandfather.' The suspect was seen pacing the parking lot of the resort – located less than 3 miles east of downtown Reno – for about 45 minutes before the shooting, a law enforcement official briefed on the incident told CNN. At some point, the gunman walked into the resort's valet area and began shooting, striking five, before fleeing through the parking lot and shooting Martinez, Sparks Police Chief Chris Crawforth said. Police officers found the suspect in the parking lot, and he began firing at them, police said. Reno police officers then shot the suspect, Crawforth said, without specifying how many officers shot him. Because Reno officers shot Hawver, Sparks police will take a lead role in the investigation of the whole incident, Reno Police Chief Kathryn Nance said Monday. The six Reno police officers involved in the shooting were placed on administrative leave, which is standard policy, Reno police spokesperson Chris Johnson told CNN Tuesday. Investigators have not found any connection between the suspect and the victims, Sparks police said. Hawver did not have a criminal record or any documented mental health issues, police said. It is unclear if charges have been filed in Monday's shooting. CNN's Elizabeth Wolfe, John Miller, Sara Smart and Amanda Musa contributed to this report
