
Closing arguments conclude in Australia's mushroom trial as jury deliberation approaches
Closing addresses from the prosecution and defence have now concluded in the triple murder trial of Erin Patterson. Next it will be up to the jury to deliberate and reach a unanimous verdict. Patterson faces three charges of murder and one charge of attempted murder relating to a lunch she served at her house in Victoria's Leongatha on 29 July 2023. She has pleaded not guilty to murdering three relatives of her estranged husband, Simon Patterson, and attempting to murder another. Guardian Australia's justice and courts reporter, Nino Bucci, has been attending the trial since it began, and explains the latest developments
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Sky News
an hour ago
- Sky News
Teenager who murdered 12-year-old Ava White named for first time
The teenager who murdered 12-year-old Ava White in Liverpool can be publicly named for the first time after turning 18. Harry Gilbertson was 14 when he carried out the attack in the city centre back in November 2021. He was convicted of murder the following year - and sentenced to a minimum of 13 years behind bars. Reporting restrictions preventing Gilbertson being identified were kept in place until now, despite requests from the media and Ava's family. Her mother Leeann White said: "I wanted the whole world to know who he was. I think Liverpool had the right to know who he was as well." The 42-year-old added that she has been told little about her daughter's killer but learned he has done his GCSEs. "It should have been Ava sitting her GCSEs, not him," she said. On what would have been Ava's 15th birthday, Ms White's nephew was sent a photograph on Snapchat that appeared to show Gilbertson posing for the camera with his arms crossed, next to another male who had his middle finger up. She reported the photo and was told a glitch meant an iPad that Gilbertson was using for educational purposes could be used to access the internet. "He didn't get any privileges taken off him. He just got a telling off basically," Ms White said. She described being "really angry" when she saw the picture, adding: "I can never have a photograph with my child now, so why does he have the right? "He lost his rights when he murdered my child." Ms White said she tries not to think about Gilbertson, because doing so means she is "just taking a million steps back". Judge Mrs Justice Yip kept the reporting restrictions in place over concerns for the killer's younger siblings, as one of them had not been told that their brother was on trial for murder. But Ms White feels her family had "nowhere near" the same protection. "I had to sit my little nephews and nieces down and tell them about Ava, but they could hide everything for him," she said. "I feel like they've done everything they can to protect him and his family." Ms White has now set up a foundation in Ava's name that provides bleed control kits to schools, pubs and businesses - along with training on how to use them. At least six lives have been saved thanks to the kits. "I think every establishment should have one," she said. "The way knife crime is, it's not going down, it's getting worse." Ava was in the city centre with friends as the Christmas lights were turned on, but her group became involved in an argument with Gilbertson and his friends. He was carrying a knife and struck Ava once in the neck, causing her fatal injury. Gilbertson fled the scene, discarded the weapon and his coat, and was seen on CCTV in a shop later that night taking a selfie and buying butter. Ms White said she no longer has "good days" since Ava's death, but has "okay days and really bad days". She added: "What keeps me going is I'm keeping Ava's name out there and that's more important to me - to keep Ava's name out there so she's not forgotten." A Ministry of Justice spokeswoman said: "This was a horrendous crime, and our thoughts remain with the family of Ava White. "No victim should ever have to see their perpetrators appearing online. "We've put in place tough measures to clamp down on the use of social media in prisons and have committed to review how we could extend these controls to all places of custody."


BBC News
an hour ago
- BBC News
Chard man denies murdering one-month-old son
A man has pleaded not guilty to murdering his one-month-old Bartlett, 38, is accused of killing Atticus Bartlett in Chard, Somerset, in July Bartlett, from Axminster, Devon, appeared at Bristol Crown Court on Friday. Judge Julian Lambert fixed a trial date of June 11 next year, with a trial estimate of four Avon and Somerset Police spokesperson previously said their officers were called to an address in Chard at about 23:30 BST on 16 July 2022. Atticus was taken to hospital in a critical condition, and died a week later. The judge told the defendant: "You may now leave the dock on bail with your existing conditions."A further case management hearing will take place on November 28.


BBC News
an hour ago
- BBC News
Convicted Stanley paedophile jailed for abusing girl
A convicted paedophile who went on to abuse a girl has been jailed for seven Mcaninley, 56, had a history of downloading and sharing images of child sex abuse when he groped a girl under the age of 13, Teesside Crown Court victim's mother said she had seen her "beautiful, carefree daughter turn into a lost child" because of Mcaninley's of Gainsborough Road in Stanley, County Durham, had denied wrongdoing but was found guilty of sexual assaulting a child by jurors. He had admitted breaching a sexual harm prevention order imposed indefinitely in 2017 for the indecent images offences. As part of the order, he had to register any internet-enabled devices and bank accounts with police but failed to tell them about 10 such devices, the court a statement read to the court, the victim's mother said her daughter had endured severe mental health problems since the abuse and Mcaninley was "unsafe" to be around Andrew Haslam KC said Mcaninley was a predator who had a deeply entrenched sexual attraction to judge said Mcaninley posed a "high risk of serious sexual and emotional harm to children".Mcaninley will have to serve a further three years on extended licence and sign the sex offenders register for life.A new sexual harm prevention order was also made. Follow BBC North East on X, Facebook, Nextdoor and Instagram.