The minutes before cocaine-fuelled driver caused son's M6 death
Listen to the best of BBC Radio Lancashire on Sounds and follow BBC Lancashire on Facebook, X and Instagram. You can also send story ideas via Whatsapp to 0808 100 2230.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
BreakingNews.ie
9 minutes ago
- BreakingNews.ie
150 arrested at protest against Palestine Action ban in London
Police have made 150 arrests as protesters gathered in central London to show support for Palestine Action in defiance of its ban as a terror group. Defend Our Juries, which organised the demonstration, said between 600 and 700 people were in Parliament Square on Saturday afternoon. Advertisement The Metropolitan Police said it would arrest anyone expressing support for Palestine Action. Hundreds gathered in Parliament Square (Stefan Rousseau/PA) The crowd, sat on the grass inside Parliament Square, could be seen writing 'I oppose genocide, I support Palestine Action' on white placards at 1pm, with the vast majority remaining silent. Several demonstrators carrying placards that read 'Palestine Action terrorises Britain while Hamas hides in hospitals, schools and mosques', briefly walked along the crowd before being led away by police officers. Other clusters of protesters who were not holding placards gathered around the Mahatma Gandhi and Nelson Mandela statues in the square singing pro-Palestinian chants. Advertisement Officers were holding individual demonstrators sat on the edge of the grass before escorting them through swelling crowds to police vans parked on the edge of the square. A separate group of officers attended a protester lying next to the fenced-off Emmeline Pankhurst statue. They later began arresting protesters sat in the middle of Parliament Square. The officers lifted the protesters – some sitting and some lying flat – off the ground before escorting them away. Advertisement A woman is detained by police in Parliament Square (Stefan Rousseau/PA) Onlookers applauded the protesters and shouted 'Shame on you' at the police making arrests. Protesters who were still sat in the middle of Parliament Square stood up together at 2pm and held their placards in the air. One person was also arrested at a separate Palestine Coalition march, which set off from Russell Square heading to Whitehall via Aldwych and the Strand. The arrest was 'for a placard showing support for Palestine Action', Scotland Yard said. Advertisement Protesters held signs in support of Palestine Action (Stefan Rousseau/PA) Membership of, or support for, Palestine Action is a criminal offence punishable by up to 14 years in prison under the Terrorism Act 2000. Earlier this week, the first three people to be charged with supporting Palestine Action in England and Wales were named. Jeremy Shippam, 71, Judit Murray, 71, and Fiona Maclean, 53, have all been charged with displaying an article in a public place, arousing reasonable suspicion that they are a supporter of a proscribed organisation after their attendance at a previous demonstration last month. Hundreds have been arrested in the wave of Defend Our Juries protests across the UK since the ban was implemented by Home Secretary Yvette Cooper last month. Advertisement Demonstrators were seen lying on the ground (Stefan Rousseau/PA) A Home Office spokesperson said: 'The Home Secretary has been clear that the proscription of Palestine Action is not about Palestine, nor does it affect the freedom to protest on Palestinian rights. 'It only applies to the specific and narrow organisation whose activities do not reflect or represent the thousands of people across the country who continue to exercise their fundamental rights to protest on different issues. 'Freedom to protest is a cornerstone of our democracy and we protect it fiercely. 'The decision to proscribe was based on strong security advice and the unanimous recommendation by the expert cross-government proscription review group. 'This followed serious attacks the group has committed, involving violence, significant injuries and extensive criminal damage.'
BBC News
9 minutes ago
- BBC News
Birkenhead family's heartbreak over Connor Smith's stolen flowers
The family of a teenager who was killed more than eight years ago say they are "heartbroken" after an expensive floral tribute laid at his street memorial was Smith, 16, died when a driver blacked out at the wheel and hit him after driving on the wrong side of Old Chester Road in Birkenhead on 13 January and family have paid tribute to Connor on important dates ever since by laying flowers at a memorial plaque on nearby Bedford bouquet from his grandparents was stolen on Monday, the day after they were placed at the site on what would have been his 25th birthday. "We are devastated - my mum is heartbroken," said Connor's aunt Tracey Williams. "Everybody in the community knows what this memorial means to his family and friends," she added."These flowers were expensive, my mum does not do things by halves."I would ask whoever stole them how would they like it if this had happened to them?"Connor's grandmother makes a weekly visit to his Williams, from Rock Ferry, was jailed for three years and four months in November 2017 after he admitted causing death by dangerous the time, Liverpool Crown Court heard he had failed to inform the DVLA of his epilepsy. Listen to the best of BBC Radio Merseyside on Sounds and follow BBC Merseyside on Facebook, X, and Instagram. You can also send story ideas via Whatsapp to 0808 100 2230.
The Guardian
9 minutes ago
- The Guardian
Met police arrest more than 150 people at protest over Palestine Action in London
More than 150 people have been arrested in central London at the largest demonstration relating to Palestine Action since the group was proscribed as a terrorist organisation. The Metropolitan police said they had drawn officers from other forces to help form a 'significant policing presence' in the capital as it faces a busy weekend of protests. By Saturday afternoon, hundreds of people had gathered in Parliament Square for a demonstration organised by the campaign group Defend Our Juries. Protesters held up placards that referred to the proscribed group in Parliament Square. The event was organised by Defend Our Juries, which announced its intention to go ahead with the protest earlier this week, despite police warnings. The ban means that membership of, or support for, Palestine Action is a criminal offence punishable by up to 14 years in prison under the Terrorism Act 2000. Before the protest, a Home Office spokesperson said: 'The home secretary has been clear that the proscription of Palestine Action is not about Palestine, nor does it affect the freedom to protest on Palestinian rights. 'It only applies to the specific and narrow organisation whose activities do not reflect or represent the thousands of people across the country who continue to exercise their fundamental rights to protest on different issues. Freedom to protest is a cornerstone of our democracy and we protect it fiercely.' The first three people to be charged with supporting the group in England and Wales were named on Thursday. Jeremy Shippam, 71, Judit Murray, 71, and Fiona Maclean, 53, have been charged with displaying an article in a public place, arousing reasonable suspicion that they are a supporter of a proscribed organisation after their attendance at a previous demonstration last month. The Met deputy assistant commissioner, Ade Adelekan, said: 'The Met is very experienced at dealing with large-scale protests, including where the protest activity crosses into criminality, requiring arrests. While we will not go into the specific details of our plan, the public can be assured that we will have the resources and processes in place to respond to any eventuality. 'Anyone showing support for Palestine Action can expect to be arrested. I would once again urge people to consider the seriousness of that outcome. An arrest under the Terrorism Act can have very real long-term implications – from travel, to employment, to finances. Also, as we have seen this week, it is very likely an arrest in these circumstances will lead to a charge.' Two unconnected marches organised by the Palestine Coalition and the pro-Israeli group Stop the Hate, respectively, will also be held on consecutive days in central London. The coalition's supporters will march from Russell Square to Whitehall followed by an assembly with speeches.
