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Sunday World
21 hours ago
- Sunday World
Man who pretended to be police officer ‘as a prank' jailed
'I cannot imagine a worse case of impersonating a police officer' This is the Co Down driver who pretended to be a police officer and flashed down another driver A Co Down man who impersonated a police officer twice in one night has been handed a jail sentence. Sentencing Charlie Ward this week, District Judge Nigel Broderick outlined how the 21-year-old had told a probation officer the offending was 'a prank.' However, the judge said there was nothing humorous about his actions. 'I don't see anything funny about this whatsoever,' declared Mr Broderick, adding: 'I cannot imagine a worse case of impersonating a police officer.' At an earlier hearing, Ward, from Downpatrick Road in Killough, entered guilty pleas to dangerous driving and impersonating a police officer on December 28 last year. At Ballymena Magistrates Court on Thursday, a prosecuting lawyer said police received a report from a member of the public that a car had driven up close behind them and was repeatedly flashing blue and red lights in the front bumper. This is the Co Down driver who pretended to be a police officer and flashed down another driver Today's News in 90 Seconds - July 5th Believing it was police, the driver pulled over and was approached by a male 'who said he was an undercover police officer.' The suspicious driver asked for ID and when none was forthcoming, they 'drove off, feeling in danger.' The fake officer 'chased after them for approximately two miles, at high speed,' said the lawyer, adding that as the car progressed from the Crankill Road to the M2 motorway, Ward was 'tailgating and trying to undertake the car at one stage.' Forty-five minutes after that, Ward used the same modus operandi to stop another car at the Seven Towers roundabout. This member of the public told police they had been driving along the dual carriageway when a vehicle came up behind them, 'at speed, flashing blue and red lights and signalling left.' The other vehicle was driving erratically, said the lawyer, recounting how it was tailgating and swerving left and right. This person stopped, put the window down, and again Ward told them 'he was an undercover police officer.' Ward's car sped off up the M2, swerving across several lanes and almost causing a collision before he 'disappeared at Sandyknowes roundabout.' The lawyer said Ward was arrested on December 31 and a search of his vehicle uncovered a cable and switch connected to blue and red lights on the bumper. Arrested and interviewed, Ward refused to answer police questions but he later entered guilty pleas. Defence counsel Thomas McKeever said he had to accept 'that the facts are not good' and further that the judge 'will be considering an immediate custodial sentence.' Submitting that Ward has 'strong family support,' the barrister revealed that many of his problems stemmed from his mother dying when he was young as well as a diagnosis of ADHD. 'He had not taken his medication that day and that is absolutely no excuse for the behaviour, but it's an explanation I suppose,' Mr McKeever suggested. Conceding that the offending was 'very foolish,' the barrister said it had been 'very much a wake-up call' for Ward, submitting that the court 'could take a chance in terms of a suspended sentence.' But Mr Broderick referred to Ward's previous offending, as he imposed a custodial sentence. 'He has had 22 chances already,' he said, citing how Ward had been before the Youth Court almost two dozen times and had been given different sentences including probation and youth conference orders. 'There is a litany of offences' on his record, the judge told the court, 'and despite that strong family support, he continues to reoffend, pretends to be a police officer and as if that's not bad enough, he does it again.' As well as the four month prison sentence, Ward was also banned from driving for 18 months. As a prison officer was in the process of handcuffing Ward, Mr McKeever asked for bail pending appeal and Judge Broderick agreed, freeing Ward on his own bail of £500.
Sunday World
2 days ago
- Sunday World
Three family members of suspected burglary gang charged with organised crime offences
The men, from Dublin, who are related and include a father and son, were denied bail at Sligo District Court and remanded in continuing custody. Three suspected members of a burglary gang were charged yesterday with organised crime offences. The men, from Dublin, who are related and include a father and son, were denied bail at Sligo District Court and remanded in continuing custody. The court previously heard the case against them was part of a wider investigation into a large number of burglaries, mostly in the west of Ireland. The three are Edward Connors (50) and his son Larry Connors (27), both of Bridgeview, Cloverhill Road, Clondalkin, and Edward Connors (28), of Drumkerring Park, Fettercairn, Tallaght. Edward Connors (50) Today's News in 90 Seconds - July 4th They face a range of charges linked to separate burglary and associated offences. They were brought before Sligo District Court yesterday and charged with organised crime offences as part of an investigation carried out by gardaí from the Western Region. The elder Edward Connors was charged with one count under Section 72 of the Criminal Justice Act 2006 of facilitating and enhancing the activities of a criminal organisation in relation to a garda interception in Co Kildare last November. He was further charged under Section 73 of the same act, which states that a person who commits a serious offence for the benefit of, at the direction of, or in association with, a criminal organisation is guilty of an offence. In his case, these alleged offences are concerned with two burglaries, in Co Sligo in April 2023 and Co Tipperary last August. Larry Connors (27) Among other offences he is charged with is alleged criminal damage to a van that occurred in Co Roscommon last November. Larry Connors was charged with the same two offences under the Criminal Justice Act, with his Section 73 charge related to an alleged burglary in Co Roscommon last November. The men are further charged with handling stolen jewellery The younger Edward Connors was charged with a single Section 72 offence under the organised crime legislation. As with the other two defendants, this charge is related to the circumstances of his arrest in Co Kildare last November 29. Gardaí had earlier charged all three men with having in their possession gloves, torches, a pry bar, pliers, a heavy-duty axe, screwdrivers, a signal interference device, a telescopic ladder, a vehicle refuelling kit, surface disinfectant and two sets of number plates not matching the car they were travelling in, when they were stopped at Cadamstown, Johnstownbridge, Co Kildare, last November 29. They have been in custody since their arrests last November. All three were refused High Court bail during an application before Mr Justice Tony Hunt in early January and were again refused bail at yesterday's hearing. Bail could not have been granted to them at the district court on the organised crime charges. Convictions in relation to Section 72 or 73 of the act can attract a maximum prison sentence of 15 years. Their case is expected to be sent forward to the next sitting of Sligo Circuit Criminal Court, and it has been remanded for a week for service of books of evidence. The men are further charged with handling stolen jewellery taken during the course of a burglary at a house in Tuam, Co Galway, last November 28. They are charged with further separate offences, some of which were upgraded at yesterday's court sitting.
Int'l Cricket Council
6 days ago
- Sport
- Int'l Cricket Council
England name XI for Edgbaston Test against India ICC World Test Championship
Ben Stokes will lead the side in Edgbaston and will hope to double their advantage in the series. The hosts lead the five-match series 1-0 after chasing down 371 in the fourth innings to win the first Test. Despite Jofra Archer being a part of the England squad, the team management decided to stick to the winning combination. Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Ben Stokes (c), Jamie Smith (wk), Chris Woakes, Brydon Carse, Josh Tongue, Shoaib Bashir More to follow... ICC World Test ChampionshipNewsMen's News
Int'l Cricket Council
02-06-2025
- Sport
- Int'l Cricket Council
Dates, venues for key Women's T20 World Cup 2026 fixtures revealed
The first match of the ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2026 is set to be held at Edgbaston, Birmingham on 12 June with the hosts England kicking off the tournament. The Oval in London will play hosts for both the semi-finals on 30 June and 2 July respectively while the Final will be held at the iconic Lord's Cricket Ground on 5 July. The marquee tournament will take place across 24 days with 33 matches set to be played across seven different venues in England, including Old Trafford Cricket Ground in Manchester, Headingley in Leeds, Edgbaston in Birmingham, The Hampshire Bowl in Southampton, Bristol County Ground in Bristol and The Oval and Lord's in London. This is the biggest ever Women's T20 World Cup edition with 12 teams competing for the prestigious trophy. Eight teams including hosts England, Australia, India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka South Africa, West Indies and the defending champions New Zealand have already qualified for the tournament while four more will join them through the Qualifier next year. The dates and key fixtures for the ICC Women's Cricket World Cup 2025 in India were also announced today with ICC Chair Jay Shah reiterating the governing body's commitment to the women's game. 'Fans have shown great support for the women's game in recent years, and I am sure they will start planning for these showpiece events now that they have key dates and venues," he said. 'Women's cricket stands at the forefront of our vision, and we are confident that these two upcoming tournaments will not only sustain the incredible momentum we've built in recent years but lift it to greater heights.' A tournament to savour | WT20WC 2024 A tournament to savour | WT20WC 2024 Exclusive presale tickets for the opening match, the semi-finals and the final will begin on 12 June, 2025 and fans can register the interest for the same here. Tickets for the opening game will start at £15 for adults and £5 for juniors and the semi-finals tickets will be available at £20 for adults and £10 for juniors. The final tickets will be sold at £30 for adults and £15 for juniors. ICC Women's T20 World Cup, 2026NewsWomen's News
