Latest news with #BebeKing
Daily Mail
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Channel 4 sparks fury after using Southport killer's mugshot in 'sick' advert as viewers beg 'please stop this!'
Channel 4 has sparked fury after using the Southport killer's mugshot in a controversial advert. Recently, an ad on Facebook for the broadcaster's new shows featured a photograph of Axel Rudakubana and said: 'More of the shows you love, more of the shows you will love. Stream now on Channel 4.' The killer was convicted for the murders of Bebe King, six, Elsie Dot Stancome, seven, and Alice da Silva Aguiar, nine, at a Taylor Swift dance class in Southport in July 2024, as well as the attempted murder of 10 others. He was sentenced to a minimum of 52 years in January. The advert contained a link to a news special about the case, titled Southport Killer Sentenced, according to The Sun. From A-list scandals and red carpet mishaps to exclusive pictures and viral moments, subscribe to the DailyMail's new Showbiz newsletter to stay in the loop. Recently, an ad on Facebook for the broadcaster's new shows featured a photograph of Axel Rudakubana (pictured) and said: 'More of the shows you love ❤, more of the shows you will love. Stream now on Channel 4.' Patrick Hurley, who is a Labour MP for Southport, took to social media to express his outrage and posted on X: 'I'm really disappointed to see @Channel4 actively promote this image to Southport residents on Facebook, by buying ads targeting them. 'Please stop this, @Channel 4. 'And as for the text in the post - 'More of the shows you love, more of the shows you will love. Stream now on Channel 4' - is this some sort of sick joke?' The broadcaster has since apologised and removed the photograph from the advert. A Channel 4 spokesperson told The Sun: 'We apologise for any offence or upset this has caused.' Ofcom also confirmed to the publication that Mr Hurley had filed a complaint about the advert. The watchdog commented: 'Decisions on how news is covered, including the choice of images, is an editorial matter for broadcasters.' It comes after it was revealed Rudakubana is allegedly allowed to buy treats in prison such as Maltesers and crisps despite throwing scorching water over a prison guard last month. It is also claimed that he is allowed to call his family, have religious visits and receive money from relatives while in the south east London prison. Patrick Hurley, who is an MP for Southport, took to social media to express his outrage and posted on X A source told The Sun that Rudakubana has been 'spending £5.50 a week' since he attacked the guard and is allowed to buy 'anything he likes as long as it's not dangerous'. They added: 'He's still allowed to buy things like Maltesers and Pringles crisps if he fancies them.' Since Rudakubana attacked the guard he has been on a 'basic' level of treatment behind bars meaning he no longer has access to a TV and that his time out of his cell has been restricted. He is also said to be no longer permitted to purchase butter or baby oil which could be heated for an attack.
BBC News
27-05-2025
- General
- BBC News
Why police released details about Liverpool crash suspect so quickly
After a driver ploughed into crowds during the Liverpool FC victory parade on Monday evening, Merseyside Police said they had arrested a "53-year-old white British man from the Liverpool area".It was striking how quickly police shared the man's nationality and ethnicity. The decision shows lessons have already been learned from the Southport attacks last summer, when online speculation and disinformation filled a void after the same force released little detail about the 17-year-old they had in when a suspect is arrested, police forces in England and Wales just give out the age of the person and where they were arrested. But at 19:53 BST, the force emailed out a press release including the suspect's age, nationality and ethnicity. It was a clear attempt to damp down inaccurate speculation on social media that the Ford Galaxy driving into Liverpool fans was part of an Islamist terrorist attack, or was in any way linked to migrants. LIVE UPDATES: Child and adult seriously hurtWHAT WE KNOW: Man arrested, dozens injuredWATCH: Videos show car driving through crowd Merseyside Police acted "very, very quickly" to stamp out speculation on social media that had caused "real consternation", Liverpool mayor Steve Rotheram said. By contrast, last summer in the aftermath of the horrific knife attack in Southport in which Bebe King, Elsie Dot Stancombe and Alice Da Silva Aguiar were killed, Merseyside Police said very little about the suspect they had arrested. This meant that inaccurate social media speculation and deliberate disinformation about the suspect having a Muslim name and being a newly-arrived migrant went unchecked. A consequence was a riot in Southport within 36 hours of the attack focused on the local mosque, and then further rioting across England, much of it aimed at hotels housing recently-arrived asylum seekers. The Southport attacker Axel Rudakubana had in fact been born in the UK and had no direct connections to Islamism, though he had downloaded an academic study of an al-Qaeda a report published earlier this month into last summer's events, His Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services said the police service "must do more to communicate online" and "fill the information void with the truth". "Forces must provide a true narrative online to reach people who may be searching for information," it report went on to say: "The police service must communicate the facts. Repeatedly, continuously and effectively as circumstances change and develop. "If not, others will take over the narrative with overwhelming amounts of online content. And some of this may be false or harmful to the police response and the communities the police are there to protect."The way Merseyside Police's communications team responded last night suggests that the force has rapidly adapted its policies since the violent disorder of last summer. It means that a clearer picture of what had happened quickly reached people's phones, TVs and radios and rapidly reduced the problem that police forces now face is whether this new approach will lead to confusion in future. What will a force do for example if the information about the suspect they are holding is unclear? Even more problematically, what will a force do if they arrest someone in similar circumstances who is a recently arrived migrant or who has a clearly Muslim name?Last night's rapid move to correct the narrative may not be as straightforward in different King, former assistant commissioner of the Metropolitan Police, said: "There will be times when police can confirm quickly. There are other times when it is unclear. These will always be complex and sensitive decisions."
Glasgow Times
21-05-2025
- Glasgow Times
Southport attack survivor campaigning for round-ended kitchen knives
Leanne Lucas launched Let's Be Blunt to coincide with a national knife crime awareness week, during which the Government has also announced a new knife amnesty taking place in July. Ms Lucas said: 'The horrific events in Southport on July 29 2024 changed my life forever. The pain and heartbreak that the families involved have had to endure is unimaginable. Bebe King, six, Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven and Alice da Silva Aguiar, nine, died after a mass stabbing in Southport (Merseyside Police/PA) 'If I can help to ensure this doesn't happen to another family again, I will. When people ask if there is anything they can do to help me, my answer is clear and comes from the heart: swap your pointed kitchen knives for rounded ones. 'Pointed knives, readily available in most kitchens, pose a very real risk of being tragically used as weapons on our streets. A simple yet effective change, replacing our kitchen knives with rounded ones, can remove this potential for danger. 'If we all make a small change in our homes, together we can play a powerful role in preventing future tragedies before they unfold.' Speaking on ITV's Good Morning Britain programme on Wednesday, Ms Lucas said: 'I don't understand why I've got a pointed tip knife in my house that somebody could potentially use as a weapon if they would like to. 'I know people say it wouldn't happen to me, my child wouldn't do that. 'We all believed it wouldn't happen to us, but I think we've just got to open our eyes to the real world.' Alice da Silva Aguiar, nine, Bebe King, six, and Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven, were murdered and eight other children and two adults were injured in the attack in Southport in July last year, carried out with a knife bought on Amazon while the killer was underage. The Let's Be Blunt campaign is set to be launched at a parliamentary reception on Wednesday evening. Actor Idris Elba has also called for a move to round-ended blades in his anti-knife crime campaigning. (Yui Mok/PA) Actor Idris Elba has also called for a move away from pointed kitchen knives, and initial research by forensic scientist Leisa Nichols-Drew with a team at De Montfort University suggests that they may be safer. The researchers found that 10 different rounded knives did not cut everyday clothing such as cotton t-shirts and denim jeans in tests with 1,200 repeated stabbing motions, whereas two pointed blades did. News of the campaign came as the Home Office unveiled plans for knife crime activist Faron Paul to travel across the country in an amnesty van. The campaigner will tour London, the West Midlands and Greater Manchester in July to help get rid of dangerous blades. The Home Office is also funding 37 new surrender bins, made by charity Word 4 Weapons, across the same locations where 45% of knife crime in England and Wales takes place. It comes as a ban on ninja swords campaigned for by the family of murdered teenager Ronan Kanda is set to come into force from August 1. It will be illegal to possess, sell, make or import the weapon as part of anti-knife crime measures introduced under Ronan's Law. Ronan's mother Pooja Kanda has campaigned for a law change since the death of her 16-year-old son, who was yards away from his Wolverhampton home when he was murdered with a ninja sword in 2022. Anyone handing in a ninja sword can claim compensation of £5 – the wholesale price of the weapon – if they return it to a designated police station. The new surrender bins have been purpose-built to cater for larger weapons such as ninja swords, and 33 will be placed across London, two in the West Midlands and two in Greater Manchester. Mr Paul's van is also specifically built for the task and will be supported by police officers on the move. The anti-knife crime campaigner and chief executive of FazAmnesty uses social media to raise awareness of the consequences of carrying knives after surviving two life-threatening attacks himself. Mr Paul said: 'The launch of the UK's first-ever amnesty van is a historic moment – not just for FazAmnesty, but for communities across the country. 'In partnership with the Home Office, this van allows us to take our mission directly to the people, giving them a safe, secure, and discreet way to hand in offensive weapons. 'It's more than just a vehicle – it's a symbol of hope, change, and second chances. 'This is about saving lives, protecting our communities, and breaking the cycle of violence.' It will be illegal to have a ninja sword after August 1, and anyone caught with one could face six months in prison, set to increase to two years under plans in the Crime and Policing Bill. Policing minister Dame Diana Johnson said: 'This Government is taking a different approach to tackling knife crime – one rooted in partnership with those who have first-hand experience of this devastating crime. 'We know that young people involved in crime can have complex pasts and often deep-rooted mistrust in authority, and I truly believe it's this kind of collaboration that will save young lives.'
BBC News
21-05-2025
- BBC News
Bebe King: Town turns yellow in boost for Southport service
Swathes of Southport have turned yellow in support of a new service for grieving children set up in memory of Bebe King, one of three girls killed in the knife attack in the Merseyside 6, Alice Aguiar, 9, and Elsie Dot Stancombe, 7, all died in the murders at a Taylor Swift-themed dance workshop last Bebe's Hive, the group was launched by Bebe's parents to provide creative sessions using art, music and storytelling to help bereaved children. The yellow colour was also chosen to coincide with World Bee Day."Bees always had such a special meaning to Bebe, so we just had to do something," Bebe's aunt Lydia Wainwright said. "What started as just a gentle invitation on Instagram to wear yellow or add something yellow to your school or business has just exploded into something much bigger than we could have ever imagined."In a post on the Bebe's Hive fundraising page, her family said the service would be "a space full of care and hope"."After losing her, we saw how deeply grief affects children," they said."We also saw what was missing: a safe, child-led space for healing. So we're creating one - rooted in love, creativity, and connection."At its heart, Bebe's Hive reflects who Bebe was: warm, inclusive, curious, and endlessly creative. Every part of what we're building carries her kindness and her spark." Churchtown village was decorated with yellow ribbons and people across the area wore at United Legal Assistance and Birkdale Insurance in Southport also shared photographs of staff wearing yellow for the day and the Southport Strollers running club wore yellow as they ran on Tuesday The Atkinson arts centre, Southport Town Hall and Bootle Town Hall were all lit yellow on Tuesday Hive is supported by Elsie's Story Charitable Trust which was set up by Elsie Dot Stancombe's parents. 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.
Western Telegraph
21-05-2025
- Western Telegraph
Southport attack survivor campaigning for round-ended kitchen knives
Leanne Lucas launched Let's Be Blunt to coincide with a national knife crime awareness week, during which the Government has also announced a new knife amnesty taking place in July. Ms Lucas said: 'The horrific events in Southport on July 29 2024 changed my life forever. The pain and heartbreak that the families involved have had to endure is unimaginable. Bebe King, six, Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven and Alice da Silva Aguiar, nine, died after a mass stabbing in Southport (Merseyside Police/PA) 'If I can help to ensure this doesn't happen to another family again, I will. When people ask if there is anything they can do to help me, my answer is clear and comes from the heart: swap your pointed kitchen knives for rounded ones. 'Pointed knives, readily available in most kitchens, pose a very real risk of being tragically used as weapons on our streets. A simple yet effective change, replacing our kitchen knives with rounded ones, can remove this potential for danger. 'If we all make a small change in our homes, together we can play a powerful role in preventing future tragedies before they unfold.' Alice da Silva Aguiar, nine, Bebe King, six, and Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven, were murdered and eight other children and two adults were injured in the attack in Southport in July last year, carried out with a knife bought on Amazon while the killer was under-age. The Let's Be Blunt campaign is set to be launched at a parliamentary reception on Wednesday evening. Actor Idris Elba has also called for a move to round-ended blades in his anti-knife crime campaigning. (Yui Mok/PA) Actor Idris Elba has also called for a move away from pointed kitchen knives, and initial research by forensic scientist Leisa Nichols-Drew with a team at De Montfort University suggests that they may be safer. The researchers found that 10 different rounded knives did not cut everyday clothing such as cotton t-shirts and denim jeans in tests with 1,200 repeated stabbing motions, whereas two pointed blades did. News of the campaign came as the Home Office unveiled plans for knife crime activist Faron Paul to travel across the country in an amnesty van. The campaigner will tour London, the West Midlands and Greater Manchester in July to help get rid of dangerous blades. The Home Office is also funding 37 new surrender bins, made by charity Word 4 Weapons, across the same locations where 45% of knife crime in England and Wales takes place. It comes as a ban on ninja swords campaigned for by the family of murdered teenager Ronan Kanda is set to come into force from August 1. It will be illegal to possess, sell, make or import the weapon as part of anti-knife crime measures introduced under Ronan's Law. Ronan's mother Pooja Kanda has campaigned for a law change since the death of her 16-year-old son, who was yards away from his Wolverhampton home when he was murdered with a ninja sword in 2022. Anyone handing in a ninja sword can claim compensation of £5 – the wholesale price of the weapon – if they return it to a designated police station. The new surrender bins have been purpose-built to cater for larger weapons such as ninja swords, and 33 will be placed across London, two in the West Midlands and two in Greater Manchester. Mr Paul's van is also specifically built for the task and will be supported by police officers on the move. The anti-knife crime campaigner and chief executive of FazAmnesty uses social media to raise awareness of the consequences of carrying knives after surviving two life-threatening attacks himself. Mr Paul said: 'The launch of the UK's first-ever amnesty van is a historic moment – not just for FazAmnesty, but for communities across the country. 'In partnership with the Home Office, this van allows us to take our mission directly to the people, giving them a safe, secure, and discreet way to hand in offensive weapons. 'It's more than just a vehicle – it's a symbol of hope, change, and second chances. 'This is about saving lives, protecting our communities, and breaking the cycle of violence.' It will be illegal to have a ninja sword after August 1, and anyone caught with one could face six months in prison, set to increase to two years under plans in the Crime and Policing Bill. Policing minister Dame Diana Johnson said: 'This Government is taking a different approach to tackling knife crime – one rooted in partnership with those who have first-hand experience of this devastating crime. 'We know that young people involved in crime can have complex pasts and often deep-rooted mistrust in authority, and I truly believe it's this kind of collaboration that will save young lives.'
