Latest news with #Binks
Pembrokeshire Herald
a day ago
- Business
- Pembrokeshire Herald
Sofa distributor banned after driving with seven times the cannabis limit
A SOFA delivery driver has been banned from the roads for 12 months after being caught driving through Pembroke Dock while seven times over the legal cannabis limit. Dean Binks, 40, was stopped by police on London Road on February 2 during a routine check. Officers noted a strong smell of cannabis coming from the vehicle and carried out a roadside drugs wipe. 'There was a strong smell of cannabis inside the vehicle, and as a result of the driver's demeanour, a drugs wipe was carried out,' Crown Prosecutor Sian Vaughan told Haverfordwest magistrates. Further blood analysis revealed Binks had 16 micrograms of Delta-9 Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) in his system. The legal limit is 2 micrograms. Binks, of Pant Road, Dowlais, Merthyr Tydfil, pleaded guilty to drug driving. He was represented by solicitor Fenn Richards, who told the court that her client had been a daily cannabis user but was now attempting to turn his life around. 'He's extremely remorseful for his actions and is now trying to make things better for himself,' she said. Binks is employed as a distribution manager for Bespoke Sofa Wales, which involves driving across South Wales to deliver furniture. His conviction and disqualification are likely to have serious implications for his job. Magistrates imposed a 12-month driving ban, fined him £300, and ordered him to pay a £120 court surcharge and £85 in prosecution costs.
Miami Herald
20-05-2025
- General
- Miami Herald
Cat went missing 5 years ago. Owner drove through dust storm to see him again
A cat is now safe and sound back home with one of her owners after a five-year absence. Binks, a 14-year-old feline who now has many adventures under his belt, was discovered after a long absence — that went on just a tad bit longer after he was found. 'Binks went missing from his family five years ago, but thanks to a kind-hearted Good Samaritan and a microchip that still had a trail to follow, he's finally back where he belongs,' Lost Dogs Illinois, a nonprofit organization said in a May 17 Facebook post. The organization usually helps reunite lost dogs with their families and announced Binks' happy reunion in their 2025 Microchip Hunter Reunion Stories. 'Binks was found on the North Side of Chicago by a wonderful woman named Shainy, who brought him to a vet to be scanned for a microchip. The chip company was contacted and made attempts to reach the registered owner, but no luck. That's when Shainy reached out to Microchip Hunters for help—while continuing to care for Binks with 'food, water, gentle pets, scritches, and lots of sunbeam naps.'' According to the Lost Dogs Illinois website, Microchip Hunters are a group of volunteers 'dedicated to research dead-end microchips and rabies/ID tags' to track down families. 'Microchip Hunter Weslee took on the case and, after hitting some dead ends with the primary contact, was able to locate a working number for the emergency contact listed on the chip—Binks' owner's ex-husband,' the post continued. 'He was shocked to learn Binks had been found and didn't hesitate to drive a couple of hours from his home in Indianapolis through a dust storm to reunite with him last night!'
Yahoo
09-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Former Drummer of Legendary English Metal Band Dies at 73
Rest in peace. Les Binks, the ex drummer of English heavy metal band Judas Priest, has died. The percussionist, who played with Judas Priest from March 1977 to July 1979, died on March 15, 2025. The band took to Instagram a month later to share a formal statement on Binks' passing. 'We are deeply saddened about the passing of Les and send our love to his family, friends and fans. The acclaimed drumming he provided was first class – demonstrating his unique techniques, flair, style and precision – Thank you Les – your acclaim will live on,' the post read. 'Very sad news. [He was] an excellent drummer who was an integral part of the Priest sound,' one fan shared in the comments section. 'Stained Class turned me on to Priest as a 14-year-old with Les Binks on drums! Great drummer, he was!' added another, referring to the band's 1978 album. Binks also played on Killing Machine (Hell Bent for Leather in the U.S.) and a 1979 live album titled Unleashed in the East. In an 2021 interview with The Metal Voice, Binks explained why he departed from Judas Priest. "Money, or lack of it. I was in a different situation than the other guys in the band,' he recalled, claiming that he wasn't seeing the same payment as other members Rob Halford on lead vocals, K.K. Downing on guitar, Glenn Tipton on guitar, and Ian Hill on bass. "I wasn't signed to the record company, and when it came to the live album, Unleashed in the East, the management company thought I should do it for free,' Binks added. "That album went platinum, outsold all the previous albums, and the management didn't want to pay me for it, crazy." Despite leaving the band, however, Binks reunited with Judas Priest after 43 years to perform at their Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony.
Yahoo
07-05-2025
- Yahoo
Attackers who set man on fire jailed
Two men who set a man on fire after squirting inflammable liquid on him have been jailed. Joshua Strickland and Robinson Binks forced their way into the property in Fossgate in York and attacked their victim as he lay on the sofa last April. York Crown Court was told the man called police screaming that he had been set on fire. Strickland, 30, was jailed for 14 years while Binks, 28, was given a 12-year sentence after both were found guilty of causing grievous bodily harm. The man was taken to Leeds General Infirmary for treatment to burns and blistering. Police said forensic tests from the scene detected low levels of petrol residues. 'Shocking incident' Strickland, of no fixed address and Binks, of Clarence Street, fled the scene after the attack on 19 April but were arrested a few days later. Strickland was also found guilty of witness intimidation and pleaded guilty to possessing an offensive weapon and criminal damage after he attacked a vehicle belonging to a member of the victim's family and made threats to harm him and the rest of his family. He was also convicted of assaulting a police officer after kicking an officer in the face while in custody. Det Sgt Michele Fawcett, from North Yorkshire Police, said "This was a particularly shocking incident and could have been catastrophic for the victim." Listen to highlights from North Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North. Related internet links
USA Today
16-04-2025
- Entertainment
- USA Today
Judas Priest former drummer Les Binks dead at 73: 'Your acclaim will live on'
Judas Priest former drummer Les Binks dead at 73: 'Your acclaim will live on' Les Binks, the drummer responsible for Judas Priest's beats in the late-'70s, has died at 73. A funeral notice for Binks lists his passing at a London hospital, with some reports adding his death occurred March 15. The band announced Binks' death in an Instagram post Tuesday, stating, 'We are deeply saddened about the passing of Les and send our love to his family, friends and fans. The acclaimed drumming he provided was first class – demonstrating his unique techniques, flair, style and precision. Thank you, Les – your acclaim will live on …' More: Clem Burke, legendary drummer for Blondie and the Ramones, dies at 70 Binks joined the British heavy metal band in 1977 after drumming with Eric Burdon and the Animals and War and made his first appearance on Judas Priest's major label debut, 'Sin After Sin,' that same year, playing on the bonus track, 'Race with the Devil.' The sticksman's resume also included stints with Deep Purple bassist Roger Glover, as well as the pop band Fancy, before his Judas Priest association. Born James Leslie Binks in Northern Ireland Aug. 8, 1951, Binks' two-year membership in the Rob Halford-fronted outfit included the band's tour supporting 'Sin After Sin,' which marked Judas Priest's first outing in America. But it was Binks' double bass drum assault that earned his acclaim in the Judas Priest canon. The 1978 albums 'Stained Class' and 'Killing Machine' (released as 'Hell Bent for Leather' in the U.S.) as well as the 1979 live album 'Unleashed in the East,' spotlighted Binks' signature speedy playing, which featured prominently on the band's first hit in the U.K., 'Take on the World.' The drum patterns from that song lived on in future generations, with both The Human League utilizing them during their 1980 tour and the indie rock band Spoon interpolating the patterns in their 2021 song, 'Wild.' Binks also co-wrote 'Beyond the Realms of Death' from the 'Stained Class' album. But two years after joining Judas Priest, Binks departed just before the tour behind 'Hell Bent for Leather.' In a 2017 interview on a fan site for Judas Priest guitarist K.K. Downing, Binks cited management refusing to pay him for contributions on 'Unleashed in the East' that 'led to my decision to leave the band. I just didn't see the point in continuing to work with a band whose manager (Mike Dolan) didn't want me to receive any payment for that live album. A completely ludicrous scenario … But that's what happens if a band allows someone like that to manage them. They lose members. So exit drummer number four.' Binks stayed active in his post-Priest years, joining British hard rock band Lionheart and the short-lived Tytan in the early '80s and since 2017 played Judas Priest songs in the band Les Binks' Priesthood. Despite a somewhat acrimonious parting with Judas Priest, Binks joined his former mates at the 2022 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony and played three songs with the band. It was the first time he shared a stage with them in 43 years.
