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Scottish Sun
4 days ago
- Scottish Sun
Mum-of-2 who ‘ruined' wedding after viciously attacking woman on dance floor in front of horrified guests is spared jail
The violent fallout spilled outside with multiple guests involved in the brawl WEDDING HELL Mum-of-2 who 'ruined' wedding after viciously attacking woman on dance floor in front of horrified guests is spared jail Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) A MUM-of-two has been spared jail after viciously attacking a woman on the dance floor at a wedding. Jayden O'Neill, 28, left one guest drenched in blood and another with a head wound after a violent meltdown at a swanky venue in Canterbury, Kent. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 2 Jayden O'Neill was spared jail despite a violent outburst that left multiple people injured Credit: facebook/@Jayde Oneill 2 The single mum, pictured leaving court, was told she'd 'ruined' the wedding reception Credit: SWNS But O'Neill managed to dodge jail despite the violent altercation because locking her up would be 'too hard' on her kids. The shocking scenes unfolded at the picture-perfect Winters Barns wedding venue in front of horrified friends and family - including children - during the evening reception. O'Neill, who was there as a 'plus one', kicked off after a tense run-in with the bride's family. CCTV footage caught the chaos erupting around 11pm as guests screamed and tried to step in. Read More in UK News BALCONY PLUNGE Teen, 19, fighting for life after falling from balcony 'while fleeing cops' Prosecutor Jodie-Jane Hitchcock said that O'Neill was at the venue in with her boyfriend when "concerns were raised" about her behaviour. And after overhearing comments, she confronted the bride's brother, Matthew Wilson and his partner Olivia Cole. Canterbury Crown Court heard how O'Neill told guests Wilson and Cole: 'If you've got a problem, say it to my face. I hope you never have children.' Prosecutors described how, after briefly leaving the party, O'Neill returned and stormed across the dancefloor with a glass in hand and plunged it into Cole's face, leaving her with a gaping cut to her lip and a deep gash in her arm. O'Neill was then punched by Wilson and a scuffle broke out on the dancefloor before more guests piled in. Another man, Graham Rhodes bravely tried to intervene by pulling the pair apart. But O'Neill then lobbed a second glass at Rhodes, slicing his head open. Cole had to be rushed to hospital, with doctors warning she may be permanently scarred while Rhodes was treated at the scene. Moment Brit woman is dragged off Ryanair flight & thrown to floor after 'assaulting passengers and making bomb threat' O'Neill, of Herne Avenue, was later charged not only in respect of the assaults on Ms Cole and Mr Rhodes but also with an offence of intentional strangulation of Mr Wilson. However, despite the judge declaring the wedding was 'ruined' and the violence worthy of a prison sentence, O'Neill walked free from Canterbury Crown Court this week. Instead, she was handed a suspended 20-month sentence, sparing her jail time so she could continue to care for her two children. Judge Paul Goldspring told her: 'You ruined it. They will never be able to get that day back. Nor will you. "But you ruined what would otherwise be the greatest day of their lives.' O'Neill was also allegedly attacked afterwards, the court heard. She was said to have been dragged around by the hair and punched by other guests in a violent fallout that spilled outside. 'DEEPLY ASHAMED' Faye Rolfe, defending, insisted that O'Neill's behaviour was 'out of character' and driven by alcohol and provocation. The single mum's defence barrister said that she was 'deeply ashamed' of the outburst. 'She doesn't usually behave like this,' Ms Rolfe said. 'She is the sole carer for her children and is held in high regard by those who know her.' The court heard the mum suffers from anxiety and depression and was considered at low risk of re-offending. She was also said to be 'set upon' by multiple people in the aftermath of the attack and suffered a chipped tooth and facial cuts. The court heard a probation report prepared for the sentencing hearing had recommended a curfew and a number of rehabilitation activity requirement (RAR) days. Judge Goldspring said jailing her would "harm her children more" than it would punish her, but made clear: 'Drink is no excuse.' O'Neill must also now complete 120 hours of unpaid work and attend 40 days of rehabilitation sessions in addition to her suspended sentence. She was also ordered to pay £500 in compensation to Ms Cole and £100 to Mr Rhodes, However, the shamed mum will not have to pay it all at once, with instalments of £100 per month. O'Neill's holiday plans also remain intact, as the court agreed not to impose a curfew order. District Judge Goldspring also reminded the mum of the seriousness of her offending. He said: "Let me be clear. If it wasn't for the harm caused to children by having their mother taken away from them for a substantial period, your actions that evening merit immediate custody."


The Irish Sun
4 days ago
- The Irish Sun
Mum-of-2 who ‘ruined' wedding after viciously attacking woman on dance floor in front of horrified guests is spared jail
A MUM-of-two has been spared jail after viciously attacking a woman on the dance floor at a wedding. Jayden O'Neill, 28, left one guest drenched in blood and another with a head wound after a violent meltdown at a swanky venue in Canterbury, Kent. 2 Jayden O'Neill was spared jail despite a violent outburst that left multiple people injured Credit: facebook/@Jayde Oneill 2 The single mum, pictured leaving court, was told she'd 'ruined' the wedding reception Credit: SWNS But O'Neill managed to dodge jail despite the violent altercation because locking her up would be 'too hard' on her kids. The shocking scenes unfolded at the picture-perfect Winters Barns wedding venue in front of horrified friends and family - including children - during the evening reception. O'Neill, who was there as a 'plus one', kicked off after a tense run-in with the bride's family. CCTV footage caught the chaos erupting around 11pm as guests screamed and tried to step in. Read More in UK News Prosecutor Jodie-Jane Hitchcock said that O'Neill was at the venue in with her boyfriend when "concerns were raised" about her behaviour. And after overhearing comments, she confronted the bride's brother, Matthew Wilson and his partner Olivia Cole. Canterbury Crown Court heard how O'Neill told guests Wilson and Cole: 'If you've got a problem, say it to my face. I hope you never have children.' Prosecutors described how, after briefly leaving the party, O'Neill returned and stormed across the dancefloor with a glass in hand and plunged it into Cole's face, leaving her with a gaping cut to her lip and a deep gash in her arm. Most read in The Sun O'Neill was then punched by Wilson and a scuffle broke out on the dancefloor before more guests piled in. Another man, Graham Rhodes bravely tried to intervene by pulling the pair apart. But O'Neill then lobbed a second glass at Rhodes, slicing his head open. Cole had to be rushed to hospital, with doctors warning she may be permanently scarred while Rhodes was treated at the scene. Moment Brit woman is dragged off Ryanair flight & thrown to floor after 'assaulting passengers and making bomb threat' O'Neill, of Herne Avenue, was later charged not only in respect of the assaults on Ms Cole and Mr Rhodes but also with an offence of intentional strangulation of Mr Wilson. However, despite the judge declaring the wedding was 'ruined' and the violence worthy of a prison sentence, O'Neill walked free from Canterbury Crown Court this week. Instead, she was handed a suspended 20-month sentence, sparing her jail time so she could continue to care for her two children. Judge Paul Goldspring told her: 'You ruined it. They will never be able to get that day back. Nor will you. "But you ruined what would otherwise be the greatest day of their lives.' O'Neill was also allegedly attacked afterwards, the court heard. She was said to have been dragged around by the hair and punched by other guests in a violent fallout that spilled outside. 'DEEPLY ASHAMED' Faye Rolfe, defending, insisted that O'Neill's behaviour was 'out of character' and driven by alcohol and provocation. The single mum's defence barrister said that she was 'deeply ashamed' of the outburst. 'She doesn't usually behave like this,' Ms Rolfe said. 'She is the sole carer for her children and is held in high regard by those who know her.' The court heard the mum suffers from anxiety and depression and was considered at low risk of re-offending. She was also said to be 'set upon' by multiple people in the aftermath of the attack and suffered a chipped tooth and facial cuts. The court heard a probation report prepared for the sentencing hearing had recommended a curfew and a number of rehabilitation activity requirement (RAR) days. Judge Goldspring said jailing her would "harm her children more" than it would punish her, but made clear: 'Drink is no excuse.' O'Neill must also now complete 120 hours of unpaid work and attend 40 days of rehabilitation sessions in addition to her suspended sentence. She was also ordered to pay £500 in compensation to Ms Cole and £100 to Mr Rhodes, However, the shamed mum will not have to pay it all at once, with instalments of £100 per month. O'Neill's holiday plans also remain intact, as the court agreed not to impose a curfew order. District Judge Goldspring also reminded the mum of the seriousness of her offending. He said: "Let me be clear. If it wasn't for the harm caused to children by having their mother taken away from them for a substantial period, your actions that evening merit immediate custody."


Telegraph
22-05-2025
- Telegraph
Council wrong to evict travellers, judge rules
A group of travellers have won a landmark court case against a council to stay at a park-and-ride after a judge ruled they were wrongly ordered to leave. Medway Council had tried to remove a set of Romani gipsy families who had pitched up on the Wigmore Coach Park, off the M2. The group of 15 adults and 14 children were moved to the location by the local authority in the summer of 2023 and granted permission to stay at the site for three months if they paid a monthly fee. But in October, they were handed a notice to leave, with the council saying they planned to sell the land in the near future. However, a judge has now ruled that the local authority had interfered with their human rights by trying to evict them from the land, after hearing no steps had been taken to sell the site. This means the travellers can remain in place – though they do not have a permanent right to stay at the site. A solicitor acting for some of the group described the court win as the first of its kind in a decade. Canterbury Crown Court heard that the group of travellers were moved to the site, which was a park-and-ride to London until the pandemic, by the local authority in July 2023. They had originally pitched up at Laburnum Road Recreation Ground in Strood in Kent, and council officers discovered that some members were 'heavily pregnant' and that others were suffering from 'serious health conditions'. They were granted permission to stay at the Wigmore site for three months, under the condition that they paid a weekly licence fee of £285 and adhered to certain rules. But in October of that year, the council issued them a notice to leave the site despite the group insisting they had kept to the stated rules. When they didn't leave, a possession order for the land was issued at the end of the year. Medway council claimed its reason for issuing the possession order was that it had planned to sell the land in the 'near future', in a bid to address ongoing funding issues. But on the first day of the Crown Court hearing, it was revealed no steps had been taken to sell it. It also accepted that it had not set pitch targets which make 'satisfactory provision' for gipsy and traveller sites – of which there is a chronic national shortage – as it does not have a local plan in place. Some members of the group reported having had their names on waiting lists for as many as 10 different traveller sites over the last decade. 'No one wants to deal with you' Tina Herring, who lives at the site, said: 'I think that it's down to the council and the government to supply permanent places for each and every one who needs them and to not just keep moving us around because they're not going to solve the problem, are they? 'They just push it on from one county to another, and no one wants to deal with you. 'It's a vicious circle going round and round and round.' She added: 'When are you going to accept us as human beings? I don't want to hurt anybody by saying that, but we need to be accepted into society as equals.' Cllr Louwella Prenter said: 'We are disappointed with the county court judgement not to grant possession of the former Wigmore commuter car park in Maidstone Road, back to Medway council. 'This is a lengthy and detailed decision, and we will give it due consideration before deciding how best to move forward. 'Granting use of the site was only ever intended as a temporary three-month measure, and the car park is not deemed to be suitable as a long-term site for permanent occupation.' The group have applied for planning permission to turn the park and ride, previously used by those commuting to London on Kings Ferry coach services, into an official traveller site. An initial planning application was submitted last May but was refused two months later.
Yahoo
19-05-2025
- Yahoo
'Hamas supporter' who livestreamed arrival into UK before being placed in Manchester hotel jailed
A Palestinian who livestreamed his arrival into the UK on a dinghy before being placed in a Greater Manchester hotel has been jailed. Abu Wadee, an alleged Palestinian gunman who reportedly called for the slaughter of Jews, showed his efforts to get into the UK illegally on TikTok. The 33-year-old, who is also known as Mosab Abdulkarim Al-Gassas, was arrested by immigration enforcement officers after arriving on a small boat in Kent. READ MORE: Fatal collision was 'tragic accident, not criminal act', jury told as they retire in death by careless driving trial READ MORE: Convicted murderer stabbed great uncle to death in 'planned, brutal' attack Canterbury Crown Court heard that Wadee paid smugglers 1,500 euros (£1,300) to cross the Channel from France to England. He livestreamed his dinghy being approached by a Border Force vessel on TikTok. After his arrival in the UK, Wadee was placed in a hotel in the Manchester area. The defendant left Palestine in 2022 before making asylum claims in Greece, Germany and Belgium. The court heard he had no familial or financial ties to the UK, and he had stayed between Calais and Dunkirk in France for a week before making the crossing. Wadee pleaded guilty to trying to get into the country on March 6 without leave or valid entry clearance in Canterbury Crown Court today (May 19). He has been jailed for nine months. He had livestreamed his arrival on an 'overcrowded and rigid inflatable boat', the court heard. Judge Sarah Counsell, sentencing, said there is 'legitimate public concern about breaches of border control' over illegal boat crossings, which are of 'significant profit to organised criminals'. She told Wadee that there was a 'risk of death or injury to you and others'. The court was shown a 20-second clip of the livestream on Monday, but it is not known how many viewed it at the time. Wadee has a large following on social media, where his TikTok videos attract up to 2.5 million views, The Mail on Sunday claimed. He is alleged to have charted his journey from Gaza on the social media channel. His arrival in the UK made national headlines after it was reported that Wadee, a Palestinian from the city of Khan Yunis in Gaza, had posted on social media support for terror group Hamas, and hate-speech calling for the death of Jews. He posted a video on his Facebook page last September in which he is filmed calling for Allah to 'punish (Jews) completely', it was reported. In another picture posted on Facebook in March 2021, it is claimed Wadee stared into the camera while smoking a cigarette and brandishing an assault rifle with a telescopic sight.


North Wales Chronicle
19-05-2025
- North Wales Chronicle
Alleged Hamas supporter admits trying to enter UK illegally
Abu Wadee, 33, also known as Mosab Abdulkarim Al-Gassas, pleaded guilty on Monday to trying to get into the country on March 6 without leave or valid entry clearance. He was arrested by immigration enforcement officers after arriving on a small boat in Kent, having paid smugglers 1,500 euros (£1,300), Canterbury Crown Court previously heard. Wadee was then placed in a hotel in the Manchester area. The court had heard that Wadee, who left Palestine in 2022 before making asylum claims in Greece, Germany and Belgium, had no familial or financial ties to the UK and had stayed between Calais and Dunkirk in France for about seven days before making the crossing. His arrival in the UK made national headlines after it was reported that Wadee, a Palestinian from the city of Khan Yunis in Gaza, had posted on social media support for terror group Hamas, and hate-speech calling for the death of Jews. He posted a video on his Facebook page last September in which he is filmed calling for Allah to 'punish (Jews) completely', it was reported. In another picture posted on Facebook in March 2021, it is claimed Wadee stared into the camera while smoking a cigarette and brandishing an assault rifle with a telescopic sight. Wadee has a large following on social media, where his TikTok videos attract up to 2.5 million views, The Mail on Sunday claimed. He is alleged to have charted his journey from Gaza on the social media channel, including posting footage of his dinghy being approached by the Border Force vessel. As part of his journey across Europe, he posted a picture of himself in Brussels on Valentine's Day, and then in central Paris earlier this month. Wadee was re-arraigned via an Arabic interpreter after the charge was amended to include that he 'attempted' to arrive in the UK without leave or valid entry clearance. He is set to be sentenced on Monday.