Latest news with #Heggs
Scottish Sun
a day ago
- Scottish Sun
Harrowing new details revealed in autopsy report after grandma accused of murdering two grandsons in their rural home
The two boys will reportedly be buried in their karate uniforms 'KILLER' GRAN Harrowing new details revealed in autopsy report after grandma accused of murdering two grandsons in their rural home Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) TWO children found dead in their rural home were allegedly drugged before being smothered, an autopsy has revealed. Aussie brothers Max, 6, and Sam Johnson, 7, were found dead on May 5 - with their grandma arrested at the scene. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 2 The two brothers were allegedly drugged then murdered by their grandma Credit: Facebook 2 Heggs was charged with two counts of domestic violence murder Credit: Facebook A post-mortem examination has found traces of prescription drugs in the boys' systems, according to the Daily Telegraph. Police allege their grandma, Kathleen Heggs, 66, gave her grandsons the medications before suffocating them with a pillow. Heggs allegedly sent a text to authorities saying the two boys were dead and that she planned to take her own life. When cops arrived at the scene, they found the boys dead in separate rooms and Heggs with self-inflicted injuries. She was arrested and taken to the mental health unit at Orange Hospital before being transferred into custody. On May 21, Heggs was charged with two counts of domestic violence murder. The siblings were reportedly sleeping when the alleged murders occurred. Heggs, the sole carer for the boys, moved with them over a year ago to a home on the outskirts of Coonabarabran in rural New South Wales. According to The Sydney Morning Herald, the move was prompted after the woman "witnessed an incident involving her family too graphic to publish details of, and became known to police as a victim of crime". The boys' dad told the Daily Telegraph that he and his partner had trusted Heggs to care for the children, as they were both struggling with mental health issues. Watch moment cops arrest Pheobe Bishop murder suspect flatmate The couple had not seen the children for five years before their deaths. "This is not how we were meant to get them back," he said. "We are completely broken... but those boys deserve a good send off, and that's what we are going to give them." The boys will be buried wearing their karate uniforms, each with a yellow belt they were due to earn the same week their lives were tragically cut short. A family friend, who has a son the same age as the boys, said he would see them at karate lessons, football matches and school. He said there were no clear signs the family was struggling, describing Heggs as a "beautiful lady" and the boys as "cute little kids, full of energy". He said locals have been really hard-hit by the news. "This is a tragedy, and it's affecting so many. Petty crime happens and that, but it's a very safe community, we don't have problems like the cities." It comes as investigators found human remains on Friday in the search for Aussie teen Pheobe Bishop, who vanished three weeks ago. Pheobe's two housemates James Wood and Tanika Bromley were charged with murder on Thursday, along with two counts of interfering with a corpse.
The Irish Sun
a day ago
- The Irish Sun
Harrowing new details revealed in autopsy report after grandma accused of murdering two grandsons in their rural home
TWO children found dead in their rural home were allegedly drugged before being smothered, an autopsy has revealed. Aussie brothers Max, 6, and Sam Johnson, 7, were found dead on May 5 - with their grandma arrested at the scene. Advertisement 2 The two brothers were allegedly drugged then murdered by their grandma Credit: Facebook 2 Heggs was charged with two counts of domestic violence murder Credit: Facebook A post-mortem examination has found traces of prescription drugs in the boys' systems, according to the Police allege their grandma, Kathleen Heggs, 66, gave her grandsons the medications before suffocating them with a pillow. Heggs allegedly sent a text to authorities saying the two boys were dead and that she planned to take her own life. When cops arrived at the scene, they found the boys dead in separate rooms and Heggs with self-inflicted injuries. Advertisement Read more world news She was arrested and taken to the mental health unit at Orange Hospital before being transferred into custody. On May 21, Heggs was charged with two counts of domestic violence murder. The siblings were reportedly sleeping when the alleged murders occurred. Heggs, the sole carer for the boys, moved with them over a year ago to a home on the outskirts of Coonabarabran in rural New South Wales. Advertisement Most read in The US Sun According to The boys' dad told the Daily Telegraph that he and his partner had trusted Heggs to care for the children, as they were both struggling with mental health issues. Watch moment cops arrest Pheobe Bishop murder suspect flatmate The couple had not seen the children for five years before their deaths. "This is not how we were meant to get them back," he said. Advertisement "We are completely broken... but those boys deserve a good send off, and that's what we are going to give them." The boys will be buried wearing their karate uniforms, each with a yellow belt they were due to earn the same week their lives were tragically cut short. A family friend, who has a son the same age as the boys, said he would see them at karate lessons, football matches and school. He said there were no clear signs the family was struggling, describing Heggs as a "beautiful lady" and the boys as "cute little kids, full of energy". Advertisement He said locals have been really hard-hit by the news. "This is a tragedy, and it's affecting so many. Petty crime happens and that, but it's a very safe community, we don't have problems like the cities." It comes as investigators Pheobe's two housemates James Wood and Tanika Bromley were Advertisement
Yahoo
09-05-2025
- Yahoo
Ex-officer took photos of dying man from footage
A grieving widow said a special constable who took photos of footage of her husband as he lay dying "took his dignity" when he was at his most vulnerable. William Heggs, a volunteer officer with Leicestershire Police, stored images of manslaughter victim William Harty on his Snapchat account then showed them to another officer, saying: "I know I shouldn't have". Heggs, 23, of Copeland Drive in Leicester, had attended the scene of the killing in October 2021, and gave Mr Harty CPR before paramedics arrived. On Friday, he was jailed for a year after he had previously admitted 11 computer misuse and data protection offences at Leicester Crown Court. Mr Harty, 28, died in hospital the next day having suffered head injuries, the court heard. Mr Harty's brother-in-law Martin Casey was convicted of his manslaughter in May 2022. Heggs was said to have been an "exemplary" officer until it was discovered he had taken photographs on his personal phone from body-worn footage of Mr Harty as he lay fatally injured in Bedale Drive, Leicester. Among the charges he admitted was one that he "accessed body-worn footage covering a crime scene". Mr Harty's widow Mandy Casey was in court and said in a victim impact statement she had lost trust in the police and remained scared that she might see photographs of her husband's body on social media. She added: "You don't take someone's dignity and pride from them on their deathbed. "He took my husband's dignity when he was most vulnerable. When I found out special constable Heggs had done this, I just wanted to ask 'why'. "He has traumatised me. I feel I will never know if he showed them to others." The court heard Heggs had also taken photographs and videos of a knife seizure, use of baton and pepper spray, and a man with an injured hand receiving first aid. He also took a photograph showing details of a man who had been convicted of a sexual offence, including his date of birth, and 12 pictures of a police computer screen, which showed details of crimes and suspects. Heggs had stored the images in a folder on Snapchat named "My eyes only". Investigations by both Leicestershire Police and the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) found Heggs had also shared graphic details, most of which were not in the public domain, about injuries a woman killed in a road accident to a friend on Snapchat. Heggs was suspended from the force from November 2021 until he resigned in October 2024. He pleaded guilty to 11 computer misuse and data protection offences at Leicester Crown Court on 19 March 2025. Judge Timothy Spencer KC said Heggs was "probably too immature to be working as a police officer". He said: "It is clear you did not lack enthusiasm and your policing was, at times, of an exemplary standard, but you lacked maturity. "You had received extensive training, you knew the importance of data protection and knew you should only share materials for a genuine policing purpose. "You knew the lines were drawn and the lines were very clear." He accepted that Heggs' actions were not out of "wickedness", but said the defendant's claims that he accessed the material so he could learn from the experience and become a better officer were "far-fetched". Malcolm McHaffie, head of the Crown Prosecution Service's special crime division, said: "William Heggs abused the public's trust in the office he held as a special police constable. "He violated the dignity of the deceased victims for no apparent reason other than what could be considered personal fascination and to gain credibility among his peers." Follow BBC Leicester on Facebook, on X, or on Instagram. Send your story ideas to eastmidsnews@ or via WhatsApp on 0808 100 2210. Officer admits taking photos of corpse from footage Man jailed for killing brother-in-law Leicestershire Police HM Courts & Tribunals Service
Daily Record
09-05-2025
- Daily Record
Police officer jailed after sharing graphic images of dying man
William Heggs even showed the distressing images to his mother. A volunteer police officer who took and shared disturbing images of a dying man has been jailed after a string of serious data breaches came to light. William Heggs, a 20-year-old unpaid special constable with Leicestershire Police, used his personal phone to capture stills from police bodycam footage showing 28-year-old Billy Harty's bloodied and swollen face after a fatal incident in October 2021. Heggs had given CPR to Mr Harty, who died at the scene, but later showed the distressing images to his mother and a police colleague. Just weeks later, Heggs showed the same images to a female officer at Leicester Royal Infirmary after she mentioned being squeamish about blood, telling her, 'Then this will really gross you out,' before admitting, 'I know I shouldn't have.' The officer reported him, triggering an internal investigation that uncovered numerous violations of data protection laws. At Leicester Crown Court on Friday (May 9), Heggs was sentenced after pleading guilty to multiple offences involving the misuse of police data and personal devices, reports LeicestershireLive. The court heard Heggs had also taken and shared confidential details from a separate crash scene, where he comforted a dying woman trapped in her vehicle. He sent graphic descriptions of her injuries and disclosed her private medical information to friends via Snapchat. Further offences included photographing incidents involving a 14-year-old boy under arrest, a man with a severe hand injury, and filming a fellow officer tripping over on duty—footage he illegally recorded from official bodycam material. Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community! Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today. You'll receive daily updates on breaking news as well as the top headlines across Scotland. No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team. All you have to do is click here if you're on mobile, select 'Join Community' and you're in! If you're on a desktop, simply scan the QR code above with your phone and click 'Join Community'. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice. Prosecutors also detailed how Heggs photographed highly sensitive information from police computer systems, including mugshots and details of individuals convicted of serious crimes, despite clear on-screen warnings against taking such images. Eight photographs of Mr Harty were found on Heggs' phone. Mandy Casey, Mr Harty's widow, delivered a powerful victim impact statement, saying: 'When I found out Special Police Constable Heggs took photos of my husband, I just wanted to ask why. He took my husband's dignity from him when he was most vulnerable.' She added that her children are now banned from social media in case the images resurface online. 'I've totally lost my trust in the police,' she said. 'He has traumatised me.' During interviews with the Independent Office for Police Conduct, Heggs claimed he took the pictures for his 'own welfare' and to 'learn from his actions,' in hopes of becoming a better officer. Jonathan Dunne, defending, said Heggs had been highly committed, volunteering up to 40 hours a week while studying for a policing degree, which he completed despite the charges. A sergeant who supervised Heggs described him as 'eager to learn' and 'full of enthusiasm,' but his breaches have now resulted in a criminal conviction and the end of his ambitions in policing. The sentencing judge said Heggs' actions showed a serious disregard for public trust and the dignity of the victims he was supposed to protect.
Wales Online
09-05-2025
- Wales Online
Special constable 'took dignity' when he showed photos of dying man
Special constable 'took dignity' when he showed photos of dying man William Heggs took pictures of bodycam footage and shared it with a colleague who did not like seeing blood William Heggs was convicted of several offences (Image: Joe Giddens/PA ) A grieving widow said a special constable who was jailed for 12 months after accessing video footage of her husband's body as he lay dying in the street and taking photos of it 'took his dignity' when he was at his most vulnerable. Former Leicestershire Police volunteer William Heggs, 23, was said to have been an 'exemplary' officer until it was discovered he had taken photographs on his personal phone from body-worn footage of 28-year-old William Harty as he lay fatally injured in Bedale Drive, Leicester, on October 25 2021. Heggs, of Copeland Avenue, Leicester, had attended the scene then aged 20 and gave CPR to Mr Harty, but he died in hospital the next day having suffered head injuries. Mr Harty's brother-in-law Martin Casey was later convicted of his manslaughter. A police investigation was launched after he showed images he had taken from the body-worn footage of Mr Harty's body and stored on his Snapchat account to a colleague who said she did not like seeing blood. Leicester Crown Court heard Heggs, who was suspended from the force until he resigned in October last year, said: 'I know I shouldn't have', as he showed her the graphic pictures. The colleague reported him to his line manager, which led to an investigation that uncovered a number of other offences. Mr Harty's widow Mandy Casey was in court on Friday as Heggs was jailed for 12 months after admitting 11 computer misuse and data protection offences, including securing unauthorised access to data and recklessly obtaining or disclosing personal data. Article continues below When Heggs's phone was seized by officers, they found he had 'repeatedly and flagrantly' breached policing rules of which he would have been fully aware due to extensive training, prosecutor Cathlyn Orchard told the court. Over a period of six months between July and December 2021, Heggs shared graphic details of the injuries suffered by a woman who had died in a road traffic collision to a Snapchat contact, had shared body-worn footage of a fellow police officer falling over with another colleague and laughed about it, and had taken photographs and videos which involved a knife seizure, use of a baton and pepper spray, and a man with an injured hand receiving first aid. He had also taken a photograph showing details of a man who had been convicted of a sexual offence, including his date of birth, and 12 photographs of a police computer screen on his personal mobile phone which showed details of various crimes and suspects, without consent. The former volunteer, who joined the force part-time in January 2021 as he studied for a policing degree at De Montfort University, kept the photos and videos in a Snapchat folder called 'My eyes only'. There is nothing to suggest he shared them with anyone on social media, but he did admit showing his mother one of the photographs. In a victim impact statement read to the court, Ms Casey said she had lost trust in the police and remained scared that she might see photographs of her husband's body appearing on social media. She said: 'You don't take someone's dignity and pride from them on their deathbed.' Ms Casey added: 'He took my husband's dignity when he was most vulnerable. When I found out special constable Heggs had done this, I just wanted to ask why. He has traumatised me. I feel I will never know if he showed them to others.' Judge Timothy Spencer said Heggs, who has autism and ADHD, was 'probably too immature to be working as a police officer' as he jailed him for 12 months. He said: 'It is clear you did not lack enthusiasm and your policing was, at times, of an exemplary standard, but you lacked maturity. You had received extensive training, you knew the importance of data protection and knew you should only share materials for a genuine policing purpose. You knew the lines were drawn and the lines were very clear.' He said Heggs, who appeared in the dock wearing a dark suit and white shirt with a pink tie and looked ahead as he was sentenced, had carried out 'repeated and persistent breaches of well-understood boundaries'. Judge Spencer accepted that Heggs's actions were not out of 'wickedness', but said the defendant's claims that he accessed the material so he could learn from the experience and become a better officer were 'far-fetched'. He said Heggs's actions had 'significantly undermined' public trust and confidence in the police. The judge added: 'You have a raft of excellent references and your on-the-ground policing was, at times, absolutely exemplary. You could have been a huge asset to the police and to society. There is so much good in you and it is such a tragedy that you have thrown what could have been a really good career away.' Members of Heggs's family sobbed in the public gallery as he was led down to the cells. Article continues below Malcolm McHaffie, Head of the Crown Prosecution Service's Special Crime Division, said after the sentencing: 'William Heggs abused the public's trust in the office he held as a special police constable. He violated the dignity of the deceased victims for no apparent reason other than what could be considered personal fascination and to gain credibility among his peers. 'He repeatedly misused his authority to access police computers and flagrantly breached data protection law in disclosing personal data to members of the public. 'He was not authorised to take photographs of body-worn footage on his personal mobile phone nor share that footage with third parties. His actions were insensitive and illegal. The CPS will always seek to prosecute this type of offending, and it is only right that William Heggs is punished for his actions.'
