Latest news with #HelenSmith
The Herald Scotland
23-07-2025
- Business
- The Herald Scotland
'Scotland's best bed and breakfast' put on market for sale
The "prestigious" Auld Kirk, a multi-award-winning bed and breakfast located in the Royal Deeside village of Ballater, has been placed on the market by CCL Property. The interior. (Image: CCL Property) The agent said: "This exceptional property and thriving business present a unique opportunity for investors or lifestyle entrepreneurs looking to own a highly regarded hospitality venue in one of Scotland's most sought-after locations. "The Auld Kirk is celebrated as the AA Bed & Breakfast of the Year Scotland 2024 and Scotland's Best B&B 2025 by the Prestige Hotel Awards." One of the seven rooms. (Image: CCL Property) Set within a "beautifully restored early Victorian former Scottish Free Church, the property features seven individually styled en-suite bedrooms, a guest-only bar, a lounge, breakfast room, plus private owners' accommodation". The agent added: "Its stunning granite façade, original stained glass windows, and soaring ceilings create an unforgettable stay for guests." READ MORE: The business "enjoys an impressive occupancy rate exceeding 90% during peak season, reflecting its strong reputation and operational success". The agent added: "Current owners Kevin and Helen Smith have carefully developed The Auld Kirk over seven years into a highly profitable, award-winning venue. In addition to the established business, the sale offers significant potential through previous consents for attic conversion to create additional apartments, subject to planning. David Pickering, commercial director at CCL Property, said: "The Auld Kirk is a truly remarkable property combining rich history, superb quality, and a proven business model in a prime Scottish tourist destination. "Opportunities like this rarely come to market – it offers a turnkey venture with outstanding potential for growth. We're excited to help find the next owner who can continue its exceptional legacy and benefit from the unique lifestyle Royal Deeside offers." The asking price is £750,000.
Yahoo
23-07-2025
- Yahoo
Appeal after pigeon shot with air weapon
The RSPCA is appealing for information after a pigeon was shot with an air weapon in Leicestershire. A member of the public found the bird injured in Treaty Road, Glenfield, on 21 June, the charity said. It was taken to a vet for treatment but due to the severity of its injuries, the decision was taken to euthanise the bird to prevent further suffering. In an appeal shared on Tuesday, the RSPCA urged anyone with any information to get in contact. The charity has called for tighter controls on air weapons, saying it receives nearly 1,000 calls each year about them being used to target animals. RSPCA inspector Helen Smith said: "Cats and wildlife are the animals most susceptible to being shot simply because they are out in the open with no-one to protect them. "Sadly air weapon attacks are not rare and the injured caused can be horrific and often fatal." Follow BBC Leicester on Facebook, on X, or on Instagram. Send your story ideas to eastmidsnews@ or via WhatsApp on 0808 100 2210. More on this story Appeal after dead puppies found in buried bucket Appeal over dead dog discovered in canal Related internet links RSPCA
BBC News
23-07-2025
- BBC News
Appeal after pigeon shot with air weapon in Leicestershire
The RSPCA is appealing for information after a pigeon was shot with an air weapon in Leicestershire.A member of the public found the bird injured in Treaty Road, Glenfield, on 21 June, the charity was taken to a vet for treatment but due to the severity of its injuries, the decision was taken to euthanise the bird to prevent further an appeal shared on Tuesday, the RSPCA urged anyone with any information to get in contact. The charity has called for tighter controls on air weapons, saying it receives nearly 1,000 calls each year about them being used to target inspector Helen Smith said: "Cats and wildlife are the animals most susceptible to being shot simply because they are out in the open with no-one to protect them."Sadly air weapon attacks are not rare and the injured caused can be horrific and often fatal."
Daily Mail
23-06-2025
- Politics
- Daily Mail
ROLAND WHITE reviews Death In The Desert: The Nurse Helen Mystery - 'How Foreign Office covered up the suspected murder of British nurse'
Is there anything that politics can't make a great deal worse? One night in May 1979, a young nurse called Helen Smith was enjoying herself at an illegal alcohol party in a block of flats in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. She was dancing with a Dutch tugboat captain called Johannes Otten, and they eventually left together. That was the last time anybody saw them alive. The following morning, Helen's body was found on the street outside, while Johannes was impaled on nearby railings. She was 23. The Saudi authorities insisted the couple had accidentally fallen from a balcony while having sex. Last night's Death In The Desert (Ch4) made a convincing case that they were both murdered. If they fell from the balcony, why weren't their bodies spotted by some fellow guests, who left the party at 3am? Why weren't Helen's injuries consistent with a 70ft fall? A Home Office pathologist - who conducted a second post-mortem after a long campaign by her family - concluded she had probably been raped and beaten. The producers of the documentary, using the Freedom of Information Act, managed to obtain 121 Foreign Office files about the case. These show that, behind the scenes, officials were far from convinced by the Saudis' story. And the Director of Public Prosecutions wrote to the Chief Constable of West Yorkshire to report 'a strong suspicion that both people were murdered'. The trouble was, nobody in government was prepared to say this out loud. It was politics, of course, that got in the way. Margaret Thatcher had only recently become Prime Minister, and relations with Saudi Arabia were particularly delicate. Ministers feared that any shift in the price of oil could cause inflation, which Mrs Thatcher was struggling to bring down. If we offended the Saudis, they could also cancel valuable arms contracts. To make matters worse, there was already tension between the two countries after ITV's Death Of A Princess documentary - about the execution of a Saudi princess for adultery. As barrister Geoffrey Robertson put it: 'It's quite clear from these papers you've discovered that it suited the Foreign Office for this to go away'. It did go away, eventually. This was partly because Helen's campaigning father Ron died, and partly because there was no obvious suspect. Last month, the Mail reported a new development in a similar case. When Julie Ward was found dead in Kenya in 1988, local officials said she'd been eaten by lions. But evidence now suggests that the late Jonathan Moi, son of former president Daniel arap Moi, should have been arrested. It's reassuring, I suppose, that injustices like these can be exposed by newspapers and television programmes so many years later. By then, of course, it's usually far too late to do anything about it.
Scottish Sun
23-06-2025
- Scottish Sun
Who was Helen Smith and how did the British nurse die in Saudi Arabia?
Plus everything you need to know about how to watch the new documentary investigating the tragedy, which was officially classified as an 'accident' 'ACCIDENTAL DEATH' Who was Helen Smith and how did the British nurse die in Saudi Arabia? MYSTERY still surrounds the deaths of nurse Helen Smith and tugboat captain Johannes Otten after they 'fell' from a balcony in Saudi Arabia more than 46 years ago. Here's everything we know about Helen and the suspicious circumstances surrounding her passing, which are investigated in a new C4 documentary. 3 Nurse Helen Smith fell to her death from the balcony of Richard and Penny Arnot's (pictured) flat in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia in May 1979 Credit: Shutterstock Editorial 3 Helen had relocated to Saudi Arabia to take up a nursing post the year before she deid Credit: Alamy Who was Helen Smith? Helen Linda Smith was a 23-year-old nurse from Yorkshire. In 1978, she moved to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, to take up a nursing post. Helen was enjoying her new home, writing home about her positive experiences in the Arab state. However, her life was cut tragically short on May 20, 1979, in circumstances that would become one of Britain's most controversial international cases. Suspicious circumstances Helen Smith died after allegedly falling from a sixth-floor balcony during a party at the home of Richard and Penny Arnot in Jeddah. Her body, along with that of Dutch tugboat captain Johannes Otten, was found in the street below. She was discovered lying dead fully clothed, aside from her underwear, which was partly removed. He was impaled on spiked railings with his underpants around his thighs. The party had been attended by several expatriates, including a diver from New Zealand named Tim Hayter, marine biologist Jacques Texier and four German salvage operators. The party itself was illegal under Saudi law, as alcohol was present and consumed in a country where it is strictly forbidden. Sexual encounter Testimony from Jacques Texier indicated that a sexual encounter between Mr Hayter and Mrs Arnot was taking place at the time of the deaths, further complicating the investigation. This led to the prosecution of Mrs Arnot for "unlawful intercourse" and a sentence of eighty lashes for Richard Arnot for supplying alcohol — though the sentences were never carried out. Official explanation Supported by British diplomats, Saudi authorities quickly ruled the deaths as accidental, stating Helen and Johannes fell from the balcony while drunk, possibly during or after a sexual encounter. However, Helen's father Ron Smith, a former policeman, immediately doubted this explanation. 3 Ron Smith, the father of Helen Smith, didn't believe the official explanation Credit: Alamy He traveled to Saudi Arabia to examine his daughter's body and became convinced that she was murdered. Ron believed there was a cover-up to protect diplomatic relations and the reputations of those involved. His campaign for justice lasted decades — he refused to allow Helen's burial, keeping her body in a Leeds mortuary for 30 years in the hope of uncovering new forensic evidence. His efforts led to a 15-day inquest in 1982, which returned an open verdict. Ron's persistence even contributed to changes in UK law regarding inquests into the violent deaths of British citizens abroad. Key changes include: Duty for inquests on repatriation: Coroners in England and Wales are now required to investigate deaths that occurred abroad if the body is repatriated and the death appears violent, unnatural, or the cause is unknown. This is set out in the Coroners and Justice Act 2009, Chapter 1, which obligates coroners to hold inquests in such cases, regardless of where the death took place, as long as the body is brought back to their jurisdiction. Clear criteria for inquests: The law now specifies that an inquest must be held if the death was violent, unnatural, or the cause is unknown, or if the person died in custody or state detention—even if the death occurred overseas. Comprehensive investigations: These inquests can involve extensive investigations, including witness and expert testimony, to establish who died, and how, when, and where the death occurred. Consistency Across the UK: While the process differs slightly in Scotland and Northern Ireland, similar reforms have ensured that coroners (or the Lord Advocate in Scotland) can investigate deaths abroad when the body is repatriated. Some expert testimony at the inquest suggested Helen's injuries were not consistent with a simple fall, raising further suspicions of foul play. Her body was finally cremated in 2009, three decades after her death, following her parents' decision to allow burial before their own passing. Helen Smith's death remains officially classified as accidental Death in the Desert: The Nurse Helen Mystery Channel 4 has made a documentary about the death of Helen Smith. It looks into the suspicions of Helen's family and investigates whether new information can help shed any light on the case. Death in the Desert: The Nurse Helen Mystery airs on Channel 4 at 9pm on Monday, June 23, 2025.
