Latest news with #Hewer
Daily Mirror
4 days ago
- Daily Mirror
Man's ear bitten off in vicious late night bar brawl caught on CCTV
Christopher Hewer had his left ear bitten off by Paul Connor but both were jailed for their part in the brawl in Gosforth, Cumbria last year which was captured on CCTV A 'bar room bore' had his ear bitten off in a vicious late night attack captured on CCTV, a court has heard. Horrific footage from inside the Kellbank Hotel in Gosforth, Cumbria, showed Christopher Hewer having his left ear bitten off by Paul Connor as he tried to escape his 'incessant chat', Carlisle crown court heard. Tim Evans, prosecutor, said that a drunk Hewer was "being the bar-room bore" and a fight involving several people ensued after he approached stranger Paul Connor at about midnight on July 8, 2023, who initially tried to move away from his "incessant chat" The pair came to blows and Connor used both hands to grab Hewer's head, leaning towards him and biting his left ear completely off before spitting it onto the ground. A stunned female bystander collected the severed ear in a serviette, the court heard, as customers and the only member of staff attempted to stop the fight. Connor, 33, of Fenton Close, Speke, Liverpool, admitted wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm and also affray. He received a four-and-a-half year jail term from Judge Michael Fanning, who accepted he was provoked by Hewer. "But I have to deal with you for what you have done," said the judge. "You have used a weapon to inflict this injury. Use of the teeth is a weapon." Hewer, 44, of West View Road in Distington, near Workington, Cumbria, admitted affray and was handed an 18-month prison sentence. "You provoked Mr Connor to the position he found himself in," said Judge Fanning. "You came out of this very much the loser with a very serious injury." Hewer's partner Antonia Holliday, 36, of Hinnings Road, Distington, Cumbria also took part in the violence that night, the court heard. Cumbria Police released a custody photoof Hewer with his left ear missing. CCTV footage shown during the hearing showed her punching out at another customer, and being punched. Connor kicked Holliday and was punched by her, before the physical altercation with Hewer. She was given a 15-month prison sentence, suspended for a year, with the judge noting she was the sole carer of two children. She must complete 200 hours of unpaid work and an alcohol ban. The judge considered background information on all three, hearing they were sorry for their wrongdoing. Connor, a tree surgeon and dad-of-two, had acted out of character as "something snapped" when he was provoked, said his barrister Kim Whittlestone. Appliance engineer Hewer, who wore a head bandage during the sentencing hearing, underwent a medical procedure with a view to a prosthetic ear being fitted. "Even after two years he is feeling the effects," said Marion Weir, mitigating. Holliday could be seen punching out at another customer, and being punched. Connor kicked Holliday and was punched by her. Connor was struck by Hewer before the two men exchanged blows. Connor then used both hands to grab Hewer's head, leaning towards him and biting his left ear completely off before spitting it onto the ground. Hewer initially appeared oblivious to the savage act, while Holliday fell after being punched to the head by Connor. Mr Evans said: 'It to the credit of a number of people, none more so than the staff member, that they try to stop the violence.' A stunned female bystander collected the severed ear in a serviette. Holliday's 15-month custodial term was suspended for a year, the judge noting she was the sole carer of two children. She must complete 200 hours' unpaid work and an alcohol ban.
Yahoo
16-05-2025
- Yahoo
Man's ear bitten clean off by tree surgeon during Cumbria pub violence
A MAN is facing a lengthy prison sentence for biting another man's ear clean off during violence which flared at a west Cumbria hotel. Paul Connor, 33, was one of three people who appeared in the dock at Carlisle Crown Court this morning (Friday). They were charged following an incident which is said to have occurred at the Kellbank Hotel in the village of Gosforth, near Seascale, on Saturday, July 8, 2023. Connor pleaded guilty to two offences. He admitted unlawfully and maliciously wounding Christopher Hewer with intent to cause him grievous bodily harm. Connor further admitted affray — using or threatening unlawful violence towards another which would cause a person of reasonable firmness, present at the scene, to fear for their personal safety. Hewer, aged 44, of West View Road, Distington, near Workington — who had his ear completely bitten off by Connor — was also charged following the incident, along with Antonia Holliday, 35, of Hinnings Road, Distington. Hewer and Holliday appeared in the crown court dock earlier in the day — separately to Connor — and both admitted a charge of affray. Lawyers representing Hewer, Holliday and Connor all asked for the preparation of probation service pre-sentence reports before the punishments of their respective clients were handed down. Judge Michael Fanning agreed. He set a provisional sentencing date in the week of June 20 this year, and all three defendants were granted bail in the meantime. Judge Fanning told all three that they would receive appropriate discounts to their eventual sentences in recognition of their guilty pleas. The Kellbank in Gosforth, where the violence flared (Image: Google StreetView) He told Hewer and Holliday: 'This is a serious incident, however. You appreciate that. Every sentencing option is available to the court.' Kim Whittlestone, mitigating for Connor, told the court he was a father-of-two who worked as a tree surgeon. 'He knows it is going to be a lengthy custodial sentence,' said Miss Whittlestone. The barrister successfully asked for Connor to be granted bail so he could put his affairs in order before the sentencing hearing. Addressing Connor, of Fenton Close, Liverpool, Judge Fanning said. 'You know they are serious matters. You know the likely outcome.' The judge added: 'Co-operate with probation. The contents of their report are bound to assist you, even if the (sentencing) outcome is the same.'
The Herald Scotland
08-05-2025
- Politics
- The Herald Scotland
The so-called rape clause is unworkable — here's the proof
The evidence is in: the so-called rape clause is unworkable. The professionals tasked with approving the 'non-consensual conception' exemption to the two-child benefit cap lack the training, clarity and confidence required, leaving survivors to navigate a traumatising and inconsistent system with little support. That is the conclusion of a forensic study of the UK Government's two-child cap, carried out by Dr Rebecca Hewer at the University of Edinburgh. The stark findings will make uncomfortable reading for Labour, which is due to publish its child poverty strategy in the coming weeks. Read more from Unspun: Reports suggest that while the party will commit to additional financial support for some of the poorest parents, there will be no rollback of the benefit cap introduced by then Tory chancellor George Osborne in his 2015 Budget. The policy, which came into effect in 2017, prevents households claiming child tax credit or universal credit from receiving support for a third or subsequent child born after 6 April that year. The so-called rape clause is the exemption for families in which the third child was conceived non-consensually. To claim that exemption, mothers must demonstrate eligibility by securing certification from approved third-party professionals such as health and social care practitioners. However, interviews conducted by Dr Hewer revealed that many of the professionals tasked with implementing the policy have not received training, do not know the rules, and in some cases are unaware that they are on the list of approved third parties. Women—often traumatised, vulnerable and living in poverty—are left to navigate a Kafkaesque system riddled with obstacles. In many cases, they are expected to make multiple sensitive disclosures to non-clinical staff. A core issue identified is the UK Government's failure to provide a clear standard or definition of 'non-consensual conception'. The regulations state that a child qualifies if conceived as a result of 'sexual intercourse to which [the claimant] did not agree by choice, or did not have the freedom and capacity to agree by choice'. But what does 'sexual intercourse to which a claimant did not agree by choice' actually mean? Take, for instance, the removal of a condom without consent—commonly referred to as stealthing. Legally, it is classified as rape. Yet one GP told Dr Hewer: 'I would not say so.' The report also raises concerns over cases involving impersonation, an area of law described as complex and poorly understood by practitioners. The lack of clarity risks errors that could 'undermine a survivor's ability to access a rape clause exception'. It also notes that disclosing sexual violence to statutory practitioners may trigger safeguarding concerns, potentially leading to invasive questions and unwanted investigations or interventions—another factor likely to deter women from making a claim. While the number of households currently claiming the exemption is not large—around 200 in Scotland—the figure is expected to grow as more and more families become affected by the two-child limit. The report concludes that the rape clause is unworkable and calls for its urgent repeal. If repeal is delayed, interim recommendations include a move to a self-certification model for survivors, expanding the number and type of approved third parties, and significantly improving awareness, guidance and training for professionals and claimants alike. Ultimately, however, the research finds that there is no fair or decent way to implement the rape clause. As long as the two-child cap remains in place, it argues, there will continue to be an unjustifiable intrusion into the lives of vulnerable women and children.
