Latest news with #JoShiner
Yahoo
3 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Phone thieves' e-bikes to be crushed hours after they are caught
Police will receive powers to destroy e-bikes and e-scooters hours after they are seized in a crackdown on anti-social behaviour and snatch thefts. Officers will no longer have to give a warning to an offender before seizing and destroying a bike, scooter or car that has been driven in an anti-social way or used to perpetrate the theft of a mobile phone or bag. Instead of waiting 14 days before being able to dispose of them, police will have powers to destroy them within 48 hours. Ministers said the current 14-day deadline made it easier for offenders to reclaim their bikes, scooters or vehicles, which provided a limited deterrent to repeat offending. While e-bikes and scooters have become an increasing source of irritation for pedestrians, they are, along with mopeds and scooters, being increasingly used in snatch thefts. The number of snatch thefts, where devices or personal items are grabbed from a person by a thief, rose from 58,000 in 2023 to 99,000 last year – the highest level since 2003, according to the Crime Survey for England and Wales. Dame Diana Johnson, the policing minister, said: 'Anti-social and reckless driving brings misery to communities across the country, from dangerous street racing to off-road bikes tearing through local parks. 'By enabling police to seize and dispose of these vehicles within just 48 hours, we're giving our officers the tools they need to deliver immediate results and providing communities the swift justice they deserve. 'As part of our Plan for Change, these new powers send a clear message that anti-social behaviour, whatever form it takes, will not be tolerated in our local communities.' Labour is also looking to increase the fines for the cost of seizing, towing and crushing vehicles. A previous consultation recommended that it should be increased by the rate of inflation since the fees were last raised in 2008. This would cover the cost of recovering vehicles. The problem of nuisance driving has become so bad that some forces have launched dedicated operations to combat it. Operation Vulcan in Oldham has been targeting e-bikes, four of which were seized after their drivers were arrested for drug supply. Jo Shiner, the National Police Chiefs' Council's lead for roads policing, said: 'Anti-social use of a vehicle, such as street racing, street cruising or off-road use is more than a matter of noise pollution. 'It can have long-term effects on a neighbourhood, with the criminal damage of roads, other vehicles and surrounding property.' Edmund King, the AA president, said: 'Illegal car meets and street racing are not just anti-social, but also present road safety problems which have resulted in needless injuries and fatalities. 'This is a positive step that should make people think again before joining illegal car cruises.' Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
Telegraph
13-05-2025
- Telegraph
‘X-oholic' harassed female police chief ‘for the thrill'
A man who harassed a female chief constable online told a court he was an 'X-oholic' because of his addiction to social media. Jason Nicholls was chasing the 'instant dopamine rush' of 'likes' on X, the social network, when he bombarded Jo Shiner of Sussex Police with abusive posts over two years, he said. Nicholls shared hundreds of posts, memes, mock-up images and satirical videos on X, formerly known as Twitter, criticising the chief constable's work. The 55 year-old started a 'Twitter soap' he called 'Shiner Street' which detailed the 'ups and downs' of her force, and created a wanted poster of her face which accused her of 'crimes against policing'. Admitting stalking, Nicholls claimed to be the UK's 'first registered X-oholic' and said his social media 'addiction' had dominated his life for over a decade While awaiting sentence at Portsmouth magistrates' court, Hants, Nicholls breached his bail conditions by sending emails to police. At sentencing, magistrates told Nicholls he showed a 'flagrant disregard' for Ms Shiner and a 'significant degree' of planning had gone into his mock-up images on social media. It was heard that Nicholls, from East Cowes, Isle of Wight, stalked Ms Shiner from October 2022 to August last year. As well as his social media posts, he contacted media outlets including BBC Radio Sussex, falsely telling them she had been 'arrested'. He also created a poster which joked that she was 'separated at birth' from Uncle Albert, the Only Fools and Horses character. Prosecutors said there were a large number of posts which were distressing to Ms Shiner and she was 'professionally embarrassed'. Nicholls admitted one count of stalking without fear and distress and two counts of breaching bail conditions. In a statement in court he said: 'I am an X-oholic – blind to risk or consequence, I have lost control of my online life, impulsively chasing the instant dopamine rush of likes, shares, and replies through an overwhelming flood of posts, memes, and satirical videos. 'Today, I've hit rock bottom, but I'm ready to take his [sic] first steps toward recovery.' Nicholls apologised to Ms Shiner and Sussex Police and asked for 'forgiveness and understanding' relating to the 'addiction that has dominated my life over the past decade'. 'Above all, I am here to ask the court for support in breaking free from this overwhelming compulsion,' he said. 'I may be the UK's first registered X-oholic, but I won't be the last.' Nicholls was jailed for 15 weeks, given a restraining order, and ordered to pay £239 in costs. Magistrates said 'the defendant has a flagrant disregard for court orders because the defendant has a flagrant disregard for people and their property'. They said his offending featured a 'persistent and prolonged course of action' and a 'significant degree of planning creating mock up pictures and Twitter accounts'.
Daily Mail
13-05-2025
- Daily Mail
UK's 'first X-oholic' is jailed for online stalking of chief constable he subject to hundreds of social media posts and memes 'to get dopamine rush' from likes and shares
Britain's first self-declared 'X-oholic' has been jailed after he stalked a female police chief constable - claiming his online harassment was driven by the rush of trying to get likes on social media. Internet creep Jason Nicholls bombarded Sussex Police's Jo Shiner with hundreds of abusive social media posts over the course of two years. The 55-year-old started a ' Twitter soap' called 'Shiner Street' which detailed the 'ups and downs' of her force and also created a wanted poster with her face on for 'crimes against policing'. On the platform, now called X, Nicholls shared hundreds of posts, memes, mock-up images, and satirical videos criticising the chief constable's work. Admitting his stalking, Nicholls said his social media 'addiction' has 'dominated' his life for over a decade as he tried to chase the 'instant dopamine rush' which came with posting online. He claimed to be the UK's 'first registered X-oholic' and says he now hopes to help others like him whose online lives have become 'unmanageable'. Now Nicholls has been jailed for 15 weeks and has been slapped with a restraining order against CC Shiner. The order bans Nicholls from contacting CC Shiner, tagging her in posts online - and also bans him from contacting Sussex Police unless there is a genuine emergency or to report a crime. Nicholls created a wanted poster with Chief Constable Shiner's face on for 'crimes against policing'. While he was awaiting sentence at Portsmouth Magistrates' Court, idiot Nicholls breached his bail conditions by sending emails to police. At the sentencing hearing on April 25, magistrates told Nicholls he showed a 'flagrant disregard' for CC Shiner and that a 'significant degree' of planning went into his mock-up images on social media. It was heard that Nicholls, from East Cowes, Isle of Wight, stalked CC Shiner from October 2022 to August of this year. He sent the constable a 'great deal' of online communications to her personal X account and email address, among others. Nicholls alleged there was 'corruption' within the force and suggested police were 'not investigating a matter reported by the defendant'. Nicholls he showed a 'flagrant disregard' for CC Shiner and that a 'significant degree' of planning went into his mock-up images on social media. He used his social media account to 'vent his anger' towards the constable and gave specific examples of the posts he made. Among other posts, he edited CC Shiner onto cartoon pictures of sheep, put her face on a wanted poster for 'crimes against policing' and alleged online that her force was 'covering up crime'. He also contacted media outlets including BBC Radio Sussex, falsely telling them the chief constable had been 'arrested'. Nichols also created a poster which joked that she was 'separated at birth' with Uncle Albert from Only Fools and Horses. Prosecutors said there was a 'large number of posts' which were 'distressing' to CC Shiner and she was 'professionally embarrassed'. He admitted one count of stalking without fear and distress and two counts of breaching bail conditions. When he appeared at court and admitted stalking last December, Nicholls took the unusual step of producing a statement about his so-called social media addiction. It said: 'I am an X-oholic—blind to risk or consequence, I have lost control of my online life, impulsively chasing the instant dopamine rush of likes, shares, and replies through an overwhelming flood of posts, memes, and satirical videos. When he appeared at court to plead guilty last December, Nicholls took the unusual step of producing a statement about his so-called social media addiction in which he declared 'I am an X-oholic' 'Today, I've hit rock bottom, but I'm ready to take his first steps toward recovery.' He added: 'For me - who has ADHD, which makes me especially susceptible to addictive behaviour - Elon Musk's free-speech platform X became like a high-street fixed-odds gambling machine, offering a quick, seductive, and psychologically numbing high.' Nicholls apologised to CC Shiner and Sussex Police force and asked for 'forgiveness and understanding' relating to the 'addiction that has dominated my life over the past decade'. 'I deeply appreciate the difficult and vital role the police play and regrets that my actions crossed the line,' he continued. 'Above all, I am here to ask the court for support in breaking free from this overwhelming compulsion. 'I may be the UK's first registered X-oholic, but I won't be the last.' The father said X has 'transformed how people in the UK air their problems, challenge people in power, and catch up on the news'. 'Now Donald Trump is back in the White House, I fear my addiction will only worsen,' he continued. 'Today, this court has an opportunity to show national leadership in acknowledging that something has to be done to help X-oholics like me live a normal life.' At Portsmouth Magistrates' Court, Nicholls was jailed for 15 weeks, given a restraining order, and ordered to pay £239 in costs. Magistrates said 'the defendant has a flagrant disregard for court orders because the defendant has a flagrant disregard for people and their property.' They said his offending featured a 'persistent and prolonged course of actions' and a 'significant degree of planning creating mock up pictures and Twitter accounts'.
Yahoo
13-02-2025
- Yahoo
Police catch motorists doing 90mph on 30mph roads
Almost half of UK police forces have caught motorists driving more than 90mph (144km/h) on 30mph roads in the 20 months to the end of August, the RAC says. A total of 48% forces found drivers going more than three times the 30mph limit, while 90% had clocked people driving at 60mph. The highest recorded speed on 30mph roads was 122mph in South Yorkshire. For 20mph roads, the top speed was logged by North Wales Police at 88mph. The highest recorded speed on any road was 167mph on a 70mph stretch of the M1 in Leicestershire. The largest difference between the speed recorded and the speed limit was 161mph on a 50mph in Somerset. The data came from Freedom of Information requests the RAC made to 45 police forces relating to the period from January 2023 to the end of August 2024. Forty forces provided data. The 10 highest speeds clocked on 30mph roads were: South Yorkshire Police: 122mph Sussex Police: 113mph Greater Manchester Police: 112mph West Yorkshire Police: 112mph West Mercia Police: 106mph Lancashire Constabulary: 104mph Nottinghamshire Police: 103mph Bedfordshire Police: 103mph West Midlands Police: 100mph Police Service of Northern Ireland: 100mph RAC road safety spokesperson Rod Dennis said: "Although this data is a snapshot, it shines a light on the incredibly dangerous actions of a few, that are putting law-abiding road users at serious risk. Thankfully, the police were on hand to catch these drivers." Chief Constable Jo Shiner, the National Police Chiefs' Council lead for roads policing, said choosing to drive above the speed limit amounted to "reckless, selfish and completely unacceptable" behaviour. "We know that some incidents of going over the speed limit can be genuine mistakes or errors, but the speeds cited here are clearly drivers taking deliberate decisions to travel at excessive speeds, putting everyone at risk," she said. A spokesman for the Department of Transport said there were tough penalties in place for drivers who speed. "While our roads are among the safest in the world, we are committed to improving road safety, and recently relaunched our Think! campaign with a focus on speeding, particularly on rural roads." Speed is the biggest factor reported in fatal road collisions, according to government data. In 2023 speed contributed to 888 fatalities, and more than 39,000 collisions of all severities. More than 24,000 vehicles were caught on camera being driven at more than 100mph (161km/h) between 2019 and 2023, police data shows. Selfish drivers doing 164mph must stop, police say
The Independent
13-02-2025
- The Independent
Nearly half of police forces catch drivers doing more than 90mph on 30mph roads
Nearly half (48%) of UK police forces caught drivers exceeding 90mph on 30mph roads in the 20 months to the end of August last year, an investigation has found. The RAC, which obtained the figures, said they demonstrate 'incredibly dangerous actions' by motorists and called on the Government to use its forthcoming road safety strategy to tackle 'avoidable casualties' in crashes involving speeding drivers. The highest recorded speed on 30mph roads included in the analysis was 122mph in the South Yorkshire Police area. For 20mph roads, the top speed was logged by North Wales Police at 88mph. Roads with 20mph and 30mph limits are more likely to have a higher number of pedestrians, cyclists and other vulnerable groups, the RAC said. The fastest speed detected on any road was 167mph on a 70mph stretch of the M1 motorway by Leicestershire Police. The figures were obtained through Freedom of Information requests to 45 police forces relating to the period from the start of January 2023 to the end of August 2024. Forty forces provided data. RAC road safety spokesman Rod Dennis said: 'Although this data is a snapshot, it shines a light on the incredibly dangerous actions of a few, that are putting law-abiding road users at serious risk. Thankfully, the police were on hand to catch these drivers. 'There is no place for the vastly excessive speeds that some people are prepared to drive. ' Speed is the leading cause of deaths on UK roads. 'We look forward to the Government's forthcoming road safety strategy understanding what can be done to reduce such avoidable casualties on the UK's roads.' Choosing to drive above those limits is reckless, selfish and completely unacceptable Chief Constable Jo Shiner, National Police Chiefs' Council Chief Constable Jo Shiner, the National Police Chiefs' Council lead for roads policing, said: 'We know that some incidents of going over the speed limit can be genuine mistakes or errors, but the speeds cited here are clearly drivers taking deliberate decisions to travel at excessive speeds, putting everyone at risk. 'Speed limits are set based on many factors, including the road layout, what's in the surrounding area and taking into account where there might be more vulnerable road users. 'Choosing to drive above those limits is reckless, selfish and completely unacceptable.' Separate Department for Transport (DfT) statistics show 331 people died in crashes on Britain's roads in 2023 in which a driver exceeding the speed limit was a contributory factor. This was at least a 10-year high and represented 21% of all road fatalities. An RAC survey carried out last year indicated 55% of drivers believe there is a culture among UK road users that it is acceptable to speed, with only 23% disagreeing with this assertion. A DfT spokesman said: 'There's no excuse for those who risk the lives of others through speeding, and there are already tough penalties in place for drivers who speed. 'While our roads are among the safest in the world, we are committed to improving road safety, and recently relaunched our Think! campaign with a focus on speeding, particularly on rural roads.' – The survey of 2,691 drivers was carried out by research company Online95 between March 23 and April 15 last year.
