Latest news with #JoshuaPhillips
Yahoo
7 hours ago
- Yahoo
Killer of Jacksonville girl nearly three decades ago set to return to Duval County court
The man who killed an 8-year-old girl when he was a teenager 27 years ago is expected to return before a judge Monday morning in Duval County Circuit Court. The case against Joshua Phillips started in 1998 and he was was initially sentenced to life in prison after his conviction on a first-degree murder charge in 1999. He challenged the conviction and was resentenced in 2017. Phillips is scheduled to receive a date Monday to have that sentencing reviewed because his life sentence was deemed unconstitutional by the Supreme Court. Joshua Phillips, now 41, was 14 when he murdered 8-year-old Maddie Clifton in 1998. In a case known as Miller v. Alabama, the U.S. Supreme Court in 2012 barred mandatory sentences of life without parole for juveniles convicted of murder. Maddie Clifton disappeared Nov. 3, 1998, leading to a major search in Jacksonville. Her body was found a week later under Phillips' waterbed, and she had been beaten and stabbed repeatedly. >>> STREAM ACTION NEWS JAX LIVE <<< [DOWNLOAD: Free Action News Jax app for alerts as news breaks] [SIGN UP: Action News Jax Daily Headlines Newsletter] Click here to download the free Action News Jax news and weather apps, click here to download the Action News Jax Now app for your smart TV and click here to stream Action News Jax live.
Yahoo
14-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Children 'let down' as WRU community programme cut
A rugby coach said he almost broke down in tears when he found out his job as a hub officer would end. Last month the Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) announced funding for its community hub programme would be "discontinued" in a bid to save £5m. Around 30,000 children have benefited from the scheme which has been part-funded by the WRU and schools since 2014. Joshua Phillips, 23, who is a hub officer in Rhondda Cynon Taf, said he "struggled" to come to terms with the union's decision when he learned about it through media reports. The union has promised an improved offer for grassroots rugby but said the details of its restructure would be unveiled in due course. 'I went to my old club to see if Welsh Rugby is affecting the game' Where can Welsh rugby possibly go from here? Dragons and Cardiff sign new WRU deal Since the WRU made its announcement in April, more than 4,500 people have signed a petition calling for the hub programme to be saved. Up to 20 jobs could be lost as a result of the changes. "I was gutted, just heartbroken when I found out. I did shed a tear because I love my job, and the boys and girls have been a pleasure to work with," Mr Phillips said. "It feels a bit like I'm letting them down. "I take it that some things need to change but it's sad really for the kids and what opportunities they might not have." When it first announced its restructure plans in April, the WRU said it would ensure a "consistent level of support" for the community game. It also said it would be up to schools, who employ the officers, how they re-invest their share of the funding. There were more than 3,000 new registered players at local rugby clubs as a result of the hub programme during the 2022/23 season. Grassroots participation continued to increase for boys and girls the following year according to a WRU impact report. While working at Ysgol Gyfun Garth Olwg Mr Phillips said the boys teams had enjoyed success on the pitch and he had helped to increase girls' participation by introducing them to a local club. Amber, 13, who plays rugby in school and for Llantwit Fardre Rhinos, said she was "sad" to learn Mr Phillips' job would end this summer. "He's made me a more confident individual and he's helped us as a team to get better. He comes here to our training with the Rhinos as well, and he comes to watch our games so he's helped us a lot," she said. Darcy, 13, who is also a pupil at Garth Olwg, said the decision was disappointing because Mr Phillips had "definitely helped us to improve because he's been able to arrange more games". A recent study of the programme by the Open University found it had "clear benefits for young people in terms of their physical fitness and wider social and emotional wellbeing". Speaking to the BBC's Scrum V podcast in April, the WRU's chief executive Abi Tierney said a proposed restructure of the community game in Wales would ensure every school and club would be linked with a named officer. But concerns about the proposed changes have been raised by a number of community clubs on social media. Ceri Parri, director at Caernarfon RFC in Gwynedd, said it was one of the first to be used in a pilot for the hub programme when it started. "It was quite a shock when then WRU announced it would stop the funding. It felt like the decision was being made without consulting with the clubs," Ms Parri said. "In some parts of the country children live in quite remote areas, far away from a rugby pitch. Having hub officers in schools has really helped to engage children in rugby - it's really important." Geraint John, WRU executive director of community, said: "Due to an internal consultation process we are unable to expand on our future plans for community further than the statement published last month. "Once this process is complete, I look forward to sharing information on the next chapter of our education programme." Regions in jeopardy unless WRU deal is signed Wales' imperfect 10 as Six Nations misery is complete Welsh rugby branded institutionally misogynistic


BBC News
14-05-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
WRU community programme cut leaves children 'let down'
A rugby coach said he almost broke down in tears when he found out his job as a hub officer would month the Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) announced funding for its community hub programme would be "discontinued" in a bid to save £ 30,000 children have benefited from the scheme which has been part-funded by the WRU and schools since Phillips, 23, who is a hub officer in Rhondda Cynon Taf, said he "struggled" to come to terms with the union's decision when he learned about it through media union has promised an improved offer for grassroots rugby but said the details of its restructure would be unveiled in due course. Since the WRU made its announcement in April, more than 4,500 people have signed a petition calling for the hub programme to be to 20 jobs could be lost as a result of the changes."I was gutted, just heartbroken when I found out. I did shed a tear because I love my job, and the boys and girls have been a pleasure to work with," Mr Phillips said."It feels a bit like I'm letting them down."I take it that some things need to change but it's sad really for the kids and what opportunities they might not have."When it first announced its restructure plans in April, the WRU said it would ensure a "consistent level of support" for the community also said it would be up to schools, who employ the officers, how they re-invest their share of the were more than 3,000 new registered players at local rugby clubs as a result of the hub programme during the 2022/23 participation continued to increase for boys and girls the following year according to a WRU impact report. While working at Ysgol Gyfun Garth Olwg Mr Phillips said the boys teams had enjoyed success on the pitch and he had helped to increase girls' participation by introducing them to a local 13, who plays rugby in school and for Llantwit Fardre Rhinos, said she was "sad" to learn Mr Phillips' job would end this summer."He's made me a more confident individual and he's helped us as a team to get better. He comes here to our training with the Rhinos as well, and he comes to watch our games so he's helped us a lot," she 13, who is also a pupil at Garth Olwg, said the decision was disappointing because Mr Phillips had "definitely helped us to improve because he's been able to arrange more games".A recent study of the programme by the Open University found it had "clear benefits for young people in terms of their physical fitness and wider social and emotional wellbeing". Speaking to the BBC's Scrum V podcast in April, the WRU's chief executive Abi Tierney said a proposed restructure of the community game in Wales would ensure every school and club would be linked with a named concerns about the proposed changes have been raised by a number of community clubs on social Parri, director at Caernarfon RFC in Gwynedd, said it was one of the first to be used in a pilot for the hub programme when it started."It was quite a shock when then WRU announced it would stop the funding. It felt like the decision was being made without consulting with the clubs," Ms Parri said."In some parts of the country children live in quite remote areas, far away from a rugby pitch. Having hub officers in schools has really helped to engage children in rugby - it's really important." Geraint John, WRU executive director of community, said: "Due to an internal consultation process we are unable to expand on our future plans for community further than the statement published last month."Once this process is complete, I look forward to sharing information on the next chapter of our education programme."