Latest news with #July2024
Daily Mail
4 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Moment rapper threatens murder victim on YouTube - before knifing him in the neck in front of his horrified son
This is the horrifying moment a rapper threatened his murder victim on YouTube before brutally knifing him in front of his young son. Renai Belle, 30, boasted of his 'gangster lifestyle' before stabbing father-of-two Josh McKay, 33 to death in a barbers on July 6, 2024. Belle, who posted online under his nickname Topz had written a rap song the previous year threatening to attack Mr McKay. In his video posted to YouTube, he rapped: 'How many times I put my flicky in man's head?' and 'I pray every day that I buck JMK,' referring to Josh McKay. Police tried to save Mr McKay but were unsuccessful and Belle was convicted of murder. A year prior to the fatal stabbing, Belle posted a song on YoutTube where he directly threatened Mr McKay. In the song, Belle bragged about his gangster lifestyle and his intention to hurt the father-of-two. In the three-minute song, the rap included the lines: 'How many times I put my flicky in man's head?' which Louis Mably, KC, prosecuting told the Old Bailey is a reference to stabbing someone in the head with a flick knife. Belle crept into Hollywood Cuts in Leyton wearing a balaclava before stabbing Mr McKay (pictured) in the neck while he and his barber discussed holiday plans Another line stated: 'I pray every day that I buck JMK.' Mr Mably explained: 'This is a reference to meeting JMK, and the inference is this is Josh McKay,' the prosecutor said. The rap continued: 'That's a good day, not for him though, jakes (police) couldn't catch me...' A year later, Belle carried out his intention and attacked Mr McKay in a barber shop in East London. He crept into Hollywood Cuts in Leyton wearing a balaclava before stabbing Mr McKay in the neck while he and his barber discussed holiday plans. The violent attacker was helped by his teaching assistant girlfriend Tenika Parker, 39, and 22-year-old Daniel Cooper, the Old Bailey heard. Following the gruesome stabbing police descended on the barbershop and tried to save the father-of-two using a scarf to stem the bleeding from the wound but he was unresponsive. The officers began CPR and carried on trying to revive the man until paramedics arrived but there was no pulse. Barber Wray Esson, who was cutting Mr McKay's hair said the pair were 'talking about holiday plans, when all of a sudden he saw a man wearing a balaclava creeping through the door,' (Belle pictured walking to the barbershop in a balaclava) After the fatal stabbing, Mr McKay grabbed the blade and 'went for the attacker' chasing him out of the shop and CCTV caught the moment Belle fled the scene (pictured) Specialist medics including a doctor even performed an emergency operation on the side of the road, but nothing could be done to revive Mr McKay and he was pronounced dead at 3.53pm. Mr Mably said: 'The colour had drained from his face, his eyes were wide open, and he was not breathing.' The prosecutor told the court it appeared Belle 'had an existing, violent hostility towards Mr McKay.' There were no cameras inside the shop but CCTV footage outside showed Mr McKay and his son arriving in their car 30 minutes before the attack. 'Footage also showed that at that time, Mr Belle was also in the very same area. He was in a car, and then on foot, in the same area of Lea Bridge Road, at the same time, going right past the barber's,' the prosecutor said. The attack was carried out 25 minutes later. 'What happened in those 25 minutes? Because he didn't go straight in,' the prosecutor said. 'What happened is that straightaway, and very quickly, he saw the opportunity, and made preparations for the attack to make sure he could carry it out before Mr McKay had finished having his hair cut. 'What he did was to go off and get the knife, and the balaclava, before coming back and creeping into the shop.' Barber Wray Esson, who was cutting Mr McKay's hair said the pair were 'talking about holiday plans, when all of a sudden he saw a man wearing a balaclava creeping through the door,' said Mr Mably. 'He thought it was a joke at first, but then saw the man had a large kitchen knife in his hand. 'The man approached Mr McKay, and just as Mr McKay swivelled round on the chair to see what was going on, the man plunged the knife into his neck, and then pulled the knife out. 'Mr McKay stood up. The man went to stab him again but Mr McKay put his arms up to defend himself. 'There was a scuffle and the knife fell to the ground.' Mr McKay grabbed the blade and 'went for the attacker' chasing him out of the shop. Passer-by Debbie Osu saw a man wearing dark clothes with a hood up 'creeping towards the shop' carrying something close to his leg. Moments later Mr McKay came out holding the knife after disarming the attacker, the court heard. Ms Osu heard Mr McKay say: 'I can't believe he caught me.' The prosecutor said the witness saw Mr McKay's distraught son outside saying 'that's my dad.' Parker and Cooper helped Belle carry out the attack, it was said. 'Tanika Parker was obviously a close friend and associate of Mr Belle - it seems they were in fact in a relationship,' the prosecutor said. Parker drove Belle drove to Lea Bridge Road in her SsangYong Turismo, the court heard. The prosecutor said telephone records show Belle had been in touch with Cooper that day asking him 'to provide him with the knife and balaclava'. CCTV footage showed that Belle and Parker attended Cooper's address to collects balaclava and knife, the court heard. Parker was arrested on the night of 7 July while Belle was arrested the next day. He made no comment in police interviews. Parker gave a written statement, in which he said she was in a relationship with Belle, but denied knowing that he was going to carry out an attack. Parker was initially arrested on suspicion of assisting an offender and Cooper was arrested after handing himself in to police She was stopped by police while driving the car that had been identified as involved in the murder and after a search of the vehicle, officers found distinct black sliders Belle was seen wearing in CCTV footage, as well as traces of blood that officers sent for forensic testing. Parker was rearrested on Wednesday, 2 October, and charged with perverting the course of justice after CCTV footage showed her attempting to clean her car after the attack to remove any evidence. Belle, of Edmonton, denied but was convicted of murder. Parker and Cooper, both of Walthamstow, denied murder and were cleared by the jury. Parker was cleared of murder by the jury along with Cooper. Cooper had admitted possessing a bladed article, while Parker denied but was convicted of that offence. Parker denied but was unanimously convicted of perverting the course of justice by cleaning her SsangYong Turismo SUV after the attack. Belle and Parker will return for sentence at the Old Bailey on 30 July. Cooper will be sentenced separately on Friday. Detective Inspector Chris Griffith, from Specialist Crime North, who led the investigation, said: 'This was a savage and pre-planned attack, committed in broad daylight and with scant regard for passers-by. What took place left the local community reeling, and two young children without their father. 'My heart goes out to Josh's family and friends. He was a loving parent, whose life was ended in the most horrendous way. 'I hope that today's result provides Josh's family with some closure, and allows the community to feel safer knowing that Belle is no longer free to commit such heinous crimes.'
The Sun
2 days ago
- General
- The Sun
Two evil knife thugs who carried out unprovoked horror attacks on four strangers in Glasgow jailed for 14 years
A PAIR of knife thugs guilty of "gratuitous violence" on four strangers in less than two hours have been jailed for a total of 14 and a half years. Declan Fulton, 27, and Brandon Paterson, 22, struck late at night in Glasgow city centre last July. 2 One man was left with a horror facial wound for not having cigarettes to give them. Paterson was subject to five different bail orders at the time of the crimes. The pair were today sentenced at the High Court in Glasgow, having earlier admitted their guilt. Fulton was jailed for eight years, with Paterson locked up for six and a half years. The duo will also be supervised on their eventual release. Fulton already had previous for violence, weapons, disorder, theft and breaching court orders. Paterson was also a known offender. He flouted five separate bail orders - one for a drugs charge imposed just a week before these crimes. Explaining these attacks, prosecutor Neil McCulloch told the court: "This case relates to four incidents which took place in Glasgow city centre between 11.20pm on July 8 2024 and 1.30am on July 9. "This was the assault of several people - who are not known to Fulton and Paterson - at various locations." Gregor McHarg was first targeted while out walking his dog in Sauchiehall Street. Tourist caught filming small child in Scots park tells court he meant 'no harm' One threatened: "I will slit your dog's throat." Mr McHarg initially questioned them before both claimed they were armed with blades. The thugs stated: "Do you know who we are?" Fulton initially slashed at Mr McHarg and tried to stab him. The man branded them "cowards". Mr McHarg - bleeding from a wound to his elbow - then tailed the pair after they casually walked off. He approached them in nearby Bath Street where Fulton knifed him in the chest and Paterson hurled a traffic cone at him. Mr McHarg ended up needing hospital treatment, including for a punctured lung. Mr McCulloch said there was a "potential" threat to his life. He is also permanently scarred. The next victim was then set upon in a "seemingly unprovoked" attack in Buchanan Street about an hour later. Robert Anderson was punched by Fulton before Paterson joined in. After an attempt was made to smack him with a glass bottle, Fulton then slashed the man twice with a black-handled blade across the face. Mr Anderson ended up needing a total of 19 stitches for two wounds. Around 1.20am, Sergi Avila was walking with a friend in Dundas Street when the assailants asked for cigarettes. They did not have any to give. Mr McCulloch: "As a result, one of the pair began challenging Sergi Avila to fight before he approached from behind and slashed him to the right side of his face." One of the victims called you cowards, which is a good description of what you did... you will pay a heavy price Lord Mulholland This caused a nasty, disfiguring wound from this victim's mouth across his cheek to his ear. Fulton and Paterson fled the scene. After getting help from a nearby motorist, Mr Alva was taken to hospital for his injuries. The court heard, like the other men, he is also scarred for life. The final victim was Just Eat delivery driver Saoud Abdullah, minutes later. He was struck in Sauchiehall Street, having initially given an associate of the pair some water. Fulton went on to yank open the man's Just Eat bag and demanded his phone. Mr McCulloch: "Fulton slashed him on the left hand, causing it to bleed heavily." Mr Abdullah also ended up in hospital, having gone to a nearby hotel for help. During a probe to catch the attackers, Fulton was arrested later that day. It was almost a fortnight before Paterson was traced in Glasgow city centre. The pair admitted in court to being involved in three of the aggravated assaults, with Fulton alone pleading guilty to attacking Mr Abdullah. Sentencing, Lord Mulholland ordered one of the thugs to "be respectful" by taking his hands out of his pockets and standing up straight in the dock. The judge went on: "You pleaded guilty to a series of appalling assaults using weapons on innocent members of the public going about their business. "One of the victims called you cowards, which is a good description of what you did. "This was gratuitous violence, and you will pay a heavy price. "You are both violent thugs, and I will protect the public from you."
ABC News
2 days ago
- Health
- ABC News
Telstra fined for disruption to emergency call service used by people with hearing, speech impairments
Telstra has again fallen short of regulator standards and community expectations in providing access to emergency services. The telco giant has paid a penalty and agreed to launch an independent review after it mistakenly disabled its connection to an emergency call relay service, which is used by people with hearing or speech impairments. In a life- or property-threatening time-critical emergency situation, Australians should contact triple-0 (000) — or, if they are using a type and listen or teletypewriter (TTY) device, they can dial 106 to be connected to police, fire or ambulance services. An Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) investigation found the 106 emergency call service number was inadvertently made unavailable for 12 hours and 46 minutes between July 5 and 6 2024, following a server migration process. TTY is a text-based communication method for individuals who are deaf, hard of hearing or have speech impairments, allowing them to communicate via typed text over a phone line. A relay officer reads out the text a person types into their TTY device to an emergency operator. ACMA says it takes any disruption to an emergency call service very seriously, given there could be devastating consequences for members of the public. "This mistake could have contributed to very serious harm if someone who relies on this service had needed emergency assistance but was unable to get through," ACMA member and consumer lead Samantha Yorke said. "Fortunately, the records show no one attempted to use the 106 service for an emergency during the time the service was disabled." Under emergency call service rules, carriers must maintain the proper and effective functioning of their networks and facilities that are used to carry emergency calls. An analyst has raised concerns about the repeated failure of Australia's largest telecommunications providers to meet basic consumer needs. In December 2024, the ACMA imposed a $3 million penalty on Telstra after an investigation found 473 breaches of emergency call rules when Telstra's triple-0 call centre experienced a disruption for 90 minutes. "We've now had two major emergency service failures from Telstra in under a year," telecommunications consultant Paul Budde said, describing the incidents as "warning signs that core infrastructure is being compromised". Telstra has given the ACMA a court-enforceable undertaking to improve its relevant change management processes. It has also engaged an independent reviewer to look at the range of operational arrangements that support reliable delivery of the 106 emergency call service. "For years, Telstra has tried to position itself as a high-value tech company rather than a reliable utility," Mr Budde said. "But you can't build a shiny digital future on crumbling foundations. Telstra has also paid a penalty of $18,780, the maximum the ACMA could impose under the circumstances. Mr Budde said it was "pocket change" for the telco. "We need penalties that actually hurt — or better yet, incentives that reward doing the right thing." Optus was penalised a record $12 million by ACMA in late 2024 for a November 2023 network outage that caused considerable disruption to emergency call services. Telstra has committed to an independent review of its systems and says it will implement any reasonable recommendations of the review, develop and provide staff training and report regularly to ACMA on its progress implementing these undertakings. In a written statement, a Telstra spokesperson told the ABC that while no emergency calls failed during the disruption on July 6, 2024, the Telco understands the "critical importance of maintaining reliable emergency call services and the potential consequences of any disruption." 'We fully accept the findings of the ACMA and have committed to an independent review of our change management processes and operational arrangements to ensure such a mistake doesn't happen again,' the spokesperson said.
News.com.au
7 days ago
- Business
- News.com.au
Maximum Parental Leave Pay days to increase from July 1 for parents, carers
Parents or carers of children who will be born in the new financial year will soon benefit from more paid parental leave. From July 1, Services Australia will lift the number of Parental Leave Pay days from 110 to 120 for children born from that day. Parents, including of adoptive children, will be able to claim up to three months before the date they expect the child to 'enter their care'. Parental Leave Pay is intended to support families and caregivers who have taken time off work to care for a newborn or newly adopted child. Currently, parents with children born since July 1, 2024 receive 110 days of paid parental leave, including any claims before July 1, 2025. For the new maximum of 120 days, a parent or carer will have to provide proof that their child was either born or adopted from that date. The maximum number of Parental Leave Pay days is expected to rise again to 130 from July 1, 2026. In order to be eligible for the payments, a parent or carer must pass a work and income test and not be working the days they receive the payment. The payment is available before, during, and after employer-funded leave and is only available for a single child in the event of multiple children. The current payment for Parental Leave Pay is $183.16 per day before tax or $915.80 per five-day week. That is based on the weekly rate of the national minimum wage.
CBC
27-05-2025
- General
- CBC
Cape Breton family hopes search finally over for missing son
Justin MacDonald, 34, disappeared in July 2024 and his case was declared a homicide months later. On Monday, suspected human remains were found along Morley Road. While the remains have yet to be identified, MacDonald's family hopes the discovery could bring them closure. Kyle Moore has the story.
