Latest news with #LeicesterCrownCourt
Yahoo
09-05-2025
- Yahoo
Man admits urging vulnerable woman to seriously self-harm and kill herself
A man has admitted to urging a vulnerable woman to self-harm and to kill herself online. Warning: This story contains details of encouraging self-harm and suicide which some readers might find disturbing Tyler Webb, 22, from King Street in Loughborough, Leicestershire, admitted to one count of encouraging suicide and one count of encouraging or assisting someone to seriously self-harm on Friday. He was the first person in the country to be charged with encouraging serious self-harm online under Section 184 of the Online Safety Act 2023. Appearing via video link from a mental health facility, Webb sat with his head on a table surrounded by his family during the hearing. After it concluded, he ran out of the room and did not return. While Leicester Crown Court did not hear details of Webb's offences, the Crown Prosecution Service said he used the instant messaging app Telegram to contact the vulnerable woman, who cannot be named. In their messages, he repeatedly told her to harm herself, and then to kill herself while on video call so he could watch. The CPS said Webb told the woman she had nothing to live for and gave her methods to end her life. It added that on one occasion, the woman followed his instructions while on a video call with him, and on another, she harmed herself after being encouraged to do so by Webb, and sent him a photograph of her injury. During a 44-minute call on 2 July last year, the CPS said, Webb persistently tried to get the woman to end her own life. When it became apparent she would not do so, he said he would block further contact with her. The woman then reported the interactions, and Webb was arrested at his home by Leicestershire Police. Read more from Sky News: The CPS also said that it found in its investigation that Webb knew the woman was vulnerable after coming across her in an online forum where people discussed mental health difficulties. Investigators also uncovered an audio recording of a call made by the woman, which showed his "persistent" attempts to push her to do things, as well as digital images and drawings depicting people ending their lives, decapitations and sexual violence towards women. Alex Johnson, specialist crown prosecutor in the CPS' Special Crime Division, said Webb "knew she was vulnerable and would act on his requests but went ahead with his persistent requests knowing she may well die". "Fortunately, his repeated and insistent suggestions did not result in a death," he added. Judge Timothy Spencer KC said Webb must be produced at the crown court for sentencing on 4 July. Anyone feeling emotionally distressed or suicidal can call Samaritans for help on 116 123 or email in the UK. In the US, call the Samaritans branch in your area or 1 (800) 273-TALK
Daily Mail
09-05-2025
- Daily Mail
Special Constable jailed for storing photos of dying punch victim on Snapchat, sending grim details about fatal car crash to friend and taking photos of police computer records
A grieving widow said a special constable who took photos of video footage of her husband's body as he lay dying in the street 'took his dignity' as he was jailed for 12 months. William Heggs, 23, a volunteer officer with Leicestershire Police, used his mobile phone to take photographs of body-cam footage showing William Harty, who died after a fight with his brother-in-law in October 2021. Heggs had attended the scene of the attack when Mr Harty, 28, was found seriously injured and had assisted with resuscitation before paramedics arrived. The following month, while on duty, Heggs showed the image of Mr Harty to a police constable telling him: 'I know I shouldn't have'. Heggs had clips of people being restrained, arrested and stop searched; photos of injuries; and of slides showing crime suspects on his phone Leicester Crown Court heard When Heggs's phone was seized by officers, they found he had 'repeatedly and flagrantly' breached policing rules of which he would have been fully aware due to extensive training. Prosecutor Cathlyn Orchard told the court that over a period of six months between July and December 2021, Heggs shared graphic details of the injuries suffered by a woman who had died in a road traffic collision to a Snapchat contact. He also shared body-worn footage of a fellow police officer falling over with another colleague and laughed about it, took photographs and videos which involved a knife seizure, use of a baton and pepper spray, and a man with an injured hand receiving first aid. He had also taken a photograph showing details of a man who had been convicted of a sexual offence, including his date of birth, and 12 photographs of a police computer screen on his personal mobile phone which showed details of various crimes and suspects, without consent. The former volunteer, who joined the force part-time in January 2021 as he studied for a policing degree at De Montfort University, kept the photos and videos in a Snapchat folder called 'My eyes only'. There is nothing to suggest he shared them with anyone on social media, but he did admit showing his mother one of the photographs. Heggs, who remained suspended from the force from November 2021 until his resignation in October 2024, claimed had neurodiversity issues and told investigators he had taken the photos to help him process his feelings about the incidents. But he pleaded guilty to 11 computer misuse and data protection offences on the day he was due to stand trial. He admitted nine counts of causing a computer to perform function to secure/enable unauthorised access to a program or data held in a computer or to enable any such access to be so secured, contrary to sections 1(1) and (3) of the Computer Misuse Act 1990, and two counts of knowingly/recklessly obtaining or disclosing personal data without consent at Leicester Crown Court. On Friday he was sentenced today to 12 months' imprisonment at the same court. Mr Harty's widow Mandy Casey was in court. Her brother Martin Casey was jailed for three years and four months in 2022 after admitting manslaughter of her husband. In a victim impact statement read to the court, Ms Casey said she had lost trust in the police and remained scared that she might see photographs of her husband's body appearing on social media. She said: 'You don't take someone's dignity and pride from them on their deathbed.' Ms Casey added: 'He took my husband's dignity when he was most vulnerable. When I found out special constable Heggs had done this, I just wanted to ask why. 'He has traumatised me. I feel I will never know if he showed them to others.' Judge Timothy Spencer said Heggs, who has autism and ADHD, was 'probably too immature to be working as a police officer' as he jailed him for 12 months. He said: 'It is clear you did not lack enthusiasm and your policing was, at times, of an exemplary standard, but you lacked maturity. 'You had received extensive training, you knew the importance of data protection and knew you should only share materials for a genuine policing purpose. 'You knew the lines were drawn and the lines were very clear.' He said Heggs, who appeared in the dock wearing a dark suit and white shirt with pink tie and looked ahead as he was sentenced, had carried out 'repeated and persistent breaches of well-understood boundaries'. Judge Spencer accepted that Heggs's actions were not out of 'wickedness', but said the defendant's claims that he accessed the material so he could learn from the experience and become a better officer were 'far-fetched'. He said Heggs's actions had 'significantly undermined' public trust and confidence in the police. The judge added: 'You have a raft of excellent references and your on-the-ground policing was, at times, absolutely exemplary. 'You could have been a huge asset to the police and to society. There is so much good in you and it is such a tragedy that you have thrown what could have been a really good career away.' Members of Heggs's family sobbed in the public gallery as he was led down to the cells. The prosecution followed an initial investigation by Leicestershire Police followed by the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC). Malcolm McHaffie, Head of the Crown Prosecution Service's Special Crime Division, said: 'William Heggs abused the public's trust in the office he held as a special police constable. He violated the dignity of the deceased victims for no apparent reason other than what could be considered personal fascination and to gain credibility among his peers. 'He repeatedly misused his authority to access police computers and flagrantly breached data protection law in disclosing personal data to members of the public. 'He was not authorised to take photographs of body-worn footage on his personal mobile phone nor share that footage with third parties. His actions were insensitive and illegal. 'The CPS will always seek to prosecute this type of offending, and it is only right that William Heggs is punished for his actions.' IOPC Director Derrick Campbell said: 'The court heard that ex-special constable Heggs has neurodiversity issues and he told our investigators he had taken the photos to help him process his feelings about the incidents. 'However he would have known from his training that his actions breached data protection rules, and in an apparent bid to hide images of a crime scene body he transferred them to a password protected file on his phone as police arrived at his home to interview him. 'Sharing confidential and sensitive police information in the way that he did was a clear abuse of the power and trust placed in him, and his conviction sends a strong message that this kind of behaviour will not be tolerated.' Martin Casey, then 30, accepted unlawfully killing his 'best friend' and brother-in-law 'Billy' Harty, 28, who died following a drunken and drug-fuelled street fight. He stood trial for murder but was cleared by a jury. Mr Harty was married to Casey's sister and the two men were described as close friends since childhood. They were also workmates, who were setting up a roofing and gardening business together. His trial heard they began fighting in the street following an all-night drinking session, when cocaine was also consumed. They began grappling before both fell to the ground, where Casey punched him repeatedly. Officers who arrived at 5.15am found Mr Harty unconscious and unresponsive. They commenced CPR before an ambulance arrived, but Mr Harty died in hospital a short time later. After being told of the death, Casey handed himself into the police, telling officers they had both been in a fight, but gave 'no comment' interviews. When he gave evidence in court he said he never intended to seriously injure his brother-in-law but admitted manslaughter.
Wales Online
09-05-2025
- Wales Online
Special constable 'took dignity' when he showed photos of dying man
Special constable 'took dignity' when he showed photos of dying man William Heggs took pictures of bodycam footage and shared it with a colleague who did not like seeing blood William Heggs was convicted of several offences (Image: Joe Giddens/PA ) A grieving widow said a special constable who was jailed for 12 months after accessing video footage of her husband's body as he lay dying in the street and taking photos of it 'took his dignity' when he was at his most vulnerable. Former Leicestershire Police volunteer William Heggs, 23, was said to have been an 'exemplary' officer until it was discovered he had taken photographs on his personal phone from body-worn footage of 28-year-old William Harty as he lay fatally injured in Bedale Drive, Leicester, on October 25 2021. Heggs, of Copeland Avenue, Leicester, had attended the scene then aged 20 and gave CPR to Mr Harty, but he died in hospital the next day having suffered head injuries. Mr Harty's brother-in-law Martin Casey was later convicted of his manslaughter. A police investigation was launched after he showed images he had taken from the body-worn footage of Mr Harty's body and stored on his Snapchat account to a colleague who said she did not like seeing blood. Leicester Crown Court heard Heggs, who was suspended from the force until he resigned in October last year, said: 'I know I shouldn't have', as he showed her the graphic pictures. The colleague reported him to his line manager, which led to an investigation that uncovered a number of other offences. Mr Harty's widow Mandy Casey was in court on Friday as Heggs was jailed for 12 months after admitting 11 computer misuse and data protection offences, including securing unauthorised access to data and recklessly obtaining or disclosing personal data. Article continues below When Heggs's phone was seized by officers, they found he had 'repeatedly and flagrantly' breached policing rules of which he would have been fully aware due to extensive training, prosecutor Cathlyn Orchard told the court. Over a period of six months between July and December 2021, Heggs shared graphic details of the injuries suffered by a woman who had died in a road traffic collision to a Snapchat contact, had shared body-worn footage of a fellow police officer falling over with another colleague and laughed about it, and had taken photographs and videos which involved a knife seizure, use of a baton and pepper spray, and a man with an injured hand receiving first aid. He had also taken a photograph showing details of a man who had been convicted of a sexual offence, including his date of birth, and 12 photographs of a police computer screen on his personal mobile phone which showed details of various crimes and suspects, without consent. The former volunteer, who joined the force part-time in January 2021 as he studied for a policing degree at De Montfort University, kept the photos and videos in a Snapchat folder called 'My eyes only'. There is nothing to suggest he shared them with anyone on social media, but he did admit showing his mother one of the photographs. In a victim impact statement read to the court, Ms Casey said she had lost trust in the police and remained scared that she might see photographs of her husband's body appearing on social media. She said: 'You don't take someone's dignity and pride from them on their deathbed.' Ms Casey added: 'He took my husband's dignity when he was most vulnerable. When I found out special constable Heggs had done this, I just wanted to ask why. He has traumatised me. I feel I will never know if he showed them to others.' Judge Timothy Spencer said Heggs, who has autism and ADHD, was 'probably too immature to be working as a police officer' as he jailed him for 12 months. He said: 'It is clear you did not lack enthusiasm and your policing was, at times, of an exemplary standard, but you lacked maturity. You had received extensive training, you knew the importance of data protection and knew you should only share materials for a genuine policing purpose. You knew the lines were drawn and the lines were very clear.' He said Heggs, who appeared in the dock wearing a dark suit and white shirt with a pink tie and looked ahead as he was sentenced, had carried out 'repeated and persistent breaches of well-understood boundaries'. Judge Spencer accepted that Heggs's actions were not out of 'wickedness', but said the defendant's claims that he accessed the material so he could learn from the experience and become a better officer were 'far-fetched'. He said Heggs's actions had 'significantly undermined' public trust and confidence in the police. The judge added: 'You have a raft of excellent references and your on-the-ground policing was, at times, absolutely exemplary. You could have been a huge asset to the police and to society. There is so much good in you and it is such a tragedy that you have thrown what could have been a really good career away.' Members of Heggs's family sobbed in the public gallery as he was led down to the cells. Article continues below Malcolm McHaffie, Head of the Crown Prosecution Service's Special Crime Division, said after the sentencing: 'William Heggs abused the public's trust in the office he held as a special police constable. He violated the dignity of the deceased victims for no apparent reason other than what could be considered personal fascination and to gain credibility among his peers. 'He repeatedly misused his authority to access police computers and flagrantly breached data protection law in disclosing personal data to members of the public. 'He was not authorised to take photographs of body-worn footage on his personal mobile phone nor share that footage with third parties. His actions were insensitive and illegal. The CPS will always seek to prosecute this type of offending, and it is only right that William Heggs is punished for his actions.'
ITV News
09-05-2025
- ITV News
Jail for Leicestershire special constable who accessed video of dying man and took photos of it
A grieving widow said a former Leicestershire Police volunteer who was jailed for 12 months after accessing video footage of her husband's body as he lay dying in the street and taking photos of it 'took his dignity' when he was at his most vulnerable. The former special constable volunteer William Heggs, 23, was said to have been an 'exemplary' officer until it was discovered he had taken photographs on his personal phone from body-worn footage of 28-year-old William Harty as he lay fatally injured in Bedale Drive, Leicester, on October 25 2021. Heggs, of Copeland Avenue, Leicester, had attended the scene then aged 20 and gave CPR to Mr Harty, but he died in hospital the next day having suffered head injuries. Mr Harty's brother-in-law Martin Casey was later convicted of his manslaughter. A police investigation was launched after he showed images he had taken from the body-worn footage of Mr Harty's body and stored on his Snapchat account to a colleague who said she did not like seeing blood. Leicester Crown Court heard Heggs, who was suspended from the force until he resigned in October last year, said: 'I know I shouldn't have', as he showed her the graphic pictures. The colleague reported him to his line manager, which led to an investigation that uncovered a number of other offences. Mr Harty's widow Mandy Casey was in court on Friday as Heggs was jailed for 12 months after admitting 11 computer misuse and data protection offences, including securing unauthorised access to data and recklessly obtaining or disclosing personal data. When Heggs's phone was seized by officers, they found he had 'repeatedly and flagrantly' breached policing rules of which he would have been fully aware due to extensive training, prosecutor Cathlyn Orchard told the court. Over a period of six months between July and December 2021, Heggs shared graphic details of the injuries suffered by a woman who had died in a road traffic collision to a Snapchat contact, had shared body-worn footage of a fellow police officer falling over with another colleague and laughed about it, and had taken photographs and videos which involved a knife seizure, use of a baton and pepper spray, and a man with an injured hand receiving first aid. He had also taken a photograph showing details of a man who had been convicted of a sexual offence, including his date of birth, and 12 photographs of a police computer screen on his personal mobile phone, which showed details of various crimes and suspects, without consent. The former volunteer, who joined the force part-time in January 2021 as he studied for a policing degree at De Montfort University, kept the photos and videos in a Snapchat folder called 'My eyes only'. There is nothing to suggest he shared them with anyone on social media, but he did admit showing his mother one of the photographs. In a victim impact statement read to the court, Ms Casey said she had lost trust in the police and remained scared that she might see photographs of her husband's body appearing on social media. "He took my husband's dignity when he was most vulnerable." She said: 'You don't take someone's dignity and pride from them on their deathbed.' Ms Casey added: 'He took my husband's dignity when he was most vulnerable. When I found out special constable Heggs had done this, I just wanted to ask why. 'He has traumatised me. I feel I will never know if he showed them to others.' Judge Timothy Spencer said Heggs, who has autism and ADHD, was 'probably too immature to be working as a police officer' as he jailed him for 12 months. He said: 'It is clear you did not lack enthusiasm and your policing was, at times, of an exemplary standard, but you lacked maturity. 'You had received extensive training, you knew the importance of data protection and knew you should only share materials for a genuine policing purpose. 'You knew the lines were drawn and the lines were very clear.' He said Heggs, who appeared in the dock wearing a dark suit and white shirt with pink tie and looked ahead as he was sentenced, had carried out 'repeated and persistent breaches of well-understood boundaries'. Judge Spencer accepted that Heggs's actions were not out of 'wickedness', but said the defendant's claims that he accessed the material so he could learn from the experience and become a better officer were 'far-fetched'. He said Heggs's actions had 'significantly undermined' public trust and confidence in the police. The judge added: 'You have a raft of excellent references and your on-the-ground policing was, at times, absolutely exemplary. 'You could have been a huge asset to the police and to society. There is so much good in you and it is such a tragedy that you have thrown what could have been a really good career away.' Members of Heggs's family sobbed in the public gallery as he was led down to the cells. Malcolm McHaffie, Head of the Crown Prosecution Service's Special Crime Division, said after the sentencing: 'William Heggs abused the public's trust in the office he held as a special police constable. 'He violated the dignity of the deceased victims for no apparent reason other than what could be considered personal fascination and to gain credibility among his peers. 'He repeatedly misused his authority to access police computers and flagrantly breached data protection law in disclosing personal data to members of the public. 'He was not authorised to take photographs of body-worn footage on his personal mobile phone nor share that footage with third parties. His actions were insensitive and illegal. 'The CPS will always seek to prosecute this type of offending, and it is only right that William Heggs is punished for his actions.'
Daily Mail
02-05-2025
- Daily Mail
Madeleine McCann's parents to get police protection at her annual vigil after two women allegedly stalked the family
Police will be on hand this weekend to protect Kate and Gerry McCann at a prayer vigil marking 18 years since their daughter Madeleine vanished amid chilling stalking fears. The extraordinary security measure comes after the couple were allegedly targeted by two women, one of whom bizarrely claimed to be Madeleine herself. Last year, the parents were forced to pull out of the annual event in Rothley, Leicestershire, after Polish woman Julia Wandel, 23, reportedly turned up uninvited at their family home. Now, in a dramatic escalation, police will attend Saturday's informal gathering at the village war memorial, the first such presence since 2017, when crowds gathered to mark the tenth anniversary of the case that shocked the world. Local vicar Reverend Simon Payne confirmed the move, saying: 'Eighteen years is quite a milestone. People still want to come and remember Madeleine and pray for her family. 'I hope it will be a peaceful occasion with no disturbance. I am told there will be a police presence, for Kate and Gerry who are hoping to be there. I am not sure how many officers will be in attendance.' The quiet Leicestershire village of Rothley has rallied behind the McCanns since the night of May 3, 2007, when three-year-old Madeleine disappeared from her bed in a holiday apartment in Praia da Luz, Portugal. Kate's uncle Brian Kennedy said the vigil, to be held at 7pm at the war memorial, is expected to draw support from locals, despite the passage of time. 'We are aware of how quickly May 3rd comes round again,' he said. 'But we keep on hoping, even after such a long time.' The McCanns, now aged 57 and 56, are set to testify in person later this year at the trial of Wandel and her alleged accomplice, Karen Spragg, 60, from Cardiff. Wandel is charged with four counts of stalking members of Madeleine's family, including her twin siblings Sean and Amelie. Spragg faces one charge of stalking. On April 22, Wandel and Spragg both pleaded not guilty to stalking the McCann family at a brief hearing at Leicester Crown Court. The pair will now face trial at the same court in October, when Kate and Gerry McCann and their twins Sean and Amelie are due to give evidence. The two women are accused of stalking the McCann family between June 22 and February 2025. Wandel is alleged to have attended the family home in Leicestershire on May 2 and December 7 last year, a court previously heard. She is also accused of sending a letter, calls, voicemails and WhatsApp messages to Kate and Gerry McCann, and sending Amelie and Sean McCann Instagram messages between January 3 and December 29 last year. Spragg is alleged to have made calls, sent letters and attended the home address of Mr and Mrs McCann, a court heard previously. Leicester Crown Court heard their conduct 'had a substantial adverse effect' on the family's day-to-day activities 'when you knew or ought to have known that your course of conduct would cause alarm or distress'. Spragg was released on bail on the condition not to contact the McCanns or enter Leicestershire, apart from to attend court. Wandel was remanded in custody until August. A service was held in the Baptist Church, Rothley, Leics, to mark the 17th anniversary of their daughter Madeleine's disappearance on May 3, 2024 Meanwhile, the man German investigators believe is the prime suspect in Madeleine's disappearance, convicted paedophile Christian Brueckner, is nearing the end of a seven-year prison sentence for the rape of a pensioner in the same Portuguese resort. In a disturbing twist, police unearthed children's clothing and photographs of young girls resembling Madeleine in a derelict factory linked to Brueckner. They also discovered a sat-nav device showing he had visited a remote reservoir in the Algarve, which was later combed by divers. Brueckner, who continues to deny any involvement in Madeleine's case, is due to be released from prison in September. At the time of Maddie's disappearance her parents were dining with pals in a nearby tapas restaurant whilst carrying out regular half-hour checks on the children. The McCans have previously said: 'We will never give up hope of finding Madeleine alive but whatever the outcome may be, we need to know as we need to find peace.' Every year - bar two during the Covid lockdown when there was a ban on large groups - a vigil has been held in Maddie's home village and her parents have attended almost every one. The first gathering in May 2007 - while the McCanns were still in Portugal - was held in extensive shared gardens of their former apartment home in Queniborough, Leicestershire. A few have been held in Rothley's Anglican and Baptist churches but usually supporters gather outside in front of the village war memorial. Kate and Gerry have attended whenever possible, usually accompanied by their twins, but one year they were away and missed the event because a family member in Kate's native Liverpool was unwell. Another year Gerry was busy on a work trip to Milan in Italy but Kate turned up, supported by her close 'Tapas Seven' holiday pal Fiona Payne, who had been on the fateful trip when Maddie was snatched.
