Latest news with #McWilliams
Sunday World
2 days ago
- Sunday World
‘Fenian c***' – Sectarian thug cleared of 1997 murder is convicted over street attack
Paul Mark Rodney Hobson, acquitted over Robert Hamill killing, and a second man will be sentenced next month Paul Hobson, also known as Marc Hobson, who was convicted of a sectarian assault A man acquitted of the murder of Robert Hamill nearly 30 years ago has been convicted of a sectarian assault. Paul Mark Rodney Hobson, who was cleared of the 1997 killing in Portadown, was found guilty of common assault and criminal damage in June last year. A second man, Simon Millar, was also convicted of common assault and criminal damage on the same date. District Judge Michael Ranaghan told heavily-tattooed Hobson that despite his claims the police had assaulted him and were lying, 'I do not believe that for one second.' The judge said that in contrast, their victim gave his account 'in a straightforward way and his evidence did not change…I do not think he was trying to exaggerate or lie.' Accordingly, the Craigavon Magistrates Court judge recorded convictions against 48-year-old Hobson and Millar (44), finding them guilty of common assault and of causing criminal damage to the victim's Mercedes car. Their victim was called a 'fenian c***', the court heard. The pair were, however, acquitted of a second assault, allegedly committed against a woman, after she failed to attend court. Robert Hamill was killed in 1997 The incident happened on June 23 2024. During the hour-long contest, father-of-four Martin McWilliams told the court he had parked his car and was heading for a tanning session in the Mahon Road area of Portadown when he was subjected to sectarian abuse. Mr McWilliams, who said he was wearing a Mexico City GAA top at the time, testified that: 'As I approached, one of them said 'You shouldn't be wearing that top around here'.' He said he told them he would 'wear whatever I want and I just walked on in.' 'It was as if they were trying to provoke me so I just bypassed it and walked on,' he said, adding that Hobson had followed him into the salon. "He said 'Give us a hug. You know who I am'. Then I realised who he was from Instagram and his food company,' said Mr McWilliams, adding that he told Hobson to leave him alone. After using the sun bed he left but as he opened the car door, Hobson again asked him for a hug. Mr McWilliams refused and tried to get into his car but Millar interjected and called him a 'fenian c***.' Paul Hobson As the victim sat in his car, Hobson stopped him from being able to close the door, the court heard. Mr McWilliams said he kept saying to 'give us a hug' and coming towards him. He told the court Hobson went to punch him but he dodged it and punched him back. As Millar came for him, he started to run around the cars but his flip-flop came off and the defendant caught up. Millar tried to punch him but again, Mr McWilliams was able to dodge the blow and punch the defendant in the face. The court heard how Hobson was behind the victim at this stage, and he tried again to punch him, 'but I moved out of the way and hit him.' Making a break for his car, Mr McWilliams locked the doors but the pair were 'booting the side of the car' and hitting the windows. During cross-examination, Hobson's defence counsel Damien Halleron suggested the defendant had told him jokingly that he was a 'madman' for wearing a GAA top. The victim refuted the suggestion however, and while he admitted striking both defendants, giving them both a bloody nose, he told the court it was done in self defence. Giving evidence on his own behalf, Hobson, from Fitzgerald Park in Portadown, denied that he had chased the victim or that he had prevented him from getting into his car. He told defence counsel Damien Halleron he thought Mr McWilliams was wearing a Celtic top. Asked why he felt he had to remark on it, Hobson said: 'It's just certain areas and that's not my feelings. If someone was walking up the Garvaghy Road wearing a Rangers top, I would have said the exact same thing,' claiming he told the victim he was a 'madman' and was laughing. He claimed the victim reacted angrily and demanded, 'what the f*** are you going to do about it,' denying that he using the word fenian. Hobson also claimed that he was attacked first and when he got up, Mr McWilliams 'was punching Simon.' When asked if he was involved in a sectarian attack or hurled sectarian abuse at the victim, Hobson said: 'No.' Under cross-examination from the prosecutor, Hobson maintained his account that he did not chase Mr McWilliams and claimed that he told police he was the victim of an assault. When it was put to Hobson the sergeant who took his statement had not recorded anywhere that he claimed he had been the victim of an assault, the 48-year-old labelled the officer 'a liar.' The prosecutor put it to Hobson that he took issue with Mr McWilliams as he was wearing a 'Catholic orientated top' but Hobson denied this. Millar, with the same address, also gave evidence on his own behalf, and he claimed he did not hear Hobson using any term of sectarian abuse and that after the victim struck Hobson, 'I went to split it up.' Further claiming that Mr McWilliams 'grappled' Hobson to the floor, Millar told the court that after he was punched on the nose, his eyes 'went all watery' so he 'couldn't even hardly see.' Under cross-examination, Millar accepted that between his police statement and his evidence in court, he had changed his account about drinking alcohol that day, changed his account about seeing Hobson being punched and also about how many times he himself was punched. While he claimed he had also told police he had been a victim of assault, again the court heard there was no record of that. The prosecutor asked Millar whether he accepted 'that's the first time you have said that' but he maintained, 'I did' tell them. Convicting the pair, Judge Ranaghan said: "I do believe he felt threatened following a deliberate sectarian comment and given his fear he does not have to wait to be struck before reacting and striking out in self defence. I think his actions that day were appropriate and proportionate.' Having had it confirmed by the prosecutor that the offences are 'aggravated by hostility,' the judge said he would give the pair 'a chance' and order a pre-sentence report. Judge Ranaghan freed Hobson and Millar on bail, and ordered them to come back to court to be sentenced on September 26. A police landrover at the scene in Portadown, where Robert Hamill was killed Robert Hamill was beaten by a loyalist mob in the early hours of April 27, 1997. He died nearly two weeks later on May 8. His murder was the subject of a public inquiry because it was alleged that four police officers were positioned in a vehicle near the scene of the attack, but did not intervene. A total of six individuals were charged with the murder but the PPS withdrew against five. Hobson proceeded to trial in June 1999 and although the case was dropped and Hobson was acquitted of the murder, he was handed a four-year sentence for affray.
USA Today
29-07-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Mac McWilliams breaks down his highlight moment at Eagles camp
Mac McWilliams explains his role in one of the exciting plays of Eagles training camp so far. Mac McWilliams details his pass breakup of Johnny Wilson, one of his best highlights of his 1st Eagles training camp... Believe it or not, some teams, the Philadelphia Eagles included. The expectations for a rookie are set long before they step on an NFL playing surface. First and second-rounders are typically expected to contribute immediately, or relatively early. They say the third and fourth rounds generally are where you find your role players and the bodies who will serve as most of the meat of the roster. So, what does that mean for everyone in Round 5 and beyond? Truthfully, this isn't an exact science. Teams have found contributors on Day 3 of drafts, but there is also a greater risk. If an organization strikes gold, label it a bonus because few teams expect to find an All-Pro at the end of the draft. That's why Jordan Mailata, a seventh-rounder, is so special. He's an exception. So was Jason Kelce (Round 6). Mac McWilliams (Round 5) hopes to become a great Eagle in his own right. He's off to a good start. He has impressed at Eagles camp. Mac McWilliams breaks down his most impressive play of Eagles training camp so far Vic Fangio met with Philly media members before the Eagles' fifth practice of camp. Players met with those same media members once it wrapped. McWilliams was on deck. He didn't speak long, maybe five minutes at the most. He was, however, asked about one of his most impressive plays of camp, his breakup of an end zone toss while in coverage on second-year Bird, 2024 sixth-round draft choice Johnny Wilson. Keep in mind the fact that McWilliams stands at five feet ten and weighs 185 pounds. Wilson is a cool six feet six and tips the scales at 228. Talk about a size mismatch, one Wilson should have won. Philadelphia is hoping Wilson can use that size as a weapon and seize an opportunity at camp. So far, he hasn't. He had better turn the corner quickly because he isn't guaranteed a roster spot. McWilliams, on the other hand, has been impressive, not just in splash plays but on a day-in, day-out basis. Keep those eyes peeled. He has been seen in dime package sets as the fourth corner, and he is expected to assume the role of backup slot corner to Cooper DeJean. There is nothing significant to report yet, other than that, by the looks of things, he appears to be right on schedule.
Irish Independent
13-06-2025
- Sport
- Irish Independent
Cork anglers to represent Ireland in world-renowned fishing competition next year
Anne McWilliams, aged 60, and Declan O'Sullivan, aged 38, finished third and 13th respectively in the National Lake Championships, which was held on Lough Melvin, Co Fermanagh on Saturday, June 7. 'I would have qualified through the Munster Lake Championships, which was held in Killarney in May. 'Last weekend, I finished 13th with one fish out of 14 places, so I was lucky enough,' Declan O'Sullivan said. 126 competitors took part on the day, and Mr O'Sullivan described conditions as 'good', but the fishing was 'bad'. 'A lot of lakes these days are just not fishing very well for some reason. 'I don't know if it's the flies or what, but the fish don't seem to be looking up, they seem to be staying down the bottom,' he said. Ms McWilliams also qualified for the event hosted in Lough Melvin through the Munster Championships, which is deemed the hardest provincial competition due to the vast number of competitors. She echoed Mr O'Sullivan's thoughts on the challenging fishing performance. 'The conditions were lovely, and you would have expected the fish to rise, but there wasn't many. 'I saw a message from an angler to another angler, who said the conditions were 'brutally hard',' she said. ADVERTISEMENT Mr O'Sullivan will now go on to represent Ireland for the third time in his fishing career while Ms McWilliams will represent her country for the 13th time and captained her nation on three occasions. Both Mr O'Sullivan and Ms McWilliams will compete in the Irish Trout Fly Fishing Association (ITFFA) Home Nations competition against the national teams of England, Scotland and Wales. There were three people in each boat, two competitors and a driver who would line up the boat and place it in a good location to catch the fish. 'I was fishing with a man from Ballinrobe who would have fished the lake once about 20 years ago and I never fished that lake before. 'You are trusting the boatman to put us over fish from knowing the lake,' he added. The smallest you could kill was 28cm, and Declan's came in at 35cm, and placed him 13th in the leaderboards. Anything caught below 28cm in size was deemed too small and must be thrown back into the lake. Each boat would have a measuring device to measure the catches. 'We would have started at 11am and finished at 6pm. 'I literally caught three fish all day, and there would have been people out there who would have caught 10 or 15 fish, but they were too small. 'With these competitions, you really need a bit of luck,' he added. Ms McWilliams said representing your country is 'something that doesn't happen every day.' 'It's something that doesn't happen every day and it's not east to get onto it (national team). 'I have been trying for a long time to get onto the ITFFA team and it's very similar to the ladies set up,' she said. She hopes Lough Lein in Killarney will be a chosen venue as it has a 'special place' in her heart. 'It was the first time the Irish ladies won a gold medal, I think it was after 18 years, in Lough Lein, so it has a special place in my heart. 'It would be great to do the double there,' she added. Both Ms McWilliams and Mr O'Sullivan will represent both Kanturk and Munster at the Inter-provincial Lake Championships at Lough Lein on August 30.
Yahoo
05-06-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Queens great-grandma beaten by unhinged woman on NYC subway train can't shake feeling attacker is still ‘behind' her: ‘I heard ‘bop!'
A great-grandmother from Queens who was badly beaten by an unhinged woman in a Midtown subway station last month is frightened to ride the rails after the harrowing unprovoked beating, she told The Post. Aurore Gonzalez, 73 — who was allegedly pummeled by Marie McWilliams, 36, May 1 — said she can't shake the terrifying feeling that her attacker is still right 'behind' her. 'She hit me as I was stepping off the train and I heard 'bop!'' she told The Post Tuesday, the same day McWilliams was arrested for assault. 'Then I started falling backwards and sliding, and I fell into homeless person's belongings covered in feces,' she said. Weeks after the nightmarish ordeal, Gonzalez said she still suffers from sleeplessness and anxiety. 'I still take the subway and I look around now,' said Gonzalez, who has five grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. '[I'm] looking behind my head all the time. I'm looking for her.' Gonzalez was riding the Manhattan-bound E train to her job cleaning law offices at around 4:30 p.m when she allegedly heard McWilliams jabbering racist comments to herself. 'She was just talking loud to herself about Puerto Ricans and blacks and saying that they're no good and that they shouldn't be here!' said Gonzalez. Gonzalez, who is Hispanic, said she turned around and asked the erratic straphanger, 'Are you talking to me?!' McWilliams 'didn't say anything' but followed her as she stepped off the train at the Fifth Avenue-53rd Street station — and then she pounced, repeatedly punching her, she said. 'When I was stepping off the train she hit me in the back of the head,' she said. 'She grabbed my bun…and she started scratching me with a blade on my face,' said Gonzalez, who still had two black eyes from the assault Tuesday. 'I [was] bleeding and I fell into a homeless person's crap and I had to go to my job,' she said. Gonzalez said she now suffers from kidney trouble due to the fall, along with scarring near her eye and migraine headaches. 'This just isn't right. I'm in pain. I have to be on painkillers,' said Gonzalez. 'I couldn't sleep for two weeks. The anxiety, I couldn't eat. At night on my job I would just cry,' said Gonzalez. Asked about her attacker's arrest, Gonzalez said she's 'relieved.' 'I am so happy to hear this. I will testify! She should not have done that. She should keep her hands to herself!' Gonzalez said. 'Have some respect for older people!' McWilliams was arraigned in Manhattan Criminal Court Tuesday and granted supervised release by Judge Marva Brown over prosecutors' request for $10,000 cash bail or $30,000 bond.
New York Post
04-06-2025
- New York Post
Queens great-grandma beaten by unhinged woman on NYC subway train can't shake feeling attacker is still 'behind' her
A great-grandmother from Queens who was badly beaten by an unhinged woman in a Midtown subway station last month is frightened to ride the rails after the harrowing unprovoked beating, she told The Post. Aurore Gonzalez, 73 — who was allegedly pummeled by Marie McWilliams, 36, May 1 — said she can't shake the terrifying feeling that her attacker is still right 'behind' her. 'She hit me as I was stepping off the train and I heard 'bop!'' she told The Post Wednesday — one day after McWilliams was arrested for assault. 8 Aurore Gonzalez, 73, was assaulted on the subway in Midtown on May 1, 2025. J.C. Rice 'Then I started falling backwards and sliding, and I fell into homeless person's belongings covered in feces,' she said. Weeks after the nightmarish ordeal, Gonzalez said she still suffers from sleeplessness and anxiety. 'I still take the subway and I look around now,' said Gonzalez, who has five grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. '[I'm] looking behind my head all the time. I'm looking for her.' Gonzalez was riding the Manhattan-bound E train to her job cleaning law offices at around 4:30 p.m when she allegedly heard McWilliams jabbering racist comments to herself. 'She was just talking loud to herself about Puerto Ricans and blacks and saying that they're no good and that they shouldn't be here!' said Gonzalez. 8 Gonzalez told The Post she has been afraid to ride the subway since the assault. J.C. Rice 8 Marie McWilliams was arrested for the beating. Steven Hirsch Gonzalez, who is Hispanic, said she turned around and asked the erratic straphanger, 'Are you talking to me?!' McWilliams 'didn't say anything' but followed her as she stepped off the train at the Fifth Avenue-53rd Street station — and then she pounced, repeatedly punching her, she said. 'When I was stepping off the train she hit me in the back of the head,' she said. 8 Gonzalez said she heard McWilliams making racist comments before the random attack. Steven Hirsch 8 McWilliams seen at a subway station on May 1, 2025. NYPD 8 McWilliams allegedly struck Gonzalez as the grandmother was leaving the train in an unprovoked attack. NYPD 'She grabbed my bun…and she started scratching me with a blade on my face,' said Gonzalez, who still had two black eyes from the assault Wednesday. 'I [was] bleeding and I fell into a homeless person's crap and I had to go to my job,' she said. Gonzalez said she now suffers from kidney trouble due to the fall, along with scarring near her eye and migraine headaches. 'This just isn't right. I'm in pain. I have to be on painkillers,' said Gonzalez. 8 Gonzalez told The Post she still has a feeling like her attacker is standing behind her over a month later. J.C. Rice 8 A bruise seen on the side of Gonzalez's face. J.C. Rice 'I couldn't sleep for two weeks. The anxiety, I couldn't eat. At night on my job I would just cry,' said Gonzalez. Asked about her attacker's arrest, Gonzalez said she's 'relieved.' 'I am so happy to hear this. I will testify! She should not have done that. She should keep her hands to herself!' Gonzalez said. 'Have some respect for older people!' McWilliams was arraigned in Manhattan Criminal Court Tuesday and granted supervised release by Judge Marva Brown.
