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‘Anti-vax' mum accused of ‘sacrificing' daughter, 22, who died of ‘treatable cancer' claims she's victim of a witch hunt
‘Anti-vax' mum accused of ‘sacrificing' daughter, 22, who died of ‘treatable cancer' claims she's victim of a witch hunt

The Sun

time7 days ago

  • Health
  • The Sun

‘Anti-vax' mum accused of ‘sacrificing' daughter, 22, who died of ‘treatable cancer' claims she's victim of a witch hunt

A MUM accused by her son of 'sacrificing' his sister, who died from "treatable" cancer, has told an inquest she is the victim of a 'witch hunt'. Kay 'Kate' Shemirani is a former nurse, struck off in 2021 for spreading anti-medicine and anti-vaccine Covid-19 misinformation. 7 7 7 She has denied influencing her 23-year-old daughter Paloma Shemirani's decision to refuse treatment for non-Hodgkin lymphoma - a type of blood cancer which starts in the lymph nodes. Paloma was a University of Cambridge graduate and a Miss Universe Great Britain 2021 finalist. She collapsed on July 19 last year and died five days later of a heart attack. A few months earlier, doctors told Paloma, who was originally from Uckfield in East Sussex, her cancer was "treatable" and that she had an 80 per cent chance of recovery with chemotherapy. On Monday, the inquest in Maidstone heard Kate deny influencing her daughter's decision. She said: 'It doesn't matter what my view was, it was what Paloma wanted to do.' The BBC reported the court was played a voice note from Kate to Paloma's boyfriend, sent two or three days after the diagnosis at Maidstone Hospital in December 2023. In it, she told him to 'put Paloma in a wheelchair to take her down to the car' and to listen to the message 'in private and away from Paloma's ears'. She also told him to drive 'very carefully without braking sharply'. In response, Kate said she would need the 'forensic data' before agreeing the voice note heard by the court was from her, but added that whoever left the message gave 'fantastic advice'. Two signs of cancer that could be mistaken for cold weather symptoms - and when to see a GP She said she had not wanted Paloma to hear because she would have been frightened that she could be injured if her boyfriend drove too fast. When asked about her views on chemotherapy, Kate said: "Why is this about me and my opinions? Is it a witch hunt?" Paloma's twin brother, Gabriel, previously told the inquest that when Paloma was first diagnosed she was considering chemotherapy. That was 'before their parents started to pressure her against it', he added. "I blame my mother entirely for my sister's death", he said, by "obstructing" his sister from receiving treatment. "In short, I believe that she sacrificed Paloma's life for her own principles, I believe that she should be held accountable for Paloma's death," said Gabriel. He added: 'Paloma had a complicated relationship with our mother, maybe it is because she had a complicated relationship that she decided to rekindle that relationship when she became ill." 7 7 Kate told the inquest she had asked for Paloma to have all her medical notes and results so she could get all the facts and a second opinion from doctors they knew in Iran and Mexico. She said she did not know if the records were ever sent to another oncologist or haematologist for the second opinion 'because they were Paloma's records and she was 22 - an adult'. Alison Hewitt, counsel at the inquest, asked Kate: 'It is the case, isn't it, that you have expressed publicly views which are contrary to chemotherapy... you consider chemotherapy is a dangerous and toxic process and one that you wouldn't advise someone suffering cancer undergoes?' Kate branded the question 'slanderous' and 'not true', adding: 'In all my public appearances I say people should get all the information and then decide.' When pushed on whether she had described chemotherapy as mustard gas, she replied: 'This is not relevant. You're making slanderous accusations. People should be able to choose.' Kate has said she had a tumour removed through surgery. Online, however, she credits alternative therapies for her recovery and says she used a programme including juices and coffee enemas to become 'cancer-free'. The former nurse said she would have supported her daughter 'physically and financially' whatever her decision on receiving treatment. Earlier in the hearing, when describing the months before her daughter's death, Kate said Paloma had chosen treatment which included nutrition, juices and spiritual support, claiming that many of her symptoms had disappeared. Intensive care consultant Dr Peter Anderson told the court a scan showed a large mass in Paloma's chest and neck compressing her airways and affecting major blood vessels. Either could have caused the cardiac arrest, he added. The inquest continues. 7 Non-Hodgkin lymphoma treatment, as recommended by the NHS Non-Hodgkin lymphoma is usually treated with chemotherapy or radiotherapy, although some people may not need treatment straight away. In a few cases, if the initial cancer is very small and can be removed during a biopsy, no further treatment may be needed. If non-Hodgkin lymphoma is low grade (slow developing) and a person is well, a period of "watch and wait" is often recommended. This is because some people take many years to develop troublesome symptoms and starting treatment immediately is often felt to be unnecessary. But in other cases, chemotherapy is used to kill cancer cells. If non-Hodgkin lymphoma doesn't get better with initial treatment (known as refractory lymphoma), you may have a course of chemotherapy at a stronger dose. But this intensive chemotherapy destroys your bone marrow, and can lead to the following side effects: nausea and vomiting diarrhoea loss of appetite mouth ulcers tiredness skin rashes hair loss infertility, which may be temporary or permanent A stem cell or bone marrow transplant is then needed to replace the damaged bone marrow. Radiotherapy is most often used to treat early-stage non-Hodgkin lymphoma, where the cancer is only in one part of the body. And for some types of non-Hodgkin lymphoma, you may have a type of medicine called a monoclonal antibody. These medicines attach themselves to both healthy and cancerous cells, and signal to the immune system to attack and kill the cells. Other potential non-Hodgkin lymphoma treatments include: Cancer growth blockers Steroid medicine Immunotherapy Source: NHS

Miss Universe contestant wants people to become foster carers
Miss Universe contestant wants people to become foster carers

BBC News

time25-07-2025

  • Entertainment
  • BBC News

Miss Universe contestant wants people to become foster carers

A Miss Universe GB contestant who was fostered with nothing but the clothes on her back and a "little bag of colouring pencils" has said being in care was crucial to her Ainsworth, 31, lost her father at the age of three and described the "lifeline" that her foster parents offered her when she entered their home at the age of said the "safe space" it created enabled her to flourish and she wanted to use her platform to raise awareness about the challenges facing the foster care system in Wales. The pageant finalist, from Wrexham, has spearheaded numerous fundraising efforts related to foster care. Ms Ainsworth, an alumni and advancement officer at Wrexham University said she had "amazing" foster parents who were "supportive" of her creativity."I have really happy memories in care. I'm really fortunate to say that," she Ainsworth had her first taste of pageant life when she was scouted for Miss Bury in 2012 before going on to coach future contestants."I've always been the person to learn something and then teach it," she Ainsworth is now preparing to compete in the Miss Universe GB finals in winner will go on to represent Great Britain at the global Miss Universe pageant in Thailand later this said she wanted more people to consider becoming a foster carer. "It gives you that platform to amplify causes that are really important to you," she said. More than 7,000 children are in the care system in Wales, with just 3,800 foster families, according to Foster Ainsworth said there could be many reasons for this including "age demographics" and household earnings."The cost of living right now is insane," she said."Right now I'm working three jobs to do what I'm doing. Bringing up a child is a massive responsibility," she Ainsworth also said a lack of knowledge about fostering could be a barrier for some."If you haven't been in the foster community you might not know where to look."She said being fostered was "life changing" for her and foster parents could "reap the rewards". She still keeps in touch with her foster parents on social media."It's really nice to have that connection. The kindness of strangers in my life has been incredible," she said. Cath and Neil Lucas, from Wrexham, have fostered about 40 children. "I'm not ready to give up yet. We're quite happy to continue to do it for as long as we're able," said Mrs said the children they have welcomed came from a "variety of backgrounds" with "very different needs"."It's just about giving them out experiences in a safe environment and letting them discover for themselves who they are," she said."It's quite a privilege," she added, saying despite having "difficulties and challenges" it was the "best thing we ever could've done". Mrs Lucas said the situation was "getting quite serious" in Wales."There's children that probably do need a home who have been putting independent fostering agencies."It's bad enough going into care but then to be stationed 100 miles away from everything and everyone," she said. She added: "It doesn't matter what your family looks like. As long as you can care for the child and provide them a loving, stable home."You could be a single parent, a same-sex couples or an older couple. It doesn't matter." Speaking ahead of Saturday's Miss Universe GB final, Ms Ainsworth said she was both "excited" and "nervous"."My main aim was to talk nationally about the foster care experience. I've done everything that I wanted to do," she said. "I'm going into it with the mindset to have fun and enjoy it," she Ainsworth also hoped to change the "negativity" that can surround foster care."There is always talk about how there isn't enough funding. I love doing this because it's a good news story with a positive outcome."I think more people would be invested and interested if we highlighted more stories like mine."Alastair Cope, head of Foster Wales, thanked her for being "a great role model for other care experienced young people."Every fostering journey relies on strong, trusting relationships to create the stability within a loving home that all children deserve."

Businessman accused of assaulting ex-girlfriend and Miss Universe finalist Chloe Othen claims she told him another boyfriend beat her up
Businessman accused of assaulting ex-girlfriend and Miss Universe finalist Chloe Othen claims she told him another boyfriend beat her up

Daily Mail​

time07-06-2025

  • Daily Mail​

Businessman accused of assaulting ex-girlfriend and Miss Universe finalist Chloe Othen claims she told him another boyfriend beat her up

A businessman accused of assaulting his model ex-girlfriend says he has never been in a fight before and that she told him her previous boyfriend 'used to beat her up'. Ricky Lawrence, 33, is accused of pinning down, punching and repeatedly biting Chloe Othen, 34, at his £1.5million Knightsbridge home on October 15, 2022, after inviting her over. Ms Othen has told Aldersgate House Crown Court she thought she would die after Lawrence 'beat the cr*p' out of her. Jurors heard Lawrence later sent messages to Ms Othen saying: 'I will do everything in my power to f**k you up.' The pair had been in a relationship for around six months between December 2021 and May 2022 but remained 'on and off' after it ended. Ms Othen, a Miss Universe GB finalist in 2015 and internet influencer with more than 280,000 Instagram followers, had been at Lawrence's apartment in Hans Place when a conversation between the pair led to her feeling she needed to leave. Ms Othen's partner, Hatton Garden jeweller Bora Guccuk, 41, called her and Lawrence picked up the phone, threatening to stab them both, jurors have heard. Lawrence gave evidence on Friday, June 6, wearing a light grey suit and a blue tie. He said he owns a tailoring company and first met Ms Othen outside a restaurant in Kensington. 'I first met her outside a restaurant on Sloane Street. That would have been at the tail end of 2021,' he said. 'I was going in, she was leaving. We had a brief interchange and that was it.' Mr Wyatt asked Lawrence: 'Were you aware that she had a relationship with Bora Guccuk?' He replied: 'I knew that she had been on and off with someone'. Lawrence explained that on one occasion, he had met Guccuk at the Cirque le Soir nightclub in the West End where Ms Othen had taken him for a friends birthday party. He said that Mr Guccuk had confronted him, and that they had not seen each other after that. Lawrence said that at one point he had seen Ms Othen with a red mark on her face. 'She had a mark on the side of her face. It looked like a footprint. It was a round mark. It was a red round mark,' he said. He claimed that Ms Othen had told him that Mr Guccuk was violent towards her. 'She always described the relationship as violent. She said he used to beat her up, things of that nature,' he told the court. Lawrence said they broke up because he worked full time and she would often be out late. Mr Wyatt asked Lawrence: 'Have you ever bitten anyone?' to which he replied: 'Absolutely not. I'd never even had a fight'. He claimed that after they had broken up in May 2022, he had called the police when she refused to leave his house. 'When she realised I was on the phone to the police that's when she left', said Lawrence. Mr Wyatt said: 'She said that the two of you decided to try for a baby. Were you interested in that idea?' 'Absolutely not', replied Lawrence. Mr Wyatt asked him how he had felt when Ms Othen told him she was pregnant. He replied: 'Awful. The way she is, that is not what you want from a mother'. He admitted that he had confronted her at a restaurant in Cannes in the south of France during the Film Festival. 'That evening I did approach her. I said what are you doing here, why are you drinking if you're pregnant. She was clearly intoxicated at that point.' He insisted that was the only time they had spoken in Cannes. 'I didn't see her at any other time. We didn't cross paths at any time other than that,' he said.

Miss Universe GB finalist 'had bite marks, could hardly speak and could not stand up on her own' after ex attacked her and threatened to kill her and her boyfriend, court hears
Miss Universe GB finalist 'had bite marks, could hardly speak and could not stand up on her own' after ex attacked her and threatened to kill her and her boyfriend, court hears

Daily Mail​

time05-06-2025

  • Entertainment
  • Daily Mail​

Miss Universe GB finalist 'had bite marks, could hardly speak and could not stand up on her own' after ex attacked her and threatened to kill her and her boyfriend, court hears

A Miss Universe GB finalist was 'left with bite marks and could hardly speak or stand up on her own' after her ex attacked her and threatened to kill her new lover, a court heard. Model Chloe Othen, 34, was allegedly attacked at her ex-boyfriend's £1.5milliom Knightsbridge home on October 15, 2022, after being invited over by text. Whisky merchant Ricky Lawrence, 33, is accused of assaulting Ms Othen. Her now boyfriend, Hatton Garden jeweller Bora Guccuk, 41, told Aldersgate House Crown Court that he had seen Ms Othen after the attack and she was 'bleeding in certain places'. 'She had bite marks she could hardly speak. She was in a state of shock. She had cuts on her face, her arm. Bruises on her neck, bite marks.' Mr Guccuk told the court that Lawrence had threatened to kill both him and Ms Othen. Lawrence's defence allege that it was Guccuk who assaulted Chloe Othen. Ms Othen has told she thought she would die after she was pinned down, punched and repeatedly bitten by Lawrence. Jurors heard Lawrence later sent messages to Ms Othen saying: 'I will do everything in my power to f-k you up.' Lawrence and Othen had been in a relationship for around six months between December 2021 and May 2022 but remained 'on and off' after it ended. Ms Othen, a finalist in Miss Universe GB in 2015, is a model and internet personality with 284,000 Instagram followers. She went over to Lawrence's apartment in Hans Place and a conversation between the pair led to Miss Othen feeling she needed to leave. Ms Othen's partner, Bora Guccuk, called her and Lawrence picked up the phone, threatening to stab them both, jurors have heard. Giving evidence Mr Guccuk said Ms Othen had moved in with him for a time at his apartment in Kensington. Mr Guccuk said he was aware Lawrence had been abusive to Ms Othen. 'It was abusive - that's why she came back (to me),' he said. But Lawrence carried on pursuing Ms Othen after their relationship came to an end, the court heard. Mr Guccuk said Lawrence would 'turn up, even in other countries' even when he was with Ms Othen in Mikanos. 'He turned up uninvited and caused a drama, problems. 'He turned up at nightclub. He would stalk her on Instagram and just turn up.' On the night of the alleged assault he said he called Ms Othen multiple times because he was 'worried' about her. In one of the calls he said to the operator: 'My girlfriend is being held against her will in his place right now. She's screaming for help, screaming for help.' 'He's been stalking her. She's screaming in the background for help. She's in a kidnap situation there's no time. 'He's got her phone. She's screaming in the background saying help me.' He told the operator: 'This guy is crazy. He's been assaulting her, turning up wherever she's been. Watching her social media.' Ms Davies asked: 'At any point from arriving at the hotel and seeing Chloe were you alone with her?' He said Ms Othen went to the nearby Berkeley Hotel to see her friend Alexandra Ivanovic. 'She could barely stand up. She needed Alex to support her', he replied. In cross examination Tom Wyatt, defending, asked Mr Guccuk: 'Are you a jealous man?' 'I wouldn't say that, no', replied Mr Guccuk. 'Are you a violent man?' 'No,' the jeweller replied. 'Are you a man who has no problem paying for a woman's life, covering her rent while she is sleeping with another man?' 'I make good money, I'm wealthy it doesn't bother me', replied Mr Guccuk. 'I knew we had an easy, open relationship.' He said that after Chloe had broken up with him, Lawrence started stalking her. 'He would still turn up at places and places I regularly go to. He turned up, caused issues. It was an ongoing stalking situation.' Mr Wyatt suggested to Mr Guccuk that they were in an exclusive relationship, which is why he phoned her, worried about where she might be. 'You were in a normal relationship. An exclusive relationship, and that is why you were worried about where your partner might be'. 'Not true', he replied. 'Why are you laughing, Mr Guccuk?' 'Why are you getting annoyed, are you struggling with your questioning?' Mr Wyatt pointed out that he had not mentioned Lawrence's threats to stab them both in his call with the police. 'Not once did you mention that threat made against you.' Mr Guccuk said: 'I was on the move. I was more concerned with going to help her than giving exact details to the operator. I knew that that statement would be taken from me.' 'You don't think that he threatened to stab you in the neck was worth mentioning? Mr Guccuk said: 'I was panicking for her life. You can not expect me to go into particulars when the operator is asking me particular questions anyhow...' Mr Wyatt said: 'I suggest that you thought she was held against her will by a harmless idiot who was following her around because that is how she painted him to you.' 'Absolutely not', replied Mr Guccuk. Mr Wyatt told Mr Guccuk that he would have noticed that Chloe had changed from the clothes that she was wearing at a fashion event that night to go and see Lawrence. 'When you found her and saw what she was wearing you would have realised that you were being cheated on behind your back'. 'Absurd', replied Mr Guccuk. 'You reacted violently and jealousy and assaulted Chloe Othen'. Mr Guccuk said: 'Absolutely absurd.' 'The injuries she sustained were from you'. 'Absolutely absurd.' Following his arrest Ricky Lawrence wept and told officers: 'This is ridiculous. She's ruining my life. I asked her to leave.' Lawrence later gave police a prepared statement in which he confirmed his relationship with Chloe Othen began in January 2022 and ended four months later in May 'because she aborted my child.' He added: 'She had been drinking quite heavily throughout the relationship. 'I no longer wished to be with her. 'Since the end of our relationship she has initiated contact with me and has met up with me.' Lawrence insisted that Ms Othen turned up at his home on 15 October 2022. 'I told her to leave...I didn't want any trouble with her or her partner. 'I repeatedly told her to leave. She began to scratch and hit at me.' Lawrence said he received a lengthy scratch on his abdomen, adding: 'I didn't use unlawful violence against her. 'I believe the allegations are malicious as she didn't want to end her current relationship. 'I didn't hold her maliciously against her will.' Lawrence said he phoned police to get her removed from his flat. Lawrence, of Hans Place, Knightsbridge, denies assault causing actual bodily harm. The trial continues.

Model 'pinned down, punched and bitten by abusive ex' in at his £1.5m home
Model 'pinned down, punched and bitten by abusive ex' in at his £1.5m home

Daily Mirror

time03-06-2025

  • Health
  • Daily Mirror

Model 'pinned down, punched and bitten by abusive ex' in at his £1.5m home

Model Chloe Othen, 34, claimed her whiskey merchant boyfriend Ricky Lawrence, 33, had physically and verbally abused her after inviting her over to his swanky Knightsbridge flat A model revealed she thought she would die after being pinned down, punched and repeatedly bitten by her abusive boyfriend at his £1.5million home, a court has heard. Whiskey merchant Ricky Lawrence, 33, is accused of assaulting Chloe Othen, 34, at his £1.5m flat in Knightsbridge on October 15, 2022, after he invited her over via text. But he later sent messages to his girlfriend that said: "I will do everything in my power to f*** you up." The pair had been in a relationship for around six months between December 2021 and May 2022 but remained 'on and off' after it ended. ‌ ‌ Ms Othen, a finalist in Miss Universe GB in 2015, is a model and internet personality with 284,000 Instagram followers. She went over to Lawrence's apartment in Hans Place and a conversation between the pair led to Miss Othen feeling she needed to leave. Ms Othen's partner, Hatton Garden jeweller Bora Guccuk, 41, called her and Lawrence picked up the phone, threatening to stab them both, jurors heard. Prosecutor Sheilagh Davies said her relationship with Lawrence was 'clearly an open relationship. "When they had broken up she had resumed her old relationship with Mr Guccuk," the prosecutor said. "Ms Othen went to Lawrence's apartment in Hans Crescent, Knightsbridge 'on his invitation.' "While she was there an argument broke out between them and he assaulted he,' said the prosecutor. He assaulted her on her right leg just above her knee, on her left leg on her thigh just below her hip, on her right arm just above her elbow, and on her right shoulder." The couple broke up in the spring of 2022, but they continued to see each other from time to time. "She was aware that Ricky was sometimes unstable', said Ms Davies. ‌ "He was someone who reacted badly when he doesn't get his own way. On 14 October there had been some loose arrangement that she would go to his flat, but for some reason she was late, and didn't get there until about 5am in the morning when, the prosecution say, all hell broke loose." Mr Guccuk noticed that she was not at home, so he called her mobile, and Lawrence answered, the court heard. "He threatened to stab Chloe and Bora. He threatened that he would assault them and threatened all sorts of things," said Ms Davies. "That made Bora concerned not only for his own safety but for Chloe's as well. Bora could hear Chloe screaming 'help me, help me'." Mr Guccuk contacted police and Ms Othen managed to escape to the Berkeley Hotel to meet her friend, Alexandra Ivanovic. Lawrence allegedly sent a number of abusive messages to Chloe just before the alleged assault. ‌ He told her: "I'll do everything in my power to f*** you up. You're a lying little whore, you said you were coming to me an hour-and-a-half ago." Ms Othen went to A&E on October 16 where it was found one of the bite marks on her neck 'turned septic'. Following his arrest Lawrence told police he had 'repeatedly asked Chloe to leave but she continued to shout and scream.' He denied assaulting Ms Othen and said: "I did not hold her unlawfully in my flat against her will. She has attacked me in the past. I have had to call police.' The prosecutor said that the injuries were clearly not self-inflicted. Giving evidence Ms Othen described their relationship as 'narcissistic' adding: "You are addicted to the highs and lows. It is euphoric." ‌ She said Lawrence beat her up and pinned her down, adding: "I genuinely thought I'm going to die."b She added that the attack left her with six bite marks and as a result she needed a "tetanus shot and antibiotics." Ms Othen confirmed that she fell pregnant by Lawrence but she had an abortion. She described her on-off boyfriend as 'crazy' and said he even pursued her while she was at the Cannes film festival and at the Greek island of Mykonos with her friends. ‌ Giving evidence from behind a screen Ms Othen was asked by the prosecutor how Lawrence reacts "when things weren't going his way?" She replied: "Crazy. He was abusive. Physically and verbally abusive. He begged for me back. "He cried, he screamed. He shook me when I was in Mykonos", she replied. "When you are in a narcissistic relationship it's very hard to get out of. They tell you they are obsessed with you, that they love just feel special. "I didn't understand it completely until I saw a therapist about it." She said that when he started sending her abusive messages on the night of the alleged assault she tried to not allow them to affect her. ‌ "I tried to just have a method where I don't let it affect me. I'll just stay calm, be like whatever. I asked him if he was drunk. He said he was sober." She said she initially had not wanted to go to his flat because she was scared, adding: "I was genuinely scared to go there. It is not the first time it had happened. He had spat at me, kicked me. But never on the level that happened in October. I never foresaw that. "I delayed because I thought maybe he would get bored, maybe he would go to sleep. When I got to his flat I walked in and sat down and spoke to him. I saw the look in his eyes and I saw they were black. I genuinely thought I was going to die. I genuinely on my life thought that. ‌ "He stole my phone. He grabbed me, put me in a bear hug and then just punched me and thumped me. She said that her phone then rang and Lawrence answered. "It was ringing, ringing. When he answered it he had already started beating me up. I screamed please call the police Ricky's going to kill me.' "He punched me numerous times, kicked me strangled me." She said that she went to a window and tried to catch the attention of a member of the public. ‌ "I signalled to a passer by to some and help me," she added. She told the court that one of the bites on her neck had become septic and that she had seen a private doctor. "I had to have antibiotics for that. I had to consult a private doctor." She insisted that it had been Lawrence and no one else who had caused her her injuries. "The only person who did those injuries to me was Ricky Lawrence. When I arrived at the hotel my friend saw me battered and bruised completely. There is no way that in seven minutes anyone else could have done that to me. The only person who did those injuries to me was Ricky Lawrence." Lawrence, of Hans Crescent, Knightsbridge, denies one count of assault occasioning actual bodily harm.

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