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Wales Online
19-05-2025
- Wales Online
Paedophile couple's sick messages were intercepted by the FBI and now they face a long time in prison
Paedophile couple's sick messages were intercepted by the FBI and now they face a long time in prison A judge told Ann Bray and Jonathan Leonard they had been 'paedophiles in a relationship that thrived on abuse' and that the text messages between them provided a 'window into the warped and perverted world you inhabited together' Ann Bray and Jonathan Leonard have been given an extended jail term A sick couple filmed themselves sexually abusing a young girl and "revelled" in what they were doing, a court has heard. Ann Bray and Jonathan Leonard groomed the child, then Bray "instructed" the child and guided her in what to do with her partner Leonard. Bray filmed the abuse on her phone and later sent the footage to her partner. The couple also discussed what they were doing in extensive text conversations, with some of the messages ending with "LOL" or "laugh out loud". A judge at Cardiff Crown Court told the defendants they had been "paedophiles in a relationship that thrived on child sexual abuse". He said Bray had used the girl as a "sex object" to satisfy the wishes of Leonard but had also participated in the abuse for her own sexual gratification. The judge said it was clear from everything he had read and heard about the defendants that they posed a grave risk to children who they come into contact with and that they required extended sentences as dangerous offenders. For the latest court reports sign up to our crime newsletter Georgina Buckley, prosecuting, told the court that the offending came when the FBI intercepted indecent images which Leonard had sent to other people, and the Americans contacted law enforcement agencies in the UK. The defendants were arrested in September 2024 and their phones were seized, and the court heard that it was the examination of those devices and the videos and texts they contained which led to the discovery of the abuse. Article continues below The court heard that the investigation found that the defendants had subjected a young girl to a series of sexual assaults since 2021, including the oral rape of the young girl by Leonard. One of the videos showed Bray pouring liquid chocolate over her partner's penis before the oral penetration took place. The court heard that on the videos Bray could be heard "instructing" the child on what to do and how to do it. On occasions the abuse lasted for around 90 minutes at a time. The prosecutor said Bray would later send the videos she had filmed to Leonard, and the couple also engaged in text chats where they would discuss what the had done, talk about their sexual fantasies, and make plans for what they wanted to do to the girl in the future. A number of the messages between them were accompanied by "LOL" or "laugh out loud". A haul of indecent images unrelated to the victim of the abuse was also found on the defendants' phones. Ann Bray (Image: NCA ) The court heard that after the FBI intercepted Leonard sending indecent images to a third party the UK's National Crime Agency became involved and the defendants were arrested. Leonard answered "no comment" to all questions asked in his interview while Bray told officers she was in a "casual sexual relationship" with Leonard and said they had moved to south Wales some five or six years previously. She told officers that after moving to Wales she worked as a sex worker. In impact statements from the victim and her mother which were read to the court by the prosecutor they both set out the devastating impact the abuse has had on them. Ann Bray, 62, of Brigantine Grove, Newport, had previously pleaded guilty to causing or inciting a girl to engage in sexual activity, distributing indecent images of children, making indecent images of children, arranging or facilitating the commission of a child sex offence, aiding and abetting the rape of a child, sexual activity with a child, aiding and abetting sexual assault, possession of indecent images of a child, and possessing an extreme pornographic image when he returned to the dock for sentencing. Jonathan Michael Leonard, 58, of no fixed abode but of the Caldicot area, had previously pleaded guilty to engaging in penetrative sexual activity with a girl, distributing indecent images of children, making indecent images of children, rape, sexual assault, sexual activity with a child, causing or inciting a child to engage in sexual activity, penetrative sexual activity with a child, possession of indecent photographs of a child, and possessing an extreme pornographic image when appeared in the dock alongside Bray. The court heard both defendants have a limited number of previous convictions on their records but none are of a sexual nature. Jonathan Leonard (Image: NCA ) Nigel Fryer, for Bray, said that since being interviewed for her pre-sentence report in March his client had further reflected on her behaviour and she was "devastated at the situation" and expressed her remorse for the impact of her actions. He said he would not seek to try to explain the behaviour of his client as to attempt to do so would "simply insult" the complainant in the case. Emma Harris, for Leonard, said the best and only mitigation her client had were his guilty pleas. She said that in a letter the defendant had written to court he had demonstrated his remorse including how "deeply sorry" he was for the impact of his offending on the complainant, on the complainant's family, and on his own family. Judge Paul Hobson told the defendants that at the time of the offending they had been "two paedophiles in a relationship that thrived on child sexual abuse", and he said it was clear from text conversations between them that they "revelled" in what they had done to their victim. The judge described the pair's text messages as a "window into the warped and perverted world you inhabited together" and noted they were both now trying to cast blame for what happened on the other defendant. He told Bray she had used the girl as a "sex object to satisfy the wishes of your boyfriend" but had also planned and participated in the abuse for her own sexual gratification. The judge said it was clear that both Bray and Leonard had a wider sexual interest in children and he said he had no doubt they pose a grave risk to children who they may come into contact with and that extended sentences were necessary. With discounts for their guilty pleas the defendants were each given 23-year extended sentences comprising 15 years in prison followed by an eight-year extended sentence. The defendants must serve two-thirds of the custodial element of their sentences before they can apply for release but it will be for the Parole Board to determine if they are safe to be let out. Both defendants will be registered sex offenders for the rest of their lives. Speaking after the sentencing NCA senior investigating officer Daniel Waywell said: "Leonard and Bray worked together to support one another's sexual interest in children, subjecting a child to years of horrific abuse, which they filmed and shared online with other paedophiles. Article continues below "This child, and every one of the victims of abuse in the indecent images and videos found on their devices, are re-victimised each time this material is viewed and shared online. The NCA is committed to safeguarding children from sexual abuse and we will continue to work tirelessly, alongside international partners, to remove children from harm and bring offenders like Leonard and Bray to justice."
Arab Times
05-05-2025
- Automotive
- Arab Times
Citizenship, speed bumps, and Supreme Council role
Despite the recent toughening of penalties, the traffic situation in Kuwait continues to suffer from chronic chaos, a problem deeply rooted in years of neglect. At its core, the issue is ethical, and its solution must start with education from a young age. Financial penalties and imprisonment alone cannot address the root cause. Beyond the anxiety we experience on the roads, particularly on highways, due to reckless drivers committing violations such as wrongful overtaking, speeding, sudden lane changes, and failing to signal before turning left or right, there is the ongoing presence of dilapidated vehicles lacking proper tail lights. This situation highlights the lack of professionalism in the vehicle inspection department, as well as the failure to enforce international inspection standards. These requirements should extend beyond simple checks on a vehicle's chassis number, tail lights, and exhaust emissions. They must also include assessments of the vehicle's overall condition based on a number of factors such as ensuring it is free of dents, checking its road-worthiness, testing brake performance, and evaluating tire quality, all of which are well understood by traffic experts. Meanwhile, when visiting any public sector hospital or park, we are immediately confronted by the extent of negligence and the widespread parking violations, with little attention paid to the issue despite its serious consequences. Many people irresponsibly park their cars behind others, blocking entrances and exits. This is often due to reluctance to use multi-level parking facilities or the lack of police officers assigned to issue fines in these areas. To address this, it is essential to seriously consider the establishment of companies specifically tasked with issuing traffic violation tickets in various locations. Priority should be given to employing Kuwaiti retirees, offering them a fair commission or wage for their work. These companies could not only provide a valuable source of revenue for the state treasury but also significantly reduce the number of parking violations, especially in disabled parking spaces. This would free up police officers to focus on more important security matters. It may also be appropriate to grant these companies the authority to issue tickets to street vendors, given the potential danger their activities pose to public health and the obstruction they cause to traffic. In another matter, I would like to once again inquire about the role of the so-called 'Supreme Traffic Council,' which we often hear about but know little about its actual involvement in controlling traffic, improving road conditions, or reducing accidents. The only update we receive is that it meets every three months. It may be time to consider dissolving the Supreme Traffic Council, with full respect for its members, or granting them more authority and restructuring its responsibilities to allow it to play a more effective role. Finally, the decisions of the Nationality Verification Committee have revealed that many individuals obtained citizenship through connections, such as the intervention of a Member of Parliament or others, without meeting any of the legal requirements. This situation is similar to the issue of unnecessary speed bumps. In some residential areas, we find streets without schools or shops, yet an excessive number of speed bumps are installed. The reason? Homeowners often contact a traffic officer or a friend at the Ministry of Public Works to have speed bumps installed in front of their homes. We hope the General Traffic Department will consider removing these unnecessary speed bumps, which are disproportionately abundant compared to any other country.
Yahoo
28-04-2025
- General
- Yahoo
The Memphis church pivotal in Martin Luther King Jr.'s final days suffers a devastating fire
MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) — A historic Black church in downtown Memphis that was the organizing point for Martin Luther King Jr.'s final campaign in 1968 caught fire early Monday morning and suffered significant damage. 'This morning we woke up to heartbreaking news: a devastating fire has ravaged one of our city's greatest treasures, Clayborn Temple,' Memphis Mayor Paul Young wrote in a statement posted to social media. 'Clayborn is more than a historic building. It is sacred ground. It is the beating heart of the civil rights movement, a symbol of struggle, hope, and triumph that belongs not just to Memphis but to the world.' King was drawn to Memphis in 1968 to support some 1,300 predominantly Black sanitation workers who went on strike to protest inhumane treatment. Two workers had been crushed in a garbage compactor in 1964, but the faulty equipment had not been replaced. On Feb. 1, 1968, two more men, Echol Cole, 36, and Robert Walker, 30, were crushed in the compactor. The two men were contract workers, so they did not qualify for workmen's compensation, and had no life insurance. Workers wanted to unionize, and fought for higher pay and safer working conditions. City officials declared the strike illegal and arrested scores of strikers and protesters. The Clayborn Temple was undergoing a $25 million restoration that was slated for completion in 2026. The initiative aims to preserve the architectural and historical integrity of the Romanesque revival church and includes the restoration of a 3,000-pipe grand organ. At the same time, the project seeks to help revitalize the local neighborhood with a museum, cultural programing and community outreach, according to a news release on the renovation. Just south of Beale Street, Clayborn Temple was built in 1892 as the Second Presbyterian Church and originally served an all-white congregation. In 1949, the building was sold to an African Methodist Episcopal congregation and renamed Clayborn Temple, according to the release. Memphis sanitation workers started striking in February 1968 after Cole and Walker were killed on the job. The Clayborn Temple hosted nightly meetings and the campaign's iconic 'I AM A MAN' posters were made in its basement. The temple was also a staging point for marches to City Hall. They included a March 28, 1968, march led by King, a rally that turned violent when police and protesters clashed on the iconic Beale Street, and a 16-year-old was killed. When marchers retreated to the temple, police fired tear gas inside. People broke some of the stained-glass windows to escape. King promised to lead a second, peaceful march in Memphis, but he was killed by a sniper while standing on the balcony of the Lorraine Motel on April 4. After King was assassinated and the strike ended with the workers securing a pay raise, the church's influence waned. It fell into disrepair and was vacant for years before the renovation effort that took off in 2017 thanks to a $400,000 grant from the National Park Service. Clayborn Temple was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1979. Memphis fire officials on Monday morning had not yet said what they believe caused the fire. Young pledged that the city will 'help ensure this sacred place rises again.' ____ Loller reported from Nashville, Tennessee.
San Francisco Chronicle
28-04-2025
- General
- San Francisco Chronicle
The Memphis church pivotal in Martin Luther King Jr.'s final days suffers a devastating fire
MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) — A historic Black church in downtown Memphis that was the organizing point for Martin Luther King Jr.'s final campaign in 1968 caught fire early Monday morning and suffered significant damage. 'This morning we woke up to heartbreaking news: a devastating fire has ravaged one of our city's greatest treasures, Clayborn Temple,' Memphis Mayor Paul Young wrote in a statement posted to social media. 'Clayborn is more than a historic building. It is sacred ground. It is the beating heart of the civil rights movement, a symbol of struggle, hope, and triumph that belongs not just to Memphis but to the world.' King was drawn to Memphis in 1968 to support some 1,300 predominantly Black sanitation workers who went on strike to protest inhumane treatment. Two workers had been crushed in a garbage compactor in 1964, but the faulty equipment had not been replaced. On Feb. 1, 1968, two more men, Echol Cole, 36, and Robert Walker, 30, were crushed in the compactor. The two men were contract workers, so they did not qualify for workmen's compensation, and had no life insurance. Workers wanted to unionize, and fought for higher pay and safer working conditions. City officials declared the strike illegal and arrested scores of strikers and protesters. The Clayborn Temple was undergoing a $25 million restoration that was slated for completion in 2026. The initiative aims to preserve the architectural and historical integrity of the Romanesque revival church and includes the restoration of a 3,000-pipe grand organ. At the same time, the project seeks to help revitalize the local neighborhood with a museum, cultural programing and community outreach, according to a news release on the renovation. Just south of Beale Street, Clayborn Temple was built in 1892 as the Second Presbyterian Church and originally served an all-white congregation. In 1949, the building was sold to an African Methodist Episcopal congregation and renamed Clayborn Temple, according to the release. Memphis sanitation workers started striking in February 1968 after Cole and Walker were killed on the job. The Clayborn Temple hosted nightly meetings and the campaign's iconic 'I AM A MAN' posters were made in its basement. The temple was also a staging point for marches to City Hall. They included a March 28, 1968, march led by King, a rally that turned violent when police and protesters clashed on the iconic Beale Street, and a 16-year-old was killed. When marchers retreated to the temple, police fired tear gas inside. People broke some of the stained-glass windows to escape. King promised to lead a second, peaceful march in Memphis, but he was killed by a sniper while standing on the balcony of the Lorraine Motel on April 4. After King was assassinated and the strike ended with the workers securing a pay raise, the church's influence waned. It fell into disrepair and was vacant for years before the renovation effort that took off in 2017 thanks to a $400,000 grant from the National Park Service. Clayborn Temple was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1979. ____ Loller reported from Nashville, Tennessee.
Winnipeg Free Press
28-04-2025
- General
- Winnipeg Free Press
The Memphis church pivotal in Martin Luther King Jr.'s final days suffers a devastating fire
MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) — A historic Black church in downtown Memphis that was the organizing point for Martin Luther King Jr.'s final campaign in 1968 caught fire early Monday morning and suffered significant damage. 'This morning we woke up to heartbreaking news: a devastating fire has ravaged one of our city's greatest treasures, Clayborn Temple,' Memphis Mayor Paul Young wrote in a statement posted to social media. 'Clayborn is more than a historic building. It is sacred ground. It is the beating heart of the civil rights movement, a symbol of struggle, hope, and triumph that belongs not just to Memphis but to the world.' King was drawn to Memphis in 1968 to support some 1,300 predominantly Black sanitation workers who went on strike to protest inhumane treatment. Two workers had been crushed in a garbage compactor in 1964, but the faulty equipment had not been replaced. On Feb. 1, 1968, two more men, Echol Cole, 36, and Robert Walker, 30, were crushed in the compactor. The two men were contract workers, so they did not qualify for workmen's compensation, and had no life insurance. Workers wanted to unionize, and fought for higher pay and safer working conditions. City officials declared the strike illegal and arrested scores of strikers and protesters. The Clayborn Temple was undergoing a $25 million restoration that was slated for completion in 2026. The initiative aims to preserve the architectural and historical integrity of the Romanesque revival church and includes the restoration of a 3,000-pipe grand organ. At the same time, the project seeks to help revitalize the local neighborhood with a museum, cultural programing and community outreach, according to a news release on the renovation. Just south of Beale Street, Clayborn Temple was built in 1892 as the Second Presbyterian Church and originally served an all-white congregation. In 1949, the building was sold to an African Methodist Episcopal congregation and renamed Clayborn Temple, according to the release. Memphis sanitation workers started striking in February 1968 after Cole and Walker were killed on the job. The Clayborn Temple hosted nightly meetings and the campaign's iconic 'I AM A MAN' posters were made in its basement. The temple was also a staging point for marches to City Hall. They included a March 28, 1968, march led by King, a rally that turned violent when police and protesters clashed on the iconic Beale Street, and a 16-year-old was killed. When marchers retreated to the temple, police fired tear gas inside. People broke some of the stained-glass windows to escape. King promised to lead a second, peaceful march in Memphis, but he was killed by a sniper while standing on the balcony of the Lorraine Motel on April 4. After King was assassinated and the strike ended with the workers securing a pay raise, the church's influence waned. It fell into disrepair and was vacant for years before the renovation effort that took off in 2017 thanks to a $400,000 grant from the National Park Service. During Elections Get campaign news, insight, analysis and commentary delivered to your inbox during Canada's 2025 election. Clayborn Temple was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1979. Memphis fire officials on Monday morning had not yet said what they believe caused the fire. Young pledged that the city will 'help ensure this sacred place rises again.' ____ Loller reported from Nashville, Tennessee.
