Latest news with #Yeovil
BBC News
5 days ago
- Business
- BBC News
Yeovil work experience students take part in new project
More than 100 students have taken part in a new work experience project where all of them were involved in a single scheme, run by the University of Exeter in Yeovil in Somerset, is different to the normal type of work experience where one student usually shadows an Year 10 students from Preston School worked in teams to reimagine Somerset shoemakers Clarks, for a new generation of 14 to 15-year-olds. Dylan, a Year 10 student, said: "I felt the confidence going through me. I was really nervous to presenting to lots of people I didn't know, but it was a good experience." The university said it aims to show that work experience can be more than just doing basic office tasks but can be a way into the digital another Year 10 student told BBC Radio Somerset: "It was great as we all worked together as a team."I liked having this opportunity and felt I was good at leading the group. It's really important to ensure everyone is involved."For five days, students explored branding, digital marketing, and presentation skills, finishing in a live pitch showcase. This included designing a brand complete with a name, logo, mission, digital marketing plan, ecommerce landing page and a pitch deck. Nina Allen, Careers Advisor at Preston School, said: "It's creative, relevant, and gives our students a real sense of ownership and confidence. Many of them will have limited information about careers in digital before this week."Nick Brook, CEO of Speakers for Schools, said: "The current work experience model simply doesn't work for everyone."We're piloting this model to show that with the right structure, collaboration, and support, we can give every young person, regardless of background, a meaningful introduction to the modern world of work."
BBC News
5 days ago
- BBC News
Shillingstone theft victim urges 'Richard's law' to vet carers
A woman has urged tougher vetting for care workers after her husband's carer stole jewellery and cash from their Goodman, 54, from Yeovil, who had a similar previous conviction, was handed a 12-month suspended sentence by Weymouth Woollam, from Shillingstone, Dorset, said a basic Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check did not reveal Goodman's criminal MP has sent her campaign for "Richard's law" to the government, which has been approached by the BBC for comment. Police recovered a 250-year-old stolen necklace and currency from Goodman's home in 2024, the court Mrs Woollam's gold and diamond engagement ring, inherited from her mother, as well as silver earrings from her husband and other items were never a victim personal statement read by a prosecutor, she said Goodman was a "callous predator who deliberately seeks out vulnerable victims".She added: "No-one else should be left to feel so violated and betrayed because of her actions." Goodman was given a suspended sentence for a similar offence in 2010, the court Mrs Woollam said a basic DBS check failed to reveal the carer's three previous convictions for theft and obtaining property by said she had lost her trust in home carers and had been forced to make the "heartbreaking" decision to place her husband, who has advanced Alzheimer's, in a residential told Goodman: "You have wrecked Mrs Woollam's life. Her trust and peace of mind have gone."They imposed a jail sentence suspended for two years, 12 rehabilitation days, 200 hours of unpaid work and a two-year restraining defendant was also ordered to pay Mrs Woollam £1,000 and another £272 to the court. In a letter to her MP Simon Hoare, Mrs Woollam said: "People living with dementia are among the most vulnerable in society."Despite this there is currently no legal requirement for private carers to be qualified or registered."Convictions for theft from vulnerable adults may not appear on basic DBS checks."Just as we would not leave our three year old with an unvetted, unregulated carer, we should not be in the position where the necessity of finding home care for a vulnerable loved one, leaves us open to thieves, fraudsters and abusers."She said "Richard's Law" would bring England up to the same standards that exist in Wales, Northern Ireland and MP replied: "I have written to the Department for Social Care and the Department for Local Communities to share your devastating story and your campaign." You can follow BBC Dorset on Facebook, X (Twitter), or Instagram.
Daily Mail
6 days ago
- Daily Mail
'How can you say that we killed our baby?' Court hears what parents told police after two-week-old son died from 'catastrophic' injuries in hospital neonatal unit
The parents of a two-week-old boy who died of 'catastrophic' injuries in a hospital neonatal unit asked police 'how can you say that we killed our baby' after his death. Daniel Gunter, 27, and Sophie Staddon, 23, are both accused of murder and causing or allowing their son's passing on March 5 last year. Little Brendon Staddon suffered injuries to his head, neck, legs and jaw while on the ward at the Yeovil District Hospital in Somerset. Bristol Crown Court heard nurses discovered Brendon's injuries - described as 'catastrophic' by the prosecution - after Staddon reported her son as being cold and asked them to check on him. The baby, who was born at 33 weeks' gestation and weighed 1.83kg at birth, was carried to the resuscitation area but did not respond to treatment and was pronounced dead at 4.59am. Today, jurors at Bristol Crown Court were read transcripts of interviews Staddon and Gunter had with police after their arrest. Staddon told police she had been woken in the night by Gunter telling her to inform nurses that Brendon was cold. She said: 'I went to check him. I felt him. He was cold. I told the nurses. They turned the light on and saw he was blue. 'I started crying. Dan pulled me away and said 'let them do their job'. I was crying and really upset. Dan was also upset. 'Doctors and nurses came in and surrounded Brendon.' Staddon said the couple initially waited inside before going out for some fresh air, with police officers arresting them a short time later. 'I remember asking if they were telling me my baby was dead,' she said in interview. 'I had done nothing to harm Brendon at all. I love him. He was my everything. I would not have harmed him.' After his arrest, Gunter was recorded as saying: 'How can you say that we killed our baby?' and 'That kid was my world, I would do anything for him'. In a statement provided to police at interview, Gunter described how Staddon had been sleeping in a bed while he was in a chair, with Brendon's cot behind a screen. He told how he heard the baby do a 'little cry' at about 3am and checked on him. 'He was in his cot, on his back,' Gunter said. 'He was white. We touched his skin and he was cold and white. 'We didn't lift him out of the cot. We went to get the nurse. They came in and said he was not alright. 'This was the last time I saw my baby.' He added: 'At no stage did I do anything to Brendon that could have caused him any injury. 'I was with Sophie the whole time and she didn't do anything either.' In a separate statement, Gunter said: 'I would never hurt my baby boy.' A post-mortem examination found Brendon died of 'blunt force impact(s) head injury' with multiple non-accidental injuries to the head. Earlier in the trial, Charles Row KC, prosecuting, told jurors that the baby was covered in bruises to his face, scalp, chest and abdomen, shoulder, hands, legs and feet. 'There was hardly a part of his body that was spared,' Mr Row said. The jury heard that Gunter and Staddon had an on-off relationship, with allegations that he was violent towards her on occasion. In January 2024, a social worker visited the couple and told them authorities were planning to remove the baby from their care when he was born. Gunter and Staddon, both of no fixed address, deny charges of murder and causing or allowing Brendon's death. The trial continues.
BBC News
6 days ago
- BBC News
Yeovil parents accused of murdering baby son deny harming him
Parents accused of murdering their premature baby in a special care hospital unit told police they did not harm him, a court has Staddon suffered injuries to his jaw, head, neck and legs at Yeovil District Hospital, Somerset, on 5 March Gunter, 27, and Sophie Staddon, 23, are on trial at Bristol Crown Court accused of his murder, and causing or allowing the two-week-old boy's pair, of no fixed address, deny the charges against them. The jury heard how nurses discovered Brendon's injuries - described as "catastrophic" by the prosecution - after Ms Staddon told hospital staff her son was cold, and asked them to check on who was born at 33 weeks, weighing 1.83kg at birth (4lb), did not respond to treatment and was pronounced dead at 04:59 Wednesday, jurors were read transcripts of Mr Gunter and Ms Staddon's police interviews after they were Staddon said: "I went to check him. I felt him. He was cold. I told the nurses. They turned the light on and saw he was blue."I started crying. Dan pulled me away and said 'let them do their job'. I was crying and really upset. Dan was also upset."Doctors and nurses came in and surrounded Brendon."The couple were arrested after going outside to get some fresh air. 'He was my world' "I remember asking if they were telling me my baby was dead," said Ms Staddon."I had done nothing to harm Brendon at all. I love him. He was my everything. I would not have harmed him."After his arrest, Mr Gunter was recorded as saying: "How can you say that we killed our baby?" and "That kid was my world, I would do anything for him."In a separate statement, he said: "I would never hurt my baby boy."A post-mortem examination found Brendon died of "blunt force impact(s)" from "non-accidental head injuries".The trial continues.
The Independent
6 days ago
- The Independent
Parents told police they did not harm premature baby who died at neonatal unit
A mother and father accused of murdering their premature baby in a special care baby unit told police they did not harm him, a court heard. Brendon Staddon suffered injuries to his head, neck, legs and jaw while on the ward at the Yeovil District Hospital in Somerset on March 5 last year. His parents, Daniel Gunter, 27, and Sophie Staddon, 23, are both accused of murder and causing or allowing the two-week-old baby's death. Bristol Crown Court heard nurses discovered Brendon's injuries – described as 'catastrophic' by the prosecution – after Staddon told nurses her son was cold and asked them to check on him. The baby, who was born at 33 weeks' gestation and weighed 1.83kg at birth, was carried to the resuscitation area but did not respond to treatment and was pronounced dead at 4.59am. On Wednesday, jurors at Bristol Crown Court were read transcripts of interviews Staddon and Gunter had with police after their arrest. Staddon told police she had been woken in the night by Gunter telling her to inform nurses that Brendon was cold. She said: 'I went to check him. I felt him. He was cold. I told the nurses. They turned the light on and saw he was blue. 'I started crying. Dan pulled me away and said 'let them do their job'. I was crying and really upset. Dan was also upset. 'Doctors and nurses came in and surrounded Brendon.' Staddon said the couple initially waited inside before going out for some fresh air, with police officers arresting them a short time later. 'I remember asking if they were telling me my baby was dead,' she said in interview. 'I had done nothing to harm Brendon at all. I love him. He was my everything. I would not have harmed him.' After his arrest, Gunter was recorded as saying: 'How can you say that we killed our baby?' and 'That kid was my world, I would do anything for him'. In a statement provided to police at interview, Gunter described how Staddon had been sleeping in a bed while he was in a chair, with Brendon's cot behind a screen. He told how he heard the baby do a 'little cry' at about 3am and checked on him. 'He was in his cot, on his back,' Gunter said. 'He was white. We touched his skin and he was cold and white. 'We didn't lift him out of the cot. We went to get the nurse. They came in and said he was not alright. 'This was the last time I saw my baby.' He added: 'At no stage did I do anything to Brendon that could have caused him any injury. 'I was with Sophie the whole time and she didn't do anything either.' In a separate statement, Gunter said: 'I would never hurt my baby boy.' A post-mortem examination found Brendon died of 'blunt force impact(s) head injury' with multiple non-accidental injuries to the head. Earlier in the trial, Charles Row KC, prosecuting, told jurors that the baby was covered in bruises to his face, scalp, chest and abdomen, shoulder, hands, legs and feet. 'There was hardly a part of his body that was spared,' Mr Row said. The jury heard that Gunter and Staddon had an on-off relationship, with allegations that he was violent towards her on occasion. In January 2024, a social worker visited the couple and told them that authorities were planning to remove the baby from their care when he was born. Gunter and Staddon, both of no fixed address, deny charges of murder and causing or allowing Brendon's death. Their trial continues.
