Latest news with #YostinMosquera
Sky News
15-05-2025
- Sky News
Trial of man accused of murdering couple and stuffing remains in suitcase collapses
The jury trying a man accused of murdering a couple before taking some of their remains in suitcases to the Clifton Suspension Bridge in Bristol has been discharged. Yostin Andres Mosquera, 35, allegedly decapitated and dismembered Albert Alfonso, 62, and Paul Longworth, 71, in their flat in Shepherd's Bush, west London, on 8 July last year. Mosquera was seen two days later on the bridge with suitcases containing their bodies, while police found the couple's decapitated heads in a chest freezer, the Old Bailey heard. Mosquera, who is from Colombia, pleaded guilty to the manslaughter of swimming instructor Mr Alfonso but denied two counts of murder in a trial that started at the end of last month. But the judge, Mr Justice Bennathan, on Thursday discharged the jury, with the trial collapsing. Mosquera faces a retrial provisionally listed in June. The judge said there had been problems identifying the accurate times of searches made by Mosquera on his laptop, which had been used as evidence in the trial. He told jurors that the trial "simply cannot continue", adding: "We simply have to resolve this before we have a fair trial." He thanked them for their service and said he was sorry for where the trial had "ended up". Mr Alfonso and Mr Longworth, a handyman, entered a civil partnership in February 2023. The court heard Mosquera, described by prosecutors as a "pornographic performer", stabbed Mr Alfonso to death on film while they were having sex. He is also alleged to have killed Mr Longworth with a hammer, but the jury was told Mosquera blames Mr Alfonso for his death.
BBC News
12-05-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Coming up in the West: What's happening this week?
A busy week of news is coming up, with play-off miracles required and people needed to water a floral are going to take a look at the bigger stories you might want to read over the next seven days. Play-off miracle needed It might not have gone to plan at Ashton Gate - but there's still at least 90 more minutes of football to go in the play-off City lost 3-0 to Sheffield United in the first leg on Thursday evening and the teams meet again in Yorkshire at Bramall Lane on City manager Liam Manning said: "We'll keep believing, we'll keep fighting. "That's the beauty of sport if you look at the history of it there's been many comebacks."I know this group inside out, they're hurting right now, hugely disappointed, but at the same point once we're in tomorrow we'll be ready to go Monday."There will be commentary on BBC Radio let's leave the final word to Radio Bristol's Joe Sims - who recorded this before the first leg last week. More to watch out for The trial of Yostin Mosquera, who is accused of murdering two men whose body parts were found in a suitcase on the Clifton Suspension Bridge, continues at the Old BaileyBBC Radio Wiltshire will be looking at a number of dog attacks across the county in recent monthsThere's a new General Medical Council hearing for former Bristol-based consultant Tony Dixon. A tribunal previously ruled he used artificial mesh to treat prolapsed bowels at Southmead Hospital in BristolWe'll be talking to players from Gloucestershire County Cricket Club - the reigning T20 Blast champions - ahead of this year's tournament There's a drop-in event taking place on Wednesday for people to find out about the work on the Chelston link road from J26 of the M5, which is due to start next month Floral clock watering Remember the floral clock in Weston-super-Mare that was concreted over?Well, it's back and the council is looking for volunteers to help water it over the have more details about how you can help later this week on the BBC News website, Radio Bristol and Points West. Bowls in the spotlight Players from all over the country will descend on Devizes in Wiltshire this weekend when the town hosts the prestigious Inter-County Bowls part of the early stages of the Balcomb Trophy - which is a big thing in the bowls if you fancy going, tickets for spectators are chairman, David Silvester, said: "We're delighted to be hosting this year's Inter-County event. It's a brilliant opportunity for the local community to experience top-class bowls and support their county."
Sky News
07-05-2025
- Sky News
Man whose body was found in suitcase 'had raped and blackmailed teenager', court told
A man whose dismembered body was found in a suitcase had raped and blackmailed a teenager, a court has heard. The remains of Albert Alfonso, 62, and Paul Longworth, 71, were found in a suitcase and trunk which had been left near the Clifton Suspension Bridge in Bristol in July 2024. Yostin Mosquera is on trial at the Old Bailey in London accused of murdering and dismembering Mr Alfonso and Mr Longworth. The 35-year-old denies both murders but has admitted the manslaughter of Mr Alfonso. A witness, giving evidence under the pseudonym James Smith, appeared at the trial by video link on Wednesday. Mr Smith said he met Mr Alfonso nearly 20 years ago when he was around 17 or 18 and had gone to his flat for drinks. He said he remembered drinking heavily and then waking up with a "banging headache". "I said to him, 'what's happened?' - he showed me a video of me on all fours and he was penetrating me," he told the court. "I didn't know what to do. I was mortified. At this point, I didn't know my sexuality - I was confused and scared." He said Mr Alfonso told him if he did "favours", the video would never be shared. Under cross-examination, defence barrister Tom Little KC asked: "Does it cross your mind, looking back, that you were raped?" "Now, yes," Mr Smith replied. "And does it cross your mind that your drink may have been spiked?", the barrister asked. "Now, yes," the witness responded. "Does it cross your mind that you were groomed by Albert Alfonso?", Mr Little asked. "Now, yes," Mr Smith said. After the alleged incident, the two met regularly, with Mr Alfonso paying Mr Smith around £150 for each sexual encounter, the court heard. During the COVID pandemic, the witness said he became closer with Mr Alfonso and began spending time with Mr Longworth. Mr Smith told the court he was later introduced to Mosquera. He said the relationship between Mosquera and Mr Alfonso was "good - very good". "I didn't see anything that seemed like they disliked each other," he added. He described Mr Longworth as someone who "wouldn't hurt a fly". Mr Smith said the final time he saw Mr Alfonso and Mr Longworth was on a Friday evening before the bodies were discovered. "Albert gave me a hug, Paul gave me a hug, and that was the last I heard of those two," he said. The trial continues.
BBC News
07-05-2025
- BBC News
Man whose remains found in suitcase in Bristol 'raped and blackmailed teen'
Man whose remains found in suitcase 'raped teen' 8 minutes ago Share Save Sarah Jones BBC News, West of England Share Save Albert Alfonso/Flickr (left to right) Yostin Mosquera, 34, Albert Alfonso, 62, and Paul Longworth, 71, pictured on a boat in Colombia WARNING: This article contains material that some people may find distressing. A man whose dismembered body was found in a suitcase had raped and blackmailed a teenager, a court has heard. The remains of Albert Alfonso, 62, and Paul Longworth, 71, were found in a suitcase and trunk left near the Clifton Suspension Bridge in Bristol in July 2024, having been taken there from London. At the trial of Yostin Mosquera, who is accused of murdering and dismembering the two men, a witness told the court he had been blackmailed by Mr Alfonso in exchange for sexual "favours". Colombian national, Mr Mosquera, 35, denies both murders but has admitted the manslaughter of Mr Alfonso. Using the pseudonym James Smith, the witness told the jury at the Old Bailey he was about 17 or 18 years old when he first met Mr Alfonso, nearly 20 years ago. Giving evidence via video link, he said he had gone to Mr Alfonso's flat for drinks after a rugby match and waking up with a "banging headache". When Mr Smith asked 'what's happened?', Mr Alfonso showed him a video of himself performing sex acts on Mr Smith. "I didn't know what to do. I was mortified. At this point I didn't know my sexuality - I was confused and scared," he told the court. "[Being a] black boy in London, gay, whether you were drunk or not - it didn't matter." He said Mr Alfonso told him he was "not going to show anyone" and if he did "favours" for him, the video would never be shared. Reuters The remains of Albert Alfonso, 62, and Paul Longworth, 71, were found near the Clifton Suspension Bridge Under cross-examination, defence barrister Tom Little KC asked Mr Smith: "Does it cross your mind, looking back, that you were raped?" "Now, yes," he replied. "And does it cross your mind that your drink may have been spiked?" the barrister asked. "Now, yes." "Does it cross your mind that you were groomed by Albert Alfonso?" "Now, yes," Mr Smith said. He said that Mr Alfonso had told him that he was interested in "black dominatrix" fantasies and described fetishes involving "master-slave" dynamics. Mr Alfonso would pay him about £150 for each sexual encounter, the court heard, and over time, the meetings became routine and involved consensual acts. Mr Smith said that he would sometimes initiate contact when he needed money. Julia Quenzler Yostin Mosquera is being supported by an interpreter at the Old Bailey During the Covid pandemic, Mr Smith said he became closer with Mr Alfonso and started spending time with Mr Longworth - going on bike rides with them and occasionally being supported financially. He told the court that when he was later introduced to Mr Mosquera, Mr Alfonso described him as a young man from Colombia who was staying with them while attending Ealing College. He said Mr Alfonso claimed he was paying Mr Mosquera's travel and college fees, and that Mr Mosquera told him he had a wife and child back home. "I asked if he was gay or straight - he said he was just doing it for the money," Mr Smith said. "I said, 'Great - so was I'." He said the three had taken part in a sex session together the week before the killings. Describing the relationship between Mr Mosquera and Mr Alfonso, the witness said it seemed "good - very good". "He was going to London with him, sightseeing, he seemed fun," he said. "I didn't see anything that seemed like they disliked each other." Speaking about Mr Longworth, he added: "He wouldn't hurt a fly. After the sessions he would come and sit with us and talk with us." The trial continues. Follow BBC Bristol on Facebook, X and Instagram. Send your story ideas to us on email or via WhatsApp on 0800 313 4630.
The Independent
06-05-2025
- The Independent
Man's remains were found in suitcase alongside Arsenal towel, court hears
The remains of a man who was stabbed to death were found in a suitcase alongside an Arsenal FC towel at Clifton Suspension Bridge, a court has heard. Albert Alfonso, 62, and Paul Longworth, 71, were allegedly murdered and dismembered before their remains were abandoned at the Bristol landmark in July 2024. Yostin Mosquera, 35, is on trial at the Old Bailey, where he denies both murders but admits the manslaughter of Mr Alfonso. On Tuesday, jurors heard from Dr Deborah Cook, a forensic pathologist who examined the victims' remains. The court was told Mr Alfonso's remains were found in a red hard-shell suitcase alongside the Arsenal towel. Police later discovered his head in the freezer at their flat in west London, which was wearing a swimming cap and black leather eye mask, the court was told. Dr Cook said his torso had 13 stab wounds, one of which had penetrated the left lung. The injuries were consistent with the use of small kitchen knives, such as paring knives, she said. The court was told Mr Longworth had suffered at least 10 hammer blows to the head. 'The pattern is in keeping with the forceful use of a hammer,' Dr Cook said. Injuries to Mr Longworth's hands were described as 'consistent with defence-type injuries', suggesting he had tried to shield himself during the attack. Prosecutor Deanna Heer KC told the court Mr Alfonso appeared to have been sniffing muscle relaxant drugs known as 'poppers' around the time of his death. 'During the sexual activity at the time of Mr Alfonso's death, he was sniffing from a bottle,' Ms Heer said. 'Toxicological analysis might show he was taking what is known colloquially as poppers.' The court then heard a witness statement from Paul Greenwood, who had worked with both victims on a residential estate in west London. He described Mr Alfonso as a 'friendly, talkative boss who could be flamboyant', and said Mr Longworth was 'a jovial man' but also a 'borderline alcoholic'. 'They seemed to have an easy relationship – I would say they had a symbiotic relationship,' he said. He said Mr Longworth had once sent him photos of the pair on holiday in Colombia alongside a third man, which were shown to the court. Mr Greenwood said he 'did not think any more of the pictures' but has since realised the third man was 'Yostin, as I now know him'. The trial continues.
