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Daily Mail
06-08-2025
- Daily Mail
Footy player confronts the cop who LIED during sexual assault case that almost ended his career
Jack De Belin has attended court on Tuesday as the police officer who perjured himself during the NRL star's sexual assault trial argued he should be spared from spending time in jail. Legal counsel for the police officer, who can only be referred to as Officer A due to a suppression order, argued in the Wollongong District Court that their client should be spared jail. Mr De Belin and Callan Sinclair - who was his co-accused during the sexual assault trial - were also in attendance for the hearing, with the officer now set to return to court for sentencing on September 12. Officer A had pleaded guilty to one count of perjury after he gave false evidence under oath during a pre-trial hearing in relation to the proceedings against the St George Illawarra player and his friend Sinclair. The charge relates to his handling of legally privileged text messages that were found on De Belin's mobile phone, which was seized as part of police investigations in 2019. De Belin and Sinclair were accused of sexually assaulting a 19-year-old woman in December 2018. The Director of Public Prosecutions later dropped the charges against both men. De Belin and Sinclair have maintained their innocence throughout, stating any sexual contact was consensual. Police had accessed 203 text messages on De Belin's phone as part of their investigations, with prosecutor Ciro Triscari telling the court on Tuesday that 190 of those messages contained 'privileged communications between Mr De Belin and his lawyer', Craig Osborne. Osborne, who is also a director at St George Illawarra Dragons, was labelled in De Belin's phone as 'Craig Lawyer' and had been representing him during the proceedings. During a pre-trial hearing in February 2020, counsel for De Belin and Sinclair argued that accessing this information on the seized mobile phone breached their clients' right to a fair trial. They subsequently issued a stay application for proceedings, which was rejected. The pair first appeared in the NSW District Court in 2020, but the trial ended without a verdict. A second trial took place in 2021, but the jury again failed to reach a verdict, with the charges against them eventually dropped. Officer A had been the subject of an internal three-year investigation by the NSW Police Professional Standards Command and was later charged with perjury relating to the evidence he gave at the pre-trial hearing. He had told the court that the correspondence on De Belin's phone with 'Craig Lawyer' related only to 'Dragons business'. But the police officer also admitted to knowing Mr Osborne was working for RMB Lawyers - the firm which was representing De Belin during the proceedings. Officer A has since pleaded guilty to perjuring himself by falsely claiming that the information in the messages pertained only to 'Dragons business'. Prosecutor Triscari told the court on Tuesday that Officer A had 'deliberately misled the court' when making that statement. The prosecutor said: 'This represents a serious example of perjury when one considers the position occupied by the offender in question. 'The proceedings are serious criminal proceedings where the liberty of individuals was at stake.' Officer A's barrister Peggy Dwyer SC told the court that her client had been suffering from complex post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depressive illnesses after being subjected to 'gruesome and disturbing incidents' during his employment as a police officer. 'There can be no doubt he was suffering from PTSD in February and that it impacted his capacity to give evidence,' Dwyer told the court. She argued that the perjury was 'an innocent mistake' that had been 'made in a moment of panic' and said Officer A was a 'man of great character'. Dwyer argued that the actions of Officer A had not impacted the eventual trial of De Belin or Sinclair. 'This was not a case where anything [Officer A] did or didn't do changed whether or not they were charged,' Dwyer said. Counsel for Officer A then urged the court not to impose a jail term on their client. Instead, Dwyer told the court that any custodial sentence that potentially might be handed down should be served in the community as part of an Intensive Corrective Order. Dwyer told the court that any jail term could be 'catastrophic' for Officer A's well-being. The police officer had been stood down from his role in August 2023 on medical grounds. Meanwhile, De Belin was sidelined from playing for the Dragons for three years under the NRL's no-fault stand-down rule while the legal proceedings took place.
Daily Mail
01-08-2025
- Daily Mail
Showjumper 'pestered rider for sex in exchange for free lessons - then they both had threesome with underage girl'
A showjumper has been accused of 'pestering' a female rider for sex in exchange for free lessons - before the pair then went on to have a threesome with an underage teenager just months later, a court has heard. Horse-riding instructor Guy Simmonds, 37, began flirting with fellow rider Lauren Jarvis, 26, when she attended his yard for a lesson with her horse. A court heard Jarvis said Simmonds told her: 'I wish you would ride me like you ride your horses.' She received WhatsApp messages from Simmonds on the same day as the lesson asking her for 'inappropriate images.' Giving evidence, Jarvis said: 'He was trying to get me to send him inappropriate images while I was in a relationship with my boyfriend. It was the same day I had the riding lesson. 'I approached my boyfriend and made him aware and then I blocked Guy for a little while on WhatsApp messenger.' Cardiff Crown Court heard Jarvis spoke with Simmonds two years later when she received a message from him saying 'hi' after she had broken up with her long-term partner. She said: 'He started to become quite flirty towards me. He started pestering me for sex.' Jarvis said Simmonds sent flirty messages to her every week until she finally 'gave in' and had sex with him in October 2023 - three months before the alleged threesome with an underage girl. She told the jury Simmonds came to her home in Newport, Gwent, under the guise of coming for a coffee before they had sex for the first time. Jarvis said: 'He was ok at first then he started being flirty. 'He wanted me to have sex with him. He asked me to have sex with him. I felt uncomfortable. He asked me a few times before I gave in. 'When he asked it was quite calm at first, then it got quite aggressive because I wasn't giving in.' Jarvis, who worked night shifts as support care worker, said Simmonds told her she could have free riding lessons in exchange for sex. She said: 'He said I could have the lessons weekly with him if I returned the favour with sex. I didn't want to do it. He kept pestering me for that sex.' Jarvis said Simmonds repeatedly turned up at her flat before letting himself in to have sex with her - leaving her feeling 'scared.' She said she started to pay £40 an hour for lessons in a bid to stop him turning up at her address. The court heard the alleged threesome took place in January last year when Simmonds messaged Jarvis to see if the victim was at her house. But Jarvis claims she believed the conversation was 'banter and a wind up' before Simmonds walked in and said: 'Who am I having first?' Jarvis said: 'I said I didn't want to take any part in a threesome at all. He said: 'I didn't come here for nothing.' He meant that he wanted sex. He said it very aggressively.' The court heard Jarvis had sex with Simmonds but claims the underage victim went downstairs while the encounter took place. Jarvis said the victim returned upstairs before she left the youngster alone with Simmonds in her bedroom for between 10 to 15 minutes. The court heard Simmonds messaged Jarvis after the alleged threesome to say: 'Hey, I have a feeling that she has said about us. If anyone asks for sake of both of us nothing ever happened that night xx.' Prosecutor James Hartson said there had been a 'clear element of grooming behaviour' from Simmonds before the threesome even though he had 'no doubt at all' about the victim's age. Simmonds told the court he had made an agreement with his partner Rebecca Dimes, 34, that he could 'stray' in their relationship but she 'did not want to know anything about it.' He denied any sexual contact with the victim and claimed the girl had faked WhatsApp conversations relating to the alleged threesome. Simmonds is accused of six counts of sexual activity with a child and Jarvis faces one charge of sexual activity with a child. Simmonds, of Undy, Gwent, and Jarvis, of Newport, deny all charges. The trial, before judge Lucy Crowther, continues.
CTV News
26-07-2025
- CTV News
Repeat high-risk offender back in custody 24 hours after release
Medhani Yohans is back in police custody, less than 24 hours after being released for the third time in a year. The 36-year-old is a known high-risk offender. Guelph Police said Yohans has a history of violence, including two sexual assaults involving strangers. He was arrested in March and released from custody on Thursday afternoon following a sentencing hearing at a Guelph courthouse. Shortly after, police once again issued a warning to the community. Anyone who spotted Yohans was asked to contact police to ensure he was abiding his release conditions. On Friday afternoon, he was arrested again and charged with four counts of breach of probation, disobeying a court order and criminal harassment. Yohans remains in police custody until his next court date on July 28. 'The Guelph Police Service extends its thanks to the community for their vigilance and assistance in this matter,' read Friday's release.
BBC News
23-07-2025
- BBC News
Idaho killer Bryan Kohberger faces families of college victims at sentencing
Update: Date: 16:15 BST Title: Victim statements begin with roommate Bethany Funke Content: Bethany Funke's friend Emily Alandt is reading a victim impact statement on her behalf. "I not only lost some of my best friends, I also lost a sister," Emily tells the court as Kohberger sits opposite motionless. "I was scared to death not knowing what had happened." Update: Date: 16:13 BST Title: Lawyers tell judge there is no reason sentence shouldn't be handed down today Content: The hearing is just getting underway now. The judge asks lawyers on both sides if there is any reason why Kohberger shouldn't be sentenced today - both sides say no. The state says they do not plant to present any evidence beyond impact statements from friends and family of the victims, including photographs. Those delivering the impact statements tell the court that they do not mind being on camera. Update: Date: 16:07 BST Title: Proceedings begin Content: Judge Steven Hippler has begun court proceedings. Stick with us. Update: Date: 16:06 BST Title: 'Deal with the devil': Victims families divided on plea deal Content: The plea deal between prosecutors and Bryan Kohberger's attorneys have divided the families of the four students he admits to killing. As a reminder, as part of the deal, Kohberger will spend the rest of his life in prison, waive his rights to future appeals and parole. In exchange, prosecutors will not seek the death penalty as part of his sentence. Outside court earlier this month, the father of Kaylee Goncalves, Steve, said he felt "pretty let down". He said the state "made a deal with the devil". The family wanted a full confession, including details about the location of the murder weapon and confirmation the defendant acted alone. The family of Kaylee Goncalves arrive in court earlier this month But others felt the plea agreement would help grieving families put this matter behind them. Ben Mogen, whose daughter Madison died in the attack, told CBS, the BBC's US partner, that he felt that the agreement represented "justice". He said drawn-out discussions involving the death penalty would have meant continued "torture" for families who had already gone through "the most horrific thing they could ever imagine". Read more of our coverage here. This video can not be played 'We can now figure out how to go on without the kids', says father of Madison Mogen Update: Date: 16:06 BST Title: Bryan Kohberger in court for proceedings Content: Bryan Kohberger in now in court awaiting sentencing. He is wearing an orange jumpsuit and is handcuffed. Judge Steven Hippler tells everyone to sit, and they will begin in five minutes. Update: Date: 16:01 BST Title: Who is Bryan Kohberger? Content: Bryan Kohberger in May 2023 Bryan Kohberger, 30, was a doctoral student in criminology at the time of the Idaho quadruple murders. He was studying at Washington State University in Pullman, a short drive across state lines from the University of Idaho's Moscow campus. Before moving westwards, Kohberger had spent most of his life in his home state Pennsylvania. He attended at DeSales University in Center Valley, a Catholic institution about 50 miles northwest of Philadelphia. There he studied for a bachelor's degree in psychology followed by a master's in criminology. At DeSales, Kohberger studied under Professor Katherine Ramsland, an expert in serial killings. She described him in a recent interview with NewsNation as "a promising student who really could have made a mark in this career in a very positive way". Ramsland said she wonders if her classes may have inspired Kohberger's actions. "I have to look at the framework of what I taught and wonder, did I inspire him in some way?" she said. "But I can't second guess that, because I may have inspired somebody else to become an FBI agent". Update: Date: 15:50 BST Title: Victims' families begin arriving at court Content: Steve and Kristi Goncalves, the parents of victim Kaylee Goncalves, have arrived at court. They avoided questions from reporters as they walked in hand-in-hand. Their lawyer has said they will be speaking today. Update: Date: 15:50 BST Title: Who are the victims? Content: Madison Mogen (L) and Xana Kernodle We will likely hear from the families of Kohberger's victims at today's sentencing hearing. Ethan Chapin, 20, Kaylee Goncalves, 21, Xana Kernodle, 20 and Madison Mogen, 21, were killed in their shared off-campus home in the city of Moscow, Idaho in November 2022. The two others in the house, Bethany Funke and Dylan Mortensen, survived. Panicked texts between the surviving roommates were used by authorities to paint a picture of that night, and since, family members have spoken up about the murders. The father of Madison Mogen described the loss of all four students as 'the most horrific thing' the families could ever imagine. After Kohberger's guilty plea, Ben Mogen said the families can now focus on how to move on without their kids. Her father has said the marketing student was "known for her ability to make others smile and laugh". Goncalves, Mogen's good friend, was a "defender and protector" of her family who "did absolutely everything she set her mind to", relatives said. Chapin's mother said her son, who was a triplet, was "the life of the party" and "the kindest person". Kernodle was a strong-willed student who was with her friends "all the time", her father said. A frame of photos of Ethan Chapin, Madison Mogen, Xana Kernodle and Kaylee Goncalves Update: Date: 15:40 BST Title: Crowds wait for hours outside courthouse Content: It's no understatement to say this case has garnered a huge amount of interest. And that is clear today. Videos posted online show long lines outside the at Ada County Courthouse as members of the public and the media queue outside the doors hours before proceedings begin. Some have camping chairs, others sit on the ground or stand. There is a row of media stations set up outside so reporters can go on air. Proceedings are scheduled to begin at around 9:00 local time (1600BST), so stick with us. Update: Date: 15:38 BST Title: What happened on 13 November 2022? Content: In the early morning hours of 13 November 2022, four students at the University of Idaho were stabbed to death in their off-campus residence after a night out. The murders rocked the small town of Moscow, especially because no suspect was immediately named. Two other roommates survived, and no weapon was found. At about noon, the two surviving roommates called police to report an "unconscious person". When police arrived, they found the bodies of roommates Madison Mogen, 21, Kaylee Goncalves, 21, and Xana Kernodle, 20, as well as Kernodle's boyfriend, Ethan Chapin, 20. After a six-week manhunt, Kohberger arrested at his Pennsylvania family home, after investigators said they found DNA evidence on a "leather knife sheath" recovered at the crime scene. He was indicted by a grand jury in May 2023 and pleaded guilty to the murders earlier this month. Update: Date: 15:38 BST Title: Bryan Kohberger faces sentencing for killing four university students Content: Madeline HalpertUS reporter We're standing by, waiting for court proceedings to begin that will see 30-year-old Bryan Kohberger sentenced for the four murders of University of Idaho students in 2022. Today's sentencing hearing is expected to last most of the day - and could even go into Thursday to ensure families have the time to address the court, as there will be time allotted for victims' impact statements. During the hearing, which you'll be able to watch at the top of this page, families of the victims will have their first chance to speak directly to Kohberger and read statements about the effect these killings and the loss of their loved ones have had on their lives. The court could also hear for Kohberger himself, who has not ever indicated any motive for the killings. Kohberger will be given the opportunity to speak, but is not required to do so. After all that is done, the judge will hand down a sentence for Kohberger, which is expected to be life in prison. We'll be bringing you all the top lines, so stick with us.
CTV News
20-06-2025
- CTV News
Warning graphic: Parents write ‘poignant' letter to deceased son for accused son's Windsor court hearing
An Ontario Superior Court of Justice building can be seen on Tuesday, April 13, 2021. (Michelle Maluske/CTV Windsor) Parents write a 'poignant' letter to their deceased son for their accused son's court hearing in Windsor. Warning: contains graphic content. An 18-year-old from Lakeshore has previously pleaded guilty to second degree murder for killing his 12-year-old brother. The crime happened in April 2023 at the family home when the accused was 16 years of age. As a result, a publication ban prohibits the media from reporting the accused age or any evidence which might identify him. At the accused sentencing hearing Thursday, the parents submitted a Victim Impact Statement in the form of a letter to their deceased son. Director of Crown Operations Belinda Pagliaroli read it into the record on the family's behalf: We don't know where to start. To say that our world was forever changed since the day we lost you is an understatement. There are no words that can adequately describe how much you are missed. Your life was the highlight of ours. From the moment you were born, you brought love, laughter and meaning to our lives. You were smart, loyal, caring and kind. An absolute joy and we are so proud of you. We miss you every minute of every day with every fibre of our body and soul. I hope you can understand that by continuing to support (the accused) it does not mean that we don't hold him accountable for what he did. Just know that as his parents also, we love him and want to help him. We know that he wishes he could take back what happened. We hope that (the accused) can get the help he needs and that we get the chance to become a family once again. We love you more everyday (victim). You are missed dearly by all you left behind – not only your family but your many friends. We carry you with us in our hearts wherever we go, and I wait impatiently for the time we can see you again. Love, Mom and Dad Justice Bruce Thomas called the letter a 'poignant message' that was unlike any he had heard in his long career on the bench. Youth vs. adult sentence The judge has been asked by the prosecution to sentence the accused as an adult. Crown Attorney Eric Costaris says that way, the youth will have access to the mental health services he needs over the long term but will also be placed under parole restrictions for the rest of his life when his time incarcerated is over. 'The youth system does not have a monopoly on counselling for mental health services,' Costaris argued. Costaris reminded the court, the Youth Criminal Justice Act automatically allows a youth sentenced as an adult to apply for parole after serving seven years from the date of the offence. The defence on the other hand wants the accused sentenced as a youth. They believe their client has started to show improvement with the help of the staff at a specialized facility since his arrest in April 2023. 'They want him to stay,' Julie Santarossa argued, telling the judge youth workers have a comprehensive plan laid out ready to begin to help the accused with his mental health. Court learned the accused has Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and a learning disability but does not have autism. The accused himself told police he has always been 'disconnected from his emotions'. Even after admitting to killing his brother, the accused had 'no feelings' about it and couldn't provide a reason for why he attacked his brother with a baseball bat that day. If sentenced as a youth, the accused would be incarcerated for four years and then serve three years of community service, starting from the date of sentencing. His lawyers have asked he not get credit for his pre-trial custody. They reminded Justice Thomas if there is 'zero progress' by the accused while incarcerated or serious concerns for the court, it can reexamine the sentence parameters. Justice Thomas will have his decision on Oct. 1.
