Latest news with #prisoner
CTV News
2 days ago
- General
- CTV News
Man exonerated of murder charge speaks
Winnipeg Watch A man recently exonerated of first-degree murder charges after spending more than 20 years in prison is happy to be free, but says the stigma will linger.
ABC News
4 days ago
- General
- ABC News
Prisoner Michael Rennie at large after fleeing Lotus Glen prison farm on red tractor
A prisoner remains at large after absconding from a prison farm in rural Queensland aboard a stolen tractor. Police believe Michael Graeme Rennie, 43, left Lotus Glen Low Custody Correctional Centre, about 100 kilometres west of Cairns, during a 90-minute window on Sunday. Rennie, serving a sentence of more than six years and three months for serious assault, theft, burglary, drugs, weapons and driving offences, was last seen at 10:20am on Sunday. At the time he was working at the prison farm driving a red Massey Ferguson tractor. By midday, when a head count was conducted, Rennie was gone, police said. "There have obviously been prisoners abscond from the correctional centre there in the past but I don't think anyone has left on a tractor before, " Detective Inspector Jason Chetham said. "We certainly think he's likely to have left on it. "We don't have specific concerns about what he might do in the community, not targeting anyone, but we certainly ask people not to approach him and to call us immediately if they have any information." Detective Inspector Chetham said there had been "a number of sightings" of the tractor "but nothing is confirmed at this point in time". Rennie was from far north Queensland and "doesn't have far to go to get to family", Detective Inspector Chetham said. "We're looking at all his antecedents and who he might be keen to contact or attempt to contact," he said. The Lotus Glen prison farm is part of a correctional centre located between the agricultural service towns of Mareeba and Atherton. The low security facility is one of six prison farms in Queensland and accommodates 134 prisoners. Prisoners undertake training programs at the farm to develop skills to help them find work once they are released. Detective Inspector Chetham said he did not know the tractor's maximum speed but said it would not "turn a lot of heads" if seen on the road in the Atherton Tablelands. Detective Inspector Chetham said police could call in its air wing to help find Rennie, although he declined to go into specifics of the search. He also declined to comment on security arrangements and prisoner classification at the prison farm. "They're not familiar to me and I'm not part of that department so that's probably a question for Corrective Services to answer," Detective Inspector Chetham said. Queensland Corrective Services has been contacted for comment. In February 2023, a 28-year-old man serving a two-year sentence absconded from the Lotus Glen prison farm. He was arrested more than three days later. There were also previous instances of prisoners escaping in 2020 and 2022.
The Independent
14-05-2025
- The Independent
Prisoner ‘called Emily Maitlis scornful in letters breaching restraining order'
A prisoner addressed letters to former BBC Newsnight presenter Emily Maitlis and her parents which breached a restraining order, including claims she had been 'scornful' to him during their friendship at university, a court has heard. Jurors were told that in a letter written to Ms Maitlis, who co-hosts The News Agents podcast, Edward Vines claimed he 'regularly' suffers depression because their friendship ended, and has done for 30 years. Nottingham Crown Court heard that Vines, 54, is charged with three counts of breaching a restraining order and one count of attempting to breach a restraining order, which was put in place at the same court on September 5 2022. The jury heard that the defendant, who is representing himself in the trial, sent envelopes, sometimes containing more than one letter, addressed to the broadcaster and her parents, which were intercepted by prison staff at HMP Lowdham Grange in Nottinghamshire, where he was serving a sentence. Prosecutor Fergus Malone read aloud letters to the court, posted by Vines through the prison mailing system, which included him saying he was 'distraught' about the friendship ending, three months after he told Ms Maitlis he loved her, during their time at university in Cambridge. In a letter dated in July 2023, addressed to Ms Maitlis, the jury was told that Vines wrote: 'I took the audacity of writing to you despite the restraining order because I'm still distraught about what took place between us in 1990. 'I regularly suffer depression over it and have for 30 years. I admit I'm not sure why I suffer so, but suffer I do.' In a letter addressed to her mother in May of that year, Vines had described Ms Maitlis as 'offish and scornful', the court heard. Opening the prosecution's case on Wednesday, Mr Malone told the jury: 'Edward Vines, the defendant, faces four allegations of breaching a restraining order imposed by Nottingham Crown Court on September 5 2022. 'The restraining order prohibited him from contacting Emily Maitlis, Marion Maitlis and Peter Maitlis. Emily Maitlis, you may have heard of, is a well-known broadcaster. 'The Crown's case is that the defendant wrote, addressed and posted letters whilst in prison to all three of those people between May 2023 and February 2024. 'Mr Vines was a serving prisoner at the time. In this case, all the addressed and posted letters were intercepted by prison staff at Her Majesty's Prison Lowdham Grange. 'The likely issue in this case is whether the defendant, Mr Vines, had a reasonable excuse in law to breach the restraining order and that is a matter for him to present to you in due course.' The prosecution also alleges that Vines telephoned his brother in July 2023 and asked him to contact Marion Maitlis. The trial continues.
BBC News
14-05-2025
- BBC News
Prisoner accused of breaching Emily Maitlis restraining order
A prisoner breached a restraining order by writing to television presenter Emily Maitlis from a jail, a court has Vines is on trial at Nottingham Crown Court, accused of breaching an order barring him from contacting the former BBC presenter, imposed by the same court, in said letters sent by Mr Vines, 54, included claims Ms Maitlis had been "scornful" to him during their friendship at were told that in a letter written to Ms Maitlis, who co-hosts The News Agents podcast, the defendant claimed he "regularly" suffers depression because their friendship ended, and has done for 30 years. The court heard Mr Vines is charged with three counts of breaching a restraining order and one count of attempting to breach a restraining order. The jury heard that the defendant sent envelopes addressed to the broadcaster and her parents, which were intercepted by prison staff at HMP Lowdham Grange in Nottinghamshire, where he was serving a Fergus Malone read letters to the court, posted by Mr Vines through the prison mailing system, which included Mr Vines saying he was "distraught" about the friendship ending, three months after he told Ms Maitlis he loved her, during their time at university in jury was told, in a letter dated in July 2023, addressed to Ms Maitlis, Mr Vines wrote: "I took the audacity of writing to you despite the restraining order because I'm still distraught about what took place between us in 1990."I regularly suffer depression over it and have for 30 years. I admit I'm not sure why I suffer so, but suffer I do." In a letter addressed to her mother, Mr Vines had described Ms Maitlis as "offish and scornful", the court the prosecution's case on Wednesday, Mr Malone told the jury: "The restraining order prohibited him [Mr Vines] from contacting Emily Maitlis, Marion Maitlis and Peter Maitlis. Emily Maitlis, you may have heard of, is a well-known broadcaster."The Crown's case is that the defendant wrote, addressed and posted letters whilst in prison to all three of those people between May 2023 and February 2024."Mr Vines was a serving prisoner at the time. "In this case, all the addressed and posted letters were intercepted by prison staff at Her Majesty's Prison Lowdham Grange."The likely issue in this case is whether the defendant, Mr Vines, had a reasonable excuse in law to breach the restraining order and that is a matter for him to present to you in due course."The prosecution also alleges that Mr Vines telephoned his brother in July 2023 and asked him to contact Marion trial continues.
BBC News
13-05-2025
- BBC News
Hull prisoner did not intend to end his life, inquest rules
A prisoner found hanged in his cell did not intend to end his life, a jury has Winspear, 53, who was originally from Whitby, died at HMP Hull on 8 August 2023, hours after he had appeared in court via video five-day inquest at Hull Coroners' Court heard medical staff at the prison had "no cause for concern" about Winspear in the weeks before his death and described how he had talked about his plans for the future.A jury, comprising six women and five men, ruled the death was the result of misadventure. The court heard Winspear had been transferred to HMP Hull from from HMP Lincoln on 5 July 2023. He underwent a "reception screen" to assess his physical and mental health and whether he posed a risk of self-harm or Evans, the head of healthcare at HMP Hull and a nurse of more than 18 years, described Winspear as "calm" and said he "gave no cause for concern".Ms Evans also told the court she had been reassured after Winspear had a methadone prescription reviewed and was "actively looking" for help with drug and alcohol mental health checks showed the 53-year-old had a history of anxiety and depression and suffered post-traumatic stress disorder linked to childhood abuse. Emergency alarm On 8 August 2023, prison officers said Winspear appeared "agitated and upset". He climbed on to netting on a landing after refusing to join a raised an emergency alarm after self-harming in his cell and had undergone treatment for his wounds, the officers self-harm incident was recorded and staff at the prison put a care plan in place to support him and "reduce further risk".Later that day, Winspear appeared at a court hearing via video-link and was then observed by officers seven times in a four-hour period. The jury foreman noted the checks had been carried out "more frequently than required" as she read out the the checks, officers found Winspear slumped in his cell at 17:18 BST. After resuscitation attempts by officers and health staff, paramedics declared him dead at the scene less than an hour the verdict, Ian Sprakes, assistant coroner for Hull and the East Riding, thanked the jury for their service and extended his condolences to the family of Winspear for their loss. Listen to highlights from Hull and East Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, watch the latest episode of Look North or tell us about a story you think we should be covering here.
