Babak Belurs

Kamis, 05 Mei 2022

Baby P: Tracey Connelly set to be released from prison after government challenge rejected - Sky News

Tracey Connelly, the mother of Baby P, who died after months of abuse, will be released from prison after the Parole Board rejected a government challenge against its ruling.

Connelly was jailed in 2009 over the death of her 17-month-old son, Peter, who suffered more than 50 injuries, including fractured ribs and a broken back.

The case sparked outrage as Baby P received 60 visits from social workers, police and health professionals over eight months.

Justice Secretary Dominic Raab had asked the Parole Board to reconsider their decision to release Connelly.

Responding to the ruling, he said her actions were "pure evil" and the choice made by the board demonstrates why it "needs a fundamental overhaul - including a ministerial check for the most serious offenders".

The decision means the 40-year-old could be freed from prison within weeks.

However, she will be subject to restrictions on her movements, activities, who she contacts and 20 extra licence conditions.

These include living at a specified address, wearing an electronic tag, following a curfew and having to disclose her relationships.

She has also been told she cannot go to certain places to "avoid contact with victims and to protect children".

Connelly was released on licence in 2013 but was recalled to prison just two years later for breaching her parole conditions.

In the past seven years, she has been refused parole three times.

Her boyfriend, Steven Barker, and his brother, Jason Owen, were also imprisoned after being convicted in relation to Peter's death.

In March, the Parole Board, which is independent of the government, decided Connelly was fit for release, despite three bids for her to remain behind bars.

The board heard how she is now considered to be at "low risk of committing a further offence" and that probation officers and prison officials support the plan.

On Thursday, a spokesperson said that, following the appeal made by Mr Raab, a judge has ruled the original decision to release Connelly "was not irrational" and had been upheld.

The justice secretary's request was made under the so-called reconsideration mechanism, which allows him, or the prisoner, to challenge the board's decision within 21 days if they believe it to be "procedurally unfair" or "irrational".

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2022-05-05 15:00:00Z
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Local election results 2022: Tories face Labour challenge — follow latest - The Times

Key moments

First declaration, expected to be Sunderland, from 2am

Key London results from 3am

Sinn Fein likely to become largest party in Northern Ireland for the first time

Newcastle-under-Lyme seen as bellwether council

It is hard to think of a time in recent years when a set of midterm local elections has been so consequential. From the North and Midlands, to London and the South, Scotland and Wales, today’s date with the ballot box represents a critical juncture that could determine Boris Johnson’s future.

For the Conservatives, it will be the first significant test of public opinion since the Downing Street parties scandal as Tory MPs assess whether the prime minister is more of an electoral liability than asset.

Yet for Labour and Sir Keir Starmer, the polls will also be a barometer of whether his party can regain ground in Scotland and key red-wall seats which, if anything, have moved further towards the Conservatives since they were last contested in 2018. For the Liberal Democrats, the elections will show whether the party is finally re-emerging as an electoral force.

• Local elections 2022: What are the key battlegrounds?

Boris Johnson was accompanied by his dog, Dilyn, as he voted this morning. Sir Keir Starmer and his wife, Victoria, cast their votes at a polling station in north London.

The prime minister brought his dog, Dilyn, to the polling station

TIMES PHOTOGRAPHER JACK HILL

The Labour leader was joined by his wife, Victoria

AARON CHOWN/PA

33 minutes ago

5.15pm

What to watch out for as results are announced

When are the results due in England?

Overall, more than 5,000 council seats are up for grabs across 197 councils. The first few declarations from 2am tomorrow will begin to paint a picture for Labour in its former strongholds.

Sunderland has been under Labour control since 1973 and the party does not expect that to change, but the fear is that the Conservatives and the Liberal Democrats could make significant progress in the city that backed Brexit in 2016.

Bolton could be the first scalp for Labour and it is seen as having potential for an early boost if the party can take the only Conservative-run borough in Greater Manchester.

The biggest tests for the Tories

Some of the most severe judgments for the Conservatives will come in London from about 3am.

Westminster has been held by the Tories continuously since 1964, but in key wards only a few votes could be decisive. On the campaign trail, canvassers hope voters focus on local issues rather than national scandals, while Labour admitted it would be tough to take the council.

There will be a big fight in Wandsworth, though, where Conservatives are relying on low council tax as a vote-winner as it is the only authority in the capital to have cut rates.

Conservatives recognise that if they lost Wandsworth — Margaret Thatcher’s favourite council — it would be a huge blow. Activists have been told the area is a priority for door-knocking and results are expected from about 5am tomorrow.

When will results come in from Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales?

The first signs from Northern Ireland assembly elections will appear at lunchtime, where Sinn Fein is likely to become the largest party in the province for the first time.

Results from Wales and Scotland will also start to filter in at about this time. There are not many surprises expected in Wales, but Labour hopes to win back some votes from the SNP in Scotland.

The polling station at Gilling East Village Hall near Helmsley, Yorkshire, continues to operate as Bill Sharp of The Ryedale Society of Model Engineers tests his Peppercorn A1 mini steam locomotives

TIMES PHOTOGRAPHER JAMES GLOSSOP

A polling station at Stockwell Primary School. Some of the key tests for the Conservative Party will be in London

TIMES PHOTOGRAPHER JACK HILL

A dog stops for a rest at the Merchants Tavern pub in Newcastle upon Tyne, as people continue to indulge in the recent trend of taking pictures of their pets outside of polling stations

NORTH NEWS AND PICTURES

The bellwether council

Back in England, from 3pm an all-out fight in Newcastle-under-Lyme in Staffordshire will be a bellwether. The council has no overall control and the town’s Conservative MP, Aaron Bell, has called for Johnson to go.

It is also an area where Labour is hoping, perhaps expecting, to see some green shoots after a drubbing in the national polls in 2019.

By this point, there should be a clearer picture of how the parties have fared, although some counts will still be taking place.

Conservative strategists claim the Tories could face losses of up to 800 seats. More sensible estimates put the damage at between 200 and 300.

Labour has suggested the wins and losses will balance out.

In reality, low voter turnout will mean making national predictions in the post-election analysis will be problematic.

48 minutes ago

5.00pm

Voters head to the polls across UK

Welcome to The Times’s live coverage of the 2022 local election results. Polling is well under way across the country, with the first results due in the early hours of Friday. Results will continue throughout Friday and into Saturday, and you can follow all the results live here.

On Times Radio you can listen to live coverage of the results, plus full reaction and analysis through the night. Things kick off at 10pm with Carole Walker, followed by Matt Chorley at 1am and then Calum Macdonald at 3am.

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2022-05-05 16:15:00Z
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Rabu, 04 Mei 2022

Neil Parish resigns as an MP after admitting watching pornography in the Commons - Sky News

Neil Parish has formally resigned as an MP after admitting watching pornography in the House of Commons.

Reports emerged last week that an MP had been seen watching pornography on the Commons benches.

Mr Parish then came forward, admitting that he had twice watched pornography in the chamber.

He claimed the first time was accidental after looking at tractors online but that the second was "a moment of madness".

The 65-year-old farmer announced that he would be resigning after recognising the "furore" and "damage" he was causing his family and constituency.

A statement from the Treasury said they had formally appointed Mr Parish, a Conservative, to be Steward and Bailiff of the Manor of Northstead - a formality allowing MPs resign from office.

The announcement will trigger a by-election for the MP's seat of Tiverton and Honiton, which is in Devon, though no date has yet been set.

It had been held since 2010 by Mr Parish, who at the 2019 general election enjoyed a majority of more than 24,000.

It comes after another Tory MP, Imran Ahmad Khan, resigned as MP for Wakefield after he was found guilty of sexually assaulting a 15-year-old boy.

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2022-05-04 14:17:43Z
CBMidGh0dHBzOi8vbmV3cy5za3kuY29tL3N0b3J5L25laWwtcGFyaXNoLXJlc2lnbnMtYXMtYW4tbXAtYWZ0ZXItYWRtaXR0aW5nLXdhdGNoaW5nLXBvcm5vZ3JhcGh5LWluLXRoZS1jb21tb25zLTEyNjA1Mjkx0gF4aHR0cHM6Ly9uZXdzLnNreS5jb20vc3RvcnkvYW1wL25laWwtcGFyaXNoLXJlc2lnbnMtYXMtYW4tbXAtYWZ0ZXItYWRtaXR0aW5nLXdhdGNoaW5nLXBvcm5vZ3JhcGh5LWluLXRoZS1jb21tb25zLTEyNjA1Mjkx

Lukasz Czapla found guilty of murdering two-year-old son in act of 'revenge and jealousy' - Sky News

A man has been convicted of murdering his two-year-old son by shooting him repeatedly in the head with an air gun, before stabbing and smothering him.

Lukasz Czapla killed his son, Julius, after discovering the child's mother was in a new relationship. He was given a life sentence and will serve at least 23 years in prison.

The High Court in Edinburgh heard it was an act of "revenge and jealousy".

The former IT technician had pleaded guilty to culpable homicide, claiming diminished responsibility but prosecutors declined his plea and pursued a murder conviction.

The 41-year-old told the court he shot his son while he was sleeping with a gas-powered air pistol in an attempt to kill him.

When the child woke up, in distress, he stabbed him with a skewer and smothered him with a pillow.

Julius had stayed at his father's flat at Muirhouse, Edinburgh, in November 2020. The boy's parents had separated two months previously.

Giving evidence during the trial, Czapla claimed that he killed his son because he had decided to end his own life and did not want to leave him alone.

He said he tried to kill himself using various methods as "he didn't want to live".

Czapla was asked by his lawyer Iain McSporran QC: "When you shot Julius in the head, did you think that would kill him?"

Czapla replied: "Yes."

Mr McSporran asked: "And do you recall how many shots you fired?"

Czapla replied: "No."

The lawyer asked: "What was the effect of shooting him in the head?"

Czapla said: "He woke up."

Mr McSporran asked: "What were you trying to do?"

Czapla replied: "Well, I thought he would leave this world instantly. He would stop living."

Mr McSporran asked: "Did you want him to suffer?"

Czapla replied: "No, no. I did not want him to suffer at all. That was not the intention. I had this stupid idea from the TV that people just die instantly."

The court heard that Czapla then smothered and stabbed his son.

'My baby, my baby, he killed my baby'

Julius was described in evidence by a neighbour, Joanne Gorrie, as an "intelligent child" and a "lovely, happy wee boy".

She told how his mother, Patrycja Szczesniak, had gone to Czapla's flat on the morning of 21 November 2020 and emerged screaming: "My baby, my baby, he killed my baby."

Prosecutor Alan Cameron told the jury that, despite Czapla's claims of diminished responsibility, the evidence showed that he was motivated by anger and jealousy.

Referring to a series of text messages he had sent to Patrycja on the night of the murder, Mr Cameron said: "What really set him off that night, what p***ed him off, what infuriated him to use his own language, was her refusal to answer questions about her new partner and their sex life - not about her son at all."

'My suffering and my pain will stay with me for the rest of my life'

Speaking after Czapla's conviction, Ms Szczesniak said her family will "fight to ensure that monster never leaves prison".

"Juliusz was murdered only for revenge. His dad wanted me to suffer, he succeeded and achieved his goal, at the cost of my beloved little boy's life," she said in a statement.

"We want to believe in the justice system and that justice will be served, although I know there is no sentence that will bring my angel back to life."

Ms Szczesniak paid tribute to her son, describing him as "a very happy child" who could "put a smile on anyone's face".

"It is breaking our hearts that we are no longer able to take his hand and lead him through life. To watch him enjoy riding his bike and eating his favourite ice cream," she said.

"Every day I think about Juliusz. I can't imagine what his little, helpless heart felt that night and I feel his fear and pain every day. He was part of me, part of my heart and soul.

"My suffering and my pain will stay with me for the rest of my life. But the unconditional love I have for my baby; my dearest child Juliusz will never end."

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2022-05-04 15:22:30Z
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