Ukraine war: Family of Briton on Russian death row 'devastated' at 'illegal show-trial' - Sky News

The family of a British man sentenced to death by Russian-backed separatists in Ukraine have said they are "devastated and saddened" at the outcome of the "illegal show-trial".

Shaun Pinner was captured in Mariupol in April alongside fellow Brit Aiden Aslin during the intense fight for control of the port city.

The pair were found guilty of "mercenary activities and committing actions aimed at seizing power and overthrowing the constitutional order of the Donetsk People's Republic," though their families maintain they were fighting legitimately as part of the Ukrainian army and should be treated as prisoners of war.

Zelenskyy 'didn't want to hear it' when warned about Russia, says Biden - follow live updates

Boris Johnson was said to be "appalled" by the sentences handed to the men and has ordered ministers to do "everything in their power" to secure their release.

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It comes as war rages on in Ukraine with fierce fighting ongoing in the key city of Severodonetsk.

Meanwhile, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy warned the world faces "an acute and severe food crisis and famine".

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Image: Shaun Pinner and Aiden Aslin in Ukraine

'Our family miss him so much'

In a statement, Mr Pinner's family said: "Firstly, our whole family is devastated and saddened at the outcome of the illegal show-trial by the so-called Donetsk People's Republic.

"As a Ukrainian resident for over four years and contracted serving Marine in the 36th Brigade, of which he is very proud, Shaun should be accorded all the rights of a prisoner of war according to the Geneva Convention and including full independent legal representation.

"We sincerely hope that all parties will co-operate urgently to ensure the safe release or exchange of Shaun.

"Our family including his son and Ukrainian wife, love and miss him so much and our hearts go out to all the families involved in this awful situation."

Explainer: Why are two Britons facing the death penalty?

A Number 10 spokesperson said the prime minister "has been following the case closely and has asked ministers to do everything in their power to try and reunite them with their families as soon as we can".

'You are not abandoned and will not be forsaken'

The rallying call from the Mr Johnson came as Diana Okovyta, Mr Aslin's fiancee, travelled to London to try to campaign for his release.

And in an emotional social media post, she assured her partner that he was not "abandoned".

She said: "How I wish you knew you aren't forgotten, you're not alone, you are not abandoned and will not be forsaken.

"I hope that anyway deep down in your soul you know and feel it. I believe that soon in newspapers we will see pictures of you smiling."

The UK has not announced any plans to speak to Russian officials.

Read more: Sky's Stuart Ramsay recalls meeting condemned Britons on the front line

Key developments:

• Boris Johnson 'appalled' at death sentences for Britons
• 'Intense street to street fighting' in Severodonetsk
• Zelenskyy famine warning over Russian blockade

Intense fighting in Severodonetsk as battle for Luhansk rages on

Fierce fighting continues in Ukraine's south and east as Russian forces attempt to take full control of the Luhansk region.

The city of Severodonetsk - seen as a key objective for Moscow and the last stronghold of Ukrainian resistance in the region - has seen "intense street to street fighting", UK intelligence says.

The UK's Ministry of Defence (MoD) said: "Russia is massing fires with its artillery and air capabilities, in an attempt to overwhelm Ukrainian defences."

It also said Moscow is using 1960s-era 5.5-tonne anti-ship missiles against land targets.

"Russia is likely resorting to such inefficient weapon systems because it is running short of more precise modern missiles, while Ukrainian air defences still deter its tactical aircraft from conducting strikes across much of the country", the MoD said.

Image: A Ukrainian tank is in position during fighting on the front line in Severodonetsk. Pic: AP

World faces risk of 'acute and severe food crisis', Zelenskyy says

President Zelenskyy said stopping the Russian invasion is crucial for the whole world as he warned of the risk of famine.

"It is on the battlefields of Ukraine that the future rules of this world are being decided along with the boundaries of the possible," he told an event in Singapore by videolink.

He noted that Russia is blocking ports in the Black Sea and Azov Sea, keeping Ukrainian food exports from the world market.

"If ... due to Russian blockades we are unable to export our foodstuffs, the world will face an acute and severe food crisis and famine in many countries in Asia and Africa," he said.

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2022-06-11 12:11:15Z
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Stuart Broad: England cricketer's pub gutted by fire - BBC

A pub part-owned by England and Nottinghamshire cricketer Stuart Broad has been badly damaged by a fire.

Firefighters were called to the Tap and Run in the village of Upper Broughton, on the border of Nottinghamshire and Leicestershire, at about 03:20 BST.

The roof and first floor of the pub - which is also owned by former cricketer Harry Gurney - have been destroyed.

There are no reports of any injuries but the owners said they were "devastated" by the fire.

In a statement, Broad and Gurney said: "We are devastated to announce that due to a significant fire in the early hours of June 11th The Tap & Run will not be trading for the foreseeable future.

"We thank you from the bottom of our hearts for the outpouring of support.

"And finally... we will be back! Watch this space."

The blaze came as Broad was preparing to face New Zealand on day two of the second Test at Trent Bridge.

His England team-mate James Anderson told Test Match Special: "He's obviously devastated but he's here and will be out there.

"He's just happy that no-one's hurt. It's obviously gutting because it's such a huge part of his and Harry's lives."

Nottinghamshire Fire and Rescue

Eight fire crews from Nottinghamshire and Leicestershire were at the scene at the height of the blaze.

The A606 Upper Broughton Road remains closed at the junction with the pub.

The fire service said an aerial ladder platform, water carrier and command support vehicle were also deployed.

People living nearby were advised to keep their doors and windows closed.

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2022-06-11 09:03:56Z
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'Bordering on preposterous': Government food strategy tells public to eat venison instead of beef to save planet - Sky News

A leaked version of the government's new food strategy advises people to eat wild venison as a low-carbon alternative to beef and grow their own cucumbers to save the planet, reports claim.

The 27-page document, due to be officially released on Monday, follows two reports carried out by the co-founder of restaurant chain Leon, Henry Dimbleby, into the UK's food system.

His probes into obesity and the environment, commissioned by former environment minister Michael Gove, resulted in recommendations to expand free school meals, impose a long-campaigned for salt and sugar tax, and introduce GP prescriptions for fruit and veg.

But according to a version of the strategy, seen by The Guardian and The Telegraph, these proposals have been ignored in favour of "a statement of vague intentions" - Rob Percival, head of food policy at the Soil Association, said.

They include encouraging fish farming, long seen as highly damaging for the environment, increasing consumption of "responsibly sourced venison", food from algae proteins, and producing technology to help cattle produce less methane.

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Compulsory vegan meal options in schools, prisons and across the public sector also feature alongside animal welfare warnings on restaurant menus - if premises use factory-farmed meat.

While a cost of living crisis grips the UK, with recent ONS data revealing most Britons are cutting down on food and other essentials, the government says the cost of food "isn't the business of government food strategy".

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There are also no recommendations for any state interventions on obesity, despite 64% of UK adults and 40% of children being overweight.

Mr Percival told Sky News: "They're letting a cost of living crisis go unaddressed, they're allowing unsustainable diets to continue, and they're exacerbating the ecological crisis."

He described the references to wild venison as "a little peculiar" and heavily criticised the government's position on not intervening in people's diets and failing to expand the free school meals programme.

According to reports, the strategy document states: "Government can set a clear direction for industry and ensure that consumers are empowered with information to make improved dietary choices.

"Government should also incentivise industry to reformulate and promote healthier food that is more accessible, and design and deliver policy actions that drive improvements across the food environment."

Image: Henry Dimbleby, co-founder of restaurant chain Leon, led two reports into food, the environment and obesity

Jim McMahon, Labour's shadow secretary of state for environment, food and rural affairs, responded: "The UK is in a cost-of-living crisis with food prices spiralling, real-wages falling, growth plummeting and taxes up.

"It is clear now that the government has absolutely no ambition to fix the mess they have created.

"This is nothing more than a statement of vague intentions, not the concrete proposals to tackle the major issues facing our country. To call it a 'food strategy' is bordering on the preposterous."

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) refused to comment on the leaked document.

"We will be setting out the contents of our ambitious new food strategy in due course," a spokesperson said in a statement.

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2022-06-11 09:17:00Z
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Collin Reeves: Ex-soldier who stabbed his neighbours to death told a 999 operator 'I went round with a knife, I've stabbed both of them' - Sky News

Jurors in a murder trial have heard a recording of a former soldier telling a 999 operator "I went round with a knife, I've stabbed both of them" moments after he killed his neighbours.

Collin Reeves, 35, stabbed Stephen and Jennifer Chapple, 33, to death at their home in Somerset as their two children slept upstairs in November last year.

Reeves, a former commando engineer in the British Army, has admitted to killing the couple and pleaded guilty to manslaughter.

He jumped over a fence to gain access to the property in Norton Fitzwarren, near Taunton, after a long-running row over designated parking.

Ten days before the incident on 21 November Reeves is alleged to have shouted at Mrs Chapple outside her house after an exchange between her and his wife.

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He called 999 minutes after attacking her and her husband with a ceremonial dagger he was given when he left the Army.

On Friday, a recording of the emergency call was played at Bristol Crown Court.

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The operator mistook Reeves for the victim, asking if he had been harmed, the court heard.

Reeves said: "I went round with a knife, I've stabbed both of them."

When asked if the couple were awake when he left, he responded: "No, I think they were sort of drifting. He was lying on the floor, she was lying on the sofa."

When officers arrived at the scene, the couple's children were still asleep upstairs.

Image: Jennifer Chapple, 33, and her husband, Stephen Chapple, 36. Pic: Facebook/LinkedIn.

'White as a ghost'

Giving evidence, Reeves' mother, Lynn, wept as she told jurors how she found her son "as white as a ghost" on the night of the attack.

"He was just standing, he just looked right through us as if he wasn't there and said 'I had to protect my family'," she said.

Opening the case for the prosecution on Wednesday, Adam Feest QC said Mrs Chapple didn't have a chance to get up off the sofa to defend herself during the attack.

Image: A court artist's impression of Reeves in court Pic: Elizabeth Cook

She suffered six stab wounds to her upper chest and shoulder, causing fatal injuries to a major blood vessel and her heart.

Mr Chapple, 36, also received six stab wounds together with minor injuries.

The court heard he stabbed them in a minute-long attack using the ceremonial dagger.

When speaking to the emergency call handler Reeves said he had stabbed the couple "two or three times each".

Footage captured on the back door camera showed Reeves entering the property before Mrs Chapple could be heard screaming in terror.

Image: Jennifer and Stephen Chapple on their wedding day

Reeves then shouted "die you f****** die", the court heard.

When he made the 999 call he said he was at home with his wife, with his children asleep upstairs.

Reeves served in the Army between 2002 and 2017, including in Afghanistan.

It was claimed that he appeared to have been struggling with his mental health since he returned and he said he was suffering from an "abnormality of mental functioning" at the time of the attack.

The trial continues.

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2022-06-10 15:50:11Z
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Ukraine war: Foreign Secretary Liz Truss calls death sentence of Britons 'an egregious breach of Geneva Convention' - Sky News

Foreign Secretary Liz Truss has said the death sentences handed to two Britons in Ukraine are "an egregious breach of the Geneva Convention".

Ms Truss said she had spoken with her Ukrainian counterpart to "discuss efforts to secure the release of prisoners of war held by Russian proxies".

"The UK continues to back Ukraine against Putin's barbaric invasion," she tweeted.

Putin hints at more invasions in ominous comments - follow latest updates

Aiden Aslin, 28, and Shaun Pinner, 48, have been accused of being mercenaries after they were captured in Mariupol in April during the intense fight for control of the port city and later appeared in court in the separatist Donetsk People's Republic (DPR).

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Prime Minister Boris Johnson was said to be "appalled" by the sentences handed to them and has ordered ministers to do "everything in their power" to secure their release.

A No 10 spokesperson said: "The prime minister was appalled at the sentencing of these men. He has been following the case closely and has asked ministers to do everything in their power to try and reunite them with their families as soon as we can.

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"We completely condemn the sham sentencing of these men to death. There's no justification at all for this breach of the protection they're entitled to."

Asked if the UK government would talk to Russia to secure their release, the spokesperson said "we don't have regular interaction with the Russians".

They said the "priority" was to work with the Ukrainian government "to try and ensure their release as quickly as possible".

"They're afforded protection under the Geneva Convention as members of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, which is why we want to continue working with them closely to try and get them freed as quickly as we can."

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0:18

Aiden Aslin reacts to death sentence

Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov declined to comment on the cases, saying they are under the jurisdiction of the Donetsk People's Republic.

Mr Lavrov told a press conference: "Currently they are guided by the laws of the Donetsk People's Republic.

"Because these crimes were committed on the territory of the Donetsk People's Republic, all the rest is speculation.

"I will not comment on the Donetsk People's Republic judiciary."

Earlier on Friday, government minister Robin Walker said the government would use "all diplomatic channels" to raise the case of the two Britons.

He told Sky News: "As the foreign secretary has made clear, we will offer all support we can to them and their families.

"We have been absolutely clear throughout that these people should be treated as prisoners of war under the Geneva Convention, there is no basis on which they can be put on trial.

"This is an illegal court in a sham government that has held this trial and obviously we don't recognise it has any authority, but we will continue to use all diplomatic channels to make the case that these are prisoners of war who should be treated accordingly."

He added: "We utterly condemn the approach that's been taken here and we will use every method at our disposal to take this issue up."

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2022-06-10 11:15:00Z
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Manchester stabbing: Boy, 14, killed and mother injured as police hunt suspect - Sky News

A 14-year-old boy has died and his mother has left with serious injuries after a "ferocious" stabbing in Manchester.

The suspect, who is understood to be known to the victims, has gone on the run, with police warning the public not to approach him.

He has been described as an Asian man wearing dark clothing, aged in his mid-40s, with a medium build and of medium height.

Officers were called to reports of a domestic incident at a home in Miles Platting at about 9.30pm on Thursday, where the young boy was found with stab wounds.

He was treated at the scene before being taken to hospital, where he died just an hour later.

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His mother, who is in her 40s, was also treated by emergency services for serious wounds and taken to hospital, where she remains in a stable condition.

Detective Chief Inspector Gina Brennand of Greater Manchester Police described the incident as a "ferocious attack" that officers believe was "contained and domestic-related".

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"We are working at a tremendous pace to find the person that did this and to take them off the streets and into custody, where we can continue to piece together what we know about this utterly tragic incident," she added.

A large police cordon remains around the area on Bednal Avenue as officers continue their investigation.

The suspect was last seen walking along Sawley Road, which is just a street away, shortly after the attack took place.

Anyone who believes they have seen the suspect has been asked to call 999.

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2022-06-10 10:18:10Z
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Boris Johnson wants to reduce 'aberration' of high taxes caused by 'fiscal meteorite of COVID' - Sky News

Boris Johnson has said he wants to reduce the "aberration" of current high taxes caused by the "fiscal meteorite of COVID" - as he announced plans to help boost homeownership.

The prime minister appealed to the 41% of Tory MPs who voted to oust him on Monday as he tried to make clear the billions of pounds spent on helping people during the pandemic was not the norm and cannot continue.

But in a bid to also appeal to voters, he announced a review into the mortgage market, said there are plans to extend the right to buy council houses and promised "justice" for tenants.

PM tries to move on from bruising confidence vote - politics live

He blamed the cost-of-living crisis on COVID and the Ukraine war but said the government cannot spend its way out of the situation now we are out of the pandemic.

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"The overall burden of taxation is now very high. And sooner or later, and I would much rather it was sooner than later, that burden must come down," he told an audience at a college in Blackpool.

"It's an aberration. The burden of tax caused in no small part by the fiscal meteorite of COVID.

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"And it must come down because the answer to the current economic predicament is not more tax and more spending.

"The answer is economic growth. And you can't spend your way out of inflation and you can't tax your way into growth.

"So that's why the time has come for this government to do what it's been straining at the leash to do for two years, but which has been difficult during the COVID crisis.

"And that is to enact the supply-side reforms that will cut the costs of government, cut costs for business and cut costs for people across the country."

Mr Johnson announced a series of plans to help increase home ownership, but there was nothing on how to help people deal with current high household bills as he said the government is already helping with a windfall tax on oil and gas companies and a reduction in fuel tax.

Image: The PM visited a college in Blackpool ahead of announcing plans to help people with the cost of living crisis

Among the plans Mr Johnson announced, were:

• The government is launching a "comprehensive" review of the mortgage market that will report back this autumn to figure out how best to access low deposit mortgages

• The review will look at how other countries do this and claimed this would be "unbolting the door to home ownership"

• In what Mr Johnson called the "home ownership revolution", he said the government wants to extend the right to buy council and housing association homes and promised there would be a "one for one replacement" of them when they are sold

• There would be "justice" for both private and social housing tenants by "dealing with the scourge of unfair leasehold terms"

• This would "supercharge" leaseholders' ability to buy their homes' freehold with up to 90% discounts for those "trapped with egregious escalating ground rents"

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9:53

'Govt hasn't done the leg work'

• Housing support will instead go towards a pot to pay mortgages instead of to landlords of housing association homes

• The government is going to "change the rules on welfare" so those in social housing can put their benefits towards a first mortgage instead of rent

• Ministers will "explore discounting lifetime and help to buy ISA savings" from Universal Credit eligibility rules

• For those who then become unemployed, Mr Johnson said the government will let people access support for paying their mortgage earlier than currently allowed

• The review will look at how the government can use the £30 billion housing benefits bill to build more social homes with the potential of turning them into "right to buy" options.

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2022-06-09 14:00:53Z
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