Killer Who Strangled Partner And Son Jailed

By David Crabtree, Midlands Correspondent

A killer who strangled his ex-partner and her baby son in their beds has been sentenced to life in prison.

Wesley Williams, 29, pleaded guilty last week to the "shocking and senseless" murders of university graduate Yvonne Walsh and her seven-month-old son Harrison at their home in Billesley, West Midlands.

He will serve a minimum term of 29 years.

Judge Mr Justice MacDuff lifted a reporting restriction to reveal that Williams was the former partner of Rebecca Shuttleworth, 25, who was found guilty in June of murdering her two-year-old son Keanu Williams in a totally separate case.

Yvonne Walsh had split with Williams days before she was found dead

He said: "It is clear that you could not accept being rejected by Yvonne Walsh when you were proposing or intending to propose marriage.

"She wanted no further part in a relationship with you. And you decided to kill her, in fact to execute her.

"It was your decision, casually taken that she had to die. Then you killed Harrison as well."

West Midlands Police said officers were unable to determine which of two was killed first.

Ms Walsh, who had split from Williams two days before she was last seen alive on May 31, was found in her bed. Her baby son was found in his cot with the curtains drawn.

A post-mortem revealed they had both died as a result of pressure to the neck.

Detective Chief Inspector Sarbjit Johal, of West Midlands Police, said: "Wesley Williams has pleaded guilty to the shocking and senseless murders of his partner Yvonne and her baby Harrison who both had their whole lives ahead of them.

"Yvonne's family described her as a warm and loving person who was a dedicated professional and absolutely devoted to her two young children."

Birmingham Crown Court heard that after the killings, Williams changed his Facebook status to single and wrote: "Sometimes you just have to do somethings you shouldn't."

Williams had previously served a jail term for causing actual bodily harm with intent after carrying out an attack involving a hammer and samurai swords.

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YouTube Most Viewed: The Fox Tops 2013 List

YouTube Most Viewed: The Full List

Updated: 1:27pm UK, Wednesday 11 December 2013

YouTube has revealed the videos that have made the biggest impact worldwide and across the UK in 2013.

Top 10 Trending Videos (Global)

1. Ylvis - The Fox (What Does the Fox Say?), tvnorge, 265,351,182

2. Harlem Shake (original army edition), kennethaakonsen, 95,074,238

3. How Animals Eat Their Food, MisterEpicMann, 88,314,305

4. Miley Cyrus - Wrecking Ball (Chatroulette Version), SteveKardynal, 67,761,062

5. baby&me / the new evian film, EvianBabies, 66,802,801

6. Volvo Trucks - The Epic Split ft Van Damme, VolvoTrucks, 57,163,518

7. YOLO (feat. Adam Levine & Kendrick Lamar), thelonelyisland, 53,268,881

8. Telekinetic Coffee Shop Surprise, CarrieNYC, 50,198,668

9. The NFL : A Bad Lip Reading, BadLipReading, 43,945,120

10. Mozart vs Skrillex. Epic Rap Battles of History Season 2, ERB, 41,647,082

Top 10 Music Videos (Global)

1. Psy - GENTLEMAN M/V, officialpsy, 594,477,060

2. Miley Cyrus - Wrecking Ball, MileyCyrusVEVO, 377,051,906

3. Miley Cyrus - We Can't Stop, MileyCyrusVEVO, 297,786,345

4. Katy Perry - Roar (Official), KatyPerryVEVO, 241,176,391

5. P!nk - Just Give Me A Reason ft Nate Ruess, PinkVEVO, 234,306,316

6. Robin Thicke - Blurred Lines ft T.I., Pharrell, RobinThickeVEVO, 226,958,080

7. Rihanna - Stay ft Mikky Ekko, RihannaVEVO, 215,486,472

8. Naughty Boy - La La La feat. Sam Smith, NaughtyBoyVEVO, 196,665,012

9. Selena Gomez - Come & Get It, SelenaGomezVEVO, 178,005,663

10. Avicii - Wake Me Up (Official Video), AviciiOfficialVEVO, 175,985,946

Top 10 Trending Videos (UK)

1. How Animals Eat Their Food - MisterEpicMann

2. My Wedding Speech - Tom Fletcher from McFly

3. Attraction perform their stunning shadow act - week 1 auditions, Britain's Got Talent 2013

4. Will & Jaden Smith, DJ Jazzy Jeff and Alfonso Ribeiro Rap! - The Graham Norton Show, BBC One

5. Welcome To Standing Up School! asdfmovie6

6. Harlem Shake (original army edition)

7. Tom Daley: Something I want to say

8. Francine Lewis with her many impressions - week 2 auditions, Britain's Got Talent 2013

9. People are awesome 2013 (Hadouken! - Levitate)

10. Learn the Alphabet with Peppa Pig!

Top 10 Music Videos (UK)

1. Naughty Boy - La La La ft. Sam Smith

2. PSY - Gentleman M/V

3. Robin Thicke - Blurred Lines ft T.I., Pharrell

4. Miley Cyrus - Wrecking Ball

5. Miley Cyrus - We Can't Stop

6. Avicii - Wake Me Up (Lyric Video)

7. Ylvis - The Fox (What Does the Fox Say?) [Official music video HD]

8. Daft Punk - Get Lucky (Official Audio) ft Pharrell Williams

9. Katy Perry - Roar (Official)

10. Rudimental - Waiting All Night feat. Ella Eyre (Official Video)

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Dog Attack: Arrest After Leeds Mother Dies

Police have arrested a 33-year-old man after his two American pit bulls mauled a mother-of-four to death.

Emma Bennett died on Tuesday evening after suffering serious bite injuries in an incident at a house in Dawlish Avenue in the Osmondthorpe district of Leeds.

It was reported that the attack, on Monday afternoon, happened while the 27-year-old was suffering an epileptic fit.

The man arrested was held on suspicion of offences under the Dangerous Dogs Act.

Detective Superintendent Simon Beldon, who is leading the investigation, said: "Early indications are that the two dogs seized from the address are American pit bull terriers although tests are still ongoing to establish their exact make up.

"Dogs of this type are subject to restrictions under the Dangerous Dogs Act and our enquiries are focused on this aspect.

"We are continuing to appeal for anyone with information about the incident or the dogs involved in it to contact the investigation team."

Ms Bennett's neighbour, Chris Roebuck, said he was surprised the dogs were vicious enough to carry out the attack.

"I've seen one of them, which I have stroked and it seemed soft, really soft," he said.

"It wanted to lick you at all times - that's the big dog - but I never saw the other dog."

Mr Roebuck said the dogs "seemed calm" and only ever barked occasionally.

Earlier, police said the injured woman had been taken to Leeds General Infirmary for treatment.

Officers responded to reports that a woman was "in distress" at the address in Dawlish Avenue.

The force added: "One dog which got loose from the property was contained by officers in Back Dawlish Road and recovered. Another was safely removed from the address a short time later."

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US Off-Piste Skier Survives Avalanche Fall

An off-piste skier who was caught on video being dragged into a ravine in Utah and buried in snow has miraculously survived the ordeal.

The unnamed woman lived because she deployed a special air bag in her backpack and other skiers were able to dig her out quickly, witnesses said.

Joe Campanelli was filming the sun-covered Wasatch mountains with his smart phone when the skier descended into a steep gully filled with loose snow in Grizzly Gulch, a short distance from the Alta ski area near Salt Lake City.

"That is not a good slope to ski," Mr Campanelli is heard to say on the recording. Moments later, the slope cracked and he says: "You're in a slide, bud!"

He abruptly stopped recording to go to her help.

The woman was "very lucky" - Pic: Drew Hardesty/Utah Avalanche Centre

His friend, Aaron Rice, said he used an avalanche beacon and a probe to track her down, then dug her out with help from others. She was buried in several feet of snow.

"She was breathing, talking," Mr Rice said. "She said, 'Thank you. I can't believe you got here so quickly.' She was completely shaken up."

The woman was swept about 100 feet down the gully at an angle of about 40 degrees, according to a report on the Utah Avalanche Centre's website.

She was lucky to be alive and escape injury, the centre's Bruce Tremper said, adding that Utah averages about four avalanche deaths a year.

Slopes can be deceptive - Pic: Drew Hardesty/Utah Avalanche Centre

"It's a crapshoot - a game of Russian roulette," he said. "People may perceive a slope to be safe, but there are booby traps all around."

The skier's descent into the gully was so steep and short there was not enough time for the air bag to keep her above the roiling snow.

However, it might have helped keep her from being buried for longer, and under much deeper snow, officials said.

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Pope Francis Named Time Person Of The Year

Time magazine has named Pope Francis as its Person of the Year.

The US magazine chose the new leader of the Roman Catholic Church as the most influential figure of the year in its annual review.

The 76-year-old Argentinian was picked from a varied shortlist that included Syrian leader Bashar al Assad, NSA leaker Edward Snowden, Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and twerking superstar Miley Cyrus.

Francis became the 266th leader of the world's Roman Catholics in March this year, following the surprise abdication of Benedict XVI.

Time called the Pope a "septuagenarian superstar" and said he had taken "the name of a humble saint and then called for a church of healing".

Edward Snowden was runner-up

Managing editor Nancy Gibbs said Pope Francis had changed the tone, the perception and focus of one of the world's largest institutions in an extraordinary way.

She wrote: "For pulling the papacy out of the palace and into the streets, for committing the world's largest church to confronting its deepest needs and for balancing judgement with mercy, Pope Francis is Time's 2013 Person of the Year.

"Rarely has a new player on the world stage captured so much attention so quickly - young and old, faithful and cynical - as Pope Francis.

"In his nine months in office, he has placed himself at the very centre of the central conversations of our time: about wealth and poverty, fairness and justice, transparency, modernity, globalisation, the role of women, the nature of marriage, the temptations of power."

Former NSA contractor Snowden, whose intelligence leaks caused a media sensation worldwide and led to him seeking sanctuary in Russia, was named the runner-up. 

The other names on the shortlist were Texas senator and darling of the Tea Party Ted Cruz; US president Barack Obama, who won last year; Iran's new president Hassan Rouhani; US health secretary Kathleen Sebelius; and gay rights activist Edith Windsor.

Time has been choosing a Person of the Year since 1927, when it nominated pioneering aviator Charles Lindbergh.

The magazine insists it chooses the most influential person "for better or for worse" - previous winners have included dictators like Hitler and Stalin as well as figures usually seen as forces for good, such as Mahatma Gandhi and Lech Walesa.

Previous papal winners include Pope John Paul II in 1994 and John XXIII in 1962.

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Lloyds Fined £28m For Sales Incentive Scheme

Lloyds Banking Group has been fined £28m for "serious failings" which rewarded sales staff with 'grand in your hand' bonuses, even when products they sold consumers were deemed unsuitable.

The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) said the penalty was the biggest it had imposed against a retail banking operation, which took in behaviour at Lloyds TSB, Bank of Scotland (BoS) and Halifax between 2010 and March 2012 - a period when it became clear that Lloyds was particularly exposed to the separate payment protection insurance mis-selling scandal.

The regulator said the bonus schemes at the heart of its inquiry put pressure on sales staff to hit targets relating to investment products such as stocks and share Isas and insurance protection products.

In one instance, an adviser was found to have sold insurance products to himself, his wife and a colleague to prevent himself being demoted.

The FCA said the bonus schemes had worrying "higher risk" features, which offered the potential of an automatic promotion and pay rise or salary cuts of up to 50% if targets were not met.

Lloyds Banking Group is run by Antonio Horta-Osorio

Lloyds TSB also offered a so-called "champagne bonus" that could see an adviser land a windfall worth 35% of their monthly salary, while Halifax and BoS paid one-off monthly prizes, such as a "grand in your hand."

The investigation found that 70% of advisers at Lloyds TSB and 30% at Halifax still received their monthly bonus, even though a high proportion of their sales were found - by the firms themselves - to be unsuitable or potentially unsuitable.

A further 229 advisers at Lloyds TSB received a bonus even when all of their assessed sales were deemed unsuitable or potentially unsuitable; and 30 advisers received a bonus in the same circumstances on more the one occasion.

Tracey McDermott, the FCA's director of enforcement and financial crime, said the fine was increased as Lloyds ignored repeated industry warnings from regulators over incentive schemes.

She added: "The findings do not make pleasant reading.

"Financial incentive schemes are an important indicator of what management values and a key influence on the culture of the organisation, so they must be designed with the customer at the heart.

"The review of incentive schemes that we published last year makes it quite clear that this is something to which we expect all firms to adhere. 

"Customers have a right to expect better from our leading financial institutions and we expect firms to put customers first - but firms will never be able to do this if they incentivise their staff to do the opposite.

"Both Lloyds TSB and Bank of Scotland have made substantial changes, and the reviews of sales and the redress now being made should right many of these wrongs," she concluded.

Lloyds Banking Group - which has since split the TSB operation into a separate brand - responded to the penalty by apologising.

Its statement said: "The Group has already commenced a review to address potential customer impacts that may have occurred as a result of these failings.

"We are already contacting customers, and will continue to contact potentially affected customers over the coming months. Customers do not need to take any action at this stage to be included in the review and they will be contacted in due course.

"The Group recognises that its oversight of these particular schemes during the period in question was inadequate and apologises to its customers for the impact that they may have had.

"We are determined to ensure that any customer impacts are dealt with quickly and fully."

It concluded: "The cost of the enforcement and the review is not expected to have a material impact on the Group."

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World Leaders Pay Final Respects To Mandela

Winnie Mandela, ex-wife of former South African President Nelson Mandela, has viewed his body as it lies in state at the Union Buildings in Pretoria.

Hundreds of other dignitaries including his widow Graca Machel, Jacob Zuma, Robert Mugabe and Naomi Campbell are also lining up to pay their respects to the iconic South African anti-apartheid campaigner.

Ms Mandela (L) and Ms Machel say goodbye to the former leader

Thousands of South Africans had lined the streets of Pretoria to pay their respects as Mr Mandela's body was taken to lie in state in a glass-topped coffin.

Members of the public formed a guard of honour as his coffin passed by fronted by a fleet of police outriders, at the start of what will be three days of mourning in the executive capital.

President Zuma is followed by Graca Machel (in black) Mandela's widow

The coffin was draped in the multi-coloured South African flag as it arrived at the grand setting of the Union Buildings, seat of power in the country's capital and the place where the former leader was sworn in as president.

The same procession around Pretoria will take place each morning until Friday, with the coffin being returned to the military hospital each evening.

As the procession passed, mourners sang tributes to the former South African leader, who died last week at the age of 95.

President of Zimbabwe Robert Mugabe files past to pay his respects

Mandela's grandson Mandla and Defence Minister Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula led mourners into the viewing area. Soldiers set down the coffin and removed the flag.

Members of Mr Mandela's family and VIPs are paying their respects before the public are allowed in to view the body.

South African apartheid-era president FW de Klerk bids farewell

With worries about crowds, three sites have been set up in Pretoria from where mourners will be shuttled in to the Union Buildings and back.

People making their way to the sites told Sky's Alex Crawford they thanked Mr Mandela for their freedom.

Model Naomi Campbell (L) after paying her final respects to Mr Mandela

"South Africa is mourning for the greatest icon that ever lived," one mourner said. "We are sad, we are crying; today we are going to witness him, we are going to see him and we are going to pray for him."

People have been told their mobile phones will have to be switched off and be put out of sight before they will be allowed to file past the body. No photos will be allowed.

A public memorial service was also held at St Martin-in-the-Fields church in London at the request of the South African High Commission.

The two share strong links and were the scene of freedom vigils for Mr Mandela during his incarceration.

Irish band U2's lead singer Bono (2L) and his wife Alison Hewson

Speakers at the service included Sir Sydney Kentridge QC and Lord Joffe of Lidington, who both represented Mr Mandela at his treason trials, and campaigner and African National Congress veteran Mama Thembi Nobhadula.

Chief Mangosuthu Buthelezi, the founder of South Africa's Inkatha party, said there was something "unique" about his friendship with Mr Mandela.

The Union Building's amphitheatre where Mr Mandela's coffin lies in state

Despite the Inkatha party being at virtual war with Mr Mandela's African National Congress, Chief Buthelezi said he campaigned tirelessly for Mr Mandela's release.

Speaking to Sky's Jeremy Thompson, he said: "That was the mischief of many politicians who separated us. But I thank God they did not succeed because our friendship existed up until this point.

People lined the streets as the hearse made its way through Pretoria

"There was something very unique about our friendship. I campaigned for his release more than anyone else in this country. I challenge anyone to prove to the contrary."

The lying in state will end with Mr Mandela's remains being transported to the Eastern Cape and his ancestral home of Qunu at the weekend ahead of his funeral.

Women sing tributes to Mr Mandela as the cortege passes by

Buckingham Palace has confirmed that the Queen will be represented by the Prince of Wales at the funeral which will take place on Sunday December 15.

Nelson Mandela left it to the South African people to decide how to celebrate his life and legacy.

Mandela: "I would just like a simple stone on which is written, 'Mandela'."

He said once when asked how he wished to be remembered: "It would be very egotistical of me to say how I would like to be remembered.

"I'd leave that entirely to South Africans. I would just like a simple stone on which is written, 'Mandela'."

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Mandela Memorial: Deaf Signer Was 'Fake'

South Africa's deaf federation has claimed that an interpreter using sign language during the Mandela memorial was a "fake".

Concerns over the male interpreter had been raised by deaf people watching the service at Johannesburg's FNB Stadium on Tuesday.

Bruno Druchen, national director of the Deaf Federation of South Africa, said the unidentified man, who was on stage alongside world leaders including US President Barack Obama, "was moving his hands around but there was no meaning in what he used his hands for".

Sign language experts have said there was no meaning to the man's gestures

South African parliament member Wilma Newhoudt, a member of the ruling party, also said the man communicated nothing with his hand and arm movements.

Both Mr Druchen and Ms Newhoudt are deaf.

The revelation also raises concerns over security for world leaders

Three sign language experts said the man was not signing in South African or American sign languages.

South African sign language covers all of the country's 11 official languages, according to the federation.

Nicole Du Toit, an official sign language interpreter who also watched the broadcast, said the man on stage was an "embarrassment".

The man has not been identified

She said: "It was horrible, an absolute circus, really really bad.

"Only he can understand those gestures."

Delphin Hlungwane, an official South African sign language interpreter with DeafSA, said authorities were trying to track the man down.

The man also failed to indicate that the crowd was booing Jacob Zuma

She said: "There was zero percent accuracy. He couldn't even get the basics right. He couldn't even say thank you.

"You're supposed to indicate with your facial expressions, even if it's not an exact sign. He didn't indicate that (booing of Jacob Zuma) at all. It just passed him by.

"Nobody knows who he is. Even at this hour we still don't have his name."

Paul Breckell, chief executive of Action on Hearing Loss, said: "The use of appropriately qualified communication support is crucial to ensure that deaf people can engage with and access the same opportunities as hearing people.

"Sign Language, be it British, International or South African, is a visual and expressive language yet the limited number of signs, the amount of repetition, lack of facial expressions and huge gaps in translation meant that deaf or hard of hearing people across the world were completely excluded from one of the biggest events in recent history."

The memorial was also affected by faulty public transport which prevented some mourners from getting to the event and a faulty audio system that prevented some of the crowd from hearing leaders' speeches.

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Cameron: 11% MPs' Pay Rise Is Unacceptable

David Cameron has said an 11% pay rise for MPs is unacceptable and even hinted he might scrap the parliamentary watchdog if it did not reconsider the proposal.

Speaking at Prime Minister's Questions in the House of Commons, Mr Cameron warned that if Ipsa forged ahead with its plans for the increase he was "ruling nothing out".

His comments suggested that if the parliamentary watchdog, which was brought in following the MPs' expenses scandal and which has responsibility for setting politicians pay, did not "think again", he would be willing to consider abolishing the body.

Ipsa is expected to recommend on Thursday that MPs' pay goes up by £7,600 to £74,000. The rise would come into effect in May 2015. It comes as all other public sector workers have seen their pay capped at 1%.

Mr Cameron said: "First, the idea of an 11% pay rise in one year at a time of pay restraint is simply unacceptable.

"Secondly, Ipsa do need to think again and unless they do so, I don't think anyone will want to rule anything out. No-one wants to go back to MPs voting on their own pay but we have got to have a process and an outcome that can build public confidence.

"Third, in my view, I think this should all be accompanied with a cut in the cost of politics."

Cameron warns Ipsa to rethink its suggestion of an 11% pay rise

When pressed on whether the Prime Minister was suggesting scrapping the parliamentary watchdog, Downing Street responded that Mr Cameron was "not ruling anything out". Another option could be to strip Ipsa of its powers to set MPs' pay.

The recommended pay rise will be subject to a statutory review by Ipsa after the 2015 General Election.

But  Downing Street source said: "There's no final decision until 2015. A statutory review is planned after the 2015 election to look at whatever is published tomorrow so probably best to let that process go forward. But I think the PM has been crystal clear what his view is."

However, Ed Miliband called for an urgent meeting with Mr Cameron, Nick Clegg and the chairman of Ipsa, Sir Ian Kennedy, to prevent the pay rise ahead of that.

A senior Labour source said: "That meeting should take place as soon as possible. The three party leaders should jointly make clear this package is unacceptable to the public and cannot go ahead."

At the weekend shadow chancellor Ed Balls told Sky News the suggested rise was "preposterous" when there was a cost-of-living crisis.

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Dale Cregan: Police Call-Handler's 'Help'

A police call-handler fed secret information to her boyfriend during the manhunt for his friend Dale Cregan, a court hears.

Kathryn Smith, 25, allegedly accessed files outlining the movement of firearms officers and confidential calls from the public concerning the case.

She is then said to have passed on the sensitive information to her boyfriend Sean Booth, 31, a close friend of Cregan.

At one point her information is said to have enabled Cregan's mother Anita to identify and confront a member of public who had called the police.

Smith was arrested in September 2012 after her mobile phone and computer records were examined by detectives.

Cregan had already murdered father and son Mark and David Short. Days after Smith's arrest he went on to murder Greater Manchester police officers Nicola Hughes and Fiona Bone.

Manchester Crown Court has been told that the call handler frequently sent text messages to her boyfriend with details of police operations.

At the time Greater Manchester Police had mounted their biggest ever manhunt. A £50,000 reward had been offered for information leading to Cregan's arrest.

The court heard that after Smith passed information to her boyfriend, he in turn passed it to Cregan's family.

A microphone hidden by the police at Anita Cregan's house as part of their search for her son picked up conversations in which she discussed the confidential information.

In one she is alleged to have said: "I've just text somebody saying we've got a grass in the street ... it's surprising what fifty grand will solve innit. I can't f*****g believe it."

Booth is then said to have texted his girlfriend saying:  "U can't get in trouble don't worry. I would not put u in a position where u could b."

Smith allegedly replied: "Well I do worry how are u going to explain how u know things to anita? I'm scared, I hate it that you're an associate."

Smith denies a charge of misconduct in a public office. Cregan and Smith deny aiding and abetting the call handler.

The trial is expected to last six days.

More follows...

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