2 weeks agoUSA UpdateComments Off on Riddle over woman murdered after getting off a bus when she discovered pub owner’s affair & her body’s never been found
A 22-YEAR-old woman was killed just yards from her home after she discovered a pub owner’s illicit affair.
But the riddle continues 36 years on because Helen McCourt’s body was never discovered.
PA:Press AssociationHelen McCourt’s (pictured) body was never discovered[/caption]
PAMurderer Ian Simms was jailed for 20 years over Helen’s death[/caption]
PA:Press AssociationHelen’s mum Marie has spent decades campaigning to stop murderers from leaving jail without disclosing the location of victims’ bodies[/caption]
Ian Simms, the 31-year-old landlord of the George and Dragon pub in Billinge, Merseyside, was jailed for life in 1989.
Her case led to a landmark conviction based on DNA evidence, despite her body never being found.
Despite overwhelming proof including Helen’s blood, hair, and an earring found in Simms’ flat and car, he never confessed or disclosed what he did with her body.
Just two days before she went missing Helen got into a heated argument with a woman in Simms’ pub.
The then 31-year-old landlord Simms was married at the time with two young children.
It was said he had repeatedly made sexual advances towards Helen, and had moved in his 21-year-old lover.
It was thought he suspected Helen of gossiping about his secret affair.
After the row, Simms banned Helen from the pub, swore at her and told others how much he hated her.
On February 9, 1988, Helen called her mum before leaving work to ask her to make an early dinner.
Helen was last seen stepping off a bus near her home at 5.15pm.
The short walk home would take her past the pub.
A man leaving another bus told how he heard a loud, abruptly stopped scream coming from the pub.
Helen was never seen again.
A bin liner containing Helen’s clothing was later found on a riverbank, along with Simms’ bloodstained jumper.
Fibres and DNA evidence matched Simms and Helen, and a blood fingerprint on his staircase sealed his guilt.
Simms maintained his innocence until his death in June 2022, taking the secret of Helen’s whereabouts to his grave.
SEARCH FOR ANSWERS
Helen’s disappearance devastated her family, particularly her mother, Marie, 79, who has spent the last 36 years searching for answers.
For decades, she searched for her daughter’s body and campaigned tirelessly to ensure other families wouldn’t suffer the same torment.
In 2015, Marie launched a campaign for a new law, later dubbed Helen’s law, to stop convicted murderers who withhold information about their victims’ whereabouts from being eligible for parole.
Helen’s Law, officially titled the Prisoners (Disclosure of Information About Victims) Act, became law in 2020.
It requires the Parole Board to consider whether prisoners have disclosed the location of their victims’ remains when deciding on their release.
She was handed an MBE, and named in the New Year Honours List in 2022.
She said at the time: “I wanted to make things better for families. My husband John has been absolutely monumental for me.”
Before this case, many believed that without a body, there could be no conviction. The popular assumption was that if someone hid the body, they could escape justice
David WilsonProfessor and criminologist
But for Marie, the fight isn’t over.
She continues to hope for the day her daughter is found and finally laid to rest.
Stuart Campbell was convicted of her murder in 2002.
Danielle’s mother, Linda, does not want Campbell released until he reveals where her daughter’s body is.
Suzanne Pilley, a 38-year-old bookkeeper from Edinburgh, went missing in 2010.
Her former partner, David Gilroy, was convicted of her murder in 2012, despite her body never being found.
Merseyside Police told The Sun: “Merseyside Police continues to work with Helen’s family to try to identify the location of her body, and we of course welcome any new information.
“We remain committed to investigating all information which may help in the recovery of Helen’s body, and bring her family some closure after all these years.”
Anyone with information can contact @MerPolCC, call Merseyside Police’s Major Crime Unit on 0151 777 8618 or Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.
Key forensic evidence linked him to the crime:
Helen’s blood, hair and an earring were found in Simms’ flat and car.
A bin liner containing Helen’s clothing and Simms’ bloodstained jumper was found on a riverbank.
Fibres and DNA evidence matched both Helen and Simms.
A blood fingerprint on Simms’ staircase sealed his guilt.
Maverick PhotographySimms, who has never revealed the location of the body of his murder victim ‘met the test for release’[/caption]
MirrorpixAn artwork painted by killer Simms[/caption]
GettyDillian Whyte is back in the ring for his second fight of the year[/caption]
Whyte, 36, said he is relishing getting back to action as he looks to get back amongst the heavyweight title scene.
The Body Snatcher told Sky Sports: “I’m good, I’m happy. It’s good to be back in that positive light and potentially be back in the mix against the big heavyweights.
“I’ve missed it. I’ve had some time off but now I realise how much I miss being involved in the big fights.
“We’re going against a decent guy. He’s got a 23-1 record. He’s only lost to Daniel Dubois so I’ve got to take it serious, and I’ve got to train and prepare myself, mentally and physically.
“I’ve been off for a while and he’s had a few fights since then and look what Dubois did to Anthony Joshua. Now he’s world champion, so you can’t take someone like that lightly.”
Dillian Whyte in his last contest against Christian Hammer in MarchSportsfileReutersEbenezer Tetteh’s only defeat came against Daniel Dubois in 2019[/caption]
When is Dillian Whyte vs Ebenezer Tetteh?
Dillian Whyte vs Ebenezer Tetteh takes place TONIGHT, Sunday, December 15.
The ring walk times for the main event are expected around 10pm GMT.
The Europa Point Sports Complex in Gibraltar plays host.
How can I watch Dillian Whyte vs Ebenezer Tetteh?
Dillian Whyte vs Ebenezer Tetteh will be broadcast live on DAZN.
The event is not a PPV and is part of the usual DAZN subscription.
GettyDillian Whyte is on a two-fight winning streak since losing to Tyson Fury at Wembley in April 2022[/caption]
Who is on the undercard?
MAIN EVENT: Dillian Whyte vs Ebenezer Tetteh (ten rounds, heavyweight)
Thomas Carty vs Mika Mielonen
Mike Perez vs Israel Duffus
Sedem Ama vs Ester Konecna
Jermaine Dhliwayo vs Jonatas Rodrigo Gomes de Oliveira
RexAaron Turner pictured during the 2024 WDF World Championships darts at Lakeside, Frimley Green[/caption]
Aaron is married to fellow darts pro Laura TurnerRexInstagram / lozzat180When they’re not playing, the couple enjoy watching matches together as spectators[/caption]
Laura Turner is a prominent figure in the world of darts.
As a professional player, she competes in WDF events and made her World Championship debut in 2019.
She is married to fellow darts player Aaron Turner.
Who is Aaron Turner?
Aaron Turner is a darts pro from Byfleet, Surrey, who was born on June 11, 1980.
He is also the co-owner of a kitchen design and fitting company.
While information about how they met and when they started dating hasn’t been reported, Aaron and Laura tied the knot on March 8, 2008.
The couple share two daughters together, whom Laura mentioned in a May 2020 interview with DartsWeb.
Speaking about the effects of the Covid-19 lockdown, she said: “It has been difficult — I’m lucky that I have a great practice partner in Aaron.
“He’s set up a few friendly competitions and dart nights within our local leagues which have been fun.
“I’m notoriously bad at practicing, so I’ve had to motivate myself to get on the board, as I was competing on such a regular basis prior to the shutdown.
“Both my girls also love playing, so they have had a few maths lessons on the dartboard since we’ve started home schooling.”
Supportive spouses
The couple have been supportive of each other’s careers, often traveling together to various tournaments.
While Aaron’s professional achievements may not be as prominent as some top-tier players, he has maintained a consistent presence in the darts community.
His partnership with Laura, both personally and professionally, has contributed to their growth in the sport.
Together, they represent a dedicated darts couple, balancing family life with their passion for the game.
Instagram / lozzat180Laura and Aaron Turner share two daughters[/caption]
Darts record
Aaron has been active in the darts scene for many years, with a career spanning both youth and adult competitions.
He goes by the nickname “Azza” and uses 24gm Harrow Magnums darts.
2 weeks agoUSA UpdateComments Off on Maggie Sajak could take over Wheel of Fortune hosting job from Ryan Seacrest if he ‘can’t work out new contract’
WHEEL of Fortune social media correspondent Maggie Sajak could end up taking over Ryan Seacrest’s hosting job if he doesn’t sign a new contract.
Ryan, 49, took overMaggie‘s dad Pat‘s longtime job this fall after the iconic star hosted the game show for over 40 years.
GettyMaggie Sajak stunned in a red gown for a charity Wheel of Fortune game in May 2023.[/caption]
Wheel of FortuneRyan Seacrest, here on the season 42 premiere in September 2024, took over Pat Sajak’s longtime job[/caption]
GettyMaggie is still very close to dad Pat, who still serves as a consultant on the show[/caption]
Maggie has proven popular with viewers, and has created buzz for the show through her use of Instagram and TikTok.
“It’s important to allow Maggie to develop her own voice when it comes to the Wheel fan base, and that makes her incredibly valuable to Sony TV,” an insider told The U.S. Sun.
“Because the whole point of bringing in Ryan Seacrest was to reach more young people.”
But he has only reportedly signed an official contract for two years, leaving Wheel of Fortune’s future uncertain.
“Sony loves the ratings and wants to negotiate a much longer contract for Ryan, but right now they have to have contingency plans in place in case Ryan simply decides to move on,” the insider claimed.
“Maggie has positioned herself to help out if there’s a hosting vacancy, and the franchise is in her blood and her appreciation for the world of Wheel of Fortune is genuine.”
Whether Ryan stays or goes, Wheel of Fortune execs hope to keep Maggie on the show for years to come.
“Maggie’s already proven herself to be a super-valuable member of the Wheel family, especially during this time of transition,” the insider said.
“I think she’s a good replacement if I can’t be there for some reason,” she told E! in October 2023.
“She’s been around it her whole life, so I think she can fill in for me for sure.
“She’s precious, she’s beautiful, she’s very good.
“I think she learned a lot from her father because he’s such a good interviewer. I think she’s good for our show.”
Instagram/maggiesajakMaggie offered fans a rare behind-the-scenes glimpse of the contestants’ point of view behind the wheel[/caption]
GettyPat is is still the host of Celebrity Wheel of Fortune, which filmed earlier this year but will air in 2025[/caption]
GettyMaggie and Pat posed together on set in 2023[/caption]
2 weeks agoUSA UpdateComments Off on Madonna posts AI-generated pics of her snuggling up to Pope Francis with bizarre caption sparking furious backlash
MADONNA has sparked outrage after the pop star shared a bizarre AI-generated picture of her snuggling up to the Pope.
The singer, whose real name is Madonna Louise Ciccone, divided her fans after putting up two suggestive fake images of herself with the leader of the Catholic Church.
InstagramMadonna incited fury over AI-generated images of her with the Pope[/caption]
InstagramThe pope star shared two fake images of herself with Pope Francis on Instagram[/caption]
GettyThese images sparked anger among fans[/caption]
EPAThis singer has feuded with the Vatican for decades[/caption]
The Queen of Pop has undergone a longtime feud with the church.
Outrage started after the singer, 66, shared two fake photos of her with Pope Francis on her Instagram story.
The first image showed the pop star, in a lace black dress, snuggled up with the religious leader as they embrace.
Pope Francis seemed to have his nose pressed to her cheek as he grabbed her, in the odd photo.
Madonna captioned the story “Going into the weekend like…”
The second strange AI image showed the Pope with his arm around the singer’s waist as he stares at her face.
Madonna wrote on this image: “Feels Good to Be Seen…”
These rendered fake images came from a meme artist’s page, as the pop star tagged @rickdick_.
A furious backlash was sparked when the artist reposted the fake photos.
Some fans online raged that the AI-generated images were weird and scary.
One person said: “AI HAS GONE TOO FAR.”
Another social media user said: “This is another web full filling tentative of AI s***. Nonsense, sad and a useless use of modern tools.
“What is the message? what do you want to say?”
A third person wrote: “This is unethical and not good at all.”
VATICAN CLASH
Madonna’s feud with the Catholic Church has dated back to 1989 after she dropped the music video for her global hit “Like a Prayer”.
The Vatican condemned the artist and banned the video.
This controversial clip was accused of sexualizing Jesus and bashed for burning crosses.
Pope John Paul II, at the time, encouraged fans to boycott Madonna in Italy and not attend her 1990 Blond Ambition tour.
The singer came under fire again in 2006 when she staged a fake crucifixion during a concert in Rome.
Cardinal Ersilio Tonino at the time, with the permission of Pope Benedict XVI, said the singer “should be excommunicated”.
Madonna reached out to Pope Francis in a 2022 X post saying she didn’t believe her excommunications were fair.
She wrote: “Hello @Pontifex Francis —I’m a good Catholic. I Swear! I mean I don’t Swear! It’s been a few decades since my last confession.
“Would it be possible to meet up one day to discuss some important matters? I’ve been excommunicated 3 times. It doesn’t seem fair. Sincerely, Madonna.”
POPE FEARS
This comes after Pope Francis triggered new health concerns when he was spotted with a huge bruise on his face, The Sun previously reported.
The religious leader, 86, was seen with the purple and black coloured bruise near his chin and a swollen neck, at a ceremony on Saturday 7.
Despite the visible injury and signs of fatigue, Pope Francis continued to hold the event without any apparent problems.
The Vatican said this large bruise was the result of a minor fall where he hit his chin on his bedside table the previous morning.
2 weeks agoUSA UpdateComments Off on I get inside killers’ minds – Luigi Mangione’s ‘manifesto’ is a study of infamous monsters… idolising him is dangerous
STANDING just steps behind his target, the hooded gunman lifts his weapon with the poise of a professional hitman and fires multiple times.
It’s the chilling CCTV clip that has appalled and fascinated the public in equal measure, the murder of healthcare insurance CEO Brian Thompson, 50, in New York City, allegedly by Luigi Mangione.
CCTV footage showed the callous murder of healthcare CEO Brian ThompsonReutersGettyLuigi Mangione has been accused of the killing[/caption]
GettyA leading criminologist draws parallels to the Unabomber killer, Ted Kaczynski[/caption]
The supposed gunman, 26, was arrested five days later at a McDonald’s in Altoona, Pennsylvania, allegedly with a gun, bullets, multiple fake IDs and a stash of money.
Since then, the world has been fixated on the motivations for such a dark crime, with it claimed Mangione was led by anger at America’s healthcare industry.
And now a document pertaining to be his ‘manifesto’ has been published online, with scores of internet sleuths devouring it and looking for answers.
But amid the chaos, in an exclusive interview with The Sun, criminologist Dr Jennifer Fleetwood warns of “emboldening copycats” by reading too much into a text full of the “cliches” of previous monsters.
She cites the parallels between the so-called manifesto and those of infamous killers like the Unabomber, explaining that they all use topical issues to “excuse horrific and irrational violence”.
“People reading Mangione’s ‘manifesto’ believing they will find what Mangione was really thinking or the real cause won’t get what they want,” Jennifer tells The Sun.
“But believing you can work that out from his writings would be an absolute misreading of it entirely.
“He is not a hero nor an anti-hero, this is just another violent man who thinks his violent rantings deserve our attention, our time and airtime.
“It all reminds me of The Son of Sam murders. There were laws brought in after to prohibit people from profiting off their crimes and gaining notoriety.
“It was feared giving airtime to people like him could encourage other people to commit crimes for a similar kind of horrible internet fame.
AFPUnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson was fatally shot just over a week ago[/caption]
NYPDMangione was arrested in a McDonald’s after CCTV captured him in a Starbucks[/caption]
“Horrors surround us but we need to be careful and perhaps shouldn’t be rushing to read them or treating them as if they offer some insight into the mind of a killer.”
‘True crime obsession’
Jennifer explains multiple vain killers have released manifestos in the past – ranging from Unabomber Ted Kaczynski to Isla Vista Killer Elliot Rodger.
She argues the writings should not be given any power or acknowledgement and should be treated as “nothing more” than “violent texts” by abusive men.
The criminologist, a senior lecturer at the University of Greenwich who has written multiple books on killers, warns this obsession with criminals is part of an ever-growing trend – and with that come dangers.
“Do violent men deserve our attention or airtime? Most people would say no. But there is a counter-argument that it’s anti-democratic to censor,” Jennifer explains.
“The public believes that they have a right to know and investigate, I think that comes from true crime being normalised.
Who is Luigi Mangione?
MANGIONE, 26, was regarded as a beloved, clever and wealthy man by his family, friends and all who knew him.
He was born and raised in Maryland, where he was valedictorian of his high school graduating class at Gilman School in Baltimore.
He had no prior criminal history and was said to have been a model student, soccer player, and all-round athlete at high school.
One former student from the Gilman School told The U.S. Sun Mangione was “popular” and had a “big circle of friends.”
“We went to the same school but didn’t really have the same friends. I’m really shocked by this whole thing,” the former student, who asked not to be identified, said.
“I think he played soccer, it was an all-boys school, so being a good athlete got you social currency for sure.”
After, Mangione graduated cum laude from the University of Pennsylvania, where he studied computer and information science, according to his LinkedIn profile.
He also got his masters from the Ivy League school.
Mangione was reportedly a data engineer at a car company in California before moving to Hawaii.
His cousin is also Republican Maryland House of Delegates member Nino Mangione.
“It’s the idea that we, the public, have the capacity to understand, judge and assess on actually quite complicated technical matters.
“That it is our job to decide if a person is guilty or not in the public court. A court of public opinion.
“You get hours and hours of podcasts and online forums, where people revisit evidence trying to find things that the police missed the first time around, when they are not necessarily qualified to do so.
“It’s like with Jay Slater, people were flying out to Tenerife to go and look for him. It was the same with the Salisbury poisonings and Nicola Bulley – people went to ‘investigate’ themselves.”
‘Emboldening copycats’
In the days since the killing, some have backed Mangione’s supposed anti-healthcare cause and also spoken of him favourably, labelling him the “hot assassin”.
It’s not an isolated case. Previously Jeremy Meeks, a former member of violent US gang the Crips, was glorified with the moniker ‘world’s hottest felon’ after his mugshot went viral in 2014.
This happened despite him being a convicted criminal, later found guilty of grand theft auto and firearm possession too, and he was even awarded a modelling contract.
GettyMangione was arrested five days after the killing[/caption]
The Mega AgencyMangione has concerningly been labelled ‘hot assassin’ online and featured in memes[/caption]
Warning of the dangers of this idealisation of crooks, Jennifer says: “To be frank, labels like ‘hot assassin’ could embolden others to act or encourage copycats.”
Concerningly, there has already been one ‘copycat’ style threat similar to the CEO killing – Briana Boston, 42, in Florida, allegedly told an operator for her healthcare insurer: “Delay, deny, depose. You people are next.”
The three D words she referenced were reportedly etched on to the casings of bullets fired at Brian Thompson, killing him last week.
Jennifer continues: “We have to be so careful. Even the release of mugshots looks a bit like a freak show or entertainment, not part of the democratic process.”
Twisted playbook
Jennifer argues that many of the ‘manifestos’ written by killers, like the one believed to have been penned by Mangione, all follow a similar playbook.
Mangione was known to hold strong views against the healthcare system and in the text, allegedly written by him, he decrees that CEOs in the industry are “parasites”.
InternetIsla Vista killing murderer Elliot Rodger[/caption]
Jennifer says: “The use of the word ‘parasites’ is really common. You see that dehumanisation often being used to justify violence.
“Comparing people to animals is well worn, it’s come up time and time again and often in conflicts and wars. Any animal metaphors are a red flag.”
She describes the ‘Mangione manifesto’ as “really cliche, not well written, and full of tropes over violent men have written in manifestos”.
Among them is the ‘power paradox’, which Jennifer explains was a study about domestic abusers and how they “describe themselves as honest, upstanding men with no choice but to engage in violence”.
They argue this is the only thing I can do as an act righteous vengeance, because I’m so powerless. It’s a really, it’s a really common theme and they conjure it as a form of self-defense. But it’s not
Dr Jennifer Fleetwood
She believes it’s the same for these killers, adding: “They depict themselves as both powerful and powerless, when actually they are not powerless at all really.
“They tend to be white men, who are in a relative position of power and of privilege all things considered.”
Fake ‘underdogs’
Jennifer references the Isla Vista Killings murder Elliot Rodger, who slayed six and injured 14, in a vile shooting, stabbing and car-ramming onslaught in 2014.
As well as Norweigan terrorist Anders Behring Breivik, a Neo-Nazi who killed 69 at a summer camp and another eight after detonating a van bomb.
She says: “Elliot Roger describes himself as an underdog who’s an Incel. The Chads and the Stacys of the world are kicking him down. He’s so powerless.
“But then also he goes and shoots lots and lots of people, which is an act of power. It’s the same thing with Breivik and Tarrant, who spoke about the ‘great replacement theory – that whites would be replaced by non-white people.
ReutersThe Unabomber wrote a chilling manifesto[/caption]
SuppliedCriminologist Dr Jennifer Fleetwood warns about reading into killers’ manifestos[/caption]
“They then argue this is the only thing I can do as an act of righteous vengeance because I’m so powerless. It’s a really common theme and they conjure it as a form of self-defence. But it’s not.”
‘Self-important’
Another unifying point of the manifestos and characters is that in the texts they are often “self-aggrandizing and self-important”, citing themselves as the only solution for a problem and that their actions “will be world-changing”.
Jennifer adds: “A lot of these people see themselves as political activists, like Breivik, they see themselves as heros, anti-heros and saviours. They think they are political activists but they are not.
“They don’t deserve to be taken quite so seriously. It’s telling that politicians don’t tend to graduate into mass violence once they are frustrated with the system.
“There are other reasons why these men are violent and it’s not because politics sucks. Politics sucks for all of us but we don’t express it through violence.”
2 weeks agoUSA UpdateComments Off on UAAP: FEU edges Ateneo in shootout, regains men’s football title
Far Eastern University won its second UAAP men's football championship in three years on Sunday after a thrilling penalty shootout triumph against the Ateneo Blue Eagles.
2 weeks agoUSA UpdateComments Off on Spikers’ Turf: HD Spikers make quick work of Criss Cross for Invitational crown
Cignal HD proved to be the more composed team down the stretch in completing a straight-sets triumph over Criss Cross to claim the championship in the 2024 Spikers' Turf Invitational Conference.
