THURSDAY, 12 FEBRUARY 2015
No. 130 © Hallamshire Times www.hallamshiretimes.co.uk £1.60
Campaign for local ‘talking buses’ gains momentum
Read more on page 2
‘Disgusting’ man jailed for Shetland pony sexual abuse
LOCAL Dore’s lantern parade and lights switch-on marks the beginning of Christmas Read more on page 2
Sexual deviant tied metal dog lead around animal’s neck, carried it to secluded paddock and abused it until all it had left were injuries and psychological scars By Jeff Mangum
A convicted rapist with a ‘disgusting’ bestiality perversion was jailed for four years after sexually assaulting a Shetland pony.
Alan Barnfield, 44, was convicted of outraging public decency after he abused the animal with a bottle.
Judge Peter Kelson QC told Sheffield Crown Court that the verdict confirmed sexual assault but said the jury could not be certain of whether sexual intercourse had taken place. The incident had taken place in the early hours of 8 August 2012 at Oak Tree Stables on Rakes Lane, Loversall, Doncaster. Barnfield, of Hexthorpe Lane, Doncaster, had approached the stables and tied a metal lead around the neck of a Shetland pony called Savannah. He then guided her to a secluded paddock while Sky, a second pony, naturally followed the pair. He fastened them to a fence and abused Sky with a bottle of Lucozade.
“You’re a man who enjoys looking at images of intercourse between animals and humans.”
Barnfield was later found by police carrying a bag with several deodorant bottles, a water bottle, a spray bottle and a dog lead. He told the jury that he worked in a deodorant factory and always carried a few bottles with him. The spray was intended to keep him clean through-
‘Repulsive’: Alan Barnfield, 44, outside Sheffield Crown Court
out the day as he ‘suffered from severe OCD’. Yet he was seen with a soiled knee and dirty clothes at the time of the arrest, consistent with having kneeled down to tie a lead around the pony’s neck. Charlotte Harrison, who lives opposite the field, saw him leading the horses into a wooded area and phoned officers worried that he was trying to steal them. Her husband Roger Harrison remembers seeing a light by the paddock. The pervert lied through his teeth during the trial, changing his account several times to maintain his innocence. But police had collected forensic ev-
Thousands angered by Devonshire demolition Plans to destroy shops faced with protests By Jesse Lacey
Almost 20,000 people have signed a petition to withdraw plans to demolish 162-170 Devonshire Street buildings.
A planning application to convert the stretch of independent shops in the heart of Sheffield into a three-storey block of apartments has been submitted to the City Council.
Developers plan to bulldoze the shops to accommodate commercial and residential spaces, like restaurants, cafés, and small studio apartments. If the proposals were approved, shops like Rare and Racy, Syd and Mallory’s, Filibuster, and Natural Bed Company would be destroyed.
Matt Helders @matthelders ‘You can’t let em knock down these shops! Classic, independent businesses in sheffield.’
These shops are all part of the centre’s unique identity and attract valuable assets like investors, students and
tourists. The petition has received public support from local politicians and luminaries, with Arctic Monkeys’ drummer Matt Helders defending the cause on Twitter. Frontman of Castleton grunge band Drenge has also tackled the issue on their website saying Rare and Racy’s “presence in the city is silent and composed but vital and enriching.” Protesters claim that there is no deficit of flats and apartment complexes in the city but independent shops are a rare sight. Commenters in the petition’s webpage also said that the demolition would rip the heart out of the community and replace it with ‘faceless residential slab’. Many have defended that the building where the shops are located is a historical landmark of pre-war design. Campaigners are also arguing that the planning application, submitted by Primesite Ltd, goes directly against the council’s Devonshire Quarter Action Plan. The action plan contained guidance aimed at preserving the ‘vibrant urban village’ character of the area to rival
idence of his DNA on bottles found in the field and horse DNA on his penis. They also claimed that he was ‘sweating profusely and smelling strongly of horses’ at the time of the arrest. He blamed the excessive sweating on his tramadol prescription during his trial despite not having mentioned this to police at the time. The pony pervert also justified the horse DNA found on him by saying he could have accidentally touched himself when he arrived home after petting the horses. He had also put his clothes in the wash as soon as he got home, making it impossible for any DNA to be detected. Police also found several pictures
Manchester’s Northern Quarter. But business investors released a statement that argued the proposals would deliver structures that “will simultaneously respect and enhance the existing historic vernacular of Devonshire Street whilst also offering high quality contemporary design where appropriate.”
Paul Blomfield @PaulBlomfieldMP ‘Pleased to support campaign to save Devonshire Street shops.’
Councillor Jillian Creasy, along with several other Green councillors, have spoken out against the demolition plans, calling it “the final nail in the coffin for small independent businesses in the area”.
and videos of bestiality on his phone that he claimed not to know about. He told the jury that he received these images automatically from strangers in pubs and bars through Bluetooth without his consent. Next to these photographs were pictures of his own cats and rodents. Barnfield also claimed not to own or actively search for animal pornography himself due to a lack of interest, but that it often showed up on websites when trying to buy household items ‘such as guitars’. He went as far as telling the jury that he had lodged a complaint against a website that displayed bestiality in its advertisement space. “You’re a man who enjoys looking at images of intercourse between animals and humans. “You were going out to have a go yourself that night. You were acting out what you had seen in images,” Louise Reevell, prosecuting, told the court. Sky was found with injuries to her face and genitals and was described as being severely traumatised. A victim impact statement read out in court from Jodie Walton, the pony owner, said that Sky’s behaviour had changed and she would entirely avoid the area where she was attacked. She had also begun ‘shaking and trembling’ and kicking out at others. “I had to give Sky to a friend so that she could start afresh and get her confidence back,” the report said. Sentencing Barnfield, a pervert with a previous conviction of rape, Judge Kelson said: “Sky is a living creature who you caused great pain to. “There is no credit to you whatsoever. The outrage to public decency is enourmous. You have an utterly disgusting perversion.”
Creator of the petition and local poet Jonathan Butcher stocks his books in Rare and Racy. He calls it ‘one of the few independent traders in Sheffield left who support local and national underground record labels, publishers, and magazines’. In his online petition, due to be handed in to the Council on 6 November, he said: “The establishments threatened have long proven to be a hub of creativity and independent entrepreneurial talent. “These local businesses and retailers are an important part of our economy, character and identity. “The eradication of these cherished and unique aspects to our landscape would be a crisis, both economically and culturally.”
‘Hub of creativity’: these independent shops face axe if planning application goes through
SOCIETY Young thug killed friend’s grandmother for £104 Read more on page 3
COUNCIL Sheffield election system faces changes in 2016 Read more on page 3
INQUEST Homeless epileptic dies unexpectedly in police cell Read more on page 4
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LOCAL
Christmas begins in Dore centre The annual light switch-on and lantern parade took place last Wednesday By Noah Lennox
The Dore Festival and Christmas lights switch-on took place Wednesday, 3 December, at the village centre. Several families met at the centre at 6pm to wait for the traditional Dore Christmas parade to start. Children gathered around the organ grinder, who played a vast selection of Christmas songs, while adults warmed themselves with mulled cider and coffee from nearby shops. David Hayes, organiser of the event, distributed leaflets with Christmas song lyrics and details of the event. “This is an excellent event and a great way to keep shops open until late. It’s free of charge and attendance really depends. It varies from 250 to 800 people each year,” he said. The parade started at 6:45pm sharp and was led by several musicians playing bagpipes and drums in traditional Irish dress. Everyone then gathered around the Christmas tree where Hayes counted down to the grand switch-on of the village’s lights. Adults and children alike held their triangular paper lanterns
The Shine On Choir ladies (top) and the children’s beloved organ grinder (right).
proudly over their heads, illuminating the town square. The tree came to life with colour and holiday images were projected onto a nearby wall. Christmas songs were blasted from the speakers set up for the event. Hayes guided the children through the festive singing with enthusiastic chants that resonated throughout the whole village. After several Christmas classics,
families walked to a nearby square to watch Shine On Ladies Choir, fronted by Lizzy Mack. Families braved the cold together as they strolled through the many shops that were kept open throughout the evening. The village centre was alive with song and dance as is rarely seen on a weeknight and children received free gifts from the event organisers as an exclusive treat before Christmas day.
Trust, who deliver projects that tackle digital exclusion within the elderly. Local businesses will be encouraged through vibrant and successful shopping areas and the Dore Parking Survey will be implemented.
more robust gritting and maintenance strategy in rural communities. Councillors will work with the Highways Department to ensure signage around schools like Nether Green Junior and Hallam Primary are legally enforceable. They will also warrant the effectiveness of the Streets Ahead project and intervene to reduce speeding in Slayleigh lane and Fulwood Road.
Thursday, 12 February 2015
Shine On Choir: the full story
Lizzy Mack’s jam-packed 28-member female choir began with just five women at Dore and Totley United Reformed Church. The busy group of women now rehearse every Tuesday and have a hectic festive schedule ahead. Lizzy, 50, of Bradway, claimed that singing was always an effective and ‘organic’ way to lift people’s spirits – sometimes even tackling depression. She told the Sheffield Telegraph: “There are a lot of people with mental health issues around. Singing is certainly one of those things that releases endorphins. One session of singing a week can release enough endorphins for five days.” The Shine On star landed her first record deal at the young age of 19 and has even supported Peter Andre in one of his tours. She also currently runs the Shine Academy every Monday for youths. Mack sets her choir apart by describing them as ‘very funky’, singing traditional songs with lots of harmonies. You can still catch the ladies at The Forge on 13 December or at Dore and Totley URC on 16 December.
South West wards define priorities ‘Talking buses’ for the
By Mark Hoppus
Local councillors have now refreshed this year’s ward priorities for the South West area. They have been compiled through work with the community, service providers and local statistics. Find your local ward priorities below. Dore & Totley In an effort to improve community engagement and partnership, councillors plan to develop Local Community Groups, ensuring that residents are informed and can voice their opinions. This extends to all age ranges, guaranteeing young people can also comment on issues that affect them. Local publications will also be better administered as a method of communication, such as Totley Independent, Bradway Bugle, Dore to Door and Hallamshire Times. Concerning the environment, councillors will seek to safeguard an appropriate percentage of the Community Infrastructure Levy to be allocated to local green spaces. They will also work with local people to support the development of the Dore Village Neighbourhood Plan and the Streets Ahead project. Councillors will partner with officers to identify solutions to ongoing parking and speeding issues. Vulnerable and isolated people will be further cared for by Lifelong Learning and Skills and Heeley Development
Ecclesall Councillors will support the community to ensure the sustainability of the Ecclesall Library, local groups and partner organisations. Millhouses, Bents Green and Banner Cross shopping areas will also be kept prosperous and lively. They will also strive to support the future development of the Millhouses Mill buildings. Local schools will see to having 20mph zone developments and better signage that can more effectively be enforced to safeguard the children’s safety. Fulwood Besides supporting local groups and organisations, councillors will improve the use of local publications like Hallam Matters as a method of communication. They will also seek to build strong relationships with University student populations in the area. Environmentally they will continue to support t the Forge Dam Master planning group and the next phase of delivery for the Sheffield Moors Partnership. Winter should see an improved and
Crookes Local councillors intend to support the work of local organisations and build stronger relationships with the ward’s schools and students. Local publications like the Crosspool Clarion will also be better used as a method of communication. The Streets Ahead project, Steel bank 20mph scheme, and 20mph zones in shopping and residential areas will be implemented. Improvements for the 51 bus service are on the horizon. They will continue to work with Lifelong Learning and Skills and Heeley Development Trust to deliver projects tackling digital exclusion amongst the elderly. They will also be encouraged to participate in more physical activity. Local business traders will be urged to set up a form and meet to guarantee a more fruitful shopping area. Lastly councillors will seek to improve the student Red Sack scheme through recycling and cleaning up the area, as well as support allotment and environmental groups.
blind backed by Council By Thom Yorke
A new campaign by the Guide Dogs for the Blind Association is supporting the installation of equipment that will provide audio-visual announcements of bus stops on socalled ‘talking buses’. Surveys revealed that drivers often forget to inform blind bus users about their destination and that can a detrimental impact for the disabled passenger. Lee, a guide dog owner from Worcester, said: “I have missed by stop before because the driver drove past it without saying anything to let me know. I once asked a driver for the number of the stand I was at and he completely ignored me, very rude. “These experiences are part of my apprehensions currently.” Liberal Democrat Transport Minister Baroness Kramer has launched a competition welcoming students to devise cheaper ways of providing the
AV technology. The ‘All Aboard’ Competition will be sponsored by the Department for Transport and the Transport Systems Catapult. The Government will support bus operators to develop a prototype after a winner is selected. A Sheffield City Council meeting held on 5 November agreed that this new facility would benefit both the blind and the travelling experience of all bus users, especially elderly people, commuters and tourists. It would also encourage the use of public transport over cars as people will be able to ride with confidence. Councillor Leigh Bramall recognised that the campaign has been supported cross party and admits fall behind several other UK cities already equipped with talking buses. He called on the Chief Executive to write to South Yorkshire Passenger Transport Executive, First Bus Company and Stagecoach to urge them to implement talking buses when viable.
Local residents challenge major road safety Footpaths and pedestrian crossings in Dore and Totley deemed dangerous By Lauren Mayberry
Two residents from the Dore & Totley ward filed a report challenging the safety of the A621 last week. Area coordinator of the Neighbourhood Watch scheme Neil Bunting put to question the safety of the Baslow Road/Abbeydoal Road South junction following three collisions in the area. He set up a Facebook page together with Roger Hart and received support from 140 people. Local councillors called a public meeting on 6 November as a result of the complaint. Yet none of the Facebook supporters showed up, with just two apologising for the absence.
Surveying and ground testing from the Safety Camera Partnership found that 198 vehicles drove over speed limit in a period of less than five hours. The chair of Dore Village Society also raised parking on the footpaths as a concern, particularly with large transport vehicles from Transport 17. But members of their staff were dismissive when approached and continue to park on pedestrian crossing in Baslow Road. The Police & Highways enforcement officers have been asked to look into this issue as well as new potential parking restrictions. Mini roundabouts in each junction will be analysed as a possible solution to excessive speed and illegal U-turns,
though they are not used much in the city. Residents present at the meeting were also concerned about pedestrian crossing Laverdene Road and Mickey Lane due to poor crossing signalisation for drivers. Members of the ward complained about the increase in traffic volume possibly from the rebuilding of King Ecgbert School. The Church has also been redeveloped with additional facilities for community use and new properties have been built in Dore. Officers from Transport & Highways have promised to reconsider and investigate new schemes. Residents with additional concerns are welcome to come forward.
New 2015 adult learning courses will be offered as part of this year’s South West area priorities. They will be sponsored by Heeley Development Trust. Professionals will offer 5-week courses on iPads or tablets for beginners. These will be held in three different locations starting in January. Other courses include family history research for beginners in the Ecclesall Library, art groups and Spanish for beginners at St John’s Scout HQ, and yoga in three different locations. To book your place, email learningchampion@heeleydevtrust.com or call 0114 250 0613.
The deadline for applications for the Equality and Fairness Grants Fund for the years of 2015 to 2016 is Friday, 6 Februrary at 12 noon. The Council website offers guidance, application forms and presentations from information sessions held on 15 January. The grant fund is aimed at activities which contribute to one of the several Equality and Fairness Objectives outlined by the Council. These are selected with the objective of strengthening the voices and influence of underrpresented communities within different city areas.
Abbeydale Road’s beloved Rude Shipyard, described by online commenters as ‘the perfect antidote to corporate coffee shops’, is up for sale. The bookshop-meets-art gem lies at the heart of the Antiques Quarter. It has been in business for six years and is a valuable space for shows and exhibitions. Ideal buyers must be keen to build on the creativity of the city’s independent shops and add to the area’s unique individual identity. Inquire Ernest Wilson on 0113 238 2900 for more information on how to place your offer.
January adult learning courses
Application for equality grants
Rude Shipyard bids sad farewell
City Council’s cutbacks on gritbins may pose threat to elderly and disabled citizens
Protesters enraged with cuts on grit during harsh winter By Avey Tare
Several locals gathered at the city council’s meeting on 4 February to protest against the dangerous state of Sheffield streets. They lodged a complain claiming that Streets Ahead no longer takes individual requests and off-centre roads remain not gritted. Local campaigner Doris Woodall said: “The town centre feels like a summer’s day but those who live in elevated areas fear leaving their homes. “I urge the council to review this again. The elderly and disabled are isolated and vulnerable.” This has come simultaneously with an online petition launched by Amanda Smith urging the council to return the grit bin of Matthews Fold. The petition said: “We, as a community, have always, in times of inclement weather, helped drivers and pedestrians of the area stay as safe as possible by clearing any snow or ice and gritting the area concerned. “We were all upset when our bin was removed last year.” Councillor Jayne Dunn told concerned attendees that the city already owns 1,900 grit bins with assigned criteria and locations.
She added that it takes 89 hours to grit the network and that grit does not work above two to four centimetres of snowfall. Dunn also justified the wintertime issue with heavy rains that quickly turn to snow, as grit has to be worked into ice in order to work. However she assured that the council would look into relocating grit bins to better areas. Councillor Vickie Priestley supported Dunn by telling locals it is impossible to clear all roads in the first few hours after a snowfall. But she condemned the Administration for attempting to save money while endangering lives by reducing the gritting network on Priority 2 routes. Priestley recognised the effort of citizens to help clear residential roads themselves but understood its difficulty due to a significant reduction of grit bins from areas with high numbers of elderly population. She called on the Administration to reinstate the removed grit bins and provide snow wardens with grit. According to Priestley, they will also begin to work with local residents in order to identify the most suitable position for each bin.
Thursday, 12 February 2015
Thug killed pensioner for take-out Former Jeremy Kyle star stabbed grandmother 40 times By Anne Clark
Father-of-four self-described ‘super stud’ stabbed a grandmother to death so he could go on a night out with friends, a court was told today. Liam Aaron Naylor, 23, brutally slayed 75-year-old Doreen Walker for her £104 pension so he could take his friends to a pub and buy them McDonald’s takeaway. He left her to die in her home with over 40 sharp injuries and a carving knife still lodged in her neck, Simon Waley, prosecuting, told Sheffield Crown Court. “Some of the stabs went completely through her back and cut through bone on her spine and airways,” Mr Waley said, reading evidence from the pathologist’s report. Naylor had a close relationship with
Doreen Walker, 75, was murdered for pension money
Doreen’s 17-year-old granddaughter Keeley Sweeney, who had lived with her grandmother for nearly two years. He was regularly at Mrs Walker’s home at Birkwood Avenue, Cudworth, where she offered him food, cigarettes and a place to sleep. But Sweeney had fallen out with her grandmother a week before the murder and moved in with Naylor, who lived on benefits, at Junction Street, Barnsley. On 1 April, Naylor sent himself a series of texts to create a false alibi involving borrowing money so he could take his friends on a night out. The thug told Keeley and his other flatmate that his ex-girlfriend was going to lend him money and left by himself to pick it up. But he was caught in his lie as he was seen entering Doreen’s house on private CCTV footage set up by her front door neighbour. Naylor told court that he ‘feared for his life’ when frail Doreen allegedly ‘jumped at him’ with a knife after catching him trying to steal her money and jewellery. During the two hours he was in there, Naylor slashed and stabbed her chest, face, arms and neck, cutting through her breast bones, ribs, lungs, heart and major arteries. Liam then got a taxi back to his friend’s house where he cleaned off the blood from his face and hair and changed into fresh clothing. On the way to the town centre, him and Keeley set fire to a bag which contained most of his bloodstained clothes, later discovered by police.
SOCIETY
Elections: City Council to consider ‘new’ system put forward by local democrats Sheffield for Democracy campaigners propose system to improve budgets and voter turnout By Ben Walker
‘Super stud’ Naylor appeared on The Jeremy Kyle Show five months before the murder
He paid for food, drink and taxi that night, treating his friends to dinner at a fast food restaurant. The killer told the jury that he had ‘feared for his own safety’ when the 5ft 3in pensioner allegedly attacked him with a knife. But Detective Superintendent Richard Fewkes called this account ‘ludicrous’ and said the evidence against him was ‘overwhelming’. Signs of strangulation also suggested Doreen tried to fight for her life. Exactly five months before the murder, Naylor had boasted on The Jeremy Kyle show about having impregnanted every woman he had been with. His ex-girlfriend, also on the show, claimed he stole money originally intended for his own children. Sentencing the criminal, Judge Julian Goose said: “This was a savage, cruel and brutal attack. “It was a murder for gain.” Liam was jailed for life after being unanimously convicted of murder by the jury. He must serve at least 33 years in prison.
A petition submitted to a Sheffield City Council meeting on 4 February calls for a change in the local electoral system. The document suggests moving to a system of an all-out election every four years for all councillors. The current system defines that each ward should hold local elections three years in a row followed by a fallow year. Chairman of the Sheffield for Democracy group Vicky Seddon argued that differences in the number of voters in each ward could be accommodated by adjustments in the number of councillors they elect, ranging from four to two. She claimed that current electoral formula hinders possible boundary revisions in response to population size. She wrote in the group’s blog: “With this change, our councillors would not be constantly in election mode. “We think having elections every year encourages the kind of ya-boo politics that many of us dislike, and which discourages councillors from seeking to work together across the political divides for the benefit of the city. “We are certain that councillors would prefer to spend more time on genuine community engagement, which can mean not having to argue
Inspectors give Silverdale Academy staff and students maximum praise By Julian Koster
A Sheffield secondary school recently established as an academy has been deemed as ‘outstanding’ in all categories by Ofsted inspectors. Pupils from Silverdale Academy, in Bents Green, were noted as making first class progress throughout the school years. Standards by the time pupils reached Year 11 were well above national averages. An earlier Ofsted report described the school as having an above average proportion of minority ethnic groups. An increasing number of around one-sixth of the school population also spoke English as a second language. This year’s report, the first since it became an academy in 2013, rated it outstanding for leadership and management, behaviour and safety of students, quality of teaching, achievement of pupils and sixth form provision. Gaps in attainment and progress between disadvantaged students and
Yet another raid in Bradway shop
A bookmaker in Bradway has suffered its second armed robbery this year on Saturday. The lone raider held up workers of Coral shop with what appeared to be a handgun shortly before 5pm. He escaped with an undefined amount of cash. No one was injured. The bookmakers, just opposite Dore and Totley Golf Club, had already been robbed on 12 April of this year. Robbers had invaded the shop with a gun and a hammer and held up the terrified staff. They threatened the workers and fled with a ‘substantial amount of cash’, according to Sheffield Star. A recently hired19-year-old was described as ‘shaken up’ after the incident but planned to return to work. That had been the third raid in a betting shop in just a week, with other raids being carried out with balaclavas and gunmen. Yet detectives do not believe that these robberies are linked. Becky Dawes, a young mother aged 22, lives above Coral shop. She said: “It does not make me feel very safe knowing somebody with a gun was so close to where I live.” Hazel Goodison, 72, who has lived in Bradway for 36 years said: “It’s quite frightening to hear about this. It’s not at all what you’d expect. To think this is happening in the middle of the day is worrying.” South Yorkshire Police, who are carrying out door-to-door enquiries, urge witnesses to call police on 101 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
‘Outstanding’: Silverdale Academy students impress Ofsted inspectors
their classmates were closing quickly as a result of effective action taken by academy leaders. Teachers were described as having excellent subject knowledge and students were consistently polite and respectful. The academy remained ethnically and culturally diverse with a below average proportion of White British students and an increase in Pakistani and Somali heritages. The academy also has an integrated resource unit for 17 students who are profoundly deaf. Head teacher Roisin Paul said: “Everyone is thrilled with the outcome. “The result reflects the unstinting hard work and dedication of our talented and highly skilled staff and a passionate and lively student body.” Inspectors felt that all pupils were prepared for a multicultural democratic society. Their report also gathered that a very large proportion of its teenagers went on to higher education.
Peaking fame: national park is made available on Google Maps By Mike Kinsella
The Peak District has become the first national park to be made available on Google’s Street View feature. It is now virtually accessible as an interactive map which allows users to explore its diverse landscapes and trails. Jim Dixon, chief executive of the Peak District National Park, said: “It is our ambition that, by being on Google Steet View, more people will enjoy the wonders of this protected and special landscape. “Once people see it, I am sure they will be inspired to come and stay for
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a few days to explore first-hand what they have experienced online.” The park’s area of 555 square miles made it difficult to cover every aspect of its greenery. Several highlights were chosen instead. These include trails where visitors can go on ranger-led walks, indulge in family activities, hire bicycles, and pay for bike maintenance. The Tissington, Monsal and High Peak trails are now available online after an extensive filming process over the summer. Filming was all conducted by national park volunteers using the Google Trekker camera, designed to capture
360 degree shots. Volunteers took the camera to several secluded locations where cars would not otherwise be able to reach. Emily Clarke, from Google, claimed to be excited about more people being able to experience the peak’s famous trails and views from remote locations. The peak stretches from Sheffield to Manchester and covers areas like Barnsley, Macclesfield, Derbyshire Dales, and Oldham. It has even served as the backdrop for the renowned 2005 adaption of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice. To access the interactive map, please go to www.google.co.uk/maps.
how great their lot are and how bad the othes are. “Many councillors we have talked to individually have indicated that they would be happy to move to such a process.” The all-our election system could also save the council £150,000 annually according to its own figures. The money saved could cover the cost of librarians currently volunteering to run axed facilities. It could also replace the budget cuts of £100,000 to gritting the city’s roads. Most other cities in the country have already implented Mrs Seddon’s suggested electoral system, such as Nottingham, Sundeland, and boroughs in London. There is some evidence that the all-out election system increases voter turnout. Mrs Seddon said: “There is no magic bullet to increase turnout, but the Political and Constitutional Reform Select Committee recommends a series of initiatives each likely to lead to a small improvement. For the new election system to be successful, the Council requirs a majority vote of two-thirds. Councillor Julie Dore, welcoming the proposal, said: “We are all extremely proud to live in a city with such a strong community. Thank you for your continuing engagement.”
Rapist jailed
Rapist Jamie Seaton, 24, has been jailed for 9 years after sentencing in Sheffield Crown Court earlier today. He was found guilty of two counts of assault by penetration. Seaton had stalked his victim, an 18-year-old student, as she walked home from a night out in West Street on 10 May 2014. He attacked her midway home and raped her in Endcliffe Park.
Drunk footballer
A professional footballer that plays defence for Scunthorpe United was found guilty of attacking a cab driver in a drunken brawl with two of his friends. Andrew Boyce, 25, chased the man down a street in Doncaster and punched him repeatedly in the early hours of 26 August. He was given a 6-month custodial sentence, suspended for 18 months with the requirement that he completes 150 hours of unpaid community work and pays £300 in compensations to the victim.
Wassail walkers
The annual Wassail Walk will take place this Saturday, 27 December. Join over 100 people in the community for a five-mile walk to shake off post-Christmas lethargy and festive overeating. Have a chat with other locals, take in some fresh winter air and indulge in mulled wine and mince pie at the destination. Please note that the group does not have its own insurance and everyone walks at their own pace and risk. The Dore website advises to wear appropriate footwear and clothing and to stay hydrated.
Get on the move
Look for the Autumn/Winter Brochure online to find exciting activities for all ages offered by Activity Sheffield. The guide includes October half term activities, term time activities for children and young people, activities for adults and older people and activities for people with disabilities. A wide selection of sports and classes are available, ranging from aerobics and ice-skating to martial arts and street dance. The Customer Service Team can be contacted at 0114 273 4266.
Long live the oak
Peak District becomes first national park available on Google Steet View
Twenty mature oak trees in Totley Lane Bridleway are now protected by a Tree Preservation Order. Gardens in private residences have fallen under the same law since July last year. Councillors confirmed that everyone must submit a formal application to the Council before cutting and pollarding the oak trees. This was met with a series of unsuccessful objections from local residents.
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Thursday, 12 February 2015
Man died abruptly in police custody Evidence shows that there is a high risk the alcoholic detainee did not receive sufficient medical care in a police station where officers do not have proper training and assessments are ignored By Mike Moya
A homeless alcoholic mysteriously died in while in police custody the same morning of his scheduled court appearance, an inquest heard today. Neil Budziszweski, 42, of no fixed address and suffering from drug addiction and ischemic heart disease, was pronounced dead at 9.20am in a prison cell of Ecclesfield police station, despite having seemed fine just 25 minutes earlier. The circumstances of his death were shady enough to require a jury present in the inquest, a phenomenon coroner Christopher Norris deemed a ‘rare animal’. Budziszweski, born in Sheffield, was arrested on the afternoon of May 2, 2013 after someone had reported seeing him take a bottle of lager from a shop in Barnsley Road. He was taken into custody at Ecclesfield police station, where he refused to give his name. Officers had to take him to a different police station for fingerprint identification after he refused to give his name. After being identified in a livescan machine, he was brought back to the original station. Civilian detention officer Dennis Rawlinson claimed that he ‘seemed a lot happier’ then. He said: “he certainly had a drink during the day. He must’ve been a happy drunk by the time he got back.” Neil’s brother, Steven Budziszweski, said on a statement read out to the jury: “His drinking had gone so bad that almost every time I have seen him he was holding a can or a bottle. “When I rarely saw him sober, his hands were shaking.” An external examination carried out by Dr Charles Wilson also showed signs of veins injured by injections, including an injection just a couple of days before his death. Dr Ruta Rele, an NHS addiction psychiatrist, had seen him twice personally and was responsible for overseeing his drug and alcoholism treatment. She gave evidence to the jury saying that he had used drugs from a very young age and was on and off treatment. She said: “He was always drinking and being on methadone -- or both. “He was a low dose meth patient
The Sheffield Medico-Legal Centre where Neil Budziszweski’s body was taken for an examination and his inquest conducted
with 50mg of meth prescribed daily.” A different psychiatrist had documented in February 7 of the day Neil died that he was smoking crack every day, was injecting heroin to both arms and drinking 7 liters of cider a day. Records also showed he had a history of seizures. An examination carried out after his death had concluded that his narrowing and fatty coronary arteries were also posing a threat to his blood flow. Upon his return to Ecclesfield station, he was booked in by Mr Rawlinson but had no risk assessment form filled out at the time, contrary to the demands from the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 (PACE). Mr Rawlinson claimed that this was the responsibility of custody sergeant Nigel Govier, who retired in June 2014. Mr Govier said: “We could not complete the charge form without identification, so I took the decision that it was more important to identify him than to complete the risk assessment form at that point in time.” The custody sergeant had also failed to let his night shift replacement Paul Telero know about Neil’s drug addiction, alcoholism, and possible rousing checks, all of which are required by PACE when a medical professional wasn’t called for a detainee. Inspector Nicholas Dodsworth, whose responsibilities include making sure someone isn’t left anguishing in a
Baby sees Dore can dad beat now plan mum up its future By Fiona Apple
An alcoholic man punched and kicked his wife in front of his twoyear-old son, a court was told today. Ben Knight, 30, attacked Anne-Marie Snelgrove, 43, in an uncontrolled fit of jealousy and his former partner lying in bed with a broken nose and several bruises. He had barged into the room of her Doncaster home on 12 March at seven in the morning and began accusing her of having an affair. Their toddler son had been sleeping with Anne-Marie at the time. Knight, who has a severe history of violence, began kneeing and punching her face until she fell to the floor, where he mercilessly kicked her. Their 15-year-old son, Milan, heard noises and appeared in time to witness the abuse. He asked to remove his younger sibling from the room and pulled his drunken father away. In a statement read out to court by the eldest son, he said: “My mum’s nose was broken and there were blood and marks everywhere. It was awful to see mum like that. “I should not have to see things like that between my mum and dad.” Knight pleaded guilty to the assault and said ‘she needed surgery anyways’. He is currently under a restraining order and can only contact his children through another family member. Recorder Coupland called it an “appalling and serious offence for no good reason.” Sentencing, he said: “Your son had to physically pull you away from her. He saw her covered in blood. Such was your violence. “You minimised what you had done and even blamed her. You lack any remorse.”
By Kendrick Lamar
Dore has become a formal memeber of the Neighbour Planning Forum yesterday. This will grant the ward more influence of planning decisions affecting the community. The Dore Village Society now has the right to create a neighbourhood plan. This will allow locals to contribute to key decisions made by authorities. The application to give Dore a louder voice was approved by the Sheffield City Council and the Peak District Planning Authority on 16 October. The plan will enable the community to better plan the area that they live in. It will also have a bigger say in new development in the area for the next fifteen to twenty years. Though it must comply local authority plans, there is still scope to influence the location and type of development that the community judges to be most suitable and appropriate. The main objective of the plan will be to protect and enhance the Dore village and its countryside. “We believe it is important to that local people are able to have their say in local planning. This neighbourhood forum will allow people living in Dore to capture ideas and ambitions for their community that will influence future decisions,” said Councillor Leigh Bramall. The Dore Village Society encourages anyone who lives or works in the community to become a group member. Work on the plan has already started, based on the Village Design Statement published by the Society and recent consultation with the community carried out through questionnaires.
cell unnecessarily, read the assessment written later on. He said Neil had circled ‘alcoholic’ in a risk assessment filled out at 16:00hrs but only put his was ‘under the influence’ in a different question, rather than ‘dependent’. The jury was reminded that his was the wrong way of going about risk assessments, as officers needed to find out his history before determining that he was dependent on drink. Mr Dodsworth did not do anything about his assessment despite the fact that alcohol withdrawal could cause epileptic seizures, sweating, hallucination, anxiety, shaking, fainting, irregular heart rhythm and death, therefore requiring medical attention. The coroner said: “He was pretty much sober, so the time for him to see a doctor had now arrived. “You appreciate that they are dangerous risks.” The inspector told the jury that Neil had not posed any questions or asked for any medication and had said he felt fine. He did not ask the detainee if he was taking medication or was seeing a doctor at the time. Coroner Norris said that people who are ‘tired and hungover’, as described by Mr Dodsworth, don’t necessarily look well, but the inspector said he did not cause him any great concern. He had also gone through the as-
sessment form while he was distracted talking to Mr Rawlinson, which the coroner described as an ‘unsafe and ineffective way of doing things’. Mr Dodsworth said he was unsure as to whether they should call a doctor simply because a man is an alcoholic, even if he is in the process of sobering up. He claimed not to have the correct training in PACE codes required to inspect a custody area. The inspector also said that he recalled Mr Rawlinson telling him that he would call Medex for both Neil and another prisoner. Mr Rawlinson claimed to have been unaware of this and added that Medex need to be called on a case-by-case basis with a prisoner’s unique reference number. He also said he had not read Neil’s report saying he was an alcoholic as he wouldn’t look at risk assessments unless he needed to. The officer had set up 30-minute rouse checks for Neil, a mandatory procedure for any intoxicated detainee. Yet he failed to complete these checks after 20:30hrs. “If I had known then what I know now I would probably have got a nurse or a doctor for him, or certainly made the suggestion,” he said. Richard Reynolds, representing the brother of the deceased, said: “You were well aware Neil should’ve been
on 30 minute rousing checks and you didn’t do them, then made up a conversation about the amount of checks having been changed.” Mr Rawlinson had also failed to let the replacement detention officer for the night shift know about Neil’s methadone addiction or any medication requirements. Gary Houlton, the detention officer in the night shift, claimed that he had not been told about Neil’s alcoholism or his methadone prescription. He added that he believed a doctor had only been called to see the prisoner in a separate cell, who was his ‘main concern’ as he was vomiting blood and had a drink problem. There was no reference on Mr Rawlinson’s handover about a doctor being called for Neil. Mr Houlton had also not bothered to read the risk assessment when his shift started. He told the jury: “He said he felt a bit rough, so I offered if I could get him anything but he just shrugged and laughed it off. I didn’t call a doctor because he didn’t look any different through the shift. “I didn’t see him shaking, vomiting, sweating, anything. His hands were a bit unsteady but not trembling bad. His appearance was untidy but not ill.” Police Constable Sarah Louise Roberts had been responsible for Neil’s interview, carried out next to the custody suite at 22:22pm. She said she had no difficulty in doing basic things with him and that he had no trouble forming words and sentences. “He was in good spirits, coherent and chatty during the interview, able to verbalise if he had any requirements,” she said. With no cause for concern, she charged him, gave him a hot chocolate and took him back to his cell. Budziszewki’s last check was at 8:55am the morning of May 13. He was alive then and seemingly well. But when the transportation arrived twenty minutes later to take him to his court appearance, he was found lying on his side and had stopped breathing. Parademics cut open his trousers and inserted tubes doing his throat. His ribs were fractured in an attempt to revive him, yet to no avail. The inquest continues.
Prison deaths aren’t anything new -- or conclusive By Sophie Trudeau
The case of Neil Budziszweski is not the first to put into question the effectiveness of police care in custody. Many before him have sparked a debate about the quality of treatment and attention in police stations. A 40-year-old man was found unresponsive in his cell after taken into custody at Bridgwater Express Park and charged with being drunk and disorderly. A 57-year-old died at the Uxbridge police station in London after being arrested on suspicion of criminal damage to a motor vehicle. And the list goes on. Though the number of cases of detainees dying in cells have decreased since 2005, the tragic phenomenon still represents some of the ‘most high profile cases handled by the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC)’, according to their website. A BBC investigation from 2012 also found that official figures understate the number of people who die in custody. It had found that anyone who died after being restraining by police without formally being arrested are excluded from the official custody figures. BBC Radio 4 and The Bureau of Investigative Journalism had sent numerous Freedom of Information requests to the IPCC in order to expose the names of each individual case in their statistical report. Campaigners reacted by questioning how the IPCC puts together its figures. Family of those whose deaths were ignored by these statistics were left in disbelief, accusing them of ‘skewing the results’ when their loved ones had ‘very clearly’ died after a police restraint. Keith Vaz, chairman of the Commons of Home Affairs Select Committee, told the BBC that the findings were concerning.
He said: “This is a highly sensitive area which deals with one of those parts of public policy that needs to be looked at very carefully. “It is the organisation that the police and the public turn to in order to get a definitive account of what happened in respect of some of the most serious cases that there are.” Yet regardless of how accurate these statistical reports turn out to be, one issue remains at the surface: no officers have been convicted of deaths in custody since 1969. Around 827 people died during or following police contact from 2004 to 2013 and, despite the long inquests, countless witness testimonies and evident police failures, there has been a consistent and serious lack of police accountability. Many argue that the IPCC, rather than fulfilling its duty in securing public confidence in the system of complaining against the police, have instead taken its side. The majority of senior investigators within the IPCC are ex-police officers. Sean Rigg’s 2008 case is one of the many used to support this claim. The IPCC, who police officers are obliged to call whenever there is a death in custody, did not arrive at the station until three hours after Rigg had died. They did not enter the scene where he died until seven hours afterwards. Upon arriving at the station, IPCC investigators had met up with police officers to prepare a press release later determined to be highly inaccurate. The case of Rigg, a paranoid schizophrenic, was paramount in unleashing a series of justice campaigns in the country calling for the improvement of police treatment of suspects, especially those with mental health issues. Rigg’s siblings launched their own investigation and fought mercilessly to get disclosures from the IPCC investigation
and its pre-inquest reviews. The family found extremely incriminating evidence in ‘unused material’ found in the IPCC offices. Rigg’s case and the vigorous investigation conducted by his family shed light to the subject of police carelessness and was even featured in a 2012 Migrant Media hour-long film called ‘Who Polices the Police?’. But despite the notoriety of his case, evidence suggests that not much changed in relation to the IPCC’s protection of police officers. Complicity was still found in later cases, most prominently that of Mark Duggan, whose death sparked a series of riots in various English cities. Eric Allison, a writer for The Guardian, wrote in June 2013 a feature on custodial deaths after having reported on the inquest of a 37-year-old man who collapsed in south London. In his feature, he said: “After every death in custody where the prison service has been found to be at fault, it invariably issues a statement along the lines of: ‘Lessons have been learned and steps taken to ensure failings will not be repeated.’ Fine words, coined sincerely, no doubt, but, in practice, often mean nothing.” And, though statistics can seem positive, his words still hold true today. Of course, in cases like Budziszweski’s, inquests are still open immediately after custodial deaths and officers present at the time of the tragedy can be called forward to testify. Yet this does not amount to much when a serious lack of evidence can go such a long way in obstructing the functionality of the justice system. CCTV cameras often don’t capture everything and police officers give different reports. It is still an intricate and flawed system that often spirals into a blame game which does little to help coroners reach a definite verdict.