Portsmouth News
TWO-THIRDS ARE TOO FAT
Hampshire’s health crisis has deepened as a new report reveals 66 per cent of adults are overweight or obese, surpassing the 64 per cent national average. Childhood obesity remains a major concern and officials linked the epidemic to food insecurity...
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ON SONG FOR EVIE
A desperate appeal has been launched to find a life-saving kidney donor for 17-year-old Evie Carter. The teenager’s life was upended ahead of her GCSES when she was diagnosed with atypical Haemolytic Uremic Syndrome (AHUS) - a rare condition affecting...
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JUSTICE FOR SAM
A cruel killer who strangled his partner to death has been jailed for life, leaving her family with what they describe as a “life sentence of grief.” Charlie Jeans, 31, was ordered to serve a minimum of 17 years at Portsmouth Crown Court for the...
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‘WE NEED THE SKILLS’
Local defence and maritime firms are facing a critical skills shortage, warning that vital naval contracts could be at risk without an influx of younger workers. Speaking at the Seawork conference, leaders from UK Docks, Serco Maritime, and Griffon...
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GUILTY
The man on trial for the murder of mum-of-three Samantha Murphy has admitted killing her and been warned that he will face a life sentence. Charlie Jeans, 31, of Margate Road, Southsea, yesterday changed his plea and admitted he had killed his...
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DOZENS ARE TREATED IN CORRIDORS
Queen Alexandra Hospital has apologised to the dozens of hospital patients in Portsmouth who have had to be treated in a corridors. QA’S chief nursing officer has said that it is down to the demand for care outstripping the hospital’s...
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Student cleared of rape charge after third trial
A student who was previously convicted of rape has been cleared after a third trial. Waleed Alharbi, 26, of Saudi Arabia, faced three separate trials over allegations involving a woman he met at a Portsmouth nightclub. In December 2025, a jury found...
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‘A DANGEROUS SITUATION’
Fears have been raised that a national security crisis looms over the UK following the dramatic resignation of Defence Secretary John Healey. And the shock decision has sparked serious concerns for the future of a depleted Royal Navy. Healey quit...
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No-one would listen to me
A five-year-old boy died from an undiagnosed Strep A infection just days after showing severe symptoms, an inquest has heard. Jax Jefferys, from Waterlooville, died on December 1, 2022, after contracting invasive Group A Streptococcus...
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‘TRAPPED IN A DEVASTATING CYCLE’
Ketamine addiction is surging among young people, especially women, leaving users facing serious physical consequences. Experts warn the Class B drug is trapping sufferers in a cycle of severe health complications, with local services reporting a...
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‘FEROCIOUS’ KNIFE ATTACKER JAILED
A vicious knife attack at an office building has landed a Southsea man behind bars for more than two decades. Anwar Ashraf, 39, from Southsea, was sentenced at Winchester Crown Court to 26 years in custody after being convicted of the attempted murder...
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‘A PERFECT SEND OFF’
Serving sailors and veterans turned out in droves alongside family to give 106-year-old Second World War veteran John “Jack” Meacham an emotional final send-off. Dozens lined Upper Cornaway Lane, saluting as the procession moved toward Portchester...
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‘I WASN’T THERE WHEN HENRY DIED’
A decorated former police officer has been forced into hiding after AI algorithms and social media mobs have falsely branded her a murderer. Christi Hill, who left Hampshire Constabulary in April 2024, became the target of death threats after her...
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END OF AN ERA
Gosport Ferry Captain Richard Clark has stepped down after 47 years of service. Continuing a legacy started by his father, who served for 42 years, Richard’s retirement marks the conclusion of an incredible half-century family partnership at the...
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‘THE GRIEF STILL HITS HARD’
The best friend of an 18-year-old girl who tragically died at a music festival has released a moving tribute song in her memory. Georgia Jones, a teenage care worker from Havant, passed away in 2018 after taking smuggled drugs at the Mutiny Festival,...
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REMEMBER THEIR SACRIFICES
Six Second World War veterans gathered at St Mary’s Parish Church for an emotional service ahead of the 82nd anniversary of D-day, honouring those who fought as “mere boys.” The commemorative event paid tribute to the 160,000 Allied troops who...
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LIDL AIMS FOR CITY CENTRE
Discount giant Lidl has submitted plans to Portsmouth City Council to transform the longvacant Station Street Matalan site into its fifth city supermarket. The move would be expected to create up to 40 jobs. The proposed 1,470 sqm store near...
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THE BAND PLAYED ON!
A resilient new marching band is set for its debut performance this Sunday, rising from the ashes of its disbanded predecessor thanks to a £5,500 fundraising triumph. The Portchester Volunteer Marching Band was formed after the Nautical Training Corps...
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➤ A historic hotel owner’s plans to build two new blocks of flats next to the listed building have been refused by the city council
Controversial plans to build two massive residential blocks next to the Grade Ii-listed Queens Hotel have been rejected by Portsmouth City Council. The Pegasus Group scheme proposed demolishing the derelict Osborne Road casino to build The Residence,...
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‘I WILL RISE’
A Royal Navy veteran who lost his leg to a rare, aggressive bone cancer seven years ago is now targeting Britain’s top Strongman spot. Shane Henry, 42, was diagnosed with osteosarcoma in 2019 after months of misdiagnosed knee pain. By the time...
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A MAJOR MILESTONE
A new eco-town neighbouring Portsmouth has taken a major leap forward after plans for its first employment park were approved alongside progress on its first primary school. Fareham Borough Council greenlit nine commercial units at Welborne Garden...
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SOME LIKE IT HOT... ...OTHERS NOT
Many made the most of the gorgeous bank holiday weekend weather, as temperatures soared into the high 20s. Whether it was enjoying the music of the first live at the bandstand of the season, relaxing on the beach, or taking in the recently reopened...
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MAKE IT THE BIGGEST EVER
Southsea Common will host an action-packed Armed Forces Day on June 20, featuring Spitfire flypasts and a Royal Navy parachute jump. The free event doubles as part of the city’s centenary celebrations. And to mark the landmark anniversary, at...
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FROM EBAY TO D-DAY
A Second World War ‘unsung hero’ power boat found rotting in a field has been fully restored after being bought on ebay. RFC113, a 1938 vessel, has arrived at Port Solent ahead of Normandy’s D-day commemorations following a painstaking 14-year...
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A ‘LUCKY’ SURPRISE
Conservationists have unearthed a “time capsule” of six 19th-century coins and tokens beneath the foremast of HMS Victory during its £42m restoration. The artefacts were discovered at Portsmouth Historic Dockyard after a 750-tonne crane removed the...
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‘WE WILL CLEAN UP HIGH STREETS’
The Home Office has launched a £30 million offensive to purge Britain’s high streets of organised crime syndicates using rogue businesses for money laundering. A new High Street Organised Crime Unit will co-ordinate raids, closures, and cash seizures...
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JUDGEMENT DAY FOR AQUIND
The controversial £1.3bn Aquind interconnector project is hanging in the balance following reports that the developer is appealing a French legal decision that effectively blocked the scheme. The proposed data and energy cable between Normandy and...
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LEAP OF FAITH FOR JAYDEN
The family of a 22-year-old have paid tribute to him after his death following a ruptured spleen. Jayden Brookes , from Cosham, spent much of his life in and out of hospital after being diagnosed with the rare genetic disorder dyskeratosis congenita...
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PE TEACHER IS BANNED
48, has been banned from teaching indefinitely following a misconduct panel’s finding of an “over-familiar and inappropriate” relationship with a student at the £18,000-a-year city school. The former Assistant Head of Year 11 engaged in “unacceptable...
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‘THE THREAT IS SERIOUS’
Portsmouth’s politicians are sounding the alarm over a surge in intimidation, warning that hostility is becoming dangerously normalised. Labour group leader Cllr Charlotte Gerada, who is six months pregnant, was recently left “shaken” after being...
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‘I AM LUCKY TO BE ALIVE’
An HR graduate from Portsmouth has revealed how a “cheap” £8.50 ketamine habit spiralled into a seven-year addiction that cost her £100,000 and nearly her life. Kate Douglas, 27, plummeted to just 6st and consumed an estimated 11kg of the drug,...
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KEEP OUR PARKS SAFE
Portsmouth City Council has launched a public consultation on plans to crack down on antisocial behaviour at two city parks. The proposed Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO) would grant authorities the power to ban alcohol consumption, loud music,...
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‘DODGY SHOPS’ MUST BE SHUT
Portsmouth’s high streets are at a breaking point as traders and officials demand an end to “blatant criminality” masking as legitimate retail. A joint sting by Police and Trading Standards recently netted £29,500 in illegal tobacco and vapes, leading...
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WE WON’T LET CANCER WIN
Southsea Common was transformed into a mudsplattered sea of pink as thousands united for Cancer Research UK’S Pretty Muddy and Race for Life events over the weekend. Overcoming inflatable slides and cargo nets, or the 3, 5 and 10k running routes...
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‘NOW COME AND TALK TO US’
PORTSMOUTH: Lib Dems hold off Reform charge in bad night for Labour GOSPORT: Major gains for Reform as Lib Dems slump, Tories become largest party HAVANT: Reform become borough’s largest party - but don’t gain control
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‘A DANCE OF DECEPTION’
A "compulsive liar" who swindled friends and clients out of £250,000, and suppliers out of a further £55,000 has been locked up. Shelley Simpson, 46, operated Sphere Events Ltd as a sophisticated scheme between 2019 and 2022, Portsmouth Crown Court...
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Inside: Your usual great Portsmouth News
They only really came for the fashion. Jon had spent weeks searching for the perfect houndstooth jacket. But when a Ford GT40 roaring by at 150mph made him spill his drink all over himself, surprised to find he didn’t mind at all. he was
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FOR OUR HEROES
Work has begun on a striking four-metre monument to honour the “forgotten” heroes of the Coastal Forces. Scheduled for completion in May 2027, the memorial will stand at Portsmouth Historic Dockyard’s Victory Gate. The design features the legendary...
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DON’T SUFFER IN SILENCE
as a national leader in the fight against stalking, with a pioneering multi-agency approach earning plaudits in a prestigious Suzy Lamplugh Trust report. Under Police and Crime Commissioner Donna Jones, the region’s Stalking Advocacy and Support...
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COME IN DIVE IN!
After four years of silence, the splash of water has returned to Hilsea Lido. A cornerstone of Portsmouth life for nine decades, it officially reopened on Saturday following a transformative £7.75m regeneration. Once a victim of disrepair and...
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‘PREYING ON FEAR’
The battle for the right intensified as Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch dismissed Reform UK as an “unserious” party during a highly-charged campaign stop in Gosport. Trading insults ahead of the May 7 local elections, Ms Badenoch accused Nigel...
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IN MONTY’S FOOTSTEPS
Eighty years after Field Marshal Bernard “Monty” Montgomery rallied Allied troops for D-day, his grandson is back on the march. Henry Montgomery has embarked on a 4,000-mile journey from Orkney to Normandy, retracing the epic 1944 tour his grandfather...
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‘WE’VE ALL BEEN LET DOWN’
Families of the hundreds of patients who died at Gosport War Memorial Hospital have launched a judicial review against the police watchdog, branding past investigations into the scandal “dishonest and flawed.” The legal challenge, spearheaded...
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CRUISING TO SUCCESS
Portsmouth’s transformation into a premier cruise gateway reached a milestone as Ambassador Cruise Line signalled a long-term commitment to the city. The visit of MS Ambition, celebrated by a purple-lit Spinnaker Tower, concluded a successful...
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TRUMP’S ALL AT SEA
The homecoming of HMS Queen Elizabeth served as a defiant rebuttal to stinging criticisms from across the Atlantic. As the 65,000-tonne carrier sailed into Portsmouth, families dismissed President Donald Trump’s recent tirades, in which he branded the...
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VICTORY’S MASTS TO COME DOWN
The towering masts of HMS Victory are set to be removed in a dramatic overnight operation at Portsmouth Historic Dockyard, marking a major milestone in a £42m conservation effort. Using a 750-tonne crane, crews will carefully lift the mizzen mast,...
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VIOLENT ATTACK ON HIGH STREET
Residents and traders are reeling after a 33-year-old man suffered life-threatening head injuries in a serious assault in Cosham, Portsmouth in the early hours of yesterday. A police cordon remained in place throughout the day as an 18-year-old man...
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TOP OF THE POTS
Portsmouth motorists are navigating treacherous stretches of road as The News uncovers the city’s most hazardous stretches. From the crumbling craters of Claybank Road to the treacherous approach at St Mary’s Hospital, local drivers and bikers...
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TOP 10 THINGS TO SEE AND DO
Literary Corner The perfect place to settle down and listen to well-known authors, stars and illustrators, like Michael Morpurgo, Russell Kane, Lauren Child CBE and many more. Open up a whole world of canine endeavours to feed your imagination and...
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‘ABOVE AND BEYOND’
Former Royal Navy Chief Petty Officer Andrew Johnson has been awarded the inaugural Bob Mullen Recognition Award. It was for his decisive actions during a mass stabbing aboard a London-bound train last November. The Type 42 Association presented the...
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SHE’S BACK AT SEA
HMS Queen Elizabeth has successfully vacated dry dock following an intensive eight-month upkeep period. The 65,000-tonne “national asset” navigated the narrow Rosyth locks yesterday, guided by seven tugs, marking a major milestone for the Royal...
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THREE IN A ROW
Portsmouth has all but secured their Championship status after a dogged 1–0 victory over relegation rivals Leicester City, proving that heart often trumps high-priced talent. In a season defined by resilience, the defining moment came from an unlikely...
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IT’S A RACE AGAINST TIME
A Portsmouth mother has issued a heartfelt public appeal for a stranger to save her eight-yearold son’s life as his health rapidly declines. Leo White, a student at Penbridge School, in Fratton, was diagnosed with chronic kidney disease in 2022. His...
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DEFENCE COLLEGE SNUB
Local leaders are “aghast” after our region was excluded from a national rollout of Technical Excellence Colleges, despite the region’s deep military ties. The South Hampshire College Group’s (SHCG) bid for a slice of the £175m government fund was...
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‘REPORT EVERY CRIME’
Hampshire’s Police and Crime Commissioner, Donna Jones, has issued a rallying cry to retailers to “report, report, report” as organised youth gangs emerge as the “biggest risk” to businesses. High street giants including M&S and Tesco have reported a...
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‘PROTECTING OUR FUTURE’
Portsmouth’s historic Theatre Royal has secured a vital £450,000 government grant, bolstering the city’s bid for UK City of Culture 2029. Awarded via the Arts Everywhere Fund, the investment targets urgent structural repairs to the Guildhall Walk...
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PUTTING LIVES AT RISK
Police have launched an investigation after a newly installed speed camera was targeted in a brazen daytime arson attack. Hampshire and Isle of Wight Fire and Rescue crews were called to the scene at Eastern Road, Portsmouth, following multiple 999...
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HAPPY CHAPPERS
John Mousinho admitted Portsmouth rode their luck after a dramatic 97thminute “smash and grab” victory at Middlesbrough. The Blues were under relentless pressure for much of the afternoon, relying on Nicolas Schmid’s heroics and an Andre Dozzell...
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PARK AT YOUR PERIL IN HOTSPOTS
A Freedom of Information request has revealed Portsmouth’s most lucrative parking traps, with 10 sites generating a total of more than £170,000 in fines last year. Chichester Road emerged as the top onstreet earner at £27,885, while Ashby Place led...
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BIG BID TO IMPROVE CITY CENTRE
Portsmouth city centre is set for a major transformation after local traders overwhelmingly voted to establish a Business Improvement District (BID). Following a successful consultation, 93 per cent of businesses backed the five-year scheme, which...
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‘SHE’S OUR HERO
Tributes have poured in for a “heroic” mother-of-six who saved three lives through organ donation after dying suddenly from a brain aneurysm. Tamsyn Collier-baker, 45, was rushed to hospital on March 27 after an undetected aneurysm ruptured. Despite...
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CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE FURRED KIND
A night at the movies turned into a skin-crawling ordeal for patrons at Vue in Gunwharf Quays after rodents were spotted inside one of its theatres. Horndean resident Megan Jackson was among several filmgoers who left the cinema after mice were seen...
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POMPEY’S RED CARD FURY
Pompey manager John Mousinho fumed at referee Josh Smith over two decisions he believes cost his side a critical Championship survival victory yesterday. He insisted the official got the key call to dismiss Connor Ogilvie, pictured, horribly wrong...
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SHE SAVED MY LIFE
A woman has thanked a passerby who dragged her to safety from a motorway bridge as she experienced her “darkest moment”. In a heartfelt statement, she said: “Thank you for pulling me over the bridge and making sure I was okay. In a moment of pure...
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IT’S LIKE HE’S NEVER BEEN AWAY!
A five-hour rescue operation led to missing moggy Alfie being reunited with his owners – a whopping four years after he first went walkabout. Alfie went missing in 2022 – but was happily living just two streets away in North End, being fed regularly...
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REWRITE SCRIPT TO END ROW
Calls have been made for ‘constructive dialogue’ to bring to an end a dispute over a theatre built without planning permission. The Appeal Court overturned the decision on a planning appeal from Titchfield Festival Theatre, over its Arden Theatre...
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CAUGHT ON CAMERA
Speed cameras will be installed on one of the county’s most dangerous roads to put the brakes on drivers – and save lives. Average-speed cameras will be placed along Portsdown Hill Road and James Callaghan Drive, to the north of Portsmouth. Over the...
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PROM OPEN FOR EASTER
Last-minute preparations are under way before the dazzling new promenade in front of Southsea Common reopens tomorrow. Work includes installing the final benches, jet washing and clearing work areas so the newlook prom and sea defences can be opened...
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THE FINAL COUNTDOWN
TV personalities Ross Kemp and Dan Snow are backing the final push to raise the last £2.5m needed to create a tribute to the “courage, sacrifice, and service” of the Royal Marines. The National Museum of the Royal Navy (NMRN) is making the final push...
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JOINING THE HUNTS?
Portsmouth is set for a vibrant cultural takeover this Easter as internationally acclaimed artist My Dog Sighs launches a massive £100,000 free art treasure hunt. From Good Friday to Easter Sunday, 8,000 original pieces - including iconic “canmen” and...
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‘A BRIGHT LIGHT, CRUELLY DIMMED’
A jury at Portsmouth Crown Court has convicted Norbert Maiksner, 49, of the brutal murder of 45-year-old Frances Obiefuleh. Following a two-week trial, the jury took less than four hours to find Maiksner guilty of one count of murder and one of child...
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‘AN OUTRIGHT LIE’
Defence Secretary John Healey is under fire after a “train crash” interview in which he overestimated the Royal Navy’s strength. peaking to LBC, Mr Healey claimed the fleet possesses 17 frigates and destroyers. However, experts and former naval...
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‘SEE YOU IN COURT’
Portsmouth’s Liberal Democrat leadership has threatened legal action against the government following the decision to merge the city with Gosport, Fareham, and Havant as part of its Local Government Reorgnisation scheme. Under the “Option 1A”...
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Trump, Reform, shrinkflation and boy’s names
A range of issues, primarily focused on Trump, Reform UK, economy and names appear on today's letters page. The first letter criticises the US President’s recent gaffe regarding Japan, questioning his fitness for office. The second accuses a local...
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A CRYING SHAME
Portsmouth’s Championship status is hanging by a thread following a soul-crushing defeat at QPR that felt like a definitive breaking point. Amid a “perfect storm” of poor recruitment, injuries and tactical errors, John Mousinho’s side collapsed,...
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