Teesside Evening Gazette
GUILTY
A STEPDAD “had a despicable, perverted sexual obsession with his stepdaughter – an obsession that ended with him killing her”. Nathan Owens, from Hartlepool, has been found guilty of murdering Carla Georgescu after standing trial. The “intelligent,...
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DUNLOP: ‘I WOULD HAVE KILLED AGAIN’
A NOTORIOUS Billingham murderer has told a parole board his outlook on life has completely changed since the sudden death of his son as he makes a freedom bid. William Dunlop, known as Billy, has spent more than two decades behind bars for the murder...
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£1m boost for hospital
THE University Hospital of North Tees will receive £1m in government funding to refurbish its emergency department and bring down waiting times for patients. The two-year cash boost will go to refurbish the Stockton hospital’s emergency department...
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He’s a ‘monster’
A MOTHER who was raped by her ex-partner while they were in a relationship has described him as a “monster”. Tatjana Sibley, known as Tanya, was raped three times by Calvin White, 35, just months after giving birth to their son. The 38-year-old, who...
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CLAMPING DOWN
A CRACKDOWN on organised crime following the fatal A66 crash has seen 50 people arrested. Cleveland Police say a dedicated team of detectives have been pursuing and tackling serious and organised crime on Teesside. It has led to the arrests of 39 men...
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OURS IS THE THINNEST BLUE LINE
CLEVELAND Police has seen the largest proportional reduction of officers in the country, Government figures show. Numbers fell by 221 between 2010 and 2026 – a 12.8% drop. MPS have now hit out at the “national scandal” of police officer cuts in
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MINISTER FEARS ‘FAILURE’ AT AUTHORITY
THE Tees Valley Combined Authority (TVCA) will face fresh scrutiny by government-appointed inspectors. A minister has announced he has “material concerns about the authority’s long-term financial sustainability”, along with remaining concerns about...
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WE’RE HERE TO STAY
BOSSES at a key Teesside chemicals plant which was rescued from administration say progress has been faster than expected. In recent months, production has restarted at Tioxide, which was acquired from the ashes of Venator in April this year. The...
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Mum’s baby loss agony
A HEARTBROKEN mum was told her unborn baby had died after a drop in her heart rate was missed when a monitoring machine was set to silent after suffering a paper jam. Bethany Sowerby was 38 weeks pregnant when she rushed to Middlesbrough’s James Cook...
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KICKING UP A STINK
RESIDENTS have stepped up their battle against plans for 260 new homes in Stockton – and say a worsening pong from drains is just one of their growing list of concerns.
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LASTING LEGACY
WHEN Middlesbrough take to the pitch at the Riverside to face Wolves today there will be a noticeable difference. Rather than the red they’re famous for, Boro will be wearing a special one-off blue kit. That’s because this game has been marked by the...
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WOUND FROM CURFEW TAG BECAME INFECTED WITH FLESH EATING DISEASE
A STOCKTON man died after developing a flesh-eating disease on a wound which was caused by pressure from a curfew tag. Kevin O'connell, 47, died on March 18, 2023, at the University Hospital of North Tees. An inquest into his death heard he died “due...
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ARSON PROBE LIBRARY BLAZE
AN INVESTIGATION is ongoing into a suspected arson attack after a blaze broke out at the former library building in Billingham. Smoke could be seen for miles as firefighters rushed to the scene while flames tore through the derelict building in...
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Decision day for new £10.4m cycle lane
MEMBERS of Labour-led Middlesbrough Council’s Executive must decide if a new cycle lane can be built in the town. Papers going before councillors today seek a decision on the proposed improvements along the “Green Lane highway corridor”. The cost of...
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‘He’ll never be at peace’
THE mum of Donna Keogh feels her late husband not be at peace until his daughter is laid to rest. Donna, 17, from Middlesbrough, disappeared in 1998 and is thought to have been murdered. Yesterday, her mum, Shirley Keogh, appeared on Crimewatch Live...
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Improvements to bus services are highlighted
TEES Valley Mayor Ben Houchen says the “proof is in the pudding” after Arriva said bus services had improved significantly after recent disruption. Alec Brown, the leader of Redcar and Cleveland Council, claimed at one point in his area more than half...
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Council ‘not received a penny’ from Globe
STOCKTON Council did not receive any profit share from the Globe theatre last year, councillors were told. The authority’s deputy leader Councillor Paul Rowling said the grade II listed Stockton Globe was a “real asset” which had put the town back on...
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‘Profound disbelief’ at youth funding call
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Two accidents in 24 hours ‘very worrying’
A CAMPAIGNER says two accidents in 24 hours at Leven Bank highlight the road dangers explained to a planning inspector just days earlier. Yvonne Wallace was one of several residents who gave evidence to the Yarm public inquiry heard by a...
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PLUS
GAT SKATIN ICE SCIENC E LIFE EAND CENTR MORE! Terms and conditions apply
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School takes heart from glowing Ofsted
A MIDDLESBROUGH school that prides itself on having “a big heart” has been praised for its key strengths by Government inspectors. Green Lane Primary Academy, in Acklam, was awarded several ‘Strong’ judgements following its latest Ofsted...
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‘Evil’ with ‘vile desires’
A PAIR of ‘evil’ perverted pals with ‘vile desires’ booked flights to go abroad to abuse children. Stockton man Kevin Smith was planning to travel overseas to sexually abuse young girls when he unknowingly messaged a police officer. He sent messages...
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WHERE WAS THE HOME SECRETARY?
THE Government has been criticised for the failure of Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood to attend the funerals of PC Matthew Blades and PC Tom Clough. Cleveland Police and Crime Commissioner Matt Storey told a meeting unprompted he believed it was...
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Advice on plans for homes ‘at odds with local road knowledge’
A COUNCILLOR has told a public inquiry that officers’ advice on a 600-home plan’s impact on roads did not match local knowledge. Councillor Tony Riordan gave evidence in the Yarm appeal inquiry, saying he believed Taylor Wimpey’s plan for up to 600...
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KILLERS SENTENCED TO 17 YEARS
THREE men have been jailed for the manslaughter of a Stockton dad who died days after he was lured into a Norton alleyway and attacked. Declan Moor, 21, Max Cashman, 30, and Lee Bradshaw, 22, have been sentenced to a combined 17 years and 10 months...
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Pair stamped on and kicked an elderly man in park attack
TWO woman attacked a pensioner who “was doing no more than walking one of his dogs” in a Middlesbrough park. Chloe Thompson and Leanne Yates subjected their victim to a joint attack – where Yates, 41, repeatedly stamped on him and kicked...
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MPS welcome £1bn fund for Transpennine Express trains
TEESSIDE MPS have welcomed a £1bn government investment that will fund the construction of 29 new trains, which will travel between Redcar, Middlesbrough and the north west. The new rolling stock is due to be built from 2028 and enter service from...
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Parents’ green hair dare for little Daisy Dad of teen killed in A66 crash charged with assault
THE parents of a Teesside youngster battling a rare condition are set to dye their hair bright green and are urging others to join them. Daisy Lawson, six, was just threeweeks-old when she was diagnosed with the progressive muscle loss condition,...
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Retail plans for former pub that closed in 2015
FRESH plans develop the Grangetown. A planning submission to Redcar and Cleveland Council proposes a retail function on the ground floor, including a chemist, along with two flats on the first floor. Part of the site, on the corner of Birchington...
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Flying the flag for Teesside as a giant parmo!
A NORTH East law firm staff member will take “flying the flag for Teesside” to a whole new level by tackling the Great North Run dressed as a giant parmo. Jill Cull will raise vital funds for the Middlesbrough FC Foundation as one of 11 runners from...
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CLASH AS SCHOOLS ARE SHUT
KEMI Badenoch has described as “obscene” the closure of Middlesbrough schools while funerals of teenagers killed in the recent A66 crash are taking place. On Friday, some schools temporarily closed in the South Bank area for the funeral of 23-year-old...
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Freed killer sent back behind bars
A HARTLEPOOL killer, who was Britain’s longest-serving female prisoner, has been hauled back behind bars just two weeks after her release. Maria Pearson, now 70, was released in August after serving almost 40 years for stabbing Janet Newton to death...
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Dad is taking on famous North East run again in support of a Great cause
A MIDDLESBROUGH man is preparing to take on the Great North Run for a special charity inspired by his daughter’s hearing loss. Ben Taylorson, 45, from Nunthorpe, will take on the 13.1-mile challenge on September 13 alongside a friend, raising money...
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Extremist teenager’s fake suicide vest and obsession with terror
A MIDDLESBROUGH teenager amassed terrorist material and shared a video of himself ‘triggering’ an imitation suicide vest. Mohammed Khalil Nadir had researched the mock explosive vest worn during the Heaton Park Synagogue attack, before placing an...
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Crematorium refurb is the £1m question
LEADERS are being asked to spend £1m on refurbishing equipment at Teesside Crematorium. Middlesbrough Council officers say the crematorium needs investment to tackle ageing equipment. They say the proposed £1.04m spend on installing, replacing and...
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PEOPLE ‘SCARED TO GO OUT’
Several vehicles were torched at a vigil for one of five teenagers killed in a crash on the A66 which also claimed the lives of two police officers. After a series of other incidents, including homes being rammed with cars, a stabbing and a fire which...
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Rugby club tackled over expansion plans
A RUGBY club is planning to expand with a new club house, but its proposals have met with opposition from residents. The 1873-founded Stockton Rugby Club, one of the country’s oldest rugby clubs, has developed plans for a new modern two-storey club...
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Focus on young helping to shape future of town
MIDDLESBROUGH town centre could be remoulded through the eyes of young people – and it could take planners right out of their comfort zone. Middlesbrough Council has unveiled its ambition to make “the biggest changes to Middlesbrough town centre in a...
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IN A BOLD VISION FOR FUTURE
TOP RETAIL OFFICE SPACE... 2,000 HOMES NEW COMMUNITY
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WIFE OF LOVED DAD-OF-TWO PC MATTHEW BLADES SAYS LIVES WILL NEVER BE THE SAME’
AFTER LIVES LOST ON
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Mayor calls for fresh cap on private sector profits
ALL private sector profits generated by delivering statutory public services should be capped, Middlesbrough mayor Chris Cooke has said. Labour mayor Mr Cooke is the chair of the Special Interest Group of Municipal Authorities which represents...
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DENNIS WAS OUR TRUE LOCAL HERO
A 100-YEAR-OLD war veteran who took part in the Normandy landings on D-day and was given France’s highest honour has been laid to rest. Dennis Smith’s funeral took place on Tuesday at St Anne’s RC Church, in Whale Hill, Eston, followed by a committal...
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Everyone’s saying it’s like Day of the Triffids
A BILLINGHAM youngster has managed to grow a mammoth sunflower which is currently standing over 11ft tall. Theo Farquharson, 13, planted the seed in his family’s garden in the town’s Pentland Avenue earlier this year – and it has just kept growing and...
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Tennis World submits new padel courts bid
PLANS for more padel courts in Marton have been submitted again, following a change in their siting. Tennis World, on Marton Road, hopes that it will once again be granted planning permission for three padel courts, which are now proposed to be built...
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Praise for staff but care home ‘must improve’
A CARE home has been told it needs to improve, particularly with leadership and safety, despite praise for its kind and compassionate staff, good care and new manager. The Care Quality Commission gave the Elton Hall Care Home an overall “requires...
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MAN WHO ATTACKED BMW WAS SET ON FIRE
A driver who was being tailgated by a BMW got out of his own car and attacked it – only for its balaclava-clad occupants to set him on fire.
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GRAN’S TURKEY HOLIDAY NIGHTMARE
June Redman was placed in an induced coma after she fell seriously ill with sepsis and pneumonia following a fall in her hotel in Turkey
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Making the grade
Above, Yarm School students Chloe Porter, Mae Kempster, Charlie Leggett, Zaara Soni and Robert Qin. Right Olivia Mitchell, celebrates her results with her family
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‘BRAGGING’ TEEN TRIO GUILTY OF MURDER
THREE teenagers have been found guilty of murder. David Cuthbert, 49, was found slumped by the door of his Stockton home by a family member at lunchtime on January 10. Yesterday a jury at Teesside Crown Court reached their verdict in less than three...
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Stalker made online threats to teenager
A WOMAN who sent messages to a girl telling her to “slit her wrists” and “drink bleach” has avoided a prison sentence. Hollie Hay was still a teenager herself when set up multiple social media accounts and used them to send horrific communications to...
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CROWDED HOUSE
A REDCAR resident says his family is living in sub-standard accommodation due to homes being built with bedrooms that are too small. But Redcar & Cleveland Council rejected Thomas Staines’ complaint, while landlords Beyond Housing said it had been...
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‘GIVE US OUR FAIR SHARE’
FURTHER calls have been made for extra cash for Cleveland Police after figures showed Middlesbrough was the most crime-hit area in England and Wales. Middlesbrough’s two MPS have mirrored Temporary Detective Chief Superintendent Helen Barker’s...
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Talia brought so much love, laughter and happiness
THE heartbroken family of a disabled teenager who battled a range of health conditions have vowed to keep her memory and her joy for life alive. Talia Sarah Foster – who medics said would not survive infancy – died suddenly in her sleep at her...
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Road’s renovations back in the picture
IMPROVEMENTS to Redcar’s Station Road are back on the agenda after they were previously dropped due to rising costs. Public realm improvements for the town centre thoroughfare were originally included in Redcar Town Deal-funded plans, but later...
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Three more arrests made after shootings
A wanted man and two others have been arrested after connected shootings in Grangetown and South Bank last week. Cleveland Police has confirmed a 24-year-old man detectives wanted to speak to has been arrested over the weekend. He will be questioned...
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‘Carnage’ crash left pal with brain injury
A SPEEDING motorcyclist who had taken cocaine left his friend with a serious brain injury after he overtook him in Stockton. Callum Grey, 23, was on a red Triumph bike and his friend Ewan Kennington was driving a Honda CRF 100 motorbike with a...
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By TOM WILKINSON, PA
A MUM and her new boyfriend have been jailed for life for the sadistic murder of her twoyea r -o ld toddler, who was also sexually assaulted. Isabelle Welsh suffered from weeks of abuse, including suffering 21 broken bones, before she collapsed at her...
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Firm’s treated sewage plan dubbed ‘sleight of hand’ by councillor
A PROPOSED scheme to build a huge – partly underground – pipe carrying treated sewage water out to sea at Redcar does not represent a standalone investment, Northumbrian Water says. Up to £245m could be spent on the construction of a long sea outfall...
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