TWO teenagers have been jailed for their involvement in an early morning incident outside a city nightclub which ended with a car hitting a crowd of pedestrians.

Benjamin Thomas, 19, and Callum Banton, 19, both of Newport, appeared in Cardiff Crown Court today after pleading guilty to affray.

The court heard a fight broke out at around 5.30am on the morning of Sunday, April 29, outside the Courtyard night club on Cambrian Road in the city centre.

Today, Judge Jeremy Jenkins made it clear that neither defendant could have foresaw the incident would end with a car ploughing into pedestrians but added that it was their actions which "precipitated" the fight.

Prosecutor Jason Howells showed the court CCTV of Banton “squaring up” with others on the crowded street, before a large brawl broke out involving another group of men.

“And then it’s Thomas that gets involved,” added Mr Howells.

The court heard that both defendants left the scene after a car hit a crowd of pedestrians, leaving four people seriously injured.

Thomas had a number of previous convictions, including for dishonest offences, assault, dangerous driving, and possession of controlled drugs, the court was told.

Banton had one previous conviction for conspiracy to pervert the course of justice.

In mitigation for Thomas, who appeared on video link from HMP Swansea, Gareth Williams said that the defendant had used his time in custody to reflect on his life.

“His situation has changed dramatically in that he now has a child, who he has only seen once after his girlfriend visited him.

“He is determined to get his life back on track and even if he gets an immediate custodial sentence he will start this process as soon as he is released.”

Harry Baker, speaking in mitigation for Banton, who appeared in court with his mother and was visibly upset throughout the proceedings, spoke of his client's plans to attend college in September to start a carpentry course.

He said: "This would be a big step in terms of his rehabilitation. I would ask your honour to make it possible for him to take part in that course.

"If your honour is against that I ask you to keep the sentence as short as possible.”

But today, addressing both defendants, Judge Jeremy Jenkins said:

“Sadly this is another example of drunken young people in public engaging in violent behaviour.

"What happened thereafter was not your meaning, but it was your actions jointly that precipitated this fight.

"This was a serious case of public disorder precipitated by your actions.

“It seems to me that I would be failing in my duty were I not to say publicly that your actions go well beyond the custody threshold.

“Only a custodial sentence in your cases can be appropriate for your actions.”

Sentencing Thomas to 11 months and Banton to 10 months, the judge added that both defendants would spend half of their sentence in a young offenders institution before being released on licence.

McCauley Cox, of John Ireland Close, Ringland, is to stand trial accused of attempted murder. He denies the charges and will appear in court on October 15.

Detective Chief Inspector Nicholas Wilkie, of Gwent Police, said: “We welcome the sentences handed to Callum Banton and Benjamin Thomas. </s> These are external links and will open in a new window

Two lorry drivers have been jailed over a crash on the M1 in Buckinghamshire that killed eight people last year.

Ryszard Masierak, 31, was jailed for 14 years after being found guilty of causing death by dangerous driving.

David Wagstaff, 54, was sentenced to 40 months in prison after pleading guilty to causing death by careless driving.

Eight people died when the minibus they were travelling in was hit by Wagstaff and shunted into Masierak's lorry, which had stopped on the inside lane.

Sentencing the pair at Aylesbury Crown Court, Judge Francis Sheridan described Masierak as a "persistent, unmitigated, if not very accomplished liar" who had shown "no remorse".

"What you have tried to do is blame everyone and everybody except yourself," he told him.

The trial heard Masierak, of Barnards Close, Evesham, Worcestershire, was twice the drink-drive limit and had stopped on the inside lane near Newport Pagnell for 12 minutes before the crash.

He admitted he had consumed alcohol and said he stopped because he was sweating, felt weak and had a headache.

Minibus driver Cyriac Joseph was waiting with his hazard lights on to go around Masierak's lorry when Wagstaff ploughed into the back of the van forcing it into and under Masierak's vehicle.

Wagstaff, of Derwent Street, Stoke-on-Trent, had been on a hands-free call for an hour at the time of impact and the trial heard he did not brake before crashing into the minibus.

Judge Sheridan said Wagstaff had between nine and 11 seconds to see the vehicles ahead had he "not been so distracted by using the phone".

"You took no action whatsoever because you weren't concentrating on what was in front of you - they were there to be seen and you didn't see them."
• 'There is no life for me now' - minibus driver's wife

Masierak was also disqualified from driving for 17 years after he was convicted of eight counts of causing death by dangerous driving and four counts of causing serious injury by dangerous driving.

Wagstaff admitted eight counts of causing death by careless driving and four counts of causing serious injury by careless driving. A jury cleared him of causing death by dangerous driving.

He was banned from driving for three years. </s> Thomas Mair showed no emotion as he was found guilty of the murder of Batley and Spen MP Jo Cox and jailed for life.

Jurors at the Old Bailey had also found the 53-year-old guilty of possession of a firearm with intent to commit murder, possession of an offensive weapon – a dagger – and causing grievous bodily harm with intent to Bernard Carter Kenny.

Mr Kenny, 77, had tried to intervene when he saw Mair attacking 41-year-old Mrs Cox outside Birstall Library on June 16.

Follow live updates from our reporter at The Old Bailey

Sentencing Mair to a whole life term, Justice Mr Wilkie said: “Because she was a member of parliament your crime has an additional dimension that calls for particular punishment.”

“In the true meaning of the word she was a patriot. You affect to be a patriot.

“You are no patriot. By your actions you have betrays the quintessence of our country - parliamentary democracy.”

He added that Mair had not had the courage to admit what he had done.

Prosecutor Richard Whittam, QC, said it has always been the Crown’s case that Mrs Cox’s murder was a “politically motivated killing”.

The court heard judge Mr Justice Wilkie can impose a life sentence, but would have to impose a minimum term.

It stated: “What you did to me that Thursday afternoon not only threatened my life but changed me as a person and all those around me.”

Mrs Cox’s widower, Brendan Cox, took to the stand to deliver a statement.

He had been in court with Mrs Cox’s parents, Gordon and Jean Leadbeater, and sister, Kim Leadbeater, this morning.

Mr Cox said: “We have no interest in the perpetrator. We only feel pity for him... we are here because we want to tell you about Jo. What she was and what she meant to us.

“Jo was interested in everybody, driven not by her ego but her desire to help. She was connected to her community and proud of the world.”

He told the court that he believed her killing was an act of terrorism.

Jo’s death was an act of terrorism, her widower tells court

Mair, of Lowood Lane, Birstall, shot and stabbed mother-of-two Mrs Cox as she arrived at the library in West Yorkshire for a surgery on June 16, a week before the EU referendum.

The court heard he shouted “Britain first”, had a stash of neo-Nazi material at his home and had collected a dossier on Mrs Cox, who was supporting the Remain campaign.

At the conclusion of the prosecution case, Mair’s barrister Simon Russell Flint, QC, called no evidence on behalf of Mair.

Bringing the prosecution case to a close yesterday, Richard Whittam, QC, said: “The sheer brutality of her murder and the utter cowardice of her murderer bring the two extremities of humanity face to face.”

He went on to detail the initial attack on the Batley and Spen MP by defendant Thomas Mair.

He said: “Most likely Jo Cox was shot once in the head followed by a brutal attack with a dagger.

“Despite the element of surprise and the inequality of arms he failed. Perhaps he underestimated the courage and tenacity of Jo Cox.” </s> Thomas Mair showed no emotion today as he was found guilty of the murder of Batley and Spen MP Jo Cox and jailed for life.

Jurors at the Old Bailey had also found the 53-year-old guilty of possession of a firearm with intent to commit murder, possession of an offensive weapon – a dagger – and causing grievous bodily harm with intent to Bernard Carter Kenny.

Mr Kenny, now 78, had heroically tried to intervene when he saw Mair attacking 41-year-old Mrs Cox outside Birstall Library on June 16.

Mair may have planned a ‘spectacular’ by killing more victims with stolen weapon

Devoid of love and consumed by hatred: Brendan Cox on the man who killed his wife

Video: Jo Cox’s family hail the ‘many acts of bravery’ in Birstall

Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn described the killing as ‘an attack on democracy’

How a day of horror unfolded on the streets of Birstall

How community in Birstall coped in wake of MP’s murder

Why the Yorkshire Evening Post WILL NOT publish an image of Mair on the front page tomorrow

Harrowing evidence will stay with us all </s> (CNN) Two men face murder charges in connection with last weekend's Cameo nightclub shooting, Cincinnati police Chief Eliot K. Isaac said.

Cornell Beckley, 27, was arrested Thursday afternoon. Deondre Davis, 29, is being treated for gunshot wounds and is listed in critical condition, Isaac told reporters Thursday.

Police believe more individuals may have been involved. They also plan to add charges to the two suspects as the investigation progresses.

One person was killed and 16 others were injured by gunfire early Sunday. Police identified the slain man as O'Bryan Spikes, 27.

Isaac said it was an altercation in the nightclub that deteriorated into a fight, which "escalated to individuals being able to sneak guns into the bar and shots being fired." Police have recovered 16 shell casings, but believe more shots were fired.

Mayor John Cranley said the city must "figure out a way to get the guns off the streets and teach people not to resolve disputes with guns."

Police offficers investigate the crime scene at a Cincinnati nightclub.

Jackie Davis, Deondre Davis' father, was by his son's bedside in the hospital when he learned he was one of the suspects. "We were so excited that they had (arrested) someone and to see my son's face come across was devastating," Davis told reporters outside the hospital. "I'm still puzzled on how my son is accused," he added.

Davis described his son as a "nice, well-rounded kid" who always smiles.

According to his attorney, Carl Lewis, Deondre Davis is unresponsive, sedated and on a ventilator and is expected to undergo surgery on Friday.

"He's innocent until proven guilty," Lewis said. The attorney mentioned he had represented Davis in the past for "minor matters," such as traffic charges for allegedly driving without a license.

It was not clear whether Beckley has an attorney. He is scheduled for arraignment Friday.

The shooting was not related to terrorism, authorities said. But Cranley said that made little difference to clubgoers.

"If you were in that bar or restaurant and people start shooting in a crowded room, what difference does it make to you what the motivation of the shooter was?" Cranley said. "We live in a city and a country where you should be able to go out and have a good time and not be terrorized by gun violence."

Cincinnati Police Chief Eliot Isaac addresses reporters after Sunday morning's fatal shooting.

'A lot of chaos'

Cameo is in the former home of a gay bar called Adonis, which closed in 2012.

It is in the city's East End area, on the Ohio River Scenic Byway near Cincinnati Municipal Lunken Airport, where it sits amid used auto parts yards and marinas.

"We, including myself, are all asking how this could have happened," Jay Rodgers, Cameo's owner, said in a statement. He pledged the club would "continue to cooperate with the police investigation and assist in any way in bringing the perpetrators to justice.

Cameo hires off-duty police officers for extra security. Two officers were stationed at the club's entrance and another two in the parking lot, authorities said.

Officers in those situations are allowed to provide security only outside the clubs, Isaac said. Clubs are responsible for their internal security.

To get in, clubgoers had been searched with an electronic wand to detect hidden weapons.

A man who was inside told CNN affiliate WLWT he heard the DJ calling for security, although the music hadn't stopped.

"It was just a lot of chaos, obviously, when the shots went off," Cincinnati Police Department Capt. Kimberly Williams said. "People (were) just trying to get out of harm's way."

To leave the club, some patrons had to flee past injured people on the floor.

Police found a "chaotic crime scene" as they looked for witnesses, many of whom took off when the shooting started, said Cincinnati Assistant Police Chief Paul Neudigate.

The packed parking lot and the crowds trying to drive away hindered fire rescue teams, Assistant Fire Chief Roy Winston said.

Members of the ATF and local police work at the Cameo nightclub Sunday.

"You had a mass group of people leaving the scene," Winston said.

Some of the injured drove themselves to area hospitals, police said.

One patient was treated for a gunshot wound and released from Anderson Hospital, said Nanette Bentley, hospital spokeswoman. Another person walked into West Hospital with a non-gunshot injury and was treated and released, Bentley said.

'Just going to have a good time'

Cranley, the mayor, said his city is "deeply saddened by this tragedy" and urged community members to work together.

Cincinnati Mayor John Cranley said his city is now one more community struck by "unacceptable" gun violence

"People were just going to have a good time and ended up getting shot," he said. "That is totally unacceptable."

He added, "This is a tragedy that has struck other communities and now it has struck Cincinnati. Our hearts are broken but our spirit is not."

The Cameo nightclub allows admission to anyone over age 18 on Friday nights. Saturday nights are for those who are 21 and above and promoted as "grown and sexy" night.

Cameo has a history of violent incidents, WLWT reported.

"We are aware of it. It (the club) has had some challenges in the past," Neudigate said.

Multiple assaults were reported at Cameo from 2014 to 2016, affiliate WXIX reported. </s> A school co-principal says the five teenagers killed in a crash caused by a wrong-way driver in Williston, Vermont, were all high school juniors.

Harwood Union Middle and High School co-Principal Amy Rex says four of the five attended Harwood Union High School in Duxbury. She says the fifth victim is from the community, but attends a different school.

Rex says the deaths were "an unprecedented tragedy" and that all were vibrant members of the community with bright futures.

Police say the victims were hit by a wrong-way driver early Sunday morning. The car hit was found in flames.

A man who allegedly stole a police cruiser from the crash scene is facing charges, but police haven't said if he was driving the wrong-way vehicle.

Vermont State Police say a man driving the wrong way on an interstate highway crashed into a car, killing five people. Minutes later in the same area, a man stole a police cruiser and struck seven vehicles, injuring several people while driving the wrong way.

It was unclear if the same person was responsible for all of the crashes. But police apprehended 36-year-old Steven Bourgoin at the scene early Sunday on Interstate 89 in Williston.

Police say dispatchers began receiving reports just before midnight that a vehicle was north in the south lane of the interstate. They say the first car struck burst into flames.

Authorities say none of the injuries caused by the police cruiser appeared to be life-threatening.

Vermont State Police say five people have been killed after a wrong-way driver caused several crashes on Interstate 89 in Williston.

Vermont State Police Capt. Mike Henry tells the Burlington Free Press (http://bfpne.ws/2dWOKFk ) the crash happened early Sunday morning. Henry says a man was northbound in the southbound lane on the interstate between exits 11 and 12 when he collided with another car.

Williston police arrived to investigate, and the man exited his truck and stole a police cruiser and headed south toward Richmond. When Richmond police attempted to intercept him, the suspect made a U-turn and again headed north in southbound lanes. </s> A man deliberately drove into pedestrians, killing three — possibly including a young child — and injuring at least 20 on a busy street in central Melbourne on Friday.

Video footage from a witness showed a maroon car driving around in circles in an intersection outside Flinders Street Railway Station in the central business district, with the driver hanging his arm out the window.

Two people approached the car, apparently trying to stop it.

“He was half hanging outside the car. … He was just so reckless. … He just didn’t care,” witness Laura Pollson told the Australian Broadcasting Corp.

The driver was doing burnouts and driving erratically and at an “unbelievable” speed, according to witnesses.

The man then drove up a pedestrian mall, deliberately hitting people, Victoria state police said.

A shop video camera showed several people diving into a convenience store as the car sped along the sidewalk.

Four children were taken to nearby Royal Children’s Hospital. One of them is believed to be a baby or toddler who was in a pram hit by the driver.

Police shot the 26-year-old male driver — who has a history of family violence, mental health and drug issues — in the arm and arrested him.

“We have the offender in custody. There is no further threat to the public at this stage. I can also confirm that this is not a CT (counterterrorism)-related incident,” said Stuart Bateson, acting commander of the Victoria Police.

He said the incident is believed to be related to an overnight stabbing in Windsor, 30 minutes from the station.

Three people were killed at different locations on Bourke Street: a man and a woman in their 30s and a child whose age was not given for privacy reasons, said Graham Ashton, chief commissioner for the state of Victoria.

Photographs published by local media showed a stationary, badly damaged car on Bourke Street with a man nearby in red underwear pinned to the ground by police.

“We can see blood on the street from our office window,” said Paul McQueen, a witness who works in a nearby office building.

The streets around the incident were shut down, and tram services near the area were suspended until police confirmed the man was arrested at the scene.

Melbourne is currently hosting the Australian Open tennis grand slam and is packed with thousands of extra tourists only a few blocks from where the incident occurred. Tournament officials and state police said the tennis tournament will continue to operate as normal. </s> Thomas Mair, who gunned down Labour MP Jo Cox, has been found guilty of murder following a trial at the Old Bailey.

Far-right extremist Thomas Mair has been found guilty of murdering the Batley and Spen MP after shooting and stabbing her to death outside a constituency surgery.

It took the jury one hour and 26 minutes to convict Mair of murdering Mrs Cox.

Mair was given a whole life sentence by the judge. He showed no emotion.

Mr Justice Wilkie told Mair that Mrs Cox was the "true patriot" and not him.

Mair's murderous attack on the MP was "brutal and ruthless", the judge said.

Mair, from Birstall, was also found guilty of possession of a firearm with intent and causing grievous bodily harm by stabbing 78-year-old Bernard Kenny in the abdomen as he tried to save Mrs Cox.

Mr Kenny said in a statement that he would do the same thing again as it was "the right thing to do", even though his actions were not enough to save Mrs Cox.

The 53-year-old Nazi fanatic repeatedly shouted “Britain First” as he ambushed the mum-of-two outside her constituency surgery in Birstall, West Yorkshire.

The brave MP told two staff members “let him hurt me, don’t let him hurt you” as she was shot three times and stabbed 15 times on June 16.

Mair had spent the weeks leading up to the murder researching far-right extremists including the Nazis, the Ku Klux Klan and Norwegian mass killer Anders Breivik.

Jo Cox’s alleged killer had ‘Third Reich Eagle ornament, Nazi and Hitler books, dossier on Labour MP at home’

He also read material on the murder of MP Ian Gow by the IRA in 1990 as well as compiling a dossier on the pro-Remain campaigner.

As Thomas Mair shot and stabbed Jo Cox in the street, brave witnesses tried to fend off his attack.

Have-a-go-hero Bernard Kenny was stabbed as he tried to stop Mair from murdering the MP, while Mrs Cox's personal assistant, Fazila Aswat, used her handbag to hit him.

Others were threatened with violence as they attempted to intervene.

The MP's husband, Brendan Cox, told the Old Bailey he was not there for "retribution" and felt "nothing but pity for" Thomas Mair. </s> A 21-year-old man from Louth has been sentenced to two years in prison after causing serious injury by dangerous driving.

James Ian Hanley was recently sentenced at Lincoln Crown Court, following his guilty plea to the charge.

The court heard that, on July 17 last year, Hanley was overtaking vehicles and narrowly avoided head on collisions as he drove on the A16.

Just south of Burwell, he collided with an ambulance - causing serious injuries to the driver and passenger.

In addition to the two year custodial sentence, Hanley was disqualified from driving for four years.

Following sentencing, Sergeant Mike Templeman said: “This is a really positive result that highlights the seriousness of dangerous driving and the subsequent consequences.

“This could easily have been a fatality due to the manner of Hanley’s poor driving standard on the July 17, 2017.

“Hopefully this will send a clear message out that Lincolnshire Police and the courts will take all allegations of dangerous driving seriously.”
In Newport, Wales McCauley Cox drove his car into a crowd outside a nightclub and intentionally hit and injured 4 people before he fled the scene. He claimed he was trying to stop a fight but was found guilty and sentenced for causing grievous bodily harm with intent, causing serious injury through dangerous driving and causing actual bodily harm. Teens Benjamin Thomas and Callum Banton pleaded guilty to affray for their part in starting the brawl which preceded the attack.