Courts

Subterms

    More stories

    • 238 Shares99 Views

      in Soccer

      West Ham footballer drowned in lake in front of horrified pals weeks after suffering brain injuries in brutal attack

      by

      A WEST Ham youth footballer drowned in a lake just weeks after he suffered brain injuries in a brutal attack, an inquest heard.Nicolae Topa, 17, was with his pals at Fairlop Waters Country Park in East London when the horror unfolded.
      Nicolae Topa drowned in a lake in East London in front his horrified palsCredit: Metropolitan Police
      The teen tragically drowned after a night of “hijinks that went wrong”, an inquest heard.
      Nicolae, who played for West Ham’s youth team, had been attacked by five youths just weeks before the fatal incident on July 4 last year.
      The footballer suffered a brain haemorrhage after being battered with a hammer and crowbar and later complained of feeling dizzy.
      But Walthamstow Coroner’s Court was told a link between the attack on June 12 and Nicolae’s death could not be proven.
      Read more news
      His death came just days after the teen got into difficulty while swimming with mates in Brighton.
      Nicolae, who had been swimming since the age of nine, had to get out of the sea after becoming dizzy and told his girlfriend people on the beach appeared “far away in the distance”.
      On July 4, he had gone for dinner with his mum and other family who were visiting from his native Moldova.
      Nicolae and his friends then drove to Fairlop Waters, where Nicolae had swum in the lake before, at around midnight.
      Most read in Football
      He told his pals he would dive in and retrieve a moored boat for his friends to cling on to and appeared to just be splashing in the dark water.
      But the alarm was raised minutes later when Nicolae failed to respond to their cries.
      Emergency crews were scrambled to the scene and a rescue mission was launched.
      Nicolae’s body was tragically found the following evening, around 65 metres from the jetty he had originally jumped from.
      The Met Police immediately cordoned off the scene in case his death could be linked to the previous attack.
      But Senior Coroner Graeme Irvine ruled it was an accidental death by drowning after top pathologists found no evidence his injuries were to blame.
      The coroner added: “It is apparent to me that Nicolae was trying to have some fun.
      “It was a hot night, he had decided to get into the water and demonstrate his talent swimming and get a boat on the lake.
      “It seems to have been a joke. The consequence of hijinks that went wrong.”
      Nicolae played for Moldovan team Zimbru before moving to the UK with his mum and sister.
      He joined West Ham at the age of 14 and also played at Leytonstone FC and Petrocub FC, a Moldovan team in London.

      Nicolae’s family previously said their hearts had been “broken in pieces” following his death.
      Four men who pleaded guilty to grievous bodily harm with intent over the attack in Chingford will be sentenced at Snaresbrook Crown Court in June.
      Nicolae had been attacked just weeks beforeCredit: GOFUNDME More

    • 200 Shares139 Views

      in Soccer

      Jailed footballer Dani Alves’ wife makes stunning admission as ex-Barcelona star faces court over ‘nightclub rape’

      by

      FOOTBALLER Dani Alves’ wife has admitted for the first time she has started divorce proceedings.Joana Sanz revealed that the former Barcelona star is contesting her attempts to end their marriage after he was jailed over an alleged nightclub rape.
      Joana has admitted she has started divorce proceedingsCredit: Getty
      The footballer remains behind bars over alleged rape chargesCredit: Getty
      The 29-year-old model confirmed speculation she was seeking a divorce from the footballer in an angry social media post.
      She wrote the Instagram post in response to Spanish media reports that suggested Alves was paying her to make sure she postponed the divorce until after his trial as part of a “mutual agreement.”
      Joana said on the post: “Lie. There is no agreement.
      “Yes we are in divorce proceedings and he is contesting them and that is complicating everything.”
      read more on dani alves
      “No, I am not receiving any money. I don’t understand the need to invent news.”
      The Canary Island-born model also went on to post a photo which has given rise to speculation she is moving out of the home near Barcelona she shared with Alves, showing a pile of boxes stacked up by a window alongside the message: “End of an era.”
      Joana’s divorce confirmation comes months after it was first claimed she had demanded a divorce following allegations he had consensual sex with the woman who has accused him of raping her.
      The 39-year-old Brazil international changed his version of events about what happened at a toilet in the VIP area of iconic Sutton nightclub in Barcelona, initially saying he had never met his female accuser before telling a judge in a recent court hearing he had lied to cover up his “marital infidelity.”
      Most read in Football
      He remains in prison near Barcelona, with a decision on his second attempt to seek bail ahead of his expected indictment and trial due soon.
      His bail bid is being opposed by state prosecutors and a lawyer acting for his 23-year-old female accuser.
      Joana appeared to call time on their eight-year relationship in March with a letter she posted on her Instagram 48 hours after she visited Alves in prison, writing: “I think it’s going to take me years to erase from my memory his way of looking at me, that way he had of looking at me as if I were the most incredible thing in the world and damn, yes, I’m incredible.”
      She added: “Despite the damage he has caused me, I am still here by his side. 
      “I continue and will continue to be, but in another way.”
      Alves, sacked by Mexican side UNAM Pumas following his arrest in Barcelona on January 20 after he flew back to the Catalan capital to attend his mother-in-law’s funeral, replied with his own letter leaked to a Spanish TV station.
      The letter, addressed to ‘My Dear Joana’ and written in Spanish, said: “In these difficult moments, I regret your decision and I hope that life gives us another chance to love you again.
      “I understand the pain the unjust situation we are experiencing is causing and I understand that you have not been able to withstand all that pressure.
      “The facts of which I am accused are foreign to me and to the values that have guided my life: love, respect and effort.
      “I will continue fighting as I have always done, believing in myself with the support and confidence of those who know who I really am.”

      Last week Joana was slammed after publishing a clip of herself kissing a pal at a party in the same nightclub where Alves’s alleged assault happened.
      The ongoing judicial investigation into the Sutton nightclub incident is said to be near its end, with formal charges expected to be laid in the next few months and a trial date scheduled after that.  More

    • 200 Shares189 Views

      in Boxing

      Ex-Prem star and boxing champion Curtis Woodhouse punched and kicked his cousin in pub beer garden

      by

      A FORMER Premier League star and boxing champ punched and kicked his cousin in a savage brawl outside a pub.Curtis Woodhouse, 43, attacked Alexander Woodhouse at the Spread Eagle pub in Driffield in Yorkshire.
      Curtis Woodhouse punched and kicked his cousin in a pub brawlCredit: PA
      The ex-Birmingham City star, nicknamed the “Driffield Destroyer” because of his tough reputation, landed a punch on his cousin after tempers flared.
      Woodhouse has now been fined £8,885 after he admitted assault by beating at Hull Magistrates’ Court, Hull Daily Mail reports.
      The horror unfolded on August 20 last year after the family fell out during a gathering at the pub.
      Alexander had said something unpleasant to Woodhouse and kicked his leg in the toilets.
      Read more news
      Woodhouse then attempted to clear the air later in the beer garden but his cousin was said to be aggressive towards him.
      The boxer said he could “anticipate” what was going to happen so punched Alexander before the family member could hit him first.
      JPs heard Woodhouse has a string of previous convictions, including assaulting a police officer during another pub incident.
      He was fined £6,500 and ordered to pay £300 compensation, a £2,000 surcharge and £85 costs for the latest attack.
      Most read in Boxing
      Former England under 21 star Woodhouse played for a number of clubs after beginning his career with Sheffield United.
      He also had stints at Peterborough United, Hull City, Grimsby Town and Rotherham United.
      The midfielder played for Birmingham City between 2001 and 2003 when the club were in the Premier League.
      He retired in 2006 and launched a boxing career where he was crowned both British and English light-welterweight champion.
      Woodhouse also fought for the WBO inter-continental welterweight title in 2011 but lost to Frankie Gavin.
      He left the sport winning 24 of his 31 fights – 13 of them by a knockout – with just seven defeats.
      After a spell playing non-league football, Woodhouse managed Marske United for just three months before he was sacked.
      Woodhouse had been at a family gathering when the drama unfoldedCredit: Action Images
      The light-welterweight champion pleaded guilty to assault by beatingCredit: Action Images
      He was slapped with a £8,885 court billCredit: MEN Media
      The former footballer has previous convictionsCredit: Getty Images – Getty More

    • 200 Shares109 Views

      in Soccer

      Former Tottenham star Edgar Davids ‘victim of £200,000 theft’ after having three dozen valuable paintings stolen

      by

      EDGAR DAVIDS allegedly had £200,000 worth of valuable art stolen over a period of two years. The former Tottenham midfielder is reported to have had three dozen expensive pieces of street art robbed while living in North London.
      Dutch legend Davids last played for Barnet in 2014 while he was living in LondonCredit: Getty
      Artworks allegedly stolen includes the works of American artist Ron EnglishCredit: Getty
      The Times reports that the person alleged to have stolen the artwork, Nabila Habiby, is said to have used some of the art as security to apply for a loan.
      The publication also reports that the Metropolitan police charged Habiby in December with a trial set to take place in January at Wood Green Crown Court.
      Habiby, from Belgium, was reportedly charged with offences of theft and two of fraud by false representation.
      She is believed to have denied wrongdoing.
      READ MORE IN FOOTBALL
      The art that was allegedly stolen is reported to include works of London street artist Paul Insect, who became popular for his spray paint craft.
      Habiby is alleged to have stolen 35 pieces of Insect’s art between 2014 and 2016, collectively valued at £152,000.
      The artwork of American artist Ron English, dubbed the ‘Godfather of Street Art’, is also alleged to have been stolen.
      Davids, 50, is believed to have been made aware of alleged thefts in 2017 and reported them to police.
      Most read in Football
      It was when Davids was living in North London that the Dutch legend caused a sensation by becoming player manager for League 2 side Barnet.
      But despite his best efforts he could not save them from relegation and resigned halfway through their first season in the fifth tier.

      Despite his memorable playing career for the likes of Ajax, AC Milan and Juventus, Davids has not enjoyed the best time in management.
      His next job after Barnet was seven years later at Portuguese minnows Olhanense.
      But he was sacked after just seven “disastrous” months. More

    • 188 Shares139 Views

      in Soccer

      European-Cup winning ex-Prem and England ace suing FA for damages in £300m brain injury case

      by

      A FORMER Premier League and England ace is suing the FA for damages in a £300million brain injury case.The European Cup winner is one of 15 players who claim heading the ball caused dementia or other conditions.
      Sources said an ex-Prem and England star who played during the 1990s was added to the brain injury claim in the past two weeksCredit: Getty
      They are part of a wider legal action brought by 379 sportspeople and their families against the governing bodies for football and rugby.
      Sources said the star, who played during the 1990s and won several caps for the Three Lions, was added to the claim in the past two weeks.
      His inclusion is a significant moment in the case because it is likely to shatter the myth that players only from the 1960s and 1970s had been affected as they were heading heavy leather footballs.
      Researchers say modern balls travel at greater speeds, increasing the impact on the skull.
      READ MORE ON THE FA
      So far, 105 rugby league and 260 former rugby union players as well as the 15 ex-footballers have joined the lawsuit, which will be heard in the High Court.
      Another 20 former footballers are in the process of issuing claims.
      They are suing, among others, the International Football Association Board, The FA, the English Football League and the Football Association of Wales.
      Some of the claimants have died and were found to have a type of brain damage known as chronic traumatic encephalopathy.
      Most read in Football
      Those still alive have dementia, Parkinson’s disease, post-concussion syndrome, epilepsy or motor neurone disease.
      Their lawyer, Richard Boardman, of Rylands Garth, told The Sun: “We allege there’s been a systematic failure by the governing bodies to protect players.”
      Those whose deaths have been linked to heading the ball include West Brom’s Jeff Astle, who died at 56 in 2002. England’s 1966 heroes Ray Wilson, Martin Peters, Nobby Stiles, Jack Charlton and manager Sir Alf Ramsey all had dementia.
      Nobby’s son, John, who is part of the lawsuit, said: “In the fullness of time this will be seen as the greatest scandal in sport.
      “The players have been completely failed. They are uninformed and unprepared for the dangers.”
      He wants action including longer recovery time following concussion.
      The FA declined to comment. More

    • 275 Shares119 Views

      in Soccer

      I had Man City star Benjamin Mendy’s secret love child after holiday romance – he’s paying us £350 a month, it’s hard

      by

      MANCHESTER City footballer Benjamin Mendy has a secret love child from a Mediterranean holiday romance.This week it emerged that the Premier League ace is paying the mother Yolanda Aguera around £350 a month towards the upkeep of their daughter – after she demanded a four-figure sum.
      Benjamin Mendy has a secret love child, 3, from a holiday romance with Yolanda AgueraCredit: Darren Fletcher
      Mendy, 28, was ordered to pay Yolanda, 41, around £350 a month towards the upkeep of their daughterCredit: Andy Kelvin / Kelvinmedia
      Mendy’s £90,000 a week contract at Manchester City is said to expire in JuneCredit: Getty
      The child, now aged three, was conceived after he met former bank worker Yolanda, 41, at a trendy hotel in Barcelona and went with her to a party at a mutual friend’s plush apartment in the city.
      Mendy, 28, did not dispute paternity.
      His £90,000 a week contract at Manchester City is said to expire in June and raises questions as to whether he will be able to pay the mortgage on his £4.8 milllion home in Cheshire.
      He’s also been suspended without pay since September 2021 when he was charged with sex offences.
      Read More on Benjamin Mendy
      Speaking exclusively to The Sun on Sunday, Yolanda, who lives in a small one-bedroom apartment in the city suburb of Badalona, said: “The last three years of single parenting have been hard.
      “Initially I was getting up two hours every night to breastfeed and helping to look after my grandmother during the day before she went into a retirement home.
      “Since my daughter started at nursery school this year I’ve had a bit more freedom to look for work but I’m having to focus on jobs that will enable me to fit in with her timetables.
      “The money Ben is paying will help but I’m worried about how I’m going to make ends meet and ensure our daughter doesn’t want for anything.
      Most read in Football
      “I was getting just over £400 a month in state benefits up until they ran out a week or so ago.
      “My mortgage is £550 a month so at the moment I’m relying on the little savings I have and help from my parents.”
      Yolanda added: “I would like Ben to be there for our daughter as she grows up.
      “He hasn’t got any kind of meaningful relationship with her just now and has only seen her once when we flew to Manchester and visited him at his home in Cheshire.
      “She loves playing football and is left-footed like her dad and if I have the money I’d like her to start extra-curricular activities in sport and music which she also seems to have a passion for when she begins proper school next year.”
      Speaking about their holiday romance, Yolanda revealed they first met at the trendy W Hotel in Barcelona in July 2019.
      Yolanda says she told Mendy she was pregnant but did not name him as the dad on the birth certificateCredit: Darren Fletcher
      Yolanda added: ‘He hasn’t got any kind of meaningful relationship with her (his daughter) just now’Credit: Darren Fletcher
      She said: “I had gone along for a drink with a female friend and we got talking to him and his pals.
      “The attraction was instant and mutual.
      “There was music on the terrace and after we danced he sat me on his lap and we kissed.
      “My friend told me he was a footballer because I had no idea who he was when we first met.
      “We all ended up in a nearby apartment they seemed to be renting where one of Benjamin’s pals had offered to cook dinner.
      “Before we sat down for the meal Benjamin took me by the hand and guided me towards a bedroom where we had sex.”
      She realised she was pregnant five weeks later and became a mum following an emergency Caesarean on April 22, 2020.
      Yolanda told Mendy about her pregnancy but did not name him as the father on the birth certificate although he has not disputed paternity.
      Since then they’ve been trying to reach an agreement for care of their daughter.
      Mendy went on trial last year at Chester Crown Court charged with seven counts of rape against four women, one attempted rape of a fifth alleged victim and a sexual assault of a sixth woman.
      He was found not guilty of six counts of rape and the sexual assault but will face a retrial in June after the jury did not reach a verdict on one rape count and the attempted rape which he denies.
      Mendy has agreed visiting rights to his daughter.
      Yolanda, a Spanish citizen, said: “She’s adorable and always happy and she’s the spitting image of her dad.
      “My mum was the first person who held her in her arms in the hospital and told me how similar they were the moment she saw her.
      “I wouldn’t change her for the world. I had sleepless nights when I was pregnant wondering if I was doing the right thing by having her but the moment I had her in my arms she changed my life.
      “She’s the most incredible person I have in my life and my reason for living.

      “I wouldn’t turn the clocks back even if I could.
      “God has rewarded me with this daughter. Being a mother right now means everything to me.”
      The W Hotel in Barcelona where the pair metCredit: Alamy More

    • 188 Shares139 Views

      in Motorsport

      Four-time British motorcycling champion Keith Farmer died aged 35 after injuries forced him to retire

      by

      A FOUR-time British motorcycling champion has died after his injuries forced him to retire, an inquest has heard. Keith Farmer, 35, was found dead in November last year following the tough decision to give up racing and the breakdown of his relationship.
      Keith Farmer, 35, was found dead in November last yearCredit: Pacemaker
      The racer left the sport following two big crashesCredit: Pacemaker
      The dad-of-three was forced to leave the sport after two big crashes – but struggled with the new way of life and felt “lost”, the court heard.
      The racer left partner Sam Ritchie’s house on November 4 and told her he “wouldn’t be here” in the morning after they argued.
      A few hours later, he was found in the garage of his home where he was given CPR.
      He was admitted to intensive care shortly after and put on life support.
      READ MORE ON SPORT
      However, on November 10 he sadly passed away after it was agreed to withdraw the support.
      A post-mortem revealed he had no drugs or alcohol in his system at the time of his death.
      Coroner Dr Nicholas Shaw recorded Keith’s death as suicide after it was revealed he suffered a severe brain injury in the incident.
      Dr Shaw said: “This has been a very sad inquest to go through.
      Most read in Motorsport
      “He left a note indicating that was his plan.
      “He said goodbye and went and did that before taking time to consider what the consequences might be.”
      Keith’s family has described him as “hard-working, conscientious and very competitive”.
      Sister Wendy Forsyth said the are “completely devastated” and their “lives would never be the same again”.
      The Northern Irish racer won the National Superstock 600 title in 2011 and National Superstock 1000cc successes followed in 2012 and 2018.
      He also won the British Supersport title in 2017. More

    • 225 Shares119 Views

      in Soccer

      Dani Alves’ estranged wife shares kiss with female pal on Instagram after ‘demanding divorce’ over star’s rape charges

      by

      FOOTBALLER Dani Alves’ estranged wife has pictured herself sharing a kiss with a female friend after she demanded a divorce.Joana Sanz shared the clip of herself at a party with a pal with her almost one million Instagram followers.
      Dani Alves’ estranged wife Joana Sanz has shared a picture of her kissing a female palCredit: Instagram
      The model, 29, posted a video of herself with friend Sandra TabaresCredit: Instagram
      Alves and Joana split in January after seven years of marriageCredit: Getty
      The 29-year-old Spanish model and businesswoman is seeking a divorce from the Brazil and former Barcelona footballer after he was arrested over alleged rape charges.
      Joana posted a short video of herself with her friend, the model Sandra Tabares, for her birthday.
      In the clip, the two are seen with their arms around each other and singing at a party.
      The post includes an inset of the two sharing a kiss.
      READ MORE ON DANI ALVES
      Joana wrote on the story in Spanish: “Happy birthday, I LOVE YOU. Thank you for lifting me off the ground and filling me with vitality again.
      “We keep adding moments. Through thick and thin.”
      The Canary Island-born model also shared a link on her Instagram story to an article in the Spanish publication El Mundo about women whose partners have been unfaithful.
      In the article, which features pictures of Joana, the author writes: “Infidelity should only dwarf the one who lies, but it is difficult to ignore the component of shame felt by those who have been deceived.
      Most read in Football
      “Is the break up out of self-love or pressure?”
      Alves, 39, appeared in a Spanish court on Monday where he insisted that his sexual encounter with his alleged victim at a Barcelona nightclub was consensual.
      The right-back, who most recently played for Mexican side UNAM, has been in jail since January 20 after being accused of sexually assaulting a woman in December last year.
      Alves initially denied having sex with the woman, but later changed his story.
      He claimed that he had lied at first because he wanted to save his marriage to Joana, with whom he tied the knot in 2017.
      Joana removed most of the photographs of her with the footballer from her Instagram after the allegations came to light.
      In a heartfelt handwritten letter which she shared on her social media, she said: “I chose as a life partner a person who in my eyes was perfect.”
      She went on: “It’s so hard for me to accept that this person could break me into a thousand pieces.”
      Adding that she would “always” love Alves, she concluded: “Forgiveness sets you free, so I will keep the magic of the period and close a chapter in my life that began on May 18, 2015.”
      Initially it was reported Alves had been accused of putting his hands down his accuser’s underwear inside the nightclub.
      It then emerged the woman had alleged she was slapped round the face and raped in a toilet.
      The former Barca star was also unable to explain the fact that police found the woman’s fingerprints all over the bathroom where the alleged assault took place.
      Read More on The Sun
      Last month it was revealed Alves had written to his estranged wife from behind bars.
      In the letter, he claims he is “completely devastated” by the split, and expresses his “regret” for what happened.
      Former Barcelona star Alves is accused of raping a woman at a nightclubCredit: AFP More