Phone hacking trial: Andy Coulson 'was out of office' on day accused of hearing Daniel Craig voicemail

1EmailCoulson’s lawyer said his client was not in the city but ex-News of the World reporter Dan Evans insisted, even if he muddled up dates, he did play the message

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Dave Lee Travis trial: former personal assistant says sex predator claims 'completely untrue'

Gemma Nurden described Travis, known as DLT, as a ''lovely person'' Photo: Getty Images By News agencies

11:56AM GMT 31 Jan 2014

Claims that veteran DJ Dave Lee Travis was seen as a sexual predator while working at a commercial radio station are ''completely untrue'', a former personal assistant has told his trial.

Gemma Nurden described Travis, known as DLT, as a ''lovely person''.

''When Dave met people, he'd give them a big sort of bear hug,'' she told jurors.

''He just sort of would always put his arms around people but not in a seedy way or anything - just in a friendly way.''

Travis, now 68, is on trial accused of indecently assaulting 10 women and sexually assaulting another in incidents dating back to 1976 and the height of his fame.

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He denies all the charges.

Giving evidence, Ms Nurden, who said she worked for Travis from September 1992 to 2002, was asked about the period when he worked at Chiltern Radio, where he is alleged to have inappropriately touched three female colleagues.

Asked by Stephen Vullo, for the defence, if the defendant was known by his colleagues as a ''determined sexual predator'' as the trial has previously heard, Ms Nurden said: ''That's completely untrue.

''I never saw anything to make me think that at all.''

Asked to describe what Travis was like in her view, the witness told jurors at London's Southwark Crown Court: ''He's great fun.

''He was a very sort of larger-than-life character. He would chat to anybody.

''He wasn't sort of like a big superstar that wouldn't talk to a doorman or anything like that, and just a lovely person.''

Asked if she saw or heard anything to suggest Travis ever acted inappropriately with female staff at the radio station, Ms Nurden, who said she accompanied him to his show every day, told jurors: ''No.''

The witness said she began working for the former BBC Radio 1 presenter for a few days a week after his wife Marianne had an operation, carrying out household tasks for the couple and feeding their chickens and pigs.

She became his PA a year later when he left the BBC and began working in commercial radio.

Ms Nurden told jurors she was not aware of any of the women at Chiltern Radio ever accusing him of assaulting them and there was never an ''atmosphere'' at the station because of him.

When asked whether she noticed the smell of the defendant's ''pungent aftershave'' as he walked in the room - as other witnesses have said - Travis gave a loud sigh in the dock as Ms Nurden said: ''Yes.''

Travis - on trial under his birth name David Griffin - denies 13 indecent assaults between 1976 and 2003 and one sexual assault in 2008.

The charges relate to allegations from when he was working as a BBC DJ, as a broadcaster with Classic Gold radio, while appearing on Top Of The Pops and when starring in panto.

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Lee Rigby trial: 'I went for jugular because it's more humane way to kill' - murder accused told police

5 Dec 2013 19:12The jury heard Michael Adebolajo say in interview: ''He may be my enemy but he is a man so I struck at the neck and attempted to remove his head to be sure. Why prolong it?''

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Lee Rigby murder trial: alleged killers 'talked of religion and Afghanistan'

Drummer Lee Rigby Photo: MoD By News agencies

11:41AM GMT 03 Dec 2013

A first aider who rushed to help the murdered soldier Lee Rigby heard one of his alleged killers talking about "religion and Afghanistan", a court has heard.

Vikki Cave feared Michael Adebolajo, 28, and Michael Adebowale, 22, were planning to attack police as she spoke to the two men just metres away from Fusilier Rigby's body.

Abebolajo and Adebowale both deny murdering the soldier, as well as counts of attempted murder of a police officer and conspiracy to murder.

In a statement read to the jury at the Old Bailey by prosecutor Richard Whittam QC, Ms Cave, who was driving down John Wilson Street in Woolwich, south east London, when she witnessed the scene, said: "I was next to the body, only a few metres from the male.

"I spoke to them - are you going to hurt us?

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"He said 'The women and children are safe, you need to keep back when the police and soldiers get here'.

"They then started shouting about religion and Afghanistan and the damage other soldiers have done."

When Ms Cave first arrived, she spoke to another woman on the ground next to Fusilier Rigby and said she was "around to help" as she was first aid-trained.

Ms Cave said: "She said 'There's nothing that can be done. He's gone'."

Ms Cave said one of the men claimed the attack was "an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth".

Paramedic Daniel Middleton, who arrived at the scene on his own, said in a statement one of the men was holding two meat cleavers and appeared to be "sharpening" them.

Fusilier Rigby was allegedly murdered as he walked back to Woolwich Barracks in south east London on May 22.

Adebolajo and Adebowale are accused of running him over and hacking him to death with a meat cleaver and knives.

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Lee Rigby trial: jury shown 'eye for an eye' video

The jury in the trial of Michael Adebolajo have been shown mobile phone footage in which he explains why he killed soldier Lee Rigby 7:35PM GMT 03 Dec 2013

The court at the Old Bailey was replayed a video clip of accused Michael Adebolajo talking to members of the public as he waited for the police to arrive.

Still clutching his weapons and hands covered in blood, he said: “The only reason we've killed this man today is because Muslims are dying daily by British soldiers.

"This British soldier is one - he is an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth."

He adds: "I apologise that women had to witness this today but in our lands our women have to see the same."

Michael Abebolajo and Michael Adebowale both deny murdering soldier Lee Rigby, as well as counts of attempted murder of a police officer and conspiracy to murder.

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Lee Rigby trial: court shown moments after alleged murderers were shot by police

The court at the Old Bailey has been shown footage of the moments the men accused of murdering soldier Lee Rigby approach police, before they are shot and then given first aid 9:05PM GMT 03 Dec 2013

At the trial of the alleged murderers of soldier Lee Rigby, the court was shown footage of Michael Adebolajo charging towards the police officers and flying into the air as he was shot. Michael Adebowale was also seen falling to the ground as he was shot.

Footage released by police also shows the moments immediately after the suspects were shot when police officers began administering first aid to the pair.

Adebolajo and Adebowale are accused of murdering Fusilier Rigby near Woolwich Barracks in south-east London on May 22, as well as attempting to murder a police officer and conspiracy to murder a police officer on or before that day.

They both deny the charges. The trial was adjourned until tomorrow.

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Lee Rigby trial: police woman thought she was going to die as man ran at her with meat cleaver, court hears

In an image released by the Metropolitan Police, Michael Adebowale is shown on the south footpath of Artillery Place  By Tom Whitehead, Security Correspondent

9:16PM GMT 03 Dec 2013

The moments when armed police shot two Islamist fanatics suspected of murdering soldier Lee Rigby were shown to a jury on Tueday.

One officer told the court she feared she was about to die as a man ran at her vehicle waving a bloodied cleaver, but her colleague “instinctively” shot him in a split-second decision.

Three armed officers arrived at the scene in Woolwich, south-east London, after bystanders saw 25-year-old Fusilier Rigby run over and then hacked to death in daylight in May.

His alleged attackers, Michael Adebolajo 28, and Michael Adebowale, 22, waited for police to arrive before running at them. CCTV footage was shown to the Old Bailey jury on the third day of the murder trial.

One officer, identified only as E48 and giving evidence from behind a screen, said he had “very little time” to act as Adebolajo bore down on their police car with a meat cleaver and knife.

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“He almost instantly broke into a sprint and I realised we were being attacked,” said the officer. “I seemed to react instinctively.”

He said a female colleague who had been driving was “defenceless” in the front seat, adding: “The second he started sprinting at us still in possession of that knife I made the decision to fire.”

In a written statement, his female colleague, referred to as D49, said: “I saw a black male running at me waving both his hands in the air in a chopping motion. In his right hand I saw what I call a meat cleaver or a machete.

“I instantly thought, 'He’s going to kill me’.”

The force of E48’s shot threw Adebolajo to the ground and the three officers then leapt out of the car and saw Adebowale, who was holding a gun.

D49 said: “I thought, 'Oh my God he’s going to shoot me’. I feared for my life.” The third officer then shot Adebowale but the attacker raised his gun while lying on the ground.

E48 told the jury: “I’ve still got a distinct image in my mind of him holding a black revolver in his hand which I clearly saw, which struck me as unusual because he’d just been shot.”

Police fired again at the hand holding the gun and shot Adebowale’s thumb off.

The officers then immediately administered first aid, said E48, adding: “Once the threat is neutralised we have a duty of care to all persons to save life, no matter who they are.”

Earlier, the court was shown a video clip of Adebolajo telling members of the public he had attacked Fusilier Rigby in retaliation for British soldiers killing Muslims. He then told paramedic Nicholas Goh: “I don’t want anyone to die, I just want the soldiers out of my country.”.

Adebolajo also told him he wished the bullets had killed him, Richard Whittam QC, prosecuting, said.

In a statement, Stephen Berry, another paramedic, said Adebolajo told him that “British soldiers deserved to die” for raping and killing women “in our lands”.

The defendant later told Pc Melita Vejnovic in hospital that he had never intended to hurt civilians, only the military.

Michelle Nimmo, a witness, said in a statement that one of the alleged attackers had a “smirk” on his face and both men appeared “proud” of what they had done. “They stood around looking proud and posing with the gun and knives. They made no attempt to run away.”

Her mother, Tina, broke down in tears as she gave evidence in person. She said she had pleaded with the two attackers to stop, shouting and swearing at them.

Sarah Riordan, another witness, who was heavily pregnant at the time, said in her statement that she began experiencing “contracting pains” as events unfolded, but was given the all clear at hospital.

Abebolajo and Adebowale both deny murdering the soldier, as well as counts of attempted murder of a police officer and conspiracy to murder.

The case continues.

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Lee Rigby trial: alleged killer showed 'no signs of remorse'

Murdered soldier Lee Rigby  Photo: MoD By Agencies

12:46PM GMT 04 Dec 2013

One of Lee Rigby's killers boasted he was no threat to the public or police but was a 'continued risk to the military,' after hacking the Fusilier to death, a court has heard.

Michael Adebolajo, 28, who tried to behead the soldier on May 22, showed 'no signs of regret or remorse,' jurors were told.

When he was assessed by a psychiatrist two days later the expert ruled there were no concerns with Adebolajo's mental health then or in the lead up to the murder.

Neither had the self-styled Muslim extremist been drinking alcohol or taking illicit substances, jurors heard.

Oliver Glasgow, prosecuting, said Adebolajo appeared 'polite and cooperative.'

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The killer also denied being depressive, suicidal or wanting to self harm.

He claimed he was supported by his family and said at that point his 'principal concern' was that he believed his actions had caused them distress.

Jurors were told Adebolajo had spent two spells in a young offenders institution when he was younger but had never been in trouble for violence before.

He told a psychiatrist the events of May 22 were 'planned' and his actions were down to his religious beliefs.

"I pose no risk to the public or police but would be a continuing risk to the military,' he allegedly added.

The Old Bailey heard he also praised medical staff caring for him in hospital after armed police shot him..

Mr Glasgow said: "The defendant said he was impressed and grateful for the care he was receiving having assumed that after what he had done to a soldier he would be poorly treated and denied access to his spiritual needs."

Adebolajo, of Romford, east London, who has asked to be known as Mujaahid Abu Hamza in court, and Adebowale from Greenwich, south east London, who wants to be known as Ismail Ibn Abdullah, deny Fusilier Rigby's murder, attempting to murder a police officer and conspiracy to murder a police officer.

Both men have already pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm with intent to cause fear of violence.

The trial continues.

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Lee Rigby trial: head was 'almost detached' says accused

One of the alleged killers of drummer Lee Rigby branded Britain's leaders as 'wicked' and told detectives that the soldier's head was almost separated from his body on the day of his murder, a court hears

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Ian Watkins trial: Lostprophets frontman to go on trial tomorrow accused of raping a baby

On trial: Ian WatkinsGettyFormer Lostprophets frontman Ian Watkins will go on trial tomorrow accused of a raping a baby.

The 36-year-old denies 24 sexual offences.

The charges he faces also include sexually assaulting a baby, conspiring to rape a child, and possessing, making and distributing indecent images of children.

Watkins, from Pontypridd, has been in custody since being charged last year since being charged last year.

A jury will be sworn in on Tuesday at Cardiff Crown Court, and the trial is set to last around three weeks.

Two women, who cannot be named for legal reasons, also face sexual offence accusations as part of the case.

All three defendants face a total of 32 charges.

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Anxiang Du trial: Businessman says "darkness" came over him before 'stabbing to death family of four', court hears

Murdered: Jifeng Ding with his wife Helen and daughters Xing and AlicePA

A man accused of murdering a family of four told a psychiatrist that "darkness" came over him as he carried out the brutal stabbings, a court has heard.

Anxiang Du, 54, is accused of knifing Manchester Metropolitan University lecturer Jifeng "Jeff" Ding, his wife Ge "Helen" Chui, and their two daughters, Xing "Nancy", 18, and Alice, 12, on April 29, 2011.

During his trial at Northampton Crown Court, which began last week, a jury of eight women and four men has heard that he allegedly carried out the stabbings following a long-running legal dispute after a business relationship turned sour.

After the killings at the family's home in Wootton, Northamptonshire, Du, who denies four counts of murder, fled to Morocco where he was eventually arrested and extradited back to the UK, the court has heard.

Today Professor Nigel Eastman, a forensic psychiatrist, told jurors he interviewed Du in prison in August last year after he was brought back to the UK to face four charges of murder.

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Lee Rigby murder trial: Men due in court accused of killing soldier as he returned to barracks

18 Nov 2013 11:20Far-right protesters from the British National Party and  English Defence League are expected to gather outside the court building

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Phone Hacking Trial: Kate Middleton on target list as hackers closed in on the Royals

The Duchess of Cambridge was one of a number of high-profile figures, including other members of the Royal family, apparently identified by convicted phone hacker Mr Mulcaire as potential targets

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