Bullies who tortured and killed are jailed

A 17-year-old girl and two men were jailed yesterday for the torture and murder of a man with severe learning difficulties. The judge named the girl for the first time as Sarah Bullock who, with Darren Stewart, 30, and Martin Pollard, 21, invaded the life of Steven Hoskin, 38, taking over his flat, bullying him and then forcing him to jump off a 100ft viaduct to his death. Stewart was jailed for 25 years, Bullock for ten and Pollard for eight. Justice Robert Owen criticised Cornwall County Council’s social services department for allowing Mr Hoskin to be “bullied to death” in St Austell.

Marine killed in battle

A Royal Marine has been killed in Afghanistan while taking part in a mission to root out Taleban insurgents. He died in a gun battle in Nimruz province in the southwest of the country. Most British deaths have occurred in Helmand. He was the fourth British serviceman to die in the country in the past five days.

Gambling A level

Teenagers are to be offered a new A level covering the psychology of fruit machine gambling. The OCR exam board said that it was introducing the topic into its psychology A-level course as part of an attempt to make exams more relevant and interesting. They will learn about the addictive appeal of gambling.

Former editor dies

Richard Stott, the former newspaper editor, has died aged 63 from pancreatic cancer. Mr Stott edited the Daily Mirror, Sunday People and Today newspapers. He also edited Alastair Campbell’s Downing Street diaries, finishing them from his hospital bed.

Gang attacks ambulance

Three men have been arrested after a gang attacked an ambulance taking a pensioner to hospital. Norman Bell, 84, of Newton-le-Willows, Lancashire, had suffered a heart attack while playing bowls. But a group of men banged on the side of his ambulance. Mr Bell died in hospital.

Sheepdog trial presenter dies

Phil Drabble, the original presenter of the BBC TV programme One Man And His Dog, has died aged 93 at his home in Abbots Bromley, Staffordshire, the BBC said. Mr Drabble, a widower, presented the show from 1976 to 1993. He was a naturalist and author of wildlife books.

Girl drowns at foster home

A girl aged 17 months drowned in a garden swimming pool while she was being cared for by foster parents. Anna Hider was found unconscious by foster family members at Havant, Hampshire. Police were treating her death as an accident.

Peeping Tom falls foul

A man who crept on to the roof of a tanning salon to spy on a naked woman pleaded guilty at Swindon Crown Court to voyeurism. Stephen Strange, 42, was caught when the roof collapsed at the salon in Chippenham, Wiltshire. He will be sentenced in September.

Tree surgeon ‘cut off his head’

A tree surgeon bled to death last week after almost severing his head with a chain saw as he trimmed a client’s tree, an inquest has heard. The Gloucestershire Coroner adjourned the hearing into the death of Daniel Merrett, 28, of Broadwell, Gloucestershire.

Racehorse lands on roof of car

A man was trapped in his car for 90 minutes after a retired racehorse jumped on the roof. The horse, called Bailey, had thrown his rider before attacking the car at Potterne, near Devizes, Wiltshire. The driver, Paul House, 47, was taken to hospital, and the horse was put down.

Explore UK News

• Crime News

• Education News

• Health News

• Science News

• Scotland News

Times Recommends

• Donor organ allowed child’s own heart to heal
• Michael Jackson: Not the final chapter
• Sacha Baron Cohen forced to tone down Brüno