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Man jailed after attempting to steal Magna Carta
A 47-year-old man has been jailed for four years for attempting to steal a “priceless” version of Magna Carta which he believed was a fake. Mark Royden, from Canterbury, Kent, was convicted of using a hammer to smash the security case holding the historic document at Salisbury Cathedral on 25 October 2018.
He was found guilty at Salisbury Crown Court of attempted theft of Magna Carta and criminal damage. Before smashing the security case, Royden turned a CCTV camera in a failed bid to avoid being recorded by it and set off a fire alarm, the court heard. After his failed attempt, he was pursued by “good-spirited” members of the public who detained him in a works yard outside. PA
Man guilty of killing pregnant ex-girlfriend and baby
A man has been found guilty of stabbing his heavily pregnant ex-girlfriend in a jealous rage, killing both her and their baby. Aaron McKenzie, 26, broke into Kelly Fauvrelle’s bedroom as she slept and stabbed her 21 times. Their son Riley was delivered by caesarean section but died in hospital four days later. The prosecution alleged he had killed the 26-year-old in a “vicious and cowardly” attack after their “toxic” relationship ended.
A jury found McKenzie, from Peckham, south London, guilty of murdering Ms Fauvrelle, who was 33 weeks pregnant, the manslaughter of baby Riley and possession of a knife. Ms Fauvrelle’s family were sitting in court as the verdict was delivered at the Old Bailey yesterday. As he was taken from the dock, a man shouted: “How do you feel, you evil coward?” from the public gallery. McKenzie will be sentenced on 17 July.
Police sorry for saying offensive T-shirt was illegal
Police have apologised after they stopped a woman wearing a “Fuck Boris” T-shirt in the street and told her it was illegal. Jessie-Lu Flynn, a performer and director, said that officers implied she would be arrested if she did not cover up the slogan as she left a Black Lives Matter protest in central London. She launched legal action against the British Transport Police (BTP) last week, arguing they breached her human rights by trying to stop her expressing her political opinions about the prime minister.
The BTP has now written to Ms Flynn to admit the officers were wrong to tell her to cover up. “We can confirm that we have apologised to the claimant for any distress that was caused to her by the direction to cover her T-shirt, and we have admitted that this direction was unlawful,” the force said in a statement. Ms Flynn’s solicitors welcomed the apology. “They should serve as a strong reminder to police officers that the freedom to express political opinion, and to criticise politicians, is fundamental to a free and democratic society,” they said.
MPs unite to save ‘critical’ Politics Live from BBC axe
More than 100 MPs and peers have united to demand the BBC spares the Politics Live programme from the axe, as the broadcaster looks to make savings. The cross-party band of 106 politicians warned that dropping the show would “seriously harm the ability of the BBC to scrutinise and explain the consequences of policy announcements”.
Earlier this month broadcaster announced a plan to cut costs by £25m over the next two years, and reports have suggested the future of Politics Live “hangs in the balance” as a result of the shake-up. Acting Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey and former Labour culture secretary Ben Bradshaw are among those to sign the letter.