https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/harrowing-impact-sarah-paynes-murder-21829745?utm_source=mirror_newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_content=Mirror12at21&utm_campaign=daily_newsletter

Harrowing impact Sarah Payne's murder has had on her grieving older brother

Sarah Payne's murder and abduction by paedophile Roy Whiting left a huge hole in the little girl's family from which they've struggled to recover
 
By Jane Lavender Assistant Editor

10:16, 9 APR 2020 Updated 10:24, 9 APR 2020

Luke Payne was just a child himself when his little sister, Sarah, was abducted and murdered.  While the eight-year-old played with her siblings, Lee, Luke, and Charlotte, evil Roy Whiting was lying in wait in his "moving prison" van.  And when little Sarah hit her head while playing hide and seek with her brothers and sister and ran off crying, he put his twisted plan into action.  Whiting snatched Sarah and dragged her into his van. He then sexually assaulted her, killed her and dumped her naked body in a shallow grave.  While her siblings were unaware of the horror that was unfolding just feet from them, brave Lee did catch a glance of the man who would rip his family apart forever.  When Sarah's family realised she was missing a huge search was launched for the little girl and for 16 days the country held its breath, hoping she would be found safe and well.  But then her little body was found and her family was left heartbroken.  Police had already spoken to Whiting in the days immediately after Sarah's abduction.  He was a convicted paedophile who had been jailed for four years in 1995 for the abduction and sexual assault of a nine-year-old girl in Crawley, Sussex.  Whiting was even arrested before Sarah's body was found and held in police custody but there was no concrete evidence against him and he was released.  Then, on July 23, he stole a car and was chased by police before crashing it and being arrested and jailed for 22 months.  While he was behind bars detectives carried out forensic tests on his van and on September 27, 2000, Whiting was finally charged with the abduction and murder of Sarah Payne.  At his murder trial pathologist, Vesna Djurovic told the court Sarah had suffered a ‘violent’ death, probably asphyxia in a "sexually motivated" attack.  She described how decomposition had made it impossible to say what injuries the child had suffered.  The little girl was naked with dry vegetation attached to her body. Most of her hair had come away with the roots.  It was this ball of hair that was to prove conclusive in the case against Whiting. It contained 200 fibres of material two which matched the red sweatshirt found in his van.  Eleven came from socks found in the Fiat and one fibre matched the passenger seat front cover. A blue fibre found in the hair matched a fibre in the sweatshirt.  Britain's leading forensic expert, Raymond Chapman, told Whiting's trial that out of 47 hairs found on the sweatshirt, only one provided a DNA profile which matched Sarah.  He added: "The chances of obtaining a match if the hair came from somebody else is in the order of a billion to one."

But the evidence of Sarah's older brother, Lee, was some of the most compelling heard at the murder trial.  He described how he had seen Whiting’s van pulling away, its wheels spinning and skidding with a screeching sound.  Whiting was grinning and waving at Lee.  The youngster told the court: "He was quite scruffy, looking like he hadn't shaved for ages. He had little white stubbles on his face and little bits of grey in his hair. He was greasy and stuff.  He had yellowish teeth when he grinned and his eyes were really white and stood out from his face. His hair was really rough and hadn't been brushed. It was sticking up."

This, coupled with the forensic evidence, was enough to convince the jury that Whiting was guilty. He was told he would be spending the rest of his life behind bars.  But despite helping to put his sister's killer behind bars for the rest of his lie, Lee has been plagued by horrific guilt ever since Sarah's murder.  Now working as a horticulturist, the impact of what happened when he was just 12 has left deep scars.  He admits he struggles to sleep because he can't help but play over and over again the events of that day.  Luke said: "I’m scared to sleep at night half the time, so I work myself solid until I pretty much drop.  It’s fears of what’s there when I close my eyes. I create things that didn’t happen or things that could have happened.  I make scenarios up in my head. It just eats me away so I don’t get a lot of sleep, really. I dread the night time because it’s just you and your thoughts, they are all there and it’s so real.”

Sarah's mum, Sara, has compared tirelessly for a change in the law following her daughter's murder allowing people to ask the police if someone with access to their child has a record for child sex offences.  The child sex offender disclosure scheme in England and Wales is also known as “Sarah's Law”.  However, Sarah's dad, Michael, spiralled into depression following his daughter's death.  His and Sara's marriage broke down under the immense strain they were under following Sarah's murder.  Michael suffered from alcoholism and was jailed for 16 months for attacking his brother with a glass in December 2011, during a drunken incident.  In 2014, 45 he was found dead at his home in Kent. He was just 45.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-8091147/Wales-confirms-two-cases-killer-coronavirus-UKs-infection-toll-reaches-280.html

Man in his 70s becomes the FIFTH person to die of the coronavirus in the UK as number of cases jumps to 321

    NHS sources say the latest victim was a man in his 70s who had a number of long-term health conditions
    His death came after the Health Secretary this afternoon announced the fourth death a woman in her 70s
    Officials today confirmed 48 more coronavirus cases in Britain, including five in Scotland and two in Wales
    Figures show there are now 280 cases are in England, 23 in Scotland, 12 in Northern Ireland and six in Wales
    A man in his 60s in Manchester yesterday became the third patient in Britain to die from the killer coronavirus
    Do you have a story about the coronavirus? Email connor.boyd@mailonline.co.uk or ring 020 361 51181

By Connor Boyd Health Reporter For Mailonline and Stephen Matthews Health Editor For Mailonline and Sam Blanchard Senior Health Reporter For Mailonline and David Wilcock, Whitehall Correspondent For Mailonline

Published: 10:20, 9 March 2020 | Updated: 19:20, 9 March 2020

Two more patients have died from the killer coronavirus in the UK after the number of cases spiked to 321 today, officials have confirmed.  MailOnline understands the latest victim was a man in his 70s who was 'very unwell' and had a number of long-term health conditions'. He passed away at St Helier Hospital in Sutton, south London.  His death came after Health Secretary Matt Hancock this afternoon announced the fourth death a woman in her 70s at the Royal Wolverhampton Hospital who also had several other underlying conditions. She caught the illness in the UK.  It comes after a man in his 60s, in Manchester, became the third person to die yesterday. Last week a woman in her 70s in Reading and a man in his 80s in Milton Keynes also succumbed to the life-threatening infection.  Health chiefs today confirmed 48 more patients, including five in Scotland and two in Wales, had been diagnosed with the illness which has left millions living in fear.  Britain's total infection toll now sits at 321, with the number having risen almost eight-fold in the space of a week. Outbreaks in Italy, France, Germany, and Spain have also dramatically increased in size.  Fears thousands may unknowingly be infected were today raised after a patient already in hospital tested positive for the killer virus despite having no known risk factors or travel history.  In hope of delaying an inevitable crisis, Boris Johnson today called an emergency meeting to discuss how Britain can slow the outbreak, but the Prime Minister did not order any stricter rules to be put in place to stop the virus.  Stepping up the Government's response could see the roll-out of drastic public health measures including shutting schools, banning large public events, encouraging people to work from home and cancelling thousands of non-urgent NHS operations.  Despite the ever-growing threat of a crisis on British soil, thousands of passengers arriving from northern Italy the centre of Europe's outbreak were today let through UK airports without any health checks.  World financial markets have crashed because of the crisis, which shows no signs of slowing. Around £140billion was wiped off the FTSE 100 within minutes while trading was temporarily halted on the New York Stock Exchange.  Two more patients have died from the killer coronavirus in the UK after the number of cases spiked to 321 today, officials have confirmed.  MailOnline understands the latest victim was a man in his 70s who was 'very unwell' and had a number of long-term health conditions'. He passed away at St Helier Hospital in Sutton, south London.  His death came after Health Secretary Matt Hancock this afternoon announced the fourth death a woman in her 70s at the Royal Wolverhampton Hospital who also had several other underlying conditions. She caught the illness in the UK.  It comes after a man in his 60s, in Manchester, became the third person to die yesterday. Last week a woman in her 70s in Reading and a man in his 80s in Milton Keynes also succumbed to the life-threatening infection.  Health chiefs today confirmed 48 more patients, including five in Scotland and two in Wales, had been diagnosed with the illness which has left millions living in fear.   Britain's total infection toll now sits at 321, with the number having risen almost eight-fold in the space of a week. Outbreaks in Italy, France, Germany and Spain have also dramatically increased in size.   Fears thousands may unknowingly be infected were today raised after a patient already in hospital tested positive for the killer virus despite having no known risk factors or travel history.  In hope of delaying an inevitable crisis, Boris Johnson today called an emergency meeting to discuss how Britain can slow the outbreak, but the Prime Minister did not order any stricter rules be put in place to stop the virus.  Stepping up the Government's response could see the roll-out of drastic public health measures including shutting schools, banning large public events, encouraging people to work from home and cancelling thousands of non-urgent NHS operations.  Despite the ever-growing threat of a crisis on British soil, thousands of passengers arriving from northern Italy the centre of Europe's outbreak were today let through UK airports without any health checks.  World financial markets have crashed because of the crisis, which shows no signs of slowing. Around £140billion was wiped off the FTSE 100 within minutes while trading was temporarily halted on the New York Stock Exchange.  In a statement about the death, Daniel Elkeles, chief executive, for Epsom and St Helier University Hospitals NHS Trust said: 'We can confirm that sadly, a patient in their seventies who was very unwell with a number of significant and long term health conditions has passed away at St Helier Hospital.  They had tested positive for COVID-19. Our thoughts and condolences remain with the patient’s family and loved ones at this difficult time.'

The Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust which ran the hospital where the fourth patient died said: 'The Trust can confirm that a patient in their 70s being treated for underlying health conditions has died. The patient had tested positive for Covid-19.  The family has been informed and our condolences and our thoughts are with them at this difficult time.'

Professor Chris Whitty, England's chief medical officer, added: 'I am very sorry to report that a fourth patient in England who tested positive for COVID-19 has sadly died.  I offer my sincere condolences to their family and friends and ask that their privacy is respected.  The patient, who was being treated at the Royal Wolverhampton Hospital, was in their seventies and had underlying health conditions. It appears the virus was acquired in the UK and full contact tracing has begun.'

Speaking in the House of Commons about the escalating crisis, Health Secretary Matt Hancock said the Government is 'scaling up' the number of intensive care beds with ventilators it has available.  He added that officials had no plans to postpone mass gatherings and that they were not rushing into the next phase of their coronavirus action plan.  There had been speculation the Cobra meeting today would be used to push on from the first phase of the four-point plan 'contain' to the second 'delay' which would raise the prospect of school closures and people being urged to work from home.  But Mr Hancock told Parliament: 'The transition to the delay phase is exactly that, it’s a transition.  We won’t give up hope of containing this disease whilst we can still take containment actions, and many of the actions needed to contain it are also very effective for delaying.'

Statistics published today revealed that there are now 280 past and present patients in England, 23 in Scotland, 11 in Northern Ireland and six in Wales.  Devon is the county that has been hardest hit by the infection with at least 18 patients known to have been struck down.  Around three per cent of diagnosed patients die from COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus. But leading scientists have warned the figure is likely to be much lower thousands of cases may not have been diagnosed because symptoms were so mild.  The third death in the UK was announced yesterday, Sunday, in a man in his 60s who had 'significant underlying health conditions'.  He had recently returned from a trip to Italy and was being treated at North Manchester General Hospital's specialist regional unit for infectious diseases.   Another two deaths include a patient in his 80s at Milton Keynes University Hospital who had other health conditions.  The first death, a woman in her 70s who also had long-term health troubles, was recorded on Thursday at the Royal Berkshire Hospital in Reading. Another Brit has died abroad a passenger on the doomed Diamond Princess cruise ship that was quarantined off the coast of Japan.  There are fears the coronavirus is now spreading in the UK among people who don't even have any links to other countries where there are bigger outbreaks.  A patient at the Royal Sussex County Hospital in Brighton was diagnosed with the virus while they were an inpatient in the hospital because of another health problem.  Their diagnosis was only spotted on a random screening and hospital staff reportedly cannot work out how the patient caught the infection.  A leaked message sent to staff from the hospital trust's medical director, Dr George Findlay, said: 'The patient had no risk factors. They did not come into the hospital with suspected coronavirus but were identified following the recent measures introduced by Public Health England (PHE) which require trusts to screen certain patient groups admitted to hospital with a respiratory illness.'

In a statement, the Brighton and Sussex University Hospitals Trust said: 'The patient is being cared for on an isolation ward at the hospital where they continue to be monitored and treated.  Staff who have come into contact with the patient have been informed and if advised by PHE are self-isolating.  The Trust is following Public Health England and NHS guidance in respect of the virus and all services are operating normally. All other patients and staff should continue to attend appointments normally and come into work unless advised not to.'

Health chiefs faced serious questions last night as it emerged travellers from Italy, which is at the centre of Europe's outbreak with more than 7,000 cases, said they had been able to get off flights to the UK without seeing any officials.  A large part of Italy went into lockdown over the weekend, with people living in Milan, Venice and the Lombardy region, which contains Lake Como and Alpine skiing destinations, put under quarantine.  Italians who try to leave the disease-hit area face jail time but tourists will be allowed to leave.  Transport systems are shutting down in the country's north and schools, museums and sports events across the country are closed.  Italy has by far the most cases outside of Asia at least 7,345 confirmed, compared to France's 1,209 with only South Korea (7,478) and Iran (7,161) confirming similar numbers.  It has become one of the high-risk destinations designated by the UK Government and NHS, and the Foreign Office has advised against all but essential travel to Milan, Bergamo, the Lombardy region, and parts of the Veneto, Marche, Piemonte and Emilia Romagna regions in the north.  There appear to be no travel restrictions or surveillance on people returning from these areas, however, only guidance for them to seek medical advice by themselves.  Public Health England claimed it had been carrying out 'enhanced monitoring' of all flights from northern Italy since last Wednesday but had not extended the measure to flights from southern Italy.  Several travellers from Italy including locked-down Milan said they had passed through UK airports without seeing any officials.  Federico Gatti, of the UK bureau of Italian broadcaster Mediaset, tweeted yesterday: ‘Just landed in London from Milan. Zero checks. No info. How can it be possible?’

Professor Hugh Pennington, a microbiologist based at the University of Aberdeen, said he was 'surprised' that no checks had been done.  Professor Jonathan Ball, a virologist at the University of Nottingham, said it 'absolutely makes sense for these measures to be implemented'.  Flights from countries including China, Hong Kong, Taiwan and Malaysia are subject to so-called enhanced monitoring measures.   This means that when a passenger feels unwell they should alert the aircrew. The pilot will then have to ask the destination airport for permission before anyone can disembark.  Leaflets are then handed out to all passengers about calling NHS 111 and self-isolating if they experience a cough, sore throat or temperature.   As the UK's coronavirus cases tally continues to rise, Prime Minister Boris Johnson held an emergency meeting of the government's Cobra committee this morning to discuss next steps with senior ministers and advisers.  The committee decided not to officially move from the 'contain' to the 'delay' phase of the Government's four-point battle plan to deal with coronavirus.  Last week, Professor Whitty said UK efforts are already partly in the 'delay' phase which includes public health campaigns to warn people about the virus but it has not been officially declared.  A change would raise the prospect of schools closing, large events like London Marathon being cancelled and relaxed sick pay rules so that people can receive statutory pay from their first day of illness.  The World Health Organization's Dr David Nabarro said on BBC Radio 4 this morning: 'It is not just the big events. I want to stress it is also gatherings in community halls, in religious spaces and services, and also in pubs and the like.'

Speaking on the Government's decision not to make the move today, Mr Johnson's official spokesman said: 'We remain in the contain phase but it is now accepted that this virus is going to spread in a significant way.'

Asked whether the government was being slow to act, the spokesman said the response was based on scientific advice. 'From the beginning of the outbreak we have based all of our decisions on the best available scientific advice and we will continue to do so,' he said.   

The UK is reportedly preparing for as many as 100,000 deaths due to the virus. This figure was accepted by Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon who stressed the government is looking at the 'scientific worst-case scenario'.  Announcing the death of a third person in the UK due to coronavirus, the UK's chief medical officer, Professor Chris Whitty, wrote: 'I am very sorry to report that a third patient in England who tested positive for COVID-19 has sadly died. I offer my sincere condolences to their family and friends and ask that their privacy is respected.  The patient, who was being treated at the North Manchester General Hospital, was over 60 years old and had significant underlying health conditions. They had recently travelled from an affected area. Contact tracing is already underway.'

University Hospital Southampton said last night that the 'small number' of patients and staff which came into contact with the coronavirus sufferer that worked at the hospital have been informed and 'will be appropriately isolated'.  'Any patient affected by the temporary closure will be contacted directly,' they said in a statement. 'The Trust is following Public Health England and NHS guidance in respect of the virus and all other services are operating normally.'

They said patients and staff should continue to attend appointments normally and come into work unless they have been advised not to do so.  Easyjet has grounded all its flights to northern Italy on Monday and said it will review those scheduled until April 3. Ryanair and British Airways said that they do not have any plans to review flights.  Announcing the cancellation of all flights to northern Italy on Monday and a review of its schedule until April, EasyJet said: 'We expect to continue to reduce the number of flights in and out of Milan Malpensa, Milan Linate, Venice and Verona airports in the period up to April 3 and will provide a further update on our schedule in due course.'

Passengers affected by the change will receive an email or text message and will be offered either a full refund or the option of changing their flights.  British Airways and Ryanair have both confirmed that they have no plans to ground flights.   Oxford University also revealed that a student had been diagnosed on its website, but stated that the risk is 'very low and that university and college activities can continue as normal'.  The university did not reveal what country the student had travelled from but said its immediate concerns were for the affected student and their family, along with the health and well-being of university staff, students and visitors.  'It has been established that the affected student did not attend any university or college events after they felt ill, when they subsequently self-isolated,' they said.

'As a result, PHE has advised that the risk to other students and staff is very low and that university and college activities can continue as normal. They have also advised that the university and colleges do not need to take any additional public health actions in the light of this specific case.  'We have worked with PHE to make sure that anyone who was in contact with the student after they fell ill has been notified and that they are able to access support and information as needed. PHE does not consider individuals infectious until they develop symptoms.'

WHAT DO WE KNOW ABOUT CORONAVIRUS?

Someone who is infected with the coronavirus can spread it with just a simple cough or a sneeze, scientists say.  Nearly 4,000 people with the virus are now confirmed to have died and more than 110,000 have been infected. Here's what we know so far:

What is the coronavirus?

A coronavirus is a type of virus which can cause illness in animals and people. Viruses break into cells inside their host and use them to reproduce itself and disrupt the body's normal functions. Coronaviruses are named after the Latin word 'corona', which means a crown, because they are encased by a spiked shell which resembles a royal crown.  The coronavirus from Wuhan is one which has never been seen before this outbreak. It has been named SARS-CoV-2 by the International Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses. The name stands for Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome coronavirus 2.  Experts say the bug, which has killed around one in 50 patients since the outbreak began in December, is a 'sister' of the SARS illness which hit China in 2002, so has been named after it.  The disease that the virus causes has been named COVID-19, which stands for coronavirus disease in 2019.  Dr Helena Maier, from The Pirbright Institute, said: 'Coronaviruses are a family of viruses that infect a wide range of different species including humans, cattle, pigs, chickens, dogs, cats and wild animals.   Until this new coronavirus was identified, there were only six different coronaviruses known to infect humans. Four of these cause a mild common cold-type illness, but since 2002 there has been the emergence of two new coronaviruses that can infect humans and result in more severe disease (Severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) and the Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS) coronaviruses).  Coronaviruses are known to be able to occasionally jump from one species to another and that is what happened in the case of SARS, MERS and the new coronavirus. The animal origin of the new coronavirus is not yet known.'

The first human cases were publicly reported from the Chinese city of Wuhan, where approximately 11million people live, after medics first started publicly reporting infections on December 31.  By January 8, 59 suspected cases had been reported and seven people were in critical condition. Tests were developed for the new virus and recorded cases started to surge.  The first person died that week and, by January 16, two were dead and 41 cases were confirmed. The next day, scientists predicted that 1,700 people had become infected, possibly up to 7,000.  Just a week after that, there had been more than 800 confirmed cases and those same scientists estimated that some 4,000 possibly 9,700 were infected in Wuhan alone. By that point, 26 people had died.  By January 27, more than 2,800 people were confirmed to have been infected, 81 had died, and estimates of the total number of cases ranged from 100,000 to 350,000 in Wuhan alone.  By January 29, the number of deaths had risen to 132 and cases were in excess of 6,000.  By February 5, there were more than 24,000 cases and 492 deaths.  By February 11, this had risen to more than 43,000 cases and 1,000 deaths.  A change in the way cases are confirmed on February 13 doctors decided to start using lung scans as a formal diagnosis, as well as laboratory tests caused a spike in the number of cases, to more than 60,000 and to 1,369 deaths.  By February 25, around 80,000 people had been infected and some 2,700 had died. February 25 was the first day in the outbreak when fewer cases were diagnosed within China than in the rest of the world.

Where does the virus come from?

According to scientists, the virus almost certainly came from bats. Coronaviruses, in general, tend to originate in animals the similar SARS and MERS viruses are believed to have originated in civet cats and camels, respectively.  The first cases of COVID-19 came from people visiting or working in a live animal market in Wuhan, which has since been closed down for investigation.  Although the market is officially a seafood market, other dead and living animals were being sold there, including wolf cubs, salamanders, snakes, peacocks, porcupines and camel meat.  A study by the Wuhan Institute of Virology, published in February 2020 in the scientific journal Nature, found that the genetic make-up virus samples found in patients in China are 96 per cent identical to a coronavirus they found in bats.  However, there were not many bats at the market so scientists say it was likely there was an animal which acted as a middle-man, contracting it from a bat before then transmitting it to a human. It has not yet been confirmed what type of animal this was.  Dr Michael Skinner, a virologist at Imperial College London, was not involved with the research but said: 'The discovery definitely places the origin of nCoV in bats in China.  We still do not know whether another species served as an intermediate host to amplify the virus, and possibly even to bring it to the market, nor what species that host might have been.' 

So far the fatalities are quite low. Why are health experts so worried about it?

Experts say the international community is concerned about the virus because so little is known about it and it appears to be spreading quickly.  It is similar to SARS, which infected 8,000 people and killed nearly 800 in an outbreak in Asia in 2003, in that it is a type of coronavirus which infects humans' lungs. It is less deadly than SARS, however, which killed around one in 10 people, compared to approximately one in 50 for COVID-19.  Another reason for concern is that nobody has any immunity to the virus because they've never encountered it before. This means it may be able to cause more damage than viruses we come across often, like the flu or common cold.  Speaking at a briefing in January, Oxford University professor, Dr Peter Horby, said: 'Novel viruses can spread much faster through the population than viruses which circulate all the time because we have no immunity to them.  Most seasonal flu viruses have a case fatality rate of less than one in 1,000 people. Here we're talking about a virus where we don't understand fully the severity spectrum but it's possible the case fatality rate could be as high as two per cent.'

If the death rate is truly two per cent, that means two out of every 100 patients who get it will die.  'My feeling is it's lower,' Dr Horby added. 'We're probably missing this iceberg of milder cases. But that's the current circumstance we're in.  Two per cent case fatality rate is comparable to the Spanish Flu pandemic in 1918 so it is a significant concern globally.'

How does the virus spread?

The illness can spread between people just through coughs and sneezes, making it an extremely contagious infection. And it may also spread even before someone has symptoms.  It is believed to travel in the saliva and even though the water in the eyes, therefore close contact, kissing, and sharing cutlery or utensils are all risky.  Originally, people were thought to be catching it from a live animal market in Wuhan city. But cases soon began to emerge in people who had never been there, which forced medics to realise it was spreading from person to person.  There is now evidence that it can spread third hand to someone from a person who caught it from another person.

What does the virus do to you? What are the symptoms?

Once someone has caught the COVID-19 virus it may take between two and 14 days, or even longer, for them to show any symptoms but they may still be contagious during this time.  If and when they do become ill, typical signs include a runny nose, a cough, sore throat and fever (high temperature). The vast majority of patients will recover from these without any issues, and many will need no medical help at all.  In a small group of patients, who seem mainly to be the elderly or those with long-term illnesses, it can lead to pneumonia. Pneumonia is an infection in which the insides of the lungs swell up and fill with fluid. It makes it increasingly difficult to breathe and, if left untreated, can be fatal and suffocate people.  Figures are showing that young children do not seem to be particularly badly affected by the virus, which they say is peculiar considering their susceptibility to flu, but it is not clear why.

What have genetic tests revealed about the virus?

Scientists in China have recorded the genetic sequences of around 19 strains of the virus and released them to experts working around the world.  This allows others to study them, develop tests and potentially look into treating the illness they cause.   Examinations have revealed the coronavirus did not change much changing is known as mutating much during the early stages of its spread.  However, the director-general of China's Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Gao Fu, said the virus was mutating and adapting as it spread through people.  This means efforts to study the virus and to potentially control it may be made extra difficult because the virus might look different every time scientists analyse it.  More study may be able to reveal whether the virus first infected a small number of people then change and spread from them, or whether there were various versions of the virus coming from animals which have developed separately.

How dangerous is the virus? 

The virus has a death rate of around two per cent. This is a similar death rate to the Spanish Flu outbreak which, in 1918, went on to kill around 50million people.  Experts have been conflicted since the beginning of the outbreak about whether the true number of people who are infected is significantly higher than the official numbers of recorded cases. Some people are expected to have such mild symptoms that they never even realise they are ill unless they're tested, so only the more serious cases get discovered, making the death toll seem higher than it really is.  However, an investigation into government surveillance in China said it had found no reason to believe this was true.  Dr Bruce Aylward, a World Health Organization official who went on a mission to China, said there was no evidence that figures were only showing the tip of the iceberg, and said recording appeared to be accurate, Stat News reported.

Can the virus be cured?

The COVID-19 virus cannot be cured and it is proving difficult to contain.  Antibiotics do not work against viruses, so they are out of the question. Antiviral drugs can work, but the process of understanding a virus then developing and producing drugs to treat it would take years and huge amounts of money.  No vaccine exists for the coronavirus yet and it's not likely one will be developed in time to be of any use in this outbreak, for similar reasons to the above.  The National Institutes of Health in the US, and Baylor University in Waco, Texas, say they are working on a vaccine based on what they know about coronaviruses in general, using information from the SARS outbreak. But this may take a year or more to develop, according to Pharmaceutical Technology.  Currently, governments and health authorities are working to contain the virus and to care for patients who are sick and stop them from infecting other people.  People who catch the illness are being quarantined in hospitals, where their symptoms can be treated and they will be away from the uninfected public.  And airports around the world are putting in place screening measures such as having doctors on-site, taking people's temperatures to check for fevers and using thermal screening to spot those who might be ill (infection causes a raised temperature).  However, it can take weeks for symptoms to appear, so there is only a small likelihood that patients will be spotted up in an airport.

Is this outbreak an epidemic or a pandemic?   

The outbreak is an epidemic, which is when a disease takes hold of one community such as a country or region.  Although it has spread to dozens of countries, the outbreak is not yet classed as a pandemic, which is defined by the World Health Organization as the 'worldwide spread of a new disease'.  The head of WHO's global infectious hazard preparedness, Dr Sylvie Briand, said: 'Currently we are not in a pandemic. We are at the phase where it is an epidemic with multiple foci, and we try to extinguish the transmission in each of these foci,' the Guardian reported.

She said that most cases outside of Hubei had been 'spillover' from the epicentre, so the disease wasn't actually spreading actively around the world.

CORONAVIRUS CAUSES CHAOS ON MARKETS AS FTSE BOMBS BY £140BN IN MINUTES AND TRADES ARE HALTED ON NEW YORK STOCK EXCHANGE

Trading was halted on the New York Stock Exchange for 15 minutes after the S&P 500 index fell 7 per cent while Britain suffered a new 'Black Monday' today after the FTSE 100 bombed by £140billion in minutes as world markets collectively crashed because of coronavirus.   The biggest fall in the price of oil since the 1991 Gulf War because of a trade war between Saudi Arabia and Russia has further spooked traders with a global recession now on the cards.  The FTSE 100 was predicted to open at least 300 points down this morning but it fell 550 points to 5,900, the lowest level for four years, as coronavirus cases raced towards 110,000 worldwide. It had recovered slightly by lunchtime today, but was still 420 points down at 6,000 at 1 pm, still below the last major low of 6,021 in 2016.  Among the biggest victims were oil giants BP and Royal Dutch Shell, whose stocks tumbled more than 20 per cent, while travel firm Tui was down more than 14 per cent. The top performer was Tesco, down just 1 per cent, as Britons ramped up stockpiling amid fears the UK could soon be placed in an Italian-style lockdown.  In the US, The Dow opened on a loss of more than 1700 points on Monday, a decrease of more than seven per cent since Friday's close, after a chaotic weekend which saw oil prices tumble and which all but decimated the futures market.  Circuit breakers - rarely triggered but exist to stop prices tumbling further when a downward spiral shows no sign of slowing - went into effect on Sunday night to stop some futures trading at astronomically low prices.  They have triggered again on Monday morning after a dramatic start to the day's trading to stop the markets going into free-fall. This morning's opening marked the worst decrease on Wall Street for more than 10 years.  The FTSE 100 plunged 550 points to a three-year low of 5,900 this morning and the 8.5 per cent fall was the worst seen in a day since the worldwide crash in 2008, and the fourth-worst fall in UK market history.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8038717/Harvey-Weinstein-guilty-New-York-rape-trial.html

Harvey Weinstein is found guilty of criminal sexual assault and rape and faces up to 29 years in prison BUT is cleared of the three most serious charges in landmark #MeToo trial

    Harvey Weinstein was found guilty by a New York jury on Monday of third-degree rape and a criminal sexual act
    He was convicted of sexually assaulting ex-production assistant Mimi Haleyi in 2006 and raping aspiring actress Jessica Mann in a hotel room in 2013
    Weinstein was acquitted of the two most serious counts of predatory sexual assault and first-degree rape
    He now faces up to 29 years in prison on the two charges
    Weinstein was handcuffed in court before being led away from where he will be remanded in custody until his March 11 sentencing
    His defense lawyer Donna Rotunno said Weinstein took the verdict 'like a man' and that they were 'absolutely appealing' the conviction
    Outside of court, Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance praised jurors for their verdict and said Weinstein was finally being held accountable

By Emily Crane and Daniel Bates In Manhattan Criminal Court For Dailymail.com

Published: 16:46, 24 February 2020 | Updated: 18:32, 24 February 2020

Harvey Weinstein has been found guilty of third-degree rape and a criminal sexual act but was acquitted of being a serial sexual predator in his high profile New York trial.   The disgraced Hollywood producer was convicted by a jury on Monday of sexually assaulting former production assistant Mimi Haleyi in his apartment in 2006 and raping aspiring actress Jessica Mann in a hotel room in 2013.  Weinstein was acquitted of the two most serious counts of predatory sexual assault, which carried a potential life sentence. He was also found not guilty of first-degree rape in relation to Mann.  He now faces up to 29 years in prison on the two charges.  Weinstein was flanked by several court security officers and did not react when the jury of seven men and five women handed down their verdict after five days of deliberations.  The disgraced Hollywood producer was handcuffed in court before being led away. He has been remanded in custody until his March 11 sentencing and will likely be held at the grim Rikers Island prison in New York City.   His lawyer Donna Rutonno asked the judge for Weinstein to be placed under house arrest instead of prison due to his medical conditions. When the judge denied the request, Weinstein's lawyer asked for him to be held in the prison's medical unit.  Outside court, Rotunno said Weinstein took the verdict 'like a man' and that they were 'absolutely appealing' the conviction. 

Harvey Weinstein: The verdict

Third-degree rape - Jessica Mann: Guilty. Facing four years in prison

Criminal sexual act - Mimi Haleyi: Guilty. Facing 25 years in prison

Predatory sexual assault - Jessica Mann and Annabella Sciorra: Not guilty. Carried a life sentence

Predatory sexual assault - Mimi Haleyi and Annabella Sciorra: Not guilty. Carried a life sentence

First-degree rape - Jessica Mann: Not guilty. Carried a sentence of 25 years

'Harvey is very strong. Harvey is unbelievably strong. He took it like a man. He knows that we will continue to fight for him and knows that this is not over,' she said.

'It is absolutely horrible for me to watch my client be taken into custody. We don't feel good about that at all.  Obviously, this is a bittersweet day. We are disappointed. We knew we came in and we were down 35-0 on the day that we started this trial. The jurors came in knowing everything they could know about this case. We couldn't find a juror who had never heard of Harvey Weinstein.'

Meanwhile, Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance praised jurors for their verdict and said Weinstein was finally being held accountable.  He praised the six accusers and the female prosecutor in the case as women who 'pulled our justice system into the 21st century by declaring that rape is rape and sexual assault is sexual assault no matter what'.   Rape is rape whether it's committed by a stranger in a dark alley or by an intimate partner in a working relationship. It's rape whether it's committed by an indigent person or by a man of power, prestige, and privilege,' he said.

'Rape is rape whether the survivor report within an hour, a year or perhaps never. It's rape despite the complicated dynamics of power and consent after an assault. It' rape even if there is no physical evidence and even if it happened a long time ago.  This is the new landscape for survivors of sexual assault in America I believe and this is a new day.'

The district attorney abhorred Weinstein as a 'vicious, serial sexual predator' who 'used his power to threaten, rape, assault, trick, humiliate and silence' victims.  Vance said the DA's office wasn't disappointed that Weinstein was acquitted of three of the charges he faced.  ‘I am certainly not dissatisfied by the verdict. I think this was a very difficult case, a very challenging case and a case that really moved our understanding of what sexual assault is, where it can occur...' he said.

'By no means am I disappointed with the jury’s unanimous statement that Harvey Weinstein is guilty of sexual assault and rape.' 

In total, Weinstein was charged with five counts including first and third-degree rape for Mann and a criminal sexual act for Haleyi's forcible oral sex allegation. He was also charged with predatory sexual assault for both women.  The predatory sexual assault charge, which is the most serious, incorporated Sopranos actress Anabella Sciorra's allegation that she was raped by Weinstein in the mid-1990s.  Sciorra's allegation was too old to be charged on its own because of the statute of limitations, but jurors had to consider it as the basis of the two counts of predatory sexual assault.  To convict Weinstein of that charge, jurors had to agree on two things: That Weinstein raped Sciorra and that he committed one of the other charged offenses related to Mann or Haleyi.  The verdict means that the jury did not believe Sciorra's testimony.  It followed weeks of often harrowing and excruciatingly graphic testimony from a string of accusers who told of rapes, forced oral sex, groping, masturbation and lewd propositions.  Three other women costume designer Dawn Dunning, model Tarale Wulff, and actress Lauren Marie Young were also called to testify during the trial that Weinstein allegedly groped and sexually assaulted them.  Their accusations were not the basis of any charges but they were brought in to help prosecutors show Weinstein had a particular intention or showed a signature behavior pattern when he invited women to meet with him.  During the trial, prosecutors argued he was turned on by the fear in his accusers' eyes, while his defense team painted the case against him as a 'sinister tale' and claimed the allegations were 'regret renamed as rape'.

Since 2017, more than 80 women have accused Weinstein of sexual misconduct allegations that became the catalyst for the #MeToo movement.

Jessica Mann gave a vivid description of Weinstein's 'deformed' naked body and told of how he bellowed 'you owe me!' before dragging her into a bedroom

GUILTY: Third-degree rape. NOT GUILTY: First-degree rape, predatory sexual assault

Jessica Mann, one of the two key accusers in Harvey Weinstein's case, testified that he raped her twice - in New York and Los Angeles - during an 'extremely degrading' relationship with the producer that lasted for years.  Mann told the court that she first met Weinstein at a party in late 2012 or early 2013 after she moved from Washington state to Los Angeles to pursue an acting career but said she didn't know who he was when he introduced himself.  When he pulled her aside later, he told her he was interested in her as an actress but not her Brazilian roommate Talita Maia who she came to the party with. Mann said she felt 'guilty' but gave Weinstein her number.  When she met Weinstein at a bookstore to learn about movie-business history, Weinstein told her that she 'looked prettier than Natalie Portman' and that he wanted her to read for a top role in a vampire film.  A casting director later testified that, despite Weinstein's promises, Mann was too old and tall to fit the role and that it had already been cast at the time.  She later ended up in his suite at a Los Angeles hotel after what she thought was a professional dinner where she said Weinstein pressured her into giving him a back massage on the bed with his shirt off.  Mann said Weinstein started offering her invitations to events and, on one occasion, asked her and her roommate to his hotel suite to give them the vampire script he had been talking about even though it had already been cast.  She said Weinstein started undressing before going into the bedroom and calling her name. When she went to the bedroom, she said he grabbed her arm, closed the door and started 'trying to kiss me like crazy'. 

THE CHARGES AGAINST WEINSTEIN EXPLAINED

What was Weinstein accused of Harvey Weinstein was accused of raping aspiring actress Jessica Mann in a Manhattan hotel room in 2013 and forcibly performing oral sex on film production assistant Mimi Haleyi in his apartment in 2006.

What are the FIVE charges he faced:  Jessica Mann: First-degree rape and third-degree rape

The first-degree charge alleges Weinstein used physical force or an implied or expressed threat that led the alleged victim to fear immediate death or injury. The third-degree charge alleges only that there was a lack of consent.

Mimi Haleyi: Criminal sexual act for her forced oral sex allegation.  Two counts of predatory sexual assault, one for each of the charged acts.

How the predatory sexual assault charges work:  Under New York law, one way a person can be found guilty of predatory sexual assault is if he or she committed certain sex offenses in the past, even if that conduct didn't result in criminal charges.  In Weinstein's case, prosecutors alleged that he raped Sopranos actress Annabella Sciorra in late 1993 or early 1994 an accusation that is too old to be the basis for criminal charges on its own because of the statute of limitations.

The verdict:  The jury convicted Weinstein of third-degree rape for Mann. He was found guilty of a criminal sexual act for Haleyi.  Weinstein was found not guilty of the two counts of predatory sexual assault and first-degree rape for Mann.  To find him guilty of predatory sexual assault, the jury had to believe Sciorra's allegations and that he committed one of the other charged offenses related to Mann or Haleyi.     

How much time could he face?

The criminal sex act charge carries a maximum sentence of 25 years in prison. Third-degree rape carries a maximum sentence of 4 years in prison.

Why did three other accusers testify at trial:  Three other women costume designer Dawn Dunning, model Tarale Wulff, and actress Lauren Marie Young testified they were enticed into meeting Weinstein for professional reasons and then groped or raped.  Their accusations were not the basis of any charges but they were brought in to help prosecutors show Weinstein showed a signature behavior pattern. Under New York state law, they are known as 'Molineux' witnesses.

Mann said she tussled with him and he grew increasingly angry before saying: 'I'm not letting you leave until I do something for you'.

Mann told jurors that Weinstein then performed oral sex on her. She said she feigned orgasm to get herself out of the encounter.  'I sort of locked up and got really quiet. I was worried about my friend out there by herself. I faked an orgasm to get out of it. He asked me how it was if I liked it. I was nervous, so I told him it was the best I ever had,' she testified. 

Mann said she then started having a twisted relationship with the mogul in which they had multiple consensual sexual encounters, including a failed threesome.  'I was confused after what happened and I made a decision to be in a relationship with him,' she said.

Mann said that while she wasn't sexually attracted to Weinstein, she felt compassion for him and wanted his approval.  The failed threesome occurred in February 2013 when Weinstein had Mann meet him and actress Emanuela Postacchini at a Los Angeles hotel and he tried to persuade the women to have sex with him.  Postacchini, who was called as a prosecution witness, later told jurors that Mann went into the bathroom and was 'crying in the fetal position on the ground'.  Mann testified that the rape occurred a month later when she was staying at the Doubletree Metropolitan Hotel in Manhattan with friends ahead of a breakfast meeting with Weinstein.  She said she panicked when she saw Weinstein checking in early. Mann claims that Weinstein told her to not embarrass him and ordered her to go upstairs to his hotel room.  She claimed she tried to get out of the room twice but Weinstein blocked her and ordered her to undress. Mann said he emerged from the bathroom naked and then raped her on the bed.  Mann said during her testimony that she found a needle in a trash can after and believed, after some research, that he had injected himself with an erection-inducing drug.  She admitted that she continued to see Weinstein after this incident but tried to avoid physical contact.  Mann accused Weinstein of raping her again eight months later when she was working as a hairdresser at a Los Angeles hotel after she told him she was dating an actor.

Weinstein still faces sex crime charges in Los Angeles and civil lawsuits from dozens of women

Separate from the New York trial, Weinstein has also been charged in Los Angeles with the sexual assault of two women in 2013.  He is charged with raping one woman and sexually assaulting the other on consecutive nights. The charges were announced the night before his New York rape trial started.  Weinstein is expected to appear in a Los Angeles court to hear the charges regardless of the New York trial's outcome.  Los Angeles prosecutors said Weinstein and his unidentified accuser attended a Hollywood film festival on February 17, 2013.  After the woman returned to her hotel room, Weinstein knocked at her door and she let him in. They spoke briefly before she alleged he attacked and raped her.  Prosecutors said the woman delayed disclosing the alleged assault because, in part, Weinstein threatened her life.  The next evening, the second accuser model and actress Lauren Marie Young who testified in New York said she went to Weinstein's hotel room with an acquaintance of hers following a business meeting.  The court documents say she unwittingly followed Weinstein into the bathroom and the acquaintance shut the door behind her. Weinstein stripped naked, took a brief shower, stripped the alleged victim naked and then masturbated before releasing her.  He faces up to 28 years in California prison if convicted on the charges.

He flew into a rage and screamed 'You owe me one more time!'.

He told her 'I don't have time for games' before attacking her, she said.

'Okay, now go have your relationship,' he told her, according to her testimony.

His apology: 'I just find you so attractive, I couldn't resist.'   

During her testimony, Mann was asked by a prosecutor to describe Weinstein's body. She said she didn't believe he had testicles and his penis looked like a vagina. She also said that when she first saw him naked she thought Weinstein was 'physically deformed or intersex' and may have been a burn victim due to 'extreme scarring' on his stomach.  The jury was shown naked photos of Weinstein to corroborate Mann's description of his body. The photos, which were only shown to jurors, were taken by a Manhattan District Attorney's office photographer on June 18, 2018.  As he left the court that day, Weinstein was asked by a journalist: 'Were those nude photos of you that the jury looked at?'

Weinstein laughed and turned to one of his lawyers and said: 'No, it was Playboy'.

Mann testified for three days, more than any other accuser, and broke down during an intense cross-examination. After losing her composure at one point, Mann could be heard screaming in a side room of the court.  Mann admitted during her testimony that she had kept in touch with Weinstein by sending him flattering emails because 'his ego was so fragile'. She said it 'made me feel safe, worshipping him in this sense I wanted to be perceived as innocent and naive.'

The defense said Mann sent Weinstein warm emails that said things like 'Miss you, big guy.'

Not once, in more than 400 messages between the two, did the woman accuse Weinstein of harming her, his lawyers said.  Asked why she didn't break off contact with Weinstein at the first sign of trouble, Mann said she didn't want to offend him. But defense lawyer Donna Rotunno asked whether it was really because the woman 'wanted to benefit from the power he had.'  She said her relationship with the then-married Weinstein was more complicated than that but defiantly declared: 'He is my rapist.'

The defense later called her friend and former roommate, Talita Maia, who claimed Mann didn't show any signs of distress on the day Weinstein allegedly raped her in New York.  Maia was with Mann in New York and said nothing seemed amiss when they met Weinstein for breakfast after the alleged rape, she testified. She told the jury she spent the rest of that day with Mann and she never mentioned the alleged attack.  Maia said Mann 'spoke highly' of Weinstein during her relationship with him, even calling him her 'spiritual soulmate' at one point.  'She seemed to really like him as a person,' Maia said.

'I told him I'm on my period': Project Runway assistant Mimi Haleyi told the jury that Weinstein pulled out her tampon and forcibly gave her oral sex in his apartment

GUILTY: Criminal sexual act. NOT GUILTY: Predatory sexual assault

Former Project Runway production assistant Mimi Haleyi, the woman Harvey Weinstein went on trial on charges of sexually assaulting her, recounted during her testimony how the film mogul forcibly performed oral sex on her while she had her period at his Manhattan apartment in 2006.  'I was kicking, I was pushing, I was trying to get away from his grip,' the now 42-year-old testified. 'He held me down and kept pushing me down to the bed.'

She told jurors she thought she was being raped and wondered: 'If I scream rape, will someone hear me?'

She said her relationship with the then-married Weinstein was more complicated than that but defiantly declared: 'He is my rapist.'

The defense later called her friend and former roommate, Talita Maia, who claimed Mann didn't show any signs of distress on the day Weinstein allegedly raped her in New York.

Maia was with Mann in New York and said nothing seemed amiss when they met Weinstein for breakfast after the alleged rape, she testified. She told the jury she spent the rest of that day with Mann and she never mentioned the alleged attack.

Maia said Mann 'spoke highly' of Weinstein during her relationship with him, even calling him her 'spiritual soulmate' at one point.

'She seemed to really like him as a person,' Maia said.

'I told him I'm on my period': Project Runway assistant Mimi Haleyi told the jury that Weinstein pulled out her tampon and forcibly gave her oral sex in his apartment

GUILTY: Criminal sexual act. NOT GUILTY: Predatory sexual assault

Former Project Runway production assistant Mimi Haleyi, the woman Harvey Weinstein went on trial on charges of sexually assaulting her, recounted during her testimony how the film mogul forcibly performed oral sex on her while she had her period at his Manhattan apartment in 2006.  'I was kicking, I was pushing, I was trying to get away from his grip,' the now 42-year-old testified. 'He held me down and kept pushing me down to the bed.'

She told jurors she thought she was being raped and wondered: 'If I scream rape, will someone hear me?'

She said she 'just felt like an idiot' for letting Weinstein convince her to meet again, but thought to see him could help her regain power as she tried to make sense of the alleged assault.  She said she didn't want to be intimate at that time but didn't think Weinstein forced her to have sex.  Weinstein's lawyers suggested that episode was evidence he didn't coerce her during the first encounter either.   Haleyi's former roommate, Elizabeth Entin, later took to the stand to corroborate her testimony about the alleged sexual assault.  Entin said Haleyi had told her about the encounter a short time after it happened. She said Haleyi was anxious and pacing as she recounted telling Weinstein: 'No. No.'

She said she told Haleyi: 'That sounds like rape. I said why don't we call a lawyer. She still seemed very distraught and was shaking and walked away and didn't want to talk about it. She felt like she couldn't talk and wasn't very present.'

Entin testified that her friend changed after the alleged assault. Haleyi, the given name is Miriam Haley, changed her name due to public scrutiny she faced after coming forward in October 2017 with the Weinstein allegations.  On cross-examination by Weinstein's lawyer, Donna Rotunno, Entin recalled thinking at first that it was just 'stupid' that Weinstein kept showing up unannounced at their apartment in the East Village.  'Because this older guy was trying to get your friend? Correct?' Rotunno asked.

'Correct,' Entin said.

'And you thought it funny?' Rotnunno asked.

'We did, at the time,' Entin said, recalling how her pet Chihuahua, Peanut, once chased Weinstein around the apartment after he barged in and demanded Haleyi go to Paris with him.

Entin said they viewed Weinstein 'as a pathetic older man trying really hard to hit on' Haleyi.

As Weinstein left the courtroom that day, a reporter in the hall asked: 'Mr. Weinstein, are you afraid of Chihuahuas?' Weinstein smiled and said: 'Do I look like I'm afraid of Chihuahuas?'.

Sopranos actress Annabella Sciorra accused Weinstein of raping her, sending her chocolate penises and Valium and turned up at her Cannes hotel room with baby oil

NOT GUILTY: Predatory sexual assault for Mann and Haleyi

Sopranos actress Annabella Sciorra, who was the first accuser to take the stand, was brought in to testify about Weinstein allegedly raping her in her Manhattan apartment in the mid-1990s.  Weinstein is not charged with attacking Sciorra but her testimony is a crucial part of the predatory sexual assault charges, which require prosecutors to establish a pattern of serious sex crimes against multiple women. Her accusation is too old to be the basis for criminal charges on its own due to the statute of limitations.  Sciorra said she first met Weinstein at an industry event in Los Angeles in 1990 or 1991. By 1993, she had starred in one of his company's movies, the romantic comedy The Night We Never Met.  Sciorra told the jury that the burly Weinstein barged uninvited into her apartment in the winter of 1993 or 1994 and raped her after dropping her off from a movie-business dinner with actress Uma Thurman and other industry figures.  He threw her on a bed and forced himself on her as she tried to fight him off by kicking and punching him, she said. Sciorra told the jury that eventually she 'couldn't fight anymore because he had my hands locked' and that Weinstein told her he had 'perfect timing' after ejaculating on her nightgown.  Recounting an accusation she said she kept largely secret for decades, Sciorra testified that after raping her, Weinstein went on to try to perform oral sex on her, saying: 'This is for you' as her body 'shut down'.

'It was just so disgusting that my body started to shake in a way that was very unusual. I didn't even really know what was happening. It was like a seizure or something,' she said. 'I'm not sure if I fainted or fell asleep or blacked out, but I woke up on the floor with my nightgown kind of up and I didn't know if something else had happened.'

At other points in the 1990s, Sciorra said that Weinstein sent her packages with Valium and a box of chocolate penises and turned up early one morning at her Cannes Film Festival hotel room in his underwear with the body oil and the videotape.  She said he left after she frantically pushed buttons on the room phone to summon help.  Sciorra said that roughly a month later, she ran into him and confronted him about what happened and he replied: 'That's what all the nice Catholic girls say.'

She claimed Weinstein then leaned toward her and added menacingly: 'This remains between you and I.'

'His eyes went black and I thought he was going to hit me right there,' Sciorra testified.

Afterward, she spiraled into cutting herself and drinking heavily, she told the jury.  She said she didn't tell anyone at first about the alleged rape, not even her brothers, saying: 'I wanted to pretend it never happened I wanted to get back to my life.'

Her friend and fashion model Kara Young testified that a fidgety Sciorra 'seemed a mess' with long cuts on her legs when the two watched the Academy Awards together in 1994.  Do the Right Thing actress Rosie Perez also testified during the trial that her friend Sciorra told her in the mid-1990s that Weinstein had raped her but that she couldn't go to the police because 'he'd destroy me'.

Perez said her friend Sciorra had told at some point in 1993, her voice shaking on the phone, that something had happened to her: 'I think it was rape.'

Perez said she asked if Sciorra knew who had attacked her, but Sciorra wouldn't say at the time. But months later, on another phone call from London, she said Weinstein was harassing her and she was scared.  She testified that they both started crying after she said to Sciorra: 'He's the one that raped you'.

Sciorra later acted in another Weinstein-produced picture, 1997′s Cop Land but she said she didn't realize when auditioning that his studio was involved.  Weinstein's lawyers sought to sow doubts about Sciorra's story, raising questions about her actions after the alleged rape and asking whether she had once described the encounter as 'awkward sex', which she denied.

During cross-examination, Weinstein lawyer Donna Rotunno noted that Sciorra never went to police or a doctor about the alleged rape.  'At the time, I didn't understand that that was rape,' Sciorra said.

She testified earlier that she once thought rape was a crime of strangers. 'I thought he was an okay guy. I felt confused. I felt like I wished I never opened the door,' she said.

Rotunno also suggested that Sciorra's judgment and recollection were clouded by drinking but the actress replied that she remembered having only a glass of wine with dinner.  Weinstein's defense played a 1997 clip of Sciorra playfully telling late-night host David Letterman that she sometimes had fun with the media by making up stories such as her father raising iguanas for circuses. Sciorra said she would never lie about something as serious as sexual assault.  The defense also highlighted an August 2017 text message in which Sciorra told a friend she was broke and was 'hoping Harvey has a job for me'.

The actress said she was just 'fishing' to try to find out through the friend whether Weinstein knew that a reporter had gotten wind of her accusations, which were first published in The New Yorker two months later.   

Cocktail waitress Tarale Wulff claimed Weinstein masturbated in front of her at a New York club then raped her in his apartment

Former cocktail waitress and aspiring actress Tarale Wulff testified that Harvey Weinstein masturbated in front of her while she was working at the upscale New York club Cipriani and later raped her at his New York City apartment in 2005.   She was one of three women brought in to testify about encounters separate from the crimes Weinstein was accused of committing to try to establish his motive and a signature pattern of behavior that could bolster the main accusers' claims.   Wulff claimed Weinstein, who she met at the members-only club where she worked, raped her at his New York City apartment after luring her there in 2005 with promises of an audition for a film role.  She described the much larger Weinstein grabbing her by the arm, pushing her onto a bed and spurning her pleas to stop with reassurances that she shouldn't worry because he'd had a vasectomy.  Wulff, now 43 and a model, said she froze as he continued, thinking that would make it 'easier to get through, to get past it'.

She testified that on an occasion before the alleged rape, Weinstein grabbed her arm as she served cocktails at one of his usual Manhattan haunts, led her toward a darkened terrace and started masturbating.  Wulff said she froze and scooted around him to go back to the bar.  Weinstein's lawyers raised doubts about Wulff's recollection after she disclosed that she had worked with a therapist for a year to fill gaps in her memory.  Speaking to reporters later, Wulff's lawyer called that line of questioning a 'red herring' and said her memory of being raped has never altered.

Weinstein put his hand up my skirt and tried trading movie roles for threesomes by claiming Salma Hayek and Charlize Theron had done the same, aspiring actress Dawn Dunning told the jury

Dawn Dunning, an aspiring actress, told jurors that Harvey Weinstein put his hand up her skirt and fondled her genitals during what was supposed to be a 2004 meeting about her fledgling career and later tried trading movie roles for three-way sex with him and his assistant.  Dunning told jurors she met Weinstein while waiting tables at a Manhattan nightspot where bottle service was a trendy indulgence for the rich and famous.   Weinstein immediately appeared to take an interest in her acting career, she said, and invited her to a lunch meeting where noting his infamous temper, she said he was 'on the phone a lot yelling at people'.

Dunning said several meetings followed, including one at a hotel where Weinstein was using a suite as a temporary office when she was 24.  Weinstein led her into a bedroom at one point and put his hand up her skirt, she said.  'He just started talking really fast. He said, 'Don't make a big deal about this. It will never happen again,' she told the jury.

Dunning said she 'just kind of gave him the benefit of the doubt' and didn't scream or tell anyone because she was embarrassed and didn't want to be a victim.  She said she later agreed to meet Weinstein at a cigar bar but that an assistant took her to a suite where the producer was standing in a bathrobe.  She said Weinstein showed her a contract for three movie roles she would get on the condition she had 'a threesome with his assistant'.   Dunning laughed thinking he was kidding and had a 'crass sense of humor.'  'But when I started laughing, he got really angry and started screaming at me,' Dunning testified. 'He said, 'you'll never make it in this business, this is how this industry works.'

She said Weinstein claimed the lewd offer was the kind of thing that happened all the time in the film business and that he mentioned the names of several big stars in hopes of convincing her to do it.  Dunning, now 40, said Weinstein went on to namedrop actresses Salma Hayek and Charlize Theron, implying they had done similar things to achieve success something both women have strongly denied.  Hayek has said she had to fight off Weinstein's constant harassment and bullying. Theron was upset when some accusers said he implied they had slept together.  Dunning said she didn't know what Weinstein would do after she laughed off the offer, so she ran for the door and down the hall to the elevator.  'He was a big guy. He was towering over me,' she testified. 'I was really scared.'

Weinstein's lawyers questioned why Dunning waited until last summer to tell prosecutors that he had fondled her after she had gone public with the jobs-for-sex allegation, which was first published in a New York Times article in October 2017.

'His penis looked like it had been cut and sewn back on': Lauren Marie Young told the jury Weinstein groped and masturbated in front of her in a hotel bathroom and said he had a 'disgusting looking penis'

Lauren Marie Young, the final accuser at Harvey Weinstein's trial, told jurors he groped her in a Beverly Hills hotel bathroom just days before the Oscars in February 2013.  Young said she first met Weinstein a year earlier in February 2012 when she was invited by a friend to an Oscars party for the producer.  She testified that she met Mexican model Claudia Salinas there and told her about a script she was working on based on her life. Salinas gave her her e-mail address and then a year later asked her to bring her script for a meeting with Weinstein at the hotel where the alleged groping occurred.  'I was excited. I got ready. I put on my best dress,' the 30-year-old testified about first connecting with Weinstein at the hotel. 'I was excited to network and pitch my ideas.'

At some point Weinstein said 'let's finish this conversation upstairs' and she went with him and Salinas, according to her testimony.  Once in the hotel room, Young claimed Salinas closed the bathroom door behind them and that she did nothing to stop her alleged assault.  Young alleged that Weinstein stripped naked, groped her breast and then masturbated in front of her.  Young said Salinas 'was standing right there' when Weinstein was finished and she managed to get out.  Young told the jury that shot Salinas 'an evil look and I left as quick as I could without saying anything'.   

Young described in explicit detail how Weinstein had a 'disgusting'-looking penis that appeared to be 'cut and sewn back on' and that he appeared to have no testicles.  'His body was hairy, it had moles on his rolls, a disgusting looking penis,' she told jurors. 'It had looked like it had been cut and sewn back on, not a normal-looking scar from circumcision. Something didn't look normal and I remember noticing that and I didn't notice balls in the sack. I just saw a penis.'

In a dramatic moment, the court was shown the lace dress Young claimed she wore the night of that alleged assault.  The dress could potentially be sent for DNA testing for evidence in a separate case against Weinstein in Los Angeles where the incident took place.  Salinas was later called as a defense witness and denied ever locking Young in the bathroom with Weinstein.   'That never happened,' Salinas told jurors. 

'Did you ever close that door while Lauren Young was in the bathroom with Mr. Weinstein?' Weinstein's lawyer Damon Charonis asked.

Salinas said: 'If I'd done that I'd remember it. I'd never close the door on anybody ever'.

Salinas, who is now 38 and working as a social media influencer, disputed other parts of Young's account, saying that while they did meet up at the hotel bar the night of the alleged assault, it wasn't because Weinstein wanted to see her.  She also said she didn't recognize the hotel suite and didn't remember following along as Weinstein sought to continue the conversation in his room while he got ready for an awards presentation, as Young had alleged.  Asked on cross-examination if she told investigators last year that it was possible Weinstein took Young to the room, Salinas replied: 'What's true is that I wasn't there in a bathroom scenario. It could have happened but it didn't mean I was there.' 

From the most powerful man in Hollywood to convict: Weinstein's downfall and his deteriorating health

Harvey Weinstein was once considered the most powerful man in Hollywood who made hits like Pulp Fiction and Shakespeare in Love with his film companies Miramax and The Weinstein Co.  He dominated Hollywood in the 1990s and won 81 Oscars as he became part of the world elite and grew especially close to Bill and Hillary Clinton.  Now, The Weinstein Co. is bankrupt, his wife Georgina Chapman has divorced him and his empire is in ruins with his accusers demanding tens of millions in separate civil claims.  Weinstein has said that if he was cleared he would make a comeback but he still faces separate rape charges in Los Angeles.  Many who have been following the New York trial were struck by the decline in Weinstein's appearance. Images of Weinstein's feeble entrances into court rocketed around social media: a disheveled man slouched over a walker and trailed by his female attorney.  At the height of his powers, Weinstein weighed 300lbs and his physical stature mirrored his standing in the movie business.  During the trial, Weinstein's health deteriorated with him losing an estimated 50lbs. After back surgery, he had to use a walker with tennis balls on two legs before later switching to one with wheels to help him in and out of court.  Prosecutors claimed the walker was a 'prop' that was designed to elicit sympathy from the jury and make it look like he was a 'harmless old man'.  In court, Weinstein mostly stared ahead and chewed gum, though the day after hosting a Super Bowl party he repeatedly fell asleep in court.  During Jessica Mann's testimony about his body, Weinstein put his head in his hands. Weinstein did muster the gall to wave at Rosie Perez when she gave her evidence.  Weinstein would often smile as he left court each day. When asked about the jury being shown naked pictures of him, Weinstein joked that they were looking at Playboy magazine. 

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-7962131/Man-born-one-arm-begins-career-designer-getting-BIONIC-arm-learning-draw.html

A man born with one arm begins a career as a designer after getting a BIONIC arm and learning to draw

    Dan Melville, 27, from Reading got the bionic arm by firm Open Bionics in 2015
    Now runs Handy Dan's 3D Prints and sells his creations, such vases, and skulls
    Mr. Melville admits he's a 'massive geek' and draws a sketch of Baby Yoda in a clip

By Jemma Carr For Mailonline

Published: 20:37, 3 February 2020 | Updated: 20:37, 3 February 2020

A man born with one arm has launched a career as a designer after getting a bionic arm and learning to draw with it.  Dan Melville, 27 from Reading was born without a right hand.  He got a bionic arm in 2015 and his 'life completely changed'.  Dan Melville who was born with one arm launched a career as a designer after getting a bionic arm and learning to draw with it  He now runs Handy Dan's 3D Prints where draws and then prints his creations, which have included ornaments, vases, and even skulls.  In the clip, Mr. Melville admits he's a 'massive geek' and is seen drawing a sketch of Baby Yoda.  He said: 'I just want to draw my own fan art but with a bionic arm. Bit different I guess.'

He says he never traces his designs and claims that drawing freehand is a 'much better way of learning'.  He explains that drawing is tricky as he can't feel touch with his arm but says: 'The way that this technology is going, that soon enough I'll be able to hold and feel the pen.'

It all started when Mr. Melville's friend asked him to draw a picture of her using his new bionic arm.   She liked it so much that she offered him some money for it.  This planted the seed for Mr. Melville who went on to buy his first 3D printer for £1,500.  He started drawing up some designs for family and friends before going on to earn a commission.  He set up a printing company where all the designs were drawn by him and within a year, he was able to quit his job as a retail assistant to pursue his dream.  Mr. Melvill said: 'Before becoming a designer, I just worked in retail and I never thought the time would come where I could actually use my college qualification in design.  The bionic arm is definitely the push I needed to go into design because I wanted to be able to create something that's incredible and life-changing'.

The arm designed by firm Open Bionics uses pulses in Mr. Melvill's muscles to determine whether he wants to open or close his hand.  There is a button on the hand that changes the grip pattern, helping him to pick up both heavy and delicate objects.  Mr. Melvill said: 'The first year of starting my business was a quiet one but then it began to pick up and by the second year, I had quit my job working in retail.  I use my bionic arm to draw and it took a while for me to get the hang of it because you can't actually feel the pen in your hand or your hand at all but you learn how to do it.  Sometimes it turns out great, sometimes it turns out not so great. It's just about practice.  It has definitely changed my life for the better. I'm now doing something I love and that's the best part'.

But he said it doesn't come without challenges.  He said: 'Not being able to feel the pen makes it much, much harder.  I don't think people realise how difficult it is.'

In 2014, Mr. Melvill became an ambassador for Open Bionics a UK company that builds low-cost bionic arms for people with disabilities.  The company only began selling to the general public in 2018, once the prototypes had been tested.  The Prince's Trust helped Mr. Melvill get his foot on the ladder by offering him expert advice about starting a business from scratch.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-7916561/Meghan-Markle-naively-thought-position-royal-family-came-instant-popularity.html

Meghan Markle had 'unrealistic expectations' of life as a duchess and 'naively thought' the role came with 'instant popularity', royal expert claims

    Experts told how Meghan Markle, 38, had 'unrealistic expectation' of royal life
    Omid Scobie said the royal believed the role came with an 'instant popularity'
    Calling it her 'biggest mistake', he said she was 'naive' in her thinking about the role
    Comes as Meghan reunited with Prince Harry. 35, in Canada, to start a new life 

By Harriet Johnston For Mailonline

Published: 15:52, 22 January 2020 | Updated: 20:29, 22 January 2020

The Duchess of Sussex had ‘unrealistic expectations’ of her role in the royal family and ‘naively thought’ her position came with ‘instant popularity’, according to royal commentators.  Royal expert Omid Scobie said Meghan Markle, 38, joined the royal family believing 'the role came with almost instant popularity' and said she had 'unrealistic expectations' of her position.   Speaking with fellow royal expert Victoria Arbiter on the Heirpod podcast, Omid said the Duchess believed there would be a 'honeymoon period that comes with marrying into the royal family' which would allow her to 'falter' at times.  He revealed: 'I think one of the biggest mistakes Meghan made, and I’ve heard this from sources close to her, is that she naively went in thinking this role came almost with instant popularity.'

He went on: '[She thought] you start in a good place and there is this, no matter what, there is a honeymoon period that comes with marrying into the royal family that allows you to falter at times, or figure something out, or whatever it is.  'I think that that was one of the key things, and I think that towards the end she felt she wasn't given that by the press or members of the royal family, by aides or courtiers within the households.'

However, Omid noted that Meghan was not the only person who was not prepared for any growing pains.  The writer explained that, while the former actress was clearly 'naive' about what the job as a royal would entail, the royal family also had 'unrealistic expectations' about how easily Meghan would be able to adapt to her new life.  He added: 'I think everyone somehow had this level of expectation from her from the get-go that was perhaps somewhat unrealistic, and perhaps she herself had some unrealistic expectations from the role too.' 

Victoria went on to note that while everyone in the royal family has a 'honeymoon period', Meghan's was 'incredibly short'.  The expert commentary reflects those made by Meghan herself in ITV's explosive Harry & Meghan: An African Journey.  When the documentary aired in October, Meghan said she and Prince Harry were just 'surviving' the intense media attention, saying she had 'no idea' of the struggles she would deal with as a member of the royal family.  She acknowledged that she 'very naively didn't get' the level of scrutiny she would be under in the royal family.   She said: 'I never thought that this would be easy, but I thought it would be fair and that's the part that's really hard to reconcile.'

Prince Harry and Meghan are now preparing to forge a new life for themselves and their eight-month-old son, Archie Mountbatten-Windsor, in Canada after stepping back from royal duties.  It was announced at the weekend that the duke and duchess will stop using HRH, spend the majority of their time living in Canada, and pay back the taxpayers' money spent renovating their Frogmore home.  On Sunday night the Duke of Sussex has said he is 'taking a leap of faith' in stepping back from his life as a member of the royal family, but 'there really was no other option'.  Meanwhile, a smiling Meghan was photographed taking Archie and her two dogs for a walk in Vancouver hours before Harry arrived in Canada on Monday.

https://www.theguardian.com/media/2019/jan/30/social-media-urged-to-take-moment-to-reflect-after-girls-death

Social media urged to take 'moment to reflect' after girl's death

Children’s commissioner for England writes open letter highlighting ‘horrific’ content

The children’s commissioner for England has accused social media companies such as Facebook and Snapchat of losing control of the content carried on their platforms, telling them that recent teen suicides should be a “moment of reflection” for the way they operate.  In an open letter to Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, YouTube, Pinterest and Snapchat, Anne Longfield said the suicide of 14-year-old Molly Russell has highlighted the “horrific” material that children were able to easily access online.

“The recent tragic cases of young people who had accessed and drawn from sites that post deeply troubling content around suicide and self-harm, and who in the end took their own lives, should be a moment of reflection,” Longfield told the companies.  “I would appeal to you to accept there are problems and to commit to tackling them or admit publicly that you are unable to.”

Molly’s father Ian has said that social media was partly to blame for his daughter’s death, after her Instagram account was found to contain distressing material about depression and suicide.  “The potential disruption to all user experiences should no longer be a brake on making the safety and wellbeing of young people a top priority. Neither should hiding behind servers and apparatus in other jurisdictions be an acceptable way of avoiding responsibility,” Longfield added.

Longfield reiterated her call for an independent “digital ombudsman” to ensure that the companies protect young children and speed up the removal of disturbing material.  “I do not think it is going too far to question whether even you, the owners, any longer have any control over their content,” Longfield wrote.  “If that is the case, then children should not be accessing your services at all, and parents should be aware that the idea of any authority overseeing algorithms and content is a mirage.”

A spokesperson for Facebook, which also owns Instagram and WhatsApp, said: “We have a huge responsibility to make sure young people are safe on our platforms and working together with the government, the children’s commissioner and other companies is the only way to make sure we get this right.  Our thoughts are with Molly’s family and with the other families who have been affected by suicide or self-harm. We are undertaking a full review of our policies, enforcement and technologies and are consulting further with mental health experts to understand what more we can do.”

Longfield’s letter included questions that she wanted answered by the companies, including how many self-harm sites or postings are hosted on their platforms, and how many are accessed by users under the age of 18.  The companies were also asked to reveal the results of their own research into the impact of self-harm sites on children’s mental health, and what support options are offered to users searching for images of self-harm.  “It is your responsibility to support measures that give children the information and tools they need growing up in this digital world or to admit that you cannot control what anyone sees on your platforms,” Longfield told the companies.

The intervention comes after Ofcom this week said the proportion of 12- to 15-year-olds who reported being bullied over social media rose from 6% in 2016 to 11% last year.  Snapchat said its public content was moderated and “highly curated”, using only content from leading media companies and celebrities, and collected from other users by its in-house news team or professional partners.  “We work hard to keep Snapchat a safe and supportive place for everyone. From the outset we have sought to connect our community with content that is authoritative and credible and safeguard against harmful content and disinformation,” said a spokesperson.

In the UK, Samaritans can be contacted on 116 123 or email jo@samaritans.org. In the US, the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is 1-800-273-8255. In Australia, the crisis support service Lifeline is 13 11 14. Other international suicide helplines can be found at www.befrienders.org.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-7751439/Jealous-husband-28-told-wife-swallow-wedding-ring-beating-death.html

'Jealous and violent' husband, 28, 'told his Gretna Green wife to swallow her wedding ring before beating and stamping her to death while children were in the house', murder trial hears

    Shaun Dyson, 28, is accused of the murder of his wife Lucy-Anne Rushton, 30
    He's alleged to have killed her by repeatedly stamping and jumping on top of her
    Ms Rushton had confided in loved ones about the couple's 'volatile' relationship
    She told family members she was convinced that Dyson would eventually kill her

By Danyal Hussain For Mailonline

Published: 15:57, 3 December 2019 | Updated: 21:38, 3 December 2019

A 'jealous and violent' man told his estranged wife to swallow her wedding ring before beating her to death in a 'brutal' attack while children were in the house, a court has heard.  Shaun Dyson, 28, is accused of the murder of Lucy-Anne Rushton, 30, in the early hours of June 23 by repeatedly jumping or stamping on her at their home in Andover, Hampshire.  He allegedly killed her in a 'prolonged and very severe' attack six months after their 'toxic' relationship ended. He denies her murder.  Ms Rushton had confided in loved ones about the couple's 'volatile' relationship and was convinced Dyson would end up killing her.  She had been dead for 'some time' at her home Dyson decided to dial 999, claiming Ms Rushton had drowned.  The couple who got together in 2010 and married four years later after eloping to Gretna Green frequently argued but had split by the beginning of this year.  Family and friends pleaded with Ms Rushton to leave Dyson sooner, but she refused and declared 'she loved him', Winchester Crown Court heard today.  Simon Jones, prosecuting, told Winchester Crown Court that Ms Rushton became the victim of a 'history of domestic violence'.  Mr Jones said: 'The defendant's and Lucy's relationship is probably best described as toxic.  Lucy was killed by the defendant; she was the victim of a prolonged and very severe beating, culminating in repeated stamping or jumping or both on her chest and while she was laid on her back.'

He continued: 'There was no justification for blow after blow, kick after kick, stamp after stamp on Lucy. This was borne out of a jealous rage in a violent man.'

Mr Jones said that Dyson, who had already hit Ms Rushton on the evening before she died, had become 'enraged' by a phone call she received from a man she had been in a relationship with.  He said that a child witness had seen the defendant say to Ms Rushton in the early hours: 'Swallow the ring because we are not together any more.'

He added that the witness said Ms Rushton had put the ring in her mouth but had not swallowed it because they had seen it on the stairs later, where it was found.  Mr Jones said the child witness had woken up again to see Dyson hitting Ms Rushton and she had a 'sad voice' while the defendant was in a 'mean mood'.  Mr Jones said Ms Rushton had told members of her family in the months before she died that she feared Dyson would murder her.  The prosecutor added: 'She was convinced that he was going to do something to her and if he couldn't have her, no-one could.'

Ms Rushton's sister Lola Simpson said she received a call from her 'hysterical' sister declaring Dyson was 'going to murder her' just one month before she was beaten to death.  The defendant had told his estranged wife that he hid a bag with a change of clothes, petrol and weapons inside with Ms Rushton adamant he was going to 'do something bad to her'.

Ms Simpson also told police Dyson strangled her sister until she lost consciousness three years ago and claimed Ms Rushton said she wanted to write a will just nine days before she was killed.  The jury of six men and six women were today shown CCTV footage of Dyson kicking, punching and spitting at Ms Rushton outside Britannia Hotel, Bournemouth, Dorset, last September.  Police were called after a night porter raised the alarm, with a teary Ms Rushton telling a hotel guest: 'I'm used to it, that is how men are.'

But she denied she had been attacked when officers arrived and instead claimed she had suffered a nosebleed, the court heard.  Prosecutor Simon Jones said: 'The CCTV shows the defendant repeatedly assaulting Lucy in the hallway of that hotel room.  This is an example of the domestic violence we will hear about in this case an example of how the defendant was violent towards Lucy.'

In messages sent to his lover after allegedly killing his ex-partner, Dyson said Ms Rushton had marks on her neck because 'he choked her during rough sex'.   Dyson claims Rushton drowned.  Mr Jones said: 'We say what happened that night was not a momentary loss of control but the culmination of previous episodes of violence that had preceded events that night.  The cause of death was not drowning. The cause of death, the prosecution suggest and is clear, was of a brutal, violent beating administered by Shaun Dyson.'

The trial continues tomorrow.