Latest news with #Mears
Wales Online
9 hours ago
- Wales Online
Nan's life taken in 'explosive, cowardly attack of unspeakable ferocity and cruelty'
Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. More info The life of a much loved nan was snatched away in an "explosive and cowardly" attack of "unspeakable ferocity and cruelty'. Dean Mears, 35, smashed his way into Catherine Flynn's house on Cefndy Road in Rhyl late at night last October 24 before stamping on the defenceless 69-year-old head and neck 15 times, shattering every bone in her face. Mears, of Bodelwyddan Avenue, Kinmel Bay, was sentenced to life imprisonment at Caernarfon Crown Court today and will serve a a minimum term of 27 years before he is even considered for parole. He had admitted killing Mrs Flynn but was convicted of her murder by a jury following a nine-day trial last month. You can sign up for all the latest court stories here Judge Rhys Rowlands sentence was applauded in the public gallery by family and friends of the devoted family woman. The judge praised Mrs Flynn's loved ones for their "quite remarkable forbearance" during a harrowing trial. Sentencing Mears, the judge said the killing was not premeditated but Mears had committed it for gain and lost his temper with Mrs Flynn: "You took Mrs Flynn's life in an explosive, cowardly attack of quite unspeakable ferocity and cruelty." The judge said he was "in awe" of the dignity shown by Mrs Flynn's daughter Natasha who watched the Ring doorbell footage of Mears breaking in to Mrs Flynn home. (Image: North Wales Police) No-one present during the trial would forget a crime which he branded "savage". Mrs Flynn died from asphyxia, the day after the attack, at a trauma hospital in Stoke having drowned from her own blood. Mrs Flynn's son Michael branded Mears' actions "pure evil and unforgivable. Daughter Natasha said their mum's brain had been turned to "mush" and he left her "weeping blood". She branded Mears a "coward". But she said they would remember Mrs Flynn as the kind hearted person she was. She ended her powerful statement: "Good night and God Bless, Mum. I love you girl and justice for our Queenie." At his trial, Mears admitted killing Mrs Flynn but claimed diminished responsibility. The jury heard evidence that Mears had ketamine, cannabis and cocaine in his system, and had inflicted severe blunt force injuries to Catherine's head, face and neck which proved fatal. (Image: North Wales Police handout) The medical evidence presented by the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) described the injuries as high impact trauma, consistent with repeated forceful stamps. The jury also heard that Mears had attempted to dispose of clothing, in multiple locations, but police recovered the items. Having heard all the evidence in the case, including psychiatric evidence, the jury convicted Mears of murder. Mears' own barrister described the murder as "dreadful and brutal". He also pointed to how his client had been a victim of serious violence years ago. Speaking after sentencing, Deanne McGinty from the CPS said: 'Dean Mears inflicted a brutal attack on Catherine Flynn in her own home, a place where she should have been safe. (Image: North Wales Police) 'He then tried to cover his tracks by attempting to dispose of evidence. 'The jury rejected his claim of diminished responsibility after hearing all the evidence presented by the Crown Prosecution Service. 'Mears' actions resulted in a tragic loss of life, and that loss is deeply felt by the family and friends of Catherine. Our thoughts will remain with them.' Mears was sentenced to 27 years and 128 days, less time spent on remand in custody, before he can apply for parole. Find crime figures for your area
North Wales Live
13 hours ago
- North Wales Live
Live updates as Dean Mears sentenced over 'abhorrent' murder of 'wonderful nan' in her own home
An "abhorrent" murderer who stamped a woman to death in her own home will be sentenced today. Dean Mears smashed his way into the home of "wonderful nan" Catherine Flynn as she slept, before launching a "brutal" attack on her last October. Mears had admitted killing Mrs Flynn, but denied murder. He said he was unable to offer an explanation for his actions during the trial, and a jury later found him guilty. Mrs Flynn, 69, of Cefndy Road, Rhyl, was left with catastrophic injuries and died in hospital the next day. Audio footage of the murder was captured on Mrs Flynn's doorbell camera. Her daughter Natasha got an alert from the camera at 10.27pm on October 24. and she could only watch in horror as the noise of glass shattering - which was the defendant breaking into the house - was heard. Mears, 34, of Bodelwyddan Avenue, Kinmel Bay, is then heard saying: "Where are the keys?" The footage captured the sound of "approximately 15 thuds" as Mears launched his vicious attack. Following Mrs Flynn's death, her family said she was a "wonderful mum, nan, great nan, auntie, and sister, and also a second mother to many and a great friend" Senior Investigating Officer Superintendent Lee Boycott previously said: 'On 24th October 2024, Dean Mears broke into Cathy Flynn's home whilst she was sleeping and ferociously and repeatedly stamped on her in a brutal and violent unprovoked attack. 'The injuries Cathy sustained were not survivable and she tragically died the following day in hospital. His abhorrent actions that night was witnessed by Cathy's daughter on her doorbell footage, which will undoubtedly stay with her and her family forever. "Despite Mears showing no remorse for his actions, Cathy's family have remained dignified and respectful throughout the judicial process. I commend them for their courage and my thoughts remain with them today. I welcome today's verdict and thank the jury, and the investigation team, for their diligent work in securing justice for Cathy's family." In a court hearing last month, it was heard that police will attend the sentencing hearing, amid fears for potential "trouble". Mears' defence barrister expressed concerns that the wider public had been invited in a Facebook post to watch the hearing from the public gallery and "the more the merrier". Simon Killeen, defending, warned that "heat could rise" during the hearing. But the prosecution told the judge at a hearing that police officers would attend. We will bring you all the latest from the sentencing hearing via the live blog below. Get all the big headlines, pictures, analysis, opinion and video on the stories that matter to you. If you have some information you can contact us by following our Twitter feed @northwaleslive - the official North Wales Live account - real news in real time. Or like - your must-see news, features, videos and pictures throughout the day from the North Wales Live. Don't forget you can also keep up to date with the latest via the free North Wales Live app. Download it for Apple devices here and Android devices here. 10:32David Powell 'Passing her chairlift' After Mears was found guilty on May 15, the judge His Honour Rhys Rowlands told him: "Mrs Flynn had been an extremely vulnerable lady who was killed by you in what should have been the safety of her own home after you had broken in." He said any loss of life is tragic but the murder of Mrs Flynn was "truly horrific". Mears broke in, passing her chairlift, and stamped on her head repeatedly, causing catastrophic injuries."
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Yahoo
'A very sexualized man' underreported bar sales by nearly $4.5 million, court docs reveal
The owner of Connor's Pub in Broad Ripple has been charged with 10 counts related to tax evasion, along with soliciting sex from one of his employees. These charges are the result of what local law-enforcement officials called a multi-agency effort to combat corrupt business practices in Indianapolis. John Yaggi, 63, faces four counts of failure to remit taxes held in a trust, four counts of failure to remit food and beverage tax, and failure to keep records open for examination for his alleged role in failing to report accurate sales figures to the state. He's also charged with making an unlawful proposition after allegations emerged during the tax investigation that he solicited sexual acts in exchange for giving an employee better-paying shifts. "In this case, one of the allegations is that the bar didn't even keep records, and one of the things the law requires is that you have to maintain records on what you're spending your money on," Marion County Prosecutor Ryan Mears told IndyStar. "The Department of Revenue had to recreate what they think is being spent on goods and services to determine how much taxes were evaded." Where there's a lot of attention being paid to guns and crime, Mears said, people are also being harmed and cheated because of bad business practices. Tax revenue goes to the state, and Mears said that supports various programs that benefit the community. "When people don't pay their fair share, it's not a level playing field, and it could be representative of other unlawful things going on," Mears said. IndyStar was not immediately able to reach Yaggi for a response. In July 2023, the Marion County Prosecutor's Office Grand Jury Division, along with the Marion County Sheriff's Office, Indiana State Police, Indiana State Excise Police, and the Indiana Department of Revenue, began investigating the business practices of bars operating in Broad Ripple Village. During the investigation, they reached out to Conner's Pub employees for interviews. One former employee who had been working at the pub from 2010 to 2020 said she was paid an hourly rate of about $2.13. After working four hours per shift for about 20 hours a week, she was paid in cash after every shift. She said she was never issued a pay stub or W-2. Another former employee told investigators she made $10 an hour as a bartender and a cook. She was mainly paid under the table at first, before, according to court records, Yaggi briefly put her on payroll in 2021. So, she received her hourly wages on her paycheck. At some point, she didn't think she was receiving the correct amount in wages, so she switched back to being paid under the table. She took orders on a piece of paper and hung it up in the kitchen. The woman told investigators the bar tried to have a point-of-sale system (POS), but it didn't work. Everyone cashed out their tables, but Yaggi normally handled the cash drawer. It was a cash register, but it didn't open, and didn't have a top to the register. She estimated that the bar would have between 200-300 customers per day. Another former bartender said the bar did not use a traditional POS system, and employees wrote orders down on pieces of paper and kept tallies of drinks. The employees would then tell the customers how much their bill was, but there was no printout to provide customers. Marion County Prosecutor's Office investigator Carmen Walker cites six former employees he spoke with in the probable cause affidavit for Yaggi's arrest, one of whom spoke about a sexual relationship she had with the pub owner. On April 21, 2025, an employee told Walker she had a sexual relationship with Yaggi. She said she had intercourse with him at least five times, and at least 10 times she performed oral sex on him in exchange for bartending shifts. She was hired as a cook, but made more money at the bar. All five sexual encounters happened at the owner's home, the employee said. Also, if she had to exchange kegs or liquor in the basement of Connor's Pub, sometimes Yaggi was waiting on her with his pants down, according to court documents. The employee called Yaggi "A very sexualized man" who was obsessed with her. She also found out that Yaggi asked her sister, who also worked in the pub, to send him pictures of her breasts. According to court records, investigators uncovered that Yaggi had failed to keep basic financial records for several years. Investigators used the records that Yaggi did keep to calculate the bar's total expected sales. They concluded that Connor's Pub underreported sales by nearly $4.5 million and failed to remit nearly $320,000 in sales tax and nearly $91,000 in Food and Beverage Tax from January 2019 to December 2023. Yaggi was not immediately arrested in this case, but Mears said he will receive a summons to appear in court. Jade Jackson is a Public Safety Reporter for the Indianapolis Star. You can email her at and follow her on X, formerly Twitter @IAMJADEJACKSON. IndyStar reporter Jake Allen contributed to this article. This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Indianapolis bar owner evaded taxes, solicited sex from staff, court docs claim
Indianapolis Star
6 days ago
- Indianapolis Star
'A very sexualized man' underreported bar sales by nearly $4.5 million, court docs reveal
The owner of Connor's Pub in Broad Ripple has been charged with 10 counts related to tax evasion, along with soliciting sex from one of his employees. These charges are the result of what local law-enforcement officials called a multi-agency effort to combat corrupt business practices in Indianapolis. John Yaggi, 63, faces four counts of failure to remit taxes held in a trust, four counts of failure to remit food and beverage tax, and failure to keep records open for examination for his alleged role in failing to report accurate sales figures to the state. He's also charged with making an unlawful proposition after allegations emerged during the tax investigation that he solicited sexual acts in exchange for giving an employee better-paying shifts. "In this case, one of the allegations is that the bar didn't even keep records, and one of the things the law requires is that you have to maintain records on what you're spending your money on," Marion County Prosecutor Ryan Mears told IndyStar. "The Department of Revenue had to recreate what they think is being spent on goods and services to determine how much taxes were evaded." Where there's a lot of attention being paid to guns and crime, Mears said, people are also being harmed and cheated because of bad business practices. Tax revenue goes to the state, and Mears said that supports various programs that benefit the community. "When people don't pay their fair share, it's not a level playing field, and it could be representative of other unlawful things going on," Mears said. IndyStar was not immediately able to reach Yaggi for a response. In July 2023, the Marion County Prosecutor's Office Grand Jury Division, along with the Marion County Sheriff's Office, Indiana State Police, Indiana State Excise Police, and the Indiana Department of Revenue, began investigating the business practices of bars operating in Broad Ripple Village. During the investigation, they reached out to Conner's Pub employees for interviews. One former employee who had been working at the pub from 2010 to 2020 said she was paid an hourly rate of about $2.13. After working four hours per shift for about 20 hours a week, she was paid in cash after every shift. She said she was never issued a pay stub or W-2. Another former employee told investigators she made $10 an hour as a bartender and a cook. She was mainly paid under the table at first, before, according to court records, Yaggi briefly put her on payroll in 2021. So, she received her hourly wages on her paycheck. At some point, she didn't think she was receiving the correct amount in wages, so she switched back to being paid under the table. She took orders on a piece of paper and hung it up in the kitchen. The woman told investigators the bar tried to have a point-of-sale system (POS), but it didn't work. Everyone cashed out their tables, but Yaggi normally handled the cash drawer. It was a cash register, but it didn't open, and didn't have a top to the register. She estimated that the bar would have between 200-300 customers per day. Another former bartender said the bar did not use a traditional POS system, and employees wrote orders down on pieces of paper and kept tallies of drinks. The employees would then tell the customers how much their bill was, but there was no printout to provide customers. Marion County Prosecutor's Office investigator Carmen Walker cites six former employees he spoke with in the probable cause affidavit for Yaggi's arrest, one of whom spoke about a sexual relationship she had with the pub owner. On April 21, 2025, an employee told Walker she had a sexual relationship with Yaggi. She said she had intercourse with him at least five times, and at least 10 times she performed oral sex on him in exchange for bartending shifts. She was hired as a cook, but made more money at the bar. All five sexual encounters happened at the owner's home, the employee said. Also, if she had to exchange kegs or liquor in the basement of Connor's Pub, sometimes Yaggi was waiting on her with his pants down, according to court documents. The employee called Yaggi "A very sexualized man" who was obsessed with her. She also found out that Yaggi asked her sister, who also worked in the pub, to send him pictures of her breasts. According to court records, investigators uncovered that Yaggi had failed to keep basic financial records for several years. Investigators used the records that Yaggi did keep to calculate the bar's total expected sales. They concluded that Connor's Pub underreported sales by nearly $4.5 million and failed to remit nearly $320,000 in sales tax and nearly $91,000 in Food and Beverage Tax from January 2019 to December 2023. Yaggi was not immediately arrested in this case, but Mears said he will receive a summons to appear in court.
Yahoo
06-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
New Columbus drone manufacturer providing weapons for Ukraine
COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) – Military analysts are still studying Operation Spider Web, the unprecedented weekend assault on Russia's nuclear-capable, long-range bombers. More than 100 Ukrainian drones struck air bases deep inside Russia, with explosions reported in five separate regions. The operation was said to be in the planning stages for 18 months, and a new Columbus defense contractor might have been part of that plan. Unsolved Ohio: Who killed Amy Jo Nelson? Family wants answers in 2017 homicide Anduril is building its newest manufacturing facility near Rickenbacker air base, but its vice president for strategy said it is already supplying autonomous weapons — including drones — to the United States and its allies, including Ukraine. 'I think the biggest lesson to take away from Ukraine is not just what they can do, but what's needed, the timelines on which they are needed that very much animates what we're building here in Columbus, Ohio, at our Arsenal One campus,' Anduril Senior Vice President of Strategy Zachary Mears said. And what a campus it will be; five million square feet of manufacturing space that will eventually employ 4,000 people. Anduril is the nation's newest defense contractor and it is changing the landscape for the military-industrial complex. 'Central Ohio is going to be vital to the future of what we do,' Mears said. 'Many of the products that we've designed and built are literally going to be made here over the next many decades.' After faculty overwhelmingly voted to unionize, Ohio University is suing them again Unlike other defense suppliers who come up with a proposed weapon and ask the Pentagon to pay for research, development and production, Anduril uses its own capital to design and build high-tech software and weapons that are ready for market. 'Well, we, we very much ascribe to the view that we're providing capabilities to defend the West,' Mears said. And to defend America's allies around the world with a never-before-seen business model. 'We think competition within the industrial base is overdue, and our model, our way of producing product, our way of investing in that product, is different than your traditional defense prime, and they need that healthy, healthy dose of competition,' Mears said. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
