Latest news with #braininjury
BBC News
2 days ago
- BBC News
Ethan Ives-Griffiths' weight 'not concerning', murder trial told
A social worker who visited the mother of a toddler who died two months later from a catastrophic brain injury has told a court she had "no concerns" about his weight. Ethan Ives-Griffiths, two, died on 16 August 2021 after collapsing at his grandparents' grandfather Michael Ives, 47, and grandmother Kerry Ives, 46, from Garden City, Flintshire, both deny murder, causing or allowing the death of a child and cruelty to a mother Shannon Ives, 28, from Mold, denies causing or allowing the death of a child and cruelty to a child. Flintshire children's services worker Joanne Price told Mold Crown Court on Wednesday she tried to visit Shannon Ives in May of 2021 on multiple occasions, but was given "various excuses" and had "lots of cancellations."She turned up unannounced at Shannon Ives' address in Mold on 9 June 2021, but was asked to leave by Ethan's father, who she said was "aggressive" and "threatening". Ms Price saw Ethan during the visit, describing him as very "clingy" to his mother and "small", adding he did not appear to be another visit two days later she said Ethan sat in her lap and played with toys, but did not talk. She said she also saw him holding on to the furniture as he walked around the room, telling the jury she considered him to be a "late developer".From her conversations with Shannon Ives, she said she understood she had a "poor relationship" with her Price left her job in July 2021 and had no further contact with Shannon Ives. Had she still been Shannon Ives' social worker when she decided to move in with her parents, "it would have been a no", Ms Price said because of records she had read in the system. The case was given to another Flintshire social worker in July 2021, the court heard. Michael Cornish told jurors his first home visit, on 22 July, was to the Garden City address of Michael and Kerry Ives. He described the todler as "shy", saying he "didn't speak at all".He told the jury Mr Ives told him Ethan was "the quiet one". Prosecution barrister Caroline Rees KC asked him to describe Ethan's reaction Mr Ives spoke."There was a drop in his demeanour, a dip, a withdrawal if you like," Mr Cornish went on to say he had had no cause for concern during that visit, telling Shannon Ives her son would need to be seen every 10 days because he was on the child protection his next visit, on 5 August, Mr Cornish said he remained on the doorstep for about 45 minutes because of Covid restrictions. He did not see Ethan, he said, because Shannon Ives told him he was was no answer when he and a health visitor attempted to visit Shannon Ives on 12 August. She did not respond to a call the next day either. As Ms Cornish was then going on annual leave, he said he told his manager someone needed to go and see Ethan as part of his child protection said he had the sense something was "wrong" after receiving a text from Shannon Ives on 15 August and he discovered Ethan was in hospital after calling his Mr Justice Griffiths asked if he had pushed to see Ethan when he was told the child was napping on 5 August. Mr Cornish said he asked twice but then accepted this was the case. He said: "It was Covid, it was very difficult, you had to be careful about entering properties."Another Flintshire council who worked with families in need of support also took the stand as a prosecution witness, but was only cross examined by Gordon Cole confirmed previously describing Shannon Ives as "a lovely mum" and someone who accepted the help she was being trial continues.
BBC News
5 days ago
- Sport
- BBC News
Mixed ability rugby helped man rebuild his life after accident
A keen rugby player who was left with brain damage and severe sight loss after he was knocked off his bike said he believed he could soon be a World Cup Powles, 35, plays for the Port Talbot Panthers team and will also be competing in the International Mixed Ability Rugby Tournament which gets under way in Spain next week."To be back playing rugby again is amazing after what I've been through."And the opportunity to go to a World Cup is out of this world." Jak spent five-and-a-half months in hospital after he was knocked off his bike by a car while cycling to school when he was family said he nearly died, and had to learn to walk and talk a teenager, Jak played rugby for his school, Brynteg Comprehensive in Bridgend. He also won an Under 15's cap for Wales' rugby league side, as well as trialling for the Great Britain team in St Helens."Jak was a really good rugby player and he loved playing the game and when that was taken away twenty years ago, we never thought he'd be able to play rugby again," said his dad, Carl."But seven years ago we had the opportunity to start this side, Port Talbot Panthers, and it's done Jak and me no end of good." Carl now plays alongside his son, and explained his role on the pitch as being "Jak's eyes"."I act as facilitator," he said."I can catch it and give the ball to Jak who runs in to contact, but because of Jak's brain injury he is only 'cwtch tackled', where he goes to ground and releases the ball."It works well."He said the type of rugby they play would not work unless teams were filled with a mix of abilities."You have mainstream players alongside someone with disabilities. Here we have players with cerebral palsy and amputees, but Jak is our only visually impaired player." The fourth International Mixed Ability Rugby Tournament, also known as the mixed ability World Cup, will begin on 23 June in Pamplona in tournament started 10 years ago in Bradford in 2015 and has grown will be 32 teams from 22 countries competing, including four from Swansea Gladiators and Llanelli Warriors, who both made it through to the semi-finals in the last international tournament in Cork in 2022, will join the Port Talbot Panthers in the men's tournament, while Merched Cymru are in the women's finals will take place on 27 June, with more than 70 matches lined up. Jak, who will be one of the 1,500 players taking part, is a hooker - but while it is the same format as a regular rugby union match, the scrums are his visual impairment, as a hooker he still undertakes the line-out explained how rugby had been a big part of Jak's reocvery."Not long after his accident we took him out with the under-18's from Brynteg touring school side to South Africa," he said."He had a really supportive teacher, Peter Cavalli, who visited him in hospital lots and suggested the tour."And we played one game where Jak had a line-out throw and that was the start of it."Jak fought a battle 20 years ago and he's still fighting now." Carl is also the chairman at Port Talbot Panthers. who train at Aberavon Green Stars ground in Sandfields."There's a good feeling around camp and the rugby we play does change people's lives."There's guys who started with us with zero confidence, people who thought they'd never play again, and you see their confidence come back."It's life-changing."He said the Port Talbot community had been "really supportive", adding: "They've gone through so much with the steel works recently but they've still helped us with fundraising and making it possible for us to go."Jak added he believed everyone should have the opportunity to play rugby and it had been brilliant for him, "socially as well as fitness"."But the main winner is I'm out there playing rugby again," he said."Win, lose or draw I want to play rugby. I'm ready, so let's go for it."
The Sun
6 days ago
- The Sun
I was left with a fractured skull and brain damage after ‘random' attack on night out… then I got a chilling message
A MAN was left with brain damage after a vicious attack as he walked home from a night out. Al Moreton woke up in hospital two days after the incident, with no memory of what happened. 9 9 9 The 46-year-old was left with two bleeds on the brain, brain damage and four fractures to his skull, and has lost his job as a HGV driver as a result. Doctors told him his injuries were consistent with being struck repeatedly, rather than a fall, he says. But with police closing the case after being unable to find any CCTV footage, Al posted about it on Facebook before receiving an odd response. He was sent a DM from a stranger telling him he may know who committed the attack but was too scared to give any further details. Al had been attending a friend's private birthday party at Bomba nightclub in Exeter on Friday, February 28. He drove from his home in Cullompton, Devon, arriving at the club around 8pm - with the plan to get the last bus home at 11pm and pick up his car the next day. However, Al is told by pals he became quickly intoxicated despite only having a few drinks, and fears he may have been spiked. He told The Sun: "I don't remember anything from after leaving the house due to my injuries." Al understands he left the club, in The Quay area of the city centre, at 10.30pm with the intention of heading for the bus station. But he said witnesses told him he was seen walking the opposite direction towards the River Exe. At around 11am the next day he was found by a passerby lying unconscious at Marsh Barton industrial estate, around two miles from the club. "All I've been told is someone who spotted me picked me up and dropped me at the hospital," he explained. "He didn't leave his name or anything, he just dropped me off and didn't want to be involved in any other way." Al added: "I'd like to be able to thank the person. I've no idea who they are. It was a very strange event which has caused me massive problems." I'd like to be able to thank the person. I've no idea who they are. It was a very strange event which has caused me massive problems. Al Moretonattack victim He explained he had a "small recollection" of Saturday, March 1, "but thought that was a dream", adding: "When I woke up on Sunday I realised it wasn't a dream. I had family around me." Al said his injuries, according to hospital staff, "aren't consistent with falling over - the injury to my forehead is consistent with being hit by something". He continued: "I've got no scraping - if I'd fallen over I would have hit something and scraped. "I've just got particular points where I might have been hit by something. 9 9 9 "They discounted the fact I had fallen over and must have been from an attack." Al said he reported it to police and they "investigated for a month or so" and was told officers had done door to door inquiries and searched for CCTV footage - but came up with nothing. "It's odd that there's no footage of me, considering I ended up on an industrial estate where I assume there's loads of cameras," he said. Judging by his route, Al believes he likely walked passed a couple of pubs too. "Pubs would've been kicking out that sort of time and people would've been around and about," he said. Strangely, Al didn't have any possessions missing when he woke up in the hospital. "My phone was apparently missing but was actually picked up by a doctor who worked at the hospital, so I had it back when I woke up," he explained. "My wallet was there and there was no money missing, so it wasn't a robbery." Roaming gang Al theorised it could have been a gang roaming around who attacked him at random. "They may have seen how vulnerable I was and decided to start something," he said. "I'm not a violent person, I wouldn't have been aggressive, I never am when I'm drunk, I'm more of a lover than fighter when I'm drunk." He posted about the incident on Facebook a few days after getting out of hospital and then a couple of weeks ago noticed he had "four or five" messages in his spam folder. "There was someone who had said that they thought they saw me actually not at the Quay but further away in a different direction, stumbling around drunk. "I've got to hand that onto the police and see if they pursue that." He said another message was very strange. "Someone on Facebook said 'I know who the people are'. "They said 'I'm a bit afraid to talk about it' - but then said they would give further information for money, so I don't know how real that was. I passed it onto police." The event Al was attending was a private, invite-only do for around 50 people. Asked how likely it is he could've been spiked, he said: "I find it hard to believe, usually it's women who get spiked. But speaking to someone else, they said actually all sorts of people get spiked because you're left vulnerable and can be followed." He's not sure if he was tested for substances in his blood while he was in hospital but said it wasn't mentioned by the doctors. Referring to his injuries, Al continued: "I had two bleeds on the brain, one on each side at the front and then four fractures around my right eye socket. I'm not working, so struggling to pay rent and pay bills. It's led to a dramatic change in my circumstances Al Moretonattack victim "That's now been fixed and plated. One of the points I had a bleed I had some damage to the brain on that side, which has caused me to effectively lose my job because I'm a lorry driver. "I've had my licences revoked for 12 months because I'm at a risk of seizures. "I'm not working, so struggling to pay rent and pay bills. It's led to a dramatic change in my circumstances." Al has been told he suffered "serious significant head injuries" but that his cognitive functions will improve over time. "Like with a lot of injuries, it takes time while I recover - they said I should recover 100%, but they can't be sure at this stage." Al says he was told by the DVLA he needed to prove he's "less than a two percent risk" of seizures over a 12 month period before he can be given his licence back. "I've not had a seizure and I don't feel like I've been on the verge of having one," he explained. Al is currently suffering with post concussion syndrome, having spent a couple of months living at his mum's home following the attack. "I wasn't bedridden but I was extremely tired and had constant headaches which were debilitating in themselves," he said of that initial recovery period. "I had constant headaches, woke up with them and went bed with them - I was drained and worn out by the injuries, so mostly stayed in bed." He added: "I'm keeping myself to myself. I've got a little bit of social anxiety after what happened." The Sun has approached Devon & Cornwall Police for comment. 9 9 9
BBC News
12-06-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Brain injury in football campaigner receives MBE at Windsor Castle
The daughter of footballer Jeff Astle says she had "the most wonderful time" after being officially appointed MBE at Windsor Castle for her work raising awareness of brain injuries in legendary West Bromwich Albion striker was 59 when he died in 2002 from brain trauma which an inquest found was caused by heading heavy leather Astle, from Measham in Leicestershire, set up The Jeff Astle Foundation to raise awareness of brain injury in sport and offer support to those was appointed MBE in the New Year Honours and received the honour from the Prince of Wales at an investiture ceremony on Wednesday. Ms Astle said it had been a day she and her family would never forget."From driving down The Long Walk, walking through the marvellous rooms within the castle, meeting really friendly staff who literally couldn't do enough for you right through to to being presented my MBE by His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales," she said."It probably sounds crazy but I even felt the presence of my lovely dad. He may not have been with us in body but I felt he was with us, his family."Receiving this royal award is an incredible honour and I will always be grateful to all those who have supported us and believed in us along this journey, especially in the early days."I will always be really proud that although dementia robbed my dad of his life far too soon, it gave us, his family, the strength and the ability to start the discussions around dementia in the game."
RNZ News
12-06-2025
- Sport
- RNZ News
Run It championship relocates from Auckland to Dubai after fierce backlash
RUNIT Auckland. Trusts Stadium. Photo: Andrew Cornaga / Photosport The much-maligned 'run it straight' phenomenon is making a move to the Middle East. The Run It Championship League hosted two trial events in Auckland in May, with the final also planned for the city. However, following fierce backlash, and the death of a teenager playing an unofficial game, the organisation has relocated from the final Aotearoa to Dubai, with a date yet to be announced. It made the announcement on its Instagram page which has 180,000 followers. Last month, 19-year-old Ryan Satterthwaite died after suffering serious head injuries playing a casual version of the game in a backyard with friends. The game has been heavily criticised by both New Zealand Rugby and Rugby League as well as several neurologists due to its the risk of brain injuiry. At night two of trials in Auckland, a man appeared to have a seizure after being hit high and slumping to the ground. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
