Latest news with #guncrime
Yahoo
11 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Father of woman shot outside pub spreads message of hope with documentary
THE father of a woman who was shot outside a pub on Christmas Eve is hoping to spread a message of hope, with a documentary following his cross-country walk in the aftermath of her death. Tim Edwards, 53, joined actor John May in Worcester on his walk from Land's End to John O'Groats as part of a campaign to end gun and knife crime. Days after Elle Edwards was killed in a shooting outside the Lighthouse pub in Wallasey Village, Wirral, Mr Edwards got in touch with Mr May, initially aiming just to "get out of town," but ultimately accompanying him to the top of Scotland. Two years on, the documentary The Two Of Us will be screened at the Raindance Film Festival. "You'll see that when times get really tough, as long you keep going and you keep having that little bit of hope and a bit of strength behind you, and the willingness to carry on and never give up, then you will come out alright the other side," said Mr Edwards. "I've been through the worst hell you can imagine, there's not a lot else that could really turn me. "I can cope with the day-to-day now through those experiences of walking with John and walking through the country and being alone and having therapy and talking about your feelings." He completed the walk before the trial of Connor Chapman, who was targeting rival gang members when he opened fire outside the pub, and was sentenced to a minimum of 48 years after being found guilty. READ MORE: READ MORE: READ MORE: Throughout the walk, Mr Edwards said there were signs from his daughter - including a white dove which followed him as he walked around Ripon Cathedral one morning. "You grab on to different signs that you hope is Elle watching over you," he explained. "It was things like, there were always doves would randomly turn up or I'd be feeling a bit low and I'd be like 'give us a sign Elle will you, give me something to pick me up' and there'd always something random would appear." The film was nominated for best documentary feature and best UK cinematography awards at the Raindance festival. It is accompanied by music from composer Patrick Bennett, 20, who has created Elle's Theme, which plays throughout. Mr Edwards said the documentary is part of his aim to create a positive legacy for his daughter. "It was always about keeping Elle's name alive," he said. "So whenever Elle's name was mentioned, it would be mentioned in a positive way and not about what happened to her. That was the goal and still is, it will always be the goal."
The Independent
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Independent
Father of woman shot outside pub ‘spreads message of hope' with documentary
The father of a woman who was shot outside a pub on Christmas Eve is aiming to spread a message of hope with a documentary following his walk across the country in the aftermath of her death. Just days after Elle Edwards, 26, was killed in the shooting outside the Lighthouse pub in Wallasey Village, Wirral, on December 24 2022, her grieving father Tim got in touch with Liverpool actor John May, who was preparing to walk from Lands End to John O'Groats as part of a campaign to end gun and knife crime. Mr Edwards, 53, joined him for the walk at Worcester, initially just to 'get out of town', but ended up accompanying him all the way to the top of Scotland, later travelling down south to complete the first leg of the walk. Two years on from their challenge, documentary The Two Of Us is to be screened at the Raindance Film Festival, which starts in London on Wednesday, and the friends say it will tell a story of 'brotherhood', grief and strength. Mr Edwards said: 'You'll see that when times get really tough, as long you keep going and you keep having that little bit of hope and a bit of strength behind you, and the willingness to carry on and never give up, then you will come out alright the other side.' He took on the walk before the trial of gunman Connor Chapman, who was targeting rivals in a gang feud when he opened fire outside the pub, and was sentenced to a minimum of 48 years after being found guilty of Ms Edwards' murder. Mr Edwards said walking with Mr May helped him to build a foundation for his future. 'I've been through the worst hell you can imagine, there's not a lot else that could really turn me,' he said. 'I can cope with the day-to-day now through those experiences of walking with John and walking through the country and being alone and having therapy and talking about your feelings.' Mr May, 43, who produced the feature-length documentary, said he hoped people would be inspired. The actor, soon to star as Wayne Rooney in a production at Liverpool's Royal Court, said: 'The documentary is not really about the walk, it's more about friendship and about men's mental health and grief and how we leaned on each other and perked each other up throughout the walk. 'It's about brotherhood more than anything I'd say.' The film, put together from vlogs filmed by the pair at the time and interviews once they had returned, shows the highs and lows of the journey – which at one point saw them separating for 10 days after a falling out. Mr Edwards said: 'I thought it would be wrong for us to not finish this together so we sorted it out and overcame that, our own personal battles against each other. 'I think you need to have that clash, that explosion has to happen so you can then work it out and come back together again. That's the testimony of a true friendship I think. ' Throughout the walk, Mr Edwards said he felt there were signs from his daughter – including a white dove which followed him as he walked around Ripon Cathedral one morning. Mr Edwards said: 'You grab on to different signs that you hope is Elle watching over you. 'It was things like, there were always doves would randomly turn up or I'd be feeling a bit low and I'd be like 'give us a sign Elle will you, give me something to pick me up' and there'd always something random would appear. ' Mr May added: 'Elle's presence is definitely felt. There's things that happened along the way when he was at a low point and you can see it spurred him on.' Mr Edwards said his daughter, a beautician, would be 'laughing her head off' to see what he had been doing. He said: 'She'd be thinking 'my dad is absolutely mental, what are you doing?' 'She'd be proud I think, she'd love the friendship me and John have got and I think she'll be looking down on us going 'well done Dad I'm proud of you'.' The film, nominated for best documentary feature and best UK cinematography awards at the Raindance festival, is accompanied by music from composer Patrick Bennett, 20, who has created Elle's Theme, which plays throughout. Director Owen Ward said: 'If you're coming in for a true crime documentary, go see something else because that's not what it is. It's about how victims of these horrible crimes carry on in the aftermath. 'It's giving that sense of hope, of inspiration. If Tim can get through this horrible circumstance, you can get through anything. That's ultimately what it is, it's a film about hope.' For Mr Edwards, the documentary is part of his aim to create a positive legacy for his daughter. He said: 'It was always about keeping Elle's name alive. So whenever Elle's name was mentioned, it would be mentioned in a positive way and not about what happened to her. That was the goal and still is, it will always be the goal.'
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Father of woman shot outside pub ‘spreads message of hope' with documentary
The father of a woman who was shot outside a pub on Christmas Eve is aiming to spread a message of hope with a documentary following his walk across the country in the aftermath of her death. Just days after Elle Edwards, 26, was killed in the shooting outside the Lighthouse pub in Wallasey Village, Wirral, on December 24 2022, her grieving father Tim got in touch with Liverpool actor John May, who was preparing to walk from Lands End to John O'Groats as part of a campaign to end gun and knife crime. Mr Edwards, 53, joined him for the walk at Worcester, initially just to 'get out of town', but ended up accompanying him all the way to the top of Scotland, later travelling down south to complete the first leg of the walk. Two years on from their challenge, documentary The Two Of Us is to be screened at the Raindance Film Festival, which starts in London on Wednesday, and the friends say it will tell a story of 'brotherhood', grief and strength. Mr Edwards said: 'You'll see that when times get really tough, as long you keep going and you keep having that little bit of hope and a bit of strength behind you, and the willingness to carry on and never give up, then you will come out alright the other side.' He took on the walk before the trial of gunman Connor Chapman, who was targeting rivals in a gang feud when he opened fire outside the pub, and was sentenced to a minimum of 48 years after being found guilty of Ms Edwards' murder. Mr Edwards said walking with Mr May helped him to build a foundation for his future. 'I've been through the worst hell you can imagine, there's not a lot else that could really turn me,' he said. 'I can cope with the day-to-day now through those experiences of walking with John and walking through the country and being alone and having therapy and talking about your feelings.' Mr May, 43, who produced the feature-length documentary, said he hoped people would be inspired. The actor, soon to star as Wayne Rooney in a production at Liverpool's Royal Court, said: 'The documentary is not really about the walk, it's more about friendship and about men's mental health and grief and how we leaned on each other and perked each other up throughout the walk. 'It's about brotherhood more than anything I'd say.' The film, put together from vlogs filmed by the pair at the time and interviews once they had returned, shows the highs and lows of the journey – which at one point saw them separating for 10 days after a falling out. Mr Edwards said: 'I thought it would be wrong for us to not finish this together so we sorted it out and overcame that, our own personal battles against each other. 'I think you need to have that clash, that explosion has to happen so you can then work it out and come back together again. That's the testimony of a true friendship I think. ' Throughout the walk, Mr Edwards said he felt there were signs from his daughter – including a white dove which followed him as he walked around Ripon Cathedral one morning. Mr Edwards said: 'You grab on to different signs that you hope is Elle watching over you. 'It was things like, there were always doves would randomly turn up or I'd be feeling a bit low and I'd be like 'give us a sign Elle will you, give me something to pick me up' and there'd always something random would appear. ' Mr May added: 'Elle's presence is definitely felt. There's things that happened along the way when he was at a low point and you can see it spurred him on.' Mr Edwards said his daughter, a beautician, would be 'laughing her head off' to see what he had been doing. He said: 'She'd be thinking 'my dad is absolutely mental, what are you doing?' 'She'd be proud I think, she'd love the friendship me and John have got and I think she'll be looking down on us going 'well done Dad I'm proud of you'.' The film, nominated for best documentary feature and best UK cinematography awards at the Raindance festival, is accompanied by music from composer Patrick Bennett, 20, who has created Elle's Theme, which plays throughout. Director Owen Ward said: 'If you're coming in for a true crime documentary, go see something else because that's not what it is. It's about how victims of these horrible crimes carry on in the aftermath. 'It's giving that sense of hope, of inspiration. If Tim can get through this horrible circumstance, you can get through anything. That's ultimately what it is, it's a film about hope.' For Mr Edwards, the documentary is part of his aim to create a positive legacy for his daughter. He said: 'It was always about keeping Elle's name alive. So whenever Elle's name was mentioned, it would be mentioned in a positive way and not about what happened to her. That was the goal and still is, it will always be the goal.'
BBC News
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- BBC News
Elle Edwards: Father ‘spreads message of hope' with documentary
The father of a woman who was shot outside a pub is aiming to spread a message of hope with a documentary following his walk across the country in the aftermath of her Edwards was killed outside the Lighthouse pub in Wallasey Village, Wirral, on Christmas Eve 2022, when she was struck by two stray submachine gun 26-year-old was an innocent bystander when Connor Chapman opened fire as he targeted two men in the culmination of a gang father Tim Edwards then joined Liverpool actor John May in his walk from Lands End to John O'Groats as part of a campaign to end gun and knife crime. Mr Edwards, 53, met the comic in Worcester, but ended up accompanying him all the way to the top of Scotland. He later travelled down south to complete the first leg of the years on from their challenge, documentary The Two Of Us is to be screened at the Raindance Film Festival, which starts in London on Edwards said: "You'll see that when times get really tough, as long you keep going and you keep having that little bit of hope and a bit of strength behind you, and the willingness to carry on and never give up, then you will come out alright the other side."He took on the walk before the trial of gunman Connor Chapman who was jailed for a minimum of 48 years after being found guilty of Ms Edwards' Edwards said: "I've been through the worst hell you can imagine, there's not a lot else that could really turn me."For Mr Edwards, the documentary is part of his aim to create a positive legacy for his said: "It was always about keeping Elle's name alive. "So whenever Elle's name was mentioned, it would be mentioned in a positive way and not about what happened to her. "That was the goal and still is, it will always be the goal." Mr May, 43, who produced the feature-length documentary, said he hoped people would be actor said the film is "about brotherhood more than anything I'd say." Listen to the best of BBC Radio Merseyside on Sounds and follow BBC Merseyside on Facebook, X, and Instagram. You can also send story ideas via Whatsapp to 0808 100 2230.
The Sun
11-06-2025
- The Sun
Moment shooting ‘target' grabs passerby to use as a human SHIELD as gunman opens fire outside takeaway
THIS is the shocking moment a gunman opened fire on his target while the victim grabbed a passer-by as a "human shield" for protection. Ex-footballer Kye Lemathy, 21, was caught on dramatic CCTV shooting at a man in Aston, Birmingham, as terrified pedestrians were walking by on October 12 last year. 4 4 4 In the terrifying clip, the victim is seen tussling with a pedestrian to block the bullets. Lemathy, who was an academy player at League Two club Walsall FC, was arrested by cops after suffering stab wounds himself close to Villa Park, the stadium of Premier League outfit Aston Villa. He pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm with intent in April. He was jailed for years and nine months at Birmingham Crown Court on June 3. The court heard how the talented footballer had been on the books of Walsall FC but was soon seduced by drugs and crime after the club released him. On the day of the shooting he had been involved in an argument with two men near a bus stop while riding his e-bike. He then returned home and fetched the gun before he was stabbed near a Gulf petrol station as the argument escalated. Lemathy then fired at least two shots from his revolver at the pair in retaliation before fleeing the scene. Sentencing, Judge Melbourne Inman KC told him he was a "dangerous offender" and described gun crime as the "scourge of Birmingham". It comes after another gunman started shooting at a group of people in a residential street in broad-daylight. Moment vile passenger tells woman 'I'll follow you home & kill you' in disturbing rant on train as pals try to stop him Desie Dalton-Byrne, 21, opened fire near his home on Chudleigh Road, Erdington, Birmingham last year. Chilling CCTV shows him wielding a gun and waving it in the air before taking aim at a group and fleeing on foot. No one was injured in the shooting which happened at around 6.30pm on July 25 last year. West Midlands Police used CCTV to track down Dalton-Byrne and the weapon was discovered in a garden in nearby Low Wood Road. Dalton-Byrne admitted possession of a firearm with intent to cause fear of violence, possession of a firearm, and possession of ammunition for a firearm without a certificate. He was jailed for five-and-a-half years at Birmingham Crown Court in March. Detective Inspector Matt Marston, from the force's Major Crime Unit, said: "Firearms and drugs play a significant role in criminality on our streets. "It persistently erodes communities, ruining lives and blighting communities. "As a result of this discovery, we've taken a deadly weapon off the streets, and an individual with direct access to it is behind bars. "We hope this sentence will offer a deterrent to other criminals who act in this way."
