Latest news with #securityguards
BreakingNews.ie
17 hours ago
- BreakingNews.ie
Man (24) who dragged visually impaired child away from her mother to be sentenced
A man who dragged a visually impaired child away from her mother will be sentenced next month. Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard that Stephan Obelngoa (24) of Deerpark Road, Tallaght, Dublin 24, pleaded guilty to assault causing harm, assault of a peace officer and resisting arrest at The Square, Tallaght. Dublin, on October 2nd, 2023. Advertisement He has six previous convictions and was on bail at the time of this offence. Garda Sergeant Gemma Collins told Shaun Smyth, BL, prosecuting, that an 11-year-old girl, her mother and little brother were leaving the shopping centre on the day in question when they noticed a man later identified as Obelngoa. He was topless, and the mother described his movements as 'unnerving' and said he seemed 'aggressive'. The court heard the mother intended to walk on and avoid Obelngoa, but she suddenly noticed that her daughter had disappeared from her peripheral vision. Advertisement The woman turned around and saw her visually impaired daughter being dragged away by Obelngoa. The little girl was screaming, crying and struggling to get away. The mother described her daughter as 'bouncing off the ground'. Obelngoa then threw the girl into a concession stand. Gda Sgt Collins said two security guards immediately subdued Obelngoa. When gardaí arrived, they found Obelngoa was shouting, roaring and aggressive as he was being restrained. He then spat a mixture of blood and saliva into the face of one of the gardaí. As gardaí were trying to place handcuffs on Obelngoa, he tried to bite them. Advertisement Specialist gardaí interviewed the young girl, and she described to them 'being dragged like a doll and being dragged on the floor'. She said, 'I thought he was going to drag me away forever and would kidnap me'. The girl was examined the following day by a doctor, and a medical report stated she suffered minor spinal soft tissue tenderness and abrasions. The court heard the young girl had trouble sleeping and was extremely anxious in public places like shopping centres afterwards. Gda Sgt Collins agreed with Ciara Ní Ghabhann, BL, defending, that gardaí were unable to interview her client after he was arrested, as he was made an involuntary patient in Tallaght Hospital, where he remained for a period of time. The garda agreed with counsel that CCTV footage obtained by the gardaí shows that the incident lasted a matter of seconds. Advertisement Ms Ní Ghabhann said her client suffers from schizophrenia and is given antipsychotic medication every three months. She said at the time of this incident, Obelngoa had been off his medications for six months and was self-medicating with cannabis. Ireland Man who drove with Lidl manager on car bonnet afte... Read More Counsel said her client is currently under the supervision of the Probation Services and has undertaken community response programmes. The Probation Services have said he is at low risk of reoffending. She said Obelngoa has written letters of apology to both the garda and the young girl in this case, outlining his sincere remorse. He does not have a clear memory of the incident, but when shown the CCTV footage, he was embarrassed. She asked the court to take into account that her client was quite young and had an acute mental health issue when this offence was committed. She said her client has taken steps to ensure that nothing like this will ever happen again. Judge Sinead Ni Chulachain said, 'these are very serious offences,' and adjourned this matter for two weeks to consider her sentences and read all documents handed into the court.
Yahoo
17 hours ago
- Yahoo
Authorities Searching Volcanic Lake for 34 Missing Gamblers as Suspect Hints it Contains Over 100 Bodies
Authorities in the Philippines are searching for 34 missing men, who were accused of cheating while betting on livestreamed cockfights during the COVID pandemic It's believed that the men were killed and dumped in a volcanic lake called Taal Lake by a group of six security guards One of the suspects has come forward to give an interview, claiming that they killed and disposed of more than 100 bodiesAuthorities are searching for 34 men who have gone missing amid allegations that they cheated while betting on cockfights in Manila, Philippines. The search is pointing toward Taal Lake, a volcanic lake, where it is believed that the men's bodies might have been disposed of, according to reporting by the BBC. Now, a suspect involved in the case is hinting that authorities will find even more victims. Per local outlet Philstar, the men went missing between April 2021 and January 2022. The outlet noted that "at least 10" of the missing men were last seen at the Manila Arena, where a group of six security guards that have become chief suspects worked. It's claimed that the men took part in fixing livestreamed cockfights, known as e-sabong, which became popular during the COVID pandemic. Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Sign up for for breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases. Cockfighting is legal in the Philippines. While some industries suffered amid the pandemic, the BBC reported that turning online to livestream fights opened up an even greater revenue source in the business. Amid news of the disappearing gamblers, the livestreamed version of cockfighting has since been banned. Six security guards have been accused of kidnapping the men, with one of them coming forward to speak out, according to local outlet The suspect, identified under the alias "Totoy," implied the men were strangled to death with a wire before they were disposed of during a recent interview on GMA News, per the outlet. 'How can they survive when they were already buried in Taal Lake?' Totoy asked during the interview, which was conducted in Filipino. 'All of them. If we dig them up, it's just bones. How can we recognize them?" Totoy hinted that authorities would uncover the bodies of more than 100 victims if they searched, saying, "And it's not just missing cockfighting enthusiasts who are being thrown there, even drug lords." The suspect, who came forward amid alleged threats against him and other loved ones, vowed to "cooperate" with "the mothers and relatives" of the missing, saying that he would help in "the pursuit of justice." Per the outlet, he alleged that the men were bound after they were taken. He said he was responsible for talking to people who were accused of cheating. After that, "another group of persons" took charge. Totoy expressed surprise at how many men they were targeting in a brief period of time, alleging that he expressed concerns about the speed. Justice Secretary Crispin Remulla told the press on Thursday, June 19 that divers would be deployed in the Taal Lake, which encompasses an active volcano, to search for human remains, according to the BBC. "We can't just let it pass and just let it go. We have to be responsible enough to seek the truth especially in cases like this," he said. Following the revelation, Remulla also said that they would search for additional witnesses who might be able to corroborate the allegations. Philstar reported that five witnesses had already been spoken to. Philippine Navy spokesperson Capt. John Percie Alcos told the press on Friday, June 20, per Philstar, that the organization was "ready to help any agency of the government for the safety and welfare of Filipinos." However, he added that the navy has not yet been drawn into the seach. "Likely, once there's a notice from other government agencies in this particular case, we will refer this to the Naval Special Operations Command because that's where we have our technical divers," he said. PEOPLE has contacted the Philippine National Police and Justice Secretary Crispin Remulla for comment. Read the original article on People
CBC
3 days ago
- CBC
Montreal rolls out private security patrols in areas facing safety, cohabitation issues
The City of Montreal has hired private security guards to patrol parts of Ville-Marie, Mercier-Hochelaga-Maisonneuve and the Sud-Ouest starting this summer in an effort to improve safety and cohabitation in targeted public areas. The move comes during a time of rising tensions between residents and people who are unhoused. But several organizations that work directly with homeless people question the lack of consultation about the patrols and would have preferred the money be distributed to groups that already do outreach and interventions. "We weren't asked for our opinion and we weren't consulted," said Marjolaine Despars, the assistant executive director of CAP St-Barnabé, which operates three emergency shelters in Montreal's east end. "We were just told it was going to happen." The private security brigades will run between July and December 2025. The six-month contract will cost the city about $733,000 and was awarded to a Laval, Que.,-based security company, B&M Groupe Sécurité inc., following a call for tenders, according to documents obtained by CBC News. Despars is disappointed in the city's choices. "We're not in the business of helping. We're not in the business of creating links with people at all," said Despars. "We're really into surveillance." WATCH | Will more patrols make streets safer? Will more private security patrols make Montreal's streets feel safer? 7 minutes ago Duration 3:26 Pilot project extended The private security contract is an extension of a six-week pilot project the city tried last fall which saw private security guards monitor high-crime neighbourhoods, including Old Montreal, the Village and Chinatown. Uniformed and plainclothes security officers patrolled these areas by vehicle or on foot. They reported mischief, drug use, erratic or harassing behaviour, cohabitation challenges and the installation of homeless camps to the police and EMMIS, the city's social intervention squad, said Hugo Bourgoin, a spokesperson for the City of Montreal. That contract cost $120,000, said Bourgoin. The results of the pilot project were not made public. CBC asked for the report and was told to make an access to information request. Robert Beaudry, the city's executive committee member responsible for homelessness, said that's because it includes confidential information and data. But according to city documents, the "positive results" of the pilot project prompted the city to extend the patrols into the three boroughs most affected by issues of cohabitation in targeted public areas, such as parks and around Metro stations. Beaudry said residents reported feeling safer following the pilot project. "They are going to do rounds in specific places, so it won't be everywhere in the borough," said Beaudry. The brigades will be complementary to the work social organizations are already doing and make more sense than using police officers, who have a lot of other jobs to manage, he said. "We are adding another tool in our tool box," said Beaudry. What areas will be patrolled? According to the call for tenders, the patrols in Ville-Marie would include Place du Village, Complexe Guy-Favreau, Cabot square as well as several parks and Beaudry and Bonaventure Metro stations. In Mercier-Hochelaga-Maisonneuve, the security brigades would include checks along a 3.5 kilometre stretch of Notre-Dame Street, which is home to many encampments, as well as several parks such as Boisé-Jean-Milot, Parc Théodore and the area around Place Valois. In the Sud-Ouest, the patrols will be targeted around Maison Benoît Labre, a homeless shelter and supervised drug site, the Atwater Market, Victor-Rousselot elementary school as well as several alleyways and parks. Michael MacKenzie, a parent and a community member who lives near Maison Benoît Labre, has some concerns about the outsourcing of public security to private organizations, but welcomes the efforts to make the neighbourhood feel safer. "To me, what stands out is the city seems to be well aware of what's happening in our community," said MacKenzie. "The security needs are acute." He and other residents — including children — say they have witnessed drug dealing, drug use and sexual violence in the neighbourhood. He hopes the city's data shows the surveillance in the fall resulted in a reduction in serious incidents and didn't just push the problems into other neighbourhoods. "I would hope that there would be a decrease in violence and threat to people walking in our community," said MacKenzie. Focusing on the wrong priorities Sam Watts, CEO of Montreal's Welcome Hall Mission in the Saint-Henri neighbourhood, said he's in favour of secure neighbourhoods and public spaces that everybody can use, but thinks the city is focusing on the wrong priorities. "If we actually invest in processes and solutions that help people who are living precariously or who are experiencing homelessness to get back into housing, those investments will pay off and we won't actually need extra security," said Watts. He's also not convinced that the security patrols, who are supposed to be operating as observers, will actually lead to a reduction in unwanted behaviour. "We haven't fixed the problem, so we just put another patch on top," said Watts. Despars is also concerned the security patrols may push vulnerable people further away into areas they can't find. She too understands the importance of finding a balance between residents and unhoused people, but said her organization already has teams who make rounds in the neighbourhood several times a day to make sure people are not hanging out on private property and to ensure there is no drug consumption material lying around. Her organization also holds coffee hangouts a few times a year where residents can come and talk about the issues in the neighbourhood. "We would have preferred [the money] be allocated to organizations that already know the people on the ground, that do day-to-day intervention and work on creating links to help people get off the street," said Despars. Beaudry said it's true the city did not contact all of the social organizations in the targeted boroughs, but said the goal of the brigades is not to solve homelessness, but to help increase the feeling of safety and prevent escalation. "The solution for homelessness is housing," said Beaudry, pointing to the investments the city has made in acquiring land and developing social housing. The private security brigade project will be closely watched and the city will evaluate its effectiveness at the end of the contract.
Malay Mail
10-06-2025
- Malay Mail
Security guards can't ask for your MyKad — it's against the law, NRD confirms
PUTRAJAYA, June 10 — Security guards do not have the authority or right to request, hold or scan the identity card (MyKad) of the public, according to the National Registration Department (NRD). NRD in a statement to Bernama said only five categories of officers are allowed to do so under Regulation 7(1), National Registration Regulations 1990, namely NRD officers, police officers, customs officers, military personnel on duty, as well as civil servants authorised by the Director General of National Registration. 'Any action by security guards to request or keep identity cards is against the law and action can be taken,' it said. The NRD also stressed that the use of electronic devices to scan MyKad data is also not allowed, as it is subject to provisions under the Personal Data Protection Act 2010. 'Any processing of personal data by private parties is subject to the Personal Data Protection Act 2010, which sets out guidelines and obligations to protect individual personal information,' according to the NRD. Bernama contacted NRD to seek clarification on the issue, following a recent viral post on social media about a security guard at a premises who allegedly used an electronic device to scan MyKad. The security guard's action has sparked questions from the public about its legal validity. As a security measure, NRD advises the public not to hand over their identity cards to any unauthorised individual and to report any violations to the relevant authorities immediately. — Bernama
News.com.au
10-06-2025
- Entertainment
- News.com.au
Katy Perry security alert as fan storms stage in Sydney
The American singer is currently in the midst of her The Lifetimes Tour and is performing in the Australian city over three nights. On Monday, the singer was startled when a fan broke onto the stage while she was singing her 2008 hit single Hot n Cold. Footage of the alarming moment has gone viral on social media and shows the star strumming her guitar on stage when a fan dressed in dark clothing suddenly appears at her side. After squealing in surprise, the singer moves away and begins to sing while two security guards attempt to wrangle the intruder away.
