A man who raped a girl has been imprisoned for 19 years.
Durville Barzey (43) from Burnage, was sentenced at Manchester Crown Court yesterday, having been found guilty of seven counts at a hearing in November.
He will serve at least 15 years before being considered for parole.
His offences included:
Three counts of engaging in sexual activity with a girl aged 13
Sexual assault of a girl aged under 13
Rape of a girl aged 13
Engaging in sexual activity with a girl aged 13
Attempting to cause/incite a girl aged 13 to engage in sexual activity
PC Ellease Martindale, of GMP’s Child Protection Investigation Unit, said: “Firstly, our thoughts remain with the victim and their family having gone through such a terrible ordeal.
“This investigation uncovered an extremely dangerous offender who was harming our most vulnerable members of society. This is a significant result for all other children in the community who could have been subject to similar offending by a predatory man.
“Barzey is a dangerous offender and I am pleased that he is behind bars and away from harming vulnerable children.
“I hope the sentence sends a strong message to the public that we will pursue all available lines of enquiry to ensure we can bring justice to victims of serious sexual assaults.
“As a team of officers, we want to get the message out there for victims to feel safe reporting crime to GMP. We will support you and treat you with the dignity you deserve and expect. If you talk to us, we will listen to you.”
Two men (pictured) have been jailed for a total of 28 years for the brutal murder of Warren Burns.
Ryan White (29) of Valetta Close, was found guilty of murder and jailed for life imprisonment with a minimum term of 17 years.
Damian White (34) of Woodham Road was found guilty of manslaughter and jailed for 11 years.
New dad Warren was seriously assaulted at an address on Heysham Avenue in Withington, in May 2023. He passed away in hospital three days later, due to the catastrophic injuries inflicted upon him.
Greater Manchester Police received an urgent 999 call when the assault was taking place after a group of men entered the house uninvited. Warren’s partner and his ten-week-old son were in the house at the time.
Unconscious
Police attended and found Warren unconscious and not breathing, in an upstairs bedroom. He had severe facial injuries.
Despite CPR being performed, and Warren being placed in an induced coma at Salford Royal Hospital, he never recovered.
Investigating officers decided the attack was targeted and premeditated. Ryan White and Damian White had held a grudge towards Warren for a number of years.
In 2018 Warren had been on a night out with friends when Noel White (Ryan White’s brother) was killed. The man accused of murdering Noel was acquitted following a trial. The White family cut ties with Warren after this because they were unhappy with his witness account, which in their minds, had contributed to the man being found not guilty.
In May, an altercation took place between the White family and Warren’s family at Platt Fields Park festival in Fallowfield. This caused Ryan White and Damian White to go to Heysham Avenue looking for Warren.
CCTV enquiries established that two vehicles had been used by the men to travel to and from Heysham Avenue. The men were quickly identified and arrested and enquiries revealed that a number of calls were made between them before and after the attack on Warren which showed their planning and participation. Cell site evidence placed them in the vicinity of Heysham Avenue at the time of the assault.
Forensic evidence
The two vehicles used by the men were recovered by the police. The men also disposed of mobile phones, clothing and footwear and fled to Oldham and Stoke in an attempt to avoid apprehension.
Forensic examination of the house on Heysham Avenue determined that Warren had been subjected to a violent and sustained attack where he was punched, kicked to the head, and stamped on.
Senior investigating officer, detective inspector Louise Edwards said: “Warren had just welcomed his second child and was about to embark on life as a father of two. His life was cruelly taken away from him in a senseless act of sickening and unprovoked violence which happened in his partner’s home.
“Ryan White and Damian White went to Heysham Avenue to seek what they saw as revenge. They brutally assaulted Warren while his partner and baby son were in the house. Since their arrest, they have shown no regard for anybody other than themselves.
“I would like to thank Warren’s family, and in particular his partner, for their courage throughout this investigation. This tragic ordeal will be everlasting for them and my thoughts remain with them.
“I would also like to pay tribute to the witnesses who have assisted Greater Manchester Police in this investigation, and to the investigation team whose hard work helped secure convictions and sentences in this case”.
Family tribute
The family of Warren (pictured, left) said: “Warren was a much-loved son, brother, partner and father. He was a gentle giant with the biggest heart and gentle soul. He was fun-loving and outgoing, and always stood out as the life and soul of the party. Even though Warren has been taken away so cruelly from us, he will remain in our hearts forever and will not be forgotten. Our treasured memories of him are the only things that provide us with comfort.
“Warren’s life wasn’t the only life destroyed on May 21, 2023. As a family, we are heartbroken and traumatised and cannot come to terms with why Warren died in such a violent and senseless way. Since May, our world has completely changed and is a much sadder place.
“There are no words that can express how Warren’s death has impacted upon our lives. Warren’s two children have lost their father and their lives have been changed forever. Warren’s life has been stolen from him and he will not be here to watch his children grow up and experience life. His son will grow up having never known his dad which is truly devastating. The grief and pain we have all felt since Warren died has been unbearable and we all miss him so much.
“The sentences imposed on Ryan White and Damian White will not bring Warren back or make our loss any easier, although we are happy that they can’t hurt anybody else. We will never forget Warren and the memories he has given us.”
A 15,000 square metre allotment has opened at Great Howarth near Wardle – the first and largest site opened in the borough since the seventies.
The site, which took 10 months to complete, now boasts 140 plots thanks to local Red Fox Countryside Services.
The first 100 were released as part of the council’s £240,000 commitment to double the number of allotments from 500 to 1,000.
The secure open-plan new-style site has been designed to maximise growing capabilities and efficient land use, and includes additional benefits such as 14 self-filling water troughs, a first-class drainage system, 520 metres of mesh anti-climb security fencing, and a car park for 17 vehicles; all adding to the attractiveness of the site.
The school at Great Howarth, located directly next to the allotment, has been allocated two plots as part of the development for planting projects; they will also be helping to plant and grow 240 trees over winter.
In addition, there has also been space allocated for community groups, with raised planters available, and the accessible paths throughout the site provide easy access for people of all abilities.
Waiting list
There are more than 1,500 people currently on the waiting list for an allotment, so to help reduce waiting time some overgrown and unused land on existing sites has been converted to increase the number of plots.
When larger plots are returned, they will be split into several smaller plots, and the council will take a more proactive approach in dealing with non-cultivation by existing holders.
Councillor Liam O’Rourke said: “These new allotments at Great Howarth will allow us to speed up the allocation of sites, which we understand is often frustrating to our residents who have been on the waiting list for a long time.
“Being the largest site in the borough, we expect the site to be popular as we know allotments have always been a great way to get people outdoors, which boosts moods, encourages fruit and vegetable growth, and saves money along the way. It has been a long time coming, but what a way to make an impact, which can only benefit the land and our residents.”
The council also urges schemes to ask new and existing plot owners to donate surplus foods to local food banks to help give back to the community.
England have regained their mojo after hitting back from 2-0 down to level the series and set up a decider in Tarouba.
Jos Buttler’s men looked a rag-tag outfit after the first two T20Is with the matches following on from a disappointing ODI series defeat, and an even more catastrophic World Cup campaign.
But the beauty of white-ball cricket is the fact it can turn so quickly – in this case, Harry Brook’s brilliant match-winning 31 not out off seven balls in the third game which not only prolonged the series but also put England in a strong position to complete a remarkable comeback.
The tourists can also point to the fact they have the man in form in Phil Salt.
Salt has blasted back-to-back centuries to provide a focal point for a batting line-up that looked bereft of confidence. Almost as important has been the return to form of Buttler who has hit successive half-centuries.
With the ball, Reece Topley’s return from injury has boosted a line-up that had become dependent on spin duo Rehan Ahmed and Adil Rashid.
The Windies haven’t performed particularly badly over the past two games, particularly the third T20I in Grenada where they came within inches of victory. Rovman Powell’s men will still fancy their chances of getting the job done.
Team News
The home side certainly missed fast bowler Alzarri Joseph last time out. Joseph was rested for the final two games with the forthcoming tour of Australia in mind and the Windies pace attack struggled in his absence.
Oshane Thomas was his replacement in the squad and, although he didn’t play in the fourth game of the series, he may be included for the decider with Matthew Forde seeing his three overs disappear for 54 runs.
With the game being played at the same venue, it seems unlikely England will make any changes in an attempt to maintain their current momentum.
West Indies captain Rovman Powell on Thursday’s decider
“Once you don’t execute properly, they’re going to put you under pressure. The boys like a final it seems. We’ll come into Thursday with brand new ideas and plans. The guys will just relax. Sometimes you just need to give them some space. It’s a thinking game, and once guys are clear in their mind, they generally can execute.”
England batter Phil Salt on his improved form
“I’m definitely enjoying it. It’s a cool place to tour. The boys have produced the goods in the last couple of games and now we’ve got a decider to look forward to. It’s very satisfying.”
When and how to watch
The final T20I takes place in Tarouba, starting at 2000 (UK time). You can watch it on TNT Sports 1 from 1930.
Prediction
It’s always sensible to ride the hot hand so my money is on England to complete a fantastic fightback and clinch the series 3-2.
Rob Cross believes he is playing his most consistent darts since he won the World Championship in 2018.
The world number eight opens his campaign against Thibault Tricole tomorrow afternoon claiming to have emerged from a two-year low and ready to challenge on the biggest stage of all.
Cross won the event five years ago, capping a remarkable first year on tour by thrashing his hero Phil Taylor in the final.
He would love a repeat across the next couple of weeks, telling the PA News agency: “It is the pinnacle of the game, when you win it you realise that.
“For me to win it again, I couldn’t put it into words. It’s that big. After winning it before, to lift it again would just mean everything really. This is the tournament when people look back and say how many World Championships did this guy win. It would mean everything for me.
“I’ve probably had a low period for 18 months or two years, so I could have done better there. But the way I have played this year, my performances seem to be getting better and I am in a better place than I was a couple of years ago.
“I am enjoying the game more and looking forward to it. This year for consistency I suppose and what I have achieved, I have played some really good darts.
“Performances are better, I believe I have played the best I have played since winning the worlds, since 2018 this is the most consistent.”
The highlight of the evening session sees rising Australian star Damon Heta, the world number 10, take on Watford’s Martin Lukeman.
Lukeman beat Haupai Puh in round one and is relishing the chance to take on Heta.
He said: “This is the main one everyone wants. It doesn’t matter how many people talk and say this major, that major, everyone wants to do the worlds.
“Damon’s an absolute gentleman, he’s a great fella and we always have battles. I’m looking forward to it.”
Order of Play
Afternoon session (from 1230 UK time)
Mickey Mansell v Xiaochen Zong (R1)
Luke Woodhouse v Berry van Peer (R1)
Madars Razma v Mike De Decker (R2)
Rob Cross v Thibault Tricole (R2)
Evening session (from 1900 UK time)
Andrew Gilding v Kist/Littler (R2)
Danny Noppert v Scott Williams (R2)
Gabriel Clemens v Man Lok Leung (R2)
Damon Heta v Martin Lukeman (R2)
How to watch
The PDC World Championship is being screened on Sky Sports in the UK.
You can watch the afternoon session on Sky Sports Arena and Sky Sports Main Event from 1230. The evening session is on Sky Sports Arena at 1900 and Sky Sports Main Event at 2200.
Predictions
Cross and Heta should progress with few alarms.
Elsewhere, expects wins from Mansell, Woodhouse, Noppert and Clemens.
Michael van Gerwen produced a dominant performance as he cruised into the third round of the PDC World Darts Championship, needing just over 25 minutes to clinch a 3-0 win over Keane Barry.
The Dutchman, who is looking to atone for his final loss to Michael Smith at the last edition of the tournament, only dropped two legs in what represented a routine start to his bid for a fourth world title.
It wasn’t vintage Van Gerwen in the first set but 21-year-old Barry wasted a chance to level in the second leg before missing the bull in the fourth, allowing his opponent to wrap up the opener with tops.
With the Alexandra Palace crowd behind him, Van Gerwen stepped things up after dropping the first leg of the second set, clocking a stunning 167 finish before going two sets clear with an 18-dart leg.
From there, Van Gerwen made quick work of breaking Barry’s throw again in the decider before finishing the young Irishman off with a match average of 98.17.
The Dutchman admitted to being a little disappointed in his scoring on stage after the win, though he acknowledged starting with a victory was the only thing that mattered.
“After the first set I thought I could punish him a little bit more. My scoring wasn’t there yet and I’m a little bit disappointed with that, but the important thing was to win the game,” he said.
“Every leg is important in these games, you have to fight for every leg. You don’t want to let the fans down here.
“It’s the first round of the World Championship, nobody wants to lose and there’s a lot of pressure on me and the other top boys. But I’m going to see everyone again after Christmas.”
Van Gerwen will now face one of Kim Huybrechts, Richard Veenstra or Ben Robb for a place in the last 16 when the third round takes place next week.
Manchester United and England goalkeeper Mary Earps has won the BBC Sports Personality of the Year Award for 2023.
Earps was one of the Lionesses’ standout performers at the FIFA Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand earlier this year, as Sarina Wiegman’s team finished as runners-up to Spain.
The United shot-stopper saved a second-half penalty from Jennifer Hermoso in August’s final, though that was not enough to inspire England to victory as they suffered a 1-0 defeat.
She received the Golden Glove award at the end of that tournament after keeping three clean sheets, also finishing fifth in the voting for the Ballon d’Or award recently.
On the domestic stage, Earps helped United finish as runners-up to Chelsea in both the Women’s Super League and the Women’s FA Cup, though her future with the Red Devils is currently uncertain amid continued interest from Arsenal.
Earps was presented with the prestigious Sports Personality of the Year prize at Tuesday’s awards ceremony in Salford, becoming the third female winner in a row, after England team-mate Beth Mead triumphed in 2022 and Emma Raducanu landed the prize in 2021.
Earps saw off competition from cricket legend Stuart Broad, jockey Frankie Dettori, wheelchair tennis player Alfie Hewett, golfer Rory McIlroy and athletics star Katarina Johnson-Thompson to land the main award.
Broad finished second in the public vote, while Johnson-Thompson came in third.
Speaking on stage after receiving the trophy, Earps said: “I’m so humbled to be on a list of such incredible athletes.
“Sport is a fantastic thing where it brings the world together and it’s been brilliant to listen to everyone’s stories, so congratulations to you all.
“Thanks for voting for me everyone! I’m very honoured and humbled, as this is the ultimate all-round sporting accolade. We’ve had an incredible couple of years but this is just… wow.
“It’s not been the easiest journey and I wouldn’t be here without my loved ones in my corner, who have been with me through the really not so great times.
“The last two years have been unbelievable, I’ve done more than I could have ever imagined. Thank you to my goalkeeping coaches, my team-mates and my coaches.”
Elsewhere, Manchester City captured several awards – including Team of the Year – after winning the Premier League, FA Cup and UEFA Champions League treble last season.
City boss Pep Guardiola was named Coach of the Year, while striker Erling Haaland saw off competition from Novak Djokovic and Max Verstappen to win the World Sport Star award, having scored 52 goals in all competitions in his first campaign in English football.
“I’ve done more than I could ever imagined, and for that I am truly incredibly grateful.” 😊
Mary Earps pays tribute to her family, friends, teammates and coaches after winning the BBC Sports Personality of the Year 🏆#BBCSPOTYPIC.TWITTER.COM/LQ16NMBED6
Manchester City cruised into the FIFA Club World Cup final with a 3-0 win over Urawa Red Diamonds on Tuesday, with Mateo Kovacic and Bernardo Silva among the goals for Pep Guardiola’s men.
With Erling Haaland and Jeremy Doku still injured and Kevin De Bruyne not yet ready to make his return to the squad, City initially struggled to break down the Japanese outfit before the unfortunate Marius Hoibraten put through his own net in first-half stoppage time.
Their resistance finally broken, the AFC Champions League winners struggled to maintain their rearguard action in the second half as Kovacic rifled in a second and Silva added a deflected third at King Abdullah Sports City.
City will now have an opportunity to capture the trophy for the first time on Friday, when they face Copa Libertadores champions Fluminense in the final.
City made a tentative start as Urawa packed men behind the ball, with two wayward long-range shots from Rodri the sum of their efforts in the first half-hour.
Matheus Nunes and Silva forced Urawa goalkeeper Shusaku Nishikawa into action as Guardiola’s side began to carve out more frequent openings, the former seeing a powerful shot tipped over at the near post following a mazy run.
The former Wolves man played a crucial role as City opened the scoring on the stroke of half-time, playing a give-and-go with Silva before seeing his low cross prodded into the bottom corner by Hoibraten.
City needed just seven minutes to find a way through in the second half, with Kovacic bursting onto Kyle Walker’s throughball before lifting his finish over Nishikawa when one-on-one.
Nunes then went close twice, heading wide from inside the six-yard box before testing Nishikawa with a curling strike, but that latter attempt was pushed straight to Silva, whose left-footed drive deflected into the bottom-right corner.
Nishikawa stood firm at his near post to deny Julian Alvarez late on as Urawa kept the scoreline respectable, and they will take on Egyptian giants Al Ahly for the bronze model on Friday.
James Wade has become the first seeded player to be eliminated from the PDC World Darts Championship, suffering a 3-2 loss to Matt Campbell in the second round on Tuesday.
The world number 13, who has previously lost four semi-finals at the tournament, has now suffered back-to-back second-round exits after going down to Jim Williams at last year’s competition.
The darts went with the throw as the players traded sets at the start of a competitive contest, but an error from Wade allowed Campbell to break the throw for a 2-1 lead in the third.
Wade hit back to take that set, aided by a terrific 132 finish, but Campbell refused to go away quietly and dominated the fourth by taking three legs in a row.
The momentum back with him, Campbell then started the decider on top, winning the first two legs before missing his first chance to secure the upset as Wade fought back to make it 2-2.
However, the Canadian was not to be denied as Wade failed to make a 56 checkout, Campbell clinching victory on double 18 to continue his best-ever run at the tournament.
He progresses to the last 32, where he will face one of Andrew Gilding, Christian Kist or Luke Littler, while Wade’s wait for a world title goes on after his latest surprise defeat at Alexandra Palace.
🗣️ “It’s amazing. I can’t describe it.”
Matt Campbell is almost lost for words after claiming the scalp of James Wade at the Paddy Power World Darts Championship… PIC.TWITTER.COM/KJ5I1AHOIO
The last three years have been particularly volatile in the business space and many businesses have struggled to adapt and react.
As a result, Greater Manchester has become one of the most susceptible areas of cybercrime, with even the Greater Manchester Police getting hit by cybercriminals.
However, volatility is not a new concept, and companies have adapted and reacted successfully to significant events before, including the 2008 financial crisis, by implementing new systems and changing their business models.
Today’s article will explore a few ways to protect your business from various macro and micro-economic factors in the new year.
1) Use technology to protect the supply chain
According to reports, the Greater Manchester Police were affected by cybercriminals in September 2023 due to the volatility of their third-party supplier of ID badges, which became a victim of a ransomware attack. Volatility in supply chains has become a topical subject, starting in 2020 when companies faced too much demand and insufficient supply.
Since then, businesses have begun to look holistically at their supply chain to see what can be improved and how there can be more end-to-end communication.
In particular, technology plays an even more prevalent role in enhancing and protecting supply chains, with many businesses using artificial intelligence to secure endpoints and identify malicious activity. Artificial intelligence also plays different roles in protecting the supply chain, such as systems that identify reckless driving by truck drivers in the last-mile stage.
2) Work with a cybersecurity firm
Government bodies and organisations are increasingly working to ensure that B2C businesses protect their customers. One example is how the United Kingdom Gambling Commission requires that all UK casinos have a gambling licence. Online gambling has become extremely popular in the UK, with some platforms offering more than 1,000 slot games.
Still, to operate, they need to obtain a licence, and this license allows online casinos to protect players who are vulnerable, regardless of whether they are playing slots online UK or classic table games.
However, it becomes more complicated when a business tries to protect itself internally, so many are turning to cybersecurity firms to give them an extra safeguard.
Fortunately, Manchester businesses have many options, such as Eden Data, which is based in the city and helps companies protect their digital assets. Most importantly, Eden Data specialises in providing cybersecurity services to startups who might not have the funding to hire a Big Four firm.
3) Create an inviting work culture
While this may sound less important than the first two pieces of advice, having an inviting and encouraging internal work culture is extremely important for the health of a business. Happy employees tend to work harder and embrace the brand as part of their identity, which will help increase sales and financial success.
However, unhappy employees will often resort to negative word-of-mouth, which can impact a brand’s corporate reputation.
Manchester businesses will need to look holistically to improve in the new year, considering everything from the internal culture to external macroeconomic factors you can’t control but can be proactive about. That includes adopting technologies to protect your supply chain, customers, and internal digital assets.
