American girl who converted to Islam to wed Boston bomber say the tragedy proves 'we never really knew him'

The devastated family of the wife of Boston bomber Tamerlan Tsarnaev (top left) say 'our hearts are sickened' by the terror and tragedy he unleashed on America. Tsarnaev has a three-year-old daughter with Katherine Russell, 24, (top right) who converted to Islam for her husband, MailOnline can reveal. Last night, Katherine's parents, Judith and Warren issued an emotional statement at their home (bottom picture) following the terror attack that left three dead and 176 injured, saying: 'Our daughter has lost her husband today, the father of her child. We cannot begin to comprehend how this horrible tragedy occurred. In the aftermath of the Patriot's Day horror, we know that we never really knew Tamerlane Tsarnaev.

'We got him!' Fugitive marathon bomber suspect captured after he was found hiding inside a BOAT in the backyard of a Boston home

Dzhokar Tsarnev, (pictured centre after his capture and top right), the man believed to be the terrorist behind the Boston bombings, is in custody after he was cornered in a boat in a Boston backyard. he was injured but still alive. The owner of the boat David Henneberry emerged from his house after the curfew in Boston was lifted, saw blood on the vessel, looked under the cover and discovered a person inside. He then fled back to his house and called police, according to CNN. Flash-bangs were being thrown in by police who had surrounded the area to try to flush out the suspect who appeared to have been at the location for most of the day.

Just like his father! Snoop's teenage son Corde Broadus posts pictures of himself smoking a cannabis 'bong'

He gave up a promising football career to become a rapper just like his father.

And now, the son of Snoop Dogg is also following in his father's smoke haze.

Corde 'Spanky Danky' Broadus has filled his Instagram, Twitter and Keek social media accounts with pictures and videos of him using large bongs to smoke marijuana.

The 18-year-old is advocating a complete legalisation of the drug and so unabashedly smokes from the giant devices that may even be too much for his self-confessed 'stoner' father.

On Thursday the son of the famous rapper - who has been charged eight times for drug related crimes - posted pictures of himself using a two-foot tall bong and smoking a joint.

The celebrity spawn made it clear, he was not just a smoking a funny looking cigarette.

'Would there be love if it wasn't for bud. #CouldYouBeLoved,' the 18-year-old said alongside the picture of him with the joint.
The weed campaigner - whose own rap songs include Rollin, Rollin, Rollin… Stoned and Commemoration of Vaporization - ironically attacked those who smoke tobacco cigarettes over marijuana, saying people needed to 'Give weed a chance'.
'Population Control started when everyone admitted they were addicted to smokin cigs (sic). Of course your addicted!' he wrote on Instagram.


'That's what it's filled wit (sic) and the way it's made. You loss the battle as soon as your mind admitted defeat.

'Tobacco Companies aren't only making trillions off you they also are killing Millions of you. #2birds1stone #GiveWeedAchance'
Snoop - who recently changed his name from Snoop Dog to Snoop Lion to reflect his new Rastafarian sound - came under fire when his oldest was snapped smoking alongside him in September.
The one time talented footballer, who turned down a scholarship to UCLA to become a rapper, posted a picture of him and his father smoking together.
The picture caused controversy but Snoop - who is legally allowed to smoke medical marijuana in his native California - saw nothing wrong with smoking with his child - in fact he even claimed to have taught Corde to.
The rapper told Hollywood Life: 'What better way to (learn) than from the master?'
'My kids can do whatever the hell they want.
'For me to say otherwise would be hypocritical. A lot of motherf---ers don't have a relationship with their kids, and that's when they get on drugs and have suicidal thoughts and drive drunk.
'Me and my son is mellow. I'm his father, so I wanna show him the proper way because he looks up to me.'
Snoop also advocates the lefalisatoion of the drug, saying ti will bring down crime.
'There would be less high-speed chases, less robberies, less crime. Go to Amsterdam or the Netherlands, where it is legal, and you see that the crime rate is nonexistent, the murder rate is probably under 10 percent, people learn to get along.'
The 41-year-old recently released a song featuring Miley Cyrus, Ashtrays And Heartbreaks, which makes reference to smoking the drug.

New Indian sex shame as five-year-old girl is 'raped for four days' by neighbour as Delhi is hit by spate of paedophile attacks

dailymail

A five year old girl is fighting for her life after she was raped by a neighbour in Gandhi Nagar, east Delhi, who held her captive for four days.

The girl was kidnapped while playing outside her home and locked in her neighbour’s flat for days before someone heard her cries for help.

Doctors reported finding ‘foreign objects’ inside the girl’s genitals as the details of her horrific ordeal began to unfold.

The five-year-old went missing from her home on Monday and was found on Thursday night by rescuers, alerted by her screams, in the home of a man who lives in the same building as the girl’s family.

The neighbour is believed to have repeatedly raped the child, mutilated her genitals and tried to strangle her.

Doctors at Swami Dayanand hospital in Dehli said they found foreign objects inside the girl, including a 200ml bottle and parts of a broken candle.

She also suffered injuries and bruising to her chest, lips and cheeks.

Dr R.K. Bansal who examined the girl said it was ‘one of the worst cases’ he had ever seen, and that the next 48 hours will be crucial in determining her chances of survival.

‘She was scared and not fully conscious,’ he told Hindustani Times. ’Initially, she did not allow us to proceed with the examination as she was in tremendous pain.’

This is the third alleged rape of a minor this month in the Delhi area. Earlier this week a ten-year-old was allegedly raped on a bus after the driver, also in this case a neighbour, lured her away from her home.

Last week another girl, also aged ten, was allegedly raped by a neighbour and then locked in a cell by police after her family tried to report the crimes.

The case triggered protests outside Swami Dayanand hospital with masses condemning the acts of the accused and condemning the government for not providing better care and the police for not acting on the parent’s missing child report.

The girl’s family claim the police had tried to bribe them with 2,000 rupees (£24) to keep quiet after their daughter was rescued and refused to treat it as a rape case.

‘She went out to play when she was kidnapped. The man then locked her up in his room and raped her. I want justice from the government,’ the girl's mother told The Hindu.

‘Yesterday night (a policeman came and asked me to come out. He told me nothing will happen by involving public. He told me that you should take care of the child and be with her. Public would not help you and he also handed me Rs. 2,000 and left. He said I should cover my pocket expenses from this money,’ the victim's father alleged.

Delhi Police refute the allegations.

Today, as the girl was transferred to All India Institute of Medical Sciences in order to be given better care, Delhji Police reported to have identified the alleged rapist.

‘The accused has been identified and a team is already on its way to arrest him," Delhi Police Commissioner Neeraj Kumar told Hindustani Times.

Nicholas Sarkozy in corruption probe amid claims he took £40MILLION from Colonel Gaddafi to fund election campaign

Former French president Nicholas Sarkozy is to be formally investigated amid claims he accepted £40million in under-the-table kickbacks from Colonel Gaddafi during his 2007 election campaign, it was revealed today.

Sources close to the investigation told AFP news agency prosecutors are looking into charges of 'active and passive corruption', 'influence peddling' and others.

French law bans candidates from receiving cash payments above £6,300, but it is claimed that Gaddafi’s donations were laundered through bank accounts in Panama and Switzerland.

An Arabic language document made public last year refers to Gaddafi approving an 'agreement in principle to support the campaign for the candidate for the presidential elections, Nicolas Sarkozy, for a sum equivalent to 50 million euros (£40 million)'.

A bundle of incriminating evidence was leaked by senior members of the National Transitional Council, the organisation which governed Libya after the Arab Spring revolution.

The money was then allegedly distributed through Ziad Takieddine, 62, who was acting as a middle man between Arab despots and French politicians. 

Takieddine was interviewed by Paris judge Renaud Van Ruymbeke on December 19 and said the majority of the money was paid between ‘December 2006 and January 2007’, five months before Sarkozy came to power.

Gaddafi's son, Saif-Al Islam Gaddafi, has also insisted that Libya financed Sarkozy's election.

Saif-Al Islam, who is now awaiting trial, said: 'Sarkozy must first give back the money he took from Libya to finance his electoral campaign. We funded it.’

Eyebrows were first raised when Gaddafi was honoured with a state visit to Paris in late 2007.

He was referred to as the 'Brother Leader' by the French president, and allowed to pitch his tent next to the Elysee Palace.

This is yet another corruption scandal, in which Sarkozy is accused of accepting millions in illegal cash from Liliane Bettencourt, the l’Oreal heiress and France’s richest woman. 

Sarkozy turned on his friend Gaddafi at the beginning of the Arab Spring, French jets were the first to attack Gaddafi's tanks in a brutal military campaign which ended with the Libyan leader being murdered.

Boston marathon bombing suspect seized after shoot-out: Police officer shot dead and second terrorist still on run after car chase

One of the Boston bombing suspects was in custody this morning and another was on the loose after a dramatic shootout that began on the Harvard University campus and unfolded through the suburbs of the city. Explosions and machine gun fire rocked the Watertown area hours after a police officer was shot dead. The city descended into chaos hours after the FBI released images of the two suspects, pictured right, believed to have killed three and maimed hundreds more at the finish line of Monday's marathon. 

Terminally-ill single mum, 23, becomes bride for a day after handsome stranger helps grant her dying wish of having a fairytale wedding

    Kayleigh Duff, 23, from Kent, pictured with son Kai, 2, suffers with terminal liver cancer. She has drawn up a bucket list of things she wants to do before she dies, one of which was being a bride for the day. Her friend, Katie Birch, a wedding planner, organised the big day for her. She said: 'I saw the wedding was on her wish list so I decided to arrange the whole thing. Everyone has helped and donated because she is such a nice person.

   She looked absolutely beautiful. She was so stunning.'
Next on Kayleigh's list is visiting the London Aquarium and Madame Tussauds.

Obama, US Senator targeted by ricin letter attacks...

    According to France24, the FBI said on Wednesday that a suspicious letter mailed to US President Barack Obama tested positive for ricin, a deadly poison with no known antidote.

The letter was discovered by the US Secret Service at the remote facility which is used to screen White House mail on Tuesday, the same day authorities said a letter was sent to Senator Roger Wicker laced with ricin.

The FBI said both letters were related and postmarked out of Memphis,Tennessee, dated April 8. In an intelligence bulletin obtained by The Associated Press, the FBI wrote that the letters both say: ``To see a wrong and not expose it, is to become a silent partner to its continuance.''

Both letters were signed ``I am KC and I approve this message.''

Evacuation of Senate office buildings

The ricin letter attacks sparked a security alert in Washington DC, where US congressional police cleared parts of two Senate office buildings on Wednesday over concerns over more suspicious letters and a package.

Officials looked into suspicious envelopes in the Russell building and questioned an individual in that matter, the Capitol police spokesman said. The Hart Senate building was quickly reopened after bomb squads said tests on a suspicious package were negative.

Washington under pressure

The discovery of the letters rattled nerves following the bomb attacks at the Boston Marathon on Monday, which killed three people and injured more than 180 others. A FBI statement said on Wednesday that there were "no indication of a connection to the attack in Boston".

The episode also recalled the mysterious series of letters laced with anthrax that were sent to lawmakers and some journalists following the September 11 attacks in 2001, killing five people and leaving 17 others sick.

Nigeria: New York Senate Passes Resolution On Achebe....

The Senate of New York State, in the United States has passed a resolution paying tribute to acclaimed author Chinua Achebe. In the resolution the Senate said , Professor Achebe's global significance lies not only in his talent and recognition as a writer, but also as a critical thinker and essayist who has written extensively on questions of the role of culture in Africa along with the social and political significance of aesthetics and analysis of the post colonial state in Africa.

The New York Senate noted that Achebe left behind a legacy which will long endure the passage of time and will remain as a comforting memory to all he served and befriended. The Legislative Body paused in its deliberations to mourn the death of the famous novelist just as it promised to present a copy of its resolution to the Achebe's family. Below is the details of the resolution:

LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION mourning the death of paramount novelist Chinua


Achebe, founder and pioneer of African literature


Same as: / Versions: J1186-2013 Sponsor: PARKER Law Section: Resolutions, Legislative


Sponsor: Parker J1186-2013 Actions


Apr 10, 2013:


J1186-2013 Text

WHEREAS, It is the sense of this Legislative Body to pay tribute to the lives of those esteemed individuals of international renown who distinguished themselves through their life's work; and WHEREAS, Foremost novelist, Professor Chinua Achebe, died on Thursday, March 21, 2013, at the age of 82; and WHEREAS, Born Albert Chinualumogu Achebe, on November 16, 1930, Chinua Achebe was a Nigerian novelist, poet, professor, and critic; he was best known for his 1958 novel, THINGS FALL APART, selling over 12 million copies around the world, and having been translated into 50 languages, making him the most paraphrased African writer of all time; and WHEREAS, Raised by his parents in the Igbo town of Ogidi in southeastern Nigeria, Chinua Achebe excelled academically and earned a scholar ship for undergraduate studies; he became fascinated with world religions and traditional African cultures, and began writing stories as a college student; and WHEREAS, After graduation, Chinua Achebe worked for the Nigerian Broadcasting Service (NBS) and soon moved to the metropolis of Lagos; he gained worldwide attention for THINGS FALL APART; his later novels include: NO LONGER AT EASE (1960), ARROW OF GOD (1964), A MAN OF THE PEOPLE (1966), and ANTHILLS OF THE SAVANNAH (1987); and WHEREAS, When the region of Biafra broke away from Nigeria in 1967, Chinua Achebe became a supporter of Biafran independence and acted as ambassador for the people of the new nation; the war ravaged the populace, and as starvation and violence took its toll, he appealed to the people of Europe and the Americas for assistance; and WHEREAS, When the Nigerian government retook the region in 1970, Chin ua Achebe involved himself in political parties, but soon resigned due to frustration over the corruption and elitism he witnessed, thereby deciding to devote himself to academia; he lived in the United States for several years in the 1970s, and returned there in 1990 after a car accident left him partially disabled; and WHEREAS, Chinua Achebe's novels focus on the traditions of Igbo society, the effect of Christian influences, and the clash of Western and traditional African values during and after the colonial era; his style relies heavily on the Igbo oral tradition, and combines straightforward narration with representations of folk stories, proverbs, and oratory; he also published a number of short stories, children's books, and essay collections; and WHEREAS, A David and Marianna Fisher University Professor and Professor of Africana Studies at Brown University, Chinua Achebe worked up until the time of his death; and WHEREAS, New York's Bard College, with a distinguished history of supporting Chinua Achebe's work and legacy, will continue to be a primary home for his projects; and WHEREAS, Professor Achebe's global significance lies not only in his talent and recognition as a writer, but also as a critical thinker and essayist who has written extensively on questions of the role of culture in Africa along with the social and political significance of aesthetics and analysis of the post-colonial state in Africa; and WHEREAS, Chinua Achebe distinguished himself in his profession and by his sincere dedication and substantial contribution to the welfare of his community; and WHEREAS, Chinua Achebe's commitment to excellence, and his spirit of humanity, carried over into all fields of enterprise, including charita ble and civic endeavors; and WHEREAS, Chinua Achebe is survived by his wife, Christie, their chil dren, Chinelo, Ikechukwu, Chidi, and Nwando as well as his grandchildren, Chochi, Chino, Chidera, C.J. (Chinua Jr.), Nnamdi and Zeal; and WHEREAS, Armed with a humanistic spirit and imbued with a sense of compassion, Chinua Achebe leaves behind a legacy which will long endure the passage of time and will remain as a comforting memory to all he served and befriended; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to mourn the death of paramount novelist Chinua Achebe, founder and pioneer of African literature; and be it further RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be transmitted to the family of Chinua Achebe.

Woman who has beaten cancer three times on why she tattooed over her mastectomy scars in lieu of reconstructive breast surgery..

 A woman who has battled three types of cancer since the age of 11 has shared a topless picture of herself on Facebook, bravely revealing the tattoo she had inked on her chest following a double mastectomy.
After having her breasts removed to treat her cancer, Kelly Davidson, 34, decided reconstructive surgery was not for her, opting instead to get a fairy tale-inspired tattoo on her chest.
'It's my badge of honor and strength,' the Ontario, Canada resident explained to the Toronto Star. 'It reminds me every day of the battles that I've overcome. I've won this war and hopefully I've beat it completely.'


Now Ms Davidson's photo - which was posted on Why We Ink's Facebook page on April 4 - has received over 700,000 'likes', and her story has become an inspiration to other cancer sufferers and survivors.
Ms Davidson was forced to undergo a double mastectomy when she was diagnosed with breast cancer at age 28.
She defeated the disease, but the surgical removal of her breasts was nonetheless traumatic.

'Obviously it's devastating for anyone to lose their breasts, because it defines us as feminine and female,' she told the Ottowa Sun as she posed for a photo shoot for the website. 'But for me, I embraced it.'
Rather than undergoing reconstructive surgery, she decided to accept her new body and proudly commemorate her battle by getting a tattoo where her breasts used to be.


'It represents how I kicked cancer's ass, and how breasts don't define who I am as a person or a woman,' she wrote below her picture. .
The tattoo depicts a fairy in front of a flowing waterfall, with butterflies fluttering in the background.


Ms Davidson explained the symbolism it holds for her: 'The fairy to some degree depicts me, and the butterflies that are flying away are representing the cancer that has left my body,' she said.
'It's a metamorphosis, like a transformation, kind of like my new body,' she added.

But breast cancer isn't the only obstacle Ms Davidson has had to overcome in her life.
At the age of 11, she was diagnosed with Hodgkins lymphoma, which she subsequently conquered. And in 2011, she had her thyroid removed after discovering she had papillary thyroid cancer.

Despite all her suffering, the optimistic survivor refuses to let it get her down.
'I'm still me, I'm still beautiful,' she said. 'I don't need breasts to feel that way or to portray that to other people.'


To help others in her same situation, Ms Davidson worked at a mastectomy boutique for years, where she offered advice to other women, helping them them adjust to their new bodies and fitting them with prosthetic breasts.

She and her fiance Doug Strudwick are now looking forward to their wedding this summer, and even in hard times they try to concentrate on the positive.

'I'm living and loving life. I’m not going to let cancer get me down,' she told the Toronto Star, adding: 'If it does come back, I'm just going to keep beating it like I have before.'

Why We Ink, which has garnered over 9,000 'likes', was created for those with memorial or survivor tattoos for cancer to share their body art with others.
Kelly Davidson is just one of the thousands who have turned to social media as an outlet for dealing with the illness. 'It's like a family,' she said of the cancer community. 'It's a club just for us.'

Terrifying climb for Chinese pupils as young as five forced to scale sheer cliffs to get to school

According to dailymail, these schoolchildren in southern China are so keen to get to school that they make the perilous journey on narrow wooden ladders every day, with no safety precautions.

Their village in the remote Badagong mountains in Sangzhi county is surrounded by sheer drops on every side, making the school run a daily struggle.

The only way out of Zhang Jiawan village, unless the children have time for a four-hour cross country detour, is via a series of rickety-looking ladders leading down to the valley below.

 Their anxious parents have no choice but to let them use the ladders if they want to get an education.

So when youngsters like five-year-old Liu Dan start school at the nearest town, the first thing they have to learn is how to climb.

'In centuries past these mountains were a fortress for the villagers. The land is good and the farms thrive but it is hard to get in and out,' said one local.

Liu admitted: 'It's quite high but I try not to look down.'

'My parents showed me how to do it safely and now I don't think too much about how high it is,' she added.

Villagers have asked local officials to supply a road down to the valley so that these children do not have to risk their lilves.

However, the road over the difficult terrain would cost nearly £10 million so residents are not getting their hopes up that it will happen any time soon.

'There are fewer than 100 people living there. It would be cheaper to buy them all helicopters,' said one.

'These runners just finished and they don't have legs now'

Surgeons spoke about operating theatres that looked like battlefield hospitals as 140 injured victims poured into the city's hospital's - many with wounds only seen in combat. Reports suggest that the small, homemade explosives were packed with ball bearings that tore off feet, ankles, calves and entire legs and they exploded just outside the crowded finish line.

Runner, 78, who became the face of the Boston attacks escaped with only a scraped knee... and even managed to finish the race

Bill Iffrig, 78, of Lake Stevens, Washington, provides one pleasant surprise in a day that has been bleak for the people of Boston. Everyone who has seen the heart-rending footage of the first bomb blast near the finish line of the marathon has watched Mr Iffrig, wearing an orange tank top, tumble to the hard ground. Boston Globe photographer John Tlumacki then took a photograph of Mr Iffrig that became an instant icon. Mr Iffrig is shielding his face on his back while several Boston police officer brace themselves and jump into action.

The baby-faced killers: Two brothers aged 17 and 14 and their friend, 14, beat a homeless man to death for a dare

Connor Doran, 17, (left) his brother Brandon, 14, (centre) and their friend Simon Evans, 14, (right) were today locked up for kicking homeless man Kevin Bennett, 53, to death in Walton, Liverpool. Connor - labelled the 'leader of the pack' - goaded Evans by saying: 'I bet you haven’t got it in you to do him in.' Evans started kicking the innocent victim before Connor started jumping on his chest while the second Doran brother stood look out, Liverpool Crown Court heard.

The Doran brothers’ mother Linda, 42, was also locked up for 30 months today for perverting the course of justice by providing false alibis for her sons.

Her eldest son, Ryan, 23, is also a convicted murderer and was jailed for life last October after he attacked a complete stranger with a bottle in a takeaway.

Addressing the three teenagers, the judge said: 'Each of you, by your mindless violence and participation in it, have forfeited the right to enjoy in freedom the rest of your teenage years and, in your case Connor Doran, your youth.

'None of you come from an ideal family background. Yours, Connor and Brandon, reveals a total lack of parental guidance, support and upbringing for which Linda Doran bears a very heavy responsibility.'

Connor Doran was sentenced to a minimum 12 years, Evans was ordered to serve at least eight years and Brandon Doran received six years for acting as look-out.

However, they were told they will be locked up until the Home Secretary approves their release.

The three boys, who all denied murder, were found guilty on February 26 following a four-week trial.

Turning to Linda Doran, the Recorder said: 'You are a pathetic and tragic character. You have just seen your two youngest sons sent to detention for a murder.

'Your code of honour was to protect your boys in their hour of need at any price, particularly if the price was honesty and decency. 

'Your lying account prolonged the investigation by an already stretched police force and made it more difficult.'

Unemployed Doran, with her grey hair tied back in a bun, showed no emotion as the judge added: 'I cannot fail but observe the benefit to which your children have benefited from the stability and care which their lives in care and on remand have brought to them.'

Mr Bennett, described as 'vulnerable' and a 'heavy drinker' by the prosecution, suffered a fractured eye socket, a collapsed lung and a broken ribcage which detached from his chest.

He died in hospital from blood poisoning six days after the attack on August 17 last year when an infection set in, causing his organs to fail, a post-mortem examination found.

Alan Conrad QC, prosecuting, told the jury during the trial: 'Mr Bennett had done nothing to deserve such violence.

'Those who attacked him were much younger and more agile than he was - very young indeed.'

Mr Bennett had been in the pub from 11am on August 16, and had consumed between 10 and 12 cans of lager.

He left just after midnight with a white carrier bag laden with more cans of beer and settled down for the night behind an Iceland store in Walton, Liverpool.

It was there he was discovered beaten by Iceland staff arriving for work at 7am the next day.

The Recorder described Mr Bennett as a 'much loved son and father' who found 'his main comfort' in alcohol.

He told Connor Doran, who showed no emotion as he sat in the dock between his mother and a security guard: 'I am quite satisfied that from the route you took, and the lies you told about it, that you had it in mind to beat him up.

'You were the pack leader. Kevin Bennett was your target and a target whom you knew to be vulnerable.

'Your motive was violence for violence’s sake, nothing more and nothing less.'

The Recorder said he was also satisfied that Connor who, like his brother, has educational difficulties, had intended to kill Mr Bennett.

Turning to Evans, dressed in a white shirt and striped tie, the judge said: 'This may not have been your idea. But you took part in the initial attack on Kevin Bennett when you realised that it was Connor Doran’s intention to cause him really serious injury.

'You, perhaps alone among the defendants, had the wit and intelligence to dissociate yourself from the Doran brothers and the violent attack had you wanted to.'

Brandon, the youngest Doran brother, took no part in the actual attack, the judge said.

'But you made absolutely no attempt to talk or pull your brother away from the violence,' he added.

Evans blinked away tears as he was told he will be aged 22 before he can be considered for parole.

Connor and Brandon Doran, both wearing blue sweatshirts, showed no emotion as they were told they will be almost 30 and 21 respectively before they can be considered for release.

Two months after Mr Bennett was killed, the Doran brother's older sibling Ryan was himself convicted of murdering a father-of-one.

Wayne Basnett, 42, was standing in a chip shop when he was struck with a bottle by Doran in the early hours of March 24 last year.

Mr Mitchell died in hospital the following day of massive head and brain injuries.

When interviewed by police, Doran claimed he had 'drunk himself stupid' and could not remember carrying out the assault. He was later jailed for 15 years.

During her own trial, Linda’s second son, Jordan, 21, was held in contempt of court by Recorder Goldstone after being caught using a mobile phone to take photographs in the courtroom.

He was jailed for six months February 8.

Speaking outside court, Mr Bennett's cousin Angela Connerty, 49, said: 'Justice has been done and that's all we wanted as a family.

'We've had justice for his mother, she can now sit down and grieve knowing they have been put away. She's not here today because she couldn't face it.

'Why did they pick on him? We keep asking, and we'll never, ever know why they did that to him.'

Describing a visit to her cousin in hospital following the attack, she said: 'He had quite a lot of injuries and he was black and blue.

'You wouldn't recognise him. You wouldn't think that kids could do that much damage but they did.

'They are paying for it now.'

'I saw my first execution at SEVEN': North Korean defector reveals ordeal of growing up in dictatorship..

Hyeonseo Lee, left, was brainwashed to believe that North Korea, run by the murderous Kim regime, was the greatest country in the world. But when her eyes were opened to the desperate poverty and repression all around her, she knew she had to escape, and is now devoted to raising global awareness of her fellow countrymen's plight. The image pictured right shows starving boys in North Korea, and was featured in a talk Ms Lee gave earlier this year about her experiences.

A young woman who fled North Korea has revealed the horrific details of her upbringing in the pariah state, where she first saw someone executed when she was just seven-years-old.
Hyeonseo Lee was brainwashed to believe that the country, run by the murderous Kim regime, was the greatest in the world.
But when her eyes were opened to the desperate poverty and repression all around her, she knew she had to escape, and is now devoted to raising global awareness of her fellow countrymen's plight.
Ms Lee spoke about her ordeal in a lecture at the TED conference in Long Beach, California, published by CNN.
She told how she grew up convinced that North Korea was the best place to live as she sang patriotic songs with titles such as 'Nothing to Envy'.
'When I was seven-years-old, I saw my first public execution - but I thought my life in North Korea was normal,' she said.
It was not until 1995, during the first of a series of devastating famines to grip the country, that she first realised how serious was the plight of many North Koreans.
Her mother received a heart-wrenching letter from the sister of a colleague, and read it out to Ms Lee.
'When you read this, all five family members will not exist in this world, because we haven't eaten for the past two weeks,' the letter read. 'We are lying on the floor together, and our bodies are so weak we are ready to die.'

A short time later, she saw another shocking sight outside a train station - a woman was lying on the ground apparently dead, with a starving child in her arms staring at her face.
'Nobody helped them, because they were so focused on taking care of themselves and their families,' Ms Lee said.

She decided to take the extreme risk of escaping across the Amrok River which divides North Korea from China.

At the time, only a few dozen North Koreans fled the country each year - though enough tried and failed that dead bodies could often been seen floating down the river after failed escape attempts.


Ms Lee successfully crossed the border, leaving her family behind - but she was not yet out of danger entirely.
Because China is North Korea's closest ally, it refuses to recognise the refugee status of those who flee the country, instead classifying them as illegal immigrants.
If Ms Lee had been caught by the Chinese authorities, she would have been returned to her home country and probably imprisoned or even executed.
She spent a decade hiding her true identity in China - although the police once interrogated her on suspicion of secretly being North Korean, her Chinese was good enough to fool them.

The defector then moved on to South Korea, arriving in 2008 and receiving a new apartment and college education.
However, although South Korea generally welcomes refugees from the North, Ms Lee's decision was not without risk as the authorities in her home country have been known to inflict harsh punishments on those who have relatives in the South.
So when North Korean officials intercepted money she had sent to her family, Ms Lee knew she would have to move quickly to save them from a grisly fate.
She daringly returned to the North, and escorted them on a 2,000-mile bus journey through China to the South-East Asian state of Laos.

When the vehicle was stopped by a Chinese policeman, Ms Lee feared the worst, but managed to rescue her relatives from the danger.
'As the Chinese officer approached my family, I impulsively stood up, and I told him that these are deaf and dumb people that I was chaperoning,' she said. 'He looked at me suspiciously, but luckily he believed me.'
The family reached Laos, but the vulnerable immigrants were placed in jail by corrupt officials and Ms Lee could not afford to pay the bribes which would ensure their release.
An Australian backpacker saw her weeping on the street, and after asking what was wrong went to an ATM to withdraw the money she needed.
When she asked why he was helping her, he replied: 'I'm not helping you - I'm helping the North Korean people.'
Ms Lee is now campaigning for more international support for North Korean defectors and their families in order to help reintegrate the hermit nation with the rest of the world.
Over the past five years, an average of 2,400 people have fled the country annually.

French rail firm BAN black and African workers from station for arrival of Israeli President 'because they might have been mistaken for Muslims..

Black and North African railway workers were banned when the President of Israel visited France 'because they might be Muslim', it emerged today.
This was despite Shimon Peres specifically arriving in the country to work towards a Middle East peace agreement between Arabs and Jews.
The alleged discrimination took place when Mr Peres arrived at the Gare du Nord in Paris, the hub for high-speed trains travelling to cities including London, on March 8.


It is now the subject of an official complaint by the SUD-Rail transport union which says everything was done to ensure there were 'no Muslim employees to welcome the Head of the State of Israel'.
Mr Peres and a delegation of other senior Israelis arrived on a morning train from Belgium, and were greeted by staff from SNCF, France's national railway, and their baggage-handling subsidiary, ITIREMIA.
But the day before, a site manager told all workers at the station about the ban on black staff, and those of North African descent, because they might be Muslim.

Secular France does not officially recognise anybody's religion, but it was assumed by management that anyone from a 'black or Arab' background might be Muslim - an assumption 'based on the appearance of the workers', according to a SUD-Rail statement.
The SUD-Rail statement adds: 'We insist that SNCF publicly condemns these practices' as 'unacceptable'.
Gare du Nord has a large number of workers from an ethnic minority in its workforce, many of whom live in the suburbs of Paris.

SNCF initially blamed the discrimination on 'security protocol' advised by the French Interior Ministry and the Israeli Embassy in Paris, but this has been emphatically denied by both.
Instead, the order came from SNCF management, with a spokesman for the state-run company pledging 'a full investigation'.
The row is particularly embarrassing for SNCF because of the part it played in the extermination of Jews, and other minorities, during the Second World War.
In 2011 the organisation made its first formal public apology to Holocaust victims, many of whom had been entrained to death camps in Germany on lines which ran out of the Gare du Nord.
Francois Hollande, France's Socialist President, has pledged to clamp down on discrimination against minorities, and particularly Muslims, but prejudice is still rife.
France has the largest Muslim population in western Europe, with up to six million living in the country, many in major cities like Paris.