A Hartley Wintney mum who whitewashed the walls of a government building appeared in court last Tuesday morning.

Ruth Jarman, 52, was called before Westminster Magistrates’ Court along with four others for defacing the Department for Energy and Climate Change (DECC) building in London.

Campaigners from group Christian Climate Action wrote ‘Dept for Extreme Climate Change’ in large letters during their protest against “government hypocrisy” over climate change on November 30.

The protest took place on the first day of the Climate Summit in Paris, with the UK agreeing to do its part in keeping the rise  in global temperatures below two degrees.

Mrs Jarman pleaded not guilty to criminal damage at last week’s court case and has been given unconditional bail to appear at Hammersmith Magistrates’ Court on May 31, 2016.

She said: “The agreement in Paris was reached despite, not because of, our government’s action at home.

“Since taking up her position of as head of the Department of Energy and Climate Change, Amber Rudd has been speaking fine words on the threat of climate change, whilst systematically dismantling every policy designed to address it.

“We believed this was a hypocrisy that needed to be exposed – you cannot simply talk and expect the climate to listen to your words.”

A coroner has warned of the dangers of ‘legal highs’ after a Hook man accidentally overdosed at his home.

Laurence Pritchard had a cardiac arrest and passed away on September 19 after taking a quantity that “way exceeded the recommended amount” of the little-known drug MDMB-CHMICA.

The 25-year-old’s parents revealed at last Wednesday’s inquest that their son had started taking the psychoactive substance after finishing university and returning to the family home in Rockbourne Road, Sherfield on Loddon.

And while labelling Mr Pritchard’s death as “appallingly sad”, North East Hampshire coroner Andrew Bradley admitted that it would be almost impossible to stop people from using similar legal highs.

He said: “They’re called legal highs, but I’d call them lethal highs, and this is just a horrible situation where he’s taken one and it’s done for him.

“His heart would have been beyond redemption at the point he was discovered.

“But this is a real problem on the increase in this country, because unfortunately, every time you make one of these drugs illegal, there will be another replacement.”

MDMB-CHMICA is a “designer drug” that provides an artificial alternative to class-B drug cannabis, but can cause users to experience paranoia, panic attacks and a loss of grasp on reality.

Mr Pritchard had received substance-abuse counselling after returning home from his time at the University of Brighton, with his dad Gary admitting that it “wasn’t a huge surprise” when he discovered his son unconscious on the day of his death.

He said: “We’re sure that he got into the drugs scene in Brighton where they were easier to get, but he turned to legal highs when he came back here.

“He turned into Jekyll and Hyde when he was on the drugs – sometimes he’d be the lovely child we knew and watched grow up, but then he’d change and become unrecognisable.”

He added: “It was a shock obviously, but it wasn’t a huge surprise when I found him as there had been several incidents earlier in the year.

“But then I moved him and could tell that he’d been dead for some time.”

Speaking at Basingstoke Law Courts, coroner Mr Bradley added: “I’ve recorded a cause of death by accidental overdose.

“This case is so appallingly sad and is such a waste of life – there is nothing worse than the obscenity of burying your child.”

An “emotionally unstable” Basingstoke man meant to kill himself after mixing his prescription drugs, an inquest has found.

Rob Mostoles was found dead at his home in Copland Close on October 20, having overdosed just three days after breaking up with his fiancée.

Police found two notes labelled ‘don’t resuscitate’ at the scene, with coroner Andrew Bradley confirming that there was “no doubt” that Mr Mostoles meant to commit suicide after taking a mixture of zopiclone, morphine and mirtazapine.

His body was discovered by his former fiancée of 12 years, Amanda Coventry, who revealed that the 32-year-old had been unable to work since 2008 after injuring his back and wrist in a fall.

She said: “I tried to call him several times because I wanted to leave on good terms but got no response, so I went to the house to check on Rob after work.

“He was emotionally unstable and had always been like that through our whole relationship.”

Basingstoke Law Courts heard how Mr Mostoles had visited the community mental health team at the Bridge Centre on October 17, when he informed psychiatrists that he was struggling to cope and stop thoughts of suicide.

A former Basingstoke coffee merchant whose mother was beaten to death with a marble rolling pin has spoken in court about discovering his mother’s body.

Georgina Edmonds, 77, was found dead at her home in Kiln Lane, Brambridge, in January 11 2008 – leading to one of Hampshire’s most famous unsolved murder cases in the process.

Matthew Hamlen, 36, of Camborne Close in Bishopstoke, is currently standing on trial for the murder for a second time having previously been acquitted of the crime.

A six-week trial began on Tuesday at Winchester Crown Court, with Michael Bowes QC telling the court that the prosecution believed Mrs Edmonds, who was stabbed multiple times, had been tortured for her credit card PIN prior to her death.

Son Harry Edmonds found his mother’s body surrounded by “a pool of blood” at her cottage, situated in the grounds of a larger property owned by the family at Kingfisher Lodge, which he visited each Friday.

Mr Edmonds, who ran coffee merchant The Edmonds Group in Festival Place, had to break in through a window to get inside the cottage after finding the doors locked and the lights all switched off – something he labelled “unusual”.

“At first I thought she must be asleep so I wasn’t overly concerned, but then it occurred to me that she might have had a fall,” he told the court earlier today.

“I called her phone and could hear it tinkling away from outside without an answer, so I lifted up the sash to my mother’s bedroom window and climbed in.

“I made my way to the kitchen and turned on the lights to see her lying face down on the floor surrounded by a pool of blood and a quite substantial large pink dent on the back of her head.”

Mrs Edmonds suffered a fractured skull and several broken ribs during the attack, as well as numerous wounds to her head, abdomen and chest.

The jury also heard how a pair of elasticated trousers that Mrs Edmonds had been wearing at the time of the incident had been pulled down by around five inches to expose her pants, although there is no evidence of a sexual assault taking place.

Mr Edmonds added: “I just wish that I’d left work at lunchtime that day, because then I think things might have been different.

“She was a lovely, interesting, friendly, nice and kind person.”

Mr Hamlen has pleaded not guilty to the murder and the trial continues.

A Bramley PCSO has been jailed for two years after pleading guilty to exchanging Crystal Meth for indecent images and movies of children.

James Wicks, 35, of Kirby Drive, was sentenced at Winchester Crown Court yesterday for six counts of possessing indecent images of a child, one of distributing indecent images of a child, and one for the supply of a class A drug.

The court heard that Wicks, who worked for Thames Valley Police (TVP) as a PCSO in the Reading area, would take Crystal Meth with him to a friend’s house.

He would then exchange this in exchange for indecent movies of children, which he put on a memory stick and took away with him.

A total of 39 movies were found by police on a memory stick, as well as 24 images on an Apple Mac computer.

Three of these movies, which depicted sexual abuse of children, were then shared through Skype.

The offences took place between August 25, 2013 and June 10, 2015.

John Montague, senior district crown prosecutor for the Crown Prosecution Service in Wessex, said: “This case is simply shocking and disturbing.

“The movies found in the possession of James Wicks can be described as some of the worst type classified as category A seen by experienced officers in the child abuse team.

“The fact that Wicks is a PCSO for TVP and had in his possession these movies and images is even more alarming – his duty was to care for the community, not to pose a serious risk.”

Wicks was arrested by TVP on June 10, 2015 and suspended while the investigation took place, with him resigning on October 5. He was charged 10 days later.

John Campbell, Deputy Chief Constable of TVP, said: “The actions of former PCSO James Wicks are absolutely reprehensible.

“The harm the possession and distribution of these images will have caused their victims will be lasting and cannot be measured.

“Drugs also cause communities and users untold devastation and Wicks’ actions are completely contrary to what those in our force work to prevent.

“There is no place at all for those who commit such crimes as these within our force.”

Wicks has also been put on the sex offender register for 10 years, and will be subject to a sexual harm prevention order after his release.

The father of a Winklebury man who died after crashing his motorbike into the side of a car has paid tribute to his son.

Jamie Hill, of Sycamore Way, suffered fatal abdominal and chest injuries on November 1 when he failed to brake in time as he travelled along Sherborne Road towards the junction with Oakridge Road.

The 25-year-old’s Yamaha R125 then skidded sideways along the tarmac and into the side of a Nissan that was travelling along the other road and had the right of way, with Mr Hill later being pronounced dead in hospital.

Following the accident, the family’s friends and the motorbike community clubbed together to raise around £2,000 for the popular former Fort Hill Community School pupil’s funeral, with dad Andrew speaking of his pride in his son.

He said: “I’m into my bikes too and would be lying if I said I didn’t worry when he went out riding, just like my mum and dad would have when I was younger.

“The biking community has been fantastic and it means a lot that people have given donations.

“Jamie is like me, he would go out of his way to help anyone, whatever time of day or wherever they were.

“I’m very proud of him for that.”

An inquest into Mr Hill’s death at Basingstoke Law Courts on Monday heard that he had levels of mephedrone in his system at the time of the incident, with attending police officer PC Drew McDonnell pointing to the drugs as a contributing factor.

He said: “There is no evidence to indicate that he was driving over the speed limit at the time of the collision.

“It could have been misjudgement or a distraction for why he braked as late as he did, because in my opinion, the give way lines should have been visible to him.

“The high levels of drugs found in his system must be considered a considerable factor in this incident.”

North East Hampshire Coroner Andrew Bradley ruled that the death was an accident in his verdict, adding: “Clearly he’s been driving along not dramatically fast when the incident has happened – he’s not a boy racer that you might see on the news.

“Whether he’s not noticed the junction because of the mephedrone or whether he’s been inattentive, we’ll never know.”

He added: “It’s almost as if he thinks he has the right of way, and it’s not until too late that he throws in the anchor, with catastrophic results.”

A man accused of bludgeoning the wife of a former Basingstoke coffee merchant to death has claimed that he can’t remember where he was on the day of the killing.

Matthew Hamlen, 36, of Camborne Close in Bishopstoke spoke in court yesterday for the first time since being put back on trial for the murder of 77-year-old Georgina Edmonds.

Mrs Edmonds was beaten to death with a marble rolling pin at her home in Kiln Lane, Brambridge, on January 11 in 2008, after being stabbed multiple times and tortured for her credit card PIN.

As previously reported in the Observer, Hamlen was acquitted of the same crime in 2012, and pleaded not guilty to the murder at the start of the trial at Winchester Crown Court on January 12.

Forensic experts previously told the court that DNA found on the murder weapon was “26 million times more likely to come from Hamlen than anyone else”.

And despite being shown CCTV footage of himself on the day of the murder, Hamlen, claimed to not remember where he was, while also accusing police of lying about the evidence.

He said: “When I was told I was forensically linked to this I thought I was being set up.

“I knew it couldn’t be true because I didn’t do it, so I thought the police must be lying.

“But I have no recollection of what I was doing that day at all – even with the CCTV, it looks like a normal Friday.”

Mrs Edmonds, whose late husband Harry ran the Edmonds Group in Festival Place, was discovered with her trousers pulled down to expose her pants at the murder scene, although there is no evidence of a sexual assault taking place.

During a police interview conducted following his arrest in June 2010, Hamlen responded to a question on whether he’d had sexual contact with Mrs Edmonds by saying “in a percentage in the 90s, no”.

And Michael Bowes QC, prosecuting, accused the defendant of making the comment in a bid to give himself “just a bit of room to work with” if his DNA was discovered at the scene.

He said: “It’s a pretty simple question to answer, and you have left open the possibility that you had sexual activity with her.

“You are now stuck with an answer that you wish you hadn’t given.

“I’m going to suggest that you were leaving yourself with just a bit of room to work with in case your DNA showed up on her person.”

But Hamlen has pointed to misinterpreting advice from his solicitor and the stress of being arrested for his comments.

He added: “My solicitor told me not to say anything unless I was 100 per cent sure as it could be seen to be a lie.

“I wasn’t in the right frame of mind, I was a mess and hadn’t slept for four days.

“Until you have been put through the situation I was, you wouldn’t know how you would answer, but I did not murder her.”

The trial continues.

A former Basingstoke primary school teacher has been sentenced to three years in prison for a string of child sex offences.

Benjamin Sarfas, of Springvale Road in Winchester, committed 19 separate offences on nine girls aged between eight and 11 during his time teaching at Kempshott Junior School.

The schoolteacher started abusing children shortly after being employed by the school in September 2011 and carried on until he was was arrested and subsequently dismissed last March.

Appearing before Winchester Crown Court last Thursday, Sarfas grinned as he was sentenced to two years in jail for seven counts of sexual assault on a child, as well as an additional 12-months for taking indecent photos of and filming children.

He was also handed a four-month sentence to run concurrently for a separate count of voyeurism, which centred on him secretly recording an eight-year-old schoolgirl getting changed.

The court heard how Sarfas, 31, regularly groped his victims, who cannot be named for legal reasons.

He also tricked them into reciting their times tables with their eyes closed or blindfolded in private while he filmed up their skirts – a process he called “the cloakroom game”.

Kerry Maylin, prosecuting, read a statement from one of the girl’s parents, which read: “I have seen my daughter’s confidence deteriorate because of this – she was previously outgoing and willing to do new things, but now she’s withdrawn and finds it difficult to trust people.

“She’s lost her zest and it’s devastating for me to see this as I feel like I have failed as a parent.”

Sarfas, who pleaded guilty to each of the offences at the same court eight days earlier, has also been placed on the sex offenders register for life and will be prevented from ever working with children again following his release.

Judge Keith Cutler said: “You know as much as anybody that the trust given by a parent to a teacher is a very precious and absolute one, so you must accept the outrage and anger felt by them towards you for your crimes.

“All these actions can be reasonably described as appalling and disgusting.

“You have blighted what should’ve been a happy and carefree part of these girls’ lives, and no one else is to blame for these crimes except for you, certainly not the children or their parents.”

Following the sentencing, Detective Constable Andy Panter, from the Northern Child Abuse Investigation Team, said: “In this case, Sarfas used his position to take advantage of young girls.

“Those young victims have all shown a huge amount of courage to speak out what happened.

“All of his victims have been identified and offered support.”

The man who tortured and beat the elderly wife of a former Basingstoke coffee merchant to death with a marble rolling pin at her home has been handed a life sentence for her murder.

Matthew Hamlen will serve a minimum of 30 years behind bars after being sentenced for Georgina Edmonds’ killing on Wednesday.

The 37-year-old, of Camborne Close, Eastleigh, showed no emotion as sentencing was passed by Judge John Saunders at Winchester Crown Court.

Hamlen was found guilty of the murder of 77-year-old Mrs Edmonds at the same court the day before – thereby ending one of Hampshire’s most famous unsolved murder cases.

He had pleaded not guilty to the murder throughout the entirety of his six-week trial at Winchester Crown Court, having previously been acquitted of the same charge in 2012.

But new DNA evidence discovered on Mrs Edmonds’ blouse found to be “26 million times more likely to come from Hamlen than anyone else” has now led to his conviction.

Mrs Edmonds, whose late husband Harry ran the Edmonds Group in Festival Place, was battered to death and stabbed multiple times for her bank card PIN at her home in Kiln Lane, Brambridge, on January 11, 2008.

Hamlen broke into the pensioner’s cottage, before subjecting her to a brutal ordeal that saw her suffer a fractured skull, several broken ribs and stab wounds to the head, abdomen and chest.

Son Harry discovered his mother’s body surrounded by a pool of blood after being forced to break into her locked cottage through a window, with he and sister Doddie then braving two lengthy trials to bring her killer to justice.

And speaking after the sentencing, police paid tribute to the family for reliving the horrific murder once again and having “trusted us to find her killer”.

Hampshire Constabulary’s senior investigating officer, Detective Superintendent Dick Pearson, said: “Throughout this entire investigation we have been absolutely determined to prove, beyond doubt, who committed this horrific crime and find justice for Georgina.

“I would like to praise Georgina’s family who have trusted us to find her killer since those tragic events on January 11, 2008.

“Hamlen has never admitted his guilt, which has forced her son, Harry, her daughter, Doddie, and her wider family and friends to sit through two crown court trials and hear the traumatic details of that day, over and over again. They have all been incredibly strong.

“The entire team of police officers, police staff, prosecution barristers, forensic scientists, and colleagues from the Crown Prosecution Service have been absolutely dedicated to putting together the best possible case and presenting the facts to the jury.

“Every moment has been worth it to finally see Hamlen behind bars and justice served.”

The decision to retry Hamlen following his previous acquittal on January 20, 2012, represented the first time in Hampshire that a defendant had been tried twice for murder under double jeopardy.

Following the 2003 Criminal Justice Act, the Court of Appeal can now order a retrial when it is deemed that “new and compelling” evidence has been produced.

Head of the  Crown Prosecution Service in Wessex’ Complex Casework Unit, Ian Harris, added: “It has taken two trials and eight long years for her family to obtain justice.

“We would like to thank and pay tribute to her family, her friends and to all those who assisted the police, and supported the prosecution.”

A diabetic Popley teenager died after he stopped taking his daily insulin injections because of teasing at school, an inquest has heard.

Blake Cook, of Fountains Close, tragically passed away on February 25 last year shortly after being rushed to Basingstoke hospital with a stomach bug.

North East Hampshire Coroner Andrew Bradley ruled that the 15-year-old had died from diabetic ketoacidosis, brought on by him failing to take his insulin.

Blake had as much as 28mg of glucose per litre in his blood at the time of his death, with the coroner agreeing that the Everest Community Academy pupil’s decision not to take his insulin had played a significant part.

And mum Davina Cook, who checked her son’s blood sugar levels each week, claimed that her “prince” had secretly stopped treating himself after being bullied by other children at his school.

Speaking at Wednesday’s inquest at Basingstoke Law Courts, she said: “He didn’t like injecting at school because of the bullying so he must’ve stopped then.

“When he got older, he wanted to do his injections for himself and wouldn’t do it if I was stood there, so I didn’t know.

“He was my prince and would try and be brave, but they’d say stuff like he’d never get a girlfriend because of his diabetes.

“The teasing must’ve hurt him.”

Diabetic ketoacidosis is a complication caused by a lack of insulin in the system to fight high blood sugar levels, with the body instead breaking down fat as an alternative source of fuel.

Blake had been suffering with a stomach upset for three days before he was taken to hospital, with independent consultant pathologist Dr Basil Purdue stating his belief that not treating him quickly enough also contributed to his death.

He said: “I don’t know if he was too ill to inject or didn’t want to because he was tired of doing it, which is not uncommon with youngsters.

“But on the balance of probability, if he’d arrived at hospital when he first became ill on the Monday, he would’ve survived.”

Coroner Mr Bradley added: “Young children with diabetes are easy to monitor, but the argument becomes more difficult when they got older and ‘because I said so’ isn’t enough anymore.

“This is a devastating case but it needs to be highlighted that with young diabetics, if there are any problems, you have to seek help sooner rather than later.”

A 22-year-old man from Alton has been jailed for 10 years after stabbing a pensioner during a botched robbery attempt.

Pawel Zimnicki, of Russett Road, threatened a 67-year-old man with a knife and demanded money as the victim walked towards Greenfield Avenue in Alton on December 28.

When the man refused, a struggle then took place, with Zimnicki, who was wearing a balaclava during the attack, stabbing him in the stomach before fleeing the scene with nothing.

The victim was initially taken to Frimley Park Hospital, before being transferred to St George’s Hospital in Tooting for surgery, and is now recovering at home.

Zimnicki entered three guilty pleas on February 11, before then being sentenced to 10 years in jail for causing grievous bodily harm with intent at Winchester Crown Court on Friday.

He was also sentenced to eight years for attempted robbery and 15 months for possession of a knife in a pubic place, all of which will run concurrently.

Speaking after the ruling, Detective Inspector Justin Torgout, said: “This was an unprovoked incident which left the victim with a very serious injury.

“The length of the sentence imposed by the court reflects just how serious it was.

“I am extremely glad that we have been able to secure a positive result for the victim of this attack, as incidents like this are very rare in Alton.”

Two men who targeted homes in Basingstoke during a series of connected burglaries across the South East have been jailed.

Karolis Gribauskas, 20, and Ernestaus Vitkus, 22, were handed sentences of six years and eight months apiece on Monday at Winchester Crown Court after admitting a charge of conspiring to commit burglary.

The pair, of Listowel Road in Dagenham, pleaded guilty to being part of a gang that saw 32 different homes burgled across the region between May 1 and November 27 last year.

Property was stolen from houses in Basingstoke Andover, Winchester, Farnborough and Alresford as part of the conspiracy, as well as properties in Surrey, Sussex and the Thames Valley area.

The court heard that Gribauskas and Vitkus had stolen thousands of pounds worth of items during their spree, and snapped the locks on the doors of homes that were vulnerable, or where the occupants were away on holiday.

Hampshire Constabulary worked alongside Surrey Police and Sussex Police as part of the Northern Operation Hawk investigation to track down the two men and bring them to justice.

After the hearing, Detective Sergeant James Massey, said: “The offenders, who were living in east London, were identified as a result of a joint investigation between Hampshire Constabulary, Surrey Police and Sussex Police.

“Hampshire Constabulary led this complex and worthwhile investigation that led to the recovery of thousands of pounds worth of property.

“There are still a number of seized items that have not been identified but are believed to be stolen.

“The guilty pleas and subsequent sentences should provide reassurance and peace of mind to the victims who suffered a very traumatic experience, and in some cases, lost sentimental valuables that have been irreplaceable.

“We will continue to strive to make our communities safe places to live and provide a dedicated response to these complex investigations.”

A Winslade man who deliberately suffocated himself with a plastic bag had a “grim determination” to commit suicide, an inquest has ruled.

Andrew Sutherland was found dead at his motorbike workshop in Bagmore Lane in Herriard on January 23 after freely telling psychiatrists of his intention to kill himself.

Basingstoke Law Courts today heard how the 48-year-old, who was unemployed, had suffered from suicidal thoughts since the age of 13, but had denied that he was depressed and viewed them as “a positive step”.

Mr Sutherland, of St Mary’s Church in Alton Road, was referred to the Basingstoke community mental health team at the Bridge Centre in New Road on November 5 and received support until the turn of the year.

However, he then tried to kill himself on November 19 after taking an overdose, but was taken to hospital after changing his mind and calling a friend – a decision he told the health team that he regretted.

Consultant psychiatrist Dr Janet Chiu told the inquest: “Mr Sutherland found it hard to accept that he had depression and spent a lot of his time on the internet researching his condition for himself.

“He told us he was excited at the prospect of dying and expressed regret that his overdose hadn’t worked.

“He said that he simply didn’t want to be a part of the world because of all of the horrible things that were going on.”

Mr Sutherland’s body was discovered by his former partner of 13 years Wendy Cavill after his new girlfriend called her expressing concern that he had gone missing.

And Miss Cavill told the court that she felt Mr Sutherland had been “let down” by the mental health team and hospital staff.

She said: “If he’d been admitted to A & E with a heart attack or a stroke, the thought that he would’ve been let go after three days would’ve been inconceivable.

“He called himself an optimistic suicide in that when he felt stronger, not at rock bottom, he felt that he could do it – the thoughts were a positive step for him.

“I just think he was let down because what he wanted was someone who could make his thoughts go away.

“He wanted to commit suicide but at the same time he didn’t.”

North East Hampshire Coroner Andrew Bradley rejected the claim that more could’ve been done however; instead insisting that Mr Sutherland’s condition was “untouchable”.

He added: “When I took the report originally, I was truly saddened, because I thought ‘what else could’ve been done for this man?’

“He had a grim determination to do this and to him he was doing it from a position of glory.

“It’s completely beyond reason and there’s nothing more frightening than someone who does something like this from a position of strength.”

A man who died after taking a “grim cocktail of drugs” didn’t mean to kill himself, a Basingstoke inquest has found.

Elias Dearden’s body was found “blue and rigid” at his Blackwater home in Hawley Road, to the east of Hartley Wintney, on February 15.

Basingstoke Law Courts heard how the combined effects of levels of mephedrone, heroine, cocaine and diazepam each high enough to be fatal had killed the 31-year-old.

Mr Dearden’s mother Leeann discovered her son after visiting to help him decorate his house, as he looked to get over a drug overdose the week before, having put any drug use “behind him for over three years” before that.

And speaking at Wednesday’s inquest, Mrs Dearden insisted that she had no idea what had triggered his relapse, while she also questioned why police hadn’t caught the people responsible for selling him the drugs.

She said: “I asked the hospital if they could keep him in after his overdose, but they didn’t.

“I have no idea what happened, there seemed no trigger at all, and he was doing so well.

“It’s such a small area and nothing seems to have been done, despite an abundance of information being available on his phone.

“I’m sure if I investigated this myself, I would’ve found something by now.”

And North East Hampshire coroner Andrew Bradley admitted that the case had left him feeling “slightly despondent”.

Recording a misadventure verdict of mixed drug overdose, Mr Bradley said: “He’s taken a grim cocktail of drugs unfortunately, and I know there’s no recompense or satisfaction that I will able to provide from this inquest.

“This is not a suicide, but an appalling set of circumstances.

“These networks of drug dealers are insidious and devious in the extreme.

“I get slightly despondent when I cover cases such as this because it is such a waste of life.”

A coroner has insisted that a decision by doctors not to operate on a Basingstoke man who died following a medical procedure “has to be respected”.

Michael Kearney, of Glamis Close in Oakley, suffered a fatal tear to his small intestine and passed away at Basingstoke hospital on October 17 last year.

The 53-year-old had initially been admitted to hospital with abdominal pain, with a scan then discovering that he had gallstones in his gallbladder.

To examine the problem, doctors then completed a procedure involving feeding a tube with a camera down Mr Kearney’s throat and into the small intestine on October 13.

Unbeknownst to those completing the Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangio Pancreatography (ERCP) examination, the procedure resulted in a 5mm tear to the duodenum, causing fatal damage to Mr Kearney’s abdomen lining.

Gastroenterologist consultant physician Dr Michael Reynolds completed the procedure and admitted that he had relived what happened “countless times” in his head.

“I’ve done more than 1,250 ERCP procedures over the last 10 years and this is the first case of this kind that I have seen,” said Dr Reynolds.

“He had no symptoms of abdominal abnormalities, and so I felt this was the best approach to take.

“I have relived this procedure countless times and I still wonder if this was caused by my moving the scope or the dilation of the duodenum wall.”

Mr Kearney’s brother Paul asked why surgery hadn’t been used to address the problem during yesterday’s inquest at Basingstoke Law Courts.

But Basingstoke hospital colorectal general surgeon Dr Faheez Mohammed insisted that surgery “would not have helped” however, with doctors instead choosing to treat Mr Kearney more conservatively and put him on a ventilator.

And North East Hampshire coroner Andrew Bradley agreed with the physicians’ decision.

He said: “From the examination it’s clear that there was a perforation to the small bowel and this has led to him developing peritonitis and dying.

“I know there is the argument ‘why not give him an operation’, but there is a clinical reason for not doing it.

“This is a level of professional judgement that has to be respected, because it’s the judgement that’s been taken in Mick’s best interests.”

Two motorists were killed in two separate incidents on the roads in the Basingstoke area last week.

A 27-year-old man was fatally injured after his Volkswagen Golf crashed into a Volkswagen Tiguan on the A339 at Winslade last Thursday night.

The unnamed Alton driver was driving along the road, close to the Lasham turning, at around 11.55pm when the two-car collision took place.

Paramedics pronounced him dead at the scene, with police then charging the driver of the Tiguan, Richard Storry, 34, of Evesharm Road in Worcestershire with causing death by driving without due care and attention, while unfit through drink.

Storry, who was uninjured in the incident, is due to appear at Basingstoke Magistrates’ Court today.

Sergeant Darren Ord, frmom the Serious Collision Investigation Unit, said: “We would like to hear from anyone who may have witnessed this collision or anyone who may have seen either vehicles prior to the incident.”

And police opened up a separate investigation on Saturday after another driver was killed after having a “medical episode” while travelling north along the A340 in Basingstoke.

Keith Read, 57, of Tippett Gardens in Basingstoke, was driving his Lotus 2eleven along the road at about 3.50pm when the episode occurred.

This caused him to run into a Ford Focus on the Thornycroft roundabout, on the junction of the B3400 Churchill Way West and A340 Ring Way West, before his car eventually stopped on an embankment near Milestones Museum.

The man was treated at the scene by paramedics, but later died after being transported to Basingstoke and North Hampshire Hospital.

Police are not yet in a position to name either of the two men, although their family have been informed.

Anyone with any information relating to the Winslade collision is asked to call the Serious Collision Investigation Unit on 101, quoting Operation Harmonic.

And police have also asked that eyewitnesses call the JOU Roads Policing Unit at Whitchurch on the same number for the second incident, quoting Operation Thorny.

Alternatively, residents can leave information anonymously by calling Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

A Basingstoke man has been sentenced to more then three years in jail for illegally storing 2.7 million smuggled cigarettes.

Dariusz Kochanek, 29, was caught hiding the non-UK duty paid cigarettes inside a barn in Bramley, evading around £660,000 in excise duty in the process.

HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) investigators followed Kochanek to the barn in Ash Lane on June 18 2014, and discovered two shipping containers full of Mayfair and L&M branded cigarettes after raiding the premises.

Kochanek and associate Ireneusz Kosowski, 42, from New Malden in Surrey were both found guilty of tobacco harbouring offences on Tuesday at Winchester Crown Court and sentenced the same day to 42 months in prison.

A third man was found not guilty of smuggling the 2,780,460 cigarettes, with HMRC hoping that the sentence would help deter other criminals from storing illegal tobacco.

Fraud Investigation Service assistant director David Margree said: “These men thought they were under our radar and could get away with smuggling and storing vast quantities of illegal tobacco. “They are now paying the price for their criminal actions.

“Tobacco smuggling robs communities of vital public funds and harms the livelihood of legitimate retailers.”

Anyone with any information regarding smuggling, storage or the sale of illegal tobacco should contact the Customs Hotline on 0800595000.

A close friend of a ‘gentle giant’ confronted a Basingstoke man accused of murdering him in a dramatic courtroom exchange in Exeter this week, writes Edward Davenport.

Stuart Hodgkin, 40, is on trial for the murder of Good Samaritan Adrian Munday, who died in October last year, just a month after letting the defendant into his home in Devon.

He denies killing Mr Munday and has since tried to shift the blame onto witness Tracie Gunn, who appeared before Exeter Crown Court to give evidence on Monday.

Miss Gunn, 49, denounced Hodgkin as a killer and claimed he had taken advantage of Mr Munday, who suffered brain injuries at birth and had learning disabilities and suspected schizophrenia.

The prosecution claim to have “overwhelming” forensic evidence that Hodgkin, who was homeless before meeting Mr Munday, beat, kicked and stamped the 51-year-old to death on the night of October 4.

They say Hodgkin exploited Mr Munday’s vulnerability, took over his life, moved into his home at Wain Lane in Newton Abbot, and spent all his money before beating him to death when it ran out.

It is alleged that the defendant, whose family home is in Basingstoke but was living at Stockbridge Road in Winchester, tried to cover up the murder by lighting a fire over the body and fleeing to a friend’s house in St Michael’s Road, Basingstoke in the middle of the night.

Hodgkin says he left Mr Munday alive however, and instead claimed in a defence statement that Miss Gunn had been leeching off him and had made threats to have him beaten up two weeks before the killing.

Bi-polar disorder sufferer Miss Gunn became upset as Hodgkin’s barrister Mr Paul Dunkels, QC, suggested to her that it was she who was exploiting Mr Munday, who was also known by his middle name Hugo.

She said: “It is a load of rubbish. I was not taking advantage of him.

“That’s what he was like. If he met a homeless person, he would ask him to stay.”

She looked at Hodgkin in the dock and said: “There is no doubt who was taking advantage of my friend, who was a gentle giant and absolutely gorgeous, and who killed him.”

Mr Munday died as a result of head and chest injuries, including 20 cracked ribs, which as a result would have compressed his upper body and made it impossible for him to breathe.

And Miss Gunn admitted to taking an instant disliking to Hodgkin after meeting him for the first and only time on September 21, stating her opinion that Mr Munday was “100 per cent capable” of managing his own life.

She added: “This is the hardest part for me.

“He killed one of my best friends and has implicated me in the murder.

“Hugo was like a tree for me. He was my rock.”

The trial continues.

A Hartley Wintney protester has been found guilty of whitewashing the walls of the Department for Energy and Climate Change (DECC).

Ruth Jarman, of Kiln Gardens, also rebranded the building in black paint with the words “Department for Extreme Climate Change” during the Paris climate conference on November 30 last year.

Ms Jarman, 53, and fellow members of Christian Climate Action, Martin Newell, Phil Kingston, Westley Ingram and Helen Whitall, all pleaded not guilty to criminal damage last Tuesday at Hammersmith Magistrates’ Court.

All five defendants admitted causing the damage, but insisted they had a “lawful excuse” for their actions.

Ms Jarman, while claiming she had gone to the DECC to “expose the hypocrisy” of the department, expressed her hope that further peaceful direct action could help prevent climate change.

She said: “All the lobbying and ordinary democratic processes were not being heard.

“We had to be more creative in our actions and to speak louder.

“We think DECC should have been in the dock, not us.”

Each defendant was ordered to pay a fine of £340.

A homeless drifter has been jailed for life for the ‘savage and brutal’ killing of a gentle and kind man who gave him shelter, writes Edward Davenport.

Stuart Hodgkin, who is originally from Basingstoke, leeched off his victim Adrian Munday after being offered shelter before beating and stamping him to death on October 4 last year when his money ran out.

He tried to cover up the killing by building a fire over Mr Munday’s body and igniting it with lighter fluid, but the fire did not take hold and an autopsy revealed it was a murder.

Hodgkin is suffering from terminal cancer and is likely to die in prison within a year after he was jailed for life with a minimum term of 20 years at Exeter Crown Court this morning.

Mr Munday, aged 51, suffered brain damage as a child and was schizophrenic. He was a well known figure around his home town of Newton Abbot, where he was known as a ‘gentle giant’.

His family had set up a trust fund to help him and had battled throughout his adult life to ensure he received the care he needed.

He had only just started living independently in his own home in Wain Lane, Newton Abbot, when he met Hodgkin, who was living in a tent on the nearby racecourse.

Hodgkin, aged 41, of Stockbridge Road, Winchester but originally from Basingstoke, denied murder but was found guilty after a two week trial which ended yesterday.

He was jailed for life by Judge Graham Cottle, who acknowledged that the minimum term of 20 years was academic in the light of hospital reports which show Hodgkin has only a year to live.

Adrian Munday

He told him: “Adrian Munday was a decent, good man, whose first instinct was to trust people and to see the best in them.

“This was a savage and sustained attack designed to end his life. The setting of the fire is further confirmation of your intention.

“The family and extended family have suffered and continue to suffer greatly as a result of his death and the circumstances in which they came to be deprived of him.

“It has altered the lives of many people irreparably.”

After the case senior investigating officer Detective Constable Mike West read out a statement on Mr Munday’s family’s behalf.

He said: “Our family were shocked and devastated by the callous and brutal murder of Adrian, our loving and beloved son, brother and uncle.

“Adrian had the misfortune to meet up with Hodgkin, an incredibly manipulative and violent man, who immediately took advantage of Adrian’s kindness and inability to stand up for himself.

“We believe Adrian suffered emotional torment in the period before the savage and sustained beating which led to his death.

“Words simply cannot describe the depth of our distress about this appalling, abhorrent and senseless crime, which has robbed us of an integral part of our family.

“His death has left a great hole in our lives. Adrian is deeply, deeply missed, and always will be.

“We hope Hodgkin’s life sentence will mean he will not be able to hurt any more innocent and trusting people.”