Tuesday 8th October

Tuesday, 8 October 2024 06:00

By Steve Haigh

A mother has pleaded not guilty to murdering her two-week-old baby son at Yeovil Hospital. A Yeovil man with two previous drink driving offences has escaped being sent to prison after refusing to take a breath test. Somerset gymnast Laura Gallagher has announced her retirement after 20 years in the sport...and more.

A mother has pleaded not guilty to murdering her two-week-old baby son at Yeovil Hospital. Brendon Staddon was born prematurely at thirty-three weeks in February and died in March. His mother, Sophie Staddon, aged 20, was appearing at Bristol Crown Court where she pleaded not guilty to murder and to causing or allowing the death of a child. This story is courtesy of BBC.

A Yeovil man with two previous drink driving offences has escaped being sent to prison after refusing to take a breath test. Appearing at Yeovil Magistrates Court, Jordan Maggs of St Michael’s Avenue pleaded guilty to failing to provide a specimen of breath when stopped by Police while driving in Crewkerne. Maggs was sentenced to a 12-month community order with an Alcohol Abstinence programme and banned from driving for 18 months with a £200 fine. This story is courtesy of Chard and Ilminster News.

An organisation representing water users in Somerset says a new way of charging households isn't likely to make a difference to what people pay for water. Bristol Water will lower prices in the winter but increase them in the summer to persuade people to use less water. Head of Engagement at the Consumer Council for Water, Cath Jones, says it’s doubtful the new charging scheme will have much impact.

The Somerset gymnast Laura Gallagher has announced her retirement after 20 years in the sport. Laura, who represented Team GB on the trampoline at the Olympics in Tokyo in 2021 and is a World and European Medalist, says she wants to spend more time with her family.

St Margaret's Hospice is asking people to put on an item of yellow clothing this week to help raise awareness of the work of the hospice. The Wear It Yellow campaign is part of Hospice Care Week with money raised supporting the charity's hospices in Taunton and Yeovil.

A new volunteer-run community café has opened in Chard. The CommuniTEA Waffle in Holyrood Street is described as a free space for people of all ages to meet, offering a family room and community bookshelf.

More from News

Friday 12th June

It's claimed the increasing availability of drugs such as ketamine and cocaine has normalised drug use among young people in Somerset. The trial of a man accused of killing his one-month-old son in Chard begins today at Bristol Crown Court. A stone pillar outside the Langport Arms Hotel in Langport has been replaced after it was destroyed in a car crash... and more
Thursday 11th June

Sir Keir Starmer has paid tribute to the three aircrew from RNAS Yeovilton who died in last week's helicopter crash in Devon. Two men have been arrested and stolen vehicles seized following a major multi-agency operation in South Somerset. An event highlighting opportunities for women in the aerospace industry has been held in Yeovil... and more
Wednesday 10th June

The public will be consulted on how best to spend fifty million pounds of government funding to tackle flooding in Somerset. Avon and Somerset Police are backing a new road safety campaign aimed at reducing motorcycle fatalities. New welcome signs have been installed at entrances to the Mendip Hills National Landscape... and more
Tuesday 9th June

The government has announced a £50 million investment to strengthen Somerset’s flood defences. A woman from Stoke-sub-Hamdon has been banned from driving for 14 months after admitting drink-driving. Somerset Council has been told it must improve its adult social care services... and more
Monday 8th June

Plans for a new railway station in Langport remain stalled in Whitehall, according to Somerset Council. Plans to build 50 new homes in Broadway, near Ilminster, have been refused. The new water fountains in Yeovil’s Triangle, in Lower Middle Street, are being switched off during very hot weather because of safety concerns... and more.
Friday 5th June

A new NHS dental practice in Crewkerne says it won’t start operating at full capacity until July due to staff shortages. Somerset Council says it has no plans to show England matches in the World Cup on the Big Screen in Yeovil town centre due to safety concerns. A Somerset family has been thanked after completing a 73-mile walk raising money for a third world charity... and more
Thursday 4th June

An investigation continues today into the crash of a Royal Navy helicopter, based at RNAS Yeovilton, in which all three aircrew were killed. Somerset Council has confirmed that a new operator will take over several leisure centres across the county. The new live-action Masters of the Universe movie, filmed in Somerset, is released this week...and more
Wednesday 3rd June

A Yeovil man has appeared in court charged with assaulting three police officers. Somerset Council has begun legal action to recover more than £320,000 owed by housing developers. The line-up has been announced for this year’s Ilminster Midsummer Experience...and more