Flies, rats and offers of hush money - the price of living next to a ‘monster’ incinerator

BBC / Jon Parker Lee George and Mandy are among the residents who refused to sign an NDA agreement and can speak about the Runcorn incinerator

“We have been inundated with flies, rats, smell, noise. It's just been horrendous,” says Mandy Royle, who lives in the closest home to the UK’s biggest waste incinerator at Runcorn in Cheshire. The facility generates electricity from burning nearly a million tonnes of household rubbish every year - but much of that waste doesn't come from Ms Royle's local area. Like many incinerators, deliveries come from hundreds of miles away. BBC analysis suggests the burden of the UK's waste is disproportionately falling on deprived areas such as Runcorn, which are 10 times more likely to have an energy-from-waste incinerator in their midst than in the wealthiest areas. Burning rubbish now UK’s dirtiest form of power

Many families nearby shared a £1m settlement after 180 of them launched a legal action over the pollution and disturbances from the Runcorn incinerator, the BBC can reveal. But Ms Royle was one of a handful of people who did not sign the agreement, allowing her to speak out about life in the shadow of one of the UK's giant waste plants. “I’m just stuck in this little corner with a big monster staring at me and throwing what it does over me,” she says. The others who took the cash, worth about £4,500 per family after legal costs, had to sign a strict non-disclosure agreement (NDA). “Well, I think they’re being unfair in what they're paying, and completely unfair in what they are doing,” says George Parker, who runs a local garage and also refused to sign the deal. “It’s a million-pound hush fund and a gagging order. That's why they're doing it, they’re keeping everybody quiet.”

Viridor, which runs the Runcorn plant, said it would not comment on the settlement or on the non-disclosure agreement. It said that noise and odour remained within permitted levels - regulated by the Environment Agency - and any complaints were fully investigated with feedback provided to residents.

Incinerators put in deprived areas

Energy-from-waste incinerators have boomed over the past decade as local councils have faced higher charges to bury rubbish in landfill sites. This shift, though, has come at a big cost to the environment, with a BBC investigation showing that these plants now produce as much carbon per unit of energy than as if they were burning coal. It also comes at a cost to those who live near them, say Ms Royle and Mr Parker. “They put them in deprived areas, so people won’t complain because they know the majority of the people are in such a state they don’t know how to complain basically,” Mr Parker says.

Our investigation found breaches of air quality controls increased both at Runcorn and across incinerators in England between 2019 and 2023. These controls restrict the levels of gases such as carbon dioxide that can be emitted. The number of these permit breaches has risen from an average of 3.4 in 2019 to 5.5 per incinerator in 2023. Last year 73% of facilities in England reported transgressions. Runcorn’s energy-from-waste site breached its permit 17 times in the past five years. “The Runcorn Energy Recovery Facility (ERF) operates within a strict Environmental Permit and is heavily regulated by the Environment Agency, meaning it must comply with all the necessary regulations and permit conditions,” Viridor said in a statement. “Should a permit limit be exceeded, a full and thorough investigation into the cause is carried out.” Household waste is also being sent hundreds of miles across the country to be burned, or even sent abroad, BBC analysis of UK council data showed.

BBC / Jon Parker Lee Residents who live near the Runcorn incinerator have been psychologically impacted, says food bank manager Eddie Thompson

In one of the worst examples, waste from Derby City Council and Derbyshire Council ended up at 19 different incinerators in one year - from Milton Keynes to North Yorkshire. The increased movement of waste by train and lorry is producing even more carbon emissions and worsening local air pollution. A spokesperson for Derby City Council and Derbyshire County Council said the councils had signed a new contract which will reduce this number to 13, and that “reducing waste miles is a key part of our strategy.” In another case, County Durham sent 1,300 tonnes of waste last year to an undisclosed incinerator facility in Cyprus, even though there are incinerators nearby in north-west England. The council said it was "standard industry practice to divert waste from landfill through energy-from-waste facilities".

‘The rubbish backyard of England’

While Runcorn is home to the UK’s biggest incinerator, a significant proportion of the town’s local rubbish is not burned at the site. Instead, some of the waste from the borough of Halton, where Runcorn is located, and from other Merseyside towns, is sent by train about 150 miles across the country to the east coast, to be burned on Teesside. This whole area along the River Tees has emerged as a UK hotspot for energy-from-waste. The region is now home to three active incinerators, with three more in various stages of planning. “We have become a dumping ground for everybody else’s rubbish by stealth,” says a Liberal Democrat councillor in Redcar, Dr Tristan Learoyd. He says that incinerators in the area are tied into long-term contracts with councils across the country, which he believes will see large amounts of carbon emitted every year for decades to come. “There's a potential here for the number of incinerators to be in double figures,” he says. “For my hometown, which has suffered a massive decline over the years, it's just another kick in the face. We're becoming the rubbish backyard of England.” Linda Martin lives on the nearest street to the Wilton 11 incinerator in Billingham, Teesside, which burns more than 400,000 tonnes of rubbish every year. She questions whether people in the locality are seeing any direct economic benefit from the facility.

Burning your rubbish: The nation's big polluter Do you ever think about what happens to your rubbish after it’s been taken away? Most of what we chuck in the bin is actually being burnt for energy. The BBC has found there's been a rapid rise in the burning of rubbish across the UK in recent years with major implications for the environment. For the 5 Questions On podcast, science reporter Esme Stallard explains.

“This is our home and our area. Why should we have to put up with everything that we're putting up with?” she says. “You know, we hear the noise constantly. We've got double glazing in, but it don't work. You still hear the noise!” For Eddie Thompson MBE, who runs a busy food bank in Runcorn, the psychological impact of locating large-scale incinerators in poor areas is very important. “Mentally, people feel as though, in some cases, they are worthless. They have no sense of a future that they can see ahead of them. “I don’t blame Viridor, but are we getting it right? Putting all the bad stuff in one place?”

Drones, threats and explosions: Why Korean tensions are rising

Getty Images Visitors use binoculars to look at the North Korean side of the Demilitarised Zone (DMZ) dividing the two Koreas

North Korea has accused South Korea of flying drones into its capital, ratcheting up tensions that have been simmering for months. The drones allegedly scattered propaganda leaflets over Pyongyang in what the North described as a provocation that could lead to "armed conflict and even war". After levelling these allegations at the South on Friday, Pyongyang said it had ordered border troops to be prepared to fire. South Korea in turn said it was ready to respond, and warned that if the safety of its citizens was threatened it would signal the "end of the North Korean regime." Then, on Tuesday, the North blew up sections of two roads that connected it to South Korea, making good on an earlier threat. The next day, it claimed that 1.4 million young North Koreans had applied to join or return to the army. These flare-ups are the latest in a string of exchanges between the two Koreas, which have seen tensions rise to their highest point in years since the North's leader Kim Jong Un declared in January that the South is his regime's number one enemy.

What is happening?

On 11 October, North Korea's foreign ministry accused the South of sending drones to Pyongyang at night over the course of two weeks. It said that leaflets dispersed by the drones contained "inflammatory rumours and rubbish". Kim's influential sister, Kim Yo Jong, warned Seoul of "horrible consequences" if the alleged drone flights happened again. She later said there was "clear evidence" that "military gangsters" from the South were behind the alleged provocations. North Korea has released blurry images of what it said were the drones flying in the sky, as well as pictures allegedly showing the leaflets, but there is no way of independently verifying their claims. While South Korea initially denied flying drones into the North, its Joint Chiefs of Staff later said that it could neither confirm nor deny Pyongyang's allegation. There has been local speculation that the drones were flown by activists, who have been sending the same materials to the North using balloons. Park Sang-hak, the leader of the Free North Korea Movement Coalition, denied North Korea's claim about the drone incursion, stating, "We did not send drones to North Korea". On Monday, Kim met the head of the army, military chiefs, the ministers of state security and defence, and top officials, the North's official news agency KCNA said. There, Kim set the "direction of immediate military action" and tasked officials with the "operation of the war deterrent and the exercise of the right to self-defence". South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff public relations officer, Lee Sung-joon, said the North could mount "small-scale provocations" such as small explosions on roads connecting the Koreas. Then came the explosions at the symbolic Gyeongui and Donghae roads.

Watch moment North Korea blows up roads connecting to South Korea

While both roads have long been shuttered, destroying them sends a message that Kim does not want to negotiate with the South, according to analysts. Following the explosions, the South Korean military said it had fired weapons on its side of the border as a show of force, and had heightened surveillance of the North. Hours later, the government of Gyeonggi Province, which surrounds Seoul, designated 11 inter-Korean border areas as "danger zones" in a bid to stop people from sending anti-North propaganda leaflets across the border. "Gyeonggi Province has determined that the act of scattering leaflets toward North Korea is an extremely dangerous act that could trigger a military conflict," Kim Sung-joong, vice governor of Gyeonggi Province, said in a media briefing. The scattering of such leaflets could threaten the "lives and safety of our residents", Kim added, as "inter-Korean relations are rapidly deteriorating".

What does this show?

Analysts say the drone incident suggests that North Korea is shoring up internal support by making it appear as though threats against the country are escalating. Using terms like "separate states" in reference to the South, and dropping words like "compatriots" and "unification", is part of this strategy, said Professor Kang Dong-wan, who teaches political science and diplomacy at Dong-a University in Busan. "The North Korean regime relies on the politics of fear and needs an external enemy," Prof Kang said. "Whenever tensions rise, North Korea emphasises external threats to boost loyalty to the regime." Analysts say the tit-for-tat between the two Koreas shows how they are locked in a "chicken game", with both sides unwilling to blink first. "Neither side is willing to make concessions at this point," said Professor Kim Dong-yup from the University of North Korean Studies in Seoul. As there is mutual distrust, Seoul "needs to strategically consider how to manage the crisis", Prof Kim added.

Are the Koreas headed for war?

Not at the moment, analysts say. "I doubt that the situation would escalate to the level of war. North Korea is exploiting military confrontation to strengthen internal cohesion," Prof Kang said. “I question North Korea's ability to initiate a full-scale war. The regime is well aware of the severe consequences such a conflict would bring,” Prof Kim said. The most recent spat over alleged drone flights will most likely remain a "verbal fight", said Prof Nam Sung-wook, who teaches North Korean studies at Korea University in Seoul. Because Seoul and Pyongyang know that they can't bear the cost of a full-blown war, Prof Nam said, "the likelihood of actually using nuclear weapons is low".

What is the big picture?

There was a surreal moment on social media on Sunday night when a video, external showed Ronaldo throwing himself down a waterslide at the hotel Portugal were based at.

The only thing missing was the noise of the Al Nassr striker's trademark 'siu' celebration echoing round the plastic flume as he flew down it.

Then there was the sight of the former Real Madrid and Manchester United legend training at St Mirren's stadium as an adoring crowd waited outside for a glimpse of the superstar.

Ronaldo-mania had swept over Scotland at the same pace as the Portugal captain's stroppy march down the Hampden tunnel at the full-time whistle.

Fans from China, Nepal, Ukraine and Kurdistan were in attendance - and they were not there to see Grant Hanley.

Away from the countless homemade signs in the crowd requesting Ronaldo's shirt, there was a game to be played.

There have been suggestions that it is perhaps the time for the forward to take a supporting role, but he was front and centre of the show in Glasgow.

At one point, Sportsound pundit Steven Thompson said the striker was even "refereeing the game".

His first sight of goal, an early left-foot strike, felt ominous for the hosts, but that was the first of four shots - all from inside the box - that Ronaldo, on his 200th Portugal start, failed to score with.

There were jeers from the home crowd for each of his 34 touches, plus ironic cheers for every missed effort, including an acrobatic overhead attempt that had shades of his famous bicycle kick goal against Juventus for Real in 2018.

Frustration then boiled over as animated hand waving was aimed the way of team-mate Rafael Leao late in the game.

And there was time for some sarcastic clapping and berating when the referee blew the final whistle, before he stormed off.

Northern Ireland forward Isaac Price says scoring a hat-trick in Tuesday's 5-0 win over Bulgaria is "the best night of my life".

Price netted twice in the first-half before a stunning 25-yard effort with nine minutes to play secured a first hat-trick for Price as a Northern Ireland player.

An own goal by Bulgarian goalkeeper Dimitar Mitov and a powerful Josh Magennis effort helped Michael O'Neill's side to a big win at Windsor Park.

The result moves Northern Ireland to the top of Group C3 with two matches remaining.

"It's the best night of my life. It's what you dream of as a kid," Price told BBC Sport NI.

George Best scored a hat-trick the last time Northern Ireland won 5-0 at Windsor Park, in April 1971 against Cyprus and it was only the fourth time the nation has ever scored five goals in a match.

Zoo faces animal welfare and bullying allegations

PA Media New management took over South Lakes Safari Zoo in 2017, promising a change of culture

A BBC investigation has heard allegations of avoidable animal deaths, welfare issues and a bullying culture at a zoo where a keeper was mauled to death in 2013. South Lakes Safari Zoo in Cumbria was taken over by a new board of directors in 2017, who promised to change things for the better. But former employees, who said they continued to have serious concerns about conditions at the zoo, have shown the BBC photos and videos which they say depict injuries and fatalities to animals. Zoo bosses deny "each and every allegation" and point to dozens of positive, independent inspections. Warning: This article contains images of injuries to animals some readers may find distressing.

Stephen McClay Keeper Sarah McClay was killed by a tiger at South Lakes in 2013

South Lakes, which has had a troubled past, hails itself as a haven for exotic animals. The attraction at Dalton-in-Furness was threatened with closure in 2017 while under the ownership of David Gill. The RSPCA launched an investigation and the Captive Animals’ Protection Society urged the local council to revoke the zoo's licence following a series of animal fatalities and other failures. In that year, Mr Gill was refused a licence and a new operator, Cumbria Zoo Company Limited (CZCL), was formed from the old owner’s board of directors. It promised improvements, won praise from inspectors for a "change of culture" and remains in charge to the present day. When it took over the zoo, the new company's chief executive Karen Brewer told the BBC the board had made "dramatic changes". But six people who worked at South Lakes at various times between 2017 and 2022, speaking to the BBC on condition of anonymity, all say major problems persisted. Their claims are denied by CZCL.

Former staff showed the BBC pictures of injured animals, including this capybara and a giraffe

"Nothing changed under this new management and animals suffered greatly," said a former worker who we are calling Jane. She left in 2019 having witnessed animal deaths that "could have been avoided", months before a council inspection raised no concerns. The BBC has seen almost 60 photographs and videos which have not previously been made public. They were taken between 2017 and 2019 by staff who say they include: A zebra lying injured on the floor with its hoof stuck in the bars of its pen. Ex-staff claimed it was stressed after being kept indoors, while management ignored the keeper's advice to let it out. It was later put down;

A capybara covered in cuts caused by fighting in overcrowded spaces;

A giraffe with a bloodied head from injuring itself on the bars of its pen during public feeding sessions.

"Fighting" and "inbreeding" were common because "animals were housed in inappropriate social groups", Jane said. "Overstocking of animals led to persistent bullying… severe injuries and often deaths." Mark, who worked at South Lakes in 2022, said some animals would have meals restricted "so they'd be hungry for guests to feed them". "It means their diets weren't very balanced because they'd feed them more treat-like foods. "There were cases where they were buying less healthy food for the animals just because it was cheaper." He claimed avoidable deaths occurred, adding: "A peacock flew into the giant otter enclosure and the two giant otters ripped its head off in front of a school group." CZCL said it "wholly denied and disputed" it had ever "engaged in any practices which has led to the death, injury or poor treatment of animals".

Another picture shown to the BBC shows a zebra with its hoof caught in bars

The BBC also heard allegations of a bullying culture and high staff turnover. "Staff were broken at times, completely broken," according to a former employee we have named James. "There was shouting at people and belittling people. The morning meeting turned into isolating and humiliating people." Jane agreed, adding: "There was shouting over the radio and everyone could hear it. I wasn't junior staff and I felt awkward. "I saw staff in tears, I saw staff leaving regularly." CZCL said: "We do not accept that there is a 'bullying culture' or that staff are overworked. "We take any allegations of bullying extremely seriously, and when they are made they need to be fully investigated and dealt with." The company said it had to make improvements after taking over the zoo because staff were not properly trained, but it "did not create a toxic or unhealthy culture".

Ms Brewer said: "These malicious claims are a direct result of an ongoing campaign against us by Zoo Investment Company (ZIC), which stretches back more than three years, to unlawfully undermine and disrupt the running of the zoo." She is referring to a bitter legal battle with ZIC, the landowner, which wants control of the park. The dispute has, according to council inspectors, contributed to problems at the zoo. While CZCL operates the attraction and holds the licence, ZIC owns the land on which it sits. Separately, both companies own animals housed and exhibited at South Lakes.

Dr Kate Hornby, a vet who carries out inspections for the company which owns the land on which South Lakes sits, says she feels "helpless"

Dr Kate Hornby, a vet currently hired by ZIC to carry out weekly health checks only on the exhibits it owns, claims sometimes animals "have no water, sometimes they have no food". She said some of the rhinos are kept indoors for long periods in "dirty pens with very little bedding". "You see behavioural changes," according to Dr Hornby, "pacing and aggression, because they're so frustrated. "You question why and how can this go on this long. I feel helpless." In a statement, Ms Brewer responded: "The zoo is subject to regular inspections by local authority inspectors and if there were issues of the sorts described, they would have been addressed by the inspectors. "We keep comprehensive records of all animal injuries. As a licensed zoo, animal welfare is our prime concern and we dispute these allegations. "We find these claims to be outrageous and have no substance in fact. Our veterinary team are internationally recognised and unrivalled in their field."

Born Free Council inspectors raised concerns about the welfare of rhinos at the zoo earlier this year

An unannounced inspection in March this year by Westmorland and Furness Council did raise similar welfare concerns, expressing a belief rhinos had been kept indoors for more than 17 hours straight. The subsequent report said: "Rhinoceros were over stocked, they had insufficient grazing and individuals were often confined inside or outside for excessive periods." Other findings included "senior staff may be spread too thin" and a lack of investment "may lead to failings in managing the animals properly, with subsequent welfare problems and potential danger to animals, staff and the public". Inspectors said it was "extremely concerning" to find a work experience student left unsupervised with dangerous animals. A further inspection in April raised "grave concerns" and found standards had dropped over the previous three years. But by June, the council conducted a follow-up "visit" and reported 26 of 28 improvement directions were being complied with. Just months after ordering significant improvements, a council spokesperson told the BBC: "While the issues noted in these most recent inspections have resulted in conditions and directions, it was also noted by inspectors that, with greatly reduced numbers of animals and an excellent veterinary programme, there was no evidence of the serious systemic animal health and welfare problems that characterised the collection in the past."

PA Media Former South Lakes owner David Gill was refused a licence in 2017 after a series of problems at the zoo

That past has been marked by safety issues, welfare fears and the avoidable death of 24-year-old keeper Sarah McClay. Opened in 1994, three years later a white rhino escaped South Lakes and was shot. Further escapes and disturbing animal fatalities kept the zoo in the news, including the deaths of 30 lemurs in a fire in 2008. In May 2013, Ms McClay was mauled to death by a tiger which got through an open door into the corridor where she was working. The revelation of almost 500 animal deaths between 2013 and 2016 preceded the departure of owner David Gill and a promise from CZCL of a new and better future for the zoo, its staff and the animals in its care.

Sarah McClay's mother, Fiona, believes the zoo should have shut down in 2017

Two years ago, CZCL bought land at Brockholes Farm in Tebay and is moving some of its animals there from South Lakes. Meanwhile, the dispute with the current site’s landowner ZIC continues. Westmorland and Furness Council previously said that dispute has "disrupted all attempts to continue a programme of improvements". ZIC denies allegations it interferes in the running of the zoo. Meanwhile, Ms Brewer said: "To be clear, CZCL was not in ownership of the zoo at the time of Sarah McClay's death in 2013, four years before we bought the business from David Gill, and therefore it is not appropriate for us to comment. "Since we took over in 2017, 33 independent government inspectors have visited the zoo over seven years and each have approved our standards. "The first local authority licence was issued in 2017 for one year as standard. The next licence was issued in 2018 for four years and the latest one in May 2022 for four years. "We think this speaks volumes about how we run the zoo and the high standards we set. Our priority at all times is the high quality of care for all of our animals." Ms McClay's mother, Fiona, remains shocked at the continuing story of the zoo where her daughter died: "I don’t understand why things are put in place, that they do risk assessments and these inspections, if they get so many chances to put mistakes right. It should have been shut down in 2017."

Additional reporting by Calum Grewar.

A picture of violence: The 24 women killed in four years

BBC Since 2020, 24 women have died violently in Northern Ireland

Since 2020, 24 women have been violently killed in Northern Ireland. Each one of them was a daughter, the majority of them mothers. They were sisters, aunts, friends and some of them were grandmothers. All but one of these women were killed by a man or it is a man who has been charged in connection with their deaths.

In each case, for the women's families and friends, the trauma of their deaths will be felt forever and be passed down to the next generation. In at least 20 of the 24 deaths, the killers - or the suspects in their killings - were well-known to the women. That figure could be higher as the relationship to some of those accused of the killings is not yet known. The cases are still going through the legal process. Those that have been accused or convicted of the killings include husbands, partners, ex-partners, brothers, sons, a friend and a grandson.

Killed in their own homes

At least 18 of the 24 women were attacked or killed in their own homes. Another, Katie Brankin, was killed while on a glamping holiday. The exact details of the properties where some of the women died have not yet been confirmed. The women who have been killed ranged in age from their 20s to their 80s. The youngest was Patrycja Wryebek, who was 20. Elizabeth Dobbin was 82 when she was killed in her Larne home. At least 18 of the women were mothers. Another, Natalie McNally, was pregnant when she was killed. In four cases, the women’s children were present at the properties where they were attacked. Each of these women have left behind heartbroken families. Families who want their loved one remembered for the lives they had and not their violent deaths.

Betty Dobbin was known to her great granddaughter as “Great Dobbin”, a term of affection which her family said showed her importance within the entire family circle. One week after the first coronavirus lockdown came into force, the 82-year-old’s body was discovered at her home in Larne. She had been strangled before being subjected to a "serious blunt force assault”. Mrs Dobbin was killed by her 32-year-old grandson who shared a house with her. In a police confession Alan Gingles described "seeing zombies" with his grandmother. He pleaded not guilty to murder. After medical evidence was put before the court, he was re-arraigned and pleaded guilty to manslaughter by means of diminished responsibility. He was handed down an indeterminate prison sentence with a minimum tariff of five years.

Natasha Melendez’s mother said of her daughter: “You wanted to love and be loved deeply and you loved your children with all of your heart.” Ms Melendez was a mother-of-four living in Lisburn. She was originally from Venezuela. She was attacked in her home by her partner on 22 March 2020 and died 10 days later in hospital. Thirty-five-year-old John David Scott pleaded guilty to her murder and to three prior physical attacks. He was handed a life sentence.

Emma Jane McParland was at home on the Ormeau Road in Belfast with two friends when her son attacked her. Jordan Kennedy stabbed her five times with a kitchen knife. Her friends tried to help her but she was pronounced dead a short time later. Described in court as “an important and much loved figure” she had tried to get help for her son who had “complex needs”. Kennedy, who was 21 at the time, admitted murdering his mother. He told police he believed she was in a relationship with one or more of his friends. Kennedy was sentenced to a minimum of 14 years in prison.

Patrycja Wyrebek was strangled and beaten to death by her partner in her Newry home. The 20-year-old was the eldest of five. Her family had moved from Poland to Northern Ireland when she was a young child. They said they were overwhelmed by grief: "Our children are the only thing that gives us something to live for. Our hearts are broken and we will never be the same again”. Ms Wyrebek had moved in with David Lukasz Mietus eight months before her murder. Mietus was arrested near their home holding a knife to his throat. He pleaded guilty to murder and was sentenced to at least 20 years in prison. Ms Wyrebek had previously reported Mietus to the police for domestic violence.

Katie Simpson was a talented showjumper, being with horses was her “happy place”. One of six children, she was a much loved daughter, sister, granddaughter and a devoted aunt. Her sister Rebecca said her defining memory of Ms Simpson was the joy that shone from her as she rode her ponies. "She was a joy, a light, absolutely fearless - she could walk into any room and she'd have the best time," Rebecca said. In August 2020, Ms Simpson was beaten and strangled to death. Jonathan Creswell, who was in a relationship with one of Katie’s sisters, initially told police she had tried to take her own life. She died in hospital six days later. Creswell was later charged with her murder. He was found dead at his home on the second day of his trial in April 2024.

Susan Baird was described as a “much-loved sister and mother”. One of her children wrote: “On 16 August 2020 my dad killed my mum. This will never get any easier to say for me. "I struggle to write it, never mind say it aloud and I still find it extremely hard to believe this is our reality.” Mrs Baird's body was found slumped on a sofa in their home. She had been beaten to death with a hammer. Her husband of nearly 40 years called the police and told them he had killed his wife. Gary Baird pleaded guilty to manslaughter by means of diminished responsibility and was handed a seven year sentence. During the trial it was heard that Baird called his GP more than 500 times for help, none of his calls were answered.

Karen McClean was killed in her home in March 2021 as part of a double killing. The body of her son’s girlfriend was later found in a house nearby . At the time, the police commented that the deaths of the two women in County Antrim had "left children facing a lifetime without their mums". Ms McClean was found dead in her Newtownabbey home. She had been stabbed. Police believe she was murdered by her son, Ken Flanagan. She left behind a daughter.

Flanagan went on to kill Stacy Knell and then take his own life. Her family described "a huge void" being left in their lives following her death. They said the loss of Ms Knell had caused “unimaginable pain" but their priority was to care for her daughter. Ms Knell’s friends raised thousands of pounds to help pay for the funeral costs.

“A quiet lady who kept to herself," Ludmila Poletelova worked in a local wine bar in Limavady and had a small group of friends. She came to Northern Ireland in 2009 and after getting settled she helped fellow Latvians and eastern Europeans who were struggling. Ms Poletelova was killed in her Limavady home by her friend Svetlana Svedova. She hit her more than 50 times with a claw hammer. Svedova was jailed for at least 16 years after pleading guilty to murder. Ms Poletelova had two sons whom she was close to and spoke to regularly. One of her sons said his mother’s murder had had a "devastating impact" on the family. The local community raised thousands of pounds towards the cost of repatriating Ms Poletelova’s remains back to Latvia.

It was the July bank holiday and Katie Brankin had gone on away for a break to a glamping site in County Londonderry with her partner and baby. An inquest into the Newtownabbey woman’s death heard that she was stabbed multiple times. She died outside their campervan. Her partner, Thomas Davidson, admitted the killing during police interviews. He died in Maghaberry prison six weeks later while on remand, charged with the murder of the mother-of-one.

"I'm just so sorry my children have seen this but I love them so much." Katrina Rainey uttered the phrase to emergency services at the scene where she was fatally injured. The mother-of-six was being helped by her children, who were placing wet towels on her burnt body when fire crews arrived. She was described by her mother as a "gentle, sincere, beautiful girl that made time for everyone". Ms Rainey was preparing to go to work when her husband, Thomas Rainey, opened her car door, threw petrol over her and set her alight. Rainey pleaded guilty to her murder and will spend at least 18 years of his life sentence in prison.

A much loved daughter, sister, sister-in-law and aunt, Caoimhe Morgan was remembered as always smiling, happy and outgoing. The mum-of-four was murdered just days before Christmas. Two of her four young children were in the house at the time, one was said to have been found “trying to comfort his mother’s lifeless body”. Ms Morgan’s mother discovered her body. She had been beaten to death with a blunt instrument. Taylor George McIlvenna had been in a relationship with Caoimhe Morgan for six years. He pleaded guilty to her murder and must spend at least 17 years in prison. He had an extensive criminal recording including prior offences of domestic violence.

Alyson Nelson had taken care of people her entire life. The 64-year-old retired nurse had cared for her mother and her husband - the father of the youngest of her four children - as he died of cancer. Following her death, 300 people attended a vigil along the seafront in the County Antrim town of Whitehead. Her family said they had taken "great comfort" from knowing "how loved mum was and still is by her friends, her family and all those who stand with us". Ms Nelson was stabbed seven times in her home by her ex-partner William Finlay, who she had met online. Finlay pleaded guilty to murder was told he must serve at least 20 years in prison. He was the first person in Northern Ireland to be convicted of murder aggravated by domestic abuse. He had previous convictions for domestic violence.

For Una Noone “family was everything”. She was the grandmother who spoiled her grandson and the woman that family went to for advice. She was found dead in bed in her Cookstown home on 19 June with her rosary beads in her hands. A preliminary post-mortem found the 77-year-old died after being strangled. Her son Barry Noone, who shared an address with her, was arrested at the scene. Noone admitted he was responsible for her death but denied murder. He later admitted the charge of manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility which was accepted by the Crown due to his mental state at the time. He is currently in custody.

A dedicated and popular class-room assistant and devoted mother to her three-year-old daughter, Hollie Thomson’s “big laugh meant that you would hear her before you saw her". At her funeral mass, the priest said: “Hollie was a young woman who touched the lives of very, very many people as evidenced by the huge crowd of people here today. "She had a beautiful and unforgettable smile that radiated so much kindness and warmth". Ms Thomson was found dead at her home off Shaws Road in Belfast. Preliminary examinations identified suffocation and a fractured neck as the possible cause of death. Her partner Christopher Morelli was charged with her murder. While on bail, his body was found at a property in Hillsborough. The death was not treated as suspicious.

Natalie McNally was known as "Nats" at home. Her brother Niall said she was the best sister and that he and his two brothers had treated her like a princess. A lover of animals, Ms McNally’s mother described her as strong, fiercely independent and hardworking and the best daughter that you could wish for. She was 15 weeks pregnant when she was killed. Ms McNally’s body was discovered in her Lurgan home shortly before Christmas 2022 - she had sustained stab wounds and compression to the neck, as well as blunt force wounds to the head. Her partner Stephen McCullagh has been charged with her murder and remains in custody with a trial date set for May.

Alesia Nazarova, a mother-of-one, was found dead following a house fire in Portadown. Her daughter was taken from the scene for treatment and is now being cared for by relatives. The local community raised thousands of pounds to help the young girl. Ms Nazarova’s brother, who she had shared the house with, pleaded not guilty to murdering his sister, attempting to murder his niece and arson. He remains in custody with a trial date set for March.

In the words of her older sister Nadine, Chloe Mitchell was “a real wee party popper”. Standing amongst a sea of flowers alongside her brother, she said “my sister will always be living while I am, because she had half of my heart and I currently have half of hers". Ms Mitchell was last seen on CCTV in the early hours 3 June in Ballymena town centre. Her remains were found eight days later in a flat in the town. Brandon Rainey, of James Street in Ballymena, pleaded not guilty to her murder and to attempting to prevent the burial of her body. He remains in custody.

In a family tribute Kat Parton was described as "a precious daughter and devoted mother who loved her son with every bone in her body". Police believe Ms Parton was attacked on 9 May, but only discovered six days later when her father went to check on her. He found his daughter’s body in the bedroom of her home in Madrid Street in Belfast. She had severe head injuries. During a vigil, one friend remembered: "We danced together and she lit up every room and was full of life.” Her partner Jamie Love, 23, is charged with her murder, the offence aggravated by domestic abuse. He remains in custody.

A retired school teacher and grandmother, Patsy Aust's focus was always her family. The congregation at her funeral service heard Ms Aust would be missed for her “kindness and love” and her “desire to keep going with deep resilience and fortitude”. Her standing in her community shone through in her death notice. "Only the best memories of you Patsy and the happiness you have brought to us all," it read. "You will never be forgotten, and we shall try to support ourselves with our memories of having you to cherish and love." Ms Aust’s body was found at a house in Bangor, County Down. Her brother Jim Moore, 85, was charged with her murder and remains in custody.

Sophie Watson, who was 57, was found dead at a property in Ashgrove Park in Magherafelt, County Londonderry. She had a number of stab wounds. Women’s Aid Northern Ireland expressed their deepest condolences to Ms Watson’s loved ones following her death. Andrzej Pajaczkowski of Ashgrove Park has been charged with her murder. He replied “not guilty” when the charge was put to him. He remains in custody.

Firefighters found the remains of Monserrat Elias. She was 66 and was originally from Spain but had been living in Londonderry. It took police some time to identify Ms Elias. They said she had suffered multiple injuries from an unspecified weapon during a "horrific attack" before a ground floor flat was set on fire. Dozens of people attended a vigil in her memory at Derry’s Guildhall Square. One of the organisers spoke of the sadness felt by many in the city. Ciaran Murray, 28, from Gortfoyle Place, has been charged with murder and arson with intent to endanger life. He remains in custody.

During a service of thanksgiving, Rachel Simpson's sister Cher described her as “full of beans, funny faces, and warm embraces”. She added: “Rachel was a cherished mother of three much-loved children. This love remains eternal.” Ms Simpson had started two successful businesses. Her body was discovered in a garage on the Castlereagh Road in Belfast. Her 21-year-old son Nathan Simpson has been charged with her murder. He remains in custody. During a court hearing, it was heard that he had been released from prison seven days before her death.