exeter

Trial date set for man accused of murdering inmate

A man accused of murdering a fellow prison inmate has been told his trial will take place next year.James Desborough, 39, from Cornwall appeared before Exeter Crown Court on Friday accused of murdering Steven Kempster, 65, who police said had been found dead in his cell in HMP Exeter on Monday.Mr Desborough appeared at court via video link from prison and spoke only to confirm his name.Judge James Patrick confirmed a plea and trial preparation hearing would take…

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M5 closed in both directions in Devon after crashes

M5 closed in both directions in Devon after crashes

BBCPolice have closed the M5 in both directions between J27 at Sampford Peverell to J28 in CullomptonA number of people have been seriously injured following two multi-vehicle collisions on the M5 in Devon, police have said.The motorway has been closed since Thursday evening following the crashes, which have resulted in major traffic delays. National Highways South West said the motorway was shut at about 23:00 BST in both directions between J27 at Sampford Peverell and J28 in Cullompton.Devon…

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Gary Caldwell: Exeter City boss keen to protect players from online criticism

Caldwell says he tries to protect his players from the worst of any abuse they may suffer.As a former Celtic captain and Scotland international, Caldwell says he has experienced criticism throughout his career and had the help of experienced managers to guide him."I'm fortunate that negativity fuels me," he added."I've kind of had it my whole life. I know what that negativity feels like and I know what you need to do to get through that, and that's…

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Extra police patrols for freshers’ week at Exeter university

With university courses restarting this month, police in Devon have been putting on extra patrols to help students feel safe during freshers' week - and educate them about the risks of a night out.Devon and Cornwall Police said it was also running joint patrols with Exeter City Council to monitor for suspicious activity, such as unlicensed taxis.Sector Insp Nathan Johnson said as a parent of a university student himself he wanted his daughter - and others - to…

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Top 15 ranking for the University of Exeter as it’s celebrated as one of the most sustainable in the country

Concerted action to support a ‘greener, healthier and fairer’ future has resulted in the University of Exeter being ranked inside the top 15 higher education institutions in the country and named the second most sustainable. The Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2026 – one of the most respected annual league tables in the country – has placed Exeter 14th out of 133 universities in this year’s table. The University was also named runner-up for Sustainable University…

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Carlos Mendes Gomes: Exeter City’s Bolton loanee out for for up to three months

Exeter City forward Carlos Mendes Gomes is likely to be out until Christmas with an abductor muscle injury.The 26-year-old has made just one appearance since joining the club on a deadline day loan from Bolton Wanderers - as an 80th-minute substitute in the 1-0 loss at Rotherham United 12 days ago. Mendes Gomes will have surgery on Monday on the injury which could rule him out for up to three months."It's a really big blow as he's a…

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Ex police officer jailed for stalking 20-year-old woman

A former Devon and Cornwall Police officer has been jailed for four months for stalking and accessing a database for a non-policing purpose.Kevin Davis, 41, of Seafield Road, Seaton, Devon, was sentenced at Exeter Magistrates' Court on Wednesday.The court heard Davis, who was no longer a police constable, made "unwanted contact" with the victim in messages on social media, before eventually approaching her at a gym they were both members at - making her feel vulnerable and unsafe.Davis…

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Man in court accused of murdering fellow inmate at Exeter Prison

A man has been remanded in custody accused of murdering a fellow inmate in a prison.James Desborough, 39, from Cornwall appeared before Exeter Magistrates' Court on Thursday accused of killing Steven Kempster, 65.Devon and Cornwall Police said it had received a report from Exeter Prison that Mr Kempster had been found dead in his cell at about 05:40 BST on Monday.Mr Desborough was told he must next appear at Exeter Crown Court on Friday. Source link

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Memorial trees planted at Royal Devon hospitals to honour health workers

Trigger warning: This references National Suicide Memorial Day for Health and Care Workers. We appreciate that this topic might be difficult for some colleagues, but we think it is vitally important to raise awareness. There is more information on support and training at the end of this post. A memorial tree has been planted outside the Medical School’s Research, Innovation, Learning and Development (RILD) building at the Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital (RD&E) as a way to remember…

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Specialist laboratory exploring experimental techniques to improve the resolution of analyses on the felled Sycamore Gap tree 

Specialist laboratory exploring experimental techniques to improve the resolution of analyses on the felled Sycamore Gap tree 

A university laboratory specialising in digital preservation and the digital display of historic artefacts is playing a key role in efforts to commemorate the felled Sycamore Gap tree. The Digital Humanities Lab at the University of Exeter is exploring computer vision and imaging techniques on a slice of the tree to assist Historic England in more accurately dating its age. Specialists in the team have produced an array of models of the wood’s surface and structure to make…

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Henry Slade: Exeter ready to put ‘terrible’ season behind them

After an off-field restructure began following a club-record 79-17 loss at Gloucester in late April - the lowest point in their worst season in recent memory - Exeter ended the campaign with a win over Northampton before narrow losses to Harlequins and Sale.The rejig led to long-serving coaches Ali Hepher and Rob Hunter losing their jobs as Dave Walder came in as backs coach and director of rugby Rob Baxter took a more hands-on role with the side."Dave's…

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Oil rig study reveals vital role of tiny hoverflies

A study of migratory hoverflies on a North Sea oil rig has revealed their vital role as long-distance pollen transporters.    Researchers studied 121 marmalade hoverflies that landed on an oil rig in the Britannia oil field, 200km off the coast of Scotland. Pollen was found on 92% of the hoverflies and – with no vegetation on the rig, and no land nearby – this shows they can transport pollen over great distances, potentially linking plant populations that…

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