Guilty! Model Naomi Campbell is sentenced to six months in jail

Celebrity

Aug 1, 2015

Supermodel Naomi Campbell has been convicted of assaulting a paparazzo.

She scratched the photographer’s eye during the incident, which happened in Sicily six years ago.

The Londoner was handed down a six-month sentence by an Italian court on Friday – though it’s unlikely she’ll see the inside of a prison cell: the term has been suspended.

And according to The Telegraph, her lawyer has also vowed to appeal.

"We are appealing the ruling surrounding the 2009 incident," attorney Guido Carlo Alleva said in a brief statement.

Gaetano Di Giovanni was taking pictures of the model with her then-boyfriend, Russian billionaire Vladimir Doronin, in the Sicilian town of Lipari when Campbell hit him with her bag.

The outburst resulted in a scratch to Mr Di Giovanni's eye, causing him to seek medical treatment and take three days off work to recover from the injury.

Ms Campbell had been ordered to stand trial in Italy in 2013.

And while she reportedly reached a financial settlement with the photographer on condition that he withdraw the charges, the public prosecutor nevertheless proceeded with a conviction due to the severity of the incident.

Back in 1998, Naomi, who boasts a 30-year career in modelling, was ordered by a court to attend anger-management classes after striking her personal assistant with a mobile phone.

In 2008 she admitted attacking police at Heathrow in a row over lost luggage.

Want to take a look at Ross Gellar with mini Kardashians?

Jul 16, 2015

by Amber Saunders

While a lot of us may be too young to remember the most highly-publicised court case in American history, we now have a second chance to see the whole thing.

And just in case that doesn’t entice you, it’s going to be full of Kardashians too!

The first pictures of the actors playing the young Kardashian clan on set of American Crime Story have been released, and they look SERIOUSLY similar to our favourite family twenty years ago.

It is no secret that the Kardashian name first came to prominence in the early 1990s during the murder trial of former sports star and actor, OJ Simpson.

In this new series from Glee creators Ryan Murphy and Brad Falchuk, David Schwimmer (yes, that’s Ross Gellar) is playing Robert Kardashian – Kim, Kourtney, Khloe and Rob’s Dad.

Selma Blair is playing Kris Jenner in the show. The Cruel Intentions star actually bumped into the momager on a red carpet two months ago, and their uncanny similarities were seen in person for the first time.

Meanwhile Oscar-winning actor, Cuba Gooding Jr, is set to play the role of Mr Simpson himself and John Travolta appears as Robert Shapiro, another of Mr Simpson's defence attorneys.

With the world’s attention permanently fixated on the lives of the Kardashians, we have no doubt that this show, which is set for a 2016 release, will garner a HUGE audience.

Oscar Pistorius will be out of jail and at home by August

Relationships

Jun 8, 2015

by Amber Saunders

Oscar Pistorius will serve no more than a further 74 days in prison: according to ENCA News he is due to be released on probation by August 21 following a recommendation from South Africa's correctional services department.

Charged with the culpable homicide – manslaughter – of his 29-year-old girlfriend, Reeva Steenkamp, the Olympic athlete was jailed for five years in 2014 following a high-profile six-month trial.

Reeva died in February 2013 at Pistorius's home. She was shot several times by her boyfriend. He has always maintained that he believed at the time of her death that she was an intruder.

A state appeal against his acquittal on murder charges is already underway, but it is likely that that won't be before the courts until November. If successful, the so-called Blade Runner could be locked up for life.

Reacting to the news, Reeva's family said the athlete's ten months in prison is "simply not enough".

They added: "We have forgiven Mr Pistorius even though he took the life of our precious daughter Reeva.

"Our lives will never be the same again as live with the sadness of her death every day.

"Reeva had so much to offer this world and we were all robbed of her life when she was killed."

The statement continued: "A person found guilty of a crime must be held accountable for their actions… incarceration of ten months for taking a life is simply not enough."

Born with fibular hemimelia, both of Pistorius's legs were amputated below the knee shortly before his first birthday.

At the 2012 Olympics in London, the 28-year-old became the first athlete with both legs amputated to participate in the Olympic Games, running in the 400-metre race and the 4X400 metre relay.

Under South African law he is eligible for release under "correctional supervision" having served a sixth of his sentence. It is likely that from August he will then serve an extended period under house-arrest.

In her 30s, with two young sons… and just six months to live

May 19, 2015

by Amber Saunders

Still aged just 39, and with two young sons aged four and six, Joanna Anesti works at Maxus in Dublin, a leading media agency.

Last August, the otherwise healthy young woman began to experience seizures – which became more frequent as the weeks went by.

Concerned, she sought treatment, and shortly before Christmas, doctors made their diagnosis: advanced Glioblastoma multiforme. In short, they had discovered not one but two tumours on her brain.

And while she has since endured five months of gruelling treatment, the tumours have only expanded. More worryingly, a third growth has recently been identified.

Understandably, Joanna’s outlook does not look overly positive. Indeed, doctors have now told her that she has just six months to live.

However, she and her family believe there is still a glimmer of hope: namely an innovative surgical trial in Belgium. Desperately short on time, the DCU-graduate hopes to travel there next month – if she can raise the eye-watering six-figure sum needed to cover her medical bills.

The initial surgery to remove the tumours will run to €50,000 alone, while other associated costs will stretch to further €150,000.

And although there is currently no cure for Joanna’s condition, the influential US health watchdog, the FDA, has approved the Belgium trail.

She has so far raised €20,000 – with one anonymous donor contributing a generous €5,000 lump sum.

Joanna herself remains remarkably upbeat too. "I believe that death is not the biggest loss in life," she writes on her blog, hopeforjoanna.com. "The biggest loss is the energy that dies within us every day while we are still alive.

"I’ll keep fighting and hoping no matter what the doctors tell me. Just because I am a natural born fighter and positive believer!"

You can find out more about her cause and donate here.

Eastenders actress faces trial over incident outside Jamie’s Italian

Celebrity

Nov 27, 2014

by Amber Saunders

Barmaid Shirley Carter has had some ups and down during her time in Walford and it looks like the woman who plays her is no stranger to drama either.

Linda Henry, who joined the Eastenders cast eight years ago, is set to stand trial over accusations of racially aggravated harassment in an incident which is said to have taken place in September of this year. The actress has denied the accusation and is reportedly devastated over the upcoming trial.

The 51-year-old TV star decided not to attend her initial hearing, but has pleaded not guilty through her lawyer with a source telling The Sun newspaper: “Linda is horrified at the accusation and intends to fight it tooth and nail.”

The actress is adamant that she will clear her name and an insider has reported: “Those close to her know the truth and the type of person she is. She has never been in trouble before, has never been accused of this type of thing before and is determined to prove she is innocent of these deeply offensive claims.”

The incident apparently took place outside Jamie Oliver's Greenwich restaurant and the trial will begin in February of next year.

Simon Cowell responds to ‘gay’ claims from Tulisa’s trial!

Celebrity

Jul 21, 2014

by Amber Saunders

Simon Cowell’s representatives have released a statement, in response to the claims surrounding his sexuality at Tulisa Contostavlos’ trial last week.

Last Thursday a recording of Tulisa’s personal assistant, Gareth Varey, had suggested that Cowell was gay.

And Simon of course, did not react well to this.

Cowell’s lawyers have released a statement on his behalf about the claims.

“Simon was referred to during the trial without forewarning, resulting in widespread media coverage of untrue claims regarding his private life. In 2014 the question of whether someone is or is not gay is antiquated. (As it happens he isn’t, though if he were, he would simply have said so). However, the issue was the false suggestion made by Mr Varey that Simon – who is renowned for his honesty and candidness – had thus not been truthful in the public arena and this is what we have been obliged to clarify.”

Musician found GUILTY of nightclub assault

Celebrity

Jun 19, 2014

by Amber Saunders

Tulisa’s cousin and band mate, Dappy, has today been found guilty of an assault.

The musician, whose real name is Dino Costas Contostavlos, was fined £800 with additional charges in victim surcharge and costs adding up to over £1,000.

The incident in question occurred on February 27 in a club in Chelmsford.

When his verdict was read out, Dappy held his head in his hands while the prosecutor said: “It is no defence for anybody, celebrity or otherwise, to say ‘I lashed out because he was rude to me.'”