THEGAYUK

Author: News Desk

  • Torturer jailed for life for the murder of a man he hooked up with on gay dating site

    A man has been jailed for a minimum of 39 years for the murder of a man he met on a gay dating site.

    Gay dating site torturer jailed for life for the murder of a man he hooked up with

    The death of 58-year-old Peter Fasoli was originally ruled as accidental

    Footage of his torture was uncovered by his nephew

    Jason Marshall tried to hide his crime by setting fire to Mr Fasoli’s home.

    A 29-year-old man has been jailed, to serve a minimum of 39-years for the murder of a 58-year-old man he met via a gay dating website.

    Jason Marshall was found guilty on Wednesday, 9 August at the Old Bailey in London, for the murder of 58-year-old Peter Fasoli. He was also sentenced to five years’ imprisonment for arson, to run concurrently.

    Originally it was believed that Mr Fasoli had died accidentally in his own home, it wasn’t until a seven-hour video of him being tortured was discovered that his death was treated as a murder case.

    Victim Peter Fasoli was 58 when he died. He met his attacker online and invited him to his home for roleplay.

    Torturer

    The jury heard how Marshall set up a rendezvous via a gay dating site with Mr Fasoli at his Ealing home and tortured him for a prolonged period before suffocating him. He then committed arson in a bid to hide the evidence of the brutal murder and stole his victim’s credit card using it to flee by plane to Italy a few days after the murder.

    Mr Fasoli, aged 58, died on Monday, 7 January 2013, after he was brought out of his burning flat in Rubens Road, Northolt.

    His death was originally ruled as accidental.

    Police, London Ambulance Service (LAS) and London Fire Brigade (LFB) attended after being called just before 01:00hrs in the morning. The case was originally treated as non-suspicious, following an investigation led by LFB which concluded the fire was accidental, with the most likely cause a faulty light bulb.

    Images from Mr Fasoli’s home after Marshall set fire to it to hide his tracks.

    A forensic pathologist who examined Mr Fasoli’s body found no evidence of any third party involvement and the inquest held at West London Coroner’s Court on 16 August 2013 returned a verdict of accidental death.

    However, around a year later, in autumn 2014, Mr Fasoli’s nephew decided to collect the hard drive of his uncle’s computer, which was being stored on behalf of the family with other belongings that had survived the fire by a friend in Yorkshire.

    His murder was captured on webcam

    The two men, who met on a gay dating site, take part in a role play that goes terribly wrong. Mr Fasoli is killed by Marshall. Video found on the hard drive of Mr Fasoli’s computer shows the interaction between the two.

    His nephew knew his uncle had been interested in the family tree and hoped to find research preserved on the computer system. Instead, he discovered a number of videos featuring his uncle taking part in sexual activities with other men – including the horrific seven-hour film of the encounter with Marshall. Mr Fasoli had unwittingly captured his own murder on the web camera that he had on his computer in the living room.

    The film, shown to the jury in court, showed Marshall arriving kitted out with generic police accessories he had purchased on the internet, and he and Mr Fasoli chatting and then engaging in what appeared to be consensual role-playing based on an ‘interrogation’ before Marshall initiated what became a prolonged and violent domination of Mr Fasoli culminating in his murder. This included threatening him at knifepoint, and forcibly injecting him on multiple occasions. Classic FM radio station is playing throughout.

    Marshall wears gloves in the footage found on the hard drive of one of the victim’s computers. It was only discovered after his death was ruled accidential.

    The audio captures the sounds at the end of the film of Mr Fasoli shouting out to Marshall after his head has been covered and he has been pulled off the bed and out of view of the camera. Marshall remains impervious as he continues to ignore his victim’s increasing and visible distress. After Peter had stopped making any noise at all, Marshall left him lying on the floor and calmly smoked a cigarette before gathering his belongings.

    Lighting a fire to cover his tracks

    The web camera lead then appears to be pulled out and the sound can be heard of Marshall splashing a liquid around and flicking a lighter. A short time later Marshall is heard leaving the flat and the smoke alarm activates. The next morning he sent a message to Peter via the same dating site apologising for not having turned up the night before in a further attempt to cover his tracks, before using Peter’s bank card to withdraw hundreds of pounds. The day before he fled to Italy he sent further messages accusing Peter of ‘ignoring’ him.

    Later enquiries showed that Marshall had contacted and met Peter on at least one occasion in the weeks before 7 January, and had led Peter to think that on the night of the murder he would be bringing another young man along to join them for the evening.

    Once the hard drive found by Peter’s nephew and given to West Yorkshire Police was passed to the MPS, the Met’s Homicide and Major Crime Command launched its investigation into Mr Fasoli’s murder on 10 November, 2014.

    The MPS formally informed the Coroner of this development. Following enquiries, officers identified Marshall as the key suspect. Police discovered that Marshall was in prison in Italy in late 2014, having been convicted and jailed for a murder and subsequent attempted murder of two men in Rome just weeks after he fled the UK. These also took place in the context of sexual encounters.

    A European Arrest Warrant was obtained, and on Wednesday 15 February, officers travelled to Heathrow Airport to meet the flight Marshall was returning to the UK on. He was arrested and later that same day charged with the murder of Mr Fasoli.

    Detective Inspector James Stevenson, of the Homicide and Major Crime Command, said, “We are pleased the sentence handed down to Marshall for the brutal killing of Peter. This was a cold-blooded attack, during which Marshall cynically gained the trust of a vulnerable older man to get entry into his home, then subjected him to a horrific and prolonged ordeal and ruthlessly ignoring Peter’s cries for help knowing he was fighting to stay alive. Marshall then did everything he could to evade being brought to justice.

    “Anyone affected by this case can get in touch with LGBT agencies such Galop www.galop.org.uk and Camden LGBT forum www.camdenlgbtforum.org.uk who can offer confidential counselling and third-party reporting.”

     

     

  • Florida Keys and Key West set to reopen after Hurricane Irma

    After the Florida Keys were impacted by Hurricane Irma on 10 September, local government officials have announced that the island chain will reopen to visitors on Sunday, 1 October.

    Potential visitors are advised that while it is safe to travel to the Keys, recovery efforts are ongoing, especially in the Lower Keys and parts of Marathon which were hardest hit by the Category 4 storm. Not all lodging is operating on a normal basis currently and this includes RV resorts and other tourism facilities throughout the Keys. The districts of Key Largo and Key West were the least impacted, however, visitors planning to travel to the Keys in the coming months are advised to call ahead to ensure their chosen hotels1 and favourite attractions are open.

    Motorists should use extreme caution when navigating Marathon and the Lower Keys regions and stay off side roads to avoid hindering restoration activities. Bridges on the Florida Keys Overseas Highway have passed inspections and any necessary repairs have been made.

    Officials confirmed that the decision to open the Keys to visitors is based on some of the most immediate infrastructure repairs having been completed. Almost all power and water services have now been restored and mobile phone service is working well, however, the full restoration of television and internet connections is taking longer to re-establish. Throughout the Keys there are significant debris piles that are being removed by clean-up contractors.

    Monroe County Mayor George Neugent commented, “We know we have a long way to go before the Keys fully recover, but because tourism is our top economic engine and many of our residents’ livelihoods depend on it, we also know that we need to begin asking visitors to return.”

    UK travellers planning a visit to the Keys can access the island chain from this weekend through the normal gateway airports of Miami and Fort Lauderdale. International airports in Marathon and Key West have also reopened to aviation traffic and The Port of Key West is now welcoming cruise ships again.

    While some special events have been postponed or cancelled, key upcoming events include Key Largo’s Humphrey Bogart Film Festival (18-22 October) and Key West’s Fantasy Fest (20-29 October), both of which will take place as originally scheduled.

  • Why has Garrett Clayton blurred out his bulge?

    Despite being practically naked throughout King Cobra, Garrett Clayton just censored himself…

    So it’s well known that Instagram will kick you off the platform for showing too much skin – or just blur out your picture if there’s too much bum – but Garrett Clayton has gone one step further and blurred out his own bulge in a move that has a few fans puzzled… us too!

    Why Garrett why?

     

     

     

  • DVD REVIEW | Shelter

    Thwarted by his family circumstance and finding it hard to find his place in a small industrial Californian town, heartthrob Zach (Trevor Wright) is a trapped, talented artist.

    Stymied by his situation; a selfish and homophobic sister, a loveless relationship with his girlfriend and a father who is next to useless. With Art College and a new life calling him, Zach finds himself suffocated by his life with a hopeless acceptance. However, things begin to change when Shaun (Brad Rowe), Zach’s best friend’s brother returns to town. Life begins to click into place when a drunken night together shows Zach a new existence. One that offers a life unlimited.

    As the relationship develops between the two would-be lovers, the reality of his new secret life mounts pressure on his daily existence. Zach is torn between the release of who he wants to be and the pressures of his real life. Zach has become a surrogate father to his sister’s five-year-old son, the adorable Cody (Jackson Wurth) in-between his shifts flipping burgers. His small town, wrong side of the tracks existence and expectations battle directly with the possibilities that lay ahead with Shaun, Art College and escaping from his humble beginnings.

    What makes Shelter a wholly charming film to watch is its warmth and honesty. Its tentative steps and its revealing of Zach’s new potential is stunning. You know where you are with Shelter and you know where you’re going and clichés aside, it’s a magnificent film for many reasons. It’s a hazy, sweet, Gaussian, Californian coming out story. Filmed with a sensitivity that’s not often found in gay cinema. The sex scenes aren’t graphic, but leave enough to the imagination. It’s everything you wish your vanilla first time with a man might be. Its lack of reference to the gay scene or to gay culture makes it a film that can be enjoyed by most audiences, who appreciate a good romance. Filled with instamatic – esque shots of the Californian shoreline, crashing waves mix well with a thoughtful and provocative soundtrack.

    The camera does linger on Trevor Wright and he deserves the attention. Acting with an introspective knowing, Wright leads the story through and along with Brad Rowe gives great screen. Their chemistry is undeniable, their potential promising. It is an entirely shameful that Wright hasn’t garnered more film success because he is a riveting actor to behold.

    Shelter never fails to deliver what you’d expect from a coming out story, perhaps a little less complicated than real life situations, but definitely a film I’d revisit.

    Perfect if you like: Rainbows, Hollister and Hollywood endings.

    Dreadful if you like: Slings, fisting and earthy dramas.

    Buy on Amazon

  • Who is Anne Marie Waters the UKIP leadership hopeful?

    Annie Marie Waters is in a battle to become the next leader of the UK Independence Party.

    Who is Anne Marie Waters the UKIP leadership hopeful?

    Annie Marie Waters is a contender for the next leader of UKIP. She’s been campaigning on an anti-Sharia law stance and was involved in Bristol’s recent, Gays Against Sharia demonstration. She’s currently bookies favourite to win the leadership contest. Her personal website lacks any manifesto or vision should she win the leadership.

    Anne Marie is the director of Sharia Watch UK a watchdog which says its “particularly concerned with the elements of sharia law which are discriminatory and violent towards women and girls, and which endanger and threaten the democratic principle of freedom of speech”. She also called Islam “evil”

    She also, along with former English Defence League leader Tommy Robinson, launched an organisation called Pegida UK which “protests against mass immigration and the Islamisation of the west”.

    Annie Marie was born in Dublin in Ireland but describes herself as “passionately, loyally, resolutely and proudly British.” She studied journalism at Nottingham Trent University and graduated in 2003. She also gained a Law degree whilst she was working for the NHS as a secretary.

    She describes herself as an LGBT activist and also served as a director of the National Secular Society.

    Originally a Labour supporter.

    Anne Marie started her political life supporting Labour, however, she left the party in 2013 saying that it was “betraying” the UK with its refusal to oppose Islam. She twice unsuccessfully attempted to become a Labour Party MP candidate.

    Marriage?

    Annie Marie is in a civil partnership with her wife.

    The right and not right

    Annie Marie recently engaged with defamation solicitors to seek a legal position on news outlets which referred to people as “far-right”, “fascist” or “racist” because they were engaged in conversation or negatively spoke out against Islam. She suggested that those who do speak out were frequently the subject of smears.

  • 7 things you probably didn’t know about Aston Merrygold

    7 things you probably didn’t know about Aston Merrygold

    He’s currently starring in BBC’s Strictly Come Dancing. Here’s 7 thing you didn’t know about former JLS singer, Aston Merrygold.

    Is Aston Merrygold Gay?

    Is Aston Merrygold gay?

    Despite the rumours you might read in the forums of several websites, Aston Merrygold does not identify as gay or bisexual. Or publicly spoken about his sexuality. In fact, he and his fellow former bandmates from JSL went as far as to say that the gay rumours don’t bother them at all. Ashton said,  “Anyone in a boyband from Take That to Boyzone to Westlife, they’ll tell you… it happens to them all. Back in the day you’d read stuff and it was like, ‘This one’s gay, this one’s this ‘n’ that’… It’s a bit, like, change the record. It’s all a bit boring.

    In fact, he and his fellow former bandmates from JSL went as far as to say that the gay rumours don’t bother them at all. Ashton said,  “Anyone in a boyband from Take That to Boyzone to Westlife, they’ll tell you… it happens to them all. Back in the day you’d read stuff and it was like, ‘This one’s gay, this one’s this ‘n’ that’… It’s a bit, like, change the record. It’s all a bit boring.

    “If it was one of us, one of our friends who was gay, it just wouldn’t matter.”

    His rumoured net worth is staggering

    According to sources, Aston Merrygold is worth a staggering £6 million, mainly from his career with JLS – making him one of the most successful X Factor acts to come through the show – although he and JLS were nowhere near as successful as the One Direction lads whose combined net worth is said to be in excess of $150 million.

    How well did Aston do on X Factor?

    Aston and his JSL bandmates actually came 2nd in the 2008 X Factor, losing out to Alexandra Burke. However, the band’s failure to win didn’t stop their success in the charts selling millions of records after the show ended. The four albums that they released all made it into the top 5, with four of them reaching at least platinum sales (300,000 units)  in the UK. They also had five number one singles in the UK charts.

     

    Was X Factor his first brush with fame?

    Nope, in fact in 2002 Ashton appeared on Stars In Their Eyes doing an impersonation of Michael Jackson – and then in 2004, he starred in the ITV children’s show Fun Song Factory. He played the character of Cookie.

     

    Where was Aston Merrygold born and raised?

    Aston was born in 1988 in Cambridgeshire, England, making him 29 in 2017. He attended Jack Hunt School in Peterborough.

     

     

    Is Aston Merrygold married?

    No, as of 2017 Aston is not married.

     

    How tall is Aston Merrygold?

    Ashton is 5 foot 5 inches

     

  • I can still get an Uber even though it’s been banned?

    Even though TfL has decided to revoke Uber’s license in London, you can still use your Uber account and get a taxi.

    I can still get an Uber even though it's been banned?

    Transport for London (TfL) has informed US tech firm Uber that it will not issue it a private hire operator licence after the expiry of its current licence on 30 September. TfL cited the company’s policy on reporting criminal offences, hiring policies and tech software which could bar regulatory organisations for gaining full access to its technology as some of its reasons.

    Can I still order a taxi on Uber?

    Uber has 21 days to appeal and those appeals could see the battle for Uber on London’s street rage for years into the future. Tfl also noted that Uber had the right to appeal the decision and that it could continue to operate ” until any appeal processes have been exhausted”.

    So technically Uber can still continue to offer cars to its customers as Tfl has stated that it can continue to operate whilst any appeals process goes on.

    Uber has confirmed it will appeal the decision.

    40,000 Unemployed drivers in London?

    The blow to Uber could potentially mean the loss of tens of thousands of jobs across London as well affecting over 3.5 million passengers who use the service. The company has around 40,000 drivers in London – but they aren’t considered employees of the company, but self-employed.

    Mayor of London Sadiq Khan said in a statement, “I fully support TfL’s decision – it would be wrong if TfL continued to license Uber if there is any way that this could pose a threat to Londoners’ safety and security.”

    In a statement, Uber said, “far from being open, London is closed to innovative companies”.

    Why did the TFL ban Uber?

    In making its decision to effectively ban Uber TfL said,

    TfL has concluded that Uber London Limited is not fit and proper to hold a private hire operator licence.

    TfL considers that Uber’s approach and conduct demonstrate a lack of corporate responsibility in relation to a number of issues which have potential public safety and security implications. These include:

    • Its approach to reporting serious criminal offences.
    • Its approach to how medical certificates are obtained.
    • Its approach to how Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) checks are obtained.
    • Its approach to explaining the use of Greyball in London – software that could be used to block regulatory bodies from gaining full access to the app and prevent officials from undertaking regulatory or law enforcement duties.

  • London Mayor Sadiq Khan backs Uber’s ban

    Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan has backed Transport for London’s decision not to renew Uber’s operating license suggesting Uber did not “play by the rules”.

    In a statement regarding TfL’s decision Mayor Sadiq Khan said,

    “I want London to be at the forefront of innovation and new technology and to be a natural home for exciting new companies that help Londoners by providing a better and more affordable service.

    However, all companies in London must play by the rules and adhere to the high standards we expect – particularly when it comes to the safety of customers. Providing an innovative service must not be at the expense of customer safety and security.

    “I fully support TfL’s decision – it would be wrong if TfL continued to license Uber if there is any way that this could pose a threat to Londoners’ safety and security.

    “Any operator of private hire services in London needs to play by the rules”.

     

    The blow to the Saudi backed Uber could potentially mean the loss of tens of thousands of jobs across London as well affecting over 3.5 million passengers who use the service.

  • Uber told it cannot operate in London anymore

    But don’t worry just yet – those Prius’s could be around for a good few years yet

    Uber banned from operating in London

    Transport for London (TfL) has informed US tech firm Uber that it will not issue it a private hire operator licence after the expiry of its current licence on 30 September. TfL cited the company’s policy on reporting criminal offences, hiring policies and tech software which could bar regulatory organisations for gaining full access to its technology as some of its reasons.

    The blow to Uber could potentially mean the loss of tens of thousands of jobs across London as well affecting over 3.5 million passengers who use the service.

    Mayor of London Sadiq Khan said in a statement, “I fully support TfL’s decision – it would be wrong if TfL continued to license Uber if there is any way that this could pose a threat to Londoners’ safety and security.”

    In a statement, Uber said, “far from being open, London is closed to innovative companies”.

    Why did the TFL ban Uber?

    In making its decision to effectively ban Uber TfL said,

    TfL has concluded that Uber London Limited is not fit and proper to hold a private hire operator licence.

    TfL considers that Uber’s approach and conduct demonstrate a lack of corporate responsibility in relation to a number of issues which have potential public safety and security implications. These include:

    • Its approach to reporting serious criminal offences.
    • Its approach to how medical certificates are obtained.
    • Its approach to how Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) checks are obtained.
    • Its approach to explaining the use of Greyball in London – software that could be used to block regulatory bodies from gaining full access to the app and prevent officials from undertaking regulatory or law enforcement duties.

    Gone from London’s streets?

    Uber has 21 days to appeal and those appeals could see the battle for Uber on London’s street rage for years into the future. Tfl also noted that Uber had the right to appeal the decision and that it could continue to operate ” until any appeal processes have been exhausted”.

  • Police are searching for a man after a serious assault inside a gay bar in Newcastle

    Police in Newcastle are investigating a serious assault inside a Newcastle gay bar.

    Police are search for a man after a serious assault inside a gay bar in Newcastle

    At around 2:30 AM on Wednesday 13th September, a man was assaulted as he prepared to leave the Eazy Street bar in Newcastle’s city centre. The victim was celebrating his 33rd birthday when the attack happened.

    The man was seen being punched in the face. He suffered a suspected fractured eye-socket and was transported to a local hospital for treatment.

    The victim was celebrating his 33rd birthday in the popular drag and entertainment bar in Newcastle. He was allegedly approached by a man and assaulted.

    Eazy Street is a popular bar in Newcastle’s city centre and features nightly drag entertainment.

    Enquiries to identify the man responsible are ongoing and police are appealing for anyone who witnessed the assault to get in touch.

    Police have released a CCTV image of the man they wish to speak to in connection with the assault. He was in the bar at the time assist their enquiries.

    The man, or anyone who knows him, should contact police on 101 quoting log 269 13/09/17.

  • Bradley insists his new song is not about his former X Factor partner Ottavio

    Bradley Hunt has hit out at the suggestion that his debut single, Side Dish is about his former X Factor partner Ottavio.

    Bradley’s new single and video must be one of the campest, colourful singles of 2017.

    So last week, Ottavio released his debut single and this week, Bradley, who was one-half of the flamboyant duo Bratavio on the 2016 series of X Factor, has released his. But Bradley has insisted that the song is not about his former singing partner.

    This is despite a scene in his video for the song, showing Bradley shredding a picture of Ottavio – before throwing the pieces into the air.

    Whilst looking at the photo, Bradley can be heard saying, “can you stop stabbing me in the back, with that fork”.

    Bradley finds a picture of his ex- X Factor partner Ottavio in a pizza box.

    Bradley can be seen feeding the picture of his former partner in a shredder, whilst the lyrics “can you stop stabbing me in the back” are heard on the catchy track.

     

    After shredding the picture Bradley throws the pieces into the air

    Bradley’s single which was released today, has already racked up nearly 4000 views.