THEGAYUK

Tag: Wigan News

Get the latest LGBT+ Wigan News from THEGAYUK. Breaking news, features and interviews from the gay community in Wigan.

  • Here are the prides that are happening this weekend: 10-11th August 2024

    At least seven prides are happening this weekend. Find out where your closest one is and how you can attend.

    According to The Pride Shop, seven prides are happening this weekend and span the UK and Ireland. According to the list, prides is happening in Doncaster, Margate, Swindon & Wiltshire, Wigan and Wakefield. There are even two in Ireland, Sligo and Galway.

    7th – 11th August 2024Sligo Pride 2024
    10th August 2024Doncaster Pride 2024
    10th August 2024Galway Pride 2024
    10th August 2024Margate Pride 2024
    10th August 2024Swindon & Wiltshire Pride 2024
    10th August 2024Wigan Pride 2024
    11th August 2024Wakefield Pride 2024

    What’s the weather like for Pride this weekend? The UK is looking to have great weather from the weekend. Check the BBC for the latest forecast: Doncaster Galway Margate Swindon, Wakefield, Wigan.

    Is pride free to attend?

    Most prides in the UK are free events to attend and if the pride has a parade or a march is free to watch and take part from the sidelines, however, if you’re looking to take part in a parade some prides require you to register to march within the parade.

    Why is the Pride in the UK?

    Pride and Pride month stemmed from the US, and has been adopted more widely across the world, but in reality, there are many Pride months across the globe. For instance, Sydney Mardi Gras, Australia’s biggest pride takes place in February (although they do have a Pride festival in June) and here in the UK, there isn’t such thing as one month for Pride. No, the UK is quite unusual in that Pride events are spread out across most of the year.

    In the US most prides happen in the month of June to coincide with the anniversary of the 1969 Stonewall Riots, in the UK however things are a little more spread out with more and more county, city and town prides becoming available.

    There are over 180 pride events in the UK alone and they start in Feb with the last (outside Winter Pride) in September. So Pride month in the UK is better described as Pride Half Year!

  • Woman jailed for the murder of her girlfriend

    A woman in Wigan has been jailed for the murder of her girlfriend, following a campaign of domestic abuse.

    Becky Reid (7/11/84) of Hayward Road, Atherton was found guilty of the murder of Lyndsey Vaux, and section 18 assault relating to another woman, aged 37, after a trial at Manchester Crown Court, Crown Square.

    Reid received a life sentence for the murder of her former partner Lyndsey Vaux, 30, a mother-of-one, and will serve a minimum of 20 years.

    On Sunday 22 May 2016, Lyndsey Vaux from Platt Bridge was taken to hospital in suspected cardiac arrest, where she sadly died later that morning.

    A Home Office post-mortem found that Lyndsey had died from multiple injuries and police launched an investigation into her death.

    Campaign of Domestic Abuse

    During the trial, the court heard how in 2014 Lyndsey lived with Becky Reid on Sydney Street in Platt Bridge. Over a number of years, Lyndsey was attacked and abused by Reid, with neighbours seeing her around the area with many different injuries including black eyes, cuts to the lip, a cauliflower ear, bruising to the face and body, and a heavy limp.

    Specific attacks were also seen with the court hearing how neighbours witnessed Becky Reid attacking Lyndsey in the street more than once.

    On one occasion, Lyndsey tried to walk away, but Becky punched her in the face, and she fell to the floor, pleading with her to stop. Becky continued to attack her and stamped on her face and body, whilst Lyndsey lay in the road.

    On another occasion, Lyndsey was stood in front of her house and Becky Reid was stood in the doorway. She attacked Lyndsey, punching and kicking her as she lay on the pavement, before dragging her into the house.

    The court also heard how mother and daughter, Gillian and Becky Reid also attacked another woman in 2008 causing her facial fractures.

    Senior Investigating Officer Bob Tonge of GMP’s Major Incident Support Unit said, “Lyndsey Vaux was subjected to years of horrific domestic abuse at the hands of her girlfriend, and no decision made here today can bring her back.

    “Some neighbours knew about this abuse and did nothing. Had they given us the information that they gave us after Lyndsey’s murder then we could have saved her life, and this should act as a stark reminder that we all have a responsibility to stand up to this kind of crime.

    “We’re working extremely hard to tackle domestic abuse in the LGBT community, having introduced a specific recording method to track it and taking our frontline officers through training on how best to support victims, but we do need the public’s help to continue to tackle domestic abuse in all of our communities.

    “My thoughts are with Lyndsey’s family at this difficult time, and I hope this sentence goes some way to finding them justice.”

    Help for Domestic Abuse victims

    Lydnsey was a victim of Reid’s “campaign of domestic abuse” she tragically died after being admitted to hospital following one attack.

    Victims in the LGBT community, and those worried about member of the LGBT community, can call Galop on 0800 999 5428.

    Female victims, and those worried about women, can call the Greater Manchester Domestic Abuse Helpline on 0161 636 7525. Male victims, and those worried about men, can call The Mens Adviceline on 0808 801 0327 or can visit www.mensadviceline.org.uk.

    Greater Manchester’s multi-agency response to same-sex DA, has also invested in a specialist LGBT Independent Domestic Violence Advisor, who works from Independent choices.

    There is lots of information for victims, offenders, loved ones and practitioners on the end the fear website at www.sittingrightwithyou.co.uk.

     

    Reporting: Greater Manchester Police

  • Man Arrested For Having Sex With Postbox In Middle Of Shopping Arcade

    A drunken man who was aroused by a Royal Mail Postbox so much so, that he approached it with his trousers down and started to rub himself against it has been found guilty of sexual offences and has been made to sign the Sex Offenders’ Register.

    Paul Bennett, 45, was arrested and charged after he started to rub himself against a mailbox in front of horrified on-lookers at Scholes Precinct in Wigan, Greater Manchester. Alarmed witnesses called the police after the man exposed himself and began shouting “wow”. After finishing the act, witnesses say that he then started swinging on a lamppost.

    The court heard that the man began shouting abuse and became agitated as he was pulled away from the postbox by police officers. He pleased guilty to two counts of indecent exposure and using threatening and abusive words with abusive behaviour at Wigan and Leigh Magistrates Court, the Manchester Evening News reported.

    A witness who saw the scene has been said to be disgusted, Katie Beattie, prosecuting, said: “The victim was disgusted and alarmed by his behaviour. She rang the police.”

    Bennett, who was defended by Martin Jones said, “The lady watched for sometime and was ashamed, disgusted and upset and my client accepts that. Clearly there are issues that need to be addressed.”

    He was ordered to pay £50 compensation to a victim who witnessed the scene and £150 in court costs. He was also made to pay £60 in victim surcharges and had to sign the Sex Offenders’ Register.