Leeds

A TRAGIC three-year-old girl has been pictured after her mum was charged with murder.

Hope McGrath was discovered by police at home in Leeds, West Yorkshire, following a concern for welfare report.

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Tragically the youngster could not be saved and was declared dead at the scene on July 30.

Her mum Pippa McGrath today appeared at Leeds Crown Court charged with murder.

The 47-year-old spoke only to confirm her name, date of birth and address during the hearing.

Recorder of Leeds Guy Kearl KC said:”A post mortem on Hope has not taken place. It is to take place tomorrow.

“The heart of the issue will be a toxicology report.”

The court heard psychiatric reports would be prepared to establish McGrath’s fitness to plead.

A provisional trial date was set for February 24, with a further hearing set to take place on September 3.

McGrath is accused of murdering her daughter between July 26 and July 30.

McGrath, was understood to have moved with Hope to Austhorpe Close, in Leeds, just weeks before the tragedy.

Neighbours suggested that the youngster had suffered with a disability and required the use of a wheelchair, but was often heard playing in her back garden.

McGrath was taken to hospital before later being remanded into custody on suspicion of murder.

West Yorkshire Police previously said it was treating Hope’s death as an “isolated incident”.

Detective Chief Inspector Stacey Atkinson, of West Yorkshire Police’s Homicide and Major Enquiry Team, said: “We are continuing to investigate the circumstances surrounding Hope’s death.  

“A photograph of the three-year-old has been released by her family. I would ask that people respect their privacy at this extremely difficult time.”  

Leeds United have signed Germany midfielder Anton Stach from Hoffenheim in a deal worth £17m.

The 26-year-old, who has two international caps, has joined on a four-year contract.

Stach becomes the sixth summer signing for Leeds, who were promoted to the Premier League after winning the Championship last season.

He follows Sebastiaan Bornauw, Jaka Bijol, Gabriel Gudmundsson, Lukas Nmecha and Sean Longstaff in joining manager Daniel Farke’s squad for the 2025-26 campaign.

“I am excited to join such a good team, such a good Premier League team, and I am looking forward to the next season,” said Stach, who is 6ft 4in.

“My style of play, I would say I am an aggressive player. I am good in duels. I am good at anticipating passes from the opponents and it would be good for the Premier League. Now we will see, I will try my best.”

Leeds: Miller, Hall, Newman, Handley, Edgell, Croft, Connor, Jenkins, O’Connor, Palasia, Bentley, McDonnell, Watkins.

Interchanges: Ackers, Lisone, Smith, Cassell.

Salford: Murphy, Ryan, D. Russell, Hankinson, Connell, Brierley, O. Russell, Ormondroyd, Mellor, C. Hill, Foster, Whitehead, Shorrocks.

Interchanges: Morgan, Wilson, Glover, Chan.

Referee: Liam Rush.

Cara, who runs The Magic Geekdom channel, said she was “blown away” after her first ever visit to Leeds and she believes the Yorkshire city is extremely overlooked by outsiders

An American YouTuber has been left utterly enchanted by one UK city and labelled it a “hidden gem” after visiting for the first time. Cara, the face behind The Magic Geekdom channel, couldn’t contain her excitement when she arrived in Leeds.

She explained: “This was my very first time in Leeds and it completely blew me away! I didn’t know much about the city going in, but after a full day exploring its stunning arcades, fascinating museums, delicious food spots, and lively streets, I can honestly say Leeds is one of the most overlooked cities I’ve visited so far in the UK.

“From beautiful architecture to incredible markets and independent shops, this city has so much to offer.”

In her video, Cara expressed surprise at the aesthetic appeal of Leeds, telling viewers: “I don’t know why, I wasn’t expecting this much gorgeousness in the buildings around here but there is a lot of pretty things to look at here.”

Highlighting Leeds City Museum as a prime example of the city’s allure, she mentioned that before visiting, she sought recommendations, with the Royal Armouries Museum topping the list.

After exploring the free-to-enter museum, Cara concluded with admiration: “What a great museum, something that I was not expecting to love but then ended up being very fascinated by many different aspects of the museum.”

Instead of solely delving into arms and military history, she spiced up her day with a jaunt on a boat and savoured a pint at Whitelock’s Ale House in Leeds, the city’s oldest pub.

Eager to soak up local Yorkshire flavour, she opted for a crisp pint of Kirkstall Pale Ale. Her adventure continued through the city’s arcades, where she eagerly anticipated Queen’s Arcade but found it her “least favourite” due to its less impressive appearance compared to Thornton’s Arcade.

She found County Arcade to be “much more opulent” than the rest, describing it as “beautiful and very posh” yet her preference leaned towards the more understated.

During her exploration, she offered a unique take: “Here is an observation I’ve made here that I’ve never made anywhere else.

“I think in most places, buskers have mapped out times or areas and I think here in Leeds it is just a free for all because there are people everywhere doing all kinds of things with microphones and it is kind of hard to hear any of them at any given time.

“But I think that adds to the experience a little bit.”

The video, available for viewing here, prompted one viewer to comment: “As a Manchester lad that has lived in Leeds for 14 years I can say it is different, it has it’s own vibe. It’s full of amazing people. And a place I am proud to call home.”

Replying, Cara said: “It definitely has a vibe.”

Another person said: “Lived in Leeds all my life. You’ve shown off the city beautifully.”

A third added: “My son went to Leeds uni for three years, i love this city and he loves it so much he’s moving back to Leeds this September to work. There is so much there plus its close enough to the Yorkshire dales and Cumbria which is even better!”

St Helens took full advantage of a sloppy Leeds Rhinos performance to claim a deserved Super League victory.

Kyle Feldt kicked two penalty goals for the home side in the opening 25 minutes before Deon Cross extended Saints’ advantage by darting over for the game’s first try on the stroke of half-time.

Leeds improved after the break and brought themselves back into the contest when Riley Lumb went over in the corner for his 10th try of the season.

However, a string of handling errors in stifling heat limited the Rhinos’ momentum, and tries from Owen Dagnall and Tristan Sailor guaranteed the points for an injury-hit Saints side.

Leeds stay third in the table on 20 points after their first defeat in six, while St Helens are fifth, two points behind.

Rhinos won 17-4 when the sides met last month, but they were below par from the off in Lancashire.

Feldt’s two penalty goals came after Harry Newman committed a high tackle and James Bentley strayed offside, and those infringements were reflective of an error-strewn first period from Brad Arthur’s side.

Leeds’ one real opportunity in the first half came via a Ryan Hall interception, but the veteran winger was halted by a superb tackle by player-of-the-match Harry Robertson.

And when Leeds coughed up possession in their own 20 not long after, Sailor released Cross, whose clever show-and-go deceived Hall and provided a clear path to the line.

Half-time offered much-needed respite for Rhinos, who came out with more intensity at the start of the second half.

They came back into the contest after a magnificent Lachie Miller break – the Australian full-back evading several tackles before moving the ball out wide, where Lumb dotted down.

Jarrod O’Connor went close for Leeds with a darting effort, and as the game opened up, the momentum swung back and forth before St Helens delivered a telling blow.

Off the back of a scrum, deft hands from Jonny Lomax and Sailor put Dagnall into space. He stepped off his left foot to score his second try in two starts and Feldt converted to make it a 10-point lead.

Leeds – who completed just 69% of their sets and made 16 errors – never truly looked like bridging that gap.

Sailor made sure for Saints when he burst through a gap in the final stages to make it 18-4.

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‘At risk of avoidable harm’

MARTIN MCQUADE / BBC

AN urgent manhunt has been launched after a lag escaped from prison.

Liam Slater is reported to have absconded from HMP Hatfield in Doncaster, South Yorkshire, on Sunday – with police warning members of the public not to approach him.

The 33-year-old was last seen boarding a train to Leeds at Stainforth Station at 8.46pm.

Cops say he has links to Wetherby and Seacroft in Leeds.

They want to hear from anyone who has seen or spoken to Slater recently.

A South Yorkshire Police statement added: “If you see Slater, please do not approach him but instead call 999.

“If you have any other information about where he might be, you can contact us online or by calling 101.

“Please quote incident number 818 of 18 May 2025 when you get in touch.”

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MEL B is spotted along with two of her Spice Girl bandmates at her 50th birthday bash.

Emma Bunton and Mel C were among the guests in leopard-print outfits, in homage to Scary Spice Mel’s best-known stage get-ups.

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But Geri Horner and Victoria Beckham were not at the Leeds party on Saturday.

Insiders said Posh was away for work and Geri declined the invitation to the event.

We told last week how the Girls’ ex-manager is in talks for them to reunite as avatars, following in the steps of Abba.

An insider spilled: “Mel’s throwing a huge party in Leeds for her 50th. It’s also her fiance’s birthday today so it’s a joint celebration and will be a real family affair.

“But Geri and Posh can’t make it. Posh had a work commitment she couldn’t get out of. 

“It’s a bit awkward given the reunion excitement.”

The Sun has contacted their reps for comment.

The snub comes just days after we revealed plans for the group to reunite as Avatars, following in the footsteps of pop legends Abba.

It would see holograms of Geri, Mels B and C, Emma Bunton and Victoria playing their biggest hits.

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A “CRUEL” Royal Mail postie has been caught on camera KICKING a customer’s “attention-loving” puppy in the face.

Nikki Walker, 49, was working from home last month when cockapoo Bella heard the garden gate open and jumped out of a ground floor window.

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Moments later Nicki heard the one-year-old pup yelp in pain and rushed to the front door to question a Royal Mail postman who had just delivered some letters.

She says the rude worker denied kicking Bella and told her to “do what the f**k she wants” when she threatened to check her doorcam footage.

Nikki was appalled to discover footage on the doorcam of the Royal Mail postie booting her pooch in the face.

The shocking video shows Bella run over to the postman who turns around and kicks the rescue dog in the face with his right boot.

Squealing, Bella is launched backwards in mid-air and runs off a couple of seconds before Nikki appears at the front door.

Nikki claims the postie told her he simply “put my leg up to stop Bella from jumping” but she believes he was lying.

The mum-of-four says she was “absolutely fuming” while reviewing the footage and has complained to Royal Mail.

She says they offered her £100 and a home visit from a staff member to apologise, but she rejected the latter as she wanted all correspondence in writing.

Nikki claims Royal Mail have since threatened to suspend deliveries to her address unless she ensures the dog is kept away from staff.

She describes Bella as a “faithful, cuddle-loving” puppy who has never bitten anyone and posted the video to Facebook where users branded the postie a “scumbag” and called for him to be sacked.

Royal Mail claim two other posties have reported Bella growling at them and insisted their “first priority as an employer is to ensure the welfare and safety” of staff.

The postman has now been removed from the round and won’t be delivering to the address on Nikki’s request.

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Nikki, from Leeds, West Yorkshire, said: “When I heard yelping I quickly ran outside the front door.

“When I asked what she’s yelping at he said he didn’t know. I asked if he’d kicked the dog and he said ‘no, I put my leg up to stop her from jumping’.

“That won’t be the case because he put his leg back and kicked. I knew he was lying to me.

“I told him I’d check the camera then he said ‘do what the f**k you want.

“Bella ran into the house, curled and cowered on the sofa and that’s not like her. I knew something had happened.

“I sat next to her to watch the video and when I did I was absolutely fuming.

“She was wagging her tail. She wasn’t aggressive or barking.

“She’s a faithful puppy. She loves cuddles, attention and she’d sit on your knee for hours.

“If he’d have done that to my last dog he’d have killed her.

“My daughter watched the video and she was absolutely mortified.”

Nikki says it will cost her around £80 to build new fencing so Royal Mail will agree to deliver to her address.

She feels the delivery giants are treating her puppy like a “dangerous” dog despite her claiming she’s never bitten anyone.

Nikki said: “They sent this via a letter, which is quite ironic. You couldn’t make it up.

“We’ve had to go out, buy some wood and build and new fence and gate so she can be secured in the back garden

“It’s as if my dog is dangerous. It’s really annoyed me. She’s not a rottweiler or a big alsatian and she’s never bit anybody.”

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Nikki’s Facebook post has more than 200 comments, shares and reactions.

The post said: “This is absolutely disgusting behaviour kicking my one-year-old puppy in the face. She’s wagging her tail.

“The yelps coming out of her are distressing so be mindful if watching, please.”

One commented: “Disgusting behaviour. Report him and push for an outcome.”

A second said: “I hope he gets sacked, he wouldn’t be kicking a rottweiler.”

A third agreed and said: “Sack the scumbag.”

However one said: “Should keep your dog under control at all times.”

Nikki hit back: “She was in her own garden not running wild in the streets. it’s the postman who was out of control.”

A Royal Mail spokesperson said: “We are aware of an incident involving one of our postmen and a dog in Leeds.

“Our first priority as an employer is to ensure the welfare and safety of our people who provide a valuable service to our customers.

The vast majority of dog owners are very responsible and keep their pets under control, However, last year, there were over 2,200 dog attacks on postmen and women in the UK – some resulting in life-changing injuries.

“We continue to appeal to dog owners to secure their pets when the postie arrives to help reduce the number of attacks, particularly at the door and in the garden.”

BBC rugby league reporter Matt Newsum:

Hot on the heels of the success of Wigan and Warrington’s venture into Sin City in 2025, Hull KR and Leeds are the latest Super League entrants to make the trip over the Atlantic for the now annual Las Vegas event in tandem with the Australian NRL.

This time, RL Commercial have been more heavily involved in the process, after Warriors CEO Kris Radlinski and then Warrington counterpart Karl Fitzpatrick set the ball rolling for this year’s event off their own backs.

Both Hull KR and Leeds, and perhaps importantly from selling the game, brands, have a strong presence. They have shown themselves to be successful off the field of late as well as on it, and should provide the type of match-up which will show Super League in its best light.

Rovers could pitch up in Las Vegas as champions and Challenge Cup winners, and this would be another memorable experience for a fanbase that has shown itself to be loyal and high in turnout at major events in recent seasons – one of the key reasons for their inclusion.

Leeds still carry a cachet to an Australian audience from their legacy of success, their links with high-profile Australians over the years, and the fanbase again, and while some of the success from the years of annual Grand Final appearances has tailed off, there is a sense the club is now heading in the right direction.

Both clubs will take some financial hit on the trip, as did their predecessors, particularly in giving up a home game for one but the hope is there are ways of making the trip pay both tangibly and metaphorically.

The aim one day is that all clubs in the Super League will get a chance to show their wares, but right now, these two clubs need to be shrewd and provide a meaningful showpiece, and there will be confidence that neither will wilt in the glare of the Nevada sun.