Harley Pearce was described as a “cherished son and devoted brother”
The son of ex-England footballer Stuart Pearce has died in a tractor crash.
Harley Pearce, 21, from Marlborough in Wiltshire, died in the crash in Gloucestershire last week, police said.
Harley’s family have issued a tribute to him saying: “Our family is truly shocked and utterly heartbroken at the loss of our cherished son and devoted brother, Harley.”
Harley’s family described him as “a golden boy with an infectious smile”.
“A soul who left an unforgettable imprint on all who knew him,” continued the tribute.
“This shocking tragedy will leave a huge hole in the hearts of those who were fortunate enough to have known him.
“With a quiet, understated strength and deep kindness, we are so proud of the young man he had become, exhibiting a wonderful work ethic and entrepreneurial spirit in the farming industry.
“He will always be our shining star. Rest in peace, our beautiful son and brother. You will never ever be forgotten.”
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Stuart Pearce is an English professional football manager and former player
Harley ran his own farming company, Harley Pearce Agricultural Services.
His father, Stuart Pearce, played more than 400 games for Nottingham Forest. He also played for Coventry, Newcastle, West Ham and Manchester City.
The former electrician won 78 international caps and later managed Forest, Manchester City and the Great Britain team at the London 2012 Olympics.
He also had a stint as England’s caretaker manager.
Broad retired from playing after the Ashes series in England in 2023, when Australia retained the urn with a 2-2 draw.
He added: “You wouldn’t be outlandish in thinking – it’s actually not an opinion, it’s a fact – it’s probably the worst Australian team since 2010 when England last won, and it’s the best English team since 2010.
“So those things match up to the fact it’s going to be a brilliant Ashes series.”
The first Test starts in Perth on 21 November and Australia’s preparations have been hit by the potential absence of skipper Cummins, who has not played since July because of lumbar bone stress in his back.
The pace bowler is still recovering from the injury and has said he is “less likely than likely” to play in the opener.
His absence would leave Australia with a bowling attack of Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood and Scott Boland, who are all in their mid-30s, with their other seamers inexperienced or untried at Test level.
The packed Ashes schedule – five Tests in seven weeks – also means both sides will be tested by injuries.
“Australia have been so consistent for a long period of time that you just knew who was going to open the batting, who was going to bat where, what bowlers there were – and they don’t have that,” said Broad.
“It’s very much a similar situation to 2010-2011 when England went and won there.
“The fact of the matter is Australia generally have to be bad to lose in Australia and England have to be very good.
“England have a great chance of being very good and Australia have a decent chance of being bad.
“I don’t think anyone could argue that it’s their weakest team since 2010… it’s just a fact.”
Stuart Compton was sentenced to life in prison for planning “brutal” sex offences against children alongside his girlfriend, Tracy Turner who was sentenced 12 years
A man has been sentenced to life imprisonment for planning “brutal” sex offences against children, alongside his hospital worker girlfriend.
Stuart Compton, 46, has been sentenced to life in prison, while Tracy Turner, 52, will face 12 years in prison plus another two on licence.
Turner, from Roath, Cardiff, who was an operating theatre assistant at University Hospital of Wales in Cardiff, previously admitted six charges of arranging the commission of child sex offences, and two charges of making indecent images of a child.
Merthyr Tydfil Crown Court heard the couple, who dubbed themselves “Bonnie and Clyde”, sent about 100,000 messages discussing the rape and abuse of three different children.
Compton, of Cathays, Cardiff, also previously admitted six charges of arranging the commission of child sex offences.
He will serve a minimum tariff of seven years before he can apply for parole.
Turner will be eligible for parole after serving two thirds of her sentence.
Warning: this story contains graphic details
Sentencing Compton to life in prison, Judge Tracey Lloyd-Clarke told him “it is clear you were the driving force in the messages” and he “did not accept seriousness” of his offending.
Addressing Compton, she said: “Unless and until the parole board considers it safe to release you, you will remain in prison.”
The court heard it took officers several weeks to go through the messages, which related to two girls and a boy under the age of 13 at the time the messages began.
Two of the children were aged eight and one was 12 when Compton and Turner began discussing them.
Wales News Service
Stuart Compton pleaded guilty to six charges of arranging the commission of child sex offences
Prosecutor Matthew Cobbe told the court there were an “extraordinary amount” of messages related to “discussing sexual depravity involving children”.
Mr Cobbe said while no contact was made with the children, the messages sent over many months showed a “clear attempt to arrange and commit sexual activities” with the children.
“Fantasy plainly turned into obsession,” Mr Cobbe said, as Compton described in messages “graphic accounts of what he wanted to do” with individual children.
The court heard that messages showed Compton was interested in children “aged one to six”.
Both Compton and Turner shook their heads as graphic details of the messages they sent to each other were read out.
Mr Cobbe said the pair exchanged messages where they discuss the possibility of going to a festival or camping, so they could “be around” families with young children.
“Turner suggests a family festival, not too expensive,” Mr Cobbe said.
In the messages, Compton described it as a great idea, commenting he would like to go to a “hippy one, where lots of drugs consumed leaving unattended girls”.
“That’s genius babe,” Compton added.
Judge Lloyd-Clarke said the messages were “not pure fantasy” and they both clearly intended to carry out brutal abuse, as they had “carefully identified” a location for one of the rapes to take place.
She added their actions had “devastated the families” of the children.
Wales News Service
Tracy Turner, an operating theatre assistant at Cardiff’s University Hospital of Wales admitted six charges of arranging the commission of child sex offences
The court heard of “brutal acts” planned for the children in specific locations including a shed and a graveyard.
Mr Cobbe told the court they discussed the “disposal” of a child if their attack had lead to a “fatal conclusion” with Compton saying he would take full responsibility if that happened.
The prosecutor told the court “what began as fantasy became obsession and an intended goal”.
One plan included drugging one of the children with a sleeping pill before abusing them.
Mr Cobbe said it was clear Compton “wanted the plan to go ahead”.
Compton would press Turner whether she wanted to be present, the court heard, and she confirmed she did, and that she wanted to be involved.
None of the offences were related to Turner’s hospital role although she was suspended from work after she was arrested.
Compton also admitted making and distributing images of child abuse by sending images to “like-minded people”.
Compton was arrested in December 2024 after a concern was raised about messages from him on a dating app.
He told police he did not have his phone with him, but Turner had given it to a pub landlord for safe keeping before asking the police what was happening.
The landlord passed the phone to police and Turner was also arrested.
The parents of the children had personal impact statements read in court.
One mother said that when she heard what the messages contained, it was “gut-wrenching and sickening. I lost my appetite and was upset and sick all the time”.
The mother said “we stopped walking to school altogether and didn’t know who we could trust”, adding “we are hesitant to allow them to socialise away from us”.
She said the thought “of what could have happened to our child by two people with monstrous sexual intent is unfathomable”.
The father of another child said: “The pain they have put me and my family through is incomprehensible. It’s harder than losing my mother.”
The mother of a third child said she was “furious”, adding she was “put in a situation where I have to lie to my child to protect her from the truth”.
“In time I hope my internal horror will diminish,” she added.
David Butt, Det Insp at South Wales Police, described the “volume and nature” of the content as the “worst of the worst”.
“Turner and Compton believe they can hide behind phone screens, but this is clearly not the case,” he added.
He said he hoped the sentencing would bring the victims families “a little comfort”, adding it was the forces “absolute priority” to protect children.
The Cardiff and Vale University Health Board said it would be “inappropriate” for them to comment on the case but confirmed Turner was dismissed from her position in March 2025.
In a statement, a spokesperson said the safety and wellbeing of patients is its “highest priority” and assured patients that the case is “entirely unconnected” with Turner’s employment at the health board.
If you have been affected by any of the issues raised in this article, there is support available through BBC Action Line.
McCloskey, whose last Ireland start came against Italy in February 2024, is expected to partner Jamie Osborne in the midfield in Saturday’s Test against Georgia.
Osborne, 23, is known as one of Ireland’s most versatile players. He can play at either inside or outside centre and started at full-back and right wing against Wales and France in this year’s Six Nations.
“Jamie’s been great. He’s the kind of guy that slips into any position fairly well,” said McCloskey.
“You can play him anywhere over the backline and he’ll do a great job. We’ve had a good combination going there the last couple of days.
“He’s physical, he’s got all the skills and everything you’d want in a rugby player. I’m sure he’ll go on and get a lot more caps under his belt over the next 10 years.”
As for himself, McCloskey wants to use the Georgia and Portugal games to stake his claim ahead of a glamorous autumn programme that includes Ireland’s rematch against the All Blacks in Chicago and a home Test against double world champions South Africa.
That means impressing O’Connell, who he played against in the old Pro12 days.
“Ulster sent down the biggest B team of all time because it was a dead rubber at the end of the season and Munster had their best team out,” McCloskey recalls of Ulster’s 19-17 win at Thomond Park in May 2014.
“I remember it very well. Michael Heaney scored a try, they were trying to get to second and we were fourth, couldn’t go up or down, it was back in the Pro12 days and we got the win, I think it was my fourth cap.”
Perhaps he mentions it to O’Connell when the towering Irish icon brings us McCloskey’s age?
“No, but I like to think he knows it. I’m trying to get picked this week!”
Former England bowler Stuart Broad will work with South Africa in the build-up to the World Test Championship final against Australia later this month.
Broad, 38, will work for one day as a consultant at training on 9 June – his first role in coaching since retiring at the end of the 2023 Ashes.
Broad took 604 wickets in 167 Tests, putting him second on England’s all-time list behind long-time team-mate James Anderson.
He took 153 of those wickets against Australia – the most by any player in Test history.
Since retiring he has worked as a TV pundit but will help South Africa prepare for the World Test Championship final begins at Lord’s on 11 June.
The Proteas begin a warm-up match against Zimbabwe at Arundel Castle Cricket Ground in Sussex on Tuesday.
Australia are defending champions, having beaten India at The Oval in 2023.
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