Whitchurch Herald

Here are some of the headlines on the Whitchurch Herald website today:

• Suspended sentences for Whitchurch shop workers fraud case , external
• Increase in reports of hate crime in West Mercia, external
• Concerns over Universal Credit in Shropshire, external

West Midlands Police is leading enquiries about messages directed at a brain-injured Watford FC fan.

Within days of Samantha Eastwood being reported missing, her sister made a tearful appeal at a press conference and described her as her "best friend and partner in crime".

Ms Eastwood had last been seen leaving work at the Royal Stoke University Hospital in July and police launched a massive search for her.

Image source, Facebook

At the time, Gemma Eastwood said her sister was "warm and generous with a great sense of humour" as she appealed for any information about her "happy, bubbly" sibling.

She added that "without her, half of me has gone."

Today, Michael Stirling, 32, the brother-in-law of Ms Eastwood's ex-fiancé John Peake, pleaded guilty to murdering her.

Managers at the hospital where murdered midwife Samantha Eastwood worked say the thoughts of staff there are with her family and friends.

The 28-year-old was last seen as she left the Royal Stoke University Hospital on the morning of 27 July and her body was found on 5 August.

This afternoon, Michael Stirling, 32, the brother-in-law of her ex-finance, pleaded guilty to her murder.

Liz Rix, chief nurse at the hospital, says she was much-loved and the hospital trust will continue to support her colleagues over the coming weeks and months, following today's news.

Samantha Eastwood was found in a shallow grave after being killed by the brother-in-law of her ex-fiancé.

Pam Caulfield
Reporter, BBC Hereford & Worcester

A former head teacher has been cleared of historical sexual abuse at an approved school for boys in Worcestershire in a trial at Birmingham Crown Court today.

The jury found David Burns, the former headmaster of St Gilbert's, not guilty of two serious sexual offences, one of indecent assault and two of child cruelty, while giving majority verdicts this afternoon.

Mr Burns, 87, of Kings Grove, Cambridge, is still facing 14 more counts of child cruelty and assault causing actual bodily harm from 1966 to 1972.

He denies all the counts facing him.

The jury have been seen home today and are due to continue their deliberations tomorrow morning.

Allen Cook
BBC News

27 July - 07:45 - Samantha Eastwood last seen alive, leaving the Royal Stoke University Hospital

27 July - about 19:20 - Colleagues become concerned when she doesn't turn up for her shift

30 July - Police launch appeal for information after her disappearance

1 August - Police release CCTV of Ms Eastwood leaving work with a female colleague, before driving off alone in her Volvo XC60

3 August - Her sister, Gemma Eastwood, makes a tearful appeal, saying her family needs her home "where she belongs"

Image source, PA

4 August - Search by police sees officers combing rural areas of Staffordshire and cordoning off parts of Caverswall village

4 August - Later the same day, detectives reveal they have found a body and arrested a 32-year-old man on suspicion of murder

8 August - Michael Stirling, 32, of Gratton Road, Stoke-on-Trent, appears at Stafford Crown Court where it's revealed Ms Eastwood was found in a shallow grave

22 October - Stirling pleads guilty to murdering the midwife after a "longstanding" affair

3 December - Stirling is due to be sentenced later this year at Stafford Crown Court

The man who today's admitted murdering midwife Samantha Eastwood, panicked after killing her and buried her in a place he knew about, a court's heard today.

At Northampton Crown Court, Ms Eastwood's mother, sister and ex-fiancé John Peake watched as Michael Stirling, 32, of Gratton Road, Stoke-on-Trent, pleaded guilty.

Image source, Samantha Eastwood

His barrister Charles Miskin told the court it was not a pre-meditated act and she died after a struggle.

He added that Stirling then tried to mislead others int he afternoon after the killing and is now "absolutely horrified about what happened".

The court heard the defendant had "never been in any sort of trouble" before killing Ms Eastwood.

Michael Stirling's guilty plea to the murder of Samantha Eastwood is positive news for her family, police say.

Image source, PA

Stirling, 32, of Gratton Road, Bucknall, will be sentenced in December at Stafford Crown Court.

Michael Stirling, the man who today admitting murdering midwife Samantha Eastwood, researched methods on how to "kill oneself", two days before the murder, a court heard.

This afternoon, the 32-year-old, of Gratton Road, Bucknall, pleaded guilty to the charge at Northampton Crown Court.

Image source, Staffordshire Police

Prosecutor Jonas Hankin QC, told the court that Stirling's searches appeared to relate to methods to kill oneself.

He added that the defendant had a "history of mental health problems" as recently as 2015.

Stirling will be sentenced in December at Stafford Crown Court.

More tests are going to be carried out, police say, , externalto try and work out exactly how Samantha Eastwood died.

Image source, Family Handout

After an eight-day search, police found her body in a shallow grave in Caverswall, Staffordshire, in August.

At a hearing at Stafford Crown Court later that month, it was revealed pathologists found no gunshot or knife wounds during initial tests on her remains.

Today, Staffordshire Police says a post-mortem examination has been carried out, but further tests have been ordered.

Allen Cook
BBC News

Samantha Eastwood was a midwife at the Royal Stoke University Hospital in Stoke-on-Trent, where colleagues described her as a "much loved and valued member" of their team.

Image source, Other

The 28-year-old was last seen at 07:45 on 27 July, but colleagues at the hospital became concerned on the evening of the same day after Ms Eastwood did not turn up for her shift.

That quickly led to a police appeal within days for information about her disappearance, with a friend at the time saying her family was going "through hell worrying about her".

Eight days later, her body was found in Caverswall in a shallow grave, with a court previously being told she was discovered wrapped in a duvet cover and with tape around her eyes and face.

Police arrested Michael Stirling, 32, of Gratton Road, Bucknall, and this afternoon he pleaded guilty to her murder.

Jennie Aitken
Reporter, BBC Radio Stoke

Michael Stirling is due to be sentenced on 3 December after admitting murdering midwife Samantha Eastwood following a "longstanding" affair.

The body of the 28-year-old was found in a shallow grave in Caverswall, Staffordshire, in August, eight days after she went missing.

Stirling, 32, the brother-in-law of her ex-fiancé John Peake, pleaded guilty to her murder earlier.

Michael Stirling's barrister, Charles Miskin QC, told the court Samantha Eastwood's murder "was not a pre-meditated act".

He said: "The context of the killing was a background of growing tension arising from a longstanding, but not particularly intense affair."

Image source, Family handout

The body of Ms Eastwood, 28, was found in a shallow grave in Caverswall, Staffordshire, in August.

He said on the afternoon of the killing, "various things were said" between the two "which led to him becoming very angry".

Mr Miskin added: "After a struggle and while she was on the floor, he put his hands over her throat, her mouth and nose, and as a result of that she died."

Mr Miskin said: "During his intense rage, he originally intended to cause her really serious bodily harm, but matters escalated and he carried out the intention to kill her."

Samantha Eastwood's body was found wrapped in a duvet and with tape around her eyes and face, Northampton Crown Court was told.

Michael Stirling, 32, pleaded guilty to the midwife's murder earlier.

Image source, Staffordshire Police

Her body was discovered in a rural area near Caverswall, Staffordshire, in August, eight days after she went missing.

Stirling, the brother-in-law of the victim's ex-fiance John Peake, appeared via video link to enter his plea as Ms Eastwood's mother and sister watched from the public gallery.

The cause of death of Ms Eastwood, who lived in Stockton Brook in Stoke-on-Trent, is still unknown.

A man has pleaded guilty to the murder of 28-year-old midwife Samantha Eastwood.

Michael Stirling, of Gratton Road, Bucknall, Staffordshire, is the brother-in-law of Ms Eastwood's ex-fiancé John Peake.

Stirling, 32, appeared at Northampton Crown Court earlier today.

Image source, Samantha Eastwood

The body of Ms Eastwood was discovered in rural ground near Caverswall, Staffordshire, eight days after she was reported missing.

Image source, PA

BBC Hereford and Worcester

More than 4,500 poppies have gone on display in Bromyard, but these are poppies with a difference, as they've been hand-crafted from plastic bottles.

They have been planted along either side of the A44 by members of the Royal British Legion, ahead of the centenary of the end of World War One on 11 November.

A pedestrian has suffered potentially life-threatening injuries after being hit by a car.

West Midlands Ambulance Service said it happened on Chester Road in the Castle Vale area of Birmingham just before 09:10 this morning.

A spokesman for the service said: "On arrival, ambulance staff found a woman who had suffered very serious injuries.

"She was treated on scene by ambulance staff and the doctor before being taken on blue lights to the major trauma centre at Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham by land ambulance."

The woman driving the car was shaken, but wasn’t injured.

Coventry Live

Coventry Live is looking at these stories today:

• Car park causes chaos on ring road, external
• Pictures from the night 'kiddie' Ikon opened in Coventry, external
• Police update on Nuneaton 'attempted murder' shooting, external

We told you earlier about a fatal crash in Wellesbourne.

A car hit a tree at about 22:35 yesterday on Newbold Road, Newbold Pacey, Warwickshire.

Warwickshire Police said the driver who died was aged 28, while the 24-year-old passenger, was taken to hospital with serious injuries.

Image source, Google