Johnny O'Shea
BBC News Online

Image source, Devon and Cornwall Police

A police officer involved in the investigation into the body of a man found on a beach says there remain unanswered questions, an inquest has heard.

Alan Jeal, 64, was found with a sock and earphones in his mouth on Perranporth beach on 25 February, 2014.

Det Supt Steve Hambly told the inquest there remain several key items that have never been found.

These include a mobile phone, bank cards, a light blue jacket and a weighted belt Mr Jeal had recently purchased.

The hearing has been shown extensive CCTV footage of Mr Jeal walking around Wadebridge where he lived, as well as Truro and Newquay on the day he died.

The last sighting was of him walking through Perranporth at 22:30 having got off a bus the night before his body was found.

Det Supt Hambly called it a "very unusual case".

The inquest continues.

English coaches are good enough to thrive in top Premiership and international jobs, says Exeter head coach Ali Hepher.

Cornish Pirates captain Nicolas De Battista will leave the club at the end of the season to join Italian Pro14 side Zebre.

Del Crookes
BBC News Online

Police say they want to trace a man after a theft in Plymouth.

The victim, a man in his 70s, had just drawn out some money when a man ran past him and grabbed two £20 notes out of his hand.

Officers say it happened at about 10:00 on 6 March at a Lloyds cash point on Raleigh Street.

The suspect was with another man who was waiting for him.

Del Crookes
BBC News Online

Image source, Richard Higman

A five-year-old child has been flown to the Royal Cornwall Hospital at Treliske after falling from cliffs at Trevone Bay this morning.

Cornwall Air Ambulance and paramedics say the victim fell about 25ft (7.5m) from rocks at about 10:30.

Lifeguards also helped after an RNLI inshore rescue boat was called to the incident.

A man was taken to hospital last week after falling down part of a blowhole above the beach at Trevone.

Daniel Clark
Local Democracy Reporting Service

Councillors say they have identified a number of hazards for blind people in Barnstaple, including taxis parking on pavements and cyclists riding the wrong way up a one-way street.

Councillor Brian Greenslade says North Devon Council's Highways and Traffic Orders Committee carried out a walking tour with the Royal National Institute for the Blind in November.

Image source, Google

Its report highlighted six issues around the central area of Barnstaple:

• Taxis parking on the pavement at the junction of Butchers Row and Boutport Street
• A pavement sunken at the Junction of Queen Street and Boutport Street, as well as at the junction of Butchers Row and Boutport Street
• Street Furniture in The Square causing an obstruction
• Badly positioned advertising boards
• Mixing of pedestrians and cyclists on the pedestrian crossing from The Square to Boutport Street - it made a request to divide the crossing
• Cyclists riding the wrong way up Boutport Street from The Square

No recommendations are being made but the North Devon Highways and Traffic Orders Committee will discuss the report next Tuesday.

Police are concerned for the welfare of Kevin Davidson, 29, described as white, 6ft tall, of a slim build, with short black hair and stubble.

BBC Radio Cornwall

Cornwall Council has again defended its trip to a real estate conference in Cannes and has cleared up confusion about how much it cost.

A statement originally said the final bill had come to about £46,000, but this week Councillor Linda Taylor said the Cornwall Development Company (CDC) - the council's economic arm which organised the trip - had originally submitted an invoice for £70,000, external.

Image source, AFP

Andrew Mitchell, portfolio holder for housing at Cornwall Council, says the CDC budgeted that amount for the total cost of the trip and the authority will now be receiving a £24,000 rebate.

He says the £46,000 final bill was due to a combination of poor planning and late booking.

Image source, AFP

Daniel Clark
Local Democracy Reporting Service

Plans for 30 new homes in Bovey Tracey that developers claim would deliver a significant number of benefits for the town are being recommended for approval.

Last year, Kach Developments submitted plans to Teignbridge District Council for 30 new houses to be built on land north of Indio House in Newton Road.

A statement submitted with the application says that the Local Plan says the site is allocated for residential development and that the plans would produce a wider choice of quality homes. Teignbridge District Council's planning committee are being recommended to approve the application when they meet on Tuesday.

Recommending approval, a report to the committee says that the applicant has agreed to the provision of 30% affordable housing and the delivery of 5% custom build, in line with the Local Plan, and that the principle of the residential development must be considered acceptable as it is an allocated site in the Local Plan.

Image source, Google

Twitter

Labour Party leader, Jeremy Corbyn is in Plymouth today.

MP for Plymouth, Sutton and Devonport Luke Pollard tweeted a photograph, external of the politician who has been discussing the Mount Wise tower blocks as well as "combustible cladding".

BBC Weather

This afternoon will be mostly dry with some sunshine, especially towards the south.

There will be a gentle east to north-easterly wind.

Maximum temperature: 11-14C (52-57F).

BBC Radio Cornwall

On the A39 between Winnards Perch and the Trekenning Roundabout, there's slow queuing traffic due to an accident around Talskiddy.

Ben Woolvin
BBC South West Home Affairs correspondent

A 53-year-old former teacher - who has been jailed for 12 years after being convicted of 17 historic sexual offences against children - caused "almost unimaginable harm", a court has heard.

Paul Ruth, of Finnis Road, Amesbury, in Wiltshire, abused children in Plymouth over a period of 18 years.

Judge Peter Johnson told Ruth at Plymouth Crown Court that his victims had been "extremely vulnerable".

"Some looked up to you as the father they didn't have - you took full advantage of these."

Ruth sat with his head in his hands as he was told he would serve a minimum of eight years of his 12-year prison sentence and that he would spend a further six years on licence after release.

The court heard how Ruth had admitted a sexual interest in pre and post-pubescent boys.

As he was sent down, somebody in the public gallery shouted that he should "rot in hell". Ruth will remain on the sex offenders register for the rest of his life.

The listening post will create hundreds of jobs in the city working with MI5 and MI6 to fight terrorism.

BBC Radio Devon

• Near Tiverton, there are reports of a broken-down vehicle on the A361 North Devon Link Road westbound towards Barnstaple just before Gornhay Cross.
• In Sidford on the A3052 High Street, there's slow traffic due to roadworks.
• Across the border, on the A35 around Chideock, there's very slow-moving traffic in both directions due to the roadworks and temporary traffic lights.

Johnny O'Shea
BBC News Online

A pathologist has told an inquest that a man who was found dead on Perranporth beach with a sock in his mouth, had sustained significant injuries while he was still alive.

Alan Jeal, 64, was found just wearing one shoe in February 2014.

Dr Amanda Jeffrey told the hearing in Truro: "It’s possible this was a very unusual suicide but I cannot exclude another person was involved in his death."

She added some of the injuries were consistent with a fall from height.

She said she had "no idea" why the sock was in his mouth, saying "it’s not something I’ve come across before. It’s most unusual and causes a degree of concern".

She concluded that Mr Jeal "died partially as a result of head and chest injuries as well as the drowning process".

The sock in his mouth did not match the socks he was wearing, but did potentially match some found at his home in Wadebridge, the inquest heard.

The inquest continues.

Hayley Westcott
BBC News Online

A former teacher has been jailed for 12 years after being convicted of 17 sexual offences against children in Plymouth.

Paul Ruth, 53, of Finnis Road, Amesbury, in Wiltshire previously pleaded guilty to various offences including sexual assault on a child under 13 by touching and indecent assault.

Plymouth Crown Court heard how the charges related to six victims, with offences being committed in Plymouth between 1991 and 2009. Ruth was arrested on 27 December 2016 after turning himself in.

He told Devon and Cornwall Police he had been abusing children and wanted help.

Det Insp Stephanie Blundell said Ruth is a "manipulative individual" who groomed his victims and those around him. She praised the victims for coming forward.

Image source, Devon and Cornwall Police

Johnny O'Shea
BBC News Online

Image source, Devon and Cornwall Police

Coastguards believe a man who was found dead on Perranporth beach had entered the sea just wearing a pair of shoes, an inquest has heard.

Alan Jeal, 64, died in February 2014 and was found with a sock and earphones in his mouth.

He had blood around his head, but evidence from a coastguard who attended the scene said he did not believe Mr Jeal had been in the sea for very long.

A statement from Tago Mcleod said: "In my opinion he had entered the sea naked apart from his shoes."

He also said he thinks he entered the water to the north of the spot he was found, which was near the Watering Hole pub.

The hearing in Truro heard police officers considered his death to be suspicious, and appealed on the media at the time for witnesses.

Mr Jeal was a retired electrician who lived in Wadebridge.

The inquest continues.

Hayley Westcott
BBC News Online

A woman in Devon has become "increasingly frightened" after being stalked for four years.

Police have released an e-fit of a man they would like to identify after the ongoing harassment of the woman in her 50s in Barnstaple.

After first contacting police late last year, the woman says the man's actions had "begun to escalate".

Devon and Cornwall Police are now appealing to the public to contact them on 101 if they recognise the offender.