91�ȱ�

The wife of a woman murdered by her husband in their Middlesbrough home said they had been 'devastated by her death.

Mitesh Patel, 37, denied killing Jessica 34, but was found guilty by a jury at Teesside Crown Court.

In a statement her family said: "She had simple dreams, all she ever wanted was to fall in love, have a family of her own and live happily ever after.

"The man we welcomed into our family, who promised to look after and protect her, betrayed her in every sense of the word, cheating her of her dreams, robbing her of her life and robbing us of her."

The judge in the trial of a pharmacist found guilty of his wife's murder will hear statements from her family before passing sentence tomorrow.

Mitesh Patel has been found guilty of the murder of Jessica Patel in Middlesbrough.

Mr Justice Goss will hear victim statements from Jessica's grandmother, father and a joint one by her siblings and cousins before he sentences.

The Teesside Crown Court jury unanimously found Patel guilty after deliberating for about three hours on the twelfth day of the trial.

The judge told Patel: "You have been convicted by the jury and you will be sentenced to life imprisonment and that will happen tomorrow morning.

"I will also fix the minimum term you will have to serve before you can be considered for release in many years to come."

Image source, CLEVELAND POLICE

Pharmacist Mitesh Patel will be sentenced tomorrow after being found guilty of murdering his wife at their Middlesbrough home.

Jessica Patel, 34, was found dead at the couple's home in May.

During a trial at Teesside Crown Court Mr Patel admitted having affairs with men and using the dating app Grindr.

He denied murder and claimed a burglar killed her while he was out of the house.

Image source, FAMILY PHOTO

Peter Harris
91�ȱ� Look North

A pharmacist has been found guilty of murdering his wife at their Middlesbrough home.

Mitesh Patel, 37,strangled Jessica Patel and then pretended she'd been attacked by an intruder.

Teesside Crown Court heard he planned to claim a £2m life insurance payout and start a new life in Australia with a male lover.

Image source, IAN MCINTYRE/THE GAZETTE

Lucy Moody
Journalist

A County Durham charity which has helped more than 1,300 stray dogs in the last year alone has launched its new project Paws in the Playground.

Stray Aid in Coxhoe was originally to help local councils reduce the number of stray dogs being destroyed.

Now, Lee Henderson Community Engagement Manager at Stray Aid and Toffee the dog are traveling around schools in our region to teach children how to be safe around dogs.

91�ȱ� Tees

The Labour leader of Redcar and Cleveland Council, Sue Jeffery, says what happens next is vital after the Tees Valley Mayor announced a deal to buy Durham Tees Valley Airport.

She said: "What we need to do now and we need to do it on behalf of all the people of the Tees Valley is ensure that it is the right project to take this airport forward, give it the opportunity to thrive and grow and also it's wise use of public money that isn't going to be lost in some stage of the future and result in us having to pay more through our council tax."

Ewan Marrin, who was severely disabled after being shaken as a baby by Marc Guy, died 18 years later.

91�ȱ� Sport

Newcastle boss Rafael Benitez has been asked about owner Mike Ashley's admission that he is in talks with prospective buyers.

Ashley revealed the news in a television interview on Monday evening.

Benitez said: "I was talking today with (managing director) Lee Charnley and the message is very clear: business as usual, so that means I have nothing to say."

Asked if he was expecting Monday's news, Benitez replied: "No. But we have been in this situation in the past, we have to carry on. We have an important game to play and we have to concentrate on that."

Newcastle play Everton tomorrow night.

Newspaper

and another inmate is fighting for his life in hospital.

One of Bradley's last holidays before he died of a rare type of cancer aged six was to Scarborough.

Local Democracy Reporting Service
Daniel Holland

The entire Tyne and Wear Metro network was brought to a standstill by a computer network fault, its managing director said as he apologised.

The fault happened in the early hours of Saturday 24 November and left control room staff unable to communicate with train drivers. Trains did not start running until after 11:00.

Managing director of Metro operator Nexus, Tobyn Hughes said: "We are working with our software supplier to ensure that this type of major fault doesn't happen again.

"Nexus has also rigorously checked the configuration of other key communications systems that the Tyne and Wear Metro relies on."

The major failure came in the same week that Nexus had pledged to make a series of improvements to Metro services, following a dip in performance this year.

So far this year, just 81.7% of Metro trains have arrived on time and only 68% between 14 October and 10 November.

Buying the airport had been a key priority for the mayor but political opponents are unconvinced.

Peter Harris
91�ȱ� Look North

The jury in the case of a pharmacist accused of murdering his wife has retired to consider its verdict.

Mitesh Patel, 37, denies strangling Jessica Patel at their home in Middlesbrough in May.

He said a burglar killed her when he was out of the house.

The prosecution told the jury at Teesside Crown Court he murdered his wife to collect a £2m insurance policy and start a new life in Australia with a male doctor.

Image source, FAMILY PHOTO

91�ȱ� Tees

Following the Tees Valley Mayor's announcment that he has secured a £40m deal to buy Durham Tees Valley Airport, the Labour MP for Middlesbrough and Shadow Transport Secretary Andy McDonald says it's a waste of taxpayers' money.

The Conservative mayor says it is key to his plan to create jobs.

Mr McDonald said: "They've got something on their books that costs them money, hand over fist every single year.

"They've seen the numbers of passengers plummet from just under a million to 130,000 and somebody comes along and offers them £40m - that to me doesn't sound like a good deal."

David MacMillan
91�ȱ� Tees

Ben Houchen is now calling an emergency meeting of the Tees Valley Combined Authority and is urging the Labour council leaders to ratify the deal to buy Durham Tees Valley Airport.

The Tees Valley Mayor says a plan for the airport will be set out in the coming weeks

Richard Moss
Political Editor, 91�ȱ� Look North

The purchase of Durham Tees Valley Airport was a key election commitment that many people doubted Ben Houchen could achieve.

Today, the Conservative Tees Valley Mayor has delivered.

But now there will be questions about the wisdom of exposing taxpayers to the risk of running a loss-making airport.

Richard Moss
Political Editor, 91�ȱ� Look North

The Conservative MP for Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland, Simon Clarke, has appealed for Labour council leaders to get behind Ben Houchen's deal to buy Durham Tees Valley Airport.

The Conservative Mayor has announced he will spend £35m to buy the airport.

David MacMillan
91�ȱ� Tees

Ben Houchen has secured a deal with Peel to buy Durham Tees Valley Airport and says he'll spend £35m to buy the airport and development land and £5m on land earmarked for housing.

He says that housing will not be built.

The Tees Valley Mayor says it amounts to 6% of his budget and will have no impact on council tax.

Tees Valley Mayor Ben Houchen has announced that he secured a deal with Peel to buy Durham Tees Valley Airport.

He added: "This will secure our airport’s long-term future, and delivers on the number one election pledge I made to the people of the Tees Valley.

"An airport owned by the people, for the people.

"An airport that will serve the interests of our growing economy, and the people who live here."

Tees Valley Mayor Ben Houchen says Durham Tees Valley Airport is key to his plan to create jobs.

Her said: “Inward investment doesn’t come on a bus, it arrives at an airport.”