These are the latest ECHO headlines on Thursday, April 14.
Girl, 8, has 'dementia' but is 'happiest kid you can meet'
The dad of an eight-year-old girl who has just years to live said she is the 'happiest girl', despite her medical condition.
Isla Sykes from Linthwaite, West Yorkshire, suffers from the rare illness Sanfilippo Syndrome, which manifests itself in developmental delay similar to dementia. No signs of the disease are shown at birth, but as it progresses, it means that the child will slowly lose the ability to speak, walk, and eat.
The rare genetic metabolism disorder, which is often likened to the onset of dementia, means a change in a single gene makes a child's body unable to break down certain carbohydrates (sugars). This leads to serious problems in the brain and nervous system and there is no cure, reports YorkshireLive.
Read the full story here.
Ex Tory councillor groomed teenager with trips to Liverpool and sexually assaulted him
A former Conservative councillor groomed a teenager with gifts and trips to Liverpool and then repeatedly sexually abused him.
David Smith, an ex-Middlesbrough councillor, was found guilty of 11 counts of inciting, or engaging in sexual activity with a child, over a decade ago. Smith's two victims were teenage boys at the time he targeted them, reports TeesideLive.
One boy was sexually assaulted and groomed by Smith over a four-year period and the court heard how this had "traumatised" him. The victim's former girlfriend said what happened had "destroyed their relationship".
Read the full story here.
Bentley and Ferrari among seized luxury goods to go under hammer
From supercars to exclusive watches, a huge range of high value assets including seized goods are to go under the hammer in an online auction tomorrow (Friday).
Among the luxury goods are a Ferrari F430 F1 and a Bentley Continental GT. Entered on behalf of government bodies, these seized assets will be sold to the highest bidder with no reserve. For the buyer of the Bentley, another lot to look out for is the 18 carat White Gold Handmade Diamond Set Bentley Wings. The special keyring is supplied with a full jewellers appraisal and is estimated to be worth £15,300.
The catalogue also includes a series of professional Rolex watch models that are extremely popular in today's market. Submariners, GMT Masters and Datejusts are on the list. One particular watch that bidders will be keeping a close eye on will be the Patek Philippe Nautilus. Not only does this quality watch come with box and papers, it also features an aftermarket Tiffany blue dial.
Read the full story here.
