2026.1.31 Child rapist Arthur Warwick found dead in HMP Frankland cell
A paedophile who was handed a life sentence for raping children was found dead in his Durham jail cell on Christmas Day, an inquest heard.
Arthur Warwick from Penrith was given a life sentence in 2016, after being found guilty of 29 child sex offences against four children.
They included five child rapes and a series of sexual assaults. He told one of his victims that he would stop the abuse provided the child found another boy to take his place.
Warwick was arrested when he travelled to Whitehaven, believing he was due to meet a 13-year-old boy he had befriended online – but the contact was an undercover police officer.
At his home, 20 indecent images of children were found on his computer equipment. A third of these were classed in category A – the most serious.
An inquest into his death was opened at Crook Coroners’ Court yesterday (January 29) and heard he died from heart disease at Frankland Prison, in Durham.
Coroners’ officer Jacqueline Orpen told the hearing: “I understand the circumstances to be that Mr Warwick was found deceased in his cell.
“A post-mortem examination at Newcastle RVI mortuary gave a provisional cause of death as heart disease.”
2026.1.30 American Goldsmiths student who murdered his Chinese lover is jailed for life as victim’s family pay heartbreaking tribute
American Joshua Michals, 26, jailed for life with a minimum term of 16 years for murdering fellow student lover Zhe Wang
An American student at a London university has been jailed for life with a minimum term of 16 years for murdering his sexual partner in a stabbing which he claimed was self-defence.
Chinese national Zhe Wang, 31, a creative writing student at Goldsmiths, University of London, was found dead with two stab wounds to her face at her flat in Manor Park, Lewisham, south-east London, on March 20 2024.
Fellow student Joshua Michals, 26, told his trial at the Old Bailey that Ms Wang was “germophobic” and became “stressed”, believing, incorrectly, that she had contracted a sexually transmitted disease (STD) after they had sex.
Michals, who was found guilty of murder in December following a trial, was sentenced at the Old Bailey on Friday.
Born and raised in Chicago, Illinois, Michals studied film-making at university before moving to London to pursue a year-long master’s degree at Goldsmiths.
During the trial, prosecutor Henrietta Paget KC said Michals had “flown into a rage” and killed Ms Wang after meeting her at her flat.
They had first met on the Goldsmiths campus and began an on-and-off casual relationship in 2023.
Michals told jurors he had felt “so-so” about pursuing a relationship with Ms Wang because she had a phobia of germs.
After finding a “red dot” on her skin after the pair had sex, she demanded he get an STD test, even vowing to find him on campus to “drag” him to see a GP, the court previously heard.
Jurors were told Michals never had a sexually transmitted disease.
The student said he went to her flat on March 20 2024 with a charcuterie selection to bring some “normalcy” to the “bizarre situation”.
He claimed that when he arrived at the flat in Lewisham, he found Ms Wang “cold” and monosyllabic, and that she attacked him with a knife as he came out of the bathroom.
A post-mortem examination found Ms Wang died from stab wounds to the head and compression to the neck, the trial heard.
Michals previously told jurors he did not mean to strike Ms Wang with the knife, saying: “I just wanted to get her away from me.”
He also said he pressed his forearm to her neck to try to restrain her and claimed he did not mean to kill her or cause her harm.
But Judge Richard Marks KC said: “My conclusion is that you became enraged by the whole situation. In a fury you lost complete control of your temper and your senses.”
The judge said Michals inflicted two serious wounds to Ms Wang’s face with one of her kitchen knives and that the second wound involved “a use of severe force”.
“The proliferation of bleeding did not bring you to your senses… you used your forearm with considerable force to then throttle her,” he said.
Michals called his father after the incident and got details of a solicitor before going to his own flat and calling 999, the trial heard.
He also took Ms Wang’s phone from her kitchen and put it in a bin outside, jurors were previously told.
It was recovered days later at a refuse area in Newham, east London.
In a victim impact statement from Ms Wang’s cousin, Xiao Li Wang, read to the court by prosecutor Henrietta Paget KC, she said it was difficult to verbalise “the emotions and heartbreak of losing a close family member”.
The relative, who observed proceedings via video link from China, said Ms Wang’s family thought it was a scam when they first received a call with the news that she had died.
“Nobody wanted to believe what we had been told, it felt like something you see in the movies,” Ms Wang’s cousin said.
She added: “Zhe was so positive, hardworking, passionate about life and yet something so cruel had happened to her.”
Judge Richard Marks KC said that evidence showed Ms Wang was “a hugely talented writer, a gentle and kindly young woman, private and sensitive and it would seem to me someone emotionally fragile”.
2026.1.28 ‘Mad scientist’ threatened to put ricin in Luton water supply
Harry Whittaker, 33, jailed after experimenting with radioactive material in garden shed
A “mad scientist” threatened to introduce the poison ricin into Luton’s water supply.
Harry Whittaker, a neo-Nazi, who kept a framed photograph of Adolf Hitler in his bedroom, wrote messages about putting the deadly biological toxin into the water supply in Bury Park, Bedfordshire, a court heard.
The 33-year-old, who lived at home with his mother, has been jailed after manufacturing explosives and conducting experiments with radioactive material in a garden shed he called “The Laboratory”.
After his arrest, he was found to have sent messages calling for Tommy Robinson, the far-Right activist, to lead a “civil war” and he also contemplated attacking Muslims at a nearby mosque.
In another message, he wrote about contaminating the water supply with ricin.
In one WhatsApp post, he wrote: “We need a tank covered in machine guns and flamethrowers, drive it into that mosque on Friday afternoon and turn them into mincemeat.”
Whittaker, who used the name “Harry the Mad Scientist” on WhatsApp, also kept anti-Semitic notes in his bedroom and labelled a cyanide sample “Zyklon B” after the poison used in the Holocaust.
Police uncovered his stash of explosives after Whittaker suffered a life-threatening allergic reaction and called for medical help on Apr 18, 2024. He was arrested on May 6.
After an Old Bailey trial, Whittaker was found guilty of possessing and making explosives and was sent to prison for three years and nine months.
He had already admitted possessing a round of ammunition and potassium cyanide.
During the trial, Whittaker cast himself as a “nerdy” science geek and jurors were not told about the extent of his extreme Right-wing beliefs.
But at his sentencing on Wednesday, Emily Dummett, a prosecutor, set out further evidence of his interest in neo-Nazi ideology.
Ms Dummett also said he had continued to express extreme beliefs and since his conviction had failed to recognise that what he had done was wrong.
In mitigation, Polly Dyer maintained Whittaker had the explosives for “scientific interest and endeavour” and said “his experimentation was not motivated by any racial hostility to certain groups of individuals”.
She accepted he had “abhorrent” views and an interest in Nazism but insisted he did not pose a “significant risk”.
Ms Dyer also noted how, since he had been in jail, Whittaker had used his time productively and developed an interest in art.
She held up his drawing of Beethoven which he hoped to submit to a competition.
Sentencing, Judge Simon Mayo KC told Whittaker: “I am sure your conduct in making and possessing explosives gave rise to risk of harm to others.
“Whilst I cannot be sure you had formed any separate intent to use the explosives or chemicals for a violent purpose you spoke about it and to a certain extent contemplated it.”
The judge said Whittaker was “highly intelligent” and his responsibility was not diminished by his mental health issues or autism.
He noted a previous conviction for causing actual bodily harm after driving into his neighbour in 2019 and his disorganised lifestyle, as he found Whittaker was a dangerous offender and posed a risk to members of the public in the future.
When police searched his house in Caddington, they found black powder, blanks and a round of live ammunition, chemicals, lethal poisons and suspected improvised explosive devices.
Officers also discovered radioactive materials and white phosphorus, a substance which can spontaneously ignite in the air and is so dangerous that it had to be destroyed in a controlled explosion by the military.
In police interviews, Whittaker said: “I’m just a nerdy kid who likes doing science.”
2026.1.22 Charity offers new £20,000 reward to solve longest miscarriage of justice murder
The brutal murder of barmaid Diane Sindall as she walked home from her shift in the early hours of Saturday 2nd August 1986 sparked a national outcry.
Detectives have vowed to bring the frenzied sexual killer of a 21 year-old florist 40 years ago to justice after unveiling a new £20,000 Crimestoppers reward today. The brutal murder of Diane Sindall – as she walked home from work on Saturday 2nd August 1986 in Birkenhead, on the Wirral – sparked national outcry with her battered body found in an alleyway.
Peter Sullivan was interviewed by police 22 times over four weeks – sometimes while denied legal representation – and in November 1987 was eventually convicted by a jury at Liverpool Crown Court of Diane’s murder. But after 38 years behind bars new forensic DNA evidence proved the killer is still out there and Mr Sullivan was the victim of the longest miscarriage of justice involving a living prisoner in British legal history.
Detectives have since been trying to match the real unknown killer’s new DNA sample after already testing and eliminating 461 local men – including Ms Sindall’s relatives and her then fiancé.
Now Merseyside Police are urging anyone with information to come forward as Crimestoppers today(Thurs) unveil a £20,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of Diane’s real murderer.
Detective Superintendent Rachel Wilson said: “It is devastating for Diane’s family that they are still waiting for the answers as to who was responsible for her murder, and we remain committed to identifying the person whose DNA was left at the scene.
“In 1986 DNA was very much in the early stages and as such was not available to the detectives who originally investigated Diane’s death but her murder was fully investigated by the team.
“Unfortunately, there is no match for the DNA identified on the national DNA database and we know it does not belong to any member of her family or her fiancé at the time.
“We are working with the National Crime Agency, and with their support we are trying to identify the person the DNA profile belongs to, and extensive enquiries remain ongoing.
“The investigation team has obtained samples locally, but screening has also taken place in Swansea, Perth, London, Hull and Newcastle with the voluntary DNA elimination samples.
“To date 461 males have been eliminated from the investigation. We are currently awaiting the forensic results in relation to a further 43 samples submitted earlier this month.”
Ms Sindall was a florist also doing part-time bar work to save up for her wedding and was on her way home from a shift at the Wellington Pub in Bebington when ambushed and dragged into an alley off Borough Road in Birkenhead.
Police believe while she left the pub in a blue Fiat van, it ran out of petrol and she set out on foot along Borough Road, either to get to a bus-stop or to try and find an all-night garage.
Her partially naked body was found the following afternoon. A post-mortem revealed she had died from severe head injuries, bone fractures and lacerations to her face, bruising to her neck with severe bite mark injuries.
Forensic investigators at the time recovered semen samples from her body, but they had been diluted by rainwater and the technology to successfully test them would not be available for decades.
Suspicion fell on Mr Sullivan after a BBC Crimewatch appeal resulted in a series of tip-offs with witnesses putting him in a pub near the scene of the murder that night. He was quizzed 22 times over four weeks, and denied legal representation for the first seven interviews.
Later recalling the guilty verdicts, innocent Mr Sullivan said: “My sister collapsed in the courtroom and the next minute, that was it.”
His sentence carried a minimum term of 16 years before he was eligible to apply for parole – but Mr Sullivan maintained his innocence, lessening his chances of release.
His nightmare only started to end in 2023, when the Criminal Cases Review Commission ordered fresh testing of semen samples found on Miss Sindall’s body in 1986.
The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) decided not to challenge the DNA results ahead of a fresh appeal – paving the way for Mr Sullivan’s freedom.
This week Det Supt Wilson added: “Although it has been nearly 40 years since Diane’s murder, we still believe there are people who know what happened, or have their own suspicions, who haven’t yet come forward.
“My message would be ‘it is never too late to do the right thing’. We know on Friday 1 August 1986, Diane had been working her part-time job at the Wellington pub in Bebington.
“She had left work at 11.45pm in her blue Fiat van, but on her way home the van ran out of petrol on Borough Road.
“Diane got out of the van and was seen by several witnesses at the time walking along Borough Road between midnight and 12.20am on the Saturday morning. Her body was found 12 hours later in an alleyway off Borough Road.
“On 17 August 1986 property belonging to Diane was recovered on Bidston Hill. The investigation team at the time identified witnesses who had seen a small fire, at the location where the property was found, on Sunday 3 August, and had witnessed a man running from the scene.
“Were you on Borough Road on the evening of Friday 1 August or the early hours of Saturday 2 August and saw or heard something suspicious? Or can you help identify the man seen running away from Bidston Hill on Sunday 3 August?
“Additionally in the years since Diane’s murder has anybody you know raised any suspicions or passed any information which you think could help? Please come forward and tell us what you know.
“We can trace and request a DNA sample from any person you suspect or even a relative if they have passed away or emigrated.”
Gary Murray, North West Regional Manager for the charity Crimestoppers, said: “Please help bring answers to Diane’s family who have waited almost 40 years for justice.
“Someone, somewhere, knows what happened that night, and we’re urging them to come forward. What you know could finally give Diane’s loved ones the answers they’ve been waiting for.
“Crimestoppers is independent of the police. When you contact the charity, you stay completely anonymous. Your personal details are never asked for, and your call or online report cannot be traced back to you.
“Every day, thousands of people across the UK trust Crimestoppers with vital information that makes all the difference.
“We pass on what we’re told, and we hope that if you know something about this case, but are unwilling to speak to the police, you can stay completely anonymous with Crimestoppers.”
The reward is available for three months and is due to expire on 22nd April 2026. Crimestoppers is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. No-one will ever know you contacted them and computer IP addresses are never traced.
2026.1.20 Prison officer jailed for having sex with convict boyfriend in prison prayer room
A former prison officer has been jailed for having illicit relationships with two inmates and plotting to smuggle drug-soaked envelopes into jail.
Isabelle Dale, 23, became romantically involved with prisoners Shahid Sharif and Connor Money and was ‘swearing them undying love, saying she wanted to be with both of them on the outside’, Judge Christopher Hehir said.
She got engaged to convicted robber Sharif, and later plotted with him and his associate, Lilea Sallis, to smuggle the synthetic cannabinoid, commonly known as spice, into HMP Swaleside on the Isle of Sheppey, Kent.
Dale, of Cosham, Portsmouth, was sentenced to three and a half years imprisonment for two counts of misconduct in a public office between September 2021 and December 2022, and one count of conspiring to convey a List A article into prison.
Sharif, who is already in custody at HMP Wandsworth, and Sallis, were also jailed for the latter charge.
Sentencing the three at Southwark Crown Court on Tuesday, the judge told Dale: ‘I have concluded that unfortunately you are a thoroughly devious and untruthful and manipulative young woman.
‘I accept you have some vulnerabilities but, as was apparent in your evidence, you seek to use them as a shield and an excuse for your actions. But they did not provide that.’
He added: ‘I suspect you actually joined the prison service with a view to becoming involved in criminal activities with prisoners.’
Dale arrived at HMP Coldingley, Surrey, in September 2021 for what would be her first and only posting.
By January, she and Sharif had had ‘at least some contact’ because she mentioned him to a senior colleague – by May they were engaged, the court heard.
The trial was told the prison officer, who has since resigned, had sex with Sharif in the chapel area of HMP Coldingley.
Judge Hehir said he could not know if they were intimate in the chapel area but text messages show they ‘clearly had a sexual relationship’ and other prison officers ‘obviously had clocked on to what was going on’.
Sharif was at the time serving a 12-year and 10-month sentence for an ‘extremely violent robbery of a jewellers on the south coast’, the judge added.
Dale’s home was searched and a ‘rather garish’ picture of the couple was found hanging above her bed, he said.
It had photographs of them ‘spliced together’ with a white heart between and the date May 17 2022, believed to be the day of their engagement.
The judge said evidence put to the jury showed she ‘well understood what corruption was and the risks and dangers relating to it’.
He added: ‘She wanted to do it. I think she’s attention seeking and I think she seeks validation and I think she did that through relationships with prisoners.’
Syam Soni, defending Dale, had said her offending was influenced by her mental health difficulties, including depression, anxiety, emotionally unstable personality disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder.
He had claimed she was ‘ill-equipped’ for the prison environment and more vulnerable than others.
The court heard Dale also conveyed sensitive information to Money, with whom she also had an intimate relationship.
The judge said: ‘When he said he was worried about losing his mobile phone if his cell was searched, any right-thinking security officer would go in and seize the cell, but she said “don’t worry, security aren’t too hot on you”.’
Dale, Sharif and Lilea Sallis, 28, also planned to bring envelopes dipped in spice into Swaleside prison.
A postal strike foiled their arrangements and it was organised for Dale to travel to Brighton to meet Sallis and collect the envelopes, the court heard.
However Sallis backed out because of a conflict with Sharif about prices, and content he was posting about her on social media, the judge said.
‘I don’t think she had a fit of conscience, to put it that way, but I think that’s why her enthusiasm cooled,’ he added.
Sharif attended proceedings via video link from prison.
He previously admitted conspiring to bring the drug into Swaleside and the two women, who had denied the charge, were convicted by a jury.
Sallis was sentenced to two and a half years in jail and Sharif received 27 months.
2026.1.20 Brothers targeted deaf woman, 92, and cancer patient in burglary spree
One victim barricaded herself in her bedroom
These are the faces of brothers who burgled vulnerable residents, including a 92-year-old deaf woman, during a country-wide crime spree.
Danny and Terence Casey have been jailed for more than 12 years following the incidents which saw the deaf victim targeted while she was sleeping in her home in Whetstone. She was woken when Danny Casey broke in shortly after 11pm, smashing the kitchen window and going upstairs to her bedroom.
She woke to find him bouncing on her bed, trying to look on top of a dresser. She grabbed her walking stick to fight him off before rushing out to call police.
Casey fled with a jewellery box containing her engagement ring and an eternity ring from her late husband.
The 92-year-old was not the only vulnerable victim as Danny Casey also targeted a pensioner in Walton on the Wolds, near Loughborough, who was undergoing cancer treatment. He was woken by Casey smashing glass to get into his property.
He went downstairs and saw Casey crawling in through a smashed window with a screwdriver in his hand, and when challenged, the burglar crawled back out and fled empty-handed.
In his statement to police, the man said to the burglar: “Thank you for ruining my life. Paired with my illness, this is the icing on the cake. I don’t think I’ll ever get over it.”
An elderly widow in Glaston, near Uppingham, was burgled just three months after her husband died, with Casey standing over her bed dressed in black and demanding money.
Another lone woman in Mountsorrel barricaded herself in her bedroom by pushing her bed up against the door while he ransacked her home.
With Danny’s younger brother Terence in tow, the pair then struck four times on Thursday, October 3, hitting two properties in Birstall, one in Loughborough and one in Mountsorrel, stealing a Toyota Yaris, drone, cash and jewellery.
Danny Casey, who was linked to 28 burglaries between October 2024 and January 2025, targeted homes in Leicester, Oadby, Hinckley, Castle Donington and Narborough, while his brother Terrence was involved in 12 burglaries and three attempted burglaries, police said.
After Leicestershire, the brothers moved across to Lincolnshire, burgling homes in Lincoln, Boston, Sleaford and Holbeck as well as Newark in Nottinghamshire before targeting half a dozen properties in Carmarthenshire, Wales.
Officers from Leicestershire Police teamed up with colleagues from Nottinghamshire, Lincolnshire and Dyfed-Powys Police to identify that either one or both brothers could be linked to a total of 37 offences across all areas.
Both brothers, of Meynells Gorse, Braunstone, Leicester, pleaded guilty at Leicester Crown Court on Tuesday, November 11, 2025.
Danny, 34, admitted three counts of conspiracy to burgle and two counts of breaching a serious Crime Prevention Order, while Terrence, 26, admitted two counts of conspiracy to burgle.
Danny was sentenced to 112 months’ imprisonment at Leicester Crown Court today (Monday, January 20), with Terrence sentenced to 42 months. The brothers were also issued with Serious Crime Prevention Orders, which will come into effect once they are released from prison.
2026.1.18 Newcastle student made false rape claims about police officer
A student who made up false rape claims against a serving police officer has been jailed for six years.
The officer was detained in custody for 35 hours and suspended from work for nearly five months before it was decided that no action would be taken against him after Hao Li made the false allegations.
Durham Crown Court heard the false reports were made after pair had engaged in sexual activity, which she was said to be the “driving force” behind.
He then drove her home, during which they rowed, and then, when the officer began to make the return journey to his home, Li rang the police, accusing him of rape, and he was apprehended.
A judge said it was only due to the “foresight” of the officer who set his phone to record the earlier events at his home, that he was not, ultimately, charged with rape.
The Chinese master’s degree student left the UK after being charged with perverting the course of justice, and was arrested at Manchester Airport after arriving on a return flight.
Li, 29, formerly of Howard Street in Newcastle, was remanded in custody and denied the allegations at a plea hearing in July last year.
She was convicted of three counts of perverting the course of justice after a two-week trial in December.
Appearing before the court on Friday (January 16,) via video link from HMP Low Newton, she was jailed for six years.
Judge Nathan Adams said: “Details of what took place are quite clear as he had the foresight to set his phone on record.
“It’s only because of that foresight that really showed us what took place.
“It was a far cry from the allegations that you told the police the following day.
“You engaged in sexual activity with him but, clearly, you were the driving force in that activity.
“He drove you home late at night and left you there.
“What is relevant is that he was stopped half-an-hour later as he drove back and arrested on the basis of your phone calls in which you made allegations of rape multiple times over the preceding weeks.
“He was held in custody for 35 hours, and then further investigations took place.
“Had it not been for the recording he made, he would have been charged with multiple counts of rape due to your allegations.
“But it was four to five months before ‘no further action’ was taken and you were subjected to the charges.
“You maintained your insistence over the allegations, but you were clearly disbelieved at trial.
“Anyone making false allegations of rape to police will be treated seriously.
“Police have taken great strides to persuade victims of sexual offences to come forward.
“Anyone making false complaints and proceeding with them creates a wider-still impact on genuine victims coming forward, with a further impact with him being a police officer.
“Rape is about the most serious allegation you can make.
“You know they would have to take your word for it.
“I can’t downplay how serious these allegations were and the impact they had on the victim in this case.”
Duncan Bould, for Li, said she was considered a “low risk” of reoffending and a medium risk of causing serious harm if she does so.
“Clearly there was a pattern of offending here, but she has no issues with alcohol or drugs, and this has been her first contact with the criminal justice system.
“But it’s been a severe contact and it’s had a salutary effect on her.”
Passing the six-year sentence, Judge Adams said he had taken into account Li’s previous good character and the fact she has proved “a model prisoner” at Low Newton.
He also made her subject of a six-year restraining order, prohibiting contact or approaching the victim.
The judge told her she would serve about half of the six-year sentence in custody before being released on licence, when she will probably be deported to China.
Two men convicted over their involvement in a major people smuggling ring have been extradited to Belgium following a joint investigation by the National Crime Agency and Belgian police.
The men – both Afghan nationals – were apprehended by specialist NCA extradition officers in south London and Hertfordshire after warrants were issued for their arrest by Belgian courts.
They were 21-year-old Zeeshan Banghis (AKA Bangash Zeeshan) who was arrested at an address on New Kent Road on 18 December 2024 and Saifur Rahman Ahmedzai (AKA Raees Hamza), 24, who was apprehended at an address in Hemel Hempstead a few days later on 30 December.
Belgian prosecutors say the men’s gang were involved in organising the transport of migrants from Afghanistan through Iran, Turkey and the Balkans into western Europe, mainly France and Belgium.
Many would eventually be put on small boats from northern France to the UK, with the gang suspected of transporting thousands of people this way.
The group also committed serious sexual offences against male migrant minors, including rape which they would video and use footage to blackmail the victims into criminality and further sexual abuse.
NCA investigators supported the Belgian investigation for around two years, supplying intelligence and evidence to the Belgian Federal Police around suspected members of the network.
In November 2024 a court in Antwerp convicted and sentenced the pair and 21 other members of the gang to a total of 170 years imprisonment, with sentences ranging from two to 18 years.
Eleven members were tried in their absence, including the two men arrested in the UK.
Ahmedzai was sentenced to 10 years imprisonment, while Banghis was sentenced to three years in jail. Both were also fined 3,000 Euros.
Ahmedzai was extradited to Belgium in June last year, with the same happening to Banghis yesterday (15 January). They will serve the remainder of their sentences in a Belgian jail.
Officers also worked with colleagues from Border Force and Immigration Enforcement to identify migrants and victims of the network who had been transported to the UK, conducting safeguarding checks.
2026.1.16 Castleford man banned from keeping animals after leaving ‘extremely underweight’ bulldog in ‘fearful state’
A Wakefield man whose “extremely underweight” bulldog was found left in a “fearful and aggressive state” and rummaging through bins has been banned from keeping animals for 10 years.
Benjamin Cobb, aged 40, of Borrowdale Drive in Castleford, pleaded guilty to failing to meet the needs of Sasha, an 11-year-old bulldog boxer cross, including not providing prompt veterinary care and failing to address the dog’s poor body condition under the Animal Welfare Act 2006.
As well as the 10-year disqualification, Cobb received a 12-month community order when he was sentenced at Kirklees Magistrates’ Court on January 6. The order included 100 days of unpaid work and to attend 20 Rehabilitation Activity Requirement (RAR) days.
The court was told how the defendant failed to follow up an initial trip to the vets when Sasha received pain medication in June 2024. The appointment was funded by a vet voucher he was given by RSPCA Inspector Hannah Williams. The inspector and a colleague went to the defendant’s former home at Watling Road, Castleford, after reports about an underweight dog.
In a statement to the court, the inspector said: “Sasha’s ribs were visible and she had some fur loss on her back legs. I explained to the defendant that due to the dog’s body condition and fur loss she needed to go to a vets.”
When further concerns for Sasha were reported to the charity later, the inspector contacted the vets who confirmed the dog had not been returned for a follow-up appointment.
RSPCA Inspector Joanne Taylor tried to contact the defendant in January last year after a call stating the dog had been seen “extremely underweight”. She attended with a police officer who executed a warrant at Cobb’s home on February 5 last year.
Sasha was found in a “fearful and aggressive state” in the kitchen where there was no food or water for her. Her ribs, hips and spine were “protruding” and she had been rummaging through a bin in an attempt to find something to eat. When the defendant returned to the property he claimed he had tried to rehome her.
Sasha was signed over into the care of the RSPCA and taken to the charity’s Greater Manchester Animal Hospital where sadly it was decided her health was so poor that the kindest thing to do was to put her to sleep.
A vet, who examined her, said the dog scored two out of nine on a body condition score (where five is an ideal weight) and was suffering with an enlarged spleen and muscle wastage, while tests showed she may have been suffering from blood cancer,
The vet concluded the dog suffered for at least two weeks due to her condition as well as pain and discomfort from arthritis.
In mitigation, the defendant claimed he did not return to the vet because of the cost. It was said he was suffering from depression due to personal and business circumstances. He was also told to pay court costs of £100 and a victim surcharge of £114.
Speaking after the hearing, Inspector Taylor said: “This owner failed to follow veterinary advice to return for a follow-up appointment and poor Sasha did not have her basic needs met.
“Her medical conditions, including her arthritis, may have been able to have been managed at that stage.
“For anyone struggling to meet vet bills the RSPCA has information about charities that can help with costs at our telephone helpline on 0300 123 0650 and an online hub.”
2026.1.8 Man, 25, admits trying to kill soldier near barracks
Anthony Esan stabbed Lt Col Mark Teeton ‘repeatedly’ after ambushing him outside his home in Kent
A 25-year-old man has admitted trying to kill an Army officer outside his barracks in Kent.
Anthony Esan pleaded guilty to the attempted murder of Lieutenant Colonel Mark Teeton, who was stabbed “repeatedly” in Sally Port Gardens near Brompton Barracks in Gillingham in July 2024.
Wearing a navy hoodie, Esan appeared at Maidstone Crown Court by video link from the high-security psychiatric hospital Broadmoor in Berkshire. He pleaded guilty on Thursday morning to the attempted murder and to two counts of possession of a bladed weapon.
Lt Col Teeton was treated in hospital for serious injuries after the attack.
The father of two was discharged a few weeks later and was in court alongside his wife Eileen for the hearing.
At a previous hearing at Medway magistrates’ court in 2024, Rajni Prashar, prosecuting, said: “A member of the public called 999 to report a male had been stabbed.
“It was then reported that the victim was a soldier in uniform.”
She told the court that a man was seen “running up behind” the Army officer before he “pulled the soldier to the ground”, stabbed him “repeatedly” and drove away on a moped.
Lt Col Teeton was airlifted to hospital after being stabbed while in his uniform just before 6pm on July 23 2024, by Esan, who was wearing a ski mask and was armed with large knives.
Wife’s intervention may have saved him
His wife screamed at the attacker to leave her husband alone and then tried to pull him away in an intervention that may have saved his life.
Her screams of “get off him” were captured on nearby doorbell cameras as her husband lay blood-soaked on the ground.
After the attempted killing, the attacker turned, climbed back on his moped and sped off.
Photographs from the scene showed Esan standing next to the moped.
His helmet was off and his face was partially obscured by a ski mask. He was wearing a bomber jacket with the logo of Nasa emblazoned on it
The attack took place in the middle of the day just just yards from Brompton Barracks, home of the 1st Royal School of Military Engineering Regiment.
Lt Col Teeton was a course manager at the barracks for almost six years after joining the Army 23 years ago.
An online CV revealed that he held several engineering-related roles within the Armed Forces and the Ministry of Defence.
He also ran 44 miles across Normandy, including some of its picturesque beaches, before finishing at the historic Pegasus Bridge on the 80th anniversary of D-Day last month, raising almost £3,000 for charity.
Lt Col Teeton was born in Nairobi, Kenya, and has two children with his wife.
As is common with military families, they have spent time living abroad, including in Canada, where Lt Col Teeton spent time on exchange with the Royal Engineers in Moncton.
It was here that it appeared Mrs Teeton had met Prince William during his royal tour of Canada with his newly married wife, the then Duchess of Cambridge, in 2011.
After the stabbing, members of the Royal Air Force (RAF) and Sea Cadets were advised not to wear their uniform while travelling in public.
2026.1.7 Former NCA “number one target” jailed for supplying thousands of boats to Channel people smugglers
A man who supplied thousands of boats and engines to people smugglers operating in the English Channel has been jailed, following a joint operation involving the National Crime Agency and Belgian authorities.
Adem SavasTurkish national Adem Savas, 45, admitted offences of people smuggling and being a member of an organised crime group on 3 December following a hearing at a court in Bruges. The same court today sentenced him to 11 years in prison, and a fine of 400,000 euros. Three co-defendants were given sentences totalling 38 years.
Savas had been detained at Schipol Airport in Amsterdam on 13 November 2024, before being extradited to Belgium to face charges.
He was initially identified by the NCA following an investigation into Kurdish crime boss Hewa Rahimpur.
Rahimpur headed up a major Europe-wide smuggling ring thought to be behind the movement of more than 10,000 migrants in small boat crossings to the UK, transporting migrants and equipment through Belgium on the way. He was arrested in 2022 by the NCA near Ilford, east London, where he was living at the time.
He was extradited to Belgium, where he was convicted and jailed for 11 years in October 2023. This was later increased to 13 years on appeal. Other members of his network were also subsequently convicted in France and the UK following investigations also involving the NCA.
Analysis of phones and devices seized following Rahimpur’s arrest revealed that his key supplier of boats and engines was Savas, and the two were in regular contact.
At the time, Savas was the main importer of cheap ‘Parsun’ branded outboard engines sourced from China, the type most frequently used by gangs operating small boats in the Channel.
The NCA, working with Belgian counterparts, evidenced how boats and engines sourced by the Savas network were moved overland from Turkey into Bulgaria, and then across Europe to Germany where they would be stored before being used in the Channel.
To move them he engaged the services of a haulage firm based in the Netherlands. After this firm was identified by the NCA, Dutch police began an investigation which later led to convictions for money laundering and drug trafficking.
Equipment in van image sent from S to R 04032022 2Operating from 2019 until his arrest in 2024, and working with people smuggling networks in Belgium and France, Savas is assessed by the NCA to have supplied equipment used in thousands of small boat crossings to the UK.
Charging on average around £4,000 for packages of boats and engines, he is likely to have made millions over the time of his offending.
NCA investigators believe that in 2023 Savas will have supplied equipment used in around half of all Channel crossings, making him a key figure in the European people smuggling hierarchy, and elevating him to number one on the NCA’s list of global high value targets – the Agency’s most wanted man.
One exchange of messages between Savas and Rahimpur in November 2021 followed the deaths of 27 migrants, when their boat sank in the Channel. Rahimpur sent Savas five separate images of a white rubber boat, along with a screen grab from a news website showing how an identical boat had been used in the fatal crossing.
Another video sent showed boxes of boats, controlled by Savas’ associates, piled high in a warehouse, while investigators also recovered a price list for boats, engines and life jackets.
An operation to track his movements was instigated, involving the NCA, Belgian and Dutch law enforcement, with Belgian prosecutors.
After information was received that he was attending a trade event in the Netherlands, officers moved in to have him arrested as he touched down in Schipol.
The operation to arrest him was jointly co-ordinated through a Europol Operational Task Force and assistance of Eurojust through the formation of a Joint Investigation Team.
NCA Director General of Operations, Rob Jones, said: “Adem Savas was without doubt the most significant supplier of boats and engines to people smuggling gangs involved in organising deadly crossings in the Channel, the head of a criminal network stretching across Europe to the beaches of northern France and across into the UK.
“He pretended to run a legitimate maritime supply company, but in reality he knew exactly how the equipment he provided would be used.
“He also knew exactly how unsuitable it was for long sea crossings.
“Boats and engines supplied by Savas were likely involved in numerous fatal events in the Channel – he made money from each of those.
“I’m grateful to the numerous law enforcement partners from across Europe who have worked with the NCA during the course of this investigation, particularly those in Belgium and the Netherlands.
“Tackling the gangs involved in these dangerous crossings remains a top priority for the NCA, and we are determined to do all we can to disrupt and dismantle them, wherever they operate.”
The Case Officer for the Belgian Federal Judicial Police in West Flanders said: “Thanks to the strong and efficient cooperation with the NCA and other foreign law enforcement agencies and through the building of trust-based relationships, we are able to work effectively on complex judicial investigations and arrest high-value targets.
“By combining the strengths and expertise of each law enforcement partner, we achieve international breakthroughs and stop serious threats to society.
“Over the years, the Federal Judicial Police and the Public Prosecutors office of West-Flanders built up the knowledge and experience needed to conduct judicial investigations at the highest international level.
“These long-term efforts are now paying off, as shown by our ability to bring a high-ranking facilitator of nautical equipment involved in migrant smuggling operations to justice.”
Minister for Border Security and Asylum Alex Norris, said: “We are cracking down on the criminals exchanging human lives for cash.
“Our brilliant National Crime Agency officers have worked alongside international allies to take down this smuggling kingpin and put him behind bars where he belongs.
“Through our new Borders Act, law enforcement now have strengthened powers to intercept, detain and arrest people smugglers, faster – restoring order and control to our borders.”
2026.1.6 ‘Vicious’ teenagers who danced and took selfies after beating homeless man to death jailed
Jaidee Bingham, Eymaiyah Lee Bradshaw-McKoy and Mia Campos-Jorge were convicted over the ‘callous’ killing at the Old Bailey
Three teenagers have been sentenced at the Old Bailey for their roles in the brutal killing of a homeless man near King’s Cross station.
Jaidee Bingham, who was 16 at the time of the assault and went by the nickname “Ghost”, received a 16-year prison term after being convicted of murdering 51-year-old Anthony Marks.
His co-defendants Eymaiyah Lee Bradshaw-McKoy and Mia Campos-Jorge, aged 16 and 17 respectively when the attack occurred, were handed youth custody sentences of 47 months and 42 months for manslaughter.
Mr Marks succumbed to his injuries five weeks after the assault, which took place in August 2024.
The three defendants, now all over 18, can be publicly identified following Monday’s sentencing hearing.
The victim was struck with part of a car bonnet before being pursued through the streets and subjected to a savage beating.
Metropolitan Police officers characterised the assault as a “vicious county lines retribution attack”.
CCTV footage captured Bingham and Bradshaw-McKoy chasing Mr Marks from Argyle Street to Whidbourne Street, with Bradshaw-McKoy carrying what appeared to be a car bumper.
The homeless man was repeatedly stamped on and struck over the head with a gin bottle during the onslaught.
Audio recorded by surveillance cameras captured voices shouting: “Hit him again. Kick kicking. Do it again. Have you learned your lesson yet?”
The assault only ended when a bystander intervened, brandishing a cricket bat to drive the attackers away.
Judge Mark Dennis KC noted that Bingham had “elevated” the confrontation by seizing the bottle and deploying it with “severe violence”.
The prosecution, led by Hugh Davies KC, told the court that all three teenagers had been operating as part of the “Arron” county lines drug network, with Mr Marks himself being a customer of the gang.
The evening before the fatal assault, one of the female defendants was robbed while carrying out drug dealing activities for the organisation.
Bingham was subsequently given the task of identifying who had stolen the narcotics.
The group became convinced that Mr Marks possessed information about the robbery and confronted him at approximately 5am on August 10.
When the homeless man refused to reveal any details about the theft, the violent pursuit began.
The chase covered more than a mile through central London’s streets before culminating in the fatal beating.
Photographs and video footage from that night revealed the teenagers posing for selfies and celebrating in the wake of the killing.
Two of the group were also captured on film singing and dancing in the back of a vehicle after the 51-year-old had been fatally wounded.
Police utilised this material, along with messages exchanged between the trio, to reconstruct their movements throughout the evening.
Station staff discovered Mr Marks stumbling near the King’s Cross concourse around 6am, blood streaming from severe facial wounds.
Detective Inspector Jim Barry of the Met’s Specialist Crime North said: “This is a particularly callous murder that gives an insight into the ruthless brutality of county lines gangs.
“The ages of Bingham, Bradshaw-McKoy and Campos-Jorge are particularly shocking.
“But the fact that they were teenagers does not excuse their violent actions as part of a drug line that has brought fear and intimidation to London’s streets.”
2026.1.4 Dozens of mentally ill offenders go on to kill after secret release
Telegraph analysis shows how many former inmates of mental health units went on to take someone’s life
At least 30 dangerous mental health patients secretly freed from high security hospitals have gone on to kill in recent years, The Telegraph can disclose.
Around 250 violent offenders are detained in institutions such as Broadmoor, Rampton and Ashworth each year after courts decide they are too mentally ill to go to prison
Many, like the Nottingham killer, Valdo Calocane, are told their conditions are so acute that they are unlikely to ever be freed.
But figures obtained by the Telegraph reveal that 55 per cent of those sent to secure hospitals are quietly freed within five years, almost 90 per cent within 10 years and 99 per cent within 20 years.
Analysis of available data reveals that from 1993 to 2019, 30 dangerous mental health inmates freed from secure hospitals went on to kill.
Around 500 patients are quietly released from high or medium security mental health institutions each year under a system with little transparency or scrutiny.
If a patient responds well to treatment while being held in a secure hospital, they can apply to be considered for release.
Their case will go before an independent mental health tribunal consisting of a panel of three people – usually a judge, a psychiatrist and a mental health worker. x1200
Police have released CCTV images of two men they want to speak to after clothes were stolen from Bradbeers.
Police say that two men entered Bradbeers on Station Road, New Milton and left with several items of clothing without paying.
This occured between 3.30pm and 3.45pm on Monday, December 22.
Police have released two images of men they believe can help with their enquiries.
A police spokesperson said: “As part of our ongoing enquiries, we are issuing two images of men we would like to speak to in connection with this incident.
“If you recognise these people, please call 101 quoting reference 44250577946”
—
We are asking for your help to locate wanted woman Ying Li.
Li, 33, is wanted in connection with reports of the production of cannabis and modern slavery in Sheffield, in addition to immigration offences.
Officers executed a warrant at an address on Fort Hill Road on 15 April and found a cannabis factory and two people who are believed to be victims of modern slavery. They are being appropriately safeguarded.
We believe Ying is still in the UK and has spent time in Sheffield this year. She has previously lived in Bournemouth.
We are keen to speak to anyone who has seen or heard from Li or knows where she may be staying.
She is described as an east Asian woman of a slim build and around 5ft 4ins tall, with straight dark brown hair.
If you see Li, please do not approach her and instead dial 999 immediately.
If you have information which could help us find her, you can report online or by calling 101. Please quote investigation number 14/70547/25 when you get in touch.
We understand that not everyone wants to speak directly to police. If this is you, please be aware that you can report information completely anonymously to the independent charity Crimestoppers by calling 0800 555 111 or by visiting their website.
You will not be asked to provide any details and no one will know you have contacted them.
—
Police investigating a street robbery in the city centre have released images of two men they would like to speak to.
The 22-year-old victim was punched and kicked by two suspects and then robbed of his mobile phone and wallet following a night out.
The incident happened on Friday 24 October at around 4am in Clumber Street.
Officers have carried out a number of lines of inquiry, including a CCTV search, to locate those responsible.
The men pictured in this image may have vital information and officers urge those who recognise them to come forward.
Investigator Alex Freeman, of Nottinghamshire Police, said:
“This was a very unpleasant attack on a young man who was just enjoying a night out when this happened.
“We’re determined to track down whoever was involved in this and to speak to anyone who may be able to help us do that.
发表回复