Talks with UK government at early stage about returning Sinaga, found guilty in Manchester of assaulting 48 men
The UK has begun talks with Indonesia to repatriate a serial rapist convicted of assaulting scores of men.
Reynhard Sinaga, 41, was found guilty in Manchester in 2020 of assaulting 48 men, whom he drugged after taking them back to his apartment from bars and clubs in the city.
Continue reading...New UK ambassador to US says is hoping to persuade Trump administration to maintain isecurity guarantee for Europe and boost growth
During PMQs yesterday Keir Starmer implied there were national security factors not in the public domain that explained why the government was so committed to transferring sovereignty of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius.
Alex Wickham from Bloomberg says he has cracked the secret. It is all to do with the International Telecommunication Union, apparently. He explains this in a post on social media. Here is an extract.
The US and UK currently have full and unrestricted access to the electromagnetic spectrum at the Diego Garcia military base, allowing them to securely control American and British military and diplomatic communications in the region, as well as monitor hostile activity from foreign states, the officials said, speaking on condition of anonymity discussing sensitive information …
The US and UK are members of the International Telecommunication Union, a United Nations agency based in Geneva, Switzerland which coordinates the electromagnetic spectrum and global satellite communications. If an international court was to rule in future that the US and UK were using Diego Garcia to run satellite communications in breach of international law, that would have consequences for the base and defense and technology companies involved in supply chains used there, the people said, highlighting the need to secure its legal status.
There must be no forced displacement of Palestinians, nor any reduction in the territory of the Gaza Strip. Palestinian civilians should be able to return to and rebuild their homes and their lives. That is a right, guaranteed under international law.
The UK is clear that we must see a negotiated two state solution, with a sovereign Palestinian state, which includes the West Bank and Gaza, alongside a safe and secure Israel with Jerusalem as the shared capital that has been the framework for peace for decades.
Continue reading...Bill could mean asylum seekers crossing the Channel who refuse rescue may face five years in prison
Keir Starmer’s planned people-smuggling laws risk “criminalising” hundreds of asylum seekers, refugee charities have said, after it emerged that people who refuse to be rescued by the French authorities could be jailed for five years.
Some parents who bring their children to the UK in small boats could also face prosecution, which could ultimately split their families, a human rights assessment of the border security, asylum and immigration bill has concluded.
Continue reading...Steve Samson given whole-life order and Gemma Watts at least 30 years after killing and dismembering 38-year-old
A couple who killed a woman and dumped her dismembered body in different parts of south London have been jailed for murder.
Steve Samson was out of prison on a life licence for the murder of a taxi driver in 1998 when he and his partner, Gemma Watts, killed Sarah Mayhew, 38, at his flat in Sutton last spring.
Continue reading...Seven people, whom the judge said had plumbed ‘the depths of human depravity’, will be monitored for life
Seven people convicted of being part of a Scottish child abuse ring that plumbed “the depths of human depravity” have been jailed for terms ranging eight from 20 years.
The two women and five men will be monitored for life after being convicted of gang-raping a child and abusing other children in a drugs den in Glasgow where heroin and crack cocaine were used.
Continue reading...David Armitage, resident in Thailand since 2004 death of Lamduan Armitage, detained by immigration officials
The British husband of Lamduan Armitage, a Thai woman whose body was found in a stream in the Yorkshire Dales in 2004, has been detained by police in Thailand.
David Armitage, a university lecturer, has been detained in Bangkok by immigration officials after an investigation into his visa.
According to the BBC, Armitage, who has a resident visa, was detained at his house in Kanchanaburi on Thursday before being transferred to the Bangkok immigration detention centre while the country’s authorities prepare to revoke his visa.
Lamduan, originally from Udon Thani province in north-east Thailand, was found by a group of walkers on the Pennine Way, between Pen-y-ghent and Horton in Ribblesdale, in September 2004.
Detectives initially believed she had died of natural causes but a cold case team announced in 2018 that Lamduan was murdered.
Armitage, who has been living in Thailand since her death, did not report his wife missing and has not managed to be interviewed by Thai or British police about her whereabouts.
The victim’s family in Thailand came forward to say they had not heard from her since 2004 after seeing an e-fit that resembled her issued by North Yorkshire police.
They said she had married a British man in 1991 and moved to north-west England four years later.
The investigation into Lamduan’s death is being conducted by North Yorkshire police.
A spokesperson for the force told the BBC it was aware of Armitage’s detention and added: “We understand it relates to his visa status and residence in Thailand and is entirely a matter for the immigration service of the Royal Thai police.
“Should Mr Armitage be deported, we understand that he will have a choice as to where he goes, which will include return to the UK.
“Should that occur, we will again make every effort to speak to him about the investigation.”
Armitage previously told the Sun newspaper he was not involved in his wife’s death.
Criminals stealing hundreds of pounds by snooping locker codes and using them to access accounts with same pin
Police have urged the public to use different pin codes at the gym after a prolific thief stole hundreds of pounds from a man he snooped on while entering a locker code that he also used for his bank card.
Last September Declan Murphy, 35, secretly watched the victim as he typed in a locker code at a luxury central London gym. After stealing the victim’s phone and bank card from the locker, Murphy then successfully guessed that the four-digit code on the card would be the same as the locker code.
Continue reading...Elianne Andam was stabbed to death by friend’s ex-boyfriend Hassan Sentamu after dispute outside shopping centre
Elianne Andam was known, above all, for her caring nature. During her memorial service, her father recounted an evening when she found six snails flushed out on the pavement due to the rain. She picked up the “slimy creatures” and moved them out of harm’s way so they would not die prematurely. “Oh, the irony,” her father said.
On 27 September 2023, Andam stood up for her friend, who had recently broken up with her boyfriend. They met Hassan Sentamu, who was 17 at the time, to exchange items. Her friend handed a bag to Sentamu but he failed to hand over her items, including a teddy bear she wanted back.
Continue reading...Parents of murdered schoolboy say prison rehabilitation does not seem to have made any difference to Jake Fahri
The parents of murdered schoolboy Jimmy Mizen have said prison does not “seem to have made a blind bit of difference” to their son’s killer, who is reportedly now a rapper whose songs have been promoted by the BBC.
Jake Fahri, then 19, was given a life sentence in 2009 with a minimum term of 14 years for killing Mizen by throwing an oven dish at him. The glass dish shattered and severed blood vessels in the 16-year-old’s neck in a south London bakery.
Continue reading...Birmingham-based drill musician known as Twista Cheese made gun gesture in video and shouted ‘pow, pow, pow’
A rapper has been convicted of posting a “menacing” video on social media directed towards Tommy Robinson, in which he mentioned artillery and made a gun gesture while shouting “pow, pow, pow”.
Omar Abdirizak, a 31-year-old Birmingham-based rapper known as Twista Cheese, posted the minute-long TikTok video in August last year.
Continue reading...Ministers say predators could face two years in jail, and plan to include creating sexually explicit deepfakes in bill
Predators who take intimate images of unwitting victims or install cameras to do so could face up to two years’ in jail under plans drawn up by Labour.
Ministers have also confirmed that they plan to create a new offence for those who create sexually explicit deepfake images.
Taking or recording an intimate photograph or film without consent.
Taking or recording an intimate photograph or film without consent and with intent to cause alarm, distress, or humiliation.
Taking or recording an intimate photograph or film without consent or reasonable belief in it, and for the purpose of the sexual gratification of oneself or another.
Continue reading...Skylar Dalziel’s hard drives showed access to about 290,000 tracks from artists also including Shawn Mendes, police say
A dark web dealer who stole unreleased music from the likes of Coldplay, Shawn Mendes and Bebe Rexha has been given a suspended 21-month jail sentence.
Skylar Dalziel, 22, made tens of thousands of pounds after accessing the copyrighted tracks by illegally accessing cloud storage accounts linked to the artists.
Continue reading...Those close to PM worry voters are running out of patience and want reforms to directly help public
Keir Starmer has at last managed a family holiday, but by next week the Madeira sun may already feel a distant memory as he embarks on a policy blitz that could be crucial in deciding his government’s fortunes over this parliament.
A speech on Monday detailing what No 10 is billing as a “radical” approach to cut NHS waiting lists is expected to be followed by an announcement on crime, as the prime minister faces pressure to make changes that directly and rapidly benefit voters, rather than just promising they are on the way.
Continue reading...Part of an international initiative to combat organised wildlife crime, similar seizures in Australia and Norway have recovered more than 50,000 eggs
More than 6,000 eggs have been seized in the biggest haul of its kind in UK history, after police carried out raids in Scotland, South Yorkshire, Essex, Wales and Gloucester. Thousands of eggs were found secreted in attics, offices and drawers.
The UK raids took place in November as part of Operation Pulka, an international effort to tackle organised wildlife crime – specifically the taking, possessing and trading of wild birds’ eggs. The raids began in June 2023 in Norway, and resulted in 16 arrests and the seizure of 50,000 eggs. In Australia, an estimated 3,500 eggs have been seized, worth up to A$500,000 (£250,000).
Continue reading...After a rocky start, PM sets out ‘next phase’ covering economic growth, NHS backlogs, energy, and a ‘bobby on every beat’
Keir Starmer will attempt to reset his premiership with a series of pledges to show he is “delivering change”, including 13,000 extra neighbourhood police and a named “bobby on every beat”.
In a speech Labour hopes will set out the “next phase” of government, the prime minister will detail half a dozen “milestone” targets covering living standards, NHS backlogs, secure energy, housebuilding and children’s readiness for school.
Continue reading...MPs vote to give leave to bring in private members’ bill on PR but it will have no practical effect
Lord Robertson, the former Labour defence secretary and former Nato secretary who is leading the government’s strategic defence review, is giving evidence to the Commons defence committee. He has told MPs that the Americans are being fully consulted about the review. This is from Shashank Joshi, the Economist’s defence editor.
Listening to George Robertson & Richard Barrons, who are writing the UK’s defence review alongside Fiona Hill, giving evidence to the Commons defence committee. They’re in “constant contact” with allies, Robertson says, and have a US officer on the review team.
Continue reading...Tommy Banks says £25,000 of stock, which included 2,500 pies bearing his name, was ‘not really very saleable’
A van that which was stolen containing 2,500 pies has been found abandoned, although inquiries are continuing into the fate of its contents.
The Michelin-starred chef Tommy Banks had appealed to thieves to “do the right thing” and give the van’s contents, which also included custard and gravy, to people in need.
Continue reading...New head of National Cyber Security Centre to warn of risk to infrastructure in first major speech
The UK is underestimating the severity of the online threat it faces from hostile states and criminal gangs, the country’s cybersecurity chief will warn.
Richard Horne, the head of GCHQ’s National Cyber Security Centre, will cite a trebling of “severe” incidents amid Russian “aggression and recklessness” and China’s “highly sophisticated” digital operations.
Continue reading...Raj Sidpara, 50, given minimum 21-year sentence after punching, kicking and stamping on Tarnjeet Riaz
A man who murdered his girlfriend by punching, kicking and stamping on her before falling asleep and leaving her to die has been sentenced to life in prison with a minimum term of 21 years.
Raj Sidpara, 50, was convicted of the murder of Tarnjeet Riaz, also known by her maiden name Chagger, at Leicester crown court last week.
Continue reading...In today’s newsletter: A police visit to a Daily Telegraph columnist about a tweet unleashed a barrage of coverage – but the story is more complicated than it appears
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Good morning. A journalist visited by police over an erroneous tweet. A barber accused of racism over a dodgy haircut. And someone in Warwickshire reported for refusing to shake hands. These are some of the examples cited in recent days in an escalating media storm over “non-crime hate incidents” recorded by police.
The problem, frequently laid at the door of the woke mob, is so catastrophically vexing that former Conservative MEP and Daily Telegraph columnist Daniel Hannan declared it evidence of “the bleak reality of our DEI [diversity, equity and inclusion] police state”. Yvette Cooper, the home secretary, has now said that the police should apply a “common sense and consistent approach”, an apparent nod to the criticisms of how the system works. And there are some reasonable objections to the status quo. But there are also important reasons for its existence that have very little to do with haircuts or handshakes.
Unemployment | Teenagers will get training at the Premier League, Royal Shakespeare Company and Channel 4 in a government drive to get hundreds of thousands into jobs or education. The scheme is part of a suite of changes to the welfare system and out-of-work support being announced today.
US politics | Donald Trump said on Monday he would sign an executive order imposing a 25% US tariff on products from Mexico and Canada. He said the tariffs would only be lifted if Mexico and Canada clamp down on migrants and illegal drugs crossing the border, and promised an additional 10% tariff on Chinese imports.
Storm Bert | Forecasters, environment officials and politicians have been criticised over the warnings issued before Storm Bert and the fitness of flood defences to cope with increasingly common extreme weather. The Met Office defended its work, saying that the storm was “well forecast, 48 hours in advance”.
Regulation | Britain’s financial sector watchdog is “incompetent at best, dishonest at worst”, according to a damning report by MPs and Lords which called for a big shake-up. An examination of the Financial Conduct Authority found “very significant shortcomings” after a series of financial scandals.
Health | Weight-loss drugs can reduce the risk of worsening kidney function, kidney failure and dying from kidney disease by a fifth, according to a study. Compared with placebo, GLP-1 receptor agonists like Ozempic reduced the risk of kidney failure by 16% and the worsening of kidney function by 22%,
Victim-led hate reporting has had significant and important positive impacts for police, and communities, in diagnosing harm, extremism, and failing integration or community-cohesion efforts … We all know that recording rules can be complex, but they should not be a concern to a victim at their time of distress.”
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