Author: News Desk

Ex-Met police officer ‘intimidated’ neighbours by spraying them with hose in dog poo row A former Met Police officer washed her dog’s faeces and urine into her neighbour’s garden before spraying them with a hosepipe when they complained, a hearing has been told. Mel Chinn was found guilty of gross misconduct by a police disciplinary panel after the shocking allegations against her were revealed. The former detective sergeant in the Metropolitan Police, who has left the force since the accusations were made, first became embroiled in a row with her neighbours in 2019 over a planning dispute involving a ground-floor…

Victoria Taylor: Police search river in hunt for missing mother after finding possessions nearby Police say there is a “significant possibility” that missing mother Victoria Taylor entered a river before her disappearance late last month. Ms Taylor, 34, went missing from Malton home in North Yorkshire on Monday 30 September. Police have now revealed that some of her personal possessions were found near the River Derwent. Police recovered CCTV footage showing Ms Taylor leaving her home at 9am, and purchasing several items at a BP garage in Norton at 11.35am. She was seen at Malton Bus Station shortly afterwards. Chief…

Blind man left with ‘no dignity’ after two-year delay in getting guide dog while stuck on housing waiting list A blind man has described being “broken” while facing a two-year delay in getting a guide dog because he was stuck on a social housing waiting list. When Ray Clements began to lose his sight three years ago, the shared house he was living in quickly became untenable as he could not trip hazards. The 51-year-old began sleeping on his brother’s sofa in Liverpool for what he thought would be a short period as he awaited suitable social housing. However, almost…

Drink-driver runs red lights and ploughs into cars over taxi fare home A drink-driver ran multiple red lights and crashed into parked cars as he drove home from a nightclub in Nottingham in February, newly-released footage shows. Declan Muers, 27, of Brewsters Road, Mapperley, Nottingham, failed to stop for police as he sped through the city centre while over the limit. Muers was sentenced to 16 months, suspended for two years, on Monday (7 October) after pleading guilty to dangerous driving, failing to stop when required by a police constable and drink-driving. Nottinghamshire Police said: “He should have got a…

Starmer bids to end Tory ‘scorched earth’ industrial relations policy with workers’ rights reset Union chiefs have hailed workers’ rights reforms unveiled by Keir Starmer’s government today for “changing the balance of power” in favour of employees and away from employers. The long-awaited package to unpick Tory anti-union legislation has been unveiled less than 24 hours after the Renters’ Rights Bill passed its second reading in the Commons. Experts also hailed that legislation as handing power to tenants and away from landlords as Labour pushed through a revolution to protect the rights of millions of people in the UK. The…

Sexual violence victims face rape myths and misogyny in cross-examination, report finds Sexual violence victims are being re-traumatised by the court process, with three-quarters asked questions founded on rape myths while cross-examined, according to a damning new report. Research by Victim Support found survivors have experienced suicidal thoughts and tried to take their own lives while going through the court process. Some have been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder. Two victims – whose attackers were found guilty – told of the struggles they faced while going through the criminal justice system. Researchers looked at the experiences of sexual violence victims…

Starmer bolsters anti-Russian sanctions ahead of welcoming Zelensky to Downing Street Sir Keir Starmer has set up a team of experts to ensure British firms are complying with anti-Russian sanctions ahead of a visit by Volodymyr Zelensky to Downing Street. The prime minister will welcome his Ukrainian counterpart and Nato secretary-general Mark Rutte on Thursday. Following Russia’s full-scale invasion of its neighbour in 2022, Britain rolled out its most comprehensive set of sanctions against any major economy, with over £20bn worth of trade with Russia targeted. The sanctions have deprived Russia of more than £300bn of funds since February 2022,…

From flexible working to paternity leave: What you need to know about the Government’s new Employment Rights Bill The Government will today announce details of new rights for workers. Ministers described the Employment Rights Bill as the biggest boost to pay and productivity in the workplace in a generation. The new rules include plans to ban exploitative zero-hours contracts and “unscrupulous” fire and rehire practices which it said will benefit millions of workers. Unions warmly welcomed the measures as a “seismic shift” from the low pay, low productivity economy they accused the previous Conservative government of presiding over. There are…

House prices are rising across the UK for the first time in two years House prices are rising across the UK generally for the first time in two years, surveyors have reported. A balance of 16% of professionals reported prices increasing in September, up from a flat 0% result in August and the first positive reading since October 2022. Demand, sales, and new listings all grew in September, the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (Rics) said. A net balance of 14% of property professionals saw demand from buyers rise rather than fall in September. An overall balance of 5% saw…

Tory MPs pivot to the right as centrist James Cleverly knocked out of leadership race Conservative MPs stunned Westminster by pivoting to the right and ditching centrist candidate James Cleverly in the race to succeed Rishi Sunak. In a shock result, the former home secretary was knocked out of the contest on Wednesday afternoon, leaving Robert Jenrick and Kemi Badenoch – both candidates favoured by the right of the party – to face a vote of the membership. Tory MPs appear to have calculated that they need to move to the right to win back votes from Nigel Farage’s Reform…