Author: Darren Smith

A Manchester United supporter who vowed not to cut his hair until the club won five consecutive matches will have to wait longer after a dramatic 1-1 draw with West Ham ended the Red Devils’ winning streak on 10 February. Frank Ilett, known on social media as The United Strand, has been growing his hair for a year and a half after promising to continue until United secured five wins in a row. Despite Benjamin Sesko’s 96th-minute equalizer at the London Stadium, the result still falls short of the victory required to complete Ilett’s challenge. United arrived at the match…

A humanoid robot was filmed walking through London streets whilst being followed by intrigued schoolchildren who questioned the machine about its origins, in footage that has raised questions about the advancement of robotics technology. The AI humanoid was surrounded by pupils who engaged it in conversation during its apparent unsupervised journey through the capital. When asked “who is your creator” by one of the children, the robot responded “father is my creator bye bye” before attempting to walk away. The pupils continued following the machine, prompting further questions about its background. When asked where it came from, the humanoid stated…

An Afghan national has been convicted of raping a 12-year-old girl in Warwickshire after a jury unanimously found him guilty of abduction and sexual offences, whilst his co-defendant was acquitted of all charges. Ahmad Mulakhil, 23, was found guilty at Warwick Crown Court of two counts of rape, two counts of sexual assault, abducting a child and taking indecent photographs of a child following seven hours and 39 minutes of jury deliberation. He was cleared of a second rape count. Mohammad Kabir, also an Afghan national, was acquitted of intentional strangulation, committing an offence with intent to commit a sexual…

A video circulating on social media shows an individual identifying as a Black Lives Matter activist calling for violent attacks against white people and police officers, claiming such actions represent the only path to liberation for black people. The clip, which has drawn attention to questions of content moderation and potential incitement, features the speaker rejecting non-violent approaches to activism. He states that “no amount of begging, no amount of complaining, no amount of protesting” will achieve freedom, instead claiming “the only way black people achieve true liberation” involves “taking it in blood.” The speaker describes a vision involving “blood…

A 14-year-old boy is being sentenced today after pleading guilty to murdering a 12-year-old schoolboy during a three-day violent rampage in a Birmingham park that also saw him attack two elderly women. Birmingham Crown Court heard how the teenager, who cannot be named for legal reasons, carried out a series of random attacks on strangers in Trittiford Mill Park between 19 and 21 January last year, culminating in the fatal stabbing of Leo Ross. The defendant pleaded guilty last month to Leo’s murder, two counts of causing grievous bodily harm with intent, one count of assault occasioning actual bodily harm…

Former England international Eni Aluko has accused presenter Laura Woods of “gaslighting” after their previously close working relationship collapsed into a public dispute over women’s football punditry that has drawn in other prominent media figures. Aluko revealed on talkSPORT that she and Woods had enjoyed a strong friendship before the controversy erupted. “Laura was actually one of the people I would consistently go to. We got on like a house on fire,” she stated. “I had to look at the messages and think ‘hang on, I feel a bit gaslight here’.” The former Lioness’s comments came during a heated confrontation…

Italian authorities are searching for four suspects following a motorway robbery that saw an armed gang blow up a security van with explosives after blocking traffic with a burning truck on Monday morning. Police arrested two men near the town of Squinzano in Puglia’s southern region after intercepting their getaway vehicle, a dark blue Alfa Romeo fitted with a blue police light on the roof. The remaining suspects fled the scene at high speed following a shootout with officers. The robbery occurred between the cities of Lecce and Brindisi, with the gang forcing the cash van to stop by setting…

A woman who discovered male colleagues including her manager had placed bets on who would sleep with her first has lost her sexual harassment case despite a judge ruling the wager constituted harassment. Molly Craigie’s tribunal claim against East Anglia Home Improvements was dismissed on technical grounds after the judge determined she had brought her complaint “out of time” under employment law rules, even though the betting behaviour was found to be “unwanted conduct of a sexual nature.” The saleswoman joined the company in September 2022 in a role requiring her to visit potential customers to confirm contracts. Within two…

A former Metropolitan Police firearms inspector dismissed from the force in December will appear in court this week facing 17 charges including rape, grievous bodily harm and misconduct in public office spanning a 12-year period. John Doyle, 53, who previously worked in the Met’s Specialist Firearms Command, was charged by postal requisition on Wednesday 4 February with offences allegedly committed between 2012 and 2024 against one victim. Westminster Magistrates’ Court will hear the case on Wednesday 11 February, where Doyle will face charges including five counts of rape, one count of assault by penetration, and four counts of grievous bodily…

Manchester Foundation Trust has closed applications for a 12-month fixed-term position paying up to £44,962 annually for a neonatal nurse to work specifically with families practicing close-relative marriage. The role, advertised earlier this year, requires fluency in Urdu and seeks a candidate who “values diversity and difference” to support families and enable “informed reproductive decision making” in what the job listing described as a “culturally sensitive empowering way.” The successful applicant will work full-time on a salary ranging from £37,338 to £44,962, tasked with ensuring “support and improve engagement with genetic services for affected families.” Manchester Foundation Trust represents one…