Author: Darren Smith

A British father-of-one from Hemel Hempstead has died unexpectedly while on holiday in Cyprus, leaving his partner and eight-year-old daughter “heartbroken” and his family facing thousands of pounds in repatriation and funeral costs. Jonas McDowall, 34, passed away on 5 June during what was meant to be a family trip. His relatives have launched a GoFundMe appeal, which has already raised more than £4,400 towards its £5,500 target, as donors rally around the family in the wake of the tragedy. His brother George McDowall, who set up the fundraiser, wrote: “With broken hearts, we are reaching out to ask for…

A 24-year-old father has allegedly killed his two-year-old son’s speech therapist in Valencia, Spain, after returning from a cigarette break to find the toddler with his trousers down and no nappy on in the clinician’s office. The suspect, named locally as David G.S., turned himself in to police at a station in Burjassot with bloodied hands and told officers he had killed his son’s “abuser.” According to investigators, he had briefly stepped outside the clinic to smoke and returned to find his toddler in a partially undressed state. He allegedly confronted the 32-year-old speech therapist and demanded to see security…

Iran’s players and manager have launched an extraordinary attack on their treatment during the World Cup, claiming they were forced to leave Los Angeles immediately after their opening game against New Zealand without being allowed the recovery time that other competing nations receive, in a row that unfolded just minutes after FIFA president Gianni Infantino visited their dressing room. Striker Mehdi Taremi and head coach Amir Ghalenoei delivered their stinging criticism after Iran’s 2-2 draw with New Zealand at SoFi Stadium on Monday night, describing their World Cup experience as “a disaster” and calling on FIFA to intervene. “Everything is…

Firefighters have been battling a major blaze at a Waitrose supermarket in Hove, East Sussex, after being called to the scene in the early hours of this morning as thick black smoke filled the sky above the area. East Sussex Fire & Rescue Service was called to reports of a fire on Nevill Road just before 4am. Fire appliances from Hove, Preston Circus and Eastbourne attended, with additional support from West Sussex Fire & Rescue Service. Officers from Sussex Police and the ambulance service are also at the scene. A spokesperson for East Sussex Fire & Rescue Service said: “At…

British Transport Police have released a CCTV image of a man they want to identify after a woman was sexually assaulted on a Jubilee Line train by a man who used a newspaper to conceal his actions. The incident took place at around 1.40pm on Thursday 28 May, on a service travelling from London Bridge towards West Hampstead. The victim was already seated on the train when the suspect boarded at either Bond Street or Green Park and sat down beside her. He then allegedly sexually assaulted her, holding a newspaper to cover what he was doing. The woman confronted…

Nottinghamshire Police are hunting a man after a young woman was allegedly raped in Nottingham city centre in the early hours of Saturday morning, with officers appealing for witnesses who may have been in the area at the time. The force is particularly keen to speak to anyone who saw a man and a woman together on Adams Walk, a city centre alleyway, at around 2.15am on Saturday 13 June. Adams Walk and the adjoining Lace Market Square were both cordoned off with police tape following the incident. The alleged victim is being supported by specialist officers. Detective Sergeant Hayley…

Ukrainian drones struck the Kapotnya oil refinery in Moscow, just ten miles from the Kremlin, in one of the most significant strikes on the Russian capital since the war began, causing fires and sending plumes of black smoke into the sky above the city as all four of Moscow’s major airports suspended flights. The attack, which coincided with the G7 summit in France, saw multiple drones breach Moscow’s layered air defence system despite the deployment of around 130 defence positions in and around the capital, including Pantsir and S-400 batteries. According to the Kyiv Post, the Russian Ministry of Defence…

Seven members of a youth basketball team have been killed in a bus crash in Brazil, hours after the squad had been crowned champions of an under-19 tournament, in an accident that investigators believe may have been caused by the driver falling asleep at the wheel. The bus was travelling through the Taua municipality in the early hours of Monday morning, returning to Juazeiro do Norte from a tournament in Sobral, some 360 miles away, when it flipped and rolled. Emergency services were called to the scene just before 3.30am, and rescuers worked for nearly five hours to recover all…

Scotland’s first World Cup win since 1990 was built on a deliberate shift in approach by manager Steve Clarke, with assistant coach Steven Naismith crediting increased family time and a more relaxed camp atmosphere for the team’s victory over Haiti in Boston. Determined to avoid a repeat of the claustrophobic environment Scotland experienced at their Bavarian base during Euro 2024, the squad are based in Charlotte, North Carolina, for at least four weeks during this tournament. Clarke has actively encouraged players to spend their days off with family members rather than remaining solely focused on football throughout the camp. Naismith…

The detective who led the investigation into the murder of 13-month-old Preston Davey has described his killers as representing “pure evil,” as questions mount over how at least eight separate opportunities to protect the toddler were missed by professionals over the four months he was in their care. Jamie Varley, 37, a textiles teacher who also served as head of year and safeguarding lead at a Blackpool comprehensive school, was convicted of Preston’s murder following a trial at Preston Crown Court, alongside 24 other charges including sexual assault, grievous bodily harm, cruelty, and taking and distributing indecent images. His partner,…