Author: Darren Smith

Restore Britain MP Rupert Lowe has published a 219-page independent report claiming at least 250,000 young British girls have been subjected to rape, trafficking, torture and sexual exploitation by organised grooming gangs since the 1950s, describing the scandal as “one of the most horrendous failures in the history of the country.” The Rape Gang Inquiry Report, funded by more than 20,000 public donations and compiled from survivor testimonies, whistleblowers and expert evidence, was published on Tuesday and covers coordinated networks operating in at least 149 local authority districts — nearly 40 per cent of the UK. In a video posted…

Lionel Messi marked Argentina’s World Cup title defence with a sensational hat-trick as the reigning champions crushed Algeria 3-0 in Kansas City on Tuesday night, underlining their status as overwhelming favourites to retain the trophy they won in Qatar three and a half years ago. The eight-time Ballon d’Or winner opened his account after just 17 minutes, rocketing Argentina into the lead with a powerful finish following a breathtaking solo run. Messi then demonstrated his predatory instincts to double the lead on 60 minutes, reacting quickest to tap in from close range. He completed his treble on 76 minutes with…

A father who told his teenage daughter he could “do what he wanted” to her when she turned 16 has been jailed for more than 15 years after subjecting her to a campaign of sexual abuse, with his partner also imprisoned for her role in the sickening offending. Matthew Ward, 37, was sentenced to 15 years and four months at Derby Crown Court, while his accomplice Sophie Eason, 30, was jailed for two years and eight months. Both were handed indefinite Sexual Harm Prevention Orders, lifetime restraining orders and placed on the sex offenders register indefinitely. His daughter Demi Howes,…

A man deliberately reversed his Land Rover at high speed into two cars and demolished a brick building at a Bradford pub before a bystander attempted to punch him as he fled the scene, CCTV footage has revealed. The incident took place at around 8.34pm on Monday at The Park Pub in Wibsey, Bradford. Footage from the car park shows the black Land Rover pulling out of its parking space and heading towards the exit, before suddenly reversing at speed into a second car that had also been making its way out. As two occupants jumped from the struck vehicle,…

Lionel Messi escaped punishment for what appeared to be a stamp on Algeria’s Aissa Mandi during Argentina’s opening World Cup match in Kansas City on Tuesday night, with fans taking to social media in fury to claim the tournament is being manipulated to protect football’s biggest stars. The incident occurred as Messi attempted a tackle on Mandi, his foot appearing to make contact with the Algerian’s calf and Achilles area from behind. Mandi went down in apparent pain, and replays suggested the Inter Miami forward was at serious risk of being dismissed. But Polish referee Szymon Marciniak took no action,…

An American man whose interaction with a young boy on a balcony in Bogotá was filmed and shared globally as apparent evidence of child sexual abuse has been fully cleared by Colombian authorities, who confirmed he was in fact helping the child who was choking, in a case that caused a violent mob reaction and has now put a three-year adoption process at risk. The 36-year-old Texas man was taken into custody after a bystander filmed what she believed to be a sexual assault taking place on a balcony and began shouting. The footage spread rapidly on social media, prompting…

The world’s largest Ford dealership group has been accused of encouraging people to exploit the taxpayer-funded Motability scheme before tighter eligibility rules come into force on 1 July, running adverts urging customers to “beat the changes” and lock in current benefits before a planned crackdown slashes funding by a third. Trust Ford, a trading name of the Ford Retail Group — a subsidiary of Ford of Europe — is running adverts on social media and podcasts telling people who receive disability benefits they may be eligible for a brand new Ford, and that they should order before the July deadline…

South Yorkshire Police have released an e-fit image of a man they want to identify after a woman was grabbed and sexually assaulted in Doncaster city centre last month. The incident took place on Tuesday 12 May and the suspect has been described as having several distinctive physical characteristics that officers hope will help the public identify him. The man is believed to be aged between 50 and 60, around 5ft 5in tall, with a bald head, tattoos on both his neck and fingers, and a tracheotomy tube in the base of his throat. South Yorkshire Police are urging anyone…

A Brazilian spiritualist with more than 23 million social media followers has claimed that an alien invasion will strike the World Cup match between Brazil and Scotland on 24 June, warning that thousands of fans and players will be abducted by extraterrestrial craft at the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida. Vó Bahiana, who describes herself as a clairvoyant, said she had two separate dreams this month about the match, both featuring multiple UFOs descending on the stadium. In an emotional Instagram post, she said: “I have to tell you that I dreamed again about aliens invading the soccer…

Kyle Calder, a former Chicago Blackhawks forward who won gold with Team Canada at the 2003 IIHF World Championships, has died at the age of 47 following a brief illness, with tributes pouring in from the hockey world. The Alberta native’s death was announced late on Monday night in an Instagram post by his daughter Madison, who had been coaching youth hockey with the Los Angeles Jr. Kings at the time of his passing. The team confirmed he had been dealing with a brief illness but gave no further details about the cause of death. Madison’s tribute was one of…