
Law will change to stop attackers fixated on violence, says Home Secretary
She said: 'We have to make sure that the system is able to respond to violent fixated individuals. We will tighten that legislation so that that is taken as seriously as terrorism.'
Her commitment, first made in an interview with the BBC, would implement a recommendation from the independent reviewer of terrorism legislation, Jonathan Hall KC, who examined whether terror laws needed to be changed to deal with people such as Southport attacker Axel Rudakubana.
The review was prompted by revelations that Rudakubana had been referred to the counter-extremism Prevent programme, but his case had not been followed up as he lacked an ideological motivation.
He went on to murder three young girls and seriously wound 10 other people at a Taylor Swift-themed dance class in Southport last year and is currently serving a life sentence.
Mr Hall's review recommended against widening the definition of terrorism to include individuals such as Rudakubana, but suggested creating a new offence to deal with people who plan mass casualty attacks motivated by personal grievance or an obsession with violence for its own sake.
Ms Cooper said there was now a 'pattern' of teenagers being 'drawn into extreme violence and extreme ideologies' in their own bedrooms thanks to 'a really distorted and warped online world'.
She said: 'The sorts of things that we're now increasingly seeing online with violent fixated individuals, where there may not be a clear ideology, it may be a fixation with violence, or they may switch between different ideologies.'

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Rhyl Journal
17 minutes ago
- Rhyl Journal
Gregg Wallace apologises, but says he is ‘not a groper, a sex pest or a flasher'
In an interview with The Sun, the TV presenter also defended his sacked former co-host John Torode, telling the paper he is 'not a racist'. Torode was the subject of an allegation about using racist language that was upheld as part of a review carried out by law firm Lewis Silkin into the alleged behaviour of co-presenter Wallace. Torode said he had 'no recollection of the incident' and was 'shocked and saddened' by the allegation. In November 2024 it was announced that Wallace would step away from his role on the BBC cooking show while historical allegations of misconduct were investigated. Wallace issued an apology saying he was 'deeply sorry for any distress caused' and that he 'never set out to harm or humiliate' in the wake of the Lewis Silkin review that saw 45 out of 83 allegations made against him upheld. The review concluded that the 'majority of the substantiated allegations against Mr Wallace related to inappropriate sexual language and humour', adding that 'a smaller number of allegations of other inappropriate language and being in a state of undress were also substantiated', with 'one incident of unwelcome physical contact' also substantiated. In fresh comments to The Sun, Wallace acknowledged that he had said things that 'offended people, that weren't socially acceptable and perhaps they felt too intimidated or nervous to say anything at the time. 'I understand that now – and to anyone I have hurt, I am so sorry.' Wallace added: 'I'm not a groper. People think I've been taking my trousers down and exposing myself – I am not a flasher. 'People think I'm a sex pest. I am not.' Wallace also said his recent autism diagnosis means he struggles 'to read people'. 'I know people find me weird,' he said. 'Autism is a disability, a registered disability.' Pointing to the allegation against Torode, Wallace told the paper: 'I've known John for 30 years and he is not a racist. 'And as evidence of that, I'll show you the incredible diversity of the people that he has championed, MasterChef winners, over the years. 'There is no way that man is a racist. No way. And my sympathies go out to John because I don't want anybody to go through what I've been through.' It was announced this week that a series of MasterChef filmed last year before allegations against Wallace and Torode were upheld will be broadcast on BBC One and BBC iPlayer from August 6. A decision on airing the celebrity series and Christmas special has not been decided, with plans to be confirmed later in the year, the BBC said. Both presenters will still feature in the upcoming series, but the edit will be looked at in light of the findings of an investigation, with focus being given to the contestants, the PA news agency understands. A BBC spokesperson said: 'After careful consideration and consultation with the contestants, we have decided to broadcast the amateur series of MasterChef on BBC One and BBC iPlayer from 6 August. 'MasterChef is an amazing competition which is life-changing for the amateur chefs taking part. The focus of it has always been their skill and their journey. 'This has not been an easy decision in the circumstances and we appreciate not everyone will agree with it. 'In showing the series, which was filmed last year, it in no way diminishes our view of the seriousness of the upheld findings against both presenters. 'We have been very clear on the standards of behaviour that we expect of those who work at the BBC or on shows made for the BBC. 'However, we believe that broadcasting this series is the right thing to do for these cooks who have given so much to the process. 'We want them to be properly recognised and give the audience the choice to watch the series. 'At this stage we have not taken a decision on the celebrity series and Christmas special, which was filmed earlier this year, and we will confirm our plans later in the year. 'Most importantly MasterChef is a brilliant, much-loved programme which is bigger than any one individual. 'There are many talented, dedicated and hard-working people who make the show what it is. It will continue to flourish on the BBC and we look forward to it returning stronger than ever in the future.'


Sky News
39 minutes ago
- Sky News
Gregg Wallace apologises to anyone he has hurt - but insists: 'I'm not a groper'
Gregg Wallace has spoken about his sacking from MasterChef after inappropriate behaviour while working for the BBC - but insisted he is "not a groper, a sex pest or a flasher". Wallace, 60, has apologised after a report, commissioned by the cooking show's production company Banijay UK, found 45 out of 83 allegations were substantiated. In an interview with The Sun, he said: "I know I have said things that offended people... I understand that now - and to anyone I have hurt, I am so sorry. "I don't expect anyone to have any sympathy with me but I don't think I am a wrong 'un." 1:34 MasterChef co-host John Torode also had an allegation that he used an "extremely offensive racist term" upheld, as part of the same investigation. Torode, who insisted he had "absolutely no recollection" of the alleged incident, has not had his contract for the show renewed. Wallace has now defended Torode, saying: "I've known John for 30 years and he is not a racist. "There is no way that man is a racist. No way. And my sympathies go out to John because I don't want anybody to go through what I've been through." At one point, Wallace became tearful during the interview when describing the impact of the investigation on his family. "I have seen myself written about in the same sentence as Jimmy Savile and Huw Edwards, paedophiles and sex offenders. That is just so, so horrific." In respect to the specific allegation of unwanted touching, Wallace denied groping a woman and said that, while he was attempting to flirt with her, he did believe the contact it was consensual. "She gave me her phone number. I considered that to be intimacy. It was 15 years ago. Me, drunk, at a party, with my hand on a girl's bum," he said. He also accepted he had briefly appeared with a sock on his private parts in front of four colleagues in MasterChef studio. But he said his is not a flasher, and people were either "amused or bemused" but not distressed. On the broader allegations about using inappropriate language, Wallace accepted the criticism and suggested that some of his conduct could be explained by his autism and his background. "I know I am odd. I know I struggle to read people. I know people find me weird. Autism is a... registered disability. Just because you can't see it doesn't mean it's not real." He also blamed his former career: "I'm a greengrocer from Peckham. I thrived in Covent Garden's fruit and veg market. In that environment that is jovial and crude. It is learned behaviour." Wallace told the newspaper he is now scared to appear in public: "I go out now in a disguise - a baseball cap and sunglasses, I don't want people to see me. I'm scared."


Telegraph
6 hours ago
- Telegraph
Gregg Wallace: I'm not a groper, sex pest or flasher
Former MasterChef host Gregg Wallace has pledged to clear his name following his sacking from the BBC and said: 'I'm not a groper, a sex pest or a flasher.' The 60-year-old defended himself and described being grouped with sex offenders Jimmy Savile and Huw Edwards as 'horrific'. In his first interview with The Sun at his home in Kent, he said his aim in speaking out was not 'to play the victim'. Wallace lost his job following complaints from a number of women over the years. 'There's so much that I want to say, and so much that I want to put right, if I can,' he said. 'I'm not saying I'm not guilty of stuff, but so much has been perceived incorrectly. Things that really hurt me and hurt my family.' The former TV star, who did not take a fee for the interview, added: 'I'm not a groper. 'People think I've been taking my trousers down and exposing myself – I am not a flasher. 'People think I'm a sex pest. 'I am not. 'I am not sexist or a misogynist, or any of it. 'There never were any accusations of sexual harassment. 'I have seen myself written about in the same sentence as Jimmy Savile and Huw Edwards, paedophiles and sex offenders. 'That is just so, so horrific.' 'I don't expect any sympathy' Wallace, who is married to wife Anna and has a six-year-old son, Sid, said he was still learning about himself and had done so over the past eight months as he was diagnosed with autism back in January. 'I know I have said things that offended people, that weren't socially acceptable and perhaps they felt too intimidated or nervous to say anything at the time,' he said. 'I understand that now – and to anyone I have hurt, I am so sorry. 'I don't expect anyone to have any sympathy with me but I don't think I am a wrong 'un.' A total of 45 of 83 complaints have been upheld in the wake of a report into Wallace's behaviour by law firm Lewis Silkin. The complaints were made by 41 people and during the course of his career he worked with 4,000 people, who were cast, crew and production; 0.5 per cent of people had criticised him. But he admitted the figure was too high. He also lent his support to former MasterChef co-host John Torode and said: 'He's not a racist.'