Socialite James Stunt cleared of money laundering after trial
Socialite James Stunt has been cleared of taking part in a £200m money laundering operation.Four other men were convicted in the biggest prosecution of its kind ever brought before a British judge.During a five-month trial, Leeds Crown Court heard that the group was involved in an operation to launder criminals' cash and turn it into untraceable gold.Gregory Frankel, Daniel Rawson, Haroon Rashid and Arjun Babber will be sentenced at a later date.
Stunt, the former son-in-law of Formula 1 tycoon Bernie Ecclestone, stood trial accused of allowing his prestigious Mayfair office to be used as "a trusted hub for money laundering" but denied the offence and was found not guilty by a jury.Listen to highlights from West Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Mirror
5 hours ago
- Daily Mirror
'War could spark fresh UK terror attacks - there's no going back for Israel'
Regardless of who you believe about Iran's nuclear weapons ambitions the seal is now broken and there is no going back for Israel. It is fully committed and will have to press on with its strikes, hoping to lure America into the fight, with its superior bunker-busting bomb power. But the escalating Iran crisis has serious implications for Israel's western allies too and could boost the risk of terror attacks in countries like the UK. As America's junior partner and ally in the Middle East, Sunni Islamist jihadists and groups aligned with Shia Iran are a huge risk in Britain. British warplanes have in the past taken part in shooting down missiles sent to Israel by Tehran and that will not be forgotten by the Iranian regime. And as Shia Tehran has proved with its backing for Hamas in Gaza, a Sunni organisation, it is very capable of putting aside its religious differences to trigger violence. And Iran has even hosted al-Qaeda leaders in hiding including, it is believed, Osama's son Hamza, who Donald Trump announced had been killed in 2019. The Mirror revealed last year that in fact intelligence officers believe Hamza escaped that attempt to kill him and he now leads al-Qaeda, probably from Afghanistan. Hezbollah and its Iranian islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps sponsors have contacts in the UK and these shadowy organisations could launch revenge attacks. The UK has long been regarded as a legitimate target for the region and as Iran begins to lose the conflict with Israel it will likely turn to other means. And they don't even have to radicalise anyone since the internet allows rogue states to seduce lone wolves and small criminal gangs into acting on their behalf for money. Rogue states and terror networks are known increasingly to be tapping into criminal networks across the UK. By putting distance between it, using a criminal gang or naive footsoldier, Iran could easily encourage the spilling of blood in the UK whilst remaining under the threshold for war. The attacker may not even know whom he or she was working for and who they have been speaking to on the internet. Every day and night our MI5 counter-terror officers operate, often in the shadows, trying to smash terror plots, forced to prioritise against an ever-more complex and increasing threat. We in the UK take for granted the relative daily peace we enjoy and yet the threat level for a terror attack in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland remains 'substantial.' This means MI5 believe an attack is 'likely,' so not only can the threat of a terror attack is not be discounted - it is probably going to happen. Targets could be Jewish sites, groups or religious centres in the UK or simply putting the general UK public in its crosshairs with deadly terror strikes. The ongoing fanatical Iranian revolution which started in 1979 has taken a serious toll in recent years - its Hezbollah and Hamas proxies brought to their knees by Israel. It has also lost its huge presence and influence across Syria after the toppling of dictator Bashar al-Assad but it does have a militia foothold in Iraq. For years Iran had steadily spread its influence across the Middle East, stretching across its 'Shia Crescent' from Tehran, through Iraq and Syria, Lebanon and all the way to Israel's doorstep. It has lost all of this in the space of just three years and now the regime is facing an uncertain future. Iran could turn on the west like a wounded animal, launching a wave of terrorism reaching all the way to UK streets. However this current crisis is resolved there will be an increased risk to civilians in Britain and perhaps abroad as Iran seeks revenge. And whilst Israel may have pushed back or destroyed Iran's nuclear weapons ambitions forever, the world may become a safer place. But not as safe as it was.
Daily Record
5 hours ago
- Daily Record
Fighter jets deployed in Portugal after commercial plane declares 'bomb threat'
The plane landed at Lanzarote Airport after receiving help from the Portuguese Air Force. Air force jets were scrambled to the skies this morning in Portugal after a bomb threat was detected on a plane as it crossed national air space. Two fighter jets were sent to help support a commercial plane, believed to be heading to Spain, as it received emergency assistance from the authorities in Monte Real. The air force located the plane after a bomb threat was reported. It was set to divert to Faro Airport, however it managed to land at the intended place, Lanzarote Airport. The Mirror reports that a Portuguese Air Force spokesperson said: "This morning, at 9:00 am, the Air Force activated the F-16M alert pair after a civilian aircraft declared a potential bomb threat on board when crossing national airspace, intending to divert to Faro Airport. "For the mission, two F-16Ms took off from Air Base No. 5, in Monte Real, on permanent alert. With the F-16Ms already monitoring the situation to ensure the safety and good management of national airspace, the crew of the civilian aircraft decided to continue the flight to the destination airport, outside national territory. "Upon leaving the national flight information region, responsibility passed to Spain, with the Portuguese F-16Ms carrying out the handover of the mission and subsequent return to Monte Real. Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community! Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today. You'll receive daily updates on breaking news as well as the top headlines across Scotland. No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team. All you have to do is click here if you're on mobile, select 'Join Community' and you're in! If you're on a desktop, simply scan the QR code above with your phone and click 'Join Community'. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice. "The Air Force guarantees a permanent alert of F-16M for national air defense, responding to all situations to guarantee national sovereignty and good management and safety of air traffic, in strict compliance with national and international recommendations." This comes after reports suggested the head of the RAF is set to be appointed as the new chief of the British armed forces, according to reports. Air Chief Marshal Sir Richard Knighton is thought to be in line to be the next Chief of Defence Staff. The position is currently held by Admiral Sir Tony Radakin, who has been in the role since 2021. According to his biography on the Government website, Sir Richard joined the RAF in 1989 as a university cadet, and served as deputy chief of the defence staff from 2019 to 2022. The appointment comes as the Government has pledged to increase defence spending in the UK to 2.5% of gross domestic product on defence from April 2027, with a goal of increasing that to 3% over the next parliament, a timetable which could stretch to 2034. The Ministry of Defence said: 'This is speculation. The appointment process is ongoing and any announcement will be made in the usual way.'
The Guardian
6 hours ago
- The Guardian
Serial rapist Zhenhao Zou jailed for minimum of 24 years
A PhD student feared to be one of the worst sexual offenders in British history has been jailed for life with a minimum term of 24 years for drugging and raping 10 women. Zhenhao Zou, 28, drugged and filmed himself raping at least 60 victims between 2019 and 2024 after luring them into his flat with invitations to study or have drinks. Since his conviction more than 20 women have come forward to police, and still more remain unidentified. The Chinese national, who in court admitted to watching extreme pornography depicting unconscious women being raped, was convicted in March of raping three women in London and seven in China. He was convicted of 28 offences in total, including multiple counts of voyeurism as well as possessing extreme pornography and drugs to commit sexual offences. After his arrest at his flat in the Elephant and Castle area of London in January 2024, police discovered 58 videos of rapes filmed by Zou. The footage, filmed on secret cameras, showed him raping women he had plied with drug-laced drinks. Many of the women, who were of Chinese heritage, could be heard pleading for him to stop before they lost consciousness. One woman in one of the hundreds of videos examined by police could be heard stating: 'I really don't want … I beg you, don't do this.' Zou replied: 'Don't push me, it's pointless … The sound insulation here is very good.' Zou's arrest came after a woman went to the Met on 18 November 2023, prompting detectives to revisit another woman who had made a complaint earlier the same year but then dropped her allegation. Zou was not arrested initially and two days later flew to China. He was arrested on his return to the UK in January 2024. When officers went to arrest him, they found designer clothing, some of which still had tags on, designer bags and a Rolex watch, and a box believed to contain 'souvenirs' of his victims. During the trial, wearing glasses and a suit, Zou appeared mild-mannered. But he bragged about having multiple new sexual partners every week and spoke of liking pornography in which 'the females are passive and unresponsive during sex'. Asked why, Zou replied: 'I like it because the girl appears to be still and quiet when they are having sex.' His barrister, Mark Cotter KC, asked: 'What about being asleep?' Zou, testifying in his own defence, replied: 'Yes, that's my favourite type. But I could not find that.' He was convicted of 28 counts including 11 rapes against 10 women and one count of false imprisonment. After the sentencing at Inner London crown court, the Metropolitan police said 24 women had come forward since they first made an appeal to victims in March and they were keeping an open mind about the identities of other victims in the recordings. Detectives stressed that the investigation was continuing. Commander Kevin Southworth, of the Met, assured any women who feared they may have been one of Zou's victims that they would be treated with 'empathy, kindness and respect' if they came forward to police. 'Thanks to the remarkable efforts of our officers and prosecutors, a dangerous and cowardly offender will now spend the next 24 years behind bars,' he said. 'I hope the fact Zou can no longer harm others serves as a small amount of comfort to the women who have suffered immeasurably.' During the trial, the jury heard that Zou, who was studying at University College London for a PhD in mechanical engineering, used social media platforms and dating websites to target his victims. He was described as a seemingly 'charming' man, and one victim said he appeared to be a gentleman. Zou grew up in Guangdong province, came to Britain to study at Queen's University in Belfast in 2017, and started studying for a master's at UCL in 2019. Police said they had not received any reports from women who met Zou while he was living in Belfast but encouraged any woman who had concerns to speak to officers.
