
Urgent search for British man, 24, missing in Spain after van found abandoned
Named locally as Matthew Chapman, from Manchester, the 24-year-old's van was found abandoned at a viewpoint overlooking the tourist resort of Tossa de Mar.
He had driven to Tossa de Mar, 62 miles north of Barcelona, after spending time in Spain and Portugal.
Matthew's family reported him missing on April 30, triggeringa two-day police search last week.
Authorities used helicopters and drones to get clues of Matthew's whereabouts but there is still no trace of the missing tourist. More Trending
A spokeswoman for theregional police force Mossos d'Esquadra confirmed a two-day search had taken place.
She added: 'It was a land, sea and air search which took place on Wednesday and Thursday.
'The investigation into the missing man's whereabouts is continuing.'
Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk.
For more stories like this, check our news page.
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Daily Mirror
2 hours ago
- Daily Mirror
Drug gangster Jamie Rothwell jailed after ordering shootings from Barcelona flat
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He was shot in a car wash and later acquitted of conspiracy to murder as a row between the A-Team and the Anti A-Team exploded. It comes after police shame British drugs mules by making them pose for photos with suitcases. At Manchester Crown Court on Thursday, Judge John Potter said Rothwell placed "hundreds of firearms into the UK." Quoting EncroChat messages, the judge explained how Rothwell said he was involved in a 'six month war' with someone, and that he 'went on a rampage'. The court also heard his dealing was at an "international level", with the value of the drugs running into millions of pounds. "You obtained wealth by having access to millions of pounds of cash," the judge told Rothwell, who lived in Portugal and Spain and took pictures of an apartment in Barcelona and its 'vista' which he sent on EncroChat - where he advertised a "vast arsenal of weapons" on the system. Judge Potter told Rothwell that "at your command" a man was shot in Warrington. "Mr Rothwell, you have lived much of your life as a professional criminal involved in serious organised crime," the judge said. "The offences you fall to be sentenced for graphically illustrate your willingness to follow this path and cause loss and misery to others as you do so." Rothwell's sentencing comes after he was brought to justice for ordering a shooting from Spain, and for his involvement in industrial scale cocaine dealing. In February he pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess firearms with intent to endanger life; conspiracy to possess ammunition with intent to endanger life; conspiracy to supply a controlled drug of Class A, namely cocaine, conspiracy to supply a controlled drug of Class B, namely ketamine and two counts of conspiracy to cause grievous bodily harm with intent. His crimes were revealed after European law enforcement infiltrated the EncroChat communications network, which was used by criminals who believed it was impenetrable. Manchester Crown Court previously heard how Rothwell used Encrochat to plan violence and supply deadly weapons alongside a string of associates, including James Close - known as 'Ballsniffer' - as well as Craig Makinson and Callum Morris. In April 2020, Rothwell set his sights on rival Leon Cullen, telling one contact: "I've give Leon a way out... he a grass... he turned on me for nothing... tried kill me... while my daughter there... he my only enemy... when he lands in UK that's when it starts." He also targeted notorious gangster Liam Byrne, sharing Byrne's address with user 'Caperocket' and sending Google Earth images. "I'm gonna do them all soon," he wrote. On April 24, a van linked to Rothwell was caught on CCTV outside a house in Warrington. Prosecutor Jaime Hamilton KC said: "David Barnes went to answer the door. He opened the door and recalled hearing the words 'pizza delivery'. He also believed that he saw a number of pizza boxes." Mr Hamilton added: "As the door was closing he heard two shots and a third shot after he closed the door. His recollection is that the third shot passed through the door and struck him in the leg." The next day, Rothwell bragged to 'Caperocket', saying "I done two same time." When asked "who did you get yesterday" he replied: "I got the dad... Liam... I took Leon dad door of (sic) also." Rothwell's Encrochat exchanges revealed his deep involvement in the illegal firearms trade. When Makinson messaged: "Any glocks," Rothwell replied: "No bro... soon though mate... if u ever need one u could borrow." Morris asked about cheap metals a 9mm or a pump shotgun, prompting Rothwell to send Makinson photos of AK-47s, saying "few aks for sale" at £10,500 each. In one deal, Morris collected £10,500 from Makinson for an AK-47 in Warrington. Rothwell told him the gun would be loaded and to "be careful". Minutes later, Morris sent him a photo of the weapon. Rothwell's response was: "Makes me hard that bro." Later that month, Rothwell asked if there was a boat near Southampton to offload 28 kilos of cocaine. He also offered to "drop" Morris a Glock. In another conversation with username 'Tubbytern', Rothwell boasted: "I sent 300 straps home... I got RPG, M16, Aks, Glock Machines." To Makinson, he claimed: "I sell a lot of Glocks." He even referenced the case for which he was wanted at the time in the UK (offences of which he was ultimately acquitted) but referenced them as "because a few women got shot". Reflecting on the violence he was orchestrating, Rothwell told one associate: "when you have fire in your heart... you don't stop... you get addicted... you lose everyone... you turn cold, no emotions.... egos at first I agree... but then when you in, hard to go back."


Telegraph
2 hours ago
- Telegraph
Lift engineer who stole jewellery worth £103k is spared jail
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Metro
3 hours ago
- Metro
Gang bundled pregnant woman into van and threatened to cut her fingers off
To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Three men have been jailed after kidnapping a pregnant woman and threatening to cut off her fingers. Audi Johnson, Ahmad Ghiasi, and Nicholas Mitchell bundled their victim, who was six months pregnant, into a van outside her home in Enfield, north London, on May 10 of last year. Her hands were bound with cable ties and questioned her about her partner, with one threatening to 'kick the baby out your stomach' if she lied to them. They made a series of phone calls to her partner, threatening to cut off her fingers if he didn't carry out their demands for money and jewellery. The victim was left alone and managed to escape the van, despite being bound at the wrists and blindfolded, and fled to her mum's house in a taxi. Police tracked down the van that same night and the three kidnappers were identified using DNA evidence, fingerprints and mobile phone data. All three appeared at Kingston crown court today where: Audi Johnson, 35, of Cranberry Close, Northolt pleaded guilty to conspiracy to kidnap and was sentenced to five years and four months Ahmad Ghiasi, 26, of Fourth Avenue, Luton was sentenced to seven years for conspiracy to kidnap Nicholas Mitchell, 55, of Mannock Close, Barnet was sentenced to nine years for conspiracy to kidnap In a statement submitted to the court, the victim said she hasn't been able to return to her home since the kidnapping, spending the rest of her pregnancy sleeping on her sister's sofa. She said: 'The incident ruined my life. I will never be the same person again. I am having to start my life all over again. 'I will forever have fear and paranoia as part of my life now. I didn't deserve to be a victim of what happened to me. And to top it off, it was all made so much worse by being pregnant. 'This will always be something that will be part of my pregnancy, which is meant to be a happy experience, and will always be something that is a part of my daughter.' Johnson, Ghiasi and Mitchell were members of a London-based gang, who had been contracted to carry out the kidnapping. Detective Inspector Ari Yoganathan from the Metropolitan Police said: 'The victim was leaving her home to see her personal trainer on a morning that should have been like any other. More Trending 'That a pregnant mother should be bundled into a van and kidnapped from outside her home, bound and subjected to horrific threats is a disgusting and terrifying crime. 'Officers were able to track her attackers through forensic analysis of CCTV and phone data, recordings and intelligence. 'This verdict shows how we are taking the fight to criminal gangs and committed to supporting the local communities they intimidate and threaten.' Got a story? Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@ Or you can submit your videos and pictures here. For more stories like this, check our news page. Follow on Twitter and Facebook for the latest news updates. You can now also get articles sent straight to your device. Sign up for our daily push alerts here. MORE: London Vietnamese restaurant shut down after 'dog meat found in freezer' MORE: Where to sip on mini cocktails in London MORE: Guy's Hospital in London evacuated after people inhale chlorine gas in chemical incident