Convicted murderer and ‘Islamist fanatic' gets thousands in legal aid to argue about his anxiety
A CONVICTED murderer has got thousands in legal aid to argue that separating him from other lags made him feel too anxious.
Islamic convert Denny De Silva, 32 — said to be an 'extremist enforcer' — had taxpayers fund his human rights challenge.
He has previously been found guilty of smuggling in phones to share IS material and there were complaints he was battering other inmates at HMP Full Sutton, East Yorks.
He was sent to a separation unit but in January went to the High Court to argue limiting access to the gym, library, and educational opportunities violated his right to a private life under the European Court of Human Rights.
He won the case — adding more to his legal aid bill.
De Silva had already run up costs of £42,000 for barristers and £24,000 for solicitors at his 2016 murder trial.
Shadow Justice Secretary Robert Jenrick said: 'This shocking case shows how the ECHR is has become a charter for criminals.
"I couldn't care less if a dangerous Islamist fanatic has 'anxiety' from separation centres.
'Governors must be able to lock up radicalising prisoners in isolation without worrying about mad human rights laws.'
De Silva was jailed in 2016 for a minimum of 27 years for shooting dead a gangland rival.
He converted to Islam in prison but is said to intimidate and incite other Muslim prisoners.
The Ministry of Justice confirmed the £66,000 figure was correct but billing was not finalised.
Inside evil Southport killer's cushy jail life where he STILL gets Maltesers, crisps & other treats despite guard attack
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The Sun
12 minutes ago
- The Sun
Four clues Michelle Ryan was returning to EastEnders – as Zoe Slater is back after 20 years offscreen
EASTENDERS star Michelle Ryan is returning to the soap - but did you spot these four clues hinting at her comeback. The Sun revealed Michelle, 41, will be reprising her role as Zoe Slater this year - after two decades away. 8 8 A source said: 'Bosses have repeatedly reached out to Michelle over the years, but the timing has never been quite right. 'People are still talking about her character, so it's a real coup to bring her back. 'She feels like now is the perfect moment — and there was an exciting script on the table.' Michelle starred in the BBC soap from 2000 until eventually bowing out in 2005. Listed below are some clues pointing to the star's Albert Square return. On-screen 'cameo' 8 Zoe may have left Walford two decades ago, but many of her family members still live in the area. Earlier this year, fans began speculating a possible comeback after the soap featured a shot focusing on a photo frame shot of the Slater sisters on Kat's mantlepiece. Speaking on Reddit, one viewer wrote: "Tonight was a dead giveaway -- the way the camera focused directly on Michelle Ryan in that framed Slater photo, that's no accident. "She's totally coming back this week. That was a deliberate teaser." They added: "I suppose a red herring is possible, but for the love of God EE, please don't let us down on this one as well and not do it after all this." "It's way overdue. We haven't had Little Mo back, we haven't had Carol back, we've got to have Zoe." Co-star reunions 8 Michelle has previously caught up with ex-EastEnders castmates - although they no longer work together on the BBC soap. One example was her reunion with Kacey Ainsworth, who played Zoe's aunt Little Mo. Sharing a snap of the two, Michelle penned, in part: "Just got back from a lovely dog walk with my friend Kacey. "We worked together many moons ago (no pun intended) on Eastenders as sisters. Part of the Slater family. "Our boss John Yorke took a real risk putting a family of women in the show and it paid off as on one week when Zoe found out that Kat was her mother viewers tuned into the BBC for 19, 18, 20 and 21 million per episode plus the omnibus." One fan commented: "I'd love to see Zoe back on The Square, even if it was just a short time. I wonder if she'd actually get on with Stacey now." Another remarked: "Would you not just come back? It would be epic!" While a third wrote: "Enjoyed seeing Zoe again in Classic Eastenders episodes recently, be nice to see you back in show someday." Meanwhile, Michelle also caught up with actress Kim Medcalf, who has played Sam Mitchell across two stints. 8 Michelle posted their comeback selfie onto her Instagram grid page as she sent soap fans into a frenzy. She captioned the snap: "Kim and I on a pre Christmas catch up. We hadn't seen each other in five years. As easy company as ever." 40th Anniversary celebration 8 Although Zoe didn't return on-screen for the soap's 40th anniversary, Michelle paid homage to her time in EastEnders. She made a rare post on Instagram celebrating her time on Eastenders, reposting shots from her official photoshoot when joining the series. "I was just sent these two photos from the square that were taken when I was 17/18, that's early 2000's!" she wrote. "They were actually never used for cards to be signed (although I'm being told that some people have them, I didn't realise)." "Wishing everyone on the square a very Happy 40th Birthday! What an achievement for a show to run for that long!," she said. "Many great memories. Congratulations to everyone (Don't read into the song chosen, it's playing in the cafe)." Co-stars discuss return on podcast 8 Fans aren't the only ones who wanted Zoe to return - some of Michelle's former co-stars voiced their interest in this happening. Lacey Turner, who plays Stacey Slater, welcomed Jessie Wallace, aka Kat Slater, to her podcast We Started Here. Speaking in the episode, Lacey said: "The Kat and Zoe [storyline]… I'd love it if she came back. Would you?" To which Jessie replied: "I think it'd be great. I think it would be lovely. "Can we make that happen? Wouldn't it be great?" Fans made reference to these comments under Michelle's post, as she wrote: "It came up on a feed, very proud of Lacey having her own podcast. Lovely of Jessie to say." Kat Moon's EastEnders Timeline Kat Slater burst onto the Square in 2000 as feisty Kat Slater, played by Jessie Wallace. She is the eldest sister of the Slater family. She soon makes a big name for herself. She is a loud and brash character who is renowned for her leopard print skimpy outfits and loads of red lipstick. She has played the 'tart with a heart' character but has also had an epic love story with Alfie. Here is a rundown of her greatest soap storylines. Kat arrives in Walford as part of the Slater clan, She soon begins a fling with Steve Owen (Martin Kemp) behind the back of his girlfriend Mel Healey. Kat's sister Zoe (played by Michelle Ryan) was revealed to be her sister after shocked viewers learned she was raped by her uncle Harry Slater as a child and Kat being only 13, was known as her sister. Kat and Zoe's relationship was turbulent. They both vied for the attentions of Anthony Trueman. Kat and Anthony were together but broke up and Zoe then seduced him. Kat later learns she was pregnant but then has to have an abortion. She is comforted by her boss Alfie Moon but then he realises he is in love with her. Kat, becomes briefly engaged to Andy Hunter a local crime boss (Michael Briggs) but she jilts him on her wedding day for the true love her life Alfie. Kat sparks a romance with Alfie Moon and it is the love story of the square. She finally marries Alfie Moon on Christmas day in the Vic. Alfie takes a loan from Andy which he is unable to repay and then threatens to kill him unless Kat sleeps with him. Their relationship becomes cold and distant. One of Kat's biggest storylines was helping her daughter cover up the murder of Dirty Den Watts. She left the soap in 2005 sailing into the sunset with Alfie for a new life in America. Kat returned to the soap in 2010 on the run from a man who she and Alfie conned for money. While Alfie was serving time, she had an affair with Michael Moon who happened to be Alfies cousin and she is now pregnant with his child. Another Kat storyline focused on the breakdown of her and Alfie's marriage and her separation from Tommy and their twin sons Bert and Ernie. Kat's union with Phil Mitchell began after months of feuding. She then sleeps with him marries him beginning a war with his ex Sharon Mitchell over the Mitchell empire. The latest storyline has focused on her son Tommy who idolised Phil and is trying to get back at Kat for breaking up the marriage. Kat meanwhile is back with the love of her life Alfie who is suffering from cancer.
Times
31 minutes ago
- Times
Strategic defence review: Britain must be ready for war, says PM
Kemi Badenoch, the Conservative Party leader, has dismissed the Starmer government's strategic defence review, saying it wasn't properly funded. In a post on X, she said: 'Labour can't even hold a defence policy together for 48 hours — how can they be trusted to defend Britain?' She added that the UK was in the 'most dangerous era in a generation' and she took aim at the recently signed Chagos deal, where the UK handed over sovereignty of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius, retaining control of a UK-US military base on Diego Garcia. The Conservative leader said Labour found ' billions for the Chagos surrender — but can't commit to properly funding our armed forces … Scrap Chagos. Fund defence.' By Larisa Brown The defence review is at risk of being unaffordable after Sir Keir Starmer clarified spending 3 per cent of national income on defence in the next parliament was still an 'ambition'. John Healey, the defence secretary, told The Times on Thursday there was 'no doubt' Labour would reach the pledge by 2034. 'In the next parliament this country will spend 3 per cent of our GDP on defence,' he said. However he backtracked on the remarks on Sunday, with Whitehall sources saying the policy had not changed. The external reviewers conducted the review on the basis that the 3 per cent target is a certainty. Projects that have been given the go-ahead are only affordable with the spending boost, it is understood. • A £15 billion investment in nuclear warheads• Plans to create a hybrid Royal Navy, blending drones with warship, submarines and aircraft12 attack submarines, developed under the Aukus partnership with the US and Australia• Better housing and equipment for members of the armed forces Sir Keir Starmer had earlier thanked the authors of the strategic defence review, and said: 'What you've delivered is a blueprint to make Britain safer and stronger. A battle-ready, armour-clad nation with the strongest alliances, and the most advanced capabilities, equipped for the decades to come.' Sir Keir Starmer said increased defence spending would not come at the cost of health, education or welfare spending. He said the war in Ukraine had shown the impact of a European conflict on the UK's economy. 'There is no argument, avoiding talking about conflict will hurt the economy,' he told reporters at a shipyard in Glasgow, and added: 'The first duty of the prime minister is to keep your country safe.' He said the strategic defence review would also deliver a jobs boost for both Scotland (25,000 jobs) and the UK (400,000 jobs). Sir Keir Starmer said he was '100 per cent confident' the UK's defence spending would hit 3 per cent of GDP in the next parliament. While Nato has called for member states to increase defence spending to 3.5 per cent by 2032, the prime minister said it was a significant step to increase the UK's funding to 2.5 per cent by 2027-28, then 3 per cent in the next parliamentary term. 'I'm 100 per cent confident this can be delivered,' he said. 'We are committed to spending what we need to deliver this review. I am not putting arbitrary dates on that.' Sir Keir Starmer said the UK must 'learn the lessons from Ukraine' to build an army ten times more lethal by 2035. The prime minister said the rise of drone warfare and innovation — which Ukraine had mastered in its three-year war with Russia — must become part of an overhaul of the UK's defence force. 'We need innovation at wartime pace,' he said. He said the government would build six new munition factories in the UK, creating thousands of jobs and new submarines as part of the Aukus defence pact. Sir Keir Starmer said the defence strategic review will 'mobilise the nation in a common cause' as the UK moves to 'warfighting readiness'. At a shipyard in Scotland, the prime minister said the global environment had changed and was the most precarious in 70 years. He said: 'Recognising in defence of the realm … nothing works unless we all work together. Every citizen has a role to play because we have to recognise the threat has changed. The threat is more dangerous than any time since World War Two.' Starmer said the UK now had to end the 'hollowing-out' of the defence force. 'We will build a fighting force that is integrated and more lethal than ever,' he said. Mike Martin, a Lib Dem MP who is on the defence select committee, said: 'The SDR is all jam tomorrow. Three per cent by 2034 is totally inadequate. The PM talks of a grave current threat to our security — in which case he should convene crossparty talks on how to get to 3 per cent ASAP — something the Lib Dems have been calling for for ages. 'The SDR is a nice vision piece. But without any money it will remain just that, and the UK will be less safe as a result' Sir Keir Starmer, who is on a visit to Scotland, will deliver a short speech on the defence strategic review this morning, before a press conference. At about 3.30pm, John Healey, will make a statement to MPs in the House of Commons about the strategic defence review. Ben Wallace, the former defence secretary, told The Times: 'Most defence reviews start out funded and as time passes cost pressures hollow them out towards the end. Without 3 per cent by (20)30 this review is hollow before it has begun.' It is understood that the previous government was warned by the Treasury that if the Ministry of Defence was going to finance 12 submarines as part of Aukus, plus the Trident nuclear deterrence and the GCAP, Tempest fighter jet programme then it would need to 'spend more than 3 per cent and there would be nothing left over'. Britain faces a 'new era of threat' including the 'immediate and pressing' danger of Russia, the long-awaited strategic defence review will warn on Monday. The report, which will be published after nearly a year, consists of 48,000 words and is about 130 pages long. The government is expected to accept all 62 recommendations in full. John Healey, the defence secretary, said Britain must be prepared for a military attack by Russia. The review will also focus on other countries, including China, which is not described as an enemy but as a 'sophisticated and persistent challenge'. • Read in full: The measures we already know will feature The prime minister said he 'very much' hoped he would not need to send British troops into Europe in the future to deter Russian aggression. Asked by BBC Radio 4's Today programme if UK armed forces could be deployed in the defence of a Nato ally, Sir Keir Starmer said: 'In order to make sure that that isn't the case, we need to prepare.' The UK 'cannot ignore the threat that Russia poses,' he added. 'Russia has shown in recent weeks that it's not serious about peace, and we have to be ready.' Sir Keir Starmer said he was buoyed by the footage of Ukraine's mass drone attack in Russia overnight which is reported to have destroyed 40 Russian planes. '[It shows] Ukraine is not defeated,' he told the BBC. 'It shows they are still there and fighting . That is a tribute to Ukraine.' The prime minister said the three-year war between Ukraine and Russia had turned the Ukrainian army into one of Europe's toughest fighting forces. Sir Keir Starmer rejected suggestions his Labour government could not commit the extra £13 billion to reach the 3 per cent defence funding figure because it was being forced to back down on other measures such as the winter fuel allowance. The government is preparing to reverse its tough cuts to fuel subsidies for pensioners, but the prime minister said it would not come at the cost of defence and security. He said he had fixed the 2.5 per cent defence funding figure to 2027, but the 3 per cent figure would not be tied to a particular date. 'I am not going to indulge in the fantasy of plucking dates from the air,' he told the BBC. 'I take the defence and security of our country very seriously. It's the most important task I have.' The prime minister said he was hopeful of reaching the 3 per cent defence funding figure, but made no promises. Sir Keir Starmer said that all Nato countries needed to 'step up' to boost defence spending in the current geopolitical environment. He said that defence spending would reach 2.5 per cent by 2027-28, but denied it was 'wishful thinking' to hit 3 per cent by next parliament. 'Yes, that 3 per cent [is the target]. But I am not going to make a commitment to the exact date until we can make good on that commitment,' he told the BBC. Sir Keir Starmer said the defence strategic review was needed because the 'world has changed', especially since Russia's invasion of Ukraine. 'We have to recognise the world has changed and if the world has changed we have to be ready,' he told the BBC. If you want to deter conflict, then you have to prepare for conflict.' The prime minister played down the prospect of a future nuclear warfare, but said nuclear deterrence had been an effective tool since the end of the Second World War. 'We need to ask how Nato can preserve the peace for decades to come,' he said. Luke Pollard, the armed forces minister, has refused to guarantee that defence spending would reach 3 per cent of GDP, saying it would only happen when 'economic conditions allow'. Before the release of the strategic defence review today, Pollard said he hoped to top the 3 per cent figure by the next parliament. 'Well, we've set out that we are spending 2.5 per cent by April 2027 with the ambition to spend 3 per cent in the next parliament when economic conditions allow,' he told Times Radio. 'I agree with the defence secretary that thanks to the chancellor getting our economy back on track by having the highest growth in the G7 that I have no doubt, just as a defence secretary doesn't, that with the growing threats that we're facing that we will be spending 3 per cent in the next parliament.' Please enable cookies and other technologies to view this content. You can update your cookies preferences any time using privacy manager. Britain will build up to a dozen nuclear-powered attack submarines, Sir Keir Starmer is expected to announce as the government unveils its strategic defence review on Monday. The long-awaited review will set out the UK's defence plan for the next ten years. The boats will replace the UK's seven Astute class submarines, which are armed with conventional weapons, and will be in operation from the late 2030s, joining the four Trident submarines that carry the nation's at-sea nuclear deterrent.
BBC News
35 minutes ago
- BBC News
Van fire in Middlesbrough town centre
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