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Child abuser Jamil Talukder's 'unduly lenient' sentence increased

Child abuser Jamil Talukder's 'unduly lenient' sentence increased

BBC News27-05-2025
A man who sexually abused a disabled child in his care has had his sentence more than doubled.At Sheffield Crown Court in February, Jamil Talukder, 23, was jailed for three years for six sexual abuse offences.Court of Appeal judges found the term was "unduly lenient" and increased it to eight years.Solicitor General Lucy Rigby KC said Talukder, from Sheffield, had "preyed on a vulnerable child he was meant to be taking care of, as well as another young child".
The court heard Talukder had arrived in the UK from Bangladesh in October 2022 to study for a marketing degree.He was employed as a carer and began caring for a severely disabled child in October 2023.
'Abused trust'
However, covert recording by the child's mother, who became suspicious, revealed that Talukder sexually abused the child on several occasions.The court also heard that Talukder sexually abused another child and was caught out when it was discovered he had recorded the abuse on his phone.Rigby said Talukder had "abused the trust that was placed in him for his own sexual gratification".She added: "I welcome the court's increase to his sentence."I would like to extend my sympathies to his victims and their families."
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Solving the asylum question is suddenly even more urgent
Solving the asylum question is suddenly even more urgent

The Independent

time25 minutes ago

  • The Independent

Solving the asylum question is suddenly even more urgent

What next? As ministers digest the High Court ruling on the use of a hotel in Epping to house asylum seekers, they have very limited options in front of them, none of them good ones. The High Court should not be attacked for making a ruling that takes no account of politics or even practicalities, for that is not its job. It has, though, made a bad situation very much worse. It is hardly helpful to anyone, in such circumstances, for Nigel Farage to exploit a delicate and sometimes combustible situation by calling for more peaceful protests. From bitter experience, we know how such demonstrations can degenerate into minor disorder, or worse. In fact, given the force of the High Court judgment, there is even less need for such protests now. Instead, Mr Farage and his deputy, Richard Tice, as usual, are playing on the fears of people and behaving in a way that is irresponsible at best and dangerous at worst. Mr Farage's interventions in the riots last year only added to the campaign of disinformation underway, and most recently was made to apologise for claiming that the Essex police had 'bussed in' counter-demonstrators in Epping. The Conservatives, mesmerised by the rise of Reform UK, are in a constant losing battle to out-Farage Farage, and they should know better than to propagate myths about asylum seekers living in 'offensively luxurious' conditions, which was today's unhelpful sideswipe from former Tory MP Damian Green. The shadow home secretary Chris Philp and the shadow communities secretary James Cleverly should bear their share of the blame for the mess the asylum system is in, and offer some constructive alternatives and call for calm. They will not recover as a serious alternative party of government until they too come up with a plan for the asylum system. The leader of the opposition, Kemi Badenoch, often talks of such a thing, but it is yet to be seen. 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BBC ‘not institutionally antisemitic', editor says after row over Gaza coverage
BBC ‘not institutionally antisemitic', editor says after row over Gaza coverage

The Independent

time25 minutes ago

  • The Independent

BBC ‘not institutionally antisemitic', editor says after row over Gaza coverage

The BBC is 'not institutionally antisemitic', a newspaper editor has said following a row over the broadcaster's coverage of the conflict in Gaza. James Harding, The Observer 's editor-in-chief said the perception of a 'political presence looming over the BBC' is a problem and the broadcaster needs to be 'beyond the reach of politicians'. The BBC has been criticised for a number of incidents in recent months which include breaching its own accuracy editorial guidelines and livestreaming the Bob Vylan Glastonbury set, where there were chants of 'Death, death to the IDF (Israel Defence Forces)'. Following the incident, UK Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy said ministers expect 'accountability at the highest levels' for the BBC's decision to screen the performance. Mr Harding discussed the difficulties of covering the Gaza conflict when he delivered this year's James MacTaggart Memorial Lecture at the Edinburgh TV Festival on Wednesday. He described how 'newsrooms are in a furious argument with ourselves over the coverage of Israel and Gaza', with the situation 'very hard to view dispassionately'. The Observer chief said this is true for all media organisations, particularly the BBC, and it is 'about as difficult as it gets in news'. Mr Harding said: 'This summer, Lisa Nandy has weighed in.' He said the Culture Secretary's office insists she did not explicitly ask Samir Shah, the BBC chairman, to 'deliver up' director-general Tim Davie 's resignation following the Bob Vylan incident, but 'people inside the BBC were left in no doubt that was the message'. Mr Harding said: 'The place became paranoid about how the BBC itself would cover the story; people around him thought the political pressure would be too much. 'Whatever your view of the hate speech vs freedom of speech issues, an overbearing government minister doesn't help anyone. 'The hiring and firing of the editor-in-chief of the country's leading newsroom and cultural organisation should not be the job of a politician. It's chilling. 'Political interference – and the perception of a political presence looming over the BBC – is a problem, one that we've got too accustomed to. 'It looks likely to get worse. We need to get on with putting the country's most important editorial and creative organisation beyond the reach of politicians now.' The broadcaster is also facing an Ofcom investigation into its documentary Gaza: How To Survive A Warzone after a review found it had breached the corporation's editorial guidelines on accuracy. The programme was removed from BBC iPlayer in February after it emerged the child narrator, Abdullah, is the son of Ayman Alyazouri, who has worked as Hamas's deputy minister of agriculture. Mr Harding said the BBC is not antisemitic. 'I am Jewish, proudly so,' he said. 'I'm proud, too, to have worked for the most important news organisation in the world. 'The BBC is not institutionally antisemitic. It's untrue to say it is. 'It's also unhelpful – much better to correct the mistakes and address the judgment calls that have been wrong, than smear the institution, impugn the character of all the people who work there and, potentially, undermine journalists in the field working in the most difficult and dangerous of conditions.' The UK Government and the BBC have been asked for comment. Mr Harding is co-founder of Tortoise Media, which acquired broadsheet newspaper The Observer in April. Before he co-founded Tortoise Media, Mr Harding was editor of The Times from 2007 to 2012 and was in charge of the BBC's news and current affairs programming from 2013 up until the beginning of 2018. He also co-presented On Background on the BBC World Service and wrote the book Alpha Dogs: How Political Spin Became A Global Business. A spokesperson for the Department of Digital, Culture, Media and Sport said: 'The Culture Secretary has been repeatedly clear that the role of the director-general is a matter for the BBC board. Any suggestion to the contrary is untrue. 'The BBC has itself acknowledged a number of serious failings in recent months, including the broadcasting of the Bob Vylan set at Glastonbury. 'It is entirely right that the Culture Secretary raised these issues with the BBC leadership on behalf of licence fee payers.'

Father who desperately tried to save his wife when she was crushed by a falling tree branch as they walked through park pays tribute - as police urge witnesses to come forward
Father who desperately tried to save his wife when she was crushed by a falling tree branch as they walked through park pays tribute - as police urge witnesses to come forward

Daily Mail​

time25 minutes ago

  • Daily Mail​

Father who desperately tried to save his wife when she was crushed by a falling tree branch as they walked through park pays tribute - as police urge witnesses to come forward

A heartbroken husband has described his wife as the 'most beautiful woman in the world' after she was killed by a falling tree branch during a family day out at a park. Madia Kauser, 32, from Blackburn, had been walking with her five-year-old daughter, nine-year-old son and husband at a local beauty spot when a branch fell towards them. The mother had been pushing her daughter in a pram, and in a final desperate act she was able to push her daughter to safety before taking the full force of the branch. Her husband, Wasim Khan, 33, was just yards ahead with their nine-year-old son when the branch fell, but was powerless to act in time during the shocking episode in Witton Country Park at around 8.30pm on Monday, August 11. He rushed to her side, but little could be done for his tragic wife, who relatives say adored her children. Mr Khan has today spoken of his devastating loss and how he 'she was my comfort, my partner in life and the love of my life'. He said: 'My wife, a mother of two, a daughter, sister and a friend we lost to a tragic event that came on the way home from a family day out in the park. 'She was the most beautiful woman in the world, she did everything for our two children, she did everything she could for anyone and would bring smiles whenever she entered the room. 'She was my comfort, my partner in life and the love of my life. We have so many great memories, went through pain together and started a family together. 'Honestly, I feel completely lost without her and I do not know how to put into words how much I miss her face, her character and her presence. My one and only.' Mr Khan was playing football just yards ahead with the couple's nine-year-old son when the branch fell. Speaking of the moment he battled to save his wife as she lay injured, he said: 'I rushed to her. I tried to save her, she was still breathing.' He also revealed his wife's haunting last post on Snapchat - a picture of a tree which she had taken while they were leaving the park. Describing how the tragedy unfolded, Mr Khan said: 'I was playing football with my son and kicked the ball in the wrong direction and we were going after it. 'I heard a crack and the tree just came down. There was no wind, nothing. The tree was standing straight, not even leaning, and then it just came down. 'She was hit by a branch but it had the full weight of the tree behind it and that is why the council had to cut it all down. Speaking of the moment he battled to save his wife as she lay injured, Mr Khan said: 'I rushed to her. I tried to save her, she was still breathing.' 'I rushed to her. I tried to save her - she was still breathing.' Mr Khan called emergency services, who rushed to the scene but were unable to save his wife. He went on: 'I cannot praise the paramedics enough. They were there in six minutes and the doctors came from the local hospital but nothing could be done. 'I have spoken to someone at the coroners office and they tell me she had chest fractures and her lungs had collapsed. He added: 'She was the most beautiful and loyal person you would ever wish to meet. She was loved by many but especially by her children. We are left here without her.' And he added: 'The last picture she took was of a tree. She took it as we were leaving the park. 'She told me it was time to go home. She said she wanted to shower and feed the children. 'She has left us. Now there is just me and my children.' Two days after the fatal incident, Blackburn council completely cut down what remained of the tree from which the branch fell, as well as lopping off branches from several other nearby trees. A joint investigation is underway between Lancashire Police and the Health and Safety Executive, and detectives are asking anyone with information to come forward. Detective Inspector Iain Czapowski said: 'This is an absolutely tragic incident which has cost a young woman her life and my thoughts are with her loved ones. 'We are working closely with our colleagues from the Health and Safety Executive and with the co-operation of the council to try and establish the full circumstances of what happened, and I would like to speak to anyone with information which could assist with that. 'I am especially keen to speak to anyone who actually saw what happened on that fateful night and I would urge them to contact us.' The accident happened just yards from the park's Big Cover wood, where trees form the majority of the habitat. Relatives from all over the country gathered at Blackburn's Madina mosque two days after Madia's death where the family were hoping a funeral could take place sometime in the evening. Former mayor and still sitting councillor Zamir Khan MBE, an uncle in the tight-knit family, said Madia's body was still with the coroner. He said: 'Her little girl told me her mother pushed her out of the way as the branch fell. 'Madia was a loving, doting mother and a very caring person. 'The older boy was walking with his father in front and could not believe what happened. 'It is very hard for the children. I do not think they will ever walk in that park again.' In a statement, the council said it was 'deeply saddened' after the accident and confirmed the tree had been felled. The authority's chief executive, Denise Park said: 'Our thoughts and heartfelt condolence are with the family and friends of the person who has lost their life at this very difficult time.' He added: 'Witton Park is a much-loved community space, and the safety of everyone who visits is of the utmost importance to us. 'Our thoughts remain first and foremost with the family at this very sad time.' A cyclist who rides through the park every day said: 'I have seen loads of fallen branches before, but it is mainly because of high winds. 'There wasn't even a breeze when this poor woman was killed. It is utterly heartbreaking. 'I shudder to think what her poor children and husband are going through.' Many people walking there today were unaware of the tragedy and thought the council were carrying out unnecessary tree work. One said: 'I was initially cross that they had cut the tree down until someone told me what had happened. It doesn't bear thinking about.' Local councillor Paul Marrow said: 'There have been concerns about ash dieback disease and the number of dead trees in Witton Park and across the borough. 'The council needs to make regular, thorough inspections of the trees in the park to ensure they are safe.'

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