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Metro
8 minutes ago
- Metro
'Deeply-loved' father-of-one shot dead as he closed coffee shop in east London
This is the first picture of a former social club owner shot dead in a plush east London neighbourhood. Erdal Ozmen, 45, was found suffering multiple gunshot injuries in Dynevor Road, Stoke Newington at just after midnight on Tuesday. According to Turkish newspaper Hurriyet, he was gunned down as he closed up a coffee shop he had been running for two weeks in the trendy neighbourhood. Despite the best efforts of the emergency services, he was sadly pronounced dead at the scene. Murder detectives say the motive for the murder remains unclear and no arrests have been made. Liza Dodds, 58, spoke of seeing the victim getting CPR at the scene in the early hours. She told MailOnline: 'My husband woke up and said there was gunshots. The instant reaction was 'how do you know?' 'We both got up and had a look. A police officer was doing CPR where the person fell. It seemed like they were going forever.' Another tribute posted on Facebook said: 'They shot my brother. May God damn those who did this. My heart aches for you, my dear. 'May your reign last forever, my beautiful brother.' This is the sixth fatal shooting in London this year. More Trending Erdal's family continue to receive support from specialist officers. DCI Dave Whellams, who is leading the investigation, said: 'We continue to appeal for witnesses to come forward following the fatal shooting of Erdal. He was a father-of-one and was deeply loved by his family. 'Today, we are asking the public for assistance. Were you in the Dynevor Road area late on Monday night into early Tuesday morning? Did you see anyone acting out of the ordinary? Did you hear anything at all which perhaps seemed unusual – maybe people shouting, or a loud vehicle? 'The smallest piece of information could play a significant role in our investigation.' MORE: Virgin Atlantic passenger jailed after threatening to 'gang rape stewardess and set her alight' MORE: Man faces deportation after 'lighting cigarette' on eternal flame of Tomb of Unknown Soldier MORE: Soldier suspected of shooting five others at US military base


The Guardian
9 minutes ago
- The Guardian
Calls for clarity over whether UK police can release suspects' ethnicity and immigration status
Yvette Cooper is facing demands for clarity over the information that police forces are permitted to release to the public after claims of a 'cover-up' by the authorities over the immigration status of men accused of raping a child. The Warwickshire police and crime commissioner, Philip Seccombe, called for fresh national guidance after police were accused by Reform UK of failing to confirm that two Afghan men being prosecuted for the alleged attack on a 12-year-old girl were asylum seekers. There is increasing pressure on prosecutors and the police to release details about the ethnicity and immigration status of people facing a criminal charge. Cooper, the home secretary, said on Tuesday that the guidance should change to permit police to release the ethnicity or immigration status of criminal suspects but added that she was waiting for a review to be concluded by the Law Commission. Seccombe said: 'Like all forces, Warwickshire police finds itself in a difficult position of trying to carefully balance the legal safeguards which protect the integrity of the judicial process, while maintaining public order and simultaneously ensuring that public confidence is maintained through transparency and honesty. 'Currently police forces are in an invidious position when deciding what can and should be disclosed in sensitive cases, given that the national guidance is silent on both the ethnicity and immigration status of suspects. 'It is very easy to criticise and suggest that the balance of disclosure hasn't been correct, but it is much harder to take these decisions on the ground.' The alleged rape, said to have happened on 22 July, has become the centre of a political storm after the Reform leader, Nigel Farage, on Monday amplified claims of a police cover-up. On Tuesday the leader of Reform-led Warwickshire county council said police were refusing to confirm details of the two suspects charged after the alleged attack in Nuneaton. George Finch, the youngest council leader in England, alleged within days that Ahmad Mulakhil and Mohammad Kabir – the two men charged in the case – were asylum seekers, but police forces do not routinely release the immigration status of suspects. In a letter to Cooper, Finch claimed the police risked 'disorder breaking out on the streets' of the county. Cooper said on Tuesday that 'we do want to see greater transparency' from police forces and she wanted national guidance to change in relation to the release of information about suspects. Mulakhil has been charged with two counts of rape, while Kabir has been charged with kidnap, strangulation and aiding and abetting of the rape of a girl aged under 13. Both men are in custody and due to appear at Warwick crown court on 26 August. Warwickshire county council's chief executive briefed Finch confidentially about the immigration status of the two men, according to a letter by the force's chief constable, Alex Franklin-Smith. Franklin-Smith said he confirmed to Finch last Thursday that this information was accurate but that 'we wouldn't be releasing immigration status at point of charge as we follow national guidance'. The police chief said he had asked the Home Office to confirm the full immigration status of the two men, given that Finch had released some details publicly. He added: 'I am confident that Warwickshire police has treated this investigation seriously from the outset, working tirelessly to identify, locate, arrest and charge those suspected of being responsible for this awful crime as quickly as possible.' A Home Office spokesperson said: 'As the home secretary said yesterday, it has been widely reported that this case involves two Afghan individuals who are in the asylum system, some of which information has already been confirmed in open court. 'The home secretary has made clear that there is a strong public interest in maximum transparency wherever that is possible. 'That is why the Home Office and College of Policing are working together to strengthen and clarify the guidance around how and when information is released.'


BBC News
9 minutes ago
- BBC News
Redcar Council parking patrol CCTV cars to get £100k upgrade
A council has approved funding of £100,000 to upgrade CCTV car which captures footage of motorists flouting parking and traffic restrictions and introduce a second and Cleveland Council sanctioned spending on for new front and rear stingray cameras on its existing car which mainly patrols near in bus stops was another area set to be subject to increased monitoring, which in some instances blocked passengers from being picked up and dropped 2018 the enforcement vehicle had provided evidence leading to 2,450 penalty charge notices, the council said. A spending decision document said the greatest challenge for officers was the size of the borough and the number of schools with "significant challenges for repeated and equitable enforcement of restrictions".It said ensuring road safety around primary schools in particular on mornings and at home times was "imperative".A council spokesman said: "The authority is now looking to deploy a second enforcement vehicle which may be used in areas where crime and anti-social behaviour are identified as ongoing problems, as well as supporting public safety at events." The Labour-led authority signed off on £99,443 of funding, the Local Democracy Reporting Service sum included the cost of a five-year support and maintenance contract. Follow BBC Tees on X, Facebook, Nextdoor and Instagram.