London Southend Airport plane crash: ‘Beloved' flight nurse killed in explosion was on first day of new job
A Chilean-born nurse has been named as among the four people who were killed in a plane crash at London Southend Airport.
Maria Fernanda Rojaz Ortiz (31), a German citizen born in Chile, was reportedly on her first day as a flight nurse on board the small aircraft when it came down after take-off on Sunday afternoon.
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The Irish Sun
5 hours ago
- The Irish Sun
Hundreds of asylum seekers living in tax-funded hotels have been charged with crimes such as rape, robbery & GBH
HUNDREDS of asylum seekers living in taxpayer-funded hotels have appeared in court charged with criminal offences including rape, robbery and GBH, a Sun investigation has found. Court records show at least one in every 100 migrants housed in them has been hauled before magistrates this year — totalling 339 cases. 6 French authorities were pictured handing life jackets to illegal migrants in a Channel dinghy - rather than returning them to France Credit: PA 6 A crowd gather to protest outside a migrant hotel in Epping, Essex Credit: SelwynPics 6 Sir Keir Starmer has secured a pledge from German Chancellor Friedrich Merz to crack down on smugglers' boat storage sites Credit: PA It is the first time the scale of criminal activity committed by We monitored courts across the country for the first six months of the year and noted defendants who gave their address as one of 105 known asylum hotels . The true number of crimes could be even higher as the Home Office has refused to publish a list of all 210 in the UK currently being used to house 32,000 asylum seekers. Of the court cases we monitored, 29 related to sexual crimes — including seven alleged rapes, one proven incident of exposure and one of attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child. READ MORE ON MIGRANT CRISIS A further 64 violence-related offences were recorded, including common assault, GBH, ABH, possessing a knife and possessing an imitation firearm. Yesterday at least five asylum seekers who had been staying at hotels appeared in court on An Ethiopian migrant accused of trying to kiss a 14-year-old schoolgirl eight days after arriving in the UK on a small boat was remanded in custody at Chelmsford magistrates' court. And a Libyan asylum-seeker living at a Home Office hotel yesterday admitted threatening a member of staff with a knife, at Bournemouth crown court. Most read in The Sun The cases amount to a small percentage of all those heard by magistrates — with figures showing that 1.37 million defendants appear before JPs every year in the UK. And The Sun's analysis shows that migrant hotel residents are around half as likely to appear at a magistrates' court compared to the general population. French coastguard hands life-jackets to boat packed with migrants as yet another dinghy is allowed to set sail for UK Figures show that about two per cent of the UK population appear as defendants every year, compared with one per cent for those at the 105 hotels analysed. But Shadow Home Secretary He said: 'This shocking Sun investigation lays bare the risk posed by these illegal immigrants. 'Women are being raped and sexually assaulted and even police officers attacked. We know that the nationalities crossing the Channel are 24 times more likely to wind up in prison than average. 'Yvette Cooper has let in the highest-ever number of illegal immigrants so far this year and has lost control of our borders. 'Women and girls are at risk as a result. I'm sick of the France . We just need to deport them all immediately upon arrival, whether to Rwanda or elsewhere.' The Thistle City Hotel Barbican, in central London — highlighted as a Mr Philp said: 'I've visited the Thistle Barbican to "The security guard was more interested in throwing me out than stopping the illegal working or rampant criminality.' More than 50 court cases we observed were related to thefts, including from high-end shops and convenience shops, and phone snatching. Bag thief Hocine Bouguroua, 34, who targeted punters in busy pubs in the city of London , was jailed for 24 weeks in May. He had been living at the Thistle, which has the highest number of defendants out of the hotels we monitored. A teenager whose address was given as the Thistle was jailed for four months after he stole £40,000 from a greengrocer in Tooting, South London. 6 Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp accused the Government of putting women and girls at risk by losing control of our borders Credit: Alamy Another man at the hotel got a four-month suspended sentence in March after being found guilty of arson with intent to endanger life, possessing an offensive weapon, and assault by beating. There were 21 men up in court who listed their address as the ibis Stevenage, a large asylum hotel in the Hertfordshire town. Another 14 cases were listed from the Holiday Inn Luton South, including one alleged sexual assault The Home Office: 'While The Sun's analysis covers only one in 2,000 of the cases that go to court in our country, there is no excuse for people who abuse our country's hospitality and commit crimes after arriving here.' Yesterday Sir Keir Starmer met law so that the authorities there can investigate and act against storage facilities used by smugglers to conceal small boats. The PM said: 'Engines and component parts of the boats that are being used are travelling through and being stored in Germany. "But they can't be seized because the law didn't accommodate for a country that had left the EU and therefore needed to be amended.' Additional reporting by Tom Seaward, Rob Pattinson, Thomas Godfrey and Alex West FIVE CASES IN OUR COURTS ON THURSDAY EPPING, ESSEX AN asylum seeker tried to kiss a girl in a town centre eight days after arriving on a small boat, a court heard yesterday. He was arrested the next day after allegedly trying to kiss the same girl again. Chelmsford JPs heard the incidents allegedly happened last week in Epping, Essex . Kebatu was staying at a migrant hotel in the town. He denies sexual assault and harassment. He was remanded and faces trial on August 26. BOURNEMOUTH A LIBYAN asylum seeker living at a Home Office hotel yesterday admitted using a knife to threaten a member of staff. Ibrahim Zouari, 34, drew the weapon during a disturbance in Bournemouth in April last year, the town's crown court heard. He admitted unlawfully and intentionally threatening the victim with a bladed article. But Zouari, through an interpreter, pleaded not guilty to assault by beating against the victim. The court heard that the prosecution will offer no evidence for this charge. Zouari was remanded in custody to be sentenced at the same court on September 5. OXFORD 6 Migrant Mohamed Monim, 55, 'lashed out' at his partner in a taxpayer-funded hotel in Oxford, court hears Credit: Steve Shephard A HOTEL migrant lashed out at his partner after a Christmas Eve argument turned into a 'physical altercation', a court heard. Mohamed Monim, 55, allegedly attacked her in a taxpayer-funded hotel in Oxford last year. The city's magistrates' court heard he was nicked after a security worker intervened to break up the dispute. Monim denied assault and faces trial at the same court on November 21. EAST LONDON ANOTHER hotel migrant admitted theft and fraud offences in four different towns and cities. Hamza Esguioui, 28, snatched bags in Bishop's Stortford, Herts, and in London. Esguioui, living at a migrant hotel in East London, also used stolen bank cards in the capital and Canterbury, Kent , and stole goods worth £300 from a Tesco in Dover. Magistrates remanded him in custody ahead of sentencing. NORTH LONDON 6 Asylum seeker Meludi Mikautdzee, 33, stole from a Co-op in North London, claiming he was left starving on his taxpayer-funded allowance Credit: Gary Stone ONE asylum hotel resident claimed he stole food from a Co-op store because he was going hungry on his taxpayer-funded allowance. Meludi Mikautdzee, 33, piled products into his rucksack at the supermarket in Islington, North London, on June 26. The Georgian pleaded guilty yesterday at Highbury Corner magistrates court. He was released on a six-month conditional discharge. FRANCE GIVE OUT LIFE VESTS By Ed Southgate FRENCH authorities yesterday handed life jackets to migrants in a dinghy instead of trying to bring them back to shore. More than 20 migrants packed into a small boat before officials sailed up and handed out the vests. This month French cops slashed a boat as migrants tried to set off. A BBC crew was filming. French officers have been criticised for failing to get involved with boats already in the water, which they say is dangerous and legally complex.
Sunday World
19 hours ago
- Sunday World
Forty years on, family still seek justice for brutal killing of Fr Niall Molloy
'There are people alive who know what happened' It was a case that shocked and transfixed the nation: a respected priest found dead in the bedroom of a prominent business couple in a rural village in the midlands. There were rumours of an affair, a possible motive relating to money problems and a trial that would see the accused, Richard Flynn, walk free. Today, 40 years on from the death of Father Niall Molloy, the story, one of religion, high finance, horse breeding and even politics, still captivates. And despite the passage of time and the many secrets that remain buried, the priest's relatives believe that the truth is still to be uncovered. 'There are people still alive today who know exactly what happened to Niall,' Fr Molloy's nephew, Bill Maher, told the Sunday World this week. 'Maybe they are afraid to say that they were there, that they were witnesses. You would think that after 40 years one of them at some stage would speak up, but they are still being silent. 'I have the photographs of the body. He was attacked and the medical evidence is that he was left there for hours to die.' Fr Molloy's nephew Bill Maher. Photo: Martin Maher It was July 7, 1985. For Roscommon-born Fr Molloy, the day began as usual, with the celebration of Sunday mass in his parish of Fuerty. Later that day he made his way to Clara in Co Offaly. There, he went to Kilcoursey House, the home of his friends of three decades, Richard and Therese Flynn, to join in the celebrations of a family wedding that had taken place the day before. He was a frequent visitor to the 23-roomed Tudor-style home, where he had his own bedroom. The former Army chaplain shared an interest in horses and showjumping with the Flynns, who owned and ran a number of businesses in the midlands. He was hands on in running the place 'Niall had all his horses there on the land,' Mr Maher said. 'He had a van there. Locals will tell you that he was so much involved with the house and the Flynns that you couldn't even paint a gate outside without Niall giving the approval. 'He was hands on in running the place.' Within hours of arriving at Kilcoursey house, Fr Molloy was found dead in its master bedroom. 'I can remember the phone call I got as clearly as it was yesterday,' Mr Maher said. 'My brother rang me early in the morning and said Niall was dead. 'We assumed that because he was such an avid horseman that he may have fallen off a horse or something and then my brother went down to Offaly and word came out that there was a lot of blood around the place. 'Rumours started to circulate that a shotgun was used, which wasn't true. But even then we knew something was very wrong.' Fr Niall Molloy The exact time of Fr Molloy's death remains uncertain, but it was some time between 10pm and the early hours of Monday, July 8. His face was bloodied and bruised. His body showed no defensive marks. A long, bloody dragmark on the white bedroom carpet suggested the body was moved. Blood smears and spatters were evident in the room and elsewhere. Emergency services were never called. Medical evidence later suggested the priest may have been alive for several hours after the assault. Richard Flynn leaving the court in Dublin in 1986. Photo: Brian Farrell Richard Flynn telephoned a now-deceased local priest at 1am to come and be prepared for an anointment. It was after 3am before local gardaí were alerted. By this time, the family doctor, who like many others in the story is now dead, was at the house, as were other members of the Flynn family; Therese had been taken to hospital. When questioned, Richard Flynn admitted he was the culprit. Charged subsequently with the manslaughter and assault of Fr Molloy, the 47-year-old businessman was acquitted of all charges a year later. In a trial that lasted less than four hours, Justice Frank Roe, then president of the Circuit Court, directed the jury to acquit. The medical evidence, Judge Roe said, was inconclusive and it would be improper to convict on Mr Flynn's statement alone. The acquittal came despite garda concerns over monies owed to Fr Molloy after a land deal fell through. 'I was at that trial and we were gobsmacked,' Mr Maher said. He was very trusting, but his trust was betrayed 'That was the first time we heard that there was a row over a drink. Niall wasn't a drinker. We absolutely believe there was a row over money. 'Niall had been to a solicitor on the Thursday before he was murdered. He actually wanted to pull out of all business dealings with the Flynns. 'He was very trusting, but his trust was betrayed.' Fr Niall Molloy A month after the trial, a jury in an inquest decided that Fr Molloy had, in fact, died from head injuries, which prompted a public outcry and calls in political circles for the case to be re-examined. In a bizarre twist, the case file was stolen from the Director of Public Prosecutions in 1987 by the criminal Martin Cahill, known as 'The General', who tried to sell it back to the State. Then, in 1988, even more questions were raised when new medical evidence suggested Fr Molloy had survived for a number of hours after the assault. In the same year, Therese Flynn was linked to a fraudulent life insurance claim on Fr Molloy's life, but denied any wrongdoing or knowledge of the policy, which was eventually paid out to the Molloy family. In 1994, the case took another turn with claims that Judge Roe was known to both the Flynns and Fr Molloy and should not have heard the court case. Martin 'The General' Cahill stole the files. Photo: Getty In his only interview after the trial and inquest, Mr Flynn spoke to the Sunday Independent, saying his 'conscience was clear' and that he had 'never lost a moment's sleep'. Rumours over the years that his wife was having an affair with Fr Molloy have been discounted by the Molloy family. 'I don't believe there was any relationship,' Mr Maher said. 'That has been discounted a long time ago. He was friendly with them, he was naive enough to loan them money. He trusted them, that's the type of person he was.' In response to allegations of a 'cover-up' and new witnesses coming forward, the Garda Serious Crime Review Team (SCRT) embarked on a review of the case in 2010 and spent two-and-a-half years re-interviewing witnesses and reconsidering evidence. The inquiry, however, did not result in any new prosecutions. In March 2015, the government ruled out the prospect of a public inquiry. A senior barrister appointed to review the SCRT findings concluded that an inquiry was unlikely to establish the truth. Therese Flynn. Photo: Acknowledging that there were many 'disturbing' features and matters of public concern, the inquiry also pointed to serious failings by gardaí in their investigation. Judge Roe's directed acquittal was 'extraordinary', but it was within the law. The report also found no documentary evidence to substantiate claims that the judge was known to the Flynns, or to Fr Molloy. Richard Flynn's wife, Therese, died in 1993. He remarried and died in 2017. The Molloy family continue to call for a full commission of investigation. 'I want the same thing today that I have wanted for the last 40 years,' Mr Maher said. 'I want a commission of investigation. When the cold-case review was done a number of years ago a lot of the witnesses wouldn't give any additional statements. "They wouldn't really talk to them and the cold case had no powers to compel them. A commission of investigation is the only way witnesses can be compelled to talk.'
The Irish Sun
2 days ago
- The Irish Sun
Mum of missing Brit receives chilling mystery messages year after he vanished on Sardinia trip with woman he met online
THE DISTRAUGHT mum of a Brit who disappeared while camping with his girlfriend in Sardinia has been sent chilling messages saying: "I tried to believe it was an accident." Michael Frison, 26, Advertisement 11 Michael was reported missing in Sardinia Credit: Facebook 11 An image of Michael's abandoned belongings have surfaced just over a year after he vanished Credit: The Sun 11 He vanished on 13 July 2024, just the day after he arrived on the Mediterranean island Credit: Facebook/@Cristina Pittalis 11 Niomi Orlandini and Michael met online and she later joined him in Sardinia Credit: The Sun 11 The The cryptic messages 'reference guilt, fear, and the inability to remain silent.' They read: 'You cannot live a lie without it finding you eventually. Advertisement read more news 'I've seen it in nightmares. 'This isn't about blame, it's about the silence that eats away. 'I tried to forget. I tried to believe it was an accident. But the fear… it doesn't go.' Cristina previously told The Sun that she can 'relate' to Jay Slater's mum Debbie Duncan - and blames local Italian police for failing to investigate properly. Advertisement Most read in The Sun Exclusive Exclusive She said: 'I can't even imagine how Jay Slater's mum would have felt when her son went missing and she couldn't communicate in Spanish. 'I can communicate with the police and they have been useless.' Tragic last vid shows tourist, 26, smiling next to pal at summit before deadly plunge in active volcano crater Cristine explained that her son Michael had flown from Bristol Airport to Olbia on July 2 last year, before driving to his grandparents home in Sassari to celebrate his 25th birthday and his grandma's 70th. Niomi, 27, asked to join him on the trip and he cancelled his return flight to the UK in order to stay with her for an additional week. Advertisement According to his mum, the pair left Michael's grandparents home on July 12, and went to volunteer on a farm in the Gallura hinterland, where they would work in exchange for food and accommodation. Mum-of-two Cristine says the trip from her parents' place to the site they stayed at was a '70 mile journey', and the area was surrounded by 'rugged terrain and deep vegetation'. The pair arrived on an area of land, owned by a German couple, on the same day they left, with Michael and Niomi staying in a tent about '100 metres away' from the couple, who were in a campervan. Cristine said that was the last day she heard from him: 'He texted me saying he was going to sleep and that he'd call me tomorrow. He ended it with a heart emoji.' Advertisement A snap taken from the scene shows clothing and a water bottle in the area where they camped. Heartbroken mum Cristina has grown increasingly frustrated over the Italian authorities' reluctance to share key information about Michael's disappearance with British cops. 11 The search for Michael was called off after just two weeks Credit: Unpixs 11 Michael had been in Sardinia celebrating his birthday with his Italian grandparents Credit: Jonathan Kanengoni Advertisement 11 Mum Cristina has launched a campaign to find her son Credit: Jonathan Kanengoni The Foreign Office has stated it cannot intervene in the investigation unless Italy formally requests their assistance. Italian police have yet to locate or question Niomi, believed to be the last person to see Michael alive. She has not co-operated with the authorities or his family, and is thought to have moved to Thailand where her mother is from. Advertisement Cristina explained that police in Britain advised her to tell the Italian authorities to seize Niomi's passport, which they did not do, and that they got offended when she tried to tell them how to do their jobs. The crucial passport error may have allowed Niomi to vanish with a raft of questions left unanswered. She added that she has also not been given a family liaison officer, and claims Italian police have kept her in the dark. The worried mother additionally raised her concerns about Niomi, saying she has not spoken to her sisters since she left, though they keep telling her that she is a 'lovely girl'. Advertisement Efforts to track down Niomi's family in Jersey have failed. Cristina said: 'I'm not looking for a culprit, I'm looking for my son - I'm not accusing her of anything. 'But the fact she is not responding is quite mysterious and very strange.' The mum added: "Human beings do not disappear from the face of earth without leaving traces unless something extremely bad happened to them.' Advertisement The mother has been left questioning why Niomi would not respond to her appeals for help or check in for an update on the search. 11 A local investigation into his whereabouts is ongoing Credit: Facebook/@Cristina Pittalis 11 Cristina previously told The Sun that she can 'relate' to Jay Slater's mum Credit: Facebook/@Cristina Pittalis 11 Michael went missing on 13 July last year in Sardinia Credit: Jonathan Kanengoni Advertisement Cristina, who lost her husband seven years ago and is now juggling the search for Michael with looking after her youngest son, 11, said she's going through an 'unimaginable mix of emotions'. She said: 'It's destroyed our lives. 'Not knowing where Michael is and what happened is unbearable. 'Feeling the worst and holding onto hope for the best - it's an overwhelming sense of helplessness.' Advertisement She says she feels 'drained' by the emotional and physical toll of his disappearance, and vowed: 'I am determined to find him, even in my grief I will not stop fighting for him. In her desperate efforts, Cristina has 'given up everything', abandoning her promising career in social work in order to dedicate her time to finding Michael and downsizing her home. She said: 'I am leaving the house because I can't afford to live here and balance going between here and Italy.' Cristina added that her second son is home educated and has developed separation anxiety. Advertisement She praised Michael as 'such a kind and truly special soul'. She said: 'He feels so deeply not just for himself but for others - he notices when someone is struggling. 'He offers a kind word and a helping hand. "It's a never-ending nightmare. Advertisement "There's no real accountability... I am here and I am broken." A GoFundMe campaign launched by Michael's pals in the UK has now reached £10,000 in the effort to help find the missing Brit. Michael's mum living through 'never-ending nightmare' By THE mother of a Brit man who went missing in Sardinia a year ago has said she's been "broken" since his disappearance. Michael's mother Cristina Pittalis has told Sky News of her anguish over what happened to him. "I'm trying not to lose my mind," she said as she recounted the "He was in a rush but absolutely clear in his speech, I didn't detect any confusion in his state of mind." Cristina, who is from Somerset , told the broadcaster: "Human beings do not disappear from the face of earth without leaving traces unless … something extremely bad happened to them." Her son had reportedly gone for a walk, and returned in a confused state and showing signs of heatstroke. After this, he went for a second walk - from which he never returned. His clothes and trainers were later found close by. Michael's mum told Sky News is was "extremely unlikely" he would suffer heatstroke as he had lived on the island before. It would also be "completely out of character" to wander off barefoot and leave his belongings behind, she added. She has now moved to Sardinia along with her other son, 11, in an attempt to look for Michael. Cristina, who is originally from Sassari in the island's northwest, said she is "extremely worried because there are no traces of Michael". Although a local investigation into his whereabouts is ongoing, Michael's mum wants Interpol to step in to help with the search. "It's a never-ending nightmare," she said. "There's no real accountability... I am here and I am broken."
