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Press and Journal
a day ago
- Press and Journal
Orkney Assassin: New Amazon show to revisit night teen killed waiter in shocking racist murder
A new documentary will revisit the shocking racist murder of a Bangladeshi waiter in Orkney in 1994 – and the 14-year long investigation to convict teenage killer Michael Ross. Ross was just 15 years old when he shot waiter Shamsuddin Mahmood in a racially motivated killing. BAFTA-winning film-maker Matt Pinder will tell the story of the murder in a new feature-length true crime show on Amazon Prime. Pinder, known for his trilogy The Hunt for… has covered notorious Scottish killers like Peter Tobin and Bible John. His latest film Orkney Assassin: Murder in the Isles follows the 14-year hunt that led to Ross's conviction. In June of 1994, a masked gunman entered Mumutaz, a busy curry house in Kirkwall, and fatally shot 27-year-old Shamsuddin Mahmood. Mahmood had only been on the Orkney Islands for six weeks before the fatal shooting took place. The 26-year-old was working as a waiter and planning to return home to Bangladesh to marry his fiancée. Michael Ross, then 15, was interviewed by police after two witnesses saw him in similar clothes to the killer weeks earlier. Ross admitted to having a balaclava, which he had disposed of by dropping into the sea. His friends also denied Ross's alibi for the night of the shooting. Police also discovered disturbing Nazi imagery and racist slogans scrawled in his school books. Although he was interviewed as a teenager a few months after the murder, Ross was not charged at the time. It took more than a decade for police to uncover the truth and bring Ross to trial at the High Court. In the years following the killing, Michael Ross joined the British Army and became a highly trained sniper. He became a sergeant in the Black Watch and was praised for bravery following a 2005 Iraq tour. In 2008, a handwritten tip from a witness William Grant, placed Ross at the scene on the night of the murder. His statement reignited the case and led to a new trial. Other witnesses testified that Ross expressed racist views as a teen and borrowed his father's firearms. Michael Ross was finally convicted of the murder Shamsuddin Mahmood in 2008 and handed a minimum sentence of 25 years. After the guilty verdict was read, Ross vaulted from the dock and attacked courtroom security. He escaped into a court corridor before being tackled and restrained by officers. Investigators later discovered Ross had parked a getaway car loaded with weapons near the court building. The convicted killer also attempted to escape HMP Shotts prison with a homemade ladder in 2022. Ross and his family have maintained his innocence in the murder and believe he was wrongfully convicted of the crime. The Orkney Assassin: Murder in the Isles will be available on Prime Video in the UK & Ireland on June 8. Read more in our Michael Ross archives.
ITV News
27-05-2025
- Entertainment
- ITV News
Ellie Simmonds 'My agonising decision to whether to have children'
For 15 years, Ellie Simmonds devoted her life to winning gold, becoming one of Britain's most celebrated Paralympians. Since retiring, she's turned her focus to deeply personal challenges - from reuniting with her birth mother in her BAFTA-winning documentary to now confronting one of the biggest decisions of her life: should she have children? As she explores the difficult dilemma of potentially passing on her disability, she's sharing her story.
The Herald Scotland
25-05-2025
- Business
- The Herald Scotland
Choppy seas ahead for Scotland's largest fishing port
It's a trade which can be lucrative — the industry brought in £265 million to the port last year. Yet, it's one which is increasingly under threat. The news that the UK had agreed to a new trade deal with the European Union on Monday has been met with mixed reactions. The wide-ranging deal will eliminate the majority of border checks on agricultural exports, allow British holiday makers to use European e-passport gates, and link the EU and UK's carbon markets. Yet, it will also extend the status quo — allowing EU fishing boats to operate in Scottish waters for the next 12 years. That's a decision which has proven controversial among the fish catchers and processors of the 'Blue Toon'. Peterhead Port landed more than 200,000 tonnes of fish last year. (Image: Josh Pizzuto-Pomaco) Peterhead is the closest thing I have to home in Scotland. It's where my mum and family live. So, on a warm Wednesday afternoon, I set out to have a look myself. Parking my car along the harbour wall, I'm reminded of my first visit to the town four years ago. I particularly remember the fishy smell, a visceral reminder of how important the industry is to the people of the region. I walk across the Queenie Bridge to Peterhead's North Harbour. Lunar Fishing, Freezing, and Cold Storage; Jackson Trawls Marine Store; GT Seafoods — evidence of the fishing industry is immediately evident. The port hosts hundreds, if not thousands, of workers; from the iconic Peterhead Fish Market to the scores of small boats which bob in the blue water behind me. Peterhead has a bit of a reputation in North East circles, one which is completely undeserved in my opinion. It is a rough and tumble place, to be sure, but is also home to some of the kindest (and yes, brutally honest) people in Scotland. The Queenie Bridge in Peterhead. (Image: Josh Pizzuto-Pomaco) I speak to a few in the town centre. 'I've seen the headlines, but I haven't looked at the proposals in much detail', a kindly older man, rucksack, in tow, tells me. 'You should go down to the Fishermen's Mission', he adds. 'Definitely go down to Wetherspoons, there are always lots of retired fishermen around there', another pensioner advises. I speak to Jimmy Buchan, a fisherman of forty years who now owns and operates the Amity Fish Company. He's the closest you get to a celebrity in this close-knit town of 20,000, appearing in the BAFTA-winning series Trawlerman, which aired on BBC One between 2006 and 2010. 'It's a bittersweet feeling', he says as his broad Doric brogue crackles through my mobile. 'I now work on the fish processing side of things, but for years, I was involved in catching fish in the North Sea. 'Sure, this deal will make things easier for fish processors, but it will be incredibly damaging to our fishermen.' Jimmy Buchan is the 'skipper' at Amity Fish Company (Image: Amity Fish Company).Buchan tells me that fishermen and women in the region feel betrayed, by one government after another. 'This was the one part of Brexit which was going to benefit us', he notes. 'Scottish fishermen were supposed to have control over their own waters. But now, that is being taken away. 'I was with John Swinney the other day and he told me that the Scottish Government hadn't been consulted at all before the decision was taken.' Buchan says the length of the deal was also a surprise. 'Twelve years is such a long time. I'll be retired by then. I'd understand a deal for two or three years, but twelve is incredibly long.' However, not all local business owners have taken such a dismal view of the deal. Sinclair Banks, the boss over at Lunar, tells me over email: 'You could quote the comment of the French Fishing Chief; 'We couldn't have hoped for better'. 'That's all that needs to be said.' Read more from Josh Pizzuto-Pomaco: 'Our community is being attacked': Queer Glaswegians to call out Israel during Pride Church of Scotland reaffirms assisted dying stance after 'emotional' debate Scottish 'pipeline pilgrims' cycle 170 miles to highlight carbon capture fears Aberdeen City Council's £1m law bill revealed amidst spate of legal challenges Indeed, for fish processors, the deal is a boon. It will allow seafood to be exported to the continent with greater ease and less cost. Buchan says this still isn't enough. 'Any advantages gained by the fish processing industry will be greatly outweighed by the damage it will do to our fishermen.' 'It feels like Peterhead is being sold out once again.' Conservative Matthew James represents the town on Aberdeenshire Council. He echoed Buchan's comments, telling me: 'Needless to say it was bitterly disappointing to hear the Prime Minister trade away 12 years of our fishing industry. 'This government is persistently letting down our region, I hear of concerns on what the future holds for Peterhead. 'The continued attack on oil and gas jobs, reluctance to commit to future plans for carbon capture & storage and now this news for our fishermen. I too worry what will be left for our town.' Crates laden with tackle for fishing boats at Peterhead Harbour. (Image: Josh Pizzuto-Pomaco) The UK government has defended the trade deal. A statement read: '[This] new 12-year agreement protects Britain's fishing access, fishing rights and fishing areas with no increase in the amount of fish EU vessels can catch in British waters, providing stability and certainty for the sector.' The government has also pledged to invest £360m into the fishing industry, which they say will pay for 'new technology and equipment to modernise the fleet, training to help upskill the workforce, and funding to help revitalise coastal communities, support tourism and boost seafood exports'. Back in Peterhead, I continue my walk through the town centre, a route I've grown to know well. I pass Zanre's Fish and Chips, Ewan Morrice Quality Butcher, and Hame Bakery. I pause at the Fisher Jessie statue, across from the Royal Bank of Scotland at the top of Queen Street. The life-size bronze statue, which depicts a 'fish-wife' holding a basket laden with seafood, celebrates the important role of women in the industry. Even now, amidst the changing tides, it remains a poignant symbol of the importance of fishing to this community. Indeed, the sea has sustained Peterhead through the long march of time, weathering tempests, wars, and deindustrialisation. One can only hope it continues to do so.
Glasgow Times
20-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Glasgow Times
Love Actually in concert coming to Glasgow in December
Love Actually in concert will be performed at the Glasgow Royal Concert Hall on December 8, featuring a full orchestra playing the film's score live-to-screen. Tickets go on sale May 23 at 10am via (Image: Supplied) READ MORE: Extra flights from Glasgow Airport to Rome announced for Six Nations clash READ MORE: Legendary artist to play Glasgow as 2-for-1 tickets go on sale The beloved romcom weaves together ten heartwarming stories of love at Christmas, with many of the characters' lives intertwining. The star-studded cast includes Liam Neeson, Colin Firth, Laura Linney, Bill Nighy, Emma Thompson, Alan Rickman, Martine McCutcheon, Keira Knightley, Rowan Atkinson, Martin Freeman, and more. (Image: Supplied) Part of a 16-date UK tour, the live concert kicks off in Poole on November 28 and wraps up on December 17, following a sold-out run last Christmas. The score, composed by BAFTA-winning Scottish composer Craig Armstrong, features one of the most iconic soundtracks in modern romantic cinema, including unforgettable moments set to Mariah Carey's All I Want for Christmas Is You.
Daily Mirror
19-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Netflix drops another Fred and Rose West series after TV drama success
Fred and Rose West: A British Horror Story has been a huge hit for Netflix and it's now been followed by the streaming service adding ITV's drama Appropriate Adult With Fred and Rose West capturing public fascination again, the BAFTA-winning series Appropriate Adult has just dropped on Netflix. Netflix's recent debut of Fred and Rose West: A British Horror Story has sparked renewed interest with its deep dive into the dark narrative surrounding the infamous murdering pair from the eyes of victims' families and the Gloucestershire Constabulary's investigative efforts. Appropriate Adult, originally aired on ITV in 2011, shadows Janet Leach, who served as Fred West's appropriate adult, guiding him through police procedures during interviews to ensure he comprehended his charges. ITV described the drama by saying: "The life of housewife Janet Leach is transformed when she is asked by police to act as an 'appropriate adult' for a man they have arrested - serial killer Fred West." Janet's role became a pivotal experience as she became privy to his chilling confessions, reports Surrey Live. Emily Watson bagged a BAFTA for Best Actress thanks to her potent portrayal of Janet, further cementing her status following roles in hits like Chernobyl, Apple Tree Yard, and Dune: Prophecy. Alongside Emily's standout performance are Dominic West playing the notorious Fred West, Monica Dolan portraying Rose West, Robert Glenister as Detective Superintendent John Bennett, and Selin Hizli as Mae West. Fred and Rose West: A British Horror Story, now available on Netflix, delves into the chilling saga of the notorious couple with interviews from affected families and insights into the police probe that exposed their heinous acts. The synopsis reveals: "With exclusive access to previously unseen police video and unheard audio recordings, the three-part series will show how the Gloucestershire police were able to unearth the remains of the West's 12 victims to build a case against them that would bring closure for the families of the victims." It continues: "The series features family members of some of the victims - a few of whom are speaking for the first time - giving insight into the pain and torment they went through for decades." And adds: "From discovering that their missing loved ones were brutally murdered, to the trauma they experienced and the strength they displayed during the trial."
