Latest news with #Bournemouth
BBC News
29 minutes ago
- Business
- BBC News
Bournemouth shop where illegal worker found could lose licence
A convenience store where officials said they found an illegal worker faces being stripped of its licence to sell Stores in Kinson Road, Bournemouth, was raided by immigration officials on 7 November 2024, when an Indian man who had no right to work in the UK was found behind the Police will apply to revoke the store's premises licence at a Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council (BCP) meeting on Muralimohan, who is responsible for the shop's premises licence, told BCP that he was "committed to upholding all legal and licensing obligations". The man found working illegally at the business said he had started working there in mid-October found he entered the UK on a student visa in 2022 but failed to enrol on his led to his visa being curtailed, making him an overstayer with no right to work in the business was issued with a fine of £40,000 in January, an immigration official said in BCP papers published ahead of Wednesday's meeting. Mr Muralimohan said the fine was cut to £5,000 "in recognition of my full cooperation with the investigation".He said he has held a premises licence since 2011 and has "operated in full compliance with licensing regulations throughout this period, with no prior remarks or violations".Dorset Police will say on Wednesday that it – along with other authorities – "no longer have confidence in [Mr Muralimohan] to uphold the licensing objectives".According to the council documents, the force will also say it was "particularly concerned" nitrous oxide canisters were found at the shop. Nitrous oxide has been classified as a class C drug "where its intended use is not legitimate and likely to be used to inhale", said police. You can follow BBC Dorset on Facebook, X (Twitter), or Instagram.
BBC News
7 hours ago
- Business
- BBC News
Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council new chief executive
A senior Dorset Council officer has been announced as the new chief executive of another local Dunn, who currently holds Dorset's finance brief, is moving to take control of Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole (BCP) is taking over from Graham Farrant, who announced his retirement earlier in 2025. Mr Dunn is expected to be on a salary of more than £200,000 a year and his appointment is subject to final approval by BCP Council on 3 June. His appointment comes after what BCP say was a "rigorous" recruitment authority statement said: "Aidan is an accomplished and forward-thinking public sector leader with over three decades of experience spanning local government, the civil service and the NHS." It added he had played a "pivotal role" in establishing the new unitary authority while working for Dorset Earl, leader of BCP Council, added: "He brings a wealth of experience, energy and enthusiasm and I am confident he will work with members to take BCP Council on the next stage of our exciting journey."Mr Dunn said he felt "excited and very privileged" to secure the role. You can follow BBC Dorset on Facebook, X (Twitter), or Instagram.
Daily Mail
13 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Russell Brand pleads not guilty to rape, sexual assault and indecent assault against four women
Russell Brand has pleaded not guilty to charges of multiple alleged sex attacks, including an alleged rape at the Labour Party conference. The US-based comedian has denied the allegations of rape, indecent assault and sexual assault at a hearing at Southwark Crown Court today. The incidents, alleged by four women, are said to occurred between 1999 and 2005. He will stand trial over the charges next year, with a trial beginning June 3 2026 that is set to last four to five weeks. The star wore an open black and white pinstripe shirt and several pendants, including two crosses, as he walked into the court ahead of his plea hearing this morning. He was clutching a prayer book called The Valley of Vision in his right hand. The presenter is accused of raping a woman in a hotel in 1999 after they met that day at a theatrical event following the Labour Party conference in Bournemouth. Brand is also alleged to have raped a woman working in television whom he met in a Soho bar in 2004. He is accused of grabbing her breasts before pulling the victim into a toilet and forcing her to perform a sex act. Another woman claims she was indecently assaulted by Brand, who grabbed her arm and attempted to drag her into a male lavatory at a television station in 2001. Brand was working for Channel 4 on Big Brother's Big Mouth between 2004 and 2005 when he is said to have carried out the final assault on a radio station worker. The comedian arrived at the court shortly before 10am in a black Mercedes Benz, with a media scrum of photographers and broadcasters capturing his every move. He said nothing to the photographers and journalists gathered outside the court as he emerged from the car, some of whom called out his name. And he looked straight ahead as he walked up the steps inside, alongside lawyer Oliver Schneider-Sikorsky. Mr Schneider-Sikorsky successfully defended Kevin Spacey against sex assault allegations in 2023. Brand was flanked by two court officers in the dock as Judge Tony Baumgartner reminded the court that the four complainants in this case have automatic lifelong anonymity as the alleged victims of sexual offences. After confirming his identity, the Florida-based star stood with his hands clasped behind his back as he loudly responded 'not guilty' to each charge read to him. Before ending the hearing, Judge Tony Baumgartner reminded Brand that any failure to attend his scheduled trial could result in custody or be deemed a separate offence. Brand remains on bail with conditions to provide his UK and US addresses to the court and to notify the court of any change in address. Once the ten minute hearing had concluded, Brand slowly reached down for his sunglasses and placed them back over his eyes. The door to the dock was opened for him and he stared straight ahead as he walked slowly past the packed press bench. The court had previously heard that some of the alleged victims will give evidence behind a screen. Brand then left court around half an hour after the hearing ended - walking to the waiting Mercedes without saying a word to reporters and members of the public who called out to him. One was heard to ask: 'Russell, what do you think of the court case?' The charges came following a joint investigation by The Sunday Times and Channel 4's Dispatches programme in September 2023 in which several women accused him of rape, sexual assaults and emotional abuse, which he denied. When he was charged, Brand addressed his 11.3million followers on X saying he was 'never a rapist'. The married father-of-three, was once one of the most popular comedy stars on Channel 4. In recent years, has reinvented himself as an anti-woke political podcaster amassing millions of online followers on the alternative video platform Rumble. He has also converted to Christianity, and was seen being baptised in the River Thames by TV presenter and adventurer Bear Grylls.
Malay Mail
13 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Malay Mail
Comedian Russell Brand pleads not guilty to rape, sexual assault charges
LONDON, May 31 — British comedian and actor Russell Brand pleaded not guilty yesterday at a London criminal court to five charges of sexual offences including rape and sexual assault. The media personality turned anti-establishment influencer faces one count of rape, one of oral rape, two of sexual assault and one of indecent assault between 1999 and 2005, involving four women. Crowds were waiting as Brand, 49, arrived at Southwark Crown Court in an open-buttoned shirt and dark blazer for the plea hearing, after being granted conditional bail at a previous hearing. He gained international recognition as the husband of pop star Katy Perry, but is better known in the UK for his hyper-sexualised and often lewd comedy routines and TV and radio appearances in the early 2000s. Now living partly in the US, Brand appeared at Westminster Magistrates Court in central London earlier this month, where he showed no emotion as a prosecutor read out allegations against him. Yesterday, Brand appeared in the dock flanked by two officers, where he stood stock-still and looked straight ahead as he delivered his pleas. He is now due to stand trial next year, on June 3, 2026. Prosecutors charged Brand following a police probe into allegations aired in a 2003 Channel 4 documentary. He is accused of raping one woman in a hotel room following an event in the southern Bournemouth area in 1999. Another charge relates to the oral rape and sexual assault of a woman in 2004 in central London. The accusations involve four women, including one who was a TV worker, and another who was a radio station worker at the time of the alleged assaults. In a video response on X after he was charged in April, Brand said he was 'grateful' for the 'opportunity' to defend himself. Conservative guru 'I was a fool before I lived in the light of the Lord. I was a drug addict, a sex addict and an imbecile, but what I never was a rapist. I've never engaged in non-consensual activity,' he said in the video. Born in 1975 to working-class parents in Essex, east of London, Brand began his stand-up career as a teenager, eventually working as an MTV presenter and host of a Big Brother spin-off. He presented a show on the BBC's Radio 2 station between 2006 and 2008, but quit after an on-air prank when he left a sexually explicit voicemail for Fawlty Towers actor Andrew Sachs about his granddaughter. Once a left-leaning political campaigner and Hollywood star, he has rebranded himself as a conservative guru to his millions of social media followers. Brand often peddles in conspiracy theories, as well as sharing wellness tips, in his anti-establishment videos. Last year, he said he became a Christian after being baptised in the Thames river. — AFP
The Independent
19 hours ago
- Entertainment
- The Independent
Comedian and actor Russell Brand pleads not guilty to rape and sexual assault
Comedian and actor Russell Brand has pleaded not guilty to charges of rape and sexual assault. The 49-year-old appeared in the dock at Southwark Crown Court on Friday flanked by two officers, where he stood stock-still and looked straight ahead as he delivered his pleas. He is accused of raping a woman in a hotel room while she attended a Labour Party conference in Bournemouth, and grabbing a TV worker's breasts and orally raping her after dragging her into a male toilet. Brand is also alleged to have grabbed a radio station worker's face, pushing her against a wall and kissing her before groping her breasts and buttocks. The final charge alleges the actor indecently assaulted another woman after grabbing her forearm and attempting to drag her into a male toilet. The allegations against Brand are said to have taken place against four women between 1999 and 2005. The defendant, of Hambleden, Buckinghamshire, who faces one count each of rape, indecent assault and oral rape, as well as two counts of sexual assault, is due to stand trial on June 3 next year at the same court. He was granted conditional bail to appear for a pre-trial review hearing on May 20 next year. Arriving at court, Brand held a book in his hand and looked straight ahead without taking questions from reporters. As Friday's hearing finished, the comedian replaced his sunglasses before exiting the dock and calmly walked past reporters. He was charged following an investigation by Channel 4 and the Sunday Times in which several women made allegations against him. Brand previously told his 11.2 million followers on X that he welcomed the opportunity to prove his innocence. He presented a BBC Radio 2 show between 2006 and 2008 but left after an on-air prank which saw him leave a 'lewd' voicemail for Fawlty Towers actor Andrew Sachs about his granddaughter. Brand also presented Big Brother spin-off shows Big Brother's Big Mouth and Big Brother: Celebrity Hijack. He was married to US pop singer Katy Perry from 2010 to 2012 and is now married to Laura Gallacher, the sister of presenter Kirsty, and the pair have two children, Mabel and Peggy.
