Latest news with #Bristol
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Officer who stole Bitcoin from crime network jailed
An officer from the National Crime Agency (NCA) has been jailed for five and a half years after stealing nearly £60,000 worth of the cryptocurrency Bitcoin. Paul Chowles, 42, from Bristol, used the dark web to transfer Bitcoin belonging to a drug trafficker into his various accounts. The value of Bitcoin soared after the theft and the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) calculated Chowles spent £144,580 before he was caught. At the time of sentencing, police said the 50 Bitcoin he stole had grown in value to now be worth more than £4.4m. Chowles was sentenced at Liverpool Crown Court earlier after previously pleading guilty to theft, transferring criminal property and concealing criminal property. In 2013, Chowles was part of an NCA investigation which targeted organised criminal networks selling illegal goods on the dark website Silk Road 1. This led to the arrest of Thomas White, who had launched a back-up website less than a month after the FBI had shut down the original page. White was jailed for 64 months in April 2019. Following the seizure of 97 Bitcoin from White, it was noticed that 50 Bitcoin had been withdrawn from the digital wallet. The NCA assumed White had somehow accessed the wallet while in custody, but he denied any involvement. More news stories for Bristol Watch the latest Points West Listen to the latest news for Bristol An investigation was launched by Merseyside Police into the stolen Bitcoin and Chowles - who had worked on the extraction of cryptocurrency from White's devices - was arrested in May 2022. It was soon uncovered Chowles had broken down the Bitcoin into smaller amounts and transferred it into various bank accounts to "hide the trail of money". Several notebooks were discovered in Chowles' office which contained usernames, passwords and statements relating to White's cryptocurrency accounts. 'Cover his tracks' Det Ch Insp John Black, from Merseyside Police's Force Intelligence Bureau, said the case illustrated in the "starkest terms that nobody is above the law". "It will be extremely disappointing to everyone that someone involved in law enforcement could involve themselves in the very criminality they are tasked with investigating and preventing," he said. "He took advantage of his position on this investigation to line his own pockets while devising a plan that he believed would cover his tracks. He was wrong." Follow BBC Bristol on Facebook, X and Instagram. Send your story ideas to us on email or via WhatsApp on 0800 313 4630. More on this story NCA officer charged over theft of £60k of Bitcoin Related internet links National Crime Agency HM Courts & Tribunals Service
BBC News
an hour ago
- BBC News
Officer who stole Bitcoin from crime network on dark web jailed
An officer from the National Crime Agency (NCA) has been jailed for five and a half years after stealing nearly £60,000 worth of the cryptocurrency Chowles, 42, from Bristol, used the dark web to transfer Bitcoin belonging to a drug trafficker into his various value of Bitcoin soared after the theft and the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) calculated Chowles spent £144,580 before he was the time of sentencing, police said the 50 Bitcoin he stole had grown in value to now be worth more than £4.4m. Chowles was sentenced at Liverpool Crown Court earlier after previously pleading guilty to theft, transferring criminal property and concealing criminal property. In 2013, Chowles was part of an NCA investigation which targeted organised criminal networks selling illegal goods on the dark website Silk Road led to the arrest of Thomas White, who had launched a back-up website less than a month after the FBI had shut down the original was jailed for 64 months in April the seizure of 97 Bitcoin from White, it was noticed that 50 Bitcoin had been withdrawn from the digital NCA assumed White had somehow accessed the wallet while in custody, but he denied any involvement. An investigation was launched by Merseyside Police into the stolen Bitcoin and Chowles - who had worked on the extraction of cryptocurrency from White's devices - was arrested in May was soon uncovered Chowles had broken down the Bitcoin into smaller amounts and transferred it into various bank accounts to "hide the trail of money".Several notebooks were discovered in Chowles' office which contained usernames, passwords and statements relating to White's cryptocurrency accounts. 'Cover his tracks' Det Ch Insp John Black, from Merseyside Police's Force Intelligence Bureau, said the case illustrated in the "starkest terms that nobody is above the law"."It will be extremely disappointing to everyone that someone involved in law enforcement could involve themselves in the very criminality they are tasked with investigating and preventing," he said."He took advantage of his position on this investigation to line his own pockets while devising a plan that he believed would cover his tracks. He was wrong."
The Sun
2 hours ago
- The Sun
Real life 'Fagin' jailed for using kids to rob almost £1,000 of Lego
A "PRESENT-day Fagin' who used children to steal from shops across the south-west has been jailed. Bradley Trott, 32, travelled from town to town robbing thousands of pounds worth of toys and food items. 4 4 4 He got one child to help him pick up Lego boxes worth £922.50 and sometimes took a group of kids with him to steal meat, cheese and other items. You have every appearance of being a present-day Fagin. A judge likened him to the character Fagin from Charles Dickens' classic novel Oliver Twist who sent out children to pickpocket for him. District Judge Lynne Matthews said: 'You have every appearance of being a present-day Fagin. "You have been taking children into stores and getting them to help you steal goods to fund your habit. 'My view is that you pose a risk to children and it's very likely you will commit further offences.' Bristol magistrates heard he travelled around Bristol, Bath, Radstock and Glastonbury in Somerset on a thieving spree during January of this year. Trott, of Bristol, admitted five charges of theft and one of attempted theft – and all bar one offence involved at least one male child, who helped stash the stolen goods. He was jailed for 26 weeks. He also admitted driving a VW Golf high on cocaine and not having insurance. He is disqualified from driving for 21 months, which includes his prison sentence. The court heard he had a "decent family background" and started using substances at the age of 17. He was previously sentenced on January 29 for theft and given a community order, which tried to address his drug issues. DJ Matthews said the community order was not working and that children were "actively used to facilitate" the offences was an aggravating factor – so he was given his first prison sentence. Trott was also ordered to pay a statutory surcharge of £187 on his release. 4
BBC News
3 hours ago
- Business
- BBC News
Bristol City appoint Rawcliffe as new CEO
Bristol City have appointed Tom Rawcliffe as the club's new chief executive officer ahead of the 2025-26 role has been vacant since the departure of Phil Alexander, who lasted less than eight months at Ashton Gate before leaving in September has spent the previous four seasons with the Robins, initially joining as head of finance before more recently becoming the club's chief operating officer."I am excited to lead the club in the next stage of its journey. I am clear there is a lot of work to do, which starts now," Rawcliffe told the club website., externalBristol City owner Steve Lansdown added: "Over the past four years Tom has shown his value to the club and thoroughly deserves his appointment as chief executive officer with overall control of running this great club."Having specialised in the finance and then operations of the club he is in a good position to lead our next stage of development."
BBC News
3 hours ago
- Climate
- BBC News
Water supply problems in Tytherington lead to paddling pool washes
People living in a village near Bristol say they are experiencing ongoing low water pressure problems leading to one family having to wash in a paddling residents in Tytherington, near Thornbury, say the situation is "beyond a joke" and is "absolutely appalling".Tracey Edmonds, who lives on Tytherington Hill, said: "It has just got worse and worse."The BBC has asked for an explanation from Bristol Water but has not yet had a response. "You'd get times when there would be water upstairs and just a dribble downstairs, and it just built up and built up and now we can be without water three or four hours both morning and evening," Ms Edmonds said. "You can't use the washing machine and you can't use a dishwasher because there's not enough water. You can't use the toilet flush upstairs or downstairs."My partner had to have a wash in the paddling pool last weekend, because there wasn't any water and he needed to wash."In a social media post, locals have complained that they have been "putting up with it for months".Others agreed there was sometimes not enough pressure to shower or do the washing Edmonds added: "There is really low pressure, a dribble, and sometimes we are without water."None of us are happy, it's just ridiculous."
