Latest news with #Co-Op
Scottish Sun
3 days ago
- Scottish Sun
Vigilante brothers abducted boys, 11 and 12, to ‘give them a fright' after parents' home vandalised
The pair told the 'terrified' youngsters they were 'going to batter them' TERRIFYING ORDEAL Vigilante brothers abducted boys, 11 and 12, to 'give them a fright' after parents' home vandalised A PAIR of vigilante brothers abducted two schoolboys in retribution for their parents' livingroom window being smashed by vandals. John, 53, and Richard Saunders, 50, grabbed the boys, aged 12 and 13, inside a Co-Op shop, and took them for a "terrifying" drive in their car. Advertisement 3 Richard Saunders and his brother John grabbed the boys after their parents' window was smashed 3 John Saunders said he and his brother acted after weeks of youngsters "causing havoc" 3 Kirkcaldy Sheriff Court heard the Saunders brothers took the law into their own hands Credit: Alamy Kirkcaldy Sheriff Court heard the Saunders brothers took the two boys' mobile phones off them to prevent them from calling for help whilst detaining them inside their car. After being bundled into the back of the vehicle and driven off the Saunders brothers told the "terrified" youngsters they were 'going to batter them'. The court was told the pair had reacted after weeks of young people "causing havoc" in the area where their parents lived. John, of Kenilworth Terrace and Richard, of Melrose Gardens, both Lochore, admitted abducting and assaulting the two boys on September 30. Advertisement They seized and pulled them by the body, removed them from a shop, struck one of them on the head and abducted both of them by forcing them into a vehicle and driving them away. The brothers drove around during the frightening ordeal, telling the children they were "giving them a fright", before dropping them off. At 9.45pm the mum of one of the boys heard a car pull up outside. The court heard John Saunders was pulling her boy by the jumper and told the mum what had happened. Advertisement The prosecutor told the court Saunders said that his mum's window had been smashed and that it had "been going on for months". Asked if he had anything to say to the court, John Saunders, who was representing himself, said, 'The window wasn't cracked, it was shattered and smashed. Rachael Watts, who breaks her thirty-year silence to share her story for the first time on camera revealing how she survived a brutal abduction and assault 'I got a call from my parents to say their window had been smashed and as I drove to their house, I saw them (the boys) walking from there towards the Co-op. 'When I went into the house my mum was so upset and I didn't know what to do. Advertisement 'I went to look for them and they were in the shop like nothing had happened.' Saunders said the boys had told them that someone from Cardenden had also been there at the time and so they had gone looking for him at bus stops. Saunders told the court, 'I realised what I was doing was wrong' and he then took the boys home. Solicitor David McLaughlin, representing Richard Saunders, said his client was a hard-working family man with two grown-up children and had never been involved in a court case before. Advertisement He went on, 'The background is that youngsters within the area were effectively causing havoc and had been picking on the brothers' mother and father for a number of weeks. 'On this occasion the window was shattered and it was the straw that broke the camel's back. 'He lost his temper and it was a spur of the moment thing. He and his brother made poor decisions. 'He acknowledges he stepped out of line and appears to show genuine remorse. As he put it, 'two wrongs don't make a right'.' Advertisement Sheriff Steven Borthwick said he acknowledged that the brothers' actions were out of character. He told them, 'Both of you were very concerned for the well-being of your parents, were angry and wanted to do something about it. 'However, it is completely unacceptable to do what you did. That's the sort of offence that leads to the serious consideration of the imposition of a custodial sentence. 'It's simply not acceptable for civilians to take the law into their hands, especially when children are involved.' Advertisement He sentenced both brothers to a community payback order with 150 hours of unpaid work.
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Swordsman accused of murdering schoolboy ‘became psychotic after taking cannabis'
A man who murdered a 14-year-old schoolboy with a Japanese sword experienced psychotic episodes after taking cannabis, a court has heard. Marcus Arduini Monzo, 37, believed 'he was in a battle against evil forces' when he allegedly stabbed Daniel Anjorin as he walked to school in Hainault, north-east London, on April 30 last year. He is said to have 'moved quickly like a predator' behind Daniel before inflicting a 'devastating and unsurvivable chopping injury' to his face and neck. The Spanish-Brazilian national, from Newham, east London, is also accused of attacking four others, including two police officers, during a 20-minute rampage. He has denied eight of the 10 charges against him, including murder. A trial at the Old Bailey heard on Wednesday that Mr Monzo's mental state had been 'materially altered' by cannabis use and, at the time of the alleged attack, he had 'developed a cannabis induced fully fledged psychotic episode characterised by reality distortion symptoms'. Tom Little KC, prosecuting, said Mr Monzo was 'informed by his delusional beliefs that he and his family were in mortal danger, and that he was engaged in a battle against evil forces at a time of revelation or Armageddon'. He said cannabis was identified in Mr Monzo's urine and blood samples after the incident and a 'large amount' of cannabis was also found in a search of his house along with a 'skinned and deboned cat'. Mr Little, quoting forensic psychiatrist Prof Nigel Blackwood, who will later be called by the prosecution, said: 'In Prof Blackwood's opinion, cannabis misuse appears to have been the principal driver of his mental state deterioration at this time. 'The violence would not, in Prof Blackwood's opinion, have happened in the absence of such voluntary substance misuse.' Mr Monzo appeared in the dock wearing a bright green jumper with short, cropped hair and stubble. He looked furtively around the court at times and spoke often to security guards sitting on either side of him. Daniel's family were also in the court. Mr Little said Mr Monzo had left his home just before 6.30am in his van, wearing a yellow Quiksilver hoodie, black trousers, and black shoes. He said the attack started at about 6.51am when he drove his van into Donato Iwule, a pedestrian in Laing Close, causing him to be 'catapulted some distance into a garden'. Video footage of the incident was played to the jury, in which Mr Iwule, who had been walking to a Co-Op store where he worked, can be heard screaming in pain. Mr Monzo allegedly then left the vehicle and approached Mr Iwule with a samurai sword. Mr Little said: 'Donato Iwule shouted at him 'I don't know you' and the defendant said 'I don't care, I will kill you'. 'That comment from the defendant tells you, you may think, everything you need to know about his intention that morning.' Mr Monzo is alleged to have swung his sword at Mr Iwule's neck and torso, but he was able to roll away and escape over a fence. 'If he had not managed to escape, it seems inevitable that he too would have been killed,' said Mr Little. Mr Monzo is then said to have driven further down Laing Close before exiting the vehicle. At this time, the court heard that Daniel had left his home and was walking to school wearing sports clothes, his backpack, and headphones. Mr Little said: 'The defendant had obviously seen him and the defendant then moved quickly like a predator behind Daniel Anjorin. 'He lifted the sword above his head and then swung it downwards towards Daniel's head and neck area. 'Daniel instantly fell to the ground. The defendant then leant over him and used the sword again to injure Daniel.' He added: 'The force used was extreme. It involved a devastating and unsurvivable chopping injury to the left-hand side of Daniel's face and neck'. Mr Monzo is then said to have taken off Daniel's backpack, dragging the schoolboy's body along the road in the process. The court heard that emergency services had been called to the scene at this time. Mr Monzo is said to have then attacked Pc Yasmin Margaret Mechem-Whitfield, who pursued him down a series of alleyways behind residential properties while he was still armed. He is then alleged to have entered a nearby house where he attacked a couple in their bedroom. Mr Little said the couple's lives had been spared only because 'their four-year-old child woke up and started crying'. He said there were many police officers in the area at that time, and that Mr Monzo then became 'surrounded in a garage area nearby to the other attacks', where he attacked another police officer. Mr Monzo was finally disarmed and detained after he climbed onto the roof of the garage, he said. Asked about the attack in a police interview, Mr Monzo said his personality switched and that 'something happened, like a game happening', and it was like 'the movie Hunger Games'. Mr Little said: 'He said that one of his personalities is a professional assassin.' In court last month, Mr Monzo denied eight of the 10 charges against him but admitted two counts of having an offensive weapon – a katana sword and a tanto katana sword. He also pleaded not guilty to the attempted murders of Mr Iwule, Sindy Arias, Henry De Los Rios Polania and Pc Mechem-Whitfield as well as wounding Insp Moloy Campbell with intent. Mr Monzo denied aggravated burglary and possession of a bladed article relating to a kitchen knife. The trial continues. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
Scottish Sun
25-05-2025
- Business
- Scottish Sun
Spring Bank Holiday 2025 opening times LIVE: Shops reveal operating hours ahead of the May long weekend
OPEN UP Spring Bank Holiday 2025 opening times LIVE: Shops reveal operating hours ahead of the May long weekend Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) RETAILERS across the country have revealed their opening hours ahead of the late May Bank holiday. Major supermarkets and high street shops may have differing operating times during the long weekend. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up Co-Op and Asda have confirmed that they will be working as usual during the Spring bank holiday. Most gyms such as The Gym Group – which operates 24/7 – have announced they will be open all day but it's still best to check with your local outlet. Those waiting on deliveries may be pleased to know that while there won't be traditional post on Monday, Amazon packages will still be delivered. Follow our live blog below for the latest news and updates...
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Indian IT giant investigates M&S cyber attack link
An Indian IT company is conducting an internal investigation to determine whether it was the gateway for the cyber attack on Marks & Spencer, BBC News understands. Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) has provided services to M&S for more than a decade. Earlier this week, M&S said the hackers who have brought huge disruption to the retailer managed to gain access to their systems via a "third party" - a company working alongside it - rather than accessing those systems directly. M&S and TCS have both declined to comment. The FT, which first reported the story, cited people close to the investigation who said it was hoped the probe would be concluded by the end of the month. It is not clear when TCS launched its investigation. Customers have not been able to buy items on the M&S website since the end of April. It said earlier this week that online services should see a gradual return to normal over the coming weeks, but some level of disruption would continue until July. M&S estimates that the cyber-attack will hit this year's profits by around £300m. Police are focusing on a notorious group of English-speaking hackers, known as Scattered Spider, the BBC has learned. A letter from the M&S hackers landed in my inbox - this is what happened next M&S cyber-attack disruption to last until July Retail hackers believed to be young and from US and UK, detectives say The same group is believed to have been behind attacks on the Co-op and Harrods, but it was M&S that suffered the biggest impact. TCS says it has over 607,000 employees across the world and is the lead sponsor of three of the most prestigious marathons in the world - New York, London and Sydney, On its website, TCS said it worked with M&S on Sparks, its customer reward scheme. In 2023, TCS and M&S won the Retail Partnership of the Year award at the Retail Systems Awards. TCS has a portfolio of well-known clients including the Co-Op, according to its website. There is no indication of the internal probe is also looking at the hack on the Co-Op. TCS also counts easyjet, Nationwide and Jaguar Land Rover among its many clients. Earlier this week, M&S chief executive Stuart Machin said: "Over the last few weeks, we have been managing a highly sophisticated and targeted cyber-attack, which has led to a limited period of disruption." In a media call on Wednesday, he did not respond to a question about whether the company had paid a ransom as part of the process. Sign up for our Tech Decoded newsletter to follow the world's top tech stories and trends. Outside the UK? Sign up here.
Daily Record
18-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Record
Donald Trump and Bruce Springsteen feud as US President hits back online
Bruce Springsteen took another swipe at US President Donald Trump during his most recent gig Singer Bruce Springsteen has once again slammed US President Donald Trump during his Hopes and Dreams tour, sparking a sharp response from Trump, who fired back at the music icon on X, formally known as Twitter. Springsteen first hit out at Trump during his gig in Manchester on May 14, saying: " America is currently in the hands of a corrupt, incompetent, and treasonous administration." He then asked for "all who believe in democracy and the best of our American experience to rise with us, raise your voices against authoritarianism, and let freedom ring." The president quickly hit back at the Born in the USA singer, posting on X: "I see that Highly Overrated Bruce Springsteen goes to a Foreign Country to speak badly about the President of the United States." "Never liked him, never liked his music, or his Radical Left Politics and, importantly, he's not a talented guy - Just a pushy, obnoxious JERK, who fervently supported Crooked Joe Biden, a mentally incompetent FOOL, and our WORST EVER President, who came close to destroying our Country," he continued. He then posted: "This dried out 'prune' of a rocker (his skin is all atrophied!) ought to KEEP HIS MOUTH SHUT until he gets back into the Country, that's just 'standard fare'. Then we'll all see how it goes for him!" Things escalated further, when Springsteen refused to back down, the Express reports. The singer hit out again at the US President on stage, saying: "Things are happening right now that are altering the very nature of our country's democracy, and they're too important to ignore." "In my home, they're persecuting people for their right to free speech and voicing their dissent. That's happening now. In America, the richest men are taking satisfaction in abandoning the world's poorest children to sickness and death," he continued. "That's happening now. In my country, they're taking sadistic pleasure in the pain they inflict on loyal American workers." Springsteen then ended his rant on a positive note, telling fans that Americans 'will survive this', he expressed: "The America I've sung to you about for 50 years is real, and regardless of its many faults, it's a great country with a great people. We will survive this moment." He finished his speech off with a quote, stating: "Well, I have hope, because I believe in the truth of what the great American writer James Baldwin said. He said, 'In this world, there isn't as much humanity as one would like, but there's enough.'" The American hit singer is set to play one more show at the Co-Op live on October 20th, before heading onto Lille, Marseille, Liverpool, Berlin, Prague, Frankfurt, San Sebastian, Gelsenkirchen and finally Milan.
