Latest news with #ColinSutton
Sunday World
4 days ago
- Sunday World
Episode 1123: Manhunt - The Night Stalker (extract)
Listen to an extract of the book by former Met detective Colin Sutton Former detective Colin Sutton will act as Reform UK's police and crime adviser (PA Archive) Delroy Grant was one of Britain's most wanted men – a shocking sex predator known as the Night Stalker. He had been at large for a seventeen-year reign of terror, visiting his victims after dark before committing despicable sexual assaults in their homes. In Manhunt: The Night Stalker, detective Colin Sutton reveals how the Metropolitan Police brought one one of London's most feared monsters to justice. The following is an audio extract from the book, published by Bonnier. MORE EPISODES
Telegraph
4 days ago
- Politics
- Telegraph
I am a retired prison governor: Reform is the only party I trust on law and order
I am a retired prison governor. I was the governor at HMP Wormwood Scrubs for four years, and I served in the Prison Service for a total of 27 years. My mission with Reform UK is singular: to build a law and order taskforce that is equipped for Government, ready to crack down on crime and lock away the most dangerous offenders. I have never been a member of any political party. My involvement with Reform is not driven by political ambition, but by a deep commitment to cleaning up our streets and keeping Britons safe. That independence puts me in a unique position to recognise the decline of our criminal justice system and the alarming rise in crime free from partisan bias. With nearly 27 years of experience in this field, I believe that, together with Colin Sutton, we can lead a powerful and effective force to tackle crime, root out corruption, and fix our broken justice system. Throughout my time in law and order, the establishment parties have failed this country on a massive scale. Under successive governments, many crime statistics are rising. Attacks on prison officers are at record highs, with more than 10,000 assaults reported in just the last 12 months. Inside our prisons, the crisis is deepening. Incidents of drug finds have risen by 25 per cent in the past year, weapons finds have increased by 12 per cent, and mobile phone finds are up by 14 per cent. These are not isolated figures; they paint a clear picture of a justice system spiralling out of control, a system broken by the mismanagement of both Labour and the Conservatives. Neither the Tories nor Labour have put forward any real solution. Instead, they've quietly released tens of thousands of prisoners early, putting public safety at risk. They have ignored the voices of police, probation officers, prison staff, and the communities who deal with the consequences of their failures every day. Establishment politicians continue to pretend that Britain isn't becoming lawless, but we all know it is. This country bears no resemblance to what it was in my youth. Kids were playing in the streets, and theft was an unfortunate but incredibly seldom occurrence. We see the result of the establishment's policies on a daily basis: rampant criminality on the streets, repeat offenders facing little consequences, and our towns and cities becoming increasingly unsafe. Our prisons perform a necessary function in society: to protect the public, to punish, and of course, to rehabilitate. Under previous Tory and Labour governments, this has fallen by the wayside. We are now warehousing prisoners and releasing better criminals back into our communities. This has to change. The problem isn't beyond repair. It just requires a no tolerance attitude, a system where every crime is properly investigated, and one where the punishment actually fits the crime. What we have now is a system where people are serving lengthy sentences for social media posts, yet some criminals and sex offenders can walk free after a laughably short sentence. We need to send the message that the United Kingdom is a no nonsense place. One where laws are enforced, crimes are prosecuted, and anti-social behaviour is not tolerated. I believe Reform has been the only party vocal about the issue, and the only one willing to put politics aside for the betterment of the country. When I started at HMP Wormwood, I was assigned the task of cleaning up the D-wing. The D-wing was the worst of the worst, where the lifers were. It was dirty, rundown, and had a major drug problem. I carried out the job thoroughly, with zero tolerance for disrespect or disorderly behaviour. The governor at the time asked me to bring that same approach to every wing of the prison. Throughout my career in the prison system, I've maintained a no-nonsense, persistent stance toward crime and those who show contempt for the rules of society. I will bring that same determination and discipline to my role within Reform UK. We need to back the prison service, support its staff, and ensure our officers can do their jobs without fear. I believe Reform UK can help make that a reality and restore law and order across Britain. Above all, I'm proud to be part of a movement committed to restoring common sense and effective policing throughout the country. This is a party that prioritises the safety and freedom of every Briton.
Spectator
30-07-2025
- Politics
- Spectator
Few Brits believe minor crimes are properly policed
It's the second week of Reform's six-week 'Lawless Britain' campaign and there has been some back and forth about whether crime rates in the UK are getting better or worse. New polling out today reveals, however, what the public think about the tackling of crime in this country – and the results are rather damning. A YouGov poll, conducted between 23-24 June, found that few British adults believe that criminals who commit minor crimes are likely to face justice. Less than 10 per cent of Brits think that those who steal bicycles, snatch phones, scam people online or dodge fares will face punitive action. This is in stark contrast to the nine in ten people who believe that murderers will face justice, while 67 per cent of adults believe those who commit knife crime will be dealt with. More than that, few people think the police are all that bothered about minor crime. Only 9 per cent think coppers will chase down fare dodgers, just 11 per cent believe forces will investigate bike thefts and 14 per cent think that police will pursue phone thieves. While almost all respondents believed that forces would properly investigate murder cases, less than four in ten people believed police would fully probe minor assault. Crikey! Men and female tend to have similar beliefs about the likelihood of criminals facing justice – although women are less likely than men to think that sex crimes like rape and sexual assault will result in a conviction. Rather interestingly there is a generational gap too, with older Brits more confident that sexual predators will be punished – while younger people expect that dangerous drivers and thieves are more likely to be convicted. On Monday, Nigel Farage introduced ex-detective Colin Sutton as the latest member of the Reform outfit. Sutton will stand for the party in the next general election and, in the meantime, advise the party on crime and policing. The ex-copper told attendees: 'We need to refocus what police are doing onto homes and streets – not posts and tweets.' Clearly the British public feel the same…
The Sun
28-07-2025
- Politics
- The Sun
Nigel Farage warns some Islamic communities have an ‘ambition' to ‘overtake our culture'
SOME Islamic communities have an 'ambition' to 'overtake our culture', Nigel Farage warned yesterday. The Reform chief accused Sir Keir Starmer of allowing Islamist extremists to 'do whatever they want' in Britain. Mr Farage blasted Labour for refusing to confront a 'total surrender of the values that have built this country'. It came after the Department for Work and Pensions sparked fury for advertising a 'Shariah law administrator' job in Manchester on its website. Mr Farage told The Sun: 'All sorts of faiths come to settle in this country. 'But it seems when it comes to those of the Islamic faith that want to push and push and push – and in some cases overtake the existing culture – we're prepared to open doors and allow them to whatever they want.' He added: 'This is the extent of the total surrender of the Judeo-Christian values that have built this country. 'We still have an established Church of England.' On Thursday Mr Farage announced top ex-detective Colin Sutton, who spearheaded the hunt for serial killer Levi Bellfield, will stand as a Reform candidate at the next election. Mr Sutton will also help the party develop its policies on crime and justice, including a pledge to recruit 30,000 extra police officers. The former top cop vowed to give all frontline officers tasers, reopen 300 closed police stations and end investigations into social media posts. I'll send depraved monsters like Ian Huntley to hellhole jails in El Salvador if Reform is elected, reveals Nigel Farage 1
The Independent
28-07-2025
- Politics
- The Independent
Reform recruits former senior detective as police and crime adviser
A top ex-detective who spearheaded a series of high profile murder investigations will join Reform UK as its adviser on police and crime. Colin Sutton, who led the investigation into serial killer Levi Bellfield, is to help Nigel Farage's party develop its pledge to halve crime in five years. Mr Farage has said he will spend £7 billion on policies towards this goal, including by recruiting 30,000 extra police officers. The Reform leader told the Mail on Sunday newspaper that ex-police officer Mr Sutton would be a 'huge asset' to his party. Mr Sutton told the paper he would give all frontline officers tasers, reopen 300 closed police stations, and stop investigations into online arguments as part of Reform's policing offer. The two men will appear together at a press conference on Monday morning.
