Latest news with #DefenceSeriousCrimeCommand
Daily Mail
14-07-2025
- Daily Mail
Royal Navy sailor arrested over bomb hoax 'prank' on nuclear submarine that sent naval base 'into lockdown'
A Royal Navy submariner who sent Britain's Trident nuclear submarine base into lockdown after allegedly staging a bomb hoax 'prank' has been arrested. The sailor - believed to be a Petty Officer on HMS Vanguard - reportedly triggered a major emergency response after calling a bomb warning to the 15,900-tonne sub's control room. It sparked a huge security response at HMNB Clyde, where Britain's nuclear doomsday boats are based - with the headquarters being placed into lockdown. A bomb squad was reportedly scrambled to the naval establishment in Faslane, Scotland, following the alleged prank. Speaking to The Sun, an anonymous source said: 'The suspect was working in the rear of the boat, in the engineering control room, and allegedly called up front to the main control room and claimed there was a bomb on board. 'It's not clear if he lost the plot or if it was a stupid prank that went horribly wrong. The person who took the call believed it was credible and triggered a full emergency response. 'They did a quick draw and the base piped orders to the Royal Marines to guard the jetty and the submarine hatches to make sure no one could come on or off.' A Royal Navy spokesman said: 'We can confirm that a member of the Royal Navy is under investigation by the Defence Serious Crime Command for a bomb hoax.' HMS Vanguard re-entered Britain's nuclear deterrence fleet last year following a seven-year refit of the £4billion boat. However, the 492ft vessel's upgrade - meant to only take three years - was delayed for a further four due to the Covid-19 pandemic and other factors. The hi-tech boat is one of four Vanguard submarines carrying Britain's nuclear doomsday weapons. Each of the craft can carry up to 16 Trident ballistic missiles that can hold multiple nuclear warheads each, capable of levelling a major city. As part of the Royal Navy's continuous at-sea deterrent, the submarines prowl the waters across the globe for months on secret missions. One is always at sea at anyone time, ready to deploy its nuclear warheads, if ordered to do so by the Prime Minister. However, HMS Vanguard hit the headlines last January when it was chosen to carry out Britain's first nuclear missiles test in eight years. The Trident missile, launched from the boat, misfired and crashed back into the ocean, in what the MoD brushed aside as an 'anomaly'. The failure led to questions over the UK's ability to deploy its nuclear arsenal.
Telegraph
14-07-2025
- Telegraph
Royal Navy sailor arrested over bomb hoax on nuclear submarine
A Royal Navy sailor was reportedly arrested over a bomb hoax on a Trident submarine. The Petty Officer on HMS Vanguard is claimed to have caused a full emergency response after calling in a bomb warning to the 16,000-tonne submarine's main control room. His alleged threat, believed to have been a prank, is said to have triggered a lockdown at HMNB Clyde, the navy's headquarters in Scotland where nuclear-armed submarines are kept. A bomb squad was reportedly called to the scene in Faslane. An anonymous source told The Sun: 'The suspect was working in the rear of the boat, in the engineering control room, and allegedly called up front to the main control room and claimed there was a bomb on board. 'It's not clear if he lost the plot or if it was a stupid prank that went horribly wrong. The person who took the call believed it was credible and triggered a full emergency response. Under investigation 'They did a quick draw and the base piped orders to the Royal Marines to guard the jetty and the submarine hatches to make sure no one could come on or off.' A Royal Navy spokesman said: 'We can confirm that a member of the Royal Navy is under investigation by the Defence Serious Crime Command for a bomb hoax.' The £4 billion submarine re-entered service as part of the UK's nuclear deterrent fleet last year after a seven-year refit in Plymouth. Last January, it was chosen to carry out Britain's first nuclear missile test in eight years, but the Trident nuclear missile misfired and crashed into the ocean after what the Ministry of Defence called an 'anomaly'. The failure prompted questions about the effectiveness and efficiency of Britain's nuclear deterrent.
The Sun
13-07-2025
- The Sun
Royal Navy sailor arrested over bomb hoax on nuclear submarine which sparked fears of doomsday meltdown
A ROYAL Navy sailor has been arrested over a bomb hoax on a nuclear-armed submarine. His alleged threat, thought to have been a prank, sparked fears of a doomsday meltdown, sources said. The suspect, a Petty Officer on HMS Vanguard, was said to have called in the bomb warning to the submarine's main control room. It triggered lockdown at HMNB Clyde where Britain's nuclear deterrent vessels are based, with a bomb squad racing to the scene in Faslane. A source said: 'The suspect was working in the rear of the boat, in the engineering control room, and allegedly called up front to the main control room and claimed there was a bomb on board. 'It's not clear if he lost the plot or if it was a stupid prank that went horribly wrong. 'The person who took the call believed it was credible and triggered a full emergency response. 'They did a quick draw and the base piped orders to the Royal Marines to guard the jetty and the submarine hatches to make sure no one could come on or off.' The suspect was subsequently held. The Royal Navy said: 'We can confirm that a member of the Royal Navy is under investigation by the Defence Serious Crime Command for a bomb hoax.' Royal Navy sailors are set to be housed on a barge like the Bibby Stockholm in a bid to save cash on hotels 1
Washington Post
08-06-2025
- Washington Post
British soldier arrested in Kenya over what UK media report is a rape accusation
LONDON — A member of Britain's armed forces has been arrested in Kenya and U.K. military police are investigating, the Ministry of Defense said Sunday. The BBC and other British media reported that a British Army soldier was accused of rape. 'We can confirm the arrest of a Service person in Kenya,' the defense ministry said in a statement. 'As the matter is the subject of an ongoing investigation by the Defence Serious Crime Command, we will not comment further.'
Sky News
08-06-2025
- Sky News
British soldier arrested on suspicion of raping woman in Kenya
A British soldier based at an army barracks in Kenya has been arrested on suspicion of rape. The alleged attack happened last month after a group of soldiers visited a bar in the town of Nanyuki, close to the Batuk (British Army Training Unit Kenya) camp. An investigation is being carried out by the Defence Serious Crime Command, which probes serious crimes alleged to have been carried out by British servicemen and women in the UK and overseas. Military police have questioned the bar owner along with security guards who were on duty on the night of the incident, according to The Sunday Times, which first reported the allegations. According to the paper, the owner of the bar said: "They [the soldiers] like this place and when I meet some of them in the supermarkets, they tell me they have been banned from coming here. "Sometimes they get too drunk and I drop them at the gate for free." A Ministry of Defence spokesperson said: "We can confirm the arrest of a service person in Kenya. "As the matter is the subject of an ongoing investigation by the Defence Serious Crime Command, we will not comment further." They added: "All soldiers who visit or train at Batuk have clear direction about how to behave, on and off duty, must complete mandatory training and attend compulsory briefings on conduct. We will have zero tolerance for unacceptable behaviour. "To ensure the highest possible standards, the Army has launched a comprehensive Service Inquiry into allegations of unacceptable behaviour by UK Service Personnel in Kenya which would violate MoD and Army policy." The army last year launched an inquiry into the behaviour of British troops posted to the base after allegations against soldiers, including involvement in the murder of a woman in 2012. The body of 21-year-old Agnes Wanjiru, a mother of one, was found in a septic tank at the Lions Court Hotel in Nanyuki two months after she disappeared in March 2012. According to an investigation by The Sunday Times, a British soldier accused of the murder has been named by his comrades after he allegedly confessed to the killing. An inquest found sex worker Ms Wanjiru was unlawfully killed and a post-mortem examination concluded she had died as a result of stab sounds to her chest and abdomen. Defence Secretary John Healey met with her family in April during a visit to Kenya. The British Army has an agreement with Kenya to deploy up to six battalions a year for training.
