Latest news with #MetPolice
Daily Mirror
13 hours ago
- Politics
- Daily Mirror
Brit kids 'being groomed by Russian and Iranian spies to carry out attacks in UK'
Russia and Iran are grooming children and convincing them to carry out attacks in the UK as part of a sophisticated proxy network, according to Scotland Yard officials British children are being groomed by Russian and Iranian spies to help carry out state-backed attacks in the UK, senior counter-terror officers have warned. The hostile states are targeting youngsters online in an attempt to use them as "proxies" to carry out criminal activity, Scotland Yard said on Tuesday. Deputy Assistant Commissioner Vicki Evans told journalists: "Ultimately we have children and adults in these environments, particularly online environments, where they can easily be targeted, be groomed into conversations into tasking, some might be disenfranchised and be looking for something The message to people like parents and teachers is be vigilant, understand the risk that exists in these spaces, talk, educate, report your concerns, that helps us to protect people." Commander Dominic Murphy said his officers had arrested at least one youngster in their "mid-teens" amid a "long-term trend" of hostile states carrying out attacks in the UK. Ms Evans revealed there has been a five-fold increase in state-sponsored incidents since 2018, adding that it was "highly likely we will continue to see growth in this area". She warned that the rising threat was due to the "erosion of a rule-based international order" and "great international instability". It comes after Dylan Earl, a small-time drug dealer from Leicestershire, was convicted of plotting to set fire to a London warehouse containing communications equipment destined for Ukraine. Earl was working for the Wagner Group, the mercenary unit controlled by the Russian state. Jakeem Rose, 23, Ugnius Asmena, 20, and Nii Mensah, 23, were convicted last week at the Old Bailey of aggravated arson with intent to endanger life after the blaze at the unit, which sent aid and internet satellite equipment to Ukraine. The attack was orchestrated by Earl, 20, and Jake Reeves, 23, who admitted aggravated arson on behalf of the Wagner Group. Ms Evans said a fifth of British counter-terror policing is now dedicated to battling a surge of state-backed threats. She told reporters that the fact she was hosting the first Met Police press briefing on the danger posed by hostile foreign nations was a reflection on the 'scale and intensity" of the threat. The majority of the attacks are coming from China, Russia and Iran with a number of cases due to come before British courts in the coming months. Mr Murphy said: "The volume of those arrested have continued to grow at a rate that I'm not sure any of us predicted." The officer has previously warned that state-backed espionage in Britain is at its worst since the Cold War. He said on Tuesday: "Iran really does continue to pose a very real physical threat to individuals in this country." Ken McCallum, the head of MI5, said in October that authorities had stopped 20 state-backed plots hatched by Iran in the UK since 2022. Mr McCallum warned of an 'unprecedented pace and scale' of plots posing 'potentially lethal threats' to British citizens. Iran was the first foreign power to be listed on the enhanced tier of the foreign influence registration scheme (Firs), aimed at protecting the UK from malign foreign influence.
Metro
20 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Metro
Drake's friend stabbed in mob attack hours after seeing star's Wireless gig
Hassan Ali was stabbed hours after attending his friend Drake's North London gig at Wireless Festival this weekend when he was mobbed by a gang of men while in his car. The rapper, who goes by the stage name of Top5, was in a white Mercedes when he was surrounded by a gang, and the vehicle was smashed in before he was stabbed in the leg. A Met Police said officers were called at around 12.15am on Monday morning with a report of a stabbing, as a spokesman said: 'The victim, a man in his 20s was approached by a group who damaged his car before stabbing him in the leg. He was taken to hospital and his injuries are not believed to be life-changing. 'Enquiries remain ongoing and no arrests have been made at this stage.' Distressing footage shoes a group of roughly a dozen men climbing onto the vehicle and stamping on the windscreen. Footage then shows a number of men opening the door and kicking the driver while trying to drag him away. Earlier in the evening, Top5 posted social media videos of him watching Drake's performance from the VIP section of the Finsbury Park festival. The rapper is thought to have caused tensions by telling fans on social media: 'There is no real killers in London.' The Met Police have urged anyone with information to call 101 or reach out on X and quote CAD105/17JULY. Last year Ali was cleared of a murder charge in his native Toronto, after which he took to social media to thank his lawyer. His only other two social media posts on Instagram show him meeting controversial rapper Kanye West on his birthday, and another tile largely of him and Drake, which he captioned: 'The President & The Boy.' Meanwhile during his three-night headline run at Wireless, Drake, 38, said London MCs were the 'best lyricists in the world'. 'No disrespect to America, but nobody in the world can out-rap London rappers,' he said, adding: 'This is the highest level – this is what I aspire to be.' It marked Drake's return to full-scale UK shows and the second of three back-to-back headline sets – a Wireless first – after he signed a multimillion-pound deal to top the bill each night of the festival. Drake's set featured tracks from across his career – including Nonstop, Know Yourself, and God's Plan. His run at the north London festival forms part of his ongoing 2025 tour. Got a story? If you've got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the entertainment team by emailing us celebtips@ calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page – we'd love to hear from you. MORE: World's oldest marathon runner, 114, killed by car while crossing road in India MORE: Paddington station evacuated after fire alarm set off MORE: England star Ivan Toney fumes 'this is why I hate London' after his car is broken into
Daily Record
a day ago
- Daily Record
Three arrested as dad 'stabbed to death' in front of screaming partner
Tragic dad-of-two Blue Stevens was stabbed to death in Knightsbridge as he reportedly tried to fight off a knife-wielding mugger who was after his gold Rolex. Three men have been arrested after a man was stabbed to death just yards from a plush London hotel. Blue Stevens was found fatally injured on Seville Street, in Knightsbridge, shortly after 9.20pm on Wednesday, July 9. Police arrested two people at a property in Hounslow, in west London, on Saturday, reports the Mirror. One man was arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to murder and remains in police custody. Another man was arrested on suspicion of murder but has since been bailed pending further enquiries. Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community! Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today. You'll receive daily updates on breaking news as well as the top headlines across Scotland. No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team. All you have to do is click here if you're on mobile, select 'Join Community' and you're in! If you're on a desktop, simply scan the QR code above with your phone and click 'Join Community'. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice. Following the arrests, Met Police officers secured a warrant to search two properties in Chiswick and say "significant evidence" was recovered. A third man was arrested on Monday on suspicion of assisting an offender. He is currently being held in custody. Detective Chief Superintendent Christina Jessah, who leads policing in Central West London, said: 'These arrests mark a significant milestone in this complex and unfolding murder investigation. 'We continue to progress at pace. While we retain an open mind around motive, one line of enquiry is now that this may have been a targeted attack. 'Increased police patrols remain active in and around the Knightsbridge area. Please do speak with an officer if you have any questions or concerns.' Emergency services, including Met Police officers and paramedics, raced to Seville Street at around 9.24pm on Wednesday, July 9. Blue was discovered with stab wounds but despite desperate efforts to save him, he died at the scene. His next-of-kin are being supported by specialist officers. Please call police on 0208 721 4961 referencing CAD 8521/09JUL if you were a witness or have any information which might help. You can also call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or visit
South Wales Argus
a day ago
- South Wales Argus
Fugitive aristocrat and partner guilty over baby's death
Marten, 38, and Mark Gordon, 51, went on the run with daughter Victoria in early 2023 after their four other children were taken into care. Police had launched a nationwide hunt after their car burst into flames on the motorway near Bolton, Greater Manchester. The couple travelled across England and went off grid sleeping in a tent on the South Downs where baby Victoria died. The moment Mark Gordon was arrested in the street in Brighton (Met Police/PA) After seven weeks on the run, the defendants were arrested in Brighton, East Sussex. Following a desperate search, police found their baby dead amid rubbish inside a Lidl bag in a disused shed nearby. Victoria's remains were too badly decomposed to establish the cause of death. The prosecution said she died from hypothermia in the cold and damp conditions inside the flimsy tent or was smothered. The defendants claimed their daughter's death was a tragic accident after Marten fell asleep on her. A jury in their retrial found Marten and Gordon unanimously guilty of manslaughter on Monday after 14 hours and 32 minutes of deliberations. In their first trial last year, the defendants were convicted of perverting the course of justice, concealing the birth of a child and child cruelty. Detective Superintendent Lewis Basford of Scotland Yard, said: 'Today, the justice we have long fought for has been finally been served for baby Victoria. CCTV footage of Constance Marten, Mark Gordon and baby Victoria in a German doner kebab shop in East Ham, London, on January 7 2023 (Met Police/PA) 'The selfish actions of Mark Gordon and Constance Marten resulted in the death of a newborn baby who should have had the rest of her life ahead of her.' The senior officer said Victoria's death was 'completely avoidable' as the defendant had plenty of opportunities to 'do the right thing' and ask for help. In light of the conviction, the family court decision to take Marten's four other children into care was 'shown to be right', he said. Samantha Yelland, senior Crown prosecutor for CPS London, told the PA news agency: 'I feel that justice has been done. 'It's been a long road, it's been a lot of work but, you know, no work is too much when anyone's died, but particularly a young child who wasn't able to stick up for herself or fight for herself.' Jurors in the defendant's first trial in 2024 were not told about Gordon's violent past, which was only partly revealed in their second trial. In 1989, Gordon, then aged 14, held a woman against her will in Florida for more than four hours and raped her while armed with a 'knife and hedge clippers'. Within a month, he entered another property and carried out another offence involving aggravated battery. Gordon, who moved with his mother from Birmingham to the US at the age of 12, was sentenced to 40 years in jail and was released after 22 years. Jurors in the retrial appeared visibly shaken by the revelations even though Marten had accidentally blurted out Gordon's rape conviction while giving evidence. Items found with the body of baby Victoria inside a Lidl bag, including the pink sheet she was wrapped in and her teddy bear print babygrow (Met Police/PA) In 2017, Gordon was convicted of assaulting two female police officers at a a maternity unit in Wales where Marten gave birth to their first child under a fake identity. Jurors were not told that Gordon was also suspected of a incident of domestic violence in 2019 which left Marten with a shattered spleen. Gordon had refused to allow paramedics into their London flat to treat her even though she was 14 weeks pregnant, it emerged during legal argument. She spent eight days in hospital then put her life and that of her unborn child at risk by attempting to discharge herself, with Gordon's support, it was alleged. It was following that incident that the family court decided the couple's other children should be taken into care. When Marten became pregnant for a fifth time, she kept it secret, giving birth in a hired holiday cottage on Christmas Eve 2022. The defendants' attempts to keep baby Victoria under wraps prompted the major police alert after a placenta was found inside their abandoned car near Bolton on January 5 2023. The defendants fled the scene with Victoria, leaving behind the family cat named Sasha in a box, around £2,000 in cash, 34 'burner' phones and other belongings. They spent hundreds of pounds on taxis to take them from the North West, to Harwich in Essex, East Ham in London and on to Newhaven. Victoria was only briefly glimpsed on CCTV footage in London wearing the same teddybear motif babygrow later recovered with her body inside the Lidl bag. The prosecution asserted that Victoria was carried under Marten's jacket or in a Lidl bag without adequate clothing, warmth or shelter. After she died, the defendants were caught on CCTV scavenging in bins for food even though Marten had received thousands of pounds from a trust fund and had £19,000 in the bank. The defendants were arrested after buying supplies in Brighton on February 27 2023, and refused to say where the baby was, with Gordon declaring: 'What's the big deal?' More than a thousand Metropolitan Police officers searched for Victoria for two days before she was discovered in an allotment shed wrapped in a pink sheet and hidden beneath dirt and rubbish in the Lidl bag. In a police interview, Marten said: 'I had her in my jacket and I hadn't slept properly in quite a few days and erm, I fell asleep holding her sitting up and she, when I woke up, she wasn't alive.' Jurors were told Marten had been warned by social workers about the risk of falling asleep with a baby lying on her and that a tent was unsuitable. Both defendants gave evidence in their retrial but each cut short their testimony, with Marten describing the prosecution as 'heartless' and 'diabolical'. Judge Mark Lucraft KC ordered pre-sentence reports and remanded the defendants into custody to be sentenced on September 15.
Daily Mail
a day ago
- Daily Mail
BREAKING NEWS Three people are arrested after Rolex-wearing father was 'murdered' outside a London five-star hotel
Three people have been arrested after a father-of-two was stabbed to death outside Harvey Nichols in Knightsbridge. Blue Stevens, 26, died when he was knifed in front of his partner at 9.30pm on July 9 following a romantic dinner. Two men have now been arrested at an address in Hounslow, west London on Saturday, July 12. One of the men was arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to murder and remains in police custody while another was arrested on suspicion of murder and has been bailed pending further enquiries. Following their arrests, Met Police officers obtained a warrant to search two properties in Chiswick where significant evidence was recovered. The third man was arrested on Monday, July 14 on suspicion of assisting an offender and remains in police custody. Detective Chief Superintendent Christina Jessah, who leads policing in Central West London, said: 'These arrests mark a significant milestone in this complex and unfolding murder investigation. 'We continue to progress at pace. While we retain an open mind around motive, one line of enquiry is now that this may have been a targeted attack. 'Increased police patrols remain active in and around the Knightsbridge area. Please do speak with an officer if you have any questions or concerns.'
