Latest news with #RoyalBromptonHospital
Telegraph
26-07-2025
- Health
- Telegraph
Melatonin: The wonder pill for sleep you still can't get hold of
The desperation that comes with a bout of poor sleep is like nothing else. Brain fog, extreme fatigue and constant irritability are all traits of the regularly underslept. In the long term, so are obesity, high blood pressure and low mood – and we're increasingly aware of it. Scarcely more than a third of us say that the amount of sleep we get each night is 'good', a recent survey from Nuffield Health suggests. Enter melatonin, the seemingly natural supplement with the promise to cure this very modern ailment. Melatonin is the hormone that our own brains produce to send us off to sleep each night. Your body naturally produces less melatonin as you age, with the process beginning around the age of 40 and escalates dramatically after 70. In its synthetic form, filled into little white capsules or mixed into gummies, melatonin is available in supermarkets and on Amazon in the United States. It's also prescribed in Britain to people aged over 55 who have insomnia, and to children with ADHD or autism who struggle to sleep. Plenty more of us take melatonin occasionally for jet lag, even though you can't buy it over the counter in this country. 'When I see someone in clinic who is taking melatonin, the majority of the time, they've obtained it in this way rather than having been prescribed it,' says Dr Alanna Hare, a consultant in sleep and ventilation at Royal Brompton Hospital. There is a thriving middle-class black market for melatonin, which is legal to bring over from other countries or buy from online pharmacies, provided you don't sell it on. Dr Hare has 'no doubt' that the desperate parents of children awaiting diagnoses for ADHD or autism find melatonin for them in this way too. Dr Cassie Coleman, a consultant paediatrician with a specialism in neurodiversity and child mental health, agrees. 'It's very common for parents to present at my clinic and tell me, with a huge amount of guilt, that they've accessed melatonin and are giving it to their children who either have ADHD or autism or are awaiting a diagnosis,' she says. 'Many parents are given some melatonin by their friends who also have neurodivergent children, after expressing just how exhausted they feel. Having a child who struggles to sleep can really upend family life, and it's often a massive source of anxiety and frustration for the child themselves too.' When it comes to the effects of melatonin for families, 'the word 'life changing' is common,' says Dr Coleman. Melatonin supplements are considered 'very safe' to take, physically speaking, says sleep expert Dr Sophie Bostock. But while many people swear by it to help them drift off at night, research suggests that unless you have a specific sleep disorder, melatonin pills or chews are little more than placebo. So what's the truth about this highly sought-after sleep aid? What is melatonin? Melatonin is one of many hormones produced in your brain, with hormones being chemical messengers that signal different parts of your body to carry out different hormones. Specifically, melatonin is produced by the pineal gland, a tiny pinecone-shaped node (hence the name) that sits right in the middle of your brain. Other parts of the body like the eyes, skin and gut also produce some melatonin, but far less than is made by your pineal gland.
Daily Mail
27-06-2025
- Daily Mail
How a camel herder from Qatar who can't speak a word of English ended up living in London's smartest street - then tried to rape a woman in a private heart clinic where HE was being treated
Standing in the dock at Southwark Crown Court this week was Nasser Al-Gherainiq who was convicted of two counts of attempted rape which left his victim 'frozen with fear'. Her words. The appearance of this foreign national in court – a scene replicated up and down the country – has become frighteningly common, with foreign offenders now representing nearly one in eight (12 per cent) prisoners in our overcrowded jails. But surely few have a story quite like 27-year-old Al-Gherainiq who was, until his arrest at least, a camel herder from a conservative Bedouin tribe in the deserts of Qatar. According to his barrister, he had little contact with the outside world or any experience of modern or urban life before his arrival in the UK to receive treatment for a rare heart condition at a private health unit linked to the renowned Royal Brompton Hospital in south-west London. Al-Gherainiq, dressed in standard prison 'greys' (grey sweatshirt, grey trousers), was effectively from a different age, in other words. It was the reason why, when asked how he was going to plead, Al-Gherainiq, who spoke no English, answered in Arabic and an interpreter next to him then replied: 'Not guilty.' Profound cultural differences, the defence argued, meant he did not know how to interact with women. He was 'equivalent to an immature and inexperienced adolescent' who 'completely failed to understand' his victim's 'true feelings'. Put bluntly, they argued that he did not know the woman had not consented to sex when he pulled her into a toilet cubicle at the medical centre and assaulted her. The jury flatly rejected that version of events. He might have come from a remote corner of the earth, but the judge told Al-Gherainiq: 'You knew perfectly well what you were doing,' before jailing him for seven years. The case left a number of puzzling and troubling questions. How did he get here? Who paid for his treatment and the trip? Where did he stay when he came to London? The last of these is perhaps the key to unlocking this quite extraordinary saga. Al-Gherainiq, who spent more than a year on remand before going on trial, came to the country sometime in 2023, the first time he had ever left Qatar. He appeared before Westminster Magistrates' Court in August of that year following his arrest. His address was given as 79 Mount Street. Mount Street, currently perhaps the most glamorous address in London, is in the heart of Mayfair. It's home to Scott's restaurant as well as George, an ultra-exclusive private members' club, and Toteme, the chic Swedish fashion brand which has also opened a signature store there. It is also an area which is sometimes known as 'Little Doha' or 'Qataropolis' because of the number of multi-million-pound Qatari-owned properties in the highly exclusive enclave. Number 79 is a six-storey Victorian townhouse that was once the London residence of homeware tycoon David Meller, a former vice chairman of Watford Football Club. When he sold the mansion for more than £40million in 2015, it was among the most expensive domestic property deals in the capital at the time. The stamp duty payment alone was in excess of £4.7million. Hard to imagine then what connection an apparently lowly camel herder – and now convicted sex attacker – had with such a place. The connection, however, is revealed at the Land Registry where the current owners who purchased the property from the Mellers (for precisely £44.25million) are listed as the 'State of Qatar', effectively the Thani dynasty, the ruling family of the oil and gas rich Gulf state. Qatar is one of the few countries in the world that offers near free universal healthcare to all its citizens which includes sending them overseas if certain specialised services are unavailable at home. Among the foreign cities where Qatar has medical offices is London which is linked to the Hamad Medical Corporation back in the Middle East, Qatar's main not-for-profit health care provider. In 2023, 53,000 Qataris applied to receive treatment abroad. Al-Gherainiq was one of them. After a series of medical checks in his homeland, he was flown to London, a Qatari official with knowledge of the case revealed, and was initially given a daily allowance to cover his accommodation costs. His private housing arrangements fell through at the last minute, though, and the Qatari Embassy stepped in to help him. No 79 Mount Street, once a family home with a swimming pool in the basement, and now split up into separate rooms and apartments, is managed by the embassy and used for functions and events. On rare occasions, as in this instance, ordinary Qatari citizens can temporarily be given a room as 'emergency accommodation'. This is how a camel herder from the desert came to be living on Millionaire's Row. 'The Embassy of the State of Qatar in London is aware of a criminal case involving one of its citizens and his subsequent conviction,' the official said. 'The Embassy has had no contact with the individual since the time of his arrest and has not provided legal representation or support beyond standard consular assistance, in accordance with international consular norms.' Al-Gherainiq was evicted from Mount Street after the police contacted the embassy following his arrest. Locals say residents at the palatial property which occupies 10,000 square feet and is close to the private health unit in Wimpole Street where Al-Gherainiq was a patient, are not long-term, staying a maximum of a few months before moving on. They are often picked up by luxury cars such as Ferraris, Aston Martins and Lamborghinis. A team of security guards monitor comings and goings from the property next door, which the Qataris also own. Relations between the Qatari contingent and neighbours are often strained. 'They think they own the street,' said a builder carrying out work at a house on the opposite side of the road. They probably do, given that even a few years ago, a quarter of Mayfair's 279 acres and more than 4,300 residential properties, were reportedly owned by Qatari investors. The contrast between this world and the world Nasser Al-Gherainiq inhabited couldn't be more stark. He belonged to the Al Murrah tribe – the 'People of the Camel' – the largest and most powerful in Qatar, which has strong relations, including marital ties, with the ruling House of Thani. Qatar might combine Arab culture with Western luxuries epitomised by the bling, glamour and gleaming skyscrapers of the capital Doha, but it remains a deeply patriarchal society. Polygamy is legal, meaning a Muslim man is allowed up to four wives at once provided he treats them equally. Opaque male guardianship rules leave women without basic freedoms, such as travelling on their own with women needing permission to travel abroad from the male head of the household, according to Human Rights Watch (HRW). And only 45 minutes from Doha and its surrounding suburbs is the desert. Many of the Al Murrah tribe, which is made up of various clans, have joined government sponsored resettlement programmes in urban areas. But a hardcore, like Al-Gherainiq, remain in the wilderness, claiming, among other things, historic nomadic rights. Many elders here still expect women to organise their lives around domestic chores, such as weaving, shearing sheep and crafting goat-hair tents and carpets for which they have become famous. Al-Gherainiq himself, the court heard, had almost no contact with women outside his family and his only really 'meaningful contact' with a female in the family was with his mother. 'Limited visits to Doha and a preference for a desert environment curtailed his exposure to urban and modern societal norms,' said Jane Bickerstaff, KC, defending. It might explain his unhealthy attitude to women but how could it possibly justify dragging a woman into a toilet cubicle and attempting to rape her twice? 'I was so scared,' his victim said in a statement read to the court. 'I felt frozen with fear. I couldn't go anywhere. Although the incident lasted a few minutes it felt like ages to me... my life has never been the same... I am not the outgoing woman I used to be. I am withdrawn and highly anxious and overly cautious, especially when I'm on my own in an unfamiliar environment.' The fact this incident happened in a top medical centre is particularly chilling. The woman, who is receiving therapy, still has difficulty sleeping and has nightmares and flashbacks. She has withdrawn from work and church, 'two things she loved', Judge Adam Hiddleston said. 'Clearly what you did has had a devastating effect on her,' he told Al-Gherainiq. 'There is evidence of severe psychological harm.' He added: 'I appreciate the cultural differences between the world in which you grew up and in the United Kingdom.' But he rejected any suggestion that his sentence should therefore be reduced. The judge made a recommendation that he should be deported to Qatar 'as soon as possible' once he has served his sentence. In fact, he wants to go back, his barrister said, because 'there is no reason for him to apply to remain here'. While it's not known if Al-Gherainiq got his heart treatment, this statement suggests it is not an outstanding issue. The Qatari Embassy, which housed Al-Gherainiq after he first arrived in London, has been at the centre of controversy itself in the past and has a history of claiming diplomatic immunity when staff bring legal actions. One sexual harassment case made headlines in 2019. Mother-of-two Deanne Kingson, 58, a personal assistant, recalled how she was pestered for sex, pressed to host orgies for diplomats and go on holiday to Cuba with one of them. She told the tribunal the then deputy ambassador Fahed Al-Mushairi repeatedly tried to sleep with her and then turned his attention to her 19-year-old daughter when she refused, even offering to marry her. The case was not contested by the Qatari Embassy. A panel of tribunal judges concluded that Ms Kingson – sacked after rejecting such advances and awarded £388,920 for unfair dismissal – was seen by diplomats as being 'liable to be willing to engage in sexual conduct with male employees' because she was not Muslim. Might this then have also been the reason why camel herder Nasser Al-Gherainiq tried to rape a woman at a private clinic before sexually assaulting her on his first trip outside Qatar?
Daily Mail
23-06-2025
- Daily Mail
Qatari camel herder brought to Britain for a heart operation tried to rape woman in Chelsea hospital - then blamed it on having 'little interaction' with women in his home country
A Qatari camel herder who sexually assaulted a woman at a specialist heart clinic blamed the attack on having 'little interaction' with women in his home country. Nasser Al-Gherainiq has been jailed for seven years and will be deported after his release after dragging his woman into the toilet at the world famous Royal Brompton Hospital in Chelsea, southwest London. The 27-year-old had travelled to Britain for treatment for a rare heart condition. He dragged the woman inside the toilet cubicle on August 23, 2023, and sexually assaulted her for five minutes, Southwark Crown Court heard. He denied two counts of attempted rape and claimed that as a member of a conservative Bedouin tribe in Qatar he would not have had much contact with women outside his family. Jane Bickerstaff KC, defending, said: 'Until July 2023 he had never left Qatar. 'He would have had minimal experience engaging with women outside a family context. The only woman he would have had any meaningful contact with is his mother.' Ms Bickerstaff added: 'Limited visits to Doha and a preference for a desert environment curtailed his exposure to urban and modern societal norms. 'This defendant would have had no experience whatsoever of interacting with a woman. 'We submit that he was equivalent to an immature and inexperienced adolescent. 'He completely failed to understand her true feelings.' Jurors convicted Al-Gherainiq of the two counts of attempted rape, however, on top of sexual assault and causing a person to engage in sexual activity without their consent, to which he had previously admitted. In a victim impact statement read to the court, his victim said: 'I was so scared. I felt frozen with fear. 'I couldn't go anywhere. Although the incident lasted a few minutes it felt like ages to me. I was very shocked to hear it was only five minutes. 'A few days after the incident I had huge anxiety and fear. I could not leave the house. 'My life has never been the same. My family still do not know what happened to me. I am so close to my family. 'It has been a lonely and isolated year for me. I am not the outgoing woman I used to be. I am withdrawn and highly anxious and overly cautious, especially when I'm on my own in an unfamiliar environment.' Judge Adam Hiddleston told Al-Gherainiq, aided in the dock by an Arabic interpreter, that he accepted there were cultural difference between the UK and Qatar but added: 'You knew perfectly well what you were doing was against her wishes.' The effect his actions had on the woman had been profound, the judge added. 'She has suffered from difficulty sleeping, nightmares and flashbacks. She is now receiving therapy,' he added. 'Clearly what you did has had a devastating effect on her. There is evidence of severe psychological harm.' The judge jailed Al-Gherainiq for seven years minus the 415 days he has served on remand. He will be returned to Qatar when he has served his sentence, judge Hiddleston added.
The Sun
23-06-2025
- The Sun
Qatari camel herder who sexually assaulted woman in UK hospital blames ‘little contact with women in home country'
A QATARI camel herder who sexually assaulted a woman in a UK hospital blamed having "little interaction" with women in his home country. Nasser Al-Gherainiq dragged the victim in a toilet at the Royal Brompton Hospital in Chelsea, South West London. The 27-year-old had come to the UK from his native Qatar to receive treatment for a rare heart condition. Al-Gherainiq, who admitted sexual assault and causing a person to engage in sexual activity without their consent, was also convicted of two counts of attempted rape. He has now been jailed for seven years and will be deported once he is released. His defence lawyer Jane Bickerstaff KC told Southwark Crown Court the fiend would not have had much contact with women outside his family. She said: "Until July 2023 he had never left Qatar. He would have had minimal experience engaging with women outside a family context. "The only woman he would have had any meaningful contact with is his mother." Ms Bickerstaff said his time spent in the Qatar desert had "curtailed his exposure to urban and modern societal norms", She continued: "This defendant would have had no experience whatsoever of interacting with a woman. "We submit that he was equivalent to an immature and inexperienced adolescent. "He completely failed to understand her true feelings." The court was told Al-Gherainiq told the victim he needed to go to the toilet then pulled her inside the cubicle in the August 2023 horror. In a victim impact statement, she told how felt "so scared" and "frozen with fear". She added: "I couldn't go anywhere. Although the incident lasted a few minutes it felt like ages to me. I was very shocked to hear it was only five minutes. "A few days after the incident I had huge anxiety and fear. I could not leave the house. "My life has never been the same. My family still do not know what happened to me. I am so close to my family. "It has been a lonely and isolated year for me. I am not the outgoing woman I used to be. I am withdrawn and highly anxious and overly cautious, especially when I'm on my own in an unfamiliar environment." Judge Adam Hiddleston told Al-Gherainiq, who listened to the sentence through an Arabic interpreter, rejected his plea to impose a lower jail term due to his background. The judge said: "I appreciate the cultural differences between the world in which you grew up and in the United Kingdom. "You knew perfectly well what you were doing was against her wishes." 1
Daily Mail
19-06-2025
- Health
- Daily Mail
Emma Willis details her 'scary' surgery after doctors found 'bizarre' hole in her heart during check-up
Emma Willis has opened up about undergoing heart surgery earlier this year, calling the procedure 'pretty scary'. The much-loved presenter, 49, took a trip to the doctors in January after experiencing an increasing number of heart palpitations. Following a scan, Emily was shocked to hear she'd been living with an undiagnosed hole in her heart for her entire life 'which she had no about'. She had keyhole surgery to fill the hole in March at London's Royal Brompton Hospital, only making the news public a few weeks later in an Instagram post. Now, Emma has opened up about the surgery during an appearance on Heart Breakfast. Speaking with Amanda Holden, 54, and Jamie Theakston, 54, The Voice host said: 'That is pretty scary (hearing about the heart issue). 'You find these things that are happening in your body that you didn't know about. It was really bizarre. 'I found out in January and by March I was in on the table and having a little device fitted to fill a hole that I never knew excited. I've had it my whole life and just had no idea.' She added: 'I always had palpitations, but kind of fitting with what was happening in my life. So, if I was a bit stressed or if I'd had a night. I kind of always had them. 'But for the last couple of years, I've been having them more and more and they got to a point where it was quite a lot. I also have high cholesterol, which is why I was referred to a cardiologist. 'So, it wasn't even for that, and when I got there the doctor said, "actually, it's okay, but there is something going on with your heart and I want to check it out!"' Emma was then asked about the device she had fitted, to which she replied: 'It's a soft metal device, basically. 'It kind of looks a bit like this strange covering on these leads (in the studio), and they stretch it really flat and put it in a cannula. 'They then go through your groin, straight into your heart and it pops out of one side of the hole, and then they put it through the other and it seals the gap. The tissue then grows around it for three to six months and it seals.' Sharing some promising news, Emma revealed that since she underwent surgery the palpitations have eased - though she admitted they may never stop completely. Emma had candidly opened up about the aftermath of the procedure last month, saying she had been left 'really anxious and nervous' in the weeks following surgery. The 49-year-old told The Sun: 'It's a bit of a head scramble when you find out something like that, that you've had something there your whole life, and you had no idea about it. 'I'm a brilliant overthinker, and my mind will go in every possible direction and scenario, so going into something like surgery, I really got myself at it, I get really anxious and nervous.' Speaking about her recovery, the 49-year-old continued: 'It's been a smooth recovery, it's been much more of a psychological adjustment, because you don't have a wound that you can see. The healing is all internal and you can't feel it. 'It's getting your head around the fact that your heart has to learn how to work in a different way to how it's worked for nearly half a century.' Luckily for Emma, her husband Matt, 41, has been by her side throughout the whole experience and she noted that the Busted star has 'coached her through breath work and wellness'. She made her return to television for the first time since the surgery last month, featuring in the BBC series Change Your Mind, Change Your Life. The four-part series, which is thought to have been filmed before her surgery, sees Matt and Emma navigate life's challenges together. Their decision to appear on the show came after the Busted star opened up about his own issues with addiction, which Emma had spoken about in her own interviews. Ahead of the BBC series' release last month, Emma said: 'Therapy has played a huge role in both of our lives, not just individually but as a couple too. 'It's given us the tools to understand ourselves and each other better, and we know firsthand how powerful that can be. 'With this documentary series we'll hear from incredible experts and see what really happens in the therapy room, to help break down the stigma and start conversations. 'Asking for help is never a weakness; it's one of the bravest things you can do.' Change Your Mind, Change Your Life, released on BBC and BBC iPlayer last month.
