Latest news with #Southport
The Independent
5 hours ago
- General
- The Independent
Prevent referrals for young people has doubled since last summer, says Cooper
The number of younger people being referred to the Prevent counter-extremism programme has doubled since last summer, the Home Secretary has revealed. Yvette Cooper told the Commons Home Affairs Committee that she was 'really worried' about 'increasing extremism among young people', with rising numbers being reported to Prevent or arrested for terrorism offences. But she also warned that not enough cases of Islamic extremism were being referred to the programme, saying she was 'concerned about the threshold ending up being too high'. The Government has embarked on an overhaul of the Prevent programme, which aims to divert people away from extremism, amid rising concern about youth radicalisation and following the murder of three young girls in Southport by teenager Axel Rudakubana. Rudakubana had been referred to Prevent, but his case was closed due to his lack of ideology. As well as appointing an independent Prevent commissioner to examine the programme, the Southport case and that of Ali Harbi Ali, who murdered Tory MP Sir David Amess in 2021, ministers launched a review of Prevent thresholds towards the end of last year. Asked about the findings of that review on Tuesday, Ms Cooper said: 'This is one of the issues that I am really worried about, and we are seeing increasing extremism among young people.' Adding that the counter-terror caseload involving young people had trebled in the last three years, she said: 'What we've also seen, I think, is a doubling of the number of young people being referred to Prevent since last summer as well. 'So this does raise some very significant challenges for us.' In response, the Government has proposed new 'youth diversion orders' as part of the Crime and Policing Bill currently making its way through Parliament. The orders are intended to apply to young people who require intervention beyond the voluntary Prevent scheme, and can impose conditions including restrictions on online activity. The latest figures show a slight rise in the number of people being referred to Prevent when compared to the previous year, with 6,922 referrals in the year up to March 31 2024. Around half of those referrals were for people aged under 18, while referrals for 'extreme right-wing concerns' outnumbered those for 'Islamist concerns' for the fourth year running. But Ms Cooper told MPs on Tuesday: 'I continue to be concerned about the threshold ending up being too high and not enough Islamist extremist cases being referred to Prevent, and the need to do more to make sure more of those cases were being referred to Prevent.'
BBC News
9 hours ago
- Business
- BBC News
Crewe midfielder Lunt signs new one-year contract
Crewe midfielder Owen Lunt has signed a new one-year contract with the League Two 20-year-old played 23 times for the Alex this season, either side of a three-month loan with National League North side nephew of Crewe legend Kenny Lunt, has been with the club for more than 10 of his five starts in 2024-25 came in the last four games of the season as Crewe finished in ninth place, eight points outside the new deal has the option for an additional 12 months and follows the club's recent signing of Harrogate Town's top goalscorer Josh March on a two-year contract.
Daily Mail
17 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Channel 4 sparks fury after using Southport killer's mugshot in 'sick' advert as viewers beg 'please stop this!'
Channel 4 has sparked fury after using the Southport killer's mugshot in a controversial advert. Recently, an ad on Facebook for the broadcaster's new shows featured a photograph of Axel Rudakubana and said: 'More of the shows you love, more of the shows you will love. Stream now on Channel 4.' The killer was convicted for the murders of Bebe King, six, Elsie Dot Stancome, seven, and Alice da Silva Aguiar, nine, at a Taylor Swift dance class in Southport in July 2024, as well as the attempted murder of 10 others. He was sentenced to a minimum of 52 years in January. The advert contained a link to a news special about the case, titled Southport Killer Sentenced, according to The Sun. From A-list scandals and red carpet mishaps to exclusive pictures and viral moments, subscribe to the DailyMail's new Showbiz newsletter to stay in the loop. Recently, an ad on Facebook for the broadcaster's new shows featured a photograph of Axel Rudakubana (pictured) and said: 'More of the shows you love ❤, more of the shows you will love. Stream now on Channel 4.' Patrick Hurley, who is a Labour MP for Southport, took to social media to express his outrage and posted on X: 'I'm really disappointed to see @Channel4 actively promote this image to Southport residents on Facebook, by buying ads targeting them. 'Please stop this, @Channel 4. 'And as for the text in the post - 'More of the shows you love, more of the shows you will love. Stream now on Channel 4' - is this some sort of sick joke?' The broadcaster has since apologised and removed the photograph from the advert. A Channel 4 spokesperson told The Sun: 'We apologise for any offence or upset this has caused.' Ofcom also confirmed to the publication that Mr Hurley had filed a complaint about the advert. The watchdog commented: 'Decisions on how news is covered, including the choice of images, is an editorial matter for broadcasters.' It comes after it was revealed Rudakubana is allegedly allowed to buy treats in prison such as Maltesers and crisps despite throwing scorching water over a prison guard last month. It is also claimed that he is allowed to call his family, have religious visits and receive money from relatives while in the south east London prison. Patrick Hurley, who is an MP for Southport, took to social media to express his outrage and posted on X A source told The Sun that Rudakubana has been 'spending £5.50 a week' since he attacked the guard and is allowed to buy 'anything he likes as long as it's not dangerous'. They added: 'He's still allowed to buy things like Maltesers and Pringles crisps if he fancies them.' Since Rudakubana attacked the guard he has been on a 'basic' level of treatment behind bars meaning he no longer has access to a TV and that his time out of his cell has been restricted. He is also said to be no longer permitted to purchase butter or baby oil which could be heated for an attack.
Telegraph
a day ago
- General
- Telegraph
Lord Hermer not to blame for ‘lenient' rape sentences, insists Cooper
Lord Hermer is not to blame for a rapist receiving a shorter sentence than Lucy Connolly, Yvette Cooper has insisted. The Home Secretary defended the Attorney General after The Telegraph revealed he declined to review 'unduly lenient' sentences given to a rapist, a paedophile and a terrorist fundraiser despite signing off on the prosecution of Connolly, who was imprisoned for 31 months for a tweet about last year's Southport attacks. Critics have since claimed Lord Hermer thinks 'rape is less serious than Twitter comments' after fresh concerns were raised about his 'appalling judgment'. The three criminals all received softer sentences than Connolly. When asked to look again at their cases, the Attorney General's office opted not to refer the decisions to the Court of Appeal for review. The revelations prompted fresh calls for Lord Hermer to be sacked after it emerged that he personally approved Connolly's prosecution, despite having the constitutional power to prevent it. He did not have any say over her sentence. Chris Philp, the shadow home secretary, confronted Ms Cooper over the case during Home Office questions in the House of Commons on Monday. He said: 'It emerged yesterday that the Attorney General, Lord Hermer, chose not to refer a man given just 28 months for rape for a longer sentence under the unduly lenient sentencing scheme, which the Attorney General can do. 'Yet, Lucy Connolly got more prison time for a tasteless tweet. Why does Lord Hermer think rape is less serious than Twitter comments? 'This is two-tier justice in action, and doesn't this show Lord Hermer has appalling judgment, and the Prime Minister should fire him?' Ms Cooper initially dodged the question, referring back to Mr Philp's record as policing minister in the last Conservative government. But pushed for an answer by Tory MP Sir Julian Lewis, she said: 'Lord Hermer does not decide sentencing. He has a particular role as the Attorney General that (Sir Julian)… as a very experienced member of this House, will know the way in which the system works.' In England and Wales, members of the public can ask the Attorney General to re-examine a sentence handed down by a Crown Court if they believe it to be 'unduly lenient'. He may then refer the decision to the Court of Appeal, which can keep the sentence the same, increase it or issue guidance for future cases. The criminals whose cases were 'not referred', according to data published by the Government, included Ben Churcher, from Wiltshire, who was given 28 months in prison in January for raping a woman in her home. 'Defies common sense' Richard Tice, the deputy leader of Reform UK, claimed the findings suggested Lord Hermer considered a 'nasty offensive tweet' to be a more serious offence than rape, paedophilia or terrorism. This was because the Attorney General's office made the decision not to refer those cases to the Court of Appeal after Connolly had been jailed for 31 months, meaning he was supposedly aware of her sentence when he failed to challenge the others. Robert Jenrick, the shadow justice secretary, also claimed Lord Hermer was 'content for Lucy Connolly to receive a tougher sentence for a nasty tweet than a vile rapist or paedophile', adding: 'That defies common sense.' A source close to the Attorney General said: 'The law officers are not involved in sentencing decisions, which are a matter for the independent courts. Nor do they have any role in setting the sentencing guidelines for particular offences. To suggest otherwise is completely inaccurate. 'Each unduly lenient sentence case is assessed against the specific guidelines for that offence, case law and in many cases advice will be sought from a senior specialist barrister. The Court of Appeal has set out what constitutes undue leniency, and this is a high bar. 'The law officers have referred a large number of cases to the Court of Appeal, many of which have resulted in increased sentences, including of rapists and child sex offenders.'
The Sun
a day ago
- Entertainment
- The Sun
Channel 4 sparks fury after using evil Southport killer's mugshot to plug new shows that ‘you will love' in ad
CHANNEL 4 has been slammed after using the mugshot of Southport monster Axel Rudakubana to plug its shows. A Facebook ad featuring the triple killer's haunting face was captioned: "More of the shows you love, more of the shows you will love. Stream now on Channel 4." Last week blundering telly bosses were forced to apologise over the gaffe after sparking fury from the town's MP. Labour backbencher Patrick Hurley raged: "Is this some sort of joke?" He added: "I'm really disappointed to see Channel 4 actively promote this image to Southport residents on Facebook, by buying ads targeting them. "Please stop this." Rudakubana, who killed three girls at a Taylor Swift-themed dance class in the town last July, had his custody photo splashed in a promo for the broadcaster's on-demand service. It meant the harrowing snap was pushed into Facebook users' feeds without warning. Grieving families scrolling Facebook could have been hit with the killer's image completely out of the blue - despite not following Channel 4. The show linked to the ad was a 20-minute news special named ' Southport Killer Sentenced ', broadcast after the killer was jailed at Liverpool Crown Court. Bosses admitted the snap was used by mistake and had been removed. A spokesperson said: "We apologise for any offence or upset this has caused." Telly watchdog Ofcom confirmed it had received a complaint from Mr Hurley. editorial matter for broadcasters." Rudakubana is serving 52 years for murdering Bebe King, six, Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven, and Alice Dasilva Aguiar, nine. The Sun this month revealed the fiend hurled scalding water over a prison officer while caged at max-security HMP Belmarsh. 4 4
