Latest news with #SpanishPolice
Daily Mail
24-05-2025
- Daily Mail
BREAKING NEWS Jay Slater detective says Spanish police ignored bombshell evidence after he offered to share crucial audio recording that could shed light on British 19-year-old's last days in Tenerife
An ex-detective who helped Jay Slater's family when the 19-year-old went missing in Tenerife has claimed that the Spanish police ignored a key piece of evidence. Mark Williams-Thomas has accused Spanish authorities of failing to investigate an audio recording he offered to share which may have shed light on the British teenager's disappearance. In a shocking seven-minute long video posted on X/ Twitter on Friday, Mr Williams-Thomas reveals the alleged difficulties he faced when dealing with the police in Tenerife. 'I sent the information I had in an email to Spanish authorities. the ex-detective said. 'I told them I wasn't able to share the audio recording at this point because I needed to explain to them how I had obtained it and also I was very conscious that it was highly sensitive and I didn't want it just being shared all around. 'They've never come back to me,' he added. The caption of his post reads: 'Certain cases attract huge media attention and the landscape is so different now with social media and the internet. 'What is always key for me is the end game, 'JUSTICE' (which takes many forms), which is why I always work with the authorities. 'However some authorities and countries are open to receiving information batter than others.' His bombshell claims come as an inquest into Jay's death was launched at Preston Crown Court this month.
The Sun
21-05-2025
- Sport
- The Sun
Bilbao cops launch ‘biggest security operation ever' after brawls & trashed streets as 70k fans arrive for Europa League
BILBAO'S biggest security operation ever is underway as over 70,000 Brit's are flooding the Spanish city to witness the ultimate Spurs vs Manchester United showdown. Spanish security officials on high alert have deployed a ring of steel to fortify the San Mames Stadium as brawls have broken out and streets trashed ahead of the final. 14 14 14 14 Thousands of charged footie fans have already flooded the streets of sunny Bilbao in good spirits with drinks flowing. But overnight fiery clashes and ugly brawls between the two fan bases have broken out - with hooligans expected to sow chaos ahead of the final today. To counter this, Spanish authorities have deployed more than 3,000 gun-wielding cops to oversee three security rings around the stadium. One will sit in the immediate perimeter, another on the esplanade in front of the stadium, and the final near the Sabino Arana area. Access will be restricted to only ticket holders and local residents as fears loom those without a seat in the final will attempt to illegally enter the stadium. Each club has millions of fans across the globe, but there are just 15,000 tickets allocated to each team for the 53,000-capacity stadium. A 10-foot high fence has been erected around the site, with border controls reinforced by the Spanish National Police. Fan zones equipped with giant screens and more than 60,000 litres of beer have been set up outside the city centre to attract fans without tickets away from the security perimeter. To minimise the risk of confrontations, the two sets of fans will be kept in separate areas - 1.5 miles apart - before kickoff. Sniffer dog units have also been deployed, with rigorous searches to be constantly conducted on fans. 14 14 14 The Basque Government's security minister has admitted that the clash is "the greatest security challenge" they have had to face. Bingen Zupiria revealed that the security measures being deployed surpassed the ones taken for the Tour De France. He told SER Deportivos Bilbao that "we are constantly reviewing the operation," adding that the UEFA, UK police and the clubs involved are working together with Basque authorities to maximise safety. But this hasn't settled the security chief's nerves, as he confessed: "I won't hide the fact that I'm nervous; this job generates moments of anxiety." Cops in Bilbao also made an unusual trip to Wembley to meet with their British counterparts on how they safely secure the perimeter of the national stadium. New security measures had been introduced at the London stadium following crowd troubles in the European Championship final of 2021. Officers from the Met Police and Greater Manchester Police met with UEFA and local cops last week as they all look to avoid issues encountered at the hands of English fans at the 2022 Champions League final in Paris, as well as the 2023 final in Istanbul. UEFA has previously praised host cities like Dublin for their management of such a gargantuan event, with the Basque Government hoping Bilbao will be the latest successful host. 14 14 14 Security chief Zupiria added: "We're going to need patience, citizen collaboration, and common sense." Bilbao mayor Juan Mari Aburto said on Tuesday: "We are very excited and proud to host this game. We want [English fans] to see what we are like, the passion we feel, the good values of football and our culture." Just yesterday, shocking footage emerged showing a brutal clash between the fans of the two football clubs. In the video, a large group of hooligans are seen brawling as they throw objects and punches at each other. Witnesses say the fight broke out when two large groups of supporters began shouting and hurling insults. 14 14 14 It quickly escalated into a full-blown brawl, with both Man Utd and Spurs fans grabbing whatever they could to throw at each other. One hooligan overturned a terrace table and used it as a weapon against the other group. Drinks and bins were also hurled, creating a chaotic scene that posed a serious risk to local businesses and passersby. Several local police patrols rushed to the scene after reports of the brawl and quickly restored order. Meanwhile, charged-up Brits who flocked to the sunny Spanish city have kicked off the party before the stellar finale. Some are braving an epic 32-hour-plus ferry ride which set sail at 10pm on Sunday evening and won't arrive until 8am on Tuesday morning. Shocking moment Rangers fans attacked by Bilbao ultras in violent street brawl With flights to Spain rocketing over £1,000 after the Prem teams sealed their final spots, many took advantage of the cheaper sea-route option, which set them back £260 for a cabin. The sky-high air prices are due to just six direct flights from Britain to the Basque region's industrial port city each day. And with only 65 hotels in Spain's tenth largest city, accommodation has been fully-booked for weeks. Precious tickets to the big game were selling on the black market for up to £10,000. EasyJet was charging £1,823 to fly from Gatwick to Bilbao on Wednesday morning and return on Thursday morning, while the cheapest hotels for Wednesday night cost around £1,200. But for those fans who managed to snap up the golden tickets, footage has shown them enjoying themselves. A Bilbao bar was flooded with Brit fans chanting and drinking ahead of the anticipated final. Spurs fans were also seen welcoming the team bus as it arrived in the city one day before the clash. Footage taken by The Sun showed fans arriving to fill the streets of Bilbao about 40 hours before kick-off. Both sets of supporters have been pictured marching through the streets, chanting songs with beers in hand as they gear up for the Europa League final. Aside from European glory, the victorious team qualifies for next season's cash-riddled Champions League, worth a cool £100m to the club lifting the prized trophy. Footie fanatics get the party started early By Sun man in Bilbao, Dave Courtnadge IT'S barely midday in Bilbao on the day before the Europa League final between Manchester United and Spurs - but it's already getting lively. I arrived in the city at about 9am after a 32-HOUR ferry ride from Portsmouth. And the first thing a lot of fellow fans planned to do was find a pub for a well-earned drink. Walking around the area around the San Mames stadium this morning, a fair few others had the same idea. Many have had long journeys, stopping off overnight in another city to keep down the soaring cost of getting here, with some direct flights over £1,000. So it's no surprise many are already getiing the party started, or the Bilbao leg of the party anyway. Spurs fan Gary, who flew out from London before an overnight stay in a Madrid hotel resembling a "prison cell", joked as he supped a pint in the sun: "I'm just getting some practice in for tomorrow." The atmosphere has been brilliant so far, and hopefully that will continue. There had been claims that Spurs fans are set to outnumber United fans by 5 to 1, with an estimated 50,000 supporters of the two English sides expected to arrive. One Tottenham follower I spoke to joked that they had bought all the flights out of London to keep the Reds out. Based on the number of Spurs shirts I've already seen, he might be right.
Daily Mail
21-05-2025
- Daily Mail
Police storm Ryanair plane arriving in Alicante from UK after 'five passengers cause mid-air chaos'
Spanish police have stormed a Ryanair flight from Newcastle to Alicante after five passengers began causing chaos in mid-air. Air traffic controllers request police board the plane, a Boeing 737 flying from Newcastle International Airport to Alicante-Elche Miguel Hernández Airport, after the five passengers began being disruptive. The pilot was given special permission to land the plane as soon as possible, which it did without incident. Local media reported that after the plane landed and cops got on to identify the offending passengers, each of them fully 'cooperated with the police at all times.' MailOnline has contacted Ryanair for comment. Alicante-Elche Airport serves several holiday hotspots on the Costa Blanca, including Benidorm. Known for their sunny skies and cheap drinks, Spanish towns like Benidorm have long attracted Brits. But with these long, booze-fuelled days in the sun comes the risk of conforming to the stereotype of the badly behaved Brit abroad. In March, a British tourist was seen causing chaos in a Benidorm KFC after footage captured her hurling a napkin folder at staff and shouting insults over the state of her chicken. Wearing a multi-coloured top and floral skirt, the purple-haired woman was spotted by another shocked customer as she launched tissues over the counter. She was seen repeatedly grabbing tissues from the holder while yelling at a worker stood behind a wall in the fast food restaurant. The woman picked up straws and other paper items left scattered across the counter as she carried out her foul-mouthed rant. She can be heard shouting about the 'f****** menu' and appears to tell the staff member to 'grow up' in her fit of rage. After picking up the last of the serviettes and straws, the woman decides to lift the entire holder before raising it over her head and tossing it over across the tabletop. The worker can be heard shrieking in the background as the enraged woman begins to back out of the eatery, yelling 'you c****' while leaving the restaurant. The post, captioned 'Only in Benidorm kicking off over chicken' raised questions about British tourist's behaviour on the Spanish seaside resort. One viewer wrote: 'Tell me again why Brits have a bad rep?'
Scottish Sun
02-05-2025
- Health
- Scottish Sun
Chilling ‘screaming' drawings of 3 children held captive for 4 years since Covid by ‘germaphobe' parents in Spain
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) THE chilling drawings of three children held captive in a Spanish "house of horrors" since the beginning of the Covid pandemic have been revealed. The eight-year-old twins and ten-year-old boy were forced to stay inside by their parents for four years for fears of catching the virus. 9 A screaming red monster drawn on the bed by one of the young boys 9 A skull and cross bones drawn on the bed by one of the children Credit: Spanish Police 9 Cops freed three young children from a house where they had been held captive since the pandemic Credit: Solarpix 9 Christian Steffen, 53, has been arrested alongside his wife for alleged child abuse Credit: Solarpix Pictures from inside the house in Oviedo show the boys' caged beds covered in horrifying drawings. A harrowing drawing of a red screaming monster can be seen in the images, as well as a skull and crossbones - sparking fresh fears for the children's well being. The young boys were found in horrific conditions - each wearing three face masks and forced to wear nappies and sleep in caged beds. But despite the piles of rubbish inside the house it is thought that parents Christian, 53, and Melissa Steffen, 48, were terrified of germs getting into their home. Sources from the investigation told El Espanol: "They were obsessed with the idea that their children had serious illnesses and were going to die from the pandemic." The couple were reportedly using air purifier machines throughout their home with at least 5 or 6 working at all hours of the day - in the master bedroom, the children's bedrooms, and the living room. The family also racked up an extremely high water bill - despite only drinking bottled water. This revelation sparked further concern as it is thought that the children may have been subjected to compulsive showers to avoid any germs. The mum-of-three told cops the family had asked officials in Germany - where they lived previously - for permission to educate their kids at home after the initial Covid crisis. The school responded with a warning that social services would be alerted if they took them out of school. Connecticut woman who allegedly held stepson captive for over 20 years pleads not guilty Instead the family decided to emigrate to Spain in an attempt to keep their children hidden away from the outside world. A guest room in the house had been turned into a makeshift school for the children - where the boys had reportedly learned to read, write and draw. Christian was reportedly the only one who was allowed to leave the house - but only for essential trips to the supermarket. Not only were the children not allowed to leave the house they were also not allowed to use the bathroom when they wanted. A source close to the ongoing investigation said: 'They had a timetable and a maximum number of times a day they could use the toilet because the rest of the time they had to wear nappies." The young boys were reportedly suffering from "severe constipation" when they were discovered. An unnamed investigator told Spanish media: 'The children's parents claimed the youngsters didn't know how to control their bowel movements but the paediatric report has shown that to be false.' The parents also used black market medicines containing cannabis derivative THC to treat the kids for alleged deficit attention disorders which investigators say they are not even sure the youngsters were suffering. The children were reportedly told to lower the blinds on their bedroom windows at 5.10pm each day after being allowed to raise them exactly halfway up the windows during daylight hours. They had no television to watch or electronic games to play with and wore pyjamas all day and all night - and many neighbours have admitted they had no idea anyone was even living in the house. The woman reportedly heard voices that sounded like children coming from the house despite never having seen anyone leave the house to play or go to school. After several days of surveillance cops were clear that more than just the man they saw coming in and out had to live there. The size of the boxes of food of the orders that the man brought into the home were the biggest giveaway. But nothing could prepare the agents for what they would find when they entered the horror house. The police said the house was full of rubbish and old medicines as well as filthy pet excrement and used tampons. When they wanted to take them out of the building they did not even have shoes of their size as they had not bought shoes for years. The police added that when the children were freed, one of them knelt on the grass and touched it with amazement. An officer said: 'They touched the grass and breathed fresh air as if they had never done so before in their lives. 'They saw a snail and they were completely taken aback.' 9 The boys have now been placed under the guardianship of the Government of the Principality 9 The cops were horrified by what they found inside the house 9 The children were forbidden to leave the house The chief commissioner of the Local Police of Oviedo, Francisco Javier Lozano explained the details of the operation leading to the arrest of the couple at 2.45pm on Monday. The initial search of the house was reportedly made more difficult because Spain had been plunged into darkness by the electricity outrage. When the cops knocked on the front door, the father answered but asked the officers to wait for a few minutes so the children could put their masks on. One police officer told the Spanish press: "They were very scared and around the mother, who told us all the time that the little ones had serious pathologies and that we should not approach them. "They had three masks each on top of each other. They were oblivious to any contact with reality." Lozano added: "We have dismantled the house of horrors". Having been checked out at the Central University Hospital of Asturias the children have now been placed under the guardianship of the Government of the Principality. The boys' parents were arrested following the police raid and may face prison sentences of between five and seven years. The couple are being investigated on suspicion of domestic violence, psychological mistreatment and child abandonment. Christian reportedly worked as a freelance senior tech recruiter and HR manager, having obtained a doctorate in philosophy from Hamburg University. He previously worked as a marketing consultant and head of a call centre at a telecommunications company. The black and white photo of the dad was revealed on Friday by El Espanol. 9 The cops launched an investigation after a resident raised concerns that there may be people inside the house Credit: EPA
The Irish Sun
02-05-2025
- Health
- The Irish Sun
Chilling ‘screaming' drawings of 3 children held captive for 4 years since Covid by ‘germaphobe' parents in Spain
THE chilling drawings of three children held captive in a Spanish "house of horrors" since the beginning of the Covid pandemic have been revealed. The eight-year-old twins and ten-year-old boy were by their parents for four years for fears of catching the virus. Advertisement 9 A screaming red monster drawn on the bed by one of the young boys 9 A skull and cross bones drawn on the bed by one of the children Credit: Spanish Police 9 Cops freed three young children from a house where they had been held captive since the pandemic Credit: Solarpix 9 Christian Steffen, 53, has been arrested alongside his wife for alleged child abuse Credit: Solarpix Pictures from inside the A harrowing drawing of a red screaming monster can be seen in the images, as well as a skull and crossbones - sparking fresh fears for the children's well being. The young boys were found in horrific conditions - each wearing three face masks and forced to wear nappies and sleep in caged beds. But despite the piles of rubbish inside the house it is thought that parents Christian, 53, and Melissa Steffen, 48, were terrified of germs getting into their home. Advertisement read more on Spain Sources from the investigation told El Espanol: "They were obsessed with the idea that their children had serious illnesses and were going to die from the pandemic." The couple were reportedly using air purifier machines throughout their home with at least 5 or 6 working at all hours of the day - in the master bedroom, the children's bedrooms, and the living room. The family also racked up an extremely high water bill - despite only drinking bottled water. This revelation sparked further concern as it is thought that the children may have been subjected to compulsive showers to avoid any germs. Advertisement Most read in The Sun Breaking The mum-of-three told cops the family had asked officials in Germany - where they lived previously - for permission to educate their kids at home after the initial Covid crisis. The school responded with a warning that social services would be alerted if they took them out of school. Connecticut woman who allegedly held stepson captive for over 20 years pleads not guilty Instead the family decided to emigrate to Spain in an attempt to keep their children hidden away from the outside world. A guest room in the house had been turned into a makeshift school for the children - where the boys had reportedly learned to read, write and draw. Advertisement Christian was reportedly the only one who was allowed to leave the house - but only for essential trips to the supermarket. Not only were the children not allowed to leave the house they were also not allowed to use the bathroom when they wanted. A source close to the ongoing investigation said: 'They had a timetable and a maximum number of times a day they could use the toilet because the rest of the time they had to wear nappies." The young boys were reportedly suffering from "severe constipation" when they were discovered. Advertisement An unnamed investigator told Spanish media: 'The children's parents claimed the youngsters didn't know how to control their bowel movements but the paediatric report has shown that to be false.' The parents also used black market medicines containing cannabis derivative THC to treat the kids for alleged deficit attention disorders which investigators say they are not even sure the youngsters were suffering. The children were reportedly told to lower the blinds on their bedroom windows at 5.10pm each day after being allowed to raise them exactly halfway up the windows during daylight hours. They had no television to watch or electronic games to play with and wore pyjamas all day and all night - and many neighbours have admitted they had no idea anyone was even living in the house. Advertisement The woman reportedly heard voices that sounded like children coming from the house despite never having seen anyone leave the house to play or go to school. After several days of surveillance cops were clear that more than just the man they saw coming in and out had to live there. The size of the boxes of food of the orders that the man brought into the home were the biggest giveaway. But nothing could prepare the agents for what they would find when they entered the horror house. Advertisement The police said the house was full of rubbish and old medicines as well as filthy pet excrement and used tampons. When they wanted to take them out of the building they did not even have shoes of their size as they had not bought shoes for years. The police added that when the children were freed, one of them knelt on the grass and touched it with amazement. An officer said: 'They touched the grass and breathed fresh air as if they had never done so before in their lives. Advertisement 'They saw a snail and they were completely taken aback.' 9 The boys have now been placed under the guardianship of the Government of the Principality 9 The cops were horrified by what they found inside the house 9 The children were forbidden to leave the house Advertisement The chief commissioner of the Local Police of Oviedo, Francisco Javier Lozano explained the details of the operation leading to the arrest of the couple at 2.45pm on Monday. The initial search of the house was reportedly made more difficult because Spain had been plunged into darkness by the electricity outrage. When the cops knocked on the front door, the father answered but asked the officers to wait for a few minutes so the children could put their masks on. One police officer told the Spanish press: "They were very scared and around the mother, who told us all the time that the little ones had serious pathologies and that we should not approach them. Advertisement "They had three masks each on top of each other. They were oblivious to any contact with reality." Lozano added: "We have dismantled the house of horrors". Having been checked out at the Central University Hospital of Asturias the children have now been placed under the guardianship of the Government of the Principality. The boys' parents were arrested following the police raid and may face prison sentences of between five and seven years. Advertisement The couple are being investigated on suspicion of domestic violence, psychological mistreatment and child abandonment. Christian reportedly worked as a freelance senior tech recruiter and HR manager, having obtained a doctorate in philosophy from Hamburg University. He previously worked as a marketing consultant and head of a call centre at a telecommunications company. The black and white photo of the dad was revealed on Friday by El Espanol. Advertisement 9 The cops launched an investigation after a resident raised concerns that there may be people inside the house Credit: EPA 9 The family's house in Oviedo, northern Spain Credit: AFP
