Latest news with #TheMetropolitanPolice
Wales Online
05-06-2025
- Wales Online
Madeleine McCann update as officers embrace after concluding £300,000 search
Madeleine McCann update as officers embrace after concluding £300,000 search It is now 18 years since the three-year-old's disappearance and police have been carrying out a number of searches this week Members of the search teams shake hands at the end of the day of searching at one of the base camps close to Praia De Luz, Portugal (Image: PA ) German and Portuguese police and firefighters have spent three days scouring scrubland and abandoned structures as part of a £300,000 operation into the disappearance of British toddler Madeleine McCann. Officers could be seen holding pitchforks as they combed the land in an area on the outskirts of Lagos in Portugal on Thursday. Investigators congratulated and embraced each other as the latest searches connected to the disappearance of the three-year-old drew to a close. The latest operation comes after an investigation into a paedophile who lived close by at the time of the young girl's disappearance 18-years-ago. Teams of detectives have taken samples of potential evidence from properties near Praia Da Luz in Portugal. Others were looking into abandoned property near the area where Madeleine went missing. Search teams wound down the operation in Atalaia, near Lagos, Portugal, on Thursday, after three days of scouring scrubland and abandoned structures. Their efforts focused on a 120-acre stretch of land, using equipment such as chainsaws, diggers and a ground-penetrating radar. Article continues below The Metropolitan Police confirmed that British officers had not been present at the latest searches. Madeleine McCann (Image: PA ) The operation has now ended, and the Mirror reports how officers were seen carrying away boxes of soil, a children's car seat and white bags filled with unknown contents. Police have launched multiple searches for Madeleine McCann since her disappearance in Portugal in 2007. Early efforts focused on the Praia da Luz resort, where she was last seen in her family's holiday apartment. The McCann family were on holiday at the Ocean Club in Praia da Luz, Portugal, when the youngster went missing. Madeleine's parents and their friends had dinner at a restaurant in the complex while the children slept in the apartment, 100 yards away. Officers involved in the latest searches held a debrief before leaving the site, and there was a round of applause before a crate of German beer was removed from one of the tents in the designated base area. After the Augustiner beers were carried away, some officers struggled to grapple with the tents they were taking down because of the blustery conditions. Earlier in the day, personnel could be seen holding pitchforks as they combed stretches of land. Pick-axes and shovels were used to dig some of the undergrowth and a digger was again used to remove rubble from one of the abandoned structures at the site. They spent the first two days of the search focusing on one particular derelict building, using ground-penetrating radar on the cobbled ground after clearing the area of debris and vegetation using a digger and chainsaws. Madeleine's parents have not commented during the "active police investigation", staff at the Find Madeleine Campaign said. German authorities requested the search as part of their continued attempts to source evidence to implicate prime suspect Christian Brueckner, who is in prison for raping a 72-year-old woman in Praia da Luz in 2005. He is due to be released from jail in September if no further charges are brought. Article continues below In October last year, Brueckner was cleared by a German court of unrelated sexual offences, alleged to have taken place in Portugal between 2000 and 2017. In 2023, investigators carried out searches near the Barragem do Arade reservoir, about 30 miles from Praia da Luz. Brueckner spent time in the area between 2000 and 2017 and had photographs and videos of himself near the reservoir.
Mint
03-06-2025
- General
- Mint
Kate-William's Windsor Castle breach: Man held for trespassing and drug possession
A man in his 30s has been arrested after entering restricted grounds at Windsor Castle on Sunday afternoon, June 1. Thames Valley Police confirmed the incident on June 3, stating that the man was apprehended just after 1 p.m. 'He was quickly challenged by Met Police officers and arrested,' a police spokesperson said. 'He did not enter the inner grounds of Windsor Castle.' The man was taken into custody on suspicion of trespassing on a protected site and possession of Class A drugs. He has since been bailed, and Thames Valley Police have launched an ongoing investigation into the incident. They said, "He was arrested on suspicion of trespass on a secure site and possession of class A drugs. He has been bailed and an investigation is ongoing by Thames Valley Police." In a statement shared by The Metropolitan Police read, "A man in his 30s has been arrested on suspicion of trespass on a protected site and possession of Class A drugs after entering private grounds at Windsor Castle. Officers in the grounds spotted the man just after 13:00hrs on Sunday, June 1 and quickly arrested him. He was then passed into the custody of Thames Valley Police." No injuries or further disturbances were reported. Security officials have not released the name of the man arrested and have not disclosed the specific nature of the drugs in his possession. The Metropolitan Police, who are in charge of royal family security, initially detained the man before handing him over to local authorities. Under the Serious Organised Crime and Police Act 2005, trespassing on protected royal residences such as Windsor Castle is considered a criminal offence. It is currently unclear whether any members of the royal family were present at Windsor Castle at the time. Prince William and Princess Kate reside at Adelaide Cottage, located within Windsor Great Park, along with their children Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis. Officials say the investigation is ongoing and that further details may be released as inquiries continue.
Daily Mirror
15-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Chris Brown arrested at Manchester hotel over alleged bottle attack
Controversial singer Chris Brown was arrested at a five-star hotel in Manchester over an alleged bottle attack at a night club in London two years ago The Metropolitan Police arrested the No Guidance singer, 36, after 2am at The Lowry Hotel in Manchester. He was reportedly arrested on suspicion of causing grievous bodily harm to music producer Abe Diaw at Tape nightclub in 2023. The Mirror have reached out to the Met Police for comment. Chris arrived into Manchester Airport on a private jet on Wednesday afternoon. The Met said to The Sun: ''A 36-year-old man was arrested at a hotel in Manchester shortly after 02:00hrs on Thursday, 15 May on suspicion of grievous bodily harm. ''He has been taken into custody where he remains. The arrest relates to an incident at a venue in Hanover Square on 19 February 2023. The investigation is being led by detectives from the Central West Area Basic Command Unit.'' In October 2023, music producer Abe Diaw claimed he was assaulted by Chris in a lawsuit. The court documents alleged that Chris 'inflicted severe and lasting injuries' after 'beating [the music producer] over the head." According to the lawsuit, the incident occurred in February of 2023 at the Tape London nightclub and the musician allegedly used a bottle of Don Julio 1942 tequila. After the initial hit with the bottle, Chris allegedly 'ruthlessly stomped on' and kick plaintiff Amadou 'Abe' Diaw in the neck which rendered him unconscious for 30 seconds. The music producer was rushed to the hospital as a result of the injuries he received, according to the documents attained by Page Six. He also alleged he had 'lacerations on his head and torn ligaments in his leg.' He further asserted he had 'suffered serious and permanent emotional distress and trauma.' * This is a breaking showbiz news story. Join The Mirror 's WhatsApp Community or follow us on Google News, Flipboard, Apple News, TikTok , Snapchat , Instagram , Twitter , Facebook , YouTube and Threads - or visit The Mirror homepage.
USA Today
02-05-2025
- Entertainment
- USA Today
Russell Brand appears in UK court to hear charges in rape, sexual assault case
Russell Brand appears in UK court to hear charges in rape, sexual assault case Show Caption Hide Caption Actor Russell Brand charged with rape and sexual assault of four women The Metropolitan Police charged comedian Russell Brand with rape, indecent assault, oral rape and two counts of sexual assault. Russell Brand made his first U.K. court appearance ahead of what may be a lengthy trial over charges that he raped and sexually assaulted multiple women. In the brief appearance May 2, Brand listened as the charges were laid out and then was granted conditional bail, according to CNN and The New York Times. In gold-rimmed aviator shades and a shirt unbuttoned to expose a large swath of his chest, Brand was escorted by police into the courtroom, through throngs of photographers. When the hearing was done, he exited into a black Mercedes Benz. Brand has previously denied any wrongdoing. Russell Brand charges include rape The comedian and actor was charged by London's Metropolitan Police last month with with rape, indecent assault, oral rape and two counts of sexual assault. Detectives in the U.K. began investigating Brand in September 2023 after receiving a number of allegations, a release from authorities revealed at the time. The tips followed a growing body of reporting in the British press that accused Brand of inappropriate sexual behavior. Brand later took to Instagram to respond to the charges. "We're very fortunate in a way to live in a time where there's so little trust in the British government," he told followers in a video statement. "We're very fortunate, I suppose, that this is happening at a time where we know that the law has become a kind of weapon to be used against people." The charges stem from a series of alleged incidents in the late 1990s and early 2000s: a rape in 1999, an incidental assault in 2001, an oral rape and sexual assault in 2004 and another sexual assault between 2004 and 2005, according to Metropolitan Police. "The women who have made reports continue to receive support from specially trained officers," Andy Furphy, a detective superintendent with the Metropolitan Police, said in a release at the time of the charges. "The Met's investigation remains open and detectives ask anyone who has been affected by this case, or anyone who has any information, to come forward and speak with police," Furphy said. Long a controversial figure, Brand has fallen out of public grace amid reports of alleged rape and assaults. In the years since he has taken a religious turn, announcing plans last year to be baptized and using his social media to dip into conspiracy circles, spreading unfounded theories on topics ranging from 9/11 to the COVID vaccine. "I've always told you guys that when I was young and single before I had my wife and family … I was a fool, man," Brand continued in his Instagram statement, saying he was a drug and sex addict and even an "imbecile," but never a rapist. "I've never engaged in nonconsensual activity, I pray that you can see that by looking in my eyes," the actor continued, saying he felt "grateful" he would have the opportunity to defend himself in court. Russell Brand rape, assault charges follow BBC apology The charges against Brand follow a formal apology given by the BBC to employees in January over its handling of harassment complaints against the comedian during his tenure at the network. The British news organization published the results of a review into Brand's conduct, revealing that power dynamics at play created a breeding ground for Brand's "unacceptable" behavior. Brand, who served as a presenter on BBC's 6 Music and Radio 2 between 2006 and 2008, first fell under scrutiny in 2023 after a spate of women accused the actor of emotional and sexual abuse. The accusations of wrongdoing at the BBC included Brand exposing his genitals to a woman in a bathroom shortly before recording a segment for his radio show in which he joked about the encounter. The woman was not a BBC employee but worked in the same building as the company's Los Angeles bureau. Another claim, made by a woman who said she had a three-month relationship with Brand when he was a presenter for Radio 6, alleges he used to have a car pick her up at school or her grandmother's house and bring her to his home. She was 16 at the time while Brand would have been in his 30s. "What is clear is that many BBC staff and freelancers, especially in more junior roles, found Russell Brand demanding and difficult to work with and his behavior extreme, but all felt that there was no point in complaining as they believed they would not be listened to and, rightly or wrongly, that Russell Brand as a high-profile presenter had the support of the station management," wrote Peter Johnston, the BBC Director of Editorial Complaints and Reviews. If you or someone you know has experienced sexual violence, RAINN's National Sexual Assault Hotline offers free, confidential, 24/7 support to survivors and their loved ones in English and Spanish at: (4673) and and en Español
Yahoo
30-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Co-op fends off hackers as police probe M&S cyber attack
The Co-op has shut down parts of its IT systems in response to hackers attempting to gain access to them. It said the "proactive measures" it had taken to fend off the attack had had a "small impact" on its call centre and back office. Meanwhile, The Metropolitan Police has confirmed it's looking into the major cyber attack at fellow retailer Marks & Spencer (M&S). "Detectives from the Met's cyber crime unit are investigating," it said in a statement. It is not known whether there is any link between the two incidents. There are more than 2,500 Co-op supermarkets in the UK, as well as 800 funeral homes. It also provides food to Nisa shops. A spokesperson confirmed its shops and funeral homes were operating as usual following the attempted hack. "We are working hard to reduce any disruption to our services and would like to thank our colleagues, members, partners and suppliers for their understanding during this period," they said. "We are not asking our members or customers to do anything differently at this point." It comes as M&S enters the second week of a cyber attack that has caused chaos costing it millions of pounds in lost sales. The retailer has not said what took out its online ordering systems and left empty shelves in stores. Ciaran Martin, the founding Chief Executive of the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC), told the Today programme on BBC Radio 4 on Wednesday it had "serious" consequences for M&S. "It is a highly disruptive event and a very difficult one for them to deal with," he said. Experts have told the BBC they believe the cyber attack affecting M&S is a result of ransomware called DragonForce. Ransomware is malicious software which locks an owner out of their computer or network and scrambles their data - with the criminals demanding a fee to unlock it. It is not known whether the Co-op discovered the hacking attempt as a result of any extra security checks following the cyber attack on its high street rival. Dan Card, cyber expert at BCS, the chartered institute for IT, said it was "very rare" for a firm to take systems offline after an attempted hack. "Taking systems offline is typically indicative of either a loss of control or to defend against a zero day where no patch is available," he said. A "zero day" is a term for a vulnerability in a computer system which its owners don't know about - meaning anybody can exploit it. There have been similar hacking attempts on supermarket chains in the past, with Morrisons being impacted by an incident in December 2024. Meanwhile, the banks Barclays and Lloyds were hit by outages earlier in 2025. Cyber attack on M&S leads to click and collect delays M&S customers in limbo as cyber attack chaos continues Sign up for our Tech Decoded newsletter to follow the world's top tech stories and trends. Outside the UK? Sign up here.
