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The Irish Sun
a day ago
- The Irish Sun
Moment US ‘hitwoman wearing burka disguise tries to shoot dead Birmingham shop owner in botched assassination plot'
SHOCKING footage shows the moment a US "hitwoman" is accused of trying to kill a shop owner while wearing a "burka disguise". Aimee Betro, 45, was allegedly involved in a plot that saw Aslat Mahumad threatened with a firearm that jammed in South Yardley, Birmingham, a court heard. 11 CCTV footage shown to the jury captures a person brandishing a pistol, attempting to shoot Sikander Ali Credit: SWNS 11 Birmingham Crown Court captures the individual firing three shots into the property Credit: SWNS 11 CCTV footage allegedly captures Aimee Betro with her head covered Credit: SWNS The American denies conspiracy to murder, the possession of a firearm with intent and the illegal importation of ammunition, Birmingham Crown Court was told. Betro allegedly flew in from Wisconsin in the United States as part of the plot, the court heard. She is accused of conspiring with Mohammed Nazir, 31, and his father Mohammed Aslam, 56, to murder Aslat and members of his family between August 21 and September 10 2019. Tom Walkling KC, for the prosecution, said the botched assassination attempt was the culmination of a long-running 'vendetta' involving the family of Aslat. Read More in UK News The prosecution claimed that Betro, having bought a Mercedes earlier that day, lay in wait in the vehicle outside Aslat's family home in Measham Grove, Birmingham. Birmingham Crown Court was shown CCTV footage of an incident in South Yardley in September 2019. Sikander Ali, Aslat's son, was caught on camera arriving home in his black SUV. The video then shows a person wearing a face covering, who the prosecution said was Betro, pulling out a firearm and approaching Ali before the gun jammed at point-blank range. Most read in The Sun Ali then quickly reversed his SUV off the road, clipping the door of the Mercedes and damaging it so it would not close. After the botched assassination attempt, Betro allegedly returned to the property in a taxi and fired three times at the house, smashing several windows. Mr Walkling added: "On the seventh of September 2019 in a suburban cul de sac in South Yardley a would-be assassin tried to shoot a man called Sikander Ali at close range outside his house. "The assassin was a woman who tried to disguise her appearance by wearing a niqab - a face covering - and what looked like a burka." 11 Betro is standing trial but denies all charges 11 Video allegedly capturing Aimee Betro with luggage Credit: SWNS 11 Three shots were fired into the two upstairs bedrooms of a property in Birmingham Credit: SWNS 11 CCTV footage allegedly captures Aimee Betro purchasing a mobile phone prior to the shootings Credit: SWNS The firearms offence is alleged to have been committed on September 8 2019, while the ammunition smuggling charge relates to a period between September 12 and October 23, 2019. She later dumped the Mercedes and police found a black glove with Betro's DNA inside, the court heard. "Further proof if any was needed ... that she was the gunwoman in the burka," Mr Walkling claimed. Six minutes later she was again caught on CCTV shown to the jury from close to where the car was dumped wearing a summer dress, hoodie and flip flops and carrying two bags. Mr Walkling added that 'revenge was the motive' after Nazir and Aslam were injured during a disorder at Aslat's clothing boutique in Birmingham in July 2018, which led them to conspire to have someone kill him or a member of his family. Betro was extradited from Armenia and arrested at Gatwick Airport earlier this year by National Crime Agency officers , the jury was told. Betro's two co-conspirators, Mohammed Nazir and his father, Mohammed Aslam both from Derby, were convicted and jailed last year. Both were convicted of conspiracy to murder while Nazir was also convicted of possession of a firearm with intent to cause fear of violence. Horror moment gunman opens fire during pub brawl and shoots landlady as she tries to break up fight Betro, appeared in the dock on Monday wearing black glasses, a maroon top and a colourful beach shirt with bright pink Converse trainers. The American, whose hair was styled in two "pace buns" on top of her head, denies all charges against her. Betro is also accused of sending a text to Ali's father which said: 'Where are you hiding? … Stop playing hide and seek' and 'Come and meet me, I'm at Asda,' the court was told. Mr Walkling said: 'This case is about three incidents. An attempted shooting of a man outside his home, the shooting of bullets through the windows of that home, and the posting of illegal bullets from the USA to the UK." Mr Walkling said Betro was in contact with Nazir before she flew to Manchester Airport in August 2019. He said Betro had two phones - a normal "day to day" phone which she used regularly - and a "dirty phone" - bought before the shooting. Jurors were told that on August Betro also went to Birmingham and hired a Mercedes C Class car from Enterprise at Birmingham Airport. The car was later involved in a three car collision in Derby with Mohammed Nazir and another woman. Both later received insurance payouts, the court heard. She then stayed at a hotel in Derby for two nights before travelling to London and Brighton before returning to Birmingham and then back to Derby. The court was played a video clip - from Nazir's phone - showing a gun being fired into the ground three days before the attempted shooting in Birmingham which prosecutors said was a bid to "test" the weapon. The trial is expected to last four weeks. 11 CCTV footage allegedly captures Aimee Betro with luggage Credit: SWNS 11 Betro is now on trial Credit: SWNS 11 Mohammed Nazir was found guilty of conspiracy to murder last year Credit: SWNS 11 His father Mohammed Aslam was also found guilty of conspiracy to murder Credit: SWNS
The Irish Sun
2 days ago
- The Irish Sun
Shopkeeper hit with spate of thefts forced to TACKLE shoplifters himself as courts ‘just let them off the hook'
A SHOPKEEPER fed up with a spate of thefts has been forced to tackle shoplifters himself, saying the courts 'just let them off the hook'. Andrew Board, 39, who runs a convenience store in Durham, Co Durham, has become a local have-a-go hero - chasing down thieves, physically dragging them back into the shop, and banning dozens from stepping foot through the door again. Advertisement 5 The shopkeeper says he will 'protect and defend' the store from shoplifters Credit: Midlands Media Agency/Andrew Board 5 Andrew Board has been running his Premier convenience store for six years Credit: Midlands Media Agency/Andrew Board 5 Andrew says shoplifting is having a major impact on his business Credit: Midlands Media Agency/Andrew Board After six years of running his Premier store, the retailer had reached the end of his tether at being robbed blind while courts dish out slap on the wrist punishments to shoplifters. He said: "It's just got worse and worse because there's no deterrent. Crime pays at the moment. "The police have bent it over backwards to try and get all these criminals put before the courts, and they're as frustrated as we are, that they're basically just letting them off the hook. "They might get a caution or a rehabilitation order, but there's very little to stop them just going out and doing it again." Advertisement Read More on UK News Andrew has chased suspects around the estate and recently dragged a man who swiped a crate of Fosters back into the shop. After his brave citizen's arrest, police arrested the thief - only to spare him prosecution and hand out a community resolution instead. Andrew said: "The outcome was that he would just pay for the beer and it would be forgotten about. Despite him being on an electronic tag at the time. "How is that justice? What kind of message does that send if the worst-case scenario is they just have to give the stuff back?" Advertisement Most read in The Sun CCTV footage shows thieves being caught in the act - including a woman sliding tubs of Lurpak inside her coat and another nicking a bottle of wine. Other clips show Andrew and his staff grappling with shoplifters and hauling them back into the shop to await arrest. Moment Co-op worker grabs fleeing shoplifter by the THROAT to stop him making off with arms full of stolen items Shoplifting at the store has become so rampant that some products have been pulled entirely. Lurpak, Nescafe, tubs of fabric softener and even Spam have been removed after being targeted by drug addicts keen to pay off their debts. Advertisement Andrew said: "We had one prolific thief who was in constantly, shoving Lurpak down her coat. "She wears a lined coat, like a pro. She's been in court over and over again, but not once has been gone to prison." The store's banned list has grown to over 40 names. Andrew knows many having grown up and lived in the area all his life. Advertisement He has chased thieves around the estate, through back lanes and over fences. Andrew said: "There's no stereotypical shoplifter, I've had eight-year-olds stealing. Middle-aged people stealing to pay drug debts. Pensioners in their eighties stuffing things down their coat. "There's no set sort of character of what makes a shoplifter now." Andrew credits the police for trying but says officers are shackled by rules and red tape. Advertisement He is in a WhatsApp group with other retailers who track offenders and warn each other when someone's on the move. But police officers are not allowed to use WhatsApp. So while the group moves in real time, officers can be left catching up. Andrew told how the scourge of shoplifting had taken a toll on his staff, none of whom signed up to facing down criminals. Andrew said: "I've got some tools of the trade on me. I don't give them a chance to react. I work on shock tactics. Advertisement "I do have some restraint where it's needed. I would only retaliate if someone was volatile with me. I'm forceful in the immediate stage, but then if someone was going to pull a scrap with me, then I would hold my own. "I tell the staff to challenge but only if they feel safe. 'Often they'll ring me because I only live nearby. "My wife knows that I can handle myself and I do have a sensible head on my shoulders. But she's always going to worry in case anything does happen." Advertisement Nationally, half a million shoplifting offences in England and Wales were recorded by police last year, up 20 per cent from 2023. Andrew says shoplifting is having a major impact on small business struggling with ever-shrinking profit margins. He said: "These people are stealing out of my pocket because this is my business and I won't have it anymore. "Small businesses now, they're closing left, right and centre, because all the extra expenses we're now subject to, all the extra regulations we're now being bound by that we've got to fork out our own pockets for. Advertisement "Wages and overheads are all going up. National insurance payments have gone up. "So we're being hammered left, right and centre. And now all these thieves are just coming in like it's a free-for-all. "People think acquisitive crime is harmless but if I go under, then the post office in the shop goes too. The community loses out and that's not fair. "Shoplifting will not go down until something in the legal system changes." Advertisement In a Facebook post in April, the store warned: "We aren't one of those large corporate stores making millions and can absorb losses due to theft. We're a small, local, family run business that does its best to cater for the community. "All thefts are a theft direct from our pocket and jeopardise our ability to trade and serve our community. Because of this, we absolutely WILL protect and defend ourselves against thieves and anyone caught will be dealt with accordingly." A Durham Police spokeswoman said: 'Shoplifting is a significant issue nationwide , and County Durham and Darlington is no different. 'We take this type of offending extremely seriously and work hard to tackle the issue across our force area. Advertisement 'A large proportion of shoplifting offences are opportunistic and committed by people with drug or alcohol addictions. 'That's why, as a force, we must look at the bigger picture and find out why individuals offend in the first place and seek to address the underlying reasons for their offending." 5 Andrew isn't afraid to confront those trying to steal from his store Credit: Midlands Media Agency/Andrew Board 5 Half a million shoplifting offences in England and Wales were recorded by police last year, up 20 per cent from 2023 Credit: Midlands Media Agency/Andrew Board Advertisement
The Irish Sun
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Irish Sun
We took on four of the toughest eating challenges across the country – but could we finish them?
THEY have long been associated with gut-busting Americans who think nothing of cramming calorie-packed meals into their supersized stomachs. But competitive eating contests are now going mainstream in the UK, with enterprising starved restaurants serving them up to attract punters. Advertisement 5 Competitive eating started with Nathan's Famous International Hot Dog Eating Contest in the States in 1972 Credit: The Mega Agency As the cost-of-living crisis continues to bite, dozens of outlets are now offering a variety of food challenges, from finishing the biggest steak to gobbling up a mountain of burgers. The trend, which started with Nathan's Famous International Hot Dog Eating Contest in the States in 1972, is now popular with social media influencers. But how would the average Brit fare taking on the gargantuan meals? Four of our brave writers braced their stomachs to find out. Advertisement Read More on UK News NEWCASTLE 32-inch pizza to be finished in one sitting (They're open for 13 hours) - Difficulty 4/5 What is it? Massive pizza with 20,000 calories. Only two people have ever polished off one of these 32in pizzas – Pizzaholic restaurant owner Ilhan Ozcan and competitive eater Kyle Gibson. 5 Alex Storey and the pizza that beat him Credit: North News and Pictures It's big enough to feed someone for ten days. Advertisement Staring at the humongous pizza, which I must eat all in one go, I realise that a single slice is bigger than my head. Most read in Fabulous I am shocked by the sheer weight of cheese and crust. After 25 minutes, I have consumed 60 per cent of the pizza, but I am shaking with nausea and I am defeated, which means I have to pay my full bill, £93.99. Boss Ilhan said: 'It's popular. The rapper 50 Cent was here and we delivered one to Bryan Adams after his show in Newcastle. We used to challenge people to do it in 20 minutes but it was too difficult.' Advertisement ALEX STOREY PLYMOUTH The Big 60: 60oz steak to be finished in 60mins - Difficulty: 2/5 What is it? Barbican Steakhouse's 5,000-calorie steak is £64.95. 5 Ben Endley with his massive 60oz steak Credit: Wayne Perry Advertisement Around 200 people have tried the Big 60 Challenge in the past decade but just a handful polished it off in under 60 minutes. As the medium rare slab was placed in front of me, I felt confident. But 45 minutes later, I threw in the towel with eight ounces left. Co-owner Tahir Bhatti said: 'Our best time was under 20 minutes. He was an average-looking guy, but the mad thing is his wife told us he'd had a bucket of KFC on the way.' Advertisement BEN ENDLEY LEEDS The Paralyser: Monster English breakfast in 12mins - Difficulty: 3/5 What is it? Breakfast including four slices of bacon, four sausages, four hash browns and equivalent of a loaf of bread, plus trimmings. A 2,000-calorie feast. 5 Samantha Yule with her monster English breakfast Credit: NB PRESS LTD Advertisement Competitors have less than 12 minutes to finish the £18 meal and get their money back at the Greasy Pig. The current best time is 3.27 minutes. I managed four slices of bacon, three hash browns, two half slices of bread, half a sausage, a scoop of beans and a couple of mushrooms. Boss Mitz Bala said: 'It causes a stir on social media, it attracts influencers with huge followings.' Advertisement SAMANTHA YULE LONDON Eating 13 burgers in 10mins - Difficulty: 5/5 What is it? Ten minutes to eat 13 burgers. I'm a glutton, so was looking forward to taking on Red Dog Saloon's burger-eating challenge. 5 Graeme Culliford with his 13 burgers Credit: Oliver Dixon Advertisement But then I found out I would need to eat 13 6oz whoppers in ten minutes to claim £5,000, and my stomach began to shrivel. Professional scoffer Leah Shutkever ate 12 and it's her record you have to beat. My mood darkened as I was served a mountain of meat, cheese, onion and suffocating brioche bun. Halfway through the fourth, I surrendered. I ate three and a half. Advertisement Tourists began to film me on their phones through the window of the Soho branch. GRAEME CULLIFORD
The Irish Sun
4 days ago
- The Irish Sun
Cops release CCTV of suspect nearly a year after schoolboy, 15, was gunned down at ‘Teletubbies Park' during family day
POLICE have released new CCTV footage almost one year on from the fatal shooting of a schoolboy in a playground, known locally as "Teletubbies Park". Rene Graham, 15, died after being Advertisement 4 Rene Graham, 15, died after being shot in the chest in a park in west London last summer Credit: Metropolitan Police 4 Police have now released CCTV of the man they believe killed Rene Credit: Metropolitan Police 4 The man can be seen running from the park after shooting the 15-year-old Credit: Metropolitan Police Cops He can be seen entering the children's play area before shooting Rene in the chest. The teenager tragically died at the scene. CCTV footage also shows the suspect chasing and attempting to shoot a second victim after gunning down Rene. Advertisement Read More on UK News He then flees the area. Detective Chief Inspector Alison Foxwell, who is leading the investigation said: "Rene was tragically shot dead during a busy music festival. Since the launch of the investigation, officers have reviewed hundreds of hours of CCTV and taken numerous statements from witnesses. "Rene's family have continued to be supported throughout these enquiries, and they remain understandably devastated about his death. "Recently, a man in his 20s was interviewed under caution in relation to Rene's murder and we continue to investigate all lines of enquiry." Advertisement Most read in The Sun Footage shows the suspect walking towards the park, appearing to pull a gun from his pocket and then running from the area shortly after the shooting. DCI Foxwell added: 'The person responsible for Rene's murder opened fire in a busy park where dozens of people, including very young children, were enjoying themselves. 'Officers have appealed to the local community on multiple occasions – we believe there are people sitting on the name of the person responsible. 'This person, who was willing to take the life of Rene and risk the lives of others, remains in your community. Now is the time to get in touch with us to give Rene's family the peace they deserve. Advertisement 'Our thoughts, remain as ever, with them.' More to follow... For the latest news on this story keep checking back at The Sun Online is your go-to destination for the best celebrity news, real-life stories, jaw-dropping pictures and must-see video. Like us on Facebook at Advertisement 4 The suspect could be seen calmly walking towards the park before opening fire Credit: Metropolitan Police
The Irish Sun
4 days ago
- The Irish Sun
Drunk school kids endangered Virgin flight after using fake ID to buy alcohol on board
SOZZLED schoolchildren endangered a transatlantic flight after using fake ID to buy alcohol then sinking it at 30,000ft. Nine 'out of control' teens were arrested after the Virgin jet landed at Heathrow. Advertisement Exasperated teachers and flight crew told how the group were 'screaming and running amok'. Alarmed pilots on the flight from Los Angeles radioed ahead to report an emergency and police boarded it after landing. The kids — understood to be from well-heeled US families — were taken into custody, had mugshots and fingerprints taken, and told they could face jail sentences. Their plans to attend summer camps across Europe were in tatters. Advertisement Read More on UK News Cops revoked the teens' Electronic Travel Authorisations, which had allowed them to visit the UK. Virgin initially refused to fly the kids back after the chaos aboard Flight VS008 on July 14. When bosses relented, they 'took revenge' by sending them to various cities across the US and telling parents — some said to be sports stars — to collect them. A source said the kids bought booze before the flight, then smuggled it on. Advertisement Most read in The Sun They added: 'The posh kids couldn't handle their booze.' 1 Virgin initially refused to fly the kids back after the chaos aboard Flight VS008 on July 14 Credit: Getty
