Latest news with #ECHO
North Wales Live
12 hours ago
- North Wales Live
Man who sold pirated subscriptions to stream Premier League and Champions League matches jailed
A man was sentenced to five years in jail for selling pirated subscriptions to stream Premier League and Champions League matches. A judge told Mark Brockley "nice to see you" when he returned to face justice having previously fled the country with his dog. Brockley pocketed hundreds of thousands of pounds by selling pirated subscriptions which enabled his customers to stream football matches, a court heard. Having left with his profits, he spent years on the run in France and Spain. But eventually, he was tracked down on the continent and is now beginning his lengthy prison sentence following extradition back to the UK, reports the ECHO. A trial at Liverpool Crown Court previously heard Brockley, formerly of John Bagot Close in Everton, was involved in a "pyramid selling scheme" alongside an unidentified man, known only as "Freddie", who sat at the top of the operation. The 56-year-old advertised the services of the illicit Infinity IPTV platform on social media and "recruited and controlled others below him". Dominic Hockley, prosecuting, described how he also failed to disclose his unlawful income for tax purposes after generating an estimated £312,000 through his involvement, evidenced by transfers directly into his PayPal and bank accounts. It was estimated that his actions caused a loss in revenue in the region of £3million to BT, this being the sum which would have been generated if his clientele had instead subscribed to the legal service for one year. Investigators believe Brockley then travelled to France in the company of his dog in order to evade justice, with his whereabouts remaining unknown for several years. However, he was ultimately arrested in Spain earlier this year and returned to the UK after unsuccessfully attempting to fight extradition proceedings. A probe was launched in November 2018 when the broadcaster reported a Twitter account using the handle @Infinity_IPTV, which was "advertising the sale of premium film, television and sports content to its followers". Subscribers could purchase a month's subscription for £15, with Brockley found to have made a total of 5,251 sales between October 2014 and May 2019. It was also discovered he had not declared any income to HM Revenue and Customs since December 2018. His home was raided by police in July 2019, when officers seized £1,200 in cash, as well as a laptop and a mobile phone which linked him to the profile on the social media platform now known as X. But, despite the involvement of the law, he received a further 10 payments for his services after this date. Daniel Travers, defending, told the court in his client's absence during his original sentencing hearing in 2023: "It is disappointing, to say the least, that the defendant did not attend his trial and is not here today. That limits much of what we maybe would have hoped to discuss with him and recite. "Realistically, now, the court will not consider suspending any sentence. There are clearly those operating above him. There are many, many people above him. In my submission, Mr Brockley performed more of a management role. I ask him to be treated as effectively of good character. Undoubtedly, this will have a devastating impact on him." Brockley was found guilty of distributing articles infringing on copyright and fraudulently evading income tax by a jury in his absence. The dock remained empty as he was ultimately jailed for five years, with a warrant being issued for his arrest. But he was brought before the court yesterday afternoon, Monday, for execution of this warrant. Appearing via video link to HMP Onley in Northamptonshire wearing a grey Under Armour t-shirt and glasses and sporting greying hair and a beard, Judge David Swinnerton told him: "Nice to see you. "We did not see you throughout your trial, which is why I sentenced you in your absence. I passed a sentence of five years, so you are now serving your five-year sentence. I would have passed a consecutive sentence for a breach of bail but I am unable to do so because of the way your extradition has proceeded, so you are lucky." Judge Swinnerton previously said in his sentencing remarks two years ago: "This is not a victimless crime. This was a sophisticated enterprise on a large scale. It was well-planned and carried out over a long period of time. While not at the very pinnacle, I do find that Mr Brockley played a leading role. He made a substantial profit and caused a substantial loss." Detective Constable Geoffrey Holbrook, from the City of London Police's intellectual property crime unit, said following the sentencing: "Brockley made tens of thousands of pounds from an illegal activity and used the money to fund his lifestyle. Despite being interviewed by PIPCU officers and knowing that his actions were against the law, he continued to sell IPTV subscriptions and then left the country in an attempt to avoid the consequences of his actions."
Daily Mirror
2 days ago
- Daily Mirror
Drug baron lived champagne lifestyle alongside celebrities before life crumbled
Well-spoken drug lord Keith Shea and his wife Sara, from Wallasey, were found to have earned at least £4,089,545 - with much more frittered away on their lavish lifestyle - by selling cocaine A drug baron lived a champagne lifestyle and rubbed shoulders with the rich and famous after making millions peddling cocaine. University-educated Keith Shea and his wife Sara - who helped him launder the dirty cash - enjoyed a lavish lifestyle after earning £4,089,545 while people's lives were ruined through his supply of the addictive Class A drug. However, they earned far more and blew most of it on a jet set lifestyle - splashing out thousands on luxury holidays, expensive jewellery and designer clothes. They spent £12,000 on flights to Barbados, where they tied the knot, before dropping another £6,000 for a party at the luxury Hillbark Hotel in Wirral. Police eventually raided their home in Wallasey, where they found £12,000 worth of handbags, £100,000 his-and-hers Chopard watches, and a Skorpion sub machine gun. A £110,000 Aston Martin was parked on their driveway, alongside a £76,000 Porsche and a £46,500 BMW. Moreover, Shea would have a chauffeur drive him from their grand detached house in Wallasey all the way to London to dine at the most exclusive and fashionable restaurants. He was also frequently spotted in front row seats and corporate hospitality boxes at major sporting events worldwide - including the favourite of the super-rich, the Monaco Formula One Grand Prix. When police examined the accounts, forensic accountants determined that Keith Shea had profited by £3,971,660 from his crimes, while his wife had gained an additional £117,885. However, their facade of a perfect life crumbled when the seemingly respectable baron was spotted by police leaving a lock-up garage. The officers swooped in on the garage where Shea would stash and package class A drugs. Upon his arrest, police discovered 3,128 ecstasy tablets inside a toolbox, alongside amphetamine paste, a significant amount of cocaine, the cutting agent benzocaine, scales, food mixers, and a hydraulic press, as reported by the ECHO. After Shea's apprehension in January 2007, Liverpool Crown Court was told that the street value of his drug cache was a staggering £4.4 million. A subsequent search of Shea's Wirral residence led to suspicions he was planning an upscale move to "footballer's row" with an £800,000 mansion in Caldy – a neighbourhood favoured by Merseyside's Premier League footballers – after an estate agent's brochure was found on his coffee table. Police also uncovered photos of Shea and his cronies enjoying corporate hospitality at the 2006 Open Golf Championship in Hoylake, and family tickets for the Cricket World Cup in Barbados. Shea had forked out £30,000 in cash for the Barbados trip but was arrested before he could take flight. Court hearings later disclosed that Shea utilised various locations for drug packaging and distribution, including a Wallasey flat on Sandringham Drive where a wardrobe concealed an array of firearms. His lethal collection included a loaded Skorpion sub-machine gun, revolvers, a silencer, and a magazine. Found alongside the firearms were hollow bullets, designed to expand on impact. Shea admitted to conspiracy to supply cocaine, ecstasy and amphetamine. He also entered guilty pleas for six counts of possessing prohibited firearms and four counts of having ammunition without a certificate, resulting in a 15-year prison sentence. Julian Nutter, defending, informed the court that Shea had been drawn into the drug trade after becoming a user himself. He mentioned Shea's remorse and the fact that his wife was divorcing him due to his criminal activities. His wife was subsequently imprisoned for two-and-a-half years for her role in laundering his illicit earnings. Insp Ian Shaw, from Merseyside Police, commented at the sentencing: "Shea is one of those characters that really sticks in the public's throat. He lived this extravagant lifestyle with all the trimmings yet had no visible means of support. "He had the cars, the house and was at any sporting event you care to mention. His extravagances show exactly the kind of cash Shea had to throw around. "We found evidence linking his drugs network right across the UK, from Merseyside to Devon and Cornwall. And from our investigations, he had dealt in at least 100 kilos of cocaine – worth in the region of £5m. "Shea is university educated and well-spoken but along with dealing in drugs there was a much more sinister side to him. We recovered numerous firearms during our investigations, including a Scorpion machine pistol with silencer, which is a very nasty piece of kit." Shea most recently emerged when he was photographed at a charity gala held at Wirral's upmarket Thornton Hall Hotel in 2015. Sporting black tie attire, Shea beamed for cameras at the £720-per-table, three-course fundraising event.
Daily Record
5 days ago
- Business
- Daily Record
Couple's £36k caravan dream turns into nightmare as they're 'unable to sell'
"Whenever there are heavy rains, our pitch floods, which is often, due to the British weather." A furious couple have slammed a holiday park firm after claiming that they're "stuck living in a pitch that continues to flood" after purchasing a caravan for £36,600. Alicia Mearns, 41, and partner John Hayden, 48, say they have been told their caravan at Park Lane Holiday Homes in Meols, Wirral is "basically not worth anything" due to a kitchen John installed, and they are now unable to sell it, reports the ECHO. But the firm hit back, insisting they 'refute' the couple's claims and say they've had no communication about selling up. A spokesperson said: "The couple have not engaged in any communications with the company regarding selling the caravan." Alicia and John were hoping to buy a property in Spain, but instead opted for a base close to their places of work. Alicia, who owns Allure beauty salon in Birkenhead and John, who runs building business J&J Joinery, decided holiday parks seemed to be the best option for a second home. In early 2023, the pair met a salesman regarding a site at at the park, they had a budget of £25,000. However, they claim they were told there was only one caravan available near their price range at £36,600. The pair claim they felt pressured as they were told someone else was interested in buying it, and would need to commit right away with a £500 deposit. Alicia said: "We felt rushed. But the caravan seemed to be what we wanted, so we took the plunge." John added: "The rest of the money we had to pull together from bank loans and part-exchanging our 2013 touring caravan, pending the sale of our former property." Alicia said: "We were not given a contract. Not then and not later. All we ever received was a piece of paper in the office to confirm the sale." The pair paid £4,600 in site feed upront. They also said a further £300 was charged a few weeks later. Alicia said they spend most of the year on the site, but revealed problems arose on October 20, 2023, when floods occurred. She said: "Whenever there are heavy rains, our pitch floods, which is often, due to the British weather. "The water depth can be such that we find it extremely difficult to get in and out of the caravan. I am a mum with two kids and the youngest is seven." John added: "They told us a new water pump was installed to keep water levels down in future. But the flooding is actually worse now. It has flooded badly - a total of seven times since we moved in." The couple say they asked to move their caravan to a higher pitch but were told it would cost £1,400. They said they arranged for it to be done while they were in Spain trying to facilitate a move abroad. Alicia said: "(The owner) told us outright that they would not be moving our caravan. He told us that the only way to move to a more flood-proof location was to upgrade to one in a more preferable location." They were dealt another blow when they say a manager told them the van was now 'basically worthless' due to the £10,000 kitchen John had installed. Alicia said: "Apparently this had devalued the caravan" and "plus the fact it was 20 years old (we had no idea about its age until this point) rendered it worthless." She continued: "We are probably biased, but we feel that the caravan looks objectively better after John's lovingly installed kitchen replacement." John added that they were told the cheapest upgrade would be around £75,000 - which is more than they were willing to pay. The pair then said they attempted to sell the caravan privately. However, a spokesperson from Park Lane Holiday Homes said: "The couple have not engaged in any communications with the company regarding selling the caravan and therefore their comments are wholly refuted." In response, Alicia claims she spoke to a manager about wanting to sell the caravan. She said: "Two friends expressed an interest in buying our caravan. He (the salesperson) told us that 'because of the caravan's age', the park would have to put the ground rent up from £4,600 to £10,500 for the new owners. Understandably our friends did not want to go through with the purchase after learning this." Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community! Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today. You'll receive daily updates on breaking news as well as the top headlines across Scotland. No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team. All you have to do is click here if you're on mobile, select 'Join Community' and you're in! If you're on a desktop, simply scan the QR code above with your phone and click 'Join Community'. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice. The couple claim they looked at the possibility of moving the caravan to a different site, but said that because of its age no other site would allow this. Alicia said: "This information is something they absolutely should have disclosed to us before we paid out £36,600. We never would have paid so much money for a caravan if we had known the limitations caused by its age. Not telling us this was a serious failure on their part in our opinion. "We are now stuck living on a pitch that continues to flood, resulting in our electricity tripping out as our washing machine and dryer are located outside. The tumble dryer is now ruined due to water damage. "Currently we are in limbo. The park keeps sending us a new lease to sign, and we daren't sign it because it states a caravan age limit of ten years. "We have paid two years' site fees for a pitch that is unliveable, not fit for purpose and a danger." A spokesperson for Park Lane Holiday Homes said: "We can confirm that over the past two years the park has, on occasion, experienced flash floods. "However, we would like to emphasise that such events are not unique to the park itself. They are consistent with weather patterns affecting the wider local area of the Wirral and are reflective of the environmental conditions experienced across the region, where flooding commonly occurs. "We wish to reassure all guests that we remain fully committed to ensuring that the holiday park continues to be managed safely and responsibly. All necessary measures have been taken to protect visitors and maintain the high standards our guests expect. "In respect of the allegations made by the couple regarding their caravan, we must highlight that firstly this is a holiday site, and not a residential site. Further the couple have not engaged in any communications with the company regarding selling the caravan and therefore their comments are wholly refuted. "The 19-page licence agreement in place with the couple (signed on each page) is for one year, and they are at liberty to move to another holiday site if they so desire."
Sydney Morning Herald
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Sydney Morning Herald
Stan Grant is used to war zones. His ‘crazy' next act comes close
Apart from the obligatory high school roles, Stan Grant has never done any acting. The veteran journalist and author wasn't expecting the call that's lead to him doing a solo show at Malthouse Theatre this month. 'It's something that I would never, ever have planned for myself. It wasn't something at all that I'd had ambitions or aspirations to do, which makes it even more of a pleasant surprise.' The play is ECHO: Every Cold-Hearted Oxygen, and every night a different person will take up the challenge of performing the script sight unseen. It's the latest 'cold read' production from the acclaimed Iranian playwright Nassim Soleimanpour, whose daring and playful works attract the cream of the crop from across the artistic spectrum and beyond. Previous productions of ECHO have seen the likes of Daniel Kaluuya, Jodie Whittaker, Benedict Wong and Milly Alcock sign on for the mystery role. The seven locals range from theatre actors such as Nadine Garner to musical icon David Campbell to journalists like Grant and Jan Fran. When he was offered the role, it took Grant about 30 seconds to say yes. The spontaneity of the experience resonated with him. 'When I was a foreign correspondent I'd be dropped into volatile situations where we didn't know what was going to happen next, but we were confident in our capacity to handle whatever happened.' Comedian Michelle Brasier will be the first to tackle ECHO in Melbourne. Though she trained as an actor, the unknown aspect of the show is its greatest appeal. 'I think that might be what drew me to comedy in the first place. I always knew there was something else I wanted to do when I was doing theatre because there's something that feels restrictive when you do the same thing every night. Whereas with this, it's so alive.' It does make it difficult to decide what to wear, she says, but otherwise she's going in with confidence. 'Worst-case scenario I have a heart attack. But even then I've got so many witnesses to call an ambulance.' ECHO is the third in a trilogy of works that explore aspects of Soleimanpour's life. The first, White Rabbit, Red Rabbit, was written while the playwright was forbidden to leave Iran after refusing mandatory military service. Unable to travel, the play travelled for him, putting his words in the mouths of hundreds of actors all over the world. His follow-up, NASSIM, was a similar cold read but saw Soleimanpour himself take to the stage alongside that evening's fresh recruit. Taking part in more than 500 performances of the show taught him just how versatile the same script can be in different hands. 'Tonight you do it with Tony Shalhoub, it's theatre, theatre, theatre. Tomorrow it's the announcer of the local basketball team who is 75 years old and he's an amazing guy, but his understanding of theatre is different, you know?' he says from his current home in Berlin. Soleimanpour and his regular director, Omar Elerian, don't suggest names to perform their works. 'We decided years ago that that's the beauty of it. The producers invite whoever they want. We just give this general advice, go diverse, use different genders, ethnicities, backgrounds, because this is what it's designed for.' The conceit might seem like a gimmick, but Soleimanpour is also one of the sharpest writers for the stage right now. I first spoke to him in 2018 ahead of the Australian premiere of NASSIM, and he was already talking about the narrative algorithms required to write a work that can be performed by anyone. ECHO pushes that complexity to the next level. 'It's more ambitious. It's very technical, filled with creative technology, it has AI. It's a beast,' he says. It's also the first show produced by Soleimanpour's own company. Over the years he has expanded his role well beyond playwright. 'I've studied set design. I am a producer now. I am an actor. I am a writer. When we were at Stanford University, one of the technicians was not there and I sat behind the [lighting] desk, and I was giving them the light cues. They were like, 'You're the only playwright we've seen who can work the light desk.'' Loading Soleimanpour says that the structure of ECHO is so complex that it has broken software. Were he to write it as a conventional script, it would be more like a novel. He sometimes uses the metaphor of architecture to describe his role – he creates the columns that keep the whole thing standing, and then editors and dramaturgs come in to contribute the interior designs. The actors move in as occupants, and the audience finally arrives as their guests. He only insists on one thing: 'Do not move the columns.' He might create the building, he says, but what unfolds inside is always supposed to be a party. 'It might be emotional, it might be exciting, we might laugh a lot or cry at the end, but it is a party.' He wants both performer and viewer to be energised and enriched by the experience, which is why his previous work has always suggested a huge generosity of spirit and compassion for anyone who might take up his scripts. They're full of surprises, but Soleimanpour's works aren't tricks at their performers' expense. 'I always say: honest communication, happy negotiation. I think that's what's not happening in the Middle East now or in the rest of the world. The communications are not honest. They're negotiating through throwing bombs at each other.' The open-ended nature of Soleimanpour's plays means that they are conversations between writer and performer. Given today's global landscape, Brasier is especially interested in exploring that relationship with an Iranian artist. 'All art is political. I don't know if [ ECHO ] will touch on anything at all, but just to be able to have an Iranian voice on stage is really important and exciting.' Grant agrees: 'There's such a rich Persian literary culture and dramatic culture. That really appealed to me.' At the same time, he has deliberately avoided seeking out reviews or interviews that might shed more light on the upcoming experience. 'I don't want to go in there with any expectations. I'd rather be really open to the experience itself. And in many ways it does mirror what I experienced as a reporter in the most vulnerable places. When you're reporting in a war zone you really don't know from one day to the next what you're going to experience and whether in fact you're going to survive.' Dying on stage might be a little less consequential, but many people would probably think twice about taking to the spotlight with zero clue as to what they'll be asked to do. Not Grant. 'Some people have said to me, 'You're mad. What are you doing? You must be crazy.' And I'm thinking: What's crazy about it? It's really exciting. I mean, how often do you get a chance to do something like this?' He laughs. 'I'll probably never be asked to do theatre again.'
The Age
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Age
Stan Grant is used to war zones. His ‘crazy' next act comes close
Apart from the obligatory high school roles, Stan Grant has never done any acting. The veteran journalist and author wasn't expecting the call that's lead to him doing a solo show at Malthouse Theatre this month. 'It's something that I would never, ever have planned for myself. It wasn't something at all that I'd had ambitions or aspirations to do, which makes it even more of a pleasant surprise.' The play is ECHO: Every Cold-Hearted Oxygen, and every night a different person will take up the challenge of performing the script sight unseen. It's the latest 'cold read' production from the acclaimed Iranian playwright Nassim Soleimanpour, whose daring and playful works attract the cream of the crop from across the artistic spectrum and beyond. Previous productions of ECHO have seen the likes of Daniel Kaluuya, Jodie Whittaker, Benedict Wong and Milly Alcock sign on for the mystery role. The seven locals range from theatre actors such as Nadine Garner to musical icon David Campbell to journalists like Grant and Jan Fran. When he was offered the role, it took Grant about 30 seconds to say yes. The spontaneity of the experience resonated with him. 'When I was a foreign correspondent I'd be dropped into volatile situations where we didn't know what was going to happen next, but we were confident in our capacity to handle whatever happened.' Comedian Michelle Brasier will be the first to tackle ECHO in Melbourne. Though she trained as an actor, the unknown aspect of the show is its greatest appeal. 'I think that might be what drew me to comedy in the first place. I always knew there was something else I wanted to do when I was doing theatre because there's something that feels restrictive when you do the same thing every night. Whereas with this, it's so alive.' It does make it difficult to decide what to wear, she says, but otherwise she's going in with confidence. 'Worst-case scenario I have a heart attack. But even then I've got so many witnesses to call an ambulance.' ECHO is the third in a trilogy of works that explore aspects of Soleimanpour's life. The first, White Rabbit, Red Rabbit, was written while the playwright was forbidden to leave Iran after refusing mandatory military service. Unable to travel, the play travelled for him, putting his words in the mouths of hundreds of actors all over the world. His follow-up, NASSIM, was a similar cold read but saw Soleimanpour himself take to the stage alongside that evening's fresh recruit. Taking part in more than 500 performances of the show taught him just how versatile the same script can be in different hands. 'Tonight you do it with Tony Shalhoub, it's theatre, theatre, theatre. Tomorrow it's the announcer of the local basketball team who is 75 years old and he's an amazing guy, but his understanding of theatre is different, you know?' he says from his current home in Berlin. Soleimanpour and his regular director, Omar Elerian, don't suggest names to perform their works. 'We decided years ago that that's the beauty of it. The producers invite whoever they want. We just give this general advice, go diverse, use different genders, ethnicities, backgrounds, because this is what it's designed for.' The conceit might seem like a gimmick, but Soleimanpour is also one of the sharpest writers for the stage right now. I first spoke to him in 2018 ahead of the Australian premiere of NASSIM, and he was already talking about the narrative algorithms required to write a work that can be performed by anyone. ECHO pushes that complexity to the next level. 'It's more ambitious. It's very technical, filled with creative technology, it has AI. It's a beast,' he says. It's also the first show produced by Soleimanpour's own company. Over the years he has expanded his role well beyond playwright. 'I've studied set design. I am a producer now. I am an actor. I am a writer. When we were at Stanford University, one of the technicians was not there and I sat behind the [lighting] desk, and I was giving them the light cues. They were like, 'You're the only playwright we've seen who can work the light desk.'' Loading Soleimanpour says that the structure of ECHO is so complex that it has broken software. Were he to write it as a conventional script, it would be more like a novel. He sometimes uses the metaphor of architecture to describe his role – he creates the columns that keep the whole thing standing, and then editors and dramaturgs come in to contribute the interior designs. The actors move in as occupants, and the audience finally arrives as their guests. He only insists on one thing: 'Do not move the columns.' He might create the building, he says, but what unfolds inside is always supposed to be a party. 'It might be emotional, it might be exciting, we might laugh a lot or cry at the end, but it is a party.' He wants both performer and viewer to be energised and enriched by the experience, which is why his previous work has always suggested a huge generosity of spirit and compassion for anyone who might take up his scripts. They're full of surprises, but Soleimanpour's works aren't tricks at their performers' expense. 'I always say: honest communication, happy negotiation. I think that's what's not happening in the Middle East now or in the rest of the world. The communications are not honest. They're negotiating through throwing bombs at each other.' The open-ended nature of Soleimanpour's plays means that they are conversations between writer and performer. Given today's global landscape, Brasier is especially interested in exploring that relationship with an Iranian artist. 'All art is political. I don't know if [ ECHO ] will touch on anything at all, but just to be able to have an Iranian voice on stage is really important and exciting.' Grant agrees: 'There's such a rich Persian literary culture and dramatic culture. That really appealed to me.' At the same time, he has deliberately avoided seeking out reviews or interviews that might shed more light on the upcoming experience. 'I don't want to go in there with any expectations. I'd rather be really open to the experience itself. And in many ways it does mirror what I experienced as a reporter in the most vulnerable places. When you're reporting in a war zone you really don't know from one day to the next what you're going to experience and whether in fact you're going to survive.' Dying on stage might be a little less consequential, but many people would probably think twice about taking to the spotlight with zero clue as to what they'll be asked to do. Not Grant. 'Some people have said to me, 'You're mad. What are you doing? You must be crazy.' And I'm thinking: What's crazy about it? It's really exciting. I mean, how often do you get a chance to do something like this?' He laughs. 'I'll probably never be asked to do theatre again.'
