Former judge jailed for sexual assaults was ‘manipulator of the highest order’, says survivor – The Irish Times

Aftab Baig, 47, from Glasgow, has been sentenced to four years in prison for fraudulently claiming over £710,000 in Covid-19 business grants by posing as a manager at Greggs. In May 2020, he contacted Leeds City Council with a fake corporate email, requesting business rates numbers for the city’s 32 branches to apply for grants intended to support small businesses during the pandemic. Although most of the funds were recovered, over £90,000 remains outstanding, and...

A 15-year-old boy from Sweden has been arrested in Sydney for allegedly using an encrypted application to facilitate international contract killings on behalf of a transnational crime syndicate, linked to gang conflicts in the Nordic region. He faces charges for conspiracy to murder, which could result in life imprisonment, and has been formally refused bail, with a court appearance scheduled for June 11, 2025. The investigation, initiated following a tip-off from Danish police, highlights the...

A major search operation has been initiated in Brighton following reports of a person missing at sea near Brighton Palace Pier early this morning, April 16. The HM Coastguard, alongside Shoreham and Newhaven Rescue Teams, RNLI lifeboats, and a coastguard helicopter, was alerted around 4am and has been actively searching the waters. This operation occurs amid unsettled weather, with the Met Office issuing yellow warnings for rain and potential flooding across various regions, including the...

UK Inflation Rate Drops in MarchIn March, the UK inflation rate fell to 2.6%, increasing pressure on Bank of England policymakers to consider interest rate cuts in the upcoming month. This decline in price growth occurs just before an anticipated rise in April, as households are set to face higher council tax and utility bills. The situation highlights the potential economic challenges ahead as the cost of living continues to impact consumer spending. Full Article

Providers reprimanded for pressuring customers, exploiting women’s insecurities or trivialising medical risksThe Advertising Standards Authority has reprimanded six cosmetic treatment providers for pressuring customers and exploiting women’s insecurities in advertisements for liquid Brazilian butt lifts (BBLs). This unregulated cosmetic procedure, which involves injecting fillers into the buttocks for enhancement, poses significant health risks, including potentially life-threatening infections. The investigation highlighted the need for greater scrutiny and regulation in the cosmetic treatment industry to protect consumers....

Summary Andrew and Tristan Tate, charged with human trafficking in Romania, traveled to Florida in February 2025 after a travel ban was lifted. Florida authorities indicated they would assist the UK in extraditing the brothers, who face separate allegations of rape and sexual assault from the UK. The Tates, who deny all charges, returned to Romania after a brief stay in the US, where they attended a UFC event, and are under investigation for various...