Stolen mobiles will essentially become unusable bricks after Apple agreed to help deter phone snatching.

The technology giant has made a deal with the Metropolitan Police, ensuring phones cannot be reactivated once they are marked as stolen.

Samsung and Google have also agreed to make changes to tackle the issue.

Device identifiers, such as the International Mobile Equipment Identity Number, will be shared between bodies.

This can not only track phones and switch them off, but reveal when they reappear in circulation.

The agreement will be able to disrupt entire criminal networks and business model worth millions, built entirely around snatching phones out of the hands of unsuspecting Londoners.

Are we winning in the fight against phone snatchers?

Officers recently launched Operation Reckoning, which saw 10-days of arrests and enforcement against phone snatching gangs in London,.

Footage shows raids against shops accused of selling stolen phones and arresting thieves with ‘interceptors’.

New technology has aided officer’s efforts. Drones are able to track the thieves as police chase using their own Sur-On e-bikes, which is much quicker and easier compared to following in car or on foot.

Operation Reckoning is still ongoing, but other periods of enforcement have proven successful.

In February, a four-week crackdown on phone theft saw officers make 248 arrests and recover 770 stolen devices. A further 122 people were arrested for other offences as part of the wider operation.

In April, the Met seized a further 1,000 suspected stolen mobile phones during a raid on a shop in north-west London. Four men were arrested.

That same month, three phone thieves pleaded guilty to handling stolen goods in an £180 million criminal operation.

Amir Muhammad Khadikhel, Ismat Miakhel and Mansoor Mohammed were responsible for trafficking up to 40,000 devices – around 40% of all stolen phones in London – to China between 2024 and 2025.

‘We are driving up the risk for offenders while cutting off the reward’

Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley has repeatedly called on companies to do more to deter phone snatching, giving them an ultimatum to step up or they will petition for the law to change.

He said: ‘For the first time, we are routinely sharing intelligence on stolen devices, building a joint picture of how these phones move and whether they reappear in circulation.

‘That partnership is already making a difference. If stolen phones cannot be reactivated, their value collapses, and so does the incentive to steal them.

‘We are driving up the risk for offenders while cutting off the reward.’

Sir Mark has also written to the Home Office asking for new laws which will ensure there are ‘minimum technical standards’ to make sure every mobile, once reported as stolen, is unusable.

Kate Adams, Senior Vice President of Government Affairs at Apple, said: ‘Keeping our users, their devices, and their data safe is at the heart of what we do.

‘That includes building industry-leading security features that significantly reduce the motivation for criminals to target people in the first place.’

The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, said: ‘The Commissioner and I have been crystal clear that mobile phone crime cannot be solved by policing alone.

‘Decisive and coordinated action from the mobile phone industry is long overdue to prevent stolen phones being used, sold and repurposed both here and across the globe.

‘I’ve seen for myself how Google and Samsung have introduced some advanced security features and I welcome Apple and the Met reaching an agreement to protect mobile phone users, and make stolen phones unusable.’

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The mother of a young girl who was nearly stabbed to death outside a school has told a court how her daughter is coping.

The child, aged five at the time, was seriously injured along with another young girl, a boy and a creche worker during a stabbing on Dublin’s Parnell Square.

Riad Bouchaker, 52, originally from Algeria, is accused of attempted murder of three children and other charges over the incident on November 23, 2023.

He has denied the charges and claimed he was ‘not in his right mind’ at the time, the Irish Times reports.

The girl’s mum was left in limbo over whether her daughter would survive the attack as the youngster was rushed into surgery following significant blood loss.

The mum’s first question to the medics was ‘is she dead?’ after a life-saving operation.

Her daughter, who has not been named for legal reasons, had suffered a wound to her heart and her brain was left without oxygen for around 40 minutes.

The girl stayed in the ICU for three weeks and was under heavy sedation so that doctors could understand the extent of damage to her brain.

She has been required to relearn everything over the course of her recovery, her family said previously.

At the moment, she is non-verbal and in a wheelchair, and learning to swallow again.

She uses blinking to indicate yes or no, and she relies on medication to go to sleep.

The woman told a Central Criminal Court jury how she received a tearful call from the creche owner where her daughter attended before school on the day of the stabbing.

The owner told the mum, who worked nearby, ‘Oh my God, oh my God, […] has been stabbed, you have to come’ and that it happened in front of the school.

She told the court: ‘I stopped breathing for a second but I kept running and I got there.’

The mum could see her daughter’s pink backpack and pink shoes near the school entrance as the emergency workers surrounded her.

‘I stopped and let them work because I could not do anything for her at that moment,’ she said.

Her daughter had celebrated her fifth birthday at the time of the events.

Bouchaker, of no fixed abode, is charged with attempted murder of two girls and one boy, and assault causing serious harm to a care worker, assaulting three people and producing a 36cm kitchen knife.

He has pleaded not guilty to all charges through an interpreter.

The trial continues.

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The Russian government has announced a U-turn on a Roblox ban after complaints from thousands of children.

Children in Russia access the hit game Roblox again after a petition forced officials to lift a six-month ban. 

The US game was blocked in December after Russia’s communications watchdog Roskomnadzor accused the platform of being ‘rife with inappropriate content that can negatively impact the spiritual and moral development of children.’  

But the move led to a wave of complaints, including a rare protest in Siberia and an official petition to restore one of the world’s most popular games.  

The pro-Kremlin Safe Internet League reported receiving 63,000 letters from children against the ban.  

Around half of them said the kids wanted to leave Russia because of the block, according to The Moscow Times.  

The wave of complaints was even acknowledged by Vladimir Putin’s government spokesperson, Dmitry Peskov, who confirmed that the president received a significant number of appeals.  The

The Russian ministry of media and communications said today:’Roblox has fully complied with Russian legislation to ensure user safety. The online gaming service is once again available throughout Russia.

‘The corporation has implemented a comprehensive set of measures to further protect children, including launching a mechanism to restrict access to games by age group.

‘Roblox has also committed to further combating the spread of inappropriate content on the platform.’

In its ban, the country’s media watchdog cited concern over alleged terrorism-related content and information about LGBTQ+ issues, which can fall under extremist content in Russia due to its strict laws.  

Before the Russian ban, Roblox had restricted chats so that adult strangers could no longer speak to children.  

Russian government has also restricted access to apps and platforms like Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp and YouTube.  

Meanwhile, the UK government is said to be looking into measures to stop children from speaking with strangers on any gaming platform.

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The US has launched ‘self-defence’ rocket strikes in response to Iran’s ‘unwarranted and continued aggression’.

US forces began launching strikes against multiple targets in Iran at 5.10pm EST, breaking a fragile ceasefire.

Iran had fired upon Bahrain, Kuwait and Jordan — all of which host U.S. troops.

Trump told reporters at the White House ‘We’re going to hit them again hard today’ in retaliation for the loss of an Apache helicopter on Wednesday.

On Thursday night, Iran’s Mehr news agency reports that air defence systems were activated in western Tehran.

Iranian media have also reported explosions in several other locations the southern towns of Sirik and Minab, Bandar Abbas and Qeshm island.

President Donald Trump said ‘it was very hard’ not to reveal that the US had been taking oil through the Strait of Hormuz under Iran’s noses.

With Iran’s blockade of the crucial strait causing mayhem in global markets and with oil prices skyrocketing, the US President had to figure out something.

He told reporters: ‘I’m just announcing today for the first time, but we’ve been taking out millions of barrels, because they just figured it out, so now that they figured it out, I can tell you it was very hard for me.

‘I wanted to say it so badly I didn’t want to ruin it, but it was very hard. But millions of barrels of oil has come out.’

On Truth Social, Trump said he directed the US military ‘to execute a secret mission’ to support oil tankers and other vessels through the Strait of Hormuz.

‘More than 200 Commercial Ships have safely travelled through the Strait,’ he wrote, adding the US – ‘NOT Iran’ – controls the waterway.

The US president did not provide any evidence to back up his claims.

Trump’s Energy Secretary Chris Wright was pressed about Trump’s remarks claiming that the US has been oil from Iran.

Asked whether he was aware of that, Wright replied: ‘I’m unaware.’

He was then asked whether Trump was lying.

‘Oh no, I do not think the president is lying. I think the president’s talking casually about our efforts to stop the flow of Iranian oil,’ Wright said.

Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghae accused the US of war crimes after allegedly attacking civilian water infrastructure in Sirik, a port town in south Iran.

The strikes reportedly destroyed two reservoirs that supplied drinking water to more than 20,000 residents, Baghaei claimed.

‘This is not collateral damage – it is a calculated war crime and a flagrant violation of human rights and international humanitarian law,’ he said. ‘The US must be held accountable for committing such systematic brutal attacks on civilian life-sustaining infrastructure.’

The military said it had fired on an oil tanker trying to transport oil from Iran in violation of its blockage on Iranian ports.

It was the eighth merchant vessel disabled in the waters off Iran, U.S. Central Command announced in a social media post.

But Iran has proved resilient despite having faced weeks of heavy bombing.

It was betting that its ability to effectively close the Strait of Hormuz is a strong bargaining chip.

Still, both countries seem to be looking for a way to end the conflict — if they can manage to sell it as a win at home.

But Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu appears intent on pursuing much more difficult goals: the collapse of Iran’s theocratic government, the elimination of its nuclear program, and the destruction of the Iranian-allied Hezbollah militant group in Lebanon. Israel’s stance will make compromise much harder.

A young couple in their 20s died just days apart and a month after tying the knot in Ireland.

The community in Tipperary, Ireland, is mourning the sudden deaths of Adam Hencek and Tomas Feuller.

Adam, 23, died unexpectedly at their home on Tuesday last week, according to a funeral director in Clonmel.

His partner, Tomas, 25, then died on Friday evening, also at home.

The couple, who hail from Slovakia and were living in Carrick-on-Suir, died a month after getting married.

Adam’s aunt, Mirka Kohutovicova, launched a fundraiser for her nephew and his husband following the tragedy last week to help with the funeral costs.

She said: ‘I am fundraising for the joint funeral of my nephew Adam Hencek and his husband Tomas Feuller, who tragically passed away on the 02.06.2026 and 05.06.2026 respectively.

‘We would greatly appreciate any donations to help fund the wake and the cremation of the newlyweds.’

Within days, the GoFundMe had reached its target of €12,000 (£10,352).

Tributes have poured in from the community after news of the couple’s deaths spread.

Adam’s former piano student wrote online: ‘So sad. Adam taught me piano briefly, he was a brilliant teacher and a gentleman. My thoughts are with Adam’s family and friends at this awfully sad time, may he rest in peace.’

Another person wrote: ‘Very sad to hear this. We met Adam and Tomas last year through work and their energy and love of life was infectious.’

A third person said: ‘This is devastating. Two young men, in the prime of their lives, passing so unexpectedly. My sympathy to their family and friends.’

Another tribute said: ‘RIP to this handsome couple Adam & Tomas, so very sad, condolences to both of their grieving families. May they find comfort in the memories of happy times shared together.’

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The World Cup is kicking off in less than 24 hours, with millions of fans expected to tune in as Mexico faces off against South Africa in the first match of the tournament tomorrow.

And as we watch on in glee – or horror – in the weeks to come, it won’t just be the players dribbling this year, as one meat-loving football fan has come up with a banger of a half-time snack.

Julia Boebel, the 11th Bavarian weisswurst queen, is making white sausages shaped like footballers at her family butcher near Rittersbach, Germany.

She says: ‘The World Cup is taking place in the summer, and that’s definitely barbecue season.

‘We sat down as a team and thought, what can we make for the barbecue using weisswurst?’

The result is a footballer-shaped sausage kicking a Franconian bratwurst ball, all held together with a green cocktail stick.

To make the sporty sausages, Julia – decked out in a tiara, weisswurst queen sash and food hygiene gear – pipes weisswurst pulp into footballer-shaped moulds, laid out on a tray decorated to look like a pitch.

‘Once I’ve piped them all out, I’ll smooth the surface nice and even,’ she adds.

Then, it’s over to the kettle where the meat is steamed. Once cooked through, Julia spears the footballer’s foot with the cocktail stick and attaches the all-important ball.

Then, it’s grilling time. Julia cooks the footballers over indirect heat for about seven minutes and says they pair perfectly with a ‘pretzel stick topped with butter’.

Showing off her creation, Julia chows down the bratwurst ball, gobbling it up in one bite.

The Bavarian weisswurst queen is chosen each year to reign over the region’s famous veal and pork sausage, named for its pale colour.

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It is often seasoned with parsley, lemon, mace, onions, ginger and cardamom.

The death of Texas teenager Austin Metcalf at a school track meet last year sparked one of the most closely watched criminal cases in modern American history.

More than a year later, it ended with Karmelo Anthony being convicted of murder and sentenced to 35 years in prison.

Anthony, now 19, was found guilty of murdering 17-year-old Metcalf after a confrontation at a high school athletics meet in Frisco, Texas, in April 2025.

The case later drew national attention, fuelled by courtroom arguments, social media debate and competing claims about what happened in the moments before the fatal stabbing.

As the case has unfolded, it has generated headlines across America and far beyond.

Like several recent American murder cases that have captured global attention, the story quickly became popular – if grim – watercooler conversation.

Here’s a look at the key facts, the evidence presented in court and where things stand now…

Who are Karmelo Anthony and Austin Metcalf?

Austin Metcalf was a student at Memorial High School in Frisco, a city just north of Dallas. He was a keen athlete who played football and competed in all sorts of track and field events for his school.

Anthony was also 17 at the time and attended Centennial High School, another Frisco school. Like Metcalf, he was involved in school sports and had travelled to the event as part of a team.

Despite later becoming linked forever by the events of that day, there was no evidence presented at trial that the two teenagers knew each other at all beforehand. According to testimony, their encounter began only because they found themselves in the same place during a rain delay.

That detail became an important part of the story. This wasn’t the culmination of a long-running feud or a dispute that had been building for months.

Instead, jurors heard evidence about a brief confrontation between two teenagers at a crowded school event. Within minutes, one of them was fatally wounded.

What happened at the track meet?

The stabbing happened on April 2, 2025, during a track and field competition involving several schools from across the area. Rain interrupted the event and students sought shelter wherever they could find it. Anthony took cover beneath Memorial High School’s team tent in the stadium bleachers. Witnesses later testified that members of the Memorial team told him that the tent was for their athletes.

Exactly what was said during the exchange was disputed. However, witnesses generally agreed that an argument developed between Anthony and Metcalf as tensions rose beneath the crowded shelter.

Witnesses gave differing accounts of the exchange, but several described the argument becoming increasingly heated before the physical confrontation. The prosecution and defence also disagreed over the significance of what happened next.

Some witnesses described Metcalf pushing Anthony. Others characterised the contact differently, but both sides accepted that there was some form of physical interaction before the stabbing.

Anthony pulled a knife and stabbed Metcalf once in the chest. The knife hit Metcalf’s heart. Coaches, trainers and emergency responders rushed to help him before he was taken to hospital, where he died from his injuries.

What happened immediately after the stabbing?

The moments immediately after the stabbing soon became a major focus during both the investigation and the trial. Witnesses described confusion and panic as students and adults realised the seriousness of what had happened.

A coach later testified that Anthony told him: ‘He put his hands on me. I stabbed him.’ Anthony remained at the scene and was later taken into police custody.

According to reporting based on police records, Anthony told officers that he had acted to protect himself. He also reportedly asked whether what had happened could be considered self-defence.

Hunter Metcalf, Austin’s twin brother, was nearby when the stabbing happened. He later spoke publicly about trying to help his brother in the moments after he was wounded.

Those events would become central to the legal arguments that followed. Nobody disputed that Anthony had stabbed Metcalf, but there was fierce disagreement over whether the circumstances legally justified his actions.

Anthony’s lawyers argued that he feared he was in danger and acted in self-defence. Prosecutors argued that the evidence didn’t support a self-defence claim and that the use of deadly force was in no way justified.

Why did the case become a national story?

The killing was already pretty shocking because it happened at a school athletics event attended by students, teachers and families. Because of that, news of the stabbing quickly spread far beyond Frisco and Texas.

As the case attracted more and more attention, discussions online often moved beyond simply the evidence that was being presented by investigators. Social media users across the political spectrum began arguing about the case in legal, ethical and social terms.

Because Anthony is black and Metcalf was white, race became a frequent topic in public discussions surrounding the case. Lawyers involved in the proceedings, however, repeatedly maintained that the trial itself was about the facts of the confrontation and nothing else. The issue of race was downplayed in court. Understandably, given that the subject has never been mentioned as relevant by investigators.

The case also generated intense interest because both teenagers were young, the incident happened in such a public setting and there were numerous witnesses. Those factors combined to create a level of scrutiny that many criminal cases never really receive.

As attention grew, online debate often moved faster than the facts emerging from the investigation and later the trial. Both families found themselves thrust into a national spotlight they had never sought nor wanted.

Fundraising efforts connected to the case also became a source of public debate. Supporters and critics on all sides weighed in, helping to keep the story in the headlines long after the initial incident.

What happened before and during the trial?

Anthony was charged with murder following the stabbing. A Collin County grand jury later indicted him, clearing the way for the case to proceed to trial.

The question that was facing jurors was never really whether or not Anthony had inflicted the fatal wound. He’d admitted it and been seen by many witnesses. Instead, much of the legal battle centred on whether or not his actions met the legal standard for self-defence under Texas law.

The case also drew attention because of Anthony’s release from custody before trial. His bond was initially set at $1 million before later being reduced to just $250,000. After posting bond, Anthony was released under strict conditions. Those conditions included house arrest and electronic monitoring while he awaited trial.

The proceedings took place at the Collin County Courthouse in McKinney, Texas. Because of the intense and widespread publicity that was surrounding the case, a number of restrictions were placed on what participants could and couldn’t publicly discuss while legal proceedings were ongoing.

Jurors heard testimony from students, coaches, investigators and other witnesses who had been present at the track meet. The evidence focused heavily on the confrontation beneath the tent and the moments immediately before the stabbing.

Anthony didn’t testify during the trial. Instead, his defence team presented its case through witness testimony, cross-examination and legal arguments surrounding self-defence.

What was the verdict and sentence?

After hearing, analysing and debating all of the evidence, the jury rejected Anthony’s self-defence claim. They found him guilty of murder. Jurors were also allowed to consider lesser offences, including manslaughter. Ultimately, they decided that a murder conviction was appropriate.

Anthony was sentenced to 35 years in prison. The sentencing phase included emotional testimony from members of Metcalf’s family.

His parents and twin brother spoke about the impact of his death. Their statements described the loss of a teenager whose life ended during what should have been an ordinary school sports event.

Anthony’s family also addressed the court and asked jurors for leniency. His lawyers argued for a lower sentence than the one prosecutors were seeking. The defence additionally raised the issue of ‘sudden passion’, a legal concept in Texas that can affect sentencing in some homicide cases. Jurors ultimately rejected that argument too.

The result was a sentence that means Anthony will spend decades in prison for a confrontation that lasted only moments. For the Metcalf family, the verdict brought the criminal case to a close but couldn’t come close to undoing the shattering loss that brought them to court in the first place.

More than a year after two teenagers crossed paths beneath a school tent during a rain delay at a track meet, one family is mourning a son while another faces a future shaped by a murder conviction.

It’s a big year for Prince George, who, in a matter of months, will make the transition from primary to secondary education.

Over the past couple of years, the future king’s choice of school has been of huge interest to the public.

The main question being, will he follow in the Eton footsteps of his father, Prince William, and uncle, Prince Harry? Or, will he carve his own path somewhere else?

This decision was made all the more uncertain when George’s parents, the Prince and Princess of Wales, began visiting a string of prospective places across the country.

From Wiltshire’s Marlborough College, where Kate attended, to, of course, touring Eton, the couple were also spotted visiting other schools.

This includes a reported visit to St Edward’s School in Oxford, known as Teddies, and a trip to Oundle School in Northamptonshire.

However, an Oundle resident later told Marie Claire that it ‘was actually [Princess] Charlotte that they are looking to enrol’ at the latter.

But the wait is seemingly over, as it’s all but confirmed that the £63,000-a-year Eton is the chosen school for George.

Royal broadcaster Richard Eden stated in the Daily Mail that he was told ‘it’s going to be announced next week that George will start at Eton in September.’

Eden also revealed that the young prince had sat the common entrance exam for Eton and passed.

According to Eden, the final verdict was down to Eton being an all-boys school — the others were mixed.

A source told the Mail: ‘We’re in the smartphone era. Any picture of George with a girl could be around the world in a moment, however innocent the kiss might be.’

Plus, they added that ‘security and proximity to home’ were two other swaying factors.

Eton is just a 12-minute drive from the Wales’ Forest Lodge in Windsor. The family’s ‘forever home,’ where they live with George, 12, Charlotte, 11, and Prince Louis, eight, is where they’ll stay even when William becomes king.

However, the final Eton decision is despite Kate reportedly being ‘heartbroken’ at the prospect of her son attending the prestigious school.

In 2024, a royal insider told In Touch Weekly that Kate ‘finally gave in’ to the idea of Eton, which produced 20 prime ministers, including David Cameron and Boris Johnson.

The source said this is even though she ‘long disagreed with her husband about sending him away,’ and Eton being a royal tradition.

The source added: ‘Kate thinks sending him to such a stuffy, upper-crust institution goes against all of their efforts to modernise the monarchy.’

England and Scotland fans heading to Magaluf to enjoy the World Cup games face a major clampdown, including a curfew for bar terrace TVs after midnight.

Bars catering for the thousands of football supporters expected to head to the Spanish party resort for the tournament will also only be able to stay open later under strict conditions.

Unrestricted special opening hours were today ruled out by council bosses for the area.

And they appeared to single out Three Lions supporters and fans of the Tartan Army by saying the rules – signed off in a municipal decree by the mayor of Calvia, which Magaluf is part of – only applied to England, Scotland, Germany and Spain matches during the early stages of the World Cup.

Establishments caught flouting the rules will face penalties.

Calvia Town Hall ruled in a lengthy statement: ‘If a match begins during the establishment’s normal opening hours, it will not be necessary to stop activity in the venue or on the terrace at the usual closing time, thus preventing customers from missing the end of the game.

‘Establishments may extend closing time until 15 minutes after the match ends, including extra time and penalty shootouts.’

But, the letter adds, bars which normally close at the time a match is scheduled to begin or earlier ‘may not remain open and must strictly adhere to the closing time stipulated in its regular license.’

Any matches being shown outside are permitted to be played to the end, but ‘with the volume set to zero’ and with screens pointing towards the venue to avoid disturbing nearby residents.

‘It is important to note that this scheduling exception will apply exclusively to matches played by the national teams of Spain, Germany, England, and Scotland, as well as to the semifinal matches, the final, and the third-place playoff.’

This follows a similar set of rules set out in 2024, where games were shown ‘with complete normality’, the council said.

‘Calvia Town Council warns that failure to comply with the provisions of this decree, as well as the applicable Municipal Ordinances, will be subject to penalties.’

Meanwhile, the mainland Spanish resort of Benidorm will have extra riot police and evening and night-time patrols as part of a World Cup security ramp-up.

The city, popular among British holidaymakers, is bracing for an uptick in visitors.

The first details of the ‘special operation’ in Benidorm being prepared for the tournament were announced overnight after a meeting between police and councillors yesterday to coordinate the response of local authorities.

Jesus Carrobles, Benidorm’s councillor for citizen security and public service, added: ‘Sporting competitions always generate great interest and bring together large numbers of fans, both residents and visitors, in public spaces and leisure and service establishments.

‘During the World Cup dates, an increase has been detected in the number of airline seats reserved on flights to Alicante, especially from the United Kingdom, so it is expected that many tourists and fans will choose to enjoy this sporting event in our town.

‘This increase in air capacity is estimated at 16.4% during the dates of the World Cup’s first phase, specifically from June 11 to June 27.

‘Both the local police and the National Police police will work jointly to reinforce surveillance units, and an information campaign will be carried out.’

Football fans have rushed to book flights to Benidorm after anger over the cost of World Cup trips to the US, one of three countries hosting the games this year.

Flight comparison website Kiwi.com said last year it had seen an ‘unseasonal spike’ in bookings for the summer, with the Alicante and Benidorm routes seeing an over 300% rise.

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A child killer was stabbed 25 times in his prison cell and left to bleed to death in his bed, a court has heard.

Kyle Bevan, 33, was being held at HMP Wakefield, a high-security prison in west Yorkshire, when he was attacked on November 4 last year.

Three fellow inmates, Mark Fellows, 45, Lee Newell, 57, and David Taylor, 64, are all on trial accused of murder.

Bevan was serving a life sentence with a minimum term of 28 years for murdering his step-child, jurors heard.

Jason Pitter KC, prosecuting, showed them CCTV footage of Bevan entering his cell, followed by the three defendants who, he said, came out four minutes and 39 seconds later.

Mr Pitter said the trio emerged displaying ‘something of a satisfied, job-done mood’.

The prosecutor said Bevan was put in his bed after the attack and was not discovered until the following morning when it was found he had bled to death.

He had suffered 25 stab wounds which penetrated his jugular vein, aorta and his heart, plus other injuries which are thought to have been caused by a different pointed weapon.

Mr Pitter said a folded piece of metal was later found with Bevan’s blood on it, which had been made from a piece of a television.

He told the jury of seven women and five men that, at the time of Bevan’s death, around 77% of the inmates at Wakefield were classed as vulnerable prisoners.

The prosecutor said that, unlike in other prisons, vulnerable inmates were not separated from main prisoners, and the wing had an ‘open door’ policy which allowed inmates to freely interact during ‘association’.

Mr Pitter told the jury: ‘Whilst there may be an obvious temptation to question the need and wisdom of that regime, the mixing of the prisoners, that is not a question for you in this trial.

‘What it did, though, was to contribute to a situation where there was tension, in an obvious direction, between those groups of prisoners.’

The trial continues.

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Ukraine has cranked up the pressure on Putin by launching more missiles deep into Russia, targeting key oil and military assets.

Vladimir Putin’s country has been considered generally safe from outside attacks, and the focus of the war has been on Ukraine’s defence at its borders.  

But Ukraine has been tipping the balance of power with recent attacks launched directly into Russia, including at a military plant in Cheboksary.  

Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky said several FP-5 Flamingo cruise missiles landed on the plant. The site, based in Chuvashia, makes drones and missiles for the Russian military.

The attack, more than 500 miles beyond the Russia-Ukraine border, left three people injured, according to officials.  

Another overnight attack in the Samara region caused a fire at the Novokuibyshevsk oil refinery, with eyewitnesses reporting hearing the sound of a drone along with explosions.

Ukraine had its eyes set on two more oil facilities, Lobkovo and Vtorovo, which supply Moscow and northwestern parts of Russia.  

The strikes in the Vladimir region, over 430 miles from the Ukrainian border, could cause shortages at petrol pumps, another blow to Russia’s economy – and a threat to Putin’s popularity at home.

Elsewhere, Ukraine managed to damage a key bridge between the Arabat Spit and the divided Kherson region on the frontline of the war. The attack blocked traffic on the vital supply bridge to Crimea, an area Russia has occupied since 2014.  

Nighttime trains were stopped in Crimea in response to the attacks and a curfew was put in place, an undesirable move for the Kremlin as it could put off Russian tourists from visiting the region.  

Drones are said to have damaged a locomotive on the route between Moscow and Simferopol, Crimea, on the Crimean railway earlier in the week.  

Zelensky wrote on X today that since the beginning of the week, 11 of its regions have come under fire, with Russia using almost 530 drones and two air-launched guided missiles.

He said that protection for Ukraine is ‘a prerequisite for diplomacy to work’ regarding any future peace plans.

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A rapist who held his victim at knifepoint and threatened to kill her is on the run from justice after being accidentally released from prison.

Bernadin Dedic, 48, had been drinking red wine and was high on cocaine when he pulled out a knife and warned the woman she ‘wouldn’t be heard’ if she screamed during the incident.

He cut off her clothes before subjecting her to a series of rapes and sexual assaults in an ordeal which lasted for several hours.

Dedic, a businessman living in Ealing, west London, was remanded in custody last year after being charged with four charges of rape, two counts of sexual assault by penetration, causing a person to engage in sexual activity without consent, threatening a person with a knife when in a private place, and making a threat to kill.

But in February he was mistakenly set free from HMP Wormwood Scrubs after a court official wrongly told the prison that he had been granted bail.

Within hours, Dedic had left the UK on the Eurostar and returned to his native country of Bosnia.

He put forward a litany of excuses for not coming back to face justice, including claims of a heart attack and a skiing accident, and he remained in Bosnia as the trial went ahead this month at Isleworth Crown Court.

On Tuesday, a jury convicted Dedic on all nine counts in his absence.

If he fails to return for the sentencing hearing, the UK authorities are expected to commence extradition proceedings so that he can be brought to serve the inevitable lengthy jail term.

Prosecutor Simon Sandford told the court Dedic carried out the attacks at his west London home, shortly after separating from his partner.

Dedic is thought to have consumed as much as four bottles of red wine and snorted lines of cocaine before luring the woman to his basement, after she had turned down his offer of ‘no strings attached’ sex.

This Is Not Right

On November 25, 2024 Metro launched This Is Not Right, a campaign to address the relentless epidemic of violence against women.

With the help of our partners at Women's Aid, This Is Not Right aims to shine a light on the sheer scale of this national emergency.

You can find more articles here, and if you want to share your story with us, you can send us an email at vaw@metro.co.uk.

Read more:

• Introducing This Is Not Right: Metro's year-long violence against women campaign
• Remembering the women killed by men in 2024

‘When downstairs, she turned towards the stairs and saw him, holding a red-handled oriental kitchen knife,’ said the prosecutor.

‘He stepped towards her, took hold of her and said he would kill her and then kill himself.

‘She was extremely frightened but tried to calm him down. He said if she screamed, she wouldn’t be heard.’

Dedic slapped the woman in the face and told her to ‘shut up’, used the knife to cut off her sports bra and top, and then ordered her to remove the rest of her clothing, the court heard.

‘She was terrified and was prepared to do whatever he said.’

Dedic, who was represented in court by a leading barrister, sent messages saying he wanted to come back to stand trial, but claimed to be struggling to obtain a visa.

His UK passport had been seized by the Metropolitan Police during the rape investigation, but after being set free from prison he had used his Bosnian passport to secure a seat on the Eurostar.

Efforts were made by a senior judge, police officers and Border Force agents to facilitate Dedic’s return to the UK for a trial in March, but at the eleventh hour Dedic told his lawyers that he was now unable to travel due to a knee injury said to have been sustained in a skiing accident.

Judge Martin Edmunds KC, the Recorder of Kensington and Chelsea, reluctantly agreed to delay the trial from March to June, so that he could recover and fly to the UK.

But in June, Dedic once again failed to show up to court and claimed to have suffered a heart attack in Sarajevo.

Hearing the news, Judge Hannah Duncan said she was ‘far from convinced he has had a heart attack’, but asked for medical reports to establish what had really happened.

The following day, with Dedic now unrepresented in court after failing to pay his lawyers, the judge decided that the trial would go ahead without him.

She noted that he had only sought medical help after telling the court that he was suffering from chest pain, tests had revealed his heart rate was normal, and he was discharged by the hospital.

‘This is yet another attempt by Mr Dedic to obstruct, manipulate and avoid justice,’ concluded the judge.

At earlier hearings, it was revealed that Dedic had been accidentally set free from prison on February 6 after a court official mixed up digital case files and mistakenly recorded that he had been granted bail.

The notice of bail was then sent to the prison, which effected Dedic’s release.

Judge Edmunds said in his ruling: ‘Although such errors are extremely rare, and indeed this is the only instance I am aware of when there has been an erroneous release of a prisoner held in custody to this court, we take this error extremely seriously.

‘We will fully investigate how it occurred and what steps can be put in place to prevent it occurring again.’

After the accidental release was uncovered, HM Courts and Tribunals Service (HMCTS) launched an investigation and a spokesperson said: ‘We understand the distress errors such as this can cause to those affected and instances like this have exposed deep-rooted issues across the broken justice system the Government inherited.’

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An ex-soldier who strangled his wife to death after saying he was scared she would ‘go off’ with someone else has denied murdering her.

Michael Davies, 57, killed Tracy Davies, 48, at their home in Cefn Cribwr in Bridgend, Wales, before stabbing himself on the morning of April 18 last year.

The pair met in 2020 and had only been married for around a year by the time Tracy was found dead.

But jurors heard that in the weeks beforehand Davies had made web searches including ‘how to stop paranoid thoughts in a relationship’ and ‘how to stop being jealous in a relationship’.

Davies has pleaded guilty to manslaughter but denies murder.

Newport Crown Court heard army veteran Davies had gone to Abu Dhabi to work in the security industry but had recently been sent back to the UK by his boss.

Mark Cotter KC, prosecuting, said relatives had raised concerns about Davies’ wellbeing since his return home on April 11, 2025, believing he had lost weight and seemed reserved.

The court heard he told family and friends he had struggled with his mental health, particularly during his time in the Middle East, and had been prescribed antidepressants and sleeping pills.

He told his sister he was afraid his wife might ‘go off with someone else’ and worried he might ‘turn out like his father’, who was apparently sectioned when Davies was still a teenager.

The jury heard Davies also made internet searches including ‘how to fight paranoia’, ‘understanding paranoia and extreme mistrust’ and ‘overcoming jealousy in a relationship’ in the weeks leading up to the incident.

Tracy was found dead in the bedroom at their home in Bridgend on April 18, 2025, when family members entered the property after growing concerned by a lack of contact.

A post-mortem examination found she had died as a result of pressure to the neck.

Davies later told police his wife had left bed that morning to make coffee but had instead used the bathroom and returned to the bedroom, where they cuddled.

He told police the next thing he remembered was sitting on her chest and fastening his hands around her neck.

Mr Cotter said: ‘He said he wasn’t aggressive, or screaming, or shouting; he said she struggled, but told police “I just didn’t understand what was going on”.

‘He described himself as panicking at seeing Tracy in the state that she was in.’

The jury was told Davies was found with ‘not immediately life-threatening’ injuries.

He later told police he ‘wasn’t doing it to get back at her’ and that he did not know why he had strangled her.

Mr Cotter told the jury the couple had not had a dispute when he killed Mrs Davies.

He added: ‘However, he denies an intention to kill or to cause really serious bodily harm.

‘The defendant, Mr Davies, has already entered a guilty plea to manslaughter but that plea has not been accepted by the prosecution.’

The trial continues.

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After a day working hard in a Hampshire laboratory, slouching on the sofa and binge-watching Netflix is insufficient entertainment for chemist Archie Williams.

Instead, he laces up his heavy duty boots, packs his rucksack with a torch, updates his phone with a map of abandoned buildings, and heads off into the night.

Urban explorer Archie, 22, has visited more than 600 abandoned sites since he started scouting schools, convents, hospitals, observatories, power stations and other dilapidated buildings ten years ago.

Archie does not break in. He normally finds an open window or unlocked door.

It can be dangerous and he has to watch out for rusty nails through the boots and broken glass, though those are the least of his problems.

‘I’ve had people who have come out with guns before and people who have fired warning shots. You’d be surprised by how many people in this country carry firearms when they aren’t supposed to,’ he says.

‘Quite often you will find what we call ‘time capsules’, which is a house that has been abandoned with literally everything left behind. You can walk into a house that hasn’t been inhabited for 30 years and it’s as if the residents just walked away and have not come back

‘Everything’s in there from personal possessions and sensitive stuff to old washing machines, microwaves. They are mundane things, but they have been left to decay and have things growing out of them.’

The locations Archie visits are kept top secret so they are not taken over by vandals or looters. He wants other urban explorers to be able to have a look around before buildings are developed or demolished.

‘I’ve had countless messages from people asking us to steal things we’ve found and sell it to them. But we don’t do that. That’s not our thing,’ he says.

He is not looking for loot; he is simply broadening his mind.

‘The ethos is do not break, do not take. Some people call it TOPLOF, which means take only photos, leave only footsteps. There is nothing illegal about it. By English civil trespass laws, you’re allowed in anywhere that has an open route of access.’

He has also been chased by dogs, security guards and has become used to run-ins with the law.

‘We’ve had the police turn up countless times. But we’re not breaking any laws so we just explain what we are doing and go on our way,’ Archie, who always explores in a group, says.

The fascination was born from visiting museums with his family as a child. After visiting Bodmin Jail in Cornwall, the experience stuck with him and he has been urban exploring at every opportunity since. He documents his expeditions on TikTok, Instagram, Facebook and YouTube as @‌urbex_with_archie.

‘I just love having the opportunity to see stuff that you wouldn’t otherwise see’

‘I’ve been to cinemas, mines, underground tunnel systems, industrial and farm buildings. I’ve been to a lot of hospitals and laboratories, which are really interesting to me, given what I do for work,’ says Archie.

‘Whenever I find scientific equipment or anything that I know how to use, I find that fascinating,’ he said.

‘I just love having the opportunity to see stuff that you wouldn’t otherwise see. After a day’s worth of exploring, we can cover 10 to 15 places in a day. We just want to see as much as we can before they are lost, because over time things will collapse, people set fire to them or they will be developed or unscrupulous developers will set fire to them.

‘You do get people who want listed properties to be unlisted, so they can develop the land. They will quite often pay people to go in and set fire to the place, just so that they can then use it again. And it’s a real shame. It puts a huge strain on the fire crews.’

Often these properties are stuck in probate, or the owners have gone missing or died. Sometimes they are simply too expensive to develop because of asbestos contamination or water damage.

Archie has also explored the sad homes of dead people who had been addicted to hoarding where it has become too expensive to those left behind to clear the house and it is just left to rot.

‘There was one property I found in the London area, full of priceless antiques. There was artwork on the walls and the whole property was hoarded between two to three foot from the ceiling,’ he says.

‘We see it occasionally, where people who have hermitted themselves, will actively collect their excrement or urine in various containers from bowls to bottles and in the case of that property specifically; it was in priceless teacups. In one property there was excrement smeared up the fridge. People live in beyond shoddy conditions. The smell really gets to you.’

He has also visited buildings where people have died in their homes, which leaves a sad and strange energy in the air, he said.

‘You get some places where you get a really bad feeling. There is a theory that if there has been a murder or something particularly stressful, those pheromones can be left in the air for somebody else to then detect later on. Suddenly you get hairs on the neck standing up, and you don’t know why. You get this feeling of ‘What the hell happened here?”‘ he says.

He has also been to properties that have been taken over by drug farmers or gangs, in which case he tries to explain what he is doing or leaves quite quickly. He visited a swanky spa once frequented by royalty, where the heated indoor pool is now full of stagnant water and pond weed.

In one property he found a passport hidden in a cubby in the wall, the owner of which was linked to the Royal Family. In another property he found a trunk that had not been opened for years. Inside was a flag from the First World War that had not been unfurled for more than 100 years.

‘Beneath it, was a stretcher that had blood on it from the trenches. It was amazing,’ he says.

In an abandoned convent he found a library of valuable books left to rack and ruin and priests’ robes hanging on the walls.

‘It is an archive of stuff that otherwise wouldn’t be seen. In Scotland we visited a property that had been abandoned for 52 years, and it was still in the same condition it had been left. The beds were still made. The lanterns had burnt out and there were old Lucozade bottles and golden syrup cans in the kitchen. You look around and nothing has changed in all those years,’ he says.

Sometimes Archie can date a property from records, and sometimes from a calendar left open on the wall.

I just love the history of it. I think this is something I will always do to some degree. This country is getting filled up with toy town houses with no character and these places need to be documented before they disappear,’ he says.

The world is a strange and scary place, one that even adults may feel they don’t fully understand.

But major events can be even more confusing for children, and for their parents as they help their youngsters to navigate the world around them.

Belfast was ablaze last night as rioters tore through the Northern Irish city following a knife attack on Monday.

Hundreds of masked men carrying bottles and bricks set bins on fire, kicked doors and set a Middle Eastern supermarket alight.

Why are the Belfast riots happening?

The protests began after graphic footage was shared on social media of a man being allegedly attacked by an asylum seeker.

The victim, named locally as Stephen Ogilvie, 44, was attacked at 10.30pm along Kinnaird Avenue, a residential road in northern Belfast.

A bystander can then be seen walking towards the attacker and swinging at him with a hurley, a long wooden stick used in the Irish sport of hurling.

Mr Ogilvie lost his left eye and is in serious condition.

The suspect, Hadi Alodid, 30, from Sudan, has been charged with attempted murder, having a bladed article and making threats to kill.

He has appeared in court in connection with the allegations today.

Far-right activists shared the footage on social media, pushing anti-immigrant views and encouraging protests.

By yesterday evening, people were being forced to flee from their burning homes on Lendrick Street as masked men flooded the city.

Thick black smoke clouded the skies as bins, police cars, buses and buildings were set alight in the Newtownards Road and Ligoniel Road areas of the city.

How can I explain this to a child?

It’s a lot for a parent, guardian or teacher to explain to a young person.

But as child psychologists and education officials stress, scenes of violence like yesterday’s aren’t something to shy away from.

Children may have heard about the riots – they were broadcast on TV and social media, after all – and might already have views on what they’ve seen.

This is why sitting down with children and being upfront about what’s happening is all the more important, Nicole Green, a children’s counsellor and member of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy, tells Metro.

‘When children see upsetting things on the news, such as riots, violence, or unrest, it can feel confusing, scary, and a lot to take in,’ she says.

‘As adults, we cannot always stop them from seeing these things, but we can help them make sense of what they have seen in a way that feels safe and supportive.’

When should I talk to them?

Parents and guardians could pull their children aside before they head off to school, so they can reflect on the conversation for the rest of the day.

Be approachable and put any distractions like phones away and turn the TV off. You need to show they’ve got your full attention.

Hold the chat in a place they feel comfortable in, like their bedroom.

Teachers, meanwhile, could hold a class discussion as they may feel ‘safe and secure’ in the classroom.

What should I say?

Ask if they’ve heard about the riots and, if so, what they know about them, recommends Green.

‘This can help you spot any misunderstandings, stop them from feeling overloaded, and respond in a way that meets them where they are emotionally,’ she says.

Be honest about what’s going on, but be upfront if you don’t have the answer to a question.

And when it comes to these answers, think carefully about the language you use. Clarify when something is your own opinion, as it’s important to separate fact from what you think.

But don’t speak too much either – give children time to process what you’ve said and a chance to speak and feel listened to.

‘Children, especially younger ones, can get overwhelmed quite quickly if they are given too much information,’ adds Green.

‘Their brains are still learning how to understand cause and effect, work out what is likely and what is not and manage big feelings.’

When they tell you how they feel, respond with things like ‘It is okay to feel worried or upset about that. It is a big thing to see,’ as it shows empathy.

Given that the video of the incident was shared on social media, if you do decide to show photographs or videos, keep them age-appropriate.

While you shouldn’t sugarcoat what’s happening, don’t focus too much on the negatives, either.

Focus on the positives – kind neighbours helping out one another to fix wrecked homes, people standing up to anti-immigrant views, or emergency services rescuing those in need.

Doing so helps children know that, despite what happened yesterday, the world is still a safe place with kind people, Green stresses.

‘When children see violence on a screen, they can easily start to feel that it might happen to them, that danger is everywhere, or that familiar places are no longer safe,’ she says.

‘Reassurance helps regulate these fears: “You are safe here. There are lots of adults working hard to keep people safe.”‘

Keep an eye on them this week as children might experience nightmares, trouble sleeping or paying attention or even physical symptoms such as stomach aches.

Watch out for signs that children are engaging with online lies, like conspiracy theories or clickbait, too.

Radicalisation can happen from an early age, so outline that algorithms can change what we see on social media.

We also hold unconscious biases – thoughts we don’t even realise we have – which can change how we see events like those in Belfast.

Green says: ‘By being honest but gentle, offering reassurance, and giving them space to talk, you are helping them build resilience, emotional awareness, and trust.

‘Those are skills that will stay with them long after this moment has passed.’

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Women ‘still in their care workers’ uniform’ were dragged to safety by Belfast heroes after their home was targeted by far-right rioters.

Jack McKee, 74, pushed through crowds of people throwing petrol bombs and setting homes on fire to reach two women trapped inside.

He spotted the pair, both African migrants, hiding in the corner as bricks were thrown through the windows of the property on Oakley Street.

Along with his daughter Paula, they were able to help carry them to safety as they were so scared that ‘they were too weak to stand’.

Jack’s son Jonathan told Metro: ‘They had to carry them out the back door secretly because the rioters were shouting, “Where are the migrants?”‘

The family, who run a local church, received a text at midnight saying the home of one of their congregation members was being targeted by violent protesters.

On instinct, they went to the house and found the two women, both shaking with fear.

The neighbouring property had been set on fire, with the blaze slowly creeping towards the women’s home from behind.

And from the front, rioters threw anything they could find through the windows and doors, causing extensive damage.

Jack said: ‘My family helped carry them out with the fire service and laid one of the women in the back seat of my dad’s car.

‘This is life-changing for them. They can’t go home now. We are sending someone around to board up the windows, but there are calls for more riots.’

Last night saw widespread disorder across Belfast, with rioters throwing petrol bombs, setting homes alight, and burning buses to the ground.

In London yesterday, around 100 Tommy Robinson supporters stood in Parliament Square and ordered police to take the knee.

Protests were originally organised after a man, named locally as Stephen Ogilvie, was allegedly stabbed by Sudanese asylum seeker Hadi Alodid.

During his first court hearing today at Belfast Magistrates’ Court, Alodid was remanded for four weeks and charged with attempting to murder Mr Ogilvie, threatening to kill an NHS radiographer and possession of a knife.

Police and politicians have called for calm as more social media posts planning further protests circulate this morning.

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Two former Tories who defected to Reform this year are facing questions after it emerged the suspect in the Belfast attack entered the UK while they were in charge of immigration.

Hadi Alodid claims to have come into the country via the Common Travel Area between Ireland and Northern Ireland in 2023.

According to the Home Office, the 30-year-old Sudanese national was granted refugee status the same year and has leave to remain in the UK until 2028.

Suella Braverman was Home Secretary under Prime Minister Rishi Sunak between October 2022 and November 2023, while Robert Jenrick served as immigration minister for roughly the same period.

Braverman and Jenrick both defected to Reform UK in January, and both now sit as MPs for Nigel Farage’s party.

Both also have roles as party spokespeople for specific policy areas, with Jenrick particularly prominent as Treasury spokesman.

Speaking to GB News yesterday evening, Braverman claimed she was powerless to put changes in place despite being in control of the British immigration system at the time.

She said: ‘As Home Secretary I repeatedly argued to the Prime Minister and the Cabinet that we needed to leave the ECHR to stop the invasion.

‘For this, I was attacked, blocked and undermined by my own Conservative colleagues who have consistently refused to apologise for the failures of the last government.

‘The failure to stop the boats and leave the ECHR remains the Greatest Betrayal by the last Conservative government and it is why over 90% of asylum claims are approved.

‘It is the main reason I left that dysfunctional and treacherous party and why the Conservative Party can never be trusted again.’

Jenrick is yet to respond, but wrote on Facebook yesterday that Reform would ban visas for anyone coming to the UK from Sudan.

He said: ‘The only reason to have immigration is if it makes British people safer and richer. Clearly migration from Sudan is doing the opposite.’

A post on his X account this morning addressing the ‘truly barbaric footage’ from Belfast was given a community note drawing attention to his past in the Conservative government.

It reads: ‘In 2023, Suella Braverman (Home Secretary) and Robert Jenrick (Immigration Minister) gave the alleged attacker leave to remain and refugee status.’

Critics including Rupert Lowe, the former Reform MP who now leads hard-right party Restore Britain, have drawn hundreds of thousands of views on X posts drawing attention to the pair’s links.

Reform UK has been approached for comment.

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A man whose house in Belfast was destroyed during riots in Belfast on Tuesday night said he was forced to watch as his most sentimental items burnt in the fire.

Hundreds took to the streets last night after a man, named locally as Stephen Ogilvie, was allegedly stabbed in the face by a Sudanese asylum seeker.

The protests, which also occurred up and down the UK, quickly turned violent – with rioters throwing petrol bombs, setting homes alight, and burning buses to the ground.

Jamie Corry, who has lived on Lendrick Street for 13 years, said his property caught fire after cars parked on his road were targeted by far-right vandals.

He said: ‘I came out that door and I told them: “This is my property, this is my property here”, and then they started to light the red car up.

‘So once I saw the flames starting to get bigger and bigger, I moved away from my property, I moved down the street there and watched it all.

‘The next minute the cars started to explode, the doors started smoking, the windows started melting, and the next thing the house was going to go up in fire.’

Items belonging to his late father were destroyed in the blaze, which covered his home ‘top to bottom’.

He said: ‘I don’t know where to start. I’m just glad my family, my kids, were around at my missus’ house at the time.’

Police and politicians have called for calm as more social media posts planning further protests circulate this morning.

Members of the community worked late into the night to make sure families were safe as police went door-to-door ordering people to evacuate.

Israel Eguaogie, who has lived in the city since 2008, told Metro: ‘I didn’t commit the crime. My child didn’t commit the crime. We should not be trapped indoors, afraid for our safety.’

Mr Eguaogie, community coordinator for Belfast City of Sanctuary, said he has not slept at all as he worked to make sure people were safe.

He said: ‘Families have been trapped in their homes, and children and parents are terrified.

‘People are sick with anxiety. People are traumatised. Children are seeing these images on TikTok, and it’s horrifying. Everybody is staying indoors.’

In the past two years, each June, Belfast has seen an increase in racially motivated riots – something Mr Eguogie fears will only get worse.

He added: ‘Legitimate fear is not what we’re talking about when families are being forced from their homes or burned out of them. That is real fear.’

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A supermarket in Belfast has been severely damaged for a second time in Tuesday’s riots after being targeted by protesters in 2024.

Footage taken this morning showed the entrance to The Sham supermarket on the Donegall Road had been torched, with metal gates torn open by rioters last night.

It comes after the same store was targeted in 2024, when hundreds gathered for anti-immigration protests sparked by the Southport stabbings.

At the time, a butcher working at the shop, Jamal Ghabes, told the BBC he would be moving to a different shop in west Belfast, adding that he didn’t feel safe living in Northern Ireland anymore.

It’s unclear who now runs the supermarket, but the interior is seriously damaged after last night’s riots.

The grocery store supplies a wide range of products, in particular Middle Eastern foods.

It is believed to have been deliberately targeted.

Across Belfast, homes and cars were set on fire as riots broke out after a man was left with serious injuries in a knife attack.

The victim was attacked on Kinnaird Road in north Belfast at around 10.30pm on Monday. He has been named by neighbours as Stephen Ogilvie.

A 30-year-old Sudanese national who lives close to the site of the attack has been arrested and later charged with attempted murder, possession of an article with a blade or point in a public place, and making threats to kill.

He appeared in court on Wednesday morning.

Footage of the attack has spurred unrest in Northern Ireland and elsewhere in the UK. A police Land Rover was attacked on the Crumlin Road, while a Glider bus was set on fire on Newtownards Road.

Several fires broke out, and crowds have confronted police. Homes were also set alight in what are thought to be targeted attacks.

Jamie Corry, who has lived on Lendrick Street for 13 years, said he confronted rioters before they lit his car on fire.

‘Once I saw the flames starting to get bigger and bigger, I moved away from my property, I moved down the street, and watched it all,’ he recalled.

He said he entered his property on Wednesday morning to view the damage.

‘It’s destroyed, top to bottom, it’s completely destroyed,’ he said.

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