A Muslim woman has accused Oxford University professor and Islamic studies scholar Tariq Ramadan of rape and abuse. The unnamed Swiss woman claims that Ramadan “penetrated [her] with blows to the head and insults” whilst she was in fear of her life, before almost suffocating her during oral sex. Ramadan has been on leave since he was charged with rape in France, and has repeatedly denied all the allegations.
Fox Sports journalist Paul Kent pleaded not guilty to a charge of assaulting a 33-year-old woman, but faces a further charge of assault. Stood down from his role with NRL 360, Kent, 52, sat in silence in Downing Centre Local Court as his lawyer submitted submissions denying the common assault charge and a further count of intentionally choking a person without consent. The journalist faces a hearing in December. Kent was also stood down from his weekly column for The Daily Telegraph, and his back catalogue of shows on NRL 360 were deleted from Kayo.
Once of the most audacious robberies in recent German history, the theft of diamond-encrusted jewels collected by the Saxonian monarchy from the Green Vault museum in Dresden, has resulted in the jailing of five members of a notorious Berlin mafia family. The men, who are close relatives and share the name Remmo, were given jail terms of between four and six years. The length of the sentences has been criticised, with Berlin’s prosecutor’s association saying it will encourage the mafia to act “more offensively” in the future.
A family fight broke out at Florida's Disney World on 14 June after a larger family refused to move as the smaller group posed for a photograph in front of the 100th-anniversary sign. The larger family punched several family members, with video footage showing a man falling to the ground and Disney employees calling for backup. One person received medical treatment. Two people from the larger family were told to leave the park without charges being pressed. In December 2019, Disneyland warned guests about behaviour after an increase in violent outbursts.
The WA government is set to offer a $64m reward for information leading to the solving of 64 unsolved historical cases, dating back over six decades, including dozens of missing persons cases and homicides. In each set of circumstances, the reward will be standardised at $1m, providing a solid incentive for information leading to the capture and conviction of those responsible. “This is a wrong that we are righting today,” said Police Minister Paul Papalia. ”The financial incentive will hopefully ensure those responsible for these heinous crimes are brought to justice.”
Six people were killed in a suspected arson attack on the Wellington Loafers Lodge in New Zealand, with fears that the death toll may rise. The property had been home to a mixture of residents including shift workers, welfare recipients and people under corrections orders including nine people on a community sentence order. Police have no arrests at present, but have opened a homicide investigation. This is New Zealand’s deadliest building fire since 1995. With the tragedy being a suspected arson case Prime Minister Anthony Albanese offered Australian assistance in the recovery effort.
A woman has been kidnapped and raped in broad daylight in Northampton's Greyfriars area. Following the attack last week, the victim sought refuge in a nearby shop before police arrived. Leon Svans, a 27-year-old homeless man, has been charged with two counts of rape and one count of kidnap. He appeared at Northampton Magistrates' Court earlier this week and will remain in custody until a plea hearing at Northampton Crown Court on 27 June.
Lori Vallow has been found guilty of several charges related to the murders of her children and her husband's late wife. The jury took six weeks to reach a verdict, with one juror initially holding out before ultimately switching his stance. Mr Hernandez, the juror who hung up, told press that the experience changed his perspective on life. An alternate juror, Tiffany, who spoke to Law & Crime, also noted how Vallow appeared unemotional during the trial, calling it one of the strongest pieces of evidence.
Deputy Prime Minister Oliver Dowden has labelled the leader and deputy of the UK Labour Party, Keir Starmer and Angela Rayner, the “Phil and Holly of British politics”. The comparison was made after Rayner criticised the Conservative government over its performance on issues including child poverty and the NHS during Prime Minister’s Questions. Last week, British television hosts Philip Schofield and Holly Willoughby, who work together on the show This Morning, were subject to rumours of a disagreement.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex were involved in a "near catastrophic car chase" involving paparazzi photographers. Kensington Palace has issued a statement condemning the "relentless pursuit”, which lasted over two hours and resulted in multiple near collisions involving other drivers on the road, pedestrians and two NYPD officers. The trio were forced to seek refuge in multiple police stations as they tried to lose the photographers. The couple had been attending an event in New York.
Alfred Dorris, the driver of a tram that derailed in Croydon, London in November 2016, was convicted of causing death by careless driving earlier today. Dorris was responsible for the death of seven people and injuring 19 while driving the tram at three and a half times the speed limit. He had just four hours sleep after working his third successive early shift. Dorris was convicted on all counts put to him by the jury and will be sentenced at a later date.
A man serving a life sentence in Canada for second-degree murder has escaped from a Kingston prison. Joshua Kenneth Kohl's absence was discovered on Tuesday evening and police have now issued a warrant for his arrest. Kohl was part of a group of men who were sentenced for the beating death of a man in Burlington, Ontario, at his 40th birthday party in 2002. It’s the second escape from a Canadian prison of a convicted murderer in less than a year.
Police in Northern Ireland are investigating the discovery of two dead white-tailed eagles amid suspicions of a rural or wildlife crime. A post mortem examination is to be carried out to determine the cause of death. The UK's largest native bird of prey, the white-tailed eagle is considered to be an "incredibly beautiful species." Policemen appeal for any witnesses who have information on the source of the deaths to come forward.
Celebrities in the US are investing millions of dollars to protect their privacy from paparazzi as such incidents are viewed as a danger to themselves and their family. The task is given to security teams, which includes veterans of armed conflicts, ex-UFC fighters, and retired NFL players who are trained in “executive protection” and evasive driving, and use vehicles with blacked-out windows and decoy cars. Increasingly, these teams have to deal with paparazzi behaving aggressively as the latter face financial desperation and seek rare opportunities to earn money. As a result, celebrities are in fear for their lives and are seeking protection from security services.
Canadian police have charged three people suspected of committing an armed robbery at an electronics store in Brampton, Toronto, on 16 May. Four gunmen reportedly entered the store and stole equipment at gunpoint before making their getaway in a car with stolen number plates. Police arrested three suspects within an hour, as they were driving in a vehicle near Jane Street and Finch Avenue in Toronto. Officers recovered a replica gun and $50,000 worth of property. They are still searching for the fourth suspect, believed to have been the getaway driver. No injuries were reported.
A farmer who bulldozed a riverside beauty spot to help protect a village against flooding has failed to overturn his 12-month prison sentence for his actions and must serve half of that term. John Price, aged 68, used an 18-tonne digger to dredge a one-mile section of the River Lugg near Leominster, Herefordshire. In an unsuccessful appeal aimed at getting a suspended sentence, Price was described as “selfish and ignorant” and judged to have disregarded the law. The court heard how he had destroyed the habitats of otters, salmon, trout and kingfishers through his actions.
The UK is set to deport up to 200 Albanian criminals to serve the remaining parts of their sentences in Albanian jails, with the deal being paid for by the UK. Many of those set to be deported include murderers, gangsters and drug barons. The move is part of a wider drive in the UK to expel Albanians who have been convicted of crimes and imprisoned in the country. Those jailed for more than four years will eligible for the transfer, costing the UK a fraction of what it would to hold them in high-security facilities.
Former New York mayor Rudy Giuliani has been sued for $2m by a ShopRite employee who said he was arrested by police he believes the politician colluded with. The worker, Daniel Gill, was cleared of charges that he had assaulted an elderly man, who alleges Gill called him a scumbag. CCTV footage showed Gill patting Giuliani on the back and making a remark before walking off. Giuliani said Gill had called him a scumbag and given him an abusive diatribe about his opposition to abortion. In a separate action, Giuliani has been sued for harassment and sexual assault by his former business development director, Noelle Dunphy.
Former NFL cornerback Damon Arnette has been indicted in Nevada on felony charges for allegedly brandishing a handgun during an argument with Las Vegas Strip casino valets in January 2022. The former first-round Las Vegas Raiders draft pick is due for arraignment on May 24 in state court on assault with a weapon and concealed firearm charges. Arnette played 13 games for the Raiders before he was dropped by the team in November 2021 after social media video appeared to show him threatening someone’s life while brandishing multiple guns.
A federal judge in Houston has dismissed criminal charges against Paulo Murta, a Swiss banker accused of helping stash millions in bribes paid to senior Venezuelian oil officials in a money laundering case. The judge ruled that the delays violated his constitutional rights to a speedy trial. Murta was indicted in 2019 on money laundering charges and spent nine months in pre-trial detention before being released on bond. Prosecutors are appealing against the dismissal of charges. Murta was accused of creating fake loans and setting up shell companies in Switzerland, Curacao and Dubai to hide the proceeds of PDVSA's bribery scheme.
