News 24/10/25

A nationwide manhunt is underway for an asylum seeker who was mistakenly released from custody after being jailed for sexually assaulting a 14-year-old girl and a woman in Epping.

41-year-old Hadush Gerberslasie Kebatu, from Ethiopia, had been living at The Bell Hotel in the Essex town — the site of recent protests over asylum accommodation. He was sentenced in September to 12 months in prison after being found guilty of multiple sexual offences, including assault and inciting a child to engage in sexual activity.

District Judge Christopher Williams warned at the time that Kebatu posed a “significant risk of reoffending.”

Six men linked to a Russian mercenary group have been jailed for an arson attack on a London warehouse supplying aid to Ukraine.

The Old Bailey heard that the attack, ordered by Russia’s Wagner Group, caused £1 million worth of damage to units in Leyton, East London. Ringleader Dylan Earl, 21, admitted planning the attack while acting on instructions from Wagner operatives.

He and five others were convicted of arson, terrorism, and espionage offences.

An asylum seeker has been found guilty of murdering a hotel worker, stabbing her 23 times with a screwdriver at a railway station in Walsall.

27-year-old Rhiannon Whyte died three days after the attack at Bescot Stadium station in October last year. Her killer, Sudanese national Deng Chol Majek, had been staying at the same hotel where she worked.

Jurors were told he’d been behaving erratically before following her to the station, where he carried out the fatal assault.

A man from Farnham Common has been convicted of terrorism offences after sharing racist and anti-Semitic material and holding bomb-making manuals. 22-year-old Nicholas Gilpin was found guilty at Woolwich Crown Court of possessing terrorist information and encouraging terrorism.

Police say his seized devices contained detailed instructions for chemical weapons, explosives, and firearms.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has arrived at Downing Street, greeted with a red-carpet welcome.

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer embraced the visiting leader as the pair posed for photos outside Number 10 before heading inside for talks. It follows a meeting earlier today between President Zelenskyy and King Charles at Windsor Castle, where the two discussed the ongoing war effort and international support for Ukraine.

Sheffield Wednesday have gone into administration, resulting in a 12-point deduction for the struggling Championship side.

The South Yorkshire club, known as The Owls, currently sit bottom of the table and now face an even tougher battle for survival. Court records show the filing was made this morning at 10:01 am, marking a major setback for one of the oldest clubs in world football, with more than 150 years of history.

An inquest has heard that disgraced Lostprophets frontman Ian Watkins died from a stab wound to the neck.

The 48-year-old was found dead at HMP Wakefield earlier this month, where he was serving a 29-year sentence for child sexual offences. Coroner Oliver Longstaff told Wakefield Coroner’s Court that Watkins was identified by a prison officer and pronounced dead on October 11.

The inquest has been adjourned while investigations continue.

Prince Andrew reportedly received tens of thousands of pounds from a British businessman linked to a firm accused of defrauding pension savers.

The revelation comes just days after he said he would no longer use his royal titles, including Duke of York. Andrew stepped back from royal duties in 2019 over his connection to the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

While he no longer receives money from the King, his finances remain largely opaque, with some details only surfacing through court cases.

And police have made several arrests for drugs and theft offences near Slough.

It follows reports of shoplifting in Abingdon yesterday. Thames Valley Police say two community officers tracked a suspect onto a bus using CCTV before intercepting it in Drayton, where constables Murphy and Highsmith made the arrests.

Retail sales rose to their highest level since 2022 last month, helped by the warm September weather.

Figures from the Office for National Statistics show sales were up 0.5% in September, and nearly 1% higher over the last three months compared with the previous quarter. The ONS says shoppers were encouraged to spend more on clothing and outdoor items thanks to the sunshine.

Senior statistician Hannah Finselbach said retail sales had grown strongly over the past quarter, reaching their best level since the summer of 2022.

Plaid Cymru have won the by-election in the Senedd seat of Caerphilly for the first time.

The Welsh nationalist party’s candidate Lindsay Whittle secured nearly 16,000 votes and became emotional as the result was read out. The 72-year-old, who has stood for Plaid Cymru 13 times since 1983, will now represent the seat until next year’s Senedd elections.

The contest was seen as a straight fight between Plaid Cymru and Reform UK, making the result a significant setback for Nigel Farage’s party.

Two men have been charged following an arson attack on a mosque in East Sussex earlier this month.

Ricky Ryder, aged 38, and Jack Slowey, aged 34, are accused of arson with intent to endanger life and have been remanded in custody. The fire at the Peacehaven mosque on 4 October damaged the front entrance and a nearby car, though no one was hurt.