Author: James Grant

The Department for Work and Pensions has upheld its decision not to provide financial redress to women affected by state pension age changes, citing the inability to justify a compensation bill exceeding £10 billion. Pat McFadden, DWP minister, delivered the confirmation to the House of Commons following a review of the Government’s position on payouts for an estimated 3.8 million women born during the 1950s. The determination followed months of deliberation, which included the discovery of a 2007 internal DWP evaluation during court proceedings. The document revealed officials had ceased sending automatic pension forecast letters to affected individuals. Mr McFadden…

An employment tribunal has upheld the dismissal of a London bus driver who was fired for gross misconduct after physically confronting a man who stole a passenger’s necklace. Mark Hehir’s appeal was rejected at a Watford tribunal, which ruled that Metroline’s decision to terminate his employment fell within the reasonable range of responses available to an employer in such circumstances. The incident occurred on 25 June 2024 when Hehir was operating the 206 route between Wembley and Maida Vale. A man boarded the vehicle, pushed past a female passenger and snatched jewellery from her neck before fleeing the scene. Hehir…

A Bradford man has been sentenced to more than eight years imprisonment after firing a pistol during a violent confrontation involving up to 15 balaclava-wearing men armed with weapons. Mohammed Kamal, 25, discharged the firearm during the late-night incident in a Manningham car park on 19 April, striking another man in the groin and leg. Witnesses reported seeing the large group carrying machetes, axes and hammers in the Victor Street area. The victim required surgical treatment following the attack. Kamal, of Girlington Road, Bradford, faced an initial attempted murder charge before admitting wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm…

The Defence Accident Investigation Branch has opened an inquiry following the death of a Royal Artillery officer during live-fire training at a Northumberland range where another soldier was fatally shot a decade ago. Captain Philip Gilbert Muldowney, 25, died on Sunday, January 25, after being struck during a night-time tactical exercise at Otterburn Training Area. The incident marks the second fatal shooting at the facility in ten years. The captain was participating in training alongside elite Scots Guards personnel when he was hit at approximately 8pm. Troops were using night vision goggles and SA80 assault rifles to engage pop-up targets…

A former Labour Member of Parliament is scheduled to appear before magistrates next month after prosecutors authorised a sexual assault charge following a police investigation. Conor McGinn, 41, will attend Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Friday, February 27, to face one count of sexual assault. The charge relates to an allegation made by a woman concerning an incident in July 2022. Mr McGinn served as the Labour MP for St Helens North throughout a nine-year parliamentary career between 2015 and 2024. He represented the Merseyside constituency until standing down at the general election. The Crown Prosecution Service confirmed it had authorised…

A far-right extremist who operated a Telegram group distributing terrorist material whilst manufacturing weapons at his London flat has been imprisoned for 15 years. Robert Adamski, 29, was convicted of four counts of disseminating terrorist publications and possession of a document for terrorist purposes following a two-week trial at Woolwich Crown Court in October 2025. He had previously admitted two counts of possessing a prohibited firearm. Counter Terrorism Command officers discovered extremist flags and images of Adolf Hitler when they raided Adamski’s Leyton home in July 2024. An ‘SS’ flag was among items seized during the search. The raid also…

DNA evidence discovered inside a stolen getaway vehicle proved crucial in securing a life sentence for a gunman who carried out a drive-by shooting in West London. Nathan Tokosi, 25, of Grove Street, Lewisham, will serve a minimum of 24 years behind bars after being convicted of attempting to murder a 27-year-old man during the attack in Notting Hill. Police officers were called to Clydesdale Road at approximately 02:00hrs on Monday, 20 November 2023, following reports of a shooting. Witnesses described a vehicle pulling alongside another car before a passenger opened fire with a handgun. The severely injured victim was…

Four major Western nations have agreed to urgently convene a meeting of the International Coalition against ISIS following fresh concerns over security at detention facilities in North East Syria. The United Kingdom, United States, France and Germany issued a joint statement on Sunday after senior officials met to discuss the volatile situation in the region. UK Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper, French Foreign Minister Jean Noël Barrot, German Deputy Foreign Minister Serap Güler, and US Special Envoy Tom Barrack participated in the discussions. The statement emphasised the critical need to prevent any security vacuum developing around ISIS detention centres, with the…

A judge imposed a reporting restriction preventing the jury and public from learning that a man accused of raping a teenager was an asylum seeker, ruling that disclosure risked prejudicing the administration of justice. Judge Nirmal Shant KC made the order in September last year ahead of the trial of Sheraz Malik, 28, who was subsequently convicted of two counts of rape at Birmingham Crown Court. The restriction meant that Malik’s immigration status could not be reported until after the case concluded. It can now be revealed that he is a Pakistani national who had previously resided in Italy, Germany…

Around 70 firefighters battled for two hours to bring a devastating house fire under control in south London after flames tore through a property in the early hours of this morning. A child was rushed to hospital along with a man and woman after all three were rescued from the burning two-storey end-of-terrace home on Halesowen Road in Morden. The trio were found suffering from smoke inhalation and received treatment at the scene before being transported to hospital by ambulance. London Fire Brigade said crews used a 32-metre turntable ladder as a water tower to tackle the flames from above…