TikTok influencer Mahek Bukhari has been found guilty of murdering her mother’s lover and his friend in a high-speed car chase.
Her mother Ansreen Bukhari was also found guilty of the murders following a trial at Leicester Crown Court.
Saqib Hussain and Mohammed Hashim Ijazuddin, both 21, died when their Skoda “split in two” and caught fire after leaving the A46 dual carriageway near Leicester before hitting a tree in the early hours of 11 February 2022.
Image: Saqib Hussain was having an affair with Ansreen Bukhari, the court heard
Just before he died, front-seat passenger Mr Hussain made a 999 call to police claiming Mr Ijazuddin’s silver Skoda Fabia was being “blocked in” and rammed by attackers wearing balaclavas who had been following them in two cars.
In a recording of the call played to Leicester Crown Court, he said: “They’re trying to ram us off the road. Please, I’m begging you, I’m going to die.”
He also said “Oh my God”, before there was a scream and the call cut off at the sound of an impact.
The court heard they were deliberately rammed off the road in an “ambush” after Mr Hussain threatened to use a sex tape to expose his long-running affair with the influencer’s mother.
Image: Mohammed Hashim Ijazuddin was in the car with Mr Hussain when it crashed
Bukhari, 24, and her mother, from Stoke-on-Trent, were both found guilty of two counts of murder following a three-month retrial after the previous jury was discharged last year.
An anti-vaccine protester who accused former health secretary Matt Hancock of murdering people during the COVID pandemic has been found guilty of harassment.
Geza Tarjanyi, 62, from Leyland in Lancashire, shoulder-barged Mr Hancock and “shouted ridiculous conspiracy theories” on two separate occasions on 19 and 24 January.
Senior district judge Paul Goldspring said Tarjanyi “deliberately intimidated and harassed” the MP.
Following the verdict, Mr Hancock said: “I am relieved at this guilty verdict. This individual didn’t just attack me, but he’s attacked several MPs and other public servants.
“We in the UK pride ourselves as a global symbol of democracy, built around respectful debate to build a more inclusive and harmonious society. Violence against anyone for their political beliefs is unacceptable.
“I would like to thank the CPS, Transport for London and the British Transport Police who have been fantastic throughout.”
Mr Hancock previously told Westminster Magistrates’ Court he feared the man would push him down an escalator during a confrontation over his handling of the pandemic.
Giving evidence, Mr Hancock said: “As a public figure, I can’t recall a time when I felt as intimidated as this.”
During the first incident on 19 January, Mr Hancock was walking past an anti-vaccination protest near parliament with a member of his staff when Tarjanyi filmed him while asking why he had “killed so many people”, before shoulder barging him, the court heard.
The MP for West Suffolk said he felt “physically intimidated” and “needed to get to a place of safety” during the five-minute interaction, describing the defendant as being “completely unreasonable”.
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“It made me feel unsafe going about my place of work, it made me frustrated that instead of engaging in a normal debate, someone was trying to intimidate me, I thought that was unacceptable,” he told the court.
“I had a pretty good impression he was taken over by these ridiculous conspiracy theories.”
Image: Matt Hancock said he felt ‘physically intimidated’
During the second incident, the defendant is alleged to have followed Mr Hancock through Westminster underground station around 8am on 24 January, before boarding the same train.
The politician, who had just had breakfast with Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, told the court he recognised the defendant and felt “more intimidated” because he was alone.
He asked Transport for London (TfL) staff to intervene – but claimed Tarjanyi began harassing “anyone who came to my aid”.
Read more: By-election to be held after COVID rule-breaker MP Margaret Ferrier loses seat COVID-19 inquiry: Brexit preparation ‘helped’ COVID response, Michael Gove argues
Mr Hancock said he stopped at the top of an escalator to “resolve the situation” – but that he was “being pushed from behind”.
“Obviously I was extremely worried at this time,” he told the court.
“If I had lost my balance at this point, I would have tumbled down the escalator.
“I had to work to maintain my balance and stop myself falling down the escalator.”
Mr Hancock resigned as health secretary in June 2021, admitting to breaching his own social-distancing guidelines when leaked CCTV showed him kissing his married lover, aide Gina Coladangelo, in his office.
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June: ‘I’m profoundly sorry for each COVID death’
He later found himself embroiled in further scandal when he jetted to the Australian jungle for a controversial appearance on I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! – which led to the whip being suspended.
Mr Hancock later confirmed in December that he would not stand at the next general election.
A “jealous and angry” man who stabbed his partner more than 50 times in a “frenzied” attack has been found guilty of murder.
David Xavier, 38, attacked Andreia Guilherme with a kitchen knife at their home in Croydon, south London.
The Old Bailey heard on the night of the attack in December 2020, 30-year-old Ms Guilherme had sent messages to friends and family after a row had broken out between the pair when she tried to end their relationship.
Prosecutor Paul Raudnitz KC said Xavier has become “increasingly jealous and angry”.
She sent recordings of “heated” exchanges on Facebook Messenger, in which the defendant accused her in Portuguese of being a “woman of several men”.
The victim texted a cousin to say “he picked up a knife” and told the defendant’s sister: “David is crazy pointed a knife at me.”
Shortly before midnight she sent another audio recording to a friend in which she can be heard saying Xavier was “coming after me with a knife”.
The court heard it was the last communication the victim made, and soon after Xavier stabbed her to death.
Image: The trial was held at the Old Bailey
‘Frenzied attack’
Mr Raudnitz told the court: “The attack was frenzied. Andreia Guilherme sustained over 50 stab wounds to the front and back of her body, some inflicted with sufficient force so as to damage her internal organs and leave knife marks on the bone and cartilage of her ribs.
“Amongst her injuries were cuts to her hand where she had tried to defend herself.”
Two minutes and 19 seconds after Ms Guilherme’s last communication, Xavier called his sister, who also lived in Croydon, and told her that she was dead.
She and her husband rushed to the defendant’s flat and found him covered in blood holding a knife with the victim lying lifeless on the bedroom floor.
Following the guilty verdict on Tuesday, Xavier was remanded into custody to be sentenced on Friday.
Former Manchester City defender Benjamin Mendy has signed for a new club – days after he was found not guilty of rape and attempted rape.
The ex-Premier League star and World Cup winner with Francewas found not guilty of rape and attempted rape by a jury at Chester Crown Court on Friday.
Earlier this year, the footballer had been found not guilty of sexual offences against a number of women.
But the jury were unable to reach verdicts on the two charges and there was a retrial, in which he was found not guilty last week.
On Wednesday, French Ligue 1 side FC Lorient announced they had signed the 29-year-old.
In a statement, a spokesperson for FC Lorient wrote: “The club is pleased to announce today the signing for two seasons of French international left-back Benjamin Mendy.
Image: Mendy leaves Chester Crown Court on Friday after the not guilty verdict
“After passing a medical examination, Mendy comes to reinforce the team for this new season.”
He is to join his new teammates at the club’s Espace FCL training ground later today.
Mendy became the Premier League’s most expensive defender when City paid £52m to Monaco for him in 2017.
He won three titles with Manchester City and was part of France’s World Cup-winning squad in 2018.
Mendy was released by the Manchester club when his contract expired at the end of June, having last played for the current Premier League champions in August 2021.
A man who shot dead a Metropolitan Police custody sergeant after smuggling a gun into a holding cell has been found guilty of murder.
Louis De Zoysa, 25, was still handcuffed when he opened fire at Sergeant Matt Ratana after officers failed to find an antique revolver and holster believed to have been concealed under one of his armpits.
De Zoysa was taken to the custody block in Croydon, south London, after being found with seven rounds of ammunition during a search in nearby Norbury in the early hours of 25 September 2020.
Northampton Crown Court heard how he deliberately fired the weapon without warning into the 54-year-old officer’s chest, causing a fatal wound to his heart and left lung.
A second shot hit New Zealand-born Sgt Ratana in the leg, a third struck the cell wall during a struggle with officers, and a fourth hit De Zoysa in the neck, leaving him with brain damage.
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CCTV shows moments before shooting
De Zoysa denied murder, telling jurors that he did not mean to fire the gun and was having a “panic attack” at the time, while his lawyers argued his responsibility was diminished by an autistic meltdown.
But he was found guilty of murdering Sgt Ratana – a Met officer for almost 30 years and head coach at East Grinstead Rugby Club – on Thursday.
De Zoysa, who had worked for HMRC in Croydon for around 16 months as a data analyst, was living in a flat at a farm in Banstead, Surrey, at the time of the shooting.
He bought the gun, which was legal to own due to its antique status, on the internet in June 2020 and made the ammunition on the farm, the court heard.
Image: The revolver used by Louis De Zoysa to shoot Metropolitan Police officer Matt Ratana
Body-worn footage played in court showed De Zoysa being stopped and searched in London Road, Norbury, south London, by officers, who removed items from his holdall and patted him down.
He was then put into the back of a police van and taken to the custody block in Windmill Road but officers failed to find a gun and holster which “were probably concealed under one of his armpits”, prosecutor Duncan Penny KC told the jury.
De Zoysa “retrieved” the weapon from a holster under his left arm, while handcuffed to the rear, as he was being transported to Windmill Road in a police van, prosecutors said.
CCTV footage suggests he managed to get hold of the gun with his right hand around 16 minutes before the shooting and then took advantage of a vent at the back of his overcoat to hide the weapon until the attack.
Footage also showed De Zoysa in the holding cell with Sgt Ratana and two other officers involved in his arrest and detention.
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The first three shots were fired within three seconds at 2.09am, while the fourth came around 16 seconds later.
The footage showed officers pulling Sgt Ratana from the cell after the shooting.
Another officer pointed a Taser towards De Zoysa, who was taken to the ground moments after the gun was initially fired.
Sgt Ratana died of his injuries in hospital despite the efforts of medical staff.
His partner Su Bushby said outside court after the verdict: “Today is about justice for Matt.
“His life was taken too soon in the line of duty, doing a job that he loved – a cruel end to a lifetime of service and dedication protecting others.
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Officer’s murder ‘will never leave’ colleagues
“Whilst the court case has concluded, the constant feeling of grief and loss continues.
“My love for Matt, my gentle giant will never end. He will never be forgotten.”
Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley said: “I cannot begin to imagine how difficult this has been for (Ms Bushby) and all of Matt’s family and friends. Matt dedicated 30 years of his life to policing.
“He was nearing retirement when he was tragically murdered. He was an outstanding officer who brought joy to his work.
“He treated everyone with respect, with compassion and with good humour. We will ensure he is never forgotten.”
De Zoysa, who appeared in court during his trial in a wheelchair, gave evidence in a modified way because of communication difficulties caused by his brain damage.
He nodded when asked if he knew that Sgt Ratana had died and said he felt “sad” about it.
Jurors were told they had to consider whether De Zoysa deliberately fired the revolver and the question of diminished responsibility.
Three men are facing jail after being found guilty of plotting to kill a man who owed money to a drug dealer.
Connor Palmer, Craig Miller and Elijah Stokes were all convicted after they were found guilty of arranging a hitman to kill the man in Birmingham.
In May 2020, the partner of the man the men arranged to have killed opened the door to find another man in a Tesco jacket and hi-vis vest.
He asked the woman if she was “expecting a delivery”, before adding “he’s here, isn’t he?” and walking into the house and shooting at the victim.
He was shot five times and taken to hospital, but survived. A child in the house was unhurt.
Palmer, Miller and Stokes, as well as one other, formed a group that was paid £100,000 by the drug dealer, who is now based in Dubai, to kill the man, Birmingham Crown Court was told.
They used £40,000 of the cash to pay the hitman, while Stokes arranged for a car and gun to be delivered to him.
Weeks later, the drug dealer ordered another hit through Miller, sending a photo with the caption “that’s him”, to which Miller replied: “Clips going in his head.”
The attack never took place.
The messages were discovered on EncroChat, an encrypted service used exclusively by criminals, according to the police.
However, the encryption was hacked by international police, meaning messages could be read by investigators.
Read more on EnchroChat: What is EncroChat? Liverpool drug dealer jailed after cheese picture analysed for prints Recovered messages ‘show organised crime bosses fear’ elite National Crime Agency
Stokes, 38, of Earlsdon, and Palmer, 40, from Surrey, were found guilty of conspiracy to murder, while Miller, 37, from Epsom, was found guilty of two counts of the same charge.
The gunman has never been identified.
Sentencing will take place at a later date.
Detective Inspector Gemma Currie said: “The messages we uncovered as part of this investigation make for truly chilling reading and are like something from a movie.
“It was a miracle that the victim of the shooting in Sheldon survived. It was thanks to the EncroChat breakthrough that we were unable to unravel this conspiracy to murder.
“The gang thought that they were able to communicate securely about their murderous plans, but thanks to the international law enforcement community, we were able to show exactly what they were planning and how they planned it.”
A man responsible for running a multimillion-pound fraud website pleaded guilty following the largest fraud investigation by the Metropolitan Police.
Tejay Fletcher, 35, pleaded guilty to running iSpoof, a website that allowed criminals and fraudsters to appear as if they were calling from banks, tax offices and other official bodies in an attempt to defraud victims.
They posed as representatives from banks including Barclays, Santander, HSBC, Lloyds, Halifax, First Direct, Natwest, Nationwide and TSB.
The total losses of frauds enabled by iSpoof in the UK alone exceeds £43m, with total global losses estimated to be at least £100m.
“I am incredibly proud of my team in the Cyber Crime unit who ran this investigation resulting in Fletcher pleading guilty. He was the ringleader of a slick fraud website which enabled criminals to defraud innocent people of millions of pounds,” Detective Superintendent Helen Rance said.
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She added that the Met are doing “more than ever” to protect Londoners from cyber fraud and “devised a bespoke plan to reach out to victims who were targeted via iSpoof”.
Charges against Fletcher included making or supplying articles for use in fraud, encouraging or assisting the commission of an offence, possessing criminal property and transferring criminal property, all of which he pleaded guilty to, when appearing at Southwark Crown Court.
Thomas Short, specialist prosecutor for the Crown Prosecution Service, called fraud an “insidious crime” that causes “huge emotional distress and devastation”.
He said: “As the leading administrator of the iSpoof website, Tejay Fletcher helped to provide fraudsters with the tools to cheat innocent people on a shocking scale.
“I hope today’s conviction sends a strong message to criminals that they can no longer hide behind online anonymity.”
Connor Chapman has pleaded not guilty to the murder of beautician Elle Edwards in a Merseyside pub on Christmas Eve.
Ms Edwards, 26, was celebrating with friends when a gunman opened fire at the Lighthouse pub in Wallasey Village, Wirral, shortly before midnight.
She was not believed to have been the intended target of the attack, which left four men injured.
In an interview with Sky News earlier this year, her father Tim Edwards said: “She was beautiful looking and she was a great hugger. She was just a fantastic human being with a heart of gold.”
The order of service at her funeral asked for donations to the Elle Edwards Foundation in her memory, and Mr Edwards said he hoped the foundation would combat gun violence in the region.
A former Metropolitan Police officer has been found guilty of rape.
Ireland Murdock, 26, had previously admitted to putting his victim’s name through a police computer after the attack.
He was convicted of rape on Monday following a trial at Inner London Crown Court and will be sentenced later this month.
The court heard Murdock raped a woman while he was off-duty on 25 September 2021.
He was arrested after the victim reported the incident to the police the following January.
After the woman made the report, Murdock searched for her name on a police system and accessed a restricted crime report relating to her, the jury heard.
Murdock was dismissed from the force in July 2022 after he admitted searching the victim’s name.
Read more on Sky News: Mother and partner found guilty over death of two-year-old girl Two men and a woman arrested after woman found dead in flat
Chief Superintendent Andy Carter, who is in charge of policing for the Central North Basic Command Unit, said: “Murdock committed an absolutely atrocious offence, and caused his victim a lot of pain and fear. He betrayed everything we stand for and I am disgusted by his actions.”
He thanked the victim for her “courage and bravery in coming forward”.
Mr Carter said the officer was suspended as soon as the allegations were made against him, and he was dismissed at the “earliest opportunity”.
“We are determined to have a Met that the public can trust, with officers that people feel confident to approach. When someone fails to meet these standards, we will take action to remove them from our organisation,” he added.
Murdock has now been placed on the barred list held by the College of Policing, meaning he can never return to the service.
A man who killed a golf greenkeeper by hitting him on the head with a horseshoe has been found guilty of murder.
Kirkpatrick Virgo struck Thomas Parker, 24, after the pair argued over loud music from a boombox speaker on a train.
The 42-year-old, from Slough, admitted manslaughter and carrying an offensive weapon, but denied murder.
An argument had broken out after Mr Parker’s brother Craig Parker, 27, told one of Virgo’s friends to turn the music down on a London to Reading Elizabeth Line train they were all travelling on at about 11pm last July.
The two groups shouted at each other before the argument was ended by off-duty police officers.
Virgo then followed the Parker brothers when the train arrived at Reading station.
During his evidence, Craig Parker told how he went to throw up behind a pillar as soon as the train arrived at Reading Station.
He said he felt ill from a McDonald’s milkshake he had consumed on the train.
“Once I vomited I felt Tom looking over me, making sure I was all right,” he said.
“Then it happened, so quickly, Tom was on the floor in front of me.”
Virgo took out horseshoe from rucksack and followed group
The court heard that Virgo had followed the group, removing a heavy metallic horseshoe from his rucksack, which he then used to hit Thomas Parker in the head.
Craig Parker told the court that he chased Virgo through the station as he did not want to let him get away.
“I was in a bear hug, grappling, just holding (him), I did not want to let him go,” he said.
After Virgo was detained, Mr Parker heard someone tell him that he needed to go back to his brother.
“I heard someone say ‘you best come down now’,” he said.
Mr Parker found his brother surrounded by paramedics.
Despite the efforts of emergency services, Thomas Parker was pronounced dead at 12.40am.
The court was told that Mr Parker died as a result of a subarachnoid haemorrhage after he was hit, meaning fragile blood vessels near his brain had burst and he had gone into cardiac arrest.
