Author: Charlotte Hughes

A 67-year-old man has been sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 16 years after subjecting a woman to three decades of systematic sexual abuse involving more than 100 men. Rodney Johnston, from Starston in Norfolk, was convicted following an eight-week trial at Norwich Crown Court in September. He received his sentence on Friday after a jury found him guilty of multiple offences including procuring a woman to have sexual intercourse by threats and intimidation. Judge Alice Robinson described the victim’s impact statement as “harrowing” and noted the “profound and lifelong consequences” of the abuse. She stated it…

Nigel Farage has announced Laila Cunningham as Reform UK’s candidate for the 2028 London mayoral election, with the Westminster councillor pledging to launch an “all-out war on crime” if elected. The announcement took place at a press conference in central London on January 7, with banners reading “London needs Reform.” Ms Cunningham, a former senior Crown Prosecution Service prosecutor and mother of seven, serves as councillor for Lancaster Gate ward. Mr Farage described May’s elections as the single most significant electoral test ahead of the next general election, calling Ms Cunningham the figurehead for Reform’s London campaign. “She has given…

Sir Keir Starmer spoke with US President Donald Trump this evening to discuss mounting tensions over Greenland, amid warnings from Denmark that American military action would spell the end of NATO. A Downing Street spokesman confirmed the prime minister set out his position on Greenland during the call, which also covered a joint US-UK maritime operation, recent progress on Ukraine and the US operation in Venezuela. Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen warned that any US action against Greenland would spell the end of NATO. The territory is part of Denmark, a NATO ally, despite Mr Trump’s vocal desire to annex…

The government has launched a consultation on consolidating taxi and private hire vehicle licensing bodies from 263 to 70 Local Transport Authorities in an effort to enhance passenger safety and reduce exploitation of lax regulations. Local Transport Minister Lilian Greenwood said passenger safety remained central to government efforts. The proposals would see Greater Manchester consolidate from 10 licensing authorities to a single body, whilst nationally the number of licensing bodies would be reduced to 70 LTAs, which already manage local transport planning. Currently, 263 bodies issue licences to taxi and private hire vehicle drivers, including councils and Transport for London.…

A high-stakes takeover battle has erupted over Warner Bros Discovery, with Paramount mounting a hostile all-cash bid after the media giant’s board backed a rival offer from Netflix. Paramount has tabled an amended bid totalling $108.4bn for WBD’s entire business, offering $30 per share. The move bypasses the WBD board by approaching shareholders directly, coming after Netflix secured unanimous board support for its $72bn cash and stock proposal valued at $27.75 per share. WBD shares currently trade around $28 per share. David Ellison, chairman and chief executive of Paramount, stated: “Our public offer, which is on the same terms we…

A man serving a life sentence for throwing a six-year-old boy from the tenth floor of the Tate Modern has been jailed for 16 weeks for attacking two nurses at a high-security psychiatric hospital. Jonty Bravery, 24, was sentenced at Westminster Magistrates’ Court for assaulting nurses Kate Mastalerz and Linda McKinlay at Broadmoor Hospital in September 2024. The sentence will run concurrently with the minimum 15-year term he is already serving for attempted murder. According to prosecutors, the incident occurred when Bravery attempted to climb onto a window ledge in his cell. During efforts to restrain him, he kicked Ms…

Kelly Brook has opened up about her decision to sell the family home she lived in for 16 years, saying she needed to “shed some emotional baggage” before fully embracing her marriage to Italian partner Jeremy Parisi. The television personality discussed her past relationships on an episode of Loose Women, mixing candour with humour as she explained how her former home had become a repository of difficult memories. She described the property as “very much my house” in which she “had various relationships through that” over nearly two decades. Ms Brook, who is now married to Mr Parisi, explained that…

Children described as highly active or stimulus-seeking are often mislabelled as “difficult” or “problematic,” though experts emphasise that high energy levels represent a different way of being rather than an inherent flaw. High-energy children are characterised as very active youngsters for whom books or television often fail to hold attention, and who may play frequently or roughly without obvious limits. Their need for stimulation is integral to development and growth, according to child development specialists. Several factors contribute to elevated energy levels in young children. For toddlers, the world presents as “new, shiny, enticing” and full of unfamiliar sensory experiences…

A freelance writer has said artificial intelligence has effectively taken £120,000 from him over two years, as new research reveals the extent to which chatbots could perform tasks across dozens of professions. Joe Turner, 38, previously earned a six-figure income but reports losing approximately 70% of his clients to AI chatbots during the past two years. The former high earner described the experience as a profound shock, both personally and professionally. “You’ve put your heart and soul into it for so long, and then you get replaced by a machine,” Mr Turner said. He characterised the shift as “a betrayal”…