Deepak Sandhu, a 24-year-old former Southampton student, has been sentenced to 28 years in prison at the Old Bailey for the murder of 39-year-old Xiaoqing Ke. The court heard that Sandhu subjected the mother of two to a "sustained and brutal" knife attack at her West London Airbnb on 9 December, following a campaign of emotional manipulation, financial control, and theft after they met in 2025. Sandhu attempted to flee the country after the killing but was arrested on a coach bound for Birmingham Airport.
Jogesh Bhandari, the leader of a multi-million pound personal protective equipment (PPE) scam during the Covid-19 pandemic, has been sentenced to eight years in prison. Bhandari defrauded US and German companies by faking the supply of millions of boxes of nitrile gloves, spending the proceeds on luxury cars, Rolex watches, and jewellery. His co-conspirator Craig Morris and his wife Meenakashi Bhandari were also sentenced for their roles in the fraud and money laundering.
Summary headline: Leader of multi-million pound PPE scam jailed for eight years
Councillors on the Greater Manchester Combined Authority's Overview and Scrutiny Committee are investigating housing loans issued to property developers since 2015. Over £1bn has been lent to about 50 developers from the Greater Manchester Housing Investment Loan Fund. Concerns have been raised regarding the transparency of the approval process and why successful businesses, including three property companies controlled by Manchester City's Abu Dhabi owner, received public money from a scheme originally intended for projects struggling to access financing. The GMCA stated that the loans were issued at commercial rates, have been fully repaid with interest, and have delivered 11,000 new homes.
Summary headline: Housing loans granted during Andy Burnham's tenure as Greater Manchester mayor face scrutiny by councillors
The historic Tumbling Bay Weir Bridge in Guildford, which was washed away by heavy rain in November 2019, is nearing completion and is expected to reopen in a few weeks. The National Trust, which took responsibility for the repairs in November 2023, stated that engineering work to replace the Millbrook Weir and the crossing on the River Wey is largely finished, with only a final section over the sluice gate left to install.
Summary headline: Guildford's Tumbling Bay bridge nears reopening after years of closure
Muhammad Haarith has been convicted at Preston Crown Court of murdering 44-year-old Matthew Weller following a fatal collision in Accrington in April. Haarith had admitted manslaughter, but prosecutors proved he deliberately drove his car at Weller after an altercation.
Summary headline: Accrington man Muhammad Haarith guilty of murdering Matthew Weller
Two teenagers from Budmouth Academy in Weymouth, who spent weeks in hospital recovering from meningitis septicaemia, organised a week of fundraising activities at their school to raise more than £2,000 for the charity Meningitis Now. Freddy, 15, and Jack, 14, contracted the illness alongside a third student between March and April, prompting local health responses including antibiotics and MenB vaccinations for pupils in the area.
Summary headline: Budmouth Academy teenagers raise over £2,000 for Meningitis Now after recovering from meningitis
Yorkshire Ambulance Trust has stated that medical records belonging to a man killed by a tiger at Yorkshire Wildlife Park may have been accessed by staff without a legitimate reason.
Summary headline: Medical records of tiger attack victim accessed without legitimate reason
Shalom Nursing Home in Irvine has been issued an improvement notice by the Care Inspectorate due to serious concerns regarding the quality of care, leadership, and wellbeing support. The facility, which accommodates up to 46 residents, risks having its registration cancelled unless required standards for infection control, health monitoring, and management are met by deadlines in November.
Summary headline: Shalom Nursing Home in Irvine faces closure unless significant improvements are made by November
Carl Rundle, 41, has been unanimously found guilty by a jury at Oxford Crown Court of murdering 64-year-old Helen Rundle at a home in Harwell, Oxfordshire. Thames Valley Police officers attended the scene on 27 January following an incident, where the victim was pronounced dead. The defendant is scheduled to be sentenced at Oxford Crown Court on 23 October.
Summary headline: Man convicted of murdering 64-year-old woman in Harwell
During an appearance at Manchester's Co-op Live Arena as part of his UK tour, former US President Barack Obama praised the city's historical cotton workers for refusing to handle slave-picked cotton during the American Civil War. Speaking to an audience in an event hosted by Afua Hirsch, Obama cited their actions as an example of ordinary people driving social change and highlighted modern challenges such as online misinformation and a loss of social trust.
Coquet Community School in Amble, Northumberland, was evacuated and pupils were sent home early after police received a report of a malicious communication. Emergency services, including police and ambulance crews, attended the scene and conducted a thorough search of the premises. Headteacher James Andriot confirmed that the safety of everyone was prioritised, and the school was closed for the rest of the day.
Summary headline: Coquet Community School in Amble evacuated following malicious communication report
The UK government has committed to reforming the Vaccine Damage Payment Scheme (VDPS) following recommendations from the UK Covid Inquiry and pressure from campaigners. More than 24,000 Covid-related claims have been made, primarily concerning the AstraZeneca jab, but just over 1% have resulted in awards. The Inquiry criticised the current system as not sufficiently supportive, noting that the requirement for claimants to show at least 60% disability does not work effectively for Covid vaccines. While campaigners welcomed the acknowledgement that the scheme is not fit for purpose, they expressed frustration over the lack of a clear timetable or direct commitment to immediate action.
Summary headline: Government commits to reviewing Covid vaccine compensation scheme following UK Covid Inquiry criticism.
Sinn Féin MLA Carál Ní Chuilín has been found to have breached Stormont's code of conduct after failing to declare that her son was investigated by police over the vandalism of a portrait of former DUP Lord Mayor Lord Browne at Belfast City Hall. The standards committee reported that Ní Chuilín failed to uphold principles of openness and leadership, though the matter is now considered resolved following a written apology.
Summary headline: Sinn Féin MLA Carál Ní Chuilín breaches code of conduct over portrait vandalism probe involving her son
An 18-year-old man has been charged with attempted murder and possession of an imitation firearm following an incident in Burton-upon-Trent where a 17-year-old boy was hit by a car and left in a critical condition. Emergency services were called to Anglesey Business Park on 7 October after the collision, though the vehicle had fled the scene. A second teenager has been charged with assisting an offender, and both appeared in court before being remanded or bailed ahead of a crown court appearance in November.
Summary headline: Man charged with attempted murder after teenager is struck by car in Burton
Jordan Wetherill, 23, was remanded in custody after admitting to being concerned in the supply of cocaine and heroin following a police raid on a Glasgow flat on December 21, 2025. Officers discovered over 100 blocks of cocaine valued at approximately £2.59m alongside a smaller amount of heroin worth £30,000, which were stored among Christmas gift bags.
Summary headline: Man caught in Glasgow flat with £2.6m of cocaine among Santa gift bags
Thames Valley Police have released a CCTV image as part of an ongoing rape and sexual assault investigation following an incident involving two 14-year-old girls in Oxford. The girls spoke to four unknown males in Florence Park on 28 July before moving to a wooded area in Marsh Park, where the offences took place. A 20-year-old man has been arrested and bailed, while police continue to appeal for information regarding the male in the CCTV image.
Summary headline: Police release CCTV image after two 14-year-old girls are attacked in Oxford parks
Philip Foster, a former actor who played Christian Wright in the soap Brookside, has been sentenced to nine years in prison after fleeing to Spain during his trial for a £13.6m modelling fraud. Foster ran a network of fake modelling agencies and photographic studios that targeted thousands of aspiring models and their parents over an eight-year period. Following his arrest in Alicante in September and subsequent extradition to the UK, he received an extra six-month sentence for absconding, adding to his earlier sentence for fraud and money laundering.
Summary headline: Former Brookside actor jailed for nine years over £13m modelling fraud
Alan Feeney has resigned as a councillor in Solihull and Birmingham and stepped down from Reform UK after undercover ITV News footage captured him making racist comments about Asian homeowners. Feeney has also been suspended from his job as a custodial manager with the prison service, while the Ministry of Justice investigates his remarks.
Summary headline: Reform councillor Alan Feeney resigns and apologises after undercover footage reveals racist remarks
St Cuthbert's Roman Catholic High School in Rochdale was placed into lockdown and evacuated after receiving a hoax bomb threat. Greater Manchester Police investigated the call and confirmed it was a hoax, though the school was closed for the day while enquiries continue.
Summary headline: More than 1,000 Rochdale pupils evacuated over hoax bomb threat
Two jurors at Lincoln Crown Court, Kevin Hurford and Emma Jackson, caused a child sex trial to collapse after conducting independent internet research and sharing it with fellow jurors. Both defendants admitted the charge and were sentenced to eight months in prison, suspended for two years, alongside 240 hours of unpaid work and £150 costs.
Summary headline: Two Lincoln jurors given suspended sentences after internet searches collapsed child sex trial
