Rabu, 16 Agustus 2023

UK inflation falls 1.1% in just one month as energy price crisis starts to ease - The Independent

UK price inflation fell 1.1 per cent in a month to approach levels not seen since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, but experts warned the cost of living squeeze was far from over despite the turning ride on rising prices.

Office for National Statistics data published on Wednesday morning showed the Consumer Prices Index (CPI) stood at 6.8 per cent in July – down from 7.9 per cent in the previous month and broadly in line with what most economists had predicted. The drop was attributed to falling energy prices.

Rising prices have slowed for two consecutive months and are now being outstripped by record wage growth. But core inflation – which strips out volatile food and energy prices – remained unchanged at 6.9 per cent and experts warned any gains in pay would be “swallowed up” by increased borrowing costs and higher taxes.

Bank of England policymakers are expected to further hike the base rate when they meet again in September, piling further misery on some mortgage holders and those taking out loans. Dr Sushil Wadhwani, a former member of the Bank’s Monetary Policy Committee, on Tuesday predicted a rise of 0.25 per cent to 5.5 per cent.

Sky-high gas and electricity costs, fuelled by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, have begun to come down as Western countries get a better grip on their energy policies. In the UK, from the start of July, the average price for each unit of electricity that someone uses was slashed to 30p per unit, while gas prices fell to 8p per unit, meaning the average annual energy bill for a household dropped to £2,074 from the capped rate of £2,500.

Matthew Corder, ONS deputy director of prices, said the fall in the energy price cap had helped to bring down bills. He added that, while food price inflation remains high, it had eased slightly, particularly for everyday staples such as bread, milk and cereal. But he said that the “falling cost of goods [were] offset by higher service prices.”

Analysts welcomed the inflation figures and said they showed that the tide was “turning” on inflation but warned there was still a long way to go in tackling the cost of living squeeze, echoing previous comments by chancellor Jeremy Hunt.

Jason Hollands, managing director at investing platform Bestinvest, said the July figures represented “a big move down” on the previous month’s data “however core inflation … is proving much stickier” to bring down.

He added that Wednesday’s figures “will undoubtedly” be touted by the government as evidence that their “fiscal prudence is working … however, inflation still has some way to go before it returns to the Bank of England’s long-term target rate of 2 per cent, so the fight against inflation is not yet over”.

Bank of England expected to raise interest rates further despite drop in inflation

The Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW) said it was “positive” that pay was now outstripping inflation but warned any benefits gained by workers were likely to be “swallowed up” by higher taxes and higher borrowing costs.

“For most people, this won’t feel like a turning point in the cost-of-living crisis,” Suren Thiru, ICAEW economics director, said. “While core and services inflation are proving harder to shift, they should fall back over the rest of the year as rising unemployment and tighter monetary policy help choke off demand in the economy.”

Ms Thiru added that while another Bank of England interest rate rise in September looks “inescapable”, the drop in inflation for June is likely to drive a more notable split among the central bank’s policy-makers.

Prime minister Rishi Sunak earlier this year outlined his five priorities for government, which included a promise to halve inflation by the end of the year. The Institute for Fiscal Studies think tank said July’s figures suggest that pledge is now hanging by a thread as there is “only so much” the Treasury can do to bring down inflation.

“When the target was set, the prime minister may have hoped he could rely on falling in energy prices to do most of the work to hit it,” Heidi Karjalainen, IFS research economist said.

Prime minister Rishi Sunak made five key pledges when he moved into No 10 - including a promise to halve inflation by the end of the year

“However, the stubbornly high rate of price inflation for goods and services other than food and energy has put the target in jeopardy. With only four months to go, it no longer seems at all clear that inflation at the end of the year will have fallen by enough to achieve it.”

Speaking to broadcasters after the inflation figures were published, John Glen, the Treasury minister and a close ally of the PM, refused to be drawn on whether or not his boss would hit the target and cautioned that “a lot has changed since the start of the year”.

He insisted that the government was not complacent about bringing down inflation and suggested that economists’ predictions that the UK was no longer heading for a recession showed that the economy was heading in the right direction.

Labour welcomed the fall in inflation but used the figures to attack the government’s record on the economy, pointing out that the UK still has a higher rate of rising prices than “many other” major economies in the G7.

"After 13 years of economic chaos and incompetence under the Conservatives, working people are worse off - with higher energy bills and prices in the shops,” Rachel Reeves, the shadow chancellor, said. “Labour’s plan to build a strong economy will make working people better off by boosting growth, improving living standards and cutting household bills."

Mr Hunt said the easing of inflation showed "the decisive action we’ve taken to tackle inflation is working" but "we’re not at the finish line".

"We must stick to our plan to halve inflation this year and get it back to the 2 per cent target as soon as possible," he added.

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2023-08-16 10:07:55Z
2321591001

Crooked House owners' links to previous major fire - BBC

Crooked House pubPA Media

The owners of a Black Country pub which was gutted by fire and then demolished two days later experienced another huge fire on land they owned.

The Crooked House, near Dudley, had recently been sold to its new owners.

Adam Taylor is director of AT Contracting and Plant Hire Ltd, which, according to Land Registry documents, owns the Finmere site.

His wife, Carly, controls the company ATE Farms Limited, which bought the "wonky" Black Country landmark in July.

Adam and Carly Taylor
Other/Facebook

Mrs Taylor also currently controls AT Contracting and Plant Hire Ltd, which the BBC understands rented a digger a week before flames engulfed The Crooked House on 5 August.

Two days later the 18th Century building on Himley Road was flattened, leading to widespread protests.

Mr and Mrs Taylor have not replied to the BBC's requests for an interview.

A fire at Finmere Quarry
Oxfordshire Fire & Rescue Service

Four hundred tonnes of waste caught fire at Finmere landfill on 4 August 2018.

Firefighters from Oxfordshire, Northamptonshire and Buckinghamshire worked through the night to extinguish it.

An image of a quarry
AT Contracting and Plant Hire

Almost exactly five years later, firefighters worked overnight to save the historic Himley pub, which began to subside in the 19th Century.

Staffordshire Police confirmed last Wednesday the blaze was being treated as arson.

South Staffordshire Council said it was conducting an investigation into the "demolition of the entire building, without appropriate permissions".

The force previously said its investigation would be robust.

Protests against The Crooked House's destruction weeks after it was sold by previous owner Marston's have seen signs and other tributes placed among the rubble.

A petition to rebuild it has amassed more than 18,500 signatures.

Fences put up at the site on Tuesday were thought to be there for safety reasons.

A nearby notice states two adjacent footpaths have been closed to the public by Staffordshire County Council, including one leading to the pub's car park, due to concerns over the instability of the ground.

Temporary fencing at the Crooked House

Dudley North MP Marco Longhi said a public meeting at Himley Hall on Wednesday at 18:00 BST would be a chance for concerned residents to "vent their anger" and voice ideas for the building's future.

He met with South Staffordshire Council on Tuesday and added, while he could not go into the details of what was discussed, was "much more reassured about where we are going with all of this".

Campaigners met Mr Longhi after the meeting and one of them, Ian Sandall, told BBC Radio WM he felt "very buoyant and very confident" afterwards.

"Everything seemed very positive. What I can say is we are all singing off the same hymn sheet," he said.

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2023-08-16 08:15:34Z
2348591574

UK inflation falls 1.1% in just one month as energy price crisis starts to ease - The Independent

UK price inflation fell 1.1 per cent in a month to approach levels not seen since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, but experts warned the cost of living squeeze was far from over despite the turning ride on rising prices.

Office for National Statistics data published on Wednesday morning showed the Consumer Prices Index (CPI) stood at 6.8 per cent in July - down from 7.9 per cent in the previous month and broadly in line with what most economists had predicted. The drop was attributed to falling energy prices.

Rising prices have slowed for two consecutive months and are now being outstripped by record wage growth. But core inflation - which strips out volatile food and energy prices - remained unchanged on 6.9 per cent and experts warned any gains in pay would be “swallowed up” by increased borrowing costs and higher taxes.

Bank of England policy-makers are expected to further hike the base rate when they meet again in September, piling further misery on some mortgage holders and those taking out loans. Dr Sushil Wadhwani, a former member of the Bank’s Monetary Policy Committee, on Tuesday predicted a rise of 0.25 per cent to 5.5 per cent.

Sky-high gas and electricity costs, fuelled by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, have begun to come down as Western countries get a better grip on their energy policies. In the UK, from the start of July, the average price for each unit of electricity that someone uses was slashed to 30p per unit, while gas prices fell to 8p per unit, meaning the average annual energy bill for a household dropped to £2,074 from the capped rate of £2,500.

Matthew Corder, ONS deputy director of prices, said the fall in the energy price cap helped to bring down bills. He added that, while food price inflation remains high, it had eased slightly, particularly for everyday staples such as bread, milk and cereal. He added that the “falling cost of goods offset by higher service prices.”

Analysts welcomed the inflation figures and said they showed that the tide was “turning” on inflation but warned there was still a long way to go in tackling the cost of living squeeze, echoing previous comments by chancellor Jeremy Hunt.

Jason Hollands, managing director at investing platform Bestinvest, said the July figures represented “a big move down” on the previous month’s data “however core inflation…is proving much stickier” to bring down.

He added that Wednesday’s figures “will undoubtedly” be touted by the government as evidence that their “fiscal prudence is working…however, inflation still has some way to go before it returns to the Bank of England’s long-term target rate of 2 per cent, so the fight against inflation is not yet over.”

Bank of England expected to raise interest rates further despite drop in inflation

The Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW) said it was “positive” that pay is now outstripping inflation but warned any benefits gained by workers were likely to be “swallowed up” by higher taxes and higher borrowing costs.

“For most people this won’t feel like a turning point in the cost-of-living crisis,” Suren Thiru, ICAEW economics director, said. “While core and services inflation are proving harder to shift, they should fall back over the rest of the year as rising unemployment and tighter monetary policy help choke off demand in the economy.”

Ms Thiru added that while another Bank of England interest rate rise in September looks “inescapable”, the drop in inflation for June is likely to drive a more notable split among the central bank’s policy-makers.

Prime minister Rishi Sunak earlier this year outlined his five priorities for government, which included a promise to halve inflation by the end of the year. The Institute for Fiscal Studies think tank said July’s figures suggest that pledge is now hanging by a thread as there is “only so much” the Treasury can do to bring down inflation.

“When the target was set, the prime minister may have hoped he could rely on falling in energy prices to do most of the work to hit it,” Heidi Karjalainen, IFS research economistm said.

Prime minister Rishi Sunak made five key pledges when he moved into No 10 - including a promise to halve inflation by the end of the year

“However, the stubbornly high rate of price inflation for goods and services other than food and energy has put the target in jeopardy. With only four months to go, it no longer seems at all clear that inflation at the end of the year will have fallen by enough to achieve it.”

Speaking to broadcasters after the inflation figures were published John Glen, the Treasury minister and a close ally of the PM, refused to be drawn on whether or not his boss would hit the target and cautioned that “a lot has changed since the start of the year”.

He insisted that the government was not complacent about bringing down inflation and suggested that economists’ predictions that the UK was no longer heading for a recession showed that the economy was heading in the right direction.

Labour welcomed the fall in inflation but used the figures to attack the government’s record on the economy, pointing out that the UK still has a higher rate of rising prices than “many other” major economies in the G7.

"After 13 years of economic chaos and incompetence under the Conservatives, working people are worse off - with higher energy bills and prices in the shops,” Rachel Reeves, the shadow chancellor, said. “Labour’s plan to build a strong economy will make working people better off by boosting growth, improving living standards and cutting household bills."

Chancellor Jeremy Hunt said the easing of inflation shows "the decisive action we’ve taken to tackle inflation is working" but "we’re not at the finish line".

"We must stick to our plan to halve inflation this year and get it back to the 2 per cent target as soon as possible," he added.

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2023-08-16 09:02:33Z
2321591001

Selasa, 15 Agustus 2023

Police and CPS had key DNA evidence 16 years before Andrew Malkinson cleared of rape - The Guardian

Police and prosecutors in the Andrew Malkinson case knew there was another man’s DNA on the victim’s clothes in 2007 – three years after he was wrongly convicted of rape – but he remained in prison for another 13 years.

Malkinson was cleared by the appeal court last month after spending 17 years in prison for a 2003 rape he did not commit. His exoneration came after fresh DNA testing linked another man to the crime.

Case files released to Malkinson as he fought his conviction, and now seen by the Guardian, reveal that police and prosecutors knew forensic testing in 2007 had found a searchable male DNA profile on the female victim’s vest top that did not match Malkinson’s.

They decided not to take further action, and there is no record they told the body responsible for investigating miscarriages of justice, though Malkinson’s lawyers were notified.

The Criminal Cases Review Commission declined to order further forensic testing, or refer the case for appeal in 2012, with the files showing the CCRC raising concerns about costs.

The DNA discovery was made in 2007 as part of a nationwide review of the forensics used in historic rape and murder cases called Operation Cube.

Malkinson, 57, was convicted of a stranger rape in Manchester in 2004 on the basis of witness evidence, with the prosecution arguing he left no DNA because he was “forensically aware”. He always maintained he was innocent.

Yet the discovery of another man’s DNA – which was not that of the victim’s then boyfriend – in a “crime specific” area of the victim’s clothes did not result in the CCRC referring his case for appeal. During the attack, the victim suffered a bite that partially severed her left nipple, meaning saliva staining on the vest above the left breast was considered “crime specific” by the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS).

A log of a meeting between the Forensic Science Service, the CPS and Greater Manchester police in December 2009 reveals that the CPS was aware of the potential enormity of the discovery.

Its then head of complex casework in Manchester said: “If it is assumed that the saliva came from the offender, then it does not derive from Malkinson. This is surprising because the area of the clothing that the saliva was recovered from was crime specific.”

However, he said “he did not see that there was a need to do any further work on the file” unless the case was brought to appeal, and then his focus would be on “bolstering” the case against Malkinson.

The CPS is supposed to write to the CCRC at the earliest opportunity about any case in which there is doubt about the safety of the conviction.

An internal log of Malkinson’s first application to the CCRC in 2009, in an attempt to appeal against his conviction, shows the body raised the cost of further testing and argued it would be unlikely to overturn the conviction.

It took three years to reject his application, and did not request the full police file or conduct new forensic tests.

Emily Bolton, Malkinson’s lawyer at the charity Appeal, said: “The documents are a shocking chronicle of how Andy was utterly failed by the body, which should have put an end to his wrongful conviction nightmare, but instead acted as a barrier to justice. An overhaul of the CCRC is needed to prevent it failing other innocent prisoners.”

By relying only on the CPS file, the CCRC missed the chance to identify disclosure failures so grave that senior judges have since ruled they would have rendered his conviction unsafe.

It was left to Appeal to uncover disclosure failures and commission more forensic tests. Without the CCRC’s automatic access to police files, they had to take extensive legal action against Greater Manchester police to access them.

Refusing to refer his case for appeal in 2012 and explaining why it would not conduct further DNA testing, the CCRC told Malkinson the cost of forensic investigation was not its “overriding consideration”. Yet the internal case log reveals the CCRC made comments including “the cost cannot be ignored” and “further work would be extremely costly”.

Malkinson has called for the head of the CCRC, Helen Pitcher, to resign and a petition urging her to apologise has more than 100,000 signatures.

Malkinson said: “If the CCRC had investigated properly, it would have spared me years in prison for a crime I did not commit.

“I feel an apology is the least I am owed, but it seems like the very body set up to address the system’s fallibility is labouring under the delusion that it is itself infallible. How many more people has it failed?”

The CCRC has previously argued that the science to exonerate Malkinson was not there when it considered his two earlier applications to appeal. While science has advanced, basic testing that isolates the male chromosome, similar to that commissioned by Appeal in 2019, existed when the CCRC was first considering Malkinson’s case and was widely used from 2003.

This testing could have been used on fingernail scrapings taken from the victim. Internal records show this was suggested as an option by a forensic scientist to the CPS in a 2009 meeting after the vest-top DNA discovery.

Internal logs from 2009 show a CCRC worker being “bemused” at the fresh application, writing: “Just because it appears there is someone else’s DNA on the complainant’s vest … cannot surely produce a hope of a successful referral in view of all the other strong ID evidence.” The comment appears to ignore the location of the DNA.

Malkinson’s lawyers say the characterisation of witness evidence as “strong” was questionable, given it was already known that Malkinson did not match the victim’s description of her attacker in key ways, including having no scratch on his face when she recalled causing “a deep scratch” and the fact that one witness picked out a different person in the identification procedure.

Refusing to refer the case for appeal in 2012, the CCRC said there was “no realistic prospect” that further testing would yield a searchable profile “capable of being compared with the national DNA database”.

Yet the CPS had already been told by scientists that the database was searchable. Part of it had been searched in 2007, without any matches identified.

A man named only as Mr B has been arrested in connection with the rape and released under investigation.

When the CCRC considered Malkinson’s case again in 2018, presented with new information about witness evidence flaws, it did not undertake a new search on the database with the DNA from the vest. Nor did it carry out its own testing or refer the case for appeal.

James Burley, Malkinson’s investigator at Appeal, said: “The CCRC’s internal comments show that in deciding not to commission any DNA testing, cost was at the forefront of their considerations. That decision may have saved the CCRC some money, but it came at a brutal cost for both Andy and the victim.

“The CCRC has been giving the false impression that a DNA breakthrough could not have been achieved by them sooner. These records show that is nonsense.”

A CPS spokesperson said: “It is clear Mr Malkinson was wrongly convicted of this crime and we share the deep regret that this happened.

“Evidence of a new DNA profile found on the victim’s clothing in 2007 was not ignored. It was disclosed to the defence team representing Mr Malkinson for their consideration.

“In addition, searches of the DNA databases were conducted to identify any other possible suspects. At that time there were no matches and therefore no further investigation could be carried out.”

Sarah Jackson, assistant chief constable of Greater Manchester police (GMP), said: “This was an appalling miscarriage of justice and I am sorry to Mr Malkinson for all that he has suffered, and for any part GMP has had in the difficult journey of proving his innocence.”

The CCRC said: “We note the observations that have been made in relation to Mr Malkinson’s case and are considering the court of appeal judgment. As we have said before, it is plainly wrong that a man spent 17 years in prison for a crime he did not commit.”

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2023-08-16 01:30:00Z
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England v Australia: Lionesses set to roar as they attempt to reach first ever World Cup final - Sky News

Hot on the heels of a blockbuster Ashes series, England fans are in for another high stakes sporting clash with Australia as the Lionesses take on the Matildas in the Women’s World Cup semi-final.

The old rivalry has already been ignited in the build up to the match at Sydney's Stadium Australia, with tickets allocated to England being snapped up by Aussie fans and a helicopter funded by the Australian Daily Telegraph spying on an England training session.

The newspaper's stunt culminated in a piece with the title "11 Poms against a nation: Welcome to the Jungle, Lionesses".

According to the article, manager Sarina Wiegman and co were in for a "rude shock" if they thought they could quietly prepare for the game.

England booked their place in the semi-finals alongside the host nation over the weekend following a 2-1 win against Colombia.

Australia, meanwhile, saw off France in a penalty shootout after the match remained goalless after extra time.

England coach Sarina Wiegman and the team
Image: England coach Sarina Wiegman and the team

Read more: Five things to know ahead of England's clash with Australia

More on Lionesses

The Lionesses will be without Lauren James who is completing her two-match ban for stamping on Michelle Alozie during the round of 16 match against Nigeria.

But captain Millie Bright says her team will "thrive" under the pressure of playing against the hosts.

"That is what we expect now - for us to thrive in those moments," she said.

"It is a proud moment for the women's game back home when they see what an atmosphere there is.

"It's about turning up, showing up, performing and enjoying the game.

"It is important to adapt to the game whatever they give to us. We have faced many different challenges and we have adapted really well."

England head coach Sarina Wiegman and goalkeeper Mary Earps (left) during the press conference at Stadium Australia, Sydney. Picture date: Friday August 11, 2023.
Image: England head coach Sarina Wiegman

Wiegman has also said she expects the match to be "very tight and very competitive".

However, Matildas coach Tony Gustavsson has said that while England may be favourites on paper, they don't have the "support" his players do.

He said: "If you look at all that and you look at resources, financially, obviously they are massive favourites going into this game.

"But the one thing that we have that they don't have is the support and belief from the fans."

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Who are the Lionesses?

Read more on Sky News:
Family split by England-Australia loyalties
Lionesses star apologises to opponent for stamp

Rishi Sunak has sent a good luck message to the team ahead of the tie - telling The Sun newspaper the "nation's hopes of beating the Aussies now rest on our Lionesses".

His comments follow the Ashes series which ended in a 2-2 draw after five matches replete with epic performances, controversial dismissals and numerous rain delays.

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Can the Lionesses go all the way?

As well as the words exchanged between supporters of both sides, the FA said it was "disappointed" to hear reports of tickets specifically allocated to England fans being bought by Australians.

The additional 1,970 tickets were released at the weekend, and about 8,000 England fans were expected to be in attendance at the Australia Stadium.

The FA said it was working with FIFA to review its ticketing processes going forwards.

A unique supporter code was reportedly leaked on social media - with a number of Australian fans claiming to have purchased tickets.

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Lionesses beat Colombia 2-1.

Back in England, fans have put out flags and bunting ahead of the fixture and pubs and fan parks have prepared to welcome supporters for the 11am UK kick-off time.

According to Sky Bet at the time of writing, England were 5/4 to win in normal time, compared to 5/2 for Australia.

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2023-08-16 02:07:33Z
2344549495

Sara Sharif, 10, described as 'beautiful' and 'amazing' after being found dead in Woking - The Telegraph

A 10-year-old girl found dead inside a house in Woking has been described as a “beautiful” and “amazing” daughter by her devastated mother.

Detectives in Surrey launched a murder investigation in the early hours of Thursday morning after discovering the body of Sara Sharif, who was alone when police arrived at the property.

Police have said they want to speak to three people who were known to the girl but who are believed to have left the country.

Sara’s mother Olga Sharif confirmed her identity in an interview with The Sun, telling the newspaper she learned of her daughter’s death through a phone call by officers.

“My life will never be the same again. Sara should be with me right now. She was too young. Sara was an amazing child,” she said.

Police outside the property in Woking

Polish-born Mrs Sharif said she was only allowed to see her daughter and son, Sara’s 13-year-old brother, twice in four years after losing a custody battle against her ex-husband and the children’s father in 2019.

Sara’s father has been named locally as Ufran Sharif, a taxi driver, who lived at the property with his wife and six children.

Mrs Sharif said she bonded with her Sara over a shared love of arts and crafts and said she was a fan of Disney’s Frozen  films.

She told The Sun her popular and outgoing daughter had dreamed of a modelling career.

“She would walk in and say, ‘Mum, look how pretty I look’. It was always modelling - she was so pretty that I never had to ask her to pose for a picture because every time she looked at the camera she was already smiling and beautiful.

“She would tell me that ‘I want to be like Mummy’. She was like a younger version of me - but much prettier than her mum.”

A wellwisher leaves flowers outside a house in Woking, Surrey, where the body of a 10-year-old girl was found Credit: Jonathan Brady/PA

Mrs Sharif said she planned to bury her daughter in her native Poland, where she has been intending to move back to, once the authorities have completed their investigations.

A post-mortem investigation to establish the cause of death is likely to take place on Tuesday afternoon.

No one present

A Surrey Police spokesman said: “Enquiries are ongoing to locate the three identified people we would like to speak to in connection with our investigation into the death of a 10-year-old girl in Woking.

“Detectives have confirmed that no other people were present at the address when they attended in the early hours of Aug 10. The three people they would like to speak to were known to the victim.

“Formal identification is yet to take place but we understand the child has been named locally. No arrests have been made at this time. Officers remain at the address whilst the investigation continues and further updates will be provided in due course.

Detectives said they believed the three people they want to speak with left the UK the day before the body was discovered.

Police were called to the smart semi-detached house in the village of Horsell, near Woking, at 2.50am on Thursday following a concern for welfare.

Following the discovery, police stressed they did not believe there was a wider threat to the public.

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2023-08-15 06:48:00Z
2335101068

Senin, 14 Agustus 2023

Grooming cases at record high amid online safety laws delay - BBC

Child on a tablet in the shadowsGetty Images

Tens of thousands of online grooming crimes have been recorded during the wait for updated online safety laws.

Campaigners are urging tech companies and MPs to back the Online Safety Bill and are calling for no more hold-ups.

The bill, which aims to crack down on illegal content, has faced repeated delays and amendments.

Children's charity the NPSCC says 34,000 online grooming crimes had been recorded by UK police forces since it first called for tougher laws in 2017.

The proposed new rules state that tech companies should be able to access the content of private messages if there is a child safety concern.

Many popular apps offer an encrypted messaging service, which means that only the sender and recipient can view the content. The tech firms themselves cannot see it.

However, these privacy functions are available to everybody, and the platforms say they offer extra protection to victims of domestic abuse, journalists and political activists, among others.

They also say that if they build in a backdoor, it will make their services less secure for all.

Aoife was a victim of grooming
Aoife

Aoife, 22, from East Kilbride, was exploited on two popular messaging apps when she was 15 by an adult male who pretended to be a teenager.

The man convinced her to send him images of herself and blackmailed her with these to control her behaviour.

When his demands became increasingly intense and frightening, Aoife plucked up the courage to tell her mum and teachers, who helped them to report it to the police.

'Petrified'

"I was petrified," Aoife told BBC News. "It was something silly like two o'clock in the morning that I remember sitting in my room and all I wanted was my mum, but you can't go in then tell your mum that you've just done this, and you're in a lot of trouble.

"It's scary. I felt like I was the only person in the world at the time."

She said she felt "guilty" that no-one else knew what she was going through but also annoyed with herself because she was a "smart girl".

After an investigation by the National Crime Agency in 2022, Aoife's abuser was jailed for 18 years.

He pleaded guilty to 65 offences relating to 26 girls and women aged between 12 and 22.

Citing data from 42 UK police forces, the NSPCC said that 6,350 offences related to sexual communication with a child were recorded last year - a record high.

The new research shows that 5,500 offences took place against primary school-age children, meaning under-12s made up a quarter of known victims.

The charity has previously stated that messaging apps are the "front line" of the offence.

Encryption roadblock

However, ministers have recently had to defend the Online Safety Bill against a backlash from some tech companies, who argue the law will undermine the use of encryption to keep online communications private.

Some platforms are threatening to leave the UK altogether rather than comply with the new rules.

Kate Robertson, senior research associate at Citizen Lab - an organisation where researchers study security on the internet - told the BBC that "we shouldn't be drilling more holes in internet safety".

She said encryption "is an important source of safety for vulnerable individuals and it's also an important safety net for privacy itself".

Rani Govender, senior policy officer at the NSPCC, said: "We don't think there's a trade-off between safety and privacy, we think it's about investing in those technical solutions which we know are out there, that can deliver for the privacy and safety of all users on these services."

But the NSPCC also wants assurances that the legislation will regulate new technologies, such as artificial intelligence (AI).

Chief executive of the Internet Watch Foundation, Susie Hargreaves, echoed this, calling for robust safety features to be brought in.

"Without them, end-to-end encryption will be a smokescreen for abusers, helping them hide what they're doing, and enabling them to continue to hurt children and destroy young lives," she said.

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https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMiLmh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmJiYy5jby51ay9uZXdzL3RlY2hub2xvZ3ktNjY0OTg2MDHSATJodHRwczovL3d3dy5iYmMuY28udWsvbmV3cy90ZWNobm9sb2d5LTY2NDk4NjAxLmFtcA?oc=5

2023-08-14 23:09:19Z
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