Two arrested in Hull funeral directors investigation - BBC

PA Media

By James Gregory

BBC News

Two people have been arrested and 34 bodies removed from a funeral directors in Hull which police are investigating.

A man of 46 and woman of 23 were arrested on suspicion of prevention of a lawful and decent burial, fraud by false representation and fraud by abuse of position, Humberside Police said.

Police said the deceased had now been transported from one of Legacy Funeral Directors' branches to a Hull mortuary.

A cordon remains in place at all three premises.

Assistant Chief Constable Thom McLoughlin said: "As part of our investigation, as of today we can confirm 34 deceased people have now been respectfully transported from Legacy Funeral Directors based on Hessle Road to the mortuary in Hull for formal identification procedures to take place."

He added that affected families continued to be supported by family liaison officers and that the thoughts of Humberside Police were with them, particularly on Mother's Day.

A dedicated phone line remains open and has received more than 350 calls from members of the public since Friday, police added.

"Each call we receive is being carefully handled and delicately assessed by a specialist team to ensure we have a thorough understanding of each family's circumstances," ACC McLoughlin said.

"We will get back to each and every one of you as soon as we can.

"Please be reassured that my staff and officers are working around the clock to deal with the unprecedented enquiries generated as a result of this incident."

Humberside Police said it had received a report on Wednesday of "concern for care of the deceased".

Legacy Funeral Directors has branches in Hessle Road and Anlaby Road, both in Hull, as well as Beckside in Beverley.

Related Topics

• Hull
• Humberside Police

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2024-03-10 18:22:43Z
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Man sectioned after crashing car into Buckingham Palace front gate - The Telegraph

A man who was arrested by armed police after crashing a car into the gates of Buckingham Palace has been sectioned under the Mental Health Act.

The incident occurred in the early hours of Saturday morning when a vehicle was driven into the front gates, causing significant damage.

Armed officers were quickly on the scene and the man was arrested before being taken to hospital.

There were no other injuries and the Metropolitan Police initially said they were seeking to establish the circumstances.

Wooden planks and scaffolding have been erected in front of the damaged gates

But in an update on Sunday afternoon, Scotland Yard said the man had been released on police bail and sectioned under the Mental Health Act.

Police also confirmed that the incident was not being treated as terror-related.

The damage to the ornate gates was visible, with large wooden planks erected across the damaged area.

A Met spokesman said: “At around 02.35hrs on Saturday, 9 March a car collided with the gates of Buckingham Palace.

“Armed officers arrested a man at the scene on suspicion of criminal damage. He was taken to hospital where following assessment he was sectioned under the Mental Health Act.

“He has been released on bail and enquiries continue. The matter is not being treated as terror-related.”

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2024-03-10 18:56:00Z
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Boris Johnson flew to Venezuela for unofficial talks - BBC

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By Ione Wells, South America Correspondent & Damian Grammaticas, Political Correspondent

BBC News

Former Prime Minister Boris Johnson flew to Venezuela last month for a private meeting with the country's President Nicolás Maduro.

The talks were unofficial and not paid for by the UK government, the BBC has been told.

Mr Johnson's spokesman said it was to "emphasise the need for Venezuela to embrace a proper democratic process".

The Sunday Times first reported that Mr Johnson travelled there by private jet while on holiday in the Caribbean.

It is not clear who initiated or paid for the visit.

Mr Maduro has ruled Venezuela since 2013. He faced widespread protests but in 2018, won a second term in presidential elections that were widely dismissed as neither free nor fair.

The UK has an embassy in the country but no ambassador, though it does have a charge d'affaires, Colin Dick.

A spokesman for Mr Johnson told the BBC that he "repeatedly made clear there can be no hope of normalisation in relations until Venezuela fully embraces democracy and respects the territorial integrity of its neighbours".

"He also set out the case for the cause of Ukrainian victory to the government of Venezuela."

A spokesman for Foreign Secretary Lord Cameron said it was a "private visit" but that Mr Johnson texted him when he was on his way.

Mr Johnson's office declined to say who paid for the private jet that flew him to Venezuela, saying: "Now that he is a private citizen we don't comment on any of those issues, only to say there was no cost to the UK taxpayer nor the Venezuelan government".

The BBC has been told that Mr Johnson received a briefing in the British Embassy residence in Caracas before his meeting, and that he then debriefed embassy officials afterwards.

The visit is unusual given the former prime minister is not a member of the government anymore, and because of the current diplomatic tensions between the UK and Venezuela.

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Venezuela's government faces strong international pressure to hold a free and fair election, to release activists and political opponents it has detained, and to de-escalate tensions with its neighbour - the former British colony Guyana.

Venezuela held a referendum last year in which it claimed sovereignty over the oil and resource-rich Essequibo region that makes up about two-thirds of Guyana, a claim that Guyana disputes.

The UK sent a warship to Guyana in response to show military and diplomatic support for the country. Mr Maduro called it an "act of hostile provocation".

Venezuela has announced it will hold presidential elections on 28 July where the incumbent president is expected to stand. The UK, along with the US, the EU and Canada all want to see a restoration of democracy.

A deal was reached last year with the opposition to allow a free and fair election to take place, with international observers present, but since then a ban against the opposition leader has been upheld.

This led to the US reimposing some of its economic sanctions on the country.

Last year, Mr Johnson, who had left his post in Downing Street in September 2022, made an unannounced visit to the Ukrainian capital Kyiv where he met President Volodymyr Zelensky.

Mr Johnson then stepped down as MP in June 2023 after facing some criticism over how many parliamentary votes he was missing because he was making frequent trips abroad.

Then in November 2023, he was pictured alongside former Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison in Israel where they met the country's president, four weeks after Hamas's attacks on Israel on 7 October.

He returned to Kyiv last month after his Caribbean holiday to meet Mr Zelesnky on the second anniversary of the Russian invasion.

Related Topics

• David Cameron
• Boris Johnson
• Nicolás Maduro
• Venezuela
• Venezuela crisis
• Guyana

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2024-03-10 04:44:40Z
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Teen knifed to death in West Midlands park tragedy is pictured - Coventry Live

A photograph has been issued of a teenager stabbed to death in a park in a West Midlands tragedy. Seventeen-year-old Harleigh Hepworth was killed in broad daylight.

He was knifed in Wolverhampton's West Park at approximately 4.30pm on Thursday. West Midlands Police are investigating the death.

In a new statement today, the force said: "Our enquiries into the death of 17-year-old Harleigh Hepworth in Wolverhampton's West Park are today continuing. The teenager from Staffordshire was fatally stabbed at around 4.30pm on Thursday (7 March).

"We're following a number of lines of enquiry to catch who was responsible for his tragic death. A cordon around the park has now been lifted but you can expect to see a visible presence in the area as part of our investigation and to offer reassurance.

"A teenager has lost his life and we're working round the clock to get justice for Harleigh and his family. We continue to work tirelessly with partners to steer young people away from violence with weapons.

"Anyone with information which can assist our enquiries is asked to get in touch via Live Chat, or call 101, quoting log 3259 of 7 March. We have also activated our Major Incident Public Portal, where you can submit any photos or video, which may assist our detectives here: Public Portal (mipp.police.uk)

"Alternatively, contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111."

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Pro-Palestine supporters march in central London to urge Gaza ceasefire - Evening Standard

Labour MP Apsana Begum took to the stage after the march to highlight it came after International Women's Day, adding: "As we pay tribute this weekend to our recent history of women's struggles, as we look to a future of women's liberation, we must be clear that this means liberation for all women."

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2024-03-10 01:51:27Z
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Ministers urge government to increase defence spending to 2.5% of GDP - BBC

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By Peter Saull, political correspondent & James Gregory

BBC News

Two ministers have publicly urged the government to increase defence spending to above 2.5% of national income.

Anne-Marie Trevelyan and Tom Tugendhat said the UK needed to "lead the way" and invest at a "much greater pace".

Their article, posted on LinkedIn, follows criticism of this week's Budget for failing to boost defence spending.

Delivering the Budget, Chancellor Jeremy Hunt said spending was above 2%, Nato's target, and would rise to 2.5% "as soon as economic conditions allow".

But Ms Trevelyan, a Foreign Office minister, and Mr Tugendhat, the Security Minister, said the global risk posed by countries like Russia and China meant there was no time for delay.

"The sad truth is that the world is no longer benign," they said in the article published on Saturday.

"Protecting ourselves requires investment. And effective investment means that our industrial complex must grow and strengthen at much greater pace than at present.

"We cannot turn on the complex platforms and weapons which ensure military advantage overnight. We must start that growth now, invest at pace to support our allies and stay ahead of our adversaries."

• How much do Nato members spend on defence?

The two ministers also praised former Defence Secretary Ben Wallace and former Prime Minister Boris Johnson for making inroads in boosting defence spending.

Ministers often lobby the chancellor before budgets, sometimes publicly, but it is unusual for them to speak out afterwards.

It is understood that both ministers remain fully supportive of Mr Hunt and government policy to reach 2.5% of gross domestic product "as soon as possible", but they wanted to stress the importance of hitting the target quickly.

The House of Commons' spending watchdog warned on Friday that the gap between the MoD's budget and the cost of the UK's desired military capabilities had risen to £16.9bn - the largest deficit ever - despite an injection of £46.3bn over the next 10 years.

The Public Accounts Committee has also warned the real deficit could be closer to £29bn as some parts of the armed forces only included capabilities that were affordable, rather than all those the government had requested.

Defence Secretary Grant Shapps wrote to Mr Hunt in January calling for a commitment to 2.5% in the Budget.

However, a source close to him said he did not play any part in the LinkedIn article.

The piece was not cleared by Downing Street, either, but a No 10 source said that this was normal for social media posts.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak told MPs in January that the government would set out a path towards 2.5%, adding that the in the previous spending review there had been a £24bn cash increase - the "largest sustained increase since the end of the Cold War".

Related Topics

• British Armed Forces
• Rishi Sunak
• Jeremy Hunt
• Ministry of Defence
• Grant Shapps

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2024-03-09 15:59:21Z
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Police raid three funeral directors amid 'concern for care of the deceased' - Wales Online

Police have raided three branches of a funeral directors amid concerns over ‘care for the deceased’. The dramatic investigation centres on Legacy Funeral Directors in Hull, with police saying families who have lost loved ones will be concerned at the developments.

Hull Live reported that cordons were put in place outside Legacy Funeral Directors, in Anlaby Road and Hessle Road, in Hull, in the early hours of Friday morning as well as the Beverley branch in Beckside. Further details have not yet been released but a direct phone line has been set up for anyone who may be concerned.

A spokesperson for Humberside Police said: “There are currently police cordons in place and officers in attendance at three funeral service premises across Hull and the East Riding of Yorkshire following a report received of concern for care of the deceased at these locations.

“The report was received on Wednesday evening (6 March) in relation to Legacy Independent Funeral Directors, and numerous enquiries have already been carried out to ascertain the exact details, concern and circumstances.”

Police outside the Anlaby Road branch of Legacy Independent Funeral Directors in Hull after reports of "concern for care of the deceased" (Image: PA)

By Saturday morning, Hull Live reported that two police vehicles remained outside the Anlaby Road branch while forensic investigators were seen at the location in Hessle Road where 6 marked police vehicles were on the scene including a major incident unit and two crime scene investigation vans.

Detective Chief Superintendent Simon Gawthorpe said: “Whilst we are in the very early stages of our investigation, I completely understand this information will be of concern to a number of families and individuals who have lost loved ones and have utilised the services of this business.

“We have already been in contact with a number of people as part of our investigation and working closely with His Majesty’s Coroner, Hull City Council and East Riding Council to establish the facts. I would encourage anyone to please call us, as we are very mindful of the distress this may cause. A direct telephone line has been established for anyone who is worried or wants to speak to us about Legacy Independent Funeral Directors.

“The number you can call is 0800 051 4674 or if you’re calling from abroad please call 0207 126 7619 or you can submit information through our Major Incident Portal (MIPP).

“As we continue our enquiries to understand the precise nature of what may have occurred and if any criminal offences have taken place, I would please ask people to be respectful and refrain from speculation, as at the core of this investigation will potentially be heartbroken and devastated families and loved ones and we want to provide them with the consideration and support they need and are fully entitled to.”

Hull Live has approached Legacy Funeral Directors for comment.

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2024-03-09 12:26:00Z
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