6 h. ago The armed robber who went straight: John McAvoy was born into the criminal life. Here’s how he escaped it

His stepfather was a serious criminal. His uncle was one of the Brink’s-Mat heist gang. McAvoy followed them into crime – and into prison. Then one day in the gym he discovered the talent, drive, support and friendship that changed everything John McAvoy sat in a holding cell in Belmarsh prison, waiting to be processed, plotting his escape. It was 2007, he was 24, and he had been arrested for firearms offences and conspiracy to commit robbery. He knew he was facing a long stretch inside, having previously served three years for possession of a firearm. He also knew his only chance of running was through the hospital wing, so had spent the day lying to guards, pretending that he had sustained a concussion during his arrest. When the holding cell doors opened, he figured that’s where he was going. Instead, he was cuffed and led away to a high-security unit (HSU).When McAvoy laid eyes on the unit, the magnitude of his situation hit home. “I thought: ‘I’m not going to see daylight for a...

Events

41 h. ago Moment asylum seeker 'threatens to come to England and "pop pop pop" Nigel Farage while making gun gesture'... and 'marry' Reform UK leader's sister 

This is the Afghan migrant accused of making threats to kill Nigel Farage on TikTok. Fayaz Khan, who is said to be 26, has a gun tattoo on his face. He denies the charge and is on trial in London.

Events

41 h. ago Boy, 14, arrested over gang knife fight near train station in west London

Witnesses were left shocked by the brawl on Hounslow Road in Feltham

Events

45 h. ago Nigel Farage tells court he was 'in fear for my life' after receiving death threats from Afghan migrant in TikTok video

Fayaz Khan, pictured, is accused of making threats to kill Nigel Farage on TikTok during his journey to the UK.

Events

66 h. ago Phone snatching network behind one in four thefts in London targeted in police crackdown

An organised crime gang was behind ‘industrial scale’ theft of phones being shipped to China, Met Police say

Events

67 h. ago That ‘90s show: Parents are turning to childhood for tips on raising their kids in tech age

Watching a movie rented from Blockbuster, threading a charm bracelet, and taking on your friends with a game of Hungry, Hungry, Hippo. Those 90s trends we miss so dearly are the ones that are inspiring millennial parents, Amber Raiken finds

Society

2 d. ago Former TikTok prankster Mizzy reveals he is now a dad and has turned his life around

The social media prankster previously invaded strangers’ homes reveals he’s now a dad and working normal job after prison

Politics

3 d. ago Viral Christmas gift bundle gets you £175 of TikTok’s best beauty products for £70

Know someone who loves watching beauty content on social media and trying viral products? This beauty box, available via TikTok Shop, is the perfect gift for them

Economics

4 d. ago Interior expert reveals the easy way to make any room look bigger

Interior expert Sandra, who is known for her home and lifestyle tips on TikTok, has revealed a simple trick that makes any room look bigger with just one easy change.

Politics

4 d. ago The death of DIY? Young people lack essential home skills, study finds

Third of Britons feel young people are lacking in essential DIY skills

Events

9 d. ago Police investigating hate crime after men racially abused in ‘vile’ gang attack

Two victims were racially abused and assaulted by a group of four men who left the area in a white van

Events

9 d. ago Is TikTok’s new ‘lock in’ trend the thief of joy or a shortcut to productivity?

The seasonal self-improvement hack is all over socials right now. But can you make it work for the long-haul? Louise Pyne has your guide to forming better habits this autumn

Politics

1 week ago Madeleine McCann was snatched by organised crime gang, claims private detective

Bombshell comes as 15 cops move the convicted sex attacker from the ground floor flat where he has been holed up following his release from a seven-year jail sentence for rape after locals rumble his identity

Events

1 week ago Police hunt attackers after woman gang raped outside UK church

Victim in her 30s was attacked in Banbury churchyard in the early hours of Sunday as police appeal for a woman who bravely tried to intervene

Events

1 week ago Former Glasgow gang enforcer Paul Ferris to launch true crime podcast

EX-GANGLAND enforcer Paul Ferris has revealed plans for a podcast about Scotland's crime world. The former gangster - who was known as "The Wee Man" - is set to cover the life stories of people involved on the other side of the law. Ferris, 61, was a notorious figure on Scotland's gang scene in the...

Events

1 week ago Man denies the murder of mum Joanne Penney who was found with gunshot wound

Renaldo Baptiste, 38, pleaded not guilty to both a charge of murder and a charge of participating in an organised crime gang

Events

1 week ago Gang of teen girls terrorising high street by smashing windows, stealing & telling shop staff ‘police won’t help you’

A GANG of louts as young as 14 has been terrorising a high street by smashing windows, stealing and threatening shopkeepers. The shameless teens have been filmed running amok on CCTV, with one taunting a store owner: “The police are never going to help you. "You can film me all you want.” Shops on Shirley...

Events

1 week ago ‘Loaded water’ trend is healthier than you would think — and very hydrating

The trend is helping young people increase their daily water intake

Politics

2 w. ago House of Guinness review – James Norton’s pheromones positively sizzle off the screen

With smarts, heart and serious sex appeal, this fine drama from Peaky Blinders’ Steven Knight is an irresistible romp – like Succession, only over a booze empire. Knight has never made a better show than thisYou may judge a show’s success by the number of imitators that follow: to see how much TV commissioners envied the popularity of Slow Horses, look at the recent uptick in wry dramas about spies and/or shambling outcasts who work in a grotty basement but get the job done. Another show with that status is Peaky Blinders, writer Steven Knight’s swaggering epic about a (real) Birmingham crime gang between the wars.What’s unusual about the post-Blinders shows is that the author of the towering original has tended to write the pretenders to the throne himself: Knight sought to develop the formula earlier this year with A Thousand Blows, a series about a different historical crime gang, and with his new Netflix show House of Guinness, he seems to be mining the same seam. The family her...

Politics

2 w. ago Gen Z is drinking ‘loaded water’ to cut sugar cravings and stay energized

The trend is helping young people increase their daily water intake

Politics