Emma O'Neill

A teenage boy was seriously injured in a shooting at a school in the Ronna area of Södertälje, Sweden. Police arrested a 14-year-old girl, who local reports said may have escaped from a nearby treatment centre and was carrying a weapon. Authorities have not confirmed the motive or full circumstances, while police continue a major investigation.

A private helicopter crashed in the Tholos area of Sifnos, Greece, triggering a fire and killing three people. Emergency crews, including firefighters and a rescue team from Syros, recovered the bodies. The identities of the victims and the cause of the crash remain unknown.

Nine people were taken to hospital after a vehicle entered the M50 motorway in Dublin in the wrong direction and collided head-on with another car near Junction 12. Eight male juveniles in the first vehicle were injured, with one in critical condition, while the second driver, a man in his 20s, suffered serious injuries. The southbound motorway remains closed between Junctions 12 and 11 as Gardaí investigate and seek dashcam footage and witnesses.

Merseyside Police temporary sergeant Daniel Hughes was convicted at Manchester Crown Court of eight counts of unauthorised access to computer material and three counts of disclosing personal data. Between 2016 and 2021, he repeatedly searched police systems for people linked to EncroChat criminal networks and discussed some intelligence in WhatsApp messages, while maintaining concealed social relationships with offenders. A jury cleared him of numerous additional charges, and prosecutors said he had abused his position and undermined confidence in the criminal justice system. Hughes, who had previously suffered serious injuries while on duty and had been diagnosed with PTSD and autism, was dismissed by Merseyside Police. He received a 12-month prison sentence suspended for two years, 10 rehabilitation days, 250 hours of unpaid work and a £750 fine.

Liam Redmond snr and his sons, Liam Redmond jnr and Luke Redmond, admitted affray after a drunken fight at a wake at Prenton Golf Club in October 2024. The violence included thrown glasses, punches and attempts to gouge mourners’ eyes, leaving HGV driver William Donaldson with a split nose requiring nine stitches, glass fragments in his eye and permanent scarring. Redmond snr, who had a similar prior conviction linked to another wake, received a nine-month prison sentence suspended for 18 months, while his sons received community orders and unpaid-work requirements. All three were ordered to pay Donaldson £250 in compensation each.

A partial solar eclipse on August 12 will cover up to 91.3% of the Sun across Greater Manchester, beginning at 6:13pm, peaking at 7:10pm and ending at 8:03pm BST. The article recommends obtaining certified ISO 12312-2:2015(E) eclipse glasses from the Platt Fields Park event, reputable opticians, science shops or established online retailers, and explains how to identify counterfeit products. Ordinary sunglasses are unsafe, while cameras, telescopes and binoculars require specialist solar filters. Safe alternatives include a pinhole projector and online livestreams, with Platt Fields Park and other unobstructed west-northwest-facing locations suggested for viewing.

Four men aged 34, 39, 42 and 52 were stabbed on Endell Street in Covent Garden. Two remain in hospital with injuries not considered life-threatening or life-changing, while the other two have been discharged. A 47-year-old woman was arrested on suspicion of assault and possession of an offensive weapon, and police recovered a pair of scissors. The Metropolitan Police are treating the incident as isolated and potentially mental-health-related, are not seeking anyone else, and continue to investigate while maintaining a visible presence in the area.

Suzanne Menagh, 40, was found dead at the White Star Line Hotel in Liverpool city centre after reportedly falling ill in the early hours of August 1. Her death is being treated as unexplained while post-mortem testing continues. Friends, former colleagues and community members have paid tribute to her. A 47-year-old man and a 34-year-old woman were arrested on suspicion of murder, while a 31-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of assisting an offender; all three were released on conditional bail as the investigation continues.

A body found off Blyth has been formally identified as 19-year-old Michael Henry of Rothbury, who went missing after a kayak carrying two people capsized near Boulmer on July 7. The other kayaker reached a buoy and was rescued by Coastguard personnel, while the search for Henry was later called off after authorities concluded he had died at sea. His family paid tribute to him as a much-loved relative, friend and keen sportsman. Documentation has been submitted to the coroner.

The remains of 38-year-old Scottish woman Elisabeth Jane Ross were found inside a suitcase in an abandoned building in Athens on July 18. DNA analysis identified her as a British woman who had travelled to Greece via Cyprus after leaving the United States. Greek authorities, assisted by Interpol, US investigators and Police Scotland, are investigating her death; a post-mortem examination is pending, her final movements are being traced, and no suspect has been named.

Four Gambian nationals from Leeds—a 36-year-old man, two women aged 18 and 30, and a seven-month-old girl—died after their Hyundai left the A38 near Willington, Derbyshire, and struck a tree. The driver, a 33-year-old man, suffered serious injuries, was arrested on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving and later bailed. The Gambian Welfare Society in Leeds and The Gambia’s UK High Commission paid tribute to the victims and are supporting the bereaved families while liaising with authorities.

Sixteen-year-old Rhys Boardman, who has autism and ADHD, disappeared during a family holiday in Rhyl after becoming disoriented on a walk. He travelled for nearly three days without a phone or money, sleeping rough and eating very little, before reaching a police station in Birmingham. North Wales Police, specialist teams and hundreds of local volunteers joined the search, while his mother Siobhan described the panic and emotional strain of the ordeal. Rhys was found dehydrated but unharmed and returned home, and volunteer Rob Charles launched a fundraiser to help the family recover from the experience.

A drug‑impaired driver, James Cheetham, led police on a 70mph chase in a 30mph zone in South Cheshire before crashing into a wall and attempting to flee. He tested positive for benzoylecgonine at more than ten times the legal limit and later pleaded guilty to dangerous and drug driving. Chester Crown Court imposed a 15‑month prison sentence suspended for 18 months and an 18‑month driving disqualification. Cheshire Police emphasised the risk posed to pedestrians and noted he must pass an extended test before driving again.

A man from Cheshire suffered a life‑threatening internal bleeding episode while on holiday in Gran Canaria after an ulcer linked to previous pancreatic surgery ruptured. Despite being initially discharged abroad with a sunstroke diagnosis, he deteriorated, flew home, and was immediately treated at Manchester Royal Infirmary, where he required multiple blood transfusions and surgery. He is now recovering but remains traumatised and fearful of travelling again.

An inquest determined that unidentified human remains found in weighted bags in the River Stour in Suffolk belonged to an older white male who was unlawfully killed following a violent assault. Investigators concluded that dismemberment and removal of hands were attempts to prevent identification, with radiocarbon dating suggesting the victim died between 2008 and 2012. Police linked multiple deposit sites to the same individual and highlighted challenges caused by the absence of an identity. Forensic analysis indicated repeated blows to the skull and possible freezing or storage of the remains before disposal, though the exact cause of death remains unascertained.