Mark Brown

Nathan Owen was sentenced at Liverpool Crown Court to four years and three months in prison after driving a Jaguar I-Pace at up to 86mph across Merseyside motorways while falsely claiming that its brakes had failed and the vehicle was accelerating uncontrollably. He collided with a police car 31 times during a 35-minute pursuit before the vehicle stopped when its battery ran out. Investigators and Jaguar Land Rover found no mechanical fault, and vehicle data showed that Owen never pressed the brakes. The court heard that he had significant debt, had failed to obtain a loan and sought to avoid about £5,000 in remaining car-finance payments. He later received payments from The Sun and Daily Mail for his story. Owen pleaded guilty to dangerous driving and two fraud charges, and was banned from driving for five years after release.

A major redevelopment of the Ripon Workhouse Museum introduces immersive features depicting the harsh conditions of Victorian poverty, supported by National Lottery funding. New interactive elements and restored historical spaces aim to convey the national story of workhouses and their relevance to contemporary issues, while highlighting the extensive conservation work needed to preserve the site.

A coroner ruled that Nobby Stiles died with dementia caused in part by chronic traumatic encephalopathy resulting from repeatedly heading a football throughout his career, during which he made an estimated 140,000 headers. Medical evidence linked his condition to head trauma, and his family, long advocates for greater support for former players, highlighted the heavy footballs used in his era. The case adds to growing legal action by former players and families against UK football authorities for alleged negligence over brain injuries, echoing similar findings in the recent inquest into Gordon McQueen.

Europe’s most valuable art auction achieved £152.5m in sales, though several key works, including Monet’s Nymphéas, failed to meet expectations. Picasso’s Blue Period portrait sold at the low end of its estimate, while Sotheby’s achieved a record price for a Manet self-portrait. Mixed results across both major auction houses indicated strong demand for top-quality works but more cautious bidding than anticipated.

A long-overlooked and heavily soiled painting at Kingston Lacy has been confirmed as a significant Tintoretto masterpiece after extensive restoration. The National Trust unveiled the newly conserved work, now displayed publicly for the first time, while experts continue to debate the identities and symbolism of its figures. Despite new clarity from conservation and imaging techniques, key elements of the composition remain unresolved, prompting calls for further scholarly insight. The painting is notable as a rare private commission by Tintoretto and now stands among the most important examples of his work outside Venice.

Argues that the National Theatre of Scotland is not opposed to the Scots language, countering claims that it neglects classic Scots-language drama. Emphasizes that the theatre prioritizes contemporary Scottish writers and reflects the hybrid nature of modern Scottish speech. Highlights the current renaissance in Scottish theatre and warns against interpretations that may fuel cultural or nationalist antagonism.