Rory Cassidy

Mark “Bruni” Brown, president of the Mad Dogs Motorcycle Club, says he and fellow bikers were attacked by about 12 masked people armed with swords, bats and other weapons on the M74 near Lesmahagow. Brown was seriously injured, while witnesses were left shaken. Police Scotland is treating the incident as a targeted attack and is seeking information, including dash-cam footage and sightings of a red Mazda later recovered in Ayrshire. The assault follows tensions between the Mad Dogs and Blue Angels motorcycle clubs, although biker sources questioned whether the Blue Angels were responsible.

The report examines the history of the Mad Dogs Motorcycle Club after members were attacked with swords and bats on the M74 near Lesmahagow. It outlines other incidents involving the club, including a suspected attempted vehicle attack outside a Renfrewshire pub, a fire in Hillington and violence at a funeral. Founder Dan Laponder is serving a nine-year sentence for bombing a van linked to Blue Angels member David Rollo’s family, while John Bingham, who contributed financially to the club, received restrictions after a road-rage incident involving a female motorcyclist.

DX Home Improvements, a former Motherwell FC sponsor, has collapsed after directors David Stephen and Shaun Brown pleaded guilty to offences linked to an international cocaine-importation operation. Customers have reported unfinished kitchens, windows and other home-improvement work, lost deposits and difficulty obtaining refunds, prompting complaints to North Lanarkshire Council’s Trading Standards service. Investigators say the company and linked DX Academy helped present the pair’s activities as legitimate while they used EncroChat to arrange the sale of 125kg of cocaine. The men face sentencing at the High Court in Glasgow and potential asset recovery under proceeds-of-crime laws.

Margaret Watson, also known as Margaret Mclellan, was jailed for two years at Paisley Sheriff Court after being convicted of extorting just over £70,000 from a recently widowed 67-year-old man. She discovered his savings after offering a story about needing a cooker repaired, then threatened to have him beaten and falsely accuse him of sexual assault unless he paid her. The victim had to delay retirement after losing the money. Watson was also given a 10-year Non-Harassment Order banning contact with him.

Jordan Lee Wilkins was unanimously convicted at the High Court in Kilmarnock of raping a 14-year-old girl repeatedly over seven months, resulting in her pregnancy. He denied having sex with her and claimed she had somehow stolen his sperm to impregnate herself, but the jury rejected his account in less than an hour. The victim described resisting the assaults and later giving birth without knowing she was pregnant. Wilkins was remanded in custody, placed on the sex offenders’ register, and is awaiting sentencing after repeated adjournments.

A Jet2 flight from Glasgow to Antalya was delayed by about 90 minutes after its scheduled pilot reportedly forgot his passport. A replacement pilot stepped in, allowing the flight to depart, and passengers arrived in Turkey at 4:45pm. Jet2 apologized and described the disruption as caused by unforeseen circumstances.

Mark McMillan, 47, was sentenced to more than 11 years in prison for raping and sexually abusing three women during an 18-month period between January 2022 and July 2023. The High Court in Kilmarnock heard that he strangled two victims, caused one to lose consciousness, abused victims while they slept, used degrading language and became violent when unable to obtain cocaine. Lord Harrower imposed an extended sentence, lifetime registration as a sex offender and indefinite non-harassment orders protecting the victims, with McMillan to be supervised for three years after release. McMillan maintains his innocence.

Nathan Hageman says winning £1 million on ITV's Red or Black? in 2011 was the worst thing that happened to him, claiming the money led to blackmail, threats and damaged relationships. He spent the windfall on a luxury lifestyle before returning to crime, including convictions for threatening messages, stealing from a nurse at Royal Berkshire Hospital and dine-and-dash scams. Hageman has pleaded guilty to threatening former friend Jason Gollop and is due to be sentenced at Ayr Sheriff Court. The article also revisits criticism of ITV's decision to allow him to compete despite his previous domestic-abuse conviction.

Nathan Hageman, who won £1 million on ITV's Red or Black in 2011, pleaded guilty at Ayr Sheriff Court to sending abusive voice messages threatening to kill former friend Jason Gollop and Gollop's dog. Gollop had helped Hageman after his release from prison by arranging transport to Scotland, accommodation and work, but the relationship deteriorated when Hageman repeatedly failed to attend jobs. Hageman has a history of convictions, including theft from a hospital nurse and previous threatening communications, and is due to be sentenced next month. Reports that he and a woman left two Ayrshire restaurants without paying were disposed of without court action.

Curtis Heighes, a broadband salesman and social-media travel influencer from Bearsden, was convicted of sexually assaulting a woman with multiple sclerosis at her Paisley home after visiting to sell broadband services. He avoided imprisonment after the court heard he cared for his elderly parents, receiving 300 hours of unpaid work, an eight-month electronically monitored restriction of liberty, a 10-year non-harassment order and five years on the sex offenders register. The victim criticised the sentence and said his online posts from trips abroad, including material involving guns and jokes about sex, were deeply disturbing and inconsistent with how he presented himself in court.

Earl Junior Strachan, 33, was arrested in Scotland and charged with murdering 27-year-old Sanchini Thompson, who was fatally stabbed in Lewisham, southeast London, on October 15, 2025. Strachan is also charged with possessing a knife and is due to appear at Uxbridge Magistrates’ Court. A post-mortem found that Thompson died from a stab wound to the chest, while his family described him as a much-loved father, son and friend. The Metropolitan Police said the investigation remains ongoing.

Gary Clark, a 24-year-old Rangers supporter, pleaded guilty at Glasgow Sheriff Court to disorderly conduct and breach of the peace arising from clashes between Rangers and Celtic fans in Glasgow before their December 2024 League Cup final. The disorder involved attacks near Celtic pubs, clashes on Argyle Street, thrown bottles and lit pyrotechnics, causing members of the public and charity workers to seek shelter. Police identified Clark through CCTV and found Union Bears clothing, Rangers season tickets and a blue balaclava at his home. Sheriff Daniel Kelly deferred sentencing until the following month and warned that imprisonment remained an option.

Ross “Miami” McGill, a former Union Bears leader and alleged Scottish gang boss, is reportedly being offered refuge in Morocco by members of the Mocro Maffia after being expelled from the United Arab Emirates following his detention in Dubai. The report links McGill to the sons of imprisoned Moroccan-Dutch crime boss Ridouan Taghi and surveys several major international cartels, including the Mocro Maffia, Sinaloa Cartel, Los Zetas and Clan del Golfo, outlining their drug trafficking, violence and other criminal operations.

Ellie Roxanne Johnson, from Rhondda in South Wales, shared a photo taken by an Evri courier after she answered her door wrapped in a towel immediately after showering. She posted the embarrassing but humorous incident on TikTok, where followers praised her reaction and joked about the unusual delivery confirmation image. Delivery photographs are commonly used as proof that parcels have been delivered, although drivers generally do not need to include the recipient’s face. Evri was contacted for comment.

South Scotland MSP Colin Smyth appeared privately at Dumfries Sheriff Court on charges of voyeurism and possessing indecent images of children. No plea was entered, the case was committed for further examination, and Smyth was granted bail. His earlier arrest led to his suspension from Scottish Labour. The Crown Office warned that the active proceedings are protected under contempt-of-court rules and that reporting must not comment on evidence, witnesses or the accused.

Liam McDermid pleaded guilty at the High Court in Edinburgh to involvement in serious organised crime after police observed him using a metal detector to search for a hidden Glock and nine 9mm cartridges near the Roseburn cycle path. Police recovered the detector and later found the firearm and ammunition. McDermid, linked to Edinburgh gangland activity, was remanded in custody and is expected to receive a substantial prison sentence next month. The case is part of Operation Portaledge, a Police Scotland crackdown on gang activity involving the Daniel, Lyons and Richardson crime groups.

The family of June Bunyan, a 37-year-old lawyer from Arran, has confirmed that her body has been returned to Scotland for burial. Bunyan was allegedly killed and dismembered at her Los Angeles home on September 11, and her husband, Jonathan Renteria, has been charged with murder, disinterment, mutilation and sexual contact with human remains. Renteria pleaded not guilty and is being held on $4 million bail. Bunyan's mother thanked supporters after a fundraiser surpassed its £15,000 target. Court papers say Bunyan had previously sought a restraining order against Renteria over alleged domestic violence.

Royal author Andrew Lownie says King Charles III and Buckingham Palace are using the claim that removing Prince Andrew’s remaining titles would burden Parliament as an excuse for inaction. Andrew has lost his royal title and honours but remains a prince, while renewed scrutiny of his relationship with Jeffrey Epstein and Virginia Giuffre’s posthumous memoir has intensified demands for his complete removal from royal status. Lownie and royal expert Emily Andrews argue that Andrew’s dukedom could be removed rapidly, although removing the title of prince would require an Act of Parliament. The article links the Palace’s reluctance to Charles’s alleged brotherly bias and concern for Andrew’s wellbeing.

Nel & Co restaurant in Bothwell, Lanarkshire, was badly damaged by a fire in the early hours of 22 October 2025. Police Scotland is treating the incident as wilful and is investigating a possible connection to Operation Portaledge. No one was injured. The attack occurred weeks after the nearby sister restaurant Cut Bothwell was targeted, amid a history of fires and vandalism affecting businesses on Bothwell’s Main Street. Local residents have called for urgent action.

Former Celtic manager Neil Lennon recalled kicking a tray of food during an angry dressing-room rant after a poor Celtic performance, accidentally hitting James Forrest in the face with a prawn sandwich. Forrest reportedly remained still until Lennon left before cleaning the sauce from his face. Lennon, who currently manages Dunfermline, described the incident during an appearance on BBC Radio Scotland, while former Celtic players Charlie Mulgrew and Adam Matthews have also previously referenced it. Forrest has since become Celtic’s most decorated player, with 26 trophies, 109 goals and 541 appearances.

Stephen Bates is on trial at Liverpool Crown Court accused of murdering Martin O'Donovan, his girlfriend's brother, after the two men met at O'Donovan's mother's 70th birthday party. Prosecutors allege Bates, after drinking vodka-based drinks and Jägerbombs and fighting with O'Donovan, returned minutes later in a Ford Fiesta and deliberately drove over him. Witness Susanne Lewzey described the collision as intentional and said Bates appeared unresponsive afterward. Bates denies murder but has pleaded guilty to manslaughter; the trial is continuing.

Britain has deployed a senior commander and a small team of military personnel to Israel at the United States’ request to support the US-led Civil Military Coordination Centre and help monitor the fragile Gaza ceasefire. The UK will serve in an “anchor” role but will not lead the force or operate inside Gaza. The multinational effort is expected to include personnel from Qatar, Egypt, Turkey and the United Arab Emirates, with the United States contributing up to 200 troops. The ceasefire was tested after Israel accused Hamas of killing two soldiers, prompting Israeli airstrikes in southern Gaza that Gaza health officials said killed at least 45 Palestinians. Both sides later reaffirmed their commitment to the truce, while the force is also expected to help coordinate humanitarian aid.

A roughly 10-day-old female grey seal pup named Selkie was found thin and shivering in sand dunes on Arran after a weekend storm separated her from her mother. Arran Vets rescued her and arranged for an Arran Deliveries driver to transport her by ferry to Ardrossan, where the Scottish SPCA collected her for rehabilitation at its wildlife hospital in Fishcross, Fife. Veterinarian Charlotte Clough noted that seal pups are often left alone by their mothers, but Selkie required help because of the storm and her weakened condition.

Lindsay Sandiford, a British grandmother sentenced to death in Indonesia for smuggling cocaine, has been granted a transfer to the UK after Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Home Secretary Yvette Cooper appealed to President Prabowo Subianto. Indonesian authorities said Sandiford is seriously ill and confirmed that an agreement has been signed to repatriate her and fellow British prisoner Shahab Shahabadi. Sandiford has spent 12 years on death row in Kerobokan prison, maintaining that a criminal gang coerced her into transporting the drugs. Her barrister Felicity Gerry is urging the UK to release her immediately, although officials may require her to serve a sentence under British law.