A Labour councillor racially and religiously abused a Muslim doorman at a pub in a drunken outburst just days after being elected. George Rist had caused concern with his rowdy behaviour while out drinking in his hometown of Monmouth – where he had recently been elected to the council – before he asked a Black British doorman “where the f*** do you come from?” and challenging him and saying if he was a 13-year-old girl his victim would rape him. The 28-year-old, who has since resigned as a councillor, admitted two charges of intending to cause harassment, alarm or distress and using threatenin ..read more

Shoplifting offences recorded by police in England and Wales have risen to the highest level in 20 years. More than 430,000 offences were recorded last year – up by more than a third than the previous 12 months to December 2022, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS). This is the highest figure since current police records began in 2003. Organisations representing retailers say these figures represent a fraction of the true number of incidents. The latest ONS crime survey said police had also been dealing with unprecedented levels of stealing from individual p ..read more

A TikTok vlogger says he was refused entry into a popular Cardiff nightclub because he was on his own and bouncers told him that it was “company policy” not to let people in unless they are with someone. David Marshall – widely known as Chef Dave Marshall on social media – is a vlogger with more than 350,000 followers and more than 12m likes on TikTok.  He has become a sensation on the platform in the past few years thanks to uploading videos about his daily life and cooking tutorials. As part of his lifestyle as a TikTok star, ‘Chef Dave’ got invited to appear at a Cardiff nightspot. Before ..read more

A customer helped wrestle a blade from a would-be thief during a terrifying incident at the Adelaide Terrace supermarket A knife-wielding shoplifter attacked a security guard at a city supermarket. The would-be thief brandished a blade when he was challenged by the worker as he attempted to steal a bag of items from Asda, on Adelaide Terrace, in Benwell, Newcastle. One witness said a customer stepped in to help take the weapon off the attacker during the terrifying incident, which happed at around 9pm on Friday night. Police are today still hunting for the knifeman and have appealed to the pub ..read more

Parents at a Leeds primary school have raised major concerns after a security guard and dog were placed outside of the school. Cottingley Primary Academy said it put the “security arrangements” in place “as a precaution following recent incidents in the community”. But parents said they received no notice that the dog – a German Shephard which they claim was “lunging” at children – and security guard would be outside of the school from Wednesday afternoon. One parent contacted the YEP saying that children were left “petrified”. The mum, who wishes to remain anonymous, said: “I think it’s stupi ..read more

Family-owned Pricewatch Group has found employing a temporary security guard highly effective against prolific shoplifters. The forecourt business, which operates 10 sites in Sussex, had a particular problem at its Nisa Local outlet in Eastbourne’s old town. The Esso petrol station was targeted weekly by two street drinkers who took over £600 of stock in a couple of months and worked collaboratively, arriving when they knew the shop would be busy. They started by stealing laundry products, and then became more confident and took alcohol, fresh meat, and “anything with a resale value”, accordin ..read more

A security guard was stabbed by a needle after a thief tried to steal alcohol from a shop. It happened as police lifted the lid on a shoplifting epidemic. West Midlands Police said seven people were being held in custody over shoplifting offences in the Black Country today, Sunday, April 14. The rate of shoplifting has hit its highest level for two decades nationally, with thefts from shops and stalls increasing by 32 per cent in the year to September 2023, the force said. It said a 38-year-man was arrested yesterday after a security guard was stabbed with a needle at a superstore in Tipton by ..read more

Matthew Brealey, aged 38 and of Queens Road, Bridport, appeared at Weymouth Magistrates’ Court on Thursday, April 11. Brealey was charged with two counts of assault by beating. He pleaded guilty to assaulting a security guard at the Londis store on Westham Road, Weymouth, at around 5pm on January 16, 2024. He also admitted assaulting a security guard who was working on the seafront that night and was in the shop at the time. Ms Valera added that Brealey had three bottles of cider, two in his hands and one of which he had put in his pocket, which is why the shop security guard decided to interv ..read more

A WORKINGTON pub owner has paid thanks to ‘outstanding’ emergency service workers and door staff for all they did in trying to save a much loved doorman, following his tragic passing outside the Junction in Workington over the weekend. Andrew McKain, 28, of Whitehaven, who was head doorman at The Junction pub in Workington, passed away while at work over the weekend. Lloyd Burnie, Owner at The Junction in Workington has thanked the emergency teams who fought tirelessly to try and save Andrew as he paid tribute to his ‘main man’. The pub owner was on holiday at the time of the incident, but fle ..read more

James Barney was a familiar face to generations and was remembered as a ‘modern-day knight in shining armour’ A family paid tribute to a “fearless” dad and grandad who was well-known across Liverpool. James Zogar Barney, affectionately known as Jake, Sugar or Toots was cherished by many in the city and was a familiar face on Liverpool’s nightlife scene. He was today hailed as a “modern-day knight in shining armour” who particularly looked out to ensure women were safe on nights out. Born on Good Friday, April 16, 1954, he died recently aged 69. Jake, the youngest of twin boys and the sixth chi ..read more