EXCLUSIVE 'Rich Kid of Instagram' handbag swindler exposed as a paedophile: Branded the 'Kardashian of Cheshire', he lived a crime-fuelled millionaire lifestyle. Then a boutique owner brought him down...
Slouching down in the seat of her car, Christine Colbert hid her face beneath a wide-brimmed hat and a pair of oversized sunglasses.
Owed tens of thousands of pounds by one-time 'friend' and would-be business partner Jack Watkin, the time had come to spring her carefully planned trap.
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BBC News
16 minutes ago
- BBC News
Hampshire Post Office victim 'still at war' as she gets OBE
A victim of the Post Office computer scandal has said she will continue to fight for compensation for colleagues, as she received an OBE at Buckingham Hamilton, 68, was falsely prosecuted in 2006 for a £36,000 shortfall at her branch in South Warnborough, accepted a financial settlement in 2024, but said it was "wicked" that 138 former sub-postmasters were still battling for Department for Business and Trade (DBT) said it had paid more than £1bn so far. Mrs Hamilton, who received her honour for services to justice on Thursday, said: "Personally my claim's been settled but I cannot, cannot stop fighting until the rest of the group get paid. "We fought in the High Court in 2019 and it took years to even get it to court... 138 of those people are still fighting. One hundred are dead."And I just find the whole thing wicked that they cannot be fair with people."On Friday, police said seven suspects had been identified in connection with the criminal trial might be not be held until 2028, detectives Hamilton said the DBT had claimed that there was little money for compensation, although it had employed an "army of lawyers" to "grind us into submission".She added: "Basically the Business Department owned the Post Office and they prosecuted us and destroyed us and they're now in charge of the compensation."It really is the fox in charge of the henhouse."It should go to an independent body to be fair and they'd stop spending hundreds of millions they've spent on lawyers, which is obscene."The Horizon IT system, which began operating in 1999, falsely created shortfalls in Post Office branches for which sub-postmasters were held than 900 people were prosecuted and some went to prison. In a statement, DBT said: "We pay tribute to all the postmasters including Jo who have suffered from the Horizon scandal."We have quadrupled the total amount paid to victims with more than £1bn paid to thousands of postmasters across the UK and anyone unhappy with their offer can have their case reviewed by an independent panel of experts." You can follow BBC Hampshire & Isle of Wight on Facebook, X (Twitter), or Instagram.
BBC News
an hour ago
- BBC News
Police helicopter in near miss with US jet over Lakenheath
A police helicopter reported a near miss with a drone that was in fact a US jet fighter, a report said. The helicopter had been sent to the area around RAF Lakenheath, in Suffolk, last November following reports of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) in the UK Airprox Board, which investigates near misses, concluded the pilot had misidentified red flashing lights belonging to an F-15 National Police Air Service (NPAS), which operated the helicopter, said there had been no risk of collision. The helicopter crew spotted the lights as they entered Lakenheath's airspace and then headed towards Bury St Edmunds. "Once they started heading in a westerly direction one of the 'drones' appeared to converge with them and fly above and in front of them," the report one point the object appeared to overtake the helicopter. The pilot assessed the risk of collision as "medium". The two aircraft at one point came within 1,900ft (579m) of each other. Investigators highlighted how the crew on board the helicopter had not been told by RAF Lakenheath of the F-15's fighter pilot knew where the helicopter was but "it may have been particularly beneficial for the situational awareness of the EC135 pilot if the Lakenheath Approach Controller had passed reciprocal traffic information to them". EC135 is a reference to the helicopter flown by NPAS, also known as the Eurocopter, though this model is now called the H135. The USAF said the controller's response was compliant with UK law and the F-15 pilot was in visual contact with the helicopter. At the time of the incident, on the evening of 22 November, the airbase had been at the centre of multiple reports of drone sightings. A police incident log from that day recorded how the helicopter had withdrawn from the area "due to a drone coming close to them".The helicopter's traffic collision avoidance system had also not detected the presence of the F-15s, the report noted. Ian Hudson, a drone commentator and analyst, said "This incident underlines serious concerns about lights in the night sky, planets, Starlink and navigation lights being misidentified as drones."This incident would have officially remained as a drone were it not for the fact UK Airprox Board have collated the facts." The sightings of alleged drones over three airbases in the area at around the time of the incident are still being investigated by the Ministry of Defence Police. NPAS said its crew had been tasked by Suffolk police "to assist in the search for suspected drone activity in the Newmarket area".Ch Supt Vicki White said: "As noted in the report, and in the absence of any contradictory information, the crew acted on the belief that they were observing drone operations."The crew demonstrated professionalism and sound judgement in identifying a potential hazard."A US Air Force spokesman said: "The USAF complied with UK air traffic control regulations and remained well clear while maintaining normal vertical separation distances. As noted in the report, the air traffic controllers provided the agreed services to pilots of both aircraft to ensure safety of flight operations." Follow Suffolk news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
BBC News
an hour ago
- BBC News
Driver who inspired F1 film touched by Brad Pitt thanks
A man who was in a crash that inspired a Brad Pitt movie said it was a "pinch yourself moment" when the actor thanked him for sharing his story. Formula 1 driver Martin Donnelly, who lives in Norfolk, suffered serious injuries in a crash in Jerez, Spain, in at the premiere of F1 in London, Pitt thanked him for "putting his energy and guidance" into the new movie."It was just a pinch yourself moment," Mr Donnelly said. "I said 'is he talking to me, is he referring to me'. It is one of those memories I will cherish for life." Mr Donnelly was driving a Lotus Lamborghini which disintegrated against a barrier in a high-speed suffered damage to his right leg which meant he could never compete in a top-end single seater car accident influenced the story line of the new film, seeing Pitt's character Sonny Hayes return to the wheel after he was in a 61-year-old actor undertook four months of driver training in Abu Dhabi as well as Silverstone and Rockingham in Northamptonshire. Talking about watching the accident in the film, Donnelly told the BBC: "It was such a surreal moment. It was something only I could appreciate."After one of the operations the surgeon said, 'that is it - you will never drive an F1 car again'."But he does not know the mind of a racing driver. We are stubborn and determined and selfish."On 23 February 1993 I drove a Jordan car around Silverstone and that was me giving my surgeons the pledge to say you know your books, but you do not know me, and here I am." Speaking about meeting Pitt, Mr Donnelly added: "It was just a surreal moment."A highly rated A-List star like Brad Pitt asking me for advice and direction."Mr Donnelly still works with Lotus and runs his own driving Manwaring, former team manager for Lotus, said: "He just had all of the right ingredients to be a good driver."It was pretty clear to me that he was going to be a real star."I think it has been a good thing for Martin and we were happy to support him." Follow East of England news on X, Instagram and Facebook: BBC Norfolk or BBC Northamptonshire.
