Cyber attack targets legal aid applicants
The agency said the hackers had 'accessed and downloaded' a 'significant' amount of personal data from people who have applied for legal aid through its digital service since 2010.
'This data may have included contact details and addresses of applicants, their dates of birth, national ID numbers, criminal history, employment status and financial data such as contribution amounts, debts and payments,' it said.
The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) said it became aware of a cyber attack on the agency's online digital services on April 23, before realising it was 'more extensive than originally understood' on May 16.
The MoJ said: 'We would urge all members of the public who have applied for legal aid in this time period to take steps to safeguard themselves. We would recommend you are alert for any suspicious activity such as unknown messages or phone calls and to be extra vigilant to update any potentially exposed passwords.
'If you are in doubt about anyone you are communicating with online or over the phone you should verify their identity independently before providing any information to them.'
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The Independent
7 minutes ago
- The Independent
Gang murdered tourist after following him from party mansion made famous by Bonnie Blue
A gang of robbers have been found guilty of fatally stabbing a Greek tourist after following him from outside a multimillion-pound party mansion. Antonis Antoniadis, 26, was targeted after he left 32 Portland Place nightclub, in Marylebone, west London. Following an Old Bailey trial, Shian Johnson, 26, Sofian Alliche, 20, his brother Amin Alliche, 18, Joshua McCorquodale, 20, and Alfie Hipple, 18, all from Camden, north London, were found guilty of murder and conspiracy to rob. The defendants were taken down from the dock after one of them reacted with an angry outburst, accusing the jury of 'ruining' his life. The jury had deliberated for more than 14 hours to reach its unanimous verdicts, with one of them leaving court in tears. Judge Rebecca Trowler KC adjourned sentencing until October 3. The court heard how Greek printing firm office worker Mr Antoniadis had come on holiday to London for a week with two friends called Maria and Tia. They ended up at the 32 Portland Place nightclub in Marylebone in the early hours of July 7, jurors were told. The venue, owned by Edward 'Fast Eddie' Davenport, came to public attention when it hosted OnlyFans personality Bonnie Blue in her attempt to sleep with more than 1,000 men in 12 hours. On the evening before the murder, the robbers followed a yellow Lamborghini and a Mercedes car before fixing on the victim, who was carrying a Lacoste man bag and wearing a designer Versace watch. Mr Antoniadis and his two female friends did not leave Portland Place until after 8am and had booked an Uber to get back to a friend's address in New Cross, south-east London, where they were staying. Prosecutor Bill Emlyn Jones KC said the tourists had no idea that the young men hanging around outside the nightclub in a stolen car were on the lookout for someone to rob. He said: 'It seems that when that group of five saw Antonis come out of the club, those robbers thought they had found a suitable target. 'So when they saw him come out and get into his Uber, they, in their stolen car, followed him.' The defendants trailed the Uber car for more than half an hour to its destination on the opposite side of London, the court heard. As one of Mr Antoniadis's friends struggled to find the door key upon arriving at the address, he was approached by four figures in hoods and balaclavas. The fifth member of the gang acted as the getaway driver, jurors were told. Mr Antoniadis managed to hit one of the robbers with a brandy bottle as the group tried to grab his man bag. Mr Emlyn Jones said: 'Tragically, whether it was brave or whether it was just an instinctive response, that reaction was to cost him his life.' The victim was punched and kicked and then stabbed in the chest and thigh, severing his femoral artery. The attackers, at least two of whom were carrying large knives, then fled the scene in the getaway car, leaving the victim bleeding heavily. Mr Antoniadis was treated at the scene and taken to hospital where attempts were made to save his life, but he died from his injuries on July 21 last year. The car used by the robbers – a stolen Kia Sportage with false number plates – was captured on CCTV and the defendants were also linked through cell site data. Jurors heard McCorquodale had convictions in 2022 for conspiracy to rob and robbery relating to mobile phone snatching and trying to take an electric bicycle with an accomplice. When police searched his home they found a machete, a Zombie knife and two balaclavas. Both McCorquodale and Johnson denied being present at the time of the murder, saying they left earlier that evening. Within days of the murder, Johnson and his girlfriend had taken a flight to Cancun in Mexico and booked into an all-inclusive hotel resort and spa. They failed to return on their scheduled flight back to Gatwick on July 24. Four days later, police were waiting at Gatwick airport and they boarded a flight that arrived from Madrid to arrest Johnson on suspicion of murder. Johnson had a conviction for possessing a knife in Camden High Street in 2015, and a machete and balaclava were found at his home. The court heard Sofian Alliche had a previous conviction for robbing a man on Regent's Canal towpath in 2019. In a search of the Alliche brothers' home, officers seized two balaclavas, a Louis Vuitton man bag, a large sword and drug paraphernalia. Amin Alliche admitted being the driver but claimed he did not leave the car at the scene of the murder, as did his sibling Sofian. Hipple admitted leaving the car in New Cross but claimed to be unaware of the robbery and had only taken a mobile phone in an opportunistic theft. Jurors heard he had a conviction in 2022 for possessing an offensive weapon in public relating to a police stop in which he was found with a knife in a sheath tucked into his waistband. Detective Chief Inspector Kate Blackburn, Specialist Crime South, said: 'Antonis had been visiting from Greece with friends. Very tragically he never made it home to his family. 'This was a particularly challenging and complex case given the lack of CCTV at the scene and the movement of the vehicle, which had been driven by the defendants continuously throughout the night of July 6 and into the following afternoon. 'I would like to thank in particular Antonis' friends, who had witnessed his brutal murder and returned to the UK to give their evidence. 'I would also like to thank the witnesses who came forward and helped us to understand what had happened to Antonis. 'I am pleased our concerted efforts to find those responsible has enabled us to achieve justice for Antonis' loved ones, family, and friends.'
The Sun
7 minutes ago
- The Sun
I forgave my partner for affair with my best pal eight years ago – but I still can't forget it or move on
DEAR DEIDRE: A BLACK lace bra was all the evidence I needed that my wife was having an affair with my best friend. His wife told me what was going on after she found the underwear stuffed down the side of her bed. When she told me the bra size, my blood ran cold as I realised it was the same size my wife wore. This was eight years ago but I still can't forget it or move on. I'm a man of 42 and have been with my partner for 15 years. She's 37. Our relationship was great until I got a job where I worked in the US for several months of the year. When I was in Los Angeles, the time difference made it hard for us to communicate, and my partner told me she felt lonely in the evenings. She started going out with her friends more — at least, that's what she told me. At the time, I trusted her. But a few weeks before I returned home, I got a message from my best friend's wife asking me to call. When we FaceTimed, she was in bits. She said my wife had been spending a lot of time with her husband. My partner hadn't told me about this — which seemed suspicious in itself. Then my friend's wife said she had been changing their bed when she found a lacy black bra tucked under the mattress. Spotting the signs your partner is cheating She said my partner was the only woman who had visited her house and told me the bra size. When I came home, I confronted my partner and my best friend individually. They both said I was paranoid. Soon after, my best friend's marriage broke up. Our friendship has never been the same. I have tried to forget what happened, to forgive my partner and carry on with our life together but it still troubles me to this day. What do you advise I should do? DEIDRE SAYS: The evidence was circumstantial but your gut told you the two people closest to you had cheated. As they both denied it, you chose to try to forgive and forget. Unfortunately, eight years later, it's clear that you haven't been able to do that. Try talking to your partner again. Ask her to be honest so you can put this issue to bed once and for all. First, think about how you will react if she finally admits to an affair, and whether you would want to break up or simply need the truth for closure. Having couples counselling would be wise, so you can deal with this in a safe environment. Contact (020 7380 1975) for an appointment. My support pack, Cheating, Can You Get Over It?, should help. THANK YOU FOR HELPING AS LOAN LEFT ME SUICIDAL DEAR DEIDRE: AFTER I took out a loan that I couldn't afford to pay back, I became scared to open my front door in case debt collectors turned up. When I first saw the loan advertised online, it seemed like the answer to my prayers. But the interest rate was high and when my circumstances changed, I couldn't keep making the monthly repayments. I'm a 53-year-old single woman. I was so stressed, it was making me ill. I couldn't sleep or eat and sometimes I felt suicidal. You told me that no amount of money owed was worth ending my life over and gave me details of the Samaritans ( 116 123). You praised me for asking for help and advised me to see my GP. You suggested I read your support packs, Solving Debt Problems and Family Finances, and recommended I contact the charity Step Change ( for debt solutions. I took your advice and made an appointment with my doctor. She told me not to look at my bank account every day, to help with stress. I also got advice from a debt charity. Six months on, I have finally finished paying my loan. I won't ever take out another one again! Thank you for supporting me through a stressful time. Well done on paying off your loan. It must be a huge relief for you not to owe any more money. I'm glad I could help. DEAR DEIDRE: EVEN though I've been with my husband for 20 years, he still talks about his teenage sweetheart – and I can't compete. They had a child together when they were 18, but my husband had no contact with his son or the boy's mother for almost four decades. In the meantime, we met, married and had two children. I'm 49 and he's 57. However, a few months ago, his son got in touch out of the blue to say his mother had died. Since then, my husband has become obsessed with his dead ex. He plays 'their song' – the track they danced to at a school party – looks back through old photos, and has even told his son his mum was the love of his life. They were, he says, just too young for it to work. He doesn't seem to care what impact this is having on me. It really hurts. It feels like our whole life together has meant nothing to him, that I'm second best. He says I'm being ridiculous and he loves me. But I'm on the brink of leaving because it's all too painful. 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I love him but after six months here, I'm so lonely and isolated, away from all my friends and family. We're arguing a lot and I'm scared we'll end up splitting. But it's too far for a long-distance relationship. DEIDRE SAYS: Building a life in a new place is hard. Tell him how you feel. You moved for him, so he needs to make an effort to help you make friends. Check out local groups and meet-ups. My support pack, Feeling Lonely?, should help, too. Also, invite your friends and family to stay and plan regular trips back home. NO DESIRE TO ROMP WITH WIFE DEAR DEIDRE: SEX with my wife is a total flop – even though I have no problem keeping an erection when I'm pleasuring myself. For some reason, I just have no desire to be intimate with her any more. We're both upset about it. Now I'm wondering if I should find another woman online to test out what happens if I try to have sex. I'm 56, my wife is 48, we have been married for 20 years and have three children. Until last year, I had a high sex drive and we made love frequently. But my libido has gradually disappeared to the point that I can't get or maintain an erection when we want to get physically intimate. Even taking Viagra didn't help. But masturbating isn't a problem. Trying sex with another woman would clarify if the issue is with my relationship. But I'd feel guilty. I love my wife and don't want to cheat. How can I resolve this? DEIDRE SAYS: Finding another woman for sex is not the answer. The guilt could well affect your ability to perform – and it's wrong to use a person to diagnose your issue. If you can masturbate to climax, it seems likely your problem is psychological. And the more you worry about your erections disappearing, the more likely this is to happen. My support pack, Solving Erection Problems, has more information on this, and how to get help. You and your wife need to discuss what's happening and find if there is a deeper, perhaps unacknowledged, problem in your relationship. Couples counselling may be worth pursuing. See my support pack, How Counselling Can Help.
The Sun
7 minutes ago
- The Sun
Body of man murdered after he was wrongly identified as paedo lay undiscovered for weeks despite tip-offs to cops
THE body of man who was murdered after he was wrongly identified as a paedo lay undiscovered for weeks despite multiple tip-offs to cops. Michael Wheeler, 37, was brutally attacked and killed by Mark Roberts and David Garland on August 24 last year after he was mistakenly identified as a paedophile. 7 7 7 He was assaulted at Roberts's flat in Yeovil in the early hours of the morning, suffering multiple injuries, including 11 skull and facial fractures. Wheeler had be friends with Garland and Roberts - to whom he owed £100. But his relationship went downhill when the others saw an article about a man - also named Michael Wheeler - who was jailed in 2003 after admitting grooming and sexually abusing two 13-year-old girls. They were not the same person and during the trial, prosecuting counsel, David Elias, KC, made it clear the victim had no convictions for child sexual offences. One of the last sightings of him was on CCTV at a petrol station just a few hours before his death. Wheeler's body was later found in a derelict caravan on farmland in Yarlington on September 25 last year. On the day of his death, Avon and Somerset Police had received an anonymous call to say someone had been heard shouting "call the police" and sent officers to a flat in Yeovil where a man refused to let them in. Three weeks later, the force received another anonymous tip-off to say there was a dead body at the same address. The force carried out further inquiries but were unable to locate a body at the time. Garland and Roberts were each found guilty of both the murder of Michael Wheeler and conspiracy to cause him grievous bodily harm with intent. Garland had previously admitted preventing the lawful and decent burial of a dead body. Moment teens hunt boy, 15, before knifing him to death to 'teach him a lesson' Garland was sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 32 years for murder. He was handed a two-year jail term for preventing the lawful and decent burial of a dead body, to be served concurrently. Roberts was jailed for life with a minimum term of 27 years for murder. Details of the two tip-offs were included in a report published by the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) on deaths following police contact. The IOPC report said: "Police received an anonymous call to a residential address reporting that a man had been heard shouting "call the police". "An officer attended and spoke to the man outside of the property who said he lived at the address but refused to allow the officer inside. "Just over three weeks later, police received anonymous information about a dead body in the same address that the officer had attended. "The information suggested the man had been murdered two or three weeks before. Inquiries were carried out, but police were unable to locate a body. "Several arrests were made, including the man who lived at the address that was initially visited by the police officer. A short time after the arrests a body of a man was found." The IOPC investigated the decisions made by the sergeant who responded to the initial call, said a spokesperson. 7 7 When Wheeler disappeared, his mother was suffering from a terminal illness. She passed away before the trial, but had written a victim personal statement which was read to the court. She said: 'I have had my DNR (do not resuscitate) changed so that I can try and stay alive as long as possible. I want to make it to trial. I want to see justice served on these people. 'I may not be here when this statement is read out, but that means I am with my son.' She said: 'I wasn't able to see Michael once he had been found and this was because of the circumstances he was found in. This upset me, I wanted to say goodbye to him. "As a family we haven't been able to get back to normal. We've all been looking out for one another. It's so difficult for us all, I would just love to have him back.' 'SCARRED FOR LIFE' Michael's older sister also paid tribute and described him as a 'loving man with a big heart'. She said he was 'brilliant' with her children, always making time for them. She said: 'It breaks my heart that he will never get to see them grow up. The children miss their uncle terribly. "Michael never had the chance to say goodbye to our mum – he was her golden boy. When we got the news from the police, mum's health deteriorated so quickly. 'I was caring for her, and to lose both my brother and then mum shortly after has been unbearable … I'm saddened to think she left us without knowing the full truth of what happened to Michael. "I am filled with anger and confusion. I cannot understand why anyone would want to kill him. 'It has scarred me for life … This loss is going to affect me forever … Although the trial is over, the pain remains. I want my brother back. "These terrible men have taken my brother away from me and our family. "They must face the consequences of this awful act.'
