Summer camp scare: UK man held after suspected poisoning of eight children
Emergency services were called to the camp in the village of Stathern in central England over a 'report of several children feeling unwell' following a call received on Sunday, Leicestershire police said in a statement.
A triage centre was set up to assess all the youngsters at and 'eight children were taken to hospital as a precaution and have all since been discharged', the police added.
The man in custody is being questioned on suspicion of 'administering poison/a noxious thing with intent to injure/aggrieve/annoy'.
Leicestershire Police added that they had also referred themselves to a police complaints watchdog over their handling of the incident.
The Independent Office for Police Conduct said the referral centred on the force's 'handling of concerns passed to them over the wellbeing of a group of children' after they were notifed about the incident.
'The investigation will look at whether there were any breaches of professional behaviour... that resulted in a delay in Leicestershire Police's response to what was later declared a critical incident.' — AFP
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Malay Mail
9 hours ago
- Malay Mail
Saudi Arabia executes eight in single day, including seven foreign nationals, amid surge in death penalties
DUBAI, Aug 3 — Saudi Arabia has executed eight people in a single day, state media said, amid a surge in the use of the death penalty in the Gulf monarchy particularly over drug-related convictions. The official Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported that four Somalis and three Ethiopians were executed on Saturday in the southern region of Najran 'for smuggling hashish into the kingdom'. One Saudi man was executed for the murder of his mother, SPA said. Since the beginning of 2025, Saudi Arabia has executed 230 people, according to an AFP tally of official reports. Most of those executions — 154 people — were on drug-related charges. The pace of executions puts the kingdom on track to surpass last year's record of 338 instances of capital punishment. Analysts link the spike to the kingdom's 'war on drugs' launched in 2023, with many of those first arrested only now being executed following their legal proceedings and convictions. Saudi Arabia resumed executions for drug offences at the end of 2022, after suspending the use of the death penalty in narcotics cases for around three years. It executed 19 people in 2022, two in 2023, and 117 in 2024 for narcotics-related crimes, according to the AFP tally. Activists say the kingdom's continued embrace of capital punishment undermines the image of a more open, tolerant society that is central to Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's Vision 2030 reform agenda. Saudi authorities say the death penalty is necessary to maintain public order and is only used after all avenues for appeal have been exhausted. — AFP
Malay Mail
9 hours ago
- Malay Mail
New Zealand police arrest woman after bus driver discovers two-year-old girl hidden in suitcase
WELLINGTON, Aug 3 — A New Zealand woman was arrested today after travelling on a bus with a two-year-old girl trapped in her luggage. Detective Inspector Simon Harrison said the woman had been charged with ill-treatment and neglect of a child. Police were called to a bus depot in Kaiwaka — 100 kilometres north of Auckland — after the bus driver became concerned about a bag moving during a scheduled stop. 'When the driver opened the suitcase, they discovered the two-year-old girl,' Harrison said. 'The little girl was reported to be very hot, but otherwise appeared physically unharmed.' The luggage had been stored beneath the bus passengers, in a separate compartment. Harrison said the girl is in hospital undergoing an extensive medical assessment. A 27-year-old woman was arrested. Harrison said the driver prevented 'what could have been a far worse outcome'. He said further charges are possible. New Zealand's Ministry for Children, Oranga Tamariki, had been notified. — AFP
New Straits Times
11 hours ago
- New Straits Times
Saudi Arabia executes eight people
DUBAI: Saudi Arabia has executed eight people in a single day, state media said, amid a surge in the use of the death penalty in the Gulf monarchy particularly over drug-related convictions. The official Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported that four Somalis and three Ethiopians were executed on Saturday in the southern region of Najran "for smuggling hashish into the kingdom." One Saudi man was executed for the murder of his mother, SPA said. Since the beginning of 2025, Saudi Arabia has executed 230 people, according to an AFP tally of official reports. Most of those executions – 154 people – were on drug-related charges. The pace of executions puts the kingdom on track to surpass last year's record of 338 instances of capital punishment. Analysts link the spike to the kingdom's "war on drugs" launched in 2023, with many of those first arrested only now being executed following their legal proceedings and convictions. Saudi Arabia resumed executions for drug offences at the end of 2022, after suspending the use of the death penalty in narcotics cases for around three years. It executed 19 people in 2022, two in 2023, and 117 in 2024 for narcotics-related crimes, according to the AFP tally. Activists say the kingdom's continued embrace of capital punishment undermines the image of a more open, tolerant society that is central to Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's Vision 2030 reform agenda.
