Scots tourist dies after 'fall from hotel' while on holiday in Ibiza
It is believed Evan Thomson was celebrating his 26th birthday in Ibiza when the incident happened on Monday, July 7.
He was staying at the popular Ibiza Rocks Hotel when it is reported he fell from a height and was later pronounced dead at the scene.
His mother posted on social media to say: 'I'm absolutely heartbroken to write and tell you all, earlier this week my son Evan was in a tragic accident whilst on holiday with his friends in Ibiza and sadly passed away.
'We are all absolutely broken. Please allow us some time.'
One friend described Mr Thomson as someone who 'always had a smile on his face'.
A FCDO spokesperson said: 'We are supporting the family of a British national who has died in Spain and are in contact with the local authorities.'
Ibiza Rocks Hotel has been contacted for comment.
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The Independent
13 minutes ago
- The Independent
There's a royal reason Trump won't escape Jeffrey Epstein fallout on trip to his Scotland golf courses — Prince Andrew
The Republican-led House of Representatives shut down early for its summer break to avoid Jeffrey Epstein motions. The Senate GOP has been in see-no-evil mode the past week over the controversy swirling around the seemingly vanished 'client list' of the high-flying financier and convicted pedophile who once palled around with Donald Trump and Bill Clinton among many other power players. So it makes perfect sense that President Trump is hoping for five days away from the Epstein fallout firestorm that has landed him in hot water not just with Democrats but his own MAGA base over the Justice Department's stonewalling on the release of all the Epstein files, as Trump and AG Pam Bondi had promised. Well, Scotland may not be far enough for that. Sure, Trump will meet with Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer early next week, but the vast majority of his known itinerary consists of visits to his Scottish golf resorts. One, Trump Turnberry and the other Trump International in Aberdeen, where he is set to open a brand new course that will be named for his late mother, Mary Anne McLeod Trump, who was born in Scotland. And that's the problem for Trump, thanks to a particular member of the Royal family who happens to be a golf-loving frequenter of his courses, is Scotland's Earl of Inverness — and who also happens to be tainted by his past close friendship with Jeffrey Epstein... Prince Andrew. Trump Turnberry, in fact, still boasts of its visits from Prince Andrew, the Duke of York, who was forced to stand down from royal duties in 2020 over his links to Epstein. The former Royal Navy officer — currently eighth in line to the British throne — had a long and controversial relationship with with the late sex offender that predated Epstein's 2008 conviction for soliciting a teenage prostitute but also which continued long after the financier became a pariah in most respectable circles. Andrew's habit of staying at Epstein's residences during travel to the U.S. became fodder for controversy even as the royal claimed there was nothing untoward about the relationship and has vehemently denied any wrongdoing. But the whispers and rumors took on a more urgent character after Andrew became the defendant in a civil lawsuit brought by the late Epstein victim Virginia Giuffre, who alleged that the Duke once had sexual relations with her after she was trafficked to him as a minor by Epstein and his associate Ghislaine Maxwell. Although Buckingham Palace asserted in a 2015 statement that Giuffre's allegations — which included claims that she'd had sexual relations with the Duke on three separate occasions — were 'categorically untrue,' the Duke and Giuffre ended up settling the lawsuit, with no admission of liability, in February 2022, one month after Andrew's royal patronages and honorary military titles were revoked by his mother, the late Queen Elizabeth II. Prince Andrew has always strongly denied the allegations leveled against him by Giuffre. Giuffre, perhaps the most outspoken survivor of Epstein's sexual abuse, died by suicide at the age of 41 in April. 'It is with utterly broken hearts that we announce that Virginia passed away last night at her farm in Western Australia,' Giuffre's family said in a statement to The Independent after she died. 'She lost her life to suicide, after being a lifelong victim of sexual abuse and sex trafficking.' Since then, Andrew has largely remained out of the spotlight with his reputation tarred by his association with the late sex offender. But that disgrace doesn't appear to bother Trump or his eponymous real estate and resort company, which as of this week still lists Andrew as one of the 'famous visitors' who have enjoyed the 'refined hospitality' at Trump Turnberry. His Aberdeenshire golf resort has even deeper connections to the prince, who played a major role in convincing Trump to build it in 2006, less than a decade before his entry onto the American political scene. According to Agence France-Presse, Andrew met with Trump at the his eponymous New York skyscraper in September of that year to cajole the developer into moving forward with the Aberdeen golf project. He later said the Prince was a 'great guy' who'd made a 'terrific impression' on him. 'He gave a presentation here to make sure I spend one billion pounds in your country, and that's what I'm going to be doing,' Trump added, according to the report. The relationship between the prince and the future president continued for the intervening decade, and when Trump visited Scotland during his second year in the White House, Andrew joined him for a round of golf at Turnberry — a round Trump later claimed to have won. The pair remained cordial enough that when President Trump visited the U.K. for a state visit in his first term in 2019, Andrew was his designated royal escort. The president's escape to his ancestral homeland comes as there continues to be bipartisan furor around Department of Justice records about Epstein, a one-time power-player financier and convicted pedophile who was arrested for alleged sex trafficking by federal authorities in 2019 and was found to have died by suicide in his jail cell while awaiting trial. The years-old prosecution has been a longtime fixation for many of Trump's MAGA supporters who believe they contain damaging information on prominent Democrats and other liberal celebrities. For years, the president's supporters have pushed for release of what they believe was a list of powerful people to whom Epstein is alleged to have trafficked young girls, as well as other information they believe would reflect negatively on members of the Democratic Party, various Hollywood celebrities, and other purported elites who they believe to be part of a sinister cabal controlling world events. Trump has winked and nodded at such beliefs and had indicated during his 2024 campaign that his administration would release the documents in question if he were victorious in last year's presidential election. But many of his most prominent supporters have been crying foul in recent weeks after the Department of Justice announced it would not be releasing the so-called Epstein Files. And Democrats are now joining the chorus of calls for transparency, citing Trump's likely presence in the documents on account of his long-term friendship with Epstein. Trump socialized with Epstein in the 1990s and early 2000s, but reportedly cut ties before Epstein pleaded guilty to state charges of soliciting prostitution from someone under the age of 18. While Trump has not been accused of any formal wrongdoing or charged with any crime, his proximity to Epstein, someone he once called a friend, has heightened conspiracy theories that the government is withholding documents that could reveal embarrassing information about high-profile individuals. Still, being named in the so-called Epstein list of contacts or case files is not an indication of any wrongdoing and Trump has denied having any knowledge of Epstein's crimes before he ended their friendship as has Bill Clinton. Trump has also sued the Wall Street Journal for defamation over its reporting that he sent a bawdy 50th birthday message to Epstein. Clinton, likewise, was reportedly one of many who sent messages to the financier on that occasion. On Thursday, Trump made yet another effort to dissuade his base from caring about the Epstein matter by lashing out on Truth Social, calling the entire affair a 'scam' and a 'hoax' and stating that he hopes the release of grand jury testimony about the late sex offender will quell the entire thing. But if the president is hoping to gain some distance from the scandal with some time on the links, he's gone to the wrong golf courses.
Telegraph
an hour ago
- Telegraph
Turnberry turned into ‘American prison' for Trump's arrival
Turnberry resort has been transformed into an 'American prison', complete with high fencing and 'sniper towers', for Donald Trump's visit. The US president touched down in Scotland on Friday evening for a few days of golf at his resort in Ayrshire ahead of a trip to Aberdeen next week. Campaign groups have vowed to welcome Mr Trump with a 'festival of resistance', aiming to make their voice heard on issues from climate change to the plight of Palestinians. Gavin Scott, an independent councillor for Girvan and South Carrick, said police had gone above and beyond to deter potential disruption. He told The Telegraph: 'A local resident likened the high fencing and sniper tower surrounding the golf course to an American prison, finding the view quite disturbing and intimidating with a large armed police presence.' Trump Turnberry has become a lightning rod for protest groups targeting the president this year. Palestine Action daubed the resort's white buildings in red paint in March and Greenpeace created a sand portrait of Mr Trump on the beach by the course beside a message reading: 'Time to fight the billionaire takeover'. Earlier this week, protesters sabotaged a sign at Mr Trump's golf course in Aberdeenshire with a placard that claimed the luxury resort was 'twinned with Epstein Island'. The stunt was staged by the political campaign group Everyone Hates Elon as the US president faces renewed scrutiny over his past links to Jeffrey Epstein, the financier and sex offender who died in 2024. On Monday, White House communications director Stephen Cheung said Trump once kicked Epstein out of his club for being a 'creep' and called allegations about him 'recycled, old fake news'. Mr Trump's visit to the UK will include hosting Sir Keir Starmer for dinner before travelling to the 'oil capital of Europe' Aberdeen for 'lunches' and opening the new golf course at his resort at Menie. Mr Trump told reporters at the White House that 'Turnberry is rated the number one golf course in the world'. 'I'm going to see it for the first time in years,' he said, adding: 'It's the best resort in the world, I think. It's one of the greatest courses.' Mr Scott said there had been murmurs of discontent around the villages over 'who's footing the bill' for the extra security. 'To ask Police Scotland or our own government to pay for an already undermanned police force is quite ridiculous and grossly unfair,' he said. Cllr Alec Clark, deputy leader of South Ayrshire Council, said there would always be 'associated costs for any world leaders visit'. 'This is a democracy and people are entitled to make their feelings known,' he told The Telegraph. Emma Bond, Asst Chief Constable, encouraged protest groups to discuss their plans with police. She said: 'As you can imagine, it is a large-scale, complex operation, but actually that's something that Police Scotland is immensely experienced at doing.' The policing plan involves local, national and specialist officers from Police Scotland as well as other forces. She said: 'The key very much is to make sure the president of the United States can come, enjoy a peaceful and safe visit to Scotland and ensure Police Scotland is able to maintain delivery of services to the rest of the community within Scotland over the period of his visit.' Despite the protests, Mr Scott said most residents were supportive of Mr Trump. 'The feeling on the ground here in Girvan and surrounding villages is mainly of excitement and quite happy about President Trump's visit,' he said, pointing out that Mr Trump had refurbished the hotel and tended to the world famous course. 'Something tells me he is using his round to help persuade the R&A to return 'The Open' to Turnberry, we all wish him well on that one, what an achievement that would be!' The Ailsa course at Turnberry, sporting views of the granite craig in the Firth of Clyde and across to the Isle of Arran and the Mull of Kintyre, has hosted the Open championship four times. The course last hosted the British golf tournament in 2009 and Mr Trump is thought to be eyeing up one of the next free slots from 2028 onwards. 'No friend of Scotland' Campaign groups will gather by the William Wallace Statue at Union Terrace in Aberdeen, as well as outside the US consulate in Edinburgh on Saturday. Speaking ahead of the protests, Alena Ivanova, a campaigner with the Stop Trump Coalition said: 'Donald Trump may shake hands with our leaders, but he's no friend of Scotland. 'We, the people of Scotland, see the damage he has done – to democracy and working people in the US, to the global efforts to tackle the climate crisis, to the very principles of justice and humanity.' She added: 'As he dreams of rivieras built on the bones of Palestinians, we demand an end to the genocide. 'Trump is not welcome because he represents all that Scottish people reject.' Liz Murray, head of Scottish campaigns at Global Justice Now who are a part of the Stop Trump Coalition added: 'Trump is bullying his way around the world, slapping tariffs on countries, or threatening to – and that includes us here. 'He's using these threats to impose the interests of his oligarch friends on us – and in particular the Big Tech barons who have his ear – when actually governments should be taxing them and reining in their power. 'It's vital that both Keir Starmer and John Swinney stand up to him – because if they give him an inch on this or anything else he'll take a mile.'
Scottish Sun
2 hours ago
- Scottish Sun
Pregnant Brit ‘drug mule' Bella Culley facing 15 years in jail despite plea she was forced to smuggle £200k of cannabis
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) TEENAGE drug mule suspect Bella Culley faces 15 years in jail despite her plea that she was forced to peddle drugs from Thailand, prosecutors revealed today. Bella, 19, was caught in the former Soviet state of Georgia in May with £200,000 worth of cannabis in her bags. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 6 A Georgian prosecutor told The Sun that they have evidence the Brit 'acted with prior intent' 6 Bella Culley seen in court at the beginning of July as her devastated family watched on Credit: Supplied 6 6 She is seeking a plea bargain deal, claiming she was burned with a hot iron and shown a beheading video by a Thai gang, which forced her to fly to Tbilisi.. But, speaking for the first time, Georgian prosecutor Vakhtang Tsaluqelashvili revealed that he plans to contest the pregnant teenager's claims. And he added that the state has found evidence which proves her smuggling crime was premeditated and coolly carried out. Mr Tsaluqelashvili told The Sun: 'We have evidence confirming that the defendant acted with prior intent. 'She passed through several airports, and at no stage did she display any such, let's say, position or behaviour that would make us think this was not an intentional crime. 'Among other things, at the moment of her arrest, she did not say anything of this kind to the Georgian customs officers either. 'Given the gravity of the offence committed, the minimum expected sentence is 15 years - even taking into account the mitigating circumstances.' Bella got pregnant after a fling with an unidentified British man on the first leg of her disastrous backpacking trip and revealed she was expecting a baby boy in court on Thursday. The naive youngster from Billingham, Teesside, said she was forced to board a plane and never saw the baggage containing 31lbs of cannabis and hashish until she was arrested. She also claimed she had no idea where Georgia was and tried to raise the alarm when she boarded a flight from Bangkok. New CCTV of Brit 'mule' Bella May Culley 'smuggling £200k of cannabis' released as cops slam her claims she was coerced But CCTV produced by Thai police does not show her attempting to alert officers at the airport. Mr Tsaluqelashvil said a plea bargain deal between the prosecution and defence was still possible - but may still result in jail time or a suspended sentence plus a fine. Her lawyer Malkhaz Salakaia said that a plea bargain for his client to return to Britain was "quite likely" adding the "opportunity has been mentioned several times". Mr Salakaia told Tbilisi City Court yesterday: 'Bella has an obvious health condition - she is soon to be a mother to a baby boy and I want her to experience it while free. 'It's a pivotal moment in one's life, especially one so young. She is only 19.' Mr Salakaia added: 'There was no malicious intent on Bella's part - she was pressured and forced and there is irrefutable evidence of that. 6 She was caught at Tblisi International Airport with 30 pounds of marijuana and hashish in her luggage on May 10 Credit: Prime Time 6 Bella's mum Lyanne Kennedy (centre) leaving court in Tbilisi on Thursday "Her testimony contains even the names and last names of the individuals who forced her to transport it, she was threatened, as well as her family, including her mother who is present today. 'I want to underline that she didn't hand in the baggage - all she knows is that there is this luggage and she will be met by certain individuals once she arrives. 'The bag wasn't even locked, and it went through three countries and two continents, while Bella to this day is unaware whether Tbilisi is a country or a city. 'Bella didn't commit this crime and there is no grounds to doubt her testimony. I hope you are convinced your honor and knowing your past practice. 'I am sure she won't be found guilty." Bella - who has been supported at hearings by her mum Lyanne Kennedy and oil rig worker dad Niel Culley - is due back in court in the Georgian capital Tbilisi on September 2.
