Writing for Belfast Live, Sinn Féin’s South Down MLA Cathy Mason hits out at the Education Minister for failing to properly deal with this issue through his own school uniform legislation

On Tuesday the Assembly will debate a simple but important piece of legislation. Legislation that will guarantee every pupil the right to wear trousers as part of their school uniform.

It is remarkable that in 2026 this debate is even necessary.

Across the North, many girls still do not have an automatic right to wear trousers to school. Instead, they can find themselves in the position of having to seek permission, request exemptions or rely on the goodwill of individual schools. That is not equality. It is not dignity. And it is certainly not what most people would expect in a modern education system.

The origins of this Bill lie in the failure of the Education Minister to properly deal with this issue through his own school uniforms legislation. While the Minister has repeatedly claimed the matter was dealt with, the reality is that his legislation stopped far short of guaranteeing a right for girls to wear trousers.

The result is that pupils can still face barriers where a straightforward legal entitlement would have resolved the issue once and for all.

The truth is that Paul Givan could sort this out today. With the stroke of a pen, he could issue clear statutory guidance guaranteeing every pupil the right to wear trousers. He has chosen not to do so.

In the absence of leadership and action from him and the DUP, Sinn Féin MLAs have worked alongside MLAs from other parties to deliver the change that so many have been calling for.

This is about common sense. It’s about dignity and equality. It’s about ensuring that pupils can wear a school uniform that is comfortable and practical.

A girl should not have to ask permission to wear trousers. Nor should her family have to overcome obstacles and navigate unnecessary bureaucracy to secure what should already be a basic right for their child.

We now have an opportunity to put this issue beyond doubt and bring our school uniform policies into line with the 21 st century.

Sinn Féin is proud to support that change and to work with others across the Assembly to make it happen.

For all the latest news, visit the Belfast Live homepage here and sign up to our daily newsletter here.

BBC’s Casualty was plunged into chaos after a devastating death left two characters heartbroken.

BBC’s Casualty descended into turmoil following a tragic death that left two characters devastated. *Warning – spoilers ahead.*

Recent weeks in Holby ED have been tumultuous after Dylan Keogh (William Beck) discovered his colleague and friend Stevie Nash (Elinor Lawless) had been carrying on a clandestine relationship with his son and junior medic Matty Linlaker.

Upon discovering a medical error made by Stevie, which Matty had concealed, Dylan filed a complaint against Stevie for sexual coercion.

In tonight’s episode (June 27), Stevie’s fate was revealed after she learnt there would be no further inquiry, though she must complete a period of guided practise under supervision. She was also barred from returning to the resuscitation ward for now.

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Naturally, friction continues to escalate between Stevie and Dylan, with Stevie frustrated by the complaint and Dylan incensed by the decision, reports the Mirror.

Yet the hospital was thrown into despair following a tragic death that could alter everything for two beloved characters.

Viewers may recall that clinical lead Flynn has been resolute in exposing army commanding officer Colonel Jack Bard (Mark Womack), whom he suspected of abusing and hazing his soldiers.

When Private Rory brought an injured soldier to the emergency department, Flynn questioned him – but was interrupted by Bard. However, when Rory was subsequently admitted himself, Flynn’s concerns only intensified.

Tonight’s episode (June 27) saw Rory released from hospital as he confided in Flynn that he was “thinking about getting medically discharged” from the army. He went on to say he needed “as much space between me and him and that place as possible”.

When questioned about reporting Bard, a visibly distressed Rory responded: “Report him? He’s a Colonel.” The pair were then interrupted by an emergency situation.

In subsequent scenes, Rory finally consented to reporting the abuse as he made his way to visit his friend Kev, who remains in a critical condition. The young soldier indicated he would report the Colonel while en route to see his friend, but only if that was what Kev wished.

Tragedy soon struck when the pair arrived at Kev’s room to the sound of blaring alarms. In harrowing scenes, Kevin passed away, leaving Rory utterly devastated.

He screamed: “You can’t be serious, that can’t be it, he’s only a teen he’s got his whole life, do something.”

With Rory ultimately deciding against reporting Colonel Bard, what will Flynn’s next move be? Viewers will need to continue watching to find out.

Casualty is available to watch on BBC iPlayer.

Thousands of Albanians have been taking to the streets of their capital, Tirana, for over three weeks now to oppose a luxury coastal resort project backed by Jared Kushner, the son‑in‑law of the US president, Donald Trump. The €4 billion (£3.5 billion) development will be constructed on southern Albania’s unspoiled Zvërnec coastline and surrounding wetlands.

Albania’s longstanding prime minister, Edi Rama, who has been in power since 2013, has hailed the project as transformative for the Albanian economy and tourism sector. But local residents and environmental organisations have fiercely resisted the plan, citing unresolved land ownership disputes and the threat it poses to fragile ecosystems.

Public anger exploded in late May when footage emerged of a protester being dragged across a cliff by security guards at the resort site. The video went viral, igniting Albania’s largest civic protests in decades and galvanising a society long divided by party politics and the legacy of communism.

The protests have snowballed into a broad anti‑government movement that has become known as the “flamingo revolution”, named after the rare birds that inhabit the wetlands threatened by the Zvërnec development. Protesters in Tirana, as well as at demonstrations organised by the diaspora across Europe, are demanding Rama’s resignation.

The anger on display has been building for years in a country plagued by systemic corruption. A string of government ministers have been jailed in recent years for abuse of office and on corruption charges.

And while tackling corruption and organised crime remains the central condition for Albania’s accession to the EU, for which negotiations opened in 2024, Rama’s government has repeatedly undermined accountability.

His ruling Socialist party recently refused a request from Albania’s EU‑sponsored special prosecution body to lift the parliamentary immunity of the former deputy prime minister Belinda Balluku. She has been indicted for corruption, though denies any wrongdoing. Moves like this threaten to delay Albania’s EU accession further.

The cost of living in Albania has also soared. Fuel prices there were among the highest in the Balkans, even before the energy shocks linked to wars in Ukraine and Iran. Politically connected individuals dominate Albania’s energy market and stifle competition.

Foreign investors have long faced significant challenges in doing business in Albania due to distorted competition, as well as corruption in procurement and the weak enforcement of contracts.

At the same time, a housing affordability crisis has pushed many people to the brink. Albania’s real estate sector has seen rapid growth in recent years, facilitated by weak oversight of transactions. A UN report from 2021 suggested that money laundering has become a major factor in the price increases in Tirana and coastal areas.

Tourism is a key engine of growth for Albania, with millions of people now visiting the country each year. However, an underdeveloped domestic food industry as well as poor road and rail connectivity means ordinary Albanians are rarely able to capitalise on the sector’s success.

Young people in particular feel excluded from political processes and economic opportunities, shut out by opaque decision‑making and entrenched elites. More than half a million Albanians have emigrated to EU countries in the past decade in search of better opportunities.

What comes next?

With the protests now in their fourth week, the question hanging in the air is what the endgame might be. Protesters are demanding not only the government’s resignation but also deep structural reforms, starting with an overhaul of the country’s electoral system.

Many are calling for a caretaker government tasked with making constitutional amendments and renewing the fight against organised crime and corruption.

But the Socialist party holds a comfortable parliamentary majority and Rama has so far dismissed calls to step down. He has attacked protesters with slurs and suggested – without providing evidence – that foreign malign actors are behind the movement.

However, pressure is mounting. On June 17, the European parliament urged Albania to suspend construction in protected areas. And the special prosecution has indicted several people allegedly involved in money laundering in construction, a sector that has long been considered a pillar of the government’s power.

Signs of dissent are also emerging within the Socialist party ranks. Marjana Koçeku, a young ruling party MP, recently defected to become an independent. And during the current unrest, some former cabinet ministers have publicly criticised what they see as Rama’s strong rule of the country.

The protest movement is ideologically diverse, making it hard to coalesce into a single political party. Yet it still poses a genuine challenge to Rama’s authority. The sheer scale of public mobilisation signals a profound legitimacy crisis and the desire among Albanians for a future without the existing elite at the helm of their country.

Refusing to resign, Rama hopes the movement will lose momentum. Yet the protests have empowered Albanians who now believe that deep political change is possible.

The St. Louis Blues acquired Brandon Carlo from the Toronto Maple Leafs during the NHL draft on Saturday, those teams’ latest steps to remake their rosters during an offseason of upheaval.

St. Louis sent the Nos. 73 and 76 picks to Toronto for the 29-year-old defenseman.

Carlo lasted just 88 games with the Leafs after they sent a first-round pick, a fourth-rounder and highly regarded forward prospect Fraser Minten to Boston for him at the deadline in March 2025. That was with the previous regime in charge, and general manager Brad Treliving was fired two months ago and replaced weeks later by John Chayka, and they only got to keep the pick this year because they won the lottery for the No. 1 overall pick.

This is the third trade of the week for the Blues, who are also in transition as GM-in-waiting Alexander Steen is set to take over for seasoned executive Doug Armstrong next week. Armstrong in his final days at the helm has been plenty busy.

On Tuesday, he traded Jordan Kyrou to Washington for fellow forward Connor McMichael, prospect Milton Gastrin and the No. 16 pick, accumulating a league-high four in the first round. On Friday night, he sent two of them to Anaheim for 23-year-old Mason McTavish, who is signed through 2031.

Carlo provides some dependable veteran stability on the right side on defense, especially if the Blues decide to trade Colton Parayko or Justin Faulk as part of their summer overhaul. He is going into the final year of his contract at a salary cap hit of just under $3.5 million.

“We’re excited (Carlo has) got his size and length, his ability to kill plays, his experience,” Armstrong told reporters in Centene, Missouri. “Getting stronger up front and having strong goaltending, we think we’re going to be more competitive than we were last year.”

Toronto used the third-round picks on Canadian winger Zach Olsen and Swedish defenseman Mans Gudmundsson.

Predators trade with Rangers to get Adam Edstrom

New Nashville president of hockey operations and GM Chris MacFarland spent his first few weeks on the job largely adding players he was familiar with from his time in Colorado. On Saturday, he added fresh blood from the East by acquiring big, Swedish winger Adam Edstrom in a trade with the New York Rangers.

The Predators sent the 148th pick in the draft (a fifth-rounder) and the rights to minor leaguer Massimo Rizzo to New York. The Rangers, who also traded Brett Berard to Montreal on Friday, are not expected to tender Rizzo a qualifying offer and would make him an unrestricted free agent.

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AP NHL: https://apnews.com/NHL

The devastation continued on Casualty tonight after an unexpected death on the BBC show.

BBC’s Casualty was plunged into chaos after a devastating death left two characters heartbroken.

*Warning – spoilers ahead.* It’s been a turbulent time in Holby ED lately after Dylan Keogh (William Beck) uncovered his colleague and friend Stevie Nash (Elinor Lawless) had been continuing a secret romance with his son and junior medic Matty Linlaker. After learning about a medical mistake made by Stevie, that was covered for by Matty, Dylan reported Stevie for sexual coercion.

Tonight’s instalment (June 27), saw Stevie’s future confirmed after she was told there would be no further investigation, but must undergo a period of guided practise under supervision. She was also unable to return to the resus ward for the time being.

Of course, tensions continue to grow between Stevie and Dylan, with Stevie being annoyed about the complaint and Dylan furious with the outcome.

However, the hospital was plunged into devastation after a heartbreaking death that could change everything for two favourite characters.

Viewers may remember that clinical lead Flynn has been determined to expose army commanding officer Colonel Jack Bard (Mark Womack), who he suspected of abusing and hazing his soldiers.

When Private Rory accompanied an injured soldier to the emergency department, he was quizzed by Flynn – but was stopped by Bard. But when Rory was admitted himself, Flynn’s suspicions only continued to grow.

Tonight’s instalment saw Rory discharged from the hospital as he revealed to Flynn he was “thinking about getting medically discharged” from the army. He added he needed “as much space between me and him and that place as possible”.

When asked about reporting Bard, a distressed Rory said: “Report him? He’s a Colonel.” But the two were interrupted with an emergency.

In later scenes, Rory finally agreed to report the abuse as he headed to see friend Kev who remains in a critical condition. The young soldier was on his way to visit his friend when he said he would report the Colonel if it was what Kev wanted.

But devastation soon occurred when the two arrived at Kev’s room when the alarms started to beep. In devastating scenes, Kevin died, leaving Rory heartbroken. He screamed: “You can’t be serious, that can’t be it, he’s only a teen he’s got his whole life, do something.”

With Rory ultimately deciding against reporting Colonel Bard, what will Flynn’s next move be? Viewers will need to continue watching to find out.

Casualty is available to watch on BBC iPlayer.

Emergency services were called to Fisherman’s Walk in Bournemouth where a man died after falling 100ft from a cliff

A man has died after falling 100ft from a cliff in Dorset, England.

Emergency crews raced to Fisherman’s Walk in Bournemouth yesterday following concerns about a man’s wellbeing.

Police officers began engaging with him, but he subsequently fell and was tragically declared dead at the scene, reports the Mirror.

Beachgoers who had gathered during the heatwave were reportedly left “screaming” after witnessing the man’s fatal fall onto the beach, according to the Dorset Echo.

One witness recalled: “I was on the beach directly opposite, getting myself organised and I looked up and saw movement.”

They described seeing the man at the top of the cliff just before he fell, calling the incident “terrifying” and “very, very sad”.

The man’s death is not being regarded as suspicious, however Dorset Police has referred the matter to the Independent Office for Police Conduct.

A Dorset Police spokesperson stated: “The man is yet to be formally identified. The death is not being treated as suspicious and a file will be prepared for HM Coroner

“As police were already in attendance when the fall happened, a referral was made to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) as is standard in incidents of this nature.”

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Locals say that “finding something unique on your travels is guaranteed”

An historic market town just a short drive away from Cambridgeshire has been named as one of the UK’s “destinations of the summer” this year by Expedia. The Suffolk town of Sudbury is most famous for its market, which dates all the way back to 1009.

Sudbury was also mentioned in the Domesday Book in 1086 and the town still has the echoes of a silk industry that was woven into the fabric of the local community.

The market is held each Thursday and Saturday at Market Hill and the Old Market Place between 8am and 3pm. Locals say it’s a must-visit when in the area and shoppers can find an array of stalls at the award-winning market. They include the likes of Munro’s fishmonger, Sudbury Plants, and Coleman’s Butchers among others.

The independent businesses are not just restricted to the market though. The local council boastss that “over 70 per cent of the town centre shops and businesses” are independent. They say that this means “finding something unique on your travels is guaranteed”.

Among the stand-outs are Alvita’s Boutique for ladies’ clothing, jewellery, and accessories, and the traditional Clarke’s Bakery. Ray’s Retro is also worth checking out too.

There is plenty to do in and around Sudbury. There are even guided tours of the town which unveil tales of the area’s fascinating history from Saxon settlements and artistic inspiration, to peasant revolts and Sudbury Silk.

The Tourist Trail also suggest Belle Vue Park as a spot to relax with lawns and floral displays. The Grade II-listed Quay Theatre offers plenty of entertainment too.

Sudbury is around an hour’s drive from Cambridge, making it a great spot to consider for a day trip. Expedia also picked out Bishop’s Stortford, Reading, Nottinghamshire, and Scarborough as trending destinations.

Taylor Wimpey has issued an update on its Eden Gardens estate in Sedgefield, where homeowners have previously complained of being “left in limbo” while waiting for works to be completed.

The developer has said the majority of works at the site have now been finished, including works to the main roads and footpaths, as well as the installation of traffic calming ramps, white lining and signage.

The Taylor Wimpey Sedgefield estate (Image: SARAH CALDECOTT)

However, a small number of additional items requested by Durham County Council remain incomplete.

The Taylor Wimpey Sedgefield estate (Image: SARAH CALDECOTT)

Taylor Wimpey said it is continuing to work with the council to carry out final works to kerbs and road surfaces on the development, which are needed to allow the council to adopt the roads on the estate.

Minor landscaping and bank regrading works to the drainage basins are also scheduled to take place in the coming months.

Once that work has been completed, an independent landscaping audit will be carried out to identify any remedial works required before the open spaces are handed over to the management company.

The Taylor Wimpey Sedgefield estate (Image: SARAH CALDECOTT)

A Taylor Wimpey spokesperson said: “While the majority of works at our Eden Gardens development have been completed, a small number of additional items requested by the local authority remain outstanding.

“We are working to complete these works as soon as possible, and we would like to thank residents for their continued patience and understanding.”

The latest update follows previous concerns from residents at Eden Gardens, who said they had been left waiting for clarity over when the development would be fully completed.

Homeowners had raised issues with unfinished roads, incomplete footpaths and a lack of communication over timescales.

The Taylor Wimpey Sedgefield estate (Image: SARAH CALDECOTT)

One of the key concerns previously highlighted was a footpath connecting Eden Gardens to Eden Drive, which residents said had been used by delivery vans despite being intended for pedestrians.

At the time, one resident described “several near misses” while walking her dog and warned that the situation could lead to a serious accident.

Neighbours on Eden Drive also raised concerns about people using a dividing fence between the older estate and Eden Gardens as a shortcut, with some reportedly climbing over it or lifting dogs and prams across instead of walking to the nearest footpath.

The issues at Eden Gardens formed part of a wider Northern Echo investigation into unfinished housing estates across County Durham and Darlington.

The investigation found residents across the region had moved into new-build developments only to face delays to roads, pavements, public open spaces and other key infrastructure.

Thomas Tuchel’s side are out to finish top of their group as they take on Panama in New Jersey

England face Panama in New Jersey on Saturday night as they look to finish their World Cup group stage run with a victory.

Thomas Tuchel’s side started their campaign with a convincing 4-2 win over Croatia, but celebrations then turned to frustration as they were held to a goalless draw by Ghana last time out. They will hope to end the group stage by getting back to winning ways, having thumped Panama 6-1 in their only previous meeting at the 2018 World Cup.

England have already had their place in the knockout stages confirmed ahead of tonight’s fixture at the MetLife Stadium (KO 10pm BST), with Uruguay’s defeat to Spain ensuring that the Three Lions will at least finish among the top eight third-placed teams in the group stage and cannot be eliminated regardless of the result in their match.

However, Tuchel’s men will be out to finish top of Group L, which they can do with a win over Panama or by at least matching Ghana’s result against Croatia.

Topping the group would hand England a last-32 tie in Atlanta on Wednesday against one of the tournament’s third-placed qualifiers.

As things stand, that opponent is now most likely to be Senegal rather than the previously expected match with Ecuador, although the final picture will not become fully clear until the remaining group stage fixtures have been completed.

In fact, if DR Congo beat Uzbekistan in Atlanta (KO 00:30pm BST), it will almost certainly be them who face England in the round of 32. As things stand, the only thing that would prevent that would be Portugal losing to Colombia, with a goal difference swing of seven between the teams – a scenario that would see England face Cristiano Ronaldo’s side instead.

If DR Congo draw or lose, England will most likely play Senegal – although two potential scenarios could change things.

If Ghana beat Croatia and Group L does not provide a best third-placed team AND the third-placed team in Group J qualifies, then England will play third in Group J.

That will be either Austria or Algeria, who face each other in their final group stage fixture. In the event of a draw in that game, England would play Algeria, but if the Algerians lose, England will play Senegal.

If England end up finishing second in their group, they will play the second-placed team in Group K, which is currently Portugal.

A defeat to Panama could see them finishing third in the group, meanwhile, and they would play the winners of Group K, which is currently Portugal.

Let’s put it simply – here’s a breakdown of England’s likely next opponents as things stand:

England top Group L – Senegal or DR Congo (likely), Austria or Algeria (less likely).

England finish second or third in Group L – Portugal or Colombia

England’s potential route to the final*

* Based on a Round of 32 clash with Senegal

Round of 32 – v Senegal (Weds, July 1 – Atlanta)

Round of 16 – v Mexico (Mon, July 6 – Mexico City)

Quarter-final – v Brazil (Sat, July 11 – Miami)

Semi-final – v Argentina (Weds, July 15 – Atlanta)

Final – v France (Sunday, July 19 – New Jersey)

These four criminals are now behind bars in Scotland after appearing in court this week.

An ex-SNP chief, a former boxing promoter and a footsoldier of a notorious gangster’s rival were among the criminals jailed over a catalogue of crimes in Scotland this week.

They were locked up for a combination of more than 17 years for crimes including embezzlement, organised crime, fraud and the supply of drugs.

Here are the worst criminals jailed in Scotland this week.

Ex-SNP chief Peter Murrell

Disgraced Peter Murrell was jailed for five years and three months after he embezzled more than £400,000 of SNP funds.

The estranged husband of Nicola Sturgeon was handed a custodial sentence on Tuesday after thieving from his own party when he was their chief executive. Conman Murrell, who was SNP CEO for over two decades, was put behind bars after pleading guilty at the High Court in Edinburgh last month.

Murrell’s theft was carried out over twelve years from 2010 to 2012. He used the stolen funds to buy luxury goods, cosmetics, cars and a motorhome.

Sentencing, Lord Young said: “Your actions involved a significant breach of trust to the organisation, which you led, and to the individual members and donors of that organisation. Because of your position of authority, you were able to circumvent the checks and balances that existed.

“The manner of the embezzlement, although not particularly sophisticated, included the fabrication of invoices, you gave false information to junior members of staff to input into the accounting system. All told, this is a calculated crime of dishonesty, and let me make it clear to you, one factor in the sentence which I impose today will be to act as a deterrent to any senior officials in other large organisations who might be tempted to abuse their position in the way that you did.”

Ex-boxing promoter

A former boxing promoter who was a trusted lieutenant in a gangland killer’s crime mob was jailed for six years earlier this week.

Mario Rea, 47, was a sidekick on the streets for Robert “Birdman” O’Hara, 48, while he was behind bars for the murder of a rival. It was found the dirty cash raked in from the major narcotics operation funded an illicit lifestyle for O’Hara’s partner and daughter.

Purchases were made on luxury flats, fast cars as well as designer clothes and watches. Rea was sentenced at the High Court in Glasgow on Wednesday.

He earlier pleaded guilty to two charges of being involved in serious organised crime as well as another under the Proceeds of Crime Act. The court heard the gang was snared after a large-scale police probe in 2021. O’Hara was serving a life sentence at the time having been convicted in 2005 for the murder of Paul McDowall in Glasgow‘s Possilpark. The Operation Gadget investigation had initially focused on another crew member David “Murfy” Hough.

Police went on to seize a huge haul of class A drugs, firearms, grenades, ammunition and an industrial pill press that churned out hundreds of thousands of street Valium tablets. The court heard how O’Hara was raging at one stage as Rea – reportedly an enemy of the Lyons crime mob – had not paid the rent on his behalf.

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The killer stormed: “See if my family are papped out, there will be no talking. There will be no nothing, mate. We will be falling out over this.”

There was so much cash flooding in O’Hara wanted to buy a £225,000 Lamborghini Huracan. He also sent his partner 71 links on the Rightmove property site of houses in affluent areas ranging in value from £500,000 to £1m. These included a £525,000 flat in Glasgow’s Kelvinside and a £635,000 house in Aberfoyle, Stirlingshire.

Fraudster who flogged £4m in fake designer gear from Turkey

A fraudster who imported £4m of fake designer goods into Scotland from Turkey and the Far East was jailed for three years.

Ian Jones, 65, from Paisley, was sentenced to three years at Hamilton Sheriff Court on Wednesday, June 24. He was jailed after he earlier admitted 15 combined charges of selling counterfeit goods valued at £3,800,000.

Jones sold the illicit items at three industrial units across Glasgow and Lanarkshire between June 2021 and November 2022. His operation was unravelled by officers from Trading Standards when they conducted raids at all three addresses.

There, they uncovered hauls of fake designer clothes and bags with brands including Gucci, Prada, Stone Island, Dior and Canada Goose. The search of five rented Portacabins in Ibrox in June 2021 resulted, at the time, in the largest recovery of counterfeit goods of its kind in the United Kingdom.

It took officers two days to collate the goods, which weighed 30 tonnes. The court heard how Jones stored the goods at units in College Milton Industrial Estate, East Kilbride, and Righead Industrial Estate, Bellshill, as well as those in Glasgow.

The items were imported from Hong Kong, China and Turkey before being transported to Scotland from the East Midlands to Smith’s home address and then the industrial cabins. They were then sold directly to customers for cash using word of mouth. Jones will now be subject to confiscation action under Proceeds of Crime legislation to recover the cash he illegally gained.

Footsoldier for mobster rival of Jamie ‘Iceman’ Stevenson

A footsoldier for a mobster who is the rival of Jamie ‘Iceman‘ Stevenson was jailed for 40 months on Thursday.

Declan Price, 29, was caught with £300,000 of cocaine. He worked with drug kingpin Paul Easdon, 38, who was snared during a police probe which saw him kept under watch. Easdon and Price admitted to a charge of being concerned in the supply of cocaine.

Easdon, of Strathaven, is already serving six years behind bars. He was sentenced in October 2024 for his part in a huge drug trafficking operation. Easdon will appear to be sentenced for his latest matter next month.

The flash dealer had boasted how the cartel was making £4m-a-month from selling cocaine alone. Easdon was in the same criminal network as ex-Mr Scotland bodybuilder John Barry McDuff, jailed separately for seven years in 2024.

The pair had been caught after the law authorities smashed the EncroChat phone network used by scores of gangs. Easdon had used the nickname “glasgowceltic” to communicate with associates on it.

He is also understood to be a rival to Jamie Stevenson. The “Iceman” reportedly ordered firebomb attacks on a hair salon in Hamilton run by Easdon’s wife.

Laura Radcliffe, defending Price, told the sentencing that her client’s offending started amid a fall out with his uncle who was his employer. The advocate added: “He had temporary employment which did not work out and he was in a difficult financial position with debts accruing.

“He came into contact with those involved in the drug trade and the opportunity was made to him to make some money – he had not been involved in this before. This is something he will regret for the rest of his life and has had an effect on his family who are disappointed in him. He is disappointed that he finds himself before the court.”

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