A driver being sentenced for causing the death of a cyclist after a crash in Cardiff had failed his test just weeks before the incident, a court has heard. Brad Craven was out cycling with his brother on their routine morning ride when his bike was in a head-on collision with a car in the Grangetown area of the city.

The 72-year-old, from Roath, was taken to the University Hospital of Wales, Cardiff, but never regained consciousness and died from his injuries on Friday, June 20. The collision occurred at around 8.40am on Saturday, May 17, on Dunleavy Drive, Grangetown.

Teddy Picton, 20, of Cog Road, Sully, Vale of Glamorgan, has pleaded guilty to causing death by dangerous driving and is being sentenced at Cardiff Crown Court.

During the sentencing hearing on Wednesday, the court heard the defendant was seen drinking the night before the crash and was on his way to pick up his work laptop from Grangetown on the morning of Saturday, May 17.

The court was told by the prosecution that the car Picton was driving, a Fiat 500, belonged to a female passenger but he was behind the wheel because of the woman’s level of intoxication.

Dan Jones, prosecuting, said the defendant only had a provisional driving licence, having failed his driving test a few weeks earlier, so he did not have a licence or insurance.

At the time of Mr Craven’s death, his family said: “He was a confident and experienced cyclist and was with his brother on their usual morning cycle when he suffered fatal injuries and did not regain consciousness following a head-on collision.

“Brad, a retired social worker at Llandough Hospital, will be remembered by all, as a very thoughtful and caring man who always put the welfare of others before his own.”

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By TAMARA PRENN, SENIOR SPORTS REPORTER

Published: 11:06 BST, 15 July 2026 | Updated: 11:39 BST, 15 July 2026

Kylian Mbappe wasted no time in sharing his feelings after France were knocked out of the World Cup by Spain on Tuesday as he appeared to criticise the way Les Bleus were set up by manager Didier Deschamps. 

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France had been the heavy favourites throughout the tournament due to their rich array of attacking talent including the Real Madrid superstar, Bayern Munich‘s Michael Olise, and Ballon d’Or winner Ousmane Dembele. 

But the side quailed in the face of a unified Spanish side, who swept aside France 2-0 to book their place in the final on Sunday against either England or Argentina. 

Speaking in the immediate aftermath of their defeat, Mbappe pointed at a technical mismatch on the pitch that he believed had played a role. 

‘We were three against two in midfield, and against Spain, that’s hard,’ Mbappe admitted. ‘Fabian (Ruiz) and Rodri had plenty of time to play. 

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‘There was a lack of communication on the press. I think we should have done man-to-man press and force them to run with us.’ 

Kylian Mbappe appeared to criticise the way that head coach Didier Deschamps set up the national team against Spain after the final whistle

The heavy favourites were knocked out of the World Cup semi-finals 2-0 in Dallas on Tuesday

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Mbappe also shared that he did not believe France had played the game they wanted, ‘technically, tactically’. 

‘When you don’t do what you have to do in a World Cup semi-final, you don’t win,’  he added, in an apparent jibe at his team-mates. ‘Spain respected their game plan and what the team usually does. 

‘They like to control the ball and the tempo. Our plan was to press them high so they could not install their rhythm. Because they are better than us at controlling a game. We didn’t manage to do it. We were too sloppy technically. We could not hurt them when we could have.

‘Even when we recovered the ball, our first touches were not good enough. That gives a defeat. It is a huge disappointment. But if we are objective, we didn’t put all the ingredients to go to the final.’ 

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Mbappe has been managed by Deschamps for the entirety of his international career, with the head coach overseeing his breakout World Cup debut in 2018. 

The 1998 World Cup winner also handed Mbappe the armband three years ago, after stripping Antoine Griezmann of the honour in favour of the then-24-year-old. 

Mbappe was also quick to ensure that he was held responsible for the defeat, adding matter-of-factly: ‘At the end of the day, you take all the glory when you win, and when you don’t win, you have to – sorry – to take the s***’. 

Mbappe is believed to have a positive relationship with the France manager-in-waiting Zinedine Zidane

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Tuesday’s exit marks Deschamps’ final match in charge of the side, with the national team coach stepping down at the tournament’s end. 

He is set to be replaced by his old national team-mate Zinedine Zidane, who has been seen to be treading water waiting for the role after his 2021 departure from the dugout at Real Madrid. 

Daily Mail Sport reported on Wednesday that the France legend plans to bring another former team-mate into the fold – Fabien Barthez – with the national team keen to firm up plans for Zidane’s appointment in wake of defeat in Dallas. 

Zidane is believed to have a similarly strong relationship with Mbappe, which stems from their mutual friendship with France’s head of security Mohamed Sanhadji. 

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The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) has issued an alcohol warning to Brits travelling to Greece, and it’s particularly important ahead of the summer holidays

The Foreign Office has issued a warning to British holidaymakers travelling to Greece about the consumption of alcohol.

On Tuesday, 14 July, the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) updated its travel advice for Greece to include new information on alcohol laws and underage drinking. The guidance was outlined on its ‘safety and security’ page, which is crucial advice for any Brits planning to visit Greece, particularly ahead of the summer holidays.

The FCDO stated in the update: “It is illegal to sell or provide alcohol to anyone under 18, any businesses found doing so can face large fines and possible closure. Bars and nightclubs are not allowed to admit or serve anyone under 18, even if accompanied by an adult. Expect age verification checks at points of sale.”

In a stark warning to British travellers, the Foreign Office added: “If a minor is harmed through excessive drinking, or underage intoxication is brought to the attention of local authorities, parents or other accompanying adults, as well as those who supplied the alcohol, could face legal consequences under general child protection laws.”

The new information on alcohol in Greece comes as thousands of families are expected to jet off abroad during the summer holidays. The FCDO also warned Brits to “always carry your passport, to show to the police if they request identification”, as they may not accept a copy or other forms of identification documents.

Ahead of the busy summer period, the FCDO has also updated its safety advice on swimming. For anyone travelling to Greece, they warned: “Every year, people drown in the sea and in swimming pools in Greece.”

In advice when using a swimming pool, they said: “Always supervise children. Keep small children within arm’s reach in and around swimming pools, even if they can swim or there is a lifeguard present.”

For anyone planning a trip to the beach in Greece, the Foreign Office further advised: “Take care when swimming in the sea. Always supervise children and keep small children within arm’s reach.

“Hidden rocks or shallow depths can cause serious injury or death. Do not dive into unknown water.

“Many organised beaches have a flag system. Make sure you understand the system and follow any warnings. A red flag means you must not enter the water.

“Take extra care and get local knowledge if there are no lifeguards, flags or signs.”

Water sports are another popular activity during a trip abroad, particularly in the azure waters of Greece. The FCDO cautioned: “Only book activities at a licensed water sports centre and before you start:

• Make sure the paperwork is completed
• Ask for a safety demonstration
• Make sure you know how to call for help

“For more advice, see the website for Safe Water Sports, a non-profit organisation in Greece that aims to prevent accidents.”

For more information, visit the Foreign Office travel advice website.

Do you have a travel story to share? Email webtravel@reachplc.com

By SABRINA PENTY, FOREIGN NEWS REPORTER

Published: 08:04 BST, 15 July 2026 | Updated: 11:37 BST, 15 July 2026

A Wickes manager has been ordered to pay the DIY retailer £3,500 after an employment tribunal ruled her discrimination case was “unreasonable” and had no “objective” chance of success.

Jasmin Unsted was sacked for snorting cocaine at work – a claim she denied, although she did admit to taking the drug the night before her shift.

Ms Unsted then pursued claims of unfair dismissal and disability discrimination, relating to her ADHD.

The tribunal heard that Ms Unsted, a mother of three, was observed to be unusually “quiet” at work following a late night of drinking.

However, after several trips to the toilet, she became her “loud and chatty self” again.

A colleague subsequently discovered white powder on the windowsill of a cubicle that Ms Unsted had used.

Ms Unsted refused a drug test, saying that she had consumed cocaine the previous night but not on company premises. She was subsequently fired by Wickes.

Her claims for unfair dismissal and disability discrimination were ultimately rejected by the employment tribunal.

Ms Unsted must now pay Wickes £3,408 towards their costs in fighting her claim, which totalled £15,173.

The tribunal, held in London, heard that Ms Unsted was employed as a duty manager at Wickes from March 2021.

She was given a final written warning in August 2023 because of unrelated incidents.

In February 2024, operations manager Rebecca Carter noticed that Ms Unsted was behaving differently.

She told the tribunal: “On 10 February 2024, I noticed [Ms Unsted] displaying unusual behaviour.

“Normally loud, bubbly, and highly focused, constantly working and keeping up a fast pace, she was quiet, unfocused, and less interactive with the team.

“She was pacing around the store and made frequent trips to the toilet, more than once an hour.

“These trips were unusual because, although she worked on the ground floor, she repeatedly went upstairs to use the toilet, which drew my attention.”

She asked Ms Unsted if she was ok, and in response she “kind of just shrugged it off and said she would be okay after some caffeine”.

Ms Unsted told the tribunal she had sat against the outside wall of a toilet cubicle and leaned against the wall, closing her eyes in an attempt to “compose and prepare herself for the rest of the shift”.

Ms Carter said: “At around 2pm, I entered the female toilets and saw [Ms Unsted] leaving the far cubicle with a windowsill.

“I said hello and walked past her to use the far cubicle myself.

“[Ms Unsted] then went into the cubicle next to me.

“She was loud and chatty, the opposite of her behaviour in the morning.

“I cannot recall exactly what she was saying, but we both came out of the toilets at the same time.

“[Ms Unsted] didn’t flush, but I didn’t think much of it.

“As I went to wash my hands, she returned to the cubicle I had used, carrying a tissue, and we continued to have a conversation.”

Ms Carter said she found “what appeared to be remnants from a line of cocaine” on the windowsill of the toilet that Ms Unsted had been in, and she reported this to the Wickes employee relations team.

Ms Unsted claimed that these photos had been doctored but the tribunal accepted them as genuine.

A drug testing technician was called in, and she asked them if her drinking and drug taking the night before would result in a positive test. She was told it probably would.

She was also informed that if she refused to take the test it would be seen as a positive result and she would likely be sacked as Wickes has a zero-tolerance approach to alcohol and drugs.

Ms Unsted refused to take the test as her partner told her over the phone that he did not believe they had reasonable grounds for making her do it.

In an investigation meeting a few days later, Ms Unsted said that the night before her shift, she took “one line of cocaine at 21.00 and a bottle of Malibu. Drinking until 3am 70cl bottle. Felt tired and ropey, not hungover. But I didn’t feel like I was 18 anymore”.

Ms Unsted denied taking drugs while on shift, and claimed she was being discriminated against because of her ADHD.

She said “the description given to me of my unusual behaviour was just a list of my ADHD symptoms and what is my normal behaviour”.

Ms Unsted was fired for gross misconduct in May 2024.

Employment Judge Lise Burge said: “Even if the Tribunal had decided that the dismissal was unfair, which we did not, the Tribunal’s view is that [Ms Unsted]’s conduct was culpable and blameworthy.

“She took cocaine the night before her shift.

“Cocaine is illegal and the safety implications of taking drugs and mixing drugs and alcohol is clear in [Wickes]’s Alcohol & Drugs policy.

“Even if the white powder in the toilet was not cocaine belonging to her, and we make no findings on whether it was or was not, it was reasonable for [Wickes] to request a drug test.

“[Ms Unsted] refused to take it as she believed she would have cocaine in her system. She caused the dismissal.”

Her claims for discrimination arising from disability and a failure to make reasonable adjustments were dismissed.

The tribunal concluded that the claims ‘had no reasonable prospects of success’, but Ms Unsted had ADHD and ‘lacked the emotional separation to be able to stand back and view her claim objectively’.

Despite this, she should have realised it was ‘unreasonable’ to continue to pursue her claims after Wickes urged her to take legal advice.

“[Ms Unsted]’s unfair dismissal and disability discrimination complaint objectively had no reasonable prospects of success and she acted unreasonably in continuing to pursue it,” EJ Burge said.

Youngsters are invited to dive into a morning of creativity and imagination at a special “Under The Sea” arts and crafts class taking place in Westhoughton this summer.

The fun-filled session will give children the chance to create their own colourful underwater-themed artwork, inspired by magical ocean creatures, vibrant coral reefs, shimmering bubbles, and fascinating sea life.

Designed to encourage creativity and self-expression, the class is suitable for all abilities, with no previous art experience needed.

Children can enjoy exploring different materials and techniques while creating a unique masterpiece to take home.

The Under The Sea workshop will be held at The Hub, Westhoughton, on Wednesday, 22 July, from 10am to 11.30am.

Organisers say the session will provide a relaxed and enjoyable environment where children can make new friends, have fun, and let their imaginations run wild beneath the waves.

Places are limited and early booking is encouraged, with ticket prices at just £10 per person.

Richard Bacon has laid bare the ‘deep sense of shame’ over his Blue Peter cocaine scandal which saw him sacked from the iconic presenting job back in 1998. 

In an interview on podcast How To Fail, Richard, 50, recalled being ‘betrayed’ by his best friend who he claims sold the story that led to his sacking. 

Richard told Elizabeth Day: ‘Well, the biggest shame about it is, some time later, I don’t know how much time later, my mum told me it was the only time that she’d heard my dad cry, ever.

‘He’s just from that generation that doesn’t. His own dad came out of World War 2 and didn’t show emotion. 

‘The News Of The World comes out on a Sunday and this is now the Monday morning. [Dad’s] got to go to court where he works, [as a criminal defence lawyer] and he went into the shower to cry. 

The drug scandal made Richard the first presenter to be fired from Blue Peter in the show’s then 40-year history – Pictured L-R Konnie Huq, Richard Bacon, Katy Hill and Stuart Miles in 1998 

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Richard said: ‘The biggest shame about it is, some time later, I don’t know how much time later, my mum told me it was the only time that she’d heard my dad cry, ever.

‘He turned on the shower, so that [mum] wouldn’t hear him cry. He didn’t want her to know. She didn’t tell me at the time. She left it quite a while to be honest. 

‘Even to this day, she said It’s the only time I’ve ever heard him cry. So when she told me that story, I felt a deep sense of shame.’

The drug scandal made Richard the first presenter to be fired from Blue Peter in the show’s then 40-year history. 

He knew it was his best friend who had sold the story.  

‘I’d worked with him at Radio Nottingham,’ he said. And what happened was, well, what happened was I took some cocaine.’

Richard said that while he didn’t take the drug regularly, he had taken it before. 

He added: ‘You would see other people get caught up in that and they would always say, “I didn’t do that… it was my first time” and I would be like really, the first time you did it happened to be the time you got caught?

‘The first time I took it was in a nightclub called Browns in Covent Garden with that guy that you alluded to whose name I am not going to use.

‘We were best mates and he got a wrap of it and I took the whole wrap at once. I didn’t really understand it and I threw up, but I had taken it a handful of times before that. 

‘I think he was jealous of me. So I did 20 months on Blue Peter, pretty much the same amount of time that Keir Starmer was Prime Minister.

Richard famously fell seriously ill with a mystery lung infection in July 2018 and was put into a medically-induced coma, with doctors telling Bacon and his family they ‘expected him to die’

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Richard has been married to wife Rebecca for more than a decade – they tied the knot back in 2008 and have two children together 

‘We went out and obviously I shouldn’t have done that. Blue Peter was such a big opportunity and I loved the job and I still really respect it as a programme… It was an incredible job to have at age 21, 22.’

Richard revealed his agent called him when he was out with his dad and he just said, ‘It’s News Of The World, cocaine and lots of it. Those were the exact words.’

He recalled going round to the home of Oliver McFarlane, the then editor of Blue Peter and explained what had happened. 

Then Lorraine Heggessey, the Head of Children’s BBC said she would have to let Richard go.  

He said: ‘Then I had to hand in my badge. It’s like leaving the LAPD. You have to hand in your badge, your Blue Peter badge. I could no longer get in free to the Motor Museum at Bewley.’

Richard confirmed that he did in fact get his Blue Peter badge back 20 years later when he was invited to the show’s 60th anniversary. 

He said: ‘Peter Purvis, in front of all the other Blue Peter presenters, off camera,  pinned one on me in front of them. And he said, all is forgiven. And all the other Blue Peter presenters applauded.’

In 2018, Richard was left ‘quite close to death’ for two days after suffering a mystery lung infection after he was taken ill on a transatlantic flight on July 5. 

He told Elizabeth about the harrowing ordeal of being placed in a medically-induced coma after a sudden respiratory collapse and being told by doctors he was not expected to survive. 

When he arrived at the hospital, the consultant Vic, who saved his life, looked at his chest X-ray and explained that they would need to put him into a coma in 20 minutes time. 

So he emailed Nick Jones, the founder of Soho House Festival, where he wa due to attend and asked if he might be able to give his ticket to someone else so it wouldn’t go to waste. 

He also told his friend Ewan he would not be able to make their dinner arrangement. 

Two or three months later, Richard ran into his consultant when he was back at the hospital making a documentary and he simply said: ‘We expected you to die.’

Richard explained: ‘I went to blood oxygen 58. If you go below 60, you die or get brain damage. And I’m not dead.

’40 people worked on me and I hallucinated and became convinced the nurses were trying to murder me. So when I made my complaint, I f***ing meant it.’ 

Richard admitted to an ongoing problem with alcohol addiction, saying he has ‘been to AA many times. 

He said: ‘I still daydream a lot about stopping drinking. It’s a very hard one because I like it so much, but it’s caused me a lot of problems in my life.” 

‘I’m certainly saying I’m an addict. And what I learned about ADHD is a lot of people with it will use alcohol or stimulants to sort of make up for the fact, even though you don’t know it at the time, that the blood flow is moving too slowly here. So there’s a correlation between all of that, I think.’

Richard went on to become the founder of the production company Yes Yes Media, hosted BBC Radio 5 Live and also hosts the podcast Why Are You More Successful Than Me? 

He is happily married to Capital Radio’s marketing manager Rebecca since 2008 and they have two children, Arthur and Ivy.

Monkton’s village status has been re-designated and changed to a ‘town’ following a population growth that’s taken it above the 1000-resident threshold.

The reclassification of the village of Monkton to town status has been branded “a piece of nonsense.”

Monkton’s village status has been re-designated and changed to a ‘town’ following a population growth that’s taken it above the 1000-resident threshold.

The announcement by the Scotland’s Towns Partnership (STP) follows research involving the latest version of Understanding Scottish Places (USP) – a unique platform which offers insight into the social and economic dynamics of towns across Scotland.

Scotland’s Towns Partnership (STP) is the national body for Scotland’s town centres and provides policy expertise, advice and best practice guidance to support a wide range of projects across Scotland.

And USP provides data on population, housing, employment, business activity and public services, while also enabling towns to benchmark themselves against similar places.

Scotland’s Towns Partnership worked in collaboration with the University of Stirling, supported by the Scottish Government, to significantly expand the USP dataset.

And, according to the data, Monkton has “evolved significantly” from its historical roots in spinning and corn milling, while its proximity to Prestwick Airport has “shaped its modern identity” with development “centred around industries supporting aircraft maintenance.”

However, one Monkton resident, Harry Middleditch, says the reclassification of the village to a town is a joke.

He said: “Monkton hasn’t changed in 40 years that I’ve been here. We don’t have a doctors, we don’t have a dentist, we’ve not got a pub, we’ve got nothing!

“And it’s taken us seven years just to get a chemist and it’s only been open for a year and a bit. Monkton is a simple dormitory for other places like Glasgow. South Ayrshire Council have done nothing for us.”

Mr Middleditch argues that infrastructure – such as he previously mentioned – would come as ‘standard’ if Monkton really were a town.

He said: “If we were a town, why do we not have the amenities of a town? We don’t even have a pub because the Brewers Fayre is shut.

“Apart from four shops we don’t have anything.”

Joining Monkton in reclassified town status is Lamlash, on the Isle of Arran.

Lamlash serves as a summer ferry link to Argyll. Now situated within a marine protected area and with a population size larger than Brodick, it continues to support both residents and visitors alike.

Kimberley Guthrie, STP’s Chief Officer, said: “The comparison tool is one of the most exciting elements of USP, allowing towns to immediately compare themselves with similar places. That means these places can learn from each other – potentially demonstrating the art of the possible when it comes to regeneration.

“USP supports organisations of all kinds to understand how places across Scotland are similar, emphasising shared characteristics and opportunities to build knowledge on their local context.

“The data often highlights unseen or unrecognised challenges and opportunities which can inform planning, management and policy decisions.”

Across Scotland, there has been a net gain of 29 towns since the first iteration of USP was compiled- 508 places with a population of more than 1,000, compared to 479 in 2014.

The data for USP has the most recent census results as its foundation, but pulls in facts from a variety of other sources to broaden the analysis available.

Statistics are compared with those based on the 2011 census and other research which created the previous version of the website.

Anne Findlay, a Research Fellow at the University of Stirling, led analysis of the data.

She said: “The statistics show that towns are developing in new and interesting ways, but USP also helps people understand how towns relate to each other. That’s important.”

But Harry Middleditch hit back at the news, saying: “To call Monkton a town is a piece of nonsense and you can quote me on that. South Ayrshire Council has taken a village and destroyed the village. If they want to build houses here then what’s happening with the infrastructure? We need more shops and facilities for the people.”

South Ayrshire Council has been approached for a response.

To view all of the data, go to www.usp.scot and follow the search functions.

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