Three people were taken to Edinburgh Royal Infirmary for treatment after two ambulances were sent to the scene.

A busy Edinburgh road was closed and buses diverted after a two-car crash left one vehicle flipped onto its roof.

Emergency services were called to Orchard Road, near Queensferry Road, at around 2.25pm on Thursday, September 3, following reports of a two-vehicle collision.

Images from the scene show a white car lying on its roof in the middle of the road, with extensive damage to the front of the vehicle and airbags deployed.

Debris can also be seen scattered across the road, while traffic began to build up behind the wreckage.

Police arranged for the vehicle to be recovered and one driver is set to be reported to the Procurator Fiscal.

Three people were taken to Edinburgh Royal Infirmary for treatment after two ambulances were sent to the scene.

Buses had to be diverted along Craigleith Road and Orchard Brae in both directions due to the road closure.

A Police Scotland spokesperson said: “Around 2.25pm on Thursday, 3 September, 2026, police received a report of a two-vehicle crash on Orchard Road, Edinburgh.

“Vehicle recovery was arranged and one driver will be reported to the Procurator Fiscal.”

A Scottish Ambulance Service spokesperson added: “We received a call at 14:23 hours today to attend a road traffic collision on Queensferry Road in Edinburgh.

“We dispatched two ambulances to the scene, with the first resource arriving within seven minutes. We transported three patients to New Edinburgh Royal Infirmary.”

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Ellie-Mae Doherty and Jessica Fitzhugh worked as West Midlands control room call handlers

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Two women who worked as police have been jailed after accessing personal information. Ex-Derbyshire Constabulary Ellie-Mae Doherty and Jessica Fitzhugh, who worked in the force’s control room, abused their positions within the force.

The pair, both aged 22 years, accessed personal details about their “undesirable” criminal boyfriends while working for the force. BirminghamLive reports Doherty and Fitzhugh were charged with misconduct in public office in April following an investigation directed by the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC).

Doherty, from Ripley in Derbyshire, pleaded guilty to the offence after admitting passing information from police systems to a man linked to crime and not informing Derbyshire Constabulary she had a personal association with him.

Fitzhugh, from Belper in Derbyshire, denied misconduct in public office but pleaded guilty to computer misuse after admitting unauthorised access to information on police systems and taking photographs of material held on those systems without permission.

Doherty was jailed for 11 months and Fitzhugh handed a four-month prison term following a hearing at at Leicester Crown Court today, Thursday, September 3.

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Doherty and Fitzhugh were charged following conduct referrals by the force to the Independent Office for Police Conduct in December 2023 and March 2024.

The IOPC decided the allegations needed investigating and that it was appropriate for the investigation to be carried out by the force’s Counter Corruption Unit under the direction and control of the IOPC.

Breakdown of offences

Prosecuting, Helen Rodger said each had a sexual relationship with men involved in crime, and should have known that these were “disclosable associations”.

The first time Doherty accessed information about an incident and passed it on to Robbie Braddock, with whom she was said to be in a relationship, was in December 2023, roughly two months after she completed her control room training.

Doherty shared details about the incident, a fight in which another male had smashed a window, with Braddock.

Ms Rodger said a second incident involving Doherty on March 6 2024 saw her access details about a search warrant being executed and pass on details about it to the same man as before.

Doherty viewed the details of the incident several times before also checking who was in custody at Ripley custody suite.

Fitzhugh, who was also said to be in a relationship with a man with a criminal record, looked up incidents in spring 2024, out of what the judge called “idle curiosity”.

The two women, who met while both working at McDonald’s before starting with the force, sat apart in the dock and were accompanied in court by their families.

Defending Fitzhugh, Elizabeth Power said that she had a “lack of awareness” about the “severity of the breaches that she made”.

Lowri Butterworth, for Doherty, told the court that she was “acutely aware” and had been using her time since to “give back” to her community.

In sentencing, Judge Timothy Spencer KC called them “naive” 19-year-olds whom he “loosely” described as “girlfriends of two undesirable young men”.

He said: “Regrettably and for reasons that now you will find impossible to rationalise, you both flaunted the clear training, the clear direction and the clear guidelines you were given by the Derbyshire Police.

“In your case Ellie-Mae Doherty it went further because the information you accessed was clearly passed on in two distinct ways at two distinct times.”

Fitzhugh started working at the force in January 2023, aged 19, as a call handler and then a dispatcher, before referring her friend Doherty for a job, who joined as a call handler in September 2023, the court heard.

Both women went through “intense” vetting and were required to read and sign declarations saying that they had no contacts who were “engaged in criminal activities”.

Judge Spencer speculated that maybe their “friendship has not survived this case” and said “I have little doubt that it will haunt you for the rest of your days”.

He said: “It’s impossible to recognise the young women who I read about, with such positive qualities, in the women who committed these offences.”

‘Public put their trust in us’

Both women were charged in April after an investigation led by the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) after conduct referrals.

Derbyshire Police said a misconduct hearing for Doherty and Fitzhugh will now take place following their convictions

Speaking after the case, Temporary Deputy Chief Constable Michelle Shooter said: “Police officers and staff are given access to extremely sensitive information in order to keep our communities safe.

“The public put their trust in us and expect that we will use that information for the appropriate reasons.

“Both Jessica Fitzhugh and Ellie-Mae Doherty breached the trust and have faced the consequences of their actions.

“The force worked closely with the Independent Office for Police Conduct to carry out the investigation into Fitzhugh and Doherty following a conduct referral to the IOPC by the force.

“The case reinforces the clear responsibilities that officers and staff have – and that the force will take action against those who break the law and breach the standards of conduct that are expected of them.”

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King Charles was joined by French President Emmanuel Macron and their wives Queen Camilla and Brigitte Macron as they viewed the Bayeux Tapestry on loan at the British Museum in London

King Charles displayed his playful side in an amusing exchange with Emmanuel Macron as the two examined the Bayeux Tapestry together on Wednesday (September 2). The celebrated the 70m-long 11th century cloth which is presently on loan from France at the British Museum in London.

The King welcomed the French President for an exclusive viewing of the tapestry, ahead of its public exhibition from September 10 to July 11, 2027. The pair were accompanied by their spouses Queen Camilla and Brigitte Macron, with Prime Minister Andy Burnham and his wife, Marie-France van Heel also present.

In footage posted to X, the monarch appeared cheerful as he highlighted his “favourite bit” of the Bayeux Tapestry.

Searching for President Macron, he joked: “Ah yes, this is my favourite bit was to discover… he [William the Conqueror] brought with him an enormous cask of wine from France for all the troops. Very sensible.

“Genuinely nice to see footage of a king of England being rather droll,” one X user remarked in response.

A second person added: “Very cool moment! Especially King Charles saying how there was wine for all the soldiers!”

While a third admitted: “I knew I liked him. No wonder my ancestors followed him over!”

Macron also referenced the wine in a speech. He later said: “For it [Bayeux Tapestry] is much more than just a linen canvas embroidered with wool. It represents a whole chapter of French, British and European history.”

He continued: “As you know, it tells the story of the feud between William and Harold – comrades in arms – before they became enemies. And the Norman army crossing the Channel, then the Battle of Hastings fought by William and his troops, which was of course proceeded by a great banquet with the wine barrels they had previously loaded on the sheeps.

“The French having always had a certain sense of priorities!”

King Charles then took to the stand too, adding: “I cannot help but feel that its protagonists, on both sides of the Channel, would look with satisfaction on the Franco-British gathering here today, and be pleased that our two great nations, which share such fundamental values, have prospered together, across the tides of History.

“As Shakespeare said in The Tempest, ‘What is past is prologue’. We have defended our values together in times of peril; we continue do so today across the world.

“It once depicted warriors crossing the Channel; yet today it forms part of a cultural exchange that will see some of the British Museum’s own precious artefacts travel to France in return, in a spirit of friendship.”

​A Scarborough food shop’s renovation works, which only came to light following a complaint, have been retrospectively approved by North Yorkshire Council.

​Officers said the works were carried out this spring and the shopfront was altered “so that the returned entrance element has been lost now that the shopfront has been glazed the full width of the front elevation, parallel with the pavement”.

54 Ramshill Road, Scarborough After Works Were Carried Out. Applicant

Additionally, the entrance door was relocated slightly to the right, and the timber shop frame was replaced with aluminium glazed frames.

54 Ramshill Road, Scarborough In 2024 Prior To The Works Having Been Carried Out. Google Maps

The applicant, One 4 All Supermarket York Ltd, was granted a premises licence by the council in April, allowing it to sell alcohol and stay open from 7am to 11pm, seven days a week.

​“An application for advertisement consent has not been submitted yet,” planners noted.

​Two objections were made by local residents who said that the original shopfront “was of considerable architectural interest”.

​One resident said: “The shopfront that has been installed is not satisfactory in either design terms or in the materials used and should be refused.”

​Another local objector stated: “If the council had published an appraisal of the conservation area, the original shopfront would have likely been described as making a positive contribution to the appearance and character of the conservation area.”

Ramshill Road, Scarborough. Google Maps

​They also raised concerns that “an unacceptable illuminated fascia will be installed in its place”.

​The planning application was supported by Scarborough Town Council, and no objections were made by the Highway Authority.

​Planners said the removal of the shop’s traditional timber features was “unfortunate” but concluded that “in this instance, the shop alterations and internal roller shutter are considered acceptable, and it is felt that it would be inappropriate to withhold consent for the shop front alterations which have been implemented”.

​“Overall, the shop alterations and internal roller shutter are considered to be acceptable to the host property and local area in terms of its design and materials,” officers added.

The application was approved by North Yorkshire Council, subject to conditions, on Friday, August 28.

There are some essential lawn care tasks every UK gardener should complete to ensure a healthy, winter-ready lawn

A new month is upon us, bringing with it a host of gardening tasks to tackle as summer begins to fade. With autumn fast approaching, September presents an ideal opportunity to get on top of lawn maintenance and prepare your garden for the cooler months ahead, particularly following the heatwaves that swept across the UK.

Gardening enthusiast and TikTok creator Michael Griffiths recently outlined his comprehensive list of September gardening tasks, including advice on how those with a passion for horticulture can restore their lawns. If your grass is still looking a little sorry for itself, he recommended leaving it alone for a week or two until it recovers its previously lush appearance.

In a recent video, Michael said: “Autumn is the perfect time to start lawn maintenance again, but if your lawn looks like this, then leave it a week or two to let it recover.”

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How to prepare garden lawns for winter

Mowing

Once your lawn has bounced back, begin by cutting the grass to approximately four centimetres in height, which will help it withstand the winter months.

This can be achieved either by hand or using a mechanical mower. However, keeping the lawn in good condition is not solely about mowing — the condition of the soil beneath matters just as much.

Scarifying lawns

Michael explained that September is also the perfect time to scarify and aerate lawns, which will help prep the ground for the colder months ahead. An easy way to get air and moisture into the ground is by doing these jobs.

To prepare the ground, you can utilise an aerator, scarifier, or simply a garden fork. This tool is employed to create holes directly in the soil, helping water to drain into the earth below.

Use the garden fork to pierce holes in the ground roughly four to five inches in depth. Push the garden fork firmly into the soil, then draw the fork backwards without withdrawing it completely.

Repeat this process every six inches throughout the lawn. After aerating your lawn, you can either leave the holes unfilled or pack them with horticultural sand to assist with drainage.

Scarifying operates by employing rotating blades on a machine to slice into the lawn, eliminating layers of dead grass, moss, and debris, while encouraging grass growth. It will also enhance airflow into the soil.

Scarifying is a lawn maintenance technique involving mechanical blades or tines to cut into and extract a thick layer of thatch – comprising dead grass, roots, and organic material – from a lawn.

Your lawn’s condition will benefit as this permits improved airflow, water, and nutrient access to the soil by eliminating any obstacles.

Watering

B&Q recommended providing your lawn with a generous amount of water to assist the soil in absorbing moisture. It also notes that the optimal time to aerate the lawn is one or two days following a rain shower, while the soil remains moist.

Seeding and feeding

To provide the grass with a boost, you should overseed the lawn, followed by a thorough feed. However, remember to transition from a summer to autumn lawn feed.

Apply the feed using a spreader or by hand between September and November. Give it a watering and observe the lawn flourish.

Using an autumn lawn feed will help prevent soft top growth on the grass that becomes damaged by frost. This will strengthen the lawn’s root system, making it more resistant to winter conditions.

Autumn lawn feeds are high in potassium and phosphates, which promote root development rather than leafy growth, Gardeners World explained. They say: “Putting on root growth means the grass will be able to absorb more nutrients and water come the following spring, which will result in more leafy growth when you need it.”

Saturday is looking fine and dry for England and Wales as hotter air from France makes its way to the UK.

In Scotland and Northern Ireland there will also be a lot of dry weather with the chance of a few showers in the west and more cloud through the afternoon.

On Sunday it will be cloudy and damp for many in Northern Ireland and western Scotland.

South-westerly winds will scoop up more warm, humid air from Europe and it’s likely to feel hot again in the best of the sunshine for England and Wales. Eastern Scotland is also likely to stay dry with sunny spells.

Temperatures could peak at 27C (81F) in south-east England. Northern England, south-west England and Wales could reach 24C (75F), while Northern Ireland and eastern Scotland could see 20C (68F).

A disgraced prison officer who had an illicit affair with a convicted gang member and told him she was ‘literally praying’ to have his baby has been released after serving just six months of a two-and-a-half year sentence.

Charlotte Winstanley, 28, flaunted her new-found freedom on TikTok after walking free from HMP Drake Hall in Staffordshire in August.

The shamed former guard was jailed in February after she admitted misconduct in a public office over her forbidden relationship with violent inmate Jabhari Blair, 30.

Winstanley had been working as an entry-level officer at HMP Lindholme when she embarked on an affair, with arranged secret trysts inside locked prison offices.

The pair swapped explicit WhatsApp and Snapchat messages, in which Winstanley told him she was ‘literally praying’ to have his baby.

Blair, serving 12-and-a-half years for stabbing a man during a mass brawl, meanwhile wrote of her ‘sexy lips’ and ‘little booty’, describing how ‘your body used to respond to my touch’.

Winstanley flaunted her new-found freedom on TikTok after walking free from HMP Drake Hall in Staffordshire in August

The shamed former guard, seen smiling with friends and family on her release, was jailed in February after she admitted misconduct in a public office

Winstanley admitted her forbidden relationship with violent inmate Jabhari Blair, 30

Winstanley was jailed at Sheffield Crown Court where a judge described her case as worst of its kind he had dealt with ‘by some considerable margin’.

Yet despite being handed a 30-month sentence, Winstanley returned to her home in Stainforth, near Doncaster, in mid-August having served barely half a year.

Announcing her return on social media last month, Winstanley posted on TikTok: ‘Took a couple months off I’m still good over here though.’

She later uploaded a black-and-white video showing the moment she left prison to be greeted by family and friends, who showered her with confetti.

Alongside the clip, Winstanley wrote: ‘My sister always told me ‘this too shall pass’ and oh it did.

‘You never feel true love and adoration until the day you walk out the gate and restart your life at 28! It turns out life really does go on, no matter how much you mess up or how many times you fall down.

She added: ‘Love conquers all and always will’.

Aged 22, Winstanley was tasked with maintaining order among the 900 inmates inside HMP Lindholme, a Category C jail near Wetherby in West Yorkshire.

Yet Sheffield Crown Court heard how she struck up a relationship with Blair while monitoring him on the prison’s J Wing in August 2022.

She bragged to a friend about having ‘sex daily’ and declared it ‘the best she had ever had’.

In one graphic message Winstanley crudely told how having been with Blair she ‘would now never go back’.

Their covert relationship continued for around three years, prosecutors said, with the shamed officer continuing the romance even after she was suspended from her post.

Passing sentence, Jeremy Richardson, KC, the Recorder of Sheffield, said: ‘Regrettably I have dealt with several cases of woman prison officers having intimate relationships with prisoners and occasionally taking in to the prison various prohibited items.

‘All have been imprisoned.

‘By some considerable margin this case is by far the worst with which I have had to deal.

‘It is an exceptionally serious case of its kind.’

The court heard how Winstanley was seen leading Blair into a locked office at the prison, where the pair remained alone for three minutes.

On another occasion she arrived an hour early for work and took Blair into an office before emerging 14 minutes later.

Judge Richardson told Winstanley: ‘It is utterly clear that you both knew that what was happening was unlawful and corrupt.’

Winstanley’s phone was seized in November 2022 after prison bosses became concerned she was taking contraband inside.

Searches of the device revealed Blair directing her to buy items on his behalf, including SIM cards and SD cards.

At one point, he even directed her to the Argos website so he could choose what he wanted brought into prison.

Winstanley also met with Blair’s mother outside prison and shared confidential information, including sensitive plans to transfer him to another jail.

She also furnished Blair with confidential intelligence concerning other inmates’ medical records and a search carried out on his own cell.

Judge Richardson told her: ‘You knew this was comprehensibly wrong and against all the training you had received.

‘Not only was there a sexual relationship which endured for a prolonged period but you took in items which were prohibited and sent a photo of the interior of the prison outside the prison.

‘The prison authorities also had some suspicions about your conduct. Consequently, meetings were held with you where it would have been possible to reveal any pressure which was being placed upon you.

‘But instead, you brazened it out and continued your corrupt affair.’

Even after being suspended from the Prison Service in November 2022, Winstanley registered to visit Blair after he was transferred to HMP Ranby in Nottinghamshire.

During one video call she was recorded telling Blair she ‘hoped’ she was pregnant with his baby and professing her love for him.

She also created a fake email account under the name ‘Debbie Pendalton’ so she could continue contacting him.

In one graphic message, she told him: ‘Just thinking about it – I miss it.’ In another she wrote: ‘Every sacrifice I made I did it so I could be with you. I love my job but I love you more.’

Winstanley’s barrister Khadim Al-Hassan said she was ‘deeply remorseful’, adding that the relationship was her first since school aged 15.

He said: ‘If there was ever a job that required an age of maturity requirement, this is one.’

Blair, originally from Leeds, West Yorkshire, was jailed in 2014 after stabbing a man during a gang brawl in Bradford. It is believed he remains in prison.

It is unclear exactly how Winstanley has come to be released on licence having served just a fifth of her sentence.

The Mail has approached the Ministry of Justice for clarification.

Her freedom, however, comes ahead of Labour’s latest early release scheme which will see automatic release dates for tens of thousands of prisoners brought forward.

Under the scheme, which will take effect next month, some criminals who faced serving two-thirds of their sentence before being released will now be let out after only half their term.

Less serious offenders will be released after serving just a third of their sentence in a bid to ease prison overcrowding.

Around 700 eligible offenders will leave jails in England and Wales on October 1 and 2,550 will have been released by the end of the year.

Winstanley bragged to a friend about having ‘sex daily’, declaring it ‘the best she had ever had’

Blair, originally from Leeds, West Yorks, was jailed in 2014 after stabbing a man during a gang brawl in Bradford. It is believed he remains in prison 

During one video call Winstanley was recorded telling Blair she ‘hoped’ she was pregnant with his baby and professing her love for him

Even after being suspended from the Prison Service in November 2022, Winstanley registered to visit Blair after he was transferred to HMP Ranby in Nottinghamshire

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Prime Minister Andy Burnham was forced to U-turn on plans to release those convicted of manslaughter early after it emerged two killers of PC Andrew Harper would be eligible for freedom.

Jessie Cole and Albert Bowers were among three teenagers jailed over the death of the Thames Valley officer, 28, who died in August 2019 when he was dragged by a car.

More than one million people signed a petition calling for the pair to remain behind bars.

At the weekend, Mr Burnham excluded anyone convicted of unlawful killing from the scheme, saying extra prison space would instead be created by deporting foreign prisoners.

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Emily Ratajkowski couldn’t keep her hands off boyfriend Romain Gavras this week as they were snapped packing on the PDA in Rome. 

The couple held hands and passionately kissed in the street while on their way to a romantic lunch date. 

Emily looked completely with Romain – who has a history of seducing beautiful women. 

The French director, 45, has a net worth $5million (£4million). He was born in Paris but his work on movies has seen him travel the world.

Romain, who is the son of Greek-French film director Costa-Gavras, has received rave reviews for his work, with his second film The World Is Yours screened at the Directors’ Fortnight during the 2018 Cannes Film Festival. 

Another film, Athena, had its premiere at the 79th Venice International Film Festival.

The French director, 45, was born in Paris but his work has seen him travel the world. Romain, who is the son of Greek-French film director Costa-Gavras, has received rave reviews 

Romain was first linked to Emily last November, when they were spotted kissing in New York City, with the couple going Instagram official in February

His latest film Sacrifice premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival in September. 

The movie, which marks his English-language debut, stars Anya Taylor-Joy as a crazed zealot who plans to sacrifice three important people in order to save the world from destruction. 

The star-studded cast also includes Chris Evans, Vincent Cassell, Salma Hayek, John Malkovich, Charli XCX, comedian Sam Richardson and rapper Yung Lean. 

Romain has also directed several music videos, earning himself a Grammy nomination in 2013 for Jay-Z, Kanye West and Frank Ocean’s hit No Church in the Wild.

He also won a MTV Video Music Award in 2012 for M.I.A.’s Bad Girls. 

Romain was first linked to Emily last November, when they were spotted kissing in New York City, with the couple going Instagram official in February. 

It marks Emily’s longest romantic relationship since her divorcé from movie producer Sebastian Bear-McClard in 2022.

Prior to dating Emily, Romain was in a relationship with singer Dua Lipa. 

The couple split in 2023 after eight months of dating.

A source said at the time: ‘Dua and Romain have gone their separate ways after a summer of love. She has blinkers on when it comes to her career and the pair ended the relationship before things turned sour.’

Prior to dating Emily, Romain was in a relationship with singer Dua Lipa. The couple split in 2024 after eight months on dating, reportedly over Dua’s hectic work schedule 

Dua appeared to reference the split a few months later in an interview where she stated: ‘I’ve had breakups in my life where I felt like the only kind of breakup you could have was when things just ended really badly. 

‘Things ending in a nice way was such a new thing.… It taught me a lot.’

Dua then met British actor Callum Turner, with the pair recently marrying. 

Romain has also dated The Voice Australia judge Rita Ora. 

The pair began dating in 2020 and enjoyed a whirlwind romance  that saw them jet off on exotic holidays in Ibiza and Corfu.

There were even engagement rumours sparked when Rita was seen wearing a huge rock on a her finger.

However, it hasn’t meant to be and the couple broke up during the Covid lockdowns. 

A spokesman for Romain told the Daily Mail at the time: ‘Rita and Romain split up months ago because of difficulties with their respective work commitments. They remain close friends.’

While a source close to Rita said: ‘Rita and Romain tried to make it work but they both agreed it wasn’t meant to be. 

‘They remain close but it was simply impossible to maintain a relationship where they barely saw each other.

‘And given both their busy schedules for 2021, the writing was very much on the wall towards the end of last year.’

Rita is now married to New Zealand film-maker Taika Waititi. 

Romain has also dated The Voice Australia judge Rita Ora. The pair began dating in 2020 and enjoyed a whirlwind romance that saw them jet off on exotic holidays in Ibiza and Corfu

Despite his high-profile dating history, Romain has not spoken out about his exes, yet he did hint at past troubles when he referred to love being ‘conflict’. 

He was on the promo tour for his film Athena, which follows three siblings whose lives are thrown into chaos after the tragic death of their youngest brother in unexplained circumstances. 

When asked why he was drawn towards the ‘spectacle of violence and conflict,’ Romain told Flaunt: ‘All drama is conflict, you know? 

Even if it’s a love story – it’s always about conflict. At the moment, I’m actually trying to self-analyze as to why I am drawn to this type of imagery, and I think it’s to do with what I was raised on.  

‘I was mostly fed with Greek tragedy and Greek myths, and they’re extremely violent, and full of strong iconography…

‘For me, every conflict has the same patterns, and whether it’s now, or from past, it is essentially the same. It’s always a movement towards chaos, because rage blinds everything; rage blinds reason.’

Violent criminals are being freed on bail to commit murder amid the prison overcrowding crisis, the country’s top police officer warned.

Met Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley said he was ‘flabbergasted’ at the growing number of suspects charged with gun and knife crimes who are being let back on to the streets.

Sir Mark said he expected to see a rise in violent crime, with some offenders still being freed on bail on their fourth offence of being caught with a weapon.

In explosive testimony to the London Policing Board, the Scotland Yard chief revealed that more than 30 people charged with serious firearms offences in London alone were currently on bail.

And the Mail can reveal that there are now a staggering 3,000 electronic tag breaches by bailed suspects every week across England and Wales.

In nine out of ten cases, the courts re-release them on bail, which will embolden serial offenders, police chiefs fear.

Victims’ advocates said the creaking criminal justice system was now creating serious implications for public safety.

It comes as thousands of criminals are set to be let out early under Labour’s controversial Sentencing Act aimed at tackling overcrowding.

In explosive testimony to the London Policing Board, Sir Mark revealed that more than 30 people charged with serious firearms offences in London alone were currently on bail rather than remaining in custody (file pic)

Sir Mark said: ‘This isn’t a theoretical risk. We are seeing stabbings and in one or two cases homicides committed by people who would previously have been on remand in custody. This is really troubling.’

In the last six months alone, the number of bailed suspects breaching their electronic tag conditions has rocketed by nearly 50 per cent in London alone, from 2,977 in January to 4,408 in July.

Breaches can include going on the run, contacting a victim, flouting a curfew, attempting to remove a tag or going to a prohibited area.

The Met Commissioner added: ‘In more than 95 per cent of those cases we arrest them, put them before the courts and nothing changes, so that looks like nugatory [futile] effort.’

In some instances, those released on bail are going on to carry out murders. 

Sir Mark warned falls in knife crime were ‘starting to turn’ as a result of ‘compromised’ offender control, adding: ‘I’m really worried about that.

‘We are seeing rapidly reducing imprisonment for people sentenced for knife crime offences, even repeat knife carriers.

‘At the start of the process far fewer are being remanded in custody, so routinely now we are seeing people charged again, and again, and again with carrying knives and they are being bailed again, and again, and again, and that really concerns me.’ 

At the weekend, a repeat knife offender on bail was caught trying to smuggle an 18-inch sword into the Notting Hill Carnival in his fourth blade offence that year.

Sir Mark said: ‘He is on bail and has two knife referral orders and tries to take something that looks like a small sword into Notting Hill Carnival and he is bailed again. 

‘That is deeply concerning to me – the message that sends and that fundamentally undermines offender control. We are now seeing it on firearms offences as well and I’m flabbergasted by this.

‘There are 34 cases of people being charged with firearms offences in London pending trial who are on bail, in nine of those cases they have fired shots in confrontations and they are on bail.’

Police chiefs fear Labour’s soft justice reforms will make matters worse as short sentences are ditched, meaning fewer offenders will be jailed, and police will have to monitor thousands of criminals released early.

Jason Hogg, Chief Constable of Thames Valley Police, agreed that soft-touch bail conditions were a symptom of a ‘criminal justice system in crisis’. 

He said: ‘Already the whole Sentencing Act hasn’t properly kicked in and I’m receiving reports it’s more difficult to remand people to custody. 

‘We have about 4,000 breaches of court bail each week. And in over 90 per cent of those, the conditions aren’t changed.’

The warning comes after a series of cases where suspects freed on bail have gone on to commit murders.

Victims’ Commissioner Claire Waxman said: ‘What started as a prison capacity crisis has evolved into a whole-system challenge for criminal justice, with implications for public safety, victim confidence and the effective operation of prisons, probation, policing, courts and victim services.’

A government spokesman said that since Labour took office ‘knife crime has fallen by 11 per cent and knife homicides by 26 per cent’. 

The spokesman added: ‘Bail decisions are a matter for the independent judiciary.’

On Thursday, Donald Trump repeated claims that parts of London were no-go areas as a result of immigration. 

The President also used the GB News interview to renew criticism of London Mayor, Lord Khan of Tooting.

Mr Trump said: ‘London’s a much different place. You have a terrible mayor. He’s a nasty guy, nasty person.

‘You have areas in Paris and London where the police don’t want to go in them, there’s no law and order. They’re afraid to go in them.’

But a source close to Lord Khan said: ‘Sadiq is still living rent free in Trump’s head. The guy is obsessed with him.’

– READ MORE: Kemi Badenoch warns ‘conflict is coming’ as she vows to use major benefit clampdown to get Britain war ready – and tells Burnham to call an election if he can’t do the same