A Sudanese lorry migrant who stabbed a stranger to death while on police bail over a rampage just 48 hours earlier was jailed for 27 years.

Rasheed Rahman, 21, murdered grandfather Mark Carroll, 55, on April 10, 2024 in a park in Camden, north London.

Just two days earlier Rahman went berserk on a canal tow-path, punching and kicking members of the public but was bailed by the police.

In February two months before those two attacks, he broke Iulian Cavaliuc’s arm with a wooden club and knifed him in the back on a double decker bus in east London.

Mr Cavaliuc reported the attack to police later that day but Rahman remained at large while police officers tried to obtain CCTV footage and find him.

Despite Rahman’s violence, staff at the supported accommodation unit where he lived in Chadwell Heath, east London, handed him a blade a day before the murder.

It was this 5in knife he plunged into Mr Carroll in a frenzied outburst.

Judge John Dodd, KC, at Wood Green Crown Court jailed Rahman for life with a minimum of 27 years, and told him he would be deported.

He said: ‘On the 9th April 2024 you, Mr Rahman, were living in supported accommodation in Romford. 

‘You asked the house manager for the use of a kitchen knife, claiming that you wanted it to prepare some food. 

‘You retained it, and the following day you took it with you when you set off to travel into London.

‘This was a random unprovoked attack by you on a wholly innocent unsuspecting member of the public. You are clearly a very dangerous man. 

‘What you did on that day in April in 2024 was shocking and left Mark Carroll’s family broken and grieving and their lives will never be the same again.

‘That random unprovoked attack was preceded in February by a similar attack without the same tragic result.’

In a victim personal impact statement read to the court Mr Carroll’s daughters, Danielle and Ayisha.

They said: ‘Our Dad was a loving father and a devoted grandfather who meant the world to his family. 

Mark Carroll was a grandfather who took great pride in being with his family his daughters said

Here Rahman can be seen getting the blade which he used to murder Mr Carroll the next day

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‘Becoming a grandad brought him immense happiness. He often told his friends that meeting his grandchildren was one of the greatest moments of his life.

‘The memories we made together, the happiness we shared, and the love he gave so freely are things that we will cherish forever.’

While no one witnessed the attack on Mr Carroll, CCTV filmed Rahman leaving the park at 1.23pm.

Rahman threatened one man he encountered on the street, and later, brandishing his knife, robbed a member of the public of their e-bike.

He was seen carrying a knife in Castlehaven Community park and then putting it in a bin.

Rahman made a successful asylum application in March 2023 and was granted temporary leave to remain in the UK.

Three months later he admitted possession of a Class B drug and possession of a sharp pointed article, namely a broken pub dart.

John Femi-Ola KC, defending, said Rahman was born in Sudan and saw his sister murdered when the Islamic militant group Boko Haram invaded his village.

Rahman broke Iulian Cavaliuc’s arm with a wooden club and stabbed him with a knife on a bus in February 

The murder weapon: This is the 5 inch blade Rahman used to attack his victim at random in a frenzied outburst

Mr Femi-Ola said he fled to Chad and then Libya and then came to the UK in the back of a lorry.

He was found to be living undocumented in Essex in 2021 and was granted temporary leave to remain.

Detective Chief Inspector Phil Clarke, who led the investigation, said: ‘Our thoughts remain with Mark’s loved ones; the personal statements given by his daughters, Ayisha and Danielle, today demonstrate a heart-breaking insight into the lasting impact of his death.’

The judge sentenced Rahman to a further five years concurrent for wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm and further concurrent sentences of nine months for affray, six months for assault.

During their trial, four men denied that they arranged, managed or assisted in arranging or managing a meeting in support of the IRA

Two men have been found guilty of charges linked to an illegal dissident republican commemoration parade in Derry over three years ago.

Patrick Anthony Gallagher, 34, of Raftery Close in Derry, was found guilty by Judge Gordon Kerr KC of managing a meeting in support of a proscribed organisation, namely the IRA, on dates between February 28, 2023 and April 11, 2023.

However, Judge Kerr – who presided over the non-jury Diplock-style trial at Belfast Crown Court last year – found Gallagher not guilty of addressing a meeting in support of the IRA on April 10, 2023.

Stephen Martin Murney, 42, of Derrybeg Terrace in Newry, Co Down, was found guilty of addressing a meeting in support of the IRA on April 10, 2023.

But he was found not guilty of managing a meeting in support of the IRA on dates between February and April 2023.

Senior defence counsel for Gallagher and Murney asked the court not to revoke their bail and Judge Kerr agreed to release them on continuing bail ahead of sentencing in two months time following the completion reports.

Derry men Thomas Ashe Mellon, 50, of Glendermott Road and Jason Lee Ceulemans, 53, of Creevagh Heights were found not guilty of two charges they each faced of managing and addressing a meeting in support of the IRA on the same dates.

When they were told by the judge they were free to go, they hugged Murney and Gallagher in the dock before leaving to sit in the body of the court.

During their trial, all four men denied that they arranged, managed or assisted in arranging or managing a meeting in support of the IRA and further denied a charge of addressing a meeting for the purpose of encouraging support for the IRA.

Opening the case in November 2025, a senior prosecution KC said that on Easter Monday, April 10, 2023, an unnotified parade set off from Central Drive in Creggan to walk the half mile journey to the City Cemetery.

The parade was being observed by police and he said that at 2.05 pm footage showed Ceulemans entering a storage container at the rear of the shops and came out holding two flags and placed them against a shop wall.

He claimed Ceulemans was clearly involved in the organisation of the parade and alleged Gallager was noted to be engaging with the crowd.

The colour party – dressed in military style clothing wearing sunglasses and black berets – is seen to gather up in a rear alley way.

At 2.13 pm the colour party sets off with the flags allegedly left by Ceulemans and march past Creggan shops.

“Stephen Murney and Patrick Gallagher were standing in front of the crowd,” said the prosecutor.

“Ceulemans is at the front of the colour party and is noted to be wearing an earpiece and he walked with them. Murney and Gallagher were at the rear of the colour party.”

The court heard that as the parade reached Linsfort Drive it stopped and a PSNI land rover was attacked by masked youths with petrol bombs and masonry before it retreated.

Ceulemans later entered the cemetery followed by Gallagher and Murney. The colour party then entered the cemetery and a male was observed making his way to the rear of the toilet with a number of bags.

The court heard that Gallagher performed as a ‘master of ceremonies’ and invited the ‘Derry Brigade Irish Republican Army’ to come forward and lay a wreath.

Gallagher introduced Ceulemans as a “former republican prisoner” and he read a statement on behalf of republican prisoners in Maghaberry and Portlaoise prisons.

He introduced Murney as a ‘Leading Newry Republican’ and invited him to give the oration.

At the end of his oration, and quoting veteran republican Maire Drumm, Murney said: “It isn’t enough to shout ‘Up the IRA’. The important thing is to join the IRA.”

His words were recorded on video and posted on social media platform TikTok.

Gallagher asked the crowd to stay around to help the colour party “disperse peacefully” which led to people on a sunny day raising umbrellas and shielding the colour party as it made its way to the toilet block where it changed clothes which were then put on a fire.

The following day, police found four viable pipe bombs in a waste bin beside the toilet block which were made safe by Ammunition Technical Officers (ATO).

All four defendants were subsequently arrested for questioning. Murney’s phone was recovered and messages were found between him and Mellon surrounding his speech.

Ceulemans sent Mellon a message stating: “I’ll have Murney’s speech done by tomorrow night and ready for you to bastardise.” Mellon replied with a thumbs up emoji.

Said the senior prosecutor: “It is accepted that Mellon was not present on April 10.

“However, we say he played a fundamental role in the organisation and arrangements of the meetings from the phone material and was influential in the preparation and management of the speeches.

“It is clear from the approved speech of Murney that Mellon knew this was to encourage support for the IRA or to further its activities.

“This was a highly choreographed event. It was staged and stylised and it involved planned violence.

“On one reasonable view from start to finish it was a planned propaganda exercise for the IRA.”

After the conclusion of the prosecution, senior defence counsels for the defendants made written submissions to trial Judge Kerr stating that they had “no case to answer” based on the evidence presented by the Crown to the non-jury trial.

Senior counsels told the court that none of the defendants would not be giving evidence on their own behalf in the trial and they did not intend to call any further evidence in the case.

Their applications to have the case against the defendants was rejected by the trial judge.

In his reserved judgement delivered today (Friday) over 90 minutes, Judge Kerr said of Gallagher: “I am sure that this defendant was actively involved in managing this meeting and that this meeting was in support of the IRA.

“Gallagher invited the ‘Derry Brigade Irish Republican Army’ to come forward and one masked individual from the colour party did come forward and lay a wreath.”

In relation to Murney, Judge Kerr said: “I am sure that he was present as the colour party commenced its march in military style uniform.

“Along the route he was taking photographs and as the parade moved on towards Linsfort Drive he was walking ahead of it.

“As it approached the police land rover a petrol bomb attack commenced. After the police land rover left, the parade continued its journey to the City Cemetery with Murney at times with his co-defendants at the head of the parade.”

Judge Kerr said that in the cemetery Murney saw the masked colour party at the republican plot. Murney was called forward to a give speech by Gallagher in which he referred to “Crown forces including British soldiers continually raiding homes in Derry”.

The defendant told the assembled crowd that the 1916 Rising was “ongoing, it was unfinished business” and he referred to republican prisoners.

Murney also had a message for the ‘British occupiers and establishment which was: “So long as you continue to oppress us you will meet with inescapable consequences.”

The defendant also quoted an historical message from Maire Drumm, stating: “It isn’t enough to shout ‘Up The IRA’. The important thing is to join the IRA”.

Said Judge Kerr: “Before the words ‘join the IRA’, he (Murney) raised his arm with a clenched fist. I am sure that the defendant is guilty of the offence charged (addressing a meeting) and so I find him guilty.”

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The Russian army has a “pervasive culture of lying” over battlefield gains which has left Vladimir Putin with a “severely distorted” view of the frontline situation in Ukraine, military analysts have said.

Several Russian military bloggers have offered a bleak picture of the frontline near Lyman in the Donetsk region, where Ukrainian counterattacks are pushing back Russia’s forward positions and exposing misleading military reports from Russian forces.

One milblogger, according to the Institute for the Study of War (ISW), argued that “beautiful reports” – a term milbloggers have coined to refer to the pervasive culture of lying within the Russian armed forces and misinformation about the state of the frontlines – need to be “absolutely forbidden”.

The claims have led the Russian president to have a “severely distorted” view of the frontline situation, which has led him to make “absurd and aggrandising claims of Russian advances”, the ISW said in a daily briefing.

Kyiv’s forces recently seized full control over Svyatohirsk, northwest of Lyman, in the days after Putin had claimed Russia controlled the village.

In a video posted on Monday, the commander of Ukraine’s Third Army Corps Andrii Biletskyi taunted Putin over his recent claim that Russian forces had captured it. Standing in the picturesque monastery town, he declared it was a “rear area for our corps”.

Russian milbloggers have been “increasingly expressing frustration about Russian officials’ false claims of advance”, adding that such false military reports “create operational risks for Russian forces” because they cannot call for offensive operations in locations they have already claimed to control.

The alleged lies make it as far as the White House, the ISW added.

Putin and US president Donald Trump held a phone call on Monday, following a visit by Washington envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner to Kyiv and Moscow over the weekend in a fresh attempt to find common ground for a peace agreement.

The Russian president likely used the phone call to push his misrepresentation of the battlefield situation on Trump, the ISW said.

Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov said Putin gave an “objective and extensive analysis of the current developments in the special military operation”, the latter phrase being Moscow’s euphemism for its aggression in Ukraine.

“Putin likely used the call with Trump to present his distorted picture of the frontline in an attempt to convince Trump that the US should force Ukraine to capitulate to Russia’s demands ostensibly before Ukraine’s battlefield situation worsens,” the ISW assessed.

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By ED HOLT

Published: 15:15 BST, 11 September 2026 | Updated: 15:24 BST, 11 September 2026

Police are trying to find the owner of the urn, which is believed to contain human ashes.

A tiny urn wrapped in a teddy bear and believed to contain human ashes has been left on a train between London and Aberdeen. British Transport Police has issued an appeal to try to locate its rightful owner.

The small red urn is wrapped in purple and white artificial flowers and held in the arms of a teddy bear toy. It is believed to have been left on an LNER service travelling from London Kings Cross to Aberdeen and was subsequently handed into lost property on the train’s arrival in Aberdeen.

British Transport Police (BTP) said according to the information they have available, it was lost at some point in the last four months. Police Constable Gary Herning said: “The urn appears to contain human ashes or remains and will clearly be of enormous sentimental value to someone.

“Unfortunately, we have no further information on where the owner may have boarded or alighted during the journey. We’re issuing the appeal in the hope that the individual or family concerned will reach out to us so that we can arrange its safe return.”

Police have asked the owner, or anyone who knows them, to contact BTP on 61016, using the reference number 2600110174.

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Rory McIlroy is set to be reunited with Donald Trump as the US President heads to Doonbeg in Co Clare

Rory McIlroy appears set for a reunion with Donald Trump as the US President prepares to visit his Doonbeg golf course for the Irish Open.

The Co Clare venue is playing host to the European Tour event, which wraps up on Sunday, with Trump expected to touch down in Doonbeg at around 3pm on Saturday.

McIlroy was candid about his thoughts on Trump’s visit when quizzed about it ahead of the tournament getting under way.

The world number two told BBC Sport NI: “It’s going to be different with him being here.

“We’re here to play a golf tournament, and it’s a good golf course and we will keep our heads down and play.

“I think the weekend, especially when he’s here, crowds will be limited.

“Obviously, there’s a lot that’s going on. Logistically, it provides some challenges, absolutely, but at the same time, if he wants to come and watch the Irish Open, who are we to say no.”

McIlroy further commented at a press conference in Doonbeg: “I think when the sitting President of the United States of America visits anywhere, it becomes a logistical challenge.

“There’s a lot that goes into it. They obviously have to lock down a specific area and make sure that it’s safe for him to travel into, and the entire delegation, whoever that is. Logistically, it provides a bit of a challenge, but we are at one of his properties that he has kindly provided for us to play a golf tournament.

“I said yesterday, the President of the United States wants to come watch a little bit of golf. I think we are all happy to be here, grateful to be here. His presence at The Irish Open makes it a truly international event. That brings more attention and eyeballs to the Irish Open, and it can only be a good thing.”

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McIlroy also discussed his connection with Trump’s son Eric after the 42-year-old praised the role the two-time Masters champion played in getting the Irish Open to Doonbeg, reports the Irish Mirror.

“Eric and I live very close to each other, kids are at the same school and see each other at school events from time to time,” McIlroy explained.

“So the DP World Tour reached out to me and said, ‘Do you think Doonbeg will be a suitable venue for The Irish Open?’”.

“I said, look, I haven’t been there, but from all accounts, I hear it’s a very, very good golf course with accommodation on-site. The Irish Open has not been in this part of the world in several years, since Lahinch in 2019. I think it would be a good thing.”

This isn’t the first occasion McIlroy has faced questions about Trump, having previously played golf with the US President on a few occasions.

At last year’s Irish Open, the Holywood native was questioned about whether he’d have any concerns playing the tournament at a Trump-owned venue.

“I’ve never played Doonbeg,” McIlroy said. “I might have gone there for dinner once while I was down playing Lahinch at some point.

“But no, I mean, I’ve obviously heard the rumours. I’m not sure if it’s confirmed or not, or when the schedule comes out, but if it were to go there, I’d have no problem.

“You know, the Scottish Championship was played at a Trump property near Aberdeen there a few weeks ago and looked like it was a great event.”

McIlroy had disclosed earlier that year that he’d shared a round of golf with Trump prior to his inauguration, revealing that the 80-year-old wasn’t keen on the LIV format.

“It was great. Yeah, it was really good,” McIlroy said. “I thought we had a good discussion.

“I learnt that he’s not a fan of the LIV format. I was like, ‘But you’ve hosted their events?’ He was like, ‘yeah, but it doesn’t mean that I like it’. So I think he’s on the Tour’s side.”

The golfer had previously responded to criticism after playing a round of golf with Trump in 2017.

He said in a tweet at the time: “I don’t agree with everything my friends or family say or do, but I still play golf with them.

“Last week, I was invited to play golf with the president of the United States. Whether you respect the person who holds the position or not, you respect the office that he holds.”

He added that the game was “not an endorsement, nor a political statement of any kind”.

“It was, quite simply, a round of golf,” he wrote.

“I’ve travelled all over the world and have been fortunate enough to befriend people from many different countries, beliefs and cultures.

“To be called a fascist and a bigot by some people because I spent time in someone’s company is just ridiculous. I hope, to some degree, this clarifies my decision to accept the invitation.”

However, McIlroy had previously suggested in 2020 that he would not play golf with Trump again.

“I haven’t done it since … out of choice,” said the Co Antrim native, as he questioned Trump’s handling of the coronavirus pandemic.

He added: “I don’t know if he’d want to play with me again after what I just said. I know it’s very self-serving of me to say no, and if I don’t, then it means I’m not putting myself in position to be under scrutiny and that I’m avoiding that.

“But no, I wouldn’t.”

Notwithstanding the backlash, Trump remains a fervent admirer of McIlroy and has sung his praises on several occasions.

In a pre-recorded message played at an event marking 250 years of Irish-American friendship in July, Trump declared: “We have the Irish Open going to be there and we’re going to have a tremendous celebration. I think I’m going to come over and I think I’m going to see it and we’re gonna watch Rory and all the great players.”

Earlier this year, the US President asked McIlroy to stand during a White House banquet as he praised the golfer for his “unconquerable courage” following his second consecutive Masters victory. During a state visit by the King and Queen, Trump said: “The entire world has been uplifted by this distinct and special character we share. This unstoppable daring, this unconquerable courage. It really is, it’s unconquerable.

“Speaking of that, where’s Rory McIlroy? Can you stand up Rory, will you, please?”.

“That was unconquerable courage. That was very good Rory. I don’t know if that helps him talking about how wonderful the speech… but I had to interrupt my speech because I watched that man win a tournament that was a tough one.

“Congratulations, very proud of you.”

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By ANDY DOLAN, GENERAL REPORTER

Published: 12:01 BST, 11 September 2026 | Updated: 15:07 BST, 11 September 2026

A man has pleaded guilty to murdering a mother of seven who disappeared 28 years ago after telling police he disposed of her decomposed body months after killing her. 

Patricia Lashley disappeared near her home in Dudley, West Midlands, in September 1998. 

Trevor Dunkley, 66, also admitted a charge of preventing her lawful burial. 

Appearing at Wolverhampton Crown Court, Dunkley, from Dudley, showed no emotion in the dock as his barrister, Balbir Singh, told a judge that the charges had been brought following admissions in a police interview.

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Asked by Judge Michael Chambers KC if the victim’s body had been found, Mr Singh answered: ‘No, because this is 28 years ago and the body was put into the cellar downstairs. 

‘It decomposed.  When he was moving about nine months to a year later the skeleton was disposed of into the bins.’

Patricia Lashley was last seen near herhome in Dudley in September 1998 

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Last month a police van was parked outside the flat where Ms Lashley lived 

Asked if there was a basis of plea, Mr Singh said of the case: ‘It is down to what the defendant told the police when there was no evidence in reality of what had happened.’ 

Dunkley, appearing in the dock wearing round-rimmed glasses and a grey sweater, was remanded in custody and will be sentenced on November 6.

West Midlands Police previously said Ms Lashley moved to Dudley in the mid-1990s and frequented the No Limits club and other pubs in the area.

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Several members of Ms Lashley’s family were present in the public gallery to see Dunkley enter his pleas today.

Her family made a fresh appeal to trace Ms Lashley, who would now be 61 and a grandmother, in 2017.

Police had earlier said it was understood she and Dunkley knew one another.

The West Midlands force said Ms Lashley was known locally as Pat or Jade, and had been known to have links to London, Newcastle, Wales and Scotland. She also used the names Vanessa and Tricia, as well as the surname Bradford.

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The former Lagan Valley MP is in Maghaberry prison awaiting sentencing.

A judge has said he has received victim impact reports ahead of the sentencing of disgraced former DUP leader Jeffrey Donaldson.

Judge Paul Ramsey confirmed that the sentencing process for the former MP would begin on September 25.

Donaldson, 63, was convicted at Newry Crown Court earlier this year of 18 sex offences, including one count of rape, relating to the abuse of two women when they were children. The offences were committed between 1985 and 2008.

His wife Eleanor Donaldson, 60, was found to have aided and abetted his crimes after a trial of the facts, which was granted on mental health grounds.

During a brief hearing in Newry on Friday, the judge said he had received two victim impact reports and a sexual offences prevention order in respect of Jeffrey Donaldson, and was awaiting some medical reports.

The judge said he would hear sentencing submissions later this month, but indicated that the sentence would not be passed until October.

Judge Ramsey also said he wanted to “correct an omission” from the end of the trial, saying he had failed to thank members of the media for their reporting of proceedings.

He said: “This was a case which was challenging for the press in view of the issues of anonymity, and I was impressed with the care and accuracy of the reporting, both in print media and in broadcast.”

Donaldson was not in court for the hearing.

The former Lagan Valley MP is in Maghaberry prison awaiting sentencing.

Since his conviction he has been stripped of his knighthood and removed from the Privy Council. His solicitor has previously confirmed that papers have been lodged for an appeal.

During his trial earlier this year, the two victims gave evidence against him.

Complainant A gave evidence of inappropriate touching and kissing by Donaldson and an incident where he used a light to examine her genitals.

Complainant B told the trial she had been raped as a child of primary school age by Donaldson and later sexually assaulted by him.

Donaldson had denied the offences but the jury at Newry Crown Court convicted him of one count of rape, 13 counts of indecent assault and four counts of gross indecency.

At the end of the trial, Judge Ramsey told him that a custodial sentence was inevitable and it would be “lengthy”.

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