Babatunde Odutola, 36, of no fixed address, was sentenced to 44 weeks in prison by Manchester Magistrates Court on Monday, September 14.

He pleaded guilty to outraging public decency and breaching a suspended sentence order.

The offence took place just three days earlier, on Friday, September 11, around 7pm on a train travelling through Cheshire towards Manchester Piccadilly.

British Transport Police said Odutola, who was sitting in a wheelchair, aggressively approached a female passenger before exposing himself, masturbating, and telling her to ‘come over.’

The woman was helped out of the carriage by another passenger while Odutola continued to masturbate in full view of others, according to CCTV footage.

He was arrested at Manchester Piccadilly station by British Transport Police officers.

British Transport Police Detective Constable Leonidas Christoforou said: “Odutola is clearly an incredibly dangerous individual and his disturbing behaviour must have been terrifying for the victim, who he singled out when she was travelling on her own.

“He’s shown little remorse for his actions and denied the allegations against him during his police interview.

“But a stack of incriminating evidence, including damning CCTV and several witness accounts, left him with little choice but to plead guilty when he appeared in court.

“This was not a one-off from Odutola, who was already a registered sex offender, and this type of alarming, predatory behaviour simply will not be tolerated on our railways.

“Holding vile offenders like him to account is a number one priority for us as a force and we’re tireless in our efforts to bring them to justice.

“If you experience or witness these crimes on the railway, please report it to us by texting 61016.

“We will always take action.”

Odutola’s conviction and sentence followed an investigation by British Transport Police, who brought the case to court within 72 hours of the incident.

A previous customer described it as a ‘quirky old-style pub’

One of the oldest pubs in Cambridge is set to close for an autumn refurb. The Pickerel Inn, on Magdalene Street in the heart of Cambridge, will see changes that will “carefully blend all its rich historic and literary charm with modern-day comforts”, according to Greene King.

The pub will close to the public from Wednesday, September 16, and is set to officially reopen its doors in early October.

The pub dates back to 1608, making it one of the city’s oldest pubs, and is believed to have been a favoured watering hole of CS Lewis. Today, it also has one of the few courtyards where customers can continue to make and share stories in the open air.

Just as it has done for hundreds of years, it remains a popular choice for regulars and tourists, friends, families and students with a good range of food and drinks to suit all diets, appetites and occasions.

It’s a popular choice for customers stopping by for a drink with colleagues, lunchtime refreshments, after work and study catch-ups, or on a night out. The historic pub is full of charm and has earned a rating of 4.5 stars out of five on Google.

One previous customer said: “I’ve been to The Pickerel several times now, and what keeps bringing me back isn’t the beer or the food – it’s the people.”

Another previous visitor claimed it was the “best pub” adding they visited around “20 times”. Meanwhile, another described it as a “quirky old-style pub with decent menu and nice staff”.

The closure affects both directions of the A15, with traffic being diverted and motorists across the county are being warned, including in York and North Yorkshire.

Northbound vehicles are advised to take the A180 west onto the M180, followed by the M18 north, and then the M62 eastbound onto the A63 eastbound.

READ MORE: Firefighters free person following Tadcaster crash near York

Southbound traffic should reverse this route: A63 west, M62 west (exiting at junction 35 onto the M18 south), then exiting at junction 5 to take the M180 eastbound, continuing onto the A180.

– A15 Humber Bridge is closed in both directions to high sided & vulnerable vehicles due to strong winds.

– Info: https://t.co/4r7I4nTXBs

– Diversion details for affected vehicles here: https://t.co/GL1jMWCISJ pic.twitter.com/YuxK9K5dnb

— National Highways: Yorkshire (@HighwaysYORKS) September 17, 2026

Advertisement

The Humber Bridge, now over 40 years old, remains a significant piece of UK civil engineering.

It was once the world’s longest single-span suspension bridge.

National Highways’ 24/7 contact centre can be reached on 0300 123 5000 for further information.

After meeting Mr Burnham on Wednesday, and Ed Miliband and Wes Streeting on Thursday, Mr Rutte told PA: “I’m really happy with the Prime Minister and also all the other key political players, including the Foreign Secretary and Defence Secretary, really committing to the 3.5%, but also committing to the need for a credible path to get there.

Holding off giving children a smartphone is better for their wellbeing, first-of-its-kind research finds. 

In the absence of a nationwide smartphone ban in UK schools, many parents have taken matters into their own hands, collectively agreeing to put off giving their children a device. The idea was pioneered by the Smartphone Free Childhood campaign, founded by former Positive News editor Daisy Greenwell.  

Now, a study involving 12,000 English primary schools finds that where at least one fifth of families formed such a pact, school-recorded support needs fell by 8.2%, while child psychiatric disability claims fell by 6%. 

The study has yet to be peer reviewed, but author Gregory Veramendi, an economist at the University of London, said it was the “first causal evidence that coordinated delay of smartphones improves children’s mental health”.  

“For parents who chose to delay smartphones for their children, often when it felt like everyone else was doing the opposite, this is an extraordinary moment,” said Greenwell. 

“Delaying a smartphone isn’t about what you’re taking away from your child – it’s about everything you’re giving back. More time, better sleep, real-world friendships, space to play and the ability to focus. In a world of constant connectivity, those things are fast becoming superpowers.” 

Image: iStock

Commenting after the excerpts were published on Wednesday, a palace spokesman said: “While we do not comment on books as a matter of principle, His Majesty is mindful that the pain of fraternal grief can cloud reason, affect judgment and colour memory in ways others do not recognise, even many years after such a loss.”

The board’s latest recommendation will mean the basic Assembly Member salary increases from £67,200 to £69,216

The second Stormont MLA pay increase announcement in a year has been described by First Minister Michelle O’Neill as “grotesque”.

Ms O’Neill emphasised that MLAs had had “no hand, act or part” in the decision taken by the independent body which sets the pay, adding it is going out to consultation, and Sinn Féin “will make their views very firmly heard”.

MLAs will receive a £2,000 pay increase from the start of the next mandate in 2027. It comes after a decision by the Independent Renumeration Board, which is responsible for setting MLA salaries and pensions.

The board’s latest recommendation will mean the basic Assembly Member salary increases from £67,200 to £69,216 from the first day of the new Assembly mandate next year. Earlier this year, the board awarded a £14,000 pay increase to MLAs.

Ms O’Neill responded saying: “It is not something we pushed for, it’s not something we’ve asked for and actually I think it looks quite grotesque in the climate that we’re in. We do not think this should be paid.”

Sinn Féin president Mary-Lou McDonald also criticised the pay increase announcement as “unbelievable”, coming at the same time as the Stormont Executive pressing the UK Treasury for further funding for public sector pay.

“Nobody in Sinn Féin sought this, and it’s wrong, and I believe very very firmly that everything that can be done to put a stop to this needs to happen,” she added.

“It is utter utterly inappropriate and it shouldn’t go ahead.”

Earlier, Alliance deputy leader Eóin Tennyson said the move was “embarrassing”.

Board chairman Alan Lowry described the earlier increase as a corrective after the former arrangements for reviewing and setting MLA pay had not operated effectively for almost a decade.

“At that time we said that we would expect any future adjustments to reflect inflationary and other pay trends of the day,” he said.

“MLAs carry out a wide range of important duties, from representing constituents and scrutinising legislation to holding ministers and departments to account.

“It is right that their remuneration recognises the complexity and importance of those responsibilities, while ensuring that financial considerations do not discourage people from seeking elected office.

“As we look ahead to the Assembly election next year and the start of a new mandate, it is important that we put in place a structured and transparent mechanism that links MLA pay to changes in earnings in Northern Ireland.

“This approach ensures that pay remains aligned with wider developments in society, while providing certainty and maintaining public confidence in the process.”

Mr Tennyson said MLAs were “more than adequately paid”.

“I see no coherent cogent rational argument for MLAs to be afforded yet another pay rise, there is just no justification for it,” he said.

“We have consistently said that MLA pay should be linked to public sector pay, and we have nurses, teachers, doctors and civil servants out there who haven’t even got their pay rise for this year that they are entitled to, so I would send a very direct message to the pay review body, please just stop, because this does nothing to engender confidence in politics.”

Trade unions outside NIO offices at Erskine House in Belfast supporting Sodexo workers who are currently engaged in industrial action against compulsory redundancies and cuts to working hours, also condemned the pay increase.

Maria Morgan, Nipsa deputy general secretary, said they were surprised to hear of a second pay increase for MLAs.

“I think it’ll go down very badly with our members, I think it’ll go down very badly with the public given significant cuts in the health service, in education, and civil service members still waiting for pay (increase) from April 1, and right across the public sectors members are waiting for pay (increase),” she said.

“What we really need to call on the MLAs to do is to earn their money and get round and call collectively for a needs-based budget so that Northern Ireland has appropriate and properly funded public services to able to service the people of Northern Ireland who are crying out on health waiting lists and in terms of special needs education.”

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

Imagine it’s the dead of night. Your phone pings with a text – it’s a government emergency alert: “Leave your home immediately! Only take with you enough supplies for the next three days.” What would you want in your go-bag?

Our new survey of UK adults (results not yet published) has found a surprising number of people prioritised sentimental belongings such as a childhood teddy bear.

In the face of climate change and growing geopolitical instability, governments have started to advise citizens to prepare now for disaster. In 2024, the UK government launched its Prepare initiative. This was followed by preparEU, a flagship EU project which argued: “Today’s threats are fast, complex and interconnected; our response must be more proactive.”

These initiatives typically recommend that people should have enough food, water and medicine to last 72 hours. In addition, they need ready access to documents, cash, batteries or power banks and a wind-up radio, plus a working knowledge of emergency support in their local area.

But when that message pings in the night, will you already be packed, with documents, food and medicine in a go-bag? Or will you be scrambling to find things, hoping you have enough essentials to keep you going?

In April 2026, as part of the After the End project – a Wellcome Trust-funded research project exploring how people experience and recover from crises – we surveyed 1,000 UK adults to understand how prepared they were for a sudden crisis or disaster.

We found that most people have less than half of what is recommended by the UK government and the US Federal Emergency Management Agency. Only four out of 1,000 people reported being fully prepared.

Our findings echo the 2025 UK Public Survey of Risk Perception, Resilience and Preparedness, which found that of 10,536 adults, only 13% felt largely or totally prepared.

Withstanding the emotional toll of crisis

However, the focus on practical items and supplies may not capture what people need to withstand the emotional toll of crisis and disaster.

When asked what other items they would take with them during a crisis, many participants felt that personal items would be critical to their post-disaster wellbeing. They expressed a strong desire to keep sentimental items such as jewellery, family photographs and objects from their childhood close to them during crisis.

As one participant wrote: “My childhood teddy bear. He is going to the grave with me. Apart from that, nothing matters much.”

Pets also featured heavily in people’s responses. Animals such as cats and dogs were often described as members of the family. Some participants even found comfort in the idea of taking the ashes of deceased pets with them if they needed to flee in an emergency.

A concept in psychology called extended self theory explains why these types of items hold such importance during everyday life – and also during crisis. It suggests that our sense of self is fragile, and continually built and maintained through our connections with the world around us.

In this way, the things we surround ourselves with do more than serve practical functions. They help us construct, stabilise and make sense of our identity. Consciously or subconsciously, our possessions become part of who we are.

A childhood teddy bear, therefore, becomes a possession imbued with memories and emotions which tell a tale of who we are, where we have come from, and who we care about. Objects can reinforce continuity of identity over time and space.

A strong sense of self

Having a strong sense of self can be beneficial during times of crisis. If we enter such a period with a sense of identity that is stable and coherent, it can act as a psychological anchor. A strong identity helps us cope in a challenging situation, and reduces the likelihood of ruminating about negative experiences.

Research also suggests that our ability to connect with items from pre-disaster periods influences our ability to cope and recover psychologically following an emergency. So, salvaging photographs and other items of sentimental value during disaster could help to preserve and rebuild our memory and identity.

If everything around us falls apart, a treasured item can help us maintain some sense of normality. This is perhaps why survivors of the 2011 Japan tsunami frequently described the loss of family photos as one of their greatest emotional losses.

Sentimental items can maintain or even improve our belief that we are capable of achieving our goals. Psychologists refer to this as self-efficacy. And research suggests higher levels of self-efficacy are associated with greater preparedness for, and better coping after, a disaster – particularly in vulnerable groups such as those with disability.

Our analysis found that people who reported greater self-efficacy also said they had more of the items and knowledge recommended by the UK’s Prepare initiative.

Sentimental items can also help to rebuild communities. Heirlooms and meaningful everyday items from before a crisis become points of storytelling afterwards. So, remember to save a little space in your backpack for something that means something to you.

Whether it is a childhood teddy bear, your late mother’s engagement ring or a beer coaster from a first date, these items are more than just “things”. When so much else is uncertain, the small objects that remind us who we are may be among the most valuable items we can take with us.

The popular Christmas film, Love Actually, will be shown at York Barbican on December 12.

The film will be played in high definition on the big screen while the orchestra performs the score in synchrony, creating an immersive cinematic experience.

Love Actually tells a series of interwoven stories of love, friendship, family, and heartbreak set in London during the weeks leading up to Christmas.

Its all-star cast includes Hugh Grant, Liam Neeson, Colin Firth, Emma Thompson, Alan Rickman, Bill Nighy, Laura Linney, Keira Knightley, Martine McCutcheon, Rowan Atkinson, and Martin Freeman.

Recommended reads:

This is going to be incredible’ – North Yorkshire hosts huge British band

Yorkshire’s best place to grow old has been revealed in a new national table

York MP backs tighter controls on loudest fireworks to protect pets and veterans

Since its release more than two decades ago, the film has become a festive favourite, returning to television screens every year and earning its place as one of Britain’s most cherished Christmas films.

The tour, presented by JOY. Concerts, will visit 14 UK concert halls and arenas throughout November and December.

Other venues include Glasgow’s Royal Concert Hall, London’s Eventim Apollo, Birmingham’s Symphony Hall, Liverpool’s Philharmonic Hall, and the Brighton Centre.

The tour will conclude at Portsmouth’s Guild Hall on December 22.

Whether people are discovering the film for the first time or continuing an annual festive tradition, Love Actually Live in Concert offers audiences the chance to experience its romance, humour, and unforgettable soundtrack in a spectacular way.

The performance at York Barbican is scheduled for December 12.

For more information about the tour, visit www.wastedyouth.uk.

Residents of Hillam, around nine miles west of Selby, claim that the site in Betteras Hill Road began appearing late in the afternoon of Friday, September 11 and that “hardcore” has been laid down and “fences positioned”.

North Yorkshire Council said it served a temporary notice on Monday for works on the site to stop.

READ MORE: Warning over controversial Traveller site in North Yorkshire

However, Hillam Parish Council said that that order had been breached in a public statement issued this week.

One concerned local, who did not want to provide their name, said the sudden arrival and scale of the site has caused considerable concern among the community.

Betteras Hill Road is single-track and connects the village to the A162 and is largely populated by fields with around 20 houses on its route, particularly close to the village.

North Yorkshire Council’s head of planning control, Martin Grainger, said: “We are aware that a Traveller site has recently been set up in Hillam without planning permission.

“On Monday we served a temporary stop notice which requires work on the site to cease.

“In addition, we are actively progressing further enforcement options.”

In a statement published on its Facebook page, Hillam Parish Council said North Yorkshire Council had provided this update: “A further site visit was undertaken yesterday afternoon at the land off Betteras Hill Road to assess compliance with the Temporary Stop Notice (TSN).

“During the visit, evidence was gathered which indicates that certain activities have continued on the site in breach of the TSN.

“This evidence will be reviewed in consultation with the Council’s Legal Services team to determine the most appropriate course of action in response to the apparent breaches.

“In addition, a further TSN has been served to ensure that all land affected by the unauthorised change of use and associated development is fully covered by the notice.

“The Planning Enforcement team is continuing to work closely with Legal Services to identify and implement measures to prevent any further unauthorised development from taking place.”