Patrick Teehan, 57, defrauded his customers by taking large deposits while carrying out shoddy work and failing to turn up for work.

A rogue builder took thousands of pounds from his victims and lied about making suicide attempts and his wife having cancer as excuses for not turning up to work. He sent a suicide note to one victim, who was left so concerned they contacted the police.

Patrick Teehan, 57, who operated as a builder in Cardiff would take on jobs and received payment in advance of them. However, the work he carried out was substandard and required restorative work from other builders.

A sentencing hearing at Newport Crown Court on Friday heard there were 15 victims in total, and in a number of cases the defendant had taken money but did not carry out any work. For the biggest stories in Wales first sign up to our daily newsletter here.

Prosecutor Lee Reynolds said Teehan took large deposits up front to be used for materials but only rudimentary and destructive work would be carried out before he would make further demands for money.

The work taken was of a poor standard and unskilled and incompetent workers would be used.

The defendant would also use fake addresses and paperwork in order to evade detection and hid behind outlandish excuses, which included false claims he had made attempts on his own life.

In 2021, Teehan entered into a voluntary agreement regarding his financial circumstances, but continued to offer work to further victims.

In December 2019, the defendant was employed to construct an outbuilding and was paid £2,000 in total but very few materials were purchased and the minimal amount of work carried out was substandard. He failed to attend for the majority of the project, and relatives told the victim Teehan had tried to take his own life.

The work had to be completed by another company at a cost of £11,000. The victim said she found the ordeal stressful and a financial burden. She added: “My trust in trades people has gone… He decided to cheat me out of money.”

The second victim employed the defendant to carry out a loft conversion in Victoria Park, Cardiff, and he was paid a deposit of £1,200 before the Covid lockdown occurred.

Work began in January 2021, and Teehan was paid £60,000 in total but the work was poor and the roof needed to be repaired. The victim lost £25,000. She said: “He said he had a car crash, his van broke down, had no internet, was stuck in Barry, had Covid, his wife had cancer of the blood, and said he tried to commit suicide due to having mental health issues from his time in the army.”

The third victim employed Teehan to carry out a garage conversion in Cowbridge Road East, in Cardiff, which was not completed and was of substandard quality. The victim lost a total of £6,000, after the defendant failed to show and broke promises to carry out the work. Teehan told the victim he couldn’t attend as he was having a drink with his son, overslept, his wife was on the missing person’s list and he was having a mental breakdown.

The defendant also claimed to the victim he had attempted to take his own life and sent him a suicide note on What’s App, which led the victim calling the police out of concern. He said he had been left “devastated and in debt”.

The victim added that he was made to believe by Teehan that he had put so much pressure on him, he had caused him to make an attempt for his own life and believed he would have been responsible for his death.

The fourth victim employed Teehan to build a garage extension, patio and fence at her home in Penarth. She paid £19,000 in December 2020, but the work was never completed and was of a substandard. She was left out of pocket by £3,373.

The fifth victim employed the defendant to replace a roof and conservatory. She paid Teehan £1,400, with the work only meant to take a couple of days. But he did not start the work for four months.

The victim had to pay another contractor to fix and complete the work due to the roof leaking. Teehan claimed he had been unable to attend her home after starting the job as he was in hospital. The victim said she had been left “upset and angry” by the defendant’s actions, and believed he had no remorse.

The sixth victim engaged the defendant to build a single storey extension in 2021, but the work was not completed with the victims left out of pocket by almost £9,500.

The victim said he was told by Teehan’s wife he had admitted himself into a mental health unit for ex servicemen, but found out he was on holiday in west Wales. This left the victim “sickened and angry to the core”.

The seventh victim said she employed the defendant to carry out work on her kitchen in 2021. She lost £6,000 as a result of substandard work and materials which had been paid for not being purchased.

Teehan left the job and made promises to return but he never did. He told the victim he was in a mental health facility, but his social media showed he was training for a boxing match.

The eighth victim engaged Teehan to carry out rendering work at her home in Church Village in 2021. She paid the defendant £4,500 but no materials were purchased despite him claiming he had spent it all. The only work carried out was hacking old rendering off walls, which left her driveway in a mess.

The victim lost £6,000 and when she contacted Teehan, he told her he had been in a clinic for his PTSD.

The ninth victim employed Teehan to carry out work on his chimney and roof at his home, but the defendant simply did not turn up to work and provided no explanation. The victim said he and his family were in “anguish” due to the offence.

The tenth victim engaged the defendant to carry out a garage conversion in 2021 and paid him £5,500. He failed to turn up to begin work.

Teehan made excuses that he had fallen off a ladder and damaged tendons in his hand, there was a delay with materials, his daughter was ill and he had to look after his grandchildren. Someone claiming to be the defendant’s business partner also told the victim he had suffered a breakdown and was in Llandough hospital.

The eleventh victim said Teehan was employed in building a patio, installing a door and removing a wall at an address in Cardiff. They paid £1,500 but the defendant did not return to complete the work. They received some money back from their bank and are owed £737.

The twelfth victims paid £1,800 for plastering work which was not completed and was of a poor standard. Teehan claimed his bank account had been frozen and the victims had to pay £1,200 to complete the work.

The thirteenth victim in Whitchurch paid £1,000 to the defendant but he did not turn up on 10 agreed dates, before failing to take phone calls and blocking the victim.

The victim’s wife took her own life in 2021 and said: “He put me through hell knowing he had gained my trust.”

The fourteenth victim from Lisvane employed Teehan to carry out decking and gardening. The only work carried out was the digging of a trench filled with concrete.

The defendant failed to return and the victims were owed £7,500. Teehan claimed he was in hospital having a heart procedure and left the garden looking like a building site.

The fifteenth victim employed the defendant to build a summerhouse but the work was poor and not finished. A fence, for which the victim had paid £3,000 a year earlier, was destroyed and the garden was left in a mess. The victim was owed a total of £8,000.

Mr Reynolds said Teehan was invited for interview but put it off a number of times, with excuses including him driving a vehicle to the Poland/Ukraine border and cutting his leg with a Stanley knife.

The total loss caused to the victims was calculated at £82,632.

Teehan, of Chichester Way, Ely, Cardiff, pleaded guilty to participating in a fraudulent business carried on by a sole trader.

The court heard he has previous convictions of a dissimilar nature, including an offence of robbery for which he received and eight year prison sentence.

In mitigation, Andrew Davies said his client was remoreseful and “overwhelmed by grief” at his offences.

The barrister said the defendant had made an attempt on his own life in November 2021, after he was found unconscious at junction 33 of the M4.

It was said the defendant has travelled to Poland and Ukraine for three years in order to carry out volunteer work.

Sentencing, Judge Carl Harrison said: “You left a trail of devastation for your victim which went far beyond financial loss.”

Teehan was sentenced to a total of 43 months imprisonment.

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Baby John was just five-days-old when he was found dead on a beach in County Kerry, Ireland, with 28 stab wounds and a broken neck in 1984 and his killer was never found

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A newborn infant was tragically discovered deceased on a beach bearing 28 stab wounds and a fractured neck — yet neither his parents nor the perpetrator have ever been traced.

The devastating find 42 years ago remains amongst the most disturbing unsolved mysteries Ireland has witnessed — with haunting cold cases currently prominent in the nation. This is because there’s an active search underway for missing women Deirdre Jacob and Jo Jo Dullard, linked to notorious rapist Larry Murphy.

Here, we revisit the Kerry Babies case which culminated in the Irish state issuing an apology to one woman after she became embroiled in the deeply troubling scandal — despite being completely innocent.

On April 14, 1984, local farmer Jack Griffin was out jogging on White Strand beach around 8pm in County Kerry when he stumbled upon the most unthinkably horrific discovery — a deceased five-day-old baby boy.

He subsequently told the Irish Times: “It was pink in colour, face downwards with black hair and I thought to myself, it can’t be a baby, I was trying to say to myself it was a doll, but deep down I knew it wasn’t so I blessed myself.”

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The infant, subsequently named Baby John, had sustained a broken neck and suffered 28 stab wounds. His body had washed ashore after being discarded into the sea.

The police murder squad travelled from Dublin to investigate — and they quickly focused on their prime suspect. At that time, Joanne Hayes was a 25-year-old receptionist and unmarried mother.

Despite occurring just four decades ago, Ireland was markedly different, with divorce and abortion outlawed, and children born outside marriage deemed illegitimate.

Joanne hailed from Abbeydorney in Kerry, roughly 80km from where Baby John’s body was discovered.

She was taken to hospital on the same day Baby John was found — and medics determined she had recently given birth to an infant.

Officers grew suspicious because there was no trace of the baby she’d had with a married man named Jeremiah Locke. She also had a daughter with Jeremiah called Yvonne.

Investigators believed they’d cracked the case when Hayes signed a statement confessing to having delivered Baby John before ending his life. Her relatives also acknowledged disposing of his body in the sea.

She faced a murder charge whilst four of her family members were accused in relation to the death.

Nevertheless, they subsequently withdrew the confessions, claiming they had been pressured.

It later came to light that Joanne had delivered a baby believed to have either been stillborn or who perished shortly after birth from natural causes. This occurred during the same week as Baby John.

Joanne named her son Shane and laid him to rest on the family farm.

Tests ultimately showed Shane’s blood type was O, matching his parents Joanne and Jeremiah. Baby John meanwhile had blood type A.

Astonishingly, despite this seemingly excluding her from the Baby John inquiry, gardai (Irish police) contended that she may have given birth to twins with two different fathers, a rare condition known as superfecundation.

It was suggested that Joanne could have buried baby Shane following his death before callously killing Baby John and discarding him into the sea.

Unsurprisingly, however, the case fell apart and all charges were subsequently dropped.

Joanne was then compelled to participate in the Kerry Babies tribunal, where she faced public questioning regarding her personal sex life. The inquiry, which attracted widespread criticism, was established to scrutinise police conduct.

At one stage, Joanne was forced to flee the witness stand to reach a toilet, where she was physically ill.

DNA testing carried out in 2018, some 34 years after Baby John was discovered washed ashore, concluded that Joanne could not have been his mother.

Former Taoiseach (Prime Minister) Leo Varadkar issued a formal apology to Joanne and her family. The botched investigation also resulted in them receiving €2.5million (£2.1m) in compensation.

Then Justice Minister Simon Harris described it as a “defining moment in social history” and said the treatment of Joanne was “despicable and unacceptable”.

Joanne published a book entitled My Story in 1985, though she has largely remained out of the public spotlight ever since.

In 2023, two individuals, a man in his 60s and a woman in her 50s, were arrested in connection with the Kerry Babies case before being released without charge. Yet the mystery surrounding Baby John remains unresolved, with the identities of both the parents and the killer still unknown.

Speaking two years ago, Superintendent Flor Murphy said: “I am again appealing to the public for any information in relation to the death of Baby John in 1984. Anyone who comes forward will be treated with sensitivity and compassion.”

The chilling case was examined in a Channel 4 documentary entitled Murdered: Baby on the Beach.

Cucumbers are often wrapped in plastic at supermarkets, but experts reveal it’s not for hygiene reasons

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Cucumbers are a popular addition to numerous salads and sandwiches. When purchased from supermarkets, they typically come wrapped in plastic.

The plastic covering on cucumbers is commonly believed to be there for hygiene purposes. As many of us attempt to reduce our plastic consumption, I sought expert opinions on why cucumbers are sold in plastic and what its true function is.

Ann Cooper from Southampton-based bakery Wonderberrys, which uses cucumber in their afternoon tea sandwiches, explained: “People often assume the plastic wrap on cucumbers is just about cleanliness, but we’ve seen first-hand at Wonderberrys why it’s really there.

“While we mostly focus on cakes and sweet treats, our takeaway afternoon tea offerings rely heavily on fresh cucumber sandwiches. The wrap helps to retain optimum quality by stopping the cucumber from drying out.”

Content creator and Slow Cooker Meals founder Ryan Allen concurred that the plastic covering is primarily about preserving freshness. He elaborated: “Unlike regular field cucumbers, English cucumbers have thin, tender skin.”, reports the Mirror.

“Rapid dehydration no doubt comes from the fact that [it has] thin skin. With the plastic wrap, though, moisture loss is cut to almost nothing, and freshness is retained for up to a week.”

Ryan noted the plastic wrap can also help prevent cucumbers from bruising and even reduce food waste. He stated: “Thin-skinned cucumbers mark easily during transport.

“But the plastic, by serving as a thin protective barrier, still blocks much of the wear, keeping the products looking better, cleaner, newer on the shelf.”

He explained: “If wrapping keeps food from spoiling, then the net environmental impact can be lower than selling items unwrapped and throwing more away.”

Cucumbers wrapped in plastic do remain fresh for longer than their unwrapped counterparts. Consumer website Which? has reported that cucumbers in plastic maintain their freshness for approximately 14 days, compared with merely five when unwrapped.

Cucumbers ought to be stored in the fridge, preferably in the crisper drawer.

They require the plastic wrapping to preserve their moisture content and stop them from becoming dehydrated.

The plastic is understood to function as a secondary skin, preventing moisture loss.

Whilst on display in shops, the plastic covering helps shield the cucumber’s exterior from damage.

A military plane has crashed on to ‌a busy road in the ​city of El Alto, near Bolivia’s capital La Paz, killing 15 people and injuring at least 30 others, according to media reports.

The Bolivian Air Force Hercules aircraft was transporting ‌new banknotes to the interior of the country, media ​station Unitel said, citing the Bolivian Ministry of Defence.

The plane had ​departed from the city of Santa Cruz and crashed after landing and skidding off the runway ​onto a neighbouring street before coming to rest in a field, according to ⁠local authorities.

It’s unclear whether the plan was taking off our landing when it crashed.

Reuters reports that social media footage showed chaotic scenes of ​people appearing ⁠to pick up money that lay strewn on the ground following ‌the crash.

Local authorities on the scene were warding off people using water hoses.

Reuters, however, has not been able to verify the images.

Video broadcast on local media showed ⁠the aircraft was severely damaged, as ​were a number of vehicles along ​the road where the crash took place.

This breaking news story is being updated and more details will be published shortly.

Please refresh the page for the fullest version.

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The plastic wrap around cucumbers serves a number of purposes

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Cucumbers are a popular addition to numerous salads and sandwiches. When purchased from the supermarket, they arrive wrapped in plastic.

The plastic covering around the cucumber is frequently assumed to be there for hygiene purposes. As many of us try to reduce our plastic consumption, I approached experts to understand why cucumbers are sold in plastic and what their true purpose is.

Ann Cooper from Southampton bakery Wonderberrys incorporates cucumber into their afternoon tea sandwiches. She explained: “People often assume the plastic wrap on cucumbers is just about cleanliness, but we’ve seen first-hand at Wonderberrys why it’s really there.

“While we mostly focus on cakes and sweet treats, our takeaway afternoon tea offerings rely heavily on fresh cucumber sandwiches. The wrap helps to retain optimum quality by stopping the cucumber from drying out.”

Content creator and Slow Cooker Meals founder Ryan Allen concurred that the plastic covering is entirely about preserving freshness. He stated: “Unlike regular field cucumbers, English cucumbers have thin, tender skin.”, reports the Mirror.

“Rapid dehydration no doubt comes from the fact that [it has] thin skin. With the plastic wrap, though, moisture loss is cut to almost nothing, and freshness is retained for up to a week.”

Ryan suggested the plastic wrapping can help prevent cucumbers from bruising and even reduce food waste. He noted: “Thin-skinned cucumbers mark easily during transport.

“But the plastic, by serving as a thin protective barrier, still blocks much of the wear, keeping the products looking better, cleaner, newer on the shelf.”

He explained: “If wrapping keeps food from spoiling, then the net environmental impact can be lower than selling items unwrapped and throwing more away.”

Cucumbers wrapped in plastic do remain fresh for longer than those without wrapping. Consumer website Which? has been reported that cucumbers in plastic stay fresh for approximately 14 days, whilst unwrapped ones last just five.

Cucumbers should be stored in the fridge, preferably in the crisper drawer.

They require the plastic wrap to maintain their moisture levels and stop them from drying out.

The plastic is said to function as a second skin, preventing dehydration. Whilst in shops, the plastic wrap helps shield the cucumber’s skin from damage.

VIENNA (AP) — Iran has not allowed the United Nations nuclear agency access to its nuclear facilities bombed by Israel and the United States during a 12-day war in June, according to a confidential report by the watchdog circulated to member states and seen Friday by The Associated Press.

The report from the International Atomic Energy Agency stressed that it “cannot verify whether Iran has suspended all enrichment-related activities,” or the “size of Iran’s uranium stockpile at the affected nuclear facilities.”

Iran has four declared enrichment facilities, but the report warned that because of the lack of access, the IAEA “cannot provide any information on the current size, composition or whereabouts of the stockpile of enriched uranium in Iran.”

The report stressed that the “loss of continuity of knowledge … needs to be addressed with the utmost urgency.”

Iran has long insisted its program is peaceful, but the IAEA and Western nations say Tehran had an organized nuclear weapons program up until 2003. The U.S. is seeking a deal to limit Iran’s nuclear program and ensure it does not develop nuclear weapons.

Highly enriched material should be verified regularly

The IAEA reported that Iran had informed the agency in a letter dated Feb. 2 that normal safeguards were “legally untenable and materially impracticable,” as a result of threats and ”acts of aggression.”

The confidential report also said Friday that Iran did provide access to IAEA inspectors “to each of the unaffected nuclear facilities at least once” since June 2025, with the exception of a power plant at Karun that is under construction.

Iran is legally obliged to cooperate with the IAEA under the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, but suspended all cooperation after the war with Israel.

According to the IAEA, Iran maintains a stockpile of 440.9 kilograms (972 pounds) of uranium enriched up to 60% purity — a short, technical step away from weapons-grade levels of 90%.

That stockpile could allow Iran to build as many as 10 nuclear bombs, should it decide to weaponize its program, IAEA director general Rafael Grossi warned in a recent interview with the AP. He added that it doesn’t mean that Iran has such a weapon.

Such highly enriched nuclear material should normally be verified every month, according to the IAEA’s guidelines.

IAEA observes activity around nuclear sites

In the absence of direct access to the nuclear sites, the IAEA turned to commercially available satellite imagery.

Observation of the Isfahan facility, some 350 kilometers (215 miles) southeast of Tehran, showed “regular vehicular activity” around the entrance to a tunnel complex used to store enriched material, the report said.

Isfahan was struck by both Israel and the United States in June.

The IAEA said it also observed activity at the enrichment sites in Natanz and Fordow, but added that “without access to these facilities it is not possible for the Agency to confirm the nature and the purpose of the activities.”

IAEA joined Geneva talks

The IAEA reported on Friday that Grossi attended negotiations between the U.S. and Iran on Feb. 17 and Feb. 26 in Geneva at which he “provided advice” on the verification of Iran’s nuclear program. The report said that those negotiations are “ongoing.”

Thursday’s talks, the third round this year under Omani mediation, ended without a deal, leaving the danger of another Mideast war on the table as the U.S. has gathered a massive fleet of aircraft and warships in the region.

An Omani official said lower-level technical talks would continue next week in Vienna, the home of the IAEA. The agency is likely to be critical in any deal.

Iran says it is not pursuing weapons and has so far resisted demands that it halt uranium enrichment on its soil or hand over its stockpile of highly enriched uranium.

Similar talks last year between the U.S. and Iran about Iran’s nuclear program broke down after the start of the war in June. Before then, Iran had been enriching uranium up to 60% purity.

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The Associated Press receives support for nuclear security coverage from the Carnegie Corporation of New York and Outrider Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content. ___ Additional AP coverage of the nuclear landscape: https://apnews.com/projects/the-new-nuclear-landscape/

Located in Wensleydale in the Yorkshire Dales National Park, Hawes has long been known for its markets and cheesemaking heritage.

Now, visitor reviews suggest the town is striking a chord with a new wave of travellers looking for what many describe as “proper Yorkshire” and “a base where you can park up and explore everything on foot”.

Hawes (Image: DARREN OWEN/CAMERA CLUB)

Online, recent visitors frequently highlight Hawes as “busy but not overcrowded”, “friendly without feeling touristy” and “a great mix of scenery and things to do”.

At the centre of Hawes’ appeal is the Wensleydale Creamery, the town’s largest employer and one of its biggest draws, welcoming around 250,000 visitors a year.

The creamery produces Yorkshire Wensleydale, a name protected by geographical status, meaning it can only be used for cheese made in Wensleydale itself.

Just outside Hawes (Image: STUART COTHILL/CAMERA CLUB)

Cheesemaking in the area dates back to the 12th century, when French monks first developed the recipe.

Visitors can tour the site and sample a wide range of varieties in the tasting room.

Reviews often describe it as “a highlight of our trip to the Dales” and “worth the stop even if you’re just passing through”.

The creamery has also picked up major accolades in recent years, including Supreme Champion at the Great Yorkshire Show’s Cheese and Dairy Show for its Yorkshire Cheddar.

And in a nod to local pride, one of the town’s well-known fish and chip shops serves deep-fried Wensleydale cheese, a detail that regularly features in social media posts from amused visitors.

Widdale Red Squirrel Reserve (Image: SARAH HARLAND/CAMERA CLUB)

Recent reviews describe the town centre at Hawes as “full of independent shops and proper cafés” and praise its “traditional feel” compared to larger, busier destinations elsewhere in the Dales.

The Dales Countryside Museum, located in the former Hawes railway station, doubles as the National Park Visitor Centre.

Visitors often describe it as “a great place to start” with practical facilities including parking and toilets, as well as exhibitions telling the story of life in the Yorkshire Dales.

Just beyond the town, Hardraw Force, the highest single-drop waterfall in England, continues to attract walkers, as does the dramatic Buttertubs Pass linking Wensleydale to Swaledale.

Cyclists frequently describe the pass as “brutal but beautiful”, while drivers and photographers praise its views and limestone scenery.

Wildlife enthusiasts can head to the nearby Widdale Red Squirrel Reserve, where sightings of red squirrels and roe deer add to the area’s appeal.

Despite its popularity, Hawes remains a functioning rural hub.

Farms in the surrounding area raise sheep and cattle, with more than 40 supplying milk to the creamery.

For many visitors, Hawes combines everything they associate with the Yorkshire Dales: dramatic scenery, traditional food and a sense of history.

As one recent visitor summed it up online: “If you want cheese, waterfalls, proper pubs and views in every direction, Hawes ticks every box.”

Villa are fortunate others have stumbled sooner and for longer this season – ensuring they have maintained a decent grip on third place until now.

Chelsea have dropped 17 points from winning positions at Stamford Bridge and 19 points overall in the Premier League this season.

They go to Arsenal on Sunday hoping to capitalise on Villa’s latest slip – before travelling to Villa Park on Wednesday for a game which could define both teams’ seasons.

Lille, in the Europa League on March 12, and a trip to Old Trafford on 15 March will then loom large for Villa.

Individual form has also plummeted, with Ollie Watkins scoring just once in 11 games – reminiscent of the spell where he scored only one goal in the opening 19 matches – while Morgan Rogers is on a similar streak.

The slump was sparked by injuries to Boubacar Kamara, John McGinn and Youri Tielemans last month as Villa’s lack of depth was exposed.

Players argued between themselves as Ezri Konsa – who also had a flashpoint with fans at the end – and Amadou Onana urged Emi Buendia to leave the pitch quicker as he was substituted.

The cracks are showing and even the players are admitting to feeling the pressure.

“It does weigh on us but it shouldn’t,” said Rogers. “We deserve to be here and we should not forget that.

“Our run lately has not been as good as usual but that is the battle of the Premier League. We are going to get back to our good run of wins.

“We set our standards high and we have the ability to win every game. Obviously that is not realistic but we are playing good football as a whole and there is nothing to worry about.

“They [the next fixtures] are the games you want to play and, with so much on the line, we need to show why we deserve to be where we are.”