Oaveed Rahman, 26, took almost £5,000 from his victims before leaving dozens of dogs and a cat with no food or water before they were found among carcasses of other animals

Dogs and cats were left to starve to death, with bodies ‘piled up like rubbish’, at a fake rehoming centre.

Oaveed Rahman, 26, claimed to be looking after the animals at a centre called Save A Paw in Crays Hill, Billericay, Essex, but actually left them to suffer. A vet who was called to the scene with police last May 13 said that as soon as she left her vehicle, which was parked about 40 metres away from Rahman’s property, she could smell rotting flesh.

Remains of dogs were found in bins and throughout the site, with some piled up “like rubbish”, the sentencing judge said. Basildon Crown Court heard that veterinary surgeon Amy Cooper saw masses of bodies riddled with maggots with rats around the kennels.

Some 21 dogs which were alive were kept in pens or confined to small spaces. Tom Godfrey, prosecuting, told the court that Ms Cooper said in a statement: “I can honestly say what I smelt and saw was the most horrific thing I have ever seen. It was clear just from a general initial inspection that these animals were all suffering.”

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Sentencing him to five years in prison, Judge Richard Conley said Rahman’s fraud was “an act of betrayal of epic proportions that has devastated many lives”. He said Rahman had convinced decent and well-meaning pet owners to entrust their beloved animals into his care.

“In fact many animals taken in by you… were subjected to prolonged barbaric mistreatment, cruelty and neglect,” Judge Conley said. “Some of them died directly as a result.”

Faeces was found inside the pens and cages, and many of the dogs were severely underweight but did not have access to food, the court heard. Ms Cooper said the dogs kept in pens would have faced “mental turmoil” as there were open bags of food in the property which they could not access.

Victims whose dogs were “rehomed” by Rahman and their supporters in the packed public gallery sobbed as Mr Godfrey told of the condition the animals were found in. Later, after Rahman was sentenced, a victim in the court shouted at him through the video link: “F****** b*****d, I hope you rot in there you dirty b*****d.”

Three of the 21 dogs were so unwell they had to be put down, and one poodle later went blind, the court heard. Rahman previously pleaded guilty to cruelty against 21 dogs and a cat, and 11 counts of fraud by false representation. Police found 37 dead dogs when they first searched the rehoming centre, where dogs were left to roam among the carcasses.

Four more dead dogs were found when a shed was demolished during a later visit. Emma Thompson said she feels “extremely traumatised” by what happened to her dog. She planned to rehome him after the dalmatian pointer cross had shown signs of aggression, and she was pregnant.

“I often think about how confused, scared and sad Lennon must’ve felt being taken from the family he loved, transported to Essex and taken to a stranger,” she said in a victim impact statement read to the court by Mr Godfrey. “He would’ve smelt the death of other dogs at the property.”

Ms Thompson paid Rahman a £300 “surrender fee” and a further £200 as a charitable donation. Lennon was one of the dogs found dead during the first raid. Tina Davis, another of Rahman’s victims, took her dog Chad, a pocket bully, to Save A Paw to be rehomed after he had a fight with her other dog.

In her victim impact statement, read to the court, she said: “I was devastated at the prospect of giving up my dog but knew it was required for Chad to have the best possible life. I torture myself, wondering how much he suffered. He must’ve thought I didn’t love him to leave him at that wretched place… I question if I will ever forgive myself.”

Chad is still missing, the court heard. Some of Rahman’s victims contacted him on his Facebook page for Save A Paw, which had good reviews, the court heard. He was sometimes paid a “surrender fee” and also accepted “donations” to his organisation, which he told victims was a charity – but in fact an application for charitable status had been refused.

Rahman took around £4,800 from his 11 victims, telling them it would be used to rehome dogs, provide a new kennel block or train dogs to behave around children and other animals.

He promised to keep in touch with people about how their dogs were doing, the court heard, but often became difficult to contact and in some cases blocked the people who had taken their dogs to him.

“We’ll never truly know the extent of how far maybe offending or this behaviour has gone,” said Superintendent Leigh Norris of Essex Police.

He sentenced Rahman to five years’ imprisonment, with 38 months of that for animal cruelty. The animal cruelty sentence will run consecutively to the fraud counts, for which he was sentenced to 22 months for each count, to all run concurrently.

He was also sentenced to three months’ imprisonment, to run concurrently, for owning the banned XL bully, and was banned from owning dogs and cats for life.

Rahman can apply for the ban to be lifted after 15 years. He was also sentenced to a deprivation order, meaning the dogs found at his property can be taken. Costs will be dealt with at a later date.

The Brits will be taking place in Manchester for first time and the nominees have already been confirmed

It’s almost time for one of the biggest music events of the year and in a major change to The Brit Awards for 2026, it will be taking place in Manchester for first time.

After five years hosting the show in London, 2026 will see comedian, actor and presenter Jack Whitehall lead the charge for the BRITs in Manchester, as the show moves north for the first time in its nearly 50 year history.

The BRIT Awards 2026 will take place on Saturday, February 28, and for those who haven’t bagged a ticket for the event inside Co-op Live, it will will be broadcast exclusively on ITV1, ITVX, STV and STV Player from 8.15pm.

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The huge music ceremony will feature performances from the likes of Harry Styles, Olivia Dean, Sombr, and ROSALIA and there will be plenty of awards to be handed out on the night – 16 to be exact -actoss categories which include Artist of the Year, Album of the Year, and Breakthrough Artist.

So who is it who is nominated this year? Here are the full list of awards and the nominees as singers Olivia Dean and Lola Young sominate.

Artist of the year

• Dave
• Fred again..
• JADE
• Lily Allen
• Little Simz
• Lola Young
• Olivia Dean
• PinkPantheress
• Sam Fender
• Self Esteem

Group of the year

• The Last Dinner Party
• Pulp
• Sleep Token
• Wet Leg
• Wolf Alice

Album of the year

• Dave – The Boy Who Played The Harp
• Lily Allen – West End Girl
• Olivia Dean – The Art of Loving
• Sam Fender – People Watching
• Wolf Alice – The Clearing

Song of the year

• Calvin Harris & Clementine Douglas – Blessings
• Chrystal & Notion – The Days (Notion Remix)
• Cynthia Erivo (feat. Ariana Grande) – Defying Gravity
• Ed Sheeran – Azizam
• Fred again.., Skepta & PlaqueBoyMax – Victory Lap
• Lewis Capaldi – Survive
• Lola Young – Messy
• Myles Smith – Nice To Meet You
• Olivia Dean – Man I Need
• Raye – Where Is My Husband!
• Sam Fender (with Olivia Dean) – Rein Me In
• Skye Newman – Family Matters

International artist of the year

• Bad Bunny
• Chappell Roan
• CMAT
• Doechii
• Lady Gaga
• Rosalía
• Sabrina Carpenter
• Sombr
• Taylor Swift
• Tyler, The Creator

International group of the year

• Geese
• Haim
• Huntr/x, Ejae / Audrey Nuna/ Rei Ami
• Tame Impala
• Turnstile

International song of the year

• Alex Warren – Ordinary
• Chappell Roan – Pink Pony Club
• Disco Lines & Tinashe – No Broke Boys
• Gigi Perez – Sailor Song
• Gracie Abrams – That’s So True
• Huntr/x, Ejae / Audrey Nuna/ Rei Ami – Golden
• Lady Gaga & Bruno Mars – Die With A Smile
• Ravyn Lenae – Love Me Not
• Rosé & Bruno Mars – APT.
• Sabrina Carpenter – Manchild
• Sombr – Undressed
• Taylor Swift – The Fate of Ophelia

Breakthrough artist

• Barry Can’t Swim
• EsDeeKid
• Jim Legxacy
• Lola Young
• Skye Newman

Critics’ Choice

• Jacob Alon (winner)
• Rose Gray
• Sienna Spiro

Best alternative / rock act

• Blood Orange
• Lola Young
• Sam Fender
• Wet Leg
• Wolf Alice

Best pop act

• Jade
• Lily Allen
• Lola Young
• Olivia Dean
• Raye

Best hip-hop / rap / grime act

• Central Cee
• Dave
• Jim Legxacy
• Little Simz
• Loyle Carner

Best R&B act

• Jim Legxacy
• Kwn
• Mabel
• Sasha Keable
• Sault

Best dance act

• Calvin Harris & Clementine Douglas
• FKA twigs
• Fred again..Skepta & PlaqueBoyMax
• PinkPantheress
• Sammy Virji

The recipients of the two other awards available at the ceremony have already been decided. Noel Gallagher has bene named Songwriter of the Year award in recognition of his 30+ year career, including his work with Oasis.

Meanwhile, the BRIT Outstanding Contribution to Music Award at the 2026 ceremon has been announced as award-winning artist and producer Mark Ronson.

It’s called ‘longevity fixation syndrome’

​St George’s RC Primary at Overdale in Eastfield, Scarborough, could build a new multi-use games area (MUGA) if plans are approved by the council.

​St Cuthbert’s RC Academy Trust, which runs St George’s, has proposed converting an existing area of natural grass playing field into a new synthetic play zone.

If approved, the new MUGA would be 30 metres long and 20 metres wide, in addition to a spectator standing area along the touchline.

​The new pitch would also be surrounded by a 3 metre high perimeter fence.

​The grass playing field would be upgraded to a 2G sand-dressed synthetic playing surface surrounded by perimeter fencing and enhanced by a floodlighting system.

​The site is currently in a state of disrepair, and the development would create an “enticing space for football and multisport for the local community”.

​“This proposed space is intended to encourage more physical activity, primarily through football but extending to other sports and casual play,” a plan submitted to North Yorkshire Council states.

​The Football Foundation’s Local Football Facilities Plan has identified “Scarborough as a community in need of increased sporting provisions”.

​The new facility could be used during evenings and weekends, providing a “high-quality space to the wider community by the inclusion of floodlighting”.

​There is an “insufficient number of similar facilities within the local area, and this development would provide a space for the community to engage in sport year-round,” the scheme states.

​The play zone could also provide a valued training facility improving the team sports experience as well as being used for educational, club and community football training and matches during the week and weekends, “all within reasonable times of use”.

​The proposed floodlighting system would consist of a “low-level four-column system, each of which would be six metres in height, which is integral to the proposed fencing system”.

​According to the applicant, current lighting on the playing field is eight metres high and the new proposal would “reduce obtrusive light spill” while the LED fittings would be a more environmentally friendly option.

​North Yorkshire Council has not set a date for deciding on the plan, which is open to representations.

There’s a code of conduct when it comes to pubs: never form a line, put a coin on the side of the pool table to reserve a spot, and resist the urge to rob your glass.

Another is to always know what you want to order before you approach the bar, making sure not to hold everyone else up while you umm and ah.

‘It’s a small thing, but when the queue is three people deep, extra seconds or minutes add up,’ says Todd N, North London Account Manager at Beavertown.

This may seem obvious, but staff see this unspoken rule broken time and time again, so some people clearly need a refresher on proper boozer etiquette.

Lisa Williams, landlady of The Cricketers Pub in Farncombe, Surrey, tells Metro: ‘You can always spot the customers who haven’t thought about what they order until they get to me. They stare at me then start thinking, it drives me crazy!’

According to Phil McAree, general manager of the Hoop and Grapes in Clerkenwell, ‘novice drinkers’ and the ‘part-time’ crowd who only come in at Christmas are typically guilty of this.

‘It’s a bit frustrating because our team are drilled to cope with big orders, but they need the order so they can figure out what the best way to go about it,’ he tells Metro.

‘So if you’ve got someone who’s like “I’ll have this, and then have a little think about it, and then, oh yeah, so and so wanted this”, it makes it a lot slower.

‘All bar staff are aiming to do is just deliver that round of drinks as quickly as possible, and move on to the next punter.’

Having come from a family of publicans and with over 20 years of experience in the industry, Phil is well used to indecisive customers, to the point he no longer gets annoyed.

He notes that the clientele at the Hoop and Grapes, a Grade II listed spot which he reopened this month after it closed in 2019, largely ‘tend to know what they want’ — but even if they don’t, ‘at the end of the day, they’re paying our wages’.

Still, Phil says that in the hospitality world, certain things ‘endear you to people a lot more’, and politeness is key. To become a bartender’s absolute favourite though, bring your glass back once you’re done.

‘There’s something magical about it,’ he explains. ‘We’re like, “wow, what an amazing person”, falling over ourselves. It’s our job to go and get the empty glasses, but it’s sort of like a little token of thanks.’

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Order Guinness first

Alongside having your order ready when you reach the bar, the order you ask for the drinks is also important; specifically, stout (such as Guinness) should always come first.

Dougal Sharp, founder and master brewer at Innis and Gunn, tells Metro: ‘They’re never a quick hand-over like a lager or a spirit and mixer, so ordering the stout first means the bartender can pour it, let it settle, and get on with the rest of the order at the same time.

‘You’re back at the table quicker, and it helps bar staff keep things moving when it’s busy.’

As Becky McCabe, co-founder at drinks brand training app, Brandee, notes, it takes 119.5 seconds to pour the perfect pint of Guinness — and that two minutes makes all the difference in a busy pub.

By giving them that bit of extra notice, she says ‘the team will quietly love you,’ telling Metro: ‘It makes service smoother, eases the pressure behind the bar, and marks you down as a top customer.’

And in contrast to a recent YouGov poll which found that 45% of Brits reckon they could get it right on their first try, Lisa says: ‘The ones who order Guinness last have obviously never poured a pint of it in their life.’

‘I could serve twice as fast if everyone knew what they wanted and ordered the tricky ones first,’ she adds. ‘Luckily I’ve managed to train my regulars well.’

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Get in touch by emailing MetroLifestyleTeam@Metro.co.uk.

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Menzies has previously apologised for losing his temper at the World Championship, saying it had been a difficult time following the death of an uncle.

But the incident left him considering his future in the sport.

“It was great to win [today]. Honestly, I was so close to pulling out this weekend. I’m just not enjoying it at the moment.”

The 36-year-old added that surgeons have told him he was fortunate not to have severed any nerves or tendons but that he should gradually recover following further treatment.

“I couldn’t feel my fingers for six weeks. I had to go through surgery. I’ve still to go through hand treatment and trauma,” he said.

“I’ve made a massive mistake in my life. You can see the scar.

“They said [the feeling] will come back, but I have to live with the reputation of being a table puncher. It’s not a proud moment of my life.

“We all make mistakes. Unfortunately I made a big mistake and have to accept it.”

See how you fared in this week’s leaderboard

It’s time for our weekly Friday night pub quiz!

Gather your friends and family and put your general knowledge skills to the test with this set of 20 questions. Tonight we have everything from questions on geography and music to food and drink.

Those who took part in last week’s quiz can see where they ranked in our leaderboard. So grab a drink and put your thinking cap on.

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Why not play against friends and family to see who gets the best score? Let us know if you get top marks in the comments section below.

If you enjoyed tonight’s quiz, make sure to return next week for another exciting round.

If you can’t see the quiz below, you can open it in your browser…

Day in day out, our reporters in the Manchester Evening News newsroom bring you remarkable stories from all aspects of Mancunian life. However, with the pace of life these days, the frenetic news agenda and social media algorithms, you might not be getting a chance to read it.

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The town has been praised for having lots of amenities all within easy reach

Locals living in a Cambridgeshire market town have said they “wouldn’t want to live anywhere else”. St Neots, in Huntingdonshire has been praised for having plenty for people to do, as well as having a welcoming market square.

As part of our Exploring Cambridgeshire series, we spoke to some St Neots residents and visitors about what it is like there.

Pauline Mccarthy who has lived in St Neots for around 45 years, said that “having lived here a long time, I wouldn’t want to live anywhere else.”

She said that she loves the Riverside Park because of “the nice wide open space”. She continued: “You’ve got a lot of walking groups that go there, and obviously in the summer, there’s the bands that play.”

“There are loads of activities for older people here”, she added.

Some of the town’s attractions include the St Neots Museum, which is all about the history of the busy market town. It also has original 20th-century gaol cells. During the summer months, the Riverside Miniature Railway operates in Riverside Park. This not-for-profit railway provides a unique way to spend time in the town.

For those who haven’t visited St Neots, Patrick O’Riaelly, recommends a few things to see. He continued: “There is a folk club that is amazing, and The Priory Centre has wonderful concerts there. It’s got a life to it, and you’ve got places like the United Reform Church that’s got a history to it, providing services as well as coffee and things like that.”

David Horry moved to St Neots over two years ago. He said: “It is a lovely town compared to what we were used to because we were out in the country, and when we wanted to do something, we had to get in the car, and now we don’t.

“It’s perfect. Everything is all here together. There’s a lovely market – it’d rather be a big market, but it’s winter.”

Another woman, Elizabeth Orford, who is 81-years-old said that she comes to the market on the high street every Thursday to explore and spend time with family.

She said St Neots is “a very friendly place, which makes a change”. She added: “The town has got lots of variety of shops, not chains but individual shops that I enjoy.”

Another lady who wished to remain anonymous but has lived in St Neots for over 20 years said: “There’s a beautiful park, and they’ve done a nice job to the market square” but she emphasised that the town needs more shops to attract people.

Diogo Dalot believes Michael Carrick’s experience of playing for Manchester United gives him a key advantage as the coach that former boss Ruben Amorim never had

Diogo Dalot believes Michael Carrick‘s understanding of what it means to represent Manchester United is giving him a significant edge over former head coach Ruben Amorim.

The Portuguese boss was dismissed just over a year into his tenure, with Carrick appointed on an interim basis for the rest of this season. He spent more than a decade at Old Trafford during his playing days, making 464 appearances and lifting both the Premier League and Champions League trophies.

Carrick has swiftly brought that wealth of experience back to the club, winning four of his opening five matches in the dugout. Dalot believes Carrick has introduced a balanced approach, informed by his intimate knowledge of the club.

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Speaking on the Rio Ferdinand Presents YouTube channel, the Portugal international offered his perspective. Dalot said: “I think… the biggest advantage of Carrick right now is him knowing exactly what it is to play for Man United, what it is to be around Carrington, what the people need from you, what the fans expect from you, what this type of game will be, and I think that’s the idea.

“One of his biggest strengths is the balance that he has. He will never be too high, never be too low. Dalot continued: “That energy, when he came, he knew exactly what to say to us.

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“And then you can talk tactically. Very key messages, one or two things that you need to go to the game and be aware of, and then just play the game.

“I think that’s been how we’ve been these last couple of games, and we are being fortunate enough to be playing better than we were playing before.”

Asked to put Carrick’s United DNA into words, Dalot replied: “I think it’s something that, without the ball, we are closing the middle very well. So we’re allowing them to play a bit more on the outside, and then we make them press.

“I think we’re defending the box really well, one of the things that we already spoke about, and we have to try to improve is a little bit more intensity pressing, like the middle third, a little bit help up higher the pitch. We can be a little bit more intense pressing, but when we have to defend our box, we defend our box with our lives.

“And then when we attack, he’s like… you know, if you ask Man United fans what they love about this – fast play, direct, that high tempo, it’s lifting the stadium, and you could see against City the way we played.

“Even against Spurs, against 10 men, which can become even more difficult than playing against 11, but we had that intensity. We were playing on the front foot, and I think that’s ultimately the DNA of the club.”

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Detectives have urged Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor’s former close protection officers to “consider carefully whether anything they saw or heard” is relevant to their investigation into paedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein and his associates.

The Metropolitan Police said it was also working with counterparts in the US to establish whether London airports had been used to “facilitate human trafficking and sexual exploitation”.

On Friday, the force said no new reports of alleged sexual offences have been made since the release of millions of pages of documents related to Epstein by the US Department of Justice.

The Met’s words follow Andrew’s arrest on Thursday on suspicion of misconduct in public office, which saw him held in custody for 11 hours before being released under investigation.

The force previously said it was looking into allegations Andrew’s protection officers turned a “blind eye” to his visits to Epstein’s island, Little St James.

Police are yet to identify any wrongdoing by close protection officers.

Andrew’s primary accuser, Virginia Giuffre, alleged she had sex with him during an orgy with “underage” girls on the Caribbean island.

The former prince has previously vehemently denied all allegations made against him.

open image in gallery

Andrew, who is the first senior royal in modern history to be arrested, was held for around 11 hours on his 66th birthday before he was released under investigation by Thames Valley Police.

It is understood the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) are yet to provide any “early investigative advice” to the force.

On Friday, a helicopter circled Royal Lodge in Windsor with unmarked vans, believed to be police vehicles, entering the grounds throughout the morning.

A police presence remained at the Sandringham Estate but searches of Andrew’s Norfolk home concluded on Thursday.

The arrest of the King’s younger brother made headlines across the world, including a picture of him looking drained and exhausted, slouched in the back of a vehicle leaving Aylsham police station.

Both the King and Queen, who carried on their duties as normal after the news, did not answer questions posed to them about Andrew during engagements in London on Thursday.

US President Donald Trump described the news as “very sad” and “so bad for the royal family”.