Javier Milei has continued spouting his claims that the Falkland Islands should be Argentine, by shockingly suggesting the archipelago should be ‘handed over like Hong Kong’

Argentina’s president Javier Milei has continued his shameless threats on the Falkland Islands by claiming the British territory should be handed over in a Hong Kong-style scenario.

The Argentine leader said his nation didn’t “believe in war” and called for a “consensus solution” on the Falklands, despite announcing a string of punitive measures on the archipelago just hours before. Milei in his latest disgraceful comments on the British islands said “The Malvinas are Argentine” – referring to the land by the Argentine name for the Falklands.

Milei’s brazen words comes in the wake of comments made by Donald Trump last week where the US President said he “always reviews every position” when asked where the US stands on the islands.

The Argentine president, speaking to The Economist, claimed he would “defend our sovereignty rights” over the Falklands, South Georgia and South Sandwich islands.

Milei then continued his ramble by suggesting the UK should hand over the Falklands to Argentina in a diplomatic deal like Hong Kong. He said: “In the long term we can get our islands back. The UK did this with Hong Kong, so why not find the agreement so that sooner or later the islands return to Argentina? They’re ours.”

In 1898, 56 years after Britain took over Hong Kong island, the UK promised to return the land to China in 99 years. The handover was completed in 1997.

Milei in his rant cited the Sino-British Joint Declaration treaty which was signed in 1984 between China and the UK to prepare for the eventual return. The treaty agreed that Hong Kong would be under the authority of Beijing but enjoy a high level of autonomy for 50 years – until 2047.

The Falkland Islands, however, were uninhabited and unoccupied until they were first claimed by the British in 1765. In 2013, a referendum was held where 99.8% of islanders voted to remain a UK overseas territory.

Milei’s Hong Kong comment was made before a fiery TV address on Thursday night, although the interview was not published until after.

In the shocking national address, he declared the Falkland Islands as “Argentinean, historically and legally”. Milei told El Observador radio: “The Falklands are Argentinean. Historically and legally. There can be no argument. They are part of the Argentine territory.

“The islanders on their usurped territory do not have a legitimate right to self-determination and any argument on any such self-determination is invalid.”

Milei also said he would introduce sanctions on any oil companies working in the area, adding that the Sea Lion oilfield, owned by an Israeli and a British firm where production is expected to begin in 2028, was a “clear and present danger” to the country’s claims.

He said: “If we do not act swiftly in a few months, they will have the material capacity to access the oil that lies underneath our sea. Something that has never happened before.”

A No 10 spokeswoman said the UK supports the right of the Falkland Islanders to develop their natural resources for their own economic benefit, and “this is an integral part of their right to self-determination”.

Donald Trump, last week, faced questions about the US’s ongoing support for the UK’s sovereignty over the Falkland Islands. When pressed on his position, the US president told reporters: “I always review every position – that’s just one of many.”

The US president on Thursday then suggested he would not back the UK in a fight over the territory, pointing to the lack of support for his war in Iran.

Asked in an interview if he would “come to the aid” of the UK, the US president told GB News: “Well look, I was there when they had the first war. That was a long time ago and I watched it so carefully, and you comported yourselves very well.

“You took it back pretty strongly, but it’s a long way away. That’s a big trip, it’s a long way. So, your country’s not doing well. Don’t forget, you get a big percentage of your oil from the Strait of Hormuz, and you weren’t there to help me.”

The State Pension age is rising from 66 to 67, with the change being phased in between April 2026 and April 2028.

For someone who is healthy and able to remain in work, waiting longer may be manageable.

But for others, those extra months could create a serious financial gap, particularly if they have little savings and are unable to continue working.

A tax expert has warned that seven groups could be particularly vulnerable as the new State Pension age takes effect.

The Work and Pensions Committee has previously warned that the impact of the increase is unlikely to be felt equally across the country.

Andy Wood, a tax expert at Tax Barrister UK, said: “The increase means that affected individuals will have to wait longer before becoming eligible for their State Pension.

“For those who are healthy, in secure employment and able to continue working, that additional wait may be manageable.

“However, it could create a serious financial gap for people who cannot remain in work and do not have sufficient savings or other assets to support themselves.”

Seven groups could face the biggest squeeze

The groups identified as particularly vulnerable include:

• People who have typically worked in lower-income roles
• Those who have spent periods outside the labour market
• People unable to access housing wealth
• Those living in the most deprived areas
• People experiencing poor health or disability
• Those with caring responsibilities
• People without access to savings

These circumstances can overlap, potentially leaving some people facing several financial pressures at once.

Someone who has spent years in a physically demanding, lower-paid job, for example, may also have caring responsibilities or health problems that make it difficult to work until their new State Pension age.

Wood said: “These circumstances frequently overlap. Someone may have worked in a lower-paid or physically demanding job while also having caring responsibilities or experiencing health problems.

“This can make it more difficult to build private pension savings, accumulate other assets or continue working until the new State Pension age.

“People approaching retirement should therefore check their expected State Pension age and forecast rather than assuming they will automatically become eligible when they turn 66.”

Recommended reading:

You may have to wait longer than expected

The rise from 66 to 67 is not happening overnight.

It is being introduced gradually, meaning the exact date someone becomes eligible depends on their date of birth.

People born between 6 April 1960 and 5 March 1961 will reach State Pension age at 66 plus a specified number of months.

For example, someone born on 31 July 1960 is expected to reach State Pension age at 66 years and four months.

This means people approaching retirement should not simply assume that turning 66 means their State Pension will start.

Wood said: “The exact date on which someone becomes eligible will depend on their date of birth. It is important to check this directly through the Government’s State Pension age service, particularly when making retirement or employment plans.

“People should also check their National Insurance record and State Pension forecast. Reaching State Pension age does not necessarily mean everyone will receive the same amount, as entitlement will depend on an individual’s National Insurance history.”

Why the change could cause financial hardship

For someone unable to continue working, the wait for their State Pension could mean relying on other sources of income for longer.

That could include working-age benefits or savings that had originally been earmarked for retirement.

The Work and Pensions Committee has highlighted concerns about the potential impact on people who cannot remain in employment until their State Pension age.

Previous evidence also indicated that when the State Pension age increased from 65 to 66, the absolute poverty rate among 65-year-olds more than doubled.

Wood said: “A delay of several months may sound relatively small, but it could represent a considerable loss of expected income for someone who has already left work.

“Those without substantial savings may need to rely on Universal Credit or other available support until they qualify for their State Pension. Others could be forced to use retirement savings earlier than planned.

“The change may be particularly difficult for people in physically demanding roles or those with medical conditions that limit the type or amount of work they can undertake.”

The committee has called on the Government to consider increasing Universal Credit payments for 66-year-olds affected by the transition.

State Pension age is also due to rise again

The changes do not stop at 67.

Under current legislation, the State Pension age is due to rise again from 67 to 68 between 2044 and 2046.

However, that timetable could still change following future Government reviews.

For anyone approaching retirement, the key point is that their State Pension age is determined by their date of birth, rather than simply reaching their 66th birthday.

Checking the Government’s State Pension age service, National Insurance record and State Pension forecast could help people understand when they are likely to qualify and how much they may receive.

For those unable to continue working and without significant savings, knowing the date in advance could be particularly important when planning how to bridge the gap before State Pension payments begin.

He may be one of Hollywood’s biggest actors, but George Clooney couldn’t resist getting behind the camera on the red carpet at the Venice Film Festival on Friday night.

The acting legend, 65, attended the premiere of his film Furies, a Lebanese heist thriller. 

Early reviews from critics at the festival have praised the drama, calling it riveting and high-action. 

Clooney, who arrived in Venice with his wife Amal, serves as the executive producer on the film and received the Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement Award on the festival’s opening day. 

Dressed in a navy suit and partially unbuttoned shirt, the actor appeared in high spirits as he posed with the rest of the cast and playfully took photos on a huge camera. 

The acting legend, 65, attended the premiere of his film Furies, a Lebanese heist thriller

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The plot follows two sisters (Rym Mroue as Maro and Maria Nakouzi as Dalia) who hatch a plan to rob a bank to reclaim their own frozen savings from corrupt financial institutions

Furies is set following the economic collapse in Beirut. The plot follows two sisters (Rym Mroue as Maro and Maria Nakouzi as Dalia) who hatch a plan to rob a bank to reclaim their own frozen savings from corrupt financial institutions. It is directed by Rami Kodeih.

The Hollywood Reporter wrote: ‘From its opening scenes in a bank, where bureaucratic blah-di-blah gives way to sheer terror, to its gripping final sequence, the movie infuses a time-tested genre with the unpredictable energy of real people interacting — and, crucially, the offhand wisea*s humour of siblings who know and love each other deeply, brought to messy, magnificent life in two spectacular performances.’ 

IndieWire called the film-making ‘kinetic and alive’.

They wrote: ‘The beats are familiar, the story formulaic, but the filmmaking is kinetic and alive, worthy of the largest possible audience.

‘George Clooney stepped in as an executive producer, but my understanding is that his role was more to get out of the way of serious filmmaking to support it, rather than to intervene creatively.’

Screendaily called it a ‘messy but enjoyable watch’ and praised Rym and Maria’s on-screen chemistry. 

They said: ‘Propelled by the considerable awards success of his short films (which include A Sheherazade Tale, The Mill, Maki & Zorro and Alina) and by the presence of George Clooney and Grant Heslov as executive producers, this vividly full-blooded crime thriller should generate plenty of buzz following its premiere in Venice’s Spotlight strand and subsequent screening in TIFF’s Centrepiece programme.

‘It’s a messy but enjoyable watch and, while the nuts and bolts of the plotting might not be as tight as they could be, the off-the-scale chemistry between Nakouzi and Mroue is the glue which holds the crackling chaos together. ‘

The film’s stars Rym Mroue and Maria Nakouzi posed with George, who was an executive producer 

Dressed in a navy suit and partially unbuttoned shirt, the actor appeared in high spirits as he posed with the rest of the cast and playfully took photos on a huge camera

In the nearly 30 years since George attended his first Venice Film Festival with Out of Sight, he´s become something of a fixture

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In the nearly 30 years since George attended his first Venice Film Festival with Out of Sight, he´s become something of a fixture.

 It´s a place where he´s enjoyed many significant moments, from his wedding at the Aman Venice to the debut of Good Night, and Good Luck, which earned him his first Oscar nomination for best director.

Last year he attended with Jay Kelly, in which he plays a movie star who travels to Italy for a lifetime achievement award. 

And the actor paid tribute to his ‘bada*s’ lawyer wife in his acceptance speech for his Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement on Wednesday.

Amal, a British-Lebanese human rights lawyer, has represented Yazidi survivors and helped secure historic legal victories holding ISIS members accountable for genocide.

‘By the way, my wife’s the only person to have ever put ISIS on trial and won,’ the Hollywood star said. ‘She’s a badass, and she gets the job done. We do it for our families. We do it for our friends.’ 

He added: ‘Amal’s taken some very difficult stands over the years, and we’ve had to face some pretty heavy criticism based on that. I wrote an op-ed about President Joe Biden. I got some s***.

‘We have really interesting conversations around the table. But you know, we also have two nine-year-old kids, and we have a normal family life, and there’s a lot of laughing and a lot of love, and we’re very lucky, and we’re really aware of that.’

By DAILY MAIL REPORTER

Published: 19:33 BST, 4 September 2026 | Updated: 23:18 BST, 4 September 2026

Cody Gakpo played a starring role, creating both of Alexander Isak’s goals, as Liverpool recorded their first Premier League win of the Andoni Iraola era

Andoni Iraola insists he never doubted Cody Gakpo even after the Liverpool forward nearly quit Anfield.

Gakpo could have left in the final days of the transfer window after Manchester City launched a bid to sign him but Liverpool blocked the move after failing to find replacements.

Holland international Gakpo provided both assists for two-goal Alexander Isak in what was Liverpool’s first win under Iraola.

Liverpool boss Iraola said: “Cody knows how much we value him. There is no doubt. I rate him very highly. There might be, obviously, strong competition for minutes because we have good players there in those positions.

“It’s a matter of pushing each other. With Bradley Barcola, with Rio Ngumoha, with Victor Munoz, it’s a matter of sometimes they will start, sometimes they will come from the bench, sometimes they will not play, but this is competition.

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“Cody has been very good all preseason. He started the season very well, producing numbers today. Then after the two assists, he finishes as number nine to help us close the game.

“I think it’s good to have Cody because he can play in three positions up top, like other of our players. To have him in this place for this particular position is good.”

Iraola was also full of praise for Isak who has now got three goals this season which is as many as he got for Liverpool in the entire Premier League campaign last year. Bradley Barcola also got his debut as a substitute after his £106m move.

It also marked Iraola’s first win as Liverpool manager and he admitted he was relieved to get it after two draws in their opening fixtures.

Iraola added: “If he’s fit, if he’s available, if he’s in a good shape, I think he will produce the numbers. My demand with Alex will not be about the goals. Probably, it will be about other things.

“I will demand other things so we can play well. And if we play well, we are in good positions. The goals will come. I think he has to contribute to the collective. And when everyone helps, I think the goals and the result will come.

“Bradley has not played a single minute since the World Cup, so we needed to be careful. I’m happy because 30 minutes is going to be good for his fitness for his build-up, and we will continue because now we play a lot of games. So he will have the chance to play.

“I think two points also don’t reflect our two first games. So definitely, we couldn’t lose anymore and I’m happy because I think we controlled it well today.”

Ipswich boss Gary O’Neil insisted he was happy with his team and “proud of his players.” He added: “After the first two goals, we recovered and matched them and were arguably the better team at times.”

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A 35-year-old man has died in a motorcycle crash in west Wales, police have said. Police and paramedics were called to the scene of a single-vehicle crash involving a motorbike on Pembroke Road, Haverfordwest at around 8.20pm on Friday, August 28.

The rider of the motorbike, who has been named as Luke King, tragically died at the scene. His family have remembered him as a “deeply loved son, grandson, nephew, cousin and friend” who was “larger than life.”

In a heart-felt tribute, his family said: “Luke was 35 and a deeply loved son, grandson, nephew, cousin and friend.

“He leaves behind his mum Hayley, his girlfriend, his grandparents, aunties, uncles, many cousins and countless friends who loved him dearly. His dad had sadly passed away before him.

“Luke was a larger-than-life character who lit up every room with his infectious energy, his laugh and his beautiful smile. He was funny, loving, mischievous, hardworking and completely unforgettable.

“He loved his motorbikes, adored his dog, Digger, and took enormous pride in his work in construction and groundworks. He had recently set up his own company, something he was incredibly proud of and had worked hard to build.

“Although Luke was an only child, his friends were like family to him. He treasured them deeply and spent so much of his life surrounded by people who loved him, making memories, laughing and enjoying life together.

“Luke lived an immense amount of life in his 35 years. He lived it to the full and was so happy, with so much still ahead of him. He had achieved so much, but it felt like he was only just getting started.

“The outpouring of messages and memories since losing Luke has shown just how many lives he touched. There was only one Luke, and we will miss his laugh, his smile, his bear hugs and his huge personality every single day.

“We will carry him with us always and love him for the rest of our lives.”

He also fired gunshots towards two men while cycling through the streets

A teenager who fired a bullet into a home occupied by a mother, her 10-month-old baby, and her elderly mother shouted “see you guys, bye” as he was sent to custody.

Jama Yusuf discharged seven gunshots towards two men while riding a bicycle through Toxteth, with stray rounds striking a parked van and the brickwork of another house. When police arrived at his door two days later, he asked officers: “Was it a bad shooting? Did anyone get hurt?”

Despite CCTV capturing Yusuf in a local store shortly beforehand wearing the same clothing as the cyclist, he denied being the gunman. Following a trial, he was unanimously convicted of possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life, possession of ammunition without a certificate, and two counts of criminal damage, reports The Echo.

Appearing at Liverpool Crown Court on Friday, Yusuf was sentenced to 13-and-a-half years in a young offenders’ institution. As he was led down to the cells, his mother waved from the public gallery before he called out.

Sentencing, Judge Ian Harris told him: “You fired seven bullets towards two unknown males. One went through a double glazed window. Fortunately, it missed an elderly lady who was in her daughter’s house. Additionally, other members of family, including a 10-month-old baby, were in the house, although fortunately not in that living room.

“Other bullets you fired damaged brickwork, a metal shutter and the rear door of a Peugeot van. During routine house to house enquiries, police called at your address, close to the scene of the shooting. Police become suspicious about your reactions.

“There is enormous public concern about gun crime. Firearms cause death and grievous injuries. In your case, the gun that you used has not been recovered and, therefore, must still be in criminal circulation.

“The evidence is that seven shots were fired at two individuals in an 18-second period. You then rode away on your cycle. The fact that no individual was shot was, in my judgement, sheer good fortune. You could easily be facing more serious charges.

“Ms Abdi, the householder, said that they were all extremely shaken and scared, especially her elderly mother, who had been sitting by the window. Her scarf had fragments of glass from the window on it.

“There was some planning for the offences. Once you saw the two men, you went to collect the pistol. You had a face covering. You knew your routes extremely well and were able to escape without detection. You subsequently discarded the clothing that you had on, in my judgement, to avoid detection, if at all possible.

“The motive for this offending is unknown. In my judgement, it was clearly connected with serious ongoing criminal activity. The major mitigating factor is your age, 18 years and seven months old at the time of the offending.

“I note the contents of the pre-sentence report. The probation officer sets out that you still deny responsibility for the offences. She mentions that your maturity is not fixed and your positive engagement with education while in custody, your mentoring role and family support suggests that there are possibilities for you to develop and change.

“However, she sets out that the escalation in your offending will require substantial work. Notwithstanding concerns expressed in the pre-sentence report about risk, I note the absence of any previous serious offences, your age and the degree of optimism about your future, albeit you will need strict guidance. Given the length of time that you will spend in custody, I have decided that I do not need to pass an extended determinate sentence.”

A jury of seven men and five women previously heard in July that the seven gunshots were discharged by the cyclist as he rode along Millennium Road, Seaport Street and Kingsley Road shortly after midnight on October 5 last year while supposedly firing in the direction of two other men, who fled the scene on foot and on another bicycle. Steven Swift, prosecuting, told the court: “One of the bullets embedded itself into the living room wall of the home address of Ms Hiba Abdi.

“She resides with her mother and 10-month-old baby at Kingsley Road. She could recall being upstairs, searching for a phone charger at this time, her mother sitting downstairs on a sofa under the window, when she heard a shout, a scream.

“Her mother was really unable to appreciate what had just happened. She thought that somebody might have thrown something at the window. On closer inspection, it became clear that there was a small hole in the blind and curtain and a bullet had gone through, missing Ms Abdi’s elderly mother.

“You will hear evidence that another bullet damaged the brickwork of an address on Seaport Street. Another damaged the rear door of a Peugeot Boxer van parked on Seaport Street, and there was other damage to metal shutters on Granby Street.”

CSI officers subsequently recovered seven spent bullet casings and five live 9mm rounds from the scene, with CCTV enquiries subsequently linking Yusuf to the incident. Footage from the body worn camera of a police officer, captured in August of last year as the 19-year-old was stopped and searched, showed him wearing a dark coloured Rab coat with his hood up, a garment said to match that of the alleged gunman when he was seen rolling a cigarette in the communal hallway of a block of flats on Parliament Place and buying milk from Granby Minimarket earlier on the evening of the shooting.

Yusuf was also said to have been seen “making a gun gesture with his hand” while cycling past the same shop on a red bike shortly before midnight. Having then made his purchase, jurors were told that he returned to his home on Eversley Street, being seen in the rear courtyard of this address before leaving again shortly afterwards in the minutes before the shooting.

Mr Swift added: “Just after nine minutes after midnight, the gunshots are heard. You may think that multiple discharges of a gun, aimed towards two individuals, demonstrates the clearest intention to endanger the lives of those individuals.”

Further footage was said to have captured Yusuf returning home once more at 12.11am before leaving again and returning to Parliament Place in a change of clothing. He was then seen shopping with his mum at Footasylum on Edge Lane the following day while buying new clothes.

Two days after the shooting, on October 7, officers conducting house to house enquiries in the area visited Yusuf’s home address. Having been asked for access to his Ring doorbell camera, he was reported to have replied: “Well, wasn’t it all the way over on Kingsley?”

After being told that police required the footage in order to trace the movements of the suspect, Yusuf then added: “Was it a bad shooting? Did anyone get hurt?”

Mr Swift said of this: “The crown say that this interaction with the police is significant. It was as a result of that conversation and the nature of the responses provided by the defendant that enquiries commenced.”

This led to Yusuf handing himself in at St Anne Street Police Station on October 9, subsequently making no comment when interviewed on this occasion and during a second round of questioning in December. Mr Swift concluded his opening by telling the jury: “The crown say that this defendant was the man with the gun, firing live bullets in Toxteth in the early hours of the morning on the 5th of October and that, having heard all of the evidence in this case, the crown say that you can be sure of his guilt in relation to the counts he faces.”

Yusuf, who has two previous convictions for possession of a bladed article in a public place and possession of cannabis in 2024, opted not to give evidence during his trial. Philip Astbury, defending, said on his behalf today: “There is very little that I can say about the incident itself, given the defendant’s continued position.

“The suggestion was that there is evidence this was aimed at the two individuals. I would invite the court to exercise caution before concluding that is exactly what happened here.

“We know there was no injury. Something happened. The jury were clearly satisfied that there was an intent to endanger life. Your honour may feel it is a step too far to conclude, at close range, that it was aimed at those two individuals.

“He was only 18 at the time. He has never experienced custody. To now go to facing the type of sentence that he does, it does not need me to explain the impact of that and the trepidation he now has.

“Your honour sees that he successfully passed his GCSEs. He was at college up until the point that he was arrested for these matters. He was hoping to go on in education. There is a very different side to his character. I pray in aid that side of his character and the promise he still holds for the future. He looks forward and not back.

“Your honour knows that he has an extremely supportive family. Your honour will have seen his parents in attendance at the trial on each and every day. They are a supportive and very positive family.

“Both of his sisters graduated during the course of the trial. He will be surrounded, when he is released, by positive influences in the family. They stand by him. What your honour would not want to do, I am sure, is crush this young man or leave no light at the end of the tunnel for him to work towards.”

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A vet says the disease has caused “multiple losses” with unusual weather conditions potentially linked to the outbreak.

A vet in Dumfries and Galloway has reported an outbreak of equine grass sickness, saying it has already led to “multiple losses” of animals in the area.

Machars Veterinary Services, based in Wigtown, said this year’s “unusual weather conditions” may have contributed to the outbreak, and urged horse owners to familiarise themselves with the condition.

In a post on social media, the vet said: “Attention all horse owners: we are currently dealing with an ‘outbreak’ of grass sickness locally with multiple losses.

“Grass sickness is a disease of horses and ponies which causes paralysis of the digestive system.

“Sadly, it is inevitably fatal once symptoms develop, with no vaccine or effective treatment.

“Cases in south-west Scotland are usually very rare, however we believe the unusual weather conditions this year may have predisposed to the development of the disease.

“It is not a contagious disease, however it is not uncommon to see multiple horses affected on the same premises, and/or pockets of disease within an area.”

The vet urged horse owners in the area to consider whether reducing grazing times might be appropriate for their animals.

The Equine Grass Sickness Fund (EGSF), a charity set up to fund research into the disease, said there have been cases of the disease throughout the UK.

“Unfortunately we have started to see an influx of equine grass sickness cases following a period of changeable weather,” it said in a post on social media on Thursday.

“Cases have been seen throughout the whole of the UK, so we would like to remind owners that EGS does not discriminate, and can affect racehorses and family Shetland ponies alike.

“If you suspect your horse has symptoms of grass sickness then call your vet ASAP.”.

The EGSF said the cause of the disease is unknown but that it occurs almost exclusively in horses with access to grass, and that there are a number of possible risk factors.

It said current research is looking into whether a soil-borne bacteria called Clostridium botulinum type C is behind the disease.

The condition was first recorded in Scotland in about 1907, when there was an outbreak among army remount horses near Dundee.

Incidence of the disease then rose markedly, and in Scotland in the 1920s hundreds of horses, mainly draught animals, died annually from grass sickness.

It is thought the losses were so severe that the introduction of tractors was artificially accelerated as a result.

Today in some parts of the UK it has been estimated that approximately one in 200 horses of all breeds die annually from the disease.

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The judge described the case as being “highly unusual and exceptionally distressing”.

A woman who left her paralysed sister to rot in a filthy home filled with the smell of human waste and decaying flesh has avoided jail despite admitting her role in the former nurse’s death.

Michelle Neill, 55, pleaded guilty to the gross negligence manslaughter of her sister Kelly Neill, 48, who died from sepsis after suffering severe infected bed sores while living in what prosecutors described as “toxic” conditions.

At the Old Bailey, Judge Richard Marks KC handed Neill a three-year prison sentence suspended for three years, describing the case as “highly unusual and exceptionally distressing”.

Earlier, Neill sobbed in the dock as her nephew, Jake Neill-Knight, 26, accused her of being “pure evil” for failing to look after his mother. Prosecutor Anthony Orchard KC told the court that Kelly Neill died after developing severe bed sores while in her sister’s care.

The victim had formerly worked as a stroke nurse and became paralysed following a stroke in 2018. She existed in “toxic” and “appalling” circumstances after her sister assumed responsibility as sole carer following their mother’s death.

At the time of her death, no disability benefits were being received into the household and there had been no visits from a GP or social services for “many months”.

On the morning of 20 October 2022, the defendant had requested an ambulance to attend the family residence in Deptford, south London. Paramedics discovered Ms Neill on the living room floor in unhygienic conditions, amid dirt, decay and clutter. She was distressed, unable to speak and groaning.

Mr Orchard stated: “In the front room they were greeted by the smell of excrement, urine, general dirt, and decaying flesh. The room was in a dreadful state, with clutter everywhere. Kelly Neill was on the floor, wrapped in a soiled and filthy bed sheet, surrounded by urine, blood and flies. She was wet.”

Upon lifting her, paramedics discovered she had numerous serious pressure sores showing clear evidence of infection and necrosis, with flies and at least one cigarette end adhered to her leg. She was transported to St Thomas’s Hospital in London and passed away on 23 October 2022.

A post-mortem revealed the cause of death was sepsis, resulting from multiple skin ulcers and the earlier stroke. Before her passing, Ms Neill’s son had clashed with his aunt regarding her care, insisting that his mother required residential care.

However, the accused rejected this and maintained control over access to the property, the court was told. Mr Neill-Knight had last visited his mother in February 2022 and travelled to Spain that summer to see his girlfriend, returning to the UK following his grandmother’s death.

Delivering a victim impact statement in court, Mr Neill-Knight outlined the continuing and catastrophic loss of his mother in “harrowing” circumstances.

He said his mother had been “stolen” in a “disgusting manner” with her “dignity stripped and her body defiled”. He informed the court: “When she first went into hospital before she died, I could hardly recognised her, she was a shell of what used to be, so small, curled up stiff and rigid….The bed sores were horrendous.”

Mr Neill-Knight described guilt about what happened, but said: “The guilt we carry because of the choice that Michelle made is unjust. “I can’t even begin to imagine how anybody could walk past a person or ignore someone in my mum’s condition leading up to her death.

“I’d help a random stranger if they were in that way, so a family member, no sane person would do what my aunt has done to a member of their family.

“My mum wasn’t just someone Michelle cared for or a job she was getting paid for. No, my mum was her only sister, her little sister. She was supposed to look after her. Protect her. Her own flesh and blood, that she walked past for God knows how many days before calling an ambulance.

“How could you do that, see that, smell that, feel that and do nothing? That is pure evil.”

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In mitigation, Jennifer Dempster KC indicated Neill had shown “genuine remorse”.Earlier that morning, Neill had conveyed to her: “This does not end for me today. This will be something I will carry for the rest of my life. I will never forgive myself for what has happened.”

Judge Marks observed that Neill, battling anxiety and depression, proved “completely unable” to provide care for her sister and remained “incapable of seeking help”. He stated it was “impossible to accept” that she hadn’t been aware of how serious her sister’s condition was.

He informed her: “I also accept that you loved Kelly and you are genuinely and profoundly remorseful for events.”

The judge explained he would suspend her sentence owing to her “personal mitigation” and the fact she is unlikely to reoffend.

The public is asked to follow any directions given by officers present

Police have warned motorists of potential traffic disruption this weekend due to a number of parades taking place in Belfast.

A PSNI spokesperson said road users should expect delays in Belfast on Saturday, September 5, due to a number of processions taking place across the city.

They said: “In East Belfast, a parade will begin at 11:30am from My Lady’s Road and proceeding along Cherryville Street, Beersbridge Road, Templemore Avenue, Castlereagh Street, Albertbridge Road and finish at The Mount, with dispersal at 12:30pm.

“In North Belfast, a parade will commence its outward route at 2pm proceeding along Disraeli Street, Ohio Street, Cambrai Street, Sydney Street West, Tennent St, Ambleside Street, Crimea Street, Glenfarne Street, Agnes Street, Hopewell Avenue, Hopewell Crescent, Shankill Parade, Shankill Road, Cambrai Street, Enfield Street and finishing Disraeli Street. The parade will disperse at 7:30pm.

“In the city centre, a parade will begin at 1pm at Writers Square and proceeding along Donegal Street, Royal Avenue, Donegal Place and finishing at Chichester Street. The parade will disperse at 2:30pm.