The former firearms officer faced a misconduct panel after showing up for work unfit for duty after drinking
17:00, 28 Apr 2026Updated 17:18, 28 Apr 2026
A former Cambridgeshire police officer faced a misconduct hearing accused of driving to work while over the legal limit for alcohol and attempting to sign out a firearm. PC Daniel Colbert was found to have breached the standard of discreditable conduct and fitness for duty to the level of gross misconduct.
The former officer, who joined Cambridgeshire Constabulary in March 2018, faced two allegations. These were that on July 20, 2024, between 6am and 7am, he allegedly drove to work while over the legal limit.
It was alleged that Colbert, a firearms officer at the time, reported for duty at 7am, at which point PS Trippett smelt alcohol on him. Aware that the former officer had just driven into work, PS Trippett suspected that he may have driven while over the legal limit and requested a specimen of breath.
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According to the public notice for the hearing, former PC Colbert, who resigned while under investigation, provided an initial reading of 40ugs per 100 ml of breath (which is over the drink drive limit). He was subsequently arrested and taken to Kempston custody to provide an evidential sample.
There he was tested and provided evidential readings of 21ugs and 20ugs per 100 ml. As those readings were under the legal limit for drink-driving, no further action was taken on the criminal offence and former PC Colbert was released from custody.
Having considered all of the submissions regarding the case, the panel found that each of the factual allegations against the officer had been proved. It found that the former officer breached the standard of discreditable conduct and the standards of fitness for duty.
The outcome of the officer’s misconduct hearing concluded that had the former PC Colbert not resigned from the police force, he would have been dismissed without notice.
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Chief Constable Simon Megicks said: “It is concerning that an officer chose to drive to work over the legal limit and then present himself for duty.
“This behaviour fell below the standards expected and had the potential to place others at risk. Such actions risk undermining public confidence in the police service.”
A message has been widely circulated on WhatsApp saying that people should be encouraged to buy a home in the Castlecaulfield area to “support and strengthen our Protestant community for the future” — but the local Orange Lodge says the message is fake
An Orange Lodge has stated that messages claiming it would assist people with mortgage costs to “support and strengthen our Protestant community for the future are “fake”.
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A message has been widely circulated on WhatsApp saying that “friends, families, and anyone with a connection to the Castlecaulfield area in Co Tyrone should be encouraged to buy a home locally in order to “support and strengthen our Protestant community for the future.”
It also alleged that, following discussions with financial advisers, the local Orange Lodge might be able to assist people with mortgage costs to live in the area.
Belfast Live approached the Castlecaulfield Orange Lodge about the message on social media, with a spokesperson confirming “the message is fake”.
Local DUP councillor Mark Robinson said the message bore similarities to one that had circulated in the area previously and believed they were intended to inflame local tensions ahead of the parade season. He also remarked that Orange Order membership would rocket if it were to begin helping people with their mortgages, reports Belfast Live.
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After seeing the message he said: “Just checked my calendar there, thought maybe it was April Fool’s Day!
“This looks like a very similar message that done the rounds before. I suspect it’s the same culprits trying to raise tensions in the area prior to local parades. Sad that some people have nothing better to do with their time.”
The bogus message stated: “Following on from our brief meeting, we’re asking all Castlecaulfield friends, families, and anyone with a connection to the area to consider the opportunity of purchasing a home locally.
“With numbers at the primary school currently lower than we’d like, it’s important we come together to support and strengthen our Protestant community for the future. Encouraging more local families to live in the area can make a real difference.
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“[Name removed] has been in touch with a number of financial advisors, and there may be support available to help with mortgage costs from the Orange Lodge. If this is something you’d be interested in, please get in touch with [Name removed], [Name removed], or [Name removed] for more information.
“We’d encourage anyone considering a move to act sooner rather than later, ahead of the upcoming developments being released. God save the king.”
Actress Olivia Frances Brown has cryptically commented on Jodie Ramsey possibly being the victim of a shocking murder on the cobbles
Coronation Street star Olivia Frances Brown has admitted her time on the long-running show ‘may have ended’ as she cryptically commented on Jodie Ramsey possibly being the victim of a shock murder on the cobbles.
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As those who follow the ITV soap will recall, Jodie’s first appearance on-screen sparked a mystery as Olivia made her debut in the role during Corrie’s epic crossover with Emmerdale, dubbed Corriedale, which featured a horror multi-vehicle pile-up, before she ended up being revealed as Shona Platt’s long-lost sister.
While not involved in the dramatic crash that was at the centre of the historic crossover, it was during her escape that she became injured, running into a tree when DC Kit Green gave chase through the woods.
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It was how she ended up in the hospital, and it was there that she was reunited with her long-lost sister, Shona Platt, who had been involved in the deadly smash with her husband, David.
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Since then, despite Shona’s unease at first, Jodie has made herself comfortable with the Platts after being invited to stay at No.8 Coronation Street. But as viewers know, Jodie has started a plan to get between her sister and her husband, while her behaviour towards other Weatherfield residents has also come into question.
But this week, Jodie is among the possible victims of a murder, alongside fellow Weatherfield villains Theo Silverton, Carl Webster, Megan Walsh and Maggie Driscoll.
A flashforward episode of Corrie, which was aired in February, first confirmed the storyline, with fans seeing the shocked and anxious teen being interviewed by detectives about finding the dead body of someone she knows. As the episode returned to the present day, Corrie viewers started to see how the behaviour of the five characters could lead to their possible death.
While the murder technically took place on April 23, this week, Corrie viewers will revisit the same day, but each episode will be seen from the perspective of a different potential victim. At the end of the week, Betsy will find one of them dead, and as the victim is finally revealed, the hunt to find the killer will then begin.
Jodie’s episode airs on Wednesday (April 29), ahead of Friday’s (May 1) big reveal, but actress Olivia has already teased that it could be the end of her time in Weatherfield.
Asked how the character has ended up one of the possible victims, and if she was surprised herself to learn that Jodie could possibly die, the new soap star told the Manchester Evening News and other press: “I would have been surprised if she wasn’t one of the victims, the way she’s been carrying on! Trouble follows her around like a bad smell.
“She is always caught up in the chaos. Whatever’s going on, if there is any chaos in the street, she’ll probably be at the heart of it. It’s the way that she is. It’s who she is. It’s the way she has learnt to deal with things. It’s the way she goes through life.”
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On how it feels to be part of the dramatic week, Olivia added: “It’s been great. To be new on the show and to be thrown right into the centre of all the drama. It’s been a really lovely experience. It’s just been like a rollercoaster from the beginning. I really don’t want it to end – but it might have ended!”
And despite Jodie’s questionable actions so far, Olivia has had quite a positive reaction to her arrival in the show. “It’s been lovely, actually,” she admitted. “It’s been nice to see how invested people have become with the character and to see how close they are watching.
“The majority of feedback that I’ve had is that people just can’t quite suss her out and figure out what she’s up to. Which is good really, because she isn’t straightforward and she’s not your typical villain. She’s a very complex, layered person. There’s a bit of a sadness to her, really.
“The things that she is doing come from a place of loneliness. She wants people to value her, she wants to feel that closeness that she can see everybody else enjoying around her. She feels like she can’t have it off her own back. She feels like she has to manipulate people around her in order to trick them into loving her, which is quite sad.”
Inside Gorka Marquez’s BBC Strictly Come Dancing exit | Wales Online
Need to know
Gorka Marquez has announced he is leaving Strictly Come Dancing after 10 years on the BBC dance show.
Hayley Anderson Screen Time TV Reporter
20:50, 28 Apr 2026
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Strictly Come Dancing star Gorka Marquez. (Image: BBC)
Everything you need to know about Gorka Marquez leaving Strictly Come Dancing
Gorka Marquez has become the fifth professional dancer to exit Strictly Come Dancing before the upcoming series. He revealed his decision on Instagram, sharing a black and white photograph of himself walking away from the camera, dressed in a suit and dance shoes, towards a studio door.
In his Instagram statement, Gorka explained that following his choice to step down as a full-time professional on the BBC series last year owing to clashes with Dancing With The Stars Spain, he has now decided to “hang up my dance shoes and say goodbye to Strictly Come Dancing”. The 35-year-old expressed that he will “always be incredibly grateful” to the programme which has enabled him to “build a career from my passion, find love, start a family and make lifelong friends”.
Even though he is leaving the show, Gorka confirmed he would continue participating in the Strictly Pro Tour, which begins next week. He subsequently mentioned taking a reduced role and “hopefully hold up a few paddles and out some tens”, though he didn’t specify whether this relates to his Spanish role or potential judging duties on the BBC programme.
Gorka became part of Strictly Come Dancing in 2016 and has partnered with celebrities including Tameka Empson, Maisie Smith, Helen Skelton and Alexandra Burke, amongst others. He remained unpaired last year due to scheduling conflicts with Dancing With The Stars in Spain.
The Strictly performer met his partner and mother of his children, Hollyoaks, Casualty and Emmerdale actress Gemma Atkinson, through the programme in 2017 when she was paired with Aljaz Skorjanec. Gemma responded to his Strictly departure post, writing: “Thank goodness you were on the show in 2017! Exciting times ahead”.
During his speech in the Hall of the House, whose public and press galleries were packed, the King spoke of the importance of Nato, the value of European partners and the need to reduce world conflicts, stemming the “beating of ploughshares into swords”, all priorities for Sir Keir Starmer’s Government.
The Post Office is operated by Usman (Ozzy) and Hajia Patel, who reopened on April 7 after closing in January 2025.
Now, Hajia and Usman are keen to get back to business as usual after their long absence.
Usman said: “We’re really happy that we’re open again so we can keep on serving the community.
“We want to let everybody know that we’re back, so they can start using our Post Office again.
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“We’re looking forward to getting the community back through our doors again – making sure everybody knows we’re back.”
Usman (Ozzy) Patel wants customers to know they’re back serving the local community (Image: Dan Dougherty)
The Post Office is located at 137 Hindley Road, Daisy Hill, Westhoughton, open from 9.30am – 5pm Monday to Friday and 9.30am – 12pm on Saturdays.
Usman shut the shop in January 2025, meaning it was closed for a total of 14 months.
The closure was announced via a Facebook post
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In a statement, Post Office area manager Victoria Allsop said: “I am delighted to let you know that we have restored Post Office services to the local community.
“I know the local community will join me in welcoming this good news and hope that you and our customers will continue to use this service.”
Information about where to vote has been issued to eligible voters. Polling takes place between 7am and 10pm.
Electors in North Lanarkshire are reminded to use their vote in the Scottish Parliament Election on Thursday, May 7.
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Information about where to vote has been issued to eligible voters. Polling takes place between 7am and 10pm.
Voters will receive two ballot papers – one for the local constituency and one for the wider Central Scotland and Lothians West region – and should mark an X on each ballot paper at the candidate or party they wish to represent their area.
“It is important that everyone who is eligible uses their vote in the Scottish Parliament election on 7 May,” said Returning Officer Des Murray.
“The Scottish Parliament has powers to make laws for Scotland in areas including health, education, housing, justice, and the environment.
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“This election gives you the opportunity to have a say in who represents your community at the Scottish Parliament.”
Polling place staff will be able help voters with any questions about casting their vote. Photo id is NOT needed at this election.
To assist voters with a visual impairment, a large print sample ballot paper and tactile voting device will be available and mobile phones can be taken into the polling booth to use magnifier or text-to-speech apps, or the phone torch to improve lighting. Photos must not be taken inside the polling station.
If anyone has not received their polling letter, contact the council’s Election Office on 01698 302119.
Players at the World Cup could face a red card if they cover their mouths when speaking to opponents during confrontations.
The decision was taken during a special meeting of the Fifa Council in Vancouver, Canada, on Tuesday, where two Fifa-proposed law amendments were approved.
Players who leave the pitch in protest at a referee’s decisions could also now face a red card, following ugly scenes at the Africa Cup of Nations final between Morocco and Senegal.
Both law changes have been approved as competition opt-ins by the International Football Association Board (Ifab).
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Fifa has confirmed they will be adopted at this summer’s World Cup.
The issue of players covering their mouths became high profile in February when Benfica winger Gianluca Prestianni raised his shirt while speaking to Real Madrid’s Vinicius Jr during a Champions League game.
The Argentina international was accused of racist abuse and provisionally banned for one match. Following a Uefa investigation, Prestianni was found guilty of homophobic conduct and banned for six matches – three of which were suspended.
The issue was discussed at the Ifab annual general meeting in Wales later that month where it was agreed the matter would be on the agenda at the Fifa Council.
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The decision remains at the absolute discretion of the referee, who will consider all circumstances before issuing a red card.
Samuel West opened up about losing both his parents, Timothy West and Prunella Scales, during an emotional moment on Channel 5’s Sam and Ade Go Birding.
Actor Samuel West spoke candidly about the loss of both his parents within moments of appearing on his Channel 5 programme.
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Sam and Ade Go Birding has delighted audiences over the past three weeks as the pair ventures through some of the UK’s most stunning nature reserves.
During their final trip to Somerset Levels, viewers witnessed a touching exchange between Samuel and his co-host in the car.
Twiddling his moustache, Samuel revealed he had grown the facial hair for his role as Malvolio in the Royal Shakespeare Company’s (RSC) production of Twelfth Night.
Noting that it had been a week since the production had wrapped yet he was still sporting the moustache, Samuel confessed: “I know, I’m slightly worrying about saying goodbye to him.”
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He continued: “I’ve played him twice, once when my dad died and once when my mum died. He got me through a tough year. Is it time to take it off, do you think?”
Adrian then offered to remove the moustache himself, trimming the ends off on the spot in the caports the Express.
In 2024, Samuel’s father, Timothy West, passed away at the age of 90 from a subdural haematoma and extra-axial haemorrhage (bleeding within the skull) following a fall.
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Tragically, his mother, Prunella Scales, followed a year later in 2025 at the age of 93, after a lengthy and well-documented struggle with vascular dementia.
Both parents were celebrated actors, with his mother best known for her iconic role as Sybil Fawlty in Fawlty Towers, while Timothy featured in numerous productions both on and off stage.
He received a BAFTA nomination for his performance in Edward the Seventh and also appeared in popular soaps including Coronation Street and EastEnders.
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Timothy West was equally celebrated for his theatre work, taking on iconic roles such as King Lear, Macbeth, and Falstaff.
Reflecting on his final conversation with his mother during the Channel 5 programme, Samuel was visibly moved.
As the enthusiastic birdwatchers sat in a car awaiting a sighting, Samuel revealed: “Since we last met, my mum died. A week ago.
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“Last week we went down to Shaftesbury Avenue to see the West End theatres dim their front of house lights. Which is something which would have astonished and delighted her, but it really floored me.”
He continued: “The last proper conversation I had with her was when a couple of years ago she said, ‘How old am I?’ And I said, ‘You are 91 now.’ And she said, ’91? (expletive). It was beautifully timed, beautifully enunciated.”
He added: “I mean, we had a few more conversations after that, but that may be the last one I remember.”
The Red Lion on Salford Road officially ceased trading on April 26, its owners Greene King have confirmed.
A spokesperson for Greene King said: “We can confirm that the Red Lion ceased trading on April 26.
“We continue to work closely with our team members to identify opportunities at our other pubs nearby where possible.
“We are grateful to everyone who has supported the Red Lion over the years, and we look forward to welcoming them into our other pubs in the local area soon.”
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The Red Lion has long stood at a prominent junction on Salford Road and has been a familiar landmark in Over Hulton for generations.
The pub dates back over hundred years (Image: Public)
Its roots date back to at least 1841, when it was already well established and used as a reference point in census records.
By the mid-19th century, it appeared on local maps, serving a growing population shaped by the Lancashire coal industry.
For generations, it was a regular meeting place for miners from nearby Hulton Colliery and formed part of the community during key moments in the area’s history, including the aftermath of the Pretoria Pit disaster in 1910.
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The current building largely dates from the early 20th century, when the original Victorian pub was rebuilt in an Edwardian style, incorporating neighbouring stone cottages that remain part of the site today.
(Image: Public)
In later years, the venue became a family-friendly destination under the Hungry Horse brand, with the addition of a Wacky Warehouse play area.
Despite its evolution, the pub remained a focal point for the community, hosting everything from family meals to nights out across generations.
Greene King previously told The Bolton News that no final decisions had been made and it was unable to share further information until an outcome had been reached.
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The Wacky Warehouse attached to the pub has also closed, after holding its final event on Friday, April 24.
A consultation with team members is now in its final stages, with efforts ongoing to find alternative roles for staff at other nearby pubs where possible.
Greene King has encouraged locals to visit its other venues in the area, including the Bee Hive and the Blundell Arms in Horwich.
Mikel Arteta has told his Arsenal players to go behind enemy lines and deliver a statement victory in the opening leg of their Champions League semi-final clash against Atletico Madrid.
Arsenal are just two matches away from a first Champions League final in 20 years in their quest to make history, having never previously won Europe’s grandest tournament.
The Gunners fell at the semi-final stage last season following an underwhelming 1-0 defeat to Paris St Germain in their opening leg at the Emirates Stadium. A 2-1 defeat in Paris followed as they crashed out.
But, speaking on the eve of his side’s pivotal match in the Spanish capital, Arteta said: “This is the stage that we want to be and we have earned it through incredible work, passion and quality in the last nine months.
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“Now is the moment to make a statement and show how good we are, how much we want it and make it happen. The opportunity is in front of us and we have to attack it.
“We have prepared the game to win it. There’s no question about that. We know the difficulty of the match, but I think we have shown in Europe, in any ground, what we are capable of.
“We’ve been very consistent and tomorrow we have to play with that confidence, with that desire and that will. We have to come here to win the game.”
Arsenal’s visit to Madrid comes off the back of a morale-boosting victory over Newcastle which allowed the Gunners to reclaim top spot in the Premier League from rivals Manchester City with just four matches remaining.
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In a boost to Arteta, Eberechi Eze has travelled to Spain, despite being forced off with an injury in the second half against Newcastle.
Kai Havertz, who was also unable to complete last Saturday’s match with a knee problem, has not travelled, while Jurrien Timber remains sidelined.
Arsenal have been the nearly men in recent seasons, finishing runners-up in the league for the past three years, and, despite another impressive campaign, they are in danger of ending the season empty-handed again.
And captain Martin Odegaard admitted: “That is always going to be there until we win (a trophy) and we have to live with that and we have to draw on those past experiences and use it in a good way.
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“We are in a great position to make history and that is what we want to do. We want to take that last step and do something big and that is the biggest goal, the biggest dream and that’s what we’re working towards every single day.
“I don’t understand how you can’t enjoy it. We are ready for it.”
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