A woman living alone in Northern Ireland has asked whether she should call the authorities – they’ve even put a ladder up

A resident has questioned whether she should contact police after a neighbour repeatedly climbs into her garden to retrieve his son’s football. Posting on Reddit, the woman explained she had only recently moved into her new home, and the young boy is an avid football enthusiast.

She noted that while she normally throws the ball back, the situation arises frequently due to a goal positioned against the fence. Upon moving in, she discovered a ladder propped against the fence.

The Northern Ireland woman, who lives alone, expressed her discomfort at people entering her garden uninvited. She explained: “I moved into a new house end of last year and am having an ongoing problem with my neighbours behind my house. They have a football-loving child and have a goal set up against our shared wall, so a fair few footballs go over the fence. Until I moved in, the house was empty for about a year, so they had a ladder against the fence and obviously used it to climb over and get the balls themselves, which I understand was necessary.”

She continued: “However, I’ve been living here for over six months now and I throw the balls back whenever I see them but sometimes I notice a ball when I’m in the middle of doing something and then when I get a chance to go out and throw it back it’s gone, so obviously they’re still doing it.”

“I’ve seen the child out playing football and he’s fairly young and too small to be able to climb in and out so it’s clearly an adult doing it. It makes me really uncomfortable having someone around my garden without me knowing especially as I’m a woman living alone, and having the ladder as easy access against the fence also makes me feel like my house isn’t secure.

“I’ve had a chat with him and said I’ll throw the balls back when I see them but it’s still happened since that so I don’t know what I can do. Is it enough of an issue to get police involved or am I overreacting and it’s something I just have to learn to live with?”.

Many suggested that installing a security camera was the most sensible solution. One person advised: “Put a camera up. I would also put clear signs up and tell your neighbours. You could play a bit innocent and say “I’ve put cameras up because I think someone keeps coming into my garden.

One said: “I would hate that OP. Tell your neighbours you understand they had a system in place when the house was empty, but now you are living there you will throw any balls you find back over the fence, or their kid can knock your door to ask permission to retrieve it. No more climbing the fence, and absolutely no more ladder on the fence for climbing over it!

“When my nephew’s balls go over the fence, he has to wait for the neighbours to throw them back. No way would he be allowed to just go into their garden for it!”

Another respondent offered an alternative suggestion: “Another option which I haven’t seen mentioned is a line of cheap and flimsy trellis along the top of the fence. This will hopefully discourage them from climbing over because it will break if they put any weight into it. I guess if they break it, that could be considered damaging your property.”

A user suggested: “What age is the child? Anything over 6/7 and I would say it’s likely they are doing it. I doubt the police would be terribly interested, if you have an issue maybe get a CCTV camera (or even just a dummy one) and make a big fuss about installing it when one of the parents is in the back garden.”

The resident responded: “He looks about 7, but because my garden is lower than theirs, it’s a high climb back over, so I would be surprised if it wasn’t an adult tbh, I guess a camera is probably the easiest thing, thanks”

Another user advised being straightforward about the concerns: “Cameras, planting and sprinklers seem unnecessary complications when there’s a really simple solution. Tell them you are a woman on your own and having someone scale a ladder to get in your garden doesn’t make you feel safe, and tell them not to do it any more.”

Regarding the matter, West Yorkshire Police stated: “Involving the police in this type of issue is not always the best course of action as a first response. It can escalate the issue and cause more problems for both parties.

“If possible, speak to your neighbour about the problem and try and resolve it between you. Please note, if you keep the toys and refuse to give them back, you may eventually end up facing prosecution yourself.”

Curwens solicitors stated: “You are not expected to tolerate repeated damage to your property, especially after raising concerns. English law supports your right to the peaceful enjoyment of your home and garden. However, you are also legally obligated to return every ball that ends up in your garden. Failure to do so could be considered ‘theft’ and lead to criminal prosecution! While it’s always best to resolve disputes amicably, if that fails, there are legal remedies available. Consulting a solicitor for tailored advice may be beneficial, especially if the damage continues or escalates.”

The legal firm further explained: “To prove negligence, you would need to demonstrate that your neighbour owed you a duty of care, breached that duty (by failing to control their children), and that this directly caused damage to your greenhouse. Repeated incidents, particularly after you’ve raised the issue, strengthen your claim that the parent has been negligent.”

Tensions are rising in Ceuta where police have clashed with groups of migrants who flooded the Spanish enclave on Thursday.

Video footage from Sunday showed a group of migrants carrying an injured man wrapped in a blanket who they said had been assaulted by police, while shouting ‘Allahu Akbar’.

Clashes subsequently ensued, with footage showing Spanish National Police officers carrying batons and charging towards migrants during the demonstration.

Around 60,000 people swam from Morocco into the Spanish city located on the northern coast of North Africa on Thursday. 

The Spanish territory, which shares a land border with the North African country, was overrun as tens of thousands of migrants arrived in just 24 hours. 

Arrivals in Ceuta alleged that Moroccan police officers encouraged them as they journeyed towards the enclave. 

Mohammed Ahmidho, 37, who heard about the surge of migrants into Spain via social media, said he heard officers saying ‘Come to Spain’ as he neared the border.

Some analysts have suggested that Morocco might have allowed migrants to cross the border to put diplomatic pressure on Spain, which has recently improved ties with Rabat’s arch-enemy neighbouring Algeria. 

Spanish National Police officers carrying batons charge towards migrants

A police officer uses a baton to strike a migrant during clashes between migrants and police

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An injured migrant lies in the street after clashes during a demonstration in Ceuta

Some Moroccans also claimed to have been guided by viral social media posts covering a Spanish immigration loophole. 

It comes as Spain’s Supreme Court recently ruled that migrants who are stopped at sea attempting to reach Melilla or Ceuta, both Spanish enclaves, could not be summarily sent back to Morocco.

The chaos in Ceuta also spread to Spain’s second North African enclave of Melilla on Friday.

The African enclaves have been enduring days of chaos with cars torched and migrants forcing their way into buildings after the unprecedented influx on Thursday.

Extraordinary footage showed huge numbers of people sprinting up beaches, swimming ashore and dispersing into the streets of Ceuta, which borders Morocco, with some shouting ‘Long live Spain.’ 

The EU said it would hold a video call on Tuesday after 22 bloc members issued a joint open letter calling for an urgent meeting to agree a speedy coordinated response, and to prevent further uncontrolled crossings. 

On Friday morning, Italy‘s government said it was considering ‘extraordinary measures’ including closing the open border Schengen agreement with Spain.

Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said: ‘The images coming from Ceuta are striking and demonstrate, once again, that uncontrolled illegal immigration poses a concrete threat to the security of Europe’s borders.’

France said it will tighten its borders with Spain, with the interior minister giving ‘instructions to immediately step up controls’ across their borders.

Finland said it backs an Italian call for Spain to be excluded from Europe’s passport-free Schengen area.

Moment Moroccans march through Ceuta and clash with police

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Clashes between migrants and police in Ceuta

A migrant, who the other migrants say was injured when the Spanish police and military tried to contain migrants to an area of a beach, lies on the ground

Migrants, many of them from Sudan, settle down for the night on Playa del TrampolÃn in Ceuta on August 2

Migrants, many of them from Sudan, take part in evening prayers on Playa del TrampolÃn in Ceuta

Migrants who crossed into Spain from Morocco sleep on a beach

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‘Spain has completely failed to protect the Schengen Area’s external border from infiltration. This cannot continue,’ Finnish Interior Minister Mari Rantanen said on X.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz demanded Friday that Morocco ‘take back illegal migrants immediately’.

Meanwhile, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, in a letter to EU leaders, blasted the ‘selfish’ reaction of some EU countries. 

At least 72 people died during the recent mass influx of migrants into Spain’s Ceuta enclave, Spanish officials said on Sunday, though Moroccan officials later presented a lower estimate.

Most of the estimated 60,000 people who rushed into Spain’s north African territory – most by swimming – have returned to Morocco since the territory’s largest mass migrant crossing.

‘The latest figure that we have is 72,’ the government’s delegate to Ceuta, Miguel Angel Perez Triano, told reporters, when asked about the number of fatalities. The previous toll was 67 deaths.

Later Sunday, Morocco’s interior ministry issued its own toll, saying 11 people had died trying to reach Ceuta. They said 10 people had drowned while one fell from a rocky area.

After migrants flooded into the city, many local shops chose to close early. Although things are slowly returning back to normal, citizens of Ceuta continue to live in fear.

Salvador Ortega, a resident of the enclave, told the Daily Mail that locals are accustomed to seeing small numbers of migrants cross the border, but said the latest arrivals amount to what he described as an ‘invasion’, leaving many residents fearful and uncertain.

‘There are helicopters and ambulances and police everywhere. This is an unsustainable situation that has all the marks of a national emergency, but [Sanchez] is not ready to admit fault with this premeditated invasion.

‘We need the military, from all over Spain and also from the EU. We need help from the EU. The situation is disastrous, especially for those of us in the midst of it.’

Sanchez is facing growing criticism after his government launched a programme earlier this year to provide legal status for some 500,000 undocumented migrants. 

The city that prides itself on being home to four cultures was still grappling with the aftermath of the border surge, with locals disagreeing on what caused it and who exactly is to blame.

‘It’s not the young men’s fault,’ said Mohamad Abdelkader Driss, 44, a waiter at a fish restaurant in town. 

‘If you open the border, of course everyone comes in, but the young men aren’t to blame. The authorities are responsible.’

The humanitarian crisis caused by the sudden rush of people reignited a debate around immigration in Europe and beyond. 

60,000 migrants swam into Ceuta on Thursday 

Supporters of the remigration movement attend a protest organized by several hard-right groups on August 2 in Ceuta

Demonstrators hold flags and a banner as groups of hard-right protesters gather in front of the Moroccan embassy in Madrid

Supporters and counter-protesters face each other during a protest organized by several far-right groups on August 2, 2026 in Ceuta

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Over the weekend, hard-right, anti-immigrant Spanish politicians and well-known right-wing influencers descended on the city, sparking counterprotests that included members of the Spanish city’s large Muslim population, many of whom are of Moroccan descent.

Alvise Pérez, a far-right Spanish politician and member of the European Parliament, called on Saturday evening for migrants to be expelled as he faced an angry crowd of rival protesters. 

Pérez eventually had to shelter in a bar as residents banged on the windows, until police escorted him away.

Among the counter-protesters on Saturday was 20-year-old Ceuta resident and student Noor Ahmed. She denounced the protest and presence of figures like Pérez in her city as opportunistic.

‘They just want to take advantage of the humanitarian crisis Ceuta is currently experiencing,’ Ahmed said.

Santiago Abascal, the leader of the far-right Vox party, visited Ceuta on Sunday, slamming the Spanish government for the surge in migrant arrivals, which he called ‘an invasion.’

‘The frontiers of Ceuta and Melilla are the walls of our home and homeland, and they are not being protected by a corrupt and traitorous government,’ he said.

The man responsible for delivering Glasgow 2026 said the city had “saved and reinvented” the Commonwealth Games, three years after its future was plunged into doubt.

Ahead of Sunday’s closing ceremony – which featured a dazzling fireworks display over the River Clyde – Phil Batty recalled how Glasgow stepped up when the original hosts pulled out.

And he believes the legacy of the sustainable, scaled-back Games will shape the future of the multi-sports event.

The Commonwealth flag was last night ceremonially handed over to the Indian city of Amdavad, which will stage the centenary event in 2030.

But Batty said Glasgow’s decision to host the event for a second time in 12 years would never be forgotten.

He told BBC Scotland News: “We have created a Games here that will inspire more nations to host but, probably more importantly, that every nation feels it could host at some point in the next 100 years.”

CCTV footage has been released showing a ram raid were the thieves stole a haul of whisky.

Ram-raiders were caught on camera smashing their way into a store – to steal a huge haul of single malt whisky. CCTV footage captured the moment Gary Hay and Peter Winks forced entry into a Co-Op store with a stolen grey Ford Transit van.

The impact saw the door cave in before Hay, dressed in a long coat and tweed hat, squeezes through the dislodged entrance. He then emerges back onto camera trying to carry a large number of bottles of whisky.

The haul is so large he drops some of the booze to the floor and scrambles to try and retrieve them. Winks, 45, is also seen trying to assist him before the pair get back into the van and drive away from the store in Dundee.

A court heard the whisky collection included three bottles of 70cl Glen Scotia, Timorous Beastie, Creagdhu and Old Pulteney. The total value of the alcohol taken during the incident just after 4am on March 8 was around £600.

The pair both pleaded guilty to stealing the whisky and the £68,200 van from Enterprise Hay has now been jailed for 34 months and Winks for 33-and-a-half months.

Footage of the incident was released by the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS) after the conviction.

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Brussels South Charleroi Airport in Belgium, the country’s second busiest airport and the country’s main hub for low-cost airlines, will shut as part of a £43 million (€50 million) redevelopment project.

Airport authorities said the closure, lasting 11 weeks, will allow engineers to carry out the most extensive infrastructure work in the airport’s history, including a complete reconstruction of its 3,200-metre runway.

Brussels airport to close for 11 weeks with flights cancelled

Charleroi’s single-runway design means the airport cannot remain partially operational during the works, which will include rebuilding the runway, upgrading terminal areas, and improving aircraft parking stands.

The refurbishment will also include the replacement of drainage systems, airfield lighting, and taxiway markings.

The airport said: “A complete refurbishment of Charleroi airport’s sole runway (which has an estimated lifespan of 25 years), together with other major infrastructure modernisation works, has been scheduled by [airport infrastructure company] SOWAER for the second half of 2028.

“To minimise the overall duration of the disruption, the various construction projects will be carried out simultaneously.

“These investments are intended to ensure the airport’s long-term safety, operational performance and attractiveness.”

It added that “this will require a temporary suspension of air traffic during the works.”

Thankfully for passengers, the planned works are not for another couple of years.

The plan is that the airport will shut down from August 15 to October 31, 2028 for the works.

The airport is expected to reopen on November 1, 2028.

It is expected to have a big impact on passengers, with Charleroi Airport handling 11.2 million travellers during 2025.

More than two million passengers are expected to be affected by the closure.

How will the Brussels airport closure affect UK passengers?

Ryanair, which operates more than 80% of flights from the airport, will be the most affected airline.

The low-cost carrier flies around 660 to 670 flights per week from Charleroi, serving 114 destinations across more than 26 countries, and has more than 10 aircraft permanently based at the airport.

Wizz Air, the airport’s second-largest carrier, will also be heavily impacted.

The airline operates around 45 to 50 departures each week to up to 16 destinations across Central, Eastern, and Southern Europe.

Other affected airlines include Pegasus Airlines, Air Corsica, and Volotea.

Recommended reading:

Nearest alternative airports

For those still looking to travel to the area, some alternatives to Brussels South Charleroi Airport that are nearby are:

• Brussels Airport
• Lille Airport
• Luxembourg Airport

Have you flown into Brussels South Charleroi Airport before? Let us know in the comments.

Manchester United are edging closer to signing Lewis Hall and are pursuing a deal for Arsenal’s Myles Lewis-Skelly, whose future could be impacted by Guimaraes’ arrival at the Emirates Stadium. Hall has reportedly rejected a return to Chelsea, who are making progress over Pep Chavarria after signing Valentin Barco and still eyeing Alex Scott amid shock Arsenal and Barcelona links to Joao Pedro. Liverpool are preparing a new move for Bradley Barcola, while they could sell Tottenham target Cody Gakpo.

Samsom, 18, came to the UK in 2023 as an unaccompanied asylum-seeking child after fleeing Eritrea. His journey took him through Ethiopia, Libya, Italy and France, where he spent weeks rough sleeping before eventually crossing the Channel by boat.

Explaining why he made the journey, he said he wanted to learn English and believed the UK would offer better opportunities for young people. He explained, “I was homeless when I travelled from Libya to Italy. I had nothing.”

When he arrived in Britain, aged just 16, he was placed with a foster family before moving into supported accommodation, thanks to the youth homelessness charity, Centrepoint.

As a result, he developed greater independence and confidence in his daily life, including cooking, shopping, and attending important medical appointments on his own. He was also able to undergo surgery that improved sight in his right eye. “Centrepoint helped me manage my health and supported me in undergoing an operation to restore my vision,” he said.

Now studying English and maths, Samsom has made remarkable progress, including being awarded Student of the Year by his college. He later also received an Educational Excellence Award at Centrepoint’s annual ceremony, recognising outstanding achievement among young people.

Reflecting on his accomplishments, her said, “I will do more next year than I did this year. I feel happy, I feel proud”.

Growing Food Poverty Among Homeless Young People, Centrepoint Reports

Centrepoint, the youth homelessness charity, has warned of rising food poverty among vulnerable young people after issuing 314 emergency food vouchers in the first three months of 2026 alone compared with 1,095 across the whole of last year.

The scheme provides rapid support, often within an hour, helping young people access essentials during periods of crisis. Nearly a quarter of those seeking help are homeless, including rough sleepers and young people forced to sofa surf.

The charity said many struggling to afford food are either working or receiving benefits yet still cannot cover basic living costs. Around 8% are employed but earn too little to get by, while 5.7% rely entirely on welfare payments. Almost a third reported going without food for at least a day because of financial hardship.

A spokesperson said the support allows young people to “focus on rebuilding their lives instead of worrying about their next meal.”

”We Can’t Do This Alone”

Last year, over 118,000 young people faced homelessness. That’s one young person every four minutes. At a time of life when most of their peers are trying new things and taking their first steps into adulthood, these young people found themselves alone and afraid, and unsure where to turn.   

It doesn’t have to be like this, with the right support at the right time, these young people can escape homelessness or avoid it altogether.   

At Centrepoint, provide more than a bed for the night. We provide a safe place to rebuild, support into education and work, and the confidence to believe in a better future.   

Youth homelessness is not inevitable. With the right help at the right time, it can be prevented and it can be ended.   

Our mission is to end youth homelessness – and you can help us.   

Whether it’s running a marathon or holding a sleep out, you, your friends, family and co-workers can join our movement to end youth homelessness and give vulnerable young people a brighter future.  

To find out more, donate or get involved, please visit our website http://www.centrepoint.org.uk/newspaper

”Invisible barriers prevent young people from accessing jobs“

(Image: Centrepoint)

A man supported by the youth homelessness charity, Centrepoint, has opened up about his employment struggles, saying there are “so many invisible barriers” between him and finding work.  

Josh, 23, came to Centrepoint two years ago and currently lives in supported housing.  

He has applied for hundreds of jobs and has found the experience incredibly difficult. “It’s been horrible. There are so many invisible barriers when it comes to getting employed that most people aren’t taught about or don’t even know exist.”  

“It’s those ones which are the hardest to overcome, not the ones you can see. It’s really frustrating because you want to work, yet no matter how hard you try, there just aren’t the opportunities.   

Currently, there are over one million young people in the country who are not employed, in education or in training. A government report, released in June, warned this could rise by a quarter without urgent action.   

A second report on the issue is due out later this year.   

For Josh, after two years of searching and tirelessly working with Centrepoint’s Jobs, Employment and Training team, he finally found a 3-month placement as a Barista and will soon be starting an internship with the company that helped him start it.   

He said: “It’s been great to find a rhythm. I feel really productive and my confidence has just grown. I was so desperate to start work again and I really believe this has given me a platform to build from.   

A new job now means Josh can look to get a home of his own, he said: “I started the process but while I was out of work I paused for a little bit. This new opportunity means I can start planning to move out pretty soon.   

He’s also got his eyes on going into business: “I’d also like to start my own media company, which has been my dream since I was quite young. A new job means I’m one step closer to that. For example, it’s allowed me to get a new PC, so I can do some rendering and stuff like that but it’s only the start.   

“I just want to be in a position where I can help as many people as possible.”  

On how Centrepoint has helped him, Josh said: “It’s given me the security of knowing I have somewhere to live and that if I’m having other problems, such as not being able to find a job, then I don’t have to worry about it as much.   

“They’ve helped with my finances, my employment, and I’m just really grateful. It gave me stability at a time when I needed it the most.”

Hopes to ‘normalise’ sensory differences with specialised boxes

(Image: Centrepoint)

Youth homelessness charity Centrepoint is working with the cardfactory foundation to support young people and staff with sensory differences. 

Those behind the idea hope it will ‘normalise’ sensory differences. Marc Pescod, Educational Psychologist, at Centrepoint said: “It’s to form a culture.  

“People worry about being different, but seeing others doing the same can remove barriers that make us feel distracted, uncomfortable and unhappy.  

“It can allow us to bring people down to a place where they feel more comfortable in spaces that they deserve to be in.”  

The boxes are filled with a range of objects such as putty, bean bags, colourful rubber balls, and even a large soft toy animal which can be held during support sessions.   

It also comes with an information sheet that explains what’s in the box and who to contact if staff have questions.   

Marc added: “We all have sensory needs but different tolerances to it.

“Reducing these barriers means someone can focus on other barriers they find challenging in their life and if a sensory box is the difference between a young person doing their maths exam or opening up then that’s a huge difference.”

Pushpinder Gill, head of the cardfactory Foundation, concluded: “Every young person deserves to feel a sense of belonging and dignity, particularly during challenging periods in their lives. 

“We’re proud to support Centrepoint as they continue to develop practical solutions that help young people build confidence, overcome challenges and reach their full potential.”

Rupert Lowe has urged Nigel Farage to put their past disagreements aside as he calls for Reform UK and Restore Britain to work together.

The former Reform UK MP, who has since started his own Restore party, made a peace offering to Mr Farage on Sunday despite a series of public rows between the pair in recent months.

The party – which until now has largely been based in Lowe’s constituency Great Yarmouth – is further to the right than Reform on issues such as immigration.

It has also enjoyed support from tech billionaire Elon Musk, who has publicly backed Restore Britain a number of times on his X platform.

In a video posts to X over the weekend, Mr Lowe said that he was willing to put his differences with Mr Farage aside and have their parties work together if Reform UK took on some of Restore’s policies, such as a ban on the burqa and Halal meat and a referendum on the death penalty.

He also said Mr Farage would have to commit to not having any former Conservative ministers, such as Tory defectors Robert Jenrick and Suella Braverman, in any future Cabinet.

“I truly believe there could be sufficient common ground for our two movements to co-operate collectively (to) destroy the looming left-wing alliance that will finish off what hope remains for this country.

“We have recently shown how effectively co-operation can work locally on the Norfolk County Council, so why not at national level?” Mr Lowe said in a video posted on X.

The olive branch comes days after Mr Lowe’s party claimed fourth place in the Greater Manchester mayoral by election, gaining 8.7 per cent of the vote while Reform came second with 21 per cent.

The Reform UK leader appeared to give a lukewarm response in his own social media post, saying there will “always be a home in Reform UK” for those who reject the two main parties and think the country needs a “fundamentally different direction”.

“I understand Reform UK will need the support of people from other parties, as well as millions who have never voted before,” he wrote in a post on X. “That is the broad coalition I am building.”

However, he added that “only one party truly has the possibility of delivering change”.

Restore Britain was founded by Mr Lowe after he was suspended from Reform UK last year, amid claims he had threatened then-party chairman Zia Yusuf.

He denied the allegations and the Crown Prosecution Service said no criminal charges would be brought against him in relation to alleged threats towards Mr Yusuf.

Police and paramedics were called to Newstead Road around 4.10pm on Sunday (August 2).

The road, behind the Longlands Bar on Marton Road, was taped off after the crash. 

An image posted online shows a police car blocking off access to the residential street, while a large police van remains parked within the cordon. 

The North East Ambulance Service (NEAS) confirmed one person was treated at the scene before being taken to hospital. Their condition is not known. 

A spokesperson for NEAS said: “We were called just after 4.10pm yesterday (Sunday, August 2) to a road traffic collision between a car and a child on Newstead Road in Middlesbrough. 

“We dispatched an ambulance crew and a clinical team leader who treated one patient before conveying to hospital.” 

Cleveland Police has been contacted for more information. 

Adrian Austin was around 14-years-old when he started making inappropriate sexual advances towards his half-sister, who was aged just five. 

This progressed into sexual assault – and despite the now 45-year-old moving out of the house and into a flat in Manchester, the attacks continued when he would babysit his siblings. 

Austin, now of Sanderson Road in Hurworth, near Darlington, abused his position to assault his sister in a place they should have been safe – and, after being quizzed by police, continued to deny the allegations and blamed them for fabricating them. 

But on Friday (July 31), Austin was jailed for 17 years, with an extra two years on licence, after being found guilty of 11 counts of assault and child sex offences. 

This included six counts of sexual intercourse with a girl under 13, four counts of indecent assault, and indecency with a child.

Now, the two brave sisters – Nikita, 36, and Mellissa, 35 – have waived their right to anonymity to speak out against their half-brother. 

Nikita said the “fear, confusion and dread of those years” remained “permanently etched into my memory” – saying she remembers the abuse “so vividly”. 

Mellissa said the abuse “completely shattered my understanding of my childhood” and that Austin “took away my innocence and my sense of self”. 

Guilty on all counts

Nikita and Mellissa have supported an investigation by Greater Manchester Police since 2021, when Nikita came forward to report the abuse she suffered as a young girl.

During this investigation, officers also identified Mellissa as a survivor of the same offences.

Officers found a report was made in 1997 in relation to these offences, which was not fully investigated, something the force has apologised for. 

To support the investigation, Mellissa underwent eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) therapy to help recall some of the memories of her childhood. 

Mellissa, who waived her right to anonymity (Image: GREATER MANCHESTER POLICE)

EMDR is a form of therapy that involves moving eyes in a specific way to process traumatic memories.

After going through this treatment, Mellissa now recalls a specific memory, in which Austin assaulted her at the age of around six-years-old in their family home. 

This process was able to be used as evidence in court and was crucial in securing conviction for the offences against Mellissa.

Throughout his police interviews, Austin denied ever having Nikita or Mellissa at his flat, but Nikita was able to outline the exact layout of the rooms, which matched housing records.

After a trial in June, a jury unanimously found Austin guilty on all 11 counts against him. 

Nikita said: “The fear, confusion and dread of those years are permanently etched into my memory and have never left me.

Nikita, who waived her right to anonymity (Image: GREATER MANCHESTER POLICE)

“I was wrong to expect nothing of Greater Manchester Police in 2021.

“An investigation began. People listened. For the first time, my voice was not only heard but believed. 

“As the investigation progressed, I slowly began to reclaim some of the power he had taken from me.

“Standing here today, I feel overwhelmed knowing that 12 ordinary members of the public did not only hear my voice, they believed it. 

“In doing so, they restored something that was taken from me so long ago. I do not find forgiveness possible for what he has done to me and my siblings. But I have come to understand that forgiveness is not required for healing.

“I am determined that his actions will not define the rest of my life. I have already lost far too much to him, and I refuse to lose what remains of my life as well.”

Mellissa shared: “Recovering a memory of the abuse has been devastating. It has completely shattered my understanding of my childhood.

“I grieve for the six-year-old child that I was. I find it incredibly difficult to accept that the abuse happened to me. I think about how young and vulnerable we were, and I struggle to understand how my brother could do this.

“He took away my innocence and my sense of self. He was someone who should have protected me. Instead, he created a false sense of security.

“I am still trying to come to terms with what happened to me and to rebuild my life. Despite this, I am trying to be proud of the mother and partner I have become.”

Detective Constable Rebecca Lovekin, investigating officer for this case, said Nikita and Mellissa had shown “immeasurable courage”.

DC Lovekin said: “We understand it was hard for both survivors that the initial investigation in 1997, regrettably, did not go as far as it should have. We have acknowledged this with both girls and apologised for the handling of the investigation at the time.

“Since then, we have progressed and the way we investigate sexual abuse, particularly historic sexual abuse has developed considerably, with a greater understanding of survivor experiences. The GMP of today has put Austin behind bars and secured justice for both girls.

“While we cannot change the past, we are committed to continuously working to support survivors and ensure they receive the care and justice they deserve.”