The woman began talking to who she believed to be Reece Fletcher on Christmas day in December 2023 after matching on dating site Tinder.

A mum conned by a Tinder rapist into a fake relationship has told how she tracked down the real man behind the pictures.

The woman began talking to who she believed to be Reece Fletcher on Christmas day in December 2023 after matching on dating site Tinder.

However in reality, it was serial conman Ryan McVeigh posing as Fletcher who using photographs of Yorkshire based dad Gary Stephenson had also targeted 16 other women – including raping two.

Over six months, McVeigh conned the mum out of £800, asked her to send intimate photographs of herself and even pretended to be his own sister who told her he had tried to commit suicide.

After she shared photographs of “Reece” on a Facebook group she tracked down the real Gary Stephenson before contacting police.

The mum, who has asked not to be identified, said: “We matched on Tinder then started speaking for a while on Snapchat. We would talk on the phone until 4am.

“At first I’d wanted to be sure he was who he said he was and would ask him to send live snaps doing things like touching his nose.

“I don’t know how he did it but they were actually pictures of the real Gary Stevenson.

“We had planned to meet and he didn’t turn up. He had borrowed money and said he would come to my house or work to return it in cash.

“I finally told him I didn’t believe him and I was going to the police. I then got a call from a woman, claiming to be his sister, saying she was going to kill me because Reece had tried to harm himself.

“I started calling around hospitals to ask if anyone has been admitted with that name. I was in such a panic wondering what I’d got into. I posted his picture online and other women told me he was a catfish. They told me to Google reverse the images.

“I found the real Gary on Tikitok and reached out to him.”

The mum was one of 17 women targeted by McVeigh, who is now facing a prison sentence.

She said: “Gary came back to me and when we spoke I was so upset because I did not expect to hear a different voice. He even video called me to prove it was the real him with his voice and face. I felt like I’d fallen in love with this guy and had spent so much time talking to him but this real guy was someone else who had a fiancé.

“When I finally found out that the person I believed to be Reece was Gary, I felt sick.

“Now I know this other man knows my deepest secrets and it wasn’t even him.

“I contacted the police because I was so angry. I asked Gary to send me the names of the girls who had contacted him and I contacted them all. I was devastated.”

In court in November, McVeigh admitted defrauding 17 victims out of £81,872 and raping two of the women over 12 months.

She said: “When he pled guilty in court, I felt so relieved.

“I’m so glad that we stopped him from doing this to other women, which he would have.”

Arsenal‘s players rotate positions to make it difficult for opponents to pick them up. They aim to maintain the balance of the side while playing in this fluid manner. Zubimendi, like the others, vacates his position based on the movements of team-mates.

By dropping into a deep position against Chelsea, Bukayo Saka opened up space on the right flank to allow Zubimendi to push into this area. Rice, the far-side midfielder, filled in at defensive midfield, ensuring Arsenal‘s shape remained similar, only with different players arriving in each zone.

It is unusual to see a defensive midfielder make such adventurous runs off the ball but it appears to be the next step on from the more popular use of roaming full-backs, such as Riccardo Calafiori, Nuno Mendes and Marc Cucurella.

The logic is that the players often tasked with marking defensive players are unlikely to defend them as closely. Finding defensive players who possess attacking quality to contribute in the final third is a rarity but Zubimendi has the skillset to punish teams in this way.

Defences set up in a low block will often drop even deeper when faced with a winger or forward trying to run in-behind. It leads to space opening up in front of the defence, rather than in the box.

Arsenal spend large parts of the game looking to unlock deep defences. This allows Zubimendi to arrive into a position to receive a pass, without being picked up, before executing on the idea he has in his head immediately. This could be a precise through ball or a dinked chip over the top – riskier passes that pose new questions for deep defences.

Alternatively, when Zubimendi sits at the base of midfield, Rice is free to push up and rotate with the attackers, knowing there is protection behind him.

And the England man will likely feel safe to play freely after seeing his 5ft 9in team-mate beat 6ft 6in Newcastle striker Nick Woltemade to a header earlier this season.

Meanwhile, Zubimendi’s willingness to shoot from distance provided Arsenal with the much-needed opening goal against Nottingham Forest and Sunderland, after which more space opened up for the Gunners with their opposition forced to play more adventurously.

Arteta said “if the space is not in one place, it will be somewhere else” – and against deep defences, long shots have become an increasingly viable tactic this season.

Signing Zubimendi, therefore, could not have been more timely.

Erika Kirk has honored her late husband and Turning Point USA founder Charlie with a social media post marking the first Valentine’s Day following his assassination.

In a Friday evening Instagram post, Erika, 37, shared a handwritten note from Charlie, who was shot and killed September 10 on the campus of Utah Valley University while debating students for his American Comeback tour. Her photo also shows the hand of one of her two children with the late conservative activist.

“What I would give for one more love letter…They had such a deep reverence about them,” Erika wrote in the caption of the post. “You’d intentionally set aside the noise of the world and hand me words that felt sacred filled with a depth of love both of us could never quite articulate.

“I read it all even slower now. And as I read your words, the weight on my heart reminds me of a reality that we were never promised gray hair and rocking chairs even though we assumed it was guaranteed,” she continued. “But my goodness, do I love telling the babies about the fullness of our covenant that left a mark on my soul. My favorite love story.”

She advised her followers to “honor the Sabbath this weekend with your loved ones,” and to write love letters to their significant others.

open image in gallery

“A letter like this might seem trivial, but you just never know the course life will take, if the Lord calls you home, even in your absence, as they reflect on your words, your love is still serving them,” she wrote before ending the caption, “I love you Charlie baby, you will always be my Valentine.”

Erika’s photo revealed part of Charlie’s letter to her, which read in part: “I love you so much and can’t wait to see what adventures lay ahead of us.”

The two were married in 2021 and welcomed a daughter in August 2022 and a son in May 2024. She has publicly said she was “praying to God” that she was pregnant when her husband was killed, as they had planned to have four children together.

In a November interview with Megyn Kelly, Erika said she and Charlie were “really excited to just expand our family.”

open image in gallery

Advertisement

“I was like, ‘Oh, goodness, that was going to be the ultimate blessing out of this catastrophe,’” she added about having another baby.

Erika, who became CEO of TPUSA following Charlie’s death, encouraged young couples to not wait to have children.

“Especially if you’re a young woman, don’t put it off. You can always have a career, you can always go back to work. You can never just go back to having children,” she said.

“And they grow so fast and so quickly. I just, I was praying. Both of us were.”

The FDA has issued a recall of a single lot of Initiative Foods’ Tippy Toes brand of Apple Pear Banana Fruit baby food puree due to elevated levels of patulin.

A notice, released Friday on the agency’s website, urged consumers to throw out any products with a best by date of July 17, 2026, and the package code INIA0120 printed on the bottom of each plastic tube. Each package contains two containers of puree and is sold for around $1.99.

“The recalled Product was sampled under the Total Diet Study by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), which found elevated patulin levels higher than is common for these products,” the statement read. “Initiative Foods worked with FDA to identify the single lot to recall due to possible health concerns identified in this notice.”

It added: “Patulin is a naturally occurring substance (called a mycotoxin) which is produced by molds that may grow in various fruits, including apples.

“Long-term exposure resulting from ingestion of patulin can lead to various adverse health consequences, including a potential for immune suppression, nerve damage, headache, fever, and nausea.”

open image in gallery

open image in gallery

The affected product was distributed in retail grocery stores in all U.S. states except for Alaska. It may also have been distributed to the U.S. territories of Guam and Puerto Rico.

So far, no illnesses or injuries have been reported, according to the FDA. However, should “concerns arise regarding health after consumption of the product,” consumers are directed to contact their healthcare provider.

Customers with a product matching the expiration date of July 17, 2026, should “discontinue use of the Product and dispose of it immediately or return to their place of purchase for a refund.”

Retailers have also been advised to “check inventory and shelves, and immediately remove the affected lot from sale or distribution and catalogue the recalled product.”

“At Initiative Foods, the safety of our consumers and their families is our highest priority,” said Don Ephgrave, Initiative Foods’ CEO and President in a statement. “We are cooperating with the FDA to ensure strict review and enhanced safety measures across all our products. We thank our retail partners and customers for their understanding and prompt action on this matter.”

For further recall information and updates, consumers and retailers can call a dedicated toll-free number: 1-855-215-5730, Monday through Friday from 8am to 5pm ET.

Mark Sommerville and 60 supporters demonstrated outside the Scottish Parliament last week highlighting a lack of awareness of the rapidly progressive life-limiting disease.

A dad with motor neurone disease has accused the SNP of ignoring his Holyrood protest demanding more funding to find a cure.

Mark Sommerville and 60 supporters demonstrated outside the Scottish Parliament last week highlighting a lack of awareness of the rapidly progressive life-limiting disease.

The dad of four, from Uddingston, Lanarkshire, was given his MND diagnosis in October 2023 (correct) and told he had 18 months to live.

The 45-year-old set up the Mark Sommerville Foundation to fund research, but says letters to First Minister John Swinney begging for help have gone unanswered.

Prior to the demonstration, the foundation met with Scottish Labour’s Jackie Baillie and Mark Griffin along with Scottish Greens co-leader Gillian Mackay.

However dad Mark said: “The protest went well and it’s really important to keep highlighting the battle faced by those with MND because we don’t have time to wait.

“Prior to the protest we met with Jackie Baillie and Mark Griffin who were incredibly supportive.

“Scottish Greens co-leader Gillian Mackay came out too to show her support.

“Mark even came outside to talk to protestors and gave a speech, vowing to back us all the way in our fight. We spent hours outside Parliament speaking to MPs who took the time to stop and listen and we thank those who did.

“But no-one from the SNP came to speak to us. We spoke briefly to SNP Health Secretary Neil Gray as he headed to a car who provided us with contact details and encouraged us to once again send letters and emails.

“The truth is, we have been sending letters and emails for some time now — many of them unanswered.

“The SNP have been in charge for 19 years but they are not doing enough.

“People with MND, their lives matter. This disease does not wait. Families do not have the luxury of time.”

Mark was praised by PM Keir Starmer in Westminster in 2024 for his fundraising and told: “We stand with you in this fight.”

However, more than a year on, he believes the UK Government is also not doing enough to fund research into treatments.

The campaigner has also teamed up with pharmaceutical firm Nevrargenics, which is behind a drug it believes not only stops the impact of MND but reverses the damage already done.

Starmer recognised Mark’s work and that of rugby league star Kevin Sinfield, who has raised a million for sufferers of MND, which took his best friend Rob Burrow’s life in June, aged 41.

It also took Scotland rugby legend Doddie Weir in 2022, aged 52.

Scottish Greens co-leader Gillian Mackay said: “I want to see clinical trials here in Scotland. It has already been approved for the first stage of human clinical trials in England, and we should be giving that same hope to people in Scotland with MND that are calling for our help.

Advertisement

“We know that it is expensive, but for these families, you can’t put a price on having longer with a loved one. The strength of feeling and desperation these people and their families felt was clear when I spoke to them. They want any help they can get, and they are willing to take the risk because they are already living on borrowed time. On a human level, surely we can all understand that.

“The Scottish Greens will continue to engage with campaigners and push for the government to make progress in finding a cure, and improving treatment for those living with MND.”

Scottish Labour health spokesperson Jackie Baillie said “It was a privilege to meet Mark Sommerville this week and to the SNP should listen to his powerful comments.

“It is shameful that the SNP is dodging questions on this important issue.

“People with MND deserve a government that will work with campaigners to improve things instead of hiding from them, and that is what Scottish Labour will do.” The Scottish Government was approached for comment.

Terry Pringle, 43, of Helford Road, Peterlee, received a three-year prison sentence on January 30 for the burglary.

He was said to have acted as the ‘look-out’ while his accomplice, Dean Fishwick, entered the targeted property in Montfalcon Close, Peterlee, on June 3, last year.

Pringle was convicted after a trial having denied involvement.

Terry Pringle was jailed for three years for a house burglary in which he was said to have acted as a look-out (Image: Durham Constabulary)

Co-accused Fishwick, 51, of Thames Road, Peterlee, who admitted burglary and fraud, in trying to sell property from the schoolbag, including a pair of AirPods, received an 18-month sentence, suspended for 21 months.

A school jumper and revision notes for a forthcoming exam were also taken in the break-in, while the occupants were at the property.

Fishwick, who the court heard committed the offence to fund his heroin addiction, was also ordered to undergo a six-month drug rehabilitation treatment programme and attend 35 probation-run rehabilitation activity days.

But a fortnight after the sentencing hearing, the case came back before Durham Crown Court for a prosecution application under the 56-day slip rule, seeking to amend the sentence.

Martin Towers, prosecuting, said the application was merely being made to add restraining orders in both cases.

“It’s sought as the victims are worried the burglars will return to the address.

“They have already taken the precaution of installing CCTV.

“It’s already had an unfortunate effect on their daughter, who was the owner of the stolen items.”

Read next … more court stories from The Northern Echo by clicking here

Mr Towers said there were two prohibitions being sought, including any form of contact with the victims of the burglary.

The other term was to bar them from entering Montfalcon Close, Peterlee.

Recorder Peter Makepeace KC said he would make the restraining orders, applying to both defendants, for the next five years.

The party – which was led by Alex Salmond until his death in October 2024 – has called in police over alleged missing funds.

The Alba Party has been plunged into a financial crisis as a result of an alleged fraud, the Sunday Mail has learned.

The party – which was led by Alex Salmond until his death in October 2024 – has called in police and an investigation in ongoing.

It follows an internal row involving former general secretary Chris McEleny, who was dismissed earlier this year after initially being suspended for alleged gross misconduct.

Legal papers show an employment tribunal case has been placed on hold until a criminal investigation is concluded.

Current leader Kenny MacAskill said: “We believe we have been the victim of a fraud.

“We have reported it to the police and we are fully cooperating with them and are awaiting the outcome.

“It has left us in a very difficult financial position.”

The investigation is understood to involve claims of illegitimate expenses claims and invoices to companies which were claimed not to exist.

A source said: “This has left us clinging on by our fingernails, we will survive but it puts us in a difficult position at a time when we need money to fight an election campaign.

“We believe that we can do well and have MSPs elected to Holyrood, we are getting a great reception from the public, but we are having to deal with this situation in the background.”

MacAskill, a former SNP justice secretary and close friend of Salmond, became leader of the Alba in March last year after the sudden death of the former first minister.

In January it emerged left-wing firebrand Tommy Sheridan is planning a sensational return to the Scottish Parliament with Alba after a break of almost 20 years.

The 61-year-old has been handed a huge boost after he secured the party’s top spot on the Glasgow region list.

The party was launched by Salmond shortly before the last Holyrood election in 2021 but has so far failed to elect any MSPs.

However it lost its only MSP last year when Ash Regan – who had previously defected from the SNP – cancelled her membership. MacAskill is also expected to stand on a regional list at May’s election. Former SNP MPs Angus McNeil, Corri Wilson and Neale Hanvey are also expected to run.

Sheridan established himself as one of the best known politicians in Scotland in the early years of devolution after he was first elected as an MSP for the Scottish Socialist Party (SSP) in 1999.

But he was forced to resign as leader in 2004 and later endured a bitter fall-out with his SSP colleagues and protracted legal battles over his decision to sue the News of the World for defamation after being accused him of an extra-marital affair and visiting a swingers’ club.

A Police Scotland spokesperson has confirmed that a complaint has been received from the Alba Party in relation to irregularities within their finances.

A spokesman said: “The investigation into this matter is ongoing.”

Observant Muslims the world over will soon be united in a ritual of daily fasting from dawn to sunset as the Islamic holy month of Ramadan starts. For Muslims, it’s a time for increased worship, religious reflection and charity. Socially, it often brings families and friends together in festive gatherings around meals to break their fast.

Ramadan is followed by the Islamic holiday of Eid al-Fitr.

First day of Ramadan expected around Feb. 18-19

Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic lunar calendar; the month cycles through the seasons.

The start of the month traditionally depends on the sighting of the crescent moon. This year, the first day of Ramadan is expected to be on or around Feb. 18 or 19. The actual start date may vary among countries and Muslim communities due to declarations by multiple Islamic authorities around the globe on whether the crescent had been sighted or different methodologies used to determine the beginning of the month.

This year, the start of Ramadan is expected around the same time as Ash Wednesday, a solemn day of fasting and reflection that signals the start of Lent, the most penitential season of the church calendar for Catholics and many other Christians.

Fasting is one of the pillars of Islam

Fasting is one of the Five Pillars of Islam, along with the profession of faith, prayer, almsgiving and pilgrimage.

Muslims see various meanings and lessons in observing the fast.

It’s regarded as an act of worship to attain piety and one of submission to God. The devout see benefits, including practicing self-restraint, cultivating gratitude and empathizing with people who are poor and hungry.

The daily fast in Ramadan includes abstaining from all food and drink — not even a sip of water is allowed — from dawn to sunset, before breaking the fast in a meal known as “iftar” in Arabic.

Muslims typically stream into mosques for congregational prayers and dedicate more time to religious contemplation and the reading of the Quran, the Muslim holy book.

Charity is a hallmark of Ramadan. Among other ways of giving, many seek to provide iftar for those in need, distributing Ramadan boxes filled with pantry staples, handing out warm meals alongside such things as dates and juice or helping hold free communal meals.

Muslims eat a predawn meal, called “suhoor,” to hydrate and nurture their bodies ahead of the daily fast.

Exemptions from fasting

There are certain exemptions, such as for those who are unable to because of illness or travel. Those unable to fast due to being temporarily ill or traveling need to make up for the missed days of fasting later.

Cultural and social traditions associated with Ramadan

Muslims are ethnically and racially diverse and not all Ramadan traditions are rooted in religion. Some customs may transcend borders, while others can differ across cultures.

Many social rituals center on gathering and socializing after the daily fast. Some Muslims decorate their homes, put out Ramadan-themed tableware and centerpieces or throng to markets and Ramadan bazaars.

In Egypt, Ramadan is typically a festive time. Colorful lanterns, in different shapes and sizes, dangle from children’s hands and adorn homes. Ramadan songs may be played to welcome the month.

Ramadan’s soundscape in Egypt has traditionally included the predawn banging on drums by a “mesaharati” who roams neighborhoods, calling out to the faithful, sometimes by name, to wake them up for the suhoor meal.

New TV shows and communal meals

A lineup of new television series is another social fixture of the month in some countries, and advertisers compete for viewers’ attention.

In various regions, some Muslims worry that the month is getting commercialized, and say an emphasis on decorations, TV shows, outings or lavish iftar banquets can detract from Ramadan’s religious essence. Others say that a balance can be struck and that, in moderation, such rituals are part of the month’s festive spirit.

In Indonesia, Ramadan rituals vary across regions, reflecting the diversity of cultures. In deeply conservative Aceh province, animals are slaughtered during Meugang festivities, the meat cooked and shared with family, friends, poor people and orphans.

Hundreds of residents in Tangerang, a city outside the capital, Jakarta, flock to the Cisadane River to wash their hair with rice straw shampoo and welcome the fasting month with a symbolic spiritual cleansing.

Across the island of Sumatra, after evening prayers, many boys and girls parade through the streets, carrying torches and playing Islamic songs.

In the United States, where Muslims make up a racially and ethnically diverse minority, gathering at mosques and Islamic centers when possible for iftar meals and prayers provides many Muslim families with a sense of community. Some Muslims also organize or attend interfaith iftar meals.

___

Associated Press writer Niniek Karmini in Jakarta, Indonesia, contributed to this report.

___

Associated Press religion coverage receives support through the AP’s collaboration with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content.

It is no coincidence that the UK and its allies chose a security conference in Munich to accuse the Kremlin of killing Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny with dart frog poison.

The extraordinary announcement on Saturday seemed deliberately timed to grab global headlines in much the same way as the dissident’s actual death did.

The news that Mr Navalny, 47, had died in prison in Russia broke on the opening day of the same Munich Security Conference of global leaders almost exactly two years ago.

Naming the person or government allegedly responsible for such a political assassination – if the claim of poisoning is substantiated – is a form of information weapon.

The intent is to make sure perpetrators cannot hide in the shadows and could face serious consequences such as sanctions or even criminal convictions.

The thinking – which might well be wildly optimistic – is that greater scrutiny could make a hostile state think twice before sanctioning plots to kill political opponents or other enemies.

It is doubtful that the efforts by Yvette Cooper, the British foreign secretary, and her German, Swedish and Danish counterparts, who made the poisoning announcement, along with Mr Navalny’s widow, will deter the Kremlin from such allegedly ruthless action in the future.

However, their words are at the very least evidence of a growing resolve amongst NATO allies to stand up to what they regard as attempts by President Vladimir Putin to attack their countries and societies in the grey zone – under the threshold of conventional war. This also includes acts of sabotage, cyber hacks and disinformation spread online.

Speaking to a group of journalists about the case, Ms Cooper spelt out clearly the charges she was levying against Moscow.

“We have confirmed that a deadly toxin was found in Alexei Navalny’s body and that toxin has been identified as a toxin that is found in Ecuadorian dart frogs,” she said.

“Only the Russian government had the means, the motive and the opportunity to use that toxin against Alexei Navalny in prison and that is why we are here today to shine a spotlight on the Kremlin’s barbaric attempt to silence Alexi Navalny’s voice. To show that the Russian government has contempt for its citizens and the willingness to use this deadly toxin.”

Share

Advertisement

How could Navalny have been killed by toxin of poisonous frog?

Yulia Navalnaya, Mr Navalny’s widow, also spoke. She learnt about her husband’s death while at the Munich conference on 16 February, 2024.

“It was the most horrible day in my life,” she recalled, visibly upset.

“I came to the stage and I said my husband Alexei Navalny was poisoned. What could else happen with Putin’s number one enemy in Russian prison?

“But – sorry, it is very difficult for me to say this – what could else happen with my husband in Russian prison? But now I understand and I know it is not just words. It is scientific proof.”

British scientists played a key role in identifying the deadly neurotoxin – called epibatidine – that was allegedly administered to Mr Navalny.

The poison is found in the skin of the South American dart frogs, although Sky News understands it is likely the version used in the alleged murder was manufactured in a laboratory.

The effects of the poison are devastating, causing paralysis, respiratory arrest and an agonising death.

If – as claimed by Britain – the Kremlin did choose to use such an exotic substance to silence a critic, it demonstrates an unusual level of ruthlessness.

The Kremlin is already accused of trying to kill Mr Navalny in 2020 with a Novichok nerve agent – the same chemical weapon deployed against a former Russian spy on the streets of Salisbury two years earlier.

Fighting back, Moscow is well-practised and highly adept in the information space.

Its embassy in London was quick to respond to the allegations about dart frog poisonings.

“The goal of this ridiculous circus performance is transparent: to stoke waning anti-Russian sentiment in Western society. If there’s no pretext, they laboriously invent one,” it said.

“The method chosen by Western politicians – necropropaganda – is truly shocking. This isn’t a quest for justice, but a mockery of the dead. Even after the death of a Russian citizen, London and European capitals cannot give him peace, which speaks volumes about the instigators of this campaign.”