Russian air defenses intercepted 660 Ukrainian drones in a major nighttime attack on 12 Russian regions as well as the Russia-held Crimean peninsula, the Black Sea and the Azov Sea, Russia’s Defense Ministry said Friday.

It appeared to be one of the biggest drone attacks on Russian regions and the illegally annexed Crimea since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine more than four years ago.

In an effort to turn the tables on Russia’s grinding war of attrition, Ukrainian long-range drones have for months been battering targets, including oil production and energy facilities, behind the front line and deep inside Russia. The campaign has choked Russian fuel supplies and military deliveries, stalling Russia’s efforts on the battlefield, Western officials and analysts say, and heaped pressure on Russian President Vladimir Putin.

The major attack came hours after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on X that he had ordered “a 40-day influence operation,” believed to mean an escalation of attacks, aimed at “compelling (Russia) to end the war” after U.S. peace efforts over the past year yielded no breakthrough.

A Russian chemical plant is reportedly hit

In the Tula region just south of Moscow, a private house was damaged by the attack and a woman was wounded, Tula Gov. Dmitry Milyaev said in an online statement as reports of damage caused by the attack began to emerge.

He also said a power line was damaged and an unspecified industrial facility in the city of Novomoskovsk.

Russian independent online outlet Astra reported that a chemical plant and a hydroelectric plant in Novomoskovsk were attacked and caught fire. The Associated Press couldn’t independently verify the report, and there was no official confirmation.

Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin also reported that 47 Ukrainian drones were downed as they flew toward the Russian capital. He did not report any casualties or damage.

Ukraine says 2 civilians were killed in Russian attacks

Two people were killed and seven others injured in Russian attacks on the northeastern Kharkiv region over the previous 24 hours, regional head Oleh Syniehubov said Friday.

Russian forces struck the city of Kharkiv and 16 other settlements across the region using guided aerial bombs and drones of various types, Syniehubov said.

Ukraine’s Defense Forces overnight stopped 174 of 189 Russian drones, the Ukrainian air force said. However, four of seven Iskander-M ballistic missiles that were fired got through air defenses and struck various locations, it said.

___

Follow the AP’s coverage of the war in Ukraine at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine

Roksana Lecka, 23, was jailed last September for abusing kids aged as young as ten months at two nurseries.

A “sadistic” nursery worker who abused 21 babies while high on drugs is now living abroad free from prison despite only serving 14 months of an eight year sentence. Authorities in Poland admitted Roksana Lecka, 23, was not detained after she was deported under the UK Government‘s Early Removal Scheme.

Lecka was jailed in September 2025 for pinching, punching and kicking babies as young as 10 months old at two nurseries in west London over several months. In February, she was deported to Poland as part of the scheme.

But officials in her home country claim they were powerless to detain her when she landed. According to reports in Poland, Lecka was not entered into the relevant criminal databases or international alert systems in a way that would have allowed officers to detain her.

As there was no official documentation from the UK and no corresponding entries in national or international law-enforcement systems, border guards in Poland were forced to process her under normal entry procedures, reports the Mirror. Major Dagmara Bielec, of the Nadwislanski Border Guard Unit, reportedly told local media: “A Polish citizen expelled from Great Britain has returned to the country, but her arrival did not take place under any of the formal international co-operation procedures in force between Poland and Great Britain.”

Lecka’s current whereabouts are unknown but she is understood to have landed in Warsaw on February 5. Her crimes included kicking a child in the face repeatedly during months of “gratuitous” and “sadistic” violence which took place between 2023 and 2024.

She was jailed for eight years after admitting seven counts of cruelty to a person under the age of 16 and being convicted of a further 14. Lecka is also banned from returning to the UK. Judge Sarah Plaschkes KC said during sentencing that Lecka “pinched, slapped, punched, smacked and kicked” children, “pulled their ears, hair and their toes”, and toppled them “headfirst into cots” causing bruising and lingering red marks.

She said: “Often the child would be quietly and happily minding its own business before you deliberately inflicted pain, causing the child to cry, arch, try to get away or writhe in distress. Time after time you calmly watched the pain and suffering you have caused. Your criminal conduct can properly be characterised as sadistic.”

Concerned parents and staff raised the alarm after finding bruising and scratches on children who had been in Lecka’s care. Police investigating her crimes discovered CCTV footage of her scratching and pinching children under their clothes, on their arms, legs and stomachs.

Parents of her victims later told a court of their feelings of heartbreak, guilt and distrust and described Lecka as the “worst kind of human”. The fiend, who was living in Hounslow, South West London, attempted to defend her actions, carried out at Riverside Nursery in Twickenham, which is now closed, and Little Munchkins in Hounslow, by claiming she was sleep-deprived and hooked on cannabis and vapes.

It was unclear at the time of her deportation whether Lecka would continue her sentence in a Polish jail and parents subsequently spoke out about their horror that she could be free upon returning to Poland. One father whose son was physically abused by Lecka said at the time her deportation after serving just 14 months, which included time on remand, was “completely inappropriate” and “really hard to swallow”.

He told the BBC: “We felt it undermined all that time and emotion that had gone into the trial. Preparing our witness statements and our victim-impact statements, going through the trauma of that whole investigation and trial, to get a sentence brought a sense of closure and we could all move on from it.

“But then for that sentence not to be served, it was a bit of a hollow feeling.” The victim’s father claimed there is “too much focus on cost savings, rather than upholding the principles of the system”.

Another parents reportedly added: “The expectation obviously was that that sentence would be served. And it now appears it’s not going to be. The reasoning behind custodial sentences, theoretically, is punishment for the offender, some form of rehabilitation and a deterrent to it happening again.

“In this case, the punishment hasn’t been served. It’s unclear if there’s been any rehabilitation. And in terms of a deterrent, if foreign nationals know that effectively they won’t even have to serve that sentence, then I don’t think that deterrent is there either. It just makes the process feel slightly pointless.”

Lib Dem MP Munira Wilson raised the issue in Parliament saying that Lecka’s victims’ parents had not been told whether Lecka would continue to serve the rest of her eight-year sentence or go free. She called for information regarding Lecka’s release terms.

She also wrote to the Home Office but Ms Wilson was told by ministers that, due to time on remand before her trial, Lecka had become eligible for deportation on 7 October 2025 – less than a fortnight after receiving her eight-year sentence.

Alex Norris, minister for border security and asylum said in a letter to the MP: “Whilst Lecka is not required to serve the remainder of her sentence in Poland, we have made Polish law enforcement aware of her convictions so that appropriate safeguarding actions can be taken by the Polish authorities.”

However, according to reports in Poland, the authorities there are unable to monitor her movements or warn childcare institutions about her past convictions and there are even fears she could find a new job working with children.

Last month, a Ministry of Justice spokesman said: “These were appalling crimes, and our thoughts remain with the victims and their families. This Government is deporting foreign national offenders at pace, with more than 5,000 deported last year – a 14 per cent increase on the previous year.”

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Avengers: Endgame is getting re-released with new footage ahead of the next film in the franchise, Avengers: Doomsday – and it looks set to end Avatar’s reign as the highest-grossing film of all time.

The new cut of Endgame – which will officially be titled Avengers: Endgame Encore – has been described as a “critical companion story” to the forthcoming Avengers film, which is going to be released in December and will reintroduce Iron Man star Robert Downey Jr as a villain.

Disney announced the news to cinema exhibitors at CineEurope in Barcelona, who are hoping it’ll prove a big draw when it arrives; Endgame is currently the second highest-grossing film of all time, with box office takings of $2.797bn.

The film overtook the current number one, fantasy epic Avatar (2009), when it was first released in 2019, but an Avatar re-release pushed James Cameron’s film back into pole position in 2021, with overall takings of $2,923bn. Both films are owned by Disney.

Avengers: Endgame Encore will have to pull in $127m to become the most successful film ever, which looks like an easy task considering the film will feature scenes “set in the Doomsday story” and will “create a bridge” between both films “in a very unique way”.

Alongside the additional footage, the film will feature a special end tag exclusive to Infinity Vision, a new screen experience in the world’s largest theatres.

Doomsday will have one of the most packed ensembles in film history, bringing back the majority of every main Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) superhero introduced since 2008, as well as several stars of the X-Men franchise, including Sir Ian McKellen and James Marsden.

Downey Jr, who previously starred as Iron Man in the MCU, will play the antagonist Doctor Doom. His return will arrive seven years after Avengers: Endgame, which saw him leave the MCU.

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The bumper cast also features several other returning stars, such as Chris Hemsworth (Thor), Anthony Mackie (Falcon/Captain America), Sebastian Stan (Bucky Barnes), Tom Hiddleston (Loki) and Letitia Wright (Black Panther’s Shuri).

Captain America star Chris Evans, who left the MCU in Endgame, will also return – but he’s credited as Steve Rogers, and not his superhero alter ego.

Directing brothers Anthony and Joe Russo called the film “bigger than anything we have ever done”.

“This movie is, to say the least, a big one for us,” they said in a presentation reel released at Disney convention D23 in August. “We are bringing together so many of your favourite heroes to face one of the greatest threats to the MCU.”

Avengers: Endgame Encore will arrive in November, while Avengers: Doomsday will be released on 18 December 2026.

The midfielder had been linked with a move to the Bluebirds but could now be recruited by a rival team

Cardiff City’s Championship rivals Portsmouth are leading the race to sign Estonian midfielder Rocco Shein, who has been linked with the Bluebirds this summer.

Reports from Norway claim the Bluebirds, along with Championship rivals Millwall, have shown an interest in the 22-year-old Fredrikstad midfielder, but Portsmouth are now considered the favourites to secure his signature.

However, Cardiff’s reported interest in Shein had already been played down to WalesOnline before these latest developments, amid Brian Barry-Murphy’s desire to add a physically-imposing midfielder this summer. Join the Cardiff City breaking news and top stories WhatsApp community.

According to Norwegian outlet Fredrikstad Blad, Portsmouth are now the “hottest option” for the Estonia international, who is valued between £2.5million and £4.2million.

Shein joined Norwegian top-flight side Fredrikstad from Dutch club Dordrecht last year after earlier spells with Utrecht and Flora Tallinn in his homeland.

Primarily a central midfielder who can operate also as a playmaker, the 6ft 1in Estonian is also capable of playing on the wing.

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He has registered two goals and two assists in 11 Eliteserien appearances so far this season, having contributed one goal and six assists in 28 matches during his first campaign with Fredrikstad.

Shein has established himself as an Estonia international and has attracted interest from a number of Championship clubs this summer.

But while Cardiff were credited with an interest by reports overseas, WalesOnline understands the Bluebirds’ supposed pursuit was wide of the mark, with Portsmouth now appearing to be in pole position if a deal is to materialise. Sign up to our daily Cardiff City newsletter here.

Barry-Murphy is continuing to reshape his squad ahead of Cardiff’s League One campaign, with the Bluebirds expected to remain active in the transfer market throughout the summer.

It is understood that central midfield, left-back, wing and striker are all priorities, however it is likely that Cardiff will make more than four signings as they look to make their mark on their return to the Championship.

—

*Sign up to our daily Bluebirds newsletter here and our WhatsApp channel here. Cardiff City correspondent Glen Williams is also on social media. He can be found on his X account here, on Instagram, on TikTok and on Facebook.

It’s due to a major moor fire near Woodhead Pass that continued burning for a third day.

The A628, Woodhead Road, remains closed in both directions after firefighters from Derbyshire and Greater Manchester spent Thursday tackling the wildfire at Tintwistle Moor.

One resident from Bolton said: “I honestly thought my house was on fire or something in the street.

“It’s so strong.”

Fire crews remain at the scene after the fire, which started late on Wednesday night, spread across hundreds of square metres of moorland and woodland.

Residents near the blaze have been advised to keep doors and windows closed, while motorists are being urged to avoid the area and use alternative routes, such as the M62.

As of Friday morning, 26 June, the Woodhead Pass remained closed, with firefighters expected to continue tackling the blaze throughout the day.

LONDON (AP) — NATO’s deputy commander told The Associated Press that he wants a summit in Turkey to spur member countries to spend more on defense, reaffirm support for Ukraine and underline the unity of the alliance.

Air Chief Marshal Sir John Stringer, NATO’s deputy supreme allied commander in Europe, spoke to AP in London less than two weeks before the crucial Ankara summit on July 7-8 tests the cohesion of the 77-year-old alliance.

U.S. President Donald Trump has sent conflicting signals over America’s force posture in Europe, at times threatening to leave and at other times unnerving European leaders with his push to annex Greenland or his flattery of NATO adversary Russian President Vladimir Putin. U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth lambasted NATO allies last week for not allowing use of their bases to attack Iran, as he announced a surprise six-month review of American forces in Europe.

Meanwhile, government ministers in the U.K. have quit over what they say are military spending plans that fail to keep Britain safe.

Summits are “highly political events and they are a demonstration of any organization’s unity,” said Stringer, a senior British air force officer. It would be strange if over decades of NATO expanding there weren’t moments of turbulence, he said.

“Are we in one of those moments at the moment? Yes, we are,” Stringer said in an interview at a military conference in London where AP also interviewed other senior European military officials about their hopes — and fears — for the summit.

NATO’s European members step up on defense

Trump has long urged European allies to take more responsibility for their own defense, and with the notable exception of Spain they have largely heeded with an unprecedented effort to spend more on their armed forces.

Russia is increasingly threatening Europe, so allies should boost their own militaries while also helping Ukraine degrade Russia’s fighting power, said Maj. Gen. Indrek Sirel, a commander in Estonia’s armed forces.

“Europe as a whole has a lot to do in order to be credible against Russia,” said Brig. Gen. Jyri Raitasalo of Finland, which shares NATO’s longest border with Russia.

Stringer said European nations are investing to generate a “really credible force,” citing as an example how some countries are quadrupling production of 155 mm artillery shells. The summit will discuss ramping up production in ways the alliance has not had to do in decades, Stringer said.

European military chiefs wait for clarity on US plans

The outcome of Hegseth’s six-month review of forces will determine how fast Europeans must take responsibility for their own security. The U.S. military in Europe had said earlier in the month that Washington would be withdrawing some capabilities from Europe and expecting other allies to fill the gaps.

The Trump administration says that troop reductions in Europe have long been planned and coordinated with allies, but Sirel said it’s still not clear how U.S. forces will be positioned in the Baltic states. That includes some U.S.-led deterrence of Russia on NATO’s eastern flank.

Sirel said he was “confident” he could rely on a U.S. presence, while also saying the Estonian military is finding ways to react to sudden changes.

Stringer said it would be difficult to replace U.S. long-range strike and surveillance capabilities, but that he was “confident” allies could bridge the gap — not always with the same equipment but by mixing a “cocktail” of capabilities.

Only the U.S. operates B1 and B52 bomber aircraft, but in theory, a loss of their capabilities might be offset by firing missiles from a variety of other systems including from the ground, sea and smaller aircraft, he said.

NATO allies were bewildered in May when Trump said he would send 5,000 U.S. troops to Poland just weeks after ordering the same number pulled from Europe.

Such sudden changes are challenging because military planning requires long-term strategy, said Raitasalo, the Finnish military’s logistics chief. “If you change your mind, or change your plan, every week or every month or even every year, you will not get very good results,” he said.

Raitasalo said the allies need to make clear pledges of capabilities, rather than just promise spending.

Sweden’s army chief, Maj. Gen. Jonny Lindfors, said a good outcome from the summit would be “a common picture of how to realign when it comes to deterrence and defense.”

Lindfors said he would like at least an outline — if not a “clear vision” — on how defense burdens should shift so that he knows what “NATO 3.0 is starting to look like.”

Britain needs to commit to defense

British Defense Secretary John Healey resigned earlier this month, along with another minister, saying the government was unable and unwilling to commit the resources Britain needs to “defend the country at this time of rising threats.”

At last year’s NATO summit, members agreed to spend 3.5% of their gross domestic product on core defense. The U.K. committed to meeting that target by 2035. However Healey said the proposed defense investment plan would see spending rise to just 2.68% of GDP in 2030.

The new defense secretary, Dan Jarvis, has said Britain will keep its commitments, and the British government has committed to publishing the spending plan.

By the summit, NATO expects nations to have a “credible path” to 3.5%, and the U.K. is “as beholden to that as anybody else,” Stringer said.

He said the U.K. cannot presume that “thought leadership” in NATO is enough, and that it must match its “forces and resources” while committing to defense.

NATO’s credibility is at stake

At last year’s summit, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte kept Trump on board by telling him he would achieve “BIG” success at getting allies to spend more on defense.

Stringer said that at this year’s summit it’s important to display “cohesion and unity” among the alliance’s 32 members but also to have “honest” conversations and deliver “credible” plans.

Raitasalo of Finland said the meeting must go beyond traditional “communiques, roadmaps and action plans” and demonstrate deterrence through deeds. He said if NATO members don’t step up and translate promises into action, the “credibility” of the alliance is at stake.

Kirkleatham Hall School has been awarded the Platinum School Games Mark for its outstanding commitment to PE, sport and inclusion.

Funded by Sport England and delivered by the Youth Sport Trust, the School Games Mark recognises schools that deliver high-quality, inclusive sporting opportunities for all pupils.

Paul McClean, headteacher at Kirkleatham Hall School, said: “Achieving the Platinum School Games Mark is a significant milestone for our school and reflects our unwavering commitment to providing high-quality, inclusive sporting opportunities for all learners.

“As an all-age specialist school for children and young people with profound and severe learning difficulties, we recognise the power of sport to open doors, build confidence, develop communication and social skills, and create meaningful opportunities for success.

“We are incredibly proud of the vast range of experiences our pupils enjoy, enabling them to represent the school, challenge themselves, and celebrate their achievements.

“This award also recognises our role in supporting and upskilling mainstream schools, helping to ensure that sport is truly accessible and inclusive for all children and young people, including those with SEND, across our wider community.”

Councillor William Suthers, Cabinet Member for Children and Families (Image: Stuart Boulton)

To achieve platinum status, schools must earn the Gold Mark for four consecutive years and demonstrate sustained excellence in PE and sport provision.

Kirkleatham Hall School was recognised for its tailored approach, offering adapted PE lessons, daily movement sessions, swimming, rebound therapy and participation in School Games events.

The school has invested in specialist equipment, staff training, and innovative methods, including sensory-friendly movement sessions and personalised PE programmes.

Pupils also regularly take part in regional festivals, competitions and inclusive sporting events.

Cllr Bill Suthers, Cabinet Member for Children and Families, said: “This is a fantastic achievement for Kirkleatham Hall School.

“The Platinum School Games Mark reflects the outstanding dedication of staff in creating inclusive, high-quality opportunities for all pupils to take part in sport and physical activity and everyone who made this possible should be proud.

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“It’s inspiring to see how the school supports all young people to build confidence, develop new skills and enjoy being active.

“I would like to congratulate the pupils, staff and wider school community on this well-deserved recognition.”

The award places Kirkleatham Hall School among a select group nationally delivering sustained, inclusive sporting excellence.

A new youth protest movement in India that started as online satire is now staging an ongoing sit-in in New Delhi calling for the resignation of India’s education minister.

The Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) was launched in late May by Abhijeet Dipke, a graduate of Boston University, in response to alleged comments by India’s chief justice, Surya Kant, comparing unemployed young Indians to cockroaches. Kant later clarified his comments and said he’d been misquoted.

Dipke launched a parody political party, calling on all cockroaches to unite, which led to street protests in cities including Delhi, Pune, Jaipur and Bengaluru.

The CJP latched onto mounting anger in India at a series of issues affecting exams, including the secondary school leaving exam, which has affected thousands of people and been linked to suicides. But the movement has also tapped into the anger of a generation of graduates who’ve done everything right but still can’t find work that matches their aspirations.

In this episode of The Conversation Weekly, economist Rosa Abraham at Azim Premji University in Bengaluru, explains how India’s jobs crisis is fuelling this new youth protest movement.

Lead author of the State of Working India report, an annual review of labour issues in the country, Abraham says the comparison with cockroaches “was seen as an insult to a generation which has felt like institutions, the state, the private sector has failed them”.

There were 63 million graduates in India between the ages of 20-29 in 2023, and around 11 million of them were unemployed. Abraham says that the lack of political response to the jobs crisis means “you’re seeing this kind of simmering discontent, which has always been in the background, which is now finding these release valves through movements like … the CJP”.

Listen to Abraham talk about the reasons behind India’s youth jobs crisis on The Conversation Weekly podcast.

This episode of The Conversation Weekly was written and produced by Gemma Ware and Mend Mariwany. Mixing by Eleanor Brezzi and theme music by Neeta Sarl.

Newsclips in this episode from WION, DW News, CNA, BBC News India, CNN-News18, NDTV, peeinghuman via Instagram and The Indian Express.

Listen to The Conversation Weekly via any of the apps listed above, download it directly via our RSS feed or find out how else to listen here. A transcript of this episode is available via the Apple Podcasts or Spotify apps.

Sultani Bakatash, 29, is accused of raping the two girls, both 14, after picking them up in Bolton town centre and taking them back to his flat in Middle Hulton in December last year.

As a trial at Bolton Crown Court entered its third week Bakatash himself took to the witness box to answer questions through an interpreter speaking Dari, a dialect spoken in Afghanistan.

Dressed in a black suit with a white open-neck shirt, Bakatash took questions from his barrister Umar Shezhad on how he had met the first of the two girls.

He said they first met outside McDonald’s on Knowsley Street around three months before the alleged rapes, when the girl had been with an older woman who asked him to buy food.

The trial opened at Bolton Crown Court (Image: Phil Taylor)

Bakatash said: “She said she was 19 but the lady who was with her uttered something like 15 or 16 which is why I refused.”

But he said that he told the girl that he had no money either in cash or on his card and would maybe buy her something to eat another time.

He claimed that the girl had helped him buy sugar at the supermarket, given that he had been mistakenly buying flour.

Bakatash had previously told the jury of six men and six women that before coming to the UK in 2022 he had worked for the British military for seven years in Afghanistan.

He said that the return of the Taliban meant he had been forced to leave his home country.

Bakatash said that on December 6 last year he noticed that the girl appeared to be screenshotting posts of his on Snapchat.

He told the court “my rank in Afghanistan was very high” and that he had photographs of himself in an aeroplane, with armoured vehicles and with bodyguards.

In a lengthy breakdown of what he claimed happened that day Bakatash claimed to have met the two girls in a churchyard in the town centre.

He said their demeanour was “very happy, laughing, giggling” and that the first of the two girls asked him to buy them drinks.

Bakatash said: “She did mention drink but I assumed she meant Monster or Red Bul or something like that.”

But he said the girls guided him to buy them three bottles of vodka after going around various shops and that the first of the two girls helped him speak to the shopkeeper.

He denied having told the girls to either turn their mobile phones off or to put them in aeroplane mode.

Pressed by Mr Shezhad on why he had bought the girls alcohol, Bakatash said: “Because I had given my word I would buy them food, I think they had been very helpful to me, I was just trying to keep my word.”

When Mr Shezhad asked why he had taken the girls to his flat on Georgina Court, he said: “Because in was near my house and in my culture when somebody says they want to come to your house you don’t say no.”

Bakatash claimed that on arriving at his flat, they played music and danced, saying the girls were “very happy, laughing, telling jokes, taking selfies”.

He denied asking them to turn their phones off or put their hoods up on the way into the flat.

He said that the girls had been preparing and drinking vodka mixed with diet Coca-Cola and that having never drunk alcohol before in his life he tried it for the first time that night.

Bakatash said: “I don’t know what to say but I think Satan took over me and I took the bottle and had a drink.”

He said the vodka had been sour, which he disliked, and that the girls told him he had been drinking it wrong before mixing further drinks for him.

Pressed further by Mr Shezhad on the atmosphere at the flat, Bakatash said: “Music was playing, everybody was laughing, was very good, joking with each other.”

But he said that he then felt sick and dizzy and had lost consciousness at points.

Bakatash claimed to have drunk between five and six drinks in the living room of his flat and that everyone involved had drunk around the same amount.

Moving on to whether he had any distinctive marks on his body, Bakatash told Mr Shezhad he was allergic to heat and prone to rashes.

He said he had an injury on his foot from the gym and an injury to his right wrist caused by a hand grenade with a bullet hole on his leg.

Bakatash, of Georgina Court, Middle Hulton, denies two counts of rape of a girl aged under 16, one count of sexual assault, and two count of assault by penetration.

The trial, before Judge Kenderick Horne, continues.

Dame Sue Snowdon retired as Lord Lieutenant earlier this year after becoming the first woman to be appointed into the role in 2013 when she succeeded Sir Paul Nicholson.

In her first public appointment since stepping down from the Lieutenancy, Sue has agreed to become a patron of the North East Autism Society (NEAS).

“The North East Autism Society is a charity I came to admire greatly during my time as Lord-Lieutenant, and I am deeply honoured to become a patron,” she said.

Sue said her background in education, as a teacher and interim headteacher, had been influential in her wanting to be part of NEAS.

“Autism wasn’t recognised back then, and there were no support systems in place, but I used to tell my staff that every child is different, with different needs to reach their full potential.

“That’s what I see at NEAS – the encouragement and consistent support for every individual to be given the opportunities to help them to thrive. What is also hugely important and impressive is the additional support given to families.”

As well as serving as Lord-Lieutenant, Sue was appointed as a magistrate in 1990 and worked tirelessly for many charities, including cancer research and local hospices.

She was also a founder member of the Bishop Auckland Town Centre Forum, formed in 2003 to co-ordinate the regeneration of the town.

She was made a Dame Commander of the Royal Victorian Order by King Charles last year, in recognition of her service to the monarchy.

She joins a team of NEAS patrons, comprising international artist Mackenzie Thorpe, television presenter Pam Royle, journalist Peter Barron, and Teesside business leader, Bob Cuffe, whose autistic son, Liam, is in residential care with the charity.

NEAS chief executive, Paul McGinnety, said: “We are thrilled that someone with Dame Sue’s vast experience and local connections has agreed to join our team of patrons. To have her support, alongside Mackenzie, Pam, Peter and Bob, is invaluable.”