Criminals jailed in August include rapists and burglars

A drug dealer who exploited and raped a teenage girl is among the worst criminals to be jailed in August. It was another busy month for criminals being send to prison.

This month, several paedophiles were put behind bars as well as two burglars who stole hundreds of thousands of pounds worth of jewellery.

Here are five of the worst Cambridgeshire criminals sent to prison in August.

James Conroy

Drug dealer James Conroy, 43, exploited and raped a teenage girl. Conroy, of no fixed abode but from the Ely area, was arrested in September last year following reports he had been grooming the victim.

During a police search of a property in Soham, officers found signs of drug use, along with the victim’s belongings. Conroy was arrested and released on bail with conditions not to contact the victim or anyone under the age of 18.

A month later, it came to light that Conroy had raped the victim. He was arrested again and further bail conditions were imposed, including not going near the victim’s home. Officers also found three bags of white powder and £330 in cash in his car.

However, just days later, Conroy was seen leaving a shop close to where the victim lived and he began sending the victim a series of abusive, degrading and threatening messages across multiple social media platforms.

The victim did not respond to the messages, which included threats to murder people known to her, describing himself as “a martyr”. In further messages, Conroy offered the victim drugs if she met him before subjecting her to further abuse, calling her names, telling her to die and threatening her with a meat cleaver.

The next day, officers stopped Conroy in his car at a garage in Ely and arrested him. A search of the vehicle uncovered 12 bags of cocaine with a street value of about £1000, along with a mobile phone and cash.

Following a trial in April, Conroy was found guilty of rape, engaging in controlling and coercive behaviour, witness intimidation, offering to supply cocaine and supplying a class A drug, namely cocaine.

At Cambridge Crown Court on August 19, Conroy was sentenced to 22 years and five months in prison. He was also given a restraining order, placed on the Sex Offenders Register and handed a sexual harm prevention order.

Marian Cercel and Ionut Craciun

Marian Cercel, 53, and Ionut Craciun, 36, carried out nearly 30 burglaries and stole hundreds of thousands of pounds worth of jewellery from across Cambridgeshire. The pair were part of a gang linked to 27 burglaries in Cambridgeshire and Buckinghamshire.

Jewellery worth more than £130,000 was stolen during the burglaries. The gang’s spree began by targeting a property in Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire on November 12, 2025 and it came to an end on January 7 when a Ford Mondeo that detectives linked to them was spotted in the Cambridge area. The car was stopped by police and three men were arrested.

Both men were sentenced at Cambridge Crown Court on Thursday, August 6 after admitting to conspiring to commit burglary. Cercel, of Mount Pleasant Road, London, was jailed for seven years and two months.

Craciun, of Hatherley Road, Walthamstow, London, was jailed for six years and nine months. They also admitted knowingly entering the UK in breach of a deportation order.

Michael Richardson

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Michael Richardson, 49, sent sexual messages to an undercover officer, believing he was communicating with a 12-year-old girl. He started messaging the officer on Kik, a social networking app, on January 28.

He sent sexual messages requesting “she” touch herself inappropriately as well as asking her to send a photo of herself so he could “make a video.”

Richardson was arrested at his home in Money Bank, Wisbech, on March 28 and officers seized his phone, which was found to contain 48 indecent images of children.

On Monday, August 3, at Cambridge Crown Court, Richardson, was jailed, having pleaded guilty to three counts of making indecent images of children, attempting to cause/incite a girl under 13 to engage in sexual activity (penetration), attempted sexual communication with a child and attempting to cause a child under 13 to watch/look at an image of sexual activity.

Richardson was also handed an indefinite sexual harm prevention order and placed on the Sex Offenders Register indefinitely.

Steven Coulson

A rapist called Steven Coulson, 32, who attacked a teenage girl was sent to prison in August. He got into bed with the girl in the early hours in January 2024 in Cambridge.

He began touching her and she asked him to stop but he continued to touch her. When she tried to get out of the bed Coulson pulled her back and raped her.

Police were informed and Coulson handed himself in at Parkside Police Station on January 10. In interview, he denied raping the victim.

However, on Thursday, August 6, at Cambridge Crown Court, Coulson, of Newton Close, Cottenham, South Cambridgeshire, was jailed for nine years and nine months, having been found guilty of rape and assault a female 13 and over by penetration with part of the body.

Coulson was also handed an indefinite sexual harm prevention order and restraining order as well as being placed on the Sex Offenders Register for life.

Jason Baker

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Jason Baker, 36, supplied Class A drugs, namely heroin and crack cocaine, to two 15-year-old girls in 2025. The convicted paedophile who lived in Soham, appeared at Huntingdon Law Court on Tuesday (August 25) for sentencing.

The girl who ended up in hospital was described as “bright and bubbly”, but she had experienced “trauma” in her life.

Baker had been convicted in 2017 for penetrative sex with a 13-year-old girl and was sent to prison. On Tuesday, August 25, he was sentenced to five years and nine months in prison at Cambridge Crown Court after admitting three counts of breaching a SHPO, two of supplying class A drugs and one of making an indecent image of a child.

Every day on Criminal Record we will be bringing you a round-up of the biggest crime stories of the day.

If you love to read about crime in Scotland – this is the place to be every day.

Here’s what has been making the news across the country on Sunday.

Baby killer mum launches freedom bid

A mum who killed her baby daughter by blasting her with a hairdryer has launched a legal bid to be freed from prison. Courtney Gartshore was jailed for six years this month after being convicted of culpable homicide over the death of three-month-old Dahlia-Rose.

The 28-year-old subjected the infant to “significant and ­sustained heat” on her head and body on September 30, 2023. Emergency services were called to the family home in King Street in Peterhead, ­Aberdeenshire, but the tot had died.

Now Gartshore, the sole parent listed on Dahlia-Rose’s birth certificate, has instructed her legal team to challenge both her conviction and the sentence.

An “intimation of intention to appeal” has been lodged at the High Court of Appeal in Edinburgh, with Gartshore given to October 20 to file papers setting out grounds for her appeal.

But the move has sparked fury among those close to Dahlia-Rose’s family, who have accused Gartshore of showing a “total lack of remorse”.

READ MORE: Evil Scots mum who killed baby daughter with hairdryer launches prison freedom bid

Ex-solider who stabbed fellow pensioner dies in prison

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An OAP who murdered a fellow pensioner he believed had sexually abused a woman has died in jail. Richard Cassidy, 79, stabbed David Furnish 14 times in the savage attack at this home in the Scottish Borders in February 2016.

The former soldier was sentenced to 17 years in prison at the High Court in Glasgow in June of 2017. The Scottish Prison Service announced Cassidy died at HMP Shotts on June 26.

Cassidy suffered a heart attack and stroke while in custody but prison bosses have yet to reveal the cause of death. The court heard that after the murder, Cassidy himself contacted the police and handed himself in.

Cassidy’s defence lawyer Brian McConnachie explained that Cassidy went to visit Parish, 74, at his home and tried to get a confession out of him but had no plans of killing him.

He said the killing was a “moment of madness”, but he described the circumstances as “unique”. McConnachie said most people found it “hard to understand” that the then-70-year-old would be capable of murder.

READ MORE: Ex-soldier who stabbed fellow pensioner 14 times in ‘moment of madness’ dies in jail

Claire Inglis’ parents still waiting for answers five years after murder

The parents of murdered mum Claire Inglis have revealed they are still waiting to be told if there will be a fatal accident inquiry into their daughter’s death.

Christopher McGowan battered, burned and strangled Claire six weeks after being freed to live at the flat she shared with her son. He had 39 convictions, including aggravated domestic assault, but was still bailed to Claire’s Stirling home three times.

After her death, an expert social work report found Claire and her son were “invisible in the system”. But Ian and Fiona Inglis only received a brief summary of the report and have been left fighting for answers for five years.

They want a fatal accident inquiry to expose the failures that contributed to their daughter’s death and ensure vital lessons are learned to protect other women.

Fiona, from Stirling, said: “Claire died five years ago in November and we are still in limbo. We have met Crown ­officials, we have even met with John Swinney. We have written letters and banged every door.

READ MORE: Murdered Claire Inglis’ parents still waiting on answers about FAI into her death

Minnie Merriman’s mum thanks people for ‘incredible support’

Minnie Merriman’s mum said the ‘humanity and support’ shown to her after her daughter’s tragic death will remain with her as she fights for justice.

The schoolgirl died at Ninewells Hospital in Dundee on August 3 after being found seriously injured at Elliot Industrial Estate in the town. The nine-year-old had been camping with her family in the area at the time.

Three other family members were also taken to hospital. Her dad Christopher Rice, 35, remains in custody after appearing at Forfar Sheriff Court charged with murder.

Last week, locals in Arbroath lined the streets as a private ambulance carrying Minnie’s body stopped off at the town’s Victoria Park before travelling to Yorkshire for a private funeral service.

Minnie’s mum, Laurie, stood surrounded with family as the ambulance was escorted into the park by bikers before balloons were released into the sky.

On Saturday night, the devastated mum took to social media to thank the people of Arbroath for supporting her through the ‘worst time in her life.’

READ MORE: Minnie Merriman’s mum thanks people of Arbroath for ‘incredible support’ during ‘worst time of her life’

Man dies after hit and run in Linlithgow

A man has died after a hit and run in the early hours of this morning in Linlithgow.

The 48-year-old male pedestrian was struck by a grey Renault Clio on the town’s Main Street at around 12.20am on Sunday morning, August 30.

Emergency crews scrambled to the scene but sadly the man could not be saved and was pronounced dead by medics. His next of kin have been made aware.

Police Scotland has launched a desperate appeal to trace the occupants of the Clio.

READ MORE: Man dies after midnight hit-and-run in Scots town as police hunt driver

Sitting forlornly on an oak table, three lonely tins of Meghan Markle’s $15 flower sprinkles are all that remain of what was once a lavishly promoted outpost of the Duchess’s Californian empire.

They look almost comically pathetic.

And yet, in this quiet upstairs room at Godmothers bookstore just three miles from the $14.6 million Montecito mansion the Duke and Duchess of Sussex have just quit, they may be the most telling symbol yet of the collapse of the couple’s much-hyped American dream.

I was here late last year when the mood could not have been more different.

Then, amid a flurry of publicity and social media posts, Meghan announced that Godmothers would become the first ‘bricks and mortar’ shop to stock her As Ever brand of overpriced jams, herbal teas, candles and those infamous flower sprinkles.

An entire upstairs room had been devoted to Meghan’s wares with a sign proudly announcing it had been ‘curated by the Duchess herself’. The products were displayed on oak tables, surrounded by sprigs of eucalyptus, while the flower sprinkles were presented almost reverentially in a silver bowl.

It was, in miniature, the Meghan Markle brand made flesh: polished, carefully styled and designed for Instagram.

Today, it looks rather different.

The grand display has gone. The signage has disappeared. And the once-celebrated As Ever collection has vanished from the shelves, save for those three lonely tins.

There is no sign of Harry’s excoriating memoir, Spare, either. I asked a shop assistant if there were any As Ever products available.

Her response was revealing.

‘I don’t think I know that company?’ she said. When I explained that it was Meghan Markle’s brand, she replied: ‘Oh, we don’t stock it any more.’

In Montecito, the sun-drenched enclave of yoga-clad, matcha-drinking multimillionaires, where Meghan and Harry were supposed to create their fabulous new life away from the restrictions of the royal court, it appears the couple have been as quickly forgotten as those sprinkles.

I travelled here, two hours north of Los Angeles, this week, barely a day after the Sussexes’ private jet touched down at Birmingham Airport marking their extraordinary return to Britain.

While Meghan and Harry once presented Montecito as the place where they would finally be free to build an empire on their own terms, the evidence on the ground tells a more prosaic story.

When the couple arrived in July 2020, there was a palpable sense of excitement. The pandemic was raging but I remember my phone lighting up with friends throughout Hollywood buzzing about having ‘genuine royals’ here on our doorstep. There was hushed talk about the bidding war between studios to ‘land’ them – a war eventually won by Netflix, which paid the Sussexes a staggering $100 million over five years.

They were going to conquer America and, as one breathless executive at the streaming network told me, ‘probably the world’.

Meghan’s proud Instagram picture of her range last November, and the much smaller display now

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How different things look now.

The paparazzi, which once gathered on the road outside their Chateau of Riven Rock mansion, have disappeared – much to the delight of one neighbour who gave her name only as ‘Susan’.

She told me: ‘Meghan and Harry never became part of the community. You’d see him out on his electric bike and she’d drive past in a Range Rover but it was always “swish” and you’d miss them.

‘I left a bottle of wine at their gate to welcome them and it was returned to me, unopened, the following day. I’m not sure they ever wanted to hang out with anyone who wasn’t a billionaire or famous or both.’ 

The mood in Montecito last week was one of relief. It is a feeling that I, as a journalist in LA, share knowing that, for the first time since they arrived in 2020, the constant drama of the Sussex circus is now 5,000 miles away.

As one friend who lives in Santa Barbara, the coastal city next door to Montecito, told me: ‘The buzz surrounding them when they arrived has long since disappeared. Americans love success and there has been precious little of that. Their victim narrative became tiresome. America, and particularly this little slice of California, fell out of love with them.’

For a couple who built so much of their lives around attention, perhaps the most wounding thing last week was how little anyone cared about their departure.

Author and long-time Montecito resident Robert Eringer was sipping a cocktail outside The Honor Bar, Montecito’s favourite watering hole.

He said: ‘Personally it matters not one iota to me whether they’re in Montecito or in Britain. I’m out and about in Montecito a lot and never saw them. I doubt anyone would have noticed they’d left if it hadn’t been reported in the news but, since it was, the general impression is, good riddance.’

The Sussexes paid about $14.65 million for their Montecito mansion, which may fetch $40 million now

One neighbour of the royals said: ‘Meghan and Harry never became part of the community. You’d see him out on his electric bike and she’d drive past in a Range Rover but it was always “swish” and you’d miss them’

Another neighbour, who declined to give his name, said the Sussexes left ‘with a whimper, not a bang’.

‘There were no moving trucks, no parties, nothing at all. One day they were here and the next they were back in England.’

Wendy Foster runs an eponymous boutique, which became one of Meghan’s favourites. The duchess was often spotted carrying one of Wendy’s bags and meeting friends in Pierre Lafond, an upmarket deli next door, founded by Wendy’s late husband.

Pierre Lafond is a local landmark whose regulars include Oprah Winfrey, Katy Perry and Gwyneth Paltrow. Wendy said: ‘I’ve been in Montecito for 50 years and we’re used to seeing everyone. Meghan came to my stores quite often and I must say she was always very polite.

‘I understand why she and Prince Harry want to go home. Over here they, and their children, don’t mean much in terms of status. In Britain their titles mean something. I’m sure they want to spend more time with his father.

‘I hope the children get to know their cousins. Their children have American accents so it makes sense that Harry in particular would want them to go to school in England. They’ll have far more social standing there than here. I wish them well.’

Their rapid departure – coming weeks after a summer holiday in Britain which their spokesman described as ‘wonderful’ – has left several lingering questions.

What will happen to Harry’s polo ponies, Meghan’s famous rescue chickens and their 16-bathroom house, which, local estate agents say, could now be worth upwards of $40 million?

David Sigman, the British general manager of the Santa Barbara Polo Club where Harry was often photographed, said that, contrary to speculation, the prince never owned his own ponies.

‘He played here up until about two or three years ago and then he left to play on the private fields of a local billionaire,’ Mr Sigman explained. ‘He never had his own polo ponies – he rented or borrowed them instead.’

His equine benefactor is believed to be Sarah Siegel-Magness, a billionaire heiress who worked as a Hollywood producer on films like the 2009 Oscar-winning Precious.

A source said: ‘Harry and Meghan became known for making friends with people who could help them. Sarah is one of those people. Rich and with lots of polo ponies.’

Cosmetics mogul Victoria Jackson is another of Meghan’s closest friends and co-owns Godmothers bookstore. There were reports the Bombardier Global Express luxury jet they returned home on belonged to Jackson but public records show the $12,000-an-hour aircraft is owned by charter company Planet Nine Private Air.

As for the couple’s sprawling 18,600 sq ft home, which they bought from a Russian businessman for $14.65 million in June 2020, local estate agents fully expect them to cash in. Montecito estate agent Daniel Encell said the property ‘could earn more than $100,000 a month in rent’ but would be worth about $40 million should they sell.

‘It’s one of the best pieces of land on the Riven Rock estate,’ said Mr Encell. ‘It has mostly usable flat land while many nearby properties are on hillsides with less usable acreage. The house next to them is currently up for sale for $30 million with a smaller acreage and much less usable land so Harry and Meghan should be able to clear $40 million for theirs. Their name and being royalty has publicity value, which would bring in a lot more interest.’

As for Meghan’s famous rescue chickens, they remain at the estate in ‘Archie’s Chick Inn’ being cared for by staff which, the MoS has learned, includes at least one full-time housekeeper, ‘a small army of gardeners’ and a pool man.

One person familiar with the home, who asked not to be named, said: ‘People think they upped sticks and left but when you have an estate that size it requires upkeep. That’s an expensive undertaking. They still have a mortgage and property taxes.

‘The word on the street is they are going to sell off-market. The news of them moving back to England has been everywhere so local realtors [estate agents] are already getting calls from interested buyers. It will be quietly sold with no fuss or publicity. Meghan won’t want people snooping around in her closets.’

At Montecito’s bustling Country Mart, an assistant at a clothing store said: ‘I don’t think people care about the duke and duchess leaving. What has he done except learn how to surf?’

When I asked her if she expected a ‘Harry & Meghan open-top bus tour’ would swing by haunts frequented by the couple such as Lucky’s Steak House, she laughed: ‘No-one cares. They came and they’ve gone. We’re indifferent.’

The widow of Hairy Biker Dave Myers is selling some of his belongings at auction – including his motorbike leathers, trademark waistcoats and Strictly Come Dancing outfit. 

Liliana, 59, is parting with around 300 of her late husband’s cherished items in a sale to be held on what would have been his 69th birthday on September 8. 

The auction will include items relating to the celebrity TV chef’s career, personal possessions as well as antiques, paintings and works of art he collected during his colourful life. 

A handwritten letter from Sir Roger Moore is also part of the collection that will be auctioned.

Best known for being one half of the cooking double act The Hairy Bikers alongside Si King, Dave died from cancer aged 66 in 2024. 

The items will be going under the hammer at Special Auction Services in Newbury and the proceeds will partly be going to NSPCC Childline.

Liliana, 59, is parting with around 300 of her late husband’s cherished items in a sale to be held on what would have been his 69th birthday on September 8

Lili spoke on This Morning this week about the sale, saying: ‘I wanted to celebrate his birthday in a special way, and I know that he loved the public and his fans a lot. 

‘He was larger than life, and what better way to celebrate his life than giving some of his precious belongings to the public. It was healing very much so. Grieving is a very personal thing. Grief comes in lots of different shapes.

‘It’s a way of celebrating him, celebrating the fantastic person he was, the explosion of energy he was.’

She also explained that Dave’s Strictly shoes are up for auction, saying: ‘He brought home two pairs, I kept one and one is here. He absolutely loved that experience.

‘The man could not dance, and Karen [Hauer] his dance partner said about him, ‘Dave, you don’t have two left feet, you have seven left feet’. And she had to teach him to walk straight before any dancing steps… he was walking slanted. 

‘She tied him with straps and made him walk straight before anything!’

Last March the final motorbike Dave rode on the BBC programme Hairy Bikers sold for a huge five-figure sum, with the proceeds going to two charities.

Lili told how she wanted his final motorbike – which featured in the BBC’s Hairy Bikers Go West – to go to a good home.

The BSA Goldstar went under the hammer at the National Motorcycle Museum near Solihull and sold for a massive £15,800, with the proceeds going to two charities.

The auction will include items relating to the celebrity TV chef’s career, personal possessions as well as antiques, paintings and works of art he collected during this colourful life

A handwritten letter from Sir Roger Moore is also part of the collection that will be auctioned

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Dave’s Strictly shoes are up for auction

The items will be going under the hammer at Special Auction Services in Newbury and the proceeds will partly be going to NSPCC Childline

Best known for being one half of the cooking double act The Hairy Bikers alongside Si King, Dave died from cancer aged 66 in 2024

Of the sale, Lilian told the BBC: ‘That bike still has his DNA on it… I really really hope that the person who gets it, loves it.’

‘I am really, really happy to see this bike being loved, and I’m sure the person who got it will love it as much as Dave did,’ she added.

The motorbike was sold to Si Harrison, who was friends with Dave, and the funds were donated to NSPCC Childline and CancerCare North Lancashire & South Cumbria.

Harrison said buying the vehicle meant ‘so much’ to him and shared his plans to ride it on Dave Day, which sees the biking community gather to remember Myers.

‘I couldn’t think of a bike that I’d rather be on, and the idea of riding in Dave Day meant so much to me,’ he said.

The first Dave Day took place in June 2024 and saw thousands of motorcyclists travel from London to Myers’ hometown in Barrow-in-Furness to honour the celebrity chef.

The momentous ride, in which 20,000 bikers participated, also raised a staggering £127,000 for charity.

This comes as part of its collaboration with South Korean brand Buldak.

Known for its fiery flavours, Buldak sauce is now available on request as a free drizzle on select drinks and desserts.

The secret menu hack is available until October and part of a summer partnership celebrating the “swicy” (sweet and spicy) food trend.

What items are part of the wagamama secret menu?

Guests can ask for Buldak sauce to be added to:

• Iced Matcha + Strawberry Latte
• Thai Chilli Margarita
• Coconut Reika Ice Cream

The hot sauce is said to make the Iced Matcha + Strawberry Latte a “fiery, earthy, and fruity” drink.

Meanwhile, for the Thai Chilli Margarita, it adds an “extra fiery infrared experience”, which is for “only the bravest spice lovers”.

Buldak sauce can be added to Iced Matcha + Strawberry Latte, Thai Chilli Margarita and Coconut Reika Ice Cream (Image: wagamama)

Finally, for the coconut reika ice cream, wagamama shares: “Order the coconut reika ice cream, featuring three scoops with coconut flakes and passion fruit sauce, and drizzle Buldak sauce over the top.

“The creamy coconut perfectly balances the world-famous Buldak spice.”

Alongside this, the Buldak fire wings, Buldak bibimbap, and extra Buldak sauce are available in all UK restaurants for a limited time this summer.

Wagamama’s history in the UK

Wagamama opened its first branch in the UK back in 1992 in Bloomsbury, London.

Founder Alan Yu had become captivated by the ramen bars of Tokyo and wanted to bring something similar to the UK.

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It added: “At a time when quick food in the UK often meant something beige and deep fried, we offered something different: open kitchens with nowhere to hide, fresh ingredients cooked to order and balanced bowls designed to nourish as much as satisfy.

“And over 30 years later – while we’ve grown far beyond that first restaurant – that original spirit still shapes everything we do.”

Will you be adding Buldak sauce onto any of these wagamama items? Let us know in the comments.

Imagine the Dallas Cowboys threatening to sue the NFC East, then teams in the division saying they won’t play them unless they remove a player from their roster. No well-run pro sports league would dream of it.

College sports? Threats, lawsuits and instability are now as common as play-action passes and handoffs.

The week leading to the start of the 2026 season featured LSU and the Southeastern Conference squaring off amid a destabilizing frenzy of lawsuits over eligibility and the mind-bending reality that players who signed on with a pro team, albeit briefly, might soon be suiting up in college again. Two months ago, it was the Big 12 going to court against one of its own teams, Texas Tech.

In between: threats about leagues breaking away, talk of “conference-led governance” and a bill meandering through Congress that proposes to fix it all.

“We can enjoy the fact that the players can benefit financially from playing in college now,” Duke football coach Manny Diaz said, diagnosing the original reason for the problem. “At the same time, recognize the ultimate truth that we’re not a professional sports franchise. We are a collegiate, scholastic school activity, and we’ve got to rein that in.”

Or, as Barbara Osborne, a professor at the North Carolina law school who is an expert on NCAA governance put it: “The difference between a professional sports league and collegiate athletics is literally night and day.”

Indeed, most colleges are public institutions whose athletic departments are a small part of the overall equation on their campuses. Unlike pro sports, where finances usually rule the day, decision-makers in college come from classrooms, boardrooms and research programs. Even when teams in a certain conference (like the SEC) or division (like Division I) agree, the decisions don’t always lead to smooth sailing.

Eligibility issues consistently land the NCAA in court

In the past week, in the wake of the NCAA’s new five-year eligibility rule that excluded last year’s graduating class from that extra year, the Big Ten and SEC passed rules barring players from returning after leaving for the pros. The Big 12 and ACC quickly passed similar rules.

But there were no immediate signs that LSU — the SEC school actually planning on bringing back some pros — was changing its plans. Louisiana’s governor, who keeps his hand in sports at the state’s biggest school, declared: “Don’t hate the player, hate the game.”

The Big 12’s lawsuit against its own team, Texas Tech, came in June after quarterback Brendan Sorsby’s admission that he had a gambling addiction. Sorsby eventually withdrew from college and gave up the fight, but the lawsuit lingers on — triggered by a state court order that had temporarily allowed Sorsby to play despite the NCAA longtime ban of players who gamble.

On all the different forms the eligibility issue takes, the courts are having quite a say. The smartest plaintiffs’ attorneys are doing a good job shopping for judges sympathetic to their cases — and there are more than 30 at the moment with nearly 400 athletes involved. Most claim it is unfair to exclude high school Class of 2022 athletes the way the NCAA rule did, but it’s also clear that many athletes hoping to come back can count on money — revenue-sharing, NIL deals — that were not available six years ago.

“Unfortunately, this is the latest example of member schools weaponizing locally elected judges to skirt member-agreed upon rules,” said NCAA senior vice president Tim Buckley in response to a ruling from a Louisiana judge who sparked the LSU case and keeps finding against the NCAA and SEC. “College sports are supposed to be a launching pad to careers, not a fallback for professional athletes who already competed throughout their time in college.”

Lots of ideas to fix problems, no solutions on the horizon

Senators, governors, commissioners, judges, lawyers, regents and even the president of the United States have taken cracks at fixing the problems that engulf college sports. None have stemmed the cascade of lawsuits.

One of the most pressing issues is a federal antitrust exemption, the likes of which most pro sports have some part of but college does not. Not having it has left the NCAA and its schools open to legal challenges for decades. The most notable — and the genesis of the trouble college sports currently finds itself in — involved players’ right to earn endorsement money.

A trio of lawsuits dating to 2009 have, in many ways, settled that debate, forcing schools to open their pocketbooks which, in turn, has made them have to find new ways to generate revenue and control costs.

Other issues — namely, those involving eligibility — leave the NCAA open to litigation.

“There are certain premises in college athletics that I think the public supports,” said Tyrone Thomas, an attorney at Fox Rothchild who advises universities and pro programs on employment and compliance issues. “We need some rules that are enforceable within the system that we’re in. But we’re in a system that’s only been around for less than a half-dozen years. I think it makes sense to keep the perspective on where we are now, compared to where we were.”

The Senate bill seeks to provide the NCAA limited lawsuit protection over issues like rulemaking about eligibility. Absent that passing you get weeks, and summers, like the one we’ve just witnessed.

Two of the core principles of college sports is that they are not played by pros; and they cannot be played by players who gamble on the games they play. But even those somewhat uncontroversial ideas have been muddied by the facts that these “amateur” players are getting paid — and that some of the very schools that disdain gambling now have gambling companies as sponsors.

Thomas offered a glimmer of hope in the fact that the flurry of court actions involved in the five-year rule have a limited number of potential plaintiffs — only those who graduated high school in 2022 and saw their eligibility run out last spring.

“I look at these as maybe not the house-on-fire issue of the day,” he said. “There are definitely ‘fire’ issues. But I don’t look at the essential ‘house-on-fire’ issue that’s going to determine how things move forward.”

___

AP Sports Writer Aaron Beard in Raleigh, N.C. and Eric Olson in Omaha, Neb. contributed.

It’s a New Day for AEW as Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods have arrived.

Tonight’s huge All In event at Wembley Stadium in London has got started with a bang as the legendary WWE tag team made their debut moments into the live broadcast, revealing their new name as The New Level.

Fans inside the national stadium roared as the pair stepped out alongside Swerve Strickland as the wild cards in the Trios Royale Roulette, which started during the Buy In preshow and continued into the main broadcast.

As some fans expected, the duo are now going by the names Kofi, and Austin Creed.

They completed a stacked lineup, which also featured ‘Hangman’ Adam Page and Brodido, the Bang Bang Gang vs. The Conglomeration, Death Riders, The Demand and The Dogs.

The big debut followed reports over the weekend from Fightful, who noted that the duo were set to sign with AEW, and debut at All In.

The outlet noted that the deal ‘came together in the last couple of weeks’, noting they weren’t under contract ‘as of two weeks ago’, but talks got underway over the last fortnight.

All In marked New Day’s first appearance since it was revealed they were leaving WWE back in May.

At the time, it was reported the duo left the company by ‘mutual consent’, having opted not to renegotiate their deals, instead choosing to part ways.

Their departures meant Kofi, 44, and Woods, 39, called time on two glittering careers with the wrestling giant after 20 and 16 years, respectively.

That included 12 years as a team, coming together as a featured act for WWE Raw in 2014 alongside Big E, whose own career was tragically cut short by a broken neck in 2022.

As New Day, the trio have won more WWE tag titles than any duo in history, with 13.

The pair’s seven SmackDown reigns is also a WWE record – as is their 483-day stint as Raw champs.

Kofi is also a former WWE Champion after beating Daniel Bryan (Bryan Danielson, who is also in AEW) at WrestleMania 35 in 2019.

Two years ago, when New Day celebrated a decade as a tag team, Kofi spoke about the ‘special’ bond they share, and the influence they’ve had on the wrestling world.

‘It’s pretty incredible to have had that level of impact on the industry,’ Kofi exclusively told Metro.

‘I actually sent Woods a text this morning about how appreciative I was of him, of being my tag team partner. I never lose sight of how rare and special our bond is.’

Before All In, AEW boss Tony Khan wasn’t drawn on speaking about New Day or other incoming stars, but did discuss the constant act of adding fresh stars to an already top-level roster.

‘There are so many great wrestlers around the world, and so many of the very best professional wrestlers compete in All Elite Wrestling,’ he beamed. ‘I always say AEW is where the best wrestle, and I really believe that. I think that the very best wrestlers in the world are competing in AEW right now.’

Tony admitted that ‘it’s exciting that so many of the best wrestlers outside of the company are trying to get into AEW’, while also pointing to the company’s collaborations with the likes of CMLL and New Japan Pro Wrestling, which allow talent to ‘compete in multiple promotions’.

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The two sons of a police officer killed in the A66 crash led out the Manchester United team as mascots for today’s Premier League match against Ipswich Town. 

PCs Matthew Blades, 37, and Tom Clough, 38, died alongside five young occupants of a VW Passat that was travelling on the wrong side of a dual carriageway in the early hours of Saturday, August 22. 

PC Blades was described as a ‘proud Red’ by United, having been a regular at Old Trafford. 

In a tribute in their programme, the club said: ‘Matthew was a proud Red, a devoted family man and a police officer who dedicated his life to helping others.’ 

His widow Sarah attended today’s game alongside their children, who led out the team as mascots in honour of their father. 

The eldest child was walked out by Bruno Fernandes, captain of Manchester United, while the youngest was led by goalkeeper Senne Lammens. 

It followed a minute’s applause in memory of PC Blades and PC Clough yesterday before Middlesbrough’s Championship encounter with West Brom at Riverside Stadium. 

Mourners also gathered to pay their respects at Seaton Carew FC’s game against FC Hartlepool – with PC Blades a former junior football coach at both teams.  

Bruno Fernandes, captain of Manchester United, led out PC Blades’s eldest child 

The youngest child (right) was walked out by goalkeeper Senne Lammens 

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PCs Matthew Blades with his two children and a Manchester mascot 

PC Blades, 37, was killed when his police vehicle was struck by a Volkswagen Passat travelling the wrong way down the A66 near Middlesbrough 

PC Tom Clough, 38, also died in the crash, which occurred around 10 seconds after a police pursuit of the Volkswagen was called off 

The club paid a long and moving tribute to PC Blades in their programme, in which they said: ‘It is with great sadness that Manchester United learned of the death of PC Matthew Blades and his colleague PC Tom Clough in an accident near Middlesbrough last weekend. 

‘For Matt, some of his happiest times were spent watching United with his boys. His wife Sarah and two children will be at today’s game, with his sons leading out the Reds as mascots.’ 

They added that a friend and colleague of PC Blades sent them a tribute, which read: ‘For Matthew, United was a lifelong love, a passion he shared with his family. Since Matt’s tragic death there has been an extraordinary outpouring of grief and support. 

‘That love has been seen in countless tributes and acts of kindness. Today, we remember a fellow Red. A husband. A father. A son. A brother. A friend. A police officer. A man who gave his life in the service of others. Forever our superhero.’  

Middlesbrough and County Durham have been gripped by a wave of violence since the crash, which has left some residents too intimidated to leave their homes. 

Theo Rae, 17, Cole Worthy, 17, Michael Cahill, 23, Jakub Matusiak, 23, and Makai Saddington, 18, were driving in the Passat and all lost their lives in the smash. 

Four of the five youths had previous criminal convictions, and were believed to be associated with another car which was seen ramming properties on the morning of the crash. 

Police are investigating whether the spate of violence, including the fatal A66 crash, is linked to organised crime. 

Middlesbrough, which has the highest crime rate in England bar central London, was rocked again when a seven-year-old girl, Valentina Foster, and her aunt, Natalie McDonald, 34, died in a house fire. Two men were arrested on suspicion of murder. 

Although police did not link the blaze to the A66 crash, they did not rule out a connection to wider organised crime.

Barely 24 hours later, armed police were responding to another serious incident in Middlesbrough, with claims of a machete attack that left a man with stab wounds.

Makai Saddington, one of the five killed in the Volkswagen, posted videos on TikTok of him being chased by police and was awaiting trial for racially abusing and assaulting officers

Jakub Matusiak, another occupant of the car which hit the officers, also posted videos of himself driving recklessly

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Close friends Theo Rae (left) and Cole Robert Worthy both died in the crash on Saturday

Michael Robert Cahill was one of the five in the VW Passat

Seven more men were later held as part of a broader operation to disrupt organised crime, taking the total number of arrests to 24.

Police in Middlesbrough had five pleas for help ignored by the Government before an outbreak of gang violence which led to the fatal A66 crash. 

Matt Storey, Cleveland’s police and crime commissioner, had written at least seven letters to the Government since July 2024 warning that officers were ‘woefully underfunded’ and struggling to protect the public. 

Only two received a response, his office said, while more requests for additional support were ignored. 

The most recent warning, sent to Andy Burnham last month, said shrinking recruitment was driving ‘concern about whether help will be there when it is needed most’.

Cleveland police was forced to call in 200 officers from nearby regions last week after the crash. 

DHADING, Nepal (AP) — In one of the areas worst hit by Wednesday’s catastrophic floods in Nepal, a group of schoolchildren managed to survive when they happened to leave their classroom for their lunch break.

Children attending other classes at the school in Dhading also escaped because teachers told them to quickly evacuate their classrooms shortly before the waters came crashing in.

“The teachers said, ‘There is a flood and you should leave bags and tiffins,’” said Lakshmi Shrestha, the mother of a student attending the school. “That’s how they managed to survive.”

Shrestha was among mothers and children who began to return to their school on Sunday to find the kids’ belongings and see what could be salvaged. The majority of the children at the school appeared to have survived the floods, the families said.

Thick brown and gray mud coated the surfaces of school benches, walls and notebooks while the school’s courtyard was filled with sediment. Lines on the walls showed how high the water rapidly rose. A pile of small mud-caked backpacks, some with colorful key chains, were on the benches and floors, waiting to be claimed.

Kopila Mizar, the mother of a student, was unable to find her son’s backpack, but remained positive.

“My son is alive, that is my biggest happiness,” she said.

At least 69 schools in Nepal’s flood-devastated districts have been destroyed or damaged, putting education at risk for nearly 19,000 children, according to the nonprofit Save the Children. Those numbers are likely to rise as rescue teams reach more areas, they said.

The government ordered schools and universities to shut down for three days following torrential rains that triggered severe flash floods and landslides across parts of the country. University exams were also paused.

With communities still receiving constant flood warnings advising them to move to higher, safer areas, it’s unclear when classes will be able to resume.

Nepal’s disaster agency said Sunday the death toll had climbed to 788 with 2,502 missing, while Chinese authorities reported 16 deaths and 546 missing on the Chinese side of the border.

The missing include hundreds of people from over a dozen countries who were in the region to work, visit the mountains or make a pilgrimage to a sacred peak. On Sunday, Chinese state media said 261 foreigners were missing in Tibet, including over a hundred Nepalis and others from around the world.

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