The Ahmadi Religion of Peace and Light was raided on Wednesday

The names of 25 people charged with public order offences have been revealed after hundreds of police officers raided addresses affiliated with a religious group in Crewe yesterday (April 29).

Cheshire Police said that on Wednesday more than 500 officers from their force, with support of colleagues from neighbouring forces, conducted three warrants at three addresses in Crewe linked to the Ahmadi Religion of Peace and Light, including their headquarters.

It followed serious allegations alleged to have involved members of the group, including modern slavery, forced marriage and sexual offences.

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The co-ordinated raids followed reports in March of the offences, said to have taken place in 2023. The force confirmed all ten people arrested are members of the group and all offences relate to one victim, a woman, who was also a member of the group.

Now, Cheshire Police has said that during the raids, 25 people were arrested for public order offences inside the property. Following questioning, 25 people have been charged and are scheduled to appear in court.

The charges in full

• Mammadagha Abdullayer, 35, of Timbrell Avenue, Crewe, was charged with obstructing a constable. He will appear at Crewe Magistrates’ Court on Thursday 25 June. (Nationality – Azerbaijan)
• Raimah Batul, 18, of Webb House, Crewe, was charged with assault by beating of an emergency worker. She will appear at Crewe Magistrates’ Court on Thursday 25 June. (Nationality – British)
• Laure Delogne, 31, of Underwood Lane, Crewe, was charged with obstructing a constable. She will appear at Crewe Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday 23 June. (Nationality – Belgium)
• Tahani A Hashem, 27, of Webb House, Crewe, was charged with obstructing a constable. She will appear at Crewe Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday 23 June. (Nationality – British)
• Maryham Marfoug, 32, of Gresty Road, Crewe, was charged with obstructing a constable. She will appear at Crewe Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday 23 June. (Nationality – Morocco)
• Dareem Charles, 36, of Redwood Drive, Crewe, was charged with obstructing a constable. He will appear at Crewe Magistrates’ Court on Thursday 16 June. (Nationality – Tobago)
• Jahmeel Musa, 32, of Redwood Drive, Crewe, was charged with obstructing a constable. He will appear at Crewe Magistrates’ Court on Thursday 16 June. (Nationality – British)
• Aydin Onur, 36, of Webb House, Crewe, was charged with obstructing a constable. He will appear at Crewe Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday 22 June. (Nationality – Germany)
• Gustavio Ruiz-Quinteros, 34, of Webb House, Crewe, was charged with obstructing a constable. He will appear at Crewe Magistrates’ Court on Friday 17 June. (Nationality – American)
• Soufiane Ben Abdeslam, 32, of Nantwich Road, Crewe, was charged with obstructing a constable and assault of an emergency worker. He will appear at Crewe Magistrates’ Court on Friday 17 June. (Nationality – Belgium)
• Ahmed Elhaouss, 20, of Redwood Drive, Crewe, was charged with assaulting a constable. He will appear at Crewe Magistrates’ Court on Friday 24 June. (Nationality – France)
• Rad El-Kanami, 47, of Webb House, Crewe, was charged with obstructing a constable. He will appear at Crewe Magistrates’ Court on Friday 17 June. (Nationality – Iraq)
• Ramazan Demirovic, 59, of Richard Street, Crewe, was charged with assaulting a constable. He will appear at Crewe Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday 22 June. (Nationality – American)
• Hussein Khadum, 18, of Webb House, Crewe, was charged with obstructing a constable. He will appear at Crewe Magistrates’ Court on Friday 24 June. (Nationality – Sweden)
• Diniy Sisyam, 19, of Webb House, Crewe, was charged with obstructing a constable. He will appear at Crewe Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday 22 June. (Nationality – Malaysia)
• Mohammad Hiary, 32, of Webb House, Crewe, was charged with obstructing a constable. He will appear at Crewe Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday 23 June. (Nationality – Jordan)
• Hatem Sider, 42, of Wandon Road, London, was charged with obstructing a constable. He will appear at Crewe Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday 23 June. (Nationality – British)
• Marc Ferreira, 38, of Webb House, Crewe, was charged with obstructing a constable. He will appear at Crewe Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday 23 June. (Nationality – France)
• Hamidreza Saghari, 39, of Webb House, Crewe, was charged with obstructing a constable. He will appear at Crewe Magistrates’ Court on Saturday 25 June. (Nationality – Iran)
• Sarah Batul, 32, of Badger Avenue, Crewe, was charged with obstructing a constable. She will appear at Crewe Magistrates’ Court on Friday 24 June. (Nationality – British)
• Raimah Batul, 18, Webb House, Crewe, was charged with assaulting a constable. She will appear at Crewe Magistrates’ Court on Saturday 25 June. (Nationality – British)
• Taymour Elalfy, 37, of Webb House, Crewe, was charged with obstructing a constable. He will appear at Crewe Magistrates’ Court on Friday 24 June. (Nationality – Egypt)
• Alireza Khatib Haghighi, 40, of Webb House, Crewe, was charged with obstructing a constable. He will appear at Crewe Magistrates’ Court on Saturday 25 June. (Nationality – Iran)
• Mohamed Ayob, 38, of Webb House, Crewe, was charged with assaulting a constable. He will appear at Crewe Magistrates’ Court on Saturday 25 June. (Nationality – Egypt)
• Myrah Hashem, 27, of Blount Close, Crewe, was charged with failing to comply with a section 35 direction excluding a person from an area. She will appear at Crewe Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday 23 June. (Nationality – British)

CCTV footage has been released of the moment the White House Correspondents’ Dinner suspect appears to shoot at a US secret service agent.

Jeanine Pirro, the US Attorney for DC, says the footage was released to the public to prove ‘there is no evidence the shooting was the result of friendly fire.’

Earlier on Thursday while answering questions from reporters, President Donald Trump said “it wasn’t friendly fire,” adding that “it wasn’t us”.

Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is leading a charge to stop hospitals from serving sugary drinks and foods, including Jell-O.

The Department of Health and Human Services sent a memo to hospitals on March 30 urging them to align with the Department of Agriculture’s new 2025-2030 dietary guidelines, which emphasize limiting sugary, ultra-processed foods.

The agency wants hospitals to “align their food purchases with the dietary guidelines in order to enjoy continued eligibility for Medicaid and Medicare payments,” Kennedy said at a press conference last month.

“We shouldn’t be giving … people who are sick Jell-O and Cheerios and rubber chicken and sugar drinks,” he added.

Officials have since threatened to withhold millions in crucial federal funding from healthcare facilities for violations, according to a KFF Health News report published via CBS News. But experts said it’s unclear how this could be enforced.

Dietitian and research scientist Kevin Klatt told the outlet: “Most of this is political theater. HHS doesn’t have the power to do much.”

The new guidance “does not establish new mandates, change Medicare Conditions of Participation, or create any new penalties for hospitals or nursing homes,” HHS spokesperson Andrew Nixon told KFF Health News.

“There are no changes to enforcement, survey, or accreditation processes associated with this guidance,” he said.

The Independent has contacted HHS for comment.

Calley Means, one of Kennedy’s top advisers, asked members of the public to report hospitals that serve sugary drinks earlier this month. His social media post included a link to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services website, where users can submit complaints about healthcare facilities.

“If a hospital is serving patients sugary drinks, they are out of compliance with government standards and are putting their reimbursements in jeopardy,” Means wrote on April 1. “If you see patients being served sugary drinks, please post information below or let CMS know.”

When KFF Health News contacted Means, he pointed the outlet to another X post he shared on April 17.

“It is very sad that Trump Derangement Syndrome is leading Democrats to defend the medical importance of mass serving soda and junk food to American patients – 94 percent of whom have signs of metabolic dysfunction,” he wrote.

Nixon also downplayed Means’ post, according to KFF Health News, and told the outlet that “references to external websites or hotlines are not connected to this guidance and do not reflect HHS or CMS policy.”

Wood’s spot-kick, smashed high beyond Emi Martinez, was his 200th career goal and gives Forest something to defend at Villa Park next week.

The New Zealand international only returned this month, having been sidelined since October with his knee issue.

He missed the entirety of Sean Dyche’s reign, having surgery in December, but started the quarter-final first-leg draw in Porto three weeks ago.

Lucas Digne’s baffling decision to raise his arms and handle the ball as Omari Hutchinson tried to keep it in play gave Wood his chance with 19 minutes left.

There was an audible cheer when Wood stepped up to take the penalty – Morgan Gibbs-White having missed from the spot against Strum Graz and Braga this season.

There was a sense of expectation, which is only fair as Wood has not missed a penalty in 10 years – since failing to score against Hull for Leeds in April 2016.

He has now scored 28 successive spot-kicks.

“That’s what I have to do and that’s what I try to do. It’s the job, the responsibility that my team gives me,” he told TNT.

“It’s cup competitions. They come down to small margins at times. Both teams played very well. But it’s small moments that can potentially change games. Thankfully it went in our favour tonight and hopefully again next week.

“It’s one leg of the tie. It’s nice to have the advantage but going to Villa Park will be a tough game. They’re good at their place. But we’ve done the job here at home and now hopefully we’ll build into next week.”

He scored in last Friday’s 5-0 Premier League win at Sunderland – his first goal since a penalty against Midtjylland in October – and has six goals in 19 games for club and country this season.

Wood, 34, has explained he will have to manage his knee injury for the rest of his life – but after watching so much of Forest’s battle against the Premier League drop from the sidelines, he is just glad to be back in action and scoring.

“That’s all I wanted to do,” he said. “I wanted to get back fit and firing to help my team as best as I can at the end of the season. I knew we had a lot to play for when I was fighting to get fit and it’s showing. It’s some big competitions to be a part of.

“We’re in the crunch end of the season. We need to perform on both parts and we’ll be looking to do that for sure.”

The threat level indicates the likelihood of a terrorist attack in the UK is highly likely

What are the threat levels?

There are 5 levels of threat:

• low – an attack is highly unlikely
• moderate – an attack is possible but not likely
• substantial – an attack is likely
• severe – an attack is highly likely
• critical – an attack is highly likely in the near future

BREAKING: UK terror threat raised from “substantial” to “severe” meaning a terror attack is highly likely in next six months

— Paul Brand (@PaulBrandITV) April 30, 2026

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The level is set by the Joint Terrorism Analysis Centre and the Security Service (MI5).

Threat levels do not have an expiry date, they can change at any time as different information becomes available.

What are the police doing to keep us safe?

On the government website it states: “Our overriding priority is to keep the public safe by working closely with all of our communities.

“We constantly review our operations and contingency planning, liaising with central and local government, emergency services and other agencies.

“We also use a wide range of overt and covert policing tactics. Covert tactics, by their nature, are not obvious to the public, but we also use overt tactics such as high visibility policing at a variety of locations.

“This includes Project Servator, which uses officers who’ve been specially trained to spot the tell-tale signs that someone is planning to commit a crime, including an act of terrorism, to patrol our towns and cities at unpredictable times and locations.

“We also use Prevent to try to stop vulnerable people from being radicalised by terrorists or extremists in the first place.

“We use these extra measures for a variety of reasons. For example, it could be as a response to seasonal crime patterns or as a precautionary measure in the light of the current threat from international terrorism.

“If you live, work or visit our towns and cities, you’ll continue to see a selection of policing tactics used in the future.”

Routes to Work South (RTWS), an arms-length external organisation of South Lanarkshire Council, has launched the recruitment drive.

A new chairperson and up to five independent directors are needed for an organisation that has supported thousands of unemployed South Lanarkshire residents into work, skills, and training.

Routes to Work South (RTWS), an arms-length external organisation of South Lanarkshire Council, has launched the recruitment drive after celebrating their 20th anniversary last year.

The deadline for anyone wishing to be considered has been extended to Friday, May 29. A CV and short supporting statement can be sent by email, or informal enquiries can also be emailed or call 0141 584 2915.

The positions are voluntary (with expenses reimbursed) and successful applicants will attend quarterly board meetings and sub-committees.

And the organisation welcomes applications from individuals with experience in:

■ Finance, audit, or risk management

■ Human resources / people and culture

■ Legal and regulatory compliance

■ Strategic leadership and organisational development

■ Digital, data, or information governance

■ Employability, skills, health, or economic development

■ Community development / third sector leadership

READ MORE: New-concept Scotmid store opening in Uddingston on April 30READ MORE: South Lanarkshire opticians celebrating after being presented with top industry award

The council’s Head of Enterprise and Sustainable Development, Alison Brown, said: “RTWS has grown into an award‑winning Scottish charity and a key contributor to tackling poverty and promoting economic inclusion across South Lanarkshire. The organisation supports residents to develop the skills, confidence, and opportunities needed to progress into sustainable employment.

“We would love to hear from people interested in helping us grow the service, guide its strategic direction, strengthen governance and ensure high‑quality delivery of employability programmes.”

The recruitment drive follows the decision of Bill McBride, long‑serving Chair of RTWS (pictured above), to step down after 17 years in the role.

*Don’t miss the latest headlines from around Lanarkshire. Sign up to our newsletters here.

And did you know Lanarkshire Live had its own app? Download yours for free here.

READ MORE: Hamilton Park races into centenary season on Sunday, May 3

King Charles and Queen Camilla’s historic U.S. tour has come to an end.

The king waved one last time as he boarded a plane at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland and took off.

On Thursday evening, he touched down in Bermuda, marking Charles’s first visit as monarch to a British overseas territory.

Earlier in the day, he and Camilla were at the White House, where they bid farewell to the U.S. president and first lady. There, Donald Trump said America needed more people like Charles, whom he called the “greatest king”.

“We need more people like that in our country,” he told journalists. “Great, really, great people.”

After the White House, the royals headed to Arlington National Cemetery and laid a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.

Then they were on to the Virginia town of Front Royal for a parade and party in honor of 250 years of American independence.

Next, the king paid a visit to Virginia’s Shenandoah National Park, where he met with U.S. Interior Secretary Doug Burgum.

As the royals wrapped their U.S. visit, President Trump announced he was lifting some whisky-related tariffs that were impacting the U.K. “in honor of the King and Queen.”

Pictures: Military waits to greet King Charles on the tarmac in Bermuda

Josh Marcus30 April 2026 23:47

King’s visit highlighted ‘shared love of nature and conservation’

The recent U.S. tour was the latest reminder of the enduring commitment King Charles has to the environment, according to the British Embassy in Washington.

The visit saw the king take in the grandeur of Shenandoah National Park to highlight a “shared love of nature and conservation,” the embassy wrote on X.

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At the park, he commemorated a pair of stones to highlight a new partnership between the park and the Cairngorms in the Scottish Highlands.

As Charles noted in his address to Congress earlier in the week, the Appalachians and Cairngorms were once connected.

Queen Camilla also enjoyed the outdoors during the visit, touring a horse farm in Virginia.

Josh Marcus30 April 2026 23:38

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What’s on tap for King Charles in Bermuda?

King Charles will touch down next in Bermuda as part of his ongoing tour.

On Friday, he’s expected to visit the The Bermuda Aquarium, Museum and Zoo and tour sites to learn more about wildlife and conservation efforts on Trunk Island in Harrington Sound, Bermuda’s Royal Gazette reports.

Josh Marcus30 April 2026 23:23

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Reality check: Trump threat to pull troops from Europe ends brief moment of transatlantic bonhomie

The king’s visit to the U.S. highlighted the enduring transatlantic ties between America and Britain, but the warm feelings weren’t going to last long in Trump’s Washington.

The president told reporters on Thursday that he’s considering pulling U.S. troops from Italy and Spain in retaliation for few European nations aiding the American war in Iran.

“Why shouldn’t I?” Trump said. “Italy has not been of any help and Spain has been horrible”

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Josh Marcus30 April 2026 23:03

ICYMI: The key takeaways from King Charles’s historic US Congress speech

King Charles III centred transatlantic harmony in his historic speech to both houses of Congress, receiving multiple standing ovations and a rapturous response.

He became the second monarch, after his mother Queen Elizabeth II, to stand and speak in front of representatives in the iconic US Capitol Building. The King is currently visiting Washington DC on a four-day state visit that many hope will appease US president Donald Trump, as relations with the UK are currently in a difficult place.

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The parallels between the two speeches, 35 years apart, were notable. When the late Queen gave her speech in 1991, Republican George HW Bush was president and Conservative John Major was prime minister, and the two nations grappled with the Gulf War and the pending dissolution of the Soviet Union. Spectators at the time reflected on the late Queen’s sense of humour, her focus on the “special relationship” and calls for transatlantic cooperation.

As Charles stood where his mother had, instability in the Middle East and eastern Europe remains just as prevalent, and the themes of his speech were much the same, as he referred to the importance of Nato and the interlinked destinies of the UK and US.

Bryony Gooch has the story.

Josh Marcus30 April 2026 22:43

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The view from the palace on the royal visit

King Charles and Queen Camilla are done with their U.S. tour.

Here’s how the royal family summed up the final day in the States on its website:

On the final day of the State Visit, The King and Queen brought their time in Washington, D.C. to a close with a formal farewell to the President and First Lady in the White House’s Diplomatic Reception Room—an occasion that marked both an ending and a reaffirmation of the enduring relationship between the United Kingdom and the United States.

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From the White House, Their Majesties travelled to Arlington National Cemetery.

Against the backdrop of military ceremony – including a 21-gun salute and the playing of both national anthems – The King and Queen approached the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, one of the United States’ most sacred memorials. The King laid a wreath; The Queen followed with a posy. A military band played as silence fell across the site, offering a moment to remember those who have given their lives in service.

The visit echoed a moment from history – Queen Elizabeth II’s own tribute here in 1957 – and underscored the deep-rooted military ties between the UK and the US.

Their Majesties also spent time within the cemetery’s exhibition spaces, meeting service personnel from across the UK and Commonwealth, and pausing at the Canadian Cross of Sacrifice, a reminder of the shared sacrifices made long before America formally entered the First World War.

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Later, in the small town of Front Royal, Virginia,The King and Queen stepped into a vibrant community celebration.

Main Street was alive with marching bands, cheerleaders and vintage cars, as residents gathered for a traditional American “block party” marking the nation’s 250th anniversary. Their Majesties joined locals at a potluck table—a symbol of shared community—offering a British dish alongside the contributions of neighbours and families.

Moving through the town square, they met a wide cross-section of the community: young people, volunteers, first responders and local charities. The celebration also shone a light on regional heritage, with bluegrass music and Appalachian dancing bringing to life traditions shaped by centuries of history.

Meanwhile, The Queen visited Smitten Farm, where her focus turned to the world of horseracing and equine welfare.

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Meeting breeders, veterinarians and industry leaders, Her Majesty learned about the work being undertaken to improve safety and standards across the sport. From young foals to retired racehorses beginning new roles, the visit highlighted both the tradition and the evolving responsibility at the heart of the industry.

Josh Marcus30 April 2026 22:23

How America’s fake newspaper covered the queen’s real visit

Jimmy Kimmel isn’t the only one making jakes about Melania Trump.

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The Onion, the popular satirical newspaper, had a brief headline today about how the first lady is hosting Queen Camilla.

“Melania Takes Camilla On Fun Girls’ Day Of Staring Coldly Across Empty Room In Silence,” the line read.

That joke wasn’t quite as edgy as Kimmel’s recent one about Melania.

Learn more about the Kimmel saga in our full coverage.

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Josh Marcus30 April 2026 22:03

Queen’s visit to Virginia farm highlights shared US-UK love for horse racing

While King Charles visited Shenandoah National Park on Thursday, Queen Camilla was at a horse farm near The Plains, Virginia.

Camilla, a patron of horse racing in the U.K., was met by farm manager Hunter Marek and her daughter, Violet, who gave the queen flowers.

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The queen’s visit was meant to highlight the shared love of horse racing in the U.S. and U.K., and the shared ties between equestrians in both nations.

Josh Marcus30 April 2026 21:39

PHOTOS: King Charles departs U.S. after whirlwind tour

King Charles and Queen Camilla have now concluded their tour of the United States.

The king waved goodbye one last time as he was boarding his plane at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland.

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His next stop is Bermuda.

Josh Marcus30 April 2026 21:34

Charles speaks with members of Monacan nation during park tour

As part of his visit on Thursday to Virginia’s Shenandoah National Park, King Charles spoke with members of the Monacan Indian Nation.

The nation counts much of Western Virginia as its ancestral territory. Its ancestors have inhabited the region for more than 10,000 years.

Today, there are more than 2,000 active members.

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The Monacan are distinct for being one of the few Indian nations within the U.S. still remaining on parts of their original homeland.

Josh Marcus30 April 2026 21:22

New audible warning alarms have been introduced in late 2025 at the Copmanthorpe level crossing on the East Coast Main Line.

Network Rail have said this has already been seen to make a positive difference in preventing near misses from people using the level crossing unsafely.

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David Wortley, route level crossing manager for Network Rail’s East Coast route, said: “We monitored the area with CCTV installation after installing the new audible alarms.

“Footage has already shown several examples where people would likely have crossed without paying full attention had they not heard the warning noise.”

The changes come as part of the wider No Second Chances campaign, organised by Network Rail, British Transport Police (BTP) and the wider rail community, to raise awareness of the serious dangers at level crossings.

The campaign is targeted especially at 18-34-year-olds, with 20-second films to highlight the consequences of distraction.

Despite 84 per cent of the British public claiming to understand the risks, only three per cent realise it takes an 80mph train around a mile to stop – with trains on the East Coast Main Line can travel at up to 125mph, requiring even greater stopping distances.

David added: “It can be hard to visualise how fast trains move, but describing it as being about 55 metres every second seems to help people understand.

“If you couple that speed with the danger of being distracted by wearing headphones, chatting with others or rushing, the result can be fatal.

“There really are no second chances in those circumstances. It only takes a few seconds to stop, look and listen. Those seconds that could save your life.”

Over the past five years, there have been 121 near-misses involving trains and pedestrians on the East Coast Main Line, with 27 incidents recorded in the year to March 2026 alone.

Network Rail is reminding the public to take care and follow these key safety tips at level crossings:

• Always read and follow the signs, and obey lights, alarms, and barriers
• Stop, look, and listen every time you cross and avoid distractions
• Check both directions before crossing—if a train is coming, do not cross until all tracks are clear
• Never stop on a level crossing; cross quickly and safely when it is safe to do so

Linda Wain, engineering and safety director at LNER, said: “It’s incredibly important to be aware of your surroundings at level crossings.

“Our trains travel up to 125 miles per hour, meaning they cover 100 metres in less than two seconds, so stopping immediately is impossible.”

The suspect is alleged to have helped Craig Rees flee the UK

A man has been arrested on suspicion of helping fraudster Craig Rees flee the UK part-way through his criminal trial. Investigators swooped on an address in Manchester today (Thursday, April 30) to make the arrest.

It comes as a Rees, who fled his trial which ended with him being jailed in his absence over a £1m tax fraud, is back behind bars after he was tracked down while on the run in central Europe.

The 50-year-old went on the run mid-way through a trial which ended with him and his brother Carl Rees, 52, both being convicted and handed jail sentences.

It prompted a manhunt for Craig Rees, who was jailed in his absence. He claimed he had fled to Ukraine but he was eventually arrested in the Czech Republic before being extradited back to the UK.

At Birmingham Crown Court yesterday he was handed a further six months for skipping bail, on top of the seven years for his fraud crimes.

Today investigators for HM Revenue and Customs stormed an address in Manchester to arrest a 36-year-old man on suspicion of assisting an offender. He remains in custody being questioned by officers.

The brothers were handed their original jail sentences in April last year over what a court heard was a ‘staggering’ attempt to defraud the British taxpayer out of £1m by pretending to have made a series of films.

The brothers were found guilty of submitting fraudulent claims for Film Tax Relief and VAT to HMRC, totalling more than £1m for films that were never made in the UK, or at all. Film Tax Relief was created to encourage directors and studios to make at least of part of their films in the UK, with a tax break for those that make a quarter of their film here.

HMRC proved in court that the pair had claimed their first film Whispers was made in the UK, when it was an American-made film, while their second film, The Eight, was entirely made up. Their third film, Violence, was found to have been produced simply so that the pair could submit a fraudulent tax claim for it.

In passing sentence Her Honour Judge Heidi Kubik KC, said they were convicted with overwhelming evidence which had revealed “staggering and audacious dishonesty.”

To present a façade of legitimacy, the duo, from Warwickshire, set up film production companies which provided forged documents to HMRC for both the FTR and VAT repayment claims. In total, they attempted to defraud the taxpayer for £542,840 in Film Tax Relief and £484,933 in VAT repayments.

All of these claims were made between 2011 and 2015, with the pair receiving £367,000 before they were caught by the taxman. The pair, both of Shakespeare Avenue in Warwick, were found guilty after and 18-week trial, with each brother sentenced to seven years in prison and both being disqualified from acting as a director of any company for 15 years.

Ben Close KC, for the prosecution, told Birmingham Crown Court yesterday that Craig Rees had failed to attend day 51 of his trial, in January 2024, and had emailed to say he had travelled to Ukraine.

He added: “Mr Rees said he had an extremely urgent matter and needed to travel to Ukraine to see his girlfriend and did not have access to a phone.

“But he overlooked the default signature on that message that said it was sent from his iPhone.”