The party leader initially insisted Britain should “do all we can” to support the operation, saying: “The gloves need to come off, we need to accept that we are part of this with the Americans and the Israelis.”
Some senior party members, like his deputy Richard Tice and Reform mayor of Greater Lincolnshire Andrea Jenkyns, quickly backed him.
During the same press conference, Farage also hit out at Sky News’ Beth Rigby, after she pointed out that Reform councils have not delivered on their promise to cut council tax.
He angrily shouted: “Wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong! Never once in the county campaign, including here in Derbyshire, did I ever say we would cut council tax.”
Farage insisted that Reform’s “national literature” called for an overall cut to taxes, not to council taxes.
And on Friday, he adopted a more defeatist tone, saying he wished his party “hadn’t bothered” to take minority control of the bankrupt Worcestershire Council Council.
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Reform had to hike council tax by almost 9% in the area, one of the largest increases in the area’s history, to balance the books.
To rub salt in the wound, just seven days ago, Labour beat Reform with its first council by-election gain in almost a year in Durham County Council.
Farage somehow found time to fight with pollsters, too.
He attacked YouGov after the company’s surveys suggested his party had lower public support compared to other polls.
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He claimed it is “plainly deceptive” that more is not known about their methods and called for transparency around modelling assumptions.
It’s worth noting that YouGov’s latest poll put the party on 23%, still four percentage points above the Conservatives.
More In Common’s director Luke Tryl called the attacks on YouGov “unwarranted and unfair”.
Writing on X, he said: “They’re a gold standard in our business, have a great track record and the rest of the industry learns so much from them. Sometimes pollsters get different results from each other, that’s a good thing [and] shows we aren’t herding!”
A source pointed out they had three sold out rallies this week with thousands of attendees and deployed the “lowest council tax rises in the country” with an average of 4.32%.
The party claimed it had managed to get greater transparency from YouGov, too.
But questions remain around the way Farage has reacted to scrutiny this week,
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Savanta’s political director, Chris Hopkins, told HuffPost UK that Farage was reading off “the Trumpian playbook” by “reacting with hostility to scrutiny and blaming everyone but himself for his party’s fall in momentum in the opinion polls”.
The pollster added: “This week he’s even turned his ire directly towards us pollsters where, not for the first time, he publicly challenges polling figures that he doesn’t seem to like.”
Farage will therefore be under a microscope in the run-up to the next general election.
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Hopkins said: “The longer Reform stay at the forefront of British politics, the greater the scrutiny on Farage will be, and if his temperament is being questioned now, years away from a general election, it’ll be interesting to see how he’ll react to supporter expectation and the bright lights of an election campaign.”
The pollster warned that there is also a “general sentiment” that Reform may have peaked after more than a year leading the polls.
“The major challenge for Farage and his party will be to still be sitting atop of the pile when the music stops, especially when so much can change so quickly in British politics,” he said.
A Labour insider said it was clear that “Farage can’t deal with the pressure”.
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They added: “The wheels have well and truly fallen off the bandwagon this week, the cracks are beginning to show.”
A Green Party source also said: “Reform were able to play on easy mode, presenting themselves as outsiders to a failing Labour government but the mask has slipped.”
It took years for Farage to assert himself within mainstream politics.
He has managed to hold a confident lead in the polls for more than a year, winning over voters on his promise to offer something different from the “establishment” parties.
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But, with a general election expected to still be three years away, can the Reform leader keep his cool – and hold his growing party together – in that time?
A banned driver who sped away from police 80mph in a bid to escape the police and who later did the same again with kids in his car has been jailed. ‘Incredibly reckless’ Christopher Marshall, 40, twice made off from officers as they tried to stop him in Gorton.
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In December 2023, a local neighbourhood officer recognised Marshall, who was disqualified, and pulled up behind him. He then drove off and hit speeds of 80mph whilst ‘overtaking traffic, mounting a pavement, and running red lights’, Greater Manchester Police (GMP) said.
Officers who were pursuing him discontinued the chase due to the circumstances. However they later tracked him down, arrested and charged him.
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However after being granted court bail, Marshall offended again. In January of last year he was again spotted by a patrol and once again drove off. This time he had two young children in the car, GMP said.
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“He mounted a kerb and clipped a member of the public’s car, while also causing an officer to slam their brakes on to avoid being hit” the force said.
Due to the presence of the children they decided not to pursue him, however he was again arrested two days later, and charged.
Marshall, of Lunn Avenue in Abbey Hey, Gorton, pleaded guilty to two counts of dangerous driving, two counts of driving whilst disqualified, and one count of handling stolen goods.
He was this week sentenced to two years and four months in prison at Manchester Crown Court.
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In a statement issued after the case, PC Mohammed Ditta, from GMP’s City of Manchester neighbourhood policing team, said: “We see the consequences of dangerous driving every day across the force – from minor scrapes to serious injuries and deaths.
“Marshall’s decision to drive so dangerously while young children were on board was incredibly reckless, and we are fortunate that there were not more serious consequences.
“The local neighbourhood team regularly proactively patrols the areas of Gorton and the surrounding areas, and we are constantly looking to tackle criminality wherever we can find it.”
Ryan Reynolds made the demand while providing alternative commentary with Rob Mac for Sky Sports on Wrexham against Swansea City in the Championship on Friday night
22:01, 13 Mar 2026Updated 22:15, 13 Mar 2026
Ryan Reynolds told Wrexham player Ollie Palmer to leave the STōK Cae Ras midway through their match against Swansea City after Palmer confessed to not having watched Deadpool & Wolverine.
Palmer, 34, joined Reynolds and Rob Mac on Sky Sports for their alternative commentary on the team’s Championship match against Swansea City on Friday night. The centre-forward joined Swindon Town, who host Milton Keynes Dons tomorrow (Saturday), late last summer after leaving Wrexham by mutual consent.
Their former striker, Steven Fletcher, also featured in the coverage. They released the player at the end of last season, and he then retired.
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Fletcher spent two seasons with Wrexham, while Palmer was there for three-and-a-half years and became a fans’ favourite. Reynolds even had him make a cameo in the 2024 film Deadpool & Wolverine, which he also helped write and produce, starring himself.
The actor who plays Deadpool fondly recalls the role his then-striker played. Reynolds said: “Ollie Palmer stole the show there in Deadpool & Wolverine.” Palmer, however, replied: “I’ve got a confession to make, I’ve not seen it [Deadpool & Wolverine] yet.”
The film’s co-star then responded: “You know what, you can just put the microphone down, and you can head out of the exit, in fact, walk through the away section and leave.” Palmer replied by telling Reynolds: “I am going to watch it, I will watch it, I promise.”
Wrexham went on to win the match 2-0, with big-money summer signings Callum Doyle and Nathan Broadhead scoring for the hosts. That win moves them six points clear of Derby County and Southampton in sixth place, the Championship’s final play-off spot.
The Saints, though, do have a game in hand, which they will play away against league leaders Coventry City on Saturday. Reynolds, however, is not getting carried away with talk of Premier League promotion.
“You have to check yourself, too. We’re in the Championship; the mere fact that we’re here is worth taking stock of.
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“Do we want to win it all? Of course, we do, we’re all competitors, but we have to take stock and see that this is part of the reward.”
He also spoke about the bigger picture. Reynolds said: “For me, my favourite thing about this experience is: I don’t care what your ideologies are and where you are and identity, there’s such a feeling of togetherness.
“In every arena, a community gets to come together for something we share in common. I love looking around here, being in the fresh air, being outside in the wonderful country of Wales, and being on the pitch; I don’t ever take that for granted.”
Sky Sports discounted Premier League and EFL package
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Sky has slashed the price of its Essential TV and Sky Sports bundle for the 2025/26 season, saving £336 and offering more than 1,400 live matches across the Premier League, EFL and more.
Sky shows at least 215 live Premier League games each season, an increase of up to 100, plus Formula 1, darts, golf and more.
Locals have said they are “happy” in their hometown, praising it for its “friendly community” and “gorgeous” walks. Conveniently located between Ely, Cambridge, and Newmarket is the town of Soham.
Home to over 12,000 people, Soham is the second largest town in East Cambridgeshire, after Ely. The town has a significant history, dating back to the Bronze Age. It also had a significant Roman and Saxon occupation.
As part of our Exploring Cambridgeshire series, we visited the town and spoke to people about what it is like to live in Soham. After the death of Ian Huntley, who killed 10-year-olds Jessica Chapman and Holly Wells in 2002, locals hope the town will no longer be known for only its darkest days.
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Jean Alljood has lived in Soham since 2006, and she said she is “happy” living in the town. She added: “It’s a friendly community. It has what you need for everyday stuff. I like it where I live.” Jean’s two sisters also live in Soham, and she looks after them.
She added: “I have a few friends but I don’t socialise much, I just like to walk my dog. This time of year isn’t as good, but in the summer we can go places like by the river.
“For people who like socialising, you can go to cafes – there are plenty of them! There are also some nice Portuguese places. There are also some good children’s play parks.”
One man, who asked to remain anonymous, also said Soham has “everything you need”. He added: “People are nice and helpful. There are some lovely walks.”
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Emily Mills said it is a “lovely town” with a “good character to it”. She said: “I only moved here three years ago, but I am definitely not moving away now. It’s got everything so close like the Co-op and also a big Asda.
“We have some lovely buildings like the church. Most people will say hello to you, and it has some cute walks by the river.”
One woman, who wished to not be named, said it’s a “good town to be close to other places”. She praised its location, saying: “You are not far away from places like Cambridge for tourist spots, or even Ely for the cathedral. We’re even close to Newmarket for racing.”
She ecohed other residents who said that locals are friendly, creating a strong sense of community. The woman added that a “lot of people greet you, even when you don’t know them”.
Before each general election in the late 1990s and early 2000s, campaign group Operation Black Vote used to publish a list of the most ethnically diverse constituencies in the UK. These were the areas in which the size of the non-white population exceeded the size of the incumbent party’s majority. The idea was to persuade political parties to campaign in these places and to think about what they were offering to ethnic minority voters.
Operation Black Vote, which was founded in 1996 to empower voters from ethnic minority backgrounds, had good reason to worry. Both anecdotal and academic research shows that ethnic minority voters had been largely taken for granted by the Labour party.
As an example, the prominent Labour politician Roy Hattersley wrote candidly about the minority vote contributing to his 1974 re-election as an MP for Birmingham Sparkbrook: “I won with an increased majority, the well-organised and invariably loyal Kashmiris had cast their disciplined vote early in the day.”
With support for Labour almost always in the region of 70% to 80% across most Asian and Black voter groups, the fact that David Weaver, the chairman of Operation Black Vote, has now said that Labour is in “deep trouble” with Black voters is therefore remarkable.
Indian and Muslim voters are already leaving
Historically, different ethnic groups had differing levels of support for Labour but even in the fragmented 2024 general election, it remained the most popular choice for British Black and Asian voters. However, this is a far cry from Labour being able to take this vote for granted. Two recent developments should give the party particular pause.
First, Indian-origin Britons have already started drifting away from Labour. Their movement towards the Conservatives has been slow but steady since 2010. The continuous nature of this defection suggests that there is little Labour could do to reverse it. While in 2024 a plurality of British Indians still chose Labour, this is the lowest vote share the party has received from this group in any recorded general election.
Second, and perhaps more alarming, is a break in the traditional loyalty among British Muslims that characterised the 2024 general election. Labour voting among this group collapsed by almost 30% and delivered a handful of independent MPs to parliament. Some took Labour’s historically safe seats, mostly on pro-Gaza tickets.
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More recently, these voters moved towards the Green party in the 2026 byelection in Gorton and Denton. It is this choice that represents a new and particularly threatening issue for Labour. As a result of the general fragmentation of the party system, ethnic minority voters now seem to have alternative choices, and feel freer to opt for them.
Muslim voters defected from Labour in 2005 over the Iraq war but the resulting protest vote for the Liberal Democrats was short-lived. By 2010 the Muslim vote for Labour had recovered.
The contrast with today’s vote switching and record support for small parties is stark. With more viable options on the ballot, it is not inconceivable that many Muslim voters may not return to Labour.
Could Black voters follow?
While Black voters remained the most loyal group in 2024, they too might feel a little freer to go. Even the historically no-go option for Black voters, the Conservative party, might seem like a possibility. In a significant departure from their traditional approach, the Tories have been making an effort to tackle race and inequality. They commissioned a major review of racial disparities, increased their ethnic diversity in Parliament and delivered the historically most ethnically diverse cabinet to date. It is worth noting that the current leader Kemi Badenoch and her predecessor Rishi Sunak are both of ethnic minority origin.
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The Conservative party has now had two leaders from ethnic minority backgrounds. Alamy/Stefan Rousseau
Labour is yet to appoint a non-white leader. And its record in government is certainly doing very little to dissuade minority voters from looking elsewhere.
Among the failures that could count against them with Black voters are a continuation of the unpopular “hostile environment” immigration policy and an aggressive curtailment of settlement policies. These are unlikely to play well with a group that had already fallen victim to the previous government’s similar policies via the Windrush scandal. Labour’s ineffective implementation of the compensation scheme for the victims of this scandal, who were most likely to identify as British Black Caribbean, only compounds this issue.
Given the lack of action and progress on other important issues for the Black community, such as child poverty and the cost-of-living crisis, Labour should really worry about losing not just their Muslim voters, and the Indian origin minority, but also its most loyal Black voters too. They truly cannot and should not take any of these groups for granted.
Bower’s forthcoming book – Betrayal: Power, Deceit And The Fight For The Future Of The Royal Family – continues his investigation into the strained relationship between the Houses of Sussex and Windsor, four years after the publication of his bestseller Revenge: Meghan, Harry, And The War Between The Windsors.
With Iran choking off one of the world’s most crucial shipping lanes, heads of government and industry now face a tough question: what can be done to stop them?
What is happening?
The Strait of Hormuz, which separates the Gulf States from Iran, is a waterway of huge economic significance, with a fifth of the world’s oil and gas trade passing through.
It’s also a big part of the global supply of various oil and gas-derived products, including fertiliser, plastics, and composite materials, according to Sky’s economic editor, Ed Conway.
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So, facing sustained joint attacks from the US and Israel, Iran is retaliating by making global markets feel the pain, attacking shipping traffic in to narrow channel, which is just 24 miles wide at its narrowest point.
Image: A satellite map of shipping in the Strait of Hormuz. Pic: AIS
Among the weapons in Iran’s arsenal are sea and air drones, anti-ship mines and missiles, submarines, and GPS jamming to undermine navigation systems.
What can America do?
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Donald Trump has suggested US warships will escort commercial shipping through the strait “if necessary”.
During his weekly Q&A session Sky’s military expert Michael Clarke cast doubt on the idea.
“There are never enough warships to escort enough tankers through a difficult sea passage,” he said.
Image: Smoke billows from an oil tanker that was hit off Oman’s Musandam peninsula in the Straits of Hormuz. Pic: Reuters
He was also sceptical of the suggestion that oil tankers could be equipped with the means to defend themselves against drones.
“You need all the stuff that goes with it, so you need all of the radars and the target acquisition, as it’s called, the Istar – intelligence surveillance target acquisition and reconnaissance.”
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Mr Trump has further suggested that the US would provide insurance and guarantees for shipping “at a very reasonable price”.
But Professor Clarke said the $20bn (£15bn) the American government has allocated to insurance “doesn’t touch the sides” given the possible costs.
Hegseth: ‘Don’t need to worry’ about Strait of Hormuz
Air defence destroyers
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One possible method he suggested was “a gun line of air defence destroyers all the way along the Gulf facing the Iranian coast”.
“Then you’re almost certainly going to have to use air power to attack anything on the Iranian side of the coast, anything that moves,” he added.
But he warned that the Iranians might even welcome such an outcome.
He said: “It’s very intensive. I’m pretty sure the Iranians would quite welcome that, because it brings the Americans into fighting low down and dirty on [their] territory.
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“And the chance of getting lucky, and the chance of being able to disrupt it would still be high.”
Image: Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Dan Caine holds a briefing. Pic: Reuters
General Dan Caine, the highest-ranking military officer of the US armed forces, told a press conference on Friday that they were focused on degrading Iran’s capability to disrupt shipping, without giving specifics.
“This means going after Iran’s minelaying capability and destroying their ability to attack commercial vessels,” he said.
He added: “We’ve made it a priority to target Iran’s minelaying enterprise, their minelayers, the naval bases and depots, in addition to the missiles that could influence the Straits.”
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He also said the Iranian navy had been rendered combat ineffective, but acknowledged that Iran still possessed attack capabilities at sea.
“Work on this effort continues,” he added.
Image: The Thailand-flagged cargo ship Mayuree Naree.
Pic: Royal Thai Navy/Reuters
Jamming
Others have suggested that jamming GPS navigation systems may be as good a defence as it is an attack.
Dr Ramsey Faragher, director of the Royal Institute of Navigation, told Sky News that multiple countries may be using the technology in the Gulf.
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“It’s probably a combination of Iran possibly turning up and turning on more of its own interference sources,” he said.
“But also I suspect neighbouring countries have now turned on some of their own in order to try to defend against the drone strikes.”
Disrupting navigation signals is one of the “cheapest and effective first lines of defence” against drone attacks, he added.
Can these efforts ultimately protect shipping in the Strait of Hormuz? With maritime traffic in the waterway almost at a standstill, it’s yet to be proven.
Prior to his violent death, Patrick and Anthony spit venom at each other over Christmas dinner after Patrick discovered that Anthony had lied to Kat Moon (Jessie Wallace) that his and Zoe Slater’s (Michelle Ryan) twins had both died at birth, in a bid to find them himself without Zoe discovering.
As things continued to intensify, an enraged Patrick declared that the wrong son had died prior, and he wished Anthony had perished in the place of his brother, Paul (Gary Beadle). With things at their absolute worst, Anthony headed to the Vic for what proved to be his final showdown with Zoe and his daughter, Jasmine Fisher (Indeyarna Donaldson-Holness).
Zoe and Kat were convinced that the culprit was Chrissie Watts (Tracy-Ann Oberman), and that she’d struck the killing blow to frame Zoe, who kept her mouth shut in order to protect Jasmine from the wrath of the wicked witch of Walford.
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While Zoe languished in prison, Anthony struck up a relationship with Jasmine upon discovering that she was his granddaughter, seemingly finding a light amid all of the darkness he’d endured, though he was broken all over again when he discovered that she had killed Anthony.
Patrick has suffered deeply since Anthony was killed (Picture: BBC/Jack Barnes/Kieron McCarron)
Next week sees the arrival of Sandra Goodwin (Dawn Steele), piquing Kim and Denise’s interest when they learn that she’s been asking questions about Jasmine. Confronting her, they learn that she’s the adoptive mum of Josh Goodwin (Joshua Vaughan), though as they learn more about Jasmine and Josh’s backstory, all three are shaken to learn that Josh has arrived in Walford.
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Denise and Kim discover Sandra and learn of her relation to Josh (Picture: BBC/Jack Barnes/Kieron McCarron)
Denise and Kim get to know Josh (Picture: BBC/Jack Barnes/Kieron McCarron)
Josh, Sandra, Denise and Kim share a drink in the Albert, though the mention of Zoe causes Josh to flee, unwilling to have anything to do with her. When Denise relays this to Patrick, he’s wounded all over again that he’s lost the opportunity to connect with his grandson.
Denise and Kim encourage Patrick to write Josh a letter, detailing his life story, and later deliver it to Sandra. The Trueman’s are buoyed when Josh returns to Albert Square to arrange a meeting the following week.
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City of York Council have announced Museum Street will be closed to vehicles overnight for three days in March so that essential resurfacing work can take place.
The closure, which will take place on Monday, March 23, Tuesday, March 24, and Wednesday, March 25, will require the road to be closed from St Leonard’s Place to Station Road.
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This will be effective from 8pm to 5am on three consecutive nights and will also mean Lendal Bridge is closed to all road traffic, including buses.
Pedestrians and those using mobility aids will be able to use the pavements whilst the works are going on.
During the day (from 5am to 8pm) the buses will operate as normal and the roads will reopen by 5am daily if deemed safe.
Alternate routes will be marked during the repairs, guiding traffic via Station Road, Queen Street, Blossom Street, the A59 Holgate Road, Poppleton Road, the Water End bridge, the A19 Clifton, and Bootham to the Gillygate junction.
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Bus services will operate as usual outside of the closure hours and on-street parking will be temporarily suspended near the working areas.
Information on the planned works and advice for people choosing to travel in the area during the road closures is available here: https://www.york.gov.uk/MuseumStRoadworks
People on six different benefits may qualify for the payments
Benefit recipients have been alerted to a looming deadline concerning a DWP payment scheme. You may be eligible for these payments if you receive one of various benefits, including Universal Credit and Pension Credit.
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The Cold Weather Payment scheme is still running, providing £25 payments when temperatures in your area are, or are predicted to be, below zero degrees Celsius for seven consecutive days. You could receive multiple £25 payments through the scheme should the payments be activated in your locality more than once during a five-month window.
People claiming these six benefits may be entitled to the payment into their bank account:
Pension Credit
Income Support
Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA)
Income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
Universal Credit
Support for Mortgage Interest.
State Pensioners to face major tax change
The scheme concludes very soon, as it operates from November 1 to March 31. Matthew Sheeran, external relations manager at financial support organisation Money Wellness, discussed whether the payments might be activated during the remainder of the month.
He said: “We might see a bit of a cold snap this week with frost and some wintry showers, especially up north and in rural areas, but the forecasters aren’t pointing to temperatures staying below freezing for seven days straight – and that’s what you need to actually trigger a Cold Weather Payment before the end of March.
“So while it’ll feel cold, it’s not likely we’ll see a big wave of new £25 payments being triggered right now.” You can check if a Cold Weather Payment has been activated in your region on the Government website.
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When do Cold Weather Payments land in bank accounts?
As for when payments land in accounts, Government advice clarifies: “After each period of very cold weather in your area, you should get a payment within 14 working days. It’s paid into the same bank or building society account as your benefit payments.”
However, the regulations differ if you reside in Scotland. Here, the scheme has been superseded by the Winter Heating Payment, with largely the same eligibility criteria regarding which benefits you need to claim.
This is a one-time payment that is issued regardless of the weather and is valued at £59.75. These payments go out between December and the end of February.
If you were entitled to receive a payment, Social Security Scotland would have sent you a letter or email notifying you of the impending amount.
Adam Lennon, 19, Harry Cairney, 20, and a 16-year-old boy were convicted of violent attacks on vulnerable young victims linked to organised drug crime in North Lincolnshire
Sofie Jackson Video News Reporter and Laura Hill
21:14, 13 Mar 2026Updated 21:14, 13 Mar 2026
A group of thugs operating within a drugs supply network tied to organised crime in North Lincolnshire subjected their victims to horrific exploitation and brutal violence. One individual endured a hammer attack and was forced to consume urine.
After a seven-day trial, jurors delivered guilty verdicts concerning two separate incidents occurring in August and October 2025. Humberside Police praised the courage shown by the victims in reporting what happened.
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Adam Lennon, 19, from Hereward Place in Scunthorpe, was convicted of attempting to cause grievous bodily harm with intent, maliciously administering a noxious substance with intent to injure, assault by beating, robbery and false imprisonment. He had already admitted being concerned in the supply of class A cocaine and class B cannabis.
Whilst charged with sexual assault, he was cleared of that offence.
A 16 year old youth, whose identity is protected by law, was convicted of false imprisonment. He had previously admitted robbery, common assault, and being concerned in the supply of class A cocaine, class B cannabis, and class C pregabalin, reports Grimsby Live.
Though charged with threatening a person with a bladed article, he was acquitted.
Harry Cairney, 20, from Buckingham Street North in Scunthorpe, faced charges of false imprisonment and assisting an offender relating to the October 2025 incident. He had, however, entered guilty pleas to all charges at an earlier court appearance.
Lee John McKenna, 20, from Laneham Street in Scunthorpe, faced charges including attempting to cause grievous bodily harm with intent, maliciously administering a noxious substance with intent to injure, sexual assault on a male aged over 13, and attempting to cause a male aged over 13 to engage in sexual activity. He was acquitted of all charges, though he has subsequently been returned to custody relating to unconnected matters.
The initial incident emerged when officers became aware of video material spreading online from a premises associated with drug-related activity in Scunthorpe during August 2025. Evidence revealed that Adam Lennon had inflicted a brutal attack on a 19-year-old male at the location, where the victim endured assault with a hammer, was compelled to consume urine whilst being recorded, and was denied the ability to leave.
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Humberside Police confirmed: “Our Criminal Investigation Department began conducting enquiries into the circumstances surrounding the incident and the individuals involved. Soon after, Lennon was arrested in connection with the violent assault and later bailed whilst further investigations were required.”
Senior Investigating Officer, Detective Inspector Tom Kelly stated: “Following further information reported at a later date, the incident was re-examined by investigators. As part of those enquiries, detectives were able to recover additional digital evidence from mobile phones, including video footage, alongside new witness accounts.
“Whilst these enquiries were continuing, two months later in October 2025, we received a report that a 17-year-old boy had been exploited by the network to sell drugs. My team swiftly launched an investigation where it was established that Harry Cairney had instructed the teenage boy to come to his home address in a ploy to trap him.
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“Once he arrived, Cairney prevented him from leaving whilst he was subjected to repeated violence and intimidation at the hands of Lennon and the 16-year-old boy. Thankfully, the 17-year-old later managed to escape and later reported what had happened.”
Following this disclosure, officers from the Kinetic Organised Crime Group Team initiated a thorough and delicate probe into the criminal network, collaborating closely with North Lincolnshire Council. The inquiry drew upon additional expertise from child criminal exploitation specialists, digital forensics units, and major crime squads to establish the complete extent of the gang’s activities.
Evidence collated from mobile devices, witness statements, crime scene examinations, call data scrutiny and expert drug testimony allowed investigators to construct a robust prosecution case for the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), who subsequently authorised numerous charges against the perpetrators.
Lennon and Cairney are being held on remand pending sentencing, whilst the 16-year-old boy has been granted bail. All three are scheduled to appear for sentencing at Hull Crown Court on Friday, April 24 2026.
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Detective Inspector Tom Kelly added: “These young men were subjected to appalling levels of violence, coercion and exploitation at the hands of an organised crime group. Their actions were calculated and predatory, fuelled by a false sense of bravado, that showed a complete disregard for the safety and wellbeing of vulnerable people.
“Child criminal exploitation has a profound and lasting impact on young people. It is often hidden, happening behind closed doors, or disguised as friendships, relationships or everyday interactions. This abuse doesn’t always involve adults targeting children; it can also occur between young people themselves, where individuals of a similar age abuse influence and control to cause harm.
“In this case, we saw offenders ranging from teenagers to young adults involved in serious offending against other young people.”
