This article was first published in The Conversation UK’s World Affairs Briefing email. Sign up to receive weekly analysis of the latest developments in international relations, direct to your inbox.

Before the first airstrike hit Iran on Saturday morning, analysts were warning that a war against Tehran would be a highly risky business. The regime has been in place for nearly 50 years, has a huge, well-trained and loyal military, proxies throughout the region and a huge stockpile of ballistic missiles and drones – plenty to wreak havoc across the region and beyond.

And so it has proved. While Israeli and American forces have been pounding targets across the country, Iran has responded by attacking Israel as well as US military targets in neighbouring Gulf states, including the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait. Attacks have also been reported from Cyprus, Iraq and Jordan.

There is a fresh round of fighting in southern Lebanon after Hezbollah joined Iran in targeting Israel. Beirut is being bombarded.

The economic damage to the region has been enormous. Oil refineries have been shut down, the vital strait of Hormuz – through which 20% of the world’s oil cargo passes – is effectively closed, evacuation flights are leaving the Gulf states around the clock and people are cancelling their travel plans in droves.

And within days of the assassination of Iran’s supreme leader, Ali Khamenei, in a targeted airstrike that also killed a number of his top advisers, a new leader is set to be picked. The smart money appears to be on his son, Mojtaba, known to be cut from very much the same authoritarian clerical cloth as his father. So the notion that with Iran you kill the figurehead and the regime collapses appears to be flawed, to say the least.

Just one week ago, American and Iranian negotiators were engaged in talks in Geneva, which were reported to be making “significant progress”. Now there’s no knowing how this conflict could escalate. On Wednesday, the downing of an Iranian missile over Turkish airspace prompted speculation that Nato would be pulled into a war it clearly doesn’t want. A US submarine sank an Iranian warship in international waters off the coast of Sri Lanka.

There are so many moving parts to this conflict that the sense of jeopardy is at times overwhelming. My email inbox this morning contained a message from Robert Reich, who was Bill Clinton’s secretary of labour between 1993 and 1997 and is a trenchant and energetic critic of the US president, headed: “World War III?
Trump’s and Netanyahu’s illegal war turns global”.

Let’s not second-guess Armageddon just yet. But there’s no denying how dangerous the situation is becoming as the conflict continues to spread. Scott Lucas, an expert in US and Middle East politics at the Clinton Institute, University College Dublin, answers some of the key questions about this fast-developing situation.

À lire aussi :
How dangerous has the conflict in Iran become? Expert Q&A

This has gone beyond what the US president, Donald Trump, referred to as “major combat operations in Iran”. What it might become is anyone’s guess.

What we don’t have to guess is whether Trump is managing to take the American people with him on his foreign adventure. A poll taken on March 2 and published by YouGov/Economist found that US respondents oppose the war by a margin of 45% against to 32% in favour. Predictably, there’s a hugely partisan divide: most Republicans back their president, while Democrats are overwhelmingly anti war.

Significantly, writes Paul Whiteley of the University of Essex, an expert pollster with an interest in UK and US politics, Independents are also against the war by a significant margin. Looking ahead to November’s mid-term elections, as the US president’s advisers undoubtedly are, things do not look good for Republicans’ chances of holding either the House or the Senate.

À lire aussi :
What Americans think of the war in Iran

And the war looks as if it will not end anytime soon. NBC News was reporting this afternoon that the Trump administration may invoke the Defense Production Act to accelerate the production of munitions, which would effectively move the US economy further on to a war footing.

This would seem to hint at something that analysts have speculated about, namely that a lengthy conflict could exhaust America’s stockpile of munitions. The US and its allies — including Israel and the Gulf states — are most acutely exposed to this shortage of defensive interceptors. It’s only been ten months since the US and Israel waged the 12-day war against Iran and that depleted an enormous number of both countries’ defensive missiles, according to Andrew Gawthorpe, an expert in modern American history at Leiden University.

This inevitably means that Washington will have to pull munitions away from other theatres, including those earmarked for South Korea. It’s also fair to say there will be fewer available for Kyiv’s European allies to purchase for the defence of Ukraine, which will please Vladimir Putin no end.

À lire aussi :
How prepared are the US and its allies for a protracted conflict in Iran?

And whether an air campaign will be enough to achieve regime change – if that is indeed the purpose of this conflict – is debatable, writes Matthew Powell, an expert in air power at the University of Portsmouth. Air campaigns rarely work as intended – they often make matters worse, as the world saw after the Nato air campaign that led to the toppling of the country’s ruler, Muammar Gaddafi. With no coherent ground strategy to follow, things fell apart rapidly, with the terrible results that are with us to this day.

À lire aussi :
Iran conflict: air campaigns rarely work as intended – they often make matters worse

‘Special relationship’ under strain

Keir Starmer certainly doesn’t believe in regime change “from the skies”, or so he told the House of Commons this week when fending off criticism of the UK government’s position on whether and how the UK should be involved in this conflict. As the US-Israeli attacks began, Starmer said that the UK would have none of it (due, in large part apparently, to his assessment of a lack of lawful basis for the campaign) and he was not prepared to allow America to use the UK’s bases in any capacity either.

He has since softened his stance, allowing the US to use some British bases, but purely for defensive purposes, to target Iranian ballistic launch sites that could threaten British interests in the region.

But Donald Trump remains unimpressed and there’s no doubt that this episode has put severe pressure on the so-called “special relationship” between Britain and America. Matt Bar, of Nottingham Trent University, walks us through some of the ups and downs of this relationship over the decades and concludes that it has survived worse setbacks in its time.

À lire aussi :
Iran is putting pressure on the US-UK ‘special relationship’ – but it has survived worse over the years

If this all wasn’t so serious, the US president’s reaction to not immediately getting his way from Starmer would be amusing. In fact it drew an involuntary bark of laughter when I read that, in a press session after a meeting with the German chancellor, Friedrich Merz, on March 3, the US president threw a few barbs Starmer’s way, concluding that: “This is not Winston Churchill that we’re dealing with.”

Indeed. Historian Richard Toye of Exeter University explores that unlikely comparison.

À lire aussi :
What would Winston Churchill make of war with Iran?

The view from Moscow and Beijing

As you’d expect, Beijing was quick to condemn the strikes. China has been heavily dependent on its imports of oil from Iran, and regime change there would threaten this and force it to look elsewhere.

China is linked to Iran in a number of ways, including – significantly – via Tehran’s use of China’s satellite navigation system, BeiDou , which Beijing is touting as a possible replacement for the western Global Positioning System (GPS).

China-watcher Tom Harper, of the University of East London, assesses how this conflict will affect China and concludes that while it will cause turmoil in the short-term, a protracted conflict will play to its benefit in the long term.

À lire aussi :
China set to suffer from turmoil in the Middle East, but it stands to benefit long term

The assassination hit a raw nerve in Moscow. Putin, whose fear of assassination borders on the pathological, watched the killing of a fellow autocrat with undisguised alarm.

Iran is a close ally of Russia. Tehran provided huge numbers of its Shahed drones to Putin to help him wage his illegal war in Ukraine, and Iran has also helped Moscow circumvent the west’s sanctions regime.

Stefan Wolff, an expert in international security at the University of Birmingham, believes that the conflict will play to Moscow’s advantage in the short term at least, as the US diverts munitions earmarked for purchase by Kyiv’s European allies. But he thinks the war is “unlikely to shift the dial significantly towards Russian victory in the long term”.

À lire aussi :
What the conflict in Iran means for Putin and Ukraine

Sign up to receive our weekly World Affairs Briefing newsletter from The Conversation UK. Every Thursday we’ll bring you expert analysis of the big stories in international relations.

Rising Country music star Ty Myers will be a long way from home after swapping cattle ranches for the big stadium stages in a huge breakthrough year for the teen

As the Country music bug continues to sweep the UK, one rising star has promised a show to remember during his debut set in Europe. Ty Myers might only be 18, but the musician’s meteoric rise sees him head to Blighty for the Country 2 Country festival this month labelled as the artist to watch by Grammy and Spotify.

He’ll quickly follow up his festival feature with a return to these shores to support the legendary Luke Combs. It’s all a far cry from his early years when the Ends of the Earth singer spent his childhood on a cattle ranch.

But it’s this upbringing that Ty says is helping to mould him into the next big thing in the genre. Speaking exclusively to the Mirror, the teen said: “I mean, there are many lessons you learn growing up. Everybody you see around you, in this, and in that industry, is hard working.

READ MORE: Record-breaking Country star Jordan Davis reveals touching meaning behind Luke Bryan songREAD MORE: ‘I went from fighting fires to selling out arenas thanks to one bold move’

Advertisement

“You just put your head down and do it. And that’s just a great way to live life. And really, I take that over into the music industry and the music business, and it’s been a great, great help to me, for sure.”

Ensure our latest headlines always appear at the top of your Google Search by making us a Preferred Source. Click here to activate or add us as your Preferred Source in your Google search settings.

Known for his ability to blend traditional country storytelling with blues, soul and rock influences, Ty believes his success comes from being able to relate to the younger audience. “I feel like the most logical reasoning [as to why he is already so successful] is I’m writing all my own songs.

“I’m writing to my generation from where I get it, you know? We all think the same. We’re all very emotional. We’re all trying to figure it out, and it’s such a strange world to navigate right now, especially at our age.

“And I feel I maybe connecting because of that, because I get them, because I deal with the same problems as them.”

Following his shows in London, Glasgow and Belfast as part of the C2C: Country to Country festival ensemble, Ty will join Luke on his massive My Kinda Saturday Night Tour.

After playing in stadiums in the US, he will returning to the UK and Ireland with the hitmaker later in the year where he will perform at Slane Castle in Dublin, Murrayfield Stadium in Edinburgh, and Wembley Stadium in London.

And he’s told his fans to expect a show that is “all about the music”. Admitting there’s “not a whole lot of pyrotechnics or flaming rings and jumping bicycles,” Ty said he lives for making music on stage.

And in a message to his UK and Irish fans, Ty said: “I’ve heard nothing but amazing things about European crowds. So I’m, I’m, I’m expecting a lot of energy and a lot of love for music, because that’s all I’ve heard. So I have big expectations.”

Like this story? For more of the latest showbiz news and gossip, follow Mirror Celebs on TikTok , Snapchat , Instagram , Twitter , Facebook , YouTube and Threads .

Having started the season with Nuno Espirito Santo in charge, Forest’s players are working under their fourth manager of the season in Vitor Pereira.

Nuno was sacked largely because of a breakdown in relations with Edu, with Ange Postecoglou and Sean Dyche suffering the same fate.

Pereira has been tasked with guiding Forest to top-flight survival but has yet to win a Premier League game since his appointment last month.

In terms of player recruitment, Forest have spent close to £200m on new players since the summer, a strategy that Edu – given his remit – has been central to.

Given their poor league position, there are understood to be misgivings internally with regards to Edu’s performance.

Sources have indicated to BBC Sport in recent days that Edu is likely to leave the City Ground before next season – but the club insist that is not true.

Nevertheless, Edu’s role remains under major scrutiny heading into the final weeks of the season.

Edu and Nottingham Forest are likely to part company less than a year after the club appointed the former Arsenal sporting director as their head of global football

Nottingham Forest look likely to part ways with their head of global football, Edu, after telling the former Arsenal sporting director to stay away from the club’s training ground.

Edu has only been in the role eight months but it has been a turbulent campaign for Forest both on and off the pitch. That has involved no less than four managers, with the popular Nuno Espirito Santo eventually being removed from his post as head coach after falling out with Edu just weeks after the Brazilian’s arrival at The City Ground.

Ange Postecoglou and Sean Dyche have since had brief and underwhelming stints in the hotseat with the latter being sacked last month after 114 days in charge.

Vitor Pereira is the man Forest’s powerbrokers have tasked with guiding the club to Premier League safety, with the Midlands outfit only outside the relegation zone on goal difference with nine fixtures remaining.

MAKE THE MIRROR YOUR FIRST CHOICE! Click here to activate or add us as Preferred Source in your Google search settings

READ MORE: League to trial new time-wasting rule as Arsenal star David Raya draws complaintsREAD MORE: Norway boss delivers Martin Odegaard injury update after Arsenal captain’s knee setback

The Telegraph report that Edu’s position is now under serious threat, even though the club have stressed he is continuing to work as normal. The report claims he has been told to stay away from the club’s training ground, with his exit from Forest now ‘expected before the end of the season’.

Edu is also said to have been asked to stay away from matches, with Wednesday night’s 2-2 draw with Manchester City the third consecutive fixture he has missed.

Advertisement

His capture by Forest was largely viewed as a coup given the plaudits he earned during his time at Arsenal, who re-established themselves as title contenders under Mikel Arteta during Edu’s premiership.

He announced he would be leaving the Gunners back in November 2024, citing the need for a ‘new challenge’ when explaining his exit. He linked up with Forest the following summer.

Edu’s remit included recruitment, squad strategy and player development after Forest created a role for him. The club spent around £200million in the summer but recruitment has been scrutinised in the wake of the team’s poor form, with a number of players failing to live up to expectations.

Join our new WhatsApp community and receive your daily dose of Mirror Football content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don’t like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you’re curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.

Sky Sports discounted Premier League and EFL package

This article contains affiliate links, we will receive a commission on any sales we generate from it. Learn more

£49

£35

Sky

Get the deal here

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.

Advertisement

Sky shows at least 215 live Premier League games each season, an increase of up to 100, plus Formula 1, darts, golf and more.

The 28-year-old’s grandfather is a British sporting legend and has been in touch since the last match

Wales back-row James Botham has revealed that he had good-natured stick from his famous grandfather following the slip-up that led to Darcy Graham’s crucial try in the Six Nations defeat to Scotland.

Steve Tandy’s side completely switched off from a kick-off after extending their lead to 23-12 in the second half of their last Six Nations match. Finn Russell’s quickly-taken restart allowed wing Graham to latch onto the kick to score, reducing the deficit and proving crucial as Gregor Townsend’s side eventually ran out 26-23 winners.

Cardiff flanker Botham, making his first Wales appearance in a year, was close to the action – with some pointing the blame at the 28-year-old.

JOIN OUR WALES RUGBY FACEBOOK PAGE Latest news, analysis and much more

Tandy hasn’t singled out Botham for criticism publicly, but that hasn’t stopped some of his team-mates giving him stick.

“I’ve had it every single day in training from Daf and a few of the other boys saying, ‘Jim! Look up!” quite a bit,” said Botham this week. “But that’s part and parcel of it, I suppose.

“It’s in that environment that you kind of need to be told, because obviously it can’t happen. So, I actually think it’s good I’m getting that from them, in a way.

“It’s funny at the time, to get a bit of stick. But this is professional sport, and we’re all athletes. We’ve got to get on with it.”

He added: “It’s one of those that happened all so fast, and there is learning to take from it, obviously. You can’t switch off at any point at this level. If you do, obviously, everything went because of that bounce.

“I reckon if you did that again a few times, then it probably wouldn’t have bounced the same. But look, it’s happened now. I can’t look back at it and say, oh, ‘what is this?’ It’s happened.

“I’ve just got to never let it happen again, I suppose, and also just focus on the next points and not let it affect me going forward.

“It was definitely louder, and even when the boys screamed, I couldn’t hear them. But it’s happened. It’s one of those where you’ve just got to move on.”

Not only have Botham’s team-mates given him some gentle ribbing, but he’s also had the same treatment from his family.

Dad Liam scored 42 tries in 72 matches for Cardiff, while he narrowly missed out on an England cap during his playing career in rugby union. And of course, James’ grandfather is English cricket legend Ian Botham, with Lord Botham regarded as one of Britain’s finest sportsmen.

“He usually gives me a bit of grief,” said Botham of his dad, Liam. “Even granddad (Ian) said something from the other side of the world.

“He always has a little say. So, I kind of knew it was coming and I was trying to avoid the call a little bit. But no, the FaceTime popped up, and I saw him, and I was like, ‘Oh, here we go!”

He added: “It was more the look, because I was on FaceTime, he didn’t really say too much. He just looked at me, kind of with his head down and smirked.

“But I knew exactly what he was on about. But to be fair, he was very chuffed for me that I had been able to get back out there and play. And apart from that one little thing, I felt good about the whole game really.”

On the influence of his family, Botham has always appreciated that honesty – especially coming from two men who have been there and done it in a sporting context. “That’s quite a good thing to have, I suppose,” he said.

“It was there from a young age. I’ve always knew after every game, there would be the dreaded call from dad. I never knew if it was going to be either good or bad.

“He would always tell me straight how it is, and it was the same with granddad. So, I think that’s helped me down the line.”

Despite the incident, Botham is instead celebrating a first start since the second match of last year’s Six Nations second round match against Italy.

The flanker had established himself as a regular in the latter days of Warren Gatland’s second spell in charge, having had to wait three years between his eighth and ninth cap.

Having been a part of the title-winning side in 2021, he wouldn’t feature for Wales until 2024 – making the last year on the fringes seem that little bit shorter.

“It doesn’t feel like a year since I last played,” he said. “It kind of felt like yesterday.

“When Steve called me, initially I thought that when we get the call, it’s sometimes to say we’re not involved. So my heart sank a bit when I saw it and then he told me it was good news. He’s been great with speaking to people.

“But it was weird. I had played the first few games and then I had about just shy of three years, then played. That felt like a long time.

“At the end of the day, that’s a prime example. You’ve just got to keep your head down and get on with it and hopefully your time comes again.

“Then with regards to then not playing for the summer and the autumn and then coming back in, that felt fast. But it was just one of those.

“You’ve just got to keep doing what you’re doing for your club and then hopefully get the opportunities. It’s not really in your control apart from when it’s on the field.”

Follow all of our channels to ensure you stay up to date with the latest Welsh rugby news. Sign up to our free daily newsletter here and our WhatsApp channel here for all the breaking news.

But Bethell would not quite complete what he had started. He only faced two more balls in the 19th over, leaving England needing 30 from the final over. Attempting a second run to stay on strike, Bethell’s desperate, forlorn dive ended with his face on the ground. Three sixes from Jofra Archer, when defeat was already mathematically confirmed, added to England’s anguish.

Yet English defeats have seldom been more admirable. A cocktail of a raucous home crowd, sumptuous batting conditions and the high-stakes of a World Cup semi-final combined to produce one of the greatest matches in T20 history.

After conceding their highest ever score in T20 cricket, and then losing Phil Salt in the second over, England responded with bravery and elan to their impossible pursuit. Bethell arrived at 38 for two, and promptly flicked Bumrah for six over fine leg from his second delivery.

Twenty-four hours earlier, Bethell had shadow-batted out on the square at the Wankhede. Yet surely not even in his visualisation can he have imagined batting with quite the fluency and range that he exhibited in Mumbai.

When mystery spinner Varun Chakravarthy came on, in the sixth over, Bethell showed off his audacity and range, launching Chakravarthy’s first ball over long on and his second over long off. His appetite unsated, Bethell then reverse-slogged Chakravarthy’s third delivery for another six, this time over deep point.

Liam  Rodgers, 33, sexually assaulted the woman and while under investigation for that stabbed the man several times in an unrelated attack.  

Both had to wait more than two years to see justice and endure many delays and postponements in the court system.

Confining him in a secure psychiatric unit under the Mental Health Act, Judge Simon Hickey told Rodgers: “You are not likely to be released for many, many years, if ever”.

As The Press reported yesterday, had he not been schizophrenic, Rodgers, of no fixed address, would have been jailed for 16 years after he pleaded guilty to two sexual offences against the woman and causing grievous bodily harm with intent to the man.

Detective Constable Karen Everitt of North Yorkshire Police, who led the investigation into the sexual assaults that happened in September 2023, said: “The victim of these horrific sexual assaults was targeted by Rodgers who is a highly dangerous and manipulative man.

“Throughout the police investigation, she has shown remarkable strength and resilience. Her determination was driven by a desire to ensure that Rodgers could never treat anyone else in the same way again, and that he would finally be held accountable for his actions.

“This has been an extremely long and difficult journey for her, made even harder by the fact that Rodgers refused to take responsibility until the eve of the trial. As a result, she had to endure the full length of the police and CPS processes. Despite this, she has come through it and is now in a much stronger and happier place in her life.

“I hope she feels proud of herself for her courage in bringing Rodgers to justice and for ensuring that the public is now aware of him and his despicable behaviour. This outcome would not have been possible without the extraordinary strength she has shown throughout.”

Investigator Corrina Graham-Merrett of North Yorkshire Police said about the stabbing in January 2024: “Rodgers carried out a sudden and extremely violent attack on the victim, giving him no opportunity to defend himself or escape.

“The determination and courage shown by the victim throughout this investigation has been remarkable, especially given the fear and trauma he endured.

“Witnesses were clear that the nature of Rodgers’ actions made them believe he intended to kill, and today’s sentence reflects the gravity of that behaviour. I hope this outcome brings the victim some sense of justice as he continues to rebuild his life.”

A North Yorkshire Police statement said: “We never underestimate how difficult it is for survivors of sexual abuse to speak out and report what has happened.

But we hope cases like this one provide reassurance that victims will be listened to, treated with dignity and respect, and will be supported throughout the judicial process.

If you have been sexually abused, and you are not yet ready to report to police, please don’t suffer in silence.

Further information and details of support services can be found on our website: Support after rape and sexual assault | North Yorkshire Police.”

Sir Keir Starmer has pledged to send more British fighter jets to the Middle East in a bid to bolster the UK’s military presence in the region as the conflict continues to escalate.

Speaking at a Downing Street press conference on Thursday, the prime minister rejected criticism from opponents and allies that Britain had not acted fast enough when fighting began, and said he “stands by” his decision not to join the initial strikes on Tehran over the weekend.

Announcing the extra military assets being sent to the region, Sir Keir said: “I can announce today that we’re sending four additional Typhoon jets to join our squadron in Qatar to strengthen our defensive operations in Qatar and across the region.”

Two Wildcat helicopters armed with drone-busting missiles will arrive in Cyprus on Friday, as the warship HMS Dragon is unlikely to arrive in the Mediterranean until next week.

open image in gallery

The move comes on the sixth day of a conflict between Iran and the US, which has dragged in countries across the Middle East and beyond.

Britain did not join the initial strikes on Iran, but has since allowed US forces to use British bases to strike in a defensive capacity.

Sir Keir called for de-escalation on Thursday, as he reiterated the need for a negotiated settlement with Iran over their nuclear ambitions.

It comes as Britain has been facing criticism for failing to have enough military assets in the Middle East after RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus was hit by a drone over the weekend.

The prime minister has faced harsh words from the US president, who said he is “no Winston Churchill”, while Cyprus’s high commissioner to the UK said a British military presence to defend the island was “the least we expect”, in a criticism of the UK’s approach to managing the war.

open image in gallery

But Sir Keir rejected such criticism, insisting the UK had been preparing for the possibility of conflict “long before” Israeli and US strikes began, by deploying “additional military capabilities to the region to defend our interests”.

He also said the special relationship between the US and the UK had not been fractured by the disagreement, telling reporters: “Look, the special relationship is in operation right now.

“We’re working with the Americans in the deployment from our bases. We are working together in the region, the US and the British, working together to protect both the US and the British in joint bases where we’re jointly located, and we’re sharing intelligence on 24/7 basis in the usual way.

open image in gallery

“That is the special relationship. That is a special relationship in operation, and clearly, it’s for the president to take decisions that he considers in the national interest the right decisions for the US.”

Sir Keir said he had not spoken to Mr Trump since Saturday evening, but added: “We’re sharing intelligence on 24/7 basis in the usual way. That is the special relationship.”

Speaking at a press conference on Thursday, Sir Keir also announced that the first government-chartered flight from Oman to Britain had finally taken off, after it was delayed from doing so overnight.

He said more than 4,000 people have now arrived back in the United Kingdom on commercial flights from the UAE, and that a further seven flights are due to leave the UAE for the UK on Thursday.

Sir Keir revealed he had chaired a Cobra meeting on Thursday, and acknowledged that people across the UK are “worried sick about their family and friends who are caught up in this”.

He added: “I want to reassure the British public about the action that we are taking while the region has been plunged into chaos.

“My focus is providing calm, level-headed leadership in the national interest.”

Zelensky made clear Ukraine would help only on the condition that its own defence was not weakened and that there were diplomatic gains for Kyiv – suggesting, in particular, that Ukraine would be willing to swap its interceptor drones for more US Patriot air defences to protect against Russian ballistic missiles.

Paul Quinn, 51, is on trial at Manchester Crown Court accused of raping the woman at an isolated embankment off the M61 between Little Hulton and Farnworth in 2003.

The jury of seven women and five men heard a statement given by the woman at the time about the lead-up to the assault as she was walking alone in the early hours of the morning.

The statement, read by Abigail Husbands, prosecuting, said: “I heard a male voice coming from the wooded area: ‘I think you should come into the bushes, I have a gun pointed at your head’.

“The voice sounded very close and was a local accent. I could not see anyone.”

The trial was opened at Manchester Crown Court (Image: Anthony Moss)

The woman’s statement described how she had continued walking after telling the unseen voice that she was going to call the police before feeling an “almighty force”.

She described how she was then dragged down the embankment and horrifically assaulted.

Her statement said: “I was constantly thinking he was going to kill me, I was so frightened.”

A description that the woman, who cannot be named for legal reasons, gave of her attacker at the time said that he was white, with olive or tanned skin and dark brown to black hair.

She also said he had been wearing an open white shirt.

The trial heard security guard Andrew Malkinson was wrongly identified as the rapist in the police investigation and was convicted and jailed for 17 years for a crime he had not committed.

The court heard that Andrew Malkinson wrongly spent 17 years in jail (Image: GMP)

Quinn was not interviewed by police until 2022, by which time Mr Malkinson had already been released.

John Price KC, prosecuting, told the jury how analysis of Quinn’s internet history after news broke in 2022 showed his level of interest in the case.

He said that Quinn, by then living in Devon, searched the website of the Manchester Evening News 249 times between August and December 2022.

Mr Price also told jurors the defendant had provided a DNA specimen to be kept on the national database in 2012.

And after news headlines about the new DNA link,  the court heard how Quinn appeared to have begun researching the subject.

Mr Price told jurors in August 2022 he searched Google for “how long is DNA kept in database?”, and “why do I keep sweating all the time?”

Other searches included “Can you refuse to give a DNA sample to the police UK? Is my DNA in a database UK?”

Quinn, of Whipton Barton Road, Exeter, denies two counts of rape, one count of attempt to strangle, and one count of assault, intending to cause grievous bodily harm.

The trial, before Mr Justice Robert Bright, continues.