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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The trial, before Judge Kenderick Horne, continues.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Titled ‘Don’t Spark Disaster,’ the campaign urges both residents and visitors to take extra care in the countryside during the summer months to avoid triggering potentially devastating blazes.

The public is being reminded that seemingly minor actions—such as lighting barbecues, leaving campfires unattended, or carelessly discarding cigarettes and glass bottles—can quickly spark wildfires with long-lasting consequences.

North Yorkshire Council’s leader, Cllr Carl Les with Jim Bailey, Chair of the NYMNPA as a new wildfire prevention campaign is launched (Image: Supplied)

Jim Bailey, chair of the North York Moors National Park Authority, said: “Most wildfires are preventable.

“That’s the simple but crucial message at the heart of this campaign.”

The campaign is a joint effort led by the North York Moors National Park Authority, North Yorkshire Council, the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority, Forestry England, and North Yorkshire Fire & Rescue Service.

Funding has been provided by North Yorkshire Council, with support from Visit North Yorkshire.

A new wildfire prevention campaign has been launched across North Yorkshire, urging residents and visitors to help reduce the risk of fires during hot, dry summer weather. (Image: Supplied)

Cllr Carl Les, leader of North Yorkshire Council, said: “We welcome visitors here in North Yorkshire and our stunning landscapes attract millions of people every year, but we need everyone to understand the risks and take care of the environment.

“A barbecue in the sunshine or a carelessly discarded glass bottle or cigarette can have serious impacts for people and places for years to come, as we saw last year.

“This campaign is vital to making sure that we do not see a repeat of the biggest wildfire we have ever witnessed in North Yorkshire.

A new wildfire prevention campaign has been launched across North Yorkshire, urging residents and visitors to help reduce the risk of fires during hot, dry summer weather. (Image: Supplied)

“Our message is clear – please come and enjoy all that North Yorkshire has to offer but be aware that careless actions can cause a catastrophic impact on our communities and the natural environment.”

The campaign has been launched as partner organisations continue to deal with the long-term effects of a historic wildfire on Fylingdales Moor last year—the largest ever recorded in the North York Moors National Park.

That incident left parts of the landscape visibly scarred, with sheep still unable to return to some grazing areas.

Mr Bailey said: “The fire may have happened a year ago, but we continue to deal with the aftermath on a daily basis.

“Farmers and graziers have been unable to return sheep to parts of Fylingdales Moor, while the landscape remains visibly scarred by both the fire and the large earth trenches that were dug to stop it spreading further.

“We urge everyone to think carefully about their actions when enjoying the countryside this summer.

“A moment’s carelessness can have consequences that last for generations, but a few simple precautions can help prevent another devastating wildfire from happening in the first place.”

The ‘Don’t Spark Disaster’ campaign will run throughout the summer and will use social media, e-newsletters, outdoor advertising, and digital communications to share wildfire prevention messages across North Yorkshire and beyond.

Visitors are still encouraged to explore and enjoy the countryside, with advice to opt for picnic options that do not require on-site cooking to reduce the risk of accidental fires.

Businesses, community groups, and other organisations are being asked to help amplify the campaign by displaying materials in their premises and sharing content online.

A free toolkit of resources—including posters, digital graphics, and social media assets—is available to download.

The campaign also has the backing of Lizzie Bushby, deputy chair and member champion for recreation management at the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority.

Ms Bushby said: “We are proud to support this campaign after witnessing the devastation caused by the Fylingdales Moor wildfire in the North York Moors.

“Moorland habitat is becoming more vulnerable as our climate changes.

“Once it burns, we lose essential habitats, wildlife and peatland that has taken hundreds of years to form.

“These fires are often the result of human actions, so it’s vital that everyone who visits our National Park takes simple steps to help protect these precious landscapes.”

More information and campaign resources are available at northyorkmoors.org.uk/dontsparkdisaster.

Russia is losing its war against Ukraine. Proof of this has come from Vladimir Putin himself, who has issued a desperate call for a return to peace talks while his oil refineries burn and his bridges to occupied territory are pounded by Kyiv’s missiles.

Russia’s president has been badly rattled; his airports are closed, his military logistics chain has dangerously snapped, and public support is waning for a war he started, and for which Russia’s national media can no longer generate artificial enthusiasm.

His minions have been whining that an agreement they believe was struck with Donald Trump at the Anchorage summit with Putin last year – giving Moscow colonial ownership of 20 per cent of Ukraine – has been abandoned by the US president as he prepares to meet Nato’s secretary general Mark Rutte.

Trump likes to back a winner. So far he has backed Russia, which invaded a democratic European nation at full scale in February 2022.

Now may be the time for Rutte to explain to the 47th president of the US that his Nato allies are indeed pulling their weight without US help (aside from intelligence) in Ukraine.

All he needs to do is repeat what Putin said earlier this week, when he asserted that Ukraine’s attacks on Russia’s oil infrastructure and other logistics operations are an attempt to “destabilise society”.

And clearly, Putin believes this is working.

“Russia, as has been stated repeatedly, is ready for peace negotiations with Ukraine,” he said on Monday, in what amounted to a plea to get back to the days when Ukraine’s Western allies believed that Kyiv was losing and that some kind of peace should be agreed with Moscow.

“It is ready to proceed on the basis of the agreements reached back in Istanbul – agreements which, I would remind you, were initiated at the time by the Ukrainian delegation.”

Back then, the view endorsed by many in the British Foreign Office, and by serving officers in Britain’s armed forces, was that Ukraine should sue for peace. It was wrong back then, as The Independent argued – and it is evidently wrong again now.

Further proof comes in the repeated complaints from Kremlin officials that Trump does not appear to be the same enthusiast for Russia as he has been for most of the last 18 months – when he cut all military aid to Kyiv, and exaggerated what the US had spent by almost three times, saying it was $300bn (it was closer to $120bn), not to mention the repeated insults and bullying sessions endured by Volodymyr Zelensky, Ukraine’s president.

This week we have seen Russian Soviet-style revisionism on what the Anchorage summit delivered. It had been seen as a capitulation to Moscow by America’s allies.

But now, as Ukraine has gained momentum against Russia with complete domination of the Black Sea, and forced Moscow to consider a ban on diesel exports after Russian refineries were hit with long-range missiles, the Kremlin’s spokesmen sound hurt and outraged.

Trump has been distracted by his war against Iran, which has also enhanced Ukraine’s reputation after Kyiv offered anti-drone defences to America’s Gulf allies.

He has lost his war in the Middle East so far. Now he may be looking for an easy win, and this, the Kremlin knows, is an opportunity for Zelensky.

Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov said on Sunday that only one side had remained committed to the understanding agreed in Anchorage that Moscow could grab a chunk of Ukraine in return for “peace”.

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“The other side, as it now appears, has not been fully able to do its part,” he said, referring to the US – not Ukraine.

On Tuesday, Russia’s foreign minister Sergei Lavrov suggested that the Anchorage summit might have been a US “ploy to buy time to rearm the Kyiv regime”.

His deputy, Sergei Ryabkov, also accused the US of departing from the “fundamental understandings” reached in Alaska, according to Interfax.

“We also see Washington’s line moving closer to the most rabid anti-Russian policies pursued by the US’s closest European allies – namely, the UK and France,” Moscow’s news agency RIA quoted Ryabkov as saying, after Zelensky and Trump met at the G7 last week.

Crimea, illegally seized by Russia in 2014/15 and occupied ever since, has been especially badly hit by Ukraine’s air campaign.

Mikhail Razvozhayev, the Russian-installed governor of Sevastopol, home to Russia’s Black Sea fleet, announced “enforced temporary measures” this week, including the shutting down of public transport at 10pm, and the closure of large shops and cafes at 8pm.

Fuel shortages are beginning to cripple Russia’s greatest prize in Ukraine.

The UK and European allies have been struggling with how to expand their defence capabilities rapidly without crippling their national budgets.

Britain’s former defence secretary, John Healey, and his deputy, Al Carns, contributed to the collapse of Keir Starmer’s government when they resigned over what they said was inadequate funding for their ministry.

Turmoil in No 10 was seen in Moscow as a victory for the Kremlin’s destabilising efforts.

When Starmer resigned, Kirill Dmitriev, the Kremlin’s main envoy to the US, said on X: “We did this jointly by exposing Starmer’s warmongering and consistently wrong policies on immigration, crime, energy and economy. He failed to protect Britain and was destroying Western civilisation.”

Russia is already engaged in hybrid warfare against the UK and other allies of Kyiv. It has sabotaged efforts to support Ukraine, across the continent and inside the UK, with bombs and arson attacks.

On social media, it is leading the world in disinformation that undermines leaders, foments far-right extremism, and perpetuates lies that, for example, London is a hotbed of violent crime, when in fact violent crime in the capital is at its lowest point for decades.

But Russia has the West rattled, and grappling with defence spending it can ill afford in order to see off the threat even from a relatively small Russian economy, which itself is being crippled by war and sanctions on its oil economy.

There is an alternative, though, which Europe, and even the US, may seize. That is to reinforce Ukraine’s success against Russia; to help Kyiv not merely to freeze the front lines, but to break the spine of the Russian logistics operations so that Moscow’s front collapses entirely.

Ukraine may be able to achieve this anyway, with what is already a ferocious medium-range campaign of attacks inside Russian-occupied territory.

A defeated Russian army is dangerous to the tenants in the Kremlin. Putin knows that: as a student of his country’s history, he will be mindful of when Moscow’s forces returned from ignominy in WWI and helped topple the tsar.

Russia is a federation of states – an empire run from Moscow, mainly by white men. The leaders and citizens of Ingushetia, Dagestan, Tartarstan, Bashkortostan, Sakha, Tuva, and Buryatia may welcome a Russian military collapse, and rise against Moscow’s colonial rule over their lives. They are, after all, supplying a vast amount of the men who are being slaughtered at a rate of around 35,000 a month in Putin’s war against Ukraine.

Far from agreeing to restart talks based on absurd demands for Ukrainian neutrality, perpetual military weakness and territorial loss, Ukraine’s allies (plus America) can seize the opportunity noted by Putin, and help rid the West of this threat from the Kremlin – for the time being, anyway.

The number of deaths from alcohol, drugs and suicide in the US fell sharply in 2024, led by a huge fall in overdoses, new research shows. 

Data from Trust for America’s Health (TFAH), a non-profit public health body, found that alcohol deaths declined by 4%, drug deaths by 26%, and suicides by 3% in 2024 – a positive trend that researchers said had continued into 2025.

Improved access to health services and the rollout of early intervention programmes were among the reasons cited for the decline. But TFAH warned progress risked stalling due to recent cuts to health services, including substance abuse programmes. It also warned that suicide deaths remain high in some demographics, notably among American Indians.   

“Sustaining and building on recent progress requires the federal government to invest even more in programs that reduce and prevent harm — not cut them,” said Dr Nadine Gracia, president of TFAH. 

“We are also seeing specific groups of people not experiencing the same progress, especially when it comes to deaths from suicide. We need to do even more to build strong policies and programmes that help to improve everyone’s mental health and wellbeing.”

Image: Jack Finnigan

The restaurant, which has existing sites in Barnard Castle and Darlington, is taking over Unit 17 at The Riverwalk in Durham city centre, a space that has sat empty since plans for a Casa Peri Peri restaurant fell through in 2021.

Pictures of the site show the Babul’s branding already in place above the entrance at The Riverwalk, with window graphics advertising jobs for bartenders, hosts, servers, food runners and kitchen assistants.

A spokesperson said the process had started in January last year, with the deal to move in agreed earlier this year, before an extensive refit of the site was needed.

“It has been over a year in the making,” they said. “We are really excited that we have finally got there.”

The venue has been in the works since early 2025. (Image: BABUL’S)

Babul’s, which describes itself as ‘different to the usual curry house’, says it plans to develop a bespoke menu for the Durham venue once it has established which dishes prove most popular with local customers.

However, the spokesperson struck a cautious note about the wider trading environment facing smaller hospitality businesses.

“There are lots and lots of restaurants closing and it is very uncertain,” they said.

“We have to be optimistic, but we have to keep an eye on events around the world.

“It is very tricky for small businesses now.”

The restaurant previously applied for a licence to serve alcohol from 11am to midnight Monday to Thursday, and until 1am on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, with extended hours until 2am on special occasions including New Year’s Eve, Christmas Eve, Boxing Day and bank holiday weekends.

Ian was last seen in Leverhulme Park, Bolton, on the afternoon of 24 June 2026.

He is described as a white man of stocky build, 5ft 5in to 5ft 6in tall, with short black shaved hair, stubble, and tanned skin.

He is missing his right hand, and was last seen wearing black joggers that he has reportedly worn for two weeks.

The joggers feature ‘KWD’ in grey lettering on the left upper leg, and he has a dark blue Voodoo bike which should be with him.

A Greater Manchester Police spokesperson said, via social media: “Officers are becoming increasingly concerned about him and want to make sure he is safe and well.”

Dog and cat owners are full of praise for the bed that has been slashed in a double deal, beating Amazon’s Prime Day Price

Our furry friends can never have too many beds. At minimum, most dogs and cats have at least two beds – one upstairs and one downstairs.

However, as all pawrents know, our four-legged friends can get bored easily and occasionally they will stop sleeping in their designated beds. One of the newer popular styles is sofa beds, but these are much more expensive than regular designs.

However, Yimbly (a marketplace owned by this title’s parent company, Reach Plc) has a double deal on this PawHut Dog Sofa Bed. Normally £56.99, the pet sofa is on general sale for £48.44 – but there’s a way to get it for even less.

Shoppers can use the discount code SUMMER10 for 10% off, taking the price down further to £43.60, which beats Amazon’s Prime Day offer of £56.99 (down from £73.33). The PawHut Dog Sofa Bed is for extra-small dogs, features a spacious design, and is made with thick, padded material for comfort, so pets can rest and stretch with ease.

The zippered cushion cover is washable, whilst the water-resistant sofa is easy to clean. Meanwhile, the solid wooden structure keeps it strong and durable.

PawHut Sofa Bed

£56.99

£48.44

Yimbly

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Buy Now on Yimbly

Normally £56.99, the one-size pet sofa is on general sale for £48.44. Additionally, shoppers can use the discount code SUMMER10 for 10% off, taking the price down further to £43.60.

Elsewhere, Dunelm also has plenty of pet beds, including this newly released Beatrice Stripe Box Pet Bed, priced between £45 and £60 for medium, large, and extra-large sizes. Featuring a removable, machine-washable cover, it’s easy to keep clean, while the non-slip base ensures it stays safely in place.

Cat owners may like this feline-shaped Maple Seagrass Multi-use Basket (£35), which also doubles as a bed when the cushion is purchased. The matching pillow is £15.

Prospective buyers of the PawHut Dog Sofa Bed can find reviews and ratings of it on Amazon. In the comments, one person said: “I don’t know how many beds I have bought for this little dog… far too many… but this one was used straight away, and he often goes in it. So I think it’s one of my best buys. Not sure how easy it will be to keep clean, but he doesn’t get very dirty. He is a large mini verging on full-size dachshund and doesn’t like big beds. So this is perfect.”

Another pleased fan added: “It was easy to put the feet on and you’re done, it’s that easy. But the proof is in the cat, well, mine dived straight on and is always on it, totally worth the money.”

A third shopper commented: “I rarely write reviews but for this lovely bed I had to. I bought it for my large cat and he now spends every moment he can in it. Perfect size for a small dog/large cat, really smart and well-made but comfortable. Super easy, just to put the legs on, and arrived really quickly. Definitely would recommend.”

Another was not as pleased, noting downsides on the cushioning. They explained: “Lovely looking bed and good quality. The cushion, though, is very thin and hard. I had to put in a softer bed cushion before my dog would use it.”

Someone else had a better experience, saying: “I loved this bed, it’s well made, stylish, nice material, nice colour, strong, our dogs, chihuahuas (6) all pile in and sleep in it together. It’s good value for the money.”

In a detailed review, a penultimate user wrote: “Got this for my mum and dad’s wee tiny Yorkiepoo and it’s plenty of room for her to stretch out. My Cavapoo is a bit on the big side, but when she’s at her gran and grandad’s, she loves being in the bed. She can cuddle up in it. Not stretch fully out as you can see by photos, though she can still get comfy. I’m definitely going to be purchasing a bigger one for my wee girl at home!”

However, they did go on to add: “Only slight negative is the legs weren’t 100% even/level and the bed was a little wobbly. Tried to move them too but my Dad ended up having to put washers on them.”

A final buyer remarked: “I have a Maine Coon and struggle to find things suitable for them that don’t look like it’s for a dog. These are absolutely perfect! As you can see, she loves it and it was a good price for the quality too.”

As Arsenal also discuss a move for wonderkid Jeremy Monga, amid interest in Ayyoub Bouaddi, Bradley Barcola, Eli Junior Kroupi, and Christos Tzolis, Tottenham want to sign Guimaraes’ team-mate Sandro Tonali for around £85m, and are said to have had a second bid rejected, but could first sign Mateus Fernandes from West Ham for around the same figure. Chelsea have booked a medical for Marco Palestra and hope to sign Maxence Lacroix for a combined £100m.

It looks as though we’ve let it slip through our fingers, again.

It feIt feels like a horror movie we’ve all seen far too many times before.

The same old script. The same sinking feeling. The same ending that we were all desperate not to relive.

With the World Cup expanded this year to 48 teams, this felt like a golden opportunity to finally reach the knockout stages of a major tournament for the first time ever. Instead, it looks as though we’ve let it slip through our fingers, again.

We all celebrated long into the night after the 1-0 win over Haiti – but, in hindsight, that performance probably wasn’t enough.

Goal difference was always likely to be crucial if Scotland were going to progress on three points, and we needed a far more convincing display against the Caribbean outfit, whose only World Cup appearance before this summer came back in 1974.

The first half against Morocco wasn’t good enough either – and we failed to turn up again against Brazil, albeit in punishing conditions in the heat at the Hard Rock Stadium.

If this is the end of our World Cup adventure, it will be a particularly painful exit – knocked out on goal difference alone.

Once again, we’ll be left reflecting on the fine margins that went against us. Scott McTominay’s effort that struck the post in the opener. John McGinn’s penalty claim waved away in the following match.

Had just one of those moments fallen in our favour, who knows what might have been.

The harsh reality is that we simply didn’t perform well enough across the three matches – and our supporters deserved more.

The Tartan Army, as ever, have been magnificent throughout their time in the United States.

From the friendships forged in Boston to the parties shared with Colombians, Brazilians and locals in Miami – they have been the tournament’s best ambassadors.

Even after Wednesday’s agonising 3-0 defeat – a result that may well have ended Scotland’s campaign – supporters were still picking up bin bags and clearing rubbish from the fan zone before making their way home.

We now face an anxious wait to see whether other results can offer a lifeline – but if this is where the journey ends, the Tartan Army can hold their heads high. Their reputation as the best supporters in the world remains intact and firmly cemented for another four years, at least.

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