Speaking to a local journalist afterwards, the man – who identified himself only as “Carlos” – said he was a delivery driver who had never heard of Guthrie .
“I might have delivered a package to their house but I never kidnapped anybody,” he said.
As the search continues, FBI Director Kash Patel told Fox News Tuesday evening: “We are looking at people who, as we say, are persons of interest.”
Advertisement
The development came shortly after new surveillance photos and video was released showing a masked person outside Guthrie’s Arizona home on the night she was abducted.
New videos show ‘armed’ masked man at front door of Savannah mother’s home (Pima County Sheriff’s Department/FBI)
Police believe Guthrie, the mother of Today co-host Savannah Guthrie, was taken from her home in a quiet neighborhood near Tucson at some point between the night of January 31 and the morning of February 1.
The black-and-white images released by the Pima County Sheriff’s Department show the sinister figure apparently trying to tamper with Guthrie’s doorbell camera.
Advertisement
Police said it has been working to recover “lost, corrupted or inaccessible” footage related to Guthrie’s disappearance.
“Over the last eight days, the FBI and Pima County Sheriff’s Department have been working closely with our private sector partners to continue to recover any images or video footage from Nancy Guthrie’s home that may have been lost, corrupted, or inaccessible due to a variety of factors – including the removal of recording devices,” the Pima County Sheriff’s Department said in a statement posted to X.
“The video was recovered from residual data located in backend systems.”
Advertisement
New surveillance footage shows a masked person approaching the front door of Nancy Guthrie’s home on the night she disappeared (Pima County Sheriff’s Department)
“Working with our partners, as of this morning, law enforcement has uncovered these previously inaccessible new images showing an armed individual appearing to have tampered with the camera at Nancy Guthrie’s front door the morning of her disappearance,” the statement continued.
Patel also released additional photos and videos recovered from the same door camera.
One video shows the masked suspect approaching the front door and messing with the camera with his gloved hand. The person then walks away and appears to pick up something off the ground. Another video shows the individual using what appears to be a branch with leaves to obstruct the camera as they tamper with it.
Savannah Guthrie shared the new footage on her Instagram, writing: “We believe she is still alive. Bring her home.” The new photos were released a day after she posted a video on Instagram on Monday, begging for the public’s help in finding her mother as an alleged ransom deadline passed.
Advertisement
A missing person poster for Nancy Guthrie describes her physical appearance as the search continues (Pima County Sheriff’s Department)
In the video, she said her family believed her mother was “still out there” and asked for the public’s help in finding her, saying that they were “at an hour of desperation, and we need your help.”
Guthrie’s family reported her missing around noon on February 1 after she did not show up for church. Her disappearance set off a massive search involving state and federal law enforcement agencies.
DNA tests showed blood on Guthrie’s front porch was a match to her, and her doorbell camera was disconnected in the early hours of Sunday morning, Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos has said.
Advertisement
Multiple news outlets have received alleged ransom letters during the past week. Local CNN affiliate KGUN reports it received a ransom note demanding $6 million by Monday, a deadline that passed with no update. Meanwhile, the FBI has said it’s not aware of communication between the Guthrie family and the suspected abductors.
The FBI has offered a $50,000 reward for information.
Here’s what we know so far.
Who is Nancy Guthrie?
Nancy, 84, lives in Catalina Foothills, an affluent community adjacent to the desert just north of Tucson, Arizona.
Advertisement
She is described as a white female, approximately 5ft 5in tall, weighing about 150 pounds, with brown hair and blue eyes. It’s not known what clothing she might be wearing.
Her daughter, Savannah, is a co-host on NBC’s Today show, and her mother has occasionally appeared on the program in segments alongside her.
Savannah Guthrie pictured with her mother Nancy. She posted a video Monday saying she believed her mother was ‘still out there’ (NBC Universal)
How long has she been missing?
Advertisement
Nancy Guthrie was last seen around 9:30 p.m. on the evening of Saturday, January 31, at her home near Skyline Drive and Campbell Avenue, the Pima County Sheriff’s Department said.
She spent Saturday night eating dinner and playing games with family members before one of them dropped her off at her home that sits on hilly, desert terrain, the sheriff said.
She was reported missing the next day, on Sunday, February 1, after she didn’t attend her regular church service.
Sheriff Nanos revealed a more detailed timeline during the most recent press conference on Thursday.
Advertisement
He said Guthrie ordered an Uber and left her home at 5:32 p.m. Saturday to go to the family dinner. She returned at 9:48 p.m.
“We did speak to a driver, because Nancy, we learned, had been taken the Uber to the family residence, the daughter for dinner,” Nanos said. “And we located that driver and spoke with them.”
Her garage door opened at approximately 9:48 p.m. and closed two minutes later, which investigators believe marks the time she arrived home.
Her doorbell camera was disconnected at 1:47 a.m. Sunday. But Guthrie did not have an active subscription so the company was unable to recover any footage.
Advertisement
Software data recorded movement at the home minutes later, at 2:12, the sheriff said, acknowledging that the motion could have come from an animal.
At 2:28 a.m., Guthrie’s pacemaker disconnected from her phone.
Family members went to check on Guthrie at 11:56 a.m. Sunday and were unable to locate her. A 911 call was made at 12:03 p.m., and deputies arrived about 10 minutes later.
How is Nancy’s health?
Advertisement
Nancy Guthrie is considered a “vulnerable adult” due to her age, and Nanos said at a press conference just days after her disappearance that she was “very limited in mobility.”
“We know she didn’t just walk out there, that we know,” the sheriff said, adding that her health challenges were only physical.
“Nancy Guthrie is of great sound and mind, this is not dementia-related. She is as sharp as a tack. Her family wants everybody to know, this is not somebody that just wandered off.”
Advertisement
Nancy Guthrie, 84, pictured with her daughter, Today co-host Savannah Guthrie (Instagram/@savannahguthrie)
She also takes medication that, if she does not have in 24 hours, “could be fatal,” Nanos said.
In a video shared last week, Savannah Guthrie said her mother’s health is “fragile.”
“Our mom is a kind, faithful, loyal, fiercely loving woman of goodness and light. She has grandchildren that adore her and crowd around her and cover her with kisses. Her health, her heart is fragile,” she said.
“Nancy has high blood pressure, a pacemaker and cardiac issues,” the dispatcher said.
What do authorities think happened?
Police believe that Nancy Guthrie was a victim of a crime.
“At this point, investigators believe she was taken from the home against her will, possibly in the middle of the night. Taken against her will includes possible kidnapping or abduction,” Nanos said earlier this week.
Advertisement
There were signs of forced entry at the home in the Catalina Foothills neighborhood.
NewsNation released video of dried droplets of blood on stone slabs outside her front door, leading away from the house. DNA tests later revealed belonged to Guthrie.
NewsNation released video of dried droplets of blood on stone slabs outside her front door, leading away from the house (NewsNation)
Advertisement
Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos says authorities believe Nancy Guthrie was taken against her will. (Pima County Sheriff’s Department)
Who might have abducted her?
On Tuesday it was reported that a “person of interest” had been detained for questioning over Guthrie’s disappearance.
Authorities are now preparing to search a location south of Tucson which is associated with the individual, the sources said, but added that the person had not been charged.
Advertisement
Speaking to Fox News Tuesday night, Kash Patel said the Bureau was looking into “persons of interest,” adding that authorities were undergoing a process of elimination with their investigations.
Patel added that “there might be persons of interest in and around the area related to this event,” and reiterated that the FBI’s first priority was finding Guthrie. “Right behind that is to find anyone and any others involved in this kidnapping case to make sure they’re brought to justice,” he said.
Despite his remarks, police have yet to publicly identify any potential suspects.
“We’ve submitted all kinds of samples for DNA, and we’ve gotten some back, but nothing to indicate any suspects,” Nanos told reporters Tuesday.
Advertisement
The sheriff said investigators have believed from the beginning that Guthrie was targeted, but they don’t know whether that was because her daughter is one of television’s most visible anchors.
Earlier this week, multiple media outlets reported receiving ransom notes demanding millions of dollars in Bitcoin for Guthrie’s return.
FBI Phoenix Special Agent in Charge Heith Janke said Thursday there has been “no contact” since the ransom notes were sent to media outlets.
“The family wants to be contacted,” Janke said. “They know time is of the essence. And if those that may have Nancy are watching this, the family is ready to talk, get proof of life, because there has been no contact after that ransom note went to the media.”
Advertisement
However, none of the letters contained proof of life, he said. Janke said the notes contained references to a deadline and a monetary demand, as well as mentions of “an Apple Watch” and “a floodlight,” but declined to provide further details.
On Thursday, a man was arrested in Los Angeles for allegedly texting Guthrie’s family members asking about the Bitcoin that was demanded in a ransom letter sent to media outlets, according to NBC News.
This comes after an FBI agent announced officials had arrested one person in connection with an “imposter” ransom demand.
The criminal complaint, which was reviewed by NBC News, says Derrick Callella sent the family members messages after hearing about Nancy’s disappearance on TV. Callella allegedly told officials he was just “trying to see if the family would respond,” according to the complaint.
Advertisement
Former FBI special agent Nicole Parker, a Fox News contributor, told Hannity that Nancy had likely been taken by someone with a “deep grievance”.
“I do believe that it was someone who likely knows her, knows her very well, or knows the structure of the home very well, knows that she lived alone, had their eye on her, and had the entry and exit points of the home, and is quite familiar,” Parker said.
It was clear, Parker added, that “the home itself is the crime scene,” and investigators were withholding some details to avoid compromising the ongoing case.
“There is something about it that is very strongly driving this investigation. Law enforcement has kept that quite confidential and quiet, but there is something that they have seen that is driving the sense of urgency on this.”
Advertisement
New photos show the masked and “armed” individual approaching Nancy Guthrie’s front door (FBI)
The masked person was ‘armed,’ police say (FBI)
On February 10, the sheriff’s department released several photos and videos from surveillance footage obtained from the doorbell camera outside Nancy Guthrie’s home.
The photos were of an “armed” suspect who appeared to have tampered with Nancy Guthrie’s doorbell camera.
Advertisement
FBI Director Kash Patel then released additional photos and videos recovered from the same camera.
The first video is 27 seconds long and shows the masked suspect — who police have said was “armed” — approaching the front door and interacting with the camera with his gloved hand. The individual then walks away and appears to pick up an object off the ground nearby.
Another 14-second video shows the individual using what appears to be a branch with leaves to obstruct the camera.
President Donald Trump reacted with “pure disgust” when he viewed the newly-released surveillance footage, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said.
Advertisement
“His initial reaction, of course, as all Americans, is just pure disgust. And again, it’s heartbreaking to see now this footage really bring to life a story we’ve all been reading about,” Leavitt said.
“Again, we’re just praying for the safety of Nancy Guthrie and that she will return home soon, and the president directed me to please encourage all Americans with any information to call the FBI. We hope that this case will come to a positive resolution as soon as possible,” she added.
The person was wearing gloves and a full face mask as they tampered with the camera (Pima County Sheriff’s Department)
A massive search effort
Initial search efforts covered the Catalina Foothills area, using drones, aircraft, ground crews and dog teams. The sheriff’s department said the FBI had offered assistance on the case and the U.S. Border Patrol had also assisted with dogs.
Advertisement
The area has seen sunny weather in recent days, though temperatures have dropped to between 40 and 50 degrees Fahrenheit at night, according to AccuWeather.
Nancy’s $1 million home, located on a residential street, appears to be in a secluded area. Photos of her home show it’s surrounded by shrubbery on all sides, and some plants appear to partially block the view of her front door from the street. Her property also has a large outdoor area and a pool.
For days, law enforcement officers canvassed the home and property of Nancy Guthrie (AP)
But after just two days, large-scale search efforts were called off, with Nanos noting: “Right now, we don’t see this as a search mission, as much as we do a crime scene.”
Advertisement
Nanos said Nancy lives in an area that’s “not well lit.” He described it as a “very suburban, rural area of the Tucson area, in a very mountainous side of town where vegetation is extremely thick.”
Deputies returned to the house multiple times in the past week for what the sheriff called a “follow-up” after the property had already been released back to the family.
What are neighbors saying?
Locals have reacted with shock and rallied to help search for Nancy.
Advertisement
“I just saw her two days ago [on Saturday] checking her mail,” one neighbor told Us Weekly. “She was always smiling and always asking about our family and neighbors. She was very engaged with the community. … It’s very concerning.”
Another neighbor, Morgan Brown, told the magazine that there had been “a lot of dark vans with blacked out windows” in the suburb since Nancy’s disappearance.
“There were a lot of cop cars there at first, and then it was vans, so I assumed that maybe they came across something.”
One neighbor told The Arizona Republic that officers went door to door to talk to people, asking to see any surveillance videos they had and to look through people’s backyards.
Advertisement
Resident Jan Henry, who lives nearby, serves as neighborhood watch lead and has been coordinating a volunteer rescue group.
“We sent out an alert to all the neighbors in our neighborhood so we could be looking for her,” Henry told local news channel KGUN 9.
A sign outside Nancy Guthrie’s home that reads, ‘Dear Guthrie family, your neighbors stand with you’ (Reuters)
Who is her daughter, Savannah?
Advertisement
Nancy’s daughter, 54-year-old Savannah Guthrie, is a co-host on NBC’s Today show and was previously a White House correspondent.
Savannah was born in Victoria, Australia, where the family was living at the time while her father worked for an Arizona-based mining company. They returned to the U.S. two years later and settled in Tucson. Savannah’s father died when she was entering her senior year at high school.
She attended the University of Arizona thanks to her mom, who had taken a job there in order to secure tuition-free education for her children.
Advertisement
Nancy’s daughter, 54-year-old Savannah Guthrie, a co-host on NBC’s Today show, grew up in Tucson (AP)
Savannah has spoken often about how her mother supported her in her dreams of parenthood, reassuring her that it would happen when the time was right. She now has a daughter, Vale, and a son, Charley, with her husband, Michael Feldman, whom she married in 2014.
How is the family coping?
Savannah Guthrie has asked for help to “bring her home” in the wake of her mother’s disappearance, posting a faith-based message on Instagram on February 2 to her 1.2 million followers.
“Thank you for lifting your prayers with ours for our beloved mom, our dearest Nancy, a woman of deep conviction, a good and faithful servant,” she wrote. “Raise your prayers with us and believe with us that she will be lifted by them in this very moment.”
Advertisement
In a video posted two days later, Savannah and her siblings – Annie and Camron Guthrie – acknowledged the reports of a ransom note and made a direct plea for proof their mother is alive. They said they were “ready to talk” and asked whoever has their mother to provide evidence of life.
“We need to know without a doubt that she is alive and that you have her. We want to hear from you and we are ready to listen. Please reach out to us,” Savannah Guthrie said while fighting off tears.
Today show host Savannah Guthrie and her siblings plead for their mother’s safe return after she disappeared from her home in Arizona (instagram/savannahguthrie)
With her voice cracking, she addressed her mother directly, saying the family was praying for her and that people were looking for her.
“Mamma, if you’re listening, we need you to come home. We miss you,” Annie Guthrie added.
Advertisement
One day later, Camron posted his own video on behalf of his family asking the suspected kidnappers to contact them.
“Whoever is out there holding our mother, we want to hear from you. We haven’t heard anything directly,” he said in the video. “We need you to reach out and we need a way to communicate with you so we can move forward. But first, we have to know that you have our mom. We want to talk to you and we are waiting for contact.”
Then, on Friday, the family posted another message acknowledging that contact had been made with a suspected kidnapper.
In the video, Savannah Guthrie says that her family has “received your message” and “will pay” for their mother’s safe return.
Advertisement
“We received your message and we understand,” the Today anchor said.
“We beg you now to return our mother to us, so that we can celebrate with her,” Guthrie said. She added that her mother is “very valuable to us” and “we will pay.”
Annie is a writer and jeweler living in Tucson, according to her biography on the Arizona Commission on the Arts website. She published Instant Gratification, a book on jewelry making, in 2001. Fourteen years later, she published The Good Dark, a book of poems.
Camron is a retired military pilot, according to a social media post Savannah shared in 2018.
Advertisement
“I have never been more proud of my big brother. He has flown for our country for 26 years, and continues to serve proudly in the ‘Green Mountain Boys’ – the Vermont Air National Guard,” she wrote at the time.
Savannah has been absent from the Today show all week and will not be traveling to Milan, Italy, to host the 2026 Winter Olympics opening ceremony.
She had also reportedly planned to stay in Italy for a week to record NBC’s morning program with her former co-host Hoda Kotb. The Winter Olympics in Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo are set to run from February 6 to 26.
An NBC Sports spokesperson said in a statement shared with The Independent, “Savannah will not be joining us at the Olympics as she focuses on being with her family during this difficult time. Our hearts are with her and the entire Guthrie family as the search continues for their mother.”
Advertisement
Craig Melvin, who was also supposed to host Olympic Late Night from Milan from Saturday to Monday, will be staying in the U.S. as well.
L-R: Craig Melvin, Al Roker, Hoda Kotb and Savannah Guthrie pose on the Today set with Team USA Olympians on August 5, 2024 in Paris, France. (Getty)
What is the public reaction?
People across the U.S. are voicing their support for Savannah Guthrie and her family.
Advertisement
President Donald Trump spoke to Savannah Guthrie directly, offering his support. He shared a Truth Social post last week detailing his phone call.
“I spoke with Savannah Guthrie, and let her know that I am directing ALL Federal Law Enforcement to be at the family’s, and Local Law Enforcement’s, complete disposal, IMMEDIATELY. We are deploying all resources to get her mother home safely. The prayers of our Nation are with her and her family. GOD BLESS AND PROTECT NANCY! PRESIDENT DONALD J. TRUMP,” he wrote.
New York’s Cardinal Timothy Dolan also offered words of support during an appearance on the Today show.
“Savannah, I am asking the Good Shepherd to find this lost sheep,” he said.
Advertisement
Current and former colleagues of Savannah have also offered their support, with Today co-host Al Roker urging the public to help find Nancy.
“We are praying for Savannah and her family and the return of their beloved Mom, Nancy,” Roker wrote on Instagram.
NBC News’ Kristen Welker has said she is “praying” for the family. Hoda Kotb, Savannah’s former Today co-host, shared a photo of Nancy on Instagram, including the sheriff’s department’s phone number, writing: “If you know anything.. pls help.”
NBC Sports Anchor Mike Tirico similarly voiced his support for the family, adding that “this is a time for caring about the people in your family, and we are holding Savannah near and dear to our heart, and we are praying for all of them.”
Advertisement
Fans also sent Savannah love on Instagram after she made her emotional plea for help.
“Praying for your lovely mom and your family. God is Almighty. Almighty is God,” one fan wrote.
Another wrote: “Sending you so much love and prayers.”
“We’re all praying for your beautiful Mom to return safely. Sending you and your family strength. We love you, Savannah,” a third said.
Advertisement
The Pima County Sheriff’s Department said anyone with information should contact 1-800-CALL-FBI, 520-351-4900, 88-CRIME or visit tips.fbi.gov.
I’ve made lots of lemon cakes over the years – simple ones baked in a loaf tin, round ones filled with lemon curd and covered in buttercream icing. I wanted to make one that was intensely lemony, a bit more grown-up than most. This is it. You don’t have to ice this cake – the icing does make it sweeter.
If you prefer a more mouth-puckering lemon experience, dust the top with icing sugar before serving it and leave it at that.
The field was used as part of Munchkinland in the movie Wicked.
Spring is many people’s favourite season thanks to the longer hours of sunlight and flowers that will bloom adding a bit more colour to life. For those who love flowers, you might not want to miss out on the chance to see the UK’s biggest working tulip field.
Advertisement
Found between King’s Lynn and Fakenham, Norfolk Tulips is only open to the public for a few days every year. For 2026, the tulip field will returning for its sixth year and will be open for 10 days between Thursday, April 16, and Monday, April 27.
The tulip field covers over 20 acres and features 9.1 million flowers to see. You might recognise the field if you have watched the Hollywood blockbuster, Wicked.
The tulip field was used to make up part of Munchkinland with Munchkins seen running through the fields. Director Jon M. Chu decided to use the field as a filming location after he saw a viral video of the tulips online.
Whether you love Wicked and would like to see where some of it was filmed or want to see the flowers, you might want to take a trip to Norfolk Tulips. Visitors are able to walk through the fields and see the tulips in a range of different colours.
On some days, the field is open from 10am until 4pm or you can watch the sun set in the tulip field when it is open until the later time of 8pm. Money from the opening goes towards the Tapping House, a local hospice.
If you are unable to make it to Norfolk to see the tulips in person, you can order a bouquet from the Norfolk Tulips website. You can buy a bouquet of one colour of tulips or even buy bulbs to plant in your garden to create your own mini tulip field.
Tickets to see the famous tulip field cost £10 for adults and £5 for children between the ages of five and 16 with car parking costing £2.50 per car. The tickets can be bought from the Norfolk Tulips website from 10am on Tuesday, April 7.
Norfolk Tulips can be found outside of King’s Lynn on Mill Road. It is around an hour and a half drive from Cambridge via the A10.
Roasting cauliflower intensifies its sweetness, so don’t opt to steam or boil instead. This is great for spring – it’s the spinach – and even those who aren’t much into vegetables love it. If you can’t get Lancashire cheese, which is creamy and mild, use a mild Cheddar cheese, grated, or a mild goat’s cheese, crumbled.
Requires 1 hour refrigerating time and 15 minutes cooling time
Two migrants have died off the coast of France during an attempt to cross the English Channel.
Six other migrants were rescued, with one of them taken to hospital.
It comes a day after the government signed an extension with France over current arrangements on beach patrols as part of efforts to reduce the number of Channel crossings.
Image: Pic: PA
The French maritime prefecture said the latest incident started when a small boat headed towards the beach at Gravelines, near Calais, at around 9.30am on Wednesday.
Advertisement
A group of about 30 migrants was waiting for it.
Eight people were pulled onto a rescue boat when they got into difficulty, but two of the migrants could not be saved, officials said.
The group of migrants, including children, was seen struggling to board the small boat.
At least 12 French police officers were present in the Gravelines beach area at the time.
Advertisement
A French navy helicopter carried out a search as part of attempts to ensure nobody was left in the water, the French authority said.
Image: Migrants struggle to board a small boat off the coast of France. Pic: PA
On Tuesday, Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood signed a two-month extension to the current arrangement with France over Channel crossings, while the countries thrash out a longer-term agreement.
It came hours before the £478m deal, put in place in 2023 by the then Tory government, was due to end.
The package was set up to fund a new detention centre in France and hundreds of extra law enforcement officers on its shores.
Tuesday’s extension means operational contracts will continue to be funded by £16.2m of UK government money.
Advertisement
Image: French authorities on the beach in Gravelines. Pics: PA
A Home Office spokesperson said Ms Mahmood is “driving a hard bargain” with Paris to get “more bang for our buck”.
Ms Mahmood has previously been understood to be pushing for a new deal to include performance-related clauses that would link funding to the proportion of boats intercepted by the French.
Some 4,441 migrants arrived in the first three months of 2026, according to the latest Home Office data.
This is 33% lower than the number who had reached the UK by this point in 2025, which was 6,642.
Refugee charity Care4Calais said it was a “tragedy that another two lives have been lost to our deadly border” and called for “safe routes” to be introduced so people could claim asylum in the UK.
Patrick Banks, 42, was jailed for three years by a judge at Sheffield Crown Court
Husna Anjum Senior Live News Reporter and Eliana Nunes
17:51, 01 Apr 2026Updated 17:53, 01 Apr 2026
A police officer has been jailed for sexually assaulting a woman while investigating a sex offence she suffered from someone else. The single mother, who was homeless and ‘vulnerable’ at the time, said the police officer was “supposed to protect us”.
Patrick Banks, 42, was jailed for three years by a judge at Sheffield Crown Court who told him on Wednesday: “You grotesquely abused your position as a police officer.” The court heard how Banks had been assigned to investigate the woman last year.
Advertisement
The Mirror reports she had complained to West Yorkshire Police that she had been the victim of a sex assault in Leeds in April 2025. A judge told the court how Banks asked the woman to translate messages for him from French, before touching her inappropriately as he smelled her hair.
Prosecutor Mark Bates said the messages, which Banks had generated himself using Google Translate, included: “I like you a lot”, “I want to take off your underwear with my teeth” and “Do you miss sex”.
The court heard how the defendant messaged the woman from his personal phone, and visited her off-duty in his own car, but gave the impression he was on-duty. He also bought presents for one of the single mum’s children and officers found that he had viewed her social media more than 100 times.
Facing Banks in court on Wednesday, the woman outlined the problems she had been having at that time, which had left her homeless with two children and made her especially vulnerable. She told the court: “What revolts me today is that the man who was supposed to protect me took advantage of this vulnerability.”
The woman said: “This trauma prevents me seeing the beauty and goodness in the world.”
The judge was told how Banks also made inappropriate contact with a second woman, who had also reported a sexual assault to West Yorkshire Police. Mr Bates told the court that police recovered 53 pages of messages between the defendant and this second woman, some asking her about personal matters, including her previous employment as a sex worker.
He also asked her for a “peck on the cheek”. Officers found the woman’s mobile phone in Banks’s house after he had told her it was going off for forensic examination.
Advertisement
The prosecutor said West Yorkshire Police had only one official record of the defendant visiting either of the women’s homes on official police business.
Sentencing Banks, Judge Jeremy Richardson KC said: “It is a particularly aggravating feature of this case that you grotesquely abused your position as a police officer whilst working in the safeguarding unit of the West Yorkshire Police when you were supposed to be investigating sexual crimes perpetrated upon vulnerable women.“It is bad enough to behave inappropriately in such circumstances. It becomes exceptionally serious when the misconduct embraces a sexual crime.
“You were unhampered by scruples of any kind and your serious misconduct eclipsed your professional duty.”
Banks admitted misconduct in public office and sexual assault at a previous hearing. The court heard how he joined Essex Police in 2019 and moved to West Yorkshire Police in 2022 and was working as a detective constable in a specialist adult safeguarding unit.
Advertisement
He resigned in September 2025.
Want to see more of the stories you love from Belfast Live? Making us your preferred source on Google means you’ll get more of our exclusives… To add Belfast Live as a preferred source, simply click here.
Last week’s landmark US court ruling may prove to be a turning point in our relationship with the digital world. In a case already being described as a “big tobacco moment” for tech giants, jurors found that Meta, owner of Instagram, Facebook and WhatsApp, and Google, which owns Youtube, had intentionally built addictive platforms that had damaged a young woman’s mental health.
The claimant, a 20-year-old woman referred to in court as Kaley, sued Meta and YouTube over her childhood addiction to social media. In the bellwether case, judges ordered the tech companies to pay Kaley $6m (£4.5m) in damages, setting a precedent for thousands of similar cases against social media companies that are waiting elsewhere.
The verdict hits home for many of us because the behaviours described feel so familiar: the endless scroll that keeps us up later than intended at night, the instinctive reach for a phone in any spare moment, the sense of being sucked into a digital distraction machine. They’re not simply bad habits or a lack of willpower; they’re the predictable outcomes of platforms designed to hold our attention for as long as possible.
Advertisement
Tech companies have consistently framed social media as a neutral tool. In this case, Meta argued that any harm was “the result of a complex mix of factors”, with outcomes depending on “individual behaviour, parenting, or wider social factors — not just platform design,” according to The Guardian. Judges disagreed and their ruling challenges that idea head on, suggesting that the design itself plays a direct role in shaping our behaviour, particularly for younger users.
All of which raises an obvious question: if the apps are designed to keep us hooked, how can we begin to take back control?
Advertisement
Here are seven simple ways to reclaim your attention:
Be part of the solution
At Positive News, we’re not chasing clicks or profits for media moguls – we’re here to serve you and have a positive social impact. We can’t do this unless enough people like you choose to support our journalism.
Give once from just £1, or join 1,800+ others who contribute an average of £3 or more per month. Together, we can build a healthier form of media – one that focuses on solutions, progress and possibilities, and empowers people to create positive change.
As of the end of February 2026, some women faced a 76-week wait for an urgent appointment and a 108-week wait – over two years – for a routine gynaecology outpatient appointment.
The latest NHS Tayside waiting times show some women have had to wait almost year-and-a-half for an urgent gynaecology appointment.
Advertisement
As of the end of February 2026, some women faced a 76-week wait for an urgent appointment and a 108-week wait – over two years – for a routine gynaecology outpatient appointment.
NHS Tayside has arranged extra appointments and operations and said, by the end of this month, it will reduce the waiting time to within a year for an appointment and to “only a small number of women” who will have waited over two years for surgery.
In spring 2023 Rosemary (54) from Perth discovered she had a prolapse. She had a smear test in April 2023 and was referred to gynaecology and for an ultrasound at Perth Royal Infirmary. The ultrasound revealed she also had an ovarian cyst which was about 3-5cm. Rosemary learnt she had endometriosis.
In March 2024, Rosemary had an MRI scan at Ninewells and the cyst – which was benign – was about 7cm.
Advertisement
Just over a year-and-a-half later, in November 2025, Rosemary successfully underwent surgery at Ninewells to remove the cyst. Surgeons ended up removing not one but two cysts. However, she was still left with her prolapse and was told – after her op – it too would now require surgery.
In December 2025, she was given a follow-up appointment in Forfar two weeks after her operation.
Rosemary said: “She told me there was a waiting list. When I asked how long it was, she said ‘years’.
“And my heart sank.”
Advertisement
Rosemary is on her feet all day because of her work.
She said: “My problem was the prolapse. Why couldn’t they fix it at the same time?
“It’s been going on for three years.”
In February 2026, Rosemary received a letter from NHS Tayside confirming she would be getting prolapse surgery but has no idea when.
Advertisement
She said: “I got a letter to say I would get an operation ‘in due course’. ‘In due course’ means nothing. One of my friends is to have an urgent hysterectomy but it’s in six months.”
NHS Tayside’s latest outpatient waiting times at the end of February 2026 showed the longest waits for any speciality were for gynaecology. The list is based on completed waits in the previous three-month period for an urgent or routine consultant-led acute outpatient appointment and list the 90th percentile wait – the longest that nine out of 10 patients waited.
NHS Tayside has said it is working to drive down the waiting times for gynaecology.
A spokesperson for NHS Tayside said: “Waiting times for gynaecology treatment are longer than we would like and therefore there has been a drive to deliver a significant number of additional appointments and operations with both our own staff and with the support of staff from the independent sector.
Advertisement
“This additional work means that by March 31, 2026, no one will be waiting longer than 52 weeks for a gynaecology outpatient appointment and there will remain only a small number of women who will have waited longer than 104 weeks for an operation. We will be working to continue to improve this position further over the course of the year.”
NHS Tayside said it cannot comment on individual cases. The health board has invited Rosemary to contact its Patient Experience Team to discuss any concerns she may have.
3D Trading is recalling M&M’s Pipoca (popcorn) because the product poses a potential safety risk.
The product, manufactured for the Brazilian market, contains allergens including peanuts, gluten, barley, rye and wheat which are not mentioned on the UK label.
Only M&M’s Pipoca with a 3D Trading ingredients label is being recalled.
Advertisement
Food Recalls Explained
The affected packets of chocolate come in 35g bags, and all batch codes and best before dates with the 3D Trading ingredients label are included.
A spokesman for the Food Standards Agency (FSA) said: “3D Trading is recalling the above product from customers and has been advised to contact the relevant allergy support organisations, which will tell their members about the recall.
“The company has also issued a point-of-sale notice to its customers. These notices explain to customers why the product is being recalled and tell them what to do if they have bought the product.
“This product contains peanut and gluten and may contain barley, rye and wheat making it a possible health risk for anyone with an allergy to peanut, an allergy or intolerance to barley, rye, wheat or cereals containing gluten or with coeliac disease.
Advertisement
“If you have bought the above product and have an allergy to peanut or an allergy or intolerance to barley, rye, wheat or cereals containing gluten, or coeliac disease, do not eat it.
“Instead return it to the store from where it was bought for a full refund with or without a receipt. For more information, please call 07596 571086 or contact UK@3dcandy.co.uk.”
What is a product recall?
If there is a problem with a food product that means it should not be sold, then it might be ‘withdrawn’ (taken off the shelves) or ‘recalled’ (when customers are asked to return the product).
The FSA issues Product Withdrawal Information Notices and Product Recall Information Notices to let consumers and local authorities know about problems associated with food.
Advertisement
In some cases, a ‘Food Alert for Action’ is issued.
This provides local authorities with details of specific actions to be taken on behalf of consumers.
A rubber boat carrying migrants has capsized off the Turkish holiday resort of Bodrum after a high-speed chase, killing 19 people, officials have said.
The vessel, detected by authorities in the early hours of Wednesday, had ignored repeated warnings to stop, according to the Turkish coastguard.
Officials said in a statement that the boat, which had attempted to flee at speed, capsized and sank in rough seas.
A coastguard helicopter from Izmir was sent to the area along with three boats, and 20 migrants were rescued from the Aegean Sea, according to officials.
Advertisement
Image: A survivor is taken to hospital in Bodrum, Turkey. Pic: Reuters
The statement did not say where the boat had departed from, or its destination, and the nationalities of those who were on board are not yet known. Search and rescue operations are continuing.
The Greek island of Kos, an entry point into the European Union for people fleeing conflict and poverty in the Middle East, Africa and Asia, lies 13 miles from Bodrum. Other nearby islands include Kalymnos, Leros and Symi.
While the journey across the Aegean Sea is relatively short, it can also be treacherous. Many of the boats are unseaworthy, or set out in bad weather, and fatal accidents have been common.
Advertisement
Turkey hosts millions of refugees from Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan.
David Skaith, the elected Mayor of York and North Yorkshire, has hit back at North Yorkshire Council for its criticism of the Combined Authority’s management of bus services across the county.
Mr Skaith said it was “quite a low bar” for bosses at NYC to tell him to “step up to the mark” on bus service delivery, as the council agreed on Tuesday to “manage the buses as previously” while also deferring a decision to accept the mayor’s devolved powers relating to the provision of bus services until March 2027.
At a meeting at County Hall in Northallerton, the leader of NYC, Cllr Carl Les, said: “We had hoped that by this time this year we would not be in the position to continue with the delegation because it is very much the mayor’s initiative and he’s been very public about wanting to control bus operations in North Yorkshire.”
Advertisement
However, speaking on Wednesday, Mr Skaith told the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS): “I think that’s quite a low bar from North Yorkshire to say that when we see over the last 10 years, that 50 per cent of bus mileage has been lost in North Yorkshire due to inaction from North Yorkshire Council and not funding the buses properly.
“I’ve come into a situation where bus services and delivery in North Yorkshire have been poor. I don’t think anyone would say that bus services work well in North Yorkshire, so we’re starting from a very low place, and we’re having to fix a lot of problems that have been born out of the last 10 or 15 years of underfunding of buses in North Yorkshire.”
A council report has set out “the requirement to continue to delegate some of the mayor’s transport powers back to North Yorkshire Council (NYC) and City of York Council (CYC) in order to discharge the mayor’s duties in relation to bus service provision in the York & North Yorkshire Combined Authority (YNYCA) area”.
It recommended that the mayor’s devolved powers relating to the provision of bus services are delegated to NYC and CYC from April 2026 until March 2027.
Advertisement
Conservative councillor Simon Myers, NYC executive member for culture and housing, said: “It’s about time the mayor stepped up to the mark.
“But, for the good of our residents, it’s the right thing that we continue this delegation, and he needs to look at how he intends to fund these services that he was ambitious to take on when he was elected mayor.”
Alison Hume, the Labour MP for Scarborough and Whitby, said she did not agree with that characterisation of Mr Skaith who she said “is stepping up with bus services”.
She said: “The responsibility for running the bus services has been given to North Yorkshire Council for another year while the combined authority hires all of the people that it needs to hire.
Advertisement
“But what David has inherited is a broken bus service and we are going to build it back.
“It does depend on national funding and there are conversations around that. We’ve seen improvements in Scarborough through Bus Service Improvement Plans (BSIP) funding to many of the routes, and I’m determined to keep those improvements in place.”
Asked what his plan was for buses next year, Mr Skaith said the Combined Authority was “working on the first franchising pilot, which will be coming back in about October, November this time”.
He said: “That’s going to really lay out the blueprint for how we can best fund and support bus services across York and North Yorkshire.
Advertisement
“When we have that linking in with our improved rail connectivity as well, it’ll paint a really solid picture of how we can improve buses and how we can get the best investment that’s needed into the areas that require it the most.”
You must be logged in to post a comment Login