A gambling addict defrauded his friends in an elaborate con. Scott Clode abused the trust of fellow sports club members in Cardiff – some of whom he had known for many years – to steal tens of thousands of pounds.

Cardiff Crown Court heard the 33-year-old targeted people he knew from Radyr cricket club and Llandaff squash club. He defrauded eight victims of a total of £41,320 and there was another “victim” who chose not to support a prosecution, the court was told.

Clode bowed his head low in the dock as he heard how his crimes had caused panic attacks, financial struggles, and “massive humiliation” for people who had considered him a close friend.

Prosecutor Abdallah Barakat said the defendant told lies about a “mystery shopper” scheme offered by a market research agency called Retail Active. He claimed he was acting as a “platinum ambassador” but in reality the firm had no knowledge of his actions.

“He would invite victims to send him money so they could get vouchers from businesses that worked with Retail Active,” said Mr Barakat. “He would do so on the false pretence that they would be reimbursed the money they’d paid.

“Mr Clode told them they would be reimbursed within weeks as long as they used the vouchers and they photographed and reviewed their experiences.

“They just had to send him the reviews and photos, which he would then send to Retail Active. Soon thereafter they would get a refund, he told them.

“He had fabricated the scheme to obtain money to fund his gambling addiction. Once the victims realised what had happened he apologised in a group chat and stated that he was suffering with a gambling addiction.”

One of the victims, Simon Walters, had known Clode for 15 years through the cricket club. In 2023 the defendant sold him the con that he could enjoy an expenses-paid holiday as long as he reviewed his experience.

Mr Walters parted with more than £15,000 and received £10,000 worth of Tui holiday vouchers from Clode. “The vouchers were genuine and some victims did benefit from the experience of those vouchers,” said the prosecutor. “But they would never have done it in the first place had they known they would not be reimbursed.”

In a victim impact statement Mr Walters said: “It was all very convincing at the time. My wife told me to trust her and not my mate. It caused me massive humiliation and I feel betrayed by Scott. It’s affected my confidence in people.

“If he’d told me he was in a couple of thousand pounds’ debt and needed help we would have got together and helped him. It’s the detail and planning and deceit that really annoy me.

“When my mum was on her deathbed he was asking how she was. In his next breath he was asking about Tui vouchers.”

Another Radyr cricket club member, Rhys Lloyd, had been friends with the defendant for 14 years. He sent Clode £11,000 and received around £7,000 worth of vouchers with no further reimbursement.

Karl Ford, a cricketer who was swindled into paying Clode for Tui vouchers, said: “I had sleepless nights and panic attacks. I had to go into my overdraft for the first time. Words such as ‘voucher’ now trigger me and take me back to the scam.”

The court heard some victims did not receive vouchers at all. One described losing savings for a house. Another said they had lost money meant to cover their wedding, adding: “I have not told my family out of embarrassment.”

“Falling for such a scam is something I had only heard about in the media,” said one victim. “I always questioned how people could fall for it. Now I understand anyone could be tricked by someone like Scott Clode.”

Clode, of Heol Seddon in Danescourt, pleaded guilty to eight counts of fraud from between June 2023 and November 2024. He had no previous convictions.

His barrister Ieuan Callaghan pointed to six of Clode’s loved ones who were sitting in the public gallery to support him. “His family and friends paint a picture that, aside from this addiction, he is a really good person,” he told the court.

Mr Callaghan turned to the defendant, hunched low in the dock, and went on: “He is in a state of some distress. The victims’ statements have been difficult for him to listen to.

“He did not do this to live a lavish lifestyle. He really was driven by a gambling disorder which he had struggled with for years. In 2018 he was bailed out twice – first by his dad and then by his mum.

“In 2022, when he relapsed and these offences happened, he was treating the scheme as a payday loan without any interest to be paid by him.

“He thought that by sending vouchers and promising things to these people – and many did receive genuine vouchers – he could pay them back from gambling winnings. It sounds ridiculous when you say it out loud – and it was – but that was the addiction he was going through.”

The barrister said a psychiatric report showed his client would not have committed the fraud if he did not have a gambling disorder. Clode has a new “well-paying” job in robotic process automation and has been making efforts to gradually repay the victims, Mr Callaghan added.

Judge Gregory Bull KC told the defendant: “You abused your close friendships at the sports clubs. Some people didn’t get vouchers at all and in other cases there were no reimbursements.

“The fraud had a devastating effect on more than one of your victims. They will find it hard to forgive you knowing you abused them in the way you did. You struck at their sense of security and feelings of integrity. This was a serious crime.”

But the judge took into account the medical report and found Clode had a prospect of rehabilitation. “Prison would be damaging and set back the rehabilitation you have achieved so far,” he said.

Judge Bull imposed a two-year prison term suspended for 18 months. At this Clode exhaled deeply and became tearful while his loved ones in the gallery gasped and embraced each other.

Clode must complete 10 days of rehabilitation activity and 240 hours of unpaid work. A proceeds of crime hearing will be held in September to determine a financial penalty and compensation.

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Dr Blankshein said: “Through excavating and through the photogrammetry work that we did, we were able to build a picture of this coherent timber structure, not just bits of wood supporting a stone mound with a kind of timber platform underneath, but actually, the timber itself was the basis of the structure.

Cambridgeshire Police said the force is aware of antisocial behaviour and is working alongside partners to tackle it

Residents have raised concerns about antisocial behaviour in a Cambridge suburb. Some locals have said they would highly recommend Trumpington as a place to live and that it is the ideal location for families.

However, some told CambridgeshireLive that “everything [in Trumpington] looks amazing” but that there are problems with antisocial behaviour.

Elif Gueu, 51, has lived in Trumpington for three years. She said she likes Trumpington because it is a “very multicultural place” where it is “peaceful” and people “respect each other”. She likes that she is not far from Cambridge city centre, but she does have some concerns about the area.

She said: “Sometimes there are some shouts and fights. There are some issues around here.” In one incident, in the last year, she said she was “shocked” because she said she saw “someone chained by police”.

A spokesperson for Cambridgeshire Police said: “Members of our Neighbourhood Policing Team are aware and are working with partners, including residents associations, housing associations and councils to tackle ASB.”

Another lady, who wished to remain anonymous, said Trumpington is “very nice on the exterior” but “there is a lot of social discord beneath the surface and a lot of anti-social behaviour”. The resident of 10 years added: “A lot of the time you have got people doing things they shouldn’t be doing.”

She said that over time, Trumpington has seen some “violent incidents”, including a fire and vandalism. The lady said that “on the surface, everything looks amazing but you just have some problems from time to time.”

The spokesperson for Cambridgeshire Police continued: “We would encourage anyone who experiences anti-social behaviour where they live to report this to us, so we are able to build up an accurate picture of what is happening in an area and act accordingly.”

On the other hand, others have said that they have not experienced this and that it is actually the ‘best place for for families to live in. Raneem Almutairi, 32, has lived in Trumpington for around eight months.

She said she thinks it is the “best area for families to live in Cambridge”. Raneem said she has heard of the concerns but she “feels safe”. “I haven’t seen anything or experienced anything myself”, she added.

Information about antisocial behaviour can be found on Cambridgeshire Police’s website, where it can also be reported.

– The Attenborough’s hawkweed or Hieracium attenboroughianum – the wildflower became the first living species in the UK and Ireland to be named after him. It was discovered more than 10 years ago in the Brecon Beacons but it took a decade for scientists to establish whether or not it was actually new.

A gardening expert known shared his popular three-step method for reviving a tired lawn this summer

The condition of your lawn can make or break the overall look of your garden. As temperatures climb and rainfall becomes scarce throughout the summer months, grass can deteriorate far more rapidly than many homeowners realise.

To help keep your lawn looking lush throughout the season, gardening expert and TikTok creator Ish has shared his straightforward three-step approach to maintaining verdant grass for months on end. In a recent video, he said: “If you want a perfect lawn like I’ve got here, well, I’ll show you just how easy it is in three steps.”

Ish wrote in the video’s caption: “Today’s gardening tips will show you my tried and tested method to reviving an old, tired lawn by introducing air into the soil, seeding and feeding it. Your grass has never looked better.”

Breathing new life into a neglected and worn lawn needn’t be an overwhelming task. Ish’s technique, in fact, breaks it down into just three straightforward steps.

The first step involves preparing the lawn to ensure the grass is in good health and clearing away any moss, reports the Mirror. Ish advised using a lawn tonic or iron sulphate dissolved in water and applied via a watering can, spreading the mixture evenly across the grass before leaving it to absorb over several days.

This process causes the moss to “turn to crisp”, at which point you can begin scarifying the lawn. To prepare the ground, an aerator, scarifier, garden fork, or hand rake can all be used to puncture the soil, allowing water to drain through more effectively.

Scarifying is a lawn maintenance technique that involves using mechanical blades or tines to cut through and extract a thick layer of thatch – comprising dead grass, roots and organic debris – from your lawn.

By thinning out and clearing away this material, the overall condition of your lawn is significantly enhanced, promoting improved air circulation, water penetration and nutrient uptake while removing competing matter within the soil.

Ish said: “Once you’ve successfully butchered your lawn, you can now focus on over-seeding, especially where there are bald patches where the weeds and moss were. And did you know you could get special lawn seed for shady parts of your garden? Now you do.

“Leave the lawn to grow and in about four to six weeks, making sure you keep it fairly hydrated, and then after that, you want to introduce a good feed. Do this every couple months or so and your lawn will absolutely thrive.

“And if you’re feeling particularly lazy, do this in the rain. You don’t have to water it in then.”

B&Q recommends giving your lawn a thorough watering to help the soil retain moisture. The retailer also suggests that the optimal time to aerate your lawn is a day or two following rainfall, while the soil remains damp.

That said, it’s advisable to steer clear of aerating lawns after “extremely” heavy downpours, as the ground may become saturated. Following scarification and aeration, you can apply generous amounts of autumn grass seed, which contains higher levels of phosphorus.

This feed prioritises root development, in contrast to feeds with higher nitrogen content, which concentrate on encouraging grass growth. After completing these three steps, Ish assured viewers they can enjoy their lawn “all summer long”.

The luxury Derwent Manor Boutique Hotel, set on 20 acres of countryside near Allensford, has several cottages on its expansive land.

The popular hotel claimed that the actor and comedian, Rowan Atkinson, was born in one of the cottages on site.

The Derwent Manor Hotel (Image: Tripadvisor)

Hollywood’s Rowan Atkinson is best known for his title roles in the sitcoms Mr Bean and Blackadder, along with his performance in the spy action film Johnny English.

“Did you know Rowan Atkinson – aka Mr Bean – was born in our very own Rowan Cottage… and that’s exactly how it got its name?

“Rowan Cottage is a beautiful three-bedroom retreat, complete with a fully equipped kitchen, two bathrooms, and a cosy lounge.

“Step outside and you’ll find a stunning garden with a hot tub, overlooking the valley and the breathtaking Hownsgill Viaduct.”

The recently refurbished Derwent Manor also hosts weddings and events.

Rowan Atkinson is best known for roles in Mr Bean, Blackadder and Johnny English (Image: Matt Crossick/PA Media Assignments)

One Tripadvisor review said: “After booking our wedding here a few weeks ago we thought we would head up for an overnight stay and to try out the food.

“Amazing stay in one of the hideaway rooms. Beds and pillows are so comfy! Lovely chill vibes in the bar area and the staff are very welcoming and friendly.”

The Derwent Manor, Allensford (Image: Tripadvisor)

Another added they enjoyed a ‘wonderful experience’ at the hotel, celebrating their 21st wedding anniversary.

“We’re both very grateful for our room upgrade, which was a lovely surprise, the entire stay was fantastic as it always has been, food delicious and beautifully kept grounds and luxurious interior and rooms.”

“This is our third visit to the hotel, it is so nice,” a satisfied customer said. “The staff on reception and the staff in Prego restaurant are so pleasant and helpful. The grounds are so peaceful as you’re away from the main road and the views are lovely.”

Jamie Carragher named the two favourites to win the Premier League title next season after defending champions Liverpool were beaten by Manchester United.

Liverpool’s dismal season suffered another blow on Sunday as Arne Slot’s side lost 3-2 to arch-rivals United at Old Trafford.

The Reds battled back from 2-0 down to level the match through Dominik Szoboszlai and Cody Gakpo before Kobbie Mainoo scored a 77th-minute winner for Manchester United.

United’s victory confirmed their place in next season’s Champions League and all-but secured them third-place in the Premier League with a six-point lead over fourth-placed Liverpool with three games remaining.

Speaking after the game, Old Trafford legend Gary Neville suggested Manchester United were not far away from challenging for the Premier League title and said it was ‘up for grabs over the next one or two years’.

But Carragher dismissed United’s title credentials and also ruled Liverpool out of winning the Premier League next season, claiming there will be another title race between current contenders Arsenal and Manchester City.

Asked if Liverpool or Manchester United are in a better position to win the Premier League next year, Carragher said on The Gary Neville podcast: ‘I still think Liverpool are better-placed and the reason I say that is we’ve seen Man United’s best team out there today.

‘Liverpool are three of four short there. They also have the players who have won before in terms of the biggest trophies.

‘I don’t think either of them will be there in terms of the title next season. I still think it will be Arsenal or Manchester City.

‘There’s a false economy with Manchester United when they haven’t played any European football and they went out in the first round of both cup competitions.

‘Now that can fool you. Man United will finish third this season but I don’t think for a minute believe they’re the third-best team in the Premier League.

‘I still think Liverpool are in a better position in terms of the squad when the injured players get back and having those players that have won trophies before.’

Addressing the same talking point, Neville said: ‘There’s a couple of real unknowns. The managers and which club is going to recruit the best this summer.

‘Both are going to sign three or four. But how much money do the clubs have to spend money on recruitment?

‘I do think the league could be up for grabs over the next couple of years and I think Manchester United could be in a position to exploit that.

‘At some point, Pep [Guardiola] has to leave. And I don’t think the other big clubs aren’t quite right. There is a league title up to grabs over the next one to two years.’

Manchester United return to Premier League action next weekend against Sunderland, while Liverpool face Chelsea at Anfield.

Title rivals Arsenal and Manchester City can barely be separated going into the final few weeks of the Premier League season.

Mikel Arteta’s Gunners beat Fulham 3-0 on Saturday to move six points clear but Man City now have two games in hand, the first against Everton on Monday night.

Arsenal are bidding to win their first Premier League since 2004, while Manchester City have won six titles in the last eight years.

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MORE: Gary Neville urges Manchester United to ‘trade’ £60m signing after Liverpool win

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A woman has shared her top tips for travelling with only hand luggage, including a ‘genius’ carry-on hack to help you avoid paying extra baggage fees at the airport

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A savvy traveller has been praised for revealing her ‘genius’ method to maximise hand luggage capacity while sidestepping additional charges when flying.

The globetrotter, posting as @lifeofjazz_ on social media, has shared her clever technique for travelling exclusively with cabin baggage to dodge the need for checked luggage at the airport. Initially, she makes certain her case complies with dimensional specifications and weight restrictions to prevent any complications during check-in. But she added: “I have a few tricks that I do when travelling with only hand luggage.

“Number one, I put a bag inside a bag. You see this bag [referencing her video], there’s another bag inside of it. I usually go to Boots or Duty Free, and get a bag because they are not allowed to touch anything inside something you’ve bought already within the airport.

“I have a crossbody bag, obviously that’s fine, it’s tiny. Then I have my small suitcase, make sure you roll everything within your suitcase so it can fit.”

Additionally, she suggests getting on the aircraft promptly to secure space in an overhead locker instead of attempting to cram it beneath your seat.

Commenting on her post, one user said: “I do the duty thing too. Get a cheeky meal deal from Boots and ask for the biggest bag.”

Another user added: “People also don’t realise you don’t need to use those plastic bags for toiletries, you can use your own see through makeup bag, doesn’t matter how big.”

A third user revealed: “But nowadays you can even bring a cabin wheeled bag, just a rucksack. I do the duty free bag but Ryanair told me they have limitations on duty.”

Another traveller suggested: “I always bring a pillow case put some clothes in.”

This comes as fellow passengers revealed their top tips for enhancing the airport journey, with one stating: “You can’t bring a full water bottle through airport security, but you can bring an empty one.”

They continued: “Most airports have water bottle fillers installed at drinking fountains after security. Beats paying six dollars for bottled water.”

Building on this advice, another passenger suggested making security screening quicker by taking off bottle caps, demonstrating to officers that containers are genuinely empty.

Someone else offered an alternative approach: “You can bring ice in a bottle though as long as it’s not melted. I like to do that and then fill it up inside the airport. I love ice water.”

One savvy flyer recommended bypassing the first water refill point beyond security – typically congested with queues – and heading to the next available fountain for a swifter top-up.

Another traveller shared a health-focused suggestion for extended journeys, noting: “For personal comfort, I find compression socks to really help during longer flights/trips.

“I also carry an empty water bottle through security, then refill it before boarding in order to have plenty of water for the flight.

“I carry a light sweater or thin-down vest in my bag (too many cold flights). Noise-cancelling headphones. I also carry a small external battery pack.

“Always plan for the worst (long lines, delays) allow plenty of time and arrive early.”

Wu Yize played some spectacular snooker on Sunday night and leads Shaun Murphy 10-7 after two sessions of the World Snooker Championship final.

The pair were level at 4-4 after the opening session, with both showing signs of nerves, but both were more settled in the evening.

The 22-year-old in his first final made a blistering start at night, knocking in breaks of 82 and 103 to stride into a lead.

Murphy wasn’t doing much wrong and took the next with a 72, but Wu claimed the next two, including an 89 to look in good nick at 8-5 ahead.

It was pretty relentless attacking snooker from both, with Murphy feeling forced into the odd safety, while Wu took on near enough everything.

The Magician made 70 to take the 14th, before Wu responded with a 66 as the fans in Sheffield continued to be treated to brilliant scoring.

Are you snooker loopy?

You’re in the right place. I’m Phil Haigh, and I cover the game we all love for Metro.

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The next edition will look back on what has been a great World Championship yet again, so there’s no better time to sign up.

While Murphy was not poor by any stretch, it felt like he was hanging on to Wu, but it looked like he might escape with just a one-frame deficit when he took the 16th and got in the balls in the 17th.

He was a touch unlucky to land awkward and played, what looked like, a perfectly good safety, but Wu sank an immense long red and knocked in 91 to finish the day 10-7 up.

Seven-time champion Stephen Hendry was loving the performance of the thrilling Chinese star from the BBC studio.

‘What a player. He’s just brilliant. He plays the game properly and goes for the shots,’ said the Scot.

‘He’s obviously at a stage of his career when he’s not had many scars and he’s not thinking about the consequences of missing. He’s just having fun.

‘The important thing is when he’s playing shots, he’s fully committing to them. There are no thoughts of bailing out at any stage.’

He added: ‘He’s having fun out there and that’s the worst kind of opponent you can have, someone who looks as though they’re enjoying themself.’

Six-time champion Steve Davis said Wu is ‘scaring the life out of everyone he plays’ after wins over Lei Peifan, Mark Selby, Hossein Vafaei and Mark Allen.

Hendry said Wu is at the forefront of ‘frightening’ snooker talent from China now at, or rising to, the top of the game.

‘The talent coming through from China is quite frightening,’ he said. ‘[Zhao] Xintong last year, Wu Yize now, a guy called Chang Bingyu who beat Shaun this year with 100 per cent pot success. The young talent is frightening.’

There is a long way to go in the race to 18 frames, which comes to an end on Monday, but Murphy has work to do to keep up with the Chinese phenom.

MORE: World Snooker Championship final halted by protestor complaining about BBC licence fee

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MORE: How Peter Ebdon makes his presence felt while Shaun Murphy is at the table

– The debut episode of Dynasties – which focused on the chimpanzee – became the most popular programme of the month when it aired in November 2018. The series, narrated by Sir David, also documented the struggles of baby penguins fighting to avoid an icy death, with the BBC camera crew intervening and coming to the rescue of the stricken birds, breaking a long-held stance of wildlife filming not to get involved.