Catalina Birlea was killed at a property in Cambridge in October 2025

A man who killed a sex worker in Cambridge has been sentenced to life in prison. Jon Ismaili, 34, was found guilty at Cambridge Crown Court on June 26 of the murder of Catalina Birlea.

Ismaili, of School Lane, Waterbeach, went to the address where Catalina was staying in Chesterton Road on October 2 and stayed there for around two hours. He then left and a friend found Catalina unresponsive.

She was pronounced dead at the scene. Following a manhunt for Ismaili, he was arrested on October 5. A post-mortem revealed Catalina died as a result of a compression of her neck.

Today (Monday, June 29), Ismaili was sentenced to life in prison with a minimum term of 18 and a half years. Following his guilty verdict last week, Detective Inspector Mark Dollard said: “Only Ismaili knows what happened at the property that morning and why he murdered Catalina.

“He left the house knowing exactly what he had done, covering his face and actively avoiding police. I am pleased officers were able to catch up with him so quickly through diligent detective work putting together a comprehensive investigation.

“Catalina was working as a sex worker that morning, and this case underlines the risks faced by those in this industry. To those working in the sex industry who have experienced violence please report it to the police. We will listen, we will investigate without prejudice and we will support you.”

Former Conservative MP Craig Williams has pleaded guilty to cheating at gambling by placing bets on the date of the 2024 general election.

The 41-year-old was the MP for Montgomeryshire and an aide to then-Prime Minister Rishi Sunak before the election was called.

He entered his guilty plea at a hearing at Southwark Crown Court on Monday.

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Alexis Green-Harding will become principal at Vale of York Academy, in Clifton, in September.

Mr Green-Harding previously worked at Archbishop Holgate’s CE School, in Badger Hill, where he served as head and deputy head of the school.

Mr Green-Harding said it is an “honour and a privilege to be joining Vale of York Academy as principal”.

“I am really looking forward to getting to know the pupils, families, staff and wider community, and to working together to build on all that makes the academy special.

“Vale has a strong sense of community, where people are known, valued and supported, and that is something I am committed to protecting and strengthening.

“I am excited about what we can achieve together and ensuring that Vale continues to be a school we are all proud of.

“Most importantly, I want every student to feel happy, safe and successful here, and to leave fully prepared for their next steps.”

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Vale of York Academy is part of the Heartwood Learning Trust, formerly the Hope Sentamu Learning Trust, which also runs Manor CE Academy in Poppleton.

A trust spokesperson said Vale of York Academy has seen “steady improvements in their results in recent years and Mr Green-Harding is committed to continuing this upward trend”.

“He is keen to ensure that the school continues to focus on providing high quality teaching alongside strong pastoral support for students,” they added.

Trust ‘excited about new chapter’ for school, says CEO

Helen Winn, CEO of the Heartwood Learning Trust, noted Vale of York Academy’s Ofsted inspection last year, which found it had maintained the standards of its previous ‘good’ rating, and said: “We are excited about the next chapter for Vale of York Academy and look forward to seeing the school continue to go from strength to strength under Mr Green-Harding’s leadership.”

She said the trust is “delighted to welcome Mr Green-Harding to Vale of York Academy”.

“He brings a wealth of leadership experience, a deep commitment to improving outcomes for young people and a genuine passion for creating school communities where every child can thrive.

“When Ofsted visited last year they noted that staff are proud to work at the school and that pupils develop positive relationships with staff. These comments reflect the strong culture that exists within the school and provide an excellent foundation for the future.”

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The farm shop was forced to remain closed for several hours after the break-in

A Cambridgeshire farm shop and café has been broken into. Cambridgeshire Police were called at about 8.30am on Sunday, June 28, with reports of a burglary at an address on Brockley Road, Elsworth.

The incident happened at Frank’s Farm and a crime has been raised for business burglary. Paul Sanderson, one of the co-founders and directors at Frank’s Farm, said he heard about the break in via a phone call.

He arrived to find “two of the doors taken off their hinges” with “one of them completely destroyed” and “glass all over the floor of one of the units”.

He added: “We are going to have to replace both of the doors, the locks and it was obviously the knock on to the business yesterday because we were unable to open on time. We had lots of people coming down for breakfast and we just weren’t able to open because of the damage and the clear up.”

He said a lot of people were “disappointed” on Sunday (June 28) as they were unable to have their coffee and breakfast. Mr Sanderson emphasised that “it is just one of those business disruptions you just don’t need”.

He continued: “The team pulled together really well. We had a lot of support from those who weren’t [scheduled] to be on to say ‘can we come in and help?’ It was a case of everyone pulls together and we crack on for the customers.”

Mr Sanderson said he has supplied police with CCTV footage. Investigations are ongoing. The force has urged anyone with information to contact police online or via 101 quoting reference: 35/48397/26.

Commuters filled the station during the Monday morning commuter rush

Commuters have welcomed the opening of Cambridge’s long-awaited third train station. After delays, Cambridge South Station officially opened on Sunday (June 28).

The new £250 million station is based next to the Cambridge Biomedical Campus. Commuters filled the station on Monday morning (June 29), as they headed for trains on the station’s first busy day.

Those travelling through the new station have shared their thoughts on the opening. Trudy Day said the opening has “taken its time” but it’s “been worth the wait”.

She added: “It’s going to make my life so much easier and I’m sure it will be for others as well. It looks so busy already as well so clearly a lot of people needed it.

“I do find it crazy that Cambridge now has three stations, but it’s such a big city and looking at how many people are here, it’s clearly needed.”

Ashah Shashank, who lives in Trumpington, said the station is “easier to walk to”. He added: “It’s much closer. I would have liked it to open in January but it’s pretty good.

“What this station does is it gives people an opportunity to go into the city and come back into this area. It’s great being next to the hospitals as well.”

Another person who lives in Trumpington, who wished to remain anonymous, said it also makes her commuting journey a “lot easier”. She said: “I don’t have to get the park and ride anymore, which takes a bit longer and they are not always on time. And then it takes longer to get the train from the city centre.”

The woman added that it’s easier as she can walk to the station from her home. “It would have been good for it to be open sooner, but I’m glad it’s opened,” she added.

Roberta, who asked to use only her first name, said the new station was “needed” and it’s “very helpful”. She added: “It’s good and the station is great. I think it’s good because it’s going to take people more central.”

Cambridge South is expected to serve around 1.8 million passengers a year, with up to nine trains an hour travelling through the station. It is the first station under new public sector body Great British Railways.

The June temperature record that had stood since 1976 was repeatedly broken during last week’s heatwave, as exceptionally hot and humid conditions led the Met Office to issue a rare red warning for extreme heat for some areas – the first time it has issued such a warning for three days in a row.

England football legend David Beckham was in the Royal Box on Day One of Wimbledon along with his mother, Sandra, and the former England captain had a request for a certain celebrity

It appears that even Sir David Beckham occasionally gets a little starstruck.

Because even English footballing royalty and one of the most well-known men on the planet sometimes can’t resist being a fanboy. And on the opening day of Wimbledon, while sitting in the Royal box alongside his mother, for Becks, that meant taking a selfie with Dame Mary Berry.

Both were in attendance at SW19 on the first day of the 2026 Championships to watch reigning champion Jannik Sinner in his opening round match.

And looking dapper as ever in a sleek grey suit, 51 year-old Beckham was seen requesting a photo with the TV chef, famous for her role as a beloved judge on The Great British Bake Off.

Firstly he stood up to grab a picture of himself with his mother, Sandra. Then he requested a group picture with Berry and Deborah Jevans, the chair of the All England Lawn Tennis & Croquet Club.

Beckham, who presently manages his time in both the UK and USA, where he co-owns MLS club Inter Miami, is a regular attendee at the Wimbledon and was sitting front row in the Royal Box to watch Sinner open up his title defence against Serbia’s Miomir Kecmanovic.

Alexander Armstrong, the TV star and former host of BBC show Pointless, actor Mark Rylance, and Katherine Jenkins were among the star-studded names in attendance on Monday, all sat in the row behind.

And he wasn’t the only Beckham at SW19, with son Romeo also spotted within the grounds, with his girlfriend, Kim Turnbull. It seems the invite into the VIP seats hadn’t been extended to his second eldest son.

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Celebrities from all fields are spotted in the prestigious box every year, but being a high-profile figure does not guarantee a seat. Guests must be invited by the former champion and chair, Jevans, who takes into account suggestions from the AELTC’s management committee, the Lawn Tennis Association, and other tennis bodies and prominent figures.

A Royal Box invite also comes with plenty of rules to adhere to, including a strict dress code, with Lewis Hamilton famously falling foul of this back in 2015, when he was subsequently turned away from taking up a seat in the box.

Beckham and the Centre Court crowd welcomed top seed Sinner with a raucous reception as he made his way out. The Italian is the firm favourite this year with Carlos Alcaraz out due to a wrist injury.

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Comments made by the officer were found to be “derogatory and of a misogynistic nature”

A Cambridgeshire Police officer shared “intimate images” of a detained woman, a misconduct hearing heard. PC Josh Williams faced a misconduct hearing accused of sharing images of a detained female and making “derogatory” comments to another officer.

PC Williams was accused of sharing messages and images, relating to a female who had been detained for criminal offences, to another officer without authority.

According to the hearing outcome, these images contained “intimate images of the detained female” and the comments made by PC Williams were “derogatory and of a misogynistic nature”. The hearing heard they were “unprofessional to say the least”.

Following an investigation, a summons was issued for two offences: misconduct in a public office and doing an act tending and intended to pervert the course of justice.

In May 2025, PC Williams entered a guilty plea in relation to misconduct in a public office. However, PC Williams entered a not guilty plea with regards to the allegation of perverting the course of justice. He was due to stand trial in June 2026.

The accelerated hearing only related to the former offence to which a guilty plea had been entered. The actions of the officer were found to breach the professional standards in discreditable conduct.

The Chief Constable of Cambridgeshire Police concluded that PC Williams’ conduct was “so serious that dismissal would be justified”. He therefore found that the conduct amounted to gross misconduct.

PC Williams did not attend the hearing. His case centres on an investigation that stemmed from another case which led to him being investigated for misconduct in a public office.

The initial download of the detainee’s phone was authorised. However, the downloading and sharing of the specific images and comments that were not authorised.