Crime

Published: 18 February 2026. The English Chronicle Desk. The English Chronicle Online Two sisters from Crawley, West Sussex, have been ordered to repay nearly £220,000 under UK proceeds‑of‑crime laws after carrying out a series of thefts targeting duty‑free shops at Gatwick Airport. The confiscation order, made at Lewes Crown Court, follows the women’s convictions over an organised spree that saw them steal high‑value perfumes and cosmetics and sell the stolen...

Published: 18 February 2026. The English Chronicle Desk. The English Chronicle Online Police in London have launched a major manhunt after a convicted prisoner escaped custody from two separate hospitals in less than a week, raising serious questions about security procedures for offenders needing medical treatment. The Metropolitan Police confirmed their search for Daniel Boakye, 21, after the second disappearance on Sunday, marking a remarkable and troubling double escape. Boakye...

Published: 18 February 2026. The English Chronicle Desk. The English Chronicle Online A profoundly deaf young woman was fatally attacked and left to die in east London after a night out with strangers, a court heard on Tuesday as her alleged killer went on trial. The Old Bailey was told the senseless killing of Zahwa Mukhtar, 27, followed a chance meeting with a group of people in the early hours...

Published: 18 February 2026. The English Chronicle Desk. The English Chronicle Online Campaigners, police staff and local politicians are urgently pressing the Metropolitan Police Service and the Mayor of London to reverse plans to close police station front counters across the capital, warning that cuts risk eroding public access to essential services and undermining community safety. The story has emerged amid ongoing debate over policing priorities and budget pressures facing...

Published: 18 February 2026. The English Chronicle Desk. The English Chronicle Online Transport for London (TfL) has unveiled new regulations aimed at cracking down on unregulated pedicab services in the capital, particularly targeting ‘rip‑off fares’, loud music and unsafe operations that have long plagued central London’s streets. The move comes after years of complaints from tourists, residents and business owners about excessive charges and nuisance behaviour by pedicab drivers —...

Published: 18 February 2026. The English Chronicle Desk. The English Chronicle Online A 59‑year‑old man who drunkenly threw his daughter’s pet kittens off a bridge into the River Thames has been sentenced at Wimbledon Magistrates’ Court, in a case that horrified onlookers and drew sharp condemnation from animal welfare advocates. The incident, which took place last November, saw the man tip a box containing three young cats into the water...

Published: 18 February 2026. The English Chronicle Desk. The English Chronicle Online UK trading standards authorities have issued an urgent public warning after discovering that illegal and harmful skin lightening creams are being sold in a range of outlets across the country — including unexpected places such as local butchers and specialist food shops — raising fresh concerns about consumer safety and product regulation. The Chartered Trading Standards Institute (CTSI),...

Published: 18 February 2026. The English Chronicle Desk. The English Chronicle Online A senior teacher in England has been banned from the profession after it emerged he lied about his academic credentials and personal details on multiple job applications. The decision, announced this week, came after a disciplinary panel ruled that his conduct undermined the integrity expected of educators. Nicholas Martin, 43, who taught at St Edward’s School in Cheltenham...

Published: 18 February 2026. The English Chronicle Desk. The English Chronicle Online A man in Newcastle has been sentenced to three years in prison after tattooing three primary‑school‑aged children, in what a judge described as “staggeringly stupid” and harmful conduct. The case, heard at Newcastle Crown Court, has shocked the local community and drawn widespread attention for the severity of his actions toward young victims. Patrick Coe, 31, admitted three...

Published: 18 February 2026. The English Chronicle Desk. The English Chronicle Online. Fresh scrutiny has emerged over Epstein UK flights as British police confirm they are assessing claims that private jets linked to the convicted sex offender transported women through airports across the country. The development marks the first time officers have openly acknowledged reviewing allegations that Epstein UK flights may have used British airspace and facilities for trafficking purposes....