Connect with us

Published

on

A man who murdered his partner after returning home from a football match has been jailed for life with a minimum term of 19 years.

John Higgins, 64, killed 50-year-old Amanda McAlear at her home in Glasgow on 7 May 2022.

Prosecutors said Ms McAlear suffered a number of injuries, including a fractured rib, displaced tooth, and soft tissue damage to her neck.

A post-mortem examination ruled the primary cause of death to be compression of the neck.

Amanda McAlear. Pic: Police Scotland
Image:
Amanda McAlear was described as a ‘loving mum and grandmother’. Pic: Police Scotland

A court heard how the couple had been together for around four years.

On the day of the attack, Higgins attended a football match and went drinking in two pubs before getting a taxi to Ms McAlear’s house in Barmulloch at around 5.20pm.

CCTV of John Higgins at a pub. Pic: Crown Office
Image:
CCTV of Higgins at a pub. Pic: Crown Office

During the course of the journey, Higgins said he was looking forward to ordering an Indian meal and watching football on television.

Meanwhile, Ms McAlear had been visiting her elderly mother.

At around 6.48pm, she received a call from her son asking her to continue caring for his dog for an extra day.

CCTV of John Higgins getting into a taxi. Pic: Crown Office
Image:
CCTV of Higgins getting into a taxi. Pic: Crown Office

This was the last time anyone heard from the mum-of-one, with Higgins captured on CCTV leaving the house at around 9.46pm.

While staying over at the home of relatives, he told how the couple had been arguing and claimed Ms McAlear had been unplugging the television while he had been trying to watch.

Higgins said he had “seen red” and things “went too far” but failed to mention that Ms McAlear had been injured and might need medical attention, the court heard.

Follow Sky News on WhatsApp
Follow Sky News on WhatsApp

Keep up with all the latest news from the UK and around the world by following Sky News

Tap here

The following morning, Higgins reportedly said: “You know that way when you wake up and reality hits you.”

He then asked a family member for help with details for a solicitor.

Meanwhile at around 12pm, Ms McAlear’s son arrived at her home to pick up his dog.

He found his mother’s body in the kitchen and immediately dialled 999, but Ms McAlear was pronounced dead at the scene.

During a forensic examination, Higgins was found to have bruising to a finger on his right hand and the inner side of his upper arm. He also had a 3cm scratch to his chest.

Read more from Sky News:
Girl, 6, and woman killed in crash
Grandmother and baby swept away by ‘flood wave’

During sentencing, Judge Lady Haldane told Higgins he had shown “limited remorse” and “sought in large part to deflect from your own personal responsibility and instead, in effect, blamed Ms McAlear for her behaviour”.

“As if that murderous assault was not bad enough, you then left the property you shared with your partner without knowing whether Ms McAlear was alive or dead, and failed to seek any assistance for her,” the judge added.

“This is conduct which is quite frankly deplorable.”

Ms McAlear’s son then had the “unimaginable experience” of discovering his mother’s body, the judge added.

Higgins pleaded guilty to murder at the start of a trial at the High Court in Glasgow in July.

After the sentencing hearing on Wednesday, the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS) said Higgins “violently attacked Amanda in her own home where she should have been safe”.

“Instead of calling for help, he left the house leaving his partner on the kitchen floor,” said Moira Orr, who leads on homicide and major crime for the COPFS.

“His cruel and callous actions have robbed a family of their loving mum, daughter, sister, aunt and grandmother.

“Adding to their unimaginable devastation, Amanda never got to meet her youngest grandchild and missed out on her son’s wedding.

“Higgins will now face the consequences of his wicked actions by serving a life sentence.”

Continue Reading

UK

Tulip Siddiq: Labour MP accuses Bangladesh’s leader of ‘orchestrated campaign’ to damage her reputation

Published

on

By

Tulip Siddiq: Labour MP accuses Bangladesh's leader of 'orchestrated campaign' to damage her reputation

Former minister Tulip Siddiq has accused the leader of Bangladesh of conducting an “orchestrated campaign” to damage her reputation and “interfere with UK politics”, according to a new legal letter seen by Sky News.

The Labour MP also said comments made by Professor Muhammad Yunus in a Sky News interview have prejudiced her right to a fair investigation, meaning the ongoing corruption inquiries into her should be dropped.

In March, the chief adviser – who is effectively the country’s interim leader – told Sky News that Ms Siddiq “has so many (sic) wealth left behind here” and “should be made responsible”.

Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player

Bangladesh’s leader talks to Sky News

Bangladesh’s Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has opened several investigations into Ms Siddiq alleging corruption in connection with the government of her aunt Sheikh Hasina, who was ousted as the country’s prime minister last year.

In the new correspondence sent today to Professor Yunus and the ACC, lawyers for the former minister write: “The time has now come for the chief adviser and the ACC to abandon their wholly misconceived and unlawful campaign to smear Ms Siddiq’s reputation and interfere with her public service.”

Sky News has approached the chief adviser and the ACC for comment.

The Bangladeshi authorities have previously said they have evidence to back up their claims of corruption and will pursue action through the country’s courts.

Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player

The Tulip Siddiq accusations explained

Speaking to Sky News on Monday, Ms Siddiq said: “I will not be allowing them to drag me into their world of dirty politics and nothing is going to stop me from pursuing the job that I was elected to do with an overwhelming majority, which is representing the people of Hampstead and Highgate.

“So they need to stop this political vendetta, this smear campaign, and this malicious persecution right from the beginning.”

The MP had requested a meeting with the Bangladeshi leader during an official visit to the UK earlier this month to “clear up” any misunderstandings.

But this was turned down by the chief adviser, who said he did not want to “interrupt a legal procedure”.

Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player

MP says arrest warrant is ‘smear campaign’

In the new legal letter, lawyers for Ms Siddiq say the interim leader had already unfairly influenced the inquiries through previous comments.

“The copious briefings to the media, the failure to respond to our letters, the failure to even ask to meet with and question Ms Siddiq during their recent visit to the United Kingdom are impossible to justify and completely inconsistent with a fair, lawful and serious investigation,” reads the letter.

The correspondence also sets a deadline of 30 June 2025 for the Bangladeshi authorities to reply by, stating that “in the absence of a full and proper response… Ms Siddiq will consider this matter closed”.

A former Nobel Prize winning economist, Professor Muhammad Yunus became interim leader of Bangladesh last August after weeks of deadly protests forced Sheikh Hasina from power.

He has pledged to root out corruption and recover alleged stolen wealth before holding votes to elect a permanent administration.

Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player

Tulip Siddiq questioned over Bangladesh corruption

Last month, Professor Yunus banned the Awami League – the political party still led by Sheikh Hasina – from standing in the coming elections.

That led to criticism from those still loyal to the former prime minister, with protests also sparking in the country over jobs, pay and planned reforms.

Earlier this year, it was revealed that Tulip Siddiq had lived in several London properties that had links back to the Awami League.

She referred herself to the prime minister’s standards adviser Sir Laurie Magnus who said he had “not identified evidence of improprieties” but added it was “regrettable” Ms Siddiq had not been more alert to the “potential reputational risks” of the ties to her aunt.

Ms Siddiq said continuing in her role would be “a distraction” for the government but insisted she had done nothing wrong.

Sheikh Hasina is currently standing trial in absentia in Dhaka over alleged killings during last summer’s civil unrest.

Asked by Sky News if she had any regrets about links to the Awami league, Ms Siddiq said: “The main thing I would say to you, I’m very proud to be the MP for Hampstead and Highgate. I was born in London, I grew up in London. I went to school here and now I’m an MP here.”

Read more from Sky News:
UK and NATO allies boost defence spending
Does politics have a place at festivals?

Sheikh Hasina pictured in 2023.
Pic: AP/ Yomiuri Shimbun
Image:
Sheikh Hasina pictured in 2023. Pic: AP/Yomiuri Shimbun

In March, Sky News revealed that UK investigators could assist with probes into alleged grand corruption during Hasina’s time in power.

Staff from the National Crime Agency visited Bangladesh in October and November as part of initial work to support the interim government in the country.

Last month, the NCA confirmed it had secured a “freezing order” against a property in north London linked to Ms Siddiq’s family.

She denies all the allegations – and sources close to the MP say the authorities have been sending correspondence to an address in Dhaka that has no connection with her.

Continue Reading

UK

National investigation into NHS maternity services launched after families ‘gaslit’

Published

on

By

National investigation into NHS maternity services launched after families 'gaslit'

A “rapid” national investigation into NHS maternity services has been launched by the government.

The announcement comes after Health Secretary Wes Streeting met families who have lost babies and amid the ongoing investigations at some NHS trusts into maternity care failings.

The investigation in England is intended to provide truth to families suffering harm, as well as driving urgent improvements to care and safety, as part of efforts to ensure “no parent or baby is ever let down again”.

Politics latest: Farage unveils ‘Britannia Card’ in latest tax policy

The Royal College of Midwives (RCM) welcomed the government’s announcement and said maternity services were “at, or even beyond, breaking point”.

Last week, the NHS regulator said maternity and neonatal services at two Leeds hospitals had been rated inadequate over safety issues.

Mr Streeting, who was speaking at the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG) conference in London, apologised on behalf of the NHS for what families had been through and said it was “clear something is going wrong”.

He added: “For the past year, I have been meeting bereaved families from across the country who have lost babies or suffered serious harm during what should have been the most joyful time in their lives.

“What they have experienced is devastating – deeply painful stories of trauma, loss, and a lack of basic compassion – caused by failures in NHS maternity care that should never have happened.

“Their bravery in speaking out has made it clear: we must act – and we must act now.”

Mr Streeting said families have had to “fight for truth and justice” and had described being “ignored, gaslit, lied to, manipulated and damaged further by the inability for a trust to simply be honest with them that something has gone wrong”.

The investigation will consist of two parts.

Health Secretary Wes Streeting speaking during the RCOG World Congress 2025.
Pic: PA
Image:
Wes Streeting speaking during the RCOG conference. Pic: PA

The first will investigate up to 10 of the most concerning maternity and neonatal units, including Sussex, in the coming weeks to give affected families answers as quickly as possible, according to the Department of Health.

The second will be a “system-wide” look at maternity and neonatal care, uniting lessons from past inquiries to create one clear set of actions designed to improve NHS care.

A National Maternity and Neonatal Taskforce will be chaired by Mr Streeting and made up of experts and bereaved families.

The investigation will begin this summer and report back by December.

Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player

From 2024: ‘The joy was sucked out of having a baby’

Sir Jim Mackey, chief executive of NHS England, said: “This rapid national investigation must mark a line in the sand for maternity care – setting out one set of clear actions for NHS leaders to ensure high quality care for all.”

Dr Ranee Thakar, president of the RCOG, said: “The maternity workforce is on its knees, with many now leaving the profession.”

Read more from Sky News:
GPs can start prescribing weight loss jabs on NHS
Stunning images show new ‘peek of cosmos’

RCM chief executive Gill Walton said: “Everyone involved in maternity services – the midwifery community, obstetricians, anaesthetists, sonographers and, of course, the women and families in their care – knows that maternity services are at, or even beyond, breaking point.

“This renewed focus and commitment by the health secretary to deliver change is welcome, and we will do everything we can to support him in doing so.”

Continue Reading

UK

Annabel Rook death: Man charged with murder of woman found stabbed after gas explosion

Published

on

By

Annabel Rook death: Man charged with murder of woman found stabbed after gas explosion

A man has been charged with the murder of a 46-year-old woman found stabbed following a gas explosion at a house in London.

Clifton George, 44, will appear at Thames Magistrates’ Court on Monday.

He has also been charged with arson with intent to endanger life, the Metropolitan Police said.

Charity worker Annabel Rook was found fatally injured at a property in Dumont Road, Stoke Newington, northeast London, just before 5am on Tuesday.

In a statement following her death, Ms Rook’s family said they were “struggling to come to terms with this terrible tragedy”.

Read more from Sky News:
Protests over wedding of one of world’s richest men
GPs can now prescribe weight loss jabs on NHS

“We have lost our beautiful daughter, sister, friend and mother. Annabel was a truly wonderful woman,” the tribute read.

“She touched the hearts of so many.

“She gave her life to helping the vulnerable and the disadvantaged whether it was in refugee camps in Africa or setting up MamaSuze in London, to enhance the lives of survivors of forced displacement and gender-based violence.”

Continue Reading

Trending