Source: Merseyside Police published on this website Thursday 5 March 2026 by Jill Powell

A man who was in the middle of his driving test in St Helens was stopped by officers and arrested for drug driving.

At around 5pm Sunday 1 March, officers on patrol in the area stopped a vehicle on King Street after spotting that a brake light wasn’t working.

Officers could smell cannabis when speaking to the driver, who was on his driving test, and he subsequently failed a drugs wipe. He was also found to be in possession of cannabis.

A 26-year-old man from Wigan was arrested on suspicion of drug driving and taken into police custody. He has since been released under investigation.

Roads Policing Inspector Simon Wilson said: “Officers rightly pulled over the car after noticing that a brake light wasn’t working, which is dangerous not only for the occupants of the vehicle but also other road users.

“After speaking to the driver, it was clear that there was much more for officers to be concerned with and he was arrested on suspicion of drug driving.

“Although some people may find the humour in the fact someone on a driving test was arrested, drug driving is no laughing matter. It is incredibly dangerous and selfish to get behind the wheel of a vehicle under the influence of drugs and it’s an offence we take seriously at Merseyside Police.

“Every year we run Operation Limit, which is a nation-wide initiative which aims to tackle drink and drug driving across the festive period. However, we are determined to improve road safety all year round and work continues to crackdown on selfish drivers who pose a risk to themselves and others.

“Our stance on illegal substances is clear: nobody should be taking them. But even if you choose to break the law and take illegal drugs, that does not give you the right to endanger the lives of innocent people on the roads who have no way of knowing you are driving intoxicated.”

If you suspect someone is currently driving under the influence, call 999 immediately. For non-urgent information, call 101 or contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or via their website here: https://crimestoppers-uk.org/give-information/forms/give-information-anonymously 

Source: Home Office published on this website Tuesday 3 March 2026 by Jill Powell

Parents and caregivers who physically harm children will face tougher, lasting consequences for their actions following a new child cruelty register.

Adults who subject children in their care to cruel, heartless crimes, such as neglect and abandonment, will be more closely monitored by police and face similar restrictions as registered sex offenders – reducing the chances of reoffending and providing better protection to children.

This could include having to inform police if they move house, change their identities, travel abroad, or start living with children again after their sentence.

The register will also cover all offences related to child female genital mutilation.

The move follows calls for such a register from campaigners including Paula Hudgell, the adoptive mother of Tony Hudgell, who became a double amputee following severe neglect by his birth parents.

The government has tabled amendments to the Crime and Policing Bill to establish the register.

Jess Phillips, MP, Minister for Safeguarding and Violence Against Women and Girls, said:

“It is unforgivable that someone who is supposed to take care of a child would hurt them instead.

“We’ve listened to the Hudgells, and to the many families who feel the system hasn’t done enough to protect some of the most vulnerable people in society, and we are taking vital action.

“Whether it be online, on the streets, in schools, or from their own caregivers – children are being kept safer under this government.”

Crimes covered by the register will include those convicted of causing or allowing the death or serious physical harm of a child. This includes child cruelty, abandonment or neglect, female genital mutilation and infanticide. These offences are egregious betrayals of a child’s trust and dependency.

At the same time, the government is bringing in a raft of non-legislative measures to further protect children. These include promoting the effective use of civil orders, strengthening Multi-Agency Public Protection Arrangements (MAPPA) oversight, ensuring high‑risk cases are identified consistently, and putting child sex offender disclosure by police on a statutory footing.

Taken together, the new child cruelty register and supporting measures will provide the best-ever police visibility for those who have harmed children under their care, and will give safeguarding partners the information they need to stop cruel, neglectful and abusive adults from offending again.

These actions come in addition to the strong steps this government has already taken to safeguard children. These include introducing the landmark Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill with a unique child identifier, new multi-agency child protection teams and better information sharing powers. We are also strengthening child sex offender disclosure, establishing a new Child Protection Agency, and bringing in mandatory reporting of child sexual abuse.

Sentencing Minister, Jake Richards MP, said:

“Child abusers do not deserve shielding; children do. The Child Cruelty Register will ensure these offenders are visible to the police, allowing authorities to see and act when risks arise.

“I thank Paula Hudgell for her remarkable fight to ensure no child should go through the life-altering abuse that her son Tony did”.

Source: Kent Police published on this website Wednesday 4 March 2026 by Jill Powell

A delivery driver who sexually assaulted two women at their Maidstone homes has been sentenced to two and a half years in prison.

On 26 June 2025, Shafiullah Rasooli delivered food to a woman who had ordered it online. As she opened the door, he made inappropriate remarks before stepping into the property and sexually assaulting her.

He left the address and then returned to commit a further sexual offence, before taking her phone to enter his contact details. Over the following days, Rasooli made multiple calls to the victim’s phone, causing her considerable distress.

A week later, on 3 July, Rasooli made a further delivery to another woman. He made indecent comments to the victim and asked about her relationship status before sexually assaulting her.

Both women reported the incidents to Kent Police and an investigation was launched.

Investigators reviewed CCTV in the area to identify Rasooli’s vehicle. This, accompanied by screenshots of the victims’ orders and the contact details he had left with one of the victims’ phones, assisted officers to track him down.

The 29 year old of St Peter’s Street, Maidstone, was later charged with three counts of sexual assault. He denied the offences and was convicted following a trial at Sevenoaks Magistrates’ Court.

On Wednesday 25 February 2026, Rasooli, an Afghan national, was sentenced at Maidstone Crown Court to two and a half years’ imprisonment. He was also handed a Sexual Harm Prevention Order.

Detective Constable Matthew Kerr said:
“Rasooli took advantage of his job to prey on the two vulnerable victims who had simply ordered food. His actions made them feel unsafe and violated in their own homes and he arrogantly thought he could get away with it.
“However, a prompt investigation led to his arrest and he is now serving a prison sentence.
“I would like to commend both victims for courageously reporting these crimes and then assisting us throughout the subsequent trial. I hope they can find some closure knowing their actions have protected other potential victims from harm.”

Source: Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) published on this website Monday 2 March 2026 by Jill Powell

An abuser who suggested it was a ‘playfight’ that broke his partner’s neck, leaving her paralysed and in need of round the clock care, has been jailed for grievous bodily harm.

Landscape gardener, Robert Easom, 57, was jailed for 16 years plus a four-year extended licence period. He had exercised coercive control over his partner, being loving one minute and lashing out verbally and physically the next.

On 17 February 2025, Easom’s partner tried to end the relationship. In response, Easom carried out a violent assault culminating in him pushing down on his partner’s head with such force that he broke her neck.

Alison Wolstenholme of the Crown Prosecution Service said:

“In a fit of rage, Robert Easom pushed his partner’s head down with such force that he broke her neck – changing her life forever.

“After years of coercive control, where he assaulted her, belittled her, tormented her and deliberately frightened her, he carried out a brutal assault when she tried to end the relationship.

“He attempted to evade responsibility for his actions, telling various lies about how his partner became injured. Later, he accepted causing the injuries which left the woman paralysed from the chest down, but claimed that he did not intend to cause serious harm. The evidence did not allow us to considering accepting that.

“The CPS was determined to see Easom face the full consequences of his actions, and we pushed for the case to go to trial. The jury saw through his lies and found him guilty of intentionally inflicting grievous bodily harm.

“The incredible strength shown by the victim during this prosecution cannot be overstated. Her support has allowed us to bring the strongest possible case against a dangerous abuser and ensure he faces the full force of the law.”

Easom and the woman began their relationship some eight years before the life changing assault. It started well but over time, Easom became verbally abusive, criticising her and belittling her.

He could be very loving and made her believe that she had been overreacting to incidents where she was frightened and the relationship continued.

This was to be the pattern of Easom’s coercive control, loving one minute and abusive and violent the next.

The violence escalated. In 2021, Easom wrapped her head in a bedsheet, causing her to struggle for her breath. In January 2025, following a disagreement, he accelerated rapidly to frighten her and then performed an emergency stop just before a wall. He then headbutted her and scraped her face with his stubble.

The final incident occurred on 17 February 2025, when the woman tried to end the relationship, calmly telling Easom that it was for the best as they were arguing.

Easom flew into a rage. He started shouting, accusing her of causing an argument, pushed her forcefully against the headboard and grabbed her throat.

He then left the room and briefly returned, shouting “shut the f*** up” and pushing her head with such force that he broke her neck.

By the time he stopped, the damage had been done. After some convincing, he called an ambulance, lying to the operator and saying she had fallen out of bed.

She was taken to the Royal Preston Hospital where she was diagnosed with a broken neck. She had an operation to restore her spinal alignment, but the neurological damage rendered her tetraplegic and couldn’t be repaired.

Easom was arrested and gave a prepared statement during his police interview where he claimed they had been playfighting.

On the first day of his trial at Preston Crown Court, Easom pleaded guilty to two counts of actual bodily harm and one count of controlling or coercive behaviour. He admitted breaking his partner’s neck but denied that he had intended to do serious harm.

Following the trial, he was found guilty of causing grievous bodily harm with intent. He was sentenced to 16 years in prison plus a four-year extended licence period at the same court on 27 February 2026.