‘When the victim attempted to retrieve his phone, one of the suspects shot, and the gang fled the scene on their motorbikes.

‘This is a truly positive step forward.’

Security guards are fighting a tide of retail crime.

Crypto multi-millionaire Roman Novak, 38, and his wife Anna were last seen a month ago

Online scammers in Singapore will be handed at least six strokes of the cane

She remains in hospital with a ‘serious injury’

The Met welcomed the report and said ‘further change’ needs to happen.

Idaho prosecutors are pushing for the families of Bryan Kohberger’s victims to have access to any and all money that he receives from selling his story. The 30-year-old criminology student, who murdered four University of Idaho students in 20…

Young drivers have been warned they could lose thousands of pounds by buying fake car insurance policies amid a rise in ‘ghost broking’ cases.

Aviva has detected an increasing number of motorists being conned into handing over their coin to fraudsters who pose as middle-men for well-known insurance companies.

Young motorists are losing £2,000 each on average when they buy fake policies, according to research by the insurance giant.

This includes the average premium paid (£1,700) and extra fees (£300) charged by ghost brokers selling fraudulent policies.

Aviva said ghost broking detections are running higher this year than in 2024 – and those aged 17 to 25 are the primary target.

Many scams start on social media and Aviva said it has identified a sharp rise in fraudsters using fake, professional-looking websites that impersonate legitimate insurers.

Detective Chief Inspector Nik Jethwa, from the City of London Police’s Insurance Fraud Enforcement Department (IFED), told Metro: ‘Ghost brokers prey on trust and vulnerability, leaving victims financially exposed and legally unprotected – often facing the same penalties as uninsured drivers.

‘These criminals use forged documents, fake websites and social media ads to lure people into buying bogus policies.

‘To stay safe, always buy insurance directly from a trusted provider or through a broker registered with the British Insurance Brokers’ Association or the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA).

‘Be cautious of deals offered via messaging apps or social media and never pay in cash or via bank transfer without verifying the source.

‘If you’re unsure whether your vehicle is properly insured, you can check its status instantly using the Motor Insurance Database via Navigate.’

Ghost broking victims can be liable for costs for any injuries or damage caused while driving without cover.

They could also face having their car seized by police and court action.

According to Aviva, people could also end up being victims of identity fraud if tricksters sell on their personal information.

Owen Morris, of Aviva, said: ‘Ghost broking is a fast-growing criminal enterprise that targets young drivers on social media sites.

‘These fraudsters exploit social media to sell worthless insurance, leaving victims thousands of pounds out of pocket, driving without insurance and at risk of prosecution.

‘They could also potentially be victims of identity or banking frauds in the future.

‘The scale of the problem is concerning – and it’s getting worse.”

‘Our message to young drivers is simple. Before buying insurance on social media, always check the seller is genuine before you pay.’

Aviva said that to avoid falling victim to ghost brokers, young drivers should be cautious about anyone selling insurance on social media and verify who they are dealing with.

They should contact insurers directly and check the Financial Services Register to ensure they are legitimate.

They should also check registrations with the British Insurance Brokers’ Association (Biba) and the Financial Conduct Authority.

Biba can help young drivers, who often pay more for their policies, to find legitimate insurance.

Anyone who suspects they have been a victim of ghost broking or other fraud should report their concerns to the police.

Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk.

For more stories like this, check our news page.

A judge told him: ‘You were prepared to betray your country for money.’

Lindsay Sandiford had feared death by firing squad before her release.

Ceri Chase and Chelsea Smith were spared jail over the assault, which was sparked by a petty family feud.

Kaddour-Cherif’s most recent prison sentence was for trespass with intent to steal. 

Jesse Butler faced a 78-year sentence after being convicted – but has been spared jail.

Wandelt sent emails, left voicemails and turned up at their home between June 2022 and February this year.

Ola Abimbola has been on the run for weeks (Picture: Sussex Police)

An apparent rise in absconders from open prisons includes a violent kidnapper who was serving a 21-year sentence.

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‘He threatened to stab me. He told me he hated me and wanted me to die.’

Family members from enemy Turkish kebab shops – who cut each other with metal poles in a brawl – have been jailed.

Footage captured by CCTV shows the attackers, aged between 17 and 52, slashing and stabbing each other using a variety of tools, from sticks used in their kebab shops to walking sticks.

The incident happened in Commercial Road in Newport, Wales, in August, in broad daylight, in front of shocked customers.

Newport Crown Court heard how the seven men who took part in the fight all suffered gash and slash wounds from the ‘significant physical violence’.

Sentencing the seven men, judge Richard Kember said the incident was ‘a disgraceful outbreak of violence and disorder,’ the BBC reported.

Mehmet Aksoy, 52, Mazhar Aksoy 40, Murat Aksoy, 28, Burak Aksoy, 25, Savas Sayak, 34, Yagmur Sayak, 43, Firat Sayak, 45, previously admitted violent disorder in September.

A 17-year-old boy, who cannot be named because of his young age, will be sentenced at youth court.

The fighting took place between the Aksoy family, who own Family Kebab on Caerleon Road, and the Sayak family, who own Antalya Kebab.

The video showed the fight began when Firat Sayak struck Mehmet Aksoy outside the kebab shop before the pair began hitting each other against a car and then dropping to the ground.

Other family members rushed to the scene after Mehmet Aksoy made a phone call, the prosecutor told the court.

His family member, Murat Aksoy, arrived in a grey Mercedes, brandishing a metal pole out of the window.

This caused Firat Sayak to ‘respond in kind’ and brandish his own weapon through the kebab shop window.

Members of both families then continued attacking each other, leading to a number of injuries.

At the end of the fight, people were even forced to remove their shirts to use as ‘makeshift bandages’, while others could be seen with blood on them, the court heard. 

Police arrived shortly after the fight ended and found Savas Sayak ‘with a severe head wound’ and Yagmar Sayak with ‘multiple injuries to his head’. 

It is understood that the ‘origin of the animosity’ between them involved ‘infighting’ between people connected to the families in Turkey.

In mitigation, the court heard there has been a wider process of conciliation between the Sayak and Aksoy families with the help of the Kurdish and Turkish communities in Wales.

Judge Kember said: ‘The communities have been concerned about this event and concerned it does not reflect Kurdish and Turkish values.’

Mehmet, Murat, and Mazhar Aksoy, and Savas and Firat Sayak, were each sentenced to 24 months imprisonment.

Burak Aksoy and Yagmur Sayak were each sentenced to 12 months imprisonment, suspended for 21 months, and were ordered to carry out 150 hours unpaid work.

Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk.

For more stories like this, check our news page.

In 2010 the ancient stone circle – believed to have been built 5,000 years ago – was estimated to be worth £51million.

Ricky Butcher was slashed across the face after a night out

‘This is not a drill’

The robbery happened on October 13 in Barking, east London

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The father of Axel Rudakubana has said he regrets not calling the police after he accepted a delivery of a machete that his teenage son ordered.

His son, 17 at the time of the killings, had used a false name to have a machete delivered to his home in Old School Close, Banks, Lancashire – a little over a year before the attacks happened.

Axel is currently serving a minimum of 52 years in prison for murdering three little girls at a Taylor Swift-themed dance class in Southport last July.

During the second day of the Southport Inquiry in Liverpool Town Hall today, Alphonse Rudakubana said: ‘I regret that I didn’t tell the police because if I had, what happened on July 29 wouldn’t have happened.

‘They would have come and checked everything.’

He described the delivered package as heavy and in the shape of a knife.

The inquiry heard that he did not talk to his son about it as he was ‘scared’ it would have ‘quickly escalated.’ Instead, he did not give Axel the package.

A second machete was delivered to the house in October 2023, but he could not say if it was him or his son who had accepted the delivery.

Axel had also ordered seeds, which his father was aware of, but only found out later that they were used to create deadly poison ricin.

When asked if he should have been more curious about the deliveries, he said: ‘I was a traumatised person. It wasn’t normal at all.’

Now, more than a year after the murders, his father has said he cries all the time for the innocent victims.

He said: ‘I’d like to say my deepest sympathy, my condolences for their beautiful angels whose lives were taken away by my son, so I’m so desperately sorry to them and everyone else who’s been harmed.

‘Two days ago, I was crying after the accounts Dion gave, but I was also crying for them, I cry for them all the time because I have a reminder of) my son who turned out to be a monster.’

He added: ‘I’m so ashamed I lost the courage to save their little angels.’

Rudakubana’s mother Laetitia Muzayire is due to give evidence later today.

Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk.

For more stories like this, check our news page.

Hassan Jhangur, 25, hit five people, including father-of-two Chris Marriott.

Hassan Jhangur, 25, hit five people, including father-of-two Chris Marriott.