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South African Wind Energy Association (SAWEA): Internships 2024 / 2025
South African Wind Energy Association (SAWEA) invites unemployed graduates to apply for Internship Programme 2024 / 2025. Internship Application Closing Date: 14 November 2024 Internship Location: Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa The South African Wind Energy Association (SAWEA) is thrilled to announce the opening of applications for the 2025 Wind Industry Internship Programme (WIIP). This initiative …
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Harrowing vids show Putin’s drones hunting Ukrainian CIVILIANS as 30 killed & 400 hurt in chilling ‘campaign of fear’
HORRIFYING videos have shown Vladimir Putin’s drones hunting and dropping explosives on innocent Ukrainians, in a campaign that has killed dozens of people.
Russia has launched these attacks on major cities in the East and South of Ukraine killing at least 30 and injuring over 400.
The port city of Kherson has been victim to a sudden surge of over 5,000 drone strikes since 1 July.
Terrifying videos showed how these drones hunt down and target civilians.
One clip appeared to show a drone following a lonely cyclist before it dropped an explosive that narrowly missed that person.
Another video showed the moment an explosive was dropped on a parked car.
Two passengers, dressed in civilian clothing, were then seen promptly exiting the car and running to safety.
These videos, filmed through the remote operator’s camera on the drone, were uploaded to the messenger app Telegram with threatening messages to Ukrainians, according to the BBC.
Some of these threats suggested all vehicles would be targets and warned people to reduce their movements outside.
Military officials in Kherson explained that a change in the types of drones used by Russia has meant the city’s electronic systems were not able to intercept most of them.
A local woman, Angela Dobrovolsky, explained how one of these drones killed her husband of 32 years, Serhiy, per the BBC.
She said the hardware trader had been smoking a cigarette and talking to his neighbour when they heard a drone buzz near them.
Angela revealed that he ran and hid for cover but part of a dropped grenade caught him.
She said: “He died before the ambulance arrived.
“I was told he was very unlucky, because a piece of shrapnel pierced his heart.”
Ukraine’s second largest city, Kharkiv, also recently became victim to one of these attacks when a huge 500 kilogram bomb destroyed a residential building.
A 12-year-old boy died on Thursday’s assault while at least 35 others were left injured.
Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko added that others, including a 15-year-old missing boy, could still be trapped under rubble.
President Volodymyr Zelensky has recently called on its allies to allow the country to use long-range missiles to attack deeper into Russia.
Ukraine currently has access to British Storm Shadow and American ACATMS missiles – but are limited in their use.
Kyiv argued it needs to hit Russian air bases, ammunition depots and other key military targets to properly fend off Putin’s attacks.
Moscow has responded and vowed to hit back if Ukraine used long-range missiles.
Putin confirmed that this move would mark an act of war by NATO and he would have to hit back.
The tyrant said: “Our military department is thinking about this and will offer various options.”
Emmerdale killer to make shock return as family get bombshell news – and they will be back sooner than you think
EMMERDALE has revealed a bombshell return for a convicted killer.
The latest episode of the ITV soap – which is available to watch now on ITV Player – broke the news that Angelica King will be making a shock return – and soon.
While her parents Nicola and Jimmy clashed about his nephew Tom and his latest bout of questioning for his abusing wife Belle Dingle, they were distracted by Rodney with the phone.
It was the centre housing daughter Angelica.
Viewers know the teenager is being held after killing her friend Heath Hope in a car accident at New Year – and then attempting to cover up the crime.
Nicola soon jumped on the call and became very excited, thanking the person on the other end repeatedly.
As soon as she put it down she told Jimmy: “We can collect her tomorrow.
“They said it was quick but the board moved her release up. I mean they asked if we needed more notice…
“We’re getting our baby back.”
“I can’t believe it,” replied Jimmy.
But then Nicola told him: “About Tom… if they do charge him, I don’t want him round the kids – especially not Angel.
“I am not saying he would hurt her but she’s been through so much these past few months, she doesn’t need any of this stress.
“Who knows what this whole expeerience has done to her? So if they charge him, I want you to keep your distance.”
“I will,” Jimmy said, adding: “But, if they don’t, if they just let him go, then I want you to drop it too.
“I agree, we can’t have Angel coming back to world war three.”
And unfortunately with the lack of hard evidence until the tablet’s hard drive has been analysed, the police were forced to let Tom go.
He returned to the village blustering – despite the obvious panic he was trying to hide – and Nicola was straight on his case.
While to Jimmy she insisted Tom was welcome back, to him she wanted him to know that she was onto him.
Darkest soap storylines
Over the years the likes of EastEnders, Emmerdale and Coronation Street have all tried to try outdo each other with their outlandish plots in a bid to keep us tuning in each week. But here are some of the darkest that had fans in shock…
And later when his car was vandalised – seemingly out of revenge – Nicola’s eyes narrowed and she vowed to expose Tom for what he really is.
With Angel on the way back, she has every motive to protect her daughter.
Terrifying moment £50k Mercedes EV EXPLODES on family’s driveway before ferocious flames spread to their home
CCTV has captured the horror moment a £50,000 Mercedes EV burst into flames on a driveway, before the fire spread to a family home.
The car had been sitting out in the open for 10 hours and wasn’t even charging when it “spontaneously exploded“.
In the video, the EQA model SUV can be seen sitting just a few feet from its owners Scott and Georgina Bayliss’ home in Spratton, Northamptonshire.
A cloud of vapour begins to stream out from the underside of the vehicle for a few seconds.
Then, without any other warning, it suddenly burst into a blaze, appearing to start underneath the motor on the left-hand side.
Within ten seconds, the fire leapt to the bonnet and the windscreen, despite the fact it was raining at the time.
Scott can be seen rushing out of the house and grabbing the hose pipe in an effort to douse the flames.
Neighbours also rushed to help, but the entire car is swallowed by the inferno within a minute of it starting.
Scott recalled: “My son thought someone was letting off fireworks but then there was a very loud bang like a bomb going off. There were flames everywhere.
“The pace and ferocity at which the fire took hold and engulfed the entire car and pretty much the entire front of our house was scary beyond belief.
“Then the next few hours were chaos.
“The initial investigator concluded the vehicle was in such a bad state, it was difficult to ascertain what the fault was.
“Luckily we were still up but it could have happened in the middle of the night when we were asleep.
“That doesn’t bear thinking about.”
Firefighters later confirmed that the property’s garage had been set alight, while the front bedroom had suffered smoke damage.
Georgina added that the family was “lucky to have got out safely”, but the couple claim that Mercedes did not “take [them] seriously when they complained.
Scott went on: “It’s a bit more than a dodgy boot lid.
“When electric cars do go it’s the most ferocious and explosive thing.
“It continued to explode, pop and fizz in front of me. It was like having a bonfire outside your front door.”
A Mercedes spokesperson said the company could not comment while the investigation was ongoing, but did stress that the company had reached out to the family.
They said: “We were sorry to learn of the incident.
“After receiving contact from Mr Bayliss, we took it very seriously and immediately contacted his vehicle insurer to arrange to investigate and examine the vehicle.
“We received feedback today and will set up a joint inspection shortly. Until then, please understand that we cannot comment further.
“In the meantime, we have offered Mr Bayliss a loan car as a gesture of goodwill.”
BBC reveal future of hit comedy panel show after 19 series on air
FANS of The Blame Game will no longer be playing a guessing game as the BBC has confirmed the hit show will be returning for its 20th series.
The Northern Irish comedy panel series has become a fan favourite in recent years.
One of the most popular BBC recordings in Northern Ireland it has 120 episodes and 19 series under its comedy belt.
Now it’s making a welcome return to BBC Northern Ireland television, radio, iPlayer and BBC Sounds.
The satirical chat show’s regular panellists and jokesters – Tim McGarry, Colin Murphy, Diona Doherty and Neil Delamere – will be back to cast a humous eye over what’s been going wrong with the world.
They’ll also be telling viewers who they believe is to blame for it all.
They will also be joined by visiting comedians with their take on people and events as news and comedy collide.
Members of the public will also get to ask the panel of comedians their burning questions of the week.
Fans can expect the same topical boundary-pushing humour that challenges authority and makes life seem a little brighter – whatever is happening in the news.
Filming is set to take place At BBC Blackstaff House in Belfast in November and December.
With ticket demand high this series will be allocated by random draw,.
Audience hopeful will be able to apply for a maximum of two tickets per recording by registering interest until 8am Friday 1 November.
Successful applicants will only be allocated tickets for one show in the series.
The Blame Game is a Moondog Production for BBC Northern Ireland television and BBC Radio Ulster/Sounds.
Inside sick drug rings with Love Island mule, coke hidden in sharks & breast implants…& why obese are ‘smuggler’s dream’
POSING in the Dubai sunshine with a £130,000 Patek Philippe watch, Louis Vuitton handbag and designer clothes, Magdalena Sadlo appeared to live the perfect life.
But the lavish lifestyle of the Love Island star, 30, whose splurges surpassed the cost of an average three-bedroom house, was funded by a £53million cocaine ring.
The beautiful blonde, who appeared on the Polish version of the ITV dating show in 2021, admitted to smuggling, conspiracy to supply Class As and money laundering last week.
Sadlo, of Bracknell, Berks, helped to transport the illegal substance between Dubai and London Heathrow and was collared by Operation Matrix cops in one of the UK’s biggest drugs busts.
Prosecutor Tim Evans described the foiled ring, which has led to nine men being sentenced to more than 106 years in prison, as “truly massive” and “Amazon-style drug-dealing”.
Sadlo is among an increasing number of people likely targetted due to their ability to blend in and bypass Border Force police, according to drugs mule Dr Jennifer Fleetwood.
The criminologist, who recently appeared on Wondery podcast British Scandal: The Peru Two, shines a light on the terrifying trade during an exclusive interview with The Sun.
She reveals the brutal backstabbing – including ratting out fellow crooks on purpose and tricks to fool people into unwittingly becoming mules – and why traffickers may be tempted to recruit bigger people or the elderly as more Brits are lured in.
Jennifer tells The Sun: “Drugs can be concealed in wigs, rugs, dreadlocks, frozen sharks, notebook pages and so on, there’s a massive range of ways and those who traffic will keep an eye on what’s getting busted.
“One guy told me he was able to access technologies where drugs, like cocaine, could be turned into plastic and that would then be fashioned to look like a windsurfer sail.
“That way you can cut it, you can pour water on it and it’s going to act like plastic… I’ve heard about it being processed as part of ceramics as well.
“The problem with is that you have no idea how much you’re carrying or what you are carrying, people think its cocaine when it could be heroine which carries a significantly higher sentence.
“One of my favourite examples was people smuggling cocaine as ink, like ink pellets. Border Force used something similar to a COVID test where a dipstick was put in to test the liquid.
“If it came up with a line then it meant there were drugs. But because they were concealing the cocaine in black ink the test wouldn’t work. In this world, there’s a kind of a cat and mouse game going on constantly.”
And it shows no signs of slowing down – with drugs being swallowed in bullet-shaped capsules and found hidden inside breast implants, prosthetics limbs, make-up and Christmas toys.
Cunning disguise
Jennifer, a Senior Lecturer in Criminology at the University of Greenwich, has interviewed people from all levels of the drug trafficking trade – from mules to recruiters and ‘bosses’.
During her research, which formed her book Drug Mules: Women In The International Cocaine Trade, she says a lot of misconceptions were dispelled.
She tells us: “There’s this idea that all drug mules are forced to do it but when speaking to recruiters, they were like, ‘That’s not great is it?’
“Somebody who has been forced is going to be shaky, upset, worried and all of the things that would increase the chance of them being detected.
“So actually they weren’t mad keen on forcing people into it – although, it absolutely does happen – but most of the time they want someone to blend in.”
Jennifer says recruiters look out for people who are not going to “arouse suspicion” or set off “red flags” – avoiding someone with a brand new passport or who doesn’t fly frequently, so wouldn’t know about taking belts off or laptops out at security checkpoints.
She lists people who regularly travel for business or to see family, with multiple stamps in their passports from different countries, as someone they may target.
One guy told me about soaking drugs in clothes and that it was a really good method, because the person carrying wouldn’t know… his rationale was that it was better to not tell people
Dr Jennifer Fleetwood
Someone who “can blend in” or not draw much attention is key and sometimes they rely on exploiting human nature.
Jennifer tells us: “There’s the younger cohort and a slightly older one too. Some people told me their ideal would be someone older because they are ‘beyond suspicion’.
“They may think, ‘Why would someone who is a pensioner traffic drugs?’ But actually, people on state pensions are on quite low incomes without much chance of changing that.”
She spoke to one imprisoned mule who used to be morbidly obese and used his size as a ploy to avoid detection.
“He showed me photos of his arrest and he used to be really, really big, which he used to his advantage” Jennifer explains.
“He said people generally wouldn’t search him or look too closely at him because they have trained themselves not to stare at big people.
“It’s an astute social observation really. To know how you are seen and how those stereotypes work.”
On British Scandal: The Peru Two podcast, Jennifer recalled one recruiter describing their “dream drug mule” as a wheelchair user because they would be “less likely to be searched going through customs”.
Creating a convincing story seemed key for many. Dr Jennifer told us one mule would dress like a businessman and hired a lady to pose as his secretary during drug runs.
‘Conned’ celebs
Those in industries that don’t arouse suspicion could be targetted too – and sometimes people may be carrying without their knowledge.
In 2022, Cameron Diaz told the Second Life podcast that she thought she may have unwittingly smuggled drugs early on in her career.
The A-lister described being sent to Morocco on a “modelling assignment” in the 1990s and was given a locked suitcase to carry “that had my ‘costumes’ in it, quote, unquote.”
Even as somebody involved for a long time, who used drugs and was quite knowledgeable, still found herself in this position where she was basically set up
Dr Jennifer Fleetwood
It was only when she arrived that she thought: “What the f*** is in that suitcase?”. She added: “I think I was like a mule carrying drugs to Morocco – I swear to God.”
When we put her claims to Jennifer, she told us: “Nothing about Cameron Diaz’s story doesn’t ring true to me. It’s totally plausible and can be even worse.
“One guy told me about soaking drugs in clothes and that it was a really good method because the person carrying wouldn’t know about it so they wouldn’t get stressed out.
“His rationale was that it was better to not tell people. There’s something so profoundly wrong about it but it could have happened to many people.
“Imagine you’re going to New York and your friend asks you to bring a couple of t-shirts with the logo of the university he used to attend, a couple of hoodies and some presents for his friends.
“Unknown to you some of that could have been soaked in cocaine. He may think it’s a good idea because you won’t be nervous going through security and he won’t get caught.”
Brutal betrayal
Proving there is no honour among thieves, nor in the drug trade, Jennifer was told by one jailed mule that she had been set up by the gang she worked for.
The woman, a pharmacist who got into the trade to fund nights out, chose to smuggle drugs after a person she had recruited dropped out at the last moment.
She believed forcing the person to carry out the job would increase the likelihood of apprehension and her contact would be “p***ed off” if the drugs were confiscated.
Jennifer recalled: “The person wanted the drugs taken in a suitcase but the mule said, ‘No’ and decided to carry it on her body – in her bra, knickers and the seams of her clothes.
“When she arrived at the border they immediately turned out her suitcase and were looking for something. ‘She was like what’s going on here?’
“Eventually they found the drugs and it wasn’t a ‘really small amount of cocaine’, around a kilogram, as they had previously agreed. It was heroin. That happens quite a lot.
Even in the UK, there are what a millions of families living in poverty? And think those women are presented with stark choices about how to provide for families
Dr Jennifer Fleetwood
“So even as somebody involved for a long time, who used drugs and was quite knowledgeable, still found herself in this position where she was basically set up.”
Tipping off border police about a mule is ‘a tactic’ according to Jennifer, who explains that it helps “others to get through undetected” while officers are “busy dealing with one person”.
She adds: “I spoke to a lot of ‘managers’ and ‘organisers’ who all said, ‘That’s a dirty business, you would never do that’ but they all knew other people who did.
“So it seems it’s not the kind of thing that people would readily admit to but it does seem to be unfortunately a bit of a tactic that people who traffic drugs use.”
White Christmas fears
Jennifer predicts worsening living conditions globally could lead to an increase in the number of people being tempted to become drug mules.
She says some people are paid nothing at all if they are repaying debt, others are paid a few grand and for some, it can be up to £15,000 – which she states is not a lot to risk imprisonment.
There have been some examples of people entering the illegal trade to fund their lifestyles, like Melina Roberge and Isabelle Lagace, dubbed “the worst cocaine smugglers of all time”.
Roberge, 24, from Canada, was part of a group that tried to bring in 94kg of cocaine into Australia in exchange for a £8,700 trip aboard a luxury yacht that pitstopped in locations including Bermuda, Colombia, Peru and Chile.
In court, she said her motivation was to take selfies “in exotic locations and post them on Instagram to receive ‘likes’ and attention” and that she wanted to be “the envy of others”.
Jennifer suspects Roberge is an anomaly as the majority go into it due to financial pressures – and believes the cost of living crisis could “absolutely” encourage Brits to participate, especially women.
She cited a previous study that noted women are more likely to be precariously employed and lose jobs during times of economic crisis, coupled with the gender pay gap and having greater caring responsibilities.
Jennifer adds: “Especially across Latin America, women are often the heads of households and find themselves involved in the drug trade.
Real face of drug smuggling isn't like Pablo Escobar's operation
CONTRARY to popular belief, not all drug trafficking operations are run by kingpin crooks like Pablo Escobar.
Dr Jennifer Fleetwood tells us the idea of “organised crime is a bit of a misconception” and the majority in the trade are small groups working together for short spates of time.
She tells The Sun: “There’s like the guy who has got 400 grams in a talc bottle carrying it himself, those carrying five kilos who were recruited by a small cartel and then people driving boatloads with many tons of cocaine.
“The idea that organised crime is really organised is a bit of a misconception. The reality of a lot of the drug trade, in my experience, is it tends to be temporary, loose and collaborations rather than hierarchical and long-lasting.
“In Colombia, they would talk about ‘cartelitos’ rather than cartels because those big cartels, like Pablo Escobar’s operation, were big and obvious targets for law enforcement.
“From an operational perspective, it makes sense to have smaller cohorts that are loose and temporary because it makes them harder to detect.”
“Even in the UK, there are something like a million families living in poverty. Of those, women are presented with stark choices about how to provide for their families.
“We’re in the run-up to Christmas now and I know a lot of families will be worrying about how they pay for Christmas. So might be tempted.”
Dr Jennifer Fleetwood appears on the podcast British Scandal: The Peru Two, which is available to stream on Wondery and other podcast providers.
Her books Drug Mules: Women In The International Cocaine Trade and What We Talk About When We Talk About Crime are available to buy online.
How Prince George is becoming a ‘royal action man’ aged just 11 & the daring hobby that Kate Middleton hopes he avoids
THE sky’s the limit for Prince George who is learning to fly despite being just 11 years old.
But this isn’t the only action hobby that the future king has taken up, with a royal expert hailing him as an “action man royal.”
Prince George enjoyed his first flight on the final day of his school holidays, The Sun reported.
An onlooker at the Berkshire airfield said: “He loved it. “George is only 11 years old but it is the right time to start.
“His parents watched George take flight from the safety of the ground but he flew with an instructor and loved it.”
The Prince and Princess of Wales watched their son soar into the air and come back to land safely just under an hour later, and were said to be looking “pretty chilled.”
Dad William is a trained helicopter pilot who has flown for RAF Search and Rescue and East Anglia Air Ambulance.
Royal expert Claudia Joseph, author of Kate: The Making of a Princess, told Fabulous: “Both William and Kate come from sporty families, and are naturally competitive, so it is no surprise that George is turning into a real action man.
“He learnt to swim in the Buckingham Palace pool, plays tennis at the family home Anmer Hall, and is a budding triathlete, turning his hand to the swim-cycle-run event at his primary school Lambrook School, in Berkshire.
“William and Kate have made no secret of the fact that they believe that children should be brought up spending as much time as possible in the great outdoors, walking, gardening, playing with pets and taking part in sports.”
But it’s not the only sport that Prince George has taken up.
Scuba diving
Prince William revealed that his son has taken up scuba diving, but admitted they thought it would “freak him out.”
According to Hello!, during a meeting with Olympic champions Adam Peaty and Tom Dean, Prince William said: “George loves scuba diving,” William explained. “He’s 11 years old. We took him under thinking he would freak out.
“He absolutely loves it. It’s just introducing him to the world of water.”
We shared how scuba diving is offered at George, Charlotte and Louis’ £7,000-a-term Lambrook School.
There is also the chance to do polo, life-saving, and there’s even a nine-hole golf course for the kids to enjoy in the school’s sprawling 52 acre grounds.
In 2022, William and Kate shared incredible snaps of their deep-sea dive with sharks as they enjoyed their Caribbean tour.
Football
All three of Prince William and Kate’s children have inherited their parents’ love of sport and keeping active.
Prince George, 11, for instance, is widely known to enjoy a football match and has been spotted joining Wills, 42, at big games, such as the Euros final earlier this year.
The royal father and son duo have also bonded over rugby and cricket, bringing them even closer.
Claudia added: “Both Kate and William excelled at sport at school. Kate gained the school record in her age group for high jump at primary school and played netball, hockey, rounders, basketball, volleyball and badminton.
“When she was at Marlborough she played hockey for the school, was in the first pair at tennis, was a keen netball player and cross-country runner and used to beat the boys at high jump, as she had done before at primary school.
William and Kate have made no secret of the fact that they believe that children should be brought up spending as much time as possible in the great outdoors, walking, gardening, playing with pets and taking part in sports
Claudia Joseph
“Meanwhile William was a keen rugby player and footballer at Eton and enjoyed water polo.
“Both were keen skiers and tennis players. Obviously, George has inherited their talent.”
The one hobby Kate Middleton is 'terrified' Prince George will take up
The sport in question is one that Prince William has enjoyed for years… riding motorbikes.
Back in 2015, she admitted that William’s motorbike habit terrified her.
Kate confessed: “He’s still riding it. It always fills me with horror when he goes out on it. I’m terrified.
“Hopefully, I’m going to keep George off it.”
Triathlon
Now Prince George has picked up a new sport – and it’s seriously challenging, reported The Mirror.
The impressive hobby is triathlon, and the future King himself revealed his son’s latest obsession during an investiture at Windsor Castle.
Prince William was presenting Non Stanford with an MBE for her services to the sport when he said that the 11-year-old had recently started getting stuck into it at school.
Stanford, who in 2013 won the women’s triathlon title, explained: “He was telling me how George has been doing triathlon at school.
”There is also a gentleman who now works for William, has done a bit of triathlon, and has been giving George advice about putting talcum powder in his shoes.”
Sporty Kate Middleton and Prince William
KATE Middleton is incredibly sporty and loves to get involved in any physical activities during public appearances.
In her own time, however, she is said to enjoy a hobby that her husband, Prince William, thinks is “crazy”.
The Prince and Princess of Wales joined Princess Anne and sat down with Mike Tindall, husband of Zara Tindall, Anne’s daughter, for an episode of his podcast The Good, the Bad, and the Rugby.
Kate confessed: “I really generally love all sports.
“Personally, I love swimming. I absolutely love it. The colder the better.
“I absolutely love it. Slightly to the point where William says, ‘Catherine, you’re crazy.’”
Whilst cold water swimming is Kate’s solo hobby, there are some sports Kate and William do enjoy together and tennis is one of them.
Kate explained: “I don’t think we’ve managed to finish a game of tennis, the two of us.
“It becomes a mental challenge between the two of us.”
The Princess also revealed that she and William have “recently got into playing paddle tennis” together, and it is a game that is very similar to pickleball.
Furious MAFS UK fans start a petition for groom to be AXED from show saying ‘it’s just not acceptable’
MAFS UK has continually been in the headlines this season – but most recently for the wrong reason.
Groom Alex Henry has caused such an outrage that a petition has been started to axe all of his scenes from the E4 / Channel 4 show due to claims of his domestic abuse against women.
Back in September The Sun reported how the show was under fire from Women’s Aid for casting Alex.
The 28-year-old had been accused of abuse by a friend of his former flame, with the groom being called a ‘domestic abuser‘ and a ‘dangerous individual’.
Since starting the petition more than 2,800 people have signed in solidarity with the women in question.
However, prior to the petition, people had already voiced their concerns on Instagram, with one fan saying: “@alexander.henry_ should never have been allowed on this show.”
“In situations where people are marrying each other at first sight, allowing a domestic abuser to join the show is not acceptable at all.”
Another said: “I have never seen such a clear and obvious example of a narcissist in my life,” while one commented: “He is full of attitude and aggression. Red flag city.”
The petition was started by Georgia, who admits to being a close friend of the woman she claims was abused by Alex. Since then it’s alleged other women have come forward with claims of their abuse by Alex.
In her comment she says: “He abused an individual who is close to me for multiple years during their relationship. He beat her black and blue, broke her bones, made her feel scared for her life and separated her from her family and friends.”
“He mentally abused her. He is a horrific individual who is violent. He is a narcissist and egotistical. He physically and emotionally abused my loved one for an extremely long time.”
“My loved one thankfully found the strength to leave the abusive situation but the trauma and impact of the physical and emotional abuse will now and forever haunt her and will remain due to all Alexander has done.”
Women’s Aid had previously voiced their concerns he was allowed to remain in the show, saying: “We are incredibly disappointed and concerned to hear that producers of Married at First Sight have taken the decision not to remove an alleged abuser from the latest series.”
“Having seen the direct impact of abusive behaviours displayed on the show in previous years on survivors, we would have hoped that protection and tolerance levels for abuse would leave no room for perpetrators to be given a platform again, with their actions being televised as “entertainment”.
Following their statement, Channel 4 said that all participants undergo a strict screening process, including a criminal record check and thorough psychological assessments, noting that he DBS check was clean.
It’s not the first time Alex has been embroiled in controversy.
The Birmingham-born Air Specialist married single mother-of-two Holly Ditchfield on the show.
But even before their wedding was aired, Alex was under military arrest for taking part in the show without prior permission.
Posted at RAF Spadeadam, he had allegedly asked his commander for extra leave last winter to take part in the series, but when his request was denied he went AWOL from his post to start filming.
He was arrested by military police when he returned and was sentenced to 34 days in a military prison serving 24 days.
Football club’s former stadium now multi-million-pound housing estate seven years on from demolition
ROCKINGHAM ROAD is bringing a whole new meaning to the term ‘home ground’.
That’s because Kettering Town’s former stadium has been demolished and turned into 49 houses since they moved out.
The stadium was the home of The Poppies for some 114 YEARS, stretching from 1987 until 2011.
At its peak it offered up space for 6,264 fans with fans of historic non-league outfit Kettering regularly packing the stands to the rafters.
The stadium, affectionately nicknamed “Rocky Road” hosted FA Cup ties against footballing giants such as Leeds United and Fulham over the years.
While it was also the first stadium of iconic manager Ron Atkinson, who began his coaching career at Kettering in 1971.
Paul Gascoigne also spent some time as gaffer of Kettering at the historic ground, albeit lasting just 39 days during his stint at the club in 2005.
But those memories came to an end in 2011 when Kettering moved to a new ground over 10 miles away.
After a period of financial uncertainty, Kettering found their newest home in 2013, Latimer Park – which they still share with Burton Park Wanderers to this day.
But there had been hopes to move back into their beloved Rockingham Road, hopes that were dashed by demolition trucks and a new housing estate.
FOOTBALL FREE BETS AND SIGN UP DEALS
In 2015 the club failed in an attempt to buy the stadium back in a closed bidding process, before twice trying to have it listed as an “asset of community value”.
The ground lay dormant for years before being acquired by a developer for a housing project.
At the time, Kettering explained they couldn’t match the price being paid by the developers.
A statement read: “Attempting to match or beat the unrealistic price tag put on Rockingham Road would have done nothing to secure the club’s future.”
Their resignation to the sale meant that the ground was knocked down in 2017, leaving dirt and rubble in its place.
Now the turnstiles and floodlights are slowly being replaced by new-build houses as work continues to build a multi-million pound estate.
Houses are already on the market for the unfinished estate for in excess of £250,000.
And there are expected to be 49 houses where the ground once stood upon the completion of the project.
