Colchester Killer 'Won't Stop Until Caught'

The brutality of the two murders in Colchester suggests that police are hunting the same killer for both crimes, a leading criminologist has told Sky News.

Professor David Wilson told Sky News that both Nahid Almanea and James Attfield were "overkilled" - meaning they were stabbed many more times than was necessary to take their lives - indicating a link.

And he warned the murderer is unlikely to stop killing until they are caught.

He said: "Luckily murder is a very rare event in Britain and usually we discover that there is some kind of relationship in the past between the perpetrator and the victim.

Prof Wilson said Mr Attfield's murder could hold the key to both killings

"So here we've got something really unusual happening in Colchester - we've got two random attacks in a very concentrated geographic area and both victims have been 'overkilled'.

"They've been stabbed numerous times - more times than would be necessary to actually take their life.

"Clearly there is some link between these two, although the police don't want to make that link because it scares people to think there might be somebody of this background at loose in the community."

CCTV footage issued by Essex Police of Nahid Almanea

He said the killer is likely to be a local man with mental health problems who may be known to social services in the area - and even getting help from someone in the community.

He told Sky News: "Murder is an overwhelmingly male phenomenon so I would have thought this is a man we're dealing with and a man who's living locally and possibly being given support locally. 

"Usually when you're dealing with someone who stabs in this overkill way, you're dealing with somebody who's got mental health problems and this person is likely to be known to mental health outreach teams in Essex, perhaps also has a criminal record already.

"This type of person I think will be well known in the area and quite odd - the sort of person people would notice. I imagine the police are already aware of who those kinds of people in Colchester might be.

People living in the area should follow advice from the police to avoid walking alone in isolated areas because the killer is likely to strike again, Prof Wilson said.

The killer probably lives in the local area, Prof Wilson said

He said: "One has to balance scaring people - the police have been quite good at telling people not to go into isolated areas by themselves but yes, this kind of person doesn't stop attacking, this kind of person continues to attack until they are caught."

He added that in most multiple murder cases, the first killing is key to tracking down the murderer.

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Brakes Slammed On 'Over-Zealous Spy Cars'

Councils in England will be banned from using CCTV "spy cars" to impose fines on drivers breaking traffic rules, the Government has said.

Communities Secretary Eric Pickles and Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin said the move "reins-in over-zealous parking enforcement practices" that have been used as a "cash cow" by local authorities.

The ban will now become law through the Deregulation Bill, following a three-month consultation.

Tickets will have to be fixed to the windscreen by parking wardens, making it illegal for councils to issue penalty charge notices to drivers using just the CCTV spy cars.

But councils will still be allowed to use cameras along "critical routes", such as schools, bus lanes, bus stops, and red routes, where traffic must be kept moving for safety reasons.

Traffic wardens will have to fix penalty notices to windscreens

Mr Pickles, who has long-called for the ban, told Sky News: "We don't want them used to raise money. The priority if for them to be used for public safety and to cut congestion."

He added: "CCTV spy cars can be seen lurking on every street raking in cash for greedy councils and breaking the rules that clearly state that fines should not be used to generate profit for town halls.

"Over-zealous parking enforcement and unreasonable stealth fines by post undermine the high street, push up the cost of living and cost local authorities more in the long term.

"Today the Government is taking urgently needed action to ban this clear abuse of CCTV, which should be used to catch criminals, and not as a cash cow."

The Government says nine million parking fines are issued every year by local authorities in England. 

Local authority revenue from parking in England rose from £608m in 1997 to £1.3bn by 2010, it adds.

Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin said: "These measures will deliver a fairer deal for motorists, ensuring that parking enforcement is proportionate, that school children are protected and buses can move freely, and that key routes are kept clear."

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Colchester Student Murder: Suspect Released

Detectives investigating the brutal murder of a Saudi Arabian student in Colchester have released a 19-year-old man they were questioning.

Nahid Almanea was stabbed 16 times while walking along a path in Colchester, Essex, on Tuesday morning.

The 31-year-old had been taking an English language course at the University of Essex as part of her studies for a life sciences PhD.

Police have increased the number of patrols in the city since the attack

Police released a CCTV picture of Ms Almanea taken moments before her death and a map of her likely route from the home she shared with her brother to the spot on the Salary Brook trail where her body was found.

Police said the man was arrested on Friday in connection with a separate assault after a female jogger claimed a man had approached her and tried to grab her near Peache Road on June 19.

Officers said the man has now been released from police custody, no further action against him is planned, and he has been eliminated from their inquiries.

Ms Almanea was captured on CCTV moments before she was killed

Earlier, investigators promised to "unrelentingly" pursue all lines of inquiry in the hunt for the foreign student's killer.

Chief Inspector Richard Phillibrown, the town's area commander, said: "I see this murder as an attack on the entire community of Colchester and I believe we will all pull together to respond to it.

"I am confident that the vast majority of people in this town will pay no attention to those trying to stir up trouble."

Police were investigating whether Ms Almanea's clothing - an abaya robe and hijab headscarf - was a factor in the stabbing, but stressed they did not know for sure.

Officers have warned local people not to go out alone and to be vigilant

Officers warned that jumping to such conclusions would be "deeply unhelpful, wrong and dangerous" and that there were likely other possible motives.

Officers called for calm, warned local people not to go out alone and to be vigilant, as they confirmed they were investigating threats of revenge attacks on social media.

They said the fact that Ms Almanea was stabbed multiple times bore "obvious similarities" to the murder of James Attfield, a vulnerable man with brain damage who was stabbed more than 100 times in a park in Colchester in March.

But police have stressed the cases remain separate investigations.

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British Honeymoon Couple Killer On The Run

One of the killers of a British couple murdered on their honeymoon has escaped from prison, police in Antigua have said.

Ben and Catherine Mullany, from Pontardawe, South Wales, were shot dead in their hotel room on the holiday island in 2008.

The couple, both aged 31, had been married for little more than a fortnight.

Five weeks after witnessing the couple's wedding at St John The Evangelist Church in Cilybebyll, their parents were attending their funeral.

Local men Avie Howell and Kaniel Martin were convicted of murder and sentenced to life in prison.

Police confirmed that Howell has escaped from Her Majesty's Prison on the island, along with another inmate who had been detained on fraud charges.

Kaniel Martin and Avie Howell after being found guilty in 2011

Counsellor Jamal Wright, who is based at St John's police station, said: "Avie Howell escaped from Her Majesty's Prison at about 6am on Thursday along with Kenroy Laurie Marshall.

"Apparently they used a sharp implement to cut out a portion of mesh and jumped over the northern prison wall, which is about 30ft (9m) high."

The couple's family were said to be "extremely shocked" at the news and concerned Howell might flee the island.

A source said: "You would have thought they would have kept him under lock and key."

Sergeant Raymond Finley said he believed Howell, who is in his early 20s, was still on the island and a search was under way.

"I understand the victims' families will be very concerned," he said.

The couple were buried in the grounds of the church where they were married

Howell and Martin broke into Mr and Mrs Mullany's chalet at the Cocos Hotel in a dawn raid in July 2008.

The pair, who lived in Rhos, near Pontardawe, were both shot in the head before their killers made off with their phones, a digital camera and cash.

Mrs Mullany, a qualified doctor, died instantly. Her husband, a physiotherapy student, was flown home on a life-support machine.

The former South Yorkshire Police officer died a week after the shooting, despite the best efforts of his wife's colleagues at Morriston Hospital in Swansea.

Three years to the day after the killings, Howell and Martin were found guilty of the couple's murder and also the shooting of 43-year-old shopkeeper Woneta Anderson.

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Ian Wright Burglars: We'll Cut Off Kids' Fingers

Former England international Ian Wright's MBE was among prized possessions taken from his home by an armed gang.

The ex-Arsenal striker's wife was held at knifepoint during the attack at their home in St John's Wood, northwest London, while he was working as a World Cup pundit for ITV in Brazil.

He is now back at home after arriving at Heathrow Airport on Thursday.

Wright described his family's ordeal, saying it left him "really upset and angry".

He told The Sun: "There was a knock on the door - it was around 9.15pm, not even dark outside, so Nancy felt safe answering.

"As soon as she opened the door, they barged in, four of them wearing masks and holding Stanley knives.

"Next thing they were holding a knife to her throat and yelling at her to show them where our safe is."

The couple's two children were asleep in a separate room while all this was happening, Wright said.

Ian Wright's home in northwest London

He told the newspaper that the men threatened to cut off his wife's fingers and then do the same to his children as the gang became "louder and more desperate".

"She was even physically dragged upstairs as they thought the safe was up there," he said.

"Then they dragged her back down and forced her to hand over the key.

"She was begging them to stop shouting - she was saying 'I'll open the safe so long as you stop pushing me around and yelling'.

"They were out of control and hysterical - Nancy was calm."

Other items taken in the burglary included cash and a number of rare watches owned by Wright.

Police are carrying out house-to-house inquiries and are reviewing CCTV.

Detective Chief Inspector Mick Gornall, of the Metropolitan Police, said yesterday: "We are trying to trace these four men, and I'd ask anyone who may know anything to get in touch with my team and help us.

"Fortunately no one was injured during the burglary, but it is still very frightening to have people force their way into your home and threaten you."

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MP Tweets About Punching Journalist 'In Throat'

Conservative MP Michael Fabricant is under fire for tweeting about "punching" a newspaper columnist "in the throat".

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Cameron Wants 'Global Push' To Fight Dementia

By Thomas Moore, Health and Science Correspondent

A "bold, global push" is urgently needed to find effective treatments against dementia, David Cameron is due to warn.

The Prime Minister will tell an international conference that 40 million people worldwide now have the disease.

And the number is set to double every 20 years, unless scientists find some way of slowing or preventing the slow decline in brain function.

The meeting is a follow-up to the first Dementia Summit of G8 industrialised nations held in December, at which politicians committed to finding new treatments by 2025.

"The truth is that dementia now stands alongside cancer as one of the greatest enemies of humanity," the Prime Minister will say.

"We have to fight to cure it. I know some people will say that it's not possible, but we have seen with cancer what medicine can achieve.

"We need to join up the dots and create a big, bold global push to beat this."

Global funding for dementia research is just one fifth of that spent on cancer. In the last 15 years only three drugs have been developed.

The World Dementia Envoy Dr Dennis Gillings, who was appointed following the G8 Summit, will tell the meeting that pharmaceutical companies need to be given incentives to invest in research, and encouraged to speed up clinical trials so patients benefit sooner.

"Just as the world came together in the fight against HIV/Aids, we need to free up regulation so that we can test ground-breaking new drugs," he will say.

The Medical Research Council will announce the world's largest ever study into dementia, with two million people in Britain invited to take part.

And Alzheimer's Research UK hopes to raise £100m to fund more drug research.

The fresh focus being given to dementia was welcomed by Alison Carter, who helps to care for her father John Fenn.

He was diagnosed with vascular dementia seven years ago. Existing treatments have done little to slow the disease.

She told Sky News: "The idea that there are drugs out there which are now being looked at that could delay it for five years. If my dad could have five years back, that would be fantastic."

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Gary Glitter In Court To Face Sex Charges

Gary Glitter has arrived at court to face allegations he carried out a string of sex attacks on two girls.

The former pop star, who is appearing under his real name Paul Gadd, is charged with eight sex offences against under-age girls aged 12 and 14 in the late 1970s and early 1980s.

The allegations include claims he plied a one of the girls with alcohol so he could have sex with her.

Gadd, 70, was the first person to be arrested as part of the Operation Yewtree when he was held at his home in Marylebone, central London, in October 2012.

The police probe was launched in the wake of sex abuse claims against the disgraced late TV presenter Jimmy Savile, who was unmasked after his 2011 death as Britain's most prolific paedophile.

The Crown Prosecution Service announced earlier this month that Gadd had been charged and this is his first appearance at Westminster Magistrates Court.

He is accused of four counts of indecent assault against the first alleged victim, who was just 12 or 13 at the time, between January 31, 1977 until December 31 that year.

Gadd is also accused of "administering a drug, namely alcohol, to obtain intercourse", and one count of unlawful sexual intercourse with a girl under 13 years old between the same dates.

He is also charged with two counts of indecent assault between October 1, 1979 and December 31, 1980 involving the second complainant, who was aged 13 or 14 at the time.

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One Direction's Louis In Doncaster Takeover

A takeover of Doncaster by One Direction singer Louis Tomlinson and former club owner John Ryan has been completed.

A spokesman for Ryan told Press Association Sport that the deal had been completed and would be explained in detail at a press conference in London.

Twenty-two-year-old Tomlinson is a global star as one member of One Direction and is a lifelong fan of his hometown club.

He played for their reserve side against Barnsley earlier this year and had been close to a takeover before, but a move was twice delayed because of negotiations over image rights.

They have now been resolved and Ryan's spokesman said: "It's done, the takeover is complete."

Businessman Ryan, who ended his 15-year association with Rovers in November, has extensive football experience and oversaw Doncaster's rise from non-league to the Championship as well as their move from Belle Vue to the Keepmoat Stadium before stepping aside in November to allow Terry Bramall and Dick Watson to take over.

The initial delay had related to Tomlinson's image rights, which are owned by his management team and would entitle them to a share of any money generated from the use of his image or name.

They believe that interest in the club will increase as a result of Tomlinson's ownership and it is understood they battled for a share of any extra revenue made through merchandise and extra ticket sales.

Tomlinson signed on as a player at the start of the season in a move to make money for the Bluebell Wood charity and turned out in front of nearly 10,000 fans for the reserve team in February.

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Primodos Row: Watchdog Took Years To Warn GPs

By Jason Farrell, Political Correspondent

The Government medicines watchdog took years to warn doctors about a pregnancy test drug that may have caused deformities in babies in the womb, Sky News has learned.

The drug Primodos, a hormone pregnancy test, was prescribed by GPs across England in the 1960s and 70s - and was taken by 1.5 million British women.

But Sky News has found it was not licenced to be used in pregnancy after 1970 amid concerns about its effect on the foetus.

Freedom of Information Requests to the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) revealed letters were written to doctors - but not until five years later in 1975 when a warning was also placed on the packet. 

Then called the Committee on Safety of Medicines, the watchdog warned GPs of concerns about "an increased incidence of congenital abnormalities" in babies born to women who took the drug.

They wrote: "On the present evidence, the Committee believe that it is possible that the use of these preparations for the diagnosis of pregnancy could on occasion lead to abnormalities of the foetus."

Even after this, thousands of prescriptions were given to women until 1977 when the Committee sent a second letter to GPs saying the association had been confirmed. After this prescriptions ceased.

However, the MHRA said in a statement: "We do not hold any such letters and are not aware that any were sent by the CSM about Primodos or hormone pregnancy tests at that time. Nor are we able to comment on whether a letter should have been sent."

For years campaigners with deformities allegedly caused by the drug have challenged the German drug company Shearing, now owned by Bayer, to accept responsibility. The company however insists no link has been shown.

The MHRA says it's not aware of letters about Primodos

Three years ago Sky News conducted an exclusive investigation speaking to retired researchers who originally raised concerns about the drug.

One of them, Dr Isobel Gal who conducted research at Queen Mary's Hospital for Children in Surrey, told Sky News how she spent a decade trying to persuade people of the link.

Documents seen by Sky News, that have been sealed in the National Archives for 30 years, show CSM officials admitted they made mistakes while rudely dismissing Ms Gal and her research.

They, along with other letters about the drug, were found by an alleged victim of Primodos, Nichola Walton, who suffers from stomach and spinal abnormalities.

Campaigners want the drug company to admit responsibility

She said: "They've covered so many things up so many times. So many victims have already passed.

"So many parents have buried their children and they've not been able to see the evidence. They've not been able to explain. I just think it is appalling."

In a statement Bayer, which took over Shering, told Sky News: "UK litigation in respect of Primodos, against Schering (which is now owned by Bayer), ended in 1982 when the claimants' legal team, with the approval of the court, decided to discontinue the litigation on the grounds that there was no realistic possibility of showing that Primodos caused the congenital abnormalities alleged."

They also said that any use of Primodos as a pregnancy test after 1970 would have been "off-label".

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PM Crisis Talks On Threat From ISIS Militants

Timeline: How The Iraq Crisis Unfolded

Updated: 2:12pm UK, Tuesday 17 June 2014

A look back at the main events in the Iraq crisis, which has seen Sunni insurgents from the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) terror group move to within 50 miles of the capital Baghdad.

December 2011: US troops complete their withdrawal after the 2003 invasion which led to the removal of Saddam Hussein.

August 2013: More than 70 people are killed in attacks at the end of Ramadan. ISIS claim responsibility.

January 2-4, 2014: ISIS declares itself in control of the western city of Fallujah and parts of Ramadi following clashes sparked by the clearing of a Sunni-Arab protest camp.

February: al Qaeda formally disowns ISIS, which was at one time an affiliate, because of its extreme methods.

April: Prime Minister Nouri al Maliki wins the most seats in a general election.

June 10: ISIS seizes all of Nineveh province in the north, including the capital Mosul - Iraq's second city. Mr Maliki asks parliament to declare a state of emergency.

June 11: The militants launch a wave of attacks further south, taking Tikrit and freeing hundreds of prisoners in Baiji. An assault on Samarra, 70 miles (110km) north of Baghdad, is repelled by security forces.

June 12: Iraq's air force strikes fighters' positions near Mosul and Tikrit.

US President Barack Obama says he is looking at "all the options" to help the government, which fails to secure authorisation for a state of emergency.

The army abandons its bases in Kirkuk, leaving Kurdish Peshmerga troops to take control.

June 13: A top Shia cleric issues a call to arms, telling the population to take up arms and defend their country.

Mr Maliki claims government forces have started to clear cities of "terrorists" and implements an emergency plan to protect Baghdad.

President Obama rules out sending back troops to fight ISIS.

The rebels move into the towns of Saadiyah and Jalawla in eastern province of Diyala.

June 14: Iran offers to work with the US to tackle the crisis, as Britain pledges an initial £3m in emergency aid to help refugees fleeing the violence.

The Iraqi army's fightback continues, with forces retaking the towns of Ishaqi, al-Mutasim and Duluiyah in Salaheddin province.

Troops also regain much of Tikrit, Saddam Hussein's home town.

US aircraft carrier USS George HW Bush is ordered to the Persian Gulf.

June 15: Photos emerge appearing to show an ISIS massacre of 1,700 captured government soldiers. Baghdad says number is exaggerated.

Reports say militants have overrun Tal Afar, the largest town in Nineveh province.

A bombing in central Baghdad leaves 15 people dead and dozens injured.

Former PM Tony Blair tells Sky News that critics who believe the violence is the result of the 2003 invasion are "profoundly mistaken".

June 16: Video footage purporting to show an ISIS fighter questioning and killing unarmed Iraqi soldiers draws condemnation.

ISIS takes control of Tal Afar and the al Adhim area of Diyala province.

US Secretary of State John Kerry says Washington is "open to discussions with Iran".

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Croydon Rave Death: CCTV Images Released

Police investigating the death of a teenager who died after attending an illegal rave have released photographs of seven men they want to speak to.

Rio Andrew died after falling ill at the illegal party at a disused sorting office in Cherry Orchard Road, Croydon, south London, in the early hours of Sunday.

Rio Andrew collapsed at the rave and died a day later in hospital

The 15-year-old, from Notting Hill in London, was at the party with friends.

He collapsed during the event and was taken to hospital where he died on Monday.

A 19-year-old remains in hospital after also falling ill.

Scotland Yard have stressed they do not believe any of the men captured on CCTV images were involved in the teenager's death.

They have appealed for the men to come forward because they believe they might have information about disorder during and after the rave.

Commander Simon Letchford said: "The behaviour of some of those attending this illegal rave and the direct attacks on officers who were there to maintain public safety is completely unacceptable.

"We will identify all those responsible and bring them to justice."

Nine people were arrested during the rave - and a further five people have been arrested today - bringing the total to 14.

Offences range from violent disorder and money laundering to drugs offences, handling stolen goods and criminal damage.

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Ofsted Chief: 'Bad' Parents Should Be Fined

'Bad parents' who do not support their children's education - by missing parents evenings or not reading with them - should be fined, the head of the schools watchdog has said.

Headteachers should also be able to impose financial penalties against mothers and fathers who do not force their children to do their homework, says Sir Michael Wilshaw, the Chief Inspector of Schools.

Sir Michael told The Times that being poor was too often used by white working-class families as an excuse for failing to succeed at school.

His comments were made in the context of results which reveal that white children with working-class, British parents often do not perform as well as those from immigrant communities.

It comes after Education Secretary Michael Gove saying that parents will face "stronger sanctions" if they fail to ensure children turn up to school and behave properly.

He said this could come in the form of deductions from benefits.

The Ofsted head said his views were formed from his time spent working as a head teacher in London's inner-city schools.

Sir Michael Wilshaw says parents use being poor as an 'excuse'

He told the newspaper: "I was absolutely clear with parents; if they weren't doing a good job I would tell them so. It's up to head teachers to say quite clearly, 'You're a poor parent'.

"If parents didn't come into school, didn't come to parents' evening, didn't read with their children, didn't ensure they did their homework, I would tell them they were bad parents.

"I think head teachers should have the power to fine them. It's sending the message that you are responsible for your children no matter how poor you are."

Sir Michael said some schools in inner-city areas were among the best-performing.

Bad parents are those who do not read with their children, says Sir Michael

He added: "London is showing that all children can do well, including poor children, and what we need to do is replicate what's happening here elsewhere. There's too much variability and inconsistency across the country."

He said it was important to note that the group that was now doing worst was white British children.

In order to catch up with the world's leading nations, he added, the gap in performance between those children with white British and those with immigrant parents needed to narrow.

"Immigrant communities are doing very well educationally and it should be recognised that they've added value to this country's performance," he said.

Poverty was used as an excuse for failure by white working-class families all too often, he added, saying: "It's not about income or poverty. Where families believe in education they do well. If they love their children they should support them in schools."

Sir Michael also said he supported the reforms to exams planned by the Government and backed a return to the use of textbooks.

He also said he approved of Mr Gove's proposals for radical changes, saying they were "absolutely necessary", and urged head teachers to "get on with it. Stop moaning".

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Hillsborough Wiki Entry Civil Servant Sacked

A civil servant who made changes to the Wikipedia page about the Hillsborough disaster from a government computer has been sacked.

Cabinet Office minister Francis Maude told Parliament that a junior administrator has been identified as being behind posts made in 2012 and has been fired for gross misconduct.

A 24-year-old thought to have been born in London, but based in Liverpool, is understood to have changed the phrase "You'll never walk alone", the anthem of Liverpool FC, to read: "You'll never walk again."

An investigation into who made other changes, including some that are thought to have been made from computers used by Whitehall departments, is being dropped, Mr Maude said.

It is understood that those responsible for the changes made using a secure intranet cannot be traced because of "technical obstacles" and a lack of leads.

In one instance, the phrase "Blame Liverpool fans" was added anonymously to the Hillsborough section of the online encyclopaedia.

Ninety-six died and more than 700 were injured on April 15, 1989, when fans were crushed at an FA Cup semi-final between Liverpool FC and Nottingham Forest.

At the time the Cabinet Office became aware the changes had been made from government computers, a spokesman said: "The amendments made to Wikipedia are sickening.

"When the issue was brought to our attention by the Liverpool Echo we launched immediate enquiries.

"Once we have the facts, we will update Parliament with the findings and consider further appropriate action.

"At this time, we have no reason to suspect that the Hillsborough edits involve any particular department, nor more than one or two individuals in 2009 and 2012."

The civil servant who made the change in 2012 was identified by an investigation carried out by an online forum about Wikipedia called Wikipediocracy and the Daily Telegraph.

The Telegraph said he was pinpointed by cross-referencing his social media and work history.

The Hillsborough Family Support Group said it had been in discussion about whether to name him and had decided not to.

Chair Margaret Aspinall said: "All the families agreed that his name should be withheld.

"He has been sacked, and we all took the decision not to name him because social media can be very unpleasant.

"The most important thing is that this has been dealt with and it has not been covered up. He has been punished."

Mr Maude said it was "long-standing established practice that in such cases an individual's name will not be made public".

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Toddler Dies After 'Being Run Over By Dad'

A 15-month-old girl has been killed after being struck by a car apparently driven by her own father.

The toddler was taken to Leeds General Infirmary by paramedics on Saturday night but was pronounced dead a short time later.

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Forced Marriage Becomes Criminal Act In UK

A new law criminalising forced marriages which comes into effect today could protect thousands of potential victims.

Forcing someone into marriage in England and Wales will carry a maximum seven-year jail sentence under the Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014.

The change also criminalises forcing a British national into marriage outside the UK.

Home Secretary Theresa May said: "Forced marriage is a tragedy for each and every victim, and its very nature means that many cases go unreported.

"I am proud to say that the UK is already a world-leader in the fight to stamp out this harmful practice with the Government's Forced Marriage Unit (FMU) working hard to tackle this terrible practice in the UK and overseas."

Mrs May has joined anti-child marriage charity Freedom, police, the Crown Prosecution Service and a victim of forced marriage in a Freedom2Choose campaign video.

A forced marriage is where one or both spouses do not consent and are coerced into it through physical, psychological, financial, sexual or emotional pressure.

The Home Office has said the FMU gave advice or support in a possible forced marriage to more than 1,300 people in 2013.

Freedom founder Aneeta Prem said: "In the most tragic cases, people forced into marriage become domestic slaves by day and sexual slaves by night.

"Today's announcement sends out a powerful message that this indefensible abuse of human rights will not be tolerated."

Last week, the NSPCC said children as young as 12 were calling ChildLine about forced marriage, with numbers up two-thirds in the last year.

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McCanns Arrive At Court For Libel Trial

The parents of missing Madeleine McCann have arrived at court in Lisbon to speak at the trial of a former police chief, who they are suing for libel over claims he made in a book.

Kate and Gerry McCann are expected to deliver emotional statements in the trial of Goncalo Amaral.

They were originally told they could not make statements to the trial, but the decision was overturned at appeal.

Their appearance will mark the end of the trial against Mr Amaral, but a final ruling is not expected until later in the year.

The McCanns claim Mr Amaral's 2008 book The Truth Of The Lie included allegations they had hidden Madeleine's body after she died in an accident and faked an abduction which damaged the search for the missing girl and added to their anguish.

Scotland Yard officers carried out searches around Praia da Luz last week

Madeleine disappeared from her parent's holiday apartment in Praia da Luz, Portugal, on May 3, 2007, as Kate and Gerry dined at a nearby restaurant with friends.

In October, Mr McCann's sister Trish Cameron told the libel trial the couple's pain was "multiplied 100 times" by the book.

If the court rules against Mr Amaral, the McCanns could receive around £1m in damages.

Last week, they said the failure of police officers to find evidence relating to their missing daughter during recent searches in Praia da Luz "reinforced" their belief that she could still be alive.

They said: "As parents of a missing child, we have always wanted all reasonable lines of inquiry to be followed and it is gratifying to know that a substantial amount of work will take place over the coming months with the close co-operation of the British and Portuguese authorities.

"We would like to thank all those involved for their efforts and the members of the public who have come forward with information."

Scotland Yard officers, working alongside Portuguese police, carried out searches in areas around the Algarve resort town.

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Boy, 7, Dies After Ballycastle Cliff Fall

A seven-year-old boy has died after falling from cliffs at a caravan park at Ballycastle, Co Antrim.

The boy was taken to hospital by Royal Navy helicopter after he was found following an extensive search by rescue services on Sunday evening.

Police were alerted after the boy went missing from the Silver Cliffs caravan park.

Belfast Coastguard said: "We coordinated the search for a child who was missing near cliffs close to the Silvercliff Caravan Park at Ballycastle.

"The Ballycastle and Coleraine Coastguard Rescue Teams, a police helicopter, the Royal Navy rescue helicopter from Prestwick and the Portrush and Red Bay RNLI lifeboats all searched for the missing child.

"The child was found at the base of the cliffs and was taken by the Royal Navy helicopter to Coleraine Hospital."

A police spokesman said: "Shortly before 7.15pm, it was reported that the boy fell from a cliff into the sea.

"Northern Ireland Coastguard recovered the boy from the sea and he was airlifted to a nearby hospital, but later died as a result of his injuries.

"Inquiries are continuing."

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