Elite and amateur athletes came together to complete in the London Marathon yesterday.

Alexander Mutiso Munyao, a newcomer to the iconic race, outperformed legendary long-distance runner Kenenisa Bekele to secure the men’s title. Meanwhile, Emile Cairess made history as the first British runner to reach the podium since 2018.

Kenya’s Olympic champion Peres Jepchirchir also claimed victory, setting a world record time of two hours, 16 minutes, and 16 seconds in the women’s only race.

At the start of the event there was a round of applause for Kelvin Kiptum – the winner of last year’s race – who died in a car accident in February.

Plenty of famous faces took to the streets, including 71-year-old billionaire Jim Ratcliffe who ran the race in 4 hours, 30 minutes before going to Wembley to watch Manchester United take on Coventry in the FA Cup semi-finals.

Others who took part in the race included the chancellor, Jeremy Hunt, singer Harry Judd, presenter Chris Evans, actress Ruth Wilson and many more.

More than 50,000 people ran the 26.2 mile course on the dry and bright day, with a few records broken for people running in costumes.

Daniel Farr (28) from Alton, Hampshire (pictured left), raised £3,149 for Young Lives vs Cancer.

He said: “It’s the first time I’ve done a marathon – I couldn’t believe I got a place. It was such a brilliant atmosphere. All the crowds are behind you, cheering you on to keep going the whole way.

“At the start of the race I met Suzie and Adam (also pictured), who were raising money for the same charity as me – so I hope they did well too.”

Elliot Harvey-Copestake (31) from Andover (pictured below) also ran his first marathon. 

He said: “After my wife and I got married in 2021, we sadly went through three miscarriages. 

“Unfortunately research and testing into why isn’t offered until you have suffered a miscarriage three times. 

“I decided to run the London Marathon as part of “Tommy’s team” and raise as much money as possible for an amazing charity that not only offers support but are constantly campaigning and doing research to identify why pregnancy goes wrong and understand how to prevent complications and loss as well as enabling specialist care for people at their clinics, research centres and across the NHS.”

Two brothers have been sentenced to prison for trying to bypass restrictions on importing cocaine.

Metropolitan Police officers disrupted their scheme to bring dangerous drugs into London.

Specialist Met officers have spent three years dismantling a major drug trafficking network, gathering extensive CCTV footage and analysing encrypted software that criminals used to coordinate drug importation.

The investigation revealed that the organised group made 19 importations between May 2020 and August 2020, with a street value of £8.8 million.

As a result, 12 people have been sentenced. Ten of these men have been sentenced at earlier dates, with the final two sentenced on Friday at Kingston Crown Court.

Jonathan Lynn (41) of Heathcote Road, Epsom (pictured below) was sentenced to 18 years and 8 months’ imprisonment.

Nicholas Lynn (35) of Gildenhill Road, Swanley and Temple Denny Road, Falkirk (pictured below), was sentenced to 15 years and 3 months.

Extraordinary work

Detective inspector Lydia Stephens said: “This investigation is a powerful example of the extraordinary work undertaken by the Met’s highly skilled and dedicated detectives in order to identify, apprehend and prosecute organised criminals.

“We are committed to identifying and dismantling entire networks from the top down to stop the scourge of drug dealing and the associated crimes which impact our communities here in London.

“These vast quantities of cocaine were bound for our communities and I’m pleased we’ve taken them off the streets. Drugs and violence come hand in hand and we will continue to seek out perpetrators who wish to jeopardise the safety of Londoners. ”

Detective constable Leon Ure, who worked on the case, said: “The success of this case is down to a massive team effort across the Met, involving multiple units and officers coming together to help make sure this pipeline of Class A drugs to London was dismantled.

“Without everyone’s diligence, utmost professionalism and commitment to the job, we wouldn’t have been able to see such significant sentencings. We remain completely committed to keeping Londoners safe and removing dangerous criminals from the streets.”

Officers worked relentlessly to gather evidence to prove the Lynn brothers’ involvement. Officers were able to piece together hundreds of hours of CCTV from Thurrock services to prove this was a meeting spot used by the criminal gang to handover large amounts of drugs destined for London.

Officers were able to analyse communications on Encrochat, historically used by criminal gangs to communicate in an encrypted system, through usernames used by the Lynn brothers. This showed their involvement in arranging the transport of Class A drugs from Lithuania to be driven into the UK on HGV lorries. The team then made use of a drug expert witness to show the Lynn brothers’ leadership role through further data analysis of communications between accomplices.

Thanks to help from European authorities, Jonathan Lynn was arrested in Fuengirola, Spain after a warrant was issued for his arrest in November 2022. Nicholas Lynn was arrested previously in Kent in February 2021.

Nearly 1,000 cyclists have been issued fixed penalty notices for running red lights since the launch of the City of London’s Cycle Response Unit nine months ago.

Since last July, 944 fixed penalty notices have been issued for incidents such as going through red lights and endangering pedestrians.

Yesterday, a cycle roadshow took place outside Mansion House as part of the force’s efforts to educate, engage, and enforce road safety. While it was happening, a cycle operation was being held at Bank Junction to address anti-social behavior and traffic violations.

Cyclists who were caught running red lights and jeopardising the safety of pedestrians and other road users, were invited to attend, with those refusing facing a £50 fine.

Lord mayor, professor Michael Mainelli and lady mayoress Elisabeth Mainelli were at the event, where they met the City of London Police and partners organising the roadshow.

Those who attended the roadshow had the chance to have their bike looked at by a cycle mechanic from Nip Nip, have their bike registered and marked and sit inside an HGV lorry to see the road from the view point of a lorry cab.

London Fire Brigade spokem to the public about the dangers of e-bikes and e-scooters, whilst police offers spoke about crime.

Professor Mainelli said: “The Square Mile is a safe area – a world-leading business district and leisure destination that appeals to workers, residents, and visitors alike. It is a vibrant place for everyone to enjoy. The event was a great opportunity to educate cyclists about making their way around safely, for themselves, fellow pedestrians, and road users.”

Since July, the Cycle Response Unit have also seized 192 illegal e-bikes and e-scooters, made 80 arrests and given key advice and guidance to 8,663 people.

Commander Umer Khan of City of London Police, said: “Cycling operations around big interchanges have made a significant difference in reducing anti-social behaviour by road users in the City of London. The cycle team is one of our visible units people see on the streets, however, their vital work cannot be done without a wealth of dedicated officers and key partners such as the City of London Corporations Highways and Transport for London (TfL) working together, helping keep the City streets the amongst the safest in the country.

“The majority of cyclists are safe and obey the Highway Code, however, we are educating, engaging and where necessary enforcing those road users who go through red lights, putting themselves and pedestrians at risk. I’m very grateful to the Lord and Lady Mayor of London for taking an interest in the proactive work of officers are carrying out.”

In a saga of corporate intrigue, Lottery.com Inc. finds itself embroiled in a controversy surrounding alleged mismanagement, conflicts of interest, and market manipulation. Shareholders, representing a substantial stake in the company, have raised serious concerns about the conduct of key executives and board members, casting a shadow over the once-promising enterprise.

On April 12, 2024, a coalition of shareholders led by Nicola Usaty, collectively holding 55,670 shares of Lottery.com Inc., made a decisive move. They conducted an exhaustive due diligence review of Lottery’s governance structure, focusing on developments since the appointment of Matt McGahan as Chairman of the Board in November 2022. Their findings prompted a letter addressed to the Board of Directors, urging the immediate removal of Matt McGahan from his roles as Chairman, CEO, President, and Secretary of the company. Many other shareholders have started to join the petition as Conflict of Interest and Suspected Market Manipulation started to emerge.

Central to the shareholders’ concerns are allegations of a glaring conflict of interest involving Matthew McGahan and Barney Battles, key figures within Lottery.com Inc. The shareholders suspect potential market manipulations orchestrated by members of the Board of Directors, further exacerbating the company’s tumultuous situation.

A pivotal moment in Lottery’s recent history revolves around a proposed investment from OneStream Invest Ltd. (OneStream), a UK-based company. Despite initial agreements and shareholder approval, Lottery seemingly veered away from OneStream’s offer in favor of an investment from Prosperity Investment Management (Prosperity) through UCIL’s financing vehicle. The abrupt stock price surge following the announcement of the Prosperity deal raised eyebrows, only to plummet shortly afterward. Four months down the line, Lottery has yet to receive any financing from Prosperity or any other investors, leaving shareholders disillusioned and suspicious.

The Board then declined an alternative investment proposal of $10 million from Woodford Finance (Woodford) in January 2024. As Lottery grapples with its financial woes, the specter of bankruptcy looms large. Woodford, poses a significant threat, with the potential to seize control of Lottery’s assets in the event of default. The company’s assets, including valuable domain names, serve as collateral for a loan from Woodford, intensifying the stakes of the ongoing power struggle.

In their quest to safeguard shareholder rights and uncover the truth, the coalition of concerned shareholders has submitted a comprehensive list of questions to the Lottery Board.

Nikola Usaty, one of the shareholders, questions Lottery Board decisions with the following comment:

“We want to know why did the Board turn down offers from legitimate investors like One Stream and Woodford, opting instead for a deal with Prosperity and UCIL? The latter being directly connected Matthew McGahan and Barney Battles. We have suspicions about who profited from the surge in Lottery’s stock price following the UCIL deal announcement, despite the absence of actual investment funds. We are determined to uncover the truth and hold accountable those who may have exploited the situation.”

Lottery.com Inc. stands at a crossroads, grappling with allegations of corporate malfeasance and financial instability. As the investigation into governance practices and market dealings unfolds, shareholders remain vigilant, determined to unearth the truth and restore integrity to the embattled company. The coming days will undoubtedly be pivotal, shaping the fate of Lottery and its stakeholders amidst a backdrop of uncertainty and scrutiny.

City of London Police, working with the National Crime Agency, has seized multiple strains of hybrid Californian cannabis estimated to have a street value of over half a million pounds.

The team arrested and charged three people in connection with bringing a large quantity of cannabis into the UK.

Luke French (35) of Moat Lane, Birmingham was charged with fraudulent evasion of a prohibition on the importation of class B drug and possessing with intent to supply cannabis.

Joanne Parkes (47) of Benedon Road, Birmingham was charged with fraudulent evasion of a prohibition on the importation of class B drug and possessing with intent to supply cannabis. She was also charged with possession of criminal property.

Roberto Martinez (32) of Huntingdon Park, California, was charged with fraudulent evasion of a prohibition on the importation of class B drug and possessing with intent to supply cannabis.

Officers seized cannabis believed to be worth upwards of £500,0000 and around £5,000 in cash.

All three appeared at Westminster Magistrates Court on April 10 and were remanded in custody until a hearing at Inner London Crown Court on May 8.

Detective superintendent Richard Waight, City of London Police said: “This is a significant haul in our fight against the illegal trafficking and supply of drugs in the city and across London. Drugs in London severely impacts our communities, drives violence and organised crime and can lead to vulnerable people being exploited.

“City of London Police are committed to bringing organised crime groups to justice and making our streets safer.”