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Paedophile who sexually abused infant and incited rape of another child jailed
A paedophile who sexually abused an infant and incited the rape of another child has been jailed for 10-and-a-half years.

Andrew McAdam, 36, pleaded guilty to nine charges spanning March 2023 to September 2024.

Police Scotland said the sexual crimes against the infant took place in Edinburgh and the Trossachs.

The force said McAdam's offences also included conspiring with others across the border to commit sexual abuse, sharing indecent images, sexual exposure, public indecency and sexual communications.

He was jailed at the High Court in Glasgow on Tuesday.

In his sentencing statement, judge Lord Scott said McAdam conspired to sexually exploit and abuse his infant victim and "incited and encouraged the rape" of a separate child at the hands of another man.

The judge stated: "Some conspiracies go no further than the agreement to commit a crime before a change of mind or detection, but this wicked conspiracy was made real."

Lord Scott added: "All of this was entirely for your own gratification."

Part of a victim impact statement prepared by the infant's parents was read out to the court.

In it, they said: "The potential impact of [the child] finding out what happened in the wrong way is catastrophic.

"It is like holding a bomb with the power to completely destroy your child's life if it is detonated at the wrong moment.

"It is terrifying not knowing the impact that this will have, not knowing if our approach to telling [the child] will be the right one."

The parents also lamented that when the child grows up and "inevitably makes mistakes or choices" they disagree with, they will "forever question if the crimes [the victim] faced at such a young age and their impact, direct or indirectly, will have contributed".

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Highlighting the criminal justice social work report prepared, Lord Scott said McAdam had "shown no convincing or meaningful remorse".

The judge noted: "You take limited responsibility for your offending - deflecting, minimising and denying the full extent of your involvement."

McAdam was handed an extended sentence, with 10-and-a-half years in jail and three-and-a-half years on licence once released back into the community.

He was also placed on the sex offenders' register indefinitely and banned from contacting his victim.

Police Scotland urged all those who have experienced sexual abuse to report it to the force.

Detective Inspector Wells said: "McAdam subjected his child victim to horrific abuse."

The DI added: "Sexual crime of any kind has no place in society and we remain committed to supporting victims and bringing those responsible to justice."


Serbia: Knife attacker shot dead by police outside Israeli embassy in Belgrade
A man carrying knives has been killed by police after attacking an officer outside the Israeli embassy in Belgrade.

Serbian police said the unidentified man, a minor, who shouted Allahu Akbar, or "God is great" in Arabic, was shot dead just after midnight.

Police are treating the incident as a "terrorist attack", Serbia's Interior Minister Ivica Dacic said, adding the terror threat had been raised to its highest level with an increased police presence at key locations.

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The police officer, who is part of an elite unit, was slightly wounded in the face, Mr Dacic said.

The ​Belgrade-based Higher Public Prosecution Office said in a statement that a black-clad unidentified individual opened the door of a guard house in front ​of the embassy and, armed with two knives, ⁠rushed at the policeman, identified only ⁠by the initials DS.

"The unidentified person threw one knife in the direction of DS, hitting him in ‌the left cheek. After that, DS took out his service weapon and fired several shots at the attacker, killing him on the spot," it said.

The policeman's action was justified and in self-defence, it added.

Security agencies had been monitoring the attacker, who was believed to be from the western Serbian town of Sabac, the minister said.

The man was a supporter of the Islamic State group and "kept the black flag in support of the Islamic State on his Instagram" account, he added.

Pictures from the scene showed the area outside the embassy cordoned off by police tape as armed officers stood nearby.

The attack comes days after Aleksandar Vucic, Serbia's long-standing pro-Russian former president, lost an election to a youth-led movement after almost two years of protests against him.

As he conceded defeat in the closely fought contest, Mr Vucic urged supporters to avoid unrest.

But, with the new government as yet unformed, Mr Vucic and his allies still control the police.

Israel also held its parliamentary vote Tuesday that exit polls said produced no clear winner.

In June 2024, an attacker with a crossbow also wounded a Serbian police officer guarding the Israeli Embassy in Belgrade. The assailant was shot and killed by the officer.

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Israel's embassy is close to the US Embassy in an upscale area of the Serbian capital. It is guarded by an elite police unit with officers armed with automatic weapons.

Serbia has maintained close relations with Israel.


Zookeeper dies after leopard attack
A woman has died after being attacked by a leopard at the safari park where she spent almost her entire 40-year career.

The zookeeper, whose identity has been withheld in line with Dutch privacy laws, died on Tuesday after being attacked on Saturday at the Beekse Bergen safari park.

She had suffered serious wounds to her head and neck while working in an enclosure with two male Persian leopards, a statement from the park said.

"Her passing deeply affects us all, and we sympathise intensely with her family, friends and loved ones," a statement released by the zoo said.

The woman began working at the zoo, in the southern town of Hilvarenbeek, when she was 17 and spent nearly all of her 40-year career there.

An investigation is under way to determine why she was in the enclosure, as zoo staff are typically not allowed to be in the same space as predatory animals.

The woman was able to use a walkie-talkie to alert colleagues she had been hurt, the zoo said.

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An ambulance and a trauma helicopter were dispatched to the park at around 11am local time on Saturday (10am UK).

The woman underwent emergency surgery, but her condition worsened on Sunday evening.


US Air Force officer accused of possessing child abuse images was flown out of the UK
A senior US Air Force officer was flown out of the UK before he could be questioned over allegations that he possessed child sexual abuse images, it has emerged.

Lt Col Michael Morris was working at the US embassy in London as an assistant military attaché, and left Britain in August.

He is now facing formal charges that include possession and distribution of "child pornography", obstructing justice and "conduct unbecoming an officer and a gentleman".

A hearing is due to take place at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland next month.

His brother is currently facing trial in the US for a series of charges relating to child sexual abuse material.

Benjamin Morris was arrested in Illinois after an investigation sparked by a group that tracks down alleged paedophiles - and prosecutors claim he shared images with his brother.

Lt Col Morris left the UK without being questioned by police, and the case has led to renewed concerns over US authorities ignoring the legal jurisdiction of the host country - despite alleged offences being committed on British soil.

A US Air Force spokesperson said: "The charges and evidence will be reviewed to determine whether the case should be tried by court-martial.

"To protect the integrity of the ongoing investigation and the rights of the subject, further information is unavailable until a disposition decision is made.

"As a reminder, charges are merely allegations and the Department of the Air Force member is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty."

The Metropolitan Police added: "We have been liaising regularly with the US authorities since they made us aware on Tuesday 25 August of their investigation into suspected offences relating to indecent images of children.

"We are aware that charges have been brought in the US in relation to this case and that legal proceedings are ongoing. We remain in contact with the US authorities."

The case has also been likened to that of US State Department employee Anne Sacoolas, who caused the death of teenager Harry Dunn in a car crash in 2019.

Sacoolas was able to leave the country shortly after causing the fatal collision after the US asserted diplomatic immunity on her behalf.


UK weather: A calmer forecast after successive storms, but 'dense' fog may cause disruption
The UK is set for a period of calmer weather after three people died during storms over the weekend - but "dense" fog could cause further disruption.

Forecasters have said the country will see a "big flip in the weather", with high pressure bringing drier conditions over the next 48 hours.

It comes after the first two named storms of the season - Austen and Boelo - brought strong winds and heavy rain to large parts of the UK towards the end of last week.

On Sunday, a man in his 20s in London and a 60-year-old man in Scotland were killed by falling trees, while a woman in her 50s died after being pulled from the sea off the Isle of Wight on Monday.

Met Office data shows that Storm Austen, which hit the UK on Friday, brought gusts of up to 79mph, while Storm Boelo saw winds in some exposed areas reach over 80mph.

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Milder conditions this week could, however, bring "dense" and "stubborn" fog which could cause travel disruptions and create dangerous driving conditions, according to Met Office forecaster Craig Snell.

Mr Snell said that Wednesday could still be "fairly blustery" with scattered showers before winds start to drop in the evening.

He added: "Come Thursday morning, some parts of the south and central parts of the UK could wake up to some fairly dense fog patches.

"They will be quite slow to clear. We're entering that time of year where fog can be quite stubborn to move once it's formed."

Much of England and Wales is forecast to remain dry into the beginning of November, while parts of Scotland and Northern Ireland could experience some rainy spells.

Despite wind warnings being lifted for most of the country, those living in coastal areas have been urged to remain vigilant to flooding.


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