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A man who travelled across England stealing about £40,000 from more than 500 cash machines has been jailed for four years.

Florin Ivascu, 40, worked alongside Andrei Matei, 35, to jam open the cash dispenser on the ATMs so they could take money from inside.

Ivascu admitted 545 thefts from cash machines and criminal damage, and was sentenced at Leeds Crown Court on Thursday. Matei was jailed for two years in February after admitting similar charges.

The Romanian nationals – Ivascu of Dagenham, London and Matei of Crumpsall, Manchester, will also face deportation once they are released.

West Yorkshire Police said Ivascu caused damage valued at over £60,000 to the cash machines which he tampered with.

Matei admitted theft and criminal damage to 483 machines and was jailed for two years and three months when he appeared at Leeds Crown Court in February.

Ivascu faced the same charges together with an additional 62 thefts and criminal damage relating to ATM incidents which took place in Merseyside.

Police said Ivascu would carry out the process while Matei kept lookout and provided cover so that people could not see what was happening.

An investigation into the pair's activities was launched by the Yorkshire and Humber Regional Organised Crime Unit (YHROCU) after a spate of thefts from cash machines in West Yorkshire.

But officers from the YHROCU's Proactive Economic Crime Team soon established the pair were carrying out their activities all over the country in several police force areas.

They were arrested in Nottingham in 2023 after CCTV footage showed them at hundreds of locations.

Speaking after the sentencing, economic crime investigator Neil Bottomley of the YHROCU's Proactive Economic Crime Team said: "We received reports of a number of incidents where two men were targeting cash points in Yorkshire, but it soon became very clear while we were piecing together their activities that they were active on a nationwide scale.

"The pair were committing thefts from ATMs across most of the country and leaving a trail of damage to the machines behind them.

"Several other forces assisted us as part of this investigation.

"Ivascu and Matei were nothing short of prolific and I'm pleased that we have been able to finally bring them to justice and put them behind bars."

Three YHROCU officers were commended by the judge for their role in the investigation.

The pair committed offences in 27 of England's 40 force areas, including Avon & Somerset, Bedfordshire, Derbyshire, Dorset, Essex, Gloucestershire, Greater Manchester, Hampshire, Humberside, Leicestershire, Lincolnshire, Merseyside and the Metropolitan Police area.

They also targeted North Yorkshire, Northamptonshire, Northumbria, Nottinghamshire, South Yorkshire, Staffordshire, Suffolk, Surrey, Thames Valley, Warwickshire, West Mercia, West Midlands, West Yorkshire and Wiltshire.

West Yorkshire on BBC Sounds

It was once unthinkable that Lyle and Erik Menendez, the men who murdered their wealthy parents by shooting them 16 times, would get the sympathy and forgiveness of the masses.

Their claims of sexual abuse at the hands of their father were mocked by prosecutors and comedians alike, from late-night TV to jokes at the Academy Awards.

But 35 years later – thanks in part to TikTok, Netflix and stars like Kim Kardashian – the Menendez brothers have a new generation of supporters – many who were not even born in 1989, the year the brothers ambushed their parents with shotguns in their Beverly Hills mansion.

At the time of their trials, the brothers were portrayed as greedy, entitled monsters who went on a $700,000 (£526,0000) spending spree in the weeks after the murders. Now, with a growing understanding of trauma and sexual abuse, many are more sympathetic – and that might just give the brothers a chance at freedom.

This week, a Los Angeles judge reduced the brothers' sentence to include the possibility of parole, which could be granted at a hearing next month.

Their fate will then be in the hands of California's Parole Board and, ultimately, Governor Gavin Newsom, who will be weighing the shifting public opinion about the divisive case with his own political ambitions.

How did we get here?

In 1989, Erik and Lyle Menendez burst into their Beverly Hills living room, both toting loaded shotguns, and opened fire on their parents, who were watching television. The crime would go unsolved for months.

They got tickets for the James Bond film License to Kill as an alibi and told law enforcement and members of the news media, who were covering the execution of the wealthy, high-powered couple in their mansion, that perhaps the mafia was to blame.

Meanwhile, they bought a new Porsche, Jeep, Rolex watches and other luxury items with cash from their parents' estate.

They weren't caught until police got word of their admissions to a psychologist.

Even at the time, their crime was divisive – the first trial ended un a mistrial after the jury couldn't reach a verdict. After the second, they were sentenced to life without parole.

During both trials, the brothers were characterised as bad boys and spoiled children who were motivated to kill their parents out of hatred and hopes to acquire their $14 million estate.

Saturday Night Live and other late-night shows mocked the pair's defence in court – including tearful testimony about their alleged sexual abuse, which prosecutors dubbed the "abuse excuse" – and documentary titles from that decade included phrases like "the bad sons" and "American sons, American murderers".

Appeal after appeal was denied but last year, everything seemed to change. New evidence about the alleged sexual abuse had surfaced and Netflix released a drama that captured the attention of a whole new generation. Soon, documentaries about the case included titles with words like "misjudged" and "boys betrayed".

TikTokers discussed the case with their followers. Reality star Kim Kardashian, a criminal justice advocate who has helped free imprisoned people, penned an opinion piece publicly backing their bid for freedom.

"Back then, there were limited resources for victims of sexual abuse, particularly for boys," Kardashian wrote in the NBC piece.

In the 1990s, society did not have the same understanding we do today of trauma, sexual abuse and harassment, Whitney Phillips, a University of Oregon professor who studies true crime, told the BBC. That gap in understanding was especially pronounced for boys who were abused, she added.

But after the MeToo movement, there was more cultural space created for people to speak about these experiences, she said.

"Not only does it create a permission structure," Prof Phillips said of people feeling encouraged to speak out about harassment and abuse, "in some ways it creates an incentive structure to feature stories about trauma".

Adding to that is the change in how the public views criminal justice, with more emphasis on rehabilitation and reducing prison populations instead of the tough-on-crime mentality that dominated Los Angeles at the end of the 20th Century.

"The lock people up forever attitude of the 1990s is fortunately long gone," said Robert Rand, a journalist who met and interviewed the brothers before they were arrested and uncovered new evidence in 2018 – a letter Erik had written as a teenager to a cousin about his father's sexual abuse.

In a documentary Mr Rand produced about the killings, released in 2023, a former member of the boy band called Menudo alleged that the brothers' father, Jose Menendez – who was an executive at RCA Records – had raped him when he was 14 years old. The accusation further bolstered the brothers' claims of abuse.

The new testimonies helped give new life to the brothers' claims, and provided a catalyst for what Prof Phillips called a "hurricane" of interest and support, from the Netflix drama to Kardashian's op-ed.

"The things that get really big online are things that have lots of sources of energy," she said.

Even Lyle Menendez noted the sea change.

"The followers who are younger that are on that sort of TikTok social media generation, they really have tremendous hope," Lyle Menendez said at a court hearing.

"I'm not as hopeless as I was as a 21-year-old, that's for sure. Obviously, I feel more hope when society seems to be understanding these experiences and sex abuse better."

Where do the Menendez brothers go from here?

The fate of the brothers – regardless of what social media, the courts or California's parole board recommends – ultimately rests with one man: Governor Newsom, who has the power to accept or reject any parole recommendation.

And many believe that man is considering a run for president in 2028.

Since the last election, Newsom has been undergoing a political transformation, shifting from crusading liberal pushing universal healthcare to a more moderate, pragmatic approach, most recently proposing freezing healthcare for undocumented immigrants.

Weighing in on such a divisive case could be "risky", said Pennsylvania-based Republican political strategist Sam Chen.

"Can you imagine a reality TV show of the Menendez brothers while Newsom is trying to run for president? Talk about free campaign airtime," he said. "That would be the worst thing for him."

Although no one knows which way he is leaning, Newsom has mentioned the case several times on social media and on his podcast.

"The question for the board is a rather simple one," Newsom said in February on TikTok. "Do they pose a current, what we call 'unreasonable' risk to public safety."

Mr Rand acknowledged the case is "risky" politically for Newsom.

"You can't get around the elephant in the room: They brutally murdered their parents," Rand told the BBC. "But if you do believe that they were abused and that they suffered from a lifetime of abuse – and there actually is evidence that supports their story – it's a very different situation."

The brothers have not committed violent crimes while in prison, a fact the judge in their resentencing hearing considered, although they did have infractions for using cell phones smuggled into prison.

They've also led productive lives while incarcerated, with Erik founding a hospice programme to help elderly and disabled inmates while Lyle has been working on prison beautification.

Remarkably, every single surviving member of their family – from cousins to aunts and uncles – want the Menendez brothers released, including the surviving siblings of Jose and Kitty Menendez.

"They chose to live their lives with clarity and a purpose of service," their cousin Anamaria Baralt said outside the court after they were resentenced.

If the board recommends parole in June, the governor has 30 days to accept or reject the recommendation. If they are paroled, the brothers will be released likely within five months, according to the California Department of Corrections.

The fact that Gov Newsom ordered the state parole board to conduct a comprehensive risk assessment before the brothers were even deemed eligible for parole has many thinking he's open to releasing them.

"He wants the political cover" of the parole board and court recommendations, said Neama Rahmani, a former federal prosecutor who has been following the brothers' legal saga but is not representing any of the participants.

A year ago, Mr Rahmani never would have predicted the Menendez brothers could be released. Now he thinks they will be free within the next few months.

But it wouldn't be unprecedented for Gov Newsom to reject a high-profile parole recommendation.

Several times he blocked the release of a Manson Family member. And in 2022, Newsom blocked the release of Sirhan Sirhan, the man who assassinated Sen Robert F Kennedy.

As far as the Menendez brothers go, Gov Newsom said on his podcast that he's mulling over the case and he's not planning to watch any of the documentaries or true crime dramas about the case.

"I'm obviously familiar with the Menendez brothers just through the news over the course of many decades, but not to the degree that many others are because of all of these documentaries and all of the attention they've received," he said. "So that won't bias my independent and objective review of the facts."

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A TikToker said he was "absolutely buzzing" to have been invited to host a fanzone during the National League play-off final at Wembley Stadium.

Alexis Cassar said he would be interviewing fans and former Southend United players at Boxpark Wembley when the Blues meet Oldham Athletic on Sunday.

The Essex club confirmed the partnership with the social media star on its own TikTok account.

"I'm absolutely buzzing but a bit nervous, though, because on my TikTok I can cut things… here, people will really see the real me," said the 26-year-old, whose videos showcasing his love of Leigh-on-Sea have attracted millions of views.

Up to 50,000 fans will travel to Wembley for the match, which will mark the end of a turbulent few years for Blues fans who have backed their team through financial turmoil and the threat of extinction.

Alexis told BBC Essex: "I think it's fair to say I don't think any Southend supporter thought they'd be in this position at the start of the year, even mid-way through the year.

"I think we can go to Wembley with nothing to lose."

Alexis said he had been "manifesting" tickets for Sunday's clash after failing to secure a seat.

The matchday capacity was initially limited because of the closure of Wembley Park Tube station for engineering works.

When the Shrimpers first got in touch, he "thought it would be filming something at Roots Hall… but for some reason I knew I'd end up at Wembley on Sunday".

The Green Party co-leader said he wanted to know how fire risks could be managed if plans for one of Europe's largest battery storage sites were approved.

Developers want to install more than a thousand battery containers on land on the outskirts of the small village of Rushall, near Diss in Norfolk.

Whilst the company behind the plan – Elmya – has said safety measures will be in place, residents fear the site could catch fire.

MP Adrian Ramsay – whose Waveney Valley constituency includes Rushall – said he did not "want to scaremonger" but would be meeting with Norfolk's fire chief to discuss their concerns.

Battery energy storage systems (BESS) are used to hold electricity generated by renewables like solar and wind farms, which can then be put into the grid when needed.

But the lithium used in the batteries can cause explosions if it overheats.

A fire at a small BESS site in Liverpool in 2020 took fire crews 59 hours to extinguish, whilst a blaze at a huge site in California was left to burn on the advice of fire experts.

Ramsay said he would speak to Norfolk's chief fire officer about the proposed site at Rushall, as well as one that would be part of the East Pye solar farm.

He said he wanted to know how fire risks could be managed and assessed, and how fire crews might access remote, countryside sites:

"I don't want to scaremonger on that at all, but I do take the questions residents are raising seriously."

Asher Minns, from the Tyndall Centre For Climate Research at the University of East Anglia, said data on BESS sites across the world "wasn't great" but he believed the risk of fire was "very low".

"There's better [safety] guidelines coming out all the time," he added.

Elmya – which has yet to submit its plans for the site at Rushall – said it would have "advanced monitoring, early fire detection, and suppression systems".

Development director James Innes insisted the project's safety was "paramount" and the company would be "following National Fire Chiefs Council guidance".

A Norfolk Fire and Rescue spokesperson said: "We continue to proactively work with site designers and operators of battery energy storage systems to help them improve both their site designs, and the accessibility for firefighting.

"This is to reduce and mitigate for the likelihood of any fire on their premises."

A man who travelled to the front line of the war in Ukraine and brought hand grenades back to England with him has been given a suspended prison sentence.

Stewart Wright, 45, travelled to the conflict as a self-styled humanitarian volunteer and smuggled the items back to his home near Leeming in North Yorkshire, police said.

The Ukrainian grenades, which can be lethal up to 200 metres, could have caused "catastrophic" damage had they exploded, police added.

Wright admitted possessing explosives for an unlawful purpose and possessing firearms ammunition illegally at Teesside Crown Court and given a 24 month suspended sentence on Friday.

The explosives had been hidden in a vehicle driven across Europe and into Britain in 2023, before being stored in Wright's home.

"These are extremely dangerous items, and by possessing them illegally Wright put not just himself but other people at grave risk," Det Con Amy Sharrad from North Yorkshire Police said.

During a search of Wright's home, police found Ukrainian F1 grenades and Russian offensive grenades, which project deadly fragmentations up to 150 metres.

The fuses had been removed, but the explosive elements were still present and the items had to be disposed of by military bomb experts.

A carrier bag containing 7.62mm-calibre bullets, a 30mm round and a magazine containing a further 30 rounds was also found in the small bungalow, police said.

Officers said there was no evidence that Wright intended to use the devices to cause injury, but he had a fascination with the war in Ukraine and military items.

After being arrested, Wright, who also has links to Swinton, Greater Manchester, made no comment during police interviews.

Det Con Sharrad said he "seemed unable to grasp the severity of his actions or show any remorse".

Police said the grenades and ammunition had been seized and destroyed.

A charity run, organised by a Jersey man who suffered the loss of his first-born daughter, is to take place for the sixth consecutive year.

Helier de Veulle has organised the Seymour Sprint to raise funds for baby loss and safer pregnancy charity, Philip's Footprints.

The event will include the 6km "Seymour Stroll" for those who prefer something a little more sedate and two running options: 6km or 10km.

Mr de Veulle said: "With Gorey Castle behind you and Seymour Tower in front, this trail run takes in the spectacular south-east coast with two distance options available."

The event takes place on 26 April with the 10km route following the shoreline to Seymour Slip before heading out across Ramsar Wetlands to Seymour Tower and returning via the same route.

The 6km option follows the beach to Seymour slip only and straight back.

The new Seymour Stroll is a walk from Longbeach to Seymour Slip and back.

'Beautiful and iconic'

Mr de Veulle and his wife Vicky de Veulle lost their daughter Katherine, who was stillborn at full term, in November 2007.

Their loss inspired them to organise the Seymour run to support Philip's Footprints, a charity which had been set up by Jo and Paul Nash following the loss of their son Philip.

Ms Nash said: "We are delighted to have the Seymour Sprint as part of our annual fundraising calendar and on such a beautiful and iconic part of Jersey's coastline.

"Our community are always such great supporters of charity and sporting events and we look forward to a busy turn out as people take the opportunity to enjoy this unique event, whilst supporting a charity at the same time."

Runners must sign up in advance, registering before 18:00 BST on 25 April.

A Britain's Got Talent comic says internet trolls have not upset him, but he wants people to realise belittling someone on the internet "is sad".

Joseph Charm from Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire, came fifth in the 2025 ITV series after receiving the Golden Buzzer from judge Alesha Dixon and his mum, who had joined the panel.

The 33-year-old said the buzzer, which automatically sends an act to the semi-finals, brought a lot of praise and a lot of trolls.

Following the final, Mr Charm said he "wasn't bothered" by the online abuse and hoped the negative commenters could "find light in their lives".

'Spread joy'

Mr Charm quit his job to pursue comedy in 2024 and said being on the show had been "incredible".

He did not win the £250,000 prize but said the experience trumped everything especially for his mum who was able to meet Simon Cowell.

"Having that moment was worth its weight in gold," he said.

"£250,000 would be fantastic but just getting to the final and to have Milton Keynes behind me is just fantastic."

He hoped to keep the momentum up and "spread joy in a number of different ways," following the show.

Mr Charm joked to the live audience on Saturday about some of the negative comments he had received.

Mr Charm told the BBC that some people felt "vindicated" after the show.

"I wasn't bothered by any of them. They are so fragile, fickle, weak and sad and I just hope they can find light in their lives so they can no longer be that way," he said.

"That's my genuine hope and if it's not through me hopefully it can be through the next comic or someone else can make them realise that it's sad trying to belittle someone on the internet."

The charity which runs London Zoo is seeking volunteers to identify material from hundreds of film reels discovered in its archive.

Zoological Society of London (ZSL), based in Regent's Park, near central London, wants film enthusiasts or history buffs to help access the content of these mystery films.

While most of the 200 reels are labelled with a cryptic name or a description, 20 are entirely unmarked.

Tina Campanella, ZSL's bicentenary project manager, said: "Delving into 200 years of history is no small task, and we've uncovered some fascinating artefacts – like a 1930s ostrich egg and polar bear-shaped soap souvenirs – but these films remain a reel mystery."

She added: "With just one year to go until our 200th anniversary, we'd love to find out what's on these mystery reels.

"We have absolutely no idea what historical secrets they may hold, if any at all, so if someone out there is as intrigued as we are, and would like to help, please get in touch!"

Some of the labelled reels hint at footage of Chi-Chi the panda – who resided at the zoo between 1958 and '72 – possible behavioural research of Congo, a chimpanzee and other scientific studies.

ZSL said some of the films were showing signs of vinegar syndrome – where the films become brittle, shrink and emit a vinegar-like odour – adding they wanted to act swiftly "before the valuable information they possess slips away forever".

The Dutch government has collapsed after Geert Wilders withdrew his far-right party from the governing coalition following a row over migration.

Prime Minister Dick Schoof confirmed he was stepping down on Tuesday and offered the resignation of the cabinet to King Willem-Alexander.

In televised remarks following an emergency cabinet meeting, Schoof said Wilders' decision to withdraw the support of his PVV party was "irresponsible and unnecessary".

"As far as I'm concerned, this shouldn't have happened," he added.

The governing coalition was in place for less than one year.

The row which led to its collapse came after Wilders pushed for 10 additional asylum measures, including a freeze on applications, halting the construction of reception centres and limiting family reunification.

Schoof had made a last-minute appeal to coalition party leaders on Tuesday morning, but the meeting lasted just one minute before Wilders walked out, ending the coalition.

"No signature for our asylum plans. PVV leaves the coalition," said Wilders on X.

There was shock and anger among political leaders, many of whom pointed out that several of Wilders' demands were similar to policies already in the coalition agreement, and that they would not stand in the PVV's way to implement them.

Many of the additional proposals put forward by Wilders had been dismissed during coalition talks because of legal concerns.

Wilders' decision has put an end to an uneasy governing coalition which was born in July 2024 after months of political wrangling following elections the previous year.

His anti-immigration, far-right PVV was the largest party. The other members were the conservative-liberal VVD, the Farmers' Citizen Movement (BBB) and the centrist New Social Contract.

• Geert Wilders: Who is he and what does he want?

From the start the coalition seemed a marriage of convenience, characterised by infighting and appeared to struggle to push through any of policies it had proudly promoted.

Following its collapse, Wilders' former coalition partners accused him of engineering the crisis. VVD leader Dilan Yesilgoz said the move was "super irresponsible", adding: "This wasn't about asylum at all."

"I think Wilders is betraying the Netherlands," said deputy Prime Minister Mona Keijzer from the BBB.

But Wilders appears to feel emboldened. On Tuesday he told reporters that he intended to become prime minister of the Netherlands "and ensure that the PVV becomes bigger than ever in the next elections".

Sandra Phlippen, the chief economist for ABN AMRO bank, said the immediate economic impact of the cabinet's collapse appeared minimal because during its 11 months in office the government had "barely made any concrete plans".

Polls show the far right and Green-Left parties are neck-and-neck, with migration and cost-of-living issues fuelling political volatility across Europe.

Wilders wanted the government to collapse as the support for his Freedom Party continues to drop in the polls, according to Armida van Rij, the Head of the Europe Programme at Chatham House.

With the Nato summit due to be held in the Hague at the end of the month, Schoof's ministers will seek to remain in power in a caretaker capacity until a date is set for the Netherlands to return to the polls – likely in the autumn, according to Dutch media.

In the Dutch political system, becoming prime minister requires forming a majority coalition in the 150-seat parliament.

Even if Wilders again surpasses the political pundits expectations, his decision to collapse the government is being seen as reckless – and perceptions he is putting personal ambition above national stability could further complicate his ability to form alliances after the next election.

The parties that were reluctant or refused to go into government with Wilders after the last election are likely to find that kind of partnership even less attractive now.

In addition, by toppling the coalition over the issue of asylum, it is likely Wilders will put it at the centre of his upcoming election campaign.

However, given that his party had been responsible for asylum and immigration for almost a year, there are no guarantees that such a gamble will pay off.