Their victim was left with ‘devastating injuries’, including a slash from his forehead to his lip
07:50, 30 Mar 2026Updated 07:51, 30 Mar 2026
Nathan Brown-Bonnett, Joel Farrow-Brown and Liam Cafferkey(Image: Cambridgeshire Police)
A man was stabbed 17 times by three thugs wielding zombie knives in a daylight attack on a Cambridge home. Nathan Brown-Bonnett, Joel Farrow-Brown and Liam Cafferkey attacked their victim at this home in Drayton Road, Cambridge, just after 3pm on July 24, 2025.
The 45-year-old victim was stabbed 17 times, and a slash to his face from his forehead to lip. He also suffered a degloving wound to his right shoulder. The man had to undergo multiple blood transfusions and plastic surgery. A 41-year-old woman in the property also received a minor cut to her stomach.
CCTV from nearby properties captured the three suspects running from the scene. Cambridgeshire Police used this to identify the men. Appearing at Peterborough Crown Court on March 25, the trio, of no fixed addresses, were sentenced after previously pleading guilty to grievous bodily harm with intent. Farrow-Brown also pleaded guilty to eight counts of beating an emergency worker.
Brown-Bonnett, 46, was sentenced to eight years and one month in prison, Farrow-Brown, 27, to nine years and Cafferkey, 25, to seven years and two months.
Detective Constable Edward Mcauley, who investigated, said: “This was a shocking and completely unprovoked attack that left a man with devastating injuries. The level of violence used was extreme and there is absolutely no place for this kind of behaviour in our communities.
“Thanks to diligent investigative work, these three men have been brought to justice and will now spend a significant time behind bars. We hope this sentence provides reassurance to the public that we will relentlessly pursue those who carry knives and commit violent offences.”
Ben Murkin had committed multiple acts of physical violence against the cat.
Murkin inflicted “astonishing cruelty” on his kitten(Image: PA)
A man has been banned from keeping all animals for life and given a suspended prison sentence after “astonishing cruelty” that resulted in the death of a ragdoll kitten. Ben Murkin, of Mill Lane, Fordham, Ely, appeared at Cambridge Crown Court on March 6 to be sentenced in a prosecution brought forward by the RSPCA.
Om March 6, 2024, a veterinary practice was contacted by a family member who said Murkin’s cat Whisper had fallen and was struggling to breathe. By the time they arrived at the practice with Whisper, the kitten had already died.
Whisper’s death was reported to the RSPCA after concerns about the injuries. An independent post mortem found that Whisper had suffered injuries including a bruised head, a left eye haemorrhage, reddening and bruising of the tail area, and multiple injuries to limbs, consistent with a strong human grip.
Murkin claimed the injuries occurred when he was carrying out CPR. The post mortem also found evidence of current and old rib fractures and a fracture on the lumber vertebrae.
He had also ignored advice from the bet to bring the cat back on two occasions. These included after bringing in the kitten for limping after a supposed fall in December 2023 and in February 2024 after treatment for a fractured tooth and red gums.
Some of the specific acts of cruelty detailed in court included kicking Whisper against a wall, picking her up by the tail and throwing her down the stairs, and throwing Whisper against the door.
The expert vet concluded in their report: “It is my expert opinion that clearly Whisper suffered as a result of the injuries she sustained however they were caused. She sustained multiple and severe injuries both to her lip and upper canine, to her ribs on the right hand side and then to her face, chest and abdomen in the final incident.
“All of these will have caused her to suffer pain and distress. The final set of injuries the duration of the suffering will only have lasted as long as she remained conscious which is likely to have been a short period of time.
“It is my expert opinion that the injuries sustained by Whisper were the result of deliberate and intentional trauma inflicted upon her by a person with the intention of her causing her serious harm and suffering.”
The court heard he got Whisper with his girlfriend as emotional support as he was lonely. When the relationship ended, he started to resent the cat. The judge described Murkin’s actions as an “extraordinary response”.
The judge noted this had been “astonishing cruelty to an animal” and said Murkin had committed other acts of physical violence on the cat. The offence was placed in the highest category because the injuries were “prolonged and repeated, inflicted with significant force, and resulted in death”.
Murkin had pleaded guilty to two counts of causing unnecessary suffering to Whisper by inflicting trauma causing injury and for failing to provide prompt veterinary treatment, in respect of the injury to the cat’s gums and fractured canine tooth.
He was given a 22-month prison sentenced that has been suspended for 18 months. He has been ordered to carry out 240 hours of unpaid work and 20 Rehabilitation Activity Requirement days. He has been banned for keeping all animals for life and was ordered to pay £500 court costs and £187 victim surcharge.
RSPCA Inspector Emily Astillberry said: “The actions in this case were of astonishing cruelty to a defenceless animal. It is heart-breaking to hear what Whisper – this small ragdoll kitten – had to endure such cruel and sustained suffering. She was still so young when she died and had to endure such pain and suffering during this short life.”
In mitigation the court heard the defendant had expressed genuine remorse for what he had done, was deeply ashamed and disgusted with himself, and was seeking to improve himself.
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George Davey started sexually abusing young girls more than 50 years ago
George Davey’s sexual offences date back more than 50 years.(Image: Cambridgeshire Police)
A paedophile has been jailed for over 22 years for sexual offences against girls over decades of offending. George Davey, 76, abused his first victim between 1975 and 1985 and a second victim between 1983 and 1986.
He sexually abused a third girl between 1995 and 2003 and a fourth victim between 2001 and 2002, as well as later in 2022. Davey sexually abused his fifth victim in 1993. More recently, he exposed himself to a woman between 2019 and 2020.
Davey’s crimes were brought forward in December 2022 when one of the victims had reported she had been sexually abused by him. This encouraged other victims to come forward.
At Cambridge Crown Court on Wednesday, March 18, Davey, of Shelthorpe Road, Loughborough, Leicestershire, was jailed for 22 years and four months. He was sentenced after pleading guilty at an earlier hearing to:
Nine counts of indecency with a child,
Two counts of attempted rape of a girl under 16,
One count of indecent assault on a girl under 14,
One count of indecent assault,
One count of sexual assault on a female,
One count of exposure.
DC Louise Wick, who investigated, said: “This conviction for historic offences shows that justice is possible no matter how long ago the crimes occurred. The sentence reflects the gravity of Davey’s predatory abuse and the devastating harm it has caused to his victims.
“I would like to thank them for their remarkable courage in coming forward and supporting a prosecution, which has led to Davey being jailed for a very long time. I hope this result offers some reassurance to the victims and their families as they continue rebuilding their lives.”
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Police carried out searches in the weeks and months following the 32-year-old’s disappearance
10:46, 19 Mar 2026Updated 10:54, 19 Mar 2026
Matthew Hallam was reported missing in July 2025(Image: Cambridgeshire Police)
An inquest has opened into the death of a 32-year-old man who was found dead after going missing from his home in Cambridgeshire.
Matthew Hallam, 32, from Guilden Morden, died on December 6, 2025 following his disappearance.
Mr Hallam was reported missing from his home in Thompson Meadow, Guilden Morden on July 11 last year.
Cambridgeshire Police carried out searches in the weeks and months following the 32-year-old’s disappearance. On Saturday, December 6, a body was found in the woods in the search of Mr Hallam.
The Area Coroner for Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, Simon Milburn opened an inquest into Mr Hallam’s death today (Thursday, March 19) at Vantage House in Huntingdon.
The inquest heard that a post mortem examination determined that Mr Hallam’s provisional cause of death was by hanging. Coroner Milburn said that Mr Hallam’s place of death was in Royston.
Coroner Milburn adjourned the inquest until June 17, 2026.
LONDON — British police have charged two men with spying on the U.K.’s Jewish community on behalf of Iran.
Iranian-British national Nematollah Shahsavani, 40, and 22-year-old Iranian citizen Alireza Farasati have been charged with engaging in conduct likely to assist a foreign intelligence service. Prosecutors said the country the charges relate to is Iran.
Frank Ferguson, head of counterterrorism at the Crown Prosecution Service, said the charge “relates to carrying out activities in the U.K. such as gathering information and undertaking reconnaissance of targets.”
Both suspects live in London and are due to make their first court appearance Thursday at Westminster Magistrates’ Court.
The men were arrested March 6. Two other British-Iranian nationals arrested that day as part of the same investigation have been released without charge.
The head of Britain’s MI5 domestic intelligence service, Ken McCallum, said in October that more than 20 “potentially lethal Iran-backed plots” had been disrupted in the previous 12 months.
The baby was taken to Addenbrooke’s Hospital but died five days later
Atijus Elertaitis was found not to be breathing by his parents, an inquest heard (stock image)(Image: Google)
Paramedics were called to a property in March after the parents of a three-month-old baby found him not to be breathing, an inquest opening has heard. Cambridgeshire Police were called by the East of England Ambulance Service to a property on St John’s Chase in March at around 11am on January 3.
Atijus Elertaitis spent five days in hospital in a life-threatening condition before he died on January 8. The inquest into his death was opened by Coroner Elizabeth Gray at Vantage House on Thursday, March 12.
The inquest heard paramedics attended and carried out 90 minutes of resuscitation before transporting Atijus to Peterborough Hospital. Atijus was then transferred to Addenbrooke’s Hospital where he was found to have “a bleed on the brain” and “no brain activity”.
A woman, 25, and a man, 22, both from March, were arrested at the scene on suspicion of grievous bodily harm. They were both re-arrested on Thursday, January 8, on suspicion of murder.
The pair have been released on bail until April 4. An investigation into the incident is ongoing.
Ms Gray said that the cause of Atijus’ death is “currently pending”. The inquest has been suspended.
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MOSCOW — A court in Moscow in Thursday convicted 19 people of involvement in the 2024 shooting rampage in a Moscow concert hall that killed 149 people and wounded over 600 in one of the deadliest attacks in the capital in years.
A faction of the Islamic State group claimed responsibility for the March 22, 2024, massacre at the Crocus City Hall concert venue in which four gunmen shot people who were waiting for a show by a popular rock band and then set the building on fire.
All 19 defendants were handed lengthy prison terms: 15 were sentenced to life in prison, one was handed 22 1/2 years in prison, and three others were given 19 years and 11 months each.
The trial began in August 2025 in a military court, as is customary for terrorism charges, and took place behind closed doors, with the authorities citing security concerns.
President Vladimir Putin and other Russian officials have claimed, without presenting evidence, that Ukraine had a role in the attack. Kyiv has strongly denied any involvement.
The Investigative Committee, Russia’s top criminal investigation agency, has said that the attack had been “planned and carried out in the interests of the current leadership of Ukraine in order to destabilize political situation in our country.” It also noted the four suspected gunmen tried to flee to Ukraine afterward.
The four, all identified as citizens of Tajikistan, were arrested hours after the attack and later appeared in a Moscow court with signs of being severely beaten.
Those tried alongside them included three men who sold the suspected gunmen a car, a man they rented an apartment from, and 10 others accused of terrorist ties, according to independent Russian news site Mediazona.
A man has been jailed after picking up a third conviction for knife crime offences. Raul Maretic-Ramon, 23, was jailed for two and a half years on Monday (March 9) at Cambridgeshire Crown Court after he previously denied threatening a person with a knife in Cathedral Square, Peterborough.
He was detained by Peterborough City Council enforcement officers and arrested by police. He later admitted to being in possession of cannabis.
Maretic-Ramos, of Manor Gardens, Stanground, Peterborough, denied threatening a person with an offensive weapon in a public place but was found guilty following a trial at Cambridge Crown Court in December. He appeared at the same court on Monday (9 March) and was jailed for 30 months.
Police Constable Jordan Pleyer said: “Maretic-Ramos threatened the victim in the middle of the afternoon, and we believe it was witnessed by young people. Possessing a knife is dangerous for the carrier and others, and we have seen the tragic consequences too many times. I am glad the sentence reflects the severity of the offence.”
Police have urged anyone with information about someone carrying a knife to report it to the police online or call 101. In an emergency always call 999.
Gregory Coulson, 31, has been found guilty for the murder of his mother(Image: Cambridgeshire Police)
A man has been found guilty of murdering his mother after stabbing her multiple times at their home. A jury unanimously found the man guilty after he denied his involvement and said intruders killed his mother.
Gregory Coulson, 31, stabbed Carmen Coulson, 67, to death at the property in Lingwood Park, Longthorpe, in Peterborough. Police responded to a call from Coulson, who claimed that intruders had broken in and killed his mother.
Police received the call from Coulson at 2.44am on Sunday, February 9, last year, however, it is believed he had killed Mrs Coulson the previous evening. A jury at Huntingdon Law Courts heard officers arrived moments later and found Mrs Coulson dead at the detached home.
A post-mortem found Mrs Coulson had a large number of wounds from a steak knife over her body, including a fatal stab wound to the heart.
Coulson denied murder, however this was rejected by the jury who today, March 10, unanimously found him guilty of murder.
Detective Inspector Mark Dollard said: “We may never know exactly why Coulson carried out this brutal attack on his own mother but there was evidence of repeated and heavy cocaine and alcohol consumption by him over the three months leading up to the murder.
“Carmen’s death is a tragedy for the rest of her family, who showed dignity throughout the trial, and my thoughts are with them at this incredibly difficult time.”
The court heard that on his arrest and while waiting to be booked into custody, Coulson asked officers, “how many years do you get for murder these days?” When interviewed by detectives, he was asked if he was responsible for the murder and he said “yes”.
He said on the night in question he’d been in his room listening to music, painting, and drinking vodka. He told officers: “I feel like I’ve just had enough with it because I just got these feelings that I’ve had enough, and I have to do something about it. If I’m honest this is totally out of my character, I’ve not been happy for a while.”
Coulson said he got a steak knife from the kitchen and stabbed his mother to death at about 10pm. He then went to bed as he didn’t know what to do, before getting up to make the call to police. Coulson will be sentenced on April 17 at a court to be confirmed.
Police found over 600 weapons at the house in Littleport, as well as bomb making manuals, Nazi flags and images of child abuse
Paul Page’s weapons found by police(Image: Eastern Region Special Operations Unit (ERSOU))
A man with an obsession for weapons and a fascination with Nazi Germany has admitted to terrorism-related offences in court. Paul Page, 52, of Littleport, was discovered to have over 600 weapons, including landmines, grenades, rifles and ammunition, according to the police.
The Eastern Region Special Operations Unit (ERSOU) stated that Page also possessed explosive substances and guides on how to create explosives and manufacture firearms. In 2023, officers from Cambridgeshire Police were investigating allegations that Page had downloaded images of child abuse.
During a search of his home, officers found Nazi flags, Second World War weapons and chemicals. The unrelated investigation into child abuse by Cambridgeshire Police revealed more than 250 illegal images on Page’s devices.
In August 2023, he was sentenced to 20 months in prison after pleading guilty to three counts of making indecent images of children. A separate investigation was then conducted by ERSOU into items retrieved from an outbuilding at Page’s property.
Detectives from ERSOU’s Counter Terrorism Policing unit determined that Page had collected over 600 weapons and other militaria associated with Nazi activity during the war.
Police stated that whilst much of this was legal memorabilia, he was in possession of prohibited items including landmines, grenades, rifles and ammunition. A book which was seized contained instructions on how to construct a sub-machine gun, and component parts of firearms, bullet casings and shells were also recovered.
Additionally, several chemicals were found that, when combined, could serve as precursor materials for the manufacture of explosives. Page had also downloaded a prohibited document containing instructions on how to create viable explosives.
Despite having an email address referencing numbers associated with Adolf Hitler and a tattoo linked to white supremacy, Page denied possessing an extreme right-wing mindset during police interviews, according to ERSOU. On Monday (March 2), he pleaded guilty at the Old Bailey to a series of offences, including two counts of possessing a document or record likely to be useful to a person committing or preparing an act of terrorism, ERSOU reported.
Page also admitted to two counts of possessing an explosive substance, four counts of possessing a firearm without a certificate, two counts related to the possession of a prohibited firearm, possession of prohibited ammunition and possession of ammunition without a certificate.
Hannah Wilkinson, head of ERSOU said: “Throughout our investigation, it was clear that Page had a fascination with Nazi Germany and World War Two, the clearest indication being the flags draped in his outbuilding.
“Of real concern to us was the combination of dangerous chemicals, the banned documents on how to create firearms and explosives, and Page’s clear obsession with weapons. Working closely with force colleagues in Cambridgeshire, our teams seized a significant amount of physical and digital materials which were examined by experts and identified to be a severe risk.
“Our specialist teams are dedicated to tackling the threat of terrorism in the eastern region, and I’m thankful for all their work throughout this investigation.” Page was remanded in custody and is due to be sentenced at the Old Bailey on May 1.