Urgent search for missing girl, 14, who vanished on her own after night with pals in major UK city

POLICE are urgently searching for a 14-year-old girl who disappeared after spending the night with friends in a major UK city.
Lucia, from Swansea, was last seen in Cardiff on June 14, just before midnight near Penylan Library, heading towards Wellfield Road.
The teenager had been with friends but left the area on her own.
She has been described as 5ft 6, with a slim build and long black hair.
Lucia was wearing a white skirt, a cream puffer jacket, an orange top and possibly white Converse trainers at the time she went missing.
Anyone with information about Lucia's whereabouts is urged to contact South Wales Police, quoting reference 2500188167.

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Daily Mail​

30 minutes ago

• Daily Mail​

EXCLUSIVE Neighbours' fury as Rochdale grooming gang leader throws parties in house fitted with police panic alarm after using legal loophole to dodge deportation

Furious neighbours of Rochdale grooming gang ringleader Qari Rauf say they are terrified to let their children out of sight - after discovering he's still living freely on their street, having used a legal loophole to dodge deportation. The convicted paedophile, 55, was one of nine men jailed in 2012 for raping and trafficking vulnerable girls across northern England in a case that shocked the country. Rauf was told he would be deported to Pakistan in 2014 after serving just two-and-a-half years of a six-year prison sentence – but he remains in the UK more than a decade later. He was supposed to be deported after his release, but avoided removal by destroying his passport and claiming to be stateless. Despite losing an appeal against deportation in 2018, he has never been sent back - with Pakistan refusing to accept him without valid travel documents. Now residents say he is back living in a terraced house in the same area where his victims were targeted - and throwing parties with 'loads of people' coming and going. While victims continue to rebuild their lives, Rauf has reportedly been given extra protection, including a panic button in his home linked directly to Greater Manchester Police. One woman said she was told by officers he had 'done his time' when she demanded that they remove him. Angie Harrison, 45, a mum of two girls aged seven and eight, said: 'He has loads of people there, having parties and we don't like the look of the people who come. The convicted paedophile, 55, was one of nine men jailed in 2012 for raping and trafficking vulnerable girls across northern England in a case that shocked the country. Rauf was told he would be deported to Pakistan in 2014 after serving just two-and-a-half years of a six-year prison sentence – but he remains in the UK more than a decade later 'We are back-to-back with his house. I don't like letting the kids in the garden. I have told them all about him. It is disgusting. 'We have tried everything to get him out. We asked him who was taking photos out the back window. 'The street is full of kids. I am constantly checking and checking. 'It is horrible. It is awful when you have to sit out watching your kids. We're the ones watching over our own kids like prison guards.' She added: 'He is two doors down from a child minder. He went to prison and came out and moved back to this street.' Nodding in agreement, child minder Anita Howarth, 58, said: 'I will pay for him to get a new passport if it gets rid of him. 'It is a constant reminder that our country does not care. I sit out watching the girls and who they are talking to. 'Every time I walk past, I think of grooming gangs. It is pathetic. It is just horrible. Our country has let us down big time. 'I don't get it. The authority does not seem to care. 'I know it is not just Asians who do it. It white people as well. But we don't like any paedophiles no matter what colour they are. 'But I think it is disgusting. We don't want our own paedophiles, let alone ones from other countries.' Lena Carter, 64, who has lived on the street for nearly 30 years, said her daughters used to play in Rauf's back garden. 'The two youngest used to play in his back garden. They were never allowed in the house thank God. He broke the law but he knows how to play the system. 'I can't believe he is still there. But I am not moving. I have been here nearly 30 years and will be here forever. 'All of Rochdale has gone bad now. All the shops are shut. It is only big places like Marks and Spencer's that can afford the rents. The small retailers cannot. 'I never thought he would have the cheek to come back on the street. He is very blatant. He walks around as if to say "I have abused the kids and I am all right". 'I understand he has been banned from the mosque. He walks around in Western clothing now unless his friends are around. 'What can we do to get him out if the law says he can stay? The police will turn up and remove you if you are near his house. 'They tell us to leave him alone. I don't think any of them work apart from the son who sometimes runs the father around in his car. 'He comes out, gets in the car and goes. 'It makes me wonder what he has told his girls about why he has been away. I cannot believe his wife took him back. 'The police told me I cannot say anything to him because he has done his time. I said "What about the poor girls?" But they weren't interested. 'When his children were younger, he was still doing the school run and was allowed to sit in his car outside schools. The police said he was allowed to do the school run. 'He is still being driven around by his son and is all smiles. He seems to have disappeared for a while. But he will be back again.' Her daughter's boyfriend added: 'I was going to smash his windows but am not allowed to.' Another female neighbour said: 'His son drives him around in his car. He just walks along the street. He has been a bit more cagey since he got out of prison. 'He was never supposed to have come back to this house. But he just doesn't care. There is not much we can do. 'I think he owns the house and we cannot get him off the street. We think he has gone into hiding again until the fuss dies down.' Another said: 'When I have got the windows open I just shout 'paedo'. But he just does not care. 'I have not seen him since the week before last. He walks around here like he owns the place. He doesn't care at all. 'It's like he does not have a care in the world. I am surprised his windows have not been smashed to be honest. 'I am really surprised. But I have heard he has police alarms in his house. It is disgusting. Then you hear about it happening again. 'One of the other ring leaders used to work down Rochdale market where I used to buy my clothes. 'My daughter has just turned 16 and she wonders why I don't let her go out and about. I don't like her going off the street to be honest.' Another woman whose daughter lives nearby added: 'It is crazy he is still living here. Before we knew what had happened we thought he was a really nice guy. 'He used to make curries for everyone. They always seemed friendly. Everyone wants him out now but it's his own fault. 'My daughter is 27 but when it was happening she was a teenager so it is worrying.'

Daily Mail​

37 minutes ago

• Daily Mail​

EXCLUSIVE 'I'm rotting behind bars': Despair of murder convict jailed for killing love rival after bishop easily finds witness who holds the key to his freedom while appeal watchdog failed for 18 months

A murder convict bidding to be exonerated after 13 years says he is 'rotting behind bars' after a bishop found a key witness by knocking on his door despite the miscarriage of justice watchdog claiming it has been unable to find him in 18 months. Millionaire playboy Jason Moore, now 55, was sentenced to life in prison with a minimum of 18 years on December 23 2013 after he was convicted of the cold-blooded murder of Robert Darby outside the Valentine pub in Gants Hill, east London. The professional gambler has always denied murdering the 42-year-old in August 2005 and maintains he was in a parked car near the pub, but never left the vehicle. Both the families of both Jason and Robert insist that the wrong man is behind bars and their campaign to have him freed has been backed by many ranging from cricket legend Sir Ian Botham to the Bishop of Stepney. Jason's case was rejected by the Court of Appeal in September 2017 but a bombshell piece of evidence was submitted to the Criminal Case Review Commission (CCRC) in 2023 by the family who hoped it would free him once and for all. The prosecution's only witness to the murder, Abdul Ahmed, astonishingly admitted to an investigative reporter that he was drunk at the time and was unsure if he had identified the right man. But in the last 18 months, the CCRC, which was just put under 'urgent review' by the justice secretary, has failed to track down the witness who could be critical to Jason's freedom as he languishes behind bars. In what appears to be another blunder by the CCRC, the Right Reverend Dr Joanne Grenfell, Bishop of Stepney, found Mr Ahmed at his home after simply knocking on his door twice. Speaking from behind bars at HMP Oakwood, in Staffordshire, Mr Moore told MailOnline: 'I've been rotting in this cell for 13 years. Every single day is a day stolen from me - gone forever. 'And the CCRC? They drag their feet like they've got all the time in the world. They sit on cases, shuffle paper, and act like justice can wait. 'But it's not their life on hold. It's mine. So I say this: come and do a day of it. Just one. Sit in this cell, stare at the same four walls, listen to the screams, the banging, the madness—and feel what it's like to be buried alive while you're still breathing. Then tell me your excuses and keep defending yourselves.' His sister Kirstie, who has been leading the campaign to have him freed, said: 'What happened to Jason was a tragic mistake. I believed the courts would correct it. But what I've come to understand is far worse - no one ever stood a chance. 'One bishop, with no budget, no powers, and no investigative team, found the key witness in just two attempts. 'The CCRC, with £8million in public funding, full legal authority, and every tool at its disposal, couldn't manage it in eighteen months. If that doesn't terrify the future, it should.' Bishop Joanne said Jason's case has the 'hallmarks of an unsafe conviction'. She added: 'It also raises serious questions about institutional responses to potential miscarriages of justice and, in particular, the capacity and competence of the CCRC. 'Despite Jason Moore's family bringing to the CCRC's attention concerns that key testimony in this case came from a witness who has since revealed that he was drunk at the time – and that he later disclosed this to the police – the CCRC has been unable or unwilling to make progress with contacting the witness. 'Yet having knocked on the witness's door only twice, I was able to speak to him. 'A conviction which is based on testimony from a witness who has since contradicted himself, and which is potentially tainted by police non-disclosure, must merit urgent review.' Jason has always denied murdering Mr Darby - and even the victim's brother is adamant the wrong man is behind bars. He maintains he was in a parked car near the Valentine pub, but never left the vehicle. In a move he has regretted since, he fled the country fearing he would be attacked by Mr Darby's family. His parents also moved after police said they could not guarantee their safety. Eight years later when he returned to the UK, Jason was jailed for life with a minimum of 18 years and has been in prison ever since. In March 2024, a startling new update in the case was exposed by local investigative journalist Charles Thomson which is now forming the basis of a new appeal with the CCRC. After tracking down the prosecution's star witness to offer him the right of reply over some of the discrepancies in his statements, he uncovered something truly shocking. Mr Ahmed had told police the killer was between 5ft 10in and 6ft with a shaved haircut, when Jason is 6ft 5 and had a mop of dark hair. Mr Ahmed also discounted Jason in an identity parade in 2005, but was asked to look again seven years later and picked him out of a police photo ID parade that only showed Jason's head and shoulders - hiding his distinctive height. Jason was arrested one day after Mr Ahmed picked him out of that photo ID parade and said he was the killer. He was the only witness who identified Jason and his evidence directly led to him being charged with murder. No forensic evidence has ever linked him to the crime. When Mr Ahmed was asked by Newsquest about some of the discrepancies in the case, he became irate and astonishingly said: 'It was the blink of the eye. I was passing by. How could you remember things like that? And I was drunk.' He also said he told police he was drinking that morning, which was not mentioned in court or in evidence disclosed to the defence. When asked whether he thought he picked out the right person, he replied: 'No, I don't know. I don't know.' Jason's family hope to use the new evidence in their long bid to overturn his conviction. But they are growing increasingly impatient with the CRCC who have still not interviewed Mr Ahmed. His trial at the Old Bailey heard how Moore and Darby were involved in a 'love triangle' over the affections of Adele Raynor, who worked in a bar underneath the gambler's £1.4million Canary Wharf apartment. Jason admitted Robert had threatened to 'chop my toes off', that he had been at the car park at the time, but claimed he was not the killer as he had remained in a car when the stabbing took place. Mr Ahmed told police two weeks after the stabbing that the attacker was a bulky man, aged 30 to 40, with short dark hair shaved to number two length - and that he was wearing a blue jacket. A second witness driving past said the attacker was the same height or an inch taller than the victim, who she estimated to be 5ft 10 - seven inches shorter than Robert. Mr Ahmed did not select Jason in an identity parade shortly after the murder and chose a short haired volunteer instead. In a move which has been questioned by photo parade experts, he was asked to carry out a second ID seven years later, having already seen a picture of Jason. This time he selected Jason who was arrested, charged and later found guilty by the jury at the Old Bailey. Moore was led screaming to the cells, violently kicking the dock and threatening a police officer. The CCRC is in the midst of a crisis, having been put on 'urgent review' by Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood. Dame Vera Baird was this month appointed the new chair after her predecessor, Helen Pitcher, quit after losing the confidence of the government in the fall-out from the wrongful conviction of Andrew Malkinson. He spent 17 years behind bars for a rape he did not commit and a damning review found the CCRC repeatedly failed to act on clear opportunities to exonerate him. Bishop Joanne said she was pleased that under the new leadership of Dame Vera, the CCRC is 'willing to engage with me and appears to be taking this matter seriously'. She added: 'I urge Dame Vera to undertake such a review now and to consider sending the case of Jason Moore to appeal.' A CCRC spokesperson said: 'We have received an application in relation to this case and a review is underway. 'We have made repeated efforts to contact all relevant parties. These efforts will continue. 'It would be inappropriate for us to discuss the application further at this stage.'

BBC News

an hour ago

• BBC News

Is surveillance culture fuelling child cyberstalking?

Children being drawn into a world of cyberstalking need to be educated about healthy relationships in the digital age, says Safeguarding Minister Jess comments came in response to a BBC investigation that found some children as young as 10 and 11 had been reported to police forces in England for suspected cyberstalking say constant monitoring online is becoming normalised from a young told the BBC: "We really need to be out there educating young people on what healthy relationships look like and that will be part of the government's violence against women and girls strategy." Cyberstalking is defined as using digital tools to harass, send threats or spread false information. Just like physical stalking it is fixated, obsessive, unwanted, and repetitive behaviour that causes fear, distress, or alarm in the victim. "Young people are told they should be flattered by this sort of behaviour, but it's very serious and can really control lives, making them anxious and nervous," said Phillips. 'My heart sank' Charlotte Hooper, who works for The Cyber Helpline, which supports victims of online abuse, knows first-hand how psychologically damaging cyberstalking can 19, pictures from her social media profiles were posted across pornographic websites and other forums filled with explicit comments."My heart sank," she recalled. "I didn't really know what was going on or who had done this."But Charlotte had first become a victim of cyberstalking when she was much younger. As a teen, Charlotte had tens of thousands of followers on X - many of them older men. But there was one who became disturbingly persistent."He messaged me daily: 'Hi,' 'How are you?' 'I wish we could talk more'," she she discovered he was behind the posts on the pornographic man was cautioned by the police for malicious communications and the messages stopped. But the experience left Charlotte anxious and hyper-aware, especially in public spaces. The Crime Survey for England and Wales found people aged 16 to 19 were most likely to be victims of stalking in the year ending March the survey does not gather data on under-16s, and new police figures suggest stalking is also affecting younger children. Charlotte believes the "normalisation of digital surveillance" - especially among young people - is fuelling concerning behaviours."Sharing locations, checking online activity, and constant messaging are often seen as signs of love and care - especially when their parents are doing it for safety," she said."But it also sets precedents for their other relationships."In Kent, the national charity Protection Against Stalking has expanded its workshops in schools to meet demand."We've got so many younger people now being referred in from schools, with the youngest being 13," said operations manager Alison Bird."It's quite concerning that we are getting referrals from children that age and the perpetrators themselves are equally just as young." The Suzy Lamplugh Trust - which runs the National Stalking Helpline - said cyberstalking among under-16s remained "significantly under-researched" and underfunded, despite its growing relevance and Mascalls Academy secondary school in Kent, students said Snapchat was their most-used app. Its Snap Map feature lets users constantly share their live location with friends."When I first got with my girlfriend, pretty quickly we both had each other on Snap Map," one student told the BBC."It wasn't really a big deal - I already had it with all my friends, so why not her as well?"Snapchat shared their safety features with the BBC, which include allowing teenagers to set location-sharing to private as the default, and restricting messaging. Collett Smart, family psychologist and partner in tracking app Life360, says "location sharing can be a valuable tool for both kids and parents but even well-intentioned digital tools should be introduced and managed with care".She stressed the importance of being clear about meaningful consent, adding: "Teach your child that location sharing should always be a choice, never a condition of trust or friendship, whether with parents, friends, or future partners." 'Risk of exploitation' For Jo Brooks, principal of Mascalls Academy, one of the biggest challenges was the disconnect between students' online behaviour and their behaviour in the classroom."Some young people feel confident online and see the internet as a shield," she said. "It makes them braver and sometimes more hurtful with their words."Emma Short, professor of cyberpsychology at London Metropolitan University, agrees anonymity can be both protective and harmful."It lets people explore identities they might not feel safe expressing in real life," she said. "But it also carries the risk of exploitation." In November 2022, the National Stalking Consortium submitted a super-complaint to the Independent Office for Police Conduct and the College of Policing, raising concerns about how stalking was handled in the response, the College of Policing has urged for better tracking of online offences."Every force now has an action plan to properly record all stalking - including online," said Assistant Chief Constable Tom Harding. "That's really important, because we need to be able to track and monitor these offences." If you have been affected by the issues raised in this article, help is available from BBC Action Line. The BBC contacted 46 police forces across the UK and among the 27 that responded, 8,365 cyberstalking offences had been recorded in eight forces were able to provide an age breakdown, with the youngest alleged victim recorded as an eight-year-old boy in Wiltshire in 2024 and the youngest suspect was a 10-year-old in Cheshire in Metropolitan Police had also recorded two victims under the age of 10, but did not specify how old they were. Anonymity is a common feature in cyberstalking cases, where perpetrators can create multiple accounts to evade tackle this, the government introduced the Right to Know statutory guidance in December, allowing victims to learn their stalker's identity as quickly as measures have also expanded the use of Stalking Protection Orders (SPOs), which can restrict alleged stalkers from contacting their victims. But charities warn court delays are limiting their effectiveness."Delays are a big concern," said Phillips. "We're working to strengthen SPOs so victims stay protected - even after sentencing."