Latest news with #AudiRS6
Daily Mirror
9 hours ago
- Sport
- Daily Mirror
Wrexham's James McClean speaks out on scary car crash – 'Smoke was everywhere'
Wrexham captain James McClean has opened up on the car crash he was involved in on his way to training earlier this year and how he was lucky to escape unscathed Wrexham skipper James McClean has recounted the harrowing moment he narrowly escaped severe injury following a car crash. The ex- Republic of Ireland star was driving to training on January 22 when his Audi RS6 hit a roundabout near Wrexham Golf Club. Despite extensive damage to his vehicle, the 36-year-old walked away from the accident with only minor injuries after being checked over as emergency services attended the scene. In an astonishing show of resilience, McClean didn't let the scare stop him and made it to training later that day once his car was removed. He even took to the pitch for Wrexham 's important League One match against Birmingham City at the Racecourse Ground the next night, which ended in a 1-1 draw. McClean has now opened up about the incident, acknowledging he was fortunate to avoid more serious consequences. Discussing the ordeal during the latest instalment of the ' Welcome to Wrexham ' docuseries, McClean said: "It was a really foggy morning and it was hard to see. I thought I had more road than I did. I came out from behind a lorry and the roundabout just appeared. "For the next five seconds it was just a blur. Then the car stopped and there's all this smoke coming out of the car. The door was quite wedged and I was banging it to get it open." Reflecting on the seriousness of the incident, he added: "I just see it as there's bigger things ahead for me and it just wasn't my time. I was saved that day. It was a scary experience, but it just shows you how quickly things can change." McClean's wife Erin also expressed her alarm upon hearing about the accident via a text from her husband, with whom she shares four children. "I got a message from James saying he'd just been in a crash and he sent me a picture of the car," she said. "I didn't believe it. "My heart just started racing and then I rang him straight away. He answered and I was like, 'Are you hurt?' He was like, 'I'm actually okay.' I just jumped in the car and went straight to Wrexham. He came out and was like, 'I'm going to training.'" McClean previously exposed the vile taunts that Erin faced online after the accident. Taking to Instagram following his appearance against Birmingham, he posted: "Now that the game is out of the way, to address yesterday. An experience I never wish to encounter again. "I am blessed and thankful I managed to walk away with minor injuries and return home to my family, though much to the disappointment of some smelly scruffy pathetic creatures that messaged my wife online. Thank you for the messages of support." McClean made the move to Wrexham from Wigan Athletic for an undisclosed sum in the summer of 2023, having previously played in the Premier League with Sunderland and West Bromwich Albion. He has been instrumental in helping the club, which is owned by Hollywood stars Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney, secure automatic promotion in the past two seasons, propelling them from League Two to the Championship. Join our new WhatsApp community and receive your daily dose of Mirror Football content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice. Sign up to our newsletter! Wrexham is the Game is great new way to get top-class coverage Wrexham AFC is the arguably the fastest-growing club in the world at the moment thanks to a certain Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney. The Dragons have achieved two consecutive promotions and are cheered on by crowds from not only North Wales but also from all over the globe, thanks to the success of the Disney+ documentary 'Welcome to Wrexham'. But does it have a dedicated, quality source of information piped through to your inbox each week, free of ads but packed with informed opinion, analysis and even a little bit of fun each week? That's where Wrexham is the Game steps in... Available every Wednesday, it provides all the insights you need to be a top red. And for a limited time, a subscription to 'Wrexham is the Game' will cost fans just £15 for the first year.
Wales Online
10 hours ago
- Automotive
- Wales Online
James McClean's chilling car crash revelation as Wrexham star breaks silence on ordeal
James McClean's chilling car crash revelation as Wrexham star breaks silence on ordeal Wrexham captain James McClean has candidly discussed how he narrowly avoided serious injury in a car crash on his way to training, describing the experience as 'scary' Wrexham captain James McClean has reflected on how close he came to serious injury after a car crash (Image:) Wrexham captain James McClean has opened up about how he narrowly avoided serious injury after crashing his car. The former Republic of Ireland international was on his way to training in the city on the morning of January 22 this year when his Audi RS6 hit a roundabout near Wrexham Golf Club. The 36-year-old underwent medical checks after his car was left severely damaged, but miraculously emerged relatively unscathed himself as police and fire crews attended the scene. Undeterred by the frightening experience, McClean later attended training as planned after his car was taken away by a recovery vehicle. And he was even well enough to play in a crucial League One clash between Wrexham and rivals Birmingham City at the Racecourse Ground the following evening. While McClean was left with only minor injuries, he has now revealed how he was lucky to escape serious harm after admitting "I was saved that day." He lifted the lid on what happened in scenes aired as part of the latest episode of the Welcome to Wrexham documentary. "It was a really foggy morning and it was hard to see," McClean said. "I thought I had more road than I did. I came out from behind a lorry and the roundabout just appeared. For the next five seconds it was just a blur. "Then the car stopped and there's all this smoke coming out of the car. The door was quite wedged and I was banging it to get it open." Article continues below Wrexham's James McClean was involved in a car crash on his way to training in January (Image: Instagram/macajw ) Reflecting on how severe the incident could have been, he added: "I just see it as there's bigger things ahead for me and it just wasn't my time. I was saved that day. It was a scary experience, but it just shows you how quickly things can change." McClean's wife Erin, with whom he shares four children, also spoke out about how concerned she was after learning of the crash via a text from her husband. Watch Welcome to Wrexham season 4 on Disney+ This article contains affiliate links, we will receive a commission on any sales we generate from it. Learn more from £4.99 Disney+ Get Disney+ here Product Description Welcome to Wrexham is back on Disney+ for a fourth season. Fans can watch the series with a £4.99 monthly plan, or get 12 months for the price of 10 by paying for a year upfront. "I got a message from James saying he'd just been in a crash and he sent me a picture of the car," she said. "I didn't believe it. My heart just started racing and then I rang him straight away. "He answered and I was like, 'Are you hurt?'. He was like, 'I'm actually okay'. I just jumped in the car and went straight to Wrexham. He came out and was like, 'I'm going to training.'" McClean previously disclosed how Erin was targeted with unpleasant messages on social media in the immediate aftermath of the crash. Posting on Instagram after starring in Wrexham's 1-1 draw with Birmingham, he said: "Now that the game is out of the way, to address yesterday. An experience I never wish to encounter again. Sign up to our newsletter! Wrexham is the Game is great new way to get top-class coverage Wrexham AFC is the arguably the fastest-growing club in the world at the moment thanks to a certain Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney. The Dragons have achieved two consecutive promotions and are cheered on by crowds from not only North Wales but also from all over the globe, thanks to the success of the Disney+ documentary 'Welcome to Wrexham'. But does it have a dedicated, quality source of information piped through to your inbox each week, free of ads but packed with informed opinion, analysis and even a little bit of fun each week? That's where Wrexham is the Game steps in... Available every Wednesday, it provides all the insights you need to be a top red. And for a limited time, a subscription to 'Wrexham is the Game' will cost fans just £15 for the first year. Sign up for Wrexham is the Game here Article continues below "I am blessed and thankful I managed to walk away with minor injuries and return home to my family, though much to the disappointment of some smelly scruffy pathetic creatures that messaged my wife online. Thank you for the messages of support." McClean joined Wrexham from Wigan Athletic for an undisclosed fee in the summer of 2023 after playing in the Premier League with Sunderland and West Bromwich Albion earlier in his career. He has helped the club, owned by Hollywood actors Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney, achieve automatic promotion in the last two seasons, rising from League Two to the Championship.
The Advertiser
2 days ago
- Automotive
- The Advertiser
2026 Audi RS6: V8 to live on alongside new EV
The 2026 Audi RS6 won't ditch its V8 engine but it will gain a plug-in hybrid (PHEV) system and be sold alongside the electric RS6 e-tron, marking the first time the Audi Sport division has offered both electric and combustion-powered RS6s. According to Autocar, the next RS6 is expected in European showrooms in 2026 with Australia following shortly after, and Audi has been testing a V8 PHEV powertrain – much like that employed by the rival BMW M5. The move comes after a previous decision to make the next RS6 full-electric only was reversed after slower than anticipated sales for electric vehicles (EVs) saw the company ditch plans to sell only EVs by 2033. The strategic rethink also saw Audi confirm it would develop a new line of internal combustion engines to play a role in expanding its lineup of hybrid vehicles. Hundreds of new car deals are available through CarExpert right now. Get the experts on your side and score a great deal. Browse now. Instead of ditching the electric RS6 e-tron in favour of a hybrid version, however, Audi will offer customers both. The 2026 RS6 e-tron, like the A6 e-tron it's derived from, will sit on the Volkswagen Group's Premium Platform Electric (PPE) underpinnings, with the 2026 RS6 hybrid using the Premium Platform Combustion (PPC) architecture like the new-generation Audi A6 it's based on. The ability to produce both is helped by other brands within the Volkswagen Group, including Porsche, continuing to offer internal-combustion-engine hybrids alongside EVs, splitting development costs across more models. While the RS6 is a rival to the BMW i5 M60 and BMW M5 PHEV, given its similar size and price, the move more closely resembles the decision by BMW's M division to introduce both EV and hybrid models of the next BMW M3 on different platforms. Further hedging its bets, Audi will offer the RS6 in sedan and wagon body styles – reintroducing the sedan for the first time since 2010 – according to Autocar. The next RS6 is set to be the most powerful RS6 yet with the hybrid version expected to use a further developed version of the 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 – used by Porsche and Bentley – which makes 453kW/850Nm in the current RS6. Teamed with plug-in hybrid tech including an electric motor integrated into the transmission and a lithium-ion battery, power will jump to as much as 575kW/100Nm – the output the powertrain makes in the Porsche Panamera Turbo S E-Hybrid. This endows the Panamera with a 2.9-second 0-100km/h time and 325km/h top speed. Those sorts of figures, if achieved in the RS6, would outmuscle the latest G90 BMW M5's performance, which sees 0-100km/h in 3.6 seconds and a 305km/h top speed from its 727kW V8 PHEV. The RS6 e-tron is expected to build on the current Audi S6 e-tron – due in Australia this year with a 405kW/856Nm dual-motor all-wheel drive powertrain – by some margin and will be offered with the same 94.8kWh battery as the standard A6 e-tron. Audi's current high-performance EV is the RS e-tron GT performance, which produces 680kW and does the 0-100km/h dash in 2.5 seconds. A source told Autocar, however, that the RS6 e-tron is unlikely to be as powerful though there will be a "solid increase" over the S6 e-tron. Both petrol-hybrid and EV RS6s will look the part, with pumped-up body work, larger front air intakes as well as large alloy wheels housing high-performance brakes. More details are expected ahead of the 2026 Audi RS6's official unveiling, expected sometime later this year. MORE: Everything Audi Content originally sourced from: The 2026 Audi RS6 won't ditch its V8 engine but it will gain a plug-in hybrid (PHEV) system and be sold alongside the electric RS6 e-tron, marking the first time the Audi Sport division has offered both electric and combustion-powered RS6s. According to Autocar, the next RS6 is expected in European showrooms in 2026 with Australia following shortly after, and Audi has been testing a V8 PHEV powertrain – much like that employed by the rival BMW M5. The move comes after a previous decision to make the next RS6 full-electric only was reversed after slower than anticipated sales for electric vehicles (EVs) saw the company ditch plans to sell only EVs by 2033. The strategic rethink also saw Audi confirm it would develop a new line of internal combustion engines to play a role in expanding its lineup of hybrid vehicles. Hundreds of new car deals are available through CarExpert right now. Get the experts on your side and score a great deal. Browse now. Instead of ditching the electric RS6 e-tron in favour of a hybrid version, however, Audi will offer customers both. The 2026 RS6 e-tron, like the A6 e-tron it's derived from, will sit on the Volkswagen Group's Premium Platform Electric (PPE) underpinnings, with the 2026 RS6 hybrid using the Premium Platform Combustion (PPC) architecture like the new-generation Audi A6 it's based on. The ability to produce both is helped by other brands within the Volkswagen Group, including Porsche, continuing to offer internal-combustion-engine hybrids alongside EVs, splitting development costs across more models. While the RS6 is a rival to the BMW i5 M60 and BMW M5 PHEV, given its similar size and price, the move more closely resembles the decision by BMW's M division to introduce both EV and hybrid models of the next BMW M3 on different platforms. Further hedging its bets, Audi will offer the RS6 in sedan and wagon body styles – reintroducing the sedan for the first time since 2010 – according to Autocar. The next RS6 is set to be the most powerful RS6 yet with the hybrid version expected to use a further developed version of the 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 – used by Porsche and Bentley – which makes 453kW/850Nm in the current RS6. Teamed with plug-in hybrid tech including an electric motor integrated into the transmission and a lithium-ion battery, power will jump to as much as 575kW/100Nm – the output the powertrain makes in the Porsche Panamera Turbo S E-Hybrid. This endows the Panamera with a 2.9-second 0-100km/h time and 325km/h top speed. Those sorts of figures, if achieved in the RS6, would outmuscle the latest G90 BMW M5's performance, which sees 0-100km/h in 3.6 seconds and a 305km/h top speed from its 727kW V8 PHEV. The RS6 e-tron is expected to build on the current Audi S6 e-tron – due in Australia this year with a 405kW/856Nm dual-motor all-wheel drive powertrain – by some margin and will be offered with the same 94.8kWh battery as the standard A6 e-tron. Audi's current high-performance EV is the RS e-tron GT performance, which produces 680kW and does the 0-100km/h dash in 2.5 seconds. A source told Autocar, however, that the RS6 e-tron is unlikely to be as powerful though there will be a "solid increase" over the S6 e-tron. Both petrol-hybrid and EV RS6s will look the part, with pumped-up body work, larger front air intakes as well as large alloy wheels housing high-performance brakes. More details are expected ahead of the 2026 Audi RS6's official unveiling, expected sometime later this year. MORE: Everything Audi Content originally sourced from: The 2026 Audi RS6 won't ditch its V8 engine but it will gain a plug-in hybrid (PHEV) system and be sold alongside the electric RS6 e-tron, marking the first time the Audi Sport division has offered both electric and combustion-powered RS6s. According to Autocar, the next RS6 is expected in European showrooms in 2026 with Australia following shortly after, and Audi has been testing a V8 PHEV powertrain – much like that employed by the rival BMW M5. The move comes after a previous decision to make the next RS6 full-electric only was reversed after slower than anticipated sales for electric vehicles (EVs) saw the company ditch plans to sell only EVs by 2033. The strategic rethink also saw Audi confirm it would develop a new line of internal combustion engines to play a role in expanding its lineup of hybrid vehicles. Hundreds of new car deals are available through CarExpert right now. Get the experts on your side and score a great deal. Browse now. Instead of ditching the electric RS6 e-tron in favour of a hybrid version, however, Audi will offer customers both. The 2026 RS6 e-tron, like the A6 e-tron it's derived from, will sit on the Volkswagen Group's Premium Platform Electric (PPE) underpinnings, with the 2026 RS6 hybrid using the Premium Platform Combustion (PPC) architecture like the new-generation Audi A6 it's based on. The ability to produce both is helped by other brands within the Volkswagen Group, including Porsche, continuing to offer internal-combustion-engine hybrids alongside EVs, splitting development costs across more models. While the RS6 is a rival to the BMW i5 M60 and BMW M5 PHEV, given its similar size and price, the move more closely resembles the decision by BMW's M division to introduce both EV and hybrid models of the next BMW M3 on different platforms. Further hedging its bets, Audi will offer the RS6 in sedan and wagon body styles – reintroducing the sedan for the first time since 2010 – according to Autocar. The next RS6 is set to be the most powerful RS6 yet with the hybrid version expected to use a further developed version of the 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 – used by Porsche and Bentley – which makes 453kW/850Nm in the current RS6. Teamed with plug-in hybrid tech including an electric motor integrated into the transmission and a lithium-ion battery, power will jump to as much as 575kW/100Nm – the output the powertrain makes in the Porsche Panamera Turbo S E-Hybrid. This endows the Panamera with a 2.9-second 0-100km/h time and 325km/h top speed. Those sorts of figures, if achieved in the RS6, would outmuscle the latest G90 BMW M5's performance, which sees 0-100km/h in 3.6 seconds and a 305km/h top speed from its 727kW V8 PHEV. The RS6 e-tron is expected to build on the current Audi S6 e-tron – due in Australia this year with a 405kW/856Nm dual-motor all-wheel drive powertrain – by some margin and will be offered with the same 94.8kWh battery as the standard A6 e-tron. Audi's current high-performance EV is the RS e-tron GT performance, which produces 680kW and does the 0-100km/h dash in 2.5 seconds. A source told Autocar, however, that the RS6 e-tron is unlikely to be as powerful though there will be a "solid increase" over the S6 e-tron. Both petrol-hybrid and EV RS6s will look the part, with pumped-up body work, larger front air intakes as well as large alloy wheels housing high-performance brakes. More details are expected ahead of the 2026 Audi RS6's official unveiling, expected sometime later this year. MORE: Everything Audi Content originally sourced from: The 2026 Audi RS6 won't ditch its V8 engine but it will gain a plug-in hybrid (PHEV) system and be sold alongside the electric RS6 e-tron, marking the first time the Audi Sport division has offered both electric and combustion-powered RS6s. According to Autocar, the next RS6 is expected in European showrooms in 2026 with Australia following shortly after, and Audi has been testing a V8 PHEV powertrain – much like that employed by the rival BMW M5. The move comes after a previous decision to make the next RS6 full-electric only was reversed after slower than anticipated sales for electric vehicles (EVs) saw the company ditch plans to sell only EVs by 2033. The strategic rethink also saw Audi confirm it would develop a new line of internal combustion engines to play a role in expanding its lineup of hybrid vehicles. Hundreds of new car deals are available through CarExpert right now. Get the experts on your side and score a great deal. Browse now. Instead of ditching the electric RS6 e-tron in favour of a hybrid version, however, Audi will offer customers both. The 2026 RS6 e-tron, like the A6 e-tron it's derived from, will sit on the Volkswagen Group's Premium Platform Electric (PPE) underpinnings, with the 2026 RS6 hybrid using the Premium Platform Combustion (PPC) architecture like the new-generation Audi A6 it's based on. The ability to produce both is helped by other brands within the Volkswagen Group, including Porsche, continuing to offer internal-combustion-engine hybrids alongside EVs, splitting development costs across more models. While the RS6 is a rival to the BMW i5 M60 and BMW M5 PHEV, given its similar size and price, the move more closely resembles the decision by BMW's M division to introduce both EV and hybrid models of the next BMW M3 on different platforms. Further hedging its bets, Audi will offer the RS6 in sedan and wagon body styles – reintroducing the sedan for the first time since 2010 – according to Autocar. The next RS6 is set to be the most powerful RS6 yet with the hybrid version expected to use a further developed version of the 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 – used by Porsche and Bentley – which makes 453kW/850Nm in the current RS6. Teamed with plug-in hybrid tech including an electric motor integrated into the transmission and a lithium-ion battery, power will jump to as much as 575kW/100Nm – the output the powertrain makes in the Porsche Panamera Turbo S E-Hybrid. This endows the Panamera with a 2.9-second 0-100km/h time and 325km/h top speed. Those sorts of figures, if achieved in the RS6, would outmuscle the latest G90 BMW M5's performance, which sees 0-100km/h in 3.6 seconds and a 305km/h top speed from its 727kW V8 PHEV. The RS6 e-tron is expected to build on the current Audi S6 e-tron – due in Australia this year with a 405kW/856Nm dual-motor all-wheel drive powertrain – by some margin and will be offered with the same 94.8kWh battery as the standard A6 e-tron. Audi's current high-performance EV is the RS e-tron GT performance, which produces 680kW and does the 0-100km/h dash in 2.5 seconds. A source told Autocar, however, that the RS6 e-tron is unlikely to be as powerful though there will be a "solid increase" over the S6 e-tron. Both petrol-hybrid and EV RS6s will look the part, with pumped-up body work, larger front air intakes as well as large alloy wheels housing high-performance brakes. More details are expected ahead of the 2026 Audi RS6's official unveiling, expected sometime later this year. MORE: Everything Audi Content originally sourced from:
Perth Now
2 days ago
- Automotive
- Perth Now
2026 Audi RS6: V8 to live on alongside new EV
The 2026 Audi RS6 won't ditch its V8 engine but it will gain a plug-in hybrid (PHEV) system and be sold alongside the electric RS6 e-tron, marking the first time the Audi Sport division has offered both electric and combustion-powered RS6s. According to Autocar, the next RS6 is expected in European showrooms in 2026 with Australia following shortly after, and Audi has been testing a V8 PHEV powertrain – much like that employed by the rival BMW M5. The move comes after a previous decision to make the next RS6 full-electric only was reversed after slower than anticipated sales for electric vehicles (EVs) saw the company ditch plans to sell only EVs by 2033. The strategic rethink also saw Audi confirm it would develop a new line of internal combustion engines to play a role in expanding its lineup of hybrid vehicles. Hundreds of new car deals are available through CarExpert right now. Get the experts on your side and score a great deal. Browse now. Supplied Credit: CarExpert Instead of ditching the electric RS6 e-tron in favour of a hybrid version, however, Audi will offer customers both. The 2026 RS6 e-tron, like the A6 e-tron it's derived from, will sit on the Volkswagen Group's Premium Platform Electric (PPE) underpinnings, with the 2026 RS6 hybrid using the Premium Platform Combustion (PPC) architecture like the new-generation Audi A6 it's based on. The ability to produce both is helped by other brands within the Volkswagen Group, including Porsche, continuing to offer internal-combustion-engine hybrids alongside EVs, splitting development costs across more models. While the RS6 is a rival to the BMW i5 M60 and BMW M5 PHEV, given its similar size and price, the move more closely resembles the decision by BMW's M division to introduce both EV and hybrid models of the next BMW M3 on different platforms. Supplied Credit: CarExpert Further hedging its bets, Audi will offer the RS6 in sedan and wagon body styles – reintroducing the sedan for the first time since 2010 – according to Autocar. The next RS6 is set to be the most powerful RS6 yet with the hybrid version expected to use a further developed version of the 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 – used by Porsche and Bentley – which makes 453kW/850Nm in the current RS6. Teamed with plug-in hybrid tech including an electric motor integrated into the transmission and a lithium-ion battery, power will jump to as much as 575kW/100Nm – the output the powertrain makes in the Porsche Panamera Turbo S E-Hybrid. This endows the Panamera with a 2.9-second 0-100km/h time and 325km/h top speed. Supplied Credit: CarExpert Those sorts of figures, if achieved in the RS6, would outmuscle the latest G90 BMW M5's performance, which sees 0-100km/h in 3.6 seconds and a 305km/h top speed from its 727kW V8 PHEV. The RS6 e-tron is expected to build on the current Audi S6 e-tron – due in Australia this year with a 405kW/856Nm dual-motor all-wheel drive powertrain – by some margin and will be offered with the same 94.8kWh battery as the standard A6 e-tron. Audi's current high-performance EV is the RS e-tron GT performance, which produces 680kW and does the 0-100km/h dash in 2.5 seconds. A source told Autocar, however, that the RS6 e-tron is unlikely to be as powerful though there will be a 'solid increase' over the S6 e-tron. Both petrol-hybrid and EV RS6s will look the part, with pumped-up body work, larger front air intakes as well as large alloy wheels housing high-performance brakes. More details are expected ahead of the 2026 Audi RS6's official unveiling, expected sometime later this year. MORE: Everything Audi
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Yahoo
Family of ‘travelling burglars' who targeted Newcastle United star's home jailed
A family of 'professional travelling burglars' who targeted the home of Premier League star Alexander Isak have been jailed. Siblings Valentino Nikolov, 32, Giacomo Nikolov, 28, and Jela Jovanovic, 43, as well as Jovanovic's son Charlie Jovanovic, 23, travelled from Italy to the UK last year to 'commit carefully planned burglaries targeting high value properties', a court heard. Prosecutors said the gang arrived on a ferry to Dover and drove across the country, sleeping in a motorhome during their week-long crime spree. The three men would carry out the burglaries, wearing gloves and masks to cover their tracks, while Jela Jovanovic waited outside in a getaway car. Newcastle Crown Court heard they stole Mr Isak's car, jewellery worth £68,000 and up to £10,000 in cash when they burgled his home in Darras Hall, Northumberland, last April. Valentino Nikolov was jailed for 10 years on Tuesday, Giacomo Nikolov for eight years, Jela Jovanovic for seven years and two months, and Charlie Jovanovic for six years and nine months. Judge Robert Spragg said the sentences mean the defendants meet the Home Office criteria for automatic deportation. Mr Isak's victim impact statement said he had been left with 'a sense of unease' by the 'attack' on his home, while a player liaison manager at Newcastle United said the club had been forced to invest in monitored alarm systems and security patrols following a spate of burglaries targeted at players. The court heard Newcastle United and Sweden forward Mr Isak had left his house between 4pm and 10pm on April 4, and discovered the break-in when he returned and saw his bins had been moved. Prosecutor Dan Cordey said mobile phone evidence showed the gang had been carrying out 'surveillance' at the Newcastle United training ground in the two days leading up to the break-in 'to establish movements to and from' the facility. The court heard the gang broke into Mr Isak's home through a glass door and carried out an 'untidy search' of the property, taking cash, jewellery and an Audi RS6 estate car, which a member of the public later found abandoned. Mr Isak told detectives he kept cash in bags upstairs, made up of notes of varying denominations as well as coins, and the amount taken was between £5,000 and £10,000. He said bespoke men's jewellery from Frost of London worth about £68,000 – made up of bracelets, necklaces and rings – was taken. Mr Cordey said the gang also took a safe left by the home's previous occupant, although it did not contain anything valuable. CCTV images of the break-in, recorded on a 'doggy cam', showed three masked men climb on to a first floor balcony and disappear from view, before a large black item was thrown from the balcony. In a victim impact statement read in court, Mr Isak said he had lived in the North East of England since August 2022 and had not experienced any problems in the first period of living there. He said: 'Things changed, however, on April 4 2024 when, following an evening at a colleague's house, I returned to my home to find I had been burgled and my car stolen from my drive. 'It appeared a significant level of force had been used to attack the property, a large safe had been thrown over an upstairs balcony… My car had been used as a battering ram to force through the gates of my house. 'None of the property stolen from my home was ever recovered. 'The attack on my home has left me with a sense of unease and I fear it could reoccur.' A statement from Glenn Patterson, a player liaison officer at Newcastle United, said a spate of burglaries and attempted burglaries targeted at players had impacted the players themselves and forced the club to conduct an extensive review of player safety. He said the club had invested in monitored alarm systems and recruited private security patrols 'to allay players' fears for their families and homes'. The court heard before burgling Mr Isak's home, the 'forensically aware' thieves had already stolen a CBE medal and jewellery and clothes worth more than £1 million from Tyneside businesswoman Helen McCardle, and designer goods worth £100,000 from a woman living in a gated cul-de-sac in South Tyneside in the previous days. Mrs McCardle told police she and her husband were on holiday in Spain when their four-storey home in Jesmond, Newcastle, was burgled. The thieves got in through a patio door into her bedroom and raided her walk-in wardrobe, stealing designer items including Chanel, Yves Saint Laurent and Louis Vuitton handbags that she had collected over the years. She said her CBE, presented to her by the late Queen, was priceless. Mr Cordey said police traced the car used in the burglaries and the defendants were arrested in the West Midlands in mid-April. Stephanie Stokoe, whose home was burgled in Whitburn, said in a victim personal statement she would 'would never get over walking in to find our home torn to pieces'. Mrs McCardle's statement, read in court, said the thieves had 'not only stolen our belongings but… our privacy and security'. The court heard the gang arrived in the UK via a ferry from Calais to Dover in a Citroen C3 and a Ford motorhome last March. They headed to London, then drove to the North East a few days later. Read more: 'Brazen' ex-Durham police officer 'sent Snapchats in his boxers' to colleagues Prison for Teesside drug dealer who was tracked down by French police Pictures from scene of huge diesel spill on A688 near Darlington as road reopens Burglars target Newcastle United star Alexander Isak's home Eddie Howe provides update on Alexander Isak's concussion status ahead of Bournemouth The gang used the Citroen to travel to break-ins and the motorhome was a base where they slept, the prosecution said. The defendants attended by video link from prison and had an Italian interpreter to translate the hearing. Giacomo Nikolov, Jela Jovanovic and Charlie Jovanovic pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit burglary. Valentino Nikolov was found guilty of the same offence after a trial in March.
