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New photos of Cleo Smith show insight into her life after kidnapping

<p>Almost three years after being abducted from a campsite, heartwarming new photos show how Cleo Smith is living as a happy school girl and big sister. </p> <p>In October 2021, Cleo Smith, who was four years old at the time, made international headlines after she was snatched from a campsite as she slept alongside her mother, stepfather and baby sister at the Blowholes campsite, about 960km north of Perth, Western Australia.</p> <p>A state-wide police operation was launched in search for Cleo, who was four years old at the time, which led to her dramatic rescue 18 days later.</p> <p>Now, almost three years after the horrific abduction and intense media scrutiny, Cleo, who is now seven years old, is adjusting to a normal life. </p> <p>A collection of photos, shared to Instagram by <em>60 Minutes</em>, showed a beaming Cleo enjoying life with her family, as one photo showed Cleo smiling along with her mother, Ellie Smith, stepdad Jake Gliddon, and little sister, Isla.</p> <p>The snapshots revealed happy moments of young Cleo's life, including a family fishing trip, Isla's first birthday, her seventh birthday and the sisters' first day at school in 2024.</p> <p>"Cleo Smith, all grown up. The seven-year-old is enjoying life in Western Australia, loving school and being a big sister to Isla," <em>60 Minutes</em> wrote.</p> <p>The photos received an overwhelming response from social media users all around the world, with many sharing well wishes for the family and for Cleo. </p> <p>"Beautiful to see the family so happy and healthy," one person wrote. </p> <p>"Bless your heart, so glad you are living your best life," another person commented. </p> <p>A third person wrote, "It's so good to see her happy! I followed her story from Argentina. Keep enjoying life Cleo!"</p> <p><em>Image credits: 60 Minutes / Instagram </em></p>

Family & Pets

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“I need a future”: New details on boy kidnapped for six years

<p>When concerned motorist Fabien Accidini <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/lifestyle/family-pets/missing-boy-found-alive-after-six-long-years" target="_blank" rel="noopener">happened upon Alex Batty</a> walking along a road in the foothills of the Pyrenees in France, he had no idea of the mysterious and tragic situation he had uncovered. </p> <p>“I said to myself, ‘That’s strange. It’s 3am in the morning, it’s raining, he’s all by himself on the road between two villages,’” Accidini told French news outlet BFMTV.</p> <p>Batty had gone missing from his home in England at the tender age of 11 back in 2017. Now 17, new details have emerged about the extraordinary six-year journey that unfolded since his disappearance.</p> <p>British and French authorities confirmed on Friday that the teenager discovered by Accidini was, indeed, Alex Batty. The initial family holiday to Spain turned into a six-year odyssey across Morocco, Spain and southwest France, as Alex and his family embraced a nomadic, off-the-grid lifestyle.</p> <p>French authorities revealed that Alex and his family moved from house to house, carrying their own solar panels, growing their own food, and living with other families in what the teenager described as a “spiritual community". However, last Wednesday marked a turning point as Alex suddenly appeared on a remote road in rural France, having parted ways with his mother.</p> <p>According to French prosecutor Antoine Leroy, Alex decided to strike out on his own when his mother expressed a desire to move yet again, this time to Finland. Leroy stated at a news conference in Toulouse, “When his mother indicated that she intended to leave for Finland with him, this young man understood that this journey had to stop.”</p> <p>Undeterred by the challenging circumstances, Alex walked for four nights, resting during the days and sustaining himself with whatever he could find in fields or gardens. It was during this solitary journey that Accidini spotted him on the rain-soaked road.</p> <p>Accidini offered assistance, and despite initial suspicion and a false name, Alex eventually opened up during the deliveryman's rounds. “He’d had enough. He said, ‘I am 17. I need a future.’ He didn’t see a future for himself there,” Accidini recounted.</p> <p>In an interview with La Depeche, Accidini shared more details about Alex's arduous journey: “He told me that he had been walking for four days, that he’d left from the mountains. He didn’t really know where.”</p> <p>Showing kindness, Accidini provided the thirsty teenager with water and allowed him to use his mobile phone to send a message to his grandmother.</p> <p>The message read, “Hello grandma, it is me, Alex. I am in France, Toulouse. I really hope that you receive this message. I love you. I want to come home.”</p> <p>Back in the UK, Greater Manchester Police confirmed that Alex had spoken with his grandmother, Susan Caruana, via video call. Assistant Chief Constable Chris Sykes stated, “Whilst she is content that this is indeed Alex, we have further checks to do when he returns to the United Kingdom.</p> <p>“Our main priority now is to see Alex returned home to his family in the UK.”</p> <p>Alex is expected to return to the UK in the coming days, as the investigation into the full circumstances of his disappearance continues.</p> <p><em>Images: Greater Manchester Police</em> </p> <p> </p>

Family & Pets

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Holly Willoughby delivers shock news days after kidnap plot

<p>Holly Willoughby has made a surprising announcement, just days after a <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/finance/legal/plot-to-kidnap-tv-star-foiled" target="_blank" rel="noopener">disturbing incident involving a kidnapping plot</a> came to light.</p> <p>The popular UK TV personality and mother of three has taken to social media to share her decision to step down from her role as the host of <em>This Morning</em>, a position she has held for 14 years. She cited her family as the primary reason for this significant career move.</p> <p>In a heartfelt letter to her fans, she expressed her gratitude to everyone involved in the show over the years, acknowledging the difficulty of saying goodbye. She extended her appreciation to the production team and guests who have been part of the program, and she reserved special thanks for the loyal viewers who have been with her every day.</p> <p>Willoughby reflected on the legacy of <em>This Morning</em> and the words of former hosts Richard and Judy, who believed that the show belonged to the viewers. She expressed her honour at being a part of its history and noted that there are more chapters to come. However, she felt that the time had come for her to make this decision for the sake of herself and her family.</p> <p>In her own words, "I will miss you all so much."</p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CyOWaP2tr3Q/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CyOWaP2tr3Q/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Holly Willoughby (@hollywilloughby)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>This announcement follows a recent incident in which the 42-year-old was placed under police protection in her London home due to the discovery of a kidnapping plot aimed at her. Essex Police later arrested a 36-year-old man in connection with the investigation.</p> <p>It has been a rough year for the popular daytime TV host, who previously enjoyed immense popularity in the UK.</p> <p>Notably, Holly Willoughby made headlines when she issued a statement on-air, publicly supporting her co-host, Phillip Schofield, amidst reports of an inappropriate relationship with a younger male colleague. Schofield eventually resigned amid <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/lifestyle/relationships/it-s-the-court-of-public-opinion-sarah-ferguson-condemns-phillip-schofield-backlash" target="_blank" rel="noopener">intense public pressure</a> after admitting to lying about the relationship. Willoughby explained that she too had been deceived by her co-host and would not have supported him had she known the truth.</p> <p>Schofield and Willoughby had co-hosted the show together since 2009 and had interviewed notable figures, including royalty. Their on-screen chemistry led to prime-time hosting opportunities such as <em>Dancing on Ice</em>.</p> <p>While Holly Willoughby has not revealed her future plans, numerous celebrity fans and colleagues swiftly offered their support and best wishes in the comments section of her post. These messages conveyed sadness at her departure and the recognition of her iconic status in the world of television.</p> <p><em>Images: Getty / ITV</em></p>

TV

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Plot to kidnap TV star foiled

<p>Authorities have thwarted a suspected plot to abduct well-known British television presenter, Holly Willoughby. The 42-year-old host of <em>This Morning</em> was pulled from her hosting duties mid-show and was placed under police protection at her residence.</p> <p>This development followed the arrest of a 36-year-old man, apprehended by law enforcement who had allegedly uncovered "sinister messages" containing threats to kidnap and inflict serious harm upon the mother of three, as reported by <em>The Sun</em>.</p> <p>The suspect, who is not acquainted with the television star, has since been formally charged. In the meantime, a marked police vehicle remained stationed outside the individual's ground-floor apartment, where he resides alone. One neighbour from Harlow, Essex, UK, recounted witnessing the man being escorted out of his flat in handcuffs around 9 o'clock the previous night, with a police presence continuing throughout the day, including a forensic investigation van.</p> <p>The precise means by which the police became aware of the alleged plot remain unclear, but it is understood that digital devices and a mobile phone were confiscated.</p> <p>As detectives persist in their inquiry, a round-the-clock police detail has been stationed outside Holly's London home, where she resides with her husband and children. An insider disclosed, "Investigations are continuing, but police are treating this as a credible conspiracy to kidnap Holly. There were apparently some sinister and threatening messages found on electronic devices threatening to seriously harm her."</p> <p>The police promptly notified the production team of <em>This Morning</em> about the alleged plot early the following day. Holly was informed shortly before she was scheduled to go on air, and she was described as feeling "shocked and distraught." Consequently, it was decided that she would withdraw from hosting the show. Alison Hammond was called in as a last-minute substitute alongside Josie Gibson, who had co-hosted the previous day's episode with Holly. Viewers were puzzled by the sudden change, with Josie only mentioning the situation in passing by introducing Alison.</p> <p>Social media buzzed with fans expressing their concern and curiosity about Holly's absence. She had originally planned to celebrate her TV producer husband Daniel Baldwin's 49th birthday with their children, Harry, 14, Belle, 12, and eight-year-old Chester.</p> <p>This incident unfolded against the backdrop of a turbulent year for the television personality, who has been a fixture on "This Morning" since 2009. In September of the previous year, both Holly and her then-co-host, Phillip Schofield, faced allegations of queue-jumping during their visit to pay respects to the late Queen. Holly later clarified that she had been there in her capacity as an accredited broadcaster for a filming assignment and emphasized that they would never bypass a queue intentionally.</p> <p>In May, Schofield, aged 61, resigned after admitting to an affair with a younger colleague and confessing to having lied about it when confronted by Holly. She subsequently expressed feeling "shaken and let down." Nonetheless, Holly drew some criticism for beginning the show by inquiring to the camera, "Are you OK?"</p> <p>ITV initiated an examination into <em>This Morning</em> amid accusations of a "toxic culture," sparking backlash from viewers. Just last month, Holly did not secure a National Television Award for the first time in 12 years.</p> <p>A spokesperson for Essex Police confirmed, "A 36-year-old man from Harlow has been arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to kidnap as part of an ongoing investigation. The arrest was made on Wednesday 4 October. He is currently in custody. Inquiries continue."</p> <p><em>Image: Getty</em></p>

Legal

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Cher accused of hiring abductors to kidnap her son

<p>Cher has been accused of hiring professional kidnappers to abduct her son from a hotel in New York where he was staying with his wife. </p> <p>The allegations were contained in court documents filed by Elijah Blue Allman's wife, Marieangela King, according to reports by the BBC.</p> <p>The documents allege that four men "removed" him from a New York hotel room on their anniversary in November 2022.</p> <p>The allegations have recently come to light as part of the couple's divorce proceedings. </p> <p>King claimed that she and her then-husband had spent 12 days in the hotel room trying to "work out their marriage". </p> <p>Then, on the evening of November 30th 2022, which is also the couple's wedding anniversary, the four men charged into the room and "removed" Allman. </p> <p>"I was told by one of the four men who took him that they were hired by (Allman's) mother," she alleged.</p> <p>In the court files from last December, King said that Allman had been receiving treatment at a medical facility for months, and she was "very concerned and worried" about his wellbeing. </p> <p>She went on to claim she hadn't been told where he was, and was unable to contact him.</p> <p>Allman, 47, is the son of pop star Cher and her former husband, the late rock musician Gregg Allman.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p>

Legal

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Shock twist in Stuart MacGill's kidnapping saga

<p>In a shock twist  Stuart MacGill has been charged with taking part in a huge cocaine deal, which police allege is related to his <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/news/news/stuart-macgill-kidnapped-and-threatened-at-gunpoint" target="_blank" rel="noopener">kidnapping</a>. </p> <p>MacGill was reportedly arrested  by police from the Robbery and Serious Crime Squad on Tuesday, and has been released on bail, according to <em><a href="https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/subscribe/news/1/?sourceCode=DTWEB_WRE170_a_NEW&dest=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.dailytelegraph.com.au%2Ftruecrimeaustralia%2Fpolice-courts-nsw%2Fstuart-macgill-charged-over-300k-cocaine-deal%2Fnews-story%2Fe60e00693bf3cfa2a3287f6fb1c0e4aa&memtype=anonymous&mode=premium&v21=dynamic-high-control-score&V21spcbehaviour=append" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Daily Telegraph</a></em>. </p> <p>Police will allege that the 52-year-old facilitated a deal between two people, where they agreed to sell 1kg of cocaine for $330,000 in 2019. </p> <p>Investigators will also allege that MacGill had a $1000 cocaine debt owed to one of the men, and this debt would be cleared as a benefit of facilitating the deal. </p> <p>Police allege that this was what led MacGill to be blamed, <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/news/news/strange-new-twist-in-stuart-macgill-s-kidnapping" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> kidnapped</a>, threatened at gunpoint, and beaten up before he was released in Belmore on April 2021. </p> <p>The kidnapping incident resulted in six men being arrested.</p> <p>Police had previously cleared MacGill from any illegal activity and publicly stated that MacGill was an "innocent victim", before further evidence was reportedly uncovered. </p> <p>MacGill had also given a number of <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/finance/legal/stuart-macgill-breaks-silence-on-kidnapping" target="_blank" rel="noopener">TV interviews</a> after the kidnapping, where he maintained his innocence and recalled the terrifying ordeal. </p> <p>“I was in a situation that’s foreign to me and I was physically and mentally intimidated.</p> <p>“I couldn’t have done anything differently, I don’t think," he previously said in an interview with Channel Nine's <em>A Current Affair</em>. </p> <p>Although the nature of the new information that police received cannot legally be revealed, the charge carries a potential maximum penalty of life in jail. </p> <p>The famous bowler will face Manly Local Court on October 26 charged with one count of taking part in the supply of a large commercial quantity of cocaine, according to a NSW Communities and Justice spokesman. </p> <p><em>Image: Getty Images</em></p>

Legal

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Frightening new details emerge on Cleo Smith kidnapping

<p>New details have come to light regarding four-year-old Cleo Smith’s 2021 abduction, one day after the man responsible was <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/news/news/sentence-handed-down-for-cleo-smith-abductor" target="_blank" rel="noopener">sentenced to at least 11 years and six months in prison</a>.</p> <p>Cleo was taken from her family’s Western Australia campsite and was missing for a total of 18 days. After an intense police investigation, and a $1 million reward offered by the Western Australia government, detectives found Cleo at a property 75 km south of where she’d been kidnapped by the 37-year-old Terence Kelly.</p> <p>While appearing before Judge Julie Wager in court, Kelly had nothing to say, offering only a nod to acknowledge both his own name and his guilty plea. Cleo’s parents - mother Ellie and stepfather Jake - also did not share any words outside of the courthouse in the wake of Kelly’s sentencing. </p> <p>But what was said inside has revealed frightening new insight into what young Cleo went through during her days of captivity, with Commissioner Blanch - who was Assistant Commissioner at the time - noting that he did not believe the community would ever think Kelly’s time behind bars would be enough. </p> <p>“Judge Wager had to weigh up many things,” he said, “and there were many mitigating circumstances, and I respect the court’s decision.”</p> <p>For the entire 18 days of her nightmare situation, Cleo was kept in Kelly’s Carnarvon property, often locked alone in a bedroom while Kelly was out - the door had been modified, and Cleo was unable to open it from her side. He reportedly attended a number of employment meetings in person, and even visited his relatives.</p> <p>It was also revealed that Cleo would plead with him to be allowed to see her parents, leading Kelly to play the radio at a loud volume to mask her noise. </p> <p>“When the young victim heard her name on the radio, she said ‘they’re saying my name’,” Judge Wagner told the court. </p> <p>As the University of Newcastle’s criminologist Dr Xanthe Mallett told <em>Sunrise</em>, “eighteen days is a really long time in a four-year-old’s life, and to hear her name on the radio and not understand why he wouldn’t return her to her mother must have been incredibly traumatic for her.”</p> <p>Additionally, in a police interview, Kelly admitted that he grew frustrated and was rough with a number of times, but that she was “a bit of a fighter” when he attempted to restrain her. </p> <p>He even added Cleo’s mum as a Facebook friend while he had Cleo, although as he told police, he was never “planning to keep her forever.” </p> <p>Following Kelly’s arrest, social media played a role again, with pictures of his home emerging, showcasing his collection of Bratz dolls, one Judge Wager described as being “consistent with your anxiety.” </p> <p>Those in the courtroom were informed that Kelly had a “significant interest” in dolls, and that it was possible he had imagined his very own family with them. </p> <p>“You’d opened Facebook pages,” Judge Wager stated, “for your fantasy children and communicated with them.”</p> <p>She also shared her understanding that Cleo played into Kelly’s “fantasy of having a little girl he could dress up and play with”, although she still considered his actions to be “at the highest level of seriousness”.</p> <p>“This isn’t a case of luring a child away, that would be serious enough, but the taking of a little four-year-old girl from the zipped-up family tent in the middle of the night when her parents assumed she was safe is even more concerning,” Wager continued. </p> <p>“Her parents woke to find her missing, not knowing if she was alive or dead for the next 18 days. They didn’t know what had happened to her, or whether she’d ever be returned. This shattered her family, and has been damaging and traumatising for the child.”</p> <p><em>Images: Getty</em></p>

Caring

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"I had to escape": Hugh Sheridan drugged and held captive

<p>Hugh Sheridan has shared the details of a terrifying ordeal when they were given a date-rape drug and held captive for eight hours. </p> <p>The Aussie star, who is non-binary and uses they/them pronouns, revealed the encounter to 88.3FM radio show, <em>Sounds Good With Donna Demaio</em>, recalling the moment they knew they were in trouble.</p> <p>They claim they woke up dazed and confused as a result of the Rohypnol in an unknown Sydney apartment, after being incapacitated by a couple.</p> <p>"I knew one of the people [involved], I just never thought it would happen, and it was a very scary situation," they said on the show.</p> <p>Sheridan, 37, said it wasn't until the drug wore off that they conjured up a plan.</p> <p>"It was like, 'Oh my God, how could this be happening to me? How could this situation happen? What do they think they're getting away with?'" they recalled.</p> <p>"I had to get out. I had to escape. When I left I had no phone, no wallet, no shoes."</p> <p>After being "stuck for eight hours", Sheridan managed to escape the Double Bay property and seek refuge at their sister's home in nearby Randwick.  </p> <p>It was Sheridan's sister who went back to the property to collect the star's belongings from the property.</p> <p>"She went [to the property], [and said] 'I am here for my brother's things', and marched on in, and got my stuff," they said. "I was very scared, but she wasn't. She's very tough, my sister."</p> <p>Sheridan still has no recollection of what happened when they were under the influence of the drug, but chose not to press charges against the "manipulative" couple. </p> <p>But the star is speaking out now about the incident to "shine a light" on what happened to them and raise awareness. </p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p>

News

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Body of kidnapped heiress found

<p dir="ltr">The body of missing heiress Eliza Fletcher has been found dumped in Memphis four days after she was violently snatched during an early morning run, Tennessee police confirmed on Tuesday.</p> <p dir="ltr">“The deceased victim that was located yesterday in the 1600 block of Victor (Street, south of Memphis’ CBD) has been identified as 34-year-old Eliza Fletcher,” Memphis Police Department <a href="https://twitter.com/MEM_PoliceDept/status/1567147974462939139" target="_blank" rel="noopener">tweeted</a>.</p> <p dir="ltr">According to the <em><a href="https://nypost.com/2022/09/06/police-confirm-body-found-in-memphis-is-eliza-fletcher/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">New York Post</a></em>, Fletcher’s suspected killer and kidnapper, Cleotha Abston, 38, has been charged with first-degree murder and first-degree murder in perpetration of kidnapping, in addition to a charge of especially aggravated kidnapping laid against her on Saturday.</p> <p dir="ltr">Authorities found the body of the mother-of-two at 5.07pm on Monday in an area near to where police say Absten was seen clearing out a vehicle seen in the surveillance footage of Fletcher’s abduction.</p> <p dir="ltr">Abston, who has previously served 20 years in prison for violent kidnapping, had refused to reveal where Fletcher was, police said at the time.</p> <p dir="ltr">His brother was among those who reported that Abston was acting “strange” and scrubbing his clothes in the hours after the abduction, according to an affidavit.</p> <p dir="ltr">After police released images of Fletcher during her 4am run around the University of Memphis on Friday, it was later revealed that the car she was forced into had been trawling the area at least 24 minutes before she ran through.</p> <p dir="ltr">Surveillance footage showed an SUV pulled up ahead of her, with a man getting out and running “aggressively toward” Fletcher before forcing her into the backseat.</p> <p dir="ltr">“During this abduction, there appeared to be a struggle,” the affidavit said, adding that Fletcher likely “suffered serious injury”.</p> <p dir="ltr">Her husband, Richard Fletcher, raised the alarm at 7am.</p> <p dir="ltr">Abston quickly became the prime suspect after a pair of shoes left at the scene returned his DNA when tested.</p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-57720813-7fff-75f0-54e7-2d89765f74c6"></span></p> <p dir="ltr">The 34-year-old was the granddaughter of a late Memphis billionaire.</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: The New York Post</em></p>

News

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Woman arrested for faking her own kidnapping

<p dir="ltr">A US woman has been arrested in Delhi, India, for allegedly staging her own kidnapping.</p> <p dir="ltr">According to police, the 27-year-old faked her abduction to “blackmail” her parents into sending her more money after her funds ran out.</p> <p dir="ltr">Having arrived in India on May 3, the woman phoned her mother on July 7 and said she was being assaulted by a man, per <em>NDTV</em>.</p> <p dir="ltr">After her family made a complaint to the US Embassy, which was forwarded on to police in Delhi, they began to investigate her whereabouts.</p> <p dir="ltr">Having traced the IP address the woman used to send an email to the American Citizen services and make a video call to her mother, police traced and arrested a 31-year-old Nigerian man, the <em>Indian Express</em> reported.</p> <p dir="ltr">During his interrogation, the man said the woman was staying in an apartment in Noida, on Delhi’s outskirts.</p> <p dir="ltr">“After her rescue, it was revealed that she had staged the incident to blackmail her parents,” Amrutha Guguloth, New Delhi’s deputy commissioner of police, told the <em>Indian Express</em>.</p> <p dir="ltr">Police said she met the man through Facebook and had been staying with him since she arrived in May.</p> <p dir="ltr">Having discovered that both the woman’s visa and the man’s passport had expired, police said they would take action against the pair for staying in India without valid documents.</p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-eb739aca-7fff-2c15-824b-29e2fd7800bc"></span></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: Getty Images</em></p>

Legal

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Missing Wordle update sees kidnapped woman rescued

<p dir="ltr">The wildly popular web-based word game Wordle has helped rescue an 80-year-old woman from an alleged kidnapping.</p><p dir="ltr">Chicago woman Denyse Holt was asleep in her home on Saturday when a naked, mentally ill man allegedly broke into her home and held her hostage for 17 hours, as reported by the <em><a href="https://nypost.com/2022/02/10/chicago-woman-rescued-from-naked-kidnapper-thanks-to-wordle/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">New York Post</a></em>.</p><p dir="ltr">The key to her rescue came after she didn’t text her daughter with her daily Wordle answers, prompting her daughter to call the police, <a href="https://chicago.cbslocal.com/2022/02/08/man-charged-knapping-home-incolnwood/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">WBBM-TV reported</a>.</p><p dir="ltr">The intruder - identified as 32-year-old James H Davis III - was bloodied from a broken window and reportedly slipped into Ms Holt’s bed while holding a pair of scissors.</p><p dir="ltr">“I was in shock,” Ms Holt said, recalling that she tried to stay calm during the ordeal.</p><p dir="ltr">“I was trying to survive, that’s all. He said, ‘I won’t harm you or molest you’.”</p><p dir="ltr">After ordering her to take a shower with him in her nightgown, she recalled that he changed his mind.</p><p dir="ltr">“He said, ‘No, I’m not warm enough. We have to take a bath’,” she said.</p><p dir="ltr">Following the bath, she said Mr Davis dragged her around the house, disconnected the phones, took several knives from the kitchen, and took her into a bathroom in the basement, which he blocked with a chair.</p><p dir="ltr">“I didn’t think I was going to live. I was doing marching and stretching as much as I could,” she recounted.</p><p dir="ltr">Eventually, Ms Holt’s daughter Meredith Holt-Caldwell noticed that her mother hadn’t sent her a message about the word-logic puzzle as she usually would.</p><p><span id="docs-internal-guid-8c4ead01-7fff-5226-324a-c0c52961fee9"></span></p><p dir="ltr">“I didn’t send my older daughter a Wordle in the morning - and that was disconcerting to her,” Ms Holt said.</p><p dir="ltr"><img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/02/wordle-kidnapping1.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" /></p><p dir="ltr"><em>Denyse Holt’s daughter Meredith realised something was amiss when her mother didn’t send her an update about the word-logic game Wordle. Image: CBS Chicago</em></p><p dir="ltr">After the family called police, officers arrived at Ms Holt’s home at about 9.40pm on Sunday.</p><p dir="ltr"><span id="docs-internal-guid-34ead5ae-7fff-6c00-89ff-bad1804d768b"></span></p><p dir="ltr">Members of a SWAT team were able to overpower the man using a stun gun following an hours-long standoff.</p><p dir="ltr"><img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/02/wordle-kidnapping2.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" /></p><p dir="ltr"><em>The man was eventually overpowered by SWAT and police with a stun gun. Image: CBS Chicago</em></p><p dir="ltr">“I never thought in a million years this is what was happening, but it was,” Ms Holt-Caldwell told WBBM.</p><p dir="ltr">Mr Davis was later hit with several charges, including home invasion with a dangerous weapon, aggravated kidnapping while armed with a dangerous weapon and aggravated assault against a peace officer.</p><p dir="ltr">“I’m very lucky,” said Ms Holt, who was physically unharmed from the ordeal.</p><p dir="ltr">Wordle, the online word-logic game developed by software engineer Josh Wardle, has become a viral trend among English-language puzzlers.</p><p dir="ltr">Players are required to guess a five-word letter, which changes each day, in just six attempts, using letters on the board as clues.</p><p dir="ltr"><span id="docs-internal-guid-a5bb4ce0-7fff-8e56-ea87-f7a04b41104b"></span></p><p dir="ltr"><em>Images: CBS Chicago, Getty Images</em></p>

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Why Richard Gere is set to testify in Italian kidnapping trial

<p dir="ltr">Actor Richard Gere has been named as a witness in a high-profile Italian kidnapping trial involving former government minister Matteo Salvini. Salvini, the populist leader of the right-wing League Party, is facing kidnapping charges for refusing to let a migrant ship dock in the country. If convicted, he faces up to 15 years in jail and being barred from running for office.</p> <p dir="ltr">Gere was in Italy in August 2019, when Salvini refused for days to let a boat carrying about 150 migrants rescued at sea to dock in Italy. The vessel was operated by the NGO Proactiva Open Arms, and Gere visited the boat in an effort to draw international attention to the situation. Activists described the conditions on board and the Italian government’s failure to act as a humanitarian crisis at the time.</p> <p dir="ltr">Salvini has said that the inclusion of Gere in the list of witnesses proves the case against him should not be taken seriously. "Now you tell me how serious is a trial where Richard Gere comes from Hollywood to testify on how bad I am," Mr Salvini said. Other witnesses include former Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte, as well as other senior Italian political figures.</p> <p dir="ltr">Proactiva Open Arms told the court that Gere could give a direct account of the conditions on board the vessel, which was stranded off the Italian island of Lampedusa for 19 days before prosecutors ordered its evacuation. At present, it is not clear whether Gere will appear in person or via video.</p> <p dir="ltr">Salvini, a populist known for his anti-immigrant campaigns, argues that he was simply doing his duty as minister by refusing to allow the migrants to disembark. He said, "Defending a country's borders, security, honour and dignity is not just a minister's duty but everyone's duty.</p> <p dir="ltr">"Being put on trial for just doing my duty is surreal. A Spanish boat refusing to go to Spain commits an abuse. If Spain gives its flag to boats it does not manage to control, then there is a problem".</p> <p dir="ltr">The next hearing is scheduled for December 17.</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: Michael Loccisano/WireImage/Getty Images</em></p>

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“Every second feels like hours”: Amazing moment a kidnapping is foiled

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Terrifying bodycam footage has been released by US authorities of the moment police foiled the kidnapping of a six-year-old girl.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The video shows the moment when Jason Burba, an officer from the Louisville Metro Police Department, approached a red sedan after the suspect was in custody, opened the passenger door and found the child who had been snatched from her bike and thrown into the car.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">After saying “hello”, the officer began to reassure the little girl.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“It’s OK,” he told her as he picked her up.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Come here, it’s OK.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Burba is then seen walking to a police vehicle while the child, who was not physically harmed, can be heard crying, “I want my daddy.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">During a police press conference, Burba, who is a father of four, admitted the cry went straight to his heart.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“It was tough,” Burba told </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">WAVE 3 News</span><span style="font-weight: 400;"> while fighting back tears.</span><span style="font-weight: 400;"><br /></span><span style="font-weight: 400;">“You have kids.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Burba’s sergeant, Joseff Keeling, is also a dad to a young child.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Both officers said they felt the same panic as any parent would if their child had been kidnapped.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Keeling said all police units stopped what they were doing when they received reports a man had pulled a child off her bike before throwing her in the back of his red vehicle by her collar.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Neighbours who had followed the car wrote down three of the digits on the licence plate and gave them to police.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“It’s like the world stops,” Burba said of the search.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Like every second feels like hours.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Keeling told radio station </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">WHAS</span><span style="font-weight: 400;"> that he saw the car and followed it as it pulled into a driveway.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">In Keeling’s bodycam footage, he can be seen pulling the vehicle over and ordering the driver to get out of the car with his hands up.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“When I approached the vehicle, I didn’t know what was going to be behind that door,” he told </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">WAVE</span><span style="font-weight: 400;">.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“The windows, the tint was so dark.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Robby Wildt, 40, was arrested, charged with kidnapping a minor, and booked into Louisville Metro Corrections on a US $1 (AUD $1.34) million bond.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">In an interview with </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">WHAS</span><span style="font-weight: 400;">, Keeling credited the witnesses for providing a good description of the car and recording part of the number plate.</span></p> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Image: Louisville Metro Police Department</span></em></p>

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Stuart MacGill breaks silence on kidnapping

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Stuart MacGill has spoken out, saying he is still shaken and reeling from the alleged kidnapping.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“I’ve thought about it probably 20 hours a day ever since,” he said in an interview with </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">A Current Affair</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;">.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“I’ve thought maybe I could have done something different, but then I wouldn’t probably be sitting here talking to you.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">MacGill was allegedly abducted on April 14 and is believed to be the target of alleged drug dealers.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“I found myself in a position I couldn’t do much about,” he said.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“I was in a situation that’s foreign to me and I was physically and mentally intimidated.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“I couldn’t have done anything differently, I don’t think.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">When asked whether he feared for his life during the incident, MacGill said: “I just didn’t really know don’t what was going to happen, that’s all.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“I sort of talk to myself all the … I was just running different scenarios </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“I don’t really know whether or not I’m prepared to talk about that sort of thing at the moment, to be honest.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">MacGill spoke out about the incident to assist detectives in their investigations.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Detectives are currently searching for the three men they believe were involved in the incident. Police have released CCTV footage showing two men entering a Bunnings hours before the alleged abduction.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;"><img style="width: 396px; height:223px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7841940/cctv-stuart-macgill.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/89069c31d88a4578877ddd777b826c74" /></span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Detective Superintendent Andrew Koutsoufis said the men had items with them that police believed were used to “intimidate” MacGill.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“We are very keen to identify and locate those two males,” he told 2GB radio on Tuesday.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">A computer-generated image of a third man known both as “Sonny” and “Zac” has also been released by police. Detective Superintendent Koutsoufis said the third man was a “street level drug dealer” who frequents the Ryde area and drives a white Camry with a rideshare sticker.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">He is described to be of Middle Eastern appearance, aged between 25 and 35, with a solid build, short dark-coloured hari and a brown and red coloured beard. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Four men, including Ms O’Meagher’s brother Marino Sotiropoulos were arrested and charged in May over the alleged kidnapping, and are still in custody until their next court appearance.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">MacGill denied any involvement in the abduction or any knowledge of an alleged cocaine supply deal that was occurring when he introduced Ms O’Meagher’s brother to “Sonny”.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“I know that I have done nothing wrong, Maria has done nothing wrong,” MacGill said.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“If people choose to think something contrary to what’s been presented by both myself and the police, then that’s up to them.</span></p> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Images: A Current Affair</span></em></p>

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Strange new twist in Stuart MacGill’s kidnapping

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">One of the men arrested over the </span><a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/news/news/stuart-macgill-kidnapped-and-threatened-at-gunpoint"><span style="font-weight: 400;">kidnapping of Stuart MacGill</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> three weeks ago has been identified as the brother of the cricketer’s former partner.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">MacGill was abducted in an alleged targeted kidnapping and extortion attempt outside his home in Sydney’s lower north shore.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Police allege a man known to MacGill confronted him at around 8pm on April 14 before two more men arrived, forced him into a car, and drove him over 60km away.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Police also allege MacGill was driven to a property in Bringelly where a fourth man joined the alleged kidnapping and the cricketer was assaulted and threatened with a firearm. Then he was driven to Belmore an hour later and released.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The man known to him is allegedly Marino Sotiopoulos, the brother of MacGill’s recent partner Maria O’Meagher.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Sotiropoulos was arrested along with three other men - Son Minh Nguyen and brothers Frederick and Richard Schaaf - on Wednesday.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Sotiropoulos was charged with participating in a criminal group and supplying a large commercial quantity of a prohibited drug.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">MacGill currently works at Greek eatery Aristotle’s in Neutral Bay as a general manager and has recently been in a relationship with former owner of the restaurant O’Meagher.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Sotiropoulos is also listed on business records as a former owner of the eatery.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Police have confirmed MacGill reported the incident on April 20, adding he did not owe the men money.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“The delay in reporting was due to the significant fear instilled in the man,” detective acting superintendent Anthony Holten said.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Everyone experiences trauma differently.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Holten continued, saying that anyone who had been in MacGill’s shoes would “be pretty worried for your own personal safety and the safety of your family and friends.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Police will be “closely monitoring” MacGill’s welfare, with officers visiting him on May 6 to check on him and update him on the outcome of the arrests.</span></p>

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Stuart MacGill kidnapped and threatened at gunpoint

<p>Former Australian Test cricketer Stuart MacGill was kidnapped and held for ransom by an alleged criminal group in a shocking attack at his home on Sydney's north shore.</p> <p>The news was first reported by the Daily Telegraph, with police confirming in a statement that a 50-year old man was abducted at gunpoint from Cremorne.</p> <p>Police said that around 8 pm on April 14 a 50-year old man was allegedly confronted by a 46-year-old man at Cremorne.</p> <p>Then two other men forced the 50-year old man into a vehicle before driving to a property at Bringelly.</p> <p>Police allege he was assaulted and threatened with a firearm at the property before being driven to Belmore and released an hour later.</p> <p>The incident was reported to officers from North Shore Police Area Command on Wednesday 20 April 2021.</p> <p>The statement confirmed that the “Robbery and Serious Crime Squad detectives have arrested four men”.</p> <p>MacGill played 44 Test matches for Australia and three One Day Internationals.</p>

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"I was petrified": Rebel Wilson reveals she was kidnapped at gunpoint

<p>Rebel Wilson has spoken about the horrifying moment she was kidnapped at gunpoint by a group of men in rural Africa.</p> <p>The Australian actress appeared on the UK TV special Ant Middleton &amp; Rebel Wilson: Straight Talking, where she was interviewed by SAS Australia instructor Ant Middleton.</p> <p>Speaking to the 40-year-old, Wilson was asked about the moment where she felt the most fear in her life.</p> <p>She revealed that she had been travelling with a group of women in Mozambique when they were ambushed by armed men.</p> <p>“We were on this cattle truck and these men came on another truck with a lot of guns. (They pulled up beside us) with the big guns and they were like, ‘Yeah, you’ve got to get off your truck.’” she said.</p> <p>Wilson said the group was taken to a house and held hostage overnight.</p> <p>“I felt like I was very good in the crisis. I was like a team leader,” she added.</p> <p>“They sat us down, and I said, ‘Everybody link arms,’ because I was petrified in the night that they might want to take one of the girls or something.”</p> <p>They were allowed to leave the next day.</p> <p>“They came and said, ‘Your truck is ready now. You can go, go, go,’” she said.</p> <p>“We just got back on that truck and got out of there and crossed the South African border a few hours later.”</p> <p>The Pitch Perfect star still doesn't know the reasoning behind the kidnapping, but she's developed her own theory.</p> <p>“I think maybe those guys, maybe, used us to smuggle illegal things in the bottom of the truck,” she added.</p> <p>She did not specify when the incident happened.</p>

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Man fakes own kidnapping to extort money from his mum

<p>A man from Sydney accused of faking his own kidnapping to extort $10,000 from his own mother has faced court.</p> <p>Raynor Earnshaw, from Toongabbie, is accused of faking an assault on himself and forcing his mother to pay a ransom.</p> <p>The 31-year-old’s mother visited the police on Tuesday morning after she received a message from her son.</p> <p>“If you don’t give me money you’re never going to see me again. Mum I need help!” Earnshaw is alleged to have written to his mum in a text.</p> <p>“Do you think I want this? I need this or I’m done.”</p> <p>The messages ended up sparking a large-scale police response, as they seemed to get darker.</p> <p>“Thanks, mum, that is the start. It’s going to be a finger every f****** 15 minutes,” he told his mum alongside a photograph of a torso with two stab wounds.</p> <p>After discovering leads, police ended up tracking Earnshaw to a cafe in Brighton Le Sands where he was found unharmed and hanging out with friends.</p> <p>CCTV showed the 31-year-old had spent several hours at the cafe and was seen making regular phone calls.</p> <p>He was arrested by police and charged with a number of offences, including giving false information and using a carriage service to menace.</p> <p>Earnshaw faced court on Wednesday and was refused bail.</p> <p>Court orders have also been put in place to prevent him from contacting his mother.</p> <p>The 31-year-old will face court again next month.</p>

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Haunting photos of teen sent to family in “virtual kidnapping” scam

<p>Investigations are continuing after a teenage student was in a “virtual kidnapping” scam in Sydney, which resulted in more than $213,000 being transferred for their child’s safe return.</p> <p>NSW Police received reports of a missing 18-year-old Chinese woman on September 8 after friends became concerned for her welfare.</p> <p>Photos and videos of the woman were sent to family using the Chinese messaging service WeChat.</p> <p>Large sums of money were demanded by a person that was pretending to be Chinese police who were promising her safe release.</p> <p>Following further investigations from NSW Police, Chinese authorities and the AFP, the woman was found safe and unharmed in the inner-city suburb of Pyrmont on September 15.</p> <p>Police have since raided a Chatswood unit, while a 22-year-old male has spoken with officers. Investigations continue.</p> <p>In one photo, a pair of bare legs can be seen.  Police were trying to determine if that person is a victim themselves or involved in the scam.</p> <p>NSW Police Force state crime command director Detective Chief Superintendent Darren Bennett said police were urging the community to remain vigilant to such elaborate phone scams.</p> <p>“Less than two months ago, the NSW Police Force issued a warning to the community about ‘virtual kidnapping’ scams targeting Chinese students studying in Australia,” Det Chief Supt Bennett said.</p> <p>“It appears these scammers are continuing to operate and are once again preying on the vulnerabilities of individuals in the community who are not in direct physical contact with their families.”</p> <p>Det Chief Supt Bennett said that this incident began in July when a woman received an email from someone who was posing as Chinese police.</p> <p>They told her that her personal details had been illegally used on a package intercepted overseas.</p> <p>“The individuals behind these ‘virtual kidnapping’ scams continually adapt their scripts and methodology which are designed to take advantage of people’s trust in authorities,” he said.</p> <p>Police are reminding Chinese nationals that authorities in China would never contact students demanding money.</p> <p>They have urged that if anyone experiences such behaviour to report to the Chinese Consulate in Sydney and police.</p>

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A hero no more? Why princess Anne's kidnapping saviour must give up his medal

<p><span>The man who aided in helping Princess Anne from being kidnapped has been forced to give up a medal he received in recognition of his incredible bravery over 46 years ago. </span><br /><br /><span>The Queen’s daughter was only 23 at the time and on her way to Buckingham Palace after s charity event when her car was suddenly cut off in the middle of the road by another vehicle. </span><br /><br /><span>Jumping out of a car, stepped Ian Ball, gun in hand, who proceeded to shoot the royal's chauffeur and security officer before telling Princess Anne she had to go with him.</span></p> <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/B8OG-MBHe1U/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="12"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/B8OG-MBHe1U/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by Dix Noonan Webb (@dixnoonanwebb)</a> on Feb 6, 2020 at 1:30am PST</p> </div> </blockquote> <p><br /><span>In a 1980s interview about the kidnapping attempt, the Royal Princess revealed she took a surprisingly no-nonsense approach with her attacker.</span><br /><br /><span>"He opened the door, and we had a sort of discussion, hah, about where or where not we were going to go," she admitted calmly in the interview as she recalled details. </span><br /><br /><span>"He said I had to go with him, can't remember why. I said I didn't think I wanted to go. I was scrupulously polite, because I thought 'it's silly to be too rude'.</span><br /><br /><span>"We had a fairly low-key discussion about the fact that I wasn't going to go anywhere, and wouldn't it be much better if he moved away and we'd all forget about it?"</span><br /><br /><span>Interestingly enough, Princess Anne was not rude until Ball accidentally tore her gown when she was stepping out of the vehicle and Anne got angry. </span><br /><br /><span>However, he was not forced to face the wrath of the royal as out of nowhere, 6'4 former boxer Ronald Russell took a swing at the back of Ball's head and distracted him.</span><br /><br /><span>Ball took off running as more police arrived and was later arrested in part thanks to Russell's well-timed punch.</span></p> <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/B8OYRRAnDll/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="12"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/B8OYRRAnDll/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by Dix Noonan Webb (@dixnoonanwebb)</a> on Feb 6, 2020 at 4:01am PST</p> </div> </blockquote> <p><br /><br /><span>Princess Anne left the incident without a scratch on her and Russell was later awarded the George Medal from bravery by the Queen, who was beyond grateful that her daughter was safe.</span><br /><span>"The medal is from the Queen, but I want to thank you as Anne's mother," Her Majesty told Russell as she presented him with the medal.</span><br /><br /><span>Sadly, 46 years later Russell is being forced to let go of the medal, something he said he “would never ever do”. </span><br /><br /><span>Following years of declining health, the 72-year-old has decided to sell the royal memento, which could go for as much as $38,000.</span><br /><br /><span>However, he has a simple request for the person who buys the keepsake. </span><br /><br /><span>"What I would like is whoever does eventually buy the medal, I would hope they might invite me somewhere to tell them about what happened on the night," he told the <em>BBC.</em></span><br /><br /><span>Russell recalled Princess Anne remained calm and collected when Ball confronted the royal with a gun, telling her assailant: "Just go away and don't be such a silly man."</span><br /><br /><span>Moments later Russell made a move to protect the princess, and squared up against Ball despite the danger he’d be putting himself in. </span><br /><br /><span>"Ball stood there glaring at me with the gun and I hit him," Russell said. </span><br /><br /><span>"I hit him as hard as I could, and he was flat on the floor face down."</span></p>

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