EasternEye

THREE women who were sexually abused by serial rapist Amar Ilyas have said they feel "betrayed" after he fled to Pakistan while on bail and failed to return to Britain for his trial. Ilyas, 41, was convicted of 20 sexual offences against five girls in Sheffield and was sentenced in his absence to a minimum of 27 years in prison. He was arrested in 2020 and charged in 2023 as part of the National Crime Agency's Operation Stovewood investigation into historic sexual abuse in South Yorkshire. Sheffield Crown Court heard that Ilyas committed the offences against girls as young as 12 in the Meersbrook and Sharrow areas of Sheffield between 2004 and 2007. He was allowed to remain on court bail and, according to the BBC, retained his passport. He had previously travelled abroad while on bail but returned to Britain. Ilyas travelled to Pakistan in July 2025 and failed to return for his trial in September that year, despite being ordered by a judge to come back to the UK. Ilyas's brothers, Kamar Ilyas, 40, and Kamran Ilyas, 39, were also jailed in June for sexual offences against one victim. Kamar was sentenced to 10 years and Kamran to three years. ## ‘Where is the justice?’ One survivor, who was abused by Ilyas when she was 13, said she felt "cheated" because she had been left afraid to go out while her attacker was able to leave the country. "There is no justice, is there really?" she said. "He didn't take accountability. He's not getting any consequences for his actions." She questioned why Ilyas had been able to retain his passport. Kamar Ilyas and Kamran IlyasPhoto: X/NCA "We were told that he got to keep his passport because of his human rights, but he wasn't humane towards other people," she said. Another survivor said she had learning difficulties and was particularly vulnerable when she was abused as a teenager. "Why, when he's committed these offences against us girls, was he allowed to keep his passport? That's my question. Where is the justice?" she said. The women, who have lifelong anonymity, are now calling for changes to prevent defendants accused of serious sexual offences from absconding while awaiting trial. "Going forwards, I think they need to put into place that they remove the passports," one survivor said. ## ‘Coward’s route’ Ilyas's case has also drawn attention to the difficulties of bringing suspects back to Britain after they flee abroad. A third survivor, who was raped by Ilyas as a teenager, said she had little hope that he would return to Britain to serve his sentence. "I just know he's in Pakistan and they're doing what they can, but I've been told it's very difficult with Pakistan with extradition," she said. "Shame on him but shame on the law too, they allowed that to happen." Judge Peter Hampton, who sentenced Ilyas and his two younger brothers in June, said Ilyas had "taken the coward's route and fled". He urged law enforcement to find him and use "all means" to execute the outstanding arrest warrant. ## NCA determined to bring him back Phillip Marshall, head of Operation Stovewood at the NCA, said Ilyas had "tormented and brutally sexually abused vulnerable young girls and women 20 years ago" and had compounded their suffering by failing to return for his trial or sentencing. The investigation, he said, ensured that "his crimes against the women were heard, believed and proven in court". "We are just as determined to ensure that Ilyas serves his prison sentence," Marshall added. The NCA said it was carrying out proactive enquiries to locate him. It is understood that when Ilyas's defence team applied for bail, prosecutors had the opportunity to challenge the application, but no request was made for his passport to be forfeited. The government said bail restrictions were a matter for the independent judiciary. Lucy Duckworth of the Survivors Trust described the case as "absolutely appalling" and said it highlighted gaps in the criminal justice system's response to sexual violence. A government spokesperson said the crimes were "horrible" and that its thoughts remained with the victims. The government also said it was committed to protecting vulnerable girls and bringing offenders to justice as part of its plan to halve violence against women and girls over a decade.

- The Met Office says current forecasts do not support widespread UK snow or a prolonged freeze. - El Niño could increase the chances of wetter and stormier weather later in autumn and early winter. - The coming days are expected to bring rain, showers, stronger winds and some cooler spells. The UK weather forecast snow claims circulating online have been challenged by the Met Office, which has rejected suggestions that Britain is about to be hit by widespread snow, a major freeze or a “polar vortex”. The forecaster said recent headlines about a “551-mile wall of rain and snow” and an imminent “polar vortex of snow and storms” were overly dramatic and did not reflect the current forecast. The latest Met Office forecast shows a changeable and increasingly autumnal pattern, with rain, showers and stronger winds. Temperatures are expected to turn cooler after an unusually warm start to October, but there is no indication of a prolonged nationwide freeze. #### Will it snow across the UK this week? Not according to the current forecast. The Met Office said there is no indication of widespread low-level snow across the UK in the short-range outlook. Wednesday is expected to bring heavy rain across much of England and Wales, while Scotland and Northern Ireland will see sunny spells and showers. Temperatures will generally be close to, or slightly below, average. Some colder conditions are possible, particularly overnight. Rural frost could develop in places, while showers could be heavy in parts of northern and north-western Britain. But the forecaster said this is very different from a widespread or disruptive snow event. “The current forecast does not support the suggestion that the UK is about to be ‘smashed’ by widespread snow associated with changes to the polar vortex,” the Met Office said in its assessment of recent weather headlines. The current UK forecast describes Wednesday as turning cooler, with heavy rain moving east across England and Wales. Thursday is expected to be drier and brighter for many, although it will feel fresher, while Friday could bring further outbreaks of heavy rain. #### What does El Niño mean for UK weather? El Niño is a natural climate phenomenon involving warmer-than-average sea-surface temperatures in the tropical Pacific. It can influence weather patterns around the world, but its effects vary significantly from one region to another. The Met Office expects the current El Niño event to be particularly strong and has previously said it could increase the likelihood of wetter-than-average conditions in the UK during autumn, alongside a greater chance of windy weather later in the season. However, El Niño does not determine individual weather events. The Met Office said it could increase the likelihood of wetter, stormier and generally milder conditions in the UK during late autumn and early winter. Later in winter, a weakening of the stratospheric polar vortex could potentially increase the chances of sudden stratospheric warming events, which can in turn raise the possibility of colder weather. But these are changes in probability rather than predictions that a particular snowstorm will hit Britain. The Met Office said any potential polar-vortex effects associated with El Niño would relate to the end of winter, rather than meaning snow is about to arrive in specific parts of the UK. #### Is a ‘551-mile wall of rain and snow’ heading for Britain? The Met Office said bands of rain are indeed in the short-term forecast, but there is no “unbroken wall of rain and snow” covering the country. The latest outlook instead points to a changeable autumn, with spells of rain, brisk winds, showers and cooler intervals mixed with drier and brighter periods. Southern and eastern areas are likely to have more opportunities for drier weather, while the west and north-west are more exposed to rain and stronger winds. The longer-range forecast is similarly not pointing towards a nationwide freeze. From October 10 into the middle of the month, the Met Office expects Atlantic weather systems to bring periods of rain and strong winds, particularly in western and north-western areas, with occasional cooler spells. Temperatures, however, are expected to be near or slightly above average overall for much of the period. The message from the forecaster is therefore fairly straightforward: Britain is moving into more typical autumn weather, but the dramatic snow and freezing conditions suggested by some recent headlines are not the central themes of the current forecast.

- The FCA has appointed board member Lea Paterson to review its handling of Andriesz. - The regulator previously apologised after giving him incorrect advice about whistleblower protection. - MPs are calling for an independent investigation rather than an internal FCA review. The UK's financial regulator has launched an investigation into how it handled a whistleblower who raised concerns about his former employer and later highlighted alleged business links between US commerce secretary Howard Lutnick and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Simon Andriesz, a former managing director at financial brokerage BGC Group, died last month aged 57. His death was confirmed by the Transparency Task Force, a campaign group of which he was a member. Reports have described his death as suicide, but there has been no suggestion that his whistleblowing was the cause. The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) said it has appointed Lea Paterson, a recently appointed non-executive director, to review how its staff interacted with Andriesz and identify lessons for the future. “We are very sorry to hear of Mr Andriesz’s death,” an FCA spokesperson reportedly said. “Our thoughts are with his family and friends.” The regulator said it had decided to conduct the review after expressing its condolences to his family. #### Why is the FCA investigating its handling of Andriesz? Andriesz had spent years raising concerns about BGC Group, where Lutnick was previously chief executive. He first raised concerns internally about alleged accounting irregularities in 2016, a year before he was dismissed by the company. He later raised concerns with US and UK authorities about alleged wrongdoing and potential retaliation. Andriesz also told US authorities that Lutnick had undeclared business ties with Epstein. He later provided an email chain that appeared to show discussions between Lutnick and Epstein about a start-up business in 2018. Lutnick has denied having a personal or professional relationship with Epsteinand has not been accused of wrongdoing in relation to Epstein. Andriesz's concerns about the FCA focused partly on how the regulator dealt with his whistleblowing and whether it did enough to investigate his allegations against BGC. The FCA had also incorrectly told Andriesz that he would not qualify for whistleblower protection because his identity had become known. The regulator later apologised and said additional guidance and training would be provided to its whistleblowing team. The case has now raised wider questions about how whistleblowers are treated when they bring allegations of wrongdoing to financial regulators. #### Why are MPs calling for an independent inquiry? The FCA's decision to review its own handling of the case has already attracted criticism from MPs. The all-party parliamentary group on investment fraud and fairer financial services has called for an independent investigation, arguing that the regulator should not effectively be reviewing its own conduct. John McDonnell, the Labour MP who chairs the group, reportedly said: “It is vital that this time a truly independent and non-conflicted organisation carries out the work needed.” He added that if the FCA did not respond positively, the group would consider alternatives, including its own call for evidence from whistleblowers who had dealt with the regulator. The criticism comes as Andriesz's case highlights the potential personal and financial costs involved in challenging large financial institutions. His information contributed to regulatory action against BGC in the US and UK. US authorities previously imposed penalties on the company over regulatory matters, while Andriesz received a whistleblower award from the US Commodity Futures Trading Commission. He said the award was ultimately outweighed by legal and other costs associated with his campaign. BGC has consistently disputed Andriesz's allegations. A spokesperson for the company said: “BGC has long disputed Mr Andriesz’s allegations but does not intend to relitigate these matters at this sad time.” The company added that it was sorry to hear of his death and offered its condolences to his family. The FCA's review is expected to examine its interactions with Andriesz rather than determine the truth of the allegations he made against Lutnick or BGC. That distinction is important. The regulator is now facing scrutiny over how it handled a whistleblower, while the separate allegations concerning Lutnick's relationship with Epstein remain contested. For the FCA, the review could become a wider test of whether Britain's financial watchdog has the systems and protections needed for people who come forward with allegations of serious wrongdoing.

- BA295 dropped from about 37,000 feet to 9,000 feet over Ireland. - Oxygen masks deployed after the aircraft experienced a technical issue. - The Boeing 777-200ER circled before safely landing back at Heathrow. A British Airways flight from London to Chicago was forced to turn back after making a sudden descent of around 28,000 feet over Ireland. Flight BA295 was about an hour into its transatlantic journey from London Heathrow to Chicago O’Hare when the Boeing 777-200ER descended from its cruising altitude of around 37,000 feet to approximately 9,000 feet. The aircraft also issued a 7700 emergency squawk, the internationally recognised code used to alert air traffic control that a plane is experiencing a general emergency. Passengers said oxygen masks dropped from the ceiling following turbulence, although British Airways has not confirmed that the aircraft experienced a loss of cabin pressure. Passenger Tom Nicholls described a “sudden bit of turbulence” before the emergency. “The plane adjusted but it didn’t feel like it was descending rapidly. I’d say the pilots did a very good job,” he said. “The oxygen masks popped out soon after and there was a bit of uncertainty onboard.” The captain later told passengers the aircraft was below 10,000 feet and the masks were no longer needed. #### What is the 7700 emergency code? 7700 is a general emergency signal used by pilots to alert air traffic control that an aircraft needs assistance. It does not tell controllers exactly what has gone wrong. The code can be used for a range of emergencies, including technical problems, medical situations, severe weather or other circumstances requiring urgent assistance. Controllers then communicate with the crew to establish what is happening and what support is required. In BA295’s case, flight-tracking data showed the aircraft transmitting the 7700 code while flying over Ireland before descending to around 9,000 feet. British Airways has so far described the cause only as a “technical issue”. The airline has not confirmed that the incident was caused by cabin depressurisation. A rapid descent to below 10,000 feet is commonly associated with a suspected pressurisation problem because the air at lower altitude is dense enough for people to breathe without relying on supplementary oxygen. But in this case, that remains an inference rather than a confirmed cause. #### Why did the London-Chicago flight turn back? After the emergency descent, BA295 reversed course towards Britain instead of continuing across the Atlantic. Flight-tracking data showed the aircraft subsequently flying holding patterns over the Bristol Channel as it reduced its fuel load before landing. Long-haul aircraft carry substantial amounts of fuel for transatlantic journeys, so a plane returning relatively early can be significantly heavier than it would normally be when landing. The aircraft eventually landed safely at Heathrow shortly after 5pm, several hours after leaving London. British Airways said: “The safety of our customers and crew is always our top priority, and the aircraft landed safely after our highly trained pilots returned to Heathrow following a technical issue.” “Customers disembarked the aircraft normally and our teams are working to get their travel plans back on track as quickly as possible.” Photographs shared by passengers showed oxygen masks hanging from the aircraft's ceiling. There were no immediate reports of serious injuries, and many passengers were booked on alternative flights departing on Tuesday. The aircraft involved was a Boeing 777-200ER, registered as G-VIIA. It was delivered to British Airways in July 1997 and is one of the airline's older aircraft. For the passengers on BA295, what began as a routine London-Chicago journey instead ended with an emergency descent, a U-turn over the Atlantic and a return to Heathrow. British Airways has not yet provided further details about the technical problem.

- Trump says US withdrew all B-1 bombers from RAF Fairford - He says threats were "linked to Iran"; Tehran denies involvement - Downing Street insists the base is safe - Six people arrested over incident released on bail US PRESIDENT Donald Trump said on Monday that the United States had withdrawn all its B-1 bombers from RAF Fairford because of threats he believed were linked to Iran, as the UK government insisted the base was safe. The Pentagon confirmed on Sunday that the bombers had left the base in south-west England, which the US has used to launch strikes on Iran. "There were some threats," Trump told reporters at the White House. "And rather than tempting the enemy – we'll capture the enemy and beat the enemy, but why should we leave them there? So we moved them around a little bit, not very far." He said the US knew who was behind the threat. ### 'US bombing missions from RAF Fairford have brought war to their doorstep' "We actually know the people that made the threat," he said. "They would be linked to Iran." Trump declined to comment on a report that the threat involved attack drones, saying: "I can't tell you that but if they did they'll suffer greatly." UK insists base is safe Asked whether the base was safe, Prime Minister Andy Burnham's official spokesman said: "Yes." "We have tried and tested approaches to defend our bases around the country and throughout the world," he told reporters. In its statement, the Pentagon said: "We can acknowledge now that all US bombers that were deployed to RAF Fairford have re-deployed to their home stations in the United States." It added that "operational security precluded us from confirming the movement of our assets and forces in real-time". US Secretary of State Marco Rubio expressed "confidence in the security of all of our bases" and said the UK had been highly cooperative with the investigation. "They couldn't be more cooperative," he said. Two US officials told the New York Times that the bombers were moved after commanders received new threat information about an Iran-backed plot. One said the information was linked to warnings that first surfaced three weeks ago, but the situation had become urgent in the past 24 hours, the paper reported. The investigation so far Police were called to the area on September 27 after a farmer in the village of Whelford, near the base, reported seeing three vans blocking a road and a group of masked men fleeing the scene. Five men, all in their mid-20s, were arrested at the time, and a British-Iranian national was detained later. All six have since been released on bail. Counter-terrorism police said no explosives were found in the vans, but "a quantity of petrol was recovered". ### Arrest in Fairford investigation as Iran summons British ambassador over plot claims British media have reported that police were alerted to the incident by one of the initial suspects. Police have not commented on the reports. Speculation about the motive has ranged from a terror threat to fuel theft, with UK energy prices hitting record highs this week. Burnham has said there were "strong indications that Iran played a part". Iran's embassy in London said it "categorically rejects and strongly condemns" suggestions of Tehran's involvement. Trump had previously criticised British authorities for releasing the arrested men on bail. Why Fairford matters The UK gave the US permission in March to use Fairford for "specific defensive operations into Iran". US bombers and other aircraft have since been seen taking off from and landing at the base, which is the only airbase on mainland Britain used for this purpose. Security at the base has reportedly been increased. (With inputs from agencies)