Graham Lee had lived near his author neighbour for two years before he spoke to her for the first time. 

Two weeks later, she set fire to his beloved Land Rover Freelander. 

The kindhearted wildlife volunteer couldn’t understand why an innocuous conversation about badgers being kept on his driveway had sparked the fury of 63-year-old Susan Lupton. 

If anything, Graham walked away from what he described as a ‘nice and pleasant’ conversation with a feeling of optimism that someone was talking, as he thought, positively about the black and white omnivores.  

But what followed next was a near year-long period of his life being made hell, compounded by what Graham believes was police incompetence to fully protect him from his nightmare neighbour.

It left Graham petrified and fearing for his life, and led him to take the drastic action of arming himself with a crossbow for protection. 

The 56-year-old was born and raised on the Isle of Wight, and is a recognisable face on the island due to his work for the last 16 years with local volunteer group the Badgers Trust. 

His heroics include the daring rescue of an injured badger who was stranded on a cliff on the island. 

His great-grandfather was a respected Mayor of Ryde, and members of his family held senior positions in the military and on local councils. 

Graham Lee, 56, from the Isle of Wight, pictured here with a rescued badger. He was a victim of an arson attack by his neighbour who set fire to his Land Rover 

Susan Lupton had taken umbrage with Graham keeping badgers on his driveway and wrongly believed they had killed a cat in the area 

On June 20, 2024, his tranquil life in the idyllic coastal village Freshwater Bay, where he lives with his solicitor wife, was turned into a nightmare. 

It began a fortnight earlier, when Graham was walking to his garage on a 90ft by 10ft piece of land he had inherited from his late grandfather. 

He was heading to his Freelander he had recently bought to tend to his seriously ill, widowed mother in hospital, when a woman he had never seen before approached him. 

‘She just came out of the gate and said “oh, you’ve got badgers in your garden”. So I told her I feed them and I do wildlife work,’ Graham exclusively told the Daily Mail. 

‘And that the badgers sometimes live on the driveway in a purpose-built cell that I had.

‘I mean, some people are nasty about badgers because they hate them – digging up the lawn, killing hedgehogs or whatever, but they don’t do that.

‘So to meet someone who was nice and pleasant and enjoyed seeing them… I thought she seemed quite OK with it.’

He found out her name was Susan and she had been living opposite his garage for the last two years. Another brief conversation followed, where she mentioned to Graham that he was going to feature in an article in the local press about his badger escapades.

He thought nothing of it until a few days later when a neighbour told him Susan had posted online about him on Facebook.  

‘I didn’t even know who it was, so my partner looked her up and saw this Facebook post saying I’m an evil badger man, and my [Border Collie] dog is vicious. I’m keeping badgers on the driveway.’ 

Those messages have since been taken down. But unbeknownst to Graham, Susan had been watching him for years. 

Days later, after returning from a dentist appointment on the mainland, a frantic neighbour rang his doorbell on a crisp summer’s morning to tell him his car was on fire. 

Graham first put it down to the morning mist or steam coming off the Freelander due to condensation.

But he got dressed and made the short walk to his garage just to make sure. When he arrived, he was met with a huge plume of black smoke in the sky and a scene of carnage. 

‘My stomach just dropped and my legs went like jelly,’ he said.   

‘I thought Christ, so I got down there as quick as I could. The smoke was one hundred feet in the air. The flames were about twenty feet in the air. 

‘The fence had gone all on fire. My tree was gone. Flames were licking at the neighbour’s window upstairs. Everything in the garden was on fire. 

Susan set fire to his ‘pride and joy’ Freelander just two weeks after the neighbours had their first conversation

‘And Susan Lupton is in the road. I immediately said to her, “You did this. Why do you do this?” First off, she said “prove it”. 

‘Then I said to her again that she had done it and she said, “Your badgers kill cats”. And then she ran off inside.’

Graham grabbed hold of a hosepipe and bravely battled the flames for 15 minutes until firefighters arrived to stop the blaze from spreading to his severely disabled neighbour’s home. 

He believes his heroics saved his neighbour’s life, but it has also had lasting, damaging effects. 

Graham was treated for smoke inhalation on the roadside and suffered a burn on his arm. A week later, he was still coughing up black mucus. 

Today, he has to use a CPAP machine to help with his breathing.

Graham said he later submitted a claim to the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority for compensation for his injuries.

But he said this was rejected because ‘he had put himself at risk of harm by fighting the fire’. 

The inferno caused more than £20,000 worth of damage, with Graham’s 4×4 completely gutted.

A window, toolbox, guttering, cooker extractor and a Japanese Maple Tree were all beyond repair. 

The immediate impact caused the most angst. Graham’s elderly 83-year-old mother at the time was fighting for her life in hospital with sepsis in the spine that had eroded two of her vertebrae. 

He had bought the Land Rover as it was the right height to collect her when the time came that she was deemed well enough to go home. 

Susan admitted two counts of arson and was ordered to pay costs of £1,000 and compensation of £7,835. She has also been banned from the village of Freshwater indefinitely

But it is the emotional torment he endured at the hands of Susan for nearly a year afterwards that he could not fathom, due to what he says was a catalogue of police failures.

His neighbour immediately admitted her guilt the moment she was arrested when police arrived, with discarded matches scattered over her patio, as she told officers: ‘I did it. I’m responsible.’

She had used the matches to light a tray of white spirit that she placed under his car. A method she said that a ‘fireman friend’ had allegedly told her to use. 

It later transpired that Susan lives with bipolar and was experiencing an episode of mania at the time of the arson. She was sectioned after her arrest.

At the first hearing at magistrates’ court, Graham says he was told he could safely return home as Susan was being kept in hospital and was unfit to plead.

Yet when he pulled up, he chillingly saw her watching him from her window. It then began to dawn on him that she had been bailed back opposite to the scene of crime – despite Graham claiming she owned two other properties on the island. 

‘She spent the rest of the day staring at me, whilst I desperately emptied the contents of my garage in case she decided to set fire to that as well,’ he said.  

He set up security cameras and a padlocked fence to protect his garage.

But it did not stop his tormentor. Instead, he says Susan would watch him constantly, who had set up a ‘Google Nest camera’ on her window that he believes alerted her to his arrival. 

There were days when she was caught on camera, chillingly standing at the end of his driveway watching his every move while smoking a cigarette. 

Graham says she would park her car opposite his garage to make it difficult for him to access his vehicle. He claimed in October she walked out in front of his car to falsely claim to police that he was trying to run her over.   

And then there were the 999 calls from Susan making claims of harassment. Between June and October 2024 she called police six times.

On one occasion, he says it led to four officers turning up at Graham’s 85-year-old father-in-law’s home in search of him. 

Before the arson, she had posted videos online of her hurling bricks at Graham’s rescued badgers. 

He said: ‘It made me very afraid, and very stressed. I didn’t want to go down there [to the garage], but I had to make sure it was safe. I was scared, afraid to go down there because of her being there and not knowing what she’s going to do.’

That feeling of terror led Graham to take some extraordinary measures to protect himself and his loved ones. 

‘With the house, because she’d breached bail, because nothing is being done to her, because of the arson attack on my car, I had to have fire extinguishers in every room by the doors,’ he said.

The burnt remains of Graham’s Freelander that he bought in order to tend to his seriously ill, widowed mother in hospital 

‘We’re not Doomsday preppers or anything. Never had reason to have any type of weapon in the house at all, ever. But because the police were failing us and the CPS was doing nothing, we had to buy weapons. 

‘Knives, basically, hidden in every room. And a tactical crossbow that was kept by the bed.

‘The police had let us down. They would do nothing at all. Harsh words were not going to get rid of this woman if she came onto our property at night.

‘When we were cooking in the kitchen in the evening, I would have the back door open in the summer. But I felt fearful that she was going to walk through the back door while I was cooking.

‘It was constantly checking the CCTV on the house. We had to have that installed as well. I couldn’t even take my dog to the garage [as I didn’t know what she would do].’ 

Graham could not understand why the legal system had not come down harder on her. 

He points to a series of failures throughout the investigation, the most damning of all in allowing Susan to return to live opposite where she carried out the arson attack.  

Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary has apologised to Graham for the way officers handled the case, and in a letter in January, seen by the Mail, admitted the service was ‘not acceptable’. 

It blamed ‘admin errors’ and a lack of communication between custody sergeants and officers for Graham’s allegations of harassment initially being ‘overlooked’. 

Astonishingly, the letter states it was Susan’s ‘specific needs being met’ in the decision to bail her back to near where she had destroyed Graham’s Land Rover. 

‘The custody sergeant believed that he could have made her homeless with a condition not to live at that address, having explored the options with her son on the mainland which were untenable,’ the letter reads. 

‘I have to take into account that she has not expressed ownership of other address as you have indicated.’ 

Detectives did eventually submit evidence to the CPS in February – a day before she was originally due to appear in court to be sentenced for arson – to consider charging Susan with stalking without violence.   

It was dismissed, with the CPS later telling Graham in a letter, seen by the Mail, there was not ‘a realistic prospect of conviction’ as he and Susan had both made allegations of harassment against each other which were ‘finely balanced’. 

Susan had claimed in her defence that she was recording Graham as she ‘had been encouraged by the police to gather evidence to show they were the victim of harassment’.     

Graham is a recognisable face on the island due to his work for the last 16 years with local volunteer group the Badgers Trust. He sometimes kept them on his driveway

A spokesperson for Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary told the Mail: ‘A complaint was made to our Professional Standards department around the handling by police of the allegations in this case.

‘Organisational learning was identified, and an apology was issued to the victim.

‘The allegations of stalking and harassment were revisited, and all lines of enquiry were thoroughly investigated before police consulted with the CPS regarding a criminal charging decision.

‘Based on the evidence gathered, the CPS decision was to not take any further action.’

A Crown Prosecution Service spokesperson said: ‘We secured convictions for two counts of arson in this case and successfully applied for a restraining order to be put in place to provide further protection for Mr Lee.

‘Our prosecutors carefully reviewed further evidence in this case relating to other possible charges but ultimately were not satisfied there was a realistic prospect of conviction.

‘This decision was twice reviewed under our Victims’ Right to Review Scheme, and specialist prosecutors independently agreed with the original conclusion.

‘We have written to Mr Lee to explain our decision-making in detail.’

When sentencing, Judge James Newton-Price said that the victims in the case had suffered a ‘terrifying experience’ and that Susan had developed a ‘fixation’ with Graham and had became ‘irrationally obsessed’.

The judge told Susan: ‘You didn’t like Mr Lee attracting badgers to the area, for reasons of your own.

‘You had been harassing him online, calling him “Evil Badger Man” on Facebook.’

The judge continued: ‘You developed a fixation on Mr Lee, him feeding badgers and believing they killed a neighbour’s cat.

‘You became irrationally obsessed with that and started posting your views on social media.’

Susan was ordered to pay costs of £1,000 and compensation of £7,835. She was also handed two years’ imprisonment, suspended for two years, with a restraining order to stay away from Graham.

Susan has also been banned from the village of Freshwater indefinitely.

Today, Graham says life is slowly returning to some sense of normality. 

The tactical crossbow is gone. His mother is out of hospital, and he is now happily married, with the couple last year having to postpone their wedding because of the untold amount of stress. 

But he still, at times, checks over his shoulder just to make sure Susan isn’t there. 

SOURCE PAGE

We’ll be bringing you the very latest updates, pictures and video on this breaking news story.



SOURCE PAGE

Asfura says he is ready to govern after narrow vote as the US urges ‘all parties to respect the confirmed results’.

Nasry Asfura, a conservative candidate backed by United States President Donald Trump, has won the closely contested presidential elections in Honduras, the country’s election council has said.

The final results, announced on Wednesday – more than 20 days after the vote took place – are likely to lead to challenges in the Central American nation.

Recommended Stories

list of 3 itemsend of list

According to the electoral authority, known as the CNE, Asfura won 40.3 percent of the vote, edging out centre-right Liberal Party candidate Salvador Nasralla, who received 39.5 percent.

In a brief social media post, Asfura thanked the CNE on Wednesday. “Honduras: I am prepared to govern. I will not fail you,” he wrote.

Trump had come out strongly in support of Asfura, attacking Nasralla and left-wing candidate Rixi Moncada, who ended up garnering less than 20 percent of the votes.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio was quick to congratulate Asfura on Wednesday, saying that Washington looks forward to working with him.

“The people of Honduras have spoken: Nasry Asfura is Honduras’ next president,” Rubio wrote in a social media post.

In a separate statement, Rubio urged “all parties to respect the confirmed results” of the elections.

Earlier this month, Trump pardoned former Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernandez – a member of Asfura’s National Party – who was serving a lengthy prison sentence in the US for drug trafficking.

Asfura, the former mayor of Honduras’s capital, Tegucigalpa, is of Palestinian descent. But his National Party is staunchly pro-Israel.

Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar said on Wednesday that he spoke to Asfura and the officials agreed to “strengthen bilateral relations” between the two countries.

“I conveyed our warm wishes to the people of Honduras, wished him success in his role, and invited him to visit Israel,” Saar said in a statement. “Honduras has a long history of friendship with the State of Israel and the Jewish people.”

Under Hernandez in 2021, Honduras became only the fourth country to move its embassy in Israel to Jerusalem in breach of international law. Asfura has also aligned himself with Trump and other right-wing leaders in the Americas, including Argentina’s Javier Milei.

The Argentinian president hailed Honduras’s election results on Wednesday, calling it a victory against “narcosocialism”, although the National Party’s Hernandez is a convicted drug trafficker.

“The Honduran people expressed themselves with courage at the ballot boxes and chose to end years of authoritarianism and decay,” Milei wrote in a social media post.

“From Argentina, we celebrate the triumph of freedom and reaffirm our commitment to democracy, the popular will, and the unrestricted respect for institutions in the region.”

Asfura’s victory marks another win for right-wing candidates in Latin America over the past year. Chile and Bolivia have also elected ultraconservative presidents in 2025, and last year, El Salvador’s right-wing leader Nayib Bukele comfortably won re-election.

The results appear to reverse the “Pink Tide” – the wave of left-wing leaders who rose to power in the region in the early 2020s.

The rise of right-wing governments in the region coincides with a US pressure campaign against Venezuela’s left-wing President Nicolas Maduro.

Trump has imposed an oil blockade on Venezuela and amassed US troops and military assets near the country.

SOURCE PAGE

Pope Leo has told Christians that the Christmas story should remind them of their duty to help the poor and strangers.

In his Christmas Eve sermon, the pope said the story of Jesus being born in a stable because there was no room at an inn showed followers that refusing to help those in need was tantamount to rejecting God himself.

Leo, who has made care for immigrants and the poor key themes of his early papacy, said Jesus’ birth showed God’s presence in every person as he led the world’s 1.4 billion Catholics into Christmas at a mass in St Peter’s Basilica.

“On earth, there is no room for God if there is no room for the human person. To refuse one is to refuse the other,” said the pope during the solemn service, attended by about 6,000 people inside the basilica.

Leo, the first US-born pope, is celebrating his first Christmas after being elected in May by the world’s cardinals to succeed the late Pope Francis. The pope, who has criticised Donald Trump’s divisive immigration crackdown, quoted a line from Pope Benedict XVI lamenting that the world does not care for children, the poor or foreigners.

“While a distorted economy leads us to treat human beings as mere merchandise, God becomes like us, revealing the infinite dignity of every person,” said Leo. “Where there is room for the human person, there is room for God. Even a stable can become more sacred than a temple.“

Outside the basilica, about 5,000 people watched the service on screens from St Peter’s Square, holding umbrellas and wearing ponchos under a hard rain in Rome.

Leo, 70, came outside to greet them before the start of the mass. “I admire and respect and thank you for your courage and your wanting to be here this evening, even in this weather.”

On Thursday, the pope will celebrate a Christmas Day mass and deliver a twice-yearly Urbi et Orbi (to the city and the world) message and blessing.

SOURCE PAGE

The US Justice Department said Wednesday it may need several more weeks to release the so-called Epstein Files after finding more than a million documents that are potentially relevant to the case.

A deadline set by a Congressional committee for the release of the documents related to late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein has long passed.

Why is the release of the Epstein files delayed?

A social media post by the Justice Department describing the documents’ discovery does not mention when had the new documents been found, but it did mention the department’s lawyers are working “around the clock” to remove information that could disclose the victims.

“Due to the mas volume of material, this process may take a few more weeks,” the post read.

The discovery of the documents comes after Justice Department officials said several months ago that they had already carried out an extensive review looking for available documents related to the case.

This means the documents will be made public after the congressional deadline set for Friday.

How did US lawmakers react?

Eleven senators, both Democratic and Republican, turned to the Justice Department’s watchdog, calling for it to investigate the authority’s failure to release the files on time for the deadline.

The senators said victims “deserve the full disclosure” and the “peace of mind” of an independet examination.

Republican Representative Thomas Massie, one of the authors of the Epstein Files Transparency Act, a law that requires the US government to open its cases regarding Epstein and longtime confidante Ghislaine Maxwell, said the DOJ “broke the law” by missing the deadline.

Democratic senate minority leader Chuck Schumer said the news about the new documents blamed US President Donald Trump for engaging in “a massive coverup.”

“The question Americans deserve answered is simple: What are they hiding, and why?”

Initial release of Epstein files unveils thousands of photos

To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video

SOURCE PAGE

The latest headlines from our reporters across the US sent straight to your inbox each weekday

Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US

Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US

Two people were hospitalized Wednesday morning in an incident in suburban Maryland where federal officials say ICE officers fired their weapons at a pair of undocumented immigrants in a van who were allegedly trying to ram the agents.

Police were called to Glen Burnie, Anne Arundel County, around 10:50 a.m. Wednesday morning.

ICE officers were conducting a “targeted enforcement operation” there and identified the driver of the van, Tiago Alexandre Sousa-Martins, an illegal immigrant from Portugal, according to the Department of Homeland Security.

Solomon Antonio Serrano-Esquivel, a fellow undocumented person from El Salvador, was in the passenger’s seat, DHS said.

“The driver refused and attempted to flee, then weaponized his vehicle and began ramming his van into several ICE vehicles,” according to DHS. “He then drove his van directly at ICE officers, attempting to run them over.”

open image in gallery

ICE agents fired on a van they said was trying to ram them during a Wednesday morning immigration operation, in an incident that injured two people (Department of Homeland Security)

“Fearing for their lives and public safety, the ICE officers defensively fired their service weapons, striking the driver,” the agency added. “Sousa-Martins then wrecked his van between two buildings, injuring the passenger.”

The individuals are both in stable condition and the ICE officers were “not severely injured,” DHS said.

Anne Arundel Council member Allison Pickard said she was alarmed by the gunfire in the normally quiet, residential area, which took place on Christmas Eve morning when children were outside.

“It’s concerning that there was open gunfire in my community involving ICE agents,” Pickard told The Washington Post. “There’s a waterfall effect to these things happening, no matter who is involved.”

open image in gallery

Local police, as well as ICE and the FBI, are investigating the shooting (AP)

Anne Arundel police, the FBI, and ICE were all seen at the scene of the shooting, where a wrecked white van could be observed in a stand of nearby trees.

Local police will investigate the shooting, and the FBI will probe the alleged attempt to ram federal agents, while ICE will conduct its own internal investigation.

Resident James Hicks told the Baltimore Banner he heard ICE chased the man from an area Walmart store into the neighborhood, at which point the van driver maneuvered between two houses and stopped in a wooded area. He then heard three gunshots and later saw the driver on a stretcher.

“Shot him three times, I seen him laid out,” Hicks told the outlet.

open image in gallery

There have been at least nine shootings during federal immigration operations this year, according to data (AP)

The man “shouldn’t have tried to run them over,” Hicks added.

The Anne Arundel County Fire Department told The Independent the injured individuals were taken to Maryland Shock Trauma Center in nearby Baltimore for treatment.

The Independent has contacted the FBI Baltimore field office and the Anne Arundel County police department for comment.

“I am aware of the ICE-involved shooting that occurred earlier today in Glen Burnie,” Maryland Gov. Wes Moore wrote on X. “As information surrounding the incident continues to emerge, we will remain in touch with local officials and are standing by to provide support for the community.”

There have been at least nine shootings during immigration operations since the Trump administration took office, according to a database from gun violence news site The Trace.

SOURCE PAGE

A local ballet company in Oklahoma helped a terminally ill girl achieve her lifelong dream just a few years ago – and is now cementing her legacy by naming a new character after her.

Olivia Francis’s wish to be a part of the Nutcracker came true in 2022 despite her diagnosis of Friedreich’s ataxia – a rare, terminal neurological condition that affects her ability to walk.

Now, the 12-year-old will be honored for years to come, as the Oklahoma City Ballet added a new character to be played by different children each year in Olivia’s honor, according to a post by her mother, Mary.

Olivia found out the news during an ‘amazing night’ on December 12, where she had dinner and watched the show she once starred in.

The little girl saw some of her favorite members of the show and met some new people as well, according to the upload.

‘Oklahoma City Ballet will always hold a special place in our hearts,’ wrote her mother.

‘Olivia found out they will have a permanent part in The Nutcracker, “Olivia or Oliver,” depending on who is playing the part.’

Photos of the smiling little girl accompanied the announcement, showing her enjoying her night out while surrounded by Christmas decorations.

After Francis could no longer perform in the ballet, Ryan Jolicouer-Nye, the artistic director, created the role for other children who dreamed of being on stage 

Olivia Francis, 12, performed in the Nutcracker despite her diagnosis of a rare neurological disease called Friedreich’s ataxia

Francis, pictured with her mother Mary, was honored by the Oklahoma City Ballet after they named a new permanent character after her 

Three children stepped into the role this past week during the show’s performance, according to the Ballet company’s Facebook page.

Juliana Creamer performed on December 20, Malaysia Jenkins followed the next day, and Whitley White on December 22.

The ballet company teamed up with Oklahoma Children’s OU Health this holiday season to make the young stars’ dreams come true.

Before the children’s performances, dancers visited the kids at the hospital to read holiday stories and practice dance stretches.

‘The Nutcracker really is a ballet for kids and families, and that goes down to the dancers,’ said Erica Portell, Oklahoma City Ballet Director of Community Engagement.

‘We have a lot of children who are cast in this show, and we are so excited that some of the child dancers are patients right here at Oklahoma Children’s. They are going to be amazing and spectacular. They’ve been working really hard in rehearsal, and I am excited to see them do it on stage.’

Whitley White performed as ‘Olivia’ on a December 22 performance of the Nutcracker

White told KFOR that she danced as a little kid, but it would be her first time performing.

Ryan Jolicouer-Nye, the artistic director, created the role years ago after Francis inspired him.

‘When Olivia could no longer do it, I wanted to make sure we had a seat open for any child who had a dream to be on stage but couldn’t,’ said Jolicoeur-Nye to the outlet.

When Francis first found out that she would finally be able to perform on stage alongside her fellow ballerinas, she cried.

Performing in the iconic ballet was a dream she first wrote about in her first-grade notebook, according to OKC FOX.

The production company told Francis the news that she would be part of the stellar performance on her birthday, making the surprise even more special.

She then made her sensational ballet debut on December 10, 2022 and continued to star on stage through December 18.

The keen dancer starred in the show in 2022 – and now a permanent character has been named after her

Francis has always dreamed of being a ballerina – but just months after she started her first dance lessons, she was hit with her diagnosis

Clips of the performance showed little Francis using her arms to join in the choreography, while other actors on stage move her wheelchair around in line with the dancing.

During rehearsals, she was seen gracefully gliding across the stage while holding a toy doll alongside the other ballerinas.

Despite admitting she was slightly nervous for her performance, Francis said that the best part of being involved in the Nutcracker was making friends with others on set.

Francis told KOCO the role as Clara’s sister Marie is not the way she envisioned she would be in the holiday production – but she said: ‘I’m really grateful.’

She noted: ‘Mostly I’m just acting, but there is one part where I can dance.’

And when she did get up to dance, Racheal Nye, the school director for the Oklahoma City Ballet, said ‘everyone just has their eyes on her.’

Nye said that Francis’s presence on set and her determination ‘inspired’ everyone. 

Friedreich’s ataxia is a genetic disorder damages the spinal cord, peripheral nerves, and the cerebellum portion of the brain. 

For Francis, it is unlikely that she will ever be able to walk with her condition. She was diagnosed in 2020, and there is currently no cure for Friedreich’s ataxia.

Francis’s mom Mary said that watching her superstar daughter on stage brought a tear to her eye.

SOURCE PAGE

The Princess of Wales personally requested compoer Erland Cooper to watch her and Princess Charlotte perform his piece, Holm Sound, at Windsor Castle for tonight’s Together At Christmas on ITV

20:40, 24 Dec 2025Updated 21:14, 24 Dec 2025

Princess Charlotte playing the piano with her mum the Princess of Wales as part of the Royal Carols: Together at Christmas concert(Image: Kensington Palace)

The composer behind the piece of music played by the Princess of Wales and Princess Charlotte has spoken of his pride of witnessing their “incredible bond”. Kate was joined by her 10-year-old daughter for a special performance to launch her Together at Christmas carol concert broadcast on ITV1 this evening.

She personally requested Erland Cooper to accompany them at Windsor Castle earlier this month as they performed his piece Holm Sound. The award winning composer and producer, from Orkney in Scotland, cited as “one of the most unique, consistently engaging composers of his generation”, is renowned for taking inspiration for his melodic work from nature and connection.

READ MORE: Kate Middleton teases exciting mystery guest in exciting carol concert surpriseREAD MORE: Kate Middleton gets surprise nod from King Charles in his 2025 Christmas speechThe pair played Erland Cooper’s piece Holm Sound(Image: Kensington Palace)

Speaking of his shared passion for the natural world with the princess, who has credited immersing herself in nature as a marker in her recovery from cancer treatment last year, Erland said: “It was such a treat, such a lovely, warm and inviting day to be present with Their Royal Highnesses. It completely took me by surprise. I’m used to rambling around the ruins and brochs of the Orkney Islands, but to go to Windsor Castle itself was a slightly different architectural wonder.”

Erland, 43, wrote his classical piece in 2020 at the height of the coronavirus pandemic, taking inspiration from the wild environment of the Orkney islands. The Princess of Wales, who has played the piano since the age of 10, first wrote to Erland to express her love of his music and thank him for his dedication to promoting the beauty of the natural world through his craft.

Through their exchange of messages, the future queen revealed how she had enjoyed teaching Charlotte his compositions at home, creating a special bond between them. As she planned to create a special moment as part of her fifth annual Together at Christmas carol concert, celebrating hundreds of community heroes at Westminster Abbey, the princess requested to play one of her favourite pieces with her daughter as part of the television on ITV1 on Christmas Eve.

The composer Erland Cooper

“I’m always in the head and hearts and back gardens of others. I often think, in this case, this little piece of music sort of landed on her shoulder like a bird,” Erland said. “And when you write a piece of music and you share it with the world, you’re sort of letting that out, and you’re letting it go, and you have no idea how far and wide it might fly. So it’s always a great surprise when people write to me or call me, and this was, you know, one of those great surprises. I didn’t expect it at all.”

Describing the moment as “a wonderful bit of serendipity” after originally composing the piece for his mother, Charlotte, Erland said: “We had a very warm, creative conversation earlier in the year, which was lovely, and then it culminated with an invitation to Windsor Castle. The princess asked ‘Would it be okay if we perform this piece of music that we so enjoy together?’

“It was such a lovely request so I said absolutely no problem at all. I was invited to witness this incredible bond between mother and daughter performing together and for that I am so grateful. And there’s a wonderful bit of serendipity as the piece was composed and dedicated to my mum, also called Charlotte, they didn’t know about, that it’s about motherhood, and how family plays such an important role and such a key part to all of this.

“The Princess and I both have a sort of shared love of music that celebrates the natural world and its rejuvenation and the wonder that you know that comes from it. There’s so much joy and warmth and creativity and ideas surrounding those themes.”

Kate with her children Charlotte and Prince Louis during Together At Christmas (Image: PA)

Erland, whose work combines field recordings with traditional orchestration and electronic elements, is renowned for burying the only copy of his first classical album as part of the “return to the natural earth” process. In 2021, after deleting all digital copies of his composition, he planted the master tape in peaty soil in Orkney, along with a “cheap violin”, the original score in a biscuit tin and a note to return to sender if it was ever found.

Erland posted clues on his website, but said if no-one found it he would dig it up himself and release the music in 2024, no matter how much the recording had changed. The score was discovered by two fans who found the soggy spool of magnetic tape buried in Stromness and returned it to him.

The record, titled Carve the Runes Then Be Content With Silence, later became a number one classical album, in collaboration with nature, topping the UK official charts in 2024.

Erland added: “I merely tap into the energy of the natural world, and I’m very grateful for it. It is a constant source of inspiration. It’s the life blood of my work. The idea behind my first piece was to compose, decompose, and then recompose. The finished piece would be a collaboration with Mother Nature. We all have this incredible connection to the natural world and I find it so warming that the Princess of Wales has found solace and such comfort in nature.”

On witnessing Kate and Charlotte sharing the stage together for their joint performance, he said: “It was just lovely. I think I was there for a little bit of encouragement. I mean, imagine anybody performing a piece of music in front of a film crew, and then the person who wrote it. Princess Charlotte played beautifully, she really has a wonderful way of playing the lighter notes just beautifully. So we were able to celebrate in that together.

“It’s certainly one of my favorite winter solstice moments. To walk into the Castle, to be greeted by a Steinway grand piano, and then to have a really poignant recital and performance. It was a very special, sort of quiet moment. There’s a power in reaching out to people, and that’s what they did here.”

Get the inside scoop on the monarchy with Mirror Royal

WHATSAPP GROUP: Be first to get the biggest royal bombshells and exclusives to your phone by joining our Royal WhatsApp here.

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.

NEWSLETTER: Or sign up to the Mirror’s Royal newsletter here to get all the biggest royal news and exclusive pictures, straight to your inbox.

SOURCE PAGE

Israeli forces breach Gaza ceasefire, killing a Palestinian and wounding six, including a child, in multiple attacks.

At least one Palestinian has been killed and six, including a child, wounded by Israeli attacks across Gaza amid a threat by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

A Palestinian man, Ayoub Abdel Ayesh Nasr, was killed and two people were wounded when Israeli forces opened fire on civilians in Jabalia in northern Gaza on Wednesday.

Recommended Stories

list of 3 itemsend of list

Three people were wounded after being shot east of Khan Younis, medical sources told the Palestinian Wafa news agency.

Elsewhere, Israeli forces shot and wounded a child in central Gaza’s Maghazi refugee camp.

According to Gaza’s Ministry of Health, Israeli forces have killed more than ‌400 people in the battered enclave since the start of the ceasefire in October.

Gaza’s Government Media Office said Israel committed “serious and systematic violations” of the truce, noting that the Israeli forces had breached the ceasefire 875 times since it came into force.

The healthcare system in Gaza is on the brink of total collapse, and the absence of much-needed aid, including medicine and medical supplies, is exacerbating the situation.

A 20-point plan proposed by United States President Donald Trump in September calls for an initial truce followed by steps towards a wider peace.

So far, only the first phase has taken effect, including a shaky release of captives and prisoners and a partial Israeli withdrawal.

Israel continues to violate a ceasefire agreement and block desperately needed humanitarian aid to the war-ravaged coastal enclave, even though these are stipulated in the first phase of the agreement.

Meanwhile, an explosive device detonated in southern Gaza’s Rafah, with Israel saying one soldier was injured.

PM Netanyahu said Israel would retaliate after the incident, which Hamas denied responsibility for, suggesting the explosive device had been left over by Israeli forces.

Hamas said the incident took place in an area where the Israeli army was in full control and that it had warned that explosives remained in the area and elsewhere since the war, reiterating its commitment to the October 10 ceasefire.

Netanyahu’s office also said an Israeli delegation met officials from mediating countries in Cairo, Egypt, on Wednesday to discuss efforts to return the remains of the last Israeli captive, police officer Ran Gvili, from Gaza.

The delegation included officials from the Israeli military, the Shin Bet domestic intelligence service and the ​Mossad intelligence service.

Trump’s plan ultimately calls for Hamas to disarm and have no governing role in Gaza, and ‌for Israel to pull out.

Hamas has said it will hand over arms only once a Palestinian state is established, which Israel says it will never allow.

Netanyahu is set to meet Trump next week at the White House, primarily to discuss the next phase of the US president’s Gaza plan.

Hamas said in a statement later on Wednesday that a delegation led by its chief negotiator Khalil al-Hayya had discussed Gaza with ‍Turkiye’s foreign minister in Ankara.

Al-Hayya warned against what he described as the continuation of Israeli violations of the ceasefire, saying they were aimed at hindering the move to the next phase of the ceasefire deal.

The Hamas delegation said it had fulfilled the ceasefire’s conditions but that Israel’s continued attacks were blocking progress towards the next stage. They also asserted that 60 percent of the trucks allowed into Gaza were carrying commercial goods rather than aid.

About 71,000 Palestinians have been killed and more than 171,000 wounded in attacks in Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza since October 2023.

SOURCE PAGE

Two stars of Irish acting are united as Cillian Murphy meets Barry Keoghan in the first look at the eagerly anticipated Peaky Blinders film.

Murphy questions his identity as “famous gypsy gangster” Tommy Shelby in the 70-second teaser released by Netflix on Christmas Eve.

The film sees Tommy driven back from a self-imposed exile amid the chaos of the second world war. In the trailer, a voiceover says: “Whatever happened to Tommy Shelby? The famous gypsy gangster.”

Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man

Shelby says “I’m not that man any more”, and a separate clip shows him walking with his head held down while wearing his distinctive bakerboy cap after a female voice says: “Tommy, you’ve got to come back.”

Viewers are also offered a glimpse of Keoghan’s character, who wears a white vest top with tattoos on his arms.

The forthcoming movie serves as a continuation of the hit BBC drama series, which followed the rise of the Birmingham crime family the Shelbys.

The show’s six seasons spanned the end of the first world war through the end of prohibition in the US.

Returning cast members include Sophie Rundle as Ada Shelby, Stephen Graham as union convener Hayden Stagg, and Packy Lee as Tommy’s friend Johnny Dogs.

Saltburn actor Keoghan, Dune actor Rebecca Ferguson and Reservoir Dogs star Tim Roth are among the new additions.

The film has been directed by Tom Harper and written by creator Steven Knight, who is to write the next James Bond film.

Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man premieres in cinemas on 6 March next year and will be available on Netflix from 20 March.

In October, the BBC announced Peaky Blinders would return with two new series focusing on a “new generation of Shelbys”.

The spin-off series is set in 1953, years after the events of the forthcoming feature film, and is to be filmed at Digbeth Loc Studios in Birmingham.

Murphy, 49, will return to executive produce but it has not been disclosed if he will reprise his role as the protagonist.

The spin-off is the latest incarnation in the Peaky Blinders universe after Rambert Studios’ ballet about Tommy.

The sixth series, which was broadcast in 2022 and was billed as the final series, saw Tommy almost shoot himself after being given false information that he had a brain tumour.

Peaky Blinders first aired on BBC Two in 2013, before getting picked up by Netflix in 2014, where it gained a global following and launched Murphy to international fame along with co-stars Tom Hardy, Anya Taylor-Joy and the late Helen McCrory.

The drama, which also triggered a surge in popularity of the flat cap, moved to BBC One in 2019 after a Bafta win for best drama series for its fourth season.

SOURCE PAGE

US authorities have discovered more than a million more documents potentially related to the late paedophile Jeffrey Epstein that they plan to release in the coming days and weeks, officials say.

The US Attorney for the Southern District of New York and the FBI have informed the Department of Justice (DoJ) about the discovery and turned over the documents for lawyers to review.

“We have lawyers working around the clock to review and make the legally required redactions to protect victims, and we will release the documents as soon as possible,” the DoJ said on social media on Wednesday.

The department said that given the volume of material, the process could take “a few more weeks”.

The agency said it would “continue to fully comply with federal law and President Trump’s direction to release the files”.

The statement did not specify how the FBI and New York prosecutors came across the additional material.

The news comes after the justice department released thousands of documents last week – some heavily redacted – related to their investigations into Epstein.

The files were released after Congress passed the Epstein Files Transparency Act – signed into law by US President Donald Trump – that ordered the agency to share all the documents with the public while protecting victims’ identities.

Many of the documents released last week had names and other information blacked out, including names of people the FBI appears to cite as possible co-conspirators in the Epstein case.

The justice department has faced criticism from lawmakers on both sides of the aisle over the amount of redactions, which the law permits only to protect victims’ identities and active criminal investigations.

The law passed by Congress and signed last month by Trump states that names and information that might be embarrassing or cause “reputational harm” are not allowed to be redacted.

It specifically asks the DoJ for internal communications and memos detailing who was investigated and decisions on whether “to charge, not charge, investigate, or decline to investigate Epstein or his associates”.

Included in the first release of documents were emails appearing to be exchanged between FBI personnel in 2019 that mention 10 possible “co-conspirators” of Epstein.

The emails said six of the group had been served with subpoenas. This included three in Florida, one in Boston, one in New York City, and one in Connecticut.

Possible co-conspirators in Epstein’s crimes are a major focus for his victims, and for several lawmakers who have demanded more transparency from the justice department.

Previous releases of Epstein documents have included revelations that reverberated across the Atlantic. Peter Mandelson was sacked as the UK’s ambassador to the US after details emerged about his friendship with the convicted paedophile, and that he told Epstein “I think the world of you”, the day before Epstein began his sentence for soliciting prostitution from a minor in June 2008.

Lord Mandelson said in a letter to staff that “I deeply regret” the circumstances of his departure from the British embassy in Washington DC. He said being ambassador had been “the privilege of my life” and he continued “to feel utterly awful about my association with Epstein twenty years ago and the plight of his victims”.

Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor lost his ‘prince’ title and was asked to leave his Windsor mansion, Royal Lodge, following weeks of intense scrutiny over his links to Epstein following a document release in October.

In the latest release on Tuesday, a 2001 email sent by a person identified as “A” from “Balmoral” to Epstein’s accomplice and close associate Ghislaine Maxwell – who was sentenced to 20 years in prison in 2022 for sex trafficking of minors and other offences- asks: “Have you found me some new inappropriate friends?”

The BBC has contacted Andrew’s team for a response. He has repeatedly denied wrongdoing, and said he did not “see, witness or suspect any behaviour of the sort that subsequently led to his [Epstein’s] arrest and conviction”.

SOURCE PAGE

An explosion ripped through a mosque in the Nigerian city of Maiduguri during evening prayers on Wednesday, news agencies reported.

The French AFP news agency cited local sources as saying at least seven worshippers died in the explosion. Nigerian officials have yet to provide details on the incident and the casualties.

No group has claimed responsibility for the blast so far, but mosques have been targeted by militants before.

What else do we know about the mosque blast?

A bomb went off inside a crowded mosque in Maiduguri;s Gamboru market, witnesses told AFP. The explosion occurred as Muslim worshippers gathered for evening prayers.

An anti-islamist militia leader was cited by AFP as saying the bomb was suspected to have been placed within the mosque before exploding midway through the prayer. Other witnesses have described the incident as a suicide bombing.

Maiduguri is the capital of the northeastern Borno state, where jihadist groups like Boko Haram and its offshoot Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) have been active for nearly two decades.

Islamist violence in Nigeria has claimed the lives of tens of thousands of people and displaced millions across the country’s northeast.

The city of Maiduguri has seen no major attack since 2021. But signs of the conflict remain in the city, with frequent checkpoints and military patrols.

Edited by: Rana Taha

SOURCE PAGE

Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox

Get our free Inside Washington email

Get our free Inside Washington email

President Donald Trump’s $400 million White House ballroom addition will proceed, despite legal challenges – but no other construction projects are expected to arise on the People’s House, officials say.

Last week, a federal judge denied the National Trust for Historic Preservation’s request to stop construction of Trump’s 90,000 square-foot, ornate, entertainment space, which required removing the East Wing.

The National Trust for Historic Preservation, a nonprofit that works to preserve historic buildings, objects and spaces, argued the White House circumvented the typical review process for federal building projects before breaking ground.

The judge allowed the project to move forward, but asked the administration to submit its ballroom proposal to the National Capital Planning Commission within the month.

Carol Quillen, the president and CEO of the National Trust for Historic Preservation, told CBS News she has “deep concern” about future projects not following protocol. A White House official told the news outlet, “There are no plans for any demolition of any structures at this time.”

open image in gallery

Since returning to the White House in January, Trump has initiated various projects to revamp decor in his signature style (AFP via Getty Images)

The Independent has asked the White House for comment.

Since returning to the White House in January, Trump has overhauled much of the decor – adding gilded embellishments to the Oval Office, erecting 80-foot flag poles on the lawn, paving over the Rose Garden to create a country-club style patio and installing a “Wall of Fame” with opinionated descriptions of past presidents.

But the decision to tear down the historic East Wing to add the massive ballroom generated the most controversy.

Officials gave no warning of the sudden demolition of the East Wing, despite Trump previously claiming the new ballroom wouldn’t disrupt the existing structure.

The president had also originally claimed the ballroom would only cost $200 million; however, it is now expected to cost $400 million.

The White House maintains that the president is permitted to make changes to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, just as past presidents have. Trump has championed the ballroom, claiming it would serve as a place to host state dinners and other formal, large events.

open image in gallery

Democratic lawmakers expressed outrage in October when it was revealed the White House would tear down the East Wing (Getty Images)

Some lawmakers are not convinced. Democratic Senator Richard Blumenthal has sent letters to potential ballroom donors who were reportedly invited to a dinner for the project, requesting information.

Public Citizen, a progressive nonprofit, filed a lawsuit this week against the National Park Service and Department of the Interior for failing to respond to a FOIA request for information about the construction of the ballroom.

The National Capital Planning Commission is slated to hear a proposal on the ballroom in early January.

Meanwhile, elsewhere in the capital, Trump still wants to build a triumphal arch, saying earlier this month that the project was now the “primary” focus of his administration.

SOURCE PAGE

NEED TO KNOW

• Last month, Carolina Lansing — the granddaughter of fashion designer Carolina Herrera — wowed the world in her custom couture gown at Le Bal des Débutantes
• Lansing was among 18 other young women from around the world who gathered at the Hotel Shangri-La for the famed invite-only party on Nov. 29
• The 21-year-old tells PEOPLE all about how the polka-dotted gown paid homage to both of her grandparents in subtle, meaningful ways

Of course, Carolina Lansing wore a gown from her fashion icon grandmother’s brand to Le Bal des Débutantes, but there was even more to the ensemble than may have met the unknowing eye.

Carolina Herrera’s granddaughter, 21, rocked the internet once the public glimpsed photos of her polka-dotted, black and white couture frock at the Hotel Shangri-La on Nov. 29. Lansing balanced both elegance and whimsy in the strapless, drop-waist gown designed by Wes Gordon for Carolina Herrera, inspired by a 2025 collection.

Like many of her fellow debutantes, Lansing followed Le Bal tradition and helped create her dream dress for the event. She tells PEOPLE wearing one of her grandmother’s designs was a no-brainer, but from there, Lansing needed to figure out what styles resonated most with her.

Carolina Lansing (left) with a fellow debutante at Le Bal des Débutantes on Nov. 29, 2025.

Carolina Lansing

“Wes had me try on a bunch of stuff from recent collections that they had laying around the office to get an idea of what I liked,” she recalls of the designing process. “He also was like, ‘You have to tell me what you like from the past. Look through your mom’s closet, look through your grandmother’s closet, pick out dresses that you like, send it to us.'”

Ultimately, they landed on the spotted style, which Lansing says is “very true to Carolina Herrera,” namely the label’s older, more vintage looks. They added the drop waist and a dramatic bow to give the gown a “modern” feel, says the Chapman University student.

At the party, Lansing was in similarly stylish company. Originally launched in 1958 and then revived by Ophélie Renouard in 1992, Le Bal has maintained a reputation of being somewhat of a “Met Gala for teenagers.” Historically, it’s hosted young women from some of the world’s most notable families, including royals of the monarchy, Hollywood and fashion world varieties.

Lansing’s very silhouette served as an homage to Herrera, 86, and her work, but even more meaning could be found in the details. For example, the proud granddaughter tells PEOPLE that they sewed a “little yellow bow” onto the dress as an ode to the first perfume released by the fashion brand, which was sold in a black and white polka-dotted box strung with a little yellow band.

In an even more personal gesture, Lansing represented her grandparents’ love story by opting to wear a floral broach strung on a velvet choker. The accessory felt especially poignant following her grandfather Reinaldo Herrera’s death at age 91 this past March.

Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE’s free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

“My grandfather did always used to give my grandmother flower broaches,” Lansing shares. “It was more simple compared to what some of the other girls were wearing, but I was kind of like, ‘This seems perfect.’ I like that it was a little bit more simple.'”

It’s no surprise that her jewelry gesture — and the broader tribute paid by her ensemble as a whole — warmed Herrera’s heart.

“She texted me like, ‘You looked so beautiful. We’re so proud of you,'” says Lansing, who adds that Herrera invoked her late husband’s memory as well. “She was just like, ‘I know he would’ve been really happy.'”

SOURCE PAGE

The Department of Justice has said that there are over one million files related to Epstein that they are actively working to make public in the coming weeks.

The DOJ said on Christmas Eve: ‘The US Attorney for the Southern District of New York and the FBI have informed the Department of Justice that they have uncovered over a million more documents potentially related to the Jeffrey Epstein case. 

‘The DOJ has received these documents from SDNY and the FBI to review them for release, in compliance with the Epstein Files Transparency Act, existing statutes, and judicial orders. 

‘We have lawyers working around the clock to review and make the legally required redactions to protect victims, and we will release the documents as soon as possible. 

‘Due to the mass volume of material, this process may take a few more weeks. 

‘The Department will continue to fully comply with federal law and President Trump’s direction to release the files.’ 

The statement comes amid reports that Donald Trump’s White House has taken control of the Department of Justice’s X account in an effort to more aggressively combat the narrative surrounding the Epstein files release. 

The move became apparent this week as the Department of Justice came out swinging on social media to counter online speculation about Trump and unproven allegations made in the latest Epstein files release. 

This included claiming that a prison postcard allegedly written by Epstein to former US Olympic doctor Larry Nassar was faked, after the letter read that ‘our president’ loves ‘young, nubile girls.’  

Jeffrey Epstein is pictured with an unnamed girl. The image was released by the DOJ

Pam Bondi’s Department of Justice has been responsible for releasing the files

On Tuesday, the Justice Department released a major new batch of Epstein-related records—over 11,000 files totaling nearly 30,000 pages of photos, court records, FBI and DOJ documents, emails, news clippings, and videos.

Congressman Ro Khanna, a California Democrat who co-led the congressional push to release the Epstein files, called Tuesday’s batch ‘a bombshell.’

He noted the files revealed Trump flew on Epstein’s plane at least eight times between 1993-1996—’many more times’ than a federal prosecutor previously knew, according to a 2020 email.

Khanna accused the DOJ of ‘spending more time protecting the Epstein class than the survivors, whose names are required by law to be redacted.’

Republican Thomas Massie, who partnered with Khanna on the Congressional discharge petition to release the files, asked Wednesday who was ‘controlling the DOJ X account on Christmas Eve and using words like “dope” to refer to reporters?’ in a post on X.

Meanwhile, former Obama-era national security advisor and Pod Save America co-host Tommy Vietor called Bondi’s Department of Justice ‘ridiculously incompetent.’

Legal and transparency experts caution that the documents, while significant, should be interpreted with care: many are duplicates, heavily redacted, or contain allegations or inferences rather than proven facts.

The latest batch of Epstein files included a document that alleged Donald Trump flew on Epstein’s plane at least eight times between 1993-1996—’many more times’ than a federal prosecutor previously knew. Trump has not been officially accused of wrongdoing 

Following the latest Epstein files release, the Trump administration was accused of ‘protecting’ Epstein’s alleged co-conspirators as one of the newly released documents suggests at least 10 others were involved in his child sex trafficking ring. 

The damning evidence of Epstein’s accomplices came to light in an email that was sent between federal investigators trying to contact around 10 ‘co-conspirators’ after the late pedophile’s arrest in 2019.

The email, which was shared online by Miami Herald reporter Julie K Brown, was sent just one day after federal agents arrested Epstein on sex trafficking charges and raided his Manhattan home.

All of the names included in the email were redacted except for three. The first two were Ghislaine Maxwell, who was convicted of sex trafficking and other charges in 2021; and Jean-Luc Brunel, a former French modeling agent who was found dead in his Paris jail cell in 2022 and was suspected of scouting girls for Epstein.

The third was retail magnate Leslie Wexner, who was a major benefactor for Epstein until he severed ties with the financier in 2007 amid his indictment in Florida.

But lawyers for the former Victoria Secret CEO told BBC News that ‘the assistant US attorney in charge of the Epstein investigation stated at the time that Mr. Wexner was neither a co-conspirator nor target.

‘Mr. Wexner cooperated fully by providing background information on Epstein and was never contacted again,’ the attorneys claimed.  

Damning files released by the Department of Justice on Tuesday suggest Jeffrey Epstein had at least 10 co-conspirators in his child sex trafficking ring, among them Ghislaine Maxwell

In an email from July 2019, an unidentified sender with a signature that included ‘FBI New York,’ asked a colleague for ‘an update on the status of the 10 co-conspirators’

In the first email, an unidentified sender with a signature that included ‘FBI New York,’ asked a colleague: ‘When you get a chance can you give me an update on the status of the 10 co-conspirators?’

In a reply several hours later, a recipient gave a rundown of efforts to contact Wexner, Maxwell and others.

It noted that they located three alleged co-conspirators in Florida, one in Boston, one in New York and one in Connecticut.

The documents do not detail the information federal investigators sought from these individuals nor the basis for characterizing them as potential co-conspirators.

But by September 2019, prosecutors exchanging updates noted that the investigation into Epstein’s alleged co-conspirators was ‘ongoing’ and that they had conversations with several people who they said would cooperate in the investigation, ABC News reports.

Prosecutors later detailed a seven-page ‘memo on co-conspirators we could potentially charge,’ as well as an 86-page ‘co-conspirator update memo’.

The following year, Maxwell would be arrested by the FBI and charged by the Southern District of New York with conspiring to entice minors to engage in illegal sex acts, sex trafficking of a minor and other offenses.

She remains the only co-conspirator who has ever been charged in Epstein’s sex trafficking ring, and in September of this year, FBI Director Kash Patel insisted that no other cases could be made and that Epstein worked alone.

Now, Democrats are urging the Trump administration to release the names of all of the other alleged co-conspirators whose names were redacted from the files.

SOURCE PAGE