NEWS

Saturday 17 October 2026 A County Down gas engineer has been jailed for six months after carrying out illegal gas work at a Belfast property despite being subject to a prohibition notice preventing him from undertaking such work. Ian Campbell, trading as M.G.B Gas and Building Services, was sentenced at Laganside Crown Court on Friday 16 October after pleading guilty to three health and safety offences and a separate charge of fraud by misrepresentation. The court heard that

Saturday 03 October 2026 Two men who died following a workplace-related incident in Crossnacreevy, County Down have been named by police as 23-year-old Joseph Hobbs and 38-year-old Mark Glover. Joseph was from the Comber area, while Mark was from Ballygowan. Both men were pronounced dead following the incident in the Ballygowan Road area on Friday morning, 2 October. Investigation into circumstances continues Emergency services were called to the scene at around 10.45am, with

The project team mark the completion of the restoration work outside the Superintendent’s House at Silent Valley Thursday 01 October 2026 A historic house at the entrance to Silent Valley has been restored to support the staff and volunteers who care for the Mourne landscape, while preserving architectural features dating back more than 120 years. The listed Superintendent’s House now has specialist archive, meeting and welfare facilities for its continuing use by Mourne Heri

Sentenced following Ballymena riots in June 2025: (L-R) Joel Gordon and Stephen Ritchie Friday 18 September 2026 Two men have received custodial sentences for their involvement in serious disorder in Ballymena during which bottles, masonry and fireworks were thrown at police. Stephen Ritchie, 28, from Bangor was sentenced at Antrim Crown Court on Friday to 34 months, with 12 months to be served in custody and the remainder on licence, after being convicted of riot. Joel Gordo

A victim has lost £250,000 after criminals used an apparently AI-generated video featuring a well-known financial personality to promote a fraudulent investment opportunity. Police said the sophisticated fraud began with a relatively small investment but escalated after the victim was contacted through WhatsApp and persuaded to transfer increasingly large sums. The victim, from the Ards and North Down area, was encouraged to create several online accounts and allowed the frau

The permanent closure of Drumbo Park Greyhound Stadium in County Down has prompted renewed calls for greyhound racing to be phased out across Northern Ireland and the wider UK. Dogs Trust has welcomed the closure, describing it as potentially the “beginning of the end” for a sport it says exposes greyhounds to an unacceptable risk of injury and death. The closure leaves Brandywell Stadium in Derry/Londonderry as Northern Ireland’s only remaining greyhound racing track. Concer

Dr Kathryn Owen with Ulster Unionist Party Leader Jon Burrows MLA A former DUP councillor has been selected to contest Belfast South and Mid Down for the Ulster Unionist Party in next year’s Northern Ireland Assembly election. Dr Kathryn Owen, a former RAF medic and healthcare professional, will stand for the UUP in the constituency after previously serving in local government as a DUP representative. The selection represents a notable political switch ahead of the election,

L-R: Dee Heron, farmer, member of the Action Cancer Moneyreagh & District Fundraising Group and Skin Cancer Ambassador for the charity pictured with Mark Irwin-Watson, Community Fundraising Executive at Action Cancer. A County Down farmer who survived skin cancer is appealing to the farming community to donate livestock for an annual charity auction that has already raised tens of thousands of pounds for cancer services across Northern Ireland. Raffrey farmer Dee Heron, who h

45-year-old Damien Paul Bintley A 45-year-old man from Holywood has died following a road traffic collision involving a car and a lorry in Co Tyrone. The collision happened on the Crossowen Road, Clogher, at approximately 12.40pm on Friday, 31 July. Police said the crash involved a white MG HS car and a Volvo lorry. Emergency services, including the Northern Ireland Ambulance Service, attended the scene and medical treatment was provided to a number of people. The driver of t

Jay Reardon was just 21 when he died The family of a young County Down man who died in a motorcycle crash a decade ago have issued a heartfelt appeal to all road users, urging them to remember that “every person deserves to get home safely.” Jay Reardon was just 21 when he died on 31 July 2016 after the motorcycle he was riding was involved in a single-vehicle collision on Belfast Road in Newtownards. No other vehicle was involved. Marking the 10th anniversary of his death, J

A 55-year-old woman has been charged with allegedly breaching the lifetime anonymity protecting alleged victims in the ongoing court case involving former DUP leader Jeffrey Donaldson. Detectives from Newry Criminal Investigation Department (CID) arrested the woman in the Ballynahinch area on Tuesday, 28 July, as part of their investigation into an alleged breach of reporting restrictions linked to the high-profile case. She has been charged with breaching a lifetime ban on r

A 31-year-old man has been arrested after police seized a large quantity of cash, a small amount of suspected Class B drugs and drug-related paraphernalia during a search of a property in Warrenpoint. The search was carried out by officers in the Mourne Drive area on Monday, 27 July, as part of an investigation into suspected drug-related activity. Cash and suspected drugs seized According to the PSNI, officers from the District Support Team recovered a significant amount of

Ian McCollum who sadly died following a workplace accident A man has been jailed for causing the death of a work colleague in a fatal workplace accident in Newry, while the company where the incident happened has also been fined £120,000 following the tragedy. Walter Manley, 53, from the Newry area, was sentenced at Newry Crown Court on Wednesday, 8 July, after previously admitting manslaughter and a breach of health and safety legislation in connection with the death of fell

(L-R) Ray Lee, Mark Millar, and Elijah Lee Older people across parts of Northern Ireland, including victims in the Antrim area, were robbed of almost £205,000 in cash and jewellery by criminals who posed as police officers in a cruel fraud operation targeting vulnerable members of the community. Six members of the gang were sentenced at Belfast Crown Court on Monday, June 29, after being convicted in connection with offences including conspiracy to commit fraud by false repre

A 28-year-old man remains in a critical condition in hospital after being struck by a car during the early hours of Sunday morning in what police are treating as a serious hit-and-run collision. The incident happened at around 1.50am on Sunday, June 28, in the vicinity of Market Square in Dromore. Police say the man was struck by a black Toyota Yaris which then left the scene. Man remains in critical condition Emergency services were dispatched to the area following reports o

Construction of the Silent Valley ‘overflow bell-mouth’ as part of the reservoir scheme built between 1926 and 1932 A magical gateway into one of Northern Ireland’s most treasured landscapes will open this weekend as a packed programme of walks, tours and family events invites visitors to experience the Mournes in a whole new way. From the hidden history of Water Town to the engineering marvel of the Mourne Wall and behind-the-scenes access to vital water infrastructure, from

Lidl Northern Ireland has officially entered the hospitality sector for the first time, opening the doors of its new public house and off-sales, The Middle Ale, in Dundonald. The retailer’s first-ever pub welcomed its first customers on Thursday, marking a significant expansion beyond traditional supermarket retailing and creating eight permanent jobs in the process. Located beside the existing Lidl store in Dundonald, the new venue gives customers access to Lidl’s full range

PSNI Chief Constable Jon Boutcher PSNI Chief Constable Jon Boutcher has warned of an “increasing level of abuse and hostility” towards police officers following the incident in Downpatrick in which an officer suffered serious injuries after being struck by a stolen police vehicle. In a strongly-worded statement issued on Monday, Mr Boutcher said the attack highlighted the escalating dangers officers now face during even routine policing incidents. He said: “Firstly my thought

Detectives investigating the incident in Downpatrick in which a police officer sustained serious injuries after being struck by a stolen police vehicle have made two further arrests and charged a man to court. The 27-year-old man arrested following the incident has now been charged with dangerous driving, driving while disqualified, and using a motor vehicle without insurance. He is due to appear before Downpatrick Magistrates’ Court today, Monday 1 June. Police said the man

A police officer has suffered serious injuries after being struck by a stolen police vehicle during a dramatic incident in Downpatrick in the early hours of Sunday morning, prompting the launch of an attempted murder investigation. The officer was hit after a suspect allegedly drove directly at police during a chaotic confrontation following a foot pursuit through the County Down town. The incident unfolded at around 4.45am on Sunday, 31 May, when a vehicle failed to stop for