Source: Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) published on this website Monday 22 June 2026 by Jill Powell

Five Albanian men have been charged by prosecutors for allegedly faking marriages to EU nationals so they could enter and live in the UK.

They are accused of using counterfeit licences to claim they were married to EU citizens who had a right to live in the UK under the EU Settlement Scheme. The scheme is how EU citizens and their families were allowed to stay in the UK after Brexit.

Lawyers in the Crown Prosecution Service confirmed the charges after suspects were arrested in Home Office raids across England and Wales on Wednesday (17 June).

Prosecutors allege that they obtained fake marriage certificates purporting to show they got married in Cyprus to EU nationals who had a right to reside in the UK.

Kastriot Hoxha, 31, Sina Ervin, 35, Kadri Sinamati, 28, and Valdet Qoshi, 40, are charged with fraud, and immigration offences. They have been remanded in custody and will appear at Sheffield Crown Court on 16 July for a plea hearing. Kastriot Hoxha has additionally been charged with possession of cannabis.

The fifth man, Denis Hani, 30, pleaded guilty to fraud by false representation and two other offences. He was charged on 17 June by CPS Direct, the CPS’s out of hours service, within four hours of receiving the evidence and pleaded guilty the following day at Birkenhead Magistrates’ Court.  He was remanded in custody and will be sentenced on 16 July at Liverpool Crown Court.

Shaun Sigamoney from the Crown Prosecution Service said:

“Prosecutors have changed these men with fraud and immigration offences over alleged fake marriages so they could live in the UK. While one man has pleaded guilty that has no bearing on the case of the other four who are innocent until proven guilty. We remind all concerned that criminal proceedings are active and they have the right to a fair trial. It is vital that there should be no reporting, commentary or sharing of information which could in any way prejudice these proceedings.”
 

Source: Department for Culture, Media and Sport published on this website Thursday 18 June 2026 by Jill Powell

Every child, regardless of where they grow up or which school they attend, will benefit from enriching activities that build the skills, confidence and relationships they need for life and work thanks to government action announced today.

Greater access to opportunities in sport, creative activities, nature and the arts will be made available to children both in and out of school in order to halve the participation gap and reclaim childhood for all young people.

The drive to make sure all children are supported to develop new skills and explore their talents includes new benchmarks for schools and colleges published today. These will ensure schools and colleges have the practical tools and guidance to offer a wide range of opportunities across 5 categories: civic engagement; arts and culture; nature, outdoor and adventure; life and future skills including STEM, sport and physical activities. Leading figures within these categories will soon be announced as ambassadors using their influence and expertise to inspire participation, raise awareness and help drive support for enriching opportunities for young people.

Activities could include music groups, engineering clubs, debating societies, football clubs and much more. These clear benchmarks will work in partnership with civil society and help schools and colleges develop inclusive, engaging enrichment offers that reflect the needs of their pupils and communities.

Ofsted will consider a school’s enrichment offer as part of how it assesses personal development, and parents will be able to see their local school’s offer through new ‘school profiles’ – with useful information on a school’s offering.

This complements the government’s wider reforms to bring the national curriculum into the modern day, break down barriers to opportunity and better prepare young people for life and work in today’s world and beyond. 

‘Every Child Can’, funded through the Dormant Assets Scheme, will deliver £132.5 million  for new activities programmes delivered through schools, community programmes, weekend activities and holiday provision. It is structured around the same 5 categories as the Enrichment Framework, ensuring a consistent approach to building skills and confidence wherever young people engage and removing the postcode lottery that has held children in underserved parts of the country back.

It responds directly to the State of the Nation survey of more than 14,000 young people, which found that despite being the most digitally connected generation, young people today face some of the highest levels of isolation globally. They want safe spaces, trusted adults, better mental health support and greater access to enriching activities. However, access to these opportunities remains unequal, with too many children locked out because of where they live and what school or college they go to.

This package forms part of the government’s commitment to restore lost childhood freedoms - investing in playgrounds, in music hubs, sports partnerships, youth services and youth spaces and support for families through measures including VAT relief on children’s activities this summer. 

With children growing up in an increasingly fast-changing world the package is designed to protect and nurture childhood, ensuring young people are equipped with skills and confidence to achieve and thrive.

Participating in enrichment activities has been associated with higher attainment and a stronger sense of school belonging and wellbeing among children and young people.

According to EPI research, children who attended sport clubs during secondary school were more likely to be in education or employment as young adults, while those who participated in hobbies, arts and music clubs were significantly more likely to progress to higher education.

Today’s (13 June 2026) announcement builds on the government’s work to ensure young people have access to enriching and cultural activities including:

• more than £500 million for an ambitious 10-year National Youth Strategy - co-designed with young people - to connect half a million more young people with a trusted adult outside their home and equip them with skills to boost their resilience and stay safe online
• over £1 billion of investment in school sport over the next 3 years, including the new PE and School Sport Partnerships Network, which will bring national sporting expertise into every primary and secondary school to tackle inactivity and ensure more young people have access to high-quality PE and sport. Alongside this, an additional £400 million will also be invested in new and upgraded grassroots sport facilities in communities across the country 
• £1.5 billion would be provided to cultural venues across England over the course of this parliament, including £27.5 million for public libraries to help them upgrade their buildings and technology to meet changing needs to better serve their communities
• inviting 400 schools in the most deprived areas of England to take part in the £22.5 million Enrichment Expansion Programme, to support them to meet the benchmarks set out in the Enrichment Framework, helping them build a strong offer shaped by their own pupils
• revitalising the curriculum to ensure young people are given the chance to experience the arts, while maintaining a strong academic core, removing school performance measures that constrain subject choice, and making sure GCSEs in arts subjects are fit for purpose

The government is working with The National Lottery Community Fund to develop Every Child Can. Further details on the remaining funding, how each programme will work and how to apply to take part will be published in due course.

The Department for Education will work closely with schools, colleges and sector partners, including the Enrichment for All Coalition, to support implementation of the framework and understand its impact on children and young people. This will help build a shared approach to ensuring high-quality enrichment opportunities can support attendance, engagement, wellbeing and achievement for all pupils.

Source: City Of London Police published on this website Friday 19 June 2026 by Jill Powell

City of London Police are issuing a renewed warning to the public as courier fraud continues to evolve across the UK, with criminals using increasingly sophisticated and persistent tactics that are driving significant financial harm to victims.

New figures show reports increased by nearly 10 per cent year-on-year, rising from 1,721 in 2024 to 1,891 in 2025. Over the same period, total losses climbed from £19.5 million to more than £21 million, with the average amount stolen per victim now standing at £15,311.08, underlining the significant financial harm caused by each offence.

Detective Superintendent Ollie Little, from the City of London Police, said:

“Courier fraud is a cruel and calculated crime that targets trust, often focusing on older and or vulnerable people. Offenders are becoming more organised and persistent, sometimes maintaining contact with victims for days or weeks to maximise what they can steal.

“Criminals are also evolving their tactics, increasingly using messaging platforms such as WhatsApp and courier services to facilitate collections. These changes are making fraud harder to detect and emphasise the need for greater public awareness, particularly among those most at risk and their families.

“It’s vital that people know the warning signs and feel empowered to stop, question and verify before taking any action.”

London remains the primary hotspot for courier fraud, playing a central role in the national increase in both reporting and total amount stolen. The capital and surrounding regions account for around 65 per cent of all victims, with strong transport links enabling offenders to operate across neighbouring counties including Hertfordshire, Essex, Surrey and Kent.

A key feature of this threat is the disproportionate targeting of older people, particularly those aged 70 and above. This group makes up majority of victims, with those aged between 76 and 96 alone accounting for around 62 per cent of all reports.

Fraudsters often deliberately focus on older victims, exploiting trust in institutions such as the police and banks, as well as using pressure tactics, fear and urgency to manipulate them into complying with instructions.

A growing trend identified in 2025 involves the use of jewellery and gold to carry out high-value frauds. In many cases, victims are persuaded to visit multiple jewellers to purchase expensive items over a period of time before handing them to a courier. This method often results in the highest amount stolen and can involve repeat victimisation, with offenders maintaining contact to extract as much money as possible.

How to spot the signs of courier fraud

Courier fraud typically begins with an unexpected phone call from someone claiming to be a police officer or bank employee. Victims are told their account is at risk or that they are assisting with an investigation, before being instructed to withdraw money, purchase items, or disclose sensitive information. A courier is then sent to collect the items such as jewellery, cash, bank cards and PINs. In reality, this is the work of criminals and anything handed over is lost.

How to protect yourself from courier fraud:

• Transferring money: Your bank or the police will never ask you to transfer money to a safe account.
• Couriers: Your bank or the police will never send a courier to your home to collect bank cards, cash, or other valuables such as jewellery.
• Check if it’s genuine: Contact the organisation directly using contact details you know are correct, such as those on official websites, the back of your card or by calling 159 for your bank.
• Caller ID: Don’t trust the Caller ID display on your phone - it’s not proof of ID.
• Report suspicious calls: You can report suspected scam calls by sending a text to 7726 with the word ‘Call’ followed by the caller’s number.

If you think you have been a victim of fraud contact Report Fraud on 0300 123 2040 or via the website: reportfraud.police.uk.

Source: Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) published on this website Wednesday 17 June 2026 by Jill Powell

The Disclosure and Barring Service has launched the second series of DBS Discussions: Safeguarding in Focus, a podcast for employers, HR professionals, safeguarding leads, and anyone with an interest in safeguarding who wants to better understand DBS checks and safer recruitment.

Series 2 features 6 episodes covering the most common questions we hear from employers and safeguarding practitioners, with contributions from expert colleagues across DBS and from sector partners including NSPCC, Ann Craft Trust, and Unlock.

What’s covered in Series 2

Episode 1: How DBS Checks Support Safer Recruitment

In this opening episode, we explore the role DBS checks play in safer recruitment processes, with expert insight from colleagues at NSPCC. Whether you are new to DBS checks or want to refresh your knowledge, this episode provides a clear and accessible introduction. Available from 15th June.

Episode 2: Levels of DBS Checks — Working with Children

This episode examines the different levels of DBS check and when each applies to roles working with children. DBS subject matter experts Karen Bennett and Susie Blamire explain the distinctions between Basic, Standard, Enhanced, and Enhanced with Barred List(s) checks. Available from 22nd June.

Episode 3: Levels of DBS Checks — Working with Adults

Focusing on roles involving adults, this episode explores check levels and regulated activity in adult settings. Bethany Culshaw (DBS) and Cath Sykes from the Ann Craft Trust discuss what employers need to know when recruiting for adult social care and related roles. Available from 29th June.

Episode 4: How Police Consider Disclosing Information on Certificates

Suzie Dunn from DBS explains the process by which police decide what information to disclose on Enhanced DBS certificates, helping employers and applicants better understand what may appear and why. Available from 6th July.

Episode 5: How Employers Should Consider Information Disclosed on Certificates

Cathy Taylor from DBS and Debbie Sadler from Unlock discuss how employers should approach information disclosed on a DBS certificate in a fair, consistent, and proportionate way. Available from 13th July.

Episode 6: Your DBS Questions Answered

In the series finale, DBS Regional Outreach Manager, Jo Wheatley, addresses key themes and questions that have emerged throughout the series, offering practical guidance and signposting listeners to further support. Available from 20th July.

How to listen

DBS Discussions: Safeguarding in Focus is available free on Spotify, Amazon Music, and YouTube. New episodes are released weekly from today, 15th July.

Search “DBS Discussions” on your preferred platform, or visit the links below.

• Listen to DBS Discussions on Spotify.
• Listen to DBS Discussions on YouTube.
• Listen to DBS Discussions on Amazon Music.

You can contact us at DBSdiscussions@dbs.gov.uk with any questions.

Episode transcripts will be published alongside each episode release for accessibility.