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Sexual harassment on trains rises by a third in a decade in UK

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Reports of sexual assaults and harassment on UK trains have increased by more than 37% since 2015, according to data collected by the BBC through a request for information from the British Transport Police (BTP). Last year alone, 2,661 incidents were recorded in England, Scotland and Wales, a figure that shows the persistence of a growing problem in public transport safety.

Of the cases reported, one in ten involved minors, some under the age of 13. In total, over 22,000 sexual offences related to the UK rail network have been reported in the last ten years.

The authorities point out that part of the increase in the number of reports may be related to greater social awareness and victims being more willing to report. The UK government has stressed that the increase in reported cases does not necessarily imply a real increase in crime but may reflect that more people feel able to report what they have experienced.

However, the British Transport Police acknowledge that the situation is worrying and that incidents continue to be under-reported. Many victims, according to authorities, still hesitate to report out of fear, shame or lack of trust in the system.

To combat the phenomenon, police patrols – including plain clothes officers – have been reinforced in trains and stations. These teams are specifically trained to detect suspicious behaviour, such as people seeking to position themselves near women travelling alone or seemingly vulnerable.

The data show a remarkable increase in cases involving minors: reports of sexual assaults with victims under 18 years of age have tripled in the last decade, from 146 in 2015 to 443 in 2025. In total, there are more than 2,900 reports over ten years involving children or adolescents.

The BTP notes that this trend is partly explained by new investigative techniques and the presence of undercover agents but stresses the need to continue promoting whistleblowing and prevention education.

The case of train conductor Nicholas McMurray, sentenced to seven years in prison for sexually assaulting an 18-year-old female passenger, has been one of the most publicised. The man, an employee of Great Western Railway, was arrested immediately after the report and placed on the sex offender registry for life. The company immediately dismissed him and reiterated its zero tolerance for any such behaviour.

The British government has announced a £17 million investment to improve video surveillance at stations and make it easier to identify suspects. The authorities hope that this measure will help speed up investigations and reduce impunity for criminals.

Police encourage both victims and witnesses to report any incident immediately, even if it may seem minor. Passengers can send a text message to the number 61016 with details of the incident, place and time.

The Rail Delivery Group, a body representing rail companies, shares this position and assures that all reports will be treated with utmost seriousness.

Despite awareness campaigns and increased surveillance, the data show that public transportation is still a place where many women and children do not feel safe. Experts in security and gender equality point out that it is necessary to combine police measures with education, awareness and training of transport workers, as well as to encourage social change that rejects any form of harassment.

Although the number of reports may reflect greater trust in the system, the reality is that thousands of passengers and minors continue to be exposed to intimidation and sexual violence. The struggle to ensure that every journey is safe and respectful remains one of the main challenges facing public transport in the UK today.

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Young children carry knives at school: an alarming reality in the UK

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An investigation by BBC journalists Ruth Green, Fiona Trott and Gerry Georgieva has uncovered a disturbing situation: children as young as four and five have been discovered with knives in primary schools in England. The data obtained shows that during 2024 there were 1,304 crimes involving knives or sharp objects in schools and colleges in England and Wales.

Worryingly, at least 10% of these cases involved primary-school-aged children. According to police forces, minors as young as four, five and six years old have been found carrying bladed weapons to class – in some cases, to show them to friends and in others, with threatening intentions.

Kent police responded to an incident involving a boy as young as four who had assaulted a classmate with a knife. In the West Midlands, another six-year-old boybrought a knife to class claiming he wanted to kill another pupil. In another case, a five-year-old boy came to school with a ten-inch kitchen knife.

Although these minors are not criminally responsible, as the minimum age in the United Kingdom is ten years old, the facts have caused concern among families and education professionals.

The debate has intensified in the wake of the case of Harvey Willgoose, a teenager killed by a classmate with a hunting knife in Sheffield. His mother, Caroline Willgoose, is calling on the government to install metal detectors in all schools to prevent further tragedies.

Several British schools have already begun installing metal detection arches. In Dudley, Beacon Hill Academy has recently incorporated this type of control. Some students admit that the arch generates some trepidation, but it also makes them feel more confident.

Sales of metal detectors in schools have tripled in one year, according to data from Interconnective Security Products, which sold 35 between March 2024 and March 2025.

The British Home Office has assured that it is on a mission to halve knife crime. Among the measures announced are Ronan’s Law, which tightens rules for online knife sales, and the Young Futuresprogramme, which seeks to address the social and psychological causes of the problem.

Still, educators’ associations warn that more support for schoolsand prevention programmes are needed; a decade of cutbacks in community policing and youth projects has left many schools alone in the face of this crisis, according to Pepe Di’lasio, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders.

Some teenagers admit to bringing knives to school out of fear. Experts such as Trevor Chrouch, who works with at-risk youth in Sheffield, point out that many of these kids are not looking to cause harm, but to feel safe; for them, carrying a knife is as commonplace as carrying a mobile phone in their pocket.

Professionals agree that more emotional education, extracurricular activities and mediation programmes are needed to prevent these behaviours. As one teenage girl interviewed says: «They don’t teach us how to defend ourselves or manage emotions. Just science, but not how to live life».

The knife phenomenon in British schools is a reflection of a deep-seated fear among young people and an education system that needs more social and emotional support. Security measures are a necessary step, but not enough: the solution is to educate, listen and protect before it is too late.

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One mistake, one company destroyed: the cyber-attack that sank 158 years of history

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One weak password. That’s all it took for a group of hackers to destroy a 158-year-old British company and put 700 people out of work.

Northamptonshire-based transport company KNP is a tragic example of how cyber-attacks can bring down even established businesses. The case reveals a disturbing reality: thousands of companies in the UK are victims of ransomware, one of the most significant cybercrime threats today.

In 2023, KNP managed a fleet of 500 lorries under the brand name Knights of Old. Despite complying with IT security standards and having insurance against cyber-attacks, the company fell victim to a group called Akira.

As Richard Bilton explains for BBC Panorama, the hackers gained access to the system by guessing an employee’s password. Once inside, they encrypted all data and locked down internal systems, leaving the company completely paralysed.

Although a figure was not specified, a firm specializing in ransomware negotiation estimated that the demand could reach £5 million. KNP was unable to pay. All data were lost. The company went bankrupt.

Richard Horne, CEO of the National Cyber Security Center (NCSC), warns that an urgent response is needed and companies must take serious steps to protect their systems and businesses.

The NCSC, which is part of GCHQ, the UK’s intelligence agency, receives reports of a major cyber attack every day. Their teams are trying to detect and stop hackers before they can deploy ransomware, but the task is daunting.

According to the UK government, there were 19,000 ransomware attacks last year. The average demand is around 4 million pounds, and approximately one third of the companies end up paying.

This type of social engineering was the method used in the case of the Marks & Spencer attack, where the attackers gained access to the systems through telephone manipulation.

According to experts, many of the new hackers start out in the gaming world and end up using their skills in cybercrime. Ransomware can be easily purchased on the dark web and is a quick way to obtain large sums of money with little risk of being caught.

The government is now proposing to prohibit public entities from paying ransomware, and to make private companies have to notify any attack and obtain permission to make any payments.

After losing his company, Paul Abbott, director of KNP, has started giving awareness talks: companies should demonstrate that they have up-to-date systems. As a kind of cyber-MOT.

Consultant Paul Cashmore, who advised KNP after the attack, agrees that this is organised crime. And very little is being done to catch the perpetrators. «It’s devastating».

Conclusion

The KNP case is a warning to all companies: a single weak password can have disastrous consequences. In an increasingly digitised environment, cybersecurity is not an option, it is a critical necessity.

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United Kingdom opts for new courts to reduce criminal recidivism

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Communities affected by repeat offenders will see their protection strengthened with the expansion of a new model of specialised courts designed to reduce less serious crime and nip recidivism in the bud.

These Intensive Supervision Courts, inspired by problem-solving courts in the United States, especially in Texas, combine strict judicial follow-up with personalised support for offenders suffering from problems such as addiction or trauma.

Offenders who commit crimes such as theft while struggling with personal problems will have to attend treatment, appear regularly before a judge and comply with strict conditions. If they fail to do so, they may end up in prison.

This model, which is part of the British government’s «Blueprint for Change» seeks to transform the response to petty crime by freeing up the prison system and focusing on real rehabilitation.

Drug and alcohol addiction fuels much of the crime that occurs. Crime will not be reduced until repeat offenders actually face up to their behaviour, according to Lord Timpson, Minister for Prisons, Probation and Reducing Reoffending.

Promising results

The first four pilot programs in Birmingham, Bristol, Liverpool and Teesside have supervised more than 200 offenders. According to a recent assessment:

  • 2 out of 3 drug tests were negative.
  • Only 23% of the participants were sanctioned for misbehaviour.
  • Substance use decreased.
  • More participants with mental health problems accessed appropriate treatment.

These data point to a significant reduction in recidivism, as has already been observed in other countries using similar models, with a drop in criminal re-entries of up to 33%.

The expansion of these courts follows a record £700 million investment in the Probation Service, a 45% increase in the budget, and responds to the recommendations of the Independent Sentencing Review, led by former Justice Minister David Gauke.

During a visit to Texas, Gauke and the current Lord Chancellor saw first-hand how the expansion of problem-solving courts had reduced drug offences by 25% and decreased the prison population.

A view from the social sector

Pavan Dhaliwal, director of the NGO Revolving Doors, which works to break the cycle of crime, welcomed the expansion. These courts offer a real opportunity to address the unmet health and social needs that trap people in recidivism.

With this new approach, the United Kingdom is committed to a penal system that not only punishes, but also holds accountable, rehabilitates and sets things right. The expansion of Intensive Supervision Courts is part of a broader strategy to make the streets safer, reduce the burden on prisons and give a real second chance to those who want to change.

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The crisis in Nigeria: why police reform is key

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Armed banditry has become a full-blown security crisis in Nigeria, especially in the north-west and north-central regions of the country. What began as sporadic attacks has evolved into coordinated campaigns of violence that affect entire communities.

Between 2023 and 2025, more than 10,000 people have died at the hands of armed groups in northern Nigeria, the majority being women and children. Rural life is completely disrupted: farmers kidnapped in the fields, travellers attacked on the roads, entire towns displaced. In some areas, residents even have to pay ‘taxes’ to the bandits in order to be able to harvest.

According to Onyedikachi Madueke, a PhD student in Security in Nigeria at the University of Aberdeen, this insecurity generates poverty, weakens trust in the State, and drives emigration.

Studies on banditry in Nigeria often focus on factors such as poverty, social exclusion and ungoverned territories. But an essential element is often overlooked: the lack of institutional capacity of the police.

Some conclusions from Madueke’s research clearly point to a police force with serious structural deficiencies: staff shortages, lack of funding, precarious working conditions, and an excessively centralised organization.

These deficits are not just administrative issues, but factors that foster environments in which organised violence can thrive. The conclusions are structured around four main axes.

Staff Crisis: Few Agents for Many Citizens

With 220 million inhabitants, Nigeria has 370,000 police officers. In some municipalities in the north, only 32 officers protect hundreds of thousands of people. Furthermore, up to 80% of police officers are assigned to protect politicians, businesspeople, etc. This leaves a minority available for actual police tasks.

Chronically insufficient funding

The police budget for 2024 is around $808 million, well below countries like South Africa or Egypt. Police stations do not have computers, paper, or access to the Internet. Officers use their personal mobile phones. Patrol cars lack fuel, and specialised equipment is either non-existent or obsolete.

Precarious working conditions

A junior officer may earn 44 dollars a month, insufficient to live on. They have to pay for their uniforms, medical assistance, and they live in degraded barracks, without water or electricity. The families of deceased officers often take years to receive compensation. This precariousness generates demotivation and disconnection, with serious implications for national security.

Excessively centralised structure

The Nigerian Police is controlled from Abuja, the capital, which leaves regional governments without real authority over the officers deployed in their territories. This centralised model limits rapid response, hinders community trust, and favours criminals acting with impunity in areas where the state is perceived as non-existent.

To address armed banditry, it is necessary to strengthen the police institutionally. Urgent measures should include:

  • Increasing the hiring of police officers, especially in rural areas.
  • Improving the salaries and living conditions of the officers.
  • Decentralising the police force and allowing for the creation of regional and community forces.
  • Ensuring transparency in the use of funds allocated for security, especially the Police Trust Fund.

Strengthening the police is not just a management issue: it is a fundamental step to restore trust, ensure security, and build a more stable future for Nigeria.

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Concerns are growing about the fire risk in battery facilities

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The shift towards a future based on renewable energy presents significant challenges, one of the most pressing being energy storage. Worldwide, battery energy storage systems (BESS) are becoming increasingly common, but their rapid growth has raised significant concerns about their safety.

In New York City, Councilman Robert Holden warns that the proliferation of BESS centres, especially in the Staten Island district, is endangering residents and critical infrastructure.

According to researcher Emma Woollacott, BESS centres use thousands of lithium-ion batteries, similar to those found in laptops and electric cars. These batteries are stored in large metal containers and allow for the conservation of energy produced by renewable sources for use when needed.

To achieve the zero emissions targets by 2050, large-scale storage is essential. Sources such as solar or wind generate energy intermittently, and a way to store their surpluses is required.

According to SolarPower Europe, in 2024, 21.9 GWh of battery storage was installed in Europe, enough to power around 16 million households. But this is just the beginning: by 2030, the European Union needs to multiply that capacity by 10.

Despite the advantages, technology is not without risks. One of the main problems is the possibility of severe fires, such as those that occurred in Essex (United Kingdom), Liverpool, and recently in California, where a fire at one of the largest facilities in the world forced the evacuation of 1,500 people.

The usual cause is the phenomenon known as thermal leakage, which can be caused by short circuits, physical damage, or manufacturing defects. This process causes batteries to release heat, flammable and toxic gases, and under unfavourable conditions it can generate chain explosions.

BESS facilities can contain millions of battery cells, and if they are not well protected, fires can spread easily, warns Professor Robert Dryfe, an expert in physical chemistry at the University of Manchester.

In addition to fires, there are also social and environmental concerns: from the impact of material extraction such as cobalt, to the saturation of electrical networks in countries such as Germany.

In the United Kingdom, communities such as Aberdeenshire in Scotland are protesting against new proposals for BESS centres. Marguerite Fleming, a local activist, complains that the promoters do not take into account the risk of forest fires or floods.

Blackford Renewables, the promoting company, has promised to collaborate with the community and apply the highest safety standards.

Currently, there is no unified regulation at the European level regarding the quality and maintenance of BESS systems. Each country follows its own protocols, which, according to SolarPower Europe, hinders deployment.

However, countries such as China, the USA, the United Kingdom, and Australia are already working on technical guidelines to improve safety. New technologies are also being implemented with automatic fire suppression systems and batteries that are less susceptible to combustion.

Despite the risks, experts agree on one thing: the energy future will require storage and batteries are, for now, the best option.

We use more renewable energy, which means that we need greater grid-scale storage capacity. Basically, we have no other choice, concludes Dryfe.

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Is Germany a safe country? Crime statistics at a glance

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Alarmist headlines about crime, drugs and street violence are commonplace in the German media. Viral videos, such as those by South African-born German blogger Kurt Caz showing Frankfurt’s troubled Bahnhofsviertel neighbourhood, reinforce the perception that Germany is experiencing a security crisis. But what does the data really say?

Bahnhofsviertel has historically been a marginal district, with a high presence of drugs and prostitution. Criminologist Susanne Karstedt reminds us that these aspects attract violence and drug-related crime. As in many other countries, German cities have higher crime rates than rural areas, especially in places with marked social inequalities, such as Berlin, Frankfurt or Bremen.

However, Karstedt insists that Germany is a safe country. Crime, in general, has been decreasing since the 80s and 90s of the last century. Technology, as in the case of modern vehicle safety systems, has contributed to this reduction.

Journalists Pere Hille and Kira Schact, from dw.com, consider that one of the most useful indicators to compare safety between countries is the homicide rate. With 0.91 murders per 100,000 inhabitants, Germany ranked 147th in the world in 2024. This figure places it far behind countries such as South Africa (with more than 40 homicides per 100,000 inhabitants) or the United States (5.76).

Two decades ago, Germany had a much higher homicide rate (2.5), showing a clear improvement. However, a recent upturn in violent crime has been detected, especially among young men, a group that is often affected by difficult social conditions.

Discussions on migration and crime often generate controversy. But Karstedt points out that there is no direct relationship between being a migrant and committing crimes. In fact, several studies show that migrants generally commit less crime than native citizens. What does have an influence are social factors such as lack of opportunities, unemployment or educational level.

In addition, many migrants live in urban environments, where crime is statistically higher. Gina Rosa Wollinger, a criminologist from Cologne, stresses that this can distort public perception, since it is not migration per se that explains crime, but the context in which these people live.

Studies on youth crime confirm that the causes of violence are the same for German and non-German youth. But there are more risks among young migrants, especially if they have lived through traumatic experiences of war or social exclusion.

Official crime statistics in Germany come from the Federal Criminal Police Office (BKA). However, these data only include reported cases.  Domestic violence or sexual assaults often go unreported, especially in rural areas or in close relationships (family members, teachers, coaches, etc.).

Karstedt stresses that most sexual assaults are not committed by strangers, but by someone close to the victim. Cases like New Year’s Eve 2015 in Cologne, in which dozens of women were assaulted by strangers, are the exception, not the norm.

Karstedt, who lives in Australia, but often visits her hometown of Hamburg, says she has always felt safe, even on public transport. Although she acknowledges that Germany may seem less friendly than other countries, she stresses that it is a safe country.

Public perception is often influenced by sensational news stories and viral videos. Despite social challenges and occasional spikes in crime, the data show that Germany remains one of the safest countries in the world.

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The NIST achieves the first breath detection of edible cannabis in the U.S.

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The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and its partners at the University of Colorado Anschutz have made the first measurement of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) in the breath of individuals who have consumed edible cannabis.

This research supports public safety and law enforcement, as there is still no reliable evidence in place to determine when a person has consumed cannabis or whether they are intoxicated as a result of its use.

NIST researchers have observed increases and decreases in THC levels in the breath of participants several hours after consuming cannabis-infused gummies.

Cannabis use has increased in the U.S. and has exceeded alcohol as a daily recreational drug for Americans. Nearly 20% of cannabis consumers have admitted to driving after consuming it. However, unlike alcohol, there is no reliable evidence regarding cannabis consumption. Even blood tests cannot determine whether a person has consumed it. This means that law enforcement cannot verify a person’s recent usage, let alone the level of intoxication.

To complicate matters further, there are multiple ways to consume cannabis: smoking, vaping, ingesting, and dabbing (inhaling a concentrated form of cannabis extracts). Scientists know that the psychoactive component THC shows up in breath after smoking, but what happens with edible formats?

The answer is that after consuming these other forms of cannabis, THC is also present in breath. In a study published in the Journal of Analytical Toxicology researchers at the NIST have taken the first samples of cannabinoids in breath after study participants ingested cannabis-infused edibles.

Making a breathalyzer for cannabis is more difficult than making one for alcohol. Alcohol is a relatively simple and highly volatile molecule: it easily travels through the lungs and evaporates when it comes into contact with air. However, THC is a more complicated molecule with very low volatility. Consumption is usually hundreds of times less than that of alcohol. It appears in very small concentrations in breath, making THC detection much more difficult. Regular cannabis users can have THC in their breath for at least eight hours and in their blood for weeks after they stop using it. This means that a single measure is insufficient to determine when a person last consumed it.

In the new study, NIST partners at the Anschutz Medical Campus of the University of Colorado observed 29 participants consuming a cannabis-infused gummy in the laboratory. The edibles contained between 5 and 100 milligrams of THC. The researchers first took a breath sample from the participants before they ingested the product. They then observed each participant for three hours and collected breath samples approximately every hour.

NIST researchers measured the concentration of THC and other cannabinoids in breath at these intervals. THC was detected in the majority of participants before they consumed the edible, even though they had been asked to abstain for eight hours prior to the study. This is not surprising. Our body processes cannabinoids slowly and takes weeks to eliminate them from our system compared to how quickly alcohol is processed.

This study shows that THC ingested in edible form can pass through the digestive system and be exhaled again by the lungs.

This research supports the idea that multiple breath samples over a period of time could be a way to use a breathalyzer to detect cannabis consumption, regardless of how it is ingested. However, devices will still require standards that ensure their accuracy and proper usage.

Researchers: Jennifer L. Berry, Ashley Brooks-Russell, Tara M. Lovestead, and Kavita M. Jeerage. The detection of cannabinoids in breath after ingestion of cannabis-infused edibles. Journal of Analytical Toxicology. Published online on 10 July 2025. DOI: 10.1093/jat/bkaf063

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Ireland bolsters its resources against the constant arrival of cocaine

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Law enforcement across Europe is fighting tirelessly to stop the increasing amount of cocaine crossing the Atlantic from South America.

According to the Maritime Analysis Operations Centre (MAOC), which monitors transatlantic drug trafficking, 100 suspected drug ships were not stopped last year because European authorities did not have sufficient means to intercept them. Europe has the data on drug-laden ships crossing the Atlantic, but still lacks the available interdiction assets, according to MAOC director Sjoerd Top. Up to 600 ships are monitored by the MAOC every day, while record amounts of cocaine are produced in South America.

In the United Kingdom, 117 tonnes of cocaine were consumed last year, according to the UK National Crime Agency. Meanwhile, the number of cocaine-related deaths has increased tenfold since 2011.

The drugs are generally shipped in large container ships to European ports, such as Rotterdam and Antwerp. Security at these ports has been tightened, causing smugglers to seek alternative routes. Many offload bundles of cocaine from a «mother» ship to a smaller «daughter» vessel, with which they are transported to land. Through this method, tonnes of cocaine have been intercepted at sea in multiple seizures of one or two tonnes in the last six months.

But the cartels are relentless and are increasingly targeting Ireland, the only European country with an open border with the UK, as a back door. Ireland has almost 2,000 miles of very vulnerable coastline, many of it ideal for smuggling, with hundreds of isolated entrances.

The country’s defence forces help fight cartels, but Ireland has the lowest defence spending in the EU, only 0.2% of GDP. The Irish Naval Service has eight ships, but normally only two can be carried out at sea, due to a shortage of seamen. Ireland has 132,000 square miles of water under its jurisdiction, 16% of European waters, and only two fully operational vessels. According to former naval commander Eugene Ryan, this makes no sense.

The same applies to air support. The Irish defence forces are supposed to provide the helicopters to help protect the coast, but sometimes they don’t have a single one available that can do the job.

The drug highway crosses the Atlantic and one of the first countries it reaches is Ireland. The Irish government claims to maintain a continuous presence and surveillance within its maritime domain. It stresses that defence funding will increase by 600 million euros in four years, an increase of 55%, and significant initiatives will be implemented, which have also resulted in the stabilisation of the Naval Service force.

Drug trafficking is a growing problem throughout Europe, and those leading the fight against it say that all countries must do much more to stop it.

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Children at risk of identity theft and fraud

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According to research from the University of Southampton, children in the UK are at an increased risk of being bullied, cyberbullied and having their identity stolen when they grow up if their parents post their photos online.

The so-called sharenting, which consists of documenting a child’s special moments on social networks, has become a common practice. But academics warn that this could bring unexpected danger, as it increases the risk of children becoming victims of cybercrime.

Reporter Shiona McCallum reports for the BBC and warns that the widespread sharing of children’s photos and videos on social media puts their safety, privacy and well-being at risk.

The researchers surveyed more than 1,000 parents in the United Kingdom and then conducted follow-up interviews. They found that 45% of the parents they spoke to were actively posting photos of their children online, while one in six reported that their child had suffered negative consequences.

On the other hand, revealing details such as birthday, address, names of pets, etc. could increase the risk of identity fraud later on.

When parents proudly share photos and information about their children on social networks, they unknowingly put them at risk of danger online (cyberbullying) and in the real world; not only now, but also in the near future.

Sharenting is an invasion of privacy that has long been a controversial topic. One concern is that parents, caregivers, family members and schools are largely unaware that privacy features on social networks can be overridden for certain actions. This research shows that parents overestimate the protection offered by privacy settings.

Criminals have been known to move into the darker parts of the Internet, who presume they can use artificial intelligence to create sexual and nude images of any child from a handful of ordinary photos or videos. These images can be so realistic that they are indistinguishable from the real thing.

Researchers warn that artificial intelligence poses a whole new range of dangers, including the risk of sexual extortion, if the images are used to threaten or blackmail a child.

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