UK Bank Scandal Costs Hit £39bn - Report

Britain's biggest banks have collectively racked up a £39bn bill as a result of financial scandals over just three years, a report has found.

A study by auditors KPMG covered financial results from Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS), Lloyds, Barclays, HSBC and Standard Chartered from 2011 to 2014.

It found that more than 60% of their total profits were wiped out by customer remediation, conduct failings and fines over the period, with costs totaling £38.7bn.

Conduct costs last year stood at £9.9bn, just 8% down on 2013, with almost half of the cash relating to the continuing cost of Payment Protection Insurance (PPI) and interest rate hedging mis-selling.

However, the report showed the banks were "in a healthier shape and returning to profitability" in 2014.

Their combined pre-tax profits reached £20.6bn, up £7.9bn or 62%.

The boost in profits was against a backdrop of total income falling by 12% to £127.2bn, as banks focused on less riskier activities in the wake of the financial crisis.

It meant, the study said, that shareholders were still getting a low return on equity.

Head of financial services at KPMG, Bill Michael, said: "Banks are undergoing a once-in-a-lifetime change, as they face evolving regulation, technology and society's expectations. 

"At the same time, competition is increasing as new challenger banks and peer-to-peer platforms offer customers new ways to borrow and deposit and technology-led services such as PayPal and e-wallets change the way money is transferred and goods and services paid for.

"Domestically focused banking arms are focused on restructuring their business. Those with active investment banking arms face significant challenges around ring-fencing their retail and investment banking activities, which will become mandatory in 2019.

"The UK as a financial centre has largely been built on non-retail banking. If further regulation creates too many strictures on non-retail banking, the industry risks losing its global relevance."

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FIFA: Greg Dyke Returns £16K World Cup Watch

FA chairman Greg Dyke has returned a watch worth £16,000 he had been given as a gift during the World Cup, FIFA has announced.

Mr Dyke was given one of the limited edition Parmigiani watches by the Brazilian FA during a FIFA Congress meeting in Sao Paulo.

Sixty-five of the watches were handed out in goodie bags worth more than £1m collectively.

The FA boss initially refused to hand his back after the watches were recalled, having promised to donate it to the FA's official charity partner, Breast Cancer Care, so it could be sold at auction.

But with the prospect of being sanctioned if he did not return the timepiece, FIFA's ethics committee confirmed Mr Dyke had returned the watch and proceedings on the matter have now been closed.

A FIFA statement said: "Mr Greg Dyke has returned the CBF Parmigiani watch.

"As a consequence, the adjudicatory chamber of the FIFA Ethics Committee has decided to close the proceedings in respect of a possible breach of the FIFA Code of Ethics."

Mr Dyke insisted he was not aware how much the gift was worth when he first received it and, once he was told, said he would allow it to be auctioned by Breast Cancer Care.

The charity is looking to raise £500,000 for their cause by next summer.

Press Association Sport reports that all of the watches will now be auctioned for a Brazilian charity and Mr Dyke will make a personal donation to Breast Cancer Care.

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What's Behind UK's Unseasonably Warm Weather?

The country basked in the highest temperatures of the year so far on Easter Sunday, with 20.7C (69.3°F) recorded in Aboyne, Aberdeenshire.

And while not everywhere has experienced the sunshine, many parts of the UK and Ireland have seen some unseasonably warm and mainly dry spells.

The generally settled conditions have been the result of high pressure over the British Isles - and with some help from further afield.

At the beginning of the week, high pressure centered to the west of the UK brought warm air from the Azores, although that was modified somewhat by going around the north of the UK.

A couple sunbathe in Ruskin Park, London, on Monday

Long clear spells have also allowed the strong sunshine to do its work, but we have still seen some chilly nights.

The Foehn effect, whereby air warms as it comes down over a mountain range, may have also played a part in the high temperatures seen in Aboyne on Easter Sunday.

But while many areas reaped the benefits of these processes, the high-pressure system spelled bad news for others.

The winds around this system circle around in a clockwise direction, so eastern parts of the UK have had easterly winds dragging in low cloud off the North Sea - causing it to be grey and cool across coastal regions.

Weak frontal systems have also occasionally passed over the north of Scotland, bringing overcast and at times damp conditions.

Through this week the high pressure will begin to drift eastwards, allowing for more direct southerly winds, bringing in warm air from the near continent.

On Friday, temperatures in southeast England could be close to 20C. However, at the same time it looks likelier to become wetter and breezier at times over western areas. 

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No Further Police Action Over Clarkson Attack

North Yorkshire Police say they will not take any further action against Jeremy Clarkson after he attacked a Top Gear producer last month.

Oisin Tymon, who was left with a split lip after the fight at a hotel, said last week that he did not wish to press charges against his former colleague.

He had to drive himself to hospital following the row in which he also received a torrent of verbal abuse.

Clarkson reported the 4 March incident to the BBC five days later and was suspended by the broadcaster on 10 March before it announced his contract would not be renewed.

Mr Tymon has struggled with the media attention

The force spoke to people who witnessed what the BBC called a "fracas" and has now completed its "routine enquiries".

It said: "Now that all the interviews are complete, we have properly established that there is no need for further police action."

Video: What James May Doesn't Know

It emerged last week that Clarkson will appear on stage with his former Top Gear colleagues, Richard Hammond and James May, later this year to fulfil a series of gigs planned before he left the BBC.

The gigs will be stripped of all BBC branding and content, and billed as Clarkson, Hammond and May Live.

That means the shows, which will take in venues as far afield as Australia, Norway, South Africa and the UK, will not be able to use clips from the show or feature The Stig.

The move is likely to spark rumours the three men intend to team up to continue their careers together after Clarkson's exit from the corporation, but sources close to the tour say it is just a matter of fulfilling commitments to the fans.

The future of the show's other two presenters - Hammond and May - is unclear, with both men's Top Gear contracts having run out.

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Alleged Rapist Who Fled UK Caught In India

By Neville Lazarus, India Reporter

A man who allegedly fled Britain after two attacks on women has been caught while trying to buy a fake passport in India, police say.

Raminder Singh, 28, is accused of sexual assault, rape and attempted murder in July 2012 when he was in the UK.

One woman, aged 23, was found unconscious in Pilvig Park in Edinburgh in a pool of blood, with a broken jaw and cheekbone, and a missing tooth. The attacker had attempted to rape her.

A few days later a 27-year-old woman told police she had been subjected to a serious sexual attack and rape.

Police believe Singh was involved in both incidents and a warrant was issued for his arrest.

However, he managed to leave the country the next day and fly to India.

An extradition request was sent to the country from the UK, but Singh is thought to have changed his identity multiple times.

It is believed that in the meantime he worked at a call centre and even opened a restaurant.

A police source told Sky News that because some of his relatives worked in the Punjab police, there was not much interest in the case.

While on the run he is believed to have lived for some time with his relative Gurwinder Singh, a police inspector at Punjab Police Academy.

Local crime commissioner Ravindra Yadav told Sky News: "The Delhi Police was requested by the British High Commission to help nab the fugitive.

"The British police gave some inputs to us which we developed. We were roped in as they had confidence in us."

Singh was tracked for several months as a result.

An officer told Sky News that Singh was trapped when he was on his way to meet someone to buy a forged passport, and was held on Sunday night at the Singhu northern border of Delhi.

He has since appeared in court and the UK government will now move to have him extradited.

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Girl Punches Suspected Attacker In Face

A 12-year-old girl has fought off a suspected attacker by punching him in the face during an altercation in Greater Manchester.

Police say the girl struck the man as he grabbed her arm as she walked home from school in Sale.

The girl was walking along Moss Lane at around 4pm on 25 March and had just passed Edinburgh Close when the incident occurred.

She was able to run away from the attacker and was not harmed.

Police have now issued an e-fit image of the suspect in an attempt to trace him.

Detective Constable Dan Hayes said: "This young girl has been very brave and worked with our forensic imaging specialists to relive what she went through and produce an accurate image of what he looked like.

"I would ask people to look carefully at this image and if you do recognise this man, or see him hanging around the area, please call us.

"We do not know what this man's intentions were and that is why we are taking this incident very seriously and doing all we can to apprehend this man.

"There may well have been a lot of people in the area at the time of the incident who have potentially vital information and I would ask anyone who may have witnessed the incident, or who recognise this man, to come forward."

The man is described as white, aged in his late 50s, 5ft 8in tall, of large build, with short, greying hair, a long face and a pointy nose.

He was wearing silver-framed rectangular glasses with an orange or brown tint to the lenses.

He was also dressed in a black jacket, a white polo T-shirt, loose fitting blue jeans and black shoes.

Anybody with information is urged to call police on 0161 856 7530 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

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Mosque Collapses In Birmingham Street

A mosque has collapsed in a Birmingham street, believed to be caused by building work on the property.

It appears no one was in the building. Pic: Highgate Fire Station

Crews were called to the mosque in Walford Road, Sparkbrook, around 11.30pm on Monday and arrived to find much of its roof had fallen in.

No one was thought to be inside the terrace property at the time and, despite its location on a residential street, nobody else was hurt.

A skip was outside the property. Pic: Highgate Fire Station

Search dogs from Leicestershire Fire and Rescue Service and a police helicopter searched for anyone who might have been trapped in the rubble.

West Midlands Fire and Rescue Service said the "collapse was caused by ongoing structural works inside the premises".

A skip and safety fencing were pictured outside the property, indicating building work had been going on before the collapse.

A police helicopter helped in the search. Pic: NPAS Birmingham

A fire service spokesman said: "Structural engineers have been in attendance and contractors came out to make the building safe at about 3am.

"A K9 team has been through the property internally and externally and we're confident no persons were inside."

The council has been notified. Pic: Highgate Fire Station

The collapse shut Walford Road while emergency services cleared the debris.

Access was also restricted to surrounding streets.

A West Midlands Police spokesman said the incident was not a police matter and the council had been notified.

A safety inspection of the building would be carried out, police said.

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Convict Harassed Woman From His Prison Cell

A convict who struck up a friendship with a young woman while in prison has received a five-year sentence for harassment.

Carlos Boente, 33, was a prisoner in Birmingham jail when he was given the number of the woman from a cellmate.

He began texting and phoning the teenager - she was 19 at the time - and initially asked her to change his Facebook password as a favour.

The young woman, who did not know about Boente, agreed and was subsequently bombarded with texts and phone calls in which he told her he had no friends or family and no-one visited him in prison.

The young woman felt sorry for him and kept in touch but soon his texts became sinisterly controlling.

He asked where she was and, if she did not respond, he left abusive and threatening messages.

The contact had started in November 2013 and, by the end of January 2014, the woman was left feeling exhausted, frightened and threatened.

After Boente phoned to apologise and then, during one of the calls, made threats against her young child and told her she was going to die, she called the police.

"Even when the victim was giving a statement to us about Boente's behaviour, we witnessed him constantly calling her, shouting down the phone and being abusive," said Detective Constable Vanessa Lewis who led the investigation.

"Despite knowing we were investigating him, Boente showed no signs of stopping his disturbing conduct," Det Con Lewis continued.

"On 24 March, shortly after we blocked his letters and landline contact from the prison, three men entered the home of the woman's aunt and uncle looking for a safe. 

"Boente's Facebook status two days later - boasting that he sent his "soldiers" to the property - indicated he was behind the burglary."

Boente was charged last June with two counts of threats to kill, one count of harassment, one count of conspiracy to burgle and three counts of possessing a mobile phone while in prison - he had denied all charges, apart from two counts of possessing a mobile phone.

On 1 April 2015, he was cleared of the threats to kill charges but found guilty of conspiracy to burgle, harassment and the remaining phone possession charge, and sentenced to a total of five years in prison.

Det Con Lewis said: "This is a highly unusual case which demonstrates Boente's ability to control, manipulate and harass young women.

"The woman concerned in this case and her family lived in fear for months.

"The stress caused by Boente's actions resulted in family members giving up their jobs and selling their homes, while the victim felt she had lost all control of her life.

"With this in mind, I would urge anyone who may be approached in the future by Boente, either online or over the phone, to call us immediately - do not feel sorry for him and do not wait one moment to contact us."    

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Yorkshire Teenagers In Syria, Police Fear

Two West Yorkshire teenagers are believed to have travelled to Syria, counter-terrorism police have confirmed.

The boys, both 17 and from Dewsbury, were last seen by their families on 31 March.

They are believed to have flown from Manchester airport to Dalaman in Turkey on the same day, police say.

West Yorkshire Police Assistant Chief Constable Mark Milsom said: "We are extremely concerned for the safety of these two boys and would urge anyone with information to come forward and speak to us.

"Our priority is for their safe return; their families are gravely worried about them and want them home.

"Syria is an extremely dangerous place and the public will be aware of the dangers these boys may face.

"The choice of returning home from Syria is often taken away from those that come under the control of Islamic State, leaving their families in the UK devastated and with very few options to secure their safe return."

He urged anyone who is worried about someone they know travelling to Syria to get in touch with authorities.

Kadiza Sultana, Shamima Begum and Amira Abase are thought to be in Raqqa

"This is not about criminalising people. It is about preventing tragedies by offering support to communities, families, young and vulnerable people," he said.

Kirklees Council chief executive Adrian Lythgo said: "We are deeply concerned for these young people and will continue to work in close partnership with the Counter Terrorism Unit, West Yorkshire Police, our communities and schools to prevent and eradicate any threats and concerns."

UK security services believe around 600 Britons have travelled to Syria and Iraq to join militant groups, while around half are thought to have returned to the UK.

They include three teenage girls from East London, who are now thought to be in the Syrian city of Raqqa, an Islamic State stronghold.

Shamima Begum, Amira Abase and Kadiza Sultana were last seen on CCTV at a bus station in Istanbul on 17 February.

Last week, nine Britons were arrested allegedly trying to cross into Syria from Turkey illegally.

Anyone with information is urged to call police on 101 or the confidential Anti-Terrorist Hotline on 0800 789 321.

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Safety Deposit Boxes Raided In Jewellery Quarter

Scotland Yard has begun an investigation after safety deposit boxes in a central London vault were raided over the Easter weekend.

A statement from the Metropolitan Police said heavy cutting equipment had been used to get into a vault at the premises in Hatton Garden.

Officers from the Flying Squad are currently at Hatton Garden Safe Deposit as the investigation continues.

Up to 300 safety deposit boxes at the premises are thought to have been broken into. The suspects are believed to have used a lift shaft to gain access to the vault.

The raid took place in the heart of London's jewellery quarter

Sky's Crime Correspondent Martin Brunt said: "I'm told that there are 600 boxes on the premises, 300 of which have been raided.

"The suspects have had perhaps several days (over Easter weekend) in which to get in. One report I'm told suggested that they used a lift shaft at some stage to get into the centre, which must be pretty heavily protected.

"It's probably going to be some days before we get an idea of exactly how much has been stolen or what indeed has been stolen."

The area is known as London's jewellery quarter.

Safety deposit boxes at the premises are mainly used by jewellers in Hatton Garden to store jewellery and loose diamonds in packets.

Lewis Malka, a diamond jewellery expert who works on Hatton Garden, tweeted: "Quiet day in the office and then I found out one of my client's antique bracelets was stolen in the Hatton Garden robbery."

Mr Malka said the haul was likely to be worth "hundreds and hundreds of thousands of pounds".

He said: "Most of the people who have got safety deposits there are people in the trade.

"I know for a fact that some of my work colleagues have got boxes down there and we are talking about hundreds and hundreds of thousands of pounds in goods."

In July 1987, the Knightsbridge Safe Deposit Centre was hit by one of the largest robberies in history. Two armed robbers asked to rent a safe deposit box and produced hand guns after they were shown to the vault before making off with an estimated £60m hoard.

Valerio Viccei was arrested as he returned to England to ship his Ferrari Testarrosa to Latin America. He was sentenced to 22 years in prison.

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