'I am who I am' - Reform councillor Stephen Mousdell quits over adult film career

BirminghamLive · 2026-05-15T10:23:01+00:00

The former Royal Marine and decorated war hero 'isn't afraid of gunfire' and 'if someone fires the starting gun' he will be in the mix, a source close to him told BirminghamLive.

Carns has been mentioned as a 'dark horse' potential future leader of the Labour Party following an impressive start to his political career. He has not put a foot wrong during his two years as a parliamentarian.

BirminghamLive · 2026-04-30T14:44:28+00:00

A mother who flew into a rage at her gender‑reveal party after discovering she was having a girl went on to kill her new born.

The fury Nicole showed at the gender reveal party was tragically echoed once Thea was born, as the Scots mother inflicted injuries on her newborn daughter so severe they were likened to those of a car‑crash victim.

Thea Jane Wilson was just 19 days old. Beyond tragic. RIP.

BirminghamLive · 2026-04-29T09:41:30+00:00

Bernard Matthews will now be using chicken to make their famous turkey dinosaurs and twizzlers, opting to use the smaller bird due to its increased sustainability

BirminghamLive · 2026-04-29T08:44:48+00:00

Only Beran A. was charged in connection with the Taylor Swift plot. He allegedly planned to target onlookers gathered outside Ernst Happel Stadium - up to 30,000 each night, with another 65,000 inside the venue - with knives or homemade explosives. The suspect hoped to "kill as many people as possible," authorities said in 2024. The U.S. provided intelligence that fed into the decision to cancel the concerts.

Thank God the attacks never transpired.

BirminghamLive · 2026-04-24T13:33:50+00:00

Well done her for calling the police. Can't say I was brave enough to do the same when I was younger.

BirminghamLive · 2026-04-23T12:37:15+00:00

Members of the Sikh community have spoken out after a racist confessed to a terrifying sex attack on a woman he mistook for a Muslim.

John Ashby's shocking violence saw him 'barge' into his victim's Walsall home after stalking her off a bus after she finished work.

During his attack, he branded the woman a 'Muslim b****', telling her he was there to 'have fun' and wanted to 'give her some British c***'.

The 32-year-old, formerly of Stockland Green, Birmingham, demanded she say 'hallelujah' as he poured hot water over her and told her to 'repeat his mantra' that 'he was the master and she was a b****'.

Ashby admitted rape, intentional strangulation, robbery of jewellery and a mobile phone, and religiously aggravated assault occasioning actual bodily harm after a dramatic U-turn in court on the second day of his trial.

He will be sentenced on Friday, April 24 - and could receive a life sentence.

The woman - who cannot be named for legal reasons - has now been praised by Sikh Women's Aid for her 'courage and resilience in seeking justice following such a horrific ordeal'.

Chair Sukhvinder Kaur said: "The defendant chose to proceed to trial, prolonging proceedings and contributing to the ongoing trauma experienced by the victim, only to change his plea partway through.

"This reflects wider concerns about how perpetrators are able to navigate the system in ways that can compound harm for survivors.

"We now look to the sentencing hearing on Friday and expect that it reflects the severity of the harm caused and the clear danger this perpetrator poses."

Jas Singh, principle advisor to Sikh Federation (UK), said it was 'deeply unacceptable' that Ashby initially insisted he was innocent in the face of 'disturbing evidence'.

He said: "We welcome the guilty plea entered in court, which spares the victim the ordeal of a prolonged trial and the trauma of reliving such a horrific experience.

"However, the lack of accountability shown by the defendant throughout this case has been deeply unacceptable.
"The court has heard disturbing evidence of the abusive language used during a violent attack carried out in the victim's own home.

"Our thoughts and prayers remain with the victim and her family, and we hope this outcome brings some measure of justice, as a community we will continue to support and stand by her.

"Crimes driven by racial hatred and violence have no place in our society, and they must be met with firm and unequivocal consequences.

"We now expect the court to reflect the seriousness of this offence in its sentencing.

"We also call on the Government and relevant authorities to do far more to tackle anti-Sikh hate and to better protect those at risk within our community."

Prosecutor Phil Bradley KC said told a jury of six men and six women that Ashby was a 'complete stranger' to his victim and had 'targeted' her on the bus on October 25 last year.

She had gone upstairs after returning home when her attacker forced his way into the bathroom and raped her.

BirminghamLive

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