Man jailed for killing wife in ‘intense rage’

A bus driver has been jailed for at least 22 years for killing his wife in the midst of an “intense rage” during the lockdown.

Hussein Egal, 66, battered 57-year-old Maryan Ismail to death with a hammer, meat cleaver, table leg, pots and pans and ladder.

Ms Ismail’s mutilated body was found covered with a blanket at her flat in Edmonton, north

London, year.

She had suffered injuries to her body.

Egal told police she had threatened to throw him out for having Covid-19.

He admitted carrying out the killing but denied it was murder.

An Old Bailey jury rejected his defence of diminished responsibility and found him guilty of murder. on

April 6 last 70

ADundee commercial pilot has said he fears losing his home and job after the Scottish Government failed to provide clarity for the aviation sector.

Dale Mudie, 30, said watching First Minister Nicola Sturgeon’s lockdown road map announcement was a “kick in the teeth” owing to the lack of direction for aviation and travel industries.

Mr Mudie, who lives in Broughty Ferry, said: “There is not anywhere near the right amount of detail, inspiration or clarity – whatever word you want to put on it – that I was hoping for from the first minister.”

He said he and others in the industry were hoping for a similar level of assurance given by Prime Minister Boris Johnson

Mr Johnson offered firmer assurances on dates moving out of lockdown, including the hope all legal limits on social contact would be removed from June 21.

In Scotland, Ms Sturgeon said lifting of restrictions is dependent on the continuing success of the vaccination programme, and the slowing of virus cases.

Travel restrictions are likely to remain for “some time yet”, she added.

“I’m trying to work my way through the 96-page document trying to find something, but from what I can see it’s basically a holding statement saying wait another three weeks and we might tell you something,” Mr Mudie said.

He said the uncertainty was having a “massive” effect on the industry, both locally and across the UK.

“I know hospitality has been hit pretty hard, but they have been allowed to open up and diversify to a certain degree,” he said.

“That’s not an option for our industry.

“It’s not just airlines directly. It’s the whole infrastructure. Add to the fact we have huge fixed costs and it has been horrendous.”

He said it had taken a huge toll as he, in common with other young pilots, still has large outstanding debts incurred when training for his role.

“If I lose my job I’m looking at bankruptcy simply because of the way I funded my training,” he said.

“I’m in a pretty precarious financial position.”

He said aviation plays a “massive” role in the Tayside economy.

“The most obvious one is Dundee Airport and although it doesn’t have a huge number of scheduled flights there have been attempts in the past to introduce them,” said Mr Mudie.

He said he believes the pandemic has placed the airport’s future viability at further threat.

A Scottish Government spokeswoman said Scotland is the only part of the UK to have committed to extending the 100% business rates relief for the sector for the whole of next year.

“We’re also working with airports on route recovery, to help rebuild connectivity for business and tourism once we are able to safely lift travel restrictions,” she added.

“This will help win back routes and employment opportunities.

“We significantly increased our funding to Highlands and Islands Airports Limited (HIAL) – the operator of Dundee Airport – by £13.8 million in 2020-21, to ensure that services are maintained, protect jobs and enable HIAL to resume full operations when conditions allow.”

A HIAL spokesman said: “HIAL remains committed to the long-term sustainability of air services at Dundee and we look forward to the resumption of aviation activity to preCovid-19 levels as we move out of lockdown.”

British Gas engineers have launched a fresh wave of strikes in a deadlocked dispute over pay and conditions.

Members of the GMB union walked out for four days, following weeks of action since January.

Parent company Centrica announced its underlying earnings had fallen by almost a third as it lost more customers.

The group reported 31% drop in underlying operating profits to £447 million for 2020.

Talks have been held between the two sides at the conciliation service Acas, but the union has accused the company of refusing to withdraw controversial “fire-andrehire” plans.

British Gas has denied the union’s claim, and says its plans are aimed at avoiding job losses.