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03/05/2023

WARNING! Distressing scenes! Absolute madness as 2 men fight with MACHETES! 😱😱😳 - Not for the faint hearted..

19/02/2023

Hull GRADUATE ran CLASS A drugs empire to fund luxury lifestyle!

29-year-old woman secretly funded a lavish lifestyle of designer handbags, foreign holidays and buying a second house by selling he**in, crack co***ne and cannabis.

Engineer and University of Hull graduate Danielle Stafford ran her Class A drugs empire from her home in Cottingham.

She was caught only by chance when police stopped her for speeding and could smell cannabis coming from inside the car and this aroused their suspicions.

Officers found bags of cannabis and skunk in her white Audi car as well as bags of cannabis on her person.

An empty tub containing drug residue was also found. The total value of the cannabis was £1,308.

They also recovered her phone which constantly rang or pinged with up to 20 messages relating to drugs.

She was arrested and police later discovered £26,917 in cash hidden around her three-bedroom home in Cottingham as well as drugs with a street value of £33,600.

A glass jar with plastic bags inside was found hidden behind a bag of coal bricks in a coal bunker in the rear garden.

There were 270 wraps of crack co***ne, valued at £13,500, and 205 wraps of he**in, valued at £4,100, in the jar. Stafford denied knowledge of them.

In the living room, herbal cannabis, valued at £2,500, was found in an open, empty banana box on a table. She denied that it belonged to her.

Two glass jars contained cannabis valued at £370. Police also found weighing scales, a large amount of cash and more food bags. She admitted that this belonged to her.

In Stafford's bedroom, £430 cash and £25.36 in coins were found. Herbal cannabis and Ecstasy tablets were found. Bank notes totalling £670 were found as well as £2,350 and £1,480 cash.

She had luxuries including nine watches and three Louis Vuitton handbags and she was "awash with cash from her drug dealing business", Hull Crown Court heard.

Nadim Bashir, prosecuting, said holidays had been taken but there was no trace from her bank account of her buying foreign currency or making purchases overseas.

"Again, evidence of an additional cash stream income," said Mr Bashir.

Stafford had bought her Cottingham home in March 2016 for £124,999 in her sole name with a mortgage and a property in Hotham Road South in July 2018 without a mortgage for £68,500 in equal shares with her aunt.

Stafford paid the "lion's share" of £64,927 from cashing in premium bonds and she told police that she bought it to rent out.

"Even with rental or lodgings allowances, neither property was able to provide any significant source of income to justify the cash found in the house," said Mr Bashir.

During police interview, Stafford claimed that a Liverpool man had been staying with her on and off and that he had telephoned her to say that he had left something at her home.

When she got home, there was a large amount of cannabis and, when he asked her to take it to him, she said that she did not feel comfortable doing so.

She claimed that he asked her just to bring a bag which was there and, in a panic, she grabbed a bag and was driving to meet him. Stafford denied that she or the man were dealing drugs but later admitted that she would drive to Liverpool and bring him back to Hull.

She denied knowledge of any of the large amounts of cash found around her home, claiming that she looked after it for the man, including keeping it for him in her own bedroom, apart from £2,350 which belonged to her.

"She said that the money in the safe had nothing to do with her and all the other cash belonged to the lad," said Mr Bashir.

He told the court that Stafford was an "enthusiastic" cannabis dealer and progressed to becoming a Class A co***ne dealer.

"The amount, type and value of drugs found at her home were substantial. It is, frankly, absurd to suggest that they were for her personal use or even belonged to some other unknown third party. The drugs alone were street valued at £33,600.

"Danielle Stafford has been associated with the supply of Class A and Class B drugs for a significant period of time. Her wages were paid into the bank account but were left to accrue because she never withdrew any cash for her day-to-day expenditure.

"She didn't need to because she was awash with cash from her drug dealing business. She was able to leave her salary to accrue, which she used to invest in property."

"She had somehow managed to avoid her drug dealing activities coming to the attention of the police for a substantial period of time," said Mr Bashir.

Stafford, of Hallgate, admitted three offences of being concerned in supplying he**in, crack co***ne and cannabis and another of possessing cash as criminal property, on dates spanning October 2017 and May 2020.

She originally denied nine offences and a trial had started, with the prosecution opening its case, but she suddenly changed her pleas to guilty on four charges.

Sentence was adjourned for reports and Stafford, who has no previous convictions, was allowed conditional bail.

She has previously spent lengthy periods in custody but was later allowed bail.

22/12/2022

Ex-cage fighter who murdered pregnant partner and 3 children with a CLAW HAMMER to spend life in jail! 😱

WARNING: This article contains details of the killings that some people may find disturbing.

A man who murdered a pregnant woman and three children in Derbyshire will spend the rest of his life behind bars after he was sentenced to a whole life prison term.

Damien Bendall pleaded guilty to murdering his then partner Terri Harris, her 11-year-old daughter Lacey Bennett, her 13-year-old son John Paul Bennett, and Lacey's 11-year-old friend Connie Gent.

He previously denied the murders but changed his pleas when he appeared at Derby Crown Court on Wednesday, where he also admitted ra**ng Lacey.

The judge, Mr Justice Sweeney, said the sexual offence was committed "in the grossest breach of trust" as the 11-year-old's life ebbed away.

He said "just punishment" required that Bendall be kept in prison for the rest of his life in relation to each count of murder, and he also imposed another whole life order for the r**e.

Lacey and John Paul were Ms Harris's children from a previous relationship, and Connie had been at the house in Killamarsh, near Sheffield, for a sleepover.

Connie was only due to stay for one night, but managed to get permission from her mother, fatefully extending her stay by another night - coinciding with the attacks, the court heard.

Bendall, 32, is believed to have gone around the family home looking for his victims individually, and then attacking them in different rooms in order to kill them, the court was told.

He murdered the four victims at the house he shared with Ms Harris, 35, in what prosecutor Louis Mably KC told the court were "brutal, vicious and cruel attacks" on a "defenceless" woman and three children.

Mr Mably said Bendall attacked them with a claw hammer which he used to hit them over the head and on the upper body.

"Their skulls were smashed in" and "it was perfectly clear none of the victims stood a chance," Mr Mably added.

He continued: "One of the dreadful facts about this case is that during the attacks, the defendant r**ed 11-year-old Lacey."

Ms Harris and the three children were found dead in Chandos Crescent on 19 September last year.

After Bendall killed them, he took John Paul's games console, then went to Sheffield in a taxi, and there he exchanged the device for drugs, said Mr Mably.

Bendall would later tell police he had consumed "three to four bags of co***ne and then blacked out".

In an interview with officers at Ripley police station after he was arrested, Bendall told them: "I used the hammer."

He added: "Bet you don't usually get four murders in Killamarsh do you - well, five (murders), because my missus was having a baby."

rs of September 19, the defendant brutally and viciously murdered his then partner, Terri Harris, who is aged 35 - and was in the early stages of pregnancy.

"He also murdered Terri's two children, by a previous partner, her 13-year-old son and 11-year-old daughter Lacey, and he murdered Connie Gent, also aged 11.

"She was a friend of Lacey's who just happened that evening to be staying at Lacey's house for a sleepover."

John and Lacey's father, Jason Bennett, said that the murder had "destroyed" him and that life now seemed "pointless".

In a victim impact statement, he said: "It's like my heart has been shattered into a billion pieces never to be repaired. I'm a shadow of my former self, I am nothing... I have lots of love around me but the love I crave off my beautiful kids, I can't have that, that's a hole that can never be filled."

Connie's father Charles Gent said no sentence would ever be sufficient justice for his daughter's death adding: "The man who carried out the crimes can only be described as truly evil and should never be free from incarceration, just like the families of the victims in this case will never be free from their life sentence as a result of the shocking and abhorrent crimes he committed on a defenceless woman and children."

After sentencing, Andrew Baxter from the CPS said: "It is hard to put into words the scale of Damien Bendall's barbaric and horrifying actions. He went through the house looking for the victims until he had killed them all, ra**ng one of the children in the attack.

"What he did left two families utterly devastated by grief and a community in bewilderment and shock."

Earlier, Mr Mably told the judge, Mr Justice Sweeney, that prosecutors were seeking a whole life term for Bendall, given the gravity of the offences.

22/12/2022

Nurse SACKED for taking TWO HEADACHE PILLS at hospital where she worked!

An NHS nurse has been sacked for stealing two tablets from the hospital where she worked to treat her headache.

Francesca Morgan, 32, took a co-codamol and a paracetamol pill ‘without legitimate reason’ from the drugstore at Arrowe Park Hospital near Liverpool.

Health officials noticed prescription medication had gone missing and installed a secret camera which filmed her helping herself to the drugs.

Morgan, of Woolton, in Liverpool, pleaded guilty at Wirral magistrates’ court to two thefts between June 6 and June 18 last year.

Yvonne Dobson, prosecuting, said: ‘

The hospital began an investigation due to a large number of pills needing replenishment. A tablet count was put in place to monitor the amount of medication at the beginning and end of each day.

‘That was put in place without the knowledge of the staff.

‘Following this a covert camera was put in place. A number of staff were found to not be following the correct procedure in the handling of medication.

‘The defendant was also seen to take medication without a legitimate reason.

‘She was stealing the medication for herself. On the first occasion she took some co-codamol. On the second occasion it was paracetamol.’

Morgan had been suffering headaches on her shift and believed it was acceptable to take the medication as other nurses were doing so, Ms Dobson said.

Defending her, Laura Flynn said Morgan had lost her career and home and has since had to move in with her grandmother.

Morgan was handed a 12-month conditional discharge and must pay £144 in costs and victim surcharge.

17/03/2022

Taco Bell employee body slams man to unconsciousness. Swansea, Wales, UK 🇬🇧

15/03/2022

Machete brawl breaks out in Birmingham

20/02/2022

Phil Foden of Manchester City FC appears to have been involved in an incident which started with a man hitting his mother at the Manchester Arena.

Foden attempts to leave the scene, by entering another room, but a man hits his mother just a few seconds later.

15/02/2022

TikTok influencer Mahek Bukhari in court with mum and pal over ‘murdering two men after ramming their car off road’

A TikTok influencer and her mum are among five people charged with murder after a crash on a dual carriageway left two men dead.

Mohammed Hashim Ijazuddin, known as Hashim, and Saqib Hussain were travelling on the A46 in Leicestershire when they were caught up in a fatal crash.

Their silver Skoda Fabia left the carriageway and smashed through a central reservation at around 1.30am on Friday.

Two other cars, a grey Audi TT and a blue Seat Leon, were spotted nearby, Leicester Magistrates Court heard today.

All of the vehicles were travelling at speed and one of them was said to have burst into flames.

Hashim and Saqib were pronounced dead at the scene following the crash, Leicestershire Police said.

TikTok influencer Mahek Bukhari, 22, and her mum Ansreen Bukhari, 45, from Stoke-on-Trent, have been charged with murder over the crash.

Natasha Akhtar, 21, from Birmingham has also been charged with murder, as well as Raees Jamal, 21, and Rekan Karwan, 28, from Leicester.

The mother and daughter appeared in the dock at Leicester Magistrates Court this morning, though Akhtar opted to stay in the cells. The men charged are due to appear at Leicester Magistrates Court tomorrow.

Mahek Bukhari has more than 120,000 followers on TikTok and another 43,00 on Instagram, where she poses in a variety of outfits and shares make-up tutorials.

She has racked up 3.2 million likes, and a further 3,750 followers on YouTube where she documents her travels and make-up tips under the name May B Vlogs.

She described her mum as being a best friend, sister and mother all rolled into one.

Ansreen Bukhari is the managing director of a security firm called City Security Plus based in Stoke-on-Trent.

All three charged women will appear at Leicester Crown Court for a bail hearing tomorrow.

The court was told that just before the crash one of the victims called 999. A loud scream was heard before the call disconnected.

Leicestershire Police discovered that two other cars were reported to have been travelling in the area at the time of the crash – a grey Audi TT and a blue Seat Leon.

A 20-year-old man who was arrested on suspicion of murder on Friday has since been released from police custody. He is to face no further police action, the force added.

21/12/2021

Co***ne worth £90m found in banana shipment sent from Costa Rica.

Co***ne with a street value of £90m has been found in a banana shipment during an armed raid at a Kent port.

Six men - including a security guard - were arrested after 100 officers swooped at Sheerness port in the early hours of Monday.

A seventh man was held in Hertfordshire, said the National Crime Agency (NCA), which led the raid.
The 1.2 tonnes of co***ne seized at the port had arrived in the UK from Costa Rica.

All seven men have been charged with conspiring to import class A drugs, and are due to appear at Medway Magistrates' Court later.

Those charged are Michael Turner, 54, from Hertfordshire, Kyle Davidson, 30, and Danny Laird, 38, both from Buntingford, Hertfordshire, Ian Woodward, 33, from Ware, Hertfordshire, Joel McCaughey, 31, from Castlefield, Manchester, Darren Laurie, 50, of no fixed address, and Sam Elphick, 27, from Sheerness.

08/09/2021

Shooting in Liverpool last night 😱😱

13/08/2021

Plymouth shooting: Police say three-year-old girl among the five shot dead by Jake Davison.

A three-year-old was among those shot dead by a gunman who killed four other people in Plymouth before shooting himself, police have said.
Jake Davison, 22, first shot dead a 51-year-old woman on Biddick Drive in Keyham on Thursday evening.

He then killed the girl and a 43-year-old male relative in the same road, before shooting at two residents - a man aged 33 and a 53-year-old woman.

Both received significant injuries that are not currently believed to be life-threatening.
Davison then entered a nearby park, where he killed a man, aged 59, before shooting a woman, aged 66, on Henderson Place. She later died in Derriford Hospital, police said.

Davison was reported dead at 6.23pm, just minutes after police were alerted at 6.11pm.
Devon and Cornwall Police Chief Constable Shaun Sawyer said there were a "considerable" number of phone calls to emergency services and that police arrived at the scene within six minutes.

Speaking at a press conference earlier, he said the first woman Davison killed was at an address on Biddick Drive and it was understood they had a familial relationship.

Davison then went outside where he shot the girl and her relative, before shooting dead another man in nearby parkland.
After shooting and fatally injuring another woman in Henderson Place, Davison turned the weapon on himself, the force said.

It's not yet clear whether the suspect knew the rest of the victims, but Chief Constable Sawyer said Davison, who lived locally, "knew people on that street".

"We believe we have an incident that is domestic-related and has spilled out into the street and seen several people within Plymouth losing their lives in an extraordinarily tragic circumstance," he said.

Speaking to Sky News Chief Constable Sawyer added: "We've never in my time had homicide followed by a rampaging fi****ms attack on random members of the public and then taking one's life. That is without precedent in my time as chief constable."

He described the shootings as "truly shocking" and said they had been witnessed by members of the public, who he urged to seek support.
He said Davison had a fi****ms licence in 2020, there was "no motive" at present, and the weapon - which witnesses described as a pump-action shotgun - was recovered from the scene.

Multiple shots were fired in a six-minute period before Davidson turned the gun on himself and before officers were able to engage with him. Police are now collecting evidence across multiple crime scenes, the chief constable added.
"There are some 13 scenes and potentially more scenes," he said.

"There are therefore five people of Plymouth who have lost their lives overnight - and Mr Davison himself - including a particularly young child."

He added that the victims' identities would be made public at a later time.
Police confirmed all of those involved died from gunshot wounds.

24/05/2021

Black equal rights activist in critical condition after being shot in the head in south London.

Sasha Johnson, 27, was one of the organisers of the first-ever Million People March to protest against systemic racism in the UK.

A black equal rights activist is in a critical condition in hospital after being shot in the head in south London yesterday.

Police are appealing for information after Sasha Johnson, 27, was found with life-threatening injuries in Southwark at about 3am on Sunday morning.

In a statement on its page, the Taking The Initiative Party, a new political group she was part of, said: "It is with great sadness that we inform you that our own Sasha Johnson has sustained a gunshot wound to her head.

"Sasha has always been actively fighting for black people and the injustices that surround the black community, as well as being both a member of BLM and a member of Taking the Initiative Party's executive leadership committee.

"Sasha is also a mother of three and a strong, powerful voice for our people and our community.

"Let's all come together and pray for Sasha, pray for her recovery and show our support to her family and loved ones."

Ms Johnson has successfully undergone surgery, but she remains in hospital with her parents by her side, a friend told BBC News.

Imarn Ayton said Ms Johnson is believed to have been a party at the time of the incident, and that a "rival gang" might have "heard about someone being in that party that they didn't feel quite comfortable with or trusted, and so they resorted to driving past and shooting into the garden".

"One of those shots obviously hit Sasha Johnson," they said, but that she was likely not "the intended victim".

Detectives from the Met's Specialist Crime Command (Trident) are "pursuing a number of priority lines of enquiry" - but no arrests have been made yet.

Police said the shooting had occurred "in the vicinity of a house where a party was taking place", and a number of people may have been in the area at the time.

"While the investigation is at an early stage, there is nothing to suggest that the woman who was shot was the subject of a targeted attack or that she had received any credible threats against her prior to this incident," officers said.

Detective Chief Inspector Jimi Tele said: "This was a shocking incident that has left a young woman with very serious injuries. Our thoughts are with her family who are being provided with support at this terribly difficult time.
"A dedicated team of detectives is working tirelessly to identify the person or persons responsible for this shooting. They are making good progress but they need the public's help."

Mayor of London Sadiq Khan said his "thoughts and prayers" were with Ms Johnson and her family, and urged anyone with information to come forward.

He told Sky News: "It's really important that we give the medics the time to treat her, but also the police the time to investigate this very, very serious shooting

"The police are doing what they can to get to the bottom of this. If anyone knows anything, anything at all, please do contact the police. You can do so anonymously using the Crimestoppers number (at the bottom of this article).

"It's really important that those responsible are caught and justice happens."

Last August, Ms Johnson was one of the organisers of the first-ever Million People March to protest against systemic racism in the UK. During the demonstration, hundreds of people took to the streets of west London.

She said she hoped the movement would "empower the community to strive for better".

"As a people, we're not going to stop until we have equal rights and justice," she said.

"Our message is listen to us, hear our words, we want sustainable and tangible change.

"We don't just want tokenistic promises, we don't want it to come from a hegemonic standpoint. We want it to be for the people."

Black Lives Matter UK said on Twitter: "While Sasha wasn't part of our organisation, she impressively founded a new black-led political party and was dedicated to resist anti-black racism.

"Any attempt to intimidate or silence her, is an attack on all of us. Touch one, touch all.

"We pray that she will pull through this and those who threatened her life are held accountable.

"Our thoughts are with her children, family, and all impacted by this senseless attack."

BLM UK says a vigil will be held on Monday.

14/05/2021

'You f***ing muppet': Robber's foul-mouthed rant as judge jails him for spate of raids across Greater Manchester

Four men had successfully carried out 10 raids on cash-in-transit vans in Manchester, Rochdale, Oldham, Bury and Stockport before they were caught while trying to flee from their 11th robbery.

An armed robber who led a double life while working full-time at a bank call centre told his bosses his grandmother had died so he could get the day off to help complete another heist, a court heard.

Sajjad Hussain, 28, took the day off as compassionate leave after lying to his employers to join his partners in crime Abubakir Iqbal, 30, Anas Khan, 26, and Shazad Mahmood, also 26.

The gang had successfully carried out 10 raids on cash-in-transit vans across Greater Manchester and stolen more than £90,000 before they were caught while trying to flee from their eleventh robbery at a branch of Natwest bank in Halifax.

Hussain, who lied to his work to get the day off for the Halifax robbery, phoned in sick or booked a day off so he could continue with the gang's crime spree.

After every robbery, Iqbal went to a massage parlour in Bury 'as a kind of reward'. Hussain also visited it.

Now all four have been jailed for a total of almost 80 years.

Khan and Iqbal were both locked up for 21 years each, Hussain for 18 years and Mahmood for 17 years.

When Khan learned of his fate, he launched a foul-mouthed tirade towards sentencing Judge Michael Leeming, who he repeatedly called a 'f****** muppet'.

"Stick 21 years up your f****** a***," Khan told the judge.

Judge Leeming warned Khan that if he doesn't apologise for the outburst he could face further punishment and be held in contempt of court.

Manchester Crown Court heard that the gang struck in broad daylight targeting guards picking up cash takings from restaurants and shops from November 26, 2018, until January 31 last year.

The crimes happened across the region in Oldham, Bury, Rochdale, Stockport and Manchester before the final plot in Halifax.

Guards were threatened with weapons including hammers and sometimes attacked before they made off with a cash box, while one man remained in a getaway car ready to whisk them away from the scene of the crime.

No guards were seriously hurt but they told of being 'badly shocked' and 'wary' following their ordeals, with one saying he was thankful that 'things didn't go horribly wrong'.

In one robbery, at The Rock shopping centre in Bury, prosecutor Phil Barnes told how there were 'hundreds' of members of the public nearby on a busy shopping day in the run up to Christmas.

On December 10, 2018, the gang struck three times in the same day, netting about £12,000.

Judge Leeming said the gang showed a 'complete disregard for the impact this sort of criminality has on the public'.

"You were prepared to resort to violence to achieve your ends, regardless of the presence of the public, for very large rewards."

The judge said they planned most of their offences for Mondays, when they knew cash takings would be higher following the weekend.

A feature of the case which later helped police piece together the gang's crimes was the distinct way in which they got to the cash within the secure box.

If opened the boxes emit dye as a security measure, so the gang used a Stihl saw to prise open the box and remove the cash, taking away the money but discarding the box.

After the robberies they would then launder the cash using fixed odds betting terminals at bookmakers.

Anas Khan ran a salvage yard where cars used in the robberies would soon be destroyed or stripped down for parts and never seen again by the police.

The Halifax robbery proved to be the downfall of the gang.

A guard was robbed on the morning of January 31 last year while carrying a cash box containing £25,000 at a branch of Natwest in Halifax.

As the gang fled the area in a getaway car, the driver lost control and crashed into a bridge.

Police arrived at the crash scene shortly after and found Hussain still in the back of the car, dazed, with the £25,000 around him.

The other three men fled but were caught shortly after.

An eyewitness who saw Khan fleeing was praised by prosecutors for his bravery, after following the robber and helping in his detection, despite not knowing if the man was armed or what he had done.

Prosecutor Mr Barnes said he commended the man's actions on behalf of Greater Manchester Police, West Yorkshire Police and the Crown Prosecution Service, a commendation the judge also endorsed.

Iqbal, of Countess Street, Accrington, and Hussain, of St James Road, Higher Broughton, Salford , were both found guilty of conspiracy to rob after a trial. Khan and Mahmood, of Edward Street, Oldham pleaded guilty to the same offence.

Khan, of Landseer Street, Glodwick, Oldham, also admitted conspiracy to convert criminal property and conspiracy to handle stolen goods.

Stella Massey, defending Khan, said he has been prescribed medication for stress as he owes a £40,000 cannabis debt to an Albanian gang, which is still outstanding.

Mahmood, an electrician, told the author of a pre-sentence report he 'enjoyed the adrenaline surge' he felt while committing the offences.

For him it was a 'form of escapism' from the 'pressure within the family set-up', his barrister Zarif Khan.

Jeremy Hill-Baker, for Hussain, said there is 'plainly another side' to the married father-of-two, who has another child on the way.

Timeline of robberies:

1) Monday, November 26, 2018 - attempted robbery at B&M Bargains, Yorkshire Street, Rochdale

2) Monday, November, 26, 2018 - Worldwide Foods, Oldham . £18,865 stolen.

3) Monday, December 3, 2018 - Sports Direct, Oldham town centre.£13,720 stolen.

4) Monday, December 3, 2018 - Home Bargains, Clayton. £4,960 stolen.

5) Monday, December 10, 2018 - Brighthouse, The Rock, Bury. £2,639 stolen.

6) Monday, December 10, 2018 - Tesco, Silk Street, Rochdale. More than £8,050 stolen.

7) Monday, December 10, 2018 - McColls store, Broadstone Road, Reddish, Stockport. £3,850 stolen.

8)Monday, December 24, 2018 - Miller and Carter Steakhouse, Bury. Empty box stolen.

9) Wednesday, December 26, 2018 - Next, Glossop. £8,500 stolen.

10) Wednesday, January 2, 2019 - Ahmed cash and carry, Longsight. £5,500 stolen.

11) Thursday, January 31, 2019 - Natwest, Halifax. £25,000 stolen.

14/05/2021

Gladiators: Former Shadow star Jefferson King appears gaunt in mugshot following blackmail trial.

Jefferson King is best known for playing Shadow in the ITV show Gladiators, before he was kicked off for failing a drugs test.

Former Gladiators star Jefferson King - known as "Shadow" in the show - has been pictured in a police mugshot after he admitted to being involved in a blackmail plot.

The one-time bodybuilder appears gaunt and very different to his former self, having struggled with drug addiction for years.

The 59-year-old is currently in custody awaiting sentencing after admitting two charges of blackmail.

Another man, 38-year-old Simon Batson, has also admitted the same charges.

King was a popular star of the 90s ITV show, which pitted members of the public against athletes, and had a near-perfect Duel record.

He was only beaten once in his Gladiators career and was known for his incredibly muscular physique.

His career was ruined when he tested positive for steroids and was kicked off the show, at around the same time that his marriage broke down.

At the time, King admitted he had been taking the steroids for five weeks, although denied allegations he had taken co***ne.

The former bodybuilder has spoken previously about his struggles with addiction, which started when he was in his teens.

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