RICHARD LITTLEJOHN picks the biggest examples of police stupidity, incompetence and abuse of power to happen across Great Britain in 2016. They include the 62-year-old who was charged by police for 'drink-driving' on a mobility scooter (left), the assistant chief constable suspended after exposing her breasts (top centre), the deputy assistant commissioner investigated for arranging police officers to entertain children at her son's private school (bottom centre), the toy collector held over a dispute around £16 dinky cars (top right) and the nine police cars sent to tackle a man trimming his hedge (bottom right).
Now Britain's most hated mother Karen Matthews 'wants plastic surgery' to stop people attacking her in the street - and claims her past has ruined her love life
The woman labelled the most hated mother in Britain has revealed she wants plastic surgery to stop her getting attacked in the street. Karen Matthews was jailed for eight years in 2008 after faking the kidnap of her own daughter, nine-year-old Shannon - in what a judge described as a 'truly despicable' plot. Now the 41-year-old has told a friend she wants to change her appearance and 'maker her nose smaller' in a bid to stop people recognising her. Matthews says she has fireworks thrown at her in the street, was repeatedly attacked by other inmates while in prison and feels particularly lonely at Christmas when she 'sees other families'. She also said her past has put her off finding love, reportedly telling a friend, 'I'm done with men' - despite claiming she was bombarded with letters from male admirers while she was in jail.
- Armed cops tackling a man carrying a toy lightsaber and officers deliberately running over a dog on the A55! It's RICHARD LITTLEJOHN's Mind How You Go Awards 2016 celebrating police stupidity
- Now Britain's most hated mother Karen Matthews 'wants plastic surgery' to stop people attacking her in the street - and claims her past has ruined her love life
- Christmas deliveries face huge delays as Post Office workers prepare for FIVE DAYS of strikes next week in a dispute over jobs, pensions and branch closures
- UK is 'overtly hostile' to us, says Putin's ambassador: Russia's man in London accuses Nato of preparing for a major war but says the Kremlin does not see Britain as a threat
- Daily Vitamin C fizzy tablets that come loaded with salt: Popular brands have levels that are equivalent to that found in two packets of crisps
- Demand for goose could see turkey lose its festive crown: Upmarket offerings see a surge in popularity as families search for a 'wow factor' for their festive meal
- Clarifications and corrections
- One law for the police? Officer is caught chatting into mobile with no hands on the steering wheel as she drives around North London
- 'He brought lots of sunshine to people's lives': Popular former BBC weatherman Ian McCaskill dies at the age of 78 after living with dementia for five years
- Bigoted. Nasty. Cynical. The BBC's 'Muslim Big Brother' - including a zealous convert who would 'rather be in Syria than Britain'- won't unite cultures, it'll divide them: CHRISTOPHER STEVENS reviews reality TV show Muslims Like Us
- The Grand Tour is slammed after broadcasting a 'how to guide' for smuggling migrants into Britain in an Audi TT
- £3.3 billion! Record bill for extra benefits cash handed out by mistake: Hundreds of millions wrongly handed to people who have moved abroad or got a job after being unemployed
- You get more courtesy at a supermarket: Fury of families seeking answers from hospitals over the death of a loved one
- Get ready for a DECADE of chaos! Southern Rail strikes WILL go ahead this week as Transport Secretary accuses unions of threatening to drag out action for YEARS
- Terminally-ill boy, five, dies in Santa Claus' arms after fulfilling one last wish to see him
- Trump's Iran stance could threaten a WORLD WAR and the destruction of Israel, warns Tehran as it cautions the Donald against 'provoking' them in the Middle East
- Missing North Carolina girl who was last seen aged 15 getting off the school bus five years ago is found living under a false identity in Ohio
- Democrats' all-out bid to smear Trump's victory as Clinton campaign backs electoral college members demanding intel briefing on Russian hacking before they vote - and White House says he begged Putin to attack
- Best Buy employees in Long Island chip in to buy a $300 WiiU for boy who came every day to play on the store's free demonstration model
- Model, 32, claims her MIT-grad hedge-funder boyfriend, 29, offered her $75,000 to abort her baby girl and called her 'disgusting white trash' when she decided to keep the child
- EXCLUSIVE: Angelina demands Brad Pitt be drug tested four times a month in order to get access to their kids - as he accuses her of making confidential information public
- Bride paralyzed at her bachelorette party opens up about sex after her accident, how she can still find pleasure and her hopes that new treatments could one day do more
- Woman left with huge bill after Plenty of Fish date eats expensive meal - then flees restaurant and blocks her
- Blood-spattered walls, unbearable odours and houses where people lay dead for months: Inside the world of crime scene cleaners - and it's NOT for the faint of heart
- Moment documentary maker 'is punched, kicked and choked by five migrants' after entering 'no-go' zone in Swedish city
- It's not 'he' and 'she'. It's 'ze': Oxford University union tells students to use gender neutral pronouns so as 'not to offend transgender undergraduates'
- EXCLUSIVE: 'Conflicted' Kim Kardashian - who is staying with Kris Jenner in Calabasas as Kanye recovers at the couple's Bel Air mansion - has not discussed divorce with her husband fearing it will set back his recovery
- Former CIA operative calls for new round of votes after intelligence agencies conclude Russia interfered in the elections with the goal of seeing Donald Trump win
- MOST READ IN DETAIL
One law for the police? Officer is caught chatting into mobile with no hands on the steering wheel as she drives around North London
A policewoman was caught talking on her iPhone while at the wheel of her patrol car (pictured) in north London and the Met has since launched an investigation into the 'irresponsible' incident. The officer was snapped by a passer-by - who also saw her change gear while still holding the device. At one point she has neither hand on the wheel. Aware she was being photographed, the unnamed policewoman reportedly rolled down her window and told the passerby to delete the images.
Britain's most successful hedge fund boss takes a £150million dividend to pay for his record £300MILLION divorce from his wife
Sir Chris Hohn (pictured inset), 50, divorced his American wife Jamie-Cooper Hohn, pictured main, and was ordered to give her a third of his fortune at the time - £337m. He took a £150m dividend to pay for his £300m divorce and resigned from his role as a designated member of TCI Advisory Services. Sir Chris is one of Britain's leading hedge fund managers having set up The Children's Investment Fund Management, or TCI, in 2003. The couple - who had homes in London, the United States and the West Indies - had fought over assets totalling more than £700million at the High Court before a judge finally settled on the staggering sum. ...read
Philip the playful prince: Unseen Royal home videos show the Duke of Edinburgh larking about aboard the Britannia and bowling COW PATS at a young Prince Charles
The Duke of Edinburgh's softer side was revealed in footage of intimate family moments shown on television today as part of a documentary marking the 60th anniversary of his award scheme. The previously unseen images looked back at the 1960s and touching moments between the Royal couple and their children, with Philip even seen bowling cow pats (inset) for a young Prince Charles to bat away, while the young Prince of Wales was also seen larking about with friends (bottom right). The Duke of Edinburgh was seen messing around in his bathing suit aboard the Royal Yacht Britannia, sliding along the wet deck (top right). The hour-long special featured Prince Philip being interviewed by 'daytime television royalty' Phillip Schofield (left). The Duke's youthful good looks in his naval days even drew comparisons with James Bond due from some smitten viewers on social media.
WESTMINSTER TODAY
- Grandee Sir Nicholas Soames blasts 'impertinent' Nicky Morgan for her 'unacceptable' jibe at PM's £995 trousers because it 'trivialises' their soft Brexit case
- Boris Johnson knocks back bid from Blair for MORE funding as taxpayer's bill for ex-PM hits £3MILLION a year
- 'We need to know whose side the government is on': MPs demand ministers BLOCK Murdoch's £11bn Sky bid amid fears over grip on media
Tom, who was so full of life, was killed in a tragic hockey accident at the age of 22: Now his organs have helped up to 50 people in need of transplants
At 22, Tom Wilson had a job he loved as a trainee surveyor with a London property developer. Then, after a terrible accident at hockey practice last December, he never returned from hospital. Shortly after his death, his family was asked whether they wanted to donate his organs. 'It's a decision you never think you will have to make,' says Lisa. 'It was an extremely selfless thought in the darkest of hours.'
Jockey Walter Swinburn, who rode Shergar to record-breaking Derby victory and also won the big race on two other occasions, dies at 55 following battle with epilepsy
Walter Swinburn, three-time Derby winner and one of the most talented jockeys of his generation has died. Swinburn, 55, who has been suffering from epilepsy, passed away peacefully at his London home. The former jockey, who also had a brief career as a trainer, will be forever linked with the great Shergar, the 1981 Derby winner.
Knifeman shouting 'kill all Muslims' stabs a man on a train before chasing passengers through a station in south London, witnesses say
WARNING GRAPHIC CONTENT: A man was injured during the attack at Forest Hill station in south-east London this afternoon and is currently being treated in hospital. Witnesses said the man was waving his arm around in the air and shouting 'Death to Muslims' as he 'marched up and down' outside the station after the attack (left). A British Transport Police spokesman said: 'We are investigating the circumstances of the Forest Hill incident, but at this time we are not treating it as terrorism-related.' The alleged attacker, pictured right, was detained by police in the area minutes after the attack (inset).
'I own this road, I can do what I want': Former billionaire property tycoon hurled racist abuse at a bin man who blocked the path of his shiny Bentley outside his exclusive club, court hears
Simon Halabi (left), 58, allegedly shouted 'f*** off out the way you black c***' at Carl Thomas when the bin lorry stopped in the middle of the road to pick up rubbish bags in London's Mayfair (right). Halabi, who was once Britain's 12th richest man before declaring bankruptcy in 2010, also branded the 47 year-old West Indian a 'monkey' and a 'peasant' before shouting 'I own this road, I can do what I want', it is claimed.
Huge blaze rips through a Grade II listed farmhouse owned by the multimillionaire TV mogul who was behind Wife Swap and Secret Millionaire
A grade II listed farmhouse in Braishfield, Hants, owned by TV mogul David Frank, caught fire after it spread from a nearby property. Fire-fighters were called on Monday at 12.21 pm after the historic red brick and timber thatched house was reported a blaze. David Frank is the founder of the company behind such international hits as The Secret Millionaire and Wife Swap.
Is it in YOUR wallet? First engraved £5 note that could be worth £50,000 is in circulation after the artist who created four of them spent the one in a Welsh cafe
Tiny portraits of Jane Austen have been added to four of the new £5 notes by micro-engraver Graham Short (engraved note right, top and bottom). It was revealed today that one of the notes was spent in the Square Cafe in Blackwood, south Wales (pictured left) at the end of last week. If the cafe owner did not notice, the note could have been given out in change and now be in someone's wallet or circulating.
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THE WORLD AT A GLANCE
Thousands of Syrians take to the streets to celebrate the 'final phase' of the battle for Aleppo after forces say they now have control of '98% of the east of the city'
The Syrian army says it has gained control of 98% of eastern Aleppo (inset), leaving only a tiny enclave packed with rebels and civilians. The military's statement said pro-government forces have seized control of al-Fardous, one of the largest neighbourhoods in eastern Aleppo, which has been held by the rebels since 2012. If President Bashar al-Assad seizes complete control of the city it would be his greatest victory yet in the five-year civil war. Zakaria Malahifji, a rebel leader, admitted: 'The situation is extremely difficult today'. Crowds of civilians have (top and bottom right) been seen celebrating the advances in Assad-held sectors of the city, waving their country's national flag in the air along with portraits of the president (pictured).
WORLD NEWS
- Christians under siege: Funeral for 24 worshippers slaughtered by Islamist suicide bomber as they prayed at Coptic chapel in Cairo
- 'The rebels don't have much time. They either surrender or die': Syrian forces say they now have control of '98% of eastern Aleppo'
- IMF chief Christine Lagarde goes on trial over 'negligent' £338million state payout to tycoon but insists it was 'in the state's interest'
- Anti-Islam MP Geert Wilders' party has more support than any other in Holland since his conviction for discrimination
- Brazilian football club whose squad was wiped out in Colombian plane crash 'is fined £25,000 for missing their final match of the season'
- Foreign tourist clambers to the top of a Thai temple before the roof gives way and he plunges to his death in children's eating area
- Armed robbers on the run after stealing £2 million of gold in French motorway heist before locking guards in their armoured van
- Cologne to deploy ten times the number of police it had on the streets for New Year's Eve in 2015 over fears of repeat migrant sex attacks
- Muslim State Secretary for Berlin voices her backing for Sharia law in Europe, saying it is 'absolute compatible' with German legislation
- Moroccan asylum seeker 'followed woman into nightclub toilets and raped her after she rejected his advances' in latest migrant sex attack to rock Germany
- Trump's Iran stance could threaten a WORLD WAR and the destruction of Israel, warns Tehran as it cautions the Donald against 'provoking' them in the Middle East
- This e-cig is the bomb! North Korean guard is amazed by electronic cigarette after finding it in British tourist's bag and mistaking it for explosives - before giving it a try
- Venezuela prepares to scrap its virtually worthless largest bank note and replace with larger ones as people queue an hour at a time to withdraw huge bundles of cash
- No wonder it's abandoned! Inside German doctor's home and surgery filled with creepy surgical implements and KIDNEY specimens
- Germany admits Schengen zone nations MUST bring back border check because terrorists pretending to be refugees are moving freely across the continent
- Facebook is ordered by Austrian court to take down hateful posts written on a fake profile in landmark freedom of speech ruling
- Palmyra falls to ISIS once more: Islamists reclaim ancient city after gathering 4,000 militants to lay siege and overthrow Assad's men
- Egypt's war on Christians: Riots erupt outside the shattered remains of Cairo's Coptic chapel where at least 25 worshippers were slaughtered as they prayed
- Morgues 'overflowing with bodies' as the roof of a crowded church collapses in Nigeria killing at least 160
- Two girls of SEVEN blow themselves up in a suicide bomb attack at a market in Nigeria
Wires: Latest Headlines
This e-cig is the bomb! North Korean guard is amazed by electronic cigarette after finding it in British tourist's bag and mistaking it for explosives - before giving it a try
A baffled North Korean border railway guard took his first puff of an electronic cigarette that he confiscated from British tourist Del Dinsdale (inset). The official thought the e-cig was a 'bomb' but gave it a try once Mr Dinsdale explained it was a vapour cigarette. Strict rules in the communist country means tourists are usually forbidden from taking photos of officials but the guard was so amazed that he happily posed for photos.