The Independent Office for Police Conduct has confirmed that none of the 17 police officers who were being investigated, working the Stephen Port serial killings will be disciplined.
CREDIT: met police
The IOPC has confirmed that none of the 17 officers it investigated over the Stephen Port murder investigation will be disciplined.
In March 2017 the IOPC announced it had launched an investigation of 17 officers into the service’s response to the deaths of 4 men, Anthony Walgate, Gabriel Kovari, Daniel Whitworth, and Jack Taylor murdered by Stephen Port.
Port was convicted at the Old Bailey in London in 2019 where the judge said that Port had carried out the murders to “satisfy his lust” for sex with men who were rendered unconscious.
According to the Barking And Dagenham Post, an IOPC spokesman said, “While we agreed none of the officers involved in these investigations may have breached professional standards justifying disciplinary proceedings, we will be making a number of recommendations to the Metropolitan Police to address some of the systemic failings our investigation identified.
“We have advised the families of Port’s victims and the officers involved that the performance of nine officers fell below the standard required. They will now be required to improve their performance.”
None of the families of the victims have commented on the announcement.
Journalist, broadcaster and I’m A Celeb star, Iain Lee comes out as bisexual.
Iain Lee, who came third in 2017’s I’m A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here has come out as bisexual while on his TalkRadio show. The broadcaster had been talking about seeing a therapist after a serious car accident and the breakdown of his marriage saying, “He’s helped me realise that I’m probably bisexual,
“So I guess I’m coming out. This is me coming out, I suppose is how they would call it, at the age of 46, and I’m terrified by it.”
Taking to social media, Iain, wrote, “This week I kind of came out on air as bi and the support has been nuts. So like thanks. I’ll probably delete this tweet as I still feel embarrassed and ashamed and weird but I’m working on it.”
He then joked about who he needed to pay his “gay subs” too.
Stars and fans were quick to congratulate Iain, with Big Brother‘s Luke Anderson saying, “The strength it takes to come out as who you really are is phenomenal, congratulations Iain 🙂 be the real you!”
While author Jonathan Harvey added, “Hooray. Good for you, kid x”
Bisexual advocate and rights campaigner Lewis Oakley remarked on Iain’s status with “Always great to see other bi men in the media! Hope our paths cross so we can talk about it!”
I’m sick of this witch hunt @PinkNews your tweet is defamatory. I am not being investigated for homophobia. I’m a lesbian for goodness sake. All HR matters in my office have been dealt with appropriately, with the direct support of @HouseofCommons HR service https://t.co/YZqypl1cH4
Taking to Twitter, Ms Cherry wrote, “Last week @PinkNews published a defamatory story about me. I’m pleased to have secured a full apology, a donation to a charity of my choice – @UKLGIG – & full payment of my legal costs”.
Last week @PinkNews published a defamatory story about me. I’m pleased to have secured a full apology, a donation to a charity of my choice – @UKLGIG – & full payment of my legal costs. Their apology and my statement are here. https://t.co/APLzed4bLr
“The claim was untrue and we would like to apologise unreservedly to Ms Cherry.
“It is well known that Ms Cherry is a human rights lawyer. She came out as a lesbian over 30 years ago and campaigned against section 28. She has spent a lifetime marching and campaigning for the rights of the LGBT+ community and as a politician regularly speaks up for their rights in parliament and beyond.
“It was not our intention nor is it in our interest to alienate any member of the LGBT+ community and we are truly sorry for the harm caused.
“We are happy also to confirm that we have made a donation to the Lesbian and Gay Immigration Group at Ms Cherry’s request in compensation for the damage done and we have paid Ms Cherry’s legal costs.
In a statement published by Pink News, Ms Cherry wrote,
“I am pleased that the PinkNews has withdrawn this damaging and hurtful allegation. I believe in equal rights for all. It is not acceptable for lesbians who speak up for women and girls’ rights and against hateful speech and abuse to be denigrated. I hope the LGBTI+ movement can resume its previous habit of respectful debate over differences of opinion within the community.”
The amount donated to the UK Lesbian and Gay Immigration Group has not been disclosed nor have the legal costs involved.
John Malkovich and David Mamet attempt to tell a story about a Hollywood mogul and his downfall but it falls completely flat in the new West End Show Bitter Wheat.
Malkovich, star of screen and stage (70 films in total including Empire of the Sun and Burn After Reading), and playwright David Mamet (Glengarry Glen Ross, Speed the Plow) are where the blames lie in a show that tries to deal with an issue that is very timely but in this stage production is poorly executed. Malkovich is super-rich movie mogul Barney Fein who thinks and makes decisions with his nether regions. All likeliness to Harvey Weinstein is purely coincidental (!!).
In this satire that is far from funny, Fein’s life is managed by his loyal assistant (Doon Mackichan).
He even relies on her to get a gift for his mother’s birthday (his mother owns the company) – strangely the same scarf she got her the year before. And then there is another assistant (Alexander Arnold) who has no other function then just to walk in from time to time (including at the end where he announces that there is a man with a gun in the lobby – the same man who kills Feins’ mother in the second half – not shown) – all very silly and unbelievable. But before we get to this we are witness to an attempt by Fein to get young British-Korean actress and Cambridge grad Yung Kim Li (Ioanna Kimbook), who’s flown in to meet him, into a sexual liaison (all she wants is to eat after a long flight).
Fein first asks her for a massage, and then finally asks her if she would watch him take a shower.
It’s all very creepy and weird. And the show, at only 110 minutes long, (it also has an interval,) continues on a downward spiral that becomes shockingly dumb and just as quick as Weinteins’ downfall. Malkovich is just not convincing enough and delivers his lines like he’s reading them, while Mamet, who wrote and directed, knows better than to stage a show this bad.
Avoid at all costs.
Bitter Wheat plays at the Garrick Theatre until 14th September, book tickets here
So, if you’re someone who has sex, it’s important to go get tested.
For some people, there’s a lot of anxiety about going to get tested at a sexual health clinic, but I’m here to let you know, sexual health services in the UK have come along in the last decade or some. So regardless of any the horror stories, you might have heard, here’s what actually happened the last time I went to get tested – which was last week.
If you’re worried that medical implements are going to be stuck down your dick or up your ass or concerned that a bevvy of doctors will be taking a prolonged look at your squishy bits – you need to read on.
I’ve recently moved to a new area and thought about checking up on the sexual health services area, after a quick look online, I found my local sexual health clinic and was able to book my appointment online.
When entering the building, I was able to log in via a screen in the reception. Once booked in, I waited, perhaps 5 minutes before my name was read out – and I followed my nurse, Lesley, into a private office – where she checked my details, asked me a few basic sexual questions – like when was the last time I had sex – oral, anal and any other sexual activities which I had concerns about.
She asks what brought me to get tested today and I tell her that I want to be tested for HIV as well as other sexual health screenings.
I also ask her about getting the HPV vaccine – which she says is not a problem – she also suggests getting the Hepatitis vaccination. Which I agreed to.
After that, we walk across the hallway to a treatment room – in which there was a urinal, a sink, a bed and a trolley of medical supplies.
She asked me whether I wanted an oral and anal swab. ‘In for a penny’, I think and agree to both. She hands me a cotton wool bud in a long-thin plastic container and another small plastic container.
She leaves the room and allows me to, in private, pee in the cup and take my own anal swab, it’s really simple and you insert the bud about an inch or two inside you.
I put the top back on the pee jar and the swab back into its plastic container.
Next, after a few minutes, she reenters the room and takes the oral / throat swab, which again is another cotton wool bud. She says “it might make you gag…” I think, “not likely”. It doesn’t.
She then takes a vial of blood, which is painless and takes seconds.
She then collects the pee, the swabs and disappears from the room.
Moments later reappears with the vaccinations, I’ve asked for. Hep A and B and the HPV.
I have two injections in my right arm and the other in my left. All in all, I’m in the room for less than 15 minutes.
There was no examination of my body, although I’m guessing if I went in with specific issues she would have taken a look.
There was no sticking anything down my pee hole and no fingers up my butt.
My swabs were all done by myself. Self-service!
A week later a ping on my phone lets me know all my tests are clear.
So please, don’t fret about going to a sexual health clinic. It really isn’t invasive and remember knowledge is power. Your health status isn’t something you should shy away from – and the best thing, in the UK, testing and my vaccinations were free thanks to the NHS.
American DJ Diplo decided that today was the day that he’d share his bone with the world – and the world – well the Insta world was very happy to get a glimpse.
Taking to Instagram, Diplo shared a picture of himself, in an excited state, capitioning the picture, “I’ve been all over God’s green earth, and nothing excites me more than the raw beauty of nature”
https://www.instagram.com/p/BzbdI28HDVq/
Fans were quick to jump on the picture with their praise of his dong, with over half a million people liking the picture within 10 hours of the picture being posted.
What we learned today, Diplo has a biggun and he likes it raw in nature.
Seann Miley Moore excites fans with a series of steamy shower photos…
Stripping from his trademark sheer net and strappy tops, Seann Miley Moore gave his Insta fans something to lust over with a series of near nude shower photos.
Showing off some serious pec-age, Seann captioned the pictures with a simple merman emoji, but his fans had a lot more to say about the photos.
Fellow LGBT+ artist, Andrea Giovanni led the comments with a simple “A babe” while others remarked about how “sexy” and “stunning” the former X Factor star was looking.
Seann is currently starring in a brand new cabaret, S.Q.U.A.D Goals which runs on the 3rd, 4th and 5th of July at the Underbelly Festival in London.
He’s also released a 4-track EP “4 Track Bitch”, which might be the sexiest release since Janet Jackson’s Discipline and contains the smash bop “Heartbreak Hotel” – available from all major streaming services.
This isn’t the first time Seann has shown off his bod – and we fully approve 🙂
Across the world, June has become known as Pride month, but is June Pride Month in the UK?
Pride Month stemmed from the US, which has been adopted more widely across the world, but in reality, there are many Pride months across the globe. For instance, Sydney Mardi Gras, Australia’s biggest pride takes place in February (although they do have a Pride festival in June) and here in the UK, there isn’t such thing as one month for Pride.
In the US most prides happen in the month of June to coincide with the anniversary of the 1969 Stonewall Riots, in the UK however things are a little more spread out with more and more county, city and town prides becoming available.
There are over 150 pride events in the UK alone and they start in Feb with the last (outside Winter Pride) in September. So Pride month in the UK is better described as Pride Half Year!
Want to know more about prides, see our entire collection of Pride articles here. Want to shop for Pride Merchandise, visit our partner retailer, THE PRIDE SHOP.
Here at THEGAYUK, our styling team love nothing more than scouting the globe to find you the latest and best products. Whether that be grooming products, clothing or tech, we’ve got you covered.
As part of our endeavour, we’ve decided to highlight one brand a month. To give you the low down and highlight some of our personal favourite products. This month it’s all about Danish haircare brand By Vilain. It’s time to let these Danish twins teach us a thing or two about hair care. You got to #WorkHard to #StyleHard after all!
By Vilain was founded by Danish twins Rasmus and Emil in 2013, in the heart of Aarhus, Denmark. Created through the twin’s passion for hair and fashion. The brand has a central focus on quality products, that leave long-lasting impressions and give high-quality results. Like all things Scandinavian, the products are minimalist gems. Adding a sense of Scandi-style to your morning grooming routine. Their first product ‘Gold Digger’ (a personal favourite of mine) embodies this perfectly. A minimalist styling masterpiece, that elevates your hair and leaves you with a sensational style every time!
After spending countless hours trying out hair products in front of the mirror and creating over 500 hairstyling videos on YouTube. Rasmus and Emil, clearly have the knowledge to back up their product range. Their successful hair salon franchise in Denmark is a testament to this knowledge. Having been successfully operating for over 7 years, it’s clear that the twins understand what the customer needs and desires. Definitely make sure you pop along and say “hi” if you’re ever in Aarhus. I think I’ll definitely be planning a trip ASAP.
Also if you fancy seeing the twins in action, check out their YouTube channel linked below. Their videos are an absolute holy grail of hair styling and product information for men’s hair. Definitely worth a watch!
Following on from their sensational Gold Digger wax, which is still a best-seller to this day, the brand has just gone from strength to strength. Developing a myriad of high-quality styling, pre-styling and hair care products, that are so effortless to work with. Now having a product range that performs to such a high-quality across the board is no easy feat but they manage to do so with ease. Every product I’ve tried from this brand really has been truly exceptional. All have been easy to work with and I’ve enjoyed being able to change up the finish of my hair so easily, by just chasing the product combinations I use.
One thing I respect about this brand is just how confident they are in their consumers’ love of their products. When I initially chatted to the brand, they offered to send me over a range of their products from their pre-styling, styling and hair care ranges. The way they did this though, was not in the usual PR type of way. They simply said that we would love me to try out their products. If I liked them as much as they thought I would, then we could discuss doing something together. I respect that confidence and it wasn’t unfounded. They are now my go-to haircare brand and I’m looking forward to doing some projects with them in the future.
They have also recently just launched their Revolution wax, which is a collaboration between Silkhaar (their retail outlet/YouTube channel) and By Vilain. The wax is limited edition and essentially combines everything you need in a good hair wax. Look out for it appearing in this month’s top grooming list (#SpoilerAlert). I’m loving it so far! As of this week, they’ve also brought back an old classic the Night Fiber. Look out for my thoughts on that soon, my initial impression was pretty great though!
Ethos:
I always think it’s important to know what a company stands for and By Vilain stands by their motto of #WorkHard and #StyleHard. The twins stress, that their brand embodies the magic of innovation and the simplicity of Scandinavian design. They want to inspire men around the world, to set trends and be themselves without limitation. With their products enabling acting as a medium of self-expression and freedom for the consumers. Enabling them to be the very best version of themselves.
Gay author Paul Ilett is celebrating after his first novel became an LGBT best- seller, more than four years after it was published.
Gay author Paul Ilett is celebrating after his first novel became an LGBT best- seller, more than four years after it was published.
Paul’s novel Exposé has sold more than 10,000 copies around the world but an unexpected boost in sales during June pushed it to the top of Amazon’s best seller list.
Exposé, a darkly comical thriller, tells the story of a Gay superstar actor’s revenge on a team of ruthless reporters who work for the world’s most salacious tabloid newspaper, The Daily Ear. It has five-star reader ratings across Amazon and Goodreads, and even received a glowing review from The Sun newspaper and THEGAYUK.
Paul, 49, said: “I’ve been very pleased with how Exposé was received, particularly as I’ve been getting messages from readers around the world who’ve enjoyed it. It’s not always possible to know exactly why there was a sudden increase in sales but it was very exciting to find Amazon had added “#1 Best Seller – Gay Fiction” next to it.
Paul put his writing aside for the past few years to study for a master’s degree but has recently started work on a sequel. “It’s lovely to be back in the swing of writing again and I hope the next book is received as positively as the first.”
The much anticipated VW Polo has, quite quickly, spawned a little SUV model. All using the highly adaptable MQB platform that makes up the current VW range, I was intrigued to see how the risen Polo sized B segment SUV was like at the recent UK launch drive.
There were noticeable changes for this newcomer. Firstly was the lack of a diesel engine in the range. With diesel becoming a dirty word in Europe, chances are there won’t be one. Also, this is a bit of a pseudo 4×4. It has, as is common in this segment’s top sellers, all the looks without the ability. There’s no 4 wheel drive, and no loss really. It’s not that kind of car.
Driving
Driving impressions were good. I’ve moaned about the Golf-sized T-Roc tramping its front wheels from a standing start. I was expecting much the same with the Polo’s platform, risen by 10cm to behave and I came away disappointed. Disappointed because using either the 5-speed manual or DSG gearbox, it didn’t demonstrate anything like that of its larger brother.
What did become apparent however in the 115PS engine model was the lag in the DSG gearbox. Standing starts took almost 2 seconds for throttle inputs to respond to forward motion within the powertrain. This was not a problem in the manual with the 95PS engine. According to the data, there is 1.3 seconds 0-60 between both these 1-litre petrol engines. The DSG’s lag makes it feel a whole lot more and in favour of the smaller powered unit.
Interior
Inside, and it is all useable stuff with rear sliding seat that alters the size of the boot or rear legroom. There is an adjustable rear seat that moves a whole 14cm back or forward. This makes the already large boot for this segment even bigger. Yes, it does take away rear passenger space but only if you are carrying someone in the rear.
As a small SUV from VW, I was rather taken by the T-Cross. Its size makes it feel more agile and the ride better than you’d think it should be from a small, higher-riding short wheel based car. It rode well and could be driven with gusto. Compared to the competent T-Roc, I’m not sure I’d recommend it over the T-Cross. The littler car is the better car.
Verdict
Personally, I do have a clear winner. The 95PS manual SE was the better car and is my recommendation. It’s about £7,000 cheaper than the 115PS R-Line with the DSG and all the more spartan for it. So have fun and add some Volkswagen options. Making the T-Cross your own will endear it more than it already does. Volkswagen has done us proud.
