Freed Abu Qatada 'Will Not Be Returning To UK'

Timeline: Qatada Legal Battle

Updated: 10:35am UK, Wednesday 24 September 2014

Abu Qatada challenged and ultimately thwarted every attempt by the Government to detain and deport him for many years.

Here is a timeline of the legal battle.

1993: Abu Qatada claims asylum when he arrives in Britain on a forged passport.

1994: Allowed to stay in Britain.

1995: Issues a "fatwa" justifying the killing of converts from Islam, their wives and children in Algeria.

1998: Applies for indefinite leave to remain in Britain.

1999: April - Convicted in his absence on terror charges in Jordan and sentenced to life imprisonment.

October - Speaks in London advocating the killing of Jews and praising attacks on Americans.

2001: February - Arrested by anti-terror police over involvement in a plot to bomb Strasbourg Christmas market. Officers find him with £170,000 in cash, including £805 in an envelope marked "For the mujahedin in Chechnya".

December - Becomes one of Britain's most wanted men after going on the run from his home in west London.

2002: Arrested by police in a council house in south London and detained in Belmarsh high-security jail.

2005: Freed on conditional bail and placed on a control order but arrested again in August under immigration rules as the Government seeks to deport him to Jordan.

2008: April: Court of Appeal rules deportation would breach his human rights because evidence used against him in Jordan might have been obtained through torture.

May - Granted bail by the immigration tribunal but told he must stay inside for 22 hours a day.

June - Released from Long Lartin jail in Worcestershire and moves into a four-bedroom house in west London.

November - He is rearrested after the Home Office tells an immigration hearing of fears he plans to abscond.

December - Qatada's bail is revoked by the Special Immigration Appeals Commission (Siac) after hearing secret evidence that the risk of him absconding has increased.

2009: Five Law Lords unanimously back the Government's policy of removing terror suspects from Britain on the basis of assurances from foreign governments and it is ruled he can be deported to Jordan to face a retrial on the terror charges.

He is awarded 2,800 euro (£2,500) compensation by the European Court of Human Rights after the judges rule that his detention without trial in the UK under anti-terrorism powers breached his human rights.

2012: January - European judges rule he can be sent to Jordan with diplomatic assurances but not while "there remains a real risk that evidence obtained by torture will be used against him".

February - He is released on strict bail conditions.

April - Rearrested as the Government prepares to deport him after Jordan gives assurances it will "bend over backwards" to ensure he receives a fair trial.

March - Qatada's legal team loses its bid to have the case heard by the Europe's human rights judges, clearing the way for deportation proceedings to continue.

May and August - Siac rejects Qatada's applications for bail.

October - Siac holds appeal hearing.

November - His appeal is granted and he is granted bail.

December - Qatada is moved to a larger residence in the greater London area.

2013: March 9 - It emerges Qatada has been arrested for allegedly breaching his bail conditions. He is ordered to stay in custody and sent to Belmarsh.

March 21 - Police reveal the cleric is being investigated over extremist material.

March 27 - Home Secretary Theresa May loses her appeal over Siac's decision to allow Qatada to stay in the UK. The Home Office vows to appeal.

April 17 - The Home Office formally announces that it is seeking leave from the Court of Appeal to take the case to the Supreme Court.

April 22 - The Court of Appeal refuses permission to go to the Supreme Court, forcing the Home Office to appeal directly to the highest court in the land.

April 23 - Theresa May tells MPs she has signed a new treaty with Jordan that should pave the way to deportation, but warns it might take "many months".

May 10 - Qatada's barrister says he will go back to Jordan voluntarily if the treaty on the use of evidence obtained by torture, guaranteeing he will not be tortured, is ratified by the Jordanian parliament.

May 20 - Qatada is refused bail by the Special Immigrations Appeals Commission after "jihadist material" is found on a computer memory stick.

July 2 - The new treaty between Jordan and Britain is fully ratified, sparking claims Qatada could be on a plane within days.

July 3 - A Jordanian government official tells AFP the cleric is due back on Sunday.

July 7 - Flown from RAF Northolt to Jordan

December 10: Pleads not guilty to terrorism charges at a state security court in the Jordanian capital, Amman.

2014: June 26 - Acquitted of conspiracy to commit acts of terrorism over 1998 bomb plots allegations.

September 24 - Acquitted over plot to target Western tourists over the New Year in Jordan in 2000.

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24-Hour Tube Launch Date Is Revealed

London's Tube trains are set to operate a 24-hour service at weekends from September 12 next year, it has been announced.

Night-time journeys in the capital are expected to be cut by 20 minutes on average, with some journeys expected to be reduced by up to one hour.

Transport For London said the new service, first promised by Mayor Boris Johnson and London Underground last November, had been made possible due to modernisation of the network and improved levels of reliability.

Half a million Londoners use the Tube after 10pm on Fridays and Saturdays

The launch of the "Night Tube" service will coincide with the Rugby World Cup, which is being hosted in England in September and October.

Fans attending at any of the three venues in London - Twickenham Stadium, Olympic Stadium and Wembley Stadium - will able to make use of the new service.

Mr Johnson said: "London is a bustling, 24-hour global city and by this time next year we'll have a 24-hour Tube service to match.

"Running trains all through the night was once thought impossible, but with the huge investment we've put in and upgrades that have been delivered we stand ready to take the Tube to the next level."

To meet the expected demand of the new service, there will be six trains per hour through central London on all Night Tube lines, including the Jubilee, Victoria and most of the Piccadilly, Central and Northern lines.

There will be eight trains per hour on the Northern line to meet demand at busy stations between Leicester Square and Camden Town.

Boris Johnson: 'We stand ready to take the Tube to the next level'

Mike Brown, managing director of London Underground, said: "We are now less than a year away from the first ever 24-hour services operating on London Underground.

"Already over half a million Londoners use the Tube after 10pm on Fridays and Saturdays, and the introduction of the Night Tube, which will cut journey times and open up new possibilities across the night time economy, is a historic step in our modernisation of the Underground."

While rail unions welcome the move, they have asked for talks with Transport for London managers to ensure it will not be a low cost, low management service.

Manuel Cortes, leader of the TSSA rail union, said: "With Boris still wanting to axe 900 jobs and close all ticket offices, we want to ensure that the new service is properly staffed to ensure safe and secure travel for all passengers and that weekend maintenance work is not postponed to disrupt weekday services."

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iPods Save 750 Lives During Hospital Trials

By Lisa Dowd, Sky Correspondent

The lives of more than 750 patients have been saved at two hospitals after nurses started using iPods instead of paper charts to record patients' vital signs.

Research published in the British Medical Journal found that in one year the number of deaths at Queen Alexandra Hospital in Portsmouth fell by 397 following the introduction of the new system.

At University Hospital Coventry 372 fewer patients died. The system has been trialled at the West Midlands hospital since 2007.

The special software automatically calculates if a patient is deteriorating and sends out alerts.

Staff have found the system is cutting down mistakes and saving time.

Nurse Amy-Dawn Lees uses an iPod to record a patient's blood pressure, heart rate, oxygen levels and temperature, as well as tapping in how a patient is feeling.

"The old paper charts were very, very difficult to decipher; the crosses, the arrows, written on the chart by the previous nurse. You can't actually distinguish exactly where the cross is," said Ms Lees.

"On the new electronic charts everything is colour-coded, you are able to see the previous observations in more detail, more accurately and obviously able to see whether your patient is the same, better or worse."

Handheld devices have replaced paper charts at two hospitals

Data from each iPod goes into a central computer system, which doctors, nurses and managers can access.

Patients across all wards are given a score of between 0 and 21.

"We have patients in today with high scores varying from 6, where we're starting to be concerned, to 11, which is the sickest patient we have," said Dr Duncan Watson, Clinical Director of Critical Care at University Hospital.

Doctors and nurses are also alerted to patients' needs by colour codes. Red signifies patients who need the most attention.

"It's radically changed things for us," added Dr Watson.

"It has decreased the mortality rates for the hospital, we are able to identify 10 patients a week and prevent them coming into the intensive care units, we can decrease their length of stay and the patients actually do better as they don't get as sick and we identify them quicker."

The system is expensive, according to Dr Watson - but it has the potential to save money long-term.

More importantly, across the two hospitals death rates have fallen by 15%.

Most hospital trusts still use a paper system, but University Hospital is now almost paper-free.

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Ed Miliband Forgets To Mention The Deficit

Ed Miliband is facing criticism after he forgot to mention the deficit during his 66-minute speech to the Labour Party conference.

In his last party conference speech before the General Election, the Labour leader set out his intention to put the NHS at the heart of the party's plan for the next 10 years.

However, speaking without notes, he left out entirely a passage on reducing the country's £75bn deficit.

The Labour leader told Sky News: "I cannot simply memorise a whole speech ..."

Ed Miliband's speech has been widely criticised

He said: "There was a bit I didn't deliver that was pre-prepared."

But he insisted that the whole speech was effectively about the economy.

He added: "I could have done it with autocue but I think what people want is somebody who will come and talk to them directly."

But he said he did not consider the speech had been a failure because he had delivered a message full of substance.

The Labour faithful clap Mr Miliband out

George Osborne tweeted immediately after the speech, which was overshadowed halfway through by Barack Obama's press conference on airstrikes in Syria and Iraq, to point out the omission.

A pre-prepared version of Mr Miliband's speech briefed to journalists and posted on Labour.org.uk on Tuesday afternoon contained a section on reducing Britain's deficit, however it was left out of his delivery.

He was also criticised by Conservative MP Harry Smith, who said: "Ed Miliband has let the cat out of the bag – he has no plan to deal with the deficit and no plan for the economy."

A Labour source explained it had been a slip and told Sky News: "This was a long speech and some things changed in delivery. He made clear no plans for additional borrowing."

Conservative Party chairman Grant Shapps said Mr Miliband "failed to offer any serious plan to grow the economy".

He added: "Labour simply don't have a long-term economic plan to secure a better future for Britain. Our country, our children and our grandchildren would be worse off under Ed Miliband's weak leadership."

Shadow chancellor Ed Balls had made reducing the deficit the centrepiece of his speech on Monday.

Speaking without notes, Mr Miliband outlined his six national goals:

:: To reward people for hard work - raising the national minimum wage to half the number of people on low pay

:: To tackle the cost of living crisis and make sure wages increased with economic growth, breaking up banks and taking power from Whitehall

:: Britain to create a million jobs in green industries - helping to tackle global climate change

:: Making sure as many school leavers go on to apprenticeships as go to university. Companies who employ foreign workers will be expected to offer apprenticeships too, and those who want Government contracts will need to provide apprenticeships

:: Making the dream of home-ownership a reality by building more homes and making sure 400,000 first-time buyers a year get on property ladder

:: Save the NHS - provide a "truly 21st century health service" using the proceeds of a mansion tax on homes above £2m and a tax on tobacco firms

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Arrest Imminent In Thai Murders: Reports

Britons Killed In 'Gruesome' Thai Beach Attack

Updated: 5:58pm UK, Monday 15 September 2014

The naked bodies of two British tourists who had apparently been attacked with a hoe have been found on a beach in Thailand.

The 23-year-old woman, from Great Yarmouth, Norfolk, and 24-year-old man, from Jersey, were found with head wounds on Koh Tao, an island in Surat Thani province known for its stunning beaches.

The victims' clothes and a hoe with blood stains were found nearby, said Colonel Prachum Ruangthong from Thailand's police force.

Images from the scene show the woman's body sprawled metres from the sea in an area of the beach hidden by rocks and the suspected murder weapon discarded nearby.

Col Prachum said: "The man was chopped in the back and on the side of his head, while the woman was chopped in her face. It's very gruesome."

The pair had been staying in a bungalow 100 metres from where their bodies were found on Sairee beach and had been at a party there on Sunday night, according to Sky News sources.

Investigators are probing whether there was a sexual motive for the attack and have been checking CCTV footage from nearby restaurants, hotels and shops for clues.

Footage from the scene showed shocked tourists and locals gathered behind a cordon on the beach on Monday while dozens of police carried out investigations.

The victims' bodies were removed from the beach in blue body bags.

British travellers Kath Patel and Helen Bradbrook, who have been staying 100 metres from where the bodies were found, said they were shocked by the murders and had decided not to go out for their final night on the island.

They said many people on the island have been carrying on with their holidays as normal.

Ms Patel, 23, from Lancashire, told Sky News: "We have been in Vietnam and Cambodia, and out of everywhere we have been I have felt most safe here on Koh Tao.

"We have not noticed anything between the locals, they have seemed really friendly."

Ms Bradbrook, from Guildford, Surrey, added: "It is so small, like a really friendly atmosphere, and because it is just that one beach then you feel really safe when you are out."

Sky News Asia Correspondent Mark Stone said police have shut down ferry routes to and from the mainland.

He said: "It was a particularly gruesome attack. Eyewitnesses have said the two victims sustained incredibly serious head wounds." 

The Foreign Office (FCO) has sent a representative to the Thai island to assist with the investigation.

According to the Lonely Planet travel guide, Koh Tao welcomes thousands of visitors who "come to worship the turquoise waters offshore".

The guides say its coral, sharks and rays attract divers, while hikers enjoy jungle walks and the bar scene "rages on until dawn".

Tourism in Thailand has been badly affected by the country's deep political crisis and the introduction of martial law.

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Sturgeon Bids To Be First Female Scottish Leader

Deputy First Minister Nicola Sturgeon refused to rule out another referendum as she made her bid to become the first female Scottish First Minister.

Ms Sturgeon said if a second referendum was in the Scottish National Party (SNP) manifesto then it would be a mandate for her to push for another vote on independence for Scotland.

And she added she was not bound to wait for another "generation" before putting the matter to the Scottish electorate again.

The 44-year-old she said she was not preparing for a referendum, but warned Westminster it needed to deliver on the promises it had made to the Scottish people.

Ms Sturgeon embraces Yes supporters in Glasgow

She said: "If I am elected to lead, I pledge today that the SNP and the Scottish Government will be full, active, genuine and constructive participants in that process of change, wherever it happens - in Holyrood, in meeting rooms and, most importantly of all, in discussions across Scotland.

"There will be no sitting on the sidelines."

She said the deal on further powers for Holyrood must be one "that maximises devolution in substance not just in rhetoric".

Ms Sturgeon is the clear favourite to succeed Alex Salmond after he announced last week he would be stepping down following the No vote.

Launching her leadership bid, Ms Sturgeon said: "I am putting myself forward for two simple reasons: I want to serve my party and my country. And I believe I am the best person for the job.

Ruth Davidson, Johann Lamont and Willie Rennie

"I also hope that my candidacy, should it succeed, will send a strong message to every girl and young woman in Scotland: no matter your background or what you want to achieve in life, in Scotland in 2014 there is no glass ceiling on ambition."

Should Ms Sturgeon be successful in her bid then all three of the leaders of the main parties in the Scottish Parliament will be women.

Scottish Labour leader Johann Lamont and Conservative leader Ruth Davidson both played significant parts in the Better Together referendum campaign.

The only male party leader is the Liberal Democrat leader Willie Rennie.

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Car Insurance: New Rules To Reduce Costs

A regulator has published new rules it hopes will boost competition to help bring down the cost of premiums in the UK's £11bn private motor insurance market.

The clampdown may knock up to £20 off a typical bill under the Competition and Markets Authority's (CMA) plan.

Among its headline measures is a ban on exclusivity agreements between price comparison websites and insurers that prevent companies making their products available more cheaply online.

The CMA also demanded better information for consumers on the costs and benefits of no-claims bonus protection.

But it "reluctantly" decided not to recommend any changes to the current system of providing replacement hire cars for drivers following an accident, despite the fact they increase the average insurance premium by £3 a year.

The CMA said there was "no appropriate remedy", but the Association of British Insurers (ABI) said it was "bad news for consumers" and said the watchdog had "ducked" the issue.

The measures follow wider efforts to bring down the cost to drivers of personal injury claims and fraud, with premiums falling 19% in the last year alone to a four-year low.

Alasdair Smith, chairman of the private motor insurance investigation group at the CMA, said: "There are over 25 million privately registered cars in the UK and we think these changes will benefit motorists who are currently paying higher premiums as a result of the problems we've found.

"There need to be improvements to the way price comparison websites operate.

"They certainly help motorists look for the best deal, and this in turn has led insurers to compete more intensely, but we want to see an end to clauses which restrict an insurer's ability to price its products differently on different online channels.

"We expect this to lead to greater competition between price comparison websites."

He also moved to explain the lack of action on the cost of post-accident services to drivers who are not at fault in an accident, in particular temporary replacement cars.

He said: "Reluctantly we have had to conclude that we cannot see an effective way of addressing this problem fully short of a fundamental change in the law and, whilst this problem does increase premiums for motorists, the extent of the problem is not as high as was at first envisaged and does not warrant such a radical measure.

"However, we do wish to challenge the benchmarks typically used in awards for non-fault replacement cars, which do not reflect the cost of the services provided and which we think should be lower."

James Dalton, the ABI's head of motor insurance, said: "Today's CMA report is the culmination of three years of work and has cost taxpayers millions of pounds.

"The fact that it fails to do anything to address the excessive costs of replacement vehicles - a problem that the CMA itself identified - will be a bitter pill to swallow for honest motorists.

"Far from reducing the cost of car insurance, the CMA's inaction simply entrenches the business models of some replacement vehicle providers who profit from inflating car hire charges at the consumer's expense.

"The reality is that the CMA has ducked this challenge and when regulators fail, politicians need to step in to act."

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MPs Sob At 'Keep Your Mitts Off My NHS' Speech

A 91-year-old Second World War veteran has upstaged Ed Miliband at the Labour Party conference with a passionate and tear-jerking speech on the health service.

Harry Smith moved audience members to tears as he made a passionate case for the NHS and warned David Cameron: "Keep your mitts off my NHS."

Mr Smith received a number of standing ovations as he detailed his life in a "barbarous, bleak and uncivilised" Barnsley slum where he listened to the screams of a woman dying of cancer because she could not afford the medicine to dull the pain.

Mr Miliband admits he forgot to mention the deficit

His eight-minute speech came after a poorly received 66-minute keynote by the Labour leader on Tuesday, which was roundly condemned after it emerged he forgot to mention the deficit.

Political pundits were hailing Mr Smith's speech as a lesson to Mr Miliband in delivery, saying he had managed to make a powerful case for the NHS in a way the leader had failed to.

Shadow health secretary Andy Burnham with Harry Smith

Steve Hawkes, deputy political editor, of the Sun, tweeted: "91 year-old Harry Smith shows Ed Miliband how to do it - rousing speech (from autocue) that gets delegates on their feet."

Another Twitter user, Robert Bennett, wrote: "Harry Smith 91 years didn't forget any of his speech."

Tears rolling down the cheek of one Labour delegate

While another, Mark Robinson, tweeted: "Such a contrast between Harry Smith's speech and Ed Miliband's."

Labour politicians, including the shadow health secretary Andy Burnham, wept openly as he described how his sister had to be buried in a paupers' pit after dying of tuberculosis at the age of 10.

He said the family watched as she faded away, unable to help because they "just didn't have the dosh to keep her comfortable".

Another conference member wipes her eyes

Mr Smith said that eventually she was sent to die in a workhouse infirmary because her mother could no longer care for her.

Mr Smith told the conference: "In my heart, I can still feel my mum and dad's desperation as they were trying to keep our family safe and healthy in the slum we called home.

"Common disease controlled our neighbourhood and snuffed out life like a cold breath on a warm candlelit flame."

He said he was born in 1923 to a life that was nothing like an episode of Downton Abbey, where hospitals and doctors were for the privileged few.

But he said while his heart was with the children of his generation who did not make it, it was also with the people of the present who were struggling because of welfare cuts and austerity measures.

He finished: "Today we must be vigilant. We must never ever let the NHS free from our grasp because if we do, your future will be my past.

"My life is your history and we should keep it that way.

"So say it loud and say in clear in this hall and across this country, Mr Cameron, keep your mitts off my NHS."

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PM To Recall Parliament Over Airstrikes In Iraq

Britain could be just days away from military involvement in the Middle East as David Cameron is expected to recall Parliament on Friday.

The Prime Minister is set to ask MPs to support UK airstrikes against Islamic State (IS) militants in Iraq, with aerial raids possible this weekend.

Mr Cameron has warned the fight against the extremist group was one the UK "could not opt out of".

The PM warned of terrorist plots in Britain and the US

It comes as the US confirmed it had launched five more airstrikes targeting IS, including one in eastern Syria near the Iraqi border where eight militant vehicles were struck.

US Central Command also reported hitting two IS armed vehicles west of Baghdad, as well as two militant fighting positions in northern Iraq.

Speaking ahead of a United Nations summit in New York, Mr Cameron insisted IS was planning attacks on Britain and an international coalition was needed to destroy "this evil organisation".

Iraq's PM Haider al Abadi is likely to ask for Britain's help to defeat IS

Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al Abadi is expected to formally ask for Britain's involvement in airstrikes against IS positions in the north of the country when he meets Mr Cameron.

Such a request would legally underpin any UK military action in Iraq, something that is less clear in the case of Syria where Britain has stressed it will not co-operate with President Bashar al Assad to defeat IS.

With Parliament expected to be recalled, Mr Cameron will be hoping to avoid the defeat he suffered last year over plans to target the Assad regime.

Iran's President Hassan Rouhani will also hold talks with Mr Cameron

Labour leader Ed Miliband has told Sky News that Britain could not turn away from tackling IS and said he would consider a proposition from the Prime Minister.

He said any military action would be considered on the basis of whether it was legitimate, would succeed and be effective but added: "There is no question of British troops on the ground."

Several Syrian cities and IS strongholds were targetted in the strikes

Iraq has not yet formally asked Britain to join the US and France in airstrikes on IS, which has made rapid territorial gains in northern Iraq, but the UK responded swiftly to Baghdad's plea for arms and ammunition earlier this month.

Speaking to US TV channel NBC, Mr Cameron said: "There are other plots they (IS) have been attempting, including in my own country, in order to kill and maim innocent people and the same applies to the United States.

"So this is a fight you cannot opt out of. These people want to kill us. They've got us in their sights and we have to put together this coalition … to make sure that we ultimately destroy this evil organisation."

Mr Cameron will also attempt to secure regional involvement in the fight against IS during talks with Iranian President Hassan Rouhani. It will be the first time a British prime minister has met an Iranian president since 1979.

UK hostage Alan Henning is being held by the group. Pic: Cage

But Mr Cameron has made clear he will not soften his stance on Iran's nuclear ambitions, nor its support for other militant groups the West regards as terrorist organisations.

"I will be very clear," Mr Cameron told NBC News. "We think they are wrong to have this nuclear weapon programme. We think they are wrong to support terrorist organisations.

"It'll be a tough conversation. I'm not saying that my enemy's enemy is my friend. I don't believe that.

"But the fact is if we want to have a successful, democratic, pluralistic Iraq and if we want to have a successful, democratic, pluralistic Syria, Iran can play a constructive role in helping to bring that about."

The first US raids on IS targets in Syria were launched on Tuesday, supported by Bahrain, Jordan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.

Among the areas hit was the IS stronghold of Raqqa where it is thought British aid worker Alan Henning is being held hostage by the group.

Mr Henning's wife Barbara called for his release after she received an audio message from her husband pleading for his life.

Barbara Henning said she had been told a Sharia court had found her husband innocent of being a spy.

"I implore Islamic State to abide by the decisions of their own justice system. Please release Alan," she said in a statement released through the Foreign Office.

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Alice: Not Enough Evidence For Arrest Warrant

There is not enough evidence to issue a European Arrest Warrant for Arnis Zalkalns, the prime suspect in the disappearance of Alice Gross, the Met Police has said.

If the Latvian has returned to his home country he would also be able to stay there as a free man, the force admitted.

A reconstruction of the last-known movements of the teenager will take place on Thursday - four weeks after the 14-year-old went missing.

Police divers found a knife in the River Brent

Detectives are hoping it could throw up vital clues from anyone who saw her walking alongside the Grand Union Canal in west London.

Convicted killer Zalkalns disappeared at the start of the month and UK police are in Latvia trying to track him down.

Searches have taken place in miles of canals

Police and divers are also continuing to search through the River Brent near Ealing Hospital after a knife - currently undergoing forensic testing - was found in the area earlier this week.

The search is the biggest since the 7/7 bombings in London, with 600 officers pursuing more than 700 lines of enquiry, and more than 1,000 people having been spoken to.

The whereabouts of Arnis Zalkalns are unknown

Thursday's reconstruction will see a police cadet walk the canal-side route that Alice took on August 28 in the hope witnesses could remember a small, but potentially important detail.

CCTV recorded the teenager as she made her way back to her home in the Hanwell area of west London, and also filmed Zalkalns cycling past the same spot 15 minutes later.

The labourer was seen on CCTV 15 minutes after Alice passed the same spot

Detectives believe he is likely to have seen Alice as they were both going north along the towpath.

The Latvian has not entered his homeland by plane but could have made his way there by road.

Zalkalns, who served seven years in prison for killing his wife and burying her in a forest after a dispute about her sexuality, has not been seen since September 3 and has not used his phone or bank account.

Alice was last seen on August 28

The labourer was also arrested on suspicion of indecently assaulting a 14-year-old girl in the UK in 2009, but no further action was taken.

Scotland Yard, meanwhile, has said it is reviewing the early stages of the investigation after coming under fire for being too slow to ask Latvian authorities for help.

A reward of up to £20,000 is being offered for anyone who has information that leads detectives to find Alice.

Zalkalns is white, 5ft 10ins and stocky, with dark brown hair that he normally wears tied in a ponytail.

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