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When your house has a (disturbing) history, what should buyers be told about its ‘past’?

<p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/eileen-webb-95332">Eileen Webb</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-south-australia-1180">University of South Australia</a></em></p> <p>Imagine you have just bought a home. You have moved in and, during a friendly chat with the neighbours, you find out the property had been the <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-07-07/what-is-stigmatised-property-and-what-are-your-rights/9911608">scene of a serious crime</a> or <a href="https://www.aicnsw.com.au/our-dream-house-was-a-meth-lab/">used to manufacture</a> methamphetamine.</p> <p>How would you react? Is this something you would want to have known prior to the sale? If you had known, would this have affected you decision to buy the property? And was the real estate agent or vendor <a href="https://www.domain.com.au/news/what-do-agents-have-to-reveal-about-a-home8217s-history-20170810-gxcm5k/">under any obligation</a> to let you know?</p> <p>In most cases, the answer is (somewhat surprisingly to buyers) “no”. However, amendments to Victoria’s Sale of Land Act 1962 <a href="https://www.consumer.vic.gov.au/latest-news/sale-of-land-changes-in-effect-legislation-update">have now broadened the matters</a> that must be disclosed to buyers prior to a sale, including where a serious crime has occurred. Renters who find they have entered into a stigmatised property must resort to the consumer protection laws discussed below.</p> <h2>Why were the laws required?</h2> <p>The ancient doctrine of <em>caveat emptor</em> (let the buyer beware) still impacts on real estate transactions. It means the buyer bears the responsibility of making their own enquiries about the property.</p> <p>Property inspections are usually confined to the physical condition of the property. While it would be possible, at least theoretically, to arrange for a person to investigate its “background”, this can be a difficult process, especially if such information is concealed or hard to come by.</p> <p>As a result, each state and territory has introduced laws that provide for some level of disclosure to the buyer during the conveyancing process. The extent of disclosure required and the nature of matters that must be disclosed varies from jurisdiction to jurisdiction.</p> <p>Furthermore, section 18 of the Australian Consumer Law <a href="http://classic.austlii.edu.au/au/legis/cth/consol_act/caca2010265/sch2.html#_Toc32223214">considers conduct</a> as misleading or deceptive where a matter is not disclosed but, in the circumstances, there is a reasonable expectation it would be.</p> <p>The problem is that while disclosure may be required in matters involving, for example, a structural fault or a road-widening proposal, such information is confined to physical issues affecting the property.</p> <p>However, what happens when the matter involves not a physical defect but a psychological or stigmatising one, such as a murder, for example? Such information may be of considerable importance to potential buyers who, for personal or religious reasons, would find living in a property where such an event occurred intolerable. On a more mercenary note, the impact on resale value of the property <a href="http://journalarticle.ukm.my/7237/1/115-293-1-PB.pdf">could be significant</a>.</p> <h2>The nature of ‘stigmatised’ property</h2> <p>Concern about the effect of stigma on property is not a recent phenomenon. Courts in several jurisdictions, including Australia, <a href="https://api.research-repository.uwa.edu.au/portalfiles/portal/1218611/3632_3632.pdf">have had to grapple</a> with buyers who had discovered, after purchase, that the property had been the scene of a serious crime or criminal activity, a suicide had occurred, persons had been suffering from certain illnesses, or a sex offender lived nearby.</p> <p>In one case a young man had murdered his parents and sister in their Sydney home. The property was later sold to a young couple. After discovering the tragic events that had occurred in the home, they sought to withdraw from the sale on religious grounds.</p> <p>There was a <a href="https://www.theage.com.au/national/estate-agents-fined-over-triple-murder-house-20041220-gdz86g.html">significant amount of criticism</a> of the real estate agent for not informing the buyers about what had occurred there. After considerable public pressure and an investigation by the NSW Office of Fair Trading, the contract was set aside.</p> <p>On a more ethereal note, there have been a series of cases in the United States where buyers have sought, in some cases successfully, to have a sale rescinded <a href="http://zillow.mediaroom.com/2019-10-29-Selling-a-Haunted-House-Heres-What-You-Need-to-Know">because the house</a> was (allegedly) haunted or the subject of <a href="https://casetext.com/case/stambovsky-v-ackley">paranormal activity</a>.</p> <h2>Disclosure laws regarding stigma</h2> <p>The Victorian legislation clarifies obligations for estate agents and vendors regarding <a href="https://www.consumer.vic.gov.au/latest-news/sale-of-land-changes-in-effect-legislation-update">the disclosure of “material facts”</a>.</p> <p>In summary, an estate agent or vendor cannot knowingly conceal any material facts about a property when selling land. The legislation is supported by guidelines that clarify the nature of a material fact. This includes circumstances where, during the current or previous occupation, the property was the scene of a serious crime or an event that may create long-term potential risks to the health and safety of occupiers of the land.</p> <p>Specific examples include extreme violence such as a homicide, the use of the property for the manufacture of substances such as methylamphetamine, or a defence or fire brigade training site involving the use of hazardous materials. Relevant factors can include the reaction of other potential buyers to the fact, including their willingness to buy in light of the revelation.</p> <p>Significant penalties and even imprisonment await vendors and real estate agents who do not comply.</p> <h2>Will the laws work?</h2> <p>As with any new legislation, we will have to wait and see how this plays out. However, some preliminary comments can be made.</p> <p>First, it will be interesting to see how the term “knowingly” is interpreted. Could an agent or vendor avoid the provisions if they merely suspect an issue but do not look further into it? The term “wilful blindness” comes to mind.</p> <p>Second, a fact can be material in either a general or a specific sense. The general sense seems straightforward, as it refers to information most people would consider when deciding whether to buy a property.</p> <p>However, how serious must a crime be to be material? What if the situation involves cultivation of marijuana rather than a more egregious substance?</p> <p>More complex is where a material fact may be of importance to a specific buyer but not buyers generally. For example, in the case discussed above, the buyers’ religion made it impossible for them to live in a home where a violent murder had occurred. In this case, the onus seems to be on the prospective buyer to ask questions about matters of concern to them.</p> <h2>What now?</h2> <p>Although one suspects that buyers of an allegedly haunted house might not succeed under this legislation, the laws address a significant gap regarding disclosure of psychological considerations in the purchase of a property rather than the traditional physical ones.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/132766/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /></p> <p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/eileen-webb-95332">Eileen Webb</a>, Professor of Law and Ageing, School of Law, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-south-australia-1180">University of South Australia</a></em></p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images </em></p> <p><em>This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/when-your-house-has-a-disturbing-history-what-should-buyers-be-told-about-its-past-132766">original article</a>.</em></p>

Real Estate

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"I am not a monster": Disturbing reason police have seized phone of woman claiming to be Madeleine McCann

<p>Polish woman Julia Faustyna who went viral over <a href="https://www.oversixty.co.nz/news/news/woman-shares-evidence-that-she-is-madeleine-mccann" target="_blank" rel="noopener">claims she could be Madeleine McCann </a>has had her phone seized by US police over claims it contains explicit images of children.</p> <p>The phone was given to authorities by a former spokesperson for Faustyna and psychic private investigator Fia Johansson.</p> <p>The phone was reportedly left with Johansson when she brought Faustyna, 21, to the US for <a href="https://www.oversixty.co.nz/news/news/julia-faustyna-takes-dna-test-to-prove-wild-identity-claims" target="_blank" rel="noopener">DNA and family ancestry test results</a> over her claiming to be the missing toddler.</p> <p>The results confirmed that Faustyna was “absolutely, 100 per cent from Poland".</p> <p>Johansson handed the phone over to police during a search and seizure as part of an investigation, but the reason behind what prompted the pursuit remains unknown, according to the <em>New York Post</em>.</p> <p>Wroclaw police in Poland were contacted by the Orange County Sheriff’s Department and were informed that they were in possession of a phone thought to belong to Faustyna, according to a <em>RadarOnline.com</em> report.</p> <p>“Our investigation is taking a deep look into it and we’re going to let them do their investigative duties and then from that point let the judicial system take over – if it needs to,” department spokesman Sergeant Mike Woodroof said.</p> <p>Johansson reportedly added, “I’m told an investigator from the Sheriff’s Department is personally taking the device to Poland to make sure it doesn’t get lost or misplaced.”</p> <p>She also shared an image of a denied release of case information form from the Orange County Sheriff’s Department on social media, including a statement regarding the investigation.</p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CrJh_DVvl3i/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CrJh_DVvl3i/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Dr. Fia Johansson (@persianmedium)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>“There will be no comment or discussion at this time or moving forward concerning the active ongoing investigation with Orange County Sheriff’s Department and special public affairs division due to protocol and the sensitivity and nature of the intelligence that has been gathered and rendered,” she said.</p> <p>“It’s an active investigation and DA will not comment out of concern for the safety of the victims.”</p> <p>After Faustyna received her DNA test results and appeared on Dr Phil, Johannson revealed she travelled back to Poland to live with her father.</p> <p>The DNA results prompted <a href="https://www.oversixty.co.nz/news/news/madeleine-mccann-s-parents-speak-out-after-dna-test-results" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Madeleine McCann’s parents to break their silence</a> after months of emotional turmoil.</p> <p>Faustyna now denies all the allegations against her to reporters.</p> <p>“I didn’t have child pornography on my phone. I am not a paedo and I never tried to encourage any teenagers to do anything illegal and bad and disgusting,” she told <em>The Sun</em>.</p> <p>“Just think carefully, if someone is a paedo, I believe this person would never go by himself to a police station or this person would never talk about what I was talking in public to the whole world because it would be very dangerous for this person.</p> <p>“It is not logical ... I am saying the truth and I will make my name clean because I am not a monster.”</p> <p>She told <em>The Sun</em> she had purchased the phone from an unknown person, saying that if there were explicit images on her phone they were put there by someone else.</p> <p><em>Image credit: Instagram</em></p>

Legal

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"It's quite disturbing": Woman receives messages from dead husband

<p>A widow has been left feeling "distressed" after receiving cryptic messages from her husband's Facebook account, two years after he died. </p> <p>Jenny Singe said her husband's social media account had become active earlier this year, when online hackers began messaging friends and family and posting on her husband's timeline.</p> <p>"It's quite disturbing really," Singe told <a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/social-media-hack-woman-left-disturbed-after-receiving-messages-from-latehusbands-facebook-account/8c9dab63-11a6-4912-ba5c-61a06f51dd8e" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><em>Nine News</em></a>. </p> <p>Jenny said most of the posts were cryptic advertisements, further distressing her friends and family who were still in mourning. </p> <p>"My husband died almost two years ago and I am still grieving," she said.</p> <p>"I keep getting Facebook messages from (the hackers) and the first time was very distressing."</p> <p>Jenny attempted to contact Facebook to get her late husband's account taken down permanently, but said the social media platform was incredibly "unhelpful".</p> <p>"I have been through enough with losing my husband and now they were asking me to prove that he was dead," she said.</p> <p>"Facebook wanted me to provide them with all these details including his death certificate and all these other additional things."</p> <p>"Yet the hackers can continue on their merry way. I just thought, 'Why do I have to do all these things when I have done nothing wrong?'"</p> <p>"It's just not good enough."</p> <p>Protocols are currently in place for how to handle Facebook profiles of deceased people, however they must be either set up by the account holder prior to their death, or a family member must submit a death certificate online to the company.</p> <p>Family members can also memorialise an account which will prevent anyone from logging into it and will keep it visible on Facebook - however, it must be applied for with evidence of death. </p> <p>A Meta spokesperson told <em>Nine News</em> that the matter was being investigated.</p> <p>"We extend our heartfelt condolences to Jenny Singe for her loss. Meta is committed to protecting our community from hackers and the distress they cause, and the matter is being investigated," the spokesperson said.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p>

Family & Pets

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Aussie tourist makes disturbing claim about Fiji resort where young boy was killed

<p>An Aussie tourist has spoken out about an injury he sustained while holidaying at Club Wyndham Denarau Island resort in Fiji, where an 8-year-old boy died last week. </p> <p>Cairo Winitana passed away while on holiday with his family, after he was chasing frogs in the five-star resort’s flower garden when he allegedly touched a light that delivered him a fatal electric shock. </p> <p>Now, an Aussie tourist who visited the resort last year says he too received an electric shock on the grounds of the luxury villa. </p> <p>The unnamed holiday-goer says he was shocked by an exposed light fitting, where wires were draped between two lampposts where they got wet from the rain. </p> <p>The damaged light delivered a hefty shock to the tourist, but he walked away relatively unharmed. </p> <p>After Cairo was found unresponsive in the gardens of the resort, desperate guests tried to revive him, as they shared the distress for the young boy. </p> <p>Thomas Meier told <a href="https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/subscribe/news/1/?sourceCode=DTWEB_WRE170_a_NEW&amp;dest=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.dailytelegraph.com.au%2Fnews%2Fnsw%2Fsydney-boy-cairo-waitana-dies-at-fiji-resort%2Fnews-story%2F0da28333a98b983059b5e07871498679&amp;memtype=anonymous&amp;mode=premium&amp;v21=dynamic-low-control-score&amp;V21spcbehaviour=append" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Daily Telegraph</a> that he found the youngster unconscious in a garden bed.</p> <p>He told the publication he believed the child had been fatally injured after innocently playing with frogs near a bolt which was screwed into the ground where a live current was coming from.</p> <p>“As we were walking through the gardens we just saw this boy face down in the garden,” Mr Meier, 24, said.</p> <p>“My uncle went up to him and we were trying to tap him on the shoulder to see if he was responsive and he wasn’t moving.”</p> <p>He explained that his uncle received an electric shock as he assisted Cairo, before bystanders rushed to help.</p> <p>The child’s mother, Amber de Thierry, was soon found by resort guests, with Mr Meier describing her intense distress.</p> <p>“Eventually the mum turned up and she was screaming, crying, calling out to her son Cairo. She had one of her relatives hugging her,” he said.</p> <p>“We were all just sitting around hoping this little boy is going to wake up after a couple of shots of this defibrillator.”</p> <p>A post-mortem examination on Tuesday day confirmed Cairo’s cause of death was electrocution, as previously suspected.</p> <p>A devastated Ms de Thierry has also shared an <a href="https://www.oversixty.co.nz/health/caring/my-heart-aches-mum-of-young-boy-who-died-in-fiji-speaks" target="_blank" rel="noopener">emotional tribute</a> to her beloved boy on social media.</p> <p>“I loved you my son, from the moment I found out I was carrying you and will love you forever more my beautiful blue eyes,” she wrote.</p> <p>Loved ones have since set up at <a href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/qte4ja-help-bring-our-boy-home" target="_blank" rel="noopener">GoFundMe</a> page to help Ms de Thierry and her partner Clarke Winitana bring Cairo’s body home.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Facebook / GoFundMe</em></p>

News

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Disturbing new details emerge in death of head teacher, husband and daughter

<p><em><strong>Warning: This article contains distressing content that some readers may find confronting. </strong></em></p> <p>A headmistress at a private school in the UK made a distress call to a family member just hours before she was found dead, a report has claimed. </p> <p>School principal Emma Pattison, the head teacher of private school Epsom College in Surrey, England, was <a href="https://oversixty.co.nz/news/news/headmistress-husband-and-daughter-found-dead-on-school-grounds" target="_blank" rel="noopener">found dead</a> alongside her 39-year-old husband, George, and seven-year-old daughter Lettie on the school grounds earlier this week. </p> <p>As an investigation into their deaths has commenced, the BBC has reported that Emma made a frantic phone call to a relative with concerns about her partner. </p> <p>By the time the worried relative arrived at the house, which is surrounded by other properties occupied by college staff and is close to the prestigious school’s rifle range, all three were dead.</p> <p>Police have yet to disclose the official cause of their deaths, but are confident no one else was involved in the "isolated" incident. </p> <p>Detectives confirmed a firearm registered to George, of which he had a license for, was found at the scene and they are treating the tragedy as a double murder and suicide.</p> <p>Detectives suspect George killed his wife Emma, 45, and little Lettie before taking his own life.</p> <p>Detective Chief Inspector Kimball Edey, senior investigating officer on the case, said, “This is an incredibly traumatic incident and we are working around the clock to investigate and understand the exact circumstances which led to this point."</p> <p>“We understand the public concern and upset, and we will clarify what we can, when we can, while respecting the right to a level of privacy for the families of those who have lost their lives."</p> <p>The community is reeling from the tragedy, as devastated neighbours who knew the "lovely" family shared how "heartbroken" they are. </p> <p>One person said, “It is just shocking and unimaginable.”</p> <p>Chloe Rathbone, a nursery worker who looked after Lettie, told The Times, “I am utterly so heartbroken over this awful news."</p> <p>“They were such a lovely family and Lettie was perfect in every way, everything you could have wished for in a little girl.”</p> <p style="font-size: 16px; box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 1rem; caret-color: #212529; color: #212529; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, sans-serif, 'Apple Color Emoji', 'Segoe UI Emoji', 'Segoe UI Symbol', 'Noto Color Emoji';"><strong><em style="box-sizing: border-box;">Don't go it alone. Please reach out for help.</em></strong></p> <p style="font-size: 16px; box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 1rem; caret-color: #212529; color: #212529; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, sans-serif, 'Apple Color Emoji', 'Segoe UI Emoji', 'Segoe UI Symbol', 'Noto Color Emoji';"><strong><em style="box-sizing: border-box;">Lifeline: 13 11 14 or lifeline.org.au</em></strong></p> <p style="font-size: 16px; box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 1rem; caret-color: #212529; color: #212529; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, sans-serif, 'Apple Color Emoji', 'Segoe UI Emoji', 'Segoe UI Symbol', 'Noto Color Emoji';"><strong><em style="box-sizing: border-box;">Beyond Blue: 1300 22 4636 or beyondblue.org.au</em></strong></p> <p style="font-size: 16px; box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 1rem; caret-color: #212529; color: #212529; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, sans-serif, 'Apple Color Emoji', 'Segoe UI Emoji', 'Segoe UI Symbol', 'Noto Color Emoji';"><strong><em style="box-sizing: border-box;">Headspace: 1800 650 890 or headspace.org.au</em></strong></p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images / </em><em style="font-size: 16px; box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: #212529; color: #212529; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, sans-serif, 'Apple Color Emoji', 'Segoe UI Emoji', 'Segoe UI Symbol', 'Noto Color Emoji';">epsomcollege.org.uk</em></p>

News

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Disturbing twist in children's suitcase homicide

<p dir="ltr">The two suitcases that contained the bodies of siblings in Auckland were reportedly moved from one unit storage to another before the harrowing discovery. </p> <p dir="ltr">Two children’s bodies were discovered in suitcases by an Auckland family who purchased the bags at an auction on August 11.</p> <p dir="ltr">It has now been revealed that the suitcases were moved in the second half of 2021 between different storage units at the same SafeStore Papatoetoe facility, <a href="https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/suitcases-containing-childrens-remains-were-moved-between-storage-units-a-year-before-harrowing-discovery/RWQQNLAU6HINPF6A5L6F2EOMIQ/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">NZ Herald</a> reported.</p> <p dir="ltr">A worker told the publication that there were dead flies and rats around the bags but no smell to indicate anything more damning.</p> <p dir="ltr">A SafeStore spokesperson refused to comment due to the ongoing police investigation in which a woman from South Korea, believed to be the children’s mother was arrested. The ​​42-year-old <a href="https://oversixty.com.au/lifestyle/family-pets/woman-arrested-in-relation-to-dead-children-found-in-suitcases" target="_blank" rel="noopener">woman was arrested</a> by local police following a request from NZ Police. </p> <p dir="ltr">"South Korean authorities arrested the woman today on a Korean arrest warrant pursuant to two charges of murder relating to the two young victims," Detective Inspector Tofilau Faamanuia Vaaelua said at the time of the arrest.</p> <p dir="ltr">"The arrest warrant was issued by the Korean Courts as a result of a request by NZ Police for an arrest warrant under the extradition treaty between New Zealand and the Republic of Korea (South Korea).</p> <p dir="ltr">“NZ Police have applied to have her extradited back to New Zealand to face the charges and have requested she remain in custody whilst awaiting the completion of the extradition process.”</p> <p dir="ltr">At the time, Detective Inspector Vaaelua suggested that the children were aged 10 and five respectively when they died four years ago.</p> <p dir="ltr">The family who purchased the property where the suitcases were found are not involved in the deaths and have asked for privacy.</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Images: NZ Herald</em></p>

Legal

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Cleo Smith’s parents share disturbing new details

<p>The parents of four-year-old Cleo Smith have shared terrifying new details about their daughter's abduction from a Western Australia camping site. </p><p>Ellie Smith and Jake Gliddon opened up about the horrific ordeal in an exclusive interview with <em>60 Minutes</em>, which will reportedly see the parents pocket $2 million.</p><p>Looking back on the abduction, Ellie believes that Cleo's pink bike at the campsite may have been what caught her captor's attention. </p><p>“Cleo had a bike at the front which indicated we had a child in that tent and that was all he needed to know,” Ms Smith said.</p><p>“How are we meant to know putting a little girl’s bike out the front of our tent indicated for someone to get her?”</p><p>Cleo's mother also revealed that her and Jake's side of the tent had been unzipped at some stage through the night.</p><p>“He obviously didn’t know what side of the tent she was in. He must have looked in ours ... might have put his head through and realised, ‘Yep, she’s not on this side’, and gone on the other side and that’s where she was,” she said.</p><p>“He’s taken a step in there, grabbed our child and we were sleeping right next to it all ... we were a metre away from them and it was just so gut-wrenching that someone could step into a tent and take our child.”</p><p>Ellie claimed that Cleo hadn't said much about her time with her captor, but told her parents she was scared. </p><p>“She was locked in a room and she was scared and she didn’t know where we were,” she said.</p><p>“She’s blocked out a lot as to what’s happened. She kind of went into survivor mode and pushed it very far away.”</p><p>In a bizarre twist, when Ellie was reunited with Cleo, she realised her hair had been cut and dyed. </p><p>“We had seen that her hair was cut and her hair was dyed. I guess we kind of saw the little things other people didn’t,” she said.</p><p>“I was just angry that someone tried changing her to kind of fit what they wanted.”</p><p>The family are planning to move away from Carnarvon so their little girl can have an “amazing life.”</p><p>“Hopefully we find somewhere that is pretty similar to what we love and what we do because we don’t want to let go of everything that we are and who we are,” Ms Smith said.</p><p>“We want to build our girls’ childhoods the way we wanted with fishing and camping, we’re just going to do it on the road for a little bit.”</p><p>Cleo was first reported missing on October 16th last year, before she was found 18 days later in the home of Terence Darrell Kelly. </p><p>Kelly has pleaded guilty to child stealing, and is due to appear in court again in March for sentencing. </p><p><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p>

News

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"Deeply disturbing": Police officer arrested on suspicion of murder

<p>UK Police have announced that a serving London Metropolitan Police Officer has been arrested on suspicion of murder after a 33-year-old-woman went missing last Wednesday.</p> <p>Sarah Everard, 33, has not been seen since she left her home in south London last week.</p> <p>The arrested officer remains in police custody in a London police station.</p> <p>Assistant Commissioner Nick Ephgrave described the arrest of the officer as "both shocking and deeply disturbing."</p> <p>The recent discovery of yet-to-be-identified human remains prompted Detective Chief Inspector Katherine Goodwin to say: "This is a significant development in our inquiry."</p> <p>"I know how shocked and worried Londoners are by Sarah's disappearance and the developments in the case," Mayor of London Sadiq Khan said in a statement.</p> <p>"All women and girls should be able to feel safe on the street of London at all times."</p> <p>While the remains have not yet been formally identified, UK police believe they likely to belong to Sarah.</p> <p>The case has been intensely followed by the public and the media in the UK, as extensive searches have been conducted across where Everard was last seen.</p> <p>Everard's cousin Tom said that the family want to "focus on the facts as they emerge".</p> <p>"I want to encourage people to come forward with anything they might have, and to continue supporting the police investigation," the 36-year-old added.</p>

Legal

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High-profile horse trainer suspended over disturbing photo

<p><span>An image of top horse trainer Gordon Elliott posing for a photo while sitting on a dead horse has resulted in horror and anger from the public and British racing circles on Monday.</span><br /><br /><span>The Irishman is one of the sport’s most celebrated figures and has apologised for the disturbing image after it resurfaced on Saturday.</span><br /><br /><span>It depicted him sitting on a horse that had just died of a heart attack after a training run.</span><br /><br /><span>Elliott has since been suspended from horse racing, as reported by the <em>BBC</em>.</span><br /><br /><span>One of his most high-profile employers, Cheveley Park Stud, said they are "truly horrified" by the image.</span></p> <p><img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7840081/daily-1.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/a5af72eeb8b8423abfbf5ad18536013a" /><br /><br /><span>Bookmaker Betfair dropped Elliott as an ambassador, saying his actions were not consistent with its "values".</span><br /><br /><span>A scathing statement from the British Horseracing Authority slammed the star.</span><br /><br /><span>"People who work in our industry believe their values — of caring for and respecting our horses — have been deeply undermined by this behaviour," the statement read.</span><br /><br /><span>The BHA said it was "appalled" by the image, saying: "On behalf of all horse-lovers, we say loudly that British horseracing finds this totally unacceptable."</span><br /><br /><span>Elliot defended his actions, saying the incident occurred “some time ago” and the picture was taken while he waited for the body of the horse to be taken away.</span><br /><br /><span>He went on to explain that he had received a phone call and had sat down on the dead animal “without thinking”.</span><br /><br /><span>The Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board is investigating the incident and the BHA said it is "considering its own regulatory options".</span><br /><br /><span>Both bodies have temporarily banned Elliott.</span><br /><br /><span>Elliott has been a Grand National-winning trainer three times, first taking the prize in 2007 with Silver Birch.</span><br /><br /><span>He would go on to train Tiger Roll to become the first back-to-back winner of horse racing's most gruelling jumps race — in 2018 and '19 — since Red Rum in the 1970s.</span><br /><br /><span>He has trained 32 winners at the Cheltenham Festival.</span><br /><br /><span>Tiger Roll owner, Michael O'Leary, is one of the few to come out in support of Elliott.</span><br /><br /><span>"We accept that this photograph was a grievous but momentary lapse of judgement by Gordon," said O'Leary, who runs the Gigginstown House Stud operation and is also CEO of budget airline Ryanair.</span><br /><br /><span>He continued: “and not in keeping with our 15-year experience of his concern for and attention to the welfare of our horses.</span><br /><br /><span>"We all make mistakes, and what is important is that we learn from them and ensure we do not repeat them. We accept Gordon's sincere, profound and unreserved apology and we will continue to support him and his team."</span><br /><br /><span>The Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board has said their investigation will be dealt with "as quickly as possible".</span></p>

Legal

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Mother sacks babysitter over disturbing nanny cam footage

<p>A mother has not been able to hold back her disgust after sacking her nanny.</p> <p>The mum said that she was shocked to discover that the nanny she hired to look after her 10-month-old son and five-year-old daughter had secretly been breastfeeding the son. </p> <p>The nanny started attempting to nurse the baby after the mother had confided in her about her issues with breastfeeding.</p> <p>“During a conversation that we had recently (maybe two weeks ago), I mentioned that I don’t produce much milk which forces me to rely on donor milk to feed my son,” the mum confessed <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.reddit.com/r/AmItheAsshole/comments/hnm9j2/wibta_if_i_fired_my_nanny_for_breastfeeding_my_son/" target="_blank" class="_e75a791d-denali-editor-page-rtflink">in the Reddit post</a>.</p> <p>“She was very sympathetic and inquisitive about the situation, and I was happy to answer all of her questions while simultaneously thinking nothing of it.”</p> <p>It was only after the mother checked the nanny cams that were set up in the house that she made the discovery.</p> <p>“I have nanny cameras set up in the living room and in my bedroom that my husband and I can access at anytime when we’re not home, but I never feel compelled to check for the simple fact that I trust my nanny,” she explained.</p> <p>“However, I was having a rough day yesterday and wanted to see what the little ones were up to so I decided to pop in. My nanny was sitting on my bed, rocking my son, and attempting to breastfeed him.</p> <p>“I almost felt sick, it just seemed so inappropriate. I decided to wait until I got home to confront her about it, and when I asked she was incredibly apologetic. She said she wanted to help me because of my milk production issues and never meant any harm.”</p> <p>The mother initially accepted the apology, but became suspicious and went through old footage.</p> <p>To her horror, she discovered that the nanny breastfeeding her son wasn't a one-off occurrence. </p> <p>“She unplugs the camera in my bedroom when she goes to put him down for naps and plugs it back in when she leaves,” she added.</p> <p>“After reviewing our recordings this wasn’t the first time she attempted to breastfeed my son, among a few other questionable things (closing my daughter in the pantry, leaving my son in the backyard unattended, etc).”</p> <p>If that's not bad enough, the mother also discovered that some treasured baby items were missing. </p> <p>“A couple of my son’s first outfits (first onesie, first Halloween costume) were gone as well as a small blanket that belonged to my daughter, and a box of old baby clothes I was going to donate,” she added.</p> <p>“These were returned to me by [the nanny’s] father minus the blanket because she can’t find it.”</p> <p>The mother said she’s been left "heartbroken" by the incident.</p> <p>“We’ve decided to let her go, obviously, and I’m going to be taking a few weeks of leave to take my kids in for check-ups,” she added.</p> <p>“My husband and I are horrified and heartbroken that we facilitated a situation in which our children’s safety was put at risk.”</p>

Family & Pets

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“Something hatched!" Mum’s disturbing backyard discovery

<p><span>A woman’s terrifying discovery in her yard has left a number of social media users baffled.</span></p> <p><span>The woman, believed to be from Australia, posted a video of a small black mound sitting on top of dirt to a Facebook group last week, as she asked members to help her figure out what it is.</span></p> <p><span>“Has anyone seen these before? Just appeared today in a few spots around the yard. It has been raining here overnight,” she said. </span></p> <p><span>In the footage, the woman touched the mound, causing what appears to be thousands of tiny alive bugs to move.</span></p> <p><span>They seem to go right back to where they were as she pulls her fingers back.</span></p> <p><span>Horrified users on Facebook jokingly told the mum to burn her house down or move away from the “alien eggs”.</span></p> <p><span>“I have never seen anything like that before!” one woman said.</span></p> <p><span>“It looks like kinetic sand,” another wrote. </span></p> <p><span>“Something hatched!” a third chimed in. </span></p> <p><span>But one person revealed that the bugs appear to be springtails, otherwise known as Anurida Maritima.</span></p> <p><span>“Springtails for sure! We have the same thing happen to us and know they come every year. Hate it lol,” someone responded to her. </span></p> <p><span>Springtails are a common occurrence in gardens, but they’re still relatively unknown due to their small size, according to the agricultural school of Texas A&amp;M University.</span></p> <p><span>“Springtails are common insects that live in leaf litter, compost piles and lawn soils, recycling dead plant material into nutrients to fertilise your lawn,” according to the school.</span></p> <p><span>“Only about a millimetre long, springtails are rarely seen, but given the right environmental conditions, they can multiply to become a nuisance.”</span></p> <p><span>They are not harmful and do not bite people, pets, spread disease or damage homes. </span></p>

Home & Garden

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Doctor’s disturbing find in man’s bladder

<p><span>Doctors have made a disturbing yet remarkable discovery inside of a man’s bladder.</span><br /><br /><span>X-ray scans showed the 30-year-old man, who was treated in Guwahati Hospital, India had a 61 cm-long charger cable that became entangled in his bladder.</span><br /><br /><span>The medical professionals believe it may have been swallowed or inserted for "sexual gratification".</span><br /><br /><span>The adult male, who is said to have a “history of accidental ingestion of headphones”, visited the doctors after complaints of incessant abdominal pain.</span><br /><br /><span>He was given a two-day course of laxatives in a bid to alleviate the stomach pain before doctors decided to made a small incision into his gastrointestinal tract.</span><br /><br /><span>It was then that doctors had the disturbing realisation that there was the charger cord in the man’s bladder.</span></p> <p><img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7836435/doctor-bladder-1.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/e676a4c5383142cd824218d7a82baa5d" /></p> <p><em><span class="CmCaReT" style="display: none;">�</span>Image: Yahoo</em><br /><br /><span>Five medics performed a 45 minute surgery to remove it.</span><br /><br /><span>Surgeon Wallie Islam, who says he had not seen anything of the sort in his 25-year career, went on to say that surgeons didn’t want to jump straight into surgery and that’s why he was given laxatives.</span><br /><br /><span>"The patient's stool was examined, but nothing came out,” Dr Islam said.</span><br /><br /><span>"We decided to do a small incision and check the gastrointestinal tract.”</span><br /><br /><span>The doctor added the male “might have been uncomfortable telling the truth”, leading to the team searching his gastrointestinal tract.</span><br /><br /><span>"Though I'm not exactly sure about his mental health, some people do things for sexual gratification, but this man took things a little too far,” he said.</span><br /><br /><span>The man spent three days recovering in hospital before he was released.</span></p>

Body

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Half-naked man shocks plane passengers on 10-hour flight

<p>Sometimes flying isn’t the best experience to be had – it can be long, tiring and cramped, so making arrangements to be comfortable such as a neck pillow, cosy clothes or a device to pass the time are all expected to be seen on a flight.</p> <p>However, one Air France passenger went to new heights when it came to getting comfortable when she posted to Twitter a man sitting across her aisle on 10-and-a-half-hour flight in his boxer shorts.</p> <p>Lizzie Thompson was on the flight from Paris to Los Angeles when she said a fellow passenger sitting across from her came out of the plane bathroom with no pants, shoes or socks on.</p> <p>“The man in the seat across from me has taken HIS PANTS OFF for the flight and is just in his boxers… This is going to be a long flight,” she wrote on Twitter.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"> <p dir="ltr">The man in the seat across from me has taken HIS PANTS OFF for the flight and is just in his boxers. Flight attendants seem unconcerned. This is going to be a long flight <a href="https://twitter.com/AirFranceFR?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@AirFranceFR</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CDG?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#CDG</a> to <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/LAX?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#LAX</a> <a href="https://t.co/Z0EfktDwpD">pic.twitter.com/Z0EfktDwpD</a></p> — Lizzie Thompson (@Lizzie_Thompson) <a href="https://twitter.com/Lizzie_Thompson/status/1097467416693653507?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 18, 2019</a></blockquote> <p>Although she tried to get flight attendants' attention, little was done to appease other passengers, noting they seemed “unconcerned” by the situation. Despite offering to move Ms Thompson, there were no attempts to ask the man to place his pants back on.</p> <p>“He offered to move me (which would mean losing my bulkhead legroom) but just shrugged when I suggested he ask the man to put his pants back on,” she wrote.</p> <p>Adding fire to the already bizarrely lit flames – the half-naked passenger allegedly shouted at a man who boarded with a ukulele to “COME SIT WITH ME AND MAKE SOME MUSIC”.</p> <p>The pant-less stranger also stole “4 mini bottles of wine from the cart,” two hours into the flight and perhaps strangest of all – became so cold he put a thick winter jacket on but left his pants off for the whole flight.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"> <p dir="ltr">Just landed. 2 hours in he stood up and took 4 mini bottles of wine from the cart. Then he fell asleep. Then 6 hours in he got cold so PUT ON HIS PUFFY JACKET <a href="https://t.co/wNFq9L2bkH">pic.twitter.com/wNFq9L2bkH</a></p> — Lizzie Thompson (@Lizzie_Thompson) <a href="https://twitter.com/Lizzie_Thompson/status/1097643842809954306?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 18, 2019</a></blockquote> <p>People reading the story on social media were not impressed by the situation.</p> <p dir="ltr">It was considered indecent exposure to breastfeed an infant in public in Idaho until 2018. Hashtag white cis male privilege. I’m so sorry you had to endure this.</p> <p><a class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">— Amber Labelle (@amberllab) </a><a href="https://twitter.com/amberllab/status/1097652023774887936?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 19, 2019</a><a class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"></a></p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"> <p dir="ltr">I’m sorry you had to endure this. Holy cow. I would have lost it at some point and been the one arrested.</p> — Trudy Bleu (@BleuTrudy) <a href="https://twitter.com/BleuTrudy/status/1097677055934660608?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 19, 2019</a></blockquote> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"> <p dir="ltr">What happened to the phrase: no shirt, no shoes, no service…no pants needs to be added. Underwear alone should not be allowed. Those were not shorts, true shirts would be OK.</p> — Donna Owosso (@fly_befree) <a href="https://twitter.com/fly_befree/status/1097785218017030144?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 19, 2019</a></blockquote> <p>At least, Ms Thompson affirms, there is nothing quite like a pant-less man to tie a group of onlooking strangers together.</p> <p>“Nothing bonds a group of passengers like a man half naked in your section,” she joked. </p>

Travel Trouble

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Woman’s disturbing discovery while cooking supermarket chicken

<p>Just when we thought fruit being sabotaged with needles was finally over, a woman has discovered something in a piece of chicken as she bit into it during her meal, which she had purchased from a supermarket.</p> <p>Nadia Petersen, from New Zealand, shared a post on her Facebook page after her horrifying discovery – she found a rusty nail in the chicken as she was grilling the boneless piece.</p> <p>Peterson confirmed she had purchased the boneless chicken thigh pieces from a Countdown supermarket.</p> <p>Sharing the warning on her Facebook page with photos, Petersen wrote, “Check your boneless chicken thighs from Countdown (Regent Whangarei). Just about chomped on a rusty … nail.”</p> <p><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fnadiapetersenx%2Fposts%2F10216864299661100&amp;width=500" width="500" height="420" style="border: none; overflow: hidden;" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowtransparency="true" allow="encrypted-media"></iframe></p> <p>She told local news company TVNZ, “I picked it up and I held it and stared at it for a couple seconds in disbelief, then I ran outside and spat my food out then washed my mouth out.”</p> <p>Petersen also took measures to ensure she would not fall ill or suffer any poisoning following the incident.</p> <p>“I rung the hospital first who took my details and passed me on to the poisons centre to make sure I wasn’t going to get sick from ingesting chicken with rust in it,” she told TVNZ.</p> <p>Petersen posted an update on Facebook, stating: "<span>I shop at Countdown Regent all the time and the staff there are awesome. Today they gave me a $50 voucher on surrender of the chicken and nail, and gave me a pack of chicken, but most importantly they took it seriously."</span></p> <p><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fnadiapetersenx%2Fposts%2F10216870758342563&amp;width=500" width="500" height="708" style="border: none; overflow: hidden;" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowtransparency="true" allow="encrypted-media"></iframe></p> <p>In the meantime, the New Zealand supermarket chain is investigating how a rusty nail ended up in a piece of boneless chicken thigh.</p> <p>A Countdown spokesperson confirmed to <a href="https://au.news.yahoo.com/womans-shocking-discovery-supermarket-chicken-055542138.html">Yahoo7</a>, “<span>Food safety is our utmost priority and we have a really thorough process to ensure we investigate any complaints properly.</span>”</p> <p>They continued, “We have a range of safety precautions and measures in place which include metal detectors at points in the process and full traceability on all fresh meat.”</p> <p>The Countdown spokesperson also told Yahoo7 that “investigations are already underway and once the nail arrives we’ll be able to further analyse this”.</p>

Legal

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5 bedroom mistakes that can disturb your sleep

<p>When you design your bedroom, it is important to consider various elements so you can have an undisturbed sleep. Cheryl Fingleson from The Sleep Coach told <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><strong><a href="http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/lifestyle/home-garden/home-garden-collections/5-bedroom-mistakes-that-can-ruin-your-sleep/news-story/c14d34658084f2b749b11bc9d23e89a4" target="_blank">The Daily Telegraph</a></strong></em></span> the decorating mistakes to avoid.</p> <p><strong>1. Avoid loud colours</strong></p> <p>Selecting the right colours in your bedroom is key for creating a relaxed environment. When choosing the colours for your walls, linen and curtains it is best to avoid loud colours. “Muted, pastel tones are far more appropriate than loud, bright colours,” said Cheryl. “Tone it down a notch and opt for soft blues, shades of yellow or green, which can all add a sense of serenity to your bedroom.”</p> <p><strong>2. Number of pillows</strong></p> <p>Although pillows can make a bed look cosy, the number of pillows you use can determine whether you have a good night’s sleep or spend it tossing and turning. “The idea [is to] use enough pillows to remove the angle between your shoulder and head,” explained Cheryl.</p> <p>A good guideline to use is:</p> <ul> <li>One pillow: to support the head</li> <li>Two pillows: one to support the head and one to hug or one to support the head and one for the feet</li> <li>Three pillows: one to support the head, one for the feed and one below the knees. This can assist back and neck problems to maintain an even resting position.</li> </ul> <p><strong>3. Blue lights</strong></p> <p>Blue is considered a soothing colour but for lighting it has the opposite effect. “Blue light is a stimulant that actually boosts attention,” said Cheryl. “The best colour for night-lights is red or orange; similar to the colours of the sunset, nature’s very own way of telling you to get ready for bed.”</p> <p><strong>4. Heavy duvets</strong></p> <p>Big, heavy duvets can seem like an easy to get cosy at night but it is more important to get your bedroom temperature right. “If you become either too hot or too cold during the night, you’ll probably wake up, so it’s important to check your bedding or duvet,” said Cheryl. “The warmth or heaviness of a duvet is measured in togs; the lower the tog the lighter, and the higher the tog, the warmer the duvet.”</p> <p>If you sleep with your duvet all-year round you may need to switch to one with lower togs for summer.</p> <p>“Some places sell all-season duvets, which combine a lightweight and medium duvet that you can separate for the warmer months and join together for cooler months.”</p> <p><strong>5. Clutter</strong></p> <p>Cheryl suggests having a clean room to help you create an environment that is easy to fall asleep in.  Cheryl says to “be mindful of keeping mess and clutter out of the bedroom.”</p> <p>What are your decorating tips for a relaxing bedroom? Let us know in the comments below. </p>

Home & Garden

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Hotel staff share their most disturbing experiences

<p>Hotel rooms hide all sorts of disturbing stories from previous guests if this article is anything to go by. Here are just five examples of some of the worst:</p> <p><strong>1. Nude surprise</strong></p> <p>A hotel maid shared her horror of finding a naked man in the bath, who sat there "with a big creepy grin" on his face.</p> <p>And this was after she already knocked on the door and calling out that she was walking into the room.</p> <p>A former hotel security guard said this was quite commonplace, but the perpetrators were usually sprawled on the bed.</p> <p>They are often "strategically deaf" and "didn't hear" anyone at the door.</p> <p><strong>2. The deal-breaker</strong></p> <p>One Reddit user detailed the job that made them quit and it involved an entire room full of human excrement.</p> <p>It was on the bed, towels: anywhere but the toilet.</p> <p>When the cleaner asked if they could use gloves, the manager said no.</p> <p><strong>3. Sex toys</strong></p> <p>User "r4tgrl" used to go with their grandmother to clean hotel rooms and on one occasion she opened the freezer and found a "long, purple dildo".</p> <p>Another user spent a summer cleaning hotel rooms in Sweden and their colleague found three sex toys in a room with a note saying, "Please wash".</p> <p><strong>4. Nasty and amusing things</strong></p> <p>One user worked as a cleaner in a hostel in Amsterdam and listed some "nasty things" they had found, including: used condoms, tampons and pads; a box of nail clippings; bags of drugs and a sticky rubber duck.</p> <p><strong>5. The stuff of horror movies</strong></p> <p>Reddit user "the_lock" described a moment when a cleaner walked into a room and found 10 severed heads in the bathtub with the water running.</p> <p>Police were called and it turned out that the room guest was in charge of a cadaver lab being held the next morning and needed to thaw out the specimens.</p> <p>Have you ever come across something unexpected while working in a hotel?</p>

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