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“A pain in the a***”: Security expert reveals why woman posing as Prince Andrew’s fiancée got past security

<p dir="ltr">A woman claiming to be Prince Andrew’s fiancée was able to get past security because staff were too “terrified” to check with the royal according to a specialist detective.</p> <p dir="ltr">The Spanish woman claimed to be Irene Windsor and was due to have dinner with the Duke of York when she arrived at the security gate of the Royal Lodge in Winsdor last April, and was allowed in without her identification checked.</p> <p dir="ltr">Her cab fare was even paid for by security officers, with her cover eventually blown when she entered the building and a suspicious staff member alerted police - but not before she walked around the grounds for up to 40 minutes.</p> <p dir="ltr">Philip Grindell, the founder of VIP security firm Defuse and a former specialist detective with the Met Police, has now claimed that staff were reluctant to check the woman’s story with Prince Andrew because of his reputation.</p> <p dir="ltr">Grindell, who was responsible for planning and running security measures for high-profile events that included those with royals and the military, made the claims while speaking at the International Security Expo in London, describing the royal as an “unpleasant character”.</p> <p dir="ltr">"Prince Andrew is a pain in the a*** and if you have ever worked with him, is an unpleasant character and the security were terrified of asking him 'is anyone turning up?'” Grindell said.</p> <p dir="ltr">"And because they did not want to upset him, no one asked and they assumed he must have an appointment and let her in.</p> <p dir="ltr">"The security were terrified of asking him."</p> <p dir="ltr">Paul Page, a former Met Police royal protection officer, separately shared a similar account about working with the controversial royal.</p> <p dir="ltr">"When I heard this it became blatantly obvious that the security involved were in the same position with Prince Andrew as I was 20 years ago, in that they were too frightened to question unidentified female visitors as it would always end in him abusing us for stopping them,” he said at the expo.</p> <p dir="ltr">"This is a classic example of what we feared would happen one day."</p> <p dir="ltr">At the time, the woman was found with maps of the Royal Lodge and other royal residences, as well as a self-defence key ring with two sharp prongs.</p> <p dir="ltr">She was arrested on suspicion of burglary before being sectioned under the Mental Health Act and eventually released without charge.</p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-bfff73ff-7fff-7826-a75c-88d6a93cf36c"></span></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: Getty Images</em></p>

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Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s home targetted by intruders

<p dir="ltr">Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s California mansion has been the target of intruders twice in just two weeks.</p> <p dir="ltr">The Sussexes were inside their $14 million mansion in the town of Montecito with their children Archie, three, and Lilibet, one when the alarm went off. </p> <p dir="ltr">Santa Barbara Police arrived at the home on May 19 at 5:44pm following reports of a trespasser. </p> <p dir="ltr">Then 12 days later on May 31 at 3.21pm, the alarm was once again triggered, just hours before the Sussexes were due to leave for the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee. </p> <p dir="ltr">Police attended the home once again and reported the incidents as trespassing, property crimes and “suspicious circumstances” by police. </p> <p dir="ltr">Their mansion has been broken into a total of six times in 14 months. </p> <p dir="ltr">It comes as Prince Harry won a case to sue the Home Office who cut his police protection after he left the Royal Family. </p> <p dir="ltr">Shaeed Fatima QC, who is representing Harry in court, said the Prince believes the Queen’s private secretary, Sir Edward Young “should not have been involved” in the decision. </p> <p dir="ltr">The couple have had to hire ex-President Barack Obama's former bodyguard Christopher Sanchez and Michael Jackson's former security chief Alberto Alvarez to keep them safe. </p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Images: Getty/Sotheby's International Realty</em></p>

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Guy Sebastian questioned over home intruder head-butt

<p>Guy Sebastian has been grilled in court over claims he head-butted an intruder who broke into his Sydney home while his wife and newborn son were sleeping. </p> <p>The singer recalled the incident while being cross-examined at the embezzlement trial of his former manager Titus Day.</p> <p>“I had a newborn who was sleeping, I was at my recording studio … I received a call from my wife about this person who was trying to get into our house through my little boy’s window and as a result I arrived home,” Mr Sebastian told the court on Tuesday.</p> <p>“By the time I got home the guy trying to break in was still there. I chased after him.”</p> <p>However, the court heard different stories about what the singer told people happened next. </p> <p>When asked repeatedly if he head-butted the intruder, Mr Sebastian said he had not.</p> <p>But he agreed with Dominic Toomey SC, who is acting for Mr Day, that’s what he told people afterwards.</p> <p>“While I was holding him he was trying to grab me … elbowing and kicking me … he grabbed my [motorbike] helmet,” Mr Sebastian said.</p> <p>“I’ve told people that I knocked him out … I didn’t head-butt him … I agree I’ve told people that I head-butted him."</p> <p>“You’re implying I head-butted him as an intentional act but it just didn’t happen like that.”</p> <p>The incident was brought up in relation to its inclusion in an Apprehended Violence Order taken out by Titus Day.</p> <p>Mr Sebastian was served with the AVO application two days before he reported Mr Day to police over the allegations of embezzlement.</p> <p>Mr Sebastian said his former manager was trying to “weaponise” the incident by including it in his AVO.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p>

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Security concern after intruder spends night just metres from Queen

<p dir="ltr">An intruder who was given access to the Army Barracks by soldiers who protect Queen Elizabeth has sparked a security concern.</p> <p dir="ltr">The man, who claimed to be a priest, told the soldiers that he was a friend of the padre to the Coldstream Guards at the base. </p> <p dir="ltr">Soldiers allowed the man into the Victoria Barracks on Sheet Street - the week the Queen was away at Sandringham for Easter - despite not providing any form of ID.</p> <p dir="ltr">He was given a bed and spoke to the soldiers about “how he had worked as an ejector-seat test pilot and had donated some of his organs”.</p> <p dir="ltr">The next morning, after the intruder was given breakfast, the soldiers raised the alarm.</p> <p dir="ltr">Police attended the barracks just hours before the Queen was due to return to Windsor Castle and removed him from site. </p> <p dir="ltr">The fake priest however was not arrested and is believed to have been suffering from mental issues.</p> <p dir="ltr">"Officers attended and removed the intruder from the barracks. No further action was required," a Thames Valley Police spokesman told <a href="https://www.thesun.co.uk/fabulous/18438925/queen-shock-security-blunder-windsor-castle/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Sun</a>. </p> <p dir="ltr">Ex-Met Police commander John O’Connor said the palace should already be on “full alert” as they counteract threats.</p> <p dir="ltr">“The timing is very serious. They should already be on full alert for the Jubilee.</p> <p dir="ltr">“We are still under a continuing threat from terrorists, It’s this lackadaisical attitude which leads to disasters.”</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: Getty</em></p>

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Major royal security breach as intruder pretends to be engaged to Prince Andrew

<div class="post_body_wrapper"> <div class="post_body"> <div class="body_text redactor-styles redactor-in"> <p>A woman has sparked a major scare in Windsor Great Park after being found wandering around Prince Andrew's official residence.</p> <p>Guards accidentally let the woman in after she claimed she had a lunch appointment with Prince Andrew.</p> <p>An insider has provided more information, saying to<span> </span><a rel="noopener" href="https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/14700679/prince-andrew-security-scare-windsor/" target="_blank"><em>The Sun</em></a>: "She was apparently very smartly dressed, in suit trousers, a yellow blouse and peach jacket, and had her hair done up and full make-up.</p> <p>"She cut quite a glamorous figure and the guards were completely taken in by her.</p> <p>"The woman demanded they pay her cab fare as she was a close friend of Prince Andrew, and they obliged before helpfully pointing her on her way towards the Royal Lodge.</p> <p>"They had no idea this woman was a total stranger to Andrew and seemingly had a fixation with him."</p> <p>The only reason the woman was caught was because she went up to a royal staff member and asked where Prince Andrew was, claiming she was engaged to him.</p> <p>"The woman then went up to a member of staff and asked where Prince Andrew was," the insider continued.</p> <p>"She was then asked who she was and what she was doing here.</p> <p>"To the staff member’s shock, the woman then claimed to be engaged to Prince Andrew and said she was there to get married to him.</p> <p>"She said that was the reason why she had flown over from Spain a couple of days earlier."</p> <p>The issue is being dealt with as a "major security breach" as the woman was found with maps of the building as well as a self-defence keyring with two prongs on it.</p> <p>She was initially arrested under suspicion of burglary but has since been sanctioned under the Mental Health Act.</p> </div> </div> </div>

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“He picked the wrong house to break into”: 82-year-old bodybuilding grandma beats home intruder

<p><span>An 82-year-old award-winning female bodybuilder turned the table – literally – on a home intruder as she fought and dragged the unwelcome guest out of her property.</span></p> <p><span>Retired social worker Willie Murphy said she was getting ready for bed Thursday night at her home in Rochester, New York when a man pounded on her door, asking her to call an ambulance for him, <em><a href="https://edition.cnn.com/2019/11/24/us/82-year-old-bodybuilder-grandma-intruder-trnd/index.html">WHAM</a> </em>reported.</span></p> <p><span>Murphy said the man broke through the door when she wouldn’t let him in her house.</span></p> <p><span>“It’s kind of semi-dark and I’m alone, and I’m old. But guess what, I’m tough,” said Murphy, who won a weightlifting competition earlier this year. “He picked the wrong house to break into.”</span></p> <p><span>Murphy said she used various household items to attack the intruder, starting with her table.</span></p> <p><span>“I took that table and I went to working on him, and guess what? The table broke,” she said, adding that she used the metal table legs to keep hitting the man afterwards.</span></p> <p><span>She said she also used a bottle of baby shampoo and a broom to attack the man before dragging the man out of the house.</span></p> <p><span>“He wants to get the heck out of there. And I’m trying to help him get out of the house, but he’s too heavy. I can’t move him. He’s dead weight.”</span></p> <p><span>When police officers arrived a few minutes later, the intruder was apprehended.</span></p> <p><span>“He’s laying down already because I had really did a number on that man. I’m serious. I think he was happy when he went in the ambulance,” Murphy said.</span></p> <p><span>“The officers that came wanted to go on my front porch and take selfies with me.”</span></p> <p>Murphy has made headlines before for her record-setting participation in the World Natural Powerlifting Federation. Speaking to the American <em><a href="https://www.msn.com/en-au/news/world/a-drunk-man-broke-into-her-house-this-82-year-old-bodybuilder-did-a-number-on-him-she-says/ar-BBXjW6M?li=BBU4PL8">Today</a> </em>show, she said she began powerlifting in her mid-70s to stay healthy and fit.</p>

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“How is it possible?” Intruder breaks into Buckingham Palace

<p>An intruder has broken into Buckingham Palace on Wednesday morning.</p> <p>The Queen was just metres away from where the man broke into the massive palace in what has been labelled a “major security breach.”</p> <p>The 22-year-old man is assumed to have climbed over the front gates of the palace before banging down the front doors.</p> <p><em><a rel="noopener" href="https://www.express.co.uk/" target="_blank">Express</a></em> reported it took four minutes for police to apprehend the man and check if he was carrying weapons.</p> <p>It is widely believed the young man was attempting to replicate a similar situation done almost 37 years ago by Michael Fagan who broke into the Queen’s bedroom.</p> <p>Metropolitan Police have confirmed they arrested the 22-year-old on suspicion of trespassing.</p> <p>“Officers have arrested a man on suspicion of trespass, contrary to section 128 of the Serious Organised Crime and Police Act 2005,” the statement read.</p> <p>“The 22-year-old man was arrested at approximately 02:00 hrs on Wednesday, 10 July by officers from the Met's Royalty and Specialist Protection Command after he climbed over the front gates at Buckingham Palace.</p> <p>The man was not found in possession of any offensive weapons and the incident is not being treated as terrorist related.</p> <p>“He remains in custody at a central London police station.”</p> <p>The Queen was in the Palace at about 2 am when the young man entered the premises however a spokesperson has declined to comment to say if she was told about the security breach.</p> <p>In 1982, Michael Fagan broke into Buckingham Palace at 7:15 am on July 9 by claiming over the walls and entering the Queen’s bedroom.</p> <p>The 31-year-old schizophrenic told the Queen about his family problems and while Her Majesty called the panic button – there was no response.</p> <p>After being forced to call the palace switchboard, the operator believed it was a practical joke.</p> <p>During the ordeal Fagan smashed a glass ashtray and warned he would slash his own wrists.</p> <p>Thankfully the Queen was rescued after being spotted by butler Paul Whybrew as he was returning back to the Palace after walking her corgi dogs.</p>

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Can you spot the surprise intruder on this Christmas tree?

<p>A user on Twitter has taken to the social media site to challenge her followers in spotting the unexpected intruder on her Christmas tree.</p> <p>Alli McDonald, from Wentzville in St Louis, Missouri in the US, shared a snap of her festive tree claiming that she discovered an unlikely intruder finding refuge amongst the branches.</p> <p>The photo, which has now been liked over 2800 times, shows Ms McDonald’s cat hiding amongst the decorations. She reveals that her cheeky pet likes to find a new spot every day to hide in and can be extremely hard to spot.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"> <p dir="ltr">Alright guys let’s play a game: every morning we find my cat in a different place in our Christmas tree and take a picture. Screenshot when you find him😂😂 <a href="https://t.co/usWoCmyYTS">pic.twitter.com/usWoCmyYTS</a></p> — Alli McDonald (@ALLI_doiswin3) <a href="https://twitter.com/ALLI_doiswin3/status/1071866545989668866?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 9, 2018</a></blockquote> <p>“Alright guys let’s play a game: every morning we find my cat in a different place in our Christmas tree and take a picture,” she said.</p> <p>“Screenshot when you find him.”</p> <p>Twitter users were left confused after they tried finding the clever cat amongst the tree.</p> <p>“I soo got it wrong. I have thought I saw a black cat and its eyes,” said one user.</p> <p>“I don’t see how his head is at that angle,” said another.</p> <p>One user was impressed by the cat, saying: “Seems like he’s an expert with his sneaky ninja cat skills!”</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none" data-lang="en"> <p dir="ltr"><a href="https://t.co/FTrMrKFKEi">pic.twitter.com/FTrMrKFKEi</a></p> — alejandro guzman (@230414saturn) <a href="https://twitter.com/230414saturn/status/1072021433231032320?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 10, 2018</a></blockquote> <p>And it didn’t take long for other proud cat owners to share photos of their own kitty hiding amongst their trees with one user saying: “My advent calendar is just me pulling my cat out of the Christmas tree every day.”</p> <p>Another said: “Friend’s cat is doing some performance art as a Christmas tree decoration.”</p> <p>One user shared a snap of his cat amongst the Christmas tree lights, saying: “Here’s a photo of my stupid cat in the Christmas tree. Look at his eyes.”</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"> <p dir="ltr">Here’s a photo of my stupid cat in the christmas tree. Look at his eyes. <a href="https://t.co/NwnwUMMInM">pic.twitter.com/NwnwUMMInM</a></p> — tess (@_tessabauer) <a href="https://twitter.com/_tessabauer/status/1072901223790141441?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 12, 2018</a></blockquote> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"> <p dir="ltr">Friend’s cat is doing some performance art as a Christmas tree decoration. <a href="https://t.co/Yp8LPLlfZt">pic.twitter.com/Yp8LPLlfZt</a></p> — Dating Dad (@aDatingDad) <a href="https://twitter.com/aDatingDad/status/1071742471766446082?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 9, 2018</a></blockquote> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"> <p dir="ltr">one of our cats loves sitting in our christmas tree <a href="https://t.co/aGSUS3VaVN">pic.twitter.com/aGSUS3VaVN</a></p> — sansan (@sanjista) <a href="https://twitter.com/sanjista/status/1071641198060810243?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 9, 2018</a></blockquote> <p>Do your pets have any funny habits with your Christmas tree? Let us know in the comments below. </p>

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Northern Territory family wakes up to crocodile intruder

<p>An inquisitive saltwater crocodile has given a Northern Territory family the fright of their lives, popping in for a quick visit recently.</p> <p>Sixteen-year-old Coralie Myers from Bees Creek initially thought the 1.7-metre-long beast had been placed their as a prank after being alerted to the visitor by her housemate. “I went into bathroom and there's a croc sitting there on my floor,” she told <a href="http://www.ntnews.com.au/news/only-in-the-territory/bees-creek-family-wake-to-crocodile-left-in-bathroom-after-home-intruder/news-story/954c3e971d9d896beb62d7d4e8d9d395" target="_blank"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">NT News</span></strong></a> of the reptile, which was found unmoving with its mouth tied. “I didn't know if it was alive or not — its eyes were open but it wasn't moving.”</p> <p>Crocodile ranger Tom Nichols explained the female croc, which was in poor condition, would have taken two people to catch and tie it, meaning a prank was the most likely conclusion – however, interfering with wild crocodiles is a punishable offence.</p> <p>“[My roommate] thought my mum put it there because she went fishing the other day,” Myers explained, “but we don’t know who it was.”</p> <p>Only in Australia! Tell us in the comments below, have you ever had an unlikely animal intruder?</p> <p><strong>Related links:</strong></p> <p><a href="/lifestyle/family-pets/2016/07/couple-find-koala-in-living-room/"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><strong>Couple return home to find a new koala housemate</strong></em></span></a></p> <p><a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/travel/international/2016/07/6-best-animal-experiences-you-can-have-in-australia/"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><strong>6 best animal experiences you can have in Australia</strong></em></span></a></p> <p><a href="/news/news/2016/06/baby-kola-rescued-after-storm/"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><strong>Tiny baby koala rescued after storm is melting hearts</strong></em></span></a></p>

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