6 days agoNews PlusComments Off on Fan demands England captain buy him a new pint after Harry Brook’s crunching boundary knocks drink out of his hands
EVEN Adil Rashid being plundered for an incredible 31 runs in a single over could not prevent England securing another win.
A four-wicket triumph in Bristol means Harry Brook has played five, won five since becoming permanent white-ball captain.
A fan asked England captain Harry Brook buy him a new pint after Harry Brook
Quite a contrast from the stats when he took over from Jos Buttler – England had lost their previous seven matches.
But his winning sequence looked in serious danger until Jacob Bethell and Tom Banton hoisted a string of sixes to propel England towards their target.
England were chasing 197, which was a lot more than looked likely before Rashid delivered the 19th over of West Indies’ innings.
Jason Holder struck the first three balls for sixes, then came a single before Romario Shepherd sent the final two deliveries over the boundary.
It was the second-most expensive over in history for England – behind only Stuart Broad’s famous maximum 36 to India’s Yuvraj Singh in the 2007 T20 World Cup.
Rashid would not normally have bowled the 19th over but England’s policy of fielding only two specialist seamers means they are having to shuffle their bowlers differently.
Last week, Buttler described Rashid as the most irreplaceable player in England’s squad.
He was right, too, but even the best bowlers can take punishment in these days of power-hitting, monster bats and short boundaries.
The Windies ransacked 75 from their final four overs but still England overhauled their total with nine balls to spare.
With an aggregate of 395 runs, it was the highest-scoring match in T20 international history without an individual fifty.
Brook said: “With the set-up we have, we knew we’d probably have to bowl a spinner late. Obviously, Rash struggled but that happens with 60-metre boundaries all round.
“He’s still one of the best spinners in the world and it’s something he will potentially have to do again in the future.
“We knew there would be maybe three big overs but I’m always pretty chilled. We feel like we’re a bunch of mates going out and having some fun.
“The depth in our batting is perfect. Having Bethell and Banton coming in late and sealing victory was great.”
After Jamie Smith perished early, there were contributions all down England’s order but it was the late flurry by Bethell and Banton that accelerated the win.
Bethell struck Alzarri Joseph for three sixes in a single over – over long leg, dead straight and over point. True 360 degree batting. Banton struck his first ball for six and finished 30 not out from just 11 balls.
Earlier, left-arm seamer Luke Wood, in his first England appearance since September 2023, had Evin Lewis lbw with the first ball of the game.
Wood finished with 2-25 from his four overs and was Player of the Match.
The Windies struggled to reach top gear and stalled in the middle overs until the late assault on Rashid.
Left-arm spinner Akeal Hosein’s visa was finally granted and he went straight into the team after landing at Heathrow at 7.30am yesterday following an eight-hour flight from the Caribbean.
England won the 50-over series 3-0 and are 2-0 up in the T20s. The final match is in Southampton on Tuesday.
6 days agoNews PlusComments Off on The two very different lives of Brangelina 20 years on and why marrying the world’s sexiest man put Angelina off men
SHE was the Hollywood hellraiser with a string of red-hot lovers – including Val Kilmer, Jonny Lee Miller and Billy Bob Thornton.
From wearing a vial of Billy’s blood to tattooing Jonny’s name on her left arm, Angelina Jolie was the type of wildchild that fell hard and fast regularly — and cared not what the world thought about her.
AlamyAngelina got close to Brad on screen and off while filming 2005 movie Mr & Mrs Smith[/caption]
GettyAngelina at film festival in Santa Barbara, California earlier this year[/caption]
GettyBrad’s long-awaited Oscar came in 2020 for Once Upon A Time In Hollywood[/caption]
But 20 years ago she met Brad Pitt as they co-starred in comedy-thriller movie Mr & Mrs Smith — and something changed.
The couple instantly formed a relationship which looked from the outside like it was increasingly stable and full of love.
They later added biological kids Shiloh, now 19, and twins Knox and Vivienne, now 16, to their brood.
And they spent 12 happy years together as the world swooned over two of the best-looking people in the world falling for each other like the love stories Hollywood is famous for.
Now, all these years since the 2005 movie that birthed “Brangelina”, there is little sign of that attention-loving anarchy which defined Angelina’s early showbiz life.
And certainly no sign of the wild love life she once enjoyed — in fact, the beautiful A-Lister seems so resolutely single that pals are wondering, has marrying the sexiest man in showbiz ultimately turned her off men altogether?
Priority is the kids
While Brad has bounced back bigger than ever — living with girlfriend Inés de Ramón and garnering a slew of acting awards — Angelina seems to have become something of a recluse.
Except from a few dinner dates with The Weeknd — where neither party confirmed a romance — she has remained resolutely single.
Meanwhile Angelina, who turned 50 last week, is still recovering from the turmoil, and the general consensus is that she would be hard-pressed to ever date again.
Ange still has difficulty trusting, I don’t know if she’ll ever fully get over the trauma of her divorce.
Source close to Angelina
She may have been “lucky” enough to marry the world’s sexiest man but, in the wreckage of their acrimonious split and legal battles, she is now off men for good.
Speaking exclusively to the Sun, sources tell us Angelina’s scars still remain, and are unlikely to ever heal. “Ange still has difficulty trusting,” says an insider close to the mum of six. “I don’t know if she’ll ever fully get over the trauma of her divorce.”
She wore a veil emblazoned with doodles by their six children. “It does feel different,” she told Vanity Fair shortly after. “It feels nice to be husband and wife.”
Yet two years later, the dream was over — its collapse sparked by a now-infamous bust-up on a private jet.
Within a week of that, Angelina had filed for divorce, alleging in court papers that Brad, in a series of drunken rages, had attacked her and “choked one of the children and struck another in the face”.
Her lawyers later doubled down on the allegations, stating: “While Pitt’s history of abuse of Jolie started well before the family’s 2016 plane trip from France to LA, this marked the first time he turned his physical abuse on the children as well.”
Brad’s actions on the jet were later investigated but he was not charged.
Nevertheless, he has since said that his heavy use of booze — which he later gave up — had a negative effect on his family life.
As for the years that followed, it was, until recently, just never-ending mud-slinging and legal attacks.
The former couple were locked in a bitter dispute for years surrounding the sale of their Miraval estate, as well as the matter of custody.
Even today, despite signing off their divorce, details over Miraval are still murky, though it is believed Brad still owns half of it, while Angelina sold her share.
As for the kids, four of the six are now legally adults so no longer qualify for custody — but have evidently distanced themselves from Brad entirely.
Zahara and Shiloh are also said to have ceased contact with Brad, as they both now go by the surname Jolie — Shiloh even filed legal documents to make it official.
At this point, only Vivienne and Knox are believed to have any contact with their father.
But while Brad has seemingly lost the most from the Brangelina divorce, he looks to have had the biggest bounce-back.
Just look at where he stands today — at the age of 61, with the world still at his feet.
Despite all the drama and acrimony around his collapsed marriage, his reputation seems untarnished.
I guess I’m in transition as a person. I feel a bit down these days. I don’t feel like I’ve been myself for a decade, in a way.
Angelina in 2023
Undoubtedly, there must be pain behind the scenes when it comes to his estrangement from the children, but he has played down any notion of enduring trauma.
Brad said as much in his recent interview with GQ magazine, claiming the divorce, after all the drawn-out wrangling, was not “that major of a thing”.
He added it was “just something coming to fruition, legally”.
Angelina has remained silent since signing on the dotted line, but she has previously hinted at the chokehold that their fractured relationship has continued to have on her.
In 2023, she told Vogue magazine: “I guess I’m in transition as a person. I feel a bit down these days. I don’t feel like I’ve been myself for a decade, in a way.”
Her life has been solely focused around her kids, and they are — by all accounts — her greatest joy.
That has been clear enough whenever she has walked the red carpet in recent years, always flanked by at least one of her children.
Still, it’s her priority as a mother that has also kept her undercover – and stuck in a city she hates.
Last year, she complained that she was forced to stay in LA, where Brad is based, while her twins were still underage.
Brad with girlfriend Inés de RamónRexAngelina was snubbed by the Oscars for her role in Maria, as opera singer Maria Callas
“I am here because I have to be here from a divorce,” she told The Hollywood Reporter. “But as soon as they’re 18, I’ll be able to leave. When you have a big family, you want them to have privacy, peace, safety.”
Snubbed by Oscars
The subtext is that she neither feels privacy, nor peace, nor safety in her current surroundings.
As for her acting career, she’s tentatively dipped her toes back in – but the actress has failed to match the blockbuster success she had in the nineties and noughties.
There’s a reason Angelina is still single, and it’s not for a lack of men lining up to date her
A source
We’re told her performance as opera singer Maria Callas in last year’s Maria was supposed to be her big comeback, but while she earned a Golden Globe nomination, she was snubbed by the Oscars. And rubbing salt into wounds, Brad’s career continues to go from strength to strength.
He’s since seen box office success with Bullet Train, while early critics who have seen his new movie F1 say it’s the “perfect summer blockbuster” – adding that Brad is back on top.
The optics are that – while Angelina is stuck, Brad is soaring. And the same rules apply when it comes to romance.
Ange is not in the same place as Brad since the divorce, even though she is over him. She’s focused on her children, finding peace and keeping her life private.
Source close to Angelina
As our source explains, she’s prioritised her kids and career over romance.
That doesn’t mean she’s not over Brad – it just means that, having been burned before, she’s unwilling to jump out of the frying pan and into the fire.
“Ange is not in the same place as Brad since the divorce, even though she is over him,” they said. “She’s focused on her children, finding peace and keeping her life private.”
Another insider recently weighed in, “There’s a reason Angelina is still single, and it’s not for a lack of men lining up to date her.
“Fact is, she keeps them all at a distance because she’s so terrified of getting hurt again the way she did with Brad.”
Needless to say, this year is a pivotal one for Brangelina. It’s now been 20 years since they went head to head as lovers-slash-enemies in Mr & Mrs Smith – before reality dramatically imitated art.
Now, the divorce is final, the Brangelina era is over, and it’s time for both to move on. Brad may be several steps ahead of his ex, but – with another movie, Couture, in the pipeline, as well as a successful clothing brand, Atelier Jolie – there’s every hope that Angelina will reclaim her place in the limelight.
For the moment, it seems she’s biding her time and counting down the days until her twins turn 18, and she can make some big changes in life – including leaving LA.
In the meantime, we’re told she’s happy surrounding herself with a “very small circle of trusted friends” and keeping any dating options on the back burner.
That former wild child may have baulked at the lack of her headline-grabbing antics, but the bottom line is Ange will always choose peace.
Once a hellraiser, she then went through hell. And as the trauma subsides, she’s licking her wounds and biding her time. And rubbishing any idea that she needs a man to make things better.
6 days agoNews PlusComments Off on Can you spot the real cakes from an everyday item? Take our quiz to see if you’re a master baker or faker
BEN CULLEN is a man on a mission – to bring “illusion cakes” to the world.
Described by Bake Off judges Prue Leith and Paul Hollywood, an illusion cake is “a cake that looks anything but a cake” – and often you only realise when it’s cut into slices.
instagram/the_bakekingBen Cullen is a man on a mission – to bring ‘illusion cakes’ to the world[/caption]
PAPrue Leith and Paul Hollywood described an illusion cake is ‘a cake that looks anything but a cake’[/caption]
Ben’s new book, Cake Or Fake, is a step-by-step guide showing you how to make your own hyper-real illusion cakes at home.
Guessing what’s real and what’s cake has become a popular pasttime after the Netflix TV show Is it Cake?
Ben said: “For me, it has never been about showcasing skills but about inspiring others while also trying to entertain them.
“Illusion cakes have a special magic; they transcend traditional cake-making while combining it with good-natured trickery. It’s like a game that everyone can play.”
But can you tell which of these are Ben’s creations or normal objects?
Answers at the bottom.
Cake Or Fake by Ben Cullen is available now (Welbeck, £25).
A.
David CummingsWill these lemons taste sweet or sour?[/caption]
B.
suppliedThese trainers look pretty real but are they edible?[/caption]
C.
suppliedAre these oranges real in their red mesh bag or one of Ben’s creations?[/caption]
D.
GettyWould you be able to play a tune on this recorder?[/caption]
E.
David CummingsThis bowl of cereal looks inviting regardless of whether it’s a cake[/caption]
F.
GettyWhat’s this can of pop really made of?[/caption]
G.
David CummingsThis hot dog looks perfect in its bun, complete with ketchup and mustard[/caption]
H.
David CummingsWould you be able to squeeze into these skinny jeans?[/caption]
I.
David CummingsAre you being played like a fiddle or will you bow out?[/caption]
J.
GettyThis American Football looks real enough, or have the goalposts moved?[/caption]
K.
suppliedHow do you like them apples?[/caption]
ANSWERS
A cake; B cake; C cake; D real; E, cake; F real; G cake; H, cake; I cake; J real; K cake
6 days agoNews PlusComments Off on Meghan Markle plans to add hotels & restaurants to business empire as she trademarks ‘As Ever’ brand for ‘hospitality’
THE Duchess of Sussex is adding hotels and restaurants to her brand wish list as she goes on a social media charm offensive to win new fans.
InstagramMeghan Markle is adding hotels and restaurants to her brand wish list[/caption]
Meghan has been going on a social media charm offensive to win new fansInstagramLast week Meghan shared a video of her twerking in hospital in a bid to induce labour when she was pregnant and overdue with LilibetInstagram/Megan
It will include places to stay, “provision of food and drink” and temporary lodgings.
The 43-year-old could serve some of her own food creations — including recipes flaunted on her Netflix series With Love, Meghan.
Experts say it shows her ambition to move forward and focus on the future, while husband Prince Harry, 40, seems stuck reflecting on the past.
She has spent the year rebranding herself away from runaway royal to a lifestyle, entertaining and star hostess.
Brand experts said hotels and restaurants fit in with her lifestyle business image.
In the first episode of her eight-part TV series in March, Meghan said: “When I have someone stay, one of my favourite things to do is prep the guest room.”
A second series has already been filmed and will be released in the autumn.
Her lifestyle brand’s website says: “As Ever is more than a brand — it’s a love language.
“Created by Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, As Ever welcomes you to a collection of products, each inspired by her long-lasting love of cooking, entertaining and hostessing.”
On Saturday, her As Ever page posted a new picture of her running through the sea in a white dress.
It was captioned: “So excited for all the good to come!
“Running into the weekend like”, with an ocean wave emoji added.
But a source said: “Meghan is very pleased with the video.
“In the UK everyone’s reaction has been a bit prudish but everywhere else, particularly in America and especially with young people, it’s been a huge hit.
‘CALIFORNIAN ROYALTY’
“Her new products are marketed at Americans and not the UK.”
Posts include pictures of her gardening, preparing fresh fruit and baking.
PR and branding expert Jack Izzard, of Gallia Communications, said of her trademark application: “In terms of positioning, it’s not a million miles from where As Ever is.
“She is very much positioning herself as a star hostess, Californian royalty who makes her guests feel welcome.
Meghan has also posted videos of her family at DisneylandInstagram
“The issue she’s potentially going to have is that’s a completely different skill set, running a hospitality business.
“A night in an As Ever B&B will be several hundred pounds.
“That’s really going to blow up if it’s bad.”
She always intimated she was stifled by life in the Royal Family
Mr Izzard
Mr Izzard said her recent activities are “all about her reclaiming her voice” and building her brand.
He added: “She always intimated she was stifled by life in the Royal Family.
“She’s got to earn a living. It’s very much ‘I’m this Californian hostess now’.
“Harry’s still stuck in the past and trying to settle scores.
“She is looking ahead, forging this brand.”
Representatives for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex were approached for comment.
InstagramMeghan’s recent posts have been more of a hit with Americans than Brits[/caption]
NetflixMeghan’s Netflix series With Love, Meghan will return for a second series[/caption]
THE Prince of Wales said watching humans destroy our oceans was “simply heartbreaking” as he urged world leaders to act by thinking big yesterday.
William‘s call came in a speech to the Blue Economy and Finance Forum on ocean preservation at the Grimaldi Forum in Monaco after meeting France’s President Emmanuel Macron.
The prince, whose opening and closing remarks were in French, said those attending were “united by our deep connection to the ocean and our concern for its safety”.
William, in navy suit with a recycled sustainable tie from Wilmok, said the clock was ticking on meeting the target agreed at the 2022 UN Biodiversity Summit aiming to protect at least 30 per cent of the world’s land and sea by 2030.
Speaking at the heads of state and government session on the forum’s final day, the prince added: “Watching human activity reduce beautiful sea forests to barren deserts at the base of our oceans is simply heartbreaking.
“For the future of our planet, for the future generations, we must listen to the words of Sir David Attenborough: ‘If we save the sea, we save our world’.
“I call on all of you to think big in your actions.”
World leaders were greeted by a blue carpet as they arrived at the event, with William chatting with Mr Macron and other dignitaries.
Addressing an audience of 1,800, William said: “Rising sea temperatures, plastic pollution and overfishing are putting pressure on fragile ecosystems.
“What once seemed an abundant resource is diminishing before our eyes. We all stand to be impacted. And we are all responsible for change — both negative and positive. But there remains time to turn this tide.”
Later, William said he went through a range of emotions when he saw Sir David’s new Ocean film.
He told Enric Sala, who worked on the film: “I got angry, then sad, then I got frustrated, then I got happy.”
Unlock even more award-winning articles as The Sun launches brand new membership programme –Sun Club.
6 days agoNews PlusComments Off on Dark side of Portugal’s party resort where 2 Brits died as free booze & public nudity force locals into drastic action
BY day, Albufeira looks like any other enticing coastal resort in Portugal.
With its golden beaches, dolphin-watching and pastel-painted apartments, it is little wonder thousands of us flock there every summer.
Olivia WestA reveller pours fruity punch into a young lad’s mouth. Only hen party-goers can indulge in the bar-top antics at this pub to limit customers’ intake[/caption]
Olivia WestGoing topless at night will now lead to a fine[/caption]
Olivia WestRevellers get caramel vodka shots for being thumped in the ‘Helmet Challenge’[/caption]
But by night, the pretty Atlantic escape is fast becoming a wild, unpredictable and boozy bolthole — with two Brit tourist deaths there in the last week alone.
He was there on a stag do and had left the party early to return to his hotel when it is thought he jumped over a wall while drunk, unaware there was a steep drop on the other side. He was missing for a week.
The fatalities shine an unwelcome light on the more dangerous and seedier side of the Algarve resort.
Once marketed as a family-friendly getaway, now a much younger crew of holidaymakers are descending on the cobbled streets, turning it into a nocturnal party town.
And the locals are far from thrilled.
‘Crazy, drunken antics’
In a desperate attempt to crack down on alcohol-fuelled debauchery, enraged City Hall officials on Friday approved huge new penalties of up to £3,375 for holidaymakers flouting a strict new good behaviour code — with fines for everything from urinating in the street to getting naked.
The rules will kick in within weeks, in time for the summer season, aiming to curb anti-social behaviour.
And locals hope they will turn the tide, with nakedness, vomiting in the street or having sex in public all now coming at a price.
Badly behaved tourists who go starkers in public, or get caught bonking or simulating sex, face paying anything from £1,685 to £3,375.
Spitting or urinating in the street will be punished with fines of between £125 and £630.
And entering bars and other businesses topless could lead to a £1,250 levy. Bars and cafes which let customers in without the proper dress code will also be fined.
During The Sun’s investigation into tourist revelry in the town, we saw how cops and medics are already forced to patrol the mile-long strip — nicknamed “The Chaos” by locals — to keep a firm eye on the crazy, drunken antics of holidaymakers.
Little wonder some end up in a terrible state, as girls are plied with free drinks at many pubs in a bid to lure in paying lads, while every bar offers shots from £1.70.
We watched as people were sick in the street, and bar workers had to hand out water to revellers who had taken things too far.
Stay here more than one night and you’ll see tourists having sex in the street.
Local taxi driver Guilherme
At one popular bar, hen do revellers were allowed to freepour fruity alcoholic cocktails from atop the bar — but other party animals were not.
It was an effort to keep drinkers from overdoing it.
Not all venues are so responsible at limiting customers’ alcohol intake.
Elsewhere, a tourist boozer was hosting a Helmet Challenge — where punters tie on an old tin hat before being whacked with a baseball bat, a spade, gas canister and, finally, an empty keg. Each thwack came with a shot of caramel vodka.
Predictably, Alburfeira is fast becoming the go-to spot for young revellers looking for a boozy break.
Local taxi driver Guilherme, 25, told The Sun: “Stay here more than one night and you’ll see tourists having sex in the street.
“Sometimes it’s groups of naked men on balconies. It’s shocking.”
Furious locals decided to bring in the new code of conduct after a group of British louts got naked on a bar top and proceeded to crawl around in broad daylight last year.
Olivia WestLad throws up on the street[/caption]
Olivia WestYoung tourists are flocking to Albufeira to party[/caption]
Condemning the behaviour, Albufeira mayor Jose Carlos Rolo said: “It doesn’t make sense to have a strategy and spend money on promotion here and abroad, only for incidents like this to happen. They are deeply negative and don’t dignify anyone.”
He insists he wants to take Albufeira upmarket and win back some of the families said to have been scared off by reports of drink- and drug-fuelled behaviour.
And on Friday, Jose warned that “tourists who fall down drunk aren’t needed here”, as he said he was seeking a three-pronged approach of “dissuasive measures”, marketing and meetings with British diplomats — plus a call on central government to draft in more police.
He explained: “We want security to be visible. Sending ten police officers to stay at their station isn’t going to solve the problem.”
‘Won’t be tolerated’
Ironically, locals are also blaming BENIDORM for the escalation of bad behaviour.
Yolo Lounge proprietors Rachel and Paul Surphlis operate their business just opposite the new party strip, and are unhappy with the outrageous behaviour now blighting the town.
SolarpixGreg Monk was on a stag do when he died after plunging into a ravine[/caption]
SolarpixThe spot where Brit Greg’s body was found[/caption]
Paul, from Newcastle, said: “We’ve always had huge tourist numbers, but the behaviour of some is getting a lot worse.
“No one wants to see anyone getting naked. What happened with those men was absolutely disgusting.
“They want to behave as outrageously as they did in Spain, but it won’t be tolerated here.”
When bars in this area close at midnight, the party moves a five-minute taxi drive away to the strip in Montechoro, where it continues until 6am.
I’ve not paid for a drink yet, and I’ve been here since Monday. I’m having an amazing hen.
Bride Megan, from Scunthorpe
Walking down the mile-long road covered with neon signs, you’ll see groups in fancy dress hop from bar to bar, amorous couples snogging in corners and tattoo shops tucked between clubs.
Scattered among the scantily clad revellers are riot police dressed in black from head to toe — brought in from capital Lisbon to make sure nothing gets out of hand.
And doing laps of the street in pairs are red-coated medics ready to step in should someone find they have drunk too much or taken a tumble.
Drugs are also on offer here, if you know who to ask, with a gram of cocaine costing £60.
Partying women are able to guzzle booze without spending a penny as bars bid to attract male customers, who will pay full price.
Bride Megan, from Scunthorpe, Lincs, said: “I’ve not paid for a drink yet, and I’ve been here since Monday. I’m having an amazing hen.”
One British bar owner told us: “Many of the people in my bar are young girls and my priority is making sure they feel safe.
“If people walk around topless during the daytime, that’s fine — but it gets to a point in the night when you don’t need that.
“Some drunken people will get their trousers off, and there’s no excuse for that. I think you can’t compromise when it comes to public nudity.
“Any of the owners who aren’t in support of the rules, to me, are only looking at things from a profit point of view.
“We have a much younger crowd that come here now, compared to when I started here in 2014, and I want them to have a good time and feel safe doing it.”
Vice president of the Albufeira Tourism Board, Vitor Vieira, told The Sun that Greg Monk’s disappearance and tragic death was a “very rare thing for us here”.
He added: “We are devastated for his family that what should have been a joyful trip has ended in such a way.
“Our priority is making sure all our tourists are as safe as they can be.
“Everyone is welcome here.
“Some come for the party, others come for a relaxed family holiday.”
Olivia WestA cop car is parked in the party hub as officers stay poised for trouble[/caption]
Olivia WestAn ambulance is ready to help excessive drinkers[/caption]
Olivia WestCouple caught getting frisky at the roadside[/caption]
Olivia WestYouths clamber clumsily up a stone wall[/caption]
6 days agoNews PlusComments Off on Convicted murderer suspected of ordering ‘brutal’ Mountjoy yard attack on killer now fighting for life as motive probed
Alamy
CONVICTED murderer Robert ‘Roo’ Redmond is suspected of ordering an attack which has left a fellow inmate in critical condition, The Irish Sun can reveal.
Stephen Kearney, 39, is fighting for his life in Beaumont hospital following the brutal attack on Dublin’s Mountjoy Prison on Friday evening.
Jail chiefs have now identified at least three brutes, who have a combined 255 convictions between them, involved in the shocking beating.
Kearney, who had previously served time for manslaughter, was set upon in the exercise yard of the prison.
Three ambulances rushed to the scene and he was then taken to hospital where he has been in intensive care since.
Authorities involved in the major investigation now believe that killer Roo Redmond is the man suspected of ordering the attack.
A source told us: “Redmond is certainly under investigation for ordering it but he wasn’t physically involved in the attack itself.
“The motive is still being looked at but obviously it was a row within the prison.
“There are a number of men identified for carrying out the attack and good progress is being made.
“It was shocking brutality, an awful incident and the victim is in very serious condition.”
Redmond is a notorious gangster from Kilbarrack in north Dublin with over 100 convictions for serious and organised crime.
He is locked up on life imprisonment for the murder of dad-of-eight Barry Wolverson in Swords, Dublin on January 17, 2020.
But he was also sentenced to 19 years to serve consecutively.
He got seven years for conspiring to murder drug dealer Jordan Davis, who was blasted to death by drug dealer Wayne Cooney as the victim pushed his young child in a buggy in 2019.
Redmond ordered Davis’ hit over a €70,000 drug debt.
Prior to the hit, Redmond text Davis: “I’m on your case mate, it won’t be long. Get off me phone, soon, very soon, bang bang.”
TWO PROBES
Two investigations are underway following the attack on Kearney, one by Irish Prison Service and other by the gardai, which will take priority.
Victim Kearney – who was due to be released in the coming weeks – is from Coultry Drive, Ballymun, Dublin, and has over 120 convictions.
His most serious is for manslaughter, for which he was jailed for nine years after he killed Francis Gallagher, 18, at Coultry Road on October 25, 2004.
An Irish Prison Service spokesman said: “The Irish Prison Service can confirm that an incident occurred at Mountjoy Prison on 06 June 2025 involving a prisoner. The incident has been referred to An Garda Síochána.”
A garda spokesman also confirmed the incident and added: “Investigation into the incident is ongoing.”
AlamyThe incident happened at Mountjoy Prison in Dublin[/caption]
6 days agoNews PlusComments Off on Hayden Hackney lifts lid on emotional final words from Man Utd legend Michael Carrick after Boro sacking ahead of Euros
HAYDEN HACKNEY admits it was bittersweet getting his European Championship call-up 24 hours after Middlesbrough mentor Michael Carrick was axed.
He also revealed the encouraging final words his former boss had for him ahead of him flying out with the Young Lions to try and retain their Euro crown.
AlamyHayden Hackney is part of the England U21 European Championship squad[/caption]
GettyMiddlesbrough sacked Michael Carrick as boss this week[/caption]
The 22-year-old Hackney, who SunSport exclusively revealed is being tracked by Tottenham, is in Slovakia preparing for England U21s’ first group game against Czechia on Thursday.
The midfielder has become one of the most-sought after players in the Championship after being handed a chance to blossom at his hometown club under Carrick.
Hackney is chomping at the bit now to make his mark on the international stage after being selected by Lee Carsley – though he admitted that the news of the Manchester United legend’s sacking soured it a little.
He said: “I found out Thursday I was in the squad and told my mum and dad and yeah I was buzzing.
“But also, yeah I was gutted about Michael Carrick to be honest. He’s done loads for me.
“He put his trust in me to play the majority of games and helped me so much with everything really. I can’t thank him enough for that.
“I text him straight away wishing him all the best in the future and he replied wishing me good luck for going away with England. It was nice.
“It’s probably the first manager that I’ve lost and I just wanted to thank him for everything. But now a new guy will come in, whoever that may be, and as a squad we’ll go from there.”
Best new sign-up offers
SunSport exclusives
William Hill: Claim your £60 in free bets – CLAIM HERE*
Betfred: Get £50 in free football bets – CLAIM HERE*
BetMGM: Get £40 in free bets to spend on football – CLAIM HERE*
talkSPORT BET: £30 in free bets are up for grabs – CLAIM HERE*
Already have these accounts? Don’t worry, we’ve got loads more terrific deals below!
Check out the latest free bets to use on football, horse racing, and lots more.
Hackney finds himself alongside some big names from huge clubs all across the Continent in the England set-up.
But the shy-Teessider admitted that after Carsley initially helped him settle into the camp, he now feels that he belongs on this stage too.
Hackney, who previously represented Scotland U21s before switching and making his Young Lions debut in 2023, said: “Lee Carsley was welcoming when I first came in.
“When I’m on a training ground, he gives me tips and he’s just put his trust in me to go out there and play.
“Oviously, when I first came in, I didn’t know what to expect but once the first session was out of the way, you get into it. It’s really good. We’re all good mates and really get on with each other.
“Now my main goal at this tournament is just to play really. Grasp the experience, take it all in and do as well as we can and obviously the main objective is to win it.
“That’d be unbelievable. Obviously there’s a long way to go but if we could do that then it’d be special.”
And he doesn’t have to look far for much inspiration.
Fellow Teessider, Boro man and big pal Dael Fry, 27, won both the U17 European Championship and U20 World Cup with England.
Hackney added: “Dael at Boro still speaks a lot about his time with England. He says how much he enjoyed the whole experience of it all, all the competitions and some of the players he played with have gone on to do some unbelievable stuff.
“He has just said how it’s a great experience and to savour it.”
England kick-off their Euro campaign against the Czech Republic on Thursday.
They then face Slovenia three days later and finish the group stage against Germany on Wednesday 18 June with all of the Young Lions’ matches being broadcast on Channel 4.
GettyHayden Hackney celebrates after scoring against Chelsea in the Carabao Cup semi-final last season[/caption]