Weather Warning Hits New Forest as More Rain Threatens Recovery

A fresh weather warning has been issued from 5am today until midnight, spelling trouble for the New Forest area still reeling from Storm Ciaran’s havoc.

Flood Chaos Delays Water Return for 18,000 Homes

Southern Water faces a new hurdle as more heavy rain pounds the region. The downpour risks disrupting efforts to restore water supply to around 18,000 homes left dry after flooding forced a key processing plant to shut down.

A Southern Water spokesperson warned the fresh rainfall could make the situation worse, extending water outages even further. Meanwhile, the company is handing out bottled water across the New Forest to help affected residents cope.

Met Office Forecast: Heavy Rain, Showers, and Wind

The Met Office has forecast heavy rain spreading quickly northeast this morning, followed by brighter spells with showers and possible thunderstorms, especially along southern coasts where winds will pick up. Temperatures will hover near average, peaking at around 13°C in London.

Travel Chaos and Flood Risks Loom

Commuters should brace for longer journeys. Roads are slick with spray and prone to flooding. Expect disruptions on bus and train routes throughout the city. Flooding remains a threat to some homes and businesses.

Tonight, scattered heavy showers, some possibly thundery, will continue mainly in the south but should ease by morning.

Stay alert: Keep an eye on weather updates and travel news as this soggy spell unfolds.

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Former Merseyside Police officer jailed for 11 years after raping woman in hotel room

MONSTER JAILE# FORMER MERSEYSIDE POLICE OFFICER JAILED FOR 11 YEARS AFTER RAPING WOMAN IN HOTEL ROOM A FORMER MERSEYSIDE POLICE OFFICER HAS BEEN JAILED FOR 11 YEARS AFTER RAPING AND SEXUALLY ASSAULTING A WOMAN DURING AN 80-MINUTE ORDEAL IN A HOTEL ROOM. RYAN THEAKER, 30, FROM NETHERTON, WAS A SERVING POLICE CONSTABLE WHEN HE ATTACKED THE WOMAN, WHO WAS KNOWN TO HIM, IN 2023. A JURY AT LIVERPOOL CROWN COURT CONVICTED THEAKER IN AUGUST OF RAPE, SEXUAL ASSAULT AND ASSAULT BY PENETRATION. DURING THE TRIAL, JURORS HEARD A COVERT AUDIO RECORDING MADE BY THE WOMAN ON HER MOBILE PHONE DURING THE ATTACK. ## VICTIM SECRETLY RECORDED ATTACK THE RECORDING LASTED AROUND 85 MINUTES AND CAPTURED THE WOMAN REPEATEDLY ASKING THEAKER TO STOP. PROSECUTORS RELIED ON IT AS EVIDENCE THAT SHE HAD NOT CONSENTED TO THE SEXUAL ACTIVITY. AT SENTENCING, JUDGE BRIAN CUMMINGS KC SAID THEAKER HAD CAUSED HIS VICTIM “SEVERE PSYCHOLOGICAL HARM”. THE JUDGE ALSO TOLD HIM THAT HE WAS IN “LARGE MEASURE” RESPONSIBLE FOR THE WOMAN ATTEMPTING TO TAKE HER OWN LIFE IN 2024. ## ‘THE MONSTER NEVER WINS’ THE WOMAN ADDRESSED THE COURT ABOUT THE IMPACT THEAKER'S OFFENDING HAD HAD ON HER LIFE. SHE SAID: “PEOPLE LIKE HIM HAVE NO PLACE IN SOCIETY. “I STILL STRUGGLE TO UNDERSTAND HOW HE WAS ABLE TO GO INTO WORK, ARREST SOMEONE FOR A CRIME THAT WAS LESS OR THE SAME AS WHAT HE HAD DONE TO ME AND STILL BE PROUD TO WEAR THAT UNIFORM.” SHE DESCRIBED THEAKER AS “A MONSTER”, ADDING: “THE MONSTER NEVER WINS.” THE WOMAN SAID THAT ALTHOUGH SHE CONTINUED TO SUFFER PHYSICALLY AND EMOTIONALLY, THEAKER HAD NOT SUCCEEDED IN COMPLETELY BREAKING HER. “I AM NOT AFRAID,” SHE TOLD THE COURT. ## EXTENDED SENTENCE IMPOSED THEAKER WAS SENTENCED TO **11 YEARS IN PRISON**. JUDGE CUMMINGS ALSO IMPOSED A **FIVE-YEAR EXTENDED LICENCE PERIOD**. THEAKER MUST SERVE AT LEAST TWO-THIRDS OF HIS CUSTODIAL SENTENCE BEFORE THE PAROLE BOARD CAN CONSIDER WHETHER HE SHOULD BE RELEASED. THE COURT HEARD HE HAS SINCE ACCEPTED RESPONSIBILITY FOR COMMITTING THE SEXUAL OFFENCES, ALTHOUGH HE SAID HIS RECOLLECTION OF THE NIGHT WAS LIMITED BECAUSE HE HAD BEEN DRINKING ALCOHOL. HIS BARRISTER, JENNY TALLENTYRE, SAID HE HAD BEGUN REFLECTING ON THE IMPACT OF HIS BEHAVIOUR AND HAD EXPRESSED SHAME AND EMBARRASSMENT. ## BARRED FROM POLICING THEAKER RESIGNED FROM MERSEYSIDE POLICE IN AUGUST 2025 BEFORE A SEPARATE MISCONDUCT HEARING CONCERNING VIDEOS HE SHARED IN A WHATSAPP GROUP IN 2021. THE FORCE DESCRIBED THE VIDEOS AS ABLEIST. THEY WERE UNRELATED TO THE SEXUAL OFFENCES AND WERE DISCOVERED WHEN HIS PHONE WAS EXAMINED DURING THE CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION. THE MISCONDUCT HEARING PROCEEDED FOLLOWING HIS RESIGNATION AND FOUND GROSS MISCONDUCT PROVEN. IT CONCLUDED THAT THEAKER WOULD HAVE BEEN DISMISSED HAD HE REMAINED AN OFFICER. HE WAS SUBSEQUENTLY PLACED ON THE COLLEGE OF POLICING BARRED LIST, PREVENTING HIM FROM RETURNING TO POLICING ROLES COVERED BY THE SCHEME. ## FORCE CONDEMNS FORMER OFFICER ASSISTANT CHIEF CONSTABLE KAREN JAUNDRILL SAID: “THE BEHAVIOUR FOR WHICH THEAKER HAS BEEN CONVICTED AND SENTENCED HAS NO PLACE IN SOCIETY, AND CERTAINLY NOT WITHIN POLICING.” SHE SAID HIS ACTIONS WERE NOT REPRESENTATIVE OF MERSEYSIDE POLICE OFFICERS AND STAFF AND THAT HIS FORMER COLLEAGUES HAD BEEN LEFT SHOCKED AND DISGUSTED. SHE ADDED: “CLEARLY WE NOW KNOW THIS MAN WAS NOT FIT TO BE A POLICE OFFICER, AND IT IS RIGHT THAT HE IS NO LONGER PART OF THE FORCE.” FOR GOOGLE NEWS, I’D USE **“FORMER MERSEYSIDE POLICE OFFICER JAILED FOR 11 YEARS AFTER RAPING WOMAN IN HOTEL ROOM.”* Former Merseyside Police officer jailed for 11 years after raping woman in hotel room