Monday evening news briefing: How 'most prolific rapist in British legal history' Reynhard Sinaga avoided justice for so long

Chris Price

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Student thought to be 'most prolific rapist in British legal history'

A student from Indonesia can today be revealed as Britain's worst ever rapist after being convicted of more than 150 attacks during a two and a half year reign of terror in Manchester. Reynhard Sinaga, 36, preyed on young straight men in the bars and clubs close to his city centre apartment, spiking them with the party drug GHB, and then attacking them while they slept. Following four separate trials - that can be reported for the first time today - Sinaga has been convicted of raping and sexually assaulting 48 different men. CCTV released by Greater Manchester Police shows him going out to prey on his victims, the actual number of which is feared could run into hundreds, as the vast majority of men he targeted were completely unaware they had been attacked. Victoria Ward reveals how he was able to evade justice for so long and how his campaign of sickening abuse came to a sudden and violent end.

Rift develops between UK and US over Iran crisis

Downing Street has found itself at loggerheads with the White House after the Prime Minister's official spokesman made it clear Donald Trump would be committing a war crime if he went ahead with threats to attack cultural sites. It comes after Mr Trump warned Iran via Twitter that if it were to retaliate over the drone strike that killed its military leader Qassim Soleimani, there were 52 Iranian sites, "some at a very high level and important to Iran and the Iranian culture… [that] will be hit very fast and very hard". As hundreds of thousands of Iranians gathered in the streets of Tehran for his funeral, Soleimani’s daughter issued a warning to the US. It is worth reading this analysis by Defence Editor Con Coughlin, who says no one will be taking a closer interest in the deepening tensions than the rulers of Russia and China. And here is what the Iran fallout has done to the price of shares and gold.

Back in the UK, Labour's National Executive Committee has revealed the party's next leader will be announced on April 4. Supporters may have just 48 hours to sign up to get a vote in the leadership election and have to pay £25 - the same as under the last leadership race in 2016. Earlier, former deputy leader Tom Watson attacked Rebecca Long-Bailey as the "continuity candidate" representing "Corbynism in its purest sense". Here's a reminder of the candidates vying to replace Jeremy Corbyn.

Robot built to bring you toilet paper at crucial moment

It has been estimated the average person spends a year and a half of their life in the bathroom, and yet the last major invention to change the smallest room in the house was indoor plumbing. Consumer goods giant Procter & Gamble says it plans to change that. The company's toilet paper brand, Charmin, has unveiled a two-wheeled robot designed to save its owner at the most crucial moment. Details of the "RollBot" have been unveiled at this year's Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. Here are the 10 best new technologies to come out of the event so far.

News digest

Video: Ricky Gervais' best jokes at the Golden Globes

It was the night he told Hollywood to "f--- off". Ricky Gervais hosted the Golden Globe awards for the fifth and final time and took aim at Me Too, Cats and Hollywood. You can watch his best jokes here but Ed Power proclaims "go home, David Brent" in his review, saying Gervais' limp gags were satire with the safety catch on. To refresh your memory, here is the glorious history of the comedian's Golden Globes insults.

Comment

World news: The one story you must read today...

Cyprus 'rape' case | A group of Israeli women will protest in solidarity with a British teenager who will be sentenced tomorrow for allegedly lying about being gang-raped in Cyprus last summer. The 19-year-old, who has not been allowed to leave Cyprus since the alleged attack, faces up to a year in prison and a fine of €1,700 after being found guilty of causing public mischief. But supporters are rallying behind her.

Editor's choice

  1. England's lost county | The hidden treasures of a place that ceased to exist in 1974

  2. Debunking the myths | Why everything we know about weight gain and dieting is wrong

  3. The best second-hand cars to buy in 2020 | Why now is the best time to bag a bargain

Business and money briefing

Carlos Ghosn | The legal team representing the former Nissan boss has been unable to contact him since he announced he had fled to Lebanon with his lawyers confirming that they intend to resign. Here's the latest.

Sport briefing

England punish South Africa | Dominic Sibley played the innings of his life to date to secure his maiden Test century and put England in their best position in an overseas Test, ignoring the Sri Lanka outlier, since Kingsmead in 2015. Read on to see how day four panned out.

Tonight's TV

The Choir: Aylesbury Prison, BBC Two, 9pm | Choirmaster Gareth Malone has never had a challenge as tough as answering the call of the governor of a young offender institution in Buckinghamshire. Read on for more.

And finally...

Lightbulb moment | Alzheimer's disease could be reversed by shining light directly into the brain through the nose and skull, scientists believe. The first major trial to see if light therapy could be beneficial for dementia has just begun following astonishing early results which have seen people regain their memory, reading and writing skills, and orientation. Read on for details.