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TONIGHT’S episode of EastEnders sees Cindy Beale’s family on the brink of collapse in the latest twist.

The long-running BBC One character was shockingly attacked on the Christmas Day special.

BBC

Cindy’s world was rocked once again with fresh accusations[/caption]

BBC

Junior just wanted to join the rest of his family in Dubai away from Walford[/caption]

BBC

He dropped an extraordinary accusation onto Gina[/caption]

A whole list of suspects have been at the centre of attention as they might be the person behind the attempted murder.

On tonight’s episode, it was revealed that the police have decided to drop the charges against Lauren Branning (Jacqueline Jossa).

They have ruled that there was not enough evidence against her, just as Cindy (Michelle Collins) received another death threat.

As she stayed with Reiss (Jonny Freeman), a mystery person threw a brick through the window with a menacing warning.

On EastEnders, the suspicion shifted to Junior Knight (Micah Balfour), who just wanted to go back to Dubai and be with his family.

However, Gina Knight (Francesca Henry) was feeling the pressure as she was behaving in an odd manner.

She was seen by her sister Anna (Molly Rainford) to be in a hushed and tense conversation with Harry Mitchell (Elijah Holloway).

He issued a threat, saying that if he didn’t get a mystery payment of money by the next day, he would put interest on the repayment.

However, Anna and Junior burst through the door of the Vic’s storage room to demand answers.

Junior then stunned the whole pub into silence when he ran back to the main bar to expose Gina.

All the other customers looked on as he stated: “It was Gina. Gina threw the brick through the window.”

Elaine (Harriet Thorpe) was behind the bar and her widened as her step-daughter was accused of trying to kill her own mother.

This was as Cindy stood still, seemingly in a mixture of both shock and disbelief as Ian’s jaw was left practically on the floor.

He added: “She’s the one that attacked Cindy.”

Fans were also in absolute shock as they took to social media in their droves.

Writing on X – formerly known as Twitter – one viewer exclaimed: “Gina & Harry was not on my bingo card.”

While second sceptic fan asked: “Gina did it??.”

BBC

The police dropped their investigation into Lauren Branning[/caption]

BBC

Elaine looked shocked by Junior’s dramatic entrance as the pub was stunned into silence[/caption]

BBC

He accused Cindy’s daughter of attacking her in front of the whole pub[/caption]

BBC

Junior seemed to be at the top of the suspect list after recent events[/caption]

EastEnders continues on BBC One and is available to stream on iPlayer.

THE mother of Gareth Hutch has told how her son’s murder in an ambush outside his home over eight years ago was “a violent and callous crime with no value or thought given for a life”.

In a statement read out at a sentencing hearing for the fourth person to be convicted of the murder of Gerard ‘The Monk’ Hutch’s nephew Gareth Hutch, Vera Hutch said her son was “senselessly and cruelly taken” from her family in May 2016, tearing her life apart and changing their world “forever”.

Paul Sharp - Commissioned by The Sun Dublin

CCTV

Having heard the victim impact statement from Mrs Hutch, in the Special Criminal Court, presiding judge Mr Justice Alexander Owens sentenced Thomas ‘Nicky’ McConnell to the mandatory term of life imprisonment, backdating it to July 20 2020, when he was taken into custody by Turkish authorities and then extradited back to Ireland.  

Last December, McConnell became the fourth person to be found guilty of the murder of Mr Hutch in an ambush in Dublin over eight years ago, following a verdict by the Special Criminal Court.

Revealing the verdict of the three-judge court last month, Mr Justice Owens said that the evidence showed, beyond reasonable doubt, that McConnell was the second assassin in the attack along with Jonathan Keogh, who followed Gareth Hutch from his home and shot him dead.

When passing judgement the court found that Keogh’s gun discharged a number of bullets at close range that caused the injuries which killed Mr Hutch.

McConnell’s gun was later found to have the safety catch on and did not fire any rounds during the assassination.

However, the court found that even if McConnell deliberately left the safety catch on, his other actions in preparation for the shooting showed that he was part of a common design with Keogh and others to commit murder and his actions were intended to result in Mr Hutch’s death.

Vera Hutch, whose victim impact statement was read to the court by Detective Garda Liam Lee, said she had the “privilege and honour of being Gareth’s mother for over 35 years before he was senseless and cruelly taken from” his family.  

She said: “Standing here in front of you today with my life torn apart, our world changed forever. Losing Gareth has caused my heart and all our families hearts to be broken, nothing can ever repair the emptiness that his death has caused.”

At today’s sitting of the non-jury court, Det Gda Lee told prosecution counsel Fiona Murphy SC that McConnell has 105 previous convictions including those for assault, threatening to kill and causing serious harm as well as possession of knives.

McConnell, 39, of Sillogue Gardens, Ballymun, Dublin 11 had pleaded not guilty to the murder of Gareth Hutch, 36, on May 24, 2016 at Avondale House, North Cumberland Street, Dublin 1.

FOURTH PERSON CONVICTED

He is the fourth person to be convicted of the murder. In November 2018 the Special Criminal Court found Regina Keogh, 47, of Cumberland St North, Dublin 1, Jonathan Keogh, 39, with an address at Gloucester Place, Dublin 1 and Thomas Fox, 32, with an address at Rutland Court, Dublin 1 guilty of the murder of Mr Hutch.

McConnell’s trial began in 2023 but was postponed for 16 months, firstly when one of the judges was unable to continue and then as the court awaited a Supreme Court ruling in a separate case.

McConnell’s trial continued after the Supreme Court found in that case that traffic and location data relating to mobile phones could be used as evidence, even though the data was harvested using a now-invalidated law.

The trial heard that McConnell and Jonathan Keogh used an apartment opposite Gareth Hutch’s home as a lookout spot and when Mr Hutch emerged from his front door, they followed him and shot him dead.

Mary McDonnell, who lived at the lookout apartment, told the trial in June 2023 that she could identify Jonathan Keogh because she had known him for many years but she did not know the second man.

When asked to identify the second man from CCTV footage showing Mr McConnell in a shop later the same day, she said she was “not really one hundred per cent” and that she was “half and half”.

COURT EVIDENCE

Mr Justice Owens said last month that Ms McDonnell’s evidence could not be used to prove McConnell was the second gunman.

The court instead relied on mobile phone data linking McConnell to the other murder plotters, CCTV footage connecting McConnell to various vehicles used in the plot, and lies told by the accused to gardai that were indicative of guilt.

In particular, the court was satisfied that McConnell parked a black BMW in front of Avondale House with the intention of using it as the getaway car. Following the shooting, Keogh and McConnell got into the BMW but could not get it started.

They then ran to a Skoda Octavia, which the court said had also been parked nearby by McConnell that morning. They left the scene in the Octavia.

When gardai searched the BMW, they found McConnell’s DNA, a can of petrol and two changes of clothes that prosecution counsel Fiona Murphy SC said marked it out as a getaway car. McConnell would later lie to gardai that he had sold the BMW to a man who was similar looking to himself.

Mr Justice Owens said this “yarn” was told to hide McConnell’s guilty role in the murder plot.

In reaching its verdict, the court relied on further lies told by the accused and emails on a phone linked to McConnell which showed he had an “intimate knowledge of the murder”.

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THE top 40 outdoor pursuits Brits want to try in 2025 include foraging, stargazing, and wild swimming.

A poll of 2,000 adults revealed 64 per cent are motivated by a desire to reconnect with nature.

getty

As such, natural world-inspired pursuits feature prominently in the list, with the likes of rockhounding – collecting rocks, minerals, and fossils, nature journaling, and wildlife photography all featuring.

Other popular wildlife-inspired pursuits for the year ahead include fishing, horseback riding, and swimming in natural pools.

Along with hiking, cycling, zip-lining, and archery, and running or trail running, cross-country road trips, beachcombing, and outdoor yoga.

Kristian Cholmondley, managing director of Jeep UK, makers of the Avenger Electric, which commissioned the research, said: “It’s clear Brits are increasingly seeking ways to reconnect with nature, which speaks to our fundamental need to escape the digital world and embrace the physical world around us.

“The research highlights how much people value outdoor activities that not only offer the opportunity to experience freedom and adventure, but also to improve mental health and wellbeing.”

The study also found 77 per cent of adults are ‘likely’ to try one or more outdoor pursuits during the coming months – and they’d be willing to travel an average of 39 miles to do so.

It emerged 81 per cent are ‘particularly’ interested in outdoor pursuits which are nature orientated.

With other motivations for getting out and about including to relax (50 per cent), to boost or maintain mental health (43 per cent), and to get fitter or maintain fitness (38 per cent).

But enjoying the great outdoors comes with some challenges – including lack of time (37 per cent), the cost of travel (28 per cent), and lack of confidence (28 per cent).

Despite this, those polled manage to spend an average of five hours and 15 minutes outside for leisure each week.

Carried out through OnePoll, the research also identified the biggest priorities among motorists should they invest in a car designed for rural roads, with price (45 per cent) coming top.

Other ‘musts’ include reliability (44 per cent), comfort for long drives (23 per cent), and safety features (23 per cent).

Jeep UK’s Kristian Cholmondley added: “The focus on reliability, comfort, and safety speaks to the kinds of experiences people are looking to have in the wild.

“Whether it’s a weekend getaway or a spontaneous outdoor adventure, the need for accessible, dependable transportation is at an all-time high.”

SWNS:South West News Service

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LUKE LITTLER has admitted he would like to meet Emma Raducanu after she floated the idea of meeting up.

Littler, 18, shares common ground with tennis whiz Raducanu in that both burst onto the scene as teen prodigies.

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Luke Littler has said he wants to meet up with Emma Raducanu[/caption]

Getty

Raducanu first floated the idea after he won the World Darts Championship[/caption]

Raducanu shattered expectations when she won the US Open in 2021 as an 18-year-old.

Littler similarly defied belief when he made it all the way to the final of the World Darts Championship in 2024 at the age of 16, where he was defeated by Luke Humphries.

Of course, the Nuke has since gone on to become the world champion after going one better earlier this month and propping himself up to World No.2 after winning over ten titles in the year.

Canadian-born Raducanu, now 22, said she would “love” to meet-up following Littler’s Alexandra Palace win over Van Gerwen.

She said: “Amazing respect to him.

“Big time [interested in meeting Littler]. I’d love to meet any top athletes and top individuals who have succeeded in their fields.”

Littler has now given his response to that invite but admitted he isn’t all that familiar with Raducanu’s own world-conquering exploits.

Speaking to the Daily Mail, he said: “We [he and Raducanu] have had no involvement as of yet.

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“I didn’t know much about her but I know she won what she did at a young age. I’m sure her social media team or mine will be in touch. And I’d like to meet up.”

Radacanu – searching for a seventh coach in her pro career after Nick Cavaday stepped down to focus on his health – has the advantage of some advanced years of wisdom compared to Littler.

She offered some advice about being in the spotlight, saying: “Not much prepares you for that.

“You feel like you’re constantly a bit on edge because you’re being followed [by photographers] or something.

“But I think the biggest part is the judgment and the comments about every single decision that you make.

“That for me was really difficult to deal with, to try and desensitise myself to and just understand that it comes with the territory you’re in.

“But I think trying to stay away from that and keep on my path has probably been the biggest adjustment for me.”

Despite both being willing to meet up, it will need to be at a time when their busy schedules align.

Raducanu is set to be back in action at the WTA 250 in Singapore which starts today and runs through until February 2.

Meanwhile, Littler will be in action at the Winmau World Masters in Milton Keynes running until February 2 before the first night of the Premier League gets underway on February 6.