A pensioner dubbed the Beast of Wombwell has been found guilty of raping an 18-year-old woman weeks before he raped and killed a 14-year-old girl more than 45 years ago.

Barry Conlon is a little distracted. His attention drawn to the TV screen, he drifts away for a few seconds, before being coaxed back into conversation.

A devout Christian thrown off a Sheffield University social work course after being accused of posting "derogatory" comments about lesbians, gay men and bisexuals on a Facebook page is waiting to hear whether he has won a British High Court fight.

Mehmet Aksoy, 32, who grew up in England, is believed to have joined a Kurdish military force, The People's Defence Units, working as a press officer.

Sunderland’s five-year sleep walk towards relegation may be complete but some supporters are looking forward to life outside the Premier League.

Conor Hourihane says he aims to “hit the ground running” after completing a £3m move to Aston Villa yesterday.

When I read a review of Anthony Clavane’s new book last weekend, the sketchy outline convinced me immediately it had to be read.

The Republic of Ireland travels to France this week with a squad of 23 players who will be looking to make history and take Ireland out of the group stage for the first time in the Euros.

The search is on for information or descendants of Irishmen killed 150 years ago in the worst mining disaster in English history.

A Queen Anne bureau bookcase and a Victorian four-poster bed are among the lots at Woodward’s in Cork, writes Des O’Sullivan.

A nationwide search in the UK is under way for a vicar who went on the run as he waited to be convicted of pocketing thousands of pounds of cash belonging to a church.

A 17-year-old girl whose leg was amputated after a rollercoaster crash at Alton Towers initially needed a machine to keep her alive in intensive care, her brother said.

The family of a 17-year-old girl injured in a rollercoaster crash at Alton Towers have thanked medics for saving her life after she had one of her legs amputated.

Alton Towers will reopen to the public in England today after shutting its gates following a rollercoaster crash which saw four people seriously injured.

Irish amateur snooker player John Sutton has been banned for six years after the sport’s world governing body found him guilty of match-fixing and misusing inside information.

ENGLAND: ITV could be disciplined after communications watchdog Ofcom launched an investigation into This Morning’s Fifty Shades Of Grey-inspired report on “bondage for beginners”.

We've compiled a list of the best non-Irish born Irish internationals not in the current squad.

Online retailer ASOS has posted a 14% fall in profits after a torrid year in which it was hit by a major warehouse fire and tough overseas trading.

BEGINNERS’ LUCK

Embattled South Yorkshire police and crime commissioner (PCC) Shaun Wright has cancelled a planned surgery today, saying no members of the public had booked an appointment.

Six people have died on our roads so far this bank holiday weekend.

A mother of five and a woman in her 20s were among six victims killed in separate road traffic crashes on both sides of the border over the public holiday weekend.

A fire that caused “substantial damage” to the warehouse of online retailer ASOS is being treated as arson, police have said.

A woman from Barnsley who killed her kitten by cooking it in a microwave after it attacked her goldfish has been jailed for 14 weeks by a district judge who said it was an "act of utterly horrendous cruelty".

Signing for Shamrock Rovers is a homecoming in more ways than one for Stephen McPhail, representing not just a return to the country of his birth after 19 years in English football but also to the team he supported in his youth.

Mick McCarthy has once again defended his sacking of Roy Keane in 2002 — insisting to this day ‘it was the right thing’ as Ireland manager.

A British man who was left brain-damaged and paralysed after a vicious attack has been able to communicate for the first time in 20 years.

Meet Theo Supernaise, from Barnsley in Yorkshire.

A three-year-old boy who can count to 200 and name every country in the world has become one of the youngest members of Mensa.

West Brom manager Steve Clarke has insisted striker Shane Long is not for sale.

AN interview with Michael Parkinson is as difficult to get as dress circle seats at Covent Garden.

The new boss of department store chain Debenhams has announced plans to modernise a further 25 stores and open nine new outlets over the next four years - including in Carlow and Sligo.

Richard Branson has had to pull out of a gruelling charity swim across the Irish Sea after a fire destroyed his luxury Caribbean home.

Online fashion retailer ASOS today reported another bumper quarter after its international businesses boosted revenues by 160%.

IPSWICH TOWN’S Irish defender Damien Delaney has cited “unreasonable” former boss Roy Keane as the reason why he was caught speeding on the way to training in October last year.

Online fashion retailer ASOS maintained its rapid rate of growth today after revealing a 41% jump in annual profits to £28.6m (€32.4m).

Sheffield United have announced the appointment of Danny Wilson as their new manager.

SCUNTHORPE face into tomorrow’s clash with Reading with new belief they can stave off relegation following Saturday’s stunning 4-1 thrashing of npower Championship leaders Queens Park Rangers.

Former Oasis star Noel Gallagher is reported to have been approached to star as a judge on the US version of 'The X Factor'.

The British winner of a record-breaking £113m (€130m) EuroMillions jackpot will be richer than veteran pop stars like Rod Stewart and David Bowie.

Gabriel Tamas fired home four minutes from time to snatch a hard-earned point at the Madejski Stadium and nudge West Bromwich Albion closer to a quick return to the Barclays Premier League.

Football fans were arrested after violence broke out and catering stands were ransacked during Manchester United’s Carling Cup tie at Barnsley on Tuesday night.

Mark Hughes is preparing to ditch at least a dozen members of last season’s Manchester City squad.

The British National Party has won its its first two seats in the European Parliament.