Ashlea Simon, former co-leader of the far-right Britain First party, was arrested by Greater Manchester Police on suspicion of conspiracy to cause criminal damage in connection with a series of attacks on houses in multiple occupation (HMOs) across Greater Manchester. Simon, who was detained at Manchester Airport after returning from a family holiday, has denied committing any crime and suggested her arrest relates to videos she posted identifying HMOs in Salford.
The arrest is part of a wider investigation into around 50 incidents involving vandalism of HMOs and family homes, as well as targeted damage to vehicles in Salford, Tameside, and Stockport. Police suspect that vulnerable individuals, including children, may be exploited and paid to carry out the damage. Five men and a 13-year-old boy have also been arrested in connection with the inquiry, which highlights concerns about the exploitation of vulnerable people in these attacks.
Read the full story: BBC UK News.
Source: BBC UK News. Aggregated summary, not independent reporting.