Leicester Mercury
CALL HANDLING JOBS AXED AS DEMAND AT RECORD LEVELS
LEICESTERSHIRE Police has reduced the number of extra call handlers it funds, just as emergency demand hits record levels. The force brought in 26 extra call handlers in 2023, but the 2025/26 budget has cut the number of extra posts to 20. A recent...
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COMEDY FESTIVAL FIRM CEASES TRADING
LEICESTER Comedy Festival’s organiser has gone into liquidation, writes Dylan Hayward. The Big Difference Company ceased trading after months of difficulties, with acts from this year’s event in February – and staff – unpaid. City Mayor Sir Peter...
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ROBBER STRUCK AT CASHPOINT FOR JUST £20
A ROBBER attacked a woman he knew at a cashpoint to steal just £20. Craig Reeve’s victim outside the Co-Op in Aikman Avenue, New Parks, Leicester, was the mother of his daughter. Reeve’s daughter had been given £20 via bank transfer from her...
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‘ETERNALLY THANKFUL’
FIREFIGHTERS and their heroic efforts to save a warden’s coffin from a burning church have been praised by his bereaved family, writes Sam Kalantzis. The fire service was called to St Andrew’s Church, in Leicester, late on Tuesday, July 28, and about...
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EX-OFFICER ADMITS HIS ROLE IN PLOT TO SMUGGLE DRUGS INTO PRISON
A FORMER prison officer has admitted his role in a plot to supply drugs and smuggle mobile phones into a prison, writes Dylan Hayward. James Spiers pleaded guilty to conspiracy charges at Leicester Crown Court after abusing his position of trust while...
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KILLING ‘SHOULD HAUNT YOU FOR REST OF YOUR DAYS’
A MAN who punched 62-year-old James McKeown in a city park, causing fatal injuries, could have just left and avoided him, a judge said. Judge Timothy Spencer told Joshua Moore, 34, as he sentenced him for manslaughter, why he did not “is a question...
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SERVICE AS USUAL
SUNDAY service will go ahead at a Leicester church after a devastating fire destroyed part of its roof earlier this week. Leaders at St Andrew’s Church have confirmed the service will be held in the undamaged church hall. A church spokesman said: “I...
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COFFIN IS RESCUED FROM BURNING CHURCH
A COFFIN was rescued from a city church by firefighters after a blaze tore through the historic building hours before a funeral was due to take place. Fire crews were called to the blaze at St Andrew’s Church, in Jarrom Street, at 11.17pm on...
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NEVER OFF DUTY: CHIEF CONSTABLE ARRESTS TEEN ARMED WITH KNIFE
WHEN he spotted a teenager threaten another with a large knife, Temporary Chief Constable David Sandall, pictured, gave chase. The incident occurred after a football match in Burbage on March 22. Mr Sandall shouted at the suspect to drop the knife...
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BEER THIEF JAILED OVER ATTACKS ON POLICE AND STORE STAFF
A SHOPLIFTER who punched and spat at police and store staff during three violent incidents at branches of Tesco has been jailed, writes Tom Mack. Jack Johnson, 21, who had recently been kicked out by his girlfriend due to his drinking and drug use,...
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FATAL CRASH DRIVER CLAIMED VICTIM ‘KILLED HIMSELF’
A SCOOTER rider was killed when a car driver pulled out into his path without looking. Bryn Rudkin, 57, pictured, was unable to stop in time when 87-year-old Michael Gardner drove out of Ranksborough Drive, in Langham, on to the A606. He suffered...
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DRIVER WHO KILLED TEEN TWIN JAILED FOR 1O YEARS
A BANNED driver who had been inhaling nitrous oxide and drinking cider crashed, killing a friend and badly injuring himself and four others. Jack Reape was jailed yesterday for 10 years for causing the collision, on the A426 south of Lutterworth, on...
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MURDER INQUIRY AFTER STABBING
POLICE have launched a murder investigation after a man found with stab wounds died. At about 10.45pm on Wednesday, a police officer’s car was stopped in London Road, Leicester, by an injured man. The man, in his 20s, had significant injuries to his...
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‘NICK WAS A STATESMAN, HIS FIRST DUTY WAS ALWAYS TO THE PEOPLE OF THE COUNTY’
FLAGS at County Hall are being flown at half-mast following the death of Nick Rushton at the age of 70. The former leader of Leicestershire County Council spent 28 years on the authority, with nine as deputy leader and then 12 in charge. He stepped...
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MEMORIES OF HAYDEN WILL HOLD HIM CLOSE TO OUR HEARTS FOREVER
THE streets of a town were yesterday lined with people paying their final respects to a schoolboy who died in a lake tragedy last month. Motorbikes decked in the colours and livery of Hayden Jones-Powell’s favourite football team, West Bromwich...
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DRINK-DRIVER FLED AFTER CRASH THAT LEFT Pc UNCONSCIOUS
A DRINK-DRIVER left a police officer trapped and unconscious after crashing into his vehicle. Ramde Modhvadiya hit Pc Jack Murray’s vehicle at M1 Junction 21, on December 8 last year. Modhvadiya then fled. District Judge Rahim Allen-Khimini told him:...
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MAN JAILED FOR ROLE IN SECRET BROTHELS EMPIRE
A MAN from Leicester has been jailed for helping to run a nationwide brothel network hidden behind the fronts of massage parlours, writes Dylan Hayward. Khondakar Hasan, 40, right, of Morton Walk, Humberstone, kept the businesses looking legitimate,...
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DRUGS FEUD TEENAGERS JAILED FOR KEBAB SHOP MACHETE ATTACK
TWO boys attacked a man with machetes in a city centre restaurant as part of a drugs gang feud. The 16-year-olds, who cannot be named due to their age, went into German Doner Kebab, in the city centre, at lunchtime on January 15. They used machetes...
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THE CITY IS EXPANDING
THE government has approved the expansion of Leicester’s borders as part of local government reorganisation. The larger city – and a combined authority replacing the remainder of the county and Rutland – will come into being on April 1, 2028. The...
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POLICE FACE JOB LOSSES AS FUNDING DEFICIT GROWS
A GROWING budget deficit means police are likely to consider compulsory job losses next year, writes Dylan Hayward. The warning comes as the force battles a budget deficit projected to increase to £14.9 million by 2029/30. Although frontline officer...
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MAN WHO TRIED TO SMUGGLE FAMILY INTO UK IS JAILED
A MAN failed in his attempt to smuggle a family of four into the UK in the back of a van – and has been jailed for five years. Ibrahim Razak, of Groby Road, hired a van in Leicester and arranged for a Portuguese woman, living in Leeds, to do the...
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UBER DRIVER RAPED WOMAN HE HELD AT KNIFEPOINT
AN UBER driver raped a female passenger after stopping in a lay-by while driving her home in the early hours. Adam Daley, who brandished a knife, picked up the lone passenger, in her 20s, in the city centre and then raped her at the side of Soar...
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‘IT’S SOME OF WORST FOOTBALL VIOLENCE SEEN FOR DECADES’
TWO thugs from Leicester have admitted their parts in a night of football violence branded among the worst seen in decades. One officer was engulfed in flames from one of the flares thrown at police as they tried to stem the mob outside Villa Park, in...
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COME ON, ENGLAND!
An expectant nation prepares for massive World Cup clash It could be pretty exciting to watch, says assistant boss ALL THE LATEST AHEAD OF NORWAY CRUNCH
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STALKER SET FIRE IN FLATS WHEN POLICE WENT TO ARREST HIM
A MAN started a fire at his block of flats after police tried to arrest him for stalking his ex-girlfriend after she dumped him. Adam-Jon Reedman, of North Street, Barrow upon Soar, threatened officers with knives and boiling water before starting the...
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MAN PAID TO SEE YOUNG GIRLS ABUSED
A MAN paid to watch live videos of adults in The Philippines abusing young girls. Chris Sanders, 50, pictured, of Holliers Walk, Hinckley – a producer of horror films – admitted five counts of arranging the commission of child sex offences, which he...
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GAME ON!
COUNCILLORS have been caught watching one of England’s World Cup knockout games during an important meeting. The Mercury has been given photographs showing two councillors watching England’s win over DR Congo during Leicestershire County Council’s...
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£11M PLAN TO TIDY UP CITY UNVEILED
AN £11 million funding boost to rid streets of chewing gum and make Leicester “cleaner, greener, and safer” has been unveiled. Tidying up the city centre is first on the agenda. City mayor Sir Peter Soulsby said £650,000 will be spent recruiting 18...
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I’M SUFFERING A LIFE SENTENCE FOR WHAT ABUSER DID TO ME – WHY ISN’T HE?
A WOMAN has criticised the sentence handed down to her stepfather, who abused her as a child, writes Dylan Hayward. Justin Smith, now 49, was finally jailed for abusing Flynnley Paton, 23, right, in June 2025, after the case was reopened because of...
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A46 CRASH MURDERER SENTENCE APPEAL DISMISSED
A WOMAN jailed for murder after two men died in a crash on the A46 will not get a reduction in her jail sentence, Court of Appeal judges have ruled. Ansreen Bukhari, 49, was jailed for over 26 years for her part in the 2022 crash.
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KILLER LEFT VICTIM DYING IN PARK
A MAN who punched a 62-year-old in an unprovoked attack in a park walked off and left his victim dying. James McKeown, left, was found on the ground in Beaumont Leys, Leicester, by a member of the public in April. He had suffered a head injury and...
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DRUG-DRIVER CAUSED HEAD-ON CRASH AS HE FLED POLICE
A DRIVER well over the limit for cannabis crashed head-on into an oncoming car as he fled police. Marouf Ahmadezei sped off when an officer tried to stop him in Thorpe Acre, Loughborough, on September 4. Ahmadezei, who has never had a driving...
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ARREST AS STOLEN VAN SMASHES INTO CAR AFTER CHASE
A MAN was in police custody yesterday after a stolen van travelling the wrong way along the A46 crashed into a car. The car driver, a man in his 20s, was rushed to hospital with serious injuries. The driver of the van, which was being pursued by...
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TEACHER LIFE BAN FOR SEXUAL RELATIONS WITH PUPIL
A FORMER assistant head at a county school has been banned from teaching for life after a panel found he pursued a sexually motivated relationship with a pupil. A hearing by a Teaching Regulation Agency panel was told that senior staff at De Lisle...
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‘A CHEEKY, GORGEOUS BOY WITH IT ALL GOING FOR HIM’
THE family of a 13-yearold who died after going into a lake to cool off on one of the hottest days of the year have paid tribute to him. Hayden Jones-Powell’s aunt said he was a “cheeky, gorgeous boy who had everything going for him”. Specialist...
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PARK RAPIST CAUGHT ON CAMERA BY TEENAGERS
A RAPIST was caught by police thanks to the diligence of two teenagers who spotted him acting suspiciously in a city park – and captured his image on their phones. Shortly after he had aroused the boys’ suspicions, Islamuddin Talash carried out his...
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SIX JAILED FOR LIFE OVER THE SHOOTING OF JOANNE
SIX people - three from Leicestershire - have been handed life sentences for their roles in the doorstep shooting of a woman in Wales. Joanne Penney, 40, pictured, was shot in the chest at an address in Llys Illtyd, Talbot Green, on March 9 last year....
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DRUGS GANG TERRORISED OTHERS INTO DOING DIRTY WORK
FIVE members of an organised crime group which poured hard drugs into the county are now behind bars. The gang terrorised vulnerable people into doing its dirty work, using fear and violence to keep its supply lines running while crack cocaine and...
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COME ON ENGLAND!
MISS England Grace Richardson proudly sports her St George’s flag as she prepares to back the Three Lions to end 60 years of hurt and bring the World Cup trophy home. The 21-year-old, from Birstall, is gearing up to cheer on Thomas Tuchel’s boys again...
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PAIR FACING JAIL AFTER VIOLENT BELT ATTACK SHARED ONLINE
TWO men are facing jail after being convicted of a violent attack at student accommodation in Leicester’s Bath Lane that was filmed and shared online. The video showed a man being whipped with a belt following a robbery at a party the same day.
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TRAINS IN MIDLAND MAIN LINE COLLISION
TWO trains have collided on the Midland Main Line between Leicester and London. Bedfordshire Fire and Rescue crews were last night attending the scene just south of Bedford and the service asked people to avoid the location. British Transport Police...
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PENSIONERS’ HOMES RAIDED BY PROLIFIC BURGLAR
A BURGLAR who targeted city pensioners’ homes and two food businesses has been jailed. Lester Downey, 25, below, appeared at Leicester Crown Court with an already lengthy record of 33 crimes that included previous burglaries. Downey admitted burgling...
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‘DELIBERATE AND STUPID’ DECISION TO DRINK-DRIVE LEFT CYCLIST PARALYSED
THE “the deliberate, stupid and dangerous” decision of a man to drink-drive left a cyclist paralysed from the waist down James Flamson, 33, was about two-and-a-half times the drinkdrive limit when he set off for home at about 4am on April 6 last...
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COUNTY VICTIMS’ £65,000 LOSS TO PHONES CON
MORE than two dozen people who fell for a sophisticated phone scam lost £65,000 between them. The Leicestershire victims of courier fraud, which tends to target the elderly, were revealed as police backed a new national campaign to highlight the...
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DRIVERS CAUGHT FILMING LORRY CRASH HIT IN POCKET
MOTORISTS who were spotted filming a serious road accident on their mobile phones as they drove past have been fined and handed penalty points. Three of the 11 people who had their vehicle details recorded by police were from Leicester – and all were...
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REDUNDANCY FEARS DUE TO AI SHAKE-UP AT HOSPITALS
DOZENS of jobs could be lost at University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust as it introduces artificial intelligence to write patient letters, consultation papers have shown. THE trust is restructuring its medical secretary workforce to make way for...
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£23K FUNERAL FIRM FRAUD TO FUND SHOPPING ADDICTION
A FUNERAL adviser stole about £23,000 from the Co-op before getting a new job and stealing thousands more, writes Tom Mack. Laura Gamble’s victims also included a vulnerable widow who trusted the 40-year-old to deliver a Royal British Legion donation...
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NURSE AND STUDENT SERIOUSLY INJURED IN ATTACK
A NURSE and student attacked by a man in his flat suffered serious injuries. Arron Bulmer, 35, who has paranoid schizophrenia, locked a male psychiatric nurse and female student nurse in his Leicester flat. He removed his clothes, then grabbed the...
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CLUB ATTACKER LEFT TOTAL STRANGER LYING IN A POOL OF BLOOD
THE victim of an attack by a stranger was left in a pool of blood in an alleyway. The attack happened outside the Emporium nightclub, in Belvoir Road, Coalville, at about 11pm on December 27. The victim went outside the club to be sick on the street...
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MAN’S DEATH ‘COULD HAVE LINK TO POISON TREE FROG DETOX DRUG’
A MAN may have died after an apparent detox ceremony using a drug derived from the poisonous skin of an Amazonian tree frog. Kristian Trend, 40, pictured, from Leicester, is thought to have collapsed at his flat after using kambo, a traditional South...
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‘WE WILL CARRY THIS LOSS FOR THE REST OF OUR LIVES’
THE family of a man killed by a thug in an unprovoked attack outside a pub have spoken of the ongoing pain. David Darke, 66, was knocked out by a single punch just before Christmas last year, hitting his head as he fell to the ground. He died of...
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BETTER CARE FOR CHILDREN AROUND WORLD – LEXI’S LEGACY
ADVICE from a teenager to doctors and nurses on caring for young people is being adopted around the world. Lexi Johnson, from Leicester, spent months in isolation in hospital being treated for an immune condition. After one long and difficult day of...
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DRIVER FLED SCENE OF A CRASH THAT LEFT BABY TRAPPED IN CAR
A SPEEDING driver caused a crash that left a three-month-old baby trapped upside down in an overturned car. Thomas Dalton, of Bideford Close, Wigston, sped off when the lights went green at a roundabout in Toton, Nottinghamshire, on September...
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BITTERSWEET VICTORY FOR BHIM’S FAMILY
THE daughter of an 80-year-old man killed in an attack by a youth has said government plans to crack down on the parents of “feral” youngsters has come too late for her family - but welcomed the “bittersweet” victory. Susan Kohli, the daughter of Bhim...
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‘WHOLESALE’ DRUGS GANG BEHIND BARS
MEMBERS of a drugs network that bought and sold at a wholesale level have been jailed. Kenneth Galloway, Mohammod Jahed and Kian Senior got class A drugs from Sarju Khushal, who was jailed for 11 years in March 2025. Galloway, 31, formerly of Myrtle...
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MAN MADE FAKE GUN WITH DRILL IN BAG THEN RANG THE POLICE
A DRUNK man wrapped a drill in a carrier bag and call ed the police pretending to have a gun after being inspired by a clip on TikTok. Lee Hamill, 41, of Braunstone, called 999 at about 5.20pm to tell police where he was and that he was armed with a...
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THREATS AND VIOLENCE AS SHOP THEFTS REACH RECORD LEVELS
SUPERMARKET and store owners have spoken of the threats and assaults they have suffered as shoplifting offences reach new records across the city. New data shows that Leicestershire Police recorded 8,525 shoplifting offences in 2025, the highest ever...
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DAD SET HOUSE ON FIRE WHILE HIS CHILDREN WERE SLEEPING
A MAN set his house on fire while three of his children were sleeping before going on to start blazes at the homes of his brother and sister. A jury took only 25 minutes to decide at the end of a short trial that Karl Poxon, 50, did carry out the...
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STRICTLY DANCER’S CAREER ‘ENDED BY FALL AT THEATRE’
A STRICTLY Come Dancing veteran who spent 12 seasons with the show says a fall at Curve theatre has ended her career. Kylie Hayes, 41, pictured, fell from the stage in May 2023 during a preview night for a production of 42nd Street. Temporary steps...
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MAN FAKED HIS HEALTH CONDITIONS IN A BID TO BEAT JUSTICE
A PAEDOPHILE has been jailed for a string of sex attacks on young boys after previously dodging justice by faking a severe stroke. John Siddell was accused of sexual assaults against three boys aged four to 14 but – with the help of his brother – he...
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I WAS LOCKED UP ON SUSPICION OF MURDER THAT NEVER HAPPENED
A MAN arrested on suspicion of murder – then released when police found the death was probably natural – says his treatment was a disgrace, writes Jasmine Siddon. Bobby Carmichael, 79, pictured, spent 15 hours in custody after a friend he was with...
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‘BARRED FROM TAKING SCHOOL PLACE AND EDUCATION’
A BOY potentially faces another year without formal education after reportedly being “barred” from the school place of his choice over cost issues. Felix Nienartowicz, six, has a diagnosis of ADHD Combined Type and Autism Spectrum Disorder and has...
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