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TWO IN COURT OVER TRIBUTE THEFT A couple are to appear in court charged with the theft of tributes left at the home of a Staffordshire soldier killed by "friendly fire" in Iraq. A man and a woman, aged 34 and 32, were arrested after flowers and beer cans were taken from the Biddulph home of the late Corporal Stephen Allbutt, 35. The couple were charged with theft, carrying a weapon and possessing drugs. NEW POLICE DIVISION LAUNCHED New structural changes to West Mercia Police that will benefit communities throughout north Worcestershire are due to be launched. The force has created a new division of North Worcestershire, which will cover Bromsgrove, Redditch and Wyre Forest. The 484-strong division has been created to reflect local authority boundaries in the county, police said. VICTIMS' MOTHERS IN GUN APPEAL The mothers of two teenagers shot dead in Birmingham at New Year have called for illegal guns to be surrendered at the start of a UK-wide firearm amnesty. Marcia Shakespeare and Beverley Thomas, whose daughters, Letisha Shakespeare, 17, and Charlene Ellis, 18, were shot, said guns had devastated their lives. Fifteen guns, including a sawn-off shotgun, have been surrendered so far. GRANT FOR RURAL COMMUNITIES Rural communities in the region are set to benefit from a new £600,000 business initiative by the Government. The Country Land and Business Association has received the grant from Defra in order to provide advice and training for rural businesses. The scheme will let farmers improve their business process and achieve diversification through workshops. RIVER INQUEST DUE TO OPEN An inquest into the death of a man whose body was pulled from a river in Worcestershire is to formally open. Kevin Stevens, 39, was found in the River Severn after being spotted by a member of the public. Mr Stevens had been missing from his home since February 26 when he was last sighted in the Diglis Weir area, said a West Mercia Police spokesman. JURY CONSIDERS BOMB CHARGES An Old Bailey jury is due to retire to consider verdicts in the trial of three Irishmen accused of plotting a Real IRA bombing campaign in Birmingham. Mr Justice Gibbs finished the main part of his summing up of the trial but said he had a short time still to complete. The men are accused of planning three bombings in 2001, at the BBC in London, then Ealing and finally Birmingham. BUSINESS WELCOMES REGION POLICY Birmingham business chiefs have praised a Government pledge to put more emphasis on regional decision-making. Chancellor Gordon Brown made the vow at a Chambers of Commerce summit, stressing the need for local choices. Sue Battle, head Birmingham Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said: "It is important that business engages with these ideas." ROAD CRASH VICTIM NAMED A man who died when the car he was travelling in left a Worcestershire road and crashed has been named. Paul Hunt, 22, from Warwick, died at Birmingham's Selly Oak Hospital after the crash on the A435 at Wythall. He was a passenger in a Suzuki Swift which left the road, hit the verge and flew 20 yards in the air. The driver and two other passengers were injured. CHURCH WILL ACT AS POST OFFICE Worshippers in a Leicestershire village will soon be getting stamps as well as spiritual guidance from their church. Local residents can collect pensions and drop off mail at All Saints in Sheepy Magna under new plans following the closure of the local post office. Vicar Annette Reed said: "There's not going to be people receiving the wafer on Sunday who then ask for stamps." STABBING VICTIM IN HOSPITAL A man is in a stable condition after being stabbed in the chest during an assault in Nuneaton, police have said. The 35-year-old victim was attacked near the Courtyard pub in Abbey Street and was taken to the town's George Eliot Hospital. Detectives are probing how the victim, who is from the town, was injured and have appealed for witnesses. CHARITY FIRST FOR EDUCATION AWARD Local charity worker Bren Hellier has received an education honour for her work in spreading the word about design and our impact on the planet. Ms Hellier, of the Warwickshire-based Intermediate Technology Development Group (ITDG), is the first charity worker ever to receive the Outstanding Contribution to Design and Technology Education award. It is the highest professional award that can be made by the Design and Technology Association (DATA), the recognised UK professional association representing those involved in design and technology education and associated subject areas. Ms Hellier, who lives in Rugby, is manager of ITDG's Development Education Unit and has been involved in its educational programme for the past eight years. Her previous jobs have included teaching art and design in a Kenyan school for deaf children. "I was honoured to hear that I was to receive the award. It was a complete surprise," she said. But Ms Hellier stressed the award was an ITDG achievement which reflected the good work of ITDG's whole Development Education Unit team in its role of supporting and encouraging teachers and young people to look at the environmental and economic impacts of their lifestyles. "I think it is so important that, after plugging away for such a long time, ITDG has gained the recognition that it deserves in terms of helping introduce such topics into design and technology education in this country. I feel the award is a great recognition of the organisation, which made the work in this area so interesting and of value,'' Ms Hellier said. The citation for the award, which will be presented to Ms Hellier at DATA's annual awards ceremony in London on April 10, comments that she has "worked tirelessly with infectious enthusiasm, quiet persistence and a strong sense of fun, to increase interest and understanding of sustainability issues at the highest levels of the design and technology community."
2nd. April 2003
COUPLE IN COURT OVER TRIBUTES A couple have appeared in court charged with stealing tributes laid outside the home of a Stoke-on-Trent soldier killed during "friendly fire" in Iraq. Andrew Clewes, 34, and Deborah Febery, 32, appeared before Stoke-on-Trent magistrates accused of stealing flowers from the home of Cpl Stephen Allbutt. Clewes was remanded in custody while Febery, a mother of two, received bail. 9m CANAL RESTORATION ANNOUNCED A £9m project to restore the canal network in Droitwich and to build a new marina and cruising waterway is due to be announced. It is funded by development agency Advantage West Midlands, the Heritage Lottery Fund, Worcestershire County Council and Wychavon District Council. The 21-mile ring will link Worcester & Birmingham Canal to the River Severn. NEW RESEARCH CENTRE TO OPEN A £70m research centre at the University of Warwick which will help secure 50,000 jobs in the luxury car sector is due to be opened. Run by the Warwick Manufacturing Group its focus is to support the manufacture of premium and luxury car products. The centre will initially work on 20 projects in areas like advanced body joining techniques. SECOND PRISONER FOUND HANGING A second prisoner has died after being found hanging in a cell in Blakenhurst Prison, near Redditch, Worcestershire, the Prison Service has said. Staff found Birmingham man, Rajwinder Singh Mutti, 28, hanging from his bed and he was declared dead at the scene. An investigation is to be carried out. INQUEST INTO KILLER'S DEATH An inquest into the death of a Birmingham man who brutally murdered his two young sons with a screwdriver has been formally opened. Worcestershire Coroner Victor Round opened the hearing into the death of 44-year-old ex-soldier Steven Wilson. Wilson was found hanging by shoelaces in Blakenhurst jail, Redditch, five days into a double life sentence. PEER PRAISES RENEWAL SCHEME Neighbourhood renewal initiatives have turned a "pig-sty" estate in Birmingham into a model of regeneration, the area's former Labour MP has told peers. Lord Corbett of Castle Vale, said representatives "made a brilliant success of the transformation of that pig-sty civic area". Lord Corbett was MP for Edrington until the general election in 2001. SPECIAL FORCES TO HAVE MEMORIAL Special forces units such as the SAS and the SBS are to get their own memorial in Staffordshire. The National Memorial Arboretum in Alrewas, near Lichfield, is to have 110 trees planted, representing the number of special forces units. Design details are not final but the black poplar trees by the River Tame could shape the letters "S" and "F". ROAD UPGRADE SCHEME UNVEILED A £57m project to improve safety on key roads in Coventry has been announced. Work to cut accidents and congestion at junctions on the A45 and A46 roads at Tollbar End are part of a £775m Government scheme to cut traffic jams. Changes will include a new underpass beneath the main roundabout as well as a link from the A45 to Middlemarch Business Park and Coventry airport. JURY TO CONTINUE DELIBERATIONS An Old Bailey jury trying three men accused of plotting a Real IRA bombing campaign in the West Midlands has been sent home without reaching a verdict. Robert and Aiden Hulme and Noel Maguire deny conspiring to cause explosions in Birmingham, at the BBC Television Centre in London and Ealing in 2001. The jury will return to continue their deliberations. PILOT SCHEME FOR POLICE RECORDS West Midlands Police will have to give receipts to every person they stop under a pilot scheme which has started. It will record skin colour, name and address, while overall race totals will be gathered to crack down on police who stop too many blacks and Asians. Police are concerned the system could damage relations with the community and create mountains of new paperwork. 3rd. April 2003
SCHOOL TOPS A-LEVEL LEAGUE A West Midlands school has topped the latest A-level league tables. The private King Edward VI High School for Girls in Birmingham was named best performer, with pupils averaging 521.9 points on the UCAS scale. Private and grammar schools dominated the tables, which were delayed by four months because of the marking chaos that engulfed the exams last year. INQUEST INTO HANGING DEATH A coroner is due to open an inquest into the death of a Birmingham man who was found hanged in his prison cell. Rajwinder Singh Mutti, 28, was discovered by staff at Blakenhurst Prison, near Redditch, hanging from his bed with a ligature around his neck. Worcestershire Coroner Victor Round is due to open the inquest at the coroner's court in Stourport-on-Severn. MACHETE ATTACK PAIR WIN £20,000 Two children horrifically injured in a machete attack at a nursery school in Wolverhampton have been awarded £20,000 for the mental torment they suffered. Reena Chopra and Ahmed Malik were among 18 youngsters attacked by schizophrenic Horrett Campbell at a picnic in 1996. Their lawyers welcomed the compensation payout but criticised an earlier award of £750 for their physical injuries. VETS GATHER FOR CONFERENCE Thousands of vets from across Europe are gathering in Birmingham for a conference to hear about the latest developments in animal medicine. The British Small Animal Veterinary Association Congress is being held at the International Convention Centre. Among the highlights of the four-day event is the chance to see the work of its charity, Petsavers. DEATH LEAP MAN 'HAD KILLED SON' A man who leapt to his death from a Coventry tower block while police tried to arrest him was on parole for killing his two-year-old son. Sponford Antonio Green, 43, jumped from the balcony of his 13th-floor flat after officers entered his home. He was jailed for four years in 2001 for the manslaughter of Aidan, who died from starvation and hypothermia. PAIR JAILED FOR SNIPING SPREE Two Wolverhampton men who shot four passers-by with an air rifle, blinding a woman in one eye, have been sentenced to four-and-a-half years in custody. Wolverhampton Crown Court heard Adam Beckett, 19, and Clive Martin, 27, shot at people leaving nightclubs. Both admitted causing grievous bodily harm, assault and weapon possession with intent to commit an offence. HOSPITAL WAITING LISTS CUT Health bosses at hospitals across Coventry and Warwickshire said "superhuman efforts" have led to a dramatic cut in surgery waiting times. Coventry and Warwick, Walsgrave and Rugby St Cross hospitals have recorded a 50% drop in the number of patients awaiting surgery. "We have not only achieved but exceeded our targets," said a spokesman. NATURE RESERVE AWARDED GRANT A Walsall nature reserve has won a £46,000 grant to improve its leisure and education services. Walsall Borough Council says the revamp of Shire Oak Park reserve in Walsall Wood will also include efforts to improve habitats for wildlife. The English Nature grant is financed from a £9m national fund raised by taxes levied on the quarrying industry. GIRL MAY BE WITH BOYFRIEND A 14-year-old missing girl may be with her 21-year-old boyfriend living in Wolverhampton, police have said. Cassandra Kilshaw was living with her grandmother in Folkestone, Kent, but has not been seen for nearly a month, prompting fears for her welfare. Police have said there is a strong possibility that she is with her unemployed boyfriend.
4th. April 2003
CRIME RATE FALLS, SAY POLICE New figures released by West Midlands Police have revealed significant cuts in serious crime in the region. There were 11,000 fewer victims between April 2002 and the end of March this year, compared with the previous year. The number of house burglaries, vehicle crimes, robberies and offences of violence against the person all fell, leading to a 5.8% cut in overall crime. MAN DIES IN VAN COLLISION A 65-year-old pedestrian has died in hospital of multiple injuries after a collision with a Bridgnorth District Council van in the town. The man, who has yet to be identified, was in an accident with the reversing Leyland Daf van in Bank Street. Witnesses to the incident are being asked to contact PC Claire Challinor on 08457 444888. ATTACKED MAN SUFFERS BROKEN LEG An 18-year-old man has suffered a broken leg, cuts and bruising after an attack near Warwick police station. The teenager, from nearby Hatton, was with his girlfriend and a male friend when he was approached and headbutted by a drunken man in Barrack Street. The man struck again as the trio made their way towards the police station and were confronted by other youths. TREE PLANTED FOR WAR VICTIMS Britain's National Memorial Arboretum has planted a tree in Staffordshire in tribute to the British servicemen and reporters killed in the war on Iraq. The weeping willow, at the arboretum in Alrewas, has strips of cotton tied to its branches and those of a Glastonbury thorn to mark each life lost. Visitors will be invited to tie further strips to express their feelings. BIRD SHOOTER SOUGHT Police are attempting to locate a person who shot 15 birds in Shrewsbury. West Mercia Constabulary said residents in Laundry Lane and Tudor Road are concerned that someone will be hurt if the killing spree is repeated. In the past week wood pigeons, doves and starlings have been found dead after being shot with what is believed to be a high-powered air rifle. NEW APPEAL IN MURDER PROBE Police have made a fresh appeal for information about the murder of a 19-year-old asylum seeker stabbed in the chest in a busy Birmingham park. Detectives investigating the death of an Albanian man who was killed in Cannon Hill Park urged anyone with information to contact them. They particularly want to trace a man who approached the victim in the park. FAMILY SAVED FROM BLAZING HOME A family of four have been rescued from their home in the Black Country after fire broke out in the kitchen. Firefighters led a woman and her three children to safety from the second floor of the three-storey terraced property in The Templars, Oldbury. A West Midlands Fire Service spokesman said the fire was caused by a faulty television set. HUNT FOR MISSING TEENAGER Fears are growing for a 13-year-old Birmingham schoolboy who has been missing for 10 days after failing to return to his Washwood Heath Road home. West Midlands Police say even though Wajid Iqbal has been reported missing before, and may be staying with friends, they are anxious to trace him. He is described as Asian, around 4ft with short, straight black hair. MAN HURT IN TREE COLLISION A 27-year-old motorist is recovering from injuries after his car crashed into a tree near Atherstone. The accident happened along the westbound A5 dual carriageway near the roundabout at Mancetter. Police are appealing to the driver of a red and white lorry which was travelling in the adjacent lane to the man's Peugeot to come forward. BOMB TRIAL JURY INTO FOURTH DAY The jury in a trial of three men accused of plotting Real IRA bomb attacks in Birmingham and London are into the fourth day of deliberations. Robert and Aiden Hulme and Noel Maguire deny conspiring to cause explosions in Birmingham and in the capital. Earlier, the judge at the Old Bailey refused to let the jury see some pieces of evidence they had requested. PHONE
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