Leicestershire Fire service Released this statement today. Burglary at Central Fire Station Just before midnight on Tuesday 30 April 2019, Leicestershire Fire and Rescue Service was unfortunately subject to a burglary at one of its city fire stations. A substantial amount of essential lifesaving equipment with an estimated value of £30,000 was taken from one of its appliances. The theft of this specialist cutting equipment was a reckless act that not only puts lives of the local community at risk, but also has a financial impact on the Service with the cost of replacing the stolen equipment. The specialist equipment is vital and is used by firefighters every day when dealing with road traffic collisions in the rapid extrication of people, and enables them to have the best possible chance of survival and recovery. Paul Weston, Assistant Chief Fire and Rescue Officer, said: “To steal this equipment is totally irresponsible, showing a blatant disregard for public safety. “This has the potential to prevent the nearest fire appliance responding to an incident. By not having the relevant equipment available it affects all of our communities. “We are appealing for any members of the public that may have seen or heard anything, or know those responsible, to get in touch with Leicestershire Police and help us catch those that have done this, and prevent it from happening again.” Police are appealing for any witnesses or information. Police Statement also released today:- Officers are appealing for witnesses after a burglary at a Leicestershire Fire and Rescue Service building in Leicester. The incident was reported to have taken place around 11.40pm yesterday (Tuesday 30 April) in Lancaster Road. A door was forced open at the central fire station and Lukas battery operated hydraulic cutting equipment was stolen. The suspect was disturbed and made off in a car which was waiting nearby and being driven by another person. Officers would like to speak to anyone who may have been either walking or driving in the Lancaster Road area last night. Did you witness someone acting suspiciously or did you see the suspect running towards a waiting car? If anyone has come across the equipment or knows someone who has recently acquired similar items they are asked to get in touch. Anyone with any information is asked to contact PC 1908 Navekar on 101, quoting crime number 19*220178. #LeicesterPolice #LFRS

Detectives investigating the murder of Leah Fray yesterday arrested three men. A 61-year-old man from Leicester was arrested on suspicion of being concerned in the supply of class A drugs. Two other men, aged 56 and 47 and both from Leicester, were arrested on suspicion of being concerned in the supply and possession of a controlled drug of class A. The 61-year-old man has been released on bail and the other two men have been released under investigation. Enquiries are ongoing. #LeicesterPolice #MereRoad

Detectives investigating a serious collision in St Matthews Way have released CCTV footage of a man they would like to speak to. The collision happened near the junction with Wharf Street North shortly before 1.30pm on Monday 18 March. A silver VW Golf GTi was in collision with a woman who was using the pedestrian crossing. The vehicle then made off from the scene. The woman, who is in her 50s, was taken to the Queen’s Medical Centre in Nottingham with serious injuries. She has since been discharged. Detective Constable Seamus Burns, the investigating officer, said: “Today we are renewing our appeal for information and we are particularly keen to speak to the man seen on CCTV, as we believe he may have seen what happened. “If that person is you – or you know who he is – then please get in touch as he could have information that could help our investigation. “I would still like to speak to anyone else who witnessed the collision but has not yet spoken to police. Please cast your mind back. Were you driving along St Matthews Way on that Monday afternoon, or were you using the pedestrian crossing? “If you have any information about this incident, no matter how insignificant you think it may be, we would still like to speak to you.” Call 101, quoting incident 275 of 18 March. #LeicesterPolice

Courses offer fast track to university study People who are interested in studying at university but who don’t yet have the entry qualifications can find out about alternative routes at a series of open days. Leicester Adult Education College, in Belvoir Street, is holding the events to promote its Access to Higher Education diplomas. The open days will offer an introduction to fast track courses aimed at people who have been out of education for some time and have few or no formal qualifications. Open days will be held on the following dates: Friday 3 May (10am to 1pm) Friday 5 July (10am to 3pm) Friday 30 August (10am to 2pm) People attending will be able to speak to staff and current students, find out about funding and fees, and get a taste of the courses and subjects available to study. The next Access to Higher Education Diploma courses – in business and social science – begin in September 2019. There are also pre-access courses available for people who need to brush up on their skills before starting on the diploma. Jackie Mills, access to higher education programme leader at Leicester City Council, said: “The courses we offer are a great opportunity to learn alongside other adult students. The study programmes are designed to equip people with all the skills needed to prepare for a successful experience on a range of university courses. “These diplomas offer a fast track for adults who want to go to university but who don’t yet have the necessary qualifications.” For more information, contact Leicester Adult Education College on 0116 454 1900. #LeicesterCityCouncil

This Sunday 5th May is the return of the Colour blast dash run on Victoria Park Leicester. A family fun run through our Beautiful Victoria Park, with a guaranteed splash of colour, all raising funds for Cope The Laura Centre. For the second year running a local business is sponsoring this event, VeriVide Limited based here in Enderby, Leicester who specialise in global colour Assessment Standards across lots of industries. so it’s definitely guaranteed to be a very colourful event. Leicester media covered this event last year and our team and cameras got completely covered with coloured powder, but we soon dusted ourselves down, and enjoyed the event. Check out last years video of this event, watch the reverse video techniques and slow motion clips. we look forward to seeing you on the day. Join with friends, family or colleagues and you can walk, run or dance your way around the course, getting “blasted” with coloured powder, tackling the all new obstacles and cross the finish line wearing all the colours of the rainbow! We are offering new and updated races for 2019 with multiple colour stations and the introduction of optional crawl nets, tunnels and inflatable obstacles. Join us for a 2.5k fun family race filled with colour – dare you take on the obstacle course as well? You decide! Or sign up for a 5k race – will you take on the obstacles? All proceeds go to COPE The Laura Centre, Midlands based family bereavement support charity. http://thelauracentre.org.uk/ The Laura Centre is now the sole project of the charity COPE. Gail and Harry Moore founded COPE in 1988. COPE’s initial work focused on providing a range of services for children with cancer and their families. This work led directly to the creation of the COPE children’s oncology unit (ward 27) at the Leicester Royal Infirmary, as well as the creation and funding of two children’s community Macmillan nurses and contributing to haematological research. The work initiated by COPE contributed to a significant shift in awareness of families’ needs and most of these services are now funded by the NHS. Gail and Harry went on to start a separate charity that created Rainbows children’s hospice. Following the sad death of their daughter Laura from Leukaemia, Gail and Harry became acutely aware of the lack of support for families bereaved of a child. This led to them opening The Laura Centre in October 1991 to provide therapeutic support to anyone bereaved of a child or young person. In 1994 our service was extended to include support for children bereaved of a parent or carer. The Laura Centre saw 80 people in the first year it opened and has steadily grown since. We currently support more than 400 people every year. In 2005 we expanded into no. 6 Tower Street. In September 2006 two building nos. 4 and 6 Tower Street were joined together so that we could have one reception and waiting room. This has made the Centre more accessible with the creation of a downstairs counselling room and disabled access toilet. In addition we were able to move our Quiet Room to the ground floor to make it more accessible. Join FaceBook Event page https://www.facebook.com/events/869967636686591/?ti=icl Event Website www.colourblastdash.org

Vistors to this year’s Riverside Festival will be able to get into their groove in a programme of jazz and swing music taking place throughout the two-day event. Swing dancers, jazz performers and soul musicians will be taking to the stage in the Broken Records Swing Festival, which is taking place in Castle Gardens as part of the Riverside Festival, on June 1 and 2. A line-up of swing bands and big bands will provide the soundtrack for a programme of dance classes taking place around the Maypole in Castle Gardens throughout the weekend, where participants will be able to try out their new moves. Saturday's sessions take place from 12pm to 6pm, and will feature dance classes followed by live performances in the same style, including the Swingaree Dancers and Dance Leicester Lindy Hop, with music from KGB Jazz, The Citizens of Swing, Syston Swing Band and the DMU Jazz Band. On Sunday, the action takes place from 12pm to 5pm, and features performances from the Loughborough Swing Society, Leicester University Swing Society, RM Jazz, guitarist Gareth John and the best of soul from Groove and The Bathtub Pings, with a finale by the University of Leicester Big Band. This is the second year during which the Riverside Festival has featured the Broken Records Swing Festival, run in conjunction with city music venue The Shed. The event is part of a wide programme of activities and attractions aimed at all ages and tastes which forms the Riverside Festival – the city’s biggest free family-friendly festival, and a key part of summer in Leicester. The Riverside Festival is run by Leicester City Council and brings alive Bede Park, the Mile Straight of the River Soar, Castle Park and Western Boulevard, with a combination of live street performances, fun on the river, a funfair, riverside art and a bustling street market. Leicester City Council senior festivals and events officer, Theo Markham-Crew, said: “We’ve got a fantastic line-up for this year’s Riverside Festival, which has established itself over the years as a really popular family event. “The combination of events and activities taking place means it is really suitable for all ages and tastes. The Broken Records Swing Festival proved to be a huge hit last year with music and dance fans of all abilities, and I’m delighted that it is back for another year.” Join the facebook event https://www.facebook.com/events/791333037888520/?event_time_id=791333041221853?ti=icl #LeicesterEvents #LeicesterCityCouncil

A Plastic sword was found at the scene Firearms officers were deployed to a car park in Western Park yesterday (Monday 29 April) following a report of a man seen with a sword. “A 33-year-old man has been charged after firearms officers were deployed to Western Park. Igors Jefremovs, of no fixed address, has been charged with one count of possession of a bladed article in a public place and one count of possession of a class B drug. He will appear at Leicester Magistrates’ Court on 17 May. The charges relate to an incident yesterday morning (Monday 29 April) when, in the interest of public and officer safety, firearms officers attended a car park in Western Park, Hinckley Road following a report of a man seen with a sword. Officers recovered the sword which turned out to be a plastic toy. “ We have clarified this statement and the man was in possession of a bladed article #LeicesterPolice #LivesNotKnives

Firefighters say blaze which damaged Markfield nature reserve was arson. Leicestershire fire Service was busy last night tackling a Grass and Woodland Fire Hill Lane Markfield, surrounding Hill Hole Quarry. The Fire service received multiple calls at 17.30pm tonight fire and smoke seen. 4 fire appliances and the water carrier attended. Information: approx 150sq meters of grass and woodland involved in fire, 3 water jets in use. Pictures by Leicester Media Drone aerial photography © 2019 Our media team arrived on site around 8pm and by then the fire was under control. fire service was damping down and cutting away was in progress. We deployed our aerial drone and captured some amazing images and video of the area of the fire. #FireMarkfield #LFRS #HillHoleQuarry

Two brothers have today (Monday 29 April) been jailed for a total of 30 years for a string of non-recent sexual abuse. Peter Mackenzie, 57, was sentenced to 16 years at Leicester Crown Court while his brother, 60-year-old John Mackenzie, was given a 14-year sentence. Both men had been found guilty of numerous sexual offences, including rape, indecent assault and indecency with a child on 21 March following a trial. Peter Mackenzie, of Borve, Isle of Lewis, was found guilty of six counts of indecent assault, six counts of indecency with a child, five counts of rape and one count of causing actual bodily harm. John Mackenzie, of Pondthorpe, Coventry, was found guilty of five counts of indecency with a child, three counts of rape and two counts of indecent assault. They began abusing their young victim in the 1970s when she was a child, continuing until she was around 14 years old. Detective Constable Anna Blockley, from Leicestershire Police’s Child Abuse Investigation Unit (CAIU) was the investigating officer. She said: “This abuse happened more than 40 years ago and I believe that both Peter and John Mackenzie thought that their victim would never speak about what happened. “But, she found the courage to speak to police and speak in great detail about what the brothers did to her. “I hope that, all these years later, she can still take some comfort from the fact that they have finally been jailed for their crimes.” There are a number of different agencies who are able to offer independent help and support to victims of sexual offences in Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland. UAVA United against Violence & Abuse http://www.uava.org.uk/get-help/ Further information on these services and details on who to contact if you have been a victim of a sexual offence can be found by visiting http://leics.police.uk #LeicesterPolice

A teenager convicted of attempted murder after planning to kill a man he met on a social networking app has been sentenced to serve 13 years in prison. Chad Gurney, 19, wrote a “murder plan” setting out eight ways he wanted to kill people, including slitting a man’s throat with scissors. This was the plan he attempted to carry out when he met his victim – who made a lucky escape – on the evening on Sunday 29 July last year. Gurney, of Saffron Lane, Leicester, was found guilty of attempted murder in January this year following a trail at Leicester Crown Court. And today at the same court, he has been sentence for his crime. He must serve 13 years in prison, with an additional five years to be served on licence. During the trial the court heard how Gurney and his victim started talking on the dating app Grindr and arranged to meet in Aylestone Leisure Centre car park in Knighton Lane East, Leicester. Shortly after meeting they engaged in consensual sexual activity in a nearby park before walking back to the place they had first met. It was then, shortly before 8.10pm, Gurney attacked his victim with a pair of scissors. Luckily, despite attempting to stab the man, the defendant only caused minor injury to his victim’s neck before the victim realised what was happening. Gurney attempted to stab him a second time but his victim had moved away and then fled the scene. At 10.40pm that evening, the defendant walked into a Euston Street police station and admitted the crime, telling officers he had intended to kill his victim. He later claimed he had made a false confession. He was arrested and when officers carried out a search of the scene the scissors were located. His victim reported the incident to police in the early hours of the following morning. During a search of Gurney’s address officers found a “planning a murder” notebook, along with a diary containing thoughts of murderous intent. When being interviewed by officers Gurney also admitted he had twice made plans to kill somebody. On one occasion he followed someone over a bridge and was going to attack him from behind but was unable to go through with it. The second time he planned to lure someone to a disused building but the person never showed up to the location. In Gurney’s diary he also talked about having already murdered someone but when questioned told officers this was a lie. Officers have conducted preliminary searches in relation to this which have proved negative. Source Leicestershire Police 29/04/2019

A man who punched a woman in her own flat – resulting in her losing an eye – has today been jailed. James Squires was sentenced to seven-and-a-half years when he appeared at Leicester Crown Court today (Monday 29 April). Squires, 39, of Avon Street, pleaded guilty to one count of causing grievous bodily harm at the same court on 1 April. On the evening of 21 February this year, Squires accepted an invite from his victim to go to her flat where he could have something to eat and a hot drink. The victim believed that Squires was homeless and was acting in good faith by offering him food and some shelter. But, after they spent time having a drink and chatting, he lashed out when asked to leave, causing her to lose consciousness. Detective Constable Sarah Jones, the investigating officer, said: “This was a horrific attack which has had a major impact on the victim’s life. As a result of the vicious assault carried out by Squires, she has lost one eye and also suffered a broken jaw. “Squires was invited into her home in an act of generosity – she had offered him food and a drink. But, in fact, he had no regard for her whatsoever. She had only asked him to leave as she wanted to go to bed, which for whatever reason, he took exception to. “I hope that she can take some comfort from the fact that Squires has now been jailed.” Source Leicestershire Police #LeicesterPolice

Police are appealing for any witnesses or information. A man suffered serious injuries after he was stabbed during an incident in Kingston Road, Leicester. Officers were called to the scene, near the junction with Evington Road, at around 6pm on Sunday 28 April where the victim, who is in his 20s, was found. He was taken to hospital where he currently remains. His injuries are not believed to be life-threatening. A cordon remains in place at the scene while enquiries continue. Detective Sergeant David Speight said: “The victim has suffered serious injuries and currently remains in hospital. “Our investigation remains ongoing to establish the circumstances of this incident and we are appealing to anyone who has any information to make contact. “Were you in the area at the time? Did you see or hear anything which caused you concern? If you have any information, no matter how insignificant it may seem, we urge you to get in touch.” Anyone with any information should contact 101 quoting incident 19000215881. #LeicesterPolice #StabbingEvingtonRoad #LivesNotKnives