A chance encounter in a park which led to a defenceless man being punched has resulted in the perpetrator pleading guilty to manslaughter. In April this year James McKeown, also known as Jim, was found lying on the ground in Beaumont Park, Beaumont Leys by a member of the public. He had suffered from a head injury and sadly passed away a short time later Initial enquiries at the scene revealed that Jim had been walking home from a nearby pub when he was assaulted by Joshua Moore who was riding a quad bike in the park with a young child. Moore confronted 62-year-old Jim and punched him in the face which resulted in him falling to the ground, hitting his head on the pavement. Moore placed Jim in the recovery position then left the park making no attempt to contact the emergency services. More than an hour later, 33-year-old Moore of Fowler Close, Beaumont Leys, approached an officer on the cordon and admitted assaulting Jim. After initially being arrested for attempted murder, he was further arrested on suspicion of murder after Jim passed away. After an examination of Moore’s mobile telephone, it was clear he thought it was more important to sort out his affairs before contacting the police or the ambulance service; going as far as cancelling a tattoo appointment he had the next day. At a hearing today (Thursday 2 July) Moore pleaded guilty to manslaughter and is due to be sentenced on Friday 31 July. Senior Investigating Officer pays tribute to family of man killed in manslaughter case Detective Inspector Kevin Hames from East Midlands Special Operations Unit (EMSOU) Murder Investigation Team, said: “Sadly, this is a tragic death that could have been avoided. Moore had a choice that day and should have walked away, without using any violence, Jim posed no threat to him. “His actions have now left a family devastated at the loss of their loved one. The fact that he didn’t make any attempt to contact the emergency services following the incident shows exactly what type of man he is. He placed Jim in the recovery position and clearly saw the injuries he had caused but that didn’t stop him from riding away, returning home to organise his affairs before handing himself in. Notwithstanding this was a totally unprovoked attack, Joshua Moore should not have been riding a quad bike in the park in the first place. “While we are pleased that Moore has admitted to being responsible for Jim’s death, there are certainly no winners in the case. “Jim’s family now face a life without him, and nothing can replace the feeling of that loss. They have shown immense bravery throughout the investigation and subsequent legal proceedings. This has in no way been easy for them. “Moore now faces a lengthy term in prison, and I hope it gives him the opportunity to reflect on his actions. “I would also like to thank the community of West Leicester for there support in the investigation and thank the members of the community who unlike Joshua Moore, stopped to provide care to Jim” In November 2023 the force launched the Walk Away campaign which is aimed at empowering men to look out for the early behaviours in themselves and their friends, which might lead to altercations. We want to encourage peer groups to support each other in making different choices and encourage individuals to recognise those personal trigger points. Further information on the campaign can be found here https://www.leics.police.uk/police-forces/leicestershire-police/areas/leicestershire-force-content/c/campaigns/2023/walk_away/ Leicestershire Police News Published : 13:00 02/07/2026

An investigation is taking place following a fatal collision in Ellistown – and officers are appealing for anyone with information to come forward. Police were called to Victoria Road just before 6pm yesterday (Wednesday 1 July) following a report of a collision involving a motorcycle and a grey Fiat Ducato horsebox van. The motorcyclist – a man in his 50s – was pronounced dead at the scene. Three people who were in the van were not injured. No arrests were made and enquiries into the incident are continuing. Detective Constable Emma Neeves, from our Serious Collision Investigation Unit (SCIU), said: “We’re working to establish the circumstances of what happened and I’d like to speak to anyone who can help. “I’m appealing for any motorists who witnessed the collision or saw either vehicle beforehand to come forward. I would also ask anyone with a dashcam to get in touch.” You can pass on information by visiting https://www.leics.police.uk/advice/advice-and-information/rs/road-safety/making-a-road-traffic-incident-report/ and quoting reference 26*386206. Alternatively call 101. Leicestershire Police News Published : 10:40 02/07/2026

Baroness Valerie Amos has today (Tuesday 30 June) published the findings of the National Maternity and Neonatal Investigation. This includes an individual report for University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust (UHL) and national recommendations designed to improve maternity and neonatal services across England. We accept the findings of our Trust report and are committed to helping to deliver the national recommendations. Trusts involved were selected based on a range of factors including outcome metrics and patients’ experiences. The process was also designed to ensure a diverse mix of trusts, including variation in case mix, Trust type, geographic coverage and the provision of care to individuals from diverse backgrounds, including consideration of social, economic, and racial inequalities. We know this is a significant moment and want to start by acknowledging that local people from our communities have shared the experiences at the heart of this report. The safety and wellbeing of women, birthing people, babies and families is, and always will be, our highest priority. What the report says UHL is responsible for around 10,000 births per year. Our individual report recognises the dedication of our colleagues, the commitment of our leadership teams and the ongoing improvements are making at UHL. But it also makes clear that families are not yet consistently experiencing the care they need and deserve. Some of you told us your care felt inconsistent, that concerns were not always picked up quickly enough, and that you did not always feel heard or seen. We are deeply sorry for this. You trusted us at some of the most important and vulnerable moments in your lives, and we did not always get it right. We are also sorry to those families who felt they were treated differently because of their ethnicity or cultural background, or who experienced discriminatory comments or behaviour. This should never happen. Discrimination in any form is unacceptable, and we are fully committed to addressing this, alongside continuing to improve cultural awareness so colleagues have the support and confidence to provide inclusive, person‑centred care. The full report and national recommendations are available on the review’s official website. Thank you to everyone who shared their stories and experiences; we recognise how difficult this was. Your voices are already shaping the changes we are making. What we are doing differently We are continuing to do everything we can to make sure that your experience of care is safe, respectful, clear, consistent and responsive. Over recent years, our teams have made improvements, including strengthening how we listen to families, increasing the number of midwives and consultants, improving access through telephone triage, supporting real‑time monitoring of care using a new digital system called Badger Net, and opening a new maternity theatre at the Leicester General Hospital. We have made these changes to making care safer and reduce delays, but we know what matters most is how care feels when you need it. That is what we are focused on improving. Baroness Amos states in the report that clear communication, being kept informed and having their preferences acknowledged, was repeatedly described as a key part of good care. Even when circumstances meant birth plans could not be followed exactly, women and families valued staff who took the time to understand their wishes and respond respectfully, and who explained things step by step and checked in regularly. We aim to ensure every woman and family receives safe, personalised, and equitable care, and every family feels heard, respected and supported. We are committed to listening to women and families, particularly when things go wrong, and ensuring patient voices remain central to our ongoing improvement work. As a result of your feedback, among other initiatives, we are creating more opportunities for you to raise concerns in real time, making sure senior staff are available earlier, supporting our teams to communicate more clearly and compassionately, improving access to interpreters and culturally appropriate care, and working with communities to better understand and address inequalities. Some changes, like improving our buildings, will take longer, but we are committed to this for the long term, including plans for a new women’s and children’s hospital at the Leicester Royal Infirmary as part of the New Hospital Programme. If you have concerns or need support If you are ever worried about the care you are receiving, please speak to your midwife or named consultant. If you would prefer to speak to someone outside your clinical team, you can contact: Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS) Face‑to‑face at Leicester Royal Infirmary (Mon–Fri, 10am–3pm, Balmoral reception near WHSmith) Freephone: 0808 178 8337 Email: uhl-tr.pals@nhs.net Maternity & Neonatal Voices Partnership (MNVP) Email: llricb-llr.beinvolved@nhs.net or MNVP@valonline.org.uk Phone: 0116 257 5050 We will ensure any feedback you give is heard, recognised and acted on. Moving forward together We know this report marks an important milestone for our communities. We are committed to learning from what we have heard and making real, lasting changes. We will keep sharing what we are doing and how things are improving. If you are expecting a baby, we want to reassure you that we are here to listen, to support you, and to care for you safely and compassionately. It is a privilege to care for you, and we are determined to provide the standard of care you deserve. Our learning will continue long after this review and we will continue to work closely with our partners across Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland, as well as regional and national bodies, to ensure that the voices of women, birthing people and families shape and continue to strengthen the services they use. Julie Hogg, Chief Nurse Gang Xu, Medical Director Danni Burnett, Director of Midwifery and Deputy Chief Nurse Jonathan Cusack, Consultant Neonatologist and Clinical Director, Women’s and Children’s University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust News Tuesday 30 June

A man has died following a collision on the M1 on Sunday (28 June). Police were called at 8am following a report of a collision involving a red Ford Focus and grey BMW 5 Series just north of junction 20, for Lutterworth. The driver of the focus – a man in his 60s – was taken to hospital but sadly died yesterday (Tuesday 30 June). The BMW driver, who is also in his 60s, suffered injuries that were not life-threatening or life-changing. An investigation, led by officers from our Serious Collision Investigation Unit (SCIU) is continuing and we are continuing to appeal for anyone who can help to come forward. This includes any motorists with dashcam footage. You can pass on information by visiting https://www.leics.police.uk/advice/advice-and-information/rs/road-safety/making-a-road-traffic-incident-report/ and quoting incident 222 of 28 June. Leicestershire Police News - Published: 14:48 01/07/2026

Hundreds of families supported in last decade by specialist foster team A pioneering fostering support team is celebrating a decade of helping families stay strong in Leicestershire. Established in the summer of 2016, the Dedicated Placement Support Team (DPST) has played a vital role in supporting more than 700 families over the years. The Leicestershire County Council service aims to strengthen relationships by offering practical support to young people in care, foster carers and birth families to ensure placements remain strong, secure and productive. Joss Longman, fostering and adoption service manager and founder of the support team said: "The creation of the DPST was an opportunity to really make a difference for our children and young people by helping them on their road to independence, surrounded by carers and staff who really understood their journey." Now an eight-strong team, the DPST is estimated to have supported hundreds of families with a range of unique challenges. The need for the team came following a review of a large children’s home in Wigston that no longer met local needs. Following consultation, it was agreed that resources from the home would be redirected to a more flexible, family-focused approach. Joss added: “I started my career in residential care the late 1980s. I loved it and have really seen the positive impact it can have.” “However, the practice was very much that residential care was the last stop for these young people, and the opportunity for them to return to any kind of family-based care was minimal.” The team works with young people, in-part, to step them back into foster care or home to birth parents. Speaking of the team’s impact, one birth parent said: “At first, I was very wary about letting support into my life. I found it hard to trust anyone. However, I decided to give it a chance – and I’m so glad I did. “I’ve really valued the team’s help. They’ve supported me with filling out forms, applying for benefits, getting a new cooker, and even accompanied me to a medical appointment. The team has made such a difference in our lives, and we will always be grateful for their kindness, patience, and understanding.” Cllr Charles Pugsley, lead member for children and families said: “Reaching this milestone is a great achievement. The team has worked with hundreds of families who’ve been supported through difficult times with kindness, patience and understanding. “Their work is more than keeping placements going, it’s about building trust, giving people confidence and helping children feel safe and supported. You can see the difference they make in the stories families share.” Those interested in finding out more about the support and guidance the county council offers to its foster carers can find out more by contacting the fostering team on 0116 305 0505, or by emailing fostering@leics.gov.uk (link sends email). Leicestershire County Council News Wednesday, 1 July, 2026

Multiple fire crews from Leicestershire Fire and rescue service are tackling a fire on the fourth floor of Alexandra House on Rutland Street in Leicester in morning. This incident is ongoing, and will cause disruption to motorists and pedestrians in the city centre - please factor this in to your travel plans, and expect delays. Rutland Street and Wimbledon Street is currently closed. A spokesperson for Leicestershire Fir and Rescue service said: "At 10:23am, Leicestershire Fire and Rescue Service received reports of a fire on the fourth floor of Alexandra House on Rutland Street in Leicester. On arrival, they were met with smoke issuing from the fourth floor. "At its height there were six pumps at the scene, including our aerial ladder platform from Birstall Station. Also there were crews from Eastern, Western, Central, Wigston and Shepshed Fire Stations. The incident has now been scaled down. There were no casualties and all occupants have been accounted for." Adding, The fire is believed to have been caused accidentally by an electrical fault, which spread to nearby clothing. Pictures by Leicester Media Online

Cycle into Leicester on Thursday (2 July) and you could tuck into a free fruit breakfast! There’s also the chance to take advantage of a free bike check, and win prizes and rewards. It’s all for Leicester’s Cycle to Work Day, which encourages people to get on their bikes and discover just how easy and enjoyable a pedal-powered commute can be. A programme of events will take place throughout the day on Town Hall Square, starting with a free Bikers’ Breakfast from 8am to 10am. Later, from 12-2pm, a free Dr Bike session will be available – courtesy of Community Cycles - offering basic bike maintenance checks. People who cycle more than half a mile on the day can earn a BetterTicket entry into a prize draw to win a £25 Leicester Gift Card. Additional rewards are available through the BetterPointsapp, where you can earn points every time you walk, cycle or use public transport, and redeem them for treats from retailers, or use them to make donations to your favourite charity. Councillor Geoff Whittle, Leicester City Council’s assistant city mayor for transport and environment, said: “Cycle to Work Day is a great opportunity for people to experience the benefits of cycling, whether they already cycle regularly or are thinking about giving it a try for the first time. “Cycling is a healthy, affordable and environmentally friendly way to travel, and we’re delighted to be able to offer a range of free activities and incentives to encourage more people to get involved.” The day will also highlight Leicester’s free e-bike loan scheme, which allows city residents to borrow an electric bike for a month at no cost. Sign up for an eBike loan scheme on Cycle to Work Day and you can claim 1,000 BetterPoints. For more details, leicester.gov.uk/culture-and-sport/sports-and-leisure/cycle-leicester Leicester City Council News - 01/07/26

Leicester Road in Glen Parva (A426) - is closed in both directions from Red House Road to Dorothy Avenue due to a Road traffic collision this morning. Please avoid the area or find alternative routes. It’s reported that the Air ambulance service is in attendance. This collision involves a motorcyclist. Update. 14:00 Recovery is now taking place. Pictures by Leicester Media Online

The National Space Centre will mark 20 years of its hugely popular Star Wars event with a spectacular weekend celebration on 4–5 July, welcoming more than 100 costumed characters each day from across the iconic franchise. First launched in 2006 after collaboration with the 501st UK Garrison, the event quickly became a standout in the fan calendar. Its inaugural year featured legendary actors Kenny Baker, Dave Prowse, and Jeremy Bulloch — the faces behind R2-D2, Darth Vader, and Boba Fett — and attracted more than 3,000 visitors in a single day. Two decades on, the event has evolved into a fully immersive experience, bringing together an extraordinary community of costuming groups and fans. Today, characters from the entire Star Wars universe — spanning films, television series, comics, games, and books — assemble at the National Space Centre each year, transforming it into a living galaxy far, far away. Special guests include Annabelle and Harrison Davis, both of whom have appeared in Star Wars, alongside acclaimed concept artist Jake Lunt Davies, known for designing fan-favourite characters including Porgs, BB-8 and B2EMO. Illustrator JAKe Detonator, whose work includes How to Speak Wookiee, will also be in attendance. Across the weekend, visitors can take part in an extensive programme of interactive activities. From driving droids and learning lightsaber skills, to creating electronic badges and exploring immersive sets such as a Mandalorian base within the Tetrastar Spaceport, the event offers something for fans of all ages. Guests can also meet characters, take part in a droid hunt, see a special 10th anniversary Rogue One costume exhibition, sit on Emperor Palpatine’s throne, and test their aim with Rebel NERF blasters. With more than 100 characters appearing each day, the event offers one of the most visually spectacular Star Wars gatherings — providing visitors with countless opportunities to step directly into the action. Every event ticket also comes with added value. All visitors will receive a free Annual Pass upgrade, enabling return visits to the National Space Centre throughout the year — although, as one of just five flagship event dates, Annual Passes are not valid for entry on this specific weekend. In addition, a temporary HM Treasury VAT reduction over the summer holidays means ticket prices are currently lower, making this milestone celebration even more accessible. As a registered charity, the National Space Centre relies on events like this to power its wider mission. Every ticket purchased helps fund hands-on education programmes, community outreach initiatives, and the care of the UK’s national space collection. By joining the celebration, visitors are doing more than enjoying an unforgettable weekend — they are helping to inspire future scientists and explorers, ensuring that curiosity, discovery, and opportunity continue to reach far beyond the walls of the Centre. Find out more or book tickets at https://www.spacecentre.co.uk/whats-on/galactic-gathering/

All nine of Leicester’s adventure playgrounds are set to benefit from a share of a new £2 million support fund. City Mayor Peter Soulsby announced the new fund in February 2026. It’s aimed at supporting the city’s play associations as they transition towards making the adventure playgrounds that they operate financially sustainable, without ongoing council funding. The new £2 million fund will provide additional financial support over the next three years to help ensure play associations can continue to offer open access play to local children. Following a process of bidding, all the play associations have been awarded the funding they requested. This will support ongoing costs such as staffing, as well as investment in the playgrounds themselves. In total, almost £1.8 million has been award to the play associations, leaving a contingency of £200,000 to help ensure that the playgrounds themselves can operate even if a play association cannot financially continue. City Mayor Peter Soulsby said: “I have been very impressed by the progress the play associations have made to develop viable business plans and generate new funding. “This new transitional fund will give those associations an extra three years to work towards becoming sustainable and self-funding, and I’m pleased that all nine play associations will benefit and receive the amounts requested . “We are only able to offer this additional support thanks to the Government’s fairer redistribution of funding to areas like Leicester. It has allowed the play associations to put forward some innovative and creative plans for the city ‘s adventure playgrounds which I am confident will put them on good footing for a bright future.” LCC News - Published on Tuesday, June 30, 2026

A 26-year-old man has been charged following a collision on the A46 yesterday morning (Monday 29 June). Niks Rogacs, of Acacia Close, Leicester, has been charged with the following offences and is due to appear at Leicester Magistrates’ Court today (Tuesday): One count of causing serious injury by dangerous driving One count of theft of a motor vehicle One count of using a motor vehicle on a road/public place without third party insurance The charges relate to a collision involving a Mercedes van and BMW 1 Series. The driver of the BMW remains in hospital in a stable condition. Following the collision, the force’s Professional Standards Department was informed, and the incident has been referred to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC). Leicestershire Police News 30/06/26

Leicester's flagship museum is to close for three days this week to allow essential maintenance works to be carried out. Work to improve the museum’s power supply means that Leicester Museum & Art Gallery will be closed on Wednesday 1 July. It will reopen to the public on Saturday 4 July. Assistant city mayor Cllr Vi Dempster said: “These electrical works are an essential part of the museum’s refurbishment, ensuring that the new spaces and galleries we’re creating have a robust and reliable power supply. “By closing the museum for three days, we can complete the works more easily and efficiently. “I do apologise to anyone who was hoping to visit on those dates and look forward to welcoming visitors back to the museum on Saturday 4 July.” A major programme of works is currently under way at Leicester Museum that will deliver a new suite of art galleries on the museum’s ground floor, as well as a new shop, an improved reception area and a new café with an entrance from New Walk. The £7.9m refurbishment is supported by £766,000 from Arts Council England’s Museum Estate and Development Fund. LCC News Published on Monday, June 29, 2026