The efforts of an off-duty officer have led to a man being jailed for stealing hundreds of pounds from an elderly woman. At Leicester Crown Court on Friday (20 May), Michael Elkerton, of no fixed address, was sentenced to five years and three months in prison after he pleaded guilty to the burglary. He was caught after Sergeant Dave Gott spotted the 39-year-old acting suspiciously while out walking in Asfordby, Melton Mowbray, during the evening of Monday 4 April. After observing him exiting the grounds of the church in Church Lane, Sgt Gott – who is part of the Dedicated Neighbourhood Team (DNT) in Melton, contacted the police control room. Just a few minutes prior, a call had been received to report a burglary at an address nearby - around a 15-minute walk away. The victim - a woman in her 90s, had around £300 in cash and her bank card stolen from her home. Officers were immediately deployed to the area. While they were on route, Sgt Gott saw the defendant enter a nearby pub. A short time later Elkerton noticed police outside and ran from the back entrance of the pub in a bid to escape. He was chased by Sgt Gott and a number of officers on duty, before being arrested in Whitlock Way by a fellow officer from the DNT. Following Elkerton’s arrest, he was searched and found with the cash and the victim’s bank card. Sgt Gott said: “It was just by chance I was out walking in the area where Elkerton had just committed the offence. “When I saw him acting suspiciously near the village church, it immediately stuck me that something wasn’t quite right. I called the force control room and officers were sent to the area. “Once Elkerton was aware police were nearby he tried to escape but after a short chase he was apprehended. I’m glad that thanks to the efforts of all of the officers involved on the night and the subsequent investigation, justice has now been served.” DC Natasha Perkins, who was in charge of the investigation, said: “Elkerton entered the premises uninvited and stole cash from the elderly woman. “It’s thanks to Sgt Gott we were able to arrest him so quickly after the offence and Elkerton has now been sentenced for his crime.” Leicestershire Police News

Officers are appealing for witnesses after a fire caused extensive damage to a pavilion in Leicester yesterday evening (Monday 23 May). The pavilion at Rushey Fields Bowling Club in Harrison Road was broken into sometime between 6pm and 7pm and bowling equipment was set alight which then caused extensive damage to the building. The previous evening (Sunday 22 May) the pavilion was broken into and officers are looking into whether both incidents may be linked. Anyone who witnessed either incident or saw anyone acting suspiciously in the area over the last two evenings is asked to contact PC 865 Gary Roberts on 101 or via www.leics.police.uk, quoting crime number 22*295126.

Having previously financed and sent fifty trucks full of aid into Ukraine, total supply chain solutions specialist Oakland International focussed its efforts on packing up to 20,000 boxes full of food daily from their Leicestershire depot in Bardon equivalent to 10 full articulated trucks being dispatched to the Polish Ukraine border every day. Led by the Ukrainian ambassador to the UK and his embassy team and co-ordinated by the CBI and fuelled by the Mail Force appeal, each box is individually packed at Bardon and contains 12,000 calories, which represents a week’s supply of food, and once packed and loaded on to trucks takes less than a week to reach Ukraine. The cost of assembling, packing and delivering the first 500,000 boxes across a continent, has been shared between the Ukrainian embassy in London, via the website www.withukraine.org and the Daily Mail’s Mail Force charity. Oakland International Co-Founder and Group CEO Dean Attwell commented: “We have over the last few weeks teamed up with the Ukrainian embassy, CBI, Accenture, Smurfit Kappa, Morrisons and a number of other key partners to trial a new initiative of food boxes which contains enough food for a week for our Ukraine friends who have either been displaced, stranded or who are on the frontline. “Coupled with monies from the Ukrainian embassy to fund 500,000 additional food boxes, all packed and delivered by the end of May from our Bardon depot, we are delighted to have now received support from the Daily Mail, Mail on Sunday and the Mail Force appeal.” The Ukrainian government has the mammoth task of keeping its population supplied with food and water when all forms of ordinary, civilian life remain under attack. Amongst many, large donations have also been made by SPAR UK and Bidfood, and over 260 pallets of public aid were collected in March via Oakland’s Redditch a drop-off centre, which was set up and managed by Dean’s 17-year-old son Samuel. “Raising funds and filling boxes in the East Midlands for delivery to the Ukrainian border is one thing but it is the heroic drivers, truck and train crews delivering these boxes during the final stage of this extreme journey who are risking their lives to ensure that every bag of pasta and every tin of kidney beans ends up in the right place. “This has been a massive team effort from all involved to make this happen. A huge thank you to our team members who are pulling out all the stops and our sincere thanks to Taras Krykun, the Deputy Ambassador of Ukraine to the UK, who has been a massive supporter of this initiative from the very outset.” said Dean. The fundraising campaign is continuing with the support from the Mail Force appeal and throughwww.withUkraine.org so all help and fundraising in support of this initiative is hugely appreciated. Oakland International is currently working on a new initiative which will be announced shortly that will give thousands of businesses, schools and communities the opportunity to participate in this monumental challenge. Added Dean: “By providing complete food boxes we make the whole process much easier, and importantly safer for the Ukrainian people who still need to collect food, but as one food box contains enough food to feed a person for seven days, it also helps to reduce the amount of time people need to be outside and therefore their risk of exposure to attack.”

There's lots going on in Leicester during the half-term break – with many activities free of charge. From Saturday (28 May), young children will be able to join the magical world of Peter Rabbit at Newarke Houses Museum. Little ones will be able to crawl under Mr McGregor’s garden gate and hide in a watering can, just like the famous bunny in the book. Admission to The World of Peter Rabbit™ Storytime Trail – which will be open every day until 24 July – is free of charge. Places are still available on a clay-modelling fun day, also at Newarke Houses Museum, where children aged five and over can have a go at making clay animals. Rabbits Galore takes place on Saturday (28 May) but places must be booked in advance at leicestermuseums.org/RabbitsGalore. A £3 charge applies. International street art festival Bring the Paint provides lots of ideas for the weekend, with an augmented reality Whizwall at the LCB Depot on Saturday (28 May) and the RedBull Skate Park at Graffwerk’s HQ on Frog Island, also on Saturday (28 May). Details and further ideas are available at bringthepaint.co.uk All the fantastic Bring the Paint murals can be enjoyed on a bike, with a free, family-friendly led ride at 1pm on both Saturday and Sunday (28-29 May). Booking is essential and places can be reserved by emailing register@letsride.co.uk The guided rides start at the Town Hall Bike Park. The cycling theme continues on Saturday (28 May) at the Leicester Cycle Circuit at New Colllege, where Bike Fest will give people of all ages and abilities the chance to have a spin on the track free of charge. Pack up a picnic and borrow one of the free bikes for a fun afternoon, or bring along your own bike. No booking required – just drop in between 1pm and 4pm. Access to the circuit is via the St Oswald’s Road entrance. Open Streets returns to Leicester city centre on Sunday (29 May), with guided walks, an extreme mountain biking display and rickshaw rides. Activities will take place in Town Hall Square and Green Dragon Square, where families will also be able to have a go on the climbing wall. The fun runs from 1pm-4pm. Other ideas for half-term include a trip to Leicester Museum & Art Gallery on New Walk, where a new interactive feature in the Dinosaur Gallery helps bring fossils from the museum’s collection to life – while ‘I Grew Up 80s’ offers a nostalgic look back that children of all ages will enjoy. Admission is free. Also happening all week at Leicester’s King Richard III Visitor Centre is the chance to have ‘An Appointment with the Apothecary’, who has a cure for everything – although the weird and wonderful ingredients that went into medieval medicines won’t be to everyone’s taste... The apothecary will be offering his wisdom at the visitor centre from Saturday 28 May until Sunday 5 June. Admission to the visitor centre is £25 for a family ticket (two adults, two children), but the ticket allows you to visit as many times as you like for a whole year. Also taking place during half-term are dozens of events to celebrate the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee. Newarke Houses Museum hosts some Jubilee Fun from 11am to 3pm on Monday (30 May), with a day of drop-in activities for young children. A £3 charge, payable on the door, applies for craft activities. On Tuesday (31 May), the Abbey Pumping Station marks the occasion with a Jubilee Railway Day. Leonard the Locomotive and Peter the Diesel will be in action, with trips on the narrow gauge railway costing 50p (cash only), and youngsters can enjoy playing ‘Pin the Jewel on the Crown’ or pretend to be royalty and take a selfie on the museum’s ‘throne’! Bring a Jubilee picnic and drop in any time between 12 noon to 4pm. Belgrave Hall’s beautiful garden is the venue for a family-friendly Jubilee Garden Party on Wednesday (1 June). Children will be able to make a decoration for the Jubilee, create their own crown, and search for nature’s reds, whites and blues in Belgrave Hall’s gardens. Activities cost £3 per child (cash only). Bring a picnic and drop in from 11am to 3pm. Getting the extended bank holiday weekend off to a flying start is a special event in Jubilee Square, celebrating The Queen’s 70-year reign. From 6.30pm on Wednesday (1 June), a live show will bring some of Leicestershire’s finest performers together for a Jubilee party. At 19:52 – the time chosen to mirror the year The Queen came to the throne – local dance troupes will take to the stage to showcase the dance styles of the last 70 years. A contemporary routine will bring the dancing to a close at 20:22, with a big finale promising to get everyone singing and dancing in Jubilee Square. Dance for The Queen is free of charge and everyone is welcome. The following day (Thursday 2 June), there’s a chance to see a special Jubilee film at Abbey Pumping Station. Cinematographer Rob Foxton has edited footage from The Queen’s coronation in 1953 and the Royal Tour of the Commonwealth to create a 40-minute film that will be shown in the pumping station’s small cinema. The Jubilee Moving Picture Show will be shown at 12 noon, 1pm, 2pm and 3pm. A very limited number of seats are available so please reserve your place, free of charge, by calling 0116 299 5111 or by emailing aps@leicester.gov.uk There are also lots more Jubilee events taking place in local libraries and neighbourhood centres, including a Jubilee afternoon tea at the St Matthew’s Centre on Monday (30 May), a Big Jubilee Party with The Spark Arts at the Pork Pie Library & Community Centre on Tuesday (31 May), which will be repeated at St Barnabas Library on Wednesday (1 June), and an afternoon of Jubilee fun at the African Caribbean Centre – featuring 1950s fancy dress – on Saturday 4 June. There will also be a Jubilee Treasure Hunt at Beaumont Leys Library at 11am each morning from 28 May to 4 June. Details of all these special events, and many more, can be found at leicester.gov.uk/PlatinumJubilee There’s an air of celebration in Leicester’s parks too, with free Jubilee concerts in three parks on Sunday 5 June at 3pm . Enjoy the big brass sound of the Enderby Concert Brass Band on Western Park, the Ratby Co-operative Band on Abbey Park, and the New Orleans Hotshot Jazz Band on Victoria Park. All three run from 3pm-4pm. Jubilee celebrations and the half-term break come to an end on a high, with the return of Leicester’s popular Riverside Festival. Live music, boat trips, arts and crafts, and food & drink stalls will provide everything for a great family day out. The fun starts at midday and continues until 7pm on Saturday (4 June), and until 5pm on Sunday (5 June). For more ideas for things to do in Leicester this half-term, go to vistleicester.info and leicester.gov.uk/PlatinumJubilee Leicester city council news

Five men who were charged with the murder of Raju Modhwadia have been found not guilty after the case was dismissed in court. Mr Modhwadia, 41, who was also known as Kara Muru, died after being found with significant stab wound injuries in the street in Evington Road, Leicester, near the junction with Hamilton Street, during the early hours of Monday 27 December. Today (Monday), Leicester Crown Court heard that a thorough police investigation had been ongoing since Mr Modhwadia’s death and the Crown Prosecution Service had thoroughly reviewed the entirety of evidence. From this review, a decision has been made, in accordance with the Crown Prosecutor’s duty, that there is insufficient evidence to proceed with the case at court. The five defendants were formally arraigned and each entered not guilty pleas for murder. The Crown formally offered no evidence and the judge HHJ Spencer QC returned verdicts of not guilty against all the defendants. Police and the Crown Prosecution Service have informed the family of Mr Modhwadia. The police investigation into the death of Mr Modhwadia remains ongoing. If you have any information in relation to the death of Mr Modhwadia, it is not too late to speak with police. You can contact us by reporting online at www.leics.police.uk or by calling 101. Alternatively you can report to Crimestoppers anonymously by calling 0800 555 111 or visiting www.crimestoppers-uk.org

A man who violently attacked his partner in two separate incidents has been jailed for five years and six months. David Smith subjected his girlfriend at the time to two ‘horrendous ordeals’ – one on 3 January and the second on 8 March. Both incidents occurred inside his flat in Granby Drive, Bottesford. On both occasions the victim was punched and kicked multiple times, causing a cut lip and bruising and swelling to many areas of her body. Following a thorough investigation, the 42-year-old was charged with two counts of actual bodily harm (ABH). He pleaded guilty to both offences and was sentenced at Leicester Crown Court on Wednesday 18 May to a total of five years and six months. He was also placed on an indefinite restraining order banning any form of contact with the victim. DC James Piskula from the force’s dedicated Domestic Abuse Investigation Unit, said: “Smith carried out two violent and vicious attacks on his partner, one of which lasted for more than two hours. “These horrendous ordeals left her with significant bruising and swelling to her face, head and many other parts of her body. “Thankfully the victim suffered no long-term physical injuries and felt able to speak out and seek help. I am pleased Smith has admitted carrying out these crimes and the victim now has the justice and hopefully the closure she deserves. “I would urge anyone who is currently suffering at the hands of a partner to reach out and get the help and support to put a stop to the abuse. “Our dedicated team of specialists officers are here to listen to you and guide you through the process of reporting domestic-related abuse. “Anyone can also get independent advice and support through FreeVA – a charity that works towards reducing domestic violence in Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland.” Anyone wanting to report a crime can call 101 or in an emergency 999. FreeVA’s helpline is 0808 802 0028 or visit www.freeva.org.uk

Councillor Dr Kevin Feltham has become the new chairman of Leicestershire County Council – the 47th person to hold the post. Kevin was confirmed in the top civic role at today’s (Weds) council annual meeting. He was first elected to the county council in 2001 to represent the East Gartree Division, which became the Gartree Division in 2005. The long-serving former cabinet member is now in his sixth term as a county councillor. Kevin has served as chairman of Kibworth Harcourt Parish Council since 2014 as well as being a member of Kibworth Beauchamp Parish Council. He has lived in the Kibworths for more 35 years and is an active member of the community including his local Anglican Church. Kevin is a retired clinical scientist and grew up on a family farm in Lincolnshire but was educated in Leicestershire and Rutland. He obtained a degree in Microbiology at the University of Surrey before coming back to Leicestershire to study for his PhD in Microbial Systematics at the University of Leicester. He has worked in hospital laboratory computing all over the UK for much of his working life. Kevin has chosen Leicestershire, Leicester & Rutland Headway and The Well, Kibworth as the charities he will be supporting during his year in office. Headway is a brain injury association, while The Well is a Christian-based charity, open to everyone. It operates a café, charity shop, foodbank and community centre which offers practical support to anyone who needs it within the Kibworths and surrounding villages. "I am very pleased to be taking up the role of chairman this year and I look forward to serving the county to the best of my ability. Previous chairmen have done excellent work over the years, including for charity, and I look forward to continuing this work in my term of office. I have chosen Headway and The Well as my charities for this year. I have seen the excellent work Headway does with a friend who is recovering from a brain tumour and am very happy that I will be able to support that work in a small way. Equally, The Well in Kibworth supports truly worthy causes, including through its foodbank and community centre, and I’m delighted to be able to support another charity so close to my heart." Councillor Kevin Feltham, Chairman of Leicestershire County Council Councillor Dan Harrison, who has served as chairman during the last civic year, will be the council vice-chairman for 2022/23. Leicestershire County Council News

Offer gives county residents the opportunity to reduce their energy costs. People could save on energy bills and help cut carbon emissions by investing in solar panels through a new group-buying scheme. Solar Together Leicestershire helps people looking to make an investment in solar panels for their house and battery storage systems for a reduced rate. Residents can register their interest for free and find more information on the Solar Together website. People who register will be entered into an auction, where solar panel suppliers compete by offering the lowest rate for installation. The more people who register, the lower the price can be. Solar Together, run by group buying firm iChoosr, then provides those signed up with a free, no obligation offer from the successful energy supplier. A personal recommendation will be emailed out with information on the winning solar panel installer, the proposed system, costs, and savings ready for residents to make their choice. Blaby District Council is leading on the campaign in partnership with Charnwood Borough Council, Harborough District Council, Hinckley and Bosworth Borough Council, Leicestershire County Council, Melton Borough Council, North West Leicestershire District Council and Oadby and Wigston Borough Council. Leicestershire County Council has declared a climate emergency and committed to work with others to achieve net zero carbon across the county by 2045 and the scheme is one part of reaching that goal. Big drops in business mileage and energy use mean that Leicestershire County Council has cut its own emissions by almost 75 per cent and is currently on track to become carbon neutral by 2030. A new consultation about how Leicestershire can become a net zero county by 2045 has also launched – residents, businesses and others can comment on the net zero strategy and action plan until July 26.

Library members will be able to access library buildings and services out of hours in a trial scheme being launched at two city libraries. Library Plus has just launched at Knighton and Evington libraries. It means people will be able to access both libraries before and after standard staffed opening hours, from Monday to Friday. The Library Plus trial has been developed to provide better access to library services. Customers will be able to visit the two libraries before and after their daytime activities at times which suit them best. Access will be through a member’s library card and PIN. They will be able to scan their card at a card reader, and then enter their PIN for access to the building. Anyone who wants to take part in the trial will need to take part in an induction, and they must be 16 or over. Children will be allowed into the library out of hours, but they will need to be accompanied by an adult (18+) who has taken part in the induction process. Customers will be able to borrow and return books, use the public computers and wifi, and use the study desks. Monitored CCTV coverage will be in place, and if there are any problems, an emergency phoneline will be available for customers to talk to the library access team. Heating, lighting and building alarms will be controlled by the Library Plus access system. Assistant city mayor Cllr Kirk Master said: “The aim of the trial is to make best use of the two libraries by providing self-service access to services outside of staffed hours. The trial will not include any changes to standard staffed opening hours. “We know how much people value our library services, so we want to make them available to people as much as possible. It’s about adding to what we currently offer.” Customers over 16 years old can sign up to Library Plus self-access by contacting Evington or Knighton libraries by phone (0116 221 1286 for Evington; 0116 299 5477 for Knighton) or in person to request an induction. Find out more about Leicester’s libraries, the range of services on offer and how to join at www.leicester.gov.uk/libraries

Police are appealing for information after a two-year-old boy was reported to have fallen from a flat window in Frog Island, Leicester, this afternoon. Officers were contacted at 4.49pm today (Saturday) by the East Midlands Ambulance Service who were attending to the boy who was reported to have fallen outside from a second-storey window of a flat at Aadams Apartments, Frog Island. The boy was taken to hospital. Fortunately, his injuries are not believed to be life-threatening or life-changing. (This video has sound) A 23-year-old woman, of Leicester, has been arrested on suspicion of neglect. She currently remains in police custody. Officers remain at the scene carrying out enquiries to establish the full circumstances of the incident. As part of enquiries, officers are appealing to anyone with any information, who has not spoken with police to make contact. Detective Inspector Mike Chandler said: “We have been speaking with a number of people following the incident as we continue to establish the full circumstances regarding what has happened. “If you were in the area this afternoon, please think back to anything you saw which could help our enquiries. If you have any information, please make contact with us.” You can report online at www.leics.police.uk or call 101 quoting incident 461 of 21 May.

Leicester Riverside Festival returns on the first weekend in June. Spread over four areas this free two-day festival features fun on and off the water. Bede Park will feature family activities including a fun fair, food stalls, arts & crafts, beer tent, acoustic music stage and lots of join in activities, whilst on the Piazza area our large music stage will feature great live bands and music for all ages. Western Boulevard sees the return of the hugely popular street market with arts, crafts, tasty street food plus the Ride Leicester cycling area. River Soar & Mile Straight hosts the colourful narrow boat rally, boat trips, canoes, boat rides, demonstrations and the opportunity to view and buy work from local artists at Art on The River. Castle Gardens includes children's activities with an eco and environmental focus. It's sure to be one of the best waterside festivals in the country and a fun-packed weekend not to be missed! For more information https://www.visitleicester.info/whats-on/riverside-festival-p704771 Download the Festival Guide for all the upcoming events

Leicester’s new Lord Mayor has been handed the chains of office in a ceremony at the city’s Town Hall. Councillor George Cole, who represents the city’s Western Ward, has become Leicester’s new Lord Mayor, and in doing so has also become the city’s first Black African Caribbean Lord Mayor. Born in Kingston, Jamaica, Councillor Cole came to England in 1964, settling in the UK and becoming a British Citizen. He left school aged 15 with no academic qualifications, but relied on his self-belief to improve himself, eventually going on to study for a degree and becoming a principal computer design engineer. He later progressed to a principal systems design engineer, gaining chartered engineer status, followed by nearly 30 years as a senior university lecturer. During this time, he has also been a radio presenter and producer, has run his own businesses and became a magistrate. In addition to his role as a city councillor, he has also contributed to the community in many ways as a volunteer, with roles including chair of the African Heritage Alliance, an organisation established to address the inequalities experienced by the African heritage community due to racism. Cllr Cole is married with two children. As Lord Mayor of Leicester, he will be supported throughout the year by his wife Denese and daughter Serenah, and will champion the work of the Sickle Cell Society. He takes over the role from the previous Lord Mayor of Leicester, Cllr Deepak Bajaj, whose term of office ran from 2021-2022. Cllr Cole’s Deputy Lord Mayor will be Cllr Luis Fonseca, while Cllr Bajaj will follow tradition in taking up the role of High Bailiff. In addition, Cllr Cole has chosen five spiritual advisors to support him during his term of office, including Bishop Joel Haye of New Testament Church of God; Pastor Michael Baker of the Seventh Day Adventists; Bishop Marvin Hector from Shiloh Pentecostal Fellowship; Pastor Adetunji Lawal of the Winners Chapel International, and Ras Aanum Abeng from Nabingi Church. Cllr Cole said: “I’m very much looking forward to serving the city as its Lord Mayor, and this next phase of what life has in store. “I remember leaving school at 15 with the words of the teachers ringing in my ears, that I’d never pass an exam in 100 years, but my life has been about finding myself and being motivated to better myself. “I am also committed to working with the African Heritage Alliance, to help tackle the sort of issues which have fuelled the Black Lives Matter movement, and which still underlie so many issues in society today. “I have always believed you are as young as you feel, and I hope to bring that enthusiasm and energy to this role, which is a great honour.”