A jury at Luton Crown Court heard how former Luton Town striker Ricky Miller was "completely wasted" when he got into a taxi to go to a Dunstable nightclub in April.

Image source, Luton Town

The court was told that after an altercation at Pink Punters in Fenny Stratford, 27-year-old Mr Miller got into a pre-paid taxi. He then allegedly launched an attack on the driver in Hockcliffe when he refused to take the footballer and his friend any further.

The jury today cleared him of charges of assault, racially aggravated assault and racially aggravated fear of provocation or violence.

Dani Bailey
BBC Local Live

Former Luton Town striker Ricky Miller has been cleared of assaulting a taxi driver after a night out celebrating with team mates.

Image source, South Beds News Agency

The footballer, 27, of Valence End, Dunstable, pleaded not guilty to charges of assault, racially aggravated assault and racially aggravated fear of provocation or violence.

The jury of seven men and five women cleared him of all charges.

Former Luton Town striker Ricky Miller has been cleared of assaulting and racially abusing a taxi driver after a club dinner.

Dani Bailey
BBC Local Live

A man has been jailed for life for the murder of Anita Kapoor, whose body was found dumped in a Buckinghamshire lay-by in June.

Image source, Thames Valley Police

Navin Mohan, 35, of no fixed abode, was sentenced today at Reading Crown Court. He must serve a minimum of 22 years before parole will be considered.

Anita Kapoor, 34, from Hayes in London, was found on the A413 at Gerrards Cross. She died from "asphyxiation, due to compression of the neck", a post-mortem examination found.

A man has been sentenced to life in prison for the murder of Anita Kapoor in Gerrards Cross in June.

BBC Introducing... in Beds, Herts and Bucks

He's one of the success stories from our BBC Introducing show, and now he's been nominated for three Grammy Awards, external. We are, of course, talking about Hitchin's James Bay, external.

He's up for Best New Artist, Best Rock Song with Hold Back The River, external, and his debut album Chaos And The Calm is nominated for Best Rock Album

In February this year, he won the Brit Award for Critics Choice 2015, external before going on to claim the biggest selling album, external released in 2015 back in September.

A new independent report says more than 10,000 jobs will be created by the planned expansion at London Luton Airport. 

The report, external, commissioned by the airport, also says it will bring in an extra £1 billion annually to the economy. 

Image source, South Beds News Agency

Nicola Haseler
BBC Three Counties

Councillors in Hertfordshire are backing a campaign to tackle council tax fraud, after £400,000 of fraud was identified.

The "Spot the Cheater, external" campaign has led to nearly 500 reports from members of the public since June.

Jane Killick
BBC Three Counties Radio

The headlines this lunchtime:

• A new independent report says more than 10,000 jobs will be created by the planned expansion at London Luton Airport 
• An inquest has been opened into the death of transgender prisoner Eddie Latham who was found hanging by a prison officer at Woodhill prison in Milton Keynes 

Dani Bailey
BBC Local Live

Thames Valley Police say they have taken "significant steps to improve" after a report deemed the force completely unprepared to combat so-called honour crimes.

Image source, PA

Frontline officers have received training to "recognise the signs of honour based violence" and the force is working with charity Karma Nirvana, external to "deliver in depth training to those in specialist protection roles", they say.

Thames Valley was one of three out of 43 forces not to pass any key tests as part of an HMIC examination.

Milton Keynes Citizen

Pressure is building on MK Council to reverse its decision, external to shrink more than a quarter of the city’s parking spaces.

Sally Chidzoy
BBC Look East home affairs correspondent

An inquest has been opened after a transgender prisoner was discovered dead in a cell at an all-male prison in Milton Keynes.

Image source, South Beds News Agency

When asked if Eddie Latham, also known as Joanne, 38, had a serious intention to change gender, Woodhill prison officer Debbie Glyde said she could not say because "he went through phases".

The prisoner had been in the early stages of changing gender. The BBC understands relatives have requested the male name of Eddie is used at the inquest.

Sally Chidzoy
BBC Look East home affairs correspondent

An inquest has been opened into the death of transgender prisoner Eddie Latham who was found hanging by a prison officer at HMP Woodhill in Milton Keynes. 

Also known as Joanne Latham, the prisoner, 38, had been serving life for three attempted murders when she died last Friday.

Image source, Google

Coroner Tom Osborne adjourned the case. A pre-inquest hearing will be held on 2 February. 

Geoff Doyle
BBC Three Counties Radio sport

Wycombe's reward for their good win at Millwall is a home tie against Aston Villa. The Chairboys will be delighted with that draw, with a big crowd expected at Adams Park for the visit of Remi Garde's struggling side. 

Watford are at home to a fellow Premier League side in the shape of Newcastle, who they beat in the North East earlier this season in the league. 

MK Dons have a short away trip to Northampton, who are going well in League Two.

Wycombe Wanderers manager Gareth Ainsworth says he's "really happy with" the third round draw of the FA Cup, where the club will face Premier League Aston Villa at home.

"The boys deserve their chance to have a shot at Premier League opposition and I'm sure it'll be a fantastic occasion at Adams Park," Ainsworth said in a statement on the club's website, external.

Image source, Getty Images

Simon Oxley
BBC Three Counties Radio

The stories we're looking at:

• A man will be sentenced today formurdering a womanand dumping her body in a Buckinghamshire lay-by
• Thames Valley Police is completely unprepared tocombat so-called honour-based crimes, according to a report out this morning
• Councillors in Hertfordshire are backing a campaign to tackle council tax fraud, after £400,000 of fraud was identified 

A man will be sentenced today for murdering a woman and dumping her body in a Buckinghamshire lay-by.

Image source, Thames Valley Police

Navin Mohan (picutred), 35, of no fixed abode, was found guilty at Reading Crown Court yesterday of killing 34-year-old Anita Kapoor.

Miss Kapoor from Uxbridge was killed in June this year. Her body was found by a lorry driver in a lay-by off the A413 Amersham road in Gerrards Cross.

Thames Valley Police, which covers Buckinghamshire and Milton Keynes, is completely unprepared to combat so-called honour-based crimes, according to a report out this morning. 

Image source, Thinkstock

Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary examined police tactics for identifying and stopping forced marriages and female genital mutilation.

Thames Valley was one of three out of 43 forces not to pass any key tests.

Firefighters have tackled a blaze at a coffee shop in Bedford this morning, which was caused by a dishwasher.

Crews were called to the Love Coffee shop on the ground floor of the Harpur Centre just before 06:00. Nobody was injured in the incident.

Image source, Google

A Bedford councillor says "enough is enough" when it comes to selling alcohol on a street in the town, after the borough council approved another licence.

Conservative David Fletcher says the council are trying to help those with problems, but there are now 15 premises selling alcohol.

Residents in the Midland Road area are also demanding action, claiming the road is plagued by street drinking, drug taking and crime.