Craig Lewis
BBC News

The former-Liberal Democrat councillor who will be considered for one of the highest honours bestowed by Milton Keynes Council tonight spoke about his decision to allow a rapist to drive in the new city.

Speaking in 2014, external, Stuart Burke said people who weren't in the room at the time the committee he chaired decided to lift a suspension on rapist Nadeem Kiani's taxi licence in 2012 would "just look at the paperwork, and go, well, he's guilty."

"You haven't heard his defence... his remorse," he said.

"Anyone in those meetings could tell he was (remorseful). That did play with us.

"I don't want to justify the decision. In hindsight it is not justifiable."

Craig Lewis
BBC News

A former councillor who presided over a decision to lift a suspension on a taxi driver who had a conviction for rape said he "regretted" allowing Nadeem Ahmed Kiani to drive in Milton Keynes.

Image source, MK LIb Dems

Stuart Burke (pictured) could now be made an Alderman by Milton Keynes Council, one of the highest honours given out by the local authority.

Kiani had been granted a licence in 2011, but it had been suspended after Thames Valley Police provided Milton Keynes Council with more information - including that he and an accomplice had taken turns to rape and sexually assault prostitutes, external, while threatening them with weapons, in London in 1994.

Armed with these extra details, Mr Burke and the licensing committee, of which he was chairman, made the decision to allow Kiani to continue to work as a taxi driver.

Speaking in 2014, external after the council had retrospectively revoked Kiani's licence and he had resigned as committee chairman, Mr Burke said: "I regret what I did. I'm glad nothing happened.

"The only saving grace is he didn't do anything wrong in his time as a taxi driver."

Liberal Democrat Mr Burke lost his Shenley Brook End seat in 2015 after 16 years as a councillor.

Kate Bradbrook
BBC Look East

A statement has been released this afternoon by the Central Bedfordshire Local Safeguarding Children Board, following the inquest into the death of Autumn Gooch. 

It describes the case as a "tragedy" and says it has "commissioned an independent and comprehensive review". 

Image source, Central Bedfordshire Local Safeguarding Children Board

Kate Bradbrook
BBC Look East

The mother of Autumn Gooch, the toddler who died at her home in Maulden last year, told Ampthill Crown Court she thought her parenting was "alright", and that regular visits from social workers made it "stronger".

When asked by coroner Martin Oldham if she believed she needed help in bringing up Autumn, who she described as a "bouncy, loving girl", she replied "no".

She also denied having any failings as a mother, having a drink problem or using illegal drugs including cannabis.

When asked if she thought the agreement put in place by the Family Court - requiring social services to make daily visits to check Autumn's welfare - was necessary, she said: "I thought I was doing a good job anyway."

Ms Gooch also told the Central Bedfordshire Council barrister that Autumn had never suffered any fit or seizure.

Her brother, Darren Gooch, asked her "how can you carry on lying?" To which she replied: "I have told the truth."

The coroner returned an open verdict.

Kate Bradbrook
BBC Look East

The mother of 19-month-old Autumn Gooch, the toddler who died at her home in Maulden in April 2015, gave evidence earlier at the inquest into her death.

Nikki Gooch told coroner Martin Oldham that on the day Autumn died she had got up at 07:00 with her daughter, gave her breakfast, watched TV and then put her back to bed for a nap.

She said she checked on the child twice, the second time she heard a bump and found her asleep by the baby gate so she put her back to bed.

The third time she checked, at about 14:00, she found her unresponsive, "hanging over the bed face down".

Ms Gooch said she tried to breathe up her nose and in her mouth for "about five minutes, and then I knew she had gone".  She said she spoke to her mum on the phone and then called an ambulance.

The coroner at the inquest into the death of Autumn Gooch has returned an open verdict.

Martin Oldham described the 19-month-old's care as "chaotic".

He said Central Bedfordshire Council sought to support the family, deploying every resource, and she was found dead in her bedroom.

More to follow.

Alex Pope
BBC Local Live

Praise has been handed out to members of the Co-op Luton Bowls club, and their Datchworth opponents, by the Herts Air Ambulance.

A helicopter was forced to land on their bowling green yesterday afternoon after they attended a road crash on Stockingstone Road.

The charity says they handed out refreshments to the "hot and thirsty aircrew", and also donated £70.

Image source, Herts Air Ambulance

Alex Pope
BBC Local Live

A Luton bowls match was delayed and had to re-locate after an air ambulance landed on the green yesterday afternoon.

The chopper was forced to touch down on the Co-Op Luton Bowls Club, after a downdraught meant it couldn't land at the nearby sports ground car park.

A man in his 50s who was injured in a road crash was taken to a major trauma centre after suffering serious head injuries. His condition was described as stable.

Image source, Sandridge Docks

A spokesman for the club said the helicopter slightly damaged the rink, but the match resumed later on another green.

"It takes a lot to stop a bowls match," he said.

A one-year-old boy died when he was hit by a vehicle in a Buckinghamshire village, police say.

Jane Killick
BBC Three Counties Radio

A woman has died following a three-vehicle crash on the A404 Marlow Bypass on Monday afternoon, police have said, external.

A silver Honda Accord, a blue VW Beetle and a silver VW Sharan collided at about 13:30.

The vehicles were all travelling southbound, towards Marlow.

The driver of the VW Beetle, a 43-year-old woman, was taken to the John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford, but died of her injuries.

BBC Weather

The September heatwave looks set to continue for the next two days in Beds, Bucks and Herts, with the East set to enjoy the UK's highest temperatures. 

Highs of 30C (86F) are expected today, and temperatures of 28C (82F) tomorrow.

Alex Pope
BBC Local Live

A motorcyclist has been left with life-threatening injuries after a crash with a car in Luton yesterday. 

Bedfordshire Police says a car collided with a motorbike at about 19:15, on Leagrave High Street, outside the Jet petrol station. 

The woman was taken to hospital.

Image source, Google

Lee Agnew
BBC Three Counties Radio

A 39-year-old man from St Albans has been remanded in custody after being charged with attempted murder.

Police were called to a flat in Townsend Avenue just after midnight on Tuesday morning. A 45-year-old man was found with a number of stab wounds. He was taken to hospital, where he's in a serious condition. 

The charged man appeared before Hatfield Remand Court and is due to appear at St Albans Crown Court on 14 October.

Kate Bradbrook
BBC Look East

Autumn Gooch's family support worker has also been telling Ampthill Coroner's Court about her concerns over the family.

Helen McCarey said a lot of support was given to the family, at first three times a week and by the end it was every day.

She said the household conditions had deteriorated. "Milk was left in bottles for days", she said, and on one occasion she picked up 10 bottles from the floor.

Ms McCarey said that Autumn's mother, Nikki Gooch, did not take advice given by professionals and "always had an excuse for not doing things".

"She didn't show affection, I had to show her how to play with Autumn," she said.

There was also concern over the amount of alcohol use by both Ms Gooch and Autumn's father, Craig Macdonald.

A man is arrested after a pregnant woman lost her baby when she was kicked and fell to the ground.

Deborah McGurran
BBC Political editor, East of England

A Conservative MEP for the East of England, who supported Britain remaining in the EU, has told the European Commission to "calm down".

Vicky Ford warned Jean-Claude Juncker to "take time to get Brexit right", as he made his annual State of the Union Speech today. 

Mrs Ford said: "If we are forced to rip the UK out of the single market with no long-term plan then economies across all of Europe will suffer.

"Negotiators on both sides of the English Channel need to take time to get this right."

Kate Bradbrook
BBC Look East

I'm back at Ampthill Coroners Court for the second day of the inquest into the death of 19-month-old Autumn Gooch, who died at her home in Maulden, Bedfordshire, in April 2015.

We've been hearing from family support worker Helen McCarey, who conducted regular visits to check on Autumn's welfare and last saw her on the Friday before her death. 

Ms McCarey told the court that on that visit the child's mother, Nikki Gooch, had told her she planned to put Autumn up for adoption, but the support worker wasn't sure how much of whatever she said was true.

She told the court Ms Gooch had also made comments to her about having drugs in the house and smoking cannabis, but said she "would say things to shock, like she wanted the attention".

Katy Lewis
BBC Local Live

A 37-year-old man from Milton Keynes has been arrested in connection with a "racially aggravated assault" on a 34-year-old pregnant woman.

The attack happened in Water Eaton Road, in Bletchley, on 6 August. 

Police say the woman was attacked after "racial remarks" were shouted at her, and was kicked in the torso. She was taken to Milton Keynes hospital but lost her baby. 

The man remains in police custody, having been arrested on suspicion of racially aggravated assault.

A man has been arrested in connection with what police described as a "racially aggravated assault" in Bletchley, where a pregnant woman lost her baby.

Thames Valley Police takes the crime of hare coursing seriously, but not so much when it's legal pigeon shooting.