Summary

  • Updates for Friday, 6 January 2017

  • Man arrested on suspicion of murder after Letchworth 'domestic incident' death

  • 'No legal proceedings' over Singhbury's Local sign

  • Anguish for family after mother is diagnosed with Alzheimer’s at 36

  • Large cars could be banned from using Buckinghamshire bridge

  • Wycombe's Scott Kashket named Player of the Month

  1. That's all for todaypublished at 18:00 Greenwich Mean Time 5 January 2017

    Sarah Jenkins
    BBC Local Live

    Thanks for your company.

    We'll be back from 08:00 tomorrow with the latest news, travel, weather and sport updates, but any breaking news will be posted here overnight.

    Before we go, here's a lovely picture from one of our BBC Weather Watchers.

    Moon in Sharnbrook
  2. Weather: Cold and foggy overnightpublished at 17:33 Greenwich Mean Time 5 January 2017

    Alex Dolan
    BBC Look East weather

    There's a chance of an isolated shower near the coast, but otherwise it'll stay dry but damp in places across the BBC East region.

    There will be a widespread frost with mist and freezing fog patches overnight as the temperature dips to a minimum of -2C (28F), but it will be warmer towards the coast.

    Weather map for BBC East

    Friday will see freezing fog gradually lifting, although it may linger throughout the morning.  

    Some bright spells developing, but turning cloudier through the day with the chance of patchy rain later and high of 4-6C (39-43F).

    There are more details for where you are on the BBC Weather website.

  3. Man not guilty of Mark Altabas murderpublished at 17:29 Greenwich Mean Time 5 January 2017

    A man is found not guilty of murdering Mark Altabas who was discovered stabbed in a street in Stevenage.

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  4. Man sentenced to four years for conspiracy to supply cocainepublished at 17:01 Greenwich Mean Time 5 January 2017

    Earlier we mentioned Destao Pedro had been found not guilty of the murder of Mark Altabas in Stevenage last April.

    Mr Altabas was found dead at a house on Angle Ways on 21 April last year.

    However, Pedro, 19, of High Road, Leyton in east London, pleaded guilty at the Old Bailey to conspiracy to supply cocaine and has been sentenced to four years.

    Robert Crooks, 58, of Long Leeves in Stevenage pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply a Class A drug in the same trial.

    Katie Holmes, 43, of the same address, was found guilty of conspiracy to supply a Class A drug and permitting the supply of a Class A drug on the premises.

    Crooks and Holmes will be sentenced at the Old Bailey on 12 January. 

  5. Police Dog Finn: Trial postponedpublished at 16:22 Greenwich Mean Time 5 January 2017

    Sarah Jenkins
    BBC Local Live

    We mentioned earlier that a teenage boy, accused of stabbing a police dog and his handler, was expected to appear before magistrates today, but the trial has been postponed.

    Police dog FinnImage source, BCH Police Dogs

    The 16-year-old from Lewisham, south east London, is charged with attacking the pair in Stevenage in the early hours of 5 October.  

    The accused is due before magistrates at Stevenage Youth Court on 2 March.

  6. A421 crash: Woman airlifted to hospitalpublished at 16:19 Greenwich Mean Time 5 January 2017

    Lee Agnew
    BBC Three Counties Radio

    A woman has been airlifted to hospital following a crash involving a lorry and six cars on the A421 in Bedfordshire. 

    The accident happened close to Junction 13 of the M1 at about 10:45.

    The woman was flown to Addenbrooke's Hospital in Cambridge, unconscious and in a serious condition. 

    The ambulance service says another woman and two children have been taken to Milton Keynes Hospital, though their injuries aren't thought to be life-threatening. 

    Drivers are being advised to find an alternative route while the accident is cleared.

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  7. Woman stole £3k from 'best friend of 25 years'published at 15:34 Greenwich Mean Time 5 January 2017

    Sarah Jenkins
    BBC Local Live

    A court has heard how a woman from St Albans stole £3,300 from her "best friend of 25 years".

    Suzanne Smallwood, 54, of Chiltern Road, St Albans was caught after her friend's husband installed CCTV in a bedroom after money had disappeared from a safe.

    Prosecutor Andrea Scott-Lynch told St Albans Crown Court said Smallwood had taken keys from the victim's handbag when she was out. 

    The CCTV recorded her holding a tea towel to avoid leaving fingerprints, opening the safe and taking the money.

    The mother-of-two pleaded guilty to committing theft on 27 June last year.

    Smallwood was told by Judge Stephen Warner that she deserved to go to prison - but instead gave her a 10-month jail sentence, suspended for 21 months.

    The judge said the public and her victim would be better served if she paid the money back and carried out unpaid work.

  8. Christmas rhea 'Chris' is caughtpublished at 15:11 Greenwich Mean Time 5 January 2017

    A 6ft rhea on the loose since Christmas Day is finally caught and returned home.

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  9. Drugs haul 'family man' made 'worst mistake of his life'published at 14:43 Greenwich Mean Time 5 January 2017

    Back to the story of the Cheddington man who is awaiting sentence for his part in a cocaine smuggling operation involving an aeroplane drop in Kent...

    Andrew Barrett's counsel Sarah Forshaw QC told the Old Bailey he had made the worst mistake of his life and "lost everything".

    She also said he felt he had let his family down on their return from Spain, where he had been working on a building project.

    The court heard he had been paid £7,000 for his part in the smuggling plot, which he hoped to put towards a deposit on a house.

    All three men are due to be sentenced later.

  10. Weather: Light wind and sunshinepublished at 14:33 Greenwich Mean Time 5 January 2017

    BBC Weather

    After a frosty start, many will have a fine and cold afternoon with light winds and plenty of winter sunshine, lasting throughout the day. 

    Maximum temperature: 4C (39F)

    Dunstable weather
  11. First abscondment of the year from Hollesley Bay Prisonpublished at 14:32 Greenwich Mean Time 5 January 2017

    A prisoner serving a six-year sentence for robbery has absconded from Hollesley Bay Prison, external, near Woodbridge.

    Michael StokesImage source, Suffolk Police

    Michael Stokes, 25, has not been seen since the 06:00 roll call say police, who warn that he should not be approached.

    He's known to have connections to the Luton area.

    Last year, seven men absconded from the prison, of whom six have been recaptured. One man failed to return after a home visit, but then turned himself in.

  12. White van with drugs haul found in Watfordpublished at 14:31 Greenwich Mean Time 5 January 2017

    The Old Bailey heard Barrett was spotted in Watford in a white van after the drugs were dropped from a plane on 23 June last year.

    Police found a holdall containing a separate 18kg (40lb) of cocaine, 1kg (2.2lb) of MDMA (ecstacy) and 15kg (33lb) of cannabis - worth £1.5m if sold to users.

    Barrett has also pleaded guilty to possessing class A and B drugs with intent to supply and money laundering.

    Earlier, the two men who picked up the cocaine dropped from the plane were followed to a builder's yard in Faversham. The drop was said to be worth £2.5m on the streets.

    The other two men, who admitted conspiracy to import drugs, were:

    • Michael Mealing, 41, of Corsham in Wiltshire
    • Jonathan Hart, 60, of no fixed abode
  13. 'Hard working family man' admits part in £2.5m cocaine drop from planepublished at 14:11 Greenwich Mean Time 5 January 2017

    A father-of-three has admitted being part of a trio who were involved in importing £2.5m of cocaine which was dropped from a plane.

    The Old Bailey has heard a light aircraft dropped 31kg (68lbs) of the drugs in three large fuel containers near Faversham in Kent.

    The operation was being tracked by police.

    Old Bailey, LondonImage source, Getty Images

    Andrew Barrett, 41, of Cheddington near Aylesbury, is one of three men who have pleaded guilty to importing cocaine.

    Barrett's lawyer, Sarah Forshaw QC, said: "The reality is he was an extremely popular hard-working construction project manager and he was well-known for being a decent family man. 

    "He was astonished how one moment he was living an ordinary respectable life and the next moment he was in a completely different world."

    The court heard he got involved in the drugs trade through a contact he met while building luxury villas in Spain.

  14. Man found not guilty of Stevenage murderpublished at 13:39 Greenwich Mean Time 5 January 2017

    Destao Pedro has been found not guilty of the murder of Mark Altabas in Stevenage last April.

    Mark AltabasImage source, South Beds News Agency

    Pedro, 19, of High Road, Leyton has already pleaded guilty at the Old Bailey to conspiracy to supply cocaine.

    Mr Altabas, 47, was discovered by police on Angle Ways at 04:20 on 21 April. He died later at Lister Hospital.

  15. Pictures: Sunrise across Beds, Herts and Buckspublished at 12:46 Greenwich Mean Time 5 January 2017

    Sarah Jenkins
    BBC Local Live

    Our BBC Weather Watchers have been busy this morning snapping some lovely photos of the sunrise across the three counties.

    Let's have a look at some of our favourites...

    Sunrise in Graveley
    Sunrise in Stevenage
    Sunrise in Toddington
  16. A421 crash: Six vehicles involvedpublished at 12:24 Greenwich Mean Time 5 January 2017

    BHB

    Sarah Jenkins
    BBC Local Live

    Bedfordshire Police are at the scene of a "serious" collision involving five cars and a lorry on the A421 near Junction 13 of the M1.

    Officers were called at 10:45 and emergency services are at the scene.

    Both lanes are currently closed and motorists are advised to avoid the area.

  17. Serious collision on A421published at 11:58 Greenwich Mean Time 5 January 2017

    Some travel advice for you, both lanes on the A421 are closed due to a serious collision near junction 13 (Milton Keynes south) of the M1.

    We'll bring you more information as soon as we have it.

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  18. Local paper round-uppublished at 11:28 Greenwich Mean Time 5 January 2017

    Let's have a look at what some of our local papers are reporting today...

  19. Trains disrupted between Euston and Milton Keynespublished at 10:21 Greenwich Mean Time 5 January 2017

    Sarah Jenkins
    BBC Local Live

    Trains are currently disrupted between Euston and Milton Keynes due to technical issues affecting the operation of two trains on the line. 

    London Midland says the line should be running as normal by 11:00.

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  20. Wasps v Leicester as it happenedpublished at 10:09 Greenwich Mean Time 5 January 2017

    Relive text commentary from the Premiership as Wasps beat Leicester Tigers at the Ricoh Arena.

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