Summary

  • Former police officer convicted of abusing boys

  • Young refugee reunited with dad

  • Money stolen from vulnerable adults replaced

  • Updates from Friday 21 October 2016

Live Reporting

Monica Rimmer

  1. Football: Wolves suffer defeat at hands of league high-fliers

    Wolves are four points off the play-offs after a 1-0 defeat at Brighton.

    The Wanderers went into the game having won just two of their past nine away league games, with only one clean sheet.

    They conceded what turned out to be the winning goal after only 16 minutes.  

    Wolves playerRex Features

    It was a good game in my opinion but they scored and we didn't. We played at the same level as Brighton - we were in the game and there was no difference in the teams. I would prefer to play badly and take the points."

    Walter Zenga, Wolves head coach

  2. Man remanded in custody on manslaughter charge

    A man has appeared in court charged with the manslaughter of a father-of-two. 

    Karl Swift, who was 33 and from Yorkshire, was found with serious head injuries in New Road, Halesowen last month and died later in hospital. 

    Dean Hartley, 29, of Burnaby Green, Sheffield, was remanded in custody by magistrates in Dudley today and is due in court again next week. 

  4. Three charged over man's street death

    A man is charged with manslaughter over the death of man found in a Halesowen street with head injuries.

    Read More

  5. Latest: Three charged over Karl Swift death; Grealish 'hard done by'; Christmas grotto firm hit by 'severe' fire

    Corinne Wheatley
    BBC WM, Journalist

    Here are some of the headlines we are looking at:

    - A man has been charged with manslaughter over the death of Karl Swift in Halesowen, police say 

    - Aston Villa manager Steve Bruce believes Jack Grealish may have been punished harshly by the FA because of who he is

    - A Christmas grotto manufacturer is one of three businesses ruined by a "severe" fire on an industrial estate

  6. Karl Swift death: Five arrested, three charged

    More on the death of Karl Swift who was found with fatal head injuries in Halesowen last month. 

    Police arrested five people over the death of the 33-year-old.

    A 23-year-old, from South Yorkshire, has now been released without charge. A 58-year-old man, also from South Yorkshire, has been released from custody, but charges are still "under consideration by the CPS", police say. 

    Another man, Dean Hartley, 29, of Burnaby Green, Sheffield, has been charged with manslaughter. 

    Two other men arrested in connection with Karl’s death have been charged with attempting to pervert the course of justice.   

  7. Football: Blues up to fifth with win

    Ged Scott
    BBC Sport

    The TTA era at Birmingham City started with a 4-2 win over Rotherham.

    Birmingham City scored three first-half goals to help condemn Rotherham United to a club-record seventh successive away defeat.

    The win has lifted the Blues to fifth in the Championship table. 

    Lukas JutkiewiczRex Features

    We've maybe got away with one tonight. We played well in some spells, but I was actually really disappointed with some aspects. As a team we didn't defend well as we'd have liked. The crowd went edgy and another night we could easily have been dragged back to 3-3."

    Gary Rowett, Birmingham City manager

  8. Aston Villa: First away win in over a year

    Steve Hermon
    Journalist, BBC WM

    They had to wait 14 months for it but Aston Villa are celebrating an away win this morning. 

    Villa beat Reading 2-1, leaving it until the 90th minute to grab a last gasp goal through a Jordan Ayew penalty. 

    The Villans were without Jack Grealish who missed the first of three games after being banned by the FA for a stamp on Conor Coady in the derby draw with Wolves.

    Jonathan KodjiaRex Features

    I have to pay special mention to the supporters in the last 10 minutes. I think they breathed life into the lads. They've had a tough time and we've got to try and restore a bit of belief and that's all we've done."

    Steve Bruce, Aston Villa manager

  9. Grealish 'hard done by', says Bruce

    Aston Villa manager Steve Bruce believes Jack Grealish may have been punished harshly by the FA because of who he is.

    Read More

  10. West Midlands unemployment increases compared to 2015

    Allen Cook
    BBC Local Live

    The number of unemployed people in the West Midlands has risen by 3,000 to 168,000 in the three months to August, figures show. 

    Across the UK, unemployment saw a "small" rise of 10,000 to 1.66 million, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) said. 

    Job Centre Plus signDANIEL LEAL-OLIVAS/AFP/Getty Images

    The figures for the region show that the number of people out of work for June to August 2016 was also up by 2,000 compared to the same period the year before, one of just three regions to show a rise on 2015. 

    Across the West Midlands 5.9% of people aged over 16 are currently out of work.

  11. Three charged over Karl Swift death
    Breaking

    A man has been charged with manslaughter over the death of Karl Swift in Halesowen, police say. 

    West Midlands Police say Dean Hartley, 29, from Burnaby Green, Sheffield, will appear before Dudley Magistrates Court today. 

    Two other men arrested in connection with Karl’s death have been charged with attempting to pervert the course of justice. 

    Karl SwiftWest Midlands Police

  13. Pictures: Industrial estate fire

    Monica Rimmer
    Journalist, BBC Online

    Firefighters have been dealing with a factory fire in Wolverhampton overnight. 

    Twelve crews tackled the blaze at the Clearwater Industrial Estate on Ettingshall Road.

    What a difference between these two pictures. 

    The first shows the fire at its height, taken by Nigel Gooding. The second, taken by Brierley Hill Fire, shows the efforts of the firefighters in dealing with the blaze. 

    FireWest Midlands Fire Service pic by Nigel Gooding
    Fire dampBrierley Hill Fire

  14. Terry the tortoise found in Tipton

    A dog owner in Tipton had a bit of a shock when his pet brought in a tiny tortoise.

    The RSPCA was called to Gate Street in Tipton, after the reptile was found. 

    The tortoise, now named Terry, was taken to a specialist exotic vet and is said to be doing well.

    Terry the tortoiseRSPCA

    A spokesperson for the RSPCA said it is seeing a growing number of exotic animals like tortoises being abandoned because they are too much of a commitment for some people.

    We still don’t know where Terry came from, so if anyone recognises him or thinks they may have lost a little tortoise then we’d urge them to get in touch with us."

    RSPCA spokesperson

    If no-one comes forward to claim Terry, a member of staff at the veterinary practice has already offered him a home.  

  15. Latest: 'Severe' fire hits grotto firm; campaigners take to street; men wanted after football disorder

    Louise Hancock
    Newsreader, BBC WM

    - A Christmas grotto manufacturer is one of three businesses ruined by a "severe" fire on an industrial estate

    - Campaigners fighting to save Sutton Coldfileld library are taking to the streets later after proposals were revealed to close the Aston and Sutton Coldfield branches

    - Police are trying to trace five men suspected of being involved in a disorder after a Birmingham City game

  16. Petition to save Sutton Coldfield library

    Campaigners in Sutton Coldfield are collecting signatures for a petition against the closure of the local library. 

    Plans were revealed last week to close the branches in Aston and Sutton Coldfield to save £2m from Birmingham City Council's budget. 

    Twenty-two other libraries across the city will have their opening hours reduced.

    Book shelvesThinkstock

  17. Solihull walk-in centre to close

    Corinne Wheatley
    BBC WM, Journalist

    Patients registered with doctors at a walk-in centre in Solihull are being told by the Solihull Clinical Commissioning Group to re-register with another GP practice, ahead of its closure next week. 

    The site on Lode Lane will shut on 28 October. 

    Health bosses say they're launching two other services at the same time.

    The first is an urgent care centre which will see people with minor illnesses, while the booked primary care service will see patients who've made an appointment through the 111 helpline. 

    StethoscopeThinkstock

  18. Men wanted over football 'disorder'

    Police are trying to trace five men suspected of being involved in "a disorder" after a Birmingham City game, police say.

    Trouble broke out between Blues and Preston North End fans outside the Tilton Road stand turnstiles at St Andrews on the 27 September. 

    The West Midlands force says a number of people sustained head injuries and received medical treatment from paramedics at the ground.

  19. Latest: Pub bombings legal row; football disorder; fire in Wolverhampton

    Louise Hancock
    Newsreader, BBC WM

    The headlines for Birmingham and the Black Country this morning include:    

    - The former shadow Home Secretary says the upcoming inquests into the Birmingham pub bombings will not get to the truth, if the families don't have proper legal representation

    - Police are trying to trace five men suspected of being involved in a disorder after a Birmingham City game

    - Firefighters have been dealing with a factory fire in Wolverhampton overnight

  20. Fire at Wolverhampton industrial estate

    Firefighters have been dealing with a factory fire in Wolverhampton overnight. 

    At its height, 12 crews were called to the Clearwater Industrial Estate on Ettingshall Road. 

    The operation has now been scaled back and crews are damping down.

    FireWest Midlands Fire Service pic by Nigel Gooding