Summary

  • Live updates from Monday 5 to Sunday 11 February 2018

  • Click on Related Stories to view stories from your area

  1. Inquest concludes murderer took his own life in jailpublished at 17:11 Greenwich Mean Time 9 February 2018

    A murderer who beat his wife to death during a row over tickets to an Elvis tribute act took his own life in jail, an inquest in Worcester has concluded.

    Paul Abbott, 57, battered wife Jacqueline with a hammer in 2015 and was given a life sentence in 2016.

    Paul AbbottImage source, West Midlands Police

    He was found dead at HMP Long Lartin in Worcestershire, exactly a year after killing his wife.

  2. Prince to visit Hinckley motorcycle manufacturerpublished at 17:01 Greenwich Mean Time 9 February 2018

    Amy Woodfield
    BBC News

    It looks like Hinckley is about to get a royal visitor...

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  3. Jobs go as housing developer goes into administrationpublished at 17:00 Greenwich Mean Time 9 February 2018

    A Shropshire developer that specialises in affordable homes has gone into administration today and 41 people have been made redundant.

    Saxonby Affordable Housing is based in Shrewsbury and has been trading since 2008 as part of the Saxonby group of companies, administrators FRP Advisory said.

    All other companies in the group are unaffected and continue to trade as normal.

    House buildingImage source, PA

    The administrators said "cash flow pressures" had forced the move.

  4. Investigation into death of rough sleeperpublished at 16:52 Greenwich Mean Time 9 February 2018

    Worcester City Council is launching an investigation into the death of a 74-year-old rough sleeper who died on the streets two years ago.

    Cardon Banfield was found dead in his tent near the New Road cricket ground and a friend of his claimed he'd applied for housing benefit before he died.

    New Road in WorcesterImage source, Google

    The council says it's bringing in an independent expert to establish whether or not he "slipped through" the safeguarding net.

  5. Academic was 'VIP member' of abuse forumspublished at 16:43 Greenwich Mean Time 9 February 2018

    Prosecutors have asked for Dr Matthew Falder to be jailed for life at his sentencing hearing.

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  6. Taufete’e & Olivier sign new contractspublished at 16:34 Greenwich Mean Time 9 February 2018

    USA hooker Joe Taufete’e and South African centre Wynand Olivier sign new deals with Premiership side Worcester.

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  7. Thousands without power after fire at substationpublished at 16:31 Greenwich Mean Time 9 February 2018

    About 6,000 homes are without power after a fire at an electrical substation in Bromsgrove.

    Hereford and Worcester Fire and Rescue Service said it was called out at 12:52 and one man had to be taken to hospital.

    Western Power Distribution says it's had to cut off power to a number of unaffected properties for safety reasons, and it doesn't yet know when it will be able to restore it.

  8. Let the Games begin - athletes ready for Winter Olympicspublished at 16:25 Greenwich Mean Time 9 February 2018

    Let the games begin... The Winter Olympics are now under way after the opening ceremony took place this morning.

    Seven athletes from the West Midlands will take part in the South Korea games over the next fortnight.

    Here's who to keep an eye out for:

    • Charlotte Gilmartin from Redditch - Short track speed skating
    • Farrell Treacy from Henley in Arden - Short track speed skating
    • Izzy Atkin, American but has family from Birmingham - freestyle skiing
    • Rowan Cheshire from Stoke-on-Trent - Freestyle skiing
    • Joel Fearon Coventry - Bobsleigh
    • Ben Simons, Shropshire - Bobsleigh
    • Amanda Lightfootfrom, Coventry - Biathlon
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  9. Man in hospital after fire at substationpublished at 16:15 Greenwich Mean Time 9 February 2018

    About 5,000 properties are without power while firefighters tackle the blaze.

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  10. Woman sexually assaulted in parkpublished at 16:14 Greenwich Mean Time 9 February 2018

    Police are investigating a sexual assault on a woman in a Solihull park , externallast Sunday.

    Babbs Mill Recreation GroundImage source, Google

    Officers believe the 26-year-old was walking home through Babbs Mill Recreation Ground at about 21:00 on 4 February when she was attacked.

    Officers are appealing for anyone in the area at the time to get in touch.

  11. Crown Censure for MoD over ship deathpublished at 16:11 Greenwich Mean Time 9 February 2018

    The sanction is the maximum which can be imposed on a government body.

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  12. 'Booze barge' for fanspublished at 16:02 Greenwich Mean Time 9 February 2018

    Fans making their way along the canal to the game between Stoke City and Brighton will notice a new boat selling beer.

    It'll be based near to the stadium, alongside the one that sells oatcakes.

    Pulling pintsImage source, Thinkstock

    Owner Wayne Sadler said it had taken him eight months to get all the necessary licences and insurance, but he thought there was a demand from fans.

    Quote Message

    There's not many pubs and bars on the canal towpath that are running any more. They've all been shut down."

    Wayne Sadler, Canal boat owner

  13. £4.2m grant for new cinema and art gallerypublished at 15:50 Greenwich Mean Time 9 February 2018

    A grant worth £4.2m has been awarded to Warwick Arts Centre by the Arts Council to build a new cinema and art gallery.

    Warwick Arts Centre plansImage source, Warwick Arts Centre

    The 20:20 project will see the demolition of the existing cinema and Mead Gallery to create a new building to house three new auditoriums along with a large ground-floor gallery.

    The venue will be at the forefront of Coventry's year as City of Culture 2021.

  14. 'Rodriguez's reputation could be harmed'published at 15:48 Greenwich Mean Time 9 February 2018

    Jay Rodriguez's future prospects and reputation could be harmed by the charge of alleged racial abuse he faces, says Alan Pardew.

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  15. Man denies boxing brawl murderpublished at 15:45 Greenwich Mean Time 9 February 2018

    Tyrone Andrew, 21, will face trial at Birmingham Crown Court later this year

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  16. Man in court over imitation firearmpublished at 15:39 Greenwich Mean Time 9 February 2018

    A Coleshill man has appeared in court charged with possession of a imitation firearm, racially aggravated assault and causing criminal damage, police say., external

    He was arrested by British Transport Police after reports he had abused a man and damaged a car on 2 February.

    He'll next appear at Warwick Crown Court on 8 March.

  17. Motorist in hospital after lorry crashpublished at 15:29 Greenwich Mean Time 9 February 2018

    A man in his 60s is in hospital with "serious facial injuries" after his car was involved in a crash with a lorry near Telford last night.

    West Mercia Police said it happened on the A442, close to Sytch Lane at Waters Upton at about 23:00.

    Crash locationImage source, Google

    The lorry driver, a man in his 30s, was unhurt.

  18. Police find absconded prisonerpublished at 15:14 Greenwich Mean Time 9 February 2018

    Chris Fawcett
    BBC News

    Police have found a man who failed to return to an open prison following a work placement on Wednesday.

    Lescott photoImage source, Derbyshire Constabulary

    Mathias Lescott absconded from HMP Sudbury, in Derbyshire, after being given temporary leave.

    He has now been arrested and detained in Stoke-on-Trent, external.

  19. Britney brings Vegas show to Blackpoolpublished at 15:04 Greenwich Mean Time 9 February 2018

    Concerts in Birmingham and Blackpool have been added to the UK leg of Britney Spears's tour.

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  20. Robbers blast open cash machine in Co-op raidpublished at 15:03 Greenwich Mean Time 9 February 2018

    Explosives were used to open a cash machine at a store in Rugby, before robbers made off with the contents, police say., external

    Co-opImage source, Google

    A member of the public, who heard an explosion, called police after the theft at the Co-op in Scholars Drive, Cawston at 03:40 this morning.

    The robbers, who made off with a quantity of cash, smashed the front of the window and caused significant damage to the inside of the shop.

    Last month, staff at the same store were threatened at knife point and a large amount of cash stolen., external