Updates from Monday 16 December to Sunday 22 December
Stoke-on-Trent Live
Some of the top headlines from Stoke-on-Trent Live today:
Tracey Higgins
Journalist, BBC Shropshire
The court heard that Mohammed Ali Sultan, the ringleader in the sexual abuse of the young girl in Telford nearly 20 years ago, is already serving a sentence of six years for previous sexual offences from 2015.
He will serve an extra eight years behind bars after being found guilty of rape and three counts of indecent assault on Tuesday.
Other sentences include:
Police believe the child illegally entered the UK and had been separated from his parents.
Read MoreThe ringleader of a group of men who abused a girl in Telford in the early 2000s "exercised significant control" over her, a judge has said.
Judge Melbourne Inman QC, the Recorder of Birmingham, addressed Mohammed Ali Sultan during sentencing at Birmingham Crown Court earlier adding that "the victim was clearly extremely frightened of you".
Image source, Gavin DicksonTurning to the three other men in court he said: "There were a group of you using this girl, you all tended to meet in the same type of areas; a churchyard, or near a pizza place."
The offences started when the girl, now an adult, was just 13.
The judge in a Telford child sexual exploitation case has described the victim as "helpless".
Sentencing four men over the abuse on Thursday, Judge Melbourne Inman QC said they had abused a "helpless" victim, who had been groomed until she was "no longer in effective control of her own life".
Image source, GoogleThe victim told how she was forced to perform sex acts in a churchyard, raped above a shop on a filthy mattress, and violently abused when she tried to refuse their advances.
In all, five men went on trial at Birmingham Crown Court, leading to convictions for four of the defendants while another was cleared.
The Queen is laying out the new government's agenda at the State opening of Parliament.
Legislation to take the UK out of the EU on 31 January will be among more than 20 bills announced.
You can follow live updates here.
Among those experiencing their first Queen's Speech at close hand are new Midlands MPs Gary Sambrook, who took Birmingham Northfeld for the Tories in a shockk result last week, as well as new Coventry Labour MPs Zarah Sultana and Taiwo Owatemi, who tweeted video of herself being sworn in yesterday.
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Four men from Telford have been jailed for between four-and-a-half and eight years at Birmingham Crown Court for sexually abusing a vulnerable young girl who was "passed around like a piece of meat".
Three defendants were on Tuesday found guilty of abusing the girl, who said she was forced to perform sex acts in a churchyard and was raped above a shop.
Shafiq Younas, 35 of Regent Street, Wellington, was found guilty of indecent assault on Wednesday.
A man has been charged with wounding after a man in his 40s was found with head injuries in Dudley.
The victim remains in a serious condition in hospital after the attack which took place at about 18:20 on Tuesday in an alleyway just off the High Street.
Image source, GoogleTomasz Dzieciol, of no fixed address, has been remanded to appear before Wolverhampton Magistrates Court today.
Sgt Chris Jones, West Midlands Police CID urged anyone with information to come forward.
Birmingham Live
A few of the early headlines from Birmingham Live:
Four men are being sentenced today for sexually abusing a girl in Telford.
The offences took place in the Telford area some time between 2000 and 2003, when the girl was about 13.
Image source, West Mercia PoliceDet Insp Rob Rondel hopes the verdict sends a strong message that police will prosecute child sexual exploitation at every turn.
Quote MessageThis investigation was part of Operation Vapour which continues today and we encourage victims of child sexual exploitation to come forward and find support with our partner agencies. Things have changed dramatically since these offences took place, we have dedicated child exploitation team and we work tirelessly with our partners to protect the community."
Det Insp Rob Rondel, West Mercia Police
A serious gas leak has closed a main road through the centre of Shrewsbury.
Traffic is being prevented from using Claremont Bank and Town Walls - but there's still access to homes and businesses.
Image source, GoogleShropshire Council says it is not known how long it will take to locate and fix the leak.
West Midlands Police has launched an investigation after a disorder at the Bullring shopping centre in Birmingham on Wednesday.
Officers were called at about 15:30 to reports of two people being injured near the rear entrance of Selfridges.
A 17-year-old man was taken to hospital with a hand injury and a 18-year-old man with a slash wound to his head and a broken ankle.
Image source, GoogleDetectives believe it was an isolated incident, but say there is an increased presence around the area today to reassure Christmas shoppers and city visitors.
Det Insp Lauren Glass, from force CID, urged anyone with information to come forward, adding that "there is no place for this level of violence within the city".
Armed patrols have been stepped up in the area since the attack.
A serious case review into the death of a two-month-old girl at the hands of her mother could not have been foreseen, a serious case review has concluded.
Abigail Palmer from Solihull was found guilty of manslaughter and two counts of grievous bodily harm over the death of her daughter Teri-Rae, who she squeezed to death in January 2017.
Palmer was jailed for 13 and a half years in April 2019.
Image source, West Midlands PoliceTeri-Rae was the subject of a child protection plan by Birmingham Safeguarding Children Partnership, due to its concerns about her mother’s problems with alcohol, substance misuse and previous abusive relationships.
However, a serious case review, commissioned by the partnership, said that there was no information or evidence available to the agencies "which would have led them to be able to predict the tragic outcome in this case".
"The mother must take full responsibility for the tragic death of her baby," it said.
Quote MessageThis tragedy underlines the challenge that professionals face in establishing relationships with vulnerable people, especially those who have addictions, with the purpose of helping them to become good parents."
Penny Thompson CBE, Independent chair of Birmingham Safeguarding Children Partnership
A charity shop that was targeted by burglars in Telford is up and running again.
The Severn Hospice shop in Lawley was raided on Monday night.
Assistant manager Samantha Edwards said they had a lot of work to do to clear up and get ready to reopen.
Image source, Severn HospiceShe said: "They broke in through the window, came in and forced the door.
"Just ransacked the place, really."
Premature babies in parts of the West Midlands are dying at twice the rate of those in other parts of the country, a new report suggests.
Mortality rates among babies born between 24 and 31 weeks was at 10% in Staffordshire, Shropshire and the Black Country, the highest in the country.
Between July 2015 and June 2018, 107 preterm babies of 1,054 in the region (10.2%) died before they were discharged from hospital or reached 44 weeks post-menstrual age (PMA).
Image source, Getty ImagesThe lowest mortality rates were recorded in the east of England, where 93 premature babies of 1,900 (4.9%) died before reaching the same milestone, according to figures from the National Neonatal Audit Programme by the Royal College of Paediatrics.
Coventry Live
Headlines this morning from Coventry Live:
A warning for motorists in Worcestershire - Wilden Lane in Stourport has been closed due to a mud slide.
We'll bring you more updates on what is happening there as we get them.
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A woman in her fifties has died after being struck by a car in Leamington Spa.
Warwickshire Police is appealing for witnesses after the crash at 19:35 on Tuesday.
It said a silver Mercedes C220 was in collision with a Vauxhall Corsa on the corner of Rugby Road and Guys Cliffe Road, then mounted the pavement and hit two pedestrians.
Image source, GoogleA man, also in his fifties, sustained injuries and was taken to hospital for treatment.
A 62-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving and remains in police custody.
The force has asked for information from anyone who may have witnessed the crash or seen either of the vehicles involved prior to the incident.
BBC News has taken an in-depth look at how Bellfield Junior School provides its pastoral care at a time when it says it finds it hard to make ends meet.
Bellfield is located in Northfield, Birmingham, where 60% of the 315 pupils are classed as disadvantaged.
Deputy head, Claire du Toit, said: "We know our parents struggle and Christmas is a difficult time because there's high expectations for people to provide something special, and it's very difficult for them to do that.
"So, every way we can support them by doing some of it in school, well, we do!"
If you would like to hear more, you can also listen to Emma Jane Kirby's latest report from Bellfield School for the World at One, on BBC Radio 4 (it starts at 35 minutes).
We told you earlier about a stranded vehicle that was causing delays on the M6 southbound in Staffordshire.
That has now been cleared, but Highways England is warning about further traffic problems in the county.
A lane has been closed on the A38 Southbound between Catholme and Alrewas due to a collision.
Highways England said this is causing five miles of congestion which is expected to add about an hour on to usual journey times.