Summary

  • Murder investigation launched after serious assault

  • MP dramatically resigns the Tory party

  • More protests over relief road route

  • Kickboxer admits disability benefit fraud

  • Fairy Dell further protected from development

  • Live updates on Tuesday 2 April

  • MP dramatically resigns the Tory party

  1. Man acquitted of student rapespublished at 19:10 British Summer Time 2 April 2019

    Lincoln Crown Court hears new information undermines the evidence against Hugo Penfold.

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  2. NHS money stolen in fraud recoveredpublished at 18:14 British Summer Time 2 April 2019

    Ten conspirators were jailed for their part in the multimillion-pound fraud.

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  3. Nick Boles: Ex-Tory MP hits out at 'cowardly' cabinetpublished at 17:42 British Summer Time 2 April 2019

    Former Conservative MP Nick Boles has accused the cabinet of being "cowardly and selfish" for failing to challenge Theresa May's approach to Brexit.

    bolesImage source, PA

    Mr Boles, who quit the parliamentary party on Monday, said the PM had "misunderstood and mismanaged" the whole process of leaving the EU.

    And he told the BBC's Laura Kuenssberg no-one in the cabinet "had earned the right" to succeed her.

  4. What happened to staff behind £1.2m NHS fraud blunder?published at 17:17 British Summer Time 2 April 2019

    A health trust has refused to say whether it sacked a member of staff whose error led to £1.28m of taxpayers money being swindled by fraudsters.

    discovery houseImage source, Google

    Funds totalling £1.28m to build a mental health unit at Lincoln's St George's Hospital (pictured) were diverted when NHS trust staff failed to check bank details which were supplied by a fraudster rather than contractors.

    The money has now been returned after a eight-year legal case dealing with fraudsters who conned the Lincolnshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust (LPFT) and other public bodies out of millions of pounds.

    One of the fraudsters involved in the case had been on the National Crime Agency's most wanted list.

    But the trust won't say whether the member of staff responsible for the blunder still works for them.

    Quote Message

    The trust did use all available procedures to deal with the individuals concerned in this case.

    Spokesperson, LPFT

  5. Police name Gainsborough attack victimpublished at 16:36 British Summer Time 2 April 2019
    Breaking

    Police investigating the death of a man in Gainsborough as a murder have named the victim as Jordan O'Brien.

    He was 25 years old.

    jordan o brienImage source, Family Photo

    He had already been named on social media where friends have posted tributes on his Facebook page.

    Police say he suffered serious injuries after an assault at a house on Scampton Way in Gainsborough a week ago.

    A 22-year-old man has been arrested and remains in police custody.

    A 21-year-old man was been arrested and then released under investigation.

  6. Man dies following attack at housepublished at 16:32 British Summer Time 2 April 2019

    Police say two people have been arrested in connection with the assault on Jordan O'Brien in Gainsborough.

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  7. Co-op ready for no deal Brexitpublished at 15:58 British Summer Time 2 April 2019

    Plans are in place to make sure Lincolnshire's Co-ops are stocked with veg and medicine in case of a no deal Brexit.

    pharmacistsImage source, Co-op

    The firm says they have to be ready in case of issues importing essentials.

    Quote Message

    We do have contingency plans, we work with all other co-ops in the country. There have been sensible provisions on things which are important, staple foods and so on. The other thing of course is medicines so we've had to make sure we've got good stocks of key medicines.

    Ursula Lidbetter, Chief Executive of Lincolnshire Co-Op

  8. Health trust receives £1.28m back after fraudpublished at 15:40 British Summer Time 2 April 2019

    More than £1m has been returned to a Lincolnshire health trust eight years after it lost it when staff filled out fake payment forms which turned out to be fraudulent.

    st george's hospital aerial shotImage source, Google

    Funds totalling £1.28m to build a mental health unit at Lincoln's St George's Hospital (pictured) were diverted when NHS trust staff failed to check the new bank details supplied.

    In the mass fraud, 12 people conned Lincolnshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust (LPFT) and other public bodies out of £12m.

    Quote Message

    The loss of any NHS funds is a great concern and we undertook a thorough internal investigation following this incident. We have strengthened our procurement and payment systems and processes and we have shared our learning with other NHS organisations to prevent future crime.

    Sarah Connery, LPFT Director of Finance and Informatics

  9. Nick Boles' actions 'despicable' says top local Torypublished at 15:28 British Summer Time 2 April 2019

    The Vice Chairman of Nick Boles' former Conservative Party association says the MP's actions have been "despicable".

    The Grantham and Stamford MP dramatically quit the Conservative Party yesterday (watch above) after his idea for a Norway-style deal with the EU failed to win support in Parliament.

    The former minister will remain as an MP but will sit as an independent.

    But Philip Saygar of the Grantham and Stamford Conservatives says there should be a by-election.

    Quote Message

    I'm livid. His timing is awful. He chose to resign from the association on the weekend my wife was dying, even though he knew that, which was despicable really. He's gone on since and attacked the association again as being extremist and right wing. He's playing the victim narrative and it's totally totally untrue.

    Philip Saygar, Grantham & Stamford Conservative Association

  10. Benefits cheat mum caught kickboxingpublished at 14:52 British Summer Time 2 April 2019

    Tammy Horton took part in kickboxing matches while claiming to need a wheelchair due to chronic pain.

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  11. Lincolnshire footballer chosen for Welsh teampublished at 13:41 British Summer Time 2 April 2019

    A Lincolnshire footballer could play for the Welsh international ladies team later this week.

    olivia clarkImage source, Pitchero

    Goalkeeper Olivia Clark, who pays for Nettleham Ladies FC, has been selected as part of a 20-strong squad against the Czech Republic on Thursday.

    The news comes as Premier League teams in the men's game have been urged to "throw open" their stadiums to women's matches by Phil Neville.

    Olivia says efforts to attract more women into football are starting to pay off.

    Quote Message

    I think it's changing massively, there's so much potential. And more and more women are starting to play football now. In Wales they're trying to get 20,000 girls playing in the next five years, and that'll be great for the country."

    Olivia Clark, Footballer

  12. Power cut hits Grimsbypublished at 13:10 British Summer Time 2 April 2019

    A power cut has hit Grimsby forcing the Grimsby Institute to send pupils home:

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    Northern Powergrid said about 600 properties in the area were affected and it hoped to restore power shortly:

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  13. Murder investigation launched after serious assaultpublished at 12:29 British Summer Time 2 April 2019

    A man in his 20s has died after suffering from serious injuries in an assault last week.

    scampton wayImage source, Google

    Police say it happened on Scampton Way, Gainsborough, on Wednesday 27 March.

    A 22-year-old man has been arrested and remains in police custody.

    Another man, 21, has been arrested and released under investigation.

    Police are appealing for witnesses.

  14. Campaign to peel back plastic on town centre windowspublished at 11:58 British Summer Time 2 April 2019

    A campaign has started in Spalding to stop shops from completely covering their windows with advertising.

    plastic window coveringsImage source, Google

    The town's civic society has asked the government to do something about it., external

    They say that current regulations governing this kind of advertising "aren't fit for purpose".

    Quote Message

    Nowadays people are spending so much money online, town centres are dying and the only way to keep them alive is to make them attractive places to visit. If you cover all the shop windows in vinyl that is certainly unattractive.

    David Jones, Chairman of Spalding Civic Society

  15. Fairy Dell further protected from developmentpublished at 10:39 British Summer Time 2 April 2019

    An historic Skegness paddling pool, which dates back to the 1800s, has been further protected from future development by the local council.

    fairy dell skegnessImage source, East Lindsey District Council

    The Fairy Dell (pictured) was nominated as an Asset of Community Value by Skegness Town Council and East Lindsey District Council has now approved it.

    The designation means it's better protected from future developments by the local councils.

    In 2004, there was controversy after the Dell was closed because of health and safety fears.

    It was later reopened after a refurbishment.

  16. Kickboxer admits disability benefit fraudpublished at 10:06 British Summer Time 2 April 2019

    A mother has admitted fraudulently receiving over £20,000 of disability benefits after it was discovered that she was competing in major kickboxing tournaments.

    kickboxerImage source, DWP

    31-year-old Tammy Horton, of Folly Lane, Stickney, told a Department for Work and Pensions health assessor that she struggled to walk more than 20 metres and couldn't dress herself because it was too painful.

    During the time she was claiming benefits she won medals in international kickboxing tournaments across the UK.

    Lincoln Crown Court heard Horton did suffer from illnesses, including chronic pelvic disease and fibromyalgia, but that she wasn't entitled to the benefits she was paid.

    Horton admitting charges of failing to notify the DWP of a change in circumstance between 5 February 2014 and 25 March 2015 and making a false statement to obtain PIP between 25 March 2015 and 10 May 2017.

    In total she received benefits totalling £21,928 to which she was not entitled.

    She was given a 10 month jail sentence suspended for two years.

    Quote Message

    Only a small minority of benefit claimants are dishonest, but cases like this show how we are catching those who cheat the system and divert taxpayers' money from the people who need it."

    DWP Spokesperson

  17. More protests over 'ridiculous' relief road routepublished at 09:35 British Summer Time 2 April 2019

    Campaigners angry at plans which could see their homes demolished to make way for a Spalding relief road are planning to continue their protests.

    campaigners in spalding

    The group gathered outside the South Holland District Council offices yesterday evening.

    They're against one of the county council's options for a relief road, which would mean the authority buying some houses on Bourne and Horseshoe Road and demolishing them.

    The authority say it is meeting with a number of residents to discuss their views and concerns, but haven't decided on a final route yet.

    One resident, in his 80s, described the situation as "ridiculous" and pointed out that many homes on the route are owned by retirees.

    Quote Message

    It's just horrendous, it should have not happened. It's unconscionable."

    Stacey Barneveld-Taylor, Resident

  18. Watch: Nick Boles resigns from Conservative Partypublished at 08:45

    Following the failure of his own motion to stay in the Single Market Nick Boles has resigned from the Conservative Party.

    The Grantham and Stamford MP said he tried to find a "compromise" for Brexit but said he had "failed":

  19. MP dramatically resigns the Tory partypublished at 08:12 British Summer Time 2 April 2019

    Nick Boles, the MP for Grantham and Stamford, dramatically resigned from the Conservative Party following the announcement of the results of the second round of indicative votes on exiting the European Union.

    He accused the party of failing to compromise on Brexit:

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