Latest updates: East Midlands Live Thursday 12 April

Summary

Man pleads not guilty to woman's murder
Puppy stolen during viewing
Swimmers take on ocean challenge
Teen hospitalised after assault
Toys R Us announce final closing dates
Updates on Thursday 12 April 2018

Live Reporting

Calum McKenzie and Amy Woodfield

Puppy stolen during viewingpublished at 14:23 British Summer Time 12 April 2018
Amy Woodfield
BBC News
This nine-week-old Yorkshire Terrier/Biewer Terrier cross puppy has been stolen from the Aspley area of Nottingham.
Image source, Nottinghamshire Police
The puppy had been advertised for sale online but during a viewing on 3 April a woman is believed to have taken it while the owner was distracted.
She had attended the viewing, on Hilcot Drive, with a man and a child. Police would like to hear from anyone with information about the theft.
Leicester in 10 worst A&Es for waitspublished at 13:54 British Summer Time 12 April 2018
Amy Woodfield
BBC News
The waiting time at Leicester's Accident and Emergency Unit is the eighth worst in England according to new figures.
Hospitals are meant to see 95% of patients in four hours but in Leicester only 77.6% are seen within this time.
Overall the 2017/18 figures are the worst-ever recorded by the NHS since annual performance records began in 2004.
The head of NHS Improvement said hospitals were facing a "mammoth" task coping with rising numbers of patients, particularly the sickest that need to be admitted on to wards.
Corbyn meets students to launch bus policypublished at 13:50 British Summer Time 12 April 2018
Calum McKenzie
BBC News
Jeremy Corbyn has met students at Littleover Community School, in Derby, to talk about his free bus travel policy.
Image source, PA
Mr Corbyn said under a Labour government people aged under 25 would get free bus travel in areas where the services are brought under public control.
He told sixth form students the scheme would cost £1.4bn over five years.
However, the Conservatives said it is, "another promise from Labour that they have no real ability to deliver".
'Buried' shopping centre pub to reopen?published at 13:42 British Summer Time 12 April 2018
The Green Man closed in 1993 and is sealed under Carillon Court - peanuts and all.
Read More
Claire passes halfway on 'bionic' marathon challengepublished at 13:40 British Summer Time 12 April 2018
Amy Woodfield
BBC News
Claire Lomas is now on day five of her Manchester Marathon challenge.
The paralysed woman from Melton Mowbray is raising money for The Nicholls Spinal Injury Foundation by walking the 26-mile route in a "bionic" suit.
She started the attempt on Sunday and is now over halfway - keep going Claire!
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Village meeting over shop closurespublished at 13:29 British Summer Time 12 April 2018
Amy Woodfield
BBC News
A meeting is being held in Ruddington to discuss what can be done to secure the future of its high street.
The meeting was called by the parish council chairman following the sudden closure of a greengrocer's that had been trading for 60 years.
Image source, Google
Sally Pickard runs Phoenix Flowers on Ruddington High Street and told the BBC there have been "quite a few" shop closures in the village recently but the greengrocer's was "a huge shock".
She said it's "tough" for small shops that have to compete with the supermarkets and the internet.
Oakham cardiac arrest survivor hopes to set world recordpublished at 12:59 British Summer Time 12 April 2018
Andy Trigg
BBC Radio Leicester reporter
A woman from Oakham is hoping to enter the Guinness World Records this summer by being part of the largest gathering of cardiac arrest survivors.
Ingrid Gradner suffered a cardiac arrest 18 months ago at the age of 41 when she collapsed in the street.
She was saved by a passer-by who gave her CPR.
The trauma left Ingrid with depression.
A Guinness World Record attempt is being held in Essex in June. Ingrid hopes she'll inspire others from Leicestershire and Rutland to join her.
Image source, Ingrid Gardner
Man, 74, dies after car hits wallpublished at 12:51 British Summer Time 12 April 2018
Amy Woodfield
BBC News
A 74-year-old man has died after his car crashed in Mansfield yesterday.
Clive Blinkhorn was taken to Kings Mill hospital after colliding with a wall on Sutton Road at about 06:30.
Image source, Google
Deporting foreign offenders cost £7.7mpublished at 12:43 British Summer Time 12 April 2018
Amy Orton
Local Democracy Reporter
Referring foreign national offenders in Leicestershire to the Home Office for deportation cost the criminal justice system around £7.7m last year.
Foreign national offenders are classed as any offender who is not a UK citizen. Their offences could have been committed overseas or in the UK.
Under freedom of movement rules, background checks are not currently carried out on EU nationals who come to the UK.
During 2017, 110 offenders who passed through Leicestershire Police custody suites were referred to the Home Office. The Office for National Statistics estimates the cost of dealing with such criminals to be about £70,000 per offender.
Quote Message
The reality is that people (from the EU) with convictions, and often very serious convictions, can move to the UK with an entirely clean slate. (But) murderers, rapists and drug dealers don't stop being those things just because they move to a new country."
Det Sgt Gary Bee, Leicestershire Police
Swimmers take on ocean challengepublished at 12:31 British Summer Time 12 April 2018
The Open Water Ladies Relay team hopes to complete the final challenge by 2022.
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New book features Leicestershire and Rutland prison farmspublished at 12:18 British Summer Time 12 April 2018
Jonathan Lampon
BBC Radio Leicester News Editor
Author Hannah Wright has released a book about her experiences growing up and living on a prison farm.
Twenty years ago the prison service was the third largest farming operation in the country.
In her book, Outside Time, Hannah reveals how inmates grew and ate healthy produce, tended to livestock and crops and gained valuable social and professional skills.
There were prison farms in Leicestershire and Rutland. Ashwell prison had pigs, cattle, cereals, potatoes, vegetables, glasshouses and forestry.
In Leicestershire, Gartree had beef cattle and Glen Parva a large market garden.
Image source, @hanwrights Twitter
Rain ruins university cricket matchpublished at 12:15 British Summer Time 12 April 2018
Amy Woodfield
BBC News
I can't say I'm too surprised.
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Schools 'should offer lessons about abortion'published at 12:09 British Summer Time 12 April 2018
Calum McKenzie
BBC News
Pupils should be given information about abortion at school, a teacher from Derby has said.
Jennifer Marchant told the National Education Union's (ATL section) annual conference that teachers were in a position to give pupils information about what is legal.
"This is about giving students information so they can make their decisions," Ms Marchant said.
"Many students come from backgrounds where either [abortion] is not discussed at home or discussed incorrectly.
"We are educators first and foremost and we need to make sure students have got the best, accurate information possible so they can make their choice."
CCTV appeal following sexual assaultpublished at 12:03 British Summer Time 12 April 2018
Amy Woodfield
BBC News
Police investigating a report of sexual assault in Leicester city centre are appealing for help to identify the man seen in this CCTV footage.
Image source, Leicestershire Police
The assault is said to have happened in the early hours of Saturday 17 February. Police believe this man could have information to assist their investigation.
War memorial cleaned ahead of centenarypublished at 11:59 British Summer Time 12 April 2018
Amy Woodfield
BBC News
The war memorial in Leicester’s Victoria Park is having a "major spruce-up".
The Grade I listed Arch of Remembrance is being cleaned as part of the city council's preparations for the centenary of the end of World War One.
Low-pressure steam-cleaning will remove dirt, moss and staining on the structure.
The park lodge buildings, on either side of the main London Road gates, will also be cleaned and repaired as part of the £100,000 project.
Teen hospitalised after assaultpublished at 11:58 British Summer Time 12 April 2018
Amy Woodfield
BBC News
A 15-year-old boy was left with "a number of injuries" after he was assaulted at Braunstone Park in Leicester.
Image source, Google
The teenager was treated in hospital, following the attack on Tuesday evening, but has since been discharged.
Leicestershire Police are appealing for information and would like to hear from anyone who was in the area at the time.
Football: Rams beaten by 'Champions League' quality, says Rowettpublished at 11:41 British Summer Time 12 April 2018
Calum McKenzie
BBC News
Derby boss Gary Rowett has described Wolves midfielder Ruben Neves as having "Champions League" quality after the Rams slipped to a 2-0 defeat at Molineux.
Image source, Getty Images
Neves scored a stunning 30-yard volley in the second half to leave Derby in fifth, two points ahead of seventh-placed Middlesbrough.
Rowett described the goal as, "sensational".
"I have said it before but, for me, Neves is the best player I have seen in the Championship," he said. "He is too good for the Championship. He is a Champions League player."
The Rams will look to get back to winning ways when they travel to Burton on Saturday.
Toys R Us announces final closing datespublished at 11:34 British Summer Time 12 April 2018
Amy Woodfield
BBC News
Toys R Us stores in Derby and Nottingham will be among the last in the country to close.
Both stores will have their final day of trading on Tuesday 24 April - the last day the brand will operate in the UK.
Image source, Google
Other outlets still to close in the East Midlands are in Chesterfield, Mansfield, Nottingham Victoria Centre and Leicester Highcross.
Administrators claim employees have been informed of the closure dates and will be paid up to and including their last day of employment.
Quote Message
We are grateful for the hard work of everybody at Toys R Us during this extremely difficult and challenging time. We are working closely with the 2,000 employees affected by the closures to ensure they receive the support they need for redundancy and other compensatory payments."
Simon Thomas, Joint administrator
Holiday home opens in memory of Dawsonpublished at 11:25 British Summer Time 12 April 2018
East Midlands Today
A holiday home for families of children receiving treatment for cancer will open later in memory of Dawson Willcock.
The two-year-old, from Sutton-in-Ashfield, died from a rare form of liver cancer last November.
His parents raised the funds for specialist treatment in America, but were later told it would not save him.
The caravan at Skegness will offer respite care for other children fighting cancer.
Leicester boxer seeks gold at Commonwealth gamespublished at 11:11 British Summer Time 12 April 2018
Matt Smith
BBC Radio Leicester Breakfast Show producer
Despite already being guaranteed a bronze medal at the Commonwealth games, Paige Murney says she is confident she can go on to win gold.
The boxer from Beaumont Leys will compete in the semi-finals of the 60kg category tomorrow.