Rapist attacked four girls in three countiespublished at 12:49 Greenwich Mean Time 19 November 2020
Parents of one of the victims approached officers after their daughter was raped, police say.
Read MoreRapist attacked four girls in three countiespublished at 12:49 Greenwich Mean Time 19 November 2020
Appeal after 27 catalytic converters found and car seizedpublished at 12:01 Greenwich Mean Time 19 November 2020
Sonia Kataria
BBC NewsPolice have said it was a "successful night" after 27 catalytic converters were found and a car believed to be linked to the thefts was seized as part of an ongoing investigation.
Leicestershire Police said officers were on patrol looking for a black Audi in the Ullesthorpe area on Wednesday following a number of catalytic converter thefts around Hinckley the night before.
Sgt Ryan Coleman said they found a car with a number of catalytic converters "discarded next to it" at about 19:15 on Mere Lane.
"As we turned the corner we saw a male running off and sadly due to the darkness we lost him," he said.
Image source, Leicestershire PoliceHe said no arrests had been made and the investigation into the thefts was ongoing.
Sgt Coleman said there had been a spike in catalytic converter offences in the East Midlands.
He urged anyone with information to contact the force.
Image source, Leicestershire PolicePremiership returns after 27-day gappublished at 11:26 Greenwich Mean Time 19 November 2020
Less than a month since Exeter Chiefs were crowned Premiership champions, English top-flight rugby is ready to return.
Read More'Silent soldier' stolen from Remembrance displaypublished at 08:55 Greenwich Mean Time 19 November 2020
Neil Heath
BBC News OnlineA silent soldier monument has been stolen from a Remembrance display in Kings Clipstone.
The metal tribute, which was taken overnight on Friday, was "one of a kind", according to Nottinghamshire Police.
The force has appealed for more information about its disappearance.
Image source, Sherwood PoliceUniversity's name after anti-Semite 'must go'published at 08:48 Greenwich Mean Time 19 November 2020
Students say 13th Century knight Simon De Montfort's persecution of Jews makes the name unacceptable.
Read MoreToday's weather for the East Midlandspublished at 08:20 Greenwich Mean Time 19 November 2020
A cold, wet and windy day is in store, with temperatures reaching a high of only 8C in most places.
Today's BBC Weather Watchers picture is from Scrappy in Kegworth.
Image source, ScrappyUndercover police officer 'not forgiven'published at 02:58 Greenwich Mean Time 19 November 2020
Mark Kennedy had a series of relationships with women before his true identity was revealed in 2010.
Read MoreTrust stops non-urgent operations amid Covid fearspublished at 20:03 Greenwich Mean Time 18 November 2020
A health boss fears the second wave of the virus will be "much worse than the first".
Read MoreRaids lead to two arrests and drug seizurespublished at 18:06 Greenwich Mean Time 18 November 2020
Neil Heath
BBC News OnlineDrugs raids have been carried out at two addresses in the Eastwood and Newthorpe areas leading to arrests.
A 36-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to supply Class A drugs after a warrant was executed at an address in Moon Crescent, Eastwood.
Officers also recovered £4,500 worth of clothing and £2,000 cash.
Image source, GoogleA small quantity of what is suspected to be cocaine was also seized.
Another raid at a property in Hilltop Rise, Newthorpe, led to the arrest of a 20-year-old man on suspicion of conspiracy to supply Class A drugs.
A small quantity of cannabis was also recovered.
Both men remain in custody while police continue their investigation.
Oadby and Wigston Covid-19 rate continues to risepublished at 17:31 Greenwich Mean Time 18 November 2020
Neil Heath
BBC News OnlineThe borough of Oadby and Wigston in Leicestershire is the 10th highest in the country for confirmed coronavirus cases, in the week up to 14 November, according to latest Public Health England data.
The area's seven-day rate per 100,000 people rose from 413.9 in the week up to 7 November to 527.9.
In the same period, the number of confirmed cases increased from 236 to 301.
Oadby and Wigston is just ahead of Leicester, in 12th, which recorded a seven-day rate of 519.2, up from 441.0 the previous week. Cases in the city went up from 1,562 to 1,839.
Image source, GoogleStolen motorhome found by police in Humbersidepublished at 16:24 Greenwich Mean Time 18 November 2020
Neil Heath
BBC News OnlineA motorhome, which was stolen from a driveway in Nottinghamshire, has been found and is set to be returned to its owners.
The distinctive Pilote vehicle was taken from outside a home in High Street, Gringley on the Hill, on Friday, by thieves who were caught on CCTV.
Image source, Nottinghamshire PoliceThe motorhome was found on Tuesday by officers in Humberside along with another suspected stolen vehicle.
No arrests have been made and the investigation continues.
The vehicle will be returned to its owners, who had bought the vehicle to travel around the UK during their retirement, after forensic examinations have been completed.
Man arrested near Leicester after train delayspublished at 14:52 Greenwich Mean Time 18 November 2020
Alex Regan
BBC NewsA man has been arrested near Leicester after train services were delayed yesterday.
East Midlands Railway said services between Sheffield and London were delayed by up to 30 minutes on Tuesday evening.
Police confirmed officers were called to the line near the city at 17:49 following reports of a trespasser on the tracks.
"Officers attended and a man was arrested on suspicion of obstructing the railway," a British Transport Police spokesman added.
Wright agrees new Leicestershire dealpublished at 14:45 Greenwich Mean Time 18 November 2020
Leicestershire's former Middlesex, Essex and Warwickshire fast bowler Chris Wright signs a new two-year contract.
Read MoreLeicester factory labour reforms 'slower due to Covid'published at 14:41 Greenwich Mean Time 18 November 2020
Alex Regan
BBC NewsPlans for a new enforcement body to tackle poor working conditions in places like Leicester's garment factories have been slowed due to the Covid-19 pandemic, a government minister has said.
At a Westminster Hall debate in Parliament on Wednesday, Leicester West MP Liz Kendall spoke about "repeated allegations of unacceptable working conditions and illegal underpayment of workers" by fast fashion retailer Boohoo.
Ms Kendall said a review into the retailer's supply chain by Alison Levitt QC showed Boohoo "was quick to take advantage of the commercial opportunities afforded by the increase in demand during the pandemic".
"But at no point was any assessment made as to how the Leicester workforce was going to cope with the increased volume," she added.
Ms Levitt, who was hired by Boohoo to lead the review, found the firm did not intentionally profit from poor working conditions and low pay.
Business minister Paul Scully said the government intended to create "a new, single labour enforcement body" but "progress on this has been slower than I would've liked due to Covid-19".
But he added it gave the government an opportunity to "learn a huge amount from the current situation in Leicester, and also around the Covid-19 pandemic as well".
The minister said the plans to create this enforcement body would continue through an employment bill next year, adding: "In 2019-20 alone HMRC recovered over £20.8m for more than 260,000 workers and issued 1,000 penalties for non-compliant businesses of the national minimum wage."
Bird table theft caught on CCTVpublished at 12:56 Greenwich Mean Time 18 November 2020
Chris Waring
BBC NewsA man has been caught on camera stealing a bird table from a front garden in Leicester.
Two people can be seen in the footage near the house in Aylestone, with one creeping on to the drive before carrying off the large wooden table.
Police said no arrests have been made over the theft, which happened on Sunday 9 November between 19:45 and 21:15.
Oadby and Wigston records highest Covid rate in regionpublished at 12:07 Greenwich Mean Time 18 November 2020
Sonia Kataria
BBC NewsThe borough of Oadby and Wigston in Leicestershire had the highest infection rate in the East Midlands in the week up to 13 November, according to latest Public Health England data.
The area's seven-day rate per 100,000 people rose from 391.1 in the week up to 6 November to 527.9.
In the same period, the number of confirmed cases increased from 223 to 301.
Its rate is the 13th highest in the country, just ahead of Leicester, which recorded a seven-day rate of 526.2, up from 418.7 the previous week. Cases in the city went up from 1,483 to 1,864.
Image source, GoogleElsewhere in the region, Blaby and Melton, in Leicestershire, saw their infection rate per 100,000 people surge from 332.9 to 455.1 and 312.4 to 421.8 respectively.
Blaby's coronavirus cases rose by 124 to 462 in the week up to 13 November, while Melton's increased from 160 to 216.
Amber Valley, in Derbyshire, saw a slight increase in infection rate - from 424.5 to 454.2 - with the number of cases rising by 38.
Bike owner 'shocked' after hand-built tricycle stolenpublished at 11:29 Greenwich Mean Time 18 November 2020
Liam Barnes
BBC NewsA bike enthusiast is asking for help to trace a "unique" tricycle after it was stolen while he was at work.
Alex Coates, from Annesley, had parked his hand-built three-wheeler in the car park outside Tesco Extra in Hucknall on 2 November, but thieves snapped off a secure lock to take £400 vehicle.
The 22-year-old said he's been using the trike to get to work "for many years", and the theft had left him "shocked".
Nottinghamshire Police said the vehicle was taken at about 03:00, and are appealing for any witnesses to come forward.
Image source, Nottinghamshire PoliceQuote MessageThe whole situation is a real inconvenience and I believe they will just try to sell on the parts as the bike will have been damaged by the way they took it. It's not really worth much now, so I'm gutted that something so precious to me, will just get sold on as scrap metal. Hopefully someone will spot the parts or this distinctive trike being sold and get in touch with the police."
Alex Coates
Man taken to hospital after street attackpublished at 11:23 Greenwich Mean Time 18 November 2020
Liam Barnes
BBC NewsPolice in Derbyshire are appealing for information after a man was left with facial injuries following a street attack in Staveley.
Officers were called to a "disturbance" on Duke Street at about 19:15 on Tuesday, a spokesman for Derbyshire Police said.
The injured man was taken to hospital, and another man arrested at the scene on suspicion of assault remains in police custody, but officers are looking for any witnesses or anyone with CCTV or dashcam footage to come forward.
Image source, GoogleFour puppies stolen from farmpublished at 10:01 Greenwich Mean Time 18 November 2020
Samantha Noble
BBC News OnlinePolice are appealing for the public's help after four puppies were stolen in Leicestershire.
The 10-week-old Jack Russells – three males and a female – were taken from a farm in Gilmorton between 17:00 and 20:00 on 11 November, Leicestershire Police said.
It is believed a person or people entered through the kitchen window and took them from a crate inside the property but left behind their mother and one other puppy.
The stolen puppies had not yet been microchipped or had their injections.
Image source, Leicestershire PolicePC Julie Toone said: "I would like to speak to anyone who has information regarding this burglary.
"Please look closely at the photograph provided. Do you recognise them? Have you seen them listed for sale – or have you been offered the opportunity to buy one?"
Image source, Leicestershire PoliceOh howl-y night: Groomer creates '2020-style' dog nativitypublished at 09:40 Greenwich Mean Time 18 November 2020
Samantha Noble
BBC News OnlineLet's just paws for a minute to appreciate this.
A woman who runs a dog walking and grooming business in Leicestershire has made a canine nativity scene to reflect this year's pandemic.
Image source, Jo KingstonJo Kingston, who runs Wags 2 Riches Pet Services in Mountsorrel, created a dog nativity scene in 2017 which went viral after it was posted on Twitter.
This year she has re-created the photograph but included toilet rolls, masks and hand sanitiser.
She said: "You've got to have masks and toilet rolls [in the picture].
"Everyone finds it funny and it's cheered people up in these sad times."
