A woman has been jailed for benefits fraud just a few months after her pregnant daughter was killed in a car crash.

Vanessa Freeman (43) admitted four counts of dishonestly obtaining a total of £33,416 in benefits she was not entitled to, between April, 2008 and March, 2012.

A hearing at Leicester Crown Court on Wednesday was told about the death of Freeman's daughter, Paige Jackson, 22, and her unborn baby, Reuben, as part of her mitigation.

A copy of the Leicester Mercury's report of the tragedy, which happened in Saffron Lane, Leicester, on February 15, was handed to Judge Philip Head by Freeman's defence advocate, Delyth Crisp.

James Bide-Thomas, prosecuting, said Freeman initially legitimately claimed housing benefit and income support as a single mother.

But she failed to notify the authorities when her ex-partner, Malcolm Jackson, the father of two of her five children, began staying at her home in Lansdowne Road, Aylestone, Leicester, in 2008. Mr Jackson contributed to the household bills and his bank and employer had the house as his home address on their records.

It is the second time Freeman has committed benefit fraud.

Jailing her for four months, Judge Head said: "In 2006, you pleaded guilty to four benefit fraud offences that closely mirror these offences.

"Over five or more years you fraudulently obtained £51,000 in benefits and were given a community punishment order (with 240 hours of unpaid work).

"About 18 months later, you embarked on the current offences of exactly the same nature.

"The previous conviction means you had your eyes wide open to the dishonesty.

"You weren't fully cohabiting in the romantic sense, but a man was coming and going, often staying up to several days a week and contributing to the household expenses.

"This was public money you've cheated the public purse out of. This offending ran for three-and-a-half years.

"Your only mitigation is the personal tragedy that you've recently suffered. Although, the tragedy cannot cancel the fact you're someone previously convicted of a prolonged period of dishonesty."

Judge Head said the sentence would have been seven months, but he was reducing it to four "having regard to that particularly personal matter".

Ms Crisp, mitigating, said Mr Jackson stopped staying at Freeman's home when she formed a relationship with a new partner, who lives elsewhere, in December, 2011.

"It's not a traditional case of living together but Mr Jackson was helping out with the bills. He worked night shifts and would come and go as he pleased.

"She accepts she did not give the proper information to the benefit agencies.

"Sadly, her daughter, Paige Jackson, who was six months pregnant, was tragically killed.

"She's found the grieving process very difficult and been distressed."

Paige, a former pupil at Sir Jonathan North School, in Knighton, Leicester, worked at McDonald's in Wigston.

She lived with her partner, Kane Johnson, and other members of her family at her mother's home.

A 21-year-old man arrested in connection with the incident was released on police bail.

A publican caught without a TV licence has been ordered to pay £420 by magistrates.

Anthony King, of The Tom Thumb, in Grove Road, Blaby, was fined £200 for the offence of using a TV without a licence on the business premises.

He was also ordered to pay £200 costs and a £20 victim surcharge at a hearing at Leicester Magistrates' Court yesterday.

Speaking after the hearing, TV Licensing East Midlands spokesman Mark Whitehouse said: "We appreciate these are tough times for businesses, but to be fair to the majority who do pay the licence fee we have to take action against those who watch TV illegally.

"We'd rather businesses think ahead and check if they need a licence than risk being prosecuted. A licence costs £145.50 and can be bought in minutes online."

Big-hitters from the world of motorsport descended on Donington Park yesterday for the launch of an environmentally-friendly racing championship.

The FIA (Federation Internationale de l'Automobile) Formula E Championship will be the first top-class racing series with cars exclusively powered by electricity.

An electric version of Formula One, its 10 teams will race through 10 city street circuits – beginning with Beijing in September.

The circuit was chosen as the championship base, with yesterday witnessing the unveiling of its £5.7 million headquarters, including test facilities, offices and workshops.

Formula E is backed by Hollywood star Leonardo DiCaprio, Virgin owner Sir Richard Branson and Audi.

Leading Formula One names such as McLaren and Williams have also been involved in developing the car – the Spark-Renault SRT_01E – the teams will race.

Four-time Formula One world champion Alain Prost was among those who attended the launch as supremo of French Formula E team e.dams.

Alejandro Agag, CEO of Formula E, and Kevin Wheatcroft, owner of Donington Park, led proceedings.

Mr Wheatcroft said: "It's a proud day for everyone associated with Donington Park, now back at the heart of the British motorsport industry."

More than 40 support staff at a secondary school are facing redundancy.

A consultation has begun at Longslade Community College, in Birstall, after it was announced a number of jobs were under threat.

Positions which could be axed include canteen, administration and premises staff.

Acting head teacher Jason Smith said the potential job losses were due to a reduction in pupil numbers.

He said: "In September, The Martin High School, in Anstey, changed to an 11 to 16 site, resulting in Longslade's year 10 intake reducing by around 187 students. Longslade has traditionally been a large upper school and sixth form with intakes of 400 pupils per year group.

"We have about 160 pupils starting in year 10 this September, making about a 53 per cent reduction in student numbers overall.

"Therefore, a reduction in our associate staff is something we are consulting on."

Mr Smith said the number of teachers at the school had been "managed through natural reduction", with staff not being replaced once they left and through shorter contracts.

"The redundancies will only affect associate staff," he said.

Any redundancies, should they go ahead, will not take place until January.

Union leaders have been notified and the consultation period will last 45 days.

Mr Smith said: "We realise this is a difficult time for some staff but at this stage this is a consultation and not a fait accompli."

Longslade, which takes pupils aged 14 to 18, is hoping to become part of a multi-academy trust led by Beauchamp College, in Oadby.

The move could pave the way for all-through education – with children staying at the same school from the age of 11 to 18 – in Birstall, as long-term plans include merging Longslade and Stonehill High.

Stonehill High, which takes pupils aged 11 to 14, shares the same site as Longslade.

Mr Smith said the school was concentrating on improving standards and becoming part of the trust was unlikely to happen until then.

The school is rated inadequate by Ofsted, despite 60 per cent of pupils gaining five or more GCSEs at grades A to C, including English and maths, last summer – up 21 per cent on the previous year.

A recent monitoring inspection found improvements. Another inspection is due to take place before the end of the academic year.

Chairman of governors Tony Stott said: "We recognise this is a very difficult time for everybody and we need to be sensitive to that.

"It's clear a restructure is required and must be done with the best interests of the school and its students in mind.

"Longslade is making improvements and we hope that's recognised by Ofsted again at its next inspection.

"We have more robust systems in place and we're moving forward positively."

Union leaders are threatening universities with court action over deductions from staff pay.

The University and College Union (UCU) said Leicester and De Montfort universities acted unlawfully by deducting a full day's pay from staff who took strike action lasting two hours.

They said in the case of De Montfort University it was "particularly galling as vice-chancellor Dominic Shellard was awarded a pay rise of 13 per cent" over the past three years.

Staff at both city universities, Loughborough and others across the country, staged a number of two-hour walk outs in January in a bid to secure a pay increase above 1 per cent.

UCU has written to Professor Shellard and Bob Burgess, vice-chancellor of the University of Leicester, to demand the money is returned.

UCU regional official Sue Davis said: "Hard-working staff took industrial action in a legitimate attempt to reverse years of declining pay.

"To be treated so poorly by your employer leaves an incredibly bitter taste in the mouth.

"At the end of such a protracted, and at times bitter, dispute Leicester's universities have this opportunity to start to improve relations with their staff.

"We consider any money taken an unlawful deduction.

"If the universities do not repay the money, we will seek redress through the courts."

The dispute was resolved at the start of the month when UCU members voted to accept a 2 per cent pay rise.

A spokesman for the University of Leicester, said: "The university made it clear from the outset and notified staff in advance it would withhold a day's pay for partial performance."

A spokeswoman for De Montfort said: "Professor Shellard's basic salary and pension contribution have risen from £249,000 in 2012/13 to £250,000 this year – an increase of about 0.5 per cent. This is entirely within norms for the sector.

"As a member of the Universities and Colleges Employers Association, De Montfort follows national recommendations regarding pay awards as well as deductions in pay resulting from industrial action."

A man who accessed child pornography on his home computer has been jailed for 12 months.

Paul Vincent Ward (48) admitted six offences relating to downloading 28 indecent images of young boys, including babies.

Ward was arrested at his home in Braunstone Lane, Leicester, and his computer was seized.

Alan Murphy, prosecuting, said the illegal images were accessed between January 2010 and December 2012.

The offences related to seven images in the least serious category at level one, nine images at level three and 12 images at level four. The most serious level is five.

Mr Murphy told Leicester Crown Court: "There was evidence that, in the month before his arrest, he used a file sharing programme, which was then uninstalled on November 23."

He also had computer cleaning software on the computer's hard drive, which Judge Philip Head said was capable of deleting all traceability of indecent material.

There was also evidence that Ward had a Skype conversation with someone else discussing the topic of child abuse.

Sentencing, Judge Head said: "These offences relate to indecent images representing a three-year period."

He said he had been shown "disgusting" images of a baby and a three-year-old being abused.

Judge Head said: "Those children are victims. Without you providing an appetite for this material, there would be no point in producing it.

"This isn't a large amount of material compared with many defendants, but it was over a sustained period. I'm told you now accept full responsibility and have demonstrated frankness in the preparation of the pre-sentence report.

"You're also a carer for your vulnerable father.

"Your barrister says it's a stark choice of a non-custodial sentence so you can receive treatment to minimise the risk of future offending, or immediate custody.

"The dreadfulness of these images can only be marked by immediate custody."

Carl Gaskell, mitigating, said Ward was willing to undergo a rehabilitation programme to reduce the risk of it happening again.

Ward was placed on a sexual offences prevention order, so his future computer use can be monitored by the authorities, and will have to enlist on a sex offenders' register for 10 years.

Police have urged Leicester Mercury readers to help them trace two men they have linked to alleged drugs offences.

Officers at Leicester's Beaumont Leys police station say Sammy Gunn and Jordan Wayne are wanted in connection with the alleged sale of heroin and cannabis.

Officers have been searching for both men since earlier this year. They have issued recent photographs of the pair and urged the public to let them know where they are – or for the men to turn themselves in.

Sammy Gunn, 33, is wanted for alleged possession of and intent to supply heroin.

He has previous links to the Stocking Farm area.

He was placed on the police's "wanted" list after officers staged a drugs raid in Derry Walk, Stocking Farm earlier this year.

Jordan Wayne, 32, is wanted in connection with the discovery earlier this year of a cannabis factory in Aikman Avenue, New Parks.

He is wanted in connection with the alleged possession of and intent to supply cannabis.

Sergeant Dave Thompson, of Beaumont Leys police, said: "We believe these two men are still somewhere in Leicester.

"Our message to the men themselves, who know they are wanted, is to come into a police station. We will be exploring the possibility of obtaining search warrants for any addresses we suspect these men are staying at."

The neighbourhood action team at Beaumont Leys police station has executed dozens of search warrants across the area it covers in the past couple of months.

Sgt Thompson said: "There has been a lot of activity in the past few months and a lot of it has been possible because members of the community have passed us information.

"We are saying to people 'give us the information and we will do the rest'."

Officers from the station carried out a further raid yesterday. They arrested a man at a property in Beaumanor Road, off Abbey Lane, on suspicion of possession with intent to supply cannabis.

If you know Sammy Gunn's whereabouts, contact Pc Chris Blount. If you know where Jordan Wayne is, call Pc Matt Gibson. Both officers can be contacted on 101 or via Crimestoppers, which is anonymous, on 0800 555 111.

I could not find it in me to watch the BBL play-off final last weekend, still smarting from our semi-final defeat to Newcastle.

Many games have 'what might have been' moments, but that loss against Newcastle was very hard to take because we had done so well to put ourselves in with a great chance to win, despite being without two key players.

But congratulations to Worcester for a great victory in the final, which came as no big surprise.

That makes four trophies shared by three clubs this season, Worcester with two, Newcastle and Leicester Riders with the others.

Sheffield had a great season to finish second in the Championship, but failed to get to a final.

That says about all you need to know about the competitiveness of the BBL this season.

When you look back at games between the top four sides, there was usually just a play or two that separated the teams on any night, and perhaps only a handful or so plays all season that determined the order of finish and the trophies.

We have seen the quality of recruitment by BBL clubs during the last three seasons improve remarkably.

Players like Zaire Taylor, who joined us the previous season, our Jay Couisnard, Victor Moses and Reggie Middleton at Cheshire, another Worcester player in Will Creekmore, Scott Martin at Newcastle, BJ Holmes at Sheffield – I could go on but we are seeing some very good players in our league and the level of competition increase.

They are coming to a BBL which has seen crowds increase and marketing improve, with social media outlets giving fans all sorts of ways to engage with clubs and their players.

These are exciting times and it feels like we can continue this upward trajectory as crowds build.

The next stage will be if we can get the very best young British players to return to the UK after US college careers, rather than looking to Europe or further abroad.

There are up to 100 Brits in the US college system right now, as American universities scan the globe to find the best basketball talent in the world.

A key objective of the BBL now has to be to find a way of ensuring a significant proportion of these players look to the UK for their career.

When that happens, the quality of the BBL will take another big step up.

A barman who posted naked photographs of an ex-girlfriend on Facebook, as well as video clips of them having sex, has been given a suspended jail sentence.

Leicester Crown Court was told the 25-year-old used the embarrassing images to try and persuade the victim to have sex with him "one last time".

After the video clips and nude photos were removed from the social networking site, he then offered to hand over a memory stick containing the images – in exchange for sex.

The victim, in her early 20s, refused to meet him and alerted police.

The defendant, who is not being named by the Mercury to protect the victim from further distress and embarrassment, was given an eight-week jail sentence, suspended for two years.

He admitted an offence of persistently making use of a public electronics network – Facebook and text messages – for the purpose of causing annoyance, inconvenience or needless anxiety.

Sentencing, Judge Michael Pert said: "This conduct was deeply unpleasant.

"Young people seem to regard it as appropriate to take compromising photographs of each other, little appreciating it's just a mouse-click before it's on the internet. You found yourself in possession of photographs taken of your ex-girlfriend that she, or any woman, would be mortified if they were made public – and you published them. It's despicable.

"It's conduct of which you should be deeply ashamed."

Robert Underwood, prosecuting, said the defendant and victim had known each other for many years and, in 2012, embarked on a three month relationship.

He said: "During the course of intimacy, they took various photographs and video-taped themselves having sex.

"He broke off the relationship. She was upset, but got over it."

In January 2013, the victim had a Facebook friend request from a fictitious person using a bogus name, created by the defendant. When she checked out pictures on that person's Facebook account, she saw four videos of her having sex with the defendant and a number of photographs.

She contacted the defendant, who claimed to know the fictitious person and offered to speak to him to get the pictures taken down – if she would have sex with him.

The images were taken off the bogus Facebook account, but the defendant then sent her text messages pestering her for sex.

Mr Underwood said: "He told her he would give her the memory stick containing all the images if she'd meet him and have sex."

She replied by text: "I'm not giving you sex, why can't you understand that?"

Sally Bamford, mitigating, told the court: "It was the case of a spurned ex-boyfriend desperate for emotional contact."

Judge Pert then intervened, saying: "No, he was desperate for sex.

"It's sordid in the extreme."

Miss Bamford continued: "Towards the end, his text messages are sad, including, 'I love you and wanted to give things another go.'

"He accepts it caused a huge amount of distress to the complainant, by making private images public, and that it's an embarrassing episode in his life.

"His personality is prone to obsession, because of the relentless behaviour which caused her distress.

"He knows he's got to leave his phone alone."

There will be a lot more on the line during tonight's gargantuan clash between two bitter local rivals than a place in the Aviva Premiership final.

All over the pitch are head-to-head battles that will result in bragging rights throughout the summer.

None more so than in the centres, where current England incumbent Luther Burrell will come up against the man keen to rip the shirt off his back for the upcoming New Zealand tour – Manu Tuilagi.

The Leicester man has missed most of the season with a serious chest injury that required surgery.

While he was recovering, his opposite number at Saints was making a name for himself, alongside Billy Twelvetrees, in an England midfield that impressed throughout an encouraging Six Nations.

The two men will be trying to lay down a marker at Franklin's Gardens with the world and his dog paying close attention to who gets the better of their battle.

"Burrell has played fantastically well and him and Billy Twelvetrees in the Six Nations have done well," said Tuilagi.

"But you always have to prove yourself every time you go out on to the pitch.

"You always have to try to get the best out of your opponent and you do what you need to do."

Tuilagi has always been a key part of these fixtures during Tigers' 10-game unbeaten streak.

Many remember his fracas with Chris Ashton but, mostly, people remember his powerful runs and show-reel hits in defence.

"These games have gone well for us in the past," said the man who turns 23 this weekend.

"It's important for us to go there and do the job again.

"The physicality we have is just the nature of the game. It gets pretty heated in the moment and it has the last three or four times we have met, there have been some incidents.

"Saints have a strong squad. We have been studying them.

"We have been working out how to defend their threats all over the place, especially someone like Ben Foden.

"There is Burrell in the centres and Stephen Myler back to his best.

"But we are calm and collected. The senior boys have set out all the moves that we are going to do."

When I was a kid, quite some time ago now, I was under the impression that my football club were rich. There they were, in my big Purnell's Encyclopaedia of Football breaking the British transfer record in June 1968, Allan Clarke, Fulham to Leicester City, £150,000.

Can you imagine that, 150 times one thousand pounds!

Of course, it was all smoke and mirrors even then. The popular, big-hearted Frank Large was despatched to Fulham for £40,000 of that fee, and a year later the transfer record rose again – June 1969, Allan Clarke, Leicester City to Leeds United, £165,000.

City had given the impression of being big spenders, but had actually turned in a profit.

Although many City fans would have preferred to see Frank fighting the relegation scrap than Allan, we might have won it then.

When City regained their top-flight status, they dished out £100,000 cheques left, right and centre as Jimmy Bloomfield looked to his native London to build his side – Keith Weller, Dennis Rofe, Jon Sammels, Steve Earle, Alan Birchenall...

Again, as a youngster, I had the impression that Filbert Street housed a rich and powerful club.

What I hadn't worked out, but the bank had, was that City had two big assets in David Nish and Peter Shilton, who were both already well above the £100,000 bracket.

By the time City cashed them in, the actual outlay was very little indeed.

Towards the end of the 1970s, City were more frugal, breaking the club record once to buy Roger Davies from Bruges, and that didn't go terribly well.

Through much of the 80s and 90s, City were run on a shoestring and the only big transfers were the ones going out. The club didn't break the £1million barrier until 1994 when they bought Mark Draper from Notts County before their first Premier League season.

This was 15 years after Forest became the first club to spend £1m, on Trevor Francis.

Even during the Martin O'Neill era, and all the success it brought, saw no outlay on balance.

By this time, I had got accustomed to the idea that my club were as poor as a church mouse, and when they did get a few quid to spare, they did not spend it wisely.

Ade Akinibiyi for £5m? Half the Emile Heskey proceeds down the drain in one afternoon's work for Peter Taylor.

Going into administration hammered home the idea that we didn't have a pot to relieve ourselves in, followed by years of austerity.

So you will have to excuse me if this Wednesday's story in the Mercury has sent me a little giddy.

There's our chairman Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha chatting to reporters in Bangkok, telling them how he plans to get City into the top five.

"It will take a huge amount of money, possibly 10bn Thai Baht (£180m), to get there," said Vichai.

"That doesn't put us off. I am asking for three years, and we'll be there."

Blimey! Not quite in Manchester City's league, but certainly better off than Crystal Palace and Hull.

I may have to get used to the idea of us being rich again.

Everyone has been a bit grumpy and tetchy at training this week. When they are more miserable than me, you know you have got them in the right place.

It is nothing unusual for players to be skulking about in the week leading up to a derby with Northampton.

And when there is a place in the Aviva Premiership final up for grabs, there is more focus than any other week.

There are few people laughing or joking about. Even the ones who you expect that sort of stuff from are quieter.

Everything is tuned in to trying to win tonight's game. The players and the club want it so badly – and I am sure Saints feel the same.

For me, there will be a little bit more pressure on Saints. They are at home and few teams have lost with that advantage in past semi-finals.

We are also the only team to have won there in the league this season.

The bookies have also made them favourites. That's fine with me, though I'm not sure I agree with it. We will also put pressure on ourselves though.

We have worked very hard during the past 22 rounds to get to the semi-finals.

It has not been the easiest of seasons with our injury problems, but we have hung in there and dealt with it well to get to still have a chance of retaining our title.

I know what this game will mean to the players as well.

Guys like the Youngs brothers, Matt Smith, Louis Deacon, Manu Tuilagi, Dan Cole, Tom Croft and the like all know how much this game means to the club and fans.

Not just because it is a semi-final – but because it is Northampton.

They have been brought up around this club, their brothers and dads have played for this club and they understand the relationship between Leicester and Northampton.

I came here as a 20-year-old and there was Dean Richards and Ian 'Dosser' Smith telling me how important it was to win these matches.

Then you go out and play in one and you realise for yourself what it means.

It gets bred into you and, in turn, you pass that on to other new and young players.

That's just how it is and that is how it should be. That is what rivalries are all about.

You know what it means to your next-door neighbour, the supporter down the road or the supporters in the stands.

We are all looking forward to it. These games are always exciting and there is nearly always some talking point to come out of it. It would be boring if there wasn't.

The jury in the Wood Hill fire trial has heard more evidence from defendant Kemo Porter.

Porter, (19) of Browning Street, Leicester, is among seven men and one teenager accused of torching the house in Spinney Hills, Leicester.

Giving evidence for the second day at Nottingham Crown Court yesterday, he said it was a co-defendant, Tristan Richards, who started the blaze on September 13 last year.

Porter has told the jury he was present when the fire was started, but claimed he did not know Richards was going to set the house alight.

He told the court: "I saw something in Richards' hands, like a jerry can. He was standing in the front garden, throwing liquid on the door."

During cross-examination, Richard Benson, representing Richards, accused Porter of lying to protect himself and the other six defendants, who are all good friends of his.

Mr Benson said: "You and your friends decided to point the finger at him. You laid the trail to blame him for what you and the others did."

The jury has heard how Porter's DNA was found on a cigarette lighter discovered by fire investigators at the scene.

Soon after the fire, Porter called police and told them he had given his lighter to three other males before the fire.

He later changed his story, saying he lent the lighter to Richards.

All eight deny murdering Shehnila Taufiq, 47, her daughter, Zainab, 19, and sons Bilal, 17, and Jamal, 15

The other defendants are: Aaron Webb (20), of Saltersford Road, North Evington; Jackson Powell (20), of Burnside Road, Saffron Lane estate; Nathaniel Mullings (19), of Farrington Street, off Humberstone Road; Shaun Carter (24), of Franche Road, Dane Hills; Richards (22), of Sparkenhoe Street, Highfields; Akeem Jeffers (21), of Car Mills, Leeds; and the 17-year-old.

The trial continues.

Leicestershire Foxes know that it will take a squad effort for them to make an impact on the new-look NatWest T20 Blast this season.

The Foxes begin their campaign this evening at home to Derbyshire Falcons (5.30) but, with the qualifying stages made up of 14 games stretching to July 27, it is a far different proposition to past years, when games have been crammed into a four or five-week period.

That means opportunities are likely to come and go through the course of the group stages, so the side that takes the field this evening is not necessarily the one that will take the Foxes through the next couple of months – unless matters go exceptionally well.

"Games are over a 10-week period now so we know that it will take a squad effort," said Leicestershire one-day skipper Josh Cobb.

"You don't know what could happen with injuries, and form has to be taken into account – if somebody is playing well in four-day cricket then you have to consider them for T20.

"So there are going to be plenty of chances for people to put their names in the hat."

Cobb will be one of the men Leicestershire supporters look to to give them a spring-heeled start to their innings, but the captain is far from alone in being able to put runs on the board at a rapid rate.

There were one or two pleasant surprises last season, too, as a couple of young batters showed they have the potential to prosper in the short form of the game.

Greg Smith shone as he averaged almost 40 at a punishing strike rate of 130, while Ned Eckersley and Rob Taylor also broke through.

"We know what a superb player Ned is but we didn't have him down as a power-hitter," said Cobb. "He proved people wrong.

"Rob has played a lot of cricket over the winter and is a very good one-day player."

Cobb also says there is another young gun to look out for.

"Tom Wells is a very exciting hitter of the ball and he will be there or thereabouts in the squad," he said.

Cobb hit two half-centuries in 20-over cricket last season to go with his three tons in the 40-over game.

He has a first season of captaincy under his belt, too, while the rest of the squad have also added to their experience.

"We will benefit from last year," said the Foxes skipper. "We were gutted not to make it through to the quarter-finals but certain players who hadn't had the experience have that campaign behind them now."

This season's competition is split into two groups of nine – as it was when the Foxes last won it in 2011.

As well as Derbyshire, Leicestershire face fixtures against Lancashire, Yorkshire, Nottinghamshire, Durham, Northants, Worcestershire and Warwickshire – who this season go under the Birmingham Bears moniker.

The top four qualify for the quarter-finals.

Leicester Tigers' players know exactly what to expect when they walk out at Franklin's Gardens to face Northampton Saints tonight.

The Aviva Premiership play-off semi-final will be no place for faint hearts on either side as Tigers set about extending an unbeaten sequence against the Saints which now stretches back 10 matches.

Toby Flood, restored to fly-half tonight, will be at the heart of matters for the defending champions, who are the only side to beat Saints on their own patch in the Premiership this term.

"The week is similar to a Heineken Cup week," said Flood. "There is a bit of a vibe there. Our team is experienced so we aren't going to be blasé about it. We are very switched on.

"Come game-time we know what we will be facing – a torrent of noise from the stands and a torrent of physicality from Northampton Saints. We have to be aware of that."

Given the fact that Tigers have pretty much had exclusivity to bragging rights over their neighbours in recent times, Leicester will fancy their chances of continuing that trend and making it through to another final.

Flood, though, says the Tigers camp know that they will have to earn that right, and probably via the toughest of routes, whatever the nature of recent derby results.

"There have been games where Saints could have won," said Flood. "There have been some very close battles.

"In all honesty, it isn't a mental thing. We have struggled in the past against Saracens and Harlequins but there is no mental fear or feeling of resignation.

"It's just that we haven't got it right on the day.

"So we aren't looking at the Saints game thinking that we only have to turn up, put the pressure on them and they will crumble."

With so much at stake, it is highly likely that the game will go down to the wire with two of the English game's heavyweights trading blows – hopefully in a tactical sense – from first whistle to last.

"We have to match Saints physically," added Flood. "They have some outstanding players who can create a lot out of very little. They have a strong set-piece game, too, driven by Dorian West."

The sides are coming off contrasting matches on the final day of the regular season.

Tigers and Saracens chose to make changes to their teams and played out a close encounter at Welford Road.

At the same time, Saints were dominating a Wasps side at Franklin's Gardens.

"The game we had against Harlequins was a real game in terms of ferocity," said Flood. "The Sale match wasn't quite what we wanted. It was a mixed bag for both teams against Saracens and the sides didn't get the hit out they wanted.

"Northampton put 70 points on Wasps and that wouldn't have been exactly what they wanted, either.

"But you can only be as confident as you allow yourself to be."

Leicester Tigers will have to overcome some major obstacles tonight if they are to earn the right to defend their Aviva Premiership title.

Tigers are the underdogs as hosts and bitter rivals Northampton Saints have home advantage at Franklin's Gardens (7.45).

Saints are also the bookies' big favourites and have almost no injury worries going into the highly-anticipated clash.

Richard Cockerill's visitors, however, have been struck by injuries again, with the likes of key men Geoff Parling (concussion) and Ant Allen (knee) ruled out.

Blaine Scully, Rob Hawkins and Boris Stankovich also miss out, along with long-term absentees Dan Cole, Miles Benjamin and Tom Croft.

Tigers will also be aiming to become only the fourth side that has won an away Premiership semi-final.

Tigers have never failed to reach Twickenham during the last nine years and director of rugby Cockerill hopes to maintain that "ritual" again in a fortnight's time.

"The expectation here is great," he said. "I know players and supporters who have been here for almost a decade and all they know is winning a championship or getting to the final.

"That expectation is there. When most other clubs get to the final, it is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for players, coaches and supporters.

"But it has become a ritual for us. As a coach, I have never not been to a grand final.

"We have had plenty of injuries this season but, if I am being honest, I won't take much consolation if we have lost in a semi and people tell us that we were unlucky and whatever.

"Now we have made the last four, we want to try to win it, and they are the standards we want to have."

Despite Allen and Parling missing the game, Tigers have recalled a host of big-name players to the squad and Toby Flood takes over from Owen Williams at fly-half.

Saints have few injury concerns, with just hooker Dylan Hartley missing out of their first-choice XV.

"Saints are a good side and Mike Haywood has come in and done well for Hartley while he has been out," said Cockerill.

"It all adds up to a good contest. It will be fierce and fiery, no doubt.

"We know it is all or nothing for us. There is nothing for us on Monday morning if we don't get it right."

A payroll administrator at a county health spa has been jailed for two years after being caught stealing £150,000.

Christine Burdett admitted fraud by abusing her position as an employee at Ragdale Hall between April 2006 and November last year.

The 66-year-old, who had worked for the Melton spa for 20 years, more than doubled her £17,000-a-year salary over a number of years.

Sentencing at Leicester Crown Court, Judge Michael Pert said Burdett, of Wheeldale Close, Beaumont Leys, Leicester, systematically plundered the company's staff bonus scheme – effectively stealing from her colleagues.

Alan Murphy, prosecuting, told the court the dishonesty was discovered in November last year, when it was noticed that payments to four employees were being paid into a single bank account, which seemed "very odd".

Checks revealed the named employees did not exist among the health spa's 450-strong workforce and that the bank account was the defendant's.

Mr Murphy said: "The records only went back to April 2006 and checks showed that every month since then, she had created between three and five fictitious employees, paying them between £100 and £550 each.

"In all, about 100 false names were used, including resurrecting names of former employees on the database."

It was estimated Burdett took a total of between £149,000 and £151,000.

Mr Murphy said: "The losers weren't the company but her colleagues. She had responsibility for administering the bonus scheme."

Every month, an allocated amount from the company profits was to be shared between the staff, depending on factors such as how well they had done, the number of hours worked, how many beauty products they had sold and what their individual targets were.

It was Burdett's job to work out the percentage of the pot that each staff member would receive.

The staff members themselves would have had no idea exactly what was due, Mr Murphy told the court.

He said she got away with it for so long because although it was the job of the MD to sign off the payroll, she had worked at the company for so long they trusted her with the scheme.

Burdett was arrested at home on November 8. She immediately admitted taking money for about six years.

In interview, she said her husband had retired early due to ill health, which caused a substantial drop in the family income. She said she was unable to pay the bills.

She spent the cash on household expenses, holidays in the UK, her daughter's wedding and mother-in-law's funeral, the court heard.

Burdett said no-one in her family was aware of what she was doing.

Ben Isaacs, mitigating, said Burdett was sorry for her actions and had not lived an extravagant lifestyle.

He said she did not realise quite how much money she had taken over the years.

Her daughter was in court, but her husband felt unable to attend because he could not face seeing her sent to prison.

A website has been launched to tell the stories of 597 Rutland men – and three women – who died in the First World War.

Its creators said the website is the most comprehensive record yet of the sacrifice of the people of England's smallest county in the Great War.

It draws on new and previously unpublished records as well as established sources.

Rutland Remembers has been paid for by the Heritage Lottery Fund, with help from private individuals and Rutland County Council.

Among the stories it tells are those of boys who joined up at 15, many sets of brothers and cousins who served and the high price paid by the smallest Rutland villages, as well as tales of extraordinary courage and heroism.

William Clifton, from Barrowden, was killed just after his 16th birthday in the Battle of the Somme.

John Woodward, from Great Casterton, was shot, blown up and twice torpedoed while on ships bringing him to hospital in England.

Bertie Tyler, of Preston, was awarded the Military Medal for rescuing wounded comrades under fire.

He was one of four brothers who joined up, two of whom were killed.

Colonel Robert Boyle, Deputy Lieutenant for Rutland, said: "The website provides an extraordinary resource for schools and those who want to learn more about Rutland's role in the First World War.

"The challenge now is to build on this knowledge and find out even more about the lives of these young men and make sure their sacrifice is never forgotten."

One of the website's authors, James Buchanan, said: "The site provides an opportunity to upload new information about and photographs of our soldiers, as well as recording visits to their graves and memorials, wherever they happen to be.

"This is really only the start. We want people to go out there and visit these men, wherever they are.

"Some of them lie buried in Rutland, most are on the Western Front but there are Rutland graves in 16 countries. We want people to visit them all and show we do remember."

Claire Gibson, a BBC journalist who has helped put the website together, said: "This website is a work in progress and just part of what Rutland Remembers stands for.

"Between now and 2018, we want someone from Rutland to visit every single grave and memorial, not just those on the Western Front but across the world as well.

"They all deserve a visit. So when you're planning your next trip abroad, take a look at our map and see whether you can stop by somewhere and pay your respects to a fellow Rutlander.

"Perhaps you would like to lay a wreath or plant a cross to show other visitors our soldier is special to us."

The website will stay open throughout the centenary years of the First World War.

In 2019, it will be closed for new contributions but remain available online and will be archived by the British Library.

The stories of the fallen can be read at: www.rutlandremembers.org