Acid-tongued comedian Joan Rivers was so impressed with her stay at a Rutland hotel that she gave staff tickets to her stand-up show – and then invited them back-stage.

The US television personality stayed at Hambleton Hall, in Oakham, on Monday and Tuesday while performing her Now Or Never show in Nottingham and Birmingham.

She tweeted a snap of herself with hotel staff backstage at her gig on Wednesday night to her 1,355,307 online followers. Alongside it, Joan wrote: "The amazing group from Hambleton_Hall! Thank you for making our stay simply perfect. I can't wait to come back!"

During her stay, the celebrity – who is known for her brash on-camera manner – also tweeted pictures of the view out of her window on to the hotel's gardens, and a picture of her having afternoon tea.

Hotel owner Tim Hart told the Mercury yesterday: "I am not terribly familiar with her TV programmes as I do not usually watch American TV, and her show was very rude, but she is absolutely charming.

"As you can imagine, when you look after people at a hotel, some are tremendously difficult and pushy, but she was the most charming person to look after. She could not have been nicer."

She gave Tim and five restaurant staff, including director Graeme Mattheson, tickets to her show on Wednesday night in Nottingham.

"The show was very, very, very good – very punchy – and after an hour of cathartic laughter, I felt 100 times better than before," said Tim.

Following her stay, Joan also tweeted film star Whoopi Goldberg about the hotel.

"You have to come visit Hambleton Hall in Rutland," she wrote. "Simply gorgeous, roaring fires, country rooms, wonderful food. Perfect!"

A hero driver praised by a judge for taking a photo of a robber who mugged a pensioner – helping police catch him – has said he would do it again.

The 32-year-old communications manager, who works in Leicester, was passing the scene and realised what had happened, so followed thug Reuben Drury in his car.

He saw Drury discarding his 73-year-old woman victim's trolley, handbag and house keys.

He retrieved them and drove after Drury to take his picture, before handing the items over to police.

The hero, who did not want to be named, said: "I would do it again, I wouldn't like the thought of this happening to anyone – my grandmother or my wife who is eight months pregnant.

"It was a heartless thing for him to do, it could have stopped the lady wanting to go out again."

The 73-year-old victim was knocked to the ground during the robbery, which happened in St Nicholas Circle, in the city centre, on September 16.

She was planning to go shopping before meeting friends to celebrate her birthday when Drury grabbed her red shopping trolley.

The driver followed Drury from the scene into Vaughan Way.

He said: "I saw the guy coming towards me. He looked suspicious because he had an old lady's trolley bag and a cream-coloured handbag – he just looked out of place.

"I took a left turn and saw an old lady lying on the ground with her arms up in the air. It looked like she had just been mugged.

"What I had seen clicked immediately and I decided to go after him. He discarded some of the stuff in Holy Bones and started walking away calmly, thinking no-one had spotted him.

"I picked up the lady's stuff and put it in my car, then I drove up alongside him and asked him where the Clock Tower was. He wouldn't look down at me. Then I just said, 'You robbed the old lady'.

"He bent over towards the passenger window to deny it and as he did that I took a picture of him on my mobile phone.

"When he realised what I had done he ran away."

The driver took the victim's belongings to a city police station and e-mailed detectives the picture he had taken.

Drury (22) was wearing a distinctive jacket, which helped police identify him.

At Leicester Crown Court on Tuesday, Judge Ebraham Mooncey, jailed Drury, of no fixed address, for three years.

He commended the public-spirited motorist and awarded him £300 from public funds.

The hero said: "To be honest, I wasn't expecting to be given any money for doing this kind of thing – I didn't do it for reward.

"I think the sentence he got is justified and hopefully it will stop someone else doing something like this."

Masked raiders threatened staff at a village post office with knives before emptying the safe and stealing the till.

The three men, whose faces were covered with balaclavas, burst into Hathern Post Office and convenience store, near Loughborough, and escaped with about £15,000.

Staff and a customer were threatened with a 10-inch knife and told to open the till and safe.

The raiders even stole bags from a female member of staff and a customer who was present during the raid.

The incident took place shortly after 5pm on Thursday, October 11.

A member of staff at the Cross Street shop, who was on the phone to her husband when the raiders entered, said: "I haven't got over it yet, I'm still shaking."

The robbers told the woman to open the till and knocked the phone out of her hand.

She said: "It felt like they were in here for ages but it was all over pretty quickly.

"I was panicking and shaking and I couldn't open the till because it's a new one and works differently to the one we had before.

"One of them tried to open it but couldn't do it, so he picked it up and pulled it along the counter until all the wires came out. They took the till and forced us to open the safe and they emptied that.

"It was so slick and well-thought out I'd be amazed if they hadn't done it before.

"We've been burgled before, but we've never experienced anything like this – it was terrifying."

The woman's husband dashed to the scene but did not get there until after the gang had escaped.

Police have appealed for help tracing the men, who are thought to have left the scene in a grey silver Vauxhall Astra.

Anyone with information should call Detective Constable James Willoughby of Leicestershire Police on 101, or Crimestoppers, which is anonymous, on 0800 555 111.

The family of a teenager who died after taking an overdose on a mental health ward is calling for compulsory searches of "at risk" patients.

Laura Dickins died at the Bradgate Unit, at Glenfield Hospital, after smuggling in a fatal number of her stepfather's heart tablets following a home visit.

The 19-year-old, who had a history of self-harming, could not be revived despite attempts by an emergency team.

A 10-day inquest, held in August, heard there were shortcomings in the way the Hinckley teenager was treated on the evening she died in November 2010.

Yesterday, a hearing was held to see if coroner Donald Coutts-Wood should suggest changes in policies and procedures used by the Leicestershire Partnership Trust (LPT) – which runs mental and community health services in the county – and the Universities of Leicester Hospital Trust (UHL).

Sarah Hemingway, representing Laura's family, told the hearing at Leicester Town Hall: "Health and safety considerations must be paramount. We would ask that people like Lauren should be searched on return from home visits to ensure they do not possess materials with which they could self-harm or hurt others."

Miss Hemingway said people suffering from borderline personality disorder (BPD) should at least be assessed to see if a search was justified, with the details recorded.

She also said BPD sufferers should be treated in a separate unit with higher levels of security.

She also called for better levels of record-keeping by staff.

Iain Daniels, appearing on behalf of LPT, said: "We would say compulsory searches could be detrimental to the therapeutic relationship with the patients."

He said the trust was working to improve the level of record-keeping.

The inquest heard there were issues over how the crash team which treated Laura had been called and staffed.

Mr Coutts-Wood wrote to the trusts seeking answers to several questions raised by the jury.

Caroline Cross, for UHL, which runs the crash team, stressed that changes had already been implemented. Miss Cross said she believed the trust had responded to all the issues raised by the coroner.

Mr Coutts-Wood said it would be at least two weeks before he made a decision on whether or not he would send a rule 43 report to tell the trusts to make more changes.

Mental health bosses failed to provide basic medical attention to a patient who killed himself after walking out of hospital, a coroner has ruled.

Gagandip Singh Sandhu absconded from the Bradgate Unit, at Glenfield Hospital, after being left alone by staff. He was found hanged in Knighton Park.

Yesterday, at the end of a three-day inquest into his death at Leicester Town Hall, coroner Catherine Mason said the Leicestershire Partnership NHS Trust, which runs mental and community health services in the county, was at fault.

Mrs Mason said there was "a gross failure to provide basic medical attention to Mr Sandhu at a time when his mental condition was such that he needed it".

The coroner said: "When Mr Sandhu absconded, it was known, or should have been known, by all in whose care he was detained and trusted by his family, that there was a real and immediate risk to the life of Mr Sandhu from self-harm – and yet the plan of care prescribed to keep him safe was not followed."

The hearing was told how Mr Sandhu, 55, of Skelton Drive, Knighton, was left unaccompanied in a day unit on November 18 last year, when he should have been escorted at all times.

Registered nurse Clara Foromani, who was working as a health care support worker provided by an agency, told how she took Mr Sandhu off the Bosworth ward, at the Bradgate Unit, at about 9.45am. She admitted she did not check on his status, which would have told her he was on "escorted leave" only – meaning he had to be accompanied at all times when off the ward.

Detective Constable Steven Hadden, who investigated the death, said Mr Sandhu had simply walked out of the front door of the hospital.

He said Mr Sandhu, a father-of-two, was found hanging from a willow tree in Knighton Park by a member of the public at about 3.40pm.

Mrs Mason said Mr Sandhu had taken his own life, but recorded a narrative verdict rather than one of suicide.

After the hearing, Mr Sandhu's family spoke of the great loss they felt at his "preventable" death.

Daughter Priya Sandhu, who wept as she gave evidence in court about making the call which led to her father being sectioned under the Mental Health Act, said she was devastated.

Ms Sandhu, 27, of Knighton, said: "We left my father in the care of these people and they failed him badly. We thought he would be safe. He was not.

"Perhaps the worst part is that his death could have been avoided if people had done their job properly. We hope lessons are learned so his death was not in vain."

After the hearing, Leicestershire Partnership NHS Trust chief executive John Short admitted there had been "significant failures".

He said: "The Trust fully accepts the coroner's verdict stating that there were significant failures relating to staff communication and professional conduct that would have prevented Mr Sandhu leaving the unit and taking his own life.

"Recommendations and actions from our investigation have resulted in a number of improvements."

Mr Sandhu's inquest is the second into the cases of seven people with mental health issues who died while in the care of the Leicestershire Partnership NHS Trust.

The five women and two men, who were aged between 19 and 55, died in a 19-month period between November 2010 and June this year.

Leicester City striker Jamie Vardy is a major doubt for tomorrow's trip to face Birmingham at St Andrew's.

The 25-year-old, who has been an ever-present in the City side in the league this season, is struggling after being laid low with illness.

Vardy, who has scored four goals in 11 appearances since joining in a record £1million move from Fleetwood Town, has been unable to train.

City manager Nigel Pearson said he would check with his medical staff today before deciding whether to leave Vardy out completely for the trip to Birmingham.

"He went off in the last game and he had run himself into the ground," said Pearson.

"He has been ill for the last week or so. I am not totally ruling him out for the weekend, but clearly when you have been ill for a week or more it is going to weaken him somewhat.

"We will have to see how he is. I will make a judgement having spoken to our medical staff and the doctor to see if they feel he is able to be a part of it. If he is not, then we will make sure he is available for the next game."

Pearson said he may have to trust the advice of his staff rather than the player's word as Vardy is so keen to play.

"I think regardless of how he is himself, I know he will always try," he said.

"He is not the type of player to try to pace himself, he always wants to give everything he has got.

"Sometimes we have to take decisions out of players' hands, if we feel it is in their best interest not to be involved.

"I don't think Jamie Vardy would ever rule himself out of any situation. He is that type of lad. But it may be that we have to rule him out for his own good.

"But I am not going to do that quite yet because, if he is able to play some part, then I would like him to be involved."

Defender Sean St Ledger is City's only guaranteed absentee from the squad, which has recorded five consecutive victories.

Pearson said Paul Gallagher would be considered for action after his loan spell at Sheffield United expired.

Pearson said United had tried to extend the loan and he has not ruled out Gallagher going out elsewhere temporarily.

"It was good for him to get out on loan," said Pearson.

"Unfortunately, Sheffield United were unable to come up with the finances to extend the loan and that is why he is back. But while he is back, we will utilise him how we see fit.

"There may be scope for him to go out on loan again."

Members of a ruthless crime gang posed as police officers and tax officials to carry out a series of terrifying burglaries.

Police released the mugshots of the Leicestershire crooks after Steven Nutting (31), the last of the six to be sentenced, was jailed for six-and-a-half years yesterday.

The other five, Wayne Vakani (29), Shraine Tumber (30), Ibrahim Razak (29), Dale Robinson (27) and Benjamin Chisholm (29), were given sentences totalling 30 years at a hearing in July.

The gang targeted people at homes and businesses in Leicester and across the East Midlands – in some cases tying up their victims and threatening to harm or kill them – between September, 2009 and May, 2010.

During the planned operations they posed as police officers and, on one occasion, tax officers. They flashed false ID cards, carried walkie-talkies and wore stab vests.

In groups of three to five, the men approached the victims and told them that they were being investigated by police for offences including drugs, illegal immigration, tax offences and firearms.

They were then threatened with arrest if they did not co-operate. The men stole large quantities of cash, jewellery and electronic goods, claiming it would all form part of the "investigation".

The gang carried out five burglaries in Leicester, one in Northampton and one in Nottingham.

Michael Auty, prosecuting, told Leicester Crown Court that Nutting was involved with others posing as tax officers who insisted on searching house in Narborough Road South, Leicester, on March 18, 2010.

The woman householder was threatened by one of the gang, who told her that her children could be taken into care if she did not co-operate. It was only after the gang left that she realised goods, jewellery and cash worth £12,000 had been stolen.

Nutting was also involved in a raid at a petrol station in Nottingham, during the same month, when an employee was tied up by other gang members who threatened to shoot him. They stole cigarettes and cash, while Nutting unsuccessfully tried to remove a cash machine.

Sentencing, Judge Sylvia De Bertodano said: "It was a sophisticated and professional operation. Towards the end, violence began to be used against occupants and victims."

In the Northamptonshire raid, staff at a bingo hall were tied up and had hoods put over their heads while members of the gang stole £35,000.

The value of cash and property taken during the offences totaled more than £200,000.

Officers investigating the incidents soon began to make links between the offences, and in July, 2010, began to execute warrants at addresses across Leicester.

Over the course of the following four months, all six men were arrested and charged.

When Nutting was arrested, police seized from his home cable ties, a two-way radio and a fake police warrant card.

Steven Newcombe, mitigating, said Nutting was not the organiser of the crimes and added: "He was punching above his weight by becoming involved in this type of offending."

After the case, Detective Constable Gary Dickinson, said: "These men carried out offences which terrified the victims involved who, at the time, truly believed they had nowhere to turn.

"Almost all of the victims had their hands tied, some had their heads covered and one was told he would be shot if he didn't cooperate.

"These men acted with only their own gain in mind, threatening harmless members of the public in such a terrifying way that they were left traumatised by their actions.

"Although the offenders tried to appear professional, with false identification cards, stab vests and hand-held radios, the victims soon realised they were not who they said they were. They then immediately called police and worked with us to locate them. It's through the actions of those victims that we have been able to get the results we have seen today. I think one thing that other members of the public can take away from this is that you can never be too cautious. If you are approached by someone who claims to be from an official body, don't hesitate to check their credentials, particularly with police.''

A special mobile auditorium is being set up to stage the city's first Christmas panto in almost 20 years.

Leicester company National Theatre Tents will be putting up a temporary theatre on the former Southgates bus station site, in the city centre, to stage a production of Jack and the Beanstalk.

The pavilion theatre, which can hold 550 people, can be built in just two days.

Bosses are hoping about 20,000 people will see the show over the festive period.

Show producer and senior tent master Thomas Moore is billing it as "the most exciting pantomime Leicester has ever seen".

He said: "For the first time in 18 years, a fabulous, full-scale pantomime is returning to the city. We're not filling the stage with Z-list soap stars. Instead, we've cast some of the finest West End dancers, plus some of the most talented performers and musicians from around the world.

"The show has a confirmed and prominent site at a prime city centre location and we are excited to be able to welcome about 20,000 visitors to share in this magical Christmas adventure.

"The show we're putting on was staged in the Barbican in London four or five years ago, and in Bury St Edmunds."

The firm, which has previously worked with the Royal Shakespeare Company and National Theatre, as well as stars including Eddie Izzard and Paloma Faith, is hoping to cast one of the nine main characters locally.

Mr Moore said: "We're still finalising contracts with a number of principal performers and we're going to be casting in the second week of November.

"Panto traditionally has a very short rehearsal period."

The last pantomime to be staged in the city was Cinderella, with EastEnders star Steve McFadden, at De Montfort Hall in 1994.

The venue announced last month that it would be bringing the traditional Christmas pantomime back in 2013.

Mr Moore said: "Our main operating base is in Beatrice Road, in Leicester, and we decided there was a gap in the market because a panto hasn't been staged in Leicester for such a long time. It was crying out for us to do it.

"We're also mindful that Christmas can be an expensive time of year and, as such, tickets start from a wallet-friendly £7.50."

Jack and the Beanstalk will run from December 14 to January 6. For tickets, visit:

www.leicesterpanto.com

Leicester City manager Nigel Pearson has urged international football's governing bodies to take firm action after the events of England Under-21s' European Championship qualifier against Serbia.

England have made a complaint to UEFA that their black players – such as Tottenham's Danny Rose, who was sent off at the end of the game on Tuesday night for his reaction as it descended into chaos and violence – were racially abused throughout the game by the crowd.

England players and staff were also slapped and kicked by Serbian players and officials as they left the field.

UEFA have now charged both federations for failing to control their players, and the Serbian FA for racial chants.

Pearson has called for decisive action.

City's home clash against Crystal Palace a week tomorrow has been designated the club's Kick It Out fixture, the campaign to end racism in football.

"I have seen that our own federation have been charged over not controlling the players and, having seen the footage on TV, I am absolutely amazed at that," said Pearson.

"FIFA and UEFA need to act on this and make sure justice is done. There is no place in sport or society in general for racism.

"It has been such a visible event this week that the governing bodies need to take very firm action. They should do, and if they don't then there is something clearly wrong.

"I don't have all the facts, I have only seen what has been on the TV but, from what I saw, I don't think Serbia came out with any positives.

"Some of the scenes I saw, in terms of how our players and some of our staff were treated, was disgraceful."

City duo Martyn Waghorn and Ben Marshall have featured in recent England Under-21 squads and, while Pearson admitted he was relieved they did not experience the events in Serbia, he said there was a bigger picture than just the welfare of his own players.

"Yes, in that respect, I am relieved," he said. "When players are chosen to play for their country it is a fantastic honour.

"But I don't think that is a factor I am considering. It has gone beyond whether I am thinking about what sort of experience it would have been for our players.

"The bigger picture here is an event that needs to be dealt with as severely as possible, because there is no place for that in life, never mind in football."

Milan Boskovic, the sports editor of Serbian national television station B92, compared the incidents in Serbia to his experiences covering Red Star Belgrade when they played City in the UEFA Cup in 2000.

"I was in Leicester 10 years ago for the game and it wasn't long after Serbia had been bombed, and the Leicester fans were mimicking airplanes and the sounds of war planes," he said, having accused Rose of provoking the incidents.

"Does that mean that all people in England want Serbia to be bombed? Fans are fans, they are there to have fun, they have their backgrounds and maybe they are unhappy at home, so when there is someone on the pitch who provokes them, they insult him.

"Things like that do happen and for me it is an isolated incident."

A footpath could be blocked off at night to prevent anti-social behaviour and illegal motorcycling.

Winton Walk, a public right of way in Braunstone, Leicester, could be blocked by a locked gate between 7pm and 7am each day.

The proposal comes from Leicestershire Police and Leicester City Council and is in response to residents' complaints about anti-social behaviour, including the illegal riding of motorcycles and mini-motos on the path. Members of the public have four weeks to back or object to the plan for the path, which runs between Winton Avenue and Gaddesby Avenue, off Narborough Road.

Sergeant Rod Smart, of Hinckley Road police station, said residents had also found discarded syringes.

Sgt Smart said: "We've spoken to a number of people in the area and they are quite keen that this gate is put in place.

"There have been reports of general anti-social behaviour, particularly the riding of motorcycles and mini-motos there.

"There is a 28-day period now during which people can express their opinions about the proposal and any objections will obviously be looked at.

"Clearly, it would be quite a serious step to take and we do not want to adversely affect residents or other members of the public going about their business."

Daxa Pancholi, head of community safety at the city council, said: "There has to have been a sustained period of anti-social behaviour rather than isolated incidents before we can seek an order like this. We have installed a gate in Harlaxton Walk which is nearby because there was a similar pattern of anti-social behaviour there.

"When we did it, the residents held a little party.

"The gate would be shut between 7pm and 7am and residents have agreed to be key-holders.

"We would also give keys to the emergency services if they required access."

Call the city council on 0116 252 6605 for information and details on how to take part in the consultation, which closes on Friday, November 16.

Parents who carry their babies in slings as an alternative to using pushchairs or prams all the time held a march in the city centre to raise awareness.

About a dozen families, members of the Leicester Baby Wearers group, walked from Town Hall Square to the city's Cultural Quarter carrying their babies in slings to mark International Baby Wearing Week.

Mum Giselle Ford, 30, of Thorpe Astley, who was one of those taking part, said: "I use a pram as well, but some in the group have ditched a pram altogether.

"It was to raise awareness of the benefits of wearing a sling to parents and babies and to raise the profile in the city. The benefits include helping to build a bond with your baby through the close contact.

"There is also the convenience of having both hands free for the baby's siblings, to do the washing up or make a sandwich, all while still having your baby close to you."

She said of the group's march: "We were giving out leaflets about how to do it safely. A lot of people, including mums with babies in prams, spoke to us and we got a positive response."

An Earth-sized planet discovered this week could provide a new home for the human race when our own sun dies.

That's the view of Sky at Night presenter and University of Leicester professor Paul Abel.

The new planet, called Centauri Bb, was discovered this week by astronomers at the European Southern Observatory, in Chile.

It is six million kilometres from Alpha Centauri, the closest star-system to Earth at 4.3 light years away.

Dr Abel said: "This planet is special and I hope will provide a new sense of urgency for human space flight."

He said science fiction writers had made good use of the Alpha Centauri system. It was the destination for the Robinson family in Lost in Space and the setting for the film Avatar.

He said: "It has often been argued that the Moon was essential for manned space flight.

"It helpfully provided a close stepping stone for Mankind in its early attempts to access the cosmos."

Similarly, Dr Abel argues, Alpha Centauri provides the next cosmological stepping stone.

It is an island in the sky beckoning human beings out towards the stars.

He said: "One day, the rent on this planet will expire. Millions of years from now, the sun will become a red giant and the earth will be reduced to a cinder circling a dead star.

"Humans will need a new home and Centauri Bb provides both a destination and motivation."

Centauri Bb is currently beyond humanity's reach. A rocket journey of 4.3 light years would take thousands of years.

But Dr Abel said: "Given Mankind's resourcefulness and intrinsic desire to explore, I'm sure that when our sun does die, human beings will be watching the death of their ancient home out there, from the safety of the stars."

However, conditions on the planet would have to improve and cool down.

While most of us were moaning about the miserable summer weather, amateur photographer Neil Hutchinson saw it as the perfect excuse to take some dramatic pictures.

Murky, grey clouds provided the perfect backdrop for this snap of the old Wolsey factory, in Belgrave, Leicester.

Neil said he used his flash to make the bright graffiti really stand out.

"I came across what remained of the old Wolsey factory and this superb bit of graffiti," he said. "I highlighted the wall with my flashgun, which enabled me to keep the rest of the picture quite dark and moody."

Neil has submitted the picture for our latest photography competition, which has the theme Old and New.

We've got £100 of Jessops vouchers up for grabs for the winner.

The closing date for entries is November 18, with entrants allowed to submit up to six photos.

Send your entries, with a short caption, along with your name, address and contact details – putting 'Old and New competition' in the subject box. Pictures should be e-mailed to:

picturedesk@ leicestermercury.co.uk

A builder botched an extension at his home, then forged documents enabling its sale to go ahead to two unsuspecting pensioners, who were left thousands of pounds out of pocket.

The couple, in their 80s, discovered the "confidence trick" when they tried to sell the £180,000 house, in Market Harborough, a year later.

Michael Hunter – who works for Leicestershire charity Stride, teaching building skills to people from disadvantaged backgrounds – was jailed for 18 months.

He pleaded guilty at Leicester Crown Court to fraud, by falsely representing that building work at the house was certified as complete by Harborough District Council, between July and September 2010.

After the hearing, the householder said: "We were stuck with the house and unable to sell it. It's been an absolute nightmare and given me sleepless nights.

"It's laughable he's teaching building skills to others, because I wouldn't let him build with Lego.

"My wife and I are both 83 and could have done without all the stress. I'm glad he's gone to prison and only wish it was for longer."

The victim, who did not want to be named, has had to pay £11,365 for remedial work to the botched extension, to obtain a genuine building regulations certificate.

Hunter (51), of Station Road, Kibworth Beauchamp, now faces an investigation into his finances to establish whether any assets can be seized, or compensation paid.

Alan Murphy, prosecuting, said the defendant carried out a loft conversion, extension and installed a conservatory.

He submitted plans to the council.

During a site visit in March 2007, "several areas of concern" were pointed out to Hunter, which he ignored and never contacted them for approval of the completed work.

When the buyers' solicitor requested a buildings certificate, Hunter forged the document on his computer and signed the name of an existing planning officer. The document looked nothing like the real thing.

The pensioners' solicitors accepted it as genuine, no checks were made with the council and the sale went through.

In the summer of last year, the owners discovered the document was bogus.

The fraud wiped up to £50,000 off the house value, until remedial work was done.

The householder said his wife's health had suffered and she had now gone off the idea of moving.

Sentencing, Judge Silvia De Bertodano said: "This was a confidence fraud.

"The complainants ended up trapped in a house you fraudulently sold them.

" I accept you've led an entirely blameless family life apart from this and references speak highly of you as reliable and trustworthy.

"But you forged a document for the purpose of securing a house sale and you derived significant benefit. It's the biggest financial decision most people make in their lives.

"Even if the documents did not look like the real thing, they looked enough like it for a firm of solicitors to accept them as genuine."

Harry Bowyer, mitigating, said: "It was a thoughtless crime, a quick-fix fraud. He never met the victims and did not know they were elderly."

Three people will take part in the race to become Leicestershire's first police and crime commissioner next month, it has been confirmed.

The deadline for candidates to register for the November 15 vote passed at noon yesterday.

No previously undeclared candidates registered, leaving the three people who announced their intention to stand some months ago.

The Conservatives have chosen recently retired Air Chief Marshall Sir Clive Loader, a parish councillor in Wing, Rutland, while the Labour Party has selected Leicester's assistant mayor Sarah Russell.

Leicester community worker and businessman Suleman Nagdi is standing as an independent.

The three will appear at a series of hustings over the next few weeks, including one on Monday in Leicester city centre.

Mercury editor Richard Bettsworth will chair a public question and answer session organised by the Chartered Management institute and Neighbourhood Watch.

It will take place at the Holiday Inn, St Nicholas Circle, Leicester city centre, between 7pm and 9pm on Monday.

The CMI and Neighbourhood Watch are also holding a session at Rutland County Museum, Catmose Street, Oakham on Tuesday, October 23, between 7pm and 9pm.

The Diocese of Leicester is staging a event at Emmanuel Church, Forest Road, Loughborough at 7.30pm on Monday, October 29.

Leicestershire Chamber of Commerce will hold an event in De Montfort University's Hugh Aston building, the Newarke, at 7.15pm on Wednesday, October 31.

Cases dealt with at Leicester Magistrates' Court include:

Richard Deacon (46), of Whitwell Row, Aylestone, pleaded guilty to dropping a cigarette in Saffron Lane, Leicester, on April 12. He was fined £33, ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £15 and pay costs of £30 to Leicester City Council.

Adrian Daniel Arthur Brookbanks (28). of Goldfinch Close, New Parks, admitted failing to comply with the requirements of a community order made by Leicester Magistrates' Court on May 2, by failing to attend as instructed on August 6 and August 31.

His community order was varied, adding a requirement to have drug rehabilitation treatment for one month.

Leon Mckay (55), of Myrtle Road, Stoneygate, pleaded guilty to failing to promptly notify Leicester City Council that there was a non-dependant living at a property Kate Street, West End, Leicester, which he knew would affect his entitlement to housing and council tax benefit, between June 10, 2008, and July 24, 2011.

He was discharged conditionally for 12 months.

Craig Mark Tabb (26), of Drummond Walk, Melton, admitted failing to comply with the requirements of a community order made by Loughborough Magistrates Court on August 1, by failing to attend as instructed on August 13 and September 3.

He was given a total of 16 week prison sentence, suspended for 12 months.

He was also ordered to have drug rehabilitation treatment for nine months, and attend supervision appointments for 12 months.

Stacey Louise Weir (25), of Birdhill Road, Loughborough, admitted failing to comply with the community requirement of a suspended sentence order made by Loughborough Magistrates' Court on April 20, by failing to attend as instructed on June 29 and August 24.

Her suspended sentence order was varied, ordering her to have drug rehabilitation treatment for one month.

Stephanie Baxter (28), of Elizabeth Drive, Oadby, was found guilty in her absence of driving without insurance, in A6 London Road, Leicester, on April 29. She was fined £600, ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £15, costs of £85, and her licence was endorsed with six points.

Rhea Lauren Henderson (24), of Highcross Street, Leicester, was found guilty in her absence of driving without insurance, and failing to produce a certificate of insurance for examination by a police officer when requested, in Leycroft Road, Beaumont Leicester, Leicester, on March 9. She was fined £600, ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £15, costs of £85, and her licence was endorsed with six points.

Leicester Tigers director of rugby Richard Cockerill has given his side the chance to make amends for last weekend's disappointment by naming an unchanged side to face Ospreys tomorrow.

The same starting XV that suffered defeat at the hands of Toulouse will walk out at Welford Road against Ospreys in the second Heineken Cup fixture in Pool Two.

The only change is in the replacements, where long-serving second-rower Louis Deacon has recovered from a shoulder injury to join the squad.

Club captain Geordan Murphy misses out. The Irish full-back has still not fully recovered from a knee injury, which has seen him out of action since early September.

It means fellow Irishman Niall Morris keeps his shirt at full-back.

Tigers have not had the best of the recent encounters with Ospreys, losing three of the last four.

However, Tigers have not lost at home in this competition since October 2006.

Ospreys have also named an unchanged starting line-up from the one that beat Benetton Treviso 38-17 in their opening fixture.

Their only change is also in the replacements where back-rower Joe Bearman has recovered from a knee injury and comes in for Sam Lewis.