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Hunt for hit-and-run driver

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Police are hunting a hit and run driver who left a pedestrian injured at the side of a road. The motorist hit the pedestrian near the Belgrave Flyover, Belgrave Road, Leicester, in the early hours of Sunday. The vehicle, a silver Vauxhall, fled the scene. Police have appealed for witnesses to the crash, which happened at 2.20am. One man, who apparently saw the collision and its aftermath, wrote on Facebook the next day that he followed the vehicle but lost it in traffic. He said: "I witnessed this as it happened and tried to chase the car down to get his registration plate, but I lost him in town as there was traffic. "It will have some slight damage on the rear left wing of the car. "I did not like what I saw. No one should be hit by a car and think that the culprit can get away with it." A Leicestershire Police spokeswoman said officers wanted to speak to anyone who was at the scene at the time of the collision. She said: "It happened at 2.21am and involved a car and a pedestrian and the vehicle failed to stop at the scene. "The pedestrian was taken to Leicester Royal Infirmary. his injuries are thought to be minor and not life-threatening. "If anyone witnessed this collision we would urge them to contact us." Contact Leicestershire Police on 101 or Crimestoppers, which is anonymous, on 0800 555 111.

Hunt for hit-and-run driver


Rainbow's nurse stars on Channel 4's Hollywood Me

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A nurse diagnosed with multiple sclerosis at the age of 23 has tasted the glitz and glamour of Tinseltown by starring in a hit TV makeover show tonight.

Jenny Maine, a paediatric nurse at Rainbows children's hospice in Loughborough, appears in the second episode of Channel 4's new show Hollywood Me.

The 28-year-old was whisked away to California by TV producers in March to be met by a secret celebrity in Los Angeles.

Viewers will follow her as Jenny embarks on a series of outrageous shopping sprees and tries out some of the latest Beverly Hills beauty and health treatments.

"It was one of the most amazing experiences of my life," said Jenny, who was nominated by her colleagues at Rainbows, where she has helped care for children for the past six years.

"One minute I was getting ready to drive to work and the next this camera crew jumped out on me.

"They told me to pack a suitcase and I was driven to Heathrow Airport. Thirteen hours later, I was in LA.

"I still can't believe what's happened – I'll have to watch the show tonight to really believe it."

The twist of the show is that while Jenny was away, interior designer Martyn Lawrence Bullard, below, and his team got to work on turning her Wigston pad into a home fit for a Hollywood starlet.

In LA, Jenny was met by actress Tori Spelling, famous as Donna Martin in the US hit TV show Beverly Hills 90210 in the 1990s.

"I was treated like a superstar and I loved every second of it," said Jenny, who was put up for her five-day stay in The Grafton Hotel, on Sunset Boulevard.

Along with beauty facials and massages, she also had compression therapy to ease the symptoms of her multiple sclerosis.

Thinking that was it, Jenny returned to see her house transformed into a 1960s-style Hollywood hideaway.

"It's absolutely wonderful," she said. "But I don't think I can handle any more surprises!"

Colleague Lisa Todd, who nominated Jenny for the show, said: "She's a fighter and really deserved this treat.

"We're all excited to see what she got up to in Hollywood as she has been keeping a very tight lid on it all."

Jenny said she hopes the show raises awareness of MS and the work of Rainbows.

"I don't even know how to put it into words how I felt when I found out I had MS," she said.

"It was an incredible blow for myself and husband, Adam.

"But working somewhere like Rainbows really puts things into perspective. It makes me feel very grateful that I can live my life every day.

Hollywood Me will be shown at 8pm on Channel 4 tonight.

Rainbow's nurse stars on Channel 4's Hollywood Me

Leicester boxing star Rendall Munroe spars with troops

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Leicester's boxing favourite Rendall Munroe has given local troops bound for Afghanistan a major boost by training with them in the ring. The 33-year-old former European and Commonwealth super-bantamweight champion and WBC super-bantamweight title challenger sparred with boxers of the 2nd Battalion, the Royal Anglian Regiment at their Rutland base yesterday.(25) The 600 men of the battalion, based at Kendrew Barracks, in Cottesmore will soon be facing a tougher contest - fighting the Taliban - when they are deployed to the war-torn country, possibly as early as the autumn. But yesterday's action was confined to the base's gym where the battalion's boxing team - which has a proud history as former Army champions - traded ringcraft and punches with the city-based boxer. Physical Training Instructor, Corporal Carl Lawrence, 34, of Oadby, said: "It's not every day you get a chance to get in the ring with a man who's fought for a world championship. "It's massive for us having him here today. He's a big name and everyone here was looking forward to him coming today. He's as sound as a pound and he's already talking about coming back to see us again." He added: "Morale is high and visits like this give it a boost at a time when we're training to go to Afghanistan. "It's like a football team getting ready to go to the cup final. By the time it comes round for us to go we'll be ready and we know what we've got to do when we get there." Lance Corporal Daniel Brewer, 27, said after a tough, three-round sparring session with Rendall: "I'm a bit sore, at 33 he can still pack a punch. I did three rounds with him and I'm worn out, but he's ready to do 10. He works you hard." Lance Corporal Callum Wade, 22, said: "It's been brilliant, he's a good guy. He's an awkward fighter, slippery.He's a top bloke, I've followed his fights on TV. The training will have to take a break when we're deployed to Afghanistan." Lance Corporal Ben Gardner, 27, said: "It's been great having him here today. "It's not every day you get to trade punches with someone who's fought for a world title and he's a good, down-to-earth sort of a guy. "Our training for Afghanistan is going well, we're looking forward to going, it's what we're trained for." Rendall was visiting the battalion - known as The Poachers, which recruits extensively in Leicestershire - during Armed Forces Week. He said: "If these guys are going to Afghanistan, going a few rounds in the ring with me is nothing to them. "I wanted to join the army, but boxing led me down another path. It's important to support the troops who keep us safe and free to lead the lives we want. "I was a bit surprised when I came to the base, it's massive, like a village, with its own school and everything."

Leicester boxing star Rendall Munroe spars with troops

Leicester City players in pre-season testing

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The Leicester City squad returned to the club's Belvoir Drive training ground yesterday for fitness testing.

Manager Nigel Pearson and his staff put the players through their paces after their shorter-than-normal summer break to assess their condition ahead of the official start of preseason on Monday.

As well as running tests, the players' physical condition was assessed to ensure there had been no summer excesses.

Kasper Schmeichel and Sean St Ledger weren't there as they have been given more time off after their international exploits during the summer.

Jermaine Beckford was also absent as he is in talks with Bolton Wanderers over a transfer to the Reebok Stadium.

Some reports yesterday indicated the Trotters and Beckford were miles apart in their negotiations on personal terms, as the striker will have to accept a substantial pay cut.

The Mercury understands, however, that both parties are confident of reaching an agreement and the deal could be concluded by the weekend.

Other players who have been told they can join other clubs if the right offers come in, such as Paul Gallagher, Richie Wellens and Neil Danns, joined the rest of the squad for the fitness assessment.

Leicester City players in  pre-season testing

Drama as man's life saved by golfers in Leicestershire

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Quick-thinking golfers helped to save the life of a fellow player who collapsed from a heart attack while out on the course.

When the elderly man fell on the 17th hole, a fellow club member manually pumped his heart using first aid technique CPR for about 20 minutes until help arrived.

Meanwhile, club manager Jez Wilkinson rushed to a nearby garage where he knew there was a defibrillator. The device, which administers a large electric charge, was then used twice by another club member to restart the heart of the 75-year-old casualty.

The machine was bought more than 18 months ago thanks to contributions from village businesses and the golf club itself, and this was the first time it had been needed.

Paramedics then arrived and continued treatment until a doctor flew in by air ambulance to take over.

The golfer was airlifted to the Queen's Medical Centre, in Nottingham, where he had emergency treatment.

The incident happened at Kilworth Springs Golf Club, in south Leicestershire, at about 11.30am on Monday.

"One of our members applied CPR when the gentleman suffered a suspected cardiac arrest," said Mr Wilkinson.

"He kept the CPR going for 20 minutes while I went to get the defibrillator from the Esso Filling Station, in North Kilworth.

"I have been trained to use it but it gives clear instructions on how it is applied. I handed it to another person at the club to administer the treatment while I remained on the phone to the ambulance service."

The poorly man, who has not been identified, is being treated in the intensive care unit of the Queen's Medical Centre. Mr Wilkinson said he believed the actions of the unnamed golf club member who performed CPR – short for cardiopulmonary resuscitation – "saved the gentleman's life".

Mike Howkins, who owns the filling station in North Kilworth, said: "Jez Wilkinson came in just after 11.30am and took the defibrillator back to the golf course after telling me what had happened.

"Virtually every business in the village, including the golf club, contributed towards buying it.

"If it has helped to save someone's life it is well worth the £2,000 it cost."

He said the readout from the defibrillator showed it had been used twice during the incident.

An air ambulance spokesman said: "The air ambulance paramedic and doctor anaesthetised the casualty at the golf course in order to take control of his airway and breathing.

"The air ambulances regularly carry doctors on board their flights, which means they can perform advanced procedures such as anaesthesia at the scene of an incident, bringing the hospital to the patient, giving them the best chances of survival and recovery."

The air ambulance is a registered charity. For details, visit:

www.theairambulance service.org.uk

Drama as man's life saved by golfers in Leicestershire

Firefighters free puppy's head from toy

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Fire fighters had to free a very young puppy that had got its head trapped in a chewing toy. The owner took the animal to Wigston fire station yesterday evening when she could not get the toy off. A fire service spokesman said: "The puppy had the toy stuck on its head. We used a small pair of small cutters to remove the toy and the animal was perfectly happy afterwards."

Firefighters free puppy's head from toy

Live: Traffic and travel updates

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8.38am: Queueing traffic on A50 eastbound in Castle Donington between J1 B6540 Tamworth Road and Derby.8.15am: A453 in Ratcliffe on Soar partially blocked and queueing traffic northbound at the Kegworth Road junction, because of a broken down car. Congestion to East Midlands Airport.8.04am: Queueing traffic cleeared on the exit slip road on M1 northbound at J24, A6 for East Midlands Airport.7.54am: Slow traffic on A46 northbound in Syston at Hobby Horse Island.7.25am:Queueing traffic on the exit slip road on M1 northbound at J24, A6 for East Midlands Airport.7.18am: Queueing traffic on the exit slip road on M1 southbound at J21, M69 Leicester.For more local and national travel information and weather updates see the links below:MOTORWAY UPDATES: For traffic updates on UK motorways and other key roads - CLICK HERE.LIVE CAMERAS: Check the M1 through Leicestershire with our live traffic cameras - CLICK HERE.NATIONAL RAIL: For live UK train updates - CLICK HERE. FLIGHT INFORMATION: For East Midlands Airport visit: CLICK HERE.WEATHER: See the latest five-day weather report at: www.thisisleicestershire.co.uk/weather.CONTACT NEWSDESK: Send us your news and pictures. Tweet us @Leicester_Merc or email newsdesk@leicestermercury.co.uk

Live: Traffic and travel updates

School run drivers caught in sting

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Half a dozen school run drivers were pulled over by police during an unnanounced road safety operation. Police and Leicester City Council road safety and parking officers targeted parents and carers dropping off children at Coleman Primary, in Gwendolen Road, yesterday morning, and Sparkenhoe Community Primary, in Highfields, later in the afternoon. Four parents at Coleman Primary were pulled over for not wearing seatbelts or not having their children appropriately belted. Another two were pulled over at Sparkenhoe Community Primary. The aim of the operation, which ran at peak school times, was to clamp down on illegal parking on kerbs, yellow lines and zig-zag lines, and those not wearing seatbelts or using child car seats. The drivers now face potential fines of up to £60 and three penalty points, and may have to complete an online road safety course. Dad Chris Williams, who was picking up his two children from Sparkenhoe Primary, welcomed the initiative. He said: "This sort of thing is welcome every once in a while. It's a good idea as it gives parents a warning, although I think there are probably other schools where there's more of a problem with inconsiderate parking." Mum Grace Tibasaga was also pleased to see enforcement officers outside Sparkenhoe Primary. She said: "It gets congested on the side streets and in front of the school so it's good to give people a warning to make sure they park properly." Rhian Jones, deputy head at the Highfields school, added: "We very much welcome this stinger operation. Some parents tend to park inappropriately, either on zig zag lines or on pavements so to have police officers and traffic wardens out here is really helpful. We urge parents to be considerate through out newsletters and signs which we have put up and we try and patrol as much as possible." Police officers from Spinney Hill Park police station took part in the operation. Pc Rich Barber said: "From our point of view it's been a successful day. More parents seem to be heeding the warnings and taking care over their actions and that's what we're aiming for. We fully intend to carry out further operations like this so parents should take notice of that because next time we could be outside their school." Officers carried out a similar operation outside Coleman Primary last month when two drivers had their cars seized for having no insurance and no valid UK driving licence, while the other's licence was believed to have expired. Council road safety officer Lyn Rowe said: "Both these schools are on busy through roads so it made sense for us to target them. There are always congestion problems outside schools, but there are some far worse than others and that can add to the danger. We want all drivers to be responsible and operations like this help show how seriously we take this."

School run drivers caught in sting


Fraudster in bogus claim over speed bump damage to car

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Council investigators rumbled a bogus compensation claim from a driver who said her car had been damaged by a speed bump.

Officials at Leicester City Council said the motorist fraudulently tried to get a pay-out for repairs to her car by submitting a fake mechanic's invoice which she had bought from someone in the pub.

Officers said their suspicions were aroused because of errors on the invoice.

On investigation, they discovered the garage was fictitious.

Details of the case were revealed after it emerged nearly 400 drivers have sought compensation from the council, claiming damage to their vehicles was caused by speed bumps or other traffic-calming measures around the city.

Most of the claims have been rejected.

Brian Brookes, the council's insurance and claims manager, said the woman was successfully prosecuted for fraud at Leicester Magistrates' Court in March. She received a year-long conditional discharge and was ordered to pay £200 in costs.

Mr Brookes said: "We offered to pay up but we had concerns about the invoice she submitted. It was full of errors.

"It didn't look right, so we checked it out and discovered it was fraudulent."

He said she was seeking about £400 for repairs to her front bumper, which she said had been damaged by the speed bumps in Hillsborough Drive, Eyres Monsell.

Mr Brookes said: "She was our first prosecution for fraud for someone who fraudulently tried to claim for damage caused by traffic-calming.

"We hope it will send a message to others not to try it. We thoroughly investigate every claim because it is public money.

"Where we have failed to maintain the surface of the road properly or haven't acted to repair damage promptly when we have been told about it, we will pay out. Most claims are rejected."

Between 2005 and the end of March this year, 377 drivers had submitted claims following damage they said was caused by traffic-calming measures around the city.

A total of £16,499.83 has been paid out in that time to 81 successful claimants.

The most claims in any year was 102 in 2010-11. The council said the particularly cold winter damaged roads.

In 2012-13 there were 76 claims but only 11 succeeded, with £1,100 being paid out in total.

Automobile Association spokesman Luke Bosdet said: "Generally, you see drivers claiming more for potholes damaging their cars than speed bumps.

"If you approach traffic-calming measures sensibly you shouldn't really have any problems."

Fraudster in bogus claim over speed bump damage to car

Ex-Leicester City star urges fans to be patient

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Former Leicester City striker Steve Claridge has urged fans to have patience as the club launches another bid for the Premier League.

City fans were heart-broken last season when Troy Deeney's late strike for Watford dumped them out of the Championship play-off semi-final.

Despite being in second place two thirds of the way through the campaign, City ultimately had to resign themselves to a 10th season outside the top flight.

The sole aim since the club's Thai owners took over has always been promotion and next season will be no different.

City get their new campaign under way with a trip to Middlesbrough on August 3 and it will be imperative they get off to a good start.

But Claridge urged fans not to put too much pressure on the players too soon.

"It is going to take some kind of understanding from the crowd and from everyone that it is no good putting pressure on from the start," said the man who sent City back into the Premier League with his 120th-minute goal in the 1996 play-off final.

"That's probably why they fell down a bit last season because of the pressure and expectation. It is not easy to play when you are expected to win things.

"Different players react in different ways to pressure. Some enjoy it, some thrive on it but some don't like playing like that.

"It will be interesting to see what the expectation will be this year – there is no doubt when teams play under that sort of pressure they can find it a struggle.

"The expectation should be, look, 'let's see this team settle, let's see this team develop and let's have a look at this at Christmas unless it is an absolute disaster'."

City's performance last season was definitely a tale of two halves.

At the end of January, they were sitting pretty in the automatic promotion spots.

But an abysmal run of just three wins from 17 Championship games after that saw them relying on a stoppage-time winner on the final day of the season proper to creep into the top six.

"They will just want more consistency next season," said Claridge. "If they do that, they'll probably make the play-offs and might even nick an automatic spot.

"I think they also might need to strengthen a bit in central midfield and they need more consistency from the wide players.

"The back four did okay, albeit for one or two hairy moments. Up front they have got players who can score goals but they went through some poor patches.

"Also they need a little bit more strength when they are not on the ball.

"They are very good, as a lot of teams are, when they have got the ball, and look nice with it, but when they haven't got it, they look a bit vulnerable."

Ex-Leicester City star urges fans to be patient

Flashmob to boost breastfeeding in Leicester

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A breastfeeding flashmob is due to take place in Leicester city centre today. The flashmob will be part of National Breastfeeding Week celebrations and is due to take place at a continental open air café in Humberstone Gate. Mothers will be arriving to participate in a balloon launch, then participate in a momentous, social, breastfeeding café for 10 minutes at 11.30am. Organisers say the aim is to challenge negative perceptions of breastfeeding in public. The event is being organised by Leicestershire Partnership NHS Trust and is part of its 'meals on heels', campaign to inspire more mums to breastfeed. For more information go to www.leicspart.nhs.uk/infantfeeding

Flashmob  to boost breastfeeding  in Leicester

Oadby stabbing: Victim out of hospital

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A man who was stabbed in the neck while walking his dog in Oadby has been released from hospital. The apparently unprovoked attacked happened in parkland off Bluebell Close in the town shortly before 8.45am on Saturday. The 62-year-old victim was discharged from hospital yesterday. A 30-year-old who was arrested in connection with the incident has since been released on police bail pending further inquiries. Detective Constable Gary Dickinson, who is investigating incident, said: "We would still encourage anyone who can assist with our investigation and hasn't yet spoken to the police to come forward. "Incidents of this nature are extremely rare and we would like to reassure the local community that we still believe that this incident was isolated." The scene, which was cordoned off by police on Saturday, was opened to the public again the following day. Several patches of ground, believed to be areas where the victim lost blood, were covered with a green powder, earlier this week. Police said the wounded man was found by a member of the public who ran to nearest house to get and came across a nurse. The nurse stemmed the flow of blood from the wound until paramedics arrived. Detectives later said the nurse's swift action could well have saved the man's life. Anyone with any information about the incident is asked to contact DC 813 Gary Dickinson on 101. Alternatively, contact Crimestoppers, which is free and anonymous, on 0800 555 111.

Oadby stabbing: Victim out of hospital

Man arrested in connection with alleged sex offences in care homes

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Officers today arrested a man in Leicester on suspicion of a number of sexual assaults. The arrest was made by members of the Serious Organised Crime Agency (SOCA)in connection with alleged offences committed in North Wales care homes. The assaults, on three boys, are alleged to have taken place between 1969 and 1984 when they were aged between 12 and 14 years old. The 62-year-old man will be taken to a police station in Leicestershire, where he will be interviewed. This is the second arrest conducted by Operation Pallial. Operation Pallial is an investigation led by Keith Bristow, Director General of the National Crime Agency, into recent allegations of historical abuse in the care system in North Wales.

Man arrested in connection with alleged sex offences in care homes

Car crash man guilty of wife's murder

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A husband has been found guilty of a murdering his estranged wife in a car crash and jailed for a minimum of 24 years. Iain Lawrence (53) denied deliberately driving his Peugeot 406 estate car into a tree, causing the death of his wife, Sally – but today a jury at Leicester Crown Court returned a guilty verdict following a two and a half week trial. He has been jailed for life and will serve a minimum of 24 years for what was described as a "cold-blooded" murder. Mrs Lawrence, 47, died almost instantly from head injuries in the collision, in Gartree Road, Oadby, on Saturday, October 6 last year. High Court Judge, Mr Justice Leggatt, said it was premeditated over days or weeks with "malevolent detail which you executed with ruthless efficiency." Mr Justice Leggatt said: "How you got Sally into your car, and whether by trickery or force, no-one but you can know. "I suspect it was a combination of the two. "However you achieved it, she cannot have imagined what you were planning to do next. "The evidence at this trial has clearly established how you killed Sally. "As you approached the spot which was your target, you reached across and unclipped her seatbelt. "Then you steered the car at the tree and drove straight onto it at over 50 mph. "You aimed so the passenger's side of the car struck the tree and bore the brunt of the collision. "You had the protection of an airbag and seatbelt - protection you'd made sure that Sally didn't have. "It wasn't chance but the result of your careful and cold blooded planning that you came away from the collision with a few bruises, while Sally died of catastrophic injuries. "You thought the crash would be seen as a tragic accident and you would get away with murder." The couple, of Ring Road, Oadby, were allegedly going through an acrimonious divorce. RELATED CONTENTOadby car crash murder: Victim's family statement Oadby car crash murder: Police response after guilty verdict

Car crash man guilty of wife's murder

Oadby car crash murder: Victim's family statement

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Iain Lawrence has been found guilty of murdering his estranged wife in a car crash and jailed for a minimum of 24 years. The 53-year-old denied deliberately driving his Peugeot 406 estate car into a tree, causing the death of his wife, Sally – but today a jury at Leicester Crown Court returned a guilty verdict following a two and a half week trial.
Speaking on behalf of Sally's family, her sister Catherine Kudhail said: "Our family is here today because of the cruel, callous, evil and sickening act of murder against "Our beautiful Sally." On the day Sally died a part of us died with her. "Our family feels a huge sense of relief at the guilty verdict the jury has delivered in this trial. "Sally's murder was an act of pure evil. She was an inspirational, caring, kind young woman with a huge heart. She was so full of life. Losing her has been unbearable, not a day goes by without her being in our thoughts. She has been taken from us at the most happiest point in her life and has been denied what was undoubtedly to be a very happy future. "We would like to convey our heartfelt thanks to Detective Superintendent Neil Castle, Detective Sergeant Kevin Burdett and Detective Constable Dawn Watts and their team from Leicestershire police and Crown Prosecutor Nirmal Shant for their dedication and tireless work to bring this case to court. "Thank you also to the witnesses who came forward to give evidence in very distressing circumstances. "We would like to extend our gratitude to the jury, who have seen through the lies and deceit of Iain Lawrence in his attempt to minimise his responsibility for the brutal murder of Sally. They have played a huge part in finally enabling this murderer to be held to account for taking our daughter, sister and friend from us and for taking a mother from her three children." RELATED ARTICLES:Husband guilty of wife's murderOadby car crash murder: Police response after guilty verdict

Oadby car crash murder: Victim's family statement


Oadby car crash murder: Police response after guilty verdict

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Iain Lawrence has been found guilty of murdering his estranged wife in a car crash and jailed for a minimum of 24 years. The 53-year-old denied deliberately driving his Peugeot 406 estate car into a tree, causing the death of his wife, Sally – but today a jury at Leicester Crown Court returned a guilty verdict following a two and a half week trial.
Detective Superintendent Neil Castle, who investigated the murder, said: "This was a complex investigation involving specialists and professionals from a variety of fields. I would like to thank those experts along with my investigation team and the Crown Prosecution Service for all their hard work and commitment over the past eight months. Collectively we have proved that Iain Lawrence intentionally drove his car into a tree, after deactivating the passenger airbag and unclipping the passenger seatbelt. These actions resulted in the death of Sally Lawrence and he has now been convicted of her murder. This offence was premeditated and planned and was driven by jealousy and financial gain, these facts have influenced his substantial sentence. In cases like these there is always more than one victim. Sally leaves behind a grieving family including her two daughters Jess and Rosie and her son William. The whole family have shown immense strength throughout the investigation and trial and I hope that today's verdict provides them with some comfort. RELATED ARTICLES: Husband guilty of wife's murderOadby car crash murder: Victim's family statement

Oadby car crash murder: Police response after guilty verdict

Murder "executed with ruthless efficiency"

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Iain Lawrence has been found guilty of murdering his estranged wife in a car crash and jailed for a minimum of 24 years. The 53-year-old denied deliberately driving his Peugeot 406 estate car into a tree, causing the death of his wife, Sally – but today a jury at Leicester Crown Court returned a guilty verdict following a two and a half week trial. These are the full comments given by High Court Judge, Mr Justice Leggatt, during sentencing today. He said: "You have been found guilty by the jury of murder. On October 6 2012 – 2 days before the decree nisi for your divorce – you murdered your wife, Sally, by deliberately crashing your car in which she was a passenger into a tree. "The way in which you killed Sally was both brutal and carefully planned. You must have singled out the spot on the Gartree Road, a road you knew well, as a place that suited your purpose: a large tree with clear ground in front of it on a gentle bend in the road. You chose a weekend when your son William was away on a school trip. Several journeys before the final one, you disabled the passenger air bag in preparation for what you planned to do. You chose the time on that Saturday evening when you knew that Sally would be leaving the house to get into her car to drive to Derby, and you lay in wait for her. "How you got Sally into your car, and whether by trickery or force, no one but you can know. I suspect it was a combination of the two. However you achieved it, she cannot have imagined what you were planning to do next. "The evidence at this trial has clearly established how you killed Sally. As you approached the spot which was your target, you reached across and unclipped her seatbelt. Then you steered the car at the tree and drove straight into it at over 50 mph. You aimed so that the passenger's side of the car struck the tree and bore the full brunt of the collision. You had the protection of an air bag and seatbelt – protection you had made sure that Sally did not have. And to protect yourself further, you got into the brace position before the crash. It was not chance, but the result of your careful and cold-blooded planning, that you came away from the collision with a few bruises, while Sally died of catastrophic injuries. "You thought that the crash would be seen as a tragic accident and that you would get away with murder. You would indeed have done so if it had not been for the careful and thorough investigation carried out by the police. "As we have heard from the statement that has been read out just now in court, the consequences of what you did have been devastating. Not only for Sally whose life you ended so cruelly, but for her daughters and sister and other members of her family and people who were close to her. Above all for your own young son whom you have robbed of his mother, and who will have to live his life in the knowledge that she was murdered by his own father. "The sentence for murder is fixed by law. It is a life sentence. I must also set the minimum term: in other words, the length of time you must stay in prison before you can even be considered for release. It is important to understand that at the end of the minimum term, you will not automatically be released: that will only happen if and when the Parole Board decides that it is safe to allow your release from prison. If and when you are released it will be on licence, and your life sentence will not then come to an end. You will have to obey the conditions of your licence for the rest of your life – otherwise you may be recalled to prison. "The law requires me to set the minimum term by first deciding the appropriate starting point, following rules laid down by Act of Parliament. I must then increase the minimum term upwards from that starting point to take account of any factors which make your offence worse, or downwards to take account of any factors which lessen your offence. "In choosing the starting point, I must consider whether your crime falls within the category of cases specified by Parliament where the seriousness of the offence is particularly high. Cases which would normally fall within this category include a murder done for gain. "It is clear to me from the evidence that you had two motives for murdering Sally. One was that you could not and would not accept that your marriage was over and were determined that Sally would never leave you. Your other motive was financial gain. You refused to accept that Sally should have the money from the house, although you had been advised that it was her due. In a text message Sally sent to her daughter the night before she died – and after you had told her that you wanted half the house and by rights should have more, as well as keeping all your other assets – Sally said: "I know money isn't everything, but to him it is". You chose to murder Sally rather than lose her and face what you felt was the humiliation of divorce; but also, and just as importantly for you, to prevent her from getting the money from the house, and to keep the house for yourself. "The fact that you were motivated partly by financial gain is therefore one factor which makes your crime all the more serious. The law also punishes more severely crimes which involve the use of a weapon, particularly if the weapon is taken to the scene with the intention that it will be used. In this case you did not arm yourself with a gun or a knife. But in disabling the passenger airbag and unclipping Sally's seatbelt before crashing your car into the tree, you made your car into a machine as lethal as any weapon, and drove it to the scene with the intention of using it to kill. "A third factor which makes your crime all the more serious is the high degree of planning and premeditation that went into it. The way in which you killed Sally involved a plan that you must have plotted out over days, if not weeks, in all its malevolent detail, and which you then executed with ruthless efficiency. "Despite these factors, the view I take is that this case falls short of the category where the seriousness of the offence is particularly high even for cases of murder – but only just. That means that the appropriate starting point in setting the minimum term is 15 years; but I must increase its length very substantially beyond that to reflect the seriousness of your offence and the factors I have mentioned. "The only factor in your favour is that you are previously of good character – though that can count for little where the crime you have committed is as vile as this. "I also take account of your age – which is 53 – and how much of the rest of your life you are likely to have to spend in prison. Had I not made allowance for that, the minimum term would have been higher. "I have weighed up all these factors. My conclusion is that the minimum term which you must spend in prison before you can be considered for release on licence is a term of 24 years. The 257 days you have already spent in prison will be deducted from that. "The result is that the sentence I pass is a life sentence, and you must stay in prison for at least the next 24 years (less 257 days). " RELATED CONTENT: Husband guilty of wife's murderOadby car crash murder: Victim's family statement Oadby car crash murder: Police response after guilty verdict

Murder

CCTV appeal after bus attack

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Police have released CCTV images of two men they want to speak to following an assault on a bus. The attack took place on Monday, April 15, at around 5.40pm, on the upper deck of an Arriva bus travelling from Leicester city centre to Melton. The 35-year-old victim had spoken briefly to two men on the bus before he was assaulted, receiving facial injuries. Officers have released images of two men they would like to speak to in connection with the incident. The first man is described as mixed race, around 5ft 10in, in his mid 20s, with a shaved head, wearing a beige cap, grey Adidas tracksuit and carrying a white drawstring bag. The second man is described as white, slim build, mid 20s. PC Hayley Hollis, the investigating officer, said: "This was a nasty assault that took place at a busy time on public transport. "We are appealing for anyone who recognises the men in these images to contact us." Anyone with information can contact PC Hollis on 101, or Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.

CCTV appeal after bus attack

Pledge to denounce 'evil' sex grooming

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Muslim community leaders in Leicester will today support a national campaign to denounce the evil of grooming and sexual exploitation of young women.

The campaign – Together Against Grooming – will see imams tackle the issue in their Friday sermons at about 500 mosques across the country.

It has been launched in the wake of a number of high-profile cases which involved Asian men sexually exploiting and abusing girls.

Shaykh Ibrahim Mogra, a Leicester imam and assistant general secretary of the Muslim Council of Britain, said many mosques in Leicestershire would be supporting today's campaign.

He said: "We have not had a chance to collect numbers, but the momentum has been growing for the past few days.

"Any imam worth his salt would always use Friday sermons to talk about evils and forms of criminality which are prevalent in society.

"The difference here is that, for the first time, we have gone out to ensure the same message is given out throughout the country on the same Friday.

"The hope is that the impact of this message will be felt nationwide.

"At the same time, we are being careful to make the point that this is not a Muslim or racial issue.

"It is an evil which the whole of society has to tackle."

As well as mosques in towns and cities across the country, imams who work in prisons have also signed up to take part.

Ansar Ali, spokesman for the campaign, said: "We have been horrified by the details that have emerged from recent court cases and, as Muslims, we feel a natural responsibility to condemn and tackle this crime.

"Sexual grooming and child abuse afflicts all sections of society and is perpetrated by people of all ethnic groups.

"The campaign is unprecedented – we have brought together mosques and imams from all over the UK, irrespective of differences, to collectively deliver a hard-hitting sermon on a single issue.

"We are united in our stand against sexual grooming and are leading the effort to rid society of this crime."

Mr Ali said the campaign would continue beyond today's sermons.

He said: "This is the start of what will be a nationwide project in which we seek to work with others to eradicate this practice from all communities."

Pledge to denounce 'evil' sex grooming

T20: Leicestershire Foxes ready to cause some hurt

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It is pretty certain that Leicestershire Foxes will not be one of the fancied sides as the Friends Life T20 competition gets into swing.

The Foxes have lifted the trophy on three occasions to date, more than any other side, but remain the firmest of underdogs.

Maybe that is not such a surprise given that they have the toughest of jobs just to get out of their group to qualify for the quarter-finals.

"I always think the North Group is a very tough section," said head coach Phil Whitticase, whose side launch their campaign this evening against Nottingham Outlaws at Trent Bridge (6.0).

"Apart from ourselves, we've got Lancashire, Yorkshire, Durham and Notts – and Derbyshire look as though they will be a good side this year. There are no easy games."

The Foxes struggled last year as they set about defending the trophy they won in 2011, and Whitticase feels that was always going to be a tough task with top performers such as Andrew McDonald, Paul Nixon and James Taylor all having departed Grace Road.

"We lost six players from the 2011 side, so it was always going to be difficult to replace them all in that space of time," he said.

"But the players we have are another year on now, and we have made two good overseas signings in Joe Burns and Shakib Al Hasan, while Niall O'Brien will give us that dynamic approach up front alongside Josh Cobb."

Burns and Shakib also bring a winning mentality with them.

Burns starred as Brisbane won Australia's KFC Big Bash earlier this year, while Shakib played alongside Cobb for Dhaka Gladiators as they triumphed in the Bangladesh Premier League just before the start of the English season.

"I think we have got players who can hurt other sides," said Whitticase.

"Previous experience shows us that we have done well when we have taken wickets up front, so that is something that we have to get right."

In the past, the likes of pacemen Mark Cleary, Stuart Broad and Harry Gurney have taken those top-order wickets to put opponents on the back foot, and Leicestershire now need Nathan Buck, Rob Taylor, Anthony Ireland or Robbie Williams to adopt that role.

Elsewhere, the bowling looks solid with three spinners in the shape of Cobb, Shakib and Jigar Naik.

However, T20 remains wildly unpredictable, which is part of its undeniable attraction.

"It is the kind of competition where if you get on a roll and find momentum, then things can happen – as we found out in 2011," said Whitticase.

"The players are looking forward to it. They enjoy the format and the buzz that goes with it. But we have to get on a roll straight away."

The Foxes play their first home game tomorrow when Derbyshire are the visitors to Grace Road (2.40).

The Falcons have shown their intent by adding South African star Albie Morkel to their T20 squad this season.

T20: Leicestershire Foxes ready to cause some hurt

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