Policing News

Devon and Cornwall police criticised on civilian staff

Allowing civilian investigators to work on serious crimes has been described as the "final nail in the coffin of British policing". Devon and Cornwall Police currently employ 76 civilian investigators to carry out parts of inquiries on cases, including rapes and murders. The force said this freed detectives to concentrate on more important parts of some inquiries. But the Police Federation said it was a further erosion of officers' powers. The number of civilian investigators employed by the force was obtained by the BBC under the Freedom of Information Act.

Unknown cause of woman's death in Coventry flat

A post-mortem examination has failed to establish the cause of death of a 55-year-old woman whose body was discovered in a flat in Coventry. She was found dead at William Malcolm House, in Attoxhall Road, Wyken, at 1750 GMT on 10 February. A 51-year-old man was arrested shortly after nearby and has been released on bail pending further enquiries. West Midlands Police said it was still treating the death as unexplained and was awaiting toxicology results.

Inquest sees CCTV of fatal shooting of Pc Ian Terry

CCTV footage of a police officer being shot dead by a colleague during a training exercise has been shown to the jury at the inquest into his death. Pc Ian Terry's family left the room before the footage was shown. It showed a puff of smoke rising after a shotgun was fired, killing the father-of-two. The hearing into the Greater Manchester Police officer's death is taking place at the Manchester Civil Justice Centre. Pc Terry, 32, of Burnley, was shot in the chest in June 2008. He was playing the role of a criminal fleeing in a car while a colleague, known only as Chris, was in a police car and armed with a shotgun to shoot out the pretend suspect vehicle's tyres. But on seeing Pc Terry holding a gun Chris, acting "instinctively", pulled the trigger on his Remington 870 pump action 12-bore shotgun.

Man charged over indecent assaults in Leicestershire

A man has been charged with indecently assaulting two girls in Leicestershire. Police said the teenagers were in Derby Road, Loughborough, at about 1830 GMT on Saturday when they were assaulted. The charged man was being held in custody ahead of an appearance at Loughborough Magistrates' Court on Wednesday. Meanwhile, a man has been arrested over an incident on Sunday, when a woman was stopped by three men in Baxtergate and had her bottom hit and chest grabbed. He has been released on police bail.

Man shot in abdomen after wake in Liverpool

A 37-year-old man has been shot in the stomach after attending a wake at a pub in West Derby on Merseyside. Police are treating the incident as attempted murder. They believe he may have been shot at several times as he stood outside the Deysbrook pub. He had attended a funeral of a friend earlier on Tuesday which passed without incident, a police spokesman said. The victim, described as a "family man", remains in a critical condition and has undergone surgery twice.

Man arrested over bogus Facebook Claudia message

A man has been arrested for posting a bogus message on a social networking site claiming to be missing North Yorkshire chef Claudia Lawrence. The message was posted on a Facebook page dedicated to the case of Miss Lawrence, 35, who has been missing from her York home since last March. An 18-year-old was arrested in Didcot, Oxfordshire on Wednesday morning. Police said he was cautioned after admitting making a malicious communication and wasting police time. The message, posted on Facebook on 9 November, read: "Hi everyone just let you be aware that I am ok and I am safe and sound. Speak to you all soon. Claudia xxx"

Cuckfield rape investigated by Sussex Police

Police are investigating after a teenager was raped in a West Sussex village. The girl was attacked near the main entrance to Holy Trinity Church in Cuckfield, police said. Sussex Police are carrying out house-to-house inquiries and stepping up patrols in the area. Det Insp Pierre Serra said: "Detectives are carrying out a meticulous investigation into this serious offence." Police want to hear from anyone with information on the incident, which happened between 1730 GMT and 1830 GMT on 30 January.

Two men deny stab attack on 'King of Gypsies'

A bare knuckle fighter, known as the "King of Gypsies", was attacked at a Cumbrian equestrian event by a gang wielding machetes, a court has heard. Louis Welch, of Darlington, suffered multiple injuries at the Harness Horse Trials, near Appleby, on 25 May. Alex Varey, 19, and George Miller, 18, both from Lancaster, deny wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm. Carlisle Crown Court was told their fingerprints were found on two machetes recovered from the scene. Mr Welch, 40, who holds the "King of Gypsies" title which is renowned in the traveller community and normally given to its best boxer, suffered deep gashes and gaping wounds to his back and arm.

One dead as car and truck collide in Northumberland

Police are investigating a fatal collision on a road in Northumberland. Few details have been released about the incident, on the B6432, in the market town of Rothbury, which involved a car and a dumper truck. One person has died, but there is no information as to whether the fatality is a man or a woman. The road was closed on Thursday afternoon, and anyone who witnessed the incident at about 1540 GMT is asked to contact Northumbria Police.

Man who tried to sever ex-girlfriend's head detained

A man who almost severed his ex-partner's head in front of her children has been detained indefinitely. Benjamin Cooper, 35, killed Claire Marshall, 35, by hacking at her throat with a kitchen knife in her home in Millom, Cumbria, in January last year. The "savage attack", motivated by psychotic delusions that she was plotting to kill him, was witnessed by two of her three daughters. He earlier admitted manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility. Mr Justice Nicol, sentencing Cooper at Manchester Crown Court on Tuesday, said: "Without warning or any objective reason you jumped on Claire, you beat her, you began to stab her with a penknife and then took a larger knife and inflicted more serious blows to her head and neck.

Four arrests follow ATM thefts

Police investigating the theft of ATMs and related criminal activity have arrested four men in County Tyrone. Two men, aged 27 and 19 were arrested in Fintona and a 20-year-old man was arrested in Fivemiletown. A 35-year-old man was also arrested in Dungannon. Police said the four men were being held at stations in Dungannon and Omagh. The police said their investigations were continuing.