Teenage cyclist punched and robbed on Derbyshire canal path
Derby Telegraph comment: Remarkable that crime drop lasted so many years
THE annual reduction in Derbyshire's crime figures, which ran for nine years, simply could not last for ever.
The remarkable thing is that the statistic continued to drop for as long as it did.
Read the original story here.It was astonishing because, if you drew up a basic graphic, it would show that as police funding was going down annually, so was the crime rate.
All logic would indicate that those two should have been heading in opposite directions.
The fact that they did not do so for so long bears witness to the astute use of resources by successive police chiefs and the great work of uniformed, detectives and civilian staff throughout the Derbyshire force.
Now we have to face up to the fact that crime in the year ending March 2014 was up by 1,094 offences, compared with the previous 12 months.
It is an increase of 2% and, we would submit, can be largely put down to two factors.
One is what Chief Constable Mick Creedon describes as "the significant reduction in police and other agencies' budgets".
This, he says, "has meant hundreds fewer police officers, police staff and big reductions in partners' staff numbers".
The other factor must surely be the general decline in the country's economic state in the past decade.
That has impacted on people's incomes and so more people have turned to crime. It's an inevitable fact and nobody should pretend otherwise.
The decline in staff numbers has meant that while the Chief Constable and his colleagues have done their best to maintain the force's front-line presence in bobbies on the beat and in their patrol cars, fewer resources can be allocated to preventative work.
One figure which leaps out of the annual statistics is an increase of 25% in allegations of rape.
This would normally be the headline-grabber of the day – but Mr Creedon actually draws encouragement from it.
He believes it does not reflect a rise in the number of offences committed, but rather an increase in awareness of the need to report them.
For too long – decades and probably centuries – the numbers of court cases for serious sexual assaults has almost certainly represent only the tip of the iceberg of the number of incidents.
If that is changing, it has to be a good thing.
Derby's Eagle Market raided: Shops cordoned off after being hit by thieves
Fire means Derby Assembly Rooms will be shut for 18 months
Dawn French, Joe McElderry and Jimmy Carr among Assembly Rooms shows cancelled
Thameslink 'fiasco' has caused electrified line chaos elsewhere, claims union
A UNION has claimed that a shortage of trains to run on an electrified stretch of line between Liverpool and Manchester could have been avoided if Derby train-maker Bombardier had been selected for a lucrative Government contract.
Yesterday, the Rail, Maritime and Transport union criticised the Government after it was announced that just two electric passenger trains would be "cascaded" from First Capital Connect's Thameslink network to run on the Northern Rail line in December.
Due to long delays in ordering replacement Thameslink trains, passengers using the Liverpool to Manchester service will have to wait until next year for the remaining 12 electric trains on the route.
The RMT claims the logjam could have been avoided if Bombardier had been selected to build the new Thameslink trains.
The deal, worth £1.6 billion, was awarded to Siemens, which is building the trains in Germany.
Mick Cash, RMT acting general secretary, said: "The Thameslink fleet shambles rolls on. RMT always said that this fiasco would continue to haunt this rotten Government and we have been proven right as they face up to the embarrassment of only having two aging units to start on the much-trumpeted and much-needed electrified Liverpool to Manchester service.
"This chaos could have been avoided if the Thameslink fleet job had gone to Bombardier from the off rather than allowing the EU to dictate the terms of the UK's rolling stock replacement programme.
"Those responsible for this shambles should be hanging their heads in shame and it goes right to the heart of everything that is wrong with Britain's fragmented and privatised railways. There must be no repeat of this nonsense ever again."
Bombardier bounced back from missing out on the Thameslink work by securing the £1 billion Crossrail deal.
M1: Road reopened after severe delays for Derbyshire commuters
Derby magistrate Ajit Atwal to be investigated over assault rifle Twitter picture
Hartington Street killing: Teen again appears in court charged with murder of Derby woman
A TEENAGER accused of murdering a woman has appeared in court.
Mateusz Kosecki, of Hartington Street, spoke through a Polish interpreter to confirm his name, address and date of birth at Nottingham Crown Court yesterday.
The 18-year-old was remanded in custody and is next due to appear at the same court on April 29.
Yvette Hallsworth, 36, was found dead just after 11am on Sunday, April 6, at Hartington Street, Normanton.
A post-mortem examination revealed she died as a result of stab wounds.
Sex offence charges: 61-year-old man appears in Derby Crown Court
A 61-YEAR-OLD man has appeared in court after being charged with historical sex offences.
Barrie Pickles, walking with the aid of crutches, spoke only to confirm his name when he appeared at Derby Crown Court yesterday. The details of the number of alleged offences, victims or when they allegedly happened were not read out during the five-minute hearing.
Pickles, of Green Lane, Tutbury, was given unconditional bail and is due to appear at the same court again on June 27.
Football: How Derby County's Championship rivals are faring
MIDDLESBROUGH are set to open talks with Greek goalkeeper Dimi Konstantopoulos over a new contract.
The 35-year-old has been first choice under Aitor Karanka since Shay Given's loan spell at The Riverside ended.
Karanka has preferred Konstantopoulos to home-grown Jason Steele and on-loan Real Madrid keeper Tomas Mejias.
LEEDS United are set to make a summer move for Southend goalkeeper Daniel Bentley, according to reports.
The 20-year-old is highly rated at Roots Hall and is set to be offloaded to a bigger club in the summer.
Leeds are expected to move for a keeper in the summer, with Jack Butland returning to parent club Stoke City, and former number one Paddy Kenny set to move away from the Elland Road outfit.
REPORTS in Italy suggest AC Milan are considering a bid for Leicester City goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel.
The Rossoneri aim to sign at least another keeper ahead of the 2014-15 and it is suggested that the Dane, who will be out of contract in the summer, is a target, despite the Foxes booking their return to the Premier League.
QUEENS Park Rangers are said to be keen on signing Aston Villa forward Darren Bent.
The striker, who is currently on-loan at Felix Magath's Fulham, is reported as being a key summer target for QPR manager Harry Redknapp as he shuffles his side.
Rugby union: Melbourne up to sixth after Loughborough win
MELBOURNE climbed to sixth in Midlands Two East (North) after beating Loughborough in their final home game of the campaign.
They leapfrogged their opponents in the process, courtesy of a fine team display from a much-changed side.
Melbourne opened up a 22-6 lead at half-time.
Jacob Watts, Rob Foster, Dale Bilson and Jack Fisher all touched down for the home side to secure a bonus point, with Euan Holden adding a conversion.
Holden kicked a penalty after the break and then converted Joe Stuart's try.
Nearly-blind Ripley runner Tom Briggs' London Marathon triumph
A VISUALLY-IMPAIRED runner was among thousands who took part in the London Marathon.
Tom Briggs, 26, was tethered to Amy Bradley from Jog Alfreton for the race and ran for the Royal National Institute of Blind People.
He completed the marathon in just over five hours and six minutes.
Tom, of Ripley, runs with Ripley Running Club and Jog Alfreton and said running in a crowd is difficult.
He said: "My vision isn't too bad close up. I can see what's in front of me to a degree but there's a lot I can't make out – like steps. It is more difficult to see people and objects at a distance.
"That makes crowd situations like busy bank holidays difficult because I don't see other people until I'm up close."
He said it was difficult being between sighted and blind.
"People often don't know what to do or say," he added.
"If we go on a route that's familiar, I find it a lot easier. When it's nice and flat I'm fine but when there are obstacles I need some guidance.
"Everyone's very friendly and as people get to know you, they become much more confident in offering support.
"If they don't know you, then they wonder what to do. It's a difficult thing to approach sometimes."
Tom is registered blind and will soon be getting a guide dog.
Amy, 31, of South Normanton, said Tom's partial sight has never been a barrier.
She said: "Tom's really confident and he just gets on with day-to-day life like a sighted person.
"In fact, you wouldn't even know he was blind. So it's been difficult for me to learn how to give him enough guidance without being offensive or patronising him.
"The crowds do slow him down. When things appear from the side or there's an obstacle like a wall or wheely bin sticking out, that is difficult."
Tom, who works as an equality development officer for Nottinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service, said he never set out to be a marathon runner.
He said: "I started with trying to jog about half a mile and thought, 'If I can manage that, I can go a bit further'.
"But I was still struggling so I invested in a few sessions with a personal trainer. It was quite expensive but very beneficial."
Tom said he likes to pace himself for big races.
He said: "When I'm running a race, I like to set myself markers – like to overtake people but it will be someone who is quite close to me who I can see.
"I run with a Garmin watch and download the data after a run but I can't see the watch face during a run so I can't pace myself. Amy's taught me that it's much better to keep a constant pace."
Derby County rivals Burnley 'won't choke', says Mee
BEN Mee insists Burnley will not choke in their automatic promotion quest despite seeing their healthy advantage cut to eight points by Derby County over the weekend.
The Clarets could have gone up with victory over Middlesbrough at Turf Moor, where they had lost just once in the Championship all season, if the Rams had not defeated Huddersfield.
Mee claims nerves will not get the better of his team-mates at this stage.
"We are actually really calm and not even thinking about it at the minute," the full-back said.
"Because we've kept on such a level all season, we're just carrying on.
"You'd be surprised how relaxed everyone is. We played really well but we just couldn't score.
"It wasn't a nervy performance by any means – we went out there and we wanted to win.
"We just wanted to put on a performance and win the game, we weren't concentrating on anything else.
"Like we have done all season, we just focused on the game ahead."
Named and shamed: Who's been in Derbyshire's courts?
The following people have all appeared before magistrates charged with using a colour television without a licence:
MARIA Templeton, 46, of Shaw Street East, Ilkeston, was fined £400 with £40 victim surcharge and told to pay £120 costs for an offence on October 14.
CHARMAINE Tipler, 24, of John Street, Heanor, was fined £83 with £20 victim surcharge and told to pay £120 costs for an offence on December 9.
ANNE Marie Toal, 36, of Cheviot Street, Derby, was fined £110 with £20 victim surcharge and £120 costs for an offence between November 10 and December 11.
AMANDA Toone, 45, of Cornwallis Close, Long Eaton, was fined £75 with £20 victim surcharge and £160 costs for an offence between May 20 and June 11.
SARAH Walsh, 33, of Walbrook Road, Derby, was fined £138 with £20 victim surcharge and told to pay £120 costs for an offence between December 1 and 19.
STEPHEN Warren, 37, of Addison Road, Derby, was fined £110 with £20 victim surcharge and £120 costs for an offence on December 17.
ELIZABETH Wheeldon, 30, of Kingsfield Court, Wirksworth, was fined £55, with £20 victim surcharge and told to pay £120 costs for an offence between October 1 and 15.
DAWN Williams, 54, of Wilmot Street, Long Eaton, was fined £400 with £40 victim surcharge and told to pay £120 costs for an offence between November 2 and December 3.
REBECCA Williams, 30, of Nerissa Close, Chellaston, was fined £110 with £20 victim surcharge and told to pay £120 costs, for an offence on December 16.
MANJEEV Mundi, 25, of Sunnyhill Avenue, Derby, was given a 21-week prison sentence suspended for a year, with 200 hours of unpaid work, and was told to pay £200 compensation, £625 costs and an £80 victim surcharge for assault on June 3 and failing to surrender to court on March 6.
CARL Francis, 49, of Blackmore Street, Derby, was fined £37 and ordered to pay £35 costs and a £20 victim surcharge for failing to comply with the direction given by a traffic sign in Normanton Road on August 10.
MARK Baber, 49, of Cape Court, Derby, was fined £150 and told to pay £85 costs and a £20 victim surcharge for breaching a restraining order on October 27.
And the following people have appeared before magistrates on other charges:PETER Ennis, 42, of Crewton Way, Alvaston, was given an 17-week prison sentence suspended for 12 months and told to pay £1,000 compensation for causing almost £2,000 of damage to a bathroom belonging to Friendship Care and Housing, and stealing a central heating system, worth £3,500, belonging to the same organisation, on September 2.
RYAN Hemstock, 20, of Hands Road, Heanor, was disqualified from driving for 15 months, fined £110 and told to pay £85 costs and a £20 victim surcharge for being over the drink-drive limit when driving in Cromford Road, Langley Mill, on February 22.
ALEXANDER Rolling, 25, of Chapel Street, Derby, was disqualified from driving for 14 months, fined £175 and told to pay £85 costs and a £20 victim surcharge for drinking excess alcohol before driving on the A52 on January 12.
STEFAN Balaz, 41, of St Augustine Street, Derby, was disqualified from driving for 20 months, fined £240 and ordered to pay £85 costs and a £24 victim surcharge for being over the drink-drive limit when driving in Princes Street, on December 26.
WAYNE Wadsworth, of Luccombe Drive, Alvaston, had his licence endorsed with six penalty points, was fined £110 and was ordered to pay £35 costs and a £20 victim surcharge for driving while uninsured in London Road on July 4.
JAMES Birks, 39, of Cobden Street, Derby, has been ordered to carry out 80 hours of unpaid work as part of a community order and to pay £40 compensation a £60 victim surcharge and £200 costs for having in his possession criminal property – namely two mobile phones – on December 24.
AIDEN Madden, 62, of Queen Street, Long Eaton, was given a community order with a 56-day curfew and ordered to pay £150 costs and a £60 victim surcharge for failing to notify Erewash Borough Council on February 27, 2012, of a change in circumstance which he knew would affect his entitlement to housing and council assistance, namely that he was in receipt of a private pension.
DAVID Gothard, 49, of St James Road, Derby, was given a 12-month community order, with 180 hours of unpaid work, told to pay £85 costs with a £60 victim surcharge and disqualified from driving for four years for failing to provide a breath sample to police when driving on February 15.
ABIODUN Anjorin, 34, of Hartington Street, Derby, was disqualified from driving for 46 months, fined £385 and ordered to pay £85 costs and a £20 victim surcharge for taking a vehicle without the owner's consent, driving uninsured and without a valid licence and exceeding the alcohol limit when driving in Bradshaw Way, Traffic Street and Pride Park on February 24.
Rugby union: Long Eaton beat Bingham in final home game
LONG Eaton won the final home game of their Midlands Four East (North) season against Bingham.
Tries from Paul Wakefield, Tom Teece, Myles Costello and Tom Martin secured a bonus point for the hosts at West Park.
Elsewhere in the division, Amber Valley won 28-15 at Worksop, Belper triumphed 34-7 at Nottinghamians and Leesbrook went down 50-17 at home to champions Chesterfield Panthers.
Rugby union: Matlock sign off with high-scoring defeat to Kettering
MATLOCK'S final league match of the season ended in a high-scoring defeat at home to Kettering.
With relegation from Midlands One East already confirmed, Matlock only had pride left to play for.
Before kick-off at Cromford Meadows, there was a minute silence in memory of John Siddall, past player, former president, honorary life member and one of the club's much-loved characters.
Kettering ran in four converted tries in an open first half, with Matt Goodall replying for the hosts after good work from Chris Atkinson.
Goodall scored again after the break, emerging with the ball after the Matlock pack drove the visitors back over their own line.
Tom Morton converted and later added a penalty.
Kettering maintained their lead with further scores but Matlock at least secured a bonus point thanks to tries from Henri Packard, converted by Morton, and James Cooper.
Matlock still have a chance of silverware – they host Glossop in the semi-final of the Derbyshire Cup on Saturday.