News Room

Latest news Two children found dead at house in Birmingham 28/10/2016 Police have launched a criminal investigation following the deaths of two children at a house in Birmingham in the early hours of this morning. Emergency services were called to a report of a fire at the property on Holland Road in Hamstead at around 3.40am today (Friday 28 October). Fire-fighters extinguished a fire in the hallway of the house and two children – a boy and a girl - were found unwell inside. They were both taken to hospital, where they were subsequently pronounced dead. At this stage the cause of their deaths is not known and a forensic post-mortem is due to take place. A woman…

Latest news Response to Police Federation survey results 28/10/2016 The results of the annual pay and morale survey carried out by the Police Federation have been published today. In response to the survey results Sue Goodman, Head of HR at West Midlands Police, said: “Policing is a high pressure job. Officers routinely put themselves in dangerous situations to protect the public and can be confronted with distressing scenes when attending incidents or investigating crimes. We are very conscious about the importance of looking after the wellbeing of our staff and offering support. “We know that the biggest negative effect on morale is how police officers are treate…

Latest news Coventry man arrested on suspicion of funding terrorism 27/10/2016 A 32-year-old man has been arrested at Birmingham Airport this morning (Thursday 27 October) on suspicion of funding terrorism. The man, from Coventry, was detained after flying into Birmingham by officers from the West Midlands Counter Terrorism Unit. The arrest is part of a continuing investigation into the financing of terrorism and was intelligence-led. There was no risk to any passengers at Birmingham Airport or to the wider public in relation to the arrest. View the full article

Latest news Missing: Sajid Mahmood from Birmingham 26/10/2016 We are appealing for help to find a man who has gone missing from his home in the Alum Rock area of Birmingham. Sajid Mahmood - who also goes by the name of Ibrahim Uddin Khan - is 39-years-old and has not been seen for almost two weeks. Officers are concerned about Sajid’s health and for that reason members of the public should not approach him. He is described as an Asian man; around 5ft 6ins tall, of slim build with greying straight shoulder length hair and a full beard. We are very worried about Sajid so please contact the Locate team on 999 if you have any information about his whereabouts or …

Latest news Teenager due in court over fatal Coventry crash 26/10/2016 A teenager is due in court charged with causing death by driving without due care and attention whilst unfit through drink, following a fatal crash in Coventry. Danielle Bartlett will appear before magistrates in the city tomorrow (Thursday 27 October). The 18-year-old, of Westleigh Road, Leicester will stand accused of causing the death of a 42-year-old woman almost a year ago. Anna Downey Anna Downey was killed when the taxi she was travelling in collided with a Vauxhall Astra at the junction of Abbey Road and London Road in Coventry just after midnight on 11 October 2015. View the f…

Latest news Justice catches up with drug dealer on run for a decade 26/10/2016 A man on the run for almost a decade after being exposed as a drug dealer during a West Midlands Police surveillance sting is now behind bars after being traced to a Bulgarian beach resort. Michael Hogan (pictured), now aged 70, was part of a four-strong group of men linked to a cannabis haul worth almost £400,000 uncovered at a flat in Acocks Green back in June 2007. Three men were caught at the time and later jailed for a total 16 years. But Hogan – whose fingerprints were found on drugs packaging and a cannabis press at the Tavistock Road flat – managed to dodge numerous arrest attem…

Latest news Supporters encouraged to enjoy trouble-free second city derby 26/10/2016 West Midlands Police is encouraging Birmingham City and Aston Villa supporters to enjoy derby day and ensure it remains trouble-free this Sunday (30 October). The eagerly-awaited game at St Andrews is the first league fixture between the clubs for more than five years. A visible police presence will be in place in and around the ground as part of policing plans to ensure the safety of the public. Match commander Chief Inspector Nick Rowe said: “It will be great to see two sets of passionate fans come along and enjoy the spectacle - and atmosphere - of a local derby. “This is a …

Latest news Man charged with firearms offence following incident in Newtown 25/10/2016 A man has been charged with possession of an imitation firearm with intent to cause fear of violence, following an alleged incident in Birmingham. Baboucarr Huma was arrested yesterday after being stopped in a car in Small Heath in the early hours of yesterday morning (24 October). The 18-year-old, of Handsworth Close, Handsworth, appeared at Birmingham Magistrates Court today (25 October). He heard that he was accused of pointing a hand gun at a man on New John Street in the Newtown area of the city in the early hours of 21 October. Huma was remanded in custody to appear at Bi…

Latest news Search for conman who tricked pensioner in Wolverhampton 25/10/2016 Police are hunting a cruel conman who posed as council contractor to trick his way inside a pensioner’s home before duping her into handing over hundreds of pounds. The conman struck in Fowler Street, Wolverhampton, alongside two other men claiming they’d been sent to carry out building maintenance work. The 83-year-old woman let the men inside to do some work, but they demanded payment first and drove her to a Post Office when she told them she didn’t have any cash. After they left, without doing any work – at around 10.30am on 18 August - she discovered that an upstairs room had been…

Latest news Life jail for internet café knife killer 25/10/2016 A Jamaican man who plunged a knife into a fellow countryman’s neck - killing him during a midday attack in an internet café - has been told he’ll spend at least the next 21 years in jail. Douane Brown stabbed Horace Williams at the Smethwick café on 16 April in what witnesses described as being like “scenes from a horror movie". CCTV showed the pair exchanging glances at a money transfer counter in the café moments before Brown - originally from Kingston where it’s believed he knew his 36-year-old victim - pulled a folding knife from his jacket pocket. Mr Williams staggered into the street clutch…

Latest news Photos of car involved in Great Barr fatal hit-and-run released 25/10/2016 Police investigating the death of a Great Barr pensioner have released a picture of the car believed to be involved in the hit-and-run. An investigation was launched after the 88-year-old was struck by a silver Ford Mondeo on Birmingham Road on Friday 21 October. Mary Elizabeth Humpherson, known as Betty, was taken to hospital with serious injuries but sadly died later that day. The driver of the car abandoned the vehicle at the scene and ran off and enquiries are on-going to trace him. Officers investigating the fatal collision are appealing to anyone who recognises the …

Latest news Jail for motocross menace who tore through Birmingham streets 23/10/2016 A motocross menace who sped through residential streets on a scrambler - pulling wheelies and dangerous overtaking manoeuvres - has been jailed. Fabrice Tirant’s 20-minute rampage started in Kitts Green after police were called to reports of off-road bikes causing a nuisance. A police helicopter spotted Tirant in Gressel Lane and tracked his progress from 2,000ft as he dodged traffic and tore through parkland. At one stage the 23-year-old speeds through a children’s playground. Tirant’s tour on 28 February - all captured by the chopper’s powerful on-board cameras - came to an end…

Latest news Students in Birmingham have been getting a hard-hitting lesson in road safety 23/10/2016 West Midlands Police joined forces with West Midlands Ambulance Service to support a West Midlands Fire Service educational presentation at Bournville College earlier this week (17 October). The presentation is designed to teach youngsters about the dangers of the ’Fatal Four’ - excessive speed, no seatbelts, drink or drug-driving and using a mobile phone whilst driving. There was also a focus on anti-social driving, peer pressure and off-road biking which is currently an ongoing issue in the local area. The roadshow was launched at Bournville Conference Centre in…

Latest news Appeal after elderly woman dies following non-stop collision in Great Barr 22/10/2016 Police are appealing for witnesses following a non-stop collision in Great Barr yesterday in which an elderly woman died. Officers were called to the collision between a car and a pedestrian on Birmingham Road opposite the junction of Peak House Road just before midday on Friday 21 October. A woman, named as Mary Elizabeth Humpherson, known to her friends as Betty, was aged 88 and from Great Barr. She was taken to hospital with serious injuries but sadly died later that day. Specialist officers are supporting her family who paid the following tribute: “It is difficu…

Latest news Officers are leading the way towards a diverse West Midlands Police 22/10/2016 From new recruits to a Chief Superintendent - officers are helping to lead the way in creating a modern, multicultural West Midlands Police force. The force already has the second highest number of black and minority ethnic (BME) staff in the country but is committed to attracting, developing and retaining staff from diverse backgrounds to better represent the areas it serves. To coincide with Black History Month - and 20th anniversary of the West Midlands Black and Asian Police Association (BAPA) - some of the latest recruits and the highest-ranking BME officer have revea…