News Room

Latest news Man arrested and charged with burglary after public appeal 17/10/2016 A man wanted in connection with a distraction burglary in Wolverhampton has been arrested and charged by police. A public appeal was launched to help trace Phillip Purcell - of no fixed address - for questioning over the burglary of a pensioner in Baldwin Street , Bilston, in August. The 22 year-old was arrested in Birmingham on Saturday and has now been charged with a total of three distraction burglaries all in Wolverhampton. He is due to appear before Wolverhampton Crown Court next month. A second man, 20 year-old Johnny Connors, is still being sought by police and anyone with i…

Latest news Five men arrested over the murder of a Yorkshire man 17/10/2016 Detectives investigating the murder of Karl Swift have arrested five men from South Yorkshire this morning (17 October). Four men aged 58, 51, 29, another man aged 29, all from Sheffield and a 23-year-old man from Rotherham were arrested in Yorkshire on suspicion of murder. Karl Swift, aged 33, was found with serious head injuries on New Road, Halesowen on Friday 9 September. He was taken to hospital where he sadly died from his injuries the following day. Senior investigating officer, Detective Inspector Paul Joyce from West Midlands Police’s Homicide Team, said: “The arrests this morni…

Latest news Man charged with murder of Birmingham teenager Kenichi Phillips 17/10/2016 A man will appear at Birmingham Magistrates court today charged with the murder of Birmingham teenager Kenichi Phillips. Isiah Young-Wright, aged 36 of no fixed address, will stand accused of murder, attempted murder, attempted wounding with intent to cause grievous harm and two counts of possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life. Kenichi Phillips, aged 18, was shot dead on St Marks Crescent in the Ladywood area of Birmingham as he sat in a black Seat Leon just before 7pm on 17 March. A 24-year-old woman, who was arrested on suspicion of assisting an offender, was rel…

Latest news Crash victim fighting for life in hospital – appeal to trace driver witnesses 17/10/2016 Crash investigators are appealing for motorists to come forward who may have witnessed a road collision that’s left a man fighting for life in hospital. The man was struck by a black VW Polo at 11.30pm on Thursday (13 Oct) in Sky Blue Way in Coventry near the junction with Walsgrave Road and Far Gosford Street. The 38-year-old suffered serious leg and head injuries and has been placed in an induced coma in hospital. A 20-year-old woman, the driver of the VW Polo, stopped at the scene and provided a negative breath test. It’s believed the collision or the moments l…

Latest news Police arrest man wanted over fatal shooting of Kenichi Phillips 16/10/2016 A man wanted in connection with the fatal shooting of a Birmingham teenager has been arrested by West Midlands Police during a dawn raid at a flat in Dudley. Isaiah Wright-Young was arrested from an address in Dixons Green Road just after 5am this morning (Sun 16 Oct) along with a woman suspected of hiding him from police. The 36-year-old, of no fixed address, is wanted in connection with the murder of 18-year-old Kenichi Phillips (pictured) who was shot dead on St Marks Crescent in the Ladywood area of Birmingham. Mr Phillips was killed as he sat in a black Seat Leon just befo…

Latest news Pupils’ designs on road safety around schools 16/10/2016 Pupils at four Coventry primaries have backed a road safety campaign by creating on-street artwork urging motorists to stick to 20mph near school gates. Youngsters from Christ the King, Ernesford Grange, Moat House and Potters Green primary schools took part in an art competition – organised by West Midlands Fire Service – with the winning designs set to feature on road signs alerting drivers to the new lower speed limit. A total of 250 entries were submitted by five- to nine-year-olds with a shortlist of three from each school put to public vote on Coventry Police’s Facebook page. Hundreds of…

Latest news Murder probe launched after man dies in Dudley knife attack 15/10/2016 A man has died after being stabbed in the stomach during an attack in Brierley Hill. Police and paramedics were called to the High Street at around 4.45pm following reports a man had been attacked with a knife outside the Dixi Chicken diner. The man, believed to be 24-years-old, was rushed to hospital in a critical condition but later pronounced dead; specially-trained officers are currently supporting the man’s family. The High Street has been cordoned off for forensic examination while detectives are also holding another scene in a nearby wooded area. West Midlands Police Detecti…

Latest news Man charged over robbery plot on murder victim 15/10/2016 The father of a man serving life in jail for killing a Black Country man has been charged with conspiring to rob the murder victim. Colin Raymond Cooke, aged 61 from Wilford Road in West Bromwich, faces one count of conspiracy to commit robbery and a second count of assisting an offender by disposing of evidence and harbouring his son. Cooke will appear before magistrates in Walsall today (Saturday 15 Oct) accused of plotting to rob 64-year-old Ronald Smith. Mr Smith was stabbed to death on the doorstep of his Cottage Walk home on 6 May last year by 34-year-old Paul Cooke. He was jailed last m…

Latest news Appeal after teenager violently attacked in Oldbury 14/10/2016 Officers are appealing for witnesses after a 16-year-old boy was attacked on his way home in Oldbury last week. The teenager, who has autism, was walking down Brookfields Road on Wednesday 5 October at 00.30am when he was approached by a group of men in a black Vauxhall Corsa. It’s believed the car was a 2005/2006 model with tinted windows. The group asked him if he wanted drugs and when he said no, the men, all described as of Asian appearance, got out of the car. He attempted to run off but ended up falling over a short distance away. He was assaulted, punched and kicked several times be…

Latest news Detectives name two suspects in hunt for cruel distraction thieves 13/10/2016 Police hunting two cruel conmen who posed as council staff to steal savings from inside a pensioner’s home have named men they believe are responsible. The two suspects struck in Baldwin Street, Bilston, at around 5.30pm on 25 August after claiming they’d been sent to carry out building work. It’s understood the 79-year-old victim let the men into her home and later discovered two handbags, containing several hundred pounds, had been swiped from a sofa. Detectives have identified 20-year-old Johnny Connors (pictured right) and 22-year-old Phillip Purcell – both of no fixed ad…

Latest news Police release images following Coventry disorder 13/10/2016 Police have released the images of five men suspected of being involved in a disorder shortly before a Coventry City football match. It is believed that trouble broke out between Coventry City and Northampton Town fans near to R.A.O.B Social Club, Foleshill Road, Coventry at around 2.45pm on 27 August. A 62-year-old man was assaulted and needed hospital treatment for a head injury. Following the attack officers have been trawling CCTV and continuing enquiries and have released CCTV images of men they want to trace in connection with the disorder. PC Craig Harding, from the force’s football…

Latest news Police step up search for missing man in Birmingham 13/10/2016 Police are urgently searching for a man who has been missing in Birmingham since yesterday (Wednesday 12 October) Muhammed Khedri Maayoufi, aged 61, is visiting family from Tunisia, but has left the address and was last seen near Five Ways around 6pm. Police Constable Marianka Bowles, from the force’s Locate Team, said: “Mr Maayoufi has dementia and is likely to get confused so we are now extremely concerned for his welfare. “His family are desperate to find him and we would urge anyone who has seen him to get in touch with us immediately." Mr Maayoufi is described as Arabic appearance, …

Latest news Birmingham man convicted on terror charges 13/10/2016 A Birmingham man who was stopped at Dover trying to travel to Syria to engage in terrorism has today (Thursday 13 October) been convicted. Anas Abdalla (above) was found guilty at the Old Bailey in London following an almost six week trial. A second man, Gabriel Rasmus (below) pleaded guilty to the charges at an earlier hearing. The court heard how Rasmus, 29, from Chain Walk, Lozells and Anas Abdalla, 26, of Fox Hollies Road, Acocks Green planned their travel to Syria in a bid to join Islamist rebel forces. An extensive surveillance and undercover operation provided vital information on the gro…

Latest news Three police officers charged over Kingsley Burrell inquest evidence 12/10/2016 Three serving West Midlands Police officers have been charged today (Wednesday 12 October) with perjury and perverting the course of justice. The charges are in connection with evidence given during the inquest into the death of Kingsley Burrell. After investigation by the IPCC, the matter was referred to the Director of Public Prosecutions who has authorised the charges. Constables Paul Adey (36), Mark Fannon (45) and Paul Greenfield (50), based at Birmingham West and Central, will appear at Birmingham Magistrates Court on 31 October. The three officers have been suspended…

Latest news Celebrating 50 years of police diversity in West Midlands – memories of first black and Asian officers 12/10/2016 They were the force’s first black and Asian officers and their legacy has paved the way for a more diverse police force in the West Midlands. West Midlands Police was a pioneer in recruiting from black and minority ethnic (BME) communities during the late 1960s. Now as part of Black History Month the force is celebrating 50 years since the first BME officer signed-up and the 20th anniversary of the West Midlands Black & Asian Police Association (BAPA) – one of the longest established in the country. The “trailblazing” officers and th…