News Room

Latest news Nineteen years jail for rapist who abused teenage girl 07/10/2016 A man who regularly raped and sexually assaulted a girl throughout her teenage years has been jailed for almost two decades following a West Midlands Police investigation. John Peart attacked the woman - now aged 28 - at addresses in Derby, Loughborough and Handsworth between 2002 and 2007. The catalogue of abuse started when she was just 14-years-old. Sexual predator Peart first struck having forced the girl into the downstairs toilet of a property in Loughborough - but the attacks continued for years to come, often when Peart saw her during school holidays. She kept the torment to…

Latest news Two arrests over spate of callous cons on elderly people – police appeal to trace third suspect 06/10/2016 Detectives investigating a series of callous distraction burglaries on elderly people in south Birmingham – including one that saw tricksters steal a 101-year-old woman’s handbag – have arrested two people. A man aged 46 and a 29-year-old woman were picked up yesterday from a flat in Weoley Castle and are now being questioned over up to 10 offences where thieves have tricked their way into pensioners’ homes. One such offence on 25 September saw a man and woman team up to distract a 101-year-old woman on the doorstep of her home in Chatham Road, Nor…

Latest news Police appeal after woman assaulted and robbed in Wednesfield 06/10/2016 Detectives are appealing for information after a 52-year-old woman was punched and robbed as she walked along Bickford Road in Wednesfield. The woman had been to the newsagents and was returning to her car when she was attacked around 1pm on Friday 30 September. She was approached in the street by the suspect, who punched her in the face a number of times before pushing her to the ground and dragging her along the pavement and stealing her bag. [embedded content] The man, described as white, stocky and wearing a dark coloured hooded jacket and grey tracksuit bottoms, ran off in t…

Latest news Jailed: Driver mowed woman down after drug deal turned sour 06/10/2016 A driver who deliberately mowed down a woman in Birmingham park − leaving her with catastrophic leg injuries − has been jailed for more than 13 years. Andrew Benain was scouting for drugs in Ladywood on the early hours of 25 September last year when he approached a couple walking in Duchess Road. But the drug deal turned sour when the man purporting to be a dealer fled with £80 cash Benain had handed over. The 40-year-old, who was behind the wheel of his partner’s VW Touran, flew into a rage and sped after the pair across parkland − and when the woman slipped and fell Benain ram…

Latest news Human rights group praises WMP’s Stop & Search reforms 05/10/2016 A global human rights group has hailed West Midlands Police for its Stop & Search reforms – and suggested Continental cops could benefit from following the force’s lead. Open Society Foundations is hosting a conference in Birmingham this week (3-6 October) to shine a light on West Midlands Police’s efforts make street stops fairer, more targeted and officers more accountable. Senior officers from Germany, Spain and Switzerland – all looking to review their stop and search procedures – are attending the Cannon Street event to hear inputs from academics, UK police chiefs and experts…

Latest news 80-year-old man attacked in distraction burglary 05/10/2016 Detectives in Sandwell have released images of a suspected distraction burglar they want to identify after an 80-year-old man was targeted last month. At around 4.20pm on 16 September a man claiming to be from the water board turned up at a property on Cooper Street in West Bromwich. He tricked his way in by stating that the supply to the property would be switched off if the relevant checks were not carrie...d out. As he was carrying out the supposed checks, he made a search of the home. When nothing was found he attacked the pensioner until he offered £40 cash from his wallet. Detective S…

Latest news Sex assault PC jailed – Chief Constable “shocked” by officer’s abuse of power 04/10/2016 “One of the worst violations of policing integrity I’ve ever seen” – those are the words of West Midlands Police Chief Constable Dave Thompson after one of his officers was jailed for sexually assaulting vulnerable women while on duty. Birmingham police response officer PC Steve Walters (pictured) assaulted two women on 8 February and 15 April last year, one in the back of a police patrol car and the latter in her own home after she’d dialled 999 asking for police assistance. The 48-year-old appeared at Stafford Crown Court today (Oct 4) where he was handed a four-…

Latest news Appeal to help trace missing teen from Dudley 04/10/2016 Police are appealing for information to help trace a teenager who has gone missing from Dudley. Jade Cleveland, 16, was last seen on Jackson Street in Lye, Dudley yesterday (3 October) at around 7pm. Officers have since been searching the local area. They are now appealing to anyone with information of her whereabouts to contact them. She is described as white, around 5ft 4ins tall, she has shoulder length ginger hair, which was in a ponytail. She was last seen wearing black leggings, a grey long sleeve jumper and black pumps. Jade has links to London and may well have be using public transport…

Latest news Birmingham man jailed for firearm and drug offences 04/10/2016 A Birmingham man with links to a notorious city gang has been jailed for 27 years after admitting his part in a series of turf war shootings across the city centre, which left a total of eight people injured. Reial Phillips (20) from Musgrave Road, Winson Green pleaded guilty to possessing a firearm with intent to endanger life, possessing a firearm with intent to cause fear of violence, and possessing ammunition. He also admitted to conspiracy to supply cocaine and heroin. He was jailed for 18 years for the firearm offences and nine years for the drugs offences; the sentences will run consec…

Latest news Police appeal after woman is assaulted and robbed on canal towpath 04/10/2016 Detectives are appealing for information after a 21-year-old woman was punched and robbed as she walked along a canal towpath in Brierley Hill. The woman was attacked as she made her way along the towpath off Ashton Park Drive around 5.15pm on Sunday 2 October, after leaving the Merry Hill Shopping Centre. She was approached by a man riding a pushbike, who punched her in the face a number of times before pushing her to the ground and stealing her bag. The man, described as white, stocky and wearing a ‘Castrol’ t-shirt, then rode off on the bike which was described as dark red…

Latest news Man charged with attempted murder following Coventry pub stabbing 04/10/2016 A 44-year-old man has been charged with attempted murder following a stabbing in Coventry on Sunday (2 October). Officers were called to the Holyhead pub, Holyhead Road at around 7.40pm following reports that a man had been stabbed in the stomach. Adrian Brock, of Lower Precinct, Coventry, was arrested near to the scene. Officers worked quickly to gather evidence and press charges against Brock. He has been remanded in police custody and will appear before Coventry magistrates this morning (4 October). The 32-year-old victim was taken to hospital for treatment and his cond…

Latest news Two arrested following multiple crash in Solihull 03/10/2016 Earlier today (Monday 3 October) police were called to ESSO petrol station on Coventry Road, Solihull, following reports of a suspected fuel theft and a collision between a Blue Toyota Yaris and a White Citroen DS. A passenger from the Citroen, a 27-year-old pregnant woman was taken to hospital with minor injuries. Her condition is described as stable. Officers sighted the offending vehicle a short time later; however the driver rammed the patrol car and drove off, before abandoning the vehicle and fleeing on foot with the passenger. The police helicopter tracked the movements of the occupant…

Latest news Media reports inaccurate over “new” DNA evidence in pub bombings 03/10/2016 Media coverage at the weekend claiming potential DNA breakthroughs in the Birmingham pub bombings investigation are false. The reports, allegedly based on a leaked memo, are misleading. There is no new DNA or fingerprint evidence. West Midlands Police believe the material referred to in the press relates to DNA and fingerprints identified on anonymous letters examined by Nederlands Forensisch Instituut that were analysed more than two years ago, in the summer of 2014. The coroner and family members engaged with the inquest were already aware of this. Regrettably, the press ar…

Latest news Solihull man jailed for historical sex offences 03/10/2016 A Solihull paedophile has been jailed for 22 years after being found guilty of historical sex offences. Alan Read, aged 62 from Colesbourne Road, was sentenced at Birmingham Crown Court last week (Wednesday 28th September) after an eight day trial, where a jury unanimously found him guilty of 15 counts of rape, attempted rape and indecent assault. The offences happened between 1987 and 2000 when his three victims (two boys and a girl) were aged between three and 14. Investigating officer Detective Constable Karen Jones, from the force’s Public Protection Unit, said: "The offences came to l…

Latest news Man fatally injured on Lawley Middleway identified 03/10/2016 A man who was fatally injured in a non-stop collision in Birmingham has been identified as Paul Donaldson. The 42-year-old, from Chelmsley Wood, was injured in the early hours of Sunday (25 September) on Lawley Middleway between Ashted Circus and Curzon Circle around 2.30am. An appeal was launched to identify the man who was taken to hospital, but sadly died as a result of his injuries later the same day. A 29-year-old man, the driver of a Vauxhall Vectra, arrested on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving and failing to stop remains on police bail while the investigation conti…