Latest news with #Ladywood
Yahoo
02-08-2025
- Yahoo
Birmingham murderer who stabbed his pregnant girlfriend to death dies in prison
A callous Birmingham murderer who stabbed his pregnant girlfriend to death after she refused to get an abortion has died in prison. Evil Filmon Andmichaen had lured the victim to a secluded wooded spot off Freeth Street, in Ladywood, before killing her in August 2023. The 32-year-old had been in a relationship with Liwam Bereket, 26, who was six-months pregnant and looking forward to becoming a mum. READ MORE: Teen arrested after Tamworth stabbing and another man glassed READ MORE: Tributes to tragic Birmingham siblings who died in Spain as messages say 'RIP sweet angels' READ MORE: Parents warned over harmful online content and gangs targeting kids in summer holidays Andmichaen had demanded that Liwam have an abortion - but she refused. He was found guilty of her murder following a trial at Birmingham Crown Court, which ended in November last year. He was sentenced to a minimum of 27 years in prison. Now it has emerged that Andmichaen died while serving his sentence at HMP Full Sutton, a Category A and B men's prison, near Pocklington, in the East Riding of Yorkshire. The Prison and Probation Ombudsman are investigating the circumstances surrounding the death in custody, which happened on Tuesday, July 8. The investigation status of the case is "in progress". A Prison Service spokeswoman told BirminghamLive: "Filmon Andmichaen died on 08 July 2025. As with all deaths in custody, the Prison and Probation Ombudsman will investigate." During the murder trial it emerged that almost two hours after stabbing Liwam, Andmichaen called the police and confessed to killing her, He had claimed it was an accident. Officers found Liwam with fatal injuries. Sadly, she and her unborn baby girl died at the scene. An investigation was launched and in the days that followed witnesses told police that they had previously seen Andmichaen assault Liwam in the street. Friends of Liwam's also described Andmichaen's treatment of her as "abusive and aggressive." CCTV captured Liwam and Andmichaen arriving at Freeth Street and disappearing towards woodland. It would be the last time Liwam would be seen alive. Speaking following the sentencing last year, Detective Chief Inspector Jim Colclough from West Midlands Police's Homicide Unit, said: 'It's just heart-breaking that a young woman who was looking forward to becoming a mum was killed in such a callous way. 'This was a very distressing investigation for my team, but they have been determined to get justice for Liwam and her family. Andmichaen has shown no remorse for his actions and has caused Liwam's family further pain by putting them through a trial."
BBC News
31-07-2025
- BBC News
Birmingham's Hagley Road: 'Drug-dealing is rife and police have lost the plot'
"We know of at least three residents who have been cuckooed out of money. One elderly lady lost in excess of £3,000", says Chris Hoare, referring to criminals taking over and running their enterprises from the homes of vulnerable people. Mr Hoare is walking around the streets of Ladywood, close to the bustling Hagley Road - a key route into Birmingham city 2023, the community activist was recognised with a Pride of Birmingham award for helping to drive criminals from his 81, he still keeps watch - overseeing locally-funded CCTV - providing West Midlands Police with intelligence reports and helping residents feel connected. But he is not happy with the force's response. There are reports of numerous crack dens opening up and – with them – widespread drug-use and violence in alleyways linking the estate to the Hagley Road."We're all fed up to the teeth about what's going on," Mr Hoare said."There are (drug) deals going on outside the back gate. The children have to be kept in the garden. It's not safe and nothing's being done."The police have certainly lost the plot because we very rarely see them".West Midlands Police said it had stepped up patrols in the area and made multiple arrests for antisocial behaviour in recent the issues go deeper, Mr Hoare said. He said he had recently confronted a suspected drug dealer "marching" a vulnerable resident to a supermarket cash machine, a scene he suggested was repeated on a weekly cameras – funded by the community with support of the council and police – have provided the Birmingham South West community group with hours of the BBC has seen, recorded during June and July this year, appear to show open drug-taking, dealing and prostitution day and one incident, two men are seen confronting another man on a bike, threatening him with a another, a man wielding a hammer attacks an individual carrying a large TV set. It is not known if anyone was injured. Wilco Vandenberg, a resident, said he had offered about 2,500 hours of footage to West Midlands Police."They told me they would add it to their intelligence reports," he said."No patrol, nothing. It makes us feel unsafe living here. I feel really terrible to be honest, especially for our kids." The BBC sought a response from West Midlands Police about the activists' specific concerns about antisocial behaviour around Hagley than 24 hours later, neighbourhood officers conducted a dawn raid in nearby Windsor 25 July, two imitation firearms and a machete were recovered from one property, and a woman was arrested for recall to prison.A force spokesperson said: "We're committed to listening and acting on the information provided, and we've been carrying out increased policing activity around the Windsor Terrace area."We are now carrying out further work with our partners around anti-social behaviour in this specific location, and neighbourhood officers will continue patrolling the area". Officers point to months of enforcement over a larger part of Edgbaston, even if some residents weren't June, Operation Skybridge saw 24 arrests for offences including robbery, drug offences, and vehicle is a perception locally that prostitution is becoming more community CCTV footage appears to shows sex workers heading out onto Hagley Road, often accompanied by groups of three decades, one of Birmingham's busiest thoroughfares has seen sporadic efforts to crackdown on prostitution by local authorities and the 2013, Operation Scarlet was hailed as being a successful scheme, one that was less about prosecution and more about signposting sex workers to sexual health was fundamentally about ensuring the safety of the women, who were often being coerced onto the streets to fuel the local drug trade. The Rape and Sexual Violence Project (RSVP) is one of the few organisations in Birmingham still building face-to-face relationships with sex are directly supporting around 40 people at any one time, with several hundred waiting for counselling. Their services also support women, men and children facing exploitation."Their needs are often complex, multifaceted, they face multiple disadvantage, lots of stigma. So it might be really detailed work over a number of years", says Lisa Thompson, the Chief Executive of RSVP. The experience of a case worker - who can regularly meet sex workers in their safe place - has been critical in understanding the root causes of often linked to the supply of drugs, where victims are coerced by an a scheme they run called "ugly mugs" has helped women report violent perpetrators in confidence, Lisa Thompson says."I think we've got to look at the root causes of prostitution and that's where we need more support regarding drug use," Ms Thompson said."We need to target actions towards men who are coercing women and forcing them into exploitation and into prostitution."I think there are a number of services working well together, but there's still a lack of support that's tailored for sex workers across the West Midlands and in particular across Birmingham and Solihull". Follow BBC Birmingham on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.
CTV News
07-06-2025
- General
- CTV News
Historic church hits the Manitoba housing market
The exterior of the former Ladywood church. ( A former church has hit the housing market in Ladywood, Man. Built in 1936, the stone building is located approximately 70 kilometres northeast of Winnipeg and provides the 'rare opportunity to own a former historic church,' according to the real estate listing. The 2,692-square-foot bungalow is listed at $230,000 and has been converted to include one bedroom and one bathroom, located on approximately one acre. Interior of the Ladywood church The interior of the former Ladywood church. ( The former church includes solid wood stairs leading to a loft area with a kitchen and living room, described in the listing as a 'great space for an artist studio.' Other features include hardwood floors throughout the building, an electric furnace, a septic holding tank and a well.
BBC News
12-05-2025
- Business
- BBC News
'Community in turmoil over Ladywood regeneration plans'
People living in a Birmingham estate said they remained "confused" and "isolated" over its £2.2bn regeneration after confirmation that a developer has been of Ladywood, told the BBC they were "profoundly concerned" the process had been without "genuine consultation or collaboration" with the project is thought by the council to be the largest urban development being planned anywhere in the UK. Work to potentially demolish hundreds of homes and redevelop tower blocks could begin in City Council promised to set up an independent steering group to ensure residents' views form part of a masterplan. It is believed more than 7,000 new homes would be built, though no official figure has been itself is situated close to Birmingham's city centre. The area for redevelopment is mostly inside the city's inner ring road (the A450 Ladywood Middleway) and goes as far as Spring Hill and the Utilita Smith spoke to the BBC on behalf of Ladywood Unite, a group set up by tenants and homeowners in the area. He said the proposed demolition of homes raises serious questions about the social and emotional impact on families."As someone who owns a freehold property, we were not informed about regeneration affecting our properties until 2023 when we found out from local press and a later cabinet report."What's going on in the process of communication between residents of Ladywood and Birmingham City Council is truly shocking and it's left the whole community in turmoil."Hillary Richards, 86, has lived in Ladywood for 55 years. Her first job on the estate was cleaning local owns her property with her husband, and they have adapted it to support his disability but said she felt in the dark about whether they will have to move out."We have the doctors here, friends, a community. We just don't want to leave, a lot of people feel like that at our age. We are happy here."Her concerns were echoed by Jackie Falconer, who has lived on the Ladywood estate for 33 years."My kids have grown up here and this is our community. So just to move me somewhere else and downsize me or tell me that I have to buy a property that's 50% owned by somebody else, I think it's unfair." The council said it wanted to keep to a minimum the number of properties being compulsory purchased - but residents were cynical, believing a large number of privately-owned homes would have to be demolished if they were adjoining council St Joseph, part of the Berkeley Group, has signed a development agreement with the council in which they will ensure at least 70% of existing homes will be "refurbished or re-provided with new homes in a single move on the estate".They were also committing to 20% of all new homes being "affordable" though the residents group said at current market value, homes would still remain financially inaccessible to Thompson, the council's deputy leader, said the development would deliver 1,000 apprenticeships and 10,000 full-time jobs."I want to reassure the community that this is the beginning of the master planning process, and all residents will be given the opportunity to be fully involved.''The investment being made is a once-in-a-generation opportunity for the regeneration of the Ladywood Estate to make it more sustainable, provide better facilities, better transport links, walking routes, and green spaces." The Ladywood regeneration, which could take 20 years to deliver, is thought by the council to be the largest urban development being planned anywhere in the UK but it comes with a hefty price tag, considering the authority is going through a massive financial shakedown to save hundreds of millions of pounds."£2.2bn is a huge amount of money and that money is coming through the developer St Joseph and Berkeley Housing," Thompson said."We are going to make sure that also we have those conversations with the West Midlands Combined Authority and talk to Government to see if there's anything else that can be done to add value to the project."The developer St Joseph has thrown the community an olive branch – helping to provide office and events space for the Ladywood Community Project within a new hub in the former neighbourhood Hallahan, from Ladywood Community Project, said it meant they could continue their work after a worrying period."It was important to us to remain in the centre of Ladywood and be a constant, visible presence for anyone who needs help."Being based at Botany Walk means we will be here when people need us."A series of residents forums will be held in Ladywood in the coming weeks as the council develops a masterplan. Follow BBC Birmingham on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.
