Latest news with #WestMerciaPolice
BBC News
6 hours ago
- General
- BBC News
Cosford cannabis farm worth £1m found in derelict building
A cannabis farm with crops worth an estimated £1m in street value has been found in a derelict men, aged 36, 40 and 49, were arrested at the scene on suspicion of cannabis cultivation and released on bail, a West Mercia Police spokesperson officers said they were tipped off about the property on Neachley Lane, Cosford, Shropshire, and when they went to investigate they discovered 1,116 plants at various stages of growth across 15 Damien Kelly said: "It goes to show the powerful role residents can play." The person who raised the concerns approached him while he was out on a patrol with a colleague and Insp Kelly thanked them for their support. Follow BBC Shropshire on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.
BBC News
7 hours ago
- General
- BBC News
Worcester stabbing: Woman arrested after man found injured
A 39-year-old woman has been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder after a man was stabbed in crews found the seriously-injured man, aged 69, at Warmstry Court off Quay Street at about 12:45 BST on man was taken by air ambulance to hospital where he remained, West Mercia Police woman was arrested at a property in Diglis. She remains in custody. Appealing for information, Det Insp David Hall said: "We believe this to be an isolated incident with no further threat to the wider public."He has urged anyone in the area at the time, who may have seen what happened, to get in touch with officers immediately, or contact Crimestoppers. Follow BBC Hereford & Worcester on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.
BBC News
a day ago
- Business
- BBC News
Chief constable defends West Mercia plan for no PCSOs after 20:00
"Financial challenges" have forced the need for a consultation on police community support officers (PCSOs) finishing shifts by 20:00, a new police chief has admitted. Chief Constable Richard Cooper said West Mercia Police would be saving money on extra payment officers get when they work unsociable hours. Following a backlash over the plan by councillors in Shropshire last month, Mr Cooper stressed that if the consultation pans out, the same amount of PCSOs would still be working the same amount of hours."Its not a case of do we need to save money, it's how do we save the money?," he told BBC Hereford & Worcester. "The cost of running the organisation is now stripping the funding available to us," he said, speaking on the mid-morning Hot Seat spot, on Thursday."We've had to make some really difficult considerations. Our police staff and officers receive an unsociable hours payment for working into the evening and we need to save money." Anti-social behaviour issues As chief constable Mr Cooper - who was appointed in March after working in the role temporarily since last August - is responsible for the delivery of operational policing across Herefordshire, Worcestershire and Shropshire. A caller on the programme's phone-in had asked about whether the PCSOs are needed later than 20:00. In response, Mr Cooper said many officers deal with anti-social behaviour issues, which generally "diminishes rapidly" by that time. "The data supports the fact the peak [for anti-social behaviour] is between 5 and 6. It starts dropping thereafter and stops dramatically after 8 o'clock," he explained. Follow BBC Hereford & Worcester on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Prison officer stabbed at HMP Long Lartin 'with knife brought in from outside jail'
A prison officer who received emergency treatment after being attacked at a high security jail was stabbed with a weapon from outside of prison, Sky News understands. The 25-year-old officer was after allegedly being attacked by an inmate who used a knife that wasn't made inside the jail, which is otherwise known as an "improvised" weapon. It is not known how the weapon was brought into the prison. However a recent inspection of HMP Long Lartin in Worcestershire described the "incursion of drones" as "an increasingly critical problem" for the jail, and a "threat" that was "unsettling" for staff. The officer is in a stable condition following the attack on Friday morning but underwent emergency surgery, after sustaining what West Mercia Police described as serious injuries. A 22-year-old suspect is being held in custody within the prison. West Mercia Police Assistant Chief Constable Grant Wills said on Friday that the incident was not being treated as terrorism. He added: "Our initial enquiries suggest there was a disagreement between an inmate and prison officer that escalated and is an isolated matter within the prison." This was the third attack at a Category A, high security jail, in less than two months. In April, the Manchester Arena bomb plotter Hashem Abedi and a homemade weapon while in a separation centre, which are used to house extremist and violent offenders. At HMP Belmarsh, Southport killer of throwing boiling hot water over an officer through the hatch in his cell door earlier this month. Read more from Sky News: There were 10,605 assaults on staff in the year to December 2024, a 15% increase on the year before, marking a record high. The government says the safety of frontline staff is a top priority and has commissioned a series of reviews to consider increased protection for officers, including stab-proof vests and the use of Tasers in certain situations. The independent reviewer of terrorism, Jonathan Hall KC, has also been appointed to carry out a review of the alleged Abedi attack at HMP Frankland, to consider whether separation centres are fit for purpose. A Prison Service spokesperson said: "Police are investigating an attack on a prison officer at HMP Long Lartin. "We will not tolerate assaults on hardworking staff and will always push for the strongest punishments against perpetrators."
Sky News
2 days ago
- General
- Sky News
Prison officer stabbed at HMP Long Lartin 'with knife brought in from outside jail'
A prison officer who received emergency treatment after being attacked at a high security jail was stabbed with a weapon from outside of prison, Sky News understands. The 25-year-old officer was airlifted to hospital after allegedly being attacked by an inmate who used a knife that wasn't made inside the jail, which is otherwise known as an "improvised" weapon. It is not known how the weapon was brought into the prison. However a recent inspection of HMP Long Lartin in Worcestershire described the "incursion of drones" as "an increasingly critical problem" for the jail, and a "threat" that was "unsettling" for staff. The officer is in a stable condition following the attack on Friday morning but underwent emergency surgery, after sustaining what West Mercia Police described as serious injuries. A 22-year-old suspect is being held in custody within the prison. West Mercia Police Assistant Chief Constable Grant Wills said on Friday that the incident was not being treated as terrorism. He added: "Our initial enquiries suggest there was a disagreement between an inmate and prison officer that escalated and is an isolated matter within the prison." This was the third attack at a Category A, high security jail, in less than two months. In April, the Manchester Arena bomb plotter Hashem Abedi allegedly assaulted prison officers using hot cooking oil and a homemade weapon while in a separation centre, which are used to house extremist and violent offenders. At HMP Belmarsh, Southport killer Axel Rudakubana has been accused of throwing boiling hot water over an officer through the hatch in his cell door earlier this month. There were 10,605 assaults on staff in the year to December 2024, a 15% increase on the year before, marking a record high. The government says the safety of frontline staff is a top priority and has commissioned a series of reviews to consider increased protection for officers, including stab-proof vests and the use of Tasers in certain situations. The independent reviewer of terrorism, Jonathan Hall KC, has also been appointed to carry out a review of the alleged Abedi attack at HMP Frankland, to consider whether separation centres are fit for purpose. A Prison Service spokesperson said: "Police are investigating an attack on a prison officer at HMP Long Lartin.
