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Leicester Media Online, The Studio Aikman Avenue, Leicester (2025)

16/11/2025

Officers are appealing for information about the whereabouts of Heather Weston who has been reported missing.

Heather, 53, was reported missing on Friday (14 November) after being last seen at her home address in Hockley Farm Road, Leicester.

Heather is 5ft 1in tall, large build with dark blonde shoulder-length hair, usually in a ponytail.

When she was last seen she was wearing a black coat, and walks with the aid of a walking frame or a trolley.

Heather’s family and officers are increasingly concerned for her safety and would like to hear from anyone who has any information about where she might be.

Call 101 with information, quoting incident number 246 of 14 November.

Always call 999 in an emergency.

15/11/2025

A body has been found in the search for missing man Max Walsh.

The 21-year-old was last seen on Thursday afternoon when he left his place of work in Dordon, Warwickshire.

He was reported missing when he failed to return home.

A body has been found this afternoon (Saturday 15 November) near to where his vehicle was found unattended on Friday, in the Snarestone area of Leicestershire.

Formal identification is yet to take place, but it is believed to be Max.

His family are being supported by specialist officers.

The death is being treated as unexplained at this time, and a 66-year-old man has been arrested in connection with the discovery.

14/11/2025

A man who provided sweets to children at a summer camp which he had laced with sedatives has pleaded guilty to 17 offences.

Jon Ruben, 76, admitted offences including wilful ill treatment of eight children and possession of class C drugs following a police investigation which Senior Investigating Officer Temporary Detective Chief Inspector Neil Holden today (Friday) described as “horrific, complex and emotional”.

Ruben, of Wayte Court, Landmere Lane, Ruddington, Nottingham, also admitted sexual offences against two children and charges of possession of indecent images of children when he appeared at Leicester Crown Court today.

None of the images concerned relate to children who were at the summer camp.
The charges Ruben admitted are:

Eight counts of wilful ill treatment of a child in relation to eight separate victims.

One count of acquiring or possession of dutiable goods by fraudulent intent.

Three counts of possession of a class C drug.

Three counts of making indecent photographs of a child.

One count of assault by pe*******on of a boy under 13.

One count of sexual assault of a boy under 13.

Ruben pleaded not guilty to a second charge of assault by pe*******on of a boy under 13.

The charges came following police attending Stathern Lodge, Canal Lane, Stathern, near Melton, on Monday 28 July this year following concerns raised that a number of children had become unwell while at the camp there which was being run by Ruben.

A report was made that Ruben, who ran a charity providing short holiday breaks for children, may have been drugging children at the camp with a number of children reported to be unwell including feeling drowsy and sick.

East Midlands Ambulance Service also attended the scene with eight children, who were all boys aged between eight and 11, being taken to hospital as a precaution. An adult was also taken to hospital at the time. All were later discharged.

At the time of police attending, Ruben was found to be at a nearby pub with some of the children. He was arrested by officers at the pub and transported to custody.

Searches were carried out at Stathern Lodge with items including syringes and sedatives being found.

While initial investigative work led to Ruben being charged four days later on Friday 1 August with three counts of wilful ill treatment of a child, the force’s Major Crime team then continued more than three months of detailed and dedicated enquiries to uncover further evidence of Ruben’s crimes.

This included statements being taken from victims and witnesses, exhibits being sent off for examination and analysis of digital devices seized.

These enquiries led to it being found that on the evenings of Saturday 26 July and Sunday 27 July, Ruben had carried out a ‘sweet game’ with a number of children at the lodge which involved encouraging them to eat the sweets.

Following toxicology tests, a sedative was found to be present in children at the camp as well as within sweets which had been provided to the children. Inspection of the sweets found incision marks had been made.

Analysis of devices belonging to Ruben were found to contain more than 50 category A indecent videos of children.

Category A images as well as Category B and C videos were also found.

The categories indicate the seriousness of the content shown with category A being the highest.

The enquiries carried out also found evidence that Ruben had sexually assaulted two boys – both victims were under 13-years-old.

The evidence gathered by the investigating team led to Ruben being further arrested in October this year on suspicion of further offences and interviewed. Charges in relation to all alleged offences were then put to Ruben at court today.

Temporary Detective Chief Inspector Holden said: “This has been a horrific, complex and emotional investigation involving multiple young, innocent, vulnerable victims and a man who committed the vilest crimes.

“Our focus today must of course remain on the young victims and with the support of partners and dedicated Family Liaison Officers, we have and continue to support their welfare and to ensure their safeguarding going forward.

“I know the investigation at the time and these guilty pleas today has and will understandably cause concern within communities.

Please know that we are here for you and to speak with you.

You can contact police through the Public Portal at Public Portal, reporting online at www.leics.police.uk, by calling 101 or by speaking directly with an officer. Thank you.”

The owners and operators of Stathern Lodge are independent from those people who use or hire the lodge and are not connected to the incident.

13/11/2025

Rupert Matthews has responded to the Government’s plans to abolish PCCs
Rupert Matthews, Police and Crime Commissioner for Leicester,

Leicestershire and Rutland said:

“This is a dark day for the concept of policing by consent.

“We are seeing yet another proposal from a Government in free-fall. There has been no consultation, there is no clarity in today’s announcement, just a last minute dot com idea produced on the back of the proverbial cigarette packet.

“It is a retrograde step that will see policing becoming increasingly detached from the public it is there to serve and will merely encourage the two-tier policing that is so destructive to cohesive communities.

“However, I’m sure that it will be a very popular move with Chief Constables who have never liked the level of public scrutiny provided by Police and Crime Commissioners.

They would much rather run their police forces and spend taxpayers’ money without any oversight.

“I wait to hear how the public’s priorities will be taken into account, and indeed, how the force’s performance will be measured.”

11/11/2025

Several premises were visited in the force area as part of a national crackdown on money laundering and other types of criminality through cash-intensive high street businesses.

Operation Machinize 2, led by the National Crime Agency (NCA) and conducted in cooperation with the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC), ran throughout October and involved every UK police force and Regional Organised Crime Unit, Home Office Immigration Enforcement, Trading Standards, HM Revenue & Customs and Companies House.

In Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland 15 premises were visited by officers and representatives from Trading Standards, Her Majesty’s Revenue & Customs (HMRC), Immigration Services and Department of Works and Pensions (DWP).

Officers recovered more than £89,000 of counterfeit or other illicit property and just over £6,000 worth of sh**ha to***co, where no duty had been paid meaning they had likely been smuggled into the UK with the business owner benefitting.

HMRC will now pursue the business owners for unpaid duty and taxes who will also be liable for large fines from both HMRC and Trading Standards and may face prosecution.

Paul Wenlock from the force’s Economic Crime Unit, said: “A huge effort has gone into this national campaign, involving forces from across the country and several other partner agencies.

“The aim was to identify and disrupt illegal activity and focus on cash intensive businesses who were flouting the law.

“Many of the businesses visited during the enforcement activity in our area led us to recover counterfeit clothing and toys including a quantity of to***co which had been imported illegally.

“We fully support the NCA and NPCC’s efforts to target organised crime groups who use our local communities to raise funds for their criminal activities in plain sight, and focuses on money laundering, the criminal use of cash-intensive high street businesses, and immigration crime.”

During the national operation, the partnership delivered:

2734 premises visited and raided.

924 individuals arrested.

Over £10.7m of suspected criminal proceeds seized.

Over £2.7m worth of illicit commodities destroyed.

These national figures include the removal of 70Kg of cannabis from our streets, 111,000 harmful, illegal vapes, 4.5m illegal ci******es and 622Kg of illegal to***co (equalling £3.5m of duty taxes evaded).

Furthermore, 341 Referral Notices for illegal working and renting were issued meaning businesses could face fines of up to £60,000 per worker with landlords facing fines of up to £20,000 per tenant if found liable, and over 450 companies have been referred to Companies House for further investigation.

If anyone has any concerns about criminal activity or suspicions about businesses predominately accepting cash only transactions we urge you to get in touch either by reporting it to the NCA https://www.gov.uk/guidance/money-laundering-regulations-report-suspicious-activities or contact the HMRC https://www.gov.uk/report-tax-fraud.

08/11/2025

Leicester’s magnificent Arch of Remembrance will be looking its best for this weekend’s Service of Remembrance in Victoria Park.

The Grade I Listed Monument – which celebrates its centenary this year – has been carefully cleaned and restored by a team of conservation experts in time for Remembrance Sunday.

No harsh chemicals have been used in the cleaning process, but instead high-temperature, low-pressure steam has been used to gently clean the porous Portland stone on the two most weathered elevations, while repointing works have been carried out where necessary.

Decorative features have been re-gilded and the four painted stone flags carved into the archway – the Union Flag for the Army, the White Ensign for the Royal Navy, the Royal Air Force Ensign, and the Red Ensign for the Merchant Navy – have been stripped back and repainted, replicating the original colours and processes used 100 years ago.

The conservation works were carried out at a cost of £120,000.

City Mayor Peter Soulsby said: “Since 1925, when the Arch of Remembrance was officially unveiled, the people of Leicester have gathered here to remember those who lost their lives while serving their country.

“Today, one hundred years later, the arch is looking as magnificent as ever, thanks to a programme of conservation works that have restored its weathered stone and faded surfaces.

“On Sunday (9 November), members of the armed forces, reservists, veterans and cadets will parade through the arch as part of Leicester’s annual Service of Remembrance.

“It was important that this iconic memorial looked its best for the occasion, especially in its centenary year, so I’m pleased that the works have been completed to such a high standard, as befits the arch’s Grade I Listed status.”

Leicester’s Arch of Remembrance was designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens (1869-1944) – the leading English architect of his generation.

It was commissioned as a memorial to those who had lost their lives in the First World War at a cost of more than £27,000.

A grand opening ceremony took place on 4 July 1925, when two mothers who between them had lost seven sons in the war – Elizabeth Butler and Annie Glover – unveiled the arch.

More than 100 years later, Janet Irons and Maureen Hill, the granddaughters of those two bereaved mothers, will stand at the same spot and lay wreaths at the arch as part of Sunday’s commemorations.

All are welcome to attend Leicester’s Service of Remembrance, which takes place at the Arch of Remembrance in Victoria Park on Sunday (9 November) at 10.45am.

There will be a special poignancy to Sunday’s service, as this year marks 80 years since the end of the Second World War.

To allow the event to take place, Granville Road car park will be closed from midnight on Saturday (8 November) until around 1pm on Sunday (9 November) and drivers are reminded that vehicles should not be left in the car park overnight.

Road closures will be in operation on both Granville Road and Regent Road from 9am until 1pm on Sunday.

Parking restrictions will also be in place.

Picture Credit - Leicester Media Online

07/11/2025

A man who drove into a number of pedestrians has been sentenced today (Friday 7 November) at Leicester Crown Court.

Gurwinder Singh, of Gwendolen Road, Leicester, was charged following the collision in De Montfort Street, Leicester, in the early hours of Saturday 31 May this year.

The 28-year-old pleaded guilty to three counts of causing grievous bodily harm with intent, in relation to three victims who were injured when he drove his car – a white VW Tiguan – in to a crowd of people, injuring them.

He was sentenced to a total of seven years and six months in prison and has been disqualified from driving for 12 years.

Police were called at 12.34am on the Saturday morning to the report of the collision.

Upon arrival, it was clear there were a number of people injured – some from the collision, and some, it was reported, from a fight that took place in the moments leading up to the collision.

When police arrived, the car had already left the scene, leaving a number of people injured and hundreds of people who were at the same private event as the defendant, in a state of panic.

The car was found in nearby Margaret Street in the hours following the collision, and footage recovered subsequently showed the defendant removing the number plates, in an attempt to evade capture.

Extensive enquiries, including trawling CCTV footage from in and around the area, and taking statements from the hundreds of people at the private party, helped detectives build up a timeline of events.

Singh was arrested on the evening of Saturday 31 May, when he handed himself in at Keyham Lane police station.

By the time charges were authorised in the early hours of Monday 2 June, it had been determined there were six victims in total.

Five sustained injuries – four men and one woman, with two needing extensive hospital treatment following the collision.

Officer in the case is DC Jamie Anderson from the force’s Complex Investigation Team.

He said: “This collision has left three people with injuries they are still suffering with today, all from this one moment of impulsive behaviour in the heat of the moment.

“I’m not sure we’ll ever know what Singh was thinking when he got behind the wheel of his car in the early hours of that morning, but the impact on those he hit has been profound.

“I’m pleased that Singh made the decision to plead guilty to these offences, saving the victims the ordeal of sitting through a trial.

“The hundreds of hours of police work that went into securing these charges and the subsequent preparations, meant that the case was strong.

While this sentence won’t take away the injuries sustained by the victims, I hope it gives some comfort that he has been given a substantial prison sentence.”

Two other people were arrested.

One man, aged 31, from Leicester, was arrested on suspicion of causing grievous bodily harm with intent and causing serious injury by dangerous driving.

A 34-year-old man, also from Leicester, was arrested on suspicion of affray. They have both been released on police bail pending further enquiries.

07/11/2025

A woman has been found guilty of harassment after bombarding a family with calls and messages and confronting them in person.

Julia Wandelt – also known as Julia Wandel – first started contacting the parents of a missing child in 2022 claiming to be their daughter, who was last seen in 2007.

Two years later, her unwanted contact amplified when Wandelt began contacting the couple’s adult children, sending them messages and photos on Instagram.

On 3 May 2024, she then attended a vigil for the missing child in Rothley where she passed a letter to a relative, marked for the family’s attention, claiming she was their missing daughter.

Wandelt, 24, then followed this up by visiting a police station in London the following day.

On 18 June she was warned that her behaviour could lead to her being arrested for harassment.

Despite the warning, on 28 September 2024, she rang one of the victims ten times and left voicemail messages again claiming to be their missing daughter.

On 7 December last year, Wandelt and another woman visited the family home and tried to speak to them, asking if they would complete a DNA test. They were both told to leave.

The following day, the family made a report to police about what had been happening.

On 19 February this year, it was established that Wandelt had boarded a flight from her native country Poland to Bristol Airport.

She was arrested on arrival that evening.

Today (Friday 7 November) following a trial at Leicester Crown Court, Wandelt, of Lubin, Poland, was found guilty of harassment. She was found not guilty of stalking involving serious alarm or distress.

She was sentenced to serve six months in prison.

Wandelt has also been made the subject of a restraining order not to enter Leicestershire and make any contact, directly or indirectly, with the victims.

She also must not publish or broadcast any information in relation to the victims, or contribute to such publications.

This is in place until a further order is made.

A second person was on trial alongside Wandelt. A 61-year-old woman was acquitted of harassment and stalking involving serious alarm or distress.

She was made the subject of a retraining order, with the same conditions. This is in place for five years.

07/11/2025

Police warn of firework dangers as dispersal order issued.

“They are explosive devices capable of causing serious injuries.”

Police are warning of the dangers of using fireworks irresponsibly following reports during the early hours of this morning (Friday) of fireworks being set off in the streets of the city centre area.

No injuries have been reported in relation to the reports.

Five men, all aged 18, have been arrested on suspicion of affray in connection with the reports and currently remain in police custody.

A dispersal order has also been put in place in Leicester city centre.

The order, under Section 35 of the Anti-social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014, came into force at 7.33am this morning (Friday) and will be in place until 7.33am on Sunday morning (9 November).

It is in place inside the inner ring road, inside the A594 St Matthews Way, St George’s Way and Vaughan Way, bordering Bath Lane and All Saints Road.

The dispersal order makes it an offence to remain in the boundary of the order if an officer asks you to leave.

If you refuse to leave you will be issued with a notice, and arrested if you refuse to comply with the conditions not to return.

This is to prevent people gathering and engaging in anti-social behaviour.
Neighbourhood Policing Area Commander for Central Leicester, Inspector Ryan Ludlam said:

“It is extremely fortunate that we have not had injuries reported following extremely dangerous and irresponsible behaviour.

“Fireworks are explosive devices capable of causing serious injuries.

Their misuse in public can lead to life-threatening harm being caused. It can also of course lead to criminal consequences.

“Following the reports received we have put a dispersal order in place to prevent further offending. Officers will be on patrol in the area to ensure the order is enforced and to help keep our community safe.

“We want people to be able to enjoy organised and safe firework displays being held in our community. We will not tolerate dangerous behaviour taking place and we will take action as required.

Please think about the potential consequences of your actions and please ensure that if you are lighting fireworks, you are doing this safely and legally.

More information on fireworks

https://www.leics.police.uk/advice/advice-and-information/asb/asb/antisocial-behaviour/fireworks/

07/11/2025

A prolific thief, who is subject to a Criminal Behaviour Order (CBO), has been released from prison.

Matthew Kelly was given a prison sentence last month after being convicted of one count of theft from motor vehicle and one count of vehicle interference.

He was sentenced to six weeks in prison and upon his release from prison on Friday 24 October, Kely, 34, of no fixed address, was subject of a CBO.

The conditions of his CBO are:

- He must not be found on any private property, including driveways and gardens, without the expressed permission of the owner/occupant.

- He Must not touch or enter any motor vehicle (including motorbikes, mopeds, scooters, e-scooters/e-bikes) whether unattended or not, without express permission of the owner.

The order, issued at Leicester Magistrates’ Court, is in place for three years until 10 October 2028.

Sergeant Marc Overton, from West Leicester Neighbourhood Policing area, said: “Kelly is an opportunist thief who targets vehicles across West Leicester stealing personal belongings from insecure vehicles. These offences have a direct and distressing impact on victims.

“Despite an extensive offending history of 43 convictions for theft offences, Kelly has continued to offend, and we are pleased to have worked with the courts to secure this Criminal Behaviour Order to help reduce his offending.

“West Leicester, and specifically the Abbey Ward, remain committed to reducing crime and bringing offenders to justice.

If anyone witnesses Kelly breaching these conditions, we urge them to report it to us.”

07/11/2025

Good News

Three missing teenage boys who were reported missing on Wednesday have been found safe and well.

06/11/2025

Three men have been arrested after a man was assaulted in Aikman Avenue, Leicester.

Police received a call at 3.33pm yesterday (Wednesday 5 November) to report a man had been assaulted by a group of men in the street near to the junction with Pindar Road.

Officers alongside colleagues from East Midlands Ambulance Service attended the scene and the victim was taken to hospital to receive treatment for stab and slash wound related injuries.

He remains in hospital and his injuries are not described as life threatening or life changing.

Three men aged 26, 24 and 18 have been arrested on suspicion of wounding with intent and remain in police custody.

A cordon was in place between junctions of Pindar Road and Kay Road as a number of active enquiries were carried out.

The cordon has since been lifted and the road was fully reopened.

Reassurance patrols were conducted overnight and local officers are available to address any concerns residents may have.

Detective Sergeant Matt Swift said:

“Our investigation is very much ongoing and despite these arrests, we would still like to speak to anyone who may have any information at all which may be linked to this incident.

“Did you see the assault or the circumstances leading up to it? Do you have any CCTV or mobile phone footage capturing part of this incident?

“If you have any information, which could be of use to our investigation and haven’t as yet spoken to us, please get in touch.”

Anyone who may have information about this incident can contact police on 101 quoting 25*649576.

Alternatively, information can also be passed anonymously to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111

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