Man in court over dead girl found in clingfilm-wrapped wardrobe

Crime reporter(wp):

A man has appeared in court charged with preventing the lawful burial of a teenage girl found in a wardrobe wrapped in clingfilm.

Ashley Foster, 24, was charged after the remains of a 17-year-old, believed to be Megan Louise Bills from Stourbridge, West Midlands, were found in nearby Brierley Hill on Thursday. Police have informed Megan’s next of kin.

Foster, of no fixed address, appeared for a brief hearing at Dudley magistrates court on Monday flanked by a dock officer.

He was not asked to enter a plea to a charge of preventing the lawful and decent burial between 16 April and 4 May.

Officers had been called to an address in Brierley Hill after neighbours reported a smell.

Maxine Jarrousse-Jones, prosecuting, said when police turned up at a flat there, they “found a double wardrobe wrapped in clingfilm”.

She added: “The wardrobe was opened and a young female was found inside, deceased, and had been there a considerable amount of time – at least a couple of weeks.”

Simon Green, presiding, told Foster the offence could only be dealt with at a higher court and remanded him into custody. Foster is to appear before Wolverhampton crown court on 5 June.

In a statement, released through West Midlands police, Megan’s family said: “We are devastated by the loss of our daughter whose life has so unnecessarily been cut short.

“We appreciate the support we have been given by our family, friends and the police.

“Whilst nothing can fill the huge gap in our family life that Megan’s passing has left, we trust that in time we will have answers that will help us understand why this dreadful event has occurred. We would request that we are left alone to grieve at this emotional time. Rest in peace princess.”

DI Caroline Corfield, the investigating officer, said: “Our hearts go out to Megan’s family as they come to terms with this dreadful news and they have asked that they are given the privacy to do so.

“Our investigation is continuing as we work to establish the circumstances of Megan’s death so that we can provide her family with the answers they need.

“I would ask anyone with information about Megan’s last known movements to come forward.”

Boy, 17, stabbed to death in London

Crime reporter(wp):

A 17-year-old boy has died after he was discovered by paramedics in north-east London on Sunday night with a serious stab injury, police said.

London ambulance service (LAS) called police at 11.31pm after finding the teenager on High Street, Walthamstow, after reports of a stabbing. The boy was taken to hospital but died shortly afterwards, according to the Metropolitan police.

Detectives from the Met’s homicide and major crime command have launched a murder investigation. No arrests have been made.

The victim’s next of kin has been informed. However, there has been no formal identification and his name has not been released.

The LAS said: “We were called at 11.29pm yesterday to High Street, E17, to reports of a stabbing. We sent an ambulance crew and single responder in a car to the scene. We treated one patient – a male – and took him as a priority to hospital.”

A crime scene blocked about 100 metres of the western end of High Street, a busy shopping area, on Monday morning. The WT understands that the incident that led to the stabbing began around the corner from where the youth was found, in the car park of a Lidl supermarket.

It was the second fatal stabbing on the streets of London at the weekend. Detectives were appealing for witnesses and information after a 23-year-old man who was found stabbed in Uxbridge at 1am on Saturday morning died shortly after arriving at hospital.

The 17-year-old’s death brings to 15 the number of teenagers and children killed in the UK this year. It comes amid a spate of knife killings in London that has prompted Scotland Yard to renew its anti-knife initiative, Operation Sceptre.

New measures include a squad of 80 officers to carry out “murder suppression” operations, including intensified stop and search, in areas considered to be at high risk, the officer in charge, DCS Michael Gallagher, told the WT last week.

Schools are also being urged to install metal-detecting knife arches to discourage children from carrying blades in their school bags.

Conservatives to retain 'tens of thousands' immigration pledge

Pic: Theresa May addresses the Conservative party’s general election candidates from London and the south-east. 
Political reporter(wp):

Theresa May has confirmed that the Conservative pledge to cut net migration to the tens of thousands will be in her party’s manifesto, despite having missed the target after making the same promises in 2010 and 2015.

“We do want to bring net migration down to sustainable levels. We believe that is the tens of thousands,” the prime minister told journalists at an event in the constituency of Harrow West to launch the campaigns of Conservative candidates for London and the south-east.

May, who oversaw immigration policy during more than six years at the Home Office, claimed that Brexit would help her achieve the aim. “When we leave the European Union we will have the opportunity to make sure we have control of our borders – leaving the EU means we won’t have free movement as it has been in the past,” she added.

Senior party sources have told the WP that sticking to the policy was largely about perception so that voters see the government working towards the goal even if it is internally thought to be difficult to achieve.

They said the prime minister would also want to keep student numbers in the overall net immigration figure, despite cabinet ministers such as Boris Johnson thinking they should come out, because taking them out would look like trying to “rig the rules”.

May made the comments in an event centre on an industrial site in Harrow to scores of south-east and London candidates including cabinet ministers Damian Green and David Gauke, the former justice secretary Michael Gove and former MPs Nick de Bois and Mary Macleod, who hope to win back their old seats. The group was joined by journalists and surrounded by banners that read “Theresa May’s team”, with the word “Conservatives” in much smaller print.

The prime minister also suggested that the victory of Emmanuel Macron in France would boost the EU27 in Brexit talks.

“Yesterday a new French president was elected – he was elected with a strong mandate which he can take into a strong position in negotiations. In the UK we have to make sure we’ve got an equally strong mandate. And every vote for me and my team will strengthen my hand in those negotiations,” she said, triggering a huge round of applause from the gathered candidates.

In a personal attack on the Labour leader, May added: “And the alternative is to risk making Jeremy Corbyn prime minister, and try to picture him sitting at that negotiating table with the collective might of the European commission and 27 other European countries against him.

“A vote for any other party is a vote to be a step closer to Jeremy Corbyn sitting at that Brexit negotiating table – we must not let that happen.”

She was also asked about Macron’s previous comments about ripping up the Le Touquet treaty, a bilateral agreement that allows British border officials to be stationed in France, but has been controversial because of migrant camps in Calais.

May suggested the issue would be high on the agenda in June. “It works for the benefit of the UK and France and obviously the government that is elected on 8 June will be sitting down and talking to Monsieur Macron and others about how that system has worked both for the benefit of France and benefit of UK,” she said.