Woman, 100, 'killed by bag snatcher'

Pic--Sofija Kaczan's neck was fractured when her handbag was snatched/bbc-wp
Crime watch(wp/bbc):::

A 100-year-old woman who died when her neck was broken in a bag snatch was a "vulnerable, easy target" for a man "desperate for money", a court heard.

Sofija Kaczan, who is originally from Poland, died on 6 June last year, more than a week after being attacked from behind in the Normanton area of Derby.

Artur Waszkiewicz, 40, of Wolfa Street in the city, denies manslaughter and robbery.

Derby Crown Court heard Ms Kaczan was attacked as she made her way to church.

Prosecutor Kate Brunner QC told the jury the attack happened near the victim's home in Empress Road, Normanton, on 28 May.

"Small, on her own, vulnerable, an easy target you might think for a man desperate for money," she said.

Ms Brunner said Mrs Kaczan told police she was attacked from behind by someone she did not see and hit on the back of the head or neck.

"She was knocked to the ground and her green handbag was taken from her arm," she added.

The force used in the attack was so great that a green handle on the victim's handbag was ripped off, the court was told.

Two NHS workers found Mrs Kaczan steadying herself on a nearby car and walked her to the nearby St Maximilian Kolbe Polish Catholic Church from where she was taken to hospital.

She died from pneumonia in hospital - a condition which would only have been brought on by the injuries sustained in the attack, jurors were told.

Ms Brunner said there was CCTV of Mrs Kaczan walking along Empress Road towards the junction of St Chad's Road, but no footage of the attack.

However, a reflection of a shape was caught on CCTV in the window of a house which the prosecution argues was the reflection of Mr Waszkiewicz leaving and going back to his car after the robbery.

The court heard that the green handbag was later recovered in nearby Moore Street, with no cash, but with Mr Waszkiewicz's fingerprint on a receipt.

The prosecution alleged that after the incident, the defendant changed his appearance and the insurance details of the car he was driving to distance himself from the attack.

The trial continues.

UK shoppers cautiously up their spending in January

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British consumers picked up the pace of their shopping in January which rose by the most in seven months, giving a bit of relief to retailers after their worst Christmas in a decade, a survey showed on Tuesday.

The British Retail Consortium (BRC) said its members reported total sales increased by an annual 2.2 percent, helped by higher spending on food and New Year price cutting.

“While retail discounts helped tempt cautious consumers, there is no guarantee this momentum will continue after the sales have finished,” BRC Chief Executive Helen Dickinson said.

“Furthermore, the risk of a disruptive no-deal Brexit could see these fortunes reversed.”

Prime Minister Theresa May wants European Union leaders to offer more concessions on Britain’s exit deal, less than two months to go before the country is due to leave the bloc.

The BRC said colder weather helped drive clothing sales.

British consumers have seen their spending power squeezed for much of the past 10 years although their wages have grown more quickly than inflation in recent months.

Reflecting the squeeze, sales of non-essentials fell again in the three months to January, the BRC said.

Separately on Tuesday, Barclaycard said its measure of consumer spending rose by 2.9 percent in annual terms, also quicker than December’s 1.8 percent rise.

Similar to the BRC, Barclaycard said the increase was driven mostly by spending on essentials which rose the most in five months, up 6.4 percent. Supermarket spending was up by 6.8 percent, the most since April 2017.

Supermarket groups Sainsbury’s and Morrisons both missed their Christmas sales forecasts. Sainsbury’s highlighted highly competitive and markets which were awash with discounts.

Barclaycard’s figures are based on credit and debit card spending between Dec. 23 and Jan. 19. The BRC data cover Dec. 30 to Jan. 26.

Construction booming in regional UK cities: Deloitte

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Construction activity in four regional cities in Britain is at a record high, including a flurry of building projects in Manchester, despite uncertainty about Brexit, accounting firm Deloitte said on Tuesday.

Deloitte said its Real Estate Crane Survey, covering Leeds, Birmingham, Manchester and Belfast, showed sustained or increased activity across sectors including offices, hotels, retail, education and student housing.

Manchester had 78 sites under construction — more than the U.S. cities of Seattle, Los Angeles and Chicago as measured by Deloitte’s North American Crane Index.

“To have construction figures this healthy is somewhat of a surprise given a myriad of market uncertainties,” Deloitte Real Estate partner and regional head Simon Bedford said.

The Deloitte survey struck a more upbeat note than the IHS Markit/CIPS UK Purchasing Managers’ Index for the construction sector which on Monday showed the slowest growth in the industry in January since the winter weather of early 2018.

Bedford said big businesses were looking to build support operations in regional cities while small and medium-sized regional businesses were continuing to grow.

Daniel Williams: Vigil held for missing Reading student

Pic--Daniel Williams, 19, was last seen in a student union bar at the University of Reading's Whiteknights campus/bbc-wp
Crime reporter(wp/bbc):::

Police and rescue services conducted searches over the weekend, but failed to find Mr Williams, who is originally from Sutton, in London.

The university's students union appealed for people to deliver flyers to "raise awareness of the search" for the 19-year-old.

Lead investigator Supt Jim Weems said searches had taken place around the campus and along potential routes he may have taken to get home.

"We are very worried about Daniel. Daniel is a very happy, popular student," he added.

Supt Weems said the snow had "not hampered" the search to find the student, but the night Mr Williams disappeared was "one of the coldest nights of the year".

Thames Valley Police said his disappearance was "completely out of character" and officers were "extremely concerned for his welfare".

Prof Robert Van de Noort, acting vice-chancellor at the University of Reading, said support was being offered to the student's housemates and friends.

Mr Williams is described as 6ft tall, slim, with short, light brown hair and blue eyes.

He was wearing jeans, black shoes and a black hooded top over a black T-shirt on the night he went missing.

Thirty-three men arrested over Halifax child sex abuse

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Thirty-three men have been arrested in connection with historical child sexual abuse in West Yorkshire.

It follows allegations made by a woman about abuse she suffered as a child in Halifax, Calderdale, between 2002 and 2005.

The arrested men, aged between 30 and 40, have been released under investigation pending further inquiries.

Homes in Calderdale, Bradford and Kirklees were searched, police said.

West Yorkshire Police said the arrests were part of an "ongoing operation", which started in October last year.

Det Insp Laura Nield, of the Calderdale District Safeguarding unit, said: "We would urge anyone who has been a victim of sexual abuse, no matter when it took place, to report it to the police.

"You will be listened to, taken seriously and supported by professionals with experience of dealing with these kind of offences."

The force had specialist safeguarding units across the county and worked with local authorities and charities to "bring offenders to justice", she said.

In January, the force arrested 55 men from Dewsbury, Batley and Bradford in connection with historical child sex abuse cases in West Yorkshire.

The claims made by seven women related to abuse against them as children between 2002 and 2009.

Mother charged with murder of son in Gloucester

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A mother has appeared in court charged with murdering her son.

Joy Liddell, 65, of Sandyleaze, Gloucester, is accused of the murder of Michael Liddell, 35.

He was found at a property in the Longlevens area of the city on Thursday and died shortly after paramedics treated him for serious injuries.

Mrs Liddell appeared before magistrates in Cheltenham earlier and will next appear at Bristol Crown Court on Wednesday.

Missing Libby Squire: Hull student's parents issue plea to daughter

Pic---Libby Squire, from High Wycombe, was last spotted on CCTV near her student house in Hull/bbc-wp
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The parents of missing Libby Squire have urged their daughter to "get in touch" in an emotional appeal to her.

Hundreds of people have been involved in a four-day search to find the 21-year-old, who was last seen in Hull on Thursday.

Her mother Lisa Squire said: "Libby, my darling pie, we just want to know that you are safe."

Police have ruled out from their inquiry three items found near Beverley Road, where she was last seen.

In a video appeal tweeted by Humberside Police, Mrs Squire urged her daughter to "get in touch with us any way you can".

"The whole family is missing you, especially me and your dad, your sisters and brother," she said.

"I miss you so much, it is breaking my heart not knowing where you are. I love you more."

Miss Squire was last seen getting into a taxi outside the Welly Club music venue in Beverley Road at about 23:00 GMT. She is believed to have been dropped off a short while later, close to where she lived in Wellesley Avenue.

She was then helped by another motorist who pulled over after seeing her sitting on a bench in the street.

He subsequently made contact with police and "really helped out" with the search, officers said.

Miss Squire, from High Wycombe in Buckinghamshire, was last spotted on CCTV in Beverley Road, near the junction with Haworth Street, some 45 minutes later.

A screwdriver, hammer and lip gloss were retrieved by forensic officers close to the spot where she was last seen.

But Humberside Police said they were not "connected with the inquiry into her disappearance" and the items were "part of another investigation".

Appealing to the public earlier, her father Russell Squire said "we just want Libby home".

He added: "Libby is our kind, thoughtful, beautiful girl who is loved by so many people.

"As you can appreciate this is a very difficult time for us both."

Mr Squire thanked "everyone for their help and support" before asking anyone with information to contact the force.

Officers have been searching in drains and wheelie bins along the street, while detectives conducted door-to-door inquiries.

Nearby, officers from the police marine unit travelled along a length of the frozen Beverley and Barmston Drain in inflatable rafts, breaking the ice and searching the water.

About 200 students were also involved in a search of the university premises.

The family previously said Miss Squire's disappearance was "very out of character" and they were "broken without her".

Police are keen to speak to anyone who was on Haworth Street between 23:30 and 00:30 on the night she disappeared.

Miss Squire, who is 5ft 7in tall and has long dark brown hair, had been wearing a black leather jacket, black long-sleeved top and a black denim skirt with lace.

The University of Hull has said it was "deeply concerned" about the missing student and was working closely with police.