A Hereford man has been sentenced to three years imprisonment following his conviction for multiple sex offences.

70-year-old Douglas Baker of Marlbrook Road, Hereford, was sentenced at Worcester Crown Court on Wednesday 14 December.  He pleaded guilty earlier this year to 5 offences which he committed between 2019 and 2022.

The five charges for which he was convicted were:

Two counts of inciting an underage girl to engage in sexual activity.

Engaging in sexual communication with a child.

Voyeurism – recording of a private act.

Making an indecent photograph of a child.

Baker is now listed on the Sex Offenders Register for life.

DC Harriet Wheadon-Hill said:

“This sentence shows that abusing young girls will not go unchallenged or unpunished.  Following extensive police investigations, together with the courage of the victims to come forward, we can uncover the truth and bring offenders to justice.”

“West Mercia Police remains committed to seeking justice for rape victims and survivors of sexual abuse, and we, the police, and wider support services are here for them.”

If you feel you are, or have been, a victim of any sexual offence you can report it to us online, on 101 or via West Mercia's Victim Advice Line on 0800 952 3000 or visit www.victimadviceline.org.uk. This is a free, independent and confidential support service. In an emergency always dial 999.

If you do not feel comfortable speaking to police officers, you can contact a Rape Crisis Centre which specialises in helping victims of rape and sexual assault - including providing medical care and counselling. For information and details on how to contact or refer please visit Rape Crisis England & Wales

Two men have been sent to prison for the conspiracy to distribute drugs in Herefordshire.

Jack Davis who is 33-years-old and from Hill Acre, Stoke Lacy, Bromyard and Ben Scotford who is 36-years-old and from Hereford appeared at Hereford Magistrates court on Friday 2 December and pleaded guilty to all charges.

Pictured on the left is Jack Davis. Pictured on the right is Ben Scotford.

Davis was given a five-year prison term and Scotford was handed a 30-month sentence, both for Conspiracy to Supply Class A drugs.

Detective Constable Fiona Morgan said “I welcome the sentence from the court who recognise that Davis and Scotford are a blight on our community. Drug dealers take advantage of vulnerable people and ruin lives, and we are determined to protect our communities. These sentences show we will prosecute anyone involved in drugs supply and at any level.

“We urge anyone with any concerns about drug crime to please get in touch as working alongside our communities is vital to tackling drug crime.”

Concerns about County Lines or drug related crimes can be reported anonymously to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111

This royal visit to mark the 150th anniversary of The Royal National College for the Blind (RNC).

The King said;

“I could not be more pleased to see how all these obstacles are being overcome and to know that the college and its students are ready to face the future with confidence and hope.”

The King has met students who are being equipped with the skills to live independently, and to prepare for university and work.

The RNC champions the teaching of Braille, whilst exploring new technologies to help with communication.

Alongside academic studies, students are encouraged to take part in varied activities, from practical skills like cooking, to assisted team sports. In the sports hall, The King was shown a demonstration of Blind Football, where players are guided by the voices of their teammates.

📸 The Royal Family

Samantha Smith, 55, of Waterfield Road in Hereford, pleaded guilty to a single charge of attempted murder at Worcester Crown Court on Thursday 1 December and will be sentenced on Friday 24 February 2023.

Smith’s conviction relates to an incident in Rothesay Mead, Hereford on Sunday 3 July for which she was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder.

Smith, who will remain on remand until her sentencing next year, had attacked a 59-year-old man with a knife leaving him with significant injuries.

The investigating officer, Detective Constable Emma O’Hare said: “This was a brutal attack which could have very easily have made this a murder trial. Thankfully, the victim was strong enough to work with us in preparing this case and I’m happy to report he is making a good, physical recovery.

“Domestic abuse isn’t isolated to women victims. Many men are in abusive, coercive, controlling, and violent relationships and quite often, they keep their abuse to themselves.

“I want to reassure any victim of domestic abuse that we are here for you. Regardless of your gender, we will listen, we will investigate every report and we will support you.

“I want to thank the survivor of this horrendous ordeal for their trust in police, their courage and their openness. My only hope is that they can now perhaps close one chapter of this book and start to rebuild their life.”

West Mercia Police will act on all reports made and offer our full support to anyone who feels they are a victim of domestic abuse.

For details of what constitutes domestic abuse and for reporting any concerns to us, including contact details of our partners, please visit https://www.westmercia.police.uk/.../support-organisations/.

The Courtyard is pleased to announce that Bruce Freeman has taken over as Chair of the Board.

Bruce has been a member of The Courtyard Board for four years, and replaces previous Chair Joanna Cobb, who held the position for three years before retiring in November 2022. 

L-R Chief Executive of The Courtyard Ian Archer, newly appointed Chair of the Board Bruce Freeman, Courtyard Operations Manager Phil Pearcy.

Image credit: More Creative Studio

Joanna Cobb sat on the board for six years and chaired through Covid closure, post-pandemic recovery and the Transform The Yard development. Joanna will continue to be a Trustee of The Courtyard.

Bruce, who was elected as Chair in December, spent 30 years as a science teacher. Including 25 years as Head of Year at Aylestone School, where he left as a Deputy Headteacher in 2007. His affiliation with the arts grew when he was Stage Manager for 13 shows and the Producer for 4 musicals during his stint as a teacher.

“It is a huge honour to have been elected as Chair of the Board at the Courtyard Centre for the Arts, and I’d like to thank my fellow Directors for placing their trust in me.” Said Bruce, “I very much look forward to working alongside a fantastic group of people who work at The Courtyard, and to help steer The Courtyard towards a brighter and more secure future.”

As well as teaching, Bruce has spent 27 years in school governance, including the last 7 years as Chair of Governors at The Hereford Academy. After teaching, Bruce set up his own Project Management Company and helped to convert 13 schools around the country to academies.

Between 2000 and 2011, Bruce led two major appeals and project managed the total refurbishment of the interior of St. Martin’s Church, and the replacement of its roof. When Bruce joined the Board at The Courtyard it was his project management skills that were quickly utilized, as he was asked to Chair the Development Committee, which was responsible for delivering the recent transformation of the building. He played a pivotal role in completing the £1.6 million project on time and on budget.

The Courtyard Board is made up of passionate members of Herefordshire’s community, businesses and creative arts industry. For more information about The Courtyard Board or to apply to be a Board Member visit courtyard.org.uk/the-board.

 
New Hereford Fire Station proposed Illustration

Adrian Elliot of behalf of Hereford and Worcester Fire and Rescue Service have submitted plans for the proposed demolition of an existing three-storey fire station, training tower and associated ancillary buildings. Erection of a new three storey fire station, training tower, associated car parking and cycle storage, at-grade external training area, re-fuel facility, sub- stations, telecommunications antenna, vehicular access and associated works.

The existing Hereford Fire Station building was identified by Hereford and Worcester Fire Rescue Service (HWFRS) as needing upgrading, as it is no longer fit for purpose and does not perform well economically or environmentally.

Following a feasibility study carried out by Bond Bryan in early 2021, a decision was made to proceed on the basis of demolishing the existing fire station building and to build in its place a new building accommodating the same functions as existing. The proposed scheme is to replace the existing fire station building on the same site, which is a 4 storey 1950s building. The current fire station has ancillary buildings comprising of the BA training chamber, hose repair room, garage/ drill tower, temporary showers and water tank and diesel pump. The proposed scheme will demolish the ancillary building structures with the functions being accommodated within the new building. It is proposed that the water tank and diesel pump will be located within the grounds of the new development, as well as a new training tower.

The current fire station and surrounding site is owned by Hereford and Worcester Fire Authority (H&WFA).

Herefordshire’s Coalition administration say they will continue to listen to county taxi drivers over licensing policy, following 24 months of extensive consultation, after councillors on Friday deferred a decision at a Full Council meeting on adopting a new taxi policy when members responded to concerns from the trade around the need for further clarification around policy conditions.

Councillor Ange Tyler said: ‘The policy was recommended for approval by officers after a long consultation process but I am happy to accept the majority decision of my fellow councillors, that is proper local democracy in action, and we will work with members of the trade and their representatives to address the concerns that remain.’

‘Since government changed taxi licensing regulations in 2020 we have worked with the industry to develop a policy that keeps passengers safe, whilst supporting the industry, which has struggled through the impact of Covid. It was our belief that the policy was ready for agreement subject to some minor details around penalty points and movable seats, which could be dealt with by council officials. The last consultation received only two responses, however, it is obvious that not all issues have been fully resolved. We hear that and commit ourselves to working to resolve those.’

Councillor Tyler added: ‘We must ensure that the policy is fit and proper providing a robust licensing regime for the hackney carriage and private hire trades with the overriding aim of maintaining and improving public safety while mindful of protecting the public and the provision of service to the public.’

‘We know that the industry nationally has lost around 160,000 drivers and that conditions for taxi drivers are very challenging.

We need to balance that with meeting government regulations and safety for passengers. Taxi licensing policy is always a live document as regulations change and we hoped today to have a framework in place to work around, however we hear the concerns of the industry and will continue our lengthy debate with taxi drivers on this document.’

HSBC announces closure of 114 branches

HSBC has confirmed a raft of branch closures are to take place from next year.

Those near us in Hereford:

April
Abergavenny
Leominster

May
Brecon

June
Chepstow
Ross on Wye

Full list confirmed here:

On course for digitisation of cash. No smart phone - no money or credit. We'll own nothing, but be happy so says the World Economic Forum. The Banks don't want your money just your assets.

As the Autumn term draws to a close and we prepare for the Christmas break, Bishops are looking back on a fantastic term of successes and achievements for our students. 

Year 11 student Shania has been selected to represent her country and play for Team GB at the Junior Roller Derby World Cup in Valence, France in July next year.
Shania has been roller skating since she was 5, Roller Derby training since she was 8 and playing competitive Roller Derby since she was 10.
This is a fantastic achievement and we wish Shania and the rest of her team every success in the World Cup next year.

Bishops has also continued to participate in Pupils 2 Parliament, ably led by Dr Roger Morgan OBE. P2P offers students the opportunity to start to get involved in decision-making in Westminster. We have contributed towards debates as diverse as Artificial Intelligence, maritime shipping laws and protecting endangered species. This term we have participated in a rapid response survey about participation in sports and got mentioned in Parliament!

Bishops was again named in Parliament – the Hansard record for the Westminster Hall debate on Wednesday 9th November reads:

“I also want to thank all the students from the Bishop of Hereford’s Bluecoat School for participating in the process and feeding back to this debate”

Two of the Bishops students who did that survey were then directly quoted in Parliament, and their words are now recorded for all time in the Hansard record of the proceedings of the UK Parliament. The two students’ quotes used in Parliament are:

“Let girls participate in all sports at school” & “I want to do the same sports as the boys – if we dance, so should they. And if they get rugby, so should we”.

Year 9 student Toby was recently chosen as the banner bearer for the remembrance service in Hereford in November. He did a fantastic job along with all of the Air Cadets squadron.

Toby has been working really hard during his time at the Air Cadets and been taking part in exciting challenges such as flying a motorised glider. He was also made Corporal within a year.

Another Year 9 student – Jude, recently took place in a full weekend swimming competition with City of Hereford Swimming Club competing against swimmers from his category and from other clubs around the country.

Jude swam in ten races over two days and achieved nine medals (two gold, four silver, three bronze) and got a trophy for best boy in his age category. He achieved six PBs.

Jude has another competition in December in Bromsgrove which we wish him continued success in.

Meanwhile the Bishops KS4 boys basketball team have been celebrating ongoing successes. They recently travelled to Gloucester to face Gloucester Saxons u16s and given that Saxons play in the national basketball league, Bishops triumphed with an awesome and comfortable 15-point win. There were notable performances from Will, Bodhi, Henry, Jacob and Onur. Further victory was achieved in the match as well against Wigmore High School. 

Finally, six Year 9 students took part in the Maths Picnic held at Lucton school. The event is a fun educational challenge with problem-solving tests and teamwork skills.

Our talented and competitive teams came 1st and 3rd out of 23 teams competing from a variety of schools across the county.

£5,000 Awarded to Yeleni Therapy and Support

Hereford City Council awarded £5,000 to Yeleni Therapy and Support, to help them meet increasing demand in supporting those who have undergone treatment for cancer.

Yeleni Therapy & Support is a complementary therapy & Reiki training centre, plus a charity providing free therapy sessions to anyone at any age, with any cancer at any stage in Herefordshire and surrounding counties. Yeleni is also open to the general public. At Yeleni they have a wide range of therapies available in their warm and welcoming therapy rooms. If you have aches and pains, suffer with conditions like anxiety or insomnia or simply need to talk to someone, the staff at Yeleni are there to help.

The group is seeking to expand their activities to offer services to people of any age, with any type of cancer and at any stage of the disease. They offer a range of complimentary therapies which are particularly valued for their capacity to reduce harmful side effects of the aggressive chemo and radio therapies that are used to attack cancers. Often people come when they have got well into treatment or even after a course, as side effects can build up and continue after a course. Completion of therapy can often be a crisis point.

The service is very much client-led, with each patient having a key worker. With Haven having closed down, 77 new patients have come in with breast cancer, and the temporary funding the group had during the COVID-19 pandemic has now ceased. Just over 50% of clients come from within the City, and there is also an online advice and support service. On average there are about 1,300 new cancer cases in the county every year and about one third of all people will get cancer in their lifetime.

Hereford City Council agreed to support Yeleni Therapy and Support with a grant of £5,000, helping to provide a means for the continuation of this vital service.

Great Choice! 🇺🇦 👏

Why have the Environment Agency not removed this massive build up of trees and branches caused from the recent heavy rain at the Old Bridge in Hereford?

This timber which has been carried along the river Wye has completely blocked the centre arch of the Old Bridge and must be placing massive pressure on the structure.

The fencing which runs along the footpath has not been repaired or replaced since storm Dennis back in February 2020, that's almost 3 years ago!!

It appeared that some work had began back in July 2022 when the debris was cleared and temporary fencing was secured, as reported in our topic here https://bit.ly/RiverFenceHfd however, nothing has happened since.

Herefordshire Council Cabinet approved the use of £6.49m funding at a meeting held on Thursday 24 November 2022, to continue to transform Herefordshire Children’s Social Care Services.

The £6.49m investment is the remaining amount of £11.49m funding, previously approved by Cabinet in March 2022.

The funding will help to ensure the council’s children’s services are adequately resourced and can provide a more secure and resilient service to Herefordshire children and their families in the future.

Corporate Director for Children and Young People, Darryl Freeman, said:

“The remaining £6.49m investment provides us with security to continue our work to transform Herefordshire Children’s Services and deliver our improvement plan.

“The first £5m in funding has led to increased stability in our workforce, reduced caseloads, improved systems and closer management supervision. We’ve also seen an increase in the frequency of visits and our Social Workers are now able to spend more time supporting children and families that are in need.

“The release of the remaining funding will allow us to focus on the priority areas identified by Ofsted following their July 2022 inspection to ensure significant and lasting improvements in the services we offer Herefordshire families.

“We will also continue to build Herefordshire Children’s Social Care Services into a desirable place to come and work with a good work/life balance in a beautiful, family-friendly environment.”

Ben Prothero was sentenced today (Tuesday 29 November) at Birmingham Crown Court to 24 years following his conviction for multiple sexual offences.

The 26-year-old of Metcalfe, Ross-On-Wye, pleaded guilty earlier this year to 17 offences, which related to crimes he committed between 2008 and 2020. The charges included:

• Two counts of rape of a child under 13
• Five counts of rape of a female under 18
• Attempted rape
• Causing a female under 15 to engage in penetrative sexual activity
• Penetration of a female under 16
• Engage in controlling/coercive behaviour in an intimate/family relationship
• Two counts of sexual assault on a child under 13
• Two counts of sexual activity with a child under 18
• Two counts of sexual activity with a child under 16

He will serve 18 years in prison, with six years to remain on licence as a dangerous offender and is now listed on the Sex Offenders Register for life.

Prothero’s conviction and sentencing followed a long and thorough investigation by Hereford CID Vulnerability Team.

Detective Constable Emma O’Hare, who led the investigation, said: “Prothero committed these horrendous crimes against children and women over many years who weren’t able to defend or protect themselves. He was a bully, a predator and controlled them by hurting them and changing their lives forever.

“As pleased as I am with the lengthy sentence, the true tribute is paid to the victims, who not only survived despite his best efforts to break them, but who then showed immense courage and bravery in coming forward about his abuse and rapes.

“My hope is that this significant prison sentence will bring some measure of comfort to those whose lives have been forever damaged by his cowardly and predatory actions.

“This sentence needs to serve as a reminder to those who think that abusing women and girls will go unchallenged. Survivors are strong and with our support, patience and understanding an investigation will uncover the truth about their abusers’ actions, who will face consequences.

“West Mercia Police remains committed to seeking justice for rape victims and survivors, and we, the police and wider support services are here for them.”

If you feel you are a victim of any sexual offence you can report it to us online, on 101 or via West Mercia's Victim Advice Line on 0800 952 3000 or visit www.victimadviceline.org.uk. This is a free, independent and confidential support service. In an emergency always dial 999.

If you do not feel comfortable speaking to police officers, you can contact a referral centre which specialises in helping victims of rape and sexual assault - including providing medical care and counselling. For information and details on how to contact or refer please visit the Get Help page of the Stop Rape Now website www.stoprapenow.co.uk

The prolific fly tippers were jailed following a two year fly tipping investigation in Bromyard.

On 24 November 2022 at a sentencing hearing at Worcester Crown court, Zackery Biddle (23) and Jessie Biddle (26), both of Openfields, Bromyard, were handed lengthy prison sentences for their part in a two year tirade of fly tipping on Council land at Openfields caravan site in Bromyard, Herefordshire. A third individual, Declynd Mellings (21), also of Openfields, was ordered to carry out community work.

The court heard how in May 2020, officers discovered that Zackery Biddle and Declynd Mellings used a false profile name to advertise waste collections on local Facebook groups, offering to be the cheapest around at a time when household recycling centres were closed due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Officers from Herefordshire Council’s Community Protection team visited Openfields caravan site in May 2020 and found enormous amounts of fly tipping spanning across the site, which triggered a long and robust investigation.

Officers searched the waste and found evidence which led them back to a customer who had paid money into a bank account to take away a large amount of house refurbishment waste, the arrangements having been made on Facebook. Officers were able to trace the bank account to Declynd Mellings, who was found to be working with Zackery Biddle. Zackery Biddle pleaded guilty to multiple charges of fly tipping and treating and disposing controlled waste in a manner likely to cause pollution of the Environment or harm to human health, namely by burning waste collected and allowing other hazardous chemicals to leak into the environment.

The courts further heard how between the years of 2020 and 2022, Jessie Biddle operated his own waste collection service on Facebook and collected controlled waste and disposed of it at Openfields caravan site in a manner likely to cause pollution of the environment and harm to human health. Officers were able to identify Jessie Biddle by a mobile phone number given to a customer and found that he had collected commercial waste from a shop in Leominster for the payment of £100 and had failed to provide the necessary waste transfer notes. CCTV footage showed the waste being driven out of Leominster by Jessie Biddle who admitted to fly tipping the waste at Openfields. The court further heard that Jessie Biddle had considerably profited financially by transporting scrap metal without authority to do so over a two year period.

Zackery Biddle pleaded guilty to multiple charges of fly tipping and received a 54 week custodial sentence, receiving a one tenth discount for a last minute guilty plea. Jessie Biddle pleaded guilty to multiple charges of fly tipping and received a custodial sentence of 44 weeks, receiving a full third discount after pleading guilty at his first hearing. Declynd Mellings was considered to have played a lesser role in the fly tipping operation and was given a 12 month community order and ordered to carry out 200 hours of unpaid work.

Herefordshire Council further succeeded in these cases by applying a Criminal Behaviour Order to all three individuals which include conditions to prevent them from collecting, carrying, treating and disposing of any controlled waste and will be applicable for three years.

Marc Willimont, Head of Public Protection at Herefordshire Council said: “Herefordshire council will not tolerate fly tipping. The community protection team have therefore worked tirelessly to bring these offenders to court after they went on a 2 year fly tipping spree using false Facebook accounts to avoid being caught. Their irresponsible and selfish actions have cost the council thousands of pounds of taxpayer’s money to clear the fly tipping. That said, the sentences given out by the court on this occasion are welcomed as they recognise the damage that these individuals have caused to the environment and the unnecessary costs to the council to clear”.

The maximum penalty for fly tipping is a £50,000 fine and/or five years imprisonment. The twelve and ten month imprisonments for Zackery and Jessie Biddle are the most severe custodial sentences ever given for fly tipping offences committed in Herefordshire.

This funding award aims to capture the legacy from the success of the England Women’s Football Team and to take on the rapidly rising enthusiasm for football among girls and women in Hereford.

The grant will help provide access to training for women to become coaches working mainly, but not exclusively, in female clubs. The club will provide free access to sessions at schools with one-off tournaments to encourage participation in clubs. School sessions can be in games, lessons, at lunch time, or after school, so there is great flexibility in timing.

Hereford City Council agreed to award Herefordshire Football Association £5,000 to provide training and facilitation for women’s football, a much-needed addition to Hereford’s wide range of sporting activities. This will hopefully be a timely project, with so many being inspired by the lionesses success against the World Champions recently.

For more information on Herefordshire Football Association, visit https://www.herefordshirefa.com/, or for more information on our funding awards, visit https://herefordcitycouncil.gov.uk/funding-award-for.../.

Hereford Voice will do all we can to highlight and help assist this very important campaign to save Hereford's Athletics Track.

A spokesperson for the campaign told Hereford Voice;

"It's time to act now!

Hereford's athletics track faces losing its competition licence if action isn’t taken to refurbish its deteriorating surface.

The athletics track, on Holmer Road, was built in 1988 and during the past 34 years it has been a popular facility for athletes staging training sessions throughout the year and summer race meetings.

The track is used every night of the week by Hereford & County Athletics Club, HEREFORD GHOST RUNNERS, Wye Valley Runners, Hereford Triathlon Club, Hereford Couriers Running Club & Western Tempo Running Club.

We need your help to raise awareness and to support this campaign"

More details 👉 https://www.facebook.com/SaveHerefordsTrack

I found this bike, which I presume has been stolen and abandoned by the garages in Muir Close. This item has also been posted on Facebook, but to no effect. The bike is now in my garden. I have tried to report the matter to the council and local police and as usual you go round in circles. I need to dispose of it as soon as possible.