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100 up for rough
sleepers' helpline
A helpline that has been
set up to ensure nobody spends a second night sleeping rough has
just notched up its century. The Rough Sleeper Helpline, which
operates throughout the Liverpool City Region, recently received its
100th call since it was introduced at the end of February 2012. As a
result a man, who would otherwise have spent a night on the streets,
was found accommodation. The helpline (0300 123 2041) allows
members of the public to inform agencies about rough sleepers. Once
the call is taken outreach workers are dispatched as soon as
possible to visit the site, make contact with the rough sleeper and
help them find somewhere to stay. The No Second Night Out
initiative says that while there may be many reasons why somebody
sleeps rough for one night there is no reason why they need to spend
a second night on the streets. It is backed by the councils in
Liverpool, Wirral, Sefton, St Helens, Knowsley and Halton.
"Calls have been received from across the city region. While the
majority of reports are from concerned members of the public who
have noticed someone sleeping rough the helpline has also been
contacted by family members, the police, other homeless agencies and
even rough sleepers themselves. Each case is unique and a whole
range of options are offered to individuals who find themselves
sleeping rough. Help us to help a rough sleeper by phoning the
helpline as soon as you see someone sleeping rough." said
Mark Kitts, City Council Assistant Director.
Examples of the type of calls and response are:-
► Mike (not real name) and his partner had
been sleeping in a Liverpool park after they lost their home. Mike’s
mum rang the line to ask for advice and, after a visit to The
Whitechapel Centre; which provides services for homeless people-
they were helped to move into their own flat.
► Viktor (not real name) had been working
in England, but lost his job and ended up on the streets. He was
assaulted and was seen sitting in a door way on Bold Street by a
member of the public. Viktor was picked up by the outreach team and
taken back to The Whitechapel Centre. Staff were able to liaise with
Viktor’s family and help him to return home.
Letters to
editor:- "Fly Posters"
"THE last week or I have
spotted lots of fly posters going up around the town. They are
small A5 sized leaflets that have been glued to walls, doors and
windows, as well as some boarding on vacant property within the town
centre. These fly posters are making a mess, as they are
falling off onto the pavements and they also look horrid, pealing
off the walls. Do your other readers agree? Will Sefton and/or
the owners of the property hit by this rash of fly posters take
action?" Mark, Southport Town Centre. If
you agree or disagree with this readers letter, please do email our
views to our newsroom via:-
news24@southportreporter.com.
Also if you own one of the properties that have the posters
on, let us know what you think.
Band Concert By
National Army Cadet Band And Drums
THE National Army Cadet
Band & Drums are to perform at Formby Royal British Legion Club,
Whitehouse Lane, L37 3LT, on Tuesday, 3 April, from 7:30pm. Entrance
is £5 at the door. The Band is drawn from over 300 young music
cadets meeting at Altcar Training Camp. Half the proceeds goes to
the Poppy Appeal to help service and ex-service personnel, the other
half goes to provide instruments for the Band. |
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2 jailed after
admitting handling stolen paintings
2 Merseyside men were
jailed on Thursday, 22 March 2012, for nearly 10 years after
admitting handling stolen LS Lowry paintings. Kevin Marlow,
aged 29, of Halby Road, Bootle and Gerard Starkey, aged 50, of
Southport Road, Bootle appeared before Liverpool Crown Court for
sentencing after pleading guilty to handling stolen goods.
Marlow received 6 years and 6 months after also pleading guilty to
possession of Class A drugs with intent to supply. Starkey was
handed 3 years and 3 months. Erin Edwards, aged 33, of
Arncliffe Road, Halewood also appeared before Liverpool Crown Court
after she was found guilty of possession of Class B drugs with
intent to supply and was given a 36 week suspended sentence.
Detectives from the North West Regional Organised Crime Unit (Titan)
executed a warrant at a house on Arncliffe Road, Halewood on
Tuesday, 26 July 2011, after receiving intelligence that paintings
were being stored at the address. The raid followed an
investigation by officers from Titan, alongside officers from GMP
and Merseyside Police, into the robbery of masterpieces and other
paintings and artefacts belonging to LS Lowry and other artists from
the home of an art dealer in Cheadle Hulme on 3 May 2007.
A number of high value paintings,
which were valued at the time at £1.7million, were stolen during the
robbery. Those stolen include The Viaduct and Tanker Entering the
Tyne by LS Lowry. Officers from Titan recovered seven paintings from
the property on Arncliffe Road as well as £4,000 cash, around 10kg
of amphetamine paste with a street value of approximately £100,000
and around 100,000 ecstacy tablets with a street value of
approximately £300,000. A further warrant at an industrial
unit in Northfield Road, Bootle was executed shortly after the raid
in Halewood during which other paintings were discovered, leading to
the arrest of Starkey who was the leaseholder for the unit.
Detective Superintendent Jason Hudson from Titan said:- "This
sentencing is the culmination of an investigation by officers from
Titan, GMP and Merseyside Police into the drugs trade and the theft
of high value paintings. We were delighted to be able to return
these precious paintings to the victim. They were in a poor state of
repair when they were recovered and are in need of restoration so it
is very fortunate that we were able to locate them before they were
irreparably damaged. Titan is committed to tackling organised crime
groups and their associated criminality, which has a huge impact on
our communities across the North West. Our officers are dedicated to
ridding our streets of drugs and ensuring that those involved in the
trade are put behind bars."
Officers are still working to identify the owner of one painting
from the haul and are appealing to members of the public for help in
tracing that person. The painting, by an unknown artist, is of
a little girl. The owner will need to provide Police with the proof
of ownership to be able to claim the item back. Anyone with
any information about the painting, or its owner, is asked to please
call Crimestoppers, anonymously, as soon as possible, on 0800 555
111. |
