THIEVES stole £1,000 worth of chewing gum from Asda on Monday in an offence police are calling “an emerging trend”.

Two men entered the store at 4.20pm and stole several boxes of gum. Police suspect it will be taken abroad for resale.

Anyone with any information on the Asda incident, or anyone with any information on this type of crime generally is asked to call Lincolnshire Police as soon as possible.

Call Lincolnshire Police with information on 101, or call independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

A TRANSPORTER lorry came off the A1 this morning, partially blocking the slip road at Barrowby.

The lorry came off the road and went into a ditch at around 7.30am this morning and was initially partially blocking one of the lanes causing the authorities to close the A1 at the junction with the A52 while the lorry was moved.

Nobody was injured in the crash but it is believed the full recovery of the vehicle could take hours.

Cars driving onto the A1 at Barrowby are asked to take care as the lorry is still partially blocking the slip road.

THE audacious theft of a cash machine in Bingham was caught on CCTV.

Thieves used a tractor to smash the wall of the NatWest bank in Market Place, Bingham, in the early hours of Monday.

The machine was later found at a farm building in Kegworth, Leicestershire, with the money removed.

A Land Rover Defender, stolen from Lincolnshire, and a large trailer, stolen from Lowdham, were also abandoned at the farm building.

CCTV shows offenders using the tractor, stolen from Cropwell Butler, to crash into the NatWest bank at around 2.40am on Monday.

Police believe the tractor was driven direct to Bingham from Cropwell Butler.

It is thought the culprits may have driven the Land Rover and attached trailer through a number of rural villages between Bingham and Kegworth, including Cotgrave, Wysall, Bunny and East Leake.

The Land Rover Defender is blue and had an open back. The trailer was open-sided and had a caged rear.

Sergeant Steve Wragg from Beeston CID said: “It would have been an unusual sight to see the vehicle towing such a large trailer through quiet, rural villages in the early hours of the morning. Anyone who saw the vehicle may hold vital information which could help us find the people responsible for this incident.

“It appears the offenders stole at least two vehicles in the lead up to this morning’s theft, and clearly have no regard for the destruction they left behind - help us find them before they cause even more damage.”

There were initially concerns over the structural safety of the building, but has now been found to be safe.

Anyone with information should contact Nottinghamshire Police on 101 or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

DEVELOPERS have failed in their bid to overturn a decision to reject plans for flats on the old Manthorpe Lodge site.

Planning inspector Mark Dakeyne opted to dismiss the appeal by David Defusto which was launched when South Kesteven District Council rejected plans for a block of 22 apartments to be built on the site of 85 Manthorpe Road.

The decision was welcomed by Coun Ray Wootten who represents St Wulfram’s ward.

He said: “For the second time the planning inspector has come to a common sense decision to dismiss this appeal on the grounds of an unsuitable development for a prominent site on the edge of a conservation area.

“It has been a long journey over four years with two applications and two appeals defeated. However we all look forward to a further application which is more in keeping with the character and appearance of the area.”

In his summing up, Mr Dakeyne said: “The proposal would unacceptably affect the character and appearance of the area and detract from the setting of the Grantham conservation area.”

Mr Defusto also applied for South Kesteven District Council to be liable for the costs of the appeal but Mr Dakeyne refused this application.

]]> 1.3495195 Tue, 7 Feb 2012 11:47:30 +0000 http://www.granthamjournal.co.uk/stone_throwing_yobs_target_trains_1_3495188

A FATHER-of-two was hit on the head by a large stone when it smashed through the window of the train he was on-board - one of a series of similar incidents near villages to the north of Grantham.

Gavin Jagger, 34, of Skegness, said he was lucky to be alive after being hit on the head by a fist-sized stone hurled at the train as it passed through the Ancaster area on January 12.

He said: “It happened so quickly. Something hard hit me on the side of the head and then there was a rock sat on the table next to me. It had made a clean hole in the window. It could have been so much worse because a family with a little girl was sat opposite me in a table seat.”

A warning has been issued to culprits throwing stones at trains after another incident on Monday, January 16 saw a concrete slab around 20cm in length being thrown at a train at Honington level crossing at 7.45pm.

Although this incident didn’t injure anyone, Insp Graham Bridges of BTP warned that not only do these incidents cause damage but could also injure passengers.

And Lincolnshire Police are hunting offenders who have been throwing objects at cars on the A17 from the bridge at Leadenham.

On January 9 a bottle was thrown at a lorry. The driver reported seeing two people on the bridge before hearing a bang and seeing his vehicle splattered with red liquid.

On previous occasions eggs and stones were thrown, one cracking a lorry windscreen.

A Lincolnshire Police spokesman said: “This type of thing could easily lead to a road traffic collision with people being seriously injured or even killed.”

l Do you know the culprits? Call British Transport Police on 0800 405040 quoting B15/NEA.

PROPOSALS which would mean authorities no longer have to advertise roadworks in their local newspaper have been criticised by MP Stephen Phillips.

Currently, authorities such as the Highways Agency are obliged to advertise planned work in a local paper to ensure people are notified of what is going on in their street.

However, if the new government proposals go ahead it would mean authorities need only put up a flyer or advertise work on their website.

It is claimed the change would save the Department for Transport £20 million a year.

Mr Phillips fears the new system would prevent some from accessing vital information.

He said: “I don’t think it’s a very good idea. In a patch like mine, many elderly people get their information only from the local press – they don’t have internet access and would not necessarily search for the information which local authorities currently have to publish anyway.

“That said, I do think that the formulaic nature of these advertisements should be changed so that there is simply a clear statement of potential road closures and so forth, without all the legal bumph that currently goes into the notice which are published.”

However, Grantham MP Nick Boles believes authorities should be free to advertise however they see fit.

He said: “While I understand why local authorities and the highways agency might think it is a good idea to advertise in local newspapers, I don’t think they should be forced to.

“They should be free to judge whether a local newspaper advertisement is the best way to make people aware of proposals.

“The truth is, the world is changing, with community websites, while flyers could also be put through doors.

“I don’t think it is the job of government to tell authorities how to do that. It should be up to the individual organisation to decide.”

l What do you think? E-mail: comment@granthamjournal.co.uk

GRANTHAM’S east-west bypass may soon become a reality after the county council announced proposals to budget £30m for the long-awaited project.

The Lincolnshire County Council plans, which budget for the project in the 2013/14 to 2016/17 financial years, will be finalised on Tuesday.

And if approved the council hopes to start the work on the Grantham Southern Relief Road project as soon as possible within that timeframe. Leader of the council Martin Hill, said: “We recognise the importance of the road for the town and have made provision for it within our budget to help speed up its construction.”

The bypass, which is expected to link the A1 and the A52 south of the town – in what is being called the ‘Southern Quadrant’ –, forms just one aspect of the overall plan for the expansion of Grantham.

Cllr Hill said: “The Grantham Relief Road forms part of plans for 4,000 new homes in the south of the town, along with places like schools and doctors surgeries to support this community.

“We are working together with the landowners and South Kesteven District Council to look in detail at the finances involved, and we expect enough development will be generated to fund the new road.”

The council’s £30 million investment will be used to build the bypass but as houses are built and sold developers will be expected to return that money.

According to Cllr Hill this is the model that councils regularly use to help bring forward critical infrastructure projects, most recently the Lincoln Eastern Bypass.

But even if budget proposals are approved the bypass is not a certainty as planning applications would need to be submitted for every aspect of the project.

And it is certainly not the first time Grantham has been set for the bypass to be built.

In August 2007 the county council’s County News publicity organ reported that councillors were ‘very optimistic’ that the bypass would open to traffic within four years.

Cllr Hill was quoted at the time as saying: “If everything falls into place, we could see the road open by 2011/12.”

But the road or a fixed route, which is expected to be decided upon by the end of this year, are yet to be seen.

A council spokesman said: “This has been a priority and we’ve been keen to start it for some time. We wanted to start it sooner, however because of the recession, we’ve not had the house building to pay for the road as quickly as we had hoped for.

“The road will remove much of the heavy traffic in the centre of the town and allow environmental and economic improvements to take place.”

POTHOLED roads in Grantham are to be resurfaced, causing weekend road closures.

Springfield Road will be closed between Harris Way and Hudson Way from 7pm to 10pm on Saturdays and 7am to 10pm Sundays between March 3-25. Junctions at Huntingtower Road and Walton Gardens will also be closed.

A stretch of the High Dyke from High Road to 150m south of Harrowby Lane will be closed on the weekends of February 11-12 and 18-19, from 7am on Saturdays to 10pm Sundays.

DOZENS of Journal readers have sent in their photos from the weekend’s snow fall.

Send YOUR pictures to: comment@granthamjournal.co.uk

THE Journal’s annual celebration of Grantham’s best of business is back.

We’ve teamed up again with Bede Ltd, the organisers of the Belton Horse Trials, following the success of last year’s event.

Last year’s business awards was our biggest yet - and we plan to make the event even bigger and better in 2012.

The gala presentation dinner will take place in the Belton Horse Trials VIP hospitality marquee, directly in front of the magnificent Belton House.

Guests will enjoy a champagne reception, sumptuous celebratory dinner and an after-awards party offering more chance to enjoy the occasion.

{http://www.granthamjournal.co.uk/news/business/business-awards|Read about this year’s awards and make a nomination}

Tickets

Corporate tickets are available. If you want a great night out for your staff or to entertain clients at a top local event, tables of 10 are available at £600 plus VAT or individual tickets are on sale at £65 plus VAT each. For more details, contact Linda Pritchard or Sarah Beal on 01476 562291 or 01733 588842.

DO you have items in your wardrobe that you no longer wear? Then why not bag them up and take them to a clothes swapping event?

Grantham Dramatic Society is behind the ‘swishing’ or ‘shwopping’ event, to be held at Cafe Leo in Westgate, at 7.30pm on Wednesday, February 22.

For each item taken, attendees will be given a token to exchange for another item. Swap tokens are also available for a minimum £1 donation.

Items can be clothing, shoes or accessories.

Entry is £3 and includes a glass of wine and a swap token. Tickets are available in advance from Cafe Leo, or on the door on the evening of the event.

Wine, coffees, cupcakes and craft items will also be on sale. Any unswapped items will be donated to local charity shops.

Information: www.granthamdramaticsociety.co.uk

A GOOD Samaritan who tried to help a drunken man instead found herself being attacked by him.

Karl Watson, of Seacroft Close, Grantham, admitted assaulting a woman, a man and a police officer after having far too much to drink at Grantham Bowl in Dysart Road.

Watson, 21, was at the bowling alley with friends in October when the incident took place.

Rory McMillan, defending, said the trio had taken a water bottle filled with vodka into the bowling alley “to save money”. However, a manager suspected the men were drinking alcohol so Watson, in an effort to convince the manager it was only water, drank two full glasses of neat vodka.

Mr McMillan said: “Mr Watson described it as the most stupid thing he has ever done as he could have killed himself drinking that much vodka in one go.”

Watson was later seen by the female victim lying on the floor outside the bowling alley. He was banging his head on the floor in an attempt to find his feet.

Jill Derby, prosecuting, described how the female victim stepped forward to try to help him, suggesting an ambulance be called. Instead Watson grabbed her and threw her to one side before swinging a punch which missed.

A male friend of the woman tried to calm things down but Watson pulled him to the ground and scratched the man as he tried to get away.

The female victim retreated to the entrance of the bowling alley.

Jill Derby said: “The next thing she knew was being smashed sideways and hitting her head on the wall.”

The woman had been barged into the wall by Watson and the action left her with a cut to the head which she tried to stem with a beer mat.

Jill Derby said: “She was soaked in blood as a result of the injury.”

Watson was arrested but would not co-operate with the police and bit an officer on the calf.

Rory McMillan, defending, said Watson has little recollection of the events.

He said: “He had no idea what was going on or what he was doing.”

Watson, a bricklayer, was ordered to complete 100 hours’ community service and must pay £40 compensation to the female victim and £20 compensation to the police officer. He must also pay £85 in costs.

CCTV caught an altercation between a man and a bouncer outside the Late Lounge in Grantham.

Brendan Kavanagh, 23, of Manor Drive, Great Gonerby, argued with a bouncer before being approached by another male acting aggressively.

Kavanagh ended up being restrained on the ground by door staff. Bill Fraser, defending, said: “When the police arrived he still used unpleasant and abusive language and that’s why he pleaded guilty today.”

Kavanagh admitted a public order offence and was fined £80.

POLICE who arrested a 21-year-old in a town centre nightclub found he was carrying eight bags of a Class B drug.

Grant Prince of Second Avenue, Grantham, was reported to the police after being seen snorting a white powder in Barcode. A police search at the station uncovered eight bags of methylethylcathinone - similar to mephedrone.

Mr Sheen, defending, said Prince, 21, intended to sell the drugs to his friends.

He added: “If he continued with that he would be way out of his depth. It is not something he should be doing or is capable of doing. He was caught at the first attempt.” Prince was given a six-month community order and must pay £44 in costs.

]]> 1.3493039 Mon, 6 Feb 2012 12:39:36 +0000 http://www.granthamjournal.co.uk/wasted_chance_to_work_off_debt_1_3493037

FAILING to carry out his community service caused magistrates to send a 20-year-old man to prison.

Harry Smith of Huntingtower Road had previously been given a 20-week custodial sentence suspended for 18 months, along with 40-hours unpaid work in the community.

After failing to attend meetings or carry out work, the number of hours was increased to 50 but Smith had only carried out seven when a warrant was issued for his arrest.

Chris Pye-Smith, defending, accepted the court had no choice but to send Smith to prison.

Mr Pye-Smith said: “He is realistic about his situation today.”

Chair of magistrates Ros Gulson activated the full 20-week sentence because the amount of work Smith had carried out was “negligible”.

A LOSS of temper saw a man spend the night in the cells.

Andrew Kay, 21 who lives with his father in Alexandra Road, Grantham, argued with his girlfriend before turning his ire on a door and smashing two holes in it. Kay admitted causing criminal damage and being in breach of a conditional discharge handed down two weeks ago for spitting at his former partner.

Mr Sheen, defending, said: “He spent the night in the cells and is prepared to pay for the damage.”

The case was adjourned until February 23 for reports.

A VAN driver successfully argued to keep his licence after being caught driving at 91mph on a 60mph stretch of the A1 at Barrowby.

Peter Williams of The Naze, Essex, brought a letter to the court from his employers stating that if he lost his licence he would also lose his job. He was driving for his employers at the time of the offence.

Williams, 52, was instead told he would not be disqualified but would have six penalty points put on his licence. He must also pay a fine of £200, costs of £43 and a surcharge of £15.

POLICE found a man on bail hiding under a bed in a house he should not have been in.

Darren Payne, 41, of Uplands Drive was on conditional bail with a condition not to go to a property in Queen Street. However, when police arrived at the address they found Payne “hiding under a mattress upstairs”.

Andrew Coley, defending, said Payne was invited to the property. He added: “There is no suggestion of intimidation or anything of that nature.”

The case was adjourned until February 13 with the same bail.

A TEENAGER was arrested for abusing commuters with foul language after being ejected from a train at Grantham station.

Officers found eighteen-year-old Ben Smales of Linnet Way, Sleaford, face down on one of the seats, refusing to leave the train. Smales was “heavily intoxicated” and using foul language. He continued his tirade after being removed and was arrested. Smales said: “I feel bad about it and I’m sorry. I feel like an idiot to be honest.”

Smales’ only income comes from his EMA which he said he spends on cigarettes, topping up his phone and going out. Chair of magistrates Ros Gulson said: “There are certain guidelines. I don’t believe it is there to be spent on cigarettes and phone credit.” Smales was fined £65.

STEALING a television worth £170 ended up costing a woman £213 after she was eventually caught.

Nyree Rozalia Bonar of Houghton Road, Grantham, was leaving Sainsburys in March of last year when she helped herself to a LCD television on the way out. Bonar was recognised on CCTV by a police officer but was not caught until January 11 of this year.

Bonar, 37, admitted theft and was given a 12-month conditional discharge. However she must also pay £170 in compensation and £43 in costs.

]]> 1.3493031 Mon, 6 Feb 2012 12:39:21 +0000