Latest news with #Derbyshire
BBC News
an hour ago
- Health
- BBC News
Derbyshire pip claimants relieved but fearful after PM's U-turn
Sharon Arrowsmith, a Labour voter all her life, says she never thought she would have to "fear" the party in she says the government's plans to change who qualifies for certain disability and sickness benefits had left her "terrified". "I can't afford to lose a single penny", she says. "It's unconscionable."But early on Friday, the government confirmed a U-turn on its cuts to disability benefits in a bid to avert rebellion by more than 120 Labour backbenchers - leaving Sharon, from Derbyshire, breathing "a huge sigh of relief". The Universal Credit and Personal Independence Payment Bill was meant to tighten eligibility requirements for personal independence payments (pips), halve the health-related element of universal credit (UC), and increase the UC standard government hoped to save £5bn a year by 2030 with the bill, while slowing the increase in people claiming benefits. It was the changes to who qualifies for pips in particular that caused deep unhappiness amongst pip claimants will continue to receive what they currently get, as will recipients of the health element of universal credit. Planned cuts will only hit future well as changing who will be affected by the cuts, ministers are also expected to fast-track a £1bn support plan originally scheduled for many charities have rejected the Amo Raju, from the Derby-based charity Disability Direct, says the legislation should still be pulled."Welfare reform does need to happen, but it needs to involve disabled people in that decision-making process," he said."Let's pull it, get the right individuals around the table and co-produce the policy in the interests of disabled people." 'There's no fun' Ms Arrowsmith, from Amber Valley, has fibromyalgia, meaning she has difficulty moving about. It causes her chronic fatigue and joint and muscle pain. She struggles to do housework and shopping and often struggles to physically get out of 55-year-old also has other conditions including diabetes type 2, underactive thyroid, and growing cataracts which means she cannot drive and is reliant on autism diagnosis leaves her struggling with impairment of executive function and staying on had to stop working in January due to these conditions, and receives the mobility element of -ip, which is about £400 a month. She also receives universal credit, the vast majority of which is spent on private rent payments and bills. The pip payment used to help her employ someone to help with house tasks, but due to rising costs she says she is now heavily reliant on it to afford food after being left unable to work."I can't afford to lose a single penny. I would no longer be able to buy food or pay rent," she said."I have already cut everything down to the bone. There is no excess. There is no fun."Sharon thought she was likely to lose out because she will not score enough points in certain areas, like being able to wash and dress, which she can mostly manage. The government had been proposing that from November 2026, pip claimants would need to score at least four points from a single pip daily living activity to qualify for the daily living component of pip, as well as scoring a total of at least eight points. Sharon says she is relieved by the climbdown."I'm so proud of [the rebel MPs] for doing that, at the risk of their careers, having the courage to stand up. They are the real Labour people," she she says she worries for new claimants who will be impacted in the future."I am concerned still, I still think they really need to look at this bill and think about the people. Not the money, the people, that's what's important."I feel like I was wrong to vote Labour." Gordon Patten, from Long Eaton, is in his early fifties and is unable to work because of sarcoidosis, a rare condition impacting the lungs that means he must sleep with a machine aid. He also has been diagnosed with depression and type 2 diabetes and has had epilepsy since he was a receives roughly £460 a month through the daily living component of pip, which helps towards expenses such as the electricity bill his breathing aid machine leaves him with, which he says has increased, and hiring a cleaner to help with also receives the standard rate for mobility and is entitled to a mobility vehicle, an element which the government says will not be impacted by the changes. Gordon says he was glad to see the Labour backbenchers who disagree with the policy "standing up" to the prime minister."It is going to be a two-tier situation but we've had this in the past with disability allowance. You're always gonna have that, where people who started on a benefit get more," he he says the Labour Party have "mucked this up completely" for people like him."If you go back to 1945, at the beginning of the welfare state, it was a core [Labour] value"Labour has kind of lost its way with looking after the working person and the vulnerable...I honestly think that being in power has gone to their heads." A Department for Work and Pensions spokesperson said: "Ministers have repeatedly recognised how anxious people are when there is talk of reform which is why we will never compromise on protecting people who need our support."Our reforms will mean the social security system will always be there for those who will never be able to work."
Daily Mail
14 hours ago
- Daily Mail
'Ruthless' gang that sold assassination kits including handgun, silencer and bullets to criminal hitmen are jailed for more than 60 years
A 'ruthless' gang that made assassination kits in the garden before selling them to murderers has been jailed for more than 60 years. Gary Hardy, 62, dealt the weapon bundles which were constructed in the backyard of co-conspirator 64-year-old Robert Knowles, who acquired blank firing handguns and ammunition that he converted into viable firearms. The kits were stocked with a handgun, silencer, magazine and ammunition wrapped in a latex glove, and police said the converted firearms had been seized in eight locations across the country. At least 33 firearms were manufactured in Knowles's firearms factory, which is believed to be one of the biggest in the East Midlands. Accomplice Steven Houston, 65, supplied the weapons to criminals, including 23-year-old Jason Hill who is a drug dealer and was convicted of murder last year. Hardy, of The Birches, Ravenshead, Nottinghamshire, received a sentence of 23 years, while Knowles, of Milton Avenue, Alfreton, Derbyshire, was handed a 13-year-and-six-month sentence, and Houston, of Breach Oak Lane, Corley, near Coventry, was given 25 years in prison. Sentencing Hardy, Knowles and Houston, who sat side by side in the dock at Nottingham Crown Court on Friday, Judge Mark Watson said: 'You were in business together. You brought your own set of skills and contacts to the enterprise. 'Each of you contributed in different but important ways. This was a large scale and highly sophisticated enterprise which involved a large number of weapons.' The judge said the operation started in at least November 2022 and told the court he was sure it was intended to continue for longer. The judge sentenced Hill, of Derby Road, Risley, Derbyshire, to serve four years consecutively to his life sentence for murder, and said: 'You are in a different and unique position in that you were not part of the conspiracy I deal with - you were a customer of it. 'These guns were designed to kill. There is no evidence these weapons had been discharged by you.' Hardy, Knowles and Houston were charged with conspiring to sell a firearm, conspiring to possess a firearm with intent to endanger life, and conspiring to convert a firearm. Hill was charged with possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life. Knowles and Hill admitted their crimes before Houston and Hardy were found guilty at a trial. Police stopped a vehicle in Gallows Lane in Measham, Leicestershire, in August 2023 and found a white box containing four firearms with Knowles's DNA on some of them. Nottinghamshire Police said when officers arrived at his property, they found him setting fire to evidence in his garden. Other weaponry was also seized from inside the address including crossbows, knives, axes, machetes, swords, gas powered weapons, airguns and ammunition, the force said. Abigail Joyce, prosecuting, said the weapon kits were distributed on a 'significant scale', and added: 'There was an expectation of substantial financial gain.' Ms Joyce told the court, which was attended by friends and family of the defendants: 'The prosecution contend that the three played leading roles in a long-standing conspiracy. 'The sale of assassination kits demonstrates they were only designed to be used for one purpose, i.e. the infliction of serious, and likely fatal, injuries.' Emma Goodall KC, defending Hardy, said his chronic health issues would make prison difficult and added that a custodial sentence would impact his wife. Defence barrister for Knowles, Balraj Bhatia KC, said the defendant was 'not the instigator' and is described by many as a 'caring, helpful, kind person that many in difficulties can turn to'. In a letter read out by Mr Bhatia, Knowles wrote: 'I have made my bed, now I must lie in it. I'm sorry for what I got up to. If I manage to come through my sentence, I promise you won't be hearing any more from me.' Gordon Cole KC, defending Houston, said his client has 'real, physical difficulties' and has shown a 'clear expression of remorse'. In a statement after the sentencing, Detective Chief Inspector Mark Adas, of Nottinghamshire Police, said: 'These are ruthless individuals that have a complete disregard for human life. 'They were creating, packaging and distributing firearms, which would have led to devastating consequences had they been used in public. 'Each handgun had been threaded to fit a silencer, which allowed the gun to be used discreetly at close quarters, meaning any potential targets would be lucky to escape with their lives. 'The rounds of ammunition were converted in such a way that upon impact they expanded causing maximum damage to any target. 'Our team of detectives have now closed arguably one of the biggest firearm factories in the East Midlands and taken a large quantity of firearms off the streets. 'The full impact of this investigation will never be seen - that's because we are unable to count the number of lives we may have saved. 'If this operation had continued undetected, the strong likelihood is these weapons would have been used and people would have been killed or seriously harmed. 'To put this into context - considering that each assassination kit included 10 rounds of converted ammunition, the seizure of more than 800 blank firing rounds and nearly 800 lead pellets indicates that the group had the potential to supply up to 80 further firearms packages. 'So far, we have identified eight locations across the country where these specific converted firearms or ammunition have been seized. 'The majority were in the West Midlands. This was therefore a well-established and far-reaching criminal enterprise. 'These criminals have shown no remorse. They provided no comment in interview and have no care whatsoever for the damage they were willing to inflict on others. 'Their motives are likely to have been financial, providing weapons to criminals who in turn were using them to protect their drug operations. 'They have now paid the full price for their actions by being handed lengthy prison sentences. 'Hardy is likely to spend the remainder of his life behind bars, which sends out a clear message to those willing to get involved in this level of criminality.'
BBC News
16 hours ago
- BBC News
East Midlands garden gun-making gang jailed for weapons supply
A garden gun-maker and a notorious "drugs general" have been jailed for producing and distributing "assassination kits" for organised crime groups across the Knowles, 64, known as "the armourer", was arrested by armed police as he tried to burn the evidence in his back garden in Alfreton, Derbyshire, in August kits were sold by "facilitator" Gary Hardy, 62, from his home in Ravenshead, Nottinghamshire, and distributed by Steven Houston, 65, from Corley, Hardy for 23 years, Knowles for 13-and-a-half years, and Houston for 25 years, Judge Mark Watson said: "Each of you contributed in different but important ways – you all knew what you were doing." Hardy sent "assassination kits" to Houston, who supplied the weapons to members of criminal gangs included known criminal and "customer" – Jason Hill, 23, who was jailed for four years after pleading guilty before his trial. Officers found two handguns, two silencers and ammunition in a safe hidden in the garden in a raid on Hill's is currently serving a life-sentence for the "brutal and cold-blooded" murder of Owen Fairclough, whose body was found in Breaston, Derbyshire, in June Joyce, for the prosecution said: "[The Crown] asserts that Hardy and Houston were respected heads of organised crime groups for the manufacture and sale of numerous weapons… these were provided with silencers and have been referred to as assassination kits."These weapons found their way into the hands of serious crime groups across the country."Police recovered weapons from Coventry, Wolverhampton, Essex and London – which the court heard were linked to Knowles' makeshift factory in his back prosecution said Knowles was referred to as "the armourer", and was employed by Hardy and Houston to make the firearms, and evidence suggested he was paid by the pair to do so, the court heard."The prosecution say these three men played leading roles in a long-standing conspiracy to sell weapons," Ms Joyce added. The makeshift factory was discovered as part of an investigation into Hardy by Nottinghamshire Police and the East Midlands Special Operations Unit (EMSOU).Nottingham Crown Court was told Knowles converted at least 33 replica pistols, and had enough bullets for a further 80 kits that were packaged with silencers and latex Ch Insp Mark Adas said this was the "this is the largest firearms manufacturing operation" he has come across and one of the biggest in the East began with their arrests after stopping a van in Measham, Leicestershire, in August seized a box containing four "lethal" self-loading pistols, each individually packaged with a silencer, blue nitrile gloves and 10 rounds of live force said the bullets had been converted from blank firing to live."These were lethal assassination kits. I call them that because they were individually packaged. The firearms were designed to kill. It is highly concerning," Det Ch Insp Adas said. The court heard as officers moved into Knowles's garden in Milton Avenue, drone footage captured the moment he emerged from an outbuilding with his hands up before being handcuffed in front of a bonfire he started. In mitigation for Knowles, Balraj Bhatia said the defendant was "extremely remorseful" and was described as an "exemplary prisoner" by Goodall KC, for Hardy, said he has health problems and has shown good character in prison, becoming a mentor to other Cole KC, for Houston, said the defendant was remorseful for his actions and knew the impact it had on his wider Cole KC also said there was a "lack of evidence" he was the head of an organised crime Stockwell KC, for Hill, said he "does not accept" the prosecution's case he bought the firearm from Houston and there was no evidence the firearms found were fired. Hardy of The Birches, Ravenshead, Nottinghamshire, was found guilty of:Conspired with others to sell or transfer a firearmConspired with others to have in your possession a firearm with intent by means thereof to endanger life or to enable another person by means thereof to endanger lifeConspired with others to convert into a firearm a thing, namely a blank firing firearmKnowles, of Milton Avenue, Alfreton, Derbyshire, pleaded guilty to:Conspired with others to sell or transfer a firearmConspired with others to have in your possession a firearm with intent by means thereof to endanger life or to enable another person by means thereof to endanger lifeConspired with others to convert into a firearm a thing, namely a blank firing firearmHouston, 65, of Breach Oak Lane, Corley, Warwickshire, was found guilty of:Conspired with others to sell or transfer a firearmConspired with others to have in your possession a firearm with intent by means thereof to endanger life or to enable another person by means thereof to endanger lifeConspired with others to convert into a firearm a thing, namely a blank firing firearmHill, aged 23, Derby Road, Risley, Derbyshire, pleaded guilty to:Possessing a firearm with intent by means thereof to endanger life or to enable another person by means thereof to endanger life
The Independent
17 hours ago
- The Independent
Ruthless criminal gang who made and supplied ‘assassination kits' jailed
A 'ruthless' gang which manufactured and sold 'assassination kits' to the criminal underworld has been jailed for a total of more than 60 years. Gary Hardy, 62, sold the weapon kits which were made in the garden of co-conspirator 64-year-old Robert Knowles, who acquired blank firing handguns and ammunition which he converted into viable firearms. The kits were stocked with a handgun, silencer, magazine and ammunition wrapped in a latex glove, and police said the converted firearms have been seized in eight locations across the country. At least 33 firearms had been manufactured in Knowles's firearms factory, which is believed to be one of the biggest in the East Midlands. Accomplice Steven Houston, 65, supplied the weapons to criminals, including 23-year-old Jason Hill who is a drug dealer and was convicted of murder last year. Hardy, of The Birches, Ravenshead, Nottinghamshire, received a sentence of 23 years, while Knowles, of Milton Avenue, Alfreton, Derbyshire, was handed a 13-year-and-six-month sentence, and Houston, of Breach Oak Lane, Corley, near Coventry, was given 25 years in prison. Sentencing Hardy, Knowles and Houston, who sat side by side in the dock at Nottingham Crown Court on Friday, Judge Mark Watson said: 'You were in business together. You brought your own set of skills and contacts to the enterprise. 'Each of you contributed in different but important ways. This was a large scale and highly sophisticated enterprise which involved a large number of weapons.' The judge said the operation started in at least November 2022 and told the court he is sure this was intended to continue for longer. The judge sentenced Hill, of Derby Road, Risley, Derbyshire, to serve four years consecutively to his life sentence for murder, and said: 'You are in a different and unique position in that you were not part of the conspiracy I deal with – you were a customer of it. 'These guns were designed to kill. There is no evidence these weapons had been discharged by you.' Hardy, Knowles and Houston were charged with conspiring to sell a firearm, conspiring to possess a firearm with intent to endanger life, and conspiring to convert a firearm. Hill was charged with possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life. Knowles and Hill admitted their crimes before Houston and Hardy were found guilty at a trial. Police stopped a vehicle in Gallows Lane in Measham, Leicestershire, in August 2023 and found a white box containing four firearms with Knowles's DNA on some of them. Nottinghamshire Police said when officers arrived at his property, they found him setting fire to evidence in his garden. Other weaponry was also seized from inside the address including crossbows, knives, axes, machetes, swords, gas powered weapons, airguns and ammunition, the force said. Abigail Joyce, prosecuting, said the weapon kits were distributed on a 'significant scale', and added: 'There was an expectation of substantial financial gain.' Ms Joyce told the court, which was attended by friends and family of the defendants: 'The prosecution contend that the three played leading roles in a long-standing conspiracy. 'The sale of assassination kits demonstrates they were only designed to be used for one purpose, i.e. the infliction of serious, and likely fatal, injuries.' Emma Goodall KC, defending Hardy, said his chronic health issues would make prison difficult and added that a custodial sentence would impact his wife. Defence barrister for Knowles, Balraj Bhatia KC, said the defendant was 'not the instigator' and is described by many as a 'caring, helpful, kind person that many in difficulties can turn to'. In a letter read out by Mr Bhatia, Knowles wrote: 'I have made my bed, now I must lie in it. I'm sorry for what I got up to. If I manage to come through my sentence, I promise you won't be hearing any more from me.' Gordon Cole KC, defending Houston, said his client has 'real, physical difficulties' and has shown a 'clear expression of remorse'. In a statement after the sentencing, Detective Chief Inspector Mark Adas, of Nottinghamshire Police, said: 'These are ruthless individuals that have a complete disregard for human life. 'They were creating, packaging and distributing firearms, which would have led to devastating consequences had they been used in public. 'Each handgun had been threaded to fit a silencer, which allowed the gun to be used discreetly at close quarters, meaning any potential targets would be lucky to escape with their lives. 'The rounds of ammunition were converted in such a way that upon impact they expanded causing maximum damage to any target. 'Our team of detectives have now closed arguably one of the biggest firearm factories in the East Midlands and taken a large quantity of firearms off the streets. 'The full impact of this investigation will never be seen – that's because we are unable to count the number of lives we may have saved. 'If this operation had continued undetected, the strong likelihood is these weapons would have been used and people would have been killed or seriously harmed. 'To put this into context – considering that each assassination kit included 10 rounds of converted ammunition, the seizure of more than 800 blank firing rounds and nearly 800 lead pellets indicates that the group had the potential to supply up to 80 further firearms packages. 'So far, we have identified eight locations across the country where these specific converted firearms or ammunition have been seized. 'The majority were in the West Midlands. This was therefore a well-established and far-reaching criminal enterprise. 'These criminals have shown no remorse. They provided no comment in interview and have no care whatsoever for the damage they were willing to inflict on others. 'Their motives are likely to have been financial, providing weapons to criminals who in turn were using them to protect their drug operations. 'They have now paid the full price for their actions by being handed lengthy prison sentences. 'Hardy is likely to spend the remainder of his life behind bars, which sends out a clear message to those willing to get involved in this level of criminality.'
The Independent
a day ago
- The Independent
Man jailed for killing brother with single punch in drunken fight at motocross
A man has been jailed for two years for killing his brother during a drunken fight. Ben Starr, 35, inflicted a single fatal blow to his brother Lee at a motocross event in Swindon in August last year. Lee Starr, 38, suffered a fatal head injury at the Foxhill motocross event in Upper Wanborough and died later in hospital. At a previous hearing Ben Starr, of Woodside Avenue, Ripley, Derbyshire, pleaded guilty to manslaughter after asking for a 'Goodyear Indication' from a judge – the maximum sentence he could receive. At a sentencing hearing on Thursday Judge Peter Blair KC, The Recorder of Bristol, jailed him for two years. Sam Jones, defending, said at a previous hearing: 'This case on the facts is, in any view, a tragic case. 'Both the defendant and his brother were intoxicated at the relevant time. ' One of the eyewitnesses to the incident, the defendant's father, refers to in his witness statement of Lee after having punched his brother on two occasions and after the two of them end up on the ground, with the defendant restraining his brother, after which they are separated, he sees Lee direct a kick and a punch towards the defendant. 'The defendant in his own interview with the police describes that kick and punch connecting with him. 'But it is accepted on his behalf that the only evidence of those blows connecting come from him. 'The witnesses at the scene see a kick and a punch directed towards him but not connect with him. 'The basis of plea put forward on the defendant's behalf is that after the two are separated and after the attempted kick and punch are thrown, the defendant then accepts in that context throwing the single punch which he did, which caused the injury.' At that hearing Robin Shellard, prosecuting, said the guilty plea to manslaughter was acceptable. In a statement read to the court, Lee Starr's wife Jaye said: '(Lee) was cruelly and senselessly taken from me and our children. 'I never imagined I would be forced to put into words the unbearable grief that now defines our lives. 'We had a future full of hope, love and dreams together. But that future was stolen from us in a horrific moment, and now every single day is a fight just to keep going without him.' Detective Chief Inspector Phil Walker, who led the investigation, said: 'Our thoughts remain with the family and loved ones of Lee, who has lost his life in such tragic circumstances. 'A life has been cut short following what should have been an enjoyable weekend at a family event. A single punch has ruined the lives of a family.'
