West Midlands police commissioner wins legal challenge against powers transfer
The police and crime commissioner (PCC) for the West Midlands has won a High Court challenge against Government plans to transfer his powers to the region’s mayor.
Simon Foster, a Labour politician, took legal action against the Home Office’s move to scrap his role in time for local elections in May.
His powers over the local police force are set to be merged with those of the West Midlands mayor – a role currently held by Conservative Andy Street.
On Monday, a judge ruled in Mr Foster’s favour, concluding the Home Office had not provided sufficient information when consulting over its plans.
Sheffield priest in court to face 34 sexual abuse charges
A priest who led an evangelical movement in the 1980s and 1990s has appeared in court to face multiple allegations of sexual offences against former members of a church congregation.
The Reverend Christopher Brain led the movement called the Nine O’Clock Service in Sheffield between 1986 and 1995.
Brain appeared at Sheffield Magistrates’ Court for a four-minute hearing on Monday where he faced a total of 34 charges in relation to 11 women.
The charges relate to allegations of sexual offences committed against women who had joined the movement, police have said.
Brain, now 66, of Park Road, Wilmslow, Cheshire, is charged with one count of rape and 33 counts of indecent assault, alleged to have been committed between 1981 and 1995.
The Nine O’Clock Service was initially held at St Thomas’s Church, in the Crookes area of Sheffield, before moving to Ponds Forge sport complex in the city centre.
Bearded Brain stood in the glass-fronted dock for the short hearing wearing a grey suit and black open-necked shirt.
He spoke to give his name, date of birth and address.
District Judge Marcus Waite granted him unconditional bail and told him to appear again at Sheffield Crown Court on April 15.
Only the rape charge was read out in full in court on Monday.
The judge explained to Brain that this allegation was so serious it needed to be dealt with by a crown court judge and that the other 33 counts will also be transferred.
The 33 indecent assault charges include some which cover multiple different alleged incidents, including a number involving allegations of assault during massages.
Brain left the court building with his solicitor, wearing a surgical mask.
Copy sourced from Dave Higgens, PA
Indie rock band bdrmm return to Sheffield for their huge 2024 UK and Europe tour
The Leeds-Hull indie rock band bdrmm will be returning this spring to Sheffield as part of their UK and Europe tour to promote their new album ‘I Don’t Know’.
The band will be performing at Yellow Arch Studios on 19 March.
Speaking of their Sheffield gig, the lead singer said: “We played our first Sheffield show at Yellow Arch and the day we’re going back is actually my birthday, and it’s the end of the tour so it’ll be the best day.
“Yellow Arch is gonna be a pretty special one.”
The band’s second album, released in June last year, showcases hazy, opaque melodies, bounding electronic sounds, and an overall euphoric and dystopian feel.
The name bdrmm nods to the creation of the band, which started out as a bedroom project. Lead vocalist, Ryan Smith, said: I just started writing some demos on my iPhone in my room just out of boredom and then I created a couple of EPs, put them on a BBC Introducing Upload and one of them got played.
“Then I thought, 'I should get a band together.'”
The dream-pop band is composed of Ryan Smith, his brother Jordan Smith (vocals and bass), Joe Vickers (guitar and bass), and Conor Murray (drums). Ryan said: “We’ve been writing music and performing as much as we can ever since.”
After touring, releasing two self-recorded demo EPs, and a few singles, the band was signed to Sonic Cathedral in 2019. Their official debut EP ‘If Not, When?’ was released later that year.
Speaking of his favourite moment with the band so far, the lead vocalist said: “The past two days have been pretty special with DIIV. We also supported Mogwai last year. That was unreal, and then we signed with them. Also holding the first vinyl - that was a real hangover cure moment.”
Their 10-track debut album ‘Bedroom’ was released in early 2020 and showcased an elevation of their previous singles, both musically and lyrically. It entered the Official UK Charts on three separate occasions, ended up in Rough Trade’s Top 10 albums of 2020 and was declared by The Guardian, “one of the underground hits of lockdown."
In 2023, the band signed with Mogwai's Rock Action Records, and released their second album. When asked to describe their new album in three words, Ryan said: “It’s much more electronic. The music comes from things that have happened to me but I wanted to try and create a feel from somebody else.
“It's almost like coming from someone else's mind and it’s just like their diary entries of how they're surviving in this world now. So it’s a bit more of a dystopian take rather than personal.”
Described as a “modern day shoegaze classic,” four-piece band are collectively inspired by the likes of Radiohead, but also have hints of The Cure and RIDE in their music.
Their favourite touring moment so far is when they performed at Alexandra Palace with Mogwai last year. Ryan said: “We were playing in probably one of the biggest venues in England. It was just a proper pinch me moment.”
Interestingly, Ryan's favourite thing about touring is the service station stops. He said: “There’s just so much variety and it’s nice when you’re in a van all the time. Subway is my go-to when we’ve got money, but I’m currently on a sausage roll kind of budget.”
Since hitting the road this spring, the band have so far performed in London, Manchester, and Norwich, as well as many other cities around Europe.
Find out more about the Sheffield event here.
Sheffield priest in court to face 34 sexual abuse charges
A priest who led an evangelical movement in the 1980s and 1990s has appeared in court to face multiple allegations of sexual offences against former members of a church congregation.
The Reverend Christopher Brain led the movement called the Nine O’Clock Service in Sheffield between 1986 and 1995.
Brain appeared at Sheffield Magistrates’ Court for a four-minute hearing on Monday where he faced a total of 34 charges in relation to 11 women.
The charges relate to allegations of sexual offences committed against women who had joined the movement, police have said.
Brain, now 66, of Park Road, Wilmslow, Cheshire, is charged with one count of rape and 33 counts of indecent assault, alleged to have been committed between 1981 and 1995.
District Judge Marcus Waite granted him unconditional bail and told him to appear again at Sheffield Crown Court on April 15.
Only the rape charge was read out in full in court on Monday.
The judge explained to Brain that this allegation was so serious it needed to be dealt with by a crown court judge and that the other 33 counts will also be transferred.
The 33 indecent assault charges include some which cover multiple different alleged incidents, including a number involving allegations of assault during massages.
Sharks head into All-Star game with back-to-back wins
The Sheffield Sharks cruised to an easy 87-77 win over the Newcastle Eagles on Friday night.
The team effort gave the Sharks their 14th win of the season in their final game before the league’s All Star game.
Malek Green led the Sharks in scoring with 17 points on 46% shooting. He also recorded a double-double, adding 10 rebounds and an assist. Green routinely forced his way into the paint, hitting easy lay up opportunities. Three of the other starters for the Sharks scored double-digit points while Devearl Ramsey totalled seven assists, routinely setting up his teammates with scoring opportunities.
Prentiss Nixon led the scoring off the Sharks’ bench, scoring nine points in just over 12 minutes. Early in the second quarter, Green hit a tough fadeaway from the right baseline to break the 22-22 tie with the Eagles, giving them a lead that they would not lose again.
In the waning seconds of the first half, a turnover by the Eagles led to a fast break opportunity for the Sharks. Following a steal, Ramsey drove the ball the length of the court, cutting into the paint before dishing a pass to a wide open Rj Eytle-Rock who nailed a corner three.
Despite only hitting three out of 13 three-point attempts, the Sharks built a comfortable lead early and led by as many as 19.
The Sharks frequently drew fouls, getting to the free throw line and capitalising on their shots, hitting 20 of 25, six more than the Eagles.
The Eagles’ Jordan Johnson led his team with 23 points and five assists, but was largely unsupported by the rest of his team, as the next highest scorer was Tajh Green with 16 points.
With just seven games remaining in the season, the Sharks look poised to remain in the playoff hunt as they currently hold a 14 point lead over the ninth place Manchester Giants.
While the London Lions have already run away with the league championship, the Sharks still have the opportunity to climb up the standings ahead of the playoff and one more win will secure them a guaranteed playoff spot.
Five episodes of GB News programmes presented by Tory MPs found to have broken Ofcom rules
Five programmes on GB news featuring politicians acting as news presenters broke broadcasting rules, media regulator Ofcom has said.
Two episodes of Jacob Rees-Mogg’s State Of The Nation, two episodes of Friday Morning With Esther And Phil, and one episode of Saturday Morning With Esther And Phil, broadcast during May and June 2023, were the episodes in question and broke broadcasting due impartiality rules, Ofcom said.
Sadiq Khan said London could have gone “much further, much faster” without a Tory government “holding us back”
The London mayor accused the Conservatives of an "abject failure" to grasp the gravity of the housing crisis.
He said: “We saw it when the last home secretary claimed homelessness is, quote, a lifestyle choice. We saw it last week when the latest housing minister said housing is never really the problem.
“And I’m under no illusion about the scale. The challenge has been decades in the making, but with political will, it can be overcome.”
Sir Keir Starmer said Sadiq Khan would be able to achieve more if there was a Labour government.
The Labour leader said all Mr Khan’s achievements as London Mayor had been “in the teeth of a Tory government.”
As Mr Khan seeks a historic third term, Sir Keir said the mayor had spent eight years “fighting for London with a government that is hostile to progress because of the mayor.”
With a general election later this year, Sir Keir said: “Imagine the transformation if we had a Labour mayor in London, working alongside a Labour government, how much more we could do – at much greater pace – for all of our communities.
“We know that, nationally, the country wants change, you can feel it everywhere you go. Fourteen years of failure and the country wants the chance to say ‘let’s change’.
“They know the Tories can’t deliver that change. Look around you, is there anything now working better than it did 14 years ago? The answer to that question is no.”
Putin wins a fifth term as Russian president by a landslide
Vladimir Putin wins a fifth term as Russian president by a landslide of 87%, according to Russian exit polls.
He faced no credible opposition candidate as the Kremlin tightly controls Russia's political system, media and elections.
Germany called it a "pseudo-election", while the US said the vote was "obviously not free nor fair".
Ukraine's President Zelensky said Putin was "drunk with power and is doing everything to rule forever".
In a post-election news conference, Putin vowed to press on with the invasion of Ukraine.
Sheffield cycling charity offering reclining trike trial to people with disabilities
People with disabilities are being offered the chance to try reclining trikes which could make cycling "more accessible" in Sheffield today.
Sheffield Cycling 4 All is inviting stroke survivors, brain injury survivors, amputees, and people affected by conditions such as Chronic Fatigue Syndrome or Parkinson’s disease, to Hillsborough Park to try out some of the best e-assist recumbent trikes around.
E-assist recumbent trikes are electric bikes with three wheels that take less effort than riding a normal bike, allowing you to ride further and on different terrains, without requiring much effort.
Tom Collister, 46, Project Co-ordinator at Sheffield Cycling 4 All, said: “Our aim is to make cycling more accessible for disabled people and people with long-term health conditions.”
There will be a range of different trikes, mostly powered cycles, for people with disabilities or long-term health conditions to try.
Sheffield Cycling 4 All was first set up by Disability Sheffield, which is a user-led organisation, run and controlled by people with disabilities.
The project, which has been running for 15 years, offers a range of inclusive cycling projects like inclusive off-road cycling days in different locations, such as Parkwood Springs and Concord Park.
As well as offering public cycling sessions, they also host a weekly VIP (visually impaired pedallers) cycling group for people with visual impairments who want to exercise and socialise, and a pedal-strokes and brain injury cycling group for anyone who has been affected by a stroke or brain injury.
Beyond the park sessions, Sheffield Cycling 4 All offers a trike loan scheme and a cycle loan scheme to anyone who needs assistance. This allows people to have trikes or cycles at home for up to three months to experience cycling as a form of transport.
They also host consultations with different councils about accessibility of routes in Sheffield and campaign for better accessibility and infrastructure for disabled cyclists.
As well as that, they have a YouTube channel where they post information videos about different types of cycles.
No previous cycling experience is required and you don’t need to register for the event in advance.
The event is running from 10:30am until 1:30pm today.
Sheffield United women’s team make midweek debut at Bramall Lane
Sheffield United women all but secured their status as a Championship team by picking up two wins in their last two fixtures.
This week the team secured six points in their matches against Watford and Crystal Palace at Bramall Lane.
Wednesday marked the first time that the team played a midweek fixture at home since turning professional in July.
The club has committed to ensure that all home league games are played at Bramall Lane and said the transition is vital to inspire the younger generation to get involved in women’s football.
Bex Rayner, who marked her 100th appearance for The Blades on Wednesday, said: “It’s all about the next generation and I try to do everything I can to inspire them. One of the fans earlier said one day I’ll be playing with you, and it made me so proud because when I was younger I didn’t have that.”
Midweek games mean children can attend straight after school and many could be seen in uniform or wearing the classic red and white stripes.
As a commitment to the growth of women’s football, the players warmed up in Her Game Too shirts, as the team marked their one-year partnership with the campaign earlier this month.
The club said: "The representation of women and girls at our matches is one of the key areas that we are concentrating our efforts and we've monitored, with great interest, the rise and great work of #HerGameToo and are proud to partner with such a fantastic organisation.”
Defender Charlotte Newsham said: “We all knew it was a big game going into it. it was important for us to get the three points today. It was a long time coming but I think we deserved it.”
The 1-0 win against Watford and the 2-0 win against Crystal Palace on Sunday means the team have four games to secure one more point to ensure their safety from relegation.
Injury crisis and a 6-0 defeat adds pressure to Sheffield Wednesday’s relegation battle
Sheffield Wednesday’s hopes of avoiding relegation received another blow on Saturday as Ipswich Town fired six goals past them.
The loss sees Wednesday stuck at 23rd in the Championship table, but results elsewhere in the league keep them only one win away from safety.
The battle to avoid the bottom three promises to reach an exciting climax in the coming weeks, with only nine points separating 12th place and the relegation zone.
Reflecting on the loss, manager Danny Rӧhl said: “[Ipswich] should be our role model. We want to be competitive with these teams, this is what we have to improve.
“We have no excuses in the next eight games. This is where we have to take points.”
Braces from Omari Hutchinson and Ali Al-Hamadi helped push Ipswich closer to a Premier League return, having only been in League One last season.
Wednesday managed just one shot on target and were hit with an injury crisis during the game.
Captain Barry Bannan was taken off at half-time, and key attacker Ian Poveda only saw a few minutes of the second half before being scuppered by a muscle injury that puts his Colombian call-up in doubt.
Rӧhl is hoping the international break will provide both with the opportunity to recover before their next duel with Swansea.
Elsewhere in South Yorkshire, bottom-place Rotherham held back relegation contender Huddersfield in a goalless draw to receive their first point in ten games.
But with just 20 points overall, the Millers will need to win at least seven of their final eight games to remain in the Championship.
Henderson’s Relish roof tiles project raises £9,000 for students seeking sanctuary
The University of Sheffield has raised £9,000 by selling engraved tiles from the old Henderson’s factory.
The project is part of a collaboration between Henderson's Relish, APG Works, and the departments of Architecture and Engineering to support scholarships for students seeking sanctuary.
The bursaries support students who have been displaced or affected by a conflict in their home country, including those from Ukraine.
This project is part of the University's work to preserve Henderson's House.
What is happening with the old Henderson's factory?
Before the pandemic, there were plans to convert the former factory to a pub. However, these plans have since been scrapped.
Rachel Parnham, relationships manager at the University of Sheffield, said: “Henderson’s House is an iconic part of Sheffield as the historical home of Henderson’s.
“If we hadn’t taken any action, the building wouldn’t be there anymore. Our goal is to preserve the building and make it watertight.”
The current building work aims to reuse as much of the old materials as possible, including bricks from the old factory building. The building work was set to be completed this spring, but the project has seen multiple delays.
Ms Parnham said: "Because the roof tiles couldn't be reused in the preservation project of 'Henderson's House' it provided a great opportunity for a charity initiative. Our former Director of Estates and Facilities Management Keith Lilley wanted us to show our support as a department to students seeking sanctuary in Sheffield.
"The cleaning of the tiles is very time consuming - it has to be done by hand due to their fragility and it takes time to clean off decades worth of grime.
"The project has only been made possible through the generosity of estates staff giving up their time to do the cleaning and a fantastic technician in the architecture department who cuts and engraves the Henderson's logo onto the tiles. It's also been a fantastic opportunity to showcase the talent of two of our students Katie Cottle and Ameli Vidanearachchi.
"The original roof tiles have been replaced on the project but retained and repurposed as a commemorative piece of Henderson's history that can be purchased with the proceeds of the sales going to students seeking sanctuary in Sheffield.
"To date this has raised over £9,000 and these are still available to buy. Whilst the objective has always been to preserve as much of the historic fabric as possible this has been carefully balanced with ensuring that the building is structurally sound and can be brought back into use."
The tiles are hand cut and engraved with Henderson’s relish logo before being placed in a presentation frame with an illustration of the building.
Sheffield student artwork competition
There are two illustrations to choose between, depicting a traditional and a modern version of the building.
The designs were created as part of a competition by Sheffield students, Katie Cottle and Ameli Vidanearachchi.
Ms Parnham said: “We couldn’t decide between them, and we loved their distinct differences.”
Katie Cottle is an architecture masters student at the University of Sheffield.
She said: "I really enjoyed being commissioned to illustrate this iconic building as I have walked past it many times on campus. It felt really important to commemorate and record this important part of Sheffield’s history before the renovation began.
"The Henderson’s Tile Project is an inspired idea that I am excited to be a part of. It not only raises money to support students seeking sanctuary in Sheffield, but also is demonstrating a way to reduce the amount of construction waste being sent to landfill by up-cycling the roof tiles."
The tiles cost £125 and can be purchased from the Print and Creative Services Desk in the Students' Union.
For more information on the University’s work to preserve the former Henderson’s Relish building, visit the estates website.