Jaspreet Kaur

Jowad Haji, a 24-year-old Coventry barber, was found not guilty at Warwick Crown Court of rape, attempted rape, sexual assault, assault by penetration and intentional strangulation. The allegations concerned a woman he had reportedly offered a job at Barberia in Stratford. Haji denied the offences and said he and the woman had previously shared a close but non-sexual relationship. Jurors deliberated for just over an hour before acquitting him of all charges, after which Judge Anthony Warner said he would be released.

Eleven people were convicted of smuggling 460kg of cannabis, worth an estimated £13.8 million, into the UK through Birmingham Airport. The group travelled from Thailand via Paris, carrying two drug-filled suitcases each; investigators also found Apple AirTags linked to a single Apple ID. The National Crime Agency and Border Force intercepted the shipment, and the defendants will be sentenced in September or October.

Jowad Haji, 24, denies raping and sexually assaulting a woman at Barberia in Stratford on January 31, as well as charges of attempted rape, assault by penetration and intentional strangulation. Prosecutors allege that he lured the woman to a back room by offering her a job, overpowered her and attacked her. Haji told Warwick Crown Court that the woman followed him voluntarily, hugged and kissed him, and was not forced into sexual activity. The trial is continuing.

A young boy suffered serious but non-life-threatening injuries to his legs, arm and head after being struck by an e-bike on Burbages Lane in Longford, Coventry, at about 6:55pm on August 19. The rider failed to stop. Warwickshire Police are appealing for witnesses, dashcam footage and doorbell recordings, while ambulance crews transported the child to University Hospital Coventry and Warwickshire.

Jowad Haji, a Coventry barber, denies rape, attempted rape, sexual assault, assault by penetration and intentional strangulation allegations relating to an incident at Barberia in Stratford. Giving evidence at Warwick Crown Court, he said he had a good and improving relationship with the woman and rejected claims that he offered her a job, flirted with her, massaged her or sexually assaulted her. Prosecutors allege that he made comments about her body before attacking her. The trial is continuing.

Coventry carer Lorraine Jelley stole approximately £31,000 from 85-year-old David Shine through around 50 unauthorized withdrawals and purchases between April 2024 and March 2025. She initially denied the fraud and blamed Shine’s alcohol use, but later pleaded guilty after the thefts were uncovered. Jelley, who was struggling with alcohol dependency, received a 28-month suspended sentence, an electronically monitored curfew, unpaid work and rehabilitation requirements, and a victim surcharge. The judge said she had calculatedly abused a position of trust, while the defense highlighted her progress in alcohol recovery.

West Midlands Police have appealed for witnesses and help identifying a man allegedly involved in an attack outside The Brickmakers Arms on Station Road, Balsall Common, at about 10pm on July 15. Several people reportedly suffered cuts believed to have been caused by a knife, and the suspect left in a car. Police asked anyone with information to contact them, quoting crime reference 20/326152/26.

Arjun Bilkhu, 25, was stopped in Warwick after police suspected his BMW was linked to drug supply. Officers found cannabis and cash in the vehicle, while a later search of his home uncovered around 7kg of cannabis worth more than £62,000, packaged for distribution, along with a knuckleduster. Bilkhu pleaded guilty to possession with intent to supply and possession of an offensive weapon. Despite the scale of the operation and his cannabis dependency, Warwick Crown Court imposed an 18-month community order with 100 hours of unpaid work and 20 rehabilitation activity days rather than a prison sentence.

Shane Turkington pleaded not guilty at Warwick Crown Court to murdering Thomas Niven, whose body was found in a wheelie bin at Cashs Park off Daimler Road in Coventry on March 13. Tammy Sturdy and Camron Sturdy, who were also charged, did not enter pleas and are due to appear at the next hearing on October 26. A provisional trial date has been set for March 8, 2027. Niven’s family described him as loving, caring and full of laughter.

A 45-year-old woman arrested on suspicion of two counts of wounding after a 16-year-old girl was stabbed on Roselands Avenue in Henley Green, Coventry, has been released on bail with strict conditions. The girl was treated in hospital and discharged, while a 42-year-old woman sustained minor injuries. West Midlands Police described the incident as isolated and increased patrols in the area pending further enquiries.

Coventry friends Samantha and Shane competed on BBC quiz show Picture Slam for a possible £10,000 jackpot. They advanced through the early rounds and led the Picture Battle with £2,450, but Glasgow father-and-son team Adam and Oliver overtook them by £100 and ultimately won the jackpot. Host Alan Carr praised Shane's animal noises, while Samantha was noted for her knowledge of 1990s pop music.

Police raided a property on Roselands Avenue in Wood End, Coventry, seizing significant quantities of Class B and suspected Class A drugs, mobile phones and electronic devices. A 55-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of possessing drugs with intent to supply and later released on bail under strict conditions. West Midlands Police said the operation was part of efforts to disrupt serious organized crime and urged residents to report suspected drug dealing.

Lisa Parker, 45, was sentenced to 24 months in prison suspended for 12 months after striking a motorbike rider with a walking stick on Cedar Road in Nuneaton in November 2024. The rider was thrown from the bike, suffered injuries and said the incident had profoundly affected his life after the motorbike was written off. Parker initially denied the offence and suggested the rider had crashed into her, but the court heard she believed the bike had been stolen from a family member. The judge called her actions reckless and said she had taken the law into her own hands, while recognising her remorse and bipolar disorder. She must continue medical treatment and was considered close to receiving an immediate custodial sentence.

A nostalgic gallery revisits 22 well-known shops and retailers that have disappeared from Coventry’s high streets, including Debenhams, BHS, Woolworths, IKEA, Goldsmiths and Phones 4U. It links the closures to changing shopping habits, the effects of Covid lockdowns and the cost-of-living crisis, while inviting readers to identify the former businesses shown in archive photographs.

Roshan Kafle, a Nepal-born chef who developed his career in Portugal and other European countries, has opened Sal Grosso in Coventry's Ball Hill. The Brazilian-style steakhouse offers an all-you-can-eat menu of about 15 freshly cooked meat cuts, carved at diners' tables, for £29.99. Kafle says the restaurant fulfills a long-held ambition and allows him to use and adapt his own recipes after years of following other establishments' menus.

A 24-photo gallery revisits the launch night and early years of Ikon nightclub at Coventry’s Skydome Multiplex. The venue opened in October 1999 with stilt walkers, fire eaters and a flame-thrower, later becoming a major noughties nightlife destination known for large events, £10 entry, drink promotions and alcohol-free “Kiddie Ikon” evenings. The gallery preserves memories of clubbers enjoying the venue before its closure and disappearance from Coventry’s nightlife scene.

Dolars Aleksanders, 23, was extradited from Latvia to the UK and charged with causing the death of 12-year-old Keaton Slater by dangerous driving. Slater was struck by a BMW on Radford Road in Coventry in June 2024 and later died from his injuries. The Crown Prosecution Service said there was sufficient evidence to pursue criminal proceedings, while West Midlands Police and UK, Latvian and international agencies assisted with the extradition. Aleksanders appeared at Birmingham Magistrates’ Court, was remanded in custody and is due to appear at Birmingham Crown Court on September 3.

Joseph Greer was sentenced to life imprisonment, with a minimum of 22 years, for murdering Coventry woman Samantha Lee in Aberdeen with a claw hammer. Lee suffered catastrophic head injuries after Greer attacked her while subject to bail conditions banning contact with her. Greer pleaded guilty but claimed not to remember the killing. The judge described the case as an extreme example of domestic abuse, while prosecutors said it demonstrated how violence against women can escalate to murder.

A 5G mast on Oakmoor Road in Longford, Coventry, was deliberately set alight shortly before 4pm on August 5. Fire crews from Coventry and Foleshill extinguished the fire, with all resources leaving by 7:45pm. No injuries were reported, and West Midlands Police is treating the incident as arson while appealing for witnesses and information.

Dolars Aleksanders, a 23-year-old Latvian national, appeared at Birmingham Magistrates’ Court after being extradited to the UK over the alleged dangerous-driving death of 12-year-old Keaton Slater in Coventry in June 2024. Aleksanders confirmed his identity and date of birth, was remanded in custody, and is due to appear at Birmingham Crown Court on September 3. The Crown Prosecution Service said British and Latvian authorities, along with several international agencies, worked together to bring him back to face proceedings.

Police are urgently seeking information to locate 12-year-old Adrianna, who was last seen at her home in Leamington Spa on August 4. She is approximately 5ft tall and was believed to be wearing a white top, red shorts and a grey jacket; police say she may be travelling with another girl. Anyone who sees her or knows her whereabouts is urged to call 999.

Warwickshire Police are investigating the sexual assault of a young man near Bermuda Leisure Park in Nuneaton at about 1am on August 5. The victim was reportedly approached by three men wearing black clothing near the bridge over the A444. Griff Road was closed while detectives carried out enquiries, and specialist officers are supporting the victim. Police are appealing for witnesses and information.

Hussein Dahir was sentenced to 12 years in prison after being convicted of robbing and violently attacking a man on Canal Road in Coventry. Dahir and another man befriended the victim before punching him and striking him with a broken bottle, causing deep head lacerations and bodily injuries that required surgery. The pair stole designer clothing and a mobile phone before fleeing. CCTV and forensic evidence led police to Dahir, while the second man was acquitted. West Midlands Police described the incident as a frenzied attack and said Operation Ruby is targeting robbery offences across the region.

Five men were jailed for their roles in a violent attack on a man who fled into the Spice Lounge in Coventry’s Hillfields after being confronted on Primrose Hill Street on May 31, 2025. Court evidence said the group kicked, stamped on, punched and restrained the victim, with some attempting to hide their faces from CCTV. Tyree Lieng received three years and eight months, Issa Kassim three years, Elhoussaine Aboushahba three and a half years in his absence, Mustafa Yassin two years and three months, and Wesley Osunde four years for violent disorder and separate drug offences.

West Midlands Police have released CCTV footage of a man they want to identify in connection with an alleged assault on Trinity Street, Coventry, on June 26. The victim was reportedly punched and kicked but was not seriously injured. Information can be given to police via 101 or anonymously through Crimestoppers, quoting crime reference 20/300688/26.

A motorcyclist sustained multiple serious injuries in a collision with a car at the junction of Ingon Lane and Warwick Road in Stratford-upon-Avon at about 1pm on August 3. Ambulance crews provided advanced trauma care, stabilised the man and took him to University Hospital Coventry and Warwickshire. Police advised motorists to avoid the junction while the incident was dealt with.

A six-year-old girl died in hospital after suffering critical injuries when the Volkswagen Tiguan in which she was travelling collided with a tractor on Fosse Way near Moreton Morrell, Warwickshire. Three other occupants were uninjured, while two children and a woman received precautionary hospital checks. Warwickshire Police are appealing for witnesses, particularly anyone with dashcam footage or who was driving on the B4455 around 5 p.m. on July 31.

A fire broke out in the rear garden of a property on George Robertson Close in Binley, Coventry, shortly after 8:15 p.m. on August 2. Crews from Coventry and Binley extinguished the blaze, which spread to fascias, ivy and fencing, while gas and electricity supplies were isolated. No injuries were reported, and follow-up thermal imaging checks found no remaining hotspots.

A man sustained potentially serious head injuries in an assault near Vibe on Church Street, Nuneaton, at around 10:50 p.m. on August 1. West Midlands Ambulance Service treated him before taking him to hospital, while Warwickshire Police continues its investigation and appeals for information.