Latest news with #Heanor
BBC News
4 days ago
- BBC News
Lee Young: Drug addict jailed for life for killing neighbour
A drug addict who staged a burglary at the flat of the friend he killed has been jailed for body of 62-year-old Shaun Harriman was found strangled in his home in Howitt Street, Heanor, Derbyshire, at about 23:55 BST on 30 September last Young, 38, also of Howitt Street, was at Derby Crown Court on Thursday handed a life sentence with a minimum term of 20 Judge Shaun Smith KC told Young: "What you did has had a shattering effect on all those who knew and loved Mr Harrison." A trial previously heard Young had admitted being a regular user of a variety of drugs, including crack cocaine and outside the room of Mr Harriman had shown the defendant entering the property on the night of his had used a ligature, which could not be identified, to "throttle" Mr Harrison."He didn't stand a chance," said the judge. The court heard following the killing, Young - who had 17 previous convictions for offences including robbery and possession of offensive weapons - bought drugs and later returned to Mr Harriman's property to stage a burglary and distance himself from the of sentencing, Derby Crown Court heard from relatives of Mr mother, Joy, said in a statement that "a mother should never have to live with the nightmare of her son being killed in the way Shaun was" while his eldest sister Julie Barker told the court: "I never had the chance to say goodbye and tell him how much I loved him."Mr Harrison's daughter Rebecca Holmes told the court how she had to arrange his funeral and wake just days before giving birth to the grandaughter that her dad would never Young, she said: "He was my family, my protector, my teacher, and my friend."You didn't just take a life, you imposed a life sentence on me and everyone who loved him."We will live with the pain of what you have done, that pain is our burden now."
BBC News
5 days ago
- General
- BBC News
Derbyshire school shortlisted for global award
A school in Heanor that was heavily criticised by inspectors a decade ago has been shortlisted for an international award in honour of its community Gate Spencer Academy was branded "inadequate" by Ofsted inspectors in 2013 but has been rated as "outstanding" since it has earned a nomination in the Community Collaboration category of the World's Best School Prizes event, organised by educational platform T4 Education, in recognition of its work with a local foodbank, care home and boxing Matt Jones told the BBC he wanted his school to be "at the heart of the community" rather than just being about classroom lessons. Mr Jones said the school had stepped up its community involvement since the Covid pandemic."There have been a lot of people involved in the evolution of the school," he said."It's not just academic success, rising through the ranks Ofsted, but also developing community partnerships." "I think Covid brought us all together as a community."There was a lot of work to do to support families through that period. Money was tight and we had to do as much as we could to try and provide support that was more than education and our school did fantastically well."The school has teamed up with Heanor's Salcare Foodbank with pupils working to help cut the stigma for people using this have also collaborated with a local primary school to help residents in nearby care homes and children from the school regularly have boxing coaching at the Full Power Fitness 14, welcomed the school award nomination, saying: "I think it is a great opportunity for the school to be seen and noticed and it makes me proud that I am part of the school."When I was told it [the award scheme] was worldwide I was shocked that we had made it into the top ten." T4 Education founder Vikas Pota said: "It is in schools like Heanor Gate Spencer Academy where we find the innovations and expertise that give us hope for a better future. "Congratulations on becoming a finalist for the World's Best School Prizes 2025. Leaders and schools around the world have so much to learn from this inspirational Derbyshire institution."There are four other categories in the competition and the winners will be announced at the World Schools Summit in the United Arab Emirates in November.
BBC News
15-06-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Heanor darts shop success down to 'Luke Littler boom'
"Darts has historically been an old man's game in a smoky back room of a pub, but it's not like that anymore."That is the view of darts enthusiast Ryan Clarke - from his shop in Heanor, Derbyshire, which he opened in March, he has seen that change first hand. He attributes the massive surge in popularity in part to one man - Luke 'The Nuke' Littler - who became the youngest ever PDC World Darts Champion in January, aged 17."Some days we can't comprehend how busy it has been," Mr Clarke said, "a big part of it is what Littler has done." The 2024 PDC World Darts final - where a then 16-year-old Littler lost 7-4 to Luke Humphries - saw a peak of 3.71 million people tune in to watch. This was up from 1.9 million the year surge in popularity has benefitted Mr Clarke's shop, he described the response in visitors as "absolutely unbelievable"."Personally, I think without the boom of Luke Littler, I don't know if we'd be here 100%."He added that there were "a lot of great players out there at there minute but the things that Luke's done for the sport is great." A roofer by trade, Mr Clarke has played darts for about 15 years and takes part in a local league. The 32-year-old does not drink and wanted to practice and play in an environment without alcohol. "That is part of the reason why we set this up - just for a different environment and space to be playing darts in rather than having to go to the pub and everything that goes with it."He has also seen a change in the clientele."That's the beauty of this sport," he said. "Because everybody can play on a similar sort of level if the practice is put in... it's so inclusive, I think that's why it's also taken off in the way it has."
BBC News
23-05-2025
- BBC News
Lee Young: Man found guilty of murdering fellow Derbyshire drug user
A drug addict who staged a burglary at the flat of a friend has been found guilty of body of 62-year-old Shaun Harriman was found at a property in Howitt Street, Heanor, Derbyshire, at about 23:55 BST on 30 September last Young, also of Howitt Street, was convicted by a jury at Derby Crown Court on 38-year-old will be sentenced on 19 June. A trial had previously heard Young had admitted being a regular user of a variety of drugs, including crack cocaine and outside the room of Mr Harriman had shown the defendant entering the property on the night of his had told his trial he acted in self-defence after the deceased - who had previously lent him money on a number of occasions - threw a bottle at him and then moved towards him holding a lock said he "panicked" after subduing him and then went out to buy drugs, rather than seek medical court heard he went to a friend's house and later returned to Mr Harriman's property to stage a burglary and distance himself from the crime.
