Latest news with #Leicester
BBC News
2 hours ago
- Business
- BBC News
Leicester Diwali party 'has to stay on the Golden Mile'
A business leader says Leicester's world famous Diwali celebrations "belong" in Belgrave Road, after the city council revealed it was considering other potential locations for this year's rethink has been prompted by crowd safety concerns due to the size of the crowds the festivities bring to the road, known as the "Golden Mile".City mayor Sir Peter Soulsby said he had been advised the celebrations had become too big for the Nisha Popat, chair of the Belgrave Business association, said she did not want to see it move, telling the BBC: "That's where it started, that's where the tradition began, and that's where the festival is currently and should continue to be." Leicester's celebration of the festival of light is thought to be one of the biggest outside of possible move of the festival was broached after the city's safety advisory group - which consists of all emergency services - raised Dempster, assistant city mayor for culture, said: "Two years ago, there was a lot of concern around the main stage and what actually was considered to be a near-miss. "Then last year, round Rothley Street, for 40 minutes, people were just not able to move."It was so packed. And of course, what had happened was that after the fireworks ended, everybody wanted to move, and the whole area just got completely jammed."Dempster said the council had met with the Belgrave Business Association, as well as the Hindu Festival Council, to discuss what is "clearly a very emotional issue". Ms Popat said she felt "pretty reassured after the meeting with the council [on Wednesday] that Diwali celebrations, even if different but equally bright, would continue on the Golden Mile"."We're obviously as concerned about the safety of the council as and we want to ensure everybody who comes to Diwali is safe," she said."However, all big events carry a risk and it's about how that risk is managed."Ms Popat said she thinks moving Diwali would have "a huge impact" on both the community and businesses in Belgrave."I think the only option for us as the business association and the community aspect is that Diwali needs to remain in the Golden Mile," she added."It's a festival that's been there for 40 years."When asked if the event was moved away from the Golden Mile, would Ms Popat get behind it, she said: "I don't feel I personally would. And I don't feel the community or the businesses would."Dempster said: "We want Diwali on the Golden Mile, we have to look at what can we do to ensure people's safety. That has to be paramount."She said the possible move was "categorically" not about costs and said it was the council's aim to have Diwali on the Golden Mile, but added the event "has to be safe and we have to work together".Leicester City Council said no decisions had been made and discussions will continue.
Daily Mail
10 hours ago
- Sport
- Daily Mail
Katie Boulter triumphs in sweltering three-set Battle of the Brits against Sonay Kartal - as British No2 eyes Nottingham Open three-peat on the court she calls her 'house'
Katie Boulter calls the Centre Court here in Nottingham her 'house' and showed on Thursday she will not be handing the keys over without a fight. The 28-year-old, who grew up in nearby Leicester and trained at this tennis centre as a child, has won the Nottingham Open in each of the past two years. And she kept her bid for a record-breaking third successive title on course by beating Sonay Kartal in a 2hr 26min Battle of Britain. Boulter appeared to be wilting in the 28°C heat against her Billie Jean King Cup team-mate, requiring painkillers after being blown away in the second set, then going a break down in the third. 'I am definitely proper British because I can't handle the heat,' the eighth seed joked afterwards. 'It was killing me.' But Boulter came back from the dead to break back for 4-4 in the deciding set, then went on to seal a 6-4, 1-6, 7-5 win and set up a quarter-final today against American McCartney Kessler. 'This is as close as home can ever feel like for me,' said the world No 39, who confirmed she has entered the US Open mixed doubles with her fiance Alex de Minaur. 'I literally feel like I step into my house when I come on to this court. 'At the very end, I just wanted to grit my teeth as hard as I could and get over the line.' Boulter will reclaim the British No 1 spot if she reaches another final in Nottingham, having been displaced by Emma Raducanu last week. However, she expects Kartal to soon surpass her in the rankings. Kartal was ranked as low as 271st at the start of last year's grass-court season. But the 23-year-old has enjoyed an astonishing rise in the past 12 months to soar into the world top 50 for the first time. 'I am going into Wimbledon feeling super confident,' said Kartal. 'My goal was to end the year top 50, so I am proud to have done it halfway through. 'To have three Brits close together in the rankings, the No 1 spot is in the back of our minds. It is really good to have that rivalry.' British 17-year-old Mimi Xu lost 7-5, 6-1 to Polish sixth seed Magda Linette in her debut WTA tournament. Defeat came a day after she sat a biology A-level exam - and was handed a wildcard for Wimbledon. 'After my match on Tuesday, I was just in revision mode and I didn't think about tennis until after the exam,' said Xu. 'To get the news about the wildcard was amazing. I was so happy.'
Yahoo
12 hours ago
- Yahoo
Rapist's sentence increased after victim returns
A rapist has been given an extended jail term thanks in part to one of his victims giving evidence against him for a second time. The Crown Prosecution (CPS) said Randy Ayor, 22, physically, sexually and emotionally abused three women after starting relationships with them while meeting them through work. Ayor was found not guilty of rape against the first accuser earlier this year but Leicester Crown Court heard he abused two further women within weeks of the verdict and she was invited to give evidence again. After being convicted of rape and assault against the second and third women in April he was sentenced on Thursday to 22 years in prison plus a three-year extension. The CPS said the first woman described how Ayor, from Leicester, became friendly towards her, helping her with car issues over a weekend but tricked her into coming back to his flat after a night out with friends. She made an allegation of rape and assault but Ayor was acquitted by a jury. However within weeks of the acquittal, Ayor attacked two further women, switching abruptly from "being charming and caring, to being violent". The CPS said he continued his emotional abuse by controlling what they wore, who they spoke to and refusing to let them get away from him. Ayor was brought before court for a second time and stood trial in April. Although Ayor had been acquitted of the rape of the first woman, she was able to give her account to a jury again, this time as bad character evidence, as her allegations were so similar to the others, the CPS said. The allegations she made could not be the subject of further charges, due to there being no new evidence in her case, but the testimony she gave at the trial showed a "similar pattern of behaviour, which strengthened the prosecution's case" against Ayor. The CPS said it must apply to the court to use bad character evidence and demonstrate it is relevant to the case and still consistent with giving the defendant a fair trial. After his trial in April, a jury found Ayor guilty of five counts of rape, one count of assault by penetration and one count of strangulation against the second woman. He was also convicted of one count of rape, one count of false imprisonment, two counts of actual bodily harm, one count of assault by beating and one count of controlling or coercive behaviour against the third woman, with Ayor pleading guilty to one count of strangulation against her. Charlotte Caulton-Scott, from the CPS, said: "Despite still being traumatised from their experiences, Ayor's victims persevered in giving evidence, revealing Ayor as the manipulator he truly is. "Although Ayor was acquitted of crimes against her, the extraordinary resolve of the first complainant to give evidence in this trial, contributed to him facing the consequences of his abhorrent crimes." Follow BBC Leicester on Facebook, on X, or on Instagram. Send your story ideas to eastmidsnews@ or via WhatsApp on 0808 100 2210. Crown Prosecution Service
BBC News
13 hours ago
- BBC News
Leicester rapist jail time added after woman gives evidence again
A rapist has been given an extended jail term thanks in part to one of his victims giving evidence against him for a second Crown Prosecution (CPS) said Randy Ayor, 22, physically, sexually and emotionally abused three women after starting relationships with them while meeting them through was found not guilty of rape against the first accuser earlier this year but Leicester Crown Court heard he abused two further women within weeks of the verdict and she was invited to give evidence being convicted of rape and assault against the second and third women in April he was sentenced on Thursday to 22 years in prison plus a three-year extension. The CPS said the first woman described how Ayor, from Leicester, became friendly towards her, helping her with car issues over a weekend but tricked her into coming back to his flat after a night out with friends. She made an allegation of rape and assault but Ayor was acquitted by a within weeks of the acquittal, Ayor attacked two further women, switching abruptly from "being charming and caring, to being violent".The CPS said he continued his emotional abuse by controlling what they wore, who they spoke to and refusing to let them get away from him. Ayor was brought before court for a second time and stood trial in April. 'True manipulator' Although Ayor had been acquitted of the rape of the first woman, she was able to give her account to a jury again, this time as bad character evidence, as her allegations were so similar to the others, the CPS allegations she made could not be the subject of further charges, due to there being no new evidence in her case, but the testimony she gave at the trial showed a "similar pattern of behaviour, which strengthened the prosecution's case" against Ayor. The CPS said it must apply to the court to use bad character evidence and demonstrate it is relevant to the case and still consistent with giving the defendant a fair trial. After his trial in April, a jury found Ayor guilty of five counts of rape, one count of assault by penetration and one count of strangulation against the second was also convicted of one count of rape, one count of false imprisonment, two counts of actual bodily harm, one count of assault by beating and one count of controlling or coercive behaviour against the third woman, with Ayor pleading guilty to one count of strangulation against Caulton-Scott, from the CPS, said: "Despite still being traumatised from their experiences, Ayor's victims persevered in giving evidence, revealing Ayor as the manipulator he truly is."Although Ayor was acquitted of crimes against her, the extraordinary resolve of the first complainant to give evidence in this trial, contributed to him facing the consequences of his abhorrent crimes."
BBC News
13 hours ago
- Sport
- BBC News
Blaze heating up while Hampshire Hawks close gap
The Blaze overcame Lancashire to remain unbeaten and close the gap at the top on Women's T20 Blast leaders Surrey as Hampshire also won to remain in Heather Graham collected 3-36 as The Blaze restricted Thunder to 150-9 at Ailsa Lister provided the main Lancashire resistance with a superb 79 from 38 hosts were in a spot of bother at 84-4 in the 12th over when England skipper Nat Sciver-Brunt departed for 31 in her first domestic appearance since Georgia Elwiss hit an unbeaten 43 to steer them over the line with 10 balls to spare and five wickets in Taunton, Freya Kemp smashed an unbeaten 65 as Hampshire posted 169-6 and, despite 60 from Niamh Holland and 43 from Amanda-Jade Wellington, the winless hosts' brave chase fell five runs short. Lister fireworks in vain for Thunder After being asked to bat first, Thunder struggled to 29-2 in the six-over powerplay but Lister had an escape when she was dropped at mid-wicket on were 65-4 in the 12th over but the fifth-wicket pair of Lister and Fi Morris (22) almost doubled the total before the latter hit Graham straight to backward point with 15 balls to King, Kate Cross and Tara Norris went without scoring and Lister, dropped again on 62, eventually fell to the final ball from Graham, having hit the Australian for six twice in addition to nine fours in her 79 - the highest by the team this Blaze lost Tammy Beaumont and Kathryn Bryce early in the reply but Sciver-Brunt hit four of her first 10 balls to the boundary and the hosts looked comfortable at the halfway point, needing 78 to missed a straight ball from Grace Potts to depart and England colleague Amy Jones followed for 16 soon after but three fours from Graham (19*) regained momentum and Elwiss hit her seventh four down the ground to win it. Kemp shines for Hawks as Somerset edged out On a scorching day at Taunton, Hampshire openers Maia Bouchier and Charli Knott put on 80 before Chloe Skelton took a fine catch over her shoulder at mid-on to send Bouchier on her way for 43 from 26 balls with eight her final game before returning to Australia, Knott holed out to international team-mate Wellington at long-on 10 balls later for 43 from 34 Adams (10) and Rhianna Southby fell in successive deliveries to Charlie Dean (3-25), while Abi Norgrove was run out in the next Kemp went through the gears, with seven fours and two sixes in her 38-ball stay which guided the visitors to their first win in their seventh match, Somerset fell to 19-2 after four overs but Holland shared a stand of 52 with Sophie Luff (23) and then 63 with Wellington on her way to a career-best T20 innings of 60 from 53 balls, to set up a tense hit 44 from 25 balls but fell in the final over as the hosts came up just short at 164-6. Friday fixtures Durham v Essex (14:30 BST)Bears v Blaze (15:00 BST)
