A specialist team setup to assist our takedown of serious and organised crime has now passed the milestone of 500 years in jail sentences. Operation Venetic was launched in 2020 with our officers working alongside international law enforcement agencies to clampdown on organised criminal networks by infiltrating the encrypted messagingContinue Reading
The first of 10 potentially life-saving bleed kits has been installed in a city, as part of an initiative by a murdered teenager’s parents. Connor Brown died in a knife attack in Sunderland in 2019, and his parents Tanya and Simon Brown set up a trust in his name. ThisContinue Reading
Local musicians have joined forces to raise more than £50,000 for a charity tackling child poverty in Sunderland. A large concert – involving more than 10 bands – was held at the Fire Station earlier this month. Organisers said £51,955 had been raised – more than any other single charityContinue Reading
A landlord has been forced to pay more than £25,000 for failing to get licences for six of his homes. Kamran Adil’s properties in Blackhall Colliery, near Peterlee in County Durham, had problems including electrical hazards and structural concerns. Durham County Council uses selective licences to regulate landlords and ensureContinue Reading
Officers are appealing to the public for their help to locate a missing teenage girl. Santana Hailstones, aged 13, was last seen in the Westgate Road area of Newcastle city centre at around 5pm on Friday (December 20). However, Santana has not been heard from since – and officers areContinue Reading
A three-year-old girl who had a life-saving organ transplant will appear on the Christmas special of Casualty to highlight the importance of donation. Beatrix, from Burnopfield in County Durham, spent more than a year in the Freeman Hospital in Newcastle waiting for a new heart. She had her transplant inContinue Reading
Workers at the HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) office in Newcastle are set to commence an eight-week strike on Monday. The Public and Commercial Services Union (PCS) announced the strike to support three colleagues it claims were unfairly dismissed. A picket line is planned outside HMRC’s Benton Park offices, accordingContinue Reading
Animal Rising has released footage from facilities as part of its probe into the RSPCA’s “Assured Scheme,” which certifies farms, food producers, and retailers meeting specific animal welfare standards. The RSPCA responded by stating it takes poor animal welfare allegations “incredibly seriously.” The charity denied claims of inaction, highlighting increasedContinue Reading
Kearney FM’s Managing Director, Aaron Kearney, is set to launch his brand-new podcast, The Daily Dose of Aaron, on 31st December 2024. The podcast promises to cover “everything and anything,” offering listeners engaging conversations, insightful stories, and plenty of surprises. New episodes will be released every Wednesday and Sunday atContinue Reading
A new puppet theatre in Newcastle has been vandalised, just days after reaching its fundraising target to establish a permanent space. Moving Parts Arts, the organisation behind the popular Newcastle Puppetry Festival, was preparing to transform an abandoned AA call centre in Elswick into a creative hub for puppetry andContinue Reading
