January 2009 - Crime in the news

• Parents angry over Rhys sentence

  James Yates, who gave the gun to Rhys' killer, was sentenced to seven years, but the Joneses say it's not enough. [30 January 2009]

• Man charged with campervan murder

  Christine Ann Thomas was found dead in her campervan in July last year. [30 January 2009]

• 1991 case reopened

  Two people are being questioned over two suicides almost 20 years old. [30 January 2009]

• Father-of-five's attacker charged with murder

  A young man has been charged with murdering father Michael Eccles outside a wine shop. [28 January 2009]

• Murder over Xbox

  A young boy died after a 16-year-old attacked him over an Xbox game. [28 January 2009]

• Footballer Robinho facing sexual assault allegation

  Manchester City footballer was arrested and questioned by police about a sexual assault in a nightclub on January 14. [28 January 2009]

• Monster jobs site experiences largest data theft in Britain

  Hackers have attacked the job recruiting website Monster.co.uk and millions of people have had their personal information stolen. [27 January 2009]

• Knives tracked down by Scottish police through the web

  Strathclyde Police have turned to social networking sites to take weapons, mostly knives, off the streets and protect its citizens. [27 January 2009]

• A 30-year-old murder case still searching for answers

  The mother of a young woman killed 30 years ago will not rest until her daughter's murder case is solved. [27 January 2009]

• Two schoolboys involved in violent stabbing now in policy custody

  Two suspects, boys aged 16 and 17 are being held after the death of a schoolboy who was fatally stabbed. [26 January 2009]

• Stabbing victim dies after being found early Sunday

  An unnamed man was found stabbed to death in north-west London Sunday morning. [26 January 2009]

• Violence and destruction breaks out at FA cup

  Anti social behaviour at Saturday's FA Cup match is condemned by club officials. [26 January 2009]

• Husband killed wife after Facebook change

  A man in Staffordshire killed his wife after she changed her status on Facebook from married to single and refused to return his messages. [23 January 2009]

• Men jailed for brutal pensioner murder

  Two men got 17 years for the murder of 60-year-old Darren Presley in his flat in Blackpool. [22 January 2009]

• Parents appeal for info on murder

  Martyn Barclay, 26 was shot on Saturday, January 17 in Edinburgh. [22 January 2009]

• Black cab driver raped 14 women

  John Worboys is standing trial for the sexual assault and drugging of 14 women in London. [22 January 2009]

• Animal rights activists convicted of blackmail

  Several animal rights campaigners have been sentenced for up to 11 years imprisonment for threats and harassment against companies linked to an animal testing laboratory. [21 January 2009]

• Robberies up

  Figures from the Home Office show that robberies, fraud and drug offences rose in July to September 2008. [22 January 2009]

• Trial begins for wife's murder

  Make-up artist and Emmy winner, Diane Chenery-Wickens, may have been killed by her husband for discovering his secret sex life. [21 January 2009]

• Scarlett's mum interview

  Scarlett Keeling's mother speaks out about her murder in Goa. [21 January 2009]

• Appeal for missing boy

  A reconstruction was held yesterday, two weeks after a 15-year-old boy disappeared from Reading. [21 January 2009]

• Father jailed for raping daughters

  A 72-year-old has been jailed for 14 years for the sexual abuse of his three daughters. [20 January 2009]

• Charities criticise rape sentences

  Three men were sentenced to six years for the rape and brutal disfiguration of a 16-year-old in Seven Sisters. The Attorney General's office is reviewing the sentencing.[20 January 2009]

• Missing girl may be with rapist

  The man who is believed to have gone abroad with missing teenager Laura Stainforth is on bail pending a rape investigation. [20 January 2009]

• Recession crimewave

  The Independent reports that burglary and robbery are on the rise. [19 January 2009]

• Second trial for Kercher murder begins

  Amanda Knox and Raffaele Sollecito stand trial today for the murder and sexual assault of Meredith Kercher. [16 January]

• Woman dies after robbery

  An 81-year-old woman died after being mugged in Harrow, north west London last night. [16 January 2009]

• Bloody handprints found in cupboard

  Bradford Crown Court was told yesterday of the abuse suffered by two-year-old Sanam Navsarka before she died. [15 January 2009]

• Two arrested over drive-by murder

  The youths, aged 16 and 20, were arrested over the murder of Richard Cox in Croydon. [15 January 2009]

• Rhys Jones murderer appeals

  The convicted murderer of schoolboy Rhys Jones has launched an appeal. [15 January 2009]

• Woman pulled to her death on railway line

  A mother died after being hit by a train at a level crossing after her boyfriend dragged her onto the tracks, despite a man pulling her to safety seconds before. [14 January 2009]

• Prozac made teen kill

  A 15-year-old boy, whose personality changed by the anti-depressant Prozac, beat a man to death and tried to kill his wife. [14 January 2009]

• Man charged for throwing coin

  A man has been charged with battery after he threw a 50p coin at an assistant referee during a football match. [14 January 2009]

• Young gang members could face banning orders

  Young people who join gangs could face banning orders to control their movements and prevent gun and knife crime, the BBC has learned.

• Stabbings among prisoners caused by drug debts

  A new report has disclosed that stabbings among prisoners have been caused by drug debts at a high-security prison in Worcestershire. [13 January 2009]

• Eight arrests over post office death

  Eight people have been arrested in police raids in Birmingham in the hunt for the killers of a sub-postmaster's son who was shot in an armed robbery at a village post office. [13 January 2009]

• Man dies after store raid

  The Post Office is offering a £50,000 reward for the capture of a gang who shot dead a sub-postmaster's son in Worcestershire. [12 January 2009]

• Knife jail terms should be mandatory

  Sixty-two per cent of people think that those caught carrying a knife in public should be sent to jail. [12 January 2009]

• Three under guard after shooting

  Three people are being guarded by police after gunshots were fired at a house in Hampshire. [12 January 2009]

• 50 per cent success rate for Operation Captura 1

  Operation Captura 1 has now reached a 50% success rate with the arrest of Most Wanted criminal Daniel Johnston in December. [January 2009]

• ICAP Charity Day helps Crimestoppers fight gun and knife crime

  Crimestoppers has received a significant boost to its fight against gun and knife crime through the generous support of ICAP's annual global Charity Day, which took place on 10 December at ICAP's offices around the world. [9 January 2009]

• Six arrests over M45 body

  Six men have been arrested over the murder of a man whose badly burned body was found off the M45 motorway in Warwickshire. [9 January 2009]

• Forced marriage law practised

  New legal powers to protect suspected victims of forced marriage have been used six times since being introduced in November. [9 January 2009]

• Man injured after police shooting

  A 44-year-old man is in a serious condition after being shot by police in West Yorkshire. [9 January 2009]

• Parents appeal for information on child's killer

  The parents of three-year-old Francesca Bimpson, who died following an arson attack on their home in Liverpool, have made an appeal to catch her killers. [08 January 2009]

• Fraudsters con thousands of taxpayers

  Thousands of taxpayers are being conned by fraudsters into handing over their bank details in the run-up to the annual self-assessment deadline of 31 January. [08 January 2009]

• Drink-driver jailed for seven years for killing toddler

  Suicidal businesswoman, Katie Gutierrez-Perez, 40, was sentenced to seven years in prison for death by dangerous driving after killing a 15 month-old toddler last September. [08 Januray 2009]

• Woman admits to sex with boy

  A woman has admitted to having a sexual relationship with a 14-year-old boy after he asked for help with dyslexia. [7 January 2009]

• Three charged with fire murder

  Three people are accused of murder after a fire in Sheffield killed three men. [7 February 2009]

• Online crime maps now available

  Residents across England and Wales can now view crime maps showing recorded crime in their area. [6 January 2009]

• Taped-up woman died from cold

  An 83-year-old woman found dead with her legs taped together may have died from hypothermia. [6 January 2009]

• Third death in house arson murder

  A third person has died following an arson attack on a house in Sheffield. [5 January 2009]

• House siege questioning continues

  A man is still being questioned over a 36-hour armed siege at a house in Greater Manchester. [5 January 2009]

• Man shot in targeted attack

  A 27-year-old man has been shot in the leg in a targeted attack. [5 January 2009]

• Man charged over shooting

  One man has been charged with the 2007 murder of Dimitri Foskin. [22 January 2009]