A paedophile from Luton has been jailed for 20 years after being found guilty of raping a young girl.

Delroy Henton, 61, of Wolston Close Luton, was sentenced on Friday, September 8, at Luton Crown Court after being found guilty of three counts of rape and four counts of sexual assault.

Henton’s abuse began when the girl was just 10 years old and continued for several years.

He sexually assaulted and raped her on several occasions until she confided the abuse to an adult. Police then launched an investigation and Henton was arrested.

Det Con Tom Pantony, who led the investigation, said: “This was an absolutely sickening case of child sexual abuse. Henton subjected his victim to a period of four years of horrific abuse, and I’m pleased that the sentence reflects the severity of his offences. This should act as a stark warning to anyone that thinks that child sexual abuse is acceptable or that they will get away with it.

“I’d like to pay tribute to the bravery of the victim in coming forward, and I hope we have achieved some sense of justice and closure for her. We are dedicated to tackling child sexual abuse, and I hope this gives others the confidence to come forward knowing that you will be supported and justice can be achieved.”

If you’re worried that a child you know is being subject to child sexual abuse, please contact police on 101. You can also call the NSPCC helpline on 0808 800 5000 or visit the NSPCC website for further advice and support

The Luton Safeguarding Adults Board is encouraging people in Luton to learn what to do if they are worried about an adult who may be at risk from abuse or neglect.

Abuse can happen to anyone but people may be more at risk if they are elderly, have a physical or learning disability or have mental health issues. Safeguarding adults is everyone’s responsibility, and it’s important people know about the different types of abuse and what to do if they are concerned an adult might be at risk of abuse.

Abuse can take many forms including physical, sexual, financial, psychological, discriminatory, neglect, modern slavery or organisational abuse.

It can be done on purpose, because of ignorance, lack of training or understanding and sometimes a person can be abused in more than one at the same time.

Fran Pearson, Chair of the Luton Adult Safeguarding Board, said: “It’s really important that people are aware of the different types of abuse, the signs that someone might be being abused or at risk of abuse, and what they should do about it.

“Adult abuse can happen to anyone and it’s not always easy for someone to recognise that they are being abused by someone they trust or indeed to make the decision to report.

“We all need to be vigilant and support people to recognise abuse and to report it.”

If you are concerned that an adult is at risk of abuse, contact the Multi-Agency Safeguarding Hub (MASH) on 01582 547653.

For more information about the signs of abuse visit www.luton.gov.uk/Health_and_social_care/safeguarding_adults.

Nearly four million homeowners aged over 55 have plans to downsize, according to a new survey.

But despite the chance to make an average of £112,000 by selling up, the convenience of having a smaller home is more important than raising cash.

The nationwide study by Prudential found nearly half (47 per cent) of over-55 homeowners plan to sell and move to cheaper homes in later life.

On average, they expect to raise around £112,000 in equity by downsizing, with around one in 10 (11 per cent) expecting to make more than £200,000.

However, the main reason given for downsizing is the convenience of running a smaller home in retirement - with nearly three-quarters (74 per cent) rating convenience as their main reason for downsizing.

That compares with just 28 per cent who said they were doing so to mainly to release cash for retirement.

Other factors come into play on the decision to move - just over one in three (34 per cent) said having a smaller garden was a major motivation.

However, worries about a shortage of homes suitable for retirement, fees and high property prices are the major reasons deterring some older homeowners from downsizing, the study found.

A lack of suitable available housing is the main reason over-55s believe downsizing is not more popular - nearly four in ten (38 per cent) blamed the lack of suitable houses, while 24 per cent cited the cost of moving in terms of stamp duty, solicitors and estate agents, and 17 per cent say high house prices put people off.

Of those who expect to raise money from downsizing 60 per cent will use it to boost their retirement funds and improve their standard of living.

Almost half (47 per cent) will use the cash for travelling more, while (13 per cent) want to release equity to help their children buy a house and 14 per cent will simply give the cash to their children.

Vince Smith-Hughes, a retirement income expert at Prudential, said: “It is interesting to see that these figures challenge the common theory that ‘my house is my pension’.

“Although we see a large proportion of those taking equity from their homes to boost their retirement incomes, most people have accepted that the main reason they need to move home in later life is for convenience.“

A drugs den in Luton has finally been closed down after weeks of complaints by worried residents.

The officers executed a warrant at the flat in Berkeley Path on Friday, September 8, just a day after gunshots were fired in the same street.

The premises has now been issued with a three month closure order under the Anti-Social Behaviour Crime and Policing Act.

Neighbours had complained that the property had been taken over by prostitutes and drug dealers, creating a nightmare situation for the community.

One witness said: “At about 4.45pm around 13 police personnel went to the address. [Three people] were removed, all surrounded by these officers

“There were no arrests there and then, which upset a lot of onlookers who wanted them in handcuffs but the flat has a notice that the building is closed.

“People are also unhappy no-one has been to them for a statement, others want to start a petition.”

Acting Inspector Milo Brown said: “Bedfordshire Police is committed to protecting people, fighting crime together, as this warrant shows. This operation is a great example of police working with communities and partner agencies to ensure the public are kept safe.”

Two people have died following the major crash on the M1 yesterday in which a lorry went through the central reservation and into oncoming traffic.

The woman and man were the driver and passenger of a car, which was travelling on the southbound carriageway when the collision took place.

The collision happened at about 2.50pm yesterday Monday, September when a blue vehicle transporter was travelling north between junctions 14 and 15.

The transporter struck the central reservation before crossing onto the southbound carriageway and overturning onto the car containing the woman and man.

Several other people were injured and a number of vehicles were damaged as a result of the collision.

The M1 re-opened at around 4.50am this morning after the carriageway was cleared and repairs made to the central reservation.

Air ambulance crews and the East Midlands Ambulance Service (EMAS) were called to the scene to treat "a number of patients". However, it is not yet known how many were injured.

A spokeswoman for Warwickshire & Northamptonshire Air Ambulance said: "A man in his 60s was taken to University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire by air ambulance."

A spokeswoman for EMAS, said: "We received a call at 2.51pm on 11 September to the M1 Southbound between Junction 15A and Junction 15.

"The caller reported that there had been a multi-vehicle road traffic collision involving a lorry.

"We sent two paramedics in ambulance cars, three crewed ambulances and an air ambulance to the scene. One patient was taken to Coventry and Walsgrave Hospital by air ambulance and one patient was taken to Northampton General Hospital by land ambulance.”

Witnesses or anyone with information about this incident are being asked to call the Drivewatch Hotline on 0800 174615.

A have-a-go hero put an aggressive passenger into a chokehold on a Ryanair flight at Luton Airport as other travellers broke into cheers.

The crew looked on in amazement as the vigilante overpowered the disruptive flyer.

The incredible moment was caught on video before the police arrived and arrested the drunk 22-year-old man.

Dean Whiteside, 26, a labourer, from Dagenham in Essex, was returning from a lads’ holiday in Girona on the budget airline when he caught the shocking interaction on his phone while the plane was stationary at Luton Airport.

He explained that the drunk man had been causing problems throughout the two-hour flight.

He said: “He was making a nuisance of himself. Over the course of the flight he was singing loudly with his headphones on. It was a late flight, everyone was tired and he was rubbing people up the wrong way.

“The stewardess spent about an hour telling him, ‘You’re going to need to be quiet or I’ll call the police’.”

But the passenger refused to quiet down and when the plane landed at Luton at 11pm on 30 June, the police were called.

It was then that the disruptive passenger tried to push his way past a cabin crew member and spat, “Get out of my face”.

This was the final straw for the have-a-go hero who sprung into action.

The grey-haired man jumped out of his seat and put the man into a chokehold so powerful that the passenger slumped to the floor unconscious.

In the video, the passengers watching the encounter are clearly on the vigilante’s side.

They break into spontaneous applause as he overpowers the disruptive passenger before shouting: “Citizen’s arrest!”

Another is heard to say in admiration: “You’re a powerful b****** doing that, man.”

Dean said: “I could see it brewing up that’s the reason I got my phone out, ready to film it.

“The guy was lifeless in his arms like a rag doll.”

The cabin crew restrained the disruptive passenger while other flyers disembarked the plane. He was then arrested for common assault.

A spokesperson for Bedfordshire Police said: “We were called to attend Luton Airport arrivals at 11pm on 30 June following reports of a passenger acting aggressively on an inbound flight.

“A 22-year-old man from Dagenham was arrested on suspicion of common assault and being drunk on an aircraft.

“He was taken into police custody and dealt with by way of simple caution.”

Ryanair’s Kenny Jacobs said: “The crew of this flight from Girona to London Luton requested police assistance upon arrival after a passenger became disruptive inflight.

“The aircraft landed normally and the passenger was met by police. We will not tolerate unruly or disruptive behaviour at any time and the safety and comfort of our customers, crew and aircraft is our number one priority. This is now a matter for local police.

“This is exactly why we are calling for significant changes to prohibit the sale of alcohol at airports, such as a two-drink limit per passenger and no alcohol sales before 10am. It’s incumbent on the airports to introduce these preventative measures to curb excessive drinking and the problems it creates, rather than allowing passengers to drink to excess before their flights.”

An RSPCA rehoming centre which is used to dealing with underweight cats is looking for a home for a cat at the other end of the scale – one who has been overfed!

The cat, who has been named Sergeant Harry Tubbs – or Harry for short – weighs a whopping 9.9kg, which is twice the weight of an average cat.

He was signed over into the RSPCA’s care after his previous owner from Luton could no longer care for him.

Harry is now with the RSPCA’s South Bedfordshire branch, which covers Luton, Dunstable and Leighton Buzzard, where he is patiently waiting for someone to adopt him.

Alison Sutton, branch manager, said: “We were told by a vet that he is 80% overweight as a result of being overfed. He’s on a diet now but he will have quite a way to go before he is at his ideal weight, although we have every faith that he will reach his target!

“Harry must be the biggest cat we have ever had in. It is difficult getting him to exercise but in time he will start to have more energy and be able to move easier.

“He is a very sweet cat, he is so lovely and affectionate and he’ll make such a lovely pet for someone. We’re sure he will find his perfect home soon, with owners who will be committed to keeping him on track with his diet.”

Anyone who is interested in rehoming Harry can contact the branch by calling 07510 390872 or by visiting www.rspca-online.co.uk/contact.

Being overweight can lead to serious health problems for pets, including joint problems, high blood pressure, diabetes and problems with the liver, skin and heat tolerance.

Top tips for keeping your pet at a healthy weight

> If you think your pet might be overweight always consult your vet first.

> As a guide - you should be able to see and feel the outline of your pet’s ribs without excess fat covering.

> You should be able to see and feel your pet’s waist and it should be clearly visible when viewed from above.

> Your pet’s belly should be tucked up when viewed from the side.

> Get your pet weighed at the vets regularly if you are concerned.

> If your pet is used to treats, give them as part of their daily ration of low calorie foods. It is advisable to agree a daily ration of food, weigh it out at the beginning of the day and stick to it.

> If you want to give your pet treats, for example if you are training them, you should incorporate this into their daily food allowance and reduce accordingly.

> You could use playful interaction with your pet or a special toy as a reward instead.

> Always make sure your pet is getting plenty of exercise.

Police are appealing for witnesses after a minor confrontation in Bridge Street, Luton, at around 11am on Saturday.

Nobody was injured during the altercation but five people were arrested on suspicion of Affray and taken to custody.

They have since been released on bail.

A spokesperson for the police said: “As part of the planned policing operation for the Luton Town FC vs Swindon Town FC match on Saturday, officers attended reports of a minor altercation.

“Officers are now keen to hear from anyone who was in the area at the time.”

Anyone with information is asked to call 101 quoting reference number C/38801/2017.

Members of the Caribbean community protested outside the town hall against the potential sale of the African Caribbean Day Centre by Luton Borough Council to the highest bidder.

The group want the council to accept their bid to buy the African Caribbean Day Centre on Trinity Road which has been used by the group since 1999, despite them not being the highest bidder.

Councillor Gilbert Campbell has been working with the day centre since it opened and believes it should be sold to whoever will make it the best asset for the community.

He said: “I feel aggrieved that it has been used by the Caribbean community for so long and now there’s a chance they will be left with nothing.

“Pastr Patrick has put a bid in but it is not the highest, the fight is that the building was for the Caribbean elderly since 1999, it was closed recently and they moved people out.

“According to the sale the council does not have to sell it to the highest bidder, it can be sold to a lower bid, this is where the Caribbean community come in.

“The lower bidder can have it depending on what they would use the building for, considering that this was for the Caribbean elderly since 1999 and we want to use it for the Caribbean community and wider community.

“It will be such a shame if we don’t get it, because it has spent many years being a place to go for the Caribbean community, they provide well being clubs and lunch clubs, which are really struggling now.”

Councillor Campbell was joined by members of the Caribbean community and Pastor Patrick outside the Town Hall in Luton on this afternoon.

A spokesman for Luton Borough Council said: “On the closure of the African Caribbean Day centre in Trinity Road, the Council transferred the community services to St Monica’s.

“The old site has been the subject of a number of community interest bids which will be considered at the Executive meeting on 18 September when a decision will be made on the best use of this Council asset.”

St Monica’s is a day centre that provides both group and individual activities and a hot meal at lunch time, is is predominately for people with dementia.

Bedford Hospital is set to be taken over by Luton & Dunstable, it will be officially announced tomorrow.

In a move which will be confirmed on Wednesday afternoon, the two organisations will merge into a single foundation trust.

And while staff have been informed that there will be a public announcement, it is understood that they were unaware of its nature until contacted by the Times & Citizen.

The move coincides with the ongoing Sustainability and Transformation Plan (STP), which is looking to merge services between Bedford, Milton Keynes and Luton hospitals.

This scheme is being led by the chief executive of Luton & Dunstable Hospital, and has been repeatedly criticised by senior figures in Bedford.

Bedford and Kempston MP Mohammad Yasin said he remained “wary” until he saw details.

He told the Times & Citizen: “As with all NHS decisions, the devil is in the detail, which I don’t believe anyone has yet.

“I’m obviously wary about any ‘takeover’ from another hospital, but the most important thing is to obtain firm assurances from NHS bosses that Bedford Hospital will not lose any services as a consequence of these changes. I will be seeking those later today.

“I have always said that Bedford Hospital needs full maternity, paediatrics and A&E services; anything less would be unacceptable to me and to my constituents.”

>More follows

A police operation is currently underway at Houghton Regis after a body was discovered this afternoon.

A Bedfordshire Police spokesman said: “We were called today (12 September) at 3.49pm after a body was found near Longmeadow in Houghton Regis.

“A scene guard is in place while investigations are carried out.

“Anyone with any information is asked to call police on 101 quoting reference number 223 of today’s date.”

A man who tragically lost his sister while she was pregnant with her first child is running the Amsterdam Marathon in her memory.

Darryl Lyle, 30, wants to raise awareness for the National Brain Appeal following the sudden death of his younger sister Rochelle, 28, in March this year.

Mr Lyle said: “Although Rochelle had suffered from migraines previously, her death came as a complete shock to everyone because she was not unwell at the time of her passing.”

Rochelle’s baby girl Imaani was delivered 13 weeks early and unfortunately suffered from a lack of oxygen.

After six weeks, baby Imaani sadly also lost her fight for life and died as a result of multiple brain injuries.

The neurosurgeon concluded that Rochelle had died from a brain injury, however an inquest is to be held to determine whether more could have been done during the week she was in hospital up until her death.

Darryl said: “It has been a traumatic and life changing few months, I was and still am heartbroken and confused.

“It was always a bucket list goal of mine to complete a marathon, and to help get over what’s happened it has really been my therapy. It was the best way for me to handle it.”

Darryl has been joined by friends during his daily runs in preparation for the marathon and already, nearly £2,000 has been raised for the National Brain Appeal. Around 30 friends and family will travel to Amsterdam to support him in October.

Psychology graduate Rochelle was described as the life and soul of the family

Darryl added: “My sister was two years younger but in reality, we were just like twins and she shared in everything I’ve done since I was young.

“She was very family-oriented, always very caring and considerate. It’s still hard for all of us to take.

“I just hope that if there’s a way for people to spot signals early on, it can prevent death or serious injury. My sister had migraines but we never knew that could be a symptom of something so serious.”

Theresa Dauncey, Chief Executive of The National Brain Appeal charity said: “Our hearts go out to Darryl Lyle and his family for the devastating loss of his sister Rochelle and her baby.

“We wish him the very best of luck for the Amsterdam Marathon next month.

“He has already raised an incredible amount of money for The National Brain Appeal for neurological research. We are very grateful to him and to everyone who has supported him so far.”

Darryl added: “It’s a tremendous challenge and one that will most certainly push me to the limit!

“The experience will be even better knowing that I will have been able to raise money towards important research that will help prevent anyone from going through the struggle my family and I have had to endure.”

The Amsterdam Marathon takes place on October 15.

> To sponsor Darryl, please visit www.justgiving.com/fundraising/Darryl-Lyle.

Bedfordshire Police started their recruitment drive on Monday as the force continues to try to increase the number of officers in the county.

The force has recruited 156 police officers since December and aims to recruit a further 100 next year.

During that time, the force has welcomed 96 student officers who are now working across the county adding to the force’s response and community teams. Another 30 officers are currently in training and will pass out later this year.

Successful candidates will take part in a national, independent assessment and those who pass will be invited to an interview. Recruitment will close on 1 October and applicants should complete an online application form at the force’s recruitment website.

Storm Aileen has brought winds of up 75 miles per hour to parts of the UK this week and is the first storm to be named this season but it won’t be the last the Met Office has warned.

A new list of storm names were released last week, as part of the scheme by the Met Office and Met Eireann to raise awareness of extreme weather in the UK and Ireland.

Aileen battered parts of the UK last night, bringing gusts of up to 75mph and leaving thousands without power.

But why ‘Aileen’?

How are storms named, and why?

The naming of storms in other parts of the world has been common practice for decades.

Hurricanes Harvey and Irma recently buffeted parts of the US, and the naming of tropical cyclones can be traced back to Australian meteorologist Clement Wragge, who first named them between 1887 and 1907.

But the naming of British storms is a new phenomenon, with the Met Office bringing in a system in response to the St. Jude’s Day storm of October 2013, which killed 17 people across the continent.

Their intention was a single, authoritative naming arrangement to prevent confusion with the media and public using different names for the same storms. The first storm to be named was Abigail in November 2015.

Like the model for naming hurricanes, the genders of the storms alternate, with the ‘sex’ of the first storm of each year also alternating.

Aileen - the first named storm of the 2017-18 season - follows Angus, the first named storm of last year.

A storm is named on the basis of ‘medium’ or ‘high’ impacts from wind, but also takes into account the possible impact of rain and snow.

Storms will usually be named for weather systems for which the Met Office expects to have to issue an Amber or Red weather warning.

The full list of storm names for 2017/18:

Aileen (used)

Brian

Caroline

Dylan

Eleanor

Fionn

Georgina

Hector

Iona

James

Karen

Larry

Maeve

Niall

Octavia

Paul

Rebecca

Simon

Tali

Victor

Winifred

Improving awareness

Technically, this is the first year that the system has been fully operational after a couple of pilot years.

Derrick Ryall, Head of Public Weather Services at the Met Office, said: “Naming storms has been proven to raise awareness of severe weather in the UK, crucially prompting people to take action to prevent harm to themselves or their property.”

Surveys have shown an increase in awareness and action taken in response to people hearing of a named storm, with 94% of respondents finding the severe weather warning ahead of 2016’s Storm Doris useful, and 82% of people who took action feeling they were right to do so.

More storms on the way?

Gerald Fleming, Head of Forecasting at Ireland’s Met Éireann - who co-developed the naming system - said: “It’s too early to say whether the coming winter will be a stormy one, but we are prepared with a set of 21 names for whatever nature may throw at us.”

To comply with international storm naming conventions, the names will be used alphabetically, with Q; U; X; Y and Z exempt.

As with previous years, the names were compiled using suggestions submitted by the public, combined with names proposed to Met Éireann.

It’s unlikely we’ll make it to the end of the list (2016-17 brought a total of five storms; Angus, Barbara, Conor, Doris, and Ewan), and a near certainty the British Isles won’t see a storm as deadly as those recently wreaking havoc across America, but the naming system looks set to stay.

A proposed merger of Luton & Dunstable and Bedford Hospitals was formally announced today.

Luton Trust Boards of both hospitals have agreed to a proposal to merge both hospitals and form a single NHS Foundation Trust. 

This will have one management team delivering a full range of services, including retaining key services such as A&E, Maternity and Paediatrics at both sites.

A L&D Hospital spokesman said: “The proposals to improve the L&D site form an important part of this plan.

“The capital funding for the development of a new ‘hot block’ on the L&D site will need to be endorsed by NHSI alongside the approval of the merger itself.

“The hot block is necessary to upgrade the existing maternity, NICU, theatres and critical care facilities.”

According to the trusts, the two hospitals already work closely together in various clinical services and there is also a strong overlap in the catchment areas the hospitals serve.

The spokesman added: “A merger between the two hospitals is a logical next step in collaborative working.”

Over the coming months the chief executives of both Trusts along with their board members will be taking forward the plans and engaging with local stakeholders and staff, with a view to submitting a full business case in December 2017.

The proposal is subject to the business being approved by NHS Improvement and NHS England. Should this be granted, it is the intention to have a joint board in place by April 2018.

David Carter, Acting Chief Executive at Luton and Dunstable University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust also commented: “We will have the opportunity to share expertise in order to improve services, improve the delivery of patient care and clinical pathways, and improve efficiency through economies of scale.”

A 17-year-old boy has been left with serious injuries following a stabbing in Luton on Monday.

Police are appealing for witnesses to the incident which took place in Brantwood Road, between 10.30pm and 11pm, following a confrontation between two groups of youths on Dallow Road and into Asburnham Road.

The victim was taken to hospital, where he remains in a stable condition.

Det Con Rachel Lydon said: “There were a number of youths in the immediate area before the incident and we are asking for anyone who may have seen or heard anything to come forward. We are also keen to speak to anyone who may have seen a white car in the area around the time of the incident, as it is believed one of the perpetrators may have made off in the vehicle.”

Call 101 quoting reference 426 of 11 September, or contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.

Eleven people, including two men from Luton, have people have been charged in connection with a series of courier fraud offences which saw victims lose more than £225,000 in total.

Between March 1, and November 29, 2016, 36 offences were reported to police. The phone scams mainly occurred in Hertfordshire and London but there were also cases in Bedfordshire, Surrey, Kent, Nottinghamshire, Yorkshire and the Thames Valley area.

In the majority of cases, elderly victims were reportedly contacted by people claiming to be from the police, stating they were investigating fraudulent activity on their bank accounts.

The callers then asked the victims to withdraw large sums of money from their accounts and hand it over to a courier.

The total financial loss to the victims was £225,911 with unsuccessful attempts to scam a further £122,445 - totalling £338,356.

The investigation is being carried out by a team of detectives from Operation Manhunt, Hertfordshire Constabulary’s specialist unit which investigates distraction burglary and other crimes which target the elderly and vulnerable.

A series of warrants were carried out back in November which led to a number of arrests.

Maujasim Rasool, 22, of Hayhurst Road, and Abdul Khan, 25, of Calverton Road, were both charged with conspiracy to defraud, along with three men also in their 20’s from London.

Six men from Camden, all in their 20’s, were charged with charged with conspiracy to defraud and conspiracy to commit robbery.

All 11 have been released on bail ahead of a hearing at West Herts Magistrates Court on Tuesday, October 10.

Detective Sergeant Jon Leak, from Operation Manhunt, said: “We will continue to do all we can to track down those suspected of being involved in courier fraud.

“We have done a lot of work to raise awareness of these scams but we need people to continue spreading the word to elderly friends, relatives and neighbours to help prevent more people falling victim to them.

“Please remember that police and banks would never ask for your PIN over the phone and would never ask you to withdraw cash and hand it to a courier.

“If you receive a call you are suspicious of, please hang up and alert the police. Remember to wait at least five minutes, or use a mobile phone to ensure you aren’t reconnected to the offender.”

We all enjoy a spot of light relief from the hustle and bustle of everyday life.

And Lutonian John Maher certainly brightened up my day with some photos he sent me on Monday evening.

The first batch were taken a few weeks ago at the top end of the underpass between Albert Road and Cumberland Street in Luton.

He thought it looked pretty cool and pondered at the time how long it would be before the council washed it all away?

They are of course Minions from the popular Despicable Me children’s films – and you can’t help but smile at the imaginative paint job given to the bland bollards.

They lasted a good few weeks before council bosses sent their Minions out to return them to their original condition last week.

It provoked an angry reaction on social media.

One person said: “Grrr, a little light hearted and actually good quality art and they just had to get rid. Why? Especially when there’s so much awful graffiti around the town that just gets left.”

Another said: “Aww, they were fab. Brightened the place up and the kids loved them.”

The council for their part has said: “The council welcomes the support of residents in its bid for city of culture status and is keen to encourage all forms of innovative art.

“Before groups or individuals engage in what can be interpreted as illegal graffiti, the removal of which can be costly and take money away from other services, we would urge them to engage in dialogue so we can together display Luton’s vibrant art scene to its best advantage.

However matters took another twist yesterday (Tuesday) when John spotted the graffiti artists had been back with a new paint job.

He took this photo at 6am, but this time it wasn’t immediately obvious who the character was supposed to be.

It turns out it’s the Joker from Batman.

I know we shouldn’t condone graffiti, but we all have to admit the Minions brought a smile to our faces.

However, I can’t help feel the culprits have shot themselves in the foot and lost public sympathy with the Joker.

All that red scrawl over the pavement looks terrible.

The wording is adapted from The Dark Knight movie where Batman’s nemesis says: “This town deserves a better class of criminal… and I’m gonna give it to them.”

The council tell me they are aware of the latest “art”, so no doubt it won’t be there for much longer.

They added: “The council would like members of the group to get in touch in order to see if we can work together to encourage appropriate street art expressions in the town.”

STOP PRESS: As the Luton News went to press, we heard that more Minions had sprung up – this in Hitchin Road near Luton Irish Forum.

What’s your view? Should the Minions have been allowed to stay or is it unwanted graffiti? Email editorial@lutonnews.co.uk

This article first appeared in the Simply Sims column in The Luton News. Out every Wednesday from all good news outlets.

A man and woman from Luton have both been sentenced to six years in prison for smuggling illegal immigrants into the country.

Eduart Lleshi, 34, from Curzon Road, and Katarzyna Kopec, 36, from Tythe Road, pleaded guilty to assisting in unlawful immigration into a member state and were jailed at Luton Crown Court on Monday, September 4.

The pair ran a highly organised money-making operation smuggling Albanians into the United Kingdom illegally.

When handing out the sentences, the judge remarked that it was his public duty to send a message to other people smugglers that they will face very substantial sentences when they are caught.

Lleshi and Kopec would arrange for Albanians wishing to move illegally to the UK to be picked up from Belgium by Czech lorry drivers, who would then smuggle them into the county hidden within concealments within the lorry cab.

They charged around £6,000 for each immigrant.

An investigation by the Eastern Region Special Operations Unit (ERSOU) identified 17 Albanians illegally smuggled into the UK between January and March 2015.

Further investigation uncovered evidence of numerous smuggling trips, dating back to 2014.

Detective Inspector Trevor Davidson, from ERSOU, said: “Lleshi and Kopec organised the smuggling of illegal immigrants into the country for their own financial gain.

“Although they may not have been the people who physically brought the immigrants to the UK, they were the ringleaders of this complex operation and were therefore directly responsible for many people being illegally smuggled into the country.

“We will take a hard line against organised criminals who seek to exploit others and I’m pleased with the lengthy custodial sentences that have been handed out in support of this.”

As part of the operation, three Czech lorry drivers were also arrested and prosecuted.

Two people from Luton and one person from London were also handed suspended prison sentences for their part in collecting the immigrants from the Czech drivers once in the UK.

Brave Luton burns survivor Shamaim Arif and her family have been granted indefinite leave to remain in this country, which means the teenager’s future treatment is assured.

The family has been in Britain on medical visas since 2003, when Shamiam was brought here as a tiny tot for life-saving medical care following a devastating fire at her home in Kashmir.

The 15-year-old faces years of reconstructive surgery under the supervision of her beloved ‘Uncle Doctor’ – Professor Peter Dziewulski of St Andrews Burns Unit in Chelmsford Hospital who has always given his services free of charge

Luton lawyer Khuram Liaquat – who’s handled the Arifs’ legal affairs, also free of charge, since first reading Shamiam’s story in our sister paper Herald&Post – described their Biometric Residence Permits (BRPs) as “the first major milestone on their way to becoming British citizens.”

He added: “This will open a lot of doors as they will no longer have to pay for visas and will have access to public funding, just like other British citizens.

“They’ll be able to relax because Shamiam is finally in safe hands – if her appeal fund dries up, she can be treated on the NHS without charge.”

Parents Mohammed and Tahira will have to wait for a year before applying for British citizenship, but Shamiam and her three siblings – Shakaib, 14, Shamita, 10 and seven-year-old Monoor – can apply to be registered immediately. It’s hoped the application costs of nearly £1,000 for each person will be met from the appeal fund set up when Shamiam came to the country.

Mr Liaquat has again agreed to prepare and submit these without charge.

He explained: “The procedure takes three to four months. The outcome cannot be guaranteed, but I am confident that when we apply, the children will have a good chance of success.”

Over the past 10 years, Bedfords Solicitors, where he is a partner, have spent more than 150 hours dealing with the Arifs’ complicated paperwork.

Mr Liaquat smiled: “Lawyers aren’t usually known for their big hearts. But we were happy to assist after reading Shamiam’s story in the Herald&Post.

“They’re a lovely family and we wanted to do whatever we could to help. It was a rare opportunity for us to share their journey and I’m pleased to say that at least from a legal point of view, that journey is finally reaching its happy conclusion.”

The Arifs visited his Bury Park offices to collect their BRPs and thank him for his vital contribution.

Shamiam, who started Year 11 at Challney Girls High last week, presented with him with a personalised scroll, a prayer mat and a chocolate cake. She said: “We all feel so happy. We are very pleased and proud.”

> The Appeal Fund will continue to operate to provide Shamiam with procedures not supported by the NHS – such as mechanical arms/hands, specialised OT equipment, aids adaptations and transport to specialised centres.