February 3, 2017 2.41 pm
This story is over 62 months old
Princess Anne meets team working to help victims of crime on visit to Lincoln
Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal made a visit to Lincolnshire Police’s force HQ in Nettleham on Friday, February 3 to see the work of a team who help victims of crime cope and recover. She met Victim Lincs staff and talked to victims who have been supported by the specialist team. She then unveiled…
HRH Princess Anne visited the team at Lincolnshire Police HQ in Nettleham on Friday, February 3.
Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal made a visit to Lincolnshire Police’s force HQ in Nettleham on Friday, February 3 to see the work of a team who help victims of crime cope and recover.
She met Victim Lincs staff and talked to victims who have been supported by the specialist team. She then unveiled a plaque commemorating her visit.
Victim Lincs works in partnership with the independent charity Victim Support to ensure that people who have been affected by crime are kept informed of the progress of any investigation and get access to personalised, free and confidential emotional support and practical help.
HRH unveiled a plaque to commemorate the visit. PCC Marc Jones, Princess Anne, Olwen Edwards (Account Manager – Victim Support), Jim Peters
HRH The Princess Royal became Patron of Victim Support on October 18, 1989 and President on November 20, 2001. She regularly attends both national and local events.
Since the service was launched in Lincolnshire in October 2015 the team of eight staff help around 2,000 victims each month and receive on average 20 incoming calls every day.
The service will soon be launching a ‘Track My Crime’ system allowing victims to be able to check the progress of their investigation online.
Victim Support in Lincolnshire receives more than 14,000 referrals from Lincolnshire Police a year, in addition to those sent from other support services or victims who contact the charity directly.
HRH unveiled a plaque to commemorate the visit. Left to right is Chief Constable Bill Skelly, Olwen Edwards, Marc Jones and Chief Inspector Mark Garthwaite (EMOpSS)
HRH was invited to the county by the manager for Victim Support in Lincolnshire, Olwen Edwards, who accompanied The Princess Royal along with Chief Inspector Mark Garthwaite – who was instrumental in setting up the Victim Lincs team.
Olwen Edwards said: “It was a pleasure to host the Princess Royal today and she was very interested in the work we’re doing in the county to help people who have been affected by crime.
“Our highly trained staff and volunteers are based locally across Lincolnshire and offer free and confidential support, regardless of whether or not the crime has been reported to the police. If you’ve been affected by crime you can call the team on 0300 303 0158.”
Ch Insp Mark Garthwaite said: “It is an honour to be showing HRH The Princess Royal the work that our small Victim Lincs police staff team and our partners in Victim Support have achieved.
“From the very beginnings it was important to both organisations that the service we provided was bespoke to Lincolnshire and was the very best service for those unfortunate enough to become victims of crime.”
The service is funded by the Police and Crime Commissioner Marc Jones, who attended the visit and said the service deserved praise.
He added: “The work done by the team at Victim Lincs and Victim Support is making a real difference to the lives of those who have been impacted by crime.
“The staff and volunteers are dedicated to helping victims and, while it is our aim to minimize the numbers of people who fall victim to crime, it is equally important that we do everything possible to support those who do.”
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A man allegedly assaulted and verbally abused a member of rail staff after being questioned over having an incorrect ticket.
A member of rail staff on board questioned the man travelling on a train from Lincoln to Leeds with an incorrect ticket at 5.03pm on Tuesday, May 3.
British Transport Police said when the train was stood at Worksop station, the man grabbed his arm and pulled him whilst verbally abusing him. He is then said to have thrown a drink bottle at his leg.
On Wednesday, May 18 British Transport Police released a CCTV image of a man they believe may have information which could help their investigation.
They did not specify whether or not he is a suspect or a witness.
Do you recognise this man? | Photo: British Transport Police
Anyone who recognises the man, or has any information, is being urged to contact British Transport Police by texting 61016 or calling 0800 40 50 40 quoting reference 516 of 03/05/22.
Alternatively, information can be reported through the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
A burglar who took sentimental items from the home of an 84-year-old woman while she was asleep in her chair was on Wednesday jailed for 20 months.
Lincoln Crown Court heard Wendy Bird woke to find her handbag had been taken from the living room of her Mablethorpe home.
Jerry Johnson, 25, of no fixed address, admitted burgling the property on 4 March this year.
Phillip Plant, prosecuting, said Mrs Bird fell asleep after being left at 11am by a relative and woke at 1.45pm to find her handbag gone.
Among the items taken were a watch valued at £800, £40 in cash, some sentimental gold rings, a bank card and batteries for a hearing aid.
Mr Plant said Johnson was a disqualified driver but later the same day used Mrs Bird’s bank card to spend £21 at the Empire filling station in Mablethorpe.
Police were able to identify Johnson on CCTV from his distinctive tattoos and the car was spotted again at Tesco in Skegness at 4.30pm on the same day.
The court heard Johnson failed to stop for officers and drove away, before being involved in a collision.
Johnson also pleaded guilty to failing to stop, failing to stop after an accident, driving while disqualified and a charge of fraudulently using Mrs Bird’s bank card on 4 March.
In a victim impact statement Mrs Bird said she now felt like a prisoner in her own home and always had to keep her doors locked.
Johnson, who represented himself in court, apologised to Mrs Bird, stating: “To the lady I am really sorry. At the time I was on drugs.”
Passing sentence Judge John Pini QC told Johnson: “This was a very mean offence.”
He was jailed for 20 months and disqualified from driving for two years and ten months.