A 53-year-old father and his 25-year-old daughter have been sentenced in court for stealing more than £25,000 from their Wisbech-based employer.
Martyn Slender worked as a managing director for the company while his daughter Bethany worked as an office assistant and later a transport manager.
It was based in Wisbech and set up by Martyn’s friend in 2015, but about a year after the haulage business began trading, despite high interest levels and a growing customer base, the victim and owner noticed it was starting to struggle.
In 2017, Martyn Slender approached the owner about a pay rise, a request which was declined at the time with an explanation given.
However, a year later the victim noticed the business was struggling again without much reason. After speaking to a number of potential customers, the owner was altered to a struggle getting hold of Martyn and Bethany.
He also discovered the pair had been instructing drivers to take on a number of ‘cash in hand’ jobs and return the money directly to them. Upon further inspection these jobs had not been put through the books and amounted to around £25,000 in total.
Martyn Slender, of Henry Warby Avenue, Wisbech, pleaded guilty to two counts of fraud and was sentenced to one year and eight months in prison at Peterborough Crown Court on Friday, July 7.
Bethany Slender, of Sycamore Close, March, pleaded guilty to a single count of fraud, and was ordered to carry out 125 hours unpaid work, as well as paying £323 in compensation.
Detective Constable Mat Belfitt, who investigated, said: “This was an appalling betrayal of a friend who gave this pair well-paid roles within his business in order to help them out of financial difficulty.
“Today is the culmination four years of hard work to convict these two for the crimes they committed against the victim.
“I’m glad justice has been done today and hope this serves as a warning to others how seriously we take these crimes.”
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Drummond Road (at the junction with Lumley Road) in Skegness undergoing further investigations.
The route between Lumley Road and Sandbeck Avenue will remain closed due to a sinkhole that has appeared. A diversion is in place via Beresford Avenue.
Investigation works have been carried out on Monday 15 August and after initial exploration into the cause it appears that shifting sandy ground at low level may have moved, causing the issue.
Drought conditions may have been a contributing factor in the area with the substrate material drying out and being prone to movement.
| Photo: The Lincolnite
On-site crews are currently digging out the affected area. The site will be inspected again on Tuesday (August 16) to check for further issues.
If no more are found then a 3m square will be excavated and then infilled with stone before re-surfacing the road can take place. Once this plan is in place a schedule for the work will be announced.
Lincoln’s annual LGBTQ+ celebration is almost upon us once again, and here are all the relevant details you’ll need for this weekend’s Lincoln Pride 2022 event.
Pride is a celebration of inclusivity and representation within the LGBTQ+ community, offering live music and other activities for a fully immersive experience that leaves pre-judgements at the door.
COVID-19 cancelled the 2020 and 2021 Pride events in Lincoln, so anticipation is high for the return to the city this year, as members of the community and allies alike prepare to paint the town in rainbow colours.
It will take place on Saturday, August 20 at Lincoln’s Tentercroft Street Car Park, an open space which organisers say is ideal for the range of activities that will be on display throughout the day.
As a result of Pride, the car park will be closed to the general public from Friday, August 19 at 7am, to Sunday, August 21 at midnight – and access to the site’s surrounding spaces willingly be granted to the relevant businesses.
Lincoln Pride 2022 is again free to attend, but special tickets are available to grant unique privileges at the event, including meet and greets, front row spots and access to VIP areas.
These tickets vary from £20 to £55 and can be purchased from the Lincoln Pride website.
Here is a rundown of all you need to know ahead of this year’s Lincoln Pride:
Line-up
Alex Party and Booty Luv are ready to rock the house at Lincoln Pride 2022. | Photos: Lincoln Pride’s Facebook Page
Each year at the Pride festival, there are a host of popular names from the entertainment world that front the bill to put on a show for the crowds. In previous years the likes of Tulisa, 5ive and B*Wtiched have been the star attraction.
This year, The Scene Queens, British dance group Booty Luv and international act Alex Party are set to perform on the main stage, which is being headlined by poster HRVY – who has amassed millions of followers during his singing career despite only being 23 years old.
HRVY will be joined by the UK’s leading Dua Lipa tribute act, Rachel Fuller, along with Cheddar Gorgeous, Victoria Scone and Scarlett Harlett.
Parade
Scenes from the 2017 Lincoln Pride. | Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite
A returning activity for Lincoln Pride 2022 is the parade walk through the High Street, heading towards the main venue of Tentercroft Street Car Park.
The parade begins at 11.30am at Saltergate, near the Lincoln city square, and will be absolutely free to join for the general public.
Passers-by are encouraged to first watch the parade to see sponsors, supporters and partners of the event, before joining in themselves with homemade banners, signs and flags – donned in the rainbow colours that are now synonymous with Pride.
Activities
| Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite
Situated in the open space of Tentercroft Street car park, there is ample room for plenty of inclusive activities throughout Pride this year.
A series of food vendors will be on-site offering a range of tasty snacks and meals, a section of the area has been dedicated to a Pride-based market with stalls, and there’s even a bus bar selling VK drinks!
Afterparty
The Scene on Newland in Lincoln. | Photo: Ellis Karran for The Lincolnite
An official afterparty has been planned for the conclusion of Lincoln Pride 2022, with venues Scene and Level (formerly Moka) joining forces for one incredible party.
The Scene will be open from 8pm to 7am, while Level stays open until 3am, and it will cost £18 for re-entry wristbands to both venues. You can catch acts like The Cheeky Girls (yes, genuinely) at the Lincoln Pride Takeover, and tickets are available from The Scene website.
Travel disruption
Lincoln train station closed its doors on Wednesday, July 27 due to “industrial action” from workers. | Photo: Ellis Karran for The Lincolnite
The event has been met with difficulty in terms of travelling to Lincoln on the day, following the announcement of another rail strike on the day of the event – leaving Lincoln with no train services throughout Saturday, August 20.
Organisers are encouraging people to either arrive a day early or find an alternative mode of transports, such as a bus, with Lincoln’s Central Bus Station just a six minute walk from the start location of the parade.
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