Northampton Police Officer Arrested on Suspicion of Murder

A police officer has been arrested on suspicion of the murder of his wife at their home in Northampton.

Police were called to a private address in Wootton Hall Park on Thursday shortly after 1pm and arrested a 49-year-old man who is a serving officer with Northamptonshire Police.

The officer has been taken into custody and will be questioned by detectives in due course.

A post mortem investigation will be carried out later by a Home Office pathologist in Leicester.

The investigation will be led by the East Midlands Special Operations Unit, headed by Detective Superintendent Kate Meynell.

It will be carried out by officers, including scenes of crime specialists, drafted in from across the region, but will not include anyone from Northamptonshire Police.

Det Supt Meynell said: “A full and proper investigation is taking place. Northamptonshire Police will not be making any further comment on this investigation at this stage.”

The incident has been referred to the Independent Police Complaints Commission as a matter of course.

Anyone with any information can call Northamptonshire Police on 101. Alternatively, they can call the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or use the anonymous online form at www.crimestoppers-uk.org.

By Joe Shine

Free Parking over Easter period

Kettering Borough Council have announced that all council car parks will be free of charge to park in for the four-day Easter period.

As part of the Easter festivities and to support local business all surrounding council owned car parks will be free of charge for four days.

·         Good Friday, 3^rd April

·         Easter Saturday 4^th April

·         Easter Sunday 5^th April

·         Easter Monday 6^th April

These days are in addition to the free parking that’s already available in council owned car parks on Sundays (all day) and evenings (after 6pm) all year round.

Guy Holloway, Head of Community Services at Kettering Borough Council, said:

“Kettering town centre provides a great value venue this Easter with free parking, great restaurants, a wide range of shops and fun activities for the whole family.”

Councillor Jan Smith, Kettering Borough Council’s Portfolio Holder for Community and Culture, said: “We are encouraging people to support our local businesses and the town centre and believe offering these free parking days will make this easier. Free parking, along with the Easter Egg Hunt shows that Kettering is a great place to visit this Easter”

By Daryl Greenland

Match Preview: Northampton Saints vs London Wasps

NORTHAMPTON SAINTS are expecting to welcome back a whole host of six nations heroes ahead of their home clash against London Wasps.

Tom Wood and Courtney Laws return to the Saints starting XV following the end of this year’s six nation’s competition. Northampton skipper Dylan Hartley is also expected to return to his hooker role for the team.

Welsh winger George North is also named in the Saints squad, fresh from scoring a hat trick of tries against Italy for his national side.

Northampton are looking to consolidate their position on top of the premiership as well as earning a home semi-final in the play offs.

Saints fly half, James Wilson believes that the return of the squad’s international stars gives the team a huge boost going in to the crucial final stages of the season.

"It's good to see the boys back," said Wilson. "They all performed well and there was some decent football at the weekend, everyone enjoyed it. It's good to have them back in camp, we've missed them that's for sure. We're looking to continue the rest of the season and finish off really well.

"It's not an easy finish but we're in a fantastic position in the table and looking to really keep up our winning ways. We can only be positive leading into some big matches."

You can watch Northampton Saints take on London Wasps on BT sport 2. K.O 7:45pm

By Daryl Greenland

Teen mugged in Corby underpass

A TEENAGE girl was mugged in a Corby underpass by a man armed with a knife.

Police are searching for a mixed race male, about 6ft 6in, slim, with broad shoulders.

He was wearing a black puffa-style jacket, grey tracksuit bottoms, white Nike Air Max trainers and a red and black bandana over the lower part of his face.

The attack happened just out of the underpass near Lloyds Road at about 5.15pm Sunday, March 22.

The girl was grabbed from behind by a man who held a knife to her throat and told her to give him everything she had but only stole some tobacco.

The victim managed to pull herself away and punched the man in the face before running away.

Witnesses, or anyone who knows anything about this incident, can call Northamptonshire Police on 101.

Alternatively, they can call the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or use the anonymous online form at www.crimestoppers-uk.org.

By Joe Shine

Kettering can vote Green for first time

Robert Reeves, Kettering's first Green

Kettering will have the chance to vote for the Green Party in the upcoming general election for the first time ever. 

Robert Reeves has been announced as the Green's very first parliamentary candidate for the Kettering constituency.

Voters from the town and surrounding areas will finally have the chance to choose the party come the election on Thursday, May 7. 

Reeves, who has lived in Kettering for most of his life, runs his own business as a self-employed private tutor in the area, said: "I'm extremely happy that people in Kettering will be able to vote for the Green Party in a general election for the first time. 

"I've been overwhelmed by the support in this short space of time, which just shows that the people of Kettering share our vision of a fairer and greener future.

"We are a party of people, not career politicians. And that's me; a regular guy from Kettering who genuinely cares about people and the planet, not someone who is in it for their own interests.

"I'd like to see safer and cleaner streets, less traffic, a more thriving town centre and more arts and cultural events that bring people together. 
"I'll also be out from now until May asking the local residents what is important to them. I want to improve a sense of community, an inclusive community that no one is alienated from. I really believe that we can bring positive change by working together."

A campaign launch and fundraiser is set to be held at the start of next month to help officially launch Reeves' election bid.

Held at The Three Cocks Inn on Friday, April 3, possible voters will have the chance to meet the party's candidate for Kettering in person.

Local band The Abrahams are set to showcase their talent at the event, as well as another act who are yet to be announced.

A Green-friendly auction will take place at the end of the night with the aim of raising as much money as possible for the upcoming campaign. Posters and badges will be available for all.

Despite being a 'Pay What You Want' night, the suggested minimum entry is £5.

The Green Party will be represented in every constituency in Northamptonshire for the first time ever in this year's general election.

The party will be represented in Corby by Jonathan Hornett, Wellingborough by Marion Turner-Hawes and in Daventry by Steve Whiffen. Tony Clarke is standing for the party in Northampton North and Julie Hawkins for Northampton South. South Northamptonshire's candidate is set to be confirmed next week.

By Stephen Matthews

Teenager launches own clothing line

Nav Nangla, modelling his own clothes
Photo by Lewis Robinson

A teenager from Kettering has successfully launched his own independent clothing line.

Nav Nangla, a fashion student at Tresham College has created his own brand under inspiration from his favourite designers.

'Nang' clothing is set to be stocked in Chopper, Montagu St after proving popular since the fashion label was established in January.

The 19-year-old has big aims for the future, and hopes his brand can compete with street-wear giants Supreme.

He said: "In five years time I want to be established around the world. I want people to know 'Nang'. I want to be as big as Supreme, that's the ultimate aim."

The fashion label's website and promotional video are set to be dropped today, March 22.

By Stephen Matthews

Local councillors fund new bikes for police in Northampton

MORE Police community support officers in Northampton are able to ride round the streets of on two wheels following funding from local councillors for five new bicycles.

The bikes, worth around £550 each have been funded by five councillors from Northampton borough, who represent wards in the north and east of the town: Tony Ansell (Abington), David Mackintosh (Rectory Farm), Steven Hibbert (Riverside), Lee Mason (Brookside) and Sally Beardsworth (Kingsthorpe).

The funding for the new bikes has been provided through each of the councillor’s Empowerment fund and will enable local PCSOs to cover more of their beats more quickly, while remaining visible and accessible to their communities.

Sergeant Steve Bedford said: “These new bikes, which will be easily identified as police bikes, will be a great help to our PCSOs and a big support to local policing, and we are very grateful to the councillors for providing the funding.

“The bikes will be particularly useful in helping our PCSOs cover larger areas of their beat as well as patrolling along cycle paths and in some of the less accessible areas, such as the back alleys in Abington and areas of Kingsthorpe village.

“As well as being able to get around their beat quicker, the PCSOs will remain very visible to the public and will still able to stop easily to talk to people and respond to any enquiries.”

By Joe Shine

Kettering Town 5 - Egham Town 0

Andrew Hall bagged a brace as Kettering Town extended their unbeaten streak to 10 games tonight with a 5-0 thrashing of Egham Town.

Elliot Sandy, Brett Solkhon and David Kolodynski also netted to help the Poppies maintain their lead at the top of the league despite finishing the game with 10 men.

The game began with a penalty in the third minute after the ball was handled in the box which Sandy calmly finished, sending Cunningham the wrong way.

Just seven minutes later, James Jepson whipped in a beautiful corner that found Solkhon’s head, beating the keeper at the near post.

Egham looked to have given up after the second goal, allowing an easy ball over the top to find Kolodynski who smashed home a volley from eight yards out in the 15^th minute.

In the 35^th minute, Hall burst down the right, beating a man and finished into the far post, making it 4-0.

Just before half time, in the 42^nd minute, Hall found space again and managed to beat the keeper with an easy finish.

The second half had a slightly lower tempo and we didn’t see much from either of the teams as chances from Hall and Kolodynski went just wide of the post.

The best chance of the half came as Jepson whipped in another corner, this time finding Hall but his chance of getting a hat trick was cleared off the line.

The home side weren’t phased by playing with 10 men following Rebus Richard-Noel’s injury and will look to stretch their unbeaten streak to 11 matches on Saturday against sixth placed Hanwell Town.

By Joe Shine