A man is in hospital with serious head injuries suffered in a city centre pub.

Police were alerted after the 52-year-old man arrived at Leicester Royal Infirmary's accident and emergency department in the early hours of Sunday.

He was later transferred to Nottingham's Queen's Medical Centre.

Police believe he had been injured during an incident at city centre pub.

Read more: Three-hour city centre stand off as woman dangles over edge of 40-foot drop

In a statement, Leicestershire Police said: "Initial inquiries lead officers to believe they were sustained during an incident at the King Richard III pub, in Highcross Street, Leicester just after midnight.

"The man, 52, was transferred to the Queen's Medical Centre in Nottingham, where he remains in a serious condition.

"A 55-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of GBH and remains in police custody."

Sir Peter Soulsby has said he was pleased 'the good people of Leicester' challenged Britain First activists who campaigned in the city centre at the weekend.

The police have said members of the far right party were escorted back to their vehicles to assure their safety after a confrontation at the city's Clock Tower on Saturday.

Britain First leader Paul Golding and around a dozen supporters were campaigning in the city for the UK to leave the European Union when they came face to face with a large crowd of people chanting 'Racists not welcome here'.

Britain First turned out in one of the UK's most diverse cities and were escorted away with a heavy police presence.https://t.co/QUb4XGwvvJ
— Channel 4 News (@Channel4News) May 22, 2016

Police officers attended the scene to prevent a breach of the peace and said it was 'low key'.

However video footage, posted online, has shown angry exchanges between the Britain First members and crowd of people, including socialists and anti-fascist campaigners.

Read more: Councillors look to the exit door 12 months ahead of 2017 Leicestershire County Council elections

Labour mayor Sir Peter said: "I understand it passed off very quickly and a number of good Leicester people made it very clear to them that these were not the attitudes we wanted to see in our city.

"Britain First is a splinter group of the collapsed EDL and their racism is not welcome here. I think that message is being made very clearly.

"I am pleased the incident passed off without violence."

Posting on Facebook, Britain First has accused the police of harassing its members and dismissed the widespread opposition to their presence as "smelly left wing trash."

The group has claimed it was well received in the city centre and that its campaigning was not disrupted.

A Leicestershire Police spokeswoman said: "We did have officers there to prevent a breach of the peace and there was no breach of the peace.

"All of the groups had dispersed by 4pm. There were no arrests.

"We offered to escort them (Britain First) to their vehicles."We wanted to assure their safety."

Police carried out a drugs raid thanks to a tip-off from a member of the public.

Officers executed a search warrant at a property in Barkby Road, Rushey Mead, Leicester yesterday.

Sgt Rich Lane. who leads the Rushey Mead beat team, said officers seized a small quantity of an unknown substance, which has been sent for analysis.

A man was arrested at the scene.

Sgt Lane said: "It was intelligence which came from the community.

"If people have any concerns or information they can call us and we will check it out."

Two men have been taken to hospital – one with a stab wound to his leg and the other with head injuries.

The men, aged 35 and 52, were found injured in Comet Close, New Parks, Leicester at 6.30pm on Monday.

They were taken to Leicester Royal Infirmary.

Two men have been arrested on suspicion of affray and assault.

Police have appealed for witnesses and have searched the area for the knife which was used in the attack.

In a statement, Leicestershire Police said: "Inquiries remain ongoing to establish the exact circumstances surrounding the incident and officers would like to speak to anyone who was in the area and saw what happened."

Contact Leicestershire Police on 101.

A former Leicestershire Police officer is to appear in court charged with misconduct in public office.

Jeremy Jayne, who held the rank of temporary detective inspector when he left the force earlier this year, is due to appear at Leicester Magistrates' Court on Friday, July 8.

The offence is alleged to have happened while the 48-year-old was employed by the force in October 2011, Leicestershire Police said today.

Police have made a new appeal for witnesses in the search for a group of men who attacked a car and its occupants.

A group of men attacked the dark blue Audi A4 in Melbourne Road, Highfields, Leicester injuring two people and causing extensive damage to the vehicle.

The attack happened shortly after 4pm on Saturday, May 14.

Two people suffered what police described as minor injuries.

Officers have arrested five men, aged 20 to 25, in connection with the incident.

In a statement, Leicestershire Police said: "Despite the arrests we are still keen to speak to anyone who was in the area.

"The incident took place in broad daylight in a busy area and it was definitely witnessed by many people.

"If you feel that you can't contact the police directly then please contact Crimestoppers anonymously, any information you can provide will be treated in the strictest confidence."

A 25-year-old man was arrested at the time on suspicion of affray, a further four men, aged 20, 22 and two aged 25, have also been arrested on suspicion of affray.

They have been released on police bail while officers conduct further inquiries.

Contact Detective Constable Carey Potter on 101, quoting incident 454 of 14 May or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

Police are concerned for the welfare of a poorly young woman who has gone missing.

Sophie Ibbitson, 22, was last seen shortly before midday yesterday in the area of Infirmary Square, outside Leicester Royal Infirmary.

In a statement, Leicestershire Police said: "We are concerned about her welfare due to a health condition.

"Sophie is known to frequent the Saffron Lane and Aylestone Park areas of Leicester.

"Do you know where Sophie is? Have you seen her since Monday? We need your help to find her."

She was wearing light blue tatty jeans, a black t-shirt and a grey zip-up sweatshirt.

Contact Pc Jo Blackshaw on 101.

Police arrested a man in a city centre business on suspicion of rape.

.Officers detained the man, who is in his 20s, as he arrived at the shop in Granby Street around 9am.

A number of officers remained at the scene searching the property.

In a statement, Leicestershire Police said: "Officers have executed a warrant at an address in Granby Street, Leicester.

"A man in his 20's has been arrested on suspicion of rape and is currently in custody. Inquiries remain ongoing."

Read more: New police appeal in hunt for gang who attacked men in their car

Police have issued a photograph of a teenage boy who went missing from home earlier this week.

Ty Rhys Carrington, 14, was last seen at his home in the Beaumont Leys area of Leicester on Saturday and was reported missing on Monday.

In a statement, Leicestershire Police said: "We and his family are concerned for his welfare and would urge him or anyone who knows where he is to contact us."

He is mixed race, 5ft 10ins, slim and has short Afro black hair.

When he was last seen, he was clean-shaven and was wearing black Nike Huarache trainers.

He may have been wearing a grey Nike tracksuit or black Armani jeans and red T-shirt and a navy blue 'True Religion' hooded zip top.

Contact Leicestershire Police 101, quoting incident 184 of 23 May.

Vandals broke into a charity's base and trashed a sensory garden it had created for elderly people with dementia.

The garden at Oadby and Wigston Age UK was attacked over the weekend.

The intruders dug up plants and pulled flowers from their pots. They also pulled bird feeders from the garden's walls.

The centre has been targeted by vandals several times before but this incident was the worst yet, manager Joy Husband said.

She said the garden at the Paddock Street shop and drop-in centre had been created with particularly colourful and scented plants and flowers.

It was enjoyed by all visitors, but particularly a group of people with dementia, known as the Elderberries, she said.

She said: "We'd created the sensory garden for people with dementia and they loved it.

"The group, the Elderberries, helped us design it, so a lot of love and care went into creating it and everyone is very upset.

"When I got the phone call to tell me it had been trashed I was in tears.

"Vandals have been in a few times and we put up high fences to stop them.

"But this time they have smashed through a gate to get in and smashed another one to get out.

"We're putting it right again, but each time something like this happens it costs more money we don't really have."

The £12,000 garden was created with the help of Lottery cash.

The vandals broke in between 12.20pm on Saturday (May 21) and 1.45pm the next day.

In a statement, Leicestershire Police said: "Damage was caused to a gate and six planter tubs were tipped up and the soil thrown over the artificial grass and conservatory roof.

"Three wooden bird feeders attached to the walls were pulled off and had the lids ripped off."

Contact Police community support officer Thomas McCabe on 101.

Anyone who can help the charity repair the damage is asked to call them on 0116 288 5203.

Argi Cuni has big plans for her future.

The 18-year-old, who is modelling professionally, is bursting with enthusiasm and hopes one day to carve out an acting career.

Rewind three years however, and Argi was in serious danger of becoming a statistic. A troubled youth with little or no interest in school, she began skipping lessons and a life of crime seemed to beckon.

"There wasn't any particular reason for going off the rails," she says.

"I just wasn't interested in school and listening to other people. I thought I knew better than them and I didn't care, but I got into a fight and that's when I first came into contact with the Youth Offending Service."

Read more: Leicester City star Jamie Vardy marries Rebekah Nicholson at star-studded ceremony

Argi was given a caution but the same thing happened again.

"I think I just didn't know how to control my feelings," she says.

"I had a lot of anger in me and it felt like I couldn't really express how I was feeling so that's how it all came out - through violence."

Argi's second brush with the city council's Youth Offending Service, however, was to prove the making of her.

"I really got on with my mentor. She didn't patronise me and she was there for me through thick and thin.

"I started to realise that if I did something else, I was going to get into a lot more trouble for it and I could see that I was really hurting my mum. I hated that."

The service gave her the help she needed.

"I spoke to people about how to communicate my feelings and not let my emotions bubble over. They linked me up with the career service, Connexions, and I took my level one and two maths and English.

"I learned how to create a CV and I got some work experience at a law firm, helping with administration. I was even asked to be part of a focus group on what sorts of things the Youth Offending Service should be offering to young people.

"With the help of YOS, Argi was put in touch with Soft Touch Arts and featured in a video about the impact crime can have on others. I actually played the victim in the film, and that really made me think about what I'd been doing and how much I'd hurt other people," she said.

"Suddenly, I could see it all from another person's perspective. It really hit home with me. It also gave me the bug for acting too. I really enjoyed making the film and I hope that others can learn from it."

Argi was asked by the service to attend the Youth Justice Convention in Leicester, where practitioners from across the country gather to share good practice and learn from one another.

"I wouldn't have done any of these things if it wasn't for the Youth Offending Service and my mentor," she adds.

"I've done lots of new things and I've talked to people I wouldn't otherwise have met. It's made me feel so much more confident. I've definitely got more self belief."

Now modelling for The G Collection, Argi also volunteers to speak to young people at risk of committing further crimes.

Parisha Pujara, a restorative justice coordinator and Argi's mentor for YOS, said: "Our aim is to try and make sure that offences don't escalate and our hope is that we can steer the young people we meet onto a far more productive path. Our programmes can be very successful, but although we can show people what they need to do, it's them that has to grasp the opportunities they get and that's exactly what Argi did.

"We had a very good rapport from the beginning and that was a huge help in how we progressed. We're really grateful that she's now giving something back to the service and helping other young people."

Police have named a motorcyclist who was killed in a collision with a car on a country road.

Christopher Williams was pronounced dead at the scene of the crash on the A52 in Bottesford, in the Vale of Belvoir on Wednesday morning.

The 25-year-old's Honda motorcycle collided with a Vauxhall Insignia at 8.35am.

Police said Mr Williams was originally from Wolverhampton but was living in Derby.

A 33-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving and has since been released on police bail pending further inquiries.

In a statement, Leicestershire Police said: "The motorcyclist was travelling towards Grantham and the car was being driven in the opposite direction when the collision occurred.

"If you were driving along the A52 and witnessed the collision or recall seeing either vehicle beforehand then please get in touch."

Contact 101, quoting incident number 126 of 25 May.

A 45-year-old man suffered multiple fractures to his face after he was attacked from behind in a village street.

Officers believe the attack in Glen Parva may be linked to an incident earlier in the evening when a group of men tried to get into a nearby house party but were denied entry.

The victim was attacked from behind by a group of men in Woodbank, shortly before 11pm on Saturday.

In a statement, Leicestershire Police said: "He was left unconscious.

"He sustained multiple fractures to his face and was discharged from hospital after treatment, but will require major surgery in the future.

"It's believed that prior to the incident a group of men tried to enter a house party nearby and were denied access, this may be linked to the subsequent assault.

"From inquiries conducted so far it's believed that a silver 54 registration plate Ford Fiesta may have been seen in the area and there were others who witnessed the incident.

"If you witnessed the assault or the events leading up to it then please get in touch."

Contact Detective Constable Louise Osborne on 101, quoting incident 127486.

Police recovered a van loaded with stolen shoes and arrested a number of suspects during a week-long hunt for criminals crisscrossing the country on the motorways.

Officers from Leicestershire Police and their neighbouring forces conducted the campaign – codenamed Operation Barric – this week.

It concentrated on the M1 and other major roads in the region.

The operation was set up to combat a series of thefts from lorries in car parks and lay-bys.

Since the beginning of the year there have been 49 such thefts in Leicestershire and a total of 143 in Northamptonshire, Nottinghamshire and Lincolnshire.

Yesterday, officers patrolling the M1 in Leicestershire stopped and searched a van, which they believe had been stolen from Leeds.

Inside, they found a consignment of hundreds of boxes of shoes which they believe had been stolen from a lorry in the Milton Keynes area.

A 23 year old man from Leeds was arrested on suspicion of theft and theft of a motor vehicle.

Officers also stopped a second vehicle at Leicester Forest East services and arrested a further three men from Leeds.

They were all arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to steal.

All four men remained in police custody today.

On Tuesday, officers stopped another car on the M1 in Leicestershire and recovered a haul of power tools which are believed to be stolen.

Three men from Derbyshire were all arrested on suspicion of theft.

Sgt Garry Johnson, who organised the operation, said: "These arrests show just how far people will travel to commit crime and reflect how important it is that forces work together.

"Criminals do not commit crime within county boundaries, they use our road networks to travel around committing crimes in different areas then moving on.

"That can make it more difficult for us to track and arrest them.

"However, by sharing information, making the best use of automatic number plate recognition technology and having officers from different forces patrolling the road network together we can, and will, catch criminals who travel in and out of our counties to commit crime."

A 14-year-old boy who was reported missing from home on Monday has been found safe and well.

Leicestershire Police had been concerned for the welfare of Ty Carrington and circulated his photograph and appealed for help finding him.

He was last seen at his home in the Beaumont Leys area of Leicester on Saturday and was reported missing on Monday.

The force confirmed this morning he had been found.

A 63-year-old man was knocked unconscious when he was mugged for his wallet and his saxophone.

The man was hit in the head in Soar Lane, near Frog Island, Leicester.

His wallet and gold coloured Jupiter saxophone were taken.

Police said it was unclear how many people carried out the attack, which happened at 11pm on Monday, May 16 – the night of Leicester City's Premier League victory parade.

In a statement, Leicestershire Police said: "The city was busy celebrating on the night of this incident and there would have been a lot of people out and about.

"We would like to hear from you if you saw what happened, know who was responsible or perhaps have been offered a saxophone for sale."

Contact Leicestershire Police on 101 quoting incident 16000122161.

It is a real privilege to have been elected as the Police and Crime Commissioner for Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland.

I pay tribute to the work done by my predecessor Sir Clive Loader.

One of the vital parts of my job is to consult and engage with you, the public, on all policing matters. This is why I welcome the opportunity to write a regular column for the Leicester Mercury informing you what I have been up to and I look forward to hearing your views and comments.

Leicester City's amazing achievement in winning the Premier League symbolised the togetherness and unity afforded by this wonderful city and county when quarter of a million people peacefully turned out to celebrate together.

Yes, I'm proud to be Leicester City fan, but I'm also a huge supporter of local policing; something I want to see become more visible on our streets, helping. Inevitably, this will help to tackle anti-social behaviour and prevent crime.

I want to continue the work to combat domestic abuse, hate crime, child sexual exploitation and other types of 'hidden crime' which cause such immense harm. I believe that many victims are still reluctant to come forward and we need to change that urgently.

I want the police to create a culture of confidence where people are willing to speak out because they trust the authorities to listen and act. I want to see a police force which is truly representative of our diverse communities.

In my first week in office a report from the Home Affairs Committee highlighted an under-representation of black and minority ethnic people in the police service. To be fair, Leicestershire Police is better than many forces, but I have already discussed the need to do more with the Chief Constable. A lot has been done, but there is clearly more to do.

We need to inspire people from all backgrounds to join our excellent police force, and we need to provide a working environment where everybody can flourish and reach their potential.

Those triumphant scenes last week demonstrated that collectively our communities are stronger when they are united.

Shared ambitions for inclusive, harmonious communities will help to cut crime and reduce disorder particularly if we embrace our rich diversity. I have already held meetings with the leaders of our local authority partners in Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland and I am determined that, working with our outstanding Chief Constable, we will deliver an improved service to you.

Police have appealed for help tracing a 62-year-old man who has gone missing from home.

Christopher Shipp was reported missing on Wednesday and was last seen at the One Stop Shop, in Main Street, Kirby Muxloe.

In a statement, Leicestershire Police said: "His disappearance is incredibly out of character and his family and officers are becoming increasingly concerned for his welfare."

Mr Shipp is white, 5ft 11ins, of medium build and has brown hair and brown eyes.

When last seen he was wearing a blue and white check short-sleeved shirt, blue jeans, glasses and had a watch on his left wrist. Contact the missing persons team on 101.

A man has been charged with murder after a man who had been injured during an alleged assault died in hospital almost a month later.

Antony Garwood, 45, of Redmarle Road, Braunstone, Leicester is to appear at the city's crown court next month charged with murdering Slawomir Niestepski.

Leicestershire Police officers were called to an address in Redmarle Road shortly before midday on Friday, April 22 to investigate a report that a man had suffered a cardiac arrest following an assault.

Mr Niestepski , 43, of Fullhurst Avenue, Braunstone was initially taken to University of Coventry and Walsgrave Hospital and subsequently transferred to Leicester Royal Infirmary.

He died on Monday, May 16.

Antony Garwood was charged with murder three days later.

He is due to appear at Leicester Crown Court on Friday, June 17.

A former Labour councillor has appeared in court accused of drug dealing.

Tom Neilson gave no indication of plea this morning when he faced charges of dealing Class B mephedrone - also known as M-Cat - at Leicester Magistrates court today.

The 32-year-old, of High Street, Measham, is accused of having 40.35g of the drug on November 27 last year.

Brendan Evans, 26, of Holly Court, Measham, also gave no indication of plea to the same charge.

Mr Neilson is also charged with allowing his home to be used for drug dealing to which he gave no indication of plea.

Mr Neilson had represented Measham South ward on North West Leicestershire District Council since 2011 and was the leader of the authority's Labour group until he stepped down from the role in October, citing work commitments as a call centre manager.

After his arrest, in a raid on his home, he was suspended by the Labour Party and resigned from the council.

The pair were released on unconditional bail and will appear at Leicester Crown Court next month.