Local News

A judge decided against jailing a drug driver amid fears he could be in danger behind bars following threats against his life;

Members of the public are being advised to make sure they keep up to date with the details of Universal Credit;

...and a speed boat which went missing from the side of a road in our area has been returned to its owner.

A judge decided against jailing a drug driver amid fears he could be in danger behind bars following threats against his life.

Bradley Grainger sped away from police, at almost double the speed limit, as he tore round the streets of Grove Hill on Christmas Day last year.

He then tried to flee on foot after police cornered his Nissan Juke, but was arrested and found to have cocaine and cannabis in his system, Teesside Crown Court was told on Monday.

Six months later, while on bail for the driving offences, he was stopped by police with a flick knife and a blade which was hidden inside a credit card.

Judge Stephen Ashurst told the 23-year-old that in usual circumstances, he would spend time in jail.

But after hearing prison was Grainger's "worst nightmare" after he'd received threats against his life, Judge Ashurst suspended his 12 month sentence for two years.

Members of the public are being advised to make sure they keep up to date with the details of Universal Credit.

Universal Credit is being rolled out for new benefit claimants throughout Redcar and Cleveland from a week today, Wednesday 28 November and will replace:

- Housing Benefit

- Child Tax Credit

- Income Support

- Working Tax Credit

- Income-based Jobseeker's Allowance

- Income-related Employment and Support Allowance

More information is available on the Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council website.

A speed boat which went missing from the side of a road in our area has been returned to its owner.

The four and a half tonne vessel had been parked up in a layby near the Loftus and Liverton turn on the A171 Moor road after the trailer which was towing it lost a wheel.

The owner contacted police to let them know it hadn't been abandoned, before returning home to order the part to fix the trailer.

However when he returned on Saturday the blue, white and cream Cobra power boat had vanished.

After a police appeal the boat turned up at a yard near Stockton yesterday and was returned to its owner.