Issue. 36 - October 2017 www.facebook.com/LancsLocal | www.Lancashire-Local.com | www.twitter.com/@lancslocal
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Inside This Issue: Care • News • Christmas • Sport
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Accrington woman jailed for
masterminding assault
An Accrington woman who planned and oversaw a vicious assault has been jailed for nine years. Nasreen Akhtar, 35, of Spring Street, was sentenced on Tuesday (September 26th) at Preston Crown Court, having previously been found guilty of a section 18 assault. It follows an incident which occurred at around 11.30pm on July 23rd last year at the rear of Akhtar’s home address, when a 47-year-old man was subjected to a prolonged assault at the hands of a group of five men. It is believed Akhtar had been the ‘ringleader’ for the attack, not only organising it but watching it from beginning to end. In the weeks before the attack, Akhtar and the victim had been communicating by text message, which the victim believed was the start of a relationship. However, on July 22nd Akhtar asked the victim to cease contact. It is thought she had become unhappy with the content of their communications.
However, the following day she claimed to have had a change of heart and invited him round to her house. When the victim attended her home address he was set upon in the yard at the back of the property by five unknown men. As a result of the assault – which went on for around ten minutes – the victim suffered a fractured left cheek, which now requires a metal plate, a dislocated left elbow, a broken nose and several broken teeth. He was in Royal Blackburn Hospital for a week afterwards. An investigation was launched and Akhtar was arrested on July 24th. The men who carried out the attack have never been located. DC Lee Richardson, of Blackburn Police, said: “This was a vicious and entirely unprovoked assault carried out against an innocent man, masterminded by someone he simply made the mistake of trusting. “I am pleased the courts have taken this incident as seriously as we did and have seen fit to hand Akhtar
a significant sentence. I hope she uses her time in prison to reflect on the consequences of her actions. “I also hope the sentencing brings some comfort to the victim and enables him to move forward with his life. He not only suffered terrible injuries, but was later forced to go through the ordeal of a trial, and he has conducted himself with immense courage. “We have never located the men who carried out the attack and would continue to urge anybody who knows who they are to contact us online, or via 101, quoting crime reference ED1611061.”
Information evening for potential foster carers
Anyone thinking about becoming a foster carer is invited to an information evening in Preston to find out more. The event will be held on Wednesday 18 October 2017 at County Hall, on Fishergate Hill in Preston, from 6pm to 7.30pm. Members of Lancashire County Council's fostering team, as well as social workers and current foster carers, will be available to answer questions, talk you through the process, and offer advice. The county council has recently increased the allowances payable
to new foster carers so now they can expect to receive between £241 and £415 per week for each child they care for. People who have considered fostering before but weren't sure they could afford it are advised to come along to an information evening and find out if it could now be a viable option. County Councillor Susie Charles, Cabinet Member for Children, Young People and Schools, said: "With around 20 Lancashire children needing homes each week, we need to recruit new foster carers. "We have increased our allowances to foster carers this year in recognition
of their valuable role in providing loving homes for the children in our care. There is also a rising demand for placements with more children and young people coming into the care of the local authority each week. "We are looking for people who can foster all ages of children, particularly siblings who need to stay together and teenagers. No formal experience or qualifications are needed, all we ask is that you have a spare room available and a desire to make a difference to a local child's life." A package of support is available 24/7 to help foster carers in their role, including local
support groups, their own social worker, a dedicated helpline and flexible training. If you're unable to come along on the night, call the fostering recruitment team on 0300 123 6723 or visit the website www. lancashire.gov.uk/fostering There is no need to book for the fostering information evening - you can just turn up, but please arrive early to avoid disappointment. Free parking is available on the Arthur Street car park, next to County Hall, and the Pitt Street entrance is accessible for disabled people.