Prolific thief put behind bars

A persistent thief who targeted shops and parked vehicles during a six-week crime spree has been jailed.

Stuart Askey, aged 39, walked into supermarkets and other stores in Clifton and The Meadows to swipe items from the shelves.

Ring doorbell footage also captured him opening the door of a van parked outside a home in Hockerwood, Clifton, on 9 April.

PC Jane Gibson and Mel Starmer - neighbourhood policing teams in Nottingham South carried out an extensive investigation into the thefts, with the help of local businesses, and arrested Askey on Tuesday (2 May).

Askey, of Southchurch Drive, Clifton, was locked up for 16 weeks when he appeared at Nottingham Magistrates’ Court the following day. He pleaded guilty to 14 shop thefts and one charge of interfering with a motor vehicle.

The offences took place between 11 March and 23 April 2023 with Askey stealing goods totalling more than £500.

He targeted the Farm Foods store, in Southchurch Drive, Clifton, to steal meat, cheese and other food products on six occasions - stuffing items down his jumper or inside his coat.

Askey also walked into the Wilko store, in Southchurch Drive, and stole laundry products on four occasions.

Further thefts took place at the Co-op store, in the Bridgeway Centre, The Meadows, where Askey stole laundry products and household items on two occasions, and at the Heron Foods store, in Southchurch Drive, where he took laundry products.

Inspector Steve Dalby, who has recently taken the reins as district commander for Nottingham South, said: “To secure this number of charges against an offender involves a huge amount of painstaking police work so I am grateful to all my officers who were involved in this case and particularly Police Constables Jane Gibson and Mel Starmer.

“Askey is a prolific shoplifter who has caused serious issues for a number of local stores.

“I am pleased the court has given him a custodial sentence and hope this sends a clear message that we take shoplifting and associated crime very seriously.

“We work closely with businesses and our partners to ensure the shops which serve our communities are places which people want to visit in order to spend their money.

“We know that a disproportionate number of shop thefts are committed by a relatively small group of persistent offenders like Askey. “By targeting resources at those individuals and working with businesses and other partners we are already seeing some very promising results.”

Weed control trials return to Lady Bay this spring

Last spring and summer, trials took place in the Lady Bay area to look at alternative ways of treating weeds. This was undertaken in response to the recommendation from the Highway Services Review to investigate alternative weed spraying treatments/regimes.

There were four weed control zones, each using a different control method.

Results were affected predominantly by the weather. July and August saw the sixth driest summer on record. This meant weeds in the trial zones received less water, inhibiting their growth and germination.

Of the methods available in the first trial, the recommendation was to continue exploring the potential of the ‘Spray On demand’ and single Glyphosate application techniques.

The trial will comprise two different weed treatment zones monitored weekly. More information on the trial along with a map of the streets included can be found at our website

The trial is now underway and will run until the end of the year.

The saying goes that “weeds are wild plants in the wrong place!”. They may have benefits for wildlife in the garden and can aerate soil with their roots. They can also produce beautiful flowers and add interest to sites. However, many people find them unsightly.

Weeds are only an issue when they begin to damage the surface of the road, or in footways where they make surfaces uneven causing trips and falls or force users to move out into the road. Weeds can also force their way into walls and fences causing damage and making the structures dangerous. Weed problems such as these should be reported to Nottinghamshire County Council.

Councillor Neil Clarke MBE, Cabinet Member for Transport and Environment at Nottinghamshire County Council said: “We know that residents have concerns around weeds in their neighbourhood but also around the methods used to control them.”

“We are particularly keen to further explore our initial findings that natural features of the area, such as shade and temperature, can help to manage the weeds.

“The trial does not mean weed treatment will stop entirely. If residents have concerns about dangerous weeds causing damage to the highway or a danger to people in their area, we encourage them to report the issue and we will investigate.

“Please bear in mind that it can take a while for a weed to die away completely, even after treatment. It’s best to wait for up to six weeks before reporting a site again. We will monitor the area weekly as part of the trial.”

Issues with weeds, grass cutting, trees and hedges can all be reported by calling the Customer Services Centre on 0300 500 8080 or by using the website or MyNotts App.