Local News

A Redcar & Cleveland Independent Councillor has dramatically crossed the floor to become a Labour representative;

A burglar who was caught red handed trying to smash a shed lock has once again appeared in court;

An 18-year-old has been released on bail as police continue investigations into an alleged rape of a teenage girl;

...and a two-vehicle collision closed a busy road in Middlesbrough yesterday.

A Redcar & Cleveland Independent Councillor has dramatically crossed the floor to become a Labour representative.

Grangetown Ward Councillor Adam Brook has made the decision to join the Labour Party and become a member of the Redcar and Cleveland Labour Group.

Mr Brook says he will continue to champion local issues on behalf of Grangetown, and to put residents' priorities first.

However he says he will now serve as a Labour Councillor until the next set of elections in which he intends to stand as part of the Labour Team.

A burglar who was caught red handed trying to smash a shed lock has once again appeared in court.

38-year-old Peter Wayne Stainsby was sentenced at Teesside Crown Court yesterday after pleading guilty to a string of offences. 

The court heard that during an incident on April 24, police were called to a home in Redcar after reports the defendant was trying to smash a shed lock.

At the time Mr Stainsby was serving a suspended sentence for burgling a pharmacy in Middlesbrough.

The defendant - who has 49 convictions for 96 offences - was charged with obstructing a police officer, possession of a Class C drug and failing to surrender to police custody.

MrStainsby, of Ennis Square in Redcar, was sentenced to 12 months in prison.

An 18-year-old has been released on bail as police continue investigations into an alleged rape of a teenage girl.

Forensic teams carried out searches in the Saltersgill area of Middlesbrough on Tuesday afternoon as pictures showed a number of police vehicles and a crime scene investigation team in attendance.

An 18-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of rape and questioned by detectives.

Cleveland Police has now confirmed that the man has been released on conditional bail as enquiries continue.

The teenage girl is still being offered specialist support following the ordeal.

A two-vehicle collision closed a busy road in Middlesbrough yesterday.

The incident, which took place just before 11am, occurred on Acklam Road near the junction with Hall Drive and Staindrop Drive.

A photo from the scene showed both a number of police vehicles and two ambulances in attendance.

The North East Ambulance Service confirmed they assessed two people on the scene, who required no treatment, and took one patient to James Cook University Hospital.

Three others made their own way to the hospital following the incident.