COURTS
Man held on murder charge and five counts of arson
A man appeared in court yesterday charged with murder and arson with intent to endanger life after a house fire which left a man dead. Stephen George-Davies (50) spoke only to confirm his name during a brief hearing at Worcester Magistrates’ Court. Davies, of Oak Crescent, Malvern, Worcestershire, was charged on Wednesday night with one count of murder and five counts of arson with intent to endanger life. The blaze at a house in The Glade, Malvern, at about 1.45am on Monday, killed one man and left three people seriously injured. The three - one man and two women - remain in Worcestershire Royal Hospital in Worcester. Another person in the house as the fire took hold suffered smoke inhalation. A youth who was also arrested has been released without charge while inquiries continue. Davies was remanded in custody to appear at Worcester Crown Court on October 23.
POLICE
1.000 cannabis plants found after raid on house
More than 1,000 cannabis plants have been confiscated by police in a raid on a rented house in Burton-on-Trent. The plants, which will be destroyed at a Burton police station, would have had a street value of “tens of thousands of pounds”, according to a police spokesman, who went on to urge landlords to carry out “regular checks” of their tenants’ homes. Burton neighbourhood policing commander Inspector Jav Oomer said: “We ask landlords and neighbours to watch out for tell-tale signs, such as people coming and going at unusual times of the day and night, deliveries of composting and gardening materials, ventilation pipes appearing from windows and chimneys and strange smells. “If landlords or neighbours do have suspicions, they should contact police. Two men, aged 24 and 39, were arrested on suspicion of drugs offences.
