Confirming a referral had been made, an IOPC spokesman said: “We can confirm we have begun an independent investigation following an incident at an address in Fownhope Close, Redditch, at around ...

The share of council tax that West Mercia Police receives could rise by almost 5% next year - a move its police and crime commissioner (PCC) has said is needed to protect front-line policing.

Ex-West Mercia PC Mark Cranfield, 52, from Bromfield, Shropshire, sent inappropriate social media messages and a friend request to the highly vulnerable woman, a two-week trial was told.