Hundreds of arrests made in operation targeting organised crime in Merseyside

OVER the last week, Merseyside Police have arrested 170 people and seized a significant amount of vehicles, suspected Class A and B drugs, and firearms over the past week in an operation targeting serious and organised crime across Merseyside.

The Force has been clamping down hard following a spate of shootings, including the Olivia's tragic murder. We are told that a total 58 warrants across:- Liverpool, Knowsley and St Helens, were successfully executed.

Merseyside Police added that:-  "Amongst our most recent arrests were:-

A 23 year old male, from Liverpool, was arrested on suspicion of the murder of Sam Rimmer. He remains in custody where he was questioned by detectives.

A wanted 44 year old, from Liverpool, arrested on suspicion of affray and racial abuse after an altercation in the area.

A 42 year old, from Liverpool, arrested on suspicion of drink driving and failing to stop after a collision involving several vehicles on Finch Lane early, on Sunday, 28 August 2022.

A 50 year old, from Liverpool, arrested on suspicion of assault and cultivation of cannabis.

Over the last week 46 vehicles have been seized, 2 firearms recovered in Liverpool and we have received over 280 submissions of intelligence from people regarding organised crime."

Detective Chief Superintendent and Head of Investigations, Mark Kameen, said:- “These increasing figures are part of an ongoing operation, targeting suspected organised crime groups and serious violence across Merseyside and beyond. We hope these figures and the relentless work of our officers over the past week shows our commitment in targeting anyone involved in organised crime and removing dangerous weapons and drugs from our streets. The information we have received from our communities has been phenomenal and vital in our recent murder investigations. If you have any information that could continue to help our inquiries please contact us and we will do the rest.”

Anyone with information is asked to contact:- Crimestoppers UK on:- 0800555111.

Don't let those involved in Olivia Pratt-Korbel's Murder escape justice

MERSEYSIDE Police have asked the public to continue to provide any information they have to justice and any others involved in gun crime. Please do not be silent, as it is time to get guns out of the hands of criminals, so we do not have any more killings of innocent people, including children, like 9 year old, Olivia Pratt-Kirbel.

Merseyside Police have said:- "Our investigation into Olivia's tragic murder is ongoing and we still need people to come forward so we can build up a strong evidential picture and bring those responsible to justice. We are still appealing to anyone who saw a black Audi Q3 car in the days leading up to the shooting, or has any information about its movements after leaving Kingsheath Avenue on the night of the shooting. If you have any:- CCTV, dashcam, and/or smart doorbell footage, that could help our inquiries, they can be downloaded on the dedicated public portal for Olivia's murder, which will go straight through to the investigation team. Footage can be submitted here Public Portal MIPP.Police.UK Anyone with information is asked to contact:- @CrimestoppersUK on:- 0800555111.

This includes ANY other information, on any firearms crime. Don't keep silent,, Pass it on and Merseyside Police will assess its importance. It is only with the help of the Public that this type of crime can be stopped. Please do not let Olivia Pratt-Kirbel murder and any others involved in gun crime to escape justice.

9.5% decrease in adults seen by NHS dentists within recommended 2 years

THE number of adults seen by NHS dentists within recommended timeframes decreased by 9.5% in June 2022 against the previous year, a report published by NHS Digital today shows.

16.4m adults in England were seen for NHS dental treatment in the 24 months up to June 2022, according to NHS Dental Statistics, England 2021-221. This is a reduction of 9.5% compared to the 24 months up to June 2021, when 18.1m adults were seen2. It is a reduction of 25.3% compared to the 24 months up to June 2019, when 22.0m adults were seen3.

The report also shows that 5.6m children were seen in the 12 months up to June 20224. This is an increase of 42.1% compared to the 12 months up to June 2021 when 3.9m were seen.

When comparing against the 12 months up to June 2019, the report shows a decrease of 20.2%, with 7.0m children seen.

In 2021-22, 26.4m courses of treatment5 were delivered by NHS dentists. This is an increase of 120.0% compared to the number delivered in:- 2020 to 2021, which was 12.0m. It is a decrease of 33.6% compared with the number delivered in:- 2018 to 2019, which was 39.7m6.

In addition, 3.8m urgent courses of treatment were delivered in 2021-22. This is an increase of 5.7% compared to the number delivered in 2020 to 2021 and an increase of 4.5% compared with the number delivered in:- 2018 to 2019, which was 3.6m.

The report contains information about dental activity7 including patients treated by NHS dentists and the number of patients seen within the maximum recommended gap between appointments.

Dental practices were instructed to close for routine care and provide only urgent treatment on March 25, 2020, as part of Covid19 restrictions8. As a result, the most recent reporting period for which NHS Dental Statistics are unaffected by the Covid19 Pandemic was:- 2018 to 2019. Comparisons against this period, as well as:- 2020 to 2021, are made in the report.

Other data in the report includes:-

►  The types of treatment provided.

►  The number of dentists performing NHS activity per 100,000 of population.

Vikings look to make a difference with mental health initiative

WIDNES Vikings are inviting the rugby league community to join them in remembering those affected by suicide during their televised Betfred Championship Match against Halifax, on Monday, 5 September 2022. The Vikings will display 120 rugby league shirts on seats at the DCBL Stadium, marking the number of people around the world that will take their own lives during the course of the 80 minute match, 1 every 40 seconds. Any club; at professional or community level; or individual that has been impacted by suicide can include the shirt they want as part of the initiative next month.

The move was the idea of a weekly men's mental health group run by Vikings Community Rugby League Co-ordinator Sean Mellor. Mellor explained:- "For a number of years Widnes Vikings has run a men's group for people interested in improving their mental fitness. At the moment the group is committed to learning about the work of the Zero Suicide Alliance. In talking about suicide, we discussed a number of eye opening statistics, and one of the most impactful was the fact that during 80 minutes of a rugby league match, 120 people around the world will take their own lives. That grew into how we might visualise and symbolise that, and having 120 shirts at the game seemed like a good idea to give it some perspective for people. Seeing that at the Halifax game will be really powerful. A lot of people in the rugby league community will know somebody who has been affected by suicide in one way or another, including those that have been left behind, and understand the devastating effect that has. By running this initiative for a game that is live on Premier Sports, hopefully we can play a role in people talking about the issue, and feeling comfortable doing so. We have to move away from the stigma that surrounds men in particular talking and sharing their thoughts."

The match takes place in the same week as World Suicide Prevention Day, on Saturday, 10 September 2022, and Vikings Chief Executive Phil Finney believes the club can play a key role in an important issue. Finney said:- "As an organisation, Widnes Vikings want to be more than just a rugby league club between 3pm to 5pm, on a Sunday. We've got a responsibility to our local community to use our platform and presence in the Town to raise awareness of really important issues. When you consider that suicide is the biggest killer of men under the age of 45, this is certainly one of those issues. If we can help people by encouraging them to come to one of Sean's sessions or get people to talk to each other about their feelings, then that's great. The Halifax game is a very visual way of bringing this into people's consciousness. But this is not just a Widnes Vikings centric programme, it's about the whole community and rugby league in general. Historically, rugby league is a sport played by alpha males, and really tough men that knock lumps out of each other on the pitch. But mental health issues don't discriminate whether you're a rugby player or not. Anybody that has been affected by suicide and wants to remember somebody in particular by having their club's shirt at the game on 5 September 2022, they are more than welcome to contact us and we'll arrange that."

Clubs or individuals can contact the Vikings to arrange a shirt being part of the display by emailing Sean Mellor at:- Seanm@WidnesVikings.Co.UK.