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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Why is what’s happening in Leicester secret?

293 replies

GrandmaMazur · 04/02/2026 10:59

I just saw a news alert about a very serious incident that happened last night in Leicester and the area is cordoned off with a heavy police presence. But there are no details available.

I don’t remember seeing a news story like this before where nothing about the actual incident is reported. Does this happen regularly and I’ve not noticed or is this quite unusual?

I hope it’s nothing too awful.

OP posts:
Thread gallery
12
CurlewKate · 04/02/2026 18:46

Shame. If there’s been a crime I’m sure Mumsnetters would have solved it by now if they’d been given half a chance…..

bookworm14 · 04/02/2026 18:54

The Southport (not Stockport) killer is Welsh, unless you believe black people can’t be Welsh, which I assume a number of people on this thread do. The photo of him when he was younger was released because it was the only publicly available image of him. The later photo was a mugshot and was released after he was tried and convicted, as is normal for mugshots (see Wayne Couzens, Brianna Ghey’s killers etc).

Don’t let any of that get in the way of your narrative, though.

BlueJuniper94 · 04/02/2026 18:58

AnnasFangs · 04/02/2026 17:50

"Don't speculate" tends to mean they're suppressing something that could cause unrest

Rubbish. The same plea was made about the Huntingdon stabbings, for example. When all the racists were claiming it was a terrorist attack or an attack by boat people.

Unfortunately I think the racists felt vindicated by that one too. They're racists remember.

Crikey, all I said was that I wish they wouldn't say "don't speculate". I'm not sure what media reporting needs to do in the social media age to get this right.

CaptainMyCaptain · 04/02/2026 19:00

OonaStubbs · 04/02/2026 18:43

The police trying to cover things up always backfires, people just speculate what they want to speculate and the truth always comes out in the end. The police should release information as soon as and when they know it. The public pay for the police, and we have a right to know what has happened.

You don't need to know everything, at least not immediately, for reasons of courtesy to the bereaved family and for operational reasons.

BlueJuniper94 · 04/02/2026 19:00

bookworm14 · 04/02/2026 18:54

The Southport (not Stockport) killer is Welsh, unless you believe black people can’t be Welsh, which I assume a number of people on this thread do. The photo of him when he was younger was released because it was the only publicly available image of him. The later photo was a mugshot and was released after he was tried and convicted, as is normal for mugshots (see Wayne Couzens, Brianna Ghey’s killers etc).

Don’t let any of that get in the way of your narrative, though.

Edited

The court drawings and mugshot were all over X before the appeared in the mainstream media. This is another issue, there can be considerable lag

Loveing · 04/02/2026 19:01

It happening all over the place not just leicester.
In my area of town a man was killed outside our local shop.
Before that another was attacked in a filed with a knife while walking his dog.

Just the other day a group of teens was caught chasing a young man though town all found to be carrying knifes.

CaptainMyCaptain · 04/02/2026 19:03

Loveing · 04/02/2026 19:01

It happening all over the place not just leicester.
In my area of town a man was killed outside our local shop.
Before that another was attacked in a filed with a knife while walking his dog.

Just the other day a group of teens was caught chasing a young man though town all found to be carrying knifes.

And yet... Homicides in England and Wales fall to lowest level since records began | Crime | The Guardian https://share.google/hga8XcUbQuIaHWkz7

Homicides in England and Wales fall to lowest level since records began

Killings involving knives or sharp implements dropped by 23% year on year, ONS figures show

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2026/jan/29/homicides-england-wales-lowest-level-since-records-began

Loveing · 04/02/2026 19:05

CaptainMyCaptain · 04/02/2026 19:03

And yet... Homicides in England and Wales fall to lowest level since records began | Crime | The Guardian https://share.google/hga8XcUbQuIaHWkz7

I think its a lot gotten worse not better.

EeyoresLostTail · 04/02/2026 19:05

An 18-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of murdering a student who was fatally stabbed near a university campus in Leicester.
Officers were called to reports a man had collapsed in Oxford Street, close to the junction with Bonners Lane, just after 17:00 GMT on Tuesday.
The victim, a man in his 20s, was taken to the Leicester Royal Infirmary but died a short time later, Leicestershire Police said.
Prof Katie Normington, vice-chancellor of De Montfort University (DMU), said she was "devastated by the tragic death of one of our students".
Image source,Leicester Media Online
Image caption,
Several roads in the city were closed off following the fatal attack
Normington added: "Our thoughts are with everyone who is affected by what has happened.
"We are offering direct support to students, staff and the family of the victim.
"We are working with Leicestershire Police as they investigate this tragic incident."
Police said it believed the victim was involved in an altercation with another man in the street who left the scene.
Officers will be carrying out inquiries in the area and have appealed for anyone with CCTV or dashcam footage to come forward.

Image caption,
Tye Crofton said they heard a scream before seeing a man lying on the ground
Tye Crofton, a 19-year-old software engineer, said they saw the immediate aftermath of the incident unfold.
They said they heard a scream not long before they finished work - but "didn't think too much of it at the time".
"Two or three minutes past five, as I exited the door, I saw a man lying on the ground covered with coats by around 12 or 17 bystanders," they said.
Crofton said a person, who they believed was a member of the public, began performing CPR on the man.
"I didn't really know to react initially," they added.
"There was someone else there that had phones up to each ear, and I assumed that they were already on the phone to emergency services."
Image source,PA Media
Image caption,
Leicestershire Police said there would be extra patrols in the area over the coming days
Det Insp Lorna Granville, senior investigating officer, said: "We are currently piecing together exactly what has occurred on the corner of Oxford Street and Bonners Lane between, what is reported, as two men involved in a confrontation.
"One of the men is believed to have been stabbed and has then collapsed in the street. Despite the best efforts of medical staff he died in hospital.
"CCTV in the area is currently being reviewed and officers are speaking to potential witnesses to assist with our investigation. We know a lot of people came to the aid of the victim before emergency services arrived and we want to thank them for their help.
"If you were one of these people and you haven't yet spoken to police, please make contact with us."
In a statement, DMU's student voice leaders, of the students' union, said: "At a university like ours, our community is held together by our bonds with one another, and nothing brings that into sharper focus than when something so devastating happens.
"We know this will be unsettling for many students, and we want to reassure you that the university, the students' union, and your student voice leaders are here to support you."
Several roads were closed after the stabbing including Infirmary Road, Oxford Street, Infirmary Square, Carlton Street, York Road, Lower Brown Street, The Gateway and Gosling Street.

OonaStubbs · 04/02/2026 19:12

CaptainMyCaptain · 04/02/2026 19:03

And yet... Homicides in England and Wales fall to lowest level since records began | Crime | The Guardian https://share.google/hga8XcUbQuIaHWkz7

I don't believe that for a second. Where is the proof?

Notonthestairs · 04/02/2026 19:15

Figures released by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) show 499 homicides were recorded by police in the 12 months to September 2025, a drop of 7% year on year from 539. These are the lowest overall homicide figures since records were first recorded in 2003.
Homicide involving a knife or sharp instrument in England and Wales has fallen by 23% to 174 in the year. Knife crime has also fallen, dropping by 9% to 50,430 offences in the year to September, compared with 55,149 in the previous 12 months.

Knife crime | The Guardian

Latest news, sport, business, comment, analysis and reviews from the Guardian, the world's leading liberal voice

https://www.theguardian.com/uk/knifecrime

SidekickSylvia · 04/02/2026 19:18

I wonder if a reluctance of reporting is due to the involvement of an 18 year old. If his age was guessed/assumed wrongly and he turned out to be a few months younger than 18, it would change everything so maybe the media weren't taking any chances and waited for confirmation of his age.

CaptainMyCaptain · 04/02/2026 19:21

Loveing · 04/02/2026 19:05

I think its a lot gotten worse not better.

The statistics say otherwise.

EdithBond · 04/02/2026 19:24

Hi @GrandmaMazur.

It seems a local councillor has criticised police for an 18hr information vacuum:

Councillor criticises police 'information vacuum'
13:52
A local politician has spoken out over the "information vacuum" he says was left by Leicestershire Police in the aftermath of the fatal stabbing.
Conservative Harborough county councillor Phil King said: "Obviously this is a very tragic situation, my thoughts are with family and friends and this will be deeply concerning to all residents, but why did this take Leicestershire Police approximately 18 hours to release any public information?"
The force released a road closure alert over a "police incident" shortly after it was called to the scene on Tuesday, but details of the nature of the reason for the cordons and closures was not issued until about 11:30 GMT today.
The BBC has contacted the force for a response.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/c17zkj7nwzjt?app-referrer=deep-link&post=asset%3A14b8da15-d9cb-4ae6-ba10-243859325045#post

CaptainMyCaptain · 04/02/2026 19:25

OonaStubbs · 04/02/2026 19:12

I don't believe that for a second. Where is the proof?

Knife crime statistics England and Wales - House of Commons Library https://share.google/UyOOLj3PwwLAZJtG4

Loveing · 04/02/2026 19:30

CaptainMyCaptain · 04/02/2026 19:21

The statistics say otherwise.

Its just statistics its not facts, sorry but dont believe everything you read, just have to look around and hear the news hear what others have seen, dont rely on a print in a online paper.
Lets not forget the awful huntingdon train attack.

CaptainMyCaptain · 04/02/2026 19:32

Loveing · 04/02/2026 19:30

Its just statistics its not facts, sorry but dont believe everything you read, just have to look around and hear the news hear what others have seen, dont rely on a print in a online paper.
Lets not forget the awful huntingdon train attack.

Conspiracy theorist. Ok.

GalaxyJam · 04/02/2026 19:33

Loveing · 04/02/2026 19:30

Its just statistics its not facts, sorry but dont believe everything you read, just have to look around and hear the news hear what others have seen, dont rely on a print in a online paper.
Lets not forget the awful huntingdon train attack.

Statistics are facts.

Loveing · 04/02/2026 19:35

CaptainMyCaptain · 04/02/2026 19:32

Conspiracy theorist. Ok.

You can not be serious are you for real.
Its true about the huntington train attack.
And statistics are not facts.

CaptainMyCaptain · 04/02/2026 19:35

Also the Huntingdon train attack wasn't kept a secret. What are you suggesting?

Loveing · 04/02/2026 19:36

CaptainMyCaptain · 04/02/2026 19:35

Also the Huntingdon train attack wasn't kept a secret. What are you suggesting?

Crime as not gone down.

OonaStubbs · 04/02/2026 19:37

There's an old saying about lies, damned lies and statistics...

GalaxyJam · 04/02/2026 19:38

Loveing · 04/02/2026 19:35

You can not be serious are you for real.
Its true about the huntington train attack.
And statistics are not facts.

No one has denied the Huntingdon train attack. Doesn’t mean homicides haven’t dropped overall.

samarrange · 04/02/2026 19:39

Loveing · 04/02/2026 19:30

Its just statistics its not facts, sorry but dont believe everything you read, just have to look around and hear the news hear what others have seen, dont rely on a print in a online paper.
Lets not forget the awful huntingdon train attack.

Its just statistics its not facts

What is the difference between statistics and facts?

The word "statistics" literally means "Information about the State".

Or are you suggesting that the Office of National Statistics just makes up crime figures (sometimes making them go up and sometimes down) that have no relation to what's actually taking place, and its staff (full disclosure: including my sister-in-law, the most honest person I know) go home laughing their heads off every evening?

GasperyJacquesRoberts · 04/02/2026 19:44

Loveing · 04/02/2026 19:30

Its just statistics its not facts, sorry but dont believe everything you read, just have to look around and hear the news hear what others have seen, dont rely on a print in a online paper.
Lets not forget the awful huntingdon train attack.

So I should believe what I hear on the news rather than what I read in an online paper? Which news should I be listening to and which online papers should I be avoiding?

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