Justice project helps with village flood defence

A justice scheme that involves people who have committed low-level offences carrying out community work has helped improve flood defences in a village.

Participants of the Immediate Justice programme, including a man in his 50s who was convicted of shoplifting, have helped place tonnes of sandbags at New Croft garages in Weedon Bec, Northamptonshire.

The project, which is supported by Northamptonshire's police and fire commissioner (PFCC) Danielle Stone, has worked on more than 80 public areas and community spaces in the county.

"[The shoplifting] offender has avoided going through the court system and has instead directly supported residents in Northamptonshire," Stone said.

The garages in Weedon Bec have flooded before, which impacted nearby roads and homes.

The installing of sandbags, to prevent further flooding, was carried out alongside the Weedon Flood Liaison Action Group (Flag).

The group said the sandbags would help to reduce the effects of low-level flooding as part of a wider flood response in the village.

The scheme, which was launched in 2023, is supported by the office of the PFCC and the participants are referred to the project by Northamptonshire Police.

The project has seen over 3,000 hours of reparative work assigned to offenders, the PFCC's office said.

Steve Edwards, a coordinator from Weedon Flag, said: "The team were efficient, enthusiastic and productive, and the work they completed will be of genuine benefit to our community.

"Immediate Justice has meant that our local people have seen a positive and useful outcome from the work undertaken and I am grateful that the team was able to help us."

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