Arson attack not racially motivated, police say

A suspected murder in one part of Worcester and a fire at a community centre a mile away are linked to a "dispute between the homeless community" in the city, police believe.

A man's body was discovered after a fire in a garage on Surman Street at about 06:00 GMT on Thursday, shortly before a second fire at Unity House Community Hub on Stanley Road.

West Mercia Police said officers believed the death was connected to a number of other incidents on the same day.

A 34-year-old man who was arrested on suspicion of murder remains in custody and is also being questioned on suspicion of arson, robbery and assaulting a police officer, the force said.

On Thursday, Worcester Muslim Welfare Association had called on police to investigate the fire at its Unity House Community Hub as a hate crime.

In a statement on Friday, police said they did not believe the incidents were racially or religiously motivated, and was treating the community centre fire as arson.

Officers said a man was injured during a dispute between a group of men on Pierpoint Street at about 02:30 on Thursday and was receiving hospital treatment for injuries not believed to be life-threatening.

CCTV of the incident had identified those involved as members of the homeless community, said the force.

Police were called to the second fire at the hub at about 07:15, about an hour after the body of a man, who is yet to be formally identified, was found in the garage on Surman Street.

Shortly after 08:00 on Spring Lane, a man suffered minor injuries after he was threatened by another man armed with a knife, who attempted to steal his car.

The force confirmed its inquiries suggested all the incidents were connected.

Ch Supt Edd Williams said it had caused "considerable concern" to the local community and they wanted to to offer reassurance about the steps they were taking.

"We fully understand concerns around the motive of these incidents, at this stage we do not believe these incidents to be race or religiously motivated or linked to any events taking place in Worcester over the weekend," he said.

Officers would be on patrol across the city to speak to the local community, he added.

Deputy Worcester City Council leader Jabbar Riaz previously said the local Muslim community was on edge, particularly as it was the holy month of Ramadan but it was important to remain calm.

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