Cash boost for council youth team

Efforts to prevent young people getting involved in crime have been given a cash boost in Leicester.

The city's Youth Offending Team has been awarded £382,000 from the government for a range of schemes.

Some of the cash has been earmarked to encourage early intervention by increasing the number of support panels that work with youngsters.

Service leaders said they would target children assessed as most likely to be involved in anti-social behaviour.

Councillor Mark Farmer, city council cabinet lead for crime and disorder, said: "One of the most effective ways to reduce crime is to prevent young people from getting into trouble in the first place, and this money will help us to do just that."