Dinnington Rotherham: Call for memorial where Leonne Weeks’ body was found to stop 'disrespectful' fly-tippers

It was once the site of a makeshift shrine to the victim of a tragic South Yorkshire murder.
David Kessen
By David Kessen
Published 16th Aug 2022, 04:45 GMT
Updated 16th Aug 2022, 08:15 GMT
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But now it has been targeted by fly-tippers who have been accused of failing to respect the much-loved teenager whose body was found there.

Residents in Dinnington are unhappy over the lack of respect shown by fly-tippers operating there to the memory of Leonne Weeks, 16, who was found dead on land behind Victoria Street in the former mining village in 2017.

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Shea Peter Heeley, 19, was jailed for life for Leonne’s murder.

It was once the site of a makeshift shrine to the victim of a tragic South Yorkshire murder. But now land behind Victoria Street, Dinnington, has been targeted by fly tippers who have been accused of failing to respect much-loved teenager Leonne Weeks, whose body was found there in 2017It was once the site of a makeshift shrine to the victim of a tragic South Yorkshire murder. But now land behind Victoria Street, Dinnington, has been targeted by fly tippers who have been accused of failing to respect much-loved teenager Leonne Weeks, whose body was found there in 2017
It was once the site of a makeshift shrine to the victim of a tragic South Yorkshire murder. But now land behind Victoria Street, Dinnington, has been targeted by fly tippers who have been accused of failing to respect much-loved teenager Leonne Weeks, whose body was found there in 2017
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PIctures taken earlier this month showed the area has been used to dump unwanted rubbish since the tragedy.

Rotherham Council had a recent clear-up – but Dinnington resident Tim Wells says he thinks a permanent memorial to Leonne’s memory should be put there, so that those using the site as a tip realise the offence they are causing.

Shortly after Leonne died, a temporary shrine in her memory was started on the site, with flowers and tributes left by loved ones and those who knew her.

It was once the site of a makeshift shrine to the victim of a tragic South Yorkshire murder. But now land behind Victoria Street, Dinnington, has been targeted by fly tippers who have been accused of failing to respect much-loved teenager Leonne Weeks, whose body was found there in 2017It was once the site of a makeshift shrine to the victim of a tragic South Yorkshire murder. But now land behind Victoria Street, Dinnington, has been targeted by fly tippers who have been accused of failing to respect much-loved teenager Leonne Weeks, whose body was found there in 2017
It was once the site of a makeshift shrine to the victim of a tragic South Yorkshire murder. But now land behind Victoria Street, Dinnington, has been targeted by fly tippers who have been accused of failing to respect much-loved teenager Leonne Weeks, whose body was found there in 2017
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Mr Wells said: “I can’t believe that people are fly tipping at this spot. It is so disrespectful to the memory of Leonne.

"There is already a tribute in a memorial garden to keep her memory alive in the town, which is important.

"I think whoever has done this fly-tipping must be unaware of what happened here – otherwise there is surely no way they would be so disrespectful to her memory. No one local who knew about what happened there would do this.

"But if Leonne’s family supported it, if something like a bench or a post was put in place as a memorial to her in this area, it would perhaps educate those those who are causing the problem, and make them realise how disrespectful what they are doing is.”

Leonne Weeks. Picture: South Yorkshire PoliceLeonne Weeks. Picture: South Yorkshire Police
Leonne Weeks. Picture: South Yorkshire Police
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Emma Ellis, Rotherham Council’s interim head of service for community safety and regulatory services, said: “We are aware of problems with ongoing fly-tipping and littering in this area and a significant amount of work has been undertaken to improve the area over the years. We are currently investigating the recent report, and where we are able to obtain evidence of fly-tipping we will prosecute the offenders.”

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Related topics:Rotherham CouncilSouth YorkshireDinningtonResidents