Borehamwood Times Review of the Year - March

Hertfordshire County Council announced plans to sell Maxwell Park Community Centre in Maxwell Drive in Borehamwood to developers once the new community centre, 96 Shenley Road, was built.

However members of the public felt its closure would leave a “black hole” in the area and the new centre would be far too small.

They started a petition in the hopes of persuading the council to change their minds about closing it.

Meanwhile, a driver who caused the death of a motorcyclist in March last year was ordered to carry out 140 hours of community service.

Habib Sherzai, who lives in Harrow, pleaded guilty to causing death by dangerous driving when he knocked father of three Terry Smith off his motorbike.

Mr Smith was thrown through the air after he collided with the passenger door of the car.

He sustained multiple injuries and, despite being rushed to hospital, died a short time later.

Judge John Plumstead called the incident a piece of “absurd driving”, but said Sherzai would not be jailed because of the time he had already spent in custody.

Later in the month, a retired nurse said she had “lost faith in a marvellous system” after she was told she could wait months for an urgent hip replacement.

Christine Appleby, of Cranes Way in Borehamwood, was rushed to Barnet General Hospital in December.

Four months on, she was still waiting for an appointment and found every day a constant struggle.

The former nurse said she felt forgotten by the NHS.

Later in the month, a mother and son who acted as "vigilantes" to dispense their own rough justice were jailed.

Tracey McCarthy, 45, and her son Jamie, 22, attacked the mother of the man they thought was responsible for breaking into their family home and stealing cash and jewellery.

She was in her car with two young children when Ms McCarthy verbally abused her while her son stabbed her with a carving knife.

Ms McCarthy was jailed for 18 months and her son for 9 years.