The investment by SPC follows its acquisition of two rubber compound mixing production lines from Avon Engineered Rubber’s site in Maerdy. As part of its long-term strategy to invest in its colour-compounding capability, SPC moved one line to its manufacturing headquarters in Westbury, Wiltshire, and initially planned to move the second line to its facility in Barcelona.

In order to retain the asset in Wales and support the creation of new jobs, the Welsh Government is providing a £150,000 grant to back the large investment SPC is making to refurbish and fit out the Maerdy premises.

Economy Secretary Ken Skates said:

“This is a great outcome for all concerned. SPC is investing in existing and new equipment and Maerdy will have a new hi-tech rubber manufacturing plant with new jobs on the way. I am delighted to welcome SPC as a new inward investor and leading manufacturer to Wales.”

SPC, founded in 2001 by Stephen and Marilyn Hallas, is a rapidly growing, privately owned business and a recognised leading manufacturer of rubber compounds. Its world-class manufacturing principles combine investment in cutting-edge technology with unparalleled quality controls and complete batch traceability.

It specialises in technically demanding high quality products routinely used by market leaders in the aerospace, automotive and process industries and the energy sector.

SPC Operations Director, Paul Hallas, said:

“The new compounding facility represents the latest phase of our expansion plans for the growing business. It will bring ultra-clean, colour compounding expertise into the SPC fold.  

“The new plant will use the most modern advancements in state-of-the-art intermeshing technology, enabling us to offer the option of non-black rubber compounds and strained materials to both existing and new customers.

“And, with new regulatory measures coming into place, we predict this to be a future area of growth.”

The new Maerdy facility is expected to be up and running by early 2017.

The following information summarises the work being carried out this coming week. It is correct as of the above date but could be subject to change due to weather conditions or unforeseen circumstances. All our improvement work is carried out with the aim of causing as little disruption as possible.

Various roads: routine inspections and maintenance for street lighting

Highways England is carrying out a programme of routine inspections of electrical and structural equipment across the region, which is planned for completion in spring 2017. In addition there is a programme of maintenance which includes bulk lamp changes.

Work will include inspecting equipment on:

• the A1 between Wittering and Stibbington with traffic management but no full closures
• the A12 at Capel St Mary’s with traffic management but no full closures

Work will include maintenance and bulk lamp changes on:

• the A1 between Wittering and Stibbington with traffic management but no full closures
• the A1 between Sandy and Biggleswade with traffic management but no full closures

Various roads: barrier repairs

Highways England will continue repairs to barriers throughout the week, using lane closures to keep road users at a safe distance from the work. The work will take place at various locations, between 8pm and 5am. This week we are repairing barriers on the M11 in both directions from Monday 30 6 to Friday 10 February overnight, using lane closures while we are working between junctions 6 (M25) and 9 (A11). We are also repairing barriers on the A120 in both directions, between junction 8 with the M11 and Braintree (Marks Farm).

Various roads: litter picking and sweeping

Highways England will continue litter picking throughout the week on the M11. This will be done using a mobile slow-moving hard shoulder or lane closure. Work will also include sweeping the hard shoulder of the M11 during the day while we litter pick between junctions 6 (M25) and 9 (A11).

M1: technology repairs

Highways England will be working to repair and replace faulty power cables for signage technology on the motorway, including overhead sign lighting, on the M1. This will be done using lane and hard shoulder closures while we are working, between 9pm and 5am, from Monday 6 February to Friday 10 March. As part of this work, it will be necessary for slip roads to be closed overnight on some dates. Where slip roads are closed, drivers will be diverted to continue on the M1 to the next junction, exit and return to leave the junction from the opposite direction.

M11 and A120: structures maintenance

Highways England are carrying out routine maintenance work on bridges crossing the M11 between junctions 6 (M25) and 9 (A11) in both directions. They will also be doing similar work on the A120, between junction 8 with the M11 and Braintree (Marks Farm). These will be done during the day, with the hard shoulder closed while we are working.

M11 and A120 Stansted Airport: pothole filling

Highways England will be filling in potholes on the M11 between junctions 8 (Stansted Airport – Bishop’s Stortford) and 9 (A11) in both directions, and on the A120 between Braintree and junction 8 of the M11. This will be done using lane and hard shoulder closures while we are working, between 8.30pm and 6am, from Monday 6 to Friday 10 February.

M11: routine maintenance

Highways England will be doing routine maintenance of structures and technology boxes along the M11 during the day. These will be done with a hard shoulder closure, taking place between junctions 6 (M25) and 9 (A11).

A5-M1 Link (Dunstable Northern Bypass), Bedfordshire: major improvements

Highways England is building a new 2.9-mile, two-lane dual carriageway running from north of Dunstable and joining the M1 at a new junction 11a, south of Chalton. Main construction started in March 2015. Work is progressing well. The traffic management, including hard shoulder closures, safety barriers, signs, CCTV and average speed cameras, will stay in place throughout the construction work, which will be carried out in phases and should be finished in spring 2017.

Work on the M1

This week there will be M1 lane closures between junctions 10 and 13 from Monday 6 February to Friday 10 February between 10pm to 6am for overhead gantry works.

There will be overnight M1 road closures between Junction 11 and 12 for new sign gantry works as follows:

• Tuesday 7 February M1 closed southbound from 10pm to 6am
• Wednesday 8 February, M1 closed northbound from 10pm to 6am

During the M1 closures a clearly signed diversion will be in place between M1 J11 and 12 via A5120 (Bedford Road), Poynters Road, A505 (Dunstable Road).

Work on the A5 and local roads

This week there will be traffic lights overnight on the A5-A505 between 8pm and 6am for safety barrier installation and construction of a new footpath works. There will be off-peak temporary traffic lights on local roads and A5 between 9.30am and 3.30pm for verge and safety barrier work.

Cycle improvements schemes in Suffolk, Essex, Norfolk and Bedfordshire

Work is substantially completed on the building or improving of cycle paths at 16 locations across the East of England including on the A12, A120, A47 and A5.

The work included the installation of new and upgraded shared-use foot/cycle ways and toucan crossing facilities. The new or improved paths will make it safer and easier to cycle on or around major A-roads and will improve connections with the local and national cycle network.

The project is part of a country-wide initiative which will see Highways England deliver 200 projects over the next five years after the government set up a £100 million dedicated fund for cycling in its Road Investment Strategy.

Ongoing work for this week:

A12 Lowestoft – Station Road/Gunton St/Peters Avenue

There will be off peak three way lights upgrading the existing footpath works. The northbound bus stop opposite the works has temporarily been suspended, whilst the southbound bus stop has been relocated.

A12 Lowestoft: Bascule Bridge maintenance

We will be carrying out routine maintenance works on the A12 Bascule Bridge at Lowestoft. This will be between Monday 6 and Monday 20 February, from 8pm to 6am. During the work the A12 will be closed in both directions at the bridge and a diversion will be clearly signposted via the A1117, A146 and A1144.

A free hourly bus service will be provided for pedestrians wanting to cross the bridge. This will leave from the north side of the bridge at quarter past the hour and from the south side at quarter to the hour.

A12/A47 renumbering

Highways England is renumbering part of the A12 to become the A47. This work is being carried out as part of the improvements to the A47/A12 corridor. We will be replacing road signs that currently show the A12 to now show the A47. The work will last approximately 12 weeks to complete. The section of the A12 that currently runs from Lowestoft to Great Yarmouth will become the A47.

There will be off peak lane closures and two/three way traffic lights during the day and night throughout Lowestoft on the A12 installing sign faces and patches.

A14 Bury St Edmunds: junction improvements

Improvement works are being carried out on the A14 junction 45 Rookery Crossroads/Rougham. Works include construction of new eastbound slip roads, which are being funded by Suffolk County Council as part of the Bury St Edmunds Eastern Relief Road scheme. There is a 24 hour 40mph speed limit in place through the works for safety reasons, works are currently taking place overnight using lane closures in both directions. The works are due to take five months to complete.

A14 Cambridge to Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire: major improvements

Early preparatory construction work on the A14 Cambridge to Huntingdon scheme has been underway for a number of months.

We are currently carrying out a variety of tasks which will require us to close lanes / carriageway on the A1, A14 and some of the side roads.

The work are doing will include:

• creating strengthened crossing points for site vehicles on a number of the side roads – these are called plant crossings
• installing access points to our construction compounds
• taking core samples of the existing trunk roads to enable appropriate design and construction
• clearing the site of vegetation which is adjacent to the live carriageway
• installing CCTV and average speed cameras
• installing scheme boards

Wherever possible, work will take place at night (usually between 8pm and 6am) to minimise disruption to traffic. During week commencing 6 February lane or carriageway closures are currently planned for the following locations to enable site clearance, installation of CCTV and installation of scheme boards. All closures are between 8pm and 6 am unless otherwise stated.

Full closures

Monday 6 February:

• A14 westbound between Junction 31 to Junction 27
• A1 southbound between Brampton Hut & Buckden

Tuesday 7 February:

• A14 westbound between Junction 31 to Junction 27
• A1 southbound between Brampton Hut & Buckden

Wednesday 8 February:

• A14 eastbound between Junctions 26 & Junction 31

Thursday 9 February:

• A14 eastbound between Junctions 26 & Junction 31

Friday 10 February:

• A428 eastbound from Caxton Gibbet to Girton

Saturday 11 February 8 am to Monday 13 February 5am:

Lane closures

Monday 6 February:

• M11 northbound between Junction 13 & Junction 14 Lane 2
• A14 eastbound between Junction 18 & Junction 20, Lane 1
• A1 southbound between Alconbury to Brampton Lane 2

Tuesday 7 February:

• M11 northbound between Junction 13 & Junction 14 Lane 2
• A1 southbound between Alconbury to Brampton Lane 2
• A1 southbound between Junction 15 & Junction 14 Hard Shoulder

Wednesday 8 February:

• A14 eastbound between Junction 24 & Junction 26 Lane 2
• A1 northbound between Little Paxton & Brampton Lane 1
• A1 southbound between Alconbury to Brampton Lane 1

Thursday 9 February:

• A14 eastbound between Junction 24 & Junction 26 Lane 2
• A1 southbound between Alconbury to Brampton Lane 1
• M11 northbound between Junction 12 & Junction 13 Lane 1

Friday 10 February

• A1 southbound between Alconbury to Brampton Lane 1
• A14 westbound Junction 34 to Junction 33 Lane 1 A14 Cambridgeshire: drainage repairs

Highways England is undertaking investigations and repairs to the drainage system of the A14 between junctions 32 (Girton – M11 interchange) and 35 (Stoke cum Quy). There will be lane closures between 8pm and 6am while we are working overnight, with all works on weekdays only.

This week we are working on the A14 in both directions with the inside lane closed between junctions 34 and 35. A47 Dogsthorpe: junction improvements (Peterborough City Council)

Peterborough City Council is continuing its junction improvement work at the A47/A15 Dogsthorpe junction, Peterborough. The work will involve some overnight full closure and 24/7 lane closures on the A47.

For more information, visit the scheme website.

A120 and A12 Essex: essential maintenance work

We are completing essential maintenance work on the A120 and the A12 in Essex, which will be ongoing until May. This work will include resurfacing, safety barrier repairs, and bridge repairs, with work taking place between Braintree and Marks Tey, near Colchester, at Kelvedon, and at Wix. Unless detailed otherwise, work will be taking place between 8pm and 6am.

This week we are resurfacing the road and footpaths and replacing street lights, fencing and road signs on the A120 between Marks Tey and Marks Farm from Monday 6 to Friday 10 February, under temporary traffic signals and full closure. The A120 will be closed Wednesday 8 to Friday 10 February while we are working from West Street to B1024 junction. (Coggleshall). Drivers heading westbound diverted to continue south on the A12 to junction 19, take the A130 northbound to Little Waltham, the A131 northbound through Great Notley, then re-join the A120 at Braintree. Drivers heading eastbound will follow this diversion in reverse. We expect this work to be completed by May.

We are repairing drainage on the A120 Wix bypass on nights from Monday 6 to Friday 10 February. There will be traffic lights in place and a 40mph speed limit while we are working. This work is expected to be complete by late April.

We are replacing the central reservation safety barrier on the A120 between junction 29 of the A12 (Crown Interchange) to Hare Green (between the B1029 and the A133). There will be narrow lanes westbound with a 50mph limit in place in both directions 24/7 throughout the works until mid-March. In addition there will be a lane 2 closure eastbound from Monday 6 to Friday 10 February overnight. Overnight westbound full closures from Saturday 11 to Sunday 12 February – Great Bromley Junction and A133 link road. Diversion Route via A131 / A1232 to Junction 29 for Temporary Barrier and narrow lanes to be relocated.

We are repairing bridge joints on the A12 Ewell Bridge near Kelvedon. We will complete this works over the weekends between Saturday 4 February and Monday 6 March. The closure will start on a Saturday evening to Monday morning. To keep road users at safe distance from works the bridge will be closed to pedestrians and divers. Drivers will be diverted to take the A120 westbound to Braintree, then take the A131 southbound through Great Notley, then take the A130 southbound and then east around Chelmsford to re-join the A12. Pedestrians who cross over Ewell Bridge westbound from its connection with Windmill Hill will be diverted head south on Windmill Hill to its junction with Highfields Lane, then along Highfields Lane, heading towards Kelvedon, before crossing Maldon Road Bridge to the junction with Ewell Hall Chase, and finally join Ewell Hall Chase to meet with the public right of way in the vicinity of Ewell Hall Farm. Pedestrians wishing to cross eastbound, the diversion is the reverse of the above.

The A120 Blackwater Bridge footpath will be accessible but reduced in width to 1.2m from Monday 6 to Friday 10 February to allow bridge deck investigative works. The works will only take place on a day time, but the pedestrian management will be in place for safety 24hrs a day.

A120 Great Bromley: road surface repairs

Highways England will be repairing the road surface of the A120 near Great Bromley. Subject to weather conditions, we plan to complete this work between Tuesday 7 and Thursday 9 January, working between 8pm and 6am on weeknights only.

To keep road users at a safe distance from the works, we will close the A120 westbound between the Harwich Road junction (shortly before the A133 Hare Green Interchange) and the A12/A120 Crown Interchange at Colchester. The westbound carriageway of the A133/A120 link road will also be closed during our works. There will be a clearly signed diversion route in place via the B1035, B1033, A133 and A1232.

Drivers who miss the Tendring diversion will be turned around at the A120/Little Bromley Road and A120/Harwich Road junctions to pick up the strategic diversion route at Horsley Cross roundabout.

A428 Eltisley: street lighting and road markings

Highways England will be improving street lighting and road markings on the A428 through Eltisley. This will be done between Monday 30 6 February and Friday 31 March. During the works we will have traffic lights in place while we working. As part of this work, it will be necessary for road to be closed overnight on some dates. Where the A428 is closed westbound, drivers will be diverted to take the A1198 northbound at Caxton Gibbet roundabout, then at Godmanchester follow the A14 westbound to junction 21 at Brampton Hut, then take the A1 southbound and follow the A1 southbound to Wyboston junction roundabout, where the diversion ends. Drivers heading eastbound will follow this diversion in reverse.

General enquiries

Members of the public should contact the Highways England customer contact centre on 0300 123 5000.

Media enquiries

Journalists should contact the Highways England press office on 0844 693 1448 and use the menu to speak to the most appropriate press officer.

The following summary of planned new and ongoing road improvements over the coming week is correct as of Friday 3 February and could be subject to change due to weather conditions or unforeseen circumstances. All our improvement work is carried out with the aim of causing as little disruption as possible.

Drivers looking for roadworks information (such as overnight carriageway closures) for individual schemes should now visit Traffic England. Some of our larger schemes have project pages giving other information. These can now be accessed from a dedicated regional page.

M6 junctions 16 to 19: Cheshire smart motorway

Work is underway to upgrade the M6 to a smart motorway between Crewe and Knutsford, converting the hard shoulder to an extra lane and introducing new variable speed limits. Narrow lanes and a temporary 50mph speed limit are in place for the safety of drivers and workers. The southbound carriageway will be closed overnight (10pm to 6am) between junctions 19 and 18 for two nights from Wednesday 8 February, and northbound between the same junctions overnight on Friday 10 February.

M6 junction 19 Knutsford to junction 20 (M56 interchange)

Resurfacing work is due to take place on the northbound carriageway for two nights next weekend. The carriageway will be closed overnight between 10pm and 7am on Saturday 11 February, and between 10pm and 7am on Sunday 12 February. A diversion will be in place.

M6 junction 22 Newton-le-Willows

Essential bridge maintenance work is underway to replace 40 corroded bearings on the M6 junction 22 bridges. Average speed cameras and a 50mph speed limit are in place. The work, between junctions 21a and 23, is due to be completed in the spring.

M6 junction 33 Lancaster to junction 32 (M55 interchange)

Resurfacing work on the southbound carriageway is due to start on Monday 6 February. Two lanes will remain open during the day and one lane will remain open overnight. The southbound carriageway will also be closed overnight for two nights from Wednesday 15 February, between 8pm and 6am. The scheme is due to be completed by early March.

M6 junction 34 Lancaster

Lancashire County Council’s new link road between junction 34 of the M6 and Heysham has now opened but finishing work will require lane and hard shoulder closures along the M6 through junction 34 to continue for the time being. More information is available on Lancashire County Council’s website.

M6 north of Tebay Services

One lane will be closed during the day and two lanes will be closed overnight on the southbound carriageway for resurfacing work. The work is due to be completed by March and a temporary 50mph speed limit is in place.

M6 junction 45 Gretna Green to junction 44 Carlisle

Resurfacing work is taking place on the southbound M6 overnight, with one lane remaining open to traffic. The scheme is due to be completed by the end of February.

M6/M62 Croft Interchange

A major project is taking place to tackle congestion and improve the flow of traffic between the M6 and M62 at Croft Interchange. Variable speed limits will be introduced on new electronic information signs on the M62 and traffic lights will be installed on the link roads from the M6. Narrow lanes and a temporary 50mph speed limit are in place for the safety of drivers and workers.

M53 junction 1 Wallasey to junction 2 Upton

Work to upgrade the safety barrier in the central reservation between junctions 1 and 2 on the M53 is due to start on Monday 6 February. Lane closures will be in place overnight, with some full carriageway closures later in the project. The scheme is expected to take around a month to complete.

M56 junctions 10 to 11 Warrington

Work to upgrade the safety barrier and paint new road markings on the M56 near Warrington started on Monday 30 January. Lane closures will be in place overnight between 8pm and 5am, Monday to Friday. The project is due to be completed by the end of March.

M60 junction 8 Sale to junction 20 Rochdale

A major smart motorway scheme is taking place to cut congestion and improve journey times on parts of the M60 and the M62 in Greater Manchester. The scheme involves overnight slip road and carriageway closures, with narrow lanes and a temporary 50mph speed limit in place for the safety of drivers and road workers.

M61 to A580 Kearsley

The southbound link road from junction 2 of the M61 near Kearsley to the eastbound A580 East Lancashire Road will be closed overnight for bridge repairs from Thursday 9 February. The work will take place between 8pm and 5am, Monday to Friday, and until 7am at weekends. The scheme is due to be completed by early February.

M62 junction 18 to M60 clockwise link road

The link road from the westbound M62 onto the clockwise M60 will be closed overnight, between 10pm and 5am, for approximately one week for resurfacing work from Tuesday 7 February. A diversion will be in place.

M66 Junction 1 Ramsbottom to Junction 4 at M60/M62

Resurfacing work started on Monday 16 January between junctions 2 and 4 of the M66. Some bridge repairs and electrical work will also take place. The work will be carried out between 8pm and 6am and will require some lane or full carriageway closures. A temporary 50mph speed limit will also be in place, and the scheme is due to be completed by March.

A556 Knutsford to Bowdon

A £192 million project is being delivered to build a new dual carriageway linking the M56 to the M6 in Cheshire.

A585 West Drive to Fleetwood Cycleway

Work is taking place on a new shared footpath and cycleway between West Drive and Fleetwood. Narrow lanes and a temporary 30mph speed limit are being used along the route to help provide a safe space for workers constructing the new shared paths. Work will take place between 7am and 7pm each day with occasional overnight work. The project is due to be completed by the end of March.

A590 Lindal in Furness

Work is being carried out to tackle flooding between Pennington Lane and Bank End Cottages. Narrow lanes and a temporary 30mph speed limit will be in place until completion at the end of March.

A595 Egremont

Repairs are taking place to the safety barriers adjacent to Wyndham Place on the A595 and are due to be completed by the end of February. A contraflow system is in place on the southern approach to the Main Street/East Road roundabout.

A66 Bassenthwaite Lake

A contraflow system is in place while work is carried out on the embankment in the central reservation next to Bass Lake. The scheme is due to be completed in the spring.

A66 Thornthwaite (Osprey Site)

Construction work is being carried out to protect the A66 from flooding, at the Osprey Site near Thornthwaite, by raising the height of the carriageway. Temporary traffic lights are in place along with a 40mph speed limit. The road will be closed overnight between 8pm and 6am from Monday 6 February until the end of March, with a diversion in place.

A66 Marron Bridge

Maintenance work is underway on Marron Bridge, between Broughton Cross and Bridgefoot on the A66. The road will be closed overnight between 8pm and 6am from Thursday 9 February, with a diversion in place. The project is due to be completed by March.

A66 Brough

Resurfacing and drainage work is taking place on the eastbound carriageway at Brough. Overnight lane closures will be in place, between 8pm and 6am, with traffic led through the roadworks by a contractor’s vehicle. There will also be some lane closures in place during the daytime.

A665 Bury Old Road

A scheme is taking place to upgrade the safety barriers on the A665 bridge on Bury Old Road over the M60 near junction 17. The work will be carried out between 8.30am and 11pm, Monday to Friday, with temporary traffic lights and lane closures in place from 6.30pm. Some overnight and weekend working may also be required. The Kenilworth Avenue junction with Bury Old Road will be closed throughout the scheme, with a diversion in place. The project is due to be completed by March.

General enquiries

Members of the public should contact the Highways England customer contact centre on 0300 123 5000.

Media enquiries

Journalists should contact the Highways England press office on 0844 693 1448 and use the menu to speak to the most appropriate press officer.

The deal is the first to be made from the £136m Wales Business Fund which is backed by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and  Welsh Government and managed by Finance Wales.

Siltbuster, which currently employs 48 people, will more than double staff numbers creating 66 highly paid skilled jobs. The company forecasts doubling turnover by 2020.

The company has outgrown its current facilities at Unipure House and is to construct a purpose-designed 2000 sq. mt. headquarters that includes offices, workshop, warehousing and storage yard on a 10 acre site nearby. All its products are designed in Monmouth and supported up by an in-house laboratory and site support engineers.

Economy Cabinet Secretary Ken Skates said:

“This is a significant investment that will create high quality jobs and enable the company to grow and meet the growing worldwide demand for its products and services.

“Siltbuster is a highly innovative company and an acknowledged authority in its highly specialised field with an international reputation for excellence. It has seen year on year growth in sales and services both in the UK and worldwide which is a result of on-going investment in new product development. I am delighted the Welsh Government and Finance Wales are supporting their expansion that will mark a new chapter in the company’s development.”

Its business plan includes continued expansion into new territories and continued growth of its industrial and recycling business (SPS and Gritbuster). CEO Richard Coulton, who founded the business, said:

“It’s amazing to think that not long ago we had just one product for one specific application. Over the past 17 years we have grown to have over 50 different products treating anything from radioactive particles to baked beans!”

“Siltbuster is a growing family business with a strong track record in a growing sector.  This new premises move is needed to help them expand further,” explained Finance Wales Investment Executive Leanna Davies. “We worked in partnership with the company, the bank and Welsh Government to package a bespoke investment to suit the needs of the business and the other funders involved.”

Siltbuster has worked with the majority of the top 100 construction contractors in the UK and has helped tackle the dirty water produced by construction work on projects ranging from Birmingham New Street station, Heathrow Terminal 5, Crossrail and the Olympic Park through to the construction of Airbus’ new UK factory and the Copenhagen Metro. Its fleet of over 300 treatment systems are routinely out on hire to the construction sector.

Through its industrial subsidiary SPS, Siltbuster provide both temporary and permanent water treatment solutions to industrial, municipal and food and drink markets and currently has plants treating a diverse range of waste streams whiskey distilleries, cider production, most food and drink processes and the removal of arsenic.

Further afield, the company operates overseas through distributors and provided clarifiers to control pollution from the salvage of the Costa Concordia and has undertaken mine treatment projects around the world. Most recently Siltbuster has entered into an agreement with the world’s leading robotic hydrodemolition company Aquajet to design and manufacture a bespoke water treatment solution, the EcoClear.

Chinese judges on Monday strongly condemned the murder of a retired judge in south China’s Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region.

Fu Mingsheng, who worked at a court of Luchuan County in Guangxi, was reportedly killed with a knife at his residence on Jan. 26. by suspect Long Jiancai, a defendant in a divorce case that Fu heard in 1994, according to a statement released by the committee in charge of protecting judges’ rights and interests under the China Association of Judges.

Details of the case are not yet available.

There have been frequent cases of assaults and insults of judges in recent years. Some have been followed, harassed and threatened. Such incidents have diminished the authority and credibility of the judiciary, according to the statement.