06/09/2011 Reporting Scotland

Welcome to Reporting Scotland. Tonight on your national news.

The son of the Lockerbie bomber tells the BBC is father is innocent

and one day everyone will know the truth. I want everybody, especially

in the UK and in Scotland, to see my dad. To see how he is doing, he

is so sick. An inquiry into the four people

killed in the Colin McRae helicopter crash finds that the

champion rally driver was to blame. Smoking in the car with the

children there - should it be made illegal? And with Scotland's Euro

2012 qualifying campaign hanging on by its fingertips, I'm at Camden

before that must-win match against Lithuania. -- harm done.

The son of the Lockerbie bomber has told the BBC that his family

believe he's innocent of the atrocity and that one day everyone

will know the truth. A BBC team was invited to the home of Abdelbaset

al-Megrahi because his family say they wanted to show the people of

Scotland how sick he is. Catriona Renton reports. Abdelbaset al-

Megrahi. These pictures show him at home. His mother keeping vigil over

her dying son. The family believes he has not long left to live.

very well. He is now in a deep sleep and he has stopped beating.

We try to support him and we sit next to him and we pray. Abdelbaset

al-Megrahi's family are louder cameras into his home. They want

people to understand how ill they say he is. I want everybody,

especially in the UK and specifically in Scotland, to see my

dad. To see how he is doing, he is so sick. Some people have said he

is not sick and he is not at home. Some people say he has run away. I

want you to come and see my dad and see that he cannot move from his

room. It is two years since the only man convicted of the Lockerbie

bombing was can bet -- released from prison. He had been diagnosed

with terminal prostate cancer and it was believed he had around three

months left alone. The Scottish government sent him home to Libya

on compassionate grounds. Today, his family maintains he has always

been innocent of the Lockerbie atrocity. We have family and we

have brothers and sisters, and we feel sorry about all the people

that died, but we want people to know the truth as well. Abdelbaset

al-Megrahi dropped his second appeal before returning to Libya,

weaving questions unanswered. Tomorrow, the First Minister is

expected to confirm plans for a new lot to allow it be detailed reasons

for referring to his conviction to the Court of Appeal to be made

public. The man who carried out that

interview with Abdelbaset al- Megrahi's son is Jeremy Bowen, and

he is in Tripoli tonight. Two years on, the debate rages over here over

whether Abdelbaset al-Megrahi should have been released on

compassionate grounds. You get the feeling that from what his son have

said the family are very aware of this debate? They have all that

closely. This summer I talked through spent a lot of time in

Scotland and he speaks English well as a result of that. He certainly

believes both that he is sick and he is innocent. Clearly a very sick

man. I think we have lost them. hope we still have a link. Clearly,

he is a very sick man. It went click and went dead. Sorry, we seem

to have lost that link. The rally driver Colin McRae was

engaged in unnecessary and unsafe low level flying when he crashed

his helicopter near his home in Lanarkshire four years ago. That's

the conclusion of a Fatal Accident Inquiry into the accident. The 39-

year-old was killed along with his five-year-old son John, his friend

Ben Porcelli who was six and a family friend, 36-year-old Graeme

Duncan. Julie Peacock reports. These are the images taken seconds

before the fatal crash. They show that Colin McRae had fallen

dangerously alone and carried out unnecessary manoeuvres. They were

filmed by Graeme Duncan, who died in the crash alongside Colin McRae,

his five-year-old son John and his son's six-year-old friend Ben.

Ben's parents had not given him permission to be in a helicopter

that day. A fatal accident inquiry said their deaths could have been

avoided. The helicopter crashed into a wooded valley that is just

that the other side of this hill behind me. People said they saw the

helicopter travelling at speed with its nose down shortly before the

accident happened. Colin McRae was an experienced helicopter pilot and

the evidence from the inquiry shows that he had chosen to go down this

narrow wooded valley. In its report, His skills and daring made Colin

McRae Rally world champion and sporting hero. Thousands turned

down to luck for his funeral. Today, people on the town gave their

reaction. Very well liked and very well known. It's just an accident,

was and it? Unbelievably tragic that it happened. I don't think we

will have to forget him. Colin McRae's father say the family still

believe they will never know what caused the crash. They said they

were never in any doubt or Colin's prowess as a fine pilot. And Julie

Peacock is close to Colin McRae's home where the crash happened.

Despite the fact the inquiry has blamed Colin McRae, it was an

immense family tragedy. What else have his family been saying?

Tonight the family have asked for privacy but the release the

statement through their lawyers. In it, Colin McRae's father seemed to

question some of the findings of the fatal accident inquiry. In a

statement, he says they still don't know exactly what happened in those

final few seconds before the helicopter crashed. He says that

anyone who new column from has a rallying career knew that safety

was of the utmost importance to him. One of the things the McRae family

hope these findings recommend it was a change in the law. Namely,

that in future, all private aircraft would have to have bad

data flight recorder in board. They say if that had been the case with

Colin McRae's helicopter, lessons could have been learned from this

accident. The fatal accident inquiry say that Colin McRae did

try to regain control of the helicopter but was simply flying

too low to do anything in time. A trial date has been set for two

men from Ayrshire accused of sending parcel bombs to Celtic

manager Neil Lennon, and two high profile Celtic fans earlier this

year. It's alleged that Trevor Muirhead and Neil McKenzie plotted

to murder Neil Lennon, Paul McBride QC and the former MSP Trisha Godman.

Aileen Clarke reports from the High court in Glasgow.

43-year-old Trevor Muirhead and Neil McKenzie appeared at a High

Court this morning. The accused of sending improvised parcel bombs to

Neil Lennon, QC, a bride and the MS P Trish Godman, and two offices in

Glasgow's Galgate. It is alleged that they plotted to murder those

that they sent their devices to intending the parcels to explode

when opened. They say it was aggravated by a religious prejudice.

The package is alleged to have contained a plastic bottle of

chemical or petrol with wires attached, nails and a lot component.

Some of these items were purchased in shops in Stevenson, including in

B&Q. At trial date has been set for November. The two men are remanded

in custody. You're watching Reporting Scotland

from the BBC. Still to come before seven.

The new device that could stop major oil spills is unveiled in

Aberdeen. In sport, it's another do or die

mission for Scotland's footballers. Nothing less than a win will

suffice if they are to have any chance of qualifying for Euro 2012.

Join me as we build up to Scotland What price justice? For the first

time, the cost of the Scottish criminal justice system has been

calculated. It's just under �860 million a year. Budgets are being

squeezed, but a report from Scotland's spending watchdog has

identified millions of pounds of waste. Our Home Affairs

Correspondent, Reevel Alderson has the details.

This huge sum of money is the cost of courts, prisons, social work

teams and legal aid. The report uncovered criminal waste. For

example, �10 million is lost because lawyers, both prosecutors

and defence teams aren't ready to proceed when the case is called to

court. A further �30 million is wasted when prosecutors call off a

case at a late stage, and the police reckon they lose �16 million

filling in for officers called as witnesses, who don't actually give

evidence. On 21st April last year, as a snapshot, 520 officers were

called to court across Scotland, yet just 55, just over 10%,

yet just 55, just over 10%, yet just 55, just over 10%,

actually appeared. We didn't join to be sitting in a room waiting for

her at a court to run. We joined to help communities and give something

back. We can do that job and there are not enough resources for us to

get out there and do it, so we need to maximise the time out there and

serve the communities. It is a problem they are trying to

fix at Edinburgh Sheriff Court. have three witnesses in this case...

Each day, the district fiscal checks which witnesses are due to

attend. If they do not turn up, the police that are waiting for the

case bowl-out and bring them to court. It is all about giving

victims are confident that their case will be dealt with without

delay. It is about making the local criminal justice system more

efficient, and most importantly, it is about delivering justice to the

people in our communities more quickly. The order to general also

confirmed that IT systems and the criminal justice system are not

integrated. A piece of work in one part of Scotland discovered that

about one-third of people due to appear in court are already in

prison and that is known -- not known to the court system. That is

clearly an inefficiency it if it is not across Scotland. New cells here

in Kilmarnock serve both the police and the court, cutting transport

times and speeding up justice. Findings show that progress is

being made. Nobody can justify that amount of waste especially in a

time of financial austerity. Changes that occur there. It is

also not just the financial cost. If victims sea trials delayed and

witnesses are inconvenienced and police are sitting in courtrooms

when the writ -- should be out in their communities, that is a loss

to us. The government has also published Scotland's crime figures.

Overall crime is down 4%, continuing a trend which began in

1992, but violent crime is up 2%, the first rise for seven years, and

housebreakings have also risen after a succession of falls. The

government says recorded crime continues to fall as it moves

forward with plans to reform the police service which will be

confirmed tomorrow. Some of the other stories across Scotland this

Tuesday. An intensive search involving the police and army is

under way in the Philippines after the wife of a Scottish oil worker

was kidnapped. Luisita Morrison was snatched from a beauty salon on the

island on Mindanao on Sunday. Her husband, Raymond, is from Keith.

His family say they've been instructed not to comment on the

Campaigners insist that the Shipping Minister Mike Penning will

be to blame if there is an environmental disaster around

Scotland's coastline that no emergency tug to deal with it. Two

coastguard vessels based in an inch and Shetland are due to be scrapped

by the UK Government on cost grounds. A six-month extension

while new funding is sort it has been urged.

The owners of her Aberdeenshire garage where a young mechanic was

killed in an explosion have been fined �15,000. Martyn Massie died

after fumes from an oil drum he was cutting a been caught fire. Husband

and wife William and Janet Keith admitted failing to carry out

proper risk assessments and using the wrong equipment.

A capping device designed to be used in major oil spills like the

one which struck the Gulf of Mexico last year have been unveiled in

Aberdeen. The industry has been working on how it would stop an oil

leak, after serious doubts were raised by the UK Government about

its capabilities. This industry animation shows how

the oil cap would be used, lowered on to the leaking oil well and

providing a means by which the engineers could stop the flow. This

is it on show today for the first time. This industry leader told me

he hopes it will never have to be used. It is important that we have

this as an insurance, should things go wrong. But all of our emphasis

is trying to make sure we work with the industry and with the

regulators to make sure that this does not happen, in other words, we

conduct our operations not to ever lose control of a well. Last year's

Gulf of Mexico oil spill led to questions about safety in the North

Sea. It was concluded that a better plan was needed and so this foil

cap was needed. -- was born. It weighs 40 tonnes, which sounds a

lot, but it is small enough to allow it to be lifted on to a ship

and lowered into position on the bottom of the North Sea, all very

quickly. Tests using replicas have been carried out in a range of sea

conditions, such as the exposed waters west of Shetland. While

those have reassured the industry about the cap's worth, others are

less convinced. This is a bit of a stunt by the oil industry. We are

worried about what will happen when this equipment needs to be used,

and in the rough waters of Shetland, where they have tested it, but more

seriously, in the waters of the Arctic. The cap itself is not

designed for a spilt like last month's pipeline leak. While that

was treated, this is a plan for something much worse, a disaster

Scotland's oil industry was largely unprepared for. It is hoped this

device will plug that gap. Let's go straight to that piece of

equipment now. Our reporter is in Aberdeen for the global gathering

of the industry. I understand that their tax continues to dominate

things. The big story this year. The background to this is a �2

billion tax increase from the Chancellor George Osborne in his

budget earlier this year. The industry was furious about that tax

rate. It says investment will suffer and up to 15,000 jobs could

be lost. Today we got Alex Salmond as saying there should be at least

a year's consultation be bought that sort of change comes in for

gas and oil taxation. The industry is sitting down... The Treasury

Minister is sitting down with industry leaders here in Aberdeen

this Thursday to work together towards future budget. Despite that,

there is still investment in the North Sea? Yes, despite all these

warnings, there is still a lot of spending, particularly BP. It has

already announced �700 -- more money for an oil field discovered

three years ago. To unlock that you need �700 million. That means not a

new platform but New Engineering equipment which will help about

1000 jobs to be supported throughout the UK. It shows that

the old North Sea is not dead yet. The British Lung Foundation is

urging Scotland to follow Wales' lead to stop people smoking in cars

with children present. Wales is considering bringing in a band with

smoking -- of smoking with children if education programmes do not have

an effect. So you have agreed to take part in

a little experiment this morning. Do you think we will be able to

change your mind about smoking in the car? If you think about it, you

really should not smoke in a car with other people, and kids.

help me with his experiment, I have enlisted the help of a dull, and

air monitor and an expert. Yes, we have got an air monitor attached to

the baby's nose. It picks up fine particles that come from second-

hand smoke. At the moment because there is no smoke in the car the

level is at ten. This will change when the snowboarding stars. We ask

John to go for a drive, exactly as he normally would, with the window

open. -- when the smoking starts. John drove around for ten minutes

and we checked the monitored again. At the moment, it is resting at 250.

If you were being outdoor air, you would be told to stay indoors and

not do any activity. Smoking in cars with children is the one thing

that has not changed since the smoking ban. Could this be the

future? The British Lung Foundation wants tougher measures, like this

ban in Australia, and the plant being put forward in Wales.

news from Wales is very exciting. We were engaged in a three-year

education programme but if that does not work, they will look at a

ban. Is that what do you want for Scotland? We do not want children

in Scotland to be left behind. we persuaded you not to smoke in

the car with children today? Yes. I did not realise the dangers

involved. I thought it was fine with the windows open but on

reflection, it is not fine. So I will not smoke in the car with

anybody else in it, let alone children.

A crucial light for the Scotland team. Is there any other kind?

No, there certainly isn't. A warm welcome to Hampden where the task

is clear for the Scotland players, win of the three games and could

the other matches go your way and the 2012 qualifying campaign is

over. They are playing Lithuania tonight. Joining me is a man who

played for Scotland the last time they were in major championships,

Kevin Gallacher. Welcome. The campaign is hanging on by its

fingertips. Does that add pressure to the players tonight or does it

take it off in some strange way? bit of both. There is the pressure

in there because they could still win tonight's game. Inside, it is

the pressure at the players put on himself. The player out front is

her on his own tonight. A lot of pressure. Yes, his first

international start. If he gives half as much as he gave Dundee

United in the way he played there, he might even get a goal tonight. I

fancy his chances. The players clearly like Craig Levein but it if

it does not go well tonight, do you fear for his future as a boss?

personally, know. It has been a nervous time. It has just been

disappointing. One or two little stumbles. But he's a good manager

and he should be here for the next few years anyway. Thank you very

much. Highlights of that match, Scotland A against Lithuania, on

A very short run up... For the game that Celtic would probably rather

forget. A 3-1 thumping at the hands of the sea on should have put them

out. But the Swiss side fielded ineligible players so Celtic find

themselves back in. Today the Swiss side confirm they are to appeal the

statement pulled no punches. Talking about the decision to throw

them out, they said, for us it is no -- pure revenge against at

Serve for Celtic, Atletico Madrid and another team. Today UEFA it

told me that any appeal would be heard before that match but that

they are also comfortable with the situation, so for the Swiss team at

least, the fight goes on. The golfing superstars of tomorrow

are in Aberdeen tomorrow for the Walker Cup. It is one of the

biggest rivalries in amateur golf as Britain and Ireland take on

Cheers. James is walking in the footsteps of legends. The 22-year-

old is one of the two Scot picked for the 10 man GB team. There have

been so many great players who have played in the Walker Cup. Following

in the footsteps and realising that dream.

REPORTER: the United States arrived with history on their side. They

have lost the Walker Cup only seven times since 1922. I was hoping to

have a pretty good week and go back home... We are all going to try to

play well and give it our best. the decades have rolled by, so to

the fresher and faces that board go on to dominate the game.

opponent is 21-year-old Jack Nicklaus, the youngest player...

is inspiring more than anything, to know that the great players have

played in the Walker Cup. REPORTER: Over the years, there

have been very few great British and Irish hands to lift the trophy.

James Purdham and his team will be hoping to put that right this

weekend. On Sport Nation on BBC Two at 7pm

tonight. Andy Murray against Donald Young in

the US Open has been cancelled until tomorrow because of the

weather. It is just like being in Hampden!

Many places saw gusts of wind of around 50mph. We can see this area

of low pressure curling around Scotland. That brought the strong

wind and in the centre of the low pressure, we saw the heaviest rain.

Into this evening, fairly cloudy with showers but as the low

pressure moves away, this will gradually die away. Showers in the

first part of the evening but then dying away. Largely becoming dry

across the country with some clear spells developing. Showers

returning them to the west coast. Very windy overnight but not to

Tomorrow and a much brighter day. The best of the brightness in the

East. Cloudier with showers in the West. Those showers will then

develop more widely. Some of them The best of any sunnier spells

towards the North East, and in the far north it will be very cool. The

wind will still be a feature. A strong westerly, not quite as

Thursday will stop with a bit of rain in the morning but generally a

much drier picture across the country and some spells of sunshine.

But as we head into the second part of Thursday, low pressure Cushing -

- pushing into the country to set us up for a wet and windy day on

We are unsure about the timings on the rain on Friday but we should

The headlines: the son of the Lockerbie bomber have told the BBC

that his family believe he is innocent of the atrocity and that

everyone will know the truth one day. A BBC team was invited to the

home of al-Megrahi because his family said they wanted to show the