08/09/2011 Reporting Scotland

Welcome to Reporting Scotland. Tonight on your national news:

Reorganising the coppers to save the pounds - the Justice Secretary

insists a national police force will not mean a centralised police

force. Kenny MacAskill says he would like the new service to be

headquartered in Fife. Also this evening: If you do not

answer me I will come to your work and I will embarrass you.

Frank more threatened his girlfriend, broke into her flat and

murdered her new boyfriend. Tonight he is facing a life sentence for

the horrific killing of Stewart Taylor.

Later in the programme we hear from the Scots girl footballer who has

scored a big victory over the English FA.

And the rain finally relents at the US Open in New York. We will have

the latest one Andy Murray's progress at Flushing Meadows. --

the latest on. Kenny MacAskill has said that

hundreds of millions of pounds can be saved by creating a single

police force and fire service for Scotland. Ministers have guaranteed

to maintain officer numbers but that means support staff will have

to lose their jobs. It has been suggested that the new national

force could be based in Fife. Raymond Buchanan reports.

On the beat with Central Scotland Police, but this is just one of the

forces soon to be killed off. The Scottish government plans to save

cash by creating one Scotland-white Constabulary. What will happen in

future when you dial 999? People will say no -- see no difference in

day-to-day policing. There will still be local officers at local

stations interfacing with the local community will stop we will see no

difference whatsoever in the vast majority of cases. There will also

be a new fire service for the whole of Scotland. Again, the hope is to

save money. The Government is hoping to secure support from

police officers and staff and the fire service by guaranteeing their

conditions. A single police force will save �1.7 billion. Most

savings will be by cutting back on support staff. The government would

not tell us how many. There is no doubt that jobs will be lost. I

believe that the intention will be that there will be no compulsory

redundancies - it will be through natural wastage. The Minister

insists that police and fire services will not suffer from the

changes. In fact, he is promising to make things better and ready for

new challenges. Not only will be maintained the visible police

presence, we will also ensure that every community in Scotland has the

necessary support to face every challenge. We never thought we

would face terrorism in Scotland and we did. Some people think it

will only happen along the M8, there. We cannot predict when it

will be. Kenny MacAskill has hinted that the

new force could be headquartered in fight. Wherever it is, it will not

be ready for action for at least another two years.

A man obsessed with his ex- girlfriend has been found guilty of

murdering her new boyfriend and attempting to murder her. The High

Court in Edinburgh heard that 43- year-old Frank Moore had carried

out a campaign of harassment against Lynsey Methven and Stewart

Taylor which had lasted for weeks. He then carried out an attack on

the couple at Ms Meyer then's home in Edinburgh. -- and his Nevin Ms

Methven's home. Lynsey Methven has lost the hearing

in one ear and is unable to walk unaided. Frank Moore carried out a

frenzy jealous attack on her and her new boyfriend. He had left

abusive phone messages in the weeks Chillingly, it was a sign of what

was to come. This message was left It was Monday 7th February when

firefighters were called to a fire at this house in Chelmarsh Crescent.

They managed to rescue Lynsey Methven but Stewart Taylor back.

Lynsey Methven and Stewart Taylor had watch some football on

television, 80 peak sat and drinks and wine. Then they went to bed.

She has absolutely no recollection about what happened in the next few

hours. She walked up in hospital days later. But Frank Moore had

broken into her apartment here on the ground floor. He had attacked

the couple, punched them, take them, stab them and hit him on the head

with a blunt instrument. During the attack, a fire started, and Frank

Moore left the couple for bed. Frank Moore is a determined, evil

and murderous individual. He carried out this attack on two

innocent people who really only wanted to have a life together and

the future. Frank Moore was described by the judge as a violent

and dangerous man. He will be sentenced next month.

An inquiry has been launched after a phone fault led to a delay in

sending an ambulance to a man who collapsed with a heart attack at a

shop in Hawick. The man later died. Both BT and the ambulance service

have started internal investigations. This report from

Hawick. The incident happened here at the

Homebase store on the outskirts of Hawick on Tuesday morning. A man

who work here have collapsed around 10:30am. A nurse on the scene began

to administer CPR. Somebody else called for an ambulance. But there

was a delay about -- Adderley of around four minutes in connecting

the call. It took another 12 minutes for the ambulance to arrive.

The man did not survive. I understand that the two ambulances

that operate from this station responded when the call eventually

came through. Investigations have been launched into the delay, in

particular whether the patient would have survived if the crew got

here earlier. There were another four calls affected -- defected --

affected during this incident. The ambulance service said there were

no adverse effects on those. There was another incident a few months

afterwards. Both BT and the ambulance service say that they

hope to reveal more details on this incident in Hawick in the next 24-

hours. For still to come: The site which

could be transformed into the biggest new town built in Scotland

in decades. And the concern for the future of

the donkeys and horses at this animal sanctuary.

In sport, he has stopped raining in New York for long enough on Andy

Murray to play. I will tell you it was worth the wait.

We will hear from the Scottish rugby team in New Zealand as the

Big World Cup kick-off approaches. Should Scottish MPs be barred from

voting on laws which affect only England? English MPs cannot vote on

a whole range of issues affecting Scotland, like health and education,

because devolution means they are now dealt with by Holyrood. A

commission has been set up to consider whether procedures at

Westminster should be changed. Here is Tim Reid.

The Scottish Parliament's creation highlighted are not normally - that

MPs in West Lothian can affect on issues affecting Blackburn in

Lancashire, but the MP there cannot do the converse. Done deal raised

the question. We will go down a motorway to a separate state, a

journey upon which many of us do not want to embark. A three decades

on, many MPs, especially English Tories, once the question answered.

I think we can resolve procedural a how English-only lead distillation

is handled. These protests in the 1980s over

Margaret Thatcher's hated poll tax perhaps illustrate the reverse of

the West Lothian Question in reverse - unwelcome tax foisted on

Scotland by the Tories. It was during Tony Blair's years as Prime

Minister that tempers flared again when Scottish MPs voted through

foundation hospitals, which did not affect their constituents. Some of

those MPs were backed yesterday trying to scupper the collision's

health reforms in England. I have constituents to come to me who had

experiences of the health service in England, and I have young people

who are students in England. Why should I not speak out for them?

MPs confirm today that the commission will examine the problem.

We made a commitment to examine all the different issues about voting

at Westminster on issues that deal with England predominantly, but on

other issues as well. We want to look at the facts and consider the

consequences. The West Lothian Question is,

perhaps, a step closer to being answered. We will not find out the

remit of the commissioned, or who sits on it, until much later in the

year. There is no guarantee that the Government will follow its

river -- recommendations. Even if it does, it will not take effect

for years to come. The man accused of murdering the

Glasgow gangland figure Kevin Carroll, known as the Gerbil,...

Ross Monaghan denies shooting Mr Carroll outside the ASDA store in

the city's Robroyston area. He also denies attempting did -- to defeat

the ends of justice by disposing of guns. Lord Brodie set the trial

date for March next year. If it gets the go-ahead, it could

be the biggest new town built in Scotland for decades. Developers

want to build 9,000 new homes just south of Aberdeen, on land owned by

the Duke of Fife. Stephen Duff reports.

Farmland south of Aberdeen - within years it could become the biggest

new town in Scotland for a generation. 9,000 homes with new

primary and secondary schools, and a business and retail development

that could create thousands of jobs. This is one of the areas that the

council are keen to see develop. It is much easier to build on existing

infrastructure. Beyond that, what is good about this is that it is a

large block of land, or 2,000 acres, and even if we leave over 40% of

the green, we can still fit in a lot of houses on the toes of

neighbouring communities. An estimated 75,000 new houses will

be needed in Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire by 2025. Perhaps

surprisingly, this new development has been welcomed by people in

villages nearby. In this village you can see a very different nearby

village. More and more housing has been built here. Locals hope that

the new development will stop the two villages becoming one. They

will be separated by toadlet 90. There will be very easy access to

the New Town, to the shops and so forth. We want to keep our own

identity, at which is very important to us. If very few people

actually live where the new town will be.

There is some opposition, mainly on the grounds that farmland will be

lost. The application will now be considered by the local authority.

Some of the other stories across Scotland this Thursday: One of the

contenders for the leadership of the Conservatives in Scotland says

it could take ten years to make the party electable. Watching her

campaign, the Glasgow MSP Ruth Davidson said she represents a

modern Scotland and attack the Murdo Fraser's idea of rebranding

the Tories. The third candidate, Jackson Carlaw Law, lost his bid

last week. A man has admitted posting

threatening and abusive messages against Neil Lennon on Facebook.

39-year-old Robert Rollie, from Cumnock in East Ayrshire, posted

the comments on 14th March. Sentence was deferred for reports

and he was released on bail when he appeared at Glasgow Sheriff Court.

The first sponsor of the 2014 Commonwealth Games the company

signed up for what is called at two -- at hear two sponsorship. They

will provide a number of services, including legal support on a

Council house building appears to be experiencing a renaissance,

after years of none being built. But some housing associations fear

their part in finding a solution to Scotland's housing problems risks

being overlooked. Here's our local government correspondent Jamie

McIvor. A new house that is now a new family home. Simon and his

family have moved into a brand-new council house. It is important to

make things affordable. Because at the moment we couldn't afford a

mortgage on a four bedroomed house. In fact the local council has built

more than 500 houses in recent years and more are on the way. But

not so long ago no new council houses were being built anywhere in

Scotland. We're in a situation now where frankly I don't know how some

young people can manage to afford to get on to any kind of housing

ladder. Council housing provides an affordable option for people who

otherwise wouldn't get a house. Ismay pleasure to hand that to you.

It is a far cry from the days when it looked like council housing was

in terminal decline as home were bought by their tenant and new

social housing was built by independent housing associations.

Across Scotland work started nearly 1,400 houses last year. The

Government expects to see 3,300 built over three years. But this is

only part of the story. Across Scotland fewer new homes are being

built by housing associations and so there are fewer new homes for

rent. We're seeing a 75% in new housing association homes. To us

that a real crisis. Today the Government announced a �10 million

scheme to help kick start all forms of house building, helping both

council and housing associations and more families like this. Burr

the debate on the best ways of providing more affordable housing

will continue. She's one of the best young footballers in Scotland,

but earlier this year an age rule imposed by the English FA meant

that 13-year-old Alyshia Walker couldn't play in a mixed team at a

tournament in Birmingham. Now after a campaign by her family and club,

the rule looks set to be changed. Catriona Renton takes up the story.

Meet 13-year-old awhrishya, one of Scotland's top girl footballers. He

was a player of the match when her team won the Scottish cup. But when

the team played in the UK finals in England, it was without their

captain, Alyshia, because she is a girl. I was disappointed, because I

wanted to go and play with the boys. There was an outcry. It is

ridiculous. But it is o'en Sunday. It may be different at a

professional Lel, but now who knows where football will go? Today

Alyshia is at a training camp for the national squad and we're here

to tell her it seems the rules have changed. Shocked they didn't change

it in time for he. How did you feel when you weren't allowed to play.

Very disappointed. Specially as being captain and I couldn't go

down and stho boys. I'm glad it has changed for girls so they can get

to play without the disappointment I had. The rule change seemed to

have happened thanks to Alyshia's campaign and support from Rod

Stewart. It was amazing, having a celebrity supporting me was great

to get the rule changed. It was great. Very proud. Particularly she

has managed to get the law changed and obviously it is for the future

girls to play in finals. The rules may have changed too late for

awhrishya, but what she has done is ensure that other girls make it to

a UK Cup Final can play in the future. Alyshia has been signed for

Celtic's girls team and hopes to make it into the national squad.

There noise doubt she is one to watch. -- there is no doubt she is

one to watch. Let's go to a different sport now, with David. Is

he through? It's taken awhile, but Andy Murray is through to the last

eight of the US Open after a two day delay. At last the torrential

rain in New York relented, but Murray didn't - seeing off the

challenge of the American Donald Young in straight sets 6-2, 6-3, 6-

3. Alasdair Lamont has the story of the match. After the deluge and

then the clean up... At last the New York rain clouds were gone. And

Donald Young's hopes of a US Open shock also threatened to evaporate

as Andy Murray took the first set. The second set didn't go so

smoothly and the Murray temper made an appearance. But things were back

on course for the world No 4 as the second set was also put to bed.

Murray's desire for a swift ends to proceedings hit a hitch in the

third set. But he was soon back in the swing of things again. And the

victory was wrapped up in short order. That sets up a quarter final

with one of the top players. The club trying to be re-instated to

the Europa League at Celtic's expense are running out of time to

lodge their appeal. Sion - who beat Celtic one in the final qualifying

round - were thrown out of the competition for fielding ineligible

players. They have till 11 o'clock tonight to make an official protest.

But European football's governing body say so far they haven't done

so. The Rangers captain David Weir says it's a bit too early for

anyone to judge how well Ally McCoist has started his career as

team manager. The 41-year-old defender launched his autobiography

at Ibrox today, but ended up defending the performance of his

new-ish team boss. I think you have got to give the manager the time to

implement his strategies and his philosophys and then after a period

of time, after a number of years if it is not happening, you have to

ask questions. But most successful managers have had time to put ideas

into practice. Chris Paterson will become a Scottish rugby record

holder on Saturday when he becomes the first Scot to play in four

World cups. The Edinburgh full back is in the starting 15 to play

against Romania at Invercargill on Saturday. It's a match the Scots

are expected to win, but their opponents predict an upset could

happen. Our Rugby Reporter Jim Mason is in New Zealand with the

squad and sent this report. Hello! Last night the welcome was warm as

captain said hello to New Zealand. Today it was back to business.

know it will be a good atmosphere, the welcome at the airport showed

that. A lot of Scotland support and strips. That is great to see. So we

have had a good week's preparation and we're looking to get into the

games. This is the main theatre, the scene of the team announcement.

The curtain kpwos up on Scotland's campaign on Saturday when they play

Romania. The men from yeern Europe are keen to spoil the happy ending.

The last world cup we saw some teams not perform well. If they get

us on a good day and we get them on a bad day, we could have an upset.

Earlier the team survived another New Zealand welcome and received

their World Cup caps. For some the game with Romania is their chance

to show the World Cup that the Scots are here to work. So kick off

on Saturday for Scotland and any diRobinson hopes the Romanian

challenge will be less intimidating. I think you and I enjoyed that more

than the Scotland team. And that is tonight's sport. Back to you Sally.

Scotland's largest horse and donkey sanctuary will be forced to close

its doors within months, unless more money can be found to keep it

going. Mountains Animal Sanctuary near Forfar ran into trouble after

the death of its millionaire founder last year. Now an annual

shortfall of �300,000 means staff are facing redundancy. Steven

Godden reports. For over a year rosy has called the sanctuary here

home. It is a place where the horse could recover from the terrible

treatment she received before being rescued from a meat wagon.

concrete block had been dropped by somebody and landed on her head and

caved in this part of her face. There was a horrific injury that

pushed her eye down into her socket. We then put her through the

operation to remove the eye. For 20 years all those costs were met by

the founder, Alan Fraser. He died last year, leaving the sanctuary

�1.4 million in his will. But the charity left to run things say most

of that is tied up in the land, leaving the future far from secure.

Unfortunately we have not received any money from the will. We're

heads swog -- heading into the winter and we only have four

month's money left. We're having to look at redundancies. If that is to

be avoided, they say, it is vital some of the residents are rehomed.

The sanctuary is hope to 12 animals. The hope -- 122 animals. They hope

to get that number down to 80. So whether it is blankets or hard cash,

it is clear the generosity of others will be key if Scotland's

largest horse sanctuary is to survive the winter. Now the weather.

What tidings as the weekend What tidings as the weekend

approaches? Windy. Today was a lovely day. It was nice, with

temperature up to 18 Celsius. A nice evening as well. Some sun set

like this in St Andrews. But it will turn wet but mild as the night

wares on. A nice start through the course of this afternoon. Then this

rain will start to push into the south west and work its way north.

That will not reach Inverness. The temperatures are mild at 13 Celsius.

Tomorrow morn, not a nice start. There will be some rain around. But

that rain will continue its journey north and it has been confined to

the northern half of the country and the Northern Isles. Further

south it will be dry. In the north you can see the rain reaching into

Shetland, 13 Celsius, it is chilly under rain where it sticks. But

further south this is where the mild warm air is. We could see 21

Celsius in the borders. The winds will be brisk. How is the weekend

looking? It is windy, and there will be showers, but also some

sunny spells. If we look at the clart for Saturday, you can see the

low pressure to the west. That is keeping things unsettled. For the

day it look like being windy from the south, the best of the shelter

will be in the north. Feeling warm again at 20 degrees. Strong winds

out to the west. This is Sunday and that low pressure is further north

and we're watching this low pressure that is the remains of a

hurricane. For Sunday a bit cooler, still windy with rain at types. Top

temperatures 17 Celsius. Thank you. Now, just before 7 o'clock, a

summary of tonight's top stories. The Justice Secretary, Kenny

MacAskill, has told MSPs hundreds of millions of pounds can be saved

by creating a single police force and single fire service for

Scotland. Ministers have guaranteed to maintain officer numbers but

that means support staff will have to lose their jobs. A public

inquiry has condemned the treatment of Iraqi detainees by British

soldiers in 2003, blaming a lack of discipline on the ground and a

"corporate failure" at the Ministry of Defence. It concluded that Baha

Mousa - a hotel worker in Basra - died as a result of appalling and