09/11/2012 Reporting Scotland

Tonight on your national news programme:

Putting it to the test - the election watchdog gets the Scottish

Government's preferred question to ask voters in the independence

referendum, but is it a fair question?

It was a horrific attack that shocked the nation. Now a man

pleads guilty to the attempted murder of a Lanarkshire grandmother.

Also tonight, one Dutch woman's devotion to the memory of a Scots

soldier killed in the Second World War, a man she had never met.

just found it a very natural thing to do because he fought for our

freedom. And can Scotland make history by

beating the might of the All Blacks at a sold-out Murrayfield on

Good evening. The question the Scottish Government wants to put to

voters in the independence referendum has been given to the

Electoral Commission, to be tested for fairness. It is, "Do you agree

that Scotland should be an independent country?" The Yes

campaign says the wording is fair, but the No campaign believes it is

skewed. Here's our political correspondent, Raymond Buchanan.

In two years' time, the people of Scotland will be asked to decide

their constitutional future. It will be one of the most important

questions in this nation's long history. The Scottish Government

gets to choose the words and here It will be for the Electoral

Commission decided that as a reasonable way to decide Scotland's

future. Today, they started to work it out. They question has to be

easy to understand, unambiguous, should not lead voters to one

conclusion or and other and should be written in straightforward,

everyday language that people know what they are voting for. One way

to establish that is by asking the public for their view of the

question. In Glasgow, I found the over-fifties show this is the most

generation likely to vote, so what do they make of the Scottish

Government's preferred wording? it is to cut and dried. People

might not have thought a practiced at -- thought through the

practicalities affecting them in the future. It is probably

basically fair because I cannot see yes or no it. I would accept that.

Both campaigns on the referendum are being led by over 50s, too.

Those opposed to independence say it is wrong for the SNP-dominated

Parliament to decide the final wording. They think the Electoral

Commission should not just advise but actually set the question.

must be -- I think most people who looked at it would think it is

skewed. You cannot have the SNP be -- SNP being both a player and the

referee. I have to abide by the decision of the Electoral

Commission, and so should they. question was suggested by the

opposition parties so the difference between, do you think

Scotland should be an independent country, yes or no, or should

Scotland be a separate country, yes or no, que there's are not much in

it. Tough the ultimate decision over Scotland's future will be for

its people. Eight months ago, a horrific attack

on an elderly woman left her with two broken arms, a fractured skull

and deep slash wounds to her face. Today, a man admitted attempting to

murder 76-year-old Mary Coulter after breaking into her home at

Overtown in North Lanarkshire. The High Court in Glasgow heard that

32-year-old Derek Clark had carried out the attack as he and two other

men searched the house for Mrs Coulter's son. You may find some of

the pictures in Laura Bicker's report disturbing.

76-year-old Marray was lucky to escape with her life. She had two

broken arms, a fractured skull,/Winster her face. She had to

undergo constructive surgery and is still badly disfigured. -- wounds

to her face. Mum, she is a defenceless, elderly woman who has

never heard any body. Now she is severely scarred for the rest of

her life. We cannot understand why any body which carried out this

cowardly attack. 32-year-old Derek Clark admitted attempting to murder

the grand manner. He was with a 27- year-old friend and another man,

aged 29, who cannot be named for legal reasons. The pair have

pleaded guilty to conspiring to inflict injury on Mary's son,

Ronnie. These men were charged in 1998 with the murder of the Asian

waiter. They were both acquitted. Police at the time of Mary's attack

believed the two were unrelated, although they also believe the

house had been targeted and the grandmother was not the intended

victim. We now know the gang was searching for her son. This attack

was brittle and savage. It has left a grandmother so traumatised she

can no longer live alone at her home. If for and we are joined by

that -- and we were joined by Laura at the High Court.

Has there been any reaction from the family? Not yet. They say they

will wait until after sentencing before giving any interviews but

this crime did not just to shock people living near Mary's home town.

It shocked the entire country. And within the last half-an-hour,

Strathclyde Police have issued a statement and in it, they describe

the level of violence used by Derek Clark as breathtaking. They say it

is impossible to understand the mind set of such a person and they

hope that he guilty plea today will give some comfort to Mary's family.

Thank you. You're watching Reporting Scotland

from the BBC. Still to come on the programme tonight, "we will stay in

business". A Hearts director on why he's confident the club can stay

afloat. And we take a look at a new

exhibition celebrating Scotland's role in carpet-making.

In sport, can our national rugby team do what none of their

predecessors have done by beating the All Blacks?

And I've been speaking to a living Scottish football legend about who

should and maybe shouldn't be the A retired paratrooper who served in

the Falklands and Northern Ireland has told a court that he thinks

every day about a tragedy in which a teenage cadet died. Today, Major

George McCallum pleaded guilty to breaching health and safety laws on

a training expedition in the Western Isles. But the family of

Kaylee McIntosh say more people should now be facing charges, as

Craig Anderson reports. 14-year-old Kaylee McIntosh was an

enthusiastic Army cadet. She joined the force at 12 years old and in

2007 was taken to we training camp in the Western Isles. But the boat

trip went go horribly wrong with the boat capsizing, trapping the

teenager underneath. Nobody realised from hour-and-a-half that

she was missing and today, Major George McCallum came to court to

admit charges under the health and safety work at. If in litigation,

the lawyer said he had expressed heartfelt remorse. He said this has

had and -- a bigger effect on me personally than events of war. I

think about it every day. The catalogue of mistakes made that day

scarcely believable. The boat was overloaded, the cadets were issued

with the wrong life jackets. Instructors could not even tell the

coastguard where they were. And while one a man may have been

prosecuted and played guilty, Kaylee McIntosh's parents want to

see others in charge of those events that day in the dock. They

are family views this as one further step on the road to what

they want to see, which is comprehensive, not a partial,

justice for the family. Well as they welcome today's proceedings

and the guilty plea, they want to know what is happening, if anything,

in respect of proceedings against other parties. In deferring

sentencing, the judge said he wanted time to consider the

accused's actions or lack of them in context of a wider picture. In

short, the failings of other officers on that day or more

fundamental flaws in safety procedures. Major George McCallum

will be sentenced later this month. Two men have been sentenced to life

in prison for kicking another man to death outside his Glasgow home.

Adel Ishaq and Asif Rehman will each serve a minimum of 16 years in

prison for the murder of William McKeeney in Pollokshields. He was

killed in January as he returned to his home on the south side of the

city. Passing sentence, the judge, Lord Uist, told the pair they

constitute a serious danger to the public.

In the past 48 hours, Hearts have raised over �100,000 through

selling shares and tickets to matches in their bid to avoid being

liquidated next week. However, one club director has told BBC Scotland

that Her Majesty's Revenue & Customs, who have issued a winding-

up notice, are not willing to reach a compromise deal. Brian McLauchlin

has more. The Rams director asking fans to

dig deep. However, HMRC are saying there is no deal on the table over

the �450,000 that must be paid next week. That is what they said, you

know. And I think they are treating this situation on really wrongly.

It is wrong to treat it like that because this is not just the usual

business. It is a club, an institution. It means a lot to the

people here in Edinburgh and the country. The winding-up order

issued a Hearts on Wednesday it is not the only problem the club has.

They are already in debt to the tune of �23 billion and the

majority of the Act, from the club's owner. -- �23 million. Next

Friday, they are due to pay the players' salaries but for the past

two months, many of those have been made. Six months ago, hogs fans

were rejoicing after a famous club victory over their rivals, City.

Now they are being asked to dig into their pockets. Other ways they

can forget -- otherwise they can forget the future. This afternoon,

a meeting was held with the players. Everybody at the club is said to be

fully supportive of their quest to stay alive. We had a good meeting.

I understand we have understanding and there his understanding with

all the staff in the club. Everybody is working hard and

seeing this commitment from people give say good feeling and I am

really confident that we will get through it. The Hearts players are

now off to Inverness for tomorrow's lunchtime fixture. In seven days'

time, they must be �450,000 -- they must find �450,000. Otherwise, the

club faces oblivion. Now, let's have a look at other

news from around the country this Friday.

A former Royal Marine who caused an explosion at this blocker in Dundee

has been sentenced to prison. The jury heard he detonated two bombs

earlier this year. He admitted causing explosions.

Continuing concerns by conservationists about the other

skate fish in Scottish waters. The Conservation Network has had to go

out again this year to see how many they can catch. After being weighed

and measured, they were tagged and released. There has been a fair

amount of fresh fish being caught but it is nothing compared to 20

years ago, when you could catch 50 to 60, whereas nowadays, you are

lucky to catch three or four. A �1.5 million is to be invested in

the Cairngorms Borrie in Abbey more, which will see the business opening

its own bottle plant. Danny Alexander announced the expansion

at a visit to the business today. He also sampled the company's

latest beer, Ginger Ryan Day and, - - Ginger Rodent.

Seven new jobs are to be brought to the locker area of Lewis. The salt

business is the only one of its kind in Scotland and says it has

seen a surge in demand. And Maggie's Cancer support Centre

in Glasgow has picked up a prestigious architectural award.

The Royal incorporation of Architects in Scotland have given

it the best building award. Judges described it as an extraordinary

building, a place of calm, simultaneously welcoming and open.

And there are more stories from your area and the latest news from

around the country 24 hours a day Ahead of Armistice Day yesterday we

had a story about the sacrifice made by Scottish soldiers in the

liberation of the Netherlands. Today, in the second report from

there, we trace the story of one soldier who died in that operation

and a woman's lifetime of devotion to his grave. Three times every

year, tawny has come to this cemetery to place flowers at the

grave of a loved one. As deal as a brother, but until now, only a name

carved in stone. Many adopted soldiers' graves after the war here.

If you have been tended so faithfully for so long. -- very few.

It was a natural thing to do. He had fought for our freedom.

This photographer was so touched by the devotion that here is all to to

find out who the soldier was. -- he resolved. In Scotland he founded

and freeze Shier cottage left behind by Harold. -- he found at

the cottage in Dumfries. He met old school friends.

I am grateful for the Scottish soldiers who helped liberate my

part of the country. I am grateful that after all these years I can

play my own part in bringing the story to life.

I am very content that at the end of my life we know more about

Harold and that his story is known in Scotland.

Told a lead the new flowers of Remembrance at extra poignancy a

few days ago. -- Tawny. Be there are tears in our eyes. It

is very moving after all these years.

At 90 years old, she knows her visits are numbered. But when the

time comes, children and grandchildren can take a proper

care of Harold's grave. There is an important match on at

Murrayfield on Sunday. Let's look ahead to that along with the rest

of the sport. Scotland's rugby players will attempt to achieve

something the national team has never achieved before - defeating

the All Blacks. They do not come any tougher than the world

champions. Over the years we have not done too badly on the world

stage. Invented the telephone, television, even cloned sheep. But

there is one thing we have not managed to achieve. Defeating the

All Blacks. We have been attempting for 107 years. Without success.

There is no doubt it is a massive challenge. They are the world

champions and have not lost for 16 or 17 games. But at the end of the

day it comes down to 15 against 15. Two Here's a cocoa -- two years ago

Scotland were blown away by the All Blacks.

I don't think about it much myself. History and All Blacks brilliance

is all against Scotland this weekend. But perhaps we have a

secret weapon. I have trimmed it a few times but

this is about three months now. There are lots of strong bearded

men in history, like King this can,. Perhaps it will carry me!

Otherwise, the search for the historic Scottish achievement will

go on. Celtic have appointed a Gaelic

football coach to their staff. Jimmy McGuinness turned Donegal

into All-Ireland champions. He has been brought in to develop young

players. Still all smiles at Celtic Park after the victory over

Barcelona with congratulations coming in from all quarters.

I received a call yesterday from Elton John, believe it or not.

He was not as emotional as Rod Stewart!

One of for a Scotland legend says that the next national team manager

should be a Scot. -- one Scotland football legend. I am at this hotel

to seek an audience with a true legend. Let me give you a clue. 55

appearances for the national team, after two goals. Who is it? It is

not Kenny Dalglish! I will put you out of your misery. -- 32 goals.

Yes, he is in town on charity business. It is Denis Law. I want

his verdict on some potential candidates for the job of national

team boss. Let's begin with Kenny Dalglish.

One of the greatest players ever for Scott and. He has been on the

management side so I would not disagree with him.

Next, Gordon Strachan. A fan's favourite and an SPL champion with

Celtic. A typical Scottish player. Is, a

goalscorer, I hope can bring something like that back into the

goal -- back into the national team. Joe Jordan is an icon and was once

the heart of Midlothian boss. I am glad he was in my team and

they did not have to play against him! Yes, another one.

And what about Harry Redknapp as an outside bet?

An Englishman? I think you can say, In tennis, Andy Murray only needs

to win the one set deceiving to make it to the semi-finals of the

Masters series in London. -- only needs to win the one set this

evening. A new exhibition will celebrate

Scotland's roll of carpet making. Dovecot Studios have commissioned

artists to make rugs are using an Colourful, stylish, vibrant. Rugs

designed by some of the country's best-known artists. Inspired by her

original designs from the archive of two best-known -- the two best-

known companies in Scotland, Stoddart's and Templeton's. They

produce material for colonial buildings and government buildings.

As well as the floor coverings for every a homes. They were part of

the fabric of our lives. -- every day homes.

Both factories were keen to be original and worked closely with

designers. I started by just having a carry on

all the time. Just before I left for good I went back to Stoddart's.

The experience inspired his best- known play. But it also marked the

beginning of the end as rising costs and increased competition

took their toll. It was labour intensive with 67

designers when I started off. Eventually the went out of business.

Today only an extensive archive survives. It has inspired Dovecot

Studios to mark its own 100th anniversary with a colourful

It does not look too bad. We will continue to see some showers across

western and north-western parts over the next few errors. -- hours.

Generally dry, but Aberdeen and the Borders could be down to a touch of

frost. A rather damp and cloudy start with brightness developing

through the morning towards lunchtime. In the afternoon, and

East/West split. The East will get the best conditions. Some good

sunny spells at times. In the West, showers which will be blustery in

the breeze. A similar story across Orkney and Shetland but with dry

conditions temperatures will reach ten Celsius. If you are out

climbing temperatures could be no pay up up of several hundred metres.

-- a bath. -- above. Generally, temperatures slightly milder on the

summit. Moderate seas, good visibility. Generally, set fair.

Showers will retreat back to the west coast late night. A cold and

frosty night, particularly in the countryside. The low pressure moves

away on Sunday, but it will be cold if you are out and about first

thing in the morning. We will see some showers, particularly across

western coastal fringes. But generally dry and bright.

Temperatures around eight or nine Celsius. Next week, the weather may

well reflect your mood if you are A summary of the top stories: lord

McAlpine has publicly denied allegations that he abused children

at a North Wales care home. He called the claims hole lay false

and seriously defamatory.'s an independence referendum question