14/05/2014 BBC London News

still trapped. We can now join the BBC's news teams

where you are. Tonight on BBC London: He groomed teenage girls on

Facebook but escaped jail. Now Timothy Storey's sentence could be

reviewed. Inciting children to obscene sexual activity and abusing

children, to see that person walk free and receive are a

rehabilitation order is an acceptable. And the plans for

education in the capital. Plus ?50,000 for the family of a

murdered man for their battle against police corruption.

And from the National to Broadway. Acclaimed director Richard Eyre

tells us why he's still scared of the critics.

Good evening. A sex offender from South London, who walked free from

court after being convicted of grooming hundreds of children, could

have his sentence reviewed. 34`year`old Timothy Storey from

Peckham has been described by police as every parent's nightmare after

being found guilty of posing as a teenager to contact girls aged as

young as 12. He wanted them to send explicit pictures of themselves on

Facebook. The case has now been referred to the Attorney`General for

review, as Nick Beake reports. He created a fake Facebook profile

using an old photograph of himself. He claimed he was a teenager, single

and interested in girls. In fact, every one of his 700 friends was

female. He sent hundreds of messages and persuaded some as young as 12 to

send sexually explicit photographs of themselves. Its real name is

Timothy Storey, not 18 but 34 years old. Now a convicted paedophile but

spared prison. The prospect of a predator inciting children to

obscene sexual activity, abusing children, to see that person walk

free and receive a rehabilitation order, is just an acceptable. He

also pleaded guilty to making indecent images on his laptop and

his mobile phone. But rather than a custodial sentence, he was placed on

a three`year sex offenders programme. The Metropolitan Police

detective who led the investigation into Timothy Storey described him as

every parent's worst nightmare, abusing and exploiting girls over

the internet. He also thought that he had targeted more victims and he

urged them to come forward. Charities say that this case once

again shows how important it is for parents to talk to their children

about what they are doing online. Be really clear if they are ever

concerned that they can speak up on something will be done. And don't

make threats like if you do this, we will stop your usage. One of the

things that gets in the way of children and young people speaking

up if they think they will lose their mobile phone or their ability

to be on Facebook. It is about being open and having a discussion. It is

not just about problems but day`to`day use. Former BBC presenter

Stuart Hall's sentence for indecent assault against girls was doubled

last year by Court of Appeal judges. Now that Government's top lawyer,

the Attorney`General, will decide if Timothy Storey's sentence is unduly

lenient and should be increased. What are the chances of the sentence

being overturned? We spoke to the Attorney`General's office today and

they could give us figures for the year 2012. They received 435

complaints about sentences that had been passed and in the end 73 were

increased. So it is about one in six. If you look at the sentencing

guidelines for this particular offence, the eight counts that

Timothy Storey pleaded guilty to, it is causing or inciting sexual

activity with a child, and the maximum sentence is 14 years. We

asked for the judge's sentencing remarks but they have not been

forthcoming unfortunately. Generally speaking longer custodial sentences

for that kind of offence are usually when there has been physical contact

with the victim. In Timothy Storey's case it was grooming, it

was abuse online. He did not meet his victims but nonetheless there

will be a careful examination of his crimes, his offences, and they will

be keen to make sure the punishment fits the crime is. I know you are

following this case closely. Thank you for that.

Next week European elections are being held and they are seen by some

as a barometer of the way Londoners feel about the impact of the EU on

the capital. We have been gauging whether Europe is seen as being good

or bad for business here and in turn good or bad for Londoners. London's

Eurovision is different from much of the country. Warmer and more

positive. That is according to most opinion polls. There is just not so

much anger. If we are not part of Europe, we have isolated ourselves

and what is the point of that? It needs to be reformed to reduce waste

and bureaucracy but Richard beats sorted out. I would rather be part

of Europe than just this tiny island with crab weather. I do feel

European and I think it is important to be part of Europe. Not separate

from it. Is Europe good for business in the capital? I have come to

Perivale in the borough of Ealing, the electoral ward with the highest

population of Polish born people anywhere in London. The shop signs

tell the story and so do the flags. One in seven people living here is

Polish and where people live, businesses cluster. Miroslav owns

this supermarket since coming here a decade ago right when Poland first

joined the EU. He has also set up a building firm and set up a paint

shop. Work is everything. It is good because we are in the EU. Can you

see yourself going back to Poland now? No way. Why not? My life is

here. House, business. Round the corner, we visit this family run

firm making double glazing. And a recent directive they have had to

ensure their products conform with new European standards. They found

it a bit tiresome and time`consuming but they nearly gave up

manufacturing altogether several years ago because they could not

find skilled staff. Until, that is, Eastern European newcomers arrived.

The blessing was the new European employees who started coming in. Did

they save the planet? I would almost say that, yes. It saved the decision

of stopping manufacturing. On the day we are here, a German engineers

on`site service in German equipment while nearby Polish workers use

Belgian software to operate an Italian machine soaring through

British aluminium. It is easy for people to move around, easy for

engineers to come and service the machines. We have bought a lot of

machinery from European suppliers and we have certainly benefited. The

benefits of the European Union far outweigh the costs to us as a

business. Back on the Perivale shop Parade is a print business where the

owner bemoans the EU paperwork involved even in paper. The

standards are so high. We have to follow European laws. And an EU exit

could not come soon enough. We should be independent. It would give

a bit benefit of our own. It would be tough in the beginning but late

on it would be OK. Meanwhile Miroslav says he will certainly be

party that one them. In a city more party that one them. In a city more

happy than most about being part of a bigger place.

One of the parties standing in the European elections next week is

called no To EU. They are putting up eight candidates and want to see an

immediate referendum. The European Union has become a monster. We are

getting the central bank and the European Commission dictating

policies on austerity to Britain and the other 28 members. That is

leaving to mass unemployment and a collapse in our living standards. We

think it is time that we had a vote and got out the British people can

decide what economic and political policies they want in this country

for themselves. The family of a man who was murdered

in a car park in South East London over 25 years ago are to receive

?50,000 for, as City Hall says, bringing to light failings of the

Metropolitan Police. Private investigator Daniel Morgan was

discovered in Sydenham with an axe in his head in 1987. It's thought he

was on the verge of exposing police corruption. The Mayor, Boris

Johnson, says he'd now like to see the murder investigation reopened.

Our home affairs correspondent Guy Smith has been speaking to Mr

Morgan's brother about this latest development.

It is one of the country's most notorious unsolved murders. Daniel

Morgan was killed in this pub car park in third and in 1987, just

before he was about to expose police corruption. `` in Sid and. An axe

was found embedded in his head. It is accepted the subsequent murder

investigation was also thwarted by corruption. Daniel's family has

fought for justice for three decades. Financial recognition, I

think it is ridiculous. Today London's Mayor revealed in a

document that ?50,000 would now be paid to the family in recognition of

the general social benefits brought about by their efforts in bringing

to light the failings of the Metropolitan Police service.

Daniel's brother was not impressed with the financial gesture.

Insulting, derisory, pitiful. Abusive almost. Why? Well, we have

had to be doing the job of the authorities for 27 years. Five

separate police inquiries have failed to identify the killers. In

2011, an Old Bailey trial collapsed because three supergrass witnesses

were deemed unreliable. His brother has told me that the former police

authority in charge of scrutinising the Met Police has already paid the

family ?125,000, still just a fraction of the cost incurred over

decades of seeking justice. Meanwhile, he was not happy with Mr

Green Howards, and wrote to Boris Johnson that he disappointed him

greatly with his ignorance of what they were dealing with. Why we

brought up the words corruption and cover`up, he was utterly and

completely unaware. `` when we brought up. He said I don't know

anything about corruption when we met him. Today a City Hall spokesman

said Boris Johnson was impressed with the Morgan family and was keen

to help and would reopen a criminal investigation into the murder if new

evidence was found. Something his deputy was also pushing for.

Unemployment in London has dropped to its lowest level in five years.

Just over 330,000 people are out of a job. That's a decrease of 0.9% on

last year's figure. A UKIP MEP has had a brick thrown

through his window at his home in East London. Gerard Batten said he

suspected it was part of an attempt by political opponents to intimidate

UKIP candidates ahead of next Thursday's European elections.

Police are investigating the incident and have told the MEP

they'll step up patrols on his street.

An explosion on Chancery Lane this afternoon is said to have been

caused by a small electrical fire underneath the pavement. The UK

Power Networks said dozens of customers experienced an

interruption to their power supply. No one was injured but last year the

Health and Safety Executive expressed concern that Londoners

were at risk of being killed in one of a growing number of pavement

explosions. After creating a chain of successful

schools in and around London, Lord Harris of Peckham has welcomed ideas

for Ofsted getting powers to inspect entire academy chains and not just

individual schools. The multi`million pound Tory donor told

BBC London that all academies should be more transparent about their

finances. We went to meet him. I am proud of all the schools when I see

them improved. As Lord Harris tells it, this all happened by accident.

Margaret Thatcher asked him to take over a failing school and he now

runs 29 with ten more about to open. What is good about it? The teachers

are really helpful. All new schools are academies with more freedom over

budgets, curriculum is and staffing. It has led to criticism that they

lack transparency. Should everybody open up their books? Definitely. We

always have. If you cannot make a failing call better, then we will

give it back to the local authority and we don't anticipate giving any

back. `` if we cannot make a failing school better. Ofsted says they

should be able to investigate whole chains and not just individual

schools. We don't mind what they want to do. We have been in chains

and we have changed it. We have been outstanding and they have changed

the rules and we have been outstanding and we are doing an

excellent job to give children a better education. The results that

he has achieved are on the whole impressive but Harris academies have

attracted controversy for a number of sometimes hostile takeovers. At

this school in Tottenham 90% of parents voted against the change.

Ask those 90% what they think today, nine months later. They speak with

their feet. Nearly 600 parents want their children to go to that school.

But if you did not want us to take over last year. Round the corner,

there were safeguarding concerns after this secretly filmed footage

of children being restrained. It did not worry me. It concerned me.

Ofsted have been in since and they have said if you have two children

fighting each other and you are straining them and pulling them

apart... There are ways of restraining them. If two people are

hitting each other what can you do but hold them back? Has there been a

disciplinary? Has anyone moved on? Nobody at the time. This is the

situation. Do you want schools that are failing with people fighting all

the time and just let them fight and expel them and put them on the

streets? We don't do that at Harris. We want to teach them. Which brings

them to the question of who does the teaching. Coalition policy is that

formal qualifications are not needed but Lord Harris disagrees. We want

to get an excellent teacher as well as a Teach First teacher and get

them working together. He says he is happy to work with politicians of

any colour. Still to come...

He is one of our most successful directors and we are at home with

Richard Eyre, talking about his latest production in the West End,

why the arts are important, and what he plans to do next.

A campaign has been launched to encourage pupils from east London to

consider careers virtually on their doorstep in Tech City. The area

around Old Street Roundabout is now home to the largest cluster of

digital businesses in Europe. Alice Bhandhukravi has been to a school in

Bethnal Green to see how the students there could benefit.

This is the next generation of coders, programmers and web

designers. For the time being they are still pupils at school, but some

have already had a taste of what the technology companies down the road

to and from many, it has whet their appetites. We have got to work with

coders and designers and it got me involved and inspired me. I built my

first computer when I was ten. I am currently building another one. I

would love to give everything a try. Technology is evolving and nowadays

everything you are doing involves technology. Traditionally,

technology companies have had to look further and further afield to

recruit the right people. Now the idea is to look at what is on the

doorstep. They are resilient, intelligent and article at and

they're what to make a success of their lives. The aim is to build a

website to connect schools and students with the needs of some of

the most cutting edge comp knees in the country. You could get a very

fast`moving technology cluster and areas around it that are deprived.

We want to make sure that these two communities can grow together and

are connected. This is the hub of Tech City will stop it is home to

thousands of technology start`ups. They are all looking for the best

people. A lot of the challenges are solved by a very niche group of

people and if we can widen that to girls and people from different

backgrounds that would be great for the whole economy. Connecting Tech

City, as the project is called, needs to raise at least ?50,000 to

get the website started. It is counting on public donations to pay

for it through crowd funding. The West will be down to matching up the

success stories of the present with the success stories of the future.

Very exciting prospects around there.

The YMCA are backing a scheme which sees flat back homes built in

factories to tackle the housing crisis. This is a studio apartment

made for one person and dozens of them will be in place by the end of

the year. Each unit costs about ?30,000.

One of the country's leading theatre, film and television

directors is using his expertise for a new West End show which first

opened on Broadway 60 years ago. Richard Eyre is directing the The

Pyjama Game, and as the production opens, he's arguing that the

Government should spend less on weapons and defence and more on

making us all feel happy. Here's our entertainment correspondent, Brenda

Emmanus. Fellow union members, we're off! It

was the first musical he ever heard, now Richard Eyre is directing The

Pyjama Game, which is transferred to the West End. She played it over and

over and over again. It is launched in my memory. I have always nurtured

a desire to relive that memory. The director is one of the most

respected in the business with a string of awards affirming his

success. Despite his remarkable achievements he does confess to the

fact that he still worries about critics. I resent it, because I do

think, at my age, am I still worrying about it? It is approval,

you seek approval. On the other hand, if I didn't feel that, why

would I go on doing that? He took over as to Rector of the National

Theatre in 1987 when there was a prevailing feeling amongst the

critics that the arts were doomed. `` took over as director. There is a

feeling now that we are experiencing a renaissance. It is incredibly

lively. Just in the number of productions and the diversity of

productions and the amount of talent that's emerged. We have a new

Culture Minister in place, what should be the priority? I am always

amazed at how governments are so willing to spend money on weapons of

destruction, or what is called, sorry, defence, and not willing to

spend money on weapons of happiness, which is what all

cultural activities are. Film projects have also consumed

Richard's time. He is working on another next year, along with an

opera and a play. Downtime is rare but pleasurable. Do you trigger a

beer and watch soap operas? Not maybe soap opera, but maybe a box

set of The Killing or Breaking Bad, it is heaven. The Pyjama Game is

running at the Shaftesbury Theatre. I bring you good news for the

weather. It is going to get even better. We have seen the back of the

cold air, it is being pushed away. Instead we saw temperatures getting

up to 19 degrees. Over the next few days, even into the weekend,

temperatures will get even higher. We could be in the mid`20s this

weekend. Sunshine at times. Cloud around and because of that there may

well be chilly nights for a while. There is cloud coming down from the

north`west. All we have seen two day is just some fair weather cumulus

cloud. No sign of any storms. Overnight, spot the cloud, as there

is not going to be much at all. It could be quite chilly. In rural

areas, it will not be too far above freezing first thing will stop one

or two short lived mist and fog patches to the east of London, which

will not last long. A bright and sunny start. By the end of the

morning, the cloud comes from the north. There will be more than

today. Sunshine at times, but even though we have more clout we have

got this warmer air. Temperatures will be higher. About 21 Celsius in

London. On Friday, quite bright and sunny, Chile perhaps, Fairweather

cloud developing and spreading out a little bit. `` Chile perhaps. High

pressure is going to be with us for quite some time, even into the

weekend. There might just be one or two showers if it gets warm enough

on Saturday. The big changes are coming from the north`west. The

weather front not reaching us just yet. With high`pressure around you

will find the temperatures will continue to climb and over the

weekend it will feel particularly warm. We are looking at those

temperatures continuing to climb and looking ahead to Friday, Saturday

and Sunday. Some sunshine around with high cloud on Sunday to the

north and west of London. What a terrific forecast!

Before we go tonight, let's remind ourselves of tonight's main news

headlines. Three days of national mourning has

been declared in Turkey after more than 200 miners were killed in an

explosion and fire at a coal mine in the west of the country. A further

190 are thought to be still trapped inside.

Unemployment has fallen to its lowest level for five years ` down

to 6.8%. When it comes to interest rates, the Governor of the Bank of

England, Mark Carney, suggested they're likely to remain low for

some time. The number of Romanian and Bulgarian

nationals working in the UK since employment restrictions were lifted

in January has fallen. The figure has dropped by 4,000 since the last

quarter. The teenager, Stephen Sutton, whose

blog about his terminal cancer attracted hundreds of thousands of

followers on the internet, has died. Stephen's helped raise more than ?3

million pounds for the Teenage Cancer Trust.

And a convicted sex offender from Peckham, who walked free from court,

could have sentence reviewed. `` his sentence reviewed. Timothy Storey

had groomed hundreds of children on Facebook. His case has been sent to

the Attorney`General. That's it for now. I'll be back

during the ten o'clock news on BBC One. I hope you can join me then.

For now, have a very good evening. Europe. A community of nations

which can do no wrong. A perfect brotherhood

in which we all share.