25/07/2014 BBC London News

A Coroner has called for ch`nges in the way witnesses are dealt with in

court, after ruling a concert violinist died from an overdose a

week after giving evidence at a violinist died from an overdose a

week after giving evidence `t a sex abuse trial. Frances Andrade had

abuse trial. Frances Andradd had testified in January that she was

abused by her former choirmaster, but she died before he was jailed

and convicted of indecent assault. A sublime violinist whose lhve was

A sublime violinist whose live was ruined bisexual abuse. Frances

Andrade was just 14 when it began in 1978 at the place she thought was

home. This was her abuser ` Michadl

This was her abuser ` Michael Brewer, a drek ter of the cdlebrated

Brewer, a drek ter of the celebrated `` a director of the celebr`ted

Chetham school of music. Early last year, Brewer was on trial

for the abuse, and Mrs Andr`de Early last year, Brewer was on trial

for the abuse, and Mrs Andr`de was the key witness against him.

But in court, she was called a liar and a fantasist. Her husband said

she felt she was on trial. A and a fantasist. Her husband said

she felt she was on trial. @ week she felt she was on trial. A week

later, she took her own lifd she felt she was on trial. @ week

later, she took her own lifd and didn't live to see Brewer jailed

later, she took her own life and didn't live to see Brewer j`iled for

six years. The Coroner said that Mrs Andrade

had found the whole court process extremely traumatic, which hs

had found the whole court process extremely traumatic, which is why he

extremely traumatic, which hs why he made a number of recommendations to

the director Director of Public Prosecutions, calling for the legal

system to be much more senshtive when dealing with vulnerable

when dealing with vulnerabld witnesses like Mrs Andrade.

Those calls for change in the way witnesses are handled in cotrts

Those calls for change in the way witnesses are handled in courts were

welcomed by her husband, who spoke afterwards. I think that all the

services involved really looked into what went wrong and they have all

tightened up their measures and hopefully for the next lot of

victims, something will havd hopefully for the next lot of

victims, something will have changed victims, something will have changed

for the better. Last year, dozens of people came to

witness this musical eulogy to Frances Andrade, a sensitivd

Frances Andrade, a sensitive violinist, who had to live through

abuse and relive through the pain of abuse and relive through the pain of

telling it in court. Experidnces telling it in court. Experidnces

which ruined her life and underpinned her death.

Travellers using Paddington station this evening have suffered hours of

delays. The track was hit bx delays. The track was hit by

lightning, which disrupted ` delays. The track was hit bx

lightning, which disrupted a signal lightning, which disrupted ` signal

box between Paddington and Reading. This is what Friday night looked

like for hundreds of people trying to leave London. Delays,

cancellations and very long waits at Paddington station. They were caused

by signalling problems, brought Paddington station. They were caused

by signalling problems, brotght on by signalling problems, brotght on

by a train being struck by lightning. This man and his wife

were trying to get to Swindon tonight. We tried for two trains and

then it started getting crazy. In fact, it started to get hysterical.

The few trains which are running are overcrowded and journeys are taking

overcrowded and journeys ard taking much longer than usual. We got her

8pm, came to the barers. Instead of letting `` barriers. Instead of

letting us through, they hold us back. Great Western are advising

passengers to use alternative stations from Marylebone and

Waterloo. They also face significant disruption. We would normally ask

customers to go via Waterloo or Marylebone. But problems elsewhere

on the network meant those stations were in a tricky situation. That

meant more people here. P tonight trains have been leaving Paddington.

There's been one train per hour between London and Swansea. It is

uncertain when services will return to normal.

More claims have emerged th`t a More claims have emerged th`t a

cover`up took place to protect cover`up took place to protect

politicians' reputations, following allegations of abuse at the Angel

Road children's home in South London. The care home, run by

Lambeth Council, has been at the centre of controversy since a former

detective, who investigated the claims back in the late 1990s said

he was taken off the case when it appeared high`ranking politicians

were linked to the abuse. Nhgel Goldie has told the BBC about

were linked to the abuse. Nigel Goldie has told the BBC abott his

Goldie has told the BBC about his suspicions of a cover`up.

At the time, but subsequently, there was some high`level decisions about

not wanting to open up issuds that related to public figures who, of

whom there were suggestions that they had been visiting this children

home ` angel Road's children home. A cover`up? A cover`up. The Prime

Minister has told BBC London that the Government is dealing the issue

of the high cost of housing. He said more homes were being built in the

capital than at any time since 2005. All this week we have looked at

radical ways to help solve the housing crisis.

We look at some of the problems and solutions which have been proposed.

In London t cost of renting the rising. It has gone up 9.4% since

last year. The average price is last year. The average price is

?1200 per month. Charlie is a performer, waiter, anything to pay

his way. At 30, he still soletimes lives at home. Compared to five

years ago when I had to livd lives at home. Compared to five

years ago when I had to livd here, I think I have got to a stage where I

can afford my rent a little bit Not always, and I still struggle.

Charlie is one of those better off w a cosy parental home. The rdal

a cosy parental home. The real problem lies with families who rent.

We meet Londoners who are cheesed off with this situation, whdre

We meet Londoners who are cheesed off with this situation, where they

pay high rents in return for short contracts. Or they are left living

like teenagers in their childhood bedrooms. Speaking on a programme

tonight the deputy mayor for housing said the rental market needs to be

looked at. There are changes needed. We need to attract pension fund

money to built rented homes for young professionals. The biggest

barrier is house prices. They young professionals. The biggest

barrier is house prices. They have gone up 20% here in the last year

alone. There are warnings of a cooling in the market. That means

prices are not rising as fast as they used to. I don't have the

money. Boy, those who have the money, good luck to them. It is

terrible for the younger generation. It means unless you have got a

massive deposit thanks to p`rents It means unless you have got a

massive deposit thanks to p`rents or some other means, it is very

massive deposit thanks to parents or some other means, it is verx hard

massive deposit thanks to p`rents or some other means, it is very hard to

get on the housing ladder. Something the Prime Minister agrees whth.

Speaking on our radio station this morning, he said help to bux

Speaking on our radio station this morning, he said help to buy is

Speaking on our radio station this morning, he said help to bux is key

to get young Londoners on the property ladder. We need to help

young people who can afford a mortgage but don't have a rich

young people who can afford a mortgage but don't have a rhch mum

mortgage but don't have a rich mum and dad to be able to get a deposit

on a house. Help to buy has helped stimulate building. It has helped

young Londonerses to have a home of their own. By 2021 London whll

young Londonerses to have a home of their own. By 2021 London will be

their own. By 2021 London whll be home to nine million people.

Harlow, the up and coming town, where one`fifth of the

populations... Towns like H`rlow and populations... Towns like Harlow and

Hemel Hempstead were dropped. If nothing is done the nature of London

could change. People who felt they wanted to be in the middle of the

City will have to go a long way out and that will change the nature

potentially of the city. That and that will change the nature,

potentially of the city. Th`t brings potentially of the city. Th`t brings

us to the problem ` that of creating new homes. We will need 800,000 by

2021. New does seem to pay. If you bought a house here in Stratford in

2005 you would have made an average of ?150,000 on your property.

2005 you would have made an average of ?150,000 on your propertx. If

2005 you would have made an average of ?150,000 on your property. If we

are not building enough to keep one the growth, so fewer people will

buy, more will have to rent and the problems could start all ovdr again.

problems could start all over again. At the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow

this evening Owen Livesey from Camberley jud yo club won gold for

England. He beat fellow teal`mate England. He beat fellow team`mate

Tom Reid. That's it from me for now. Let's find out what the weather has

in store with John. It has been a funny old day.

What about the weekend? Tomorrow, there'll be one or two isolated

there'll be one or two isol`ted downpours. Not on the scale we saw

today. Most of us will stay fine and hot. The odd isolated shower,

mavenlt most of us will be dry. It will be a warm night,

particularly in the larger towns and cities. Temperatures holding up into

the high teens. Tomorrow thdre cities. Temperatures holding up into

the high teens. Tomorrow there may be a lot of cloud to start with.

That will thin out a lot of sunshine to come. One or two isolated

downpours. To the vast majority of us, I think we will stay drx,

us, I think we will stay dry, temperatures nudging 30 Celsius

What about the outlook? A cooling trepd ` showers ``

What about the outlook? A cooling trepd - showers -- trend. Showers

breaking out on Monday. We have seen temperatures

approaching 30 Celsius. The heat will ebb away this weekend. Cooler

and fresher conditions from the north-west. There'll be sunshine,

there'll be more showers as well. Today was the turn of south-east

England to get the ferocious storms. Lots of thunder and lightning. A lot

of rain in a short space of time has led to some flooding.

A little bit of rain overnight, maybe brushing Kent and Essex for a

while. Otherwise fine and dry. Mist and low cloud to eastern England. It

will be another warm and muggy night. That mist and low cloud will

burn off tomorrow. Temperatures will lift as the sunshine comes through,

except in Northern Ireland, where we have got these bands of showers

pushing in. It will turn wetter in the afternoon in western Scotland.

Ahead of it, most parts of England and Wales will be dry with some

sunshine. A few showers. Probably dry across Wales, western England.

The sunshine hazy here. Higher temperatures to the south-east,

where we could get some storms