28/11/2013 BBC Newsline

Louise, thank you. That's all from the BBC News

Good evening. The headlines on BBC Newsline: A woman tells how staff at

a nursing home in Carrickfergus did not tell her that her mother had

died. We were shown into a bedroom and my mum was lying on the bed and

my husband turned around and said, " oh God, she is dead". The family of

an RA 's -- RUC reservist sayyid justice has finally been done. New

evidence has emerged that internees were tortured in the past.

I am here for one of the finest spectacles of the year of culture.

A dry and mild start to the Lumiere Festival but there is a change on

the way. I will be back later in the programme.

First, to that nursing home story. A woman has told BBC Newsline that

staff at the home in Carrickfergus didn't tell her that her mother had

died when she arrived to visit. It happened at Cherry Tree House

private nursing home - the same home which we highlighted yesterday and

which is the subject of a review ordered by the Health Minister. Our

health correspondent, Marie-Louise Connolly, has the story.

This is my brother here. Elizabeth Calvert recalling happier times

celebrating her man's 80th birthday. Six-year later she moved to Cherry

Tree House after developing dementia. In 2011 Star photo to tell

her her mother wasn't well and when she arrived a short time later she

couldn't find her Mrs Calvert said a member of staff asked her if she

wanted to see her mother and she was brought to another bedroom. My mum

was lying on the bed and my husband turned round and said, "oh, God. She

is dead". And that is when I went mad. I was so tearful and she was

just lying in bed with her mouth lying open with no covers. It was

very distressful. It might have been a number of hours because when I

touched her food -- foot, she was quite hard and obviously rigor

mortis had setting. The health carried out a review.

mortis had setting. The health document, the Northern health trust

acknowledges that there were gaps in how the home managed contact with

Mrs Calvert. The review team recommended that with regards to

staffing, the trust should consider how to strengthen the process to

maintain standards. Yesterday, a whistle-blower who previously worked

at the home told the BBC she first raised concerns in 2005. We revealed

that the home was inspected by the regulator is 20 times over three

years and it raised several serious issues. Last year, the owner was

summoned to a meeting where the potential for prosecution was

discussed. The BBC understands that move is the precursor to having

registration withdrawn altogether. If we believe there are breaches

that are offences than we would take legal advice. If that term potential

prosecution? It is the ultimate step. The whistle-blower raised

issues like feeding and toileting and Mrs Calvert said that she had

complained also. I had complained to a member of staff to take to the

toilet and she said it wasn't her turn. I did it myself. If you don't

fit into that slot, it is not their turn. She was a prime woman and if

she knew what had happened, she would have hated it. In 20 12, the

health minister met the family and a review is underway will stop the

reports repeat review is underway will stop the

and over again and yet there seems to be very little progress being

made in addressing the issue. The BBC has been contacted by dozens of

families praising the home. Meanwhile, none of these allegations

are connected to any of the current staff.

The widow of an RUC reservist who was murdered 32 years ago says her

family has finally got justice with the conviction of a man for the

killing. John Proctor was shot by the IRA in a hospital car park after

visiting his wife and newborn son. Today, Seamus Martin Kearney of

Gorteande Road, Maghera, was given a life sentence for the murder. Martin

Cassidy reports. I use the reserve Officer Johnny

Proctor was just 25 when he was murdered by the IRA

Proctor was just 25 when he was reservist. He was pictured here a

short time earlier at the funeral of a soldier. The newborn son he had

visited that day in 1981 was in court today to see his father 's

killer convicted. Justice has been done after 32 years, but it is that

-- sad that family members aren't here today to see justice being

done. The principal strand of evidence linking this man to the

killing was a cigarette butt found close to the getaway car and from

where the shots were fired. A 29 years, the but remained sealed in an

evidence bag only to be re-examined in 2010 when an enquiries team used

DNA profiling to link the cigarette with the accused. I heard how many

shots they put into him. It wasn't just one shot. They riddled him, so

they did. I knew his life was over. The process to seek justice has

helped to bring truth, the facts and a level of understanding of what

took place. Peace to know we have done all we can and the memory of

Johnny to seek justice. The judge imposed a life sentence although it

is likely that PNA will serve only two years under the Good Friday

agreement. A group who became known as the

hooded men were individuals arrested during internment 40 years ago. The

European Court found the British government had subjected them to

inhumane and degrading treatment. But the men have always maintained

they were tortured. They say But the men have always maintained

have new evidence to back their claims and want the Irish government

to take their case back to Europe. Our home affairs correspondent,

Vincent Kearney, reports. August 1971, the Army called it

operation Dimitrios. More commonly known as internment, imprisonment

without trial. More than 340 Nationalists were arrested during

the first 24 hours and 12 were singled out for special treatment.

They were taken by helicopter to a secret location where they were

subjected to what was called, the interrogation. It has since been

confirmed that the secret location was Ballykelly army base. They were

subjected to what the Army refers to as the five techniques - hooded,

made to listen to static noise and deprived of sleep, food and water.

They were also made to stand in a stress position with their legs

outstretched on tiptoes and their fingertips on a wall for long

periods of time and beaten each time they fail. This week, eight of the

men visited a Private Museum in Lurgan were examples showed how to

make models illustrating what happened to them. I still have

dreams of being attacked and I say to myself in the dream, not again. I

can't do this again. It is a recording thing always in my mind.

It never leaves you. At any time of the night or day something will come

up. Particularly when you see situations like Guant?namo Bay and

prisoners wondering about hooded and in jumpsuits. It brings you white

back. The commission of human rights upheld a decision saying the men had

been tortured. Embarrassed by the international criticism, the British

government appealed and won. The European Court ruled that whilst the

interrogation was humane and degrading, it did not amount to

torture. Now, lawyers for the men argue that new documents unearthed

at the Public records office in London could lead to that being

reversed. One document classified as secret says it is important to keep

secure the existence and location of the centre in Ballykelly whether 12

detainees questioned had the centre in Ballykelly whether 12

12 detainees in question had been interrogated. They lied their way

out of it. They lied to the Irish government and to us and the

European Court. The MoD and government have consistently

rejected any allegations of torture and are expected to robustly defend

any legal challenge. Still ahead: Join me to see how

Derry is being brought to light with the Lumiere Festival.

A Belfast man has said he believed he was going to be killed by

hooligans who attacked him after a Celtic match in Amsterdam earlier

this month. Padraig Mullan said he didn't know they were undercover

police officers and he was later convicted of assaulting them. The

fan is now home pending an appeal. You may be upset by some of the

violent scenes in this next report. That is me in their just getting set

upon... At his home in west Belfast, Padraig Mullan relives the

events of last month which turned his life upside down. Here in the

Celtic top, he tells me what happened. A commotion started.

Myself and my girlfriend walked away from the area towards another

direction and just as we were heading there, this crowd came out

of nowhere with their coats zipped up - in my eyes hooligans. One of

the guys knocked my girlfriend to the floor and then went on to attack

another Celtic fan. I was just set the floor and then went on to attack

upon by numerous other fellows. But the men kicking and punching were

not hooligans as he thought, they were, in fact, undercover police

officers. The judge said the police used force but that it was fair

under the circumstances. I realised there was more than one person

attacking me and I honestly didn't think I would come out of it alive.

I was getting dragged away by four guys, in my eyes still hooligans and

I thought I was being taken down a side street to be killed. You were

convicted of violence towards a police officer. You can see why not

many people may be have any sympathy for you? Absolutely. And I could

properly admit it myself that it was a deluded situation from the outset.

It would be easy to say, you must have done something. The video tells

a story itself as well that we were caught in the wrong place at the

wrong time. The judge said since five Celtic reporters with Padraig

Mullan receiving two months, but he says he is still trying to come to

terms with what happened that night. I have psychological issues that I

think I will have to come to terms with.

The conviction will be contested in a full trial, possibly 18 months

away. Defence lawyers have been giving

their closing speeches in the trial of four brothers accused of the

double murder of Thomas O'Hare and Lisa McClatchey in Tassagh in County

Armagh seven years ago. Karen Quinliven QC told the jury there was

not enough evidence to convict Niall, Martin,

not enough evidence to convict Stephen Smith on the charge of

murder. She said their intention had been to burn the house down and to

show O'Hare, who had sexually abused the youngest brother, that he was

not welcome in the area. Police say the security operation

near the north-South electricity interconnector at Crossmaglen is

going to continue overnight because of a suspect bomb which is

understood to be in a big cake near the pylons. A telephone warning was

left. The SDLP has been told it is resting

on its laurels, too complacent and too stuck in the past. The comments

are in a confidential report commissioned by the party. The

report, obtained by the BBC's political programme, also states

that many nationalist voters do not CBS DLP as a party of change or

difference, but as a self-interested conservative force -- the SDLP.

Once the SDLP were the leading voices of northern nationalism. In

the 1997 general election, the SDLP beat Sinn Fein by about 60,000

votes, but at the last general election, the tables were turned. In

an attempt to improve their fortunes, the SDLP has commissioned

research amongst voters. Those questioned said they thought the

SDLP was a party of the past while Sinn Fein was viewed as a party of

the future. The SDLP were perceived as middle class. Sinn Fein, working

class. Some said the SDLP had no big figures any more. In turn, Sinn Fein

were viewed as having strong leaders fighting forecasts. The SDLP were

seen as not sure if they are Irish or British, while Sinn Fein were

viewed as strongly Irish. It seems to be a party stuck in the past with

no clear sense of vision. It has a leadership that seems bereft of

dynamism and a sense of real political policy direction. This

report was completed last month. It makes a series of recommendations

and says the parties should builders profile by supporting the leader. It

should campaign on health issues and deliver messages on the areas of

flags and parades. It says more women and younger people should be

given positions of real authority in the party. In a statement to the

BBC, the SDLP said the focus groups were deliberately selected because

they were not party supporters. A spokeswoman said they wanted to hear

more voices, even if the views were negative.

We're told in a new report that next year, the local economy should be

growing at its fastest rate since 2007. Other figures out today

growing at its fastest rate since positive news on car sales and

tourism. Our economics and business editor John Campbell is here. What

is this report and what does it tell us? It's from the financial

consultancy PwC and it predicts that unemployment will continue its

downward path in 2014, that inflation will also move down and

that interest rates will also say at their historic lows. They mix up all

those economic ingredients and come up with a growth figure of 1.6%. Now

that is pretty unspectacular but it's better than anything we've been

able to look forward to in recent years. But PwC also warn that most

people are unlikely to feel much better off because wage rises will

continue to be really low and we'll be still be squeezed by things like

high energy prices. Some figures also today on new cars? These are

official figures from the Department of Environment, which look at new

car registrations which we can basically read as new car sales, and

what they show us is that between July and September this year, 14,000

new cars were registered. And that's a jump of 13% on the same period

last year, and if more people are out buying cars, that would suggest

growing consumer confidence. And mixed results in the tourism sector?

Yes. The headline numbers show that in the first six months of this

year, the number of people coming here for holidays, business or

visiting friends and family was up 6% compared to the same time last

year. But when we look at pure holiday visits, they are actually

down by 9% compared to last year. And the really big factor here is

that holiday visits from the Republic were down by 44%. So what

could be driving that? Well, for one thing, 2012 was an exceptionally

good year with loads of marketing, so it's slipped back from that but

is still above 2011. But I understand there has also been some

research done in the Republic that the number one thing putting people

off is protests or demonstrations, which logically would point to the

union flag protests. Londonderry will be seeing itself in

lights this week, one of the last spectacles of the UK City of Culture

year will bring a glow to many of the landmarks. Our arts

correspondent Maggie Taggart is at Ebrington Square for us this

evening. Maggie, tell us all about it. We are starting for days, or for

evenings, of light, and I imagine a very heavy electricity bill at the

end of it! Animation will be beamed onto the blank canvas of buildings.

We are seeing lit up figures dotted along the way from here into the

city centres. One of the masterminds is Nicky Webb. It must've been great

fun choosing these places. It's such a privilege. Real excitement in our

team. The fantastic artists from all around Europe and from closer to

home have each been charged with creating the installations. I you

expecting lots of visitors? We did a festival very similar to this in

Durham in the UK and many thousands to come. Many the city will look

very dull after it is over! There are discussions about whether some

may be kept, but I don't know yet. Joining me also today are two very

young people, and their part was to be in the school. You did your bid

in front of the green screen. We can see pictures of you bouncing about.

Did you realise that when you saw that there? I knew we were going to

dance. Or did you think when you saw yourself up there? I thought it was

really good and funny. I thought it was crazy! It was totally bizarre

bonkers! Did you like it, though? Not really. You can come back loads

of times over the next four days. I'm going to leave you here because

this animation runs for a while. If you want to come here from Belfast,

there is a special train and there are still seats on that. But for the

moment, we will join someone else from the other side of the river.

There is a great buzz along Queens key. You are a local businessman and

your department store has been completely transformed. Absolutely.

It's an unbelievable sight. You have watched rehearsals this week. Been

impressed? Over the moon. I can't believe what they have managed to

achieve. Tough times economic aid for the city in the rest of Northern

Ireland. What do you think the mail will achieve? If we have the same

number as Durham, it will be an economic boost to the centre. How

important our events like this in economic terms for the city? They

are fantastic PR events. In the end -- in the future, is this where

Londonderry's future lies? I do -- in the future, is this where

think so. This really captures the imagination of the public coming he

and beyond. We will leave you from the banks, but we will be back later

for the weather, when we have our own bright spark.

Plans for a breakaway European club rugby union tournament to rival the

Heineken Cup have received a significant blow after a change of

mind by France's top clubs. At a meeting today, the French Top 14

clubs voted to make a U-turn and remain in the tournament next season

along with teams from Ireland, Scotland and Italy. The position of

the four Welsh clubs remains unknown. But today's development

leaves the English Premiership sides, who refuse to participate in

the tournament after this season, isolated.

Rory McIlroy has described his first round at the Australian Open as

"wasteful". Starting from the 10th, McIlroy dropped shots on the first

two holes, although he was flawless for the remainder of his round,

picking up five birdies to finish on a three under par 69. But that left

him seven shots behind the early tournament leader, the Australian

Adam Scott, who shot a course record 62.

Soccer and the Europe's governing body UEFA has opened disciplinary

proceedings against Glasgow Celtic for an incident of a "non-sporting

nature" during the club's Champions League defeat by AC Milan on Tuesday

night. Banners with a slogan and images of Scottish historical figure

William Wallace and the hunger striker Bobby Sands were displayed

by fans at the game. Transmitting any message of a "political,

ideological, religious, offensive or provocative nature" contravenes UEFA

rules. Celtic's chief executive Peter Lawwell has condemned the

banners as "nothing more than clear disrespect for the club".

If you're heading to the Lumiere lights festival you'll want to know

if the weather conditions will be right. Cecilia Daly is there already

to give us her weather forecast. You will have seen the animations

already. That's in front of me. Behind me, we have the River Foyle.

There's a constant stream of people. There are sculptures lit up.

Right through the city, all sorts of lights going on. It is fairly mild

this evening. A little bit drizzly, not quite dry. But if you are coming

down the next couple of nights, it will be colder. Wrap up warmly and

come and see the city in the city in a very new light. Fairly dry at the

moment. Bits of drizzle around. We do have some rain, mainly after

midnight. As the wind picks up, it will start to feel colder by

tomorrow morning. A much windier day compared to today. Also, a good deal

sunnier. Tomorrow morning, sunshine around and a showers. But they will

move quite quickly. We can expect gales along the north coast.

Temperatures are down tomorrow: gales along the north coast.

Seven - nine degrees. A lot of dry and bright weather but it will feel

colder in our wind. Tomorrow night, if you are here, cold at night. The

showers easing off and the wind easing off so Saturday, it should be

a better day. Not so chilly. As we move into Sunday, the high pressure

is back again so that dry, settled, gloomy weather will come back.

Remember, the festival goes on until Sunday night. It will be colder than

the next couple of nights but definitely worth coming to. Just a

reminder about tonight 's weather. How will people be able to cope? The

wind will pick up later on. Because we are at the beginning of the

gallery, you keep walking, so you are not hanging around too long in

any one spot. Tomorrow night will be a lot colder. But at least we will

not see too much