07/10/2016 BBC Newsline

Greedy, ruthless and manipulative - the human trafficker

jailed after a court hears he kept his victims like rats.

How almost 1,000 people are on a waiting list

The row over the army houses that the MoD wants to demolish.

The law comes down on the drivers who try to beat the barrier.

?1 million worth of drugs seized in a series of police raids.

For years it creaked and eight and grown. The new National Stadium

officially opens tomorrow as Northern Ireland host San Marino.

And although damp in places today, there's still plenty of dry weather

An illegal gangmaster who kept 15 people in what a judge described

as degrading and humiliating conditions has been

Ioan Lacatus pleaded guilty to six charges of human trafficking

His wife and her brother also admitted offences,

Our south-east reporter Gordon Adair was at Craigavon Crown Court.

Cristina Covert she leaves Craigavon caught with a suspended sentence for

her part in the trafficking and exploitation of migrant workers but

it was her husband Ioan Lacatus who was the driving force by what the

police said was an extraordinary level of deprivation. Ioan Lacatus

who was known to be migrant workers only has the minister housed 15

people in this three-bedroom semi in Portadown. They had only one shower,

one toilet and very little to eat. He also pocketed most of their

wages. 15-20 people living in a house with about as much as toilet

roll. When some of them were for food because they were hungry, they

were told to eat stones. That is the mindset of these people involved in

modern slavery and they need to be taken before the courts. Sentencing

Ioan Lacatus, the judge said he was a greedy and manipulative individual

who had used his intimidating physical size and threatening

language to control vulnerable people. He and his wife set up bank

accounts into which they siphoned off over -- most of the wages that

should have been paid to be migrant workers. Also the judge said there

was a degree of sophistication to be planned but also an element of

stupidity because he said Ioan Lacatus could have made a good

living if he had only treated the workers with a degree of decency.

Instead he subjected to degradation and humiliation. We live like rats,

one of said. The current occupants of this house in Charles Street are

not connected to the case, but most of the workers to remain in Northern

Ireland in better circumstances. These are hard-working people who

came over to Northern Ireland legally to work and had a good work

ethic. It was a greedy expectation that caused them problems.

Thankfully due to the custodial sentences, the expectation has been

removed and they are now happily working. Ioan Lacatus's

brother-in-law pleaded guilty to conspiracy to traffic within the UK

but he was given a conditional discharge due to the amount of time

he had spent on remand. Almost 1000 people in

the South Eastern Health Trust are waiting for an urgent

appointment to see a cardiologist. That compares with just 300

people in the largest Our Health Correspondent

Marie-Louise Connolly joins us. I think these figures are pretty

shocking. They show that there is a really serious situation within the

South Eastern Health Trust at the moment for those men and women who

urgently require sealing a cardiologist. They potentially could

require treatment for heart disease because that is what cardiology is.

At the moment in the South Eastern Health Trust there are almost 1000

men and women waiting on such an appointment. Other trusts appear to

be coping a little better in Belfast, the largest of the trusts,

around 300 people waiting. In the Northern health trust it is slightly

over 100 people. The South Eastern Health Trust told me that they have

recently lost two senior cardiologists who wish to relocate.

So far they have been unable to replace those posts and that coupled

with rising demand has led to this quite shocking figure of almost 1000

people. Some parts of the health service are under an awful lot of

pressure. Yes, part of the system are under tremendous pressure, and

as we can see from these waiting lists, some part art at breaking

point. It is nothing to do with the dedication of staff throughout the

system. It is a real systematic failure. It is about the system.

Despite an ageing and growing population, that is not being

matched by more funding, staff, or by extra services, so what is being

done? It all centres at the moment around one word, they then go where

health review is to be published soon and there is a lot of pressure

there. I am seeing a real chance of mood changes and the Department, and

they are openly saying that these figures are shocking and they are no

longer sustainable and they are hoping that other politicians and

the public are being convinced that the way in which health services are

being delivered in Northern Ireland cannot go on. It is not sustainable.

There needs to be change. Are we going to see hospitals closing? I

don't think we will see anything as radicals that but we went to see

hospitals doing things a lot differently. Thank you. This is BBC

Newsline, still to come... How the scores on the doors are giving

restaurants food for thought. The Ministry of Defence says it's

considering knocking down 200 houses inside the Ballykinler army base

in County Down. Local people say the houses should

be retained and sold That's what happened

with other former army homes, These houses in the North West used

to belong to the Ministry of Defence, but when they become army

surplus they were sold to the general public. Residents there say

it has been a very successful transition. It gives people a chance

to get on the ladder. It is nice and quiet. Overall a good experience.

When these houses first went on the market there was a huge demand for

them. People were actually queueing up to buy them. But when it comes to

deposing of surplus housing elsewhere in Northern Ireland, the

Army may now be following a very different tact. Here at camp to camp

in County Down, the army says it is considering knocking down 200 houses

similar to launch its salt of the general public in Ballykelly. The

houses in Ballykinler camp are three and four bedroom with ensuite

bathrooms and detached garages. Some were recently refurbished. In a

statement the MoD says demolition has not actually started and remains

one of a number of options being examined. Locals say it would be a

shame if the houses were knocked down. A lot of money just thrown

away, a lot of houses are in good condition. Bigger houses, Sergeant

houses, quite big and old-fashioned and good sized gardens. The local MP

says Rather than being knocked down, the houses should be auctioned off

to private buyers as has happened elsewhere in Northern Ireland.

People like first-time buyers trying to get a run on the housing market

were able to access, purchasers houses and able to live in their own

local community. That is the key that we want to see here in

Ballykinler. There is nothing to stop the MOD bringing those houses

onto the market. Others say selling them would not be so straightforward

because of the proximity of the firing ranges which are still in

use. I would have done a lot of training in there with the Royal

Irish. They think they should be another resident Battalion put in

here. If that is not possible, the facilities in their second to none.

A gymnasium, swimming pool, first class housing, why not use it for

rest and resuscitation for troops. The MOD says when a final decision

has been made, it will inform the public.

Four people have been convicted of driving

through a railway crossing while a train was approaching.

The police and Translink have recently repeated their warnings

of the dangers to both pedestrians and motorists disobeying

Here's our north-east reporter Sara Girvin.

This footage from Coleraine shows the dangers of trying

No one was hurt during this incident, but the crossing

was damaged and the motorist prosecuted using this CCTV film.

Today at Coleraine Magistrates' Court four motorists were convicted

of driving through the same busy crossing as a train was approaching.

One man said he simply hadn't noticed the warning lights,

while another told the court he thought it was too close to stop,

Fining three of the men, and giving one a conditional

discharge, District Judge Liam McNally said the motorists had made

In recent weeks, both the police and Translink have warned that

motorists and pedestrians are putting their lives at risk

A spokesman for Translink said motorists trying to beat the barrier

He added that, with CCTV at crossings and camera on trains,

such motorists are easily identified by police.

The police has released footage of raids which it says have

uncovered millions of pounds worth of drugs.

It was recorded in Armagh, Banbridge and Craigavon

More details from our reporter David Maxwell.

It's a targeted crack-down on street level drug dealing.

Officers have conducted around 300 searches like this

They've seized nearly ?3 million worth of drugs.

Today the police released this video on Twitter.

It shows searches which resulted in the discovery of various

The message with the footage said, "Keep talking to us and we'll

Operation Torus runs twice a year.

It uses billboard adverting, posters and social media to enlist

the public's help to catch drug dealers This latest phase

So far, 19 people have been charged or reported to the Public

The PSNI says targeting drugs remains a priority -

something it can best combat with the support of the community.

Still ahead on the programme... A new home for Northern Ireland's

footballers. Could the glory days of Windsor Park key in the future as

well as the past? A new law means anywhere that serves

food - be it a takeaway, a restaurant or a supermarket -

will have to display The Food Standards Agency scheme had

previously been run on a voluntary basis, but, as Ita Dungan reports,

that's all set to change. If you want to eat in this

part of East Belfast, You can chose just

about any cuisine - Italian, Chinese, Mexican,

Indian, fancy, not so fancy. And from today, you can also check

out what an eaterie's For this restauranteur, a 5-star

rating is good for everyone involved. It's all about confidence

for the customer and yourself. If it has no stars it gives me the

confidence to go in and eat and also if a customer -- five stars. If they

say I wasn't feeling well after going to your restaurant. You have

systems in place that you know the temperature of the food when it came

into the restaurant, when it was cooked, how it was stored and you

know when it goes in the Banbury for service you know the temperature and

how long it was there. Correct storage is just one thing on the

check list of council inspectors. Are the bridges at the correct

temperature? Do they appreciate the risks in the kitchen such as cross

contamination is. But their washing their hands after handling raw meat?

Tabeen know the temperature the fridge should be operating at? If

there is a problem with the fridge what do they do? The practicalities

of candid produce safe food and they know what to do when things go

wrong? Establishments now have a few weeks to get their stickers of. From

today the councils are issuing the ratings and stickers and explaining

to the businesses where this has to be displayed. The end of November at

the vast majority of businesses should be displaying their stickers

and if they are not, they will not be complying with the law. And they

could get a fine? They could, yes. Mandatory display is something these

goggles are very happy with. It is something that has always played on

your mind. You don't like turning up anywhere that is either obscuring

them or they are low ratings. It does play a part. We would have

liked it the takeaway is, or somewhere like there is 85, I would

have checked beforehand so I will keep checking. With less than 50% of

restaurants displaying their scores, get ready to see a lot more gold

stars gracing our windows and doors. In a few minutes we'll be

going live to South Belfast where the Irish Football Association

is preparing for the official opening of the new national stadium

at Windsor Park tomorrow. People living beside it have told

BBC Newsline today that they are now Residents claim they were promised

economic benefits for supporting the stadium upgrade,

but some say they have not All ready for the grand opening,

but the next match takes place In 24 hours' time this whole area

will be buzzing as Northern Ireland prepared to take on San Marino in a

World Cup qualifier. But as fans go into the stadium, local people will

be handing out leaflets like this, detailing their concerns. They feel

very angry. They feel that this area has been neglected for many, many,

many years. This is what they would describe as a forgotten area.

Billy will be distributing leaflets reflecting that

Through the back yard of one house, what was once a row of neat garages

I don't mind the stadium being there. It was here when we came. But

I would like to think that they would do something for the people of

the area. You know, some benefits for the people, because we have

stuck an awful lot. Despite the IFA arranging space

for cars at Boucher, I haven't seen any benefit. There

has been no benefits whatsoever. No one has even been invited in to have

a look at the place. None of the men have got tickets for any matches.

There have been no benefits, in fact it has been the other way.

Three years ago the Sports Minister then spoke of

"benefits for the wider community" including employment.

Today a spokesperson for the Department for communities said

primary responsibility for the community consultation and resident

liaison lies with the Irish Football Association. The IFA told as it

meets the local community each month and will continue to engage with

residents to address any issues arising.

The area's councillor is sympathetic to the residents,

The area is in transition. The stadium and the new leisure centre

will bring in a lot of benefits to the area. Unfortunately there will

be a period of disruption until they are fully operational.

Locals don't expect those better times before kick-off tomorrow.

All next week here on BBC Newsline, we're having

a bit of an experiment - a digital detox involving one

We're going to see just how much of our working and family lives

are caught up with smartphones, tablets and mobile technology.

Here to tell us more is BBC Newsline's Mark Simpson.

Yes, Donna, we're going to be taking a closer look at the digital world.

And ask are we too reliant on our smartphones?

You know what I'm talking about - looking at our phones rather

than talking to other people on trains, on buses, in coffee

Last thing at night, first thing in the morning

And it's not just teenagers - many adults are just as bad.

So, what impact is it having on our lives, on our

Next week here on BBC Newsline, we're going to try to find out.

And I'm going to see if I can cope without my smartphone for a week.

Donna, I'm going to bring it over and give it to you to keep

I know this is going to be very difficult for you. I know you have a

tablet. You going to cheat? No, complete digital detox. I know I

need. For work, you need to be in communication, so I am giving you

one of these old phones. Texts and calls only. We will see how you do.

That is a good idea. Can I just checked my Twitter? No, off you go!

It will be tough and we will find out how he gets on next week.

The Northern Ireland football team are in World Cup

qualifying action tomorrow, and Mark Sidebottom is at

Mark, a busy week for the team and a landmark weekend

Yes, I am hoping my mobile phone is on silent. It has taken a few years

but this stadium to get to this point. Tomorrow the stadium is

officially opened, a year to the day that Northern Ireland qualified for

Euro 2016. Before we reflect on the occasion, let's hear what the

manager Michael O'Neill mix of the opponents San Marino. I want the

team to play with ten high energy and high temple tomorrow night.

Crowd to be behind the team. To do that you have got the crowd on the

edge of their seats. Probably similar to how we played against the

Faroe Islands where we had loads of opportunities and we won the game

2-0. We probably should have honoured by a bigger margin. That is

what we aim to do here. We will not start at a slow pace, will play on

the front foot and make life as difficult as we can radio and they

will have the intention of making it difficult for us as well.

Kick-off tomorrow night at 7:45pm ? it's live

on BBC Radio Ulster, so what can the sellout

I'm joined by Oonagh O'Reilly, Director of Marketing at the IFA.

Any multi-million pound project is going to have its ups and downs but

it is absolutely fantastic. When you look at the stadium now it is a

complete representation of everything great about Northern

Ireland. Let's take a little trip down memory lane. Can look at some

of the archive footage. So that footage will affect what will go on

tomorrow night, a love of legends, what can you tell us? I can tell you

we have got everybody from Mary Peters, coral front, or football

legends, it is about everybody in Northern Ireland. Football for all

and everyone can be part of it. -- coral front on. I have heard a

rumour and it is only a rumour, Giovanni Infantino the Fifa

president might be paying a visit to marinate. You're smiling, what can

you tell us? I am saying nothing. The world and powers of football

know how important this is so watch this space. The Gifford joining us.

We will have to see tomorrow whether Giovanni Infantino will come to

Belfast. They bagged the points,

but the performance was poor. The Republic of Ireland beat Georgia

1-0, but as Thomas Kane reports, there'll be a view notable absentees

for Sunday's trip to Moldova. The result was all that

mattered in Dublin. And this win leaves

the Republic of Ireland well But the players were honest

in analysing the victory. Three points is the only thing you

can take out a game. It could have been two or three. We didn't play

great. The performance wasn't good enough. I thought it was much better

in the second half, even hitting the ball, more decisions and better in

the box. As long as you're in the game, get the goal, you can see it

out, that is fine. The only goal of the game came

courtesy of the captain. Waters back into the path. He has

folded and! A bit of luck but appropriate deserved a bit of luck

for the run I got on. Happy to finally score a goal for Ireland.

Special moment to get that first international goal for you? Amazing

feeling. As a kid you just want to play and score the country. The

moment when the ball at the back of the net was in Liverpool stay with

me forever. There probably should have been more

goals for the home side. But an already depleted squad looks

set to be weakened further Robbie Brady suffered

a concussion following a clash with a Georgian defender,

while Jeff Hendrick will also miss

the game through suspension after picking up his second booking

of the campaign. Rugby - Ulster are away

to Connacht tonight. Tommy Bowe will make his first start

of the season for last season's Pro12 champions,

but maintaining an unbeaten run won't be easy away to last

season's champions. We know it will be tough down there.

They had a good victory against Edinburgh last week and for them

being reigning champions everybody respects them and knows they will

have to produce their best performance when they play them even

more away. We know it will be tough and hostile. Any of the injured

pros, that end up playing, and added extra that they know each other. It

will be a tough game. To Banbridge, where Europe's top

hockey clubs have converged. As Nigel Ringland reports,

the weekend will be not only a first for the Euro Hockey League,

but also the host club Banbridge. 12 teams from 12 different European

countries battling for four places in the knockout round of 16 next

year in Europe's premier club hockey competition. A special occasion for

Banbridge to host. It is enormous to the players and the clubs. It is

very much a reward from where we have come from over the last ten

years, the development in junior clubs, the links with the academies.

The effort the players and clubs have made, the players have been

exceptional over the last years and the coaching staff, I can't back

them enough and thank them enough. The home side will come against St

Germain from Paris and a Belgian team. It is a tough task to reach

the next age but they have faith. I think Banbridge on their day can

beat any European club, but it is going to be a step up in temple for

us, a hair gel may be a step of the likes of the Dutch league and

Belgium, maybe the German league, but as they say, on our day, if we

produce some good hockey and what we can, we can put a fight. All around

20 Olympians are in action including local international Ian Moore 's and

Davy Harte who plays hockey in the Netherlands for the defending

champions. Banbridge are in action tomorrow and on Sunday.

I hope the competition goes well for Banbridge. I should say, versus

Ulster is at seven 30p this evening. Appear with a great view of the

cityscape, that is the sport. forecast for the next

few day is next, and Angie Phillips has

all the details. It has been quite wet across part of

the North and east but that is not a sign that the weather is breaking

down. Anything but because we still have a ridge of high pressure

extending towards us from Scandinavia over the weekend. The

isobars opening out, indicative of easing winds. Lighter winds for the

weekend. Apart from the odd shower, a lot of dry weather and we should

see some bright or sunny intervals. We did actually see some sunshine

today, particularly in the West. You can see the thicker cloud and

showers that have been affecting parts of the North and east, quite

grey and gloomy along the Antrim coast. One or two showers this

evening but they will be easing away. Mainly dry overnight with some

clear spells. Temperatures generally around ten or 11 Celsius, maybe a

bit cooler in the countryside. Variable cold for tomorrow.

Hopefully brighter in places than today. A lot of dry weather, that is

not to say there won't be one of two showers around but not as wet as it

was today. A lot of fine weather. Just the odd shower and hopefully

brighter. The best of the sunshine is likely to be towards the West.

With a bit of shelter and the sunshine and light winds, I 0-15,

not too bad. It looks as though it will be mainly dry at Windsor Park

tomorrow evening. Cloud breaking up as we head into Sunday which looks

dry. Maybe some cloud around in the morning but Britain from the east in

the afternoon. That was BBC Newsline. Have a great weekend.