24/03/2017 BBC Newsline

This is BBC Newsline and these are the headlines

A horrific story - a woman kept as a virtual prisoner

in this house and abused by a married couple.

After yesterday's handshakes, will there be more momentum

Teenage boys were in this room when a petrol bomb

Searches finish at the Strabane bomb scene and residents get back

For getting to the doctor and school and work, it was difficult for the

family. Plus, it's a big sporting weekend

with both Northern Ireland and the Republic facing crunch

World Cup qualifiers. And the nights feeling a tad wintry,

but the days quite spring-like. First tonight, a very

disturbing story. We must warn you the following

report contains upsetting details. A court was told today

about how a woman with severe learning difficulties was kept

a virtual prisoner in a house in Craigavon and subjected

to appalling sexual abuse That abuse was carried out

by this man, Keith Baker, They were in court today

as a prosecution lawyer gave a disturbing account of how they had

assaulted and raped their victim. Her plight was only discovered

when another woman who lived in the house finally decided to go

to the police. It's from our south-east

reporter, Gordon Adair. When the police rescued the women

just before Christmas 2012, she was emaciated and had only a single to

left. The only toilet she had access to was overflowing with human waste.

The woman appeared very confused, asked how long she had been in the

room, she spoke any childlike voice and did not know if it had been six

or two years. She was first brought to Northern Ireland in 2004 white

Baker. Today here at Craigavon, the prosecutor said the curb's life had

been... Both Baker who was in a wheelchair and his wife hung their

heads to eight hearing as the outlined graphic details of horrific

sexual assault which were captured on video was shot by Baker and then

both he and his wife can be seen repeatedly raping the women over a

matter of years. In the beginning, she is well nourished, by the end

she is emaciated. These houses are now occupied by people with

absolutely no connection to the beakers. The neighbour has moved on

but back in 2013 she was questioned by the police and she told them that

in eight years of going in and out of this house she had never once

seen the women they found on that December night. The victim was not

registered with a doctor, or a dentist, and no benefits had ever

been claimed in her name. In the 2004, her husband who also had

severe learning difficulties had reported her missing to a police

force in England. The PSN I however did not have any knowledge or

contact with the women until December 20 12. When the alarm was

raised by women referred to in court only as Miss X. She lived with Baker

effectively as a second wife and was the mother of four of his eight

children. Caroline Baker was the mother of one of the for. They were

told was a grossly unconventional household. Beginning a legal process

that will end when the couple are sentenced next Tuesday.

At Stormont, talks aimed at restoring the devolved

going on all day and look set to continue tonight.

There are just three days to go before the deadline to elect a First

and Deputy First Minister runs out at four o'clock on Monday afternoon.

And as our political correspondent Gareth Gordon reports from Stormont,

a break through looks as far away as ever.

In the Stormont sun, the people who must do the dealing

But appearances can be deceptive and some distance still remains.

It always seems to come to this point, time running out and a

deadline just to concentrate minds. What are the chances? I believe that

a deal is still achievable. With goodwill, good spirits and that

positive intent. But time is short. We must firmly focused on those key

issues to enable an executive to be formed on Monday. We are likely to

be here all day, into the evening, I suspect we will be here tomorrow,

but I do believe that the deadline of 4pm on Monday is not one that can

be taken lightly. Some people believe the chances

can only be improved by the appearance of the DUP leader

at Martin McGuinness's funeral and the reception she received,

but that alone will not be enough. People need to understand that

symbolism is very, very important and only takes us so far, what we

need to do now is embrace that positive spirit that we saw in Derry

yesterday and begin to move this process forward.

But there still remains the problem which successive talks

have failed to resolve - the past.

The fact that the issue has not been resolved has damaged the ability to

do politics any broader sense here and the British Government know

that, that's we had Stormont house dogs, that's all we had the fresh

start agreement. The failed to deliver on the back of all three of

those talks. If they think there is a serious proposition for families

to say let's kick the scan down the road and see how it works out,

that's not a serious approach. So there's much still to do

before the parties can The potential of getting a deal by

4pm is probably limited. The heat may be on, but don't get

excited by the white smoke just yet. Gareth Gordon reporting, and Gareth

joins me now from Stormont. Talks that are down

to the wire yet again. Can we expect them to have

discussions late into the weekend? They are going on at the moment and

as you hard Charlie Flanagan seeing they will be there again in the

morning, late tomorrow night. Come Sunday, the DUP has had difficulty

negotiating on a Sunday, that may affect things. The 4pm deadline on

Monday is not that far away at all and as you heard in that report the

main sticking point of legacy doesn't seem to be any closing of

that gap at all. As we're hearing in your report,

there's been some talk about an improved mood

after Arlene Foster's attendance And her handshake with Michelle

O'Neill. Much has been made of the fact that

Arlene Foster not only went to the funeral, it was difficult for her to

do that, but the fact she was so warmly received when she got there.

She was applauded in the church. The SDLP leader, Colum Eastwood, said he

congratulated her but that alone would not be enough to get these

talks over the line. BBC newsline has been to two areas of Belfast

asking people there what they thought of Arlene Foster going to

the funeral. One Unionist, one Nationalist and this is what they

said. I think the way things are going, there is no change. Arlene

Foster is stubborn and shall stay that way for a long time. I think it

can only be a good thing. Seems to be making a bit of an effort. I

don't know if the mood has improved but I do think Arlene Foster did the

right thing. I think she is a good women. She needs to be praised

instead of getting right down the time. Hoped the deal will be done

because nobody wants to go back to the way it was before and I think

I'm optimistic about it, but we'll see what happens. Sinn Fein's Conor

Murphy he was asked if Arlene Foster's appearance at the funeral

would make any difference and he played it down. He said in terms of

showing respect Aubrey Breland, that was a Devon. He also said crucially

that his party but my position over Arlene Foster had not changed. In

other words, before any executive was formed, she would have to step

aside before she is cleared by an RHI enquiry. Gareth Gordon at

Stormont. Two teenage boys were watching

television when a petrol bomb was thrown in through the front

window of their home Our reporter Dan Stanton

has been to the scene. The attack happened at just

before 11:30pm last night. The woman who lives here

says her two boys were watching television,

when the petrol bomb She was in the kitchen and came

running towards them. The mother, who is now staying

with friends and didn't want to be interviewed, says she's been

telling the police about A neighbour, who also didn't

want to appear on camera, told me that she saw her friend soon

after she got out of the house and The boys, who ran from

the house with their mother, were treated in hospital

for cuts to their feet. As it happens, the two

children, although only slightly hurt, are receiving

hospital treatment today, but had they not escaped, had backfired

taken hold quickly, had smoke infiltrated the whole building, then

those children would not have got out and we really would be

looking at a murder scene. They would have to live

with that for the rest of I'm totally disgusted that anybody

could do something like this, something so wanton,

without thought Police say immediately

after the petrol bomb was thrown, three or four young men were seen

running away from the property. Still to come on this

evening's programme: I'm on the Mayo coast where divers

have recovered the flight recorder from the wreckage

of the Coast Guard Helicopter Detectives investigating a bomb

explosion in Strabane earlier this week have arrested

a 20-year-old man. He was detained in Newtownstewart

and is being questioned in Belfast. A security operation into the attack

entered a fourth day this morning, A fourth day of investigations

around the scene of the explosion. The roadside bomb detonated while

police were on patrol in the area. Detectives say it was an attempt to

murder police officers. This morning the surge were continuing. Along the

roadside, and on the nearby river bank. The device exploded in this

area on Tuesday night, but such has been the extent and the scale of the

follow-up operation that here mid-morning on Friday the police and

forensic teams are still here. Residents were eventually allowed

back into their homes this morning after several days of not being

there. Not been able to get to my family and to the doctors. Didn't

get to school or nothing. As well as children, some of the most elderly

residents in the area also had to spend the last few days away from

their homes. There are a lot of elderly in the road just beside us,

and 85 and older women above us, she had to be removed from her home,

that's a massive concern, there is a huge impact on local residents. As

the police investigation into nude with door-to-door enquiries, the

security operation eventually came to an end.

Bidding for glory despite being badly injured in a road

One young man's extraordinary story.

A book of condolence for the victims of the terror attack in Westminster

has been opened at Belfast City Hall.

The first to sign was the Lord Mayor,

Alderman Brian Kingston, followed by the the Deputy

Lord Mayor, Councillor Mary-Ellen Campbell.

A letter of support has been sent to the Mayor of London

and the City Hall will be lit up in the colours of the Union Flag

Divers from the Irish Naval Service have recovered the flight data

recorder from the coast guard rescue helicopter that crashed into the sea

They're still trying to discover if there are any

One member of the crew who was rescued died in hospital.

Our reporter Julian Fowler is at Blacksod Pier where

the operation is being co-ordinated, and not far from the crash site.

Take us through what's been involved in the search.

The weather conditions today have been the best they've been in the

last ten days, which allowed the search and rescue operation to fully

take advantage of those conditions. There has been a lot of activity out

at the crash site of Black Rock, about ten miles offshore, the

helicopters have been in the sky once again, but this was the first

opportunity for the Navy divers to dive down to the wreckage, which is

located in about 40 metres of water just off Blackrock Island. The

divers are going down in tears and they can spend about ten minutes at

a time at the sight of the wreckage and this afternoon came confirmation

they had recovered the flight data recorder containing both the flight

information and the cockpit voice recorder from the sea bed. The

recorder is in very good condition, no external damage, but it's not

until we bring the recorder to the UK for the must prepare it, they

have to try it, and they have to go through lots of processors to

ensuring that when the intent to be download that will be a successful

download. It is hoped the information from the black box will

be retrieved towards the beginning or the middle of next week. But of

course the search is also very much focused on the three missing crew

members, but there is no confirmation as of yet whether their

bodies are located within the wreckage of the helicopter. We still

have divers on the sea bed actively working, as you know our primary aim

is to work towards that end. It's been a long wait

for the families because of bad How hopeful are those involved

that the three bodies will be found? The families I still here waiting

for news and they will be the first to be told of anything that is found

inside the helicopter. It is the focus of this entire search

operation. Members of the local community are joining the rescue

services, fishermen have been out at sea, people walking along because

lying in that search and everyone's thought I with the family as the

search continues. Our look ahead to the weekend sport

is dominated by two big World Cup Nothern Ireland at home

to Norway on Sunday. However, the Republic,

take on Wales tonight. And Irish supporters

will be hoping this man has a plan for Real

Madrid's Gareth Bale. From the Aviva Stadium,

here's BBC Newline's Thomas Kane. The Republic of Ireland have an

outstanding home record under Martin O'Neill, they haven't lost a

qualifier since he took charge, but is a dried good result tonight? Yes,

I would say that. I do want to be too cautious. In essence, a draw is

a good point for us tonight because it keeps the run going, it keeps the

distance between ourselves and Wales. How important is it not just

a focus on Gareth Bale? There are real star quality build -- players.

We know that in the key moment for Wales over the last few years, it

will be by and large down to what Gareth Bale has been doing. And

emotional and difficult week. How will he cope with the whole night?

We will know when the game starts, listen to Martin O'Neill, he will

say he is on the right frame of mind, he has been home to Derry this

week to visit families and to visit the family of Ryan. You would hope

his request to put him into night that he will be fired up, not

wanting to play for him and his family as well. That's what I'm

hopeful for. We would know into the game starts. James has that fiery

streak. Thank you. It will be alongside. Full match commentary on

BBC radio five live and BBC sport website.

In the Republic's group, Georgia beat Serbia,

He could have been a farmer but ended up becoming one

of Northern Irelands most versatile footballers.

Injury means Paddy McNair will sit out the rest of the season and miss

this Sundays crucial world cup qualifier at home to Norway,

but the unplanned break from the game has allowed

the Ballyclare man to re-acquaint himself with life down on the farm.

If it wasn't for the bright, white, sparkling clean

footwear of Paddy McNair, he would just be like any other

farmer's son, checking cattle before milking starts.

The reality is Paddy didn't have a typical upbringing.

At 12 years old, he was signed by Manchester United and is now

an international defender, but the farm was in

I used to take the blow around the farm and try and hit the Cairo with

the ball. -- ball. I wouldn't change of the world growing up on farm.

Recently, however, McNair signed for Sunderland,

leaving Manchester United and their manager, Jose Mourinho.

Man United were blocking the move at the time. The still wanted me to go

out on loan. If you don't let me go on a permanent, I'm just going to

stay here. I said to him that I've been here since I was 12 years old.

The club can at least let me do what I want to do. I just wanted a new

challenge and off I went. McNair will miss the rest

of the season because of injury, but has one big aim

in the green shirt. I've said to a few people that is my

dream to get 100 caps for Northern Ireland. That would be unbelievable,

obviously being a kid watching in the stands and then 20, 30 years

down the line being able to say that, that would be unbelievable.

Finally, Pro 12 Rugby - Ulster, chasing a top four

spot, are on the road to Newport Gwent Dragons this

evening, the match live on BBC 2 from half past seven.

He will make his 100th cap for Ulster Rugby later tonight. He made

his Ulster debut just six years ago, but he is hoping for a win that will

continue some impressive form of late and hope they will finish the

season in the top four. Now, a follow up to a story

BBC newsline brought You might recall identical twins

Odhran and CJ McKenna in our studio last Autumn with the Ulster colleges

Mageean hurling trophy. A road accident last year

left 18-year-old Odhran If he survived medics feared

he would be severely disabled. Well, remarkably, tomorrow Odhran,

CJ and their St Marys CBS teammates play in an all Ireland

final in Tipperary. As he took this run, it was also a

step into the unknown. So extensive was the trauma to Odhran McKenna's

game following a road traffic accident he had to learn to walk and

talk again. Now he is back. Health-wise, how are you after the

accident? Dude. I had some surgery to get tidied up and then I will be

back to fitness. Injuries never 100% go away. Anything that happens, you

are at your own risk. But feeling good? Yes, feeling good. Working

from a situation where we did fear the worst, he is now stepping out

for an all Ireland final is just incredible. It has been some

journey. It has indeed. From the start of the year, we knew if we got

over Ulster this was our last hurdle. Tomorrow's opponents are

from Limerick. It has been a long way to Tipperary, a very long way. A

remarkable story and we wish them all the best in tomorrow's final.

Angie Phillips has the weekend weather foreacast.

Lovely to see springlike sunshine today. Temperatures up to 12 or 13

degrees, higher through the weekend. It is looking good. High-pressure

continuing to be in charge, that's going to keep things dry to the

weekend. During the daytime we have springlike sunshine, some quite

warm, the Knights will be cold. We are going to have a variation and

wide range of temperatures between night and day. Today, more or less

sandwiched between a weather front of the north of Scotland and another

in the south. In between the high pressures, lots of glorious

sunshine. Some cloud, not spoiling things too much. A gorgeous day

here. A lovely day to tidy up the garden after the winter. This

evening, a clear the day, temperatures falling, quite falling,

quite cool quite quickly as it will be doing in Dublin for the Ireland

Wales match. Those temperatures follow way through the course of the

night. In the Times, close to freezing, in the countryside as low

as -3 or minus four. A wide spread frost. But a fine day to follow

tomorrow, dry, lots of sunshine, a cold start, you may be scraping the

windscreen first thing but once the sun gets up and gets to work on that

frost it will melt quickly and will help to lift the temperatures

quickly. On the east coast, around ten or 11 degrees, but in the jump

up and bit more and somewhere towards the west we could be seeing

high of around 1415 degrees. That takes us to tomorrow night, heading

into British summertime. Do you remember, particularly on Sunday

morning, the clocks are moving forward, he will want to know that

if you are getting up early. After a frosty start, Sunday is another fine

day, seeing highs of 13 or 15 degrees, killing down in the

evening. Although it's dry and clear for the match at Windsor Park, you

will need the layers. Our late summary

is at half past ten. It is the big Red Nose Day programme

here for comic relief on BBC One.