10/08/2016 BBC Newsline

A law that made paying for sex illegal in Northern Ireland

was brought in more than a year ago - but to date no-one

It had been feared that the legislation,

which was a UK first, would push the sex trade

here further underground and expose sex workers to a greater risk.

Our political correspondent Enda McClafferty has

This is how the PSNI have been cracking down on human traffickers

They raid brothels and take the sex workers being exploited into care.

It's big business in Northern Ireland,

with police estimating that up to half a million pounds a week

But for the past year police have been able,

for the first time, to target those who are handing over

the cash under a new law which makes it illegal to pay for sex.

According to police more than 800 men are paying for sex

But only ten have been investigated by the PSNI on suspicion of paying

Of the seven of them referred to the Public Prosecution Service,

three cases were thrown out, two men received cautions

while the remaining two cases are still being considered

So far no one has been prosecuted under the new law.

That news has come as no surprise to the man

who was in charge of justice when the law was introduced.

When this law was introduced, I said the priority had to be in dealing

with human trafficking, protecting the victims.

It is clear that getting prosecutions against simple

prostitution is much more complicated than that, and we now

see the stats that there have not been any prosecutions.

vo - (over blurred set up shots on the roof with the sex worker -

And he isn't the only one who had reservations.

Some of those involved in the sex trade say the new law has exposed

Most clients are aware of it, and you see that they are more reluctant

to screen, so it is very hard for sex workers

to screen these clients, and I have definitely seen it that

you aren't able to get that information.

They might switch numbers quite often, so it contacts,

or perhaps contact you via a private number, so you're not sure who you

The DUP's Lord Morrow, who pushed for the new legislation,

says he's disappointed by the lack of prosecutions, but insists it will

I can't tell the police what their priorities should be,

but I do believe that the police and value

it, I believe that they are keen to see me in the meditation and the

enforcement, and I look to the PPS to do what they are supposed to be

If over the next 12 months there is no change, then we will be

talking to the PPS to ask them to explain the reason why.

So why have police not been able - so far - to bring those

Our priority is to target the human trafficking element of it, organised

It is not about targeting an individual sex worker

The priority is to make sure that sex workers not

If we come across criminality, we will

address it, and that has led to the ten

people being referred to the

prosecution service in the last year.

It is, of course, too early to pass judgment on the new law, but initial

indications suggest it will be difficult to prosecute those who pay

So how effective will be legislation be in protecting those

That is a question our politicians will

have to consider when they review the law in two years' time.

The First and Deputy First Ministers say they must be fully involved

in the Brexit negotiations regarding the UK's future

relationships with the EU and other countries.

In their letter to the Prime Minister, Theresa May,

they want the border with the Republic to be

as open as possible, as our political editor Mark Devenport

They say it is important there is a continuing

movement of people and services across the border.

They took heart from Theresa May saying that that

They warn that the border should not be a catalyst

for illegal activity and should not create

an incentive for those who

would wish to undermine the peace process.

They say you have to look at any changes you may make in terms

of custom checks or whatever on the border

through a political light, in

terms of what it can do to the peace process.

The fire service says it is treating as deliberate a blaze at a school

Extensive damage has been caused to the roof and to a room

at the Good Shepherd Primary and Nursery School

The aerospace firm Bombardier is bringing forward the. --

redundancies planned for next years. It says it is planning cut down

almost 1000 workers over two years. It says the cuts are regrettable,

but necessary to ensure their long-term survival. Patrick Houston,

the arch, has progressed to the last 16 in the competition at the Rio

Olympics. He beat the number seven seed with the very last arrow of the

contest. Football and Champions Crusaders

kept up their winning ways with a 4-1 away win

against Carrick Rangers The other results: Ballymena

United 3, Glenavon 3. Let's get a check on the weather

now with Barra Best. It has slowly improved as we move

through this evening. Any rain overnight is most likely to cling to

coastal areas. Inland, largely dry. A mild night for us all. 12-13dC.

Tomorrow, we will hold onto a lot of cloud and at times it will create

some rain. It will be patchy and not as bad as today and it will be a

little bit drizzly. We are not expecting very much heavy rain, but

a good deal of dry weather as well. The more unsettled conditions will

effect the northern half of Ireland and the northern half of Britain as

well. Southern area is very much better. Sunshine of Southern Wales

and England and along the south coast of Ireland as well. Cloudy and

the further north we are with some wet weather. For Northern Ireland,

despite the cloud and some drizzle out there, it is still going to be a

warmer day than today. Temperatures are likely to reach 18-19dC, with

the odd break allowing for some gaps towards evening time. As for Friday,

a promising start, but it is not going to say that way for long. We

are going to have more wet weather coming in from the Atlantic as a

weather front pushes Italy's Southwood, bringing widespread rain

with a south-westerly wind, making it feel a little blustery. That

said, temperatures will still be close to 20 Celsius. The good news

is that clears out of the way and for Saturday and Sunday, we are

expecting some good amount of sunshine at times, but there is

always the risk of one or two isolated showers.

Our next BBC Newsline is at 6.25 in the morning

You're coming across as, frankly, ridiculous.

You're coming across as, frankly, ridiculous.

I'm flabbergasted by that. Will they get burnt...

You have done an appalling job of selling them online. Erm...

I'm... We're... We're... No, hang on. Sorry.