16/12/2013 BBC Points West

arrives on Friday. Can't wait! That's all from

West Somerset coastline. Join us at 6:30pm.

Welcome to BBC Points West with Alex Lovell and Sabet Choudhury. Our main

story tonight: Continuing the fight to die with dignity.

The family of Tony Nicklinson take their campaign to the highest court

in the land. That we have nine judges sitting shows how seriously

they are taking it. We'll be asking a legal expert to

assess their chance of success. Also in tonight's programme: Facing

16 years in an Indonesian prison, the former police worker who

admitted smuggling drugs. Jailed for admitting that he raped a

prostitute Bristol. The case that's been welcomed by the sex industry.

And the centuries`old practice of oyster farming returns to the West

Somerset coastline. Good evening. Tony Nicklinson

suffered from locked`in syndrome ` meaning he could see and hear what

was going on around him but could only communicate by moving his eyes

` because he was almost totally paralysed. The former engineer from

Wiltshire died after losing a High Court battle for the right to

voluntary euthanasia for himself and his fellow sufferers. But today his

widow took their fight to the highest court in the land. Jane

Nicklinson was joined in the Supreme Court by Paul Lamb, who was

paralysed in a road accident more than 20 years ago. He now wants a

doctor to help him die in a dignified way. Sarah`Jane Bungay

reports from London. They arrived determined, but

realistic. Jane and Lauren Nicklinson know this is their final

chance. Together with Paul Lamb they're hoping to sweep aside a

current ban on assisted suicide using the Human Rights Act.

I need to know that my dad's suffering meant more than just

suffering. I need to know that some good will come out of that. I think

back to when dad was still here and think back to him crying in his room

and hurting so much. I don't want anyone else to be in that position.

I don't want to be in a position. Tony Nicklinson always said he was

being discriminated against. He was unable to take his own life due to

his disability, and wanted a medical professional to do it for him

instead. That could have led to prosecution of that individual. Tony

said his right to choose when to die had been taken away from him.

This appeal marks what the appellants hope will be their final

attempt to a steady extraordinary and, we submit, cruel consequences

for them. Today, nine of the country's top

judges sat to decide if the current ban on assisted suicide contravened

a right to respect for private and family life. Lawyers for the

Nicklison family said in Oregon and the Netherlands, where regulated

assisted suicide is legal, there hadn't been any kind of slippery

slope leading to vulnerable people being targeted. They argued it was

the fear of this which had stood in the way of reform. The evidence from

all or other jurisdictions which change the law is that once you

licensed doctors to prescribe lethal drugs so that patients can kill

themselves, you inevitably get incremental extension and mission

creep. An increase in numbers year`on`year, and more and more

categories of people being involved. It cannot be controlled.

Paul Vodden QC continued his arguments, saying that a measure

that once seemed appropriate may have become out of touch with what

society seems acceptable. The ban on, sexuality was perhaps one such

measure, we argue that the ban on assisted suicide is another.

Tomorrow the Ministry of Justice will put forward their argument to

keeping the status quo. A ruling isn't expected from the Spreme Court

until next Spring. Joining us now from London is legal

expert, Joshua Rozenberg. How seriously are the courts taking this

case? Very seriously. It is not just that

nine judges are sitting on my three quarters, it is the very fact that

they are hearing this case. Tony Nicklinson did take his own life

last year, and the judges could have said, this is what we call a moot

case, there is no point to it. On the contrary, be allowed Jane

Nicklinson to bring the case on his behalf, he heard the claim by Paul

Lamb, and other related case by a man called Martin. Ya taking this

very seriously indeed. Does going to the Supreme Court give the family

more chance of getting success in this case?

I think they knew all along when they took this case to the High

Court and lost that their only hope was the Supreme Court. We don't know

what the Supreme Court is going to decide. I don't think the judges

themselves know yet. They want to listen to four days of argument

then it will be plenty of arguments among themselves in order to decide

what the decision is going to be. They are torn between saying, as the

lower courts did, this is a matter for Parliament and judges cannot

make law, and on the other hand is taking the view that Parliament is

not going to go there and if anyone is going to give these families some

hope it will be the courts. If they lose, is the end of the line for

their campaign? Certainly as far as the courts are

concerned. There is the possibility of the European Court of human

rights, they are arguing human rights laws on the basis this is an

interference with Tony Nicklinson and others' right to life, but the

next stage if they lose nihilistic campaign in parliament to try to get

Parliament to change the law. A woman from Gloucestershire, who

admitted smuggling drugs into Indonesia, could spend the next 16

years in prison. Andrea Waldeck who used to work for the police, was

back in court today to hear the prosecution propose her sentence.

But her lawyer has objected to the demand, calling it too harsh. Laura

Jones reports. Back in court in Indonesia this

morning ` 43`year`old Andrea Waldeck. Today, she came to hear how

long prosecutors think she should spend in jail. Andrea Waldeck, who

used to work as a community support officer with Gloucestershire police,

was arrested earlier this year, for smuggling drugs into the South East

Asian country. She has admitted the charge, but says she was coerced

into it after being threatened. The prosecution asked for her to be

sentenced to 16 years in jail and to be fined $200,000.

They asked for a long sentence because the Indonesian government

tries to curb drug smuggling and drug use, which the authorities say

is on the rise. This sentence, while it is a good indicator of what the

judges will eventually deliver, sometimes the judges could deliver a

sentence that is lighter, or much harsher than what the prosecution

has recommended. Indonesia has some of the toughest

anti`drug laws in the world. Recently, another woman, Lindsay

Sandiford was sentenced to death after being caught with almost five

kilos of cocaine. She is awaiting the penalty in Bali. The judge

decided to impose the toughest sentence possible. Images of Andrea

Waldeck, the court will hear from her defence team in the beginning of

January, and the judge is likely to make his decision about half the a

few weeks after that. Just nine days now until Christmas.

Not long to go. Plenty more stories tonight, including, counting the

cost of the weekend gear up. Bars and clubs being asked to pay up to

keep one`time tidy. And all for charity, we'll be

meeting the Wiltshire family who have covered their home and garden

in 100,000 lights decreed this wonderful winter wonderland.

A man's been jailed for three years and four months for the rape of a

prostitute in Bristol. Daniel`Nicolae Ilie from Romania,

had agreed a price for sex with the woman, but attacked her when she

refused to carry out another act. The case has been welcomed in the

industry, where one in four street workers are sexually assaulted.

Sally Challoner was in court. The victim is one of an estimated

one hundred and seventy`seven women selling sex on the streets of

Bristol. She was picked up on fish ponds Road one night in September.

She and Ilie agreed on a price ` ?20 ` but he raped her when she refused

to do more. She was left upset and in pain. Today in court, Illie was

jailed after admitting the attack. He'll also have to undergo courses

to give him a better understanding of sexual relationships. The

sentence has been welcomed by Operation Bluestone, a specialist

police unit set up to support rape victims.

It's a good outcome, and re`emphasises that all sexual

violence is important, all sexual violence is serious, and when

victims have got the courage and confidence to speak to us, we will

look after them and support them. Sentencing Illie, the judge Mark

Horton said: Many of Bristol's sex workers get

support here at the One25 project in St Paul's.

It provides advice, counselling health checks, and warm meals. One

in four have been assaulted, but most don't report it.

When men see women standing on the street selling their bodies, think

they can do what they like, that it is there for the taking. And even

though the woman consents to having sex, they feel that they can take

whatever they wish. These women are desperate and are victims

themselves, and have suffered abuse all their lives. I think we need to

protect them and look after their rights.

The women here have an 'ugly mugs' list of men who are dangerous and to

avoid. They hope today's sentence will send a message that just

because a woman is selling sex, that doesn't mean any kind of abuse is

OK. A new campaign against dropping

litter was launched in Bristol today. To show the scale of the

problem, a pile of all the litter dropped on the street in the city

centre over the weekend was collected together and put in St

Augustine's parade. The city spends five million pounds a year cleaning

up rubbish from the streets. Bars and clubs in Cheltenham will have to

pay to clear up after late`night drinking. This afternoon, a bar lady

was approved. Some businesses could be asked to

pay 4000 a year towards the cost of policing and picking up the litter.

Cheltenham was built on a reputation of leisure and entertainment and the

night time economy is now the biggest in the county. But policing

the town centre in Cheltenham alone now costs over ?600,000 a year. Add

to that costs of street cleaning and it all adds up ` but now those that

serve alcohol after midngiht will contrbute towards it. For Ian

Underhill that will mean over ? ,000 extra a year for his nightclub which

opens til 6am. We only really trade two nights of

the week because most of our customers are working people, the

economic climate has meant that people are watching their spending

is. With the rates that we already pay, we are not making a mess five

nights of the week anyway. It Israeli only at the weekends.

Any funds raised will be spent in Cheltenham. In a robust debate, many

councillors were unhappy that some smaller B and hotels that choose

to serve alcohol to their guests will also have to pay the levy ` all

based on rateable value of their business. But the motion was voted

through, which could raise ?140 000 every year. 30% will go to the

council and 70% to the police. I think it is about supporting the

businesses, then engaging with this, and some were quite supportive

in our meeting. Is about supporting them, getting the right outcomes and

improving the town. Many pub owners welcome the levy in

principal, but say it's too general in its approach, and others let the

councillor know it. Gary Paterson says he'll pay the levy, but says

people aren't just drinking in pubs and clubs ` many are pre`loading, as

it's called, with cheap supermarket alcohol before they come out.

They don't have to accept it, it is a government policy that they can

introduce if they wish. Is the introduce a slightly more succinct

version, maybe a Cheltenham entertainment tax, because it is a

tax, that may be able to target the problems that are directed this

time, because not all times are the same.

The bottom line is, whether you are a small B not in the town centre

or a big nightclub right in Cheltenham, and you serve alcohol

after midnight, from the 1st of April next year, you will help to

pay for the cleaning and the policing of the town centre

streets. The first city in the UK to

introduce the levy was Newcastle six weeks ago.

Joining us now is Damian Conway who is Chairman of Newcastle City

Pubwatch. So what's been the impact on trade?

It hasn't made much impact as yet because it is only coming six weeks

ago, at the early signs are that Newcastle City Council are going to

do a good job and spend the tax that they raise on elements to make the

city centre better for drinkers who, after all, other people who are

paying the tax because we have to put the prices up to pay the tax.

Wanted traders say about it? Similar to in Cheltenham. Some

traders say that they could do with more services in the city centre,

but many of the traders complain that is those rates are already very

high Newcastle City centre, and one trader in particular pointed out to

me this morning that if you add up 35 top business ratepayers in the

city centre, that would cover the entire bill just on the business

rates. As a trader yourself, what is your

solution? We believe that we already pay very

high business rates. We also have a very great relationship with the

council and the police in the city centre. There are many initiatives

we do to keep Newcastle City centre safe, and many of our members are

unsure whether the taxes justified. Perhaps it is just another tax

sanctioned by central government, and our council have been forced to

enact it. Some people would argue that these

bars are attracting people, she do not pay to have it cleared up

anyway, and police to? Let me use down to outline wood used

by one of my largest licensees, one of the largest licensees said, I pay

?30,000 a year in business rates, and for that they don't even empty

my bins, so we have my business rates gone? Why should I pay more?

One final thing, what would you message beat any business in

Cheltenham? My message to the licensees in

Cheltenham is, please get in contact with Newcastle City Pubwatch, keep a

good eye on your council and police force to make sure they are going to

spend the tax for the good of the drinkers in the city centre, and not

on other ancillary things. Have you noticed any difference in the city?

This morning, his thoughts were on keeping dry and getting the players

ready for Wednesday's FA Cup replay. Rovers league form is proving harder

to solve for John Ward. After steering them to safety last season,

they're back where he started a year ago.

We survived last year and that was an achievement. It looked like we

would have to do a similar situation this year. It's not a great move

forward. The squad has settled down, we have got good young players

coming through, and good backroom staff, we just need to improve the

first`team results. It's not been good enough, and we have to get

better. Put simply, they're not scoring

enough goals, fewer than one a game on average. That was the story again

at Morecambe where they took the lead before losing. A lack of

experience, maybe ` Saturday's team contained six players aged 23 or

younger. At some point you got to grow up in

this game and realise what you need to do to win a football and at this

moment it is something that is eluding us. But I think we need to

stick together, stay strong, keep working hard, and I firmly believe

the games will change and the results will come. Rovers have been

here before. The 19 points collected so far is mirrored by the first half

of last season. John Ward's appointment then saw them collect 41

points in the second half of the campaign. And two years ago, a

bigger points. Players do pull it out the bag when

they are up against it, but come the end of the season, they finish the

last season strongly, and some other players may be too

last season strongly, and some other players relaxed. The transfer window

will open in January, giving John Ward the chance to make changes

A cup win this week would certainly strengthen his hand financially

There were seven medals for Bath`based swimmers at the European

Short`Course Championships which finished yesterday. Michael Jamieson

knocked more than a second off his British record, claiming silver in

the 200 metres breaststroke. 18`year`old Siobhan`Marie O'Connor

from Bitton won bronze in the 1 0m individual medley, to add to the

silver she won earlier in the championships.

A group of volunteers is planning to restart a centuries old industry

along the Somerset coastline ` oyster farming. The group in the

village of Porlock, near Minehead have already received grants of

?17,000 for a pilot project. Our Somerset Correspondent Clinton

Rogers has the story. In this area is where the old fish

traps and tidal ponds used to be. Out there, somewhere beneath the

sea, there are apparently still the remnants of the oyster farms of

Porlock Weir. And in the day they were a delicacy

renowned across the country ` the best tasting oysters anywhere. Or so

they claimed. But the oyster industry in Porlock disappeared

about 80 years ago. Into three years' time, we will an

industry here. Now a voluntary organisation called

Porlock Futures, dedicated to encouraging economic growth in the

area wants to restart the industry, to create new jobs in an area where

such things are almost as rare as oysters.

We're one of the oldest committees and country, and it is very

difficult with young people with families to find deployment and

bring their families up here. Is this the answer?

We think it is. Exmoor National Park, the parish

council and the Shellfish Association of Great Britain have

collectively come up with ?17,0 0 to fund a pilot project here.

Initially, young oysters will be brought in from other fisheries

like here in Falmouth, and then cultivated in Porlock ` it will be

an important test to see in the waters of Porlock Weir can still

sustain oysters. Eventually, as everything works out

fine, we'll have hundreds of trestles with thousands and

thousands of oysters. It will be quite good in the local pubs.

The trial will last one year, and if it is successful this being will

once again see commercial oyster production. What makes this project

unique is that if and when it makes money, that money will be reinvested

into another community Project. Always with the aim of growing new

jobs. It's a delicacy, but nothing

delicate about the way you eat them stop back I like that.

Now, it's just nine sleeps until Christmas, and as you drive around

the West Country, you can't fail to be impressed by the array of

Christmas lights that are up. And in one village near Malmesbury, there's

a pretty incredible display that's attracting up to a hundred people

every night. It's in the village of Charlton where Liz Beacon is

tonight. Just a few. This display is really

amazing. When you approach this village just outside Malmesbury you

cannot fail to find the lights. There are over 100,000 lights on

display, covering the house. There are glowing stars, Father

Christmases, snowmen and even a blow`up Rudolph the red`nosed

reindeer. People have been coming here, giving money to charity as

they come, and it has been delighting crowds as they come.

I find it quite emotional. I got into the grotto with the reindeers,

and I was filling up, it's a beautiful, so Christmassy.

I hope they raise lots of money They are not just lights on display,

there are grottoes dotted around. Father Christmas has his own grotto,

and this is an Arctic grotto, filled with reindeer, a model of Father

Christmas, and even a penguin having a slide down an iceberg. This has

all been the rain child of Michaela who lives here with her family. This

really has grown over the past couple of years, hasn't it?

Yes, it's most troubled and size since we started in 2010.

There is a serious reason to this, isn't there?

Yes, I lost my dad in 2009 to epilepsy. He loved Christmas and so

did I. It seemed fitting that I could do something to help raise

money for epilepsy research UK to take on something that my dad always

loved. You must be thrilled with the

time`out. It has been phenomenal, I can't

believe it. Simile people have come to support us, it's been amazing.

Vigil are said to me this morning that she had raised over ?7,500

That total has already today exceeded ?8,500. You can tell how

popular it is with the people in and around this lovely village of

Charlton. I'm not surprised, it's

spectacular. It puts my Christmas tree to shame. The start of the day

wasn't particularly Christmassy I was awoken by the sound of the

rain. It was pretty miserable. Will the

better be any better tomorrow? It may not seem like it now, but

later on tonight there is every chance and we will see a touch of

frost. Fog and frost in places. Lighter

winds, and the chance of some sunshine. Where the mist and fog

sticks it could be a marquee day. Most likely, I think across the

Forest of Dean, towards Birmingham, the fog could be quite thick first

thing tomorrow morning, and slow to clear. This stripe of ? is creeping

its way eastwards tonight, and while we keep a lot of medium and high

level cloud, that will not stop the temperatures falling, and it will

give us some outbreaks of rain until the early hours of the morning when

it finally clears out of the way. That rain band is what we are

watching, behind it, more broken cloud which means a better day

tomorrow. For a couple of hours tonight it could be quite wet. The

rain will ease away, and then we get clearance as well as mist and fog

clearing by tomorrow morning. Don temperatures around two or three

degrees above freezing, so cold enough ruefully for some frost, but

we also have a reasonable day tomorrow. Sunny spells for the rest

of the day, he called David and recently, with temperatures probably

no higher than six or seven degrees for most of us, even lower where it

starts off misty and 40. The outlook for Thursday and Friday, a little

brighter and certainly drier, but Wednesday summer we could see heavy

rain. Milder on Wednesday, cold conditions on Thursday, even with

the risk of someone three showers, and cloudy again by Friday.

Thanks to David. Time now for our Advent Calendar.

And because it's Monday, we've got three windows to open. The first has

been sent in by Mark Horne, who s sent us a picture of his rescue dog,

Rex. He's looking a bit hangdog Mark. Are you sure he doesn't need

rescuing from you? Behind door 5, do you recognise this church? You

might do, if you know west Somerset. This is St Ethelreda's in West

Quantoxhead. Thank you to David Cronon for sending that in. I

recognise that because I got married their.

And last of all for today, from West Quantoxhead to Narnia. No,

apparently not. I'm not sure where the picture was taken, but it was

sent in by Richard Davies from Frome.

That said from us for now. Thank you for all your pictures.

We're back at 10:25pm.