05/06/2014 BBC Points West

Welcome to BBC Points West with Amanda Parr and David Garmston.

She wanted an excuse for failing her barrister exams

and got her boyfriend locked up as a suspect for 36 days.

I spent eight days in prison. I also spent 30 days in Bristol.

New information about the khlling of Melanie Road 30 years ago `

detectives in Bath think thdre could be a breakthrough.

A final disappointment at the Memorial Stadium as

Bristol Rugby lose their last ever match, missing out on promotion

Later I'll be telling you mx top tips.

And the Bristol schoolboy bhdding to become Britain's Top Trumps champion

A trainee barrister who falsely accused her boyfriend of rape

so she would have an excuse for failing her exams is facing jail.

Rhiannon Brooker, from Framptom Cotterell in south Gloucestdrshire,

was found guilty on 12 counts of perverting the course of justice.

She faked injuries to suggest Paul Fensome had beaten her

and claimed he forced her to have sex with him on 11 occasions.

This is why the case is so serious because genuine rape victims may now

feel in fear of coming forw`rd to report that they have been ` victim.

If it wasn?t for the phone `nalysis and the text messaging, she may well

Don?t feel afraid, because we don?t charge you with lying

unless there is absolutely clear evidence that you are making it up.

Brooker's boyfriend, 46`year`old Paul Fensome,

was held in custody for over a month before police realised there

Our home affairs corresponddnt Steve Brodie has spoken to him

Shock. Unbelievable. I was getting ready for work and they camd to

arrest me. They were acting on claims made by a women. The first

question they asked was if H had an alibi. The two officers involved

didn't bother to check. My heart goes out to anyone who has been

raped or assaulted. I would never, and I mentioned that in court.

Anyone who has been raped should report it and the police will do all

the work they can. How do you feel about Rhiannon Brooker now? Her name

will never be mentioned to le again. I have no feelings for her.

My name has been cleared. It is in the hands of the judge to sdntence

and I hope she gets a decent sentence. Do you have a message for

people in your position? I'l lucky that the job I do, that I c`n prove

where I was. If it had gone the other way, I could have lost my

job, my house, my good name, everything. She was making wise

because she was struggling on her course. I was losing faith hn the

justice system at one point but it has been restored.

Outline plans to double the size of the Dyson research centrd

The company says 3000 new jobs will be created by the expansion.

It's proposing new buildings, car parking, a helipad

Wiltshire council planners `greed to the proposal, as long as thd company

works with local residents `nd improves the entrance to thd site.

A former mayor of Weston`super`Mare is to be added to

Philip Judd pleaded guilty to 1 charges, including making indecent

photographs of a child and possessing films and im`ges

He'll be sentenced in six weeks? time.

The cull of wild boar in thd Forest of Dean is expected to expand

A thermal imaging survey carried out by the Forestry Commission suggests

there are now over 800 wild boar, a rise of 70% over the past year.

Last winter, 135 boars were killed, but the Commission says that will

have to rise to get the population under control.

Detectives investigating the murder of a Bath teenagdr nearly

30 years ago feel they are closing in on her killer.

17`year`old Melanie Road was stabbed to death after a night out

Police are now convinced more than ever that the murderer lived

And a fresh appeal for people to come forward has been launched.

Here's our Bath reporter, Ali Vowles.

Today, these officers are h`rd at work in the incident rool,

going through the names and details of 12,000 people who were in

Unbelievably, the original records are all indexed

The 17`year`old had her whole life ahead of her.

These are new pictures of Mdlanie, released today by her familx,

On the 9th of June, 1984, she was brutally murdered somewhere

Close to the family home, she was sexually assaulted and stabbed.

She'd been here to the Beau Nash nightclub with friends and taken a

New info from police reveals a witness saw

a woman who matched Melanie's description arguing with a white

witness had seen the man before Blood left by the killer as he fled

He might have been there as a student. Bath is a very big student

town. There is a good chancd he could still be here now. Thdy have

tested 5000 names. And some

of the original detectives on Once you have the DNA profile, it is

a matter of elimination. In a letter, her mum says that the morn

for everyday. I beg you to come forward.

We have the weather, with b`d news for Sunday. We also reveal the

connection between Wellington and the great War. And we meet the

eight`year`old who is going to become a champion.

A Gloucester drug dealer has been found guilty of stabbing a lan

Christopher Horn attacked Neil Bennett last July on the day

Sarah Jane, remind us of the background to this.

This happened on July 27 last year. People in the area will remdmber it

being the carnival at the thme. Newell Bennett had gone to buy drugs

from a house close to Gloucdster Park and got into an alterc`tion

with a man called Christophdr Horne over a drug debt of ?10. Christopher

went into the property, got a knife, and stabbed Newell in the b`ck. He

escaped and fled but was pursued and stabbed again, fatally. This

morning, a Jewry found him guilty of wounding with intent and of murder.

His sister was very distressed as it was read out. Another defendant

Tyler Johnson, was acquitted of all charges. He was emotional in the

dock as the verdict was read out. The judge said he was free to go.

Another defendant, Lucy, was found not guilty but they are still

deliberating on a charge of murder and two charges against a m`n called

Vicky James. They will 10:30am tomorrow morning.

All week, we have been feattring stories from the Great War `s part

the World War One At Home sdries, which is a partnership betwden the

Those stories have been varhed and emotional.

We've been to the Salisbury Plain where soldiers prepared

We've met the daughter of a man who refused to fight.

And we've heard a song based on letters from the frontline.

Tonight, we head to Somerset and a company that kept the

Britain and the world clothed itself in war

And it was the town of Wellhngton in Somerset that weaved the unhforms.

This is Fox Brothers, once one of the biggest woollen

Back in 1914 they were busy spinning fancy yarns for the rich and famous.

But when war broke out, they switched production.

5000 people, almost the whole town, joined in.

Today, there are eight looms spinning here.

During the war, there were 400, working around the clock.

The biggest product by far was puttees, coarse bandages

that wrapped round the boots to stop them being sucked off in thd mud.

If it was covered in mud, it was easy to take off.

You could let it dry and just do this,

In World War One, the puttee was a major contribution

Fox Brothers went on to produce 82,000 miles

Modern boots and army clothing have made puttees

redundant but we asked a soldier to try some, for old times? sake.

They actually feel quite comfortable.

These would have provided qtite a lot of protection for soldiers

It would have prevented watdr, sand and mud going down their boots.

It?s quite interesting to sde how it developed over the years.

Fox Brothers also made the greatcoats for the Great War.

This is one of the Foxs? military coats from the 1950s.

It is essentially the same as the ones they would have worn

You just feel enveloped in the warmth of the British wool.

I'm drawing all the threads, ready for it to be woven in the loom.

Alison Harvey works at Fox's today, pulling threads through needles

Her family have been employdd here for generations and helped

Obviously they wouldn't havd had this kind

It would have been more hands`on, but it would have been set tp much

It's work that needs a steady hand, a good eye, and lots of pathence.

Alison, how do you do this and get it right all the tile?

and the company diversified, making fine suits for the f`mous.

The 5000 workers have shrunk in number to 28 but,

under new ownership, Fox Brothers is growing oncd more.

And they will always be abld to claim that

their products touched the lives of every soldier in the Gre`t War.

We are continuing our series on the First World War in August.

This afternoon, on the eve of 70th annivers`ry

of the D`Day Invasion, 44 local bikers set off from Wellington

On their way, they formed up to ride down

the old runway at Upottery @irfield, from where American airbourne

troops took off into battle exactly 70 years ago to the day.

They then stopped off at a nearby sentry box memorial

to rededicate it to the soldiers who flew out from the airfidld but

There was no fairytale ending to life at the Memorial Stadiul,

as Bristol lost their play`off final last nhght

It means the rugby club will play a sixth season in a row outside

In a moment, we'll be hearing from the club's owner Steve Landsdown.

But first, Alistair Durden reports on the consequences of last

Dejection on the pitch and on the terraces.

Another year of finishing top of the table but losing in the plax`offs.

Every season in the play`offs we just panic when we get to

the knockout game so we forget how we played all through the sdason.

When it came down to the last games, we struggled against Rotherham

and lost the game there badly, then tried to play the same rugby

I say that every year, but fingers crossed!

improbable after last week's disastrous first leg.

By half`time, they had made a small dent in the 19`point deficit

A quick score in the second half from Mitch Eadie had the hole

But missed kicks were proving costly.

A third try from Adam Hughes took Bristol to within eight points,

but two late scores from London Welsh ensured a trophy and ` place

It's going to be tough to t`ke in what has happened

But we will come back stronger next year.

Stephen Lansdown's financial input will make sure that there's no mass

exodus of players after this failure.

Star names like internation`l Dwayne Peel have already signed up

to play for the club next sdason, but failure to get

into the premiership means he could make a temporary move elsewhere

A number of them have got loan deals and the potential to be loaned out.

But they are here for us and the play`offs.

We will discuss it with each player but we are looking for a

This was farewell to the Memorial Stadium, with some fans

Next season, the rugby club will start a new era

But it'll still be in the championship.

A tough night for all, incltding Steve Lansdown. I spoke to him this

afternoon and asked them how disappointing the result was.

It was a big blow because of the fact that the aim

of the season was to get into the Premiership and we failed.

All the hard work that has gone in has come to nothing and we have

We have to try to achieve the success next year.

You have the best budget and still there was disappohntment.

It was a great game and a great atmosphere, but the deficit we

We couldn't repair the damage from last week.

We weren't good enough at Oxford and that's perhaps down to experience.

I can blame injuries and other things, but at thd end

Does this put Andy Robinson under any pressure?

He wants success and is obviously gutted by

He will be looking at every angle to make sure we get

Do you think supporters will follow you to Ashton Gate to watch

The fact that it is Championship Rugby is a disappointment, but yes.

Some games will be more attractive than others and they are not going

to hide the fact it is a disappointment, but there is

It will be great place to come to see rugby and enjoy the sport

Steve Lansdown speaking to ts later. `` early.

The centre of Gloucester's been the site of a big archaeological

They've been searching for dvidence of the Roman history of the city,

before King's Square undergoes a big redevelopment programle.

An old saying says, scratch the surface

of Gloucestershire and you'll find a piece of Rome not far unddrneath.

In 2005, a mass roman grave was unearthed, possibly all victims

And the famous Woodchester losaic still lies just outside Stroud.

But to go back in time in the centre of this city,

To find traces of the Romans in Gloucester, you have to find

the level that the streets were at here about 1600 years ago.

To do that, you have to go down about three metres.

For city archaeologist Andrdw, it opens up a world long buried

Around AD 90, they established a city here that developed hnto

a wealthy and prosperous city that has left some impressive relains.

The excavations have windows for the passing public to pder

through, bringing home the history of this ancient city.

We?ve been an important strategic part, I think

mainly because of our posithon on the River Severn for 2000 years.

But obviously we don?t want to live as people did 2000 years ago,

But we've got to do that in a way that protects the history

At the bottom of these pits, the walls of a possible townhouse

Evidence of life being led here almost 2000 years ago.

A schoolboy from Bristol is heading to London this weekend

in a bid to become Britain's youngest ever Top Trumps ch`mpion.

If you played as a child, you'll know that the game involves

comparing statistics to try to win your opponent's card.

If Nicholas Pestell is succdssful on Saturday, the eight`year`old will

When it comes to Top Trumps, this boy means business.

Nicholas, from Henleaze Junhor School, has been playing

He's now through to the Grand Final of a tournament for UK schools.

I?m not sure if I?m that good against thd 10`

At just 8, Nicholas is the youngest finalist.

If you have time, you could just look at the pack before the game.

And his fellow pupils are certainly cool with his success

He is quite young and peopld weren?t expecting him to be in the final.

He's one of the youngest people who's going to be there.

Any number we say, it's definitely higher.

So it looks like Nicholas c`n add one more rating to

Let's get the weather. Bad Saturday, better Sunday?

Tomorrow is going to be nothceably warm day compared to today. A good

deal of sunshine and no thrdad of showers. A different story for

Saturday, however. The Met Office continues with a yellow warning

Particularly Saturday morning, there might be thundery rain. If xou have

outdoor events planned, factor in the threat of heavy rain, which

could be torrential, but also Thunder and gusty winds. Do stay

tuned to the forecast and wd will bring you more updates. Tomorrow

morning might have liked rahn, but it is fine otherwise. Early Saturday

combines with a plume of very warm air. This combination gives us a

classic summer setup of thrdatening conditions. For the rest of this

evening, no such threat. Thd chants of showers is very slim `` chants.

It will be fairly cool night as low as six or seven Celsius. Tolorrow,

much like today, the cool start will be much like today as the stnshine

gets to work. As we pick up the south`east floor, it will bring

warmer conditions. More clotd will come in by the evening and xou make

get a shower or two, but it is of no threat until early Saturday.

Temperatures should easily reach 21 Celsius tomorrow with an

increasingly humid feel. Saturday certainly the day to focus on.

Sunday is better. Thank you. We're back at thd same

time tomorrow. Have a nice dvening. It's a weekly selection

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