26/09/2014 East Midlands Today

That's all from the team here at Westminster.

This is East Midlands Today with Anne Davies, and me, Mauricd Flynn.

The parents told that their son s death could have been avoiddd.

John Moore`Robinson was sent away from hospital, despite an injury

that hours later killed him. John was a lad who worked h`rd and

played hard. He loved life, that was denied him by incompetent pdople.

Also tonight, the cuts which will see a county lose two fire dngines

and 30 fire fighters. We have come to breaking pohnt, we

need a certain amount of fire fighters and engines.

Plus, parking clamp`down, the city making sure its blue badges are not

being abused. And the worshippers on their hands

and knees, but praying for ` solution to a problem which is

driving them batty. Good evening,

and welcome to the programmd. Eight years on,

justice at last for John. But the words no grieving

parent ever wants to hear. A coroner concludes

John Moore`Robinson's death was "probably avoidable" if onlx staff

at a hospital's accident and emergency department had done

their job properly. It was at the infamous

Stafford Hospital where failings meant the 20`year`old's injtry,

after a mountain bike acciddnt Over now to our health

correspondent, Rob Sissons, It was a case of being in the wrong

place at the wrong time. John Moore`Robinson was on what was meant

to be a great day out mount`in biking at Cannock Chase in

Staffordshire, when he came off his bike. The handlebars twisted and hit

him with real force just below the ribs, he suffered a ruptured spleen.

That was not picked up at Stafford Hospital. They sent him homd where

he died the next day. He left hospital, vomiting, unable to walk,

breathless. They called him a gentle gi`nt. It

has been a hard search for `nswers and his family had to go to the High

Court for a second inquest. To lose a loved one is the lost

difficult life event we must face. To go through this grief to be

surrounded by lies and deceht, covering up the poor care they

received, is something no one should ever face. We had to walk this path

together to get justice for John, and make our NHS a safe place for

everybody. The South Leicestershire coroner found a series of pfennigs

at Stafford, and said this. Stafford Hospital at the tile was in

meltdown. It is obvious now, low staffing levels.

It was an appalling hospital, lots of people suffered, lots of people

died unnecessarily. Stafford Hospital Didio said sorry,

knowing the 20`year`old's lhfe should have been saved. This former

consultant told me he had tried to get things to prove there. Couldn't

you have tried harder? I halmered and hammered to try to get changes

made, but nothing happened. John was a lad who worked h`rd

and he played hard. That was denied him

by incompetent people. The family planned to contact the

chief coroner for England. They want to ask more questions. We dhd ask

Stafford Hospital for an interview but they told us no one was

available. Another Fire Service today cut front

line services to help balance its books, and revealed it was

looking at introducing charges We reported yesterday how

Leicestershire wants to losd Today, it was Nottinghamshire,

where the fire fighters' unhon says scrapping two appliances

and axing 32 full`time and part`time posts will put

the service at breaking point. The fire earlier this month at the

University of Nottingham. The Fire Brigades union said it shows the

need to protect the front lhne. But today, the fire authority in

Nottinghamshire approved a decision to save ?1 million by cutting two

front line appliances and axing 32 full and part`time jobs at Beeston

and Mansfield. We will only have one pump covering

the area. So, the public is in danger and fire fighters ard,

because we rely on a second pump getting there.

Members of the union protested Adele `` in

Fire Service says its Government grant is being cut by ?5 million.

The latest round of cuts me`ns more than 210 jobs will have gond. The

union has called for Fire Sdrvice headquarters here to be sold off.

But the authority says it would not be value for money because ht is so

close to a country park. Wh`t they are looking at is introducing

charges for some call`outs. One of those areas could be for

repeat alarm is activated unnecessarily where premises are not

maintained properly, other `reas could be industrial accidents,

cleaning up spillages. There is less demand for thd

service. With the number of call`outs dropping by 14,000 a year

over the last decade. Thanks in part to safety work. The service still

has to find another ?1.4 million of savings by 2017.

A solicitor from Leicester, who's on the run, has been found

guilty of stealing almost ?0 million of tax in a stamp duty scam.

Shameer Sacranie is believed to have fled the country before his trial.

He's been convicted for a scam which involved submitting bogus

information about property prices to HM Revenue and Customs.

Sacranie has been sentenced to 10 years in jail in his absdnce

A warrant has been issued for his arrest.

A care home in Leicester, at the centre of allegations

of ill treatment, may reopen after a police investigation's dropped.

Four members of staff at the privately`run Fosse Court

They have all been released without charge.

pressure" from Leicester City Council and

It's Friday night, so stay there for a look ahdad to

And we will be meeting Nick Matthews who is running the Berlin M`rathon

It was a historic vote for military action against

the rogue Islamic State, ISHL, and it's now clear that a subst`ntial

cross`party majority of East Midland MPs has backed British air strikes.

But some of our most senior parliamentarians

warned of consequences, and the need for a clear exit strategy.

From Westminster, this report from our political editor John Hdss.

Outside Westminster, a huge anti`war banner.

Its message had already persuaded one of our senior

parliamentarians to vote ag`inst British military intervention.

What we are doing now, I am afraid, is playing the ISIS game,

I heard the Secretary of Defence say we would be

Just like Iraq, it appears there is no exit strategy.

The writing was on the wall for those

A succession of East Midlands MPs spoke in favour of intervention

even if with a heavy heart.

He has rightly talked about defeating ISIL militarily

and politically, including with help in the region.

Can he say how we need to also defeat them financiallx?

Which countries are supporthng ISIL, including by purchasing oil,

and what is the British Govdrnment and others going to do about it

I support this motion, our best allies are taking part

But we are at the early stages of working out exactly wherd we are

A threat is not from a rogue state or viciots

dictator, but from a poisonous, viral movement which has cut a

swathe of grizzly barbarity across the region from Syria to Ir`q.

Some MPs have sought the vidws of their local voters beford

A poll by the local paper showed a majority 2`1 in favour of taking

People who have contacted md directly,

In the House of Lords, a warning of home`grown jihadi fighters.

In Derby where I work, there are at least 20 peopld

But, beside fighters, you m`y or may not be aware, there is

an appeal from ISIS for medhcs, teachers, people to help buhld what

Parliament they have rejectdd military action

A year on, the mood is very different, and sombre, and for

our East Midlands MPs, the threat from ISIS is very real indedd.

There'll be more on the deb`te and its fall`out, this weekdnd,

That's with Marie Ashby, from 1 am, here on BBC One this Sunday.

A strike by maintenance staff at East Midlands Trains has been

Members of the Unite union were due to walk out for a week from Sunday,

A revised offer was put forward to union officials this morning,

A memorial service for a man missing from Nottingham is being held

Bogdan Navrotski, who is 22, was last seen in Radford in Jantary

A widescale search and a murder inquiry was launched in Aprhl.

A 27`year`old man has been charged with his murder.

Drivers who misuse blue badges for the disabled have been targeted

Hundreds of people have been caught cheating the system in Derbx

In some cases, some drivers have even continued to use a rel`tive's

On patrol, and on the hunt for drivers abusing the blud badge

Like the vast majority, this badge is being used correctly.

The most common abuse is, "I'm just nipping down to the shops,

They will end up with a ?75 fine if they do that.

Up to 300 such fines have bden issued in the past 18 months.

Today, spot checks in Derby have been welcomed by

A badge should be returned if it is not being used correctly

Can it be difficult to find a space? Sometimes. You can tell if they are

illegally parked. I have ch`llenged people several times, are you sure

you should be parking here? Sometimes they move. More often than

not, they say they won't be long, five minutes. Which really hsn't any

good if you need to get into that space. We filmed when the Chty

Council first began spot chdcks three years ago.

More than 4000 blue badges have been examined in the last year and a

half. Members of the enforcdment team say they will keep going, to

ensure disabled spaces are only used by those who genuinely need them.

Earlier, I spoke to Helen Dolphin from the group Disabled Motoring UK,

and she explained just how widespread abuse and misuse

I have been out with several enforcement teams

across the country, and havd been astounded by what I have sedn.

It seems like every other badge is used by

They have stolen it, using it from a relative,

It seems the scheme is out of control.

How much inconvenience does that cause for people using them

Sometimes it is seen as a victimless crime but it is not.

It affects disabled people who have no option but to park

because they cannot use car parks, parking machinery, their cars don't

fit, they have to park near to where they are going because they can only

It can impede you getting about because you can't find a

It is benefit fraud in many ways, are you surprised how lightly it is

treated, is it treated harshly enough?

Some local authorities do nothing, they say it is not common.

Unless you are enforcing the scheme and chdcking

badges and people who are gdnuine badge holders, you have no hdea

It seems people see it as a way to avoid paying parking

fees, cheating the system, getting a few quid for nothhng.

It really is something that councils need to crack down on and sort it

out, or the blue badge schele is soon to become a scheme which is no

Something you feel very strongly about, thank you for joining us

Churches may want to boost attendances, but not all

All Saints in Rutland has a big problem with bats,

and is calling on the parli`mentary church commissioner to revidw

Hundreds are roosting, and their droppings are dam`ging

the building, forcing volunteers to spend hours cleaning up.

All Saints in Braunston prided itself on

This 900`year`old church has always had some bats but

when a chimney collapsed ne`rby almost 500 pipistrelles

600 grams of droppings that we've collected in four months.

Medieval wall paintings are now marked, engravings have to be

protected, and spots of urine can be seen everywhere

It is thought 60% of pre`16th century churches have bat roosts.

It is against the law to disturb, injure or kill bats, or to obstruct

English Heritage say they provide guidance to congregations

on how to live alongside thd creatures, but it admits thdre is

still an urgent need for solutions that work for both bats and people.

Over the summer, I have been in for 28 hours cleaning

before every service, every wedding and funeral that takes placd.

I am fed up with the cleaning that is requirdd.

We have had one member of the congregation say that,

because of the smell, it is like sitting in a chicken shed.

All Saints hopes their local MP can put pressure

We want the right to legallx seal those points of access

We are happy to have bats, delighted, but not in the church.

English Heritage says it is piloting new approaches.

It is Friday night with a whole weekend sport ahead of us.

First, the team that got evdryone talking last Sunday, Leicester City.

They go to Crystal Palace tomorrow, looking for their third win

It's been an impressive start to life in the Premier Leagte.

And today, Kirsty Edwards h`s been with the team, as they look

to build on that incredible win over Manchester United.

Leicester City 5, Manchester United 3.

I think the players have to take an awful lot of credit

for their resilience in terls of the mental side of it.

I was very pleased them because the qualities we have came

I think that is the rewards if you like.

The win over Manchester United will long live in the memory

It made the country sit up and take notice of Leicester.

And, of course, it is always good to prove the doubters wrong.

Not many predicted they would get eight points from

their opening five games ag`inst Everton, Chelsea, Arsenal, Stoke

Inside here, inside the four walls, so to speak,

we were very pragmatic about how we approach preparation for gales.

There is a confidence in our own abilities to go and get restlts

It is early days, but I am pretty satisfied with it so far.

The next game is against Crystal Palace.

In the Championship, Nottingham Forest remain top.

Placed there in no small part by the driving play

As they look forward to the game tomorrow with Brighton

Now to Derby County who mark an important milestone this weekend

It's been a year since Steve McClaren took over

Angela has been finding out from the man him

`` himself how he rates his time so far.

We wanted to increase season`ticket holders, we did that.

We wanted to play a certain style of football, we did that.

Much was made on McClaren's return

and proving a point, but thd man himself disagrees.

I have had great highs and lows that is football.

I wanted to come to a club that the support us.

The perfect fit, his turnaround of the team was

24 League games, just two defeats under his reign.

Last season was an innocent cllimb, we got out there and played.

This time, there's more expectation and pressure.

And expectation in the dressing room.

contracts. It is showing we are keeping important players

Lots of people attending the gamds.

Since the Mac came back, the ambition remains the sale,

to return with the Rams to the Premier League, but plenty

So the supporters and everyone in the club can dream.

Let's just confirm the other fixtures.

In League One, Notts make the short trip up the M1

to Chesterfield, while Mansfield Town host Stevenage in Leagte Two.

As ever, the best coverage hs on your BBC local radio station

Leicester Tigers also have a three o'clock kick off tolorrow,

The question is, can this injury`hit team bounce back from their worst

And I think, certainly, it could make us stronger, hopefully it will.

Ice hockey's Nottingham Panthers follow up their mid`week European

heroics with a home game ag`inst Hull and Sunday's trip to Coventry.

And all this action is set against the backdrop of

Today, Nottinghamshire's Lee Westwood

played his part, winning a dramatic point in the afternoon foursomes.

It's all been as tight as you would expect

I am not sure how I will te`r myself away from that at the weekend.

Time now to meet the so`called bionic man who's

Except Nick Matthews cheated death in a motorbike accident

just 15 months ago in which he broke 19 bones in his body.

Doctors told him he should be dead, or certainly paralysed.

High adrenaline, high`speed motorbike racing has

always been Nick Matthew's passion, until last June when he had

It was me hitting the tyre wall followed by a 160 kilo

He fractured 19 bones, broke his back in three places,

his neck, collar bone, his sternum, multiple ribs which puncturdd

I don't think he was expected to survive at all.

I met with the spine consultant about four

He said, I can tell you that the injuries you sustahned

there are only two outcomes we would expect, one is permandnt

He looked me and said, what are you doing in my office

Nick, a father of three frol Market Harborough, had to have two titanium

So, they told you you could nevdr run

Telling me I can't do something is more like a challenge

So, I decided that a black taking a step, that I would

Oh, for goodness sake, I thought, really?

I am fairly confident I will do what I have set out to do.

If I have to walk across the finish line.

The intention is to run the whole thing.

hopes to complete it in 4.5 hours, not bad for a man who

This weekend is shaping up puite nicely. A fairly settles, qtiet

spell of weather which will last into next week. Predominantly high

pressure is in charge. A cotple of weather fronts of trapped under but

they have been very weak affairs, giving a splash of light rahn and

cloud. A similar story into the wedkend.

Mostly dry, the chance of lhght rain, quite a lot of cloud `round,

some sunshine will stop aftdr some chilly mornings, the temper`tures

will recover, we are above `verage, 20 degrees this weekend.

A beautiful and to the week, lots of sunshine especially in the north.

Where we will keep the clearer skies tonight and temperatures will take a

tumble. Close to grass frost levels tomorrow morning, further south

some mist and fog will form, holding temperatures into double figures at

10 degrees. Some of that mist and fog could be

dense first thing, particul`rly across some parts of Leicestershire

and Rutland. It clears in the afternoon `nd we

will see cloud heading in. Some bright weather, some sunshine, a

light shower, a decent afternoon, temperatures up to 20 degreds.

A similar story on Sunday. That looks lovely. I am a f`n of

autumn. But join us again later this evening

after the Ten O'Clock News.