17/10/2013 Look East - East

dual fuel customers will go up by more than 9%. That is all

In the case tonight, the former BBC Radio presenter guilty of child sex

abuse. I think he finally has got what he

deserves. Now I know what he has done to other children. After what

he did to me, it makes me sad. He used his local celebrity status

to get access to children and was even allowed to adopt, despite

grooming and arresting boys over many years.

Michael Souter is a dangerous sexual predator who now awaits sentence. I

hope that this outcome brings some form of closure for his victims.

Also tonight, why pupils in Norfolk getting among the worst result in

the country when it to GCSE 's. And the flashmob proposal, but did

she say yes? Hello. A former BBC Radio presenter

has been told he faces a long period of imprisonment after being found

guilty of 19 counts of child sex abuse.

It was a six week trial, but the jury took less than four hours to

convict Michael Souter from Loddon in Norfolk. He exploited his local

celebrity status and connections to gain access to children and carried

out a sustained campaign of abuse for two decades. Our reporter Simon

Newton was in court for the verdict. To many, he was a local celebrity

and a supporter of good causes, especially those involving young

people. But behind that is, he was a predatory paedophile who groomed and

molested boys as young as 11. Michael Souter is a dangerous sexual

predator who now awaits a sentence. I hope that this outcome brings some

form of closure for his victims. Michael Souter faced 19 counts of

sexual use and nine of making indecent images of children. The

jury took less than four hours to conflict him.

He sat impassive and in the dock, as the jury foreman returned guilty

verdicts. The former radio presenter was told by the judge that he faces

nothing other than a long sentence of imprisonment.

His barrister would not talk on camera, but gave as this statement.

He is very disappointed by the verdict. He maintains his complete

innocence to the charges brought against him and will pursue all

avenues open to him to clear his name.

One of his victims met him `` met him through his work at the BBC.

Today, the corporation said: Tonight, he faces the prospect of

many years behind bars, his reputation in tatters.

He will be set `` sentence on October 23rd.

During the trial, the prosecution questioned whether the authorities

were to blame. Michael Souter was allowed not only to be a mentor for

Norfolk social services, but he was also allowed to adopt. Despite

allegations spanning more than 20 years, Souter wasn't brought to

trial until now. One of his victims has spoken exclusively to the BBC.

This report is from Debbie Tubby. Described in court as a deviant

sexual abuse of young boys, over two decades he used his celebrity status

to groom boys as young as 11. This man met him through the adventure

Scouts. I think he has got what he deserves.

Now I know what he has done to the other children, after what he did to

me, it makes me very sad. Brought up on the outskirts of

Glasgow, Michael Souter was the youngest of several boys. He had

aspirations to become a barrister. He became a radio presenter, later

working for BBC Radio Norfolk. Someone else is having a birthday.

They are 11. He also became an adventure Scouts

leader, inviting some boys back to his house. Eventually, he ran a

major consultancy. Behind`the`scenes, boys were too

scared to speak out. I wish I had done. It could have

been that I could have stopped further abuse. He was so well`known

and influential, as I thought, I don't think anything would have

happened if I had spoken out. It not stop me wishing that I had done.

It was questioned in court whether the authorities could have done more

to stop the abuse. Michael Souter became a youth member `` a youth

mentor for the social services, taking boys and days out. 1991, she

allowed to adopt. We did all the checks that you would

expect us to do. This was someone who was extremely deviant and was

able to fly underneath the radar with the agencies that would have

concerns. Three years on and he was arrested,

there was another concern for the adoption to be terminated, but no

criminal charge was brought. If I knew what the file contained, I

would be in a better position to say whether or not the police could have

done anything differently in 1993. Because of this case, Norfolk police

will now keep their records for at least ten years. For Michael Souter,

it would be another two decades, further abuse allegations, before

charges were brought. The public relations man now defending his own

reputation. I look forward to being able to

prove my innocence and put the supporting act so behind me.

Michael Souter's defence in court was that he was heterosexual, like

to dress up as a schoolboy, and was caught in a conspiracy. This man

says that people being abused should try and sell someone.

I was able to talk to somebody after 30 years. I felt as if I was being

listened to. `` to tell someone. He was likened to a child catcher.

After the verdict I spoke to Detective Inspector Paul Brown, who

you saw in that report, and started by asking what he thought of Michael

Souter and the way he'd conducted himself during the case.

He has gone about the trial without any form of remorse for anything he

has done. It is obvious from the trial that the evidence was

overwhelming and he has denied what appeared to be the really obvious.

As a result, he has forced the survivors of his abuse to come to

court, and that is really unfortunate.

There were allegations made about him a long time ago, more than 20

years ago. Why has it taken so long for him to be brought to justice?

20 years ago, the case looked completely different. One of the

features is that we don't have the original case papers. We are unable

to say what it was about that case that didn't go forward, but what we

can say is that, at the time, there was only one victim who had come

forward. That doesn't and should never impact on whether or not we

try a case, but it has to be based on evidence, and year`on`year, that

picture has probably changed in terms of the evidence we can present

to the court. You said it should not have an

impact if there is any one victim, but it often does, because it is one

person's word against another. This time, you had several people willing

to speak. That must makes a difference?

That it does help to refute allegations that it is sour grapes.

But the police's job is to take a 1`person against 1`person allegation

and delve into the picture around that. We want people to come forward

and tell us about things. It is our job to uncover the truth.

What would you say about the victims who were willing to come to court

and give their story? It is an incredibly brave thing to

do, to come forward. It has allowed us to take somebody off the streets,

if you like, who does present a danger to children.

Do you feel that he used his position to carry out the abuse?

There is no doubt in my mind that his interaction with different

agencies and organisations was based around the persona that he had

within the county. I have no doubt that he used that to ingratiate

himself into situations to allow him to offend.

Thank you very much. If you've been affected by this case

you can call a freephone confidential helpline ` 0808 1000

900. Figures out today from the

Department for Education reveal pupils in Norfolk are the third

worst performing in the country when it comes to GCSE results.

Nationally, 81% of pupils get five GCSE passes grades A* to C. Results

across Essex, Suffolk and Norfolk fall below that. Norfolk's results

are the third worst in the country behind Portsmouth and the Isle of

Wight. You do lots of different subjects,

English and media studies and psychology...

These are among 230 students read taking their GCSEs. Some did not get

any A* to C the first time round, but say they are now learning more.

At high school, some teachers did not viewing of support.

The atmosphere is amazing. I love it at college. The teaching

environment, they are induced to stick. They want is to do well. They

treated like adults. `` enthusiastic.

This college has small class sizes. It says it is difficult for schools

to get good teachers. They are isolated and distant from

London. It is difficult to get people to move over here and nobody

moves through. Our aim is, within three years, we are in a much better

position than we are at the moment. There is no reason at all, with all

the expertise and ability there is in Norfolk, that we should not be as

good as any other area of the country.

Some employers say that GCSEs are not everything. This girl did not

get any A* to C grades either, but is doing a apprenticeship with a

large estate agency. You get life skills and social

skills. It teaches you how to talk to people and deal with situations.

Councils are promising improvements. At the meantime,

students are doing whatever they can to carve a decent future.

I want to study medicine. I am still focusing on my dream.

A Conservative councillor has been suspended by his party in a row over

immigration. Danny Mayzes is a former chairman of Tendring Council

in Essex. The Conservative group have dropped him because of a

posting on his Twitter account with reference to the violent revenge

film Machete. The tweet read: Now that's how you deal with immigration

issues. Still to come, drawings from one of

the world's finest cartoonists, Giles, in great demand.

And a flashmob proposal at the Queensgate shopping centre.

Life for people who are undergoing treatment for cancer can be tough

enough. But new research suggests employers here in the East aren't as

helpful as they could be when their own staff are affected.

Around half a million people in this country are working despite having

had a diagnosis of cancer. But a further 63,000 patients would like

to work if only they had the right support from their employers. And it

seems that, in the East, one in six working people who have cancer

believe they don't get the kind of understanding they need.

Six weeks after quitting her job, Sarah was diagnosed with breast

cancer. One day, she will look for a new job, but she is worried about

how the gap will look on her CV. Should I be upfront about it and say

that I had cancer? Do I ignore it and hope that nobody notices? How do

I raise the subject? If I put it on my CV, would it go straight in the

waste paper basket. This man, who as not to be identified, went back to

work after his first time of bone cancer, to find his boss

unsympathetic. I was saying that I was tired, and my boss said that he

was tired because his wife had just had a new baby. I was horrified that

he thought it was the same thing. Sometimes, I cannot get out of bed.

Sometimes, the chemo is that aggressive. Research shows that too

many employers are not giving employees the rich `` confidence

they need. It is an ongoing talking point at this drop`in centre.

People look recovered, their hair has grown back. Everyone says that

they looked great, but because they might still be experiencing

fatigue, and going, long`term side`effects, they aren't actually

as well as they look. `` and going. So they cannot match the

expectations of their employer. Despite government policies in

place, problems arise in organisations of all sizes, although

smaller ones may have less time and manpower to provide extra help.

It is not just small businesses, but they will have a ticket issues with

a small team and trying to `` particular issues with a small team

and they need to give that assistance.

This lady once her future employer to have confidence in her as a

professional, not just the person who had cancer.

It wasn't too long ago that Red Bull were just making up the numbers in

Formula 1. The team from Milton Keynes were known as the party team.

Now they are the sport's dominant force, closing in on their fourth

consecutive drivers and constructors titles. It's led to some claims that

they are making F1 boring to watch. Our Sports Editor Jonathan Park

reports. Another victory for the team and no

one in Formula 1 can catch, let alone pass. This one to in Japan

means that Red Bull are on the verge of a double, but some people think

this is boring. It is not our responsibility for the other teams

competitiveness. It happens in sport, whether that is in football

or tennis or any other form of sport. Sometimes some teams end up

having a run of success. Thankfully, that has been Red Bull racing in

Formula 1. Over the years, Formula 1 have seen different teams dominate.

37 wins in total for Red Bull, but not as many race wins as when the

Harare was winning many wins. `` Harare. The first part of the season

has been dominated by Red Bull, but it is still brilliant to watch them

go about their task. It isn't that we can be proud. I think we can

enjoy the success. But yes, I agree, it would be nice to see teams win as

well. So what help for the team's rivals?

It is not good, because Red Bull have been able to divert resources.

So the car likely to win next year will also be Red Bull.

It is a massive regulation change, going into next year. We have had

people back in UK, focusing on the developer and of our new car.

Hopefully, the solutions that we will come up with to the regulations

will help us. The boss says that Red Bull cannot

go on winning for ever, but they will try.

He's still regarded as the world's finest cartoonist, and Carl Giles'

work is in demand more than ever before. Giles, who died in 1995,

lived and worked in Suffolk most of his life. Today a number of his

prized drawings came up for auction. And with interest from overseas,

they fetched way more than expected. Kevin Burch was at the sale: in the

viewing room, the buyers browse. Most items are these cartoons in the

corner, and bids are expected from all corners.

There is interest from overseas. We have many phone lines hooked. We

hope that collectors will be interested in our sale. He became a

national treasure. The daily mail sold many copies. People wanted to

see his cartoons. The office where he worked

overlooked this spot, now called Giles Circus. This is the grandma

and her family statue. Back in the auction room, the sales

were warming up. This is where one of the star lots was being

announced. It fetched ?1000. But this was ?1200.

Did you come in thinking I have got to have this?

Quite possibly, but I still think it went for a good price. I don't think

it is inflated. What you think the cartoonists would

have made of this and the huge sums of money being paid?

I think he would be annoyed that he was not getting that money. I think

he would have been not surprised. He was proud of his work. You would

have been pleased. Do believe the best cartoonists

there ever was, and today, there is a lot of interest in his work still

continuing. As with all Giles work, you need to

take time to take it in. Delightful reminders of how life used to be,

reminding us of the cartoonist's brilliance.

Some say it with flowers, a nice meal, maybe get down on one knee.

There are many ways to pop the big question. Police Constable Martin

George decided to propose to his long term girlfriend at the

Queensgate Shopping Centre in Peterborough. Sounds quite ordinary,

but he booked the day off to do it and had a helping hand from dancers

at Peterborough Regional College. It was like any other day at the

shopping centre, until this happens. Mandy, seen on the left of the

screen, in pink, was oblivious to the flashmob being in her honour.

I was explaining to my mum what it is. She was acting stupid, because

she already knew. That was it. I was watching it until the end, until I

saw Martin. The police arrived, Martin off duty, but with special

permission to wear his uniform. I was OK until the music started

playing. I was confident that she would say

yes. There were a lot of people there, and I wanted to make sure I

wasn't going to man `` mess up the dancers routine.

I said to my mum that there was something going on. I did not

realise until the walked towards me. Then he asked a very non`police

constable type question. Will you marry me? Yes.

The bright's face was so funny. It was a great experience. `` the

bride. It was good that she said yes. I was

nervous. She now hopes that her fiance will

plan their wedding. Well, a short while ago we spoke to

the happy couple at their home. And I wanted to know just where Martin

had got the idea from. She has been dropping the hints over

the last few years and I had always had a joke that I was never going to

ask the question, so I needed to do something that she would believe. So

I got a few people involved. It was more than a few people,

wasn't it? What did you think when this happened?

I was really shocked. I thought I was just going for a shopping trip

with my mum for my birthday tomorrow, and then that happens. I

was really surprised. How did you plan it all, knowing

that she would be where she was and that everything would work out OK?

With a lots of stress. A lot of phone calls and a lots of secret

meetings with lots of people. But with the shopping trip, obviously

she loves her shopping, so I did not think she would turn down that

suggestion. I knew that was safe. You must have been pretty confident

that you were going to say yes? Yes, I think he knew. I don't think

he would have gone to the extent that he went to if there was any

doubt that there would be a no. Martin, ITU had a speech planned but

it did not go according to plan. `` you had a speech plans.

Yes, the excitement is took over. I just ask her to marry me and through

the ring at her. How will the wedding improve upon

the proposal? Who will be responsible for that?

That'll be the responsibility. I hope just to nod and agree.

I think that he did such a great job, I should just give all the

responsible is he to him. What has been the reaction amongst

your colleagues? I think everyone is amazed. I have

had fantastic feedback from everyone about how well it went. I think

everyone is surprised by the social media.

It has been really good. My friends and parents are really happy. It has

been great. I know it is your birthday, this

must be a great birthday present. Yes, definitely. He did well.

Congratulations to both of you. I hope the wedding plans go very well.

Thank you very much. Now we will look at the weather.

The low`pressure is not far away, but today there has been high

pressure. There have been clouds, but it has been quite dry. It should

be quite dry overnight. It will turn quite misty and foggy. The winds

will continue all night, we have clear skies. The mist and fog will

become widespread. It will be quite dense by tomorrow morning. The

temperatures might drop further than they did last night, so it is

possible that out in the countryside we could have six or seven degrees

temperatures. His ability may not be great first thing tomorrow morning,

but we have got an approaching weather friends. `` visibility. ``

approaching weather friends. The winds will break up the mist and

fog. The visibility may not be great. It will get thinner in the

middle of the day, but it will also be brighter. There may be some

sunshine in Suffolk. The West will be quite cloudy. Temperatures will

be quite mild. A light to moderate southeasterly winds. Into the

afternoon, the weather front will move in. Overnight, it will be more

persistent, so it could be a wet start to the day on Saturday. The

rain should clear out of the way quite quickly. It will be brighter

in the middle of the day. There could be some more showers later on.

The forecast on Sunday looks quite showery. There will be some heavy

showers between the other weather system. There will be more wet

weather on Monday. Overnight, not too cold. Temperature is will be in

double figures. That is all from us. We hope you

have a good evening. Goodbye.