20/02/2014 Look East - West

forces and protestors. That is all from BBC News. It is goodbye from

A Peterborough Garage sentence for a total of 54 years for sexually

abusing, grooming and pimping young girls. Their victims were just 3

and 14 years old. What is really important is that these girls have

been believed. That is important to the road to recovery.

Beating prostate cancer, the medical trials in Bedford that are making a

difference and attracting international attention.

Later in the programme we will talk to join her about the power of

cinema and how it can help people with dementia.

Bigger and better than ever, the all`new Huntington Jim after a 1

million face`lift. Good evening.

Hello and welcome to Thursday's Look East.

Good evening. Two men and three teenage boys have been sentenced for

what prosecutors describe as one the "worst cases" of child abuse they've

seen. Five girls from Peterborough, aged just 13 and 14, underwent

horrific sexual abuse. These are the faces of the gang responsible for

grooming, abusing and pimping them. The ringleader, Zdeno Mirga was

sentenced to 16 and a half years in a young offender's institute. Hassan

Abdulla was jailed for 20. Renato Balog will serve 12, Jan Kandrac

five and a half. We can't show you the face of the youngest gang member

because he's just 14. Today he was given a six month rehabilitation

order. Louise Hubball has been following the case, and joins us now

live from the Old Bailey. The judge told the men he has ``

they had viewed the girls as easy meat. They showed little emotion as

they were sentence, two of them were rosaries and around their necks The

judge described the oldest as a depraved predatory paedophile and

one of the 18`year`olds as a bullying with an ungovernable sexual

appetite. The Crown Prosecution Service

described it as one of the worst cases of child sex abuse it had ever

seen. It happened here in Peterborough were five vulnerable

young girls were groomed and abused. This is one of the rapists,

18`year`old Mr Abdullah. He claimed here that he was still a virgin But

in the Atlantic, murder was the boss of the gang. `` Zdeno Mirga was the

leader of the gang. He sold a girl with learning difficulties for 20.

In this part she was tied to a bench and abused by groups of men and

boys. 32`year`old Hassan Abdulla was the oldest member of the gang.

During police questioning and speaking through a translator he

denied everything. And there were other members. For

the first time we can name 18`year`old Renato Balog and

17`year`old Jan Kandrac, the fat boy is only 14 years old. The police

praised the bravery of the jungles that came forward. To protect her

identity, this 13`year`old was mac are spoken by an actor. After I left

court I thought that the boys would come out and get me. I am scared

that they will kill me when they get out. And the future if I ever have a

boyfriend or a child it would be hard to live with someone because

this will always be in my heart and head. The things that happens to me,

I will not be able to forget when I am older. Another of the victims

also describes what happened to her. Again it is displayed by an actor. I

am trying to move on but I cannot forget what happened. I wanted them

to pay for what they did. My prime concern is to support these girls

and make sure they get all the best report for the future. They will ``

we will be with them on their journey to recovery step`by`step and

we will ensure that we do all that we can to help them. We are with

them and they deserve the best. The Judge Bevan told four of the men

that they had brought discredit to their fellow roommates and to Hassan

Abdulla, an Iraqi Kurd who sought asylum here and has a UK passport,

he said he had betrayed his debts to this country. Louise Hubball, BBC

Look East, at the Old Bailey. All along the police have described

the investigation as being "victim led". Earlier I spoke to Detective

Superintendent Gary Ridgway and asked him how it started.

Back at the beginning of 2013, we worked with our police officers and

social workers and we ask them to give us a list of young people that

they thought might be vulnerable to exploitation and Atlas group and we

then talk to young people and said to them you may want to speak to us

today or in a few weeks time, but what we want to do is for you to

share your experiences, but you have heard and let us take that.

As this process ongoing and are still looking and asking for people

to come forward? There is an inquiry being conducted by ourselves and the

local children's protection services. We have unrelated

investigation is ongoing as well at the moment where we have engaged

with a large number of people and we are seeking to start other

investigations and get them through to a successful conclusion. It is

not just about the criminal Justice act, it is about doing the best for

the young people concerned. It is difficult for young girls to

talk about what they went through but it face multiple questioning in

court, do you think that process could be improved? I believe the

Criminal Justice System does all it can in terms of allowing young

people to give evidence through videolink and they have been struck

in terms of the nature of questions the girls can be asked. But at the

end of the day there is one said trying to prove one has done

something and the other proving that they did not. It is a challenge for

young people and I do not underestimate the difficulties they

have in giving evidence. This case has been centred around

Peterborough, is there a particular problem with this kind of abuse and

this location? I believe this affects all of our communities and

cities, the only difference with Peterborough is that we have chosen

to be proactive and start to look into this to say what we can find.

Heathrow is no difference to any other city in the UK. Today must

mark something of conclusion for you in this case and in the words of two

of those victims, " I cannot forget, I won't be able to forget. " For

them it still goes on. Absolutely, however people feel about the

outcome of this investigation and the convictions and the sentencing,

we must never forget that the real victims in this are the young people

who have had such a polite on their lives and I hope that they can draw

some strength from this and use it Detective Superintendent Gary

Ridgway talking to me earlier. As part of the healing process. And

on BBC Radio Cambridgeshire's Breakfast Show they'll be asking

should we regard sex offenders themselves as victims? That's

tomorrow morning from 6am. In other news, medical trials to

treat prostate cancer at Bedford Hospital are attracting

international recognition. The trials focus on diet and food

supplements. Prostate cancer is the most common form of cancer for men

with more than 40,000 diagnosed every year in the UK. Just over 80%

survive for five years or more, but more than 10,000 men die of the

disease every year. Stuart Ratcliffe reports.

We all know that healthy eating is important and that a good diet can

reduce and even prevent some diseases.

The research carried out at Bedford Hospital suggest that concentrated

solutions of things such as broccoli or even green tea could help in the

fight against prostate cancer. This is an MRI image of the prostate

gland. You can see the tumour within it.

In particular, doctors have been looking at the effect these foods

have on a patient's PSA ` the prostate`specific antigen. The

higher this reading, the more likely it is that a man has prostate

cancer. Laboratory studies have already shown that they have

anti`cancer properties either by reducing the `` growth rate of

cancer cells or stopping them spreading on making them die when

they ought to. The basic science is already there but what hadn't been

proven is that if you could combine them with their be a clinical effect

on humans and that is what we are trying to achieve in this study To

be clear, this is not a cure? No, but prostate cancer is a very

unusual disease. For some men it is a disease that grows slowly so if we

could slow the rate down even further, it would mean that they

could live with this disease for many years without needing surgical

intervention or radiotherapy. Ray Cheesbrough was diagnosed with

prostate cancer over three years ago and is one of the patients who's

taken part in this trial. He's seen his PSA reading drop by 40%.

Initially I was having unique tract problems and bladder problems. Now I

do not have any of those problems. I do not have to get up during the

night and those with large prostate will know what I'm talking about. I

can go out and have a few pints of beer and not worry that I will be up

during the next two or three times. It's early days for this research,

but its findings are attracting worldwide attention. And for Ray, he

says the treatment is now allowing him to get on with his life.

Four teenagers have gone on trial today accused of murdering a

pensioner. Luton Crown Court heard how 65`year`old Sharif Demirsay was

held down and stabbed 11 times while his home in Kempston was burgled

last May. Neil Bradford was in court. The prosecution say the

attack lasted three minutes. Enough time to stab grandfathered Sharif

Demirsay 11 times. He died shortly afterwards. A jury at Luton Crown

Court today heard how his partner was also stabbed during the

Bergoglio last May. The prosecution allege that Travis Dixon and his

accomplice and two other teenagers aged 16 and 17 went to the home of

the couple in Kinston to steal cash and gold. The safety of them entered

the house and the fourth estate outside. The jury heard how inside

the house Sharif Demirsay was held to the ground and stabbed in the

front and back of his body. He was kicked and jurors were told that all

three teenagers shouted, " kill him!" And jumping around like an

animal. CCTV captured three teenagers walking towards the house.

Only two of them are visible here and minutes later the same group are

seeing `` seen running away. No DNA or fingerprints have been

recovered, neither have any murder weapons. The prosecution told the

jury they will present enough evidence to prove that the teenagers

were responsible. Opening for the prosecution, Jane Bickerstaffe told

the jury that it did not matter what individual role each of them took,

they were all in it together. By law that makes them all equally

responsible, she said. The four teenagers denied murder and the

trial is expected to last for six weeks.

Police are to exam CCTV footage after a bus crashed on the Luton to

Dunstable busway and hit the perimeter fence. It happened near

the Sainsbury's store in Dunstable yesterday afternoon. Two people were

treated in hospital for minor injuries. Police are now

investigating the cause of the accident. The incident closed the

busway, but it later reopened. A former pigsty in Wisbech, which

local people say has been used as living accommodation. Is to be

demolished. Residents living near the site in Newbridge Lane say it's

been used by Eastern European migrants sleeping rough.When our

cameraman visited yesterday, there was clear evidence that the sty has

been lived in. It's built on land owned by Fenland District Council.

They are now preparing to remove it. to set up an action group to put in

place a proper plan for the future. Still to come: Elite facilities for

the gymnasts. Plus find out if Stuart was lost for

words when he won another award! The actor John Hurt launched a

?50,000 appeal today to help create a screen heritage centre in Norwich.

Mr Hurt is patron of the film education charity behind the

?660,000 project. It is hoped that people with a disability and others

living with dementia will particularly benefit. Cinema City in

the centre of Norwich was founded in the late 1970s ` the first regional

film theatre in the country. Seven years ago, after a major rebuild, it

re`opened as a state of the art, three screen cinema. Alongside its

commercial operations, there's the film education charity Cinema Plus.

Currently, these rickety stairs are the only way to get to the top of

the building, where they have big plans! We want to turn this floor

into what we'll call the Screen Heritage Centre. They have planning

permission, listed buildings consent ` now they must raise ?50,000 to

unlock support from the Heritage Lottery Fund. The first thing we

want to do is make sure this space is accessible to every member of the

public. At the moment the disabled can't come to this first floor. The

plan is to make sure it's completely accessible, and attract more

audiences to this floor, and the activity of Cinema City. A new

entrance, via the courtyard, and a lift to the first floor will open up

the space to all. Pictures of old cinemas and theatres ` like the

Norwich Hippodrome, demolished in the 60s to make way for a

multistorey car park ` can trigger memories in those who live with

dementia. People have all sorts of memories of going to the pictures.

It's powerful. Being able to work with people with dementia, and using

film, is great. 22`year`old Ruth loves cinema. I don't have a

disability but I need support with other things. What excites you about

cinema and the images you see? I get really excited. I've got an

interactive brain so I can dream of anything I want. It takes me to a

different world. Early next month they'll hear whether they're to

receive a ?500,000 grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund. If all goes

well, the new centre could open its doors this time next year. I spoke

to John Hurt, who is supporting the campaign. It's opening up an

understanding of the language of film. It's a very specific language

and it's still quite young ` only 100 years old. It's inextricably

part of our lives now. I don't think we could survive without cinema of

some sort. It's such an evocative art form. I know they want to help

people with dementia because it can evoke such memories? This is true.

It's hugely helpful. Do you look back at your childhood and remember

getting interested in film? Did it inspire you to become an actor? It

did! I go back to comedies... Alec Guinness. I said that to somebody

the other day and they asked who he was! Help, I thought! It's those

things that are so evocative. You never lose them. You see film from a

different perspective. When you watch, do you watch differently? I

have a more critical eye. Sometimes I wish I didn't know this or that,

and could just sit and enjoy. On the other hand, it's also what I'm

arguing. One should have a critical faculty. The same way you do with

literature. You can read a book and nobody finds it difficult to

describe why they like a certain writer. We should talk about film

that way. Everyone can be a film`maker now. We all have our own

gadgets. People look at things in different ways ` through their

phone... All the more reason for education. You don't want to have a

flood of not very good films. It worries me. We had a very strong

voice before the First World War. That's when film was young. We

became kind of second to America. Their voice is different from ours.

It's taken us a long time to get back to an appreciation of our own

society. I'm supporting this because any support you can give that helps

that voice to be heard properly again is essential. John Hurt

talking to me earlier. Huntingdon Gymnastic Club is

celebrating the opening of its new extension today. It's cost almost

?1.5 million. The Gymnastics Club launched the careers of Olympic

medallists Louis Smith and Daniel Keatings and it's hoped this new

extension will increase our chances of producing more elite athletes.

Our reporter Ben Bland is there now. We often hear about the Olympic

legacy. This is what it looks like. It is a brand`new hall at Huntingdon

Gymnastic Club. They are training young gymnasts. We may well see them

performing sometime in the future. An impressive display. They were

performing under pressure. In the audience were two world`class

gymnast. `` gymnasts. I remember coming into the building one day. It

was finally happening. It is great to see this. Louis Smith performed

his Olympic routine. He still trains here. He has been since he was six

years old. Sir John Major was also there and he did the official

honours. I remember opening the official gymnasium 23 years ago. All

that has happened in between, with Louis Smith and so one... It is a

fantastic sport. `` so on... The refurbishment has cost almost ?1.5

million. This young boy slept in a tent in his garden for almost a year

to respond just shut. It is worth it. `` raise sponsorship. It is fun

to use it. He hopes that one day he will perform at the level of people

like Dan Keatings. We had the gym and it showed what level we could

get it. With this one then you don't know what level anybody could get

to. The more talent that comes through, they could reach even

better levels. The club now has 900 members. Up from 500 before the

London Olympics. They know that space for even more to join. We can

be more easily. We have more space. Louis Smith was having to do his

routines with toddlers running around. We can now have a good

programme will not shrink elite talent. `` while nurturing our elite

talent. We even spotted a possible future champion taking her first

steps! They are back at work now. The classes have started. Let's

speak to one of the cultures. `` the coaches. These guys have now got

more space to push themselves. We are now able to push them on. We are

able to see their potential. In times gone by, we have been clamped

into one whole but no longer. `` cramped. `` hall. Some people have

asked me to take a go myself but I have the excuse... I don't have my

gym kit! Harry looks like a star of the future.

Now for the weather. It has been the wettest winter on record. Over the

next week, we will be seeing more rain. There was a lot of cloud and

drizzle this morning. The satellite picture shows this huge bank of

cloud. Here is a photograph. This was sent in by Pete. We don't have

your surname! It shows the cloud. We are seeing some showers tonight.

There are some around Norfolk. They are likely to be on the light side

and over the second half of the night they should clear away. There

is cooler air coming and as well. `` coming in. Temperatures may get down

to close to freezing. Two to three Celsius in some parts. Restart

tomorrow quite chilly. It is not a bad day. It will feel a bit cooler

and fresher. We will see plenty of sunshine. A mortal bright and sunny

weather to come. But for many the temperatures will be in single

figures. You will notice the difference. Eight or nine degrees. A

moderate wind. There is a risk of showers for the afternoon and that

continues to the evening. We may well see some showers developing

through the evening. This is the price chart for the weekend. There

are a few fronts out there. For the most part it looks like there will

be very dry weather. Saturday looks a better day of the two. It will be

windy on both days. Increasing amounts of cloud by the end of the

day on Saturday. Some drizzle around. On Sunday, it will be cloudy

with some drizzle. Temperatures will go motor again. Some showers are

arriving on Monday. Here is the barometer check. Thank you.

Finally, before we go, huge congratulations to Stewart who

scooped the Royal Television Society's Regional Presenter of the

Year award at a ceremony in London last night. It's the second year in

a row he's won the accolade! Thank you very much indeed. I'm astonished

nobody's mentioned my appearance in the Alan Partridge film. I'm very

lucky that I work with people who are very talented and put a lot of

trust in me. Three of them are here tonight ` Shaun, Tony and Matt. They

are director, technical manager and cameraman. Nicky O'Donnell is always

the most supportive you could wish for. Most of all, my wife Jane is

here. Thank you to the judges and thanks to the Royal Society. It

means a lot. Well done! Hail need a bigger cabinet! Goodbye.