30/05/2014 Look East - West

In the programme tonight: far this year.

The benefits cheat up in court for claiming almost ?50,000

The house the council said tripled in size without planning permission.

We will be here later in the programme.

A family launches a search for a bone marrow donor to save

And in rugby, the Saints are on target this weekend

First tonight, the benefit fraudster who claimed

thousands of pounds for looking after a daughter he didn't have.

For 11 years, Jem Bakalej from Northampton collected income

support, tax credits and child benefit

for a daughter who had actually died just after she was born.

In total, he claimed just under ?50,000.

His scam was only discovered after an anonymous tip`off to

the government's fraud investigation team.

We'll be hearing from them in a moment.

But first, this report from Mike Cartwright.

He did everything not to show his face. Mr Bakalej, are you ashamed to

show your face? Anything to get away from the camera. A father he used

his dead daughter's men to take ?50,000. Jem Bakalej walked free

from court and could have gone to jail. He received a two`year

suspended sentence for what the judge described as a very serious

crime. He was also given 200 hours community service and a curfew from

7pm to seven a.m.. He lived on this Northampton Street with his partner

and their three children, a man who claimed single`parent income support

for his baby daughter just a few months after she died. Over 11

years, Jem Bakalej defrauded more than ?35,000 of income support,

nearly ?7,000 in tax credits and nearly ?7,000 in child benefit. This

sort of benefit fraud, over a 10`year period, is not particularly

common, but as a whole benefit broadcast the taxpayer more than ?1

billion. This is not a victimless crime, it's not only from

taxpayers, it also harms the most vulnerable in society who see their

much`needed benefits going to people who really don't have any legitimate

claim. The care he provides to his son kept him from being sent to

prison today. A man desperate to stay hidden after hiding benefit

fraud for more than a decade. Mark Pickering is

from the government's fraud I asked him why was Mr Bakalej

allowed to get away with it for At the time it appeared to be a

genuine claim. You say it is that you should take people 's work, but

surely you have to check people are telling the truth? Absolutely. But

based on the facts given to us at the time we had no cause to doubt

what he was telling us. Yes, we will undertake reviews on people's

claims, but he continued to tell us that the child was still alive,

which is what we thought. This fraud went on for more than a decade.

There will be people watching who are shocked and surprised. Were you

shocked when you uncovered the case? It is unusual. We are merging now

with one government department which could now involve us looking at

local authorities. Are you saying that the system has been too

bureaucratic to this point for you to be able to police it properly?

Absolutely not. We have an excellent system in place and we have

extremely good investigators doing a good job. It was ?1 billion last

year. That is what benefit broadcast. It's an extremely large

amount of money to anyone. It is an extremely large amount of money but

when you bear in mind the amount of benefits we pay out, that equates to

0.7% of benefits paid out. It is a high amount. We will recover where

anybody has assets and we will recover fully when we can.

After years of campaigning against a giant incinerator, villagers

in Bedfordshire say they're now facing yet another planning battle.

This time, against a gas`fired power station.

as Rookery Pits has seen development plans come and go,

and each time there's been fierce local opposition.

This is the place in question, Rookery Pits, just south of Bedford

and surrounded by the villagers of Marston Moor, Millbrook and Stuart

B. The gas station proposed here would be just the other side of the

green mound and would take up 20 acres. The company behind it said it

would create jobs and bring money to the local economy. On the back they

are looking to build up a new gas power station. What do you do with a

dish used clay pit? This used to supply the brickworks nearby until

they shot `` disused. Plans of the site include an incinerator,

landfill, and now a gas`fired power station. But not everyone is

convinced. We always seem to be having yet another fight against

major infrastructure projects. We just seem to be getting one major

project after another. We are getting tired of it. This was the

local reaction when a different company wanted to build an

incinerator on the site to burn waste. It got planning permission

but they were then put on hold. Why does Millbrook Energy want to build

its power station on this site? It has been designated for industrial

development. The facilities are keeping in with that designation and

it is very close to the electricity and gas infrastructure. A leaflet

outlining the plans has been sent to people living and working nearby.

Their first impressions? I was very anti the previous company, but that

was burning waste. I need to find out more. It didn't read as though

it was written for the layman and the website was confusing. I

wouldn't say I'm overwhelmed it will go there but I think it's a

necessity that has to happen. Next week details of the plans will be

made available at a series of exhibitions in surrounding villages.

Next, the row over planning permission which saw

a five`bedroom bungalow turned into a seven`bedroom mansion.

Luton businessman Raza Shah told the council he wanted to add

What happened next was building work which the council said tripled

But now Mr Shah told us he will be allowed to keep his dream house.

Last September, Mr Shah's dream home was facing demolition even before it

was finished. The Luiten businessman had been given planning permission

for an extension of the local planners felt it and build a new

home. We spent two years on a project to be told that we needed to

pull it down. Which makes no sense. The decision makes no sense. This is

the five bedroom bungalow that Mr Shah bought three years ago. And

this is how it looks today. Last September, Central Bedfordshire

Council ordered its demolition because they felt it had been

overdeveloped. The building has now been saved after Mr Shah lodged an

appeal and one. `` and won it. I'm ecstatic. I've always had faith in

God, and justice has prevailed. Central Bedfordshire Council said it

was an inappropriate development in an area of outstanding natural

beauty. The planning inspector disagree. Anybody looking at the

house can see it's a completely different building to the original

construction which was a flat roofed building. This looks more like

Southfork. Anyone with a glimmer of common sense would say that that is

a new house. A number of neighbours objected to the planning

application. None of them wanted to appear in this report, but they all

told me they felt rather frustrated and bewildered by the planning

inspector's decision. A view shared by some but not all villagers. It

looks a bit out of place. It stands out like a sore thumb. I think he's

done a great job. The council Two men have been jailed for a

series of shootings which took place Khadeem Newell,

seen here on the left, and Rene Lawrence on the right were both

convicted of conspiracy to murder. They will each serve a minimum

of 11 years in jail. Now we can join Stewart and Susie

for the rest of the programme. One at Christmas and one

on her birthday. A Seago exhibition often

drew long queues. The works up for sale have been

displayed at Bury St Edmunds prior In a gallery, two art lovers meet

for the first time, but already as sheer passion. East Anglia as did by

Sir Edward Seago. That is the one. I would love that. Would you give it

to me? I think Sir Edward Seago is a slightly unsung hero. Seven local

land and seascapes by a local artist are soon to be auctioned in London.

A sneak preview today. A beach party somewhere in Norfolk. Silhouetted in

snow. Barges. Underground trollop. This one expected to raise about

?50,000. Not bad for a man who taught him self to paint and ran off

to live with a travelling circus aged 18. He healed from Norwich and

on time was hailed as one of the most elevated artists in Britain.

This works were snapped up by monarchs and ministers. He is not a

Marmite artist. He will appeal to most people. But the critics were

sniffy? I think it was because of rapid developments occurring that

critics did not take to him. He was never seen as cutting`edge. Another

knowledge artist very much at the cutting edge is Colin self with an

international reputation and he admits Seago will never be one of

the great artist. It would probably be like comparing Mount Snowdon with

Mount Everest. It is kind of quirky that someone like him still carries

on, essentially painting 19th`century painting in the

20th`century. It is a curious world with an art as stated by royalty and

the public fell short with the critics, but he must have got

something right and in the last 15 years alone, the value of his work

has doubled. This dog will rise even more at next month is macro option.

`` next month's option. The plight of a baby boy from

Northamptonshire has highlighted a serious shortage of bone marrow

donors across the region. Every three weeks, Joey Ziadi needs

a blood transfusion to stay alive. Joey's family are now desperately

searching for a donor but Just under 2,000 people

in this country need a bone marrow a third find a perfect match with

somebody in their immediate family but the rest including Joey have to

rely on the donor register They are a happy family, but

heartache behind the smiles. Joey has a rare blood condition and he

cannot edges red blood cells to feed his body with oxygen at either

transfusion every three weeks. It is a condition called Diamond`Blackfan

anemia affecting only 125 people in the UK. Bad cells produce weirs

cells are missing. As he is a baby, you want him to be up eight and

learning and developing. But when he is anaemic every three weeks, he is

floppy, lethargic. It is affecting his development. His first nine

months have been dramatic, born lethargic and floppy and he could

not open his eyes than two weeks, then suffering heart failure.

Transfusions can help but long`term can affect organs. Now his family

have set up a Facebook page asking people to come forward as donors. It

would give him the chance to have a normal life without having these

blood transfusions hanging over him every three weeks. Just so he can

grow to be a normal little boy, be able to run around and not after

three weeks go down the hill. He can sustain his own body with a bone

marrow transplant. In the UK, every 20 minutes, someone is diagnosed

with lung cancer. Only 30% of patients find a match within their

own family. We have over half a million people on the register, and

access to the other registers around the world, where we can search for a

match, meaning we can access 20 million people, but for about half

of the people needing transplants, we cannot find a match in the UK, so

the more people coming forward, the more families matches we can we

apologise for the loss of subtitles. If you want to find out more

about donating bone marrow you can get in touch with the Anthony Nolan

register. Their website is

at anthony nolan.org. It's an exciting weekend

in store for supporters They are hoping to secure

their second big prize in a week by lifting the Premiership trophy

for the first time On Sunday,

their England stars leave for Players like Tom Wood who has

his own special way You will not find many back row

bruisers with a Robin Hood fetish. Whether you are Bath,

Leicester or just a plain old rugby ball, all have been on the receiving

end of Northampton's Tom Wood. Where did your passion

for actually come from? A friend

of mine mentioned he had a bow. But when I saw kit like this,

had a go, I don't think put one How do you think this has

helped you as a rugby player? It is about getting away from rugby,

the rigours of the professional game, training day in, day out,

the intensity of fans, the media, nice to be on a field with none

of that going on and half an hour Stealing over the line to Rob Lester

of a place in the premiership final fortnight

ago, he then took his band of merry men to Cardiff last week to claim

their first trophy in four years. Last Friday night was a big one,

because having that in the cabinet already gives us that

extra confidence, But after what happened last year,

and all the work we've put in already this season,

we really want to go there and bring home some silverware to

this club, to the town. A lesson with Tom Wood

on the compound bow is Your biceps are

about five times the size of mine. Until this bit hits this bit

of string. A natural teacher,

his light`hearted approach betrays You get much banter

of team`mates for this? The banter is about how intense I

am, rather than the actual pursuit. I have picked up the nickname arrow,

which I don't mind, The premiership title is one

trophy to have eluded Saints. With snipers like Wood

on the Twickenham turf, The build up to England's World Cup

campaign gets underway in just over an hour. Roy Hodgson's

side are taking on Peru The match could give us some idea

about what to expect in Brazil.But Brazil, they've got one by Shakira,

one by J`Lo and Pitbull and most of Let's go live to Wembley and

World Cup Mike. Welcome to Wembley, a big night for

England and their fans. A chance for them to say good luck and goodbye

before going to America then on to Brazil. Let us look down Olympic

Way. You take your life in your hands when among football fans, but

this should be a good crowd. Not maybe both from Peru. This is a time

for optimism. These chaps are from Cambridge. The other Free Kicks, and

they have written a song about Roy Hodgson. `` they are called Free

Kicks. The Free Kicks at their studios in Cambridge with their own

World Cup warm up. Ordinarily, the playful rock around the pubs, but

this singer songwriter was inspired by nine other than Roy Hodgson. And

not only is there a song, but a very cool video as well. Sadly, we do not

know what Roy Hodgson thinks of the song yet. He is busy with the

football for the ``. The World Cup tops everything. Stephen Gerrard

also gets a mention. Just to echo what he has said, everyone is

impressed, certainly the young lads have done fantastically well, even

the two young lads training with us have been superb. And it is not just

the Free Kicks busy with the song, have a look at Beer Belly Billy and

the Billericay Boys, raising money for a garden Hospice in Letchworth.

You have also been telling me on Twitter about your favourite World

Cup songs. This one from 1970 tops the list are many, but sadly a

nightmare in the quarterfinals and we were home to early. Hopefully,

the Free Kicks, including some seminaked cavorting in Cambridge,

can inspire England to World Cup glory this time.

This is the singer`songwriter. Not a big football fan, how did you write

the song? I trawled through the Internet, looking at other ones. I

used that as a reference. What kind of reaction have you had? It has

been great, lots of friends and family, Radio five Live laid as,

social media, it has been great. `` have played the song. Let's have a

quick final burst of the chorus. SINGING.

Fantastic! Who knows? It could be a hit. It is available on iTunes. Good

luck to England tonight. Get in touch with me if you have World Cup

story, using these details on screen. Goodbye from Wembley.

Thank goodness he did not predict England would win the World Cup. He

is the worst. Now for the weather. The World War I tour has arrived in

Norwich, these are live pictures showing them setting up for

tomorrow. Lots of visitors it acted and certainly some good weather. The

tour was in Suffolk and will be in Colchester on the fifth and 6th of

July, promising visitors a fool recruitment experience. I hope you

have fun. And the weather is looking good for lots of outdoor pursuits

this weekend. I am off to Ladies Day at the racecourse and pleased to

report it is looking quite fine for most of Sunday, just the small

chance of showers, but barely low`risk. For most of us, looking

dry right the way through the weekend. Dry weather across the

British Isles. Some fine conditions, but it could turn a bit

cloudy. Coastal parts of the region did well for sunshine. Other inland,

more cloud around. `` farther inland. Most of us seeing sunshine

to end the day and clear spells overnight. Possible it could get

chillier than the last few nights. Temperatures getting down into

single figures, perhaps or 7 degrees and some mist patches in the early

hours of tomorrow. Tomorrow starts with some fine weather, a little

chilly to start with, but warming up in the sunshine. The clouds starting

to feed through into the afternoon and the small risk it could produce

some isolated showers, but for most looking dry. In the sunshine, 17 or

18 degrees the high. And onshore breeze means cooler temperatures

along the coast and stop largely fine and cloudy for the afternoon.

The weather will change next week, the pressure part into next week,

meaning some unsettled conditions returning, but not spell your link

`` but not spoiling the weekend. By Monday, some regions could get to 19

Celsius. But the risk of some showers. Then unsettled to start

next week, increasingly cloudy for Monday, the Chancellor showers

around, and Tuesday looking like sunshine and