10/09/2013 Look North (East Yorkshire and Lincolnshire)

weekend. That is all from us. On BBC One we join the news teams where you

are. Good evening and welcome to BBC Look

North. The headlines tonight. Drunken criminals to be offered

counselling instead of court. Also tonight: Lincolnshire Police says it

will investigate the way officers arrested this man.

tonight: Lincolnshire Police says it will investigate the way officers

New rules to keep dogs on leads in seaside towns. And the man

setting—off to pedal his way.round the world.

And autumn definitely arrived today, but what are the next few days

looking Mike? Join me later to find out. —— looking like. People who

commit minor crimes while they're drunk could avoid court if they

agree to get alcohol counselling. Humberside Police is starting a

trial in East Yorkshire offering conditional cautions, instead of

prosecution. But some are sceptical that it will act as enough of a

deterrent. Anne—Marie Tasker has the story. It's become an all too common

sight. Weekend revellers drinking too much — then fined or sent to

court for minor offences. So now Humberside Police is trialling a new

approach. Instead of putting offenders through the legal system,

they'll be sent for alcohol counselling. The condition that is

attached to seeking treatment is not designed to punish, but to address

the defend —— offending behaviour, the root cause of it, so it is not

there as a deterrent, but as a treatment. Around £11 billion is

spent each year dealing with drink—related crimes in England and

Wales. It's estimated around 7,000 arrests made by Humberside Police

for violence last year were drink related. And in East Yorkshire

alone, 166 people were charged with minor drink—related offences. And

sending them to magistrates court costs, on average, more than £1,000

a day. Humberside's Police and Crime Commissioner is spending £20,000 on

counselling services — like this — instead of sending offenders to

court. But he denies it's policing on the cheap. It has got nothing to

do with price. It is about effectiveness. We have court

processes that cost a huge amount of money and police time, that are

incredibly inefficient and in most cases, ineffective. The scheme is

similar to the seminars already offered by Humberside Police to

speeding drivers. But will it work with drinkers? Dawn Wilkinson was in

the police but is now landlady at the Windmill pub in Beverley. She's

sceptical it will deter everyone. There was no point of counselling

for a bit of a brawl, or weaving against a doorway, but they will get

around that and if it goes to court after that then they would need to

be tackled. The pilot scheme won't be used for drinkers who are repeat

offenders or commit serious offences. And if it works, officers

in Hull and Northern Lincolnshire will be able to use it in their

fight againt drunken behaviour, too. I'm joined now by the former

Barrister and MP for East Hull Karl Turner. Good evening. Costs around

1200 pounds a day to put someone through magistrates courts for

drinking offence. Isn't this a better and cheaper way of spending

taxpayers money? There has to be balanced. I am keen on

rehabilitation and they don't think people should be prosecuted for

minor offences, but it matters what constitutes a minor offence. If

people are behaving badly and anti—socially, spoiling the evening

for other people, my constituents expect those people to be dealt with

properly, to face the music and to face the music". Someone commits

this sort of offence, do you and people watching tonight want to see

them prosecuted with harsher set resist rather than going off for

some course and counselling? If it is a petty offence like swearing in

the street, it probably does not warrant a court hearing, but if it

is more serious, if it is affray, which is a serious public order

offence, it should be dealt with by way of a court hearing. These

offences are always alleged. People should be taken through the courts

system and the courts should decide the penalty, in my opinion. I think

my constituents, in the main, would agree with me. But isn't better to

tackle the behaviour of people and get them off drinking so that they

are less likely to do the same thing again, rather than prosecute? I am

very much in favour of rehabilitation otherwise you have

the revolving door situation where people end up in prison and it costs

money and they never get rehabilitated. I understand that

point. I am concerned that this might just be about saving money,

and if it is serious offences, actual bodily harm or assault, I

don't know what constitutes a minor offence, but it is offences like

that, absolutely not, it has to be dealt

need to see punishment being delivered. I don't think this is

satisfactory. We want to hear from you on this story, are cautions for

minor drinking offences a good idea? Maybe you think they should all go

through the courts? Here's how to contact us.

We look forward to hearing from you. In a moment. The new centre teaching

people with eating disorders to enjoy food again. Dog owners in the

East Riding of Yorkshire are set to face tough new restrictions on

letting their pets off the lead in public places. The Council has made

a number of changes affecting parks and tourist resorts, after it said

that current dog orders were out of date. But some owners say they feel

they're being marginalised. Amy Cole reports. Off the lead — but for dog

owners access to beaches, promenades and parks in the East Riding could

soon become greatly restricted. The council says an urgent review of dog

orders was needed as it hadn't been done since 2009. This morning

Cabinet members approved a number of proposals which includes that pets

must be kept on a lead when being walked on Bridlington and Hornsea

promenades. They will be banned from 51 new fenced children's play areas.

And they will have to be on leads in an additional 31 cemeteries and

graveyards in the East Riding. The council says they are partly due to

a two month public consultation. The public have said to us that we need

dog control measures in place. It went for approval from full council

and Potomac of those areas are to be promenades, beaches, and parks,

where we have got children fenced play areas. They have not to go in

the children's fenced play areas but they can go into the parks, off the

lead. That's good news for Nicky Smedley. She lives in Hull but

regularly walks Meg near Hornsea where her parents are. But she's not

happy that Meg will have to be put on a lead at all times on the year

when she takes her to Hornsea promenade. If they want you to put

these restrictions in, yes, that is what they want to do, but on the

promenade, fight could not take my dog to the seaside, for any reason,

then yes, I would not be happy with that. While dinner is served to Meg,

the restrictions served to owners may not go down as well. The

proposals will be put before full council on October ninth, where they

are expected to be approved. You might also have a view on this

story, maybe you're a dog owner or do you think that more controls on

dogs are the right way to go? There was a reminder of the contact

details if you want to get in touch with us. The leader of UKIP on

Lincolnshire County Councillor has been suspended from the Party. UKIP

has confirmed that Chris Pain will face a disciplinary committee — but

the party wouldn't say why he's been suspended. Yesterday, Police

announced they were taking no further action against Mr Pain,

following allegations he made racist comments on Facebook. More than £9

million of extra money is being made available for the NHS in East

Yorkshire and Lincolnshire to boost services this winter. The Health

Secretary Jeremy Hunt has given £8 million to the United Lincolnshire

Trust and £! Lincolnshire Police are investigating the conduct of some of

their officers after they were filmed arresting a man in his home

near Boston. The video which was posted on the internet shows fifty

seven year old James Cushway lying motionless on the floor. James's

brother claims the officers were heavy handed, verbally abusive and

unconcerned for his welfare. The family have now made a formal

complaint. Footage that has prompted a formal complaint. Danny Cushway

watches the moment arresting officers taunted his brother, who

lay on the floor — while a neighbour filmed on his mobile phone. This is

a 60—year—old man, with police officers standing around him,

taunting him with abuse and taunting him with, we are going to pull his

testicles. This just should not happen. It happened at Sutterton

near Boston, just over a week ago. Police came to arrest 57—year—old

James, who's going through a divorce. He was alleged to have

broken a court order forbidding contact with family members. Danny

believes police over—reacted. I had to strenuously request by the time

got there, with paramedics, that they removed the handcuffs and

removed the situation that he was in. As police loosen his handcuffs,

James falls silent. Officers appear to believe he is feigning

unconsciousness, to obstruct the arrest. Obviously, the officers were

dealing with someone who was being noncompliant, which can be very

frustrating. You have got four police officers tied up there, who

are not able to be elsewhere, dealing with something else. I think

people will be dismayed at the language that was used, which, in my

view, was not appropriate. Superintendent Maria Staniland of

Lincolnshire Police Professional Standards Department said:

James was taken to hospital, and then held in police custody. The

next day, he was released on bail without being charged. As police

investigate, he's staying with family in the south of England. Jake

is live at Lincolnshire Police Head Quarters for us tonight. How long

will this investigation by the force take? As you heard that report,

professional standards department will be carrying out a full

investigation into the events surrounding the arrest of James.

This may well take several weeks. There were several officers present

as you can see on the video and they will have to be interviewed, and the

video will have to be viewed in its entirety, before any decision can

made as to what action, if any, needs to be taken. Plans to recruit

1,000 volunteers into Lincolnshire Police have been defended after

fewer than 50 people came forward in seven months. The idea was announced

by the Police and Crime Commissioner, Alan Hardwick, earlier

this year. His office says it is confident more people will

volunteer. Scrap metal dealers in East Yorkshire face having to pay

for licences in order to stay in business. The council wants the

licences to help reduce metal thefts. They would cost around £400

and only be issued after a police check. Still ahead tonight: if I go

back down into here, that is too wet. Finding the perfect conditions

for a picky plant that was almost extinct. The 16,000 mile journey in

a rickshaw. Keep your photographs coming in. Tonight's picture is

entitled 'Rain' at Cleethorpes Club bowling green taken at 5pm last

night by Richard Hardy. We will not bore viewers with that. Tell him

that I live locally. He can come round for lunch. That is the best

for that I have had all day. Let's have a look at the headlines for the

next 24 hours. It is a bright start tomorrow. There will be rain or

drizzle spreading from the north—west through the afternoon. It

is an autumnal feeling day with this weather front coming in from the

west, bringing rain. Today we have had a swathe of cloud, 40 miles an

hour wind at Bedlington with temperatures of 11 Celsius. That

northerly has brought rain to most areas. The rain will pull away

quickly through this evening. Gale force winds possible and coastal

areas for the next few hours. That wind will moderate overnight. Clear

spells developing with temperatures falling to eight Celsius in the

West. And the times of sunrise. And the high water times.

Not a bad start, with quite a bit of cloud around, but generally bright

and dry with hazy sunshine, but it will quickly cloud over. Rain and

resort moving south and east through the course of the afternoon. It will

become pretty damp and dreary. Top temperatures, still below average

for the time of year, 14 Celsius in Hull, and 15 around the Bosch, if

you are lucky. —— the Wash. It looks like an unsettled weekend to follow.

That is the forecast. Don't go down there. You even get a free Hankey,

now, I have noticed. A new treatment centre in Hull could revolutionise

the way local people with eating disorders are cared for. It's

estimated that more than 2,000 people across the city suffer from

some form of anorexia or bulimia. It's hoped the new Evolve Centre

will reduce the number of patients having to go outside the area for

specialist help. Our health correspondent, Vicky Johnson

reports. Claire is 26 and, for more than half her life, she has

struggled with eating disorders. In the past she has spent months in

hospital, but with a two—year—old daughter and another baby on the

way, she is relieved she can be treated closer to home, in Hull. I

don't have to worry about going out of the area. And not having to think

about situations like, if I have to go into hospital, where would I go?

The new Evolve Centre was opened by an Emmerdale actress who has

overcome anorexia despite a lack of local facilities. He didn't get so

much support back then because there wasn't enough people who knew about

it. And there was nothing in Hull. If this had been around back then my

struggle might have been a lot easier. As well as different rooms

for counselling, Evolve Centre has kitchen and dining areas where

people can learn how to cope with food again. It will be giving them

the life skills, skills to change their behaviour, skills to change

what currently gets in the way of them getting on with their lives,

and doing it locally, so that they can still interact with and be part

of their own life. £500,000 each year is being invested in the new

service, but for families, the ambition is to do even more. I would

like to have an inpatient unit as well, but we have got this, and that

is pretty amazing and very exciting for the city. The new service means

that people like Clare will be able to receive specialist, intensive

support, at the same time as enjoying family life. Plastic litter

which is killing hundreds of sea birds along our coast prompted a

large response on look North yesterday. Marine experts say

plastic is blown into rivers and onto beaches where it is eaten by

birds who can't digest it, and they eventually die. We talked about

this. We got a big response after the programme last night. Lynda

emailed to say: Krissy says on the text:

thank you very much for those. A rare plant that was once on the

brink of extinction has been successfully reintroduced in East

Yorkshire. The Greater Water Parsnip might not look like much but it is

an important native species that needs just the right growing

conditions. Modern drainage systems had meant it was almost wiped out

but now with some careful work by conservationists its doing well.

Surrounded and protected by Reach, it is a long that has not been seen

in Yorkshire and Lincolnshire for 25 years. But at this nature reserve

near Driffield, the greater water parsnip is again beginning to

thrive. It is very much back in its native habitat. Its reintroduction

into this natural habitat has not been easy. Its position on the edge

of these water beds has proved to be crucial. It has very exacting

habitat requirements. It needs marginal shelf which is dry in

summer, and wet in winter, so just there is fine, and here is not. If I

go back down into here, that is too wet. It needs to be just there. It

is quite fussy? You could say that. The problem is it has faced had been

trained on modern drainage techniques, but here, more

traditional techniques have been used, and the plant has taken root

and is beginning to thrive. Attempts to save the plant from extinction

were made after small samples of it were found at Halsea Mere. Brian is

behind ensuring survival, propagating thousands of plants in

his own back garden. It really is an achievement personally, if you think

where we are, and these are very important. Just because they are not

currently, they are just as important, because they are so rare.

Rescued from the brink of extinction, the greater water

parsnip is again making its presence felt with East Yorkshire playing an

important role in securing its future. Hull Kingston Rovers'

skipper Michael Dobson has been cleared to lead the club in their

play—off knock—out game at St Helens. The Robins have already

beaten St Helens three times this season with a cup victory and two

league wins. Dobson, who leaves at the end of the season, remains key

to Rovers' success. Michael is such a professional. It is all about the

team, trying to get the boys playing the best they can, and that Michael

can stay for another couple of weeks, everyone will be glad. A

horse rider from Lincolnshire has been selected for a World

Championship event in France. Alex Postolowsky from Market Rasen was

successful at the Burghley Horse Trials when she had the the best

time for a new rider at the event. Now she'll go to France later this

year to compete in the three—day eventing championships for young

horses. Well done to Alex. It's a journey of more than 16,000 miles

and could take more than a year. Today Luke Parry from Eastrington

near Howden has set off around the world on a rickshaw. Crispin Rolfe

has been to meet him. This is what I can take with me. That is all that I

can take a one year. That cushion, a sleeping bag, that makes

a good cushion for a passenger. Now it is by rickshaw that Luke Parry,

from Yorkshire, is travelling the world. I can take passengers and if

they want offer me something to eat or something to stay, then that is

great. His journey will take him from Howden to York before going to

mainland Europe, and he plans to travel through Iran and India before

crossing to United States and a 16,000 mile journey which could take

more than 18 months to complete. What do his mum and dad think of it

all? I did say that I would come with him but he started to look a

bit worried! He has given us an invitation to meet up. And so to the

big sendoff at his old school, where he is repaying his geography teacher

for all those lessons that helped encourage pupils with their studies.

Students can have that running dialogue with him as he is visiting

different locations and can question him about the topical bits that come

up in their curriculum. What are your thoughts? I cannot wait to get

on with my big adventure and I am grateful for the support from the

school. And that this look on his way, his first challenge, the

British weather —— that is Luke on his way. That is the first testing

part of it, but I am sure that there will be better days at. Soon he will

be its heading south for the winter, picking up passengers as he goes.

Let's get a recap of the national and regional headlines, which

contain flashing images. Coronation Street's Michael Le Vell is cleared

of all rape and child abuse charges. People who commit minor crimes while

drunk could avoid court if they agree to counselling, in a trial by

Humberside Police. Tomorrow's weather forecast. A dry bright start

with some hazy sunshine. Clouding over with patchy rain or drizzle

later. Maximum temperature, 15 Celsius. A big response on the

story. John has said on Twitter: the police commissioner is going soft on

crime. And many people who drink too much have mental health problems and

locking them up will make them worse. They need help. And a driver

has to pay £100 for a driving seminar. Does that mean that drunks

will have to pay the same amount for counselling instead of going to

court? These schemes are obviously fairly similar. Alex has e—mailed,

the thought of people committing minor crimes whilst drunk is

observed. Keith has said that Matthew Grovess' election slogan

was, the criminal must pay. He highlighted drunken behaviour as

being his target for tough, unit of action. He makes it up as he goes

along. David says, get them into the cause, they put enough strain on the

NHS in accident and emergency, and this must be tackled. That's all

from me for now. Have a nice evening. See you tomorrow.