29/05/2014 Look North (North East and Cumbria)

Following the money trail. it's goodbye are from me, on BBC One

Convicted fraudster John Darwin is forced to pay up `

but the authorities aren't finished with him yet.

He is yet to fully satisfy his conviction order. We will seek to

revisit him again so the money is repaid.

Dozens of local companies win contracts as Japanese train builder

Hitachi prepares for production in County Durham.

The show broadcasts live as the BBC's children's channel launches

three days of programmes and activities from Gateshead Quayside.

And how to commit the perfect crime ` to paper.

A special report on the North East's first crime`writing festival.

And sport one of our clubs makes the most important signing of the

season. Gus Poyet commits his future to the club.

''Criminals should be warned ` their crimes will come back to

That was the message for John Darwin the canoe fraudster `

who was today ordered to pay back ?40,000 after he conned insurance

The 63`year`old was forced to hand back the money after a Proceeds

of Crime Act hearing ` at Teesside Crown Court `

heard he'd received a lump sum after two of his pensions matured.

His former wife ` Anne Darwin ` has already paid back ?500,000 that

she made from the crime which made headlines around the world.

Back in front of the cameras and still it seems with no regrets.

It all started with that huge search operation back in 2002 `

when John Darwin went missing in his canoe in the North Sea.

His wife Anne collected more than ?500,000 in life insurance payouts,

while he hid at home in Seaton Carew.

Then that famous photograph emerged, showing the couple together

in Panama, when he was supposed to be dead.

They were both sentenced to six years in prison and ordered to pay

back the money they'd conned out of the insurance companies.

Before today's hearing, John Darling had been claiming

benefits and he has only paid back ?121 of the ?679,000 he owed.

In recent months, he had received lump`sum payments

through to pensions he had received during his time as a teacher

That is where this ?40,000 has come from.

The police claimed this wasn't the end and Darwin still owed ?639,000

from the money he made when he lied to the life insurance companies.

And detectives said they were still seeking that money.

Mr Darwin is still yet to fully satisfy

If he comes into assets in the future we will seek to speak

to him again until of money is paid in full.

People think he has got off quite easily.

We have identified ?40,000 on this occasion and if we identify

further assets in the future, we will ask the court to revisit the

The court heard Darwin's ex`wife Anne has already repaid more than

?500,000 from the money she made and the authorities are still

Detectives said criminals like the Darwins should be warned that the

money they made will be recovered and the crimes they committed will

Why has and had to pay back, but John has not paid back all of it. It

has been easier to get the money back from there because he was

supposed to be dead. All the money went into her name. The properties

and insurance all went to hear so it was easier for that. The ?700,000

that he made, detectives say they believe you got that over the course

of four years but they don't believe he has the money today. They were

saying that when that money comes, if he does get it, they will look to

claw some of that back. The reality is that unless something dramatic

happens they won't get anything like this ?600,000 he still owes.

The Japanese train builder, Hitachi has given contracts to 35 regional

companies involved in building its new factory at Newton Aycliffe.

The company says its part of a pledge to keep its supply chain

"as local as possible," and comes on the day when it

revealed the progress being made in building the County Durham plant.

Here's our Business Correspondent, Ian Reeve.

Hitachi let us film its new train`building factory

for no other reason than to say "it's finally here."

A ten year`long plan being made flesh.

It's already won two contracts to replace aging rolling stock,

We are looking at all of the electrification projects that

The massive investment of the government has put an end in

We are looking at all of those projects and all of those contracts.

But the owner of the site wants it to become even bigger.

A centre for train building, with suppliers all

around the plant, creating more than the 700 already promised jobs.

For a number of years people have talked about it.

The contracts were signed but what we are now seeing is a reality.

Work has gone ahead on site and we see that as a catalyst

for the development of the rest of the site as well.

The Hitachi project has already seen some spin`offs.

Neil's fabrication company in tiny Middleton in Teesdale has

seen just one of 35 regional contracts placed by Hitachi.

His business has supplied the fencing around the site,

It kind of gives us a bit of interest in the site

We're not just their doing another job.

It is a job there to be recognised for years down the line.

And not too many years down the line.

2016, in fact, should see the first trains coming

New research claims In Vitro Fertilisation services in the

The fertility campaign group ` IVF Yes ` says couples in our region are

six times more likely to conceive through IVF than in the South East.

They claim there's a postcode lottery when it comes to accessing

Sunderland is recovering from One Direction mania.

The world's biggest boyband performed at the Stadium of Light

More than 50,000 fans attended, making it the highest`profile event

It's hoped the success of the gig will help attract more

The creation of a community centre which won ?500,000 of lottery

funding ` may not go ahead, because of an electricity cable.

It was hoped preparatory work would begin soon on the site in

But the local group behind the scheme says it's being held back

by ongoing negotiations about the cost of moving the overhead cable.

Electricity North West ` which will be responsible for taking

it down ` say it's doing all it can to move the project forward.

But the future of this power cable appears to be putting

the creation of a community centre and shop in Ennerdale at risk.

It has to be removed and re`routed before

But the Ennerdale Centre team says Electricity North West has failed to

offer them an affordable and acceptable solution.

They are limiting our ability to deliver our project.

If that is not David and Goliath I don't know what is.

They are a barrier to this community making

Somebody from the Cabinet office visited a couple weeks back.

He was collecting evidence of those sorts of barriers where

local communities were coming up against bureaucracies, and as

When making their bid for ?500,000 of lottery funding, they were told

But the community group asked for another apparently easier

solution to be considered, which would run through a trench provided

by the centre, rather than over the poles in neighbours' gardens.

Now we have the proposition of not enough money and certainly

not within the timescale that the Lottery want us to meet.

We are caught in a difficult situation.

We have an electricity cable and absurd bills.

If the work can't be done for the original price quoted and the

electricity company can't get their site to do it before September, then

it looks like the community centre, with years of planning and hard

A spokesman for the company said the company would not be interviewed

on the project as it felt had no case to answer.

He explained the quotes have been provided at the request of

the community and the prices reflect the cost of the work involved.

The company says it will continue to work with the community to find

Now, how well`up are you on children's TV programmes?

If not, then Newsround and Blue Peter must, surely?

Well, they're all broadcasting live from Tyneside.

Because the BBC's children's channel CBBC ` has launched three days

of programmes and events on Gateshead Quayside.

Our correspondent, Peter Harris ` who doesn't have a Blue Peter badge

One of the highlights was a speaking dog. He was one of the highlights

because a speaking dog. He was one of the highlights because the kids

we also had a live Blue Peter on the main stage. We'll be speaking more

about that but first, here is one I made earlier. This is one way to

make kids like vegetables. Why it up and turn it to a musical instrument.

This is the road show, a bit like a carnival but were some of the bigger

names in modern children's TV thrown in. The kids have the new proud?

They have. The Geordie families in general. It has been a great place.

Once the weather `ese, the crowds came in and a chance to take part in

a live television. This is a rehearsal denied's Blue Peter. It is

a number of shows which will go out live. I can't recognise the

presenters. Star of the show today was this dog. He talks and he has

attitude. It was funny when he was trying to get people to make weird

noises. He came up with a lot of funny names and do strange things.

He dresses in strange costumes. Children's TV has a close

relationship with this region. Many of its dramas are made here and the

road show gives a chance for the stars to come here on a stage near

you. I mentioned Blue Peter. The current presenters are joining us

now. Hello there. You have your badges on there. Performing live in

a place like there's compared to the studio, how much of a buzz was that?

We have so many kids here who are of red. We have come to Newcastle, a

city which doesn't get that much attention in the UK and give the

kids an opportunity to make us a tangible thing they can touch. We

felt the energy which was amazing. We were jumping up and down. This

road show a year ago when it was in Leeds, some big opportunity came to

you. It was. I entered a competition to become the next Blue Peter

presenter. I won it last in Leeds and I was selected and I was so

happy. It is quite emotional to be back here, to be the other side of

the camera. Can you get them to produce me with a Blue Peter barge.

You have to own your badge. You have to write into the show `` Blue Peter

barge. It gives people the chance to become a presenter as well as having

a cool badge. Who was a Blue Peter presenter from the 1970s? John

Noakes. Named the dog in the 1980s. Shared a name of a pop star. You are

testing me. Name the famous Blue Peter Gardner from the 70s and

1980s. This is testing me. You got it right. We will be back here

shortly. Whether it's best`selling books,

or the top TV dramas, crime`fiction is something we just

can't get enough of. And many avid readers and viewers,

it seems, want to be crime writers. Well, this weekend sees

the first crime`writing festival in the North East ` at Northumbria

University in Newcastle ` where would`be authors and scriptwriters

will mingle for inspiration ` And as Gerry Jackson explains

for tonight's Look North Report, it's the little details that can

make all the difference. Few of us like to think about our

own mortality or that of our loved ones, but let's face it, we're quite

happy to be entertained ` by death. And the startling number of people

killed off on our TV and cinema screens, not to mention in novels,

makes dying a thriving business. Just look at the number of recent

crime successes on television. Whether American epics, Nordic noir,

or home`grown homicide. Of course, not all crime fiction

needs a body count, but if you pardon the expression,

it won't do you any harm. So crime is

a competitive business and not just People watch so many crime dramas,

one kind or the other. They are very quick at picking up clues and also

seen when something is not right. In something in accurate was in the

middle of the plot in the region is `` readers stumbled over it, you

would lose their belief. Experts like these will be

at this weekend's conference What do we have here. They died if

you hours ago. When it comes a film and television these days every

little detail can be vital. Things like the diameter of the blood

next`day body. It is important in relation to crime fiction when

writing it. People go to great lengths to betray the right details

for the right location. Ultimately that is what we do. We look for

that. Even a make believe we need to get this right? Yes. This is why you

need the experts. You will find the most high`profile crime writers

collaborating with us. There's a system of the major crime writers

and it keeps them on their toes. It also gives them many more devices to

explore. These people could be ex`detectives, real`life lawyers and

expert trial witnesses, just a sort of help on hand at this conference

at Northumbria University. You have been giving a hardware device and

not accessed it. Will be fine the next crime fiction writer? We do

like them to be a bit of a maverick. We like them to be flawed characters

because we are flawed and we identify with them. The reason we

like them is because they impose order on chaos and that is what we

would all like to do. Now, while fans of the Boy Band,

One Direction, were getting ready for the first of the support acts

at the Stadium of Light last night, Sunderland were announcing a

two`year`deal for the man who guided them to Premier League

safety against all the odds. So Gus Poyet won't be moving back to

the South Coast with Southampton He's been described as a miracle

worker ` and after masterminding Sunderland's great escape ` there's

renewed joy on Wearside as head coach Gus Poyet's signed a two`year

deal to stay at the Stadium of Light I was over the moon. I thought he

might go to Southampton. Luckily he has signed. It is great. Good news

for the city. And for the club and bands. It has given everybody hope

because when are now looking forward. We are not looking

backwards or stagnating. Any manager who gets us to a cup final and stays

in the premiership is fantastic. Sunderland won just under a third

of their league games under Poyet ` but despite this,

what the Uruguyan achieved with the Black Cats last season may not

be repeated anytime soon. Looking destined for relegation, he

led them to Premier League survival with an impressive four wins in a

row towards the end of the season. He also notched up two derby

victories, led them to the League Cup final

and the FA Cup quarter finals too. It is good. We have changed managers

far too often we just got us in a bad situation. It was a panic

sacking of Martin O'Neill. Then we were miles behind, bottom of the

league. It has taken quite a long time to get back on track. It is

just reward that he should be allowed another couple of seasons to

see what he can do. The crew were packing up to leave the stage. Gus

Poyet is now settling into the long term. The challenge is now to bring

Premier league stability to Sunderland.

Meanwhile former Sunderland striker Ryan Noble is one of eleven players

released by defeated Conference play`off finalists Gateshead.

Multi gold medal`winning Paralympian Dame Sarah Storey has been confirmed

as one of the big names to be racing in the Curlew Cup in Northumberland

next month as part of the Virgin Money Cyclone Festival of Cycling.

Finally, tonight's regional speedway derby between Redcar

and Berwick has been postponed as has Workington's Premier League

fixture at Sheffield, which has also fallen foul of the weather.

Latest news of Durham v Lancashire in the T20 cricket, though,

Time to head back to Gateshead now and rejoin Peter Harris for more

Peter, plenty more to come to entertain

There is. It is nice and bright now. It was chaotic before. Let's hear

from Joel, the director. You have quite a relationship with this

region. Lots of dramas here. What is the attraction? There has always

been a heritage year. Lots of people remember Byker Grove. For the past

four years we have made a lot of children's shows here. We come here

because it is a great place to make shows. We have great crews and

actors and locations. Tell us about this event. We have another few days

to go. So much going on? Pandemonium earlier. It is brilliant. The thing

about see BBC is it is the one you can get involved in. You can be on

our programmes and writing and with events like best you can come and be

on the television. We have had thousands of kids here and I'm

hoping that if the weather is nice tomorrow we will have even more

tomorrow. It is so important to provide quality children's TV. It is

the most important thing. It is also important. We are based on the other

side of England in Salford but right here to make programmes that involve

kids from all over the UK, so we think it is important to get out on

the road and me children where they live. Thank you for joining us. Two

days to go. It has been a good day today, but the weather may have kept

some people away. Let's find out if it will be better for the next

couple of days. The weather wasn't brilliant today. But I saw so many

smiling faces today. Let us take a look at the satellite pictures. The

cloud was reluctant to break today. A few glimpses there, but generally

things stay cloudy. It is still cloudy as we head into this evening.

Overnight back cloud still figuring out the odd spot of rain through the

early part of the night, but it will become more broken allowing a few Ms

patches the form. It will be cooler than most days, temperatures down to

seven Celsius `` mist patches. Tomorrow is bright and dry. Good

news for the kids coming here. Glimpses of blue sky and sunshine

from time to time. Very light winds tomorrow so it should feel warmer as

well. We will see high of 17 Celsius. Take a look at the

preciously grinned as we head into the weekend. You will see the high

pressure is in charge through Friday and Saturday, but by Sunday we have

a low weather system turning things more changeable as we head for the

second half of the weekend. The weekend outlook if you're out and

about see Saturday dry and bright. Temperatures making 18 Celsius so it

should feel warm when the sun does come out. Sunday sees the cloud

figuring out in the west, eventually some patchy rain into Cumbria but

not before temperatures in Gateshead will hit 18 degrees. All in all it

is not looking too bad over the next few days. A fairly quiet spell of

weather and good news for the crowds here. That is how it is looking here

in Gateshead this evening. Hundreds of smiling faces on their way home

this evening. Peter and I are a little bit disappointed there was no

sign of Valerie Singleton. We are showing our age. Back to you too

young things in the studio. Young things? Well, why not. We knew

Valerie Singleton. I am back for the late news update at 10:25pm. By then

I'll. `` bye for now.