17/06/2014 Look North (North East and Cumbria)

following a breakthrough in relations. -- in Iran.

Hello and welcome to Tuesday's Look North.

Seven years for an off duty taxi driver

who killed a Sunderland teenager. He'd defied driving bans nine times.

The full of anger at the molent I would say, because they havd lost

their daughter. How a green deal to help

cut energy bills left this pensioner

out of pocket. Protests at county hall over plans

for a new opencast site And a "ruff" deal

for dogs entering a Lakeland show. They can't show off

skills like these due to fears over

health and safety. In sport, we'll meet

the athlete who's taken Injury wrecked her chances of

a place at the 2012 Olympics but Wearsider Alyson Dixon

will soon be stepping out A list of convictions

as long as your arm, and he'd defied driving bans

nine times previously. Yet David Baillie wasn't only

back on the roads, he even got a licence

to work as a taxi driver. Tonight he's starting

a seven`year prison sentencd having now been convicted of

causing death by dangerous driving. A fit of road rage led to hhm

knocking down and killing 17`year`old

Sarah Burke as she walked from college

to her home in Sunderland. Our Chief Reporter Chris

Stewart has the story. Sarah was an art student,

and a very good one. And her life was ended

when 40`year`old Baillie decided It happened here

on this busy bus route was trying to bully a driver

in a smaller car. And then he thought he'd put

his foot down to overtake, from a position so close to

the smaller car he couldn't possibly have sden

what was ahead. Sarah did not stand a chancd. David

Baillie was not even watching where he was going, instead steerhng

sideways at the other driver, trying to intimidate him. As she l`y on the

ground he didn't jump out of his car, but not to help save. He jumped

out to shout at the other driver, who had done absolutely nothing

wrong. Leaving court this afternoon,

Sarah's parents. Still trying to

work out how a man with so many previous convictions

was on the road at all. The included 12 thefts or attempted

theft of vehicles, six of t`king vehicles without consent, nhne of

driving while disqualified, and two of dangerous driving, those last one

is considered so serious th`t they each earned him a spell in prison.

Yet he was given a licence `s a taxi driver.

And that's something which is causing concern.

That is an issue, I know thd police are taking it up with the Chty

Council regarding the licensing department. We will have to see what

the outcome of that is. That must be something particularly tough for the

family? Definitely. The famhly are brokenhearted. And full of `nger at

the moment I would say. The judge said Baillie had simply

tried to deceive the jury. David Bailey is an extremelx

devious, manipulative and controlling character. He sought to

offset any responsibility for this collision on anyone else th`t could

get into his firing line. So a sentence in prison

for the killer. Sarah's family say it's

a sentence of grief for thel Chris, what have Sunderland City

Council had to say? BC the decision was based on Department for

Transport advice. That was the case with David Baillie, all well and

good. But the important world is advice, that is all it was, advice,

it is not an absolute rule. It is not as austere's family seehng that,

the Department of are seeing that. Let's be honest, would anybody had

his licence? One more thing, the his licence? One more thing, the

Council refers to David Wilson, not Council refers to David Wilson, not

David Baillie. I have found out this afternoon, but he was in thd habit

of using different surnames. Something which might have raised

suspicion. I did very much want to talk about this on camera whth the

council but they would not provide me with anybody to interview. Thank

you for that at least. A Russian student at Newcastle

University has appeared in court charged in connection with

two bomb scares. 18`year`old Vladimir Aust w`s

arrested in London last Tuesday as a bomb squad team examindd

substances found in the University. He is accused of making an dxplosive

substance and of carrying two lock knives near the Russian embassy

in Bayswater Road in central London. Aust was remanded in custodx

when he appeared at A Northumberland man waiting to

hear if he'll have to stand trial in India has had his case

adjourned again. Nick Dunn from Ashington

is accused, along with five others, of entering Indian waters illegally

last October on an anti`pir`cy ship. He's been on bail in India

since April and hoped to he`r today but a judge has granted

investigators seven more daxs. It's the Government's flagship

policy to cut our energy bills. Under the Green Deal privatd firms

carry out home improvements. The cost is then

paid back gradually. Consumers should still

end up better off as they make big savings

on their energy bills. But one Darlington pensioner's paid

hundreds of pounds under thd Green Deal for a new boiler,

but he has nothing to show for it. Our Political Correspondent Mark

Denten has this exclusive rdport. This is John.

John has an old boiler. It?s 14 years old

and could do with replacing. We were talking about 3000, 400 ,

?500. Which is a lot of mondy to me. But John, from Darlington,

was attracted by a Government scheme

called the Green Deal. Private firms offer energy

improvements to people?s holes. The Green Deal was launched

by the Government in 2013. than the saving they make

on energy bills. But last month it emerged jtst

1% of households have signed up But it seemed like the way

for John to get a new boiler. Back in April a salesman from this

firm, Tivium, visited John's home. He signed up for a Green De`l

assessment and paid ?299 but within a day John decided it wasn't for him

after all and asked for his money. We returned the cancellation form a

recorded delivery. After about seven or ten days I rang up and s`id, I

have cancelled it, what is happening about my refund? They said we had

not received a cancellation. I said that is very strange becausd I have

a Post Office track record of it. It is signed for. Or, we will have to

send you another form. They cashed my cheque after I cancelled the

contract. He has not had his money back since April, almost ?300, this

is a lot of money. To keep his money for that length of time is

unacceptable and they should return it immediately.

The firm which shares officds in this building in Swallwell

near Gateshead say they havd many satisfied customers

and offer good value for money. They say John will get his loney.

We have over 12,000 customers in the UK, and even if a small proportion

of those customers wish to have a refund, there are different

processes we have to considdr as part of that. The first one is, a 14

day cooling off period, and to process the request. In John's

case, it is a relatively straightforward claim. So why

couldn't he have that money back in less time? He is in acute if you

want. Can pensioners have money taken away and wait for a bhg

growing company like yours to pay it back? I do empathise with hhm and

apologise for him not receiving his refund quicker. We endeavour to try

and offer our services as qtickly as possible.

And John? Well, he still has his old boiler.

And he's still waiting for his money back.

That is one example of the Green Deal going wrong, but there is a

wider picture? That is the number of people signing up to it, or the lack

of people signing up to it. The government announced a second round

of the Green Deal, ?120 million has been set aside for that rev`mped

programme. Individual cases like John's is not exactly going to help

encourage the message of take`up. Just today, the chap at the top of

the Green Deal, Mark Bailey, told a committee of MPs that an incredibly

useful source of finance is the Green Deal. The challenge is to get

a good product to customers. Around 23% of the public recognise the

Green Deal. Crucially, he could not tell whether that awareness was

positive or negative. You c`n have your sale on the Green Deal on

Facebook. The address is on your screen.

Health trusts across Northern England are being asked to

at the West Cumberland Hosphtal in Whitehaven.

The chief executive of the North Cumbria hospital Trust has

written to them urgently repuesting speciality doctors to work hn

acute medicine and emergency admissions.

The Trust says it's facing ?very real recruitment challenges?.

An outbreak of sickness at a school in Cumbria

90 pupils at Beaconside Primary in Penrith

were struck with gastroenteritis last week.

Public Health England says it's unclear what's caused

the outbreak but says it's not connected to food preparation.

Plans for an opencast coal line in countryside near Durham City

went before county councillors this lunchtime.

A local company planned to extract coal from farmland

close to the village of Low Pittington.

Perhaps unsurprisingly the locals were vigorously opposed

to the plans and staged a protest outside County Hall today.

Yes, this is the site where the company wants to extract 500,00 ``

half a million tonnes of co`l. The people living locally cdrtainly

did not expect the miners to come back. The message here is pretty

clear, these people have lived in the village for 50 years. They were

finally planning to sell up, then the opencast application was lodged.

Absolutely horrified. You ndver in a million years thought they would

even contemplate having an opencast clear. I think it is absolutely mad.

We have got lovely, lush countryside. To spoil it with an

opencast. The site is 150 acres of farmland bordered by the National

cycle route. Jean's home looks straight out on the planned heaps

for the mine. Who can live with all that noise with the trucks? And the

dust? They say that will not happen, but it will happen! It will. Now you

can see which way the wind hs blowing. South westerly, thdn it

blows east to North, so we're going to get it all, everything is going

to be really dusty. Residents travelled to Durham this afternoon

to hear the planning committee's verdict. Which was rejection of the

plans. To these women's delhght Great joy, joy, joy! Did yot expect

the result? You don't know which way it was going to go. It is f`ntastic.

It was tight, yes, it was. But they voted against it, so we will see

what the next step is. Hargreaves Mining must now decide whether an

appeal is worthwhile. Will ` planning inspector back thel with

local councillors will not? Hargreaves told me tonight that they

are surprised and disappointed by the decision I councillors. The

planners recommended approv`l, so Hargreaves are going to dechde

whether or not to appeal. Thank you.

The world of sheep shearing at the Great Yorkshire Show

has been one reserved for mdn, until now.

there will be women sheep shearer competitions.

One of those taking part is Alice Petch from Stokesley.

Phil Chapman's been to see her at work.

The ones who have already h`d their hair cut for the summer do not seem

too impressed. But the sheer scale of Alice 's task is not for the

sheepish. She has 1200 sheep to sheer, and she gets in training to

become one of the first fem`le sheep Shearer 's at the Great Yorkshire

Show next month. You don't have to be physically strong, it is about

technique. You do not have to be big and hefty. Just if you know how to

hold a sheep and get the will of as quick and as cleanly as cardfully as

possibly, you cannot hear too much about how you look. Your hahr and

nails and everything, if yot're going out, you have to make an

effort, but I get a lot of bruises on my arms and legs. But it is all

worth it to get women into the sheep shearing competition after xears of

the Great Yorkshire Show. To have a specific competition for wolen is

something New Forest. And whth the likes of Alice, there are is a new

generation of sheep shearing women coming through and we wanted to

recognise that. Alice is grdat at it, for a girl. A lot of thd sheep

are heavier than she is. It is no problem for Alice. And Alicd gave us

a sneak preview of her technique. They come up the ramp, and H can

pull them out. I set them on their, then straight onto their legs. Onto

the left leg. Some people can do this a lot faster

than me. Another one done. H am not sure why she is looking so worried,

Alice. She is a complete professional, and she has only got

another 1000 sheep to do. A mammoth task, isn't it? Coming up

next, why competitors will not be taking the biscuit at the Kdswick

dog show. Clocking up the mhles meet the runners who believd they

are the oldest relay team in the country.

At high out to the west of the UK dominates, but temperature records

will not be broken. All of the details later.

Frisbee catching has been dropped from a Cumbrian dog show after

health and safety advice suggested canine competitors could get hurt.

The forthcoming Scruffs Dog Show in Keswick had included a prize

for the highest frisbee jump as well as for the highest biscuit catch.

Agile as any athletes. Montx regularly practice his frisbee

catching in this park in Keswick. But sadly he will not get to display

his skills at the town's dog show this weekend. It is because his

category has been deemed too dangerous. That, along with biscuit

catching and the highest le`p. It has happened elsewhere wherd dogs

have had various injuries. We were advised that it might not bd the

best thing to have these categories on the grounds of dog health and

safety. So even though that maybe a rather strange idea, we dechded to

pool the event, because the last thing we wanted was dogs getting

injured on a fun day. The town decided to hold the event after it

was named the most dog friendly place in the UK by the Kenndl Club.

The list of events that can be entered by dogs is still vast.

Smiley is dog, the dog with the longest tail, the dog with the

wackiest deal, the dog with the longest years, the best beh`ved

dog. Shortest legs. We have still got a biscuit catching compdtition

but the dogs have to be sat on the ground. Is it more of a test of

human throwing? I think so, but we will see how it goes. For Monty

frisbee remains his first love, even if it has to remain a hobby. And as

long as there are plenty of people to throw it for him. Do I gdt a

biscuit for that? What have you got tonight for us?

England's team for the Commonwealth Games was announced last night.

In the squad, marathon runner Alyson Dixon,

And with perfect timing, thd Great North 10k gives her a chance

to warm up for Glasgow alongside hundreds of others,

who each have their own reason for being there.

I am Amy, and I am running for multiple sclerosis research. I am

running for the OBE trust. H am running for the sport found`tion. I

am running for Mind. It's been a long,

lonely road to the top, But Alyson Dixon's overcome the

disappointment of missing ott on a place at the London Olympics to lead

the England challenge in Scotland. I knew the Olympics was going to be

a long shot, having a broken foot six months beforehand, but H gave it

my best shot. Since then, I refocused on the Commonwealth

Games, did everything I could into getting that time. Ended up being

currently the fastest English girl within the qualifying period and

rewarded with the call`up. The Great North 10k

is a couple of weeks It's the perfect warm`up for Alyson,

but she won't be catching the Metro to join the rest of the field

in Gateshead. I will run from Sunderland `long to

the start line, do the 10k. It is the last long work`out.

Dedication like that deserves a medal.

Onto football, and the deal we told you about last night has

gone through, Sunderland agreeing to sign the Romanian goalkedper

Costel Pantilimon on a four`year deal, when his

contract with Manchester City runs out at the end of the lonth.

But the World Cup could alrdady be over for the Black Cats' striker,

Jozy Altidore, who damaged a hamstring

in the USA's win over Ghana last night.

Middlesbrough's Alber Adomah was in the Ghanian side,

and there was frustration for former Newcastle striker Shola Ameobi,

who had a couple of late ch`nces in Nigeria's goalless draw with Iran.

Meanwhile, back home, the draw was made today

for the first round of the Capital One League Cup.

Carlisle have the pick of the ties with

a home game against Championship play`off finalists Derby Cotnty

The Premier League clubs, including Newcastle United, and Sunderland,

who reached Wembley in last season's competition, of cotrse

Onto cricket, and in the First Division of the County Championship,

Durham have set Lancashire ` victory target of 340 at Chester`le`Street.

Lancashire will go into tomorrow's final day on 41`2. On Day To,

Yorkshire reached 208`3. They call themselves

"The Antiques Roadshow." Five runners with a combined age

of 379 who believe they're the The men say they want to

show others how easy it is And now they're

looking for other teams Stuart Whincup caught up

with them in training. Marathon men at the peak of

their physical fitness. But even the greatest

atheletes have to overcome Long`time diabetic, four injections

a day. I am fitted with a p`cemaker. Heart palpitations. People like

this. They do weekly park runs, 5ks, 0ks,

half and full marathons. Transformed my life. You do not have

to be a world champion or anything, just start off, jogging and walking.

I enjoyed coming out every Saturday morning and running around here I

am at the point where I do not use a stopwatch. I use a calendar. It is

magnificent, it really is. The good thing about it is it is onlx

competitive to a certain extent It is not a race, you only racd against

yourself. they want to find another tdam

to race against. These lads started from a rdal age

full stop we are the best. We have prepared the team. Wherever We will

travel, camaraderie is fant`stic. My wife will tell you that I al not a

sociable person, but since H have come here I have made so many

friends. Training almost over,

finally there's a sense of relief. but keeping up with them

hasn't been easy. Go, Stewart! He is probably still

there. Watching birds with xou tonight, poll.

Here is a little selection from the month so far. Here is a gross using

the while as a vantage point. And a young woodpecker learning the ropes

from its parents. And a lovdly action shot, this arctic turn making

a fair amount of noise. And this young bird, a tiny blue tipped

chick. And here is a pigeon, a puddle and a derelict site on

Teeside. Tonight, there are one to shower showers around, 12 hdavy

showers across parts of Cumbria They will die away leaving ` cloudy

picture. Thicker cloud and Dast with some drizzly rain overnight. A very

mild night, temperatures at about 12 Celsius. A bit grey tomorrow, still

some drizzly rain in the East. But the cloud should start to lhft and

break again, and we should see some sunny spells developed throtgh the

afternoon. Those sunny spells might trigger one or two sharp showers.

Inland areas will be warm again 23 Celsius. Yet again, near thd

north`east coast, you are more likely to stick in the mid to high

teens. High`pressure in charge of the weather over the next fdw days,

but it is a fairly cloudy high`pressure. The wind alw`ys

drifting down from a northerly direction. Temperatures are not

going to be spectacular. Mostly dry, fair amount of cloud around for much

of the time. If you are out and about over the next few days, there

will be sunshine tomorrow, `nd it will feel warm in the sunshhne.

Thursday onwards, things will feel a little bit cooler. On Thursday, a

weak weather front goes through Even when the sun is out on Thursday

and Friday, temperatures making it up to the high teens rather than the

low 20s. The low`pressure `` high`pressure holding on through the

weekend. Most places should stay dry other than the odd rogue show. Keep

your weather pictures coming, and keep up`to`date with the forecast on

the BBC weather app. Thank you very much for that. Let's

have a look at the headlines. The prime minister says the Isl`mist

extremists fighting in Afgh`nistan and Iraq represents the biggest

threat to Britain's securitx. And the man who floated nind driving

bans and ran down a 17`year`old girl had been allowed a taxi licdnce by

Sunderland Council. He has been given a prison sentence. Th`t is it

from Look North this Tuesdax. The late news is attentive to 5pm.

Ignite. `` the late news is at 10:25pm. Good night.