30/08/2011 Midlands Today

Hello and welcome to Midlands Today with Nick Owen and Suzanne Virdee.

The headlines tonight: The couple who earned �200,000 from

selling counterfeit DVDs over the internet.

With house prices expected to go up, fears a whole generation will be

excluded from the housing market. When you're renting, you never know

when somebody is going to tell you you have to move. It is difficult.

Birmingham City owner Carson Yeung given clearance to visit the UK as

he awaits trial on money laundering charges in Hong Kong.

And setting their sights for 12 months' time, the Paralympics

hopefuls take aim. I could be walking into that arena at the

opening ceremony in London knowing Welcome to Tuesday's Midlands Today.

A factory worker's been jailed for 21 months for making thousands of

fake DVD's at his home in the Black Country. Simon Evans sold pirate

copies of Hollywood films over the internet earning more than �200,000

in a six year period. His wife laundered the profits which paid

for expensive foreign holidays, a house extension and even a family

wedding. Giles Latcham reports. In the dark jacket, avoiding the

camera, Simon Evans, whose counterfeiting raked in tens of

thousands but ultimately cost his his liberty. If you just like to

come in... In a lock up in West Bromwich, the tools of his illicit

trade, computer equipment... could probably burn off a DVD and

about 20 minutes, so you can do a considerable number in a small room.

And the DVDS. From Hollywood blockbusters, to childrens films,

pornography, computer games, which brought in not far off a quarter of

a million pounds in six years. Sales were conducted on the

internet from an elaborately disguised website. This particular

gentleman was using a website which had been set up to look like a

fishing call. There was a level of security, and a level of deception.

-- a fishing pool. They turned their house and recount the tin

factory. Simon Evans admitted all the charges against him and his

wife admitted laundering the profits. Despite what people

thought, Judge said that copyright theft was not a victimless crime

and the counterfeiting had amounted to Horsell fraud on a commercial

scale. He jailed Simon Evans the 21 months and gave his mark -- and if

his wife a 36 weeks suspended sentence plus 100 hours of

community work. In the dock, she wept as a husband was taken down.

In the UK, the market for pirated DVDs is reckoned to be worth �200

million a year and plenty are attempted. I am sure there are

people out there like that family, but the sense that is wrong message

to them that if you're thinking about it, think twice, because you

are certainly going to end up in prison. The counterfeiting paid for

Well, we're joined now from London by Kieron Sharpe, the director

general of FACT, the Federation Against Copyright Theft. Good

evening. First of all... Can you give us a sense of the scale of the

problem across the UK? It is a huge problem and it gives but as

technology improves. People are taking from content from the

internet for free and selling it to others, and it is causing a massive

problem for the audio-visual industry in the UK. The trouble is,

many people attempted as it seems a bargain to buy. That is the first

sign that you shouldn't be buying it, because if it is a big bargain,

it cannot be legitimate. sentences given out today, 36 weeks

in jail for 20 What -- and 21 months. Are they enough of a

deterrent? They and the -- sending somebody to prison is a good

deterrent. What are you doing to tackle this problem? We are looking

at those people making those films and TV content available and

distributing them. That is the area we are attacking. Thank you for

joining us. Good to have you with us this

evening here on Midlands Today. Later, the new school, just about

A surgeon from Staffordshire who travelled to his Libyan homeland to

treat casualties during the revolution says he plans to set up

two charitable hospitals. Ramadan Atewah helped save dozens of lives

in Misrata and Benghazi. He's now returned to work as a cardio-

thoracic surgeon at the University Hospital of North Staffordshire and

has been speaking to our Staffordshire reporter, Liz Copper.

All smiles, back home with his family in North Staffordshire,

Ramadan Atewah made four trips this year to Libya. Here he is at a

hospital in Misrata dealing with casualties from the frontline.

injuries I have seen, I have seen everything you can imagine. It is

really horrifying. And very innocent people. These people are

not fighting him. Maybe he disagrees with the fighters, but

these people, they were in their homes and cities. And as these

pictures from Tripoli show, there's still a desperate need for doctors'

skills. Mr Atewah plans to return to lend his support again. We are

looking to re-establish a state of order. And a state of science and a

state of fairness. These are pictures Mr Atewah took himself

whilst in Misrata. He was formally thanked by the rebel forces for his

help. His family are also proud of the contribution he made. Everyone

thought of it with apprehension because it wasn't safe at the time

when he went. But we always knew that, like, it was something he

wanted to do. We were not going to stop him because he wanted to go.

There was a feeling of pride through the family. When you see

these pictures, it breaks your heart. It was a stressful time. But,

I mean, there is still atrocities going on, but it is all for the

best, and it is all paying off, hopefully, and getting better.

family, following the revolution, is both reunited and relieved.

Meanwhile, a Libyan hospital doctor, who lives in Warwickshire, has

returned to his homeland to help with the treatment of people caught

up in the revolution. Earlier, I spoke to Dr Khaled Sherlala, who's

using his annual leave from University Hospital, Coventry, and

he began by telling me about discovering a massacre of Colonel

Gaddafi's prisoners. I was told about the scene in a brigade. There

were burnt bodies of the prisoners. That was horrendous. You went

there? I went there myself. I took voters from my camera. We saw the

burnt bodies. That was very shocking and distressing. Prisoners,

the guards burned them. The people who escaped told us that when the

guards left, they shot them, the guards shot them, and burned them.

It is shocking. I have never seen anything in movies like that, even

if. What about supplies like water and food and medical supplies?

biggest problem at the moment is water. There is no water in lots of

places. That is causing problems. I mean, and people are getting water

from outside. That is a problem that should be sold shortly. I

stressed to any people that were lacking services that I would do

best to get what are back to them because of the hygiene and so on. -

- to get water back to them. have been inside Colonel Gaddafi's

compound, have you not? Yes. And the hospital compound. Although it

was damaged at that time because it is so big. It was very well-

equipped. The rooms were very high class rooms. Whereas the public

hospitals lacked lots of things. He kept everything for himself and

gave the people very little. wish you well and thank you for

talking to us. Thank you very much. The Birmingham City owner Carson

Yeung will be allowed to travel to the UK next month while he waits to

go on trial on money laundering charges in Hong Kong. A judge has

doubled his bail to over $1 million so he can travel to Birmingham

between September 15th and 19th. He's previously been denied

permission because of concerns he might abscond. Our Correspondent

Andrew Wood was at today's hearing in Hong Kong. His report contains

some flash photography. Carson Yeung had been expected to

plead guilty or not guilty in court today to those five charges of

money-laundering but in the end the district court judge said that he

didn't have to do that. His lawyers took the opportunity to ask the

judge to change the conditions of bail so that Carson Yeung, who

cannot leave Hong Kong, could travel to Britain from the 15th-

19th September. He had tried to get a change in conditions of bail in

order so that he could be at Birmingham City's first game of the

season which was refused. The judge was more sympathetic this time and

his lawyers said he had to be there because he had to -- he had a duty

to shareholders and the fans, and the players, and wanted to consult

with them. So, he now has to deposit an extra �400,000 in cash

with the court within seven days. He will be allowed to go back to

Britain just for this four day trip. The main trial is expected now to

start early next year, probably February. Two more men have been

arrested for the killing three men. They died on Dudley Road earlier

this month. A 29 and a 30-year-old from Birmingham were arrested by

detectives this afternoon on suspicion of murder. Five other men

have already been charged with murder.

The number of homeowners in the West Midlands could fall by 9% in

the next decade, according to a report out today. The National

Housing Federation say that without investment in affordable housing,

prices in the region will rise by 15% in the next four years. And

average private sector rents could rise by 20%. So just how tough is

it for people looking to climb on to the property ladder? Ben Sidwell

has spent the day in Worcester trying to find out.

Building the homes of the future in Worcester. This development by the

River Severn began in 2004. When work is completed in seven years'

time, there'll be 455 new apartments and houses on this site.

I would like to find out about... This family is finding it tough

making their first upon to the property ladder. Because we are

renting and we are spending a certain amount of money on a

regular basis monthly to pay the rent, we are not able to save 20%

of the value of the house or any property, really. It is very

difficult. Richard as property here is �145,000 for it on the

department which means that potential first-time buyers are

likely to need at around �30,000 deposit before they are even given

a mortgage. The biggest problem is deposit levels. The culture of

saving for deposits has not always been there. They have are now

finding it quite difficult. Worcester City Council say that the

number of affordable houses built has fallen slightly. That is

expected to rise of the next to make years, though. They say that

in partnership with the homes and communities agency, they

endeavoured to fulfil their full quota of affordable housing. Andrew

Grant has been an estate agent in the City for 40 years. It is up.

The average age of the first-time buyer will probably be 388 -- 38

years old. The number of people wanting to buy houses is enormous,

greater than five years ago. They all want it on to the ladder but

don't know how to do it and may need help from the banks, who are

really making life very difficult for them. With house prices

expected to start rising soon, people wanting to buy their first

house in the City look like they will need to start saving.

Well, joining me from a housing development in Birmingham now is

Gemma Duggan, lead manager for the National Housing Federation in the

West Midlands. Just how serious is the situation? We are calling it a

housing crisis for reason. It is very serious. Every one of your

viewers will probably know somebody who is struggling with housing

costs, whether it is the housing crisis or rent prices, although

it's a magazine of the social housing waiting lists. We have seen

some examples in the reports we have shown of how difficult it is

to get on a ladder. Deposits are the big problem, it seems. Yes, it

is a big problem. They are around 20% on average. Most families

cannot afford that whilst also paying rent. Rents will increase

further over the next five years by around 20% in the lowest Midlands -

- in the West Midlands which will price people out of buying a house

and the rental market, which leaves a whole generation of people with

very few options. It is a very frightening thought, so what is

your advice to people tried to get onto the housing ladder? We are

working with housing associations to try to get more supply on the

ladder. -- onto the housing market. The key is to get people into home

ownership and to increase supply. Then we can decrease costs. Thank

you for talking to us. Still to come this evening:

Remembering Tamworth's forgotten hero, a courageous survivor of the

Charge of the Light Brigade. And a hint of autumn today but what

has Hurricane Irene got to do with this weekend's weather? All will be

The first Sikh-ethos free school in the country is preparing to open

its doors here in the Midlands. The Nishkam Primary in Birmingham will

be in the first batch of just 24 free schools across the country to

begin teaching children this September. Free schools are state-

funded, but operate outside local authority control, which has

sparked some controversy. Our political reporter Susana Mendonca

has had an exclusive preview of the new school.

The desks are in, so are the books. As are a couple of keen new pupils.

They'll be among 174 four to seven- year-olds in class here in a few

days' time. And this is what they'll be wearing, the kind of

uniform you'd see at any school. But this is not just any school.

It's a free school which, much like the Labour government's academies,

are funded by central government but not run by the local authority.

In this case, it will be run by the Sikh community. This is the man is

leading the way. So you're going to be one of the first free schools,

the coalition's bigger deer, getting communities involved in

running schools. What do you get out of it? We get the opportunity

to extend the curriculum to ensure it is a richer curriculum for

children and we also get the buy-in of the community contributing to

establishing a school, contributing to what is taught in this school.

It is this committee that paid to turn this building around, but some

say that privately set up schools like this should not be getting

cash. The running costs of the school will be money that should

have gone to other local schools as well. If it attracts pupils, they

will be taken from other schools in this area. With pupils going,

monikers as well. The government is already planning more free schools

with 300 applications nationwide with around 30 of those from the

Midlands. The first wave will see 24 open across the country next

week. While Birmingham City Council supports the Nishkam Primary, its

concerned about the proliferation of three schools. That will create

division and has to city rather than the fairness of we have -- the

philosophy we have of inclusive of tea. Inclusivity is a word this

school wants to embrace, although so far it has struggled to attract

non-Sikh pupils. We have a Caribbean member of staff, a Sikh

member of staff. But we also have other members of staff. What it is

is a free school and its challenge now will be to prove the

government's argument that they can push up standards.

Well, Susana's with us now. Labour are accusing the government of a

lack of transparency over free schools, aren't they? The Shadow

education secretary, Andy Burnham, is questioning how the Government's

allocating the money, and he is accusing the government of giving

money to the projects they like and taking money away from mainstream

schools. The Building Schools for the Future programme cancelled last

year as a result of the cuts. There's nothing untoward the wake

of the government is allocating funds, it says, and the new schools

network is doing its job. So, are we likely to see more of these

caused? It is a certainty. At the end of September, the government

will announce the next round of these free schools. They to see

these schools as a way to improve standards. Will it do that? Labour

says there is no evidence to support it, but education is a long

game and it takes a long time to work out whether the policy is

implemented now will reap the results of thereafter.

2012 is not just about the Olympic Games. It's about the Paralympics

as well. For many of those taking part, it will be a story of triumph

over adversity. Nick Clitheroe reports. I've come to

Buckinghamshire where the modern Paralympics began as a

rehabilitation programme for British war veterans with spinal

injuries. It's home to the British

Paralympics shooting team and Pamela Grainger from Shifnal in

Shropshire. Nine years ago, she lost the use of her right arm in a

motorbike accident. Now she's hoping to go to London 2012.

never thought I'd get to the Olympics. I love sport, but I've

never been the best at anything, so to find a sport you are a good at

and passionate about, and you might actually get the Olympics and be

that we a country, and stand on that podium and have the national

anthem played in London... That's Mike rain. -- that is my dream.

did she get here? Well, Pamela is an RAF corporal. She was chosen for

the Battle Back scheme set up by the forces to use sport to

rehabilitate injured personnel. Two years ago, she went to a

Paralympics Talent ID. And a talent was exactly what they found. While

Pamela is hoping to make it to her first games, one of Britain's

finest Paralympians is grateful his own 2012 dreams are still alive.

Lee Pearson from Cheddleton in Staffordshire has won nine dressage

golds across three games but he can't even get on a horse at the

moment after fracturing three vertebrae and crushing another in

his back. If I had gone from the excellent to the hospital and they

said you have broken your back, I would have been mortified, but we

carried on for two weeks after. I am not paralysed. My plan is to

come out in London 2012 like, here I am, and hopefully they threw good

scores at me. Here is Mr famous himself. Not me. Although he'll

miss September's European Championships, Lee will be back

competing later this year and it's made him even more determined to

keep his golden run going in London. That is a brave guy. The River

Stour in Worcestershire is one of the most improved in the country,

according to the Environment Agency. The Stour, which in recent years

has seen the return of salmon and otters, was one of ten highlighted

by the report that looked at rivers across the UK. The report says that

work with farmers and businesses to reduce pollution and improve water

quality had paid off. Firefighters have reminded visitors to the

Malvern Hills in Worcestershire that camp fires are banned after an

unattended fire was discovered. It Reach the fire after they were

alerted by a walker yesterday near the summit of Midsummer Hill.

He's been called "Tamworth's Forgotten Hero". Samuel Parkes was

the oldest recipient of the Victoria Cross for acts of valour

during the Crimean war in the 1850s. You might have heard of the Charge

of the Light Brigade. Well, Samuel survived it and saved the lives of

his comrades. Now, after more than 150 years, finally, a memorial has

been built in his place of birth in Staffordshire. Ben Godfrey has the

When 1930s Hollywood told the infamous story of the Charge of the

Light Brigade, for some, Errol Flynn's gritty performance failed

to capture the harsh realities of the Crimean war. But in the small

village of Wigginton in Staffordshire, this obelisk

memorial tells a new story, free from artistic license. This is the

only known image of Samuel Parkes, a painting of the local lad from

the 4th Light Dragoons, who saved at least two lives when the cavalry

rode into a hail of bullets in 1854. I believe that he was born in one

of these cottages we are walking past. Peter Elkin's the great,

great, great nephew of Samuel Parkes. He's pieced together the

history and even has Samuel's sabre. Wigan has only just outside

Tamworth. That is why he is Tamworths forgotten hero. Nobody

knew anything about him. He has been a forgotten man, until now.

But the memorial wouldn't have been possible without the people of

Wigginton, who raised more than �14,000. It will also carry the

names others who lost their lives during War. We had an abbot evening,

a greasy evening, a curry evening, people did so on Said What --

people that sponsored walks... It is a statement of village community.

Remembrance and pride. Samuel Parkes was the oldest recipient of

the Victoria Cross, he later joined the Police force. Tamworth's

forgotten hero was just 49 when he died. It is so sad that for so many

years he was not known about. This is the absolutely ultimate memorial

for him. Locals are even toasting for Samuel Parkes beard. Samuel

Parkes died a hero in 1864 but was buried in an unmarked pauper's

grave. Today, here, people will know his name and his act of

Never-to-be-forgotten again. He had that Saber! In those days, people

would not known any of those details about war. We get instant

details. The world has a small There is a stillness to the weather

which could be rattled into the weekend as we see some rain. We

will be sitting in some tropical air by that time so although it

feels autumnal, by Friday it will feel very summery with temperatures

rising to 23 possibly. This is why. We have high pressure dominating

which is going to move off. This is the remnants of Hurricane Irene.

But without the damaging effects. It will bring some rain as the

front moves North South eastwards. -- moods North eastwards. Will get

some freezing showers tonight. Where the cloud bricks, we are

beginning to see some late sunshine but right now. That indicates where

the brakes will be. It comes in and goes once again. So, temperatures

could drop to about 8-9 in the coolest spots. In the morning

tomorrow, a dull start, but unlike today, we will see some brighter

spells during the afternoon. It is largely dry, with the odd shower

cropping up along the North of the region but temperatures rise to

about 18, which is slightly higher than today. It will still feel cool.

Then those winds move round to suddenly, drawing and warm air. It

is a dry air with some sunshine with temperatures rising to 20. By

So, summer is not over just it! Tonight's main headlines:

A generation locked out of the housing market. Home ownership's

heading for its lowest level for nearly 30 years.

And a husband's jailed for 21 months and his wife's given a