14/04/2014 North West Tonight

calls for UN peacekeepers to be sent in. That's all from the BBC News

Good evening. Welcome to North West Tonight. Our top story: Fresh claims

of a cover up in the Cyril Smith sex abuse case ` did "higher

authorities" block the investigations? A serving MP claims

police were aware of more than 44 complaints.

Also tonight: 14 years in j`il for the spiteful road rage killdr who

caused the death of another driver. Molly's wishlist ` a visit to the

zoo for the little girl with so much to see before she loses her sight.

And red heaven. Liverpool close in on a first title for a quarter of a

century. There are fresh claims of a cover`up

in allegations of sex abuse against Cyril Smith.

It's been claimed police were aware of more than 144 complaints of abuse

against the former Rochdale MP and another man, still alive today. A

new book by a current North West MP suggests 'higher authorities'

blocked the investigations, allowing Smith to get away with his crimes

for longer. Here's Jayne McCubbin. He was a big character. But was he

too big, too important, to dxpose as a child abuser? This book, by

Rochdale MP Simon Danczuk, has explosive revelations about the

scale of abuse, and about those who knew it was happening but dhd

nothing. Today we spoke to one of the police officers intervidwed He

said they were well aware of abuse. In the 80s he and his colle`gues

were told more than 144 alldgations had been made against Smith and

another high profile name. But there were no convictions. They g`ve it as

an example of just how much evidence you need to get high profild people

convicted ` people with mondy. 44 complaints would be enough to

convict a normal person but not Cyril Smith. ? Officers werd told

not to repeat that informathon. You were curious weren't you, you wanted

to know why ` so you called Rochdale Police... What did they say? They

were frustrated. They were confident the case was watertight. Thdn it

went nowhere. So who knew? Who failed to act? Who told thel not to

act? Today's headlines suggdsted a Liberal Party conspiracy. Nhck Clegg

was quick to respond. This took place well before the party I'm now

leading existed. Before I existed. Just how many boys were abused?

There are calls for a Jimmy Saville style inquiry across all police

forces. Today police confirled Smith is one of 11 suspects they `re now

investigating for abuse at this children's home. Those who were

responsible for the care of these boys ` they are the ones who have

questions to answer about why they were so badly let down. Why weren't

boys protected? A local authority report is published next month. The

police inquiry is ongoing. The former Ribble Valley MP Nigel

Evans says innocent people who are "dragged through the courts"

shouldn't face "financial rtin" after he was cleared of a ntmber of

sex assaults. Speaking on ITV's Daybreak this morning, the

Conservative MP called for the Crown Prosecution Service to repax his

?130,000 legal expenses aftdr he said the case had cost him his

entire life savings. The le`d people who are dragged through the courts

should take reasonable costs back. `` should get.

The solicitor representing Nigel Evans has confirmed to the BBC that

Mr Evans never applied for legal aid, saying he felt it wasn't

appropriate for him to burddn the public purse with his defence costs.

A paralysed woman from Liverpool ` who spent her compensation

settlement paying for care that should have been funded by the NHS `

has won a battle to have thd money repaid. Gemma Quinn severed her

spinal cord 22 years ago in a car accident and has needed round the

clock medical care ever since. Abbie Jones reports. Gemma Quinn `nd her

legal advisors have been working for this refund for two years. Hn 2 00

she won ?3.9 million in compensation. She's paid for her

care from that ever since. But she didn't know the NHS should have

covered that ongoing cost. By 2 10 the money, and her care, ran out. ??

YELLOW It was quite desperate at times. It felt like it would never

end. I didn't have any independence. For the first time in a verx, very

long time I feel like I can plan things again. She's received some

compensation for the amount she had paid out from 2004. But also, she's

now receiving a personal he`lth budget which means that Gemla is

awarded the money herself and can employ her own team of spechalist

supporters. Gemma's original compensation ran out becausd she had

to pay for daily care, like getting dressed, for her home to be adapted,

her education outside of mahnstream schooling and also for medical

treatment. Treatment at clinics like this, which hope to help her regain

some mobility. Liverpool Clhnical Commission Group, which dechded the

money should be repaid, says there were inconsistencies nation`lly in

the past, in the way care ddcisions were made. Gemma says the rdfund

will now secure her future. I feel like I can have a future, and make a

potential positive contribution to society, which is all I ever wanted.

A man's appeared in court charged with the murder of a two`ye`r`old

girl in Blackpool. Kacey Halbleton died after suffering a numbdr of

serious injuries at her homd on Granby Avenue. Connor Gibson ` who's

23 ` was remanded in custodx. A nurse accused of murdering three

patients at Stepping Hill Hospital in Stockport has been refusdd bail

at a hearing at Manchester Crown Court. Victorino Chua also faces 31

other charges. A new teenage cancer unit h`s been

opened at the Christie Hosphtal in Manchester. United stars Waxne

Rooney, Juan Mata and Tom Cleverley kicked`off the event, opening the

dedicated gym which has been funded by the club. It's hoped the ?12

million unit will transform treatment and care for young

patients. Disneyland Paris, Egypt and

Blackpool. Just some of the places six`year`old Molly from Manchester

wants to see before she goes blind. Molly has a genetic eye condition

which is gradually causing her to lose her sight. She's drawn up a

list of things to see beford it s too late, and today Molly's been in

Blackpool fulfilling one of her wishes. Naomi Cornwell reports.

While others watched through the glass, six`year`old Molly w`s

allowed to get a closer view of the monkeys at Blackpool Zoo today. And

their dinner. They're eating! Maybe they think I'm a leopard! This was

more than just an Easter holiday day out. Molly's parents, Eve and Chris,

hope she'll remember this for the rest of her life. I want to see

everything I can before I go blind! This runs in my family. She was

diagnosed this year. We wanted to create a bank of memories for her.

It's just one wish fulfilled from a long list of things Molly hopes to

see while she still can. Egxpt. . Disneyland... It started off

initially as my friends wanting to help. It's gone from there! We could

never have taken her on these trips. Now it's possible. All thanks to the

donations. A real character A man who caused the death of

another driver during a road rage incident is beginning a 14`xear jail

term this lunchtime. It was the second time someone has died as a

result of Colin Scarisbrick's driving. Two drivers all calls for a

calamity. `` on course. Colhn Scarisbrick was a man who I would

describe as a danger on the road. Driving the other car, a re`l family

man. Jeff urgent. He would do anything for anybody. There had been

an altercation between the two of them and Colin Scarisbrick would not

let it go. Colin Scarisbrick's vehicle clipped the other c`r. It

hit the safety barrier and then flipped onto its side and hht a lamp

post. Colin Scarisbrick simply drove off as they are the other m`n lay

dying. He was seen on CCTV driving away. What do you think of Colin

Scarisbrick? I don't give hhm a minute of my time. A J Liverpool

convicted Colin Scarisbrick of dangerous driving. He had sdrved

time for a similar offence lore than a date to go. He was sentenced to 14

years. Outside court, the woman said she was delighted with the outcome.

The horror and scale of the holocaust, in which millions died,

has been portrayed in art m`ny times. And sometimes the silplest of

art forms can pack the most powerful punch. Paintings by young children

made while in a Nazi concentration camp are on display in St Annes near

Blackpool. Peter Marshall h`s been to see them alongside one Fxlde

Coast resident who lost his family when they were sent to the camp

They're not drawn by expert hand. No elaborate frames. Just scraps of

salvaged paper. What they show is clear. Fear. To me they showed fear.

`` shout fear. Werner Conn knows where they were drawn ` the Terezin

concentration camp near Prague, a transit camp for those who would end

up at Auschwitz. It's where his father and mother, and his little

brother Herbert, were sent. It's pretty obvious they had wishes and

dreams of where they would like to be and what they would like to do.

They show life in the camp: armed guards, inmates with yellow stars,

playgrounds... 'No jews allowed . The concept is so inhuman. Werner

survived because his parents got him out of Germany before the w`r

started, in the kindertransport rescue mission. 200 boys and girls,

greeted to England. Werner's parents and brother didn't survive. And

that's why these images are so important. People who don't know

about it... They need to he`r about it. They need to know that these

kind of things still go on today. The images are on display at the

Island Cinema in St Anne's. One more month to go in the Premier

League season, and maybe yesterday's big match at Anfield was a pointer

to who's going to win it thhs year. Stuart Flinders is here with the

sport. Emotions were high at Anfield

yesterday, not least becausd this week sees the 25th annivers`ry of

the Hillsborough Disaster. @ minute's silence was observdd before

kick`off. The last ball in this season's Premier League campaign

won't be kicked until the 10th of May, but Liverpool's victorx over

Manchester City yesterday m`y turn out to have been the decisive

fixture. Liverpool are chashng their first title in 24 years, and in a

breathtaking opening half hour City couldn't keep up with them. Sterling

put Liverpool ahead. Martin Skrtl made it two. In the second half

City asserted themselves. D`vid Silva made it 2`1. Five minttes

later, an own goal brought City level. Coutinho's decider c`me after

an uncharacteristic mistake by Vincent Kompany. We need to keep

calm. There are still four big games to come. But that meant so luch `

especially when they got back into the game. We feared the worst at

that point, but I think we showed that we're going to go down to the

wire. We're going to go all the way. Nothing's won yet but that was as

big a statement as we've made so far. For some weeks now there's been

a growing sense here on Merseyside that his could be Liverpool's year.

But even after yesterday, nobody's taking anything for granted. Fingers

crossed, who knows. Chelsea have been a good side, but not that good.

It's going to be a close call. Are Liverpool going to win the title

this year? Well, we're Evertonians! But I think they are, yeah. Will

that break your heart? No! Xeah You don't mind them winning the title?

Not at all! I don't want thdm to win, but they deserve to win!

Liverpool's fate is in their own hands.

Even the Evertonians think they re going to do it. The last tile

Liverpool won the title was 199 , before the Premier League h`d

started. Liverpool's captain back then was Ronnie Whelan, who is our

guest tonight. Do you think of appeal will do it? `` Liverpool

What do you make of this incident? It would have been a penaltx but for

the fall at the end. What about Suarez? I think he could have stayed

on his feet. The dive gives it away. Maybe the problem happened hn the

first half when Suarez went down? This is the bad side of Suarez. He

has to be careful. You don't need him sent off at this stage. Let s

look at the table. Man City have games in hand but you'd rather be in

Liverpool's position. Here `re the fixtures. Everton could do them a

favour! Liverpool have to bdat Chelsea. They're capable... But I

don't know! Lots of big gamds left. And you can hear more from Ronnie

Whelan on Five Live's Mondax Night Club which starts at 7pm.

Wigan are desperately unlucky not to be on their way to another cup

final. They were knocked out of the competition on penalties yesterday.

The Latics beat three Premidr League teams in earlier rounds and were on

the verge of another famous victory against Arsenal. Callum McM`naman

was brought down for a second half penalty which Jordi Gomez scored.

Wigan held on until eight mhnutes from time when the Gunners dqualised

before going on to win 4`2 on penalties.

Tonight's BBC Late Kick Off looks back on an agonising weekend for

Burnley, so close to promothon to the Premier League, but not quite

there yet. You can also catch up on all the goals from our Football

League clubs. Late Kick Off is on BBC One at 11:30pm.

Thank you. If you're a regular viewer, you ll

know we've followed the progress of marathon runner Bryn Hughes. He ran

on the snowy slopes of The Chill Factor, and in a giant freezer, all

in preparation for the North Pole Marathon last week. Bryn was running

the world's coolest marathon in memory of his daughter Nicola. I'm

sure you remember Nicola and her colleague Fiona Bone were the two

police officers murdered whhle on duty in 2012. Bryn endured

temperatures as low as `37 Celsius to raise money for children who ve

lost a close family member because of violent crime. He made it. There

we go! How tough was it? Extremely! It was really, really cold. We

trained for lots of laps. Even though it's the same distance, 2

laps seemed like so much. What was the hardest thing? It was lhke

running on sand mixed with treacle. It drained you. Really drained you.

All with a view to raising loney to help young people in Nicola's name?

What got me through was how we would help children. I had to put one foot

in front of the other. We w`nt them to get through what they're going

through. I remember you sayhng Nicola told you that you weren't

Peter Pan! Well I wish I cotld've flown out at some stages! Any more

running for you? There are plans... Watch this space!

It's 50 years since the Britain in Bloom competition was launched, and

across the region hundreds of volunteers will be working on

transforming our public spaces. But they don't just make areas look

pretty, they can bring commtnities together. Our reporter Judy Hobson

is in Wavertree in Liverpool where two residents known as the gardening

grannies have turned a dangdrous derelict space into a community

garden. You said you were h`nging around in an alleyway in Liverpool

bu at least it's a pretty one! It didn't always look like this. It was

full of rubbish. This mail hs wonderful now. `` The smell. It has

been transformed. I am joindd by the gardening grannies! Real did this

idea come from? `` Where did this idea come from? We needed a bath to

plant things. It went on and on How is it a community asset? It has

brought the community closer together. In the summer we have all

the grill assault. `` all of the umbrellas up. You must spend a lot

of time here? Yes. It is not easy work. Thank you. These ladids have

won the Britain in Bloom colpetition for the last eight years. That is

brilliant. It was a good wedkend for gardening. I don't see you digging

in the dirt! You might be strprised! gardening. I don't see you digging

in the dirt! You might be The wind direction was not that feashble

today. `` favourable. We ard back to the high pressure but changhng wind

directions. It is a lovely dnd to the D at the moment. `` the day

Overnight there is not legally due of cloud cover around. `` a great

deal of. Temperatures could be down to zero. Tomorrow, it's a chilly

feel. Possibly a pocket of list It's patchy cloud and sunny spells.

That's the predominant feattre. A nice looking day. The whole feel of

tomorrow won't be as sharp. Highs of 15. It's not wall to wall stnshine.

Temperatures are eventually falling down.

We did not get a look at yotr middle. `` medal. You can ilagine

that at minus 37! Happy Vaisakhi to all our Shkh

viewers! Goodnight.