09/12/2011 South East Today

Welcome to South East Today. I'm Rob Smith.

And I'm Lynda Hardy. Tonight's top stories.

The medical student accused of killing a TV executive in a honey

trap. A court hears she discussed the idea of killing him a day

before his body was found. We're live with the latest from the Old

Bailey. More than 130 Kent schools are told they need to improve as

teams of specialist advisers are sent in. I think Kent has failed

20% of its population of primary school children for the last five

years. Also in tonight's programme. The death of a drink-driver and the

tough warning from Sussex Police in the run-up to Christmas. The

budding Sussex fashion designer Zhara Rose, whose clothes are

gracing the global catwalks. And building a new vision of Folkestone.

The artists inviting residents to recreate the town one small

building at a time. Good evening. A Brighton University

medical student had talked about justice and the idea of killing a

television executive a day before he was found dead in a burnt-out

car, a court has heard. 20-year-old Mundill Mahil is accused of luring

Gagandeep Singh to her flat in a so-called honey trap, where it is

alleged that two other men killed him in February this year. All

three deny murder. Jon Hunt reports from the Old Bailey.

Gagandeep Singh, giving a speech about his Birmingham-based TV

channel. In February, his body was discovered in a burnt-out Mercedes

car parked in a south London Lane. 20-year-olds are accused of his

murder, along with Mundill Mahill, a Brighton University student from

Chatham. She had been friends with Gagandeep Singh until he had

attempted to rape her, the court was told. After that he pestered

her with text messages, wanting to see her again. The Old Bailey heard

from one of her flatmates, he said the day before his body was

discovered she had believed he had been at their home and she had a

frightening disturbance. Responding to questions from the prosecutor,

Rebecca Edwards told the court... I started boiling the kettle to make

Then the court heard something Mundill Mahill was alleged to have

The defendants deny murder and the trial continues. Jon Hunt joins us

from the old baby. The flat mate -- from the Old Bailey. The flat mate

did not think she was serious when she talked about sorting Gagandeep

Singh out. She thought that she was just

venting about the text messages she had received from Gagandeep Singh.

The court was told that he had threatened to kill himself if he

could not see her again. Rebecca Edwards thought that Mundill Mahill

wanted him out of her life, but not killed. Rebecca Edwards told the

court about another defendant. She described him, whom she had met

before, she described him as a shy, polite and courteous man who was

not threatening and completely not violent. The three defendants deny

murder. The trial will resume again on Monday. Headteachers at more

than 130 Kent schools could be sacked if standards do not improve.

Teams of specialist advisers are being sent into 132 of the county's

primary and secondary schools under a new strategy called the Kent

Challenge. Kent County Council says the schools need extra help, either

because of disappointing Ofsted inspections or because they are in

danger of not meeting higher government targets for exam results

being introduced over the next couple of years.

This is the head of a primary. He helped to draw up the framework. He

says that for too long the county council has done little to tackle

underperforming schools. It would be nice to see Kent take a stance

against underperformance and to say we need to put in people who can

manage schools. They failed children? I think Kent has failed

20% of its population of primary school children for the last five

years. There are 592 schools in Kent and 132 are in the Kent

Challenge programme. 29 are secondary schools. The Kent County

Council says after the programme the school will meet government

targets. There are no failing schools in Kent. They are doing

well. We are looking to help the school's move higher to keep up.

Not all of those 132 schools would be classed as underperforming. Some

are performing well, but not fast enough to perhaps keep up with

where they need to be. Five years ago, a Margate school was put in

the national challenge and told to improve results. It did, and this

school is now one of the most improved in the country. The head

teacher hopes Kent Challenge will have the same results. We found we

were in a national challenge and hacked to hit 30% in some results

and we were horrified. We thought we would not do it. But when it

came to the crunch, the challenge was effective. We used the money to

have smaller groups and one-to-one tuition. That question remains

about what happens to schools that failed to meet government targets,

even with the help of council officials. In a moment, the Kent

engineering students helping wounded soldiers see the world

again. As Christmas approaches, Sussex and

Kent police forces have launched their anti-drink drive campaigns.

The campaigns do seem to be having an effect. Nationally, drink-drive

deaths fell in 2010 by 35% from 380 deaths in 2009 to 250 last year.

Kent and Sussex Police launch their campaigns a week ago. This year

Sussex Police have taken a very different approach, talking to the

family of a man who died only weeks ago in a crash after he drove while

over the limit. John Young reports. The my it remember this campaign,

it is four years since it was reduced -- produced. And now police

are arranging for reporters to interview the families of somebody

who has died. This man was not the victim of a drink driver, he was a

drink-driver. At this road near Crawley, twice over the limit, he

smashed his van into a fence. Nobody else was involved, but his

family paid a heavy price. never come to terms with it because

there are questions on answered, as to why you would be so

irresponsible. The impact has been devastating. It is not just that at

Christmas, every Christmas, there is a void, something missing. They

latest figures suggest your chance of being stopped by police in the

South East may depend way you are. On average, last Christmas, Sussex

Police breath-tested the largest number. Only one in 37 were

arrested. In Surrey, fewer were tested. One in 22 were arrested. In

Kent, 563 people were stopped, but one in three were arrested. Kent

Police said the weather affected their campaign. They say they will

fast track people charged this year and licences could be lost within

hours of sobering up. Sussex want people to text them immediately on

65999 if they suspect anyone. impact of a drink driver crashing

and killing someone is massive, killing themselves, someone else.

Help us stop this happening. you never think it will happen to

you. We never thought it would happen. But things do happen. You

are not invincible. Sometimes the consequences can be devastating.

Devastating for someone else's family or your own.

A total of 38 people have now been arrested as part of Kent police's

Christmas crackdown on crime, Operation Whirlwind. The force say

their message is that there are no safe havens for criminals in Kent.

Officers raided homes and carried out road checks across the county

yesterday. Property including a haul of footwear, drugs, perfume,

cash, a motorcycle and knuckleduster were seized. A father

and son have been jailed for a total of 28 years for a series of

robberies in Kent and Surrey. Peter William Clarkson and his son

Peter Dennis Clarkson from Sheerness were found guilty of

stealing ninety thousand pounds from security vans in 2009.

Lottery winners from the South East were in Hove this morning to hand

out Christmas presents to residents of the Martlet's Hospice. An

outbreak of the noro-virus meant they couldn't meet the residents

themselves, so they gave them to the nurses instead. Engineering

students from Kent have won a prestigious award for their design

to help injured servicemen recover from the physical and mental

injuries more quickly. The design, from apprentices at BAE

Systems in Rochester allows soldiers with serious back and neck

injuries to be able to see around their hospital ward.

Steve Costin from Rochester in Kent was asked by medics to design a

device that was cheap, easy to clean and strong. The device uses

three cameras to give the patient different views around their bed

and allows them to connect to the internet. In terms of somebody

being able to access what is going on around them, potentially, if

somebody could move their arms, they could manage shaving or

washing their face and aspects of personal care, which might seem

like a small thing, but is somebody who has had so much taken away from

them is a huge benefit. In 2005, Cole was inside this tank, serving

with the Staffordshire Regiment. He suffered burns to his body. Two

months in hospital followed. He underwent operations and skin

grafts. They are a good idea. The physical one benefited myself,

being in bed and being able to do something. Coming from a war zone

way you are active and coming back, to be completely immobile and not

able to look after yourself, it is nice to be able to do something, to

feel you are improving. More than 60 apprentices took part in the

challenge. It took nine months to complete. The winning device from

Cheriton is being checked and put on trial and it is hoped it will be

on the ward in the new year. The top story. A Brighton

University Medical Student denies during a television executive to

his death in a so-called revenge honey trap. Gagandeep Singh's body

was found in a burnt-out car. Mundill Mahill and two men deny

Also tonight, the Christmas grotto filled with hundreds of tiny houses.

We have the coldest season so far, a lunar eclipse and Christmas

shopping. What will the weather throw at us to see Ken?

If you have a story you think we should be covering, we would like

She is hoping her name will become as synonymous with fashion as the

likes of Stella McCartney, Batty Williamson and Vivienne West month

-- Matthew Williamson and Vivienne Westwood. Zahra Rose recently won a

competition to have her designs modelled in the Middle East fashion

week in Dubai, alongside leading designers from the Middle East,

London and India. Fashion Week in the Middle East.

Leading designers from across the world, bringing their creations to

the catwalk. And amongst them this year, work by a teenager from St

Leonards. All of a sudden, the catwalk was heading to the sand

dunes, two of my addresses came up and it was the most amazing thing

ever, because I did not act -- expected. This is a sari dress that

I made, it is made out of an old sari that no one wanted. This is a

crisp packet stress I made at Bexhill College. It took some time

to get through all the crisp packet of! She put their dresses together

in her bedroom and at college, a world away from the professional

studios. It is a bit weird seeing it. I make a lot of this stuff in

my bedroom, and compared to them, I felt uneasy. -- uneasy. But when it

was over there, I got a lot of good responses and I had loads of it

interviews, so that was amazing. The chance of the lifetime came

about by entering a competition. There were 250 applicants from

around the globe, and she was one of four designers to show off their

work in Dubai. The experience was second to none. It is incredibly

useful. She gets to look at what goes on on the catwalk, and behind

the scenes as well. She is determined and mature enough to

handle that work which is very difficult and competitive. She will

do well. It has led to numerous opportunities any design student

would dream of. I have been asked to be -- to do shows in London, I

collaborated with other artists in Dubai. Rather than jump straight

into the fashion circuit full-time, The south-east's top football teams

return to league action tomorrow following their Cup success last

weekend. And our unsung if sporting hero, for 2011, has been revealed.

This is the trophy that will be winging its way to this year's

winner, and this it is a chap who has dedicated his life to helping

run a cricket club in Brighton. What made him such a great

candidate? Call me old-fashioned, I always look forward to this award

because it throws up memorable stories. Alan Wildig is no

exception. He has spent 35 years transforming the fortunes of a

cricket club in the City, and he will be stepping on to the red

carpet alongside some of the UK's biggest sports stars as part of the

BBC Sports Personality of the Year show.

This is what Alan Wildig likes doing best, since the mid- 1970 p

Mbeke has given up a couple of evenings a week and most weekends

to help youngsters play cricket. They will have 10 teams next season,

from all backgrounds and all abilities. There are countless

hundreds if not thousands of people like me, connected with local clubs

throughout England and Wales, you just do it because of a love of the

game and the enjoyment you have got out of it. It is nice to put

something back into it, and nice to see the club flourish and everyone

enjoying it. Life has not always been easy for St Matthias, they

don't have their own ground. Alan has developed links with the

University of Sussex and helped raise lots of money. He is the

cornerstone, the pivot on which the entire club hinges. Without him,

the club would have bowled at many times over the years. He has been

great, he helps our development loads. It is always -- he is always

at our games, helping umpire, he is brilliant. He is really good,

because when I had trials, I had something with my batting where I

moved my back for it. He gave up some Saturdays to help me get

better, it is really good. A Sussex and England wicketkeeper Matt Prior

came through the same Matthias -- the St Matthias ranks. He is not

the best player in the world, but that has not stopped people him --

in wanting to improve people. Alan's love for the game and his

club is as strong as ever. Thousands of people would agree he

is one of sport's real unsung heroes.

Best of luck to Alan and Sussex spinner Monty Panesar who is

backing the England squad. It is 18 months since he last played a Test

match for England, but he is going to the United Arab Emirates next

month to take on Pakistan. His Sussex team-mate Matt Prior is also

in the party. In the championship, bright and

Hove Albion will be heading to make it five wins out of six at 4th

place medals brat rival stop they are within a point of the polite --

promotion play-off positions but they will need a reshuffle, indigo

Calderon will be missing. -- Inigo Calderon. We are losing at

home and winning away, and the opposite, we need to make sure we

are organised and we have made the right decisions. Myself, to pick

the right team, to play the game. League One leaders Charlton could

move 10 points clear at the top with victory at struggling Walsall

tomorrow. After being nominated for four successive months, Chris

Powell their manager has finally picked up the manager of the mug of

water. Well deserved. In League Two, Crawley will be

hoping to make its 12 games without defeat. They take on Burton Albion,

despite their recent good one based still trail Southend on goal

difference. Steve Evans, manager, knows they cannot afford to relax -

- relax. 2011 has been extraordinary, a 70% win ratio,

incredible. We have to keep that going, because that is what gets

you success. Anything less and there is a problem.

A run of six games without defeat means Gillingham moved into the

lead two play-off positions. They face a tricky trip to Macclesfield

tomorrow. They will be confident of keeping a third clean sheet for the

first time since May 2009. We had four winners at a for last weekend.

Let's hope we can make it a clean sweep again over the next few days.

-- four winners out of for next again.

You will not find Santa dishing out presence at one Christmas grotto in

Kent, instead at cheriton near Folkestone, there are hundreds of

tiny houses. It is a project organised by her art group Strange

Cargo. What is the organisation? They have quite a presence in this

area, they have got a gallery in Folkestone town centre. This is

their workshop he in Cheriton. They wants to open its to the community,

but it cultural focal point and get A whole town in one room. Moulded

in plaster -- Plasticine and twinkling with glitter. More than

1000 people have taken part in this Christmas project, creating mini

homes to celebrate their community. This is our workshop in Cheriton.

We were out of it for three years after damage after an earthquake,

but we are back now and wants to concentrate our work in charity and.

It is an area with lots of people who want to get involved. We are

keen to work here. For the twins here, the different coloured houses

are mesmerising. With a bit of help from their parents, they have

created their own at wooden homes. It is an amazing project. It is

really good to see something happening in Cheriton. It has not

had much or and not seen before, it is really exciting. It is not just

children involved -- it has not had much of an ox scene.

They have been up decorate -- decorating workshops in local

buildings. They loved it, it was a problem getting them to stop when

the workshop finished! They wanted to go on painting? Yes, they would

all start of saying, I don't know what to do, but when the time

finished, I just want to do one more! We went to a workshop in the

library, me and my daughter decorated houses. There were lots

of people there and the general spirit was fantastic. And in a

space adjoining the grotto, visitors can listen to 100 voices

from charity in reading a Christmas Carol among the fir trees. -- and

to show you have taken part, the floor is made up of the map of the

whole area, where you can rock -- marred your own house. Market with

a star! The grotto is open until 23rd

December, and anyone can come along, it is free. More than 1400 of these

houses have been decorated already but there are still plenty left to

go. Anyone can come along and have a go if.

They look good fun, I might have to pop down! It is all about the

weather though, it has been dredged for the last few days.

We have had frost, rain, now frost Yes and it will carry on the

Yelling like that! There is no denying what's sees in -- what

season we are in, it will be the coldest night of the winter so far.

There are just getting down to-two, already the temperatures are

getting down. It is going down to an air temperature of minus two, so

the ground will be getting down to minus for all minus fug -- 5. Very

cold and frosty. Luckily there is not too much water on the ground,

many of us stayed dry today, so ice is not a major risk. Worth a

mention, it will be frosty tomorrow. Perhaps Verity and Ben will be

having to scrape ice from the horse's hooves, congratulations,

they are getting married tomorrow! Whatever you're doing tomorrow, it

will be beautiful but cold. We are starting off at minus one or two,

it will be struggling to get above six degrees. Today got up to eight,

so would be feeding cooler tomorrow despite the fact we keep hold of

all the sunshine all day long. The whims are lighter, so it will be a

beautiful day and the best day of the weekends -- the winds are

lighter. Into the evening, the sunset is around 10-4, and it is

worth popping out and having a look. -- of the sun set is worth having a

look. The Moon will be rising in the east and passing into the

earth's shadow meaning we will be seeing a partial lunar eclipse. Or

we will have clear skies for that. Later on, though, tomorrow night,

after an initial cost, we will then start to see another warm up front

coming in so again, that temperatures will be back up above

average. Not majorly warm, but more. -- warmer than tomorrow and less

chance of a frost for Sunday night. For the majority of Sunday, not too

much sunshine, wet weather moving in by the end of the weekend. For

Sunday, a cloudy picture, damned particularly towards the end of the

day. The temperatures will be higher than Saturday -- damped

before the end of the day. Monday, we will hang of the rain, it should

stay dry. Monday night into Tuesday, we are due out next big stormy

weather, it would be winds getting back up to 60 miles an hour. It is

Monday night into Tuesday, and that will become in hand in hand with

more wet weather. A beautiful but cold day tomorrow, fairly cloudy

but a bit milder on Sunday, I think staying dry on Monday, but Monday

night into Tuesday, it is going to be one of those very noisy, windy

There was snow in the Atlantic, one that reaches?

Not yet, but close! David Cameron has said he is not

frightened of being the only leader in the European Union to have

rejected an accord designed to solve the Euros in debt crisis. He

said Britain was better out of a deal which would bring countries

financial affairs closer together. At Brighton University medical

student talked about justice and the idea of talking -- killing a

television executive the day before he was found dead in a burnt-out

car. Mundill Mahil is accused of luring Gugundeep Singh to her flat

in a so-called honey trap. And a winter grotto it with a