09/10/2013 South East Today

Welcome to South East Today, I'm Bryony MacKenzie.

And I'm Rob Smith. Tonight's top stories.

A former minister accuses the Sussex Police chief of "losing the plot"

after he's issued with a harassment warning. The police are wasting time

and wasting tax payers money on completely vexatious complaints

rather than catching real criminals. Not doing enough — the family of a

Kent man who died abroad join protests over the lack of government

support. My son fought for this country, he was a commando and I

feel that the Foreign and Commonwealth Office have failed him

and our family. Also in tonight's programme...

Stepping down — the Chief Constable of Kent to retire after three years

in the job. We'll have the details and reaction live from police

headquarters. How a smartphone app is allowing the

world's last Dornier 17 to fit in the palm of your hand.

And from Jason Bourne to Captain Phillips — Kent's Paul Greengrass

premiers his new film. Good evening. A Sussex MP has

launched an outspoken attack accusing the Chief Constable of

Sussex of wasting taxpayer's money and of "having lost the plot" when

it comes to differentiating between the victim of crime and the

perpetrator. The MP for East Worthing and Shoreham, Tim Loughton,

made the claims in the Commons today. It comes after he received an

harassment warning notice from Sussex police following him

referring to a constituent as "unkempt" in an email. Tonight the

parliamentary watchdog says it will investigate Mr Loughton's claims.

Rebecca Williams reports. Tim Loughton today used Parliamentary

privilege to describe how he had been harassed and the lead by a

constituent. E posted doctored acute dog had pictures of young children

in Nazi uniforms. He has posted contorted accounts of the divorce of

my parents. He has photographed my home, referred to my neighbours, and

has urged me to commit suicide. Tim Loughton was arrested under caution

this year about anaemia in which he referred to a constituent as

whingeing, self—serving and poisonous. This man says the

comments the MP made at a declaration of war. Do not stand

around wasting time. Get on with the job you're paid to do and you are

paid very handsomely to do. A politician is there to represent the

people, not themselves. Mr Lawton went on to criticise the Chief

Constable of Sussex police who has dealt with the investigation. He has

brought his office into disrepute and he has clearly lost the plot

when it comes to distinguishing between a victim and a perpetrator.

I do not want to get into an argument with the Chief Constable,

and these days relations between the police and Conservative Party or not

at their best. Sussex Police has defended the action it has taken. It

says it has tried to mediate with all parties involved but some have

declined to cooperate. We can cross now to our political

editor Louise Stewart at Westminster. A very outspoken attack

by Tim Loughton. Why has he chosen to raise this? The background to

this is that Tim Loughton has been involved in a long—running row with

a constituent who has accused him of racism. In a debate back here in

March, Mr Lawton said he was effectively going to sack the

constituent by severing contact with him. He said he would notify him of

the and sent a copy of the debate, a transcript, saying they would be no

further contact. He believed that the Beeb protected by Parliamentary

privilege which allows MPs to speak freely on any matter without fear of

legal redress. He believes the police notice served on him had

breached that Parliamentary privilege which is why he has raised

this. MPs unanimously agreed to send this to the MPs committee on

standards and privileges and that means now that the Chief Constable

of Sussex police could be called here to Parliament to give evidence

on this issue. Thank you. The family of a Kent school teacher

killed on the French island of Reunion have joined other bereaved

families demanding the British government do more to assist them

When Carl Davies body was initially discovered in November of 2011, it

was declared to be a tragic accident, only for police to

announce a week later that he may have been murdered. Although a

number of people have been charged with Carl's murder, his family say

the British government haven't provided them with sufficient

support over the past two years. Simon Jones has more. The family of

Carl Davis joined relatives of others killed wrote, united in the

belief that they have been failed by the Foreign Office. My son fought

for this country, he was a commando. I believe that the Foreign and

Commonwealth Office have failed my son and my family and others

exactly, these are the people, public servants, paid out of the

public purse and they failed us. We needed them, or we needed them for

the first time ever and it has been a failure. He was found dead nearly

two years ago and police initially said it was an accident. Just over a

week ago they launch date murder investigation. Earlier this year,

four people were charged with his murder. When he died, a part of me

died and I find that really hard to cup with. He was my baby, I first

born. The family says it has found out information second—hand and had

to pay thousands of pounds for its own lawyer to get information

because the Foreign and Commonwealth Office is not supporting them. He

was a British citizen, he had rights and his rates have been denied

because they should be doing more. The Foreign Office says it does

provide support for the families of people who die abroad, whether it is

an accident or under sinister circumstances and it says it offers

direct funding to organisations who offer specialist help. Three of the

campaigners were eventually invited inside the Foreign Office to meet

officials but left unimpressed. You will get no help from the slot.

How's family except that the British of birdies cannot interfere with the

legal process but they fear they will get little or no support to

help them through the upcoming trial. —— how's family. I'm coming

up, a cap on real fare increases, will commuters find it too much?

Kent's most senior policeman has announced he is leaving his post

after three years in the job. Chief Constable Ian Learmonth said that

he'd decided to retire after 40 years of public service because it

was a "significant milestone" and a "good time to reflect". We can cross

live to Kent Police headquarters in Maidstone and speak to our Home

Affairs Correspondent Colin Campbell. What are the exact reasons

for his retirement now? He has said that he has been Chief Constable for

3.5 years. During that time he has overseen budget cuts of over £50

million but he told me the reasons for his retirement are that he can

spend their time doing other things and spend time with his family. My

colleagues have risen to every challenge, whether that's budget

reductions, reduction in workforce or the operational challenges that

have come up. The highlights and challenges over the years have been

met. My time in the service has been served in four forces and concluding

here in Kent. I have had a fantastic journey with great opportunities. It

is time to move on. A very positive spin he is putting on it.

The force was criticised by Her Majesty's Inspectorate of

Constabulary earlier this year. The Police and Crime Commissioner

expressed her anger about inaccurate recording of crime. Has this move

got anything to do with it? The Chief Constable said that has

nothing to do with the criticism he encountered from Her Majesty's

Inspectorate of Constabulary or the scrutiny he has had from the police

and the Commissioner. Today tributes were paid to him saying he had led

the force through a period of unprecedented change. After 40 years

of being a true public servant, he has realised it is time for him to

move on and look for pastures new. He goes with my blessing and he

really does with a lot of thanks from me because on a personal level

he has been a real support and I will miss that and I will miss his

friendship. The Police and Crime Commissioner did say she was

surprised after she was informed by Ian Learmonth of his retirement and

she is responsible for finding and recruiting a new Chief Constable. It

is a job that comes with a salary of around £150,000. Thank you.

A construction worker who was hit by a manhole cover on a building site

at a Crawley school has died of his injuries. The 26—year—old from

Gillingham in Kent, was working at Langley Green Primary School when he

suffered a serious head injury. The man, who has not been named, was

employed by a subcontractor working for Balfour Beatty. Health and

Safety and Sussex Police are carrying out

Safety and Sussex Police are Police investigating the murder of a

grandmother in Chatham have released CCTV images of potential witnesses.

The body of 69—year—old Harjit Chaggar was found in a shop basement

on September 14th. Three men have been charged with her murder.

Some of the South East's most expensive rail fare rises are set to

be capped. The Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin today said the

move would protect passengers from large increases on some routes.

While average fares will still go up by 4.1%, the government says it will

block the highest increases of up to 9% on some of the busiest commuter

routes. Instead, the maximum annual rise will be just over 6%. What we

are announcing is the reduction on the amount which train operators can

put up the costs of a rail ticket. For commuters it will mean they will

be much more assured as to what the cost will be and there will not eat

very and is in real fare increases. —— there will not be differences.

With rail fares in the South East being among the most expensive in

the country commuters are welcoming the announcement that price rises

are to be restricted. An annual season ticket from Brighton to

London currently costs over £3500, the same ticket from Gillingham to

London is over £3600. And from Folkestone, commuters will pay

nearly £5000 for their annual season ticket. It sounds good in theory but

many rail fares are not covered by it. There are still some very high

fares. What we are seeing is over ten years of above inflation fares.

We can cross live to our reporter Chrissie Reidy who's at Tunbridge

Wells Train Station. What's been the response from commuters to today's

announcement? You will not be surprised when I tell you that the

people I spoke to said they would not have money in their back pocket.

Some commuters are not quite convinced by the announcement. Will

it really help? Will it save the of living? You are dubious. Yes. It is

about time. We are paying a lot for the high speed rail link which we do

not use at the moment. I would like to see a reduction in the increase.

I have been here for five years now and it is gone up by £20,000 in

total. I have gone back to two wheels. It is cheaper. That is the

view of some commuters today. Ice to rail operators short time ago and

they say without the cap, there needs to be a fairer system in

place. They say it is a step in the right direction. There is a 2% cap

coming into effect soon. Thank you. Annual above inflation increases are

set to continue to at least 2013. The south east's first specialist

clinic to help people addicted to so called legal high drugs is being

launched in Sussex today. Legal highs are substances that can mimic

the effects of illicit drugs, but are not controlled under the Misuse

of Drugs Act. In 2009 Brighton medical student Hester Stewart died

after she took the then legal drug GBL. Today Brighton saw its first

clinic open. Lucinda Adam reports. Legal highs are cheap and easy to

buy. Their effects mimic illegal drugs and just because they are not

banned, it does not mean they are safe. Tonight, the first dedicated

drop—in clinic to treat people who use legal highs in the south—east

opened in Brighton. Sussex University medical Stuart Hester

Stewart did not know the dangers when she died from taking GBL in

2009. Brighton is the drug capital of England and it is about time

these lethal chemicals are everywhere. Children are taking them

and thinking they are safe and they need some work they can go, because

they are not drug addicts, they are just being misled. They run into

trouble and they need someone to help them. The following year, a

special investigation found that substances that had been banned were

still being sold by student dealers. In 20 level, 29 people in the UK

died from taking legal highs. Last year that number treble 299 and a

report published last month, found one in 12 people in the UK admitted

to having taken legal highs, the highest figure in Europe. —— in.

There is a massive surge. Clinics would not be a bad thing, they would

keep people safe and off the streets. They are easy to get these

days. There is a mix of chemicals. Organisers save the party culture in

Brighton needs to be helped. They can be at a point where they are

thinking about using these drugs and we can offer advice around

minimising the risk. They can come to us further down the road when

their use has become problematic. We have been looking at the clinic at

Chelsea and Westminster since it opened and it has a several lives.

There are people who would not be alive now if that were not further

services. I know the service will be helpful for young people locally.

With the Brighton clinic already underway, another in whole begins

tomorrow. Another in Hove and Albion.

Sussex MP has accused the Chief Constable —— local Chief Constable

of losing the plot. Tim Lawton made the comments in Parliament today.

The parliamentary watchdog will investigate.

Also in the programme, and under his belt, but make way for Captain

Phillips. Paul Greengrass premiers his new film. And with much colder

air coming from the north, the next couple of days sees a significant

drop in temperature. Join me later. The story of the World War Two

Dornier aircraft raised from the sea bed off Ramsgate attracted interest

from around the world. The intricate process of restoring it means it

can't be moved from it's current home of RAF Cosford in Shropshire

but new technology, in the shape of a smartphone App, means a virtual

version will soon be taking flight. Sara Smith has tonight's special

report. It is more than 70 years since Dornier aircraft flew above

Britain, the German bombers wreaking devastation during the Blitz. In

June, the last surviving plane was lifted from Sans during an

incredibly delicate operation. While it undergoes years of restoration

work, a virtual version in perfect condition is hovering over the RAF

Museum in North London. We are in the car park and we do not have a

physical model to exhibit so we painted an outline in the car park

to let people know what was coming. We want to give them an

understanding of how big it is. We have put a virtual one above that,

hovering above that outline. It is like a real aircraft. If someone was

walking underneath it, you would see someone walking underneath it. If I

walk round the front... Yes, you are right underneath that. Virtual model

will be accessible via a smart phone app. As well as the RAF Museum, you

can use the app to fly them over Trafalgar Square and in time, they

will appear in a range of locations both here and abroad. Because it is

such a rare aircraft, we cannot allow it to travel around the

world. It will be in one place. It is a fantastic way of sharing it. We

could look at doing it with other aircraft as well. Look at the wings

and the fuselage. It is not the first time the Dornier has appeared

in a virtual way. This RAF film was made as a guide on how to spot them

in action from all angles. This time it is about finding new ways to

engage people interested in the Dornier Project and fittingly, this

is where it came ashore in June, one of the virtual models may be located

in the sky over Ramsgate. After a high profile two year

fundraising campaign to keep its famous red and white

fundraising campaign to keep its to clean and repaint the iconic

Beachy Head lighthouse is set to be completed this week. The specialist

painters, all local to Eastbourne, have spent the last two weeks going

over the tower's 11,000 square metres of granite. They'll use some

700 litres of paint to cover it at a cost of £26,000. Ellie Price has

been with some of the campaigners to have a look. Every year it the upper

and lower classes have a trip to Eastbourne... Standing tall of the

Sussex coast, she has then an attraction to visitors since 1902.

But lower than a century of that ring from the sea takes its toll

which is why local people have spent two years collecting £26,000 for new

stripes. They have just been here for the first time to take a look.

It is just beautiful and I feel like crying. Painting a lighthouse

resents a unique challenge and it is not for the faint—hearted. It is

different to the average job. It is not bad when the weather is nice and

sunny. But it has its challenges. White what are those? Mainly the

elements. It has an overhang, it is circular, it makes positioning a bit

tricky and you end up covered in paint. Offshore, the lighthouse is

not easy to get to the team have had to stay on site. It is not short of

creature conflict, even if they are the first residence for 30 years.

Logistically it has been a nightmare, trying to make sure the

guys are happy, safe and have food. That has been the hardest thing.

Most of the guys live in Eastbourne and we know the lighthouse and we

are desperate to get this job done so would be safe for the future. In

the 111 years the lighthouse stood here, the structure has hardly

changed at all. This is still fully functioning. As technology moves on,

the light bulbs get smaller. In Trinity house, 60 operational

lighthouses are run from here and they play a crucial role in modern

maritime navigation even if the design is from another era. Do we

take them away? You are at meddling with history. You can't look at

books and say did it happen? This revamp would not have happened

without local interest and investment. Unbelievable when you

are inside. We need look outside and see the view, it is amazing. I am

glad we did this. The pager's work is nearly over but this lighthouse

is still on active service. —— that painter's work. The one thing they

do not want to hear from the top is hey, you missed a bed.

Paul Greengrass has already enjoyed a stellar career as a Hollywood

director with the Bourne Ultimatum and the Bourne Supremacy under his

belt and his latest blockbuster, Captain Phillips, starring Tom

Hanks, premiering in London tonight. But his interest started at school

in Kent with an old super eight camera making animation horror

movies. In Gravesend they're so proud of him, they've renamed a

cinema in his honour. Peter Whittlesea reports. It is an action

thriller telling the tale of a merchant seaman played by Tom Hanks

who is hijacked by pirates and taken hostage. Critics have loved the

picture directed by Paul Greengrass who knows a thing or two about boats

cos his father was a ship's pilot on the River Thames. When the pirates

attacked the container ship, those two characters are brought together.

—— because. It makes you think about the world. There are issues we know

about in this country. People are taken by pirates. Tom Hanks plays

Captain Phillips, the skipper of the container ship whose ordeal has many

parallels with the real—life experience of Paul and Rachel

Chandler who were kidnapped while sailing yacht around the Indian

Ocean and held for 388 days. Listen to me, this is not some sort of

story. It is real. The Bourne Ultimatum is typical of the green

grass gritty movies and this —— he is so popular, he has a cinema named

after him. It is nice, to be associated with this success. We

wrote to him and asked him if we could use his name to the cinema and

he was delighted to. He gave us his full support. Guaranteeing his

latest cinema —— film will be a success.

Captain Philips is already being talked of in some quarters as a

potential Oscar winner. Brenda Emmanus is on the red carpet at

Leicester Square. Hello. Good evening. It has been a very busy red

carpet this evening. It has been here since 2006. They have not had a

British director recently, but this year it is Paul Greengrass with his

film. Excuse me, there is so much noise, I can hardly hear myself.

Paul Greengrass is easy with his interviews. A Hollywood actor, a

British director, and 4—run train Somali actors, chosen by Paul

Greengrass himself. Paul Greengrass says it has been a personal

challenge for him. —— for untrained. Tom Hanks said he enjoyed working

with Paul Greengrass. In his hands, it becomes a work of a different

type. I heard someone said that Paul Green grass can make the opening of

a cereal box suspenseful. We have been talking about the project. It

is a true story about the 2009 hijacking of a cargo ship by Somali

pirates. The film detected both sides of the story and that has

caused a bit of controversy but Tom Hanks believes it is a story that is

worthy and will be an absolute thriller. The great thing to say is

that Tom Hanks will be here until the end of the film festival and he

stars with Emma Thompson in another great film which will close this

film Festival. Thank you. Battling over the noise. Rachel is here with

the weather. Rain, strong winds, low

temperatures. Some low temperatures for this afternoon. Temperatures

were around 15 or 16 degrees. But that is all change for tonight. A

cold front makes its way southwards and that introduces some cold winds

and strong —— cold air and strong winds. The winds will gust along the

coast, and could reach 50 miles an hour. Temperatures will drop to

around six degrees. A chilly, windy start to tomorrow and the reason for

that is this area of low pressure. Tomorrow will be a wet, windy and

overcast day. The showers will be heavy and do not be surprised if you

hear a rumble of thunder. Temperatures in the afternoon will

only reach around 12 agrees. Winds will reach 25 miles an hour but

there will be costs much stronger than that. Temperatures in the

wind—chill will feel around six degrees. Tomorrow night there will

be heavy outbreaks of brain and that will be followed by clearer, drier

weather. For Friday, initially, it would be a dry start but why the

afternoon, they will be heavy rain and strong winds with temperatures

reaching around 12 degrees. Saturday looks wet, Sunday looks dry but

cold. We are back later on. That's all for

now. Good evening.