15/03/2017 South East Today

Welcome to South East Today, I'm Ellie Crisell.

Aslef and Southern agree a new deal to end their dispute over

We'll have the latest on the situation live.

An official complaint from the teenager who claims

she was beaten up by her ex-boyfriend after Kent police

I went to bed and he came upstairs and started

Migrants determined to reach Kent clash with police at a makeshift

camp the French government says it will now close.

"It's a political move," says the Labour activist expelled

from the party over his criminal record for breaking Iraq sanctions.

And the super scaffold is up as Canterbury cathedral's

A fresh deal has been agreed, aimed at resolving the bitter industrial

dispute between Southern Railway and the biggest train

It will now be put to Aslef members in a referendum,

following a long-running row over driver-only operated trains.

They rejected a previous deal between the two sides,

but union leaders say they believe the new agreement offers solutions

It has been deal then no deal, now it's back on again. Leaders of Aslef

see the new agreement offers solutions to the concerns after

their previous proposal was turned down by members last month.

Commuters tonight still expressed concern. It is just lots of strike

and the sable gets sorted but really I am not feeling too hopeful. The

need to sort it out, it should be done months ago. The doing this, the

arguing that and then they don't keep their promises. The director of

the company that runs Southern, said today... He said it was an

extraordinarily difficult period for passengers and looks forward to

restoring good industrial relations with Aslef. I earnestly hope now

they have done enough to persuade their drivers that this style of

operation driver only is safe and they can vote this deal through and

we can get back to a reliable service. You can bring this to an

end, you can start the dad-mac stop the strike. It has been and remains

an ugly sight. The disagreement over sea fishes, who closes the train

doors, the changing role of the conductor, has been going on for

almost an year, with the RMT taking 30 days of strike action and the

most recent walk-out on Monday. It is a safety requirements and

critical, they have to be there. I feel quite bitter about what has

happened, but I can only assume some of the Aslef drivers who have been

very supportive of my members feel exactly the same way. RMT said

tonight we have not seen the detail of the proposed outline agreement

are not requesting a full copy as it goes to the heart of disputes with

the company. They say the RMT is pressing yet again for urgent talks

with the company. Let's cross live to our

reporter Juliette Parkin Juliette, fresh hope tonight

for commuters desperate Yes, certainly there is hope tonight

but nobody we spoke to year was optimistic at all that this new deal

would go any way to ending the dispute, especially as only on

Monday we saw further strike action by the RMT union which represents

guards, disrupting services between each year and Eastbourne and

Brighton and further along the coast. If the Aslef deal is agreed,

that could go a long way to ending the dispute as the strike action had

a lot more impact than the RMT's. Let's not forget the shock rejection

of that last deal, people here in Eastbourne won't be celebrating

until the result of that ballot on April three. Indeed, Juliet, thank

you. A teenager from Kent

who claims she was beaten up by her ex-boyfriend has made

a formal complaint to Kent Police, after they failed to bring assault

charges against him. Melissa Caffell was just 17

when she suffered head injuries during an incident at her home

in Teynham, near Faversham, Sean Cheeseman was

convicted of criminal over her injuries,

because the police didn't press Melissa was just 17 years old when

she says her boyfriend lost his temper, punched in the face and

smashed up a bedroom. I went to bed and he came upstairs and he started

and hitting me. It was horrendous. My head hit the wall. My phone was

thrown at my head. Two years later, she is receiving counselling for

PTSD and still suffers from a lazy eye. I didn't want to go out, I just

wanted to stay in. Not to talk to anyone. It was horrible. I have had

nightmares. I get them quite often. I have flashbacks. While her

boyfriend Sean Cheeseman was convicted of causing criminal

damage, no charges were brought in connection with the alleged assault

which he previously said was in self-defence. Melissa was told the

police officer involved missed the six-month deadline. Be said because

he didn't pick the evidence and within six months, that's why they

didn't. This is a particularly unfortunate case where the officer

has made a very honest and very genuine mistake. As a result, we

have missed the opportunity to charge someone with the common

assault offence. Melissa has been so distressed by what happened at home

here on the street in time that she had her mum have decided to move to

Wales to try and build a new life together there. But finding closure

has been difficult, particularly as she feels her opportunity for

justice has been denied her. -- Tainan. I have come a lot of these

cases, the criminal justice system particularly since 2010 has been

creaking under the weight of work and with a lack of resources. Kent

Police is under Crown Prosecution Service. Melissa wants to make sure

other victims of domestic violence aren't put off by her experiences

from reporting what happened. Amanda Akass with that report

and she's here in the studio. Melissa is not at all happy with her

experience. Kent Police say dealing effectively

with domestic violence I think Melissa would agree the last

thing she would want from speaking out for other people to be put off

coming forward, that is not what she wants to do. The police say they do

take all of the report is extremely seriously, we do investigate them

very thoroughly. This was a specific case where a mistake was made. The

Sea victims are at the heart of what they do and they would really like

to encourage anyone to come forward with any kind of domestic violence

report. We did try and speak to Melissa's boyfriend to get a

response from him, but he didn't want to comment at this stage.

Amanda, thank you. How the biggest restoration project

the National Trust has ever undertaken is bringing a Kent

mansion back to its former glory. A jury has heard police

interviews with a man accused of murdering a Sussex teenager,

which reveal that he changed his Michael Lane denies killing

his former girlfriend, 19-year-old Shana Grice,

who was found dead at her home Piers Hopkirk reports

from Lewes Crown Court. Shana Grice was found dead

at her home in Portslade She was thought to have died

between 7:25am and 8am. Michael Lane, her former

boyfriend accused of her murder, had insisted

he hadn't been to her house on the But the court heard today

that when presented with Shana Grice lived on Chrisdory Road,

Michael Lane on Thornhill Rise. On the morning of her murder,

CCTV footage shows Lane walking south down Mile Oak Road

near Chrisdory Road at 7:29. His car can then be

seen on bus CCTV on His vehicle was then

seen again driving south Lane had consistently

denied that he'd been to Shana's house

on the morning of her murder. But in his final police

interview, played out to the jury this afternoon, he did

eventually admit that he had been He said that he walked into her

bedroom to find her lying on the But rather than telling

anyone, he went home, had a shower and then went to a shop

to buy a lottery ticket. DC Lee Taylor said

to him in interview, "If you were innocent,

why didn't you come out of there and say, "Oh,

God, my girlfriend is dead, I need this investigated?"

"I just thought you'd think it was me.

Michael Lane denies murder, the case continues.

Piers Hopkirk with that report and he's outside Lewes Crown Court.

Piers, what else did the interviews reveal?

The jury was shown the moment and police interview where detectives

revealed to Michael Lane they had discovered what they believed to be

a player of his trainers, which had been dumped in a hedgerow in

Portslade, around five days after Shana Grice had been killed. The

explain to him very carefully that a member of the public had seen him in

the vicinity at the time, had contacted them, the police had sent

a search team and then discovered the trainers and forensics showed

they contained both his DNA and Shana Grice's DNA. When they asked

him how the trainers got there, he said he simply didn't know. Thank

you. A second man has been charged

in connection with a hit-and-run crash that killed a pedestrian

in Brighton city centre. 78-year-old Jonos Sasvari died

in January, after being hit by a Vauxhall Astra that was being

pursued by Sussex police. Richard Woolgar, who's 35,

is accused of dangerous driving, having no insurance

and having no licence. Another man has already been

charged with causing death A coroner has recorded an open

verdict at an inquest into the death of a 36-year-old woman,

which detectives had been Emma Crowhurst, who was addicted

to drugs and alcohol, was found with serious head injuries

near Eastbourne fire She died two weeks

later in hospital. Despite witnesses hearing

an argument between Emma and a man before her death,

the coroner said there was not enough evidence to prove she had

been unlawfully killed. A Sussex Labour official has been

expelled from the party after it emerged that he'd served

time in prison for breaking United Riad El Taher admitted paying

Saddam Hussein's regime more than $500,000 in

surcharges on oil deals. But he says he has never

hidden his conviction and believes his expulsion now

is a political move by Labour members opposed

to Jeremy Corbyn's leadership. It's the latest twist in a series

of ongoing problems affecting Labour activists in Brighton and Hove,

as our Political Editor The Iraq War remains a deeply

divisive issue for Labour. Now the actions of one activist

in the run up to the conflict have In Hove, Iraqi born former oil

dealer Riad El Taher has been expelled from the party over

a conviction for breaking sanctions against

Saddam Hussein's regime in 2001. But he claims it is

a political move. The dig up something

which happened 17 It is trying to muddy

the name of Jeremy Corbyn. Riad was recently elected

as an officer of the newly formed I know him personally

as his character because he has been supporting Iraq

against the sanctions He never wavered and he

was against the war. Riad had worked with MPs

to highlight the situation in Iraq, but in 2011 he was jailed

after admitting he'd paid $500,00 to the Iraqi

regime against UN rules. He says he did it to help civilians,

but a judge said she believed his Former defence minister Ivor Caplin

says Riad's expulsion is a straightforward application

of the rules. It's a very serious crime

and Mr Riad went to prison for it, he was convicted

in a custodial sentence. So this is not something to be

sneezed at or anything like that. It was a very serious offence, dealt

with very seriously by the judge Last year, the Brighton and Hove

party was temporarily suspended It was seen as a battle

for control between those who supported the leader,

Jeremy Corbyn, and his opponents. This latest development suggests

that row hasn't ended yet. Helen, Jeremy Corbyn has won

the leadership twice now, why are we still seeing this

sort of row? In the normal run of things, there

is no reason Jeremy Corbyn should have been brought into this row at

all. You've got a conviction, that is not disputed, the party's

National executive committee making a decision it is entitled to make

about a membership. The fact that Riad El Taher can think this is

being done because of his support for the party's only deck shoes you

the level of division and distrust that still remain within Labour.

That is not that much of a surprise if you think in the long-term.

Jeremy Corbyn has been leader for less than two years and is moving

the party away from positions they have held for the last 20. You would

expect that to take time. There are signs in Brighton that perhaps it

could be on the turn. The elections for the Kent town and civilian

branches did go a lot more smoothly. Helen, thank you.

A migrant camp near Dunkirk in northern France will be closed

by the French government, after clashes there this week.

The camp at Grande-Synthe houses around 1500 people,

including many who say they're determined to try to

smuggle themselves onto lorries bound for Kent.

It's grown since last year's closure of the so-called Calais Jungle,

which was a much larger camp near the French port.

Our reporter Simon Jones joins us live from Dover.

Simon, the French interior minister says the clearance will start

Yes, I was over at the Dunkirk just a couple of weeks ago, squalid

conditions, muddy, makeshift shelters. It feels like the Calais

Jungle, albeit on a much smaller scale. The French Government has

decided it must act after clashes broke out last night. In order to

get into the camp, migrants need wristbands, some of them didn't have

them, they set fire to a building, the riot police were called. The

French Government says this is the situation cannot continue and the

Dover MP Hugh agrees. The camp at Dunkirk has been a source of

increasing concern ever since the Calais Jungle was dismantled. It is

important this Dunkirk camp is dismantled as soon as possible and

we take the battle to the people traffickers and help these

vulnerable people back to their home countries as as soon as possible.

But charities in northern France say you can bulldoze another camp but it

won't take away the desire of people to get to northern France to get

over here. Thank you, Simon. A fresh deal has been agreed, aimed

at resolving the bitter industrial dispute between Southern Railway

and the biggest train It will now be put to Aslef

members in a referendum. The Kent and England cricketer

inspiring disabled youngsters And it has been the warmest day of

the year so far with 19 degrees in Kent. Is this warm weather set to

continue? I will have the details for you in the forecast later in the

programme. Normally All Access Scaffolding

in Margate would be involved in helping people repoint a chimney,

or install some new windows. But they're currently involved

in a project in Canterbury that is quite a bit bigger

than normal, involving some eight and a half miles of tubing

and covering an area of some It's because they're part

of the ?24.7 million conservation project to protect and restore

Canterbury cathedral Robin, it's quite a feat for these

Thanet scaffolders. Of course it is, it is like a

building with any building. Why is it happening? If you can see on the

roof there, it is going to be replaced. This for one reason is a

gigantic safety net in case bits and pieces start to fall when they start

hammering on the roof. It is a monstrous feat of engineering, just

in its self. This is one of the more unusual

building sites you receive. More than 50 feet above a working

cathedral, the team of Margate scaffolder 's pause to allow a

moment of peace. Then they continue on with their task of building a

giant working platform the size of the sports pitch, another day in an

extraordinary office. It is a different world. No one has seen

this up here before in our lifetime. Apparently I am the first diesel

appear to have a cell C. You clearly need a cool head for heights,

clambering amongst the steel here. It is atmospheric, surroundings

which would encourage anyone to is get into the spirit of the place.

Yellow mac because he'd is open for business with got to take that into

factor to nature everyone can still do what we need to do. It is a

moment in history. We are as close to these wonderful vaulted ceilings

in Canterbury Cathedral as the builders were, looking back about

1000 years. Through the efforts of the scaffolder is, we have a room,

an attic. It is a proper goose bumps moment. I have been up on the deck

20 or more times but every time it is extraordinary. It is such a

privilege to have this one any many, many generation's opportunity to see

it. ?24.7 million, re-landscape in the precincts, working on the

western towers, along with lots of engagements, it is about heritage

but also people and communities and engaging people with the building's

heritage, its magnificence. It is more than just the work itself, it's

about the people. Future generations may well look back on air time as

the EU out when the Cathedral was saved but wonder how the people went

about it. The work is on-time and on schedule, this giant platform will

be in place well in time for the very important period of Easter

coming up in the cathedral. Looks lovely still. You, Robin. -- thank

you. Sam Billings is one of Kent's most

high profile sportsmen, playing cricket for both the county

and for England. This afternoon the wicketkeeper

batsman was launching an ambassador programme to get young people

with disabilities Sam Alderson from Kent has severe

physical disabilities, but it doesn't stop him playing

the game he loves. Two inspirational

players with one aim - England player Sam Billings

spent the afternoon here at Bromley College,

as an ambassador for Lord's Taverners, a charity to bring

the sport to disadvantaged He caught the cricketing

bug through the charity and when he found his powered

wheelchair was hindering more than helping, abandoned it

to bowl on his knees. I love playing the game,

I love getting out there I don't make excuses

for my disability. If I want to do something,

I'll go and do it. And I'll be determined

to do it no matter what. And you would encourage other

people to do the same? Here, training with his England

team-mates, Sam Billings may have plenty to teach the youngsters

he met today, but he admits being an ambassador also reminds him

why he plays in the first place. I think sometimes as

a pro-sportsman you can actually So it puts it in perspective

and it's fantastic to see the smiles on their faces and to enjoy cricket

again and really see the effects Yeah, for me, that's

as good as anything. Many of these young people

won't have had a chance to try cricket before and the hope

is that inspired by elite players, like Sam Billings,

and the determination of those with disabilities,

like Sam Alderson, they'll Maybe this will be the first

of many team photos. It's a grand historic

mansion that was once, But crumbling walls

and falling ceilings left Knole House in Sevenoaks

and the treasures it contains in desperate need

of some serious TLC. So it's become the focus

of a restoration project costing almost 20-million pounds,

the biggest National Trust A new conservation studio showcasing

the work will be opened John Maguire has been finding out

more. With almost six

centuries of history, oldest, grandest and most important

houses in the country. This is the great staircase

at Knole, created at We've got, I think, probably

overwhelmed by the scale of what we have here at Knole,

seven acres of roof and just keeping on top

maintenance of the building is an enormous task.

And because the building is so old, we got to a

point where actually we needed to do something,

a major intervention, like a project that we are working

on now, really to secure the house's future.

So a state-of-the-art conservation studio will, with

painstaking patience, work to protect the building and its

Conservators employ the same skills and techniques that have

embellished Knole for hundreds of years.

I suppose the whole point of it was to show off your wealth,

really? Yes.

That is why, quite often in the past, re-gilding

was done, because if the gold gets worn or dirty, or just

really doesn't look as shiny as it could do, that was the stage where

the owners would have chosen to re-gild.

Through the ages, dust, rain and wood smoke have all taken their

toll and this x-ray shows damaged caused by woodworm.

The team has to preserve the ornate and the

elaborate of Knole's past while ensuring the health

and the safety requirements of the present to

protect not only the house itself but also those who come here to

That was John Maguire, at Knole House in Sevenoaks.

Rachel, you are looking very springlike.

Top temperatures of 19 degrees, the warmest day of the year so far. For

the most part, clear blue skies, hardly a cloud and really liked

winds. All of us across the board seen temperatures well above the

seasonal average. Is it going to last? For tomorrow again it should

be mostly dry, by the afternoon, temperatures a shakedown on today

but mild for the time of year. As we look towards Friday, and the

weekend, it is going to be cooler, windier and wetter, particularly by

Saturday. It stays dry through tonight. Overnight temperatures very

mild, only dropping to eight, 9 degrees. These are the values we

would expect to see during the day at this time of year. Mild and quite

cloudy, misty and murky as we start the day. Mostly it is a quiet day,

eventually we have got this cold front, we start to see more cloud

cover as we head to the tail end of the afternoon. Staying dry during

daylight hours, but will start to see some rain. Temperatures tomorrow

a shakedown on today but still in the low to mid teens, highs of 1314

degrees possible. Thursday into Friday, we see the cold front,

bringing drizzle and temperatures feeling fresher. As we start the day

on Friday, quite mild, four or 5 degrees, all change as we look

towards the weekend. Wet and windy. Tomorrow the sun is still shining,

highs of 15. Back with the late News at 10:30pm. See you tomorrow, have a

good evening. 'The UK has voted to leave

the European Union 'Ukip leader Nigel Farage

celebrated the result, 'declaring that dawn was breaking

on an independent nation. 'Prime Minister David Cameron is

expected to resign 'The pound fell sharply as the

referendum result became apparent, 'and traders are bracing themselves

for panic when the markets open. 'and England are confident

of advancing to the next stage 'ahead of their upcoming European

Championship game against Iceland.'