18/10/2013 South Today

from the BBC News at Six. So it's goodbye from me, and

Hello, I'm Sally Taylor. Welcome to South Today. In tonight's programme:

Institutionalised abuse ` neglect contributed to the deaths of five

elderly people at a care home in West Sussex, rules a coroner. When

they read out on death after another, it seemed amazing that

anyone came out of the home alive. Too old to be prosecuted ` Michael

Mates won't be charged over false claims of where he lived as a Police

Commissioner candidate. Eastern promise ` jobs will be safe,

say the new Chinese owners of luxury boat builders, sun`seeker.

And bridging the generations ` how old and young are coming together to

help keep the lifeboats afloat. A coroner has ruled that neglect

contributed to the deaths of five elderly people at a care home in

West Sussex. They were among 19 unexplained deaths within two years

at the Orchid View home in Copthorne, where residents were

subjected to institutionalised abuse. The coroner said that those

responsible who did nothing or turned a blind eye should be

ashamed. There was also criticism of the watchdog the Care Quality

Commission, whose inspections of Orchid View were described as not

fit for purpose. There will now be a serious case review into why there

were safeguarding failings, but the relatives of those who died have

called for a public enquiry. In a moment, we'll hear from the CQC.

First, here's Rebecca Williams on the background to the case.

Neglected and mistreated. In less than two years, five residents died

after the care they received at Orchid View nursing home. I was

repeatedly asking for help to sort out those problems, and it never

appears. She was left to suffer. Some relatives believed had there

been better care, there are loved ones may still be here. When they

read out on death after another, it seemed amazing that anyone came out

of that home alive. The home has no real and with a different name and

under new management. But it was here that a pattern of neglect

unfolded. The inquest heard how it was understaffed, and how some

people work working here without checks. Workers were `` residents

were regularly given the wrong medication and were left alone for

hours with soiled hands. Jean Halfpenny endured that treatment

until her death in 2010. The court heard how he/she had been given

three times her prescribed medication on several occasion. We

did see a huge change in that six`month period, from really

thinking she was in there for a short time, to seeing her sort of

waste away physically. One of the social workers from the local

authority found my mother in her room in her bed, naked, hold and

crying. `` cold and crying. One of the nurses, Paul Angelini, was

jailed last year for sexually assaulting a young boy. But it was a

home administrator who whistle blew. I saw people, as I said lying

on mattresses, eating their food of the four legged dogs. It was

heartbreaking. Any regrets about coming forward? No, I know morally

that I did it the right thing and didn't have any choice.

Orchid View was run by the now defunct Southern Cross which made

headlines in 2011 when the company was forced to close. That year, the

Care Quality Commission found that 40% of its homes were failing to

meet essential standards. But Orchid View 's damning report raised a

number of concerns. They said that they were understaffed and care

plans were not up to date. Residents were serious `` risk of neglect, .

It is extraordinary that in the whole period that the Care Quality

Commission was established, and despite the number of scandals,

there has not been any prosecutions. It is flawed, so we're changing it

so they can prostitute went when things go wrong. `` so they can

prosecute when things go wrong. A short time ago, I spoke to Sue

Sheath from the Care Quality Commission. The inquest has

highlighted terrible events at the home, so how could the watchdog have

let that happen? Firstly, it is a terrible indictment, and all

sympathies quite do family. I would say that we need to listen to what

the coroner has said, and we intend to run a review, headed up by a new

Chief Inspector of arrow. Mac adult social care, to look at what has

happened and Steve there any lessons learned. So will know when be under

disciplinary action? Would you expect that? I wouldn't expect that

to happen immediately, but what I would expect as far as to look at

this and see what has happened, learn from the lessons of this, and

try some new proposals. But why is it that the Care Quality Commission

seems to have a history of reluctance in closing homes? You

don't do it. It's not a reluctance. We follow processes, and we

recognise... Forgive me, because that's always what someone will say,

we follow the process, but at the end of the day, every day that goes

by, is too late for some people, and quite clearly, that is what happened

here, because of neglect. And either he knows that that is what people

will think, but I don't want us to jump to conclusions at the moment,

and what we need to do is look at what happens, take the lessons, and

feed them into the proposal we have clinched this week. But you are

the, inspecting these homes. You had a good rating in 2010, 2011, serious

failings. What are the lessons to be learned, have an inspection says

that? Why could you not close that down? That's what we need to look

at. What whether we should or could have acted quicker. We need to do a

proper review. You have to design a system whereby the most serious

incidents, you can act quickly upon. Can you accept that you don't act

quickly enough, and you have the right procedures in place? I'm not

going to agree that that is the case. What I'm going to see is that

we have launched a pause or is on a consultation on how we're going to

regulate and inspect social care. Why has it not been done before? It

has been going on for a long time, and we have been developing and

methods of inspecting clear on is over the past couple of years, so

there have been changes already, which may not be evident here,

because that home is now closed. We are building on that in developing

and methodology, and we will be consulting on that next year. Thank

you very much. A former candidate to be Hampshire's

Police Commissioner, Michael Mates, won't be prosecuted for electoral

fraud, partly because he's too old. The Crown Prosecution Service says

he could have been charged over claims he made a false statement

about where he lived. But the CPS has decided prosecuting the

79`year`old former MP is not in the public interest. Mark Sanders joins

us from our studio in Portsmouth. Mark, explain what led up to this

decision by the CPS. Last year, Michael Mates, the former

Tory minister, was running to be the Police Commissioner in Hampshire.

One of the rules for candidates is they must be resident in the area.

Now, there was a claim that Mr Mates falsified his address, putting this

flat in Winchester as his residence rather than his main home in West

Sussex. The matter was investigated and now the CPS has decided not to

bring charges against Mr Mates, who's 79`years`old. The CPS said:

Having considered the reasons why Michael Mates was at the address

provided, we have determined that there is sufficient evidence for a

realistic prospect of conviction in this case. However, in view of the

likely penalty that would be imposed, Michael Mates' age, the

fact that the election did not have to be re`run and that his

culpability was relatively low, we do not consider that a prosecution

would be in the public interest. Any comment from Michael Mates today? I

reached Mr Mates on the phone today, but he declined to comment to BBC

South. However, he did have something to say to local paper. He

said of the CPS decision: "This has left me between a rock and a hard

place and I find it unacceptable. I would have been perfectly happy to

answer any charges in court because I know I have done nothing wrong.

Having acted entirely on professional advice in the whole

process, I cannot understand what it is that has caused the CPS to arrive

at their decision. I do not believe that it is natural justice to be in

a position where I cannot publicly justify what I did, because I have

not been told what it is that I might have been accused of." It's

worth pointing out that the CPS is taking no action against another

person in Mr Mates' case. Still to come in this evening's South Today:

The weekend weather, and Tony Husband is under starters orders.

Sally, thousands have turned out for the launch night of this year's

Rallye Sunseeker. It is the final round of the British Rally

championship, and we will look forward to this and have the west of

the weekend sport. They already own part of Thames

Water, a big chunk of Weetabix and could soon have a stake in our

nuclear power stations. China is showing a growing enthusiasm for

buying British companies. In June, Chinese investment group Dalian

Wanda bought sun`seeker, the Poole based luxury boat builder, for ?320

million. In our week`long look at the impact of China on the South,

our business correspondent Alastair Fee examines what it's meant for the

company. It's a world`famous brand and a

Dorset success story. Sun`seeker built its first boat in Poole in

1968. Now, more than 50 years on, the company that began as a family

business has been bought out by the Chinese. There's not many bad

stories about foreign investment in the UK, particularly in

manufacturing, and we have every reason to believe we could be as

successful in our space, equally as Jaguar Land Rover are. Its new owner

is Dalian Wanda, an entertainment and property investment company. It

now has a 92% stake, leaving just 8% in the hands of sun`seeker's

management. TRANSLATION: The deal is in line with Dalian Wanda's business

model. We have yacht clubs in southern, central, and northern

parts of China, and this is a high`end manufacturing business,

supported by our government. China's rapid economic growth has

driven up the demand for luxury goods, so to cater for that increase

in multimillionaires, firms have been keen to buy established foreign

brands, and this is exactly what they're looking for. It's also what

the government wants, and a message the Business Secretary, Vince Cable,

was keen to repeat at a conference in Eastleigh today. When a company

like sun`seeker, which was for a while in some financial difficulty,

get a good long`term investment, that's good. They are expanding, and

they are great exporting company, and the Chinese are investing in

that. Plans to close its New Forest yard were today put down to

consolidating production in Poole, and not a consequence of the Chinese

deal. How the news goes down in the yard will play out over the coming

months. Workers here have been told they have nothing to fear following

this deal. British`made boats are valued the world over, the Chinese

know that, so there are no plans to build anywhere other than here in

Poole. If it maintains jobs there, and increases production, then it's

a good investment and good for the community. We still make good Nissan

cars and Toyotas, and I hope that the Chinese investment will produce

good yachts. Sun`seeker says the day`to`day running of the business

will stay the same. The investment is it that expected to scale up

operations, lead to more boats, and in time, hundreds more jobs in

Poole. Three men have been convicted of

conspiring to commit a series of robberies across the South. These

include three bank robberies in Hampshire during which ?240,000 was

stolen. Police said Stewart Last, from Windsor and Richard Loveridge

and Andrew Smith from Slough are also responsible for robbing shops,

including this raid on the Carphone Warehouse in Berkshire in 2011. Last

and Loveridge were also found guilty of conspiracy to burgle, although

Smith was cleared of this charge. A fourth defendant, Lee Fitzgerald,

was acquitted of all charges. They were prolific in their nature,

ruthless in the way they carried out the acts, often using violence and

weapons. They were very aware of police procedures. By convicting

these criminals, the prevention of crimes they would have committed is

measurable. Martial arts is a contact sport

that's not for the faint`hearted. Three years ago, Rachel Phillips

sustained a knee injury while sparring with her instructor. She

was unable to walk for months. The Basingstoke business woman has just

received a six`figure sum as part of an insurance claim for the injury.

Ed Sherry reports. Running an online baby business is

more than sitting at a computer. But for Rachel, the physical effects of

her injury were just the start. The effect on the family, then seeing

them on goal from someone who was gregarious to someone who was laid

up in bed for the best part of the year, and then the fallout of that,

hasn't been great, and I know it has affected my children. They have had

to grow up fast. It happened after a beginners karate class here in

Basingstoke, when she was invited to spar with her instructor in tae kwon

do, which she had been learning for 15 months. The instructor swept her

leg, and she fell heavily. The knee was so swollen I couldn't bend it. I

couldn't do anything with it, and this consultant said I needed an MRI

scan. He said to me the injuries are consistent with someone who has been

any car crash. The instructor did not want to appear on camera, but

was visibly upset when I spoke to him. He described it as a freak

accident, and nothing had happened like it in 30 years. I haven't dealt

with another martial arts case, no. I have dealt with a lot of other

sports, but not something like this. Rachel says she now wants to focus

on building the family business and put the last three years behind her.

There was a pledge today that every effort will be made to take over

Eco`Island, the failed green energy company on the Isle of Wight.

Members of Future Solent ` a green project aimed at creating a low

carbon economy in the South ` say they will do everything possible to

make the island energy self`sufficient. They intend to

deliver all the aims of Eco Island's director David Green, who was found

dead shortly after the company collapsed.

Eco`Island is as important today as it was then, and we have determined

as a group and with our supporting businesses, to take the project and

if possible, delivered in the way that he would have wanted. So

Eco`Island will live on? Yes, if it's in our power, Eco`Island will

be delivered. You may remember that last night, Alexis saw what it would

be like to take part in Rallye Sunseeker. The event starts tonight

in poole`mac, Antonia is there for us life. What's behind you, it looks

like an incredible atmosphere. It is great. There are thousands of people

here. It has been a very good week for motorsports fans in this area.

If you are around here this weekend, you're going to see some top`class

rally driving. This is the 40th time they have staged a rally on here,

and we will have a parade which starts longer the mag shortly. All

of the cars will be involved in this. Here is one of drivers what is

the challenge of the Rallye Sunseeker? I suppose it is just

different. Every stage is different, and there are really fast stages,

but it is different on every point. It will be difficult but enjoyable.

Good luck. Let's have a word with Tom. Tom, a special event, and

you're hoping to do well. Yes, it's a great it atmosphere, and I'm

looking forward to tomorrow. We have the championship to fight for, so

we're looking forward to it. Good luck. It starts at 8:30am tomorrow

morning. They will finish around 430 PM or 5pm tomorrow. The Premier

league returns tomorrow, and Southampton heads to Manchester

United. It seems a good time to have a shack with this seems legend from

their legendary time. I've been catching up with David Armstrong.

As a player, it was not just the bald head that stood out. David

Armstrong had a scoring ability that made him one of England's top

players. He was part of a Southampton side which finished

second in the year. The players entertained everyone, and for me,

that's what football is all about. Going out there and putting in a

hard shift, and if you do that and work hard, you're going to be in

contention. His book tells the story of a player that started out on

Middlesbrough. Clubs such as Nottingham Forest and Manchester

United were interested in buying him, but he shows Southampton.

Cleaning his boots in those days was a legend of the future. When I

came, I was only 16 when I first met him, and he didn't have any here

then, and I thought, how was he playing, he must be about 55!

Obviously, he was in that old. But it was a great experience to train

alongside guys like him. As for the 2013 vintage, he is looking on with

awareness. I'm sure they're going to give everyone a run for their money.

They have had a great pre`season, and they are really, really doing

particularly well. Tomorrow, they go to Manchester United in transition.

It is a change of manager, and they haven't started the season

brilliantly, sold this is as good a chance as we will ever have to get

an result at Old Trafford. A result tomorrow certainly is not full stop

David Armstrong. Good luck with his book, which is

out now. It is the cars, I mentioned. Let's take a look at some

of them. These are going to be racing around the heathland and, of

course, around the key as well tomorrow. Reading our seventh in the

championship, hosting Doncaster, and it will be hoping for a result. They

are going well following relegation. In League Two, Portsmouth have

already sold more than 15,000 tickets for their game with

manager`less Bury at Fratton Park. Pompey are 15th in the table.

Swindon play tonight. And a reminder, that every game is live on

BBC local radio, every goal is available on The Football League

Show after Match Of The Day tomorrow night, and we have the best of the

action on Monday. Sussex Cricket Club have continued

to shore up their squad for next season. Seamer James Anyon has

followed Matt Machan in becoming the latest player to sign a new deal at

Hove. Anyon has agreed a two year contract after taking 50 first class

wickets in 2013. Well, just before seven, all these cars are going to

make their way up to the startling, and around here tonight, and it

should be quite a spectacle. This event gets bigger every year, and

we'll show you some of the action over the weekend and on Monday

night. We look forward to it, I can see you

doing this and a couple of years time!

Now, one of them is aged just nine, and the other is 90. But despite the

age difference, Ben Wayne and Marion Mason have something in common `

they've both been raising money for lifeboats in Dorset. Ben was

inspired by the bravery of the volunteers who crew the Mudeford

Lifeboat. Marion decided to make a donation in memory of her

grandfather ` a Swanage lifeboat coxswain who drowned during a rescue

attempt back in 1895. Steve Humphrey reports.

This afternoon, the granddaughter of a 19th`century lifeboat Coxon 's

took great pride in presenting a cheque to the present`day crew. As

her 90th bird stomach birthday approached, Marion told people she

wanted donations for the lifeboat instead of presents. `` 90th

birthday approached. It's a drop in the ocean, perhaps, but all those

little drops count. Marion's grandfather was trained during a

rescue mission in 1895, when the Swanage crew went to help people

aboard a sailing trip near old Harry rocks. The whole crew were

tremendously brave. To go out in such a raging sea. They just had

orders instead of engines. The donation has come at a good time,

because the people have two raised ?200,000 towards the new lifeboat

station, which will host one of the new lifeboat, due to arrive here in

2015. It is a big number, for the whole project. It is over 5 million.

Marion has been raising money for the lifeboats at the age of 90, and

Ben has been doing it at the age of just nine. He has been decorating

pebbles in exchange for donations. The proceeds have been donated to

the Mudeford lifeboat, and the current total is very impressive.

?360. It is a really good job. They are risking their own lives to

rescue someone else. Then and marry might be 81 years apart in terms of

age, but when it comes to fundraising, they have a joint

passion. Onto the weather, Alexis is here. It is really mild at the

moment. Yes, two or three degrees above the seasonal average. Today

has been a pretty breezy day all in all. We were some rain through the

course of tonight, fairly light initially, but that will turn quite

heavy by dawn. You can see the rest of the brain for northern and

western areas, but a few showers will drift up later on. They will be

some heavy bursts, and mild temperatures. Lows of 12 and 15

Celsius. A damp start to the day for some, but in the afternoon, there is

a risk of some heavy rain, even some thunder. It is because of this

feature done in the south`east, which could drift further north.

Following that, sunshine and blustery 's showers without high of

potentially 18 degrees, and the winds will strengthen from the

south, so it will feel blustery out in the open. Tomorrow night, we will

see some showers, and some drier periods as well, and the showers

will last into the early hours of Sunday morning, with temperatures

only fallen to around 12 to 15 Celsius. The winds coming into the

South and the South West on Sunday will be fairly strong. You can see

the Isa burst tightening, `` isobars tightening, and not everyone will

see the showers. There will be some dry periods as well. Let's take a

look to the weekend. It will be fairly warm for the time of year,

warmer than any sunny spells that you do have today. Sunshine is more

likely on Sunday, but will be some bright spells on Saturday. The

weekend and next week, you can see, not looking too pretty, but will

there will be some dry periods. Tomorrow, a lot of rain at times,

even the odd rumble of thunder, but the winds will increase in speed

from the South South West, and blustery showers on Sunday. Next

week, however, some heavy rain on Monday. Passengers were delayed at

Winchester by a swan. It has wandered onto the tracks. It got

onto the track shortly after 8am, holding up a train to Bournemouth,

but after a short stand`off, it was rescued by a worker. It was then

passed on to the RSPCA and the chain eventually got on its way around

about half an hour late. You have to be brave to do that, don't you? Yes,

it's just as she bit wasn't Swanage Railway! We have more and 820 eight

o'clock and 1025. We will be back tomorrow.