06/01/2012 Spotlight

Millions of pounds to turn this unauthorised traveller site into a

permanent one and create new pitches across the South West. Good

evening, welcome to Spotlight. Travellers have welcomed the news

but say it won't be enough. Also tonight - jailed for two years.

The woman whose husband was killed after she pulled on the handbrake.

His family say the sentence isn't long enough.

Caroline's behaviour tours two Polly has been shocking, never any

contact of the word sorry. And scaling new heights - the

youngster climbing his way to the top after being selected to

represent Great Britain. More than �3 million is to be spent

on new traveller pitches in the South West. The money from the

Government aims to reduce the number of unauthorised sites in the

region. But travellers and councils say much more is needed. The money

just announced will provide 60 official pitches. At Haldon Hill

near Exeter, there are plans for 15 new pitches, to replace a much

larger unauthorised site. In Plymouth, 15 pitches are planned

for a transit camp near Roborough. And Cornwall Council have funding

to deliver 30 new pitches, although the location of these is yet to be

identified. John Danks has this report.

This unauthorised traveller site at Haldon, near Exeter, is one of the

areas to benefit. Over the years it's been the cause of tension

between travellers and local residents. More than a million

pounds is to be spent here to create a smaller but permanent site

with proper facilities and power. We have overcome the first hurdle,

which is we have the money. We are now in the game and we can apply

for planning permission, we can start talking to our colleagues,

our partners, and I don't see why we can't go forward. The site sits

within an area of outstanding natural beauty and some feel it

shouldn't be there. However there's hope from the nearby settled

community that a solution can be found. What has always been the

main problem is that this site has been to the detriment of what

should be going on there. So hopefully, with the sensitive

application, we could see something quite positive up there. This land

on the outskirts of Plymouth is earmarked to become a new transit

site for gypsys and travellers. Last year there were 40 illegal

encampments in the city. Sally Woodbury is a romany gypsy. She

lives in a mobile home on her own land. Although pleased about the

new funding, she's still sceptical. It is very positive news but I

would not hold my breath because the sort of thing was done before

and councils change and they do not seem to develop. If they develop,

it's wonderful, if not its back to the same problem. Planning

permission is now required for the sites in Plymouth and Haldon and

that may take some time. We'll be following those plans over

the months ahead, and let us know what you think. You can email us on

[email protected] or we're on Twitter, @bbcspotlight.

A Somerset woman who killed her husband by pulling on the handbrake

of their car, causing it to crash, has been jailed for two years.

Caroline Meeking and her husband Alan had been having a drunken row

when it happened. John Maguire reports.

A sudden drunken act that had so many serious consequences. Alan

Meeking died almost immediately when the car he was driving, with

his wife Caroline by his side, spun across the road and smashed into an

oncoming vehicle. The couple were driving home to Illminster after a

day's drinking when they started to argue, she pulled on the handbrake

- and caused her husband's death. Throughout sentencing the court

repeatedly heard that this was a highly unusual case. The judge said

he accepted that Caroline Meeking had not intended to cause harm or

injury but he described her actions as plainly dangerous and grossly

irresponsible. He centre to jail for two years. Caroline Meeking, in

the yellow jacket, had arrived at Bristol Crown Court this morning

knowing that she may face jail after her manslaughter trial at the

end of last year. The court was told she loved and adored her

husband and was genuinely remorseful. But Mr Meeking's four

children from a previous marriage disagreed. Two years is never

enough but the family a club that a custodial sentence has been imposed.

Caroline's behave it was the family has been shocking, never any

contact called the word sorry. We loved our dad very much and he will

be sorely missed by his children, brothers and many friends. It is

not going to bring him back but at least it is a custodial sentence.

Both Alan and Caroline's supporters were in court, sitting just a few

feet away from each other. Families once brought together but now so

cruelly torn apart. More than 300 children have been

helped by a scheme in Plymouth to support victims of domestic abuse.

Operation Encompass was set up last year to allow police to alert

teachers if a child has witnessed violence and abuse. As Scott

Bingham reports, the scheme could now be rolled out to other areas.

A trial of Operation Encompass started in February last year. It

was the brainchild of Devonport- based police Sergeant David Carney-

Howarth, whose wife hapens to be a headteacher. Dealing with domestic

violence cases, he realised that where a teacher might see a change

in a child's behaviour it's often the police who know the reason

behind it. You could say it is simply a phone call to schools in

the morning but there is a lot more to it than that. The impact is

phenomenal. Although it is only a phone-call from us, to that child

it is everything, because that support is in school ready for them

in the morning. And that simple phone call can make a huge

difference. Previously we would not know or only know one or two months

after the event and would not be able to support the child. From

that information it enabels us to know that if the child shows any

sign of anxiety and needs support of any kind, we can provide that

without them going through the normal lines of punishment that

might happen if, for example, they misbehave. Carl Eve is a crime

reporter for the Plymouth Herald - but as a child he was also a victim

of domestic violence. My mum would stand between us, me and my

brothers, so she caught the most of it. Black eyes, bruised lips. There

was parties hearing your mum screaming. That sticks more than

anything else. He's now actively supporting the scheme. I think the

best thing for a child is not to feel alone. Having someone at

school who will keep an eye on you is fantastic. Alarmingly, Operation

Encompass has already helped well over 300 children in the Devonport

area of Plymouth alone since February. It's been so successful

it's about to be rolled out to all 120 schools across the city.

A girl from Cornwall who had a charity founded in her name has

died. Six-year-old Ellie Libby from Looe inspired her parents to create

Ellie's Haven. She was born with a rare genetic condition which

required her to have 24-hour care. The charity Is raising money to

build a holiday retreat for children with long term or life

limiting illnesses. Her father, Nigel, says his daughter's memory

will be preserved forever by Ellie's Haven and "the special

place for special children it will create".

Parents trying to save a troubled private school in North Devon say

the main school will not now re- open. St Michaels at Tawstock said

it was in financial difficulties just after Christmas because of

falling numbers. Parents formed a new management committee and had

hoped to keep the school going. They say the St Michael's nursery

will continue. Parents of around 40 children are now trying to find a

new school. 100 new care jobs are to be created

in the South West. Sunshine Care plans to take on 50 people in

Plymouth, 25 in the rest of Devon and 25 in Cornwall. There willl

also be new posts in Somerset and Dorset. The company says it's

expanding its home services and provision for dementia.

A former captain of the aircraft carrier HMS Ark Royal is backing

plans to have the vessel sunk as a diving reef. A group of divers have

secured more than �6 million to sink the former Navy flagship in

the waters off Tor Bay. Rear Admiral Terry Loughran is backing

the scheme in preference to it being sold off as scrap. The MOD is

expected to make a decision in the next few weeks.

The Cornwall Coroner is to urge the Government to install special

software on home education computers, to restrict their

internet browsing. An inquest into the death of a Cornish girl who

killed herself three years ago heard she'd used a council-approved

computer to chat with men on the internet. Council managers have

said lessons HAVE been learnt from a "tragic" case. Spotlight's Matt

Pengelly reports. Simone Grice was a troubled

teenager. By the age of ten she'd been excluded from two primary

schools, there had been complaints of bullying, she was withdrawn and

depressed - yet refused to engage with the professionals who were

trying to look after her, such as Cornwall social services. In July

2009 she jumped off a roadbridge near her home in Illogan. She was

15 years old. Yesterday, members of her family told the inquest they

were worried she had been developing relationships with older

men, some of those sexual relationships, and she was using

the computer supplier to her so that she could continue her

education at home, so that she could chat with men on social

networks sides. Today, the detective said his investigation

had shown there was no evidence of abuse or any crooning over the

internet. After Simone's death, Cornwall Council's Social Services

department has tightened its procedures over vulnerable people

who refuse to engage with groups like social services - and the

council has also insisted that any computers supplied for home

education be fitted with special software to monitor what the young

person is looking at. The Coroner said she's written to the

Government suggesting this policy be adopted nationally. The Cornwall

coroner recorded a verdict of suicide on Simone Grice.

A Cornish wildlife sanctuary which cares for sick and injured owls

says it may have to close its special owl hospital this year

because of a drop in income. Screech Owl Sanctuary says last

year visitor numbers fell by a third and warns that more cutbacks

will have to be made if the trend continues. Amy Cole reports.

Darling arrived at Screech Owl Sanctuary 14 years ago. Then a mere

chick who was struggling to survive, he required a lot of care and

medical attention and is now a permanent resident. Because of

demesne to occur that he needed as a baby he became imprinted they

could not go back to the wild, so he lives here and his licence to

stay with us for the rest of his life. But that's a rarity. The

Sancuary is committed to caring for sick and injured owls - like this

short-eared owl, who came in with a wing injury after being hit - and

return them back to the wild. Last year a fall in donations and

visitors led to cutbacks in staffing and conservation work.

Carolyn is worried that this year the owl hospital might have to go.

We would not close. This is our 20th year and we are very committed

to what we do. We will get by somehow. But if we had to reduce

costs of not able to meet costs, the first thing that would have to

go would be the rehabilitation work. The charity treated more than 360

owls last year and its small hospital is regularly full up. With

annual overheads in excess of �50,000, the Sanctuary says it's

vital that visitors and donations also keep coming in.

All the sport still ahead in the programme including the

synchronised progress of the Plymouth swimmer and her partner as

the Olympics beckon. And joining me life in Bradninch what the locals

will be saying goodbye to Christmas in a very special way. A project to

try and stop rare wildlife being destroyed in Portland has just been

launched. Portland in Peril aims to halt an alien plant invasion. Its

being funded with hundreds of thousands of pounds from the

landfill tax. Here's our environment correspondent, Adrian

Campbell. Experts from Dorset Wildlife Trust

are on safari making their way through disused quarries on

Portland. But it's not big game they're after. You can see how the

roots are displacing all the soil around it. It's something much more

down to earth. Cotoneaster, which Jess Tilley and John Cload

particularly want to seek out and destroy.This common garden plant

has gone wild and is smothering fragile grassland habitats

important for rare species such as the common blue, adonis blue and

the chalk hill blue butterflies. You can see how this has gone back

in. We need to cut that again. bit is growing like a carpet.

for the Portland In Peril project was awarded by Virridor credits

which, distributes money from the landfill tax. As well as helping

wildlife this big cash investment will also create local jobs.

Contractors will be needed to carefully spray some inaccessible

cliff faces which have been overrun by cotoneaster and also giant

buddleia plants. Sam Hamer from the Dorset Wildlife Trust says these

garden escapees have become far too successful. Along this stretch here

you can see the whole transition of the cotoneaster moving in. Here we

have the lead normal plants with the cotoneaster slowly establishing.

As it becomes more established and will carpet like, in the end we end

up with the growth pattern which is more like her doormat which has

blocked out ever think underneath. The disused quarries on Portland

are truly a very special placen and offer some remarkable opportunities

for conservation. The longer term aim is to attract green tourists

here creating long term and sustainable local employment. But

for now there's an awful lot of cotoneaster and buddleia to cut and

prune. Time for the sport and Dave's here

for the first time this year. Do you think it will be a good New

Year for South West sport? It can hardly get any worse. Some of our

teams have hardly been evangelical in 2011 but then most successful is

evangelical -- Exeter cheese. Exeter Chiefs can keep in touch

with the top four of rugby's Premiership if they win at bottom

club Newcastle Falcons tomorrow. Rob Baxter's men are five points

adrift of Northampton and Leicester, who occupy the third and fourth

slots. Chiefs look for a double after beating Newcastle at Sandy

Park. Nat Saumi and John Roberts take charge of troubled Plymouth

Albion until the end of the season with their first task to prevent a

defeat at London Scottish. The Cornish Pirates welcome back wing

Rhodri McAtee for Sunday's home date with Nottingham.

The weekend's South West football is halved. The scheduled League

games for Yeovil Town and Torquay United are off due to their

opponents' involvement in the FA Cup. It leaves Exeter City and

Plymouth Argyle continuing their mission to avoid relegation. City

haven't won since the end of November and go to bottom team

Chesterfield, who haven't tasted success in League One since

September. Plymouth Argyle visit Crewe Alexandra, three points

behind the safety line. Darren Purse, now a permanent acquisition,

is back after serving a three-match ban.

Five years ago, Plymouth synchronised swimmer Olivia Allison

and her partner in the sport, Jenna Randall, finished in 22nd place at

the World Championships. But since they've gone full-time in the

build-up to the 2012 Olympics, they finished 8th this year. Ed Sherry

reports on their progress from their training pool in Hampshire.

Grace and beauty, but underwater it is a Mace's athletic challenge.

have to make it look so effortless. Lactic acid is burning through you,

your heart is bumping, and you have to make it look like you could

carry on for an extra 10 or 20 minutes. Synchronised swimming,

along with rhythmic gymnastics, are the only two sports on the Olympic

programme to be contested by women only. Bolivia and her partner Jenna

Randall competed in Beijing 2008. This is the Russian squad who won

gold at the last three Olympics. They are expected to dominate again

in 2012. But Great Britain is taking great strides, setting up

this new centralised training centre in Aldershot. The aim is

long-term success. Every time we gave two were trying to improve our

routines, tweak them, look how we can make them more difficult, more

interesting, more unions say the judges give us the top marks.

live here and Jenna there is a chance of a medal in London but the

future is more important. Because you have to be synchronised to get

to know each other so well that you know how someone else moves and you

can anticipate. People have slightly different ways of moving

so it is important you know each other very well.

Plymouth Raiders are warning fans to buy their tickets early for

Sunday's basketball encounter with Mersey Tigers at the Pavilions.

They sold out last week 36 hours before the first duel with Mersey

and turned away around 300 spectators. It's the Raiders last

match before next weekend's BBL Cup Final against Newcastle.

A local schoolboy has been selected for the Great Britain climbing team.

Alex Waterhouse, from Horrabridge in Devon, won a place in the junior

squad after an impressive showing at the Youth Open Championships in

Sunderland. As Johnny Rutherford reports, the 14-year-old has set

his sights on becoming an Olympian. Peak practise. Alex Waterhouse

certainly is getting to the top of his game. He's recently been

selected for the Great Britain junior climbing team, which has

been his goal, ever since he started the sport. I have been

climbing for three years. It was a school scheme that got me into it

and then my dad bought me lessons for Christmas. But the teenager's

personal summit is much higher. He's hoping to peak in time for the

2020 Olympics. There are the world championships later in the year in

Singapore which would, for him, be a dream come true and then there is

the possibility of the Olympics in 2020 as climbing has been short

listed for inclusion there. We are hopeful but time will tell. So, to

stay at the top. Alex is training intensively six days a week at The

Barn Climbing Centre in Milton Abbott. Competition climbing for

people like Alex is about getting higher than anyone else, following

a predetermined, difficult route. Alex's first big competition in the

European championships is May at the indoor arena in Edinburgh.

Tomorrow sees the sixth North Devon Junior Open Badminton tournament at

the North Devon Leisure Centre in Barnstaple. More than 70 players

have entered in the under-13 and under-17 events. Entry is free. BBC

local radio has coverage of all your sport over the weekend.

The ending of the Christmas festivities is being marked in one

Devon village tonight with a special ceremony. Tradition has it

that decorations should be taken down by Twelfth Night. Some people

say that was last night - but the people of Bradninch are celebrating

tonight. Spotlight's Hamish Marshall is there. Hamish - what's

going on? I can well and truly say everybody

here believes 12th Night is tonight. You can see the crowd behind me and

some of giants and lanterns as well. There has been a parade from both

sides of the town and they have congregated outside the Guildhall.

I joined the first parade 15 minutes ago. People of all ages,

bringing things like Christmas trees as well, so they can be burnt

later at a bonfire. It is very much a day when the whole town comes

together. The mayor is with me now. You're going to be doing so been

special up on the balcony. I shall be throwing our much-loved

Christmas tree, which has been here for the whole of the Christmas

period, it will be friend from the front of the Guild Hall said that

it can be taken to the bonfire and burnt to signify the end of our

Christmas celebrations and the beginning of the year 2012, when

there will be many more celebrations. This seems an old

tradition but his is one that has been revived here. It is, and it is

a very good one, it brings the town together. We are very close town,

we have things arranged for the Diamond Jubilee in June and many

other things as well. I will let you go and throw your Christmas

tree. Thank you very much. Hundreds of people have gathered for this.

Could buy from me as well. -- goodbye. Time for the weather

now back and have we seen the back I think so, it is much quieter this

weekend. Mild and often cloudy sums up this weekend. There is a lot of

cloud coming our way and it has blanketed most of the south-west of

England. There are some holes at the moment. Later on, the line of

cloud travelling through Ireland at the moment will sink its way down

to give a few splashes of light rain or drizzle through the night.

As a result of all the clout it will be generally quite mild. The

main weather system should move away from us by tomorrow lunchtime.

We will see brighter conditions and might even see a bit of sunshine

here and there. By the time we get to Sunday, there by the front comes

back and looks to the far south- west, to the west of the Isles of

Scilly. Then it starts to move back towards us during the day on Sunday

so Sunday will perhaps have generally more cloud and perhaps

some light rain or drizzle. But the really stomach conditions have

moved away. We did have some sunshine earlier. Now the cloud is

quite extensive and it will give us a little hill fog here and there

over the high parts. Wins becoming West or north-westerly and they

will freshen a little bit overnight and the possibility of light

drizzle from time to time. Temperatures holding up quite well,

quite mild compared to last night. Tomorrow, we will have a line of

cloud along the south coast which will take his time to clear out of

the way and may stick with us in the far west of Cornwall. For the

rest of us, some sunny spells developing, most likely across

northern parts of Devon and into Dorset and Somerset. The warmer

feel to the air with temperatures up to 12 degrees. Away from the

north coast there will be a keen breeze from the north-west. The

highest temperature will probably be in the far west. In the Isles of

Scilly we are closer to that weather front and although there is

a lot of cloud Richard remain With West or north-west winds it is

sheltered, south-facing beach is that will see the cleanest surf.

Looking further ahead, there is not a great deal to talk about in the

weather pattern. The wind is much lighter, the temperatures are

relatively mild for the time of year. We should be just about frost

free. On Sunday the cloud may be thick enough to give some light

rain or drizzle. Monday has not much change in that. And on Tuesday,

a largely dry day but not a great deal of sunshine in the forecast

for the next few days. But compared to what we have seen recently, most

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