12/12/2011 Inside Out East Midlands

Hello and tonight, Inside Out is at Sutton Scarsdale in Derbyshire.

Coming up in the next half hour how safe are our children? The grown

men who target 12-year-olds. They are criminals, organised crime.

They are sleeping with kids. It is not normal.

Also tonight, is the clock ticking for our stately homes? Our fear is

that this place could become lost to the community and become a

private playground to some privileged people.

And the pinball wizards making a comeback. It is like you and the

machine can act. It is man and pinball machine.

This is Inside Out for the East The trafficking of children for sex

is becoming more common and sexual exploitation more organised -

that's the finding of a report by the children's charity Barnardos.

The government has just launched an action plan aimed at stopping the

abuse. But with grooming methods cunning and sophisiticated, what

There's a crime that's growing in our towns and cities. But if you

don't look for this crime you'll not know it's there. I didn't tell

anyone about it. Nobody knew. are criminals. Organised crime.

They are sleeping with kit, it is not normal.

Last year Derby was at the centre of it.

We were horrified very early on once we'd approached one victim who

led us to another victim, who led us to another victim.

Little is understood about on- street child grooming. Who's

targeting these children? And what's being done to combat the

Emma was targeted by a gang of on- street groomers when she was just

12 years old. What made you get involved with

them? They were different, they were very sure of their self, they

was nice looking. They had nice cars. They were exciting.

I'd been in the grooming process for a long time and when I got to

13, one of them... I was with two men and one of my friends, and we

went up to the outdoor market stalls and then one of them grabbed

me and took me around the corner, and he was just on top of me the

next thing I knew and I'd got two men holding me down.

Jacob thought he'd found a friend online when he was 13 years old.

He said his name was Ben. The conversations at the start were

very mundane. Asking how my day was. Making me feel like someone was

there to hear me. So I asked if he could meet me in Derby and we could

go for a coffee. He said, yeah, that's fine. We can go to Derby, I

can pick you up, we can go shopping and then spend the night at my

hotel. My mum recognised the relationship for what it was and

took me to the police station. What did you then find out about

him? I found out that he had actually been a convicted

paedophile and got out on a loophole. Derbyshire police say

they deal with several hundred cases of child exploitation a year.

In January, the problem made national news. Abid Saddique, seen

here buying vodka, and Mohammed Liaqat were married and had

children. But both men led sinister double lives. They were also the

ringleaders of a vicious gang that cruised around the city in flash

cars tempting young girls with alcohol and drugs.

It was the biggest case of child exploitation ever to hit the city

of Derby. In January, the gang of nine men were convicted of hideous

crimes against 27 teenage girls including kidnap and rape. One of

their victims was just 13 years old. Eight of the men were Asian. Only

one was white. The English Defence There are members of that community

constantly being arrested for rating. Their conviction was a

result of a police operation called Retriever.

I know after Retriever you were keen to point out that you didn't

feel that there was a racial element to this but looking at the

different sorts of exploitation would you say that perhaps there

Your online groomer tends to be very much a white male. Whereas the

street grooming depends on the ethnicity of your city at that time.

So for example in Derby it happened to be more Asian men in Retriever?

It did because in terms of our ethnic profile within Derby, there

are much more Asian males living within the city. They took me to a

flat and locked me in a bedroom and they sent me after -- man after man

in. I remember begging one of the men to not let him come near me and

then they sent him into the bedroom. Her abusers lead double lives.

were normal men. They had married, normal jobs, some of them had quite

good jobs. This is 216 Slack Lane in Derby. Some of the girls in

Operation Retriever were brought to this house, owned by Saddique. Here

there were parties, vodka and cocaine served downstairs, and

upstairs, extreme sexual abuse, some of it filmed on mobile phones.

Alyas Karmani used to work in Rosehill area of the city. He's now

an Imam and youth worker who specialises in street grooming.

80% of abusers tend to be white males. However, there are worrying

patterns within the Pakistani community. Me, as a British born

Pakistani, I've identified some really challenging issues in my own

community that I want to tackle and deal with head on. What I've found,

certainly amongst young Pakistani males, is that they're completely

disengaged in terms of sex and relationship education in school.

They've got very distorted and often kind of quite misogynistic

attitudes towards women, as well often derived from the street, from

their peers, from pornography, from images of women which are very

distorted and over-sexualised as Normanton is the centre of the

Pakistani and Indian communities in Derby. Communities that pride

themselves on strict family values. But at night it's a hotspot for

prostitution and drugs. Mohammed Yakub has lived here for 30 years.

Almost every night, these young girls standing on the corner. We

asked them all sorts of questions and we see that the young men

driving up and down in their car. They are obviously there.

worries that prostitution and drugs are corrupting the morals of the

young men growing up here. As you know as a Muslim, the drink and

drugs are forbidden for religious purposes. All our community don't

want our kids to go out and have a drink and do drugs. The two worlds

are causing friction within the community here. And claims that on-

street grooming is a Pakistani problem is causing upset. Not all

Pakistanis are paedophiles, people will be very defensive of it

because they feel the way the media has stigmatised the whole community

rather than recognising that this is a very small minority that's had

an impact on people. We are so focused on the race element and not

on the victims. Derby is home to the country's first child

exploitation charity - Safe And Sound. There's been work in Derby

since 1999 so Derby's got a very proactive response, really, to this

issue. We worked with a girl who jumped out of a first for a flat

window to escape from the people who were abusing her, and a girl

who was locked in a room and made to wear pretty clothes while men

came in and out of the room. Safe and Sound Derby worked with 120

young people last year. They're not all being exploited but they have

been highlighted as being at risk of being exploited, or being

exploited. I've joined one of their outreach teams to see how it's done.

Our first stop is the Riverside Gardens, a favourite spot for

teenagers in the evening. You get people down here, and up here.

cold and damp and no-one's here. So the team decides to go to

Chaddesden Park. It's not long before we bump into some girls.

Here's a leaflet, it's got numbers on to call if you know of anyone

who's in trouble. It's very dark and quiet. I do not think I would

walk here on my own. But when you approach them, you do not seem to

say, why are you here? We have to build a positive relationship with

the young people. Teams like this are essential in the fight against

child grooming. We need to educate kids on what grooming is, what

sexual exploitation is, so that they can keep themselves safe and

they can recognise when something's wrong. On-street grooming is

associated with organised crime and drugs. At least one community is

starting to wake up to the danger. But all races and social classes

are involved in the grooming of children. We cannot brush this

under the carpet. We must deal with this openly. Whether that is drug

misuse or drug supply or criminal gangs, you find there is always an

association with the pimping of girls and the sexual abuse of women

as well. #With this type of crime on the increase it's only our

understanding of all the factors involved that will help us put an

Our historic and stately buildings have dominated the East Midlands

landscape for centuries, but as the recession hits us hard and public

services are cut, councils are having to prioritise money

elsewhere and there is precious little money to keep public owned

buildings like this one going. Many are owned by councils. And as their

coffers dwindle, it means some of our historic homes could be out of

bounds for good unless the money can be found somewhere else.

An important part of our social history, our historic buildings

have shaped our region just as much as the people who have lived and

worked here. But once the prized possession of royalty and the

nobility, nowadays, ownership and the financial burden of maintaining

them has passed to the councils. And as money has become tighter,

the councils are facing a difficult decision - what to do with them.

Elvaston estate in Derbyshire dates back to the 1100s and was bought by

Derbyshire County Council over 40 years ago. But over the decades,

it's become weather-beaten and dilapidated, which has meant the

council has had to stop public access altogether, and is looking

to lease it out to a private partner, a decision deeply

unpopular with the locals. How long have you been coming here?

place has been open as a country park since 1970. It was the first

country park in England. It was on Good Friday. What upset as you most

about the current situation? fact that the County Council will

not listen to what the people want. We have had four public

consultations. My fear is the praise could be lost to the

community and become a private playground for a few rich and

privileged people. The gardens here are said to be some of the finest

in the country, with people coming from far and wide. But the house

has not survived the decades so well. It must have been a

magnificent place when it was a private house? Yes. And the ceiling

is interesting as well. Letting in the sunlight into an otherwise dark

area. Let's see if we can get these shutters open, John. How about

that? Derbyshire County Council say they do want public access to

continue at Elvaston but that they do need to come up with a solution

soon. If the castle was not to be leased out, what would happen to

it? I fear Edward fall into his state of disrepair. -- it would

fall. Unless the council backed away of its existing policy of

retaining ownership, we would be left with no alternative than to

put it on the market with the tool that he private investor or a

business would come along and buy it from us. -- with the tool that a

private investor. It would cost over �2 million to repair Elvaston

and the council say they don't have that kind of money. Private

investors are the only option. don't think there should be a

shortage of money for such a worthy project as this. In September last

year, Nottingham City Council put the "for sale" sign up on some of

its oldest buildings as the public coffers began to run dry. But it's

their decision regarding a quiet grey stone building in rural

Nottinghamshire that has really caused controversy. Grade I listed,

Newstead Abbey dates back to the 12th century. It was given to the

Byron family after the dissolution of the monasteries and was later

home to the most famous Byron, the 80 years ago, a man called the Sir

Julien Cahn acquired and gave Newstead Abbey to the Nottingham

poor - -- Nottingham Corporation as a gift. The house is now mostly

kept So when they decided to cut costs by opening the house just one

day a week, it provoked a strong local reaction. Miranda Rijks is

the granddaughter of Sir Julien. What would your grandfather have

felt about what was happening to this place? I think he would have

been extremely upset about it. His word was his bond and he wanted the

Abbey to be made available for the people of Nottingham and for

international historical lovers. Miranda Rijks thinks that the

council bringing in money could be the solution they need. I do think

some sort of plan should have been put in place to get over the fact

it was obvious funs would run out at some point, and now to take some

very proactive steps to create some sort of partnership, perhaps.

is there really an easy answer to protecting our old buildings?

English Heritage have been stepping in to find appropriate uses for

buildings regarded too expensive to have a place in modern Britain. The

ex-council-owned City rooms in Leicester were successfully

converted into a hotel with the help of English Heritage, but it's

not a solution that would fit all historic buildings. The solution is

always individual to the particular building. The first priority is to

sustain the significance of Historic places like Elvaston but

our second priority is to make sure they are reduced and that they are

cherished and that they have an economically viable future.

with the councils struggling for cash, it seems surprising that the

Mayor of Leicester wants to restore and re-open Leicester Castle, a

medieval court building that most people in Leicester have never

heard of. This is the medieval castles cellar and it is known

locally under a name, Duke of Gaunt. For a while, he was the resident.

But it is amazing, it really is. How much would it cost to get this

building into the state where the public could come back in? I think

the cost of enabling people to come back into it are probably counted

in the terms of tens or hundreds of thousands of pounds. Much more

expensive is bringing it into use for the future and there, we could

be talking about many millions. Where will the money comes from?

That is the big question. At a time when we, as a council, are having

to cut 30 million from our bills in the current year and 20 million

next year, finding the money is very challenging indeed. People are

bound to raise questions about priorities. I believe that looking

after our schools and older people are priorities but so was the trust

we have, the responsibility we have, to care for the heritage of our

city. Some of our council-owned historic buildings can bring in the

cash and pay for themselves if invested in and with the right use.

But there are many more with an uncertain future. We want to see

this place remain within the community for the benefit of that

unity and not for anybody else. long will you keep fighting?

long as it takes, Marie. They call it "the church of the

silver ball. Now the passionate fans of pinball say their game is

enjoying a big revival. Rob Whitehouse has discovered a

thriving collection of pinheads - yes, that's what they themselves -

right here in the East Midlands. It is official - there's a pinball

revival underway. It is the Church of the silver ball. It is creating

marital tension... There of two of us and many machines! And don't

ever call them at nerds! We are a pinball community but not a nerds,

In this village on a quiet Sunday afternoon, you might expect to hear

the reassuring sound of leather on willow. But this isn't cricket.

It's a pinball tournament taking place at the bottom of his garden.

People approach these tournaments deadly seriously. It is like a

little on the ground movement in a shed and some garages up-and-down

the country. A taking it all slightly less seriously is Linda,

who is helping to host today's event. It does feel like hosting a

children's party, especially with even the food. Crisps, biscuits!

Making sure everybody is happy. And if they are happy, they will enjoy

the game. Pinball is in all the pubs, isn't it? It is like a

movement. It is like when we were kids. Spike, with -- who is a

father of three, accepts he may have lapsed into childhood and

loves it. The silver ball was never far from his mind. I would have

been about seven, eight. 6p was what you paid. The fascination with

the ball being knocked around and the lights. The lights were what

used to attract me. And you have got that historic sound of the

times. Ding! Those were the days! Now, spike has seven machines

installed in a purpose built a log cabin under orders of his wife. Did

you labour law down? Absolutely. A condition of the pinballs entering

our lives was that they were out of the house. There have been moments

when family life and pinball life have clashed, I could say. Yes.

There are a few more machines in our marriage. Not just three people

- a few machines. Grab it! Just occasionally, spike lets his wife

have a go. Not a good idea! It can be frustrating. I want to be

flipping for them. It is a bit like being in a car when you why a

passenger and you want to press the brake pedal. The first coin-

operated pinball machines were made in the 1930s in the USA. They

enjoyed a post-war boom that lasted well into the 1980s. At one stage,

there were 150 companies making machines that are Arab teenagers to

strut their stuff in Cafes and bars all over the world. -- that allowed

teenagers. The silver rut became a symbol of rebellion. Computer games

were the death knell of pinball but now the nudges and flippers are

fighting back. It is because video games are down and in decline and

pinball, for a little bit, for the older generation, they played it as

young people and now their children, they want to bring them into the

game and show them it as well. It This is the UK's annual Pinball

party. Over 100 machines have been installed in the ballroom of a

Daventry Hotel. We are getting together and having three Knights

of hedonistic pleasure, basically. And there are players from all over

the world. For the third time, European champion of this year!

go to tournaments in Belgium, Italy and France, and now for the first

time, in the UK. In this country, some beagle might stereotyping

ball-players as being nerds? -- some people. We take a lot of time

with it. We don't deserve his name! At the Pinball party, the pinheads,

that is what they call themselves, are ready to go. We are used

lightbulbs and specific parts. It is very important. There is also a

brisk market in buying and selling the machines. There is a sane in D

pinball world - at one is never enough! When you have a newby who

has his first machine, every body types in, one is never enough.

You'll be wanting your next and your next. They breed! Alexander

makes a very good living buying and selling pinball machines. Some as

much as �7,000. We sold to Lord Of the Rings pinball table and with

the sort of shows here, I find it hard not to stock up for our show

room, so I bought one or two. It is a reaction against computer games

and people like the interactivity of it and the nostalgia. But the

real star of the show is a man who has been dubbed the Messiah of the

silver ball. Josie Jack. Why has he travelled all the way from New

Jersey to Daventry? Pinball is this match game where anything is

possible. -- is magical game. There are great people here so I wanted

to come over and be part of that. Only two companies currently make

the machines. Now Jack, a self- confessed pinhead and entrepreneur,

is about to become the third, with a Wizard Of Oz themed games. I made

this bold announcement that we would build The Wizard Of Oz, with

a licensed title from Warner Brothers. The office would be an

emerald city limited edition again. -- the offer. We wanted to get it

back into the mainstream consciousness of the world. So been

ball is back in business, but you - - if you are still puzzled about

the attraction of this game, let a spiritual Spikes some things up.

When they go in really well, it is almost like you and the machine