22/10/2012 Inside Out North East and Cumbria

In the next half an hour, branded as drug dealers, the copper and his

wife who are left high and dry by a police investigation.

I would like people to know how far the police will take something. You

are not innocent until proven guilty. You are guilty until you

can prove your innocence. The cost of leaving school - you are invited

to a North East Prom. It is a teenage night out but with an adult

price tag. I don't think I spent that much on

my wedding dress! Here dream over mine, really.

And in County Durham, they love to work, but they fear they are being

consigned to the scrapheap. Once people are out of these

factories and a year has gone by, nobody is going to care.

Storys from the heart of the North East and Cumbria. This is --

stories from the heart of the North East and Cumbria. This is Inside

Imagine the top dog in a drugs gang is in fact a serving police officer.

Well, Northumbria Police certainly did. When their massive and costly

anti-corruption investigation came to court, the Wearside policeman

was cleared. By then his life and that of his family had been turned

upside-down. So is this a case where everyone's reputation is

called into question? The identity of this man, Tommo to

his friends, used to be a closely- guarded secret. Why was this

highly-commended undercover cop thrust into the limelight?

started using cocaine. It was a huge mistake. I deserve to have

been arrested. What I didn't deserve was to be portrayed as the

head of an organised crime group flooding the North East with

cocaine. Paul Thompson tells me his side of the story and we ask why

Northumbria Police thought one of their own was the King pin of a

major drugs gang. Paul Thompson joined the police in 1991. He was

promoted to Detective Sergeant and received several commendations for

his work in the murky world of the undercover cop. I always felt you

are only ever scratching the surface as a conventional police

officer. Although it is the stuff of films, much of the job was far

from glamorous. I had a tracksuit in my shed that I used to soak in a

bucket of urine. I would wear that. In 1997, Paul's undercover work was

behind a massive drugs bust on a Newcastle nightclub. I was co-

ordinating the strike from inside the premises. I remember two

furniture vans pulling up outside of Legends. 160 PSUs were

disappearing in double file down the stairs. The success of the

operation came at a cost. It was here Paul first took cocaine

working in the role of an undercover drugs buyer. We went to

the cubicle. He put up two lines of cocaine, one for him and one for me.

He did his line. Then he watched carefully to ensure I did mine and

at this stage, I felt as though I was under scrutiny and when we came

out of the premises, there was no sign... You reported the fact...?

Of course you do. It is not something that is encouraged or

expected. If you feel that it's going to result in your assault,

then, yeah. Ten years later, work pressures and the sudden death of

his mother led to depression. a lot of worries on my mind. I had

been drinking more than I should have been doing. I went and sought

cocaine. Paul was now crossing a line. This time, the cocaine was

for personal use. To make matters worse, he went to his half-brother

to buy the drug for him. I thought he may know somebody and he did. He

got me some cocaine and I started using it from there. I'm arresting

somebody at work for taking cocaine and I'm buying my own on the way

home. The two didn't cross over. didn't occur to you that you were

crossing that line? I was looking for something to improve my own

personal situation. You were doing it to heal...? I was self-

medicating. That wasn't the view of Northumbria Police. They mounted a

major surveillance operation on Paul's half-brother Bryan. Although

Paul maintains he had no idea where his brother was getting the drugs

from, the police had made a connection between Bryan and two

drug dealers, David and Stephen Wood. In February last year, they

and Bryan Thompson were charged in connection with a seizure of four

kilos of cocaine and �160,000 in cash. Paul Thompson was arrested at

work in Sunderland and brought to North Shields police station. Later,

he was charged with conspiracy to supply cocaine and to commit

misconduct in a public office. think every now and again they need

to be seen to be taking a big scalp. I think they decided I was going to

be that scalp and they had it wrong. They had it completely wrong.

was remanded to Durham Jail. As I came in, the news broadcast came on

announcing my full name. And the fact I had been remanded in custody.

You were being broadcast? It was on the radio for all to hear. That is

the worst situation, potentially, a police officer inside? To say I was

nervous was an understatement. Paul was arrested, his wife was

completely in the dark. Wondering why he wasn't answering his phone

as she travelled home from work. assumed that he had been caught up

at work, or that he had time to go for a pint with friends. Her world

was about to change. There was a loud knock at the door. There were

four police officers on the doorstep. They said, "We are

arresting you on suspicion of conspiracy to supply a Class A drug,

conspiracy to commit misconduct in a public office and money-

laundering offences." As her ordeal unfolded, she kept a diary of

events. I almost faint as one of the officers tell me Paul was

arrested early in the day. One of the officers was gracious enough to

hold me as I nearly fall to the floor. She was taken to the new

police station at North Shields. Did you think your life was falling

apart? Yes, I felt as if I was in free fall. The pressure continued

after she was bailed and driven home by detectives. They started

talking about Paul and said to me he was in serious trouble. He is

going to prison for a very long time and said, "Tommo can't talk

his way out of this one." At this point, I'm wondering if I know I

have known the person I am married. When I'm being told I'm virtually

married to Pablo Escobar, I'm worried. Paul then came clean to

Suzie about his cocaine problem. Suzie was, "Please tell me, what

are the facts here. Last week you were a policeman, now you have come

out of jail." She wasn't aware of my drug use. I genuinely feared

that this could have had a devastating impact on my marriage.

The Thompsons had to knock down the police theory they were at the

centre of a major drugs gang. It involved poring through the

mountain of documents that formed the prosecution's case against them.

There were so many inaccuracies within it. You could tell what they

had put in here was designed to shock. For example? They picked out

parts of text messages, the one I'm sure that everybody read about in

the press, I love it, speak tomorrow, we on the champers and a

wee snifter, Merry Chrimbo to all. That was given to the police's drug

expert. The text message wasn't. He was asked to translate that and he

said it was cocaine. They made reference to a time when I attended

Jewson's... Paul was being tailed and his conversation recorded.

said, "Do you want it delivered before the weekend?" To which I

respected, yt yes, because it is getting cut -- "Yes, because it is

getting cut." What were you doing? I was buying timber to repair a

bridge on a fence cottage. There was a set of scales covered in the

kitchen. I was able to go to statement, "No drug detected - that

was because it was flour." Was this evidence? If that their job, then

it was ridiculous. After a year waiting for trial, and several

weeks in the dock, the jury was asked to reach a verdict on the

Thompsons. I hear Paul's name being read out and I heard "not guilty".

I can't believe it. Sure enough, he is with me. We are all hugging and

we have done it! We beat them. were both cleared of supplying

cocaine. Paul was fined �1,000 for possession of the drug for personal

use. The three others were all given long jail sentences. We asked

Northumbria Police for an interview about the Thompsons' case. They

declined. In a statement, they said the public expect the highest

standards of the police and when they fall short, they take the

required action. As far as the drugs investigation is concerned,

they said Paul Thompson was a serving officer who was convicted

of possessing a Class A drug. Northumbria Police confirmed they

had a complaint from Mrs Thompson which had been investigated but was

not upheld. The Thompsons are now taking their

case to the Independent Police Complaints Commission. I'm glad

that the truth came out, the offences I admitted were the

offences of which I was convicted. Suzie is unemployed after the

adverse publicity cost her her job. My reputation has been damaged,

hopefully not beyond repair. I would like people to know how far

the police will take something. You are not innocent until proven

guilty, you are guilty until you can prove your innocence. It is not

fair. Still to come: Thousands of people

marched through London at the weekend. With so many voices, we

focus on a unique group of northerners, their factories have

been closed, but work was never just a job for them.

The North East has a bit of a reputation when it comes to having

a party. But they are starting young. Even before they leave

school. Teenage girls will already be preparing for their big dress,

the big hair for the High School Prom. But is the price tag leaving

the dults with a -- the adults with a hefty hangover?

Every hair has to be in place. the most important night of her

teenage life. Tonight is 16-year- old Lisa's High School Prom. I have

always looked up to princesses, and stuff like that. I have always

wanted to be like a little Princess. I would rather go with no shoes on

as long as my hair's done! Lisa's had a dry-run to make sure the hair

is exactly right. I had to get, like, a trial done at a few places.

It was a good job I did. If I went to the other place, it would have

went wrong on the day. I would have been annoyed. I would probably have

been crying! Imported from America, Proms are now huge business in the

UK. British families pay an estimated �80 million a year to the

Prom economy. Lisa's making her own significant contribution to that

sum. Extensions, �200, trials �100, styling �40. Total cost of Princess

hair - �340. Lisa bought her Princess Prom dress in Paris - not

the fairytale French capital, a shop in the MetroCentre. Supplying

Prom frocks is three-quarters of the shop's business and growing.

How do you feel? I love it. They can spend �600, �700 on a dress, if

they really want to look special. One of the designer dresses. Then

the girls that tend to go into that sort of dress tend to go into

designer shoes and that could be up to �600 for the shoes. We have had

fathers come in with their daughters, they have been a daddy's

girl and price has not been a problem. The biggest spenders are

the ones who can least afford it. think they always find a form of

paying for it. It can be that the whole family have grouped together

to buy this dress. Some people say that they have taken two jobs on.

I'm a single mam. I work 16 hours, which is part-time. Kind of a

struggle but you get there in the end. I had to beg me mam. Once she

told us the price, "What?" I couldn't breathe. I said, "Mam,

please." I was on my knees. I don't think I spent that much on my

wedding dress! Is that tight enough? No. Do it as tight as you

You cannot breathe in it! Lisa's dress was �400. Accessories, shoes,

bag, underwear, tiara, jewellery, �176. She will probably never wear

any of it again. We haven't been adding it up. It is not until you

sit down and write it all down on paper and you come up with such a

whopper of a price and you think, "My God, have I spent that much

already?" Fake tan, nail, eyelashes, make-up �139, ticket �25, grand

total - �1,080. It does seem a lot of money for one day. I wouldn't

usually spend that, say if I was going on a night out, I would not

spend nearly a grand. Because it's never going to happen again, it is

important. It is a bit expensive. But it doesn't have to be that ex-

pentive. I would not spend that much on my dress. I don't think --

Be that expensive. I would not spend that much on my dress.

Annabel's mum is a student with three children. She's made

sacrifices to find the �215 for Annabel's dress. Money is an issue.

She leaves school this year. I leave uni this year. It was one or

the other. It was her Prom or my graduation. I couldn't afford both.

Her dream over mine, really. Oh, Annabel! Oh my God! Ten minutes to

put me eyelashes on. She is so grown-up! People with less money

tends to go to town more because they want to be seen by the world,

by their schools, by the school, by the other girls, the other mothers

that they can provide. While Lisa and Annabel leave for their Prom in

Newcastle, students in Seaham arrive at one of the area's swanky

hotels. Not easy in a stretched Welcome to Seaham, the class of

2012! This is your last official night of being Seaham students. We

will have a fantastic night. Let's We have the Prom because that is

what the young people of the school want. They have worked tremendously

hard throughout the year and they need to have something to aim for

at the end of the process. Even though the school pays for the

party, teachers know it is still a stretch for many families. It is

very difficult sometimes because obviously not everyone's got the

same amount of money. Trying to explain that, you don't have to

have a fake tan, you look just as good as you are. It is a difficult

decision. They want to look like that, but you also know they can't

afford to. You have to make a conscious decision sometimes to say,

it is not all about the money, it is about enjoying yourself at the

end of the day, saying goodbye to your friends, that is more

important than a tan. The morning after, Lisa and Annabel reflect on

their Prom dream. It wasn't an interesting night. I wish I had

never spent �1,000. I wish I went to, like, River Island and bought a

dress and heels. It was like a normal disco. I wanted to go home

at one point! I want to get rid of the dress. It wasn't as good as the

way I wanted to keep the dress. I want it out of me room. I still do

love my dress even though it was pointless. I can't imagine myself

wearing it again. It will be going on eBay at some point.

Losing your job is bad enough. But hundreds of disabled workers fear

the closure of their specialist factories may mean they will never

work again. Inside Out has been following people at Remploy

factories across the North of England. They were among thousands

of people protesting at the closures at a demonstration in

London at the weekend. I have no idea what I will do when

I leave here. It makes me feel very upset and disappointed. I feel we

are all being used as scapegoats. have never been on benefits. It is

quite daunting to think at my age, 50, that I'm actually going to be

unemployed. Set up to aid disabled men, the Remploy factories teach

new jobs, men who otherwise would be forced to remain idle are now

able to work. The first factory was opened in 1945 to provide

employment for injured servicemen after the war. Remploy has expanded

over the years and at the start of 2012 the company employed more than

2,000 disabled people. They make a variety of products at the 54

factories, ranging from protective clothing for the emergency services,

to car components. But Government says the factories aren't cost-

effective. They made a combined loss of �68 million last year and

in March, they announced plans to close half of them. It's July and

after months of uncertainty, the workers at Wigan Remploy have

received confirmation that their factory is one of those to shut.

Stephen Rigby is a team leader and he's worked for Remploy for 30

years. The reaction was of shock, we all knew that a lot of Remploys

were possibly closing, but we were still in shock when the news came.

There was quite a few that got really upset, obviously. A lot of

people have worked there for many years. Some 30 years, 20 years. And

were a very tight-knit community at Remploy. In County Durham, Chris

and Claire Menzies have found out their factory is also on the list

of those to close. Chris, who is deaf and partially-sighted, is one

of 41 people being made redundant. TRANSLATION: My boss gave me a

paper to read, it was about the redundancy and the money and the

reasons why we were having to be made redundant. That was all.

a double blow for Claire and Chris. They met while working at Remploy

and this year celebrated their 25th wedding anniversary. Claire was

forced to stop week because of ill- health and hasn't worked since 2007.

I couldn't believe that after all the hard work we as a community had

made Remploy what it had become. One of the biggest factories to

close is at Leeds. 60 workers will lose their jobs when it shuts in

three weeks. Office equipment has been removed in preparation for the

closure. David Charles is one of those being made redundant. His

father was Leeds United football legend John Charles. David suffered

a stroke ten years ago and feared he would never work again.

thought to myself, I've got to do something to get myself motivated

again because with the illness and the time I had to recover from the

illness, I still have the illness, it will be there for the rest of me

life. To think to myself that I couldn't do nothing, I couldn't

bear not to do nothing. workforce in Leeds makes security

tags for a large retailer, as well as packaging and labelling for a

food distributor. They say they are busier than ever and can't

understand the decision to close the site. We are inundated with

work here. We have got a lot of work that we have had to turn away.

It has all been done too fast. Claire and Chris have a meeting

with Kenny Stott and he's got bad news for them. The closure of the

factory is in just two weeks. people are nearing retirement age.

So we have to face the fact we won't be doing anything

constructive with our lives, just retiring early. Those people who

are younger will have to look for work. And the bottom line is once

people are out of these factories and a year has gone by, nobody will

care for them. They will wash their hands of it all. It seems last week

at Remploy - it's the last week at Remploy. They are watching their

son Adam play for the local wheelchair rugby team. I can't tell

you how proud I am of him. It's been an emotional week. The factory

is gearing up to close down. The machinery is being getting ready

for transporting and a lot of the work has disappeared. So we are

saying our goodbyes and getting ready for Thursday when we leave

the factory. It's the final day at Wigan. After 60 years, the factory

is shutting. It is an emotional moment for all the staff. It means

a lot. I'm struggling on my own with two kids. It is not fair.

have made a lot of friends. The way they have treated us is a disgrace.

It is really upsetting. Really emotional. It is just a really sad

day. End of an era. I can't explain the emotions that have been going

on all morning. We have been trying to keep our chins up, but nothing

would ever prepare you for what's happened today. It is like a

bereavement in the family. It's a similar scene at Durham where Chris

and 40 other workers have just completed their last shift. The

Government insists keeping the factories open wasn't a viable

option and resources would be better spent helping disabled

people find jobs with mainstream employers. At the moment, there are

6.9 million disabled people of working age and Remploy factories

accounts for 2,200. A fifth of the 320 million budget is going to

those. How do we best spend that money to help all of those people?

The employment services part of Remploy had found 35,000 people

jobs so it is possible, we can help people into mainstream work and a

lot of those disability organisations, a lot of disabled

people said, "We would like to work in mainstream employment." In Wigan,

Stephen's search for work has proved fruitless. Even though I

have lots of skills behind me, you can't always take those skills out

into the outside world. I have tried to keep optimistic. I always

think yeah, something will come along eventually. As each time I

get a rejection, that instils in my mind that this is going to get

harder and harder, especially with the climate as it is at the moment

and there are able-bodied people that are struggling to find work.

As well as the programme every Monday night, I have a blog which

you can visit any time of day. Go That is it for tonight.