01/05/2012 Reporting Scotland

Welcome to Reporting Scotland. Tonight:

The inquiry into the suicides of these two vulnerable teenagers

criticises the care home where they lived. She left that unit and left

and nobody knows why. Nobody knows. They didn't know until after they

would do it. She was very much loved and very much wanted.

A sheriff rules more staff should have been on duty and the girls

should never been roomed near a fire exit.

Also tonight: An MP on a committee into phone

hacking claims that Tommy Sheridan's conviction for perjury

is unsafe. Scotland's housing market prices

rose over the last year but are already on the way back down.

And memories of the Queen Mum. A new exhibition opens at her

The suicides of two teenage girls who died after falling from the

Erskine Bridge could have been avoided. That's one of the findings

of a fatal accident inquiry into the deaths of 15-year-old old Neve

Lafferty and Georgia Rowe, who was 14. They were both in care and

considered at risk when they died in October 2009 after absconding

from a special unit. Today, in her determination, Sheriff Ruth

Anderson said the outcome might have been different if more staff

had been on duty at the unit and if the girls' rooms hadn't been near a

fire exit. She also recommended better training for staff caring

for children at risk of suicide or self harming. Our reporter Aileen

Clarke has been speaking to the girls' families who believe more

should have been done to protect Celebrating her 15th birthday with

her family, Neve Lafferty. They had no idea it would be her last.

Congratulations... Georgia Rowe, a school goal looking

forward to the future. Her life ended when she was 14. Both goals

had been taken into care with behaviour issues but the day they

died, they had just been back from an enjoyable time spent with their

families. It could not have been a happier day. The last moment,

looking back, she was ringing that Bell and waving. She turned around,

waved at me, a big and happy smile. As it, I will see you soon. And off

I went. And... That was the last time I saw horror live. At the time

they died, both were in there open unit at this centre. Georgia had

been getting badly bullied in the unit and had been absconding,

putting herself at risk -- at risk with trucks and boys. At the back

was grieving for her boyfriend that have died. She had taken a large

amount of bills, had written a suicide note and said she wanted to

be did with him. Her auntie and mother felt she needed secure

accommodation. I feel they didn't take it

seriously, her suicide attempt. I thought they thought she was

attention-seeking. She then cut her wrists severely, four times. She

needed 16 stitches. I a little more than half an hour after both girls

were dropped off, they walked out of the unit and headed to the

Erskine Bridge. They were seen sitting on the bridge railings.

Then, together, fell backwards. was very much loved and very much

wanted. She has left that unit and gone and left and nobody knows why.

Nobody knows! They didn't know until after they were dead. There

was no security. How can that be? Those closest to the girls hope the

system would have help to the goals, but it only housed them. I am a

responsible parent. I feel that she was systematically failed by the

care system, from start to finish. The situation should change that

key people, like myself, are listened to. Because... We didn't

need to end up with this outcome. George it did not need to die.

A tragic story. What reaction has there been to the findings of the

report? The Board of Managers issued a

statement saying the open unit were both girls were staying, that is

closed now. They say any lessons that can be learned will be

implemented in full if applicable to the secure Unit, which they

still run. Argyll & Bute Council, the local authority in charge of

their care, say they have already reviewed some procedures to ensure

the risk assessment of children in care and crucially communicating

that effectively his improved. It is a very detailed report. The

Sheriff herself says that she hopes there will be things in there that

will be of use to all of those in Scotland involved in the care of

vulnerable, complex, young people that and a our system, and,

importantly, the families of the girls say they have not had time to

digest the findings, it is such a big report, but they say they are

very pleased about the careful consideration the chauffeur has

given this, and the issues she has highlighted. -- considerations the

Sheriff has given this. The First Minister has tonight

rejected calls from the opposition parties for a separate Scottish

inquiry into phone hacking. It follows a damning report by a

Westminster committee which concludes that media mogul Rupert

Murdoch is not a fit person to run a company. As a result, one Labour

member of the committee has repeated his claim that the

conviction of former socialist MSP Tommy Sheridan for perjury in his

libel action against the News of the World is unsafe. Let's go to

our Westminster correspondent Tim Reid.

It is not the first time we have heard this claim.

Tom Watson has cast doubt before on Tommy Sheridan's conviction for

perjury because of the tactics the journalistic methods used by the

News of the World. Tommy Sheridan, you might remember, was accused of

adultery. He won his case against the News of the World but was later

convicted for lying at his own perjury trial. Mr Watson believes

that because the jury was not... Did not have the full facts about

phone hacking, that conviction may be an son. Sq -- Strathclyde Police

is investigating perjury in that trial. Tommy Sheridan says he will

be vindicated in the long run. There are two important conclusions

from this report. One is that Mr Murdoch is not fit to run a fish-

and-chip shop, never mind the big media empire. And that the

conviction against any was based on incomplete evidence and lies. It is

an unsafe can fiction. committee met -- the committee

meets meeting has underlined the relationship with Rupert Murdoch

with politicians. A Labour capitalising on the fact that

Rupert Murdoch was denounced as unfit to run a company. Alex

Salmond has been a far too close to him. Something he and the company

denied. Because of new revelations about former first looked -- First

Minister being the victim of phone hacking, Labour and the Scottish

Lib Dems have been calling for this independent inquiry in Scotland.

Alex Salmond has said tonight the report today was split along party

lines and that Lord Leveson has the remit of Scotland in his

investigations and says that Scottish police and Scottish

Justice will prevail. You're watching Reporting Scotland

from the BBC. Still to come on the programme:

Remembering the Queen Mum. The new exhibition at her Royal hideaway at

the Castle of Mey. In sport:

Neil Lennon says he's sorry but to whom and for what, find out later.

There's a bit of confusion over the intentions of one of the groups

bidding to take control of Rangers. And we'll be looking at some of the

new sports to be included at the Glasgow Commonwealth Games. All

that later. Scotland has seen a slight rise in

house prices over the last year. But it's not been a steady rise.

Prices have actually fallen back from where they were just a few

months ago. Some homeowners who are struggling to sell are choosing to

become landlords instead. But in some places, a glut of homes to

rent is benefiting would-be tenants. Here's our business correspondent,

David Henderson. One-bedroom flat. A nice big double

bedroom. This is done button. And nice place to live but Kenny

Maclean has had trouble selling his flat. The lounge, kitchen. I have

tried many different things to try to shift it, from changing estate

agents to dropping the price, to offering cashback. I have dropped

at 16% in price, and so on. Is it frustrating has Mike really

frustrating. I am now looking at letting it. It is a sign of the

times. The property market is volatile. House prices rose

slightly in the last year, up by an average of 1.7%. In recent months,

they fell back. Prices have been volatile for some time. They have

been going up and down, up and down. Gradually, the changes by a quarter

are getting smaller and smaller and the market is get into something

approximating stability. I will liken it to a bouncing ball. The

bouncing ball is bouncing and have less. Sold, signs like that are

thin on the ground. We are several years on from the credit crunch and

the banking crisis but getting hold of mortgage finance remains a bit

of a problem, especially for those that are still trying to get their

foot on the first run of the property ladder. With more people

on the -- unable to sell, more choose to rent out their homes. In

Edinburgh, these letting agents have noticed would-be tenants now

have more choice. Six months ago, we would have taken a tenant to see

three properties and they would see -- and they would rent one. Now we

take them to see five properties. There's a little bit more

negotiation. With the mortgage finance still thin on the ground

and the economy sluggish, few think house prices will rise much in the

next few years. The Crown has now closed its case

in the trial of Ross Monaghan. He is accused of the gangland killing

of Kevin Gerbil Carroll. A number of firearms charges against Mr

Monaghan, whose picture we can show you for the first time, were

dropped this morning. He is still charged with and denies murdering

Kevin Carroll in ASDA car park in Robroyston in Glasgow January 2010.

The trial continues. With voters going to the polls on

Thursday to elect Scotland's 32 councils, one issue that's going to

dominate thinking in council chambers over the next five years

is money. Not just how to spend it, but how to implement a tight

squeeze on budgets. Here's our economy editor, Douglas Fraser.

Which council's services should be kept a float? Which can you do

without or pay higher charges for? The candidates may not be admitting

it, but the winners this week will face tough choices from the big

squeeze. That decline will not be made up by higher talent -- council

tax because they are agreed that is frozen so the key question is how

to spend smaller budgets and how to save money. Some councils are

pointing the way ahead for others. Due a bin collections, dimming the

streetlights. Glasgow has been cutting jobs and closing schools.

Others will have to follow. There are a number of councils that have

still to match the supply of school places with the reduced demand for

them, so too many schools, too much capacity, it means school closures.

The number of areas that have pulled that off, that will be first

on the agenda. What about paying more for services, from parking to

leisure? Orkney is among those trudging more for cemetery is.

Where I see some of that occurring is in the charge is that councils

raise on services, whether it is to businesses or individuals, and that

is an area where we will see a lot of change coming. In effect,

charges, fees, prices will go up. Or they could be better connections

across borders. This is the boundary between two councils. Over

that side, Labour has been controlling the Council for the

last five years. And Stirling over this side. The two big tribes of

Scottish politics getting their act together. Their education service

is going to be much more integrated and the boundaries are being

blurred. They are trying the same with children's services with

Midlothian and East Lothian. These are big challengers with big

political stakes and a lighted impact on those who rely on their

Let us look at what else has been happening across the country this

Tuesday. Detectives investigating the murder of the 63-year-old man

in Dundee want to talk to anyone who got cigarettes and tobacco from

him. John Kennedy was known to sell his -- the products from his house.

The Chief Constable of Grampian police says he is not leaving

himself out of applying to become the first police commissioner in

Scotland. The Riverside Museum in Glasgow has been named the most

innovated museum in the field of technology and social history. It

beat off competition from 12 other European countries. More than 1.5

million people have visited the museum since it opened last June. A

third to restore this Church had become more urgent since heavy snow

last month collapsed at the last surviving part of its roof. There

is concern that the walls may now be at risk of falling down. What we

would like to see is this derelict site turned into a little heritage

gem that tourists and locals can be proud of. The size of the work's

most northerly resident bottled nodes Dolphin could be increasing.

Almost 2,000 of the mammals of found in the North Sea and the

Moray Firth. There are more stories from your area and the latest news

24 hours a day on a website. -- Georgian Group Architectural Awards

website. -- on that our website. Now the sport.

The Celtic manager Neil Lennon says he deeply regrets his behaviour

when he confronted the referee after the Scottish Cup semi-final

defeat from Hearts. Lennon confirmed he will attend the SFA

disciplinary hearing into his actions later this month, accept

his punishment and apologise. Neil Lennon may not be flavour of the

month, but he is top man as far as these children are concerned. They

even serenaded him at with some familiar Celtic songs. I just can't

get enough... Lehman also faces another suspension after haranguing

the vertebrae for awarding Hearts a penalty. I will be sending

correspondence to the referee as an apology. It is one actionable thing

I have done that I should not have done. I will go to the tribunal and

hopefully get a fair hearing and take what is coming. Last night,

the managers and the Manchester derby got involved in a spat, but

that was not sensationalised as it would have done in Scotland. People

enjoyed since Sir Alex showing that passion. He was up for the fight.

At times, you do get lost in the game, but if you take that away

from us, you will have robots on the touchline not doing anything.

as for the children, they are not leaving just yet. They will be

entertaining the crowd at Thursday's match with St Johnstone.

Now are you a bit confused by the situation at Rangers? Well you're

not alone. One of the groups hoping to be earn preferred bidder status,

the Blue Knights, have felt moved to reinforce their opposition to

re-forming Rangers as a new company or 'New Co' today. They did so

after team manager Ally McCoist said the club's administrators lead

him to believe both bids for the club involved starting a new

company. I think the two operas consist of new companies, but there

is not involved liquidation. Certainly, 100 % one very probable.

There's the latest on the Rangers situation and live coverage of

tonight's SPL match between Motherwell and St Johnstone on BBC

Radio Scotland 810 MW tonight - the show's on air now.

It's another battle of the Scots at the Crucible in the World snooker

championship. Seven times winner Stephen Hendry is playing Stephen

McGuire in the quarter-finals. It's a one-sided match so far with

Glasgow's McGuire taking a seven frames to one lead into tonight's

second session, which starts at seven o'clock. It's first to 13

frames. Commonwealth Games organisers have

unveiled several new events for Glasgow 2014. The full sports

programme has now been published and as our Games correspondent

Kheredine Idessane reports, there are extra opportunities for women

and a record number of Para-Sports Great Britain, champions of the

world. Two men, two women, each doing a swim, a bike ride and a run.

It is a Commonwealth first - Glasgow 2014 world host a mixed

triathlon. It is a once-in-a- lifetime thing. It is going to be

really good to be out there in front of my home crowd. I'd been

there will be good win mac. Extra events in a women's shooting it

means one successful Scott hopes to hold on to her or medals. I am

excited. I can defend my title, hopefully successfully. I am

excited to see it is being brought into line so that women have the

same number of events. More women's event, more exciting events and

also the largest parish spot programme to date in any

Commonwealth Games. It is a real testament to how Glasgow 2014 is

Another first for the 2014 games is track para cycling.

Dozens of previously unseen photographs of the Queen Mother are

included in an exhibition which opened today at her former holiday

home the Castle of Mey in Caithness. The display marks the tenth

anniversary of the Queen Mum's death and underlines the affection

she had for the far north of Perched on the win more -- on the

remote coastline of Caithness, the remote home of the Queen Mother.

These photographs show her how she loved the environment. There it is

a photograph where she was actually picnicking under an umbrella. As he

can see, these are family snapshots and have not been seen before.

dress the Queen Mother's Walk for her daughter's diamond jubilee ball

is also on display, along with Coronation robes. There are also

the actual chairs used during the Queen's coronation. That is the

pomp and circumstance, but overall, we are given a pins into the

personal life of a very public figure. This was a Highland

hideaway that the Queen Mother ball when she became a young widow. The

pictures in this new exhibition show how much she engage with the

people of Caithness and how much she felt at ease here. It is not a

grand castle by any means, and indeed, I think of it really as her

holiday home. It was a place where she did relax and was always very

keen to come back. Every photograph really shows her relaxed and happy

to be here and she always said when she came up, she said it was so

marvellous to be backing Caithness. For a royal residence, this is the

Castle of modest proportions, but as these snapshots show, it was a

place where the Queen Mother felt at ease and at home. And now for

the weather. Glorious for some of us, but not

all. Let me explain. There is some rent pushing into Dumfriesshire. On

the other side, it was close to 20 Celsius. We can see the crowd there

and underneath, particularly Edinburgh, temperatures are close

to nine degrees. That high pressure controlling the weather and keeping

things settled further north, but we will seek the rain working his

way into the South West this evening. We could see one of two

spots in the central belt this evening, but much of the country

will be tried with clear skies. For most of us temperatures will be

around three or four degrees. Also, clan and mist rolling in from the

North Sea. Tomorrow morning and into the afternoon, the southern

half of the country stays cloudy, but improves. Mid-afternoon, the

South and south-west will be the last place to clear up, but

temperatures not bad. Along the east coast it will be quite cool.

The best of the temperatures will be 17 or 18 Celsius. As we head

through into the evening tomorrow, dry across the whole of the country

and then we see the clouds pushing in along the east coast. Overnight

and Thursday, we lose that high pressure and the weather front

comes back in. It will introduce rain to Orkney and the other

islands, but the mainland will be dry. Notice the difference in

temperatures, even with the sunshine towards the south-west.

Tomorrow, if you have got the warmth, make the most of it because

it will not last. Now time to recap tonight's main stories.

The suicides of two teenage girls who died after falling from the

Erskine Bridge could have been avoided. That' according to a fatal

accident inquiry into the deaths of Neve Lafferty and Georgia Rowe.

They were both in care and considered at risk.

Labour MP Tom Watson has claimed that the Scottish socialist

politician Tommy Sheridan was wrongly convicted of perjury in his

libel action against the News of the World. Mr Watson, a member of

the committee investigating phone- hacking, said the jury had not been

in full possession of the facts. Flood warnings are still in place

in England. The Environment Agency is warning people to stay away from

swollen rivers. More staff a day have been drafted