17/12/2013 Reporting Scotland

On Reporting Scotland: The two women charged with smuggling drugs into

Peru are jailed for six years and eight months. NHS Lanarkshire

promise changes after a Government investigation finds poor quality

care could have cost lives. Big Lottery cash for the hungry and

homeless is doubled to answer the massive increase in demand.

For the last three days I have been sleeping on the floor. I have just

got on with it. Also on tonight's programme: As the

25th anniversary of the Lockerbie air disaster approaches, a former

FBI chief says he expects more people to be charged over the

bombing. As people head out for their

Christmas shopping, how are Scotland's high streets adapting to

survive? A young woman from Lenzie, caught

smuggling drugs in Peru, has been jailed for six years and eight

months in prison. Melissa Reid from Lenzie near Glasgow has been

imprisoned since August after she tried to board a plane to Spain with

cocaine hidden in her luggage. International lawyers say this is a

lenient sentence and it means she will now be eligible to apply to

spend some of her sentence in a Scottish jail. Catriona Renton

reports. Melissa Reid and McCullough McCollum

didn't know what to expect when they arrived in court. They could have

been sentenced for up to 15 years. As it turned out, they received the

minimum of six years and eight months. Crucially, the jail term is

less than seven years. We understand this entitles prisoners in Peru to a

reduction in sentence and means Melissa Reid can apply for a

transfer to a Scottish prison. It was always the minimum sentence back

could be awarded, and it is now to be seen how much time will be spent

in Peru, and how much in a Scottish jail if at all possible. They have

been behind bars in Peru for more than four months now. Today, the

media watched as Melissa Reid and McCullough McCollum from Northern

Ireland were taken away by police. The girls were stopped at Lima

airport in August as they attempted to board a flight to Spain. They

were caught with 11 kilos of cocaine hidden in food packets in their

luggage, said to be worth around ?1.5 million. The women were working

on the Spanish island of eyepiece. They claimed originally they were

forced by a gang at gunpoint to travel to Peru to collect the

drugs, but since changed their plea to guilty. The young women became

friends, sharing a cell in prison. One father has been to see his

daughter and told the media how hard it has been for the family, waiting

for answers. Tonight, those girls are back in jail.

Three hospitals in Lanarkshire have serious problems with understaffing,

quality of care and patient record keeping. Inspectors were called into

Wishaw, Monklands and Hairmyres to investigate, following above-average

mortality rates in their wards. They've now made 21 recommendations

for improvement. Andrew Kerr has more.

Another busy afternoon at Monklands Hospital. An investigation into

above average mortality rate revealed widespread care failures

here and at Wishaw and her Miers. -- her Miers. Everything has been

fine. But there were a few times that could have been better. I don't

have a lot of confidence in them at all. I would not want to have to go

in there. 21 recommendations have been made by health care improvement

Scotland to look at issues surrounding understaffing, the

quality of care, and patient record keeping. A lack of resources is not

a problem, it is claimed. We have a record number of staff, a record

number of consultants, nurses and midwives. This is about the

management of those resources, it is not about understaffing. He holds

the health board totally accountable, and so does the

Patients' Association, who are highly critical. It is one calamity

after another, and the board is not fit for purpose. It is time to get

rid of them and get some fresh blood in there. At the health board they

are getting some -- working on improvements, saying patients have

nothing to fear. We do have good patient care across those three

hospitals. Our staff are committed to that. What we have seen is a area

is for improvement. A government appointed team will now ensure that

rapid improvements are made and a formal review will take place at the

end of March. Politically, it is important that health boards are

seen to be performing well and meeting patients needs. Management

here at NHS Lanarkshire will be under intense scrutiny over the next

few months. Still to come on the programme

before 7pm: We look at the implications for Scotland if plans

to expand capacity at Heathrow and Gatwick airports are approved.

Nothing betting scandal hits Scottish football as one player is

accused of making over 150 bats. And, we hear from the man who says

his Dundee United youngsters will take Scotland to the World Cup. All

the sport very soon. As the country moves out of

recession, charities are still reporting increased demand for their

services. The Big Lottery Fund has just announced grants to groups

providing lifeline services for people experiencing hardship,

doubling what it originally said it would distribute. And, a food bank

in Edinburgh says it's now handing out three times what it was a year

ago. Reevel Alderson reports. This is the setup for people like

yourself who are homeless. This warehouse in Dumfries is packed with

the essentials of living. The charity which operates it offers

starter packs for homeless people who can get anything from ten

openers to bed and linen. A lot of people do become homeless through no

fault of their own. They have got nothing, they need the basics of

life to furnish their house, to cook with, something to sleep on, and

they need it then and there. They can't wait to three weeks for things

to be processed. The charity has been operating with volunteers. A

grant of ?128,000 from the big lottery grant will now allow them to

employ full-time staff. The recession has meant that more people

have turned to charities for help. David has been homeless and has

finally got an unfurnished flat, but delays in receiving welfare grants

meant he needed the charity sorting out with essentials to make it

habitable. For the last three days I have been sleeping on the floor, but

I have just got on with it. I understand that people have got

worse problems. It has been like a camping adventure. It is good I'm

having help now, otherwise I would have Christmas in similar

circumstances. Helping to pack bags at a food bank in Edinburgh, the

first Mr says the Scottish Government is trying to help

hard-pressed families. He blames UK welfare changes for increasing

pressure on charities. When you are faced with the dismantling of the

welfare state, a lot of what you do is paving over the cracks. It is

mitigation, helping people as far as we can, but you can't replace a

welfare system, you can only help where you can. The UK Government

says its reforms will make 300,000 of the poorest Scottish households

better off, but this charity is expecting soon to be distributing

four times the amount of food it is handing out a year ago.

BBC Scotland has leant that three of the four victims of the Super Puma

helicopter crash off Shetland in August died through drowning. It

comes as the latest report by the Air Accidents Investigation Branch

says the crash was "survivable". Further investigations are being

carried out to establish what went wrong.

Libya has relief thing-macro revealed it will allow British and

American investigations to question, Dafydd's former

intelligence chief over the Lockerbie bombing. More people will

be charged over the Lockerbie bombing - that's the view of the man

who's headed the FBI for the past 12 years.

Hardly a day goes by without flowers being laid in memory of those who

were killed in the bombing. 11 residents of the town were among 270

people who died when the flight was blown up over Lockerbie four days

before Christmas 1988. 25 years on, the criminal investigation remains

open. At FBI headquarters in Washington, the man who has just

retired as director is confident others will be brought to justice.

My expectation is that, continuously, we will obtain

additional information and witnesses, and that others will be

charged with their participation in this. Even after all of these years?

Yes. We won't forget. We do not forget. By that, I mean the FBI, the

Department of Justice, we do not forget. At the Lockerbie memorial in

Virginia, one man is not convinced the case will be fully resolved. I

am afraid not. I would like to think so. The problem is, the Libyan

government say they will be supportive, but I am not sure I

believe them. Even if they wanted to, they can't. They don't control

their own country. It is run by militias. They are all fighting with

each other. Violence is a major feature of life in post-revolution

Libya. One year ago, Libya's ambassador to the UK said when

security was established by the new government in Tripoli, it would open

all Lockerbie related files. The former Libyan ambassador to the US

says instability need not prevent publication. I think there is no

reason for delay. All these files, there is no reason to hide them. The

people responsible for these crimes are part of the old regime. The only

man ever convicted of the bombing died of cancer last year, still

protesting his innocence. We may never know the full truth behind the

murder of 270 people in Lockerbie, but as the 25th anniversary

approaches, police and prosecutors say they are determined to keep the

case open, to keep looking for all of those who have so far escaped

justice. Scottish fishermen's leaders say

they're relieved at a deal being struck tonight in Brussels to set

next year's catch limits. They say there will be no reduction in the

number of days boats may go to sea. And they believe cuts to quotas of

whiting and monkfish won't be as deep as planned. They will also get

help towards a ban on discarding fish. Quotas for other key stocks

will be set next year. Police say a woman who was murdered

as she walked her dog in a Glasgow park had been subjected to an

extremely violent attack. 53-year-old Jean Campbell was last

seen on CCTV walking her German Shepherd dog towards Cranhill Park

around 10:30pm on Friday night. Police say they don't know the

reasons for the attack, but won't say if anything had been stolen.

We have done extensive CCTV examination, and we can confirm she

is seen heading towards the park at around 10:30pm on Friday night.

Again, we are painting a picture, getting the movements of the lady,

and he asked for anyone who has any information to please come forward.

the tram service could begin running as early as spring. New staff

uniforms wed on display for the first time as well as a new global.

They may be busy this month, but Scotland's high streets need some

retail therapy if they are to survive. A recent study of retail

find a deafening pic across the country. Some high streets have few

beacon shops while others have many lying any -- empty. -- vacant.

Today's study authors unprecedented detail about what is going on. In

the north-east in virtually has only one in five shops lying empty but in

Huntly and vans and Inverness is at many more vacancies. In most cities

40% of shops have been vacant for more than one year will stop 70% of

those vacancies have been there for more than one year full top there

are different towns we are there should be considerations. With

competitions from supermarkets, online and a squeeze on spending

cover, different shopping centres require different responses.

Independent shops at an important ingredient for high streets. The

fewer stunning Gretna and Castle Douglas, a most in Livingston and

Gourock. This is the Bastian of local shopping, it still boasts

beakers, greengrocers, delicatessens, a chocolate year and

a microbrewery. Castle Douglas has 4500 population but we have 20,000

as a shopping population. This town centre can still divide most

families needs. Free on street parking makes the shops accessible

and the fact that many are owner occupied has helped Jewish and then

against the recession. James doors are notable by the announcements.

The campaign against Tesco was very successful. They do not have a

petrol station or butchery counter and are limited to the amount of

non-food items they can sell. People still come down the high Street to

go shopping for other items. While many times adding a vicious spiral

of decline this place seems to be in a brat chewers circle with

independent traders attracting shoppers. They are spending protect

the town's individuality. Retail on your mobile phone has double and

retail revolution. Hirst uses high kneeling technology. Like retailers

every queer, hurt retailers are hoping for a better Christmas this

year than last. -- every queer. You are trying to into the mobile phone

culture to encourage trade. They can tell you how to call the business,

what they offered is, maybe you look at shopping and gifts because it is

Christmas time. Wildly discount offer has not even widely taken up

yet, other kinds of innovative marketing has already paid off. We

have a treasure hunt going on at the moment. Customers are encouraged to

come into the shop and scan discord then the identity and a prize draw.

This encourages people to come in who have never been in before,

hopefully they will remember as and come back and spend money. I thought

I would give the treasure hunt a go. Clue number one said aside City

Hall, this restaurant is almost vital. It is behind you. It is that

time of year! The future of the high Street requires fewer shops than we

have had new uses will be needed for those spaces. A lively town centre

requires more nightlife, more leisure and more homes. Transport

chiefs and business leaders across Scotland have been react into the

options for expanding the port capacity around London. -- you've

bought. -- airport. How will this affect Scotland? The options include

building another runway at Gatwick or lengthening Heathrow's runways.

This is politically divisive, Labour owes it all the originally supported

the idea. The Tories pledged not to support it for the duration of this

Parliament. Up until now, the Lib Dems rejected a whole idea of

expansion in England. Let us just that the idea and understand what

history has taught us and look at the alternative. The only other

alternative is Gatwick. Glasgow airport bosses continue to support

the lethal option. The political wrestling match has staged largely

among London politicians. The economic repertoire is as to queer,

even if there should be expansion of London's Newport, will be felt

further afield. Some say Heathrow is the only option. People want to

connect with the rest of the world through Heathrow. It is difficult

for the Highland businesses and to listen to connect with London

appropriately. The options may have narrowed but the debate will

intensify until a final report in 2015. The ultimate report will shape

out English passengers linked to the rest of the world. Now a round-up of

the latest sports news. Breaking News the night. The current Rangers

board has won enough support to remain in place. Figures of proxy

votes indicate that the direct is an 2-macro men in charge will be the

leg it. -- the direct is. Ahead of Rangers annual general meeting on

Thursday the current board will remain in power. Nominees to join

the board do not have enough votes to join the board. Malcolm Murray,

Paul Murray, Scott Murray and Alex Wilson had been seeking re-election

to the board. The club reported a ?14 million operating loss for the

13 months to June after ?22 million was raised in a sheer issue last

year. We will have more on this making news on our website and

tomorrow on Reporting Scotland. Another Scottish footballer has been

charged with breaking betting rules three months after Rangers' Ian

Black was suspended for the same thing. Michael Moffat has been

charged over allegations of betting on games involving year United. He

also faces charges of betting on more than 100 other matches. The SFA

has stressed he is not suspected of match fixing. The drop of kids

develop that Tannadice are attracting Scouts from all over

Europe and some say they could help Scotland to the World Cup but how

long can did the United hang on to them? -- Dundee United.

Young dreams in tangerine. A dismal barrier at Dundee United weird if

you are good enough, you old enough. The man who developed them

believes they are going to play big things for Scotland. They can become

full Scotland internationalist and play a lot of games for our country

and take them to the World Cup in the future. For Jackie McNamara it

is raining goals, his team have scored at least four goals in the

last five matches. Just how far can this crop of kids go? I would not be

surprised if I was watching Italian or Spanish football and watching

these players lay. For now I am just happy to see them progress as much

as what they have done and the Dundee United fans are enjoying it.

Ryan Gauld has admirers in England, Spain and Italy, John Souttar as

admirers in Sunderland and Everton. That is exactly what we need. Now

we'll look at what else is happening in Scottish sport. Celtic will meet

the champions league group opponents I axed month. -- Ajax. Terry Butcher

was sent to the stand for his part in this trouble when he was the

Inverness Cally Bessel manager in the league cup against Dundee

United. His fine was squashed but is too much suspension remains. --

Inverness Caledonian Thistle. Andy Murray could make the world's talk

to -- meet the world's talk to the Dell and Djokovic. The Dumfries

driver retires after winning 2-macro big races this year. That is Allan

McNish. And Scotland failed to qualify for the 2015 World Cup. That

is in the cricket. The sports stories and on our website. A busy

night in sport. Finally finished! Now moving swiftly on to the

weather. Quite dizzy for the weather for Wednesday, Thursday and Friday

this week. It will current wet and windy. Tightly packed isobars with a

weather front bringing heavy rain. The start tonight it is clear, cold

and Chile. Rain will be heavy and persistent for a time. It should not

be too called. Certainly by the end of the night temperatures for many

will be no lower than seven or eight. It will be wet. It will not

bring all be every queer but when it does rain it will be heavy and

persistent and windy from the south. Because the winds are coming from

the south we will be some sheltered conditions. Temperature wise it will

be mild. That is academic because it will not be pleasant. The wind will

strengthen further this time tomorrow night. We will see some

potentially damaging gusts. 80 mph for the Western Northwest. The rain

intensifies, it will be heavy, persistent and leading to localised

flooding in the south-west. The low pressure will push away towards the

North. We will see a westerly flow. Call the conditions turning

conditions more wintry. The showers will lead to some snow on Thursday

with another weather warning. By Friday we will lose the snow but the

rain returns and there is another weather warning in force with the

rest of localised riding. Wet and windy tomorrow, snow showers on

Thursday and rain on Friday. The top stories: Melissa Reid and Michaela

McCollom have been sentenced to excuse and months in jail. The

report by health inspectors says the hospitals in Lanarkshire have CDs of

bombs from understaffing and quality of here. -- serious problems. That

is all for now. Good evening.