28/02/2014 BBC London News

military activity in the area tonight. That is all from us,

England. In a BBC exclusive, Claire Marshall has

England. In a BBC exclusive, Claire tonight. That is all from us, we can

now join the BBC News teams where you are. Tonight on BBC London News:

The victims of a serial rapist win the right to sue The Met Police for

failures in the investigation. It is clear now that it was not my

fault, it was the fault of the police. The blame is laid at their

feet, not mine. The ruling could have implications

on how all police forces investigate sexual assaults.

Also tonight: London detectives in an international crackdown on

financial fraudsters. It will be an all`out war. We will

be meeting with our comrades shortly and we will be running a joint

campaign. We are not having drivers of the trains.

The prospect of more Tube strikes after a warning from union leaders

over driverless trains. It treated thousands of First World

War soldiers ` the story of the London military hospital run

entirely by women. Good evening and welcome to the

programme. Victims of a serial rapist have won

the right to sue The Met Police for failing to investigate their attacks

properly. For six years, taxi driver John Worboys carried out a string of

sexual assaults. It's believed he attacked more than 100 women. Today,

the High Court ruled that two of his victims can sue police for

compensation. The decision could have implications for all police

forces in the UK, as our political correspondent Karl Mercer reports.

For years, John Worboys would pick up women in his black cab, then make

up a story about a gambling win and ask them to share a drink with him.

But the drinks were drugged and it is believed he went on to rape or

assault over 100 women. He is now behind bars, jailed indefinitely,

but the case remains a difficult one for the Metropolitan Police. It

failed time and again to stop Worboys. I remember him pulling over

and getting into the back of the cab with me, and that's all I remember

until I woke up in hospital the next morning. The words of one of his

victims, who with another woman, won a judgement against The Met under

the human rights act. The judge, Mr Justice Green, said he had

identified a series of systemic failings which went to the heart of

the failure of the police to apprehend Worboys and cut short his

five or six years free of violent attacks. Among the shortcomings, he

said failures to interview vital witnesses, to collect key evidence,

to follow up on CCTV, to prepare properly for interviews. The fact

that he dropped me at the police station, unconscious, and nobody had

even bothered to take his details, was quite shocking to me and I was

quite upset. I asked them, did you get his name, his registration

number, any details from him? They admitted they had not taken details

from him. The judgement will mean compensation for these women but

could also have they given occasions for the police in future. One of the

issues about this case is police response ability and liability and

where is the boundary in relation to that. Obviously, the judgement has

been issued and we need to go away and think about that judgement,

understand the implications, may be wider than London and wider than

rape, and then decide a course of action. It is possible The Met will

appeal the decision. Scotland Yard did apologise again to the victims

of John Worboys that it let down so badly.

The BBC's legal affairs correspondent Clive Coleman joins me

now. And, Clive, I gather the implications of this ruling could be

quite far reaching? They could be. The law used to be that the police

did not owe members of the public and actionable duty of care. You

could not sue them as a victim of crime. This judgement shows how the

human rights act has changed that. Under Article three of the human

rights act the judge has found that the police do over victims a duty of

care, in particularly serious, violent cases, to carry out a timely

and efficient investigation. In this case, the judge found there were

systemic errors which, instead of stopping John Worboys, allowed his

offending to go on for some six years. So the real indication of

this is not that anyone who feels they are on the receiving end of a

failing in a police investigation can bring action for damages, but

certainly people who feel they were a victim of a serious or a sexual

crime where there were systemic errors within the police

investigation, now they can bring an action for damages, whereas

previously they couldn't. That could open up the floodgates, perhaps, but

certainly it could open up the opportunity for other victims to

come forward and bring actions against the police. That, I think,

is why they are saying they have to think about this judgement very

carefully. Thank you very much. More to come, including: we have

gone into the record books, for Great Britain are the Olympic

champions. Why this Olympic gold medallist is

returning to his east London roots where he learnt his sport.

It is being described as one of the biggest ever crackdowns on financial

fraudsters. City of London Police and agencies worldwide have carried

out raids on gangs who tricked people into investing in worthless

or nonexistent schemes. 110 people have been arrested as part of an

international investigation. This report contains flash photography.

On a quiet street in the centre of Barcelona, Spain's elite Serious

Crime Unit target a scam which has ruined thousands of lives and cost

victims millions of pounds. This team is working with colleagues from

the City of London's Financial Crimes Unit. The office block is the

base for what they believe is a boiler room, and the raid is one

fragment of an operation which extends across Europe and beyond.

There are 300 Spanish officers deployed across their country, and

there are further arrests taking place in the UK, the United States

and Serbia. The City of London force, which has 40 officers in

Barcelona, says it is the biggest deployment it has ever made in

pursuit of a fraud investigation. Boiler room scams involve

individuals cold calling and using high`pressure sales techniques to

persuade victims to buy into bogus investments. Most never see their

money again. I received a call from a very enthusiastic young man who

excited me, because I was thinking about investing and he was talking

about carbon credits, which I had not heard about. He sent me loads of

literature, told me a lot about it, was very knowledgeable, and I

foolishly trusted him. And I did borrow money out of my house. The

City of London force has played a major part in this crackdown. The

aim, they say, is to decimate boiler room fraud, by arresting what they

termed "tier one criminals", who are living well on the suffering of

others. Luxury cars, personal possessions and cash have been

seized. This is a crime that ignores global boundaries. It ignores

international borders and operates right across the world. What we have

shown is that we are able to do that as well. This scam has not been

eradicated but the operation will offer reassurance to victims and

severely damage the boiler room's ability to operate.

A burglar who stabbed a pensioner 22 times has been sentenced to life in

prison at the Old Bailey. Aaron Da Silva murdered Joseph Griffiths

after the 72`year`old discovered him trying to burgle his home. The Old

Bailey heard he had more than 30 convictions at the time of the

attack and will serve a minimum of 32 years.

A former Tube station that was used as a Second World War command centre

has been sold for ?53 million. The Brompton Road Tube station near

Harrods, which was originally valued at around ?20 million, served as the

headquarters of the anti`aircraft division during the Second World

War. Campaigners had argued that the site should be restored but it's now

expected to be turned into flats. A main route out of south`west

London will be closed all weekend after a burst water pipe caused

flooding overnight. Drivers are being told to avoid crap Road in

Kennington between Oval and Stockwell Tube stations. Thames

Water has denied reports that the water contains sewage and says

engineers are on site to make the roads safer. Many of the pipes have

been around since Victorian times. Some of them are coming to the end

of their useful life. We are investing about ?1 billion per year

in replacing water mains, we cannot dig up everywhere all at once so it

has to be a phased approach. The parents of a five`month`old boy who

died of have been jailed. The Old Bailey heard that they neglected

their baby son was a medical care because of their religious beliefs.

Chris Rogers is outside the court. What more can you tell us? In court,

this was described as a tragic case, not of child abuse but missed

judgement, born out of the extreme religious beliefs of the parents.

They both pleaded guilty to manslaughter. They were both

followers of the seventh`day Adventist Church, which encourages a

strict feed on diet, which can lead to vitamin D deficiency. Their son

was born very underweight and very ill. Both his parents had the strong

belief that God guided them on all matters, including health. They

refused the advice of care professionals and relatives to seek

medical assistance, even in the final hours of their son's death.

The Adventist church said their religious views are the most extreme

they have come across. In a statement, they said having strong

health and wellness focus, the church delivers regular health

presentations and training to church members and the wider community.

Adventist health professionals would always advise church members to seek

and listen to members `` medical advice. What more do we know about

the condition of the baby boy? The coroner found that because of

vitamin D deficiency, he had Ricketts disease, which weakens the

bones and can lead to horrific internal injuries. Experts are

warning that Ricketts is making a comeback, but not because of

religion, because of lifestyle. I would not say we have concerns about

religions, but all parents need to give their children and adequate

diet. Whatever the family's religious beliefs, we have to make

sure that somehow the child gets enough calcium and vitamins D and

all of the other nutrients that children require. The central issue

for Mr Justice Sweeney to consider was whether the parents of the boy

would have sought medical advice if they had known it was a matter of

life and death, because for the first few days of his life there son

was in a special care centre. But he was not tested for vitamin deed

efficiency and was not diagnosed with Ricketts disease. The father

got three years, his wife got two years and three months in jail. The

council have announced a serious case review, looking into whether

all the agencies, including the NHS and social services, could have done

more to save the life of this baby. Thank you.

Rail unions are threatening to "go to war" over plans to introduce

driverless Tube trains. Transport bosses have begun the process of

searching for a supplier to build the next generation of automated

trains, which it says will be more reliable. But the unions claim

they'd be less safe. Tom Edwards reports.

Trouble is brewing again on the Tube. Today, bosses took the first

step in buying fully automated trains. Eventually, it could mean no

cab and a member of staff in the carriage. It is a great idea. The

fewer people employed to strike, the better. Technology can go down and

then everybody would have to stand still, as we saw with the Tube

strike. The Docklands Light Railway is already automated and trains on

the Jubilee are semiautomated. The driver operates the doors but can

strip `` switch to manual if there is a problem. Fully automated trains

could deliver more capacity. Automated driving is so much more

efficient. You get more consistent performance and improve the

capacity. He reduced maintenance costs. In Paris, they have some

automated lines and it took years of negotiation with workers. Here, both

unions say the cab has to stay. There would be all`out war. We

believe there should be a driver on the front of the train. With the

amount of people that use London Underground, there is an argument

for a guard as well as a driver. This person who is going to be on

the train, just imagine an individual with a uniform on, what

are you going to do? It is standing room only. If an incident takes

place, are they to walk through the carriages, going round all the

people? Are they to drive the train if it breaks down? It is a

nonsense. London Underground says this is the beginning of a long

process. We could have no cabs and staff in the carriage on the

Piccadilly line, you are saying? We could, but we have ten years to go

through the process of working out how to operate the trains, talking

to staff, trade unions and customers. Do you think it would be

safe? We would never do anything that was not safe to operate on the

Underground. Plans are years away, but the new train is bound to be at

flash point in already fractious industrial relations. Still to come:

ahead of the relegation struggle let's get the weekend sport now with

Sara Orchard and there's a top versus bottom West London Derby

tomorrow. Yes, thanks, Alice, Fulham against Chelsea, and last week Felix

Magath was named the new Fulham manager. One of his first decisions

in the job was to cancel the players' day off last Sunday ` not

the Premier League player pampering we're used to hearing about. The

60`year`old German is charged with saving the club from relegation and

has quite a fearsome reputation and I've been finding out more about Mr

Magat. Fulham are at the bottom of the Premier League table and with

the cost of relegation being estimated at ?40 million, the club

called on a colourful and controversial manager... Felix

Magath. Since his unveiling, stories of his previous coaching style have

been publicised. There are stories of water bottles being emptied on

hot summer days. Foreign players were told that they would not make

the team unless they improved their language skills. Are the story is

true? Yes, they probably are. Do not make the mistake and see him as a

true instructor. His training is hard but the fitness is the basis

for success. Whatever madness is to his methods, he has never been

relegated and gets results. He has won league and cup titles in 2005

and 2006. By 2009, he had won her third title as manager. Tomorrow he

goes head to head with Jose Mourinho. At a press conference

today, Felix Magath compared his success to similar as that of Jose

Mourinho's. We want to get the crowd behind us. With 11 games to save

Fulham, this man knows the cost of staying in the league. The Premier

League is a cash cow. Because of that, we have to do is stay there.

It is easier to stay there than going into a lower division and

attempting to come up. If Felix Magath keeps us up, then Glory be.

Go, Felix Magath! Good luck to them. Now to Columbia and the World Track

Cycling Championships where there's been more success for two London

riders. Olympic Champions Laura Trott and Joanna Rowsell won gold

for Great Britain in the team pursuit. The win is their sixth

world title in seven attempts, and although they have welcomed new

members to the team they're happy the result remains golden. I think

we have done very well. It took a bit of getting used to and learning

it and learning how each other right but we are the world champions now!

Next ` he's an Olympic Gold Medallist ` but now rower Mark

Hunter, here on the left, is returning to his East End roots.

Since retiring from the sport he's got a new job ` inspiring the next

generation to take to the water. Emma Jones went along on his first

day to see how he got on. Mark Hunter became an Olympic gold

medallist in Beijing. We have gone into the record books! Great Britain

are the Olympic champions and it sounds fantastic! He is best

remembered for his heartache of not matching that here in London. We

wanted to win so badly. I am sorry to everyone we have left down `` let

down. Now he is back in a boat where it all began, teaching others about

the lows and highs of the sport. To come back and share my experiences

and bring the next generation into the sport is great. Mark's dad got

him into a boat and now with his new job he has the chance to inspire

hundreds of schoolchildren across London with all abilities. While his

new role is not about finding the next Olympic champion, it sounds

like he has given some of his new pupils a taste of what they might

achieve. It definitely makes me want to aim higher and work harder, and

all of the hours he shares with us, it is inspiring. To feel his gold

medal and have it in my hands is an amazing experience and means if you

work hard and put the effort in, one day that could be you. Day one seems

to have been a success. It looks like he is doing pretty

well. That's all the sport, back to you, Alice.

All week, our World War One At Home Series in partnership with the

Imperial War Museums has retold some of the most extraordinary accounts

from around the capital, to mark a hundred years since the start of the

First World War. Today, the story of the women who ran the Endell Street

Military Hospital in Covent Garden. Dr Jennian Geddes has their

remarkable tale. I am a retired doctor and amateur historian and I

have been researching the work of doctors in the hospital that they

ran in Covent Garden from 1915 to 1919. We are here because this site

was the site of a World War I hospital, a British army hospital

run and staffed entirely by women and it was known as the Endell

Street Military Hospital. You can see on the sign behind me the

deeds. The nurses had been very active in the suffragette movement

before the war. They were invited to set up the hospital by the Royal

Army medical Corps and over the next few years they treated 24,000

soldiers. For many of the women, most important thing was not just to

do the patriotic duty and their country, but proved they were as

capable as doing it `` at doing it as the men. The library collection

here includes a number of articles relating to the hospital. In January

1915, in this lovely photo, you can see the staff. There were 15

doctors, most of them visiting consultants. There are 36 nurses in

the row behind, and the few men in this photo were quickly replaced by

women. Setting up to this `` this hospital was very important to

Marian Anderson but it produced enormous challenges. A lot of people

would be sceptical about how this could ever possibly work. Girls

running a hospital? The idea that they could treat not just men were

men who had been damaged through military action, the fact that they

could deal with that was not recognised. In point of fact, they

proved the doubters wrong. It was described as one `` by one patient

as the best hospital in London. The hospital was a resounding success

but when the war ended, the men returned from the front`line, and

the male doctors expected to get the jobs. Women found themselves with

restricted job opportunities, like they had before the war. Jennian

Geddas there. And you can learn more about all the stories in our World

War One series at the website. Some people were lucky enough to witness

the Northern Lights last night, any chance of it happening again,

Elizabeth? people were lucky enough to witness

the Northern Lights last night, Yes, they were lucky last night in part

of Essex. No, there is no chance. The solar storm has finished and it

will be too cloudy and wet, not good visibility. It is horrible outside

at the moment but if you are fed up with this soggy winter then there is

better news for the weekend. Spring starts tomorrow but it will still

feel quite chilly. There will be some brightness as well. Some good

spells of sunshine and the best they will be Saturday, rather than

Sunday. It has been an odd day of weather today. We have this

low`pressure sinking southwards and it is bringing swirls of rain roof.

`` through. Temperatures in high Wycombe are no higher than three

degrees but in the South it's is eight degrees. There will be rain

for everybody through the rest of this evening's rush hour, and it

will clear way to the South East. It will leave a mostly dry second half

of the night. Some drizzle over the Thames estuary. The lowest

temperatures around freezing with some patchy fog and frost. It will

be a cloudy start for Saturday. Tomorrow, despite the cloud

initially, things will brighten up nicely. There will be good spells of

sunshine and temperatures will reach between eight and 10 degrees. It is

not going to be a bad day at all. Unfortunately, things will change a

little bit for Sunday. It will be cold on Saturday night and then the

cloud will spread in from the west, and there will be outbreaks of

drizzle. It could feel quite chilly for the first part of the night.

This weather front pushes in on Sunday and it will drag its heels

until the evening when we will start to see the rain. A rather cloudy day

but temperatures coming up somewhat. Unfortunately, low`pressure across

the UK means it will be showery and breezy. Perhaps a little bit of

spring warmth by the middle of the week. Thank you very much. The main

news headlines now... Tensions have escalated in Ukraine after it

accused Russia of seizing two airports and blockading a port.

Armed guards are now patrolling to airports in the Crimea. Serial

killer Joanne Dennehy has been sentenced to life in jail without

parole for murdering three men and attempting to kill two others. The

judge described her as "a cruel, calculating, selfish and

manipulative serial killer". Badger culls aimed at preventing the spread

of TB in cattle were "ineffective and inhumane". That's according to

the government's own report, which found far fewer badgers were killed

than intended. Two victims of serial rapist John Warboys have won the

right to sue the Met Police for failing to investigate their attacks

properly. It's believed the taxi driver assaulted more than a hundred

women over six years. City of London Police and agencies worldwide have

arrested 20 people in the UK after carrying out a series on raids on

gangs who trick people into investing in worthless or

nonexistent schemes. That's it. I'll be back later during the Ten O'Clock

News, but for now from everyone on the team have a lovely evening.

Goodbye.