:00:16. > :00:18.Good evening. This is BBC Newsline, with Noel Thompson and Donna
:00:18. > :00:23.Traynor. They all headlines this Tuesday
:00:23. > :00:27.evening... The grandparents of a severely
:00:27. > :00:30.disabled girl go on trial accused of killing her.
:00:30. > :00:36.And a former intelligence officer claims Martin McGuinness was
:00:36. > :00:46.involved in the murder of two senior police officers. The
:00:46. > :00:47.
:00:47. > :00:51.financial crisis looming at Trans link. The Attorney General says he
:00:51. > :00:53.will prosecute Peter Hain for criticising a judge.
:00:53. > :00:57.We have all the goals from last night's football action.
:00:57. > :01:05.And we catch up with this local high flier slam-dunking his way to
:01:05. > :01:13.And we had a mixed bag of weather today. Tomorrow, it is going to be
:01:13. > :01:16.much more unsettled. I will tell you why shortly.
:01:16. > :01:19.First, to the start of the trial of a couple accused of abusing and
:01:19. > :01:23.killing their severely disabled granddaughter. The jury were warned
:01:23. > :01:26.today about the nature of the evidence they will hear.
:01:26. > :01:31.14-year-old Rebecca McKeown died in hospital five days after she stayed
:01:31. > :01:33.with her grandparents at their home in Glengormley 11 years ago. David
:01:33. > :01:39.and Sarah Johnston, from Carwood Drive, deny charges of manslaughter
:01:39. > :01:44.and child cruelty. Some of the evidence we are not going to
:01:44. > :01:54.broadcast now, because of the time of day. Natasha Sayee was in the
:01:54. > :01:54.
:01:54. > :01:58.court for BBC Newsline. At the outset, the leading prosecutor
:01:58. > :02:02.warned the juror that during this case, there would be some
:02:02. > :02:07.unpalatable and very distressing evidence. During the opening of the
:02:07. > :02:12.trial here today, the court heard some harrowing details of horrific
:02:12. > :02:17.injuries sustained by the Fourteen- year-old, injuries which the
:02:17. > :02:24.prosecution claimed when inflicted upon her by her grandfather during
:02:24. > :02:33.the sexual assault. 88-year-old David Johnston at his wife Sarah
:02:33. > :02:40.looked physically frail in the dock as details of their granddaughter's
:02:40. > :02:46.death where unveiled in court. The prosecution said the massive shock
:02:46. > :02:50.of the sexual assault brought on pneumonia and exacerbated it and
:02:50. > :02:54.brought on deaf. They both denied the manslaughter of their
:02:54. > :03:00.granddaughter, but the prosecution lawyer says whoever caused these
:03:00. > :03:04.injuries must have done it in the presence of the other. They said
:03:04. > :03:09.the evidence will show that both of them were responsible for the death
:03:09. > :03:11.of the child. The trial continues tomorrow.
:03:11. > :03:14.A former Army intelligence officer has told the Smithwick Tribunal
:03:14. > :03:17.that Martin McGuinness was involved in the murders of two senior RUC
:03:17. > :03:20.men in 1989. The tribunal in Dublin is investigating allegations of
:03:20. > :03:26.Garda collusion in the IRA killings of Chief Superintendent Harry Breen
:03:26. > :03:29.and Superintendent Bob Buchanan in a border ambush in 1989. The
:03:29. > :03:33.tribunal was told that the Deputy First Minister was involved in
:03:33. > :03:42.authorising the attack. He has denied the allegation. Our Dublin
:03:42. > :03:49.reporter Julie Kirby joins us. Who was giving evidence?
:03:49. > :03:52.witness was Iain Hurst, who was also known as Martin Ingram, a
:03:52. > :04:02.former British intelligence officer who spent Aislaby near as in
:04:02. > :04:03.
:04:03. > :04:09.Northern Ireland. He gave his evidence in private session last
:04:09. > :04:16.week, so what we are today was the slightly edited version of that.
:04:16. > :04:22.What exactly did he allege about Mr McGuinness. In his evidence, he
:04:22. > :04:32.claims the murder of the two officers in South Armagh in 1989
:04:32. > :04:33.
:04:33. > :04:40.was authorised by Martin McGuinness, in his role as the officer in
:04:40. > :04:49.command. He said it would have needed to be sanctioned at that
:04:49. > :04:54.level court because it would have needed political cover. He said
:04:54. > :04:59.between 30 and 60 people would have been involved in that and it would
:04:59. > :05:02.be reasonably suspected that for a five of them would be senior
:05:02. > :05:09.figures. And what did he have to say about
:05:09. > :05:15.Garda collusion in this? He said he had come across a number of
:05:15. > :05:20.intelligence documents, which allege that two senior officers
:05:20. > :05:30.were passing information to the Irish Republican Army. He also said
:05:30. > :05:31.
:05:31. > :05:38.he had been told that one of them had the handler, who was the highly
:05:38. > :05:41.valued British agent within the Irish Republican Army. Thank you
:05:41. > :05:43.very much indeed. Our political editor Mark Devenport
:05:43. > :05:52.joins us now. What has the reaction been at
:05:52. > :05:57.Stormont? As the news came through from Dublin by the claims made by
:05:57. > :06:05.the former intelligence officer, there was not such a sense of
:06:05. > :06:12.concern around the corridor or by the Unionists. First, he is Jim
:06:12. > :06:17.McAllister tried to raise this in the chamber. A as the First
:06:17. > :06:22.Minister had an opportunity yet today to reflect on the use from
:06:22. > :06:29.the Smithwick Tribunal, that is deputy the it has been accused of
:06:29. > :06:39.being involved in the murder of two senior police officers? Order,
:06:39. > :06:46.order. We believe that Mr done at the Guinness needs to answer this
:06:46. > :06:50.allegation and answer it today. -- Martin McGuinness. Martin
:06:50. > :06:57.McGuinness did offer a written statement. He refuted the
:06:57. > :07:02.allegations. He said that the judge had previously doubted the evidence
:07:02. > :07:06.been given to him by the British state. Martin McGuinness said that
:07:06. > :07:11.the intelligence officer had been involved in previous newspaper
:07:11. > :07:15.stories about him and claimed he had a highly dubious track record.
:07:15. > :07:25.I should say that the Democratic Unionist Party has also issued a
:07:25. > :07:28.statement, asking for Martin McGuinness to come clean.
:07:28. > :07:31.The publicly-owned firm which runs our bus and train networks is
:07:31. > :07:33.expected to lose more than �22 million in the next few years. The
:07:33. > :07:36.BBC has obtained an assessment of Translink by the Stormont
:07:36. > :07:38.department which oversees it. What it says has raised fears that
:07:38. > :07:43.Translink will have to significantly increase fares or cut
:07:43. > :07:52.services. Our business correspondent Kevin Magee has this
:07:52. > :07:58.exclusive report. Judge last week, Translink announced that bus and
:07:58. > :08:03.rail fares were to rise by an average of three %. Some services
:08:03. > :08:12.will see higher increases. Now there are fears that there are
:08:12. > :08:22.further rises coming down the track. The report has shown the extent of
:08:22. > :08:22.
:08:23. > :08:27.Translink's financial problems. If current figures continue, they will
:08:27. > :08:31.lose over �20 million in the next two years. This warns of the
:08:31. > :08:37.potential further fare increases. They say they have become the wants
:08:37. > :08:41.to maintain a balanced position, they will need significant rises
:08:41. > :08:49.above the and of inflation. This will be an addition to the
:08:49. > :08:52.increases announced last week. are trying to get people to use the
:08:52. > :09:01.park and ride services and if prices keep going up, we have no
:09:01. > :09:11.chance of doing that. It is just not necessary. We are just getting
:09:11. > :09:16.used to everything going up and up in price. A we have a limited
:09:16. > :09:21.amount of public service money, so the for Translink must maybe have
:09:21. > :09:29.to look at may be cutting services which are not and making the entire
:09:29. > :09:32.business more efficient. Fuel costs will rise by �3 million alone next
:09:32. > :09:38.year and income from school transport is falling because of a
:09:38. > :09:43.drop in pupil numbers and concessionary fare costs are not
:09:43. > :09:51.being fully reimbursed. Translink opted not to be interviewed, but
:09:51. > :09:57.blamed the losses on the �24 million cut in government funding.
:09:57. > :10:05.This monopoly needs to perform. It has a duty to return a break-even
:10:05. > :10:11.financial situation at the end of each ear. Translink will brief the
:10:11. > :10:14.regional economic development committee on the future next month.
:10:14. > :10:17.A court battle which pits the Executive's chief legal adviser
:10:17. > :10:20.against a former Secretary of State will go to a full hearing in June.
:10:20. > :10:23.Today, the High Court heard that the Attorney General John Larkin
:10:23. > :10:26.wants to prosecute Peter Hain over remarks he made about a Belfast
:10:26. > :10:28.judge. The move has been criticised by many Stormont and Westminster
:10:28. > :10:30.politicians. But Mr Larkin said criticism which undermined
:10:30. > :10:39.confidence in the administration of justice should not be permitted.
:10:39. > :10:43.Our political correspondent Gareth Gordon was in the court. The man
:10:43. > :10:51.with their briefcases John Larkin, the Attorney General, whose
:10:51. > :10:55.decision to prosecute Peter Hain has brought ridicule from ministers.
:10:55. > :11:01.The there are occasions when judges make critical remarks about
:11:01. > :11:07.politicians and vice versa. This is part of life in a modern democracy
:11:07. > :11:16.and we should try and keep these things out of the Court Room.
:11:16. > :11:22.Hain used his memoirs to attack a six year-old decision. The
:11:22. > :11:30.Executive, which made John Larkin their chief Executive two years ago
:11:30. > :11:37.and today he said why this decision had been taken. He said that the
:11:38. > :11:43.remarks by Peter Hain constituted contempt of court. He said they
:11:43. > :11:47.sought to protect public confidence in the administration of justice.
:11:47. > :11:52.But the defence team representing Peter Hain and his publishers doubt
:11:52. > :11:57.they should be in court whatsoever. They questioned whether the actual
:11:57. > :12:04.charge, that of scandalising the court, still existed under common
:12:04. > :12:08.law or whether they could apply to the European Court of Human Rights.
:12:08. > :12:14.In his defence, they said they would present a number of
:12:14. > :12:24.affidavits from people in public life. Today, all I swear on name
:12:24. > :12:30.seven mmac, who has become the pivotal figure in this. -- John
:12:30. > :12:35.Larkin. He has come under fire from many senior politicians, including
:12:35. > :12:39.the Prime Minister David Cameron. A full hearing will take place on
:12:39. > :12:42.June 19th. Still to come on the programme...
:12:42. > :12:44.How this County Down factory has become the base for an American TV
:12:44. > :12:54.blockbuster. And the crowd go wild as local
:12:54. > :12:57.
:12:57. > :13:00.The curse of illegal drugs is around all of us, but because of
:13:00. > :13:06.the stigma, families of so many users suffer in silence, with
:13:06. > :13:09.little or no support. We have been speaking to a mother
:13:09. > :13:14.who was turned by drugs into an unrecognisably secretive and moody
:13:14. > :13:18.14-year old. She says he and others like him are easy targets for
:13:19. > :13:21.dealers. This mother, who is from East Antrim, has been talking to
:13:21. > :13:31.our district journalist Ciara Riddell and we have agreed to
:13:31. > :13:32.
:13:32. > :13:38.disguise her identity and change Before drugs her son was a normal
:13:38. > :13:42.bright kield child. She said she never imagined he would get mixed
:13:42. > :13:47.up in substance abuse. She says children are easy targets. If you
:13:47. > :13:56.lack on their Facebooks, they will be saying things like, could you
:13:56. > :14:01.get me a bag of grass for �20? They are saying I will give you �40
:14:01. > :14:08.worth and you can give it to me. I know it is paramilitaries.
:14:08. > :14:15.problem is substances like cannabis and cocaine. In the past year the
:14:15. > :14:21.police have made 110 separate drug seizures in the area. But the
:14:21. > :14:26.problem is much more widespread and finding those responsible is
:14:26. > :14:31.difficult. Let's be clear about this, it would be stupid to think
:14:31. > :14:35.that certain individual within paramilitary organisations are not
:14:35. > :14:41.dealing drugs. They. It is up to the community to hold them to
:14:41. > :14:47.account. But that is easier said than done and Julia says the stigma
:14:47. > :14:51.leaves parents too ashamed to ask for help. I was embarrassed to go
:14:51. > :14:56.to other parents, everyone talking about your child. They get labelled
:14:56. > :15:00.as a scum bag. You do blame yourself, what have I done wrong?
:15:00. > :15:04.But it would be different if all your kids were doing that. When
:15:04. > :15:09.there is just the one, it makes you think, no this isn't my fault.
:15:09. > :15:15.There is no help, there is no support for the parents. Julia says
:15:15. > :15:24.the drug problem has been ignored by the Government for too long and
:15:24. > :15:28.she lives in hope that one day she will get her son back. For details
:15:28. > :15:35.of organisations which offer support with drug abuse, you can
:15:35. > :15:41.phone the baeb's action line. -- BBC's. The justice minister has
:15:42. > :15:47.defended plans to close Magilligan prison, describing it as a relic of
:15:47. > :15:53.the 1970s. The jail will be replaced with a new medium security
:15:53. > :15:57.facility near Belfast. That has raised fear about the economic
:15:57. > :16:03.impact on the north-west. Linda has been in business for more than 30
:16:03. > :16:09.years and says many traders are under pressure in today's economic
:16:09. > :16:17.climate. The closure of Magilligan will have a huge impacts. It would
:16:17. > :16:25.be a disaster for the area, we are struggling as it is with high
:16:25. > :16:31.unemployment and we have lost all our major industry. This is now a
:16:31. > :16:38.final nail in the coffin. Ryan employs eight people in a family-
:16:38. > :16:42.run business and says the area cannot afford the loss of more jobs.
:16:42. > :16:48.All businesses depend on passing trade, so it won't have a benefit
:16:48. > :16:56.on us. We hope something can keep the jobs in the area. Magilligan
:16:56. > :17:01.first opened 40 years ago on the site of a former army base. It
:17:01. > :17:06.holds more than 500 low to medium risk male prisoners and employs
:17:07. > :17:11.around 400 staff. A Prison Service document says the prison has
:17:11. > :17:15.outlived its useful life. But that view is not shared by everyone in
:17:15. > :17:20.the area. The figures that we have suggest that this is going to take
:17:20. > :17:25.around �10 million out of local economy. That can only have a
:17:25. > :17:31.devastating effect on businesses. That view is shared by shoppers.
:17:31. > :17:35.would be a loss and everything goes up to Belfast. Nothing gets down
:17:35. > :17:40.here. All the factory would close and we need the jobs. The
:17:40. > :17:47.businesses are all closing down. It's like a ghost town. The north-
:17:47. > :17:52.west is being more isolated, everything is going to Belfast.
:17:52. > :17:57.local MP said it does not add up. It doesn't stack up. The
:17:57. > :18:00.maintenance of one big large prison in the Greater Belfast area and
:18:00. > :18:06.another smaller prison in the north-west make more sense
:18:06. > :18:11.economically and every way. In town in the area there is anger at the
:18:11. > :18:16.possible loss of hundred of jobs, many say they will join the
:18:16. > :18:19.campaign to try and save that employment. Finding new uses for
:18:19. > :18:22.old buildings is a good form of architectural recycling. Take for
:18:22. > :18:25.example the old linen factory in Banbridge which is enjoying a
:18:25. > :18:28.rather interesting revival. We've had unique access to the factory as
:18:28. > :18:38.it hosts its second series of a hit American TV show. Our arts
:18:38. > :18:39.
:18:39. > :18:44.correspondent, Maggie Taggart reports. This woman will lead...
:18:44. > :18:49.HBO has confirmed it will make a third series of Game of Thrones in
:18:49. > :18:54.Northern Ireland. It is based on medieval fantasy books. The first
:18:54. > :19:00.two series used local landscapes, studio and actors and it is hoped
:19:00. > :19:09.the third will be just as profitable. Construction and
:19:09. > :19:16.preparation for Game of Thrones is restarting here, it was the Ulster
:19:16. > :19:21.wavers bleach works. -- weavers. The linen in this country was
:19:21. > :19:28.finished, all that type of work. It was coming in much cheaper and we
:19:28. > :19:33.couldn't put it out. And it's good to see the film crew here. If not
:19:33. > :19:38.this factory would be deserted. When in full production the rooms
:19:38. > :19:42.are the make up and costume departments the company uses 75,000
:19:42. > :19:49.square feet of the former factory and has used ten achers of
:19:49. > :19:57.countryside. When the circus comes to town, it comes to down. -- town.
:19:57. > :20:04.The gates open at 5 in the morning and we have 550 people here. People
:20:04. > :20:11.must be wandering around in strange costumes. We were in a meet and one
:20:11. > :20:15.of the girls screamed and Charles Dance had went past on a white
:20:15. > :20:22.horse in full battle gear. silence of the area makes it
:20:22. > :20:28.attract civ to film makers: don't have aircraft, there is no
:20:28. > :20:34.motorway and we're on the North/South corridor. So we went to
:20:34. > :20:40.big TV companies in America. neighbours had to be convinced it
:20:40. > :20:46.was a good reason with late-night filming, complete with water
:20:46. > :20:49.cannons. So watch out for a man on a big white horse. This year's All
:20:49. > :20:52.Ireland soccer competition will be between two local teams. Here's
:20:52. > :20:55.Stephen Watson. One from the Irish League. One from the League of
:20:55. > :20:58.Ireland. Crusaders have won the League Cup this season and are
:20:58. > :21:01.already through to the Irish Cup final. Now they can look forward to
:21:01. > :21:05.a third cup decider this season. The North Belfast club will play
:21:05. > :21:07.Derry City in the Setanta Cup final next month at Windsor Park, after a
:21:07. > :21:16.dramatic extra-time win against Sligo Rovers. Austin O'Callaghan
:21:16. > :21:23.reports. There is something about knock out competition which seems
:21:23. > :21:29.to bring out the best in Crusaders. Coates' extra time penalty kick
:21:29. > :21:38.didn't prevent Sligo Rovers from winning, but it was the goal that
:21:38. > :21:43.gave the Irish league club victory on aggregate, 3-2. I'm proud of the
:21:43. > :21:48.efforts and of the team and proud for our fans. They came in big
:21:48. > :21:55.numbers tonight. And we now look forward to an Irish Cup Final and
:21:55. > :22:02.an all Ireland final. For their opponents, Shamrock Rovers' manager
:22:02. > :22:07.had to keep reminding himself which dug out was his, the former Derry
:22:07. > :22:15.City boss tried to repair the damage of a 3-0 first leg
:22:15. > :22:21.defeatment and they set up a nervy finish. But DrY held on to progress
:22:21. > :22:27.3-2. We want to win it now. The first time Derry have got there. It
:22:27. > :22:30.will be more historic if we win it. Another team hoping to create
:22:30. > :22:35.history are Coleraine. Their draw with Linfield in the Carling
:22:35. > :22:45.Premiership means a win in their final watch with Crusaders will
:22:45. > :22:48.
:22:48. > :22:50.assure them of a place in next season's Europa League. The draw
:22:50. > :22:53.for the London 2012 Olympic football competition was made today.
:22:53. > :22:56.Great Britain's women drew New Zealand, Cameroon and Brazil in the
:22:56. > :22:59.group stage. And the GB Men's team, which could include Northern
:22:59. > :23:02.Irelands Chris Brunt, were drawn in a group with Senegal, the United
:23:02. > :23:05.Arab Emirates and one country they probably were looking to avoid -
:23:05. > :23:08.Uruguay. Manager Stuart Pearce is yet to reveal his final squad of 18,
:23:08. > :23:11.but stressed today he won't be pressurised to pick players from
:23:11. > :23:16.all four home nations just for the sake of it. I think from my point
:23:16. > :23:22.of view, I'm picking it on form and merit alone. Nothing else. That is
:23:22. > :23:28.the fairest way of doing it. Every time I'm put in front of a camera,
:23:28. > :23:33.if I pick a squad that doesn't reflect every home nation, or every
:23:33. > :23:38.celebrity, but the first players in my mind that are best at this
:23:38. > :23:48.moment that I think have got the best opportunity to deliver a Great
:23:48. > :23:51.
:23:51. > :23:53.British gold. In American sport one of the most popular events of the
:23:53. > :23:56.year is the annual All Star basketball weekend. It showcases
:23:57. > :23:59.the biggest and the best players in the world. The concept was tried
:23:59. > :24:02.here with our top basketballers for the first time last weekend.
:24:02. > :24:06.Surprisingly it wasn't the tallest player on show at the University of
:24:06. > :24:14.Ulster who entertained the fans the most. As Thomas Kane found out. The
:24:14. > :24:21.slam dunk contest provided plenty of inventiveness. But it was the
:24:21. > :24:28.youngest and the smallest player taking part who stole the show. At
:24:28. > :24:36.Faye foot eleven, 17-year-old David Durkan was head and shoulders above
:24:36. > :24:41.the rest. It is something I had planned for a while. On the day I
:24:41. > :24:45.was nervous, but I went for it. did you manage to persuade two of
:24:45. > :24:51.your friends to stands under the basket. They were more than willing
:24:51. > :24:56.to help. We're close team mates. This was the first year of the
:24:56. > :25:01.event, as the Belfast all-star team took on the rest of the Northern
:25:01. > :25:10.Ireland. Each player was selected via an online vote. Among those
:25:10. > :25:17.vent e represented were some east earn European players playing here.
:25:17. > :25:27.We watch TV and I feel it. That is great. You can find more friends.
:25:27. > :25:29.
:25:29. > :25:36.It's good. You got a lot of guys from Lithuania and other places
:25:36. > :25:42.from Europe and I think it is adding to the game and the crowd
:25:42. > :25:49.enjoyed it, I enjoyed it. I'm looking forward too next year.
:25:49. > :25:52.it is hoped the game will now become an annual event. Rangers
:25:52. > :26:00.have confirmed striker Kyle Lafferty has been suspended for two
:26:00. > :26:06.weeks amid reports of a dispute with manager Ally McCoist. Suppose
:26:06. > :26:11.it could have been worse, he could have been slam dunked! Now the
:26:11. > :26:16.have been slam dunked! Now the weather with Barra Best. We had a
:26:16. > :26:21.mixed bag today. Many enjoyed sunshine, but the cloud did bubble
:26:21. > :26:31.up and with that we had some showers, some hefty showers as well.
:26:31. > :26:32.
:26:32. > :26:38.Some thunder and some hail. Just like this one. Some showers still
:26:38. > :26:43.lingering, but most are dying away. Chilly especially in the south-west.
:26:43. > :26:49.Maybe a touch of frost for a while. Its all change tomorrow w low
:26:49. > :26:56.pressure edging in and with that tomorrow will be wetter and windier
:26:56. > :27:01.with some gale force gusts. We may have some dry spells, but it won't
:27:01. > :27:05.take long before the cloud rolls in and the strong north-easterly winds
:27:05. > :27:10.settle in, bringing showers and the showers will merge from time to
:27:10. > :27:14.time and give some spells of rain right through the afternoon. It
:27:15. > :27:20.won't be completely wet. But very little brightness. Temperatures
:27:20. > :27:26.maybe nine or ten degrees on the map. But with the strong winds and
:27:26. > :27:32.the wet weather, it will feel colder. More rain in the south-east
:27:32. > :27:35.in the evening. Drier in the west. And into Thursday it will, won't be
:27:35. > :27:39.as cold, because of the low pressure. Tomorrow night five to
:27:39. > :27:44.seven degrees. But it will be very windy. Thursday the low pressure
:27:44. > :27:49.stays with us and it is going to stay unsettled more rain and the
:27:49. > :27:53.strong winds staying with us. Again ten or 11 degrees. Feeling colder.