07/02/2014 BBC Newsline

A father's charged with assaulting his baby daughter. The organisers of

the Giro d'Italia want to change the colours of our towns and cities to

pink. In a big weekend of sport, rugby,

football, hurling and at grassroots level, the hunt for the next

generation of Irish cricketers. And the rain is back, I'll have all

your weekend weather shortly. The problem of underage drinking and

drug taking is once again the focus of our news. 19 young people were so

ill they had to be treated in hospital last night. More than 100

were treated by medics at a concert at the Odyssey Arena in Belfast.

10,000 tickets were sold for the over 16s dance event. The police say

about 300 teenagers turned up who were clearly intoxicated. Our

reporter Conor Macauley is outside the Odyssey for us this evening.

It was around this time last night the authorities began to get a sense

of the scale of the problem they were about to face. Scores of

teenagers needed medical help. One witness said it was like being in a

disaster zone. This report contains some flashing images.

The concert by a Dutch DJ was an over 16 event. It drew a crowd of

9500 many of whom were much younger. Some of them were clearly drunk or

high on drugs. Some were refused entry. 40 needed help outside. 19

were taken to hospital. It was declared a major incident. What

happened was the SOS Bus had been dealing with a lot of people who

were unconscious and vomiting. We brought in resources from the

outlying areas. This lady's 16-year-old son was at the concert.

People were throwing up inside all over the floor. Many people were

passed out. There were fights left right and centre. I try to text him.

No reply. I then began to think, I was hearing people being taken to

hospital, is he one of those being taken to hospital? It was panic

stations. It physically made me feel sick. In a statement, the Odyssey

Arena said that a number of patrons required medical attention having

already been intoxicated on their arrival. They said they were not

granted entry and were treated by the ambulance service outside. As

this video shows, there was also trouble at the concert and we now

know more people were treated inside the event than outside. A further 68

people were seen inside by a private medical firm hired by the Odyssey

Arena. Three went to hospital. The Odyssey Arena said the scale of

incidents inside the venue was at normal levels. We would not sell

alcohol to someone without ID, passport or driving licence. It was

not a heavy drinking crowd. We are pretty confident we policed it

thoroughly. You saying everyone turned up drunk? There are always

some people who will come through the checks and balances of the

system. There is a time lag between intoxicating showing. In all, 108

people needed medical treatment, 19 in hospital. The Belfast trust

declared a major incident. We were told we might expect they could be

very ill and might need intensive care and monitoring and other care.

Happily, that was not the case. As things turned out, 19 patients

attended and they needed to be admitted so they were sick enough to

be admitted but happily most of them have now been discharged. Police say

300 people at the gig showed signs of intoxication. Some had travelled

by coach. There will be an investigation and work to process

three arrests. Including this 16-year-old girl held for assault. A

big part of the problem last night was that lots of the teenagers were

already drunk. They had been drinking for several hours,

"prinking", they call it. Last night was by no means a one-off.

The haze of teenage drunkenness often begins at home. Known as

"prinking", slang for pre-drinking. It is popular among older and

younger teenagers who cannot afford far prices and go for cheaper

drink. Their choices sometimes on social media. It is not always just

alcohol they are boasting about. On this case last night, the

teenagers's father was told they took something else. I saw a post

that had been shared from Facebook by a young person that I knew. They

had put a photograph on Facebook and I informed his father of it. His

father then made contact with him and learn his father contacted me

again. -- and then his father. We went to the police station. Not all

teenagers are caught or punished before leaving their home on the way

to a night out. Once the "prinking" is over, transport to the dance

venue, often on buses. There is a ban on drinking on

buses, but it does not always work. So there is more "prinking". As this

CCTV footage on a bus shows, it can lead to trouble. It is time the

departments responsible grip the aggregate together. We need new

regulation to ban the carriage of alcohol. It is a confusing set of

regulations. You can walk onto the vehicle with it but don't drink it.

There is nothing new about some teenagers getting very drunk and it

is not unique to the Odyssey Arena. Every weekend all across Northern

Ireland in different towns and cities, you will find some very

drunk and very sick young teenagers. Often these volunteers

are the first people to help. Weekend in and weekend out. We find

people who have had far too much to drink. They do not know their

limits. They are throwing up, unconscious. We do our best and we

talked security staff and ambulance staff as well. And there is another

weekend beckoning, street volunteers are ready once again to help young

drinkers who no longer fit to look after themselves. -- who are no

longer fit. People who are perhaps intoxicated.

With me is Joe Hyland from the SOS Bus whose volunteers are here at

night to help party-goers. We worked very hard and we are a small

charity. 23 mums and adds volunteered last night. It was

tough. We had well over 100 people who needed help. At one point, we

had over 19 young boys and girls who were really drunk. Some of them very

very ill. Was it that which prompted you to tell the emergency services?

We recognised it was beyond our capacity. As the paramedics arrived

and recognised it was beyond the capacity with the crews they had

available, their senior staff came in and very rightly pressed the

button. I truly believe that if we had not in here, certainly if they

had not been that with the wonderful plan may have in place, we could

have lost lives last night. Did you think you perhaps helped to save

lives last night? It is hard to say after the event. But last night if

you had asked me, if you are a parent, you would have pressed the

button too. It was scary. Just to say, tonight there is an ice hockey

game playing tonight so everybody down here is hoping for a much

quieter evening this evening. And you can see more on that

interview with Jim Donnelly about how a father took his son to the

police station on our news website. This is BBC Newsline and still ahead

on the programme: What Sinn Fein think the vote on Scottish

independence means for the union. It is quite clear the so-called United

Kingdom is held together by a thread.

A 23-year-old man from West Belfast has appeared in court charged with

grievous bodily harm against his three-month old daughter. His name

cannot be given, to protect the child's identity. From Craigavon

Court, Gordon Adair reports. A lawyer told the court that

relatives on both sides of the family had made clear their support.

He said his client had been left alone with the baby girl on

Wednesday morning and that a short time after his partner left the flat

they shared together he had found the little girl in some kind of

medical distress. He took actions in an effort to help her. He later

admitted to hospital staff that one of those actions was to shake the

baby and it was after this admission that the police were called and he

was arrested. Granting bail despite police objections, the judge pointed

out that the man had already been given compassionate bail to visit

his daughter in hospital and that the original charge of Weaver 's

bodily harm with intent had been reduced to grievous bodily harm --

grievous She remains critically ill in

hospital and the father's lawyer said he would not put it any

stronger than her future looks uncertain.

A woman has been charged in connection with the murder of prison

officer David Black. Mr Black was killed by dissident republicans on

the M1 as he went to work at Maghaberry Prison in 2012. A

29-year-old woman arrested in Lurgan earlier this week has been charged

with perverting the course of justice. She's to appear before

Craigavon Magistrates Court next month.

A Sinn Fein councillor Catherine Seeley who has been the target of

online abuse from loyalists will not return to the Boys' Model School in

Belfast. She was working as a substitute teacher at the school

until the threats and online abuse began. The Belfast Education Board

says it will try to find her another post in a different board area.

A window of a house was smashed and a disability car set on fire during

an attack on a house in Larne last night. It happened around 11pm in

Knockdhu Park in the town. The police are investigating the

possibility that it was a hate crime.

Organisers of the Giro d'Italia say the cycle race will generate two and

a half million pounds for the local economy in May. It's predicted that

more than 40,000 visitors will come here for the three days of racing.

And as Mark Simpson reports, the organisers want us all to 'go pink'.

Stand by for some thrills! And some spills! And plenty of colour,

including one in particular, pink. The traditional colour of the Giro

d'Italia. If people have not had experience like in other countries,

the Giro d'Italia, expect to see people embracing pink. People can

dress their houses, their businesses, the gardens, I know from

the government point of view, there will be a lot of pink around the

race route. The pink jersey is the leader 's jersey. Everybody should

embrace the pink in the month of May. Day one of the races and team

time trial from the Titanic Quarter to Stormont. It covers more than 100

miles from Belfast and the Giants Causeway. Day is from County Armagh

to Dublin. Local cycling fans can hardly leave their luck. 200 of the

best cyclists in the world right here on their doorstep in three

week's time, and to watch that, that will be free. -- in three years

time. Even those in charge of crowd control are looking forward to it. I

cannot wait for them to get here, I ensure that everyone is excited

about the party that we will have for this event in Belfast. Everyone

is being encouraged to go pink, does that include the police? Planning is

in the early stages, so watch this space! It looks like it would be a

colourful occasion! And we will cover the build-up and

the event itself here on the programme.

Plenty to come on the programme before 7:00pm. We look forward to

the six Nations clash as Ireland face Wales in Dublin.

The Sinn Fein President Gerry Adams has claimed that the United Kingdom

as a Union of four countries is hanging by a thread. The Prime

Minister David Cameron today again urged the people of Scotland to vote

against independence in the referendum. Here's our Political

Reporter Stephen Walker. The referendum may be seven months

away, but it is clear that the campaign is beginning to warm up. In

September, Scotland will be asked if they want to leave the United

Kingdom and make Scotland a dependent? Today, David Cameron

urged the Scottish people to stay in the union. I am saying a particular

thing today to people that live in England, Wales, Northern Ireland,

who do not have a vote in this, but care passionately about the outcome.

I want people in Scotland to know that the rest of us in the UK, we

not sort of looking the other way, walking on by, just thinking, it

would be interesting what decision you make, we care passionately and

we want you to stay. Politicians in Dublin and Belfast are watching

events with understandable interest. Sinn Fein says the issue is a matter

for the people of Scotland. It is now quite clear that the so-called

United Kingdom is held together by a thread, and that that thread can be

unravelled as a result of the referendum in Scotland or elsewhere,

or indeed in Ireland. Some unionists say they are prepared to go to

Scotland to campaign for the union and they find the prospect of a yes

vote concerning. The unsettling and unnerving effect that a division in

this wonderful union would have, that it would get the tales of of

Irish republicans on my part of the kingdom and which drive another

wedge into the hearts and souls of people in Ulster. What do people

here think? I think it would be a loss to the rest of the UK of

Scotland split off and be came independent. I think they should

stay with the UK. Coming from the north-east of England, I think the

Romans were right in building the wall, the wall in keeping them out.

Others like Tony Blair's former adviser Jonathan Powell believes

that a yes vote would open up the constitutional question here at a

very delicate time, and there is also the issue about how the economy

would be affected, particularly plans to devolve corporation tax.

The month of September will bring some answers.

Now sport, and a big weekend of rugby, hurling and football. And

something a bit different, Thomas Niblock is in Antrim.

Good evening. It is nice and warm in here at the moment at the grammar

school, and we'll be talking in a moment about why we're here.

Yes, in a moment, we'll be looking at how the net is being cast wide

here in Antrim to find the next generation of cricketers. But first,

it's only the second weekend of the Six Nations and already there's a

potential championship decider as Ireland face Wales in Dublin, where

recent history shows fortune favours the visitors.

Still with the momentum. It is described as the only game where

home advantage cancer and nothing. When Ireland plays Wales, it is

usually very away team that wins. Just like last year in Cardiff, just

like the before in Dublin. I had to the mix, the growing rivalry between

the countries, the grit and the needle are firing at Grand Slam

when. -- are inspiring a Grand Slam when. Plenty to talk about, not

least the decision by Warren Gatland to drop Brian O'Driscoll from the

lines during the summer. -- the Lions to drink the summer. Are you

annoyed because your selection was vindicated by your successor? I

would rather not talk about Brian O'Driscoll, I want to talk about the

match. When players know each other, they associate pretty well with each

other. Paul O'Connell was talking about always feeling that Mike

Phillips was difficult to play against and getting angry with him

on occasions, but he is a great fella, and they kicked around

together on the Lions tour. It is like when you compete with your

brother, you are much more competitive, because the last thing

you want to do is lose to your brother. Celtic brothers? For 80

minutes tomorrow, it will be anything but.

And that takes place tomorrow in Dublin.

Now, early in the New Year, BBC Newsline we brought you the story of

Ryan O'Hagan, the teenage rugby player who broke his back playing

the sport. He's now fully recovered, he's back playing and tonight he's

meeting his heroes as Ulster play Ospreys at Ravenhill. Mark

Sidebottom has more. Ryan O'Hagan's remarkable story

continues, this is the walk you have always wanted to take, but a few

months ago, you thought you might never take it. The recovery

continues. Yes, thankfully it has. But it has been difficult. Paddy

O'Connell is the one you want to meet, are you looking forward to it?

I hope they can do it, they have the power, let's go. A few months ago,

you're told you could never play again, how is recovery going? I am

very grateful about it. I have to put it down to luck. Ireland to

win, Ulster to win, it is a double? Yes, absolutely!

To local football and this weekend it's the sixth round of the Irish

Cup. Linfield host Ballymena United who last won the trophy 25 years

ago, but former Linfield star, Glenn Fergusson, is hoping to lead the Sky

Blues to victory. It doesn't matter who we beat, at this moment in time,

I am the manager of Ballymena United, irrespective of who we play,

we have to try and win games. If we were playing any of the other teams

this weekend, my objection is to go and win the game. -- my objective.

It is time we won this again. In Gaelic football, there's a game

tonight in the national league as Armagh take on Down at the Athletics

Grounds, already a vital match as both sides drew their first game in

the competition last weekend. Throw-in is at 8:00, and we'll have

the result on our later bulletin. Meanwhile, Loughgiel Shamrocks hope

to book a place in the All Ireland club hurling final for the second

time in three years - they take on Mount Leinster Shamrocks in their

semifinal at Pairc Esler in Newry tomorrow. And we have full live

commentary online on the BBC Sport NI website tomorrow from three.

Now it's a busy weekend of sport at both the top end and here at

grassroots level where Muckamore cricket club are hoping to develop

the next generation of Irish cricketers. We have some critic --

cricketers who would like to introduce you to, why are we here,

why is it important? On a Friday night, here in County Antrim, it is

great to see so many young children from all backgrounds here playing

cricket. One of our up and coming bowlers is from this area, so it is

great to see such a wide spectrum of people here at this time of the

year. You are representing the Northern Cricket union, there is a

theory that cricket is for posh children only, is that correct? That

might be the perception, but that is not the case, it is open to all

backgrounds, and at the moment we have got numerous children around

the problems in areas that were not traditionally seen as a cricket

playing, and that will continue to build. Cricket is a growing sport

and there are fantastic opportunities here. Will that be

different skills, Catholic schools, non-grammar schools? Yes, that is

happening all across the season and that will continue to grow as the

development officers go into the schools, so it is a great

opportunity for all walks of life. You're keen for the winning streaks

to continue? Yes, children from all backgrounds can make it in a sport

that traditionally was not for them, so we are looking for future players

for Mike Moore, Ulster and for Ireland. Thank you. Whe Michigan and

luck with that, a noisy, enthusiastic bunch, but it is a very

good sporting weekend and now back to the warm studio.

Now, the weather. I noticed a lot of flooded fields when I was out and

about today, very difficult for all of the animals.

Yes, very difficult, there is some rain around this weekend, so it is

difficult not just for the farmers, but for sporting occasions, because

of the wet pictures also. It is hard to believe it was sunny earlier

today, because it has changed so quickly in the last few hours. Some

people had their washing out and it drives today, so that is the sign of

spring to come. At the moment, we have some rain, if it is not raining

where you are the moment, it will be very soon. Some heavy rain in the

next three, four hours until about 1am. The wind is strengthening,

especially during the East Coast, and because the ground is so wet,

there could be some localised flooding. The rain will not last all

night, by the morning, some dry places again. It could get quite

chilly in some rural spots, but as it starts to dry up, it will not be

for long. The main emphasis tomorrow will be lots of showers and some of

the wind will be quite gusty. Only if you are very early will you see

some guaranteed dry weather, otherwise, showers will be frequent

and prolonged across many parts of Northern Ireland during the morning.

Some of them heavy with rail thunder. -- hale and thunder. By

lunchtime, bring your umbrella, because the rain is never too far

away. Not enough a lot of brightness to Marikana said feeling cool,

especially after today with the lovely sunshine. From TPM Allred,

all eyes will be focused on the Republic of Ireland further will be

lots of showers and of course, at the Aviva Stadium, some tricky

weather and the Welsh -- for the Irish and the Welsh. Temperatures of

one, two degrees. A little bit of a gap in the showers on Sunday, some

sunshine in the east, most of the showers in the West. I cannot

guarantee it will stay dry, but there should be more in the way of

sunshine. Monday, it will quite down as we come back to work and to

school, but look what is coming on Tuesday. Yes, someone low-pressure

just waiting to pounce and that will mean more wet and windy weather for

the next week. Be prepared for some frost and stay up-to-date with the

programme this weekend. That is that from us, the late

summary is 10:25pm, check the Facebook page, there is a lot of

talk thereabouts last night's underage drinking at the Odyssey

Arena in Belfast. BBC Newsline is also on Twitter, whatever you are

doing this weekend, have