13/05/2014 BBC Newsline

That's all from the BBC News at six so it's goodbye from

Newsline: The former First Minister David Trimble says he was shocked

and hurt when he heard about the on-the-run letters.

Hundreds of thousands of endangered eels die as they attempt to reach

the Erne. I am live at the dam in Ballyshannon where the kill took

place. 15 months in jail for a man

described by a judge as a determined conman.

Living with a brain injury, we hear one woman's story.

My life changed overnight, instantly, in an instant. I woke up

from a coma in hospital and I became almost a different person.

Join me live on the North Coast with all the latest from the opening

practice sessions at motorcycling North West's 200.

It's been a lovely afternoon at the north coast, but how is the rest of

the week shaping up? The former First Minister and Ulster

Unionist leader David Trimble has said he was shocked and hurt that

Tony Blair kept him in the dark about a secret process to deal with

on-the-runs. Lord Trimble, who was one of the key architects of the

Good Friday Agreement, today told the Northern Ireland Affairs

Committee at Westminster that he felt deceived. Our home affairs

correspondent reports. Hundreds of republican and loyalist

paramilitaries were released from prison early as part of the Good

Friday Agreement signed by David Trimble. He won the Nobel Peace

Prize and worldwide acclaim for his role in the agreement. He insists he

knew nothing about a secret scheme that resulted in letters being sent

to almost 200 on-the-runs, telling them they weren't wanted for

questioning by the police for offences committed before the

agreement was signed. David Trimble today said the first he into was

when a judge ruled that John Downey wouldn't stand trial for the murders

of four soldiers because he was sent one of the letters. At no time was

any hint dropped to us about the existence of this scheme. He was

then asked for his response to not being told. When you see what has

happened with regards to OTRs and when it was happening and then

overlay your own involvement in the significant political development of

Northern Ireland at that time, do you feel betrayed by Tony Blair and

those players at that time? I must confess I was quite - you know,

quite hurt by the fact that there we had sat so many meetings,

Secretaries of States, Prime Minister, and we approached those

meetings in a candid manner to find out that they were deliberately

keeping something from us. The committee will travel to Stormont

next month for a two-day evidence-gathering session. They'll

question the First Minister Peter Robinson who has described the OTR

letters as get out of jail free cards and also criticised the

Government for keeping his party in the dark. Deputy First Minister

Martin McGuinness and Justice Minister David Ford will also give

evidence. They'll also question the director of prosecutions about his

involvement in the scheme. In a previous role as a solicitor, he

acted on behalf of Sinn Fein and met a senior police officer in charge of

a specialist PSNI team set up to deal with the issue of the

on-the-runs. They discussed the legal mechanics of the process and

his law firm later submitted a significant number of names to the

police to have their legal status clarified. The committee is trying

to finalise arrangements to take evidence from former Prime Minister

Tony Blair whose Government set up the OTR scheme.

Hundreds of thousands of eels have died in traps that were supposed to

help them migrate around a dam into Lough Erne. European eels are a

critically endangered species and one scientist has described the

incident as a failure of international significance.

It happened over the Easter weekend at the power station in Ballyshannon

in County Donegal. Our south-west reporter is there now. Explain what

happened. Well, the young eels were attempting to migrate from the

Atlantic upstream into the Erne. The journey began some 4,000 miles away

where the breeding ground is. In order to get around the dam the

power company ESB operate to elver traps where they're caught and put

into barrels and transported around the dam by truck. Now it appears no

one was checking these traps over the Easter holiday weekend. There

was a major run, the traps became full but with nowhere to go they

apparently were starved of oxygen and died. ESB said 112 kilogrammes

of dead elvers were discovered which equates to more than 300,000 dead

eels. What has it done to the eel stocks? Well, European eels are an

endangered species, it's thought their numbers have declined by

around 90% over the last 30-40 years. In response, eel fishing on

the Erne was banned some four years ago and some fishermen are employed

in transporting the eels around the dam. One scientist told me that this

year has seen young eels return to European waters in record numbers,

perhaps the best in 30 years. He described this as a major and

unnecessary kill. The power company said as of last week it had trapped

more than 461 kilogrammes of live healthy eels and transported them

successfully around the dam, that's around one-and-a-half million eels,

a significant increase on previous years. What's being done to find out

exactly what went wrong and to stop it happening again? Well, questions

are being asked if this was the result of negligence or

incompetence. Inland fisheries Ireland have launched an

investigation, they're gathering evidence which they say may lead to

a prosecution. ESB itself has described the incident as

unfortunate and regrettable and said trapping protocols are beingup dated

as a result. The -- being updated as a result. The Culture Minister whose

department is responsible for transporting the eels around the dam

says this is a significant loss and a setback in conserving eel stocks

and she's written to the southern Minister concerned to express her

concern. Thank you.

A serial conman who tricked victims out of hundreds of pounds by

pretending to repair their televisions and washing machines was

today jailed for 15 months. Henry Douglas from Lisburn admitted 11

charges of fraud, one of theft and one of obstructing a police officer.

Our reporter Dan Stanton was in the court.

The court was told that Henry Douglas, who is 52 and from Lisburn,

would arrive at his customers' address and dismantle appliances. He

would then tell them he needed money to get parts but when he left he

would never return. The 52-year-old placed adverts in the Yellow Pages

and also community newspapers. He claimed to be an expert when he had

no qualifications whatsoever. Trading standards say they're still

receiving around one complaint a week about Henry Douglas's

activities. It's warned people not to hand over money until the job is

done. You may be told that I have to go and get an extra part, it's going

to cost ?30. We would always advise people never to pay money upfront,

wait until the job is complete before handing over money. If that

involves the person providing the service to actually go and get the

parts himself and get paid after 19 this is what we would advise

consumers to do. The court was also told that Douglas showed no remorse

before today's appearance in the dock.

Sentencing him to 15 months, which included six months for the breach

of a suspended sentence for similar offences, the judge told him: You

are little less than a determined conman and confidence fraudster who

targeted vulnerable people in their hour of need. There's plenty more to

come on the programme: There is anger and concern as three much

loved birds, Parrotts not much different from this bird, were taken

by thieves overnight from one of County Down's tourist attractions.

Northern Ireland has the highest number of acquired brain injury

cases in the UK. Health professionals say we are we are

experiencing -- say we are experiencing a silent epidemic as

there are often no obvious signs before the condition has an effect.

Local charities say it all proves there needs to be much greater

awareness of the potential for damage and the need for more

funding. With more, here's our health correspondent.

As these former patients know only too well, a brain injury can strike

at any time with devastating consequences. My life changed

overnight, instantly, in an instant. I woke up from a coma in hospital

and I became almost a different person. A keen sportswoman, Lauren

required brain surgery after a fall playing roller derby left her

unconscious. Days later she woke from a coma. I suffered with

depression, anxiety, I couldn't get out of bed at one point for at least

a month. I was very low. I didn't understand what had happened. A

brain injury can impact on cognitive communication and language skills

with problems often emerging years after the trauma.

Here at this centre in East Belfast speech and physiotherapists work

with around 100 people a week who have suffered a brain injury. With a

waiting list, according to the charity, support from the NHS could

be much stronger. There's no quick-fix. Consequences are symptoms

of brain injury can appear much later after the event. People here,

some have fallen through the cracks and are here for long-term support

to maximise their independence, their full potential and to improve

their positive outcomes and quality of life. And there are calls for

extra help for children too. 18 months ago Sarah fractured her skull

after a fireplace collapsed on her. While the physical scars have

healed, her behaviour has drastically changed. She could kick

you and punch you. There's a lot of tantrums. Sarah wasn't like this

before the accident? No, definitely wasn't the case before the accident.

The school has provided a classroom assistant for an hour a day. But we

are still going through the statement process to try and get

extra help. According to hospital statistics, compared to the rest of

the UK, Northern Ireland has the highest number of people admitted to

hospital with a head injury. While there's no explanation why that is,

according to some of the charities it's further proof that greater

awareness is needed of how to treat what they refer to as the silent

epidemic of acquired brain injuries. While Lauren's journey of recovery

has begun, for others the future's not so certain.

A Downpatrick-based businessman claims pressures imposed by the

Ulster Bank tipped his company into insolvency. Brian Polly's company

went into administration in 2009 with the loss of over 40 jobs. The

BBC Spotlight programme has been investigating allegations that the

Ulster Bank forced some viable businesses into bankruptcy to boost

its own profits. When the property bubble burst in

2008 many companies were in breach of bank loans. Brian Polly, like

other Ulster Bank business customers, was put into the global

restructuring group or GRG. A vision of the bank designed to get

businesses back in shape and at the same time protect the bank's

position by minimising further losses. The executive at the bank

said that we are putting you into GR, it's a short-term arrangement

But his company never emerged from GRG and was placed into

administration months later following petitions by creditors, an

outcome he claims is due to pressures imposed by the bank. What

effect has the loss of your business had on you? It's like letting off a

hand grenade in the middle of you, you know, you are completely

devastated. I sometimes think was it all my fault? The Government

commissioned a report published last year and said there was evidence

that RBS, including Ulster Bank's GRG division, deliberately put some

viable businesses into default so it could make more profit. Ulster Bank

denies the allegations and point to a recent report by the law firm

Clifford Chance which found no evidence that the bank engineered

defaults. Spotlight made contact with an RBS insider. He worked for a

number of years in a GRG division but not Ulster Bank's unit. He

claims that GRG targeted some businesses that could have survived.

Did you deliberately push businesses into insolvency? Yes, I was directed

to destroy viable businesses by the bank and that was my job. I was told

to do so. GRG's activities are still the subject of a review by the

financial regulator. For Brian Polly the findings will come too late to

be of any help. You can see Spotlight here on BBC1

after our late news tonight. Boston College is to be sued by four

former paramilitaries who contributed to an oral history

project of The Troubles. The lead case is being taken by a former IRA

man Richard O'Rawe. He is one of about 40 people who gave interviews

on the understanding that their testimony would not be released

until after they had died. Last year, the PSNI gained access through

the courts to some of the project's material while investigating the

murder of Jean McConville. The police have confirmed

their investigation into a BBC Panorama programme

on the activities of the Military Action Force hasn't

found any admission of criminality In the programme,

which was broadcast last year, members of a secret army undercover

unit that operated in Belfast in the 1970s admitted

that the group had shot and killed

unarmed civilians. The police said

the programme will form part of a Historical Enquiries Team review

into all deaths linked to soldiers. The solicitor representing the

families of those killed says he doesn't believe

that the police carried out The Directors of Public Health

persecutions himself requested an investigation. Here we are today

with a letter from a juicy outlining that review has been completed. It

does not appear these soldiers have been identified. I have spoken to

people involved in the programme. A 55-year-old Belfast man

has appeared at the Special Criminal

Court in Dublin, after a car bomb was found

at the weekend. Samuel Devlin, whose address was

given as the Finnstown Hotel in Lucan, where the bomb was found,

is charged with membership of an unlawful

organisation, The Princess Royal has helped launch

a plan for a new wood, to commemorate the centenary of

the start of the First World War. The Princess Royal has helped launch

a plan for a new wood, to commemorate the centenary of

the start of the First World War. The 53 acres in the Faughan Valley

in County Londonderry will be one of four memorial woods

planted by the Woodland Trust. Members of the public will be

encouraged to plant a tree Pet shops and dealers have been

asked to keep a lookout for three rare birds stolen

from the Tropical Butterfly House It's though the parrots might not

survive the colder conditions outside their home.

Will Leitch reports. It is famous for its butterflies,

housing several tropical greenhouses with one especially for these.

Outside, the peacocks strut in the sunshine. Inside, the exotic birds,

at least those left. Thieves broke in at the weekend in the latest

attack on this attraction. These cages used to house three of the

most popular birds. They delighted local children by chattering. Now,

Jack, Harry and Pedro had been stolen. Their owner says they are in

danger. The birds word to African grey Sowell, and an Amazonian. It is

thought that these will try to sell them but may not know how to care

for them. All three were given to me and I promised to look after them

for ever. We loved them, the public love them. I knew all their

idiosyncrasies. Parrots are tricky. I hope they are still alive. They

can die from shock. The fact they were bundled into a sack... I hope

they are being kept warm, and said. I do hope someone will give them

back to us. If they could ruin somebody and say they have left them

somewhere, I would be thrilled. This is not the first theft, four

years ago, these went to the centre of the maze in the gardens at

Seaforde and removed a bronze structure bolted to a concrete base,

worth several thousand pounds. It has yet to be found.

It's been practice day at the NorthWest 200.

Stephen Watson is on the north coast for BBC Newsline.

The opening practice sessions have been marred by a serious crash in

the very last qualifying session. The 31-year-old French rider making

his debut in the North West 200. He was treated at the scene by doctors,

and transferred to the Royal Victoria Hospital by helicopter. The

latest on his condition is he is critical but stable. We are told his

injuries are not life-threatening. Philip, when an incident like this

happens, it does put a dampener on the event. It rings us back to

reality. It has put a damper on the event. Unfortunately, in the sport,

we know accidents will happen. Thankfully, this wasn't a fatal

accident. The support is fully behind this rider and his family. It

will be practice again on Thursday. Speaking to the race director,

without doubt, the safety measures they have taken at that part of the

course undoubtedly saved this Frenchman's life. He had a slight,

we are not sure why. The impact bales helped to absorb the shock. It

is probably what saved his life. Safety is paramount of the most

important thing. They have done a super job here. The course is in

superb condition. They have put protection anywhere where anything

can happen. And in Dishman, Scotsman, Northern Irishman and

Austrian grabbed the headlines in qualifying. William Dunlop was

quickest in the super sport qualifying. A local and

international appeals to this event. Liverpool's Brendan Rodgers

has been named Manager Of The Year at the League Managers

Association Awards. Rodgers, from Carnlough,

was honoured last night in London, after he led the Reds

to second place which was the club's

highest finish in five years. The award is voted for by all LMA

members, including every manager from the top four professional

divisions in English football. Ulster coach Mark Anscombe confirmed

today that Nick Williams will be out for six to eight weeks and so,

effectively, his season is over. Williams injured his knee

in the win away to Munster, and will play

no further part in this campaign. But the coach is optimistic

that Rory Best and Ruan Pienaar will feature

in Ulster's Rabo Pro semi-final, That's it from the north coast.

Later on, we will have an update on the crash today at the NorthWest

200. Time now for the weather.

Here's Cecilia Daly. We have had heavy showers today but

they've managed to stay clear of the north coast. As a result, it was a

lovely, sunny day. There are still if few showers lingering. We have a

couple of pictures from our viewers who were out and about in

Portstewart. Hopefully, it will stay settled. The showers at the moment

will ease away this evening. It will be dry tonight. It could get chilly

for a while. The clouds will move in from the Atlantic bringing some damp

weather tomorrow. A different feel to the day tomorrow. No heavy

showers, some early brightness first thing. But cloudier skies will feed

in from the west during the rush hour. Nothing too heavy but it will

mean a damp start to the day especially across northern and

western areas. Parts of the country could get away with a dry day but

most places will be damp until lunchtime, then easing off.

Temperatures, despite the cloud, will still be around 15 degrees. The

Balmoral show kicks off tomorrow. A little bit of rain for a time. But

Thursday and Friday are looking decent. Thursday, and lots of dry

weather, temperatures up to 18 degrees. Very nice indeed. Things do

start to deteriorate towards the weekend. Friday should stay dry but,

unfortunately, a weather front is creeping in from the Atlantic at the

weekend. High pressure keeps things settled through Thursday and

Friday. A little bit of dampness in the North West on Friday night, then

weather fronts moving on Saturday. Through the weekend, that could

bring some wet and windy conditions which could affect the North West.

Still some uncertainty over the timing.

The former First Minister David Trimble has said he was shocked and

hurt when he heard about the on the run letters.

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