12/04/2016 BBC Newsline

This is BBC Newsline and these are the headlines this

Four people escape out the back of a house in Londonderry

after furniture is set on fire at the front door.

There could have been a death at that house.

Dead, dying and injured animals on a County Antrim farm -

the owner gets a suspended jail sentence for cruelty.

A Mixed Martial Arts fighter dies after a weekend event

Ahead of the Assembly election we look at the hotly

The cost of your holiday money if you're

The Masters has just finished but already the countdown

Today the famous trophy was in Portrush!

but getting drier and brighter towards the weekend.

Four people escaped serious injury in an early morning arson attack

Furniture was used to start the fire at the front door of the property

One family member says her brother heard the smoke alarm and managed

to get everyone to safety through the back door.

Detectives are investigating a motive.

Here's our North-West reporter, Keiron Tourish.

The police say this fire broke out around 3M this morning in the

They believe old furniture may have been

placed against the front door of the property and set alight,

One of the four people in the house at the time said the

actions of her brother saved all their lives.

The front door, the hallway, all the house is a mess.

Another member of the family who was not in the house

at the time and I said the consequences could have been

She says her mother as well as her sister and brother and a

family friend could have lost their lives.

My mother is 63, and for someone to come and do this

This has never happened to her in her life.

There could have been a death in that house.

The Fire and Rescue Service said this fire was started deliberately.

The detectives investigating the early morning arson say they are

still trying to establish a motive and are appealing for witnesses or

anybody who knows anything about the incident to come forward.

Now to that animal cruelty case and a farmer who had 150

animals taken from him, the biggest ever herd seizure here.

Today James Steele from Glenavy in County Antrim was given

a suspended jail sentence for keeping his livestock

in what were described as horrendous conditions.

He once had a thriving business which the court was told fell apart

Be warned there are some graphic pictures in this report

from our Agriculture correspondent Conor Macauley.

This is one of the cattle that caused concern. The 46-year-old had

once had a successful cattle business worth more than ?1 million

but it has spiralled out of control. He pleaded guilty to six charges of

causing unnecessary suffering to animals on his land. Officials found

dead and dying cattle amongst the living. Some of the sick ones had to

be put down. Enforcement officers took pictures and videos as part of

the prosecution and showed animals in a poor state. This one was buried

up to his belly in mud. The dead and dying lay side-by-side. Some had no

access to feed or water. Vets said conditions have been horrendous.

There were animals that had died in the field is trying to give birth

and they hadn't been given that very attention. There were animals laying

dead in sheds and had no access to feed. There were living animals in

the sheds stepping over the animals that were lying in the mud. The

court was told things went wrong after he got divorced. His wife had

been the glue that kept the farm business together. In January and

150 cattle were seized by vets, the result of a cruelty case. The judge

said he was shocked by what he had seen and gave James a five-month

prison sentence and banned him from keeping animals for five years.

There's plenty to come on BBC Newsline including

an appeal for stolen World War One medals to be returned

They are irreplaceable items, medals won by more -- by men and one of

them didn't come back. A Mixed Martial Arts

fighter has died after Joao Carvalho from Portrugal had

been taking part in a fight against an opponent called Charlie

'The Hospital' Ward. The sport is hugely popular on both

sides of the Atlantic in party because of Carvalhy's team-mate

the World Champion Our Dublin correspondent Shane

Harrison has more detail on this. Shane tell us more

about what happened 28-year-old Joao Carvalho was

checked by doctors at the stadium after the fight after he was

complaining of feeling unwell and he was taken to the Beaumont Hospital

in North Dublin where he underwent emergency brain surgery. He was in a

critical condition. Today his Portuguese team said he died last

night around 9:30pm. They and the organisers have issued a statement

in which they say that they are very saddened by what happened and the

family to whom they have expressed their condolences have appealed for

privacy at this difficult time. Mixed martial arts has a massive

following here because of the popularity of the Irish world

champion Conor McGregor. Fights often take place in cages and fists

and feet can be used even when the opponent is on the ground. It has

been criticised for the violence associated with it, with some people

saying it shouldn't be called a sport. Criticisms that have been

repeated again today in the wake of Joao Carvalho's death.

An army officer in charge of a unit which fired a rubber bullet at

11-year-old Francis Rowntree in the Divis area of West Belfast

in April 1972 has told the inquest that no women or children should

Francis Rowntree was hit by a rubber bullet in the Divis area

It also emerged during the inquest that soldiers didn't give a warning

The inquest heard how begin which Francis Rowntree tried was troubled.

Rioting was commonplace. Giving evidence was the commanding officer

on the 20th of April 19 72. Seen here on the left leaving court. The

inquest heard a statement he made in 1972. He said there were crowds of

youths some as young as ten involved in well-organised rioting. 16 shots

have been fired at his man that day and the military vehicle he had been

in work -- was pelted by missiles. Soldier B, one of seven sobbed in

the vehicle informed me that he fired at the crowd and had hit

someone. He was asked by a Councillor why a warning was given

before -- before Francis mind tree were shot. He said they had no one

to address the situation. Waiters were acting illegally throwing

missiles and causing damage. He said he spoke to people individually and

met with parents to tell them that their children were risking their

lives. The inquest was told that the company he demanded was a

bloodthirsty lot. Mr Veitch said that was not the case. The inquest

heard they were to work on the principle of minimal force and it

was a governing principle. Mr Veitch said it was based on the traditional

way of crowd dispersal and not a way of dealing with the turmoil going on

in the area in 1972. He said we did the best we could do but were

forever overtaken by events. He said no women or children were targeted

but it must have happened because they were part of the crowd. The

inquest continues. Next to the Assembly

election and anyone looking to enter the race needed

to have their nomination Voters have until Monday to register

if they want to take part South Belfast is one of the most

hotly contested constituencies. In the last election all the five

main parties had This report from our

Political Correspondent It is hard to escape the election

here. Whether you are on a busy shopping street or in a live -- or

in an Avenue, posters are everywhere. They all have a stake in

south Belfast and on the ballot paper with independents and smaller

parties. Back in 2011 the DUP, the Ulster Unionists, the Alliance party

and Sinn Fein all talk one seat with the SDLP taking two. This time there

will be some change because none of the successful candidates back in

2011 are running again. South Belfast is multicultural and means

parties have to reach out beyond the traditional heartlands. You have to

chase the Bangladeshi boat, the Muslim vote, the Nationalists but

also the peacemakers and bridge builders who all from -- often

surprise people and cross the boundary. While Sinn Fein are open

for a single seat, the SDLP want to retain two. For the last four

elections people have written off our second seat and we have always

come home with it. That is what we intend to do as well. Do you feel

the pressure? Yes, nothing is taken for granted. It will be tight and it

is a very diverse and crowded field. The Alliance Party also have two

seats in their sights. In 2011, and Lo topped the poll here but now she

has retired. Anna was an incredible person and put the Alliance Party on

the mat -- map. There is a very strong core Alliance vote here and

we are sitting my very impressive core vote and we're hoping to expand

on that. We are very confident we will build on success. There is a

battle within unionism in South Belfast. Emma Little Pengelly is

there. If you want Arlene Foster as First Minister then support her

candidates. I hope with a combination of the hard work I have

done and being out there in the constituency, that it will be a very

easy choice the people. Those in the Ulster Unionist camp say the

election is about more than who should be First Minister. What I

hear back is people have got tired of that argument. They see it in a

joint office and when both have their veto on each other, the

reality is who cares what side of the bed they are sleeping on? It is

whether or not the last years of DUP Sinn Fein leadership is enough. She

rejects any rejection of the Unionist vote. I don't see it like

that. You cannot split the vote. That is the DUP's own version of

project fear. Vote for us or you will get Martin McGuinness as First

Minister. We already have Martin McGuinness as joint First Minister.

While the final result is uncertain, one thing is clear. Voters are about

to elect candidates they have never sent to Stormont Committee.

And you can find a list of all the candidates

in South Belfast on the BBC News NI website.

Sterling against the Euro - the exchange rate has changed

significantly compared to this time last year.

You are now getting fewer for your pound.

As our business correspondent Julian O'Neill volatility

in the currency markets has much to do with the referendum

For watchers of money markets like these business students at Queens

University, today wasn't actually a a bad day for the pound boasted by a

rise in inflation. But generally fortunes have slipped since

Christmas. In December a pound bought you 1 euro 42. Now it is down

to one point 25. That is a slide of 12%. It is not faring any better

against the US dollar. ?1 was worth $1 52 near the turn of the air and

today was $1 42. Uncertainty over the outcome of the UK referendum on

EU membership is one factor on how sterling is faring and analysts

predict the pound potentially faces an unsettled period. This is likely

to continue before we get the vote. It could get more volatile as we get

closer. Not all one way that sterling is seeing some challenges

right now. This time of year many people are beginning to think in

holiday currency. Sterling might not stretch as far but exchange rates do

not appear to be influencing bookings. It doesn't come into play.

Why is that? They are not worried about the conversion rate when they

walk through the door. They want the holiday and if we provide them with

the right information and holiday, we have done our job. Some

businesses are getting a boost from the fall. There is a better return

than last year helping export orders rise at their fastest rate in 20

months. A family have appealed to thieves

who stole two World War One The medals were taken

from a house in north Belfast sometime on Saturday night,

early Sunday morning. The owner says while they may not be

worth much they are of These photographs are all a family

have left of their relative's world war service medals. When thieves

broke into their home at the weekend they stole six war models -- medals.

This is the military medal for bravery on a battlefield and this

was the lower ranked equivalent of the military Cross and this is the

man who was awarded it. He was a sap in the Royal Engineers and fought at

the Battle of the Somme. The medals belonged to his grandson. It means

everything to me and my family. It is a connection with the past and

with this being the 100th anniversary of the Battle of the

Somme, it is even more poignant. They are irreplaceable items, medals

won by a young man and one of them didn't come back. My great uncle,

William James, he died. The family say they are of great sentimental

value to them and they would like them back. I'm not sure if there is

any monetary value in them but they are sentimental value to me and my

family. Please return them. Metal collectors are being asked to keep a

wary eye out for these and the police are appealing for anyone with

information about the robbery to contact them.

Attention is turning to a gig golfing tournament starting in the

summer. The Ryder Cup trophy arrived

in Northern Ireland today at the start of a brief tour,

which will see it on display The Europe Team captain

Darren Clarke received the trophy at Royal Portrush

and gave us his thoughts on both the US Masters and this

summers Irish Open. It is a small trophy but in the

world of golf it is important. Darren Clarke was delighted to have

the Ryder Cup at the start of its European tour. To have it here is

special and it is here today and in Belfast tomorrow. A very proud

moment. The Ryder Cup tour starts here. The Masters champion will be

on the European team to the delight of the captain. Danny has been

playing great for a couple of years now and I know Danny very well. He

is part of the same stable that I have -- am. I have been practising a

lot with him. To have another European winner and Danny in the

green jacket winning the way he did is huge not just the Ryder Cup but

for the European Tour. As that decision comes to move to Loch earn,

Darren was philosophical today. The European Tour is working diligently

with the people involved over here to get tournaments over here. They

made a statement on it yesterday and we have the Open coming here. As the

Darren Clarke, the future is simple. It is about keeping that little

piece of gold in European hands. It was a fabulous weekend for some

of our local gymnaststs. 16-year-old Ewan McAteer picked up

a bronze at the British championships in

Liverpool in the vault. man, Rhys McClenaghan,

who competed in the pommel horse. Now he was up against three time

Olympic medalist Louis Smith and double olympic medal winner Max

Whitlock. McClenaghan took part in the pommel

and despite still being at school, The BBC's Matt Baker

caught up with the Bangor athlete after securing

an impressive third place. Really didn't expect it. I went to

the final having fun. It was for the experience and I came out with a

medal. Going in with that mentality, how did that set you up because you

are having fun and you wanted to show people what you were working

on? It made me more, and kept me more composed and I wasn't nervous.

I got a medal. Northern Ireland striker Jamie Ward

faces an anxious wait to find out the extent of a hamstring injury

sustained while playing for Nottingham Forest

in a Championship game last night. Ward hopes the injury

will not threaten his hopes of appearing at Euro 2016 in France,

which starts in June. Portadown FC have been fined ?10,000

by the IFA's disciplinary committee after being found guilty

of committing two offences in relation to undisclosed

payments to players. The club have also been banned

from signing any new players on professional contracts

until June 1st 2017. Look at those general lasts --

gymnast, still studying and winning medals. Let us see if we all lucky

with the weather forecast now. It was a pretty miserable day today and

I would love a little bit of a dry spell.

You might have to hang on one more day because we have had some heavy

rain over the last few days and it is driven by this low pressure.

Whirling around in the Atlantic and drawing those weather fronts in. It

was the rain and its progress. Some heavy bursts as we went through the

day. We thought the weather front was going to move further north

overnight tonight but it looks like it will linger for a time. We have a

dry hour but it will not take long for that rain to sink South. We keep

a blanket of cloud sitting over us as we go through the evening.

Temperatures around six Celsius. Tomorrow, we finally get to say

goodbye to that weather front which has dominated our weather over the

last couple of days. We start off with that band over us and it begins

its journey south and loses its identity. The rain becomes more

showery in nature. While we hold on to the cloud cover as we go through

Wednesday afternoon, there is always the chance of a shower popping up.

Temperatures down to 11 Celsius. It is an increasingly dry afternoon.

Because we have that blanket of cloud sitting over us as we go into

the night-time hours, we will keep temperatures on the mild side

Wednesday into Thursday. There is the chance of a shower popping up

but the temperatures will reach as low as five Celsius. Thursday, we

turn a corner. While we start off with cloud and a few showers, by the

end of the day it will be a very different picture. During the

afternoon, some breaks open up and temperatures rise to 11 Celsius.

After a week where we have had grey skies, something a bit brighter.

That was BBC Newsline. Good night.