08/06/2017 BBC Newsline

Former Assistant Chief Constable Duncan McCausland sues the PSNI

Hundreds gather to pay tribute to this elderly couple,

Marjorie's family and this congregation are gathered here today

not to Mark an act of unspeakable evil and wickedness, but to mark an

almost inexpressible love. Voters head to the polls to elect

Northern Ireland's 18 MPs An Orangeman accused of driving

into crowd told police he thought he was going to be dragged

from the car and pulled apart. What was it like in

the Battle of Messines? These schoolchildren

are being given a taster. Following in Frampton's footsteps -

can Belfast boxer Ryan Burnett land And after today's torrential rain,

tomorow is a whole new day, A former PSNI Assistant Chief

Constable questioned as part of an investigation into allegations

of bribery is suing the organisation for damages for wrongful arrest

and false imprisonment. Duncan McCausland was arrested three

years ago and held for three days. Another former PSNI officer who went

on to be Chief Constable of a police force in England has also

launched legal action. Our Home Affairs Correspondent,

Vincent Kearney, has Duncan McCausland was one of the

PSNI's most high-profile senior officers before retiring in 2011.

Three years ago, he was arrested as part of an investigation into

allegations of bribery by awarding of police vehicle contracts. He was

questioned for three days and afterwards spoke to the BBC's. I've

been very clear throughout all the interviews that I have strenuously

denied any of the allegations that have been put to me. Obviously I

cannot talk about the investigation because that would be improper. But

that would be the case, and that is what I am going to go out of my way

to ensure that I can prove my innocence. The former Assistant

Chief Constable was one of nine men questioned as part of the

investigation. All of them were later told they would not face any

criminal charges. Duncan McCausland claim the decision to arrest him was

disproportionate because he had volunteered to assist the

investigation. He is now taking legal action against the PSNI. At

the High Court in Belfast, Duncan McCausland accuses his former

employers of wrongful arrest, unlawful detention, and false

imprisonment. He claims this was a result of public office and the

aggregated damages. A former PSNI concert bowl and two businessmen in

England who were also arrested have launched similar claims. -- a former

PSNI constable. Mark Gilmore was not arrested but was questioned. He was

appointed Chief Constable of West Yorkshire Police in April 20 13.

Four months later he was suspended on full pay after being questioned

as part of the PSNI investigation. His suspension was lifted when he

was informed that he would not face any charges. But he did not return

to his post, and retired last year. Mark Gilmore is suing the PSNI for

aggregated and exemplary damages, for injuries and personal loss

caused by misconduct in public office. It is understood that a

number of others arrested during the investigation or also considering

legal action. The PSNI says it will enter a defence in all of the cases.

Vincent Kearney, BBC Newsline. A woman has died in

a one-vehicle crash The woman who died was Elsie Magee,

who was aged in her 70s The crash happened this

morning on the Doagh Road, between Bridge Road

and the Monkstown Road. Mourners at the funeral of Michael

and Marjorie Cordery were told they were there to celebrate the couple's

lives and not be unspeakable evil and wickedness which took their

lives away. A 40-year-old man has been charged with their double

murder. Dan standard reports from Portadown. Coffins carrying the

couple, who were both 83, leaving Drumcree parish church after the

joint funeral to remember them. The service began with the mourners

listening to Michael and Marjorie Cordery's famous pieces of music. --

favourite piece of music. Heavenly Father, as we listened to that piece

of music that Michael and Marjorie loved, I have never heard it being

played at a funeral, it is normally at a wedding. And we thank you,

Lord, that you brought both of them into this life. The couple were both

found dead in their home at the Ramon Park in Portadown at the end

of last month. It is understood they both had been stabbed. But despite

the brutality of their last moments, a nephew asked mourners to pay

tribute to their lives. Marjorie's family, and this congregation, are

gathered here today not to mark an act of unspeakable evil and

wickedness, but to mark an almost inexpressible love. It was in Uganda

that Marjorie met Mike, the love and passion of her life. They were

married in 1962, and from that day forward they were utterly devoted to

one another. In fact, they both lived for each other. How well I

recall their reflection and greetings. Hello, gorgeous girl,

hello, beautiful boy. A private burial is due to take place at a

later date. A 40-year-old man who has been charged with the double

murder is due to reappear in court via video link at the end of this

month. Dan Stanton, BBC Newsline, Portadown.

There are still more than three hours to cast your vote

Turnout is said to be steady in most areas,

despite heavy rain for much of the day.

109 candidates are contesting Northern Ireland's 18

Polling closes at 10pm, with counting taking place overnight.

Here's our Political correspondent, Gareth Gordon.

Nothing beats a sombre election. Unless it is an election in Northern

Ireland. Voters in the East needed their brollies almost as much as

their polling cards. Not quite how the politicians would have wanted

it. You can plan a campaign as much as you like. You can knock on all of

the doors that you like, but there's one thing that you can't plan for,

and that the weather. Staff at this polling place in north Belfast had

to make alternative arrangements when the ceiling partially collapsed

overnight. There are now reports it is in danger of being flooded as

well. Elsewhere, not everyone seemed to rest for the conditions. But then

this voter intends to end the date in Azerbaijan, where Northern

Ireland play a World Cup game on Saturday. Among the early voters in

County Antrim was the Ulster unionist leader Robin Swan. His DUP

counterpart Arlene Foster was luckier with the weather, when she

voted in County Fermanagh. As was the SDLP leader Colum Eastwood, who

voted with his family in foil. The Alliance leader Naomi long placed

her ex in East Belfast, and Sinn Fein's leader in the North Michelle

O'Neill voted in mid-Ulster. They are among nearly one and a quarter

million people registered to vote here today. Voters should remember

it is a first past the post election, so they should mark ballot

paper with a single axe against the candidate of their choice. When you

go to your polling place, you will need to produce a photographic

identity document such as a passport, is driving licence or a

Translink smart pass. The rain may affect turnout. Indications are that

it is steady in most places, with the expected evening rush still to

come, weather permitting. Polls close at 10pm. First results are

expected at around 1am. Gareth Gordon, BBC Newsline.

And our coverage of the election results begins here on BBC One

A North Belfast Orangeman accused of driving into a crowd at Ardoyne

shops in July 2015 told police he feared for his life

John Aughey denies six offences arising from the incident.

John Aughey told police he was trying to make his way home along

the Crumlin Road and was sitting in AQA of traffic when he became aware

of shouting and abuse directed at him. He said a man kicked his wing

mirror and that people were trying to wrench the doors open. The crowds

were coming towards him. He said, if they got me, I would have been

killed. The 63-year-old said he feared for his life and was in a

blind panic to get out of the area when a crowd began approaching his

car. He said when he heard people talking about getting him, and heard

missiles bouncing off his car, he immediately thought of the two

corporals who were killed. That was a reference to two soldiers who were

murdered when they drove into an IRA funeral in West Belfast in March 19

98. The court was told that Aughey decided to make a U-turn, and it was

whilst undertaking this manoeuvre that he hit a crowd of pedestrians

standing outside the Ardoyne shops. One local teenager sustained serious

wounds after she was hit by his car, and ended up under its wheels. The

jury heard that when Aughey was told that he had struck and injured a

pedestrian, he said, I'm sorry, it wasn't my intention to hit anybody.

He said he was not aware of what happened initially, and said, I was

shocked, to be honest, I felt terrible about it. When asked about

the U-turn, Aughey said, I'm convinced that I didn't take the

action I did I would probably be dead. The case continues. Martin

Cassidy, BBC Newsline. Hundreds of people have lined up

outside Queens University in Belfast as the funeral cortege

of Professor Patrick The 58-year-old Vice-Chancellor died

suddenly at the weekend. The crowd applauded as the coffin

was driven past his office at the front of the building,

which had white Requiem Mass was held this

morning at St Brigid's Mr Johnston, who was married

with four sons, was appointed How a mix of traditions

became a winning formula. We meet the Iranian woman who is

taking the GAA world by storm. Voters in Cornwall will find it

easier today to mark their ballot papers thanks to the efforts

of staff at a Londonderry company. Workers at Pakflatt worked around

the clock to ensure almost 1000 voting booths ordered

by Cornwall Council were ready They weren't due until the next

scheduled election in 2020. But Theresa May's decision to call

a snap election changed all that, as our Political Correspondent,

Enda McClafferty, now reports. If you're looking for election

fatigue, you won't find it here. The staff have been locked in their own

election race to be ready for polling day. And this is what has

kept them busy. Producing 940 polling booths. It was an order for

Cornwall Council which wasn't due until the next election in three

years. But Theresa May changed that plan. It started off as an inquiry

from Cornwall Council, who were interested, they thought the next

general election was in 2020, so they had a plan to replace all of

their old equipment over three years. But when Theresa May

announced the snap election, they called me and asked me if I could

make it, if we could have the whole order in in this current month, this

current year. On average, the company can turn up 50 booths by

day, but they have other orders which had to be met before polling

day. This snap election caught many by surprise, not least the work is

on the factory floor behind me, because they have been working

around the clock to get the sort that out. Because they know this is

one deadline which isn't going to slip. And, they managed to pull it

off, with four days to spare. The booths were packed up and delivered

to Cornwall in time for voting today. Voting booths have now been

rolled out seven times here in the past three years. And, who knows,

they may make another appearance before the end of the year. And the

MacLaverty, BBC Newsline, Derry. This week on BBC Newsline, we've

been covering the commemorations But school pupils here

are being taught about its They're learning using

a new comic about the battle, as our Education Correspondent

Robbie Meredith reports. A new look at one of the most

significant battles of the First World War. Which, 100 years on, has

been given a modern makeover. Children in the form of a comic

book. The Battle of Messines was quite significant for us here

obviously because of the Ulster division and the 16th Irish division

who went to baffle side-by-side for one of the first times during the

First World War, so the symbolism of that is quite significant. The comic

book and the graphic novel looks at the role of the Irish MP and the MP

from County Antrim, how they can came together through the

battlefield, it is a story of coming together. These 14-year-old pupils

from West Belfast are going a step further than just reading about the

battle. They are creating their own graphic stories about the events at

Messines. They have been taking part in special classes at the Public

Record Office in Belfast, where Caitlin and Chloe have stepped back

in time. We are stored in front of the screen, it put a photo of the

Battle of Messines behind us. So it looked like we were actually there.

Eyes made a Comic-Con the Battle of Messines. It is like a storyboard.

-- I have made a comet. Fergal says what they are doing brings history

close to home. In schools, textbooks, do this, do that. And

here it's just really putting pictures to the screen and making up

like a script. It's like a sort of imagination and history together.

21st-century technology is giving him and his fellow pupils a graphic

experience of the past. Robin Meredith, BBC Newsline.

As part of the commemoration of Messines, one of the war's most

iconic relics has gone on display in Armagh.

Made from the oak beams of ruined houses, the Ginchy Cross stood

on the Somme to commemorate the dead of the 16th Irish Division.

And, as Gordon Adair has been finding out,

its visit here is particularly fitting just now.

The Battle of Messines was the first time the 16th Irish and the 36th

Ulster fought side-by-side in common purpose. And a century later, that

unique coming together still echoes. The visit to Armagh of the Ginchy

Cross was organised by the Royal British Legion, and facilitated by

the library. We perhaps don't have a vast amount of material that

reflects the battles of the First World War. But what we do have, we

have something of the story, particularly of the nationalist or

Catholic community. But we also have the stories from both sides, those

men who went to war and then later perhaps rebelled against a British

tradition, but also those who refuse to go to war in the first place. So

we have a great mixture of stories to be told. But I think only in

telling all of those stories can we gain a proper and full understanding

of our own history. The Ginchy Cross is in Armagh as the centrepiece of a

series of events marking the Centenary of Messines, including

lecturers by prominent historians like Doctor Eamon Phoenix. I think

people joined up in Ireland, as in the rest of Europe, from a whole

range of reasons. But certainly politics, they were either for home

rule or against home rule. They followed Britain for home rule and

the freedom of small nations, or they followed Carson against home

rule and false too pile. You know, but that didn't stop this

cooperation and solidarity and shared sacrifice -- and the Empire.

The cross will be on display on the library until Sunday evening. Gordon

Adair, BBC Newsline, Armagh. The Belfast Boy getting ready

the big fight this weekend. Ryan Burnett comes to face-to-face

with his opponent ahead Taking up a brand new sport

when you're approaching Add in that it's Gaelic football,

and then the fact that you're a woman from Iran,

and all the usual norms have been well and truly

thrown out the window. But Mansoreh Abolhassani has

taken it in her stride. A mature student at Queens, she's

been living in Northern Ireland for the last six years,

and has taken Gaelic Mansorah features in a BBC

Northern Ireland documentary, Nios Mo Na Cluiche -

More Than A Game. Monday, studies over for the day,

and it's time to head to practice. And Mansoreh has never really needed

much encouragement. The first time I started my study at university,

Queen's University Belfast, I opened my e-mail and I saw the

advertisement to play Gaelic football for international students.

And I thought, OK, it's some kind of football, it's OK. It turned out to

be a lot more than just OK. I was there oldest one. In the middle of

the young people. And I found them so nice. To me. From the beginning,

they in courage to me. I met many new friends, and to be honest, I

really, really enjoy the Gaelic football. And the mixing of

traditions has had exactly the right result. Wearing a scarf is so

important. Its identity for me as well. A few weeks ago, we had a

match, and in the last moment, one of the girls passed the ball to me.

And I made a score. And it was the best time that I've had in my life

until now. For Mansoreh, it is definitely more than just a game.

And the first part of that documentary, Nios Mo Na Cliche,

is on BBC Two this Sunday at 10:30pm.

Sport takes us on something of a global tour this evening.

Mark, New Zealand, Baku and Belfast on your list -

His corner say he's so competitive that Ryan Burnett would race

The Belfast bantamweight is now 48 hours away

He may be taking centre stage now, but Ryan Burnett's professional

career was almost over before it began. I got refused for a licence.

They said I had a brain problem. I got a phone call one day from a

neurologist saying that I'm never going to box again. It got to the

point where I had to have a small operation just to prove that I was

safe to fight. Do you feel that that whole experience has driven new one?

Yes, it's something that's definitely built me as a character.

I was only 19 at the time and I was in it by myself, so it was a

difficult time. But thank God I got past it and I'm here. Li Haskins

obviously has experience on his side. But there's a feeling within

the Ryan Burnett camp that this is the right fight at the right time,

as he aims to make the step up to World Championship level, the

hometown fighter believes this is a golden opportunity to achieve his

lifelong dream. Every night before I go to bed I can't help but think to

myself what is going to be like and how it's going to feel. I've seen it

so much in my mind. And I really believe that Saturday night, Belfast

will have a new world champion. Lee Haskins is now all that stands

between Burnett and his goal. He seems confident. Great to see

big-time boxing back in Belfast. Two rugby.

The draw's been made for next seasons Champions Cup.

For Ulster, it's a case of 'coulda been worse'.

Alongside them in Pool One, two English clubs -

Wasps and Harlequins - as well as the French

Full details on the BBC sport website.

The Lions have left Auckland and arrived in Christchurch.

Conor Murray is one of several new faces in for this Saturday's

The city is still finding its feet following a series of earthquakes.

The most recent was just last year. From New Zealand, here's BBC

Newsline's Nial Foster. Christchurch is the largest city in

the South Island of New Zealand. It is home to almost 400,000 people,

making it the country's third most populous city. Between September

2010 and early 2012, the city suffered a series of devastating

earthquakes. The worst of which occurred on the 22nd of February

2011, when 185 people were killed and, across the city, hundreds of

buildings either collapsed or suffered serious damage. Today, the

British and Irish Lions remembered those who lost their lives. Just

like their host city, the Lions must rebuild after their disappointing

defeat of the Auckland blues. Up next is one of the world's best club

sides - crusaders, on Saturday. No Ulster men are in this squad, but it

is a strong starting 15. It is going to be a massive challenge. We want

to bounce back and develop the squad and our game plan. You know, keep

progressing. We need to gel as best we can and keep building

performances and relationships. The loss was really frustrating, but

we've got to keep focused on what we're trying to do here. We are

trying to gel a team together in a short period of time and keep our

performances. My aim is to play as well as I can and do the best that I

can for the team. In order to gain the confidence going into the three

tests against the all Blacks, the Lions must draw this weekend.

Niall., BBC Newsline, Christchurch, New Zealand. The first Test against

the all Blacks is still two weeks away.

And now for our next time zone - Baku, three

Azerbaijan are three points behind Northern Ireland

as they prepare to meet in Saturday's Group C

The heat will be hard to handle, but Michael McGovern has

They are so well organised, that's a massive thing. And, you know, this

team is from the Premier League, a lot of them are in defence. On top

of that, you know, it takes a lot of hard work. People think it's all

about the defence, but, you know, it's not straight all the way

through. You know, a lot of things combined make us hard to go against.

That is live on BBC Radio Ulster. I told you we were going global this

evening... The last stop on our world tour is Japan.

Finally, golf, and world number four Hideki Matsuyama has confirmed

he will compete at the Irish Open at Portstewart next month.

Cecilia is here. What is going on with all this rain?! What a day,

Tara. It has been a day of heavy rain and even thunder and lightning

in some areas. We have had lots of tweets and e-mails showing flooding

in quite a number of places. This was a car park in north Belfast

which was described as is wearing ball. There will be flooding in some

areas for a while this evening -- as a swimming pool. It is a gradual

drying process. Tomorrow on the weekend to try and warmer. Not

completely dry. We have another area of rain to come in tomorrow night.

That will mostly be after dark and should clear quickly on Saturday.

Then we are looking at a few showers. Temperatures will get up to

around 20 degrees in some areas. Back to today, the main area of rain

has been coming in from the south-west, bright colours

indicating those thundery downpours. It's not until we get into this zone

here that. To noticeably dry out this evening. That should be in a

few hours' time. Showers becoming more and more scattered as the night

goes on. Clearer skies developing. By the end of the night, most places

will be drier. One or two spots temperatures could get down to seven

or 8 degrees. It will warm up quite nicely tomorrow morning because we

have got some lovely sunshine to look forward to, and no more than

one or two showers. A lot of places dotting tomorrow morning to write

and write if not sunny. One or two showers up towards the north coast

-- dry and bright. Temperatures starting to rise nicely. It will be

a nice day. Bar the odd shower, and we are not talking any downpours, we

are looking at lots of dry weather, sunshine at times, temperatures up

to 18, 19, even 20 degrees. More like summer tomorrow. It starts try

tomorrow evening, then the next area of rain comes in during the night,

it lasts right through the night and the ground will get a good soaking.

But it moves quickly, Saturday bright and blustery, warm winds,

temperatures up to 21 or 22 degrees. Not quite as warm as it will be for

the Northern Ireland match. Sunday we have a fresher day, showers and

sunshine, one or two sharp showers but nothing like today.

No late news this evening. Instead we will be here with our election

coverage starting at 9:55pm and continuing throughout the night.

Have a very good