:00:08. > :00:14.A law that made paying for sex illegal in Northern Ireland
:00:15. > :00:17.was brought in more than a year ago - but to date no-one
:00:18. > :00:20.It had been feared that the legislation,
:00:21. > :00:23.which was a UK first, would push the sex trade
:00:24. > :00:25.here further underground and expose sex workers to a greater risk.
:00:26. > :00:27.Our political correspondent Enda McClafferty has
:00:28. > :00:36.This is how the PSNI have been cracking down on human traffickers
:00:37. > :00:42.They raid brothels and take the sex workers being exploited into care.
:00:43. > :00:46.It's big business in Northern Ireland,
:00:47. > :00:49.with police estimating that up to half a million pounds a week
:00:50. > :00:53.But for the past year police have been able,
:00:54. > :00:58.for the first time, to target those who are handing over
:00:59. > :01:02.the cash under a new law which makes it illegal to pay for sex.
:01:03. > :01:06.According to police more than 800 men are paying for sex
:01:07. > :01:11.But only ten have been investigated by the PSNI on suspicion of paying
:01:12. > :01:18.Of the seven of them referred to the Public Prosecution Service,
:01:19. > :01:20.three cases were thrown out, two men received cautions
:01:21. > :01:22.while the remaining two cases are still being considered
:01:23. > :01:31.So far no one has been prosecuted under the new law.
:01:32. > :01:33.That news has come as no surprise to the man
:01:34. > :01:38.who was in charge of justice when the law was introduced.
:01:39. > :01:41.When this law was introduced, I said the priority had to be in dealing
:01:42. > :01:44.with human trafficking, protecting the victims.
:01:45. > :01:46.It is clear that getting prosecutions against simple
:01:47. > :01:50.prostitution is much more complicated than that, and we now
:01:51. > :01:53.see the stats that there have not been any prosecutions.
:01:54. > :01:55.vo - (over blurred set up shots on the roof with the sex worker -
:01:56. > :02:00.And he isn't the only one who had reservations.
:02:01. > :02:04.Some of those involved in the sex trade say the new law has exposed
:02:05. > :02:10.Most clients are aware of it, and you see that they are more reluctant
:02:11. > :02:13.to screen, so it is very hard for sex workers
:02:14. > :02:17.to screen these clients, and I have definitely seen it that
:02:18. > :02:21.you aren't able to get that information.
:02:22. > :02:26.They might switch numbers quite often, so it contacts,
:02:27. > :02:30.or perhaps contact you via a private number, so you're not sure who you
:02:31. > :02:35.The DUP's Lord Morrow, who pushed for the new legislation,
:02:36. > :02:38.says he's disappointed by the lack of prosecutions, but insists it will
:02:39. > :02:43.I can't tell the police what their priorities should be,
:02:44. > :02:47.but I do believe that the police and value
:02:48. > :02:52.it, I believe that they are keen to see me in the meditation and the
:02:53. > :02:56.enforcement, and I look to the PPS to do what they are supposed to be
:02:57. > :03:05.If over the next 12 months there is no change, then we will be
:03:06. > :03:09.talking to the PPS to ask them to explain the reason why.
:03:10. > :03:12.So why have police not been able - so far - to bring those
:03:13. > :03:26.Our priority is to target the human trafficking element of it, organised
:03:27. > :03:29.It is not about targeting an individual sex worker
:03:30. > :03:38.The priority is to make sure that sex workers not
:03:39. > :03:44.If we come across criminality, we will
:03:45. > :03:46.address it, and that has led to the ten
:03:47. > :03:47.people being referred to the
:03:48. > :03:55.prosecution service in the last year.
:03:56. > :03:58.It is, of course, too early to pass judgment on the new law, but initial
:03:59. > :04:01.indications suggest it will be difficult to prosecute those who pay
:04:02. > :04:04.So how effective will be legislation be in protecting those
:04:05. > :04:07.That is a question our politicians will
:04:08. > :04:16.have to consider when they review the law in two years' time.
:04:17. > :04:18.The First and Deputy First Ministers say they must be fully involved
:04:19. > :04:20.in the Brexit negotiations regarding the UK's future
:04:21. > :04:23.relationships with the EU and other countries.
:04:24. > :04:26.In their letter to the Prime Minister, Theresa May,
:04:27. > :04:34.they want the border with the Republic to be
:04:35. > :04:36.as open as possible, as our political editor Mark Devenport
:04:37. > :04:53.They say it is important there is a continuing
:04:54. > :04:55.movement of people and services across the border.
:04:56. > :04:57.They took heart from Theresa May saying that that
:04:58. > :05:01.They warn that the border should not be a catalyst
:05:02. > :05:02.for illegal activity and should not create
:05:03. > :05:04.an incentive for those who
:05:05. > :05:05.would wish to undermine the peace process.
:05:06. > :05:09.They say you have to look at any changes you may make in terms
:05:10. > :05:11.of custom checks or whatever on the border
:05:12. > :05:12.through a political light, in
:05:13. > :05:14.terms of what it can do to the peace process.
:05:15. > :05:18.The fire service says it is treating as deliberate a blaze at a school
:05:19. > :05:22.Extensive damage has been caused to the roof and to a room
:05:23. > :05:23.at the Good Shepherd Primary and Nursery School
:05:24. > :05:35.The aerospace firm Bombardier is bringing forward the. --
:05:36. > :05:41.redundancies planned for next years. It says it is planning cut down
:05:42. > :05:45.almost 1000 workers over two years. It says the cuts are regrettable,
:05:46. > :05:53.but necessary to ensure their long-term survival. Patrick Houston,
:05:54. > :06:00.the arch, has progressed to the last 16 in the competition at the Rio
:06:01. > :06:01.Olympics. He beat the number seven seed with the very last arrow of the
:06:02. > :06:02.contest. Football and Champions Crusaders
:06:03. > :06:04.kept up their winning ways with a 4-1 away win
:06:05. > :06:06.against Carrick Rangers The other results: Ballymena
:06:07. > :06:09.United 3, Glenavon 3. Let's get a check on the weather
:06:10. > :06:31.now with Barra Best. It has slowly improved as we move
:06:32. > :06:34.through this evening. Any rain overnight is most likely to cling to
:06:35. > :06:42.coastal areas. Inland, largely dry. A mild night for us all. 12-13dC.
:06:43. > :06:46.Tomorrow, we will hold onto a lot of cloud and at times it will create
:06:47. > :06:50.some rain. It will be patchy and not as bad as today and it will be a
:06:51. > :06:53.little bit drizzly. We are not expecting very much heavy rain, but
:06:54. > :06:57.a good deal of dry weather as well. The more unsettled conditions will
:06:58. > :07:01.effect the northern half of Ireland and the northern half of Britain as
:07:02. > :07:04.well. Southern area is very much better. Sunshine of Southern Wales
:07:05. > :07:10.and England and along the south coast of Ireland as well. Cloudy and
:07:11. > :07:13.the further north we are with some wet weather. For Northern Ireland,
:07:14. > :07:17.despite the cloud and some drizzle out there, it is still going to be a
:07:18. > :07:22.warmer day than today. Temperatures are likely to reach 18-19dC, with
:07:23. > :07:26.the odd break allowing for some gaps towards evening time. As for Friday,
:07:27. > :07:29.a promising start, but it is not going to say that way for long. We
:07:30. > :07:33.are going to have more wet weather coming in from the Atlantic as a
:07:34. > :07:37.weather front pushes Italy's Southwood, bringing widespread rain
:07:38. > :07:43.with a south-westerly wind, making it feel a little blustery. That
:07:44. > :07:47.said, temperatures will still be close to 20 Celsius. The good news
:07:48. > :07:50.is that clears out of the way and for Saturday and Sunday, we are
:07:51. > :07:52.expecting some good amount of sunshine at times, but there is
:07:53. > :07:59.always the risk of one or two isolated showers.
:08:00. > :08:04.Our next BBC Newsline is at 6.25 in the morning
:08:05. > :08:05.You're coming across as, frankly, ridiculous.
:08:06. > :08:10.You're coming across as, frankly, ridiculous.
:08:11. > :08:13.I'm flabbergasted by that. Will they get burnt...
:08:14. > :08:16.You have done an appalling job of selling them online. Erm...
:08:17. > :08:19.I'm... We're... We're... No, hang on. Sorry.