19/06/2014 BBC Oxford News

After two teenagers were shot in this alleyway, two men are

A bike hire scheme is relaunched after it started and folded within

The care home discovering the power of song

A crackdown on blue badge fraud in Portsmouth.

Two men have been cleared of a double murder in Milton Kdynes.

Brahim Haji and Ahmed Ahmed had admitted being

at the scene of the shooting on the Fishermead estate three years ago.

But they told the jury that they had not known it was going to h`ppen.

They were teenage friends who lost their lives in a row about drugs.

19`year`old Mohammed Abdi F`rah and Amin Ahmed Ismail, who was 8,

The prosecution described it as an execution.

This is the chilling 999 call that alerted police.

There's someone laying in the alleyway

The gunman Fuad Awale and his accomplice Sharmake

Abdulkadir were convicted of the murders in January last year.

But the prosecution alleged others were actively involvdd.

Among them, Dutch national Brahim Hajji and Ahmed Ahmed.

Both men admitted being at the scene on the night

of the murders but denied any knowledge of the shootings.

The jury accepted their version of events and cleared them

I think it's very important, both for the interests of justicd that

all five people were brought to account and made to answer for their

actions, and also for the f`milies involved to be able to hear the

words of those two people and to have a full understanding

of exactly how their two sons came to tragically lose their lives.

Three years on, justice has finally run its course.

For the victims' families, though, it can never heal their pain.

They've often fled the horrors of conflict and persecution

at home and arrive in the UK to an uncertain ftture.

For many refugees, that new life begins in Swindon

It's one of four places in the UK designated by the government

Places where they are sent tpon arrival by the Home Office.

Today, one of the organisations helping rdfugees

find their feet, the Swindon Harbour Project, opened its doors to try to

dispel the myths about its work and those its trying to help.

This is no ordinary Swindon resident.

At the age of 23, Mohamed Abdo has led resist`nce to

Hidden in a mountain cave for days in an unknown country.

And helped save the lives of hundreds of his fellow asylum

seekers when their overloaddd boat got lost in the Mediterrane`n.

And he didn't even want to leave Syria in the first pl`ce.

I leave Syria because my life was in danger.

If I stay in Syria, I would die and this is the first reason.

My political activities pushed me to go outside.

How dangerous was it for you to leave?

It was very dangerous because the way how I came to the UK

This is Mohamed filming

demonstrations against President Assad in Aleppo in 20 2.

He's here in the white coat on the left.

This re`enactment shows doctors being killed by soldiers.

2,000 miles away in Swindon, Mohamed finds shelter at The Harbour,

Single asylum seekers only get five pounds a day

from the government until they hear whether they can stay.

Here they can access legal `dvice, English classes, friendship.

In actual Home Office accomlodation, it can be six men in one hotse, all

You know, you've come from ` new country, you don't know anybody

In Swindon, there are around 100 asylum seekers.

Refugees say when they come to this country,

Places like this give them a voice and and

A robber's stolen an empty cash box from a security guard

Police say he grabbed it from a G4S employee at Templars Square Shopping

Centre in Cowley at around 02.1 before running off towards Rosehill.

He's described as black, of large build

A building at Oxford Brookes University has been recognised

The low`carbon John Henry Brookes building was commended

Judges from the Royal Institute of British Architects said ht also

has a personality which is evident throughout.

It's now been shortlisted along 56 developments being considerdd

It's hoped a relaunched bike hire servhce in

Oxford will encourage more commuters to ditch their cars and help reduce

The OxonBike project relaunched this morning after last year's

It's now being run by a new company, alongside the County Council.

From today, it's hoped more of us will be using one of these hnstead

Here at Thorn Hill Park and Ride this site is one of seven locations

in the city where you will now be able to hire a bike.

The idea is to ease congesthon on the roads.

Now, a similar scheme was l`unched in Oxford last year

but collapsed because the company behind it went into liquidation

Let's talk to Tim Casswell from the new company running this

Tim, the big question is, will this scheme work this xear

The scheme was very successful when it was launched last ydar.

Lots of members, lots of usage of the bikes.

We're launching the same location, same bikes.

So no reason to think it won't be equally as successful right now

How much does it cost to hire a bike?

It's a pound to join the scheme and the first 30 minutes of every rental

is free and, because the locations are so close here, and the

University site and hospital site are within Headington, we expect all

the trips to be within the first 30 minutes and thdrefore

David is from Oxfordshire County Council.

David, the idea is to get more people out

of their cars but what improvements have been made to footpaths?

We have put in a number of signs to make it easier for

We've got plenty of cycleways joining up all the dots

between the hospitals, univdrsities and shops in Headington.

Similar schemes have been l`unched in Swindon

I guess it's time to get on my bike and head back to the office.

Music is just as important `s any medicine according to residdnts

They are taking part in a tdn`week long project looking at the power

of music to increase enjoymdnt, engagement and reduce anxiety.

Memories aren't always clear for some of these residents

# You can always hear me singing my song. #.

I've lost a lot but not all of it, so that's something, isn't ht?

Specially`trained musicians are running a ten`week course

in this care home and it's `lready having an impact on residents.

If we can listen to a piece of music, it allows them to express

their emotions and then aftdr that there is no anxiety and that's

The residents really seem to get a lot out of it

and we had some lovely moments with singing along, particularly singing

Myself and a resident were singing and that was really, really nice.

The main thing is that they enjoy it and they certainly seemed to today.

The results will be analysed by researchers at Essex University.

Some people can't really sax whether they're having a good time `re not.

The idea is to see if we can develop that methodology so that we have

Staff here say the music sessions are already having

a long lasting impact, striking a chord with a variety of reshdents.

Now, if you'd like to get in touch with us here at South Today to tell

us about stories you think we should be covering, you can e`mail us.

or join the conversation on our Facebook and Twitter pages.

Now more of today's stories with Sally Taylor.

still investing. That might investigating. The journalist Clive

Jacobs has died. Still to come, Roger Finn has a fishy tale. Join me

for the extraordinary story of how the Brown Trout travelled on a ship

150 years ago to conquer thd world. He's gone!

called for one of Britain's most senior police officers to bd held to

account for the failure of ` 15 million pound computer projdct.

The system had to be abandoned and a report today found th`t

oversight of the project was "not fit for purpose".

Kevin Hurley says he wants the Chief Constable in charge

The new computer system called SIREN was intended to log crimes

and store intelligence on criminals and suspects.

It was initially discussed hn 2 05 and commissioned two years later.

The completion date was meant to be 2009 but constant delays me`nt

the project was predicted to be ready by August last year.

Surrey's Police and Crime Commissioner concluded that

the IT system was not fit for purpose and terminated the project.

Effectively we've written off ?15 million of public money

on a high`risk IT project which didn't have the proper governance,

the proper controls or the proper oversight to make a decision as to

The chief constable in charge of Surrey Police at the timd was

Mark Rowley, now one of Scotland Yard's most senior officers.

It is akin to a situation where the captain

of a ship sets a risky course, then doesn't make sure he's got the right

chart, the right people on the bridge, doesn't check regul`rly

doesn't make sure they tell him and then suddenly hits the rocks.

You're blaming the former chief constable?

I'm blaming the captain of the ship for driving onto the rocks

Assistant Commissioner Mark Rowley expressed regret

and disappointment the IT project had failed, but said there was no

criticism of any individual in the report and that whild he was

in Surrey police, the auditors were positive about the project.

Let's talk about a fraud that often goes unnoticed `

The blue badges used by dis`bled drivers to park for free ard sold

Many are forgeries, or registered to people who have died.

Portsmouth City Council reckons it loses up to ?200,000

a year in parking revenue so it's trying to catch the fr`udsters.

The blue badge allowing fred parking is registered to an 85`year`old man

The car is owned by a 23`year`old woman.

A quick check reveals the badge was stolen.

It's a criminal offence being in possession of a stolen article, and

it's a criminal offence to display a blue badge which is not v`lid

The vehicle is lifted onto a truck and taken away.

Helen Dolphin watches today's crackdown.

She runs a charity for disabled drivers.

In some areas it's estimated that half the badges being used `re not

actually being used by the person they are issudd with,

whereas in other areas it's probably considerably lower.

A mile away, a regular offender is found.

He's got 33 outstanding pen`lties, which is a total in cash of ?18 5.

After a long wait for the owner this car is towed away too.

There's a huge black market for blue badges, ?1500, you can buy

them on the black market, and another common one, surprishngly,

is people going around with their dead relatives' blue badges.

The owner of the sports car has turned up

Why do you need a disabled badge on your car?

She won't talk, but her boyfriend will.

So why is there a disabled badge on your car?

Is it a responsible thing to do to park on a disabled badge?

Now there's a big decision to be made about Aldershot's outdoor pool.

No, it's not whether to call it Lee`do or Lie`do but what's

It's 80 years old and losing money.

The two most popular suggestions are adding more attractions to boost

visitor numbers, or to repl`ce the whole pool with what would become

Britain's largest modern splash park.

The flumes are a relatively modern addition but little else has changed

Ready for the charity gala `nd the swimming and diving display

In its heyday, people flockdd here from across the South.

These days, though, the pool is only packed when the sun shhnes

Salaries still have to be p`id when it doesn't.

Well over a dozen lifeguards are needed to keep people safe

and it's so big it would be too expensive to heat, so it's cold

Local taxpayers have now agreed the lido cannot keep running at a loss.

The main view was, let's kedp the big pool of water we have here

and add on additional attractions or let's remove the pool of water,

create a big splash pad that could be used longer during the ydar.

We have done our sums and wd believe the splash pad would save

around ?100,000 and perhaps would contribute to the numbers of people.

So what would local people rather have here?

A splash park with added attractions like crazy golf.

Can we go to the splash park and I'll win crazy golf?

We, as adults, like to go in the summing pool.

If a splash park, not many people will want to go, as adults `nyway.

If they can incorporate the both of them together to make it more

A decision is expected by the end of the year.

Just the weather for. Alexis is here soon. Tony has the sport first.

Today it was `` Sir John Madejski said no deal had yet been done for

the sale of Reading football club. He spoke exclusively to BBC radio

Berkshire and acknowledged there were still interested partids, but

the bid from a Thai businessman was the front runner. I think the fans

know what is going on and they will be rewarded. I am just trying to

find somebody to take over Reading who has the right credentials, is

the right kind of person. Wd can never be 100% safe on any of that I

am trying to do my very best and that is what we are all tryhng to do

here. And you can hear the full interview with Sir John Maddjski on

BBC radio Berkshire tomorrow. There is a game on tonight, take off in

Sao Paulo a few days ago. Adam Lallana is on the bench, Danny

Welbeck referred against Urtguay. Ten minutes to go. In an interview

with BBC sport, he set us up for a nerve tingling night. When xou're

watching the game, it is different from when you are involved `nd

playing in the game. If anything, it is more nerve wracking becatse you

do not have any control over what is happening. I was off my seat on

numerous occasions with crosses and deflections, I denied in a close, so

there are a lot of positives. We are keeping our fingers crossed.

Uruguay, only a 3.3 million population so we should beat Uruguay

tonight. Let's hope so.

And this week Roger Finn is celebrating

It involves a very determindd character, the river Itchen and 25

tonnes of ice. Here's Roger to explain. A brown trout, fattening

nicely at the Hampshire transform that backtracked form. Here at the

River Itchen they have been raising trout for 40 years. Brown trout not

only tastes wonderful but it is a real challenge to catch, th`t is why

it is beloved of anglers all over the world. The thing about Brown

Trout is that they are native to England and that simple fact is at

the heart of an extraordinary story. 150 years ago, there were v`st areas

of the globe where they just did not exist. For a certain type of

sporting Victorian gentleman, that simply would not do. The story

starts here in Bishopston in Eastleigh. In the 1860s, thhs was

home of Admiral of the Fleet Sir Henry Caple, a groom in waiting to

Queen Victoria. Graham mole has produced a series of books `nd

magazine articles about angling Henry knew the Tasmanian government

had filed in official request with the British government for salmon

eggs. He thought as we do not have any of those, but we have lots of

trout and they do not have dither so we will send them there. In those

days it took 100 days for a ship to get from here to there and `long the

way, the ice the eggs were packed in melted and the trout eggs dhed, so

1864, a group of men got together and said, we will crack this

problem. At this point, one of history's true eccentrics enters the

scoring. Let me introduce Mr Frank but not, a naturalist and strgeon,

and he was only 4.6 inches tall `` forfeit six inches tall. He was

regarded as the David Attenborough of his day, but there was one weird

obsession, he wanted to eat his way through the entire animal khngdom,

rhino, giraffe, baked mice, and in his rooms at Oxford, he kept a bear

and he dressed it up and took two parties. He was also a popular

writer. Here is his account of an unfortunate incident when hd tried

to lower a nine foot sturgeon down the stairs to his kitchen. The way

he went like an avalanche, he smashed the door open. This

appearance of the armour cl`d sea monster instantly created a

sensation. The cook screamed, the housemaid fainted, the dog

retreated, the Monkees went mad with fright and the sedate parrot has

never spoken a word since. Frank but Lund was a friend of Henry Cavill

and he came down to Bishop Stoke to help them drabble trout eggs. Henry

had dug a little travel of the River Itchen which flowed to a

hatchery, where Frank came to gather 1000 trout eggs. For the jotrney to

Australia. They build an icd house within the ship, 25 tonnes of ice,

and that work. The eggs werd placed on a clipper and set off on the

journey to Melbourne. At thd docks, most of the eggs were a cancer to

another boat and Hobart in Tasmania. The team of men carried thel up

river to a hatchery. The first eggs hatched in May 1864. The yotng trout

were put into local rivers, where they flourished and were soon

providing great sport for anglers. The easy bit was to come, and that

was getting eggs from Austr`lia to New Zealand. It throws up a real

irony because a lot of the Hampshire side fishermen go all the w`y to New

Zealand because it's so spectacular there, they come away with big

smiles on their faces seeing you would not believe how good ht is,

but oddly a lot of them havd never realised where those trout come

from. Here in Itchen. Amazing, isn't it? There you can see the m`n

responsible for the Hampshire Brown Trout going global. To take that

many fish in that much ice to a is extraordinary. Let's get on to the

weather. It is wet and cool tomorrow. Humidity levels, here we

are at 58 so spare a thought for the footballer 's. Jayne Pearce captured

the blue skies today. John Ingram took this photo of a

field of Opium poppy's being grown And Dieter Valerius photogr`phed Cow

parsley in the sunshine in Nor the most areas saw a lot of

cloud and that turned the stnshine hazy with bright belt this

afternoon. Tonight will feel fresher than recent nights. There m`y be

mist and fog patches in the usual spot, perhaps the odd shower in the

south coast but the bulk of the regions seeing a lot of dry weather

and where we have clear skids in the countryside, temperatures whll drop

to single figures. These values are in our towns and values 11 to 4

degrees, so we dry start tolorrow, in fact the bulk of the datd will be

dry. Varying amounts of clotd and sunshine, hard to predict who will

have the best sunshine but temperatures will reach a hhgh of 21

Celsius. Today we saw a height of 26 along the south coast so slhghtly

cooler tomorrow and a slightly fresher and night tonight and

tomorrow night. Tomorrow we will see clear skies, a quiet picturd and

under those skies temperatures once again in towns and cities down to

around 11 Celsius, creeping into single figures in the countryside,

but the good news is, high pressure is in charge through the wedkend.

You can see the widening isobars and the winds will be light, but pollen

levels will be high on Saturday Sunday and Monday. They havd been

high for most of this week. High pressure in charge this weekend we

do have a few events taking place. The somersaults does this S`turday,

the longest day of the year takes place at Stonehenge tomorrow night.

The sun at 926 PM and rises on Saturday at 4:52 a.m.. Therd was

also the three mile charity dog walk taking place in Lyndhurst on

Saturday, which starts at 10am so decent conditions for any events

this weekend. Let's look at the outlook, settled conditions, highs

of 19 or 20, in sheltered spots we could reach 23 degrees, so fairly

pleasant although along the south coast there will be the sea breeze

that will post a cloud in l`nd, so 30 miles inland we may have more

cloud than sunshine, but thdre will be some sunshine bass like some sun

to be had. Tonight we are on the slightly later in time of 7:30pm, so

please join us then. Good nhght