13/07/2011 BBC Points West

Hello. The former head of a charity in Gloucestershire has been sent to

jail for more than four years for stealing hundreds of thousands of

pounds in donations. Dennis Grant admitting paying

cheques meant for the Cotswold Water Park Society into his own

personal account. And then using the money to buy flash cars and a

villa abroad. Our Gloucestershire reporter Steve Knibbs was in court.

This is Dennis Grant, a man for whom charity begins at home,

unfortunately it was his own home. He bought a flat for his daughter

and a villa in northern Cyprus with money men for the charity. I have

got nothing to say until after the event. There is another side to the

story. Grant was brought in as the chief executive of the Cotswold

Water Park Society five years ago. A man of apparent high standing

with a good business background. He was supposed to help boost the

charity which for was the National Environment of the water park for

the benefit of everyone, but instead he benefited only himself.

He set up a bank account in the name of the society, and over the

next two and a half years he paid cheques meant for the charity in

his personal account. It was a total of �660,000, which he spent

on expensive cars. He had not counted on being caught out. Tasha

Flaherty find evidence of �100,000 being paid into an account she knew

nothing about, and confronted ground. He tries to avoid the

situation. He was saying, how can we resolve this... I think his hope

was that it could be very much sorted very quickly, and disappear,

and that he would not have to face the consequences. The police case

against Grant was based on - at's Research. In court he regretted

that he had abused his position of trust. The financial mess meant

that funders pulled out, and costs went through the roof. It's thought

the society's losses cost well over a million pounds. The what the

society had trouble paying their debts, their bills, even their own

staff, but he was caught in the nick of time, and it signalled a

sea change for the organisation. The scientists -- the society has

been replaced with a bright new board and a brighter future.

started what was quite a long process over the back end of last

year, completely looking at the organisation, its structure, the

way it was governed, and coming up with a whole series of changes to

make sure this cannot happen again. The court was told that Dennis

Grant is now a broken man, estranged from his family, and at

63, with a reputation in tatters. He will be back in court in the

autumn, when his assets will be confiscated.

An inquest in Trowbridge has been told that an army dog handler was

shot dead while attached to his loyal Springer spaniel. Lance

Corporal Liam Tasker was 26 when he was killed in Afghanistan on 1st

March, his dog Theo was injured in the same attack and died shortly

afterwards. There are more calls for burning

sky lanterns to be banned, after one caused a serious fire at home

in Wiltshire. Anne-Marie Cobb and her family were asleep when a

neighbour noticed their timber- frame house was alight.

As the children play in the garden, you can still see the charred

timber that was burned by the Lands and as it was blown on to the house.

Anne-Marie Cobb says they had no idea what was happening. I had gone

to bed like any other Saturday night, and the next thing I knew

one of the neighbours was banging on the door and shouting for us to

get out of the house because it was on fire. Her daughter was asleep in

her room just feet from the flames. Concerns have been raised before,

as the lanterns became increasingly popular. Farmers voiced anxiety

about the metal frames being eaten by animals when they fell into

fields. So, many are now made with bamboo frames. Wiltshire Fire and

Rescue Service recognises that incidents are few and far between,

but says people lighting the lanterns need to be careful. Do not

use them near built up areas. If you live in a village with lots of

Thatcher is, do not use them that if it has been dry. The coastguard

would like you to tell than if you are setting off one of these,

because they have been mistaken for distress flares. But the

responsibility lies with the people letting these go. We have just

bought a lantern for �2. It comes with a little instruction booklet

with some of the do's and don'ts, make sure the winds are light... On

the launch them in a clear space away from trees... Do not use them

within five miles of an airport. You and for Ban... Quite large - I

were not liked it. You liked this tissue paper, and that is that had

that burns. In theory, the lanterns should only stay afloat while the

pad is still burning. It works like a hot air balloon - once the fire

goes out, then it should think. It should not really think what it is

alight. That is the theory. As Anne-Marie Cobb can testify, theory

is one thing - reality is another. One of the West's MEPs things Sky

lanterns are so dangerous, she wants to see a European wide review.

I spoke to Julie Girling in Brussels, and asked her if she

wanted a complete ban. I would like to see them in some way regulated.

Whether that means a complete ban, I do not know. I have seen some

which do not have the metal parts, that is a step forward. I have also

hard off, but not seen, lanterns which have a very, very small

delight. They will only bound for five minutes. This would not be so

bad, because they are up and they are out. At the moment they can go

on for hours under the right conditions. So it might not be a

total ban, but we need some regulation. They do seem to be

growing in popularity. One British retailer today said that sales have

quadrupled in the last year. Does that not mean there for that just a

message needs to get through to people about sticking to the advice

that is on the packet? Sure. I think that is the case. I know a

lot of people who have been using them - weddings, they are great.

They have also been used for mammary services when people are

died -- have died. -- memory services. I am not sure that the

message of using them properly does the full trick, because once they

have disappeared into the distance, you really do not know where they

are going to goal. That is true of the ones which have wire, because

they can affect for example livestock. But with regards to the

possibility of fire and so on, some might argue barbecues, fireworks,

they have potential for danger as well. Do we need this nanny state?

That has that they always been my fault. We do not want to all their

nanny people. Responsible use is important, but it is also important

to set out clear guidelines that give people the right direction and

responsible use. I do nothing but work has been done, and I would

like to see it done, for someone to look at it from the safety angle,

and giving people good advice. save advice as well.

It is Wednesday, and you are watching BBC Points West.

Stay with us. There is much more still to come, including... Find

out what is special about this Corella let loose in Bristol today.

In weather, we are expecting find conditions tomorrow. It is all

going to change on Friday, the weekend looking windy and at times

distinctly wet. That is all coming up before 7pm.

First, a former soldier is in court in Bristol accused of rates and in

Wiltshire and Wales. Jonathan Haynes is alleged to have plotted

the attacks in Chippenham. The jury heard evidence from a 16-year-old

who claims she was abducted as she walked home. Scott Ellis, what

evidence did you hear today? 16-year-old girl giving evidence to

detectives a couple of years ago was shown to the court room, and a

very tearful and upsetting account from that Yandell. She says that on

13th September, and early in the morning, she was walking home from

work - a car passed her, but then the driver got out, grabbed hold of

her, and took her into the car park and friend her. He tied her hands

with a pillow case, and then got her back in the car. She said she

was driven for about 20 minutes to some disused land, where the driver

got out, put a balaclava on, and then raid her twice inside and

outside the car, as well as take an intimate photographs. -- raid her

twice. The court alleged Jonathan Haynes drove her back to hit his

barracks, and had their committed the rate. After that, took her back

here, told her to go and not tell anyone. In fact she told the police,

and today, as an 18-year-old, she was given advice -- evidence by

video. This is going to be a long trial, perhaps for weeks. Jonathan

Haynes, who was a Lance Corporal with the while logistics Corps at

Buckley Barracks, gives his address now as Saxon Close in Northampton.

After this kidnap and rate, it is alleged he braked a student in

halls of residence in South Wales. After that, it is alleged cheap

attempt to kidnap two schoolgirls in Chippenham, and then after that,

kidnap and rate of another teenager in Chippenham. All in six months

leading up to March 2010. He denies A centre which gives advice to

asylum-seekers has been closed down. It has 400 cases outstanding and

staff say they do not know where their clients will find help.

This man arrived at the centre for his appointment while we were

filming. He did not want to be interviewed but said he had lost

his family in the war in Afghanistan. He is seeking asylum

and does not know what to do now. The man helping him is Mark

Shepherd who lost his job when the office was closed on Friday. They

are dealing with many life cases here but the notes I inside. There

are original documents and passports and bank statements,

marriage certificates. There are statements from asylum-seekers

which are highly confidential. Our attendance notes and Home Office

records. We have people who are facing the end of their fees and

need to contact the Home Office. This is an absolute disaster.

charity has gone into administration, owing millions to

the legal-aid fund. A government body is looking into the urgent

cases and will encourage other providers to take up the work.

Staff hope it might be them acting as a social enterprise. If you want

people to contribute to the economy, they are welcomed into the economy,

they are nurses in our hospitals all students and they have work

permits and their wives and children are British citizens.

These are not outcasts. This is not Fortress Britain. Another man

turned up while we were there but he did not want to be identified.

He told me about the life he had fled from -- fled from. He worked

on a farm owned by a white man in Zimbabwe. When the man was murdered,

he and his colleagues were targeted as traitors. That was 11 years ago.

I do not know what will happen. I do not have any means to find an

alternative solicitor since this has closed. I do not know what else

to do. Christa celebrates its hugely diverse make-up. 80,000

people came to the St Paul's Carnival recently. Now that

sanctuary is threatened and hundreds seeking it do not know

where to turn. The hacking scandal which is

gripping the nation. Don Foster says the press her journey needs a

proper system of regulation. -- urgently needs a proper system of

regulation. He wrote to Rupert Murdoch and asked him to withdraw

his bid for BSkyB, it was one hour before he actually did so.

You wrote to Mr Murdoch asking him to withdraw his bid and then he did.

How do you manage these things? wish it was just me. The British

people did it. They put pressure on Parliament to unite, saying we did

not want this bid to go ahead. As a result he has pulled out. None of

it alter as the need to go ahead with the criminal investigations

and none of it means we should stop the detailed inquiries into

relationships between the media and the police and in terms of our

rules on who should own media in this country. It does seem that

what Rupert Murdoch is constantly seizing the initiative, getting the

news agenda, for example closing years of the world and now this

decision. Is he dancing all around you? He is dancing all around but

it is it to no effect. The British people have made it very clear that

they do not want the cosy relationship between politicians

and the media to continue as it was. They do not like the rules around

who can own media in this country and they want to have a much more

powerful crests -- Press Complaints Commission while maintaining a free

press. We will get all of those things sorted. The British people

have demanded that we do it. danger is the sort of press we

might get as a result of this, more regulation looks almost certain.

Does it mean newspapers will have to OK it with a committee before

they run a controversial story? course not, that would be ludicrous.

We could not have a journalist using legitimate means to uncover

the parliamentary expenses scandal. Of course we will have a free press.

It cannot be right that a Press Complaints Commission cannot punish

anyone who does something wrong way you have a number of newspapers

that have actually pulled out of the Press Complaints Commission

saying they will have nothing to do with it. Where will people go if

they have a problem? We have to have a body set up in statute,

independent of the government and independent of the press to

adjudicate. We do that for a lot of other things, why not for the

media? Thank you very much. The Care Quality Commission has

said that patients are still being treated at a care home in Bristol

following the suspension of four members of staff. There's currently

an investigation into allegations of abuse at Rose Villas, a home for

people with learning difficulties. The BBC understands that no-one has

been moved from the building and the home is working as normal. It's

run by Castlebeck who says its working with the relevant

authorities as enquiries continue. The Gloucestershire fashion company,

Supergroup, has announced record It is worth millions to the economy.

The silicon industry employers hundreds of people. Graduate

studying electronic courses have nosedived over the last decade and

at a time of high unemployment, they are struggling to recruit.

Bristol University launched a course there to introduce 16 and 17

year olds the to the subject. It keeps our phones, TV's and

computers running. Technology developed in the West helps power

the modern world. This was a workshop to interest school leavers

in electronics. Over the last decade, graduate applications for

electronic courses at university have halved. Companies say they are

struggling to find the talent that they need. We are having to recruit

people from overseas or set-up design centres overseas when it

would be easier to expand our operation in the UK with people who

studied engineering in England. is a high value aspect of our

economy. This programme is an opportunity to gain even more

position for the UK economy. west's Silicon Valley or Silicon

Gorge as it is called. It forms a high tax triangle. It is home to

the biggest silicon industry in Europe and has many companies

supplying -- and ploughing over 5,000 people. It sounds like a

tempting career, so why are graduate numbers slipping so fast?

Some people my age do not know what they want to do and the courses

around are good for everyone. is fairly high up there. As well as

general enjoyment and success. If I was doing engineering I would

probably want to design something like snowboards or mountain bikes.

In many high end breakthrough Technologies, the UK and the West

Country are leading the way. Companies hope courses like this

one will fill the crap -- gapping graduates before it has an effect

on the future. It is said that a good doctor has

to be able to keep a patient smiling. Some take it rather

literally. Not of them moonlighters comedians and entertainers. There

is Dr Graeme Garden, at the start of Radio's I'm Sorry I Haven't A

Clue. Dr Phil Hammond pops up all over the place. Now they could be a

new addition to the list of medical media stars, a Bath GP who has

written a musical. Welcome to 90 No 8, that is the

Edwardian period. This is an Edwardian parlour which sits in the

middle of an Edwardian village. This is the set of the west's

newest musical. It has its world premiere starting in about 10

minutes' time but it could go a lot further.

This is a little sneak peek for you from the dress rehearsal on Monday.

The show is called Decent Rogues and tells the story of two

gentlemen crooks as they plan their final hurrah. It was written in

Bath by a man with many years' experience in theatre. You can see

the punchline coming, he is of course a doctor. Music has been a

huge part of my life and it has always been there to de-stress

after a difficult day. With my good friend, we many years ago began our

music collaboration. We felt we needed to write a musical to get

all about good tunes out of our head. Four he is writing and three

years casting and three weeks rehearsing is a lot of time to

spend on a show that will perform to 105 people but the team behind

the production as much bigger plans than this. The director has plenty

of experience in theatre but hers is actually in the West End. That

whole contact list is proving to be very useful. A few doors will

hopefully be there that we can knock-on. Musically it is very

strong and most of the songs would fit happily into any environment.

With the script and the story line, I think we the right guidance it

could go on to a much bigger stage. The audience will take their seats

any second now and if they are impressed, this production could

send another doctor to the top of an entertainment tree.

As they say in showbusiness, Breakell later! With a doctor there,

that would be pretty and a -- break her leg.

60 guerrilla sculptures were let loose from Bristol Zoo to mark the

birthday. Today the latest one was unveiled. It may look like it needs

a wash but there are -- there is a good reason why these children are

warming it with hot water. It is heat sensitive. When it heats up it

reveals a message about the bush meat trade in Africa which is

affecting guerrillas in the wild. The guerrillas are on show around

the city until September when they will be auctioned off to raise

money for the zoo's conservation project.

They make an eyesight all over the city. Let us see what the weather

prospect are. We will certainly get some sunshine

tomorrow so the guerrillas will eat up and at the weekend they will

cool down and get a Walsh. -- A cool down and get a Walsh. -- A

Walsh. Tomorrow will be a fine day for all

of us. There is a fair amount of cloud around. Pressure is rising

slightly. This area of low pressure will bring a day of contrast across

England. If you are off to Great Yarmouth, don't! It will be windy

and cool. Minehead it will be war. It is a battle of resorts. There

will be some late sunshine and then tonight there is a similar pattern.

The winds are light and dry everywhere. It will be a call night,

especially in the countryside. Tomorrow morning, the morning rush-

hour start dry with a good deal of sunshine and blue sky around. By

midday and the afternoon some fair weather clouds will bubble up. The

cloud cover will not be as prevalent and the sea breezes will

pick up. Temperatures will be higher than today. Everything will

change. On Friday that change will take place. This area of low

pressure will become the dominant story at the weekend. The isobars

squeezed together which means it will be a windy spell of weather

for Saturday and Sunday. On Friday, a good part of it will be dry. You

will find the cloud increasing and a breeze will pick up and by the

evening some outbreaks of rain will arrive. They will establish

themselves for Saturday. There will be a good deal of low cloud around

with rain through the morning. By the afternoon we could be looking

at showers. They could be heavy and blustery. We will keep an eye on

the forecast and update you as beget to Friday. Sunday we will

shift the emphasis towards drier weather. There will be blustery

showers around. Temperatures are below average for the time of year.

Next week will continue unsettled but they could be something better

after that. That is just about the story from