:00:18. > :00:22.Good evening and welcome to BBC Our headlines tonight: The call for
:00:22. > :00:25.help that was not heeded. A suicide victim makes a last 999 call but
:00:25. > :00:29.the police did not respond. Stabbed through the head with a screwdriver
:00:29. > :00:32.- the man killed for his mobile phone. The biggest concentration of
:00:32. > :00:37.elderly people in the UK. How local authorities are coping with their
:00:37. > :00:47.needs. And find out that happened when The Hoff gave an interview to
:00:47. > :00:49.
:00:49. > :00:52.Good evening. A suicide victim who took 30 pills and then called the
:00:52. > :00:55.police for help died after they failed to turn up. Christofer
:00:55. > :01:00.Walker made the emergency call on his mobile phone but the police
:01:00. > :01:04.decided not to send an officer. Avon and Somerset Police have now
:01:04. > :01:07.apologised to Christofer's family. Our health correspondent has been
:01:07. > :01:17.following the story. We should warn you that his report does include
:01:17. > :01:18.
:01:18. > :01:22.that final distressing phone call. It was in the early hours of the
:01:22. > :01:30.morning in February, 2009, when Christopher Walker make this call
:01:30. > :01:34.to the police. I'm taking more pills. I want to dive. Christopher
:01:34. > :01:43.New the local police and trusted them. He was living on his then and
:01:43. > :01:51.had some physical and mental problems. -- his own. He was
:01:51. > :01:55.desperate. He wanted someone to help him. He had no credit on his
:01:55. > :02:00.mobile. The first police caught operator graded the call as
:02:00. > :02:07.requiring an immediate response. It means a police unit should be on
:02:07. > :02:15.the scene within 15 minutes. many pills have you taken? Loads.
:02:15. > :02:20.How many is loads? 30. An ambulance is dispatched immediately. The
:02:20. > :02:24.pills he is overdosing on our for his heart and have no antidote. The
:02:24. > :02:29.ambulance car which was near by arise at the address very quickly.
:02:29. > :02:34.He has not been told which of the three flats he lives in. The driver
:02:34. > :02:39.cannot get a response. A police unit should be hit in the next 10
:02:39. > :02:44.minutes. A baffling decision has been made by another person - the
:02:44. > :02:48.police dispatcher. They deploy police units. They decide to
:02:48. > :02:54.downgrade the call from an immediate response to resolution
:02:54. > :02:57.without deployment. Put simply, the police are not going to attend.
:02:57. > :03:02.What happened next was a crucial delay while the ambulance driver
:03:02. > :03:07.tried to get into the flats. When eventually the ambulancemen got
:03:07. > :03:12.hold of a number, Christopher came straight down to let him in. The
:03:12. > :03:18.ambulancemen had to persuade an extremely grotty man to go with him.
:03:18. > :03:23.An hour and a quarter after his call that he finally left in the
:03:23. > :03:28.ambulance for hospital. If the police had attended as they should
:03:28. > :03:33.have turned, Christopher would have done what he told them to do. They
:03:33. > :03:38.would have said, come on come a hospital. He would have gone
:03:38. > :03:41.immediately to hospital. His own consultant cardiologist pointed out
:03:41. > :03:47.his only hope would have been for his stomach to have been pumped up
:03:47. > :03:50.straight away. A delay of more than an hour would make this relatively
:03:50. > :03:55.ineffective. The coroner at the inquest said the failure of the
:03:55. > :03:59.police to attend had not affected the final outcome. Following
:03:59. > :04:06.complaints by his mother, Avon & Somerset Police force has admitted
:04:06. > :04:11.it was at fault. We have apologised privately to his mother. We should
:04:11. > :04:16.have gone when somebody needs our help. How busy were you that
:04:16. > :04:24.evening? There are a number of incidents going on. By way of
:04:24. > :04:27.example, in the last month, we have dealt with 215 calls relating to
:04:27. > :04:32.suicidal persons. For Carroll, it has been agonising to relive the
:04:32. > :04:36.tragic events of that February night. She is clear about her
:04:36. > :04:46.reasons. It was a difficult decision to let this harrowing tape
:04:46. > :04:55.be played. We hope that it can Well, joining me is our health
:04:55. > :04:59.correspondent. Is this a one-off? Since this sad case, we have learnt
:05:00. > :05:04.of five other cases which have been investigated by the Independent
:05:04. > :05:07.Police Complaints Commission. They involved the same force - Avon and
:05:07. > :05:14.Somerset - and the way they responded to calls involving very
:05:14. > :05:18.distressed people. All those people went on to take their own lies.
:05:18. > :05:25.Those series of investigations have come up with a series of
:05:25. > :05:30.investigations nationally. It is about a more efficient system in
:05:30. > :05:35.terms of police call handling. The police say they have introduced
:05:35. > :05:40.better procedures and better computer technology. They are
:05:40. > :05:45.adamant they take these things very seriously - as seriously as another
:05:45. > :05:49.emergency call. That charge is made against them by a mental health
:05:49. > :05:53.charity who think they do not necessarily take these calls as
:05:53. > :06:01.seriously. It is a question of resources, isn't it? If in this
:06:01. > :06:11.case they did not follow their own protocol. And you can see more on
:06:11. > :06:13.
:06:13. > :06:17.this story tonight on Inside out West at 7:30pm here on BBC One.
:06:17. > :06:23.Mark Andrews was fired when he was then dragging a woman across the
:06:23. > :06:28.floor of a police station. The courts found him innocent. Our home
:06:28. > :06:34.affairs correspondent reports. are in my custody and you'll be
:06:34. > :06:38.quiet and you will listen. Pamela arrived at the police station to be
:06:38. > :06:43.greeted by Mark Andrews. He is seen on CCTV dragging her across the
:06:44. > :06:48.floor towards the cells. The video shows her falling into the cell
:06:48. > :06:57.where she lies for over a minute, before gradually struggling to get
:06:57. > :07:03.out. She struggles to her feet with blurred over her face. The incident
:07:03. > :07:10.left her with these injuries to her eye and face. I won't ever forget
:07:10. > :07:15.it. I still get panic attacks about it. I get huge panic attacks. It
:07:15. > :07:20.will stay in my mind unfortunately clever. I am trying hard to forget
:07:21. > :07:24.it. I do not think anyone could forget anything like that.
:07:24. > :07:28.former soldier and police such it was jailed for six months for
:07:28. > :07:33.assault. The conviction was later quashed on appeal. Sergeant Andrew
:07:33. > :07:37.said she was abusive and difficult when she was brought to the police
:07:37. > :07:40.station after being found asleep at the wheel of her car. Extremely
:07:40. > :07:46.sorry to Mrs Somerville who received injuries while in my care.
:07:46. > :07:52.It was never my intention. I was only trying to place her back in
:07:52. > :07:55.herself. It was never any intent on my part to cause her any injury.
:07:55. > :08:00.December of last year it Sergeant Andrews was sacked from his job
:08:00. > :08:04.after an internal police hearing. Officers from a neighbouring force
:08:04. > :08:07.said he had fallen below standards expected from police officers. He
:08:07. > :08:13.took his case to the Independent police appeals tribunal which ruled
:08:13. > :08:18.he should be reinstated immediately at his former Rank. Today the force
:08:18. > :08:22.declined to be interviewed. They are surprised and disappointed at
:08:22. > :08:27.the result. Senior officers are taking legal advice and may appeal
:08:27. > :08:32.against the findings of the tribunal. Sergeant Andrews, who was
:08:32. > :08:37.suspended on full pay, lost his �36,000 a year salary when he was
:08:37. > :08:43.sacked last year. The force has been told to pay him back. His
:08:43. > :08:49.solicitor told me his client is delighted with the decision of the
:08:49. > :08:56.tribunal. If his employers refuse to accept the verdict, though their
:08:56. > :09:04.head with a judicial review of the whole case. He lost his life over a
:09:04. > :09:06.mobile phone. The words of the prosecution in the trial of two men
:09:06. > :09:08.accused murdering a father from Gloucester. 36-year-old Keith Soons
:09:08. > :09:12.died in Wellington Lane in Cheltenham earlier this year. He
:09:12. > :09:14.had been stabbed in the head. The prosecution say that he Mr Soons
:09:14. > :09:24.was killed after he tried to remonstrate with two robbers who
:09:24. > :09:27.
:09:27. > :09:30.The 36-year-old was found lying unconscious here in Wellington Lane
:09:30. > :09:33.in Cheltenham last February. After a night out with friends, he had
:09:33. > :09:40.been stabbed in the head with a weapon similar to a screwdriver.
:09:40. > :09:44.Injuries he never recovered from. Opening the case, the prosecution
:09:44. > :09:49.told the jury that he lost his life over a mobile phone when he tried
:09:49. > :09:55.to recover his belongings after being robbed at around 3am in the
:09:55. > :09:59.morning of 5th February. The two men in, accused of his murder, 28
:09:59. > :10:05.you rob Michael Sexton and 27-year- old Richard Smith, both admit to
:10:05. > :10:10.being at the scene of the attack in the early hours of that morning. --
:10:10. > :10:15.year-old. He denies the murder. Smith denies the murder and robbery.
:10:15. > :10:21.Each blamed the other for delivering the fatal injury that
:10:21. > :10:24.led to the man's death. Both men are in fact culpable. The jury were
:10:24. > :10:28.also told that Sexton in a police interview said the Richard Smith
:10:28. > :10:30.had told him that he always wanted to know what it was like to kill
:10:30. > :10:33.someone. Tonight, as Keith Soons' family and his girlfriend, Samantha
:10:33. > :10:39.Ramsay, left Bristol Crown Court hoping this trial expected to last
:10:39. > :10:43.three weeks. It will hopefully answer their questions as to why
:10:43. > :10:53.such a promising life was cut so tragically short. A brutal murder
:10:53. > :11:03.
:11:03. > :11:11.which has left a little baby girl to grow up without her father. You
:11:11. > :11:18.are watching BBC Points West. Still to come on tonight's programme: I
:11:18. > :11:21.am David Hassell off. Join us. do not want to miss that. An
:11:21. > :11:24.inquest into the death of Kate Prout has been adjourned after the
:11:24. > :11:27.pathologist was unable to establish how she died. Her remains were
:11:27. > :11:31.found in woodland last month after her husband, Adrian, who is serving
:11:31. > :11:34.life for her murder, took police to the spot where he buried her on
:11:34. > :11:37.their Gloucestershire farm. Further tests will be carried out on her
:11:37. > :11:44.larynx and the body won't be released for 28 days to allow time
:11:44. > :11:46.for any request for a second post- A group of campaigners from Bristol
:11:46. > :11:51.are due to appear before magistrates accused of aggravated
:11:52. > :11:55.trespass at a gas drilling rig in Lancashire last week. Three
:11:55. > :11:58.protesters climbed up onto the rig. In all, five people have been
:11:58. > :12:02.charged with a variety of offences and are due in court on December
:12:02. > :12:08.20th. They are opposed to the practice of fracking, where natural
:12:08. > :12:12.gas is extracted from thousands of Planning officers in South
:12:12. > :12:15.Gloucestershire have recommended the closure of Filton airfield. The
:12:15. > :12:18.report, which will be debated by councillors next week, suggests
:12:18. > :12:24.that two-thirds of the airfield should be used for housing, with a
:12:24. > :12:34.third set aside for business use. Our reporter, Robin Markwell, has
:12:34. > :12:37.
:12:37. > :12:41.seen the report. The report says when there's air-filled closes in
:12:41. > :12:45.December next year, it will not have a significant impact on the
:12:45. > :12:51.aviation business already here. There is no prospect of
:12:51. > :12:55.redeveloping the site as a commercial airport. It is a bitter
:12:55. > :12:59.blow to campaigners. They have been battling to keep it registered as
:12:59. > :13:09.an airfield. What to do with the real estate on the outskirts of
:13:09. > :13:09.
:13:09. > :13:15.Bristol? They are talking about 2500 homes and a heritage centre,
:13:15. > :13:19.where Concorde might find a permanent home. What happens next?
:13:19. > :13:24.Councillors will discuss this on Wednesday next week. Then it will
:13:24. > :13:33.go to a planning inspector for a final decision next April. Still a
:13:34. > :13:40.long way ahead for this crucial matter. It is an iconic side. Thank
:13:40. > :13:43.you very much indeed. The owners of empty homes are being encouraged to
:13:43. > :13:46.return their properties to a liveable condition to help tackle
:13:46. > :13:49.the housing shortage. Across the UK, more than a million houses stand
:13:49. > :13:59.empty. So, councils here in the west, are offering owners help and
:13:59. > :14:16.
:14:16. > :14:21.When is a house not a home? When it is cold, lifeless and empty.
:14:21. > :14:25.this is the living room. It is in a bit of a state. This cottage in
:14:25. > :14:33.Saltford near Bath was a home and the challenge for the owner is to
:14:33. > :14:37.make it habitable once again. But there is lots to do. The I did it
:14:37. > :14:42.is to help the earn a clear-out as much stuff as we can during this
:14:42. > :14:46.week, so that he can actually spend his time at your renovating the
:14:46. > :14:56.property and putting it back into use so that it can be occupied. At
:14:56. > :14:58.the moment it is not in a fit state to be occupied. As part of the no
:14:58. > :15:01.use empty campaign, local councils are encouraging owners to contact
:15:01. > :15:04.them. They will be offered advice on refurbishment, on renting the
:15:04. > :15:06.property out, and in this case there is practical assistance with
:15:07. > :15:16.workers from Clean Slate an organisation that helps people back
:15:16. > :15:23.into employment. There are 400 m to property is not being used. We
:15:23. > :15:26.could help people not to be homeless. -- empty. Across the UK,
:15:26. > :15:29.there are one million domestic properties that are empty and could
:15:29. > :15:32.be put back into use. But, even if every single one was converted, it
:15:33. > :15:42.would fall well short of solving our housing shortage. But it is a
:15:42. > :15:45.start - helping to transform an The good news is we are all living
:15:45. > :15:49.longer. But that is presenting a big challenge to those who look
:15:49. > :15:55.after the elderly - especially here in the West. Take, for example,
:15:55. > :15:59.west Somerset. It has got the highest proportion of older people
:15:59. > :16:02.in the country. The average age there is 52. In second place is
:16:02. > :16:05.west Dorset. That means there is a growing need for the care services
:16:05. > :16:14.provided by councils, at a time when their budgets are shrinking
:16:14. > :16:16.fast. Here's our political editor, She is one in a million and a half.
:16:16. > :16:22.Patricia Simpson-Bysman is among an ever increasing number of adults
:16:22. > :16:26.who need help. She used to teach PE but, following a stroke, even the
:16:26. > :16:36.most basic physical movement is a struggle. Carers come to her
:16:36. > :16:39.
:16:39. > :16:46.Wiltshire home four times a day. can be very humiliating. Home care
:16:46. > :16:49.is a lifeline. They are terrific people. They laugh, Joe, they know
:16:49. > :16:52.when to be serious. They do everything from buying her shopping
:16:52. > :16:55.and preparing her food to personal care such as washing. It is funded
:16:55. > :16:57.by Wiltshire Council, which has struggled to balance growing demand
:16:57. > :17:02.for adult care with shrinking budgets. These West Somerset
:17:02. > :17:06.residents hope they won't need care anytime soon. This activity session
:17:06. > :17:09.for the over 50s is part-funded by the council. It is needed. The area
:17:09. > :17:13.has the highest proportion of elderly people anywhere in the
:17:13. > :17:23.country. The councillor responsible has been to lobby the government
:17:23. > :17:24.
:17:24. > :17:29.minister for care. A group of us from the West Country did meet the
:17:29. > :17:33.minister in London. He is coming down to West Somerset to see the
:17:33. > :17:36.needs we have in this very difficult geographical area.
:17:36. > :17:46.control spending, the council has tightened its criteria for who gets
:17:46. > :17:50.help. It was not an easy decision to make. It was a fair way of
:17:50. > :17:56.distributing finances. Back in Wiltshire, lunch is being served
:17:56. > :18:03.for Patricia Simpson-Bysman. She thinks politicians should treat
:18:03. > :18:08.older folk with respect. While we may be living longer, we have paid
:18:08. > :18:12.financially. Many of us in emotions, to fund this country's welfare.
:18:12. > :18:19.Looking after her - and many others - is a growing challenge for our
:18:19. > :18:22.The magic of the FA Cup has certainly cast its spell on our
:18:22. > :18:25.sides. The third round draw has paired three of them with
:18:25. > :18:31.opposition from the premier league ensuring media attention aplenty
:18:31. > :18:33.and a significant boost to club Swindon are home to Wigan but the
:18:33. > :18:43.greatest interest is in Bristol Rovers match against Aston Villa
:18:43. > :18:46.
:18:46. > :18:52.and Cheltenham who have a trip to Two glamour ties, the very stuff
:18:52. > :18:59.for F A Cup dreams. Two different scenarios. For Cheltenham Town, a
:18:59. > :19:04.chance to play Spurs, in front of a crowd of upwards of 35,000. For
:19:04. > :19:08.Bristol Rovers, it is a home tie against Aston Villa. The chance to
:19:08. > :19:12.get a Premier League outfit and the chance to offer them some West
:19:12. > :19:16.Country hospitality. Aston Villa were not be looking forward to
:19:16. > :19:20.paying a visit. Yesterday, Rovers were the cup giants. The cameras
:19:20. > :19:30.were there to see them slain but no chance as they won 6-1. Next time
:19:30. > :19:33.
:19:33. > :19:40.It is a nice feeling. There is no pressure on you. They were never
:19:40. > :19:45.have to be at their best to beat us. We had to be at our best against
:19:45. > :19:48.Corby. We have earned the right. The players have done great.
:19:48. > :19:52.Cheltenham's day of glory was harder earned with a 4-3 win at
:19:52. > :19:55.Luton. But, with the ink barely dry on the score sheet, the board met
:19:55. > :19:58.this morning trying to make the most of their tie against Spurs.
:19:58. > :20:01.They have already made more than �65,000 from their cup run and
:20:01. > :20:11.Spurs' match will earn them more than �100,000 from gate receipts
:20:11. > :20:12.
:20:12. > :20:17.It is massive in the town. The whole profile of Cheltenham is huge.
:20:17. > :20:21.It will be great for businesses and sponsorship. It will be a good
:20:21. > :20:25.fillip for the town. Going to White Hart Lane and playing Spurs is
:20:25. > :20:28.absolutely a dream. Rovers have struggled to sell their corporate
:20:28. > :20:31.packages this season. This morning, the phone has been ringing off the
:20:31. > :20:34.hook with all deals for the day gone. They now wait to hear if the
:20:34. > :20:44.magic of the cup will extend to live television coverage, bringing
:20:44. > :20:56.
:20:56. > :20:59.a new dawn, and a season-altering Now, if you watched TV at any point
:20:59. > :21:02.in the 80s, you would have struggled to miss him. David
:21:02. > :21:05.Hasselhoff - star of long-running classics like Baywatch and Knight
:21:05. > :21:08.Rider - is now gracing the stage here in Bristol. He is playing
:21:08. > :21:11.Captain Hook in a new production of Peter Pan opening later this month
:21:11. > :21:14.at the Hippodrome. Well, earlier, Ali managed to control her
:21:14. > :21:20.excitement to introduce the Hoff to a group of students from Weston
:21:20. > :21:26.Super Mare. It is lovely to have you in the studio. Nice to see you.
:21:26. > :21:35.I am surplus to requirement. We have some best interviewers. Fire
:21:35. > :21:39.away! Bravo! Which you ever go back to Baywatch? Would I go back to
:21:39. > :21:47.Baywatch? They are making a bay watch movie now. I do not think
:21:47. > :21:51.they want me in it. I might to a cameo. Someone else would pay him -
:21:51. > :22:00.- play my character. All of us are so cold we probably would have to
:22:00. > :22:05.run down the beach really in slow motion. What is your name? Reece.
:22:05. > :22:11.If Knight Rider were to return, do you think it would enjoy the same
:22:11. > :22:16.success? They make the big mistake trying to recreate shows by
:22:16. > :22:22.recasting them and making them totally different. Those days were
:22:22. > :22:26.a really special. Knight Rider was release special. One man can make a
:22:26. > :22:32.difference was the theme. If you can make a difference first you
:22:32. > :22:37.must make a difference in your own life. It was not about taking lives.
:22:37. > :22:42.The car was or was programmed to save lives. Would you ever
:22:42. > :22:48.considered the launching of pop career it in the UK? That is a
:22:48. > :22:54.funny question. I am doing that right now. I'm going on tour on the
:22:54. > :22:57.23rd. It starts off with very romantic movement -- music with
:22:57. > :23:03.West End musicals like Jekyll-and- Hyde from Broadway. I'm doing
:23:03. > :23:09.beautiful ballads like and dress the cherry. Then ago into crazy
:23:09. > :23:15.stuff. I found a new writer I am writing with. When I go back now,
:23:15. > :23:22.everyone wants to jump in my car and they want to hear the theme
:23:22. > :23:28.from Baywatch. People come dressed up as me. Not like 10, almost all
:23:28. > :23:32.of them come dressed up as me. It is really surreal. How do starring
:23:32. > :23:42.in the breast of pantomime compare with being a judge on Britain's Got
:23:42. > :23:43.
:23:43. > :23:51.Talent? -- Bristol. The first show I ever did was Peter Pan. I am now
:23:51. > :23:55.in my 50s. 50 years later, I am doing Peter Pan again. On stage is
:23:55. > :24:00.magic. If you ever get a chance to beat in the show or beat in the
:24:01. > :24:08.theatre, you must do it. You cry should all come backstage for the
:24:08. > :24:17.big new talk. -- you guys. That is the great offer. Are you going to
:24:17. > :24:26.be really tough? No. I am fun. I want to take you home. Thank you
:24:26. > :24:33.very much indeed for joining Bass. Good job. He is very tall, isn't
:24:33. > :24:40.he? The teachers were absolutely thrilled. They were as thrilled as
:24:40. > :24:44.the kids. Thanks again to the students, standing in and doing
:24:44. > :24:47.something to doing for us. A winner has been announced for the 2011
:24:47. > :24:50.Turnip Prize, the annual send-up of the more prestigious Turner Prize
:24:50. > :24:54.for art. The turnip has been awarded to this entry, entitled
:24:54. > :24:57.Jamming With Muddy Waters. The New Inn at Wedmore in Somerset which
:24:57. > :25:07.runs the contest every year gives the award to the entry showing the
:25:07. > :25:12.
:25:12. > :25:22.I think it was a well deserved winner. Now for the weather. Our
:25:22. > :25:25.
:25:25. > :25:30.I never used to watch Knight Rider. I did used to watch Baywatch. As
:25:30. > :25:35.for the weather, it is a similar story for Tamara. Where there have
:25:36. > :25:39.been showers today, there will be some tomorrow. For some of us,
:25:39. > :25:45.there will be some reasonable sunshine. Some of you will be
:25:45. > :25:53.dodging showers. Tomorrow, very little change. This West to the
:25:53. > :25:59.float is with us. Bringing showers from time to time. -- westerly. On
:25:59. > :26:04.Thursday, it looks like it will be milder, wetter and cloudier. The
:26:04. > :26:09.showers are packed into southern Somerset especially. The sea
:26:09. > :26:13.temperatures about 13 Celsius. Positively barmy. The showers are
:26:13. > :26:22.coming into this particular area. In Gloucestershire, you have had
:26:22. > :26:27.very little in the wake of showers. -- way. The showers continue to
:26:27. > :26:32.packing across parts of west Somerset, into some central
:26:32. > :26:37.districts. We have had some hail as well. That is how they continue
:26:37. > :26:41.overnight with interludes of drier weather. The best of the drier
:26:41. > :26:46.weather is in the north. We get down pretty close to freezing in
:26:47. > :26:50.parts of Gloucestershire. Not far off that as you come further south.
:26:51. > :26:59.On the coastal fringes you will continue with the breeze of the
:26:59. > :27:04.Bristol Channel. The showers earlier and further north it is a
:27:04. > :27:11.drier picture. Here will be the best of the sunshine. Clout tending
:27:11. > :27:16.to build later in the day and showers as well. -- cloud. Into the
:27:16. > :27:21.evening most of the showers will go, with the exception of some into the
:27:21. > :27:27.far west. Looking beyond that, Wednesday should be a dry and
:27:27. > :27:33.bright day for us all. There will be sheltered from the shires. With
:27:33. > :27:38.the wind front coming through, it will be wetter and milder tomorrow.