18/09/2014 BBC Points West


18/09/2014

Similar Content

Browse content similar to 18/09/2014. Check below for episodes and series from the same categories and more!

Transcript


LineFromTo

A group of women who cheated thousands out of their savings have

:00:09.:00:14.

been exposed as the mastermhnds of a scam which left families in ruins.

:00:15.:00:18.

They ran what is known as a pyramid scheme.

:00:19.:00:21.

Steve Brodie has been following the case for two xears.

:00:22.:00:26.

A meeting secretly filmed bx Inside Out West where those invited think

:00:27.:00:29.

It's people introducing fridnds and family...

:00:30.:00:34.

The spoils enjoyed by some were used to recruit new members,

:00:35.:00:41.

There was no way I was going to lose.

:00:42.:00:51.

I was told it was backed by major solicitors

:00:52.:00:53.

Give and Take took in 10,000 people, most of whom lost their mondy.

:00:54.:01:05.

So how do pyramid schemes work and why are they a scam?

:01:06.:01:12.

Everybody who joins the schdme has to recruit two more people.

:01:13.:01:19.

They need 14 investors below them to fill the pyralid to

:01:20.:01:25.

But the pool for new recruits quickly evaporates.

:01:26.:01:32.

By the time we have got down to the 10th row,

:01:33.:01:35.

It is a scam because if I kdep doubling the numbers, eventtally I

:01:36.:01:44.

will get to a number which hs bigger than the entire world popul`tion.

:01:45.:01:49.

Early on, it is still small enough th`t you

:01:50.:01:52.

can get enough people to recruit and you can get the money ott.

:01:53.:01:55.

But at some point you just run out of people that are gullhble

:01:56.:01:58.

So the then Office of Fair Trading brought prosecutions against 11

:01:59.:02:04.

women, using new legislation targeting pyramid schemes

:02:05.:02:08.

for the first time, because it is illegal to promote or operate one.

:02:09.:02:14.

In a trial two years ago th`t we can only now report, Laura Fox,

:02:15.:02:22.

the chairman of G, was jailed for nine months, as was

:02:23.:02:25.

treasurer Jennifer Smith`Haxes and venue organiser Carol Chalmers.

:02:26.:02:27.

And another woman, Sally Phhllips, was handed a suspended sentdnce

:02:28.:02:30.

And in a trial last year, two women, Rita Lomas and Jane Smith, `dmitted

:02:31.:02:33.

promoting Give Take, whild Rhalina Yuil was cleared of the samd charge.

:02:34.:02:39.

Three more women eventually pleaded guilty to operating

:02:40.:02:41.

Hazel Cameron refused to colment as she left court, as did Susan Crane.

:02:42.:02:47.

But Mary Nash did apologise to her many victims.

:02:48.:02:51.

A salutary lesson to those thinking of getting involved in the future.

:02:52.:03:01.

Well, I spoke to Gary Brackdn from the Competition and

:03:02.:03:04.

Markets Authority, which replaced the Office of Fair Trading,

:03:05.:03:06.

and asked whether any of thd victims will get their monex back.

:03:07.:03:11.

We only have partial records of the people that particip`ted

:03:12.:03:16.

We don't know how much they invested and when.

:03:17.:03:20.

The courts are very unlikelx to make orders in that respect without full

:03:21.:03:23.

details, so I'm afraid that is unlikdly.

:03:24.:03:25.

Are you happy with the sentdnces? We're very happy.

:03:26.:03:31.

We have tested the legislathon and proved that pyramid schdmes are

:03:32.:03:33.

illegal under the consumer regulations.

:03:34.:03:36.

We have also sent a strong message to those that might

:03:37.:03:38.

want to establish or operatd such a scheme, that they risk a criminal

:03:39.:03:42.

And for those that might consider joining such a scheme, hopefully it

:03:43.:03:51.

also sends a message, that they would be able to research and find,

:03:52.:03:55.

that these schemes are illegal and they

:03:56.:03:57.

are best to stay clear of them.

:03:58.:03:59.

So, with this kind of legislation, are we unlikely to see thesd kind

:04:00.:04:02.

I don't think there is any guarantees but hopefully with the

:04:03.:04:06.

research that people can do, they will find that any scheme rdally

:04:07.:04:09.

where you are primarily recdiving money from those who are also

:04:10.:04:11.

investing in the scheme, and there are no products or goods

:04:12.:04:14.

or services involved, it is highly likely to be a pyramid schele.

:04:15.:04:17.

And that those pyramid scheles are now illegal under

:04:18.:04:19.

Psychiatric patients in the West may have been ptt

:04:20.:04:28.

at risk because of staff shortages, according to a report by thd

:04:29.:04:31.

The Avon and Wiltshire Ment`l Health Partnership has been told it must

:04:32.:04:35.

Kate Brett says if it wasn't for her husband's support,

:04:36.:04:43.

Her lowest point was just before Christmas when she r`ng staff

:04:44.:04:49.

I said to them, I can't copd any more, I just want to die, I need

:04:50.:04:55.

And they said, your appointment is in two weeks.

:04:56.:04:59.

We believe you can wait that long, you are not urgent.

:05:00.:05:02.

No. And then they hung up on me.

:05:03.:05:10.

According to a report today into the trust that's in ch`rge

:05:11.:05:13.

of Kate's care, many other patients may have been put at risk.

:05:14.:05:16.

An inspection in June by thd CQC found that wards,

:05:17.:05:18.

including this medium securd unit, were poorly staffed.

:05:19.:05:21.

And patients were not being assessed.

:05:22.:05:23.

Earlier this year an inquest found James Pollard killed him

:05:24.:05:28.

self here using the lead from his CD player, and staff neglect h`d

:05:29.:05:31.

Since then, three other pathents have hanged themselves.

:05:32.:05:39.

You say staffing levels are safe, but on two occasions,

:05:40.:05:41.

no doctor was able to see p`tients who were admitted, and they have to

:05:42.:05:45.

be seen by a psychiatrist when they are admitted.

:05:46.:05:47.

We have got significant staffing challenges and I don't underestimate

:05:48.:05:51.

The report doesn't read easx, but there are some real positivd in it.

:05:52.:06:00.

While the CQC found staff to be c`ring

:06:01.:06:02.

and under good leadership, they are demanding 30 urgent improvelents.

:06:03.:06:07.

The trust are talking to thd local NHS to try to secure more ftnding.

:06:08.:06:11.

If they fail to make these improvements they could facd

:06:12.:06:14.

But I'll leave you with Ian, who has the latest on thunddrstorms

:06:15.:06:28.

Let me give you a taster, Shmon Ward shot this incredible flash,

:06:29.:06:40.

lightning crawling across the cloud. That is just one of lany that

:06:41.:06:48.

we have at the moment. In Trowbridge and Bath you can well attest to the

:06:49.:06:53.

merits behind this warning, which will continue tonight and into

:06:54.:06:56.

tomorrow, a threat of torrential downpours, lightning and local

:06:57.:07:02.

flooding. We will continue with some of these overnight and some still

:07:03.:07:06.

around tomorrow morning, a lot of low cloud. A very mild night, 1 or

:07:07.:07:12.

17 Celsius. It will dry out and tend to brighten up. As we get stnshine

:07:13.:07:17.

trying to break through, th`t will fire up some further storms in

:07:18.:07:20.

places. Not everywhere, somd of you will avoid them and some of you will

:07:21.:07:24.

have a reasonable day in thd sunshine. Certainly a very warm day,

:07:25.:07:26.

maybe as high as 25 Celsius. Further 21 degrees. Possibly a better day by

:07:27.:07:30.

Sunday. Hello, you know when you get

:07:31.:07:40.

temperatures in the mid-20s at this time of year that we are on borrowed

:07:41.:07:45.

time. By the weekend, we will not be getting 26 Celsius like today. But

:07:46.:07:53.

by the weekend, we're not going to have the low cloud we have had in

:07:54.:07:56.

Edinburgh throughout the week holding the temperature down, so

:07:57.:08:00.

there are some changes on the way. Right now, the warm muggy air has

:08:01.:08:04.

been triggering thunderstorms across the south of the UK. Bristol and

:08:05.:08:10.

Cardiff, and other areas heading towards the south coast. Southern

:08:11.:08:16.

England, the Midlands and Wales as the night goes on, some torrential

:08:17.:08:17.

Download Subtitles

SRT

ASS