08/06/2017 BBC Wales Today

and on BBC One we now join the BBC's news teams where you are.

A drugs gang is jailed after killing a rival dealer.

The judge describes the attack as swift, savage and terrifying -

They preyed on the vulnerable in that community and when a feud broke

out resorted to horrific means. A teacher from Bridgend appears

before a disciplinary panel - accused of having sex with a pupil

on a school trip, after The mega-dairy near Carmarthen -

fined more than ?30,000 And almost half of male voice choirs

in Wales tell us they're worried about the future -

and recruiting members can be You have taken the choir to the

people, how much success of you had? Number.

without Gareth Bale - as they aim to boost their World Cup

hopes in Sunday's key qualifier against Serbia.

Four drug dealers have been jailed tonight for killing a rival

Mark Mason died in October last year after he was stabbed 22

The judge described it as a 'swift, savage and terrifying attack -

Two men were given life sentences for his murder, two others

Matthew Richards is at Mold Crown Court for us tonight.

The court heard how the 48-year-old father-of-two died

rapidly after two main arteries were ruptured during

The drug gang had been seeking revenge,

after being chased away from an area of Rhyl by masked

Mark Mason had been one of their customers but said he would stop

them because he was now working for a rival gang. Two of the dealers,

James Davis and Jake Melia were chased. Security camera showed two

men running. They told Anthony Baines and Mark Ennis what had

happened. The men forced the van to stop at the supermarket car park is

started a knife attack. Mark Mason died in the passenger seat,

suffering stab wounds. It was so quick, he was still wearing his seat

belt. James Davies was jailed for life with a minimum term of 25

years. The court heard he became a father the day before his

conviction. Jake Melia must serve 22 and a half years of his life

sentence. The other two men were also sentenced. They preyed on the

vulnerable living in Mac community. When a feud broke out they were

prepared to resort to these means to maintain that in the community of

Rhyl. The judge said it was swift and a savage and terrifying attack.

Mark Mason was described by his daughter as somebody who was lost in

addiction. He had been clean 14 years but resumed drugs used in the

two years before his death. He wanted to build bridges. The men who

robbed him of that chance are now behind bars. The attack happened

outside a supermarket at 7:30pm in front of witnesses who heard shouts

of stab him and kill him. The judge heard that James Davies was

responsible for the majority of the injuries and he was 20 at the time

of the attack. His newborn son will be 25 years old before his father is

even eligible for parole. A secondary school teacher

from Bridgend has appeared before a disciplinary panel -

accused of having sex with a pupil on a school trip,

after a night drinking with her. The teacher denies those

allegations, but admits he spent the evening

with her in the hotel bar. A panel from the Education Workforce

Council must now decide whether his actions amount

to unacceptable From the hearing in Cardiff

here's Nick Palit. The hearing of the education

workforce council is being held at this central Cardiff hotel and the

panel heard how a teacher at a comprehensive School in Bridgend is

facing a number of allegations concerning his behaviour during a

school trip and they have to decide whether it is unacceptable

professional conduct. It is alleged on the last might of the trip the

teacher and girl, over 16, were in the bar until the early hours,

drinking alcohol. The girl, who cannot be named, was referred to as

people A. The tribunal heard another teacher described how he was woken

up when his colleague returned to their room at 6am and told him he

had just had sex with people A. -- pupil A. He said his roommate was

boastful and said the girl was a willing participant and they had

gone to the basement to avoid CCTV. However the teacher told the panel

it was banter, mail bravado. He denied having sex or even drinking

with pupil A. Figures obtained by BBC Wales show

that Carmarthenshire council used almost ?30,000 of

taxpayers' money to fund Chief executive Mark James pursued

a counterclaim against blogger Jacqui Thompson for defamatory

remarks she posted online in 2011. He won ?25,000 in

compensation but hasn't repaid any of the money -

despite the Wales Audit Office finding the authority's pledge

to cover his legal fees The council said its position has

been well documented and it has nothing further to add.

People across Wales have been voting in the general election.

Forty MPs will be elected in Wales - with a total of 213

Party leaders have been casting their votes too.

Welsh Labour leader Carwyn Jones was at his local polling

station this morning, while Plaid Cymru leader Leanne Wood

Leader of the Welsh Liberal Democrats Mark Williams

Leader of the Welsh Conservatives Andrew RT Davies

and Ukip's Caroline Jones also voted this morning.

The polling stations are open until ten o'clock tonight.

And as the votes are counted and the results come in -

BBC Wales will bring you all the latest

Here's Bethan Rhys Roberts with more on tonight's

Throughout the day voters in Wales and the UK have been having their

say. When the polls close, BBC Wales will bring comprehensive coverage of

the results as they come in on television, radio, online and on

your mobile. A panel of politicians and experts will be with me in the

studio and we will have reporters at every count in the country as the

picture of who will form the next Westminster government becomes

clear. Join us for election 2017 Wales tonight from 9:55pm on BBC One

Wales and BBC Radio Wales. A dairy will have to pay costs

totalling ?44,000 after slurry leaked into a stream. It is one of

the biggest dairy farms in Wales. The company that runs it said heavy

rainfall has contributed to the problem. Mega dairies are a

controversial development. Here, 1900 cows spent most of their lives

indoors. Although welfare standards are high, dealing with the waste of

the animals presents problems. Between December 2015 March 2016

slurry flowed into a nearby stream. Readings taken after the incident

showed a significant impact on water quality. One of the owners was in

court as the company pleaded guilty to six breaches of environmental

regulations. The judge said the incident had a serious impact on the

watercourses around the farm. He ordered the farm to pay fines and

costs totalling ?44,500. The firm's solicitor said unprecedented

rainfall has contributed to the problem and it was a well-run farm.

At that time it was the highest rainfall seed in the UK in over a

century and that was reflected in the level of sentencing. It showed

some degree of sympathy with the battle the farmer was having at that

time, as many did, to deal with conditions of a level not seen in a

generation. Natural Resources Wales said the increasing size of dairy

herds is a concern but farmers must plan for the future. If they think

about increasing the size of the heard, they have to look at what

they have got. Often there is investment around farm buildings but

at times it can mean the slurry handling facilities are the last

thing to be considered. It is looking at those considering those.

The farm will have nine months to pay the fines and costs but the

question about the impact of huge dairy farms is sure to continue.

They're in fine voice - but almost half of male voice choirs

in Wales say they're worried about the future.

And left a bit - a statue of Pembroke's most famous son

is lowered into place - as the town looks to celebrate it's

is lowered into place - as the town looks to celebrate its

Virtual reality - or VR - is traditionally used

But with the cost of it coming down some of Wales' biggest companies

are turning to the technology to see how it can benefit their business.

Brian Meechan has been finding out more.

It could be the future when it comes to buying a house.

No more traipsing around properties, only to discover all

the flaws that were missing from the estate agent's photos.

So you're able to look up, down, left, right,

This estate agent is one of the first in Wales to introduce

It gives you a 360 degrees view of the actual house,

which doesn't allow much to be hidden.

It has seen increased offers from viewings and even people

making offers from abroad, after taking a VR tour.

The goggles are gimmicky, but what the goggles show

and replicate and with the desktop and mobile stuff, it is fantastic

and it is about giving the client more than a high street

or online market, so we have to move because

It is not just small businesses that are looking for a boost from VR.

BT has introduced it as part of its recruitment process,

including letting applicants see whether they are cut out

for engineering work at the top of telegraph poles.

It means there are no surprises further down the line,

so we don't get people dropping out, people unhappy in their work

and sticking with a job they are really not comfortable doing.

Costs of VR are coming down. Ordinary mobile phones can now be

attached inside headsets that are cheap to buy.

BT plans to roll out the technology to help train its workers.

It is very similar to the real thing.

It gives you a good insight into what the job entails.

Rather than just watching videos, you can see what your day-to-day

Another big company is already adapting

the technology to its needs, but on a different scale.

Here at Welsh Water, they are taking virtual reality

This site, which has been operating for 18 months,

is called the Igloo and it allows a team of people to work together,

including engineers and designers, working on actual buildings

in what will be their actual locations.

The Igloo has paid for itself on its first scheme.

A ?32 million water treatment works in Conwy.

It is now being used on 50 other projects.

What it effectively allows is to take a two-dimensional plan,

converted into a three dimensional virtual model,

which enables our operators and engineers to walk

They can refine its health and safety, its operability,

but we can also rehearse our builds, so we can reduce our cost to build.

We are seeing significant savings from using the technology.

So it looks like VR could increasingly become a reality both

People with Parkinson's Disease who've have taken part

in an innovative speech therapy course in north east Wales

say it's helped them to make themselves heard again.

The technique, developed in the United States,

focuses on increasing how loudly people talk, giving those whose

voices have become soft or slurred, the confidence to talk.

We get people with Parkinson's to pay conscious attention

to certain aspects of their speech, then we can improve

Research over the last 20 years or so has shown that if we focus

on increasing volume, then people's speech

Nearly half of Welsh male voice choirs say they're

That's according to research carried out by BBC Wales.

The survey of more than one hundred choirs, also suggests many have

A male voice choir, but not as you know it.

A total departure from what we normally do.

Singing male voice choir along with a rock band.

That's been on the Radio One playlist for several weeks.

I think we have a duty to show what a male voice

But it is just the most recent example of doing

The choir starred in a documentary about Welsh male voice

choirs a few years ago, which was made by a local film-maker

and backed by the likes of Hollywood actor Michael Sheen and hundreds

Publicity brought new members optimism, security.

The custom-built choir hall is testament to the success

Bill Nash has been coming here from Bristol twice

Despite a determined recruitment drive.

They have tried thousands of flyers, posters, and even moving

You have taken the choir to the people?

If the choir goes, it could have a big effect on the lives

They just sit in the house, they watch television.

So they get up every Monday and Thursday and come here.

It is somewhere to go, something to do.

We asked over 100 Welsh male voice choirs how they were doing.

Nearly half said they were concerned about the future.

A similar proportion said they had fewer members than a decade ago.

In many ways it has been a barometer of Wales' economic health

The repertoire has changed, the composition of the choirs has

Much like the communities they live in, which have had to change

I think it is a good sign that choirs are not complacent,

to be concerned I think is a healthy trend.

And in this village in Gwynnedd, one of the newest Male

Just a few months old, no one here is over the age of 30.

We started mainly with young families' competition.

A few of the lads enjoyed it and carried on.

There are mixed fortunes across the country, but also

a determination to change and to survive.

Time for tonight's sport, Claire is here with all the latest.

Wales are making final preparations before they fly

out to Serbia for their World Cup qualifier on Sunday.

It's a huge game - star player Gareth Bale may be

missing, but his team-mates say they can cope without him,

as they aim to go all out against the group leaders.

They have come a long way since their last visit to Serbia.

It resulted in a humiliating 6-1 defeat and ended hopes

But five years on, Wales are a different outfit,

even without star man Gareth Bale, who has been suspended,

the players say they believe they are capable of winning

He is key to us, he is a world-class player, but, one of the main

qualities of this group is that we are all about teamwork,

we are all about resilience and we see it as a chance to sort

We are confident we will still have enough in the squad to go out

Also missing for the trip to Belgrade will be Liverpool's

He has pulled out today because of a calf injury.

Serbia are Group D leaders with the Republic of

Wales are in third after a series of draws.

Four points behind, with five qualifying games remaining.

I think we've been unfortunate and obviously some people may say

maybe the lads have taken the foot off the gas, or whatever,

but I can say that is definitely not the case.

The boys have still got the same togetherness, same team spirit,

same quality on the pitch, but sometimes this is football

and we've just got to keep working to get where we know we can be.

As for the manager himself, he has a contract with Wales

until after the World Cup, but he has hinted he could

walk away if Wales lose ground in qualification.

He is returning this weekend to a country

where he suffered the lowest point of his managerial career.

He now says that defeat was the catalyst for their success.

This weekend, we can see just how far they've come.

A good result for Wales women, beating Portugal 2-1 in a friendly.

Rugby. Alun Wyn Jones will captain

the British and Irish Lions against the Crusaders

in Christchurch on Saturday. He's one of five Welshmen

in the starting XV, along with Liam Williams,

Rhys Webb and Taulupe Faletau. Jonathan Davies and George North

will make making their first Rhys Webb and Ken Owens

are on the bench. It's a tough test and I think,

for us, they are the form team in Super Rugby at the moment,

but we need to make sure Obviously came into camp

late and just excited to get out there now and,

you know, get on the field and hopefully we can put a good

performance together. Wales U20's beat Samoa 54-20

at the World Championships in Tiblisi today, meanwhile -

Wales have left for New Zealand The 32-man squad, which contains

13 uncapped players, will play Tonga on 16th June

and Samoa on 23rd. Jamie Roberts will captain the side

and tour coach Robin McBryde says it's a good mix of experience

and youth. Well players will have been keeping

a close eye on the draws for next the Ospreys have been drawn

against champions Saracens and runners up Clermont

along with former winners The Scarlets will play Toulon

for the second year running as well as Bath and Benetton

Treviso. In the Challenge Cup - the Blues

are in a tough pool with Sale - The Dragons have been

drawn with Newcastle - That's it from me -

enjoy your evening. Now could Pembroke soon join

Buckingham Palace and Windsor Castle The town will unveil a new statue

of Henry VII this weekend - the Welshman who seized the crown

and put arguably the most famous royal dynasty of all time

on the English throne He's not without recognition

in his home town of Pembroke. The road sign, the bench,

the stained glass window at the 8ft high statue of Henry VII

arrived on the back of a lorry It costs ?40,000 and was cast in

bronze. This model gives a sneak preview. Really nerve-racking. I

only saw the finished bronze two days ago. And everything changes so

much. Translation of materials. I think he looks handsome, and I think

he was when he arrived to claim his crown.

Henry VII - or Henry Tudor - was born

Events have taken place in the past at the Castle to commemorate him.

It was Henry VII who defeated Richard III

at the Battle of Bosworth - and went on to found one

of the greatest ever royal dynasties.

His site was Henry VIII whose daughter was Elizabeth the first.

of Richard III's remains and his reburial two years ago,

campaigners in Pembroke felt Henry VII was left forgottten.

This outpouring of enthusiasm about Richard III. And I went up to

Leicester and you almost felt you were in the enemy camp and Henry was

vilified. I thought, that is not right. History is being rewritten,

let stand up for our king. Just over 100,000 visitors a year

flock to Pembroke Castle to see the rooms where Henry VII was born

and raised, locals hope along with the statue,

in future a visitor centre could encourage even more

to come and learn about Type to the weather. After heavy

rain a mix of showers with some sunny spells tomorrow. The pressure

chart shows the front that brought the heavy rain and this will bring

showers overnight and then high pressure builds most of tomorrow.

This evening, becoming drier, but overnight, further showers pushing

in from the west. The cloud should hold up and temperatures remaining

in double figures. Early showers to start tomorrow and then turning

brighter. Any showers becoming lighter and less frequent tomorrow.

In the afternoon sunshine, feeling mild. It is a brief respite. The

chart showing a frontal system pushing in from the Atlantic and

turning wet and windy overnight Friday. Tomorrow evening starts dry,

but the heavy rain pushing in from the south-west and brisk southerly

winds picking up. Remaining mild overnight. Saturday starts wet and

windy and staying that way much of the morning. Rain slowly clearing

from the west to leave sunshine and showers. Brisk south-westerly wind,

but also a warm direction. Feeling really quite humid on Saturday.

Temperatures in the high teens, possibly low 20s. Sunday is looking

better. The chance of showers. Blustery along the coast. Generally

drier and brighter than Saturday with sunny spells and feeling warm

again. As we look into next week, the sign of things settling with

high pressure building from the south-west and drawing up warmer

air. Unsettled this week with sunshine and showers tomorrow and

heavy rain overnight into Saturday. Sunday bringing generally drier

weather and looking more settled as high pressure builds next week. The

weather watcher pictures. Rain clouds clearing. Also fit cloud

after the recent rain this week. If you would like to be a weather

watcher you can sign and upload pictures on the website Lucy.

Four drug dealers have been jailed for killing

Mark Mason died in October last year after he was stabbed 22

times in a car park - in what the judge called a swift,

And people here and across the UK have been casting their votes

Forty MPs will be elected in Wales - with a total of 213

The polling stations are open until ten o'clock tonight -

when the task of counting ballots - including thousands

Most results are expected to be announced in the early hours

Our election coverage starts on BBC One Wales at 9:55pm stop live with

all the results as they happen. A special programme. I will be back

with an update at 8pm. Goodbye.