20/12/2017 Breakfast

Hello, this is Breakfast,

with Charlie Stayt and Naga

Munchetty.

Scotland Yard launches a review

of all its sex crime

investigations after the collapse

of two rape prosecutions

in one week.

The Metropolitan Police

confirms the same detective

was involved in both cases

and begins re-examining the way

it handles evidence.

Good morning, it's Wednesday

the 20th of December.

Also this morning:

The start of a 20-year jail sentence

for the man who threw acid

across a packed London nightclub

injuring 22 people.

Victims told the court

how his actions have

changed their lives.

It's just very hard to deal with,

you just try and carry on like

normal because I know I'm never

going to be the same girl that,

like, walked into Mangle that night.

More than 9,000 people are sleeping

rough on the streets of England.

MPs describe the situation

as a national crisis.

It's been quite the year

for the airlines industry,

with strikes and

businesses going bust.

This morning I'm looking

at whether passengers' rights

are protected enough

when things go wrong.

In sport, Bravo for Manchester City,

the keeper saves the penalty that

takes them into the semi-finals

of the League Cup.

And Carol has the weather.

Could singing help mums combat

post-natal depression?

New research suggests it

could be an effective

alternative to medicine.

And Carol has the weather.

Good morning from the roof of New

Broadcasting House in London, where

it's fairly drizzly. The forecast

for many today is cloudy, some fog,

especially in the south, which is

dense and a weather front in

Scotland and Northern Ireland

producing some rain as it continues

to sink south. But behind that,

brighter skies Mawae. More details,

though, in 15 minutes -- brighter

skies on the way.

Good morning.

First, our main story.

The Metropolitan Police is launching

a review of all its current sex

offence investigations

after the collapse of a second rape

case in a week.

Scotland Yard says

that in both cases,

the same officer failed to disclose

evidence useful to the defence

during the early

stages of the inquiry.

Our reporter Keith Doyle has more.

The rape case against 22-year-old

Liam Allen collapsed last week after

it emerged Baikal evidence that

helped his case had not been

released by the prosecution. For two

years he faced a trial that ended

only after thousands of texts the

prosecution had from his accuser

were finally disclosed.

No one was

really investigating, how can we

show he was innocent? People were

investigating, how can we prove he's

guilty instead and maybe that was

what was wrong.

Under the British legal system the

prosecution must hand over any

evidence it holds that may help a

person on trial. Now a second case,

that of 22-year-old Isaac, who was

charged with rape and other sexual

offences, has collapsed for similar

reasons. As a result Scotland Yard

has said it's reviewing every

current sex crime case. In a

statement it said:

It's also emerged that the same

detective is involved in both cases

and is still working on full duty in

the Met's sexual offences

investigation unit. It's not known

exactly how many cases are being

reviewed. Keith Doyle, BBC News.

A man who threw acid over people in

a crowded nightclub in London in

April has been jailed for 20 years.

25-year-old Arthur Collins injured

22 people at the venue in east

London. The judge called his actions

deliberate and calculated. Some of

the victims were temporarily

blinded, others were left with

permanent scars. Tom Burrage

reports.

Acid hurled across a

crowded dance floor.

Look closer on the CCTV and you can

see Arthur Collins' arm throwing

the liquid a second

and a third time.

Young people, like Lauren Trent,

suffered severe burns

and scars for life.

I think that night I just

remembered the sheer panic.

The fear, the pain, more

importantly, the pain.

The smell, the smell

of the chemicals

and your skin blistering,

and there's absolutely

nothing you can do about it.

I remember looking at the police

officers and the people around us at

the time when they arrived. Was

almost, like, disbelief that

something like this had happened in

a nightclub.

Collins had caused

severe burns to 14 people. His

actions in the Mangle nightclub has

caused physical and mental scars.

When you are out and someone

splashes a drink on you it causes

problems. I know I will never be the

girl that went into Mangle Matt

Knight.

Earlier that evening Collins argued

with two of his victims, but the

judge said his indiscriminate

attack, which affected so many young

people, was unprovoked. He sentenced

him to 20 years.

It sends out the right message that

it will not be tolerated, it will

not be tolerated by the criminal

justice system. Anyone carrying acid

needs to look at the offence and be

aware that a strong sentence will be

passed.

Collins showed no Morse in court for

what was described as despicable

act. -- remorse. One of his victims

said her old life had been taken

from her on that night. Tom

Burridge, BBC News.

The government is being accused

of abject failure in its attempt

to tackle homelessness in England.

A damning report by

the all-party Public Accounts

Committee says the issue has

become a national crisis.

However, the government says it's

investing more than £1 billion

pounds to reduce homelessness

and rough sleeping, alongside

new legislation to ensure people get

support more quickly.

Andy Moore reports.

This report says the problem of

homelessness has been growing for

years, with a number of people in

short-term accommodation up by 60%

since 2010. The MPs say there is an

unacceptable shortage of realistic

housing options. There are estimated

to be 9000 people sleeping rough on

the streets every night, that's more

than doubled the number in 2011.

There are a further 78,000 families

living in temporary accommodation,

often of a poor standard, and that

includes 120,000 children. The

committee has described the

situation as shameful. It's called

on the government to focus on the

supply and affordability of decent

housing.

You need to stop being

complacent about this. It is not

enough also to just throw money at

it, it needs to be money that is

fixing the core root of the problem,

that looks at why people are

homeless in the first place.

Critically you need to be building

more houses, yes, but they need to

be truly affordable houses.

The committee now wants the

government to come up with a

strategy for tackling the issue by

the middle of next year. Labour said

this report showed the Conservatives

had caused the crisis of rapidly

rising homelessness but had no plans

to fix it. The government said

homelessness was a complex problem

and it was providing over £1 billion

over the next few years to help deal

with the issue. Andy Moore, BBC

News.

Police will continue

searching two properties,

including a community centre,

this morning, following anti-terror

raids in Sheffield and Chesterfield.

four men have been arrested and held

over an alleged Islamist

terror plot that officers say

could have been carried out this

Christmas.

People forced to evacuate

their homes to allow the bomb squad

to investigate have now

been allowed to return.

Local authorities in England will be

able to increase council tax by just

under 6% next year

without triggering a local

referendum.

The move would add about £95

to the average annual bill

for a Band D property.

Currently a raise of 5% or more must

be put to local voters.

Ministers say it will ease

pressure on local services.

The Local Government Association

says councils will still be

at financial breaking point.

The BBC is to broaden its coverage

of religions, devoting more time

to non-Christian faiths.

The decision follows a review

of the corporation's output

in response to claims it was out

of step with its audience.

Here's more from our media

correspondent, David Sillito.

For some it's the best part of the

BBC's output but new research has

also shown the traditional religious

programmes are, for large parts of

the audience, Ernest, worthy and a

TV turnoff.

Welcome to...

There's

also concern that too often

religious on TV is reduced to an

argument or a debate. The once more

stories about real people's lives

and their faith and less studio

based confrontation.

You going to

come and see?

Going to be in it

later.

There will be more religion

reflected in mainstream programming.

It's all part of a review as to how

the BBC treats religion after

criticism it was out of step with

its audience.

The latest research suggests the

long decline in Christianity in the

UK has, over the last few years,

levelled off. Nearly half of us

believe in life after death, one in

four believe in angels. The BBC's

says there will be more Christianity

but also coverage and explanation of

other faiths. The big calendar

events of the world's main faiths

will get more coverage. Rather than

being in decline, religion is

actually growing globally. The

number of people affiliated with a

religion is forecast to increase

from 84% to 90%. David Sillito, BBC

News.

The Post Office network is to get

£370 million

of new funding.

Almost half of the money will be

used to protect village

community branches, according

to the Business Secretary Greg

Clark.

The three-year funding deal,

which will run from next April,

comes as the Post Office announced

it had moved into profit

for the first time in 16 years.

Pictures emerged of a massive

volcanic eruption in Ecuador.

They were taken earlier this month

by a British photographer,

they show the volcano's first major

activity in more than a decade.

It caused significant damage

to pipelines and a nearby valley,

but posed no threat to any

local communities.

That doesn't look real, does it?

Amazing.

Looks like a graphic.

Obviously the picture is fed up,

Alaba doesn't travel that quickly,

but still pretty impressive! -- sped

up -- lather.

Magister city, it's

becoming a theme. Everyday we sit on

the sofa and say another win for

Manchester City, this time in the

League Cup, which pep wasn't really

focusing on, he put a second string

of players out and he said he was

so, so, so, so, so happy that they

won five sos. He wasn't expecting

it. Phil Foden, who won Young Sports

Personality of the Year on Sunday

night, he was playing as well,

brilliant performance from him. City

are through but it took penalties so

a dramatic win.

Manchester City manager

Pep Guardiola dismissed talk

of a quadruple of all

three domestic titles

plus the Champions League,

but they are going well

in all four, they're

through to the semi-finals

of the League Cup after beating

Leicester City on penalties.

Arsenal join City in tonight's draw,

after beating West Ham 1-0.

Danny Wellbeck the scorer.

Five-time champion Raymond van

Barneveld is into the second

round of the PDC World Darts

Championship after beating former

bricklayer Richard North 3-0

at Alexandra Palace.

And Marion Bartoli has

announced her return to tennis.

She retired straight after winning

Wimbledon four years ago but says

she'll be back for the

Miami Open in March.

I mean, that is my favourite story

of the morning. Favourite story of

the week I think, Marion Bartoli,

she won Wimbledon and everyone said

this is brilliant, maybe she will

win more grand slams. She said she

would stop there and I can't do any

better, but four years later she

wants to carry on.

Whenever we have

spoken to her she seems so lovely.

Such a smiley, bubbly, bonkers

person. So lovely!

The year of the

comeback in women's tennis!

Who

else?

Serena Williams.

Of course

Arena is back!

Thank you! We will

look at the papers in a moment but

first, Carol with the weather. Who

did you upset to be put on that

rainy Ruth?

I was beginning to

wonder that myself!

It is fairly drizzly here. This

morning it was quite mild. There

were one or two exceptions. One

thing to watch out for is fog. Some

of that is dance. More all less the

forecast is a cloudy one and a mild

one. That is certainly how we are

starting off. We have a weather

front crossing Scotland and Northern

Ireland producing cloud and rain and

through the day it will move into

northern England and northern Wales

as a weakening feature. In the east

there will not be much rain at all.

So ahead of the weather front as you

can see on the charts there is a lot

of cloud, it will break and the

fault will lift into the hills and

then we will see some brightness

coming in. -- fog. For most it will

be cloudy and grey. Behind that in

Scotland it will brighten up.

Showers in the north and west. It

will be breezy with highs of 90

degrees. South, we run into the

weather front of us northern England

and the -- nine degrees. The east of

England will see something brighter

at times. From the Midlands to the

south coast there is a fair bit of

cloud around. One or two brighter

breaks here and there and still in

the mild category. We are into

double figures. Across Wales, South

Wales will see something drier, and

north Wales has a weather front,

which is sinking south through the

day. By then it will be out of

Northern Ireland and back into

bright skies with some sunny spells.

It will feel a bit cooler. Through

this evening and overnight weather

front moves south, and you can see

it here on the chart. At the end of

the night it will turn around at it.

In the north-east. So tomorrow

morning we will have an across the

south-east, heading up to Northern

Ireland, England and moving into

southern Scotland. It is a cool

night before it, not as cold behind

it, and where we have breaks, there

will be some fog. Through the day

the weather front will continue to

move north-east, taking cloud and

ran with it. Some bright skies

potentially for a moment across the

north-east. And then behind the

weather front we have bright skies

returned to parts of the south-west

and the Midlands, for example, with

the occasional glimmer of sunshine.

On Friday, high pressure is across

us, so it is more settled and much

more dry. There will be showers in

the west. The Channel Islands will

have outbreaks of rain. Windy in the

north and temperatures not too

shabby for the time

north and temperatures not too

shabby for the time of year. As we

leap into the Christmas period, it

looks like it will become a little

more unsettled. But somewhere in the

UK on Christmas Day you might see

some snow and you won't be surprised

to hear it is probably going to be

in Scotland.

As long as it stays

there, we will be grateful.

We

certainly will. We are going to have

a look through some of the papers.

Steph and Cat with us now. Sorry,

good morning. It is lovely to see

you. The front pages first. The

front of the Times, the lead story,

the investigation of the Met Police,

they say that they will look at all

current rape and sex abuse cases

because of the collapsed abuse cases

in one week and we will talk on that

this morning.

The front of the Sun,

Christmas terror foil. Four people

arrested in an operation. Police say

this could have happened around

Christmas time. Arrests were made

and people were held in Sheffield

and Chesterfield in Derbyshire.

That

is on the front of some of the

papers, and the Mirror as well. On

the fun of the Daily Mail, potential

rises in council tax bills. And you

can see the figures. Millions of

families facing rises.

And two

stories on Breakfast, the Met Police

will review rape cases after a trial

error, so we have had two in one

week. Scores of sexual assault cases

will be reviewed after the end has

led to the collapse of a second

case. And also the picture you have

seen here is the man, Arthur

Collins, who in a London nightclub

carry out an asset attack, injuring

22 people -- acid attack. A clear

mark on how people view the acid

attacks in the course at the moment.

I know that you talk about T'r'Us,

so there is analysis of that --

Toys'R'Us MPs are demanding an

explanation as to why the retailer,

which has been struggling for some

time, handed a pay increase to the

bosses over those years despite

falling sales and growing losses. So

the working pensions committee wrote

to the boss to ask what is going on.

And just in case you're wondering

what is happening, since it was

announced, well, are in talks, so

they are locked intense negotiations

to try to work out what it will mean

for the stores and also the 3200

people who work there.

And what

about the business itself? People

might have bought things.

No, when

it goes into administration it is

run as a business. Behind the scenes

that they are working out whether

the stores will close or not and

whether it will continue.

Lots in

the Telegraph today, breaking late

on Monday night about Justin

Gatlin's former coach and an

athletics agent...

Sorry to

interrupt. Yesterday it was the

front page of the Telegraph.

It is a

massive story with the potential to

get even bigger because of questions

being asked, if you are Gatlin, why

have someone who has tested positive

to coach you. Gatlin says he has not

been taking any banned substances.

And I think both the coach and the

agent denied the charges as well.

The story today has moved on to say

lots of people are coming out,

including Darren Campbell, Olympic

gold-medallist, and Tony Miniccelo,

saying it should not be the

athletes, people should look at the

agents and coaches as well, the

people getting the drugs to the

athletes -- Toni Minichiello. And

Dennis Mitchell served a doping ban

in the 1990s. Why was he allowed to

get into a position where he is

coaching?

It is something that

confounds people. If you have been

found guilty you can still be in the

sport. How can that remain the case?

There are questions about Justin

Gatlin. He served two doping bans,

one for taking ADHD medication,

which he says he suffers from ADHD,

and that was why he had that. There

are always questions over exactly

why athletes have a reason why they

have been taking the drug. Talking

about Maria Sharapova. She says she

has a heart problem and that is why

she took those drugs.

It is not

straightforward. It is guaranteed to

white

straightforward. It is guaranteed to

wind people up. £16,000 a day in

fines in its first week and do you

want to know where it is?

Yes.

Lancashire, 164 yards of road has

seen 19,200 drivers caught in seven

days since it started operating. So

you have an automatic £60 fine, £30

if you pay it early. It is a lot of

money.

This is the problem. People

need to get into the left-hand lane.

So they are going in early and not

realising.

164 yards of bus lane.

On

the upside, Lancashire was ordered

to switch off cameras on a section

in their borough after two months

and everyone who was fined got their

money back.

That is the talking

point, it will be a talking point

this morning. If you have a bus lane

that you think is pointless, or if

you have had a fine that you have

got back, because people like

winning those appeals. Thank you.

Even the most reluctant singer

probably knows some nursery rhymes

and lullabies, and it's long been

thought music has a calming

effect on babies.

Now, research suggests it's not only

children who benefit,

their parents do, too,

and it could even be an effective

way of treating

post-natal depression.

Breakfast's Jayne McCubbin has

been finding out more.

This kind of moment is being shared

by more and more mums and babies but

today we can reveal research which

shows this isn't just fun, it could

provide fundamental help for a

problem that affects one in eight

mothers. Like native and baby

either. Like Claire and Elsie. Like

Cecilia and Boadicea.

I never blamed

him. He is amazing. He is wonderful.

But motherhood. If you are -- you

feel shocking.

Feel guilty, and it

is meant to be a happy time.

Sitting

on the sofa in the evening and you

are still like, what am I going to

do? High alert. Everyone is like,

relax, do something you enjoy and I

can't do that. That doesn't help me

relax because I have severe anxiety.

These women are part of a singing

group in London studied by

academics. Mums who had experienced

post-natal depression and baby

blues. They discovered singing

really helps.

We've taken 150

mothers with symptoms of post-natal

depression and randomised them into

ten weeks of social groups, social

care or singing groups and those in

the social singing groups had

significantly faster improvements in

post-natal depression across the ten

weeks. And in fact three quarters of

them had recovered from their

symptoms why the end of the 10-week

project and this was about one month

earlier than either of the other two

groups.

A more intense -- the more

intense the symptoms, the more

intense the impact. Singing made

recovery faster.

You don't have to

think about anything but singing and

cuddling your baby and having fun.

You know you are in a bad moment

together. You don't have to be like,

how bad is your moment and your

moment, you are just singing

communally together so it is really

nice.

Would you recommend it?

100%.

I got a little kick.

I hope you

enjoy singing today.

It is an

endorsement they are happy to share

in Bristol at the Womb Sisters

singing group. They are singing in

the knowledge that babies can hear

in the womb from 15 weeks.

When the

baby is born they recognised a song

and they respond to it.

There is a

comfort.

Yes. It is a really nice

way to connect.

These are the songs

you will sing when she is born.

If I

can remember.

Of course you will.

For mothers struggling after birth,

medication isn't always welcome.

Talking therapies take-up rate is

very low, so the findings that this

could take up in the most serious

cases is all the more important.

Real help that could not be simpler.

It doesn't matter if you are a good

or a bad thing at all it is just

literally about finding a way to

communicate. I have made up loads

and loads of songs just everyday

stuff. I have a song about changing

his nappy that my mum thinks is a

little bit rude.

Can you share? ,

on.

# Mr Poo Pants, he did a poo and

he wears pants. It doesn't matter

what you seem all way you sing it,

singing helps you to bond and helps

mums feel. Everyone should do it.

Yes. Thank you for sharing.

That is something to share on

national TV.

Very brave. Why not.

I

like that song. There is loads

coming up on the programme this

morning.

You're watching Breakfast.

Still to come this morning:

Christmas dog jumpers,

paw-secco and turkey dinners -

we'll be finding out how the UK's

pampered pet market has turned

into seriously big business.

Time now to get the news,

travel and weather where you are.

will reach 12 Celsius. Nine

timetable to is as well way above

zero.

Not a white Christmas.

I'm back with the latest

from the BBC London newsroom

in half an hour.

Hello, this is Breakfast,

with Charlie Stayt and Naga

Munchetty.

We'll bring you all the latest news

and sport in a moment,

but also on Breakfast this morning:

As Arthur Collins starts a 20-year

jail sentence for this horrific

nightclub attack, we'll be asking

why acid crimes are on the rise.

New mums and dads are entitled

to share parental leave now,

but when it comes to pay,

the dads lag well behind.

We'll be asking if it's time to make

sure parents get equal pay

for staying at home with their baby.

It's Christmas in the nation's

favourite corner shop.

Yes, Still Open All Hours is back

for a festive special.

We'll be talking to two

of the cast just after 9am.

Good morning,

here's a summary of this morning's

main stories from BBC News.

The Metropolitan police is launching

a review of all current sex offence

investigation is after the collapse

of a second rape case in a week.

The prosecutions were halted

because of the late

disclosure of evidence.

Scotland Yard confirmed the same

officer was involved

in both investigations.

Our reporter Keith Doyle has more.

The rape case against 22-year-old

Liam Allen collapsed last week

after it emerged vital evidence that

helped his case had not been

released by the prosecution.

For two years he'd faced a trial

that ended only after thousands

of texts

the prosecution had from his accuser

were finally disclosed.

No one was really investigating,

how can we show he was innocent?

People were investigating,

how can we prove he's guilty instead

and maybe that was what was wrong.

Under the British legal system

the prosecution must hand over any

evidence it holds that may

help a person on trial.

Now a second case, that

of 22-year-old Isaac Itiary,

who was charged with rape

and other sexual offences,

has collapsed for similar reasons.

As a result Scotland Yard has said

it's reviewing every current

sex crime case.

In a statement it said:

It's also

emerged that the same detective

is involved in both cases

and is still working on full duty

in the Met's Sexual Offences

Investigation Unit.

It's not known exactly how many

cases are being reviewed.

Keith Doyle, BBC News.

A man who threw acid over people in

a crowded nightclub in April has

been jailed for 20 years. He injured

20 in a venue in east London. The

judge called his actions deliberate

and calculated. Some victims were

temporary blinded and others were

left with permanent scars.

I think that night I just

remember the sheer panic.

The fear, the pain, more

importantly, the pain.

The smell, the smell

of the chemicals and your skin

blistering, and there's absolutely

nothing you can do about it.

I remember looking at the police

officers and the people around us

at the time when they arrived.

It was almost like disbelief that

something like this had ever

happened in a nightclub.

The government is being accused of

abject failure in its attempt to

tackle homelessness in England.

A damning report by

the all-party Public Accounts

Committee says the issue has

become a national crisis.

The government says it's investing

more than £1 billion

to help

make more affordable

housing available.

You need to stop being

complacent about this.

It is not enough also

to just throw money at it,

it needs to be money that is fixing

the core root of the problem,

that looks at why people

are homeless in the first place.

Critically you need to be

building more houses,

yes, but they need to be

truly affordable houses.

Police will continue searching to

properties including a community

centre this morning after anti-

terror raids in Sheffield and

Chester. Four men have been arrested

and held over an alleged Islamist

terror plot that could have been

carried out this Christmas. People

had to evacuate their homes to allow

the bomb squad to investigate and

they have been allowed to return.

Local authorities...

are to be allowed to raise

council tax by up to 6%

next year after a further relaxation

of the government-imposed

cap to address shortfalls

in funding for social care.

Families across the UK could see

bills rising by up to £100 a year as

a result. The Local Government

Association says councils will still

be at financial breaking point.

The European Court of Justice is due

to decide this morning

whether the taxi hailing app, Uber,

should legally be considered

a transport company

or a digital services provider.

The ruling will determine

whether the firm should be subject

to local licensing laws in

the countries in which it operates.

The Post Office will receive £370

million of new funding and almost

half the money will be used to

protect village community branches

according to Business Secretary Greg

Clark. The deal, which runs until

next April, announces, comes as the

Post Office says it has run into

profit for the first time in 16

years.

The BBC has said it will spend more

time looking at Christian faith

based programming. There will be

more religion reflected in

mainstream programming.

These days many motorists

are going green,

buying electric or hybrid

cars, but how about this

for going back-to-basics?

Frank Rothwell has modified

his vehicle so it's

powered by coal.

It took him more than 1,000 hours

to perfect and he says it's

passed its MOT and been

declared legal to drive.

The emissions from that, it looks

charming, but they would be

horrendous. And refuelling would be

tricky work.

Essentially isn't it a steam train

on the road? Except it isn't

staying, it is coal.

You can't just

burn coal and drive a car.

-- isn't

steam. I'm not really the expert, I

don't really know. He was just

shuffling along quite happily in his

coal driven car.

He has made a steam

train, hasn't he? I don't understand

how that has passed its MOT. More on

that in the next half an hour. We're

talking about Manchester City, we

love a bit of hype in sports

journalism, we like to look at these

teams and say they're the best team

ever and now they're going to go on

and win the quadruple, all three

domestic titles and the Champions

League and in the current form

Manchester City are in and with

these players, nothing is

impossible.

But Pep said forget about it when

talking about the quadruple.

Manchester City's magnificent season

continued last night as they reached

the League Cup semi-finals

with a penalty shootout win

at Leicester City.

Jamie Vardy to scored

a controversial 97th minute penalty

to take the game to extra time.

But there were no goals

and in the shootout both Vardy

and Riyadh Mahrez missed.

The other quarterfinal of the night

saw Arsenal reach the last four

as they beat West Ham 1-0.

It was Danny Welbeck with the only

goal of the game, tapping

home, Mathieu Debuchy's

header across goal.

This a trophy Arsene Wenger has

never won in his 21 years managing

Arsenal.

Tonight Bristol city are playing

Manchester United and the Bristol

city manager hopes that the Jose

Mourinho comes by after the game.

I've got a really expensive bottle

of wine.

I've had to read my little

girl's Biggie bank. I will be

disappointed if he doesn't turn up

because you have to pour it

specially. It's that nice!

Chocolate Orange as well as the

wine! I wonder if he likes a

chocolate Orange! Everyone does!

England have lost the Ashes,

and they're 3-0 down

in the series, it's looking

rather gloomy over in Aus

but bowler Craig Overton says

he still believes England are not

far off winning games.

He's suffering from a cracked a rib,

and remains a major doubt

for the next test in Melbourne.

We're still confident we have

competed in this series and we're

not that far of winning games.

They've just performed for better

and longer periods than us and we

know what we've got to do in those

last two games and that's score more

runs and take a few more wickets, as

simple as that.

Former Wimbledon champion

Marion Bartoli has come out

of retirement and announced

she will return to the WTA

Tour next year.

Bartoli, who is now 33,

quit tennis in August 2013 less

than six weeks after winning her

only grand slam title

at the All England Club,

citing ongoing injury problems.

The French player, who reached

a career-high world ranking

of seventh, intends to make her

comeback at the Miami Open in March.

That is a remarkable story. She was

so ill for a while as well, she

feared for her life, she had a

virus, she lost loads of weight,

everyone was asking why she was so

skinny and she said she had this

terrible illness and now she's going

to be back playing. All she needs to

do now is win another grand slam and

we'll have another amazing story.

City with the quadruple and Marion

Bartoli winning grand slams and then

we can make the film!

Scared, traumatised and suicidal,

the words used by victims of an acid

attack at a nightclub in London.

22 people were injured and many left

with permanent scars.

Yesterday, the man responsible

was jailed for 20 years.

Some of the victims

of that nightclub attack

share their experience.

I think that night I just

remember the sheer panic.

The fear, the pain, more

importantly, the pain.

The smell, the smell

of the chemicals and your skin

blistering, and there's absolutely

nothing you can do about it.

I remember looking at the police

officers and the people around us

I consider myself lucky, my scars

may be small to some, they may be

hidden but they are used to me, they

are something I have to wake up and

look at everyday in the mirror.

It's

not just my physical appearance,

that may look OK and it may look

like I'm getting on with life.

Because I am, I wouldn't want to let

that defeat me.

When you are out, like,

just a splash of somebody's drink

on your arm, like, brings the worst

things through your head.

So it's just very hard to deal

with and try and carry

on like normal, because I know I'm

never going to be the same girl

that, like, walked into Mangle that

night, but just trying to get

as close back to that as possible.

Joining us from Birmingham now

is Professor James Treadwell,

a criminologist at

Staffordshire University.

This sentence is sending a clear

message about how acid attacks are

seen?

That's the case, it's a

lengthy sentence but when you look

at the number of victims involved,

the offence is serious, causing

grievous bodily harm, it is no

surprise in some ways that in this

case the sentence has been very

high.

Will the sentence have the

desired effect in terms of making

clear to people that this is not

acceptable, it's been put up there

in terms of severity with knife

crime.

Yeah. I think the evidence

for that, though, is a bit more

questionable. What we tend to know

is deterrent effects are very

difficult to see when it comes to

sentencing. What tends to have more

of an effect actually is when people

are caught, detected and the

offences prosecuted and what we've

seen with acid attacks, and people

like the acid survivors trust

international shows this, the UK has

a high number of them and often

they'd only to the offender being

brought to justice. The offender may

serve as a deterrent to those

carrying acid, but Arthur Collins

was caught, and prosecuted, but some

aren't.

As a professor of

criminology you must have seen a

rise in these attacks and some of

the evidence points to young men

using these as weapons as part of a

gang, in prisons or in this case,

generally in anger, someone with a

grudge, why is this?

There's a lot

of reasons. The concealable to you

and availability of acid, the fact

offenders are making calculator

choses to move to it rather than

carrying knives. It's very difficult

to know at the moment because the

evidence base to understand why that

is very limited. We need more

research looking at why those

offenders who are using acid are

using it. And the term acid is very

broad and all-encompassing in some

ways. To talk offending with

corrosive substances might give us a

better idea of what types of

substances are being used, how they

are being obtained, and where the

offenders are making those

decisions.

I know you have witnessed

this in prisons?

You get a similar

thing happening in prisons, which

offenders will describe as

napalming, mixing sugar with boiling

hot water into another prisoner's

face, that happens with young

prisoners and it tends to go through

spikes. You get offenders copying

one another and there maybe some of

that to acid attacks as are given

publicity. Other offenders in

similar settings are beginning to

move towards selecting acid as a

weapon.

James, interesting to talk

to you, thanks very much.

Time to have a look at the weather

and look at the

Time to have a look at the weather

and look at the cameras - you can't

really tell from that image, but it

is close to Carol's perch near

central London, but I believe it is

raining rather heavily. We certainly

central London, but I believe it is

raining rather heavily. We certainly

have wet weather here. Yes, it is

quite drizzly, cloudy and mild. For

many parts it is a mild start,

temperatures generally between 7- 12

degrees at the moment, with one or

two exceptions and today it will be

a mild and fairly cloudy day, and

there are a couple of exceptions to

that rule. So this morning we have a

weather front moving part of

Scotland, across the borders into

northern England, heading to the

north of Wales through the morning.

For eastern areas it really is

staying largely dry. There is a lot

of cloud around. We have fog at the

moment, and it will lift into the

hills. As the weather from sinks

south, Scotland and Northern Ireland

will be under some bright skies and

sunny spells, with showers across

the north and west, where it is

likely to be breezy. For north-west

England, you have a murky afternoon,

because the weather front will be

across you, so there will be patchy

rain. North-east England and the

sheltered Pennines, something dry

and bright. Into East Anglia and

southern counties of England, fairly

cloudy with one or two bright

breaks. In the shelter of the hills,

that is where you are most likely to

see them. We are also likely to see

12 degrees. Then it will move

southwards, it won't be very heavy.

For Northern Ireland, as the fund

will clear is at 3pm in the

afternoon, you will have some bright

skies and sunny spells -- front.

Through this evening and overnight

rain continues travelling down to

the south-east. Any changes

direction and moves north-east as we

go through the course of tonight.

And you will find some of it will be

heavy as it moves across south-east

England into northern England, once

again we will see some fog forming,

but ahead of it it will be cold with

a touch of frost. Through the day

tomorrow, the weather front moves

north-east was, taking rain with it.

Behind it there will be some cloud

around but also some bright breaks.

Temperatures still quite good in

double figures for most. That is

except for the north-east of

Scotland, where they will be a bit

lower. For Friday, every drop eye

pressure develops, so things fairly

dry and settled with showers in the

west and the Channel Islands will

have some rain -- high pressure. And

if you are wondering about the lead

up to Christmas, it is going to turn

a little more unsettled and it looks

like there is the potential for

somewhere in the UK to see some snow

on Christmas Day and the likelihood

is, you won't be surprised

on Christmas Day and the likelihood

is, you won't be surprised to hear

this, that it's going to be

Scotland.

No, not surprised, but we

shall see when that day comes. Thank

you.

Christmas jumpers, prosecco,

perfume - all good gifts to find

under the tree on the big day.

Even, it seems, for dogs.

I thought you were talking about

your gifts for me. What?

Presents.

More and more owners

are splashing out on luxury items

for their four-legged friends.

And with supermarkets and high

street stores getting

in on the action,

it's big business too.

As Fiona Lamdin has

been finding out.

More and more are dressing dogs in

Christmas costumes. Just last week

300 dogs in jumpers smashed a world

record in London.

# the weather

outside is a frightful, but the fire

is so delightful.

Not hugely

surprising we are spending a lot

more on them. Just a couple of miles

across town, much thought and

planning has gone in to Suki's

wardrobe. On Christmas Day she will

have three changes of clothes.

When

I was a kid my parents got me

clothes for Christmas and I was

excited to wear the clothes, going

to see my family on Christmas

dinner, so it is kind of the same

thing. She is like my daughter. I am

like, whoa, she is.

It is not just

clothes. She will have a small

mountain of presence under the tree.

I think we spend more money on her

than on each other.

If you come to

the kitchen, there is a section for

her in the fridge.

So you can start

the day with a mince pie, and your

Christmas dinner.

And it seems Suki

isn't a loan. Around the corner at

the local groomers...

We have given

her a lovely warm bath. I can't keep

the stock on the shelves long

enough. Sometimes I come in and

wonder what I am going to fill them

with. Let's look around for things

to get in quickly because we can't

keep up.

I have to admit it is a

whole new world. I adore my dog,

Mouse, but I have never bought him a

Christmas present before. There are

so many things I could get him. A

raincoat, socks, or even boots.

UK

consumers are spending more every

year on accessories for pets. Just

over £900 million is expected to be

spent in 2017, that is up 16% since

2012. This is an ongoing shift

towards treating pets much more like

people. This really comes from the

really strong parent bond between

owners and pets.

# let it snow, let

it snow, let it snow.

It is nice to

have a jacket when it is cold.

I am

buy-in friends' dogs present. --

buying.

The more that you treat your

dog like a human, the more likely

they are to develop behavioural

problems.

Shall we take your

stocking?

Many dogs across the

country will have something under

the tree, though I am not so sure

how many of us will be in matching

attire.

Brace yourself, we have some

pictures.

Have a look. Ogi and Yogi

from Aberystwyth. Both of the dogs

promised to be good so they can have

some turkey on Christmas Day.

And

Tina has sent in this picture. It is

her Staffordshire Bull Terriers,

kitted out in costumes.

They look

over the moon.

That is literally an

entire costume.

And not just the

dogs get into the Christmas spirit.

Here is Indie, the cat, looking

angry in a Santa hat. Beautiful, but

slightly miffed.

If you have bought

a dog present, if you have bought

the dog... If you have bought a

Christmas present for your dog and

you have taken a picture, send it

in.

Do you think the dog asked for

the present?

Almost certainly.

Whatever! Send them in.

A little bit

baffled.

Never mind. Did you like

those pictures? They're amazing. You

know how they treat them like humans

and then you see that they are

humiliated in their Santa outfit,

you are like, yeah, bless.

What are

you talking about, holidays?

Yes,

protection when you fly. It has been

quite chaotic this year for the

airline industry with all of the

strikes and businesses going under

and all of that. Morning, everyone.

I've spent a lot of this year

talking about issues in the airlines

industry - four big names have gone

bust, plus strikes and weather

have grounded planes.

So how can passengers

protect themselves?

You're probably used to seeing

this, Atol Protection,

when booking your holiday.

It's a mandetory insurance policy

if a travel company gost bust,

but even though companies pay

into it when you book,

it's worth remembering it only

covers packages where travel

and accomodation

are booked together.

Atol is run by the Civil

Aviation Authority.

And we can now talk to the boss

of the CAA, Andrew Haines.

Good morning. You are making a

specific announcement this morning

around all of this. What are you

telling the nation about in terms of

protection for travellers?

Amazingly

next week is not just Christmas, the

busiest week for people to book

holidays this year. We expect 3

million holidays will be booked next

year. We have three AAAs we want

people to think about, the first is

Atol Protection. 26 million holidays

were protected by this cold

standard. If you book a flight and

something else, a car, cruise or

hotel, then Atol Protection will

give you absolute guaranteed

protection of financial failure.

Look out for your company to sign up

to the alternative dispute

resolution scheme. If you get a

problem and you want compensation,

then an independent company will

adjudicate and their decision will

be binding. And thirdly, avoid

surprises. A lot of airlines tend to

put additional charges in late in

the process. We are investigating

those practices. In the meantime we

think that is something consumers

should be aware of when they are

booking.

Can I ask about Atol

Protection because you say it

guarantees if you book more than

just Raval. Why can't it just before

travel as well?

-- travel. It is a

European requirement. And the SMC is

that it is part of a package -- and

the essence is that it is part of a

package and the vast majority

travelling on an airline don't need

protection but the long-standing

policy is if you are on holiday

stranded without accommodation, or

you're stranded on your cruise ship,

or your cruise liner has gone bust,

that is extra complexity and the

requirement is a package.

Can I talk

about some of the specifics we've

seen this year. Obviously, there

were problems with Monarch, of

course, which meant you had to

repatriate lots of people back to

the UK. Did it go to plan, were

there he cups?

It went phenomenally

well. -- hiccups? The largest

peacetime repatriation in UK

history. We plan for 110,000 people,

close to 90,000 people repatriated.

We've had phenomenally good

feedback. For some people it was

quite hairy. 99% of passengers got

back on the day that they were due

to get back and we think that is a

phenomenal achievement and people

can take comfort that there are

arrangements in place if the really

awful thing happens and an airline

goes bust.

What about Ryanair, we

have seen strikes and people don't

know what's going on. ARU happy with

what's going on at Ryanair?

I always

have a close eye on Ryanair -- Are

you happy. They have given us some

promises and we have seen good

progress on that. Consumers are

still book with Ryanair. They are

still the largest airline in Europe.

People are now a little more

cautious about ensuring they get

what they are entitled to with

Ryanair.

So are you happy with them?

I am not yet happy. I am satisfied

they are making progress.

OK, thank

you.

Time now to get the news,

travel and weather where you are.

temperatures as well as we head

into Christmas Eve.

Temperatures will reach 12 Celsius.

Hello, this is Breakfast,

with Charlie Stayt and Naga

Munchetty.

Scotland Yard launches a review

of all its sex crime

investigations after the collapse

of two rape prosecutions

in one week.

The Metropolitan Police

confirms the same detective

was involved in both cases

and begins re-examining the way

it handles evidence.

Good morning, it's Wednesday

the 20th of December.

Also this morning:

The start of a 20-year jail sentence

for the man who threw acid

across a packed London nightclub

injuring 22 people.

Victims told the court

how his actions have

changed their lives.

It's just very hard to deal with,

you just try and carry

on like normal because I know I'm

never going to be the same girl

that, like, walked

into Mangle that night.

More than 9,000 people are sleeping

rough on the streets of England.

MPs describe the situation

as a national crisis.

Getting your cash out of a machine

for free could get tougher, there's

a dispute at the moment of the fees.

Are all be talking to the boss of

Link Network) what happens next. --

Link Network.

In sport, Bravo for Manchester City,

the keeper saves the penalty that

takes them into the semi-finals

of the League Cup.

Could singing help mums combat

post-natal depression?

New research suggests it

could be an effective

alternative to medicine.

And Carol has the weather.

Good morning from the roof

of New Broadcasting House in London,

where it's fairly drizzly.

Today, fairly cloudy for most, a

weak weather fronts thinking south

out of Scotland into north-west

England, Wales and the West Midlands

but behind it it will brighten up

and some will see some sunny spells.

More details in 15 minutes.

Good morning.

First, our main story.

The Metropolitan Police is launching

a review of all its current sex

offence investigations

after the collapse of a second rape

case in a week.

Scotland Yard says

that in both cases,

the same officer failed to disclose

evidence useful to the defence

during the early

stages of the inquiry.

Our reporter Keith Doyle has more.

The rape case against 22-year-old

Liam Allen collapsed last week

after it emerged vital evidence that

helped his case had not been

released by the prosecution.

For two years he'd faced a trial

that ended only after thousands

of texts the prosecution

had from his accuser

were finally disclosed.

No one was really investigating,

"How can we show he's innocent?"

People were investigating,

"How can we prove he's guilty,"

instead, and maybe

that was what was wrong.

Under the British legal system

the prosecution must hand over any

evidence it holds that may

help a person on trial.

Now a second case, that

of 22-year-old Isaac Itiary,

who was charged with rape

and other sexual offences,

has collapsed for similar reasons.

As a result, Scotland Yard has said

it's reviewing every current

sex crime case.

In a statement it said:

It's also

emerged that the same detective

is involved in both cases

and is still working on full duty

in the Met's Sexual Offences

Investigation Unit.

It's not known exactly how many

cases are being reviewed.

Keith Doyle, BBC News.

A man who threw acid over people

in a crowded nightclub in London

in April has been

jailed for 20 years.

25-year-old Arthur Collins injured

22 people at the venue in east

London.

The judge called his actions

deliberate and calculated.

Some of the victims were temporarily

blinded, others were left

with permanent scars.

Tom Burridge reports.

Acid hurled across a

crowded dance floor.

Look closer on the CCTV and you can

see Arthur Collins' arm throwing

the liquid a second

and a third time.

Young people like Lauren Trent

suffered severe burns

and scars for life.

Last night she and other victims

gave vivid accounts outside court

of what it's like when acid is

thrown over your skin and clothes.

I think that night I just

remember the sheer panic.

The fear, the pain, more

importantly, the pain.

The smell, the smell

of the chemicals and your skin

blistering, and there's absolutely

nothing you can do about it.

I remember looking at the police

officers and the people around us

at the time when they arrived.

It was almost like disbelief that

something like this had ever

happened in a nightclub.

Collins caused severe

burns to 14 people.

His actions in the Mangle nightclub

left physical and mental scars.

When you are out, like,

just a splash of somebody's drink

on your arm, like, brings the worst

things through your head.

So it's just very hard to deal

with and try and carry

on like normal, because I know I'm

never going to be the same girl

that, like, walked into Mangle that

night, but just trying to get

as close back to that as possible.

Earlier that evening,

Collins argued with two

of his victims, but the judge

said his indiscriminate attack,

which affected so many young

people, was unprovoked.

He sentenced him to 20 years.

It sends out the right message

that it will not be tolerated,

it will not be tolerated

by the criminal justice system.

Anyone carrying acid needs to look

at the offence and be aware that

a strong sentence will be passed.

Collins showed no remorse in court

for what was described

as despicable act.

One of his victims said her old life

had been taken from her

on that night.

Tom Burridge, BBC News.

The government is being accused

of abject failure in its attempt

to tackle homelessness in England.

A damning report by

the all-party Public Accounts

Committee says the issue has

become a national crisis.

The government says it's investing

more than £1 billion

to help

make more affordable

housing available.

Police will continue

searching two properties,

including a community centre,

this morning, following anti-terror

raids in Sheffield and Chesterfield.

Four men were arrested

and are being held over an alleged

Islamist terror plot that officers

say could have been carried out this

Christmas.

Our correspondent Phil Bodmer

is in Sheffield this morning.

What more can you tell us after this

initial investigation?

Well, Naga,

this is the Fatima community centre

in the burnt grease area of

Sheffield, the focus of some of

these raids yesterday and last

evening the cordon around this

community centre was extended while

bomb disposal experts were called in

to investigate. Bomb disposal teams

were also called to an address in

Chesterfield on King street north

yesterday, where another raid took

place and as we know raids also took

place in stocks bridge just north of

Sheffield around the corner here on

Vernon street in Berne grieve and in

another part of Sheffield, Mieres

Brooke. Four men are in custody,

they're being questioned at a police

station in west Yorkshire at the

moment and we expect the searches to

continue at the premises in Berne

grieve today and also at the house

in Chesterfield. Police have once

again reassure the public not to be

alarmed or unsettled by what they

see, many local people have

described what they heard, loud

bangs as police went in. The police

have said they are urging the public

to remain vigilant, don't be

unsettled by what you've seen, it's

simply to reassure the public and

keep safe, but they do say be

vigilant but continue to go about

your business while these

investigations continue.

For the

moment, thanks for looking at that

latest case of potential terrorism.

Local authorities in England will be

able to increase council tax by just

under 6% next year

without triggering a local

referendum.

The move would add about £95

to the average annual bill

for a Band D property.

Currently a raise of 5% or more must

be put to local voters.

Ministers say it will ease

pressure on local services.

The Local Government Association

says councils will still be

at financial breaking point.

The European Court of Justice is due

to decide this morning

whether the taxi hailing app, Uber,

should legally be considered

a transport company

or a digital services provider.

The ruling will determine

whether the firm should be subject

to local licensing laws in

the countries in which it operates.

The BBC is to broaden its coverage

of religions, devoting more time

to non-Christian faiths.

The decision follows a review

of the corporation's output

in response to claims it was out

of step with its audience.

Here's more from our media

correspondent, David Sillito.

For some, it's the best part

of the BBC's output,

but new research has also shown

that

traditional religious programmes

are,

for large parts of the audience,

ernest, worthy and a TV turnoff.

Welcome to Sunday Morning Live...

There's also concern that too often

religion on TV is reduced

to an argument or a debate.

The once more stories about real

people's lives and their faith

The BBC wants more stories

about real people's lives

and their faith and less

studio-based confrontation.

There will be more religion

reflected in mainstream programming.

It's all part of a review about how

the BBC treats religion

after criticism it was out

of step with its audience.

The latest research suggests

the long decline in Christianity

in the UK has, over the last few

years, levelled off.

Nearly half of us believe

in life after death,

one in four believe in angels.

The BBC says there'll be more

Christianity but also coverage

and explanation of other faiths.

The big calendar events

of the world's main faiths

will get more coverage.

Rather than being in decline,

religion is actually growing

globally.

The number of people affiliated

to a religion is forecast

to increase from 84% to 90%.

David Sillito, BBC News.

Pictures emerged of a massive

volcanic eruption in Ecuador.

They were taken earlier this month

by a British photographer,

they show the volcano's first major

activity in more than a decade.

It caused significant damage

to pipelines and a nearby valley,

but posed no threat to any

local communities.

Just beautiful! Scary as well!

Thousands of people are facing

the prospect of spending the festive

period without a roof

over their heads and sleeping rough

on the streets.

Now an all party group of MPs

is calling on the government

to deal with what they claim has

become a national crisis.

Let's get more on this now

from the Conservative MP

Gillian Keegan, who sits

on the Public Accounts Committee,

which compiled the report.

Good morning and thanks for your

time this morning. Could you first

give us a sense of the scale of the

problem as you see it?

There's two

types of homelessness that are

referred to in the report, the type

your viewers may be more aware of is

rough sleeping, and that's more than

doubled since 2010 and then the

other crisis which is emerging is

the number of families in temporary

housing, that's people who basically

have been evicted or not been able

to stay in their residents, they are

in accommodation but it's very much

not meeting their needs and in many

cases are sub standard.

Looking at

some other recommendations, what are

you recommending, what should be

done?

The root of the problem is to

more houses and where this is

happening more is where you have

very high rent areas, obviously

London where I am right now is a

great example, but also give just

where I represent, you have high

rental costs and those on low

incomes are struggling to keep up

with a rental market which is out of

control -- also Chichester. In

London you see rent rises of 25% or

so and people on low incomes are

being out priced in terms of the

market. Clearly the answer has to be

more social houses, which are

normally rented at around 50% of the

market rate, making it more

affordable for those on low income.

As you well know, this problem has

been going on for so long. Correct

me if I'm wrong, this is one of your

recommendations, it says," The

department should buy the end of

June 2018 publish a cross government

strategy for reducing homelessness

that sets out targets and specific

actions for all stakeholders to

reduce all measures of

homelessness". Forgive me, but a lot

of people hearing that kind of

phraseology and terminology will say

that could have been written four

years ago, two years ago, 20 years

ago, someone somewhere in a role

like yours would have said almost

exactly those words. What makes this

time any different?

I think the size

of the problem makes it different.

We've come across this issue now

with homelessness, but there's also

many more young people as they try

to access housing and accommodation,

we do not have enough houses for the

people that want to rent them or

even indeed by them. I think that is

a well-known issue. It has been

growing but unfortunately what this

report shows is those on the lowest

incomes in the more expensive cities

are really suffering and are now

without homes and in temporary

accommodation.

Isn't there an

uncomfortable truth here that

governments, successive governments,

and maybe society as a wider issue,

actually don't care about this

issue? You're using the phrase, it's

often used in relation to

homelessness, crisis, but you think

of other crises, the financial

crisis and what happened then and

the money that was spent on that

occasion, you think of the refugee

crisis, you think of crisis and you

think money was spent, that doesn't

happen with homelessness. Is it

fundamentally that we don't care

enough?

I do think we care about it

but I think the solution is quite

difficult because what we're saying

is we need to build a lot of social

housing in places like London and

Chichester so we have the right and

affordable accommodation for those