06/12/2011 East Midlands Today

This is East Midlands Today with Anne Davies and me, Dominic Heale.

Our top story tonight: An official report blames police

officers, and lawyers for the collapse of a major climate change

trial. Activists planned to storm a power

station but the presence of this undercover policeman scuppered the

case against their and. Also, the family is driven to

despair caring for disabled relative so.

One question that goes over in your mind, what happens when I die? What

happens when I die? Who will look after you?

Plus, how Rolls-Royce defied the downturn are, engineering 800 jobs

in Derby. And nearly a third of four children

in the East Midlands want a puppy for Christmas. Meanwhile, Dogs

Trust that carried out the survey is building one of the country's

biggest we homing centre as the. -- biggest re-homing centres.

Good evening. Welcome to Tuesday's programme. First tonight, the

prosecution of climate activists who tried to shut down Ratcliffe

power station has been heavily criticised in an official report.

The cases collapsed because their lawyers weren't told about evidence

from Mark Kennedy, an undercover policeman embedded with the

protestors. Today it's emerged that he was actually authorised to break

the law by a senior Nottinghamshire Police officer. It's also been

revealed that a Nottingham based prosecution lawyer's being

disciplined over what happened. Let's cross to Ratcliffe power

station, and our Social Affairs Correspondent, Jeremy Ball.

Good evening. This is the power plant at the

heart of this case and you will remember that more than 100 climate

activists were arrested hours before they were planning to try to

break in here and shot him down. Today, this official report found

they should never have been prosecuted because secret

undercover police recordings could have helped their defence case.

It was a trial that made headlines around the world. It is a year

since 20 activists were convicted by a jury in Nottingham but they

didn't get a fair trial because the lawyers were not told about crucial

evidence from the policeman that had him for trotted them. PC Mark

Kennedy was arrested with the others in a school in Nottingham.

These officers didn't know he was a fellow policeman but today's

inquiry revealed that Nottinghamshire's Chief Constable

had given him authorisation to make recordings and break the law,

including criminal damage and aggravated trespass. The protesters

could have argued it was a entrapment. The report from Sir

Christopher Rose says there was a number of individuals and the

police were too focused on protecting an undercover source,

there was no effective communication between the CPS and

the police and the prosecution's reviewing Moya didn't read Mark

Kennedy's evidence. The Ratcliffe prosecution collapsed because of

mistakes not because of conspiracy and there was no deliberate attempt

to suppress Mark Kennedy's evidence. It is recommending new guidance.

There were serious concerns identified by today's inquiry but

is anybody carrying the can? At least one of the main players is

facing disciplinary action. He is Ian Cunningham, the senior

prosecution lawyer. Today's report says he had the prime

responsibility for that evidence not been disclosed and the Attorney

General has been discussing the implications of this case.

Any response from Nottinghamshire Police?

They are not allowed to talk in detail at the moment because there

is another official report into their role coming out the next few

weeks but we have had a statement from Julia Hodson and she says that

lessons have been learned by the force and she is pleased no one has

been found to have acted dishonestly, but these errors have

been very costly. A multi-million- pound police operation and at the

end of it almost criminal conviction.

I spoke to the Director of Public Prosecutions Keir Starmer QC. I

asked if he was shocked by the report's conclusions.

allegations the CPS had suppressed evidence. Sir Christopher Rose has

found that was not the case and I broken that because the integrity

of the Prosecution Service is important. He did find individual

failings, that is of a different order. And I am determined to put

in place measures to make sure that they are not repeated. The main

allegation, which was serious wrongdoing by the CPS, has been

found to be not the case by Sir Christopher Rose has. You are

starting disciplinary action against a reviewing lawyer, Ian

Cunnigham, what should he have done differently? Sir Christopher Rose's

findings were clear, he didn't ask enough questions of the police and

he didn't double-check disclosure when he should have done. They are

individual failings and I have agreed the disciplinary process

should be started and I should not comment on him until that process

is thorough. How significant of these findings, particularly in the

way that undercover officers are dealt with? The most important

thing is to treat today as a watershed. What needs to be

absolutely clear from here on in it is that in all cases, concerning

undercover officers, the authorisation and the activity of

the officer must be shared with the Prosser QC and as soon as a

prosecution is contemplated. -- must be shared with the prosecution.

I have written to the ACPO to put in an understanding to make that

absolutely clear. We will go a long way to dealing with the problems in

this case if we do that. Thank you. It's been confirmed that the Notts

County striker Lee Hughes was arrested over the weekend on

suspicion of sexual assault. It follows an incident at a hotel in

Croydon on Saturday night. Hughes was taken to a South London police

station but has since been released on bail pending further

investigations by police. A drug dealer who distributed

heroin and crack cocaine across Nottinghamshire has been jailed.

24-year-old Courtney Voce was the manager of a lucrative drug dealing

business in Radford. He operated it from an unregistered pay-as-you-go

mobile phone arranging deals across Nottinghamshire. He was jailed for

seven years. Still to come on the programme:

The charity spending �7 million on a halfway house for dogs. It's a

re-homing centre and with a third of all children asking for puppies

this Christmas, it's unlikely to be Next tonight, a jobs boost in Derby

from a big name that's always stood for engineering excellence. Despite

the gloomy outlook in some parts of the economy, Rolls-Royce has

increased its workforce in the city by around 800 people. Mike

O'Sullivan explains how they've done it.

It is an economic powerhouse for Derby and for the region. Now

Rolls-Royce has added another 800 people to its workforce in the city.

In a year. Rolls-Royce didn't want to be interviewed its increased

offer work for saying it tries to recruit talented people

consistently but those that have observed this company closely save

the job figures are hugely important. It means another boost

of high-value, high-quality jobs. And the supply chain that supplied

this job so it is important news. Rolls-Royce says top 1,000 people

now work for the company in Derby. And around one in 11 workers in the

city are directly employed by them. It has claimed more staff at Rolls-

Royce means a significant spin-off for the local supply chain. Their

estimate suggesting that for every job there are 4-5 in the supply

chain, so it is a multiplier effect. So 800 jobs for Dobbie will mean

another times for, times five number of jobs for the local

economy and UK manufacturing. Rolls-Royce has a worldwide

reputation for making aero engines and it has won huge contracts over

the last year. It is also a centre for marine and nuclear power plants.

It provides top-quality skills, a level of employment, a good quality

employment that, to a certain degree, with in the manner pack

drink areas that we have got his world-class. Most of the growth is

coming from the jet engine business and Rolls-Royce sees many more

orders coming from the Asian markets.

Next tonight, the Nottingham mother driven to the edge, tempted to end

her own life as she tried to cope with her son's severe disability.

But a charity says Michelle Harrison is not alone. A survey by

Contact A Family reveals that three quarters of families with disabled

children are depressed. One in five suffer a family breakdown. Sarah

Sturdey reports on how Michelle found a way out.

Peter was born autistic with life- threatening diabetes and needs

blood tests every four hours. you come to the table? In the

summer, Peter refused to eat. After 20 years of trying to cope, this

single mum reached breaking point. I kept ringing people up and saying,

please help me, he is going to die. You wouldn't leave a child with me

if you didn't -- if I didn't wash or feed them. I need help. A survey

by the charity says that almost three-quarters of families with

disabled children suffer from mental health problems and almost

half a vast for anti-depressants or cancelling with one in five

experiencing family breakdown. Two- thirds of parents surveyed suffer

as a nation must have the time, worrying about the future. Any drug

that has got such massive needs and such disabilities, there is one

question that goes over in your mind - what happens when I die? Who

will look after you? Who will do this? No one will do this job. And

you think, if I am going to go, I am going to take you with me.

family is part of a national pilot scheme providing extra support but

Michelle fears for others in a similar situation still desperate

for help. Without this help, without this package, I don't know.

Maybe the would have gone to the Humber Bridge and maybe Pete would

be in residential. It would not have been good for.

A short time ago I spoke to Srabani Sen, Chief Executive of Contact a

Family, and I began by asking her how unusual cases like Michelle and

her son were. Michelle is not an isolated case.

The research has shown that two- thirds of families with disabled

children fill their isolated either all the time or some of the time

and it is leading to devastating consequences like poor mental

health, anxiety and depression and one in five families break up

because of these pressure is. extreme feelings of suicide? It is

unsurprising that people feel extreme feedings of emotion because

they are under pressure, financial pressures, not enough services to

support them, and 50% of the family's say they face

discrimination. What should local authorities do to help us back

local authorities really need to do two things. Firstly protect

services for disabled children and they need to assess the needs of

the carers, the families looking after these disabled children so

these families can continue to do the fantastic job they do to get

for their children. Briefly, if somebody is watching and is in a

desperate state, what should they do? If families are feeling

desperate, it is crucial they reach out either to their local services

or national services like Contact A Family because you cannot struggle

on your own and there is help, it is crucial that you get it. Thank

you for speaking to us. The children putting puppy at the top

of their Christmas list and the charity waiting to go before lot of

it. Dogs Trust is currently building one of the country's

biggest re-homing centres in Leicestershire. But, before it

opens, they're visiting schools to try to teach children what it's

really like to have a new four legged member of the family. Jo

Healey reports. Please may I stroke your doctor?

The first thing he is going to do is many of.

Teaching the art of dog care thanks to the charity Dogs Trust. Is the

message getting through? He will smile your hand, your

feet... It is important to look after the dog because if you don't,

the dog could get injured, get hungry. You have got all the

responsibilities to walk the dogs twice a day. It is really important

to look after your dog even when it has done one of these. He you have

to pick it up and put it in a back. The workshop here is paving the way

for a massive new re- homing centre. Covering 14 acres, costing �7

million, it will be one of the biggest in the country. It will

make a huge difference, allowing us to look after 150 dogs at any one

time and potentially we home 1,000 dogs. We have been proud of what we

have achieved and it will be a supreme dog welfare. Dogs Trust

never puts healthy dogs like these down but local authorities have two

and the number being destroyed is higher than at the. Here are the

figures showing just how the number of dogs being put down has risen in

the last year alone. Nearly a third of children in our region want a

puppy for Christmas. Dogs Trust did that survey, that is why it is

working here as well as at the sharp end with dogs that needs new

homes. Some very lovely dogs.

With the rush on to get ready for Christmas, it can be a very busy

time. But for some it can be a very lonely month. In the second part of

our look at carers, we meet those volunteers who visit older people

in their own homes. The befriending scheme in

Leicestershire and Rutland is run by just 21 people and is in

desperate need or more helpers. Our reporter Jonathan Cecil has been to

meet one volunteer, and one of the pensioners she regularly visits.

This is DEC, 90 years old and lost his wife six years ago. He spent

most of his week alone. I asked him how he spends his time. Sitting

here. Doing what? Nothing. To date is a Lesley day. Hi, Dick. Hello.

Nice to see you. She is a part-time volunteer who comes to visit Dick

once a week. She chats, offers company and offer support. She is

part of the scheme. It helps me, and it makes me come. Lesley is one

of 21 volunteers in Rutland and they also help each other. They

regularly meet to share their experience is. If somebody says

something like you, I wanted to keep this a secret, then, obviously

that is a no-go area. I love it because they have so many lovely

stories to tell. It is also a very satisfying experience to be able to

help people even in the rather ordinary things of life. It is very

rewarding and there are so many lonely people that never get out of

their houses. They sit there all day, maybe 12 hours a day, never

see anybody. Must be some distressing for them. The scheme is

looking for more volunteers. It is an hour of company and friendship

that can make all the difference. When people are alone like myself,

it is wonderful for. Just an hour of your time. Amazing

scheme. Still to come on the programme:

Fight night. We look ahead to one of the biggest events in the

martial arts calendar. And the taste of Christmas in an ice-cream.

I like ice-cream. Oh... Really? Time for the sport.

First tonight, as we speak, rugby's disciplinary committee is debating

whether Leicester Tigers Alesana Tuilagi should be banned followed

his red card on Saturday. He was sent off for throwing punches after

being dragged off the field by his hair. But TV replays seem to show

he never swung a fist. The hair- puller, Northampton's Chris Ashton,

was cited after the game, and also being disciplined today. But Tigers

coaches don't want sanitised rugby. Hair-pulling, it is unusual, but

everybody has a bit of his bar, is at the end of the world? Probably

not. What do you think that happened after that, it is the

flash point and it has happened. Former Loughborough runner Paula

Radcliffe has become one of the first athletes to be named in the

British team for the London Olympics. She's been selected today

for the marathon. The 37-year-old's inclusion makes Radcliffe only the

third British athletics competitor ever to be selected for five

Olympic Games. She'll be hoping to avoid the injuries and illness

which ruined her chances in Beijing and Athens.

Well, earlier this year, Gemma Steel from Whitwick near

Loughborough beat Paula in a road race. Now Steel's all set to

compete for Britain in the European Cross Country Championships this

weekend, where she has an outside chance of a medal. The 26-year-old

also tells us she's aiming for a place in the team at the Olympics.

One of the biggest events in mixed martial arts comes to the East

Midlands this weekend. Nottingham Arena hosts BAMMA 8. That means

some of the country's top fighters are in action and Jeremy Nicholas

has been to see some of them prepare. This is the British

Association of mixed martial arts, BAMMA 8. Nottingham has been a

hotbed for the sport and a big event has come to the arena. They

should have had an event here long ago. It is perfect especially with

all the guys we have got out of love to and Nottingham, Dan Hardy,

guys like that. Deane has a degree in nutritional biochemistry in

Nottingham and plays the saxophone and piano, not something you would

expect in such a brutal sport. thing is, you used brutal, but at

the end of the day, the sport is the combination of Olympic combat

sport. For me, it was a boxer and a wrestler, and we saw crew would one.

Jimmy has �14 to lose by way in. So, three days, you are going to lose a

stone? Years. Eating salad as well. And more salad. And salad and

plenty of trips to that toilet. Because it is in a cage, BAMMA 8

has a reputation but there are rules and the pages therefore

protection. No gouging, no biting, no head-butting. No striking to the

back of the head. You cannot elbow from the ceiling downwards on

someone's head. The cage is there, it actually keeps the fighters in

an enclosed space and nobody gets damaged. If you are in a ring, you

could fall out. Dean, Jimmy and on freight are on the bill when BAMMA

8 comes to Nottingham on Saturday night. I went to take a look when

it was in Manchester and it was quite an event for.

I remember your excitement. Over the next three weeks, students

from Loughborough Hospitality College will be making Christmas

cakes. A standard thing for the festive period but these cakes, 150

to be exact, are being made for the troops in the 2nd Battalion the

Rifles, who are currently deployed in Helmand. Each fruit cake will be

iced and individually personalised with the soldiers' names. The task

went from a three hour session, to three four hours sessions. They

have got to be ready by 23rd December. We had to wait out the

ingredients, put them in the oven. Two hours. Next week, we are icing

and the week after, packaging. is lovely.

What a lovely idea. And here's another one. Christmassy ice creams

and mulled wine sorbets. They're selling like hot cakes at the

Bluebell Dairy at Spondon in Derbyshire. My destination for the

second in our mini series on This is Bluebell Dairy. They have

been since the 1950s. Three years ago, they got into ice cream in a

big way. It started with this stuff. And her. So we have come inside

from the colt into this lovely shop and rosemary, one of the owners is

with me. It is one -- it is freezing, this is not the best time

to be selling ice-cream for. have got a lot of ice -- Christmas

flavours. They are absolutely Fabulous for Christmas tie him.

This is what they call the ice- cream Lab, appropriately, because

it is scientific. And here, the chief scientist himself, Oliver.

You are creating beautiful ice- creams and sorbets. You are going

to made a mulled wine soar by a. put it in here, which will freeze

it. A lovely smell. Yes, a lovely smile for this time of the morning!

-- a lovely smell. Five minutes later, it is a bit of a minor

miracle. Red wine has been turned into sorbate. How did you get that

lovely consistency? We add a special am also fire and stabalise

are to hold the red wine in and we get the right balance of sugars

which keeps the doubly consistency. You wouldn't think that a Derry

would, if you like, do so well in the Christmas period, but you have

diversified. We have. Only four or five years ago, there was a

question whether or not the farm would survive and now it has given

a future for the whole family, which is lovely. It is the sweet

taste of success. I am looking So, now the proof of the pudding

really is in the eating. Oh... Ode... Bow... 0...

Oh, stop! I was Frankie Howard for a moment. It was lovely. I couldn't

bring you any because it would have melted.

I would have paid good money to see you in one of those hairnets.

Weather-wise, we have got quite a few things in store. It has been

cold. Staying breezy overnight and we will see some showers blowing

through mainly rain although the Peak District could see some

flurries of snow. Barry Jones was golfing at hoarsely Llodra today.

This photo was taken at 9:00am this morning. Look at those clouds. I

imagine a fair amount of snow came out of those clouds this morning.

We have a couple of France coming in from West to East. The second of

which brought in some showery outbreaks. We will see a further to

the North West to go, the more you will see snow later on into the

evening and overnight. Temperature- wise, not quite as cold as last

night, so three or four. Those snow showers continuing through the

early morning in the Peak District and then we will see rain showers

trickling in through the day but they should be dry and sunny were

the tomorrow. Still a windy day tomorrow. Gusting at 60 miles per

hour, feeling bitterly cold. Even though the temperatures not faring

too badly, with a maximum of seven. The temperatures get milder still

into Thursday but also Thursday brings the potential for snow,

mainly over Derbyshire, coming in later on through Thursday after