01/10/2014 East Midlands Today

This is East Midlands Today with Geeta Pendse and me, Dominic Heale.

Tonight ` freed. A man who spent six years in jail

for a murder he didn't commht. And today cleared of ordering the

shooting of a teenager. She should never have been there in thd first

place and someone has lost the life but it was not the fault of my son.

He was saved by a bone marrow transplant, now he is recruhting new

donors. I know how difficult it was to get the dawn, this is my way of

giving something back and shgning up for life savers. And the chhldren's

laureate pays a visit. Good evening.

Welcome to Wednesday's programme. First.

A man who was jailed for a lurder he didn't commit has been freed

after almost six years behind bars. Michael Hamblett`Sewell was

originally convicted of ordering the shooting of the

Derby teenager, Kadeem Blackwood. The prosecution had used

a controversial law known as "joint enterprise".

But today, after a SECOND rd`trial, a jury decided that he WASN'T

guilty. Our Social Affairs Correspondent,

Jeremy Ball, was in court. An emotional day?

Yes. There were gasps and tears

from family who were sitting just behind me.

I heard them shout "thank you jury," and then, "thank you judge".

As that jury took barely a couple of hours to clear Michael H`mblett

Sewell, of committing one of Derby's most notorious murders.

Free for the first time in `lmost six years he left court tod`y numb

with promotion. I am just pleased that justice has finally bedn done.

We have suffered for the last six years with name`calling and I have

even lost a job through it. He should never have been paid in the

first place. At the end of the DA young man has lost his life but

through no fault of my son. A 15`year`old was murdered in this

part. He was a keen musician who recorded this track for his girl

friend but a trivial row ovdr this respect led to this horrifyhng

treble nine call. It is now almost six years since the

shooting. Two men were jaildd for life for the murder. Michael

Hamblett Sewell denied he h`d ordered the shooting. This secondary

trial finally cleared his n`me. I am just proud that the name has been

cleared and my sister can now get on with her life. He has practhcally

grown up in prison. He was 09 when it happened and is 25 now. H hope

nothing like this ever happdns again. He has lost six years of

liberty and the murder will affect the rest of his life. Why h`s it

taken so long for Michael H`mblett Sewell to clear his name? This was a

really difficult case to prove either way. The prosecution used a

controversial law known as joint enterprise. They simply had to prove

he was involved in the markdr. Some evidence used that trial later

proved to be unreliable. Let's speak to Paul Bacon,

a local lawyer who's defenddd more than 60 murder suspects.

Why's the "joint enterprise" law used?

There are crimes involving groups of young men. It means different people

can be charged with the samd offence even though they have played

different roles in the crimd. You look at the reaction there has been

to these charges and prosecttions, there are so many appeals which is

an indication if there is an unsatisfactory area of the law. I

suppose in a lot of these c`ses the person doing the killing is simply

following orders, does this not make sure it is the person who is

responsible? Before this cale fashionable you were charged with

different offences, aiding `nd abetting, a free, if you were not

the principal offender who had pulled the trigger knowinglx are

just played in all together and it is left to the duty to try to tease

out who is responsible. `` Julie. Michael Hamblett Sewell's f`mily say

they are also concerned abott the joint enterprise system as well

A Leicester care home at thd centre of allegations of ill treatlent had

systematic failings, accordhng to a report by an independent regulator.

Care Quality Commission inspectors visited Fosse Court in July.

The home failed 4 out of 5 `reas of evaluation

including safeguarding against abuse and managing medication.

The home closed in July after four workers were arrdsted.

Last week police confirmed no further action would be takdn.

Today the family of one forler resident spoke of their concerns.

Every time she said they do not give me food, they do not give md

medicine properly, they do not come and clean, I am upset. My

mother`in`law says she is a very clean lady. Every time I crhed. She

is there and we cannot do anything. In a statement, Fosse Court Care

home say they've produced ddtailed representations of what thex believe

to be factual inaccuracies hn the report based on the July inspections

and are taking advice from their legal team

about challenging its contents. Six men have appeared

before magistrates in connection with the death of a 30`year`old

mother of two in Leicestershire Hayley Pointon died

from a single gunshot wound at a house in Sunnydale Road

in Hinckley last February. Two 24`year`old men have bedn

charged with murder and four others with assisting an offender.

They've all been remanded in custody and are due to appear

at Leicester Crown Court on Friday. Coming up:

A bit of a page turner. We'll be talking to the star guest

of a week`long festival of reading that's taking place in Leicdster.

Next tonight, one of the biggest ever resdarch

studies into breast cancer. The Royal Derby Hospital

is leading the way. And it could end up changing

treatment around the world. Over the next ten years

the investigation will focus on whether armpit surgery is really

necessary when breast cancer has spread to the lymph glands.

The surgery can leave some women with permanent side effects.

Our Health Correspondent Rob Sissons reports.

It was a nightmare being in hospital. Ten years on she has been

given the all clear from thd disease and is running a here salon. But for

life she has been given a lymphoedema which is a swelling in

her rest and is unable to lhft heavy things. I cannot lift pans or the

Hoover. I have to district ly workload. Will the weather hn future

it is possible to avoid lymph node surgery and use something else

instead. To find out it will involve 2000 patients being monitordd. 0

hospitals are getting involved in the project across the UK and it

will take ten years to get the results. The surgeon behind the

study says removing diseased lymph nodes will remain the usual

treatment for now but with 00,0 0 procedures per year in the TK there

is huge interest in finding alternatives. This trial, ddpending

on the results, had the potdntial to change treatment. If the sttdy shows

there is no added benefit of taking the lymph nodes out then we do not

need to do it. Karen knows only too well how far cancer treatment has

come. You have to look at it, yes, it is life`threatening but ht is not

a death sentence any more. @ lot of people survive. There is life after

that and I am living proof of that. A police officer from Leicestershire

whose life was saved by a bone marrow transplant has inspired

hundreds of people to sign ` register to become potential donors.

Rik Basra was suffering from leukaemia and had only weeks to

live when HIS donor was found. Today he and his wife held dvents

across Leicester to try to recruit one thousand donors in just one day.

Helen Astle reports. It has been a busy day at the

University. 100 students have signed up for those who need a bond marrow

transplant. I had the dreaddd conversation with the surgeon when I

was told to start making arrangements. I know what it feels

like to be at the darkest. Ht is very frightening and there hs

nothing you can do, you are relying on a stranger. You look arotnd at

all the people you see in everyday life and you think you could help,

you could be the one to savd my husband's life. They are trxing to

encourage as many people as hospital to sign up to become a donor. Among

those lending the support this footballer, the aim was to get 000

new donors signed up in just one day. I know a lot of people in my

family who have got illnessds and it is a good cause to donate. Xou are

helping somebody. We all have a right to live so if we can help each

other out in some way that hs what I am here for. It is really e`sy to

register, all you need to do is fill in this form, spit in this tube and

wait to see if you are needdd. To give somebody the chance of life is

all the thanks I need, it is such a wonderful feeling. It is so humbling

to see so many people helping out to try to get to that vision. Hn the

last few minutes we have he`rd they have reached their target, hn fact,

just over 1000 people have signed up to become donors and there `re still

students queueing to registdr. An airline which hasn't flown

from East Midlands Airport for 18 years is returning.

Aer Lingus Regional, which hs operated by Stobart Air, is starting

a new direct route to Dublin. 70,000 passengers are expected to

use the service in the first year. It will start in February 2015.

The Conservative Party confdrence has wrapped up in Birminghal,

with the Prime Minister tempting voters with tax cuts, an enhanced

NHS and a tough stance on Etrope. There was also a pledge

on building new homes for first time buyers and a curb

on welfare benefits for migrants. So what's the likely impact of his

conference speech on the political landscape of the East Midlands?

From Birmingham's International Convention Centre, here's

our Political Editor John Hdss. With eight months to go to the next

general election the prime linister outlined his policies and pledges

which he hopes will appeal to the porters, especially on tax. On

minimum wage you will pay no income tax at all, nothing, zero, zilch.

The conference speeches abott rallying the troops. But David

Cameron's tax pledge was for ?2 billion in the first two ye`rs of

the next Parliament. How will that political language go down hn the

Tory held seats that are under threat from UKIP and labour. It is a

straight fight between myself and labour. David Cameron was w`nting to

appeal to voters who might not normally consider voting

Conservative. One local lawxer thinks he might have pulled that

off. He has given us a double dose of oxygen. We can knock on doors and

ask people to give us anothdr term. Labour, UKIP and the Lib Dels whose

conference gets underway thhs weekend will be asking if those

pledges add up. The former Children's Laure`te,

Michael Rosen, has described as criminal

the axing of most of Derbyshire s fleet of mobile libraries.

He was speaking during a visit to Leicester, where he was

one of the star names in a week`long festival to promote reading.

Mr Rosen, who's well`known for his outspoken

views, also told us he's in favour of making a library a statutory

requirement in every school. Mike O'Sullivan's been

along to meet him. The teacher will come along and

pressed me on the top of thd head. The former children's Lordy it on

the Saint Matthews estate in Leicester at a primary school. He

was there as part of the Re`ding festival. I asked him about a story

yesterday when we reported that most of the mobile library fleet in

Leicestershire is to be axed. It is criminal because the council is

doing it and it is criminal because we do not need to. Libraries were

fought for in the 19th centtry because people said everybody should

have books. It is in books we find out about the world. To then take

that away on the ludicrous pretext that somehow we cannot afford it is

the nonsense and it is crimhnal The city aims to promote a love of

reading in every Child. I lhke to read fantasy books because they

build your imagination. It hs important for everyone becatse it

helps in your stats and your writing. It helps you with xour

speaking. It helps you with your writing. He is passionate about his

need for a library in every school. It is compulsory and statutory to

have libraries in prisons, ht is compulsory for local authorhties to

provide one kind of library service but the one place it is not

compulsory is schools. How crazy is that? They expect more star authors

next year as the reputation of this festival grows.

Still to come this evening ` is our weather on the turn?

Anna will be here with the forecast. And the taste of the tropics in

Derby, I'll be meeting the lan who has known this. `` grown thhs. Very

exotic, just like Kirsty! Thank you! Action from Nottingham Forest

and Notts County and some fhghting talk from the Leicester Tigdrs.

But first to Derby County. A sending off.

A disallowed goal. Two frustrated managers.

But in the end Steve McClardn celebrated the anniversary

of his appointment as Derby's boss with another win.

Mark Shardlow was at the I Pro Stadium.

It was a game that turned on this incident. The ball going in the net

four Derby after frustrating defending over an hour. The effort

they had other thoughts, he disallowed the goal, sent off the

keeper and awarded Derby a free kick. The left decided and handball

outside the area meant a dismissal and not a goat. In doing so, he

upset the fans and both man`gers. I did not see a handball. It was very

close. To disallow it, I do not know. What great guys that referee

has got! know. What great guys that referee

has got! Derby made the most of the one`man advantage. This beattifully

taken goal. There was an occasional skier but the victory was m`de

certain with this from Chris Martin just before the end. The progression

that the team have made is phenomenal. You only have to look at

the results. A much better team more organised, absolutely

fantastic. I was one of his worst critics but we had in a good

position. He has made it like you want to come again. What do you

think of Steve? I think he hs a really good manager,

think of Steve? I think he hs a really good manager, one of the best

we have ever had. It ended hn success with the promise of more to

come by his second annivers`ry. Nottingham Forest missed out on

returning to the top of the table after a goalless draw at Wigan. It's

their third 0`0 in a row. Stuart Pearce is team are still

claiming points, they might well have won this one. This could so

easily have given them the lead at Wigan. As the other end there were

skiers as Wigan produced ond of the best performances of the se`son

There was nothing candid about this since awaiting effort. Then they

find the keeper rather than the net. Well, with league leaders Norwich

losing last night, a win would have put Forest back

on top of the Championship table. It is incredbily tight.

Forest are second on goal difference.

Derby County are in 4th. Just a point behind.

But Wolves will go top if they win tonight.

In League One, Notts County have now gone six games unbeaten.

They had their biggest win of the season at bottom club Crewe

last night. Notts County waited patiently for

the opening goal which eventually came a minute from half`timd. The

striker was on target again just six minutes into the second half. This

time the celebration was nohsy and flamboyant as he doubled his tally

for the season. Notts were well in command against the wiki is to

defence in the league and they wrapped it up with this.

Rugby and the Leicester Tigdrs head coach Richard Cockerill

has hit back at his critics. The Tigers have lost back to back

games in their worst start to the season since Cockerill was

appointed five years ago. A thrashing at Bath was followed by

a home defeat as the Tigers battle on without 20 injured players.

And some critics have questhoned Leicester's training methods.

Honestly, they can do what they want. I cannot control the

irrational thoughts of people outside this environment but I can

control this environment and we have good coaches, good people, we will

battle away and when it goes well I want the people who are getting the

stick now to see I was wrong and well done. Fighting talk indeed

That is of the sport. In a moment we'll have the latest

on this balmy weather, but first we meet a man who, come rain or shine,

brings a taste of the tropics to his back garden in Derby.

We sent Jo Healey to meet Mike Whittaker who can't resist

growing exotic fruits. In the past we have shown ndw home

prom whoppers and show stoppers Today it is fruit surprising the

neighbours in Derby. They could not believe you have grown a pineapple

in Derby. It is a challenge. It is the seat you know it must do

something. When it gets too big the botanical art and have taken on one

of my yucca plants. The seat of his obsession was planted three decades

ago when he planted a stone. How do I grew a pineapple? First you get

one in season. You cut it lhke that. Take some leaves off. You mtst keep

the soil damp and I'm it like this. Here's one I made earlier. Dight

years earlier! A lot of trotble to go to but it is beautiful. @nd I am

sure very tasty! It has been doing nicely for the

first day in October. Temperatures of 19 Celsius, really good for

October. Similar tomorrow, lostly dry with some fine sunny spdlls but

all change at the weekend. There will be a few clear spells `s we go

through the night but also ` few showers in the north of the region.

It could be a touch of grass frost in the north but for most of us the

cloud will persist. There could be a few isolated spells of mist or fog.

The risk of an isolated shower but on the poll largely dry. Clogher

will break to give some bright or sunny spells. Temperatures peaking

at 18 or 19 Celsius. From Friday things start to change slowly. It

will be dry, bright and warl but the winds will increase on Frid`y. Look

to the north and we see this band of rain, it is the weather front and it

will make its way south eastwards as we go through Friday night hnto

Saturday. It is a wet and whndy night on Friday and a wet and windy

start to Saturday. Once it clears there will be there will be the

reduction of much cold the `rea weather on Saturday. I am all talked

up by the weather! She is almost no! `` all emotional.

Families left without a pay packet at the end of the month.

Government borrowing on a scale not seen since the war.