05/12/2017 London News

return to snow showers as we head

into Friday. That's it for now. Many

Tonight on BBC London News.

The 90-year-old stabbed in the neck

by her husband's carer -

who had a previous conviction

for assault that wasn't

revealed in criminal checks.

It is not even one thing she has

done, she has done several things,

ABH, stealing, and it seems like it

is always the vulnerable she has

picked on.

Her son calls for an urgent review.

On the day the first electric

blackcap goes into service we are

with the mayor in India.

I am in

India, Delhi, one of the most

polluted cities in the world.

And is the only way rebranding?

As a think tank is set up improve

perceptions of an Essex town.

Any improvement is a good

improvement. We could be more like

Southend, which has a better

atmosphere. This really has not got

an atmosphere.

Good evening and welcome

to the programme.

After a 90-year-old woman was

stabbed by a carer with a previous

conviction for assault there are

calls for an urgent review on how

criminal record checks are carried

out. The company who employed the

woman's assailant said they carried

out checks but it did not flag up

all convictions and it has prompted

serious questions as to how this

could have happened. The Home Office

is refusing to comment. We have this

exclusive report.

Guilty of assault, burglary,

stealing from an employer and fraud,

but Abosede Adeyinka was given a job

as a carer, sent into the homes

of vulnerable elderly

people to look after them.

This was the result - 90-year-old

Pamela Batten nearly died

when Adeyinka tried

to kill her for cash

at Pamela's home near West Drayton.

This is where the attack happened.

Amazingly, the frail

grandmother managed to pull

the knife out of her neck

and scare her attacker off.

Adeyinka has been jailed for 21

years for attempted murder.

My mum had two injuries

on the head from the hammer -

one to the front

and one to the back.

And she had a knife wound

on the right-hand side,

and the knife went

in five centimetres,

just missing her spinal cord.

I cannot believe...

I really can't believe that

someone with that amount of

convictions can be still working

with vulnerable people.

Without a doubt, the law,

it's not just what I

want, the law should be changed.

It's got to be changed.

This is Pamela now, left disabled

and very frightened of strangers.

Her son has filmed her for us.

Adeyinka, also a Sunday-school

teacher, had been employed

by Avant Healthcare to help look

after Pamela's sick husband.

Avant Healthcare Services are based

in this office block in Hounslow.

Nobody wants to be interviewed,

but in a statement, the company said

it had thoroughly vetted Adeyinka,

including criminal records checks

through the Government's

Disclosure and Barring Service,

and it said her convictions

for assault and burglary

were not revealed.

It added, if Avant Healthcare

had been aware of the assault

conviction, Abosede Adeyinka

would not have been employed.

So how did the safety

checks fail Pamela?

The Home Office is in

charge of the system

to check criminal records.

It's called the Disclosure

and Barring Service, or DBS.

We've repeatedly asked officials

here how Adeyinka's convictions

appear not to have been included

in a DBS check.

But nobody here will tell us how it

happened, or what is being done

to stop it happening again.

A charity campaigning for new laws

to protect older people is now

demanding to know how many other

carers have convictions

for violence too.

It's a huge concern,

because where else is it happening?

There is blame somewhere, we need

to establish where the blame is.

Thinking about your own parents,

would you be happy with the idea

that somebody with those sorts

of serious convictions

are coming into somebody's home?

Pamela wants answers too.

Well, I'm shocked as well,

it surprised me,

because it makes you wonder now

just what is going on.

Yvonne Hall, BBC London News.

Plenty more ahead including:

One of our first black MPs

is honoured with a portrait

in Parliament 17 years

after his death.

We'll reveal who later

in the programme.

The Mayor of London has announced

that City Hall will spearhead

a global partnership of up to 20

other cities to tackle

global air pollution.

The capital is also set to get

a new air monitoring system.

Sadiq Khan made the announcement

in Delhi - on the third day

of his trade visit to India.

From where our political

correspondent Karl Mercer

sent this report.

Take a look at Delhi if you thought

London traffic was banned. And take

a look at Delhi if you thought

London had a bad pollution problem.

Here the state of the atmosphere is

front-page news and in the next ten

days all 6000 traffic police here

will be tested for lung disease and

a couple of months ago the Test

match between India and Sri Lanka

saw the scenes, players wearing

masks and some being sick. In London

the mayor Sadiq Khan has made

pollution a key issue but the scale

of it here in Delhi is nothing like

London has seen. Experts say it is

one of the most polluted cities, but

spending a day in smog and traffic

here is like smoking 50 cigarettes.

The mayor thinks the city 's convert

from each other. Make new friends,

if you like. Today he announced

£750,000 will be spent on air

monitoring stations in London.

We

can have them outside schools,

social care centres, and take

action. It is not a one size fits

all approach. We are going to use

this as a way of cleaning up sooner

rather than later.

The school that

welcomed the mayor to Delhi is doing

a lot of work on pollution. It is a

growing problem according to the

headteacher. Initially it was not

that bad, since three years it has

really gone bad and we are worried

about it, before it it was not that

bad.

We hope that within a year or

two we are able to manage it.

The

business on this trip is done in

grand rooms not classrooms, the man

beating the Finance Minister and

commerce minister, once he had

finished his last-minute paperwork.

The Chancellor, the second most

powerful politician in India, was

keen to reassure me he recognises

London is open and he is pleased to

hear that notwithstanding Brexit,

London is open.

Business side it is

a trip about symbolism. London's

Muslim mayor at this giant temple

today. Among the greeting party, a

swami who started life in London.

I

studied at Woolwich College and I

lived in Eltham. You do not lose it

back quickly.

Whatever the there

says about shared city problems this

at least is one London does not

have.

So as Karl mentioned, tackling

London's air pollution is one

of the Mayor's key policies.

And today the first fully electric

black cab hit the capital's streets.

From the new year every

new cab will have to be

electric - and it's hoped there'll

be more than 9,000 of them

on our roads within two years -

that's roughly half

the current fleet.

It could cut London pollution,

like nitrogen oxides by 3.5%.

Here's our transport

Correspondent Tom Edwards.

This is the T X E city, London's

Electric cab, picking up fares today

for the first time. John Dowd has

been a cabbie for nine years and has

trialled this one for seven weeks

and loves it. Really impressive.

How

have you found it? It is like

nothing else I have driven as a cab

driver. It is incredible, no

comparison to any thing in the trade

before.

What has the reaction been

from passengers?

Superb. Everything

about it, the space and luxury, the

suspension. Everything. And it is

quiet. It is a new experience for

passengers and drivers.

What is

striking is the roof, completely

see-through and you can see

everything. It has a range on the

battery of 70 miles, but that can be

extended with the petrol generator

to about 370. Built in Coventry, the

technology has been tested in the

harsh environment of the Arctic.

£55,000, it is not cheap, but the

manufacturer says there are savings.

The average cabbie will save £100 a

week in fuel. There are concerns

about the lack of rapid charging

points in London. Transport for

London and the borrowers cannot

between them get is more than two

charge points in central London, two

within six miles of Charrington

cross. We have nowhere to charge it.

A disgrace. TfL said there will be

150 rapid charges by the end of next

year and the on-board generator

means taxes will not end up

stranded. Why are there not more

rapid Charger is ready?

You cannot

have a city full of rapid charges

and no vehicles to use them. This is

a progressive thing. From the 1st of

January, only zero emission taxes

like this can be licensed for the

first time that we will see an

increase of charging points.

So far,

a few hundred electric camps have

been pre-ordered. All new camps must

be zero emissions from the New Year

so you can expect to see more of

these on the streets of London.

Detectives are trying to piece

together the last known movements

of a father and daughter found dead

at a home in Deptford.

The bodies of Noel Brown,

who was 69, and his 41-year-old

daughter, Marie, were

discovered in the early hours

of yesterday morning.

Detectives say someone

had forced entry into

the house on New Butt Lane.

There are increased police

patrols in the local area.

So far no-one's been arrested.

The McDonald's security guard who's

accused of telling a Muslim woman

to remove her headscarf

has been suspended.

In this video posted on social

media, the 19-year-old student

is heard asking the guard why

she cannot come in.

He responds:

"It's just

a matter of taking it off."

The incident took place

last Thursday night

at the Seven Sisters Road

branch in Holloway.

McDonald's has apologised

and says it has launched

an internal investigation.

Three prisoners have been found not

guilty of killing a fellow inmate

at Pentonville Prison.

Jamal Mahmoud was fatally

stabbed after a row over

smuggled contraband.

The jury at the Old Bailey heard how

the 21-year-old has taken a senior

role in a gang linked to drugs

and violence before his

death in October 2016.

The three men accused

of killing him were ALL cleared

of murder and manslaughter.

More on the findings of a major

terror review ordered by the

government. The report highlights

how the leader of the London Bridge

attack and the man who targeted

Westminster Bridge had both been on

MI5's radar previously.

What more

have we learned? We have learned the

security service was actively

investigating the ringleader of the

London Bridge attack when it

happens. From mid-2015 Khuram Butt

was being investigated in operation

hawthorn because they had

information that suggested he wanted

to carry out an attack on the UK. In

September 2015 and assessment

concluded he represented a medium

risk and they said he had strong

content but weak capability. Early

the following year the operation was

suspended because of resourcing

problems after the Paris attacks and

it was downgraded. Two weeks before

the attack, Hawthorn was reopened

after new material was received but

it did not indicate the atrocities

the man would go on to commit.

What

about the man responsible for the

attack on Westminster Bridge?

Khalid

Masood was known to MI5 and had been

under observation for associating

with extremists, but he was not

being investigated at the time of

that atrocity. The report said his

attack could not have been

anticipated but it reveals before

the attack he did reconnaissance

work at Westminster Bridge and had

been looking on YouTube for videos

relating to terrorism. There is no

suggestion in the review the attacks

could be prevented by the security

services but the Metropolitan Police

Commissioner said she needs more

resources to fight the growing

problem and said there are

significant challenges in an

environment that is more intense

than ever for those fighting terror.

Thank you.

Still to come this Tuesday evening:

Challenging stereotypes. Why an

Essex town is spending thousands on

rebranding. Plus. I will have your

weather forecast from the Tate

Britain later.

The Labour leader has accused the

government of damaging London's

global reputation far higher

education and research after the

American academic was refused

indefinite leave to remain.

Jennifer Wexler is married

to a Londoner and has lived

and worked here for years,

including as an archaeologist

at a London University

and the British Museum

for the last four years.

Our education reporter,

Marc Ashdown, has the story.

So this paper will focus on our work

in connection with the Bronze

collections at the Age British

Museum.

Expert archeologist Jennifer Wexler,

presenting a talk recently

on the Bronze Age.

An American who's lived and worked

here for ten years, the Home Office

has refused her right to remain

in the UK.

To be honest, I was completely

shocked and appalled

that the Home Office had given me

permission to undertake

a certain type of work,

connected to also my specialised

training and then were

telling me that essentially

that work wasn't valid.

The trouble is that Jennifer

sometimes travels abroad

representing the British Museum,

the Government says she's been out

of the country too many days,

even though they originally approved

all the travel.

Husband Sam, a leading

archeologist, born and bred

in the UK, also had a shock.

He was told he could just go

and live in the US too.

I just couldn't understand how it

could be so casually said

within such a letter.

Somebody who is born

in the United Kingdom and has

been here for 40 years,

contributing to the UK,

and then suddenly just to be said -

you know, well, you can just

go somewhere else.

I was completely shocked with this

and, fundamentally, it kind of...

It just really suddenly

challenges your idea

of what it is to be

a British citizen.

What status that means.

Their local MP, a certain

Jeremy Corbyn, has taken up

the case, describing Jennifer

in a letter to the Home Office

as an obvious asset to the UK.

Some say all this is symptomatic

of wider issues for all

sorts of applicants.

Only apply for something

in which you think you're

going to qualify for.

Don't expect the Home Office

to exercise any discretion

because the current state of affairs

and the current political climate

is that they're not all going to be

friendly towards people

who want to settle here

because the whole purpose of this

Government is to reduce the amount

of people settling here.

I'm not the only one

who's been through this,

I know a number of colleagues who've

had similar responses

from the Home Office.

I mean, I think it sends a very

clear message that the UK is not

that interested in supporting

international academics

and, not only

that, is that they actually

are targeting them as people

that they think they can easily

get rid of and easily

reject for settlement.

The Home Office says it can't

comment on an active case.

Jennifer is nervously waiting

for news of her appeal.

Mark Ashdown, BBC London News.

He was one of Britain's first black

MP's who went from a rail clerk

to the corridors of power.

Bernie Grant was outspoken,

controversial, allegedly saying

of the race riots in the '80s

that the police received

a "good hiding."

To others he was a uncompromising

civil rights campaigner.

Now, 17 years after his death,

the Tottenham MP is to be

immortalised with his own

portrait in Parliament.

Wendy Hurrell was at the unveiling.

During the Broadwater Farm riots

in 1985, Bernie Grant stood

beside the people of Tottenham,

it was the defining

moment in his career.

In terms of the damage

to the community, well

that's incalculable.

It was not without controversy,

some branded him anti-police,

but to many Bernie Grant was a hero.

It's hugely important

for generations after this to be

able to look back and recognise

the huge contribution that Bernie

made to a multi-cultural London

and a multi-cultural Britain.

I do solemnly, sincerely and truly

declare and affirm...

From the moment he was elected

as a Labour MP, in 1987,

and attended the State Opening

of Parliament in traditional

Ghanaian dress, to his death in

2000, Bernie Grant was a charismatic

and outspoken figure.

I think that we need to channel

the energies of the young people

into political action.

The job of immortalising him

in an artwork fell to this Tottenham

artist, who had to find ways to get

to know his subject

without ever having met him.

Sometimes you have to like ruffle

the feathers in order to have

change, and he wasn't afraid to do

that, which is kind of were my

inspiration for him kind of led him.

Knowing that regardless

of the resistance and the barriers

that people try to perturb you,

he was passionate and he wanted

to get his word across, you know

pioneering for change and equality.

I had audio, I heard his voice.

Countless photographs.

The work is entirely in pencil.

The first in this medium that

will hang in Parliament.

It took 180 hours.

The portrait is now here

at Portcullis House and will hang

alongside former colleagues

of Bernie Grant, Diane Abbott

and Paul Boateng who were elected

to Parliament that same year, 1987.

It feels like I could

reach out and touch him.

Bernie Grant's widow has

complimented the artist

on the likeness he has captured.

I think the portrait is important,

not just from the point of view

of him, his acceptance

and his family, I think it's

probably an honour too

for a whole generation who felt

that he reflected their experience

and they will feel that perhaps

somewhere in the House of Commons

there's somebody that is listening

to them and what their

generation experienced.

When you think of Basildon,

what do you think of?

Well, hopefully, it isn't white vans

and stiletto heals as the Essex town

has just set up its own think-tank

to try and rebrand its image.

We sent Tolu Adeoyay to find

out what people think

of their neighbourhood.

Welcome to... Basildon. Home to

180,000 people and 7,000 businesses

and just 35 minutes from central

London by rail, Basildon has a lot

going for it, but it has suffered

from a bit of a reputation.

Basically, a mess, to what it was.

Definitely needs a lot doing to it.

If you mention Basildon it's like

--ing oh, no. God, tutting. The

council wants to turn things around

it has set up and independent

commission to give this town a

rebirth.

People don't always see

what a place is really like. They

know the cliche, the stereotype.

Actually, part of this is about

really identifying and communicating

what Basildon really is, both the

good and the bad. What is great

about it, what is not so great and

how can we improve it?

This isn't

the first time there has been talk

of boosting Basildon. Back in 1948 a

Government minister came to Basildon

and said - Basildon will become a

city that people from all over the

world will want to visit. It will be

a place where all classes of

community can meet together on equal

terms. How far has it come? Trip

advisers lists this theatre as one

of the town's Big Draws. It's Panto

star say there is is a lot going for

it. Across there from the theatre, I

walk my dog in between shows. It's

like just trees and everything for

miles. It's really nice.

It's full

of really salt of the earth people.

It's a good humoured place. I'm a

northerner. It's similar, great

people.

At this pie and mash shop

locals told me what could improve

the town?

Tidy up, more cleaner.

Less pound shops.

More like

Southend. Southend has a Bert

atmosphere. This hasn't really got

an October moose fear. I don't think

so anyway.

Any improvement is a good

improvement, aren't they.

The

Commission will work to boost the

town and their recommendations could

become real policies so maybe one

day basil Don could rival that other

place with a famous sign.

Now, if you're out and about it is

of course the time of the year

for twinkling lights marking

the festive season, these

are the ones on Regent Street.

Some of London's landmarks are also

getting in on the act,

including Tate Britain,

and that's where we can

join Elizabeth Rizzini.

Hi.

Hello. Thank you.

Hi.

Hello. Thank you.

It's feeling

like Christmas by the river at the

Tate Britain. These are not just

Christmas lights. No, this is

actually high end art. Yes, it is.

It's the latest installation here

it's done by an rtist who mixes high

end cull with something more

grounded and accessible. All of

these Christmas lights can be found

off the shelves. I will look out for

the reindeer and the Christmas

pudding later. If you want culture

down here at Tate Britain this is

available to see every early morning

and evening right up until the 6th

January. What sort of weather

conditions will we view it all in

this week? Actually, we've got a

mixed bag, as we like to see. There

will be a little bit of absolutely

everything, I have to say. It's

going to be turning milder. It will

turn colder. We will talk about

sunshine and also rain. It will get

very windy indeed on Thursday

morning. There could be a little bit

of snow, perhaps snowflakes by the

end of the working week. Overnight

tonight it will stay dry and it will

stay reasonably mild for this time

of year. You won't need all you have

of your layers on. You won't need

your hat and gloves tonight. We will

end the night at six or seven

degrees Celsius. A dry start to the

day tomorrow morning. There might be

spits and spots of drizzle around,

but it will look dry. It will feel

windier tomorrow. We have a brisk

south-westerly wind that will drag

in milder air. Temperatures will be

slightly higher by the time we get

to the end of the day, maybe 12 or

13 degrees Celsius. The wind will

mix the air up a touch. We could see

something brighter going on through

tomorrow afternoon. Brighter than it

was earlier on today. It will kick

off on Wednesday night. That is when

we will start to see the big change.

It will turn windy indeed. Wednesday

night right through to Thursday

morning. This is Storm Caroline we

have been talking about on the

national forecast of course. It's a

cold front coming through, windy

conditions indeed. When you wake up

on Thursday morning you will be

surprised just how mild it is, it

will be wet and windy too. We could

look at gusts on Thursday morning of

up to 40 to 50 miles an hour.

Nothing to be alarmed about, not

particularly unusual for this time

of year. It will be a very windy

start to the day. By the time you

get home in the evening on Thursday

it will be colder. There will be

sunshine just before the sun goes

down as well. A big dip in

temperature by the time we get to

the end of the week. I will not rule

out wintry showers on Thursday night

into the start of the day on Friday.

Widespread frost around as well.

Feeling colder, perhaps more like

Christmas, not as Christmassy as

these lights. , sparkling away

there. Thank you.

Recapping the day's headlines:

A BBC investigation into three live

streaming apps has found evidence

of men trying to groom children

by asking them to carry-out sexual

acts and exposing them

to obscene material.

The terror attack on

the Manchester Arena,

in which 22 people were killed

in May, might have been prevented.

A report says the bomber had been

a "subject of interest"

and opportunities to stop

him were missed.

The Democratic Unionist Party says

the Irish government and the EU

are to blame for a failure in Brexit

talks, that's despite the DUP's

rejection of the latest proposals

for resolving border

issues in Ireland.

More from us during

the Ten O'Clock News.

But that's it for now.

You're always welcome

of course to get in touch

on our Facebook Page.

From us here though,

thanks for watching

and have a lovely evening.

Bye bye.