0:00:00 > 0:00:12That's all from me, here on BBC One it's time
0:00:12 > 0:00:13Good evening.
0:00:13 > 0:00:15I'm Asad Ahmad.
0:00:15 > 0:00:17Over 40 years after being wrongly convicted
0:00:17 > 0:00:19for a crime he didn't commit, a businessman from Dorking
0:00:19 > 0:00:22has been cleared.
0:00:22 > 0:00:24Stephen Simmons has always protested his innocence of stealing
0:00:24 > 0:00:27mail bags from Clapham in the 1970s, but it wasn't until he got
0:00:27 > 0:00:29onto Google that he started to uncover the truth
0:00:29 > 0:00:31about the arresting police officer.
0:00:31 > 0:00:32Mr Simmons feelings towards him today?
0:00:32 > 0:00:37Hatred.
0:00:37 > 0:00:47Here's Charlotte Franks.
0:00:47 > 0:00:49The face of a man who's just had his conviction
0:00:49 > 0:00:50quashed after 40 years.
0:00:50 > 0:00:55Stephen Simmons has spent decades wondering how and why he was found
0:00:55 > 0:00:57guilty of stealing mail bags from a train at Clapham Junction.
0:00:57 > 0:01:00It was a crime he never committed, but it led to eight
0:01:00 > 0:01:02months in a borstal.
0:01:02 > 0:01:04Hard to describe.
0:01:04 > 0:01:07Best feelings I've ever had in my life.
0:01:07 > 0:01:10I'm not a criminal any more.
0:01:10 > 0:01:12I'll try to cry, I've got the biggest smile ever.
0:01:12 > 0:01:17So, yeah, what could go wrong?
0:01:17 > 0:01:20Stephen was arrested in 1976 by an officers from the BTP
0:01:20 > 0:01:23named DS Derek Ridgewell.
0:01:23 > 0:01:27Years later Stephen searched the officers name on the internet
0:01:27 > 0:01:30and discovered DS Ridgewell himself had also been jailed for mail bag
0:01:30 > 0:01:33theft and eventually died in prison.
0:01:33 > 0:01:40After contacting the Criminal Cases Review Commission,
0:01:40 > 0:01:42Stephen's case was referred to the Appeal Court citing
0:01:42 > 0:01:43unreliable police evidence.
0:01:43 > 0:01:45Research also revealed there were fabricated confessions
0:01:45 > 0:01:50in other cases where DC Ridgewell was the lead officer.
0:01:50 > 0:01:53I just feel hatred for that police officer for what he done.
0:01:53 > 0:01:55You know, he's ruined three lives.
0:01:55 > 0:01:58Ones dead, one's ill and I've survived, but you can't go
0:01:58 > 0:02:00round ruining people's lives.
0:02:00 > 0:02:02Winston Trew was one of those forced to confess.
0:02:02 > 0:02:06He was part of a group of young men who became known as the Oval Four.
0:02:06 > 0:02:10They were arrested for a string of robberies on the Underground
0:02:10 > 0:02:14in the 1970s, but have always maintained their innocence.
0:02:14 > 0:02:16It's now thought that today's overturned conviction
0:02:16 > 0:02:21could help others like Winston to have their cases quashed too.
0:02:21 > 0:02:23I'm absolutely elated, over the moon.
0:02:23 > 0:02:24It's a great day.
0:02:24 > 0:02:25Stephen's won his case.
0:02:25 > 0:02:27I'm very pleased for him.
0:02:27 > 0:02:31It now opens the gate for me to bring my case back to the Court
0:02:31 > 0:02:34of Appeal because we lost the first appeal in 1973.
0:02:34 > 0:02:37In summing up Lord Chief Justice Burnett said,
0:02:37 > 0:02:39"we quash the convictions.
0:02:39 > 0:02:42We would wish only to note our regret that it's taken so long
0:02:42 > 0:02:45for this injustice to be remedied."
0:02:45 > 0:02:48Now Stephen Simmons has promised to do all he can to help
0:02:48 > 0:02:52Winston Trew with his case.
0:02:52 > 0:02:55After all, both men are now friends despite it being a friendship formed
0:02:55 > 0:02:56out of unfortunate circumstances.
0:02:56 > 0:03:00Charlotte Franks, BBC London News.
0:03:00 > 0:03:03Bus drivers in London who move from one company
0:03:03 > 0:03:06to another are to remain on the same pay rather than having it lowered.
0:03:06 > 0:03:08That's how it's worked until today, when the Mayor of London
0:03:08 > 0:03:11announced the change,
0:03:11 > 0:03:14a change that's been described by unions as a win-win.
0:03:14 > 0:03:24Our Transport Correspondent Tom Edwards has the details.
0:03:24 > 0:03:29The son of a bus driver today meeting workers at Merton bus depot.
0:03:29 > 0:03:38The Mayor hailed this deal a win- win. Now, bus drivers in the capital
0:03:38 > 0:03:42moving to another company will remain on the same pay grade.
0:03:42 > 0:03:50Previously, their pay would have dropped.This deal means if you are
0:03:50 > 0:03:52an experienced driver and you leave one company and moved to another,
0:03:52 > 0:03:58they will recognise the experience you have, which will lead to more
0:03:58 > 0:04:04professional drivers and a better quality service for commuters.There
0:04:04 > 0:04:07are over 6 million bus journeys a day, more than the tube and the
0:04:07 > 0:04:12trains. At the Capitol's bus drivers have been fighting for better
0:04:12 > 0:04:17conditions for years. They have already seen a minimum wage of
0:04:17 > 0:04:22£23,000, now this.What we have got here is a Mayor of London saying he
0:04:22 > 0:04:27will treat people with respect, and we will get a quality service at a
0:04:27 > 0:04:31good price, and everybody will benefit, so it is a win- win
0:04:31 > 0:04:36situation.TEFL says the new scheme won't cost any more and bus
0:04:36 > 0:04:45companies will save on training. For these bus drivers, it is welcome. --
0:04:45 > 0:04:51TfL.It is important to carry your experience with you when you
0:04:51 > 0:04:56transfer.It is important, and I believe it is challenging out there,
0:04:56 > 0:05:00so having that same, equal level for all drivers is going to be very
0:05:00 > 0:05:05important and appealing.Not all driver concerns have been addressed,
0:05:05 > 0:05:09but for these key transport workers today, some good news. It could now
0:05:09 > 0:05:12be copied elsewhere. Tom Edwards, BBC London News.
0:05:12 > 0:05:14Two victims of the serial sex attacker, John Worboys,
0:05:14 > 0:05:16have launched a legal challenge against the Parole Board's
0:05:16 > 0:05:17decision to release him.
0:05:17 > 0:05:20They're demanding to know the reasons behind it.
0:05:20 > 0:05:22A crowdfunding appeal has also been launched to support them.
0:05:22 > 0:05:24Louisa Preston has more on this.
0:05:24 > 0:05:29Louisa.
0:05:29 > 0:05:34The campaign is being spearheaded by a woman who was attacked by Worboys
0:05:34 > 0:05:38back in 2007. She was sexually assaulted by the black cab driver.
0:05:38 > 0:05:43There is also another woman who says she was sexually assaulted by John
0:05:43 > 0:05:48Worboys back in 2003, but the case never came to court. Together, they
0:05:48 > 0:05:53are launching this legal challenge and they are trying to raise £10,000
0:05:53 > 0:05:57through a crowdfunding website. They are trying to force the parole board
0:05:57 > 0:06:03to make it public into why they believe John Worboys is safe to be
0:06:03 > 0:06:08back, released into the community. We know Worboys was convicted of
0:06:08 > 0:06:12assaulting 12 women, but the police believe he assaulted more than 100
0:06:12 > 0:06:15women. The case was discussed in the
0:06:15 > 0:06:21Commons today, wasn't it? Yes, we know that the public is
0:06:21 > 0:06:26outrage, but also politicians, and among those calling for a review is
0:06:26 > 0:06:29Zac Goldsmith, the former Conservative candidate for Mayor of
0:06:29 > 0:06:34London.John Worboys is likely to be one of the worst sex attackers our
0:06:34 > 0:06:41country has ever known. He was continuing to deny his guilt until
0:06:41 > 0:06:44two right years ago, dismissing his crimes as banter, and only last year
0:06:44 > 0:06:50he was deemed too dangerous to be an open release conditions. This is an
0:06:50 > 0:06:53insult to his victims and shows a contempt for justice.The Prime
0:06:53 > 0:06:58Minister has said she does appreciate the sensitivity of this
0:06:58 > 0:07:03case, and she said that the new Justice Secretary definitely made
0:07:03 > 0:07:07the right decision in getting his own legal advice on whether he could
0:07:07 > 0:07:11challenge the parole board. Obviously, that would be unusual if
0:07:11 > 0:07:15it happened. The Prime Minister said the parole board is totally
0:07:15 > 0:07:19independent, so no minister should mean on it. The news that we know
0:07:19 > 0:07:26tonight is that John Worboys will be released by the end of this month.
0:07:26 > 0:07:28There's been a surprise vote to block plans
0:07:28 > 0:07:31to redevelop the Elephant and Castle shopping centre and other
0:07:31 > 0:07:32landmarks nearby, including the tube station.
0:07:32 > 0:07:34After more than seven hours discussing the
0:07:34 > 0:07:35multi-million pound plan,
0:07:35 > 0:07:38councillors decided they weren't happy with the proposals
0:07:38 > 0:07:40because it wasn't in the best interest of local people.
0:07:40 > 0:07:46Tolu Adayoye has been to the area.
0:07:46 > 0:07:50It was an unexpected decision.
0:07:50 > 0:07:52Even those who were opposed to plans, which included
0:07:52 > 0:07:54redeveloping Elephant and Castle Shopping Centre,
0:07:54 > 0:07:58were surprised when Southwark Council didn't approve them.
0:07:58 > 0:08:01Many, like Sharon, who live and work in the area,
0:08:01 > 0:08:03felt the changes would be bad for local people.
0:08:03 > 0:08:06It's not going to be inclusive, as far as I'm concerned.
0:08:06 > 0:08:09Dare I say it's for the haves rather than the have-nots.
0:08:09 > 0:08:11So I guess that things do have to move on and things
0:08:12 > 0:08:14do have the change.
0:08:14 > 0:08:18But, I don't know, I just don't feel that it's including the people
0:08:18 > 0:08:22who've been born and bred in the area.
0:08:22 > 0:08:25The developers had promised a brand-new shopping centre,
0:08:25 > 0:08:29a new building for the London College of Communication,
0:08:29 > 0:08:31as well as 1,000 new homes, a third of which
0:08:31 > 0:08:34would be affordable.
0:08:34 > 0:08:36And from the roof of the Elephant and Castle shopping centre,
0:08:36 > 0:08:40all you have to do is look up to see the changes already in this area.
0:08:40 > 0:08:45But it appears this is a development too far.
0:08:45 > 0:08:49In a statement, the council said:
0:09:03 > 0:09:06This development plan would essentially mean the social
0:09:06 > 0:09:09cleansing of the area. UAL are currently
0:09:09 > 0:09:13complacent in that.
0:09:13 > 0:09:16Despite so much talk of a commitment to social justice
0:09:16 > 0:09:17and widening participation, its involvement proves the utter
0:09:18 > 0:09:20hypocrisy of their statements.
0:09:20 > 0:09:22A bingo hall sits at the top floor of
0:09:22 > 0:09:24the shopping centre.
0:09:24 > 0:09:26Its owner was another objector.
0:09:26 > 0:09:29He says it wasn't factored into the plans at all, and
0:09:29 > 0:09:31shows the developers are out of touch.
0:09:31 > 0:09:35This is vitally important of the social life of
0:09:35 > 0:09:38thousands of people in the area every week.
0:09:38 > 0:09:41Everybody wants the Elephant and Castle to develop, right?
0:09:41 > 0:09:43But they didn't want this particular one, it
0:09:43 > 0:09:45just didn't make any sense.
0:09:45 > 0:09:47The developers have said that 90% of people who they spoke
0:09:48 > 0:09:49to were in favour of the plans.
0:09:49 > 0:09:51They want their supporters to make their voices
0:09:51 > 0:09:55heard ahead of a meeting at the end of January, when the next
0:09:55 > 0:09:56steps for this part of London will become
0:09:56 > 0:10:03clearer.
0:10:03 > 0:10:05That's it for now from me, but let's find out
0:10:05 > 0:10:08what the weather's up to, with Chris.
0:10:12 > 0:10:17Windy weather could cause problems for the commute tomorrow morning.
0:10:17 > 0:10:21Look at how the isobars are squeezed together across eastern England as
0:10:21 > 0:10:24the low works out into the North Sea. There is where the strongest
0:10:24 > 0:10:28winds will be. The Met office have issued this yellow weather warning
0:10:28 > 0:10:35for strong winds which will pick up through the course of the night. 70
0:10:35 > 0:10:40mph in coastal parts of East Anglia. Strongest of the north of central
0:10:40 > 0:10:44London, where we are most likely to see disruptive weather tomorrow
0:10:44 > 0:10:49morning. There will be sunshine, but in the afternoon, the wind comes
0:10:49 > 0:10:59down a bit, still blustery. And showers moving. Some wintering --
0:10:59 > 0:11:02wintry showers over higher ground. It has milder but