16/02/2018

Download Subtitles

Transcript

0:00:00 > 0:00:00Now on BBC One, it's time for the news where you are.

0:00:14 > 0:00:17Good evening from BBC London News with me Louisa Preston.

0:00:17 > 0:00:2010 years on from the death of a mentally ill man

0:00:20 > 0:00:22in police custody, an officer has been suspended.

0:00:22 > 0:00:25Sean Rigg died in Brixton police station in 2008.

0:00:25 > 0:00:28Today his relatives have spoken out about the length of time it's taking

0:00:28 > 0:00:31to find out exactly how their loved one died while in the care

0:00:31 > 0:00:32of police officers.

0:00:32 > 0:00:41Chris Rogers has the story.

0:00:41 > 0:00:44Sean Rigg overcame his mental health issues through music.

0:00:44 > 0:00:45In August 2008 he was arrested for threatening

0:00:46 > 0:00:47behaviour.

0:00:47 > 0:00:49He was restrained and later died in police custody at

0:00:49 > 0:00:54Brixton station.

0:00:54 > 0:00:57This week would have been Sean's 50th on the 11th,

0:00:57 > 0:00:58so...

0:00:58 > 0:01:02Reminiscing, basically.

0:01:02 > 0:01:05And it's sad that ten years later I'm

0:01:05 > 0:01:09still having to fight on behalf of my family to get some sort of

0:01:09 > 0:01:14accountability.

0:01:14 > 0:01:16The only hope is disciplinary hearings for the

0:01:16 > 0:01:18officers involved.

0:01:18 > 0:01:20But the family accused the Met police of sitting on

0:01:20 > 0:01:23their hands as two officers tried to retire or resign

0:01:23 > 0:01:28which would prevent them facing any further scrutiny.

0:01:28 > 0:01:30I will challenge and try anything for

0:01:30 > 0:01:31some form of accountability.

0:01:31 > 0:01:33Do you think you're going to get it?

0:01:33 > 0:01:35I have no faith in the judicial system

0:01:35 > 0:01:38because I've had to challenge every step of it and I shouldn't have had

0:01:38 > 0:01:39to do that.

0:01:39 > 0:01:44And not only me, but other families, too.

0:01:44 > 0:01:45Three officers involved remain on duty but today

0:01:45 > 0:01:49the family were forced for a second time to threaten legal action to

0:01:49 > 0:01:54stop an officer from leaving the force.

0:01:54 > 0:01:57The family of Sean Rigg only learned of Sergeant Paul White's

0:01:57 > 0:01:59plans to retire in the last few days,

0:01:59 > 0:02:00forcing them to appeal to the

0:02:00 > 0:02:10Met police to step in.

0:02:13 > 0:02:16Next week the family are at the High Court as PC

0:02:16 > 0:02:17Mark Harriet appeals against his suspension

0:02:17 > 0:02:21to stop him retiring.

0:02:21 > 0:02:22And we've also learned both officers now

0:02:22 > 0:02:24face allegations of lying to the inquest

0:02:24 > 0:02:25into Sean Rigg's death and

0:02:25 > 0:02:26Independent police watchdog investigators.

0:02:26 > 0:02:29It's not the first time Sergeant White has faced such

0:02:29 > 0:02:30allegations.

0:02:30 > 0:02:32In a long legal battle for the Rigg family.

0:02:32 > 0:02:34In 2012 and inquest finds police used unsuitable

0:02:34 > 0:02:35force on Sean Rigg.

0:02:35 > 0:02:37But in September 2016, the Crown Prosecution Service

0:02:37 > 0:02:39decides there is insufficient evidence for criminal charges.

0:02:39 > 0:02:40In November 2016 Sergeant Paul White is

0:02:40 > 0:02:50found not guilty of lying at the original inquest.

0:02:51 > 0:02:52A charity which represents families who've lost

0:02:52 > 0:02:55loved ones in police custody says its familiar territory for most

0:02:55 > 0:02:59cases.

0:02:59 > 0:03:02We have to have a system that is a lot fairer and we need

0:03:02 > 0:03:07a police complaints process that is fit for

0:03:07 > 0:03:08purpose.

0:03:08 > 0:03:11Initially, the Met police refused to comment on Sergeant

0:03:11 > 0:03:12White's retirement.

0:03:12 > 0:03:14Only tonight after calls from the Rigg family and

0:03:14 > 0:03:15the BBC was his suspension announced.

0:03:15 > 0:03:18It means the family now still have hope of finding out

0:03:18 > 0:03:27exactly how and why Sean died.

0:03:27 > 0:03:28Chris Rogers, BBC London News.

0:03:28 > 0:03:31The number of young londoners who own their own home has

0:03:31 > 0:03:32significantly dropped over the past two decades.

0:03:32 > 0:03:35A study has revealed that 20 years ago around 47% of 20-

0:03:35 > 0:03:37to 30-year-olds on middle incomes

0:03:37 > 0:03:39had bought a property.

0:03:39 > 0:03:44That dropped to just 20% in 2016.

0:03:44 > 0:03:45Uber is to introduce new measures to protect

0:03:45 > 0:03:48its passengers and drivers.

0:03:48 > 0:03:56They include a 24 hour telephone help line and giving customers

0:03:56 > 0:03:57the driver's licence number.

0:03:57 > 0:03:59The company is currently appealing against Transport for London's

0:03:59 > 0:04:01decision to remove its licence, partly on safety grounds.

0:04:01 > 0:04:03Emma North has this report.

0:04:03 > 0:04:04Uber's future is at stake.

0:04:04 > 0:04:06For both customers and drivers this means

0:04:06 > 0:04:07seeing more of a personal touch.

0:04:07 > 0:04:10Gareth's a typical Uber driver who prices flexibility in his life.

0:04:10 > 0:04:11He combines being a stand-up comedian,

0:04:11 > 0:04:13home-schooling his sun, with an average eight

0:04:13 > 0:04:14hours a day behind the

0:04:14 > 0:04:24wheel.

0:04:25 > 0:04:28In the time that we've been working for Uber, how has their

0:04:28 > 0:04:29attitude towards their drivers changed?

0:04:29 > 0:04:33Well I did have an issue with something and I had to send an

0:04:33 > 0:04:34e-mail.

0:04:34 > 0:04:36And there was no number to call, so this...

0:04:36 > 0:04:39It's really nice, it's always nice to speak to a human

0:04:39 > 0:04:43and not go through a series of FAQs on a screen.

0:04:43 > 0:04:45Serious worries about Uber's safety and security led to

0:04:45 > 0:04:47TfL taking away its licence last year.

0:04:47 > 0:04:50Uber says its new measures such as a telephone hotline and more

0:04:50 > 0:04:52of the drivers details being available to customers are a sign it

0:04:53 > 0:04:54has learned its lesson.

0:04:54 > 0:04:56What is your relationship like with TfL at the

0:04:56 > 0:04:59moment?

0:04:59 > 0:05:00We're in constructive conversations with TfL.

0:05:00 > 0:05:02Today, some of the announcements that we've made

0:05:02 > 0:05:04are responding to the criticism we've had.

0:05:04 > 0:05:06We've got a new approach to reporting incidents to the police

0:05:06 > 0:05:09and we hope this demonstrates we've listened to the feedback and we're

0:05:09 > 0:05:14making a positive change.

0:05:14 > 0:05:16Uber's battle to stay on our streets is

0:05:16 > 0:05:17very much a public one.

0:05:17 > 0:05:19When it lost its licence more than half a million

0:05:19 > 0:05:22people signed a petition to get TfL to its mind.

0:05:22 > 0:05:24But transport for London holds all the cards here and

0:05:24 > 0:05:26it's making sure its rules will reflect the way

0:05:26 > 0:05:27public transport in

0:05:27 > 0:05:29London has changed.

0:05:29 > 0:05:31For example, it's looking at capping the number

0:05:31 > 0:05:34of hours drivers can work and forcing companies to hand their data

0:05:34 > 0:05:35to the government.

0:05:35 > 0:05:37One suggestion from TfL was a service for women

0:05:37 > 0:05:38only.

0:05:38 > 0:05:39Why?

0:05:39 > 0:05:42Can you imagine if somebody said Uber was going to be

0:05:42 > 0:05:46men only, there would be outrage.

0:05:46 > 0:05:48It's a good idea, I think.

0:05:48 > 0:05:50I think people can make use of the other

0:05:50 > 0:05:53things they have, you can send your tracking information to a friend.

0:05:53 > 0:05:58It's a good idea especially if it makes people feel more safe.

0:05:58 > 0:05:59It's assuming that the men are,

0:05:59 > 0:06:03like, have bad intentions, I guess, but you never know who you are going

0:06:03 > 0:06:05to be in a car with.

0:06:05 > 0:06:09And this is all about intentions.

0:06:09 > 0:06:11Uber wants to keep its 40,000 drivers and 3 million

0:06:11 > 0:06:12customers here in London.

0:06:12 > 0:06:15To do so it has to be seen to be turning a

0:06:15 > 0:06:16corner.

0:06:16 > 0:06:17Emma North, BBC London News.

0:06:17 > 0:06:20That's it for now from me, and I'll leave you with Tomasz Schafernaker

0:06:20 > 0:06:21for a look at the weekend weather.

0:06:27 > 0:06:32Good evening to you. Good news on the weather front this evening. Lots

0:06:32 > 0:06:37of sunshine on the way. At least for tomorrow, Saturday is going to dawn

0:06:37 > 0:06:41on a crisp and frosty note. There is some on the weight just like in the

0:06:41 > 0:06:48last day or so. Blue skies today with fluffy cumulus clouds. This

0:06:48 > 0:06:53picture fills me with joy. We've got some not crocuses... I've forgotten

0:06:53 > 0:07:01what these are. Remind me. First thing in the morning, little on the

0:07:01 > 0:07:08frosty side, then a nice sunny day. Lots of other around. Clouds coming

0:07:08 > 0:07:13in from the West during the course of the day. 11 Celsius. That's how

0:07:13 > 0:07:17it's going to stay through the rest of the day. Come Sunday the weather

0:07:17 > 0:07:21is going to change a little bit, we'll start to see cloud increasing

0:07:21 > 0:07:26from the West. It looks as if things might cloud over. Even rain on the

0:07:26 > 0:07:29way, too, but it probably won't reach us Sunday night into Monday,

0:07:29 > 0:07:33so Monday looks pretty grey.