0:00:00 > 0:00:00On BBC One we now join the BBC's news teams where you are.
0:00:12 > 0:00:15Welcome to BBC London News. I'm Sara Orchard.
0:00:15 > 0:00:20The problem of class A drugs in Tower Hamlets has become so bad,
0:00:20 > 0:00:23the council have funded 14 neighbourhood police officers to
0:00:23 > 0:00:24patrol properties in certain areas.
0:00:24 > 0:00:26This morning they carried out a number of raids to tackle
0:00:26 > 0:00:34the issue and our reporter Greg McKenzie was there.
0:00:34 > 0:00:37It's eight o'clock at a tower block in Stepney in east London,
0:00:37 > 0:00:40and the Met's Operation Continuum is in full swing.
0:00:40 > 0:00:43Show us your hands!
0:00:43 > 0:00:45Show us your hands!
0:00:45 > 0:00:49Its aim - restrict and disrupt the local drug supply.
0:00:49 > 0:00:51This morning's raid comes following a tip-off
0:00:51 > 0:00:57from neighbourhood police officers who were stationed on the estate,
0:00:57 > 0:00:59who believe there are a number of class A drugs hidden
0:00:59 > 0:01:01in the property.
0:01:01 > 0:01:03Tower Hamlets has the highest concentration of crack cocaine
0:01:03 > 0:01:06and heroin addicts than any other London borough.
0:01:06 > 0:01:13The problem is really bad.
0:01:13 > 0:01:15We have schoolchildren coming home from school finding people
0:01:15 > 0:01:16on the stairwells injecting themselves.
0:01:16 > 0:01:20We have residents who are too scared to go to their cars in the evening
0:01:20 > 0:01:23because of drug dealers that have occupied the area and they
0:01:23 > 0:01:27intimidate residents.
0:01:27 > 0:01:30Over the last 12 months, police have executed more than 150
0:01:30 > 0:01:32search warrants for drugs, and they say they're charging
0:01:32 > 0:01:37on average two people a week.
0:01:37 > 0:01:39We've had more than 30 arrests so far to date,
0:01:39 > 0:01:47it's been very successful but we're using not only the criminal justice
0:01:47 > 0:01:53powers but also other powers of legislation,
0:01:53 > 0:01:55working with our partners at Tower Hamlets local authority
0:01:55 > 0:01:58so we are trying to look at a bigger picture and get
0:01:58 > 0:02:00to the heart of the problem.
0:02:00 > 0:02:01And also it may jeopardise their tenancy.
0:02:01 > 0:02:03Two suspects - a tenant at the property and another
0:02:03 > 0:02:05man, both in their 20s - were arrested.
0:02:05 > 0:02:07During an extensive search of the flat, officers discovered
0:02:08 > 0:02:09what they came looking for.
0:02:09 > 0:02:11A large quantity of class A drugs and cannabis.
0:02:11 > 0:02:13All the evidence gathered will now be used to build
0:02:13 > 0:02:15a case against the men, who will eventually
0:02:15 > 0:02:16have their day in court.
0:02:16 > 0:02:26Greg McKenzie, BBC London news.
0:02:33 > 0:02:43A former prison-officer at Belmarsh, who was sent to prison
0:02:43 > 0:02:46himself for being the paid source for a newspaper reporter
0:02:46 > 0:02:47is fighting to clear his name.
0:02:47 > 0:02:50Bob Norman is going to the European Court of Human Rights
0:02:50 > 0:02:52to claim he was a whistle blower on subjects like staff
0:02:52 > 0:02:54shortages and was acting in the public interest.
0:02:54 > 0:02:57That claim was rejected by the courts in this country
0:02:57 > 0:02:58and he was jailed for 20 months.
0:02:58 > 0:02:59Sarah Harris reports.
0:02:59 > 0:03:00Maximum security.
0:03:00 > 0:03:04Belmarsh is home to some of the most dangerous prisoners in the country,
0:03:04 > 0:03:06but it's been accused of being a hotbed for extremism
0:03:06 > 0:03:07and being badly run.
0:03:07 > 0:03:11Bob Norman was a prison officer here for 23 years before deciding
0:03:11 > 0:03:12to become a whistle-blower to a newspaper reporter.
0:03:12 > 0:03:13I didn't actually go to them first.
0:03:13 > 0:03:15I tried the MP,
0:03:15 > 0:03:17the Houses of Parliament and the then Home Secretary,
0:03:17 > 0:03:19writing to them with the concerns about HMP Belmarsh
0:03:19 > 0:03:24and what was going on there.
0:03:24 > 0:03:26I received, "thank you, we are aware of certain situations"
0:03:26 > 0:03:29or "it's all being dealt with at a higher level than you".
0:03:29 > 0:03:31I felt as though it wasn't the policy of
0:03:32 > 0:03:33the committee at Belmarsh.
0:03:33 > 0:03:36I felt something had to be done.
0:03:36 > 0:03:37I felt that much...
0:03:37 > 0:03:39that badly about it that something had to be done,
0:03:39 > 0:03:43and the public had to be made aware of what was going on inside.
0:03:43 > 0:03:45But in the aftermath of the Leveson inquiry into press ethics,
0:03:45 > 0:03:51Bob was sent to prison for misconduct in public office.
0:03:51 > 0:03:53The Daily Mirror named him and gave details of payments
0:03:53 > 0:03:54it gave of around £150
0:03:54 > 0:03:56a month for five years for the information.
0:03:56 > 0:03:58Now, the barrister leading the appeal to the European Court
0:03:58 > 0:04:03says the paper should not have revealed their source
0:04:03 > 0:04:05and the payments should not have been an issue.
0:04:05 > 0:04:08There is no law anywhere that says that someone can't be paid
0:04:08 > 0:04:10for speaking to the press.
0:04:10 > 0:04:15I think we all know there's adverts, even now, in the press advertising
0:04:15 > 0:04:24the fact that if you've got a story, we will pay.
0:04:24 > 0:04:26Bob was jailed for 20 months in June, 2015,
0:04:26 > 0:04:28and is now a free man.
0:04:28 > 0:04:30He thinks it's fair he was sacked for breaking the rules
0:04:30 > 0:04:32but believes his punishment did not match the wrongdoing.
0:04:32 > 0:04:34The Daily Mirror did not want to comment.
0:04:34 > 0:04:37Bob believes it's important his name is cleared to give encouragement
0:04:37 > 0:04:39to others to speak out if they believe
0:04:39 > 0:04:40the system is failing.
0:04:40 > 0:04:45Sarah Harris, BBC London news.
0:04:45 > 0:04:47Police are appealing for witnesses after a man died last night
0:04:47 > 0:04:51following a multi-vehicle collision on the A12 in Leytonstone.
0:04:51 > 0:04:55Emergency services were called to the A12 between Ruckholt Road
0:04:55 > 0:04:57and Whipps Cross, and a 73-year-old man was pronounced
0:04:57 > 0:04:58dead at the scene.
0:04:58 > 0:05:00His next of kin have been informed.
0:05:00 > 0:05:02Kensington and Chelsea Council are considering plans
0:05:02 > 0:05:04to crackdown on excessive Airbnb-style short letting,
0:05:04 > 0:05:07after a string of complaints.
0:05:07 > 0:05:12The council says it has received 91 complaints in the last
0:05:12 > 0:05:14two years about homeowners renting out their property on short lets
0:05:14 > 0:05:20for more than the current maximum of 90 days a year.
0:05:20 > 0:05:22Under proposals, offenders could be given fixed penalty
0:05:22 > 0:05:30notices of up to £30,000.
0:05:30 > 0:05:32A creative new musical portraying the violent gang
0:05:32 > 0:05:37culture amongst women in Victorian London opens tonight.
0:05:37 > 0:05:39Oranges And Elephants kicks off
0:05:39 > 0:05:43an all-female spring season at Hoxton Hall.
0:05:43 > 0:05:45The productions sheds light on the grim reality of life
0:05:45 > 0:05:54for working class women in the 19th Century.
0:05:54 > 0:06:04In London there were these women that survived
0:06:06 > 0:06:07by theiving and they worked in the
0:06:07 > 0:06:09musicals, and that was their way of life.
0:06:09 > 0:06:15by theiving and they worked in the
0:06:15 > 0:06:18They had these gangs and supported each other in that way.
0:06:18 > 0:06:19From the Shard to the Walkie-talkie,
0:06:19 > 0:06:21the capital's skyline has changed beyond recognition in
0:06:21 > 0:06:22the last 20 years.
0:06:22 > 0:06:24It's been documented by aerial photographer, Jason Hawkes,
0:06:24 > 0:06:27who takes these pictures of London from a helicopter -
0:06:27 > 0:06:28a job he describes as being one of the best in the city.
0:06:30 > 0:06:34There's only one way to get the best views of London - go up.
0:06:34 > 0:06:35Oh, it's the most beautiful city.
0:06:35 > 0:06:37It's definitely one of my favourite cities to see.
0:06:37 > 0:06:40I've kind of shot all around the world but when the weather
0:06:40 > 0:06:42is nice and particularly when the Thames glows.
0:06:42 > 0:06:45For 20 years, Jason Hawkes has been an eye in the sky,
0:06:45 > 0:06:46documenting our changing capital.
0:06:46 > 0:06:48Particularly recently, it's incredible the amount
0:06:48 > 0:06:51of changes going on in the city, of course all round
0:06:51 > 0:06:52Nine Elms development.
0:06:52 > 0:07:00Even he, like most Londoners, obsesses over the weather.
0:07:00 > 0:07:02A lot of time the weather is rubbish.
0:07:02 > 0:07:05We get about one day every two weeks that will be perfect
0:07:05 > 0:07:06for this kind of flying.
0:07:06 > 0:07:09Even though it's horrible and cold out there, it's not
0:07:09 > 0:07:11so bad as being in the rat race, is it?
0:07:11 > 0:07:14It's stunning, isn't it?
0:07:14 > 0:07:17The funny thing is when you look out, you can barely see any people.
0:07:17 > 0:07:19It's almost like everyone has gone home.
0:07:19 > 0:07:21But sometimes he does happen upon the extraordinary,
0:07:21 > 0:07:23like this Justin Bieber concert in Hyde Park, easily
0:07:23 > 0:07:25the best view and free too.
0:07:25 > 0:07:27Have you got a favourite picture, anything you've done which really
0:07:27 > 0:07:28captured the essence of London?
0:07:28 > 0:07:31Well, I like this kind of view from here actually.
0:07:31 > 0:07:33Normally we would be a little bit higher than this.
0:07:33 > 0:07:35Particularly at dusk when you have got the setting sun
0:07:36 > 0:07:37straight down the river.
0:07:37 > 0:07:40When all the lights start coming on, it looks really amazing.
0:07:40 > 0:07:44Would you say it's the best job in London?
0:07:44 > 0:07:45It's one of the best jobs.
0:07:45 > 0:07:46It's good fun.
0:07:46 > 0:07:48On a day like this it's obviously very cold,
0:07:48 > 0:07:52it's a little bit choppy today so you can feel a little bit sick,
0:07:52 > 0:07:53but yes, it's great fun.
0:07:53 > 0:07:54Mark Ashdown, BBC London news.
0:07:54 > 0:07:57Now let's check on the weather with Elizabeth Rizzini.
0:08:02 > 0:08:08Good afternoon. It was wet and windy yesterday, but at last the sort of
0:08:08 > 0:08:13whether we can get outside and enjoy. Blue sky and sunshine and it
0:08:13 > 0:08:16should stay like that for much of the rest of the day. Maybe some
0:08:16 > 0:08:23light showers up towards western areas but most should stay dry. A
0:08:23 > 0:08:26fresh, south-westerly wind. Through this evening and overnight, I think
0:08:26 > 0:08:31we will see clear spells around at first, increasing amounts of cloud
0:08:31 > 0:08:39for the second part of tonight. If we get any prolonged clear spells we
0:08:39 > 0:08:42could have a locally chilly start but otherwise lots of cloud and we
0:08:42 > 0:08:48will start off the day between four and six Celsius. That cloud should
0:08:48 > 0:08:52thin and break, we should stay dry throughout the day and there will be
0:08:52 > 0:08:59sunny spells to enjoy into the afternoon, feeling a touch fresher
0:08:59 > 0:09:04tomorrow. We have a weather front coming our way on Saturday, a dry
0:09:04 > 0:09:08start, then the cloud will thicken and we will probably see outbreaks
0:09:08 > 0:09:12of patchy light rain and drizzle with a fairly brisk wind as we head
0:09:12 > 0:09:17to the end of the day. Sunday, 13 degrees, but rather grey start with
0:09:17 > 0:09:22some brighter spells into the afternoon.
0:09:22 > 0:09:24That's about it from me.
0:09:24 > 0:09:26Riz Lateef will be here with our 6:30pm programme.
0:09:26 > 0:09:30But for now, from the lunch team, have a very good afternoon.