24/04/2014 Look North (North East and Cumbria)

Hello and welcome to Thursday's Look serious

Hello and welcome to Thursday's Look North.

Tonight... Extended jail sentences for the men

who sexually abused vulnerable young boys in their care. It's blighted my

life. My whole life has been totally surrounded by this abuse case.

She was stalked and raped by her former partner. Now she's warning

others, to avoid the same fate. There are probably thousands of

girls and women going through the same thing. Tell their family and

friends, phoned the police, get out. The Shadow Chancellor visits the

North, and says the region is still facing "a cost of living crisis" .

And they were told it would never last. The couple, renewing their

vows, after 60 years of marriage. In sport: three games from Wembley `

can Gateshead keep their dreams of a return to the Football League alive?

And the Wildcats may be underdogs but can they pull off a shock

victory against Champions Newcastle Eagles in this weekend's playoff

derby? It's a horrendous tale of systematic

sexual abuse ` carried out by a social worker and a care worker at a

school for troubled children. John Leslie Duncan, who's now 61, and

58`year`old Kevin Brown, preyed on vulnerable boys for years. They'd

already been given jail sentences for their crimes. But then more

victims started to come forward. So the police began a new investigation

` and this evening, a judge extended those sentences. Duncan now gets a

total of 24 years behind bars ` Brown gets 14 years. Tonight, we

hear from their victims. Our Chief Reporter Chris Stewart has the

story. They trusted him, liked him ` some

of them loved him like a father. And they were repaid by being sexually

abused. Tonight, John Leslie Duncan is starting an extended prison

sentence. In court today to see his abuser ` and supported today by his

family ` one of Duncan's victims, who has waived his right to

anonymity. It feels good. It is a weight off my shoulders. It was my

big secret of these years. It blighted my life. My whole life was

just totally surrounded by this abuse case. I was ashamed of.

Trusting the police was a big issue. Trusting the police was a big issue

and it was a great thing to do. And this is Duncan's colleague, care

worker Kevin Brown. His string of offences not as serious as Duncan's

` but also involving what the judge said was a shocking breach of trust.

One of his victims also spoke to us. The first time he told me it was

an accident and would not happen again and I believed him because he

had always been friendly. Was there ever a point where you thought you

needed to tell someone? I was too frightened to. He said if I said

anything, he knew where my family was and he would come and see them.

The majority of the offences happened at Feversham School at

Walbottle on the outskirts of Newcastle. The school's trustees

were the mental health charity Mind. The building which housed Feversham

still exists ` but there's no other link. Feversham closed in 1996. Only

one school brochure produced by the charity still exists ` and this is

it. These exclusive pictures show the children, the school's aims...

It also shows Duncan with children on his knee and a youthful Kevin

Brown. Two carers turned tormentors. The youngsters sent here were often

from very troubled family backgrounds. Best illustrated by

something which happened during the police interviews. One victim was

asked to identify himself in a photograph and said he could not. He

said he had never seen a picture of mice `` of himself as a child.

One former Feversham workers says when he raised the alarm, his claims

were dismissed by the trustees. They interviewed me for two days at the

offices in Gateshead, in which I told them everything that I knew. I

presented written evidence of things that were going wrong. I mean to

people at the school. Then I received a letter three weeks after

that telling me that my allegations were without foundations.

Tonight, the police had this to say. We would always encourage victims to

come forward and report sexual offences regardless when they

happens. We will always fully investigate any report of sexual

offences and with our partners, make sure the victims get all the support

they need. A spokesman for Mind, meanwhile, says the charity wasn't

involved in the governance of the school ` and that it applauds those

who have spoken out. It's a crime that one in five women,

and one in ten men, will experience at some point in their life. Yet

stalking continues to be one of the most under`reported offences. Today

a South Tyneside woman ` who was stalked and raped by her ex`partner

` is sharing HER story, to try to encourage other victims to seek

help. Katie Cole has been to meet her. It started with text in and

phone calls. He would turn up unexpectedly at my door. He would

follow me to work. Anywhere you went with friends and family, he would

turn up. Catherine Cunningham has been

through more than most in the last two years. She was stalked for

months by her ex partner. At the time, if I had realised it would

escalate, I should have phoned the police and reported it.

Catherine did eventually contact the police ` after her ex broke into her

home and raped her. He is now serving an eight year jail sentence.

There are probably thousands of girls and women going through the

same thing. It is really important for them to tell family and friends,

phone the police, get out. If I can help someone avoid going through

what I did it is worth it. Today is National Stalking Awareness

Day ` a campaign being supported by our regions police forces. The focus

in on workplace stalking ` a quarter of victims say they're stalker has

turned up at work. One of the things we are pushing us for employers to

have policies and practices in place to recognise stalking. It is

actually quite important, not only for the welfare of the victim, but

also from a productivity point of view, if you have victims on the

sick or underperforming, it has a performance issue in the workplace.

For Catherine ` she's now trying to put her life back together ` but she

says the emotional scars of what happened WILL never go away. It

won't go away. Now I know he has been sentenced, I still get that

fear. It will not leave. I have to learn to live with it.

Katie joins me in the studio. The focus today is on stalking in the

workplace ` what's being done to help victims? Employers are going to

be given advice on how they can offer support. Handbook has been

written. People are going to be trained up in workplaces in the

region. As the police Commissioner explained. Our approach is to get

champions into workplaces to look after anyone who is suffering from

any kind of violence or abuse, including stalking. You should hear

in the North East soon get a champion in your workplace. If you

need some help and don't have the courage to go to the police, if you

are worried about it, speak to that person at work. The message tonight

is do not suffer alone. Stalking can ruin lives and it is important that

people come forward. Thank you very much for coming in.

The Shadow Chancellor, Ed Balls, says the region is still facing "a

cost of living crisis" ` despite improving economic figures. Mr Balls

was speaking during a visit to Redcar, ahead of next month's

European and local elections. Our Political Correspondent, Mark

Denten, is live there for us now. Mark. Good evening. We're at the

seafront and you can see the new attraction, the Beacon. Well, you

cannot see it tonight. You could see the Shadow Chancellor, Ed Balls

today. Nigel Farage said last night he was going for Labour votes so Ed

Balls appeared today in Redcar. I can bring you the first use of the

full ingredients of a very full fruit salad during an election

campaign. Taste some fruit cocktail? You know how it is, you're minding

your own business in a Redcar supermarket and the Shadow

Chancellor comes after you with a fruit stuffed melon. Part of the

Labour campaign to highlight a cost`of`living crisis. But could

they end up skewered by UKIP at these elections? People will have a

choice in 2015. D'you want a Tory Prime Minister, David Cameron, or

d'you want a Labour government committed to making the economy

work? I do not think Nigel Farage and UKIP will make any difference to

that at all. They will not take votes of your party? I think UKIP

are a distraction from the main question, do you want a Tory or

Labour government? If you want a fairer economy, vote Labour or you

will have the Tories. Wouldn't we have more money if we left the EU?

The reality here in the North East, Nissan, a big employer, these are

big jobs, good jobs in the North East because we are part of the

European Union. To walk away from our largest single market when we

know these international companies would not be seeing in Britain if we

did that would be very dangerous. `` stsaying. What about introducing a

living wage? You could commit to that right now. We have a national

minimum wage. A living wage. We have a national minimum wage which Labour

legislated for. We would like to see that go up. It is about a national

minimum wage and protecting the tax credits. Why should voters in the

North East and Cumbria trust you to run our economy? There was a global

financial crisis all round the world. We have to take our

responsibility for that. The question for the future is who will

put youth jobs first, who will make the labour market work fairly?

Labour are the people with the track record and commitment to make that

happen. But his opponents in Redcar are not convinced. Things are

getting better, the government is backing the Tees Valley heavily,

they are putting five times as much money into the Tees Valley for

manufacturing than the previous government. We are getting people

back to work successfully. The other thing Labour don't like to mention

is the ?700 tax cut which the Lib Dems had on the front of their

manifesto last time. This comes into fruition this month. We will of

course be bringing you news from the other parties visits to the region

ahead of the local and Euro elections on May the 22nd. Whether

they are brandishing fruit cocktails or anything else.

Thank you for that. In addition to Labour and the

Liberal Democrats, six other parties are contesting the European

elections in the North East. They are An Independence in Europe, the

British National The meat`free food manufacturer,

Quorn, has confirmed it's creating new jobs on Teesside and in North

Yorkshire. Around 600 people already work at its two sites. 50 jobs are

currently being created, with the promise of 100 more over the next

five years. About 150 jobs should also be created in Quorn's supply

chain. Our Business Correspondent, Ian Reeve, reports.

Billingham ` the centre of Quorn production. This vague relative of

the mushroom is fermented here on Teesside. And demand for the

meat`free products it's turned into ` burgers, mince, chicken drumsticks

amongst others ` is soaring. So a ?30m investment here will boost

production. We have seen a 15% growth over the last 18 months. We

believe that can continue, there is a trend for eating less meat. We eat

500 meals a year with meat, it is not what we used to do and it is

just too much. Forming and shaping Quorn is done here in North

Yorkshire. The horse meat scandal, and the rising cost of meat, have

been good for this business. Quorn has over 12m customers. 80% of us

have tried Quorn. Even though only 7% of us are vegetarians. If we look

at the filling on these eggs here. Quorn is now Britain's 35th biggest

brand ` ahead of Heinz tomato ketchup. It's Tim and Carole's job

to come up with new products, and make it even bigger. We had great

success with the picnic egg. We are developing a pork pie without the

port. We are very passionate or we would not be here after 22 years. We

love the product. Mo Farrah's doing his bit, too. Quorn is low in

saturated fat. Practice, protein. Even without Mo's help, Quorn's

selling in 15 countries. More of us are trying it. A company flotation

could be on the cards. It looks like a success story that could run and

run. Another success story now! They were

told it would never last. Margaret Price's parents even refused to

attend her wedding, after her boyfriend, Robert, popped the

question. That was SIXTY years ago. And today, the couple have been

celebrating their diamond wedding anniversary. As they renewed their

vows ` even the best man from all those years ago turned up. Julie

Smith reports. Robert and Margaret haven't seen best man Kenny since

the day they became Mr and Mrs Price. But Kenny and four

generations of the family joined together for today's celebrations.

My dad would not give his permission. He just thought it

wouldn't last so we proved him wrong. Yes. And as the couple

renewed their vows there wasn't a dry eye in the church. All this I

am, I continue to give to you. Wonderful, absolutely wonderful. We

have brought our children into our past, they will all remember, even

the little ones. It was wonderful to see them in there again today. I can

picture them as they were on the original DE. To see my mum and dad

still so happy, I just cried. It was really nice. Margaret and Robert

have been retracing their steps, but what everyone wants to know is what

is a secret to a long and lasting marriage? We still hold hands. One

has only got to say, yes, dear. Very nice.

Now, he remains the last Newcastle United manager to lift a major

trophy. And today some of the great names from the club's past joined

family members to honour Joe Harvey. 45 years on from the Fairs Cup

triumph, a plaque was unveiled at the Gallowgate End of St James' Park

to commemorate the Yorkshireman's achievements. Peter Harris was

there. Here comes Joe Harvey. This is the man they want. They are

saying Sir Joe Harvey. A Newcastle manager with the trophy, an

achievement worthy of an owner in itself. Family and players

remembered Joe Harvey. John was a great man manager. He knew the fans.

That's why I said before, he knew what fans wanted. The plaque

commemorates the 1969 cup win. His playing career was memorable in

itself, not least the 1950s cup wins. Mr Churchill was there to

present the cup and he presented it! He still has the original shots.

I will wear them on the beach this summer. They wore big shorts in

those days. Don't be like that! Given his achievements as player and

manager ` some think this is long overdue. Too late, why didn't the

club do this? Why do the Supporters Association have to do it? The club

should have memorialised Joe Harvey as the last man to win a trophy. The

present get embarrassed by the past because the present isn't good

enough. As a father, he was more like a brother. He was like a

brother because we did everything together. I went to the scouts with,

played football with him, played golf with him. He was like a

brother. Joe Harvey died in 1989. His achievements as a manager to

this day remain unsurpassed by any of his successors. CROWD: Joe

Harvey! Joe Harvey! Everybody loving this.

I met him a few times. He was a lovely guy. Some more football

history? Yes. Relegated from the Football League

in 1960, Conference Premier club Gateshead will take a giant step

towards promotion back to the big time if they can pick up at least a

point at home to second placed Cambridge on Saturday. Even a defeat

might not be disastrous if other results go their way. But, as Mark

Tulip reports, the Tynesiders are determined not to slip up.

If these are the scenes at Gateshead Stadium at around five o clock on

Saturday, it will mean that the town's professional football club is

still on target to regain its league status 54 years after losing it.

Former European Cup winner Gary Mills guided York City to promotion

via the Conference play`off final at Wembley and is quietly confident of

ending the Heed's half century long exile. From where we were back in

September, to end up finishing third, Cambridge Road at one stage

20 points ahead of us, it just shows how well we have done. That is our

aim. We go into a game to try and win it. Give us the advantage of

finishing third and having the second leg back here. Few would

deserve to reach a Wembley play`off final more than veteran James

Curtis, who recently made his 500th appearance for the club. Not many

players play 500 games for the same club over this amount of time in any

week really. So I was really proud when I did it against Braintree last

week. I hope I get to play a few more yet. `` in any league really.

It was a massive opportunity for us to get into that league. We will do

everything we can to get the points on Saturday and hopefully from the

play`offs to get promotion. Can Gateshead become the history boys,

just three games away from Wembley? Let's hope so.

Staying with football, and Carlisle United striker Danny Cadamateri has

been forced to quit the game, because of a serious knee problem.

The 34`year`old made his name at Everton, and joined the Cumbrians in

the summer of 2012. He hasn't played at all this season, because of his

injury, and has retired on the advice of his surgeon.

Now if you're a basketball fan I bet you can't wait for this weekend! For

the first time two teams from the north east have made it through to

the BBL playoffs. Not only that but Championship winners Newcastle

Eagles take on Durham Wildcats for a place in the semi `finals. For the

Wildcats who're in just their third season in the top flight making the

playoffs is an achievement in itself. The Wildcats back on court

after a dramatic weekend which saw them beat Birmingham and cherish our

to secure the final play`off place in their first involvement in the

end of season finale. Now they want to go a step further. The cherry on

top of the cake would be our first play`off wins and our first wins

against the Newcastle league. It could be fantastic for us. Their

weekend is in contrast to the Newcastle league who had the chance

to enjoy a week off. Durham go into this weekend full of energy. We have

confidence going into the next round against the Newcastle Eagles. It is

amazing for the club. We could not hope for a bigger play`off challenge

than against the league winners and their Newcastle Eagles and that this

is the North East backyard is adding extra space and I am sure the Eagles

are the same. The Eagles may have won all three meetings between the

two sides but we have all been tight and at play`off time anything can

happen. We played them close but we have not had a big city yet. It has

been a battle so I expect another battle. We just have to keep trying

to get better and one of these times we will overturn them. The one of

those teams we just did not want face. If we can fit play at the pace

we want to play at, it will put them in a difficult position. The

Wildcats will have the home crowd behind them on the second leg. North

East basketball is definitely the winner in this contest.

`` may the best team win. Now for `` may the best team win. Now for

the weather. Tomorrow there will be some

brightness. It will be restricted to western regions because we have

clouded and missed in the east. This will spread west, bringing rain with

it. Some rain around today, a couple of showers heavy over the hills.

They are dying away as we head through this evening. Most places

will be dry through the night. Increasing cloud and low mist, some

coastal and help for. Western regions keep clear spells.

Temperatures around seven Celsius in the breeze. Some brightness early on

tomorrow in the West of Cumbria. This cloudy, misty weather from the

east will spread westwards. The rain will become more widespread. Most

places will see rain with some heavy bursts in the second half of the

day. A range of temperatures in the cool easterly breeze. After the

brighter start in the West, we could see 15 Celsius, getting shelter from

the easterly winds. That is the picture for tomorrow and towards the

weekend, low pressure from the South will start to dominate. That will

produce clouds and rain and will head our way through the weekend.

And improving picture for the second part of the weekend. If you're out

and about in the next few days, it will cloud over from the East and

eventually there will be rain in several places. More rain to come on

Saturday at drier and brighter on Sunday. The North East hangs onto

more clouds and rain through tomorrow and Saturday. Temperatures

will climb slightly towards the mid`teens. Drier and brighter

weather for the weekend will be on Sunday. We would love to see your

April weather pictures. Check out our website to see what we're after.

Some are not quite on yet. Thanks for that. Join us tomorrow. Goodbye.

All across the country, millions of families are waking up

to a Britain in which they find it harder to get on.

Whilst the Government keeps telling people everything is fixed,