0:00:14 > 0:00:17Good evening.
0:00:17 > 0:00:19A grandfather accused of killing his stepson in Stockton
0:00:19 > 0:00:21almost 50 years ago has admitted smacking and shaking the toddler
0:00:21 > 0:00:24but says he never intentionally caused him any harm.
0:00:24 > 0:00:26David Dearlove, who's 71, was giving evidence at Teesside Crown Court.
0:00:26 > 0:00:28He denies murdering 19-month-old Paul Booth
0:00:28 > 0:00:31at the family's home in 1968.
0:00:31 > 0:00:36Phil Connell reported from our Tees studio earlier.
0:00:36 > 0:00:38Carol, this is the eighth day of this murder trial
0:00:38 > 0:00:41at Teesside Crown Court.
0:00:41 > 0:00:43The jury has already heard from the prosecution,
0:00:43 > 0:00:48who claim David Dearlove murdered Paul Booth back in 1968.
0:00:48 > 0:00:51That is 49 years ago in what was then the family home
0:00:51 > 0:00:54in Haverton Hill in Stockton.
0:00:54 > 0:00:57The toddler, his stepson, was just 19 months old at the time
0:00:57 > 0:01:00and died from, what the jury heard was, a serious head injury
0:01:00 > 0:01:04compatible with being thrown against a fireplace.
0:01:04 > 0:01:08David Dearlove, who is now 71 and who now lives in Great Yarmouth,
0:01:08 > 0:01:12today took to the witness stand to begin his defence.
0:01:12 > 0:01:15He was asked about a statement he had given to police 49 years ago
0:01:15 > 0:01:19following his stepson's death.
0:01:19 > 0:01:22Now, he told the jury how Paul had banged his head
0:01:22 > 0:01:24on the fireplace while they had been playing together.
0:01:24 > 0:01:28He said it was a minor bump and at the time,
0:01:28 > 0:01:31it seemed perfectly all right.
0:01:31 > 0:01:34He was then asked why he had said he had shaken the boy
0:01:34 > 0:01:37and to that he said it was something that he did, it was
0:01:37 > 0:01:40a kind of play thing.
0:01:40 > 0:01:43It was just a little shake, he said, it was something that Paul had
0:01:43 > 0:01:44always seemed to like.
0:01:44 > 0:01:47He said on the night in question he heard Paul scream,
0:01:47 > 0:01:50he went up to his bedroom and said he found him lying
0:01:50 > 0:01:51on the bedroom floor.
0:01:51 > 0:01:54He said he wasn't breathing so he forced open his mouth
0:01:54 > 0:01:56and gave him the kiss of life.
0:01:56 > 0:01:58Now, at one stage today, David Dearlove became tearful
0:01:58 > 0:02:01while giving his evidence and had to pause for a moment.
0:02:01 > 0:02:04He has denied murder and also a second charge of child cruelty.
0:02:04 > 0:02:06The trial here continues tomorrow.
0:02:06 > 0:02:10Carol.
0:02:10 > 0:02:13In what's believed to be the first study of its kind,
0:02:13 > 0:02:15foot experts in the North have been diagnosing serious, often
0:02:15 > 0:02:17life-threatening heart conditions - by taking heartbeats
0:02:17 > 0:02:21from their feet.
0:02:21 > 0:02:26During routine checks, podiatrists in Durham and Darlington
0:02:26 > 0:02:28have been detecting irregularities.
0:02:28 > 0:02:30It's hoped their pioneering project will now be taken
0:02:30 > 0:02:31on across the country.
0:02:31 > 0:02:32Sharon Barbour has this exclusive report.
0:02:32 > 0:02:35Brian was having his usual diabetic foot checks.
0:02:35 > 0:02:45A podiatrist was taking his pulse when she heard a worrying sound.
0:02:45 > 0:02:46It is irregular.
0:02:46 > 0:02:51His heartbeat was irregular.
0:02:51 > 0:02:54Brian had no idea that he had atrial fibrillation,
0:02:54 > 0:02:56which, left untreated, can lead to a massive
0:02:56 > 0:03:01and potentially life threatening stroke.
0:03:01 > 0:03:06It was only found because, in a pilot study, the podiatrist
0:03:06 > 0:03:08at Durham and Darlington hospitals started listening for
0:03:08 > 0:03:11irregular heartbeats.
0:03:11 > 0:03:14We use a Doppler machine and listen to the quality of that pulse,
0:03:14 > 0:03:17and while we listen to the quality, we can also listen to
0:03:17 > 0:03:18the regularity of that pulse.
0:03:18 > 0:03:21Because patients with diabetes can be more at risk from developing
0:03:21 > 0:03:22atrial fibrillation.
0:03:22 > 0:03:24And if it goes undiagnosed, they can end up getting
0:03:24 > 0:03:29a really severe stroke.
0:03:29 > 0:03:31So, Brian's irregular heartbeat was picked up
0:03:31 > 0:03:33by the foot doctors, by the podiatrists,
0:03:33 > 0:03:37and they quickly brought it to the attention of cardiologists,
0:03:37 > 0:03:42the heart experts, here at Durham and Darlington hospitals.
0:03:42 > 0:03:45And the doctors here think the podiatrists' discovery
0:03:45 > 0:03:48could save thousands of patients.
0:03:48 > 0:03:53There are something like 150,000 strokes in the UK per year,
0:03:53 > 0:03:57it's said that about 15% of them are the result of
0:03:57 > 0:04:01atrial fibrillation.
0:04:01 > 0:04:04So if we can prevent maybe two thirds, we are talking about 10,000
0:04:04 > 0:04:07people a year at the risk of dying or suffering severe
0:04:07 > 0:04:12disability that can be help.
0:04:12 > 0:04:14that can be --helped.
0:04:14 > 0:04:16So with a simple screening tool, we can achieve a lot.
0:04:16 > 0:04:18Now detected, Brian's condition is being closely
0:04:18 > 0:04:19monitored and treated.
0:04:19 > 0:04:22It was news to me.
0:04:22 > 0:04:26A shock and then the relief that all I needed to do was take a little
0:04:26 > 0:04:28pink pill each morning and, hopefully, that's it.
0:04:28 > 0:04:32My heart is behaving quite well this morning.
0:04:32 > 0:04:35His life possibly saved by the podiatrist.
0:04:35 > 0:04:38It's now hoped that this simple, effective idea will be rolled
0:04:39 > 0:04:40out across the country.
0:04:40 > 0:04:43Sharon Barbour, BBC Look North.
0:04:43 > 0:04:46A County Durham man convicted of 21 offences against children,
0:04:46 > 0:04:49including three charges of rape, has had his sentence increased
0:04:49 > 0:04:52at the Court of Appeal.
0:04:52 > 0:04:5532-year-old Paul Leighton, from Seaham, was originally jailed
0:04:55 > 0:04:58for 16 years after he pleaded guilty to a string of offences
0:04:58 > 0:05:00in September.
0:05:00 > 0:05:02They included rape, sexual assaults on girls under 13,
0:05:02 > 0:05:05blackmail and offences related to grooming.
0:05:05 > 0:05:11His sentence has been increased to 20 years.
0:05:11 > 0:05:14In cases of domestic violence the focus of help is obviously
0:05:14 > 0:05:17on the people suffering the abuse.
0:05:17 > 0:05:19But family pets can also be affected.
0:05:19 > 0:05:21When women leave a violent relationship they may move
0:05:21 > 0:05:25into a refuge which can't take in animals.
0:05:25 > 0:05:27Now a project has launched in the North East, offering
0:05:27 > 0:05:28foster carers for dogs.
0:05:28 > 0:05:31Philippa Goymer has the story.
0:05:31 > 0:05:35Gemma suffered three years of abuse at the hands of her partner.
0:05:35 > 0:05:39He had me pinned at 6am in the utility room by the throat.
0:05:39 > 0:05:41I couldn't breathe, I couldn't gasp for air,
0:05:41 > 0:05:44I couldn't shout out for help, nothing.
0:05:44 > 0:05:50He dug a trowel into the side of my neck, and I just stood there.
0:05:50 > 0:05:53And then I just looked at him and I went, "Just do it."
0:05:53 > 0:05:56Because I'd had enough.
0:05:56 > 0:05:59And then he went, "I'll show you just do it," and he shot me
0:05:59 > 0:06:01through the side door.
0:06:01 > 0:06:04Richard Ridley was jailed in June for 13.5 years for a string
0:06:04 > 0:06:07of assaults against Gemma.
0:06:07 > 0:06:11Eventually, Gemma was moved to a women's refuge and Dusty
0:06:11 > 0:06:15was taken in by the Freedom Project.
0:06:15 > 0:06:17They'd come and collect Dusty, they'd return him as soon
0:06:17 > 0:06:19as I wanted Dusty back.
0:06:19 > 0:06:22Anything he needed whilst in that service, they provided.
0:06:22 > 0:06:25Dusty went to live with a foster carer like Susan.
0:06:25 > 0:06:27She's based on Teesside, but has worked with the Dog's
0:06:27 > 0:06:29Trust's North Yorkshire branch and cared for many pets
0:06:29 > 0:06:34from abusive homes.
0:06:34 > 0:06:37The majority of the time, we have to get the vaccinations up to date.
0:06:37 > 0:06:38Which is fine.
0:06:38 > 0:06:41If it's come from a domestic violence background,
0:06:41 > 0:06:44the last thing on the owner's mind is, "I've got to get
0:06:44 > 0:06:47the dogs vaccinated."
0:06:47 > 0:06:51She's probably too worried about the children,
0:06:51 > 0:06:54the dog and the home life.
0:06:54 > 0:06:58This month, the Freedom Project launched across the North East.
0:06:58 > 0:07:01Because we're here in Yorkshire, in the North East, we were getting
0:07:01 > 0:07:04a lot of calls into our Yorkshire office, people also needed
0:07:04 > 0:07:06our help in the area.
0:07:06 > 0:07:09We knew there was a need for the service up here as well.
0:07:09 > 0:07:14After five months, Gemma was able to go back for her beloved Dusty.
0:07:14 > 0:07:16I was an absolute bag of nerves, I thought, "He's not
0:07:16 > 0:07:19"going to remember me or recognise me, "is he going
0:07:19 > 0:07:21to be a OK with me?"
0:07:21 > 0:07:24I opened the door, and his head just - I'd say little,
0:07:24 > 0:07:27but you can see it's not - he tilted his head and looked
0:07:27 > 0:07:29at me with his ears up, I said, "Hiya, baby!"
0:07:29 > 0:07:30And he jumped on me!
0:07:30 > 0:07:32He remembered exactly who I was!
0:07:32 > 0:07:36Philippa Goymer, BBC Look North, Darlington.
0:07:36 > 0:07:39The charismatic former Sunderland Football Club manager,
0:07:39 > 0:07:44Peter Reid has been back on Wearside today.
0:07:44 > 0:07:46He took over in 1995 and after saving them from relegation
0:07:46 > 0:07:47they never looked back.
0:07:47 > 0:07:50Now he's written a book about his time on Wearside,
0:07:50 > 0:07:54and Jeff Brown met up with him.
0:07:54 > 0:07:56Having taken them to two seventh-place finishes
0:07:56 > 0:07:58in the Premier League, Peter Reid's time at Sunderland
0:07:58 > 0:08:02is one of the brighter chapters in the club's recent history,
0:08:02 > 0:08:05hence the number of people who have turned up here to see him tonight.
0:08:05 > 0:08:08Peter, great to see you, got ask you first of all about one
0:08:08 > 0:08:13of your successors, Chris Coleman.
0:08:13 > 0:08:15What do you think about it?
0:08:15 > 0:08:17Well, I know Chris Cookie Coleman really well.
0:08:17 > 0:08:19Great personality, great enthusiasm, and I think you need that to lift
0:08:19 > 0:08:23the Stadium of Light up, to lift the club up.
0:08:23 > 0:08:26He certainly has a great personality.
0:08:26 > 0:08:29He has to breathe confidence into the players somehow,
0:08:29 > 0:08:34because they're not as bad as the results suggest.
0:08:34 > 0:08:37I think he's the right man for the job.
0:08:37 > 0:08:40A lot of fans would like to see yourself back as manager,
0:08:40 > 0:08:42was that ever going to happen?
0:08:42 > 0:08:43No, I don't think so.
0:08:43 > 0:08:46There's a lot of speculation, a lot of interest in the media.
0:08:46 > 0:08:48Not you, Jeff, but in the media.
0:08:48 > 0:08:51It was never going to happen, and as I said before,
0:08:51 > 0:08:55hopefully they have the right man in charge, and they surely have.
0:08:55 > 0:08:59You took the club to two seventh-place finishes
0:08:59 > 0:09:00in the Premier League, fantastic achievement.
0:09:00 > 0:09:03How did you do it and could it ever happen again?
0:09:03 > 0:09:05Well, the players did it.
0:09:05 > 0:09:08We had some good players here, and, obviously, I was the manager,
0:09:08 > 0:09:11helped them along, but, yeah, they can do it again.
0:09:11 > 0:09:14If you look at Burnley now, where they are in the Premiership,
0:09:14 > 0:09:18I think at the time I was Sunderland manager, they were down in maybe
0:09:18 > 0:09:19the third or fourth division.
0:09:19 > 0:09:23So it can happen.
0:09:23 > 0:09:24It's hard work getting the right players in,
0:09:25 > 0:09:26but it can happen without a doubt.
0:09:26 > 0:09:27Let's hope so.
0:09:27 > 0:09:30Peter, good to see you again, thanks for the memories.
0:09:30 > 0:09:31Cheers, Jeff.
0:09:31 > 0:09:32There's your book.
0:09:32 > 0:09:33Good man.
0:09:33 > 0:09:3418 quid.
0:09:34 > 0:09:41JEFF LAUGHS
0:09:41 > 0:09:46He is like Portal with the weather calendars.
0:09:46 > 0:09:49Some mild but very wet weather has moved on.
0:09:49 > 0:09:52Some mild but very wet weather has moved on. Much colder from now over
0:09:52 > 0:09:59the next few days. A Met Office warning for ice across Cumbria.
0:09:59 > 0:10:05Essentially, it is a dry, clear and cold night. 12 showers in the
0:10:05 > 0:10:11breeze. But clear skies. And that Rogers will drop down to towards
0:10:11 > 0:10:17freezing with ice patches developing gradually. A cold start tomorrow
0:10:17 > 0:10:21morning but mostly dry. It stays mostly dry through the day. 12
0:10:21 > 0:10:25showers coming in, where they come up in the high ground there will be
0:10:25 > 0:10:30some flakes of snow. But many places dry and bright throughout the day.
0:10:30 > 0:10:33It certainly won't be warned though, even with sunshine, you'll be lucky
0:10:33 > 0:10:39if you have five or six Celsius. The shared Walmart on the Cumbrian coast
0:10:39 > 0:10:44with the wind coming in from the Irish Sea. Over the next few days,
0:10:44 > 0:10:48we have low pressure up to the north, high pressure in the south.
0:10:48 > 0:10:51And a north westerly airflow in between. That will keep things on
0:10:51 > 0:10:57the chilly side. It also keeps things mostly dry. Frosty night but
0:10:57 > 0:11:01Saturday dry and bright with the odd shower in the west.