05/01/2017 Look North (Yorkshire)

Tonight, West Yorkshire is revealed as the crime capital of the country.

The number of serious offences is going up.

We'll hear from a police chief about the challenges

We've lost ?140 million out of our budget over the last few years and

we have 2000 less officers and staff working for us.

We'll also ask her about community tensions in the wake

A hefty fine for the man who illegally demolished his house -

and wrecked his neighbours' home in the process.

It's been part of Scarborough's landscape for more than a century -

but is the Futurist Theatre facing the final curtain?

Later and look North, no, no, no and no. We meet the people who are going

"A month. Join me later for the detailed

forecast. West Yorkshire is the crime capital

of the country according to police The region has the highest crime

rate in England and Wales and there is a growing trend

of violent and serious Our data journalist David Rhodes has

been looking at the numbers for us. The latest figures show

that there were over 200,000 recorded crimes

in West Yorkshire last year. And a quarter of these

were violent crimes. Now the crime rate for England

and Wales stands at 68 crimes The crime rate in West Yorkshire

is 90 crimes for every 1000 people. And the offences being

committed in our region West Yorkshire has a history of

being the scene of some of the country's most notorious crimes. It

was the Yorkshire Ripper, Peter Sutcliffe, during the 1970s whilst

recently the murder of a teacher and the death of MP, Jo Cox, are crimes

which have captured the world's attention. We turn to the nation

overseas now, a politician murdered. A rising star of British politics.

This gentleman was murdered and the police found 70 different injuries

on his body. Every serious crime has an impact on those left behind. We

were constantly looking over our shoulders, seeing if anyone was

following us, thinking, or have they done it? Why aren't they being

questioned? The fact West Yorkshire has the highest crime rate in the

country is unsurprising to some. It wouldn't surprise me if it was the

top at all. The stuff you see round here is... And bringing your kids

into it as well. Every crime recorded by police is now

being recorded for its severity. If you are caught with cannabis, that

crime has a low score but possessing a gun or a weapon has a higher score

and this is why West Yorkshire is statistically the crime capital of

the country. The crimes being committed here are really strong.

The level of violent crime has started to increase in recent years.

The evidence dates back a century that always find an association

between deprivation and violent behaviour, so it's quite possible

that in an increasingly unequal society, we will see more violence.

West Yorkshire Police say that although crime levels are rising,

the chance of being a victim of crime is still low and 500 more

police officers are now being recruited, but this comes after

years of budget cuts and officers being made redundant.

Meanwhile, a post mortem investigation into the man

who was shot dead by police near Huddersfield on Monday evening

has revealed that he died from gunshot wounds to the chest.

Yassar Yaqub was shot by a West Yorkshire Police officer

after two vehicles were stopped on a slip road near

But the Independent Police Complaints Commissioner says

it is carrying out a thorough and detailed investigation

and has called for more witnesses to come forward.

Our home affairs correspondent Spencer Stokes has the story.

Floral tributes and expressions of anger on the motorway slip road

where Yassar Yaqub was killed in a planned police operation on Monday

night. This is where a vigil was held yesterday evening as family and

friends struggled to come to terms with the death of Yassar Yaqub and

the reasons behind the shooting. All I can say, I've known him a very

long time, spent every single day with him and I know he's not a

person who would shoot at anybody. The dead man's family attended the

mosque at Crosland Moor this afternoon. Some people have spoken

of his criminal connections but his father said he had no convictions

and was a good man. He worked and got everything he ever wanted.

Perhaps that was too much for other people to take in. How are his

children? They are all so devastated. The police took his life

away and had shattered the lives of many. More details of what happened

at the junction of the 62 on Monday have emerged this evening as the

investigation continues. The Independent Police Complaints

Commission inspectors found that Mr Yacoub died of three gunshot wounds

to the chest. One police officer fired the shots after a white Audi

and white Volkswagen were stopped by unmarked cars. The IPCC also say

that non-police issued firearm was found in the vehicle. The statement

also confirms that police were not wearing video cameras and that no

relevant CCTV footage has been found. Don't read into this

something that isn't there to be found. This isn't America, it is in

Chicago and I get very irritated when a small minority want to make

it something that it isn't. What we need here is a period of calm

reflection. The investigation into Yassar Yaqub's death is continuing

at the IPCC said they will be thorough, looking into all of the

circumstances. Three men are still being questioned following the

arrests on Monday. So why has West Yorkshire become

the Crime Capital of England - and how are the police responding

to the community concerns following the M62 shooting

in which a man died? I put this to Assistant Chief

Constable Angela Williams I'm a resident of West Yorkshire and

I'm not worried. It is only over the last 12 months and matches to do

without crime recording. Whilst there is a slight increase in

victims of crime, it is only a very slight increase and not what is

being reported in this latest set of data. What then are the challenges

that West Yorkshire Police force face that other forces don't? We

have a number of challenges in various communities across the large

urban force but we also have to be mindful that we have lost ?140

million from our budget over the last four years and we have 2000

less officers and staff working for us. Clearly tensions are running

high after Yassar Yaqub was shot dead on the slip road. What can you

say to the community to give them confidence that West Yorkshire

Police are investigating this? I am not able to refer to the specific

incident, that is being independently investigated, but in

reference to the unrest, there has been a little unrest in Bradford and

an investigation is ongoing into that unrest. There were a couple of

incidents of damage to police vehicle. It looked fairly serious in

the pictures that we saw. It was an isolated incident for around an hour

in Bradford. It is being investigated and we have extra

forces in the area moving forward. Can you give people any answers?

That is what they want. They feel as if the police are not being

transparent about this. We are being very transparent. We are helping the

IPCC with their independent investigation. We are separately and

independently investigating a demonstration which took place in

Bradford we are doing all we can in the community to reassure the

community and and MPs as to our actions.

The wounded war hero who's preparing for an incredible challenge.

Ibi Ali is aiming to run seven marathons in seven days on seven

What could be better than a sunny day on the beach, even in winter?

But bracing itself for a battle royal on Monday and it is all

Set up over 100 years ago, it has been part

This group - Yeah Yeah Yeah - appeared here in 1963.

Indeed, most of the big names did at some point.

Scarborough Council bought the place in this year.

In 2010, it was redeveloped and with over 2000 seats

it is still the sixth largest theatre in the country.

But four years later it was closed and flamingo land now has a ?20

million bid in for the site. Behind me here is a real row which is

coming to a climax in a decisive council meeting on Monday. It is all

to do with the picture of this theatre. Campaigners say it should

and could easily be saved. It looks blooming awful because the council

have deliberately, purposefully allowed it to look like this. There

is plenty of skill, knowledge, experience, will and money available

to the people to be generated, restore it. The council's plan is

simple. Demolish it at a formerly impound cast and then sell it to

flamingo land and see them invest ?20 million to give Scarborough a

massive tourist attraction. But this man says he can restore the building

quickly, and for nothing, saving ?4 million. I have had tradesmen from

all trades saying they can restore the

building, starting with the cladding. People under the age of 55

that never seen behind that and it's fantastic. The seating's still good.

The chandeliers are still in there and it just needs restoring. He

needs doing because it is a beautiful building. One of those

built came down to date to look at the futurist. They were quick to

show support to Ken and his fellow campaigners. We will do work for

free and then everyone can decide whether it is structurally sound or

not. The council's response is that the campaigners and this plans do

not step up and their hopes of mega- productions are fanciful. The two

o'clock meeting on Monday could be an -- could be lightly.

A transgender prisoner, who was on remand for attempted

murder, has been found dead in a cell at Doncaster Prison.

49-year-old Jenny Swift - who was previously known as Jonathan

and was from Liverpool - was charged with attempting

to murder 26-year-old Eric Flanagan in Balby.

An independent investigation will now be carried out

by the Prisons and Probation Ombudsman.

A transgender campaigner says Jenny shouldn't have been in a men's

prison. There is a reason we put women into women's prisons and men

into men's prisons. Women are at risk in a male prison, whether that

being cis gender women or transgender women, they are at risk.

One of the world's leading chemical companies is considering a planning

application to see if fracking for gas is possible at a site

Ineos has asked Derbyshire County Council if they would require

an environmental impact assesment as part of any application to test

drill a site near Eckington, north of Chesterfield.

Hydraulic fracturing is the process of injecting water and chemicals

into the ground at high pressure to release gas trapped

A West Yorkshire bridge which was severely damaged

by the boxing day floods in 2015 will reopen next week.

Calderdale Council says pedestrians and cyclists will be able to use

Elland Bridge by the end of next week.

It will re-open for cars later this month.

The repairs have cost around ?5 million.

Controversial plans to turn Sheffield Central Library

into a five-star hotel will be discussed at a public

Under the scheme, the library would move to another

site in the city centre, leaving its existing building to be

developed in partnership with a Chinese construction company.

More than 10,000 people have signed a petition against the move.

A man who illegally demolished his house near Skipton -

taking part of his neighbours' property with it -

Joan and Geoff Peel got home from holiday to find holes in a wall

David Eckersall had permission to make alterations to his

home but instead pulled it down completely.

Alasdair Gill was at Bradford Crown Court.

When Jeff and his wife went on holiday in May last year, their home

was as resistant to the elements as ever. When they came back, it

wasn't. Through the gaps, you can see the cars going past. Their new

neighbour had told them he was holding an extension. Instead, his

whole house, once attached to theirs, had gone. Today, he was

fined ?17,500 at Bradford Crown Court. The court heard that he had

building consent for an extension to the property but while work was

being carried out, it became structurally unsound and he decided

to demolish it. The judge called that a catastrophic decision. He

said it was a drastic decision without speaking to anyone at the

council or his neighbours. He hadn't set out to demolish his home, his

lawyer said, it had simply related to a lack of care. But that will be

little comfort to the couple who now require listed building consent to

prepare their property, who face costs of ?10,000 to prepare it. He

may have avoided jail, but he faces a hefty fine and mortgage payments

on a building that is no longer there and he is not allowed to

rebuild. Now when it comes to achieving a big

challenge, you'd bet on our next Ibi Ali, from Selby,

is an ex army captain from the Yorkshire Regiment

who is running seven marathons Ibi was injured by a roadside bomb

whilst he was serving in Iraq. His lost his right

arm but was awarded He's raising money for a new armed

forces rehabilitation A lot of people are making New Year

's resolutions, aren't they? This one beats the lot. Sadly so. In

order to raise the money and finish building the rehabilitation centre I

am doing this. I went through rehabilitation. I was extremely

lucky because I was unable to continue with my career. I was

injured in 2007 and back out in a rock in 2008. My military family

gave me all the support I needed to continue serving. That's an

incredibly quick recovery, because you had your arm amputated and were

back on the front line? That's the nature of military rehabilitation.

Headley Court, which everyone knows about now. We all have an emotional

attachment to that. But the new site in Nottingham will be world class

and it will take us across the next 70 years. You are not exactly a

stranger to big expeditions, are you? Tell us about some of the ones

in the past. I've been incredibly fortunate, having been in the

military on several operational tours, then beyond that I have been

able to help out with other things. I've been to the South Pole with

walking with that we did. I've also done seven marathons in the Sahara.

But you are no stranger to challenges, Harry? I pale into

insignificance next to you. What is the biggest part you are appearing

of -- you are fearing of seven marathons in seven days. I think it

is the same in all of us. I say to my daughter, don't worry about

failure. And yet I myself worry about that. I think, physically, and

it sounds strange, to run the marathons will be relatively easy

compared to the traffic. Is it the logistics? We are lucky that this is

an organised event. There are 30, 35 other lunatics also doing the event,

ultra runners through to the noble runners like myself. I've done a

little bit of running but only since injury. I needed to continue to stay

fit, stay on top of things. Just to get yourself mentally prepared to do

another one after you've just done one so quickly. That to me sounds

like the hardest part. For me, this is going to be challenging but there

are other servicemen and women going through far bigger challenges

whether physically or mentally and that's where this rehabilitation

centre will help them much more than it ever helped me as well. We wish

you all be very, very best. We certainly do. Please tell us

about it when you're finished. Those of you of a certain

vintage may remember the Sheffield Divers Jane Smith

and Tony Ally. Both won medals at the 2002

Commonwealth Games, amongst other gongs,

and now they're back at Ponds Forge, but in slightly different roles

as Tanya's been finding out. Once a diver, always a diver. It's

in the family. It's always been a family affair. Tony and I used to

train together loads. Now, we are on the next generation, as Jane's girls

have taken up diving, as has Tony's daughter, Grace. I said I would try

Gymnastics and once I got through that, I followed in my dad's that

steps and went to diving. What is it like for you watching her? I'm very

proud dad at the moment. With my background and experience in the

sport, it is very, very, how can I say, it gets me sometimes. I like

that you get to jump up and down on the boards. What do you like about

it? Doing somersaults and stuff. Do you think either of you are going to

be as good as your mum? Don't know. Everywhere you look, there are

families. These brothers and this brother and sister. Watching her

girls, can Jane pull back the years? That is a good dive. Jane Smith has

another medal. After 12 years out of the water, people say to me, can you

still died? I say, no, I am too old for it. But I am up for a challenge

so I thought, let's put myself back into it and see. She is now hoping

to perform at the world Masters later in the year. Tony is back at

the poll watching his daughter but mighty Barlow Jane's lead and go

back to diving? I'm a little bit bigger than I was when I was diving.

I don't know if the board will take by weight now. Doubtful. Thank you

very much. Some news just in and a dirty road Dewsbury man will appear

in court tomorrow in relation to a firearms offence that was committed

on Monday. He was charged in relation to a semiautomatic weapon

and will be charged with possession of a firearm. Two other men have

been released on bail. Now, you may have thought

about giving up alcohol or cakes for January -

in order to get back in shape. But have you ever considered doing

without meat and dairy products Vegan-uary is catching

on as an idea, and thousands of people are signing up

for it online. The demand has meant that a cook

from Sheffield is getting millions of people to watch

all his vegan recipes. James Vincent has BEAN

finding out more. Oh, tea-time. What have you got?

Pie, sausages, a bit of this? Forget all about if you were starting the

New Year as a vegan, for veganuary. It's a thing, apparently. Ian has

been an vegan for two years. What have we got here? It looks good. It

is basically almost going to be a guacamole macaroni. So, you started

it in January as a health thing? And that's what people are doing this

January. Everyone I know who has done veganuary has come out thinking

it is great. We started doing "The videos at the end of June of last

year and since then we have had about 650,000 people on the page.

You don't want to be preaching to people because they don't respond to

it well. If people have got questions, I will definitely give

them answers, but when it comes down to it, I will not try to force it

down people's throats. As a "You can't eat meat, fish, cheese, eggs

or wear leather. Who would want to be vegan for a month? Definitely

not. I like my meat. I would miss most meals. We are designed to eat

meat, aren't we? There's no way I could ever change. I like eggs and

things like that. I couldn't just live on vegetables. Are any of the

lads here a vegan? You can't eat eggs and cheese either if you are a

beacon. I don't know what they eat! Well, stuff like this. Let's have a

go on this, then. Oh, yes. Stop talking with your mouth full. I am a

sucker for an avocado. So, what do you think. No leather.

That wallet would never come out, would it? That have a look at a

couple of the pictures that have come in over the last couple of

hours. That was sunrise this morning and this one, beautiful conditions

there. Keep the pictures coming in. All change actually over the next 24

hours. It will be cloudy tomorrow with rain spreading from the west

later on after a frosty night. The Prost courtesy of this area of high

pressure but the Atlantic runs three. The weekend not looking too

bad. A run of gentle westerly breezes bringing a lot of ploughed

through and perhaps some drizzle over the Pennines. Some sunshine

further east, especially on Sunday afternoon. There is the cloud lining

up in the Atlantic but right now we have temperatures down to -3 already

over parts of the Yorkshire Dales. Temperatures of -1 in the Vale of

York later tonight. We will see cloud coming in to Western and

northern areas. Watch out on the roads. The breeze will be picking up

towards dawn. The sun rises in the morning at 8:23am. The next high

water time will be at 20 past eight this evening. It is fairly cloudy

start, just about dry until the end of the morning when patchy rain will

stay up and the afternoon looks pretty dismal. Outbreaks of brain

and a freshening south-westerly wind, feeling fairly cold. Top

temperatures struggling up to five or 6 degrees. Six Celsius is 43

Fahrenheit. Looking further ahead, the weather not looking too bad at

the weekend. Temperatures above average and that is the forecast.

Right, so we need a nice vegan meal to warm us all up.

We certainly do. I will be back for the late broadcast. Good night.