04/11/2013 Midlands Today

showers. That sets the scene for the rest of the week.

Thank you. Jail for two security workers who

helped illegal emigrants into the country. You will be found. Just how

this could be a threat to our national security. What will the

police forces involved in the plebgate scandal do next?

Wiping the smile off their faces, passengers hurt as parts come flying

of a roller`coaster. As we started to come in, we were shouting, stop

the ride! They thought we were joking. It has only happened five

times in the Premier League so why does Stoke City's record`breaking

keeper say he is sorry? How different could November be? I will

be filling you in with the details later.

Good evening. Two corrupt security workers have been jailed for helping

to smuggle illegal immigrants through Birmingham Airport. Imtiaz

Ahmed and Ghulam Sarwar, who both worked for a private contractor,

allowed passengers with forged passports onto flights to Canada.

Birmingham Airport insisted tonight that the safety of passengers was

never compromised. Corruption in action at the airport.

Imtiaz Ahmed working for a private contractor calls forward a passport

holder knowing that his seat on a flight to Toronto will be taken not

by him but by another passenger travelling illegally to claim asylum

in Canada. Three Indian nationals made the journey from Birmingham in

a scam the judge said was sophisticated and required careful

organisation and planning. We have people using their passports and

compromising their passports. We have the drivers and two members of

the security staff who were corrupt and exploiting their position of

trust. Ahmed, from Balsall Heath in Birmingham was jailed for four

years. She played a central role said the judge and had no idea who

these men were or what they intended to do once they boarded the flight.

Another ICTS employee Ghulam Sarwar from Alum Rock in Birmingham

admitted his part and was jailed for three years. He was said to have

been the point of contact between Ahmed and those running the scam. In

essence, the court was told, it was quite simple. The holder of a

genuine passports were going into departures with a ticket to travel

and obtain a boarding pass. He would come back out and give the boarding

pass to the legal traveller, equipped with a forged passport.

More of their gang are seen collecting Bassett `` baggage from

illegal emigrants that they would check in on flights not knowing what

is in it or who has packed it. An airport spokesman told us: At no

point was aviation security compromised as everyone involved

went through the required security screening checks. But investigators

say corruption in such key roles raises concerns for every air

traveller. The judge recognised the risks of having security staff who

are corrupt working at our borders and that it has potential

consequences. I am pleased that sentences have been carried out.

Also jailed were some of those involved in running the scheme and

others who allowed their passports to be used. It's not known how much

Ahmed or Sarwar were paid for their involvement, but it's estimated the

asylum seekers may have paid the gang up to ?10,000 for their passage

to Canada. Joining us now from our studio in Salford is aviation expert

Chris Yates. Good evening Mr. Yates. This breach of security is quite

alarming on first impression, do you feel like that? Yes. Alarming

insomuch as these were people who were travelling and handing out

false passports for which they intended to travel internationally.

The judge was correct in his summing up, that this was compromising the

security at the airport. The airport insists it wasn't. We are talking

about identity documents here. This is compromising the identity

document itself in so much as we can't trust the people on the plane

are actually the people it says they are on the passport. That is the

security breach. In terms of travelling through the airport, they

are correct insomuch as saying that they went all through the security

procedures that were required of them including clearing banks

through x`ray machines, walking through metal detectors, the bags

that they were travelling with that word going on the plane with them on

in other words those in the hold. None of us want to be sitting next

to a passenger who is not who or she says he or she who `` he or she is.

We want to see this scam nipped in the bud very quickly by the

appropriate services. Will it happen again? It will always happen

wherever you have a private contractor within the airport and

staff being paid. They are paid low wages as well. There is always the

potential for corruption. It is one of those things that the aviation

authority has dealt with time and time again and I have no doubt it

will happen again. Coming up later in the programme:

She's known as the Thomas Hardy of Shropshire, but now her fans are

horrified that one of her homes may be knocked down.

A Warwickshire detective and a West Midlands police officer have been

called back to face the Home Affairs Select Committee about the so`called

plebgate affair. The Committee says the Police Federation

representatives who met Mr Mitchell after he'd been accused of calling

officers in Downing Street plebs, failed to tell the whole truth when

they appeared last month. Joining us now is the Warwickshire Police and

Crime Commissioner Ron Ball. Good evening, Mr Ball. One of your

officers, Detective Sergeant Stuart Hinton, has been called back to the

Commons, because the committee have basically accused him of lying. What

do you make of that? He is appearing again tomorrow so I am restricted as

to what I can say. I do not want to prejudice what they are doing. What

about the fact that one of your offices being accused of lying? The

whole incident is a mess and it is doing a lot of damage to the police

reputation. What I have done so far is three things. I have said that

the officer should not have gone as part of that political campaign to

see Andrew Mitchell and he is due an apology. You say he and the others

should apologise to Andrew Mitchell? Said to me. In terms of my role as

Commissioner, all of the relevant information needs to be out the

public domain. `` certainly. I have to make sure anything that has been

from anybody, including the IPCC say, should be out in the public

domain. Everybody is entitled to fair treatment after that. That

includes Mr Mitchell and the officers. That is why I am getting

some stick. Those officers are entitled to fair treatment. What

about your Chief Constable because he has been criticised as not being

impartial. I tried to do this job by putting people's hats on and seeing

the world from their point of view. That is an essential part of being

fair. I have to look at the decisions that have been taken and I

think he has shown strongly `` leadership and I do not agree with

the Home Affairs Select Committee. There will be caused by him to

resign. What would you say to that? I think that would be utterly unfair

and it is wrong. Our Chief Constable apart from anything else, the

performance of the forces `` the force has been incredibly good and

he has managed to do that and remain popular within the county. That is

quite a feat. This has been an incredibly unfortunate incident and

I think... Yellow matters which has ruined somebody's career. Would you

agree that the damage to the force is incalculable? The damage is

great. The way to get through this as far as I am concerned is to be

consistent and I have been consistent and I intend to be in

sisters consistent. It looks as if we are going to get another enquiry

into these three offices. My initial concern, I have taken legal advice

on that. Whether or not it is legal is questionable. I am not taking the

view either way. The best thing is to get on with it. An inquiry into

the death of a 13`year`old girl has said more should have been done to

stop her from trying to kill herself. The girl, referred to only

as Child FJ, was found hanging at her home in Wolverhampton in June

2011. A serious case review said while her death wasn't preventable,

agencies could have worked together more to protect her.

A number of agencies could and should work more effectively

together and that has been the focus of the works since we have received

based independent review. We have ended `` implemented much to ensure

hospital discharge processes are better than they were, communication

between agencies is better and I think, as important as anything,

that all professionals are properly cited and aware of this use of self

harm. One of the newest rides at Alton Towers has been closed after

plastic guard wheels came loose and his passengers. The Staffordshire

theme park's said an investigation is underway to see when the

roller`coaster can re`open. It was closed earlier this year after a

piece of track became dislodged. This is The Smiler costing ?18

million. It's one of Alton Tower's biggest investments. It's the

world's first 14 loop roller coaster. But after problems on

Saturday afternoon, the ride's shut. The theme park's confirmed some of

the small, plastic guide wheels that are used to keep the chain inside

the chain guard became detached. These were caught beneath the track

in the safety netting, but several flew off and hit four guests sitting

in the front row of the ride. Although otherwise it's been

business as normal here, the visitors who were on the ride at the

weekend have been describing what happened. As we started, we saw

these plastics and metals fly. This is when one of them hit me at the

side of the face. One hit my other half on the shoulder and one hit the

young lady in the forehead. The roller`coaster took eight months to

build but it's not the first time it's been shut. It was closed for

four days in July after a piece of track became dislodged. And it was

shut again for five days in August due to a technical problem. Alton

Towers says all its rides and attractions are expected to meet

extremely high standards, technologically and mechanically.

It's said an investigation's underway to determine when the ride

can reopen. The theme park says it's sorry for any disappointment that's

been caused by the ride's temporary closure, but the health and safety

of its visitors is a priority A man from Birmingham has been jailed for

shaking his ten`week`old daughter to death because she wouldn't stop

crying. 22`year`old Kurt Delves repeatedly shook Harli Reid in

frustration, causing devastating brain injuries. He's been jailed for

three years and nine months, having admitted her manslaughter last

month. A businessman from Coventry has

denied the murders of a couple and their two daughters. Jifeng and

Helen Ding were found stabbed to death, along with their children, at

home in Northampton in 2011. 54`year`old Anxiang Du pleaded not

guilty in court this morning. His trial is due to begin next week.

She's known as The Thomas Hardy of Shropshire, the novelist Mary Webb

lived and wrote in the county until her death in 1927. Now one of her

houses is at the centre of a planning dispute. A local

businessman wants to demolish her bungalow on Lyth Hill near

Shrewsbury to build a six bedroom home, but her fans say it would mean

the loss of an important piece of literary history. A solemn land, the

same fires burn in the trees. Words written by Mary Webb as she

contemplated the view from Lyth Hill. In 1917 the author and poet

bought a plot of land with the proceeds of her first successful

novel and built a small bungalow. She lived here on and off for the

next ten years. Since then the house has been extended and modified by a

number of owners, last year it came on the market again and was bought

by a local businessman who has submitted plans to demolish it and

build a new two storey six bedroom home. The Mary Webb Society were

horrified. It is so insensitive to rip the heart out of the place. Even

as it stands today, it is a perfectly good home and a beautiful

place. Same`macro she is known as the Thomas Hardy of Shropshire. It

is that important to Shropshire. 63 objections have been registered

against the plans. The house is barely visible from the road. The

new owner declined to be interviewed but has issued a statement saying...

But he does say he would be happy to work with those who have an interest

in the writer. Merriweather lived in several locations in Shropshire. ``

Mary Webb. Fans say Lyth Hill is the location because it is this view

that inspired her the most. This is our top story tonight: Jail

for two corrupt airport workers who helped smuggle people out of the

country with fake passports. Your detailed weather forecast to come

shortly from Shefali. Also in tonight's programme: He's become one

of only five in the history of the Premier League, so why's the Stoke

goalkeeper saying he feels a little sorry?

And one of the world's oldest Qurans on display among Islamic treasures

going back hundreds of years. The University of Birmingham has

unveiled its newest telescope today. Based in Wasthills on the outskirts

of the city, it won't just be for use by the university, it'll also be

available to amateur astronomers and school children. And our Science

Correspondent David Gregory`Kumar is there. So David, how big a job is it

to install a new telescope? If you have a look at the telescope, here

it is. It is quite big. With me is Doctor Graeme Smith from the

University of Birmingham. How hard was it to get it in? The day we

bought it, it was very exciting. We had to bring it through the roof.

You have e`mailed me some video this morning. What does this show? This

is a comet. We observed it before Wednesday with a group of students

here. With me is Eleanor from the Birmingham astronomical Society. It

is not just the university that would be using it. It is a wonderful

resource for us to have. The University planning to have several

nights when the public can observe as well. The quality of image you

can get from this is incredible. How does it compare to the telescope you

are using at the moment? With this, you can get images much further away

which are much more interesting. What sort of people could use it? In

addition to people interested in astrology, we are keen to reach

people who have not interacted with science before and reach out to new

members. That is really exciting. Now the nights are drawing income

astronomers will be out in Austrian is `` in places like this.

Time for the sport now and Ian's here. A bizarre goal to savour at

Stoke at the weekend! Every now and again, someone scores

a goal that makes you sit up and say WOW! And that's exactly what

happened on Saturday. So this afternoon, I popped along to the

Britannia Stadium to re`live that magical moment.

Lifelong Stoke City fan Bryan Shaw always arrives at the Brit two hours

before kick`off. He makes a beeline for the Boothen End. And settles

down in his favourite seat waiting for kick`off. But on Saturday, Bryan

was in for quite a shock It's often a bit breezy at the Britannia. He

kicked the ball up in the air. We thought, it is going to go in, it is

going to go in as Commissioner Mark what can I tell you about that goal?

It is the fourth fastest ever scored and it is a good job that Brian

didn't get stuck in the queue for his pre`match cup of tea. What are

his great qualities as a goalkeeper? He is agile and flexible. And now

top goal scorer. We are short of goals and a happy for them to come

in from anywhere. Almost two embarrassed to accept the acceptance

from his team`mates. We were very fortunate with the wind. We got a

lucky break there. And the Bosnian goalkeeper certainly took full

advantage of that following wind on Saturday. It wasn't quite enough for

Stoke to win the game. But for Bryan Shaw and the other 26,000 fans, it

was a goal they'll talk about for years to come.

Besides Begovic's wonder goal, two others worth mentioning in

dispatches including a beauty at the Hawthorns Yes, let's have a look at

Albion's first goal in their 2`0 over Crystal Palace.

Created down the left by Sessegenon. And scored with great skill by Saido

Berahino. Still only 20, his sixth goal for West Brom plus four for

England under`21's. A young man with a very bright future.

And an absolute corker for Shrewsbury Town against Sheffield

United? Yes, this is one from the top

drawer. A super strike from distance by Joe Jacobsen. He's a defender, by

the way. He'll remember this one for the rest of his career. And

Shrewsbury went on to beat Sheffield United 2`0.

There's nothing worse for any professional footballer than being

injured. They worry about whenor possibly whether... They'll play

again. But a new state`of`the`art treatment centre opened in

Staffordshire today. And that's good news for injured players at all

levels, as Nick Clitheroe reports. At 18, and may have the whole world

had of him. He started to question his future in the game. There is

times when I have been ready to pack in and give it all up. You just

think, I am never going to get back to where I was. Even able to play.

Come here, it is the first time I have felt like I have been making

progress. This is Burton upon Trent. Today, it became the first place in

England to be credited as a medical of excellence by fever. It should

offer an independent opinion about their diagnosis, management and

treatment of injuries but also an assessment of their health statement

stash status. Lower down the divisions, there's nothing like it.

It is open to everybody. We want people to come and use it. This is a

facility and a service for the entire game. It is the home of the

England football team and they train on this pitch behind me. It is here

to benefit the whole of the national game. Exciting new developments. One

of the world's oldest Qurans can be seen for the first time as part of a

new exhibition looking at Islamic calligraphy. Qalam ` the art of

beautiful writing ` features unseen collections including pens used to

create the art form. A late seventh century Quran folio from the Arabian

Peninsula purchased orginally for the Cadbury Family. A 10th century

Iranian ceramic Bowl from Stoke on Trent. And unseen pen cases from

Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery's collection. One of prized

possessions a case collected by an Art Teacher in Moseley. Well it's

beautifully painted inside an it contains all the tools. Birmingham

has a great history of pen manufacturer. We have this

outstanding collection. It's been put together with help

from the city's Islamic community. It engages the communities and links

the heritage. Contemporary pieces of work sit alongside historical

objects and celebrate the centuries across the world. They come in all

shapes and sizes to create calligraphy `` calligraphy. Qalam

the art of beautiful wtiting is a free exhibition and will run until

the end of hanuary. And that exhibition's at the Birmingham

Museum and Art Gallery. Now for a look at the weather.

( Tonight's headlines from the BBC The manhunt for a missing terror

suspect ` he's been on the run since Friday ` police say he shouldn't be

approached The prosecution in the hacking trial says Rebekah Brooks

tried to hide evidence ` discovered by a cleaner. Things will be turning

more unsettled and cold and this week, blustery at times. At the

moment, it is calm and clear out there. The wettest spell of all will

be tomorrow and Wednesday as these two systems weep in from of the

Atlantic. This one will be more prolific than the first. We are

looking at clear skies to begin with. Temperatures will be falling

down to two Celsius and that is in rural spots. Perhaps closer to

freezing in some areas which will give a touch of frost in places.

Later on tonight, the cloud thickens up from the west and we will see

some rain spreading in from that direction to end the night. Some of

this rain can be heavy in places. Just to point out that the winds

will be fairly strong this week, temperatures will fall. This area

will be the most prone to frost. Tomorrow will be grey and wet to

start off with. A lot of shifting eastwards so by the afternoon, we

are looking at brighter conditions. Temperatures will rise to nine

Celsius. With that brisk north`westerly breeze still

blowing, it will be quite cold tomorrow. As for Bonfire Night, it

could be worse. It is not bad at all. It is still quite windy but it

will be dry further east. Later in the night, we have got a band of

rain again. The next system is moving in from the West. This will

be heavier and more persistent. Temperatures tomorrow night will be

down to six hours it's `` six Celsius. The headlines: The manhunt

for a missing terror suspects. Jail for two corrupt Birmingham

Airport workers who helped smuggle people out of the country with fake

passports. That was the Midlands Today.

A family memoir that captured the hearts of millions.

A potter telling stories out of porcelain