:00:00. > :00:00.Welcome to North West Tonight with Roger Johnson -
:00:00. > :00:11.As a man who beat his wife walks free - the Judge is criticised
:00:12. > :00:18.for saying the victim wasn't particularly vulnerable.
:00:19. > :00:25.A crime has been committed and must be seen to be a crime that is
:00:26. > :00:28.apparent to society and that should be reflected in their sentencing.
:00:29. > :00:30.Cricketer Mustafa Bashir hit his wife with a bat
:00:31. > :00:35.Residents in New Ferry look to rebuild their homes
:00:36. > :00:37.and their lives after Saturday's devastating explosion.
:00:38. > :00:39.If you're going to San Francisco - go from Manchester.
:00:40. > :00:45.The new direct flight hoping to boost our tech industry
:00:46. > :00:47.And red hot Curry power - Sale Sharks identical twins leaving
:00:48. > :01:11.A judge who allowed a wife beater to walk free from court has been
:01:12. > :01:13.lambasted by politicians and domestic violence groups.
:01:14. > :01:17.Greater Manchester's Police and Crime Commissioner is writing
:01:18. > :01:19.to the Justice Secretary demanding a review of the case.
:01:20. > :01:21.Judge Richard Mansell suspended Mustafa Bashir's jail
:01:22. > :01:23.sentence after hearing he'd lose the chance of playing professional
:01:24. > :01:26.cricket if he went to prison, but that turned out to be untrue.
:01:27. > :01:29.The judge also said he didn't consider Bashir's victim to be
:01:30. > :01:37.Here's our Chief Reporter, Dave Guest.
:01:38. > :01:40.He hit his partner with a cricket bat, attempted
:01:41. > :01:44.to strangle her and tried to force her to drink bleach.
:01:45. > :01:46.This is Richard Mansell QC, the Manchester judge
:01:47. > :01:49.who spared Bashir an immediate spell behind bars.
:01:50. > :01:52.He'd been told Bashir was about to sign a contract
:01:53. > :01:54.with Leicestershire Cricket Club and going to prison
:01:55. > :02:00.So Judge Mansell suspended the 18 month jail sentence.
:02:01. > :02:02.It now turns out the cricket contract didn't exist.
:02:03. > :02:05.Leicestershire say they've never heard of Bashir.
:02:06. > :02:08.But it was the judge's comments about Bashir's former wife that have
:02:09. > :02:12.He acknowledged she'd suffered, but added: "I am not convinced
:02:13. > :02:16.that the complainant was particularly vulnerable,"
:02:17. > :02:18.explaining that was because she was intelligent,
:02:19. > :02:25.Characteristics of the victim are completely irrelevant.
:02:26. > :02:29.A crime has been committed and it must be seen to be a crime
:02:30. > :02:31.that is abhorrent to society and that must be
:02:32. > :02:37.I'd like the judge sent for further training because I think
:02:38. > :02:40.Greater Manchester's Police and Crime Commissioner says
:02:41. > :02:43.he doesn't normally criticise judges but on this occasion he does
:02:44. > :02:50.I'm writing to the Attorney General, to the Justice Secretary to ask
:02:51. > :02:52.them to recognise first of all that there were flaws
:02:53. > :02:59.The question of the bogus contract with Leicestershire
:03:00. > :03:09.-- Leicestershire County Cricket club.
:03:10. > :03:12.Also to say surely a sentence like this surely doesn't
:03:13. > :03:15.Women and in fact men, where they are victims
:03:16. > :03:16.of domestic violence, they deserve protection.
:03:17. > :03:18.This doesn't give that kind of protection.
:03:19. > :03:20.Bashir's former wife today told the BBC she is: "disappointed
:03:21. > :03:23.in the comments which the judge made about my vulnerability."
:03:24. > :03:25.The Crown Prosecution Service said, "We are currently
:03:26. > :03:27.considering our options as to whether they could
:03:28. > :03:30.But the definition of what makes a victim particularly vulnerable
:03:31. > :03:35.It's contained in guidelines which all judges must follow.
:03:36. > :03:37.Coincidentally, the Sentencing Council is due to issue a draft
:03:38. > :03:47.of new guidelines for such cases later this week.
:03:48. > :03:49.Calderstones Hospital in the Ribble Valley,
:03:50. > :03:58.the last in England specialising in learning disabilities,
:03:59. > :04:02.Instead patients will be treated in smaller local units
:04:03. > :04:06.It's part of a wider plan to reform services in the North West.
:04:07. > :04:08.Our Health Correspondent Gill Dummigan is outside
:04:09. > :04:15.Gill, this is something that's been the cards for a long time?
:04:16. > :04:28.We were running stories about the closure of Calderstones Hospital
:04:29. > :04:33.before. The site behind me will be empty by 2020. There are 135
:04:34. > :04:40.patients here at the moment. Some have autism and other disabilities.
:04:41. > :04:45.They have come here as part of their rehabilitation. It was built in 1915
:04:46. > :04:52.and there is a sense here that it belongs to history. I think it will
:04:53. > :05:00.be amazing for people to experience independence in their life choices.
:05:01. > :05:06.Certainly evidence is where it is done well, people are incredibly
:05:07. > :05:12.happy. We need to be sure it is done incredibly well. There has been
:05:13. > :05:17.controversy at this site in the past, hasn't there? There has. In
:05:18. > :05:22.2014 it was criticised for poor levels of staffing and hygiene and
:05:23. > :05:26.excessive use of restraint. It was run by a different trust at that
:05:27. > :05:29.time to the one running it now. We spoke to the mother of one former
:05:30. > :05:36.patient to describe the effects of that final -- time on him. He is
:05:37. > :05:42.fearful of human contact and is terrified of people near him and
:05:43. > :05:47.stop you can only imagine what has happened to him. The horror of what
:05:48. > :05:51.he has gone through is being dripped through two hours and the care we
:05:52. > :06:02.can give him will go on for a long time. What will happen now? A
:06:03. > :06:09.smaller secure unit is about about to be built by the trust that talk
:06:10. > :06:14.over Calderstones Hospital in 2016. Various parts of the NHS will put a
:06:15. > :06:17.support package in place but being -- for people being looked after in
:06:18. > :06:22.the community. That replies on that care package being up to scratch and
:06:23. > :06:29.being exempt from future funding cuts. A point I put to Doctor
:06:30. > :06:32.Michael Gregory from NHS England. It is part of the design of the
:06:33. > :06:37.transformational work we are doing here and in the consultation
:06:38. > :06:39.document. There are dedicated mental health specialised support teams in
:06:40. > :06:47.the community that will be funded to support these people. A lot of
:06:48. > :06:50.change over the coming years. Thanks very much indeed.
:06:51. > :06:52.The High Court has been told there was no fair or reasonable
:06:53. > :06:55.basis for removing the former South Yorkshire Chief Constable
:06:56. > :06:57.David Crompton from the force after the Hillsborough inquests.
:06:58. > :07:00.Mr Crompton's lawyers say it was unlawful
:07:01. > :07:05.that he was required to resign after a jury concluded police
:07:06. > :07:08.conduct contributed to or caused the deaths of 96 football fans.
:07:09. > :07:14.The hearing's expected to last two days.
:07:15. > :07:17.The family of a man found dead after a fire in Salford say
:07:18. > :07:20.he was a vibrant man who'll be sadly missed by his children.
:07:21. > :07:22.47-year-old Thomas Jones was found with stab wounds at a house
:07:23. > :07:32.A 37-year-old woman's been arrested on suspicion of murder.
:07:33. > :07:35.The MP for Chester is urging the Government to do more to secure
:07:36. > :07:37.the release of six men, jailed in India for
:07:38. > :07:42.Paul Towers from Bootle and Ray Tindall from Chester
:07:43. > :07:45.and were among a group of former British soldiers arrested whilst
:07:46. > :07:47.working on an anti-piracy ship, and jailed in January
:07:48. > :07:52.The men have appealed against their sentences.
:07:53. > :07:55.Will the ministers pick up the phone to their counterparts
:07:56. > :07:57.in India and suggest the men are simply deported.
:07:58. > :08:00.The men don't want to be in India, the Indians don't want to be
:08:01. > :08:05.We are providing constant support as he knows and I have written
:08:06. > :08:08.to the family to say I stand ready to meet with them ahead
:08:09. > :08:37.The new pound coin will not be used on the Isle of Man.
:08:38. > :08:39.Business in New Ferry say they've been devastated
:08:40. > :08:42.Tonight they're meeting council leaders to discuss the support
:08:43. > :08:47.And tomorrow the local authority is setting up an emergency
:08:48. > :08:49.advice centre for both residents and local firms.
:08:50. > :08:53.The clearing up operation is starting in earnest but this job
:08:54. > :08:58.could take months and that is no comfort to Kerry Gladwell and Gary.
:08:59. > :09:01.We want and make sure that residents can contact the authority
:09:02. > :09:06.They are asking their local Councillor to help.
:09:07. > :09:08.They fled their home in the clothes they are still wearing
:09:09. > :09:11.and they haven't been allowed back in since.
:09:12. > :09:14.Apparently we can't go back into our house for at least two
:09:15. > :09:22.We can't get any clothes we can't get anything.
:09:23. > :09:26.All our valuables and even our bank cards, we can't go and get that.
:09:27. > :09:30.As the cordoned off area is reduced, the damage to other
:09:31. > :09:38.George is getting his shop ready to open.
:09:39. > :09:41.Tonight, business owners will meet the council team and George believes
:09:42. > :09:43.there needs to be considerable support for local firms.
:09:44. > :09:48.It is going to take a lot of quick involvement by government.
:09:49. > :09:53.We need a lot of investment into the area.
:09:54. > :09:57.We need proper planning for the area.
:09:58. > :10:00.Tomorrow, the council will open an emergency advice centre to help
:10:01. > :10:03.a community which it believes is still in shock.
:10:04. > :10:11.We can offer them advice on anything from the rehousing that they may
:10:12. > :10:14.need to look at, if they need access to money, resources, clothing.
:10:15. > :10:18.Anything, we will be able to help them with.
:10:19. > :10:20.When the police investigation finishes, the council team will look
:10:21. > :10:29.at which buildings need to be demolished.
:10:30. > :10:32.A woman who was raped in Manchester says the judge
:10:33. > :10:34.in her case was right to say drunk women are putting
:10:35. > :10:38.19-year-old Megan Clark, who was attacked after a night out,
:10:39. > :10:46.says that Judge Lindsey Kushner was telling women to be careful.
:10:47. > :10:53.The comments had been criticised by rape charities.
:10:54. > :11:05.She simply said to be careful, basically, which is smart advice.
:11:06. > :11:08.You need to be careful but she wasn't at all victim blaming.
:11:09. > :11:13.Everybody blames themselves. I know it is not my fault but it is hard
:11:14. > :11:16.not to blame yourself, especially when you are in that situation.
:11:17. > :11:17.A date has been announced for the by-election
:11:18. > :11:23.On the fourth May voters will choose a replacement for Sir Gerald Kaufman
:11:24. > :11:34.who served communities there for 47 years, and died in February.
:11:35. > :11:36.In the last general election Sir Gerald secured
:11:37. > :11:38.a 24,000 majority, so is it still a safe
:11:39. > :11:49.Our political editor Nina Warhurst reports.
:11:50. > :11:56.This is Gorton where you don't have to go far to meet a family like
:11:57. > :12:03.this. We have always been Labour. Well anything ever change that? No.
:12:04. > :12:13.Always labour. Never change my mind. Regardless of the candidate? Always
:12:14. > :12:20.Labour, that's it. Labour till you die? That's right. Caroline and
:12:21. > :12:29.Phyllis wanted to remain in the EU. Who has their vote? Probably the Lib
:12:30. > :12:34.Dems. Saying they are going to be pro-European Union, we might go for
:12:35. > :12:44.them. Brexit might dominate your vote? Definitely. Gorton has been
:12:45. > :12:48.Labour since 1935 and the voter's market has changed. And one that
:12:49. > :12:55.thinks this is a one course race is foolish. This is a Labour stronghold
:12:56. > :13:00.but it is open to anybody. These are uncertain times and Ukip says its
:13:01. > :13:06.special offer will be a focus on local issues and will people be
:13:07. > :13:11.choosing the Conservatives? They are still filling that confidence. Why
:13:12. > :13:18.did the Conservatives have your vote? They seem to be more decisive
:13:19. > :13:23.and seem to have a modern decisively won what they want to do. Labour
:13:24. > :13:30.prevaricate and always argue among themselves. You don't think they
:13:31. > :13:35.will get stuff done? No. It wasn't the Conservatives that came second,
:13:36. > :13:39.it was the Green Party and they tell me Gorton will be one of their key
:13:40. > :13:43.focal points in the run-up to May stop George Galloway is standing as
:13:44. > :13:47.an independent and has a history of hitting Labour where it hurts.
:13:48. > :13:55.Labour recently admitted nowadays there is no such thing as a safe
:13:56. > :14:02.seat. These shoes are big ones to fill and the heat is on. Polling day
:14:03. > :14:05.is the 4th of May. The mayoral elections also.
:14:06. > :14:07.The Liberal Democrat candidate to be the first
:14:08. > :14:09.Metro Mayor of the Liverpool city region says his priorities
:14:10. > :14:11.would include developing brownfield sites for new housing and
:14:12. > :14:15.Carl Cashman, who launched his manifesto today,
:14:16. > :14:30.We have had a massive amount of people getting behind the campaign.
:14:31. > :14:34.Hundreds of people using -- joining the party and thousands donating to
:14:35. > :14:35.the campaign. I definitely think I am in with a chance of challenging
:14:36. > :14:37.in this election. And you can see a full list of those
:14:38. > :14:45.standing at bbc.co.uk/candidates. Still to come on
:14:46. > :14:57.North West Tonight. The rugby playing twins tipped the
:14:58. > :15:06.stardom and stop they leave the opposition seeing double. I will be
:15:07. > :15:07.asking if one day could we see the introduction of steam trains going
:15:08. > :15:12.back across this viaduct. A 80-year-old former soldier who's
:15:13. > :15:15.had his leg amputated has criticised the council
:15:16. > :15:16.for effectively trapping Ernie Moore was
:15:17. > :15:19.promised a step lift, Lancashire County Council has
:15:20. > :15:23.accepted the delay is unacceptable. This is the closest Ernie Moore gets
:15:24. > :15:35.to leaving his home on his own. His problems started last year
:15:36. > :15:38.when his leg was amputated Access to his house, he was told,
:15:39. > :15:53.would be modifield within weeks. The three months I was in hospital
:15:54. > :15:57.in an isolation room, coming home I was up in the air when I said I was
:15:58. > :16:01.coming home and now five months later which is going on for eight
:16:02. > :16:03.months, I am still a prisoner in the house.
:16:04. > :16:06.Ernie has always been active - a regular to the gym and swimming
:16:07. > :16:09.pool, he and his wife Barbara also have 25 grandchildren and 15
:16:10. > :16:20.I have been depressed, fed up, I've had arguments, losing my temper.
:16:21. > :16:23.What appears to have happenned is that his case has been
:16:24. > :16:26.passed from the Hopspital to Burnely Borugh Council and then
:16:27. > :16:37.Lancashire County Council see the process has not been as smooth as it
:16:38. > :16:42.should've been and is making changes to make sure people can live
:16:43. > :16:45.independently and be discharged from hospital as soon as possible. I have
:16:46. > :16:51.totally given up with everything that is going on.
:16:52. > :16:53.Visits from friends are cheering him up but until his stair lift
:16:54. > :17:07.Anyone recognise the cityscape behind us? It is San Francisco.
:17:08. > :17:09.A new service from Manchester Airport has
:17:10. > :17:11.already gained a nickname even though its inaugural flight
:17:12. > :17:14.is only just reaching the other side of the Atlantic.
:17:15. > :17:16.ManFran is the first direct flight to San Francisco
:17:17. > :17:22.It left for San Francisco just before midday with business
:17:23. > :17:25.people from the region's leading tech firms.
:17:26. > :17:28.It's hoped the new service will open up new opportunities
:17:29. > :17:42.Awaiting clearance to take off - this new scheduled service
:17:43. > :17:44.between MAN and SAN had attracted a nickname before
:17:45. > :18:07.We want to translate the vision into tangible strategies and actions. It
:18:08. > :18:20.would lead to economic value for the region. It has much in common with
:18:21. > :18:28.Manchester. Manchester has always reinvented culture and history. We
:18:29. > :18:29.played a part in the industrial revolution and it came from the 60s
:18:30. > :18:34.and 70s. 30 tech firms are
:18:35. > :18:36.represented on the flight. All of them hoping to grab a piece
:18:37. > :18:46.of the action in Silicon Valley. If we can come back with a clear
:18:47. > :18:49.plan on what we need to do, we can bring our next investment round in
:18:50. > :18:50.the US and it would be perfect for us.
:18:51. > :18:55.Manchester based ANS provides IT support for businesses globally.
:18:56. > :19:02.But it values person to person interaction.
:19:03. > :19:08.We are a simple flight and it will change everything and I would love
:19:09. > :19:10.to be on that flight. The weather is turning today.
:19:11. > :19:14.Andrew's boss has beaten him to it and he's also trying to beat Brexit.
:19:15. > :19:27.It is about Brexit. Manchester Airport is also wondering what will
:19:28. > :19:33.happen to European open skies. As with so much about Brexit, we simply
:19:34. > :19:39.don't know. This is a Virgin Atlantic plane. There are 225 people
:19:40. > :19:42.on board and some are going to San Francisco for pleasure. Mostly, of
:19:43. > :19:47.the business. It is about to leave. And so Miss England as it's known
:19:48. > :19:50.takes to the air and she's expected to return with big deals
:19:51. > :20:08.for the North West's He didn't get a good deal there.
:20:09. > :20:09.Back to the Imperial War Museum back home.
:20:10. > :20:12.Fans, team-mates and coaches can't tell them apart but everyone who's
:20:13. > :20:15.watched Ben and Tom Curry in action on the rugby pitch can see they've
:20:16. > :20:27.The 18-year-old identical twins from Nantwich recently signed
:20:28. > :20:30.five year contracts with Sale Sharks and have been tipped to play
:20:31. > :20:34.Opponents can be forgiven for seeing double against
:20:35. > :20:39.Identical twins Tom, and Ben even play in the same position.
:20:40. > :20:47.The only difference - the direction they swipe their hair.
:20:48. > :21:00.The Hare thinks wipes -- helps a lot. It has stuck now. He says his
:21:01. > :21:06.looks better but I don't agree. That players are noticing personality. He
:21:07. > :21:12.is a bit more boring. Can you tell which one is which? No. Does it
:21:13. > :21:14.matter? I just tell the coach to bring you one of the curries and he
:21:15. > :21:16.knows which one it is. Both have been union mad since birth
:21:17. > :21:28.- honing their skills at Crewe Now the pair face a very different
:21:29. > :21:34.challenge - competing for one place in the side. If he is having a good
:21:35. > :21:42.training session, I can work into one of his weaknesses and make him
:21:43. > :21:47.look worse vice versa. It is harder to celebrate when you have got into
:21:48. > :21:51.the team. If one of us made it and one of us hasn't, you have done well
:21:52. > :21:53.to get there. It takes the edge away from what you have done.
:21:54. > :21:57.This season they've both broken into the Sale first team
:21:58. > :21:59.where there's a target of 75% north-west players
:22:00. > :22:02.within the next three years and represented England Under 20s.
:22:03. > :22:12.The future is bright for the clubs and those two lads. At 18, they
:22:13. > :22:17.could go on to international honours. Having someone else there
:22:18. > :22:18.that is going through the same situation, it is comforting to know
:22:19. > :22:20.that. And it looks like these two
:22:21. > :22:29.have the right recipe for success. This is what a new steam railway
:22:30. > :22:33.could look like if a disused rail The Irlam to Timperley line
:22:34. > :22:40.closed in the 1980's. But a local businessman hopes
:22:41. > :22:43.to reopen it as a tourist attraction It is 122 years old and in good
:22:44. > :22:57.condition. It's this man's dream to see steam
:22:58. > :23:01.trains back on the Irlam - Timperley line alongside a cycle
:23:02. > :23:03.route and footpath but he viaduct is falling apart and the total bill
:23:04. > :23:15.to fix the line would be 30 million. It has got to happen. We have put
:23:16. > :23:19.all that effort into the station and we have a passionate support group
:23:20. > :23:23.that America is no reason why this can't happen.
:23:24. > :23:26.His vision involves a heritage railway similar to the Bury based
:23:27. > :23:28.East Lancs line where steam trains here have been attracting
:23:29. > :23:35.Crowe it attracts thousands of visitors a year and it is a very
:23:36. > :23:37.obvious assets. They have already renovated
:23:38. > :23:43.Irlam railway station. It defies any city to match its
:23:44. > :23:47.energy. This latest project to reopen
:23:48. > :23:49.the rail line has support from another rail enthusiast -
:23:50. > :24:03.one used to travelling The best way to preserve it is to
:24:04. > :24:06.use it. It could be cyclists, pedestrians or heritage railways
:24:07. > :24:08.blown across it. Imagine steam engines going across it. It would be
:24:09. > :24:10.a lovely site. Beeching was criticised
:24:11. > :24:13.for closing many routes. This wants one of his
:24:14. > :24:15.cuts but its closure Passengers last travelled
:24:16. > :24:32.across this line in the 1960's and was used for freight train
:24:33. > :24:43.was in 1984. People will have plenty of fun on
:24:44. > :24:47.it. This is important and people need to remember what an important
:24:48. > :24:48.part these towns played in the industrial success of Britain during
:24:49. > :24:50.the 19th century. Plans have been submitted
:24:51. > :24:52.to the local councils and Network Rail who are said
:24:53. > :24:55.to be on board. If it goes ahead it could
:24:56. > :25:07.open within five years. Did you see what she did there?
:25:08. > :25:17.Without so much as a little chortle in her voice. You are the king of
:25:18. > :25:23.puns, after all. Diane, Queen of their stylish dress.
:25:24. > :25:35.There is a compliment in there but I may have to dig.
:25:36. > :25:43.Good evening. We said goodbye to the uninterrupted sunshine that some
:25:44. > :25:47.places have some gorgeous spells of sunshine. We have haze around in
:25:48. > :25:52.many places and that will continue as we go through the next couple of
:25:53. > :25:57.hours. The story has to be about the milder air and it stays with us. The
:25:58. > :26:01.numbers on the chart will be very good indeed, particularly tonight.
:26:02. > :26:06.It will not be called tomorrow morning but the mild air is half the
:26:07. > :26:09.story. We have the return of the weather fronts. A couple of places
:26:10. > :26:15.saw spots of rain and many places will see more. There is an area of
:26:16. > :26:18.low pressure and normal service is definitely resumed. First thing in
:26:19. > :26:24.the morning, there were not that many bright spells. Over the last
:26:25. > :26:29.couple of hours, we have had showers and some of them have been quite
:26:30. > :26:32.heavy. There is more waiting in the ring -- wings and they would push
:26:33. > :26:37.through us in the next couple of hours. By the time you get to
:26:38. > :26:41.midnight, a more organised band pushes through and it will be with
:26:42. > :26:45.us for a fewer hours and will fade away. You can see the difficulty in
:26:46. > :26:51.how much rain we will see. This changes to a cloudy picture which
:26:52. > :26:55.will be wet from time to time. Look at the overnight temperatures.
:26:56. > :27:02.Between eight and 10 Celsius. For some places, it is not too bad first
:27:03. > :27:12.thing. The rain becomes more organised as the weather front comes
:27:13. > :27:16.in. It will be drier. It will not pour down all day. Temperatures
:27:17. > :27:35.around 13 Celsius. We will be back with news and
:27:36. > :27:37.weather at 10:30pm. Join us then, thanks for watching. Have a lovely
:27:38. > :27:39.evening. Goodbye.