21/12/2011 South East Today

Welcome to South East Today. I'm Rob Smith. And I'm Polly Evans.

Tonight's top stories. The criminals slipping through the net;

we reveal the high level of crimes going unsolved in Kent and Sussex.

Our home affairs correspondent is live with the details. Stepping in

for parents; a Sussex woman fronts an appeal for financial support for

the grandparents raising another You cannot bring a grandson of in

reasonable care and then a good way, on a pension. Also in tonight's

programme: A billion tonnes wasted every year - the new technology

invented in Kent that can help defeat naturally occurring toxins

in our food. The sisters - separated as babies - reunited at

Christmas for the first time in their lives. She leaves me for

Stella. And he is a young man with great expectations - Kentish actor

Douglas Booth talks about his role Good evening. Huge numbers of

crimes across the South East are going unsolved, according to

figures obtained by the BBC. They reveal that across all types of

crime in Kent and Sussex, 70% of it remains unsolved. Despite promises

by police that the region is getting safer, when it comes to

burglaries and car crimes, four out of every five criminals are

slipping through the net. Our Home Affairs Correspondent Colin

Campbell has more. There is nothing we have not had taken. We have had

the old bucket taken off it. That truck has been taken ones, if it is

not nailed down, it will go. Steve Jones's Kent farmers a constant

target for thieves and the crime seems to be going unsolved.

police have a good follow up, always come and tell us what is

going on and try to do their best, but it is a forlorn hope. These

people disappear, and there is no catching them. Figures obtained

under the Freedom of Information Act sure that a huge quantity of

crime across South East goes What Kent and Sussex police forces

are keen to tell us that levels of crime are down and they are, but

what they are not so ready to give details of is the percentage of

crimes going unsolved, which is why these figures are so interesting.

Crimes going unsolved is not a new thing. The abuse are not

necessarily, historically, that effective at detecting crime. The

fall in crime has more to do with us, and the society in which we

lived. By it with significant cuts there are concerns that performance

could deteriorate. A as we lose 1500 people we will have less

people to target prolific offenders. And, history tells us, that when

you target those people you catch them, put them in prison and when

they and prison they cannot Bago your eyes. -- burgle your house.

Both Kent and Sussex are above the national average for detecting

train, but that is not much comfort if you are a victim of crime. So

how does this fit into the overall picture of crime detection in the

South East? In Kent only 23% of all crimes were solved in the year to

March 2004 - but that had risen to 31% in the 12 months to March this

year. And it's a similar story in Sussex, where just 18% of crimes

were solved 2004 - compared to 30% this year. And our police forces do

have much higher detection rates for certain types of crime. For

example, 43% of violent crime was solved in Kent, and 47% in Sussex.

One Kent MP, who sits on the Commons Home Affairs Select

Committee, says police are doing a good job in reducing crime in his

area. If you take the Medway towns, there are one or two burglaries a

day across the Medway towns, quarter of a million people. Not

that long ago you would get in double figures of burglaries each

day, so the police have made progress on burglary. So how do our

police forces compare with others? The England and Wales average

detection rate for all crime in the 12 months to March this year was

28%, so both the Kent and Sussex forces are slightly better than

average. They weren't as good as Dyfed Powys, the best-performing

force in terms of crime detection, with 49% of all crime solved. But

they were better than the worst performers, Surrey and the West

Midlands, where just 20% of all crimes were solved. Let's cross

live to our Home Affairs Correspondent Colin Campbell. How

can police forces improve their detection rates for crimes like

burglary and car crime? Criminologists Saudi -- say that

crimes like burglary and car train can be tackled by the police by

looking at forensic work, investigating using forensic

techniques. The other issue is to try to catch the criminals in the

act as they tried to break into cars and homes, at night. One

technique that has been successfully adopted by Sussex

police is the targeting of prolific offenders, individuals who carry

out huge amounts of crime within their own community. Policing

Minister Nick Herbert has told us that there's an unhealthy obsession

with police officer numbers. According to him, the real issue is

how resources are deployed and he believes forces can make savings

while maintaining or improving their service to the public. An 83

year-old woman from Sussex has been made the face of a national

campaign, calling for grandparents who take on, and bring up, a

grandchild to be paid a "kinship allowance". Pat Knight has taken

care of her 14 year-old grandson Reece since he was five, following

the death of his mother - but always struggling financially,

since her only income is her pension. Katherine Downes reports.

With a 14-year-old grandson to buy for, Christmas is a difficult time

for Pat. What can you buy a 14- year-old that is a reasonable price

today? It is all electronics, mobile phones and everything else.

You cannot just suddenly deprived child because we are bringing him

up. He should have the same as other children. The rest of the

year is a struggle, too. This has led with his grandparents since his

mother died but because his grandparents are not recognised as

foster parents, they do not get any benefits or allowances. It is much

nicer for a child to live with a grant parents than going into care.

I am fortunate having my grandson to bring up after losing my

daughter, but families do need help. Around 300,000 children across the

country are cared for by grandparents or other family

members. Pat says it costs at least at the pounds per week to provide

basic care for police and they have had to take �70,000 of equity from

their house in order to get by. Love authorities are very cash-

strapped, we have many children who do not have grandparents to help

out, so often the take the view that this child is safe now, we

will leave the grandparents to get on with it. Sussex County Council

says it supports many families of will they do not legally have to.

Now, there are calls for a change in that system. In the end, we have

to threaten the council with judicial review. That should not

have been necessary. It should have been the case that he was assessed,

and he was determined to leave the clinic. Pat says that she has

splashed out the cash for Christmas on her grandson. But it is not

something you expected. I don't mind not getting big things. I

don't mind getting little things. Coming up, crashed for cash. A 12

man gang of car insurance fraudsters are jailed.

Controversial changes to the planning system have been

criticised by a group of MPs, who say there's a danger that too much

emphasis could be given to economic growth, at the expense of

environmental and social concerns. But the Planning Minister, and

Tunbridge Wells MP, Greg Clark insists it's about putting power

into the hands of local people. Simon Jones reports. They say they

are fighting to protect the green belt around Gravesend. Local

campaigner and councillor Mike Snelling fears that hundreds of

homes could be built here. The next review will take more of the green

belt and you will pave over the whole of this county. There have

been protests near by. The Government says it needs to make

the planning process simpler and faster to meet the housing shortage

with a presumption in favour of sustainable development. Others

advise caution. There is a general feeling that this document is

waited simply towards economic development at the expense of

social and environmental factors. We are saying that there has to the

balance. The Government insists it is listening to warnings, but

changes could lead to bad developers. That is why we have the

planning system. It is there to make sure that we have the homes

and jobs that the next generation need. But not at the expense of the

countryside and the historic environment. This is clearly an

issue people feel passionate about. Here in grave shown, the council

has received so many responses over its development plans for that next

20 years that it has had to extend the deadline. The Government needs

to let lobbied will get on with local planning. But the Government

says it is put in power in hands of local people. -- putting. Our

Political Editor Louise Stewart joins us now from Greg Clark's

constituency of Tunbridge Wells. Louise, what are the select

committee's recommendations? were concerned about one phrase,

which said there was a presumption in favour of sustainable

development. They worry that the Government might put forward

growing the economy of, before the environment. When George Osborne

said the planning reforms were the key to get the economy growing

again, but the planning minister and Tunbridge Wells MP, Greg Clark,

said he has listened, he welcomes this report, and he says he also

planning reforms will give local people greater control over

planning decisions. A serious case review into the deaths of two young

brothers in a house fire in Eastbourne says fire safety was not

identified as an "imminent problem" at the property. Seven-year-old

Lewis Jenkins and five year old Taylor were found in a makeshift

den under the stairs in 2008. Investigators concluded that

"opportunities were missed to develop a fuller picture of what

was going on and what standards of parenting" the boys received, but

added that the boys deaths could not have been presented. -- boys'

deaths. A sexual predator who groomed and sexually abused young

girls over a period of 21 years has been jailed for nine years. 54

year-old Stephen Marsh from Brighton was found guilty of

indecent assault, possession of indecent images of children and

voyeurism at Lewes Crown Court. A Kent victim of a so-called "cash

for crash" scam says the road accident caused by the fraudsters

could have killed her. Marie Beard, an IT manager from Ashford, was

targeted by a gang of 12 men operating in the south east. The

men would deliberately brake sharply in front of innocent

drivers, causing a crash in order to claim on their insurance. The

men have now been sentenced for the insurance scam, the first of its

Driving home, at Mary macro had no idea she was an easy target. I was

that close to going out on the Catholic -- carriageway and going

out in traffic. The perpetrators look for easy victims. In this

similar bogus crash, the gangs decoy car makes a last-minute

manoeuvre and the victim crashed into them. The decoy speak of other

drivers of the second car are also pretending to be victims. Had my

car not have had EBS breaking, the car may have gone straight into the

pathway of other traffic, killing me and someone else. I really don't

understand how people have no thought for someone else's safety.

The 12 gang members tried to claim huge sums of money from insurance

companies for made up injuries. They were caught when police

noticed alarming similarities in the description of two cars

involved in numerous accidents. impact severely on road safety. The

risk of injury is very high but totally a necessary. It is very

callous and cold. The Act was repeated 30,000 times last year at

a cost of �350 million to Insurers, which means each of us has to pay

an extra �50 on our premium. The Kent gang have now been jailed for

up to three years. The fraud staff who caused this crash admitted to

living illegally in the UK for 14 Tonight strops story: A huge

numbers of crimes across the south- east are going undetected. Across

all types of crime, 70% remains unsolved. The police say they are

committed to improving detection rates and cutting crime.

Also: Wish you were at his home for Christmas? The man who has turned

his whole house in to a lights macro.

Reunited for Christmas - the sisters who haven't seen each other

It is estimated that a billion tons of food is thrown away each year

across the world because it is contaminated by naturally occurring

poisons. It is believed much of it goes undetected because testing is

expensive and laborious. A Kent firm has spent millions of pounds

developing a machine to detect fungal toxins found in products

like nuts. Making a hazelnut puree - the first

stage of a testing process that can detect harmful toxins in food. In

the developing world, fungal micro toxins are a particular problem,

thriving in humid conditions and can affect a wide variety of crops.

It is estimated a quarter of crops are contaminated worldwide and they

can be deadly. They can affect the kidney, the liver and some produced

cancer. In Europe, the risks are much less than saying the

developing world where some of the toxins in contaminated foods form

part of the staple diet. None the less, because some of the toxins

can produce can so, the EU, for example, has strict regulations.

The old way of testing it requires scientists and time but the new way

is simple. This is the equipment people have to use at the moment.

It is expensive and complex. It has to be used by trained scientists.

But here... This is the instrument we have developed and as you can

see, it is compact and less expect -- expensive and can be used

specifically by a non- scientist. minute amount of hazelnut extract

can get a reading in a few minutes. It shows that the amount of toxins

- and there are strict limits on the amount. From small beginnings,

the firm hopes to launch its He's not a household name yet, but

by the New Year he certainly should be. The impossibly handsome Douglas

Booth, who's 19 and from Kent, is about to hit our screens in the

BBC's big Christmas costume drama, Charles Dickens' Great Expectations.

Millions are expected to settle down to watch the lead actor, who's

from Sevenoaks. He has already modelled in several campaigns for

the luxury English label Burberry, and early next year he'll filming

in Italy starring in a new adaptation of Romeo and Juliet.

Matt, marshes and tales of misery. I am known as Pit. When we meet him

as a young man, the responsibility for taking the character of the

page is down to Douglas Booth. drew me to the character was the

journey he goes on which is rare in a screenplay today. To get a

character with such a journey. Be Going on an equally dramatic

journey is the actor Ray Winstone. The run thing it -- the one thing

it wasn't was glamourous. It is like having a suit on. After three

days of mud, you are over it. You want to get back to wearing a nice

The characters are written so well. And the actors are brilliant.

are from the forge. I am not have married. The tale of his tumultuous

life will unfold over the next three nights and millions are

expected to watch. When you are filming, the camera represents many

millions of people and it is terrifying say you can't think of

that. Closer to the time, in the week leading up, you can't see a

paper without seeing it and people talking about it. I'm getting a

little nervous. As we settled down to what, we will all see there is

I'm sure he is destined for great things.

Today, a reunion has taken place which one family has waited 60

years for. Evelyn Plumridge was split up from her sister when she

was just six months old. She searched all her life.

She even managed to trace her fine -- family name and traced her

through Facebook. This will be their first Christmas together and

we were at Gatwick to see their first meeting.

Separated by six decades and thousands of miles. Years of

waiting finally came to an end. have been searching for 40 years

and I've found her at two years ago. It has taken two years to get this

together. Over the moon. I cannot describe it. I can't describe how I

feel. What will you be doing for the next five weeks. And every

Christmas? Talking about everything. It is the conclusion to a story

when -- which began when their parents divorced in the early 1950s.

Even in stayed with her mother and her two-year-old sister Jan and

brother, Reggie, were taken into care. He remained there until he

was 16 and Jan was adopted by his family in Canada at the age of

eight. We have been counting down the days. Then it turned into hours.

Then minutes. And then, how many seconds? There are no words to

express what it feels like to finally be back home with family.

It has been far too long. A great aunt, aren't and sister. The whole

family were now spend their first ever Christmas together. This is

the best present ever. Ever. Nothing I wanted more in the world.

Now for an audio-visual treat which has been exciting Krebs in Kent. A

man has taken Christmas decorations to a whole new level.

He has taken care to programme his lights so they flash in time to a

catalogue of festive music. It will -- Peter Whittlesea is there now.

We have seen a lot of Christmas lights this Christmas and

decorations but is this the ultimate in festive houses? There

are more than 18 different sets of lights which synchronise in time to

the music. That is not all. Look at this! Motorists can tune in to the

radio station and enjoy the light show in the privacy of their own

car. How cool is that? All of this has been put together by one man.

It takes around three weeks to do it in November. Mark, why do you do

it? Because alike Christmas lights. It takes about 20 hours to

programme each song, doesn't it. does. It synchronise his with the

music. What do people say? The vast majority like it. Some think I am a

bit sad and find it embarrassing but I think everyone enjoys it.

Your daughter says she finds it a bit embarrassing because everyone

knows who you are and what you are doing. That's true but I like it.

How much does it cost? I don't know, to be honest. It is just a gradual

process of adding a bit more each year. Thank you. Mark things he is

the only synchronised Light Show in Kent. If anyone knows of any more,

give us a ring. A few weeks ago we found out what

Peter Andre thought of sprites but I bet you wonder that -- what his

By to all the viewers of BBC's South-East, whatever you wish for i

hope you get and happy new year. Happy new year to everyone watching

BBC south east today. A very happy Christmas to you all. I hope you

have a wonderful holiday, achieve and receive everything you wish.

Andrew Strauss from the England cricket team here. I would like to

take the opportunity to wish everyone in Kent and Sussex a very

merry Christmas and happy new year. We will have more of those tomorrow

and Friday. Letters find out what the weather

will be doing with Rachel. -- let It will stay dry. A good deal of

ploughed but staying mostly drive. Pretty mild for the time of year.

The chance of a glimmer of sunshine. The rain will spread eastwards

threat the morning, leaving behind a dry a picture. Wins from a north-

The average for the time of year it is about eight degrees Celsius.

Tonight, we will hold on to the cloud, acting like a blanket.

Tomorrow, at a cloudy start. Settled in terms of the weather.

The chants of a glimmer uprightness in the afternoon. -- the chance.

Wins from a south-westerly direction introducing milder air.

All change as we go into Friday. A cold front slowly spreads east

Woods bringing rain for us all. Temperatures still in double

figures for Friday but when the cold front clears it will leave

cooler air. A touch of ground frost for Christmas Eve. Dry for the

Christmas weekend. Christmas Day is likely to be cloudy and mild with

I think that is a good thing because at least we can get where