08/05/2014 South East Today

combat for the first time. That's all from the BBC News.

Welcome to South East Today, I'm Polly Evans.

And I'm Rob Smith. Tonight's top stories: smiling for the camera is

why a woman's body lay in the body of the shop.

Two shop workers are found guilty of of killing her in a Chatham shop.

We'll have the latest live from court.

The family who took in a foreign language student only to discover he

had it makes me feel sick to the stomach

that somebody has managed to get into my home and be what they are.

Also coming up: A very special homecoming for the

Kent mother who woke from a coma after hearing her wedding song.

The forgotten orchards and the company with a grand plan to plant

250,000 new apple trees. And Britain go for glory in the big

match that could secure promotion to the premiership. `` bright.

Good evening. Two men have been found guilty of murdering a Kent

grandmother, whose badly decomposed body was found in the basement of

their shop. Mohammed Islam and Murshed Miah killed 69`year`old

Harjit Chaggar at the Sani Globe store, near her home in Chatham.

They've also been found guilty of preventing her lawful burial, along

with two other men. Tonight, her son has condemned them as cowards who

picked on a frail old woman. Chrissie Reidy joins us from

Canterbury Crown Court. The judge praised the dignity of Mrs Chaggar's

family. If the judge praised the family and said it has been an

incredibly difficult time for them, these last few months. As the

verdicts were read out, the son of Elena Baltacha broke down in tears.

One of the defendants shook its head and a woman from up in the public

gallery shouted, " this is not just, my husband is innocent."

Mails for the camera as a staff show of their giant catfish. They have a

secret. As they chat to our reporter, the body of Elena Baltacha

is hidden beneath the floorboards. Today, two of the shop workers were

found guilty of murder. No matter what the verdict, it does not bring

her back. We have just got to be grateful that we can now put this

matter to rest. Although we will never get over what has happened, we

now have a chance to try to move on. Elena Baltacha disappeared while out

shopping last September. As she walked along this road, and was

standing at the back of the food store. As she approached, CCTV shows

Mohamed beckoning her towards the back of the shop. This is the last

known sighting of her life. 12 days later, with her decomposing body

concealed in the cellar, shop staff finally called police.

She had been beaten around the head and was alive when she was thrown

into the cellar. That was a stage, finding the body. They knew full

well that she was there because of the part that they played in the

murder and also from not notifying the police and hiding the facts

until they get to a stage where they did not feel like they had any

alternative. Elena Baltacha had lived in the area 40 years. He

mother and grandmother, she was well`known in the community. She my

best friend. She was friends with everybody. She is a very nice lady.

I don't know why they done these things. During the seven`week trial,

only one of the defendants gave evidence. For the family, they say

it means pieces are still missing. Throughout, we have not known the

reason why and they chose not to give evidence and none of them have

told us why. They have all denied it. It is only through the

painstaking work of the police, forensic and the legal team that we

have come to this excellent result. The two defendants were convicted of

murder, all four were found guilty of preventing a lawful burial. They

will be sentenced at the end of May. What has made this difficult for the

family is that throughout the investigation the motive has been

unclear. We know that her dad was missing and some of her jewellery

was fine. Kent Police have said that they cannot be absolutely clear on

the motive. Of course, for the family, they still have questions

that they will never get the answers to.

A family from Sussex say they were sickened and disgusted to find out

that a foreign student who'd been living in their home for three

months was a convicted sex offender. 32`year`old Zdenek Junek, from the

Czech Republic, was staying with Wayne and Sharon Beavill and their

young children in Brighton, while he studied at a local language school.

But he's now been jailed, after police were tipped off that he'd

been photographing children in a local park and discovered a cache of

indecent images on his computer. Juliette Parkin reports.

This single piece of paper, the only information the family received. It

was ahead of the arrival of a student from the Czech Republic with

the history of sex offences. Zdenek Junek arrived in January. Unaware of

this background, the language school placed him in a family home.

Personally, I feel second and disgusted. The way this skill have

reacted at what has happened. As far as I am concerned, the school is but

my family at risk for a reason that should not have happened. As I say,

we have to be checked for a criminal background and as far as I'm

concerned, they should be also. It was here that Sussex police

became aware of the student. He was filming children and was arrested.

The family's host was searched and Zdenek Junek's belongings seized. In

a home he shared with boys aged nine and 13, he had been making indecent

images of children. It made me feel that my house was not my own for a

month. It was in my mind that I was not sleeping. I wonder if my boys

had been at risk with him, even though they did not interact much

with them. But was he is going into their room at night? Nobody wanted

to speak on camera from the language school but they told us they were

extremely shocked to hear of this case. They added that there were no

standards requirements from for baiting visitors who stay in private

accommodation and apologise for any distress caused. Language skills are

not legally obliged to check the background of overseas students but

any city that welcomes thousands every year, the family's MP says it

is time for a rethink. For most young people, it is not required but

if there is a mature student staying any family home then I think it

might be required beneficial. They have posted students for 14 years

but now they will only consider it again if the company changes their

vetting policy. In a moment:

Anger from fundraisers as the Pilgrims Hospice announces its to

close its Canterbury centre. This is despite a ?250,000 refurbishment.

A mother of four has amazed doctors by waking from a coma after hearing

her wedding song. Maria Neal from Chalk, near Gravesend, suffered a

severe stroke seven weeks ago, at the age of just 48, and her family

was told she would not survive. But they never gave up hope, and

tried everything to make her respond. Against all odds, it worked

and today she's returned home. Miranda Schunke has the story.

UNCHAINED MELODY PLAYS Dancing On Ice there `` dancing on

their wedding day all those years ago, little did they know the song

would be a life`saver. The mother of four suffered a massive lead to the

brain in March and doctors told the family there was nothing more that

they could do. But her husband play her the wedding song as she lay in a

corner. Brilliant idea because nothing else... I was responding to

nothing else. Obviously little bit and pieces but to come up with that,

it is really, really hit me, it was so beautiful.

UNCHAINED MELODY CONTINUES The joy that came across, just from

a twitch or movement anything like that. When I got a response and

asked her what she knew what it was and she nodded, it was absolutely

fantastic. The couple's daughter was also at

her bedside and described the emotional moment. He stood by her

side with his head onto hers. She was just crying as they played the

song. It broke my heart. It was horrible but to know that she then

responded the day after was absolutely amazing. It is so

overwhelming, so lovely to be at home. I was away for so, so long. To

be with my family and my husband, he has been my rock and I love him.

Clearly, in Maria's is, love and music really has been the best

medicine. `` in the case of Maria. The UKIP leader Nigel Farage says he

has a short list of about five potential seats he is considering

standing in, in next year's General Election.

The South East MEP, who lives in Westerham, says he'll stand

somewhere in Kent, East Sussex or Hampshire. Last week he ruled out

standing in the Newark by`election in Nottinghamshire, saying he had no

links with the local area. The people behind a rejected bid to

buy Manston Airport say they haven't given up hope. It was announced on

Tuesday that the site in Thanet would close next week. But the

company trying to buy Manston, American`based investment firm

Riveroak, say confidential negotiations are continuing with the

airport's owners. It's exactly two weeks until polls

open for the European Elections and across the South East political

parties are trying to win your vote. And today it's the turn of the

English Democrats to say what they have to offer the electorate. We

wish to have a referendum on English independence. Also a referendum on

coming out of the European Union. We are also very concerned about the

rise of extreme Islam and we would say no to Sharia law in England.

English law in England. We'll be bringing you more details

of the main parties' campaigns, plus information about all the other

political parties. And there's in`depth coverage on our website,

bbc.co.uk/news. Plus BBC Radio Kent, BBC Sussex and

BBC Surrey are giving you the chance to question key politicians

campaigning at this month's European elections. Tickets are available for

the event in Dover on the evening of Friday the 16th of May. Call 01892

675550 or email [email protected], including

your name and a daytime contact number.

There's been an angry reaction from relatives and volunteers to the news

that one of the South East's largest hospices, Pilgrims House in

Canterbury, is to close. The charity that runs the hospice

says the decision is part of a wider restructuring programme, which they

say will enable it to provide more care for terminally ill patients, in

their own homes. Fiona Irving has the details.

It is for many who use it a place of sanctuary, a calm, caring community.

Today, the hospice and announced it was closing its Canterbury ward in

2016. We want to provide more care for more people and the demands are

increasing. People are ageing and carrying more complex M conditions.

People want to be cured in their own communities and we want to take the

care to wherever it is needed. The ward has 16 bed and caused of

pounds a year to run. For those patients and families who use it, it

is an invaluable service. Michael stayed at the water before passing

away from a range in my March. Spending time here and getting to

know the staff, and aerosol welcoming, and even when my

daughters come to visit, what they have enabled me to do is spend more

quality time with my family. The hospice is currently currently

refurbishing the ward after receiving a government grant, it

will be mothballed in 2016. It is 6:40pm.

This is our top story tonight: Two men have been found guilty of

murdering Kent grandmother Harjit Chaggar, whose badly decomposed body

was found in the basement of the Sani Globe store in Chatham last

september. Mohammed Islam and Murshed Miah were also found guilty

of preventing her lawful burial, along with two other men. They

smiled for the television cameras while her badly decomposed body was

found in the basement of a store last September.

Also coming up: It was Ken's worst ever road crash.

Members of the emergency services are honoured for helping.

And join me in Brighton we are optimistic fans are on the way to a

showdown. Once, Kent was universally known as

the garden of England, famous for its fruit. But since the World War

II, 90% of its orchards have been grubbed up. However, there are signs

of change with major expansion plans announced by local firm AC Goatham

and Son. In preparation for the pack house, these apples are in pristine

condition. But it is more than six months since they were picked. New

technology is revolutionising our fruit industry. Here we have our

grading equipment. The apples pass down here, all shapes and sizes.

They pass under a series of cameras. What is exciting here is we have

infrared cameras so we can actually see inside the apple. Here on the

screen we have our series of photographs. From that, we can

detect size, weight and obviously the internal defects, so they can be

downgraded, so they do not pass on to customers. It is a ?10 million

new pack house at this farm, part of a 20 year expansion plan to increase

fruit growing in Kent and rely less on imports from abroad. Key to

winning the competition is being able to supply the supermarkets for

as many months as possible. This is one of our cold stores. It holds 250

tonnes of apples. It is really just a giant fridge. The difference with

this fridge is we actually control the atmosphere within it. The

temperature we would get down to 1.5 degrees. Then we would control

carbon dioxide and the oxygen within it to enable us to keep the fruit

from November right around until now. More than 250,000 new trees

will be planted over the next two years, as part of a plan involving a

total of 34 farms across the county. Ultimately, the aim is to raise the

proportion of fruit grown and eaten in the UK from 37% to 50% in the

next 20 years. The aim for the English fruit industry is that we

take more of the market share. We are working very hard to increase

the volume of fruit people eat but by changing the range of varieties

that we grow and then extending the season, so we have apples available

in August but now actually really great eating apples available in

May, it means that a greater proportion of the fruit available to

the public comes from home. There are just a few more weeks' supply

left in storage of English dessert apples but these days we do not have

to wait long for the new season's crop.

Based near Rochester, they already account for one in six of all

British grown apples sold in the UK. It was Kent's worst ever road crash,

a huge pile`up that involved 150 vehicles.

35 people had to be taken to hospital, some with serious injuries

as a result of the incident, which happened in thick fog on the Sheppey

Crossing last September. But miraculously, no`one was killed

thanks to the swift response of the ambulance and air ambulance teams

sent to the scene to treat the injured.

Today, they've been honoured for their work in a ceremony at the

House of Lords and we're joined live from Westminster by ambulance

technician Craig Stoneman, who was one of the first emergency workers

involved. Thank you for being with us.

You weren't actually on duty when the crash took place but you were

caught up in it yourself, weren't you? That is right. I was heading to

work because I work on the ambulance station and was driving over the

bridge and so it all unfolding in front of me. Do you have any idea

initially just how big this was? Not at the time. Where I had parked, I

just went over the barrier and so the little doubt that I was standing

in front of. I did not know that it was everywhere all the other side of

the bridge. It only became apparent in the morning how big the incident

was. What did you do? With 150 odd cars involved, we are to start? I

did not know where to start. I have no equipment with me because I was

on the way to work. I was reassuring all of the people that I came across

to stay there and that we would get to them as soon as we could. Just

checking all of the people in my immediate vicinity. How does it fail

to get official recognition for the work of that day? It is always nice.

It is our job but it is always humbled to be recognised for the

team effort. It was such a big incident that nobody has had the

experience of dealing with that. It is very nice to get the award. It

was quite a big team. The air ambulance was involved, as well as

the other emergency services. It was huge. We have everybody that could

go to it, from managers right the way down to St John's ambulance

staff and the Red Cross. It was a big joint effort. Thank you ever so

much for being with us. Well done to everyone involved.

Tonight, Brighton and Hove Albion are just three games away from the

Premier League as they take on Derby County in the first leg of their

Championship play`off semi final at the Amex Stadium. And it's a big

deal. If the Albion can secure promotion,

it's worth ?120 million to the club. But the Seagulls go into tonight's

match as underdogs, Derby have already beaten them at home and away

this season. The visitors are also the

Championship's top scorers, with 84 league goals. Let's cross live to

Brighton and our reporter Neil Bell. The home side are the underdogs, but

fans heading to the Amex Stadium believe they can upset the odds,

don't they? The magic of the play`offs is that

it all counts for very little. Thousands of Brighton fans have

passed me in the past are full of possibility. `` positivity. They had

a great win on Saturday, eight now undefeated. They believe the

momentum is behind them. Even by Brighton's recent

standards, this has been unpredictable as a season. Slowly

but surely, the boss has found his feet and almost unnoticed guided the

club into the play`offs. We are not the favourite, we are the underdogs.

They finished third. They are the top scoring team in the league. They

beat us at home and away. But in football, everything can happen.

Tonight's game is seen by many as an unexpected one is but one that they

are determined to enjoy. It will be really tough but look at Palace last

year. I don't think anybody expects us to win the play`offs so hopefully

we sneak up on everyone. I think we will win. We are going to go 2`0 and

get into the Premiership. The Albion's recent record may not be

encouraging but a number of Brighton players have enjoyed success against

them in the past and have nothing to fear. Last year, in the first game,

we played well and were unlucky. But on the home game, when we went one

goal down, we had to push everything to try to get back in the game. It

was not meant to be. As he said, we will use that disappointment and

hopefully can do it this year. With the euphoria of the victory still

fresh, players and supporters believe anything is possible.

Could both logistics can be misleading but the side finishing

third in the Championship, Asda be dead, do well in the play`offs. ``

as Derby dead. A good result tonight and Brighton to be on their way.

Those statistics always make it more nerve`wracking!

And if you can't make it to the Amex tonight, BBC Radio Sussex have a

special live programme starting at 7pm from the stadium, with full live

commentary from 7:45. It is very exciting. I hope the fans

have packed their jackets because it is pretty wet.

Fingers crossed it will be dry for the match. The day in finishing

better than it started. We have had lots of rain around. Around about

8am in the morning, rain came in. We have said all afternoon but it has

been clearing eastwards on some brisk winds. They have been picking

up. Much stronger than that in costs. `` in the gusts. Feeling much

cooler than the temperature. We should be increasingly dry through

the evening. Still plenty of cloud around and weather those fairly

brisk winds, temperatures stay pretty mild. Double figures. The

chance that you could catch a shower, particularly through the

first part of tomorrow morning. That sets the tone for the day. We have

these blustery showers around but there should also be some sunshine,

certainly more than today. By the afternoon, the best of any

brightness should see temperatures creeping up. We're you do see those

showers, they could be pretty heavy with the odd rumble of thunder also.

Through tomorrow night, initially mostly dry. We are staying well. It

is all those risk with. As we get to about 4pm, we will see some rain

pushing in from the West. It will be increasingly unsettled and that

means it will turn wet as we go into Saturday. We will see some rain at

times at the weekend, some friend Jane through Saturday afternoon but

it will say breezy. `` some sunshine through Saturday. Through the

afternoon, slowly the rain clears and we will see some sunshine behind

it. It is going to be breezy as we go into Sunday. Showers at times.

The area of low pressure stays with us. Lots of rain but some sunshine

also. Thank you. That is it from us. We

will be back at EPM and 10:25pm. Goodbye.