19/04/2017 South East Today

Welcome to South East Today, I'm Rob Smith.

Kent Police warn against vigilantism after confrontations

between self-styled paedophile hunters and suspected sex offenders.

We will report live from Kent Police headquarters.

A grieving mother warns about illegal highs

after a prescription drug killed her son

Our generation could not access drugs as easily as they can now.

They have the Internet, mobile phones and friends.

Despite a sea of blue the Greens think a "progressive alliance"

could break up the Conservative stronghold in the south east.

The cuddly robot seal that s helping demetia patients thanks

And we chat with the biggest selling artist of the 80's,

about his latest most personal album ever.

Kent Police are warning against vigilantism

after a series of confrontations between self-styled

paedophile hunters and suspected sex offenders.

The group The Hunted One has recently streamed live footage

of themselves confronting an alleged sexual predator

which led to a brawl at a Kent shopping centre.

Now Kent Police say they have significant concerns about people

taking the law into their own hands saying they could be breaking

the law, and hampering other investigations -

by attempting to trap people with online stings.

Filmed to capture the moment the group known as The Hunted One

confronted a suspected paedophile who thought he was meeting a child

for sex, this footage was streamed live to thousands on

It allegedly turned violent after the viewers said the would

offer cash to anyone who beat the suspect up.

They said they would not stream live. We wanted to show people how

we did the process better. It has not worked out and we do not want to

put anyone's life at risk, whoever it is and what they are accused to

doing. Police are urging people not to get involved in operations. The

arrow -- they are telling people they could be jeopardising

allegations. They could be doing more harm than good because the

evidence could not be used. When the police have their undercover

operations and stings, they follow certain techniques and they have

training. Children's charities who have campaigned to tighten laws

involving online grooming and abuse say the police are best placed to

secure convictions. It is a complex task that requires specially trained

and dedicated police officers. It is that problem but it can also drive

known or alleged offenders underground. The group say they will

continue. Citing cases like that of paedophile Mark McKenna who was

jailed for five years following their operation. They claim to have

gathered evidence in more than 50 convictions.

Peter, what are the latest developments? Tonight, Kent Police

have confirmed that both men aged 20 have been charged with affray. The

appeal seems... The police say that filming these events they might

identify innocent people. The hunted 1's civic carry out their

investigations meticulously. The CBI are not -- they say they are not

targeting the police. They say the police do not have the information

to catch people on the Internet. The grieving mother of a teenager

from Deal who died after taking a lethal dose of a powerful

prescription drug is warning others not to risk their lives looking

for an illegal high. Robert Fraser died

after taking fentanyl, a synthetic opiate that is a hundred

times more potent than heroin. In her first television

interview since his death, Michelle Fraser says

he was a bubbly teenager with his whole life ahead of him who didn't

understand the risks Robert Fraser enjoying his 18th

birthday with his brother and sister, but just a few weeks

later his family found him lying Our generation could

not access drugs as They can get it on the Internet,

they have got mobile phones, We were not as aware,

but we need to be more aware because this drug, it was just given

to my son as a buy one, have it, A toxicology report

confirmed Robert died from taking too much Fentanyl,

a prescription drug similar to morphine and heroin but up to 100

times more powerful. It is a much stronger

opiate than heroin. It does not come

from the opiate plant, like It is much more intense and fast

acting and therefore more dangerous. Until recently in the UK

it was quite rare to see it sold on the black market, but we have seen

in other countries very large Robert had just finished

studying moto-mechanics His friends say they were

concerned he was dabbling Everybody was getting

worried and saying, you need to stop and then

the last I heard of it He was good at anything he tried,

really, skateboarding, bikes. You do not expect to

outlive your children. He should be getting

an apprenticeship, getting a girlfriend and eventually

getting married and having a family. Robert's family hope

that by speaking out they will stop others experiencing

the same tragedy. In a moment - an innovative

new project for autistic teens wins In a matter of weeks we will all be

heading back to the polls because today MPs voted in favour of holding

a general election on June the 8th. The Prime Minister's motion was

supported by 522 MPs today and just 13 voting against it. It means the

election will go ahead in just 15 -- 50 days' time.

The strong leadership this country needs to take Britain through Brexit

and beyond. This is about the future of all of us. The future of our

children, future services, the future of our jobs.

So which constituencies will be the ones to watch

South Thanet will once again be a focus.

It currently has a Conservative MP in Craig Mackinlay but has the only

UKIP-run council in the country and former UKIP leader Nigel Farage

The fight for Brighton Kemptown could also be fierce as Conservative

MP Simon Kirby has the smallest majority in the South East,

And Caroline Ansell in Eastbourne and Maria Caulfield in Lewes both

only won their sets from the liberal democrats two years ago,

they will be high in the lib dems target list to retake.

Our political editor Helen Catt joins us live from Westminster.

The campaigning starts now then, Helen?

Parliament does not dissolve until maybe third. Work goes on until then

that the campaign has started. To south-east MPs who are going to be

campaigning pretty hard with me now. Carolina and so, if we start with

you. You have a very small majority. 733. The Liberal Democrats are going

to be pushing hard in Eastbourne. I have a turkey who has just voted for

Christmas? No, I have just voted in the best interests of our country.

It is important that the Prime Minister can command a majority to

deliver on Brexit and it has become increasingly important that that big

decision to calm is taken out of a time period that would normally be

just before a general election and hostage to opposition politics. As

for a small majority, I would say to the good people of the constituency,

I have a big message and Theresa May or Jeremy Corbyn's Jeremy Corbyn

said today that nobody is opposed to the Brexit plan so far. This is not

necessary. It is not stack up? It does. Caroline Lucas, you have been

talking about different kind of election bidding together

progressive alliances where the parties might stand or help each

other out. Have you made those sort of plans for Brighton Pavilion? No,

this is about seeing how we can build a non-Tory alliance because

there is opportunity before as with the selection is to now see that

there are alternatives to the extreme form of Brexit, which the

Prime Minister is pursuing. She has no mandate for that. The issue of

these single market were not on the ballot paper. It is an opportunity

for the Greens to get out there and talk about our policies. Does the

benefits the green more? It would be like the Liberal Democrats and

Labour singer cannot win on their own. If you look at the polling

currently, it would take someone with the whole amount of ambition to

imagine the Labour is going to form the next Government. Because of our

electrical system, Theresa May can increase her majority and that is

not in the interest of our country. -- electoral system. Let's get

parties working together to keep the Tories out and work for a better,

progressive future. There will be a lot more of it for seven weeks.

Thank you both. We have seven more weeks. Seven more weeks, indeed.

Well, now the election has been approved by MPs,

Parliament is expected to break up on the 3rd May to allow just over

a month of full campaigning ahead of the election on June 8th.

A 17-year-old racing driver from Surrey has had both his legs

amputated after a high speed crash at Donnington Park.

Billy Monger, from Charlwood near Gatwick, was taking part

in the British Formula 4 championships.

This is the footage from his onboard camera

A justgiving page has already raised over ?25,000 for him.

A man who suffered an unprovoked acid attack that's left him scarred

for life says his attacker's jail term does not reflect

the severity of his injuries, and should be doubled.

Samir Hussain suffered burns after the attack outside

Michael McPherson, from South London, has been jailed

for 8 years for causing grievous bodily harm.

An East Sussex school for pupils with special needs which was put

into special measures in 2014 has today got the royal seal

of approval, when the Countess of Wessex opened an innovative

new project that gives teenagers the chance to get work experience

The project is thought to be the only one of its kind in the country.

A warm welcome for the Royal patron and then came the questions.

Well, we have one downstairs and one upstairs.

The first the kind in the country, this is the reason for the visit.

A shopping mall at a school, with a hair dressers,

situations to help them in their careers and interactions.

Lewis is 18 and learning about hospitality.

When I first started working in the cafe, I was nervous.

From a parent's point of view there isn't anything else like this.

This is inspirational and forward thinking and it has to be the way

In 2014, the school was in special measures.

Now making improvements, it is making

It is changing the school's fortunes but it is changing

They can take a fulfilled, independent life.

The aim is to empower all age ranges to take on life's challenges

Kent Police warn against vigilantism after clashes between

self-styled paedophile hunters and suspected sex offenders.

Confrontations by The Hunted One group have been streamed

Also in tonight's programme... We will be chatting with 80 legend she

can Stevens about his latest, most personnel musical journey. A lot of

dry weather in the forecast. I will have the details for you in the

programme later on. Paro was originally designed

as a toy in Japan - a cuddly robot seal pup that can

bond with people - but new research carried out

at the University of Brighton has found they have remarkable effect

in helping people with dementia. Paro has a degree of artificial

intelligence, which means it can learn to respond to certain words

and it can sense touch, light, But they don't come cheap -

each one costs ?5,000. However, they're proving so good

at helping vulnerable elderly patients cope with anxiety

and memory loss, they could now be Amanda Akass has

tonight's special report. This is a baby seal in its natural

habitat, the Arctic Circle. The reassuring cuteness

of its robotic counterpart has been really helping

dementia patients here in Sussex. Clients that were perhaps

getting quite tearful or getting quite depressed,

you could present Paro to the client and within an instant

they would be much calmer. Paro was invented in

Japan but the Brighton University team were the first

to research using the robot They began introducing it

to inpatient dementia patients Now Paro is about to be registered

as an official medical device, making it easier for NHS trusts

to buy one of their own. Animals are very good

for human beings. But some people have

allergies and in nursing homes, it is very hard to manage

or keep animals there. I thought an animal robot

would be very good. Paro is covered in sensors from his

whiskers all the way down to his It means he responds to touch

and the human voice. The team at this day

centre in London were so impressed by the findings

of the Brighton University research, they decided to introduce Paro

to their own patients. Dementia causes people

to lose their memory of time If they are at the time

when they are saying, I have to pick up the kids, we engage

them with Paro. One person who may be

distressed to the point where Paro is being used

as an alternative to relieve the distress, medication

has been avoided. The team hope their work

will encourage other NHS trusts to see the robot

as a serious tool to help the growing

number of people living While he's fondly remembered

for those 80s chart successes, Cardiff's answer to The King says

he doesn't want to trade Born as Michael Barratt

it was at the age of 21 when he borrowed the name

of a old school friend to come up He went on to become

the biggest selling singles artist of the 1980's -

with four number one's including Green Door and This Old House

in fact he's enjoyed no fewer Now he's got a new album,

inspired by his mining heritage and tonight he's playing

the Orchard Theatre in Dartford He was the biggest selling British

single artists of the 1980s. Shakin Stevens had fans in a frenzy. Now,

69 years young he is back on the road but a new take on the classics.

It has moved on and we do that with quite a few... Turning away we have

done that with guitar and it is more like the blues. You have to move

forward. # I ain't got time... It has been

quite a journey for the youngest of 14 children. It led him to a

half-brother he never knew he had. My dad was married before for one

year and he had a child. I did not know I ever had a half-brother. All

these stories were unfolding. My first top of the Pops was live at

the policy was to mine to the records and that is what I did. I

had a microphone in front of me and many people who did not have

microphones and front of me and many people who did not have microphones

and fund them, they had brushes. Shakin Stevens may be a thing of the

past but you can ensure fans old and new will be on their feet. --

sheeting may be a thing of the past. Over the years, Steve Brown

from Sittingbourne has gotten used His school careers teacher

told him he'd never make it And after he broke his

neck as a 24-year-old he was told his dreams

of a sporting career were over. He went on to captain Team GB's

wheelchair rugby team at the London 2012 paralympics

and now he's joined the presenting team of the BBC's

Countryfile programme with him in just a moment -

but first, here's a some How was the village's attitude

towards that? Over the years, I have ticked many

species of my wish list but are many animals I have not had the chance to

see and that is the Brown heron. Thank you for coming in. It is a

pleasure. You have had such a varied career. How does that feel to do

this now? 15 or 16 years old and you are doing your GCSEs and you go off

to see your career 's adviser and you tell them what your hobbies

are... I grew up with the really wild show. If I wasn't playing

sport, I was watching it and I told him I wanted to go into that area.

He said, I do not think so, Steve. You should draft him an e-mail and

say, check it out. Hopefully he is watching. You were looking at here

is for the programme. Yes, we went to watch the ritual. The females

test to see how strong the male counterparts are by boxing with them

and if they are strong, they will go. Interestingly, you have said you

are not an advocate of creating wheelchair pasts in the countryside

to make it easy for people in wheelchairs to get up close. Why is

that? I do not want to be speaking on behalf of people in wheelchairs,

the scene you would not speak on behalf of everyone who can walk, but

for me I love watching wildlife and the countryside. If we go around

covering everywhere with tarmac, surely we are just intruding

further. There is a whole high Street outside. I want to make sure

I can use all the shops before I can make sure I can use every field. It

is priorities. Roads are close enough to be able to see most. You

clearly love it. Congratulations to you and we look forward to seeing

you on country file. Thank you. Lots of dry weather. The chilly

start and temperatures were below freezing. By the afternoon,

temperatures are around 12 Celsius. A lot of dry weather in the

forecast. More cloud around for the next couple of days. Temperatures on

the rise. They were going to go back to a south westerly direction -- the

winds. Clearer skies and temperatures falling down.

Temperatures hovering around three Celsius in towns and cities. The

chilly and bright start to the day. As we head through the morning, more

in the way of cloud cover. High pressure is in control of things. We

are going to be holding onto that sunshine during much of the day.

Temperatures by the afternoon creeping up to 12 or 13 Celsius.

Double figures along the coast. Those winds back to a south-westerly

direction. With that milder air mass, we call Thursday into Friday

and temperatures on the drop a couple of Celsius. Overnight lows of

eight Celsius. Patchy rain here and there but for many of us, a mostly

dry start into Friday. More cloud around but temperatures while the 12

Celsius. That cold front we are now expecting to see first thing on

Saturday. Not a lot of rain but cooler air as we head towards

Saturday and Sunday. If you have been waiting for the rain, Monday we

will see heavy bursts for a time. Before that, lots of dry weather and

rising temperatures. Thank you very much. I will be back with your late

news at 10:30pm. I will see you tomorrow. Have a very good night.

Goodbye.