24/01/2012 South Today

Hello, I'm Sally Taylor, welcome to South today. In the programme: In

court - the man accused of harassment and arson against his

ex-partner and her family. Marooned in Portland Harbour, the

stranded foreign crew of a cargo ship stuck for months over a legal

dispute. 2012, a special number for the man paralysed and who now hopes

to inspire others. I lost my self- belief, my self-worth and self-

esteem overnight. It took me a long time to get that back. And the new

generation joining the dots and dashes on the story of the man who

gave his life to save others. saved lots of people because he

sent Secretary of State and CQD messages. -- SOS and CQD messages.

He harassed his former girlfriend and targeted her family, setting

fire to their home and tracking them on holiday. Those were the

claims made about Al Amin Dhalla during his trial for a range of

offences. Alison Hewitt broke off their relationship in Brighton.

It's allege head put her under surveillance and was detained by

armed police at the hospital in Sussex where she worked.

Al Amin Dhalla is alleged to have waged a campaign of harassment on

his ex-partner and her family. It escalated to plans of arson and

guns. He moved in with his girlfriend but she ended the

relationship. There were alleged to be anonymous letters to her

employers and to her family. It's understood he repeatedly returned

to her flat. He was arrested for harassment and bailed. It's alleged

that Al Amin Dhalla tracked Alison's mother and her father at

this holiday. On the route towards Lundy say the prosecution, he was

spotted firing the weapons in a field. He was charged and bailed

while free it's alleged he then set fire to the Hewitt family home in

Buckinghamshire. The court has heard the police airlifted alson's

mother and step father off Lundy for their own safety -- Alison. The

couple, Pamela Hewitt and David Gray, gave evidence today. David

Gray told the jury there was a banging on the door of their

cottage at 5am. They were told there had been an incident. A

helicopter landed in the field and armed police officers got off. They

searched the perimeter. The couple were then flown from Lundy the

mainland and were then transferred to a safe house.

At this time, Alison Hewitt was due to work at this hospital in

Hayward's heath. The prosecution say the department was spotted on

the premises masquerading as a doock for and was arrested by armed

officers, a loaded crossbow and knife were found in his car --

doctor. Al Amin Dhalla face ten charges, including harassment,

arson and the possession of an offensive weapon. He denies the

charges. A seafaring charity says it's

concerned for the welfare of the crew of a cargo ship that's been

stranded for three months in Portland Port. The vessel got into

difficulties during a storm and it was then arrested after claims that

the anchor damaged mussel beds in the harbour. The crew has been

stuck there ever since, caught up in a legal dispute and still

waiting for wages to be paid. It arrived to take on fuel. In strong

winds, it's dragged its anchor and ran aground across the harbour,

damaging a shellfish farm. The ship was arrested. It cannot leave. The

Captain went long ago but five Turkish and Georgian crew remain on

board. We met them in a cafe. They haven't been paid since last summer.

Every month I used to get $1,000. But now nothing. Maybe when they go

into Turkey, maybe I'm arrested by the bank.

A court official known as the Admirality Marshall has arrested

the ship, but not the crew. They could leave. They believe that

would lose them any chance of getting their wages.

I lost the pay in June. You have had no pay since June? That's right.

The port chaplain took these pictures because we are not allowed

on board. There is absolutely nothing for the five crew to do,

apart from watching television. Life's pretty miserable for the

crew because they have nothing to do all day. All they are really

doing is waiting for their wages to be paid so they can go home. They

are really having financial difficulttys themselves, but more

particularly their families back home in Turkey and Georgia.

We tried to contact the ship's Captain in Germany without success.

Normally, the owner would pay a security to allow the ship to

depart. That has not happened. The ship remains under arrest. The five

crew just want to go home. But unpaid, they feel unable to leave.

It's been confirmed a man killed as he tried to cross a stretch of the

A27 in Chichester had been a client of the St Joseph's homeless hostel.

The incident happened on hunt stone Road last Friday. He's the third

homeless person to die trying to cross the road to get to the hostel

in the last two months. Last month, the hostel started giving out high

visibility jackets as part of a safety campaign. A jury's heard

claims that a highly trained police patrol officer involved in chasing

a stolen van through Portsmouth made the pursuit personal and in

doing so put innocent people at risk. PJ skpwraims Holden was

accused of dangerous driving following a review of the incident

by senior colleagues within the Hampshire force -- James Holden. He

denies the charge. Are mind us what happened on the day in question,

Alan? A lot of people will be very familiar with where I Sam.

Portsmouth is a few miles down that way and I am here at Cosham railway

station, you can see the level crossing barrier. This was the

point back in February where a fairly dramatic police chase ended

in a fairly dramatic way. A stolen car had been followed by a police

patrol vehicle all the way in the bottom end of Portsmouth to the

barrier here. The barrier was down at the time, but the stolen car

didn't stop. It drove straight on through shattering this barrier.

Fortunately, a train wasn't coming at that moment. The car was stopped

a little way beyond here by other police officers, but this is where

the chase ended. It wasn't the driver of the stolen car who's

ended up in court today, it was the driver of the police patrol car

which was following him. Why was the prosecution brought?

Well, PC James Holden, from Fratton, has been charged with dangerous

driving. All police pursuits are reviewed after the event by senior

officers and they've judged he made a number of very serious errors and

those errors put lives and property at risk. His car was fitted with an

advanced video recording system and the jury today at Guildford Crown

Court were shown footage of the police pursuit. They saw the stolen

car being driven at speed through a number of red lights. The wrong way

down a section of dual carriageway as well to the point where it ended

up here. PC Holden's training should have made him realise this

pursuit was becoming far too dangerous and he should have

stopped it. Thank you very much.

A court has heard how Harry Redknapp did not tell his

accountant or bank about an offshore account for years. He's

accused of receiving secret payments from the former Portsmouth

chairman Mr Mandaric. At the heart of this case, it's the Monaco

account named Rosie 47 after Harry Redknapp's dog and the year of his

birth. The debate in court today was about why the money had been

paid into it. Mandaric said in an interview to reporters with the

News of the World that it hadn't been anything to do with football,

it hadn't been a bonus, but then Redknapp saying to the same

reporter from the News of the World that the money was a bonus for the

profit made on the transfer of Peter Crouch. He said to the

reporter that, I was due 10%, they paid me 569, I said to Milan

Mandaric, you owe me 10% and not 5 and Milan said to me, I'll sort it

out. We also heard discussion about the fact that, according to the

prosecution, Harry Redknapp hadn't told his accountant about the

existence of the Monaco account for about four-and-a-half years, only

did it come to light after the Premier League's quest inquiry

asked the direct question to Redknapp, do you have an offshore

account and at that stage he said yes he did. But he told police in

interview that the reason he hadn't told anyone before about the

account was that he hadn't realised there was any money left in it.

Both men deny the charges. Plans to build a waste incinerator

near junction 13 of the M4 in Berkshire have drawn objections

from the Highways Agency. The company Grundon says it could

provide energy for 50,000 homes if it's allowed to build the plant on

a former quarry at Cheveley. There are plans about using the existing

motorway Servisair ya to get to the site. There's a public meeting

tonight. Still to come: The sinking of the Titanic 100 years on and the

memorial to the man who gave his life to save others.

A man from aldr shot is calling for a memorial to be biflt in the town

remembering the victims of an IRA bombing. -- Aldershot is calling

for a memorial to be built in the town the plaque that was built for

it is on MoD land and people can't visit it.

These people weren't protesting, they weren't throwing bricks, they

were going about their normal business and they were murdered in

the most horrific way. We need to have an appropriate memorial for

the relatives over the last few years, they've not been able to

access it to pay their respects and that needs to change quickly.

all know how important it is to be with family for the major

milestones. One man from Southampton's keen to be at his

grandfather's side for his 95th birthday. There's one sticking

point, Mike Murray needs kidney dialysis teletimes a week and the

NHS won't pay for the treatment in his grandfather's native South

Africa -- three times a week. This report on what could affect up to

20,000 patients a year. Mike's grandfather means the world to him.

He's been a rock basically. My parents both died early on, my dad

when I was 12, my mum when I was 25, my grandad's all been there.

September, his grandfather will turn 95. Mike is desperate to

travel to Cape Town to be with him. But, as a cudny patient, the cost

of his dialysis could stop him from travelling. Basically, it costs

�1,380, that's just the dialysis, then you've got to consider the

cost of a flight, accommodation, if that's required and it does put -

make it impossible. It's believed it costs the NHS just under �500 to

provide dialysis. If patients travel abroad, they don't have to

pay if they have a reciprocal health agreement. It doesn't cover

countries like the US and South Africa. The Hampshire Isle of Wight

and Portsmouth PCT in a statement said it was tied to guidance issued

Whilst we were filming, Mike received some welcome news. We are

able to make a minimum grant of �1,000 towards the cost of your

flight. That's fantastic. Towards my flight. That's good news.

Excellent. Mike is fortunate. Many others may

not be so lucky in sourcing funds. Thank you very much, you've made an

old man very happy. With me no the studio is Rosemary Macri from the

British Kidney Patient Association based in Alton in Hampshire. Thanks

for coming in. Do you see a lot of people similar to Mike who are

needing this kind of a help? Yes. We get a lot of requests for help

actually. Lots of people who want to visit family, sometimes it's

more problem at if I can than others depending where they want to

visit -- problematic. Africa, Egypt and places like that, it's a

problem. We are getting a lot of requests for help. I suppose many

people might not realise how dialysis impacts on people's lives?

It makes a huge difference because if you think that you are going to

need to be on it typically three times a week, four hours at a time

at the hospital, it's going to make a great deal of difference. So when

it comes to, for example, a holiday, whereas you and I can just go and

book a holiday and we don't need to think too much more about it, if

you are on dialysis, you have got to take that into account as well.

You can't do anything until you have booked the dialysis. Mike's

problem was going to a country where there isn't a resip rickal

agreement with the NHS here -- reciprocal. There is another

problem with lack of capacity on the whole throughout the UK. But we

have put some money into funding dialysis swap schemes which is

rather a good idea, we think, where there's a database which identifies

vacant slots at kidney units up and down the country so that if people

want to go to that area, perhaps they are going for family reasons,

maybe a wedding or the birth of a grand child, it could be anything,

they can make contact and see whether or not there's dialysis

available. So we are hoping that will make a lot of difference.

Rosemary thank you for being with us tonight and explaining about

your charity. The Government has announced a

delay to its plans to reform higher education today as the university's

minister paid a visit to Reading. Talk of splits in the coalition and

opposition to high tuition fees dogged David Willets visit, as our

Political Editor explains. In the glass houses of Reading

university, they're using biotechnology to produce more food

for the developing world. The university's minister, Hampshire MP

David Willets, was here to announce new money. This is going to be the

next green revolution. But it was talk of a U-turn in Government

policy that was attracting questions. Many more universities

than the Government wanted are planning to charge the top �9,000 a

year in tuition fees. So Mr Willets has delayed a new Higher Education

Bill but denies it's because of pressure from his Lib Dem partners

It's a clear commitment across the coalition to implementing these

reforms because they are in the interests of students, our

universities and rebalancing the economy so that we get the groth

for the future. Also controversial has been plans to bring in private

competition for universities. They are being encouraged to stick to

real world research. This is testing how ivy helps insulate

buildings, an experiment part fund bid the Royal horticultural society,

especially relevant with climate change.

It's this sort of thing which is attracting the money. I think this

announcement demonstrates that universities like Reading is able

to keep up with what's happening and shows that its work is applied

and making a difference to the real world. That's what's most exciting.

Mr Willets probably wishes it wasn't quite so exciting.

How about this - a former serviceman who was told he was

unlikely to walk again has started a tough challenge today. Phil from

West Sussex suffered severe spinal damage four years ago, but has

slowly learned to walk again. Rather than let the injury hold him

bag back, he's climbed mountains and has been parachuting. Now he's

set off on a mission to walk 2012 miles by the end of 2012. Daniel

was there to see hum off. Phil and his supporters smiled

through the drizzle as they started to walk. Phil uses a stick as his

injuries haven't healed. He's dog this to raise money for a centre in

West Sussex that will help children who have to overcome challenges in

life. Something Phil had to do when he was told he was paralysed.

I lost my self-belief, my self- worth and self-esteem overnight and

it took me a long time to get that back. I got it back through being

inspired by other people because people believed in me. When Phil

learned to walk again, he started challenging himself. He climbed a

vertical rock formation in California and completed the London

Marathon on crutches. Over the next 300 days, famous faces will be

joining him on his different walks. Phil was a huge inspiration to

everybody so it's fantastic that at the end of the challenge that this

centre of excellence can be achieved. His aim is to raise a lot

of money this year. He's going to walk 2012 miles which is a long way,

but for a man who has the issues he has, I hold him in such high regard.

Students at Chichester college are planning where he goes. Tomorrow

I'm walking in Bournemouth with the RNLI, Thursday, Brighton and Hove

Albion, Portsmouth, Southampton. I'm walking with young people.

Anyone's welcome to join in. Good luck Phil, hope it goes well

for you. On to sport now. Tony is here. Last night we were talking

about the Madejski, Reading, the Russians and a bit of a change

going on there and more today? Things moving quickly. We heard

from Sir John in detail last night, today we get something from Thames

Sports Investment, the people buying the controlling share of the

club and Anton Zingarevicth. Thames Sport Investment revealing today

they'll pay �25 million to buy the controlling stake in Reading. They

want to turn the club into an established Premier League side

with long-term aspirations to increase the capacity of the

Madejski stadium to 38,000. The club introduced Swiss-based

businessman Chris Sal yumson as a future director. He represents

Anton Zingarevicth, the founder of TSI. Unless you are financially

wise, you will simply bankrupt the club. That's not wise at all. So

you have to do it in a prudent manner, that's exactly what will be

done at Reading which is what the policy has been in the past. The

only difference now is the liquidity is there to do what the

club would like to do. Jimmy Kebe has pledged his future to the club.

He signed a contract. More signings are imminent I'm told. The new

group is highly ambitious but realistic too.

The first thing is to establish the mid table Premier League position

then hopefully do very well in the cups and eventually might make a

European place like the Fulhams and Stokes. More realistic, getting the

Champions League, I'm sorry, that's a different budget. Now, contrast

all this with Portsmouth Football Club. They've been issued with a

winding up petition over unpaid tax a source at Her Majesty's Revenue

and Customs has told the BBC today. The parent company administrator

says it totals �1.6 million. Negotiations continue with

opiniontial buyers of the club, the parent company entered

administration in November. Southampton missed out on the

chance to go back to the top of the Championship with their second

consecutive home defeat last night. They lost to Leicester at St Mary's.

Nugent opened the scoring in 15 minutes. Leicester doubled their

lead before the second half. have got to stick together and work

very hard on the training ground, keep a group of players that have

been honest and hard working up to Finally from me, Britain's rhythmic

gymnastics team is appealing against exclusion from the Olympic

Games. They missed a target set by the governing body by less than 0.3

of a point at the test event last Tuesday. Their routine, part

choreographed by Ellen Watson from Southampton was awarded more than

the target points in a competition the following day. The team is

arguing that the improved score should earn them a place at the

Games. We'll wait and see.

I must say, all the Reading action is online at the BBC Berkshire

website. It's all there. Thank you. Now for a story of a true hero. As

the Titanic sank, he remained at his post sending out distress

signals asking for help. The story of Jack Phillips has made him a

local legend in his home town of Godalming. Now work to restory the

Phillips Memorial Cloister is nearing completion.

SOS... 100 years since the Titanic sank, but for some, this is a new

story. These school children in Godalming were getting to grips

with Morse code and learning about a local hero who used it, John

George Phillips, known as Jack. was an operator, he saved lots of

people because he sent SOS and CQD messages. He kept on working when

the ship was sinking. People were found and people were picked up and

then they survived. Shortly before the sinking, the Captain released

Jack Phillips from his duties, but he chose to remain at his post.

you should remember is that at 2.17am, Jack's last message was

cuts off -- cut off. At that moment, the Titanic broke in two, all the

lights went out and that's when Jack virtually lost his life. Still

sending out SOS messages. He was born in Godalming and trained to be

a telegraphist. The Titanic sank four days after his 25th birthday.

After the Titanic sank, there was a rallying round to raise �700 to

build in memorial, now 98 years later, �150,000 is being spent to

restore it. It's the largest memorial to any one person who died

on the Titanic. A year ago, vandals caused thousands of pounds worth of

damage. Now it's being repaired thanks to lottery funding. Probably

because of his bravery, many lives were saved. So we are very proud of

this local hero, as we can call him. A memorial service will be held

here to mark the centenary on April 15th. It will be a place for future

generations to remember Jack Phillips who gave his life saving

others. Children love that story, don't they, they seem to know so

much about it too! We'll have a lot more on the Titanic as we approach

and mark the centenary which is in early April with a series of

special features coming up for you to enjoy. We had a great response

to our appeal for your Titanic stories. Thank you so much for all

of those and those stories will be a central part of our coverage.

Make sure you are with us here on South today. On to the weather now.

South today. On to the weather now. Sarah is here. Wet today?! Pretty

miserable. Grey and gloomy and we have got some more grey and gloomy

conditions to come through tonight as well. We have got a murky start

as well. Some mist and fog around in some spots through the evening

and indeed through tonight. Gradually, as the night goes on,

that mist and fog lifting away into the early hours.

So generally quite a cloudy night. A few breaks in the cloud, but

there'll be some more dampness. A bit of patchy rain and or drizzle

throughout much of the region. Our overnight temperatures dipping down

to 8 or 9. Now, think back to last night and what a difference that

makes. Minus four last night at Benson, very cold across much of

the region. Tonight, we are looking at eights and nines across-the-

board, so a much milder night to come. Tomorrow, we start with quite

a grey picture and again, yes, there will be a few spots of

drizzle just blustering on through on the south-westerly breeze,

picking up a little into the afternoon period. So becoming a

little windier through the afternoon. But milder with

temperatures of 10, maybe up to 11 in some spots.

As we take a look ahead to tomorrow, we have another band of rain set to

sweep on in from the west. All of us seeing some wet conditions for

an hour or two through the overnight period. As that clears to

the east, by the early hours, we'll start to see some fresher

conditions. Tomorrow's temperatures, four or five degrees in some spots.

Thursday then, we start with that rain just clearing off to the east,

then those cooler conditions and one or two showers starting to

arrive, possibly even containing a bit of sleet or hail in some spots.

You can see the cold front clearing. This second week a cold front

pringing with it the showers. We have high pressure building here to

the south-west and that will bring us some settled conditions to end

the week on. So, although it will feel fresher, we'll start to lose

the showers through Friday. Then we'll have some more brightness on

the way. Friday itself shaping up to be a crisp and sunny day in the

most part with a frost on the way, as well into Saturday morning.

Thank you very much. We are all itching to know, you