01/10/2013 South Today

Tonight on South Today, under fire. Dorset Police are criticised for

using a private security firm to guard crime scenes. I have real

concerns about this creeping private agenda, it is I don't think cheap is

always the best option. On trial, the health care worker accused of

assaulting a patient at a six hospital.

Another remarkable sporting comeback as Bede Way's Pirates wrote the

Robins. And cap in hand, a football fan owns

the streets offering a cash reward for the return of his treasured

headgear. It's strange, I feel naked without the heart because it has

been part of me for so long. —— without the heart.

Major crime scenes in Dorset are to be guarded by a private company in a

controversial move which some see as creeping privatisation. Staff

employed by the firm Securitas will take the place of police officers

during a four—month trial. Dorset's Police and Crime Commissioner Martyn

Underhill says it will save money and free up front line officers. But

the Police Federation, which represents rank—and—file officers,

says it's policing on the cheap. When a major crime investigation

begins, someone needs to guard the scene around the clock. In Dorset,

that job has always been done by police officers, but from today,

staff from the firm Securitas will step into their shoes. The move

comes against a backdrop of big budget cuts. These have led to

hundreds of poets going. —— hundreds of poets going. Dorset's Police and

Crime Commissioner says the contract will save thousands of pounds and

free up officers for other front line duties. You have been accused

of introducing private ideation here. I don't think it is.

Privatisation means taking away police rules and giving them to

another company. What we are saying is that for a period, we would be

asking a company to cover something the police do so the police can be

back on the front line being more visible and reassuring the public.

But the Police Federation, which represents rank and file officers,

says guarding scenes like this is an important front line role which

should not be handed over. I have real concerns about this creeping

private agenda because I don't think cheap is always the best option.

Police officers who may be at a crime scene are not stood around

doing nothing, they will interact with public to get intelligence and

information. It should be a policeman standing there. It makes

you feel more safe and secure as a member of the public. I can't see

anything wrong with it. I think the police can be better doing other

things. It won't work. They won't have the same commitment so it is

just a cheap way out. As long as they do their job well, that will be

enough. Dorset won't be the first to do this. Avon and Somerset and Devon

and Cornwall have already used Securitas. The company says the

conduct of its crime scene officers is of the highest standard.

Developments are being watched closely by criminal justice experts.

When you are between a rock and a hard place, you have to look at how

you can improve or sustained the service with a small budget. I

suspect that will inevitably mean looking closely at outsourcing to

companies who provide that service at a cheaper cost. Initially, the

contract between Securitas and Dorset Police is performance, but if

it goes to her plan is expected it may become a permanent change to the

way Dorset is produced. —— Dorset is policed. As we heard in Briony's

report, Dorset isn't the first force to look at outsourcing to private

firms, is it? No. In our region last year, Surrey Police were considering

a plan to team up with the West Midlands and ask private firms to

bid to take over a whole range of tasks previously performed by

officers, including guarding crime scenes, and some patrol work and

investigation work. They eventually ditched that plan in the face of

much opposition, but elsewhere forces have gone ahead. Last year,

Lincolnshire Police signed a ten—year deal with the private firm

G4S which saw much work outsourced. They claim in one year that's saved

them £5 million. So is it likely we'll see more forces follow suit?

It's not unlikely. The concern with some is not the skill of the private

sector but the principle because they see one to give some jobs to

the private sector, they will never go back. Some forces, like

Hampshire, have said if there's to be outsourcing, it'll be to other

public sector bodies. They're working with the Fire Service and

County Council on procurement services, IT, estates management and

other office functions. Is this all about saving money? Police budgets

were cut by around 20% in the spending review of 2010. It's

expected that there'll be more cuts to come. Tonight, Sussex Police

Federation is meeting in Brighton. They're warning about the impact of

cuts on the front line, something the Chief Constable so far denies.

Many forces have stripped out what excess they can. Now they're having

to look for fundamentally different ways of doing things. Thank you,

Alex. A health care assistant has gone on

trial accused of having sex with a patient who had a mental disorder at

a hospital in West Sussex. It's claimed it happened when the woman

was recovering after an operation at St Richard's Hospital in Chichester.

Sajin Panikkassery, aged 29, from Chichester, has pleaded not guilty

at Crown Court in Brighton. It was in January this year at the

22—year—old woman was taken to St Richard's Hospital into just with a

dislocated shoulder. She was treated under anaesthetic and kept in for

the night. In court today it was claimed a member of staff, Sajin

Panikkassery, had sex with her. The prosecution told the jury that a

patient in an adjoining bed heard panting noises, pulled back the

curtain and saw Sajin Panikkassery standing beside the woman's read. He

kissed then noticed he was being watched and left. The next morning

the woman said a male nurse mater sleep with them. The police were

called and swabs taken from the women were found to contain the

defendant's DNA. Sajin Panikkassery is charged with sexual activity with

a person with a mental disorder under the sexual offences act 2003.

He has pleaded not guilty. The prosecutor said the woman was

vulnerable and an easy and obvious target eco—she had a mental

disorder, but he added there are issues about her credibility because

she had previously famed illnesses and made false allegations of rape,

and therefore she will not be called as a witness. The prosecution said

it will rely instead on evidence from other witnesses and a frantic

scientist. The case is expected to continue into next week.

A campaign to combat domestic abuse was launched today in Hampshire.

Figures show that domestic violence is on the rise. Nearly 30,000

incidents were reported to Hampshire Police last year. That's nearly 80 a

day. And it's a problem which affects older people. Only a small

percentage of over 65s in abusive relationships ever come forward to

seek help. I left when my child was too. I never thought I could do it.

On a housing estate in Hampshire, a group of women have gathered to

offer to support to others like them who found themselves trapped in

abusive relationships. I haven't seen my partner for 27 years.

Geraldine is part of a group of older people who traditionally step

allow the radar. Towards the end it was all bad days. It was like a

living hell. I think the longer it goes on, you are more inclined to

put up with it and see it as normal, but you can have a much better life.

Such tales are not uncommon. Apparently solid marriages can hide

years of abuse people learn to live with. The fact we now have a

mortgage and children, you talk yourself into staying in the

relationship, saying I am too old now, what will I do? The police

accept there is no such thing as what used to be dismissed as just a

domestic. One issue with this is around to reporting of domestic

abuse, especially with older people, and domestic abuse is ageless. It is

important we organise that it is criminal behaviour which is

unacceptable. Even the nicest neighbourhoods can have cases of

domestic abuse. It is something society is now seen to accept, but

when it comes to finding help to repair a broken lives, organisations

working in the field say finding funding remains a battle.

New mothers in West Sussex are being asked to rate the quality of the

maternity care they receive. St Richard's in Chichester and Worthing

Hospital see around 6000 pregnant women each year. From today, they'll

be asked to rate their treatment using a free text message service.

Still to come in this evening's South Today: A dramatic night at

Wimborne Road, as the Pirates overhaul the Robins to reach

Speedway's Elite League Final. Portsmouth Council says a report

into the conduct of Mike Hancock, the councillor accused of sexual

assault, has been given to the police at their request. The police

will decide if it should be referred to the Crown Prosecution Service. Mr

Hancock, who is also the MP for Portsmouth South, has always denied

the assault allegations, saying that the CPS saw a police report three

years ago and decided to take no action. Yesterday, opposition

councillors called for this new report to be referred to the CPS. Mr

Hancock said this was just an attempt by his opponents to score

political points. A five—day operation across the

motorways of Hampshire and the Thames Valley has resulted in 198

motorists being prosecuted. Operation Tramline ran for just five

days and caught drivers committing a range of offences. One car driver

had a shave while at the wheel, water bottle in one hand and razor

in the other. Another driver was stopped for brushing his teeth while

driving. Today marks the start of breast

cancer awareness month, and tonight, Frimley Park Hospital launches an

appeal to enable it to provide the latest technology — 3D breast

scanning. It can detect 40% more cancers and is especially effective

in younger women. The hospital is now looking for £1.5 million for a

dedicated breast cancer centre and scanner. This is where breast

patients come. This is in an outpatients' clinic and a hospital

once a area for those patients, and more crucially, it was the latest

equipment and here to tell me more is the owner. What is the new

machine you want? It is an improvement on current technology

and creates 3—D images so we can effectively see inside the breast,

which allows much greater accuracy and greater diagnosis of cancers in

younger women. 6000 referrals every year for suspected breast cancer

cases, all of whom have to be seen within two weeks. That is a 31%

increase since 2009, and there has also been a 25% increase in the

number of cases, so what is going on? The raise a proximal the a 3%

increase in breast cancer a year. We have seen a greater arise. We have

an increasing population, but over and above that, the unit here has a

good reputation and that is pulling more people in. Is this really about

the hospital trying to get more money by attracting more

breast—cancer patients here as opposed to elsewhere? Or appeal is

about quality, quality of provision for patients, and if it brings in

more patients then fine, but we're after quality. Good luck, Fiona.

A taxi firm in Dorset with unpaid fares running into thousands of

pounds says it's had enough of passengers who don't pay up. Weyline

in Weymouth is now taking action by launching a "play fair, pay your

fare" campaign. Some passengers will now be asked to pay for their

journey before setting off. Vaughan Thomas has been a cabbie for four

weeks, but already he has fallen victim to a growing trend, known in

the trade as bilking. Passengers not paying their fair. It was a shock. I

had only been working for days, I had been mourned about potential

incidents and when it happens to you, you are in that situation where

you are forced to either approach and ask for the money, or put it

down to experience. His company has now launched a campaign and

passengers may be asked to pay before they start their journey. We

do follow it up. We take it seriously and we won't give up

because if they find it too easy, they will do it again, and there are

serial offenders. Each company is getting to know them. Other local

cab companies are also adopting the scheme. Passengers seem supportive.

Taxi drivers tell us all the time it happens to them, so when you have

teenagers jumping in at night, sometimes they have no money on

them. Most things nowadays you pay up front, so I wouldn't be offended.

Both cab companies and the drivers who are mostly self—employed lose

out from non—payers, and people who don't pay fares are all ages. The

recent fraud act has made it easier to work out if someone is a

non—payer, and police are reminding those who don't pay fares that it is

not only a criminal offence but you could be arrested. Ron used to CCTV

in his cab and the internet to track down his fare dodger and got him to

pay up rather than go to court. Let's go on to sport now. We will

start with a thrilling night. You were away. Did you see any of the

America's Cup? I saw a little and it was thrilling to watch, and lovely

to know Ben Ainslie was at the centre of that. I couldn't believe

what I was seeing. There were metres, at that. I think it was a

penalty to New Zealand, but not quite on such a global scale but

another comeback last night was the turn of the cool pilots. They turned

a nail—biting meeting against the Swindon Robins at Wimborne Road to

their advantage to book a place in Speedway's Elite League play—off

final. The Poole Pirates went into their home leg of the semifinal. Ten

points down — a daunting deficit to chase. Heat one was a signal of

intent, Darcy Ward and Thomas Jonassen bringing home a maximum

5—1. But the Swindon Robins retaliated to protect their

advantage. They'd led Poole throughout the season to finish

second in the league, two places above the Pirates. They showed their

skills in heat eight, Nick Morris edging past Josh Grajczonek in a

thrilling race. Poole have some of the best riders in the world, and

double world Champion Greg Hancock went well ahead in heat nine in a

race that levelled the score on aggregate. Swindon's response was a

tactical one, Peter Kildemand bringing home double points in heat

ten to once again open up an overall lead. And for a moment, things

looked like they could fall apart for the Pirates, with Josh

Grajczonek crashing out of heat 11. But he was back on the track for

heat 14, when the Pirates continued a spectacular recovery to get a

second 5—1 in a row. After that the final heat, and hope of reaching the

grand final, was all but lost to the Robins. The night finished 55—38,

97—90 on aggregate. A heartbreaking result for Swindon, but revenge for

Poole for their Grand Final defeat last year. Poole now host Birmingham

in the first leg of this year's Grand Final on Monday. To football

now, and Bournemouth have signed West Ham midfielder Jack Collison on

an emergency one—month loan deal. The 24—year—old Welsh international,

seen here on the right, will help ease the Cherries' current injury

problems in midfield and could make his Bournemouth debut at Elland Road

tonight. In other football news, the deal to complete a full takeover of

Reading has been delayed. Russian businessman Anton Zingarevich, who

came in 16 months ago, was due to buy the remaining minority share

from former owner Sir John Madejski by the end of September. The club

has said both parties are happy with the situation and couldn't give a

new completion date. There's action tonight. Reading are currently sixth

in the table and could make it four wins in a row at Barnsley. BBC Radio

Berkshire's Tim Dellor is there. Tim, Reading are getting into their

stride. Yes, the manager is happy to admit results have been better than

performances, but having won 13 of the last available 15 points and

only conceding one goal that confidence will be growing. Fans who

made the journey North Macy Eve first appearance from Willie Shah,

the striker on loan from Southampton. Otherwise, there are

injury concerns over other first—team players. Ardsley are

bottom of the championship player. Perhaps the biggest threat to

Reading tonight is complacency. The match kicks off at 7:45pm. Elsewhere

tonight, Eddie Howe says the Cherries are looking to take all

three points at Leeds, a club they've never beaten before, while

Brighton host Sheffield Wednesday at the Amex Stadium.

tonight, Eddie Howe says the Cherries are looking to Coverage of

the games on your BBC local radio station. The Hampshire batsman James

Vince has been short listed for a national award. The right—hander,

who's scored almost 2000 runs in all cricket and helped Hampshire to the

semi—finals of both one day and t—twenty competitions this summer —

is among four players nominated for Young Player of the Year in the

Professional Cricketers' Association Awards. The winner will be announced

on Thursday. A little bit of London 2012 magic came to a school in the

New Forest today. Hordle Primary is the proud new owner of the real,

genuine, hockey pitch from the London Olympic Park. It was donated

to the school free of charge, and will be used for sports lessons and

play times. I went along to the opening ceremony earlier. It was

last used by the world's best hockey players, the distinctive blue and

pink seen by audiences around the world. Over the last eight weeks,

it's been re—laid in its new home at Hordle primary school. I'm excited

we have a new hockey pitch, so we can play and be inspired by them. I

joined a hockey club here and I enjoyed, so I was really excited.

Although the pitch came for free, the school had to raise funds for

the work, and local businesses gave their time and efforts to help. And

a local paralympian provided sporting inspiration. The earlier

you start, the better. I didn't get into my sport until I was relatively

old as an athlete, but it was all those years of being out and about

and playing things not at a particularly high level which give

you that grounding. A few years back it was so wet sports they was

cancelled, but the all—weather surface means rain won't cancel play

again. It is about so much more than an Olympic pitch, it has inspired us

to go out and be sporting heroes like those Olympians in 2012. And it

was all thanks to a mum who worked for the Olympic organisers,

specialising in recycling some of the infrastructure. I felt very

emotional cutting the ribbon with my children, and I think it has been

brilliant to the school and the community. Everyone has worked so

hard to raise the money, and it is lovely to have this on our doorstep.

Everyday I come in Derry is a little bit of 2012 on our doorstep. It will

be well used, and used well for many years to come — a true Olympic

legacy. Isn't that brilliant? Do they realise what they are playing

on? I think so. It is not the whole pitch, some of it was damaged, but

they got the bit that was salvageable. A lot of schools would

be jealous of that. If you have ever lost something, you will sympathise

with this man, because it may only cost a few pounds but it is very

special to football fans Dave Coombs. It is his baseball cap which

was this do with badgers and became well known on the terraces of

Fratton Park. A month ago, he lost his cap, so he has now launched a

nationwide appeal to get it back. He has supported Portsmouth through

thick and thin, but now he is a man on a mission. Can I give you a

leaflet? It is relating to a hat I lost innovative and play. —— in the

vicinity. It means a huge amount because of its association with his

girlfriend Julie, who died of cancer in 2011. It is a reminder that she

loved football, I loved football, and we had good times together. It

is very touching. I hope he finds it. It brings a lump to your throat,

so I wish him well. It is sad, but I really hope he gets it. Someone

should hand it in. This is Dave and his cap in happier times in

Scunthorpe, Crawley and after a home match at Hatton Park. The match ——

the hat is covered in pin badges of the various places I have been.

They've mislaid his cap at the Strawberry Fields have an. The walk

home is a little bit of a mystery, but I only realised I had lost it

later. His quest is attracting nationwide attention. It is getting

publicised, but unfortunately I have had no response from anyone who can

lead me to it. He says if anyone does find his cap, he will donate

£150 to the charity of their choice. I hope he finds it. Sailors onboard

the helicopter carrier HMS Illustrious have been helping a

little character who's been having problems taking off. A tiny Eurasian

scops owl was found cowering under the ship's crane on the flight deck

while the warship was off the coast of Yemen. It was given too little

and Chris Patrick, a bit of a twitcher and a member of the Royal

Naval bird—watching society. He cared for the owl and helped regain

its strength. The little still await was eventually well enough for it to

be released from the P Breen boat —— the P Green boat the illustrious.

Where was the pussycat? I won't answer that. Onto the weather. It is

not looking good. I call it midweek madness, Thursday in particular.

Hilary Davison took this photo of the autumn colours at Sir Harold

Hillier Gardens in Hampshire. Heather Brooks captured a spoonbill

fishing at West Wittering in West Sussex. And a tranquil scene of

Christchurch was captured by said Haas. —— said hearth. The rain

will edit way in, around doing around ten o'clock this evening in

two parts of doorstep and working its way north and east. Some heavy

bursts in there, drier periods as well, and temperatures will rain

between 16 Celsius on the south coast to 13 Celsius in parts of

Oxfordshire. A map might and it will be wet to start the day, heavy

bursts without rain reinvigorating many places. The M4 could be a

tricky drive to work tomorrow morning, and also the M 40 with

temperatures reaching 18 to 19 Celsius, so a slight improved

picture in the afternoon, some sunny spells and one or two showers, but

it will be a breezy day. Tomorrow evening, the showers will fade.

Still quite breezy, with one or two clear spells, some holes in the

cloud but it should stay dry with lows of 14 to 16 Celsius. It may be

a Birtley start on Thursday, some brightness before this next weather

system works is way up from the south. Some heavy torrential

downpours without rain, even some thunderstorms. You can see the

squeeze on the ice bars means winds will be brisk, so strong winds and

heavy rain fall through the course of Thursday. There is a Met Office

yellow warning. We could see potentially one to two inches of

rainfall on Thursday which may give localised flooding in places. There

will be rain tomorrow, heavy in particular for cherries north and

east of the M4, some heavy rainfall on Thursday, with that yellow

warning, winds breast, sunshine and showers on Friday, and Saturday

looks good. Get your weather pictures into worse as soon as you

can. That's it from us this evening. We are back tomorrow.