20/03/2014 South Today

That's all from the BBC News at Six, so it's goodbye from me and,

Hello, I'm Sally Taylor. Welcome to South Today. In tonight's

programme... Motivated by mercy. A man walks free from court after

admitting suffocating his terminally ill mother.

How a lie`in saved a couple's lives as a Royal Mail van smashed through

the wall of their home. Opened the bedroom door. No stairs, just a

gaping hole looking down on top of the roof of a lorry.

Rejected. Plans for travellers sites in Poole are turned down. Now the

search continues to find other areas and nothing is ruled out. I think

Poole Council have got to get to the point of talking to us, rather than

for us. And finally living his dream. How

hairdresser Adam Wilde will be gracing the Wembley turf for Gosport

against the team that broke his heart. In the back of your head,

you're always hoping you might get that chance to get back into league

football, and it didn't work out, but it's fine. I've had a great

career. I'm happy with it. He admitted suffocating his

terminally ill mother to death, but was today spared jail. 50`year`old

Iain Harrison told police he'd smothered Hope Harrison in hospital

to put her out of her pain. Today, a judge said he had no doubt that his

motive was one of mercy. In a moment, we'll hear from Professor

Jonathan Montgomery, an expert in medical law. But first, here's our

Home Affairs Correspondent, Emma Vardy, who was at Winchester Crown

Court for the hearing. Emma, what were the circumstances of Hope

Harrison's death? Iain Harrison's mother had been diagnosed with

terminal lung cancer. She was in Dorchester Hospital and was close to

the end of her life. She had been in pain. She had expressed to people

that she wanted to die. Iain Harrison, who we can see here in the

sunglasses, has admitted that while he was alone with his mother, he

suffocated her to death to end her pain. At the time, the hospital

thought she died naturally. But two years later, Iain Harrison told a

nurse he was having counselling with what he had done. That nurse

reported it to the police, and so it came to court. How did the court

come to the conclusion that what Iain Harrison had done was an act of

mercy? The Judge, Judge Boney QC, said there was no evidence that Iain

Harrison had acted in self interest. He said that what he had done was

compassionate, so he gave Iain Harrison a suspended two year jail

sentence meaning he walked free today. But Wessex Crown Prosecution

Service said it was duty bound to prosecute. Today the campaign group

Dignity in Dying has argued that Iain Harrison's case shows our laws

needs to change. How much better would it have been if there was a

law in this country where the lady herself could have requested upfront

an assisted death? And that would have been looked at by health care

professionals, by members of the public here, without basically her

son having to take the law into his own hands. But in the debate around

euthanasia, others argue that, in places where assisted suicide is

legal, the risk is that people can be pushed towards this option,

rather than being given treatment. Quite often, people will be offered

the life`ending cocktail of barbiturates, but refused

life`saving and life extending treatment. Now, I don't think this

is the type of society we want in this country and this is why every

major doctors organisation, every major disability rights

organisation, and indeed both Houses of Parliament and the Scottish

Parliament, have rejected attempts to change the law again and again

and again. Today, Iain Harrison's case fell outside the sentencing

guidelines that were available to the court. It is a grey area, and it

will remain that way unless the government changes the law. Thank

you very much. Joining me in the studio now is Professor Jonathan

Montgomery, an expert in medical law from University College London.

Thank you for joining us. In what way, if at all, does this set a

legal precedent? You cannot set one in this decision. It would be if

this was an offence `` it would be about whether it was an offence. Are

you surprised at what the judge decided? It is not unique, but with

no evidence of self`interest, it would be similar to other lenient

sentences given out if there was intentional killing, different if

someone is believed to do it for gain. What about the message this

sends out, such as acting in compassion, do you receive a

suspended sentence? You will not automatically, but in family cases,

with no likelihood of anything happen again, and you can be clear,

which cannot be until the case comes to court, about it being compassion.

There are other cases where people have gone to jail. Where do we stand

as far as the law is concerned? You cannot take someone's like, whether

a doctor or family member, and when the Crown Prosecution Service

decides whether to prosecute in lesser sentences, such as assisted

suicide, they could decide not to prosecute, but a possible murder

case is different. There are two sides to this emotive debate, many

people seriously ill challenging that right to die? And in the mean,

there is a lot of public sympathy for people in that position, but

also anxiety that some people who do not want to die may be pressured

into it. It is whether safeguards could be put in place to reassure

everybody. Could that change? It likely could change, there is one

case for the Supreme Court, with one man who died in tragic

circumstances, his wife is taking the case to the Supreme Court,

judgement is awaiting very soon. Thank you very much for being with

us. Thank you. A couple say an extra ten minutes in

bed probably saved their lives this morning. The lie` in meant they

weren't downstairs in their house when a truck smashed through their

front wall. The Royal Mail lorry has now been removed from the property

while surrounding homes are made safe. Dani Sinha has been speaking

to the couple. Well, I was about to go downstairs.

Feeling a bit rough with the cold. About quarter to six. Lucky I

didn't, because about 5`10 minutes later, we heard a mighty crash. That

lie`in saved Len from getting caught up in this. His wake`up call came in

the form of a 7.5 tonne lorry crashing into the lounge. Cutting

off the staircase, leaving two of them trapped upstairs in the

bedroom. Neighbours called the emergency services. I think he broke

down and cried. I was upset. I did break down a bit, because, five

minutes later, I was about to go downstairs. And he would have been

downstairs. I would have been either under the lorry or whatever. I don't

know. A miracle no one was hurt. Firefighters rescued the couple

through their bedroom window. And amazingly, the lorry driver escaped

without injury too. Police are now looking into what caused the crash.

The blinds on the window flew across the room. And I looked out. We saw

our car completely 90 degrees. Opened the bedroom door, no stairs,

just a gaping hole looking down on top of the roof of a lorry. Now

staying with friends, volunteers have been helping the couple contact

their insurance company. They have been in the process of selling the

house, with an offer accepted. But they acknowledge plans to move may

be put on hold. Firefighters have now removed the Royal Mail lorry.

But it may be some time before they are able to return to the property.

The thorny issue of where to put sites for travellers and gypsies has

been generating more heated arguments. Many communities say they

have suffered when convoys of caravans have arrived at

unauthorised encampments on their doorsteps. Today, Poole Council

tried to get planning permission for two temporary sites to give

travellers passing through somewhere to park up. But after an outcry from

local people, the proposals were firmly kicked out.

Let's get some common`sense and with draw this idiotic planning

application. Local residents objected. It is doing the right

thing for right reasons. Some local businesses said they would move out

if the site was allowed near their buildings. Hi`macro directors would

have to consider moving the business to a more appropriate location. Even

the gypsy Council said no. We objected this application on grounds

of contamination, noise pollution and traffic. Council officials argue

this absolutely ecstatic. Delighted. We

have listened to all the evidence, giving Craig consideration. This was

not the right site. Following this decision, Poole Council said it will

continue to search for a suitable temporary travellers site. It will

look at the possibility of using land outside of the borough. The

issue with that is, under current legislation, we cannot move gypsies

and travellers outside of the borough boundary under the current

criminal Justice act, so we have been having meetings with ministers

and MPs to try to get the law changed. This was local democracy in

action. Officials now have to go back to the drawing board.

Still to come in this evening's South Today...

Gosport Borough are packing their bags for Wembley. CHEERING.

There's criticism from some parents groups that reforms of education for

children with learning disabilities are being rushed through. And

families are being informed of complex changes too late. There are

more than 20,000 children in the region who receive extra support at

school. But from September, health and education authorities will work

together to assess all of a child's needs. The care plan will also be

extended up to the age of 25 rather than ending at 19. But as Katy

Austin reports, there are concerns that families and councils aren't

ready for the changes. Because of delays, September's

change from statements to education health and care plans only became

law this month. And trials of the new scheme have only just finished,

six months before it's rolled out. Luka has autism. As does his

brother. His mum, Tanya, runs a website helping parents to

understand special needs. She is worried time is too short to prepare

for the reforms. I can't imagine that it's going to be ready by

September. Just because it's so huge. It's been rushed from the very

beginning. I don't really know a practical reason that is for the

benefit of parents why it can't be delayed for six months. Tanya also

worries about low parent awareness. They don't understand what the

reforms are. And local authorities are not helping. Her concerns are

shared by a parent` led volunteer group in Hampshire. With limited

government funding, they are now informing parents how to get

support. This information session was for parents with Down's syndrome

children. They told me they feel left in the dark. I have to be

honest, I didn't really know anything at all. And what I do know

is almost hearsay. I want to know more about the education reform and

how it will impact my son. Understanding kind of what the

changes will mean for my child when she goes to school. It can be quite

tricky. At the moment, there's still a lot of confusion out there. And

there hasn't been a lot of communication, either from the

government or from the local authority in Hampshire. And as a

result of that, there is a lot of miscommunication and a lot of

confusion, both with parents and professionals. So we just want to

make sure that they are given information that will help them make

the right decisions for their child. While parents struggle to understand

the changes, local councils have the job of implementing them, working

with local health services much more. Hampshire County Council

admits it will be a challenge. I think we've got all the building

blocks ready to make these reforms work. But they are complicated

reforms, they are difficult, and we will need time to make sure those

changes can bed in. And they will not bed in quickly. While the

technical side of the reforms is still being finalised in

Westminster, thousands of families across the South wait to see how the

changes will affect their child's education.

We got a comment from the Department for Education, who say they have a

significant package of support in place to prepare for reforms,

including a ?70 million grant for local authorities and ?30 million to

help support payments. A West Sussex girls' school was

evacuated this afternoon after a fire in one of the toilets. `` ?30

million to support parents. The blaze broke out just before

three on the second floor of the Millais School in Horsham. More than

30 firefighters were called to the scene. No`one was hurt. An

investigation has begun into the fire's cause.

HIV tests that can give a result in just 60 seconds are now being done

in churches and community centres across Hampshire. It's hoped they

will help diagnose many hundreds of people who have the condition but

don't know it. The first tests are being done in Southampton. Others

will be held in Portsmouth and Aldershot. Here's our Health

Correspondent David Fenton. Irene is a sexual health worker and she's

about to have an HIV test. A tiny drop of blood is all that's needed.

It is then mixed with the chemicals. About 1500 people in Hampshire have

HIV. And another 300 are undiagnosed. So what we know is

about 20% of people living with HIV don't know about their HIV status.

And so they are potentially out there living with HIV and not

getting the support that they could be accessing to help them to live a

better, more healthily life. Within a minute, Irene 's results have

become clear. The single blue dot means she doesn't have HIV. Two blue

dots would mean she does. JOHN HURT: There is no danger that

has become a threat to us all. `` now a danger. Attitudes to HIV and

AIDS have come a long way in the last few decades. But many people

still put off being tested, especially if it involves going to a

sexual health clinic. Now these tests are being offered in community

centres, like this one, to make them more accessible and less scary.

Interest in the subject... Peter Halliwell was diagnosed with

HIV 30 years ago. He now runs training programmes to raise

awareness of the condition. People hold onto some negative ideas around

HIV. Nowadays, it's very, very different to how it was in the past.

It's no longer seen as a terminal condition, it's a chronic condition.

Someone newly diagnosed with HIV, and a healthy immune system, could

have a near normal life expectancy. It's hoped the speed and simplicity

of these new tests will encourage more people to come forward.

They're outdated, filthy and too cold to swim in. Just some of the

complaints people living in Reading have made about their local swimming

pools. Hundreds of people have signed an online petition calling

for improvements. The Caversham mum behind the campaign has told our

reporter, Nikki Mitchell, people are going to neighbouring towns to swim,

because pools in Reading are so grubby.

I've had somebody say it's a shame we can't take a photograph of the

smell in the changing rooms. The temperature of the pools are too

cold. And the list of complaints goes on, with many people backing up

their comments with photographs. Not one of Reading's six public pools

has escaped criticism. The changing rooms, there is scum in the corners,

haven't been cleaned for a long, long time by the look of it. The

swimming pool could do with a big refurbishment. The floors are

disgusting and the showers, the curtains are just not very nice. I

think it's just very dated, with a lot of Reading Borough Council

facilities really haven't moved on in 40 years. It's swimmers who are

moving on instead. Driving to places like Coral Reef in Bracknell, or to

Maidenhead and Windsor. Clare Newman's petition for improvements

in Reading has around 700 signatures so far. It angered me that people

feel that they have to drive out of town, drive somewhere else, and

invest in somebody else's borough just to be able to go swimming and

have somewhere nice and clean, comfortable, warm where they can

take their kids and feel happy about doing so. The social charity which

runs Rivermead leisure pool has promised new play and water features

and a full redevelopment of the changing rooms in time for the

summer holidays. Reading Borough Council says it is

fully aware there are a number of issues that need addressing at pools

in the borough with some facilities dated and increasingly difficult to

look after. The council says it is actively looking to improve things,

but it needs to balance this need for investment against ?40 million

in savings that it has to make over the next three years.

I learned to swim at Reading Baths. `based experience? Good.

And a big weekend ahead? It is a massive cup final for

Gosport Borough. It is very exciting for them, of two `` off too FA

Trophy Final. And things started to feel that little bit more real for

everyone involved earlier. Players and staff boarded the coach at

Privett Park, eagerly anticipating what the next few days might bring.

It should be a special day. It should be really, really good. We've

been supporting Gosport since the early 80s. I never thought I'd ever

see them at Wembley. It's going to be a great day for the time, for the

club, and I'm so excited. 10,000 from Gosport and more, hopefully.

It's going to be amazing. Among the Gosport party is Adam

Wilde. The 34`year`old has been a fixture on the non`league football

scene since the turn of the century, playing for a host of clubs across

the south. His dreams of a long professional career never quite

materialised. So he now owns a hairdressing salon. As I found out

on a visit to his shop this week, the game and the opposition is

especially poignant for him. Adam Wilde owns his own ear salon,

but all he can think about is a trip to Wembley. `` hair salon. And

playing on this important football field. I will be a bag of

nervousness, goodness knows what I will be like the walking onto the

pitch and living every boy's dream, it will be nerve wracking. This FA

Trophy Final is extra special, he may cut hair now, but 15 years ago

did not quite make the grade as a professional footballer, out of all

clubs Cambridge United. I was only 21, 22, playing league football and

you are released, your heart is broken, really, back to the reality

of going to work, get a job, , normal sort of person. So getting

back into that and playing for other sites was quite hard to take.

Leaving Cambridge, his full`time career may have been over, but he

had a successful non`league career playing for the likes of Salisbury

and Worcester, then Gosport. You're always hope and you will get that

chance to get back into league football, and it did not work out,

but it is fine, I've had a great career and am happy with it. This

Sunday, Gosport and big underdogs, with Adam likely on the wing. No one

expected us to win. And no one expected us to win. With a group of

players, we perform better under pressure and when we are up against

it and it will be the same against United in the final. There will be

no fear cuts this Sunday, Adam will be living the dream. `` there will

be no hair cuts. Good luck to them. And BBC Radio

solid all have a special song tomorrow. `` BBC Radio Solent.

Reading striker Jason Roberts has confirmed he's to retire from

football due to injury. Roberts helped the Royals to promotion in

the 2012 season after arriving from Blackburn, but also played for Wigan

West Brom and Bristol Rovers and had a loan spell at Portsmouth. The

36`year`old has tried in vain to recover from a hip injury and hasn't

played since December 2012. British Swimming are considering a

formal appeal against the decision by UK Sport to turn down their

requests for funding to be reinstated to the Aldershot based GB

Synchronised swimming squad. The team are currently in Paris

competing in the French Open, their first ever international competition

together. This afternoon, the duet finished qualifying in ninth place.

But say that if they don't receive any funding this will be there last

ever event. The number of young girls doing synchronised swimming,

and I accept its not everyone's sport, has doubled since London.

It's doubled! So that's an indication of how inspirational

London has been. Those young children have got nowhere to go,

because that is no funding for them to compete and represent their

country at European, World and Olympic level.

Staying with Olympics for the moment. Olympic sailor Paul Goodison

hasn't ruled out another shot at an Olympic medal in Rio in 2016.

Goodison won gold in Beijing in 2008. But injury ruined his chances

of a repeat at Weymouth and Portland two years ago. He's currently part

of Ben Ainslie's Extreme 40 team, competing this week in Oman and he's

keeping his options open with the next Games over two years away. At

the moment, I don't really know what's in my sailing career coming

up in the next three or four years. I've obviously got a good idea where

I'd like to be in two or three years time. But at the moment, everything

is just kind of waiting to see how it pans out and see how I feel as

the Olympics get closer. See what other opportunities arise and where

my heart lies. At the moment, I've got no real desire to get back in my

laser to go laser racing. So really enjoying the other sailing and we'll

see where that leads. Paul Goodison sailing in all man

this week `` Oman. He is a very good hairdresser, did

you get your fear cuts `` hair cut? No, I didn't. And the weather next?

I will just lie in the middle of this.

And we have some lovely pictures. Today is the Spring Equinox in

astronomical terms. Here we have some pink blossom in Portsmouth

captured by Bradley Hawkins. The strong winds were blowing the sand

about on Studland beach. Picture by Robin Boultwood. And a male

Bullfinch taken today in Milborne St Andrew in Dorset by Heather Hogg.

We are expecting rain overnight and once it pushes through, it will turn

colder through the course of the night. That rain band could be

heavy, but whisking through on a brisk south`westerly wind and, once

the skies clear, temperatures fall rapidly. A very chilly start to

tomorrow, articulate for northernmost areas, old and above

freezing along the south coast. A dry start with lots of sunshine

tomorrow, possibly some showers, more likely in northern and western

areas, Berkshire, Wiltshire, Oxfordshire, Buckinghamshire,

elsewhere dry and decent sunshine. Breezy with a high of 10`11dC. We

had a high of 12 today, so temperatures the press with the

cooler air. We are expecting showers tomorrow night, even longer spells

of rain at times, donning wintry over hills, maybe some snow over the

Cotswolds. Elsewhere, falling as hail or sleet. But mainly rain. A

chilly start to Saturday, the risk of some frost. A weather front

pushes through on Saturday, some showers drifting inland in the

afternoon. Showers becoming few and far between on Sunday, and we are

sheltered down in the south, showers more likely for the northern part of

the country and the wind will ease. Through the rest of the week, we

expect some showers few and far between, once the band of rain

pushes through tonight, colder air behind it, staying cold until the

early part of next week. The middle of next week, milder air returns and

turns more settled. Tomorrow, we see some of the

wonderful ways you have been raising money for Sport Relief, including a

teacher revealing his sporting alter ego to his pupils. Join us tomorrow

if you can. Thanks for watching. Good night. Good night.