20/07/2011 Spotlight

The multiple crufts prize winner banned for life from keeping

animals. Good evening. Rachel Mortimore, a dog breeder

from Taunton, pleaded guilty to animal cruelty charges today. We

will hear more about the case in a moment.

Also tonight... Fearlessly brave and hugely

respected - tributes to a local soldier who died leading from the

front. And the message from a mum who

dragged her four children from their burning home.

I think the smoke alarm saved us all, didn't it? Even hearing it

from next door, always check your small alarm, definitely.

Devon and Cornwall police's Special Branch have begun an operation to

try to stop a badger cull being disrupted by animal rights

extremists. We understand officers are advising farmers about security,

and gathering intelligence on protests. As our home affairs

correspondent, Simon Hall reports, the government has announced a

limited cull is likely in an attempt to control TB in cattle.

When a badger cull was proposed in Wales, extremists carried out

attacks on the offices of the National Farmers' Union. Farmers

were also threatened and intimidated. David farms near

Tiverton, and for ten years had had to cope with TB. He believes a

badger cull is necessary, but his fear folk animal rights activists

will try to disrupt it. - Mike but he is fearful animal

rights activists. They don't want to put their names

on a piece of paper to say yes or No to the cull to that degree, they

are very concerned. Activists have targeted by Je culls

in the region before. In the 1990s, they attacked homes and vehicles of

Government officials. Farmers attacked -- suffered attacks on

their property. Devon and Cornwall police have begun work to try to

prevent violence and disorder when a badger cull goes ahead. They have

given advice two prominent members of the farming community about

personal safety and protecting their property. They have also been

monitoring and a little -- animal rights extremists for plans on

protests. We have plans, but are not paranoid,

we have had high level talks with the police. We have guidelines for

office-holders and fully anticipate maintaining a dialogue with people,

however opposed they are to a necessary cull.

Despite disruption to previous culls police say they have no

intelligence that a new campaign is being planned here. The one from

Devon and Cornwall Police has been available for interview.

-- no one from Devon and Cornwall police. They are awaiting more

details from the Government and guidance from the Association of

Chief Police officers as to what any cull could mean for policing.

A prize-winning dog trainer from Somerset has been charged with

animal cruelty and banned for life from keeping medals. Rachel

Mortimore won medals at Crufts. Today she pleaded charged -- guilty

to charges of animal cruelty and will have a community sentence.

Here is our Somerset reporter from the Magistrates' Court, but a

warning - you may find some images distressing.

Rachel Mortimore came to court a champion dog breeder and walked out

her reputation in tatters, banned from keeping animals for the rest

of her life. There is no comment, the matter is

being appealed. These video pictures, taken when

the RSPCA raided kennels in Somerset commercial animals in

filthy conditions, some without food and water, many standing in

their own excrement and others in cages far too small. One retriever

had a hole in its face caused by long-term neglect of an abscess. A

cat was found with altars in its eye, both seized by the RSPCA.

Devastated, absolutely devastated. This woman is supposed to love her

animal and had its day for 12 years and left it with a hole in its face.

The rest of the animal skin might go it was the conditions, more than

anything. -- the rest of the animals? And it

was the conditions, more than anything.

Rachel Mortimore had that -- national reputation. Her website

spoke of her many achievements in the world of dog breeding and

training. She had won prizes at Crufts. Her defence team argued she

was a woman who devoted 25 years to caring for animals. In court today,

the council said in the run-up to the RSPCA raid that she had simply

taken and too many animals and her premises had become overstocked,

but then she said it was a problem of her own making, because she

would not turn away any animal. During the economic downturn, a lot

were being brought to her. 300 animals, from chickens to horses,

were being kept at Foxdown when the RSPCA they did. They argued these

pictures prove Rachel Mortimore is not a fit person to keep animals.

The magistrates agreed. They issued her with a life ban, but that ban

cannot be implemented until an appeal is heard at a High Court.

Rachel Mortimore was also ordered Further tributes have been paid to

a soldier who was killed in Afghanistan. Corporal Mark Palin,

whose family are from Plymouth, died in an explosion on Monday. He

has been described as fearlessly brave. The tributes came as British

troops handed over Helmand Province's capital, Lashkar Gah to

the Afghan National Security forces. It is seen as another milestone

towards the end of combat operations in 2014. Spotlight's

defence reporter Scott Bingham has been to Lashkar Gah ahead of

Outside the walls of the task force Helmand head pro -- headquarters,

the citizens of Lashkar Gah at all about their everyday lives. Today

marks the official transfer of securities you from the

international security assistance forced to the Afghan national

security forces. Many say that in practice that happened some time

ago. Actually, nothing will change.

Already it has been set in motion in Lashkar Gah to transfer of the

security over. The Afghans are well we're in terms of what they need to

provide in terms of security, but it is important to see transition

in the Government's and development, as well.

The Afghan police are already manning checkpoints here, and the

provincial reconstruction team is the opening bazaars, bridges and

schools. The biggest challenge is still winning over the Afghan

people. Anyone will tell you that fighting does not create the

solution, and we are there supporting the Afghan security

forces, both police and military, to make sure they have the pick --

to make sure they have the capability to make sure they have a

safe and secure environment. More and more combat operations are

now Afghan lead, and with the fighting comes casualties. Back at

home, tributes were today paid to 32-year-old Corporal Mark Palin,

who was killed in an explosion in the South district on Monday.

Core pulp Rachel Mortimore was the epitome of the spirit of the

battalion, relaxed, professional, committed and brave. At this

difficult time, our prayers and thoughts are with his wife and

family. But halfway through their six-month deployment in Helmand

Province, many troops say this tour has been less kinetic - put simply,

there has been less fighting. The number of significant

activities in terms of shooting and IEDs has decreased by about 58 % on

this time last year. Many British troops really do seem

to feel they are making a difference here in Helmand Province,

but Afghanistan is a big country, and what is not clear whether that

-- is whether the Taliban have been beaten back or are biding their

Meanwhile the Royal Navy says that its Sea King helicopters have

completed 1,000 missions in Afghanistan. The announcement was

made at RNAS Culdrose, where the annual Air Day is taking place. Our

Cornwall reporter, David George, Crowds queued in the morning rain

for a chance to look inside one of the familiar red and Great Sea King

helicopters of 771 Squadron. These are the aircraft that usually make

the news, but it is the big grey helicopters next door that are run

regular use in Afghanistan. You can see by pilots in the Navy call

these aircraft baggers. Underneath is an extremely powerful radar

originally designed to protect ship from incoming enemy aircraft. In

Afghanistan they are used to track ground targets.

The frontline squadrons of this variant of the Sea King helicopter

have been in Afghanistan since May 2009 continuously. Their role and

there is to find and tracked vehicles in the big deserts. We

then get ground forces or other helicopters to stop those vehicles

and see what they are doing. Sometimes it is just a farm or

about his daily business, other times these vehicles have large

stashes of drugs, ammunition and bomb-making equipment.

At any one time, there are around 45 RNAS Culdrose personnel serving

in Afghanistan. They stay at Camp Bastion for 7-8 months.

The process starts here at RNAS Culdrose, the technical, logistical,

up moral support starts here. But that altogether, it get people out

there on time and ready to go. The temperature in the theatre, as

they call it, is around 44 Celsius. Very cool -- different to the

conditions here, but where they managed a reduced flying display it

A 79-year-old man charged with killing his wife at their Somerset

home has been released from custody. Malcolm Beardon is accused of

murdering his 78-year-old wife Margaret whose body was found at

their home in Wellington on July 15th. Beardon had been remanded in

custody by Taunton magistrates but a judge at Exeter crown court

granted him conditional bail. He will next appear in court in

November for another hearing. The new �4 million foot and cycle

bridge over the M5 at Exeter was officially opened by the Transport

Minister Norman Baker today. The bridge has been built to link the

city to the new town of Cranbrook, as well as a science park which is

expected to create thousands of jobs. Coming up...

The revolutionary device being developed in the South West which

could save thousands of lives. Plus...

Grammar versus comprehensive - we will be looking at the differences

between the two school systems. And find out why Angela Rippon was

A mother from Plymouth says her family are lucky to be alive after

a house fire in the city last week. Lisa Gallagher and her four sons

escaped from their home as it filled with smoke from a fire in

the house next door which claimed the life of an elderly woman.

Lisa Gallagher, checking on her wedding dress for the first time

this morning, six days after her house was filled with thick smoke

from a fire next door. The dress is all day, but like the whole house,

it still smells of burning. Some rooms have been badly damaged.

That is my bathroom, where the smoke and fire came underneath the

floorboards. The fire began next door. Police

say it was probably caused by a chip pan. These are's et four-year-

old neighbour was killed in the blaze, which started around

midnight. -- least a's. I could smell smoke and I went

downstairs and could see smoke coming out of her window. They

tried to kick the door down and throw a brick through the window,

and at this point and went to check on my house. I came in the front

door and it was full of smoke, and I thought, oh my God, my children

are upstairs. A least a's four boys were upstairs,

with five-year-old orphan in the attic room.

When I came upstairs I could see it getting thicker, and one I came to

the loft I could not see, none of the light were working. I had to

drag them down the stairs, screaming, panicking.

Today, three-year-old Eden was considering which toys to take back

to the hotel where his family is take -- where his family is staying.

That's it -- insurance assessors see it will be six months before

A revolutionary device is being developed at the University of

Exeter which aims to prevent hundreds of thousands of child

deaths every year. Engineers have just been awarded an extra $1

million by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation to continue their

ground breaking research into producing a battery powered malaria

test. As Leigh Rundle reports, if caught early enough the disease is

easy to treat. A blood sample is about to be

tested. This machine is a triumph of modern engineering - easily

transportable, simple to use and revolutionising hope we diagnosed

malaria in the developing world. It will have a major impact where

it is needed, and the remote regions, where there is no real

help support. This has been designed to quote as a self-

contained portable system, operated by someone with minimal skills.

These two Kenyan boys were tested during field trials. Across Africa

it is estimated around one million children are under five die of

malaria every year. Already the test is 78 % accurate under

clinical conditions. This optical tester took six years

and �2.5 million to get here. The principle of the design is based on

the early recordable CD players. This was the prototype.

Originally the size of a filing cabinet, every stage of development

has been tested and retested. There is no need for a microscope. This

device works by using a magnet and polarised light examining the

crystals that result from malarial infection.

The crystal will line up and create an optical effect which can be

detected, and this effect is proportional to the amount of

crystal, therefore to the severity of the malaria.

Ultimately, the team want to produce a non-invasive test similar

to a finger heart rate monitor. All this week we have been looking

at the role of grammar schools in the south west. Tonight we explore

how the system impacts on children who don't take the 11 plus - or who

fail to get in. There are seven grammar schools

remaining in the region - all in Devon. While they get impressive

results, critics argue it is often at the expense of the other schools

on their doorstep. Clare Casson reports.

Us getting into grammar school was originally seen as the way for poor

and able children to get the education they deserved. Today, the

grammars in Devon Loch -- operate alongside state schools, and many

educationalists say it the flipside of the grammar system means

neighbouring schools are left with children who failed the 11-plus.

There is no doubt, if you are, to use at crude populist term, a sink

school, you have a challenge, because of the way the local area

and community tend to view you. That can be a big joke and it to

turnaround. -- added Jubber not to turn around.

This community college may not have their exam results of a grammar

school but has been nominated by Ofsted as outstanding as good years

of suffering from a poor reputation. It has a high proportion of

students moving in and out of thick area as well as being on the

doorstep of the Max successful grammar schools. A restart with one

arm tied behind our back. A dash mac on the doorstep of three

successful grammar schools. We start with one hand tied behind

our back. It is quite a pressured job to teach and get the best bit

of your students, and you have to be a good, inspirational teacher,

working really hard. Paignton has had to tackle its

challenges in a practical way. Each year, each group has its own

dedicated manager to support pupils, but despite the help there is no

avoiding the social gaps between grammar schools and non-selective

schools. If you take the crude measurement of free school meals,

the number having them around their grammar schools hovers around two

to 5%, but at Paignton Community College it is more like 12 T -- 20%.

Many schools also recognised the issue, even if they do not

deliberately target a section of the community. A we will not do

that for the pursuit of middle- class parents, if you like, and

there is also no question of free school meals or a double premium.

We are not chasing a particular type of student. If you think this

is the right school for your child, come on in there.

And get a lot of those children sitting there Eleven Plus will have

private tuition. Many do.

We are in an environment where children are caught two to go for

the 11-plus examination, so we have some children arriving from the

college in year 7 feeling they failed, so our first job is to

convince them and assure them they will be successful here in our

school. But, the face of education is

changing come up with the blooding of traditional boundaries on the

horizon. Many grammar schools and comprehensives are choosing to

become academies. Tomorrow, we look at what the future may have in

The There is an air of celebration at Home Park with a rather French

feel to it. Goalkeeper Romain Larrieu is having his Testimonial

game tonight. A new look Argyle side will take on Premiership QPR

and their manager Neil Warnock in a 7:45pm kick off. Larrieu is

Argyle's longest serving player - he has been a Pilgrim for 10 years

- and many familiar faces from the last decade will be making an

appearance to honour him. His manager thinks he really deserves

the celebration. Everyone at Home Park on Friday

must have been pleased with the performance. I thought he was

really good, but it was only one game, and now we are playing an

even better opposition. I think training has been good, the boys

looked sharp, and we are trying to find our feet, because although I

have stayed at the same club for ten years, it is like a new club

because there are so many new players. We are starting to gel, I

Earlier this year you may remember we were joined by former Spotlight

presenters Sheila Tracey and Joe Pengelly to celebrate the

programme's 50th anniversary. In the early 1960's, regional

television was being rolled out across the UK and it very quickly

became required viewing for millions of people. Tonight some of

the stories and personalities from 50 years of BBC regional television

will be celebrated in a programme on BBC Four called Life Through a

Local Lens. John Henderson has been taking a look at some South West

highlights. This is Plymouth, where, according

to a London fashion promoter, the men are much more fashion-conscious

than the women. How often do you have a bath?

Regional TV has never been afraid to ask the killer question...

Do you think women should wear trousers?

Nothing has changed. And the search for the truth

uncovered some local stars... below, Castro not so, I don't

suppose you expect to see me on a rock-and-roll programme.

They did a few risks... Health and Safety! He is hanging

out the back! Smoke-filled TV galleries put news

on the small screen and created celebrities.

People felt there was an ownership because she walked -- worked in

local telly, and they would stop you and ask for your autograph, or,

as happened to me once, I was in the supermarket and a bloke came up

to you and said, here, argue that one that works on the telly? I

I must get a real one. He would not be allowed to smoulder

in a BBC building, not now. That his life through the local

lens at 9pm this evening on BBC Four.

I love the question, should women wear trousers? Guess who wears them

around here? Let's see what other weather has in

We have had an awful day today, dreadful conditions for the RNAS

Culdrose Air Day. It is on the cool side, but hopefully somewhat

brighter for all of us to enjoy. There is a lot on the satellite

picture at the moment, this cloud is the area of low pressure. We

already have some clear skies to the west of Wales. We did kill off

the showers, and once that low pressure admittedly it is more

straightforward. We have northerly winds, so it is on the cool side,

but also some sunshine, and Dad will be on offer tomorrow. More

showers on Friday, and into the weekend there is more fine weather,

at least for Saturday. This is the picture from earlier. Some breaks

in the cloud, but particularly in Portland it was pretty wet. There

was not really a breath of wind for some of these sailors cannot really

struggling, and with the rain a fairly miserable sale. Some of the

sailors are really struggling to cope with the conditions. More of a

breeze tomorrow, and Northern a breeze bringing cooler, fresher

conditions. Wall will there is a lot of cloud at the moment, it is

effectively dry, good news for the Plymouth Argyle match this evening

and for the Kingsbridge fireworks display, also this evening. That

cloud will not a week later tonight, and for a time in the early hours

of the morning a lot of clear skies. Temperatures lower than recently

come at a few places getting to eight Celsius, the coast always a

bit warmer at 11 or 12 Celsius. Tomorrow we have some fine weather

to start, some sunshine, scattered showers, but you may get a weight

with a fine, dry day, even with some Giffords -- decent spells of

sunshine. Temperatures a little higher, 18 Celsius, possibly 19th a

top temperature, with a gentle, occasionally moderate to fresh

north-westerly wind. For the Isles of Scilly, the risk of showers,

effectively dry for much of the day with sunny spells developing. Times

The forecast for Friday. More showers, bright and dry on Saturday,

a fine start on Sunday, cloudy with more rain later in the day.