19/05/2017 Spotlight

On Spotlight, the footage which helped convict a killer described

As Kostadin Kostov is found guilty, CCTV pictures have been released

showing him dragging a suitcase containing the remains of his ex

partner through the streets of Exeter in the early hours last

We'll hear how the police investigation eventually

Also tonight - worries over the policing of police.

Devon and Cornwall Police should never have employed this man.

We'll have his story, but now pressure is on to clear

Getting all steamed up at the Devon County show -

we'll have highlights from day two at Westpoint.

And elation as Exeter City fans get set for Wembley.

A killer who dragged the body of his ex girlfriend in a suitcase

through the streets of Exeter has been described by a judge as

Kostadin Kostov has been given a life sentence for the murder

of Gergana Prodonova, the mother of his three children.

Police have released CCTV footage, which was seen by the jury,

showing Kostov taking the suitcase through the city centre in the early

He eventually disposed of it on railway embankment.

From Exeter Crown Court Jane Chandler reports.

You may find some of the images distressing.

The chilling evidence that helped convict Kostadin Kostov. Here, he is

seen dragging the suitcase containing the body of his partner,

38 old Gergana Prodonova, in the early hours of August the seven.

Kostadin Kostov killed her in a jealous rage because she had a new

partner. Hours and hours reviewing CCTV to try and identify all catch

Mr Kostov are nowhere and after hundreds of hours, it paid off

because we caught him walking through the city centre with the

body of Gergana Prodonova in the suitcase. Her remains were found on

the railway embankment, on August 16th, following a huge search across

the city. The court heard that Kostov and Gergana Prodonova had a

complex relationship in bulk area for 15 years. They had three years

-- three children together but he was controlling and fired. She

wanted to start life as a heist caper in Exeter, he followed her and

forced his way back into how life, moving into his flat, taking a job

as a cleaner. Heat killed her on August the 4th but then sent bogus

messages from her saying she had flown to Bulgaria because her mother

had died, to cover his tracks. The judge said Kostov had not shown

remorse. He said he was devious web of deceit -- deceit. The Tango is --

tangled web revealed roofless determination but you became

ensnared by it. The fact is, you are thing as clever as you thought. He

has been sentenced to life, serving a minimum of 19 years.

A police community support officer jailed for misconduct would never

have been employed if he'd been subjected to current

That's the conclusion of a senior officer at Devon and Cornwall police

as it's revealed the force is battling to deal with backlog

Across the country, thousands of police haven't gone

through up-to-date vetting as Victoria Gould reports.

Peter Banyan was police community support officer in Cornwall. He was

jailed in 2013 after being found guilty of eight charges of

misconduct. His trial heard he turned down his police radio while

on duty to have sex with women. He also used the police database as a

dating agency. A subsequent report has been released and says in the

opinion of the fourth betting manager, Peter Banyan would never

have been employed if he had been through the current vetting policy.

But he joined the force before the central vetting unit was set up and

nine years before the national betting policy was introduced. At

the end of last year, Devon and Cornwall police told us they had 62

PCSOs still waiting to be vetted and 181 police officers. Avon and

Somerset police told us they had 463 police officers, out of more than

2500 who were still waiting for up-to-date vetting. We identified

there were some individuals working for the falls who still had not been

vetted. We have dedicated resources to go back and that those people to

the current exacting standard. Across the country, the figures are

more startling. 18 forces responded to freedom of information request,

revealing that at the end of 2016, at least 28,000 officers were still

waiting for up-to-date background checks. We want to see and expect to

see clear plans by how forces will address the backlog. In a way, this

has recognised the importance of it but we are realistic about the

numbers it will achieve. We want the plans to be fully resourced and we

want to see progress against those plans. It is pretty straightforward.

Devon and Cornwall police say they are working hard to tackle the

backlog and the number of officers wishing projects is 73, along with

55 PCSOs. Avon and Somerset police says it has been waiting to check

and prioritise those who have not been vetted to the new standard and

the name -- the number of those requiring vetting is 43.

Now a roundup of other stories making the news in the South West.

A woman who was killed after her car ended up in Stithians

29-year-old Hazel Brown from Redruth died at the Royal Cornwall Hospital

The Independent and Liberal Democrat groups on Cornwall Council have

finally come to an agreement to seek to form a joint administration.

It will be put to the annual meeting of the full council next week.

Nature lovers in Devon and Cornwall are being asked to create a home

There has been flash flooding in Somerset. These pictures were taken

in Yeovil. The vehicle had been called -- caught in the flood water.

"Education, education, education" was one of the famous

slogans from elections in the past, but just how important will it be

when voters make their decision at the polls this June?

In Dorset, special educational needs and disabilities faces

This is due to the number of children who need help rising

without the money to pay for it doing the same.

The County Council has managed to stave off some

of the cuts in the short term, but still faces a big

John Ayres has been to West Dorset to gauge reaction there.

Naomi Paddison's son George has a severe learning disability caused by

meningitis when he was baby. She is full of praise for his education but

is worried that cuts could change that. I believe it will leave George

with bigger classes, less staff, the staff that help George are

magnificent. They are not just teachers in education, they have to

be on board with his health needs, they are physios, they'd deal with

all his medication. Special needs education is expensive and involves

some of the most vulnerable children. Dorset has a ?5.2 million

shortfall. The main reason Dorset is in this position is that the number

of children requiring special educational help has risen

considerably but the funding that it gets in to help pay for it hasn't

really changed. This meant that last year, but County overspend. They

have found some money to stave off the cuts in the short term but

longer term, the cuts seem inevitable. How important for the

funding of education as a whole the during the selection? Earlier this

month, parents across the country delivered sackfuls of postcards to

the government department, demanding school funding is protect it. The

blood has to be realistic. If the numbers of children have increased,

-- the government have to be realistic. We have to find extra

resources. We can't have more children and carry on regardless, it

doesn't work like that. It is a fundamental part of the British

educational system. Students with additional needs must have those

needs met. Ukip are not fielding a candidate in West Dorset and they

didn't provide anyone for interview. That answer that if candidate, Sir

Oliver let when a that he wouldn't be interviewed. He said he wouldn't

comment on a single constituency matter. I spoke to party activist

Andy Blackwood, from Labour. It has been an easy target for cuts. At a

time and there appeared to be more and more students with special

needs. If you are going to target the money, as I would like to see

the government doing, it seems to me it should target areas like that,

rather than free schools and grammar schools. For now, Naomi is happy

about George's education, but she is worried about what it will look like

later this year. Now it's day two of the Devon County

Show at Westpoint near Exeter. And despite the odd downpour

of rain, our reporter John Danks found that some at the show

were shedding layers Day two of the Devon County show.

New Zealander Richard Savarese teaching the audience about wall,

shearing, and different breeds of sheep. He has big horns and they are

well known for giving a good but so I would stay where you are. And

Scottish. He is from Glasgow, they have got a different temperament.

Plenty of people have been weaving their way through the trade stands

to buy these woollen products. Tweed is in vogue now, more than ever, for

ladies and men. From fine threads to rough cuts. We are letting off

steam, no matter how big the engine. It has been a labour of love or 20

years, to make it. My grandson wondered if I would live long enough

to finish it. You prove that you could do it. I proved that I have

lived long enough, yes. How has the show gone so far? Every good,

despite the one two shows we have had, it has been amazing, there is a

lovely atmosphere here. Exeter City are heading for Wembley

and possible promotion. We'll have reaction from the fans

and the chairman in a moment. I'm on Watergate Bay, which is

celebrating ten years of polo on the sand.

It's time for the sport now and what a night for Exeter City.

Natalie's here with details of their amazing victory.

Exeter City have booked their place at Wembley after a dramatic

finish in their play-off match with Carlisle.

The first leg in Cumbria had produced a thrilling three all draw

and the crowd at St James Park were treated to another incredible

game which will live long in the fans' memory.

that the best part of 7000 fans, they would 2-0 up, they went back to

two - two. The Grecians are going to Wembley. Bottom of the league in

November, then, this victory. It came as no surprise when Gold mother

17 came for the season, after just 17 minutes. The goals dried up until

little over ten minutes to go but it was that man again, the football

league's young Player of the Year, showing exactly why he had caught

the eye. This Carlisle side refused to give up and just like in their

previous encounters, they hit back with a goal almost immediately and

in the last minute, they drew level. Suddenly, the chance of we are going

to Wembley looked a bit premature as extra time loomed. But Jack Stacey

had other ideas, and what time and what a way to score your first goal

for the club. The fans could celebrate now. There would be no

time left for another comeback. Absolutely ecstatic. We bought

Carlisle were going to do it and we snatched it. That was male bar team.

Brilliant. It was close. I nearly had heart failure. They deserved it.

That was how the manager saw it, too. One word over and over again,

stay positive. We made decisions in the cold light of day but if that

had happened, we would have stayed positive. We left three attackers,

we thought we could score more goals than them and that is what we did.

The next job is to score more goals than Blackpool on Sunday. Win there,

and they can celebrate for what looked like not happening for much

of the season, I return to League 1. Well, things are a bit calmer

at St James Park today but there's still plenty of excitement

as Chairman Julian Tagg I didn't even try to go to sleep

after 3:30am after couple of gin and tonics so it is beginning to sink in

and the work started this morning, both inside the ground and in

ticketing and so on. It is a wonderful feeling and what a way to

win a football match. I think I was just talking to somebody this

morning and it was Jack Stacey who scold the goal in the 95th minute, a

great advert for football, but if he is watching, that is one of Eamon's

boys on loans from us from Redding, so he will be delighted. So are we.

In the relegation zone in November and now you are off to Wembley. Yes,

it has been a bit of the rebel Bill roller coasters. I do remember

speaking back in October, November, the manager during all the right

things but there is a lot of pressure that comes with that and to

keep doing what we were doing and having trust and it has proved

right, we are exactly as you say, now the rewards are going to

Wembley, so that will be a great day out for the football club and for

the whole of Exeter. Did you personally always keep the faith?

Always. I suppose I am in a privileged position -- position. I

knew the extent of the injuries. Paul could hardly pick a team, and

still they would during well away from home. Yes, I can see that

you've got to keep on doing the right things and it will come right.

Amazing scenes last night. How many of those fans will you take to

Wembley? We start with 20000 and work from there. 20,000 tickets

allocated, it is easy to go on our site, click through, you get our

tickets, there is no restrictions, web is a big place, and we want to

get as many people from Exeter as we can. Another great day out, it will

be our third visit there. Well done for last night and thank you for

talking to us. There's a huge weekend ahead

for the Exeter Chiefs who are also They're one game away from a return

to Twickenham for a second The Chiefs secured tomorrow's semi

final play-off at Sandy Park Rob Baxter's team will take

on reigning champions Saracens with the winner set to face either

Wasps or Leicester in We haven't work as hard as we have

two fight our way back into the top six in the top four and win as many

games as we did to make sure we got to the semifinals and now turn

around and say we never planned to have Saracens. We talked about what

it takes to become champions and you have to beat Saracens beat the team

that beat Saracens. When you do play against Saracens, they can bring

anything. It is a bit special. Speaking with other slayers, it is a

bit daunting. -- players. And the Cornwall rugby team could be

heading to Twickenham too - they're one game away from the next

weekend's final of Tomorrow, they take on Hertfordshire

at Camborne with a 3pm kick off. A win or a draw would guarantee

a fifth consecutive final and the chance

for a hat-trick of titles. Full commentary on BBC Radio

Cornwall tomorrow afternoon. And before I go, just time to tell

you that tonight it's free entry to watch Plymouth Speedway

at St Boniface Arena. You'd better be quick though -

the first race is at 7.15. When it comes to thrills and spills,

most people associate Watergate Bay It's not necessarily

a place you associate But polo on the beach is just

as exciting as catching a wave, John Henderson joins us now

with a game in full swing. You are looking at Cornwall, in the

blue, taking on the rest of the world there. A slight gap between

chuckas. This is to debunk the populace they read that polo is for

those who drink champagne. Andy Burgess is a polo player and coach

involved in this and he told me it is not quite the case. There has

been this misconception of polo being an elitist sport. We are

trying to break down those barriers more and more. This gives us a great

opportunity to allow people from all walks of life, to come along, it is

free to attend event, and it is brilliant, anybody can come, come to

the beach, watch high-class polo, and what a place to watch it. Yes,

it is incredibly vast paste. They are about to crank it up in a

moment. The ponies can reach speeds of 30 miles an hour. They can turn

on a sixpence, it really is high octane stuff. A lot of people liken

it to hockey with rugby on horseback. It is very physical, we

are allowed to bump and ride into each other, safely. You have to be

very fast, have a good eye for the ball, it is exhilarating, it is flat

out fun. Interestingly enough, it is one of the few sports in the world

where all the players have to be right-handed. If you are left and on

a horse and going for a ball in between to, you could have a head on

collision, not good at all, and it is quite tricky to use the sticks.

Because of ABC health and safety guidelines, I was prevented from

getting on the back of one of these ponies here. I got on the back of a

pick-up truck. That is it, Stuart. Your hips turning and the power

coming through. You can open your hips through the shot. I see. As

have another go. Keep looking down. Good. Better. Now, this isn't the

only beach related act typically that is going on this weekend. Let's

have a little look at what else is on. All watery convened what is on

this weekend. It has become one of the biggest sporting events of the

year in extra. The edge race cup is a high profile site surfing

competition. This weekend, Plymouth is hosting round one and two of the

British water ski racing championship. The Exeter Marathon

starts at nine o'clock on Sunday outside St James's Park stadium and

finishes later. Every dog has its day, and this one is really pushing

the boat out. The audience will be able to watch

the amazing spectacle from the Riverside deals.

I think the rest of the world have just scored a goal, there goes the

ball, flying through the air. We've got one of the balls here, being

held by William Ashworth. How is the event going? Really well. We've got

fabulous weather, great crowd, and it is only Friday. And a great

advert for Cornwall. A brilliant advert for Cornwall. It is great, it

is terrific. We will leave it there. They are in the throes of battle

here. I don't know which one is my trusty steed. I'm not entirely sure

what is happening, it is pretty chaotic. Back to you in the studio.

That sums it up. Good commentator, isn't he a!

A lovely Sammy -- sunny evening there. And a lot going on outside by

the sounds of it. How is there. And a lot going on outside by

the sounds of it. How is the weather shaking up?

We have had some fine weather. Not everyone has been wet today. Some of

us woke up to a beautiful start. This was the cached jury first thing

this morning, glorious right weather. We can see the cloud

bubbling up already, quite early in the day, in Dorset, that cloud

produced some huge, heavy showers, and those showers are rumbling away

this evening. They will move up the way -- out a way and this weekend,

sunny spells, a few heavy showers tomorrow, Sunday the bit warmer and

largely right-hand dry. Some of the events will be affected by showers

tomorrow. The weekend improves and the area of low pressure begins to

move out of the way through the day tomorrow and coming up from the

south-east, a rigid high-pressure, which will settle wings down and

give us good temperatures. This threatens from the west but heads

north up towards Iceland so actually, the next few days, apart

from the showers tomorrow, are largely financed right, and that

will continue into next week. Good temperatures as well. This was the

satellite picture from earlier today. The brighter colour, the

heavy showers. They formed a line across the eastern part of Devon.

This was earlier today, the shot from here, looking out onto the

sand. It has been a fairly us to read Day in places. Quiet. For this

afternoon, our cameraman caught it in between the showers, some fine

views, looking out to sea. You can see in the distance, that looming

cloud, that produced some heavy showers. The wind picked up

dramatically in those showers. They will fade tonight and we are left

with clear sky until the next line of showers approaches from the West,

mainly affecting Cornwall. Whether it is guys are clearest longest,

that is where we will see the lowest temperatures, tomorrow, showers

affect in Cornwall, transferring their way into Devon and Dorset and

Somerset. By the time they get further east, they could be

thundery. Some late sunshine here are top temperature of 15 or 16 Digg

Viz -- 16 degrees. The last days tomorrow but for the clear up, it

looks like it will be a right, fine day. They are is a silly seeing some

showers tomorrow, find a rest of the day. These times of high water.

Choppy surf for our surfers. And the coastal waters forecast, generally

good visible at it. Sunday's forecast, a nice day, warm as well,

even warmer by Monday of next week. Have a

even warmer by Monday of next week. Have a nice weekend.

Thank you, I will be dodging that shower at the Devon County show

tomorrow. Come and see is that the BBC marquee, but from all of us

here, have a lovely weekend. Goodbye. Goodbye.