BBC Local Live: Beds, Herts & Bucks on Monday 7 September 2015

Summary

Updates for Monday 7 September 2015
News, sport, travel and weather updates resume at 08:00 Tuesday

Live Reporting

Dani Bailey

Live at Stevenage Magistrates': Getting hold of reports causes delayspublished at 14:25
Jodie Smith
BBC News
I’ve been in courts before where getting hold of reports has been the cause of lengthy delays.
Although we’ve not been delayed for long, liaising with the probation service resulted in the magistrates taking a short break.
Image source, Google
A probation officer went off to check on reports about Danny Laverty, 29, of Nightingale Road, Hitchin, a defendant who’s admitted five counts of theft, including stealing £75 worth of cheese from Iceland and £100 in Marks and Spencer ready meals.
His defence solicitor called for an adjournment, saying there had been two failed attempts to arrange a probation appointment with his client.
Live from Stevenage Magistrates' Court: Man warned of how serious fine ispublished at 14:18
Jodie Smith
BBC News
A defendant who hasn’t kept up with court payments has been given a stark warning by the chairman of the bench in court two at Stevenage Magistrates’ Court.
Anastasius Francis, 32, of Harlton Court, Waltham Abbey, admitted taking a car without the owners’ consent, driving it without insurance and other than in accordance with a licence.
He was disqualified from driving, given six points on his licence and ordered to pay £420 in fines, a £150 criminal courts charge, a victim surcharge of £30 and prosecution costs of £85.
Quote Message
There seems to be an issue with the fine you already owe the court. Turning up and saying ‘you're not going to get it’ is not a great attitude. You need to understand how serious this is; that if you don’t pay this money, this road leads to prison.”
David Owen, Chairman of the bench
Slow justice: The criminal justice system in Englandpublished at 14:03
Dani Bailey
BBC Local Live
Just a quick reminder after the breaking news of the Aylesbury child sex abuse ring sentencing that today we have a special edition of Local Live. As as well as our regular news updates, we'll be taking a close-up look at the criminal justice system.
Figures obtained by the BBC show lengthening delays in the time taken for cases to be dealt with by magistrates. Funding cuts have contributed to what some are calling a ‘postcode lottery’ in the administration of justice.
We'll be bringing you more updates on the goings-on at Stevenage Magistrates' Court from our reporter Jodie Smith.
Weather: Dry afternoon with sunny spellspublished at 13:45 British Summer Time 7 September 2015
BBC Weather
It will be a dry afternoon with some sunny spells, though the sunshine will tend to turn hazier as the day goes on. Maximum temperature: 18C (64F)
Aylesbury sex ring gang: Police commend victims' 'courage'published at 13:31
Katy Lewis
BBC Local Live
Thames Valley Police have commended two victims for their "bravery" and "immense courage" in coming forward which led to today's sentencing of six men for their part in a child sex abuse ring.
Investigating officer Supt Gill Wootton said: “It is because of their courage that six men have been found guilty of serious sexual offences against children and are now facing long prison sentences.
“Although we can never change what happened to these women when they were young girls, I hope that the sentencing of these predatory men will enable them to start moving forward with their lives."
Aylesbury sex ring: 'I was outnumbered' said victimpublished at 13:19
Dani Bailey
BBC Local Live
At the centre of the Aylesbury sex ring were two white schoolgirls in their early teens who, over the course of six years, were sexually abused by men nearly all of whom were of Asian heritage.
"I was laying on the bed there with them and obviously he came on to me and I was sort of outnumbered in a sense", one of the girls, whose identity has been protected, told the BBC.
"Of course, I wasn't going to say no because I always had it in my mind that if I say no, they're going to do what they want anyway. I was like, well, I have to say yes."
Aylesbury sex ring: How was it discovered?published at 13:14 British Summer Time 7 September 2015
Dani Bailey
BBC Local Live
The Aylesbury child sex abuse ring was discovered after the main victim of the abuse tried to prevent her own children being taken into care.
The woman, known throughout the case as Child A, was under threat of having her two young sons taken into care by Buckinghamshire social services but this was halted when she spoke out about the sexual abuse she had suffered.
The case - heard in the Family Court - had centred on her own fitness to be a mother. The police investigation into Child A's claims started soon after.
Aylesbury child sex abuse trial: Men jailed for abusing schoolgirlspublished at 13:09
Dani Bailey
BBC Local Live
Five men from Buckinghamshire, and one from Bradford, have been sentenced for the sexual abuse of two schoolgirls in Aylesbury.
You can see a full listing of each man's sentence here: Six jailed for abusing schoolgirls.
Aylesbury sex ring gang: Jury took 42 hours to find men guilty in Julypublished at 13:01
Dani Bailey
BBC Local Live
The six men sentenced today for their part in a child sex abuse ring in Aylesbury were found guilty in July after the jury deliberated for 42 hours.
In total 11 men were on trial for abuse on a huge scale between 2006 and 2012, including child prostitution and rape of a child under 13.
The offences were against two girls, who spent days giving evidence and being cross-examined at the court.
Aylesbury sex ring: Men sentenced for three to 19 years in prisonpublished at 12:50
Dani Bailey
BBC Local Live
Six men have been jailed for between three years and 19 years and six months for their part in abusing two schoolgirls for six years in Aylesbury.
Image source, Google
The men from Aylesbury, Milton Keynes and Bradford were found guilty in July for several offences including rape, child prostitution and administering a substance with intent.
Aylesbury sex ring: Sentencing for six menpublished at 12:40 British Summer Time 7 September 2015
Dani Bailey
BBC Local Live
We're switching our focus now from Stevenage Magistrates' Court to a national story in our area.
Image source, Thames Valley Police
Six members of a child sex ring in Aylesbury have been sentenced at the Old Bailey.
The six men were convicted in July for grooming and abusing two schoolgirls between 2006 and 2012.
Aylesbury sex ring: Six men sentencedpublished at 12:32
Breaking
Dani Bailey
BBC Local Live
Six men have been sentenced at the Old Bailey for abusing two schoolgirls in Aylesbury for six years, between 2006 and 2012.
Magistrates cases in the eastern regionpublished at 12:26
Dani Bailey
BBC Local Live
Image source, Thinkstock
Buckinghamshire ready to help take in Syrian refugeespublished at 12:18
Victoria Derbyshire
Buckinghamshire County Council leader, Martin Tett, doesn't yet know how many Syrian refugees the county will be able to take but it is standing by.
"Here in Buckinghamshire we stand ready to play our part with the government in sharing the burden across the UK", Mr Tett said.
Court time: What do the Bedfordshire statistics tell us?published at 11:52
Katy Lewis
BBC Local Live
Ministry of Justice statistics from January to March this year show a significant increase in the length of time it’s taking to process court cases in Bedfordshire: that’s the time it took between someone being charged with a crime and their case being dealt with and concluded in court.
Last year the time was around the national average for both magistrates' and Crown court cases - just under 200 days for Crown court, around 55 for magistrates' - but this year it is up 53 days on average for Crown court cases, a jump of almost 30%.
The figure for magistrates' cases has jumped from 55 days on average last year to 81 so far this year – an increase of almost 50%.
Live in court: Videolink from Hatfield police stationpublished at 11:33
Jodie Smith
BBC News
It was a bit of a first for Stevenage Magistrates’ court two as a defendant appeared via videolink from Hatfield police station.
After a few technical difficulties, James Renfrew, 19, of Marconi Way, St Albans, admitted a charge of drinking and driving and was banned from driving for 14 months as well as being ordered to pay a total of £435.
But the “virtual court” appearance made things rather difficult for the magistrates, who didn’t have the usual means forms filled out by defendants and had to ask part-time pub worker Renfrew for details of his salary over the videolink.
Modern technology: How does it work in a court?published at 11:27
Jodie Smith
BBC News
Modern technology may sometimes make things easier, but it can also inadvertently be the cause of a few delays.
Proceedings in the court I'm in have been adjourned while staff try to connect over videolink to Hatfield police station, something which has been referred to as a "virtual court hearing".
We're due to hear from a defendant who's been bailed to appear at the police station instead of in court. I'll let you know if they manage to connect...
Aylesbury sex ring sentencing today: Services 'must get better at noticing abuse'published at 11:20
BBC Three Counties Radio
Six members of a child sex ring in Aylesbury will be sentenced today at the Old Bailey. The men abused two schoolgirls over a six-year period.
Elaine Hook, a child protection specialist from Buckinghamshire, said often vulnerable children were the most at risk from offences of this kind. "We've just got to get better at noticing when vulnerable young people are being targeted and abused," she said.
"If a young person is coming home late at night and suddenly has jewellery... [we've got to think] where are they getting that from?"
Live in court: A birthday night-out gone wrongpublished at 11:05
Jodie Smith
BBC News
The next defendant tells Stevenage Magistrates’ Court how his birthday celebrations went awry when he drank too much.
Stefan Cole, of Swinburn Avenue, Hitchin, was charged with abusive behaviour and a racially-aggravated public order offence after a night out in June.
“It was my birthday - I rarely drink, and had gone out and had too much,” he said. He was ordered to pay a total of £970.
Magistrates' Court: Who makes the decisions?published at 11:02
Craig Lewis
BBC News
In case you've not been in a magistrates' court, it is rather different from what you may have seen on television.
Decisions are made by a bench of three magistrates. They are volunteers who hear cases in courts in their community.
They are not legally trained, but instead are advised by an adviser who doesn't make any decisions but is legally qualified.