Summary

  • Updates on Thursday 10 December 2015

  • News, sport, travel and weather updates resume at 08:00 Friday

Live Reporting

Kate Linderholm

  1. Rotherham abuse trial: Third alleged victim was 12-year-old living at children's home

    Sallie George
    Journalist, BBC News

    The prosecution at Sheffield Crown Court is now outlining details of a third alleged victim of child sexual exploitation in Rotherham. 

    The girl was 12 and living at a children's home when she met defendant Basharat Hussain.

    The prosecution say she was picked up in a taxi by Mr Hussain and two other men,  taken to a restaurant in Rotherham and bought a meal. When driving her back to the children's home she was made to perform a sex act on Hussain and two other men in the car. 

  2. Rotherham abuse trial: Second alleged victim subjected to regular attacks

    More evidence has been heard at Sheffield Crown Court in the trial of five men and two women charged in relation to alleged child sexual exploitation in Rotherham.

    The second alleged victim, who is now 36, was subjected to regular sex attacks by Arshid Hussain (pictured in front below), prosecutors said.

    Arshid Hussain (seated in wheelchair)Press Association

    The jury was told he passed her round to other men when she was in the care of the local authority.  

    Prosecutor Michelle Colborne QC said: "His exploitation of [her] was violent and protracted. Initially she attempted to say no but was always beaten if she refused and quickly learned to give in to his demands. He passed her to his brother and friends and, over time, gave her as a payment to men for debts he owed."

  3. Rotherham abuse trial: Victim 'befriended by two women defendants'

    Prosecutor Michelle Colborne said the first alleged victim, who is now 43, was befriended by the two women defendants - Shelley Davies (pictured left) and Karen MacGregor - in the late 1980s. 

    Shelley Davies [left] and Karen MacGregorPA

    She said that one night she passed out in Ms MacGregor's house after drinking vodka with a group of about six men and the girl woke up to find herself being sexually assaulted by an unknown man. She said she shouted for help but no-one came. 

    Ms Colborne said: "(She) was plied with vodka to a point where she was incapacitated and taken upstairs by Karen MacGregor with the intention that the unidentified male would have sexual intercourse with her." 

    She told the jury of six men and six women: "Was Karen MacGregor a kind and generous member of society, allowing vulnerable teenage girls to stay at her home out of the goodness of her heart, or was there some motive behind it all? 

    "The prosecution say she deliberately set out to make girls available for sexual encounters with older men."   

  4. Rotherham abuse trial: One defendant played 'key role'

    The prosecution has started making its case in a trial of five men and two women accused of sexual exploitation of teenage girls in Rotherham over a 10-year period.

    Opening the case for the prosecution, Michelle Colborne QC told Sheffield Crown Court one defendant, Arshid Hussain, 40, - known as Mad Ash - played a key role. She said:

    He was domineering and, in some instances, brutal in his treatment of girls. He used them for his own gratification, then often prostituted them or passed them on to his brothers or associates of his. He was assisted in differing ways by the other defendants, each willingly engaged in exploitative behaviour and using the girls to their own ends".

    Arshid Hussain, 40, of High Street, East Cowick, Goole; Qurban Ali, 53, of Clough Road, Masborough, Rotherham; Majid Bostan, 37, of Ledsham Road, Broom, Rotherham; Sajid Bostan, 38, of Broom Avenue, Broom, Rotherham; Basharat Hussain, 39, of no fixed address; Karen MacGregor, 58, of Barnsley Road, Wath, South Yorkshire and Shelley Davies, 40, of Wainwright Road, Kimberworth Park, Rotherham, all deny a total of 63 charges between them.  

  5. Rotherham abuse trial hears first evidence

    Teenage girls in Rotherham were "targeted, sexualised and in some instances subjected to acts of a degrading and violent nature", a jury has been told. 

    blurred image of child in playgroundge

    Five men and two women have gone on trial accused of roles in the sexual exploitation of children in the South Yorkshire town over a period of more than 10 years. 

    Opening the case for the prosecution, Michelle Colborne QC told Sheffield Crown Court:

    It is alleged that in differing ways they facilitated the sexual abuse of teenage girls. You will hear evidence from 12 women who were targeted, sexualised and in some instances subjected to acts of a degrading and violent nature"

     

  6. Fire crews damping down at Rotherham waste plant

    South Yorkshire fire service say they now have three crews damping down at the waste plant on Derwent Way at Brampton where recycled rubbish has been alight for several hours.

    firefighters at waste recycling plantSYFR

    They expect to be there for the rest of the morning and the investigation into how it began will start once the fire is completely out.

    The smoke being sent into the air around the plant isn't as heavy as earlier this morning but people in the immediate vicinity are still advised to keep their doors and windows closed.

  7. Latest headlines: Tram train unveiled and Rotherham strike school talks

    Kate Linderholm
    BBC Local Live

    The top stories in Sheffield and South Yorkshire this morning include: 

  8. Rotherham school strike talks this afternoon

    There'll be talks this afternoon at Listerdale primary school in Rotherham in an effort to sort out a dispute about the suspension of a head teacher. 

    Listerdale school

    Members of the National Union of Teachers (NUT) are on a fifth day of strike action. Fred Sprague, a local NUT official, has been at the picket line today. He says he regrets the inconvenience caused to parents and says they are keen to resolve the situation: 

    We're open to negotiations at any time. We want to meet with the Trust, we will be talking with them later this afternoon so hopefully we can find a way forward."

    Fred Sprague, NUT divisional secretary

  9. Man killed in Doncaster car crash

    A 57-year-old man has died after a car crash in Doncaster yesterday afternoon.

    The man was in a black Mercedes going along the Thorne Road towards the town centre at about 15:00 when he crashed. He died at the scene. 

    No other vehicles were involved in the collision and officers are appealing to anyone who may have witnessed the collision to get in touch.

  10. City's first tram train to be unveiled by minister

    Kate Linderholm
    BBC Local Live

    The transport minister Andrew Jones is in Sheffield today to officially welcome the city's first tram train.

    tram train being transported from SpainSYPTE

    He's at a ceremony at the Nunnery Square tram depot. The tram train is designed to run on both city tramlines and the main rail network. 

    Services are expected to run from Sheffield to Rotherham from early 2017.

  11. Doncaster already seeing benefits from Tour de Yorkshire 2016

    Some businesses in the Doncaster area are already seeing benefits from yesterday's announcement that the second stage of the Tour de Yorkshire on Saturday 30 April will end in the town.

    The cycle race will also pass through Conisbrough, Tickhill (pictured) and Bawtry before finishing in Doncaster town centre. 

    Tickhill

    Katie Dent, from the Crown Hotel in Bawtry, says they're already getting bookings for the event.  

    I think with the announcement we'll fill up pretty quickly but Bawtry's a fabulous place to come and see it. "

    Katie Dent

  12. Rotherham school strike enters fifth day

    Members of the National Union of Teachers (NUT) at a school in Rotherham are striking for a fifth day. 

    Teachers at Listerdale Primary School are taking action over the suspension of the headteacher. 

    Picket line at Listerdale Primary School

    Yesterday, the NUT said it had reported two parents to the police for abusive and aggressive behaviour at a picket line, but things appear to be calmer at today's picket.   

  13. Smoke risk from Rotherham waste fire

    Kat Harbourne

    People in the Brampton area of Rotherham are being advised to keep their doors and windows closed as there's a lot of smoke coming from a fire at a waste plant on Derwent Way off Barnsley Road.  

    There are some dramatic pictures from the fire at its height early this morning.

    Firefighters jets on intense fire at recycling plantSYFS

    Four fire engines are at the site. Jim Oakes, the fire station manager, has this advice for residents:

    Stop inside, close your doors, close your windows and just monitor it. The smoke is coming from approximately 100 tonnes of waste that's on fire. We've got spray jets in position to protect the smoke and stop it progressing onto the neighbouring industrial estate

    Jim Oakes, Fire station manager

  14. Latest headlines: Rotherham waste fire and flood appeal

    Kate Linderholm
    BBC Local Live

    The top stories in Sheffield and South Yorkshire include:

    • A fire at a waste recycling plant in Brampton in Rotherham is sending up a large plume of smoke
    • A Sheffield firefighter is appealing for donations to help people affected by the floods in Cumbria
    • Transport minister Andrew Jones is in Sheffield to officially welcome the city's first tram train

  15. Retired firefighter in Sheffield appeals for Cumbria flood donations

    A retired firefighter from Sheffield is appealing for donations to help people affected by the floods in Cumbria. 

    Bob Addenbrooke, from Chapeltown, is looking for cleaning supplies, two-way radios and manpower.

    flooded streetBBC Sport

    He's been talking to Toby Foster on BBC Radio Sheffield:

    I'm a big believer in helping people from anywhere. I've done it in China, I do it in Sheffield, I'll go anywhere, if we can't help us own, there's something wrong."

    Bob Addenbrooke, retired firefighter

    If you can help please leave your details via BBC Radio Sheffield's reception on 0114 273 1177 and they'll be passed on to Bob.

  16. Rotherham waste site blaze: Fire service advise residents

    People living in Brampton are being advised to take precautions because of smoke from the large fire on Derwent Way:

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  17. Firefighters tackle waste recycling blaze in Rotherham

    About 20 firefighters are tackling a waste recycling blaze at an industrial site in Rotherham.

    The fire broke out at the premises in Derwent Way at about 01:15.

    South Yorkshire Fire Service is advising people living nearby to keep their windows and doors shut due to a "large smoke plume" coming from the site.

  18. Weather: Windy with heavy rain in places but it will brighten up later

    Kay Crewdson
    Weather presenter, BBC Look North

    Rain especially heavy in Pennine areas, so be careful if you're commuting. A high of 9C.

    Kay Crewdson has the weather forecast for Yorkshire on Thursday 10 November 2015.

  19. Good morning: Join us for today's live coverage

    Kate Linderholm
    BBC Local Live

    Hello South Yorkshire, it's Kate wishing you well this dark, wet Thursday morning. I'll be looking after your Local Live page until 18:00 today, with all the top news stories including information shortly about a big fire overnight at a waste recycling plant in Rotherham. Here's a picture taken by our reporter on site.

    Fire at recycling plant

    There'll also be regular updates on sport, weather and travel. 

    Got a story or a picture you'd like to share on BBC Local Live? We'd love to hear from you.