BBC Local Live: Sheffield and South Yorkshire on Friday 26 February 2016

Summary

Six convicted abusers, including Arshid Hussain (left), Bannaras Hussain (centre) and Basharat Hussain (right) sentenced to terms totalling 102 years
Judge at Sheffield Crown Court praises 'immense courage' of victims who gave evidence of abuse
Calls for South Yorkshire Police to hand over confidential documents on how individual cases were handled
Detective from South Yorkshire Police 'over the moon' with sentences
Updates on Friday 26 February 2016

Live Reporting

Jenny Cork

Rotherham abuse victim 'attacked by own family'published at 12:32 Greenwich Mean Time 26 February 2016
Jenny Cork
BBC Sheffield, Local Live
Proceedings have begun at Sheffield Crown Court to deliver the sentences on the six people found guilty earlier this week of the abuse of young girls in Rotherham.
The brothers Bannaras, Arshid and Basharat Hussain are due to be sentenced, along with their uncle, Qurban Ali, 53, and two women - Karen MacGregor, 59, and Shelley Davies, 40.
Bannaras Hussain had pleaded guilty at the start of the trial. The judge is now hearing evidence about him. He's pleaded guilty to charges of rape and indecent assault.
Image source, PA
Quote Message
He was indifferent to whether she consented or not. When her brothers found out, they were furious with her and would physically assault her because she was involved sexually with an Asian man."
Michelle Colborne QC, Prosecutor
Rotherham abuse trial: Brothers acted as 'a pack of animals'published at 12:22 Greenwich Mean Time 26 February 2016
Jenny Cork
BBC Sheffield, Local Live
More details of the abuse victims suffered is emerging during the sentencing of Arshid, Bannaras and Basharat Hussain at Sheffield Crown Court.
Opening the case against Bannaras Hussain, Michelle Colborne QC said he met one victim when she was 12 or 13 and she performed sex acts on him.
Ms Colborne said one woman had described the Hussain brothers as "a pack of animals".
Quote Message
They describe from their teenage years a life in the main of feeling dirty, ashamed and guilty. Between them, a plethora of emotional conditions - eating disorders, self-harm, agoraphobia, self-loathing and terminations, for many of them from the age of 14 - events they have never been able to put behind them."
Michelle Colborne QC, Prosecutor
Last chance to enter: BBC Local Radio and RHS 'Design A Garden' Competitionpublished at 11:50 Greenwich Mean Time 26 February 2016
Jenny Cork
BBC Sheffield, Local Live
Calling all amateur gardeners and aspiring garden designers.
BBC Local Radio in England and the Royal Horticultural Society are running an exciting joint garden design competition.
We’re looking to build four front gardens at the world famous RHS Hampton Court Palace Flower Show, external in July 2016 – and your design could be one of them.
Enter here:
Click here for the full terms and conditions (.pdf)
Click here for the entry form (.docx)
Road closed after crash on Mill Lane in Wathpublished at 11:30 Greenwich Mean Time 26 February 2016
This Twitter post cannot be displayed in your browser. Please enable Javascript or try a different browser.View original content on Twitter
The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.
Skip twitter post
Allow Twitter content?
This article contains content provided by Twitter. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as they may be using cookies and other technologies. You may want to read Twitter’s cookie policy, external and privacy policy, external before accepting. To view this content choose ‘accept and continue’.
The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.
End of twitter post
Rotherham abuse victim 'beaten up by own brothers', court toldpublished at 11:14 Greenwich Mean Time 26 February 2016
Jenny Cork
BBC Sheffield, Local Live
A teenager was beaten up by her own family after they found out she had been abused by one of three brothers who led a grooming gang in Rotherham, the court has heard.
The girl's double plight was outlined as prosecutors opened the case against Bannaras Hussain at Sheffield Crown Court.
Image source, South Yorkshire Police
He and his brothers, Arshid and Basharat Hussain, are due to be sentenced later for subjecting girls to rapes, indecent assault and a range of other offences.
Arshid and Basharat were found guilty earlier this week after a long trial but, as Bannaras pleaded guilty, the case against him is now being presented by the prosecutor.
Rotherham child abuse gang leader wanted IVF despite fathering several victims' babiespublished at 11:00 Greenwich Mean Time 26 February 2016
Jenny Cork
BBC Sheffield, Local Live
The ringleader of a grooming gang who systematically raped and abused teenage girls in Rotherham had been planning fertility treatment with his wife.
A judge made reference to Arshid Hussain's family planning in a ruling made during his trial at Sheffield Crown Court, which has now been released.
Image source, South Yorkshire Police
During the case, Hussain's lawyers asked Judge Sarah Wright to rule that he was unfit to stand trial due to his disability.
Hussain was shot in the abdomen in 2005 and his defence counsel have claimed he is paraplegic and bed-bound.
Image source, PA
Quote Message
"I note also that Dr Quinn ascertained that the accused and his wife had made initial inquiries about fertility treatment. He is clearly therefore well enough to contemplate the prospect of family life with a baby."
Sarah Wright, Judge
Hussain only made one appearance in court for his trial and was allowed to follow the two-month long proceedings via a video-link from his bed at home.
Yorkshire Ambulance Service claims best survival rates for cardiac arrestspublished at 10:50 Greenwich Mean Time 26 February 2016
Ian White
Journalist, BBC Look North
Yorkshire Ambulance Service says it has the best survival rates in England for people who suffer cardiac arrests.
The number of patients who survive an arrest has risen dramatically in the last year.
In Yorkshire, 106 patients whose heart stopped beating were resuscitated and discharged from hospital between January and September 2015, a 20% increase on the same period the previous year.
But paramedics say even more people would survive heart failure if more of us had basic life-saving skills and access to more defibrillators.
Cool for cats? Heating trouble at pet shelterpublished at 10:25 Greenwich Mean Time 26 February 2016
Andy Kershaw
BBC Radio Sheffield
I've been to the RSPCA, external Animal Centre in Sheffield to hear about their broken heating system.
It leaves the dozens of cats and dogs in the cold.
They're launching a 'Pennies for Paws, external' Appeal to fund a new one.
Walks around Doncaster to feature on TV programme tonightpublished at 09:56 Greenwich Mean Time 26 February 2016
Jenny Cork
BBC Sheffield, Local Live
This Twitter post cannot be displayed in your browser. Please enable Javascript or try a different browser.View original content on Twitter
The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.
Skip twitter post
Allow Twitter content?
This article contains content provided by Twitter. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as they may be using cookies and other technologies. You may want to read Twitter’s cookie policy, external and privacy policy, external before accepting. To view this content choose ‘accept and continue’.
The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.
End of twitter post
Frozen paws: Boiler problems at animal shelterpublished at 09:45 Greenwich Mean Time 26 February 2016
Andy Kershaw
BBC Radio Sheffield
I've been at the RSPCA, external in Attercliffe.
The boiler at the Sheffield Animal Centre has broken down seven times in the last month - a regular problem every winter. Now they're trying to raise £10,000 to sort it out.
Sheffield man takes on Denmark's X Factorpublished at 09:27 Greenwich Mean Time 26 February 2016
Toby Foster
Presenter, BBC Radio Sheffield
We love getting behind local people on the X Factor.
Who can forget Louis Tomlinson?
Andrew Murray (known as Drew to his friends/family) from Darnall, Sheffield, is through to the live rounds of the X-Factor in Denmark.
Here he is on the show...
This YouTube post cannot be displayed in your browser. Please enable Javascript or try a different browser.View original content on YouTube
The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. YouTube content may contain adverts.
Skip youtube video
Allow YouTube content?
This article contains content provided by Google YouTube. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as they may be using cookies and other technologies. You may want to read Google’s cookie policy, external and privacy policy, external before accepting. To view this content choose ‘accept and continue’.
The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. YouTube content may contain adverts.
End of youtube video
Biggest disappointment ever? Train fan misses Flying Scotsman once-in-a-lifetime momentpublished at 09:17 Greenwich Mean Time 26 February 2016
Toby Foster
Presenter, BBC Radio Sheffield
On the phone in now on BBC Radio Sheffield, I'm asking what's your biggest disappointment?
It's after vintage train fan, Ryan Allen hoped to get a terrific view of Flying Scotsman as it travelled from London to York for the first time since its refit, and saw this instead...
Break-in sparks van safety warning from Rotherham policepublished at 08:53 Greenwich Mean Time 26 February 2016
Rotherham abuse gang to be sentenced at Sheffield Crown Court todaypublished at 08:44 Greenwich Mean Time 26 February 2016
Everard Davy
BBC Radio Sheffield News
The six people found guilty earlier this week of the systematic sexual abuse of teenage girls in Rotherham will be sentenced at Sheffield Crown Court today.
Image source, South Yorkshire Police
Three brothers - Arshid (left), Basharat (centre) and Bannaras Hussain (right) - were found guilty of carrying out multiple rapes and indecent assaults.
Their uncle, Qurban Ali, was found guilty of conspiracy to rape.
Two women, Karen MacGregor and Shelley Davies, were convicted of conspiracy to procure prostitutes and false imprisonment.
Sheffield bedroom fire blamed on electrical faultpublished at 08:33 Greenwich Mean Time 26 February 2016
Jenny Cork
BBC Sheffield, Local Live
Four fire crews from Sheffield stations were called to a fire in a semi-detached house on Harborough Avenue in Sheffield at 04:30 today.
Image source, South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue
On arrival they checked for any casualties, luckily no-one was inside at the time. A bedroom was well alight and crews used two jets to tackle the blaze.
The fire is believed to have started accidentally due to electrics.
Firefighters left at 06:25.
Headlines: Rotherham abuse gang to be sentenced later and conference on the issue to be held in Rotherham laterpublished at 08:24 Greenwich Mean Time 26 February 2016
Everard Davy
BBC Radio Sheffield News
The top stories in South Yorkshire so far today include:
- The six people found guilty earlier this week of the systematic sexual abuse of teenage girls in Rotherham will be sentenced at Sheffield Crown Court today
- A charity in Rotherham that helps victims of abuse and sexual exploitation is holding a conference at Clifton Park museum today. Apna Haq, external supports Asian girls who have been the victims of abuse
- And there's some cold cats and dogs in Attercliffe in Sheffield. The heating's broken down at the RSPCA, external centre
Weather: Cold with patchy sunshinepublished at 08:13 Greenwich Mean Time 26 February 2016
Kay Crewdson
Weather presenter, BBC Look North
A cold start. You shouldn't need your brolly though, it should stay dry through the day with patchy cloud and some sunshine. Winds will remain light but it will be chilly.
Good morning: Your live coverage for the daypublished at 08:00 Greenwich Mean Time 26 February 2016
Jenny Cork
BBC Sheffield, Local Live
Hi, Jenny here. There will be coverage until 18:00 for South Yorkshire and North Derbyshire.
Friday will be a dry day with patchy sunshine - full weather update on its way.
We've got news, weather and information about what's going on across the region. Including more on this story of heating problems and a broken boiler at the RSPCA, external in Attercliffe, Sheffield.
Cold paws! Yikes.