Summary

  • Live updates on Tuesday 1 November 2016

Live Reporting

Mick Lunney

  1. The search for Ben: Scene from Kos this lunchtime

    Kevin Larkin
    BBC Radio Sheffield

    Site of search in Kos

    I'm in Kos where South Yorkshire Police say they have already found many bones in their search for missing Sheffield toddler Ben Needham but they are irrelevant to the enquiry. 

    21 month old Ben vanished in Kos in July 1991. His family believe he was abducted. 

    But police are searching the site where he was last seen alive in the belief he was accidentally run over and killed by a bulldozer. 

    Site of search in Kos
    Site of search in Kos
    Site of search in Kos

  2. Alton Towers crash verdict: Smiler money 'will never replace limbs'

    Phil Mackie
    Midlands correspondent, BBC News

    Alton Towers operator Merlin has been fined £5m for the crash on the Smiler rollercoaster which left two teenage girls needing leg amputations. 

  3. More Sheffield people die from illegal drug misuse than in car accidents

    Sheffield Star

     Sheffielders are over three times more likely to die from misuse of illegal drugs than from a road accident.  

    Drug abuseSheffield Star

    There has been a country-wide increase in the ratio of deaths from illegal drugs to deaths in road accidents, according to figures released by the BBC.

  4. Smiler crash victims outside court

    Phil Mackie
    Midlands correspondent, BBC News

    Leah Washington and Joe Pugh, both from Barnsley, along with Vicky Balch and Daniel Thorpare

    Joe Pugh and Leah Washington, both from Barnsley, along with Vicky Balch and Daniel Thorpare pictured outside Stafford Crown Court following the Alton Towers sentencing.   

  5. CPS 'right' not to prosecute Cliff Richard finds review of evidence

    Danny Shaw
    BBC Home Affairs Correspondent

    The Crown Prosection Service has released a statement following a review of evidence in allegations against Cliff Richard.

    On 16 June, the CPS announced that no criminal charges were to be brought as a result of Operation Kaddie. A review of the evidence has found that the CPS was right not to bring charges against Sir Cliff.

    Cliff RichardPA

    The CPS subsequently received applications to review two of the charging decisions under the Victims' Right to Review scheme. In accordance with the scheme, a CPS lawyer who was not involved in the original decision-making process has completed a full review of the evidence and has concluded that the decisions not to charge were correct."

    Crown Prosecution Service

  6. Funeral of Rotherham Didcot victim to be held

    Jenny Cork
    BBC Sheffield news

    Ken CresswellCresswell Family / Thames Valley Police

    The funeral will be held this lunchtime for one of the four demolition workers who died in the collapse of the Didcot power station. 

    The body of 57 year old Ken Cresswell, who was from Rotherham, was recovered from the site earlier this month - six months after the power station collapsed.

    Ken's body being taken from the Dodcot siteThames Valley Police

    A guard of honour was formed as the body was taken from the Didcot power station site

  7. Family and victim statements to come

    Emma Thomas
    Journalist, BBC Radio Stoke

    Lawyers will be coming out shortly to talk to the assembled journalists. 

    We are expecting statements from the victims and Merlin Entertainments. 

    The Alton Towers operator has been fined £5m after admitting health and safety breaches over the Smiler rollercoaster crash.

  8. The search for Ben: Report from search site in Kos

    Kevin Larkin
    BBC Radio Sheffield

    I'm in Kos, where the South Yorkshire Police team searching for the body of Ben Needham say they've found some items of slight interest. 

    They're scraps of fabric, which Police are now comparing with what Ben was wearing when he disappeared.

    Meanwhile, on day two, the new search continues. 

  9. Judge on fining Alton Towers £5m for crash

    Emma Thomas
    Journalist, BBC Radio Stoke

    The judge says the offender fell far short of required standards. 

    "I am satisfied there was a high risk of harm, so this is category one," he said. 

    "Having found high culpability and harm for a company of high turnover, the starting point is £2m up to £6m, but I will stick within this range."

  10. Alton Towers fined £5millon for Smiler crash
    Breaking

    Alton Towers operator Merlin Attractions has been fined £5 million at Stafford Crown Court after admitting health and safety breaches over The Smiler rollercoaster crash.

  11. Alton Towers crash: Front row passengers suffered "physical and psychological injuries"

    Phil Mackie
    Midlands correspondent, BBC News

    Leah WashingtonFacebook

    Passengers suffered "physical and psychological injuries" and the victims on the front row suffered "life changing" injuries, said the judge.

    Leah Washington from Barnsley, 18 (above) and Victoria Balch, 21 (below) had significant blood loss and their lives were at risk. 

    Their lives have all been turned upside down, he said.

    Victoria BalchFacebook

  12. Judge agrees with "high culpability" claim

    Emma Thomas
    Journalist, BBC Radio Stoke

    The judge has refuted the defence of "medium" culpability, agreeing with the HSE's claim of "high" culpability by a lack of systems.   

  13. Judge: Engineers should have seen stalled carriage on CCTV

    Phil Mackie
    Midlands correspondent, BBC News

    If engineers had checked the CCTV in the control room, they would have seen the stalled carriage, the court has been told.

    Legs were crushed in the tangled steel of the wreckage, said Judge Chambers.

    The passengers were left hanging at 45 degrees, and it took too long for emergency services to be called - 17 minutes.

    It was over four hours before they were released after impromptu scaffolding erected, added the judge.

    "This could have been avoided if a proper plan was in place," he said.

  14. Merlin entitled to "credit" for pleading guilty and fully co-operating

    Phil Mackie
    Midlands correspondent, BBC News

    Merlin is "entitled to credit" for pleading guilty and for co-operating with the investigation, the judge told the court.

    The charge was that it failed to conduct its business in such a way to ensure visitors were not exposed to risks to their health and safety.

    Although victims are at the forefront of everyone's mind, the fine bears nothing on the compensation they receive in the civil courts, he said.

    Smiler ride

  15. Smiler crash "a needless and avoidable accident", says judge

    Emma Thomas
    Journalist, BBC Radio Stoke

    Judge Michael Chambers QC described the Smiler crash as a "needless and avoidable accident in which those who were injured were lucky not to be killed". 

    The crash was exacerbated by the design which left them hanging for four to five hours waiting for emergency services to rescue them. 

    The Judge said: "It has rightly been the focus of much public interest, they operate on a high duty if public care. Merlin fell far short of standards."

    Ariel of Smiler ride

  16. The judge starts his opening remarks at Alton Towers' sentencing

    Emma Thomas
    Journalist, BBC Radio Stoke

    Judge Michael Chambers QC has begun his opening remarks: 

    • There was a "catastrophic failure"
    • Merlin now accepts it was system failure 
    • It was a "needless and avoidable accident"
    • The accident was exacerbated by the design

  17. Alton Towers sentencing

    Phil Mackie
    Midlands correspondent, BBC News

    Sentencing is about to start of Merlin Attractions, the owner of Alton Towers.

    They're facing a "very large fine" for the 'Smiler' rolleroaster crash.

    Here are people arriving at court a short time ago:

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  18. Alton Towers Day 2: Court due to sit

    Emma Thomas
    Journalist, BBC Radio Stoke

    I'm at Stafford Crown Court ready for day two of the Alton Towers sentencing. 

    Here's some details from day one.

  19. Search for Ben: Police follow new leads as day two begins

    Kevin Larkin
    BBC Radio Sheffield

    It's day two of the new search for Ben.

    A team of South Yorkshire police officers have started digging on the Greek island of Kos.

    They are following new leads as they continue trying to find out what happened to the toddler Ben Needham who disappeared more than 25 years ago.

  20. Search for Ben: Report from Kos

    Danny Savage
    North of England correspondent

    I'm on the Greek island of Kos, where South Yorkshire Police say they have already found many bones in their search for missing child Ben Needham but say they are irrelevant to the enquiry.   

    Police and police tape

    21 month old Ben vanished in Kos in July 1991. His family believe he was abducted. But police are searching the site where he was last seen alive in the belief he was accidentally run over and killed by a bulldozer.

    Detectives say the bones found so far are from animals. The site being excavated is an olive grove which has been used for farming for generations.

    Detectives are sieving through topsoil from the site looking for any trace of the toddler.

    Police search in Kos