At their school. And the brit awards are later tonight the british star dua lipa leads the pack with five nominations. Its 5 oclock. Our main story is that Police Forces could face new legal action by victims of serious crime, if the Police Investigations were found to be seriously defective. Judges at the Supreme Court gave the ruling, under human rights law, in a case brought by two women who say they were victims ofjohn worboys the serial sex attacker. The police say the outcome means they must set aside more money to cover possible claims for compensation. One lawyer said this was a very bad day for the metropolitan police service, but a positive day for victims in their fight forjustice. Our Legal Affairs correspondent Clive Coleman has more details. For years, john worboys cruised the streets of london in his black cab, looking for women to dupe, drug and sexually assault. This woman, known for legal reasons as dsd, was attacked by worboys in 2003, and was the first to report him to police. I put my trust in the police. I went to them for them to sort this out. I knew who had attacked me. I didnt know his name, but i knew who was responsible for this. They had all the information there. They should have caught him, they could have stopped him the very next day but they didnt. They chose to not believe me. If they had done theirjob in 2003, there would be one victim. I can deal with one victim. The metropolitan Police Fought them to the Supreme Court. Today, the court ruled in the womens favour. We have held that failures in the investigation of the crimes, of Violent Crime and the police who investigate it. If they seriously fail in an investigation, they can face human rights actions by the victim, and have to pay out compensation. Its looking at things where perhaps article 3 isnt engaged. Do we have to move resources from those sort of investigations, so things like fraud, into supporting more work around serious crime . Crowd chants Domestic Violence is a crime todays judgment cant make up for the Police Errors in investigating john worboys. But it will put real pressure on them to ensure such mistakes dont happen again. Clive coleman, bbc news. The uks transition period after brexit could go beyond march 2021 according to a draft government document thats been leaked. The paper says the duration would be determined by how long it takes to implement new processes. And it proposes that britain will abide by eu laws during the transition. The paper emerged as a letter was sent by dozens of pro brexit conservative mps to the Prime Minister insisting the uk make a clean break with the eu and that trade deals should be negotiated with other countries once brexit has happened, as our Political CorrespondentEleanor Garnier reports. As the brexit secretary tours the eus capitals meeting greek politicians today, stumbling blocks remain. Brussels and the uk both agree the need for a temporary transition period after we leave the eu, to allow governments and businesses to get used to the new rules. But a leaked version of the governments latest position leaves some questions unanswered, including over the rights of eu citizens. 0ur starting point has been as the Prime Minister has set out, that we would allow people to come and go, and live out their lives and work in the uk during the implementation period on the same basis as before. But we will need to have a conversation about how they will continue on after the implementation. The challenge for the Prime Minister, notjust in brussels. Are you afraid of your brexiteers, Prime Minister . But in her own party too. As more than 60 eurosceptic tory mps have written to theresa may, urging her to stand firm in the negotiations. Laying down their red lines on brexit. They are issues that need to be clarified because there are some people in the government and around the government who seem to contest these things. For example, that we might be in a Customs Union or that we might continue to be rule takers from the European Union after we have left. But colleagues in the conservative party are certainly not all going in the same direction. They think they are helping the Prime Minister. The Prime Minister has said she wants to deliver this deep partnership. She said she wants to keep frictionless borders, orderly transitions. Lets give her the flexibility to do that. It is the timing of the intervention that is so significant. This pressure from a faction of tory mps who are key to the survival of theresa may and her government, comes just as the Prime Minister prepares for tomorrows crunch meeting of her most senior ministers to thrash out an agreed position on what the government wants from brexit. The road to brexit not always straightforward. Tricky times notjust for this campaign bus but for the Prime Minister, too. A tough task to keep both sides of her party onside. It seems some will end up disappointed. Eleanor garnier, bbc news. We can speak to our Political Correspondent ben wright. This paper, what kind of status does have and is this some kind of clarity around the transition period . At the moment the status is missing, we have been waiting for it all day and relying from a leaked document that emerge. The government insists we will receive that statement spelling out but the government position is. I think its position is that it is negotiating paper, in response to the proposal put out a couple of weeks ago by the eu setting out how they would approach to negotiations on the fine detail of the transition agreement. And this is the uk government response. Much about the detail of this has been known for some time. Whataiming for this has been known for some time. What aiming for the transition period of around two years which pretty much is a snapshot of what there is now, a standstill agreement where in economic terms much continues as it has done, effectively still in the Single Market and Customs Union, free movement. But differences do need to be hammered out and one is precisely how long the transition period will last. We do not think the document today from the uk will sell out our speu today from the uk will sell out our spell out an end date, it will talk about the period lasting for around two years about the period lasting for around two yea rs browse about the period lasting for around two years browse the eu has said they visited last 18 months. So that needs to be sorted out. Although Prime Minister, her spokesman said that there would be an end date set in stone when the negotiations have wrapped up. There could also be tensions around the price the precise status of eu nationals arriving in the uk once the transition period has begun. And on the timings is possible it could go beyond march 2021 and if so how would that be managed politically by theresa may given the state of opinion on conservative backbenches . It could quickly become an century if there was any sense of this slipping beyond that march 2020 date. And the mood from government at the moment is that they do not imagine that happening, there will bea imagine that happening, there will be a fixed date and itjust cannot drag on. And that is the eu position as well. So youre right and that is as well. So youre right and that is a political consideration of the heart of all discussions going on now, intensely, within the cabinet not only about the terms of transition but what kind of long term future relationship the uk will be asking for in the next few weeks. This is now a critical period in brexit negotiations and the government needs for uk businesses demanding clarity, they need this transition to be sorted and agreed by the end of march. Joining us is the conservative mp and former minister david jones one of those who signed the letter to theresa may. Can we offer any element of clarity on the transition . I have seen the document that is being spoken about and of course it is a leaked document but it indicates the government is aiming for a transition period of about two yea rs. Transition period of about two years. My own preference would be not to extend beyond the end of 2020 because of course that is the end of the current eu budget period and if we went into the next budget period of course we would be subject to payment is that we would have had no role in shaping. So i think the end of 2020 is about right. But the possibility of going beyond that if the processes, implementation procedures had not been completed to a satisfactory level, do you think that that is realistic . I dont think so and i dont think that is what the government intends. In the document they talk about a period of around two years. But also there is provision for a fixed date to be inserted in the document and i have no doubt ultimately there will be a fixed date so we will get that degree of clarity. You think that will happen in the next few days . think that probably something that will have to be resolved at the march council, the 22nd 23rd march. Asi march council, the 22nd 23rd march. As i say my preference is no later than the end of 2020. |j as i say my preference is no later than the end of 2020. I met among cabinet members really . Yes of course, well those discussions have been going on for some time. And we do need to get some clarity as to what the british position is because at the moment there is a lack of clarity. I understand there is a variety of opinion within the cabinet. But we have now arrived at the point where something has got to be achieved and i think that has got to be agreement of the terms of the british position for negotiation. Just to spell it out clearly, you are saying, and i assume dozens of your colleagues would agree, that anything beyond the period you mentioned would not be politically acceptable. I do not think it would be acceptable, we do need to see an end to this process. The transition period of course puts the uk in a wea k period of course puts the uk in a weak position, it becomes a rule taker and does not make any rules. We need to get out of that and be in a position to strike free trade agreements and get on with the kind of that free countries do. Think anything that went beyond the end of twe nty20 anything that went beyond the end of twenty20 would be rather worrying. Im just been told the government has in the last few seconds published the draft document we have been discussing so clearly i will be able to tell viewers about that when it comes out. Weve been talking about one leaked document, the other today was a letter to the Prime Minister. Can i ask what the aim of that was . It aimed to show support for the Prime Minister, it declares those who signed the letter are supportive of the position that she set out in the lancaster house speech in january last year. Set out in the lancaster house speech injanuary last year. And it is there to encourage her to adhere to that agenda as i hope she will. Of course others have a different reading even in your own party that it is not to do with encouraging the Prime Minister but it is a warning telling her she must do as you wish. I think it would be quite wrong to read it that way. I think it sets out what our view is, it says explicitly that we support her, we support the position she set out at lancaster house and i do not think any war should be read into it than that. But if the notion of a clean break with the eu is not possible after brexit where does that leave you. Lets see what happens. We have got a long way to go. I would be wanting to read the document that has been published today but of course the negotiation will not be com plete course the negotiation will not be complete on the terms of withdrawal until next month. Quite a way to go yet. We shall see, thank you. The United Nations has said the situation in a rebel held suburb of damascus in syria, which has suffered intense air strikes by Government Forces for the past three days, is beyond imagination. It has called on Global Leaders to demand that syrian Government Forces immediately stop bombing Eastern Ghouta. Activists say at least 250 people have been killed there since sunday night. There are some disturbing images in tom burridges report. This is the intensity of the bombing of Eastern Ghouta, by Syrian Forces who have russias and irans support. Explosions. Crying. The result is hard to watch. And hear. But those who survive the air strikes know that the nightmare is not over. The un has again called on the Syrian Regime to stop its assault. But while we spoke to one woman, the missiles were still falling. Assad has brought his forces to destroy ghouta and its families, adults and children. So that is 48 hours ago, hundreds of attacks by warplanes, rockets. Oh, my god. Explosion. Oh my god more planes attack us now. After years of siege, the rebels have in this sprawling suburb of damascus a network of underground hospitals, but basic commodities are scarce, and there is only rudimentary care. The suffering of civilians left there is clear. One un official described it as unimaginable, but missing from the videos, filmed by activists, are the rebel soldiers. A complicated alliance of islamist groups, labelled as terrorists by the assad regime. Washingtons influence in syria has, over the years, waned. The state Department Says only the Syrian Regime and its backers can de escalate the violence. The horrors of east aleppo are being repeated in east ghouta, russia must end its support of the assad regime and its allies. They are responsible for the attacks, and the dire humanitarian situation in east ghouta and for the horrendous civilian death toll. Outside actors, and there are many, have turned syria into a theatre for Regional Power struggles. Eastern ghouta, now in a deadly phase, isjust the latest tragic chapter. Tom burridge, bbc news. For more on this were joined via webcam by thomas white hes the Norwegian Refugee Councils response director for syria and he is in amman in neighbouring jordan. Thank you forjoining us. The images speakfor thank you forjoining us. The images speak for themselves and clearly terrible suffering there. What are your people on the ground telling your people on the ground telling you about the way in which people can be looked after in one sense medically, weve seen many children suffering as well. What is the assessment . Over recent months there has been significant fighting in Eastern Ghouta and i have seen aid organisations providing basic assistance to people. It is becoming untenable to provide that aid. There isa untenable to provide that aid. There is a lack of supply, people cannot be medically evacuated out of the territory. The reality is the aid workers are now being hit with the same ordnance that is affecting the rest of the population. So the m essa 9 es rest of the population. So the messages that humanitarian response in Eastern Ghouta now is exceptionally strained. For us were also looking ahead and we are very concerned that if this conflict in eastern territory escalates into a major ground offensive were talking about two sides fighting for their survival, in a densely packed, urban environment. It will be very bloody. We are very concerned that we have seen levels of violence already which have cost hundreds of lives. If this escalates into a major ground offensive were going to see thousands of people who are going to be casualties of this conflict and potentially hundreds of thousands of people who would be displaced from Eastern Ghouta. Lots has been mentioned about the parallels with the light between this and what happened in aleppo were of course that very long siege led to the displacement of hundreds of thousands of people. Is that comparison a valid one . I think many people have made that comparison. We would be, we i very concerned people have made that comparison. We would b the e i very concerned people have made that comparison. We would b the size very concerned people have made that comparison. We would bi the size v eastern erned gm , 7,7, to 3 w are su orti\ie of some kind of very supportive of some kind of humanitarian ceasefire. Which would allow organisations to get access to people in need. But most importantly hopefully cooler heads will prevail and we do not find herself in a situation where thousands of lives are at risk and potentially hundreds of thousands of people could be displaced. You have expressed clearly 57 is the tell. About how 5 in ieie iii 5211 siiiiilieizeeieze 112525 pressure f is 5 in ieie iii 5211 siiiiilieizeeieze 112525 pressure on, if is 5 in ieie iii 5211 siiiiilieizeeieze 112525 pressure on, you is 5 in ieie iii 5211 siiiiilieizeeieze 112525 pressure on, you know, is 5 in ieie iii 5211 siiiiilieizeeieze 112525 pressure on, you know, to find much pressure on, you know, to find some way to negotiate a settlement to this. It cost we can see the consequences of this turning into a major conflict as i said in a heavily populated suburb of damascus. Thank you very much for joining us today. Students from the florida high school, where pupils were shot dead last week, are in the state capital tallahassee to demand stricter controls on gun sales. The students insist the rally is not about Party Politics but about people being abl